Weather (I should)
Right… what excuse can I use this time? Too busy? Too lazy? Forgot? All of the above?
I missed the weather report for last week, and it’s NOT because there was a lack of weather taking place. Actually, there was plenty of va-voom in Mother Nature’s (hand)bag of tricks last week. Firstly there was the lunar gymnastics and light show – who else managed to catch it?
Now I am not astronomer, but according to news reports from August 13, an unusual ‘occultation of Venus‘ took place. (An odd occultation occured?) This was also reported as the sight of ‘Venus near the waxing crescent moon in the western twilight sky’. (How utterly poetic is THAT description?). Apparently, Venus, Mars and Saturn were supposed to be visible to the naked eye that night. Now I didn’t manage to catch the resulting astronomical ‘smiley face’ but snapped off these couple of shots.
This one was taken through the leaves of our bottlebrush tree at our side gate… that’d be Venus to the right, I assume?
And this shot was taken an hour later, leaning against a tree in our backyard in a vain attempt to steady the camera…
Anyone have any idea where Mars might be? Or Saturn? Methinks my 18-200mm lens is not quite up to the task of astronomical photography (and neither is it’s owner!)
As for the weather… well, it was warm. It was wet. It was freezing. All in the space of about 2.5 days. Heck, I almost got out the GPS to check that I wasn’t in Melbourne.
We had 50mm of rain (2 inches) which was wonderful, but then got a frost almost immediately. Not wonderful. My tomatoes are shot. Outlook is for cloudy days and temps ranging from 5-25 degrees Celsius. Kinda nice.
As a result of the rain, the folks in this part of the world got out their collective matches, and lit up. Not cigarettes. Grass. It was sssssss-mokin’! It’s all good management (nice cool fires in cool weather) to reduce the old dead dry grass and allow new growth to come through. But boy, it’s smokey!
Let’s just say that I am using the dryer with a GOOD excuse this week – I don’t fancy pulling on clothes that smell like charred toast. (Call me fussy.)
The upside (and there is usually an upside) is the sunsets…
Snapped on the way home from our local gymkhana on Saturday night. This shot has NOT BEEN colour-altered at all in photoshop. It really WAS that amazing…
And yes, I do want to put it in the calendar. *Sigh*
(Speaking of which – I have added each poll to this link (found at the top of the banner under ‘calendar polls’) so you can keep an eye on the voting for your favourite image. If you haven’t already voted in them, you can do so here, or you can got to the original posts for each section.)
Anyway, this post supposed to be about WEATHER. Some questions for you:
1. What’s happened this week with you?
2. Is the season turning in your part of the world?
3. What are you looking forward to most (weather-wise)?
11 Comments
Kate
1. What’s happened this week with you?
The week is just beginning and I’ve gone back to full-time (bah!)
2. Is the season turning in your part of the world? Not yet. I wish, though. It’s hot and muggy.
3. What are you looking forward to most (weather-wise)? Crisp, cool, autumn air . . . the smell of cookies baking in the oven that we haven’t had on all summer . . . and the scent of woodsmoke in the air. Sorry, you said weatherwise. But you know what I mean.
THAT SUNSET IS AWESOME! I am in love with it!
Kate´s last blog post ..Last August – photo redux
Leenie
Wow!!!!! on that sunset! You took that smoky sky and turned it into a keeper for the calendar.
There was an occultation of Venus here a year or so ago (blogged about it). It happened very early in the morning. I ended up running down the street in my pajamas to find a view of the sky without trees to catch the moment when the moon slid right over Venus. So cool! Then I was glad my neighbors are not early risers. But, then, seeing me running madly about with my camera is not an unusual occurrence even when I’m in my jammies two blocks from home.
Weather here right now is PERFECT!
Leenie´s last blog post ..LOOKIT!
Sal
Love the sunset pic, the silhouette is just perfect. ANy chance of some photo nerd info on this one??! Sorry – would love to be half as clever as you one day! Weather here this week is just lovely compared to last week. Last week we had, minor flooding, gailforce winds and blistering cold. It was also the week I was child free and offered to tag along with the weeks mustering and droving! haha Mother Nature knows I love her! This week, in time for Ag Quip is frosty mornings sunny days. About 0-15max. Nice and crisp but beautiful in the sun. Hope it stays that way….but the winds are destined to return! 🙂
Bush Babe
Exposure 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 200 mm
NB Had to turn the car off while shooting it to reduce vibration.
🙂
BB
Tara
1. What’s happened this week with you?
Running around like a headless chicken trying to complete 4 different, but crucial work-related tasks. AND starting pilates AND trying to have a social life. Busy little bee me!
2. Is the season turning in your part of the world?
Some days I think it is, other days, not so much. We’ve got cold nights still (5C or less) but warm to hot days (20 – 27C). Still, I planted my pumpkins and watermelons in hope!
3. What are you looking forward to most (weather-wise)?
The HOT! I am all about the hot! I am definitely not a winter person despite my June birthday!
Tara´s last blog post ..A Good Day Shopping 35-365
Jayne
Heading off to our little oasis in Central Vic on Friday morn, where it’s currently 7 degrees as I type.
Heat wave!!!!
Looking forward to the shower reno being finished but enjoying the bath in the backyard under the plum tree 😉
Jayne´s last blog post ..Ive seen the future and we are saved!
debby
Not much. Met friends. Saw a plane crash, came home, visited with Cara when she got home from San Francisco, went to bed, got up, worked, came home, saw Cara off to college. (‘Will you miss me?’ she asked. ‘Probably not,’ I said. ‘You haven’t been home long enough for me to get accustomed to your presence.’) Sunday, I worked. Yesterday I went to school. Today, I need to get up and get moving because I’m going to work. Tomorrow, I have a day long orientation, and will pay exorbitant sums of money for a huge pile of books and then… Well. Nuthin’. I haven’t been doing anything…
debby´s last blog post ..Susans Video
LeeNJ
That tree MAKES that sunset!
Here in northern New Jersey USA…
It’s been hot and HUMID but we expect a break some time today.
Today: Sun and clouds mixed. Warm. High 87F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: A few clouds. Low 62F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 79F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Thursday: A few morning showers. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s.
Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 60s.
Saturday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 60s.
Kelly
I missed the Perseid meteor shower last week. Just wasn’t up to setting an alarm for the week hours. Wasn’t even aware of the event you photographed above. So often we have too many trees on the horizion for viewings of planets (or other stellar stuff). I do know Mars glows quite “red”. Venus looks more like a star.
Still hot and humid here, but I’m hoping the triple digits are past (or soon will be). I don’t want cold, but I’m looking forward to about 10 to 20 degrees (F) cooler temps!
That last photo is fantastic!!
Kelly´s last blog post ..Refreshing
jeanie
The fog here this morning is fantastic!! Otherwise weather is pretty much perfect and a window into the joys of Spring.
jeanie´s last blog post ..August
JENNY TALIA
1. What’s happened this week with you?
South Africa – yeah!
2. Is the season turning in your part of the world?
Supposedly winter here, but really quite lovely & mild
3. What are you looking forward to most (weather-wise)?
More of the same please!
x
JENNY TALIA´s last blog post ..fancy schmancy