Yasi and Pickles – a distraction
Well, there has been nothing else BUT news about it all day long.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, born hundreds of kilometres east of Australia a few days ago, is currently slamming into the top half of our beautiful state. I am watching tweets from people who have ignored all kinds of advice and stayed on in the path of this furious Category FIVE storm – the one that’s pretty much as big as America’s Hurricane Katrina and dwarfs the most recent villian wreaking serious havoc on our shores, TC Larry (who was a ‘mere’ Category four).
Apparently there are official wave recordings of …9* metres (that’s 30 feet) *updated from original post. Winds are roaring and power is gone. Storm surges of as high as nine metres are predicted. New reports have said a woman has given birth in one evacuation centre and a roof has already blown off another.
I am at the point that I don’t really want to think about it. I want to put my fingers in my ears and go ‘La la la la la…’. I can only imagine what those stuck in its path are doing to try and deal with the reality of it.
And I figure, my job is probably to acknowledge the situation and maybe provide a little light relief. Lord knows there will be saturation coverage (pardon the awful pun) of this event for days and weeks to come.
The world hardly needs me pretending I’m a cyclone expert.
To this end, I am doing a great big ‘LA LA LA!’ and introducing Pickles to you…
Now Pickles has actually been around the ridges here for a few weeks. You can see earlier glimpses of him here.
(He’s the handsome bloke on the left here – the other is Sandy, Violet’s new steed).
We have been trialling him for Dash, as Yvette is kind of ‘everybody’s’ horse – especially when Pagi and Salina and I all want to ride her too. The math just doesn’t work.
So we got Pickles. He’s tall and lean and gentle and a bit of a snugglepot. He has no sense of personal space whatsoever, and is only four years old. On so many levels, he and Dash are soulmates.
We also find it hard to keep the weight on Pickles. (So much like our son!) Although the horse DID have the excuse that he was suffering ‘rain scald’ from all the wet weather (as did a number of horses and cattle here – apparently a bacteria-based condition). He lost some hair and some weight, requiring some serious TLC.
He’s looking good again. Marvellous what some TCL (and some copra) can achieve.
And now Dash and Violet have their two new steeds…
Pickles and Sandy.
Dash and Violet.
New beginnings…
15 Comments
Jindivick Wildlife Care
I love those shots, BB. Those two kids kicking their heels and riding free and joyful like that – beautiful! I can’t go to bed – I can’t stop watching the news – you Queenslanders have suffered something terrible in the last months and I can’t believe it still goes on. My thoughts as well as all Victorians and I’m sure the rest of the country are with you all tonight as I will not be getting any sleep. Stay safe.
Bill
My oh My my…my…my. Hang on Mum, you have 10 years to turn gray.
A Novel Woman
Nice to hear some good news coming out of Australia. Go Pickles!
Seriously, this Yasi sounds like a devil of a storm. Makes our little blizzard here in Montreal a minor inconvenience at best. I’ll keep repeating that mantra as I shovel 30cm of snow from the driveway today…
A Novel Woman´s last blog post ..Now were cooking with gas
ellie k
The pics of the kids riding are beautiful. That Violet shows the love of her horse in her face.
Buttons
Hello Bushbabe. I will keep good thoughts and prayers for the people going through this horrible cyclone.
I love your horse pics. I thought your blog was going to be about real pickles LOL.I like these better. Take care B
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Leenie
Glad to know you are not taking a direct hit from Yasi. Sorry for all those who will. The term, “hunker down” is used often as advice for incoming big weather. Not sure what that really means except kiss your present way of life goodbye and try to get out of the way.
Love the pony pics. Good to see green grass and leafy trees. Way-way-way below freezing here. Schools closed mostly because autos won’t start and skin freezes.
Lydia
Oh BB — I love seeing the kids on the horses! They look like they are having a wonderful time and growing into skilled horsemen.
Prayers for all those in the way of the Cyclone.
Nancy in Iowa
The kids are wonderful horse people! Beautiful Dash and Violet with their beautiful mounts – doesn’t get any better.
I haven’t been hit by the blizzards (yet) – just lots and lots of snow and really cold weather. Had some freezing rain this week, too, but I did break free of my apt. a few days ago for groceries and library books! I am so sorry about what has been hitting Queensland and other parts of Australia. Best wishes to all of you! Currently 4F here with a wind chill of – really – only -15F! I’ll continue hibernating, thank you!
Kelly
It seems like the bad weather just keeps on coming!
I really like that second to last shot of the kiddos on their horses.
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Helen G.
Nothing better than kids with their horses to make a very cold day be just a bit warmer. In Oklahoma right now it is a beautiful sunny day, but 15F with a 1F. chill factor. That’s the first time the wind chill has gotten above 0F. in over 24 hours.
Thanks for the carefree riders. We Yanks needed a break, too.
Helen
gramps
Isn’t it ironic that Egypt has placed your latest weather in 2nd place on the news each night.
We all hope and pray that it will end soon and normalcy will return to the land of OZ
Scotty
My sister did okay in Townsville but Yasi made a mess of my hometown of Ingham – nobody I know is hurt and that’s the main thing.
Scotty´s last blog post ..As If The Floods Werent Bad Enough
Theresa in Alberta
I love how the purple halter on violets horse matches her boots!! Praying for the folks in the land of OZ!!! here is to hoping for a boring day for the news media……
Patricia in Newcastle
Great shots, i grew up in the country, but married a city boy. My dearest wish would be to have some land and a horse to ride (i used to ride my pops when i was young). Now if i want to ride i have to pay for a trail ride which really isn’t much fun…
Cottage By The Sea
La! La! La! La! That’s my usual way of dealing with catastrophic things that are out of my hands too. I hope things are getting better ’round there. Your kids and their horses are adorable. Leaves me with a smile on my face.