Storm season
I am away tonight – enjoying some high-speed broadband (which is blowing my mind after our very cantankerous bush satellite connection). Tomorrow I roadtrip with my sister – something I am REALLY looking forward to. We are both so busy we rarely get to finish a sentence with each other. We have a few hours uninterrupted (well, only by three offspring) hours together and there will be some serious chinwagging going on!
Anyhoo… tonight I am feeling reflective. And how LONG has it been since I have talked weather? FOREVER, that’s how long…
The end of October here in Queensland is bringing with it some um… seasonal weather.
I use the term ‘seasonal’ loosely, as for many years now it seems that the seasons and weather have been a bit out of whack. In times gone by, winters here would be dry and cold (often accompanied by morning frosts) and summers would be hot and wet. Tropical. Cyclones would meander down the coast and bring with them annual rains like clockwork. But over the past two or three decades, things have gone a little awry. And dry summers have melted into dry winters and back again. Which is hell for crops and pastures, but great to hone one’s appreciation of rain.
And man, I LOVE rain.
Even all our New Year floods have failed to dampen (shocking pun) my delight in the Heavens opening, the thunder of a downpour on a tin roof, and the sweet, special smell of fresh rain.
It excited me then … it excites me still.
This is a shot from this day (baby eagle watching) of a storm building and approaching…
Can you FEEL that amazing tension that builds with those blackening clouds?
I am sure my heart starts beating that little bit harder, as the air pressure changes and the moisture-cooled air hits like a wall.
And the drenching that muddies and cleans simultaneously.
The night before last there was a massive storm -after a day of muggy temps into the 30s – we were rewarded with some midnight music.
It was orchestral, deafening, bolting, thunderously LOUD. It shook the house and shook me awake (which frankly takes some doing once I am deep in). I wished I’d had the energy to shoot it – but I was too busy trying to sleep through it! What I DO know is that my freshly planted veggie garden REALLY enjoyed the 14mm dropped on our houseyard.
I planted carrots, zucchini, snow peas, spinach, roma tomatoes, basil, oregano and coriander (the last three were surviving gifts from these visitors… I know!).
It doesn’t look much yet, but in case we end up like last summer and stranded for a few weeks, I am determined to be prepared! (Ps don’t you love the heifers checking out the goings on? Sticky beaks!)
Apparently there are predictions that we will get 70-80% of the rainfall we got last summer season. That’s still an AWFUL lot. Part of me worries, but MOST of me anticipates that next fall, just the same as I ever did.
How about you?
Hot or cold in your world?
And what veggies, if any, are in your garden?
Are you are rain lover?
15 Comments
Montgomery
Fall is here in New York and it is chilly. We had frost last night and it is 33F this morning, weather say we should have a high of 48F today. Also the Weatherman says we are in for some snow tonight, up to 6 inches.
The garden is bare and going to sleep like all the other plants here.
I love the rain. The lightning and thunder. I even like to watch the hail!
CeeCee
Before I answer your questions, I have one of my own—do y’all get tornadoes with those storms?
We got our first real cold front yesterday. 50*(10c*) this morning! Animals and humans have no idea what to do with it. We had 90 days over 100* this summer with nary a drop of rain.
I do love rain and storms. Magical events.
No veggies, although we do have a winter growing season here. Just not into it this year.
CeeCee´s last blog post ..The Very Best $38 I Ever Spent. Ever!
Cristina
I miss those Queensland summer storms! Achingly so. Rains in Madrid can’t compare; they don’t have the big, fat raindrops that almost hurt when they hit you, the buildup of muggy heat in the day that lets you know the relief of a storm is coming, the way the bitumen lightly steams afterwards.
Here it’s early autumn and the usual rainy season has started as well, though it rarely gets above spitting on and off throughout the day.
Leenie
Oooo! Great rain storm photos. Yup, I can feel the electricity in the air all the way up here in the northern hemisphere. I’m a little disappointed you didn’t jump out of bed and get some time-lapse photos of that night storm (just kidding). Here’s hoping for just enough rain for you to keep things green but not underwater.
Colin (HB)
Yep BB – I certainly have noticed the changes here in Brisbane in the time I have lived here – 30 years ( God time flies!). Looks like rain today and for the last week it has rained every night.
What worries me most here is the possibility of another flood like last summer. They (politicans and bureaucrats)are still dithering as to whether to start controlled water releases from the up river dams. Not that I live in a flood area, but do get cut off. If my area went under, well there would be no CBD to come back to.
The best thing about rain in cities it clears the polluted air.
Lets all hope that what comes is not over the top!
Cheers
Colin
Mummaducka
I love summer storms cool ing everything off. The More rain, the more fat cattle, the more $$$$$. a bit of self sufficiency with a vegie garden is very wise in outback oz. My hubby keeps on asking me if the chooks and vegie garden really save any money? cost of chooks+ plants + feed+ cost of pumping water + cost of my time. I reply that it’s not always about the money!
Mummaducka´s last blog post ..Baby update
debby
We had snow yesterday. It was wet and cold. This morning the cars had to be scraped. The frost made everything sparkly.
We have a good woodfire going.
On the east side of the state, where Dylan lives? About 40 minutes away from your beloved NYC? They’re supposed to get 8 inches of snow.
Kelly
It’s been a long, dry summer for us, but we did get a little rain over night (less than an inch, but I’ll take it). Our garden is done, but we like to grow tomatoes (red and yellow) and summer (yellow) squash. Did try some cataloupes this year and managed to get a couple.
Enjoy your roadtrip with your sister!!!
Kelly´s last blog post ..Judith G. Klausner
Anne
I love it when storms roll in if they have cooling rain. Our dry storms at the moment are not so nice though as there is no relief and they start fires. I do love the anticipation that storm or rain clouds create even after it raining almost all of last year. I also love the colour of trees agains dark clouds it makes for amazing photos. Hot and humid in this part of the world … the vege garden just didn’t grow this year … I think they are predicting something like 16 cyclones to hit the coast this wet even as far south as brissy.
Jayne
It’s been hot, then tepid, then as muggy as a jockeys armpit with heavy downpours but today it’s clear skies with a brisk breeze blowing through the house and freshening everything 🙂
Jayne´s last blog post ..Hysterical Historical round up of stuffs
Montgomery
Well here I am in my little corner of NY and we are being snowed on! 7 inches so far!! Very unusual for October. Well you all know the song… I’m dreaming of a white Halloween, just like the ones I used to know. 🙂
Montgomery
All total we got a foot and a half of snow!
Jane-Kurrajong
Would you like some Rosella Plants?
I have lychees, mangoes, oranges, lemons, mandarins, avocados all with small fruit and paw paws to eat now and hopefully bananas before too long. And my weather is the same as yours ;-)(I think I have long life milk still in the cupboard from last year…just in case!
jeanie
Jane – you obviously don’t have my daughter in your house, because she LOVES cupboard milk!!!
We have self-seeded tomatoes and pumpkins doing best, but silverbeet is starting to produce here, radish always a winner and zucchinis starting to surface.
jeanie´s last blog post ..Rearranging the Deckchairs
Tara
The weather here has been very odd. Winter is reluctant to let go. I was in my fleece, windbreaker and warm boots on Friday evening!. And it was 10C yesterday. Nuts!
The rest of the week looks equally unappealing (http://www.yr.no/place/South_Africa/Eastern_Cape/Grahamstown/long.html) with only one ray of hope on Thursday. Le sigh.
Tara´s last blog post ..Back to life…