Category: rain

Australia · autumn · floods · garden flowers · native Australian birds · poetry · rain

Flooding Rains

Joanne5 Comments

Tonight I heard on the news that it rained in every town throughout the state of New South Wales today. The whole of the eastern coast of the state, and towns further north into southern Queensland, are on alert for excessive rainfall and flooding.

While media alarmists cry out “climate change,” the realists among the press – and yes, fortunately, there are some realists remaining in Australian media circles – reminded viewers tonight of a famous poem, once taught to most school aged children. The poem, “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar, written between 1904 and 1908, is a timely reminder of the predictable harshness of the climate in this country I call home.

“My Country” is a beautiful poem. It romantisises Australia, while at the same time emphasising the ruggedness and challenges of living in this land. The second verse of the six verse poem is the most famous and is the verse I am sharing today. The other five verses can be found on the Official Dorothea Mackellar website.

My Country

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!

~~ Dorothea Mackellar.

Australia · autumn · daughter · family · grandchildren · rain

A Family Celebration

Joanne10 Comments

With my next grandson due to be born in May, today family and friends went to my daughter’s home where her baby shower was held.

‘Twas yet another day of mist and rain, although it only sprinkled for most of the afternoon.

Soon-to-be a big sister, Aurora, had a great time playing with her cousins and friends, (and sampling yummy treats!)

As for me, I had the opportunity to spend some time with my youngest – for now – grandson. ❤

So no mountain photo today, basically because I didn’t sight the mountain. The mist and low cloud has been thicker than usual lately and it’s becoming a rare event to see the mountain at all.

Further south along the coast of New South Wales, torrential rain has forced several communities to evacuate. My sister sent me a photo this morning of a field across the road from her home, which usually has cows happily munching on green grass roaming around. Today, the field is so flooded that it looks like she is living on waterfront property. She said she’s seen the water this high before, so isn’t concerned. A sight she hadn’t seen before, however, was a house floating through the “cow field” which had been uprooted from its foundations! A very sad situation it was for the poor owner of the house.

Australia · autumn · mist · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · rain · Tweed Valley

Washed Clean

Joanne2 Comments

After heavy overnight rain, I hadn’t expected Mount Warning to look so clear this morning. When the view is as crystal-clear as it was today, it seems to have been washed clean by the rain.

Misty swirls lingered throughout the morning, very noticeable against the rich blue/grey/green colour of the ranges.

Also washed clean were the birds! This is a female magpie lark, or pee wee.

And this is one of two baby butcher birds I have visiting this year.

I particularly like this photo of Hoppy, sitting on my undercover clothes line – his preferred perch when he visits – with the morning sun glistening on raindrops caught in the purple tibouchina tree in the background. ❤