On Monday I heard a sound I hadn't heard for months and months...someone using a hose! I know to those of you in the northern hemisphere that may seem a rather peculiar thing to say, so let me explain...
South-East Queensland is in the middle of a very severe drought (as I've commented on in previous posts) and we have Level Four water restrictions. For the householder that means watering the garden every second day, eg because our street number is "evens" we can water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only; odd numbers can water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and no-one waters on Mondays. Hoses and sprinklers are banned. It's a great excuse for not washing the car! Those who have rain or bore water are exempt from this but must display a sign saying they use bore or tank water.
So...the sound of a hose being used electrified me into going and investigating what was going on. I poked my nose out the door and here was Fred...watering the garden...with the hose! Shock, horror! "Umm-aaah!" I said, "I'm going to ring the council." Fred threatened to soak me with the hose, then grinned and said with a smug grin, "It's rain water." Of couse, I had forgotten about our tanks brimming full of rainwater.
Oh, the smell of that lovely fresh water! It smelt as if it had just rained and soaked the ground, it was beautiful. So, I went to my garden shed and brought my hose out of retirement and watered my garden. I felt really guilty and had to tell myself very firmly that I was not breaking any council laws and I wouldn't get fined. It's so lovely having that water and I swear the garden looked a lot fresher even just 24 hours later.
* * * * * * * *
The lack of rain is a real talking point in SE Queensland. North Queensland has had rain, floods and a cyclone, plus a threatened cyclone...which didn't eventuate much to their relief. Crocodiles were swimming in the main street of a town or two, were found in swimming pools and generally where they weren't usually seen. It is very soggy in the north at the moment. As one local wit said, "In the north we get rain for nine months of the year, then we get the wet season!"
Meanwhile those of us who live in our little corner of the world are looking longingly at the remnants of the cyclone that wasn't, willing it to come closer to shore and travel south. If you are interested in looking at the weather in our part of the world, go to the website of the Bureau of Meteorology, here's the link: http://mirror.bom.gov.au. On the satellite picture of Australia, click on Queensland, that will bring you to the page "Queensland Weather and Warnings" and you can click on any one of the items listed on the page.
If you are interested in tracking a cyclone (and if there is one threatening) click on Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map and it will give you the progress of the cyclone, along with updates.
I think most people in our area are always checking that website. It's the main topic of conversation at work, in coffee bars, in the pubs, wherever...it's all about the weather. I really think we need to get a life!
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15 comments:
Hi Robyn, it's getting to the very serious state of affairs with the lack of run-off rain in the catchment areas, I have a cartoon saved up for level 5 restrictions if we are unlucky enough to have them.
Robyn,
Weather extremes are always the prevalent topic of discussion. If we didn't have weather what would we talk about?
We're going 3 hrs. south this weekend for a romantic get-a-way, where indeed they've received 100 inches of snow in the past 4 days.
It was a gift from the kids. Includes a chauffered 6 hour wine tasting tour of the local finger-lakes wineries. Big Snow, Wine, Fireplace, and quaint country B&B! Ahhh, can't wait.
rel
Hope you get a good rain soon!!
Croc's in the pools...~~shivers~~~
:-D
I can't even imagine a drought like that. We've had some dry times here but nothing like what is going on over there! Great that you could use the hose...that Fred sounds like a fun neighbour! lol Sure hope you get some much needed rain again soon!!! Hugs xox
Whether to discuss the weather or whether to not discuss the weather!
I kinda like the sound of Rel's sexy weekend! Do you think you and I can dig up a couple of guys, Robyn...some snow or rain and each find a cosy romantic spot somewhere? We can't let Rel have all the fun now, can we?
Perhaps the word 'dig' isn't the correct word to use...we'll go scouting a a couple of groovy guys! ;)
Hi Robyn! I know what you mean about that smell of water and earth: what a heavenly smell. I wish that drought would stop already. It's pretty serious. I never would have known except for your blog. You're in my prayers.
Hi Robyn ~~ The weather is a big problem at present. We are desperate for rain in Victoria also, as I guess N.S.W. are too. It has become deadly serious all over, except North Queensland. Thanks for your visits and comments, glad you liked The Bell about the blind horse. I hope you get a break from working in the city.
Thanks for all the bits and pieces you send. Take care, my friend,
Love, Merle. Sorry about the foot/hand thing !!
Peter: I reckon Level 5 will arrive quicker than Christmas...and that's pretty quick!
Rel: Too much information! Now I'm absolutely green with envy...on second thoughts, no I'm not. You mentioned that four letter word...snow. Too cold for me. Go ahead and enjoy your weekend and I shan't be envious!
Tammy: Hey, crocs are ok in pools...as long as you're not in there with them!
Pea: Yep, Fred is a lot of fun...he's the biggest stirrer out and the only way to deal with him is give as good as you get. As for the drought... well, I can't imagine living in amongst snow. Honestly, the things I hear from those of you in the northern hemisphere are horror stories as far as I'm concerned.
Lee: Now don't start that again...lol! As for that Rel, well, he's just showing off. However, I reckon we could pull a couple of guys and have us some fun...as long as they have healthy credit cards...heheh!
Meeyauw: Thank you for your kind thoughts. It's pretty bad in other parts of Australia as well. However, we are coping because we have the tanks. Other poor souls don't and maybe can't afford to buy and instal rainwater tanks. They're the ones to pray for.
Merle: The country is pretty dry alright. I guess it hurts so much here because all that lovely rain is only about 1,000 km north of us. Not a lot in the scheme of things, is it?
I live in a very wet part of the world so it's hard to imagine what you must be going through. It must have felt wonderful to water your garden and I agree the smell of a freshly watered garden is a fragrance from Heaven!
Hi there, I’ve been relying on using Bloglines to do my daily rounds of the blogroll for a while now, it’s a very time saving method but it feels a bit impersonal at times, so it’s a hot Saturday, I’m gonna sit here and visit with everyone, It won’t feel any different to you but know that I chose to visit today instead of just answering an electronic reminder.
Have a good day.
Two comments for the price of one, lucky??? you.
Sounds like Norway: here too everybody talks about the weather, year around. Too hot, too cold, too dry, to much rain, haven't seen the sun for several days.
Watering restrictions are very familiar, even in a green city like Oslo. Some years ago, the Authories in Oslo gave for free new showerheads to everybody, in order to save water - and the every second day or once a week gardenwatering - oh yeah, we know it.
And when people of NEQL talks about 9 months...
We say we have 9 months winter and 3 months green winter. LoL.
Keep smiling :) :) :))
MM: Nice to see you again. It's amazing what we take for granted in this world...I know I took water for granted, but over the last few years, I've had to pull my horns in, as have we all.
Peter: Two comments? That's very generous of you, kind sir. I haven't got Bloglines so I do it the hard way...one by one!
TorAa: I'm amazed that Norway has water restrictions! However, I"m guessing that it's more from foresight than the need for water conservation. Pity we all didn't have the wisdom that your powers that be do.
Hi Robyn ... sshhh... enough about the council and the water restrictions, my grass didn't get the way it is by watering with the can, I can tell you!
But then, it is only a very small patch, and I do religiously observe watering for all of the rest of the garden, it takes about an hour with the can, to do all of the plants that still need water, recent additions only, everything else catches what it can when it rains, and we have had a little bit... and I have the good old 2 litre plastic bottle with the chux insert trick.
I did the sums recently about getting a water tank with the government and council rebates, but with the need to change the downpipes, and the concrete stand, and a pump etc. it still came out as more than I have. It would have been nice to have free water, costs per litre continue to climb...
I can't believe I eventually left New Zealand because it rained too much!
Hi again Robyn ~~ Thanks for your visit and kind words. The word venting is new to me for complaining.
As you say Bunnings helped quite a lot. Take care, Robyn, Love, Merle.
Della: I was interested to hear you were in New Zealand. Are you from there originally or did you just live there for a while?
Anyway, I won't say anything to the council if you won't. I thought that if you planted new lawn or gardens you were allowed to hose for the first fortnight anyway!
Merle: Venting, ranting, whingeing, whatever...it's a good way of getting rid of unwanted emotions and I'm all for it! Anyway, that's what our blogs are for, to let loose and say whatever!
Have a good weekend.
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