We had a pretty vicious storm last night...well it wasn't too bad at our place, but other places got a bashing from large hailstones. The lightning was spectacular...sheet lightning continuously flickering for a couple of hours interspersed with vivid bolts of forked lightning. The thunder cracked, the wind howled and the rain pelted down...and we lost power...again. This time it was a total blackout. So out with the torches and candles...the kids next door signalling to the kids across the back...and Fred, Jane and I sat and drink wine. The poor dogs were terrified and had to be chained up, otherwise they would have bolted.
I wandered home about 9.30 and went to bed, hoping that the power would be on by morning. However, I didn't get much sleep because the thunder and lightning continued all night and is still going as I type this...at 6.53 am! The tanks are overflowing...but as they were pretty close to full, that was inevitable. According to the rain gauge, we had 20 ml of rain in about an hour last night. This lot is pretty widespread and the dams will be getting their fill too, with run-off now. Because we've had a relatively good amount of rain since August, the ground is not soaking the water up so much, therefore run-off is created and that continues for a few days after the rain has stopped, thus adding to dam levels.
One of the surgeons I work with was born out west and is a bushie from way back. For months he's been saying we'll get a big dump of rain in November...judging by the present lot, there may be something in what he says. The ants usually give us an inkling of what's going on, we see them scurrying around in their droves and quite often get an invasion inside. And yes, we've had ants inside...so, there's more rain coming.
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We had Stacey's 18th birthday party on Saturday night. Her actual birthday was 17 October, but because her mum and stepdad were living the life of luxury cruising the Pacific around that time, we had it on Saturday night. A good time was had by all...she loved her gifts, and no doubt there were some sore heads the next day. Not me...I was driving and limited myself to a couple of glasses of strawberry champagne quite early in the piece.
As well as human guests, we had some of the local wildlife join us, too. A couple of green frogs came and gobbled up the flying ants that were attracted by the lights and before dusk, a king parrot flew in, right under the patio roof, landed on top of the bird cage and started feeding from some seed Darryl had put there. He comes everyday and sometimes his mate comes with him. They are the most beautiful birds...green head and upper back darkening to bluey/green wings and tail, with a bright scarlet breast. I couldn't believe how unafraid he was...there was music going, people talking and laughing and walking around...and he just kept eating. We didn't go up to him but just sat at the table watching him...all totally entranced.
Well, that's it. The rain is pouring down, there's still a bit of lightning and thunder and the green frog that lives in the downpipe outside my bedroom window is croaking his delight at all the water. I may log on and see if anyone has downloaded some work for me.
Have a good week.
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13 comments:
20ml in an hour... that's pretty heavy, isn't it? We once had a complete drain-buster of a storm and that was - I THINK one inch (25ml) or possibly 2 inches in an hour and that burst the drains so bad we had dead cats being swept down the street and everything...!
Sounds like a real humdinger of a storm... I love watching a good electrical storm ... in the house I grew up in my childhood we had giant plate glass windows, Scandinavian-style, all across the front of the house so the night we had a giant "hammer and tongues" thunderstorm the view was AMAZING!!
Giant hailstones... not sugar-bag size, (as prophesied in the Bible!) hopefully...!
Are you in the drought area over there?
If so, you must be grateful although it does seem to be all or nothing, much like here.
Drought or flood - take your choice.
I really don’t know what is going on with the weather these days. Storms show up when they’re not supposed to. For example, we had tornadoes hot western Kentucky last week: one destroyed one of the churches of my denomination. The thing is: tornadoes hit here in the SPRING, not it Autumn as this one did.
Happy Belated 17th to Stacey!
OMG jumping frogs eating jumping ants! Sounds like a nightmare I've had! LOL
But seriously: I'm glad you have lots and lots of water finally after all that drought. I personally love storms like that. Not that they are fun: but I feel safe and cozy during them. OK that didn't make any sense!
We had a storm on Saturday night though it sounded fairly mild compared to yours. Not a great deal of rain though. It is so dry here already and we desperately need some good soaking rain.
Sounds like the kind of day I like to "hunker" down and stay inside.
The other day I bought another flashlight...I remember the power going of at least once last winter and my flashlight was upstairs...I'm keeping this one downstairs...lol!
Have a great day!
weather-forecasting ants? We have cows who sit down if it's going to rain. But there isn't a lot of skill in foreacsting rain over here!
I don't know - some parents are so selfish: fancy being away for daughter's 18th!! It's not as if it was a special holiday or anything!
How odd about the ants...
... I read in the paper today that the humble hollybush is supposedly a lightning conductor! (Something to do with the structure of the leaves)... which is why in ancient times it was planted near people's houses... to deflect storm-strikes...
Looks to me like a very scary weather ! I don't like heavy thunderstorms and especially not the lightenings !
On Friday I will leave for two weeks holidays to Egypt ! Am I happy to escape the bad weather, cold and rain ! There it will be sunny and 32° !! and only 4 h flight away !
Hi Robyn, always good to hear there has been rain these days.
I hope the rain doesn't cause you any damage. It sems like once it starts it doesn't know when to stop.
Your party and the Parrot visitors sounds so fun. I would have ran for my camera.
Boy what a great way to work..just go to your computer and get downloaded work!! I would like that one!! I am off to work in just a few too!! Glad you got rain. I know that rain has been needed in Australia!! Good!! just enjoy the weather and if you can sleep some. That is my best time to sleep while it is raining..Sandy
When it doesn't rain you want it and when you do get it, it comes in torrents.
I was in one of those down poiurs in NZ, it was like a drive by soaking.
I didn't knwo what hit me or how my pants got around my anckles and thats the story I am sticking too.
have a nice day
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