There’s no doubt about it. I’m now a dyed in the wool, rural gal.
Why?
I’m obsessed with the weather!
Rain, drought, heat waves and cold snaps. It’s always a topic of conversation out here in the bush.
We’ve been in almost continuous drought since we arrived in 1992.
Out of 17 years, we’ve had less than 5 where we’ve had average or above average rainfall.
Average being 600mm. About 4 years.
Above average being 1200mm. Only one year and it is so memorable!
But you do have to be careful what you wish for.
Several years ago, in the middle of a long summer drought, my publicist friend Penny Stevens, of Awarehouse Communications, who lives 2½ hours north in a converted court house in Cobbora NSW, which I call The Stockade, because it’s complete with holding cells and an enclosed exercise yard, which is now their guest bedrooms and glorious courtyard awash with ambience, exchanged many emails about the long dry.
Answering a question she asked, I shot off a reply email just before I left to post parcels in Kandos and do the banking in Rylstone.
The skies were once again full of teasing black clouds which rarely produced the desired rain.
In my reply email I also said to Penny I was weary of the black clouds that produced nothing. It was time for the skies to open up and delight us with thunder and engulf us with a gully washer of rainfall.
I clicked the Send button, hopped into the car and headed off.
Ten minutes into the trip, the skies did indeed open.
The sound of thunder was deafening.
The lightening bolts zig zagged all around me.
And the rain was the size of golf balls.
Hail.
In blinding sheets.
I pulled over to wait it out.
The hail did turn to rain and it rained heavily all the way into Kandos.
On arrival at the T Junction that leads left to Rylstone and right to Kandos, I couldn’t help but notice it was cluttered with Rural Fire Service trucks, SES trucks and personnel, police and most of the local community.
Just 20 minutes before, a lightening bolt hit the Integral Energy substation and set it on fire.
And everyone was there to help to make sure the homes surrounding the substation didn’t go up in flames as well.
And they succeeded.
On my return to Ilford, I emailed Penny about my storm laden trip and asked her if she’d like me to place a wish on her behalf for rain for Cobbora.
No thanks, but thanks anyway was her reply.
Fast forward to this year.
Plenty of email exchanges grumbling about the exceedingly long and protracted dry.
From me to Penny.
From Penny to me.
On New Year’s Day an email from Penny says they’re awash with water. 250mm has fallen over The Stockade since Christmas Day.
They can’t absorb another drop.
Compare that to my 77mm of gentle, soaking rain in the same period.
The Dunedoo region, which encompasses Cobbora, is 2½ hours north and slightly west of me.
And the current news for that region is potential flooding from the Lower Macquarie River downstream of Dubbo and including the Talbragar River.
The flood warnings wax and wane daily.
Yes it will. No it won’t.
Regardless of whether it does or not, 250mm of rain is too much in one week. Add to that the 120mm that fell in their region on January 3rd and you do forget why you wished for rain.
Don’t you?
So do we give up wishing because the ‘wish come true’ can be too daunting at times?
No!
Just refine the wish.
To……
Please, please rain. 100mm will do. No more. No less. Just 100mm. Can you do just that? For the sake of the farmers and the drought ridden community?
Once a month.
From September to May.
Then you can take a leisurely break during winter.
Thank you ever so much!
I think specifics are the trick.
It’s like divining. You can’t ask general questions. You must be specific.
So too with wishes.
Right this minute, in my rural area, our 77mm of rain has miraculously transformed the landscape from parched and barren to lovely and green. Becoming dangerously close to luscious and green.
My green paddocks in the very early dawn mist. Before sunrise.
The temperature forecast is 30C for today. So I was out with the dogs before 6am, surveying the back paddocks.
They look so terrific with the first green shoots coming up, I took a plethora of photos.
The verdant landscape in the early morning mist, with the sun rising.
The soil is so moist, my boots were wet with morning dew.
And the 6am temperature was nice and cool. 14C.
My neighbour’s sheep, who graze in my paddocks, were baaing their contentment to anyone who will listen.
A lone kangaroo, at ease while I approach.
And a lone kangaroo, not frightened of me and my dogs, watches as I approach.
His mob, not so sure, took flight as soon as they saw us.
Their tails are like muffled drumbeats, thumping on the damp earth as they sprint off into the bush.
The dams are full, the grass in the paddocks is greening up and life in the wild is just a little bit easier.
This Guerrilla From The Bush knows that wishes do come true. But do be careful what you wish for.
Take care,
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
BEVERLEY,
Thank you. Your comment is worthy of a post on its own!
We’ve had a little follow up rain, about 23mm, which is now above average for us. It’s keeping the paddocks green and the dam levels up. And the livestock seem to be smiling.
Our water tanks are definitely full. This time around we only got as low as one tank. The last dry spell the tanks were running on very low. Only one-third of a tank left.
We installed a Miele front loading washing machine in March 2009 and it’s really true what it says about saving water. It saves me 22,000 litres a year, which is one tank. So bending down to fill the machine is no longer a ‘no go’ in my life. And it’s a truly lovely, dependable, quality product. Worth every penny of the extra dollars we paid for it.
The air conditioner has arrived, waiting for Victor to install it. He has a lot on his plate to do, but I’m sure it will be in before the next heat wave.
It’s amazing how a green landscape feeds your soul and improves your outlook on life. I’ve noticed a much cheerier local community since the recent rains.
And we all appreciate your best wishes for good follow up, albeit moderate, downfalls.
Take care,
CAROL
CAROL,
Hello, and thankyou for posting this much “wished for” weather report…. on my part.
I can feel that your implicit wishes for drought relief were absolutely implored from within; and I’ve been with you all the way.
However, frustrated at my own ignorance of river names in any specific location; worried with the news of the Coonamble floods, sickened at the lifestock loss reports, and angry at the mosquito infestation further north, I’ve been hoping your particular rainfall was sufficient and kind.
And more than just wetting to the ground.
“Thankyou God for the full dams”… from all the rams and ewes, the cockatoos and the roos !! “and for the replenished bore too?”… from all the herbs, plants and tree roots, and next years blossoms.
“Not to mention the water tanks”…for these kings and queens of the land. “And thankyou too that I can see evidence of the most beautiful handiwork of transformation, in Carol’s superb “verdant landscapes” in the early morning mists”. Oh Yes, sights to admire and to restore one’s spirit.
Just loved your angle on this story Carol in connection with Penny and your trip to the “junction”. I was captured all the way. Hope there are further moderate downfalls from the west, this summer, but just “as and when” you wish for them !!
Take Care,
BEVERLEY.