Heat and ideas of weather.

We have had a series of hot days in the mid 30s and I feel a little like this sun flower - stooped and past my prime.

Unlike Brisbane where the heat is often relentless at this time of the year we have been getting cool nights with the mist coming with a cool change at 6 or 7pm.

I've also been thinking a lot about my reaction to the weather since my visit to Brisbane last week. I was reminded of the 1974 floods when I lived there. So often weather conditions, like smells, do bring back memories.

My ideas about weather have been challenged in the last few weeks when there have been floods and storms in Qld, NSW and Vic, high temperatures and bushfires in WA and rough weather off the coast resulting in deaths when freak waves swept people out to sea in southern NSW. I haven't been affected by any of these events but I no longer feel that I 'know' the weather.

Blue skies

I'm not sure that I've been listening more intently this last week or just that constant comments on the weather from many people and conversations has accumulated in my mind. After a week of sunshine, warm to hot days, some with out a cloud in the sky; I've noticed two view points in conversation. The majority of comments have been along the lines of ....'Thank goodness for the sunshine, I'll take this heat any day over the rain, we don't want any more rain'.... a smaller proportion of comments have lamented the return of heat with clear sunny days. This week it would seem conversation about weather is not just the stuff of passing comment or a polite word between strangers; it's become a topic of genuine merit.

This got me thinking about what we wish for in weather, what is the perfect day? 24 degrees? sunshine? Perhaps a light shower over night and cool air for sleeping? What would it be like if every day was the same? Without seasons, what would our food be like? plants? clothes? Variation is at the heart of life, and although we would all like to live without the extremes of recent events, I can only imagine monotony without the daily changes. Change is one of the ultimate certainties in life, as long as the earth keeps spinning.

Canberra skies in summer

A weekend in Canberra with sunny blue skies during the day and late afternoon clouds. Some rumbling sounds and overnight rain brought more blue skies the next morning. I visited the National Art Gallery on Sunday and took these two images, unintentionally capturing the sky within and without a circle. Within just before entering the gallery, and without on exit a few hours later.

Afternoon Clouds

Rolling clouds and distant thunder remind me of summer weather in Brisbane where first semester back at school meant taking off your shoes and wading home through puddles left by the 3 pm storms. We have had thunder for the last three afternoons but no rain.

I have been enjoying the warm days but as you can see from the forecast above we are in for some hot days.

Heat haze

Sunshine and blue skies have returned to South-east Queensland with accompanying humidity and temperatures in the low 30's. I still haven't emptied the overflowing rain guage, and my weedmat of choice in the vegie paths is currently cardboard (less likely to wash away). That appearance of 'mist' in the hills is heat haze and probably evaporation lit by late afternoon sunshine. Still it's a welcome change from constant rain.

Rolling Mist

The mist rolls in to the accompanying drone of the neighbour's lawn mower.

Changing conditions.

This morning we woke to clear blue skies and a warm humid day in the mid 20s. I went out into the garden to take some photos and discovered that my battery was flat.

It is now 2:30pm and I looked up from my work to find the mist rolling in. The temperature has dropped to the mid teens and it looks like we will have a cool evening. These sudden changes are typical of the summer climate in the highlands.

Sunrise

The sunrise at 5am this morning lit clouds in soft pastel shades, with air still and cool. Makes it worthwhile getting up at this time.

A glimmer of sunshine

I woke up this morning to see patches of blue sky and puffy white clouds, what a lovely change. Walking down to the chook house left squelching footprints of rising mud with a trail of steps evident amongst luminous green grass. Saturation point has well and truly been reached.

Living just 50km as the crow flies from the CBD of Brisbane; the relative calm and 'business as usual' here is in stark contrast to Brisbane residents currently experiencing flooding inundation from a rising Brisbane river. It's an eerie feeling.

January 11th 2011

These grey gloomy skies were very appropriate for a somber day in South-east Queensland. It has been hard to comprehend the devastation and loss of life occurring during flash flooding events west of Brisbane. Weather is now front page news, facebook pages are full of concern for loved ones and warnings of flooding events, news channels run live with continuous updates. In the next couple of days Brisbane is expected to experience flooding that may exceed the record levels of 1974.
I think back to when this weather project began in 2008. Brisbane had high level water restrictions, 4 minute showers and massive investment in water grid infrastructure in an effort to drought proof the South-east. How quickly these situations can change.

Mist and Rain

This view up the valley from my back fence show the mist and rain that have been constant for the past few days.

It's very gentle weather compared to that being experienced in Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

When we began this project in early 2008 we talked about the fact that most people could now ignore the weather until catastrophic conditions occur. Now a week before our exhibition we are having the kind of conditions that make weather the major topic of conversation.

Clearing skies.

We woke this morning to mist and rain. At 4 pm this afternoon the sun came out and the dark blue sky was filled with layers of clouds. Rain is forecast for the next 3 or 4 days.

Clearing skies?

After a day of sparodic downpours and grey overcast skies, it was lovely to see colours reflected in a clearing sky at sunset. It didn't last for long though with more heavy rain within a few hours.

Not quite dog days!

I took this shot when I was visiting Red Cow Farm, a beautiful 2.5 hectare cool climate garden in Sutton Forest, New South Wales, which is open to the public. It was a warm to hot summer day last week but not the draining heat of the tropics. In the shade the temperature was pleasant enough to work or play.

Trying to be positive about the rain

It's raining again, with heavy downpours over night and more again this morning. I decided to see the upside of the weather conditions and try out some 'weathered' paintings. These experiments have been left outdoors exposed to the elements with storm clouds added this morning.

Summer Evening in Kiama

4 January 2011 at approximately 7pm. Cool and slightly overcast high summer evening with beautiful soft turquoise shimmering colours.

3rd January 2011

This morning I walked down to the vegetable garden with some scraps for the compost, fed the chooks and headed back to the house. In this short time sweat was dripping from my forehead. It's hot, humid and steamy. Dark storm clouds moved through in the afternoon, but were gone as quickly as they had arrived, and brought no relief.