Burrawang Thursday 8 March - The Bigger Wet

After one fine day in the last week and constant torrential rain and wind associated with a low and cold front over the region we woke today to find our front garden beginning to flood.

Fortunately half an hour spent digging drainage trenches has lowered the level a few inches and the rain is forecast to clear today.

As manage communities in New South Wales struggle with the devastation caused by flood two years running we count ourselves very lucky.

The Big Wet in New South Wales

After a very cool and damp summer, 75% of New South Wales is either flood affected or under flood watch and many areas will have their average March rainfall occur in one day.

While we are not flooded heavy rain is predicted for today and nearby in Goulburn and in the Illawara communities are experiencing flooding with homes, farms and small businesses dealing with the devastation and loss caused by the inundation.

Tuesday 13th December - Moreton Bay

I spent Tuesday on Coochiemudlo Island in Moreton Bay, just off the coast of the eastern Brisbane suburbs. It was idyllic, which is how I always generally feel when visiting the small island, regardless of the weather. It has me wondering if our response to, or appreciation of weather (or lack of) is moderated by where we are or where we experience it. Yesterday was brilliant sunshine with heat building quickly in the morning. A light sea breeze on the island and shade under trees made it feel very pleasant; along with the lapping sounds of water, it just didn't feel as hot, humid and uncomfortable as the day before.

Burrawang Tuesday 29 November

After an overnight visit to steamy Queensland I was surprised to find, on my return, that it was also humid here. Temperatures today have reached the high 20s and with the unexpected humidity and little or no breeze it seems warmer. The forecast shows a cool change on the way.

Despite last weeks heavy rain the last few days have been warm enough for me to have to water the vegetable garden. 

As spring draws to a close the forecast is for a summer with above average rain fall.

Burrawang Wednesday 23 November

One day late with the Tuesday weather report but the cool change which came through mid Monday continues with Weather Zone predicting falls of 50 to 100mm in the coming week. The rain will be welcome as the volcanic soil in the area cracks and dries out after a few above 30 deg days.
Here a cold change is quite dramatic with maxima falling from the mid 30s on the week to the mid teens.

Late spring flowers have erupted after the recent hot spell. Summer plants like dahlias are now growing before our eyes.

Yesterday morning's grey overcast skies have now given away to steady rain which will result in another snail invasion.

Burrawang Tuesday 25 October

Misty Burrawang 7 am.

I have never enjoyed hot weather and when I lived in Brisbane there were two dates I associated with summer. Melbourne Cup Day usually heralded the end of comfortable weather and cool nights and if it was still hot on Anzac Day we had experienced a long hot summer. There was often a  heatwave in October after a brief spring.
 This year I spent much of October in Victoria and last week there were several days of hot dry weather, an October heatwave, there. Unlike the sticky heat waves in Brisbane the lack of humidity made the warm days very pleasant.
Returning to Burrawang on Thursday, the warm weather continued and I was lamenting the end of spring as I used to in Brisbane. But as a cool change moved in with the some rain last night the mist rolled in and  the garden is refreshed.

Pollen Count

Nicola Moss & Susan Buret, Pollen Count, 2011, weather exposed, cyanotype chemicals on dutch rag paper with gouache additions, 55cm x 38 cm.

Pollen Count is our thank you gift to Monsalvat for our residency over the past few weeks. The space and time have given us the wonderful opportunity to work almost without interruption to complete the work for our exhibition next year. I(Susan Buret) am leaving today while Nicola will continue to work here for another week.