April 18-30 Monday - Saturday

Well over a week since I last posted!  It's been busy.
The weather has been pretty consistent of late.  It's true Autumn weather for us.  Each day has been sunny and just a tad under 20 degrees.  Lovely, comfortable weather!  No rain.

April 14-17, Thursday-Sunday

A bit of a multiple blog entry again.  It's been a busy few days preparing for our garage sale.
The weather has been cool and we've had the fire on pretty much all day.  Sunday crept up a little more - up to 20 degrees.  It was a pleasantly sunny day so perfect for being out in the shed sorting through old belongings.

April 13, Wednesday

Another cool day as expected.  There was a bit of drizzle as I drove around in Melbourne and had lunch with Diane.

April 12, Tuesday

It was a cool day but the rain in Melbourne had stopped.  There was flooding again last night with the trains grinding to a halt due to the tracks being under water.  At mum's house the carport filled with water spouting up from a drain.  They had to open the roller door to let the water out.  Amazing!

April 11, Monday

Cool again today but the sun was out a lot of the day.  It was quite pleasant standing in the sun but stepping into the shade there was a much cooler feel, plus a bit of a cool breeze.  A friend from Melbourne came up today with a little one in a stroller.  We walked into town which was lovely.  We got home just in time.  It had clouded over and there was a fine mist on our faces for the last 5 minutes walk home.

April 10, Sunday

Quite a cool day today and it looks like we'll have this for the rest of the week.  It was cold during the night and barely reached 17 degrees during the day.  It's lovely to have the wood fire burning.  It's so cosy.  I spent the day inside packing so enjoyed the warm house.

April 9, Saturday

It started off as a warm and sunny day but by lunchtime the wind had picked up and the temperature was dropping.  I was 20mins from home when the sky started darkening and I had washing out on the line!  Rushed home and got it in just in time.  Rain again, it's been a while.

April 5-8, Tuesday to Friday

Each day has been the same - warm and sunny with temperatures in the early 20's.  The perfect week for my first few days of unemployment. 

April 4, Monday

The last day of work today.  It was a cool day and when we went out for lunch I almost wished I had a jacket.  It was a sunny evening and I was glad to be home.  We still the had the wood fire burning though.

April 3, Sunday (week)

I've not been on the ball this week, with it being my last week of work and I was in Melbourne the entire week.  The week really dragged on.  I hardly saw any of the weather, getting to the office when it was still dark! 

So this post is a summary of the week as I remember it.  The temperatures have been what we'd expect of Autumn.  No rain, often sunny, but usually just reaching over 20 degrees if that.  It's weather I don't at all mind.

Today, Sunday, is an overcast day.  This morning we lit our wood fire for the first time this year.  Our neighbours had theirs on once that we saw last weekend but we've just used our backup heat source - a portable electric Nobo heater.  But this morning when it was so cool we thought we'd light the fire in the kitchen.  I'll be home in my own bed every night this week so we'll both enjoy having our sitting room cosy every night.  It's nice on a coolish weekend to have warmth right through the house.  We leave the kitchen door open and as we have a couple of stairs up the hallway the heat rises and heads through the house.  Lovely.

Mar 28, Monday

A pleasant Autumn day - sunny but not too warm.  Stuck in the office all day today so didn't get to see much of it! 

Mar 27, Sunday

A perfect Autumn day.  It wasn't all that much warmer than yesterday but it was lovely in the sun today.  We got out in the garden and enjoyed it.

Mar 26, Saturday

Our wedding anniversary today!  It was another cool day, barely reaching 18 degrees.  I really can't recall our wedding anniversary ever being so cool and overcast.  On our wedding day 17 years ago it reached 30 degrees.  We couldn't believe it could be so hot at the end of March.  But in the years in between it has often been that warm.  I recall many a time over the last 17 years that we'd say how surprising it was on our wedding day to be so warm but now it's the norm for March to be hot.  The last year has certainly been exceptional weather.

Mar 25, Friday

Very cool again today.  I wanted to light the fire tonight but Mick laughed at me!  He walked down the street and spoke to the neighbours tonight and said their fire was crackling merrily. 

We have a ridiculous number of spiders around this year.  The garden is full of enormous webs spun by creepy large spiders.  The house itself is literally covered in spider webs.  I'm tired of trying to keep them at bay.  Everyone is complaining about the same problem.  Such a nuisance.  Next time I see one of those huge perfect webs I should take a photo.

Mar 24, Thursday

Some rain in the night and a quite cool day.  The first day in quite some time that I've needed a long sleeve jumper/jacket.

Not a very good photo, but looking towards Melbourne city at night....

Mar 23, Wednesday

Overcast again today and it got much cooler later in the day.  And finally... some rain.

Mar 22, Tuesday

Come on... where's the rain?!  Another overcast day and another day that was warm and muggy.  I hate humidity.  I do grizzle about the intense heat of Summer but it sure is preferable to high humidity.  It wasn't all that bad today... but still.  Dancing class was hot and sweaty with the humid air. 

Mar 21, Monday

On the weekend the 4 day forecast predicted rain each day from Monday.  I didn't think to ask Mick if there was any rain at home (I'm in Melbourne) but we had no rain here!  It was overcast the entire day.  Not at all cold though, in fact warm and humid!  Strange weather.

Mar 20, Sunday

There was a bit of rain in the night.  I woke up to the smell of rain on the ground outside.  It was warm much earlier in the day today.  Just lovely.  We met up with some friends at Hepburn Springs and it was busy with people enjoying the sunshine in the park-like grounds.

Mar 19, Saturday

There is a pattern forming!  Late in the day the temperatures gets up to almost 25 degrees but earlier than that it's sunny and pleasant but not overly warm.  Went outside this evening to take a look at the "super moon".  It certainly did look bigger than usual.

Mar 18, Friday

Same again today but the nights are getting progressively colder.  Mick's been talking about flanelette sheets already!

Mar 17, Thursday

Quite a cool day today but lately it's been lovely with the sun so gentle.  It hasn't been reaching 20 degrees until later in the afternoon so we've well and truly said farewell to the Summer.  It really feels like we didn't really have a Summer though with the weird weather we've had.

Mar 16, Wednesday

Much cooler today - just reaching 20 degrees or so.  Our lunchtime walk from the office was cool with the breeze.  It was a little overcast too.  A pleasant evening with the sun setting.

Mar 15, Tuesday

It took a while to warm up today but we well into the mid 20's by late afternoon.  The temperature dropped about 5 degrees in the hour or so after 7pm.  Overall it was a pleasant sunny day.

Mar 14, Monday

Today was a public holiday and for us the weather was perfect.  It was cool enough to be out in the garden in the sun and we had blue sky and sunshine all day.   In tidying up the vegetable garden I brought in the things that were in danger of spoiling if I left them any longer.

Mar 13, Sunday

The morning started off quite warm and sunny, without a cloud in the sky.  It looked like the promised rain wasn't to be so I hung washing on the line.  After lunch I was inside and didn't notice the sky clouding over but the incredibly loud crack of thunder got my full attention.  Just as I thought perhaps I should bring in the washing the heavens opened and the rain pelted down.  By the time I scrambled for shoes and the washing basket it was almost too late.  I got drenched to the skin in the couple of short minutes it took to drag the sodden washing off the line!  The temperature dropped by about 10 degrees in an hour and we had good rain for an hour or more.  Late afternoon was dry and the temperature began to creep up again.  By evening the cicadas were so loud that my friend in Germany could hear them while we talked on the phone.  Four seasons in one day.

Mar 12, Saturday

It stayed quite warm all night, barely below 20 degrees I'd say.  Then another warm day into the high 20's.  The last weather forecast I saw said showers for tomorrow.  I hope so - then we won't have to water our vegetable garden!

A view through an apple orchard...

Mar 11, Friday

The nights are still consistently mild.  Today was into the mid 20's by lunchtime.  Lunch with a workmate at an outdoor cafe with the sun on our backs.  Lovely! 

Mar 10, Thursday

Pleasant today.  It was one of those days that you can wear a long sleeve top or not.  It got slightly warmer later in the afternoon though.

Mar 9, Wednesday

It cooled down again today and the rain's back.  They forecast a huge downpour (70mm) today but we had only 9mm.  It all counts though - the vegie garden will be glad of it.

Mar 8, Tuesday

Another very warm day.  It was still 27 degrees at 8pm! 

Country road.....

Mar 7, Monday

I hadn't taken any notice of the weather forecast so after being stuck in the office all day it was a surprise when I went outside at 4.30pm to find it was hot!  Ok, so it wasn't 35 degrees but it was a lot warmer than we've had in ages.  It reached almost 29 degrees.  This is nothing unusual for March, it's only that we've had such an amazingly mild Summer.

Mar 6, Sunday

Another lovely day.  Blue sky, sunshine, just on 25 degrees.

This photo taken today....

A view of Harcourt North

Mar 5, Saturday

A stunning, stunning day.  The sun was out all day but it wasn't too hot at all.  Great day for a one year old's outdoor birthday party!  We had a more than 2 hour drive to Healesville but what a pleasure it was today.  Everything's green, the dams and ponds are brimming with water, and the sun through the car window was gentle and pleasant.

Mar 4, Friday

Today was a lovely sunny but coolish day.  The evening sun is filtering through the gums at the back of our property and it looks so peaceful.  But... we have the heater on.  It's the first time since last Spring.

Mar 1-3 Tue, Wed, Thur

I've not been my usual self these last few days (I'm miserable at work) so 3 days update at once.

We've said goodbye to Summer and it certainly feels like it.  In fact tonight we almost turned the heater on!  It's still been sunny during the day but temperatures only reaching 20 degrees or just over.

On a positive note, the crepe myrtles are in full flower at the moment.  It's so lovely to see them in gardens as you drive around.  The oleander are out too.  I also noticed today the first hint of yellow/orange in the leaves of the trees. 

Feb 28, Monday

Today felt cold!!  I looked out the office window to see people in jackets walking past.  It's been a while since I saw that.  It drizzled on and off in Melbourne and Mick said tonight that he had about 10mm of rain at home. 

Feb 27, Sunday

It was cool over night with a bit of rain but then another pleasantly warm day.  This afternoon a cool change came through and the breeze is quite brisk.  The cicadas are still making a racket tonight.

On the theme of our fast changing garden....

2006 - front corner was totally bare

2007 - a few months after planting

2009 - well established

2010 - trees growing well and flowers everywhere!

Feb 26, Saturday

A warm start to the day and it was quite hot to stand out in the sun.  The afternoon brought a cool change and a bit of drizzle.

We were talking today about what a change there has been in our garden in the last 5 years. 
This has been the progress of our vegie garden....

2003 - the beginning - no side fence or chicken run

2005 - starting to grow a little better

2007 - doubled the size - using an old water tank for garden beds

2008 - picket fence to provide some protection and keep the chickens from laying in the strawberries!

2010 - growing well

Feb 25, Friday

It reached 30 degrees today so quite a warm day.  When I walked the dog I got chatting to a neighbour about the green grass we see everywhere at this time of the Summer.  Unheard of.  I looked at my photos and found this one of our yard in the peak of a previous Summer. 

Feb 24, Thursday

A sunny day but not too hot.  It's always amazing how much bite the sun has, even on a day like this.  Out in the vegie garden for 15 minutes and it was biting my back!

Feb 23, Wednesday

A little warmer today.  Tonight the cicadas are noisy again and the setting sun is filtering through the trees at the back of our property.  My idea of a perfect day!

Feb 22, Tuesday

Cool and comfortable again today.  No fun stuck in the office all day though!

And again courtesy of my brother... the Walhalla Goldfields Railway

Feb 21, Monday

I'd almost say it was cold today!  And windy too.

Here's an Aussie photo courtesy of my brother.....

Walhalla Fire Station - built 1901

Feb 20, Sunday

Much cooler today.  The breeze is so cool that we've closed the back door.  Still, this morning was pleasant enough gardening in the sun.  We hung the washing out to dry and then had to run out to bring it in when it started raining.  Sunny again late afternoon.

Point Lonsdale pier on our last visit to the Bellarine Peninsula

Feb 19, Saturday

A cool, pleasant day today.  Mick mowed.. again...
There has been no break this year from mowing the grass and weeds.  Usually in Summer there is nothing growing.  This year our vegetable garden has flourished all the way through Summer.  Mick has mowed every single weekend.

We picked blackberries in the gold diggings today.  They are plump and juicy for the first time in the 11 years that we've had this house.  Fantastic!

A full moon tonight.  I saw it as we drove home just now and ran across the road to take a photo with my phone.  Not the clearest in the fast disappearing light.

Feb 18, Friday

Very warm again despite the forecast of rain.  After lunch it clouded over and now, at 9.30pm we are listening to rain on the roof.

We've never had our vegetable garden growing as it is right now.  Look!!

The belladonna lillies appear towards the end of Summer

Feb 17, Thursday

The weather is rather consistent at the moment. We had another day just over 30 degrees.  It's cooled down for the evening.   This week the weather forecast has predicted rain each day but so far it hasn't come.

This Summer we've hardly needed to use our cooling.  We've had it on for a few hours in the afternoon on the hot days but there's been none of the unbearably hot nights where we would have the cooling blowing all night.

Feb 16, Wednesday

Warm again today but on the way home from Melbourne the temperature started dropping.  It rained a little too.  A pleasantly cool evening.

Our favourite place to sit at home

Feb 15, Tuesday

Today was a bit warmer again - just over 30 degrees late afternoon.  In fact, it was still 29 degrees at 7pm when I met up with a friend in Melbourne.

From the front verandah of the house we bought

Feb 14, Monday

Another warmish day.  It's starting to feel like we won't be getting any more extremely hot days this Summer.  I sure hope I'm right.

Feb 13, Sunday

Despite a forecast for an overcast day we woke to bright sunshine.  Today's washing went on the line outside.  It was a perfect Sunday morning for gardening and we spent a couple of hours in our front garden.

We drove out to Bell's Swamp this afternoon (on the Bridgewater-Maldon Road).  The road has now been closed for 3 or 4 weeks due to the flooding.   It hasn't been a swamp for the last 10 years but now the water has been sitting there for weeks.  Makes for a long drive around for people living on the other side.

This is an intersection and you might be able to just make out the street signs both on the left and the right.  Who knows what state the road surface will be in once the water is either pumped out, drains away or evaporates.

Feb 12, Saturday

Quite a mild day and overcast. The washing was hung on a rack and the collapsible washing line.  It cooled late afternoon and by the time we went out to dinner with our neighbours Mick wanted a jacket.  We were treated to the remains of a lovely red sunset on our way home from dinner.  It was dusk but the Western horizon was awash with pink edged clouds.

Princess Poppy

Feb 11, Friday

We had some rain last night, through the open window too.  The day was overcast and rather humid.  It only reached mid 20's which is at least comfortable.  Our vegetable garden is growing like never before - it looks like it's been on steroids!  It's all rather untidy though with the rain knocking plants over.  Strangely we've lost a couple of established almond trees this year.  Maybe they just can't cope with this rain. 

I noticed this photo from the lavender farm today and although I've already posted a couple I thought this one was worth posting too.

Feb 10, Thursday

It was overcast today but quite warm, a bit windy and well on the way to 30 degrees in Melbourne. 

The weather channel said our home area would be cloudy with rain developing.  By the time I got home this evening it was hot and horribly humid.  It's overcast but not a drop of rain.  It's 27 degrees inside the house and the evaporative cooling is useless with this humidity.  We've waited for the outside temperature to come down to something closer to what's inside so we could turn on the fan of the evaporative cooler and at least move some air around. What a relief.

We do much prefer our evaporative cooling to refrigerated cooling.  We can leave a couple of windows or doors open and the air feels much fresher and less artificial.  In Melbourne we had maybe 4-6 days each Summer that were too humid for the evaporative cooling to be effective.  Here in Central Victoria it usually only happens once or twice each Summer, if at all.  This year, although we've had so few really hot days, we've had several days of extreme humidity.  I think I'd trade the humid 30 for a dry 40!

Feb 9, Wednesday

Today was another pleasant Summer day, and not too hot!  Stuck in the office all day so only got to see it out the window.  Made me wish I could be out enjoying the sun when it wasn't blistering heat.  

Here's one of our favourite weekends away.  We usually go there for our birthdays in June - in the middle of Winter.  The sky in this photo looked like todays weather.

Our favourite weekend away - Barwon Heads. View from the Boathouse.

The Boathouse accomodation at Barwon Heads

Feb 8, Tuesday

Lovely sunny morning at home today.  The visitors we put off on Saturday came up today and the weather was glorious.  There isn’t a single cloud in the sky and butterflies and dragonflies are busy in the garden.  This is my idea of a perfect Summer day.

Feb 7, Monday

It got much cooler last night and then we had a cool day in Melbourne.   

Didn’t see much of it – stuck in the office all day.

Feb 6, Sunday

Another cool day with not so much rain.  It feels so strange when we drive around and see all the green front lawns and roadsides.  It just doesn’t feel like Summer!  This time of year would usually be tinder dry with not a blade of green grass in sight.

Feb 5, Saturday

It rained all night…. heavy, driving rain.  We’re expecting an overseas visitor and an old family friend from the city but after driving down at 7am to check the road into town we rang them and told them not to come.  The road is totally flooded again. 

The temperature was cool – around 20 degrees – but it won't be easy getting the washing dry.

Feb 4, Friday

4^th Feb Friday.  Rain. All day.  There’s talk of new flooding in Victoria from all this rain.  We have little rivers running down the street already.  It’s a cool day but not really cold.  It looks like the rain has really set in.

Feb 3, Thursday

I sat up late last night watching the coverage about cyclone Yasi. I went to bed before it hit but kept waking up thinking about what might be happening. Today it seems the damage was less than was expected but still there are so many people left homeless, towns destroyed, businesses wiped out.

Not as warm as yesterday but when I drove home in the afternoon it was much hotter at home than it had been in Melbourne.  It got to the mid 30's at home.

Feb 2, Wednesday

Cyclone Yasi is due to hit the Queensland coast tonight.  It’s all anyone is talking about.  Every single news coverage is filled with cyclone talk. Thousands of people have evacuated and towns along the coast around Innisfail are preparing for the worst.  

It was quite a warm day in Melbourne.

Feb 1, Tuesday

There’s a cyclone on the way to Queensland.  As if the flooding from last month wasn’t bad enough, Queensland is about to be hit with much worse.  It was extremely hot today – reaching 40 degrees.  This is the type of day we normally get in Summer.

January

I only decided to start keeping this blog in early February so January is just one entry.  From here I'll try to post daily.


It's been a unusual start to the year.  What would usually have been an extremely hot month in Central Victoria has been strangely mild but incredibly wet.  For the second time in just a few months we've been isolated by flood waters blocking roads into town.  I had a frightening experience driving through a fast moving flood across the road to get home one day.

Next day we had two trees fall over our chicken run - simply fell over by the roots.

There were a couple of hot days but we didn't once need the cooling on to sleep at night.  Unbelievable.

A couple of flood water photos :

A flooded paddock

A river appearing from nowhere

 And lunch at Lavandula lavender farm on a lovely sunny day