Some days are brilliant sunshine and warmth radiating through the windows, other days are freezing with winters tentacles sliding through those same windows trying to grasp onto whatever warmth there is inside.
Earlier today the weather was fine with a hint of blue skies and the atmosphere not too inclement.
Now it is freezing outside. Even your breath turns to vapour as you talk before it dissapates into the sky. It is raining again, not too strong like yesterday's sky carnival. Just a soft gentle rainfall that makes me know it must be snowing higher up again.
The cows across the road don't look too fussed. It's heads down over there as they munch on their diet of grass and hay with an occasional bellow heard as they barter for best posse along the hay line.
We lit the weber today and I've just put in a lovely rolled leg of lamb that with do us for dinner nicely, not too mention lunch over the next few days as well.
This arctic vortex or whatever it's called is apparently upon us and the dogs are even snuggled inside taking pride of place in front of the wood fire sleeping on the mat.
They are both filthy, and I will proceed to explain why.
Yesterday, Murray and I ventured down to Melbourne to pick up our last load from the storage place we had hurriedly dumped stuff between Merryn moving overseas, Mum moving into her aged care facility and us moving up here.
We knew the weather was going to take a turn for the worse but we were not expecting the pyrotechnics, the thunder and torrential rain we drove through to get back home. As some of you might be aware, we drove through a snow patch on the Snow Road coming home which was a novelty for a city girl like me, but alas when we arrived home, it was water water water everywhere.
Where we had the front paddock cleared last week, we listened last night to a large sound which initially I thought was wind but Murray and Stuart thought different.
Stuart sat there with his ears pricked on the deck and I could tell he was frightened, not only because of the thunder but this new sound too. Because it was so dark outside there was no way we were going to venture down to see where the noise was generating from so it was an early night for all as a clap of thunder had knocked out our TV reception anyhow and it was too cold. I might add at this time Noni was rather ambivalent about all these happening as usual.
Stuart is the anxiety ridden timid dog when it suits whereas Noni is laid back and not too much phases her. It was so cold and wet, they spent most of the night inside in front of the fire which I am sure they were happy about.
Anyway, I woke up this morning around 6:30.... which is about 30 minutes before sunrise. The predawn light was just enough for me to visualise an unusual phenomena at the front of our property.
Low and behold, we had our very own mini lake, creek, or river....which has managed to remain throughout the day so the rainfall must have been enormous whilst we were away.
This was what Stuart and Murray had heard the previous evening and today the local ducks thought it a wonderful event as they swam and they swam all over our dam!
Murray and I dressed up in our jammies, slippers and coats to witness this new landmark firsthand and as we walked back up to the house Noni accompanied us. We arrived back at the homestead and Murray realised Stuart was not with us but was comfortable he was off on an early morning wander which he usually does.
Not 10 minutes later, at the back door, there stood, resplendent in the freshest colour of brown, our black and white border collie. As many of you know, S&N are partial to a swim at the beach. Apparently Stuart thought this nature made swimming pool would suffice as his current swimming hole as he came back not only covered in dirt and mud but bramble bits, twigs and the like on his erstwhile fur. Perhaps he was chasing the ducks and frogs that had taken up residence in the 'fresh' water.
Half an hour later, Noni was seen also having a wonderful time rolling around on the grass, in 'what it was I don't care to know' as she too returned not only in a dirty brown shade but also there was a greenish hue on her white bits too.
It's a dog's life that's for sure.
The day has been spent admiring the beautiful green scenery in front of our property with a visit from Michelle, a friend and colleague from WMH and her two girls who are returning home from a trip to the snow. Although it was a brief visit it was great to see one of many I am missing these days in our new place.
