Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind!

(This is the post that was meant for last week. Since then, we have had more rain, storms and strong wind, and my poor garden is not looking quite so chirpy!!)

I have shown you our 'tree' before, it's the one we bought in Montagu a couple of years ago. Rob attached it to the house-wall facing the road, and many people have stopped to have a look. One or two have asked us about it, and laughed when Rob tells them that the tree was straight when he put it up! It was the wind that blew it sideways! Then they ask 'Does it really blow as hard as that?'

Our beautiful metal tree.

Rob always answers, 'No, sometimes it blows harder!' 

Look at this tree.

Looks similar to ours, but crafted by nature!

It is just round the corner right on the edge of the bay and gives you some idea of the strength of the wind and how our gardens struggle to stay straight! (Some of the inhabitants also find it hard to stay straight, but that has nothing to do with the wind!!) This last week has been quite a stormy one, with strong wind and seas so rough that the remains of the barge Margaret, wrecked here in 2009, are now barely visible. The night before last we heard the wreck banging late at night and when we walked there this morning we were not surprised to see further damage to the remaining bits. It's only a matter of time before she disappears completely and all that will remain is the wooden cross to mark the place where John Charles Mitchell died. (See 'Margaret Day' in the list of 'posts about')

Twas a Dark and Stormy Night!

The God of Rain has heard our prayers! However, so did the God of Storms and Wild Weather, and the pair of them have sent us a weekend of violent wind, rain and storms! We had lightning and thunder last night, unheard of in our part of the world, and as I write this it is raining again! Or is that still? Our monthly average for June is 68 mm, and so far this month (it's only the 2nd today) we have had 51mm!

Our waterlogged veranda. Even the wooden duck has had enough!

Yesterday (and today!) we lit the fire at about 10 a.m. and spent the day inside looking out! Alfie was extremely reluctant to go outside and had to be persuaded. I had visions of him using the cats litter tray, they were queueing up to use it!

Wild, Wet and Windy!

I know that it's a bit soon for yet another blog, but I just had to share the weather with you! We have literally had all four seasons in the last thirty-six hours, with a cyclone thrown in for good measure! (Well, it felt like one.) I decided to show you the Weskus version of snow in a field, so we went for a little drive on Thursday and saw just what I wanted. Look, white with snow hey?

Snow Weskus style.

I cannot tell a lie, so I have to admit that you are looking at a field of flowers! These are Rain Daisies, or Dimorphotheca pluvialis, to give them their correct name! We have had lots and lots of rain, so the flowers are expected to be good this year, and this is a start.