Tuesday, January 5, 2010

happy new year

The story from Mudgee since Christmas has been one of rain, rain, and more rain. The extreme drought conditions of November are a distant memory as we sit on the verandah looking out onto green hills and pastures. The vegetables are raging, the stock have abundant food, and there is water in the tanks for luxuries like showers and flushing toilets. It appears that my skill as a rainmaker ( when travelling in Geoffrey around the country any town we stopped in was guaranteed a generous downpour ) has not deserted me and was merely slightly delayed.

170mm of rain since Christmas day, almost half the annual rainfall of last year in less than 2 weeks. We have lawns in places we never knew there was grass, and yesterday I had to mobilise Courtney the ride on mower and do some serious mowing.

From Protea Farm 1


From Protea Farm 1


From Protea Farm 1


From Protea Farm 1

For the first time the tennis court has been wet enough that the roller actually managed to flatten and level it, reducing the number of comedy bounces to an acceptable level.

Despite this, the enormous water tank that we ordered was rolled off a huge truck yesterday and resides in the paddock. It will be installed soon and provide a back-up system for the garden, holding a cocktail of bore and dam water in reserve for dry times, and will be linked to an irrigation system around the gardens. We are determined to create and maintain an oasis, regardless of the cost. Of course, once installed it will rain here forever and we will not require its services!

From Protea Farm 1

2 comments:

ali g said...

yep wasn't it all just too wonderful.
We went away to Sth Africa on 13 Dec and before going had 2 tankerloads of water delivered to our almost empty tanks. That's probaly what made it rain ..that and also the fact that we went on holidays..it's almost Murphy's Law that when you go away no matter what the grass is going to be at least a foot high when you get back. [and it was] But how wonderful to mow it and not choke half to death on clouds of dust. Nice green pics. We now need watering ourselves. Talk soon guys.
G & k

twosheilasandadog said...

A sad reflection of modern times when we have to resort to speaking to our neighbours via a blog! We will send you away to foreign climes next time water gets critical. F x