18 Nov 2018
Have you ever driven through sheets of water to make the car slide sideways?? So much fun.
It was only 5.30pm but already the rain was so heavy I couldn't see the horizon; the road; anything. I'd been down south at Peregian Springs, looking at a fridge to buy for new kitchen, when a few drops of rain began on car. Big fat drops. Fat rain. Yep that's what means a real humdinger of a storm about to hit. And it hit.
It was heavy before I got to the motorway, and with another hour to drive home I thought ''wonder how the farms going?"Famous last words as I inched my way home, north on M1. Normally a 110kph motorway, the rain slowed me down to 60 in places, and with a lightening show parallel to motorway to rival a Guy Faulkes night, it was almost in the passenger seat with me. No I am not exaggerating. Sunglasses at night. Lol.
Finally I arrived at 6:30pm to new solar farm gates. That slow motion action of doors opening, to be greeted by two of the most happiest, wet dogs I've ever seen. With garden chairs strewn about from winds, my puppies were my first priority - then the goats, geese ,chooks, then house. I've never wondered what it would be like to be struck by lightening, but as I trudged down the slope on foot to the goats, in lashing rain (if Id taken car it would never get back up hill!) the distant bleating of goats being illuminated against the electrical orchard backdrop made me think...yes it could happen....but it didn't. After the dogs the goats were the next happiest wet animals in the world to see me last night. The gander had put his family to bed by himself - as did the chooks. Clever little fluff balls.
Two happy puppy dogs got to sleep inside last night as well. Ruby immediately tried to get under my bed....o.m.g.
And so the last happy animals (birds - parrots actually) greeted me with shrieks of delight. One had even got out of cage to be huddled up under the cover, hiding from the lightening show. Yes it was a storm of epic proportions. Then this morning the sun came out in all its magnificent Sunday glory.
Rain storm? What rain storm??
Next big question to answer was damage. So after breakfast a quick check to farm infrastructure showed no obvious damage, just soaked carpets from windows left open before storm struck. Seems we escaped major damage again. Hail last month didn't touch us either. Its been a very windy morning though, with predictions of more rain to come. Well there goes the emergency water usage meeting that was planned for family tonight! I reckon we got enough water to fill tanks twice over.
I tried to take a video of the journey coming through Gympie; audio worked but it was just too dark.
The township is famous for flooding so I was pretty anxious to get home in one piece. And I did. At least my car is now cleaner than its been all year.
The middle of the week saw attending the biannual farming conference for the Australian Macadamia Society on the Gold Coast. Nothing like a spell overnight in a swanky hotel to rest the weary bones. With roasted nuts in bowls on every available flat surface, I think I don't wish to eat another macadamia again till....well next season. I do love the nut but can only eat so many in 24 hours!
But eating nuts was not the reason for attending the conference. Like a little boy with new toys, I found the tractor, sprayer and finally harvester displays. Now I was in heaven. Yes its looking like we shall need a new harvester in 2020. Time to ring the bank manager.
So as I trundled through orchards this morning in big tractor pulling the sprayer (not to irrigate - to foliar spray) I could see close up any damage to trees. Luckily we didn't sustain anything major; no trees down, nor broken branches. The trees continue to flower, which is incredible considering the timing of the year and lots of new fluorescent green growth is sprouting about.
And summer is just around the corner, but I think storm season has definitely arrived.
Have you ever driven through sheets of water to make the car slide sideways?? So much fun.
It was only 5.30pm but already the rain was so heavy I couldn't see the horizon; the road; anything. I'd been down south at Peregian Springs, looking at a fridge to buy for new kitchen, when a few drops of rain began on car. Big fat drops. Fat rain. Yep that's what means a real humdinger of a storm about to hit. And it hit.
It was heavy before I got to the motorway, and with another hour to drive home I thought ''wonder how the farms going?"Famous last words as I inched my way home, north on M1. Normally a 110kph motorway, the rain slowed me down to 60 in places, and with a lightening show parallel to motorway to rival a Guy Faulkes night, it was almost in the passenger seat with me. No I am not exaggerating. Sunglasses at night. Lol.
Finally I arrived at 6:30pm to new solar farm gates. That slow motion action of doors opening, to be greeted by two of the most happiest, wet dogs I've ever seen. With garden chairs strewn about from winds, my puppies were my first priority - then the goats, geese ,chooks, then house. I've never wondered what it would be like to be struck by lightening, but as I trudged down the slope on foot to the goats, in lashing rain (if Id taken car it would never get back up hill!) the distant bleating of goats being illuminated against the electrical orchard backdrop made me think...yes it could happen....but it didn't. After the dogs the goats were the next happiest wet animals in the world to see me last night. The gander had put his family to bed by himself - as did the chooks. Clever little fluff balls.
Two happy puppy dogs got to sleep inside last night as well. Ruby immediately tried to get under my bed....o.m.g.
And so the last happy animals (birds - parrots actually) greeted me with shrieks of delight. One had even got out of cage to be huddled up under the cover, hiding from the lightening show. Yes it was a storm of epic proportions. Then this morning the sun came out in all its magnificent Sunday glory.
Rain storm? What rain storm??
Next big question to answer was damage. So after breakfast a quick check to farm infrastructure showed no obvious damage, just soaked carpets from windows left open before storm struck. Seems we escaped major damage again. Hail last month didn't touch us either. Its been a very windy morning though, with predictions of more rain to come. Well there goes the emergency water usage meeting that was planned for family tonight! I reckon we got enough water to fill tanks twice over.
I tried to take a video of the journey coming through Gympie; audio worked but it was just too dark.
The township is famous for flooding so I was pretty anxious to get home in one piece. And I did. At least my car is now cleaner than its been all year.
The middle of the week saw attending the biannual farming conference for the Australian Macadamia Society on the Gold Coast. Nothing like a spell overnight in a swanky hotel to rest the weary bones. With roasted nuts in bowls on every available flat surface, I think I don't wish to eat another macadamia again till....well next season. I do love the nut but can only eat so many in 24 hours!
But eating nuts was not the reason for attending the conference. Like a little boy with new toys, I found the tractor, sprayer and finally harvester displays. Now I was in heaven. Yes its looking like we shall need a new harvester in 2020. Time to ring the bank manager.
So as I trundled through orchards this morning in big tractor pulling the sprayer (not to irrigate - to foliar spray) I could see close up any damage to trees. Luckily we didn't sustain anything major; no trees down, nor broken branches. The trees continue to flower, which is incredible considering the timing of the year and lots of new fluorescent green growth is sprouting about.
And summer is just around the corner, but I think storm season has definitely arrived.
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