Storm Gardening

Looking through the window, snow is picture perfect. I expect living with it is challenging.

Queensland's license plates used to say "The Sunshine State." It's true many are envious our our ceaseless sunshine. Living with it is not always as one would expect.

Take today, I have some big gardening jobs on my mind. I hope to get a little in first thing in the morning. I wake at 7.30am, early enough for a Sunday morning I think. It is already too hot to go outside. Certainly too hot for weeding and planting and hard work. Perhaps I will get some gardening in at dusk, if it is not too steamy.

Then, mid morning, a silver lining on the horizon. Dark clouds.

For someone closer to the poles, where perhaps it is snowing, this may be the oddest thing you hear today, but gardening in the rain is perfection.

Cold? No, I wipe the rain from my forehead and the sweat from my upper lip and somehow they even themselves out.

The soil is loose and the weeds come out like a balding man's hair.

My children come outside to tell me there is a storm warning. High winds and flash flooding. It is for nearly all of south east Queensland. Not specific enough for me.

I can hear thunder. If there is any lightening I will go inside.

Mid afternoon and I am done. My hair is red with mud and my clothes cling like glad wrap.

I step into the shower clothes and all.

Clean, on the veranda with a wine and some cheese and crackers, I can admire the luminous grass and the sparkling garden. A perfect summer's day, minus the sun.

If it wasn't for these flies.

But, that's Queensland for you. Beautiful one day, perfect the next.