A Wet Winter Solstice

I am grumpy today. It is raining again.

We were going to celebrate the Solstice today but with a house full of sick people, we will have to postpone it. Little Tree has a nasty cough and cold and Mr I has picked up a tummy bug from somewhere (let's hope he doesn't share it).

I have bought tickets to a film and feast night organised by our Local Food Network. The film is called "Grow Your Own" and sounds very entertaining. But first will be the feast made entirely of locally grown organic produce. Yum! Entertainment by a local band. So that will be my celebration.

This winter has been the wettest I've known here. We are meant to be in our dry season now. Yet the ground is soggy and squelchy as it has not had enough time to dry out from the floods and the air smells foul. The seedlings we put in months ago are struggling and many plants who have an aversion to wet feet have given up the ghost. Our terraced garden out the back resembles paddy fields and I'm sure everyone in this region would join me in shouting "We are sick of the rain". It must seem very unfair to other parts of Australia where they have been experiencing drought for years. To all those people in this area that are visualising abundance - STOP! Please.

In spite of my grumps, wherever you are, dear readers - I wish you an enjoyable solstice.

Blessings to you all.

And Now For Something Entirely Different

Not!

Well, so much for my wishful thinking. It is still raining but the creek has receded. I've checked the Council website and we are still cut off in all directions. The river is now at moderate flooding levels rather than major and the radar shows that the rain should be clearing if somewhat reluctantly. We were still trying to wake up at 7.30 this morning when a helicopter (SES or RFS from the markings)landed in a clearing not far from here having made a couple of good sweeps over the area, no doubt assessing damage. The last two floods we were subjected to a barrage of media helicopters landing and taking off for days. But this time they are visiting Grafton, Lismore and Kempsey where flooding is a more infrequent occurrence.

We had planned to visit the local agricultural show so Little Tree could visit the baby animals, watch the wood chopping and the horse events but with all the flooding it has been cancelled. Luckily we had not put this event on his calendar before the flood warnings or we may have had some issues trying to explain the change in plans.

Our cat Shu-shu, or Shuey as Little Tree calls her, has the right idea - she's presently curled up on the bed. And spoilt cat that she is, I'm not going to disturb her by making the bed or trying to photograph her. So here are a couple of photos I took earlier - much earlier (note the sunshine). I never seem to be able to get a shot with her looking at the camera.

So another day of cooking and painting and singing practice - if Little Tree doesn't get too distressed. (The singing isn't bad, it's just loud!!)