Dry
Drove to Ballarat yesterday, to spend time with my sister. She's having a very rough time lately. Human beings are fragile things.
Had a gorgeous day though, and managed to keep her tear-free for most of the time. Alcohol-free, too, although that's something she's managing by herself - no mean feat.
Dry was the word du jour - we are in the midst of a severe drought here, and I would challenge any climate-change scoffers to continue scoffing after what we saw along the Melbourne-Ballarat road. Green seems to exist only in the memory, having been replaced by shades of ochre and brown. Much of the land is parched, and the dams and creeks virtually dry. Now and then we'd see huge sprinklers spraying life-giving bore water onto struggling crops. More often, though, what crops we saw were already beyond hope.
Anyone who's ever been to Ballarat will remember the beautiful lake - it is no more. Really. There are some largish puddles of water towards the middle, where the swans and ducks fight for territory, but all around the perimeter and a very long way out it is so dry and cracked that the water plants have been replaced by dry land grasses and drought-resistant weeds. Brave, opportunistic life.
The boat sheds are now locked up, and the launching ramps ludicrously far away from anything that could float more than a champagne cork. Word is that it will be years before the boats can be launched there again, if ever. For now, the very keen have to transport boats and rowers many miles away to get their oars wet.
We are gearing up for a long, hot summer, and the country is ready to burn. Some of it already has. When the hot Northerly blows, there is often smoke in the air. Only when you've lived through a bushfire can you understand the fear that smell evokes.
It's a lovely sunny day in Melbourne - about 24 degrees C, with a light breeze. Perfect.
Some rain would be nice though.
Had a gorgeous day though, and managed to keep her tear-free for most of the time. Alcohol-free, too, although that's something she's managing by herself - no mean feat.
Dry was the word du jour - we are in the midst of a severe drought here, and I would challenge any climate-change scoffers to continue scoffing after what we saw along the Melbourne-Ballarat road. Green seems to exist only in the memory, having been replaced by shades of ochre and brown. Much of the land is parched, and the dams and creeks virtually dry. Now and then we'd see huge sprinklers spraying life-giving bore water onto struggling crops. More often, though, what crops we saw were already beyond hope.
Anyone who's ever been to Ballarat will remember the beautiful lake - it is no more. Really. There are some largish puddles of water towards the middle, where the swans and ducks fight for territory, but all around the perimeter and a very long way out it is so dry and cracked that the water plants have been replaced by dry land grasses and drought-resistant weeds. Brave, opportunistic life.
The boat sheds are now locked up, and the launching ramps ludicrously far away from anything that could float more than a champagne cork. Word is that it will be years before the boats can be launched there again, if ever. For now, the very keen have to transport boats and rowers many miles away to get their oars wet.
We are gearing up for a long, hot summer, and the country is ready to burn. Some of it already has. When the hot Northerly blows, there is often smoke in the air. Only when you've lived through a bushfire can you understand the fear that smell evokes.
It's a lovely sunny day in Melbourne - about 24 degrees C, with a light breeze. Perfect.
Some rain would be nice though.
posted by MargieCM at 3:57 pm
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