'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

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Wednesday 2 February 2011

Tropical Cyclones


Recently Downunder had weather influenced by two tropical cyclones. You all probably know of the result - extensive flooding in Australia, and although ours locally was severe, yesterday and today the sun was shining and the roads and flooded paddocks in the North Island are rapidly drying out.

I went back to Whakatane yesterday to pick up my painting entry (didn't get anywhere in the competition - everyone say 'awww') and there were lollipop ladies and gangs of workers and machinery cleaning up at least 4 slips along that Matata coast road I posted about.

So, it was quite wild during my work week. I painted away in my little studio in the back garden. The rain whipped against the windows and the wind whistled around the corners but all was snug inside. Of course it wasn't cold - actually rather warm and humid, being a tropical weather-mass, and it seemed quite odd that it was. It didn't seem to go with the sounds, and the mesmerising sight of the high, brown swirling river below.





And there's more rough NZ weather forecast for later this week too. And another cyclone (Yasi) for Queensland, Australia.


2 comments:

  1. Driving from Napier to Katikati (which for the non-NZ readers is in the Bay of Plenty not too far from Katherine) there were landslips and lollipops (sounds like the title for a musical) all over the place through the Ranges and North. I do hope the promised bad weather for the end of the week isn't too bad. Croquet in the rain and wind is not fun.

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  2. Ah Geeb. Hope you've got your slikka. It doesn't look good.

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