Saturday 25 March 2017

Nature's Beauty and Fury

Our summer has been long, hot and steamy. Until 2 weeks ago, rainfall was scarce. Thankfully we have seen some wonderful deluges and all is green again.

My sunset view of one set of clouds retreating after dropping their load.



A night later we watched the full moon rise, only to see it quickly engulfed by dense cloud.

Many early morning walks had to be cancelled, but on this morning it was a joy to see fresh raindrops  still clinging to leaves and spider webs.



We have a garden bed of azaleas immediately outside our bedroom . Several mornings ago I woke to see these pure white fungi, emerging from the mulch.





24 hours ago, a low off the north Queensland coast developed into cyclone Debbie. It is slow moving and as a result gathering strength, with the possibility of being a category 5 event. 

Our Queensland newspaper - the Courier Mail, wrote:
"Up to 300,000 people from Townsville to the Whitsundays are in the line of the monster storm as it tracks towards the coast with destructive winds possible as early as today.
Disaster experts warn the cyclone, predicted to be a category 5 or even the highest rating of a category 5, looms as a catastrophic event capable of destroying homes, buildings and power lines in the 400km-long stretch of coast."

My brother lives to the north of its landfall. Top arrow.
Our neighbours are staying with family right in its path. Middle arrow.
The bottom arrow is where I live.

Cyclone Debbie isn't expected to cross the coast until tomorrow or Tuesday. The waiting must be harrowing. I just hope the predictions will not be realised.

I would love to read your comment.

10 comments:

  1. Wonderful cloud photos and glad you're getting some rain. I'll keep my fingers double crossed that the cyclone will not be as bad as predicted.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes--- fingers and eyes and everything else crossed. Loved the cloud shots and the fungus.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful clouds... but my favourite is the fifth photo, so refreshingly green!
    In Finland we don't keep fingers crossed, we keep thumbs up in these cases. :)
    I really hope the storm will not be as dangerous as predicted. Stay safe!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful photos Helen.
    Yes, it is a great concern the ferocity of this cyclone. May all be safe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those sky photos are phenomenal. I am jealous of the moisture you showed in your photos. We did get a little last night, but we desperately need rain. However, getting rain through cyclones - or, in our part of the world severe thunderstorms and tornadoes - is never the preferred method. Keeping you in thought and prayer, Helen!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank goodness for rain! Those cloud shots are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love cloud photos, every one different and some stunning ones here. I've just the news sights and it looks like Debbie is a bad one. Sad and scary to see images and videos of places we stayed being so badly hit. Hope that it passes without too much damage

    ReplyDelete
  8. Saddle Mountain--- made a bit more impressive with telephoto compression.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I do love clouds, especially when they catch the colour of sunset! I love your little ladybird figures!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for you concern everyone. Thankfully we live 1000kms away from what is now a low, but the first downpours have reached here this afternoon.
    My friends had a scary 48 hours but have come through with only minimal garden damage. The area has been declared a catastrophe, but thankfully no loss of life. Images and reports coming through are of dreadful devastation for many. Heavy downpours and thunderstorms are hindering recovery efforts.

    ReplyDelete