Winter Clouds and Other Joys

 Last weekend, 2 August, saw the east coast of Australia having the chilliest weather of this winter. Heavy snow fell along the Great Dividing Range to a point just three hours from Brisbane. Chaos on the roads and for the farmers. Snow rarely falls this far north. 1984 was the last time this amount of snow had fallen.

I remember it well. My husband and I, along with two friends, were returning  from a

 weeks skiing in the Snowy Mountains. I write 'skiing' but actually the snow fall was dismal and we set off on our return journey feeling extremely disappointed. On climbing onto the the Great Dividing Range just north of Tamworth [550 km from home], we were suddenly filled with excitement.  Snowflakes were falling and continued to do so for the next 350 km to Stanthorpe. Roads closed behind us. We stopped in Armidale and made a 'small' snowman in a park. Our neighbours had booked for the week ahead and skied in the most incredibly wonderful snow conditions. Yes, we were jealous. The following days were bitterly cold. Thankfully that wasn't the case this time for us. By coincidence, I am going with a group this weekend, to stay outside Stanthorpe, where light falls occurred over the weekend. 

June 1984

Armidale Park - I've np idea how we came to have pipe cleaners in the car.

Frank trying to start rolling a snow ball for the snowman!

Alas, there is no photo of a completed snowman here, so I guess we ran out of time before its completion.

I have a dear friend living in a nursing home, who loves clouds. Because we have our wonderful view over the golf course, I am able to send her snapshots of the many cloud patterns passing over each day.

Thursday saw a rare event that had not only had me clicking the camera button, but photographers all over Brisbane. Magnificent altocumulous undulatus clouds filled the sky. Just stunning. 

A few days earlier, I had spotted ibis and pelicans on a waterhole just 5 mins away. At sunset, I hoped the colour would be spectacular there, so set off with my camera. Alas, many of the birds flew off as I arrived and the colours were muted, but it wasn't a wasted drive.  

The Hungry Hikers took a bay walk on Wednesday.

8.30am

Clouds and the pink haze of blossom, on a soaring Eucalyptus.

Mid morning cloud at Point Danger, mid June.

Sunrise

Sunset magic

Unusally for our winter, noisy thunderstorms with heavy rain have been passing through. West of Brisbane, they have also produced large amounts of hail.

Hailman not snowman.

On one of our evening walks, the Hungry Hikers got caught in a downpour that just wouldn't let up. Four kilometres had to be covered to get to our 6pm destination of St Stephens Cathedral. The lightshow, to an adapted Vivaldi's Four Seasons, was worth the discomfort.

This evening's clouds, feathery and dancing across the sky.

Spot the moon.

Dinner was late again tonight!

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