Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Nature Notes ~ Upside Down Seasons


Weather-wise the seasons are standing on their head. Although
we are in our second week of summer, there still are spring
blossoms on the orange trees.


Here it is either feast or famine, after sustaining eight years
of drought, we now have floods. Luckily our houses are not
in the valley so at least inside we are dry but the rain has been
pelting down (see previous post) and cutting channels at all
overflows from tanks and deep grooves in our driveways.

The one good thing about all this rain is that we will have
enough water stored for a couple of years at least. Old
established trees are at last getting a good drink and the water
table has also been somewhat replenished.


The smaller creatures are confused and think it is autumn.
The spiders are busily web-making and last night I was
entertained by the dance of the rats in the ceiling. They
seemed to think that the winter rains had come and it was
time to move house. Thinks . . . another job to do . . . put
Ratsak behind the ceiling vents . . .

The rose garden is denuded of blooms, all petals stripped of
by the massive downpour. At least the unseasonably plentiful
supply of water and nitrogen from the thunderstorms will make
them bloom better than ever.



Go join the interesting reports at Rambling Woods, just click
on the Nature Notes Logo and you will magically be there!

16 comments:

  1. Gorgeous captures! Lovely flowers look as though they are enjoying the rain! I love the occupied spiderweb! Superb! Have a lovely day and a great weekend!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  2. The rains are also giving you great photo opportunities.I love the diamond studded spider web and the diamonds on the leaves.
    Blessings,Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  3. Arija, how nice to see summer coming for you as winter comes on here. It's down in the 20's F here in CT where I am visiting my Mom for a few days. I still went out bird watching though and saw some new birds! Lovely pictures! Love the orange blossoms and the water droplets! Enjoy that rain!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mother Nature makes for some spectacular photos!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I guess you have to watch what you ask for. After all that drought I'll bet the nation prayed for rain. The sparkly spider web is almost as magical as a rainbow. Stay dry and watch out for the rats.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the picture of the spider web, really beautiful. And nice to see blossoms, around here ice flowers will be the only flowers for a long time.
    I' happy you enjoyed my European wildlife :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lovely I get so excited when I catch beetles or raindrops. Charmaine

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Arija, like you said the rain is wonderful to fill up the underground water and all the reservoirs.
    Yes, many flowers, especially the roses let their heads hang. Washing takes ages to dry as I do not use a clothes dryer...I do not complain tomorrow is an other sunny day.
    The flowering climber is Ipomea horsfalliae.
    Your photography is like always picturesque and wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's interesting that the weather is strange where you are too. Flooding is not a good thing, but you have been so dry for so long!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I know the feast or famine cycle although ours isn't as extreme as yours. Beautiful shots of the flowers and I love the spiderweb.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What beautiful images.

    Thanks for your inquiry about the Drumstick Tree.

    I got it sent to me from Daleys Nursery.

    A great place for sourcing difficult to access plants.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Another comment that did not publish.

    Rambling Woods has left a new comment on your post "Nature Notes ~ Upside Down Seasons":

    You really live in an area of extremes with your water situation. Here people waste it watering the grass and washing their cars. I hope this will help things as you say. I love the water droplets you caught. Now be careful and stay well my dear friend....Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  13. A web with jewels, fantastic shot.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sounds a lot like my experience in TX, feast or famine! We need some of that rain you are having! At my summer home in Atlantic Canada, all it seems to do is rain. Your pictures are just lovely and I enjoyed your post. ~karen

    ReplyDelete
  15. Arija, when does your dry season start? It looks as if the whole earth is rather upside down with unusual weather conditions. Today we are enjoying a light snowfall which has been continuous since last evening and on and off a few days previous. It is a beautiful blanket of white outdoors. I can only imagine how lush your garden will be after all this rain! Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very upside down for us! So strange to see summer and spring while we stuggle with snow and rain and gloom. Lovely photos...I like that web!

    ReplyDelete

Blog Widget by LinkWithin