Last week there were storms around which we didn't get but one day there was a sensational sunset after they had passed by. I only went outside to take a photo of it when I noticed an orange glow on my neighbour's house. I have never seen a sunset like that here before although they are quite common at the beach and you can get a better view of them there as there are no buildings in the way.
Several of the storms have been very destructive and there have even been a couple of houses that have been burnt down after being hit by lightning and this morning a tourist climbing a mountain was also hit and sadly passed away. So everyone has been warned to take care in these storms.
Before the really hot days started I thought I had better try and use my camera with the really great zoom so that I could get used to the settings and spied this little fellow high up in the pine tree next door. There were actually three of them laughing away at something...probably the silly person with the camera :-)
I always want to take the perfect photo when the Jacarandas are flowering but that is easier said than done. I will have to learn how to take better photos of flowers with the new camera as the little point and shoot one has a Macro setting for close-ups. I am going to miss that camera when I give it to my grandchildren.
Seeing as I have done practically nothing apart from trying to survive during the past week, I must mend my ways tomorrow and make a couple of loaves of sourdough. The oven hasn't been turned on for a week as we have been living on salads so no sourdough or anything else has been baked. Just as well I freeze the loaves to put in the sandwich maker for lunches. This time I am going to follow the instructions that Chris has written out recently in "The" Sourdough Tutorial. I don't think I will have any problems getting the dough to rise in this weather....do you? :-)
Chel you are doing the right thing and staying as rested as possible during the heatwave. Any unnecessary exertion will simply make you feel unwell. I hope the temperature drops for you soon.
ReplyDeleteGood advice Sherri. I actually drink too much coffee which isn't helpful in the heat either. We had a short downpour during the night so it has cooled down a little.
Deletei quite enjoy the 36'c+ heat when i'm not having any flushes, though you are right we are getting some very hot weather here, we had a couple of days closer to 40'c, it's the humidity that's the killer. today wasn't nearly as bad only got to 31'c here in my kitchen (probably 33'c outside)
ReplyDeletegorgeous photos
thanx for sharing
The humidity closer to the coast must be terrible, Selina. I wouldn't mind a sea breeze here at the moment.
DeleteNanna Chel, I feel for you in the heat. That kind of heat is common where we live and air conditioning is not a luxury. The heat combined with the humidity is very dangerous. Also, about the lightning, that too is an issue we deal with in our area as it is quite serious with our water table being so near to the surface of the ground. Several have lost their lives by being struck by lighting. The rule here and is said over and over again by the news and weather media is when you hear the first sound of thunder, head inside, regardless of what the sky looks like. I hope you get some relief soon from the heat. Stay inside and safe from the storms.
ReplyDeletePatsi, years ago there was no need for aircon as our summers were quite often cool but that isn't the case these days unfortunately,
DeleteI'm with you Chel, I am over this heat, I think it is time I installed an aircon, when you are trying to sew and the perspiration is running into my eyes and down my back aaaand yes the fan was on....and that was up the cool end of the house!
ReplyDeleteThe coolest place here is under the Jacaranda tree so I have to move a heap of big potplants to make room for a table and chairs but I am hobbling around with a broken toe, maybe tomorrow when it isn't so touchy.
You are lucky to have some lovely Jacaranda flowers left, the tree 2 houses down has dropped all it's flowers this week, looking very bedraggled.
OMG it's nearly 11pm and my phone says 30 degrees.
Broken toe? That's no good. We will have to catch up when you are feeling better and when the heat has passed....if we old girls survive :-)
DeleteOh dear you poor things, We must have got your lovely mild summer - its amazing here for this time of the year.
ReplyDeleteTerrible to hear about the poor homes and the victim of the lightning strikes. How very tragic and sad.
xx
Yes I always feel sorry for you down in SA with those terrible temps you have. Obviously things have been mixed up this year and you are getting our usual nice mild weather, Emma. Enjoy it while you can though.
DeleteI loathe anything over 25 degrees! We live in an old stone
ReplyDeletehouse that stays cool for a few days and then gets hot and
stays hot in spite of insulation. When our old air conditioner
died we thought we'd try to live without it. Two South
Australian summers (including one where it was nearly 40 for two
straight weeks) later, we bought another air conditioner!
Me too Barbara. 25C is as hot as I like. Days over 30C used to be few and far between for us years ago.
DeleteI've actually been admiring Toowoomba's temps, via weatherzone, as ours are a couple of degrees warmer, for minimums and maximums. But it also depends where you spend the daylight hours too.
ReplyDeleteWhat has made it worse, even though its technically cooler today, than the former few days, is the recent storms have increased the humidity. So it feels warmer (stifling) even though the temps are cooler. Tomorrow is meant to get cooler.
Take care in the heat, and I'm looking forward to doing some baking too. Once the weather cools down. ;)
Chris, I need to bake some sourdough and have Gertrude and Griffin in separate bowls in the kitchen waiting for me to go and make up the dough. I hope it cools down before it is ready to go into the oven otherwise the dough might have to go into the fridge overnight :-) Our kitchen is on the western side unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are looking good. I am hoping for rain, but no bad storms... wishful thinking. Take care and stay cool, if you can. Guida.
ReplyDeleteGuida, I hope you have been coping with this dreadful heat. So many 36C days is a bit of a shock for us eh?
DeleteLovely photos Chel. Oh dear, I do feel for you in that dreadful heat, and with no aircon. Here in SA where it's usually terribly hot at this time of year, we're having very mild weather, but the flies..!!!! Oh my goodness, they are awful.
ReplyDeleteSally, I am sure we are having SA weather as I always feel so sorry for you all down there during summer. The flies aren't too wonderful here either.
DeleteEveryone in our locality has been complaining about flies too. We are used to the big biting ones in summer but at the moment there are just so many of the regular house fly variety that land on us as soon as we head outdoors.
DeleteIt hasn't been quite as hot here in Hervey Bay, but the humidity has been through the roof. No aircon here in our brick hotbox of a house, just ceiling fans. We aren't even getting a hint of the storms. Here's hoping the cool change we here being spoken of on the weather reports comes through soon.
ReplyDeleteJane, I can well imagine how humid it would be there. We were all just dripping the other day when the storms were around. We haven't had much in the way of storms but if they are destructive they can stay away. There is a cool breeze flowing through the house now. Tomorrow should only be 30C so I can handle that alright.
DeleteDear Nanna Chel,
ReplyDeleteSorry about the heat. I hate it so I sympathise.
I am going to do an experiment in preparation for the hot weather and that is cook sourdough in the crockpot so that I wouldn't have to have the oven on.
So far I have had success with bread, rolls, pizza bases, buns... tomorrow I am making flat bread.... and then focaccia.... I have cooked focaccia before in the crockpot and it was yummy with melted cheese over the top. So I think it should work. I will let you know.
Also I have followed the instructions and dried some starter to send to someone else... so Gertrude is having a big influence! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel, I tried to cook the sourdough in the crockpot a while back but my crockpot died so I have been a bit wary of trying again with the new one although I had cooked focaccia in it before with no problems. It wasn't all that old so am not sure what happened. I hope you have success. I have heard of some people doing it that way which would be great in the heat.
ReplyDeleteHeatwaves aren't good at all and you do everything to stay cool, but it shouldn't be too humid in Toowoomba. Hopefully your heatwave is over.
ReplyDeleteYour sourdough will have no problem in the heat and will rise perfectly and I hope it cools down so you can bake it.
Debbie
Thank goodness the heat is over now, Debbie. It is cool here this morning...just how I like it :-)
ReplyDeleteThat first photo is a just plain ol' amazing! Stunning. Have you ever entered any of your photography into a competition? You should.
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't, Mr.HM. I would like to improve my photography skills though.
ReplyDelete