The Rains are 'Ere

The hot weather has really arrived now. But so has the wet season. And with it, marvellous storms and downpours. Despite the stifling heat, I am actually (surprisingly), enjoying this time of the year. The contrast in the weather on stormy days is truly beautiful. Worthy of a cup of tea, and a sit down, to watch and enjoy.

Stormy weather comes on so quickly. It floods our yard, almost immediately. Rivers go from dry to flowing overnight. Only to disappear again just as quickly with the heat. The road trip down Fortescue River, that we did only recently, wouldn't be quite possible anymore. You certainly would not want to find yourself, camped on the river, if a storm came on suddenly.

Flowing water is a novelty up here. People head to the river, to see if it's full, flowing. And make random trips to find their own little spot to swim and relax by the water. Sometimes it doesn't always go so quite to plan!

Not quite the beachy blue sea we have been used to, but beautiful in it's own way!

Jumping in Muddy Puddles

This week has brought with it, our first cyclone warning, tropical cyclone Christine. Something to bring in the New Year with. While not in the direct path of the cyclone, we had all the accompanying wind and rain that went with it.

Mother nature can be an exhilarating thing in these parts. While we are extremely grateful that nobody was injured, and no property was damaged, we are also extremely excited for other things. The chance to jump in muddy puddles (yes, just like Peppa Pig). To wear our rain coats. Our gumboots (Miss A's feet seem to have grown again, time to go shopping). And to do a little rain dance. All a novelty to us now.

Hope you enjoyed a relaxing first day of 2014!

A New Year { And a Cyclone }

2013.

It has passed by before we even realised it. It's true what they say. The older you get, the faster the years pass. And scarily, I don't feel any different then I did ten years ago. Maybe, just a little more sleep deprived. Our girls, growing up so quickly, are the yardstick to which we measure how quickly time has passed for us.

In the space of a year we have moved twice. First from a rental, into our own home (with a two month baby in tow), and then again, from our own home to a company house in the Pilbara. It has been a year of surprises. And it has kind of been exhausting.

Two young children, taking up so many of our minutes in the day. And night. Trying to find time for ourselves. For each other. Looking back now, I can see that day to day life is so much easier now then it was at the start of the year. Even if it doesn't feel like it at times.

So many glimpses of joy throughout our day, as the girls slowly start interacting more and more with each other as sisters. Laughing with one another, at each other, playing together, sharing (ok, only occasionally with that side of things). A real closeness is starting to grow between them both.

Before their arrival, New Years would have been spent at the usual type of place. Somebody's backyard, house or night club/pub. Mostly lacklustre. And if I think about it, completely unmemorable. The reality for us this year. We'll be doing absolutely nothing, aside from storm watching. We have a cyclone in the area. Cyclone Christina. The tail end of which is expected to reach us on New Years Eve. One of the quietest new years eves I've ever celebrated, but one that I doubt I will forget.

It's going to be a windy and rainy afternoon and night, at the least. The backyard has been packed up. Everything brought under cover. Tied down. Shade sails taken down. It's our first experience with cyclones, so I'm a little unsure of what to expect. Maybe we're all preparing for something that might have lost most of it's steam by the time it reaches us. But it's better to be cautious right? The full to the brim shopping trolleys at the supermarket today, tell me that that's the case. Locals here know, that a flood on any major road, can potentially cut off any supplies into town, for days at a time.

Motherhood and maturity, makes me entirely comfortable with a new years eve, consisting of the usual bedtime routine with the girls, a quiet glass of wine and a storm. That's all I'll need to see in 2014.

Happy New Years to you. And if you're in my part of the world, I hope you've battened down your hatches and are staying safe x


Linking in with the lovely Zanni from My Little Sunshine House, for her Sunshine Sunday Series.