Changing light after the rain

We've had heavy rain today.  It seems strange to not know how bad the flooding is down our road, to be living in a place where flooding is not on the radar.  But I still have an interest in how much water is flowing down out of the mountains as there is a little stream at the foot of the garden here where I am staying.   When the rain stopped around 5.30 pm I went for a stroll to check out the waterfall.

The easiest to access waterfall is a pretty spot.  I took the photo above last weekend and the one below this evening.  There's a marked difference in the amount and colour of the water.

I've been watching a little tree in the garden, wondering what it is, the buds seem to grow each day.  Spring is approaching and I look forward to seeing it burst into life. 

I took this next photo within minutes and noticed how dark the sky was becoming.  More rain on the way I thought.

But when I looked off to the east a weak sun was touching the top of a distant hill.

Aha, I thought, the rain has gone.  But, as if to say, make up your mind the sky to the west, in the next few minutes, just before dark descended looked like this:

Guess I will have to check the weather forecast, I'm confused.

FSO Water/Lakes/Streams

This week I am staying really close to home.  We don’t have a lake but we do have our lovely little stream with many moods.

Although in places where the water is deep, it can take on the appearance of a small lake:

In summer it sparkles as it rushes over rocks:

It’s a magical place for children and dogs to explore:

In places, up the mountain, close to its source, beautiful ferns line its banks:



Late last summer, when we were in the grips of a drought, it became choked with weeds:

Then the rains came, and the bridge to somewhere:



Became the bridge to nowhere:

Murky floodwater spread from the creek across the farmland:

But even before the floodwater recedes, when the blue skies returns, occasionally you catch it in a reflective mood.  It always seems to me that this is when Mother Nature takes a deep sigh, having spent her forces, and rewards us with beauty to compensate for the damage done.   (I admit it is a bit harder for the farmer to be so appreciative!)

And after the rain we find lovely little waterfalls:

I love this stream in all it’s moods, there is always something to delight the senses.

Hope you enjoyed your visit to "the creek".  Thanks to Nicole Howard for the topic.

If you'd like see some amazing photos of Water, Lakes and Streams, just head over here.

Heavy rain warning

We’ve had some lovely rain lately.  It’s been particularly heavy at night and isn’t that just how it should be? During the days the showers are heavy from time to time but don’t last long. 

Today at work I attended a Powhiri (Maori welcome) for a new staff member and one speaker commented that he hoped the rain outside did nothing to dampen the warm welcome being offered.  I’ve heard rain explained as the tears on the ancestors giving blessing on the proceedings below but this gentlemen said it was the tears of the Father (the sky) giving nourishment to Mother Earth below.  And rarely has such nourishment been so gladly received (after our recent drought).

We had a real downpour last night and there is a Heavy Rain Warning out for tonight.  I live in an area that is prone to flooding so was interested in the height of the creek on my way home from work.  I was surprised how much it had risen during the day, there didn’t seem to be that much rain!  But when the rain falls up in the mountains, all the little streams rush down into our normally quite small creek and the little creek was no longer so little. 

This little bridge which leads to a local farm always gives me a smile when it becomes the bridge to nowhere:

In one place the creek was starting to spill across the road so I’m guessing tomorrow I will be going to and from work around the hill country at the back of the farm.  It takes a lot longer but I had a nasty experience with flood water a couple of years ago, an experience I do not want to repeat.

The Golden Girl of Letterland

The Golden Girl of Letterland

Last night, as she was drifting off to sleep little Georgia announced she is the golden girl of letterland. She has two gs and so does golden girl - get it, Granny? Where does this kid get this stuff?

This morning I asked did she want to come with me while I went to see if I could find any reflections to take photos of. Naturally she wanted to come with me but why did I want to take photos of reflections? I started to explain what a reflection was but she cut me off saying she knew, she uses a mirror sometimes to see if she looked good, but why would I want to take photos of things in reflections, why not just take a photo of the thing? Why indeed?

I love the simple logic of children!

As it turned out I didn't have to justify what I was taking photos of, as everywhere we looked we just saw floodwater which was so dark and murky and in most places so fast flowing, nothing was reflected, except the recent bad weather.

But Georgia was going with the photography flow and offered to pose with my dog and hers when we got home.

Sam loves Georgia


and Georgia loves Lewey

A bit later she came up with a use for the raggy quilt I made as part of Bev's Aussie Kiwi quilt challenge. Take it off the spare bed and put it on the floor and play Twister with it. I'm glad she couldn't operate the camera to take a picture of the bind she got me into!

Twister on the raggy quilt

She's just now given me a lesson in the power of advertising.

Playing happily on the lounge room carpet with the collection of stones and shells she keeps here she asked, "Do you think this carpet is clean?"

I smugly said of course, as I hadn't long finished vacuuming it.

"Wrong! On TV it said there is dirt deep down in the piles (I think she meant pile) and you can only get it out with this special spray. I didn't see you use any spray, Granny, so you have dirty carpet."

Oh, woe is me! How do you argue against this crap with children?