Rain on the "Tank"

Rain on the roof. It's easing off unfortunately after starting about an hour ago. (I started this post on Saturday morning, did not finish) It would suit me if it continued all day, so dry has it been since we had an inch in mid January. Gardens and paddocks have been parched, birds and animals hungry. An example is the broccoli seedlings I have twice planted and seen disappear overnight from our vegie garden. It has a rabbit proof fence so they are not the culprit. I suspect rats or mice, they are climbers and would easily invade from the shrubs on the outside of the fence.

Every day before and after our trip to Tasmania, before knocking off work at the farm I've watered the vegies and herbs in the annual garden as well as the young clethras, stepahandras and lilacs I recently planted.

(It is now Monday morning). I hope this marks the end of the big dry and we can devote that time to other work catch up. Speaking of dry, it was the same in Tassie, the east and north particularly, paddocks with little grass and sorry looking stock.

As I began this post on Saturday morning I could hear the Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy whistle blowing it's head off in the town, triumphantly proclaiming the Puffing Billy Event Hub status of our little town. As the rain continued the hooting whistles stopped. I went up to the town later to get a jar of olives and a red onion for the Greek salad Lib had asked me to make for dinner, to see the "Tank" day had been cancelled, and the hordes had dissipated. The "Tank" was cancelled Sunday too due to the severe weather warning and strong winds. Rain rain glorious rain.

The "Tank" days the previous weekend were also cancelled because of the Total Fire Bans on the Saturday and Sunday, and the weekend before we were in Tassie so did not have to suffer the noise, congestion and pollution of this impost. Let's hope the tents and portaloos will be packed up now for six months and some common sense and change of policy will prevail and prevent it coming back next spring.

For now at least, we can enjoy some peace and quiet, and plenty of rain I hope.