Summer Heat

The heatwave conditions across much of Australia this month have made life very difficult for some people. Temperatures have reached 45 degrees in parts of Sydney, Adelaide and a number of towns in rural areas. As well as scorching sun there have been destructive storms uprooting trees and smashing houses and causing power blackouts. How lucky I am to live where the temperature rarely gets above 33 degrees and only isolated pockets have experienced any storm damage.

Children are well catered for with town pools in many of the rural areas and these Christmas holidays my granddaughter and her cousins have been swimming, playing in the park, out picnicking and had the rare chance to go ice skating.

For me nothing beats going out in the bush. Yesterday I had that chance and I enjoyed the great silence and stillness of the trees and the vivid blueness of the sky above. Then down by the river, I sat contemplating the perfect arrangement of trees, rocks and water. The summer heat isn’t a problem there as the water is cool but warmed enough as it spills over the hot rocks, to encourage swimmers to stay relaxing and marveling at the beauty of the place.

Tags: climate, environment, holidays, nature, outdoor activities