Ozzie Smoke

We had been warned that the South Island in particular would be affected by smoke and ash haze from the Australia fires, because of that we were walking the beach/cliff track at 9am. 
It was very evident then, as we could see the coloured clouds drifting eastwards and could smell smoke.
But it got much worse as the morning progressed, became very dark, with an golden reddish hue.  By midday I had to turn the lights on inside, and noticed the cars going along the road had their lights on full beam.
Mid afternoon the wind turned to the southerly quarter and it improved a little.  
However, this evening it is quite eerie and very dark for 8 pm.
We're something like 2000 km away from the fires, the smoke having to cross the Tasman Sea and over the Southern Alps to the East Coast. 
It pales into insignificance compared to what our friends over the ditch are enduring. 

I'm so excited to see 100 extras available today, whoop whoop.  
I must be restrained as last year I was forever deleting extras to make room for more.  
Today, I've only put one in extra, sweet stoic poppies I found along the beach, the others of the weird light I have put in flickr. (only 10).
I think this will suffice for Bobsblips wide Wednesday “weather”

Rainie