Nor'wester

Morning

Clouds are banked up behind the mountains, spilling their rain on the West Coast. On this side the wind is dry and gusty and almost warm. Above my head is the iconic Canterbury cloud formation the Nor'west Arch.

Early this morning the air was full of dust, lifted from a newly ploughed field, but it's clear now.

It's a day to open up the house.
To wash the kitchen mats.
To get a bit of gardening done.
And to be glad of a day off from winter.

Afternoon

It pays to keep an eye out. Those clouds can suddenly spread east. The rain is heavy, with big drops, and it is driven into places that normally stay dry. Three millimetres in ten minutes.

There's a mad scramble to snatch in the washing, to put away tools, to shut the windows, to rescue today's firewood.

Blast! I wasn't fast enough with the washing. Never mind. Maybe I can put it out again later.

Anyway, the kitchen mats are looking good.