Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Winter.

While I was away on holiday at Merimbula I was posting photos like this.

And this.

Then I was grumbling that despite the gloriously sunny weather I was cold.

People enjoying their Northern hemisphere summer looked at photos like this

and for some strange reason they didn’t take me very seriously.


Fair enough in tropical parts of Oz it never really gets cold.

However, it is winter down in the bottom half of the world and here in the southern end of Oz it gets wintery.

This Aussie for one thinks it is cold.

Now I have proof of the cold down this way.

On Saturday I took this

and this

See, I’m not just grumbling :-)

20 comments:

BernieH said...

I believe you ... those photos at the bottom sure give the impression it's cold! I'm one of those in the tropical areas of Oz where 'winter' is a misleading term ... it's really just one on-going summer here with the only difference being ... the days are on a continuum from comfortable to hellish!!

Natasha said...

Okay, Al, we believe you. If there is snow on the ground, it must be cold.

It is chilly out here in Mumbai- been raining almost constantly for six to seven weeks, and much colder than our so called winters.

Theresa Milstein said...

In all fairness, when you take lovely photos of a pristine beach and a clear blue sky, we can't feel the frigid air or brace ourselves from the wind.

All lovely pictures, as usual.

Charmaine Clancy said...

Okay, I know it's freezing - even we have to have our woodfire going non-stop and wash the ice off the car in the morning, but... whenever I see scenes like that, I'm 12 again and just want to yell SNOW!!!! and run into it :-)

Al said...

Hi Bernie,
I haven’t been up your way for literally decades.
NQ and FNQ are nice in ‘winter’. Although the Atherton tablelands aren’t too bad in summer.

Hi Rayna,
Monsoon still? I guess chilly is a relative term, like it is in most of Oz.

Hi Theresa,
Thank you!
Of course you can’t. And to be honest it was pretty warm (in comparison) when I was up at Merimbula.
Al puts tongue firmly back in cheek.

Al said...

Hi Charmaine,
I must have responded to the others as you were commenting.
I still like looking at snow, but other than that I am boring and old and think it is a cold wet nuiscance.

Hannah said...

here in Minnesota we get that about six months of the year with temps well below zero. I've been here my whole life and the cold still sucks.

Anne Gallagher said...

I lived on the beach in the winter and I loved it. I didn't mind the cold because it was still the beach. I didn't mind the snow because we'd get snowed in at the beach.

Now living where I am in the heat, it's just too hot and there is no beach so I'll take the snow. Just dump it in my yard. My daughter will have a blast.

Jaydee Morgan said...

I'm so not a winter person but I'd take those chilly beaches over 40 below and tons of snow any day ;)

Jemi Fraser said...

I didn't know you got snow! Those are pretty pictures - we've got 40 degree (Celsius) heat coming today - I envy you :)

Lindsay said...

I believe you that it gets cold. I share your pain since I hate the cold too. We never get sun here in the uk. lol.

Old Kitty said...

I have family in Aussieland and yes, I believe you!! It's cold!!:-)

And these pics are lovely as always - the skies may be blue, the sand may be pristine but by jingo the temperature is sub zero minus 100!!

And the snow pics just prove that! LOL!

Wrap up warm now!

take care
x

Wendy Ramer, Author said...

You're not just grumbling. I get it. But you've got to admit, no matter how cold it is, that it's pristine and perfect.

Carolyn V. said...

That snow looks very cold. Soon it will be here too and I will be wishing for warmer days. =)

Theres just life said...

Al I belive you the winter sky is always a deeper blue than the summer one. Cold wind coming off the water is really cold. I use to live near the beach and went all times of the year. Love the pictures of the snow. Stay warm.

Lisa said...

Okay, okay--it's cold! How often does it actually snow? And how long will it last?

Shannon O'Donnell said...

It doesn't matter what weather you're having Al, because the pictures are stunning regardless!! :-)

Myrna Foster said...

What kind of trees are in that bottom picture, Al? I can't believe how shiny the bark is. They look like something out of a fantasy.

Kyna said...

I'm interested to see that it truly does snow in Australia, I was beginning to think it was a myth lol. Both the other people I know from the country are from Cairns. :P

Al said...

Hi Hanna,
Arrrrg, Al runs screaming. Are they day time temperatures?
You have to go to our highest mountains to get temperatures like that and even then it is pretty much only for a few days at a time. Our “Alps” have been getting less and less snow every year, partly drought and partly warmer climate.
Even this far south there are really only three cold months, and they are nothing like as cold as that.

Hi Anne,
The ocean is beautiful in any weather.
There is nowhere on the Oz mainland where it gets cold enough to snow at the coast.
Hot weather can be miserable too :-(

Hi Jaydee,
I’d take chilly beaches over snow too!
I like Spring and Autumn best. Summer here goes well over 100 F.


Hi Jemi,
We do get snow this far south.
Although mostly in the hills and mountains inland, and even there it doesn’t usually last except in the mountains over 3,500 feet.
Give me 40 degrees Celsius, over below freezing any day!

Hi Lindsay,
Thank you for believing me!
Cold is no fun, not a bit.
Melbourne is a bit like the UK in our winter, days of cloud, no sun.

Hi Jennifer,
Where are your Oz dwelling rellies?
Maybe not quite ”sub zero minus 100” :-)
And the snow wasn’t quite at the beach ;-)
I do, layers and layers everyday when I go in to work!

Hi Wendy,
Actually, compared to a lot of places in the US our winter is really mild, so I probably am just grumbling :-)
You are right those beaches are some of the best I know!


Hi Carolyn,
The snow was pretty cold. And you are right the seasons change all too quickly.

Hi Pamela Jo,
Thank you! Someone has to believe me :-)
The sky here is often bluer in summer at least in the morning and evening, it seems to have a ‘washed out look ’ on a lot of winter days.
I love the ocean, even in a storm.
I’m glad you liked my piccies!

Hi Lisa,
Yes, it is cold, at least from our point of view.
In our Alps (the nearest are about two hours drive) the snow is good enough for a three month ski season every winter.
Lower down, you will get falls in the hills most winters, although they usually only last a few hours (or a couple of days in really bad weather).
In the low ground snow might fall once every ten years, and then only away from the coast.
SO I guess your point is I am actually grumbling? :-)

Hi Shannon,
Thank you!

Hi Myrna,
They are “Snow Gums”, a Eucalyptus species.
Many of our gums have gorgeous bark, greens, stark white, creamy yellow, pink, salmon, blue-grey are all colours you see in different species.

Hi Kyna,
Hmm, Cairns is 2,843 km (1776 miles) north of here. So it is just a bit more tropical up that way :-).