Sitting in the car in the pouring rain the other day waiting for the lights to change I wondered about the merits of wintering in Melbourne. During the recent Millennium Drought (1997 – 2009) here in Victoria we had dry sunny winters that were almost like autumn, we now seem to be back to cold wet windy ones with record breaking rainfalls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000s_Australian_drought
Some years we pack up and head north to enjoy the warmth of winter in Queensland but (sigh) that won’t be happening this year, we’ll be venturing off overseas in September; this is one year when I can’t have it all.
So what are the positives of staying home at this time of the year. Off the top of my head I would jokingly say ‘none’ It’s cold and I don’t do cold lol
Then I thought, that yes there are some things I enjoy but don’t get to see when we are away in winter.
The Tibouchina/Lasiandra that Cynthia mentioned the other week is in flower – covered in big purple blooms – it just doesn’t photograph well with all that sky behind it.
What looks like a mass of purple from the deck are individual blooms that are a treat to see. Just has one failing in that if I bring some indoors the petals drop quickly.
click on the photos to enlarge
Then theres the first blooms of the little dwarf jonquils/narcissus (I’m not sure what is the proper term) that fills the rose bed by the deck. They are all finished by the time we arrive home – these are the first few for this year.
I carried on, diid my shopping, then came home to join Kiera who had made herself very comfy by the fire – thankfully for us it only takes a flick of the switch to heat the house using our gas fired log heater.
Unlike those in other parts of rural Victoria where by choice heating can be quite different – think wood heaters (Coonara) We were up at the Violet Town market the other week and noticed one of the most popular stalls was the one selling raffle tickets – no chook raffles for them – the people up there were trying their luck at winning a trailer load of wood! 
I’m writing this at 3pm, the temp outside is about 9c/48f – it’s freezing out there. Yes, on days like this I definitely wonder about the merits of wintering in Melbourne lol
I suspect that Melbourne was warmer than we were today – and yesterday. Snow on the nearby hills. Which suits me just fine.
I do envy you the Tibouchina though.
And love Kiera. Jazz n Jewel (my furry overlords) have NOT liked it outside this last week. They have demanded I open the doors for them, rushed outside, and rushed back in again. Twenty five minutes has been their most extensive stay outside.
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Wow, that is quite a downpour falling on the streets! I do have to smile about your “freezing temps” though. We have summer evenings that are 9c!
Your cat is such a beautiful color and so shiny. What kind is it?
Stay warm! September is not that far away. 🙂
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She’s a brown Burmese Cynthia (known as sable in some parts of the world) – and is the last of a long line of cats that we’ve had over the years. Like me she does like some down time by the fire!
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EC I suspect you are right about the temps – Canberra is not the warmest place and snow is a four letter word not allowed in my house lol
Like me Kiera hasn’t spent much time outside recently – we have a pen she sometimes spends time in ( from my breeding time), she’s comfy and warm out there in a high sided box complete with heating pad. Means I can go out and know she’s comfortable as well as safe.
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We are being hit with the hot and sweltering heat of summer. So far it has been unseasonably cooler than usual but the temperatures are climbing. I still like it much better than our past winter and don’t mind going out to care for the critters as much.
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From what I heard your past winter was one to be remembered – for the ‘bad’ rather than the good. Enjoy your summer Annie
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Pretty flowers and beautiful cat!
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Yep we got the lot lol
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This is the winter of my childhood memories. Day after day of grey skies, rain and drizzle. While the rain in London was awful and constant, it wasn’t as cold. Durnstein in Austria was though, 7 degrees.
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You certainly ‘enjoyed’ some varied climates on your trip Andrew. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of times gone by – makes us realise how things have changed. I do remember the long wet winters just after we arrived here in the early 1970s
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Oh, the close up images of the purple Tibouchina/Lasiandra are stunning!
Stay warm!!
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Trying to Cindi lol.
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The purple blooms are beautiful! I used to think it was a cruel trick of nature that something so lovely on the bush, would die if I tried to bring it in the house. I don’t believe it is a trick of nature at all. I think it entices us to get out and see the flowers in their home instead of mine. Yes . . . I love to have flowers as guests in my house, but the fragile ones I am willing to pay a visit! And . . . look at all your rain! Looks like Minnesota lately. Stay warm. Your cat has the right idea!
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And of course there’s always the problem of the wind and rain demolishing some of the branches and flowers – visiting them in the garden is risky as well. Mushy wet grass can be slippery! So at the moment I’m quite content to stand on the deck in the dry and enjoy the view from there 😉
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Binoculars, then?
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I love the purple blooms. It is not unknown for us to have 9c in summer, but it was a beautiful warm and sunny day. My brother often teases me with ‘spot the cloud’ photos from Melbourne in winter. The only problem is that we have more cloud and it is supposed to be summer.
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I know we grizzle about the cold GM – that’s the trouble when you expect it to be warm and sunny all the time. Hope you don’t get too many cool days this summer – no matter how dry and sunny it is low temps can be a disappointment
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Cathy, right now it is a beautiful day, and although my phone tells me it is 19C I had to come indoors to cool off.
I may need a new body thermostat transplant! 😉
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It must be nice to have a warm fire place in your home. Enjoy it.
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Even tho the house is well insulated Gigi there are times when we like to be warm and cozy rather than having to rug up to keep warm indoors – that’s when having the fire comes in handy
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When I saw the purple flowers blooming in your winter I became curious as to the temp. 48f is perfect for me, I’m a northerner retired to Florida, winter in New Jersey was minus degree temps. The weather in Fl will now get extremely hot that is when I stay in door and write. Enjoyed the post, Claudia
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Hello Claudia, I certainly can’t say 48f/9c is perfect for me lol.
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It looks mild to me. I suppose cold is in the mind of the beholder. You are selling me on the idea of traveling to Melbourne. My sister has always had Australia on her bucket list. Her son and his wife honeymooned in NZ. Hot here, you’d love it! I love your cat.
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Going on your last winter Dianne it certainly is mild – I really think it was the effect of all the rain and the wind that made Monday seem to be really cold.
Thank you for sharing your weather with me – green eyes all the way here – just thinking our time will come keeps me happy at the moment lol
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I love Tibouchinas. And I love a good downpour. As long as I am snug inside. When winter comes I am ready for it and have had enough of summer. Same when summer comes – had enough of winter. I love both – just not forever.
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Not sure I’ll ever be ready for winter – the last couple of summers have been a bit too hot, even for me, so I’ve been glad to see cooler days – look for winter, no lol
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