PAINTING

I had thought about doing a blog about the aftermath of the Cyclone but there is just so much devastation it is just too much at the moment so I will write of happier things.

Doug hasn't painted for over 12 years and then it was in oils.  He has, finally, decided to try acrylics and to go to an art class.  His first one was a fortnight ago (nothing last week for obvious reasons).

Doug being Doug he has made a portable easel that fits in a box.

There was not a lot of selection here for art materials so I went on line and bought him paints etc.

There are going to be swans flying across the sky.  He is really enjoying mixing with other artists.

A FINE DAY

We awoke to a lovely fine, sunny day.  After 3 days of almost solid rain and strong winds it was wonderful to be able to open doors and windows.  

The only problem indoors was where the strong winds had driven some rain under the front door so a rug was removed and the front door left open to air everything.

A load of washing went out and dried in no time.

The lawn is still a bit squelchy but drying nicely and a neighbour helped me get the branch that fell from the park behind us off our fence and out to the park.  We have been tidying up plants that got battered.  Nothing major which is amazing considering the force of the wind.

The cyclone has moved south and, unfortunately,  the news from Hawkes Bay is terrible.  The town of Wairoa is under water and completely cut off in both directions.  They have one day's supply of food and two of water.

People have been rescued from rooftops by helicopter (60 from one building). With the Nationwide Emergency being declared the Armed Forces have been mobilised and ships are sailing from Auckland with water and other supplies.

Closer to home Doug's granddaughter and her husband still have no power (or they didn't an hour ago) but they have finally managed to obtain a generator to milk their cows.  Doug's daughter went on her mail run today but didn't get far as the roads were impassable due to slips and flooding.  

There are thousands of people without power and cellphone coverage and now I see there was an earthquake a few minutes ago near Wellington.

LUCKY

 We got through the storm with no power cuts although I have just read about a power line down just around the corner from us so it may go off while they repair it.  

I have never seen wind and rain like it.  It started on Saturday night and the rain is just easing now (Tuesday afternoon) although the wind is still strong.  Winds gusted to 140 km/hr.  We are told it should ease up here later tonight.  

The water on our lawn has gone down although it still squelches when walked on.  We have got off lightly though with very little damage.  Yesterday I saw a neighbour walking along the street in the pouring rain making sure the gutter drains were clear and everyone has been checking in on each other.

A National State of Emergency has been declared. A very rare occurrence. There are Army Unimogs up here to help with evacuations and anything else that is needed.  

We have been asked to stay at home and off the roads to allow emergency services easier access and it sounds as though the majority of businesses are closed.  I had a dental appointment today and was pleased it was cancelled.  The reason being that the dentist had not come in which I expected as he lives out at the coast and the roads are closed by slips.  He has no power or cellphone coverage because of the storm but I was assured he is fine.  

I have just read that the Quarry Gardens have closed until further notice because of significant damage. I have also just read that 415 mm of rain was recorded in the last 7 days just a couple of miles from us.

Anyway, we hope that tomorrow will dawn fine.  It has turned quite cold but we did not light the fire as the chimney was getting battered by the strong winds last night. 

ANOTHER CIVIL DEFENCE EMERGENCY

 Today our rain and wind warnings were raised to red and a precautionary Civil Defence Emergency was declared.

The wind has been strong and the rain heavy all day and our lawn looks like a lake but we are told it will get worse tonight and tomorrow.  Neither of us has been outside today.

Many trees are down across roads and power lines.

That said, the house is high off the ground and we are fine. We have plenty of food and some bottles of water just in case.

Above is a photo from our sunroom window (no sun). There should be some hills in the background.

ALL CALM

The wind is starting to get up and we are as ready as we are going to be.  The main news in this morning's local paper is that Urban Search and Rescue teams, a water rescue crew and army Unimog trucks are among the extra resources on their way to Northland ahead of the expected landfall of Cyclone Gabrielle so the "powers that be" are taking it very seriously.

The weather watches have now been upgraded to weather warnings - from 9 p.m. tonight 100 - 150 mm rain over 24 hours with further rain after that.  The wind warning is from 7 a.m. Sunday and for winds 120 - 130 km/h.

I have picked the beans and the majority of tomatoes that were turning colour.

We only have a short row of beans that have kept us going all summer.  That was just one days worth.

The track the cyclone will take is still uncertain so we are hoping it may veer off away from New Zealand.

ANOTHER ONE

Yes, we have another cyclone tracking towards us.  It is the most serious this century with up to 300 mm of rain expected, winds of 150 km hour and waves up to 7 m. high.  We are told to have at least 3 days worth of supplies including water as it is possible water and power supplies will be affected.

A heavy rain watch is in place for 59 hours.  The powers that be are taking it very seriously.  I have been putting anything that could fly around inside out of harms way and will do more tomorrow morning.  I have buckets of water and will fill more jugs as well.  We also have our water tank if worst comes to worst as long as we can get to it.  Doug has a small one burner gas stove that he is going to bring indoors and we recently bought an excellent rechargeable battery operated light.

The latest Tracking map has it going slightly to the east of New Zealand but, I gather, that does not mean that we won't be affected. 

Fingers crossed that it is not this bad.

JANUARY RAIN AND QUARRY GARDENS

The figures have just come out for total rainfall in Whangarei for January.  We had a massive 489 mm which was more than six times the January average and the highest total since records began.

On top of that we ware told this morning that there is another tropical low in the Coral Sea which is expected to turn into a Cyclone and head down here by the weekend.  Hopefully, it will veer off course and head out to sea.

Anyway, yesterday, we were able to have our weekly Parkinson Walk and headed to the Quarry Gardens.  It was a perfect day, cloudy, not too hot and DRY.  

Because of all the rain the waterfalls were running well and plants flourishing.

Here are a few.

We have a horticulturalist in our group and she was able to tell us that this is a Clerodendrum.

and this, although it looked a lot like a hydrangea is, in fact, something similar whose name escapes me.

We took our refreshments in our packs and enjoyed them at a picnic table on our walk.

Let's hope for fine weather next week and that the cyclone goes elsewhere.

We got off lightly

 Luckily for us the weather was not as bad as predicted here.  There was a lot of rain and strong wind but the worst of the storm once again hit Coromandel and Auckland where houses are teetering on the edge of cliffs that have been washed away and many homes have been red or yellow stickered. 

The Weather Warning and State of Emergency were both lifted this morning.  I am glad they were put in place as it could have been very bad.  The Far North is so narrow it is always hard to predict where storms will hit.

In the Coromandel many roads are closed because of slips.

Here we have had a lovely sunny day, a complete contrast to yesterday.  According to my phone the temperature was 26°C feels like 28°C and to me it felt much hotter.  Doug's eldest daughter came to lunch as it was her birthday a few days ago.  So my day was spent doing washing which dried beautifully, cooking lunch and doing a little work in the garden - mainly pruning branches broken in the storm.  A very productive day.  The lawn is starting to dry out and it looks as though the tomatoes have survived.