Last night the sky became dark with churning rolling grey clouds and never ending flashes of lightening. The noise was unbelievable with the thunder and lightening above, we watched the lightening hit the land with a massive crack and dance across its blackness before disappearing. The land and sky became one, a heaving wild fury. We had to hold onto one another to keep standing and we could not hear ourselves speak above the tremendous cacophony. For half an hour or more we remained outside watching and, listening to the storm and becoming a part of the frenzy of nature.

If work permits, during my lunch break, I change in our office gym and take a walk (around 4-5 kms) either in the winter sunshine and chilly breezes or hot summer sun and warm winds. I walk beside a creek and around the suburban streets crunching fallen gum leaves underfoot. The tree-lined streets are always silent - so few people walk and are out and about nowadays. I occasionally see the odd jogger, a dog or two, a person working in their garden but apart from that nobody other than the doves who waddle nonchalantly in the middle of roads. My path always leads me back to the looming bulk of our office - the citadel of intrigue! (“A home for toads and vipers, comatose pythons, disgruntled alligators and forlorn tortoises and such other furtive and intrepid creatures who plot with reptilian stealth”- a zoo indeed!).

The landscape of Melbourne has become extremely wet and wintry. Winds have tossed gum leaves across roads and pavements, especially to collect in driveways! Tangled and drooping vegetation trembles on the cool refreshing gusts. Mountains of grey clouds appear and disappear on the distant horizon threatening more rain in the days ahead! We had a long, hot and very dry summer but we have left the Summer behind, shedding off its cloak of warmth and Winter is now fully upon us.

May was the loveliest of months, the mornings were cool and quiet and the light soft and made hazy by the early morning dampness. The skies remained clear and we experienced some majestic calm. The trees turned golden and russet and walking became a joy, scuffling in the fallen mantle of leaves.

Now in June, the first early evening trials of smoke hang in the air to ward off the chilly nights. There is a sadness about the land as trees stretch their naked limbs skywards. The temperature has dropped quite considerably and there’s now a chill in the air.