Winter chill

We’ve had a number of the typically stormy winter days already this month but the temperatures dipped considerably on the solstice to mark that the chill is part of our winter too. A tornado struck a nearby suburb a couple weeks ago, which really took us by surprise as the forecast gave no indication conditions were right for one. A Blockbuster video store lost part of its front window and a cafe across the road at some markets had a door blown off its hinges (nearly falling on a very young girl).

Then I walked outside yesterday and discovered a number of bees hanging around, trying to make the best of the budding flowers on a bottlebrush tree. That’s one of the interesting aspects of winter around here. It doesn’t really freeze here aside from an occasional slight dip below freezing. There are flowers blooming year-round and the native trees often flower in winter too. There is one tree that I only see blooming in winter here but I don’t know what it’s called. It has orange-red flowers that seem to come out later in winter and fall off in early spring. I think I took a photo of it last year so maybe I should try and identify it some time.

You would think with all the lovely native, water-wise trees and plants, there would be no reason for councils to plant deciduous trees here. But that’s exactly the sort of tree that seems to be favored, even around newer buildings. In the eighteen years I’ve lived here, it’s only recently I’ve taken so much notice of the leaves changing color. It seems unnatural in our climate.