Drought has now officially been declared here. I was driving along the road home from Napier a few days ago when I noticed a scene off to my left which does not usually register with me because they are just green fields and hills and a study of them would necessitate me taking my eyes off the very windy road. It struck me, though, that the fields were no longer green. So I parked the car and walked back for some photos.
The same hills a few days later. The photo was taken an hour or so later in the evening which makes a difference to the light.
I've included this photo of the irrigaters in front of The Cottage simply because of the contrast and the fact that I like the light coming through the water.
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The second is a really good one. No rain in Cumbria for three weeks now. It is still green here though.
ReplyDeleteWe've not had rain since before Christmas Adrian.
DeleteDrought always depresses me - I so prefer green to brown! But you have such wonderful views. You've done well to surround yourself with good yet different views summer and winter. And to be honest, I'd prefer a drought in New Zealand to bitterly cold weather and deep grey clouds which have been rather a feature of weather this winter in the UK.
ReplyDeleteWe are very lucky where I live Jenny because we have a huge underground water reserve from which we draw our water and which feeds the huge orchard irrigater. Actually I'm not sure if it's an irrigater or an irrigator. The spillchucker doesn't like either. And, yes, I do love the warmth and sunshine and am very fortunate.
Deletewat een prachtig landschap ,maar het ziet er wel erg droog uit,vandaar die sproei installatie .maarja als het zo droog is,dan heb je wel heel veel water nodig.heel mooi gefotografeerd.
ReplyDeleteBedankt voor de reacties Nic. Ik heb het geluk om te leven met een dergelijke schoonheid. Hier weten we dat de regen zal uiteindelijk komen.
DeleteI'm worried about the cows. Is anyone feeding them?
ReplyDeleteThe cows will have food and water Frances. People here look after the livestock very well. Although you can't see it there is a river in the distance and although it's very dry there is grass around where it runs. The cattle had just arrived when I did so they hadn't dispersed into the fields.
DeleteThe dry landscape looks odd. The second photo is very effectful, but I think you're lucky to be living close to those irrigaters.
ReplyDeleteMonica, the dry landscape is unusual for here although not for NZ as a whole where summer droughts are not uncommon. I am lucky in having a water supply under the house.
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ReplyDeleteThat tree is massive!
We have been suffering from drought the past few years in Georgia. Besides the obvious problems with crops and livestock, it has also been a major factor in the undergrowth under the trees. Also, when we get rain, it makes the trees fall down due to the shallow root system. Trees and wildflowers, not too many people think of them, but I do.
Kay I will soon post a photo of the trees by The Cottage. They are way way taller than that one and house whole colonies of birds. Fortunately no drought in living memory has yet destroyed them and their roots go very deep.
DeleteDrought can bring tremendous anxiety as there is little that can be done except watch. Irrigation is limited.
ReplyDeleteYes,Red. Here on the dairy farms they dry off the stock and go to feed but that has to be bought in unless the farmer has turnip and maize crops to fall back on. It is always a worry.
DeleteThere are wild fires near us, but we haven't come out of winter yet. We only have 66% of the rain we should have had by now. They are saying that the farmers won't be planting annuals this year in the Central Valley to try and save water for the tree crops.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a lot of fires too, Cat, but Australia has been worse. They have had floods too. Bizarre.
DeleteIt's rather worrying, isn't it? How long will people be allowed to keep their irrgators going?
ReplyDeleteMeike the irrigators will only be needed for another few weeks when the apples are picked. In fact they they were not watering today so they may have already had enough water and just need the sun now. Many orchardists can't irrigate. We are lucky because we have our own water supply under the property.
DeleteThose are some very dry looking landscapes. It's dry here too, and the wind contributes to the dry landscape as much as the sun. I don't water the lawn, but I do water my potted plants and various shrubs and trees around the property to keep them alive.
ReplyDeleteHopefully our April showers should kick in around the end of the month.
I don't water the grass round The Cottage either Virginia. There are more important uses for the water although the supply has never run dry in previous droughts. I hope we have rain before then!
DeleteIt's been about ten days since it rained here - after a winter of everyday rain. So another four days and we should have a drought declared! (Two days to the hosepipe ban!)
ReplyDeleteI assume the hosepipe ban is just humour!
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