It's that time of year again

While summer is a time for relaxing and having fun on long and lazy days, there are a number of things I don't like about it. Heat when the house heats up, flies, reptiles, dry, brown land and fire. Yesterday we were reminded that fire is part of Australian life when the Tea Tree Creek fire broke out about 40 kilometers south of us near Michelago. It was one of those stinking hot days and in the afternoon a gusty wind sprung up. Driving back from Queanbeyan we saw the sight we always dread. A huge billowing column of smoke rising up and forming a huge ominous cloud. As night fell there was a red glow to our south. We had a cool change this morning but this afternoon it is heating up once more so we hope there will be rain and we are thinking of the families who live close to the fire and who have already been affected.