Finally...

... Last night the much-longed-for quenching rain came through.

A mild thunderstorm rolled over us and torrents of rain fell. There was flooding in some places and a lot of rain came down all at once, but oh... it was simply divine to lay in bed and listen to the much-missed sound of rain hitting our metal roof.

Music.

This morning the trunks of the gums (which are exposed when the bark peels away like unwanted wallpaper strips) went from chalky brown to vibrant green - as they do after a good rain. And from 6AM until just after midday a soft drizzle continued, pattering through the trees and onto the ground.

I had to stop in the post office to mail a small parcel and was greeted by Peter who weighed my package and smiled more easily than I've seen him do in some time. We smiled at each other and said "Rain!" - almost in unison.

All of us on Mount Dandenong are breathing more easily. It's been a very scary summer.

We all hope that the weather patterns will turn now - and the temperatures will be more moderate, and the rain more regular.