Bushfire weather

Smoke to the west

A day of high winds and heat,

and more terrible bushfires,

thankfully nowhere near us.

But just going outdoors was a risk

with such strong winds and flying branches.

Smoke to the south

By 3.30pm smoke had reached us from the Blue Mountains, 

and we had lost power,

... all of which made piano teaching interesting.

How to light a piano 

in the darkest corner of the house

when the light outside is 

orange, then green, then brown?

torchlight

I experimented all afternoon with 

a torch, mirrors, and candles,

finally remembering a gig light Steve has

which did the job, just as the dark really closed in.

The power finally came back on,

just as I finished teaching!

Driving Laura to ballet soon after,

we saw that the light outside had changed from

orange to magnesium white.

Outside the local fire station

were multiple firetrucks and firefighters.

And I think of the residents and firefighters

around the state fighting to save lives and property.

At 6.30, the winds  died down, 

and the sun burst through, 

and the day finished with a vivid sunset.

Strange spring weather, indeed.