Summer is a-Coming In...

Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing, cuccu!,...'

-trad.

In these parts, summer officially starts on Dec 1. Unofficially, a weather presenter once confided that Melbourne actually has 5-6 distinct seasons, without being specific (as if 4 in a day wasn't enough!)

For me, the transition from late spring to summer is marked, as it was last night, by a warm, balmy evening, with a few stars showing in a deep sapphire sky.

And the first chorus of cicadas.

I have heard that these little fellows are the biggest noise polluters of the insect world. I'd believe it... you don't want to be near a bush when even one of them strikes up.
And, taking their cue from the temperature changes, they all tend to strike up together.

As I've previously mentioned, Melbourne has been suffering from a drought for the last few years. Conditions this year have been better: the garden actually has some green, and the reservoirs are above 60% capacity for the first time in four years.

Another heartening sight: at the Warrigal Rd. exit ramp where I turn off the freeway to go home, there is an embankment where a lot of young eucalypts have been planted. Earlier this year, a fire seemed to have killed the lot off. However, they're all showing green again.

There's a way to go yet, but things are looking up.

'Sing cuccu nu, sing cuccu!
Sing cica da, sing cica!'
...