Snow, snow, snow

Today we watched the snow fall through the window. Unfortunately it first was slit and the temperatures were probably a bit above freezing point so even though it snowed heavily for a good three hours nothing was left on this part of the city. I was quite amazed to discover later on in the news that it disrupted the whole South / Southwest suburbs with people trapped in their cars for hours waiting for the road transport authorities to remove the snow from the roads. I am quite happy since I kind of wanted to see some snow and I just got some following me around. I got some in Philadelphia, then moved to New York where it followed me and now Paris. I can happily go back to the Australian summer.

Wombats in the Snow

Anyone who has come to Australia has seen kangaroos and may be koalas. Depending on where you are going you might even see wombats. They are the marsupials that amaze me the most. Stocky, furry, up to 1 meter long, around 30 kilos with powerful claws, I have seen quite a generous number in Tasmania, South Australia or New South Wales but I had never seen any in the snow. It really added to those wonderful two days skiing across the Lake Mountain forests and flats. They come to the melting streams in search of grasses, sedges, herbs, bark and roots. I could have spent hours observing them.

Winter in Summer!

Hardly two hours away from Melbourne, at the foot of the Alps, in the Great Dividing Range, lies Lake Mountain. There actualy isn't any Lake as it was named after George Lake who surveyed the area but it is a great place so near to the city to go cross-country skiing. Here we are for two days in an excellent snow under a lovely weather in the middle of an interesting and abundant flora and fauna. The ferns, the heaths, the trees, the birds. Everything is a marvel! And it is so great to enjoy the end of the winter... in August.