Rain, glorious, rain, devastating, rain.

This rain that we are having here at the moment is drizzle and unassuming. The temperature is nice, so going outside in the wet isn't too bad at all. I did a spot of gardening with a friend at the local play school that my daughter attended last year (the garden was my design and garden away from home - this school year I hand over the reigns somewhat and leave my garden manual with my friend, the wonderful teacher) and my chickens roamed happily all day in my garden.

To me, this rain is watering my garden and filling my tank. But to so many others in other parts of our country, this rain is devastating. Lives and livelihoods have been lost. Homes, possessions and irreplaceable things, memories, lost.

We helped my in-laws recently with the flood damage on their 'hobby' farm. Their house was not damaged, they lost none of their cattle, or any of the animals agisting on their land. Their fences where knocked down and covered with mud and hay, their bridge was damaged and their road washed apart. They were very lucky. They have a big, time consuming and costly job ahead to restore their farm to proper working order, but what they have lost is very little compared to other flood victims.

These floods are almost incomprehensible. My heart goes out to all people effected by them. I am normally restrictive in the number of charities that I give to, but I think here I will make an exception and support something new in addition to my regulars. This is a time where we all need to help each other out, however we can.

PJG