snow
2010
yoo-hoo! I’m over here! Yep – that’s right – here! See! I’m back :-)
We’ve been flat out with winter school holidays and friends staying that the rest of the every day world just slipped on by. The best bit of the last week has been our first adventure to the snow. It’s not far from Melbourne – only a ninety minute drive up into the mountains – and is so magical, we plan on making visits a regular feature of Boot life.
There is a sobering side to this winter wonderland, however. Lake Mountain and the darling little village of Marysville were consumed by last year’s horrendous February Black Saturday fires. We visited Marysville about 10 years ago, and were completely smitten with it. It could have been a beautiful illustration from an old world storybook with dear little houses nestled in amongst the trees and the snow, smoke curling out of the chimneys, windows sparkling with warmth inside, and clouds hanging low amongst the gums. Now, it is bare. There are one or two buildings left, but largely, Marysville is now a collection of deeply scarred streets. Its trees, homes and shops are gone, instead, eighteen months after the fires screamed through, there are little aluminium demountables scattered here and there whilst a community of incredibly brave and resilient people rebuild their lives.
We hired our winter playground equipment in Marysville, then drove quietly up the mountain. Initially, the mist shrouded, burnt trees were almost gaily dressed in winter greens. It’s a feature of the Australian gums – the new growth shoots out of the burnt trunk like furry green legwarmers. But as we climbed higher, the trees were starker. There was no new growth. Just stakes of blackened charcoal. The fire on the summit of the mountain was so terribly hot, it is unlikely that these trees will survive. I guess, eventually, each new spring will nourish more and more baby trees and the ferns that grow lushly under them, and these poor souls will eventually crumble back into the earth. Until then, we are reminded of the horror that engulfed this mountain, its people and wildlife and how much they still need our support and prayers.
Out into the snow, and the smiles returned. There was tobogganing …
snowball hurling and gallivanting amongst the trees …
snow men …
nope … this gorgeous creature is not ours
abby and sacha’s snowman
julian’s snowman
… and lots and lots of good, gasping with cold fun and awe. A marvellous winter’s day.
14 comments
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It’s good to have you back. Your fire photos are — at the same time — terribly sad and amazingly beautiful. If that makes any sense.
It is always refreshing in a hot summer day to see the weather on the other hemisphere! Thank you! (here in France, it is too hot to go out today)
Thanks for sharing. We are sweating through extreme heat here on the east coast of the USA so seeing those snow pictures reminds us that this too will pass.
Sue
Your tree photos are simply stunning! You have such an eye for beauty, Lily.
I am sick with envy that you get to play in snow. Stay warm!
Hot here too. Thanks for the refreshing breath of fresh cold air!
It is sad to look at these beautiful big trees charred black. I hope in time the saplings take their place and the town is back to its former glory. Your shots capture the moments beautifully… Love the snow men :)
Wow. Stunning photos and words. It is so so strange seeing and hearing about snow when it’s so hoy here. I know that’s an obvious statement but it’s quite fascinating seeing how cold you all are. The sun’s movement is a wondrous thing x
That would be hot, not hoy
Thanks for posting a touching tribute. You are right – The ‘old’ Marysville is no longer there, but a newe one WILL re-build. The locals are determined to make it so. New buildings are going up albeit slowly. You are right, close to 80% of the trees are dead, never to sprout again. Tree ferns will re-grow, but the micro-climate has changed for a very long time.
It was very noticeable in Jan-Mar 2010, the heat was almost like cleared land.
Please check out the link in my name for a little way you can help Marysville re-build, follow the blog and see where the funding has gone and will continue to go.
Every little bit helps
Thank-you for the touching post
It is so cooling to see you plauing with snow while were are sweating here in hot +28…+32 C degrees!
..Sorry, I mean of course that you are playing with snow…
What spooky photos of the charred trees! You really captured it Lily with words and images.
And I have to be honest, I didn;t know there was snow anywhere in Australia?! How wonderful! It’s funny to sit here and look at it all while we’re getting over a week of 100+ degree (F) temperatures. Blah!
Haunting photographs of the scarred trees. Hopefully Marysville will spring back to life like the gum trees.
found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later