We love rain. It makes us smile as we listen to it pattering on the roof. We’re overjoyed as it trickles along the gutters, through the pipe and into the tank.

The birds sing excitedly before rain, ants rush around in a frenzy of activity, dragonflies, damselflies and flying ants appear, and the sheep and cattle in the paddock across the road call loudly to each other. It’s as if all of creation is anticipating a good soaking.

One day towards the end of last Summer, all the signs were there. Heavy grey clouds gathered and for an hour or two we could smell that wonderfully distinct aroma of moisture on wet earth. But the clouds moved on. The scent of rain had been carried on the wind. 

For a long time we didn’t have a gutter on the covering over the back deck. Whenever it rained, we’d line up buckets beneath the drip line. Sometimes they’d fill right up and my partner would have to climb a ladder to pour the water into the garden tank. (The garden tank takes the overflow from the house tank but that rarely happens.) We collected quite a bit of water that way. Not exactly efficient, but at least we had something to show for our efforts.

Last Autumn our landlords had a smart new gutter installed over the deck, saving both precious rainwater and the boards below. 

Early yesterday morning we had a sprinkling of rain –  more like a splash really. The forecast says there’s more on the way, with a 70 per cent chance of five to 10mm on Sunday. While we need much more than that, we’re grateful for anything.

We’ve had one of the driest Octobers on record while up in Brisbane, parts of the city had almost as much rain as the October average and it all fell in just three days.

On the other side of the globe, London has had October snow for the first time in over 70 years. Of course they weren’t prepared for it but they never are, even when snow falls when it’s supposed to.

It’s encouragingly overcast this morning and I’m off to the garden to spread some compost. I’ll leave you with a trio of rain-kissed Spring blossoms.