Hottest day on record - 46.4C

News articles everywhere are reporting amazing conditions in our weather. Dry heat in southern states, hot winds and fires. Floods in the north. Wherever you are, I hope you have shelter and are safe. I'm still amazed at how hot it got here, breaking records.

I saw an advertisement on tv from Safeway/Woolworths, telling us how the drought and heat damage have caused significant losses in local crops, especially greens. Those supplies we receive from Queensland, on the other hand, haven't had enough sunlight. So food prices in the next few months will soar as availabilty drops.

This is certainly a good reason to keep growing your own. Most of my greens haven't done very well, but they haven't given up either. Whatever I've had in pots, I've grouped together to create a 'mini climate' under trees.

Thankfully, with it being a horrendous day with heat and hot winds, it was watering day. So, it was out with the hose and buckets. The pots got dunked to give them a good watering, ensuring the root ball was all wet, this morning and this evening. Should have had gardening gloves on, though. Look what crawled out from under one pot!!

At first I only saw a quick glimpse of red (sent Maestro to run and grab the camera!)

Then we saw it with it's beautiful red stripe; a Redback! Yes, the poisonous, female variety.

I also worry about our chooks on days like we had today. They've not been laying well, but with good reason. Friends have been losing theirs, but thankfully we still have ours. I soaked some wheat grain for them a few days ago, letting them begin to sprout, and the hens happily ate them tonight. We'll probably need to keep a few lots of grain sprouting for them so they have some supply of greens.