A Moment of Light photography by Carl Street

This month will be remembered for two significant events. Firstly and quietly I left the comfort of forties and reluctantly moved into my fifties. Thankfully nobody decided to throw a surprise party and the weather did it's bit to make sure I didn't go anywhere! That brings me to significant event number two......the weather. Seriously, who would have thought there could be that much water up there that wanted to find ground again right over most of New Zealand. It seemed to rain endlessly which meant lots of people throughout Otago region being evacuated from homes, roads cut off and schools closed. I'm guessing the children weren't quite so concerned about the last one ;-)

As we chose to live on the side of a hill in the Teviot Valley weather events like this can be a little unnerving when the creeks are running at full pelt bringing down tonnes of dirt and rocks from the surrounding hills. Thankfully this is not the first time the town and surrounding areas have been hit like this so the local contractors were straight into action and for 48 hours straight emptied the rapidly accumulating deluge.

So with pretty much constant rain throughout the month it was a case of wait for it to clear and then dive out with the camera to capture some pretty stunning and foreboding skies.

Now then weather, summer starts over here on the 1st December so lets hope the sun comes out and we can explore more as the roads are opened again.

One benefit of lots of rain and then sun......stunning rainbows

Expansive skies with some rare blue sky

Loved the way the flow of the clouds echoed the flow of the hills

Thyme is blossoming throughout the region which has a beautiful smell as you walk through it

At least rain drops do make for some nice abstract images

This is to remind me to take a rain jacket when I next think that the rain has stopped.....it did, but not for long ;-)

Bursting with new life

More of the hills that surround our place with the clouds starting to lift, albeit briefly

I have a suspicion that if the door was open he would actually have come inside, well, it called Quail Haven

I can't remember the full story but these are called the lonely graves. Just two of them in the middle of nowhere so aptly named

Another part of the local landscape we enjoyed on one of the few clear days this month

Errm, should I run......nah, I'll just stare at you instead

That was a very nice spot for a bit of lunch

A few of the local community enjoying a Sunday afternoon jam session. Seems there are some very talented people in the area as it was an awesome afternoon's entertainment

With so many rail trails around the area it was inevitable we'd invest in bikes.......my legs informed me it's been a while!

Looking out from the gondola in Queenstown

I love the schist rock formations throughout the area

Heading back home......weather looking ominous again!

Yep, it's almost summer and that really is snow we can see from the deck of our house!

It didn't last for long but does give us a clue on what we'll get next winter :-)

Following day and most of the snow has disappeared

More stormy clouds and pockets of light strike the surrounding hills

Seemingly never ending changing light kept the camera busy

Going through the Lindis is more often than not spectacular. On this trip it was even more beautiful with recent snow fall

Lindis....pure New Zealand landscape

Yep, more rain!

Abstract image of wharf at Caroline Bay, Timaru

Maybe wrong, but I think this one was hungry ;-)

The rust and creaking boards on this old walkway was not an encouraging sign....still went along it though

And the last image for this month.......looking forward to sun in December