G’Day Mob,
Gee it’s been hot this month. The start to 2014 has seen several heat waves across Australia and here at Rocky Springs we have had endless days with the temperature over 40 degrees, which means I chain the portable air cooler to my ankle and drag it around the house from room to room. But then we take a look at the news and see sub-zero temperatures on the other side of the world.
Through the blogosphere I have made friends with a farmer from Alberta, Canada. Jill writes a great blog at http://crookedlakefarm.com/blog and this week Jill and I have got together to compare our respective temperatures. Here is the oven and the freezer. (Numbers in brackets are Fahrenheit for the metrically challenged amongst us).
Official temperature:
Australia: 42.5 (108.5); Canada -18.2 (-0.76), add the wind chill factor and you get -27 (-16). Seriously Jill, that is ridiculous. It rarely gets to zero degrees at Rocky Springs in the dead of winter.
Temperature on top of your hat:
Australia: 49 (120); Canada: -15 (4)
Temperature under your hat:
Australia: 42 (107); Canada: -14 (7)
Water in cattle troughs:
Australia: 34 (93); Canada: 14 (57) – the cattle troughs are heated, can you believe it?
Sitting with the cattle:
Australia – under a shady tree with Manfred: 40 (104); Canada – behind the cattle windbreaks: -18 (-0.5)
Soil Temperature:
Australia: 37 (98); Canada: Frozen (frozen)
Dog Pool:
Australia: 30 (86); Canada: I don’t think they need dog pools
Kitchen:
Australia: 38 (100); Canada: 21 (70)
Cold water tap in bathroom:
Australia: 37 (98); Canada: 16 (60)
With all this bleating about the heat, I originally thought I wouldn’t mind being in Canada this January but with temperatures like that I’m staying put. What’s more I’ve found a comfortable temperature at Rocky Springs: 25 (77). Unfortunately it is 100m underground in our aquifer. I might just start burrowing.
Water from the bore – a lovely 25 (77)
Big thanks to Jill for helping with this blog post. Jump on over to her blog, for photos of a Canadian winter.
And stay tuned – felfies coming soon ……………..
Rocky Springs Rambles 
Yes, it’s been extreme, hasn’t it? When we moved to Melbourne, you know – that grey, cool, wet city, we didn’t think we needed a place with aircon. More fool us!!! (Though I think living here for a few years has made us soft … a mere single day of 41 yesterday knocked me for six. I’ve lost any outback credibility!)
Outback credibility is all well and good, but if I had an air conditioner I would be using it. The old air cooler and a wet towel do their job though 🙂
I’m happy to stay in Canada given those two choices. Great idea for a post.
It’s amazing what we get used to isn’t it? As I was baking in 40+ degrees I thought Canada would be lovely but I don’t think I am built for those temperatures. I guess your houses are better insulated and clothing more appropriate. I reckon I could put on my whole wardrobe and still be cold in Alberta.
Often when we travel I am amazed at the lack of insulation, proper construction and heating / cooling capacity of houses. As for clothing, it really is remarkable how much appropriate clothing helps. Many people still don’t wear warm enough clothes expecting just to dash into the store or the car. Oh yes and most everyone complains.
Here at the moment we are just trying to get clothes off 🙂
I have no real comprehension of cold weather. It’s in the low thirties hear now and it’s like a disaster movie. Now hot weather I am intimately familiar…
I’ve seen the movies Andy, but how hot does it REALLY get in Texas? And do you know there is a little town not far from us called Texas?
We’ve just had some WA people staying with us with similar tales of temps when they left WA reaching 48 C in the shade. THey aclimitasied well to our summer temps. Today is a warm day. The car read an outside temp of 24 c at 3.30pm and now at 6pm inside it is sitting on 23 c. Just a comfortable breeze wafting through the door. I think we live in the best place.
Buggar the oven and the freezer, I might just move to New Zealand (oh, wash my mouth out with soap)
Oh, when it’s bad its bad. 2009 saw 100 straight days over 100.
Whoa, that’s hot. So if I come to visit Texas I should do it in the winter?
Come anytime! We have cold rivers to float in the summer.
Loved it! loved it! What a great idea to share the temps. I thought Tassie was looking good after spending a night in the kitchen at the Wallaroo which was nearly hell as it was 47.9 out in the bar but with the added heat of oven and deep fryers life was not good but told by one certain Col to suck ut up Princess. I was very restrained and not said a thing. Keep up the great work girls.
Maybe working in a pub kitchen in Canada would be a better way to spend January 🙂
The precipitation I was hoping for finally did come – latest storm here suddenly dropped the temperature to 19 degrees and about 10″ snow, followed by 31 degrees and freezing rain yesterday. I guess one has to be careful to specify what form they want the precipitation in. Mother Nature has a sense of humor…
I agree with the sense of humour bit. You have to be careful what you wish for!