Is this the last of the Red Centre's Winter?

The frost is gone. The afternoon sunshine is golden. An icy wind no longer blows as intensely. Though still cool, the mornings pave the way for the warmth of the oncoming day. Time moves on. Do these in-between days herald the last of winter in the Red Centre?

The residents of Central Australia have been shivering over the past few months. Alice Springs endured its longest spate of sub-zero temperatures on record this year. Pipes burst and ice covered multiple surfaces in the mornings. Often the cold persisted into the middle of the day, and layers and long sleeves became the dress of choice.

In recent days these searing Antarctic conditions have been cast aside as memories. There is still a chill at daybreak, but not as piercing. By the afternoon, the jumpers are off and the sleeveless shirts are back. We do not yet feel the full burn of summer with its relentless heat; these are days when being outside is a joy and we move fluidly through the environment without being held back by frost or flame. Everybody knows these days are numbered and summer will soon swallow them. 

Central Australia bathed in sunshine

This has happened before. The temperature has warmed, only to plunge back into the cold. Although the seasons follow the calendar, people still hope that somewhere there is an anomaly, and spring might come in the depths of June when we are all suffering - even though it never has, and never will. The onset of August is a fact, not a dream, and all the indicators are that we are moving out of the winter cold.

Enjoy your firepits and camping while you can; soon, spring will give way to summer and these experiences will be stolen from you by the heat. Most of this year has passed. Make the best of what is left. It's been hard for everybody these past few years. 

May this summer when it comes, be freer in the lifestyle it provides, but warmer in companionship and relationship. After the separations of previous summers, hopefully, this year we will be able to see loved ones without constraint. Watch the last dregs of winter drain away, and know that when we are in the midst of December, you will probably be dreaming of these times again as you crave relief.