Walking in Gunumeleng

We have been reading Walking with the Seasons in Kakadu, by Diane Lucas over the past few months and looking for the signs of the passing seasons. You can read about Wurrgeng and Gurrung. It is now Gunumeleng.

“the time that storms are upon the land.
Namarrgon, the lightning man,
emerges from the rocks, into the sky.
The clouds burst, rain falls …
The months of dry have finished.”

You can hardly miss the change in the weather that the approaching monsoons bring. We are feeling very hot and sticky. We are starting to have rain and storms especially in the evening. When it does rain B drops everything to go outside and run in the rain. We can hear the cicadas and frogs singing and the plants becoming green and flowering or fruiting. We have been looking out for Ngangalad, the frill-necked lizard, but I think that cane toads have had an impact on how often you see these. We haven’t spotted any yet.
B is also thrilled to know that the saltwater crocodiles are making their nests.