Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 28th April 2024

 

We started our week in the usual way - walk around Lake Daylesford early on Sunday, followed by a trip to the Market and then we met Les, Fiona & Brodie at the Cemetery for a catch up. Morse was excited to see all three and chased around madly, while Brodie only showed interest in the ball that Les kept throwing for him. We came home to a late breakfast of crumpets & honey, and then settled down to watch the Collingwood & Carlton games again, as they had been such good victories. 

On Monday, after a very cold walk around Lake Daylesford, I did the supermarket shopping early, put out the street's bins, and brought home our usual post shopping breakfast - a coffee scroll for Wes, but an apple scroll for me - it's been 34 years since I last had a cup of coffee and still don't like the taste or smell! 

We then headed to the garden to plant 100 freesia and 75 daffodil bulbs in the few remaining places that don't already have bulbs. It was hard work as most of them were planted on an incline, which needed some weeding before they could go in. 

Early morning Autumnal view of Daylesford from the highest point of Duke Street

Wes woke on Tuesday feeling quite unwell, and realised he was probably suffering from food poisoning. He moved to the downstairs guest bedroom at once, just in case it was something else that I might catch, and spent much of the week recovering. I had to leave him at 9am after my Zoom with Leanne, as I had a dental appointment in Ballarat to replace two more metal fillings that were about to crumble. Fortunately, he didn't become any worse while I was away. 

There was no Mah Jong on Wednesday, so I moved my Thursday Zoom chats to that morning, as I wasn't going to be available on ANZAC Day. As usual, I had a most interesting catch up with Terry Borg, and then Kathy, Lib, Joyce & I ranged over a variety of topics.

Our weeping Japanese maple doing its Autumn thing

I have been knitting a new dog coat for Morse, bright red, so we can spot him in Daylesford cemetery, and it is fun, after what seems like years of scarves, mittens, beanies & berets to keep other people warm. It is good to have a project like that when I have to just sit for a while, and yet I still feel as though I am doing something.

Wes was too unwell on ANZAC morning for us to attend the services, and it was raining, which stopped me going out. James, our neighbour, was heading back to Southbank and gave me a lift to their unit, from where I could walk to the MCG easily. What an amazing experience yet again! The ANZAC ceremony was very moving and enhanced by the participation of The Roulettes, the RAAF's aerobatic team, which is based at Sale. 

The game itself was a wonderful spectacle with some individual and team highlights, culminating in the second draw in 29 years. I felt that was the perfect result as both teams had given everything and every player was exhausted by the end. Our captain, Darcy Moore, again spoke well, this time begging everyone to support the ANZAC Appeal which benefits returned service men & women struggling with homelessness, mental health and displacement. 

This amazing mark by Jamie Elliott was one of many stunning moments

Wes & Morse picked me up from Ballan Station after the game & we got home around 9pm. It took all of Friday for us to recover from that and decided me that I would return my ticket for the Collingwood/Carlton game this coming Friday, as it doesn't start until 7.40pm, which means getting back to Daylesford around 1am. I had been looking forward to catching up with Laura Borg, who is in Australia from Thailand for a short time, and very excited to be a guest of her mother's good friend, Liz, in the MCC. Luckily Laura understands, and I will have a chance to Zoom with her before she returns to Thailand. 

Yesterday, Wes started to feel a bit better, and was able to sit up for most of the day, instead of being in bed. We took Morse to the cemetery early so he could run around chasing bunnies, which he did happily and wore himself out. 

Morse recovering after his busy morning!

The Blues & the Cats played a good game of footy late that afternoon, but in spite of everything that Carlton threw at them, they couldn't manage to topple the unbeaten ladder leaders. The big difference was kicking for goal, where Geelong were very accurate early and Carlton wasted too many opportunities to take the lead. 

This morning we've been back to Daylesford Cemetery for Morse to have a good run, as Wes is still not 100%. He has managed to keep some food down and slept better last night, and will have a very quiet day again. We had hoped to host Rob, Dene & Glen for a morning tea catch up, but we've postponed it. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 21st April 2024

We just love this cartoon, courtesy of FB

Our first week back after our break has been busy, as they always are - so much to do getting back into usual routines etc. We started on Sunday with a visit to the Daylesford Market, where everyone was thrilled to see us, and Morse was delighted to be back to normal. 

Afterwards, we drove to Strathmore, where we spent a most enjoyable visit with Leanne, arriving back here with a hummingbird cake 6 hours after we had left. Morse had enjoyed a very quiet time with a large bone and no neighbours to bother! That night Wes served steamed shitake mushrooms & bok choi on rice - nearly as good at Chef Dong.

On Monday, after supermarket shopping, we tackled cleaning the lounge & kitchen - a job that is always easier when done by two. Everywhere looks sparkling clean again, and hopefully it will stay that way for the week. I was quite thrilled when we were finished to head off to Sarah for a remedial massage and she freed up my neck, which had gotten stiff with all the driving we did.

It was an early start for us all on Tuesday - while Wes & Morse walked around Lake Daylesford on a nippy morning, I had my first chat for a month with Jeff, my aunt in Lincolnshire. She was able to tell me that she has been able to find new homes for nearly all the possessions she needed to rehouse, and that her house is on the market with a viewing this week. Afterwards, I caught up with Leanne on Zoom, where she was still on a high after our good time together. 

Wes & Leanne having a chat

Then we were off to Springs Medical Centre, where I had an appointment with my doctor, Ellie, who is just back from maternity leave. She had a daughter, Pippa, to join her 3-year-old, Billie, and she looked remarkably well and happy for someone who is getting disturbed nights. I discovered that an issue I have had for 3 months with a very sensitive tongue is called "Geographic Tongue" and should disappear, or may stay for good. I hope the former, as I can't tolerate chillis at present, and the chef is complaining that his dishes are too bland.

We then moved waiting rooms and saw Dr Brad, who had to okay our flu injections, which were delivered very efficiently by Nurse Serena. Neither of us had any reaction and we are pleased to have some protection for the coming Winter ills. 

On Wednesday, we took Morse to Daylesford Cemetery for a run and watched a beautiful sunrise, before going to Leitches Creek to pump mineral water. I then went back to Springs Medical to have my annual blood test, before heading to Muffins & More for a pot of Jasmine tea, while I waited for Judi to arrive from Ballarat to play Mah Jong. Heen, the newish owner of the café, was appalled to discover that I supplied the tea and then paid for it to be served, so she has bought a big bag of it herself - a lovely surprise. That afternoon, Wes headed to Mooltan in Hepburn to chat about politics with Jenny & Eddie Beacham & David Reilly.

This stunning Portland sunrise came from our neighbour Glen's new camera

Wes had a very successful Jackson Group Zoom on Thursday morning at the earlier time of 7am, which meant we had a slightly shorter walk to make sure he was ready. Afterwards, I had a great Zoom with Old Friends - Kathy, Lib & Joyce, where we were able to help each other with issues that have arisen in our lives. Then, in this busy week, I went to EKO for my last facial at their premises. Emma has decided to concentrate on sales of products, which are going well, and have a break from hands-on treatments. EKO will be missed by me and all the locals who have loved going there over the past 10 years. 

On Friday morning, it was too wet to walk, and none of us minded as there was a very cold wind as well. After a great Zoom chat with Leanne, I headed back to Springs Medical for an appointment with Peter, the podiatrist, who I see every three months. We're getting a good relationship going, after a shaky early start, when I discovered he knew nothing about Aussie Rules and much preferred Rugby League. This time, he told me he will be playing in a charity AFL game in Castlemaine where he lives, over the King's Birthday weekend in June! 

Wes & Bob White had a lovely lunch together at Passing Clouds Winery, in Musk, which is about 10 minutes from Daylesford, and 10 minutes from Trentham, where Bob lives. I would have enjoyed spending time with Bob & Wes, but the menu doesn't cater for non-meat eaters at all.

It's been so cold lately we decided to move to our Winter doona cover, so I spent the day washing all our bedding, and making the changes. 

Yesterday Wes & Morse drove me to Ballan to catch an early train to Melbourne for the Collingwood vs Port Adelaide game at the MCG, where we were not favoured to win. I had invited my Mate, Danny, and we met up at the Shane Warne statue before going into the ground and having lunch in the Hugh Trumble café, which has been very nicely refurbished since our last visit. 

We visited the MCC Library, which is celebrating 150 years, and had a chat with Gayle Gibson on our way to our seats, where we were in the back row on Level 2 with a great view of the ground. The Pies started very slowly and we were all worried, until someone flicked a switch (probably Scott Pendlebury) and we kicked 8 goals in a row to take the lead, and were never headed. It was an exciting match to witness and lovely to do it with such good company.

I listened to the Carlton vs GWS match on the train coming home, and Carlton did a similar thing after letting GWS take the lead in the second quarter. Wes & Morse picked me up at Ballan, and we decided not to listen to the game, but watch the last quarter live when we got home. The Blues registered a very important win over the previously unbeaten Giants, and when we heard that Daylesford had beaten Hepburn in the local footy, we had the trifecta of unlikely results!

Needless to say we're exhausted today and it will be a very quiet one after the Market & a trip to Daylesford Cemetery. I've got to get the energy to do it all again this Thursday, when Collingwood & Essendon play on ANZAC Day.

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 14th April 2024

 

Life's like that!

We've had a wonderful holiday - one of our best ever, although the last accommodation, which cost the least, was the best appointed! The only place to offer crisp, ironed linen, plenty of space and everything you could wish for, including good heating, tissues, clothes hangers and washers. We had to buy a washer in Adelaide because our expensive unit had none. 

Last Sunday, we had breakfast at The Flying Fig, and although we are grateful for the suggestions for other good cafés, we won't budge. The meals are so yummy, beautifully presented, the staff are friendly and remember us, and the location is easy to reach. After breakfast, we headed back to our St Peter's unit for a rest, before we set off to walk to Norwood to visit their 35th Food & Wine Fair. It was most impressive, with the main street blocked off and lots of food & wine available. We found a beautiful bookstore, Dillons, and we also found the Norwood football ground at the other end of the main street. Richmond & St Kilda supporters were lining up to enter the ground, and there was a wonderful atmosphere.

This dish is called Ottoman - scrambled eggs, pita bread, avocado, smoked carrots, haloumi, spinach & yoghurt

We walked back home for another rest before heading back to the Adelaide Oval to see Collingwood play Hawthorn in a nail-biter. The Pies were well ahead at half-time, but the Hawks rejigged things and came back fighting after the main break. The sole reason we won was our ability to shut the game down, as we only scored 2 goals after half-time, but stopped the Hawks scoring the final goal they needed to win. 

Monday was our last full day in Adelaide, so we went back to The Flying Fig, before driving to Norwood to see Wicked Little Letters at the Hoyts Cinema complex that we had spotted the day before. I bought the tickets online, and we were both amazed to be in Gold Class standard reclining seats with a huge screen. I really enjoyed the film, but it wasn't Wes's cup of tea. It was chock full of good actors, including one of our absolute favourites, Timothy Spall, and a cameo by Dame Eileen Atkins. 

Afterwards we drove to the Pyrenees Wine Region to visit Shaw & Smith, makers of a great Sauvigon Blanc. We were impressed with the stunning views from the tasting room, and were well looked after by Ronnie, a young Carlton supporter, who gave us some beautiful wines to try. We ended up buying a mixed dozen, which should arrive here shortly.

Back home for a rest before dinner at Chef Dong, where we had eaten on the Friday night. We were warmly welcomed back and enjoyed another stunning meal with a suitable bottle of pinot gris. When we got back home again, we did most of our packing so we could get away early.

We set off at 7.30am and made a stop at Coonalpyn, where the Bakery made great sandwiches. There is a painted silo, a large area with picnic tables and clean loos and quite a few drivers were taking advantage of the facilities to have a break. We had tea & coffee thermoses with us, which were perfect with our egg & lettuce sandwiches. 

We arrived at Summerfield Winery in the little town of Moonambel, where we picked up a cheese platter, and were given directions to our cottage in the main street. We were most comfortable there with heaters in every room, a huge TV with more options than we had enjoyed in Robe or Adelaide, continental breakfast provisions and peace & quiet. 

We loved these two chimneys at the side of our Cottage

We spent Wednesday mostly reading and relaxing, although we did start our day with a walk around the township, which has many signs detailing the history of this place, which was started during the Gold Rush. There is no general store or Post Office - only the old pub, which now describes itself as a coffee lounge, and isn't open every day. 

Rather than drive to Avoca or Stawell, we opted for lunch at the winery, where we enjoyed a green salad & a pumpkin wood-fired pizza. There were plenty of more interesting options available, but they all included meat! I had a glass of the sav blanc & Wes tried the rosé, but the real specialty is their reds, in particular their cab sav, which is very yummy. The winery was too busy for us to do a tasting, so we will just have to return there.

The next morning we set off at 8am and arrived back here in Daylesford at 9.30, stopping only to fill up with petrol and check the tyres before pulling into our driveway. Wes unloaded Pearl, then hopped into Sammy to drive to Eureka Kennels and pick up Morse. Needless to say, Morse was delighted to be brought back home, and with a good report from Eureka. I had unpacked everything while Wes was away, and after a lunchtime sandwich, we got stuck into our desktops, where there were lots of things awaiting our attention.

On Friday, we enjoyed a lovely walk around Lake Daylesford and finished just as dawn was breaking. Back home for me to Zoom with Leanne, and Wes to get stuck into the garden. Daylesford had enjoyed some rain while we were away, so all the plants looked happy & healthy, and there were even a few roses in bloom.

Lake Daylesford at dawn

Yesterday we took Morse to Daylesford Cemetery, where he had a good run, before coming home and having another good sleep. Wes washed the cars and collected potting mix & mulch in preparation for some serious work on the garden this coming week. I caught up on ironing, and bought some bright red wool for a new jacket for Morse, as his current one (which was knitted for Frodo) is looking worse for wear. 

That afternoon, Wes drove to Ballan to catch the train to the Docklands Stadium to see Carlton play Adelaide. He was hoping to get there early enough to catch up with Ben Lazzaro & family, so went equipped with Cherry Ripes, a long-time footy tradition. Unfortunately the train was 30 minutes late and he arrived only in time to join the nervous crowds queing to get into the ground and missed out on seeing the Lazzaros. As well, after the Blues led for most of the game, the Crows found some energy in the last 5 minutes & won by 2 points. 

Adelaide Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 7th April 2024

 
Poor Snoopy!

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday, and Morse didn't miss the Daylesford Market at all. Around 9am we drove to Vaughan Springs, stopping first at the cemetery to look for the graves of friends - Danny Spooner & Gael Shannon - see photos, and secondly to find some of Wes's ancestors, the Greenwoods - no luck.

from the top - Danny & Gael's bush grave; their headstone; a plaque commemorating those without markers; Wes opening the door to the portal & seeing himself inside

We then drove to Vaughan Springs itself, admiring all the wonders of this little hamlet - the Chinese cemetery, the model railway line, the long slide, the balancing rock, the houses made from train carriages, and the foundation stone of Ball & Welch. We parked by the water and gave Morse the chance to retrieve, which he hasn't done since Lewis died. Amazingly, he got the hang of it, and enjoyed getting wet while retrieving sticks. 

On the way back, we stopped at Glenluce Mineral Springs, which is definitely off the beaten track. I have very happy memories of walking there with 3 other members of the Daylesford Bushwalking Group, including my dear friend, Annie Smith, who died in October 2020. It was hot & dry there and the mineral spring was out of order - very different from that first visit many years ago which was cool, shady & the mineral water was abundant. 

Wes reading the Glenluce signage while Morse potters, and the refurbished mineral spring area

That afternoon we watched Richmond unexpectedly beat Sydney in an exciting & close game at the MCG. Dinner was toasted tomato & cheese sandwiches done in the Sunbeam frypan - we can't bear to part with it! But, as usually happens when you are about to go away, something went wrong that night after a lovely day. The dishwasher refused to work. I emptied it out and tried again, but to no avail. In the morning we unscrewed the hose pipe and found a small piece of bone wedged in the opening, once it was removed, everything went back to normal.

On Monday, it seemed strange not to be going to Coles Supermarket, stocking up with scrolls and bread at Baker's Delight or doing School. Instead, we started packing after a lovely walk around Lake Daylesford, and Morse got a worried look on his face. 

Latest knitting for the Salvos Op Shop

Wes took Morse to Eureka Kennels on Tuesday morning, where he was delighted to be put next to another lab.  He is really very comfortable as we take one of his beds from home, as well as a pillow, some friends, and plenty of apples as rewards after his daily walks. We got away ourselves around 10.30am with the plan of driving to Dimboola and having a late lunch at the General Store. Sadly, when we arrived there, we discovered it had changed hands and the two bored young females working there could offer us nothing for lunch except a bacon butty! Fortunately I had packed ANZAC biscuits and filled a thermos with Jasmine tea, so we fortified ourselves until we got to Robe, checked into our AirBnB and had fish & chips for dinner.

On Wednesday, we had a late breakfast at Drift, our favourite Robe cafe, before driving to Beachport, where we got the last good-sized lobster. The woman serving remembered us from our last visit and dressed our lobster beautifully, even including two packs of ice to get us back to Robe safely. We picked up a Heathcote sparkling red and enjoyed a lovely meal that night.

Post Office rock, Beachport

The next morning, Wes got up early to start the Jackson Group Zoom and once that was up and running, we went for a lovely coastal walk and ended up back at Drift for granola and fresh fruit, before we made our way back to our holiday accommodation via the beautiful Robe cemetery, which is well-laid out and has an index of all the graves in the historic section. 

After a break, we headed off to Cape Jaffa winery, which had been recommended. Sadly we had a bad experience with very young staff run off their feet, and didn't enjoy our time there. We bought a bottle of sav blanc to recoup our tasting fees, and headed to Wangolina Winery, where we had the perfect introduction to their range of interesting white wines. We ended up ordering 2 dozen to be shipped to Daylesford, joined their wine club and promised to return in December to taste their reds. On our way back, we stopped at the Vietnamese cafe in Robe for a late lunch.

That night, we went early to the Black Swan wine bar, a favourite haunt, where I had a couple of Wangolina proseccos and Wes tried their rose and then a very rich local sav blanc. We indulged in a plate of parmesan chips before heading home to watch the footy.

The next morning, after another walk and breakfast at Drift, we packed our bags and drove to Adelaide, where we spent 20 minutes trying to find our unit in St Peter's. The fence is charcoal grey and so is the number, and we thought it was part of the next door property. Eventually we made our way in, and got settled. Later we went for a walk along the River Torrens and enjoyed the amazing bird life in this very pretty area.

I hope you can spot the flock of ibis in the trees

That night we walked to Chef Dong, about 10 minutes away and had a stunning meal - Wes enjoyed Peking style steak and I had the salt & pepper whitebait. We also had a dish of mushrooms & bok choi, which was to die for. They had Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc on the their wine list, which was the perfect accompaniement to our meal. We hope to get back there again tomorrow night.

Yesterday, we had breakfast at The Flying Fig, our favourite North Adelaide cafe, which specialises in Jewish cuisine. The owner remembered us from our previous visits, and we had a good chat. Wes had a bagel with cucumber & avocado, but I couldn't go past the baked eggs. Then we went to Rundle Mall to soak up the footy atmosphere, bought a few things in Myer, did a walk around the Adelaide Central Market, and came back here to have a rest before the footy.

We loved the footy experience at the Adelaide Oval - lots of families, supporters of all teams wearing their colours and a carnival atmosphere. We could have done without the incessant loud noise from the ground announcers & DJ, but we realise our age group isn't their target market. Carlton & Freo played a very exciting close game that the Blues only won in the last few minutes - Never in Doubt as Wes would say. 

After the game finished, we went upstairs to the top level where there were fewer patrons & much less noise and debriefed over a glass of shiraz - we're in Adelaide so it wasn't a rough red, but an extremely palatable drop! We stayed until half-time of the second match, which was also exciting & close between Geelong & the Western Bulldogs and arrived home in time to see the last quarter, where the Cats hung on by 4 points.