Sunday 19 May 2019

Holidays



 Last Sunday I was listening to snippets of the talk-back gardening program on our local ABC Radio with Sophie Thompson.  A listener called in to ask about pickling his home grown  olives, but neither Sophie or the other presenter had ever pickled olives and didn't know of any recipes.
I sent a text to suggest their listeners could look at my blog post about olive pickling that I wrote a couple of years ago. I wasn't really expecting them to read out my text on the radio, but they did..!

When I heard it, I jumped, and immediately sat at my laptop to write a short introduction, with links to the recipes, for anyone who might actually go to my blog.

So just in case you were wondering, no I wasn't on the radio.

 I'm feeling refreshed after a week's holiday in Victoria. The first couple of days spent with friends at their large cattle property where I had the pleasure of being absolutely in the thick of all things Angus beef cows.
How blissful it was to wake up surrounded by bird song and the gentle lowing of fat cows waiting for their morning feed.


There was a tinge of green in the paddocks which was a pleasant change from our dry and dusty conditions that I had left behind me at home. Their gardens were a magnificent oasis of green, with their access to good quality bore water.


Just two hours further south from Casterton, Victoria, is the beautiful coastal village of Port Fairy, near Warnambool.


I had booked this airbnb accomodation for myself. Three nights in a delightful, cheap and cheerful granny flat at the rear of a family home just a few minutes walk from the town and marina.


I did lots of walking. I didn't know that Muffin Birds are also known as Shearwaters.
Sadly, there is a severe fox problem there and I counted more than a dozen dead birds on the track as I walked the three kilometres around the island.  Fox bait 1080 signs were displayed clearly and dogs are prohibited on the island.

After years of communicating to each other, I finally met up with Heather, who lives in Warnambool. We had lunch and spent  the afternoon chatting like old friends.
Long time reader of this blog and Instagram inspirational gardener, Heather Ryan can be found on @heathers_potager   on Instagram.
I found another interesting piece written about Heather here when I googled her to add these links.
She is a mine of information and a delightful person, so it was little wonder that four hours would pass so quickly at our first ever meeting.

The last thermos cuppa and lunch stop before returning home.

I always carry my own food and thermos when I'm on the road.  Peaceful country stops with a walk to stretch the legs are far more pleasant to me than perching indoors on a cafe stool drinking a lukewarm beverage and eating overpriced and over rated food.  But I'm a bit of an odd fish I know.

The break was just what I needed to refresh and reinvigorate after our long hot summer, and although we have had a little bit of rain, we need some now to germinate the crops. 
The paddocks are turning green, the cows and sheep are eating less hay and more grass, my broad beans and kale are up, so all seems as right as can be within my world.

Thanks for dropping in,
Cheers,
Sally XX






















17 comments:

  1. A break away from the normality of home is always so good to show you that the simple normality is what most of us crave for. Welcome back to your home space. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of your new outdoor living space.

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    1. I was very thankful to have had a short break Brigie. The outdoor space is continuing slowly, when there's a spare hour between all the other farming jobs. I'll appreciate it so much when the mess is finally gone and it's all complete. XX

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  2. Sounds like you had a lovely relaxing holiday loved hearing all about it.

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    1. Thanks Kathy, a change from the everyday is good for the soul. XX

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  3. Glad you enjoyed your break, Sally. Morag Gamble also had a post on her blog a while back about pickling olives. Hopefully this year we will have a few to pick from our trees.

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    1. Chel, thanks for that reminder. Morag's writings are always so inspiring and full of useful information. XX

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  4. Oh what a fabulous holiday, just my kind of thing. I don't think you are an odd fish at all for enjoying bush pit stops, but you must know by now you are in kindred spirit country 😉 I must look Heather up on instagram.

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    1. Yeah Cheryl you and my tribe are definitely on the same page as me. Thanks for reminding me that perhaps I'm not such an odd fish. XX

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  5. Thanks for sharing a snippet of your holidays. It sounded like a lot of pleasure was had, drinking in the scenery and chatting with like-minded folks. Did you get a chance to stop by any farm stands, along the way? I always find them so interesting, well priced and always tastes better than store bought. We always buy the juiciest watermelons, from farm stands. And the most pumpkinny pumpkins! Glad you had a good time, and arrived home safely. :)

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    1. Chris I had my eyes peeled for farm stalls but I didn't see any at all this time. So disappointing! I was on the lookout for pumpkins in particular, as my pumpkin harvest was dismal this year.

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    2. Nuts! I rely on our local pumpkin grower (just down the road) to help when ours aren't producing either. Which they haven't in the dry, lately. I hate having to buy from a chain supplier. I'd much rather my money go towards supporting land owners, with the gumption to grow stuff. Maybe they were hit by the dry where you travelled, too?

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  6. glad you had an enjoyable holiday
    shame about those birds, hope they're not getting into the bait as well
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Selina, I was really shocked to see the dead Mutton-birds/Shearwaters with all the signs of typical fox attack... heads ripped off and chests eaten out. Bl.... foxes, I hate them.

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  7. Hi Sally,
    We too, have been away for a break. Went to Oberon, Kangaroo Valley and Nowra. It's so lovely and green everywhere down there - though we were told by locals that Kangaroo Valley is in drought. Hard to believe with the lush green grass, puddles by the roadside and dams with plenty of water. Not like our place just west of the northern tablelands which is in severe drought. Much as I love my home, it was hard to come back to it this time. I suppose the rain will come one day...
    We also take food and thermos with us when travelling, then we are free to pull up wherever it takes our fancy. Also we know what we are eating.
    Glad you have had some rain. I pray lots more for you.
    God bless.
    Lyn in northern New South Wales.

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    1. "Much as I love my home, it was hard to come back to.." Lyn, you captured my exact feelings when I returned home this time! Some areas don't know real drought, there's always some green, but your area, and ours had no grass anywhere, and although there is a green tinge to the paddocks now, there doesn't look like being much rain again this winter/spring. We're officially in El Nino (or on El Nino watch?) and many farmers in our area have decided not to sow a crop this season. I'm glad you had a lovely break away, and although the return home is less joyful than usual, some lovely memories were formed. XX

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  8. Sounds like a nice break away for you Sally. I will be looking up Heather on Instagram and following along, she sounds like my kind of gal :)

    I was listening to the radio that morning and heard your name mentioned. I said to hubby, I know Sally! Even though we haven't met yet lol! I hope your blog has had many new visitors seeking your olive recipe.

    Oh and I love that photo at the top of your post, it is beautiful!

    xTania

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  9. Tania I often talk of my "friends" who I've never met, but they (you) are definitely my friends. This is where I have found my tribe and have had the pleasure of building real friendships with many beautiful people through IG, Facebook and this blog. Thanks for mentioning that top photo. My friend Ree designed this in her garden. She asked her husband to put that iron circle above the wall and his reply was "How will I attach it? With a skyhook?" I hope rain has fallen in your parts. XX

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