day trips Archives - The Desert Echo

Amongst the lavender

January 31, 2019 No Comments

Dearest aunty cathleen has seen Emby almost every week since she was born and helped her stay fashionable whilst being ethical in second hand but not second rate clothes. Thanks for keeping mama sane and well fed with homemade treats Catty!

Here are some photos of Emby’s first trip out Daylesford way to Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm. It was packed with festival goers and there was a joyful laid back family vibe. While I waited for lavender cream scones, I watched what seemed to be grown adults dressed as Santa’s elves doing funny little hopping dances under garlands, which I assumed was some sort of celtic harvest dance. Then we just had to check out the emus and alpacas. An unlikely pairing that both seemed to bear each other’s presence without being particularly excited.

It was sizzling hot and not particularly conducive to portrait photography but we still enthusiastically waded through lavender and bees. I was getting pretty vivid flashbacks to when we were cycling around provence. The ringing of cicadas, the smell of pencil pines, that heat and of course the fields of lavender.

Emby and Dylan disappeared for a while and were discovered playing in the the dappled shadows of some birch trees.

We finished off the day at Cafe on the outskirts of Daylesford to avoid the masses. Cathleen had brownie and ice cream for lunch and is an inspiration to us all. Friends, French flashbacks and family are an excellent way to spend the day.

Family, Travel

Feeding time

January 21, 2019 No Comments

To celebrate Emby’s 6 month birthday, we gave her a first taste of solid food. Safe to say it was more of a treat for us than for her. Her little brow furrow deepened the more spoonfuls of carefully chosen homegrown carrot and organic sweet potato we offered her. I haven’t seen her frown that hard since the day she first greeted her parents!

Since then we have offered her very tiny spoonfuls of banana and some nut butter with slightly more positive results. Her extrusion reflex is still pretty strong so looks like she needs more time for her swallow to mature. We’ll keep trying, but there is no rush, for now that red spoon is much more appealing to her than its contents.

Later that day we met up with Emby’s new friend Ebony and her parents at the zoo. It was hot and after a humid train ride we sought shelter in the cavernous seal enclosure. Things certainly had been upgraded since I was a child. Even the seal sculptures now lazed on a man made beach replete with sand castles and sun umbrellas.

On baby Liam’s suggestion we headed to the butterfly house which I think was a clear highlight for bubs. Everyone seemed to have butterflies landing on them except for the one who had made special effort with a floral top. Our fluttering friends annoyingly seemed to prefer Dylan’s plain white t-shirt and Krystal’s straw hat was a veritable butterfly dance party.

The swishing bamboo forest surrounding the else-hang exhibit was deliciously cool. The Indonesian signs and faux cafes a cute touch. No sooner had the elephants appeared, than Emby cracked it wanting a drink, who could blame her on that hot day. We joined her with yummy overpriced ice creams.

We are still no closer to learning what sounds we should make for zebras and giraffes when we sing ‘Old MacDonald’. Munch munch is still the best filler it seems.

We didn’t mean to stay until closing time, but I guess the zoo had us under its spell. Most of the big cats were lounging in the shadowy corners, evading the camera lens. However, some little critters still were up for a show. The landscape gardens around these exhibits were lovely. The soft foliage of the minature woolly bushes was gorgeous in the fading light which also held the yellow flowers of the ground covers in its spotlight. I think our zoo pass is going to get a workout this year.

Travel

High Summer at Warratina Lavender Farm

March 4, 2017 4 Comments

Has the weather been strange where you are? If you looked at these photos your first thought wouldn’t be, “oh what a lovely High Summer day in January” That month the weather dropped as low as a maximum of 18C, it could have been August.

Grey skies threatening the ladies and I took a lovely outing to Warratina Lavender Farm. There was a little consternation about the appropriate attire, which turned out to be a lovely light summer dress plus every other item of clothing we could find in the car and star jumps. As we bumped along the dirt road, we had romanticised notions of fields of purple swaying in the breeze, however just like this post, we were two months late and most of the bushes were sweet denuded bundles. Fantastic company and the strips they left blooming by the driveway and carpark kept us happy though, just enough to remind us of Provence. Although full disclosure, I was also there at the end of summer when I suspect the only fields left blossoming were for the tourists. An indulgent tasting of all their lavender themed desserts didn’t hurt, and it cemented by view that just a speck of lavender on top is ideal and anything more is like eating potpourri. Thumbs up chocolate brownie.

So it looks like we’ll be back in November when it is full of bees and blossoms. It’s always good to have something to look forward to.

Garden, Travel

st erth

November 15, 2014 No Comments

Sometimes inspiration is best digestested through the eyes. Follow me through the garden of St Erth.

Hidden in the heart of the dusty, dry Blackwood bushland, there is a lush garden oasis. Our last visit was made all the more surreal because the surrounding bush was crackling with ‘planned burns’, smoke wreathing the town below. Climbing upwards we exited the smoke and found the normally placid place packed with cars winding down the hill. The nursery, packed with its normal smörgåsbord of rare edibles and ornamentals, was overflowing and the cafe too. We had accidentally, but providentially arrived on the day of their Spring Festival.

The nursery is usually the main event for me: Native Finger Lime Pink Ice, Purple leafed Elderberry, Kiwiberry Issai, Tomato Wapsipinicon Peach…the names alone enough to delight the fancier of unusual & heirloom, however the garden is a real treat. I had already seen it a number of years ago, but and it was still able to surprise me. Behind the box hedges and the espaliered fruit trees in flower there was a Food Forest! Winding paths banked with drifts of marjoram, arbours lazy with hops, currants dropping with fruit. It really is amazing, I hope you all find time to investigate, it’s worth the trip. Afterwards I also recommend a cafe and coffee at the Black Wood Merchant in town, they’ve got lots of local delights to take home too and an antique store next door.

What are your favourite nurseries?

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