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AWOWA: A Week of WA #3

08:30:00
While we were down south we thought we may as well keep heading in that direction and took a five hour road trip to Albany. As you can see from some of the pics it wasn't as nice and sunny as we would have liked and boy oh boy was it windy. I am also now a bit shattered that I didn't take more pics while we were here. I got a bit lazy and snap unhappy I think. 

We had one entire day with 2 nights accommodation booked to see whatever sights we could fit in and one of these was Whale World and what a fascinating place it was. After hearing about the gory details of a life as a whaler I would have to rate it as probably being one of the worst jobs anyone could have had in the world. However it was an essential job; not for the faint hearted may I add as people wanted and needed whale back in the days. They needed it for fuel for lamps, to eat, for lipstick, for soap products, lubricating the bits and bobs in watches and even for making candles. How the guide described the process of hacking cutting up a whale, sawing it to bits, dropping it down into the boilers and then cooking it up was really quite gruesome. You could only imagine the noise and the smell. 
We were told on our tour that this was the very last whaling station in operation in Australia and that was due to the fact that there were dwindling numbers of Humpbacks in the Southern Ocean and then finally the government declared a total ban of whaling in the late 70's.
It was pleasing to note though that the current Humpback Whale numbers are now right up  and there are about 80,000 huge mammals swimming in the Southern Ocean. The museum also housed one of the last whale ships that was in operation as part of the exhibition to go on aboard and have a look. The pic below is where they pulled the whale up onto the deck. The wooden deck there amongst all the concrete was like a huge big chopping board so they wouldn't destroy all their sharp knives and tools. The poor whales!









The old boiler you can see in the pic below is one of many at the museum that have been converted into a theatre where they have various movies depicting the life of a whaler and even the life of a whale out in the sea. If you like a bit of history and love learning about this country of ours than this place is really worth a visit.
I wish I had of taken pics of the part of the museum where they had a full skeleton of a Blue Whale exhibited. I couldn't believe how big it was. I found a pic in Google Images just to show you.

source



























We also went for a squizz at the blow hole down the road from Whale World. I only made it half way down the track as we had a toddler tantrum to deal with, which though annoying was kind of a blessing as Cam said there was only flat rocks to see and no water blowing out of any holes. Phew! That walk back up the hill would have killed me. Though the view from up top was pretty spectacular.









That was our accommodation at the holiday park we stayed at. A double story caravan park cabin. Awesome!




And this was our view from the back deck. Though the wind was freezing and ridiculously strong so we didn't get to venture out here that much. It was nice watching the big ships anchored in the bay and all their pretty lights on at night time.



Another place that we briefly stopped by on the way to Albany and a place that I would have liked to roam around in a lot more was Denmark. Have you been there? It seemed to be quite a quaint and alternative little town with a stack of galleries to peruse. I would have loved to have found some artwork as a momento of our trip. One day!
The drive to Albany from Busselton, you could say was rather on the boring side as there really is not much to look at as you are driving through a national park most of the way. However, if you a nature lover like me than you too would be amazed at the ginormous Karri eucalyptus forests for most of the drive South. I thought the trees were beautiful and I posted a pic on my Instagram feed here.

Cam and I also visited Limeburners Whisky Distillery. Yes we got rid of the children! Didn't I tell you my parents were on the trip with us? And we even got to enjoy a lovely, quiet lunch at one of the cafe's in town to end the Whale World venturing afternoon. I wasn't a big fan of the whiskey thing so I left that to Cam and we now have a bottle of one of Limeburners finest drops up on the top shelf.

It would have been good to stay and see a lot more of Albany and surrounds but Fremantle was calling and the end of the holiday was drawing closer and closer.

Do you know much about Australia's whaling history? After this trip it is now certainly very interesting indeed.

See you tomorrow
Thanks for visiting today
Elisha x











family

AWOWA: A Week of WA #2

07:49:00
Hello there. Its so nice to have you back for day two of AWOWA. 

Today its scenic fest of photographic delights all the way from Geographe Bay, Busselton. This is no tiny, quaint seaside village. In fact, if it weren't for the beach you would think you were in suburbia in any old city. However, the beach always calls and we found it and it was beautiful as you will see from the pictures.
History tells me that this area was quite a hub of activity back in the day being one of the major ports for this side of the country.
The big tourist draw card is of course the Busselton Pier or Jetty if you want to be technically correct which is the longest timber pier in the southern hemisphere, at a measly 1.8km long. They even have a little locomotive train to take you to the end and back, but at 11$ a pop, we decided to walk it. It only cost us $2.00 each to enter onto the pier which  goes towards the maintenance and upkeep of this piece of history. Along the way are historical placards to read and once you get to the end there is a glass, underwater viewing platform 8m beneath the pier. We would have loved to have taken H to have a look but it was going to cost us over $40 to do so. Lucky for H though, Cam located a few fishermen having some luck with their lines along the pier and Hugh thought it was the bees knees, I even spotted a dolphin and this my friends was free.
We topped off the morning at one of the little kiosks/ coffee shops with an iced coffee and ice-cream. 









 



Eagle Bay is also a beautiful spot down South which we just so happened to stumble upon. It was postcard perfect like in the advertising you see for a tropical island holiday in QLD. The water was calm, (it is always flat and calm around here) and it was sparkling and inviting and I wish I had of been wearing my togs so I could have had a swim with the kids. However I was loving just sitting and watching, adding to the freckle collection and taking it all in as it really was beautiful. That sand is amazing between your toes. 



 




Lots of fun to be had on the jumping pillow at the caravan park where we stayed in Busselton. 


Busselton is the place to stay if you are heading down to the Margaret River region for the winery experience, especially if travelling with kids as the holiday parks and accommodation options are really good as they have all the playgrounds and pools unlike accommodation options in Margaret River from what I could gather. Busselton is also a whole lot bigger and happening than the tiny little riverside town of Margaret River too and we only had to drive 20-30 minutes to get to the wineries, Eagle Bay and other interesting tourist spots down that way.

Been to Busselton before? Did you walk or train it on the pier? 
How good is the water in these parts?

See you tomorrow for more...

Thanks for visiting today
Elisha x



family

AWOWA : A Week of WA #1

09:06:00
Holiday.....Celebrate.....Holiday........

There really is a song lyric for every occasion isn't there? Speaking of holidays, how was your Easter? Awesome I bet.

Too many holidays are passing, including this ANZAC Day long weekend and I still haven't even posted up the pics from when we went to WA last month. Slack I know, but this week is the week for all the nostalgia and for the 'journal' reflective part of the blog that one day will be a minefield of memories for the kids and I.
I thought id post 10-20 pics a day for five days with a running commentary. Plenty I reckon. If its not your things and if you don't want to see a 20 week pregnant chick in her bathers, then maybe you should come back here next week.
No, no, no please stay. Pretty please, and have a squizz at my lovely family and all the wonderful stuff and things we saw. I did not get in a single pic in my kini's, I promise! Here goes...

The very first photo I did snap was of a seagull of all things. What a holiday! Though looking at that seagull. Beautiful!! ha ha. We were down at Rockingham staying with mums sister and she only lives three streets back from this beautiful beach. The water was so was clear, beautifully blue and the sand on these beaches is as white as white. It was a bit chilly this particular morning down by the water, but as you will see in the next few pics, the kids had a lovely time. Apparently my Aunty comes down here all the time for walks and a swim and says that there is never anyone down there. I thought it was so beautiful, and with all the perfect weather that people in these parts get to experience aaaaaallll the time, you have to wonder why? Spoilt!!








I said to myself that I would make an effort to be in heaps of photos with the kids as I usually am on the other side of the camera. This was one of a few with the cherubs at the beach. I felt so huge at the time, but now 7-8 weeks later looking at that pic I don't even look pregnant!! ha ha.



The next few are from our visit to Penguin Island. We got the ferry out to the island and decided to go on the 45 minute boat cruise around the island. Definelety long enough to see the sights. The boat ride and the seals were the highlight and according to the guide this particular morning, we got a real show from the seals as they are usually layabouts and do nothing at all. They must have known we were coming! Once again, the beautiful suburban beaches of Rockingham.







If you are ever in Fremantle, then I highly recommend a visit to the Fremantle Prison. How it stood at completion over 100 years ago is pretty much how it looks today and it is unreal, and unfathomable that it was still in operation until 1991. The only things that really were updated significantly in the place was a sewerage system and the inclusion of electricity and they only just put shade shelters up in the yards in the early 60's. It really was a sight to see. We had a great guide to tell us all the stories and happenings of the prison and one of these was about this particular exercise yard. See those numbers lining the wall?



Prisoners summoned to this exercise yard were real baaaaad and for the hour a day they got to be out of their cells they had to walk back and forth between the walls and touch their particular number on each side. You can't really see but but I can tell you there is no number 6 or 16. Apparently they had a bit of hoodoo in this prison and anything with number 6 was bad luck (cos being in prison isn't) as it resembles the hangman's noose. The guide told us there were no number 6's for any of the cell numbers in the entire prison. 

Thats Cam and I in one of the solitary confinement cells.
Can you imagine walking out of here into the bright light outside, which is also reflected off the white sandstone walls outside after a stint in there. It was bad enough just after 5 minutes.
What a place!



I would have to say Sculptures By the Sea at Cottesloe Beach was one of my favourite things we did on the holiday. I loved the beach, I loved the art, I love how my pics turned out and I loved the biggest goon bag I have ever seen. 











We had a great time down at Margaret River visiting the wineries and enjoying the sights of Bussleton and Eagle Bay for three of the nights were there. The wineries we visited Howling Wolves, Windance Estate, Cheeky Monkey Breweries, Stormflower Vineyard and Evans and Tate. All very different and all lovely places. The wineries and the brewery cater for families really well in these parts and three of the wineries we visited had a playground or sandpit to entertain the the kids. This was great as we Cam could take a little bit of extra time to go through the wine lists and enjoy it knowing the kids weren't going to get bored and stir crazy and topple over prized trophies or stacks of wine at the cellar door. What was also great was the bigger of the wineries offered free delivery on cases of wine (we made the most of that) and Windance, which was one of the smaller wineries that we visited swapped us a box. How cool is that? They were both very nice parcels to receive from the postie just 2 weeks later and are waiting patiently to be enjoyed. I am waiting very very patiently!
The pic below is me trying to be all creative and fancy and I snapped it at Cheeky Monkey Breweries. I love H's hat!




 

Thats a wrap for Day 1. See you tomorrow for more holiday and family delights.

It was St Pats day when we were at Cottesloe Beach. Do you reckon that goon bag was full of Guiness? he he
Been to the Fremantle Prison? What did you think?

Thanks for visiting today
Elisha x



easter

Easter 2014

11:51:00
There was certainly a hint of winter in the air this Easter. Perhaps being that little bit later in the month the cold was inevitable, but nevertheless and chilliness aside bbbrrrrr, it was another wonderful weekend in the company of family and friends. So what did we get up to?

We watched some local footy here in town on Good Friday and had a visit from my brother (Hi Xav!). It was awesome to spend a whole entire Saturday at home doing a bit of tidying up around the place and a whole lot of nothing. Though it was entertaining watching Xav and Cam knock off three bottles of red whilst the footy was on tv on Saturday night. D and M central! ha ha! Easter Sunday was a great day out at the farm with some of Cam's extended family and we had a peek at the Molyullah Sports Day which is a great Easter Monday annual event in these parts. This was and always is a fantastic day for the kids and catching up with everyone from in and around the town; and who doesn't love watching all the old boys showing off their machinery in the big Tractor Pull Competition. 

I didn't get my camera out as much as I had anticipated, but for the times that I did, this is what we got up to...

Easter Sunday afternoon down in the paddock for a bonfire. Half a dozen or so locals stopped by whilst we were camped there to say gday and have a tipple or two. All of them asked if the fence was live before they embarked on over. Cams dad assured them it wasn't on this particular occasion and not one of them believed him. Ha ha!! Well renowned as a bit of a joker in the area it would seem. Entertaining non the less watching them all very tentatively hurdle over that wire though. 




I love this one. 




Hello handsome!



The kids, and I for that matter were very excited to head down to the cattle yards and see a calf being born; well pulled out but wow!!! How appropriate at Easter.



This was taken on my little stroll back to the house.


One of the old school 'fair' games at the Sports Day. The old 'Catch The Rat'. (Though it was a toy car) Lots of fun for the kids.



Cant stop this one on the jumping castle.



The Tractor Pull. Such a farm boy is H. Probably explaining it all to his cousin Ava.





The always fun Easter Egg Hunt. Though we did ours on the Monday, better late than never.




How was your Easter? Bet it was fun.
Did you eat your weight in chocolate like me? he he he

Thanks for visiting today
Elisha xx


Sam Miranda

A visit to Sam Miranda Vineyard and Winery

09:04:00
source 

What do you do when you find out (after you are all dressed up and raring to go) that the local horse races gets cancelled on the weekend?

You re-group with your fellow racing revellers and head out for a drive to Sam Miranda Winery in Oxley. Thats what!

Now I have been here before on a number of separate occasions, one being a winery walkabout and I am happy to report that on this particular day it was a quiet and enjoyable relaxing visit, unlike it was with the crowds that are here during festival time. You can't miss this place on the road. It looks like a little hobbit would reside here, with the main building housing the cellar door and a restaurant, being enveloped by a nice green, grassy hill.

The sun was shining so we grabbed our table outside and headed in for a little tasting. There was a vast selection of wines on the list, though I was disappointed that they no longer had their sparkling rose in stock. From memory it was delish!! I was designated driver so had to select wisely for this limited tasting and I ended up trying the Riesling, Sparkling Shiraz, the Rosata and a Sangiovese/ Shiraz blend. 
As you know we do grow Rielsing in our vineyard and its always good to compare the pair and see how other people are mastering this variety it. This particular vintage for what I know of a Riesling was rather on the pale side as far as colour goes, it did live up to its citrusy hues on the nose and it certainly would be an easy and enjoyable one to drink chilled or straight out of the fridge. This particular style, as is for Riesling in general does come good with age I was told, so perhaps I might have to come back in 5-6 years time and check it out then.
The Sparkling Shiraz Duriff didn't disappoint as it rarely does for me...POP!!!!! and the Rosata' was to my liking. A little sweet, a little bit of acid and not too dry. I loved the opaque-pink colour and I loved the label on the bottle. It certainly would be a great Mother's little Helper any day of the week.
As for the Sangiovese/ Shiraz blend. You know how the saying goes: Never judge a book by its cover. Click here and you will see why. This wine was deliciously smooth and I really liked the peppery or spicy (as the label suggests), tastes and flavours from the Shiraz. A winner in my book. (I asked about the Heath Ledger lookalike on the label and apparently he is one of the workers that arrives during picking time from Italy and other then picking grapes and working his butt off he receives no royalties from the sales of any of the bottles with his noggin on it.Things you learn aye!)




Remnants of the Sangiovese blend. Lots of alcohol in this one or lots of legs as the saying goes. You can tell this by how the wine drips and sticks to the sides of the glass after you take a sip. See I'm learning lots...



The cellar door. Freshly modern, sophisticated with very friendly staff serving the delights that is Sam Miranda. The light coming in from the skylight above is amazing. 



One of the free range chooks pottering around the place. I wonder if they've tasted the Sparkling Duriff. 



We did stop for lunch as I mentioned and the food did not disappoint. I shared an antipasto platter of olives, arancini, croquettes and succulent calamari and it hit the spot for value and quality. I also squeezed in a lovely chocolate mousse dessert with caramel popcorn and passionfruit sorbet. I know, chocolate and passionfruit? But it works!!.

Would I go back? For a meal I would because it really is lovely food, though I am reminded that the service can be a tad slow, especially when its very busy. (This is only from my own personal experiences) However, if its for the wine experience alone and a chance to learn about this region and the stories behind the wine than that would be a definite yes. They do have some lovely wines and the staff are very willing to chat and answer questions and love a good yarn.

They are now serving coffee with no pressure to buy wine or food which I love, and this is especially handy if you are the designated driver. On the whole it really is a nice place to visit, especially as one of the first wineries off the main road from Wangaratta and Benalla heading into The King Valley. 

There is plenty more information to read and to ponder upon on the Sam Miranda website here.

Thanks for visiting today.
Elisha



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Hello! I'm Elisha



Welcome to The Windmill Paddock.
A place to share my efforts in growing my little garden oasis.
It just so happens that my family owns a vineyard too so you could say Im in the wine making business; Growing it, selling it and of course drinking it!
There is a farm, a few kids and always a good story to tell, so do stay awhile for a little glimpse of the good country life.

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      • AWOWA: A Week of WA #3
      • AWOWA: A Week of WA #2
      • AWOWA : A Week of WA #1
      • Easter 2014
      • A visit to Sam Miranda Vineyard and Winery
      • The Winter Veggies Are In
      • Dahlia Love: What I know about Dahlias.
      • The Autumn Break
      • Small Town, Big Things, Nude Things
      • Rendezvous with Riesling. (Repost)
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