Farm Sitting

It doesn’t seem like two weeks ago that I set off in the red jellybean with three chooks in the back, heading towards our farm sit in Mount Barker.  The chooks were relocating to their new home and making the acquaintance of the other four already in residence.

 

  It is so peaceful here with lovely green undulating hills and the presence of the sheep gathered in the paddocks nearby, surrounding the house. 

  Mount Barker is located 359klms south of Perth via Albany Highway or else approaching from Bunbury via Manjimup and the Muir Highway.  Framed by the spectacular Porongorup and Stirling Ranges, it is just 30 minutes from Denmark and historic Albany and is the gateway to the great Southern. 

Colin and Beryl and their friends Norm & June (also our friends) joined us for a few days and we spent a day enjoying the delights of Denmark and another day in Albany and many daily walks with the animals.

Blaze

Jack

 After enjoying a little retail therapy and a lunch at the Denmark Bakery we meandered out on to the Scotsdale Road to taste some of the lovely wines and produce in the area.  I can highly recommend Denmark’s Farmhouse Cheese and  Ducketts Mill Winery, a true gourmet delight with fudges, frozen yoghurts, salamis, Pates and of course some delicious cheeses.  Topped off with a white port, muscat and red port, truffle pate, deep river blue cheese and some yummy fudges all somehow managed to make the journey back with us.  The owners are lovely and friendly and I can assure you your visit will be very enjoyable.  We visited a couple of little wineries but was most impressed by the Madfish Moscato that was available at the Howard Park & Madfish Wines.  Again, a few bottles slipped into the seat beside us.  West Cape Howe Winery and Galafrey Winery  was on our list on another  day, also the Kendenup General Store do an awesome coffee. 

 

We availed ourselves of the beautiful Mount Barker Bakery and enjoyed the lambs fry and also “the works” pies and especially the Blueberry Sponge Roll.  This year there is a new face in town….well she is not a new face being a local..but Dot, the new proprietor of Lilly May’s Café in the   IGA complex is proud to have opened up in town.  Again I highly recommend a visit, she bakes her own pies and cakes and her daily specials are to die for..I have it on good authority that the coffee is top notch and I rather enjoy the hot chocolates too.  She has promised us a special of Lambs Fry and Bacon tomorrow so we are looking forward to it.  I also enjoyed the company of some of the ladies in the Plantagenet Patches Group a couple of times.  Such lovely quilting ladies. 

 

  A quick one day visit back to Perth for our great grandson Chase’s 1^st birthday here he is enjoying his “Smash Cake” 

 

apparently the cake is purchased purely for him to smash up and enjoy, which he certainly did.

  He is a lovely little boy always laughing and happy, he has indeed brought a great pleasure to our lives along with his cousin Ben.  Only a week and a bit and we will have to head back into the big smoke, away from this pleasant interlude and plan again for our next visit.