Hidden gems in Bowning.

On our last day of school hols we decided to jump in the car and see where the road took us for an hour or two. We ended up driving through the Yass Valley region, stopping for an icecream and a play in the park in Yass then continuing on just a hop, skip and a jump down the highway to explore the little village of Bowning. I've zipped past the highway signs for Bowning and the Rollonin Cafe countless times, always making a mental note to stop off one day for a look. I'm so glad we did this time.  

We found a beautiful little slice of history frozen in time. The Rollonin Cafe is housed in a slab hut surrounded by magnificent old trees and a cottage garden. Harry and I enjoyed coffee and scones while Jack gave Mac the draught horse a pat. Mac's sidekick Daisy, the ancient dairy cow settled down on the grass and slept in the sun.

The staff were so friendly and the place had a really lovely, laid back atmosphere. 

Afternoon tea done and dusted, we drove up the hill to look at the old train station from the railway bridge, then spent some time in the Bowning Antique Centre. What an incredible treasure trove that place is!

The boys and I really do love exploring these kind of country gems. 

What a lovely way to round off the school holidays.

xx Em

Burnima Homestead

During the school hols we were invited by our friends Claire & Paul to do a tour of Burnima Homestead and spend the weekend at their beach house in Eden. It was a definite yes from us...historic houses, country towns, feasts with friends and a weekend by the sea...what's not to like? We set off down the Monaro Highway early on the Saturday morning for the two hour drive south to the small township of Bombala, tucked in between the Snowy Mountains and the Sapphire Coast.

The traffic was chaos I tell you...

 Arriving a smidge late for the 10am tour (thanks to a pit stop in Cooma to grab Jack's ventolin at the chemist, don't you hate it when you realise you forgot to pack one of the essentials), we tagged on to the end of the tour group just as they were entering the mansion.

Burnima Homestead was built in 1896 for grazier Henry Edwards. The two storey, 32 room mansion is an impressive example of Victorian Gothic architecture. Owner and tour guide, Steve Rickett resides on the top floor of the house and he's slowly renovating the property back to its former glory. A mammoth task for one person...although there are a few purported ghosts who might lend a hand should it take their fancy. Steve has a passion for all things Victorian and holds an incredible wealth of knowledge about the history of the house and the people who worked and resided there. It was absolutely fascinating listening to the stories as we went from room to room and it didn't take much to imagine what the homestead would have been like at the height of its glory.

After the tour we had a good look through the house and took a wander about the expansive grounds before heading down the road to Bombala for a pub lunch. It's a long road ahead with the full restoration of Burnima and I wish Steve the very best. He certainly has the passion and determination to carry it out. The property is definitely worth a day trip from Canberra and I'm so glad that Claire invited us to join them on the tour. 

Burnima is open to visitors from 10am til 3pm on the first Saturday of the month and you can contact Steve via email contact@burnima.com.au or phone (02) 6458 3042 to book a tour. Old houses are fascinating places to explore.

xx Em.

Millthorpe

I hadn't made any hard plans for the remainder of my weekend after the floral workshop. I wanted to leave it open to serendipity and see what happened. I figured that I'd probably find my accommodation, grab something for dinner and spend my Saturday night editing all the photos I'd taken that day. Belinda had a far better idea and suggested we meet for dinner at Tonic in Millthorpe with Libby and their friend Nicole. Not wanting to shun a first class meal and good company...I immediately said yes.

It was a short drive to Millthorpe where I found the beautiful little studio I'd booked, tucked away at the end of a garden path.  

(Photo from For 2)

For 2 was filled with so many thoughtful details including a bottle of wine and nibbles, plenty of beautiful books to pore over and breakfast & coffee all set for the next morning. The studio was stylishly decked out and filled with high quality linen making it so cosy and comfortable.

 I happily collapsed on the couch and unwound for an hour before dinner...relishing the late afternoon without the usual demand to feed hungry boys. 

At twilight I strolled down to the main street...it reminded me of the passage in Wind in the Willows when Mole and Ratty passed through a village on their way home from an adventure and found the street quite still, all inhabitants tucked up inside eating dinner or warming themselves by the fire. Millthorpe had that same kind of feeling...everyone tucked up in their homes as I wandered down the main street to Tonic. 

Dinner was a complete delight...Nicole, Belinda and Libby have known each other for years and the conversation flowed fast and free as incredible seasonal dishes came out one after the other. I realised as I watched these amazing women interact, that I've missed these kind of moments. After my dearest Rach died, I found myself avoiding social gatherings. I kept to myself a lot, I stopped investing in real life catch ups with friends who were still here, preferring to maintain my friendships online. Saturday night inspired me to put myself back out in the real world more often.

Chef Tony Worland, (who happens to be Nicole's hubby) came out and joined us at close of service as we were tucking into dessert and coffee. My sides were aching from laughter by the end of the night. Tony and Nicole have created an absolute gem with Tonic. Such a feast, such impeccable service from the staff and such warmth and welcome for a fine dining establishment. I bid everyone goodnight then wandered back to my little studio feeling perfectly content. Not quite ready to curl up under the covers, I spent a couple of hours editing my images from the day before finally falling into a deep and undisturbed sleep. Sunday morning involved a sleep in and breakfast in the sunshine. I sat on a garden bench, watching the birds flit about and the magnolia blossoms sway in the breeze as I savoured each slow spoonful of berries and yoghurt. 

It was a lovely, gentle way to ease into the day.

It was such a splendid morning that a wander through the streets with my camera was an absolute must! Bels recommended the Millthorpe Providore for the best coffee and, as ever she was right, it was amazing. That small town cliche of everyone knowing everyone proved true for Millthorpe as I observed locals chatting animatedly to each other while I waited for my order, but it came across in the best way. It left an impression of real community and it made me want to stay and be part of it all. 

I spent a while exploring the streets, admiring the gorgeous heritage architecture and rambling gardens. There is so much character imbued in this village and I'm keen to return with my family to stay longer and discover so much more.

My first port of call on the way home was a quick stop in Carcoar to see Belinda and thank her for inviting me to take part in the magic. We enjoyed one last chinwag before I continued on down the highway in search of fields of gold.

This weekend away was everything I needed. 

Wide open skies, country roads, time to think, creative souls, beauty and purpose, nourishment and friendship. I got to challenge myself with my photography and spend time in the company of truly wonderful people.

When can I do it all again?