Winter hols - Dino hunt.

After Thursday's big drive, it was great to be able to properly stretch our legs with a long walk through the Australian National Botanic Gardens. It was sunny and calm and cool, perfect for tromping through rainforests and fern filled gullies, red deserts and eucalyptus lawns in search of dinosaurs.

Almost time for the boys to go back to school. 

It's been a lovely winter hols hanging out with these two.

xx Em

Here we go a-wandering - Junee.

I'm sat here at the dining table with Elton John blaring through my headphones to drown out the squeals of a tickle-fest emanating from the other end of the house. The first five minutes were funny, the last twenty...not so serene in this tiny little cottage. I think tickling is torturous but my kids seem to love it and go back for more. Weirdos!

On Thursday the boys and I dropped the Husband off to work a little earlier than usual and continued west for our day trip to Junee. Our first port of call was Jugiong for a coffee at the Long Track Pantry. It was buzzing with tourists and locals, all finding caffeinated sanctuary from the icy winds blustering about outside. I snavelled myself a lovely Rare Rabbit necklace from Long Track's home wares store and we popped across the road to the playground where the boys hit up the swings and flying fox with a rambunctious rabble of kidlets. Then, it was onward south to Gundagai where we took a turn off the highway and wound our way along the back roads through a landscape of green rolling hills dotted with sheep and cattle. We arrived in Junee just before lunch and headed straight for the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory housed in the town's old Flour Mill. It was bubbling with the sound of humans happy and high from chocolate induced endorphins. We decided to sit in the courtyard of the cafe and have lunch before diving into the cacao laced fray. Not a good idea to peak too soon when it comes to chocolate! 

After a belly warming feast of chicken pot pie and fish & chips, we made our way inside to have a go at making Rocky Road. With hair nets and gloves donned and my camera at the ready, we were welcomed by a lovely staff member and shown into the chocolate room. At one of the cool metal benches decked with tubs of delectable toppings, we portioned out marshmallows onto our plates, added a couple of scoops of nuts and fruit, covered it all with melted chocolate, mixed it up with our hands then gave a last flourishing sprinkle before they were transferred to another bench to set. Willy Wonka eat your heart out!

With about twenty minutes to kill before our confectionery masterpieces were ready for collection, we wandered within the building, peeking through windows to watch conveyor belts lined with long strips of raspberry licorice being sliced into bullets and large copper kettles filled with shades of light and dark chocolate. Jack had a tinkle on the old piano, we stocked up on an array of chocolate supplies from the shop and then, before we knew it, our rocky road was ready to pick up and it was time to start heading home. We popped into the train station for a few minutes on our way through the town so that Harry could get his loco fix. To his delight there was a team doing track work just near the platform. The old railway cafe was open so we ducked in to have a look. With it's immensely high ceilings, giant mirrors and a roaring fire in the fireplace, it was easy to imagine what it had been like back in it's hey day. We grabbed a coffee then jumped into the car homeward bound.

The drive home was filled with more of Stephen Fry's audio tales of greek mythology as we wound our way past paddocks and villages. The sun dipped below the hills and we arrived back in Canberra just in time to pick the husband up from work.

Til next time...xx Em.

A decade of loving you.

We snuck off to the Blue Mountains last weekend to celebrate Harry’s 10th birthday. Ten fabulous years of loving this boy to the moon and back! 

Early Saturday morning we wound our way north west from Canberra along the road less travelled, up through Taralga, Oberon and Duckmaloi. There was barely another car on the road as we cruised through the drizzling rain and fog, past paddocks dotted with spring lambs and calves, finally reaching Katoomba in time for a spot of lunch. Given that visibility in the Mountains was...well...negligible at best due to heavy cloud, we decided that the Leuralla Toy and Railway Museum was the perfect wet weather plan. 

What a delicious vintage treasure trove! 

What a house! What a garden! What a delight!

By the time we’d finished exploring the vast collections in the house, train shed and grounds, the mist had turned back into drizzle and the afternoon was fading fast, so we headed down the mountain then north to the village of Kurrajong.

When I booked Plynlimmon Cottage I had no idea of the distance between Katoomba & Kurrajong, having never visited the Blue Mountains before. It’s a good hour’s drive between the two but it was well and truly worth it! 

We were warmly greeted by our host Marisa on arrival and shown around the gorgeous heritage listed cottage before she bid us farewell and left us to explore. The boys immediately bounded out the door to run around in the acre of gardens while the Husband and I kicked back in the sitting room. We were all pretty worn out by the end of the day and didn’t want to leave the cottage, so dinner was delivered to us from the village pizzeria Numero Uno and boy it really hit the spot! All three of my boys conked out early, leaving me to sit in front of the fireplace sipping tea and editing the days photos. 

Sunday dawned with clear skies and a very excited Birthday Boy. We eased into the day with breakfast and birthday presents. Harry was thrilled with his bounty of model railway supplies and magazines, lovingly gazing at the little bags of ballast and turf like they were diamonds and rubies. He has big plans for his layout at home, having patiently waited for years to begin one. After breakfast Jack and I meandered about the garden. The bees were busy in the apple blossom, parrots flitted about the trees, cows bellowed from paddocks below and the sun warmed our faces in the cool of the morning.

By mid morning we bid goodbye to the cottage and headed back up the mountain to Katoomba. It was the perfect weather for riding cable cars and incline railways at Scenic World which is exactly what we did for the rest of the afternoon. The view was truly spectacular from the Skyway and the boys were well impressed with the thrill of teetering at an insane angle while rolling down the mountainside. Harry declared this birthday to be the best he’s ever had. 

Sweet boy you are ten years of wonderful and we’re so grateful that you’re our wonderful. Love you to the moon and back. xx