Today is one of these days when I would prefer to be somewhere else. Well, where? This is easy to answer: Two Hills Vineyard in Glenburn, Victoria.
For some time I wanted to assemble some of the pictures I took while on the Vineyard last December and January but I just did not find the time. Now I am finally getting to it, thanks to the public holiday in Thailand.
In times of digital photography it is not easy to make a meaningful selection. There are just too many photos to choose from. I try to show you some of the natural conditions and beauty of the place with plenty of flowers and wildlife. But will also be hinting at some of the pleasures of eating an drinking.
Drying hay with the two hills in the background
Mothballed vineyard
Washing line with traktor
When we arrived the swallows had just fallen out. They were lovely little featherballs squeezing through any cranny in the door. Flowers everywhere, below is a selection.
Our young swallows
Hollyhock below the stairs
Australian native: Bottle brush
Native lily
Another native
Many animals roam our property. Kangaroos we can see every day. The bird life is the most amazing. We were thrilled when the king parrots visited. The kookaburra is hunting small animals and calling out with a thrilling “song”. But we have also many small creatures for instance shiny little skinks.
A King parrot visiting our place
The kookaburra, a meat-eating bird
A “roo” on our dam
A skink in dry gum leaves
The girls have fun in the dam
We have two dams. The bigger one is used for irrigation. The smaller one carries native fish, mostly silver perch but in both dams we catch “jabbies”, a type of crayfish which tastes very nice and is great a entrée.
Jabbies for lunch
The beauty of Victoria is that there is plenty of wine available. On hot days we consumed “bubbly”, lots of rose from the Mayer Vineyard, some white and plenty of Two Hills Merlot (left overs so to say from our 2001 and 2004 vintages).
Luckily we found another box of the 2004 vintage. Of the 2001 vintage we have still stock. Not every bottle is still drinkable. We chuck the ones which are off and consume the reasonable ones.
This bubbly does not reveal its identity
…and there is a bench to enjoy the wine on
2004 Two Hills Merlot
Reminiscing about the glorious days past is just wonderful. The good news is that the place does not run away (it just has to be lucky in the wildfires).
Hope you visit us one day. Cheers to the good life.
The Man from Mosel River 