BEACH HOUSE AND CUPITT'S WINERY!

Looking north from our beach house deck.

Looking back at the front door from the living room.

Sorry everyone... this is going to be a long post but we've had such a great day and I wanted to share it with you !   Our friend Brian from South Africa, is visiting .  We woke up this morning on the farm to 144mm of rain , so we decided to go out for the day.  We have a beach house at Mollymook, on the South Coast of NSW -  3 hours from Sydney.  We wanted to show Brian the house, (see photos above ) and as it was raining there as well,  we decided to go on to Cupitt's Winery for lunch.  Cupitt's,  is just outside Mollymook, sitting prettily on top of a green hill out in the countryside !  

Love the old stone walls and gate post at the entrance 

Gorgeous old stone building

The outside stone oven which the chef uses every day !

 Lunch was superb !!  World-class food in the countryside of NSW, Australia !! Rosie and Griff Cupitt happened to be there for lunch as well !  Big plans are underfoot for new developments at Cupitt's and read more about them here .  Did you know that they also have accommodation at Cupitt's ?

My beautiful starter - Cured Petuna Ocean Trout on warm Kipflers with Rocket, Mustard and Dill

Michael's starter - grilled Calamari with Lime mayonnaise !

Michael and my main course - grilled Snapper with a tender, seared Scallop with Celeriac Remoulade

Brian had pan-fried Cone Bay Barramundi on Orzo Pasta, Mussels and a light curry Nage.

Delicious greens !

The "piece de resistance"....the Chocolate Fondant with Armagnac and Prune  ice- cream !!

Rosie introduced me to the Pastry Chef - Emma Kate seen here holding her delicious Chocolate Fondant !!

 

Spotless kitchen and everyone terribly busy !

Muddy boots outside the wine-tasting room 

Beautiful autumn vines .

Then it was back to South Acres, only 1hr 30 mins drive.  We arrived home to a blanket of mist, enveloping the farm, drifting slowly back and forth. 

Welcome to South Acres Farm

The Tea House

Ever so curious !

Grapefruits ripening!

The eerie silhouette of a dead tree in the paddock.

Always good to get home..
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MAGNIFICENT BONSAI 

"A Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has its own aesthetics and terminology ".

Zen Buddhism is the foundation for much of the meaning in bonsai. In fact, many myths associate the first bonsai trees with monks, who developed them in monasteries over centuries of careful growth and pruning. Because of this association, early bonsai was regarded as a spiritual practice, meaning peace and tranquillity

A truly beautiful cherry blossom tree in full flower!

On our recent trip to Japan, we visited a Bonsai village, located in Saitama city, which is just outside of Tokyo.  The Bonsai grower we visited was Seikouen

The Seikoen family business started growing Bonsai trees around 1850 and are now in their 5th generation.  One cannot help but be in awe of such age and care when walking around this nursery of Bonsai trees.  I was struck by the symbolism behind the growth and care of these beautiful miniature trees.

"In the Japanese culture, the bonsai tree symbolises harmony and balance between nature, man and soul. This representation has since been universally adapted ".

We had the delightful young son of the owner telling us about Bonsai (with an interpreter!)... and it was wonderful to see and hear the enthusiasm of this young man,  showing  great pride in his family's business. After asking very nicely,  he allowed me to take the photos below!  He also said that he would sell certain trees but only after the family had assured themselves that the tree would be well cared for by an expert Bonsai master. 

"In the Japanese culture, the bonsai tree symbolises harmony and balance between nature, man and soul. This representation has since been universally adapted ".

"In the Japanese culture, the bonsai tree symbolises harmony and balance between nature, man and soul. This representation has since been universally adapted ".

This tree shows incredible form and balance.  I love the trunk!

This Maple shows the brand new spring leaves shooting.

Incredible trunk again and the balance is fascinating !

This tree is 500 years old !!!   

These photos below are of various trimmed trees in Japanese gardens which we visited.

The method used by the Japanese gardeners in molding their trees reminds me of the Bonsai method but on a much larger scale!

This photo was taken of the outside of a private house in Kyoto...I love the treatment of the trees and the clipped Azalea balls !

This photo shows the method of layering a tree... using inter-locking bamboo as a support.  Please note the lowest branch lying down on the left of the photo.  This tree is in the garden of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto and is hundreds of years old.

I have always wanted a Bonsai tree and now more than ever. I wonder how difficult it is to maintain and look after them... Imagine the responsibility of owning a tree which is a couple of hundred years old... I wonder if there are any Bonsai owners out there who would like to share their experiences in Bonsai?
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A NEW GARDEN ROOM : And a surprise birthday lunch !

Just before we left for Japan last week,  our group of friends in the Southern Highlands,  celebrated  Ruth's birthday!  Ruth is a dear friend and neighbour and our birthday's are one week apart.  Planning her surprise birthday was probably the most fun I've had in a long time !!   It motivated me into getting my Garden Room done...I had been procrastinating for months !.  We have a little one bedroomed guest cottage just off the kitchen, over- looking the pool.  I had somehow never finished decorating the living room of the cottage  and when planning the surprise lunch, I realised that I needed this room to be complete !  I had used this room for almost the whole of last year as a storage unit and as it was now empty, and in need of some love and attention,  I began hunting around my house/farm/garden/potting shed and old barn for "props"...  I was so thrilled that I managed to create this space without having to buy a single thing... other than a couple of new indoor plants.  Below are some of the photos of the now almost complete Garden Room.

The green checked chair was brought up from the Tea House.

 

The floral chair had been in my bedroom and it now seems more at home in the Garden Room

Both sets of french doors open out to the pool

The old french rusted trellis used to be in my herbacious garden..both of them were lying in the old shed getting more and more rusted !!This old dresser had been in the old stables for more than 5 years ... covered in cobwebs and dust !!

Drinks before lunch outside in the courtyard.

Delicious morsels brought by some of the friends... these fresh asparagus wrapped in crepes were delicious !

The table setting... the little pansies in the terracotta pots are called "Oranges and Lemons"

And the Birthday cake which our friend Trish organised,  was a huge cup-cake with individual cupcakes for us all!  

And a very happy Birthday Girl !!

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