Christmas

This is a sort of photo-essay of the day. I think it's fairly self-explanatory.

Next door's cat

We still miss Chester desperately, but I am not ready for another cat of my own, so am comprising with this duvet cover which allows cats on the bed.

Between Christmas and New Year we took a trip to a winery and cafe - as you do... Collector make some sensational wines, including the Lamp Lit Marsanne (flint, spice and pome fruit - gentle and elegant), the Shoreline Rose (manadrin, cherry, rose-water - musky with a dry finish), the Landfall Pinot Meunier (red currants, strawberries, pepper and smoke - herbaceous and savoury) and the Marked Tree Shiraz (dark cherry, blackberry, aniseed - textured and robust). We tried some there and brought some home.

Collector Wines

These are the books on my bedside table. I plan to have an entirely different pile by the end of the year, so I'd best get reading them now!

Bedside books

Bermagui Birthday

It's quiet at work, as everyone has wound up for the end of the year. 

Before the beaches get really busy and full of people, we decided to head to the coast for a few days before Christmas, and to celebrate Him Outdoors' birthday. We chose to go to Bermagui, where I've not been before, and I got to see the sea, which always makes me happy.

Bermagui breakfast

The mural painted on this water tower is called Spirit Dance and was created by Joe McKenzie. It was apparently originally painted to help McKenzie's young sons get to sleep, with its 'friendly protective spirits to ward off bad spirits'.

Spirit Dance

Bermagui Rock Pool

According to the Visit Bermagui site, Bermagui has a 'well-deserved reputation for fantastic fishing. Made famous as a game fishing port - due in part to the visits of American author Zane Grey in the 1930s - the continental shelf is just 20km off shore, the closest point to the Australian mainland. This means warm northerly currents flow very close to the shore bringing an abundance of all types of fish close to the coast.'

Zane Grey and fishing party

Local ACT beers are well represented in the craft section of the local bottle shop.

The agapanthus are fenced in, but still trying to make a break for it.

We walked along a beach to a brewery that wasn't open - they were renovating and had run all the kegs dry. In that respect it was a completely unsatisfactory excursion, but it was a very pleasant walk.

Nativity Scene, Bermagui

Bermagui Marina

Fish & chips on the balcony

Another day; another walk by the sea.

Up the Clarets!

After playing on the beach, we went to Tilba Valley Winery for lunch. The winery has recently been sold to new owners and there are some changes in place. For example, one used to be able to camp by Corunna Lake, but now it is only available for family friends to hang out at festivities. 

The 30-acre property has 10 acres of established vines producing Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Traminer, [sic] Shiraz and Chardonnay. There is a function room and restaurant, with tables for outdoor dining. There is a small bar area, and plans to brew their own beer in the near future. For now, the local beer and cider are refreshing, as is the wine on a hot summer's day.

Once you've done your daily exercise, holidays are all about food and drink, right? As an upcoming  birthday celebration, we ate dinner at Il Passaggio. Him Outdoors likes Italian for a special treat - I like oysters at any time at all.

Antipasti: half a dozen natural organic Wapengo oysters

Primi: stuffed zucchini flowers with goat's cheese

Pizza, Insalata and Secondi 

Bermagui Marina in the moonlight

Our final morning was a beautiful day, so guess what? We went for another walk by the sea. Farewell, Bermagui; we'll be back.

A sort of Christmas tree

This was my birthday card to Him Outdoors. It made me laugh, anyway.

We returned to Canberra for a few birthday beers with friends.