Hunter Valley Breakfast.
The weather forecast was for a glorious sunny weekend so we decided to eat breakfast outside on Sunday morning. Anywhere but at the kitchen table.
We argued about whether to just sit out on the patio, to walk across the road and sit on the reserve? To head off for the beach? Before we went to bed on Saturday evening we gathered together the picnic rug and sunscreen still completely undecided about where we were going.
Sunday dawned with blue skies and we ran around putting food into lots of small plastic containers and jumped in the car. Mr B was driving. We continued the previous nights argument/discussion and before we had reversed down the driveway it was decided: We were going to Hunter Valley, a beautiful wine making region one hours drive north.
I could just picture it. Picnic rug spread out within touching distance of the vines, the early morning drone of insects on a warm Australian spring morning. We drove past the entrances of many famous vineyards and some less well known. Finally this one caught our eye, Peppers Creek. It was heavenly. There are so many vineyards all through this region that it will take a lifetime to visit them all. The danger is wanting to return again and again to our favourites but the adventure is discovering new ones that are yet unknown.
We spread out the rug, lay out our feast of croissants, nutella, rock melon, almonds, blueberries, banana chips, bircher oats and bottles of ice cold water. We were starving so we all tucked in with gusto. Food tastes better outside. The soft texture of the juice soaked oats in vanilla yogurt mixed with the crunch of oven roasted almonds. The soft buttery flaky croissants melting in our mouths. The cold refreshing melon.
The screams of pain from Gareth....
Yes, the calm was broken by Gareth yelling out in pain as he was bitten by a green ant. Ouch. These guys are small but pack a powerful punch. They had waited until we were lulled into that false sense of serene security before launching an attack on our breakfast bliss. We jumped up and looked like we performing a bizarre Irish jig as we hopped and stamped and ran to the car. Byron opened up the boot and the kids dived in. The picnic food followed and we carried on our picnic from the safety of our new breakfast location. Not quite the picture postcard image we had imagined but safer!
Australia. You've got to take the rough with the smooth!
Ants always show up at picnics and spoil the fun....and I don't recall ever inviting them!! So sorry to hear they spoiled your fun too......looked like a lovely location.
Oh, that's a beautiful morning! And I'm laughing about the little ant who packs a powerful punch! :) But sorry Gareth was bitten, of course.
You're right Gina, food definately tastes better outside but you sometimes have to fight not to share it...with the creatures whose home you've invaded. :)