Coonawarra

As many people know, Coonawarra is one of the premier wine growing areas of Australia. The town of Coonawarra is very small and the whole grape growing area is known as Coonawarra.
Today after we had another look around Penola, bought heaps of yummy foods at the Farmers' Markets and checked out Sharee's winning artwork, we headed out of town to one of the wineries for lunch.
Mrs Zema of Zema Estate Winery made the most amazing Arancini for us to have for lunch.

We went back to Balnaves Winery to show Andrew and Maryanne the sculptures we had looked at yesterday.
This is the lake at the Cellar Door and by this stage we thought a cappacino here would have topped off an amazing weekend.

I couldn't resist trying to photograph some of the amazing Autumn leaves that we had seen. What do you think of these?

This was Daniel's idea to hold the leaf in front of the lake. I think I may have a budding photographer in the making. He often has good ideas like this.

And who can resist a little daisy in the lawn. I was wearing one in my jumper that Daniel had picked for me - think he is a romantic as well!

Penola Part 2

After a quick Bakery lunch, we went for a drive out to some of the wineries to check out the photographic competition, another photographic display and a sculpture exhibition. They were brilliant, especially the sculpture as we were allowed to touch it.
We headed back into town for a treat at the best coffee shop in Penola - Di Vine. Then it was off to do the Kite Making Workshop.

I have photos of the kite in progress but alas there are other children in the background, so I won't post them. Here is Daniel trying to get his kite up in the air. It was a bit gusty and the kites kept dropping out of the sky!!



The kids all decided to run with their kites - I was stunned that there were no major pile ups or knotting up of strings!! It was an amazing sight seeing about 40 kids all running around the oval with the kites they had coloured and made themselves!!

This is a friend of ours, Maya's kite - I loved the colours she used!

Of course there was a trip to see Sue (she owns the Lolly Shop!! ) and we headed for home. We plan on going back again tomorrow for the Farmers' Market, a yummy lunch out with friends and probably another trip into say hi to Sue!!

Penola Part 1

The day started with Breakfast. Yes the dog likes cereal too!!

Then Daniel and I headed off to the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival for the day. Daniel was booked into 2 workshops. I was booked in to do a Poetry one but since Daniel has had 2 seizures in the last 3 weeks, the doctor said we should be with him all the time. It was fun to hang out with Daniel for whole day anyway - he is really good company. He is easy-going and never has a whinge! The first workshop was about Herbs. The kids got to make an egghead with mustard seed,

grind up their own pesto with a mortor and pestle (think I spelt that right??), put the pesto on rice paper with some yummy veges and eat it all up - Dan made 2 so guess who got one too??

Then they got to pot up their own herbs to take home. Daniel chose rocket, chives and basil - yummo!!

At the end of the workshop, there was a little competition for the funkiest apron. Daniel and I were so amazed that he won third prize. He was wearing the free apron I got off the front of a magazine years ago, that he had worn to a scout camp and covered in house paint and handprints of paint!! He won 3 bunches of herbs to take home and cook with.