We are in the midst of hop season. I don't even know if I'm going to get to pick our own this season - here are some hanging over the back fence.
One of the best things about my course is that I get to hang out with some kittens. They are utterly delightful.
As it's the first of the month, it's time to see how the bedside book pile is getting on - there are gradual changes...
And meanwhile, back to the hops. There is an American chap who grows them on his farm locally, but doesn't utilise them, so when he heard about the Canberra Brewer's Club, he invited a couple of them round to pick the hops and use as they saw fit. I went along with Him Outdoors and Original Gravity to help with the harvest.
In the evening a met I few folk at a restaurant by the lake to talk about the latest novel we were reading for our book club. It was a lovely late summer evening and the light was pretty special.
Another invitation to pick hops came from the good folk at Lanyon Homestead, so we headed off to oblige. While waiting to talk to the head gardener to confirm arrangements, we wandered around the gardens and took a tour of the house. It was a great day and there were lots of people through the gates enjoying the fun.
A lot of folk, particularly the younger ones, were enamoured of the pumpkin patch. I love the layout and bounty of a kitchen garden, so I enjoyed looking at all the vegetables and herbs as well.
There are also beetroot, lettuce, and various leafy greens. I can't help but feel like I'm in Old Mr McGregor's garden!
Him Outdoors couldn't wait to get his hands on the hop bines and give them a good sniffing!
Of course there are other flowers too. I'm not great with flower names, but I do recognise roses and dahlias!
We had a quick tour of the house, which was open to the public, providing more than enough content for a separate post. Meanwhile, there were stalls and stands, selling food and drink (the homemade lemonade was delicious) and demonstrating their craft. Knives were sharpened and things were forged.
Admittedly the entertainment is a bit on the country music side for me, but it's very popular and seems appropriate in this setting.
Incidentally in one of the outhouses where provisions are stored in a 'cool room', an interpretative panel explains that milk, butter, cheese, vegetables and fruit were stored here. It goes on to list the supplies as found in a log-book.
I fear this displays a lack of imagination, as it sounds like your average Champagne Sunday to me! There's a grand juxtaposition of eras and architecture throughout the property and the grounds. I like the fact that families were picnicking on the lawns and that the other entertainments were 'old-school', featuring, among other things, croquet, quoits and sack races.
On the way home we called in at Kambah shops, where I like this mural combining the businesses in the small precinct, including a reptile shop, a barber, a games shop, a record seller, a purveyor of brewing supplies, and a splash play water park.
Back at home we put the hops to good use and then I revelled in the glorious evening light in the garden.
