Carrying my pet animal on my shoulder…
Those few days away were utterly refreshing.
Mr M and I managed to escape to Ilford and Mudgee in country NSW to recharge our batteries and enjoy each other’s company.
The air was fresh but peppered with hints of burnt wood and the surroundings were so calm and peaceful. Farm animals were seen grazing in plots of land that seemed to extend beyond the horizon. Enter another world. A world that is so far removed from our day to day life in Sydney.
Our bed and breakfast was located in a rather remote area in Ilford but it certainly did not lack in the luxury department. We had a fireplace all to ourselves, a very well-equipped kitchen and fresh native flowers and bush arrangements dotted throughout the house. Best of all, there was no internet so we were able to breakaway from the cyber world fully! That was exactly what we needed and wanted. Instead of spending time updating my Instagram and looking up unimportant things online, I was able to pay 101% of my attention to Mr M. A lot of time at the accommodation was spent reading, knitting (how could I not?), listening to music, sipping on red wine and enjoying homemade meals. Any form of anxiety was thankfully, out of reach.
Mr M and I spent a day exploring Mudgee, which was approximately 45 minutes’ drive away and we here’s a list of places that we visited:
#1. Butcher Shop Cafe A converted 1875 butcher shop, hit up this cafe for generous-sized breakfast/brunch and buzzing atmosphere.
#2. Lowe Wine Ultra popular organic winery that’s also the home to Zin House, one of the best restaurants in Mudgee. Lowe Wine is the place to be if you’re in the mood for a delicious shared platter and a couple of glasses of wine in the sun. To top things off, they also have a resident dog and donkey that are available for petting. We purchased a bottle of sparkling merlot here and cannot wait to find an occasion for it!
#3. Alby and Esther’s Cosy restaurant/wine bar that serves extremely flavoursome food. There’s definitely a touch of hipster here.
#4. Short Sheep Micro-Winery Small scale, big flavours. Short Sheep also takes their customers to the “behind the scenes” to learn about wine production.
Since the weather is Mudgee was considerably cooler, I was able to pull out my “bear suit” for a ride. I actually planned to sell this pink furry jacket after the wedding but I’m glad that wasn’t successful. I love the softness of the fur and how warm it kept me! Its texture makes any outfit look a whole lot more interesting and I’m looking forward to pull it out again whenever the weather calls for it!
When did you last escape to the country?