And welcome back to She Gathers No Moss.
Sitting among the detritus of the Christmas season – a season of love, laughter and chaos – I have finally come up for air, with time to sit and admire the world around me. The weather has scuttered between broiling and breezy over the past few weeks. The lawn is looking parched, but the watering system (implemented by the One & Only to great effect) has kept the flower beds blooming through the summer – so far at least!
Normanville held its New Year’s Eve pageant – reinstated last year after a Covid driven sabbatical – to great acclaim from large crowds of locals and holiday makers. Light-hearted and fun, the parade travelled across town and down Jetty Road to the beach, where hoards had gathered to soak up the atmosphere. On the foreshore, the kids found bouncy castles and face painting, and there was a variety of food trucks, as well as the usual offerings from Aqua Blue and the foreshore kiosk. We even got coverage from Channel 7 News! Then, at 9:30 pm, there was a tremendous fireworks display that effectively dislodged every bird from its nest and set the local dogs barking vociferously.
A grand offering from a small seaside town punching well above its weight.
And now the crowds have dispersed a little, and a stiff breeze is blowing away the cobwebs, after days of melting our brains in the sun. I always used to laugh at the juxtaposition of northern hemisphere Christmas images when we lived in the tropics, but Normanville also had its fair share of snowmen and warmly clad Santas on display this summer. My own Christmas tree is inundated with angels we have collected from around the world, and I must admit that I have a good selection of free-standing Santas who look more impressive in cosy robes than they would in board shorts and sunburn.
Decorations aside, there has been all the ubiquitous drinking and eating to extreme that occurs at this time of year, with the odd meal out to provide relief for the Resident Chef (me).
One family outing over the Christmas season took us to McLaren Vale for a spot of wine tasting. While the trip included a couple of old favourites I have mentioned before, it also introduced us to Down the Rabbit Hole, with its nod to the fabulous tale of Alice and her dream-like adventures in Wonderland. This relatively new cellar door, adjacent to the vineyard and winery, was opened in late 2019, and is owned and operated by Domenic and Elise Palumbo. Here we enjoyed some great pizzas on the lawn, beside a double decker bus that is used for wine tastings. No booking is required for al fresco dining, but as the wait time for service and food was much longer than we had expected, particularly as our picnic spot was out in full sun, I recommend that you get there early, and place an order for food and drink immediately, unless you have plenty of time to wait and a spot in the shade. Obviously popular, and unavoidably overrun so close to Christmas, some warning would have been appreciated nonetheless, especially as we had a little one with us.
However, we spent a relaxing couple of hours exploring the property and trying a glass of Chardonnay or two. Our small person was happy to be distracted by the playground and the alpacas, and while the service may have been slow, the staff remained cheery, despite being rushed off their feet. They certainly put in their steps that day, and from what I hear, it is often busy here. I would certainly revisit this glorious garden among the vines. In fact, I have already booked an anniversary lunch at Fiore, the fine dining Italian restaurant there.
So, watch this space for a review in a couple of months!
And I do hope no one will mind that I borrowed a couple of photos from the respective Facebook pages of the Normanville New Year’s Eve Pageant and Down the Rabbit Hole, as mine were rubbish!