March 8

Sunshine and very hot day.  The sun is ferocious and we must cover our skin and use sun screen, wear hats and use umbrellas.  Pat is peeling like a snake.  The bird parade returns and all are fed.  Off to the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s premier wine districts.  We head north, crossing the Hawkesbury River, salt water tidal for 60 miles upstream, it’s a huge river.  The Hunter Valley is surrounded by low pointed mountains covered in Gum trees, some sandstone cliffs can be seen.  It reminds us of California in a lot of ways and we see olive trees growing. We stop at the largest Garden in Australia and have a mid morning coffee and hit a bucket of balls in aqua golf.  We also visited their local chapel and gift shops.  On to our first winery, Scarborough, the scenery viewpoint is very beautiful.  There is a small house and we are set down at a dining table and chairs; served most wines on offer for tasting, no charge, and given crackers, cheese and dried fruit.  We like the Chardonnay’s, the Pinot Noir and Shiraz.  We move on to Trevelli with the old buildings still be used from late 1800’s.  The view is spectacular. The original settler house may be visited.  Dirt floor, drafty log walls.  We visited Lindeman’s winery, one that is known in the US.  They did not harvest this year due to hard rains in January.  The settling was nice but not very picturesque.  We spotted a large gray kangaroo in the shade and got a close up picture before he hopped away.  A large herd of them were sitting close by.  We had lunch at an Irish Pub called Harrigan’s where Pat and Chuck tried a pint and split a Guinness Pie.  On to home where we had fresh prawns on salad and good dessert.  Another game of euchre where the girls lost to the boys.  No possum tonight.  Good day.