Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

 On Saturday morning I posted a photo of a beautiful, sunny, winter's morning on a family group chat.

Amongst the replies was a photo from my son-in-law saying it was also lovely and sunny in Daylesford.

Freyja and Simon do not live in Daylesford!

So I asked what they were doing there and discovered that they had decided to have a spur of the moment weekend in Daylesford, Because We Can (plus they needed to be in Ballarat on Saturday evening and couldn't stay over with friends or family and Daylesford isn't a long distance from Ballarat).

Lindsey and I decided to join them on Sunday morning. It was another lovely day. The drive, as I said, isn't too long plus it's a nice drive. We were able to travel together because Lindsey is my Bubble Buddy (I am allowed a bubble buddy because I am the sole carer for someone with a disability and/or a chronic illness).

We met Simon and Freyja at the Daylesford Sunday Market. I've taken you there before, but not for some time. It's mostly a trash and treasure market which sits by the old Daylesford railway station. Usually you can take pleasure trips on little trains but they're not running at the moment. No worries. We were happy with the market.

We had a bit of time after we had finished with the market so Freyja and Simon went to check out of their guest house and Lindsey and I went to the Amazing Mill Market. I mostly go to the one outside of Ballarat but I've been to the Daylesford one once or twice before. It's bigger and less ramshackle than the Ballarat one. We found replacements for Lindsey's Bill and Ben figures and I found the butter knives I've been looking for for simply ages.

And then we drove out to Hepburn Springs along a pretty little road and had lunch in a little cafe that none of us had ever been in before

It offers vegan, vegetarian and omnivore menu options, so suited us all. I drive through Hepburn and Hepburn Springs occasionally but I've never stopped before. It's a lovely little place.  And a lovely little cafe

Current Covid restrictions require the wearing of masks unless you are eating or drinking. We took them off once the drinks and then the food arrived

I hadn't expected to see Freyja and Simon this weekend, so that was a nice surprise. Oddly enough, I had expected to be in Daylesford, until the current restrictions came into force. The Sunday Lunchers had planned a meeting at Gillie's house. Alas, that has been postponed for a couple of weeks, when we are hopeful the restrictions might be lifted. So a trip to Daylesford yesterday was also a pleasant surprise. And sorry, Gillie, it was all organised very much at the last minute and sort of evolved as the morning progressed, or we would have invited you to join us.

Jim was invited but decided, I think rightly, that he would struggle on the slope, the uneven terrain and the paddock that the Sunday Market is in. So he stayed at home with Brandy and Whiskey. I left him a plate of lunch, which was more or less a ploughman's lunch once I added a glass of beer to the mix

Mostly leftovers: slices of quiche, asparagus,
pickled onions, fried mushrooms,
cheese, ham and pineapple chutney in the centre

It was very nearly as nice as my all day breakfast

Bowl of delicious chips for us all to share

I went and had a look at the "reserve" when I got home, to see what the beeping machines had been up to.

I think I may have to rename it the "building site". It's not really a reserve anymore. They are making definite progress with the roads and have put new light posts in

There were , however, people out and about on what's left of the grass on the other side, enjoying the sunshine.  Walking their dogs. Ambling about. Enjoying what's left of the reserve while they still can.