A weekend in Broke

We have just been away for a weekend in Broke, a less developed part of the Hunter Valley, where we stayed in a gorgeous little cottage and vineyard with the whymsical name of "The Cockfighters Ghost". It was wonderful to be away from the big bustling city with its hectic pace and never ending noise. Wonderful to be in a place where the only thing we could hear was birds and the song of the wind, smell the dust, a place so remote that we hardly saw another person from the verandah. Its sometimes easy to forget that such quiet still places exist.
It was blistering hot for the first time in about six weeks so we spent most of the weekend lying on the verandah and enjoying the hot still shade. We did a little exploring and while its no Franschoek or Red Hill it has its own beauty and it was wonderful to be out among farms again. I miss our farm still.
The cool shaded verandah at the Cockfighters Ghost.

The foot hills near the vineyards reminded us enormously of African koppies, we half expected to hear baboons echoing in the evening stillness.

An evening walk through the vines.

Happiness is a bare feet and sticky schloopy mud!!!

Mud socks!!!

Morning mist over the vineyards.

The truly gorgeous Crinklewood cellar door and vineyard gardens. This place is only ten years old and gives me hope that I can build something like this too one day.