๐ฎโโโโโ๐นโโโโโ ๐ผโโโโโ๐ฆโโโโโ๐ธโโโโโ ๐ฆโโโโโ๐งโโโโโ๐ธโโโโโ๐ดโโโโโ๐ฑโโโโโ๐บโโโโโ๐นโโโโโ๐ชโโโโโ๐ฑโโโโโ๐พโโโโโ ๐ฆโโโโโ๐ณโโโโโ ๐ฆโโโโโ๐จโโโโโ๐จโโโโโ๐ฎโโโโโ๐ฉโโโโโ๐ชโโโโโ๐ณโโโโโ๐นโโโโโ. ๐ฎโโโโโ ๐ธโโโโโ๐ผโโโโโ๐ชโโโโโ๐ฆโโโโโ๐ทโโโโโ ๐ฎโโโโโ๐นโโโโโ - ๐ดโโโโโ๐ณโโโโโ ๐นโโโโโ๐ญโโโโโ๐ชโโโโโ ๐ตโโโโโ๐ทโโโโโ๐ชโโโโโ๐จโโโโโ๐ฎโโโโโ๐ดโโโโโ๐บโโโโโ๐ธโโโโโ!
While out for Wednesday lunch which I had been invited to and sent a map with a pin location, I drove down a road which had absolutely no signage indicating that the coffee shop was still around. So, of course I Googled it. Permanently closed? Better ask someone I figured.
I got out of my car and started to have a little walk around. I was originally heading in the direction that the sign indicated where the Reception Office would be, but then I got horribly sidetracked. Not by a squirrel lol, but by something prettier, less bitey and far more enticing. A view like this? Well of course I turned into a zombie and started walking in that direction. Attention span of a goldfish ๐
And to be perfectly honest, it was the pink in the foreground that caught my eye about two seconds before I lost my breath.
I have no idea what these flowers are but how gorgeous?! and I now want some! Interesting that I was planning on visiting a nursery close by just after lunch was meant to happen. Eventually I got barked at by two dogs and the caretakers/owners of the estate came asking questions. Things like "Can we help you?" which I tend to assume is the friendly version of "Why the f@%$ are you trespassing on my land?"
After I explained that I was meant to be meeting someone for lunch and a coffee at said coffee shop/restaurant, they relaxed and explained that the place had indeed shut it's doors in January this year. What a bummer. I did ask permission to take a few more photos before I moved off and they were happy to oblige. I went on my merry way with a smile on my face but the day was still young.
Lunch consisted of a delicious sandwich which, to my delight was masterfully impaled by a very curly skewer. Style matters. Now I've added curly skewers to my Christmas gift wishlist...you know, for testing to see if cupcakes are cooked through and stuff lol.
We concluded lunch and I set off for the real mission of the day - to find herbs to grow for adding to our meals. For some reason I'm getting all fancy with my cooking of late. Dried herbs are ok but you just can't beat the fresh ones. Oregano, Thyme and Basil were what I was after. After about a 20 minute meander through a town I don't know, I found my quarry.
The best part about buying these herbs from that tiny little nursery is that they were 45% cheaper than the large nursery down the road from me. I call that a huge win, it's almost a buy one get one free vibe.
Again, I found the most awesome flowers but managed to restrain myself and just took photos instead. What a visually pleasing walk, totally worth the accidental trespassing.