I didn't do much really, the most strenuous thing was getting into and out of my Land cruiser to be honest, but I arrived home around 18:00 feeling worn out and ready to simply flop down on the couch and stay there. Of course, that didn't happen...I had to water my garden, sweep up and pick up leaves and other detritus that had blown around overnight and make dinner...Then I was able to sit on the couch...after cleaning up the dinner things, making my lunch for Monday, ironing a shirt for work and getting a few files and things organised so I could get a quick get away first thing Monday morning.
Today I took some visiting relatives to the Barossa Valley wine region for a drive around, lunch and wine tasting.
The region is world-renowned for its vineyards and the production of some of the best wines available and I've been lucky enough to call it my back yard all my life as I was born and raised in a small town there. I like taking people there and showing them around, talking about the history and how the region and the businesses that operate there have changed, become more diverse, ecologically and from a sustainability perspective, and kept up with the demands of doing business globally. Today I was the tour guide, driver and director of catering and social events.
I'm not much into wine personally but my guests are so I took them to three excellent wineries: Chateau Tanunda, Jacob's Creek and my favourite St Hugo's. If I never drink wine again in my entire life it wouldn't bother me in the least bit however I'll have a glass now and then and the St Hugo's wines are one of my favourites; not cheap, but good quality and that's what counts.
My guests did some wine tasting at the first two and I took them to St Hugo's as the last stop. We know the chef there and were treated to a very special experience which was incredibly enjoyable.
I actually did a little wine tasting myself but as I was driving tasted but didn't consume any choosing to use the spitting out thingy instead. I actually bought some wine there, something that is quite rare for me, but I'll do a different post about that some other time.
My guests also purchased a couple dozen wines and then we moved away from the buildings and into the garden where our chef-friend showed us around his most excellent kitchen garden, which was the highlight for me. It was fascinating hearing how he built his menu around the produce and how foods picked that morning are served at lunch on the same day. Being into vegetable gardening myself I found that part far more interesting than the wine tasting, although I'll admit that it was also interesting hearing about the wines.
From there we got back into my Land Cruiser and headed home and on the way stopped into the town where I was born and had a poke around, drove by the house I was born and raised in and reminisced a little. I dropped my guests off at their accommodation an hour later and went home feeling tired but satisfied.
It was a pretty full day from 09:00 to 18:00 and due to the heat of the day, some 31°C, and all the driving I did, I came home feeling well and truly in need of some rest. It was a good day though and I enjoyed it, but it was tiring indeed.
My guests are leaving on Tuesday and life will get back to normal thankfully. I lead a very busy life with work and home commitments, my vegetable garden and household chores, the work I do with veterans, exercise, shooting, hiking, kayaking and other outdoor activities, social engagements, writing on Hive and off, crypto and so many other things including the all important sleep!
Sometimes I wonder how I fit it all in with people pulling me this way and that and never seeming to let up or accept no for an answer. I'll admit it grates on my nerves at times. I try to be a little selfish at times though, I need to be, for my own well-being. I think I'll enjoy a week of doing my own thing in the next few days and into the coming weekend...I think I've earned a selfish week.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images are my own
Lucky swines getting a wine tour!! As I have said the barossas are my favourite. I get the Chateau Tanunda Shiraz now and then. Tis very nice. Will keep an eye out for the St Hugo!
They are legit. I picked up three bottles at St Hugo and whilst a little on the expensive side I'm happy with them. I got the D3R, the Daniel Riccardo Shiraz. (The Australian Formula One driver). You can have a look on the website if you like. It's not ready to drink yet, but I'm a patient man. I'm also a generous man and will send you one of mine if you like. I'm serious.
I clicked on the links l and saw that D3R one and thought that would be a goody. It is awesome that you have this place on your doorstep.
That is a very generous offer mate and if it wasn't the other side of the world I would take you up on it in a heartbeat but it would cost an arm and a fecking leg!
It's a Titan offer though and I do appreciate it!
Having this place so close is a privilege and one I don't take for granted. Also, if you want one of my D3R's it's yours. I'll send it no stress. If you change your mind let me know as the offer will stand. I'm dead serious.
It's too fecking kind man. I really appreciate the offer though almost as much as I would the wine!!
Wine privileged bassa 😉
😉
These wines look good, I am not a wine person though, not even an alcohol person in general but I am learning to be more open.
Also about people dragging you out, it happens a lot to me, I like doing my thing but then again my things aren't as interesting as yours so maybe I need the dragging out.
I'm not one to go out too much either and certainly not to wineries. Having said that, my guests were my brother and his new wife so I made an exception. I had a decent day and the highlight was St Hugo's and the tour of the kitchen garden and orchard...with some taste testing of the produce picked right off the plants.
well, that sounds fantastic, sometimes exceptions are needed and in the end, you enjoyed it which is very important.
I think I want to do more things outside of my comfort zone this year, I barely do.
Just do a few things here and there, see how you feel. You can always pull it back if you're not feeling comfortable.
I will try to do that but I always feel bad if I agree to something and back out.
Yeah, I know, but I do that all the time! 🤣
You don't feel bad at all?
Sounds like you had a good Sunday. I'm not a wine expert, but I like to have a glass now and then. But food is more my thing and I would have enjoyed looking around at the kitchen garden and listening to how they set the menu for the place based on what they grow in there.
From what you tell you've been a good host, I think you've earned your time to do your own thing. Have a happy, selfish week! :)
As much as I got into drinking back in the day I was never able to develop an appreciation for wine. I do enjoy a good break after playing tour guide though. I'll drink the that.
Post tour-guide resting is the best!
Sounds like a wonderful day.
I don't think it's selfish to keep some time for yourself. Knowing how not to burn yourself out is good thing.
It sure was, but I was glad to come home and take a break.
I really loved the closing remark "tomorrow isn't promised".
I do enjoy drinking wine 🍷, mostly when I hang out with friends and family.
It's sometimes nice to have a glass now and then and family and friends are always a good accompaniment.
I have never had the chance to do a wine tour there, but hopefully when we visit eventually we can. We'll rent a driver :)
Lol, yeah I know a good one.
Excellent post my friend. Really very good ride. I felt like seeing the kitchen in the garden. Maybe in a next post. Have a great day! Hug
Thanks for taking a read and the time to comment also.
Good luck in getting a quiet veging out weekend.Sometimes weekends are so busy with very little time to sit quietly let alone have time out reading and meditating. So yes I am with @galenkp I love visitors and all the fun activity but I do love the down time when I say goodbye.
It's good to have visitors as it gets us doing different things I guess. It's good when they go home too. 😊
cool post
Thanks.
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<table><tr><td><img src="https://images.hive.blog/60x60/http://hivebuzz.me/badges/postallweek.png" /><td>You have been a buzzy bee and published a post every day of the week. <p dir="auto"><sub><em>You can view your badges on <a href="https://hivebuzz.me/@galenkp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">your board and compare yourself to others in the <a href="https://hivebuzz.me/ranking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Ranking<br /> <sub><em>If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word <code>STOP <p dir="auto"><strong><span>Check out the last post from <a href="/@hivebuzz">@hivebuzz: <table><tr><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202202-5"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/XGulIoA.png" /><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202202-5">Hive Power Up Month - Feedback from February day 5<tr><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202202-3"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/st0le6L.png" /><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202202-3">Hive Power Up Month challenge - Feedback from February day 3<tr><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202201-delegations"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/gELoG78.png" /><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/pum-202201-delegations">Our Hive Power delegations to the last Power Up Month challenge Winners <h6>Support the HiveBuzz project. <a href="https://hivesigner.com/sign/update_proposal_votes?proposal_ids=%5B%22199%22%5D&approve=true" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Vote for <a href="https://peakd.com/me/proposals/199" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">our proposal!Selfish week sounds well earned, yup I need a couple of those soon! Well back to business hope your chef friend gave some nice gardening tips being in your neck of the woods and something you enjoy.
Pity about not enjoying wine, good red 2004 looks superb (in label and bottle), hope you give detailed account of the bottle you bought on a day when you relax and enjoy it.
You do know once you open the bottle it must be consumed...., or find a friend to share with!
The wine I bought it pretty special and... apparently needs to set for ten years before it's drunk...So, I hope I live that long.
Laying wine in cool dark spot may mature to taste good, bottom of cupboard for a year or two then enjoy, or it may taste like vinegar 😁....
That is so cool! I love wines from there. Havent had many, but all Ive had where ones I will never forget. Ive had a few Pensfolds, and actually had a 1998 Shiraz from Jacobs creek last year, and it was drinking good!
Barossa Valley wines are pretty good indeed. I'm not much of a wine person but I appreciate a good one of course. I will do a post on the ones I bought from St Hugo's at some point when I get time.
If you're into South Australian wine you've probably had wines from McLaren Vale and Coonawarra also. All good.
Thanks for commenting.
Mclaren yes, but not Coonawarra, yet. Ill be looking foreword to your St Hugo post! One thing that I find fascinating about Ausie wines, is the age of the vines. Perhaps you are familiar with this more so then I? I do not know the the time frame, but sometime in the mid 19th century a disease wiped out many of the worlds vines, but Australia was not effected by this. So it is common to find Shiraz vines that are up to 200 years old! Expensive stuff, but damn I imagine it is worth it.
Yep, the Barossa valley was first settled in 1842 by German immigrants who initially settled in a place called Bethany. (I was there on Sunday). They began the wine heritage we know today with names like Seppelts, Henschke and Gramps are still known today. I feel privileged to have grown up in the area and to see it as what it is today. Certainly a place all wine lovers need to visit.
A selfish week...
@galenkp I think for me, its the other way round. Most weeks for me are selfish. And once in a while I take a selfless week.
I don't know if it's a bad thing.
Maybe I should have more selfless weeks.
What do you suggest @galenkp ? From your wealth of experience.
I guess we all act and react as needed to the circumstances that are around us. Probably just seeking ones best life and to be one's best version of oneself is all one can ask.