An Australian Country Christmas Part One

This year we loaded our car with gifts, food and wine and drove 6 hours north west of Sydney to spend Christmas with my sister A, her husband R, and teenage sons L & M on their beautiful property in Armidale.

As we drove through their gates this gorgeous panorama welcomed us, closely followed by the smiling faces of our hosts.

Photo by Liam Nethery 

We started our warm up to an  orgy of eating with a chicken caesar salad - a light and tasty prelude to the next few days.

M's Christmas Eve birthday started our day - happy 15th!

Our tradition of Roman Numerals for candles continues.

Into town for a bit of last minute shopping and to catch up with some cousins for coffee.

We set the Christmas Eve dinner table with bon bon crackers (some surprisingly funny jokes in these ones gave us a laugh over dinner)

Photo: Liam Nethery

Clouds coming in - will we be able to eat outside?

We moved the table setting inside and out again and again before finally deciding to commit to outside dining.

Something to nibble on before dinner, with a glass of champagne

Pork roasting in the oven - with a lemon zest, cardamon and chilli crust.

Photo by Liam Nethery

Turkey trussed, our mother's recipe for stuffing prepared from memory - with love and few tears.

Photo by Liam Nethery

A gorgeous night, and dinner outside- pork, turkey, ham - a mass of food for 6!

A langorous meal, enjoyed long into the night. 

Santa came early, as we woke in the night to the sound of heavy rain - much needed for water depleted tanks.

With two teenage boys in the house it was a late start on Christmas Day for presents - and we extended the enjoyment by opening them one by one.

I Pad +  for me !  Yay!

Can't believe we are hungry again.

Onto our Christmas Day Brunch tradition  -  ham and cheese croissants, ham with english mustard on toast and a new addition a pile of bacon.   And a glass of sparkling!

Followed by a wet and lazy afternoon laughing in front of the TV- watching a Moody Christmas

Mince tarts, spiced nuts and cherries to snack on during the day

Christmas leftovers for dinner that night.

Jamie Olivers Asian flavoured turkey salad,  eaten with leftover pork and roasted potatoes.
More wine.

As  R said (and we all agreed)  this was one of the the most relaxing Christmas days he has ever had.

Boxing Day update tomorrow!

 

Merry Christmas

The festivities have already started on this side of the world - tonight we can hear the sounds of carols coming up the hill from Balmoral.

Wishing you  a wonderful Christmas with family and friends wherever you are!

Sydney's wildside

Nothing to be afraid of, but for first time visitors to Sydney these lizards can be a surprise.

Seen on a harbourside bushwalk in our area, these reptiles happily bask and preen on sun heated stone. 

You will most often hear a rustle in the bush before you see them - but obviously this one is used to people passing by

He did not seem at all bothered by our close proximity, meandering slowly into the bush, giving me ample time to take a photo.

This baby was perched on the pathway, seemingly not all intimidated by us humans.

This walk is a must do for visitors to  Sydney with its natural bushland, prehistoric reptiles and other wildlife only a short ferry ride from the city.

Its intoxicating harbour views make for great photo opportunities too.

Sydney smiles

Most days my work keeps me tied to my desk or closeted in meetings, particularly at this time of year. 

Today, was a bit different.

I was out on a site visit to look at a venue for the Australian Tourism Awards.

Luna Park is a popular Sydney attraction located on Sydney harbour.  It originally opened in 1935 but  closed in 1979 after a fatal fire in the Ghost Train.  It didn't really open again successfully until 2004. 

It is now a leisure and corporate playground, combining amusement rides and venues for functions and events. 

Although I have good memories visiting in my teens,  an icecream followed by a ride on the Rotor was something I wish to forget.   So was coming down in our cage upside down from the top of the ferris wheel.

Original features - including the iconic smiling face at the entrance- remain, and looked great today. 

The sun was shining and the sky a bright Sydney blue.  Summer is here - at least for the moment.

 I can't believe the clarity of my photo, looking back under the Harbour Bridge to the city and the Opera House. And no that is not a white apartment block on the right - it is a cruise ship.

Don't you think when Sydney smiles, it really smiles?

School of the ocean

I have always loved the water and the beach.   

Mum used to say she could never take her eyes off me when we were on holidays at South West Rocks, I would always be crawling towards the water.

If you grow up in Sydney, especially if you live close to the coast, it's a given that you will learn to swim.

I didn't really learn to swim properly until I was about 9 or 10 - which was quite old.  It was seriously embarrassing to stand in the waders' pool with floaties on and surrounded by 4 year olds so I soon got myself out of there.

Once I learnt though, I never looked back.

 I went to life saving classes, swam in pool races on the weekends and occasionally went to the beach.

I was a pretty good swimmer - not necessarily fast - but could swim a long distance quite happily.

One day, when I was about 15 or 16 my friends left our beloved Cronulla beach and ventured further north to Manly.

That day I was trying to catch a wave alone, way out past the crowd (this was before the movie Jaws) and suddenly had a sensation of being pulled across by a rip towards this outcrop of rocks on the south east end of the beach before the open ocean.

The more I tried to swim against the rip, I realised I was going nowhere except further out to sea. 

 As they still are today, our local surf beaches were patrolled by life savers, distinctive in their red and yellow, the blast of their whistles and sometimes megaphones to make sure we swam between the flags.

I could see them on the shore.

I put my hand up to wave as we had been taught, but had a sinking feeling when I saw they weren't looking in my direction.  Trying not to panic, I yelled out for help and waved some more.

Luckily a surf board rider heard me and dragged me into shore. I threw myself on the sand shaking with relief.  My friends surrounded me - surprisingly, at first,  they thought I had done it on purpose to attract the attention of the cute guy.  Seeing how shaken I was they made me go back into the water immediately - so I wouldn't be afraid to in the future. Tough love!

This all flashed back the other day when I saw this group of kids having a swimming lesson at Manly beach.

These nippers will be used to waves and swimming in different conditions - not just the confines of a swimming pool.

They will learn how to handle a rip, without panicking. 

They will swim between the flags.

And they'll know not to swim alone.

I learnt my lesson.

Safe swimmimg!

What's this?

9.30am this morning.

This is what I love about my city.

You just don't know what's around the corner.

When eating seafood - fresh is best

The Sydney Fish Market is a feast for all of the senses.

Its bountiful displays are amazing to look at, the happy sounds of people chattering and birds squawking as they choose their meal, and although the smell of briny seafood can sometimes be confronting (it is a working fish market after all), the taste of the freshest fish and shellfish you can imagine more than makes up for that.

The fresh catch is brought in daily - and sold to the wholesale and retail market via a dutch auction very early in the morning. I've been once - it's worth a look.

This seafood is then sent all over Sydney and the rest of the state- everyday of the week.

  

But the freshest you can get, unless you catch it your self-  is sold at the Sydney Fish Market.

Located close to the city centre, we like to go there regularly to buy fresh prawns (shrimp) and fish.  Not just for special occasions,  it's worth the trip to buy enough for a couple of meals.

Prawns and spaghetti one night. Crumbed flathead, gently pan fried and served with salad the next. 

Look at these shiny fillets - we like snapper, flathead, salmon and tuna (sometimes).

An array of wholefish with their clear and glistening eyes a sign of freshness

M once brought home a coral trout big enough to feed ten and there was just the 2 of us that night. 

He's not allowed to go on his own anymore.

Octopi tentacles are everywhere- if you like that sort of thing...

Oysters are shucked on the spot

To be enjoyed with lemon or a variety of tasty toppings

It's a popular place for lunch - people buy takeway from one of the 8 or so fishmongers and eat down by the waters edge.  

But be careful of the seagulls- they will take the food from your hands!