Paddocks of Inspiration

I wish I had taken the camera on our trip to Devonport but it's amazing what you can capture with a phone all the same. 

This week a work colleague and I had a day trip and the weather was perfect.

Breasting each hill, we exclaimed again and again at the vivid greens of pasture contrasting with lush chocolate volcanic soils. The paddocks have been freshly ploughed and planted with spring crops and the countryside is like a giant quilt counterpane.

The gorse bushes in flower (noxious weed that they are) seem more vivid and electric than I have ever seen them before. They are almost luminescent and bold.

All the dams and ponds are full adding to the checker-board vista in every valley.

I rather think my hearts reflect that feeling in the Tasmanian landscape; ploughed fields, bush copses, invading gorse, rich pastures and reflecting dams.

BUT THAT"S ENOUGH OF THOSE HEARTS......

After fasting overnight for our annual routine blood test we were revved up and ready for a big breakfast and the Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm did not disappoint us (never has in al the years I've been going there) and we had a BIIIGGGG breakfast by the open fire with a beautiful pot of peppermint and raspberry tea.

And this is what they are famous for,

chocolate covered raspberries to die for.

So on we went and there was a bit of shopping at the Antique Emporium and other homewares type shops in Devonport and before we knew it it was time to meet a friend at Latrobe for lunch.

I think he was a bit disappointed with our pancake order as we were still too dated with breakfast.

Couldn't even fit a coffee in!

But you'll laugh...

you know where we had lunch.....

at the Cherry Shed in Latrobe.

Also very nice and I think these farms are very clever having an operating cafe in their off season to keep the income ticking over till it's time to sell the fruit again and they are also able to value add to their product by having the fruit preserved as ice-creams and vinegars, jams and syrups.

Really smart.

Then it was back into Latrobe for a bit more shopping and we did our bit for the Tasmanian economy, sprinkling a bit of money here and there.

I bought a couple of Xmas presents and some candles that I am going to craft to go with my new Christmas range.

But the bargain of the day has to be the Wedgwood egg coddler I bought for $5.00  !!!!

BARGAIN!

Time to head for home.