An escape to the Yarra Valley

June 18 marked two years since Derek and and I said "I do" and began this new, wonderful adventure in our lives. On Friday night, we packed the car and headed for the hills for a two day break in Healesville, a little town located in the middle of the Yarra Valley wine country. We rented a little mud brick cottage in the middle of a vineyard with a beautiful open fire. It was cozy, quirky and the perfect location for a retreat. After heading into the town centre for a beautiful dinner at Healsville Harvest, Friday night was spent in front of the fire, exchanging anniversary gifts and reminiscing about our wedding day. Saturday morning we woke up to a fresh -4.8 degrees Celsius and the thickest frost I had ever seen. The vineyard was blanketed in crystalised water that twinkled in the faintest winter sunshine. While I trampled over frozen blades of grass to take some photos, Derek attempted to thaw the frozen sheet of water that covered the car windscreen. 

After a recommendation from a dear friend, we drove a few kilometres down the road to the local Blueberry Farm where we enjoyed home-made Blueberry pancakes with locally grown produce. The cafe was small, intimate and had a beautiful living room feel to the space. The store was run by a husband and wife duo that also lived on the site and ran the blueberry farm that was situated merely metres from the cafe entrance. And the pancakes? Incredible. We left with jars of homemade jam and a bottle of Blueberry wine.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the town centre, wandering into quirky shops, dining and some exploration of the wider Healesville area. We headed to a winery only half an hour away for lunch where we sat outside on a deck that overlooked hundreds of rows of vines and enjoyed a glass or two of locally produced wine. We were incredibly blessed with the weather, Saturday and Sunday were both perfect winter days. Whilst the air was cold and brisk, the sky was a crystal blue and the air was still. We made a pitstop to the Yarra Valley Chocolatarie + Ice Creamery  and did not leave emptied handed. I still have an Earl Grey chocolate to savour that somehow made it through the drive back home yesterday.

By mid afternoon we were done. The air was cold and we had a roaring fire back at our cottage with our names on it. We spent a quiet night in front of the fire (a novelty we don't have in our own abode) and watching a game of footy my husband was dying to see. We ordered pizza, ate cheese and drank some more wine (as you absolutely must whilst in the Yarra Valley), and at the end of it all, sang 'Yellow and Black' in commemoration of our Richmond boys excellent win. 

We dawdled home on Sunday, with a few pitstops on the way, a market, some shopping and basking in a whole lot of sunshine. 

A most excellent celebration.