The Veggie Garden that took over the world and a Sunday drive.

Melbourne's spring has come on with a rush with lovely cloudless sunny days mingled with some good heavy rains - that reminds me, I need to replace some guttering on our 80 year old house. The rain has encouraged Sue's plantings to come on with a rush. They don't realise that they are doomed for the kitchen table.

Leon talks of my veggie garden with disdain, but that's not the case when he's enjoying the proceeds! We're already harvesting the rocket and I've been making a Caprese type salad most nights using the fragrant basil.

We have tiny green capsicums growing larger as we look at them, the tomatoes are getting much bigger and the beans are climbing the wall. The herbs all look good, and the zucchini are set to take over the whole plot before too long. All good... the only problem is keeping the water up to them...legally that is. Our water restrictions are strict.

As spring draws into summer, I can't think of a better place to live than where we are in Melbourne. At 6.30 am Saturday morning the bay was a mill pond with fishermen in their dingies floating on the calm waters. We were cycling on Beach Road in bare legs and arms and enjoying the morning fresh air, and at mid morning the temperature rose to the low 20s. Later in the afternoon it reached 30 and it was time to enjoy a cold, crisp glass of white wine.

So Saturday evening was spent on the decking enjoying a BBQ meal with the addition of the proceeds from the veggie garden in the company of our two sons, Andrew and Mitchell.

Andrew informed us that he was visiting his friends Camille and Jason in the country town of Riddell's Creek so I suggested we would drive him there (our 24 year old student still doesn't have a driving licence) and Sue and I would take in a leisurely lunch somewhere nearby. He would catch the train back in the late afternoon from the old bluestone station.

Riddell's Creek bluestone railway station.

The Woodend clock tower.

The local Woodend church.

That somewhere nearby was Woodend, halfway between Melbourne and the old gold mining city of Bendigo. Woodend was a stop off point for many on their way to the 1850s gold rush areas of Victoria. Today it is a tourist destination with a population of a little over 3000. Nearby is Mount Macedon and Hanging Rock. Joan Lindsay's book, Picnic at Hanging Rock is based on the area and was later made into a film directed by Peter Weir. Its probably one of Australia's classic movies.

Mount Macedon is renown for its large country estates and beautiful gardens which on special occasions are open to the public.

The pub at the Victoria Hotel in Woodend.

Lunch was had at the historic Victoria Hotel in the main street of Woodend. Sue had a traditional Pub lunch of beer batter fish and chips, where I can never resist a pasta dish. Mine was a smoked trout and spinach pasta in a sauvignon blanc cream sauce washed down with a local crisp dry white. Not bad at all.

Woodend has a main street full of cafe's, and shops to keep the tourist amused for some time.

After coffee we decided to meander home via Mount Macedon where we discovered a leafy rain forest and waterfall. I've been to Mount Macedon many times but had never before come across this tranquil little haven.

We must do this more often.