Blossom and I have a love, a yearning you may say, for relaxing winter mornings spent up on the mountain. We've driven up there for many years now, often with friends, many times just the two of us.
A few years back when another daughter, Aisha, came to visit from Sydney with her precious little Frankie (who was just a toddler at the time) it was the one place I wanted to take her and since then she is the first person Bloss and I tell when we're heading mountain-ward because she 'gets it'...she has experienced the peace and tranquility of that beautiful place herself.
Yesterday Blossom packed up her two girls with all the baby and toddler things required for a day out, and I packed a quilt. Coming from different directions we each drove a thirty minute trip excited to spend time together and have a few unwinding hours away from the busyness of home life.
The Heritage Tea Rooms are high on Hervey's Range (outside Townsville) and set within a homestead built more than 150 years ago. Ownership changed a couple of years back but the atmosphere is the same - relaxed, quiet, simple, beautiful.
Cully May ran here and there and everywhere while Blossom and I tag-teamed catching her.
The flourishing bird life was all around and that's exactly what caught our little one's attention.
Distracted by all the bush turkeys who wandered here and there, she was not at all interested in her colouring book and crayons.
The blue-faced honeyeaters were in abundance and waited impatiently for us to finish breakfast so they could enjoy the leftovers...
Totally unafraid three of them had sat right on the back of our seats until we gave them leeway to 'feast'. Of course Cully May thought this was wonderful!
More play, more coffee, more chasing of the toddler, plenty of baby cuddles, and lots of wonderful heart-felt conversation between Bloss and I made this a blessed morning...
Taking time to stop and reconnect with nature, to soak in the peace often found in the countryside, to honestly listen to the ones we love in an un-distracted environment, these are moments we usually have to plan for but what a rich reward is gained when we do.
The emotional and spiritual rest we drank in over those four hours up the mountain will refresh us for many days to come so we have decided to head mountain-ward every couple of weeks during the cooler months our tropical winter affords and make memories together with these two precious little girls.
Perhaps they too will come to love this mountain as they grow?
Fresh air certainly agreed with Rafaella...
Jokingly, Mr E suggested there may be a home for sale up on the mountain.
I laughed.
He found a few, well out of our price range.
But then he found one right in our budget.
So guess where we're going for an open house this weekend?
You never know.
May the peace of God lead you to a place of rest and refreshment too,
hugs
27 comments:
I think we are refreshed just reading about so heavenly of a place. There are so many retreats like this in this wonderful world our Lord created. And how wonderful to slow down and live them! And babies. Oh those precious little girls!
Fingers crossed for you with the house hunting.
oh so wonderful. There is something about the Far North mountains that's for sure. All the best for your house hunting. Seeing those birds on the table reminded me of us always have to go to 'breakfast with the birds' whenever we were in Port douglas. They would just jump on your table and help themselves. the kids loved it. Such special times for us and yourselves.
What a wonderful place to spend the morning! The birds are remarkable! I am a mountain woman; I've lived in them for over half my life and in the foothills for the balance.... the pace is different here... and we are more a part of the quiet... I have no neighbors for three miles. The grocery is an hour away. And, I Love Every Bit of It. Wishing your dreams come true! <3
Oh I would love for you to be able to live in such a beautiful place! I grew up in the mountains & it is my favorite place to be.
How wonderful for you and Blossom and the girls.. How exciting about a new house to look at n an area you are already in love with....This sounds very promising....
Gosh those grandaughters are SOoooo gorgeous Jenny! I have been following along with your blog for a few years now & I do recall how you always enjoy your winter excursions up that mountain! Hope the house viewing goes well. Xxx
Those babies are just beautiful!!!!
Jenny your granddaughters are growing so quickly. What a wonderful day out you all had. I don't think we visited the tea rooms when we went for a drive up the range when in Townsville. It probably would be a tad cooler in summer than in town.
Exciting! Have fun checking out the Mountain house!
What a wonderful day! I hope the mountain home is the one!
A favorite blog is The Bluebirds are Nesting out of Australia. I read it just before coming over here. Annabel and her husband are considering moving back to the country. I think God often quickens desires in our heart and it will be interesting to see what happens with the Open House. ;)
Thank you for sharing such love and beauty. Your girls and you are so beautiful. You are most blessed. Wishing you all the best with house hunting,
Jenny, the North Carolina mountains are my favorite place. But I go there especially to escape the heat of summer, I know how much you love it. My husband and I love to go there and get a picnic lunch at our favorite deli then head to a park to just enjoy the outdoors. I know it was a wonderful day for you and your daughter!
My prayers are with you on the possibility of a home in the mountains! My husband and I are building (slowly)up north of us here in an area south of Prescott, AZ. We can't wait to move from the hustle and bustle here in the Phoenix metropolitan area! It is not as beautiful as far as a great many trees, but we will be planting trees once we are settled, since we are mostly scrub brush right now. But we have 2 acres to work with to make it just what we want.
Annabel is a dear friend and I've been so excited about the journey God has them on, Brenda. We've been praying for each other about the homes God has for us and to see His hand so clearly moving upon her life brings praise to my lips for Him. xx
So nice to see you had a lovely day with your girls.
My daughter wanted to take me out for morning tea for my birthday, what better place than a "Heritage Tea Rooms" ....we thought. ..so we all dressed up very nicely expecting a quaint vintage or classic homestead in the mountains. When we arrived it looked like my Dad's old shed! but the little boys had a wonderful time , too excited to eat and the food was good.
I hope you have a very good estate agent who will work hard to get you the best purchasing price, ask around for personal recommendations. Apparently prices up there are lowest for a long while, so perfect time to buy and asking price is Not always realistic for the current market, so don't be afraid to haggle....houses are only worth what someone is willing to pay.
Every saving will count as you will have stamp duty and conveyancing costs to add on and if at all possible, try to move yourself with the help of friends and family.
Hoping you find somewhere wonderful.
Sounds like a lovely time together, and how wonderful to find a place there within the budget to look at!
Jenny, this is an exciting development. Home is where the heart is...I just said that to Annabel at The Bluebirds are Nesting, and it's so true. I'm praying that your heart has now led you to home too. Mimi xxx
Awww, your little angels are so adorable, Jenny! You are so blessed! I think Cully Mae grows cuter & more beautiful everyday as she is growing out of the baby/toddler stage now and into that "little girl" stage!:) She's getting so big!
It would be wonderful if you could get a home in the peaceful relaxing area that you love so much. Can't wait to hear about your adventure of seeing the house this weekend!
Oh, Jenny, that would be so fabulous! As I was reading, I kept thinking of what a lovely thing you are passing along. 3 generations of women loving the mountain side and this place. I loved seeing the blue-faced birds - obviously something we don't have here. The picture of you and Rafaella is priceless. I love your hair getting longer. She and Blossom are wonderful together, too, and that look on Cully Mae's face ... there's no price for that kind of wonder. Thank you so much for sharing this day with us. I, too, love the mountains. I was in them this morning, but these are not my beloved Rockies from the west. They will do for now, though. =)
Such a lovely day with an abundance of nature's therapy. Your grandies are so cute. I hope this weekend brings good news about a home.
That's such a lovely post. So pleased you had a wonderful time together.
What beautiful girls you are! Love those birds too, so pretty I've never seen them before.
It must be good to have to wear a cardigan after the heat & humidity. A cardi is so cosy & comfortable, I love them.
Great idea to make this a regular trip.
Jenny I really enjoyed this post and those beautiful grandchildren, thanks. Carol
We fully understand the restorative powers of the tea room after visiting there last year. You all look very relaxed.
What a beautiful post, Jenny! Really made me smile. To have that time of sharing with your daughter--what a special ritual for you both. I remember previous posts about the two of you going there and sketching in your sketch books. And those beautiful birds!! I've never seen anything like them before!
We were in the rocky mountains for daughters wedding but did not get our usual peaceful time with all the activity...next time though!!
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