Baby Joey

This picture is from our trip with Paul and Cheryl to Phillip Island and was left out of the original post.

The little guy's mom was hit by a truck, and he is now being cared for at a wildlife reserve. He spends his naps in this pillow case with a clock to mimic his mom's pouch and finds comfort in sucking his toe. Isn't he a beauty?

Spring Has Sprung and The Wine Jug is Dun.....

* Shout out to the dogs we always meet along the way....Skye with Mark above at our B & B and Castro at a cafe.

Mark always says that if there is a renowned restaurant to be found in an area where we are traveling, I am bound to drag him to it. That is not to say that he does not enjoy it. I just absolutely relish any opportunity to have a good dining experience and a fabulous bottle of wine.

Enter the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Last weekend we spent a few days outside of Adelaide in this region that put Australia's wine export business on the map. Big Shiraz (you may know them as Syrah in the U.S.) and sweet Semillons are the way to go in the Barossa, and we drank our way through some of the best.

Here are a few that we brought home with us and suggest that you head to your wine store in the U.S. to do the same:
1. The Willows - The Bonesetter 2004 Shiraz, The Doctor Sparkling Shiraz
2. Kaesler - Old Bastard 2005 Shiraz, Old Vine 2005 Shiraz
3. Torbreck - Descendent 2005, The Factor 2005, The Steading 2005
4. Two Hands - Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006, Bella's Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006, Cane-cut Semillon 2006
* This is where the eating part comes into the story. We dined at Appellation Restaurant and chose a wine-matched tasting menu that only featured Two Hands Shiraz. My favorite course was almond encrusted turkey and mushroom croquette matched with the Lily's Garden.