I wrote a whole other post about this autumn country roadtrip to Beechworth… then deleted it. Sometimes it’s hard to put into words what I want to say. And sometimes I’m not sure what I want to say until I start writing. And sometimes it just comes out all wrong. I guess what I want to say, to you dear reader, is this;
You can learn a lot in an autumn country roadtrip.
Like what it was like to be scared of a vicious Rooster called Sputnik. And that Rooster Sputnik was named after the satellite the Russians launched into space around 1957. That one of my favourite photos of my mum with her dad and an old car, was taken in front of the Tarrawingee Pub (now named Plough Inn). I learned that Nana always had cows, though I only remember Daisy and being a scared of her as a young city kid. That Koalas will run out in front of the car near the main street of town to get to a better tree. And watching a Koala run is pretty funny (thanks for the photo Sis!).That Autumn in the country somehow seems more vibrant, more crisp, deeper and richer. That winter in the country could be bitterly cold and entail walking over icy puddles on the way to school. And that same walk to school entailed a walk by the (then in use) Jail. That the old red brick fire house in town used to put on dances in the 1940’s and that’s where my grandparents met. That owls hooting in the distance whilst you take photos of fog like pea soup and the sun rising, is a good sign. That nothing can compare to spending real, living in the moment, quality time with family. That many family members worked at the tannery, the pine plantation, apple orchards and ‘up top’. That I’m blessed to have a line of strong determined women on both sides of my parents family. That visiting a cemetery can be a beautiful experience. That you can find the best coffee in the most unexpected places. That when you finally stop and take photos of that beautiful old building you pass every visit, swearing you’ll stop and photograph it next time – every time, is incredibly satisfying and can surpass your expectations. That I love autumn in country more than I thought I did.
I’ll let the photos tell you the rest…

May you enjoy beautiful autumn days in the country.