Change

My last post has been up for 19 months & today, on a beautiful warm, sunny Spring day in the Adelaide Hills, it's finally being replaced. This past year has been my toughest & most challenging & although I've attempted to write about what's happened, it's been all too difficult.

In fact it still is, but with the encouragement of some lovely friends, I've been doing a few short posts on my Instagram page. So for the time being, that's where I'll try & rediscover, little by little, my writing voice. There is a short post there about why I've been so quiet, but other stuff too & a rather lot of the delectable Miss Grace & her sweet little brother Henry.

I know that one day, when I feel ready, I'll come back to The Hedge on a regular basis. It was my happy place for a long, long time & I know it will be again. So until that time comes, I'll look forward to seeing you over at my Insta page www.instagram.com/milliestirling

A Sweet MOTH

With work being totally responsible for me now actually having lost the will to live (MOTH reckons trying to deal with this particular group of clients is akin to herding cats!) & a major family issue that needed me to hang the Dr. Millie Family Therapist shingle out urgently, it's been a tough, tough, tough, tough week. I'll share the family thing with you when I can get my head around it & I've lowered the level in the vodka bottle a bit more. MOTH's been his normal 'Deal it with it & move on Mills' self, but this morning he rendered me speechless.

'Hey Mills, I noticed Balhannah By Design have got a VIP shoppers night on tonight. They had a new container of stuff from France arrrive last week & one from Belgium on Monday. Mon's had to hire out the Balhannah Village Hall temporarily to fit everything in. If youse like, I can come home from work early & we can go up there together. They've got free grog, free gift wrapping & 10% off everything. Would that cheer youse up?'

Would it ever babe, fire up the Millie-mobile & let's go! Oh & if you or the girls are reading this Mon, for goodness sake if MOTH offers to man the gift wrapping table & gives you a story about his prowess in that Department - DON'T LET HIM!!!

Images: Balhannah By Design

Arborus Innominatus

....or in my lingo the 'No Idea Tree'! Now that our camelias & rhodies are on their last legs, there's not much in the garden to grab to chuck inside for some colour. So a few branchs of spring blossom from one of the trees down on our small meadow had to suffice. Every year when this tree emerges from the depths of a miserable, cold Adelaide Hills winter to put on a truly glorious show, I ask MOTH what kind of tree it is. And each year I get the same response from Mr. Know It All, ' It's an Arborus Innominatus Mills'. So today when I brought this arm full inside, I did my best Pauline imitation & asked MOTH to please explain. 'Well Millie if you must know it translates to the 'No Bloody Idea' tree. Yep, ask a silly question & all that.

Of Frills & Friezes

One of my favourite Hills houses has just come on the market. Olivet House c.1920 (formerly known as Wachenappee) sits in all its grandeur at the end of our street here in Stirling. For a while back in the '90's it was a very gracious Boutique hotel, but was converted back to a private residence by the present Owners.

The land holding is a substantial 6,600 sq. metres approx (1.5 acres) of fabulous Hills garden & the house sits in a wonderful elevated position.

Very nice hedged courtyard outside the back door.

It has all the accoutrements required of a country estate.

The stairs leading down to an all-weather tennis court (puts our dodgy old clay court to shame!!).

Fabulous mature trees throughout the garden.

Meandering paths lined with the traditional Hills camelias & rhodies.

And a wide verandah to yell instructions to the gardeners from.

However, as we wander inside things sort of turn pear-shaped. A strange combo. of marbled colour washes on the walls, skirting boards & dado line. I have no doubt that a large amount of money was spent in the '90's getting all these specialist painted finishes done, but I reckon they detract from the true 'personality' of the house.

The formal sitting room is OK.

I feel a refit coming on here in the kitchen.

And the casual meals area off the kitchen has great potential. Love those French doors leading out to the verandah.

The formal lounge room has a bank of fabulous windows, but more of that painted marbled wash-ie thing happening with the walls. The chunky velour sofas seem to be caught in a time warp.

There are 7 bedrooms, and here's where the frills really kick in.

Hmmmm.

More frills & garlanded friezes.

This is one of the 5 bathrooms, & the ultimate awful frilly Austrian blind thing is in situ. This is a magical property, & I'm sure with a little clever design, strict adherence to the Less Is More theory, a large skip bin, the phone #'s of Heckle & Jeckle (aka Mike & Chris our favourite Painters & Decorators) & a fat cheque book, the new Owners can end the Frills & Friezes era Olivet House is sadly stuck in - good luck! Estimated sale price is $3 - 3.5 m.

Images: with apologies again to Jamie Brown @ Bernard Booth

Drive On By

I do love a good drive-by, but in recent times the meaning has somewhat changed! No gangs, violent confrontations & firearms here, just a slow amble by, a big drool, much sighing & a U-turn further down the street to repeat the exercise. In fact, those gang boys should forget the urban warfare stuff, hop into their cars & do a bit of real estate dreaming & drooling. It would help them get in touch with their feminine side & that could only be a good thing.

Looking at the real estate pages in the weekend papers, here's whats on this week's drive-by list in lovely Adelaide & the Hills. The houses on my list all have to have that certain pizzaz, great street appeal that brings the Millie-mobile to a screeching halt. Love the wonderful sandstone Victorian villa above, sitting on a big piece of land in salubrious North Adelaide. Oooooh those verandahs!! (AU$3.5-3.8m.)

And here's a really interesting Victorian terrace in Gilberton. That fretwork, interesting architectural features & fabulous wrought iron gates will have my neck stretching waaaay out of the car window. (AU$1.8m.)

Another big Victorian villa in gorgeous Unley Park. Set right back from the road basking in the evening light, I may just want to jump out & make them an offer on the spot! (EOI)

Just around the corner in Hawthorn (Adelaide's not Melbourne's!) it's the circular drive-way to this Victorian beauty that grabs me. Then the bay windows, wrought iron & wide verandahs - very nice. (POA)

Now this one looks VERY familiar. In fact I have driven past this Edwardian lovely thousands of times, because it belongs to our dear ex-neighbours in Unley! Jack & Angela & their boys were our neighbours 2 doors down for 16 years & I always loved the street appeal of their home. It sold at auction on Thursday - the new Owners should consider themselves very lucky, they have bought a home full of great warmth & charm. (AU$1.4m.)

Now what's going on here I hear you say. Is that the house, or what. Well actually it's just the start to the driveway of Fawley, a truly exquisite property in Balhannah, just up the road from us here in Stirling.

And here's what waiting for you once you traverse the long driveway - the most spectacular old period home sitting in one of the Hill's most amazing gardens. To see more pop over to Letitia's blog The White Shed. She posted on Fawley last week as she has a personal connection with the Owners & their lovely home. I'd love to know if there's one house here that you would 'chuck a U-e' for!! (For non-Aussie Hedgies - Meaning:make a U-turn. Example:Chuck a U-e mate, the pub's the other way.) (AU$3.8m.)

Images: Real Estate

Our Local

Two very memorable things happened in the little village of Stirling in June 2006 - we moved up from the City & the Pub received a fabulous make-over. One is slightly more impressive than the other & I'll leave that for you to decide!

Since then MOTH & I have had many relaxed nights enjoying a wonderful dinner in the casual Bistro.

Or with a pint by the fire in the Front Bar, followed by the compulsory game of pool before stumbling home.

And the occasional special dinner in the flash Mallee Grill restaurant.

MOTH's well-known in the fabulous adjoining Bottle Shop, occasionally needing a red card flashed at him to let him know he's overstayed his welcome at the Tasting table.

Now Brett & Sarah the owners have responded to the acute shortage of decent accommodation in town by wandering upstairs & giving all the unused rooms a new lease of life. They have called their venture 5 Rooms - & that's exactly what it is. 5 simple but elegant suites with king-sized beds, luxury linen, i-Pod docking stations, double showers, spa baths, etc. All rooms share a cute little kitchen with a big espresso machine. 3 rooms have open fireplaces & french doors opening out onto the sweeping upstairs balcony.

We've spent many a happy warm Summer's night propped up out the front of The Stirling. Some nights, we even walk the 1/2km., but MOTH needs to lead the way home with a torch, as once away from the main street, there isn't any street lighting, so finding our front door is quite a challenge! So if you are heading up our way, I hope you stop at The Stirling, & maybe even give one of the 5 Rooms a spin.
Images: The Stirling Hotel

Colour My World

Grey has been the colour of my world all weekend. We've had constant heavy rain, low cloud, fog, mist & dark skies. So this morning I crave some colour to start the week. Here's to happy days & blue skies wherever you are.

Image : Damian Russell

Today's Favourite Things

A blazing fire (thanks MOTH darling!) & a pair of warm socks to keep the toes toasty. Couldn't want for more really on a freezing cold, grey Hills day. Tomorrow is Blog catch-up time, looking forward to seeing what you've all been up to this week.

Images: Jamb & Tara Sloggett