Machine Knitting Camp @ Victor Harbour

Adare House

After a week of dithering as to what to take to the Victor Harbour Machine knitting camp, by Friday I had finally sorted out my gear and the car was packed and ready to go.
First though, I had to go to my book group reading at a friends place in Port Willunga. The new books I picked up from the library looked more promising than the book we had to read for the month past.It was an interesting meeting with a wide varieties of opinions. I left a bit earlier than usual, though not before afternoon tea as my friend makes the most delicious cakes.....
So I traveled via the Hindmarsh Valley road ,past all the dairies with the beautiful Friesian cows, the paddocks all green after the good rains we have had, to Adare House at Victor Harbour. Took the turn too early and had a little tour of the surrounding suburb before getting out my map and seeing I was almost there anyway.

Breakfast in the baronial hall

 Adare House was the summer residence of the South Australian governor in the days when domestic servants abounded and little scullery maids were a dime a dozen.
Now it is the head quarters of the Uniting Church Conference center and they cater for small groups like ours as well as larger groups.
It is always great to meet up with machine knitting mates you may not have had contact with for 12 months or so.
I was allocated room 3 which I would be sharing with two other knitters.

Games Room Window

The rooms have 8 bunk beds and an ensuite. Because there were only three of us we could all have a bottom bunk which is just as well as none of us really want to clamber up a little ladder to sleep in a top bunk...
So then it is a matter of unloading your gear from the car and fortunately we can drive the car up the steep incline to unload and then put our cars back into the car park below.
My knitting machine and display gear were taken to what is known as the "Games Room" and I was able to arrange everything before going back to the main meeting room to meet up with everyone and have our salad roll or what ever we brought to have for tea. Some of our members come from far away, three from Mildura and a couple from Cowel.
Some ordered fish and chips from Victor and went off to collect it but I had brought my own food. We all went to bed early.

The photo above is of one of the numerous stained and painted glass windows which are right through the mansion and are stunning to see.This one is in the "Games Room". I could do an article on just the beauty of the numerous windows that are there. The wood work too, is absolutely stunning in this place. You wonder at the time people were able to spend on these practical yet decorative items in those days, why are we in such a hurry these days and have things done in such a short time?
Not us machine knitters of course, we do have to plan and design and swatch and discard and start again....
As you can see from the photo at right, I was getting frustrated because the cast on was not going the way I wanted and asked for Assistance........
I was on for two sessions on Saturday so only got to see one of the other demonstrators who was doing socks and mittens. 

Seal Island

There were no demonstrations after afternoon tea so I took myself off to look at some of Victor Harbour's galleries. Most were closed by 4 pm so drove on to the Bluff and took a photo of Seal Island which looked lovely with the sun and deep shades on the rocks. The Bluff is a great place to sit and observe Encounter Bay with the horse tram trundling away in the distance across the causeway to Granite Island. I went to the opening of the Horse tram back in the nineteen eighties as my young friend was one of the original drivers of the lovely draft horses they use.

Is this South Australia?

Instead of turning right after coming off the Bluff I went left and finished up at King's Beach. Could not resist taking a photo of the distant cottage and the Devon cows in front....
Is this South Australia?? so green and lush looking...
The evening meal at Adare House was a very plain affair, the food for the whole weekend was more suited to ravenous teenage boys rather than a group of women....the brochure said catering was done by well trained staff, I wonder did they all have the weekend off and substituted some young fly by nights.....