Tuesday, October 31, 2006

A little cloudy and overcast; 40 degrees. Up at 6:30 for a shower, breakfast of corn flakes, etc. Left around 8:15 with Maggie today to pick up Bob Carlos, half of our ambassadors from the Albuquerque club. His wife Barbara went with another couple as their hosts couldn't attend today's festivities and we had an extra seat in the car. Bob, who reminds us all of Mr. Rogers, is a retired rocket scientist - a bit on the absent-minded professor type - but constantly asking questions wherever and whenever. A little distracting but this morning in the car he is mute - possibly missing Barbara as she seems to keep him grounded and in order.
At any rate, our first stop is the Apple Museum where we were greeted by an American guy giving us the history of the Huon Valley Apple Orchards. Unfortunately I don't have his name but he reminded me of a young Jeff Goldblum, both in the way he looked and his humorous demeanor. He was most charming and entertaining telling us how he met his wife thru an accidental email he sent. Seems he left off a comma or period or something in the person's email address he was trying to get and the message came to this young lady in the Huon Valley. They started a correspondence on that mistake and 11 months later he came to visit her in Tasmania. Long story short, they married and lived happily ever after running the Apple Museum and Gift Shop and raising kids. He was a trip and very glad to have a bunch of Americans to give his schpiel to. Their gift shop was extremely well stocked, prices were very reasonable and we purchased several items. We also took a lot of pictures and I have most of his apple cutting demostration on tape. Bob had lots of questions for him and then when it was time to move on to the next location, we couldn't find him - he just disappeared. Maggie sent Wil and I to look for him and when we couldn't find him, we came back to the car and there he was. Weird.
The next stop was the Mushroom Factory. This also was a most enlightening and interesting tour. They grow all kinds of mushrooms way out here in the country including shitake, coral, oyster and lots of unusual ones for the Oriental trade. They also produce button and brown mushrooms - those are the ones we're most familiar with. We divided up into two groups (Bob off with Barbara on the other one of course) and ours headed off with the foreman of the exotic mushroom farm. He was a bit apprehensive having to talk to all of us Yankees; he was a sturdy farm-stock fellow, very soft spoken. Once he got over his initial shyness and saw that we were really interested in what he had to say, he opened up some and really knew his business. Which, I'm supposing is why he's the foreman. I don't really remember what all he told us but I was fascinated by how the mushrooms are grown. They seed these small compressed blocks with mushrooms spores, keep them at a certain level of temperature and dampness until they "bloom". They they cut off the developed mushrooms, put the blocks back on the racks until they "bloom" again and start all over. They can do this multiple times before the blocks are no longer useful. Even then, they sterilize the blocks and use them over again as compost. He showed us some really unusual mushrooms - red, green, pink - all of them destined for the Orient. I asked what they tasted like and I think he was afraid to admit that he doesn't eat mushrooms. Which we all thought was really funny! He did say though that his wife was Oriental and she says they are delicious and uses them in a lot of her cooking. He just picks them out. Once again, I took a lot of pictures.
We then switched places with the other group and went with the Button Mushroom foreman - I should say forewoman - Jenna. She was delightful and most outgoing - a complete contrast with the other foreman. She told us all about how they grow the button mushrooms and the composting they employ to grow them in. We went thru that part of the facility and actually watched some of the "pickers" cutting the mushrooms off the blocks and packing them. They sure looked good. They are in big warehouse style buildings on scaffolding and so the pickers have to go up and down ladders all day for the ones on the top rows or bend over practically on their heads to get to the ones on the bottom. Very interesting. Jenna was interested in coming to visit America so I gave her one of my cards and told her to look us up if she wanted to see Louisiana.
Next stop was the Apple Carver Museum and Gardens. This place was sort of indescribable: sort of like a Tinkertown in Tasmania. This 85 year old man and his 84 year old wife have built these miniature towns in their backyard complete with people and sound effects. They've even made up stories about some of them and sell the stories on the side. They also have some full scale models of nursery rhymes and American Indians and native Tasmania people and various other things thru out their property. The place is open to the public for the cost of a donation and you can wander about as long as you like. When they found out we were from America, he invited us into their house to meet his wife who doesn't get around very well anymore. She mostly sits in the dining room which has a big picture window and overlooks quite a bit of the gardens so she can kind of keep an eye on things from there. The house was a pretty big rambling place with dolls of all sorts everywhere. She carves apple head dolls and also has a collection of those Dicken's wall heads. A delightful couple who truly seem to enjoy watching people enjoy their creations. Everyone - even the Tasmanians - was duly impressed.
We then went to Huonville for lunch at a place called Banjo's - a local deli-style franchise. Wil exchanged more money in the bank there while I purchased a lunch of sandwichs, meat pies and sausage rolls. Quite tasty and the baguettes were exceptional. We kept losing Bob as he was trying to find Barbara - not an easy feat even though this town wasn't very big. So he settled for lunch with us and then lo and behold he spotted her so he took off to have lunch with her. It seems their hosts had sent along a picnic for them and I guess he didn't want to buy lunch if he didn't have to.
We walked along the waterfront and saw the old gum tree carvings. The trees have passed their usefulness so they have been cut down and carved into some really unusual artwork. Quite nicely done and I have more photos to prove it.
Now we're off to the Hartz Mountain Winery. It's quite a ways on a windey road but we finally find it. The wine is good but a little expensive for those of us not big drinkers. However, they do have mead and we buy 3 tiny casks of it for the boys for Christmas. They seemed to really like it at Medieval Times in Orlando. The scenery would be beautiful here on the top of this mountain surrounded by vineyards if it weren't for the chill in the air and the clouds that are following us all day and dripping on us. Instead we have to settle for the various birds in residence: several peacocks and peahens and a talking cockatiel. I knew there must be some connection to the Hartz Mountain label of pet supplies here in the US but can't figure it out.
We left the winery and proceeded down the mountain on another windey narrow road to the Grandvewe Cheesery for cheese tasting. Their cheese, yogurt and ice cream are all made from sheep milk. I didn't try any but Wil seemed to like it, I think. After the tasting we went to their milking room and watched them milk the sheep. As soon as the sheep are finished milking, they get down off the platform and seemingly go to the end of the line to be milked again. It was very strange and funny to watch. We each held a lamb and had photos taken and talked with the owners - an extremely friendly family who ran the place. I made friends with the big, wet dog who followed me around the farm begging for part of the cookie in my pocket. I finally gave in and fed it to him - big mistake - he's now my friend for life! I really think I could go back there anytime, and he would let me in.
We left then and on the way home, we got Bob to open up and talk. This after Maggie bet me I couldn't get him to say anything. It seems that he and Barbara have a highly functioning but autistic son back in New Mexico who lives in his own apartment but has a personal assistant help him with life. It sounds as if he Asperger's Syndrome. Actually I think that's Bob's problem also and once he started talking we couldn't get him to shut up. It was actually very interesting but he talked all the way back to town where we stopped at the grocery store for a few items. By this time it was pouring rain and Maggie suggested that I go in with her. I was fascinated and took a few pictures for comparison. The cute young checkout man thought I was crazy until he found out that I was an American - he thought we are all crazy! I ended up giving him a LA quarter and he went off duty laughing. I told him he would have a good story to tell his friends.
We came home after dropping Bob off, quiet once again, and had a lovely dinner of prawn salad, sweet and sour chicken, mashed potatoes and brocolli, beer and wine to drink. Lovely conversation also. Wil showed our pictures on the computer while we ate ice cream. Now Maggie's off to the casino down the road to play in a blackjack tournament. I don't know how she'll stay awake but that's not my problem. We wish her well and fall into bed!