Ode to My Mother Linda Tyrer- Galafrey Wines Australian Wines

One of the great joys in life is to sit down at the dinner table with great food and wine and listen to stories. I have listened to countless stories....


Stories like.....how when my parent first brought this property with all their savings in 1977. Mum's dad, a builder came over to have and look and help. Mum showed him around the house and asked "what do you think?"..... He threw a packet of matches at her.

Stories like.....how after running out of money Dad got a job in Perth. They drove down every weekend and worked like slaves planting a vineyard. My dad would be totally exhausted at his "day job", leaving Mt Barker at 4.30 am to start work on Monday , then leaving at 5pm on Fridays. After a nine months of this they realised this was not their dream lifestyle, quit their jobs and moved permanently to Mount Barker. Still broke!
Stories Like it takes 5 years for grapes to grow before you can harvest them. So this property in 1977 had fruit trees and my parents grew pumpkins to supplement their income. They worked very hard, picked fruit all day and took them to market to sell and make money. At the end of the season they counted everything up and made $20 profit. My mum quit that day.

Stories like.....because selling fruit sucks and there was no money in it. They slowly ran out of money. Mum looked at the pantry and thought "this is all the food we have". Concerned they did what most farmers do, sat on the verandah and contemplate life. While looking at our beautiful view they look at the TV tower on Mt Barker Hill. "Maybe I can get a job there?"dad said. Jump in the car and drove up there. Next Day he started work for Telecom in Wagin. A year later was transferred to Mt Barker tower.

Stories like.....Mum Broke the windscreen of the ....wait for it....Kingswood ( he! he! he! special laugh for the type of car!). Anyway she was very upset because I was in the car as a baby and there was glass everywhere. She had to unpack a suitcase and place me in it out of the sun. I think this had happen a few times. So she went to the local garage in Mount Barker and asks for the more expensive but better laminated windscreen that didn't break as easily. The man refused to do it until he had spoken to her husband and have her husband's approval.....WELL..that sent my mum in to a rant ....she did not need her husband approval!! She promptly reminded him who's name was written on the top of his monthly cheque.

What a pioneer!