From Carolina Blue to Northeast Grey

Leaving Raleigh in brilliant early morning sunshine. Even Jasmin, getting over a 'flu-like cold caught at Summer camp, had a bright smile. Flight to Dulles went fine........then things went downhill rather than skyward for a while! Sat on the tarmac for almost three hours in the tiny commuter jet. The heavens were heaving up North, many air routes closed to the Northeast. Three hours with a cup of water and a fabulous flight attendant (a former high school teacher) who did her best, and succeeded, to entertain and placate us. Thank you Nancy from St. Louis, you are one of United's best.

We arrived in New Hampshire, hungry! We stepped out into the drizzly rain and discovered it was cool - no actually it was cold. However we were safe and our luggage was there. Traveling can sometimes be harrowing but it's still worthwhile. We're off to Boston tomorrow.......hope the sun comes out and I can get photos to share with you.

Historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Do you search along the roads for history? Do you seek out places where you can learn about the difficulties and sadness brought upon families who were struggling to start a new life of freedom and happiness in their often adopted country? If you travel with my dh you will get to see everything related to the history of this great country, and then some! Or, as traveling granddaughter Jasmin said, "not another battlefield granddad, please"!!!!

After visiting the battlefield in Fredericksburg, VA on the way to Washington, D.C., this road trip of 1,100 miles included a stop on our return journey to North Carolina in Gettysburg, PA. Founded in 1786, it was the site of the terrible three day Civil War Battle in July 1863.
Below, the historic Gettysburg Railway Station ~ President Abraham Lincoln arrived here on November 18, 1863 to dedicate the national cemetery.

Walking along the streets of this historic town, many of the old buildings had characteristics which caught my eye ~ this magnificent iron porch railing and matching decorative ends being my favorite.

As the house is so old - well here in the USA it is as we are still a young country - I can imagine this intricate ironwork would create another Gettysburg battle if ever up for sale! Can't you just see people frantically bidding on it at auction?

Looking toward Devil's Den on the Gettysburg Battlefield from Little Round Top

An important stop for us during the battlefield tour was here at the North Carolina State Monument on Seminary Ridge. This cast bronze sculpture is an impressive design by Gutzon Borglum, the Danish-American artist sculptor most famous for creating the monumental presidents' heads at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

With dramatic flair, Borglum made arrangements for an airplane to fly over the monument during the dedication ceremony on July 3, 1929, and during the unveiling, the plane scattered roses across the field as a salute to those many North Carolinians who had fought and died at Gettysburg.

My next post will conclude our trip and show some "sweeter" moments where the only battle was for chocolate and antiquities to bring home.

Traveling Friends

I'm back from a pleasant trip and will post a few more photos when I get them organized.

I have special friends who travel to very exotic places in the world ~ Africa on Safari, the Antarctic on board Russian ice breakers, tiny Easter Island and Tahiti in the wide Pacific Ocean, and so many other places few of us ever visit.

My dear Washington State friend Patti, and her dh, leave next weekend on another of their romantic trips, this time to Romania and Bulgaria. Names such as Bucharest and Sofia are familiar, but journeying into Transylvania to actually trek to Vlad Tepes - Dracula's castle - how thrilling that will be!

My 'bon voyage' card made with love and carrying best wishes to my dear friends as they fly away to experience and enjoy the sights and sounds of these exciting countries.

Have a fabulous vacation ~ I will be waiting to hear all about it.

Cherry Blossoms ~ Washington, D.C.

Hello from Washington, D.C. A few pictures taken yesterday.

When I emigrated from England to the United States, my first home was Washington, D.C. Arriving late on an October night in the nation's Capital, my first glimpse of the Washington Monument was the next morning. Looking from my window, there it stood just a few blocks away, a sight I grew to enjoy and never tired of. Later I would climb to the top and take in that gorgeous view of the Capitol, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Reflecting Pool, Smithsonian Museum etc., amazed that I, young English woman had 'crossed the pond' from my little seaside home and was living in such a beautiful city.

Washington Monument ~ April 2, 2008

Arlington National Cemetery ~ visiting here was both sad (we attended a burial) and amazingly peaceful and beautiful in Spring.

Looking toward the Lincoln Memorial From Arlington.
The Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing ~ and the sights have been beautiful.

The Journey is the Reward

A magnificent French staircase similar to the one in my brother's village home in Southwest France.

I'll be gone for about a week ~ on Spring Break!

Up and down the stairs today as we ready and pack for a trip North. First stop Washington, D.C. where we'll be attending a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery for a very dear friend who passed away last week.

Following that we head to Bucks County, Pennsylvania to visit family ~ my mother-in-law who will be celebrating her ninetieth birthday soon, and dh's sister and her great family.

The original door and hardware to my brother's house ~ the key to the castle.

We'll be locking up our home with something much less romantic!

Perhaps some 'post cards from the edge' if I have time, if not I'll catch up on my return.

Always remember - LET THE JOURNEY BE THE REWARD.

Wren Update: Today it's rained nonstop ~ great because we've been in a drought. Checked the wrens' nest on the porch and saw not only mom sitting on her eggs, but dad was squeezed in there also. Such a sweet surprise ~ guess he wanted a warm dry spot to hang out!

Visit to Lyme Regis, Dorset

You may remember this movie which opened with a breathtaking shot of Meryl Streep on the Cobb wall in Lyme Regis. John Fowles novel The French Lieutenant's Woman became a movie in 1981. Prior to that, the Cobb was an important feature in Jane Austen's 1818 novel Persuasion. The Cobb is a harbour wall full of character and history - it stretches out into Lyme Bay on the Jurassic Coast of the county of Dorset on the South coast of England.

Lyme Regis is a pretty town and was well-sited for trade with France in the 16-18th centuries. The port declined in the 19th century because it was unable to handle the increase in ship sizes.


On a perfect sunny October day we enjoyed the harbor full of fishing and pleasure boats.................

...............viewing the somewhat quirky mix of architecture along the seafront..................................................

................................and watching local wildlife.

These huge gulls will steal your lunchtime crab sandwich right out of your hand!


The local cats perform free aerial circus acts ~ without safety nets!

And almost everyone you pass has a sweet dog such as this very well behaved beagle.

A day at the shore ~ a quaint seaside town steeped in history ~ I've put The French Lieutenant's Woman in my Netflix Queue ~ must view it again now I've actually walked The Cobb.

Story of a Seaside Village

All across the mostly rural West Country of England, villages and hamlets are tucked into the folds of the rolling hills, moorland, and valleys. The attractive homes range from slate roofed houses to converted barns to ancient thatched cottages. The old thatched cottage with roses around the door has always conjured up the true heart of English country living.


Below is the village of Branscombe, Devon where the hills swoop down to the sea. In January of this year you may have heard about the beaching and break up of the huge container ship Napoli off the pebbled beach. 25 containers washed ashore and huge crowds of scavengers descended on the beach to carry off everything from BMW motorcycles to disposable diapers! The tiny picturesque village was then closed to streams of traffic trying to maneuver through the narrow lanes by potential beachcombers and media hoards. Half of the ship remains off the beach and it's hoped it will be removed soon. The beach is still being cleaned up and looked quite good when we visited. Luckily the seabirds did not suffer too much from the oil spilled.Remaining half of the Napoli off Branscombe beach on an October afternoon.Carrying the groceries home across the cliffs of Branscombe - Brits are great walkers. Note how the always green fields of England run all the way down to the cliff edge by the sea.Time for a cuppa! The little thatched tea room right on the beach - with such a delightful painted sign - the owners live here year round. Leaving the village, cottages line the lane. I came across this wonderful garden in a little valley. Tended with loving care - and a lot of hard work I'm sure - cooing white doves on several dovecotes, a Summerhouse, and a bridge crossing the brook.

The 12th century Norman church within view of the clothes line - wouldn't you just love pegging out the washing to dry with a view like this?
Hope you enjoyed a visit to this village~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~more to come later on other West Country places of great interest.

"Cheerio".........for now

Tomorrow I'm 'crossing the pond' and going home. I'll be looking eastward from the balcony and waking to this sunrise view for the next couple of weeks - looking across the bay, toward the English Channel. My hometown, Torquay, is in Devon in the Southwest of England.

Staying here in this beautiful Regency crescent building which was built 150 years ago. The center section is a five star hotel, each end comprises of private residences, a few rental apartments and timeshare units. Our 'Balcony Apartment' is to the left of the palm tree on the second floor (first floor in England)

You can see how the building is elevated just above the beach - high tide in this picture below - and there are scenic walks along the cliffs - part of the South Devon Coastal Path. Below - looking back from the cliff walk, across the bay to the west. I always sit on this bench and take in the panoramic view.From this location we can walk downhill to the harbor and into town just beyond that sandstone cliff, takes about 15 mins. as I love to stop and admire the gardens along the way. Return walk takes longer uphill (Torquay is built on seven hills like Rome) but it will be good exercise for us after these clotted cream teas at 4 PM each afternoon! Warm out of the oven scones served with homemade strawberry jam and Devonshire Cream - the specialty thick clotted cream of the county of Devon.

There is also Cornish cream from the neighboring county of Cornwall - complete with ongoing debate about whose cream is best. As far as I know, nowhere else in Britain is known for it's cream, probably because these are the two counties where the Jersey breed of cows are raised and produce high fat, creamy milk.

Needless to say, imbibing in this afternoon treat is neither low cal nor healthy for the arteries - but it's not like I do it often - two years since the last delicious cream tea! This English tradition is best enjoyed in a lush flower filled cottage garden, a proper but very cozy tea room, or on a terrace overlooking the sea. So, I will indulge, and also have one for my British friends over here - Jackie, Paula and Jen - gosh I already see another diet on the horizon in November!

Hope to take some new cottage pics to bring you - Devon is known for its thatched roofed, cob walled cottages surrounded by lovely flower-filled gardens, apple orchards and babbling brooks. Old villages are numerous, surrounded by ancient family farms, usually with a square towered Norman church, and of course the local pub, the social center of the community.......anyone ready for a pint of bitter (dark ale).........or perhaps you ladies will have a 'Shandy' (lager and lemonade)?

Below is my little journal to jot down my thoughts and add some memorabilia from this trip The 'stamps' were made especially for me by my wonderful friend in Washington State - fabulous! Thanks again dear Patti.
Wish I could tuck each of you cottage loving gals into my suitcase and take you on a guided tour of scenic Devon - know you would love it all. I'll do my best to take pics to share with you on my return. Until that time - end of October - I'll miss you all but promise to catch up with you again. Thank you for becoming my friends, I really do appreciate the time you spend visiting me online, and I love checking in with all of you and reading your wonderful posts.

So "Cheerio" for now. Don't forsake me.............don't forget me.................I promise to be back before you know it.

History Lessons

Pleasant weekend trip to visit family in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and West Virginia, stopping in Harpers Ferry where history comes alive among the quaint buildings climbing up the hillside above the river. This small town witnessed the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, and the largest surrender of federal troops during the Civil War.

The heat was intense - the local population disrobed and headed for the Shenandoah River where they cooled their heels kayaking and tubing....................such sensible country folk. Appomattox Court House, Virginia - 1865 Civil War surrender site of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The village, originally called Clover Hill, was a settlement of small houses around the Tavern which was the stopping off point on the main Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road.

The Plunkett-Meeks Store

The Woodson Law OfficeThe original Clover Hill Tavern
Beautiful Virginia countryside.