6.07.2011

wandering the countryside...

While I've been fortunate to visit England many many times, I'm usually in the north where my mother is from.  This trip we we hit London and drove south.  By "we" of course I mean Andrew Henry.  AH drove over 1,000 in one week, on the other side of the road, on tiny country lanes in sometimes very inclement weather and he aced it - rock star that he is.

Let's continue our photographic tour around southwestern England shall we? 

old stone walls trying to tame the vast burgeoning greens...


gentle pathways inviting you in...


fences keeping you out (or in depending on your station)...


This is a beautiful castle across the water from one place we stayed.  When the tide is in you can take a boat over...

but twice a day when the tide it out, you can walk across.  We thought that was pretty darn cool...


Oh the sea is so mysterious to me.  Suppose that's because I was born and raised in the desert.



but my DNA knows this water and this land, the country of my mother and many of her ancestors and it whispers "welcome home" when I am there...


and I feel at peace.

10 comments:

Maria said...

Though I have not been there anywhere near as much as you, I too feel that peace that comes with being at home when I was there. Your pictures have captured it perfectly - I actually caught myself taking a deep breath when looking at them - can almost smell the saltiness in the air and feel the coolness of that grass. My boys would love a romp in the pasture with those cuties! Like taking a mini vacation , this was!

Anonymous said...

Jeanette, these are amazing photos. Hopefully, one day I will get to see it in person! Hope you are doing well. xo

Jillian said...

wow! That is amazing that there is a hidden path that you can take twice a day!!!

Stacey said...

Really beautiful photos! Feels like i was transported to another place! Thanks for sharing!:-)

KR said...

Love it all! Could spend the whole summer there! Great shots!

k said...

that castle with the tide is SO darn awesome. it looks beautiful sitting up there and so mysterious because you can only get to it a few times. that is so cooll

Beatnheart said...

I feel the very same when I land on Blighty’s shores. Landing at Heathrow....ahhh. home. weird ha.

good to see you blogging...everyone’s having trouble commenting...I think it started to happen when you left...talk soon. c

MJM said...

Oh so beautiful! That castle path is pretty magical. The Mists of Avalon, anyone?

Oh, and I feel that way about Ireland. Like it's 'home', even though I've never been there.

French Basketeer.com said...

I am fascinated by that castle!

quintessence said...

Oh how beautiful. I'm loving living your vacation vicariously with you!! Your photos are simply stunning and that path that appears with the tide out is amazing!!