Journaling in England

A familiar sight. Sheep on the green hillsides. This one is from the window at Near Sawrey B&B right next door to Beatrix Potter’s Hilltop Farm. You can understand why she wanted to keep the area the way she found it.  A large portion of the area is under the Trust Foundation she established to protect the land. And yet today we are recipients of the beautiful sights and sounds we viewed, thanks to her.

The land has many paths that run alongside the curving roads allowing people to walk through the areas that look today like they may have looked in Beatrix Potter’s day. While Debbie and I walked this one (heading to Far Sawrey) we found this little scene upon a fence post! We passed it the first time, but thankfully spotted it on our way back.

This photo was taken inside Near Sawrey B&B where we stayed. The windows from the big house right next door to Beatrix’s farm was beautifully decorated inside. This is the view from the window!

We met two very nice people at Beatrix’s Farm who offered us a ride to Hawkshead, suggesting we visit the quaint town. The two-mile jaunt down winding roads led us to a very scenic area. Way above on a high hill overlooking the town where Mr. Heelis (Beatrix’s husband) kept his office, and where William Wordsworth went to school, we found an ancient church. This was the view from inside looking out.

This picture shows where we stayed in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswald area. Sheep were brought for buying and selling. There were many “hallways” leading out from the town center so sheep could be divided and taken away as they were sold.

Behind our B&B in Stow-on-the-Wold was a huge old church, St. Edwards. As I walked around to the back of the church I saw a beautiful old door with two trees growing on either side. I could only think C.S. Lewis may have liked this scene!

Travel - A Writer's Inspiration

England is calling our name. A friend of mine and I are traipsing over the pond to visit in a few weeks. My friend, who loves all things Victorian, even has her own shoppe with a distinctly Victorian accent, is going over for the first time.

We are both thrilled. Although I have been once, there’s nothing like taking a good friend who will see castles and visit tea rooms, not to mention the English countryside and B &B’s we hope to experience, for the first time.

Her excitement and anticipation has sent me flying to the local travel office for some concrete plans.  It has taken three years, working at a local B&B and selling crocheted baby items at craft shows to save the money. And it’s almost time to actually fulfill the dream. Hers and mine.

Our plan is to arrive in London, then take the train to the Lake District, visit Beatrix Potter’s farm, then off to The Cotswalds, hopefully for a stay in Stow-on-the-Wold, a quaint, historical town. After 3 days at each of those places, we plan on riding the rails to our next stop. Alton. To visit Jane Austen’s homeplace and museum in Chawton.

Then back to London and fly home, star-struck, and planning our next visit!

Where is your dream location?  And why do you want to go there?

Patricia Strefling

www.patriciastrefling.com

Mustang Owners

When your three sons find work on two different coasts and your eldest son and his wife, take themselves and your grand-kids 3000 miles away what do mom and dad do?

Buy a 1965 Mustang of course!

For four years my husband, a local letter carrier walked by homes with old cars sitting in garages. And every time he saw a Mustang…anything older than a 1970, he would ask about it.

But nobody wanted to sell -- until we saw a 1981 Mustang sitting on a corner near our house and stopped to take a look. We quickly went home and dragged our neighbor down to the corner and take a look at it for us.

Our neighbor can tear down a car and have it looking brand new in no time.  He looked at it, declared it would take a lot of work and mentioned that there was a pretty little 1965 sitting down at a local tattoo shop. Would we like to drive by?

Would we like to drive by????

Of course we would. We went in to the tattoo shop, met a nice young man who said he had to sell his Harley or his Mustang for a down-payment on a home. Thankfully he chose the Mustang.

He even took us for a ride in her. When we got out we knew were going to buy that car. And we also knew we had better get it quick. It was hot-shot red, with a 289 engine in it and boy did it roar up good. Ten inch tires on the back kicked us into high gear.

We could hardly sleep that night. Since my husband had to work the next day, my neighbor rode along to make sure I could get the car home.

Neighbor said, “You’d better be there when he opens at noon with cash in your hand. That car is going to go fast.”

So, I rushed to the bank. Got the cash and we were waiting when the owner drove up to open his store the next day.

As I was counting out the cash on the counter some young guy came in and said, “My boss wants to buy that Mustang for his son.”

The owner looked at me, hooked his thumb my way and said, “She just bought it.”
   
The young man howled out loud, “Darn.”

And I tell you I could not help it. I smiled.

Take a look at the photo and tell me we didn’t get a good deal.

My husband spent a couple summers adding, adjusting, redoing, rewiring, and all sorts of things to make our girl, whom we dubbed, Ruby (she is red and she is a jewel after all) look really good.  Step on the gas and everyone knows Ruby is around!

He shined her up and we took her out to our downtown car show and parked her near all the other oldies but goodies.

An investment. That’s what we said when we bought it. And sure enough we are the proud owners of a 1965 red Mustang.

And when the sons and grandsons come home…well, you know they like to lay that accelerator down.

Patricia Strefling