Downton Abbey Film Locations

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Highclere Castle is the primary film location</div><div style="text-align: center;">for ITV's popular <i>Downton Abbey</i> television series</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Highclere Castle is open to the public select days each year</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU05MDiYP2ecrILd4wdTMloML8S-nb_elcTvDkh7W8NDxYeN0Le7_nOkSs6RW6OeLzuruYLJ392169_8g2jLORYFOoVNdaq_uMhRBo2tTsaRhosEyZnXgHeFezGXnyuis-MledUL70VwK/s1600/Downton_Abbey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU05MDiYP2ecrILd4wdTMloML8S-nb_elcTvDkh7W8NDxYeN0Le7_nOkSs6RW6OeLzuruYLJ392169_8g2jLORYFOoVNdaq_uMhRBo2tTsaRhosEyZnXgHeFezGXnyuis-MledUL70VwK/s1600/Downton_Abbey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Downton_Abbey.jpg">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although I won't have a chance to visit Highclere Castle, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I recently had tea at Byfleet Manor </div><div style="text-align: center;">(aka Lady Violet Crawley's house in the series)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not too far from London,</div><div style="text-align: center;">this private home opens to the public for tea parties, special events, and pre-arranged tours</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjIgZkojn8jwAB1MGM9ur8dVucy28gfe3-FEc9DCJJ6q55zq1t7kbGGz3OaqLdbsnLi1OPjiONGMM4y1Hi_pJEvsh-wZWllxz1D6iDRyywX7CLgEwDApR_JCx3N-b2jLmWOrwVQXdYhSq/s1600/DSC01231-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjIgZkojn8jwAB1MGM9ur8dVucy28gfe3-FEc9DCJJ6q55zq1t7kbGGz3OaqLdbsnLi1OPjiONGMM4y1Hi_pJEvsh-wZWllxz1D6iDRyywX7CLgEwDApR_JCx3N-b2jLmWOrwVQXdYhSq/s1600/DSC01231-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The original portion of the house was built in 1670</div><div style="text-align: center;">in the location of a previous palace belonging to Henry VIII</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Two wings were added later</div><div style="text-align: center;">and each lived in by different residents today</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hutton family resides in the middle portion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which is used for filming</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qNNxyT5MS6RhuFXb6ZG9u_58KLrrfd2U-sVvWZiaehxCGaoBsq6UpVjtRtUauJW-TtD47-qtW4IL0X-xypDbTiMTIEWg-TtctBEkL5oFAjhBUK16H3CqLYFAe-N2g-rSw9lCerG3o_CA/s1600/DSC01247-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qNNxyT5MS6RhuFXb6ZG9u_58KLrrfd2U-sVvWZiaehxCGaoBsq6UpVjtRtUauJW-TtD47-qtW4IL0X-xypDbTiMTIEWg-TtctBEkL5oFAjhBUK16H3CqLYFAe-N2g-rSw9lCerG3o_CA/s1600/DSC01247-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most filmed room for 'Dower House' of Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A great story unfolded thirteen years ago...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With a newborn in her arms,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Julie Hutton watched in horror as her dog ran off and bit a man </div><div style="text-align: center;">who turned out to be a judge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As you would expect, </div><div style="text-align: center;">a policeman came knocking at her door to take the dog away</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The policeman took pity on the emotional new mom and did not take the dog,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and impulsively the Huttons bought Byfleet Manor with its fenced yard</div><div style="text-align: center;">(which she saw in a flier) </div><div style="text-align: center;">in an effort to save their pet</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It worked - the dog was saved</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eJx1FINeNHcVnQhu4iBGP5vxkmVR_6MMYu30YXvKGrg_hjYhDoMV1bjDrgFm34cn7dOdLJs71S0GROjQCIKNXzHcDYEHfCb24Ecwy8sR7sWm6_WlhyphenhyphenU2XlzAvGrR4BebcKsbopSXsOaa/s1600/DSC01237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eJx1FINeNHcVnQhu4iBGP5vxkmVR_6MMYu30YXvKGrg_hjYhDoMV1bjDrgFm34cn7dOdLJs71S0GROjQCIKNXzHcDYEHfCb24Ecwy8sR7sWm6_WlhyphenhyphenU2XlzAvGrR4BebcKsbopSXsOaa/s1600/DSC01237.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Years later, a stranger knocked on their Byfleet Manor front door </div><div style="text-align: center;">and asked if the house could be used for filming a television show</div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Downton Abbey</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They said yes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and interestingly all 'Dower House' scenes for the season are filmed in just one day</div><div style="text-align: center;">(plus one day to clear out the room and another day to put it back together)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNJ8QnTUneKrM93vQ77q_9MfxedTphkf8-gf_qERDigq7KUB2wb7hKSr5UX8OiUxF5e5V68oqGizvvCec50AqEOPSLiw_ewHCsMX7wjrFxONTTdVs4htqC_FIYLoahSvo1_eBVx_DbDub/s1600/DSC01238-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNJ8QnTUneKrM93vQ77q_9MfxedTphkf8-gf_qERDigq7KUB2wb7hKSr5UX8OiUxF5e5V68oqGizvvCec50AqEOPSLiw_ewHCsMX7wjrFxONTTdVs4htqC_FIYLoahSvo1_eBVx_DbDub/s1600/DSC01238-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a peek at the Hutton's beautiful garden within the 24 acre property</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyRzuRkAkAh35NVdv_mfyepxJwkvJuAgba0EnxqPPxYAFnBnwbGGgbGc6TI-sB7HGBbEt9DGHHIfYIy0xBIenVhMCwvMmgHkf7E7WxRfC8dPs9lTrosCvGVfpUATYZeKVRw2udg8vzHLv/s1600/DSC01250-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyRzuRkAkAh35NVdv_mfyepxJwkvJuAgba0EnxqPPxYAFnBnwbGGgbGc6TI-sB7HGBbEt9DGHHIfYIy0xBIenVhMCwvMmgHkf7E7WxRfC8dPs9lTrosCvGVfpUATYZeKVRw2udg8vzHLv/s1600/DSC01250-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and one of their pet pigs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo9KGAN9uRZcO7fROKwDB_imTknMwBLd49rorqOk92K8duvfEtN8cOaoDhUFdDJjjYwsjhfl7FIHMDI6z8B34b8t-NhFJS0DQqa3H_elFfJObaCt7LTxHwyL-TDmXyERJxUbHUMLJ_5yp/s1600/DSC01260-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo9KGAN9uRZcO7fROKwDB_imTknMwBLd49rorqOk92K8duvfEtN8cOaoDhUFdDJjjYwsjhfl7FIHMDI6z8B34b8t-NhFJS0DQqa3H_elFfJObaCt7LTxHwyL-TDmXyERJxUbHUMLJ_5yp/s1600/DSC01260-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I find this animal lover's story to be a great reminder -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When life sends you a lemon,</div><div style="text-align: center;">it could be for lemonade</div><div style="text-align: center;">:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- images my own, excluding first one -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Links: <a href="http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/">Highclere Castle</a>,<a href="http://www.byfleetmanor.com/"> Byfleet Manor</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Downton Abbey Film Locations

Highclere Castle is the primary film locationfor ITV's popular Downton Abbey television seriesHighclere Castle is open to the public select days each yearwikipediaAlthough I won't have a chance to visit Highclere Castle, I recently had tea at Byfleet Manor (aka Lady Violet Crawley's house in the ser…

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Visiting Gertrude Jekyll's Home

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">So, wow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This week I visited the Godalming home of </div><div style="text-align: center;">the most famous garden designer of all time,</div><div style="text-align: center;">at least in my mind</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Gertrude Jekyll -</div><div style="text-align: center;">(pronounced GEE-kul)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXN7i9aBuiRQFoCPvKkTR0AwWiwrpzUc_cF_rwkjHNYoiGcziYtOXkFe_jU1hUoy3CpwCeN_w1glMZY7dTvuh7cKJwpvvwGLWJSSeDKCv8tlqd1hRalZrUV9ennNNXzxKGURPM6RA5NEU/s1600/DSC01123-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXN7i9aBuiRQFoCPvKkTR0AwWiwrpzUc_cF_rwkjHNYoiGcziYtOXkFe_jU1hUoy3CpwCeN_w1glMZY7dTvuh7cKJwpvvwGLWJSSeDKCv8tlqd1hRalZrUV9ennNNXzxKGURPM6RA5NEU/s1600/DSC01123-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not only was she THE garden designer for wealthy Edwardian homeowners,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she was an artist, writer, photographer, and propagator</div><div style="text-align: center;">(1843 - 1932)<br /><br />Think of the opulent era of the <i>Titanic</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Being an artist and photographer,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she came to landscape design with a fresh eye</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While formal French and Italian gardens had been in fashion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she introduced the revolutionary herbaceous border</div><div style="text-align: center;">Americans would describe as 'the English Garden'<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWWncWoaxnPfABAjwIbaQHlg6oeyLCfIPDKBzQF4DyO15ZWUnQBItwZxmU7Lib6yIv1Dqa0_qJTF07lECBdWfd9Ay7iMBrn7D9P5nr94Dj8zcQsXvnF2YdoiCMwYkWJkRfGhW68eckDEm/s1600/2014-05-15+12-07-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWWncWoaxnPfABAjwIbaQHlg6oeyLCfIPDKBzQF4DyO15ZWUnQBItwZxmU7Lib6yIv1Dqa0_qJTF07lECBdWfd9Ay7iMBrn7D9P5nr94Dj8zcQsXvnF2YdoiCMwYkWJkRfGhW68eckDEm/s1600/2014-05-15+12-07-036.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She included plants that grow well in England</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as the rose, daylily, foxglove and lavender<br /><br />She was interested not only in flowers,<br />but also texture, structure and leaf shapes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A border that is a little bit messy with drifts of flowers,</div><div style="text-align: center;">not tidy or formal at all<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMteR520zb4D__5zh8sbg8eOkzPpkImjqVy02LFwM0HsIq56xgKsAaKvDjV3jYikhsGTNjDpVk8Vp6WAgZbExnaEItveissNgziwEAqxcS2QYeiVb98_BlWmC0EDCHKPOtOdnYup5odpVc/s1600/DSC01112-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMteR520zb4D__5zh8sbg8eOkzPpkImjqVy02LFwM0HsIq56xgKsAaKvDjV3jYikhsGTNjDpVk8Vp6WAgZbExnaEItveissNgziwEAqxcS2QYeiVb98_BlWmC0EDCHKPOtOdnYup5odpVc/s1600/DSC01112-004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Uniquely,<br /> Jekyll also played with color schemes seen in her famous all-white gardens and</div><div style="text-align: center;">all hot and all cool colored borders<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ms Jekyll also came up with the idea of cozy garden 'rooms'</div><div style="text-align: center;">and a peek into another room through a hedge<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLe94MxPIXP1MZ6rq-8RyC0EmatInjRLLoc_BnOvSy97edzyhdYogwsN4XIgsN6IZkV2cnjRxTpjKKytu-dQXKxISk20q4-WWUs_4CSou1mlWYH8JLV_HJz2bF17MyErqxarhzwYNN3l-/s1600/DSC01072-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLe94MxPIXP1MZ6rq-8RyC0EmatInjRLLoc_BnOvSy97edzyhdYogwsN4XIgsN6IZkV2cnjRxTpjKKytu-dQXKxISk20q4-WWUs_4CSou1mlWYH8JLV_HJz2bF17MyErqxarhzwYNN3l-/s1600/DSC01072-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This tireless woman had a team of workers</div><div style="text-align: center;">help manage and cultivate her 17 acre property</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She grew all the plants she installed in her customers' gardens,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so her plantings still grow all over England today<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2lzlD92vozwPKe7AENN25dSKKhSb3bqpgItM0S1G_c3GxtcKSgOHDUQu1FX6ekXOgkgXb-Ggq6eshc4JrLpQQC0lBegMWQfQ8OMXXfc3HD50lY6wG4lPTWRqp7gOSP_QQKUXbxg-2Ddu/s1600/DSC01065-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2lzlD92vozwPKe7AENN25dSKKhSb3bqpgItM0S1G_c3GxtcKSgOHDUQu1FX6ekXOgkgXb-Ggq6eshc4JrLpQQC0lBegMWQfQ8OMXXfc3HD50lY6wG4lPTWRqp7gOSP_QQKUXbxg-2Ddu/s1600/DSC01065-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When WWI rolled around,</div><div style="text-align: center;">customers no longer had money to spend on her designs or plants,</div><div style="text-align: center;">her designs grew out of favor, and her workers went off to fight in the war<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSgasJa6atWJiGzI-vnjj143cUE1YZnPx3JWCXjVVMf0YE1GJ1h3sMHF-6aEtkddCvRotluhB6TaMcMJu6OGqRbz7hd9ZVgUY4ZG5WN3wFvw9aGCgWpsBorHrAJY1K9nHhiTFXIrjXfg4/s1600/DSC01100-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSgasJa6atWJiGzI-vnjj143cUE1YZnPx3JWCXjVVMf0YE1GJ1h3sMHF-6aEtkddCvRotluhB6TaMcMJu6OGqRbz7hd9ZVgUY4ZG5WN3wFvw9aGCgWpsBorHrAJY1K9nHhiTFXIrjXfg4/s1600/DSC01100-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From donkey carts to potting sheds, Jekyll's house was a working home</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Finding herself with a sharp decrease in income,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she did have a bit of luck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although she never visited America,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a high demand for her services started coming across the pond</div><div style="text-align: center;">which created a resurgence in her business</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is probably why she is the only historical garden designer</div><div style="text-align: center;">I had heard of before I moved here<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-CeNmmyNE_RW_TApIO_WRvLOQjLOCxcvtd1CTkLS5XXylzBmiuH7zp8ieDvz4StKjiTollF84ArXKqFRTVJEztUtwMxCGG0M-1IEBsY6fjf6fYJD3IYP4jdygpW0VH4jRppS3VjdxzGt/s1600/DSC01078-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-CeNmmyNE_RW_TApIO_WRvLOQjLOCxcvtd1CTkLS5XXylzBmiuH7zp8ieDvz4StKjiTollF84ArXKqFRTVJEztUtwMxCGG0M-1IEBsY6fjf6fYJD3IYP4jdygpW0VH4jRppS3VjdxzGt/s1600/DSC01078-003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She left a legacy behind in America with Munstead Lavender </div><div style="text-align: center;">being one of the most common lavender varieties sold in the US today</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's named after her home, Munstead Wood, </div><div style="text-align: center;">where she propagated it<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ay4rvQU3KiDKF3PkbdIe7jsG4aOKqQOopUq3ITLUE8BgOrd6k9EoCylIsFocbOtFyPhicV1Qfa-58nqd_kRqMHtsLO-Muz_Bxkls-oaKjVSR1ouSebWvWu-UUvksKNvKC_qq9L23huuN/s1600/DSC01090-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ay4rvQU3KiDKF3PkbdIe7jsG4aOKqQOopUq3ITLUE8BgOrd6k9EoCylIsFocbOtFyPhicV1Qfa-58nqd_kRqMHtsLO-Muz_Bxkls-oaKjVSR1ouSebWvWu-UUvksKNvKC_qq9L23huuN/s1600/DSC01090-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After Jekyll died,</div><div style="text-align: center;">her property was divided into five parcels and sold off</div><div style="text-align: center;">Much of it was turfed over, and some transformed into a tennis court</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fortunately the current owners of her home realized the treasure they had</div><div style="text-align: center;">and restored the gardens to their original state,</div><div style="text-align: center;">thanks to the documentation in Jekyll's photographs and plans<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJIJrYvtM7pz9zBN4aMHKTT5ANXc7FEFoqmTn0XptypScLlOb7Ss_u6o9bKIGN-IggId4qPvrsCsiFKNmuTUlykD4Y1TdCugwz133jvrbIUadEP5DEOs-wMrgkH39QGbgmi9mFrkSHeqW/s1600/DSC01127-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJIJrYvtM7pz9zBN4aMHKTT5ANXc7FEFoqmTn0XptypScLlOb7Ss_u6o9bKIGN-IggId4qPvrsCsiFKNmuTUlykD4Y1TdCugwz133jvrbIUadEP5DEOs-wMrgkH39QGbgmi9mFrkSHeqW/s1600/DSC01127-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some of the original trees still stand</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the gardens feel original<br />Ah, such tranquility and beauty<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In fact, Jekyll created the gardens <i>before</i> she had the house built</div><div style="text-align: center;">She had a very successful partnership with the famous architect, Edwin Lutyen</div><div style="text-align: center;">He was in great demand for designing country homes<br />and she designed the gardens for his houses<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He designed Munstead Wood too<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlhVTlkez5MXF43OodXssUOAOFVxz7K_o7UMuWTc0vcxS5kn57KzA8VA6OwziuG_z5RiinBrBPQ91QiEe-V-kURd-QPqMc3wYe1h5IFGbaEriQbx0b0YX-RJOQtopGzJLsADUEsJlldQP/s1600/DSC01093-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlhVTlkez5MXF43OodXssUOAOFVxz7K_o7UMuWTc0vcxS5kn57KzA8VA6OwziuG_z5RiinBrBPQ91QiEe-V-kURd-QPqMc3wYe1h5IFGbaEriQbx0b0YX-RJOQtopGzJLsADUEsJlldQP/s1600/DSC01093-002.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>So amazing to brush against</div><div>such a tireless and innovative woman</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos my own -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Visitor informaton: <a href="http://www.lutyenstrust.org.uk/properties/jekyll.htm">Lutyens Trust</a> </span></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Visiting Gertrude Jekyll's Home

So, wow.This week I visited the Godalming home of the most famous garden designer of all time,at least in my mind- Gertrude Jekyll -(pronounced GEE-kul)Not only was she THE garden designer for wealthy Edwardian homeowners,she was an artist, writer, photographer, and propagator(1843 - 1932)Think of t…

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Alice In Wonderland - Oxford

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Hello, lovely readers</div><div style="text-align: center;">How you filled my heart with joy</div><div style="text-align: center;">with your kind comments on my last post</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still tackling my 'must visit' list</div><div style="text-align: center;">as our final weeks approach</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This one had been at the tippy top for years and did not disappoint -</div><div style="text-align: center;">a tour of Oxford through the lens of</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland' (1865)<br /><br />I just have to share!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xQOMDnm1GPqtjmACVa_8U_4Wd5sMcZFjyDDPKqjApFUADMH72IaKrSMmr52UcQ1EETXnrQZcQABY6QgbscmZ5D_J6ULTz5rNbChZC5FFXGQnaz3aIrvLTPboyR3w_bBgm8AbjagwWsCL/s1600/DSC01000-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xQOMDnm1GPqtjmACVa_8U_4Wd5sMcZFjyDDPKqjApFUADMH72IaKrSMmr52UcQ1EETXnrQZcQABY6QgbscmZ5D_J6ULTz5rNbChZC5FFXGQnaz3aIrvLTPboyR3w_bBgm8AbjagwWsCL/s1600/DSC01000-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ Church College at Oxford University (where Carroll taught)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oxford University math lecturer, Charles Dodgson, </div><div style="text-align: center;">wrote many literary and mathematical works</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">His pen name was Lewis Carroll</div><div style="text-align: center;">and for many years his colleagues didn't piece together who Lewis Carroll was</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is speculated that Dodgson/Carroll was somewhat embarrassed </div><div style="text-align: center;">that he was writing children stories although they were successful<br /><br />In fact<br />Queen Victoria requested a copy of his next book,<br />which turned out to be about mathematics<br />(probably not what she had in mind)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BNp0e7UNWFrzfNGmpdVUIbCZ7Z_0wfyf31-mgssPZAmUXolLHuA7LSYez4Eykogx-PXGk1jdLho52dzB1xFiFoc4rh9-xDsQSp6ra3rgf8WYtg6lLv_bTIfnw5lJiUCecIogkaIRbPEQ/s1600/DSC01010-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BNp0e7UNWFrzfNGmpdVUIbCZ7Z_0wfyf31-mgssPZAmUXolLHuA7LSYez4Eykogx-PXGk1jdLho52dzB1xFiFoc4rh9-xDsQSp6ra3rgf8WYtg6lLv_bTIfnw5lJiUCecIogkaIRbPEQ/s1600/DSC01010-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To set the scene,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oxford in 1864 was an elite university filled with boys and men<br /><br />It must have been a strange place for<br />the Dean of Christ Church's three young girls to grow up</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of his daughters was named Alice Liddell</div><div style="text-align: center;">(pronunciation - rhymes with 'fiddle')<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-JAzqcpsgbk_jvdLQOvtajP9frapOnMguDyz44rBe__kRcm-NcWRUmcsJ6esGcky1EiwYJuAnpgQABI1dSsxP9AWm2D4OEIatwTcJGAxn7dXODPCNDiI_LOj09v-O8WB-mmRVPKmCn8l/s1600/DSC01016-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-JAzqcpsgbk_jvdLQOvtajP9frapOnMguDyz44rBe__kRcm-NcWRUmcsJ6esGcky1EiwYJuAnpgQABI1dSsxP9AWm2D4OEIatwTcJGAxn7dXODPCNDiI_LOj09v-O8WB-mmRVPKmCn8l/s1600/DSC01016-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lewis Carroll would take the Dean's three girls on little day trips</div><div style="text-align: center;">in a rowboat up and down the nearby River Thames</div><div style="text-align: center;">and have picnics</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He told stories during their journeys</div><div style="text-align: center;">One day, Alice insisted that he write down his 'Alice' tales</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And so his first manuscript was called </div><div style="text-align: center;">'Alice's Adventures Under Ground' (1864) which included his own illustrations</div><div style="text-align: center;">- later renamed 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' -<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvykJM-lddacd5PEU6Z5dzAIbES9RF3MFYyJXxBEMqbxWN8eiLouDVuk3K9BksT8b9R6RJmYHxmYPjfxQ08QICepAP0dcuIID1n3i4IG-uRgPYxnVDam2GM5nfXRcA_-OWC-74dnKJxVvw/s1600/DSC01026-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvykJM-lddacd5PEU6Z5dzAIbES9RF3MFYyJXxBEMqbxWN8eiLouDVuk3K9BksT8b9R6RJmYHxmYPjfxQ08QICepAP0dcuIID1n3i4IG-uRgPYxnVDam2GM5nfXRcA_-OWC-74dnKJxVvw/s1600/DSC01026-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where Carroll would have launched a rowboat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And so this week,</div><div style="text-align: center;">we had the ultimate book club adventure<br /><br />With Mark Davies, an Oxford local historian and author,<br />we followed Carroll's and the girls' footsteps on a walking and boat tour<br />(even afternoon tea on the launch)<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHE8NLs02ZTT2qcW92-8Rvu66fDV-RVjNknSmFwtMx2CBGuoVo4uAZe4biHCgvPNUpNqb8Us8uy3ZEqQgO5Z3zM6zz18ZaJ1Hw_4-h_xCb5XnmpTb5y3fOsuVUeC_qe95XBROPHKhvqkN/s1600/DSC01039-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHE8NLs02ZTT2qcW92-8Rvu66fDV-RVjNknSmFwtMx2CBGuoVo4uAZe4biHCgvPNUpNqb8Us8uy3ZEqQgO5Z3zM6zz18ZaJ1Hw_4-h_xCb5XnmpTb5y3fOsuVUeC_qe95XBROPHKhvqkN/s1600/DSC01039-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Carroll's river route where he wove his tales for the Liddell girls</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Carroll's journals confirm the Alice books include local trivia and events<br />and inside jokes the girls would have understood</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Surprisingly, the characters in the Alice books</div><div style="text-align: center;">personify real people in Carroll's and the Liddell's life<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> It's probable The Queen Of Hearts was one of Alice's governesses, for example</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Cheshire Cat is Carroll,</div><div style="text-align: center;">as 'Cheshire Cat' was a common term from someone from Cheshire</div><div style="text-align: center;">(where Carroll was born)</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the Liddell girls had quite a few cats<br />so the elusive character would have appealed to them</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">About the hookah used by the caterpillar - </div><div style="text-align: center;">opium was in general use at the time</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When you read the book, it seems so odd and dreamlike,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but with Mark's explanation, it all makes more sense</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fascinating and delightful!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqyrl7O1Tn6j5Yj4D3SIehe2ycS5DG2l2FYvnVhz1wwqSScjQh2_s95aHAkIFFtlnNJqVv7iNzZNNJMTtfL_Nzy4IJ18AlUafqqswo_2GiM295TyeOXzfMEcxN6WaiABNuoXV6TVgJjgg/s1600/DSC01034-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqyrl7O1Tn6j5Yj4D3SIehe2ycS5DG2l2FYvnVhz1wwqSScjQh2_s95aHAkIFFtlnNJqVv7iNzZNNJMTtfL_Nzy4IJ18AlUafqqswo_2GiM295TyeOXzfMEcxN6WaiABNuoXV6TVgJjgg/s1600/DSC01034-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Of course the partly sunny day </div><div style="text-align: center;">and delicious afternoon tea was the perfect</div><div style="text-align: center;">bookend to an already perfect day :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>-Lewis Carroll</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">:: all photos my own ::</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Links: <a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/mark-davies-oxford-water-walks-3311481234">Mark Davies</a>, <a href="http://www.oxfordrivercruises.com/">Oxford River Cruise</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(An unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Alice In Wonderland - Oxford

Hello, lovely readersHow you filled my heart with joywith your kind comments on my last postThank you :)I'm still tackling my 'must visit' listas our final weeks approachThis one had been at the tippy top for years and did not disappoint -a tour of Oxford through the lens of'Alice's Adventures In Wo…

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Behind The Door

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZKvA6QiXZ9e2uVYIWQN4JMrK88T-6ntcg1vP-yqajFFjd_dys91T55KUXDMb0YiUdzxdY123zMUcki5IhzasF2R0cez-n5AkzrhDXOgP_eyUmHPNqOh80-QcJPZz0tLQ_udYoGCy4ES9/s1600/DSC06618-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZKvA6QiXZ9e2uVYIWQN4JMrK88T-6ntcg1vP-yqajFFjd_dys91T55KUXDMb0YiUdzxdY123zMUcki5IhzasF2R0cez-n5AkzrhDXOgP_eyUmHPNqOh80-QcJPZz0tLQ_udYoGCy4ES9/s1600/DSC06618-024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Since we moved here,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have felt that life is filled with mystery doors</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not until the time is right</div><div style="text-align: center;">do you get to see what's on the other side of the door</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-Utu-aVSgsgWx3Eznfm7FgqiBh0r3H3yQxKyrpNtH95RObldGF2H-S0opKtrL601bT52g384Bkj-l2b2xx1wiNMC3QMJOk0XzO1q7XgWi6E2bmZposhXlvaDsJsS_QYakvz6eGasw8rA/s1600/DSC06624-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-Utu-aVSgsgWx3Eznfm7FgqiBh0r3H3yQxKyrpNtH95RObldGF2H-S0opKtrL601bT52g384Bkj-l2b2xx1wiNMC3QMJOk0XzO1q7XgWi6E2bmZposhXlvaDsJsS_QYakvz6eGasw8rA/s1600/DSC06624-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For a few months now,</div><div style="text-align: center;">we have be able to look through the keyhole of the door in front of us</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It reveals a move back to the US</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We always knew that door was there,</div><div style="text-align: center;">we just didn't know what was behind it</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-zLV8OWVfgsZHjaHmO8dGuzi3S2pg7rL0YZ9YV9EW8FZC6ZEZyXN0O8_lCm0vdpKEOE1nV4jiQ6HhiA0TUMuwYB2ES7Vma3OfJIsFiCUCOw0PLlS_PcA8iRzj_23821XTwYyzigkJxTY/s1600/DSC06714-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-zLV8OWVfgsZHjaHmO8dGuzi3S2pg7rL0YZ9YV9EW8FZC6ZEZyXN0O8_lCm0vdpKEOE1nV4jiQ6HhiA0TUMuwYB2ES7Vma3OfJIsFiCUCOw0PLlS_PcA8iRzj_23821XTwYyzigkJxTY/s1600/DSC06714-003.JPG" width="572" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the time of year when expat friends tell you what's behind their doors too</div><div style="text-align: center;">- a move to Singapore, Norway, and Kazakhstan -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Like seeds in the wind,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the expat community here will disperse to faraway lands in a few months</div><div style="text-align: center;">never to be exactly the same again</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFp5HJCOEWWqF0ZTSmuSPTNuheRlhMSL6ZEVOlCIyqSc1LEE-B6OPUme0g6Hvha6WJI1wPT7FHNLWm7ambyAQI7fkfBsJU-3iLqmcYH40-6hls-RW04O-qBdXld6lEL2b_ocvQlCZSac-/s1600/photo+1-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFp5HJCOEWWqF0ZTSmuSPTNuheRlhMSL6ZEVOlCIyqSc1LEE-B6OPUme0g6Hvha6WJI1wPT7FHNLWm7ambyAQI7fkfBsJU-3iLqmcYH40-6hls-RW04O-qBdXld6lEL2b_ocvQlCZSac-/s1600/photo+1-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you ever meet lifetime expat families,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you will never meet a more interesting group of people</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They have stories that are stranger than fiction</div><div style="text-align: center;">and have lived in countries you wouldn't dare to even visit</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They move their families internationally to countries that don't speak English</div><div style="text-align: center;">with only three week's notice</div><div style="text-align: center;">(that challenge sounds insurmountable to me)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg711HMBjgebfaR2TSiUS9_aeSCVMpYMpAY8WH96uiieyVW2sFN0xoP62t_uTvmnpzdwL6XfXG58PSO7y0sNfw_nry2xI9r023eHULWAEkV23Ud6CChk4wqiDhdobtKe4SiAVWGA20Qt3RI/s1600/photo+5-005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg711HMBjgebfaR2TSiUS9_aeSCVMpYMpAY8WH96uiieyVW2sFN0xoP62t_uTvmnpzdwL6XfXG58PSO7y0sNfw_nry2xI9r023eHULWAEkV23Ud6CChk4wqiDhdobtKe4SiAVWGA20Qt3RI/s1600/photo+5-005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lifetime expats are courageous, resourceful,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and have learned to go with the flow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">These have been fantastic traits to observe and try to emulate</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82s0ZTO9YRzrfQZSpp7sitCbweWjM8ss0rQtbx0Wu3HiGiakb4FaMqXqpJ1HfjpVIp47Jpc3uvLJzYriGVbElq3FcO82hiaDP8IdrHpqXxQfhZeuoTSJWfbTS26StPP_EFODilCZZ6Ipq/s1600/photo+3+%25284%2529-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82s0ZTO9YRzrfQZSpp7sitCbweWjM8ss0rQtbx0Wu3HiGiakb4FaMqXqpJ1HfjpVIp47Jpc3uvLJzYriGVbElq3FcO82hiaDP8IdrHpqXxQfhZeuoTSJWfbTS26StPP_EFODilCZZ6Ipq/s1600/photo+3+%25284%2529-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not just international headlines a world away,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I now have friends who have personally been touched by</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ted Bundy kidnappings at her school</div><div style="text-align: center;">9/11 in New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">7/7 bombings in London</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mumbai bombings</div><div style="text-align: center;">tsunami in Japan</div><div style="text-align: center;">recent Newtown tragedy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the brighter side,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have a friend who was in a James Bond film</div><div style="text-align: center;">and another friend whose dad was the voice for </div><div style="text-align: center;">characters on The Flintstones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I list these as a reminder to myself of the incredible stories I have heard</div><div style="text-align: center;">and amazing people I have met along my journey here</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It makes the world feel smaller and more tangible</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fewer than 7 degrees of separation</div><div style="text-align: center;">with such a diverse group of people here</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRo9HPFV5YcCzXj2ZDV1x7gvFDS1ttmetRuT9zzN0hmBlum3X-x8NB1Hf1wCI65WsaPMCW4Fn5ZLkPHsePP7BwhrnizhxNFfjxY3SpDL_Elw8lMweJShMSiPqhEQJSURgPJbAND6TLJZ3o/s1600/DSC00241-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRo9HPFV5YcCzXj2ZDV1x7gvFDS1ttmetRuT9zzN0hmBlum3X-x8NB1Hf1wCI65WsaPMCW4Fn5ZLkPHsePP7BwhrnizhxNFfjxY3SpDL_Elw8lMweJShMSiPqhEQJSURgPJbAND6TLJZ3o/s1600/DSC00241-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel like I was on my trajectory in the US,</div><div style="text-align: center;">bounced into people and experiences here to grow exponentially,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and now flinging back to the US as a modified person</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Along the way I have collected new lifelong best friends,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and we have raised our children in an incredible country</div><div style="text-align: center;">- safe, beautiful, culturally dense -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tu9F74DRBrC7TOJpAeTEUVvFoQGk-u2Rhufuorg-eMvRbTYALZG35wbYYjdvT3RolzrjNBU5GKK5wfRS3ZagLHX1lBct7P_VOppDinQP2vKm7PzhmCHqi-z23OgsgD7SEX2Lu5rHTF18/s1600/Photo+4-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tu9F74DRBrC7TOJpAeTEUVvFoQGk-u2Rhufuorg-eMvRbTYALZG35wbYYjdvT3RolzrjNBU5GKK5wfRS3ZagLHX1lBct7P_VOppDinQP2vKm7PzhmCHqi-z23OgsgD7SEX2Lu5rHTF18/s1600/Photo+4-004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With a new cat and puppy in tow,</div><div style="text-align: center;">our family has expanded since we left the US</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Returning without car seats</div><div style="text-align: center;">signals our family has aged</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shipping less home</div><div style="text-align: center;">(fewer toys/kids stuff)</div><div style="text-align: center;">we return a bit lighter</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi557TLVOanOaUgbf3HSQS4QRKyybNrVTNDU2iLuGzy9Ti5vXZrndRqZlDmJ1bxNBxo4Rjv-V6Gz9jjuulTxYhrx4RT6VG4cbgVjL7t_kw_EbpbvROFCg_GxNIVZTAotYajGyO7ZoN7ZFvB/s1600/photo+3+%25286%2529-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi557TLVOanOaUgbf3HSQS4QRKyybNrVTNDU2iLuGzy9Ti5vXZrndRqZlDmJ1bxNBxo4Rjv-V6Gz9jjuulTxYhrx4RT6VG4cbgVjL7t_kw_EbpbvROFCg_GxNIVZTAotYajGyO7ZoN7ZFvB/s1600/photo+3+%25286%2529-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are sad to leave,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but happy to go</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have a lot to look forward to</div><div style="text-align: center;">behind the door that stands before us</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Behind The Door

Since we moved here,I have felt that life is filled with mystery doorsNot until the time is rightdo you get to see what's on the other side of the doorFor a few months now,we have be able to look through the keyhole of the door in front of usIt reveals a move back to the USWe always knew that door w…

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