Cotswold Kitchen

 

The Cotswolds is one of my favorite areas in England that I have visited often. I was a teenager when I went there for the very first time and already back then I was captured by its gently rolling hills and the honey colored houses. During the late 80s and early 90s and then again late 90s I spent time in the Cotswolds every year and got to know it quite well. After we had moved to California we traveled extensively in the US to get to know this country better. But in 2014 we visited the Cotswolds again and I found it quite changed. The once quiet and charming little villages had become bustling tourist destinations - thank you (not), Rick Steves!

But the area was still lovely. We stayed in a lovely farm house B&B in the countryside at the end of a narrow country lane.

There were lovely plants at the front entrance (that no one used, everyone got in through the back door). My clematis are never as gorgeous as this one.

Of course the heart of the house was the kitchen. And the heart of the kitchen was this old Aga.

In many English novels that are set in the countryside you can read about the Aga. When I was much younger I loved to read the novels by Rosamunde Pilcher (wonderful soft un-challenging feel good novels) and the kitchens in her books always have an Aga and a scrubbed wooden table. It was just like this kitchen!

The lady of the house didn't use this Aga anymore since she cooked our breakfast in a more modern kitchen. But I thouroughly enjoyed sitting in this kitchen right out of Rosamunde Pilcher's books!

The view out of the kitchen through those old windows was lovely as well.

And what do you drink in an English country kitchen? Tea of course - with milk! That's my ticket to Elizabeth's T Tuesday.

An Evening in the English Countryside

Today I am joining Linda's Wednesday Wit and Wisdom for the second time.

This is my photo, taken 15 years ago:

Whenever I look at this photo I travel back in my mind to those single trips to England I took in the late eighties and early nineties. I was hopelessly in love with this beautiful island, its landscape and its people. I often flew to London for long weekends with my friends, and in June, when the days were the longest, I usually spent about three weeks in England - mostly in the Cotswolds and in Norfolk. I traveled on my own and that was exactly the way I liked it.

This photo was taken in Northleach, one of the less touristy villages in the Cotswolds. I stayed in a lovely Bed and Breakfast where I returned to every summer. My favorite time was in the evening, after I had dinner. The days were long, and I loved to walk through the Northleach churchyard and further on into the meadows. The sheep were here every day, and their calm "bah bah" accompanied me on my silent walks. I sat somewhere in the meadow and just took it in - the sheep, the quietness, the wind rustling in the leaves of the old trees, the birds singing their evening songs (I particularly remember the blackbirds). At some time the church bells started to ring - the beautiful change ringing that you find only on the British Isles. It is such a special sound! If you have never heard it, here's a short video. For me this kind of change ringing belongs to an evening in the English countryside. It gives you peacefulness, calms you down and just lets you be in the moment.

I remember feeling completely whole and at peace with myself. Those evenings were magical, and when I feel a bit low nowadays I can go back there in my mind and recall the quietness. I often only returned - reluctantly - when it was starting to get dark. I never feared walking through the cemetery after the sun had set, and I never had any worries being out there in the countryside, just me and the sheep. Sometimes I met a farmer and we talked for a while, had a lovely exchange. Something to feed my soul. Sometimes I would stop at a pub for a pint when I got back to the village, talking to the locals and playing a round or two of Jenga. It was my vacation, I had left all my worries behind, I didn't think about my work, I lived in the moment. I was blissfully young.

I was also invited to link to Two Shoes Tuesday - thank you for the invitation!

Windmill and Fence

I live in a rather rural area. Sure, my town has a population of 160,000, but it truly is still a small town. Yes, we are at the heart of Wine Country, but we also have a lot of farmland, and I hope it will not be converted into more vineyards. I think we have enough vineyards and produce more wine than anyone can drink (though it's pretty good wine!).

This windmill is close to one of my favorite nurseries out in the countryside. I always enjoy my outings here, not just for buying new plants for my garden, but just to take in the landscape. Sometimes I leave the car in the parking lot of the nursery and walk along the country lane, taking pictures.

There's a single cow right next to the windmill. It's still enjoying a green pasture, but I'm sure it will turn brown not before too long.

I'm linking up again to Theresa's Good Fences.

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Father's Day is coming up!

Why not sending a nice card to your Dad?

They are available in my Etsy store.

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