Full Nest

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!  ~ Albert Einstein

This weekend was wonderfully full as my entire family arrived in Nether Heyford!  I picked up my son Ian and his girlfriend, the Lovely Juliette, at Gatwick Saturday morning.  My other son Andrew and his girl Annie showed up that evening with pictures and tales to tell of their travels up to the Scottish Highlands and their hike up Ben Nevis.  And my brother Mike and his girlfriend Maureen arrived after a cruise around the islands of Greece.  My mom came back to the UK about two weeks ago and I've been fortunate enough to have my daughter Abbie's company for this whole year.  Having everyone under one roof for a weekend was heaven!

We laughed, we ate, we hiked, we ate some more........I've been having such a good experience during my Fulbright exchange and it was fun to share the beautiful village of Nether Heyford with my family.

Celebrating our time together down at the The Olde Sun

Everyone had plenty to talk about as we shared the adventures we'd been having throughout the year.    One of the benefits of being part of a multi-generational family is hearing the loving discussions and banter that occur between Nana and grandchildren, an uncle and nephews, a sister and her brothers.  I have missed the "shorthand" that comes with a deep family culture.....jokes that need only be told by the punchline, quotes from movies that someone else can finish, stories referenced by in-joke titles.  I've certainly missed my family during my year in the UK and this reunion was nourishment for the soul!

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.
Richard Bach

Snowdon Summit

My middle son Andrew is over visiting and that can mean only one thing: time for some outdoor adventures!  One of the fantastic things about having children is watching them grow into capable adults.  And adults who come back and share their interests with you!

The Wales Countryside

Andrew started climbing before he could walk!  Our family folklore is full of stories of Andrew climbing; out of the crib, up the sides of Bryce Canyon, and his trips with friends to the White Mountains. Now that he's at university he belongs to the Tufts Mountain Club, which is where he met his wonderful girlfriend Annie.

Annie on the trail

Another great thing about having children is the added bonus of meeting their interesting friends!  Andrew brought Annie with him and it has been fun getting to know her.  We spent the weekend in Wales, visiting castles and staying in hostels.  The highlight of the trip was our hike up Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales.

One of our friends on the trail!

We started from the Snowdon Ranger hostel, where a trail leads off toward the peak from fields behind the hostel. The fields were full of sheep and lined with old stone walls.

A mountain stream

Annie climbing a stile.  

As we made our way up and over fields to the base of Snowdon we climbed several stiles.  We couldn't actually see the peak but a cloud was pouring over the mountain, flowing down and evaporating. We also saw the remains of shepherd cottages that must have sheltered them from the changeable weather in the mountains.

At the top

It was a beautiful hike up to the summit, with lots of amazing views.  And the reward of a hot drink at the top!

Enjoying a cuppa at the top

Making our way back down

A break in the clouds

As we descended we stopped for a picnic lunch and enjoyed more of the fabulous views.  The hike also gave me a chance to catch up on some of Andrew's news.  It's been a busy year for him at school and it was good to hear all about it.

Andrew has a heart-to-heart with a sheep

Running fence

"Blue Steel"

It was a fantastic weekend and I was grateful to be able to spend the time with both Andrew and Annie.    Having your son hug you and say, "I've really missed you mom" is absolutely priceless!  One of the highlights of my year!

Andrew and Annie head off for more adventures

Bluebells

For months now I've heard people talk in anticipation of seeing the bluebells in spring.  This weekend my friend Barb and I headed to Everdon woods to walk the trails and see them.  It was stunning!

Each individual flower is beautiful, but the effect of the whole woods in bloom is breath taking  -  a floral carpet of blues and purples,  an indigo river that winds itself amongst the moss covered trees.

Barb enjoying the woods

Standing in a beam of light

Someone's shelter

The sun shone through the branches, causing dramatic light and shadow.  We wandered along trails that lead deeper into the woods, listening to the birds call and the distant sound of sheep in a nearby field.  It was a wonderful walk and one I repeated a week or so later with my son Andrew and his girlfriend Annie.

A field along the edge of the woods.  The rapeseed, or canola, is also in blossom and is a beautiful yellow color.

Andrew and Annie in the bluebells

Heart of the wood

Beautiful Cornwall

My friend Barb flew over from Maine Friday and by Saturday morning we were in the car and driving down to Cornwall.  Cornwall is the southwestern tip of the UK, a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic with temperate climate and stunning views of the sea.

Along the way we managed to find a small village that Barb's ancestors had come from when they immigrated to America.

Barb in front of the church gate of the parish where her ancestor preached

When we arrived at the Blue Horizon B&B in Marazion we met our hosts, Paul and Judith Vincent, who were quick to make us feel at home.  We sat in the lovely sun room with a pot of tea and some cake and admired the view of the garden and coastline.  Afterward we were shown up to our room in the top floor of this Victorian guesthouse and found that we had a stunning view of St. Michael's Mount.

Enjoying a cup of tea at the Blue Horizon

View of St. Michael's Mount from our window

St. Michael's Mount is a tidal island, home to a historic 12th century abbey and castle.  As the tide went out we walked across to the island on a cobble causeway.  Pilgrims have been making this trek for centuries and it's a beautiful approach to the conical-shaped stone fortress that dominates the small island.

The causeway at low tide

View from a castle window

Barb and I had a wonderful time touring the castle, taking in all of the amazing views of Cornwall.  Such a stunning coastline!  And in between views we talked.  Barb and I first met over twenty years ago when our oldest sons were in the nursery together at church.  Ian and Nick grew up like cousins, our families sharing good times and bad.  It's a wonderful friendship and I'm grateful to have Barb's family intertwined with mine.

The orange glow of sunset

Barb plans our day over breakfast

Another view of the castle

Low tide

Barb and I looking out to sea

Even their dairy house was beautiful!

We spent the rest of the weekend catching up on all the news.  And seeing some of Cornwall.  We found a stone circle and an ancient celtic burial tomb.

Taking in the energy from a stone circle!

"Merry Maidens" stone circle

Lanyon Quoit - a Neolithic chambered tomb

"Barb, maybe we shouldn't be in these woods?!?!"

John Knill monument

But our greatest find was taking a wrong turn, driving down a single track road - we actually had to back up to let a horse pass! - and ending up in a field across from the John Knill monument. We were in the middle of nowhere.  Classic!  Direct from Wikipedia, here are the directives from John Knill regarding his remote monument:

"In his will Knill left money for the upkeep of his obelisk and also £25 for celebrations to take place every five years on St James' Day, 25 July. He directed that every five years £10 should be expended on a dinner, and that ten young girls dressed in white should walk in procession with music, from the market house to the monument, around which the whole party was to dance singing the hundredth psalm (All people that on earth do dwell). This quintennial commemoration is made the occasion for a good deal of jollity, in which the entire population joins, indeed the whole proceeding is quite mirth-provoking; nor is the least laughable part of it the looks on the faces of the vicar and mayor, as they sedately waltz around on the upper step of the monument, hand in hand with the ten young girls. The first ceremony, in which Knill himself participated, took place in 1801."

You can't make this stuff up!  I'm already designing my own monument and thinking of ridiculous things to ask people to do on some random day!

The "Supermoon" - The closest and largest full moon of 2012