the lake district {part five} : roads or sidewalks? and stone circles...

after the initial shock of driving on the left side of the road,

ceej quickly learned the adventure of driving on the

narrow and winding roads of the countryside...he called it "james bond driving."

i couldn't believe how narrow some of these roads were...and they were two-way!

we were always hoping that we wouldn't run into a car coming the opposite direction...

that only happened a couple of times and let's just say we're happy we

got the insurance with the rental car. 

i found these little roads to be very walkable and pleasant--a good way to

wander and see things that we would have missed had we been in the

car, concentrating only on the road itself.

one of the other "thrilling" things about this country is that

anywhere we went we were bound to be in the neighborhood of

a stone circle...these things are prehistoric, thousands of years old.

not much is known about them, which makes them all the more interesting, yes?

tomorrow i'll be taking you back to oxford when my family came to visit.

hope you've enjoyed the lake district!

girl crush : raining jane

last week i went to a lovely outdoor, intimate concert beneath the stars.
this is summer, dear readers: sitting under an open sky, surrounded by trees, and the sounds of crickets
while listening to good live music. wish this was every night.


first i got to hear one of my favorites, sarah sample.
this song of hers moved me to tears. love it.
then i got to hear a new band from l.a. : raining jane.
my, oh my. a new favorite indeed. 
i think my fave is the cello, hands down.
listen to some of my other favorites here, here, and here.
don't forget to listen to their rad cover of "love is a battlefield."
serious girl crush.


anyone out there wanna start a band with me? anyone? beuller? pretty please?

the lake district {part four} : hiking catbells

while ceej and i were in keswick we wanted to hike up to the clouds

and get a view of the lakes, the farms, and the town: catbells was the 

perfect little hike. the trail went on and on and on...wishing we could have gone on forever.

it was oh so nice to see everything from up high,

and to get lost in the clouds and the rain.

the heather and the sheep clung to the hillsides, and i was happy.

the lake district {part three} : ashness farm

was so lucky to get a room here on this isolated farm on the hill while in the lake district.

i loved driving the winding road, over the oldest bridge in the county, and through our gate.

anne, our hostess, was fantastic. it was fun to see her boys talking about their chickens

and chores they performed on their pretty little farm. 

i loved coming "home" to this place every night. 

we shared the house with a belgian family that had four little boys:

their turtle-necks and sweaters were so sweet, and we loved watching

the youngest line up his matchbox cars every morning while we ate breakfast.

the parents were absolutely lovely to talk with, telling us that their friends

thought they were crazy for loving "dreary" england so much.

we talked about our shared love of the weather and the gardens and the land.

bed & breakfasts are so so awesome.

the lake district {part two} : dove cottage

i fell in love with dove cottage, william wordsworth's house in the lake district.

such a simple home where the best of his poetry was written.

i loved walking through each room, and seeing documents that this great romantic poet signed or possessed...my favorite was his little worn suitcase on a bed that he had written his name upon. 

do you like wordsworth? i quite love his poetry. 

last year my love was sealed after taking a class on the romantic poets.

for the first time i read "the ruined cottage" aloud. you really must do this.

it will change you. it's long, but oh so worth every single word and syllable.

try it. it will roll off your tongue, and if you're like me, you'll be in tears.

so beautifully sorrowful. 

that night, after visiting dove cottage, ceej and i walked down from our farm

and found a beautiful spot overlooking the lake.

i read wordsworth aloud. magic.

...she sleeps in the calm earth, and peace is here,

i well remember that those very plumes,

those weeds, and the high spear-grass on that wall,

by mist and silent rain-drops silvered o'er,

as once i passed did to my heart convey

so still an image of tranquility,

so calm and still, and looked so beautiful

amid the uneasy thoughts which filled my mind,

that what we feel of sorrow and despair

from ruin and from change, and all the grief

the passing shews of being leave behind,

appeared an idle dream that could not live

where meditation was. i turned away

and walked along my road in happiness...

the old man rose and hoisted up his load.

together casting then a farewell look

upon those silent walls, we left the shade

and ere the stars were visible attained

a rustic inn, our evening resting place.

{p.s. you should totally check out marte's photos of the interior of beatrix potter's home...so pretty!}