About Me

My photo
here I am in a little cottage that evokes the energies of my ancestral lands - a cottage on the moors of Cornwall, or on the cliff tops of Ireland or Scotland. It has a hearth. I am a hedge witch {of sorts}. I wear upcycled clothes, patchouli oil and Redback boots. I am a gypsy; an eccentric and a mystic [I often live with a foot in two worlds]. I serve my guests, tea from an old silver teapot. I love Vervain, yarrow, chamomile & mint. Star watcher and Moon gazer. story cloth weaver. keeper of family dreams and wishes. good friend and creator of life. herbal tea drinker and potion maker.

Friday, November 2, 2012

crossing the North Sea

our taxi arrived at 12 to take us to den Haag Central. chatting to the driver on the way, we discovered that he lived not far from where Joe had lived and had been born in the same house where he still lived now. He was only a few years older than Joe so we do believe that their families may have known each other, serendipity at work again!! out of all the taxi drivers in The Hague and we had this one. such a lovely, chatty man.. name of Hofman, he told us. on F, one N.. he shook our hands when he dropped us off

we are now on the ferry... crossing the North Sea. The sea that my great grandfather had fought in during WW1. And as the sea tossed the ferry about, I thought of him, William Truscott and how he must have felt, back then ...I tried to eat some broccoli in the restaurant, but each time I put the fork to the mouth, I felt really queasy, so early to bed for me. I know now, why they call this sea, the Cruel Sea.. it was damn cruel last night. During the night, I had a strong sense of my G.grandfather sitting across from me, telling me to lay on my back.. i was tired and heard myself say 'no'.. next thing, I felt a tug on my shirt making me turn over. I immediately felt so much better.. and a voice that said 'on your back, your stomach stops churning'... I wonder, was it him? Was he looking out for me? I really want to believe so.

finally arriving in the UK! I can honestly say, that even seeing the coast, I felt as if I were coming home.. just a feeling I had.
A taxi took us to get our hire car and another chatty taxi driver gave us a guided tour of Newcastle on the way.
off we go to the A69, taking a wrong turn almost immediately, but it was a lovely mistake as the road took us through a few quaint villages along autumn coloured tree lined roads and hedgerows.  The colours of autumn here are unlike I have ever seen , it is like a deep burnished bronze.

a first glimpse

Gorgeous old villages. A grouse or pheasant nearly became road kill at one moment. Beautiful, beautiful old barns and farm houses, black face sheep dot lush green fields  I want to stop at every village!!
..as we drive into Cumbria, the temperature drops to 5degC.

so, here we are now, in Cumbria, staying in the city of Carlisle

in a gorgeous B&B - HollyTrees for 3 nights while we do some sight seeing of Roman Ruins, see where Daisy lived and meet up with Lydia and Ruth!!

a year later - 2013
I will never, ever forget the emotion that I felt when I first spotted the coast of England. I felt as if I were home. The burnt copper of the autumn leaves, the gorgeous villages as we drove and the feeling of history. Something that I miss so much.





7 comments:

  1. Yes, I'm sure your great-grandfather was enjoying your company on the North Sea waves! Blood calls to blood while homeward bound.

    Aren't British villages wonderful? I was so charmed by them when we were there. Quite unlike anything in Canada, that's for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know you must be so excited to be in "Daisy" territory. I envy you that...but since I seldom ever travel I'll just be content to read about yours in your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A first glimpse of a country is always exciting. The sheep in the U.K. seem more contented and well-fed than our skittish, scrawny and dusty ones, nibbling on crunchy stalks of grass?
    I guess our Aussie livestock dream of lush green pastures.
    What a fabulous time you are having.
    When my husband and I were impovershed backpackers in our early twenties, we hunkered down below deck near the engine room of a vessel sailing from France to get to Ireland - with all the fumes,constant noise and seasickness,I don't think I'd ever felt so ill!
    It must be such a pretty season to be in England with all those colours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome to England.
    I so hope that every bit of this journey is what you want and need. And from what you have written so far sounds as if it is.
    I love how it feels like all your loved ones not visible anymore seem to be coming along with you.
    love
    pixxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think you're in the Lake District, are you or am I wrong? If you are it's among the most beautiful places on earth. Most of the British countryside is unequalled in it's sheer prettiness!!! I miss that so much, ours here is grand and majestic but not quaint and pretty. Please enjoy every minute.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is so good and the pics come up full page super clear -- see the stone fence in the fields..

    ReplyDelete
  7. my paternal granddad was born in durham, in a mining village south of newcastle...i still remember his soft geordie accent :)

    ReplyDelete