Elizabeth Barrett Browning in Devon -

The life of the Brownings was a great love story, part of which is set in my

 hometown Torquay, in England.

Famous writers, such as Agatha Christie and Charles Darwin wrote 

books there. . . . .  and the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning,

wife of poet Robert Browning, lived there for a while when her health

 deteriorated, before moving to Italy where she died in Florence in 1861.

We've booked an Airbnb in Torquay in what we are hoping will be
 "the merry, month of May!"

It's next door to the Hotel Regina where Mrs. Browning lived for a short time 
when her declining health required a warmer climate.
It's still run as a hotel, but is apparently nowhere near as glamorous these days. 

 Most of these historic buildings have lost their glow now they are over 200 years old.
Owners seem financially hard-pressed to make repairs, freshen up facades, 
and keep interiors bright and clean. 

This amazing old copy of Mrs. Browning's book of sonnets was sent to me by

 my lovely blog friend Shane in Auckland, NZ. It arrived last year before I knew

 I'd be staying within a stone's throw of where this famous poet sat, long ago,

 putting pen to paper and writing beautiful poems. 

So yes. . . . . . for those of you who've asked if I'm planning a trip anytime soon,

This week will see me going home to visit family, old friends, and new friends!

More another time.

Happy day.

Raining all around. . . . . . . . . . .

We've had a lot of rain the past couple of days - not just showers either. 

Heavy rain, saturating the garden, running in a river down the driveway,

filling the bird baths and causing fountain effects as the rain toppled over

 the edges, bring down dead branches and the remaining crumpled

brown leaves from aging oaks around us.

If it had been cold it would have been a massive snowfall.

Despite the conditions, yesterday morning early, when the downpour 

had let up for a while, I hurried out into the garden, still in my night clothes

(older people do things like that), to scatter fertilizer on the many green tips of

 Spring bulbs now appearing everywhere. With rain expected all day I needed

to get going with feeding what hopefully will be a glorious display of blooms

 come March and April.

1975 publication of the enlarged version of Scottish poet

 Robert Louis Stevenson's 1896 edition of 

A Child's Garden of Verses

Magnificent illustrations by Charles Robinson ~ 1870-1937

This was the first full book he illustrated with over 100 pages of pen and ink

 drawings where a distinct beautiful Art Nouveau flavor is evident.

I found my lovely copy in a used book shop several years back and

look at it often. Old people in pajamas reading awesome books for children -

what is the world coming to? 

By the way, the sun is shining brightly this morning and there

 will be some drying out  - but colder days and nights are

 coming with a tiny chance of snowflakes next week. 

Keeping those warm pajamas handy. . . .along with more special books!

A man of words………

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises 

to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

. . . . . Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken

BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

It's been many years since I stopped to view Robert Frost's lovely small farm in New Hampshire.

Pristine in the late afternoon sunshine, the farm buildings sit right on the side of the two lane road. 

There are no fences, just rows of native granite, solid and natural, making the property simple and inviting. 

I suggest you stop by if taking the back road as we did on Saturday. . . .the "one less traveled". 

It might just make all the difference for you also.

******

The 'road' home yesterday was definitely not an easy one.

Mechanical problems caused the plane coming to get us to 

return to Philadelphia. Next one came much later and then 

we were stacked up above 'the city of brotherly love', 

buffeted by wind and rain for a long time prior to 

landing - I always dislike that part. 

Then an even later flight out of Philly, where the bad 

weather caused another take-off delay as there were 30 planes 

in line ahead of us trying to get off the ground. I 

could have flown to Europe in that time!

Once up, a smooth run to North Carolina and, right 

at the stroke of midnight, a great feeling turning the

key in the cottage door - safely home again.

Hope you enjoy your Labor Day celebrations - mine will 

definitely be quiet and spent here at home.