And it’s farewell to London and the UK, with deepest gratitude for its magical and profoundly nourishing gifts. Back to the US tomorrow.

 Another truly perfect autumn day at Wisley Park in Surrey with dear friend Eleanor. Celebrating the exquisiteness, the perfection, of gardens and landscape and trees and leaves turning and falling, of an ever-changing sky, Over-the-top happiness and fulfillment.

 Daylight Savings Time ends here tomorrow. I wanted to catch the sunset on the Thames on this clear and beautiful evening with the last long light.

 I seem to be falling down on the blog job! The days flow into one another and  I enjoy a wondrous mix of time with old friends and outrageously gorgeous walks along the magical Thames and through London’s miraculous green spaces, especially Chiswick Park and of course Kew Gardens, always Kew. I keep finding new and more beautiful places in Kew to swoon over. Honestly, I am totally in heaven there. I don’t know how many more times you can bear to read this, but it really fills my days, fills me. I am so glad I came in the fall. The colors are splendiferous and the skies always changing.

 Back to Kew on Friday and Saturday. Autumn is settling in and the trees are turning their astonishing colors while leaves are wistfully floating earthward. I have come to love the cloudy days. They make me feel held in softness. Saturday, I got to share Kew with a dear friend from college and his wife. Sunday, the rains began. Took the Thames River boat down to Greenwich, the heart in many ways of the Royal Navy. There was something about the grand architecture of the buildings and their placement that felt enormously expansive. But I should not be surprised at the power of the place, becos, as Churchill shared, the UK is a seafaring nation and that led to their worldwide power and influence. Today, much more rain and a quiet day for me. Sunny walking days to return soon.  

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 Monday, a wonderful day with dear friends roaming—where else? Kew Gardens. They are getting revved up for Halloween and it is a bit strange seeing the decorations—skeletons, witches and coffins, etc.—amongst the peace of the trees. Oh well. Tuesday, a trip to St. Bartholomew’s church, a little known haven in a busy part of London. It was built in about 1043 and is one of the only structures to escape damage from some of London’s worst disasters, including the Great Fire and the WWII Blitz. I love just touching and feeling the stones, so ancient and full of history and centuries of prayers. Also said to be the only church in London visited by Mary. There is a lovely chapel dedicated to her, a most wonderful place to meditate. 

The weather is turning, alas, after a glorious sunny period—cold and overcast and rain coming soon. Today, I visited the amazing William Turner at the Tate Gallery, as I always do. After two days of tube rides and “downtown-ness,” I’ll be glad to get back to Kew tomorrow.

 Oh my gosh, I am so happy to back in my little paradise in London. After lunch with my dear friend Eleanor at my favorite neighborhood cafe (Elder Press if you ever go looking for it), I took a long walk  along the Thames to one of my local places of pilgrimage—Chiswick Park. Honestly, just put me in a garden or in the midst of some huge and ancient trees and I am in heaven and nothing less. Then put me in a walled kitchen garden (Chiswick has a fabulous one) and I am in something more heavenly than heaven! I don’t know why I love walled gardens so much, especially kitchen gardens, but I definitely do. The garden at Chiswick, uses no-dig methods and is a marvelous combination of thick beds of flowers and some of the happiest vegetables I have ever seen. They sell some of their produce but also give quite a bit away to local food banks. Hooray for them! And did I mention—a brilliantly sunny day.

The walk home along Chiswick Mall, which borders the Thames, has lovely refurbished houses on one side  and many small, private gardens bordering the river, where people can sit among their roses and watch the river flow. I love these!