It took almost all of Monday to get to Dublin, alas, but I have landed well. I can walk most anywhere I want to go, which is what I hoped for. This morning a great historical walking tour with a guide rich with knowledge. He shared it brilliantly and enthusiastically in many stories, and, most appealing to me, a wild sense of humor. A guy with a well-developed sense of the absurd! Then wandered a bit, getting to know my way around. A brief tour of Trinity College, and most important, The Book of Kells. Beautiful and still overflowing with the skill, focus and profound inspiration that created them more than a thousand years ago. And finally, the ancient Irish harp (once thought to belong to Bryan Boru, one of the most famous of Ireland’s high kings). I felt like I could almost hear its divine music still flowing into the world.

Rest of my journey—lots of cold and rain—but onward I go!

 My first ever attempt at a selfie. The whole idea of selfies feels pretty foreign. But here it is:

Plus some pictures along the Thames Walk, where I go each evening.

 Yesterday a visit to Chartwell, Churchill’s family home and the place where he wrote many of the powerful and eloquent speeches that truly helped win WWII. Chartwell is phenomenally beautiful, both in terms of location—rolling green and forested hills and a view that stretches for miles—and in the exquisite gardens the Churchill family planted there. Everything about it filled me with so much joy—and I like to think the land itself helped nourish, strengthen and inspire Churchill through dark times. Last Churchill quote you see as you leave the tour of his house: “Go out into the sunlight and be happy with what you see.”

I think the British trees and gardens are the very best part of their cultural heritage. . .OK, along with poets and writers and. . .

Off to Ireland tomorrow. Mucho rain predicted. We’ll see what the gods have in store! 

 Two days in various parts of central London—the first to meet wonderful artist and dear friend Frances Knight at the Tate Modern. Then we wandered through Belgravia and Mayfair, very upscale neighborhoods, to reach our destination, a lovely gallery with paintings by Christopher Baker, whose work was definitely worth seeing. Today, because I thought it would rain a lot more than it did, I wandered downtown again to go to the National Gallery. I love getting up close to the paintings and sinking into the brushwork. I got especially into Constable. So many layers of color and care to yield that lushness. Worth the visit for sure, but the area is intense! I was sooo happy to get back to my lovely, quiet neighborhood by the Thames. Tho I’ve shared photos, I don’t know that they can ever fully convey how deeply happy and at home I feel walking along the Thames. I will deeply miss being here. Tomorrow—Chartwell, Winston Churchill’s home. He is a great hero of mine and I am long overdue for this visit.   

One possibly useful piece of information should you find yourself in London some day: The food at the museums and other public venues is wonderful! Healthy and delicious. I am not tempted to eat anywhere else.. ..

 What a special gift it has been to be able to spend so much time with old friends, in addition to being in a place I love. Yesterday, yet one more trip to Kew gardens, this time to meet a friend from college whom I haven’t seen for 30 years at least. How magical that we met in London and not California, where he lives and I often visit. As it always is with dear friends, no gap in time seems to exist. It’s like walking into the middle of a conversation that was briefly interrupted. And Kew of course wrapped Dan and his lovely wife in her enchantment. So nice to share that with them.

Today, my first museum on this journey, a pilgrimage to the Tate to see Turner, master of the sky and sea and light in general. Tate is beautifully located by the river, so always a joy to visit, in addition to viewing its great collection. More art tomorrow with another wonderful friend and gifted painter, Frances Knight. 

The weather is finally cooling a little and we even got some rain tonite. How I love the rain!

 And 2 days later. . .Mostly getting to spend wonderful time with old friends, tho this has included 2 blissful trips to Kew Gardens, one of my favorite places on the planet. The reality lived up to the memory. It’s been summer-hot here, so it has been perfect weather to wander through the huge and ancient trees. One glorious tree being after another. Groves of trees in endless variety. Even a small patch of redwoods. The silence is deep and everything smells and feels so lush and delicious. And nourishing. And a small lake with swans and geese and ducks. Also discovered a new green space treasure—Wimbledon Common. I continue to be joyfully amazed at the amount of well-loved and well-cared-for green spaces in and around this great city. I’m just so happy here. . .

And ending each day with a walk along the Thames. Londoners are celebrating the good weather big time—runners and walkers and bikers and boaters and . . .

  

 First day in the UK—unless you count yesterday, which was more like a jet lag dream! Woke up this morning feeling almost fully here, from a time zone perspective. I took off along the Thames to walk a couple of miles to Chiswick Park with its lush collection of trees and gardens. I did manage to get briefly lost, but enjoyed all of it. A beautiful trail to be lost in. 

You may not know, but I have a truly terrible sense of direction and can manage to get lost most anywhere. In fact, just ask me for directions any time you want to end up somewhere you never planned and find yourself on an unexpected adventure! 

My favorite part of Chiswick—the Kitchen Gardens. Three hundred years of love and care make it a place full of joy. Today, local residents look after the gardens and give more than half the food they produce to local food banks. A passing thought as I luxuriated under the ancient shade trees—wouldn’t it be wonderful if the primary concern of all governments was the planting of huge food and flower gardens and trees?  Such richness would pervade our lives!

Mainly, I am sooo happy just to be here. Gardens everywhere, huge trees everywhere and the beloved Thames. Everything smells and feels so lush and rich and nourishing. Photos below: the Thames and the Kitchen Gardens, including a veritable forest of zinnias.