Village Life Dreaming

Today I'm taking you on a little trip to England.

I love Country Living - UK edition.  

I've said it before but it's a magazine that celebrates traditional arts and crafts as part of everyday life and shares wonderful stories of village life.  I can really see myself living in a village.  Taking a trip into the village with bake shops, cheese shops, flowers shops, tea shops . . . you get the idea.  And, once again, while I don't really foresee such an adventure in my life {but you never know} for now I'm dreaming of village life and living it vicariously through my lovely friends Cindy and Peter.  Let's take a little trip shall we?

What is it that takes you to England?

"England is my better half's home.  That is where we (eventually) went for our honeymoon!  Once I was there I fell in love with all the history, quaintness, beautiful walks and of course the sea.  All of it is what keeps us going back.  We have travelled from Dover right across to Lands End, all around Cornwall, up to Bath and Yorkshire.  We have, of course, been to London and surrounding area many times."

Do you have a favourite area?

"I think my favourite area is Yorkshire and of course I love the Isle of Wight.  When we go now we even run into people in the High Street shops and its like we live there.  I just love that.  All of Peter's relatives are there and we have made some good friends so it has become like a second home."

How often do you go?  For how long do you go?

"We have been four of the last five years and would like to go every second year if possible.  My hope and dream is to live there for five months and do as much travel as we can and see much more of England.  We usually go for three weeks to a month each time."

What are your favourite things to do while you are there?

"My favourite things are sitting by the seaside, searching out tea rooms, going on country walks.  You know in Country Living UK, how they showcase small villages?  Well, that is really cool how each village is really like that.  They have these cool little shops, their own pub and so on.  I remember when Peter and I went to England in 1973, there were no big box stores.  It was all little shops like the butcher, a green grocer, the fish shop.  But that is all changing of course because the younger generation want the big box stores.  But having said that, village life is still alive and well."

Nothing beats traditional fish'n chips!

Lovely gardens

"One of my most favourite memories was from our trip about five years ago on a beautiful sunny day, we visited the Minack Theatre in Cornwall.  We saw a Shakespeare play while sitting on the side of a cliff.  We watched the tide come in below, dolphins playing in the sea.  I often think about how grateful I am to have been able to see and do so many wonderful things."

Thank you Cindy and Peter for sharing.  Some day, maybe, perhaps.

Here's to village life - real and imagined.  

{all photos:  Cindy Napierala}