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People all over the world collect and trade cigarette cards; in fact, cigarette card collecting has a name: cartophily. Who knew? British cigarette manufacturers created some of the most fascinating and beautiful cards, including lots of gorgeous flower sets.
The cards started out as practical—in the 1800s cigarette manufacturers inserted cardboard "stiffeners" into cigarette packets to help reinforce and protect the contents. Some enterprising individual came up with the idea of using the cards as a marketing tools: enticing customers to buy more cigarettes in order to collect the whole series. Very clever actually.
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Even though it was late September, St. Ives was bursting with color. Today it's 30 degrees in Cincinnati. All the flowers are dead. Sigh. This slideshow should help. The Brits do window boxes right. No skimpy, plant-the-flowers-far-apart-to-stretch-the-budget in this country. British window boxes are the word profusion exemplified.  This photo is chock-a-block with texture. Stucco wall. Textured glass. Sharp crisp window frame. Brilliant flower arrangement. Soft gathered curtains. Really, it's a perfect picture. Click photo to get an in-your-face profusion of perfection.
The wonderful man, Ray, from University College, has taken Bob and me down to the rugby (soccer? football? badminton? whatever) field to show us where and how Bill Clinton's Chinook blasted out the greenhouse windows when he and Hillary came to visit Chelsea. Ok. So Bob and Ray are getting all excited over the Chinook details. I am bored to tears and can no longer fake interest. Then I notice these roses.
Years ago we took the boys to Stratford-upon-Avon to see all that Shakespeare stuff. Part of the trip included a foray into the Cotswolds, where we were greeted by shrubbery that has its own personality. |
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October 2013
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Saturday 9/21
Land at Heathrow, train to paddington, train to Exeter, train to barnstaple, walk to The Old Vicarage—where we are staying until Thursday.
After our tea we walk to the bus station to pick up bus schedules. Hop the 21 to Fremington, which is where we left off last time.
Sunday, 9/22 Morning
Ate a marvelous breakfast, then walked straight out of Barnstaple to pick up the path heading northwest.
Sunday, 9/22 Afternoon
We walk Braunton to Saunton, intending to catch bus at Saunton, except I read Saturday’s bus schedule instead of Sunday’s because it’s so easy to do that and we soon find out there is no Sunday bus service in Saunton.
Saturday, 9/22 Evening
Our main goal on Sunday every time we come to England is it to make it to a Sunday Roast Dinner. Usually we miss it. Today though we are lucky: we find a good place in Braunton and end the walk on a full-belly note. Total miles today: 11.5.
