I Will Miss British: Landscapes

It has been an extremely busy week.  I officially finished class, possibly for the last time ever; strange.  My guess is that I have other classrooms in my future, though, so I'm not overly concerned.  My family arrived mid-week and I spent Friday and Saturday with them in London.  We were in Cambridge today, and will do one more whirlwind day tomorrow before flying home on Tuesday (wow). I would post stunning family pictures (and there are some mighty good ones), except that my mother's camera's memory card is too small for the slot in my computer [Who on earth invented memory cards of varying sizes?  I disagree wholeheartedly].  I would post pictures from my camera, except that it decided to continue to tour London on the top floor of a red, double-decker bus, and I haven't seen it since.  It has seen the various landscapes of ten different countries but it chose London (of all places) as its final dwelling place.  I hope it's happy.   

Thus the family vacation photo-doc will have to happen later.  Tonight I will be content to post my final "Miss" post, as it is my last Sunday in England.  Today's post is about the visual memories of England, something that for me is so caught up in place nostalgia.  I will miss the English landscape, in all its glory.

Rolling Green Hills: with hedgerow dividers.  Reading on the train between Cambridge and King's Cross is always futile.  Gazing out the windows as the scenery chugs by always takes precedent.

Wildflowers: on the side of the road, in parks, in gardens, in fields, in pastures.

House and Storefront Architecture: Stone and Brick

Cross-Hatched with Steep Roof

Thatched Roof and Climbing Vines

Steepled and Spired Stone Skylines: make me remember I am someplace seeped with history.

Confusing Masses of Meandering Roads: Roads that run straight or in cardinal directions are terribly dull.

Village Churches: At least one old stone church in every village, no matter how small, each with its own mossy gravestone yard.  

Tall Shops All Connected

Cobblestone Walkways: Bad for heels and painful on feet until accustomed to it, but much more interesting and charming than pavement.

Pubs: with flower pots lining the windows and old fashioned lighting shining in the windows.  Often the most beautiful  storefronts on the street.

Pub Signs: never get old and often provide amusement.

Cows in the Pastures and Public Commons: People and cows, living in harmony.  Something about it makes me feel like Wordsworth and Longfellow are chatting over tea just around the corner...

Red Telephone Booths: on every corner in every village.