For about two hours, Joe and I had the privilege of wandering around Stillmeadow taking pictures, visiting with Anne, hearing her stories, drinking her tea, eating her cake. The house is not a museum, it’s still family owned, and I don’t think anything has been changed or moved since Gladys lived here. The moment I saw the house, my imagination jumped to the picture of Gladys and her best friend Eleanor seeing this adorable little place for the first time, and saying, “I’ll take it!” Gladys’ granddaughter Anne had come out that door to greet me and what did she find? Mincemeat. I thought I was strong, but the moment I got out of the car, I was mincemeat. I am verklempt.īecause what does anyone do when they see a fabled place for the first time? They cry, tears pop out horizontally. Here I am arriving at Stillmeadow for the first time in my life. The day before I was to give the talk, Joe and I were invited to see Stillmeadow Farm, and the 1690 farmhouse in Southbury, CT that Gladys Taber called home ~ many of her books are centered on this house. So I was honored and thrilled when they invited me to tell the story of how I found one of my heroes ~ it’s just another odd and wonderful way to find out how connected we all are, even when it is least expected! But she is an author that I have loved since I discovered her many years ago. If you don’t know who Gladys Taber is, you can read more about her HERE. We’ve been away ~ I was asked to speak and sign A FINE ROMANCE at the annual meeting of the Friends of Gladys Taber, in Danbury Connecticut. So here’s what we’ve been up to since we last talked. I suppose one of these days we will have to cut the beauty bush back, we can barely get through it to get to the back garden, but probably we won’t be doing it today. I really wanted to come in and update the Blog, and pick the winners, but would you look at this day! So, you may have noticed, I’m late. I got the laundry going and started hanging it on the line. Pink perfection “Linda Porter” (named for Cole Porter’s wife, he wrote the song you’re listening to) is blooming. We had a good drenching rain storm, so the mock orange (left) and the pink Beauty Bush are cascading over each other and smelling like exotic perfume. I have it all to myself.” First thing I did was walk out to see what grew while we were gone. I checked to see what Vanna was doing, and found her bed empty. To the kitties, here’s Jack posing, Girl took off the moment I pulled out the camera. Waking up to the quiet, to the going-nowhere-today, to birds singing and morning sun slanting through the maple trees. Īnd now, here I am bright sunny Monday morning. When we see the church spires, we know we’re there. Wind, sea, seagulls crying, more lovely hints that we are drawing nearer. So beautiful, love catching glimpses of them under sail. There are a few wooden schooners like this that live permanently in the Vineyard Haven harbor. Good clues for knowing we’re almost home. There’s the lighthouse and some of the little cottages along the shore. We’ll be home in time to light the candles and set the table for dinner. What a week! We had a wonderful time in Connecticut, but it is so nice to be home! Here we are on board the ferry heading back to Martha’s Vineyard the slow way. I would be willing to go around the world if I could be back in time to light the candles and set the table for dinner.” ♥ Gladys Taber. “Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night.
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