We took our visitors for our favourite walk,
and then we went to Breaky Bottom vineyard
owned and run by Peter Hall,
great nephew of Lafcadio Hearn,
a man much revered in Japan.
The vines are mostly Seyval Blanc,
but new for 2007 is a Chardonnay
which Peter let us taste.
Admiring the new labelling machine.
Lambs newly separated from their mothers
baahed plaintively on the sidelines.
Toto the Bengal cat.
It couldn't have been a more perfect day
but as we neared home
we saw a plume of black smoke on the horizon.
I later discovered that it came from a furniture store
razed to the ground by rioters.
This shop had withstood two World Wars since
its opening in 1867.
We don't know how much our friends have understood
about the ongoing situation.
It hasn't been referred to directly
and we don't want to frighten the children.
In any case, we don't have the words to explain it ourselves.
I would need the Japanese word for 'ashamed'.
I am so sad that these riots are happening and affecting decent hard-working people. I'm sure that your visitors with have sympathy with you and not ask you to explain that which is out of your hands. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteI like to think your visitors will see beyond all this and remember the wonderful places you have taken them to. I stayed up well into the night watching it all unfold as I have a son in Lewisham. Such awful, awful lawlessness.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about you today. And I also feel angry and ashamed.
ReplyDeleteI find myself unable to write about this appalling breakdown of moral order. I understand exactly what you mean - ashamed is a good word to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI love your photos - but what a sad end to your day. I've been trying to explain what's going on in England to our sons. They don't understand - but who could?
ReplyDeleteWhen my friends here ask me to explain what's happening in Britain I feel similarly perplexed and shamed. Stay safe, Lucille, stay safe...
ReplyDeleteOh, I *so* want to go on that walk--to see those white cliffs! It would be my favorite walk, too. But what a sad end to the day. I'm sorry that happened.
ReplyDeleteWho said..."we have met the enemy and he is us". To withstand war and be done in by locals. What's happening is horrible, and what will come out is, "Oh those poor people, if we'd taken better care of them they never would have rioted, we must do more."
ReplyDeleteThat's what happens every time there is a riot here, no sympathy for those burned out, obviously they'd been exploiting the poor local people. Just more programs and money poured down ratholes.
I guess I'm just getting too old and I've seen it happen too many times. My prayers for you and all the decent people in England.
I have been wondering how close you are to what's going on. I don't know London, so I don't have a good sense. I don't have a good sense as to why it's happening, either -- but in any case, I hope you stay safe.
ReplyDeleteHi Lucille, I started your post with smiles at all the loveliness, and ended it in tears at all the sadness.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter works in the Birmingham city centre street where all the shops have been smashed into and looted, and I spent yesterday feeling very worried about her as they were shut in the building all day and had to leave early to be able to get home safely. We are devastated, but it is good to be able to reach out and share feelings.
The Time Sculptor
Prayers for all of you in this troubled time.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are inviting as usual.
Hello Lucille, I am your newest follower. Mise from Pretty Far West mentioned you, very favourably, today (an rightfully so and well deserved)
ReplyDeleteI am very much enjoying your blog.
I am praying for peace and a restoration of order in England.
Helen xx
I've been on a blog break - but I wondered about you and yours as I thought that, like us, you were not a million miles away from the trouble in London. We live between several of the South London riot spots - a supermaket was burnt out on my husband's route to work, a little post office/newsagent smashed up, windows broken opposite our home. On our ordinary little high street the shop keepers all closed at 2pm on the Tuesday some putting brown paper over their windows on police advice. We could smell the smoke from the furniture store fire all day and, as we live above shops, we packed an emergency 'going away bag' - just in case. Strange days.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures of Toto the cat are very equilibrium restoring, however. What a gorgeous creature!