"Here's to you Mutti"

Sheelagh's Mom enjoys a book of daily devotions written by a fellow from Buckland. Yesterday we all went over to Broadway, your classic Cotswold village. After parking the car we found the Cotswold Way walking trail leading out of town and set off for the 1 1/2 miles to visit this village we had never seen. It was an ideal walking day and high spirits prevailed all the way there and back. There were no suggestions that, "Perhaps there might be a bus!" We passed through a delightful copse on the brow of a hill before seeing Buckland spread out before us.

It is a tiny place with a church and not much else for amenities. As we entered the village a gentleman working in his garden informed us that he had sold his cottage to LaGard Smith, the author of the book, MEETING GOD IN QUIET PLACES. We found Hill View Cottage where he lives and it was charming. The man who keeps it tidy told us that Mr. Smith, an American, teaches at a university in America during the winter and comes back for the summer. His book is a best seller in the states.

The church is an interesting place with an historic cloth called a cope which was made from religious vestments taken by Henry VIII's crowd during the dissolution. It is now used as a pall and hung over caskets. There is a shepherds' seat along the side of the church where the shepherds could come in with their dogs to hear the service.
We had a good look around and then walked back to Broadway. After a fine lunch at the pub, where we raised a glass to Sheelagh's Mum for her suggestion, we wandered the village looking at the lovely houses and other buildings. Many are from the 1600's and just so beautiful. You can recognize the magic perfection of proportion and window layout and building material that make these buildings so right.

We did a driving tour of a few other villages including Stanton where Sheelagh and I stayed a night as we walked the Cotswold Way 25 years ago. We stopped for an amazing and shockingly inexpensive cream tea. As we were chatting to two ladies in the tea shop in the middle of nowhere, we asked where they were staying only to be told they were in a small place called Blockley. After never having heard of this place, now everyone is staying here.

Before I go I would like to mention friends. Since we have been here, we've had a chance to see and spend some time with Malcolm and Delyth in Stroud. The day before yesterday we spent our last time with them for a while. We had a lovely day just hanging out as our kids would say. We so much appreciate their friendship and will look forward to our next visit with them either in Canada or here.