Western Berkshire: Typical British Weather

Matthew and Molly at Stone House

On Monday, July 2, we spent the entire day relaxing at Catherine and John Hartz's comfortable home in the country, Stone House.  The views of the countryside and the gardens from every window in this rambling centuries-old house are idyllic, pastoral.  In the morning, I did laundry and relaxed as Matthew helped Phoebe take care of the horse and played with Molly the dog; Katya took a walk in the rain.  This slow-paced day was a pleasant contrast to the week in Russia (and the previous two weeks in Japan and South Korea) of practically non-stop sight-seeing. 

Peter and Catherine by a field

In the mid-afternoon, Catherine, Peter and I took a long walk around the property, which includes a gorgeous formal garden behind the house; a large, new greenhouse in which their second son William likes to putter; fields of hay with purple, yellow and white flowers interspersed with the light green grasses; overgrown woods (which they have plans to restore by thinning); and pastures and pens for wooly black sheep and various outbuildings.  They just moved here less than a year ago and have done so much to improve this working organic farm.  They say that taking on farming, while still maintaining their regular jobs, is challenging but very rewarding.

We saw their second son William briefly the night we arrived and Monday morning before he set off for a trek in Scotland.  Their 20-year-old son Richard is currently backpacking with friends in China.  Phoebe, at 14 the youngest, is at home, and we enjoyed our time with her and her parents.  Catherine prepared a dinner of varied and delicious vegetarian and seafood dishes.  Katya, the ever picky eater, accepted only white rice, but John cajoled her into trying one chickpea and eating three prawns cooked in butter sauce!

It's now Tuesday morning, at we set of in a couple hours for lunch with Susie Brown, Peter's sister-in-law and the children who are at home.  (They are all growing up so fast!)  Rob is in Japan on business, so we won't see him for a couple weeks.  After lunch, we stop for tea with an old family friend before arriving at our next destination, Poole, where Uncle Peter and Aunt Helen are staying at their flat.  (Their main residence is in Cape Town.)