Thursday 15 August 2013



Who was the person sitting by the beehives -

With a tub of apple and basil sorbet -

Breathing in the scent of lavender

and summer lilac -

Overcome by geranium envy -



It was me. On a visit to Virginia Woolf's Monk's House this afternoon.


Where I saw the port wine stain on the table that happened after EM Forster burned his trousers on the electric fire.
And completely understood why Virginia squabbled with her cook, once I'd seen how they must have lived in each other's pockets without a moment's privacy in that tiny house. It would have been like living with your mother-in-law in the next room.




Did I mention electric fire envy? This is Virginia's bedroom.



 It was a lovely afternoon.
The pub served cream teas.
 I didn't miss the bus that only runs every two hours.
And the landscape looks exactly like this.


8 comments:

Noelle the dreamer said...

Loved the post Mary! Thanks for sharing!!

mary said...

Thanks, Noelle. It was a lovely afternoon and I've been wanting go there for ages.
I met a young Italian girl on the bus who had read so much more V Woolf than I have, that it shamed me!

Hazel Cottage said...

I love this house so much! We visited Monks House the same week as visiting Vanessa Bell's house at Charleston. Wonderful!

Cornflower said...

Ooh, lovely!

mary said...

I'd love to go to Charleston again, Hazel Cottage. There wasn't time yesterday for both as I only had the afternoon.
I'm so envious, Sue! I knew it was very close but wasn't sure where. The countryside looked lovely yesterday, golden fields - but, of course, you don't get proper haystacks these days.

scrumptious days said...

How utterly delightful, it looks fabulous. How I'd love a cook, or at least a daily right now,but we never had an au pair when the boys were little because I knew I'd be cross with her.
Jude x
(PS my husband's family's holiday home still doesn't have electricity Sue,great fun at Halloween!)

elaine said...

What a lovely house - so beautifully kept and authentic. Apple and basil sorbet - yes please.

mary said...

I don't suppose it would be difficult to make it at home, Elaine - it was very refreshing.