Monday, January 31, 2011

Monk's House

Maybe it's silly that I am still trying to finish my London posting, but you know what? I have to finish what I started, it's just part of who I am. Plus, I personally enjoy going through my pictures every now and again and remembering one amazing summer. So I enjoy a little self-indulgence, who doesn't? You can have your chocolate, and I will have my London memories (and maybe some chocolate as well!). :)

All of these houses have names--I think I shall name my house, any suggestions? Haha--what I don't get is that these names don't even make sense. Dove Cottage? Monk's House? Who came up with these? But at least they have names I suppose--it makes them that much cooler. Monk's House is the last home of Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard Woolf. It is found in the village of Rodmell.

This isn't Monk's House, this is the church just behind it--but beautiful, right? There is so much foliage and natural beauty here, I just LOVE it.
And amazingly, it was actually raining just a little bit here when we went (amazing because normal London weather is 12 months of rain a year, but we happened to come to London during the longest drought ever--oh, and they don't believe in air conditioning... fun)
In the house I found this random cat wandering around--sometimes it was so sweet and friendly, and sometimes it was scared to death--then I discovered that apparently there were two of them. I thought it was just one very bipolar cat.

Virginia Woolf's shawl.
And her deathbead--lovely, right? :P
And the graves of both Leonard and Virginia. Sadly the river where Virginia drowned herself was too far to visit--yes, we're weird like that.

But despite the creepiness of the place, it was quite beautiful.
The gardens were amazing.
I just couldn't get over them!
This was the largest trumpet vine I have ever seen--it covered a wall nearly the entire length of the property. Amazing.
Virginia Woolf's study--it was in a separate building from the house, so that when she got up at three in the morning she could go and write without disturbing Leonard.
The pond--I was fascinated with the pond. It was covered in water lilies and snails. Gross on one hand, yet so peaceful and beautiful on the other.


I just LOVE water lilies.



Out behind the house and the pond and everything else (we were looking for the river to be honest) we found a tree and a swing--and of course had to try it out ourselves.


Here is the church I was talking about.

Oh, and some more morning glory--just for you Mom, and Grandpa--this stuff is everywhere, and it's HUGE.
SO BEAUTIFUL!


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