• Blog
  • Winding Trail Vintage
  • Photo Cards
  • About
  • Contact
Menu

Path Continues

Words and Images by Susan M. Henderson
  • Blog
  • Winding Trail Vintage
  • Photo Cards
  • About
  • Contact
×

Hidcote Manor Garden, National Trust, Gloucestershire

Memories

Susan Henderson September 11, 2022

21 years ago ……today, I was on my way “over the pond” to England. It was an early morning flight and the anticipation had kept me up most of the night. As a relatively new owner of a plant nursery/garden center, I was encouraged by my salesman of organic soil products to partake in a tour of premier garden centers that he had put together in England. The trip itinerary was filled with garden tours, Windsor Castle, Hidcote Manor, and other landmarks, special events, Shakespeares’ grave, pubs, and great food! What an adventure, how could I resist?

Talking a dearest friend into going with me, we planned and saved for months to make it happen. Arriving at the airport that early morning on the day of departure, we met up with others that were on tour, if I remember correctly they were 16 of us originally going. Our tour leader was to meet us in San Francisco as he was there visiting with family that week.

As we sat on extremely hard plastic chairs in the Reno airport waiting for our flight to be called, we chatted a little bit about our businesses, trying to break the ice and get a feel of who we would be spending the next two weeks with. My buddy that was with me had nothing to do with the nursery business, although she was an extremely proficient farmer of hundreds of acres, and she certainly had a knowledge of what it takes to grow something, much more than I did.

We carried our beverages…… and booze…. because who doesn’t start a trip with a Bloody Mary, through check-in. Onboard we settled in for an extremely quick flight from Reno to San Francisco. Having done it many times to try and catch any Off-Broadway play that was in season at the Orpheum Theatre, it’s a straight up …and straight down super quick flight, but they do always serve a beverage. On this particular flight it was not only “no beverage” offered, (coffee coffee coffee ..PLEASE ….COFFEE….it’s 6 am) but everyone was told to stay in their seats and keep their seatbelt tightly fastened. We all kind of looked at each other like “this is different”, but no worries ……who cares about caffeine, we’re on our way to England!!!! To get our passports stamped! To tour gardens filled with blossoms, Castles lined with topiary sculptures, tour the Queen’s residence and hopefully fill ourselves with fish and chips, a Spotted Dick (really… it’s a Sticky pudding), and a Woodpecker or three.

Well, after twenty-one years of history - you know how this day unfolded. What was a devastating day for our country, one positive was unfolded. Friendships that were molded on those little hard plastic seats in Reno still remain.

We did not get to England that trip, but rather came home a week later when the train routes opened up and we could get over Donner Pass. Our lives were forever changed. We did make it to England a month later, and now there were only five of us, instead of 16. Situations changed, work schedules changed, and families feared, but off we went, to get our passports stamped.

May we always remember.

← Agua Fria with The Mingus MisfitsWest Clear Creek Trail / Bullpen Swimming Hole →
bobsue.jpg
As of March 22, 2020 still 4 TO GO!!

As of March 22, 2020
still 4 TO GO!!

  • April 2024 4
  • November 2023 2
  • October 2023 1
  • September 2023 1
  • August 2023 4
  • July 2023 8
  • June 2023 2
  • May 2023 1
  • April 2023 1
  • March 2023 5
  • February 2023 1
  • January 2023 1
  • September 2022 1
  • August 2022 2
  • October 2021 3
  • April 2021 1
  • October 2020 1
  • May 2020 2
  • April 2020 3
  • March 2020 6
  • February 2020 1
  • January 2020 2
  • December 2019 1
  • November 2019 4
  • October 2019 7
  • September 2019 3
  • August 2019 10
  • July 2019 10
  • June 2019 8
  • May 2019 3
  • April 2019 1
  • March 2019 8
  • February 2019 1
  • January 2019 1
  • December 2018 1
  • November 2018 2
  • October 2018 2
  • September 2018 4
  • August 2018 1
  • July 2018 4
  • June 2018 3
  • April 2018 1
  • February 2018 1
  • January 2018 2
  • November 2017 6
  • October 2017 4
  • September 2017 1
  • August 2017 1
  • July 2017 1
  • June 2017 2
  • May 2017 4
  • April 2017 5
  • March 2017 3
  • February 2017 3
  • January 2017 1
  • January 2014 2
  • December 2013 1
  • November 2013 7
  • October 2013 4
  • September 2013 9
  • August 2013 2
  • July 2013 2
  • June 2013 2
  • May 2013 3
  • March 2013 5
  • February 2013 3
  • January 2013 3
  • December 2012 7
  • November 2012 8
  • October 2012 5
  • September 2012 3
  • August 2012 3
  • July 2012 6
  • June 2012 5
  • May 2012 5
  • April 2012 8
  • March 2012 9
  • February 2012 5
  • January 2012 7
  • December 2011 7
  • November 2011 4
  • October 2011 6
  • September 2011 9
  • August 2011 8
  • July 2011 5
  • June 2011 4
  • May 2011 5
  • April 2011 8
  • March 2011 4
  • February 2011 6
  • January 2011 9
  • December 2010 9
  • November 2010 5
  • October 2010 5
  • September 2010 4
  • August 2010 7
  • July 2010 3
  • June 2010 8
  • May 2010 5
  • April 2010 7
  • March 2010 9
  • February 2010 6
  • January 2010 11
  • December 2009 6
  • November 2009 7
  • October 2009 8
  • September 2009 4
  • August 2009 13
  • July 2009 9
  • May 2009 6
  • April 2009 8
  • March 2009 13
  • February 2009 5
  • January 2009 11
  • December 2008 8
  • November 2008 7
  • October 2008 9
  • September 2008 5
  • August 2008 9
  • July 2008 4
  • June 2008 5
  • May 2008 7
  • April 2008 5
  • March 2008 6
  • February 2008 7
  • January 2008 10
  • December 2007 1

All rights reserved.          Copyright by Susan M. Henderson 2025