It was exciting to be back in the amazing city of London. The last time I had been there was in the winter, mere days before the lockdowns went into effect. Never having been there in summer, I didn’t know if the large crowds I was seeing at my usual haunts were normal for this … Continue reading London, Again
Gardens & Parks
An odd old book
Buying books is one of the pleasures of doing research. Of course I use digital resources, and visit libraries and archives, but sometimes there is a book that I want to hold in my hands and refer to over and over again. As I delved into the history of colonial America and Georgian England for … Continue reading An odd old book
The way forward
Here in my garden are symbols of the past, the future, and the way forward. We may be uncertain, but the path is not. The challenge is to find it, then to take the first step.Our fear is no greater and our courage is no less than that of those who came before us.#AMoonGarden https://amzn.to/2wHjS5u
Under the clouds
It’s raining in California. Perhaps we need it, but if I had a say there would be a mix of warm sun and scattered layers of bright white clouds, with a cool breeze. My garden requires care, to check the rapid spring growth of weeds and new shoots on trees and shrubs. Even so, there … Continue reading Under the clouds
Those quiet spaces
As much as I love the energy and bustle of New York, at some point in my visits to that great city, I inevitably seek the quiet spaces. In this time of forced isolation due to the pandemic, many of us are looking for ways to safely connect with one another. Yet perhaps because so … Continue reading Those quiet spaces
The East Webburn River in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
The East Webburn River flows through the ancient, picturesque village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, past the Rugglestone Inn, and through the vast land holdings of the fictional family of Joseph Buckleigh, the hero of the historical novel A Moon Garden, by Roxane Gilbert. When his tour of duty in the American War for Independence comes to an … Continue reading The East Webburn River in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
The stone walls of Dartmoor
Dartmoor Lane©Roxane Gilbert Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Devon, England, is a village of fewer than 200 households in the middle of Dartmoor, which has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Many of the hedgerows and stone walls that divide the landscape date back hundreds of years. The walls have become natural rock gardens, covered with … Continue reading The stone walls of Dartmoor
The River Dart
It is July 4, 1778. The British Army’s 33rd Regiment of Foot has returned to the New York colony, after sustaining heavy losses in the horrific Battle of Monmouth. “It was a warm day with a mild breeze in Manhattan. Joseph sat under a tree in the meadow at the end of Broadway, cleaning his … Continue reading The River Dart
Love is in bloom at Rougemont Garden
Rougemont Castle Wall©Roxane Gilbert The construction of Rougemont Castle was begun in 1068, sometime after William the Conqueror laid siege to the city of Exeter in Devon, England. The walls that remain today are surrounded on three sides by public gardens. In the year 1785, the broad walk through those gardens would have been lined … Continue reading Love is in bloom at Rougemont Garden
Roxane Gilbert 