You can buy shoes with memory foam inserts, but other sorts of memories may be attached to our foot apparel. During the years I spent as a citizen lobbyist, I got to know my Congressman’s District Director. One afternoon, I had gone to lunch with her and another friend. As we were leaving the restaurant, … Continue reading Rubber Soles and Traveling Shoes
Devon
Cream Tea, Just Because
Devon Cream Tea ©2020 Roxane Gilbert What is Cream Tea? Cream tea refers to a tradition in Devon and Cornwall of serving afternoon tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam.Although I would never refuse a freshly made scone served Cornish style, when it comes to cream tea, I am securely in the Devon camp: the … Continue reading Cream Tea, Just Because
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
Church of St Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Church of St. Pancras, Widecombe-in-the-Moor©Roxane Gilbert Having been built in the 14th century, the Church of St. Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Devon, England, was already ancient in 1785, when the Buckleigh family went there to worship in the historical novel A Moon Garden. Although the church has changed over the passing decades, I saw some … Continue reading Church of St Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Roxane Gilbert 