On Saturday, Amor and I went to visit Charleston before it closed for the winter. It was a beautiful Autumnal day, and after being busy de-cluttering my home in London this past week I felt I needed to get out of the house, go for a walk, and look at beautiful things.
When we visited Charleston previously we were able to visit in small groups where there would be guide in each room to answer any questions we might have about the objects there. This time was different as they were only giving guided tours. The lady who took us around the house was very knowledgable about the people who used to live and visit there. Listening to her stories about the inhabitants, and learning about why they decorated the house in the manner they had, gave the visit another dimension that I hadn’t experienced the first time around. I enjoyed it even more.
We weren’t able to visit the kitchens. They only do tours that include the kitchen on Fridays, but you better hurry as I believe they will be closing up the house for the winter at the beginning of November.
After the tour, I took some photographs of the garden which was showing some of the last bit of colour that I expect will be seen until the springtime. Amor took the one of the butterfly with my camera.
As photographs are not allowed in the house, I purchased a copy of Charleston: A Bloomsbury House and Garden By Quentin Bell and Virginia Nicholson . I am hoping for some inspiration for my next home.
Arlene's New Beginning 