A few pictures from london that need to be shared

My favorite place on earth, Clovelly.
(This is where Merlin's caves were)

Field of Daffodils

A protest in Trafalgar Square while the Olympic torch was going through

Royal Symphony doing a rock show

Quintessential London

St. Patrick's Day

We made a fort that was only for girls so it was therefore a fortress. Inside the fort we did face paint and watched a movie and ate lots of food that was all packaged in green! These are my silly friends embracing the insanity that was this fortress!

Happy Easter!

I got lots of yummy easter candy. Oh and i died my hair, it's not very different, just a little oranger (is "oranger" a word? probably not).

When i woke up on Easter morning is was greeted with snow. This picture was taken from my fire escape.

Stourhead

In the Grotto while it is raining outside (if you look closely you can see the temple of Apollo in the background)

Me and Ethan reenacting the scene from Pride and Prejudice between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy

There were wild daffodils all over the gardens that were breathtaking

Stonehenge

Rollerblades = Love

Yes i purchased rollerblades, and they are spectacular! They were only 12 pounds which is basically one meal here, so totally justified right? So far Ive only gotten one chance to go out blading and it was dark, hence the headlamp, it was a grand time until some police told us we were going to be mugged. So we slowly made our way back home. The most exciting part about the purchase is that there is an easter egg hunt specifically for rollerbladers in Regents park which i fully intend on being apart of. These rollerblades aren't like any other; you have to wear three pairs of socks to make them fit, the buckles don't quite get tight enough ever, the wheels are so slick that they slip out from under you when you move, and they leave behind a friendly bruise on your shins just so you can't forget about them when you aren't wearing them. All of these may appear as faults, but the truth is that i love them just like the little ugly duckling that they are (except when i stub my toe on them in the middle of the night and want to swear). I hope my sister Emily is proud of me, she is my inspiration while rollerblading:). (Aubs look I still have those spandex you gave me, they go to a lot of good use)

The wind of my soul

If you know me well, you know that my element is wind. While in Scotland we ventured to climb Arthur's Seat, a craggy, mossy hill that overlooks all of Edinburgh where Orson Pratt used to hike to find solace and commune with the Lord during his mission there. Anyways Hilary, Megan and I climbed this hill and it was quite possibly the windiest place i have ever been in my life. If you jumped in the air the wind was so strong that it could move you a couple of feet. The ground was covered in moss and grass that was think enough to serve as a matress for our dangerous adventure, that way when we fell it was a cushy landing. Oh and the hour or so that it took us to climb the hill was the only time the sun was out the whole time we were in Edinburgh. We thought we were taking a picture but this movie gives you an idea of the strength of the wind.

Zorro!

Today after i spent two hours in art class at the Victoria and Albert Museum I got to hang out with Antonio Banderas and his wife, Melanie Griffith! When i say hang out i really mean stand close and look at the same art and pretend like we were friends. But really he was about 2 feet away from me admiring the same Buddha statue! It was strange i couldn't stop second guessing that they were who they are because no one else seemed to care. I was so excited and I made Ethan go get his autograph for me, while i hid behind a wall. After he left we all had the jitters, it was almost the same emotion you get after your first kiss.

Stoke Poges

Yesterday was a dream. There are hardly words worthy to describe this experience. I walked along this pond and suddenly I became a heroine in a Jane Austen novel. I fell in love with this place and as hilary put it "it hurts so good to love so hard". Believe you me i love this place...hard. I feel like i have found the place that my heart has always gone to when i feel the purest joy. There were woods and gardens to play in and a church with a graveyard (the one Thomas Gray wrote all about) and the snow drops have started to bloom letting all of London know that spring is coming. (these gorgeous pictures were taken by my darling love Hailey)

Hampstead Heath

Every once and a while i get a little sick of all the cement that comes with living in the city and Ive started to find some quaint get aways that help me breath deeply again. I went on an adventure to Hampstead Heath (basically a mini-forest) and tromped around in the mud for a couple hours and my soul felt renewed. My friend had to do a conceptual art project based off of Andy Goldsworthy's work, so we helped to make this design out of leaves. I love having a project when Im playing in the woods; whether its making a fort, building a dam, searching for treasures, or creating art. I adore London!

Musee d'Orsay

I just arrived home from a week in Paris! If you were wondering it is just as amazing as Anastasia makes it seem. I'm in a drawing class and i have to sketch for at least 6 hours each week and im learning to fall in love with art. I seem to become easily overwhelmed when I am walking through museums and it is so difficult to grasp your mind around everything that you are seeing, but somehow when you are sketching you can limit down your attention to such minute aspects of the art, that you can become more apart of it and create a relationship with each piece that you choose to sketch. I got to go to all the major sites but my very favorite was the Orsay. All of Degas' pastels were so moving i practically lived in the museum. But my favorite piece was definitely this wooden sculpture by Georges Lacombe. To me this is safety and peace and love all wrapped up in a moment. The artist actually did a series of these two figures and ends it with her covering him when he dies. Ohh! i just love love love it.

My Best Friend in London

This is Ethan. He is my best friend in London. We play all the time and we have a handshake. I call him Eggers and he calls me Beagle (like abigail pronounced incorrectly). He will never be as good as my darling nephews but he is a fill in while Im across the ocean. Honestly I think Ive just been used to having kids there when I come home so it is comforting to have Ethan as a smiling face when I walk in the door. There is a playground in Kensington gardens and you can't get in to without a child and it has an awesome nautical theme, so Ethan and I are planning to go play. I am missing the loves of my life James and Chase, if anyone sees them give them a kiss for me.

Markets!

My heavens the markets here are to die for! yesterday we went to the Borough Street Market and I met a nice man who told me all about his life and gave me some apple-beet juice. The foods and smells and people were so overwhelming. I feel like I'm constantly walking in silence just desperately trying drink in everything i see. There were the most magnificent truffles, fresh pastas, mulled wine (which smelled divine), sausages, cheeses, pastries, oh and the most shocking thing was seeing the hanging peasants and rabbits. This morning Hilary and I went to Portobello Rd and it was the same thing but topped off with antiques and clothing. My latest adventure is trying to find a locket, i don't know why but i really really want one. Anyways, those are my ramblings for the day. I hope all is well at home, im so glad angie is safe and sound. Oh and did i tell you i got the watch? it is ridiculously perfect, thank you a million mom.

Here you go mom

I journeyed southward for a day and had a spectacular time. First we went to Canterbury cathedral (where above my friends and i are reenacting the martyrdom of Thomas A. Becket), there was so much rich history that my brain went on overload, which seems to be a common occurrence while Im in London. We road a bus out to Beachy Head and got to run and play and be excited all over the white cliffs. I then proceeded to turn myself and two other girls into chalk warriors, you know, just to get closer to the land. We stopped in Rye, quite possibly the most quaint town i have ever witnessed. We walked all over the cobblestone streets then i tried to climb this castle (stupid American). Well anyhoo, the entire day was an adventure to say the least, I love this country and it was a dream to get to travel through the countryside with the sun shining through the clouds.

On the street where i live

This is Palace Court. Yes, i live here. Yes, Beckham and Jude Law live down the street. Everytime i step out my door i can't help but take a deep breath in of the wet, fresh air. I live about one minute away from Kensington gardens and a Ive started a daily routine of running through the park. I feel like I have all of London at my fingertips. The hardest part is deciding how to manage my time and do what when. Any advice? Overall i feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world.

The gigantic bags under my eyes in this picture along with the happy smile pretty much explain my adjustment to London so far. I am adoring wandering around this enchanting city; while simulatneously feeling like im going to collapse at any second becuase ive only had 7 hours of sleep since monday...and its thursday. So in this picture im standing next to the Thames in some icy wind. My favorite activity so far was

walking around Kensington Gardens and just soaking in my surroundings. It still feels like im in a dream, i wonder when reality will hit?