Is Devon Heaven?

Is Devon Heaven?
Or is it just heavenly?
This depends on you....

If you're seeking
A quiet country lane
A view of the sea
A sandy shore
Then go visit Devon

If you're seeking
Country pubs and home cooked food
And waves where you can surf
Then go visit Devon

If you're seeking
Farmers' markets
Antiques and crafts
And really good bakeries
Then go visit Devon

If you're seeking
Diverse scenery
Some windswept and wild
Some charmingly ordered
Then go visit Devon

You'll be thinking now
The author loves Devon
And the answer is sure
For me, Devon IS Heaven!

The Lanes of Bratton Fleming, Devon

Photo by Bridget Moore, Devon (c)

Living in Bratton Fleming was a joy

A quiet, safe, community

With countryside views from our home

Green rolling hills, scattered with trees

And silver streams running across narrow lanes

It's there I spent hours walking my dog

My dear spaniel, Topsy

She was full of joy

And her happiness at simple things was contagious

She'd wag her tail and her whole body in an ecstacy of excitement

In the spring time

When the wild flowers bloomed

It was a feast for the eyes

And we'd pause on our walk, down the lanes

And gaze across fields and meadows

At the bobbing daffodils

Or snowdrops

Or bluebells

Each season presenting a different kaleidoscope of colour

We'd walk the lanes, my dog and I

And I thought I'd never leave my beloved Devon

Fate had a different life in store for me, for a while

But I will return

My spaniel has passed away

And I have another dog to walk

And I can hardly wait to introduce

My Toffee dog to an English country lane

I know she'll love it

And together, we'll create our own

Special walks and places

Somewhere in Devon

I'm not sure where

But its gentle, rolling countryside

And flower filled fields

Are calling me home.

The Wonderful Devon Cream Tea

'Ooh, a Devon Cream Tea!
How Yummy!' my niece squeeled with delight
As we sat in the tea shop in Croyde and gave our order
With barely concealed excitement

We've been away, for a long time, you see
And England's ex-patriots
Tend to dream about these things
When they're far from home
Until the longing for the much loved
And very much missed
'English things'
Brings us home
Like magnets to a fridge door

We settle into our chairs and look around
At the quintessential 'Englishness' of the tea shop
And we smile at each other
As we gaze around us
Like water thirsty travellers in the desert
Drinking in the sights and the sounds
Of once familiar surroundings

And THEN the Devon Cream Tea arrives!
Two scones for each of us
Crisp on the outside
Buttery soft on the inside
Spread with strawberry jam whose berries fall over each other
To be covered in thick, rich, succulent, Devon clotted cream

And we take the first bite.......
Heaven
The flavours and textures of the scone, the jam and the cream
All blend together and make a perfect experience
Firm, soft, sweet, creamy
That wonderful, wonderful, Devon Cream Tea

And we sip our English tea
And eat our scones and we smile
The familiar is NOT to be taken for granted
Because, when the familiar is no longer available......
Well, we came 6,000 miles for this Devon Cream Tea!
How far would you go?