Happy New Year

After the busy harvest in December and a somewhat challenging Christmas, I rewarded myself for the New Year with some English-speaking company. Having found a cheap flight to England, I spent five days with a friend whom I’ve known since middle school and who is now living there. Due to my poor knowledge of British geography, I falsely (though accidentally) told some family and friends that I would be spending the time in London. It turns out, we were two hours north of London in a town called Kenilworth. Though Kenilworth lacks the attractions of a big city like London, I was actually perfectly content avoiding the hub-bub and enjoyed the English countryside instead. The weather was amazing, contrary to the norm: chilly, of course, but for the most part dry, and even sunny on occasion. We took advantage of this by strolling through the parks in Leamington, touring the 12th century ruins of the Kenilworth Castle, climbing the tower of St. Mary’s Church for a bird’s eye view of Warwick, perusing the house and gardens of Shakespeare’s birth in Stratford-upon-Avon, and meandering in awe what remains of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Coventry after being bombed in World War II. New Year’s Eve we spent inside with great food and a lively round of poker. And not to dismiss the great company, but what I also enjoyed very much about my trip was some fantastic running! Knowing only the gym and city streets the two months prior, I revelled in the network of trails that traverse the English countryside. I learned that farmers/landowners are required by the government to maintain trails through their property for the public good. As an agriculturist, I thought about how I would not be too keen about people tromping through my fields, but as a runner those five days, I appreciated the freedom. So, all-around, my trip to England was a great start to a new year.

To see pictures, go to the England folder at my Shutterfly website.