One of the joys of revisiting the Cotswolds (and England in general) is that we are not driven to see, see, see, so today was a relaxed day. We wandered through Stow after breakfast, visiting the market cross in the square (thanks, Alamy), about which more later,
stopped by St. Edward’s church with its amazing door, said to have inspired Tolkien’s Doors of Durin,
visited the pharmacy for AO’s ear (stopped up due to the plane?), a lovely little shop where we bought socks for various people, and the bookstore, where I bought a walks guide for Northleach and area.
Then I left AO to her own devices while I took a little walk suggested in the Stow Walks booklet. The first part, through town and then along a rough track through the village of Maugersbury, 
was very pleasant, with beautiful views of the landscape and Icomb Hill, said to have been the site of a neolithic hill fort.
The next bit was along the the ancient Fosse Way, but in this section the Fosse Way goes along the A429, a very busy two-lane road. Luckily there was a sidewalk for pedestrians but still, some of those trucks came barreling down the hill at a great rate. Then away from the highway and through a cemetery, along the allotments with these beautiful dahlias, 
and then to a confusing bit. A friendly fellow pedestrian offered help, so I followed her through a little ture or snicket or alley and found myself back in the town.
Fortified with the delicious baguettes we had bought earlier, we set out for a mild little trip to Northleach, where our friends Peggy and Eddie spend a few weeks every spring. The church is a classic perpendicular, 
and inside were several brasses featuring worthies standing on wool sacks, from which local fortunes were made. You can see that they are protected by these rugs most of the time.
Shades of Angela Thirkell! The chatty woman at the info desk has children in the US and spoke admiringly of our country – except for the frequent random murders, of course… We also stopped briefly near Sherborne, where P&E rent their National Trust house. 
Doesn’t it look ghostly with the autumn grasses? You get there down a long, long one-lane road, luckily with a few turnouts for oncoming traffic. Beautiful, but I wouldn’t want to be driving down there in the dark!
Next on to Burford in search of the garden centre that Peggy touted. The main street was so congested, and we were not sure of the location, that I finally turned on my phone ($10!!) to get directions. The centre was a mix of high-end home furnishings and the best garden shop in the world.
I picked up some seed packets, and Alison found a darling little bird for her windowsill.
Our final stop was Minster Lovell, a small village along the banks of the Windrush, which we would call a creek or stream rather than a river. Charming, but nowhere to stop and admire it so we went down the road to the church. 
Small and nice and obviously hard to maintain, with a shrinking number of congregants and an ancient building in need of maintenance. But the interior seemed well used and busy. No stained glass, thanks a lot, Henry VIII!
Back towards home, planning to stop at a gas station to top up the air in one of the tires, which causes the car to display exclamation marks. Unfortunately, even though we got the tire up to 32 psi, the car is still unhappy. Maybe tomorrow. We came back to Stow and the promised roadworks meant we couldn’t take our usual route in, so we ended up in Lower Swell (because once you’re on a road, there’s almost no place to pull over or turn around). Reversing and retracing our route, we finally found our familiar Sheep Street and home. Driving is always harder at the end of the day. Dinner tonight at The Bell was the best dinner of the trip so far: Lamb for AO, sausages and a rocket salad with pickled shallots for me, both imaginatively cooked. 
Our first stop today was Hailes Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey that was mostly destroyed in the Dissolution, so all that’s left are some stones, pillars and arches. But when you look at the expanse that the church encompassed, you have a sense of how enormous it must have been. Unlike its sister Cistercian Abbey, 
Brexit loomed over this trip and we discussed it with people a couple of times. At the Abbey, the attendant told us that the EU had changed dramatically from when the UK first joined, now the EU dictated what each country could do. What if, he said, the US, Canada and Mexico were under one government, the American flag was taken down and the seat of government was in Costa Rica?? I have no idea if this is a real scenario, but somehow I think not. But if that’s how some people see it, it makes more sense that after forty years, some of them want to leave. In any case, Alison encouraged me not to engage the man on the way out, so we escaped.
Most all of the tables were booked for a Sunday roast, but we managed to slip in for sandwiches before everyone arrived. Just as we were leaving, several multi-generational family parties arrived. The English have a sense of ritual – Millennium memorials, Sunday roast, etc. – that we have never had. It may be a bit stuffy but it’s also comforting.
This was a very relaxing garden, perhaps because within the spaces defined by stone walls or boxwood, plants twined somewhat wildly with each other. Lots and lots of roses, like this ‘Trumpeter,’ 
since this is the home of the famously enormous Kiftsgate rose (past its bloom now), but also at this time of year dahlias, Japanese anemones, asters and various other beauties. 
The water gardens were especially beautiful and imaginative. Just look at this elegant installation, with its flowers that gently pour into the pool.
and I thought of how this house and garden would be wonderful for entertaining. I wonder how the latest generation, who must be about our age, are planning for the future.
Leaving Oxford on a bright, clear day, we picked up a little white Golf to carry us to Stow. Our first goal was Blenheim Palace, but Alison got an email from them saying that because of an “incident” they would not be opening until lunchtime. Since the park was still open, off we set.
we came to yet another Harry Potter tree, a cedar which has been propped up to keep it alive by the skin of its teeth. (This is the one that Severus Snape hung from in Order of the Phoenix, when he was being bullied by Harry’s father.) 
You can see that it is carefully preserved from any rabid fans who might be tempted to try the same.
From here I continued around the Queen’s Lake while Alison went back to the shops. Gorgeous views, magnificent trees, thank you, Capability Brown!
See?? We parked in the next street just beyond, and thanks to friendly neighbors who encouraged us to find our house, we had the strength to pick up our groceries and bags and go back along the narrow alley in search of Carter’s Cottage. 
It’s just two up, two down (mostly) but with a really good bathroom and a washer/dryer (mysterious like all British appliances, but we made it work). Here’s a look at the cottage, which suited us down to the ground. 
and then had a delicious dead chicken from Tesco, along with a salad and shortbread for dessert, which we seemed to need. Looking forward to a real shower, that does not require standing up in a tub or kneeling!
then walked back down Broad Street to Blackwell’s, as much of a rabbit warren as ever and with so many books we both wanted to buy (only two for me, I was very proud of my restraint). Lunch at the Turl Street Kitchen hit the spot, two orange-yolked eggs over English muffins, then back to the Bath to check in and take a two-hour jet-lag nap.
It has an interesting history, with Dorothy Sayers among the famous residents. 
Our
The bathroom was quintessentially British: a tub with a shower spray, which meant you either knelt in the tub to wash your hair (hard on the knees), stood up and sprayed your hair and all the surroundings, or knelt on the floor and leaned into the tub. None was entirely satisfactory (shades of our Paris apartment!), but for three days we could manage.
Dinner tonight was literally around the corner at the renowned Turf Tavern, where we had steak and ale pies and french fries that made us both very happy. We admired the hanging baskets of flowers and the late sun on the New College bell tower. 
And so to bed.
Caroline's Garden and Travel Record 