Ancestral home

There is a small market town in Devon called Buckfastleigh. It's more famous neighbour Buckfast is so due to the Abbey that is there. Buckfastleigh is also near the pretty river Dart. More importantly to me, it is my ancestral home - that part of the 'green and pleasant land' that is England that my ancestors decided to leave over two centuries ago. It is hard to for me to understand why they chose to leave. In the early 1800's life may well have been grim and perhaps they thought they would find a better life somewhere else. Perhaps they did.

We cannot choose our birth place. I have had an ambivalent response to my own. What we can choose is where we live - where we call home. 'You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose" said Dr. Seuss, and he is right!

In 9 days I shall be leaving Geelong to take one grand adventure to my 'homeland'. I shall be undertaking archaeology digs at both York and at the roman fort of Vindolanda at Hadrians Wall in Northumberland. I will be visiting Leicester to see the resting place of Richard III. Travelling south to Surrey I shall be in residence at my marital UK base of Esher. To Cornwall I shall visit Poldark country and walk the cornish coastline. Poldark season 3 will be filming while I am there so fingers crossed! In Falmouth and Polruan I shall take my time soaking in the views of the harbours, the little boats sailing past my balcony.

Then to Buckfastleigh. A small cottage in town with a garden, beams and log fire. There will be the local farmer's market to purchase fresh produce from, just like the locals. I shall visit the churchyard where my ancestors are buried and I shall tidy their graves. I shall explore Dartmoor and breathe in the wild air. A canal boat ride, a day at the Ashburton cookery school, a visit to The White Hart pub for a drink. This all calls to me. For me, I shall be home.