4 Comments
Feb 27Liked by Julie Witmer

Oh you left the best -for me-until last! I finished The Scent of Water yesterday and stopped, and sighed gently aloud. Such a balm, the whole novel. Now that I can see the photos you took, which accompany my imagined ideas from her memoir, I can see why she write my most beloved novels here. Rest, peace, quiet, beauty, refuge, stability. The age of the house and neighbourhood. All would have contributed to her writing. Gardens, surrounding nature, animals - they contribute to our wellbeing. What bliss to have been there Julie.

Expand full comment
author

It was a life highlight for sure! So glad to share Goudge's garden here as it tells so much about her, as you say.

Expand full comment

I have this feeling that when Tolkien did his weeding, he went all the way back to where he'd started the process, re-weeded everything he did the previous week, and only then continued on. Just... a hunch...

Expand full comment
author

😅 likely. Good thing he was so thorough

Expand full comment