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Someday, I hope!

I loved being able to read through this whole post. And the photos are like a breath of fresh air.

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Thank you, Loren! It is a dream of a city. I am re-reading Goudge's Oxford book right now, Towers in the Mist, and it just makes me want to wander the streets for days. :)

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I still have vivid memories of reading it years ago--it was one of those quiet, restoring books I read when we were brand new parents.

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That is wonderful to hear! I definitely recommend her other cathedral books then if you haven’t read them yet- The Dean’s Watch and A City of Bells 📚❤️

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Feb 3Liked by Julie Witmer

Delightful! I look forward to reading more about these gardens!

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Thanks Deanna! :)

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Jan 31Liked by Julie Witmer

My husband & I had the amazing privilege to visit Oxford in 11/2007 to see our daughter who was in a Study Abroad there. We loved it all! But my highlight was going into the Cotswolds and visiting Blenheim and seeing its Italianate gardens. (And of course enjoyed popping into the Eagle & the Child; plus having cream teas!😃)

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Such a fun trip! :)

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This is lovely. I’m embarrassed to say that I lived in Oxford for a few months and never made it to the botanical garden. But, it’s not too late and I’m only an hour away. Perhaps I will meet my Oxford friend there and explore 🌱 I’ll look forward to reading more!

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It's a lovely day out - enjoy! So very old too. We will be talking a look at Goudge's garden too in the coming weeks :)

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Jan 30Liked by Julie Witmer

Love this post! We were there for a few days in 2011 Dr and wished we could have stayed longer. We were able to slip in with a tour of the Kilns and wander briefly down the path to Narnia. We walked the paths around Magdalen. Thank you for the memories. I’ve not read Thompson or Goudge’s works. Which is your favorite? Could you suggest a starting point?

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So glad, Claire! You are in for a treat with both Flora and Elizabeth :) For Flora Thompson I would go with Lark Rise to Candleford, which is actually three books put together about her childhood and growing up years. (We will get a look at the real "Lark Rise" this month!)

For Goudge, you have more choices. You can follow over @ElizabethGoudgeBookclub on Substack, Instagram or FB if you like, and I have articles like this one:

https://elizabethgoudgebookclub.substack.com/p/which-elizabeth-goudge-book-should

And also we read one together each month so you could jump in anytime you like. Here is the list for 2024:

https://elizabethgoudgebookclub.substack.com/p/goudge-readalong-2024

She wrote novels for adults and children, devotional works and short stories, so there is a lot to pick from. She won the Carnegie Medal for The Little White Horse in the 1940's, and it is a bit like a Narnian book. Definitely worth a read!

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deletedJan 31
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Feb 11Liked by Julie Witmer

Me too, Sarah. Thanks, Julie!

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So glad, Sarah. Thank you for saying so! Hope you enjoy the series :)

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