I just love getting mail. Perhaps spending so much time working on the computer and being separated from so many of my family and friends has intensified this. Or perhaps I am just old-fashioned. Email, social networking and chatting online are wonderful, wonderful ways to keep in touch, but nothing quite compares to the tactile sensation of opening a letter, reading handwriting, and appreciating the time that goes into writing a letter. (I am also a paper freak, but that will have to be another post altogether.) This week I received a wonderful surprise in the mail . . . a lovely letter and two postcards from Anne in Oxfordshire!
Anne’s blog is one of my favorite reads, and not too long ago I saw her lovely post on receiving a postcard from Positano sent to her from fellow Amalfi Coast blogger Bell’Avventura. I just loved this idea of bloggers connected through snail mail, and thought a postcard from Amalfi would be a nice addition to Anne’s Amalfi Coast postcard collection. So off I sent a nice postcard of Amalfi to England. How fun to receive Anne’s postcards from Oxford in return!
Blackwell Bookstore, July 2007I don’t think Anne knew it when she sent these postcards, but two summers ago I spent a lovely day in Oxford as part of the Victorian Society of America’s summer school program in London. We took a day trip from London to Oxford, and I just fell in love with the city. We toured many of the colleges, churches and important buildings throughout the city, and I swear I felt smarter the moment I stepped off the bus! Anne said the Blackwell bookstore (bottom postcard) is one of her favorite stops in Oxford, where she enjoys a Caffe Milano at the Caffe Nero located inside. I love, love, love a good bookstore, and I just happened to spend all my free time in Oxford doing the same thing! Anne’s postcards reminded me of that lovely day in Oxford, and I enjoyed looking through my pictures and remembering the day two years ago. Here are a few pictures I snapped during that day:
Are these gladiolas?
Keble College designed by Andrew Butterfield
Iron detail
University Church of St. Mary’s, Oxford
Thanks, Anne, for the wonderful postcards of Oxford! I will have to keep your Amalfi Coast postcard collection growing. Next stop . . . Ravello!
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That was so lovely – sending and receiving a postcard to a fellow blogger. Send me your address via email mirandasmother@gmail.com, and I'll send you a postcard from Princeton. By the way, those flowers are hollyhocks.
They are not gladioli but Hollyhocks. You can't get more English than that. Love the details in your photos.
I love Anne's blog too and keep up with all her travelling.
There's something for you on my blog.
I totally agree, social graces have gone out the window with so-called "social networking." Writing, with a pen, is so nice to do. You actually give some thought to the words. And receiving even better!
Hi Laura, I am in shock!! What a wonderful Sunday Shout, Thank you so much, it is such an honour.
I was more in shock when I read the second Paragraph 🙂 I had absolutely NO idea that you had been to England let alone Oxford..and of all places Blackwell Bookshop!!! And you feel the same way about it, as Caroline and I do.
I have a selection of cards that I have stashed away since doing this postcard swap, and the truth is, that I bought it ages ago, and really didn't know which person to send it to…it kept getting put BACK in the box!!! Take Care Anne
Ciao Linda! Ooh, that would be great! I didn't make it to Princeton, but I would love to some day. We can do an address swap! Be in touch soon. Funny, I was sitting on the beach yesterday in Amalfi and it suddenly occurred to me… Oh, I bet those flowers are hollyhocks. Thanks for letting me know!
Ciao Scintilla! Thanks so much for the award on your blog! You are very kind. Glad you enjoyed the photos, and thanks for letting me know about the flowers. I knew they didn't look quite like gladioli, but couldn't remember the name.
Ciao Lisa! Handwritten letters are the best! 🙂
Ciao Anne! So happy you enjoyed the Sunday Shout-out. It is always such a pleasure to share the blogs that I enjoy reading so much. I thought you would be surprised to see the photos and read about me being in Oxford. I was surprised to find I had a picture of Blackwell bookshop when I went back last week to look through my photos. I just loved it there and wished I had more time. So funny that you decided to send that one to me! Life is just full of fun little surprises like that. 🙂 Thanks for the great postcards!