last week I went to spend time with my sister
she lives in one of the most breathtaking
places we have in England
I will never tire of slate walls
dry stone, lichen and ferns
one day we set off in search of this gravestone
I read recently that Schwitters had died in Kendal
and he was buried in Ambleside
although he was exhumed in the 70's
and buried in his hometown
his gravestone remains in his last living place
this curious little house is not where he lived
but is owned by the National Trust
thought to have been an apple store
now an information centre
a short drive from there
we visited Dove Cottage which was
William Wordsworth's house
at Grasmere
"the loveliest spot that man hath ever found"
he rested his notebooks on the arm of this chair
considering desks "an abomination"
most of his works were transcribed by his wife Dorothy
her garden was her love
her own journals full of plans
and notes
the Lakes really do Autumn in spectacular colour
even on the dullest days
the sun did appear on my last full day
a stroll around the lake
dodging sheep and smiling at the rubber duck
floating aside the real ones
there's layers of history and inspiration
in those hills, helms and scars
poet, writers and artists have known it for centuries
