A Fourth of July weekend full of family, fireworks, and a Cornwall novel I could not put down
I was up before six every day this weekend, the way I always am, and the neighborhood completely quiet. That kind of quiet that only happens when everyone else has stayed up too late or it’s a holiday and everyone is enjoying a lie in. Patches and I went out for our walks and had the whole world to ourselves, it was glorious. Just the birds carrying on in the trees, the deer helping themselves to someone’s hydrangeas, a few squirrels doing whatever squirrels do at that hour and nothing else. No cars, no people just us and a little peace.
I love that time of morning more than I can explain. I love it just as much as I love being out on a snowy morning. There is something about being the only one awake that feels almost like a gift no one else knows they gave you.
The rest of the weekend was a different story. Pool, beach, parade, family, food, and a level of coordination that would have impressed a logistics team. I got us where we needed to be with the right things in the right coolers at the right time, which I consider a personal triumph. We had two nights of fireworks and enough laughs to carry us well into the week. It was the best kind of tired at the end of it.
America’s 250th birthday. It was a wonderful celebration.
On the Nightstand
I finished The Secret Shore by Liz Fenwick over the weekend, and I am telling you, Cornwall has a hold on me I did not anticipate. I read Secrets of Harbor House first and made the mistake of thinking I could read just that one. I could not. Liz Fenwick writes that part of England the way it actually feels, old and coastal and full of things just slightly out of reach. I am now fully committed to reading everything she has written. Are you like that with an author you love? The moment you find someone whose world you want to live inside, do you immediately go looking for the rest of their books? Or is that just me? I feel fairly certain it is not just me.
Looking for more books? Everything I have recommended can be found on My Bookshop.Most are also available from Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and on Libby from your local library.
On the Screen
I watched the latest episode of The American Countess this weekend, and Julie was at Claydon Estate. I cannot get enough of these houses. Something about the scale of them, the generations they have been home too, the way they just stand there being magnificent and slightly impractical and completely unapologetic about both. If you have not watched The American Countess, I will put the link here for you. Settle in with something good to drink. P.S. There is a connection to Florence Nightingale that you will find fascinating.
Window Shopping
A stripe shirt always looks classic, this week I paired one with a skirt, a pair of snake skin sandals, and a white leather trimmed tote. This is casual, classic and perfect day or night.
Outfit Details Below
I hope your Fourth was everything you wanted it to be, whether that meant a front-row spot for the fireworks or a quiet evening on the porch watching everyone else celebrate. And I hope that you have a wonderful week ahead.
If you missed Weekend Meandering you can read it here.
Tell me, are you a binge-reader? When you find an author you love, do you read straight through everything they have written, or do you pace yourself and save some for later? I have never once managed to pace myself and I am not sure I want to start now.
You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook., I would love to see you there.
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