Tea at the Palace

Today was one of the most beautiful days of my young life. There could not possibly be a better way to spend an autumn afternoon than hiking through the gardens of blenheim palace and the landscaping of Capability Brown. I was accompanied by 15 students, my beloved junior dean, Jonathan, Katy and Simon, quite a few sheep, a swan, some ducks and lovely weather. We walked the countryside, climbing hills, chasing sheep, viewing the lake, walking bridges, climbing trees, throwing leaves, and viewing the palace. All of this topped off by cream tea at the close of the afternoon. A few inadequate photos attempt to capture these moments:
http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee265/akuehn/?mediafilter=all

This evening consisted of some e-mail catch up and a search for a pub with an empty chair. After an overcrowded Turf and pricey looking Slug and Lettuce (quite upclass despite the name), Alicia and I settled on the Royal Oak. We ended up outside, but had an engaging conversation that only ended because of a phone date. If only all days could be so beautifully English.