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Dear readers,
We have finally arrived at our summer lodgings!
Newstead Abbey is a very fine place indeed; if you recall, the little shed off the sideyard is my ancestral home, where my family has lived for over a century.
Generally, birds are not permitted into the main house, but Robin quickly made friends with the caretaker, and we were invited in. Although the rooms are beautiful, we make sure to leave before dusk, thus avoiding the more spectral residents (I don't think my heart could take an encounter).
We have made ourselves comfortable in the potting shed, which is well furnished with a generous wicker basket lined with fresh linens and a nice little pantry filled with grain and seeds.
The weather has been in our favor, and we have discovered a lovely little spot in the walled garden where the soil is especially sandy and dry, perfect for an afternoon dust bath.
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Robin took this picture of me in the dingle, a funny little spot in the trees with a dirt path that winds along to the lake. I think this is as wild as England gets. Robin likes to pretend it's the forest, and I must say I feel rather brave strutting about while he keeps watch for bears.
And speaking of the little bird, I think he would like to say a few words.
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Hello, it's me.
Yesterday I found this tapestry in the study, I think the bird might be one of Quentin's ancestors because of the long legs, but Quentin says he doesn't think so because it looks dead in the eye. It might also be too small; look how it's standing on tiptoe next to that snail, it looks like it's slipping off the leaf, and who knows how far down the ground is and...Oh dear.
That tapestry is very worrying! I shan't look at it anymore because it's near bedtime, and it's hard to sleep when ideas get in my mind, and then I have to wake Quentin and tell him all about them, and that's hard because he needs lots of beauty sleep so he can keep his feathers perfect, he likes to look his best.
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And here is the library, it's my favorite room as there are so many good books in there and it's the perfect spot for long summer afternoons! So if you see Jayne, please ask her to hurry over so we can lounge about with iced hibiscus tea and cake together; Oh, and Quentin requests currant buns with extra currants.
Thank you for your time,
Robin.
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