Woodchuck’s pear is really pretty nice; you’ll have to seek it out the next time you’re over. Cider’s big here in the sort of microbrew set. Even some of the English brands, like Strongbow, are becoming widely findable. And mead is starting to pop up on wine lists too, especially if there’s a local winery giving it a try. (I can’t stand the stuff–mead that is–so can’t attest as to the quality of the local bottles.)

Untrue, forsooth! Cider has become very available in the states; the popular brand is a Vermont bottler called “Woodchuck” who makes a standard, a pear cider, and a nice tart Granny Smith variety….

I’m sitting here, fingering my passport (used for only one trip so far) and dreaming of bells and hell hounds…. But I have a garden this year that I’m trying to ‘do my best by’, so I’ll just have to dream.

Tell your friend thanks for the post.

WandaV in AL

Uh-oh, all your friends are reading your blog too? Welcome friend. Robin, you must be so glad to be limiting yourself to hellhounds, gardening, weather, Peter, bell-ringing, books, cooking, ME, vagaries of traffic and joys of chocolate. Do you have time for anything else in your life? Currently I am spending too much time watering plants and cleaning pigeon shit off the back balcony.

Guest Blogger said “Huzzah!” about posting–she DID make a good recovery from coping with the trains. Bells and cider must have terrific regenerative power!