Izzy Bird, movement
December 15, 2020
Isabella has moved! She is at Dr. Hughes’ house in the Lower Canyon, where she hopes to get news of the outside world. Before that, Isabella shares a discovery so many of us have made: travel makes you appreciate home even more.
“Once again here, in refined and cultured society, with harmonious voices about me, and dear, sweet, loving children who make this cabin a true English home. ‘England, with all thy faults, I love thee still!’ I can truly say…Surely one advantage of traveling is that, while it removes much prejudice against foreigners and their customs, it intensifies tenfold one’s appreciation of the good at home, and, above all, the quietness and purity of English domestic life.”*
It remains cold. It is “intense — a clear, brilliant, stimulating cold, so dry that even in my threadbare flannel riding dress I do not suffer from it.” She is keeping her ink on the stove so that it remains fluid enough to write with.
Her intentions are to visit with the Hughes family and learn what she can about the state of the world. Most of her things are still in Estes Park but she did pack Birdie (!) with the mailbag, an additional blanket, and some raisins.**
There were adventures along the way… but those will wait until tomorrow.
* This was also the time of cholera epidemics and the toxic Thames but whatever.
** no matter where she traveled, she always had raisins. Your guess is as good as mine.
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