Our Old Home, Vol. 2 Annotated with Passages from the Author's Notebook

A leisurely September excursion carries the narrator and a small party from the scholarly streets of Oxford toward the grand estate of Blenheim. Riding in a four‑horse carriage, they pause at the historic Black Bear inn in Woodstock, where stone houses and weather‑worn façades evoke an older England. The journey is punctuated by vivid observations of the countryside’s gentle undulations and the occasional hamlet that whispers of a slower, more rooted way of life.

Arriving at the vast park surrounding Blenheim, the traveler is struck by the blend of cultivated grandeur and untamed wilderness. Ancient oaks stand beside carefully arranged avenues that once echoed military order, while pheasants and shy stags roam the open lawns. A knowledgeable park‑keeper guides the carriage, pointing out a serene artificial lake that rivals the beauty of Wales, inviting listeners to imagine the sights, sounds, and gentle rhythm of a classic English country outing.