A story from Debra Shedrick, one of Winterthur’s terrific house and garden guides:
As I was guarding the garden guide stand at Winterthur today, the jolliest-looking couple approached. They looked so merry that I gave them my very best “Hello, hello!” and heard British accents coming back at me. I have a fondness for all things British so you can imagine my immediate melt-down. Of course, we talked.
So easy to engage, the couple enthused over the week they’d spent traveling in Delaware. They’d come here for a wedding and figured that they’d just go where the winds blew them in this small state. They confessed to having very low expectations going in. They went south to see our beaches - and loved them! – and experienced the once annual pony run at Chincoteague.
They loved all of that and went on to the Delaware State Fair in Harrington, marveling over the American-ness of it all – including the political incorrectness of the freak show (I must say it would not have been among my recommendations of things to do in the state for a foreign visitor!) They found the deep-fried hot dogs & Twinkies & the snake woman absolutely delightful & uniquely American and went back a second day. They couldn’t wait to tell their friends at home about all of it. We pumped them full of other places to go after Winterthur – Longwood, Nemours, Brandywine Conservancy.
BUT…alas, they are on their way home on Monday, feeling that they saved the best for last at Winterthur, and marveling over the richness of a Delaware Valley experience! I would SO much have liked to talk with them after they finished their tour. They wanted to walk everywhere on the estate and experience everything – how to do that best and still see the house? They were in love with America in general and Delaware in particular. It was a joy to see!
Thanks, Debra, for sharing this sweet story of a terrific experience in Delaware!
