Mr. Turner, Mr. Turner, Mr. Turner!

CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS FILM.

I remember landing in London for the first time as a younger woman, jet-lagged and truly ready to drop. Yet all I could think about, dream of, was getting to the Tate Museum as soon as possible to see the Turner Collection. Had looked, spellbound, at his paintings in books for years and fallen in love with his work long since in some kind of mystical way. Now all  that the stood in the way of my seeing his masterpieces in person was a good night's sleep.

My fondness for the irascible, brilliant Mr. Turner has only grown with the years.

 Incidentally, after immersing myself for a day at the Tate, my next favorite stop outside London was Kew Gardens. It was an unusually warm early February day (and winter) with pansies growing everywhere and some of the exhibits I saw there---like the botanist Marianne North----were also life-changing....

 But back to Mr. Turner.....