Writer, Photographer, and Passionate Explorer
I am Elizabeth Harper, a woman who for years lived along the edges of her dreams.
For far too long, I earned my living marketing drugs for pharmaceutical companies, with the last six years spent in the HIV community. It was a never-ending job that left little time for the things that mattered most to me. As I entered my forties, I wanted more. More really meant less — less stuff, less paperwork, and less demand on my time by others. Always inclined to take chances, I closed the door on corporate life in 2004 and began my journey to create a new life.
Along the way, I fell in love with an Englishman and my American life suddenly shifted to the Cornish coast of England. My original intent for this blog was to keep family and friends close to me and my new life in the UK, but everyone is welcome and I hope you find something here to enjoy.
I can reached by email at : ebethharper (at) mac (dot) com
Thanks again for your interest.
Gifts Of The Journey 
Ah, those Cornishmen. They’ll get you every time, won’t they? 😉
Signed,
Another wife of a Cornishman
I admire you left Corporate America. I admire you that you wanted “more = less.” Your photos in the UK – the buildings, etc, are beautiful!
I, too, want “more=less,” and I can’t wait until the day I close the door of this chapter in my life. I’m inspired.
I hope to explore more through your lens. Take Care!
Follow your heart and you will make the right decision every time. Best to you!
You left a comment on my page..at 509hilltop about Englishmen..they are lovely. We live in the States..as he decided to make the journey here.
I must say that I am enthralled with your story! I have just hit 40 and am in the corporate culture. A world that is a tiresome place in which I am waiting to leave…the moment has not yet presented itself..but having you as an inspiration…well that is comforting.
Take care.
BTW, your images…are well, simply stunning.
emmee.
I followed your link from Tongue in cheek. You wrote such a beautiful story and have a real gift for story telling. I was born in Ireland, married a Welshman who took me off to live in England which felt like a foreign country to me. After 9 years we packed up and moved to Australia. My blog was written for grandparents but now is for the love of writing and a place to put up photos I take of the kids. I am looking forward to looking more at your blog to see your experiences of living in a different country!
I followed your link from Tongue in Cheek as well! Beautiful story – yours (here in the About section) – and the one you linked to on Tongue in Cheek about love and your dear friends – that was something I knew, but needed to be reminded of. Thank you!
Wow, what an amazing, incredible, and interesting life you have! I found your site after you left a very nice comment on my own blog last week — thanks for that. And I look forward to more visits here!
Love your photos, too — Cindy
Dear Elizabeth,
I am writing a third time, so that I do not appear flip in my former quick emails. I came across your site having googled for grave site pictures of Abelard and Heloise. Your photos are very fine and beautiful. Please let me know if he might post them or how you would go about this process and if you are at all interested. He is well read on the subject of Abelard and Heloise, although I think in his series of essays with sound track he might disagree at my assessment not because he has not presented some extraordinary depth, but because generally when people are into something deeply, they are humbled by the experience to the extent that they perceive the vast amount of knowledge that could be acquired on a subject of such complexity. — Dara
I am about to make that move from corporate life….it has taken me much longer as I am well into my fifties and a push from my employer due to a takeover…I’m scared but excited! I am not sending out any resumes…but am planning on cleaning out, simplifying my life and making time for artistic pursuits. Thank you for your inspiration…it is encouraging to read of your journey…
Take care, Laura
I was in my mid-30s when I made the jump — bailed out of very successful but unfulfilling corporate job to pursue my dreams of writing and travel. I started off with a six-month trek around Australia. It was the best decision I’ve ever made — both leaving the corporate world to pursue writing and starting the adventure in Australia. I returned home (near Chicago) from that initial adventure a different person.
Unlike you, I didn’t fall in love with a person, just with my new life. I’ve now been to 37 countries on six continents, and I make a living doing what I love — writing. So to you, who also jumped ship — good work. And to all those considering it — it’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
Oh — and I love Cornwall. Possibly my favorite place in the UK.
Happy travels, happy writing.
We have so much in common, it’s great to meet a kindred spirit. Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a wonderful comment. I’m looking forward to following you on your blog as well!
What an awesome story. Glad you’re living your dreams. 🙂
Love you Elizabeth! Call the next time you come home!
Hi Elizabeth,
This is Jim Jones, from long, long ago in Baumholder. I stumbled upon your blog after Googling names of people I’ve known over the years. Wonderful site you’ve put together. That’s some really excellent writing and photography you have there, and I’m very glad to see that you’re doing well and pursuing your dreams. I guess I don’t really need to ask how things are going, since it’s obvious things are good. England huh? Well, I imagine it’s easier to obtain an decent pint of Guinness there than here. 🙂 Seriously, it looks like a beautiful place to live. Anyway, just wanted to say howdy and convey my complements on your website. Best wishes, Jim
wow, get out of my head! this was a little like reading my own bio. can’t wait to poke around your blog a bit…
~w
http://thetravelingcircus.wordpress.com/
Brilliant and inspiring. I quit the desk job several years back and despite some trialling moments, still know that I made the right choice.
I am now in the process of chasing another dream and the path I need to take will have some hardship but you know what, I’m gonna try.
Love your blog.
Chris (from UK!).
Moving forward and staying put are both scary. The difference is that you will probably regret the latter.
If you’d told me six years ago where I’d be right now, I’d have called you a liar to your face. I’m so glad that I finally made what my sister calls “a decision for happiness.”
I’ve bookmarked your site and will check back once I’m off deadline.
I am enjoying your blog. A lady who reads my blog sent me the link. I admire your bold decision. After 40 you start to realize what’s important and what’s not, I found. I made a sort of similar journey when I was 41 and went off to Russia on a choir tour. There I met a little girl in an orphanage and knew she was my daughter. Eighteen months later I was a terrified new mom to a 13 year old who spoke no English. Two years after that I adopted my son from Kazakhstan. It’s been an interesting journey to say the least! Now I am trying to save money to take my kids to Ireland and Italy, one day.
You have a wonderful blog—enjoyed your story of Kenny Loggins, and your beautiful pictures of your life in England. There is so much history there, as they don’t tear down their homes/buildings to make way for new and “better”. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog. From a fellow flyer.
It took me to 50 to realize I wanted to do something different with my life, and now at 58, I think I’m on my way.
Love your writing and story-telling.
Hi Elizabeth,
thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving kind words.
I am a regular, but silent, visitor to your blog and love to read your posts….they are so interesting and funny and uplifting.
Don’t give up on getting yourself published. I too would buy your book….have bought from two Flickr friends already and would love to add yours to my bookshelves! :~)
Bravo to you for your courage in changing your life and for enriching your new community…they are lucky to have you there.
Blessed be
H x
I loved speaking with you today and am so happy you told me about your blog! You have inspired me in just the short visit I’ve made to do each of the following:
1) Never think that what I have to say is unimportant or meaningless-everyone has an impact even if they think otherwise!
2) Never wait for the perfect picture-it may never come and what you miss may end up being something extrodinary (I’m an awful speller)!
3) Don’t be afraid to follow your heart or dreams (this I’ve always known but have never really lived by) and lastly
4) Great things are sometimes only a phone call away!
🙂 So happy we spoke today!
Michelle from P1
Hi Michelle,
I too feel so blessed to find Eliabeth’s blog a few years ago. I enjoy reading Eliabeth’s writing, as well as, the comments and writings from her follwers. I was very shy to post anything for awhile due to some of the same reasons you have noted above. Instead I would visit for hours enjoying her uniquue photography.
The purpose of this posting is to encourage new follwers to jump in and join the group. Everyone has something worth sharing, so don’t be shy. Maybe you’ll be as lucky as I and find friends and family through her site. After all I found my cousin, Elizabeth Harper. Wylly Folk St. John, a well known Georgia author, was her great aunt and my grandmother.
Good Luck to all,
Jenny
Love your header photo; very pretty.
Hi stumbled here while checking on my own blog, 52tshirts.wordpress.com. Our month long visit to NZ was so amazing, I too spent happy conversations with shop owners and B&B couples. You may like this book which I have found to be applicable almost everyday since,
“The Paradox of Choice, Why More is Less” by Swartz
Hello Elizabeth, I clicked on your blog today as it was featured, and I wanted to read the New Zealand post. I liked it very much.
What really set me thinking though were the words ” ….. a life worth living” and it makes me think about what kind of life I would consider worth living. Your words have led me to introspection and reflection and I am grateful for both.
I found your blog through WordPress. Many people say you should blog, so I was researching, and curious about why someone should write about what to wear to work at home, I linked. To my delightful surprise, “Write About Love” evoked in me to write a prelog to stories about my own experiences. I’ve never been in corporate long and I thank you for sharing your thoughts with us about the most important, and fun topic in the world. Keep it up & bless you!
Hi Elizabeth – I can’t remember how I found your blog but having read about you I now know it was serendipity. I walked away from the formal world of work when I was 50 wanting to do something more meaningful with my life. I became a complementary therapist with many disciplines. It was the most rewarding work in the world. Then my husband died and I left Yorkshire to go and live near Mousehole in Cornwall as it had been my soul’s home for many, many years. I remarried and lived there until 2 years ago when we moved to Devon. But unable to settle we are just about to set off back to my beloved Cornwall so I understand fully how you feel about this part of the world.
We are moving to a beautiful little village in the Camel Valley in early August so will of course be writing about my adventures in yet another quaint cottage that needs renovating – something I spend my life doing.
I have now bookmarked your blog as your ‘Who am I’ page moved me and I moved from Blogger to WordPress because of your blog. We seem to have the same idea about writing though I can be a little more controversial than you (not always a good thing!!) but I tend to keep that sort of thing for my HubPages posts.
I hope you realise what a wonderful outlook on life you have and how inspirational you are.
Namaste
Angie
Thank you so much for your comments! I really enjoyed your blog entries – keep them coming!
Hi. Again. I think it’s yhe pursuit of your dreams and life in the UK that drew me to your blog, especially since I have distant connections to Cornwall. I hope to visit one day.
I am English and married to an American woman. We live the USA but hope to move back to England. I used to surf a lot in Cornwall and I know the Crackington area very well. I would be very content there. LESS IS MORE. PEACE.
Hi Elizabeth, I love reading your blog! Especially the ones about the Jubilee and Clovelly. It takes a lot of courage to give up one life for another. England is a beautiful country, and your blog is giving me incentive to visit again (and I just got back from London!).
What a superb blog. I have just surfed aound your wonderfull site and thoroughly enjoyed your sparky outlook on life and all that goes on in the world. I hope you don’t mind but I have subscribed and look forward to reading more of your blogs in the coming months.
Kind regards
Paul Leaman
aka: Edward Bawden (a Pirate)
Elizabeth , im glad i was tempted into stopping for a drink in the sunshine today & meeting you . Your site is lovely to browse & i’ll make sure i say hi next time im on the moor !
Pingback: The Daily Post: Share the Love | View of the Bird Feeder
Hi Elizabeth … I have nominated your blog for the Shine On award … I do hope you don’t mind. See http://angelajardine.com/2013/07/08/shine-on-award/#more-412 for more details.
It was very nice meeting you at Belk yesterday! I hope all goes well with you house. Thank you for sharing your blog information with me. I believe I will enjoy it!
I, too, left corporate life in 2005 and feel great!
I’m an American who’s fallen in love with an Englishman as well. I’ve begun researching my best options to move to Surrey in the next two years (because I’ve heard it can take at least that long to get your affairs in order). I’d love to read very detailed tips and stories in that area! I’m absolutely frightened with all the horror stories I’ve been reading.