Beachland II

Over the weekend, the owners of historic Beachland held an estate sale.

Beachland is exquisite.

It's the sort of place where I could spend hours sitting quietly in the yard, 

admiring the sights and absorbing its essence.  

Beachland really needs to be the backdrop of a Hollywood movie.

(Dear Hollywood, I have the rough draft of a story already in mind. Although I'm approaching 50 and have never acted--except at every job I've ever held other than mother and then I really and truly was enthusiastic--please reserve a spot, however minor, for me in the film adaptation of this story. 
Thank you in advance, I really appreciate it. Love, CBW)

Anyway.

The ladies who own Beachland were kind enough to invite me over before the official start of their sale.

Although I was (and arguably still am) barely emerging from The Worst Grip of The Winter Doldrums Ever, I agreed to come over-- if for no other reason than to visit this place that makes me feel at peace and at home and to reacquaint myself with its wonderful owners.

While they were preparing for the sale, I parked myself in the dining room where all the books were staged.

One of the first things that caught my eye was a copy of the Mathews Journal, a predecessor of our weekly paper the Gazette Journal.

(To use a Mathews mathematical equation dating back a long ways, also representing the only math I can retain: Mathews Journal  + Gloucester Gazette = Gazette Journal.) 

Gingerly prying it from its protective plastic sleeve, I saw something highlighting the fact that it was the last edition of the Mathews Journal, which ceased to be in the year 1937. Having spent many hours conducting research in the archives of the Gazette Journal and at the library, where most of the Mathews Journal editions are on microfilm, I thought there might be some interest in this small piece of our county's history.

The long story short is that on Friday that document found its way back home to the offices of the Gazette Journal.

On Saturday I went back after most of the estate salers had had their fill and was thrilled to see a few tattered pages from another edition of the Mathews Journal still there.

Perhaps not this week (due to my schedule), but as time allows, I will share some stories from those tattered pages which I purchased and which include the obituary of my maternal grandmother's beau.


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I'm so grateful to know the current owners of Beachland and cannot thank them enough for letting me be an officer in the Beachland Admiration Society.  Click here or here for previous blog posts with pictures and stories of their gorgeous home.

The Look

Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated,

little known skills any good waterman should possess

is the ability to look.

To stare.

To gaze intently off into the distance.

Purposefully scanning the waters.

There are inquisitive sorts of glances like the one above.

****

And very serious ones like below.

When they both stare at the same thing,
something important has their attention.

However, I never took my eyes off them.
So I have no earthly idea what merited their unified gaze.

This is probably my favorite of  the 300+ pictures taken,
although I have many runner-ups

On a few rare occasions, 

they glanced towards the camera.

and let loose as if they'd been stifling a laugh 

the entire time we'd been out there.

To Whom It May Concern,
Please tell me how I can earn a living taking photographs of these guys.


To These Guys (aka AJ Hurst and Hollywood Johnny Pugh),
Thank you so much for allowing me to accompany you.  I can't wait to go again--that is if you can stand me it.

Love,
Chesapeake Bay Woman


p.s. Thanks also to Charlie and Elsa at the Gazette Journal for featuring these two on the front page of this week's paper.

The Book

For almost two years now, I've been carrying around an unfinished project known as The Book.

On December 5, I'm scheduled to give birth.

This labor of love is scheduled for a December 5 release.

More details to follow when I figure them out soon.

Have a great weekend.

Mathews

" 'Nobody goes through Mathews to get anywhere" is a common saying.  It refers, of course, to the unique geography.  With few exceptions, roads that start in or enter this peninsular county end at the water.

Over the years, the distinction of Mathews as the 'end of the line' has added to its singular quality. Because it is not along the beaten path, people have sought the county out for its special charms.  Mathews has become a haven for retirees, looking for a slower pace in a quiet waterfront setting.

Mathews is a land rich in history that predates the formation of the county in 1791.  In 1776Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia, put out to sea after losing the Battle of Gwynns Island. The rivers and inlets of Mathews County served as a base for the Confederate Coast Guard during the Civil War.

But what attracts most people to Mathews--those who move in and the natives who stay--are its picturesque waterways in a hometown atmosphere and its friendly residents.  Some things still haven't changed after 200 years." - From the April 25, 1991, Bicentennial Collector's Edition of the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette Journal.

"Indeed some things haven't changed much after 200 years, and that's a very good thing.  But if there's any way we can get a good Thai or Vietnamese restaurant in town, that would be one change I'd ardently support. Thank you." - CBW