Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Pookie's Place, Part II


Today we continue the tour of Ms. Pookie's grandfather's place, led by Mathews Mark.

The superfluous commentary is provided by Chesapeake Bay Woman, free of charge, as an extra nuisance bonus.

From the main road, all you can see is the house and the old kitchen that I featured yesterday. Imagine my surprise when Mark said, "Wait, there's more back here." More? Back where? How could this be? You can't see anything more from the road.

This is where legal trespassing with someone in the know really pays off.

After plowing and clawing through a small jungle some overgrown shrubbery we made our way to another country yard. Angels started singing, Aaaaaaleluia!

There in all its weathered red paint glory, with the sun paying extra close attention, was the rooster house. Or the hen house. Mathews Mark called it the rooster house. Hen house sounds better to me, but no matter how you slice it we can all agree that it's a chicken coop male and/or female farm fowl lived here at some point.

Mathews Mark said that during his childhood in South Carolina, Pookie would bring the family here during the summers to visit with her grandfather. The kids would spend hours playing in this rooster/hen house. It's easy to see why adults like me children would want to play inside now, but if there were chickens or hens or roosters or whatever living inside, I'm not sure how much time I'd want to spend in there. Have you ever smelled a chicken coop rooster/hen house?

Regardless, this one smells good now.

Below is Mathews Mark relaying more critical information, probably about the outhouse that we were trying to locate to no avail. He's standing in the doorway of another structure, used primarily for storage, next to the hen/rooster house.

Ladies? If I haven't said so today, Mathews Mark is single and available, unless he's met someone I don't know about, which is entirely possible since all we were talking about is outhouses and rooster houses and chicken abodes that may or may not actually be hen houses.


Finally we went inside the main house. Although it's old and has seen better days, that house is solid as a rock.

As you walk in the front door, the first thing that greets you is this staircase, below. Tomorrow I'm going to post my two favorite pictures from inside this house, and they involve that staircase.


Currently the house's primary function aside from being beautiful is storage, and there were some fascinating relics hiding inside, like this great kitchen chair (below) vintage 1970. The chair stands out with its green white and yellow flowers in the middle of an otherwise plain brown room.

That seems to be the theme of my favorite photographs from this house: A vintage item with lots of color clings to some lasts breath of life in contrast to the surroundings which seem to have thrown in the towel.


And speaking of throwing in the towel, it looks like somebody threw in the broom. This is how my sweeping sessions usually end up too, complete with broken glass.

Yes, kids, this is what brooms looked like when your mother was growing up, back when the same traveling salesman also sold whisk brooms that we used to sweep out the car because there was no such thing as a mini-vac.

We have hardly skimmed the surface of everything I want to convey, and the best is yet to come. A loose agenda for the rest of the week is as follows:

Tomorrow - My two favorite pictures, taken from the top floor of the house.

Friday - We'll move down the road to Pookie's current house where she will regale us with some stories. We'll also begin taking a look at Chesapeake Bay Daughter's notes from our visit, which are very thorough.

Saturday - Who knows, it may be a continuation of Friday's stories, there really is so much to tell.

Sunday - Your guess is as good as mine. Pookie has another family dwelling she wants to talk about, and Mathews Mark has a friend with an old store loaded with antiques just ripe for photographing.

Or perhaps I'll finally get around to announcing the Name that Ghost winner that is two weeks overdue.

Nah, I'll save that for when I run out of things to say, which is why I held the contest to begin with another day.

15 comments:

maria from nj said...

Woman, you have the makings of a book. Beautiful pictures to illustrate the hidden gems in that lovely area you live in. Please promise me you are backing up your pictures onto some auxiliary drive!

Or at least handsome Mark has a great picture for a dating resume.

Unknown said...

I hope you are putting some of these locations on the blog fest agenda. I love old buildings with all their nooks and crannies.

We're getting snow tomorrow, and I have stuff to take to the post office early. do I take them to see Jack (remember him?) or go locally due to the weather?

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Oh, and in typical CBW form, I forgot one day of the week in my loose agenda-- Thursday.

Off to work, where they seem to add an entire day to each workweek rather than lose one.

Have a great Tuesday, or whatever day it is.

Ann Marie said...

There's my dang broom (go see Rule number 3 on my blog today .. it will explain things)

I am loving Mark's great granpappy's place. You are capturing with your wonderful eye.

Can't wait to see the Rest of the Story.

Mrs F with 4 said...

I suppose Pookie wouldn't like someone to actually INHABIT the house, would she? A real live person, I mean, not the more ghostly variety. I think I could be available for immediate relocation....

Hilary said...

I was over at Kate's and your description of a new "george philosophy" struck a chord, so I came on over to visit.
I am glad I did, cause I LOVE old houses, and old outbuildings......your blog is great.

Mental P Mama said...

LOL. I cannot wait for your book! And I forgot all about whisk brooms! And remember those auto trash bags that would dangle from the lighter???

Mathews Mark said...

Thanks CBW I am enjoying this as much as everyone else How ever you really have to stop taking pictures of me I am getting old (as you can see in the pictures). The barn that I am standing in front of housed a goat,My great granddaddy (Capitan Russell) use to box with the goat I could watch this for hours I wish I could remember the name of the goat, but as I said I am getting old! MM

Ann Marie said...

MM.. I happen to like that picture of you..

My mother had a goat when she was little.. my aunt when asked by their preacher of the name of said goat stood up straight and said.. Well Sir I am not sure what it's name is but Mama calls it That Damn Goat.

And I would appreciate it if you let my broom loose, getting around town on foot is just getting tiresome.

Me

Daryl said...

Wonderful photos and an engaging narrative ... sounds like the start of a coffeetable book 'Legal Trespassing in Mathews''

Caution/Lisa said...

Isn't it amazing how long paint lasts on old buildings? I also love seeing what things used to be and you have such a gift for narrating those journeys!

Meg McCormick said...

Fantastic photos and stories once again.

When we moved to our farm in 1969 there were a number of old outbuildings still standing. A couple were torn down, but my mom rescued a cute little henhouse (I think that's what it was) and rehabbed it. She painted giant daisies on the outside, and voila, we girls had our very own "play house." Which was awesome until the wasps took up residence. But still, it was a fun place to be a girl.

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

more fantastic pictures!
<><

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

maria-it's so easy to take decent pictures when the light and the subject matter are like this. Oh, and no, I'm not backing anything up...however I never delete photos from the camera chips (memory cards?) and just buy a new one when they become full. I really need help. Nothing is organized, either. Scary.

Grandma J.-JACK!

CBW-You have the memory and attention to detail of a small kitchen appliance.

AM-Your photos today are exquisite.

Mrs. F - Come on down!

Hilary-Country Girl Kate's pictures of that beautiful dog George just put things in perspective. Daily walks in the fresh air, exercise, quality time with family and an appreciation for the most basic needs in life is what comes across with George, who is the happiest dog I've ever seen. Why worry about things when it's so wonderful to just be able to frolic in the snow, or catch a favorite frisbee? Kate captures that so very well - I could write a book on the subject. Will stop now before I do. Thanks for stopping by.

MPM-How about those plastic cup holder inserts you put on the hump (forget the technical term, if there ever was one) of the floorboard between the seats?

MM-You're not getting old, I like that picture of you. Tomorrow though, be forewarned, there are no pictures of you, but there's one of Miss Pookie.

AM-Your mother chose a very popular name. We had dogs and cats and perhaps even a pony with the same name.

Daryl-Legal Trespassing is not only fun it's a great title to something, just not sure what.I'm still thinking reality TV...

CF-Oh, the weathered paint on these buildings was exquisite. My narrative is rambling and ridiculous, and tomorrow's is going to be moreso, but there are just so many things to be said about this visit and no matter how much I write the essence can never be conveyed in words. One must experience it live. (So, are you coming to Blog Fest?)

Meg-What a creative use for a hen house! Sounds like the acorn didn't fall far from the tree (or was it the apple?). Anyway, you have some mad skillz with painting too, i.e. on glass(es), using it in creative ways like your mom. That playhouse must have been incredible.

NNG-We need your input on the whole rooster/hen thing, but we can discuss at the next Shackelfords Planning Session, which is when, btw?

It's only Tuesday night? It feels like Thursday.

Country Girl said...

I remember when all brooms were like this.

And haven't we all sat in a chair like that at one point in our lives?

Cool stuff, CBW!!