Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Weathered Wood
































If you look closely, there's a  faded cross on the front of this boathouse.























These pictures were taken from the dock at the Tides Inn in Irvington.

The Tides Inn is a rather swanky resort and marina that for many years offered sunset cocktail cruises and dinner cruises aboard their very own boat, the Miss Ann.

There is nothing swanky about these photos or what they highlight. However, as I stood on the grounds of the resort admiring everything so perfectly in place, not a stray stick or errant leaf to be found, I felt myself drawn to this adjacent property, visible from the dock.  Thanks to my camera's zoom I was able to get a better look at the old house so close to the immaculate grounds of the resort.

(Just to clarify, I find the house beautiful not an eyesore.)

Speaking of beauty, the Miss Ann is legendary around here.  A former Mathews resident who is an artist, gifted writer, college professor, brother of commenter Mathews Mark, and good friend to the Chesapeake Bay family wrote a beautiful ode to the Miss Ann several years ago that I published on this blog.

Click here  for that post, which includes a poem.


p.s. The author was also my former high school track coach.  Without his expert guidance on form and technique for hurdling, high jump and long jump, I'd have just been another washed up forgotten memory.  

Oh, wait....


7 comments:

deborah said...

so glad you took these lovely pics instead of ones of the pristine resort area - that really is a beautiful house and dock.
Been following your blog, just haven't had much to say
Hope things are well with you and family!

Anonymous said...

We get patients from all over the world who are visiting the Tides and may end up needing healthcare for whatever reason. It amazes me how they find that little spot in the Northern Neck! The locals were thrilled years ago when Tom Cruise was staying there and stopped to chat while jogging through Irvington. Love your pics!
Trinia

Daryl said...

how is mark?

i agree, that is NOT an eyesore, its an aged beauty

Anonymous said...

Love the patchwork up the corner of the house.

Thanks for pointing back to the previous post about the Miss Ann.

Thanks for two beauty spots in one morning!

sigh,
AMN

Country Girl said...

I love that you find beauty in the relics from the past. Love it.

Country Girl said...

ps - you don't need to type the numbers if the word is on the left.
(i think i said this before - gah!)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Deborah - I completely understand not having much to say, I feel that way most days. OK, every day.

Trinia - I was surprised to learn the status the Tides Inn has outside our little neck of the woods. You must see and hear quite a bit working over there! Thank you for chiming in, I always appreciate it.

Daryl - I haven't seen Mathews Mark in a while, but he occasionally comments here anonymously and has been trying to convince me to drive over to Hallieford to take photos of a particular spot he says is very unusual. I just need to make the time to get over there. (And if he happens to be reading, Hello, Mathews Mark!)

AMN - Thank you! You have contributed a fabulous story or two (or three) to this blog as well. If you feel the urge to write something more, I would love to feature it.

CG - It cannot be helped, my attraction to imperfection and structures of the past. Thank you for the tip about the word verification, I hate having it on here but quite honestly the spam coming in without that filter was crazy.

Thanks to you all for commenting.