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)
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.
3 comments:
Gosh, I swear that we have had machinery that old in places we have lived..my husband used to use a header (harvester) of about the same vintage..making me feel old.
How delightful for you to have been invited for a preview. Wonderful.
Welcome back! I was starting to get concerned. I think Beachland was the tonic that you needed. Of course warmer weather and the sound of spring peepers sure does help. Since it was an estate sale, I hope the family is not having to sell their wonderful home. Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. All will be well.
What a treasure that place is, and what a treasure you found in that old newspaper! Both make history come alive.
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