Moon II

This view of the side of the old Moon post office--especially all the lines--caught my eye.  There are horizontal lines, vertical lines, diagonal lines and the haphazard lines of the trees and their branches.

(I suppose most of the branches don't form lines, exactly, but that's just a technicality. It wouldn't be the first time I've made up my own rules about what's what on this blog.)

There's simultaneously everything and nothing to report from my world.  Just the standard too much going on and not enough time to accomplish everything.

I will mention, though, since I've not reported it here yet (only on Facebook), that at last Friday night's basketball game in Lancaster my daughter sunk a three-pointer hurled from half-court right at the buzzer at half time to catapult Mathews to a lead going into the locker room.  We ended up winning the game in what was most definitely a team achievement.  But I keep replaying that shot over and over in my head, because it was so perfect.

The girls have a 2-1 record and take on Gloucester and Northumberland this week.

We're enjoying basketball season, but it's a grueling schedule, even if you're "only" a spectator. *


* I take my spectating responsibilities very seriously. Someone recently commented on my vertical leaping abilities in the stands while cheering.  This was, of course, after Daughter's half-court shot that I cannot stop talking about and probably will not until the day I die--which I hope is no time soon, for the record.

Moon, VA

This is the old Moon post office located in the hustle and bustle of downtown Moon, Virginia.  (Don't blink, however, or you'll miss it entirely--the post office and the hustle and bustle and anything resembling a downtown.)

I pass through here routinely, usually on my way to one of the public beaches or to go for a run.

Because of the unique name, the post office received many requests for postmarks in July 1969, when we landed on the moon.  (My great-grandfather, by the way, never believed the whole man on the moon story; he was convinced it was a Hollywood stunt.)

In any case, I am fond of this old building and the unique name.

Click here for a 2012 post about Moon that contains comments with theories on how the name was chosen.

Three Things

Once again we greet the day called Thursday, and on this blog that means we share three things.

I'll go first.

1.  Son is currently in Dacula, GA, visiting Middle Sister. (That's Dacula, not Dracula.  I don't know why they insist on dropping that letter, but every time I see, write or say that word I want to insert the "r" back where it belongs.  Dracula. Except it's Dacula.  This circular, superfluous commentary is now coming to a close. Please remain seated until CBW's brain comes to a full and complete stop.)

1b.  Anyway.  They spent yesterday touring Georgia Tech and downtown Atlanta, which is not far from where Middle Sister lives in Dracula Dacula.  I am so grateful they're able to spend some time together. We don't get to see her often since she's so far away, but her being there gives him the opportunity to spend quality time exploring yet another city as he contemplates his future.

2.Yesterday I ran five miles for the first time this calendar year in months, and it didn't feel awful, surprisingly.  My route took me from Wayland Baptist Church to Onemo and back, and I absolutely loved the peace and quiet of those back roads even as I gasped for breath.

3. This week my father fixed a broken headlight and parking light on my car. He also fixed my tractor, which was out of commission (technically it was a tire issue), and made sure my grass was cut these past couple of weeks--no easy feat. When you're a working mother who spends most of her time away from home due to all the associated and conflicting demands, these gestures are priceless.  I really appreciate all he does for me and am very grateful to have him around and feeling well enough to do all that he does.  (Hi, CB Mother!  I also appreciate everything you do, like taking Daughter to and from cross country practice and fixing us wonderful dinners and taking care of our dog and cat. Thank you!)


Now it's your turn to share three things.  Or four things.  Whatever you want.  Whatever's on your mind.

Soybean field in Moon, VA.

Moon

Last week on my way to Haven Beach, I pulled down Fitchetts Wharf Road near Moon.

Moon is a place and a post office.
The moon is that thing that causes people to go crazy
whenever it's full.

Many (if not most) of the homes in this area have signs

with clever moon-related names.

(I love the ocean of green in that field.)

Above, at the end of the road (which is actually the beginning of Fitchetts Wharf Road) is the old Moon Post Office. From page 74 of my book, the post office (established in 1902) "was inundated with postmark requests on July 20, 1969, to commemorate the landing on the moon."

I wonder why they decided to name it Moon. I probably should know this and may have at one time...but if so this information must be housed in the section of my brain known as The Sieve. The Sieve keeps expanding the older I get and the more I have to juggle. Pretty soon I'll just be walking around with a colander for a head.

Anyway, the reason I even drove down Fitchetts Wharf Road is because a reader sent an e-mail asking if I knew the location of a cottage her family used to rent back in the 1960s. Her description follows:

"My sister ( a bit older) remembers turning at the Moon post office, to get to the cottage. ...The cottages, very small, were all in a row.. 4 or 5 of them, with only one that had a full time family who lived there year around.  The rest were rentals that were rented full time. The cottage next door , rented by our next door neighbors in Richmond (Hassey Ramos).  One the other side, the family that lived there year around was named (we think) Andy Hundley. There was an old, very large house within walking distance.. belonged to an older gentleman, named Captain Vernon.  The men folk would go out with him and in his boats early on Saturday mornings and fish .. bring back the fish to clean at a special covered “fish cleaning station” which was a area with a roof and tables for cleaning fish.... all within walking distance from the cottages. "

If you happen to have information on the location of these cottages, let me know.  My uneducated guess based on my very quick trip down there is they were on Billups Creek Road, but who knows.

This concludes our trip to the Moon.

p.s. In unrelated news, I saw my first lightning bug of the season last night. There are very few insects I like, but lightning bugs are okay in my book.

Speed Limit

These photos were taken from my car near Moon. Not near the moon, but near Moon. Downtown Moon consists of an old--very photogenic--post office (no longer used as a post office); a cemetery; some winding roads and trees. That description pretty much applies to most of inland Mathews County.

For possibly the first time ever, today's photos actually have some relationship to the post. It's a novel concept, one which very rarely occurs to me.

In the Glimpses Into the Past section of this week's Gazette Journal, there was this:

90 Years Ago
from the Mathews Journal

"The law relating to automobiles takes up a whole chapter of the State Code and is of course too lengthy to be printed here. However, here are some of the things it provides which are pertinent. A speed of not more than 10 miles an hour is prescribed when rounding curves, at the intersection of cross roads, in any village, or on any road where there is a collection of horses or persons. In passing a vehicle a machine should go to the left and not over 10 miles an hour in passing. When none of the above conditions exists, a speed of 20 miles an hour is permissible. Drivers of machines are also required to slow up when meeting vehicles and to stop when signaled to do so."

This was obviously around the time the automobile was introduced to the county, yet horse and buggies were still very much in use. Most interesting to me is that 10 mph speed limit at "the intersection of cross roads"--meaning there was no requirement to stop. You could make a turn left or right as long as nothing was coming and you lowered your speed to 10 mph. (Chances were very good that nothing was coming.)

Not that long ago, back when Jamestown was founded I was a kid, there were several major intersections that did not require a stop.

(This applied to almost any intersection east and south of the Court House. In nearby Gloucester at Flat Iron, home of my great-grandfather and his blacksmith shop, there was only a yield sign leaving what is now referred to as the Taliaferro Wayside. If you were leaving Ware Neck heading to Mathews, when you hit Route 14 you hardly had to look left and you certainly didn't have to stop. This is a topic for another time, because my mother can describe that intersection from the horse and buggy days, and it was very different.)

There were also intersections where stopping was optional even though a stop sign stood proudly. When there's nothing coming for 15 days minutes, there really is no need.

All this is leading up to a point, which is bound to make itself apparent here soon.

Mathews County has no stop lights other than the obvious red light when the Gwynns Island bridge is open. Ninety years ago, there was no requirement to stop at intersections and crossroads; you could take them at 10 miles per hour. Now, there are stop signs and for the most part people are asked to have to stop.

What will these intersections be like 90 years from now? Will there be stoplights?

Nah.

Although we could seriously use one at the Route 3/198/Get-n-Zip intersection.

My two one local reader: If you could put up a stoplight in the county, where would you put it? Or do you not want one anywhere (which is fine)?

My other three two readers: Do you know a place with no stop lights?

Moon, VA

This is a picture of the old Moon post office, conveniently located in downtown Moon, VA. The new/current post office is just down the road a spell and is much less interesting. Moon is another "section" of Mathews, similar to Hallieford and Hudgins. It's just the name of an area within the county, usually associated with a combination former country store and post office.

Moon became famous when the U.S. first sent a man to the moon. (By the way, my great grandfather, the blacksmith, thought the whole moon thing was a hoax. He never did believe a man actually walked on it.) (Editor's note: How many times can I say MOON in two paragraphs? Evidently a minimum of FIVE times.)

Folks from all over the country wanted stuff with the Moon, VA (we're now up to six Moons) postmark. Don't ask me how I know this, I just do. I either heard it or read it. Or dreamed it. Take your pick.

Another interesting factoid about this Moon (seven) post office is the incredibly sharp turn in the road located directly in front of this building. One time, Someone Who Shall Remain Nameless, was home from college and was terribly bored. She wanted to go down Haven Beach and see if there were any submarine races going on, or if there were any cold beverages being enjoyed (Pepsi, silly, definitely NOT an Alabama Slamma or Purple Passion. Definitely not.) In order to get to Haven Beach, you have to pass by the old Moon (eight) post office and negotiate this severe turn in the road. Someone was too busy listening to Rick James on her 8-track cassette via the power booster that was conveniently installed in her green VW bug, meaning that everyone in the Moon (nine) vicinity was enjoying Rick James, too. Someone was going about 55 in a 35 mile per hour zone. Someone was in trouble.

Anyway, let's just fast forward and note that once Someone realized there was this sharp turn involved, even though she had been through there a thousand times and knew darn well the turn was sharp, Someone screeched on the brakes. Someone's VW bug did a 180-degree turn in that road and did NOT go in the ditch or into a tree, which is truly a miracle.

A Moon miracle, that is. (TEN moons. Unbelievable.)