Out and About – Page 4 – This Old House 2

Would you come with me if I asked?

I was minding my own business, (no, really!) just driving down Middlesex turnpike heading into Old Saybrook… when I noticed something there.. up on the hill, opposite the plethora of car dealerships. HOW had I missed that before??… It was an old abandoned house, with yet another behind it. And a remarkable house, indeed.

They’ve been there for a very long time, these two old structures… and there’s no way to count how often I’ve passed them by. This time was different because there has been some obvious clearing out by the road in front of the two structures and they are now exposed, easy for passers by to see.Perhaps someone is looking to buy the property? I just don’t know.

I asked the husband if he’d take a ride with me to photograph the place. Uh-uh. Nope. not doing it. The kids had the same reaction. *sigh* I often go it alone when a structure intrigues me so, but it’s not my first choice… especially to a place as creepy as this one. These TWO.

I don’t yet know the history.. other than to tell you it was used in the 1971 movie “Let’s Scare Jessica To Death”…. go ahead, google it and you’ll see images of the house. There are the local stories that it is haunted by the spirits of two boys and their nanny. People claim they have seen faces in the windows, felt spirits when entering the house (now impossible because it’s all boarded up). I did look for faces… it’s a horrible thing I do to myself, scares the bejezus out of me and yet I do it anyway. What’s THAT about? As a teenager I loved the horror movies… I’ve never yet seen the entire Exorc*st, having attempted to watch it several times only to hold a blanket over my eyes and fingers in my ears through half of it. Ridiculous.

Anyway.. are you ready?… you’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.

and the house behind this one….

So.. did you see any faces???…

SHHHHH!!! Don’t tell me.

Kate’s Place

I’ve mentioned before my long time admiration for actress Katharine Hepburn. Previous post HERE. Yesterday, Mike was asked by one of his subcontractors to come look at some cedar shingle siding work at a home in the seaside hamlet of Fenwick, Old Saybrook. He knew I love the area and asked me if I’d like to tag along. Incredibly, we came up close and personal with the now refurbished estate of the late great Kate. It was bought years ago after her passing by a contractor who did a beautiful job raising it three feet, brick intact!…He then rejuvenated the interior, which had been left kind of ramshackle with very little updating since the 1940’s. It was on the market for a period of time once the renovation was complete, but currently remains as the contractors summer home if the articles I’ve read on it are accurate.

Since I was just yards away from Kates place while the men talked about cedar siding and it’s virtues, I wandered around and marveled at the home that has such a history. There are large security cameras around the house, so big brother might just have been watching. I can only hope they won’t be offended by a Kate Hepburn fan in her glories, admiring this grand old dame of a house,once occupied by the grand old dame herself.

Some pics of Kate at her beloved estate…

This is how she liked to dry her clothes… in the sun on the lawn. Note the circular rock jetty formation, which you will see in a photo further down.

Kate was in her 70’s when this photo below was taken..she took a daily swim, year round.That’s snow in the picture.

The house as it stands now, from the road. This is as close as you should get if you are not a resident. In front of the house is the brackish water pond Kate loved. Behind it is the ocean.

This canoe, Gertrude, was kept at Fenwick.

once used in her film – On Golden Pond –

The old brick and chimney remained intack despite being raised three feet, I find that amazing. It was not a striking home originally, although large..and the new owner/contractor has made some lovely additions to soften the face.

The House as it was for Kate…

..and now. The Interior has changed dramatically. This is something I find a little sad, as it has lost some Kate character, although the renovation of course is beautifully done. If I had had my druthers with the place, I would have kept more of the original guts.

I do love the brick, which they have sandblasted to expose more of the natural brick color…unique in a seaside home. I’m guessing it was chosen to fortify the home after it had been destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938.

Ms. Hepburn rebuilt it for her family, still a young starlet in Hollywood at the time.She remained here until she died in her mid 90’s.

She had a view of two lighthouses in the immediate distance…

Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse…first activated in 1886

And Linde Point Lighthouse ..

Fenwick is a haven that a lucky few get to call home.

It’s easy to see how a public figure of such fame could enjoy a peaceful

existence here for all the decades of her life.

Junk Hunting at The Trove

That’s what I call it, but truly it’s not junk, I oughta be clear about that. I’m not big on TV programs, especially reality TV… now that’s JUNK! However, we love the History Channel’s version of reality TV… American Pickers, Pawn Stars, even Counting Cars… because not only are these people decent and genuine, you learn something valuable about items from our past.

Thanks to one of my blog readers (I have to apologize, I forget which one of you tipped me off to this)…I discovered a new junk hunting location not far from here… The Trove in Old Saybrook, CT. Mike and I took a ride on Saturday to check it out, and while we came home empty handed, we saw more than a few interesting pieces.

A Kodak Brownie Camera in very good condition… The Brownie was a very popular simple and inexpensive camera made by Kodak , the first being introduced in 1900, a cardboard model with an introductory price of just $1. These cameras made photography much more accessible for the non professional. This one is the Holiday series with a simple built in flash….made in 1953 through 1957. I’m guessing they were called “holiday” because they were a good choice to take along on vacations (on holiday) , easy to tote.

Mike had one of these when he was just a sprite.

I remember a neighbor of mine had one in green

and he usually had bball cards attached to the spokes with clothespins

to make that awesome sound. This is an Oscar Hedstrom bike..
more info HERE if you’re interested.

Some lovely furniture, all from different periods..the drop leaf table

very reasonably priced. If I had a spot for it….

Some of the curiosities you find in places like this are very… curious.

“Doctor M.A. Simmons
first practiced medicine in Georgia, where he brewed up Simmons Liver
Medicine (curing costiveness, lowness of spirits, colic, foul breath,
dyspepsia, etc.) and drove through the countryside with a five-gallon
keg of it, dispensing however much anyone wanted to buy. He moved to
Mississippi, first living in Holly Springs, but located in Iuka when the
proprietary medicine tax became effective in 1862.”

An ad I found online for the stuff…

I took an immediate liking to this biscuit tin below, no bigger than a pencil box.

I might go back and buy it, although I don’t really have a need for it.

You know how you keep thinking about a thing

even days after you walked away from it?

“Huntley & Palmers started life in 1822
as a small bakery in London Street, Reading. In 1846 the firm opened a
large factory on Kings Road in Reading and by 1900 this business was the
largest biscuit manufacturer in the world, employing over 5,000 people.”

A beautiful two dollar note for the Eagle Bank of New Haven

dated August 1st, 1825. The Eagle bank was the second bank to open in New Haven in 1811.

A Tom Thumb childs cash register/bank from the 1950s.

I love this case.. if only I had a place to put it!

I can imagine hours and hours of imaginative cooking on this adorable

childs stove, hand made with wood and still in beautiful condition.

Hmm.. to go back and get that biscuit tin.. or not.

That’s todays question.

The difference in a day

Saturday beach walk…the sea roiled and the wind blew bitter cold.

Sunday walk….. the same beach… no jackets required.

Letter to “Mommy”

First, about last night.

WORST.. SUPERBOWL…

in the history of EVER.

I would not want to be Peyton Manning today.

WOW, that was awful stuff. I feel bad for him especially.

The commercials weren’t even funny.

ANYWAY…

I forgot to share with you an awesome find from our Saturday beach walk.

As we sat on a big piece of driftwood admiring the serenity in front of us…

Mike picked up a rock that appeared to have writing on it..

All I could make out were the words “Mommy” at the top and

“being” near the bottom. Some of the message was written on the side of the rock as well.

Mike said – “take it home and put it in your seaside treasure garden”.

It didn’t feel right. This may be a message a child left for his/her mother

who may have loved that spot, or the ocean in general.

We left it on the piece of driftwood where one can hope it will reach it’s intended.

Coastal living

We finally found the perfect affordable seaside cottage! Taxes are nothing to speak of, maintenance is a piece of cake.. or driftwood… no high insurance rates, right on the beach!

Our cottage is your cottage… feel free to stop in any time, the door is always open!

Seriously, the weather on the coast yesterday was absolutely gorgeous. No breeze, water smooth as glass and a fine haze from the warming water and air that made the horizon blend with the sea in a way that made it almost impossible to separate with the eye. We took a long walk and soaked it all in….

Two seals sunning themselves on the rocks….

The best thing you can do for yourself that doesn’t cost a penny is getting out

in the fresh air and taking a walk. It doesn’t have to be a competition or a strict schedule
and distance. Just get out there and do it as often as you can.

It does a body.. and soul… good.

Winter Water

We took a drive along the shore yesterday and discovered some new

places we though we might like to retire to if we ever decide the farm

becomes too much work to maintain. We were actually pretty

excited about our discovery..and WOW, how have we never heard of this

beautiful enclave before! It’s still rural in charm, not over developed, and right

along the water! Marshland along the road, I’m already thinking what a great place to walk the dogs!

Oh, some of the houses are really big, but others are reasonable and

there were even a few old farm houses in the vicinity. Not super close together, either!

Doable!

Here’s an arial view.. the big houses you see are the untouchables, but we

saw land and smaller homes strewn throughout the hills and water inlets of this place.

Then we got home to do some research and …*sigh*

picture someone letting go of a newly blown up balloon that has not been tied yet.

That dream deflated pretty quickly and with fanfare.

You, too, can own a waterfront 2.5 acre lot near Old Quarry Road for a cool $2,400,000.

The homes go for much more.

_MUCH_

What the *WHAT??*

So THAT’S where the big money lives.

Anyway.. it was a fine day to take some pictures in a more visitor friendly stretch
a few coves over…

but I left my good camera home.

I’ll give you these OK phone pics instead.

The blue in the sky was almost surreal

and the ice on the rocks and surrounding the docks

was a reminder of just how cold it’s been around here.

Look at that sky….

The bummer in this area is how high the waterfront people have to jack up their houses

now that we’ve had two major storms in as many years.

It’s downright ugliness, but insurance companies insist.

Somehow it just changes the flavor of the whole area.

We laid in bed last night and M said to me…

“Maybe we’ll just grow old right here”.

Sounds good to me.

George Washington Slept Here

We went from “Polar Vortex” conditions to a balmy 56 degrees and rain all day yesterday. The Mr. and I decided to take a drive to a town known for its well maintained centuries old homes – Wethersfield, CT.

The town, founded in 1633–34, has its niche in history, being “Ye
Most Ancient Towne” in Connecticut. Over 150 of it’s distinctive old Colonial homes still stand as a symbol of its heritage since the early days of its
founding more than 375 years ago.

We visited in the off season, meaning the museum houses are only open for tours by appointment or on special occasions. So, we weren’t able to go inside. All are close together, however. We grabbed some breakfast and walked between, in and around rain puddles and snow melts to take some pictures. While other continents can boast much older ancient structures, here in New England I still marvel at the homes that withstand the elements and other tests of time for hundreds of years. The design of homes haven’t changed much over the centuries either.

The Webb House – built in 1752 by Joseph Webb. A young and successful merchant, he hired
Judah Wright to frame a stylish three-and-a-half story house and shop
with a massive gambrel roof that provided greater upper-floor storage
for Joseph’s trade goods. It was also probably used as the sleeping
quarters for the household’s enslaved Africans. In May 1781, Gen. George Washington
spent five nights in the house. Here, in one of the front parlors,
Washington met with the French general Comte de Rochambeau to plan a
joint military campaign that led to victory at Yorktown and American
independence.

To see the interior, click on the link highlighted above.

Beautiful brownstone steps and foundation blocks…

Brownstone was a popular, durable building material used in many places

Many of you are familiar with the brownstones in brooklyn and NYC…

and one of the main quarries back in the day is located right here

in Portland, Connecticut, now a recreational water park.

Pineapples were a sign of welcome in the early colonies and continue to be a popular element in decor today. Visiting was the main form of entertainment and sharing of news, making hospitality in that period vital. The way a woman presented her “food” declared her personality and her family’s status. There were, in fact, competitions of this nature between the women, creating elaborate table displays with what they were able to acquire. If she could produce a pineapple for her company to enjoy, it was a highly regarded gesture. At that time, pineapples came on ships from the Caribbean and those trade ships sailed right into the cove mentioned below.

The Deane House, built in 1766, was the home of Silas Deane, the first diplomat for the United States.

Note the large size of the windows and front door.. This surprised me, as one would think those features would be smaller to keep out the New England weather. I believe I read that the doors were made so wide because in those days wakes were held in the deceased person’s home and the casket needed to be able to fit through the door. The large windows were a status symbol, as glass was scarce. The wealthy had the economic ability to install them.

Beautiful old glass like this cannot be duplicated and is prized among

antique and history enthusiasts. These particular windows have a leaden hue…

These homes have many layers of (original?) paint and hardware.

BUTTOLPH-WILLIAMS HOUSE –
Built for Benjamin Belden around 1715, this house – now a
museum – provided the setting for Elizabeth George Speare’s
award-winning novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which depicts a young
woman’s encounter with superstition and intolerance
in a 17th century
New England town.

Note the smaller window size in these houses…

I Love the simplicity of this door.

More houses heading toward the cove…

The Cove and Warehouse…

Once part of a thriving commercial center, the warehouse located on the cove –
now housing a Wethersfield Historical Society maritime exhibit –
contains reminders of the West Indies trade that flourished in
Wethersfield from 1650 to 1830. Merchants exported lumber, grain,
onions, salted beef, fish and pork in exchange for salt, sugar, molasses
and rum from the Caribbean.

We also drove through the ancient burying ground –

“The quaint, often poetic, inscriptions found on the
headstones in this historic burial ground tell poignant tales of the
demise of loved ones. The skills of a dozen different Connecticut Valley
stone carvers are represented here. The earliest one – Leonard
Chester’s table stone – dates from 1648.”

Many stones had this face or a variation of it on them…

An Angel? The Sun? A Spirit Guide?

If you care to stay for a while among these colonial treasures,
there is a bed & breakfast right in the heart of it all –

The Silas Robbins House

Silas Robbins, an owner of the seed business Johnson, Robbins and Co.,
built the large house in 1873.
It is now renovated and available for weddings, special occasions and as a B & B.

*LOVE* the front door!

These are my PEOPLE!

The first time I took my son to the city where he was old enough to absorb the atmosphere, he peered out the restaurant windows in Times Square.. stared long and hard at the scene, and proclaimed “THESE are my PEOPLE!” He loved the chaos, the hustle, the variety of different KINDS of people.. the artsy – noisy – food everywhere – TALL building vibe.

Wax Museum…

Central Park carriage ride…

where I wanted to rescue every carriage horse from the perils of city living.

Saturday he went with his girlfriend and another young couple for his first trip without the ‘rents. Well pass me the Xanax and I will survive! was my mantra for the day. They did too…. Taking the Metro North into Grand Central – about a two hour ride – where my son was in awe. It is a cathedral, if you’ve never been.

Then, as they headed out into the throng of PEOPLE… it was wall to wall. The walking was slow going, as the crowd was so thick it was more like a shuffle. Hailing a cab was an olympic event, impossible for those

still green behind the ears of city life and not accustomed to pushing people out of the way and whistling, hand waving, taxi cab saluting more vigorously than the 2000 other people also doing the same on the curb surrounding you. What they finally managed to do was grab a Bike Taxi… (ever been? It’s a little hairy, espcecially in NYC traffic) … and that driver was able to get them to the Empire State Building.

The view from the Empire State Building at night is amazing…

And then they were hungry. Very.

Back into the throng.

Two hour wait anywhere they went.

So, they found a vendor selling noodles and that’s what they had for dinner in the Big Apple.

Their initial plans to skate at Rock Center weren’t happening, as it would take too long

to GET there from where they were and they had a train to catch.

Turns out, they picked the most congested day of the year for tourists

visiting the city dressed in it’s holiday finery.

I’m still sad that they didn’t get to see the tree.

But hey, he got to see HIS PEOPLE!

A sleepy crew arrived at my door around midnight,

and I promptly fell asleep. We all survived 🙂

And while the boychild did NOT take many photos (and he’s my son!)

he did bring home an ornament for Mom.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Just do it

I once asked a friend who was in her late 70’s at the time

how she managed to be in such great shape, moving around

as well as any forty year old I ever knew..

and her simple answer was –

JUST KEEP MOVING.

Those simple words speak volumes.

When I lived in suburbia, Staten Island, to be exact…
one of my favorite family rituals was the walks we would take
in my grandmothers Bard Avenue neighborhood after a delicious Sunday or holiday dinner.
I loved glancing over at the windows of the houses we passed,
seeing the warm glow inside and the decorations, the gardens in the yards.

We don’t live in a sidewalked neighborhood nowadays, but

the guy and I have been burning some sneaker rubber at our local parks

and in the woods behind this old house.. and it feels really good to do so.

Oh, it’s not always comfortable.. creeky knees and sore muscles, whine, whine,

blah blah blah.

Don’t listen to the excuses your body gives you, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

I believe walking is the best form of physical exercise, and it’s totally FREE

once you buy yourself a good pair of walking shoes.

Good shoes/sneakers are important or you won’t keep doing it.

So, if you’ve been contemplating a little effort toward better health,

what are you waiting for?

Even 15 minutes around a city block or down a country road