I spent this weekend with my mom in Beaufort, SC, the town where she went to high school. It is a lovely place and I can see why she still talks about it with such reverie so many years later. It was interesting to walk down the main street and imagine my mom taking the same walk more than fifty years ago. It got me thinking about how places shape people, and how houses, in particular, can shape people. When we were house hunting I had a very definite idea of what I wanted in a house. Unfortunately, this idea of what I wanted had less to do with the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and more to do with the way the house made me feel. Thank goodness our realtor was patient, because I had an impossible time explaining this. I wanted a house with a kitchen that reminded me of my Aunt Jo's and a banister that reminded me of my Grandmother's, and a house with history that felt gracious and comfortable like one that I stayed in on vaction in Maine when I was twelve. I was always obsessed with the attic bedrooms in Home Alone and Sixteen Candles. And, at Christmas, I wanted a living room that felt like the living room in the house I grew up in. A very tall order, indeed. I've been thinking about this a lot, so I'm working on several longer posts.
In the meantime, here are some pics from the weekend:
The Bluff in Beaufort
Fried Shrimp at the Beaufort Shrimp Festival
Eeeeeeek!
We also made a side trip to Charleston. Charleston combines two of my most ardent obsessions--food and architecture--so it's no wonder I love it so much. Here are some of the things that caught my eye on this trip:
I'm desperate for real carriage doors and large gas lanterns. Also, I love the colors on this place:
P.S. Mom loves the new house. Whew!
1 comment:
I'm jealous -- Beaufort AND Charleston! It sounds like you guys had a lovely time.
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