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Sunday, December 02, 2007

Weekend Snapshot: Number 13


My weekend snapshot post today will be a trip down memory lane. All of the photographs except for the first one were taken this weekend. The picture below was taken around 1978 of my friend Peggy (she's smiling), her dog Charlie, and me (I'm the solemn one). Charlie died many decades ago. Peggy and I both turned 50 this year and in between our birthdays we picked a weekend to treat ourselves with a day spa treatment and to visit some of our old haunts. She lives in the mountains now but I still live in our hometown so she came to visit me.
First we got facials and the hands and feet treatment at a day spa, something I've never done. It was very relaxing. Then we drove by the studio where Peggy used to teach dance when she still lived in the area. The dance studio is now a healing massage studio. After that, we drove by the high school where we got to be friends in 1972. Peggy was driving so I was able to snap a shot as we drove by.The next day, yesterday, we decided to drive out to Stony Hill Community and see if the farm house was still standing. Peggy's first husband Joel, and a friend rented the farm house, and then when Peggy and Joel got married, they lived there. I lived with them for a few years after I dropped out of (took a break from) college. I warned Peggy that the last time I was out there, much of the farm land was now subdivisions and gated communities. Since there was 30 acres of land that went with the farm house, I was afraid that we would find a subdivision in its place. The last time I drove out there, the farm house was still occupied but everything was changing so much I didn't know what to expect. Below is what we found. Not completely torn down but starting to crumble, and clearly abandoned.
The first sign giving us hope that the house would still be standing was the dirt road leading to the farm house had not been paved. There were a lot more houses on either side of the dirt road and most of them were pretty nice. Nothing fancy like some of the enormous ones on the way there, but much bigger and newer than anything that used to be along the dirt road. The farm house was abandoned and crumbling. The drive way was overgrown and a pine forest was trying to get started where the big vegetable garden was. Below Peggy is standing in the area that used to be a driveway in front of the tree which had a tire rope swing.The barn was still standing but just barely. It was being overtaken by vines and was only a remnant of what it used to be. That wasn't surprising because it wasn't in very good shape by the time Peggy and Joel lived there but it was still fine to walk inside. I wouldn't have ventured into the current barn.
The back of the house was in better shape than the front. The front porch was completely collapsed and the porch roof was on top of it. But the back porch was fairly in tact. Peggy climbed through the broken glass in the front to see what the inside was like. I waited until she said the back was in better shape and I did venture in through the back door. It was pretty sad.
We theorized about how, perhaps nothing had been done with the land yet because Charlie was still haunting the property. Not the dog Charlie, but the original owner of the house and farm. I don't remember the details but I think it was late 1800s when he murdered his family and hung himself in the house. Very sad story and one that all the old timers in the area knew about. I remember going with Joel, and I guess Peggy was with us too, when he was buying some chickens to keep for eggs. He was explaining where we lived and the elderly woman said, do you live in Charlie's house. She wouldn't have been born yet, if I have my dates right, before Charlie and his family died but she was yet another person who told the story.The inside is crumbling but the stairs are still standing. Peggy went part way off the stairs to glance at the upstairs, but didn't venture into the rooms not knowing if it would cave in. I only walked inside the back door enough to take a couple of pictures. I wasn't brave enough to walk around in there. If Charlie was haunting his neglected house, I didn't want to get zapped.

To find out about weekend snapshot and to find other participants you can go to the home of weekend snapshot. Also, on technorati.

I hope everyone has a good week.




38 comments:

Liz said...

It's so nice to know that after all these years, you and peggy are still the best of friends. Happy WS!

Anonymous said...

I bet you and Peggy had a great weekend. Have a great week ahead ;) Mine is at http://mlizcochico.com

SandyCarlson said...

That's a marvelous story. Nice that you had the old photo along with the new. God bless your friendship.

ellen said...

friends are the best reminders of God's love for us!.....

happy weekend to you!....

btw- wonderful shots!....

forevermonk said...

what a beautiful and adoring story of friendship! ..I am sure God is in the midst of all those years that you have been friends together....
and very awesome WS....

have a blessed and safe weekend to you carver!

Anonymous said...

What a great story! It's so nice to have a strong friendship like yours and Peggy's.

Come see my first Weekend Snapshot!

Anonymous said...

great friendship!

wow a stress free weekend!

thanks for sharing this post.

Anonymous said...

Carver, a tale well written n documented...i felt sad reading it but that is the way life it...it moves on

bengbeng-http://www.mylongkang.com

etteY said...

sweet!! love all your photos specially the 1st one! :D

Natalie said...

You are braver than I am...I never could've lived in a haunted house...eek!

My Weekend Snapshot is up too! :)

Anonymous said...

Those photos are so cool! I love it!

My weekend snapshot is up too!

King (Kathie) said...

Carver,

It sounds like you and Peggy had a great weekend. She sounds very brave. :) Nothing like a walk down memory lane!

Old (long time) friends are the best!

Stay Strong

King (Kathie)

poor man's nicole richie said...

BFFs personified! I'm moved.
Have a great week ahead!

**"Liza"** said...

ohh I'm sure you both have a great time together.I'm so glad that your friendship last until now.Its sad that the house is completely abandon.If we live near I'm sure my husband love to flip that..lol..thanks for always visiting my blog,i really appreciate your time, even I don't visit yours much..

Gellianne said...

Hi! Great story!

Have a great week ahead!

tanabata said...

Thanks for taking us along on your trip down memory lane!

Christy Woolum said...

I loved the way you chose to spend your week-end. Pampering, remembering, but also capturing in in pictures. I love the picture of your high school. Your weather looks lovely.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the visit & the touching story.

Have a great week ahead.

MaR said...

What a wonderful weekend to spend with a dear friend! you two are very lucky. Loved the story and pictures, I always feel a bit sad when houses/buildings are abandoned...

Anna said...

Beautiful love those pictures, thanks for sharing them...

Mine is up too:
Every Beat Of My Heart

Jan said...

good friends are for keeps. great friendship you have. love the photos you took.

Thess said...

Oh my! you ladies were brave to go inside!
Nice story of friendship and photo sharing, thank you. And I love the dog's name, my pug's name is Charlie :-)

Have a great week!

my other entry: http://www.thesserie.com/?p=704
please feel free to visit

Theresa said...

So much fun hanging out with friends, glad to hear you enjoyed your spa day.

Interesting story of Charlies house, I don't think I would of went in.

ICJ said...

Amazing that the house is still up after all those years! Nice story! :-)

TRICOTINE
http://tricotine.typepad.com

Lynn said...

Wow! By just looking at your pictures, I can tell they speak of so many memories. They are very nice! I love pictures of houses amid greeneries.

Jean Chia aka Ms.Yummy~licious said...

it's so sweet to have old friend with you for such a long time! Happy WS, carver! :)

Jean Chia

KW said...

Wow!! What an amazing story and great pictures. Several months ago, my mom and I went and ventured at the old farmhouse that my great uncle use to live in. The kids of the owners sold it and the new owners are tearing it down to build apartments. It's such a shame what kids do thesedays with historical buildings. Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

That was a fascinating and spooky story! Great pics to go along with it and tell the story as well.

Thanks for the visit!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful weekend! So nice to have friends for that long...there is nothing better. You always seem to have the best weekends! Hope your weeks is just as nice!

Carver said...

Thanks so much for your comments. I appreciate them very much.

Caroline said...

Sounds like a great weekend.

lissa said...

How nice it is to spend a day with a friend.

Those trees are so beautiful.

Ladynred said...

What a wonderful story to tell. i admire your friendship that lasted this long.
My Weekend Snapshot

AscenderRisesAbove said...

what an amazing story and photos. I felt like i was right there with you. so glad charlie allowed you to visit without making himself known!

ascenderrisesabove.com/wordpress

understatementman said...

wow what a great story. there is something terribly evocative about old houses. they seem like silent witnesses to the profound lives that passed through them...

Carver said...

I know what you mean U.M. (P), There is so much history in old houses and I hate how they are so often replaced with ones that all look the same. I guess eventually new ones develop there own history but the age of stock plans etc. makes them seem less individual.

alisonwonderland said...

sorry for the entry in Mr. Linky here. i has trying for the Photo Hunters and for some reason ended up in this one. egads! i'll try again. :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great weekend. Love riding those rail cars,..... great photos and have a good weekend.