Tuesday, August 2, 2022

BEARS,WITCHES,AND BLUE TREES!

For the first time in the 34 years, we have lived here a bear has tried to enter our house! We are VERY careful about food we know what it can lead to. No birds are being fed. Nothing left outside except our grill which never got touched and our blueberry bushes never got touched! we eat dinner on the porch, and I wipe the table down with Clorox spray and sweep the floor by the table and yes, he tried that door as well but not quite as bad as the back door. 
It happed overnight and I was more than glad our door was locked!
If we have another problem, we will have to inform fish and game.
****
Now on to Salem Mass...


We spent a lot of time in the cemetery. While no one accused of being a witch and hanged for it are buried here. (They have no idea where they are buried as mostly, they were thrown in a crevice. Some of their families under the cover of darkness would retrieve their bodies to bury with no head stones.) There are memorials to the women and men hung as witches.

The stones are old and hard to read but still lovely and peaceful to walk through. The Salem witch trials began in Feb of 1692.
Between 1692 and 1693 over 200 people were accused. 

14 women and 5 men were hanged. 5 died in jail
and Guiles Cory was pressed to death because he refused to plead

In 1693 the governor's wife was accused and arrested for witchcraft.
He ordered an end to the witch trials. 

In the early days the people accused had little or no power. 
They were never able to defend themselves. Such a sad history. 

My mother always said to look at the trees in a cemetery they hold the souls of those that passed. This is a good tree!

We toured the witch house, which really was not a witch house but a judge house. It was owned by the judge who presided over the witch trials. Chief Justice Willam Stoughton

I loved this hand carved cupboard. 
Remember at this time we were still under England's rules and laws.

After dinner a walk to see the sun set over the ocean. This boat was in for repairs so lovely.

I believe she was called the friendship.

It was warm all day with a breeze coming off the ocean just at the right time to cool you off. But the evening turned chilly with a good wind. We put sweatshirts on for our evening walk. 
Today off to the house of the 7 gables. Nathanial Hawthorn wrote a fictional book about his cousin's house. She inherited the house when her father and brother were both lost at sea. Of course, in the 1800s a woman could not inherit so she fought through the courts and won! She never married as she knew that her husband would have full control over her money. She took her inheritance and used it to make herself very wealthy. 
The gardens are just so lovely here and it is right on the ocean. 

The dining room (no flash was allowed)

This would be called the living room today. Very colorful and the original wallpaper was found and reproduced through the whole house. 

Well, yes, I would like a closet like that! So pretty. 
And yes, I would not mind waking up to that view in the morning. 



They also moved Nathanial Hawthorn's home where he was born to the site in the 50s. He only lived there 3 years as his father was lost at sea and they had to move in with relatives. There was a copy of the promissory note his mother signed to pay all his father's debts.
Life was not easy. 

There are lots of lovely streets with very old homes. And wonderful gardens. 

Little pocket gardens everywhere! Homes are very close together there.



Blue trees!?
This is an artist protest of the deforestation of the world. 
At least you think about it when you see the trees. 

While I feel that Salem was very much a tourist attraction
I did find people to talk to about their city. I found a lady who makes brooms and has classes on them. While I missed out on the classes I bought her kit. She has a web site with a video to help. If I have a problem, call her! A waitress who told me about a woman who told the future. Well, she didn't believe in that sort of thing she said but her place of business got flooded and the owner let her set up in the restaurant to tell fortunes, and well the waitress is now a believer. I asked another local what we should see her reply "the ocean" she is right. 
It was a lovely couple of days, husband made all the reservations which he usually does not. He did a great job.
Now back to work tomorrow. 
Have a wonderful week! 




19 comments:

Terra said...

I like the photos of the older homes and pocket gardens, and the blue trees with their message, and I would enjoy touring the House of 7 Gables. That is a useful closet with the stem ware and wines.

Marcia said...

Your first part about the bear trying to get in your house scared me. What would we do if it happened here?
The visit to Salem sounds neat. We may have to make that trip sometime.

Saundra said...

I enjoyed every word of your post, even the frightening story with the bear.

Julia said...

Oh goodness, a bear tearing at your screen door and trying to come in, is scary. About 5 years ago, a neighbor had a bear trying to get into her basement through a window. The window was too small for the bear to go through, but he did a lot of damage just the same.

Those poor people were killed as witches, how sad and tragic. It must have been a time of unimaginable terror. At least, the judge put an end to it. It looks like you both had a great time.
Enjoy the rest of the week.
Hugs, Julia

JustGail said...

Wow, bears in the yard is bad enough. Knocking on the door - No Thank You!!!
Salem looks like a place I'd love to check out the old homes and the gardens. Not to mention the witch trials history. Since I'll likely never get there, thank you for sharing your photos.
I knew that women couldn't inherit property back then, but not that they *could* get shackled to the debts. The legal status of women back then is something to keep in mind during current talk of sticking with Constitution's original intent.

Jeanie said...

I love seeing your Salem photos. Cemeteries so old are very interesting. I was in Salem decades ago and wish I remembered it better. I think I only went to Seven Gables and I'm glad you shared the photos here. Nice memories.

As for that bear -- YIKES! That would totally freak me out. Glad you are safe!

Donna said...

Bear at your door...I'm thinking bear burgers for dinner! Salem Ma..and all those gardens...how beautifu certainly on my "Bucket List" as well as Maine Botanical Gardens.
So the mention of Nathaniel Hawthorn brings to mind Star Island and a little trist with Ms Celia Thaxter....he was a frequent visitor to the island! Hum!
Thanks so much for this read...missing you.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your journey and experiences in Salem. Have never been there so it was nice to see it through your eyes.

Tracy said...

I read The House of Seven Gables a few years ago, but I had no idea that it is actually a real place and a very pretty one at that! Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures.

Rugs and Pugs said...

Great post but the bear incident is frightening!!!
Salem, though touristy, looks like a fun place to visit. How ironic that when the governor's wife was charged with being a witch, the rules changed. Kind of like our current administration changing the rules to fit their agenda ;-(

Prims By The Water said...

I have a friend who does the antique show in Salem each year. So scary about the bear. So glad it did not get in your house. I sure hope those blue trees continue to grow and dont die. Loved the house tour and what a special place. Janice

yaya said...

Salem is on my wish list of trips! Thanks for a fun post on this interesting city. I would love to go in the Fall but I know it will be crazy busy. I love all the gardens and the historic homes. I'm sure your hubby can help with making that broom! He's very handy! Wow, a bear trying to break in?! I watch Dateline and usually it's a burglar! A bear is very scary. Watch out on your walks!

jody said...

a bear! so scary! i look for a bear every time i travel and saw one a couple years ago was so excited. my sister saw a mama and 2 cubs this spring. so beautiful in the wild. so scary when they are up close and personal.. i love walking thru our cemetery with so many of the old stones.. very peaceful. i enjoyed your trip thru Salem and the history you shared.. so interesting!

Hill Top Post said...

What a great post! I am always on the lookout for bears, and do occasionally see one, but I hope one never tries to come into my house! I can only imagine how and why some were accused of being witches. Today, we have things happening right under our noses that are somewhat similar to these trials. I think it would be grand to visit old Salem.

jody said...

Happy Birthday Today! August 4th! Enjoy your day Blog Friend!
i don't see my comment from last night yet, i may have not sent..
i love seeing bear in the wild up north here, doesn't happen often.
sure wouldn't want to see them up close and personal tho.
i love cemeteries and all the old stones. peaceful to me.
i enjoyed your tour! thank you!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

The first part of this post was frightening in that a bear tried a break-in at your home. Hopefully, this was a one-time event. The trip to Salem was one we have also done. Did you see the secret staircase in The House of the Seven Gables as well?

I noticed a Happy Birthday message in a previous comment and hope you had a good day, belated wishes to you Cathy.

TheCrankyCrow said...

Oh, how I would love to go to Salem!!! I'm sure you know my "history" by now (great grandmother and great aunt 7x removed were hanged as witches during the reign of terror; their other sister, and the aunt's husband were also accused and the sister (Sarah Cloyce) was imprisoned....Sarah is the subject of the movie "Three Sovereigns for Sarah"). I would give anything to visit there some day....yes, I know it is now a tourist trap, but I also know it's beautiful...and it just tugs at me. I truly need to find a travel mate. Sigh. I only recently read The House of Seven Gables (like 3 years ago perhaps). It was a great story, although the prose a bit tedious to read at times. Some paragraphs were an entire page long LOL. I always found it interesting that he added the "e" to his last name to avoid being associated with his ancestor. Anyways, I'm rambling...but thank you for these photos and narrative. I truly fear that the only way I will ever see it is vicariously. ☹️ The blue trees? Hmmm....they concern me....I fear that the this will damage them. Scary about the bear...Yikes. We had one on our deck many years ago but he didn't try to actually get in that I know of. ~Robin~

Farm Girl said...

I have the book the House of Seven Gables on my bookshelf and I keep thinking of reading it. How wonderful to get to go to Salem and see all of that really interesting history. That is so scary about that bear and trying to get in, I wonder if that means it might be a hard winter? I wonder about those poor blue trees? Did that man want to make a statement at the expense of those trees? Interesting though. Your whole trip seems so wonderful. I loved the pocket gardens. Not to mention those breathtaking views. I am so glad you got to go for a visit.

WoolenSails said...

Sounds like you had a nice trip and how nice that your husband planned it, mine would never do that, lol.
I lived in an old farm house with gables and have been up there once, so one of these days I will have to make a trip when the tourists are gone.

Debbie