Out for a drive with Mr. Flea a few weeks ago...
...we came upon what was once The Tamarack Playhouse.
It was opened in 1938 by Malcolm Atterbury and his wife Ellen
and served as a summer stock theater
with many a famous Hollywood actor performing
and spending time here during the 40's and 50's.
For a peek at the newspaper article announcing it's opening ...click HERE
In relatively recent years and for a long time...
the old building housed an antique shop....
...called Tamarack Shoppe.
This is how I remember it...
...with old wooden sloped floors...a screen door that banged closed after you...a bell that rang to let the shopkeeper know you were there...a stack of old picture frames leaning against the wall...
...a room with shelves floor to ceiling...hundreds and hundreds of old books to thumb through...
I think I loved those the best...
Sun streaming through dusty windows onto colored glass bottles....
...old crocks and linens mixed with Adirondack souvenirs,
penny candy, new silver and garnet jewelry...
maps of the area, old dressers with gingerbread trim,
old paint and stuck drawers...
...curious old implements used for farming, fishing and hunting...
...and friendly family shop keepers
always ready to show a pretty antique ring...
or simply just welcome a customer to chat with.
I loved spending time there...
...and since there aren't many shops
in this very rural, mountain area...
...I spent many afternoons looking...
...looking at every. single. object.
in that wonderful old shop.
But time passes and things change.
A few years ago...well, maybe more than a few now...
...the shop closed its doors.
The building sits empty now.
I wanted to go in...
...to see what was left.
Mr. Flea would never allow that....
I have also always wanted to see the rest of the place....
...the old kitchen...the stage area...the places where those famous Hollywood actors of long ago spent so much time...
I should have asked to do that long ago...
...when I had a chance.
Although the place is not in good shape these days...
...it did not make me feel sad to be there...
Instead...it made me think of all the happy summers
that have long since passed...
I imagined laughter, camaraderie and cool mountain summer nights for those who attended or performed at the playhouse...
...decades ago.
I thought of the times I visited the shop with my Mom and sisters...
looking at the pretty garnets set in silver...
and remembered many quiet afternoons
poking around looking for treasures
...browsing through dusty books.
Happy thoughts...
Feeling full of gratitude for so many things.
To be able to spend time here in these mountains
with Mr. Flea and Dad...
with family and dear friends arriving for weekend visits...
...it's heaven on earth.
The fact that my Mom and my two cousins
are not with us this summer is bittersweet.
But time brings change...
and regardless of how painful losing a loved one is...
these changes are simply a part of everyone's life.
How lucky am I to have such wonderful memories of happy times?
How fortunate we are to be able to continue to spend summers in these beautiful mountains.
I love being here.
Thanks for stopping by.
I haven't been posting as often...involved with...well...
living and loving life.
Hope you've been managing the changes in your life...
...and enjoying the August summer days.
:)
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