Caro’s Bookcase: September 2025

September 23, 2025

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Prince Edward Island, Part 3: Anne of Green Gables Museum

It was [Pat’s] favourite window, opening outward like the porthole of a ship. She never went up to Judy’s room without stopping to look from it. Dear little fitful breezes came to that window that never came anywhere else and you saw such lovely things out of it. The big grove of white birch on the hill behind it which gave Silver Bush its name and which was full of dear little screech owls that hardly ever screeched but purred and laughed. (Pat of Silver Bush 17)

When I was first planning this trip to Prince Edward Island, one of the things I found most difficult is distinguishing between all of the various Lucy Maud Montgomery related sites. All the names seemed so similar, and I had no point of reference as to what was located where. For the longest time I thought that the Anne of Green Gables Museum must be in the same location as Green Gables Heritage Place. It is not. They are close, though. At the end of this blog series, I will include our itinerary and maybe even the timestamps, so if anyone is planning a trip they can see where things are in relation to each other, and how much time you need to visit all the spots.

I must apologise that it is taking me longer than I had anticipated to get these blog posts out. They are a bit time consuming to put together, and as I was writing this one I was planning and preparing for our next trip to PEI. We just arrived on the lsland on Sunday night, so this will probably be my last blog post until I return to Ontario in October. I have been thinking of September as my Lucy Maud Montgomery month, as I have been exclusively reading her books and non-fiction surrounding her and her writing, but I quite like the idea of continuing this journey into October. As I discussed in some length in my first post of this series, Maud’s books are very dear to me, and in many ways I don’t think I would be the person I am today if it hadn’t been for her books. It seems fitting then that I continue to share my love for Maud and her books into my birthday month.

Now, let’s head up Route 20 past the Lake of Shinning Waters to Park Corner. The Anne of Green Gables Museum is a 110-acre property with beautiful scenery, and though seeing the Lake of Shinning Waters with my own eyes was very nice, I must say the traffic on Route 20 did spoil the effect somewhat. Although, the horses we spotted in the pasture and had a bit of a chat with did cushion the blow. How I wished though that “Matthew’s Carriage Rides”, which are offered by the museum, were powered by horse, instead of tractor! Do not be discouraged by my complaints of the moderns world spoiling this rural idyll. There are many reasons to visit this home.

The home was built in 1872, by Maud’s Aunt Annie and Uncle John Campbell, on the property which was first settled by the Campbell family in 1776. Maud spent a lot of time at the Campbell farm when she was a child. She was known as Aunt Maud to James Campbell and his siblings, though she was their cousin. It was James Campbell’s wife, Ruth, who opened their home to the public in 1972, realising James’s dream after he died to run a museum dedicated to his Aunt Maud.

One of the things that make this property special is that the Campbell family still live here. Unlike Green Gables Heritage Place, which we will visit in my next blog post, the Anne of Green Gables Museum is still owned and operated by Maud’s relatives. In fact it is the son of James and Ruth, George Campbell who lives there with his family. Copies of Anne of Green Gables (in hardcover and paperback) and The Story Girl are published by Kindred Spirits of PEI, a publishing company run by George Campbell. It is particularly nice to be able to pick up a copy of The Story Girl when you visit the museum because it is home to the real life inspiration for “The Blue Chest of Rachel Ward”. Rachel Ward was Eliza Montgomery, a cousin of Maud’s father, who died in Toronto. She left instructions that her blue chest not be opened until her death. The chest contained her wedding dress and a number of other items in preparation for the wedding that was not to be. Some of the items found inside are also on display in the house, which I have to say gave me a little thrill to see. I would highly recommend reading The Story Girl before you visit the home, so you can have a greater appreciation for the lore around the chest and the disappointed romance of Eliza Montgomery. Here is a passage from the fictionalised account in The Story Girl.

“Will Montague fell in love with Rachel Ward, and she with him, and it was all arranged that they were to be married from here in the spring. Poor Rachel was so happy that winter; she made all her wedding things with her own hands. Girls did, then, you know, for there was no such thing as a sewing-machine. Well, at last in April the wedding day came, and all the guests were here, and Rachel was dressed in her wedding robes, eating for her bride-groom. And” — the Story Girl laid down her knife and her potato and clasped her wet hands — “Will Montague never came!” (The Story Girl 123)

The reason the bride groom failed to appear at his own wedding was not because he had been killed. As the Story Girl says, “that would have been suitable and romantic” (123). Will Montague had run away for debt and had not so much as sent a note of explanation to his bride-to-be.

“She was broken-hearted of course. When she found out what had happened, she took all her wedding things, and her supply of linen, and some presents that had been given her, and packed them all away in this old blue chest. Then she went away back to Montreal, and took the key with her. She never came back to the Island again — I suppose she couldn't bear to. And she has lived in Montreal ever since and never married. She is an old woman now — nearly seventy-five. And this chest has never been opened since.” (124-25)

At the end of the book, Rachel Ward has died and the chest is opened, much to the excitement of the children, who have been dreaming about what romantic treasures might be inside. But the Story Girl makes an astute observation about expectation verses reality.

“Of course it was very interesting to see the old chest unpacked,” said the Story Girl, as she stirred the contents of a saucepan vigorously. “But now that it is over I believe I am sorry that it is opened. It isn’t mysterious any longer. We know all about it now, and we can never imagine what things are in it any more.
“It’s better to know than to imagine,” said Felicity.
“Oh, no, it isn’t,” said the Story Girl quickly. “When you know things you have to go by facts. But when you just dream about things there’s nothing to hold you down.” (345)

So much of Maud’s writing is about dreaming, having aspirations, and building castles in the sky, but there is always a bend in the road and things have a way of turning out much different from what her characters’ have imagined for themselves. Something we can all relate to, I expect. In the above photo, you can see some of the items from the real blue chest, which are on display in one of the upstairs bedrooms in the Campbell home. Hopefully, you do not experience the same deflation from expectation to reality that the Story Girl went through.

Heading out of the kitchen in the Campbell home, you enter what I believe is the original part of the house. A narrow hall opens out into an airy space that leads to the staircase and, if I am remembering correctly, the front door to the house is straight ahead. But first let’s turn to the first door on the left where we will find a bright bedroom full of beautiful details.

Note the bedspread, I would love to make something like it for the foot of our bed. I expect the cloth on the dresser, as well as the mat, is handmade too.

You will notice Maud’s books scattered throughout the house. It’s always a pleasure to see vintage editions of her books. Prepare yourself for a bit of a thrill when you enter the parlour.

It is in this parlour, in front of the mantle, that Maud was married to Reverend Ewan Macdonald on 5 July 1911.

This is the same organ that was played at her wedding, and is still played today when weddings are held here. People from all over the world come here to be married. I wish I had known about this before I got married! Although, my husband-to-be might not have been onboard back then. However, I am thrilled to report that he is now an Anne fan himself. Honestly, I wish I had written down some of the comments that he made to me as he was reading Anne of Green Gables for the first time. I am convinced he loved the book even more than I did. Which just goes to show that Maud’s writing can capture the hearts of young and old alike, be they avid readers, or not.

Apologies for the reflections in many of these photos. I did the best I could with the time I had available. There were other people visiting the home at the same time, so many of these photos were quick snaps I took when the area was clear.

I could have spent all day gazing into Anne’s Enchanted Bookcase. The bookcase and chair were salvaged from Maud’s Cavendish home before it was demolished. She used to imagine her reflection was another little girl, who she called Katie Maurice. If the name sounds familiar, it is because Maud gave Anne the same imaginary friend.

When I lived with Mrs Thomas she had a bookcase in her sitting-room with glass doors. There weren’t any books in it; Mrs Thomas kept her best china and her preserves there — when she had any preserves to keep. One of the doors was broken. Mr Thomas smashed it one night when he was slightly intoxicated. But the other was whole and I used to pretend that my reflection in it was another little girl who lived in it. I called her Katie Maurice, and we were very intimate. I used to talk to her by the hour, especially on Sunday, and tell her everything. Katie was the comfort and consolation of my life. We used to pretend that the bookcase was enchanted and that if I only knew the spell I could open the door and step right into the room where Katie Maurice lived, instead of into Mrs Thomas’ shelves of preserves and china. And then Katie Maurice would have taken me by the hand and led me out into a wonderful place, all flowers and sunshine and fairies, and we would have lived there happy for ever after. When I went to live with Mrs Hammond it just broke my heart to leave Katie Maurice. She felt it dreadfully, too, I know she did, for she was crying when she kissed me goodbye through the bookcase door. (Anne of Green Gables 83-84)

I have loved Maud’s books since I was little, but outside of her writing, I did not know much about her before taking this trip. Reading this letter, which is mounted on the parlour wall, was a rude awakening for me. In the moment, I almost wished I had not read it. I always imagined Maud living a lovely life, complete with a happy ending, just like her characters. It breaks my heart that this was not the case. I have transcribed the letter below for anyone who has difficulty reading from a photo. (Pro tip: If you click on any of the photos on my blog it will open a better quality version, and from there you have the ability to scroll through all of the photos within a post. It took me ages to discover this feature.)

Oct 8, 1941
Dear Jim,
Thanks for the ten dollars. I am very ill and will never see Park Corner again. Don’t let them stampede you into going to war. You are more needed at home. Park Corner would go forever if you went. Mr. MacDonald’s nerves are very bad. Chester’s wife has left him and gone home to her father. Partially his fault and partly hers. He has broken our hearts this past 10 years and ___ I tried to hide it and seen ___ to happen. For he has a brilliant brain but will not work. My heart is broken and it is that has broken me. I have to have a nurse and can’t afford it. I am not and never the rich woman I was supposed to be. Fame is not riches. You must not go to war. Tell them you are the only son at home and your mother would not live to see you come back. I can hardly write—my nerves are so terrible. Stuart is interne in hospital but I suppose they will take him too. I think my mind is going.
Aunt Maud
Rest from worry is what I need and I cannot get that anywhere. I am alone.

The transcribed letter in the photo notes “Author died the following Spring of 1942”.

Before we head up the stairs to the second floor, here are a few photos from the walls of the first floor hall. The first is of Lover’s Lane in 1920. For anyone not familiar, Lover’s Lane is a trail in Avonlea, near Green Gables, and is introduced in Anne of Green Gables.

The second photo is of Maud’s Grandfather MacNeil’s home. Maud lived here as a little girl. What makes this photo so special is that this building can no longer be visited. You can visit the site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home, but that is all it is, the site only. The house was torn down in 1920 to detract tourists from coming to the abandoned home.

The third photo is of Maud’s maternal grandparents, who she lived with in the MacNeil house pictured previously.

One of the upstairs bedrooms is where Maud stayed when she came to visit. Unfortunately, I didn’t make note of which of the bedrooms was Maud’s, but I do believe it is this first one. The letter from King George V upon her appointment as an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 1935, sits framed on the bed. The letter is signed by Edward VIII. This is also the bedroom where you will find the items from inside Eliza Montgomery’s blue chest.

Stella Campbell’s room is next. Inside is a stunning display of Maud’s books on a table that I wish was a little closer to the door—so my aging eyes could see them clearly.

Also on display is a crazy patchwork quilt worked on by Maud between the ages of 12 and 16. The fabric would have been sourced from scraps left over from other sewing projects as well as old garments. I love the idea that garments from Maud’s family and friends went into the making of this quilt. I wish we saw more of this thrifty repurposing of garments now.

Next are some views of the upstairs hallway.

I will see if I can get some better photos of these display cabinets on my next trip.

Especially of this next one, which is a great shot of my face in the door’s reflection, but fails in showing the china from Maud’s Aunt Emily’s collection. There is a reference to Emily of New Moon here, I just know it. Unfortunately, it’s been so long since I’ve read the books that I cannot provide it here.

This cabinet has some foreign editions across the top and a collection of first edition books signed by Maud and given to members of the Campbell family. We were a little rushed for time at this point and I did not get nearly enough time looking at the letters and other bits on display. I will at least try to get some photos of these things next time, so I can examine them at my leisure, and share them, too!

We move on to the last bedroom upstairs. Well, the last open bedroom. Upstairs and downstairs there were some rooms that were closed off, as the Campbell family still lives in this home. A few things I love about this room are the cute owl quilt, which I must discover the story about, the Anne of Green Gables pillow on the rocking chair by the door, that says “Celebrating 100 years”, and the beautiful mat by the door. Oh, and all of the furniture in this room, but especially the little bassinet, which looks like something out of a fairytale.

Off the kitchen downstairs is a gift shop. Here’s a photo of the cute wallpaper border on the walls in there. There is also a whole other building, which I did not photograph, that has a huge gift shop, a sit down area where you can order a beverage, and toilets.

Now for the exterior. This is the view from the back of the kitchen, where you exit after you have finished touring the home.

As you leave the house, walk straight ahead and perhaps you will see some horses in the fields. I took way too much time chatting to these beauties as they kindly posed for photos and videos.

They loved the Secret Field better than all the other fields. It seemed somehow to belong to them as if they had been the first to discover it; it was so different from the poor, bleak, little stony field behind the barn that nobody loved … nobody but Pat. She loved it because it was a Silver Bush field. That was enough for Pat. (Pat of Silver Bush 18)

Once you tear yourself away from the horses, you can continue down the hill to The Lake of Shining Waters. If you are looking for this location on a map it is called “Campbell’s Pond”, but in the fictional town of Avonlea, everyone other than Anne refers to this body of water as plain old Barry’s Pond.

The Anne of Green Gables Museum is chock full of literary references to Maud’s books. This is a home she loved and spent a lot of time in as a child. This location, more than any of the others I visited on this trip, made me wish I had all of Maud’s books fresh in my mind. This trip I’m hoping to read Pat of Silver Bush and reread Emily of New Moon to better appreciate the Campbell’s beautiful property and home.

There was the evening star in a pale silvery field of sky just over the tall fir tree that shot up in the very centre of the silver bush. The first star always gave her a thrill. Wouldn’t it be lovely if she could fly up to that dark swaying fir-top between the evening star and the darkness? (Pat of Silver Bush 26)

Additional information:

Address

Anne of Green Gables Museum

4542 Route 20

Park Corner, PE

C0B 1M0

Museum and Gift Shop (902) 886-2884

Office (M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Toll-free (800) 665-2663

info@annemuseum.com

annemuseum.com

Hours

July 1 - August 31 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

September 1 - Sept 30 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

October 1 - October 15 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Other useful information

Free parking

Air conditioning (I think!)

Washrooms

$9.00 per adult

$3.00 per child 6-16 years

Free for children 5 years and under

Matthew’s Carriage Rides

Start at $175 per carriage

For details, and to book, visit their website.

***If you got something out of this post, please consider subscribing to my blog. You can find the email sign up on the right hand side at the top of this page (on desktop version only), or click on the link here. You will receive a confirmation email in your inbox (or possibly your junk folder). Once you click to confirm your email address you will receive an email notification whenever a new blog post goes up. And, of course, you can unsubscribe at any time. Feel free to email me if you have any trouble subscribing, or if you just want to chat about books. I would love to hear from you! Whether you subscribe or not, I’m thankful you are here.***

This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell’s. As a Blackwell’s Affiliate, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links on my website. I recommend Blackwell’s because I use them myself. This helps support me in sharing—what I hope is—valuable content. Thank you for your support!

September 19, 2025

An Update and My Thanks

Anne was bringing the cows home from the back pasture by way of Lovers’ Lane. It was a September evening and all the gaps and clearings in the woods were brimmed up with ruby sunset light. Here and there the lane was splashed with it, but for the most part it was already quite shadowy beneath the maples, and the spaces under the firs were filled with a clear violet dusk like airy wine. The winds were out in their tops, and there is no sweeter music on earth than that which the wind makes in the fir trees at evening. — Anne of Green Gables

We are rushing around with errands over here in preparation for our trip to Prince Edward Island tomorrow. It feels like enough appointments, prescriptions, and purchases for a year have been squeezed into the past couple of weeks. It hardly seems possible that in a couple of days I will be breathing sea salt scented air, while basking in the rosy light of that gem in the Atlantic Ocean. I swear the light has a reddish tinge to it there. A full red moon was rising when we drove the last leg of the trip to the Island last September, and ever since I’ve been convinced that even the moon is rose-tinted on PEI.

I’ve been plugging away at the next article for my blog series. My apologies to anyone who has been waiting for the next instalment, and wondering when we are going to get to Green Gables, already! I spent much of last night just sorting through photos, but I hope to have one more post up before this weekend is over. I’m not sure how much time I will have for blogging while we are away, but I will be sure to continue where we left off when I return home. I’m sure I will have plenty more photos and locations to recommend visiting, too.

Many thanks to everyone who has visited my blog, lately. A few days ago I had such a staggering number of views that I thought the counter was broken. Like, actually! My Instagram account has always been fairly quiet, which is okay by me. I’m a quiet person. The thought that so many people are looking at my blog—and I’m guessing, some must be reading it too—has been a bit for me to wrap my head around. If I’m being honest, the whole thing has freaked me out a bit. It’s lovely. But also nauseating. I aspire to create a space that is deserving of your notice, and your time.

I have a number of people to thank for helping others find their way to my blog. Not least of all the other book bloggers and bookstagramers who have shared my posts or otherwise shown appreciation for my reviews. I also want to thank the publishers and authors who have sent me books to review. I currently have a bit of a backlog, but I promise to get the stack down when I come back refreshed and rejuvenated from holiday. I have some really exciting books in that stack, and I cannot wait to chat about them!

You may have noticed the books in the photos accompanying this post. I have to thank my dear friends Leslie (@readerlyjoy) and Gina (@babsbelovedbooks) for helping me complete this set of Anne books. By “help” I mean, they bought all of them for me, but one. The books sit on a bookshelf that is right next to the desk in my study. If I turn my head to the right, those beautiful books are the first thing I see. It fills my heart with joy each and every time. I have the kindest friends, and this incredible community has made me feel like I belong. It is a very good feeling.

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” — Anne of Green Gables

Bless you for being here. I’m so thankful we had this time together.

Now, back to the laundry, ironing, cleaning out the fridge, packing, baking a last minute batch of shortbread, and convincing myself I do not need to bring every Lucy Maud Montgomery book with me to Prince Edward Island when I am undoubtedly going to acquire more there. And will someone please tell me that I do not have time to sew together the pieces of a sweater today? Wish me luck!

September 09, 2025

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Prince Edward Island, Part 2: The Author's Birthplace

“And here, around a certain corner, is a certain small, yellowish-brown house, close to the road, that I always look at with a kind of fascination, for it is the house where my father and mother lived after their marriage, and where I was born and spent the first year of my life. The years have passed on and each succeeding one has left the little brown house something shabbier than before, but its enchantment has never faded in my eyes. I always look for it with the same eager interest when I turn the corner.” — The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1900, Saturday, December 31, 1898.

This journal entry is quoted on a sign outside of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace. She was 24 at the time of writing this, and I think she would be happy to know that even though the building has been altered superficially—it is brown no longer, but white with dark green trim—the house still holds a certain enchantment. Here in this tiny house close to the road, a great writer was born some 150 years ago.

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born on 30 November 1874 to Hugh John Montgomery and Clara Woolner Macneill in the village of Clifton, now called New London, Prince Edward Island. The home overlooks picturesque New London Harbour, complete with the quintessential sand dunes any viewer of the many Anne of Green Gables adaptations would imagine if asked to picture the landscape of the Island.

Maud was not yet two when her mother, Clara, died of tuberculosis at the Macneill homestead in Cavendish. Afterwards, Maud continued to live with her maternal grandparents, Alexander and Lucy Macneill. She lived there at the Macneill Homestead in Cavendish until her marriage to Rev. Ewan Macdonald on 5 July 1911.

Now seems like a good time to share Maud’s wedding dress, which can be viewed at Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Birthplace. This replica is on display in a glass case right next to the cash desk, which made it very difficult to photograph without capturing annoying reflections. I admit, I found the mannequin quite disturbing. Most mannequins are a bit unsettling by nature, but the fact that this one looks like it has a stocking pulled over its face, ready to rob a bank, added another dimension of creepiness.

Speaking of the cash desk, I didn’t pay much attention to the gift-y things in portion of the house designated as a shop. I was much too excited to focus on shopping. But I did happen to notice they did have a very good selection of books. When you walk in the front door the facing wall is covered in books with the covers facing out, which I found particularly tempting. I bought two published by Kindred Spirits of PEI, a publisher run by George Campbell, a relative of Maud. The two books were, Anne of Green Gables (1908), because I needed a backup—this was not the last copy I bought on this trip—and The Story Girl (1911). (I have linked to the same editions I bought, which you can find at the Anne of Green Gables Store in person, or online. These are not affiliate links.)

In that same room is where I spotted this photo of Maud, wearing a truly fabulous hat, and her husband Rev. Ewan Macdonald on their honeymoon.

On the same wall as the above photo of Maud, I found this flower made of human hair, which was apparently a popular craft around 1900. I could admire for its craftsmanship, maybe even its artistry, if only I didn’t have an abhorrence of hair that is not attached to a body. I considered not including it here, because it is another creepy thing, but, for better or worse, I was struck by its oddity and thought it might be of interest to others. Let’s move so I can shake off the heebie-jeebies.

When you come in the front door of the house the cash desk is to your left (go there first and pay your entry fee), to your right is a flight of stairs, and straight ahead leads to the rest of the main floor. Let’s head to the kitchen and work our way counterclockwise through the rooms.

An imposing Franklin stove presides in this room. I cannot imagine relying on this not only to cook, bake, heat the iron, but also to keep the house warm. It must have been used as heating, because what was noticeably lacking from this building was any sign of a fireplace. The one chimney you can see on the outside of the house, must be for the stove. The kitchen also contains a number of chairs, a table that has been pushed against one wall, and a corner cabinet filled with dishes. I can’t help but wonder how this room was set up when Maud’s parents lived here.

What I find most fascinating about historic homes that have been set up as they might have been however many years ago, are all the little domestic items. The area next to the stove has such an interesting array of items that I felt compelled to capture it. One of the items appears to be a preserved bird wing. For beauty, or for purpose? Either answer would only end up in more questions.

In the main room downstairs there is a display which takes up the centre of the room, filled with Maud’s scrapbooks. There were other objects, tables, chairs, some china I meant to ask about, but I didn’t. I was too captivated by the scrapbooks to focus on anything else. I had not heard about Maud’s scrapbooks before our visit to the Island. To be honest, I knew very little about Maud, outside of the contents of her novels and short stories. As you can see from the collection here, she certainly loved scrapbooking, including invites and programs from outings. She also collected clippings of her published stories, which can be seen in the long display case in the centre of this room.

I have just recently started reading the first of seven volumes in her collected journals, The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1900. She wrote her journal with the intention of it being published one day. That is striking enough, I think, but she even edited it. There are places where she had removed leaves and pasted in new ones. Another notable difference between Maud’s journal and many other writer’s personal record is that she added visual elements as well, including newspaper clippings, postcards, studio shots, and her own photography. I’m just up to the entries from 1890, but the photographs of Maud’s friends, family, and the landscape have added so much to the reading experience. Also, I never would have expected that Maud’s voice to be so mature from such an early age. From the start of the journal in 1889, when Maud is almost fifteen, the writing and the scenarios could have been pulled straight from the pages of The Story Girl or Anne of Green Gables.

I snapped this photo of Imagining Anne: Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Island Scrapbooks at The Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home. I’ll talk more about that location in another post, but I will say here that they did have a great selection of books at that location. I wish I had bought a copy of this book while I was on the spot, but you can find it online. If you are interested in learning more about Maud’s scrapbooks, I think this book would be a great resource.

At the back of the house and to the far left, in relation to the front door, there is a small sitting room. Here I picked up a couple of brochures about the Island and Maud-related locations, including one specific to her birthplace. I can see this room being used as a study or quiet space back when the building was a family home, so it was fitting to find a cabinet with a number of foreign editions of Maud’s books on display.

Returning back to the front door, we go up the stairs that appear on the right on your way in. At the top of the stairs on the right is a door marked “The Child’s Room”.

I’m currently reading The Golden Road (1944), and in it Cecily is making a quilt that people have paid to have their name stitched on in either a 5¢ or 10¢ piece. In the book, the governor’s wife pays to have her name and her husband’s stitched on a 10¢ piece, which speaks to their financial and social position. More surprising is that Peg Bowen, a reclusive woman who lives is a decrepit old place and appears to only have one outfit, also says she will take a 10¢ piece. She even appears affronted when Cecily asks her which price of piece Peg would like. But then, Peg says she will pay later, because she doesn’t have the cash on hand. That was a couple of chapters ago, and so far no mention that she paid Cecily for the privilege. I don’t think Peg would unintentionally go without paying. She did give the children refuge in a snowstorm, after all. But after a night spent in the woman’s house they are no less convinced she is a witch, and there is this constant back and forth between whether Peg is just a misunderstood woman who lives by herself or something more sinister. Back to Maud's birthplace...

Back to Maud’s birthplace… This is the first of a number of rugs I took photos of on this trip. There are a couple of other beauties to come in the guest room, but overall, I was just really impressed with the attention to detail in dressing these rooms. I am not a historian, so I cannot comment on historical accuracy of all of the items, but they are all beautiful to look at, and the child’s room was my favourite room in the house. There is something so welcoming about an adorably decorated children’s room.

A room marked “The Main Bedroom” is the next door down the hall on the right. This is the room Maud was born in and would have been her parent’s bedroom. This is another room with a lot of items to admire. The hooked rugs, and the braided rug caught my eye, as did the garments of clothing. But just look at the bedspread! A sign outside the door reads, “This bedspread is on loan from the family of the late Edith Woodside, a valuable former board member.” I’m going to assume Edith Woodside made this bedspread, and very talented she was too. I wish I could have got a better photo of it, but there are low gates that run across the doorways of each of the upstairs rooms, preventing visitors from going inside. When I go back this year, I hope to at least ascertain whether the bedspread is crocheted or knitted.

Well, I had to take a photo of this man, Adonijah (Nige) Marks (1858-1945), posed with a litter of fox cubs that he raised. He made the bed in this room. Although, I think it is fair to assume that this is not the bed in which Maud was born in 1874. According to Nige’s great-great granddaughter, Elizabeth (Ingraham) Tumblin, “He was known for his long beard, his furniture making, his apple orchards and his telling fortunes through reading tea leaves.” He sounds like such a character, and just the sort of person I would like to know more about. Also, why are we not naming children Adonijah anymore?

Here are a couple more photos of the main bedroom that I am not going to comment on, otherwise, we are never going to get out of here.

We have made it to the last room upstairs, which is situated at the end of the short hall, “The Guest Room”. I have no idea what the deal is with the wedding dress, I will add that to my list of questions to pester the staff with on my next visit. But turn your attention to the quilt to the left of the mannequin bride. There is a small tag attached that says this is a log cabin afghan “[s]tarted by a little girl 8 years old, Sue M. Moncey (Muncey?), later Mrs. J.B. Leigh Lowther, Carleton Lot 28. Born November 1874. Died March 22, 1974.” It’s a beautiful piece, but no doubt it was also included in this room because Sue shared the same birth month and year as Maud. I would imagine this is the kind of handiwork that Maud and other little girls would have learned at the time.

More of those beautiful rugs I mentioned earlier…

I love the patchwork quilt that sits on blue chest of drawers in the next photo. Patchwork speaks of a time when pieces of old clothes and bits of fabric were repurposed into beautiful and practical objects, instead of being thrown away like we would today. We donate our family’s old clothes to charity, and items that are at the end of their life I usually just turn into rags. It has never occurred to me to try my hand at patchwork, but it might be something to fill up the long winter nights and would take a lot longer than crocheted or knitting blankets, which is my current crafty pastime.

Now, it’s time to go back down the stairs. Watch your step. The staircase is just about as steep as it appears in this photo.

From start to finish, we spent 45 minutes at Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Birthplace, that’s including making a couple of purchases in the bookstore/gift shop area and having a lovely chat with the woman who was working there. I believe her name was Deborah. We were the only visitors at the time and Deborah, as we are calling her, was very generous with her time. I remember commenting to my husband that it felt like we had been given a personal tour. Other than leaving us to explore the upstairs on our own, she was close by, providing us with tidbits of information about the building and its objects. Now, I’m thinking the worker’s name could have been Margaret. Heaven help me. Well Deborah/Margaret, if you are reading this, thank you for your time and for offering to stamp not just the books I had bought, but any that I had in the car. She was so kind and she made me feel like she was just as excited to see us as we were to see Maud’s birthplace. All round, we had a very heartwarming experience visiting Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Birthplace.