Monday, April 21, 2014

R is for Rookery


In the 1960s my grandfather built the small cottage that my family shares on Martha's Vineyard. For reasons unknown to me, he and my grandmother called it The Rookery.

For decades now, my family, including my uncles and cousins, have stayed at the Rookery on our summer vacations.

Over the years, there have been countless pictures of all of us inside the cottage, on the front steps, or on the back porch. But the below picture, taken when the original "The Rookery" sign was still present above the door, is easily my favorite of them all.


My sisters and I posed on the step for a picture before we headed out to the beach. I'm the little one in the middle.





My A-Z of Martha's Vineyard theme is inspired by my book, The Ghosts of Aquinnah, which is set on the island. Click here for all the info on the book.

27 comments:

  1. Such a unique name. Cool you have a place to stay every summer!

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  2. Your grandfather built a cottage? Wow, impressive! And aw, what a sweet picture of you and your sisters... :)

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  3. Hmmm... I'd be really interesting to find out what they named it that and what significance that has. Do-do-do-do...

    Sheri at Writer's Alley

    Home of Rebel Writer CREED 2014
    Mighty Minion Bureau Team #atozchallenge

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  4. What beautiful memories. A new sign should be created and posted over the door:)

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  5. Very cool, Julie. You all must be hatchlings. Our camp (that's what they call cottages in Maine) is called "Pleasant View" and I can't disagree.

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  6. I bet your sisters loved bossing you around and dragging you everywhere. I was the baby of the fam:)

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  7. @Alex, it is a gift, no doubt.

    @Heather, oh, he didn't build it himself, just hired someone to do it. I should have been more clear LOL. Thanks about the pic!

    @SA, I know, I would too LOL.

    @Birgit, there was for a while but I have no clue what happened to it LOL.

    @Milo, oh, I bet that name is appropriate. I guess we are a bunch of birds LOL.

    @Jennifer, LOL, I think I was always following them around more than they were dragging me.

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  8. The Rookery. I love it! And the picture you shared is adorable. You know, I was going to ask who the little one not looking at the camera is. :)

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  9. Hi Julie - because the clan gathered ... Rookery - what a lovely name .. and aren't you lucky that you can all share now. Fun - and a great meeting place for cousins et al ..

    Cheers - looks delightful - Hilary

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  10. Lovely picture...and oh, the memories must be amazing! :) It's great that it was built by your grandfather and that your family share it, too cool: The Rookery!

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  11. WE have rooks in our tress every day and should we be rash enough to put scraps out then the lawn swarms with them as well.
    You haven't mentioned birds so I guess the Rookery was named after them.

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  12. Stories of family cabins always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. There's so much wonderful about those special times together.

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  13. @Chrys, thanks! I do wonder what I was looking at. :D

    Hilary, we are very lucky, no question.

    @SK, thank you!

    @Bob, I think it must have been but I honestly don't know why LOL.

    @Lee, I get the warm fuzzies too. :)

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  14. What a great place to spend time together as a family. Did he build it as a cozy nest? Isn't a rookery a place where birds are kept? hmmm... off to google... :)

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  15. And you're adorable :) I love these pictures. I know you've said it, but where in the Vineyard is this again?

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  16. Hi human, Julie,

    Did you do any cookery in the rookery?

    What adventures you had there. You look like you want to go back inside in that photo.

    Pawsitive wishes,

    Penny the friendly host of the Alphabark Challenge! :)

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  17. I wonder what you're looking at over your shoulder? :)

    Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption
    Minion, Capt. Alex's Ninja Minion Army
    The 2014 Blogging from A-Z Challenge

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  18. You three girls were heading out for fun, but I am with Madeline above. Why were you looking over your shoulder?

    Have the next generation kept up the tradition?

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  19. Rookery usually is related to birds, isn't it? When I see photos like that, I think 'innocence'.

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  20. @Ava, it did end up as a cozy nest, yes. :)

    @Liz, it's in West Tisbury. :)

    @Gary and Penny, I can't imagine why I was so eager to go back inside but it does look like that, doesn't it?

    @Madeline, I wish I knew. I kind of ruined the picture LOL.

    @Susan, some have, yes. The family all loves it.

    @DG, I can see why that would come to mind, very true.

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  21. Hello there. Thanks for sharing. All the best with the challenge!
    Entrepreneurial Goddess

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  22. I think it's very cool that your grandparents actually built the place you can stay at when you go to MV. I'll bet there's a lot of family history there, as well.

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  23. It doesn't look very big. Where did all the uncles, aunts, and cousins sleep? :)

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  24. We had a summer cottage too, on an island. I love the picture with you in the middle. I see why it is your favorite.

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  25. This is such a cute photo of you with your sisters! It's so nice that your grandparents thought of having a special cottage built for the whole family to enjoy. The Rookery is a great name!

    Julie

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  26. That picture of you and your sisters just reverberates with "story." You must have so many memories tied up with that house. And your book sounds spooky and interesting!

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  27. @EG, thank you and same to you.

    @Mark, there really is.

    @Lexa, LOL, we were there at different times. :D

    @Inger, thanks!

    @Julie, I like it too, thanks.

    @Elizabeth, oh, I'm so glad you think so, thanks!

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