Road Trip!! Don't you love them? Well we do and this time we went to Beaufort, North Carolina!
Kyra and I were invited to a book signing for the Sarah Bowers series written by Kay Salter.
My mother in law Nancy has been friends with Kay Salter for many years. They worked at Beaufort Elementary together when Michael was attending there. Well they remained friends over the years which is how we were invited to the book signing for the latest book Kay wrote Sixteenth Summer. Kay started the series with the book Twelfth Summer. It is about a girl Sarah Bowers who is 12 and lives in Raleigh North Carolina. Sarah travels in the summer to spend time at her grandparents home in Beaufort North Carolina during World War II. Sarah and Kyra have a kinship as they both live in Raleigh at the age of 12. Although Kyra's grandparents now live in New Bern she has a bond to Beaufort too as her father's family roots are there. The signing was held at Papa Tom and Granny Jewel's home in Beaufort.
505 Ann St Beaufort, NC
Our friends Joleen and Amy accompanied us on the trip.
Kyra was excited to share this journey with Amy as Amy has not read the series yet.
Joleen and I also have not read the series and we just excited to be part of the day.
The girls went right into the house and into the room where the signing was being held.
They could not wait to get their books!
Kyra and Kay
Amy and Kay (Amy learned that Sarah gets a sister named Amy later in the series.)
The girls listening to Kay and picking up their bookmarks.
They had refreshments! I heard Kay made the pimento cheese sandwiches which were scrumptious!
Getting punch and enjoying our treats.
Joleen and I were intrigued by the architecture of the home.
We love the bead board and the ceiling in the living room
After our treats we toured the home. The living room had a Victorian flair to it.
I loved the pictures of family here. I especially liked the wedding ones and the fisherman.
I wasn't able to get a clear picture of the tree but it was a favorite of Joleen's.
I agreed that it is a unique piece!
The color of these walls gave the entry way to the home the seaside feeling of Beaufort.
Ok. I didn't mean to get the toilet! Ha! Ha! I was trying for only the sink.
See what happens when you get carried away!
This next room was the highlight of the tour. It is Sarah's room when she would come to visit her Papa Tom and Granny Jewel. Papa Tom told us that Granny Jewel's mother's veil was part of the decor.
Notice the suitcase? ;-)
Papa Tom and Granny Jewel's bedroom
The hallway. At the end is a bathroom.
Papa Tom's Study and guest room.
Joleen had a thought provoking discussion with Papa Tom about the home. They discussed how the bathrooms were not original to the home and what will happen to real books in the digital age we live in.
Next, we went downstairs to the kitchen to find Nancy who was busy writing down a recipe for the punch. Joleen and I (never ones to miss an opportunity for a recipe) checked it out.
We were impressed that the punch was made with mashed bananas!
Kyra never bored with a book in her hand waited patiently for her grandma.
She reminds me of the pictures of Sarah here.
We waited to take our front door pictures till we had visited with everyone.
I love the porch with the rockers, old boots and the birdhouses.
Proof that I did go! Thank you Joleen!
The ladies... Amy, Joleen, Kyra, and Nancy
Joleen and Amy
Kyra wanted to re-create the scene on the cover of Thirteenth Summer.
Maybe one of these girls will be the next writer...
Thanks for visiting with us!
If you would like more information about Kay Salter you can read a little more about her here.
