Gettysburg!

I had the ability to visit Gettysburg this summer. As if Mexico and Las Vegas weren't enough...road trip! We pushed ourselves through an 8 hour car ride (darn you turnpikes!) and mountainous terrain in order to view the great place that is Gettysburg. Also, the alternator in my car decided to die...leading to more than a few interesting adventures.

Finally! For years I've wanted to gaze upon that battlefield. We stayed at the Tillie Pierce House, a quaint home inhabited by civilians during the battle. Today it's a bed and breakfast. We settled into Tillie's original bedroom, complete with chill spots and creepiness. I awoke every night to an odd feeling that someone was watching at the end of the bed...I put on an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," which I think appeased the restless spirit!

 Perhaps the most important thing I learned during the trip is that Gettysburg is just a big cemetery. You're never more than a stone's throw from an effigy in stone. It's odd to think that a man breathed his last mere feet away from where I walked. War is a pretty thing until it isn't anymore.

Devil's Den was particularly memorable. The huge rocks are imposing, and I can't imagine how they appeared to the Civil War soldier. The quiet, rolling hills betrayed none of the previous horrors. As a side note, I am incredibly susceptible to falling, and my fiance kept a closer eye on my footing!

My fiance was very interested in the military aspect of the war-strategy, weaponry, and etc. While I do find those things fascinating, I'm more interested in the human perspective. How did it feel in the summer heat? Was it terrifying to watch friends and comrades die? How does one recover from this?

I was also happy to see the monuments to women who were somehow involved in the battle. Jenny Wade, Eliza Thorn...I enjoyed the inclusive, historical representation of the ladies' view of the war.

We stopped at the Jennie Wade house, where the only civilian fatality of the battle occurred. I could still see the bullet holes that had chipped away the brick and furniture. The original dough box rested just as it was. The deadly bullet left a path through two doors. Again I felt the human aspect of the battle, in the cries of anguish from her mother just moments later.

On a lighter note, I ate too much. The food was EXCELLENT. I ate waaay too much in the span of our visit. The Dobbin House especially favored my taste buds. It was the first time I had eaten duck!

And just in case you didn't get your daily dose of creepy, check out the cabinet behind me...

 I also made a quick trip to Needle and Thread. It was just as wonderful as I thought it'd be! I spent too much time just touching different fabrics/patterns. I may or may no have another dress length of fabric hidden away in the house.

Another fortuitous moment of the trip...I ran into Samantha! She works with NJ Sekela, and we met at the Lincoln Funeral Event this spring. She was walking to the Button Baron, so we tagged along! This was another moment of spending for me. Here are just a few of the lovelies in her shop. If you're interested, check out The Button Baron to find out more (you totally should).

And Lydia Ann! Where did you come from? It was nice to see Samantha (and Lydia Ann) so soon, and I promise to make a Gettysburg trip again in the near future...October or November?

This trip turned out to be the perfect end to the summer. Gettysburg felt like a million places all at once-most of all, like home. How can a place with so many graves feel so comfortable? With great honor and sacrifice did the many suffer, so we must remember.

~Kristen