Language of Flowers, from Our Deportment, John H. Young (at Project Gutenberg)
Language of Flowers, by Kate Greenaway (at Project Gutenberg)
Popular Names, search by year (at Social Security website)
// SPOILERS. Go 'way unless you've read everything already. //
Present-day: 2010ish Past: late 1800s (fire: 1902)
Story starts in spring. Early summer by second trip past fence. Late summer by end of 11 portion.
Setting: Mapleton (fictional small town similar to Fredonia), North Carolina; next town over is Milltown. (USDA zone 7 or 8.)
Kimber's apartment: on Watercress, basically mine on Middlesex, on old Mason land, gamer-boy neighbor
Mason place: near Central Ave and Walnut St. Spring Creek (aka Douglas, Spook's Stream, Mill Creek nearer town), dirt path once ran from Central to the house. Currently owned by Jeremy Mason (in Nevada), property originally 1/2-1m around house+fence (but sold off over years)
Maps: 09-p6, 11-p23
Kimber (Kimberly Bennett):
- about 27, five years out of college (art major, drawing), working retail (small office supply)
- bit of a loner, apartment by herself
- younger sister (Alison, still in college, lives ~1hr away), close with her dad (audiophile/geek), haven't met mom yet
- grew up in neighborhood similar to mine in Chili
M+C:
- no children (as of visit w- 10yo Jacob), few visitors (mostly foreigner friends of M)
Meres - built the house and designed the gardens for his wife, young in appearance (30s at fountain) but feels older and sadder, aloof, dark eyes, black hair (hint of waves) just over his shoulders, long slender frame, mysterious, "always so kind to people in trouble". No tangible similarity between Meres and rest, though Meres and A. have some connection, not visibly physical but same "vibe"
Photo: hair slicked back, bit longer than most with bit of wave, super-dark, well-tailored suit, tall and slim, late 20s?, dated "1870?", long graceful fingers, strikingly handsome, strong features. Sharply angled cheekbones (nefertiti-esque), strong but delicate features, confident poised yet graceful.
- no records in town of them, or that anyone had met them; probably settled decades before town founded
- rumors: she died young of disease, he killed her after she snuck into town to find company & was walked home by another man (no written record of this), she ran off and he killed himself in despair (no record), just moved away
- musically inclined (that's what first drew Meres to her)
- died in childbirth, so, 1897 (unless change Cal's birth date) (A+C overlap time period)
Apparently no newspaper mentions of M+C, few brief of 2nd gen.
Masons:
- family moved in ~10yrs after town was incorporated, ~late 1880s, for health reasons (Cal), little mention of kids in any records (privately tutored), in town ~10-15yrs total, left town day after fire to stay with Cora's family
A.E. Mason ("Mr. Mason") - reclusive, supposed killed in fire, very dark hair, darker eyes than Meres', "very beautiful", reclusive and snarky and mean, avoided people whenever possible. Father is a very strict sort of person. He buys us all kinds of toys, when Mother reminds him, but he never thinks of it himself.
Mother says he loves us all very much, but I don't think she believes it either. He is often shut up in his library, or goes away on business. I think his father must have been very rich, because he doesn't go to work every day like I think other fathers do.
Cora Mason (1872-1931) - reportedly brag-y (liked claiming credit for gardens), auburn hair (wisps of curls when up), brown eyes, smooth pale skin (when young - definitely ages). President of the First Methodist Church's Ladies Aid, founded chapter of Red Cross, member Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Prominent figure in local charity work, donating large amounts to both local and foreign missions. Super active in town society. very beautiful, and very kind when she is home, but she has lots of social obligashuns, so she often hasn't time for fussing over us she says. Mother often has company, when she's not making calls herself.
But I think, somehow, that she was a kinder person than Mother, because Mr. Meres loved her enough to make her such a beautiful place to live in with him.
A + C:
She and Father rarely even speak any more – I don't think I've seen any sign of affection between them in years. They've always fought, but when I was younger, there were days he would be almost sweet to her – teasing and flirting, little kisses and compliments. And she just... she was like a flower bursting into full bloom, when he acknowledged her like that. But as the years went on, that became so rare, and the flower was replaced by more and more thorns.”
always reminding Mother that his brother planned all the gardens – and every time he said that, she must have felt jealous, of that love that my aunt had that my mother could never have.”
I think Father is angry that he doesn't have someone to love so much, but maybe he just doesn't know how. I have a grandmother and grandfather, that are Mother's parents, but we haven't ever seen them, only gotten letters. I don't know about Father's parents, though I guess he had some. All the other children have cousins, but I”
Avery Dorcey Mason (1883?-- NO, changing to -?): very tall at age 13, acts mature and responsible, night of fire is very calm cool and in charge. Hair's darker than Evelyn's, eyes a little like Mr M's.
Av's family tree: (11 p24-25) Married in 1905 (~22yo) in NY to Sarah Pemberton, five children (two died young, Daniel 1905 Lillie 1911). Alice Viola (1906), Hazel Marie (1907), Cecil Bernard (1910). All married and had kids. Cecil's son = Jeremy-in-NV. Hazel had only daughters, one marriage record found.
Evelyn (1887?--- NO, changing to -?) - red-gold curls (as a child), ivory skin; teen: slim and beautiful, tiny corseted waist, hair soft brown almost auburn curls (updo). I only talk to other young ladies in town when I go to church and socials with Mother, because Father doesn't like to have them visit and be underfoot around the house.
Calvin Marcus Mason (1897-1901) - frail and largely bedridden, short brown curls, long lashes, very pretty but clearly suffering from long illness (super pale), eyes just like Mr Mason's (though sweet and kind etc), buried in Oak Leaf Cemetary (aka Pioneer in Fredonia), lamb stone "Son of A. & C. Mason. DIED May 4, 1901. Aged 4 years, 8 mos. 10 days.", + unreadable inscription (11 p27)
Mystery baby: Helen (married: Cardinal), b.1902, Cora's with some town guy
Jeremy Mason: Avery's grandson, owns land, lives in Nevada, cranky monotone old man (11 - p5)
Rosemary: Evelyn's g-granddaughter (Ev b. '87 -> child ~07 -> child ~32 (age 60-70) -> -> ~62 (age 40-50)
Servants:
M+C:
Jacob - boy servant from first & rainy day visions, ~10yo (in second), slight British accent, tousled blond curls, "Master and Missus", green eyes, curious and vivacious, bit mischevious
Cook - middle-aged woman, looks "frazzled even when unconscious"
Caroline - housemaid of some sort
Pets:
Rollie - dog, fairly large, black with white patch at chest
Assorted cats - contained in kitchen and yards
Masons:
Winters - random servant
Joseph Standworth - servant in charge of horses (started young with M+C)
Molly - supposed mother of mystery baby
Tutors - Miss Kate, Miss Mary, Mister Scotts
Nurse - when younger (Ev < 9yo)
Townies:
Present:
Dr. Carl Reiff, Ph D - art history prof on campus
Ed(ward) Josephson - the map guy (09-p6, 11-p23)
Alex Miller - dude who's cranky about trespassers
Mary Sueter - librarian, secretary of historical society, super-friendly, late middle-age, streaks of grey in light brown hair, artsy jewelry, unabashed gossip, self-confessed "sap"
Susan - hist. society, works in town hall (records office), more down-to-earth than Mary, works with archives and museum, super cluttered office, but super compitent at her job
John - hist. society, scant white hair, likes correcting Mary with what's actually in the written records, prosaic and factually-inclined
Jerry - hist. society, architecture buff
Dan Reed - hist society (tho wasn't at meeting), wrote town history book w- photos, has kid that's in soccer
(Hist. soc. meeting: 09 - p21-22)
Anna Temple - 09 - p14: medium, grandmotherly, has granddaughter "Susie" running reception
Ralphie Sarasota - crushing on Mary S. a very round little man, probably in his 60s, with a bright beaming scarlet face. He looks halfway between Santa Claus and a red rubber kickball. Crazy over-the-top flatterer.
Charlie Mack - garage sale dude
Rick - owns antique store (haven't met yet)
Claire - another town hall employee (works at front desk), neat and organized
Jim Cumbings - guy walking dog (yellow lab) by Mason place, probably married to Claire
Sylvia - psychic Anna recommended
Brandon - "young man" antique photo expert
Past:
Derick Reese - photographer in Masons' time, well-known for creative portraiture
Phillip Nestor - took more casual photo of Avery and Rollie, 1890s
Visions:
1) 09 - p5: Boy (servant? ~10 y.o.) in creek, golden curls and green eyes, dressed Grecian style, called away by (Meres)
2) 09 - p7: Young woman (Cora) on bench with honeysuckle trellis, a little sad but sweet and beautiful, then "aggression in the wind"
?) Dog, probably Rollie, glimpsed at garden's edge but won't come near her
3) 09 - p12: Young couple (Meres and Celestine) at fountain, in love, Meres speaks to Kimber, warns but then acknowledges her good will
4) 09 - p16-19, 20: Evelyn (~age 5) by the pool with her doll Clara and dog Rollie (large, black - same seen before?)
5) 09 - p23 Entryway (glimpse)
6) 09 - p24-27: Calvin's death, teen Evelyn
7) 11 - p3: Library with Evelyn (age 9-10), and hiding from Mr Mason
8) 11 - p13-15: Fire. (Wakes up already back in time.) Cora, Avery, Evelyn, and "Molly's baby" escape house, servants sent away earlier by Mr M. Talks to Evelyn.
9) 11 - p29-30, 13 - p1-2 : Clematis trellis in rain, meets Jacob (boy from first vision), learns about M+C, gets letter
10) 13 - p4: Fire, again waking up there; Meres and Azal in woods
11) 13 - p8: Meres' presence in art gallery
12) 13 - p9: violent Azal presence with Anna; Meres, Evelyn
Drawings:
- Grecian boy standing in creek
- sketch of Cora
- unfinished sketch of Celestine and Meres
- fountain (a bit abstract/loose)
- Calvin with forget-me-nots among his curls
- Calvin running across bright garden toward elephant topiary
- folds of Evelyn's dress beneath her hands as she writes in the sketchbook (pencil)
- Jacob's bright smile beneath damp curls (pencil or conte)
- Evelyn's doll resting among the dogwood blossoms (pencil or conte)
- Azal's silhouette against flames (pastel)
Photos:
in past: few dozen of library and ceiling, good handful of Evelyn seated behind screen in sunlight,
old in present:
- Cora in town history book
- house in Reiff's town architecture book
-description 11 p18-20, 21, 22, 23. Two of the house, Meres (more in 13-p9), Evelyn (more in 13 p8, p9), several more of house (earlier from front, brickwork + daylilies, music room, fountain, bridge, hand-colored rose garden). Cora (same as book), Avery & Evelyn (5-6, ~10), Avery and Rollie, party in gardens with Cora,
- heartbroken Meres on knees before fallen vase, 13 p8
Flowers (major):
- reed
- honeysuckle
- columbine
- canterbury bell
- black locust tree (affection beyond the grave)
- candytuft (indifference)
- weeping willow
- fountain: rose, lilac, fern, tulip, water lily
- purple pickerel rush(?), thick rounded leaves, Short spikes covered in these delicate, pale lavender-blue flowers. leaves pretty much floating, it doesn't seem like they're attached at all – but the plants make an almost perfect covering on the water, without moving the leaves I wouldn't see the water at all.
- dogwood
- rose (large bushes)
- roses (others, inc climbing, in formal garden)
- clematis
- daylily, zinnia, yarrow (ruins of mansion), fern and forget-me-not
- wisteria
- yarrow, daisies (white and red), violet pansies, canterbury bells, arbor vitae (topiary) (drawing of Cal)
- jasmine
- willow
- climbing roses (ivory, super-fragrant)
Mason house: original deed lost, gardens local landmark, Possibly built 1820s, though date is uncertain. Style is largely in imitation of an Italian villa, however the touches of Gothic make it an unusual case. Burned in 1902. Description 09 - p 28-30, and with photos
- decorated by M + C, 2nd gen changed very little of gardens or decor
- front: plants along the pathway. The tower on the left, the stained glass windows. The pretty little arch over the front entryway. The crisp white outline of the trim against the rich brick of the walls, the geometric pattern in the bricks near the ground just discernible where the light hits it right. The apple tree in the very corner of the image... The larger trees only just creep into the edges of the photo, their branches lacing lightly over the bolder lines of the ironwork of the front gate. ironwork is indeed similar to the pattern of the fence outlining the property – with one addition. In the center, near the peak of the gate, is the outline of a fleur-de-lis, enclosing letters. “Longa est vita, amor aeternus est.”
- New apple trees grew up around main gate (now covered in vines, woods grown right up to and through it). Gate opens in middle.
Interior:
Entryway: a hall with a high, high ceiling. Twenty feet above me, a chandelier of a thousand tiny crystals hangs, its light refracting into a million dancing glints of light on the warm golden-yellow walls. The walls are draped in jewel-toned fabrics, and hung with absolutely stunning paintings of ancient paradises and people whose beauty makes your heart ache to see, and there are huge tropical plants in every little nook...
Cal's room: on exterior wall of the house, description in 09 - p24-25
Hall outside Cal's room: a corridor paneled with some rich, red wood, with a glimpse of vivid floral paintings on the walls and deep, plush carpet on the floor
Tower: spiral staircase runs up it; parlor on ground floor, study on second, library at top of tower (2 floors in height), description in 11 - p3-4
Music room (description 11 - p22): walls of stone, wood ceiling and floor, piano and music stands, some other metal instruments
random storage room: 11 p29-30
Bedrooms on opposite side from tower.
Fire:
- house burned down to foundations (so far out of town, long time before anyone saw and could help), Mrs Mason & three kids found walking road toward town, servants had gone and Mr Mason had been in library (where they saw roof collapse) so presumed dead. Rumors: he started fire, suicide. Newspaper acct 11-p10-11. June 12, 1902. Mrs Mason and three children escaped, Mr Mason presumed dead (library roof collapse). Third child is "Molly's baby" (Ev surprised at idea but then feels sure it's really Cora's, too many nights away with iffy alibis), carried by Cora. Ev sees someone sneaking away from tower, Avery had seen him too. Flames fiercest around the tower, fire started there.
Physics:
09 - p28-30: quantum entanglement, experiments happening at her college or a nearby extension, changing properties of things in space could affect time as well
* visit antique store to check for pretty books
* call Rosemary!
* set up appt with Sylvia
