Bonate’ is a treasure nestled between St. Michaels and Oxford on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Three generations of our family spent a long Labor Day weekend there, after 18 months apart. We could not have found a better spot, with everything from a private pool (complete with an inflatable alligator, whose name is “Pete,” according to the youngest family member) to landscaping (with redwood and walnut trees) to a variety of birds (with guidebooks and binoculars at hand) – all framed by spectacular views across the water from sunrise to sunrise.
We were welcomed by a kind note from the owner, alerting us to a few idiosyncrasies that were not surprising in a home which is a treasure – for example, one shower control is mislabeled even though carrying the brand of a major manufacturer. The welcome was continued when we were met at the home by the local agent. On our first walk-around, we discovered that the previous day’s storms (accompanying two F2 tornadoes) had damaged furniture around the pool and broken several tree limbs. Fortunately, there was no damage to the home. The agent immediately began cleaning the pool herself. Shortly after, we left for lunch and grocery shopping. When we returned a few hours later, we found that everything had been repaired. The local agent was equally quick to respond to questions about the house and to offer recommendations for shopping, dining, or just being lazy.
The home itself is an architectural masterpiece. Each of the four bedrooms has a television and a full bath (one with shower/tub, two with showers, and the master with shower and tub); each has a private, screened balcony; each has large windows, with everything being larger in the master. There are other details (a games room, with television and pool table; a sitting area with round dining table; and a fully equipped kitchen with its own TV); but no description can adequately describe the details that make the house a treasure. The house is filled with collections from lifetimes of travel, from large (hand-painted animals from merry-go-rounds) to small (figures of cats guard every room), with duck decoys in abundance. More personal collections include one honoring George Washington which surrounds the main staircase, and a pair of framed, first pages from the New York Times reporting the sinking of the Titanic. And always, creaking wood-plank floors served as a reminder that the house is a home with living memories.