On the heels of the ever popular "House and Garden Tour," Boothbay Region Garden Club was pleased to host, for its monthly meeting, the owner of another renowned home which lies along the Sheepscot River - the old and historic Marie Antoinette House.

On Wednesday, Aug. 10, BRCG welcomed Lea Wait, local antique-print dealer and author, who talked about the historical significance and preservation of her legendary Edgecomb home. As the story goes, Stephen Clough, the second owner of the house originally built in 1774, had a plan to rescue Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution by providing her safe passage aboard his ship, the Sally, to be delivered to the far away safety of this home on the coast of Maine. (http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/let-eat-lobster-marie-antoinette-maine/)

Although fascinating accounts have been written about this alleged scheme, even Ms. Wait, whose family has owned the house since the 1950s, cannot say whether the stories, though loaded with colorful characters, sub plots and even a ghost said to be that of Marie Antoinette, are more fact than fiction. One thing is certain. Marie Antoinette met her destiny on a French guillotine and never set foot on our eastern shore.

But for Lea Wait, just eight or nine when the ramshackle Colonial was purchased by her family, complete with hidden fireplace and stacks of legend bearing documents, the house has provided a rich source of inspiration for a prolific writing career.

Lea Wait's knowledge of the antique prints business, and the myths and legends of her notable home are woven together in the writing of her fictional series, Shadows Antique Print Mysteries. In the Afterword of book #2, "Shadows on the Coast of Maine," she writes of the home that has inspired her...." So far as I know, no one living here has ever seen a ghost, or heard a baby crying in the night, or found a skeleton in the chimney or rifles in the attic ... But sometimes, especially when the river winds blow down the chimney on dark winter days, the howling sound is almost a human cry."

Lea Wait has also written the Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series for adult readers and a number of historical children’s novels. After her success with children's books she wrote the non-fiction, "The Only Writing Series You’ll Ever Need: Writing Children’s Books." Visit Lea Wait's website for more complete information. (www.leawait.com)

The Boothbay Region Garden Club hosts noteworthy guest presenters throughout the year who cover a wide range of topics related to gardening and the preservation of our environment. The BRGC is affiliated with NGC (National Garden Clubs Inc.) and is a member of the GCFM (Garden Club Federation of Maine). For more information on upcoming events and activities check out the BRGC website at http://www.boothbayregiongardenclub.org/.