This past Saturday, I took to the road for a country drive out in Southampton County. The purpose wasn’t just to drive around. There was a story out there, and there were more stories where that came from.

My destination was past the Nottoway Elementary School, but I knew if I had gotten to Ivor, I’d gone too far. For some reason, Google Maps told me the address was in Wakefield, yet it was not. It was on Ivor Road. Nestled in the back of a peanut shop, which is nestled in the back of a century farm home, is a hidden glass-blowing operation.

“Mert Felts” has been blowing glass since he graduated from Southampton High School, while also being a full-time farmer. Today, he’s still blowing glass, and he took some time to talk with us about his life and what he does.

That wasn’t my only drive. The week before the afternoon trip was to range all over the area. My first destination was Windsor, where Shannon Kokot was waiting in her newly opened sweets shop, M.A.M.A.S., for me to show up and take some pictures for a cooking feature that Mrs. Merle Monahan was writing. From there, the trip took me all the way to Drewryville, where I learned a history lesson and took some pictures of historical pictures throughout town.

Earlier this week, the final drive was to another century farm, this one near Newsoms, where the visit was with Louise Story, fresh off of her 100th birthday party. Mrs. Story was quite the gracious hostess, and even walked me around her home without the assistance of her cane as we took photos for a story.

What do all of these drives have in common? They all have to do with Western Tidewater Living. We ranged all over Western Tidewater to tell stories about the whole area.

Working on this magazine was a lot of fun, and it was also informative, and I hope the reading experience is likewise fun and informative for you.

Thanks for reading, and check out Western Tidewater Living when it comes out Monday, Sept. 30.

CAIN MADDEN is the managing editor of The Tidewater News. He also really loves magazines. He can be reached at 562-3187 or by email at cain.madden@tidewaternews.com