A mother will do anything to protect her child, even beyond this life. This is the grave of Florence Irene Ford in Natchez City Cemetery. Florence died when she was 10. Yellow fever took her from her family. During her life she was extremely frightened of storms. Whenever one occurred she would rush to her mother to find comfort. Upon her death her mother was so struck with grief that she had Florence’s casket constructed with a glass window at the child’s head.
A reminder of why exploring and documenting what you see along the road helps keep the past alive. Just behind the ruins of the Chapel of Ease on St Helena Island in South Carolina, are headstones that are fading with the passage of time. This is the grave of Mary Emily Fripp d. Nov 2, 1841, Aged 15 yrs, 6 mos. The poem inscribed on her tomb is a beautiful tribute to her short life and the pain her family faced once she died. It’s a portion of a poem called The Fading Flower…”Ah! Thus it is that things on earth, The flowers on which we smile; Though rich and beauteous in their birth, can only bloom a while; And purest joys we love the best soon fade away and die, And leave us sighing for our rest, beneath a brighter sky”. This young woman was so loved. Her headstone is a testament to that and I’m so thankful for moments like I had the day I stooped down to try to read the words engraved here. In those moments I’m reminded of how important it is to recognize the past and those who were loved and lost before we ever entered the picture.
Clementine Hunter was born on Hidden Hill Plantation in 1886. At the age of 15, she moved to Melrose Plantation, just south of Natchitoches, Louisiana where she picked cotton and pecans in the 1920s and eventually became a domestic worker.
Clementine had spent much of her life laboring in fields but when she arrived at Melrose, she discovered paints and brushes left behind by a visiting artist. Clementine began “marking a picture” (her description of painting). Inside her cabin on the ground of Melrose, she “marked pictures” with scenes of plantation life including picking cotton, gathering pecans, washing clothes, ceremonial baptisms and funeral scenes. Clementine always used discarded items as her canvas including window shades, cardboard boxes, jugs, bottles and gourds.
St Mary’s Basilica in Natchez, Mississippi is the oldest Catholic building still in use in the state. The interior of the church is decorated with 23kt gold leaf, multi-color stencils, tromp l’oeil and free-hand artistry.
The church is open to the public and you’ll find a self guided tour guide as you walk inside so you can understand every detail of this architectural and spiritual treasure of the South
St. Mary Basilica 107 S. Union St. Natchez, MS 39120 Telephone: 601.445.5616
The Conservatory at Biltmore Estate is almost as beautiful as the mansion. Designed by the Biltmore House architect, Richard Morris Hunt, it was placed at the lower end of the garden, so as not to obstruct the view from Biltmore House.
There are four main rooms. The “Palm House,” a cool house, hot house and orchid house. There heated space in the Conservatory is over 7,000 square feet, making it the perfect place to explore when you visit during cold months.
Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is America’s largest privately owned home. George W. Vanderbilt officially opened the home to friends and family on Christmas Eve 1895. The French Renaissance mansion features 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. The 8,000-acre estate also features forested trails and gardens and the most-visited winery in the country. Biltmore Estate is still privately owned and operated by George Vanderbilt’s descendants. Continue reading →
Saturdays are made for exploration and relaxation. Recently, my mom visited from Alabama and we decided to make a Saturday trip to Laurel, Mississippi to explore and have some fun in this lovely Southern town.
I’ve visited a few times and wanted my mom to experience the charm and hospitality you find when you explore “the city beautiful.”
We arrived in town early and decided to start at Peddler’s JUNKtion Antiques and Vintage. The store was voted Laurel’s #1 Best Place to Find a Bargain in 2017 and #2 Best Gift Shop! So if you’re into antiques, anything vintage this is a great place to explore. Plus they have a boutique inside with jewelry and fashions.