Pilgrimmage - A Southern Tradition

Each spring, a number of the traditional Antebellum homes open up for visitors for a week (for a fee of course).  To qualify, each home must have been built antebellum (before the war, meaning the War of Northern Agression, or the War of Northern Invasion - more on this later).  The homes are restored, most quite elegantly.  The women dress up in their Southern Belle costumes and host the guests.  Back in the day, some of these homes sat in plantations of up to 2,000 cultivated acres.  Now the grounds are much smaller, but most of them are still 1 - 5 acres, even in town.  It's a big job and quite costly to keep up these historic homes.

This is a lovely home in Columbus, MS.  It was stuffed with porcelain from around the world and other collectibles.  The grounds are very well kept.  There are a lot of antiques and period furniture - some original to the homes, but most not.  Over the years they have been "modernized", so some parts of the home are quite liveable, and other areas have been kept with the original look.  For example:  None of the homes originally had a kitchen - that was in a separate building close to the main house, to keep the heat away from the genteel owners and their guests, and because the kitchens frequently caught fire and burned down.  Modern plumbing, lighting, and heating have been installed since they were built.

Here's Sister Johnson chatting with some lovely Southern Belles

Sister Johnson and a hydrangea just coming into bloom. 

A magnolia blossom.  These are huge, about 8" diameter, pleasantly fragrant, and just starting to bloom.  Quite impressive when the entire tree is covered with these.  Too bad they won't grow in Utah!