Christmas at Arlington House

Arlington House is located on six acres in Old Elyton, the first County Seat of Jefferson County in Alabama. Judge William S. Mudd built this Greek Revival home between 1845 and 1850.Judge Mudd was one of the ten original founders of Birmingham in 1871, and the new city grew up around Elyton. Arlington is among the few antebellum-era homes to survive the American Civil War in the 1860s. It was occupied by Union troops toward the end of the war, and no one knows why the home was not burned when the troops left, which was the fate of most other estate homes. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970.

Every year various decorators and clubs decorate the historic home for Christmas, and I looked forward to my visit this year.Fresh greenery is used in wreaths and swags throughout the home.
The Munger Parlor.

Charles S. Munger became owner of the property in 1902, and he was responsible for many renovations, including the addition of plumbing and electric lights.

The DeBardeleban Dining RoomThe Mudd Sitting Room

The Master Bedroom

"Grandmother's" Room - I am not sure if the elegant lady in the portrait would appreciate the theme from Red Riding Hood!

The Pine Room - This room was decorated by the Morning Glories Garden Club, a federated garden club for Jefferson County and surrounding areas.

The Children's Room

The following three images are of the kitchen, located in a separate building behind the house. The walk between the kitchen and the house was called the "Whistler's Walk," supposedly because the servants had to whistle while bringing meals to the main house. Since they could not chew and whistle at the same time, this prevented them from sneaking bites of the food!

You may also enjoy my previous posts : Holiday Decorating Ideas, Part I and Holiday Decorating Ideas, Part II, about a much more modern but beautifully decorated home. 

 Best wishes to you all!    Deb

Weird and Wonderful Fungi

A couple of weird and wonderful fungi recently appeared in the garden, and I had never before seen either type. In fact, these things looked more like creatures from the depths of the ocean rather than something growing out of the grass. It took some research to find out what they were.

The first one is Clathrus columnatus, also called column stinkhorn.

It has been found in Africa, Costa Rica in Central America, in China and in Hawaii. In North America it is distributed from Mexico to New York, though it is found less commonly where I live in the southeastern United States.

The red color caught my attention, and the fungus reminded me of the tentacles of an octopus. The mature fungus produces a foul odor that attracts insects that aid in distributing its spores. Column stinkhorn is a beneficial organism, helping to break down organic matter and making their nutrients available for the soil. Despite early reports of poisoning, American mycologist Orson K. Miller, Jr. lists the species as edible.

The second unusual fungus, found the same day as the column stinkhorn, is Ramaria formosa, also called the beautiful clavaria, as well as the yellow-tipped or pink coral fungus. It also is beneficial for the soil.

This fungus is found in Asia, Europe and North America. It is poisonous, but it looks similar to Ramaria flava, an edible fungus that grows in Europe.

These were a fun find, especially now that autumn is fading, and a reminder for me to keep my eyes open. We never know what we may discover in a garden!

You may also enjoy my previous post,  Stump World.