Oak Alley Plantation

 Timeless.

Can you imagine ladies strolling by on the upper porches with their dresses swishing back and forth?

 Just another 'alley' at Oak Alley. 

The trees aren't the only stars!

 Bridging the gap from one generation to the next.

Character is everywhere you turn at Oak Alley.

Open the gates and come on in! 

Impressive. 

Backdoor or Front door?

Oak Alley Plantation

 The wide 17 foot porches provides ample shade and fantastic sitting areas.

The shade helps keeping the house cool.

Today electricity and fans aid in the coolness factor here in the very deep South!

 Details

It's all in the details.

Sugar Kettles

The plantation played a central part in growing sugar.  

 Today the kettles are filled with lilly pads. 

Lilly pads = frogs?

We couldn't find any frogs but if they were around I'm not sure how they managed to climb aboard...

Oak Alley Plantation

 Oak Alley

The leading characters.

This is one side of the row of Oaks lining a path from the house to the Mississippi River.

You can see the branches behind the trees coming down to the ground.  Some of the branches have even begun another tree by sinking into the ground over the last 300+ years.  I included Samantha in this photo to give some perspective in size. 

I wonder just how much yellow ribbon it would take to tie it around just one of these Oak trees...

 Come on in for a spell and a nice cup of sweet tea.

Nothing defines Southern hospitality than a visit to Oak Alley.

Summer Heat?

Flies?

Oak Alley has a cure for these challenges.

This is a fan above the dining room table.

A slave would pull the rope and the fan would swing back and forth to keep those flies moving onward and to give somewhat of a breeze as everyone enjoyed their meal.

Hershey Hotel

Hershey Hotel -- Hershey, PA

Some friends and I recently enjoyed some time at the Hershey Hotel.  It was one of those perfect weather days where it wasn't hot and humid or cold and blustery but 'just right'.  The flowers were beautiful and the whole place was just tranquil.   

There were many hidden spots to relax away an afternoon.

The back of the hotel was as impressive as the front.