Magnolia Grove Bed and Breakfast

This B & B in Hernando, MS was wonderful for our stay.  Our hosts Tom & Ellen Mulligan welcomed us to their home all decorated for Christmas.  Ellen apologized for the decorations still being up but they were lovely and added to the homeyness of the place.

Tom gave us a tour after our first 4 course breakfast: poached pears, sausage and hash browns, quiche lorraine and french toast with strawberries.

The house was built in 1890 by a local businessman who had three children.  Only his daughter, Ladye survived and she never married.  

She lived a very long life and willed the house to her church upon her death.  It was purchased in 1988 for a B & B.  Tom & Ellen are the second B & B owners.

In the 1890s style ceilings are immense.

The B & B has 4 suites.  Ours had a wedding dress on display.  I didn't think to take a photo until the next morning and we'd made a bit of a mess.  Here are two others suites.

Tom went to high school with Elvis Presley who was two years ahead of Tom in school.  Here's his signed yearbook.

If you find yourself headed to Memphis, consider staying at Magnolia Grove B & B.

Joining Tuesday's Treasures.

Graceland

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, made his home at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

The day we visited was cold for Memphis standards with ice and snow.  It was a good time to visit because the weather kept folks away on that Friday despite Sunday the 8th being the King's birthday.

The tour is not cheap but it is well done with individual iPads and headphones.  Here's Dan intently listening to the description of the living room.

Be prepared for bright colors.  Elvis' taste in furnishings was not traditional at all.  Look at the the Christmas tree below.

Here's the dining room.

No touring the second floor.

But we were allowed a peak into his parents suite on the first floor.

The TV room with three tvs so he could tune in to the three networks like President Johnson did in the White House.

A peek into the kitchen.

This room with the pool table was covered on all but the floor with fabric.

Called the jungle room it had a waterfall on the far wall, shag carpet and carved furniture.

A view of the house from the back.

This outbuilding had a swing set but I don't know why.

Elvis was born in Tupelo, MS and moved to Memphis as a youth.  He came from a very poor background.

One building contained all his honors: gold and platinum records.

Elvis had horses.

This was an office for one of his staff, maybe his manager Colonel Parker.

His former racquet ball court now shows off some of his costuming.

As with many famous people, fame and fortune did not treat him so well.  His marriage ended in divorce.  His doctors over prescribed drugs and combined with his eating habits, led to health problems causing his death at an early age.

He is buried with his parents on the Graceland grounds.

Now rock and roll is not my music of choice, but from a historical standpoint this was a fascinating glimpse into the life of a U.S. music legend.

If you get to Memphis, you'll have to stop by Graceland.

Joining Tuesday's Treasures

Road Trip Overview

On Thursday, January 5th we took a Southwest flight to Memphis, TN arriving in the evening to not the warm clime we were expecting.  We got there just as a storm system was arriving from the west.

We brought our GPS with us on the trip since the rental car didn't come with one.  It was a life saver.

We prebooked only two of our accommodations: one at the start and one at the end of our trip.  We relied on the internet and various booking sites to find the next night's place to stay as we traveled.

The first two nights our pre-booked accommodation was in Hernando, MS just 30 minutes from Memphis at the Magnolia Grove Bed and Breakfast.  We awoke on Friday morning to snow.

From Memphis we drove south to Vicksburg, MS finding a nice Bed and Breakfast for cheap called Baer House arriving on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday, the 8th we continued south along the Mississippi River to a stopover in Baton Rouge, LA the capital city.  The old capitol was closed but it sure was impressive.

We made use of a Hampton Inn that Sunday night and then continued south to New Orleans where we had accommodations for Monday night at St Christopher Hotel, a Best Western property adjacent to the French Quarter.

From New Orleans we headed east to the beach along the Gulf staying for two nights at a Hampton Inn resort in Orange Beach, AL.  Such a lovely spot, too.

Next stop was three nights in Tallahassee, FL at another Hampton Inn.  No alligators in the city but there was a wonderful park south of town.

Our last stopover was pre-booked at the Tropical Breeze Resort on Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL for two nights.

Tuesday the 17th we flew home from Tampa.

So that's the overview.  Stay tuned for the particulars.  It was a fabulous vacation.