Biltmore Estate - The Winter Garden

As you enter the Biltmore Mansion, the largest home in the United States, located in Asheville, NC, you quickly approach the octagonal sunken Winter Garden on the right of the entrance hall. 

You see the stone archways with a ceiling of architecturally sculptured wood and multifaceted glass.

We visited Biltmore in late June and were able to see the costume exhibition of wedding dresses and attire from major motion pictures. The Winter Garden was decorated for wedding style to celebrate the exhibition. (Biltmore.com)

Just outside the Winter Garden, a wedding cake was on display. 

Below is wedding gown and wedding attire from the motion picture Daniel Deronda in 2003 on display in the Tapestry Gallery Room which is close to the Winter Garden in the mansion. 

It was difficult to take photos because of lighting issues in many of the rooms but at least photos were allowed. I understand only in the last few years has picture taking been permitted. 

The Winter Garden was beautiful, and I am so honored that I was able to tour the mansion.

If you missed my other posts on the mansion click below.

 

Thanks for stopping in - Judy. 

Linking to these great parties:

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

OMHG Wonderful Wednesday

All About Home @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home and Common Ground on Monday at 6 pm

Through My Lens on Monday

Pictorial Potpourri Tuesday @ Peabea

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesdays With A Twist @ God's Growing Garden 

Tuesday Turn About @ My Wee Abode, Thistle Key Lane, Blue Sky at Home on Tuesday at 6 pm

Wonderful Wednesday @ Ducks in a Row on Tuesday evening

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Karins Kottage Link Party @ Karins Kottage

Share Your Style @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6 pm

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday 9pm

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

FLORAL FRIDAY FOTOS on Thursday

Grace at Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday 

Fabulous Link Party @ Peacock Ridge Farm, Living Large in a Small House, South House Designs, & Vintage Home Designs on Friday

Friendship Friday Blog Hop @ Create With Joy

Floral Bliss on Friday

A Morning Cup of Joe @ The Cottage Market on Friday

Farm House Friday @ County Road 407

Friday With Friends @ My Hubbard Home

Saturday Sparks @ Pieced Pastimes on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Garden Affair @ Jaipur Garden 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Sundays on Silverado @ The House on Silverado

Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy on Sunday

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Biltmore Estate - The Banquet Room

In late June, I visited the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. Today, I am sharing my visit to the Banquet Hall. This room is the largest room in the house and is 42 feet wide and 72 feet long. The table sits in front of a triple fireplace. (Biltmore.com) Take a look:

I am sure you noticed the two huge chandeliers over the banquet table. Aren't they just stunning!

The table is just grand! Can you imagine the parties, celebrations and family meals in this room?

The 16th century tapestries in the room are beautiful. The china is stored in the Butler's Pantry in glass cupboards. 

The flowers are all fresh and grown on the Biltmore Estate grounds and in the conservatory. 

The organ loft overlooking the Banquet Hall. 

The chateauesque-styled mansion was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States.  (Wikipedia)

Since the month of June is regarded as the most popular month for weddings, the estate hosted "Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film." 

Below is the wedding attire displayed in the Banquet Room. 

From the motion picture "The Duchess."

Costumes were displayed throughout the house. I'll show you more in another post.

Other posts I have shared on the Biltmore Estate:

  

Thanks for stopping by - Judy. 

Linking to these wonderful parties.

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

OMHG Wonderful Wednesday

All About Home @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home and Common Ground on Monday at 6 pm

Through My Lens on Monday

Pictorial Potpourri Tuesday @ Peabea

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesdays With A Twist @ God's Growing Garden 

Tuesday Turn About @ My Wee Abode, Thistle Key Lane, Blue Sky at Home on Tuesday at 6 pm

Wonderful Wednesday @ Ducks in a Row on Tuesday evening

My Corner of the World @ Photographing New Zealand on Wednesday

Karins Kottage Link Party @ Karins Kottage

Share Your Style @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6 pm

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday 9pm

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

FLORAL FRIDAY FOTOS on Thursday

Grace at Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday 

Fabulous Link Party @ Peacock Ridge Farm, Living Large in a Small House, South House Designs, & Vintage Home Designs on Friday

Friendship Friday Blog Hop @ Create With Joy

Floral Bliss on Friday

A Morning Cup of Joe @ The Cottage Market on Friday

Farm House Friday @ County Road 407

Friday With Friends @ My Hubbard Home

Saturday Sparks @ Pieced Pastimes on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Garden Affair @ Jaipur Garden 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Sundays on Silverado @ The House on Silverado

Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy on Sunday

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Barns, Blooms, and Birds - Week 11

Continuing my barns, blooms, and birds series . . . 

Barns

I have another red quilt barn for you this week. These pictures were taken a few months back but I haven't had a chance to share them. There is a plus with this quilt barn, you get two barns for one.

You can see the quilt barn then a smaller barn standing in front. 

Looking at the back of this barn with three sets of doors, it looks like it could hold a lot of tobacco.  

Now on to . . .

Blooms 

There are some yellow sunflowers blooming in our yard. I didn't plant them but they look so pretty.

I'm thinking the birds carried in the seeds or maybe the seeds were in my bird food. It is nice to see the yellow color with fall starting to surround us.

My grandsons are posing with this lone yellow sunflower growing at the edge of some of my elephant ears. We are getting ready to take a ride in our Ranger over to a nearby pond to see what birds or critters we can see today. 

On the way over to the pond, we saw some white wildflowers in bloom. I didn't crop out the weeds, I wanted you to see they are growing in the wild.

We love to ride along the pond. Today we saw turtles. 

My grandson said it looked like the turtle was riding on a hippo. 

Birds 

We have been watching a pair of Great Egrets for several weeks on the pond. Usually they are just wading around the edge of the water looking for fish to eat. Today, only one of the egrets are there and we caught him in flight.

He was flying away from us then circled around and came back towards us.

He flew over to the spillway and landed.

Wow, we were excited about the Great Egret.

We have been watching another bird but have been unsure about the identification of it. I'll give you a dark pic of it so you get the idea of his shape. I took this pic in the early evening the day before.

Check out his tail  and yellowish bill.

Now take a look at his feet, they are webbed across all four toes.

We turned off the motor on the Ranger and sat and watched him a while. Soon he performed for us drying his wings. You can really see those webbed feet in these pics. 

I've been researching and I am thinking this bird is a juvenile double-crested cormorant but I am not positive.

We recently saw a cormorant on the Cape Cod Canal in the state of Massachusetts. Here's a picture of the cormorant my husband took in Massachusetts.

In my Birds of Kentucky Field Guide, I saw there are Double-Crested Cormorants in Kentucky.  I am hoping that someone can help me out here. Please share your thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by for another day of "Life in Kentucky" - Judy.

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday

Our World @ Our World Tuesday Meme

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Wednesday Around the World @ Photographing New Zealand

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern on Tuesday evening

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods
The Homesteader Hop @ Floyd Family Homestead

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wed. evenings 

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wed. evenings

Share Your Style Link Party @ The Essence of Home on Thursday evening

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday evening

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm on Thursday evening

Photo Friday @ Pierced Wonderings

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Tom's Barn Collective @ The Backroad Traveler on Sunday