February 5th, 2013 by carriagehouse
Although it is only the first week of February, it is obvious that spring is on its way!! The Tulip Trees are all blooming. The Azaleas are setting their buds and there is new growth on all of the rose bushes.
I have already started to work on cleaning out the gardens to get them back in shape for you to enjoy. As a preview of what is to come, please enjoy this video taken from last year’s blooms.
June 30th, 2011 by carriagehouse
JEFFERSON, TEXAS
WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT
JUNE 30-JULY 4, 2011
* “JEFFERSON SALUTES AMERICA” 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION
Monday, July 4 @ 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Location: Otstott Gazebo & Bandstand (Lafayette & Vale St.)
Decorated Bicycle/Tricycle contest, homemade ice cream contest, cake & pie auction,
Live music, Fireworks Extravaganza and much more.
(903) 665-2672
www.jefferson-texas.com
* AUNTIE SKINNER’S RIVERBOAT CLUB & RESTAURANT
Thursday, June 30: “Leon Vines” (Classic Acoustic Guitar) @ 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Friday, July 1: “Donnie Dodson & the White Trash Wannabees” (Classic Rock) @ 8:30
p.m.-12:30 a.m.
Saturday, July 2: “Richard Stuart & One Night Stand” (Classic Rock N’Roll) @ 9:00
p.m.-1:00 a.m.
(903) 665-7121
* KARAOKE
Saturday, July 2 @ 8:00 p.m.-12:00 midnight
Location: The Sandwich Shop, 123 W. Austin
(903) 601-2211
* BINGO!
Location: Pine Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation, 1307 MLK
Each Monday in July @ 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Prizes & refreshments
(903) 472-841
* TURNING BASIN RIVERBOAT TOURS
200 Bayou St.
Tuesday-Friday @ 12:00 noon & 2:00 p.m.
Saturdays, @ 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Sunday & Monday, July 3-4: 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
(903) 665-2222
www.jeffersonbayoutours.com
* LONE STAR CARRIAGE COMPANY OF JEFFERSON
Historical tours of Jefferson by horse & carriage and Mule Drawn Wagon
Specializing in weddings
Friday-Saturday, July 1-2
(Weather permitting)
Groups and special events available by appointment
Departs from corner of Austin & Market (across from the Jefferson Historical Museum)
(903) 926-8216
www.jeffersontexascarriage.com
Call for reservations
* HISTORIC JEFFERSON GHOSTWALK
Thursday-Sunday, June 30-July 3 @ 8:00 p.m.
Departure location: Corner of Austin &Vale St.
(903) 665-6289
www.jeffersonghostwalk.com
* JEFFERSON PEDAL POWER
122 E. Austin
Bicycles, Trikes, Tandems, Surreys & more
By reservation
(903) 926-5167
www.JeffersonPedalPower.com
* HISTORIC JEFFERSON RAILWAY
Friday, July 1 @ 8:00 p.m. - Free Ghost Stories & 9:00 p.m. – Ghost Train
Saturday, July 2 @ 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. (Day Excursions)
8:00 p.m. - Free Ghost Stories & 9:00 p.m. – Ghost Train
(903) 665-6400 or (866) 398-2038
www.JeffersonRailway.com
* LAFAYETTE STREET VINTAGE VEHICLES CAR MUSEUM
112 W. Lafayette
Friday & Saturday, July 1-2 @ 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
(903) 240-6180
Call for additional tours
* CULBERSON HOUSE HISTORIC HOME TOUR
403 N. Walnut
(903) 665-7888
www.culbersonhousebandb.com
* By reservation. Call for tour times
* HOUSE OF THE SEASONS HISTORIC HOME TOUR
409 S. Alley
Closed: June 27-July 5
Daily @ 11:00 a.m.
(903) 665-8000
Reservations required
www.houseoftheseasons.com
* SINGLETON’S VIRGINIA CROSS HISTORIC HOME TOUR
401 Soda St.
Saturday, July 2 @ 1:00 p.m.
(903) 665-3938 (903) 665-8518 or (214) 725-6232
Call for reservations & additional tour dates and times
* THE GROVE HAUNTED HISTORIC HOME TOUR
405 Moseley
Saturday, July 2 @ 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 3 @ 11:00 a.m.
(903) 665-8018
www.thegrove-jefferson.com
Call to confirm tour
* EXCELSIOR HOUSE HOTEL & JAY GOULD RAILCAR TOUR
211 W. Austin
Tours: Monday-Friday @ 2:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday @ 1:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
(903) 665-2513
Call to confirm tour times
www.theexcelsiorhouse.com
* JEFFERSON HISTORICAL MUSEUM
223 W. Austin
Open daily: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
(903) 665-2775
www.jeffersonmuseum.com
* H & D EXOTIC DEER FARM AND OTHER EXOTIC ANIMALS
359 P.R. 5730 & Hwy 729
Open: Sunday-Friday (Closed: Saturday)
(903) 665-2238
Reservations required
www.hddeerfarmtours.homestead.com
* THE GRACEFUL GHOST PADDLEWHEEL STEAMBOAT ON CADDO LAKE
Tuesday-Friday @ 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
Saturday @ 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Pontoon Boat tours at any time with prior reservation
Location: Shady Glade Marina, 510 Cypress Drive, Uncertain, TX
(903) 789-2238
www.gracefulghost.com
Call for reservations & additional tours
* BILLY CARTER’S GO-DEVIL TOURS ON CADDO LAKE
Location: Johnson’s Ranch in Uncertain, TX
(903) 789-3213
Call for reservations
www.caddoguideservice.com
* CADDO OUTBACK BACKWATER TOURS
Personalized Tours of Caddo Lake
Uncertain, TX
(903) 789-3384 or (903) 679-9138
Call for reservations
www.caddooutback.com
* CADDO LAKE PADDLEWHEEL TOURS “THE SWAMP THING”
Uncertain, TX
(888) 325-5459 or (903) 789-2101
Open: Tuesday-Saturday
Closed: Sunday & Monday
Call for reservations
www.caddolakepaddlewheeltours.com
* JEFFERSON CARNEGIE LIBRARY
301 W. Lafayette
Monday-Thursday @ 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Friday @ 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Saturday @ 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
(903) 665-8911
www.jeffersoncarnegielibrary.com
Free internet access
June 11th, 2011 by carriagehouse
It was such an exciting morning here at the Carriage House Bed and Breakfast!
Tom came bouncing into the kitchen with the giddiness of a five year old with a lollipop. “I just saw a hummingbird”, he blurted excitedly while rummaging through the cabinet for a mixing bowl. For some reason, all of our hummers came, spent about a month with us, and then took off again. We’ve missed having them here. Tom more then me obviously. Tom busied himself with refreshing all of the feeders because “hummers don’t like stale juice.”
No sooner then he finished that project, he noticed that his favorite plant in the whole world had bloomed for the first time this summer. One of our Moy Grande Hibiscus put it’s first bloom of the summer season on this morning.
Back in McKinney, I had planted a Moy Grande Hibiscus behind our swimming pool. I had seen a write up about it in a magazine but couldn’t find it in a nursery or store any where. Finally, I found one at the Wild Seed Farms in Fredericksburg and had a great excuse for a road trip. We planted it, and in June of that year, it put on it’s first bloom. Tom was in love.
The Moy Grande’s blooms are the size of a dinner plate. When it has it’s first flush of flowers, there is nothing like it in the world. They are big and beautiful!
When we purchased this place and started restoring the gardens, Tom insisted that we plant some Moy Grande’s. So I ordered them (too busy for a road trip) and we now have three of them on the side of the house. Today was the start of their summer show.
Now that I think about it there is no better way to start the day then seeing little birds dart around and feed with giant flowers in the background. It was such a great morning!
May 10th, 2011 by carriagehouse
This past weekend was Jefferson’s 64th Annual Pilgrimage and Re-enactment of the Battle of Port Jefferson. Our Battle of Port Jefferson re-enactment is the largest Civil War re-enactment in the State of Texas. The weekend kicks off with four of our historic homes opening for tour. This year, we had a wonderful assortment of homes in different styles and architectures.
This was one of my favorite homes on tour and for a very unique reason. It is the sister house to the Carriage House Bed & Breakfast. I need to do much more research but I think these two historic homes must have a shared history. I walked through this house and marveled at how the layout matched my own house. I walked away with a ton of new ideas. The Angel Rose house was also built in 1920 and is a Craftsman kit house ordered out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog for $900. The home has had many additions added to it over it’s years and has been fully restored all the way to traditional Craftsman paint colors.
Twin Oaks Plantation
This amazing home is a beautiful example of a classic Southern Colonial Greek Revival home. This property sat empty for many years and was purchased last year and is in the process or being restored. Only the carriage house and the pool house were on tour this time since they are the only structures that have been completed. The main house is still very much a work in progress. These beautiful buildings sit on a large piece of land that used to be a cotton and pecan plantation.
The William Clark House
This home built in 1852 is one of the oldest homes in Jefferson and was built by one of the of the original founders of Jefferson, Allen Urquhart. The rest of the house (three front rooms) was added in 1855 by a local merchant by the name of William Clark (hence the name, William Clark House). I loved the sunny yellow paint that many of the rooms were painted in. It gave the entire house a cheerful feel to it.
The Culberson House
This is one of the grandest homes in Jefferson filled with amazing art and priceless antiques. This home was built by Col. David Browning Culberson who is famous for many things including defending Abe Rothschild at the Diamond Bessie Murder Trial. This house is another example of the traditional southern architecture of the time, Greek Revival, and was inspired by a Greek Temple.
Little Girls Holding Pet Chickens
The home tour was not the only thing going on in town this past weekend. The town was full of Civil War re-enactors trying to recreate life in 1864. Entire families were living in tents set up in various parks and lots throughout town. Not only did they dress in traditional Civil War garb, but they fully immersed themselves in the lifestyle of the time.
One of the fun events of the weekend is the annual Pilgrimage parade Saturday morning. Tom and I are members of a local tourism organization called the Riverport Ambassadors. We dress up in period dress and assist the tourists on weekends. We do step on bus tours, and educate the public on Jefferson’s colorful past. Like many local organizations, we participate in the Pilgrimage parade. You can’t see me real well, but that’s me in the middle in the sea foam green dress with the black parasol.
The parade ends with a gun battle and a skirmish in our beautiful Historic Riverfront District before the Civil War heads out to the battlefield set up at Tuscumbia Ranch. In addition to all of these fun activities, we also have a quilt show, an heirloom plant sale, an art show, the Grande Hertiage Southern Ball, the Great Locomotive Chase, the Diamond Bessie Murder Trial play, and evening Twilight Garden Strolls.
April 21st, 2011 by carriagehouse
“But it was for a good cause!”
I had mentioned a few times to Tom while at Lowes and Home Depot that I wanted a garden bench. I even pointed to a few that tickled my fancy. They were usually wooden with grape leaves or a Texas star design in the back of them. In the grand garden plan in my head, I even had a place for it. Tucked back behind the hydrangeas and the azaleas. It would be a place of quiet and a place of privacy.
I imagined young couples in love sitting in my gardens. Holding hands and quietly whispering sweet nothings to each other. All while my coneflowers and daisies gently swayed in the breeze in the background, providing the backdrop to the young lover’s blooming romance.
Usually Tom would look at the price tag, grunt and we would move on to the tasks that we came for…a drill bit, light bulbs, plumbing parts, whatever this old house needed that particular day. The garden bench would be left behind to wait for us to come and get another day. My young lovers would need to find somewhere else to sit and gaze into each other’s eyes.
If you are a regular follower of this blog, then you know that last weekend was the Outlaw Nationals Rod Run & Antique Car Show. Jefferson was filled with beautiful vintage cars! Imagine 300 antique cars parked on brick streets in front of beautifully restored historic buildings. This is one of my favorite weekends of the year!
Saturday night, the organizers held an auction down at Auntie Skinners to benefit the Percy Johnson Burn Foundation, the Boys Club, the Marion County Humane Society and the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Dept. Tom and I met up with a couple of friends who had donated some of their fabulous retro lawn chairs and a retro picnic cooler to watch the auction.
Tom was doing his usual spinning around and shooting pictures of all of the fun at the auction. He and his camera were pretty happy and content and, I felt pretty safe that he was too busy to bid on anything. Then suddenly, something caught his eye and he started a bidding war…against one of our regular guests. Bad move.
Next up was a bench. Tom looked at me and pointed to the bench. I shook my head no. Apparently it was dark in there because he started to bid on it. I tried to get his attention to get him to stop but he just kept on. Sold…to the guy with the camera. Great…just great! At least the money went to a good cause and I got a tax deductible receipt.
So now I am the proud owner of a garden bench. It doesn’t exactly look like how I imagined it would. It is a little plainer and needs painted, but it is mine. I have it in the garden tucked back behind the hydrangeas and the azaleas. Now, all I need are my sweet young lovers.
April 14th, 2011 by carriagehouse
I feel gritty and dirty and sweaty. I also have a Bug on me. Not the type that you call your pest control guy over. This one has a cold wet nose and a wagging tail. I promised myself that I would get this blog out tonight before I jumped in the shower and called it a day. Once again, I have spent the entire day working out in my gardens…mulching.
A friend of mine calls his gardens, the Gardens of Weedin’, and I think I need to come up with something equally as clever. Joe, like almost everyone else in Jefferson’s Historic District, takes incredible pride in his gardens. Living in Jefferson is a little bit like living in a botanical garden. Every garden here is amazing!
When we lived in McKinney, I had the nicest gardens in our subdivision. People would drive by and slow down just to study my front yard. Our HOA stopped giving me the Yard of the Month because it wasn’t fair to everyone else. People would stop me while I was out walking the dogs and ask me plant questions. I had the yard that all others were compared by.
Until we moved to Jefferson. Now I have met my match.
Of course, I did start out with a few disadvantages. The first was my yard. You could not stand in the courtyard and see the street because it was so badly overgrown with weeds and those stinky, smelly palms. We had an overgrown Wisteria bush that was choking one of our Elm trees. In case you don’t know, Wisteria is a horribly invasive weed here in the South. As pretty as it is when it blooms, I hate the stuff. We had Wisteria growing into our attic, into our neighbors attic, into his neighbors attic. You get the picture.
The other disadvantage was that I did not understand what grew here in this climate. In the Dallas area, you plant anything that likes the heat and never wants to be watered. Although, we are currently in a severe drought, I have to keep in mind that I now live in a wetland and plant accordingly. In fact, moving to Jefferson, I changed an entire growing zone. I went from 7b to 8a. I recently had to explain to a nursery up north, where I had ordered some plants, that when the gators wake up, we stop worrying about a freeze.
I have had a lot of fun picking out plants. Gardening purists would tell me that I need to have a plan. That I should have a blueprint of what my gardens will look like. I should have a chart of what plants I will plant where. I should know my theme and stick to it. That has never been my gardening style.
I have planted several Azaleas, Gardenias, and Camellias because I believe that every Southern garden should have these.
I have enjoyed looking through catalogs and picking out unique plants. That is how the Pitcher Plants ended up by the AC condensation hose. These strange plants love to eat mosquitoes and that area is real boggy. I was so excited to put something there that would take care of my real pest problem.
I have also enjoyed listening to my guest’s thoughts and ideas.
Last year, I had a lady come to me and remark that my gardens were lovely but were missing some Hostas. She was very much bothered by this fact and brought it up several times during her visit. So this year, I planted three to honor her. Of course, I did not buy any ordinary Hostas. I special ordered a variety called Stained Glass Window. They are right there…in the shade and under the Elm tree. When she comes back to see me again, she can sit in the Garden Courtyard and drink her morning coffee and enjoy her Hostas.
March 28th, 2011 by carriagehouse
Uugghh! I give up. I just can’t keep a manicure this time of year. Not that I am a pretty, pretty princess. I couldn’t pull it off if I tried and no one would let me get away with it any ways. But seriously, I have spent the last week with black dirt under my fingernails …oh and dirty knees.
I have been in the gardens cleaning out weeds, dead plants and old moldy leaves for the last week. The weather in Jefferson has been just fabulous and I completely ran out of excuses for not getting my gardens back in shape. I will admit it. They really needed the attention. Fall kinda snuck up on me this past year and I didn’t get everything prepped like I usually do. So the gardens were begging for some serious attention. My goal was to have them done before the Photography Weekend but that didn’t happen. Too bad though, I had a house full of photographers. I bet I could have gotten some great shots of the place.
So I went to Lowes this past week and picked up a bunch of flats of annuals and talked to all of my fellow innkeepers there. Seriously, Pam from the Delta Street Inn and Donna from the Benefield House were doing the exact same things as I was. So I knew I was in very good company. I started planting those flowers over the weekend and finished them this morning (in the cold no less).
Then Tom and I made a road trip to Tyler yesterday to buy some miniature roses. I have one garden that Dixie and The Bug use as a cut through to the yard. My thinking is that if there were some thorny roses there they might find another path into the yard and quit using my gardens. I will let y’all know how this works out for me. So far, the roses have not been a deterrent.
I placed a huge order back in February for some cool plants from my two favorite nurseries, Plant Delights in North Carolina and Lazy S’S Farms (you had me at lazy) in Virginia and everything is supposed to be here by Friday. So I have my work cut out for me getting this place ready for all of the baby perennials coming in later this week.
So if you are going to be in Jefferson this weekend, stop by the Carriage House Bed and Breakfast. I will be the one in the yard with dirty fingernails and muddy knees.
November 23rd, 2009 by Skyla Grimes
What a difference a week can make. I can’t wait until all of you can get out here and see the place! We will be updating the room pictures on the website in the next week.
