November (c) rush Day 7

Retreat was over and we headed out to visit the Biltmore Mansion Wednesday morning after sending Diane on her way back to Tennessee.    

Biltmore is a beautiful place and we had the most beautiful weather to be there.   It is hard to conceive it was a home for ONE family.  The size of what the property originally was is also hard to wrap your head around, something like 250,000 acres.  Present day they still have a 3 and a half mile driveway from when you entry the gate until you reach the house.  I sure am glad I am not the one to have to shovel that driveway!

Our audio tour took us upstairs to the third floor and down to the basement and lasted  a little more that an hour.  If you have been to Ellis Island, you will see a similar ceiling.   The same architect did both ceilings.

The dining hall is just that, a hall…..seating 24.

From the upstairs hallway, windows open to the dining hall below.

A view of the dining hall from a different angle later in the tour.   You can see the windows on either side of the three hearth chimney

A smaller dining area, the Breaekfast Room.

Two original Renoir paintings

Views from the Library Terrace

The two story library with some 8,000 volumes of books.  Many of them rare.   And the beautiful ceiling pictured below.

Trees, trees everywhere.

The four story chandelier in the entry hall.

And who doesn’t have a swimming pool and complete with diving platform in their basement?  Unfortunately the pool current leaks and is not being filled with water.

 Across the hall from the pool is the well appointment fitness room.

Giant Gingerbread House in the main kitchen; below the original stove

Good thing there were dumb waiters to carry that food upstairs to the dining hall.

Staff dining.  I was getting my Downtown Abbey vibe on.

Table linens laid out in the laundry room.

And then we went outside. Beautiful view from the terrace. 

Although it was fall the gardens still held some beauty. 

The conservatory was equally beautiful with miniatures of the main house and the conservatory   

A garden bed

I found a a beautiful place in Antler Village to sip an evening coffee before heading into the winery for our wine tasting.

Beautiful place, beautiful weather, beautiful visit.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.