Let's Take a Road Trip! Day 2, Arkansas and P. Allen Smith's Moss Mountain Farm!

After almost eighteen hours on the road and our many
sightseeing adventures in Tennessee during the first day
and a half of our week-long road trip I shared with you in this 
post yesterday, we finally made it to Arkansas... Before dark too!

Although we made it to our hotel in Little Rock much later than we

planned, I still had the chance to see my (2nd) cousin, Rikki! This is

me and Rikki (red sweater) in 1968 when we were both two years old!

Today, Rikki lives just twenty minutes outside of Little Rock; and,

although we haven't seen each other since we were thirteen when my

father brought us back from Germany in 1979 after his retirement

from the Army, Rikki said she would come to wherever we ended up

whenever we decided to stop for the night! And true to her word,

Rikki met us in the lobby of our hotel where she and I caught up on

thirty-six years of life. We laughed and nearly cried until almost 2AM!

After what literally felt like two minutes of sleep, we were back

on the road and headed to P. Allen Smith's Garden Home at...

We have been following this incredible man since his early days at

KSBW, the NBC affiliate for the Monterey Peninsula, where he once

hosted a few-minute long gardening segment during the evening news

and immediately became to my husband's passion for gardening what

Martha Stewart was to me in my kitchen. As the years passed and Allen's

career evolved into a show and great brand of his own, we always said

we would find a way to someday visit his Garden Home in Arkansas!

When Allen popped up in Winston-Salem at a luncheon and book

signing ahead of filming a segment at Old Salem for his show, our

wish of meeting him came true. You can read all about that day in

my post here. But just imagine our excitement when we realized that

our road-trip to Dallas would actually take us right through Arkansas

on the very day Allen would be holding his Fall Open House tour!!

I could hardly believe it. And, I could hardly believe there were two

tickets left either! This wasn't like Graceland the day before, which

was puny and plain compared to how it is portrayed on TV. No! P.

Allen Smith's Moss Mountain Farm and Garden Home is every bit

as grand and welcoming as it appears in every episode of his show!

I could hardly believe I was standing here; on top of a ridge, overlooking

the Arkansas River Valley, staring at his home and... This tree! This

spectacular oak. One of seven, Allen affectionately calls The Seven Sisters!

We've toured a lot of homes... Castles of Kings. Mansions of Presidents, magnates

and movie stars; but never have we felt so warmly welcomed or so perfectly at home

or better cared for as we did on this day, at P. Allen Smith's Moss Mountain Farm!

Of course, we were anxious to tour the house... But there was a schedule to
follow and first on our four+ hour agenda was a stroll through the gardens!

The exact gardens we have had the pleasure of watching grow over the
past seven years on Allen's show, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home

Where he likes to say he, Blurs the line between Inside and Out!

And, clearly he does!

Everywhere you stand and no matter where you look, it is all so perfect!

We especially enjoyed these garden rooms, which reminded

us so much of the ones at Jefferson's beloved Monticello!

See what I mean?

Such a sweet garden folly here at Moss Mountain... Overlooking the

beautiful Arkansas river that is visible just through that door!

This folly was made just a little

sweeter by this photo-bombing cutie-pie!

We've admired Allen's espaliered fruit trees at Biltmore in Asheville;

and now, here we are looking at his own in his beautiful gardens in Arkansas!

Over there is Allen's studio where he likes to paint. And with a view like that,

I might learn to paint too. Or maybe color. Or maybe just stare out the windows!

We were inspired to add even more goldfish after watching Allen

stock this very pond with them during an episode of his show!

Just look at this house... And, those porches!

I could hardly wait to get inside!

This little house sits directly opposite the art studio on the other

side of the fountain and is where Allen's cooking segments

are filmed for his show! Can you say dream job?

Of course, it was fall... So you know I was on the hunt for the pumpkin

house featured on Allen's show and here, on one of his postcards too!

Lucky for us, it didn't take very long at all to find it!

It was as perfectly pumpkin, just as I imagined it would be in real life!

I challenge you to name one autumnal decoration for your
garden home that is more unique than this pumpkin house!

I know... I couldn't do it either!

Seriously, if we could have shipped this home... We would have!

Mini pumpkins, burlap, cornstalks... Love, love, love!

Loved it all, and...

Every second of this beautiful day we spent at Moss Mountain Farm!

This house and these gardens were meant for this exact spot!

As much as we were enjoying our time in the gardens, we didn't want to be

late for our house-tour, which we were told would begin at 1 o'clock sharp...

With or without us! So we rushed up

to the door. Then, slowly opened it and...

Took it all in!

We were invited into the living room by Guy, a member of the

amazing team Allen has assembled to guide these tours and to tell us

about Allen's personal history and everything in the house. See that

chair on the right? That's where I sat. Next to this candle that made...

The room smell like heaven!

After Guy's introduction of Allen, we were invited to explore

the house. I couldn't wait to get over to the dining table to

check out these beautiful candelabras and this stunning plateau!

Allen's light fixtures in the living room and dining room have me

seriously rethinking the choice I just made for our dining room!

And, this plateau... I'll be scouring

estate sales for one just like it very soon!

Of course, after seeing the books on the table, ours is now in serious

jeopardy of being covered in books very soon by you-know-who!

The gourd in the photo above the one with the plateau and

this pumpkin that both hang in the dining are Allen's own artwork!

On our way up the stairs I fell in love with this wall color

and these incredible busts on the wall. And, because of the

placement of these long pieces of art, we instantly knew this

this wall in our own home was the answer to the dilemma about

where to hang a long watercolor we recently acquired through

an estate sale a few months ago. Yes, it is all about being inspired!

See what I mean?

Clearly our stairwell isn't quite up to the same pitch... But give me time to

paint the walls and change the light fixture and we might just get there!

When you stop staring at the decorations back on the stairwell behind you long

enough to turn your head forward, the view at the top will knock you out!

I mean... Come on!

It's all just so incredibly perfect!

It appears that Mr. Smith is the most

well-rounded collector we have ever met!

He's a true patriot who loves this country and appreciates the sacrifices,

integrity and brilliance of its founders... He is a student of history,

architecture, botany and all other things good and fine and a lover of

animals great and small. And, by the looks of what's just past this bear...

He appreciates the luxuries of life too. Such as

outdoor copper tubs and naps in the breeze too!

Seriously, there aren't enough pleasant words to describe this sleeping porch!

You'll just have to come visit and feel it for yourself!

When, you ask? Well, tickets for the Holiday Open House that

began yesterday and run through the 19th are on sale now!

Seriously! What are you waiting for?

We were just there... But as soon as we got in the car to leave I

was already missing Joyce, Allen's wonderful sister-in-law who

managed our tour booking and the gift shop. Oh, how desperately I

do wish we could go back to see her, the house and farm at Christmas!

All throughout this house Allen is speaking my language through his

use of subway tile, carrara marble, white appliances and so much more!

We chose this same toilet for our first floor powder
room; but here, you understand why people take reading
material into the bathroom and want to stay a while!

The only thing that could bring me off the second
floor was the promise of visiting the kitchen!

And, although it took me a while to make my way around that corner...

It was worth the wait! Again, with those chandeliers... Sigh.

Just like the rest of the house...

Not a detail was missed in the kitchen!

And, believe me...

I took it all in! In fact I am embarrassed to say I lingered

a whole lot longer here than anyone else in our tour group!

Oh, I lingered... Pressing my feet into these wide plank pine floors that

mimic the sunrise and caressing the carrara as if through my coaxing

touch it might somehow be transported back into my own kitchen!

Yup! From the creamy beadboard behind the mixer and toaster,

down to the baseboards, this is the kitchen my dreams are made of!

Then, there is this second living porch off the kitchen...

Which, almost moved us both to tears!

And made us never want to never leave it...

Until I caught a glimpse of the China pantry back inside

the sitting room off the kitchen and had to check it out!

All eight, ceiling to floor shelves of it!

You know, I wasn't regretting my decision to declutter and

scale down my own collection of serving pieces until right now!

Indeed, Mr. Smith! You have set the standard of perfection...

Throughout your Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm. And,

how very grateful and fortunate we feel to have been able to visit!

As sad as I was to peel myself from the house,

our day at Moss Mountain was far from over!

Because there was also lunch with a decadent dessert of buttermilk pecan pie,

a recipe featured in Allen's book, Seasonal Recipes from the Garden

A book Allen just happened to have signed

for me during that luncheon we attended last year!

It was also the door prize for our tour! Anyway, following our lunch we

were treated to a presentation on making goat cheese and a tasting too!

Oh, guess who won the door prize! And, because I

already have my own copy, it was my pleasure to gift it to a

new friend that promised to love it as much as I already do!

After lunch, I received a call from mom asking me when we would
be arriving in Dallas because they were less than a few hours away.
Yes! My mom and dad were driving from Monterey, California to
Dallas to meet us for our visit with our Ranger! So... As sad as we
were not to be able to join our tour for a trip to see the chickens, we
had to get back on the road. But before we could leave, I just had to
take in one more look at the gardens and view from behind the house!

And, just as I did, I bumped into the crew setting up to film a
cooking segment in the little kitchen studio we had seen earlier!

Of course, the last stop had to be the incredible gift shop and to
give Joyce a hug for all she did to ensure we had the best tour and
experience anyone could have at Moss Mountain Farm. Be sure to ask
for her when you visit! I promise you will never see a sweeter smile...

Or be greeted more warmly as you will be by Joyce
and the rest of the tour team at Moss Mountain Farm!

With the experience of our visit replaying over and over
in my mind, the next 319 miles to Dallas seemed to fly!

Stay tuned for day three of our week-long road trip to Dallas...

Where this between grandma and grandson really happened!