Belle Manor

Belle Manor

A favorite drive from the lake to town is through a small town called Belle Mina. On the south side of town is a grand house called Belle Manor. Located right beside the road it is easy to find but difficult to see. Belle Manor is privately owned and not open to the public. Clearly, the owners prefer their privacy so this photographer did not sashay up the front drive to get a better photo of the plantation home.

According to the historical marker Thomas Bibb built this grand house in 1826 and the Bibb family were its owners until 1940. The name means "beautiful home." Thomas Bibb served as the President of the Alabama Senate and ascended to the office of Governor when his brother William Wyatt Bibb, then holding that office was accidentally killed in a fall from his horse. William Wyatt Bibb had been Governor of Alabama Territory 1817-1819, and when statehood was granted he became the first Governor of the State of Alabama. (I recall none of his from my middle school Alabama history lessons, naturally....)

Wooden fence and field of Belle Manor

I learned from the marker that the local pronunciation of "Belle Manor" altered it to "Belle Mina, which is the small town's name just up the road a piece. The town of Belle Mina developed around a railroad station intended for the nearby town of Mooresville. However, the residents of Mooresville didn't want the railroad built too close to their homes and businesses so the railroad line was placed north through Belle Mina.

Pine tree and shed beside the road at Belle Manor

The Bibb plantation was one of many in this particular area. In 1818 a Federal land sale was held in Huntsville. Wealthy planters from Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia bought large tracts of land and established plantations here. The terrain and soil here is ideally suited for cotton, the crop that could create great wealth at that time.

Double row of ancient boxwoods

The grand houses they built, with rows of slaves cabins, and cotton growing for miles around gave this area the look of "Plantation Alley." The Bibbs owned another plantation home just NE of this location across the fields but I couldn't see it from where I stood. It is called "Woodside," built in 1860-1861 by Thomas' son Porter Bibb as a wedding present for his daughter.

If only this tree could talk

Much of southern history makes me sad, but it is what it is. As a child and student in school history classes seemed worthless. "I'll never need to know this - why do I have to learn it!" We've all said that. These days I stop at historical markers whenever I find them and wish I'd taken the time to soak up the stories about the beginnings of our country.

Expectations 'n Comparisons

Belle Mina United Methodist Church
Decked out for the holidays, 2009

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season;
the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church;
the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue;
the atheists went to parties and drank.
People passing each other on the street would say
'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!'
or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'"

Dave Barry
"Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"

Finally made it back to Belle Mina to photograph the old church in its Christmas finery. Well, frankly, I was a little disappointed. Plastic wreaths with bright red bows. Not quite what I'd seen in the past and expected upon my return journey. I mean, this is a historic church so, like, I was thinking fresh greenery, fruits, etc. Bows are okay, but ... well, you know...I expected something quite different from what I got. There was no lingering in Belle Mina. Jumping in the car I drove about 15 minutes to Mooresville where my expectations of historically appropriate decorations was satisfied in spades.

Pondering this post I was thinking about expectations and the holidays. I cause my own holiday angst each year. The Norman Rockwell scenes of Christmas with loving family members, the holiday movies that always end happy, gloriously and beautifully scored with Christmas music, the Martha Stewart Perfect Feasts and Decorations that glitter warmly and bathe each scene in warm and cozy light. The cherubic children filmed or photographed all wonderfully appreciative and loving and caring and happy. Picturesque homes, perfectly decorated inside and outside, holiday music mingling with the scent of perfectly baked fudge and divinity, pies and turkeys. All of it lovely of course, make no mistake.

However, that's what for years I tried to be - to do - to offer, never mind the realities of life. I mean, there are people who actually DO this stuff! Their houses always look like something that belong in a magazine, and their menus and holiday party announcements are posted in the local newspaper.

Comparisons and Expectations are a dangerous thing. I'm no Sally Social, preferring a quiet, peaceful, simple gathering of family. But I Expect more of myself and Compare myself to the Sally Social's in the newspapers and magazines, Cooking Channel, and everywhere else.

Cancel! Cancel! Cancel! I shall not make comparisons this year! I will NOT exhaust myself with cleaning and decorating and cooking lavish (unappreciated) feasts! I vow to embrace my simplicity and nurturing nature! Bring on the holiday without a tree! Make imperfect fudge! (if at all) Live for the moment; cherish what I have; bring on the eggnog in its unadorned carton from the grocery store! No more homemade biscotti! (...well, I might just have to do that one...) Make new, simpler traditions that are heartfelt - NOT trying to keep up with the Joneses!

Those adornments were always for ME. My family wasn't putting the stress of performing onto me - they couldn't have cared less. It was me wanting to build family traditions, me who wanted the perfect holiday snapshot, it was me wanting the dinner and decorations to be perfect, it was me all along.

Since making the decision to go simple this year - so far only stockings on the mantle and only because the nails were already there - my blood pressure has remained low. I'm enjoying being free from my own expectations and comparisons. It's liberating and healthy. Why didn't I see this sooner? As the season progresses fresh greenery may appear on the mantle, and perhaps some candles to light on Christmas Eve. I think a little holiday Cognac may be in order. Yeah, that's the ticket!

Have a marvelous, peaceful season everyone!