Southern Summers: Summer Scavenger Hunt

Here is the clue posted Monday.  To my surprise there were a few answers...some were right, some were wrong, and some were both! 

The item is a painted canvas mat that lies in the formal parlor.  It was hand painted by Kimberly Dicus and and Barbara Presley,  titled "Sweet Woodruff".  This seasonal floor covering rests under the large wool rug during the fall, winter, and spring.  Long about May, the wool rug is cleaned and stored...as many early Memphis families would do during the turn of the century.  Wool rugs, heavy tapestry, draperies, and heavy table coverings were often removed from rooms, as they were heavy and insulated the already uncomfortable rooms during the summer months.  Be sure to check tomorrow for the next Summer Scavenger Hunt item!