Friday, May 22, 2009

The Road to Yazoo City and the Mississippi Delta

Yesterday, I took advantage of the pretty weather we've been having and drove up Mississippi Highway 3 from Vicksburg to Yazoo City, Mississippi. Of course, I had my camera with me and stopped along the way to enjoy and photograph the awe-inspiring beauty of the Mississippi Delta farmlands that, literally, stretch as far as the eye can see.

The fields look like a big patchwork quilt, with their amazingly straight rows intersecting each other. If you click on the pictures to enlarge them, you can see just how straight they are ... and in the fourth photo, you can see the little soybean plants coming up ...




About 30 miles north of Vicksburg, just off Highway 3, is the little community of Satartia (pronounced Sa-TAR-sha). I had never been there, but had heard of Satartia, and decided to wander off the beaten path to explore it.

Before I left on my adventure, I "googled" Satartia, and found that its name is an American Indian (probably Choctaw) word for "pumpkin," or "pumpkin patch," rumored to be due to the small gourds that grow around the area. I love gourds, but was disappointed that there was "nary a gourd in sight!" I did find two small country grocery stores and a cotton gin, though ...

And the Satartia Methodist Church caught my eye, too. I love its steeple and stained glass window ...

I also thought these birdhouses were cute ...

I guess Satartia's most recent claim to fame is that it was mentioned on a road sign reading, "Satartia, 7 Miles," in the movie, "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?" I love that movie and I'll have to look for the sign the next time I watch it. I've probably seen it three or four times, at least, because a lot of it was filmed in Yazoo City, Canton, Vicksburg, and Edwards, Mississippi.

I'm going to end my story here for today, and hope you will join me tomorrow to hear about my adventures in Yazoo City. Until then, you might enjoy reading a post called "A Town Called Yazoo City"(Part 1), and Part 2, about a previous trip I made to Yazoo City.

See you tomorrow, I hope, for "the rest of this story."

6 comments:

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Loved this tour and can't wait to tour Yazoo City, Janie! Love the late Willie Morris among other residents!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Deb said...

love the bird houses....the church and the fields...you take such nice photos....can't wait for the rest of your trip...

Stacy @ The Next-to-Nothing House said...

Your photos are always so beautiful. Would you mind sharing what kind of camera you use?

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Wonderful tour, Janie!

Some of my children/grandchildren are passing through Mississippi, today, on their way home from Florida. I told K, when she called this morning, I wish they could find time for Vicksburg, but alas...they need to get home, to rest a couple of days before going back to work next week.

Barbara said...

Janie, Love to tour with you, great pictures and waiting for Yazoo City and more pictures.

Happy Friday!

Unknown said...

Hi Janie,
I haven't heard of that little town before. You pictures of the Ms. farmland are awesome!