Thursday, January 6, 2011

Country Roads Lagniappe


This is the third and final post featuring a photo shoot of some of my favorite "off the beaten path" roads in the Vicksburg area. If you missed the first two chapters, you can click on the following links to take you there ...

Country Roads Adventure: Part 1
Country Roads Part 2: A Place called Flora

If you are a regular visitor here at Southern Lagniappe, you know that I "see" pictures everywhere I go, and today I'd like to share with you a few of the sights that caught my attention as I explored some old familiar places and a few new ones, too.

I have always wanted to see the view from this fire tower and, for just a tiny moment, was tempted to climb up, but soon came to my senses and was content to just take a picture of it instead.

The countryside bordering MS Hwy. 22 is dotted with farmlands, pastures, and woodlands, and here are just a few of the scenes I saw as I traveled the backroads.



The white limbs of a sycamore tree stand out against the drab January landscape ...

Little farm roads like this one always make me wonder what lies over the hilltop ...

I wanted to get a closer look at this ramshackle old house, but that would have been trespassing ...

And, besides, there was a buzzard sitting on the roof that was almost as big as me! (You can see it, if you click on the picture to enlarge it.) I may be adventuresome, but I'm not dumb!

And speaking of dumb ... I have photographed lots of cows during my ramblings, and they've always stood quite still, as if mesmerized by my camera, like this little fellow:

But these cows must have thought I was scouting for beef for McDonald's or Wendy's, because they "high-tailed it out of there" (as we say in the South), when I pulled up beside the pasture.

Head for the hills, boys!

A few miles down the road, I spotted this horse having lunch.

It was one of the many times in my life that I've wished I could whistle, so I could get him to look up for my camera, but he was hungrier than he was curious and totally ignored my ineffectual "Yooooo-Hoos!"

I did manage to get a few good shots of him after banging on the side of my car several times.

But, bless his heart, he kept looking at that bale of hay so longingly, that I finally bid him farewell so he could get back to his lunch.

One of the most exciting things, to me, about driving the backroads is that you never know what you might see. Of course, there's always pretty scenery and interesting wildlife along the way, but sometimes you find other things, too.

Like this "Enter at your own risk!" sign that was color-coordinated with the pretty blue fence ...

Not a very friendly welcome to this little pink house, is it?

In contrast, I love this pretty little wagon that sits beside a driveway on Hwy. 22. It is always decorated for the seasons, and this time of year it's filled with "Antique Pansies."

Now, that's a nice way to welcome company, isn't it!

This next picture features a huge, very red cowboy boot decorated with lights.

It is located on the outskirts of Flora, Mississippi, and I'm sure it was an attention-getter during the holidays.

I love this house with its weathered wood, scalloped trim on the gable, and little picket fence in front. It was hidden away on one of the side roads off Hwy. 22.

In closing, I'd like to share some pictures I captured of some moss growing around a tree trunk on the side of one of the roads I traveled.


The people who live along the road probably drive past it every day and never notice it, but I saw it and had to go back and see it up close! And I'm so glad I did ...

Just look at what I would have missed if I hadn't stopped ...

I hope you enjoyed my photo tour of some of my favorite backroads around Vicksburg. No matter how many times I travel them, I always see new and interesting things ... and they are even more interesting when I see them through the lens of my camera.

7 comments:

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Janie, you amaze me with what you see through the eye of your camera...I love all of the shots but as for my favorite it is a toss up between the horse and the moss. Wow, wonderful, wonderful up close pics of the moss.
Thanks for sharing
Molly
PS I think I will take your advice and make 3 framed copies of my girls collage. Can you look at them and tell which one is called smily? Always bright and bubbly, always greets you with an almost infectious grin, while the other fits her coloring dark and mood and hates to have her picture made, almost never smiles...they love each other so much to be so different.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I thoroughly enjoyed these shots, Janie, and I felt like I was traveling the backroads with you. I think that little wagon is actually some sort of seed or fertilizer spreader. It's so cute planted with the pansies. I love pansies and planted about fourteen flats in November.

Hope it is warmer there than here. We've had the oddest weather, with a horrible storm that I thought was almost tornadic (is that a word?) this morning. It rained so hard that water was gushing from the seams of the gutters. Mr. Magpie is in Destin today, and he said it is beautiful, sunny, and cold.

XO,

Sheila :-)

RachelD said...

You know I love all of these, but that house-with-the-buzzard just takes my heart---those are just melting away into that deep rich soil, becoming part of the earth once more.

I just think of the little feet that thoomp-thoomphed those plank floors and tromped down that grassless yard, and the many-a-little-pan of dishwater dashed out the back door. No sign of electricity evident, so you KNOW they never had air-conditiong, and imagining those hot Summer nights with probably screenless windows---my, oh, my.

I love that you closed with the little moss, which is creeping out to encompass and spread that green cloak of beautiful over the decay of the once-magnificent trees---I hope those are moss-roses, about to bloom. I remember those fondly, for the carpets of the delicate flowers reached for acres on our place.

Wonderful portrayals, as usual.

Tonja said...

I guess that we all have favorite things we enjoy seeing out in the natural world. Things we look for whenever we are there. For me, it is always bare trees with many brances against a clear sku...be it gray or blue. The other is moss growing and creeping up a tree or building or whatever. So, thesse moss pics really were beautiful to me. I also have a thing for paths. And, I loved seeing that. I think I'll go and check on that nice looking weathered wood house. Maybe I'll buy it and move there. Then I can keep watch over the moss. Oh! and you can buy the pink house and put up a friendly sign. Then we will visit and have tea and go look for cows and such. Yes, that sounds like a fine thing to do!

Jenni said...

What an interesting story you have told us today, through your pictures! Thanks!

jenni

Anonymous said...

Just beautiful Janie. This is my kind of drive.

Ten Nebula said...

Peace and light, Janie

I enjoy your blog site.
I hope all is unfolding in your life in ease, joy, harmony, and abundance. Have a great 2011!!!!


Bright blessings,

Ten Nebula
www.AGatheringofArtists.Blogspot.com