Southern Lagniappe

A Ride through the Louisiana Delta

2012-01-25T07:28:00.003-06:00

[While I spend time with my parents at the hospital while my dad recovers from his recent surgery, I am going to be featuring a few "reruns" of posts from the past. Please excuse me if you read them the first time around.]

Sometimes the journey to a destination turns out to be more fun and exciting than actually reaching the destination.

That's what happened to me the day I decided to take a drive up to Lake Village, Arkansas, to visit a huge home decor warehouse outlet called Paul Michael Company. Lake Village is about an hour and a half from Vicksburg, "as the crow flies," but it took me around three hours to get there. Why is that, you wonder? Well, because along US Highway 65, between Vicksburg and Lake Village, lies thousands and thousands of acres of flat, fertile, Louisiana Delta lands, stretching as far as the eye can see ...

And there are about that many pictures just waiting to be taken along the way.

The highway is flat and, for the most part, straight, and you pass through communities and towns with names like Panola, Shelburne, Alsatia, and Transylvania.

You've gotta love a town with a sense of humor ...

Along with the cotton gins and grain elevators you see every few miles, you also see scenes like these ...

I love the observation tower located on the grounds of this sprawling Delta estate (near Alsatia, Louisiana) ...

I can just imagine the view from its windows ...

These headstones in a private family cemetery have always fascinated me.

I first saw them last summer on a trip through the area, and they were barely visible above the sea of lush green cotton ...

And speaking of things I saw on my trip last summer — I also visited with these little guys, or, perhaps, some of their cousins.

They were just as friendly this time, and seemed to be smiling for the camera.

Aren't they sweet!

I love silos, and there are an abundance of them to be found in the Delta. Throw in an old barn and oak tree, and you have a photo opportunity that no photographer could resist.

One of the prettiest towns you pass through on Highway 65, is the town of Lake Providence, Louisiana.

Highway 65 meanders through the center of town, then follows alongside the beautiful cypress-lined Lake Providence for several miles.

I'm going to end today's journey here, and will continue it in my next post, with some closeup photos of this gorgeous lake. I hope you will join me.

Lagniappe on The Natchez Trace

2012-01-23T04:50:00.002-06:00

[While I spend time with my parents at the hospital as my dad recovers from his recent surgery, I am going to be featuring a few "reruns" of posts from the past. Please excuse me if you read them the first time around.]

The Natchez Trace Parkway runs from Natchez, Mississippi, to just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, a distance of 444 miles. It is a beautiful and relaxing drive and, living in Mississippi, we take advantage of its beauty any time we can.

On a trip home from a visit to Tennessee, a couple of years ago, we entered the Trace from Tennessee Highway 64, between Lawrenceburg and Waynesboro, Tennessee. A few miles down the Trace, we stopped at a rest area (Glenrock Branch at Mile Marker 364.5), and were delighted to see a little creek meandering its way between high limestone bluffs. I was absolutely thrilled, and couldn't wait to capture it all with my camera (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like).

There were several picnic tables at water's edge, and I can just picture it in the spring and summertime, with children wading in the creek while their parents enjoy the tranquility and beautiful scenery.

I loved this natural rock formation which looked, to me, like a picnic table made by God, with its tablecloth of bright green moss. Isn't it awesome!

This is another place I'm going to add to my "Go-Back-in-the-Spring-to-Photograph" List. I can just imagine redbuds and dogwoods in full bloom along the creek.

There are scenes like this all along the Natchez Trace, some of them visible from the road and some you have to look for ... but, believe me, they are well worth taking the time to see. If you live near the Trace or are planning a trip somewhere along its route, I hope you will take some time to explore it for yourself. It is such a beautiful and relaxing way to travel.

Answered Prayers and Miracles

2012-01-20T05:13:00.007-06:00

Seeing God's amazing Love and Grace at work in your life is a truly humbling experience.

My family and I strongly felt His presence amongst us this past week, as He led us to a compassionate and highly skilled surgeon who said he could help my 87-year-old dad, who had colon cancer. Notice I said, "had." Wednesday of this week, Daddy underwent surgery under the capable hands of his surgeon, who completely removed the tumor. Yesterday, Daddy was told that the cancer was confined to that one spot, and he is completely cured and will not have to have any further treatments!

Praise God from Whom all Blessings and Miracles flow!

So very many prayers were answered, and I sincerely thank all of you — my compassionate and loving blogging friends — for your heartfelt prayers and concern. Throughout this ordeal, your notes have brightened my days and lifted my spirits countless times and, even though we have never met in person, I am sincerely grateful for your presence in my life.

Daddy will most likely be discharged from the hospital next Monday, and I can't wait to get him and my mother back home, safe and sound, and on their way to a complete and speedy recovery. I will be spending a few days getting them "settled," and God has blessed them with loving family, friends, and neighbors close by, so I know they are going to be fine, once they get home. They are already planning their garden they're going to plant this Spring, which is just around the corner!

Prayer Request

2012-01-16T05:30:00.003-06:00

I am going to be taking a break for a few days to be with my parents as my dad prepares for colon cancer surgery scheduled for this Wednesday, January 18th.

Daddy is 87 years old, but is in remarkably good health otherwise, and his doctor feels confident that he will tolerate the surgery well.

His faith is strong and he is one of the most positive people I've ever known, which is half the battle. God has taken care of Daddy through so many health issues in his life (prostate cancer, brain surgery, two major eye surgeries, to name a few) ... and I know He will be with him and my family through whatever the coming days bring.

I will try to post updates, but, in the meantime, would you please remember my dad in your prayers. Thank you ...

Psalm 91:2: I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

It is No Secret

2012-01-14T06:00:00.008-06:00

Stuart Hamblen was a hard drinking, horse-racing entertainer who was converted during a 1963 Billy Graham Crusade on the West Coast. Fired from his $1,000-a-week radio program because he refused to advertise beer, he was seeking God’s will for his life.

One day an actor said to him, “I’ve heard you haven’t taken a drink for thirty days. Tell me truthfully, Stuart, have you wanted one?” “No,” he answered. “It is no secret what God can do.” “You ought to write a song about ‘It is no secret what God can do,’” suggested the friend. Hamblen did, and he found his life’s work, and strength for every temptation and trial.

It is No Secret is one of my favorite hymns, and I'd like to share a slideshow I created featuring Daniel O'Donnell singing it. I hope you enjoy it. Be sure your sound is turned up before you click on "play."

I have turned comments off for this post.

Windows

2012-01-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

When I am photographing architecture, I find myself looking up a lot of the time, and I'm always glad I do, because I never cease to find interesting details to capture — especially when it comes to windows! The following photos of windows are just a few I've captured during my ramblings.

This old church stands in a field in the Mississippi Delta, and its windows have long been "gone with the wind."

I love the simple beauty of this vine's tendrils reaching toward the light from this old barn window.

This is one of my favorite windows, which is on an old building in downtown Vicksburg.

This family mausoleum in the Natchez City Cemetery is impressive on the outside, but I'm so glad I stopped to admire it up close.

If you click on the picture and look a little closer, you can see a tiny bit of light coming from the back of the tomb.

I'm so glad I stopped to get a closer look, because I would have missed this magnificent stained glass window.

A huge bear playing "Peek-A-Boo" from an upstairs window of a shop in downtown Vicksburg. Poor thing, it looks like he lost one of his eyes, so I guess that's why he was banished to the attic.

This window is in Old Town Vicksburg, and every time I see it I wonder what those old tattered drapes looked like when they were new.

This window in an old building in Yazoo City, looks like it could be somewhere in France or Italy.

Ornate bank window, downtown Vicksburg

Old Sisters of Mercy Convent, Vicksburg

Old carriage house window

Window above the entrance to Vicksburg's City Hall

This beautiful old Victorian home in Natchez caught my eye.

Upon closer inspection, I saw this guy looking down from a third story window. He looked sort of like a mannequin, and I thought he was kind of creepy.

I love this shop window in downtown Vicksburg. It reminds me of the 1950s.

And, last, but not least, where else, but in Natchez, Mississippi, would you see a sign like this one in a downtown shop window?

The next time you are out sightseeing, or just walking down a city street, don't forget to look up and notice the windows above you. I think you'll be surprised to see what you've been missing.

[P.S. — If you would like to see some of my pictures of Church Windows, you can click on the link]

A Cemetery Story

2012-01-11T05:20:00.001-06:00

This is Chapter Two of a previous post featuring pictures I captured during an "Off the Beaten Path" Adventure in rural Warren County, Mississippi, near Vicksburg. If you would like to read the first chapter before reading this post, you can click on the link.

My previous story ended as I came upon an old family cemetery, standing on a hill near Bovina, Mississippi.

I love exploring old cemeteries, and I had actually seen this one once before, back in May of 2009. At that time, it was almost hidden amongst the tall pasture grass and green leaves of the trees overhead, but I did manage to snap a couple of pictures of it ...

Although I wasn't able to explore the cemetery up close, I was able to find out a good bit about it and the people buried there, just by doing a little research.

As I edited my pictures, I could read part of the names inscribed on one side of the tall monument.

The family's name was Powell, and five members of the Powell family are buried there, according to the inscription. When I deciphered the names, I went to the Find a Grave website, and searched for "Powell Cemetery, Warren County, MS," and discovered that there are also four other people buried there whose relationship to the Powell family I couldn't ascertain — three were named McInnis, and the fourth was named Pettit.

According to the information found on the website, the McInnises and one member of the Powell family died in the Fall of 1878. While researching that date in Mississippi history, I came across an article on the PBS website entitled The Great Fever, which told the story of the 1878 epidemic of Yellow Fever, and how it spread from the island of Cuba, to the docks and city of New Orleans, and, finally, swept through the Mississippi Valley. The epidemic claimed nearly 20,000 lives and earned a reputation as one of the most deadly and terrifying events in United States history.

The article included a story about a towboat that dropped two crew members with yellow fever in Vicksburg, on July 27, 1878, and another infected crew member died on the boat that night. I assume that the fever rapidly spread through the city of Vicksburg, and to the surrounding areas, which is how the McInnises and Alex Powell became victims and were laid to rest in this peaceful little country cemetery near Bovina, Mississippi.

To me, one of the many pleasures of being a photographer is discovering the stories behind the pictures I capture. I have learned a lot of history and uncovered some very interesting stories as a result of my curiosity, and will never cease to be amazed at what you can find out about a subject just by doing a little research on the Internet. The Powell Cemetery is a perfect example — when I snapped those pictures, I had no idea they would lead to my learning about "The Great Fever of 1878," and its role in the history of the United States.

Butterflies, Birds, and Blooms

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Just sharing some pictures today — from my birds, butterflies, and flowers albums [you can click on the pictures, if you'd like to get a closer look].

Cardinal on Ice

Japanese Magnolia Blossom

Gulf Fritillary on Chaste Tree Blossom

Little Robin Red Breast

Silhouette

This one reminds me of Batman

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Wistful Wisteria

Hummer with his tongue out ...

Queen Anne's Lace

Pascagoula Pals

Dewberry

I hope these brightened your day. It is a dreary, stormy day here in Vicksburg, and they helped to brighten mine.

An "Off the Beaten Path" Adventure

2012-01-06T04:30:00.000-06:00

I haven't had time to go on many photo shoots recently, but a couple of days ago I left Vicksburg, driving East on Old Highway 80, and had a very pleasant morning just "looking for pictures waiting to be taken." I found several on Highway 80, but, unfortunately, had to leave them there because traffic conditions prevented me from stopping on the side of the road to capture them. Needless to say, that soon became very frustrating, so when I reached the small village of Bovina, Mississippi, I veered off the beaten path to explore the back roads of Warren County — and I wasn't disappointed by what I found.

I am always inspired to see that the spirit of patriotism can be found just about anywhere ...

This old country store is at a crossroads, and I would have loved to have gone inside, but thought better of it.

I took these pictures from my car, and while editing the pictures, I found several things I would have liked to have gotten a closer look at (you can click on the picture, if you'd like to get a closer look, too) ...

I always loved the old Bovina water tower, and captured this picture of it back in January of 2009.

That old tower is long gone now, torn down in the name of "progress," and replaced with a bright, shiny new blue tower.

Progress is a good thing, I guess, but, in some cases, it surely isn't as picturesque.

And speaking of picturesque ... you probably don't think of a muddy creek or river as being pretty, but, as I crossed a bridge over this muddy river, I could see beauty in the contrast of the blue sky and the starkness of the trees along the water's edge, and in the swift current of the river's muddy waters.

It was a very peaceful moment as I stopped to snap the picture, and listened to the wind in the trees and the sound of the river moving under the bridge.

Some of you may recall this picture of two blue chairs which I captured in May 2009 ...

I came across the chairs again on my latest adventure, and here they are as they look now ...

Not quite as inviting in January, but I think they still make an interesting picture.

Here's another picture I took that same day in May 2009 ...

I was glad to see that old chimney still standing ...

Just a few yards up the road from the chimney, I happened to notice this old rail car sitting way back off the road, almost hidden in a wooded area on the edge of a pasture (I took these pictures using my zoom lens, and you can click on them to enlarge them and get a closer look) ...

I took those pictures from my car, and as I was sitting there on the side of the road, the owner of the property pulled out of his driveway and stopped beside my car when he saw me taking pictures. I explained what I was doing, and he very graciously told me that his father had been a vice president with Illinois Central Railroad, and had bought the rail car many, many years ago. I wish I could have asked more questions about its history, but he was stopped in the middle of the road and I didn't want to keep him.

I was delighted to capture the train car, but as I passed by the owner's house ...

I noticed this old family cemetery sitting on a hill next to the house ...

I'm going to save its story for next time, and hope you will join me to find out what I discovered about it.

A Bunny Tale

2012-01-03T09:15:00.002-06:00

While driving down a street in Vicksburg recently, I did a double take as I passed a vacant lot and saw something sitting in a fork of the trunk of a large tree ...

I kept going for a few yards, but my curiosity got the best of me, and I stopped and backed up to get a closer look.

I used my zoom lens to see if I could tell what it was, and this is what I saw ...

I kept walking, getting closer ...

And closer ...

And closer, still, until I could tell it was a little stuffed bunny!

Just look at that sweet face!

My heart went out to that bedraggled and forlorn looking little bunny, as I pondered how she came to be perched between the limbs of that tree (I say she because her shabby "fur" had a pale pink cast to it).

All kinds of questions came to mind — how long had she been there, who put her there, and why?? She looked as if she had been there quite a while, but, I guess she could have looked like that before she was put in the tree.

I wonder if a little girl (or boy?) dropped her along the street, and someone found her and put her in the tree for safekeeping, hoping her owner would come by and find her. I'd like to think that will happen ... and soon ... before the winter winds topple her from her perch and leave her lying at the foot of that tree, covered with leaves until Spring.

I know the image of that sad little bunny is going to "haunt" me, and I'm sure I will go back to check on her from time to time.

I may even take a blanket to wrap her in. Do you think that would be weird? I know if she was my bunny, I'd appreciate someone taking care of her for me. Wouldn't you?

2012 ~ Off to a Great Start!

2012-01-02T04:45:00.000-06:00

Our New Year got off to a great start yesterday ...

Ham, Black-Eyed Peas, Cornbread, Macaroni and Cheese,
Cabbage "cooked down low" (it's a southern thing), and Deviled Eggs.

It just doesn't get much better than that, folks!

I hope this second day of the new year is a good one for you ...
I'm going to go out and make it a good one for me, too!

New Beginnings

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-06:00

As we say goodbye to 2011, and look forward to the new year, it is a time for nostalgia and reflection.

As I transfer notes from my old calendar to my new one, I am truly thankful for the countless blessings, sweet memories, and the miracle birth of a little grandson that were ours in 2011. And, as I turn the pages of the new calendar, I can't help but wonder what the new year will bring ... what memorable happenings will be noted on its neat, clean pages? What joys, or sorrows?

Only time will tell what God has in store for me and my family, but one thing is certain — whatever the coming days bring our way, I know we will feel God's presence beside us and will see His grace and love for us at work in our lives.

I pray your year will bring you the same ...

Christmas Pictures

2011-12-31T04:20:00.000-06:00

My holidays wouldn't be complete without sharing a few pictures I captured of our grandchildren, Avery Grace, six years old, and her baby brother, Maddox, who is 4-1/2 months old.

It makes my heart sing to watch Avery and Maddox interact with each other.

Every time Maddox sees Avery, he smiles ... and she loves him dearly, and is constantly kissing him and talking "baby talk" to him.

Doesn't he look mischievous in this picture!

Avery making Christmas cookies ...

I love the way she purses her mouth as she concentrates. Sometimes, you can still get a glimpse of "babyness" in her little face. I know it's fleeting, and I don't want to miss one of those little glimpses.

In the next picture, she looks even older than her six years ...

While I prefer more candid shots, Avery likes to "pose" every now and then ...

Maddox in his "pensive" mode. If only he could talk!

I hope you were able to capture some pictures during the holidays, because, as poet Edgar Guest so wisely said ... "In photographs only can yesterdays live."

Bring Me Purple Pansies

2011-12-30T04:30:00.000-06:00

Pansies
O give me not red roses,
That early dews have wet!
They speak to me of kisses
That are remembered yet.
O bring me not white roses,
That summer winds have drest!
For once I placed white roses
Upon a quiet breast.
But bring me purple pansies ...
If so you wish to please ...
For them I have affection ...

For pansies are "heart's ease."

— Louisa Cooke Don-Carlos

Untie the Ribbons

2011-12-28T07:01:00.003-06:00

God's Winter Glory

2011-12-26T09:30:00.001-06:00

Narcissus is blooming here in Missisisippi!

One of my favorite flowers, Narcissus blooms always brighten my winter days when I see clusters of them scattered amongst flower beds or, even better, at old home sites along country roads. I can't help but wonder who planted them, and wish I could let them know that the flowers they so lovingly planted make me smile when I see them.

I have always loved this time of year following the holidays (after all the Christmas decorations are packed away and taken to the attic), and even though the winter landscapes are bleak, seeing the first Narcissus blooms of the season rekindles a sense of renewal and hope for the new year, much like the Dogwoods do in the Spring.

I love the way the centers of the flowers in the next picture look as if they're glowing. They remind me of the song, "This Little Light of Mine" ...

Best wishes to you for a New Year blessed with an abundance of bright and beautiful lagniappe, like these lovely little flowers that remind us of God's glory and presence in our lives, even on the bleakest days of winter.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-21T05:15:00.002-06:00

Hoping your holidays will be
blessed with Happy Gatherings ...

And filled with God's Love and Grace.

Christmas Lagniappe

2011-12-19T03:15:00.004-06:00

Christmas Lagniappe

{Be sure your sound is turned up, if you would like to hear the music}

Looking Back

2011-12-16T06:45:00.000-06:00

Remembering 2011, by taking a nostalgic look at some of the pictures I captured during the year. If you would like to read the stories behind the pictures (and see more pictures), you can click on the links.

January Paperwhites — Winter's Lagniappe
February Hyacinths —A Promise of Spring
March — Tiptoeing through the Tulips
April — a visit to Mynelle Gardens in Jackson

May — A Tribute to the Big Red Barn, Rolling Fork, Mississippi
Gone with the Wind
June Tour of Vicksburg Flower Gardens
July Trip to Shreveport, Louisiana
August — the most joyful month of our year —
when we welcomed this little guy to our family!
September — The story of the Olive Tree
October Visit to a Sorghum Field
November Fall Foliage — Tallow Trees on the Natchez Trace
And that brings us to December ...

I invite you to visit me again soon for a photo tour of my Christmas decorations this year. Until then ...

December Lagniappe

2011-12-12T05:20:00.000-06:00

From last December ...

Now that winter has finally made an appearance here in Mississippi, the cold temperatures have taken a toll on the landscape, replacing the glorious fall foliage of a few weeks ago with bare limbs and the muted colors of winter. But Nature has a way of compensating for the bleakness — in the form of vines with bright red berries growing wild in the woods and on fence rows along our roadsides. In the spring and summer, some of those vines were probably covered in a profusion of wildflowers, but now their colorful fruit is all that remains.

That reminds me of these lines from one of my favorite poems, William Wordsworth's Ode: Intimations of Immortality, which were recited by Natalie Wood in one of my all-time favorite movies, Splendour in the Grass ...

What though the radiance which was once so bright,
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be ...

Isn't that a beautiful way to describe the passage of the Seasons!

Last week, I noticed a tree in some woods not too far from our house that was almost completely covered with tangled vines and bright red berries — and I knew there were pictures there just waiting to be taken.

And sure enough, a couple of days later, under a brilliant blue sky for background, I went back and captured those pictures.

If you are a regular visitor to Southern Lagniappe, you know that if I'm not familiar with a flower or plant I photograph, I try to learn a little about it. I have seen vines like these, but never this close, and, after diligently browsing through several Google images and web sites featuring "wild vines with red berries," I discovered that they are Carolina Moonseed (Cocculus carolinus). They get their name from their seeds, which resemble a crescent moon.

Of course, I had to find out if my berries had "moonseeds," and upon dissecting one of the berries, I was delighted to see the little crescent shape in the center of the seed.

Isn't that awesome lagniappe!

I love the graceful way the tendrils curl and twine around the vines ...

And the berries! — so plump and ripe, and almost translucent!

I encourage you to take time to notice the December lagniappe where you live ... it's there — all you have to do is slow down a little and look for it.

God's Amazing Grace

2011-12-10T06:30:00.000-06:00

My family was doubly blessed this week by God's amazing Grace and Love. I appreciate your compassionate expressions of concern and, especially, your prayers for our son and my dad.

Last weekend, our son was involved in an accident and sustained a serious knee injury. Initially, we thought he had torn one of the major ligaments in his knee (the ACL), which would require immediate surgery, but an MRI revealed a tear in the MCL instead. He has to wear a knee brace for about a month, but won't have to have surgery, as far as we know now. Thank you, Lord.

After several days of anxiously awaiting the results of a biopsy performed on a small mass in my dad's colon and finding out that it is malignant, we received some encouraging news yesterday. A CT scan revealed that the cancer is confined to that one spot and can be removed without my dad, who is 87, having to have radical surgery. I don't have words to express the relief we all felt after receiving that news.

Seeing God's Love and Grace at work in your life is a truly humbling experience, and I know He will continue to bless Daddy with strength and comfort him with His presence in the coming days, as he undergoes surgery to remove the mass.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow ... and my sincerest thanks to all of you — for your prayers and heartfelt concern.

When It Rains, It Pours

2011-12-06T07:30:00.000-06:00

I'm sure you've heard the expression, "When it rains, it pours," and yesterday was one of those days — both weather wise here in Vicksburg, and with my family.

We had some upsetting news about my 87-year-old dad and about our son Benjamin, and I would appreciate your keeping them both in your prayers.

My dad had a biopsy procedure done and will find out the results tomorrow. Hopefully, he will receive good news and his doctor will be able to correct the problem by performing out-patient surgery.

Benjamin, who lives near Nashville (about six hours away from us), was involved in an accident over the weekend and seriously injured his knee. The initial diagnosis is a torn ACL (which will require surgery to repair), but we will know more when he gets the result of an MRI, which will be performed tomorrow.

I pray God will watch over Daddy and Benjamin and bring them both good news tomorrow. I would be deeply grateful if you would remember them in your prayers, too.

Only in Their Dreams

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

As we anticipate sharing the magic and joy of the holidays with our families and friends, let us take time out from our Christmas celebrations to remember, with sincere gratitude, our servicemen and women who are risking their lives every day to keep America out of harm's way.

I recently received the following picture in some mail from the USO, requesting donations, and was so moved by it, I want to share it.

Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words! — that pretty much says it all, doesn't it.

I pray there will soon be more scenes like the one shown in the heartwarming video below, in which a little girl is surprised at school by her dad who had just returned from Afghanistan. Be sure you have some tissues handy before you click on the link ...

Soldier Dad Surprises Daughter at School

Have you ever seen such pure joy on a little girl's face!

May God protect our troops as they protect us, and bless them and their families for the sacrifices they make for us, especially at Christmastime, when they'll be home for Christmas ... only in their dreams.

Look for Him

2011-12-02T03:55:00.002-06:00

It doesn't take much to feel stressed and frustrated during the holidays. I find myself making all kinds of lists — Christmas gift shopping lists, grocery lists, menus, appointments, and that doesn't include the list of daily chores unrelated to the holidays, like laundry, cleaning, and cooking.

And those are just the inside things ... there's also leaves to rake and pick up, patio to sweep, pine straw to "fluff," and Christmas decorations to put up.

I know it's only the 2nd day of December, but thinking about everything that has to be done between now and Christmas Eve can sometimes be a little overwhelming, both physically and mentally.

I took time out from my list making to write this post and came across a poem I featured on my blog this time last year. It helped put things into perspective for me.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed or stressed, perhaps the poem will inspire you, too.

If You Look for Me at Christmas —
You won't need a special star.

I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.
You may not be aware of Me
Amid the celebrations —

You'll have to look beyond the stores,
And all the decorations.

But if you take a moment,
From your list of things to do ...

And listen to your heart, you'll find ...
I'm waiting there for you.
You're the one I want to be with,
You're the reason that I came,
And you'll find Me in the stillness,
As I'm whispering your name.
Love,
Jesus

[Author unknown]
Photos borrowed from the Internet

Merry and Bright

2011-12-01T06:45:00.002-06:00

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and, behold! ... everything is softer and more beautiful. — Norman Vincent Peale

Happy December 1st!

May your day be Merry and Bright!

Christmas Decorating: Day One

2011-11-30T09:45:00.001-06:00

My day began at 4:00 a.m. this morning. That's not unusual for me — I love the peace and quiet, and can accomplish more in those wee hours of the morning than I can the rest of the day.

But my list for today will take more than a few hours to accomplish — I woke up feeling inspired and full of energy, and decided it would be a perfect day to decorate the house for Christmas.

I've already removed most of my Fall decorations and taken them to the attic, and my husband helped me bring down some of the Christmas boxes, so I'm committed to finishing it today.

The mantel looks rather forlorn, with only the candlesticks and Fall candles remaining ...

And my Welsh Dresser in the breakfast area is bare, except for a few Christmas things I've already added.

The picture on the dresser is one I took of it last Christmas, and I will use the same ideas this Christmas.

Some people may think it's boring to do the same thing year afer year, but I prefer to think of it as honoring "traditions" — and I'd rather use old sentimental decorations with fond memories associated with them than buy new ones that are only for looks.

And speaking of sentimental ... these boxes in the dining room hold, among other things, our treasured nativity figurines.

Last year, I set the figurines and creche up before our six-year-old granddaughter Avery was here, and when she arrived and saw it, the first thing she said was, "Grandmama, you have the three kings in the wrong place!" And, sure enough, I looked at the picture from the year before, and they were, indeed, "out of order" from the way they were lined up the year before. I love passing these decorating traditions down to Avery ... and they seem to be important to her, too, which warms my heart.

I hope this finds you enjoying your decorating, or shopping, or cooking ... or whatever your day may bring your way.

I'm off to take on my day, and will look forward to sharing new pictures soon.

P.S. — I may wait for Avery to help me set up the nativity scene, so I'll be sure and "get it right."

A Treasured Christmas Cactus

2011-11-29T04:50:00.002-06:00

A few years ago, my husband's mother gave me a Christmas Cactus, and it has started blooming, just in time for Christmas.

For some reason, the cactus produces only two blooms on the same two stems every year, but aren't they exquisite!

My mother-in-law was a kind, gentle, and humble lady, who devoted her life to raising five fine children and taking care of her husband.

She loved to laugh, and was always doing for others, glorifying and serving the Lord.

Every time I look at these beautiful blooms on my cactus, it's as if she has stopped by for a visit, and it warms my heart and brightens my day when I remember the precious lady my husband called Mom.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2011-11-28T06:15:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite Christmas stories is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which was written by Barbara Robinson in 1972. The book was adapted into a television movie in 1983, featuring Robinson's teleplay and starring Loretta Swit.

I recently bought the DVD version of the original movie, and we watched it over the Thanksgiving holidays (my granddaughter Avery and I actually watched it three times!).

It tells the story of six delinquent children known as "the Herdmans," who were infamous around the community they lived in. Among other things, they lied, stole, hit people, ignored and/or cussed at their teachers and other people in authority, set fire to things, and, in general, caused trouble. All six also smoked cigars. I know that sounds like a terrible beginning, but remember the title of the movie is "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," and I promise you will have a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes before it's over.

The Herdman children go to church for the first time after being told that the church offers snacks. Despite protests from other church members, the Herdmans are given roles in the Sunday School's Christmas play, in which they tell the Christmas story in a very unconventional way.

It is such a heartwarming story, and I highly recommend it. A note on the cover states it is appropriate for ages 8 and up, but, as I said, Avery (who is six) and I watched it three times, and she loved it. The little Herdman girl, Imogene, who played Mary in the pageant, was my favorite, and Avery liked Ella Herdman best, who portrayed the Angel of the Lord.

I look forward to making The Best Christmas Pageant Ever part of our Christmas traditions, and I'm sure Avery and I will watch it again at some point during the holidays this year.

You can purchase the DVD on Amazon. Be sure you buy the original version starring Loretta Swit.

Blessings

2011-11-27T04:45:00.002-06:00

Thank you, Lord —
for one of Life's most precious blessings ...

GRANDCHILDREN !

For the Love of a Grandchild
(author unknown)

Child of my heart, heart of my heart,
Your smile bridges the years between us.
I am young again,
Discovering the world through your eyes.
You have the time to listen,
And I have the time to spend.
Delighted to gaze at familiar, loved features,
Made new in you again.
Through you, I'll see the future,
Through me, you'll know the past.
In the present we'll love one other,
As long as these moments last.

Thanksgiving Wishes

2011-11-22T04:20:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving ...

from My House to Yours

As we gather together this week of "Thanks Giving," I hope your days and your home will be filled with the love and laughter of your family, sweet memories-in-the-making, and fond recollections of Thanksgivings Past.

Let us all remember our soldiers scattered across the world who are away from their families and loved ones. May God bless them and keep them safe, and let them know we are ever mindful and grateful for their dedication and courage and the daily sacrifices they make for their country.

With my sincerest best wishes to you and your family
for the best Thanksgiving Celebration ever!

"Vicksburg Historic Getaway" Sweepstakes

2011-11-19T04:40:00.002-06:00

The Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau is currently sponsoring an exciting online sweepstakes to celebrate the holidays.

The lucky winner of the sweepstakes package will win a trip to historic Vicksburg, complete with a luxurious bed and breakfast stay, a gift basket from local merchants, a $100 gift certificate to the Outlets at Vicksburg, and tickets to our our Tapestry event, a month-long April celebration of Vicksburg's historic homes and places.

The sweepstakes runs until November 30th, and the winner will be announced by December 1st, in time to include the trip in your family's holiday gift basket.

Make plans to catch the holiday spirit in Vicksburg this season and click on the link below to enter to win the "Historic Vicksburg Getaway!"

Historic Vicksburg Getaway Sweepstakes!

Fallen Leaves

2011-11-18T06:20:00.001-06:00

We are enjoying an especially beautiful and lingering Fall season here in Mississippi. Everywhere you look, the roadsides and fence rows are ablaze with God's glory.

I was pleased to capture a little of that beauty last week on the Natchez Trace near Ridgeland, Mississippi (you can click on the link if you would like to read that post).

Today, I would like to share a few pictures I took while walking around our yard yesterday afternoon. It is that time of year when leaves are falling and are finding their way into every nook and cranny of our yard, courtyard, and patio. And while, overall, they make everything look "messy," I discovered that up close they are truly amazing little works of art.

I find it hard to comprehend how these Crape Myrtle leaves managed to nestle themselves around the holly berries in this picture (you can click on the picture to enlarge it, if you'd like to get a closer look) ...

Wouldn't it have been interesting to watch them fall during a time-lapse video!

A few more Crape Myrtle leaves stubbornly cling to their branches ...

This little leaf was resting on a birdhouse, and caught my attention as I walked by ...

As did this one, nestled in a clump of Liriope ...

This Sycamore tree is behind the fence in our backyard and its dinner plate-size leaves are littering the flowerbeds.

But upon closer inspection, there's no way you could call this beautiful leaf "litter!"

I found this pretty red leathery-looking leaf in a flowerbed. It was the only one I saw like it ...

Our Burford Hollies have an abundance of colorful berries this Fall ...

I plan to use some of them for my Christmas decorating ...

The afternoon sun was highlighting the white feathery plumes on our dwarf Pampas Grass plants. I love the way they contrast with the trees in the background.

Japanese Maple Tree

This lantern hangs on the path leading from the courtyard to our backyard, and, even though the lantern is a little out of focus in the picture, I like the Christmas Camellias and Crape Myrtle trees in the background.

These are just a few of the things that caught my attention as I walked around the yard. Now, when I look out my windows and see the "messy" courtyard and patio strewn with leaves, I will remember these pictures and enjoy the leaves while I can. Soon, the trees will be bare and the landscapes drab as winter sets in, and I'll be wishing for some color — even if it is "untidy" fallen leaves.

Silhouettes

2011-11-17T06:50:00.001-06:00

While recently organizing some of my picture files on my computer, I came across this picture ...

I captured it on a trip through the Louisiana Delta a couple of years ago, and love the way the tree is silhouetted against the silo in the background.

Finding that picture inspired me to look for more "silhouette" pictures, and I would like to share a few of my favorites:

Bridges spanning Mississippi River at Vicksburg,
with kudzu in the foreground

Dogwood Tree in Vicksburg National Cemetery on a cloudy Spring day

My favorite tree — a magnificent Gingko in the National Cemetery. I love the contrast of its massive trunk against its breaktakingly beautiful Fall foliage.

Although the next picture is of a shadow cast by an iron fence on a path in our yard, it could also be considered a "silhouette."

Here are two hummingbirds I captured in silhouette ...

This old iron gate at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg, caught my attention ...

I captured this horse enjoying a run in his pasture, and like the contrast of the white mark on his face against his silhouetted body.

Seeing these pictures has inspired me to be more aware of silhouettes during future photo shoots, so, hopefully, I will have more to share soon.

A Tribute to Billy Graham

2011-11-16T06:30:00.001-06:00

Mr. Billy Graham turned 93 on November 7, 2011. In his new book, Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well, he says, "I never thought I would live to be this old."

In honor of Mr. Graham reaching such a memorable milestone, I would like to share a slideshow I created featuring pictures I gathered from the Internet, which depict his life from the early years of his ministry to the present.

[Turn your speakers on, if you would like to hear the music]

May God bless you, Mr. Graham.

Autumn Dogwoods

2011-11-15T06:00:00.001-06:00

To every thing there is a season ... and I think Dogwood trees are just as lovely in the Fall as they are in the Spring.

Some of the oldest and most beautiful Dogwoods in Vicksburg are at the Old Court House Museum, and that's where I captured the following pictures.

I love the stately old courthouse in the background ...

Here are a few close up pictures I captured of the dogwood seed pods, heavy with raindrops ...

Only God could turn this ...

into this ...

Out of Service

2011-11-14T06:20:00.005-06:00

Our Internet service has two speeds these days — slow as molasses, or non-existent. Our Internet service provider guy is supposed to come by this morning and see if he can "fix it," so, hopefully, I will be back soon.

UPDATE: — 3:35 PM: Tech guy called two hours ago and said he was "working on it" and would be here "within the hour." Problem is, he didn't say within what hour!

In all fairness, the Internet connection is better for the moment, but still no sign of the "tech guy" in person.

Stay tuned for updates.

Lagniappe in Sepia

2011-11-12T07:10:00.002-06:00

Just sharing a few images in sepia tones for the weekend ...

Veterans Day: 11/11/11

2011-11-11T04:15:00.003-06:00

This nation will remain the land of the free,
only so long as it is the home of the brave.

(Elmer Davis)

One day this past summer, my husband was in a restaurant in Magee, Mississippi, and saw a couple of servicemen having lunch. He walked over to their table and expressed his thanks to them for what they do, and told them he wanted to buy their lunch. They were very appreciative, and one of the soldiers ripped off an Airborne patch which was "velcro-ed" to his sleeve, and gave it to my husband.

He said it had been all over the world, including his tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. He and his friend were headed to Camp Shelby in South Mississippi. The patch is prominently displayed on the bulletin board in our office, and I often wonder where those soldiers are today.

On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the service and sacrifices of the men and women who, in defense of our freedom, have bravely worn the uniform of the United States. Our country is forever indebted to our veterans for their quiet courage and exemplary service.

I recently drove my mother and dad to the Veterans Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, for Daddy's yearly checkup. While they were checking out, I went out and brought my car around to the entrance to pick them up, and as I sat there in the car waiting for them, I watched the steady stream of veterans and their caretakers coming and going.

Some were in wheelchairs, some had noticeable limps or other visible disabilities, but all of them had one thing in common — they were there because at some point in their lives they had served their country and were still living with the injuries or disabilities they incurred as a result of that service. My dad was in the Navy during World War II, and his greatest sacrifice was his hearing, which was permanently damaged by the noise from the planes he worked on while stationed at Corpus Christi.

I wished I could personally thank each and every one of those veterans I saw at the medical center that day for the sacrifices they made and for the hardships they have endured — for their sense of duty and love for their country. May God bless and keep them and let them know how much their service is appreciated.

I would also like to remember with sincere gratitude our servicemen and women (like the ones my husband met in the restaurant) who continue to risk their lives every day to keep America out of harm's way. May God protect them as they protect us, and bless their families here at home.

Fire on the Trace

2011-11-10T05:00:00.001-06:00

I travel the Natchez Trace between Clinton and Ridgeland, Mississippi, several times a week, and this time of year it is a real challenge to keep my car from wandering off the road. The Trace is literally ablaze with the fiery colors of the Chinese Tallow trees that stretch for miles alongside the road, and it is a breathtaking sight.

Although they are considered a "nuisance tree" by many (my husband included), I love Tallow trees, especially in the Fall. Their translucent leaves shimmer in the sunlight, and remind me of stained glass.

Some people apply that old adage, "If you've seen one, you've seen them all," to Fall foliage, but you will never convince me of that theory. If you look closer at the foliage, you will see that each tree is different ... not only in size and shape, but also in the way light and shadows contrast its colors and the texture of its leaves.

This stunning tree caused me to slam on my brakes and pull off the road until traffic cleared, so I could back up to get a closer look (there's not a lot of traffic on the Trace, thank goodness!).

Now tell me, is that not the most glorious tree!

This coming weekend my husband and I are going to be traveling the Trace to north Mississippi for a weekend getaway, and I look forward to capturing more of God's glory along our journey.

Sanctuary Lake

2011-11-08T04:45:00.000-06:00

This is Sanctuary Lake where we plan to build a house when we sell our house in Vicksburg.

Last weekend, my husband and I spent a few very pleasant hours at our six-acre lot, he, trimming low branches on some of the trees, and I, dragging the limbs to a pile to burn later.

The sun was like a spotlight highlighting the bleached and gnarled trunks and limbs of the snags in the lake, and the contrast between the trees, blue reflection of the sky on the water, and fall foliage in the background proved to be too much for me resist.

I'm sorry to say I abandoned my limb-dragging duties for a few minutes and grabbed my camera and headed down to the water's edge.

When we were looking for land and first saw Sanctuary Lake, I didn't particularly like the tree snags, but the more I looked at them, I realized that they have a beauty all their own.

Their twisted and gnarled trunks and limbs look as if they have been battered by wind and weather, much like the old gnarled live oak trees found in South Louisiana.

I was standing at the front of our lot looking back toward the lake when I captured the following picture using my zoom lens. You can barely see the white tops of the snags over the rise of the land.

Even though Sanctuary Lake was man-made, God's glory can be seen in those beautiful sculpture-like tree snags. I look forward to sitting in our rocking chairs on our back porch someday and looking out at their white twisted limbs.

Who Plants a Seed ...

2011-11-07T06:00:00.001-06:00

Before I continue with this story, I need to go back in time to a September day in 2010. That was the day I discovered "Balloon Vines." If you would like to read the posts about the vines before you read this follow up story, you can click on the following links:

Balloon Vines
Heart Seeds

These are the balloon vines I captured with my camera last Fall ...

After returning home that day, I researched the vines and discovered their name and also found that their seeds are called "heart seeds," because of the unusual markings on them. When I read that, I knew there was another chapter to add to my story.

I returned to the patch of vines and gathered a few of the pods so I could see their little "hearts" for myself, and I wasn't disappointed. This is a picture of what I found inside the pods:

Now, let's fast forward to January 2011.

That picture was taken January 10, 2011, and the little girl is our six-year-old granddaughter Avery Grace. She was planting the heart seeds at our land in Madison County, Mississippi.

These are the seeds she planted ...

And here is a picture I captured yesterday of our very own little Balloon Vine!

I was absolutely thrilled, and seeing those tiny little pods actually brought tears to my eyes.

I e-mailed these pictures to Avery's mommy last night (after Avery's bedtime), and I can't wait to talk to Avery today and tell her about her vine.

Photoshopping Fun

2011-11-06T06:00:00.002-06:00

Now you see them ...

Now you don't!

Actually, the second picture is the original I captured of a farm road last fall. I created the "now you see them" picture with my Photoshop Elements 9 program, by cutting and pasting the barn, horse, and cows from other pictures I have taken, as shown below.

This is the cow standing behind the horse.

This was my first attempt to add things to a picture (you can click on the picture to get a closer look, if you'd like). I usually remove things, such as power lines, signs, or other distracting elements that take away from the subject. Although it is far from perfect, I had fun playing with it and that's what counts, isn't it!

Lagniappe at Cedar Hill

2011-11-04T05:45:00.000-05:00

A realtor showed our house a couple of days ago, and I had to leave for a while, so I grabbed my cameras and headed to one of my favorite places in Vicksburg — Cedar Hill Cemetery. Some of you may think it's strange that a cemetery is one of my favorite places to visit, but I never fail to find lagniappe there in some form or another, the greatest of which is a feeling of peace and tranquility as I walk among the beautiful old monuments and tombstones.

One of the first things I noticed as I drove into the cemetery that day was this old Eastern Red Cedar tree whose branches were so loaded with blue berries that the whole tree had a bluish cast to it, even from a distance.

I found it interesting that from one direction it appeared to be standing straight and tall, but from the side, it looked as if it could topple over any minute. It makes you wonder how it came to be leaning like that.

As I got closer, I was amazed by its beautiful fruit. Its branches were bending from the weight of the clusters of blue berries.

There was lagniappe all around me that afternoon. I couldn't help but notice the bleached-white trunk and limbs of this huge Sycamore tree on top of a kudzu-covered hill overlooking the cemetery ...

And I almost stepped on this little bit of lagniappe — a clump of tiny purple wildflowers.

I'm so glad I didn't step on them ...

Just a few feet away from the cedar tree, I discovered these little bells gracing a gravesite, which I thought was nice ...

I'm always curious about the lives of the ones who lie beneath the stones, and I'm always amazed by the information you can gather just by doing a little research on the Internet. The inscription on this headstone prompted me to try to find out more about this Confederate soldier who was born in Louisiana.

I discovered that William Whitmell Martin was born at Albemarle Plantation, near Napoleonville, Louisiana, in 1846. At the beginning of the Civil war he enlisted in the Phoenix Guards ... which became a part of the 8th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry, CSA. Some time later he was "invalided" and returned home ... When he had sufficiently recovered his health, on Jan. 1, 1863, he was elected captain of a new company raised in the vicinity of his home, which later became Co. C, of the 26th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry. A short time later, Capt. Martin was promoted to the rank of major. He was in the reserve at the great battles of Manassas and Bull Run. He took part, also in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, and was killed June 21, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg.

The ornate iron fence, or what's left of it, beckoned me to get a closer look at this headstone.

The inscription reads: Dr. Thos. B. Benedect, Assistant Surgeon C.S.A., Died in Vicksburg, Miss., June 1st, 1863. Aged 52 years. He died at his Post. Dying for a land and cause that he Loved more than life, and he Died in faith, falling asleep in JESUS.

I couldn't find additional information about Dr. Benedect (unusual spelling), or about this young man who "gave his life that another might live."

I would love to know the rest of his story.

I enjoyed my time at Cedar Hill, but, unfortunately, the realtor didn't sell our house while I was gone. We're still waiting (not so patiently, now) for the right people to come along and buy it, but God hasn't led them to us yet. Perhaps He is waiting until after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I think January would be a great time to move, don't you!

The Beauty of White

2011-11-03T05:58:00.011-05:00

When I think of the four seasons, the first thing I usually think of are the colors of each season's palette, especially the colors found in the trees and flowers.

WINTER Grasses

SPRING Japanese Magnolia Branch

SUMMER Lantana

FALL Foliage

Colorful plants and trees are beautiful, of course, but white has a place in Nature's landscapes, too ... and in our gardens. For instance —

Bradford Pear Tree blossoms are truly exquisite ...

And one of the first signs that Spring is on the way — Paperwhites

Nothing can compare to the elegance of a creamy white Magnolia Blossom ...

White Clusters of Lady Banks Roses are stunning, too.

"A rose is a rose is a rose ..."
and White Roses are especially beautiful.

White Crape Myrtle Blossom

And last, but certainly not least ...
White Dogwood

Those are just a few examples of white-flowering plants you can use in landscaping projects. There are literally hundreds available, and where and how you use them is only limited by your imagination.

So, the next time you are replanting an existing flowerbed, designing a new one, or doing a major landscaping job, don't overlook using white in your garden. You can create a very elegant and peaceful look with white flowers and/or white-flowering trees.

When used as a border, white flowers are a stunning way to highlight a flowerbed, or outline a path. They also add interest and contrast when scattered in and amongst more colorful plantings. And, to me, nothing is more welcoming than a pair of urns at a front door — and white flowers, interspersed with ivy or ferns, would create a "neutral" look that wouldn't take away from or contrast with the exterior colors of the house and trim.

I have to admit that I have never thought about using white in my landscapes, but I have inspired myself to consider it next Spring when it's time to replace my winter Pansies. How about you? Do you think you would like white flowers in your garden?

Birthday Wishes for a Daughter

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

You were supposed to be born on my birthday, but you and God decided you should have your own special day, and you missed mine by 26 minutes.

Whitney RebeccaWhat a joy it was then ...

What a joy it is now ...

What a joy it will always be —
having you for a daughter.

We love you, Whit ... and hope your day is filled with all the things that make you happy (I'm glad you have your own special day to celebrate!).

Reflections

2011-10-29T16:45:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the reflection of something in water is more beautiful than the thing itself.

I think that is true of these yellow Irises I captured with my camera at Mynelle Gardens in Jackson, Mississippi ...

The blue reflected in the water is the sky.

These pictures remind me of Claude Monet's "Yellow Irises" painting ...

If you would like to see more pictures of Mynelle Gardens and read about my visit there, you can click on this link — Mynelle's Garden

It's All in How You Think About It, and All in How You Study It

2011-10-28T05:59:00.011-05:00

I have learned a lot since I became a self-taught photographer, and not just about photography. I've learned about insects and flowers and history, and the stories behind the subjects I have photographed.

But this past week, I learned about "paraprosdokians," which have nothing to do with taking pictures. They're not insects, or flowers, or a long-lost civilization.

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect.

For instance, this quote from Groucho Marx:

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening ... but this wasn't it."

I recently came across a list of several paraprosdokians, and thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorites. Here is my #1 favorite:

If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

Where there's a will, I want to be in it."

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, 'In case of emergency, notify:,' I put 'DOCTOR.'

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

I love this one, too! — Hospitality is making your guests feel at home even when you wish they were.

When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

And last, but not least, "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

And now you know what paraprosdokians are, if you didn't know already. I hope you got a laugh or two from these.

The Christmas Camellia

2011-10-27T08:15:00.002-05:00

The Christmas Camellia (Camellia x vernalis 'Yuletide') is one of my favorite wintertime plants.

The broadleaf evergreen shrub produces its showy red blossoms from Fall through December, and sometimes, even into January. We have two plants growing outside our bedroom window, and it is always a pleasure to look out and see their colorful blooms brightening a drab winter day.

We also have pink Sasanquas, which bloom through December.

One of the nicest things about living in the South, is being able to have a bouquet of fresh cut flowers from our yard during the holidays. I made this bouquet of Christmas Camellias and pink Sasanquas last Christmas Eve ...

We have one bloom on our camellia bush today, but it is loaded with buds on the verge of popping open. To every thing there is a season ... and I love "the Season of the Christmas Camellias."

Vicksburg welcomes Fall

2011-10-26T05:00:00.010-05:00

A few days ago, I rode through some of my favorite neighborhoods in Vicksburg to see this year's Fall decorations. I wasn't disappointed, and found a mix of styles, from whimsical to elegant.

This is one of my favorite houses, and I was happy to see that they were displaying their collection of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns again this year. I love traditions, don't you!

A couple of houses down, I noticed the Lantana blooming at this cottage-style house ...

The flag is a permanent fixture at this pretty house, whatever the season ...

Isn't that little metal dog sculpture cute! If you click on the picture, you can get a closer look at it.

Another one of my favorite houses in Vicksburg:

A fun and pretty way to welcome Trick-or-Treaters!

The owners of this house never fail to make me smile, and stop to admire their imaginative and creative decorating, and they outdid themselves this year.

I've saved my favorite for last. I gave this house the "Most Elegant" Award, and love the way the owners used natural looking materials to achieve a casual, yet elegant, look ...

Be sure to click on this picture to get a closer look at those beautifully carved doors:

It is always fun and interesting to see creativity and imagination reflected through homeowners' seasonal decorations, and I hope you enjoyed my "drive-by" tour of these beautiful homes. I'm looking forward to seeing and sharing "Christmas in Vicksburg," too. It will be here before we know it!

But in the meantime ...

Lilies of the Lake

2011-10-25T06:45:00.003-05:00

Today I'm sharing some pictures I captured of the water lilies on Hamilton Lake, in Claiborne County, Mississippi, which is a stone's throw away from the Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant.

The nuclear plant itself is an awesome sight to behold, and I always have an uneasy, eerie feeling when we pass by it to get to the lake.

But seeing the lilies in bloom is well worth the uneasiness.

And speaking of "awesome!"

The centers remind me of little suns ...

The egrets seemed to be enjoying the flowers, too (or, more likely, the fishes underneath them).

And this bird looked as if he was walking on water ...

I'll probably never return to Hamilton Lake, but I will always fondly recall the day I captured these elegant lilies and forever preserved them (and the memory of that day) in my pictures.

It's That Time of Year

2011-10-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again — not even Halloween yet, and our mailman has been stuffing our mailbox with catalogs just about every day for a week now.

I hate to think what it will be like between now and Christmas. Here are just a few of the ones I haven't thrown away yet ...

I am stacking them in the closet in our office until I'm ready to start thinking about Christmas shopping. But first, I'd like to get through Halloween (my least favorite holiday) and Thanksgiving (my second favorite, next to Christmas). Of course, I'm sure the shopping spirit will hit me before Thanksgiving, and by then, at the rate they are arriving, I will have quite a collection of catalogs to browse.

Last year, I did the majority of my shopping online (through Amazon), and it was wonderful! I hope to do as well this year.

How about you? Have you started thinking about Christmas shopping yet?

Sunday Sunshine

2011-10-23T05:00:00.002-05:00

This time of year, I tend to be easily distracted while driving. Everywhere I look, there are wildflowers, colorful leaves, and all kinds of grasses that seem to be beckoning to me to stop and get a closer look.

These bright yellow flowers have been calling my name for a couple of weeks now, and I finally answered their call yesterday when my husband and I passed this field that was dazzling with bright yellow blooms, their faces all turned toward the morning sun.

I tried to identify them by looking at hundreds of images of "yellow wildflowers" on Google, but never could find anything that looked exactly like them. However, one of my blogging friends, Dorothy at Counting My Blessings, wrote and told me she thinks they are "Swamp Sunflowers," and, after looking at pictures of swamp sunflowers, I believe she's right. Dorothy is a very talented photographer and writer, and I encourage you to visit her beautiful blog. I'm sure it will brighten your day, as it does mine.

Some of the flowers soared high above the others, their stalks bent over from the weight of the pretty clusters of flowers at the tops of them.

I wished for a bucket of water and some clippers to cut a bouquet, but had to be content to capture a few bouquets with my camera instead.

The flowers were beautiful from a distance, but they were even more incredible up close (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like to get a closer look).

I'm not the only one who was enjoying the flowers up close. The honeybees loved them, too!

I hope this has inspired you to slow down and admire Fall's "naturescapes" beside the roads you travel every day — who knows, you might even hear something "calling your name," too.

Mystery Work of Art

2011-10-21T04:00:00.000-05:00

What is it?

Is it a little creature I found snuggled underneath a leaf and brought in from the cold?

Nope!

Is it a prototype of a robot like the ones you see in high tech electronics catalogs?

Nope, again!

So, what is it, you ask!

Riddle solved: I had to get my glue gun out yesterday to repair a salt shaker that goes with my Easter deviled egg plate, and was distracted by something and forgot that the glue gun was plugged in. A few minutes later, I went into the laundry room to get some clothes out of the dryer and discovered that my glue gun had been busy creating this little "fellow" on top of the washing machine while I was gone.

I thought it was so neat that I got my camera and macro lens and took some pictures of it. You're probably thinking, "Bless her heart, she has waaaaaay too much time on her hands," but the more I look at the pictures, the more I think it is actually quite a work of art, especially considering it was made by a glue gun!

I added some color to it with Photoshop, which made it even more extraordinary.

I've seen pictures and sculptures in fine art galleries that were not half as interesting, so who knows ... one day people may be standing in front of one of these pictures oooohhhhing and ahhhhhhing and heaping praise on the "artist."

Well ... perhaps I did get a little carried away, but you have to admit that it is pretty neat.

A Tale about Cattails

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

While traveling on Mississippi Hwy 22 a few days ago, I did a double take as I passed these Cattails that were growing in a shallow ditch beside the road.

I turned around and went back to get a closer look.

If you are a regular visitor here, you know I can't just take pictures of things without finding out a little about them. Having been born and raised in Northeast Louisiana, which is home to thousands of lakes, ponds, marshes, bayous, and swamps, I was quite familiar with cattails when I was growing up, but never really thought anything about them, one way or another. I guess I'm more curious about things at this stage of my life, because I wanted to know more about how those cattails came to be growing in a little ditch beside MS Hwy 22.

While researching "cattails," I came across an interesting website (Study of Northern Virginia Ecology) designed for use by elementary-age students in Northern Virginia to learn more about their local ecology, and here is what I discovered about cattails:

Cattails can be found growing around ponds, marshes, rivers, lakes, and even ditches, as mine were.

"They are tall, stiff plants, sometimes growing to a height of almost 10 feet. The leaves look like giant blades of grass, about one-inch wide, and the 'flower' has two parts — a brown cylinder (the female part), and a yellow spike (the male part).

Common Cattails have roots that creep, called rhizomes, which grow new shoots quickly. This creates the thick stands which are great cover for the many animals that live among them.

Red-winged Blackbirds are probably the animal most associated with cattails. The blackbirds are often seen perching on them, and they also build their nests on them. Besides Red-winged Blackbirds, waterfowl, such as Mallards and Canada Geese, nest among cattails. Frogs and salamanders will lay their eggs in the water on and between them. Fish will hide or nest among them."

I'm disappointed that I didn't see any creatures or nests among the cattails I saw, but I was keeping a careful look out for a different species of animals that could have been lurking in the grass at my feet — snakes!

I also found out that "Common Cattails flower from May to July. In early Fall, the brown flower head pops open, letting its fluffy seeds emerge. These seeds are carried by wind or water to new places, and many species of birds use the fluff to line their nests."

I'll be sure to slow down when I pass the cattails the next time I'm traveling on Hwy 22, and hopefully, will be able to capture some pictures of the flowers after they have popped open.

A Visit to a Sorghum Field

2011-10-18T06:30:00.010-05:00

We travel MS Hwy 22 quite often, as it is a "short cut" from Vicksburg to Madison County where our daughter and her family live. I have done several photo shoots along Hwy 22, and, especially with the changing of the seasons, there is always something new and interesting to see.

For the past couple of weeks, we have noticed a huge field beside the road planted with a crop that resembles short corn, which my husband and I thought was maize.

The tops of the plants have recently turned a beautiful bright rust color, and the last time I passed by them, I felt the fields beckoning to me to return with my cameras.

But before I photographed it, I wanted to know what it was and researched photos of "maize" on Google Images (a wonderful research tool, by the way). I soon discovered that the fields on Hwy 22, are planted in Grain Sorghum (also known as Milo) — not maize.

I had heard of Sorghum, but didn't really know anything about it, so I googled it and found that it is one of the top cereal crops in the world, along with wheat, oats, corn, rice, and barley. It was originally cultivated in Egypt, but the largest producers of sorghum in the modern era are in Africa, although the crop has spread to southern Asia and the Americas as well.

Sorghum was probably brought to the United States by African slaves, who cultivated it in the Southern states. Some classic Southern recipes include sorghum, suggesting that it was integrated into American cuisine by the 19th century. The grain is also used around the world to brew beer.

An annual grass that is extremely drought tolerant, sorghum turns red and hard when ripe and is usually dried after harvesting for longevity, as the grains are stored whole.

Like other slightly exotic grain crops, sorghum is used primarily for animal feed in the United States, although cultivation of this grain is on the rise. The seeds, stalks, and leaves can all be fed to livestock or left in the field and used as a forage crop.

There is also a sweet sorghum, which is grown for the manufacture of syrup. I'm not sure which kind the sorghum growing along Hwy 22 is, but if I had to guess, I think it most likely would be the kind used for animal feed.

Now that I've probably told you way more than you wanted to know about sorghum, I would like to share the pictures I captured of the fields yesterday (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like to get a closer look).

The fields stretched almost as far as the eye can see, spanning acres of flat, delta lands ...

When I got out of my car and walked across the highway, I couldn't wait to get a closer look at those gorgeous rust-colored stalks swaying in the gentle breeze.

The plants stood around three feet tall and, although they were planted in rows, it was as if I was standing in a sea of rusty plants.

The individual stalks stood upright in spite of the heavy spiky seed pods on the tips.

Some of the stalks stood above the rest, like sentries on watch ...

One of the things I enjoy about photography is that I always seem to learn something new about the things and places I photograph. Whether it's a beautiful field of rusty plants on the side of a country road, or a deserted Mississippi "ghost town" rich with history ... every picture has a story behind it, and I love exploring and capturing the stories along with my pictures.

Next time, I will share a few pictures of lagniappe I came across after I left the sorghum field. I hope you will come back to see.

Photography with a Southern Accent

2011-10-17T05:50:00.001-05:00

I am sharing my photography blog today, which is called Photography with a Southern Accent.

If you click on the link, you can see a collection of random photographs I have captured through the years (please be patient, it may take the pictures a few seconds to load).

I'll be out roaming with my camera today, and hope to capture some new and interesting pictures to share next time. I hope you will join me.

A Prayer for the Seasons

2011-10-15T05:30:00.001-05:00

For weekend inspiration, I would like to share a beautiful prayer about the changing of the seasons, which one of my blog followers sent me.

Jane is a dear lady who lives in the Jackson area, and, although we have never met other than through e-mail correspondence, I never cease to be inspired by her unwavering faith. Her prayers always touch my heart, especially the ones she offered in behalf of our daughter Whitney and grandson Maddox, throughout Whitney's difficult pregnancy.

I asked Jane if she would mind if I shared this particular prayer here at Southern Lagniappe, and she graciously granted me permission. I hope it brightens your day like it did mine.

Dear Lord, thank you for all that we take for granted.
Seeing the leaves change ...
The smell in the air after a nice cooling rain ...
The full moon, so near, early in the mornings ...

[Borrowed from the Internet/Photo by Richard Campbell]

And God ... the wonderful children you have made,
on this earth to spread your word
and to make this world a better place for so many.
And, as always, we can never thank You enough for
what You did, so that we may be with You.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, my Dear Lord. AMEN!

They're Gone ...

2011-10-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

Our hummingbirds are gone.

I was going to take my feeder down, but I read that it's not necessary to take down feeders to force hummingbirds to leave. The initial urge to leave is triggered by the shortening length of sunlight as autumn approaches, and has nothing to do with temperature or the availability of food — when the bird is fat enough, it migrates.

I also read that by this time, the birds you see at feeders are already migrating anyway. If you remove your feeder, birds will just feed elsewhere, but may not bother to return to your yard the next year. Hummingbird experts recommend continuing to maintain feeders until freezing becomes a problem, so I am going to keep my feeder up, just in case a straggler stops by for a drink.

Hopefully, he or she will remember my hospitality when they return in the Spring.

Until then ... I bade them a fond farewell and Godspeed.

Like Sister, Like Brother

2011-10-13T03:15:00.001-05:00

Our grandson Maddox was nine weeks old yesterday. He has mastered the art of smiling and has moved on to perfecting his "cooing" techniques.

He is just on the verge of learning to laugh out loud, and his Grandmama (that would be me) thinks he is, without a doubt, the smartest baby boy (not to mention the most adorable baby boy) in the whole wide world. And I know for a fact that he is most definitely, positively, the sweetest baby boy in the whole wide world!

His little shirt may say that his "Mommy rocks," but his Grandmama rocks too! — just in a different way.

I think I deserve a t-shirt, too, don't you!

He loves his Fisher-Price activities mat, and is mesmerized by all the colorful little animals and lights and music ...

A penny for your thoughts, Little One ...

From the time he was born, his mommy and I both have said that it's scary how much he looks like his big sister Avery when she was a baby (she's six now), but it wasn't until I was looking at these pictures that I realized just how much he resembles her.

I took the next two pictures of Avery on her activities mat when she was two months old (she loved hers, too!) ... and it is just like looking at Maddox.

Maddox

They even held their hands the same ...

Maddox

Avery

It's almost like having twins six years apart!

Every time I look at this little one, I thank the Lord for watching over him and answering all the prayers that were said for him and his mommy, both before he was born and on the day he was born. He is, and always will be, our little miracle, and my heart overflows with love and joy every single time one of those precious little smiles is directed at me.

And, of course, the same is true about his sister, too.

Fall Potpourri

2011-10-12T09:00:00.005-05:00

I hope you are enjoying Fall's arrival where you live. We're having glorious weather here in Vicksburg, and I'd like to share a few pictures of what early Fall looks like in Mississippi ...

Moments in Time

2011-10-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

"Time never turns backwards
Its old charms to give.

In photographs only
Can yesterdays live."

—Edgar A. Guest

As a photographer, I can relate to the sentiments expressed by Mr. Guest in the above poem. Every time I take a picture, I am very much aware that I am capturing a moment in time, to forever be preserved in my picture. Whether it is a picture of our grandchildren ...

Or a picture of a butterfly ...

Or a picture of an historical Mississippi landmark that is slowly fading away ...

Windsor Ruins, Claiborne County, MS

Each of those pictures is frozen in time — just as it was at the moment I clicked the shutter button: A granddaughter's first kiss for her baby brother when we brought him home from the hospital, on the 13th day of August 2011. The glory of a Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly, as it stopped by our courtyard for a sip of nectar from our Lilac Chaste Tree, on August 12, 2010. And the Windsor Ruins, as they were when my husband and I visited them on the 18th day of February 2008.

Our little Maddox is eight weeks old now ... the butterfly is long gone to wherever butterflies go ... and the centuries-old bricks of the Ruins are slowly, but surely, still crumbling away with the passage of time.

Yes, Time marches on, as they say ... but I am so grateful that at this stage of my life God led me to pursue an interest in photography, and gave me just enough talent to inspire and encourage me to go out and take pictures.

During the past six years, I've taken thousands of pictures, and I've also discovered that behind every picture, there is a story waiting to be told. I love telling those stories and capturing them forever in my pictures — for I have learned that there is a lot of truth to the last line of Mr. Guest's poem ...

"In photographs only can yesterdays live."

Gone With the Wind

2011-10-08T21:50:00.002-05:00

A slideshow featuring a few nostalgic pictures I have captured during my ramblings of things and places that are "gone with the wind." The background music is Tara's Theme, from the Gone With the Wind movie soundtrack.

Rock-a-Bye Baby

2011-10-06T06:15:00.000-05:00

And I'm looking forward to a lot of playing and rocking time in the next couple of days while I babysit Maddox and his big sister Avery Grace.

I hope to get a lot of pictures to share, too!

The Glory of Sunflowers

2011-10-05T06:50:00.003-05:00

I see you there in glory shining bright,
Following the sun and its path of light.*

*From POEM TO A SUNFLOWER, by Katherine R. Lane, April 1995

I find it interesting that sunflowers face the sun at all times throughout the day, starting the day facing east, and ending it facing west.

The giant flower on sunflowers is actually made up of many tiny blooms, and the center of the sunflower, where the seeds develop, is made up of tiny blossoms that bees absolutely love.

Beauty is Where You Find It

2011-10-04T09:15:00.004-05:00

Beauty is where you find it ...
And today I found it in the trunks of trees.

Crape Myrtles
Pine Trees, Vicksburg National Cemetery
in Vicksburg National Military Park
Pascagoula Oak
Southern Magnolia Grandiflora
Vicksburg National Cemetery
Cedar Tree Trunk
Vicksburg National Cemetery

Old Gingko Tree
Vicksburg National Cemetery
My All-Time Favorite Tree

I hope you find beauty wherever today may take you. It's there waiting for you ... just look around and you will find it.

Monday Bouquets

2011-10-03T05:37:00.021-05:00

{ Bou-quet — flowers picked and fastened together in a bunch. }

Just sharing a few bouquets I preserved in pictures.
Isn't it nice to be able to do that!

Silk can be pretty, too!

Louisiana Lagniappe: Cypress Trees

2011-10-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

Lake Providence, Louisiana

Northeast Louisiana
(West Monroe)

Crotons: A Blaze of Color for Fall

2011-09-30T04:45:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite fall plants here in Mississippi, is the Croton (Codiaeum variegatum). It is a perfect "filler" plant to replace my long-faded and bedraggled summer flowers until I can plant pansies and snapdragons in late fall. Its dazzling gold, orange, and red glossy variegated leaves are sure to add a blaze of color wherever you plant it.

I recently planted these two Crotons in a flower bed in our courtyard, where even on rainy days (like today), their spectacular colors seem to add a touch of sunshine outside our windows.

They also do well in planters and urns ...

Crotons prefer bright light, and the sun really brings out the colors. They do well in the cooler fall temperatures here in Mississippi, but won't tolerate a freeze unless protected.

If crotons are hardy where you live, I think you would enjoy their beautiful display of fall colors, at least until Thanksgiving.

The Perfect Room

2011-09-29T06:45:00.000-05:00

I clipped this picture from the pages of Southern Living magazine probably twenty years ago, and recently came across it in my "House Files" notebook.

I scanned it into my computer so I could have it handy to study and use as inspiration. Every time I look at it, I see something different that I haven't noticed before, and I am amazed by how it still looks stylish and up to date, even after the passage of 20-something years.

I love the eclectic mix of styles -- from the elegantly formal grand piano, Queen Anne lamp table, Oriental chest, Chippendale (?) side chairs, and collection of blue and white porcelain pieces scattered around the room ... to the rustic pine "scissor-leg" sofa table, casual herringbone fabric on the sofa, and wicker and rattan accessories — all of which perfectly complement each other to create a beautifully warm and welcoming room that beckons you to come in and sit a spell.

I love the touches of black in the rug, and the piano, and the ginger jar lamp at the left end of the sofa — and the black background of the picture hanging over the mantel.

I love the simplicity of the twisted willow branches in the vases on the mantel ...

And the contrast between the elegant orchids (or lilies?) and the plain terra cotta planter on the coffee table.

I love the bookcases that actually have books in them, as well as the books stacked on the tables all over the room.

I love the neutral colors in the floral fabric of the draperies, and also on the two chairs in front of the piano.

And last, but certainly not least, I love the soft "taupe" color on the walls (also repeated in the rug and floral fabric), and the rich earth tones used throughout the space.

This beautiful room epitomizes what comes to my mind when I hear the words, elegant, timeless, classic, tasteful, warm, and inviting ...

In other words — absolute perfection!

I wish I still had the issue of Southern Living that featured this lovely room, so I could give credit to the homeowner or designer who created it. Perhaps I will get lucky and he or she will see this post and contact me.

Hummer Tales

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

I wish they would line the perches
up with the flowers, don't you!
Poetry in Motion ...
Uh-Oh! Here comes Trouble ...
Go ahead — make my day!
INCOMING!!
Whew! That was a close one!Ouch — That's gotta hurt!
Those red Crape Myrtles look pretty tasty.
I think I'll get a closer look ...
Beak-to-Beak Combat ...
Ever watchful ...
Ahhhh ... alone at last!
A little "piglet" hummer ...
Love those tail feathers and the expression on its face!
Y'all wanna play "Ring around the Rosie?"
Circling ...
Make room for me, guys and girls — I'm coming in!
Waiting patiently in the wings ...
They'll be leaving us soon, which is always sad, but I'm thankful for the pleasure of their company yet another summer, and will look forward to their return next year.
Until then ... Godspeed, little Hummers!

Mexican Petunias

2011-09-26T07:15:00.003-05:00

We visited my parents over the weekend at their home in northeast Louisiana, and enjoyed sitting on their back porch watching the antics of their hummingbirds as they swarmed around two feeders. I'll share a few of the pictures I captured of the hummers later this week, but today I'd like to share these colorful Mexican Petunias (ruellia brittoniana), which are growing in a flower bed near their porch.

Mexican Petunia is a perennial shrub that grows to be about three feet high and three feet wide.

When grown under hot sunny conditions, the foliage assumes a metallic bluish cast.

The flowers are trumpet-shaped, and between one-and-a-half and two inches in diameter.

They can be white, pink, purple, or any shade of blue, but I've never seen any color but the bluish-purple. The flowers bloom profusely during the hottest part of the year, and butterflies love them.

This is a picture of my Mexican Petunias which I took a couple of years ago. If you look closely, you can see butterflies in and amongst the blooms.

The plant is native to Mexico, but it can be found throughout the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, in some places, like Florida, it has been declared invasive.

Invasive or not, I love Mexican Petunias — but, then, I love Morning Glories ...

Chinese Tallow Trees ...
Honeysuckle ...
Kudzu ...

And Clover, too!

Farewell to Summer

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

To every thing there is a season ... and the season of Fall is upon us. Even though most of us have endured an unusually hot and dry summer this year, it's kind of sad to see it go.

As a way of bidding farewell to summer, I've created a slideshow of photos from my "Summer Flowers" collection and added the Theme from a Summer Place as background.

I hope you enjoy the slideshow as you reflect on your summer and look forward to the arrival of Fall.