Away ...

I'm going to be away for a few days, trying to keep up with this little guy ... Hope you have a wonderful week filled with lots of lagniappe.

Just a Little Lagniappe

Just sharing a few pictures, along with my sincerest wishes for a happy and peaceful last weekend of November.

Thanksgiving Wishes

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 loved ones, 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 keep them safe, and let them know we are ever mindful and grateful for their dedication, courage, and the daily sacrifices they make for their country. With my sincerest wishes to you and your family for the best Thanksgiving Celebration ever!

Warm and Fuzzy Feelings

I've never cared for the taste of tea — hot, or cold — but a cup of hot spiced tea on cold days, especially during the holidays, makes me feel all "warm and fuzzy." My favorite hot drink is Crystal Light's Peach Tea. It's tangy and not too sweet, and it couldn't be easier to make. Just add a packet of tea to two cups of water, heat for two minutes in the microwave, and Voila! ... a perfect cup of hot tea! And speaking of "warm and fuzzy," these two little ones never fail to make me feel that way ... Avery Grace, 7 — and Maddox Riggs, 15 months With my best wishes to you for a warm and fuzzy weekend, too!

Forever in Pictures

I took a ride in the country last week and took my camera along in hopes of capturing some of Fall's glory. It was a beautiful fall day, and I enjoyed just "being out in it." I managed to find a few things along the way that I thought were worthy of preserving in pictures "for posterity." This colorful possum haw tree was on a fence row, and there was no way I could ignore its bright red berries beckoning me to stop. You can find these growing up and down fence rows along the interstates in Mississippi and Louisiana, and they are especially pretty in January when everything is in its "winter drab" season. I love traveling old U.S. Highway 80, and, as I entered the city limits of the little town of Bolton, Mississippi, I spotted this garden that appeared ready to be "put to bed" for winter. The reason it caught my eye was because the bean posts reminded me of crosses ... I need to go back in the spring and summer and capture this garden at its peak season. It is always a sight to behold. Bolton is a very small rural community, but several things jumped out at me as "worthy" of being preserved in a picture. I usually try to capture the water tower of every town I visit, and the Bolton tower, looming above the Bolton police station, was easy to find ... I found this glorious tree beside the railroad tracks, not too far from "downtown." The red door on St. Mary's Episcopal Church beckoned loudly to me ... isn't it beautiful! There are several charming old houses in Bolton, and I stopped to capture a couple of them. This little cottage was beside a larger house, but the yard was a good bit higher than the street and I didn't want to trespass, so I'm afraid my picture is kind of "blurry." Isn't it sweet, though! I love its rusty red roof. And I love this pretty setting. The bench and chairs looked so inviting ... My next stop in Bolton was to capture this Gingko tree ... I had to be quick, though, because there were a couple of dogs barking at me and I wasn't sure if they were behind a fence, or not! As I was driving away, I did a double take when I saw these breathtakingly beautiful Morning Glories growing on a post in front of the house with the barking dogs. Dogs, or not, I was determined to capture those flowers and took these pictures from the safety of my car ... I was happy that I had my zoom lens with me and was able to capture a few close ups. Otherwise, I think I would have had to risk meeting the barking dogs face to face in order to get a closer look at those magnificent Morning Glories. As I headed out of Bolton, I decided to loop back over I-20 to one of my favorite country roads. Although it's just a plain little country road, I can always "find pictures" waiting to be captured. Here are the ones I found last week ... I love the contrast between the colorful foliage and the darkness of the woods in the background ... It's always nice to look back at my pictures and remember the sights and sounds that surrounded me the day I took them. Like the train that was whizzing past me as I took the picture of the tree beside the railroad tracks ... and the barking dogs that made capturing that gingko tree even more interesting. And the "how great Thou art" thoughts I had as I captured those glorious leaves beside that little country road. My drive in the country was refreshing and uplifting, and I'm so pleased I captured a little of it forever in my pictures.

Fall Lagniappe

Although October brought several weeks of beautiful weather to Vicksburg, it was very dry and warm, with temperatures hovering in the mid-to-high 80s. Last weekend we enjoyed a couple of rainy days, along with cooler temperatures, and it seemed as if a fairy had waved her magic wand over the trees and turned the leaves from faded, washed-out greens to bright yellows, reds, and golds. Fall had finally arrived — almost overnight — and I was inspired to venture out to try to capture some of its glory with my camera. I wasn't disappointed, and, as usual, captured a little lagniappe along the way. Fields of Lavender My first stop was at a field on old U.S. Highway 80, that just a few weeks ago was white with cotton waiting to be picked. This is the way it looks now ... Isn't that a glorious sight! The flowers are actually a winter annual (aka a weed) called Henbit, which is a member of the mint family and is found throughout the United States. The fields are, indeed, beautiful, but the individual little flowers, which were covered with morning dew, are truly exquisite ... Henbit is probably not very popular when it's growing in your grass or cotton fields, but, after seeing these pictures, perhaps the next time you see some, you will remember the beautiful little flowers hidden amongst all those purple "weeds." Even better, I hope you will take the time to stop and see them up close for yourself. I can almost guarantee they will brighten your day! I invite you to join me next time to see more of the Fall lagniappe I discovered during my drive in the country. Here is a preview ...