A Taj Mahal Morning Hunt

I was excited about being put on the Taj Mahal stand Tuesday morning which is the nicest one at the Christmas Place hunting grounds.  Rex (Deer Camp Blog) usually decides where Bob and I need to go according to the prediction of the wind patterns.  The wind prediction was going to be 14 miles per hour and with the chill factor it made for a very cold morning hunt.  Rex dropped me off and then he went to the Elbow Stand.  It was unfortunate that I did not see a deer but enjoyed watching a huge number of birds out in the fields where peanuts had been planted.  A hunt is never wasted because you have nature and God's creatures to enjoy and to keep you company!

In front of me.

Behind me where Rex brought me in.

Field to the left where I have seen deer come out...but not today.

Birds in the fields enjoying a left-over peanut feast.  

I took a couple of pictures of myself while hunting.

Deer stand in the distance.

A swarm of birds in the fields.

Morning hunt is over and time to pack up and leave with Rex on his way to pick me up.

Leaving the Taj Mahal!

My First Day of Hunt

Here we are...the day after Christmas...driving down Christmas Road when all of a sudden we saw Rex (Deer Camp Blog) on his 4-wheeler going to hunt.  We stopped and Bob jumped out, put on his hunting coat, his orange, grabbed his rifle and off they both took to the woods.  When I got to camp and brought in a few few things, Hershel (Rex's Dad), said he was going to take me to the Game Warden Stand so I could hunt for a couple of hours. Yay!  It was really cold and had been raining before Christmas and was looking forward to my first hunt, rain or shine at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club.

This stand is next to the Hillside National Wildlife Refuge in Holmes County and have seen deer/hog off of it but never took a shot. The scene from this stand is beautiful with the rolling hills in the background.  

A picture window!

Hog wallow to the left of the stand.

Rain picked up after I was in the stand for about an hour.  Saw no deer.  Bob and Rex saw eight deer and a big buck and could not make out the size being so far away at the North Cornfield stand.

View of the Game Warden stand with Rex taken back on May 5, 2007 - his Dad's stand.

Sneak Previews

These two pictures were taken last night while I was hunting on the North Cornfield stand at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club on the edge of the MS Delta.   Here are a couple of sneak previews of my hunt.

Waiting at the bottom of the deer stand for a hunter to come and get me as the sun sets!

Gone Hunting!

I will be off line for a few days to go hunting at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club on the edge of the Mississippi Delta.  Hopefully, we will get a deer or a hog or both!  Check back in a few days with the adventures of the hunt!  

In Vicksburg Christmas Paper

In The Vicksburg Post Christmas paper, my picture that I took a week ago, was published.  I'm always humbled and grateful by the fact that my pictures are good enough to be in our paper.  Thank you Vicksburg Post!  Below is what was written under the photo...

Marian Love Phillips of Vicksburg was in one of the many vehicles that passed through the Glenwood Circle neighborhood after luminaries were placed by area Boys Scouts.

What Christmas is All About!

Happy Birthday John Gregory!

Today is my step-grandson's, John Gregory's 18th Birthday!  Grandpa Bob and I want to wish him a very Happy Birthday and may he have many many more to come.

John is a senior at St. Aloysius High School and recently his swim team won the 2011 MHSAA State Championship. John is also an avid deer hunter who bagged a very nice 10 point buck at Brown's Point Hunting Club north of Vicksburg when he was very young. (story here).  He plans to attend college either at Mississippi State or Ole Miss. We are wishing him the very best of luck in whatever the future holds for him.  Love and Hugs!  

Our Youth On The Hunt!

Dalton Morgan, 10, was hunting with his father in southern Warren County when he shot this 11-pointer.  Dalton made the 165-yard shot  with a 7mm-08.  The buck's rack had a 15-1/2 inch spread and 24-inch beams.  Dalton is the son of Brian and Jaclyn Morgan.  

You can see the excitement in Dalton's eyes!  My congrats to him and his awesome buck! 

Birmingham residents Solomon Muhammad, left, and Khalil Muhammad were visiting their grandmother in Vicksburg when they hunted down this 10-point buck.  They took the deer at Johnson Deer Camp in Warren County with a 30-06.  Solomon, 14, and 16-year-old Khalil are the grandson of Nancy Johnson and the late Noah Johnson of Vicksburg.

My congrats also to Solomon and Khalil on their nice buck that they bagged in our great outdoors!

Grant's First Deer!

This past Wednesday, Grant, shot his first deer, a very nice 8 point buck!  My Class of 1959 classmate, Walter, sent me a picture of his proud grandson yesterday.  Walter's son has a deer camp in Lowndes County, west of Montgomery, Alabama, where the deer was bagged this past Wednesday.  This is a great birthday present for Grant since he just turned 13 years old.  My congrats to Grant who is now hooked for life on being a hunter in our great wild outdoors.  

Waiting For Santa!

Have you ever wondered what the family "Fido" thinks, or even knows, about Christmas?  I believe that he knows much more about the "Reason for the Season" than you might think.


Check out the video above and watch quietly as our four-legged friend makes his point.  I do believe you will be pleasantly enlightened.

Santa With My Granddaughter!

My youngest and sweetest little Emma in Virginia telling Santa what she wants for Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Click here:  Santa's Jigsaw!

Making Waves on The MS River

We have not been by the Louisiana Circle Overlook in a week or so and drove by to take a quick peek Saturday afternoon. As we were turning in we saw a big towboat pushing a huge load of barges turning in the bend headed north.  The river has been on the rise again and at present standing at 38.8 feet with the flood stage at 43 feet.

A small towboat with an empty barge making it's way south towards the mouth of the Yazoo River, most likely going to the Port of Vicksburg.

Completing the turn and on it's way.  It would be nice to cut the trees down so we could have a bigger view of the bend in the river at the Louisiana Overlook...at least the leaves were off the tree.

Santa With My Great Grandson!

I love this picture of my great grandson, Ian, with Santa!  As the story goes...he was afraid of him until Santa held up some candy and Ian came running and got up in his lap!  It worked!  Great Gran Gran loves you Ian!  xxoo

Vicksburg Hunting Youth - You Go Girls!

Olivia Oakes bagged this 8-point buck while hunting in Claiborne County.  Its rack measured 14-1/2 inches.  She made the 75-yard shot with a 7mm-08.  Olivia is the daughter of David and Ida Oakes.

Eight-year-old Mary Claire Lovins used an AR-15 to shoot this 8-point buck at Buck Bayou Hunting Club on November 23.  The deer weighed 222 pounds, and its rack was 18-1/4 inches wide and 22 inches long.

Elizabeth Hughey bagged her first deer while hunting with her father, Bob, in northern Warren County on November 19.  The 10-pointer's rack measured 15 inches on the inside spread and the main beams were 20 inches.  It was shot with a .243 from 120 yards away.


I am so proud of these three young ladies hunting in our great wild outdoors and my sincere CONGRATS to each one of them.  Yay!

Our Doctor's Double Delight

Dr. Walter Johnston, our doctor, has had an excellent deer season so far with two nice 8 points and a doe!  Below are pictures of his 8 points that he has shared with us.  One taken at his deer camp and the bigger one taken north of Vicksburg and back to his camp.  He is such a dedicated and compassionate doctor and we are so pleased that he has taken time out for himself to enjoy the great sport of hunting in our wild outdoors!

Nice 8 point at his camp.

He shot this buck at 300 yards and weighed approximately 300 lbs. with his .700 rifle.

Beauty Out My Front Door

As I step out my front door you're almost blinded by the beauty of the trees across the street of yellow and orange.  Of course, it want last long now with a storm headed this way later today and winter starting next week.  I don't remember it being this pretty last year but glad to be able to enjoy the fall foliage mid-December.  

At top is a huge limb from an oak tree next door.

A huge water oak tree that hangs over our house from next door.

Used to be four huge oak trees next door but one was cut down.

 

A Dog's Seeing Eye Dog

This is one story that will warm your heart....it is truly inspirational!

Lily is a Great Dane that has been blind since a bizarre medical condition required that she have both eyes removed.  For the last 5 years, Maddison, another Great Dane, has been her sight.  The two are, of course, inseparable.

"People will forget what you said; People will forget what you did.  But people will never forget how you made them feel."

Some Senior Fun

On Monday afternoon's I enjoy going downtown to the Vicksburg Senior Center to a dance class.  We mainly line dance now for about an hour and half.  When I joined back in the late '90's we had line dancing for an hour and then ballroom dancing for another hour.  The center is run by the City of Vicksburg with Jennifer Harper as the Director and lots of activities to enjoy. There are educational programs, exercises, card games, water color art, oil painting classes, bingo, a knitting class and open use of the computers.  My husband, Bob, enjoys the oil painting classes.  The Senior Center just had their Christmas Party at the Old Southern Tea Room this past Friday and this coming Friday will have ladies playing Dulcimers of Christmas tunes and Dirty Santa.  In January and February our Pi Alpha Kappa, Omega Chapter, meetings will be held at the center.  We are very fortunate to have this facility in our hometown.  Below are a few pictures I took last night at the dance.  We each brought some snacks for our little Christmas Party to enjoy.  I made some lemon cake cookies and will share that recipe with you.  They are very easy to make and delicious!

Lemon Cake Cookies

1  box lemon cake mix

1 stick butter - melted

salt

3 eggs

Vanilla or Almond extract

Spoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 mins.

Place on rack to cool.

Icing

1 pkj. cream cheese

1 box powdered sugar

Lemon Extract

salt

Spread icing on cookies w/knife

(You can also use a strawberry cake mix and put vanilla extract in icing)

Vicksburg Senior Center's Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas!

What A Fantastic View!

What a fantastic view - at a new angle!

My sister, Laura, had her birthday party Saturday afternoon at the home of my nephew, Joey's, girlfriend near the bridges.  What I would give to have a view like this out my window everyday!  As you know, I love taking pictures of the towboats going up and down the Mississippi River.  I was so excited when I saw how close we were and was able to take some pictures before it got too dark. Above is towboat, J. Russell Flowers, pushing a barge just passing under the I-20/Old Hwy 80 bridges loaded with coal going south.  

Princess, her pit bull, was in the backyard.  

I zoomed in and got towboat, Joe Bobzien, passing under the bridges from her front living room window.  

A small supply boat catching up to deliver groceries to towboat, Joe Bobzien.  

My great niece, Anna Claire, Chris, brother-in-law and sister being handed her cake to blow out her candles by her son Joey, my nephew.  My husband, Bob, sitting in chair out-of-view.

The bridges are all lit up like a Christmas tree after sundown.  She's also a deer hunter and told me that deer are always in her yard walking around within the city limits.  Her 10 year old son is also a hunter and puzzled why he cannot shoot them!