Happy Halloween & Birthday Victoria!

Today is my granddaughter, Victoria's 24th birthday!  She is also a good Mother to my great grandson, Ian.  I want to wish her the very best and may all her dreams come true.  I love you very much SPOOK!  Gran Gran  xxoo

She's Dead Serious!

It's Towboat Time

Two towboats pushing a cover top hopper barge.

Scout and Ergonot towboats. 

Getting ready to go around the bend of the river.

Soon a small boat appeared bring supplies to....

...a working towboat coming into view.

Small boat pulled up along side the M/V Archie Wilson.

 

Unloading supplies.

Supplies loaded and heading north.

Big flyover of birds!

Another towboat pushing a working barge coning into view.

It's an Ergon towboat.

It may be headed to the Port of Vicksburg. 

Backyard Finds

Mushrooms all over the place.

I'm not sure what this is in my backyard.  Have lived here 21 years and the first time to see it.   

From my bedroom window I thought this was a snake.

Looks like a beetle (I think) caught up in a huge spider web.  

Squirrel on back porch checking out my flower pots.

Koi Fish @ Rectory

Friday we went by the rectory at St. Michael's Catholic Church and in front of the building is a small enclosure holding koi fish.  I was told by the secretary at the rectory that these were Father's babies.  She said in the winter that stay at the bottom where it is warmer and survive off the algae on the walls.  They are very pretty and bright fish.  I think they were happy to see me!

Lunch In The Courtyard

Today, my friend Joan and I attended the annual "Classics in the Courtyard".  The event offers a variety of entertainment through different genres of classic music.  There are local entertainers and local restaurants that provide music and lunch on Fridays from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. which began last Friday and will conclude on November 9th.  It is sponsored by a generous grant from ENTERGY Mississippi.  The entertainment is provided free and the lunch is $9.00 per person.  Reservations are required for lunch and today's was provided by Martins at Midtown/also on Facebook and had a delicious chicken salad sandwich with hot taco soup, cookie and sweet tea.

The diverse musical styles are a special treat for the community and it is also my old Alma Mater where I went to school for 12 years in one whole city block.  It is always fun to go back and be flooded with memories of my past.

This used to be a basketball court and was filled in with dirt and trees planted.

Entertainment was provided by Maria Signa and Jim Robinson at the piano. Introducing them is the Director, Annette Kirklin of the Southern Culture Heritage Foundation formerly St. Francis Xavier Academy.  

Bottom courtyard where we played and had our maypole dances.

Looking up at the top courtyard where a wooden walkway has been added.

Sun trying to peak through.  Predicting the temps to fall down in the 40's tonight and windy.

Writings on the walls in the tunnels.

I remembered climbing these steps off the courtyard many times.  If you turned left you would either go to the backstage of the auditorium or up the stairs to high school and to the right to the grammar grades.

Hwy 61 Coffee House painted sign in the tunnel.  The coffee shop is located downtown Vicksburg.  A great place to check out if you're ever in the area.

Beautiful Statues In Cedar Hill Cemetery

I went to the cemetery today to lay some flowers and while there took the time to take some pictures of some beautiful statues.  I love the weathered look that time makes on them.  Here are a few I took that you might enjoy viewing.  

A pulled out view of the first picture.

Two sisters.

Dated 1876 on an old fenced in plot.

I doctored on this one and like the way it looks.

Sharon's Tennessee Turkey!

My hunting friend, Sharon, lives in the hills of Tennessee near Pigeon Forge and has all kinds of wild animals around her home. Monday evening around 4:30 she heard a gobbler behind her house and decided then and there that she was going to get up early and hunt.  She even sent me a message on Facebook to wish her luck.  Yesterday, she sent me her picture with the turkey she got and was so excited for her.  Look at that smile! She is one happy turkey hunter!

She used to live in Vicksburg while her husband was stationed here for over a year with the government.  During that time I invited her to go to my camp to turkey hunt and we did for one full week.  We had a blast and you can check out our hunts.  We did not get a turkey but heard and saw them and I called up two turkeys that came running out of the woods into a field at 70 yards but took off running for the hills.

She has invited me to come and visit her and go turkey hunting and I'm looking forward to that day.  I have a Facebook friend that has made me a "new" turkey caller and I'm looking forward to getting it and practicing for the big day when we can hunt together in the hills of Tennessee.

My congrats to my friend in our great wild outdoors!  You go Girl!  I'm so proud of you!

Lucky Sevens Buck!

Pictured is, Eli, who shot this very nice 7 point buck recently. What is so neat about this particular hunt is that he was on stand #7 and he is 7-years-old. He is the son of David Hammonds.  My congrats to Eli and I'm so proud of him and know he is now hooked for a lifetime of hunting in our great wild outdoors.  

Two Happy Young Squirrel Hunters

Jake with his first squirrel!  His Dad, Scott C. Ellis, is my Facebook friend and lives in Mulberry, FL.  He said that he's been in the woods since he was in diapers...shooting bows and BB guns at 3 years of age.  He is a true little sportsman!  

Landon with his first squirrel and the son of Kayla Terrell Smith of Little Rock, MS. Kayla is my Facebook friend and I'm so proud of both Landon and Jake. The rifles they are using are as tall as they are and the smiles on their faces tells me they are hooked forever.  My congrats to both of these young hunters in our great wild outdoors!  

Bob Wins 2nd Place

My husband, Bob, joined The Vicksburg Art Association last year before the showing of last year's fall show.  He did not enter anything but wanted to feel his way through it.  This year for the first time he entered two paintings and a large copper tree.  He has been making copper trees for a long time now and just started doing acrylic paintings since the Spring of 2011.  When we went by to enter his paintings for the fall show he asked if he could possibly enter his tree. They told him yes and would be in 3-D art.  Last night he won 2nd place with his copper tree.  He was so proud!  My daughter and brother-in-law also came by to see all the paintings, etc., and shared the good news.

Large copper tree.  (3-D)

Bob standing proud!

My daughter, Kathy took a picture of us together.

A very large crowd showed up for the event.

Bob's art teacher, Joyce Grey, at the Senior Center also won 2nd place for her painting, Trouble In The Deep.

She also won Third Place for her, Hug Me, painting!

Easter, Honorable Mention and I'am A Peach #2, First Place

Resting Doe by Lisa King-Floore

Bird Nest Soup by Lisa King-Floore

Chester Martin with his painting of Fields of Orange.

Brother-in-law, Chris Ables, really liked the painting above, Court of the Kings, and said it should have gotten a ribbon.

From the second floor - I took this picture.

Coming down the steps.

Plaque at the bottom of the steps.

Rodney McHann standing proud by his walking stick called, Never Give Up, that he made from a root of a tree.

Best in Show - First Place - Never Give Up.