Happy Easter To All My Blogging Friends

A Symbolism:

“The dogwood was the tree chosen to construct the Cross that would be used to take the body of Jesus. Even though His body may have been taken from this earth, His spirit remains and every spring we are blessed with a reminder of the events that unfolded on that fateful weekend. The blooms often appear in the shape of a Cross with holes in the tips of the pedals signifying the nails that were driven into the Cross. If you look closely at these holes you can notice a faint red stain representing the Blood. In the center you will find a green bloom symbolizing the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus. After the Crucifixion, God proclaimed that dogwood trees would never grow large ever again. This is the reason the trunks of dogwoods are skinny and often branch off low on the trunk. The dogwood is more than a tree…it is a representation of life. With every spring we are reminded of what God did for us and given the chance to be reborn and start a new life as “children of God”. (John 3:1)”

A Big Turkey for J.D.

J. D. Huges, 88 years old, killed this turkey on opening morning at Baytree Hunting Club in Chipola, Louisiana.  He killed it by himself and in his slippers, I might add! It weighed 19 pounds and had a 9-3/4 inch beard.  It was a great thing to see because he loves to turkey hunt but hasn't been able to get in the woods in awhile because of his health.

My congrats to J. D. and hope I'm hunting well into my eighties!  Way to go!

Stop To Smell The Flowers!

Today, I went across the street to visit my neighbor and she had these pretty orchids on her front porch.  I'm so glad I took my camera to get a picture of them.

Very pretty up-close!

I have a dogwood tree in my front yard that is starting to put out blooms just in time for Easter.

Some pretty wild flowers also in my front yard.

Dogwoods In Bloom @ Old Court House Museum

Today was a very pretty day (70 degrees) to get out and about and take some pictures.  The dogwoods are not quite ready but in a few days will go and take some more pictures and post them here.  

Across from the Old Court House Museum while standing on the lawn of the New Court House.

Everything is blooming!

Majestic old oak trees across from the Old Court House Museum.

The New Court House.

Majestic trees on the lawn of the New Court House which stands on both sides.

Two Does & Buck

My hunting friend, Dave Quick who lives in Frankfort, Indiana, took this video from his cam today of a buck still sporting it's antlers and hanging out with two does.

Facebook

Aground?

I went by the Louisiana Circle this afternoon and notice some barges that may have gone aground in the bend of the MS River.  It looks like an Ergon tugboat was helping out the bigger towboat.  You just never know what you might see when you come to the circle and look north and south hoping to see a boat, tugboat, towboat or a stern wheeler on the mighty Mississippi. 

Recent Cedar Hill Visit

Some pictures I took while at Cedar Hill Cemetery (City Cemetery) on March 6, 2013, Vicksburg, MS.

In the distance is the resting place of 5,000 Confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

An angel statue.

She has a broken wing.

A lot of buzzards basking in the warm sun.

Buzzards perched around the cemetery.

  Another beautiful angel statue.  I love the weathered look.

An up-close look.

Love the moss that has accumulated on the statue of JESUS.  

Challenges

" Take a stand for what you believe in, face your challenges head on."

Kylan's Big Buck!

Kylan Clay, 12, bagged an 8-point buck in Issaquena County on January 13.  The buck weighed 210 pounds and had 17-inch beams.  Kylan is the son of Robert and Cassie Clay.  

This picture was in The Vicksburg Post of On The Hunt where all hunters can submit photographs of wildlife that they have killed. It's never to late to post a deer that you have harvested in our great wild outdoors.  My congrats to Kylan!  I'm so proud of you!

Fuse Camouflage Phone Cases

Calling All Hunters!!!!

Realtree AP Camo

iPhone 4/4S Hard

Shell Phone Case

$19.99

Mossy Oak Rugged 

Orange iPhone 4/4S 

Shell Case

$34.99 

Mossy Oak Rugged

Pink iPhone 4/4S

Shell Case

$34.99

Mossy Oak Break-up

Infinity Camo Poly-

carbonate Shell Case

for iPhone4

$19.99

I just love these Realtree and Mossy Oak camouflage phone cases by fuse.

I would like to invite you to try their products and compare the design, quality and usability against the competition.  I think you'll agree, their products are nothing but high-quality, affordable, stylish, and fun.

Go over to www.fuseplusyou.com and check out these incredible looking cases and other camo products that they have to offer.  You will be glad you did!

Facebook     Twitter     Google+     

Birds-of-Paradise

Another glimpse at the beauty of nature.

Click Here

The little black dude that does his dance on his tiny legs is such a hoot!

Check out this site with birds-of-paradise. Amazing sounds and dances.

"It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change." ~ Charles Darwin

M/V John Grimsley #59 Passing By Vicksburg

Drove by the overlook this afternoon as the M/V John Grimsley #59 was just coming under the bridges headed north with it's tow.  Looks like the trees are putting out new "spring" leaves at the Vicksburg Riverfront Park.

M/V John Grimsley #59 - Needs a new flag!

Getting ready to make the turn in the bend of the Mississippi River.  You can see another towboat headed north.

Blooming Azalea

Pictures I took this afternoon of our azalea bush that is beginning to produce lovely pink flowers.

Hail Storm In Vicksburg

This afternoon we had warnings of a storm approaching and all of a sudden we had hail falling out of the sky.  Above is a picture of one that bounced on our front porch...I guess the size of a quarter.  

To the right of the porch is our driveway and you can see the top of our GMC Sierra truck that was covered with hail.  Good thing we have a huge oak tree that hangs over our driveway that may have protected the roof.  At least it was small compared to what happened in Jackson and Pearl, MS.  Hail the size of apples and baseballs fell that peppered the paint off of a house and blew out the windows of a home in Pearl.  Also, a lot of busted up car windows/vehicles.

On our bench on the back porch.

Oh Danny Boy ~ Elvis

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Turkey Season Officially Opens Today

I think this is a cool picture of the train coming and the turkeys.  Today marks the opening day of turkey season here in Mississippi and wishing all turkey hunters a very successful season.

El Rio Mexican Restaurant a Total Loss

This is what's left of a fire last night that consumed El Rio Mexican Restaurant Grill & Cantina on the street level and two apartments on the second floor in my hometown of Vicksburg.  The second floor was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.  No one lived in the apartments above the restaurant and owner Lorenzo Martinez said he was renting the lower part.

Much of the whole block was closed off to fight the fire and a crowd gather along Washington and South Streets to watch it.

The buildings next to the restaurant sustained smoke and water damages.  The cause of the fire has not been determined and is owned by Walton L. Courtney of Rolling Fork, MS.

Martinez said Courtney had told him that it had been foreclosed on but no foreclosure records could be found at the courthouse this morning.

Martinez said he saw Courtney before the fire, but Courtney could not be found after the blaze was reported.

Step-Granddaughter In National Honor Society

Each year, high-achieving high school students are inducted into the National Honor Society.  St. Aloysius High School had announced the new members.  The society, formed in 1921, is far students who show strides in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

Inductees are, front  from left, Tori Thomas, 16, daughter of Greg and Nancy Thomas; Maggie Waites, 15, daughter of Kearney Waites, Ronnie Ingram and Stacey Waites Ingram; Laura Phillips, 15, daughter of Greg and Eleanor Phillips; and Katrinka Wayne, 16, daughter of Robert and Anja Wayne.  Back row from left, John Tillman Thomas,  16, son of Gary and Dani Kay Thomas; Dixon Stone, 15, son of Rick and Patty Stone; Caroline Webb, 15, daughter of Ben and Tisa Webb; and Avery Parman, 15, daughter of Billy and Pam Parman.

Grandpa Bob and I are so proud of Laura!  Congratulations to you and to all your friends who made it into the National Honor Society.

M/V Capt. Gerald Boggs Passing Thru

M/V Capt. Gerald Boggs passing through Vicksburg this afternoon headed north with it's empty containers.

M/V Capt. Gerald Boggs getting ready to swing out and make a wide turn in the Mississippi River headed north to it's destination.

The Queen Of The Mississippi @ City Waterfront

I went down to the City waterfront around 12:30 today and took some pictures of the "new" Queen of the Mississippi.  She looked really nice.  She was not as big as the American Queen but would love to take a ride on her one day and the American Queen.  A Sysco truck was there delivering food supplies, etc.  I wished the truck had not been in the picture at this time but you get the idea how nice she is.

Much smaller smokestacks compared to the American Queen.

Video below of the installation last February of the above paddle wheel.

View of the back end of the ship with the Sweet Olive Tour boat (not in service) to the left.  

Front end of the ship with a spanking new gangplank.  

I took this picture across from the waterfront at Catfish Row Children's Art Park of this little bird waiting for the water to come out.  Smart bird?

I'm back at my truck and took this picture of two of three buses taking the passengers to points of interest around Vicksburg, mainly, the Vicksburg National Military Park.  The Queen of the Mississippi was docked to the far right on the other side of the flood wall.