The Natchez National Cemetery

This was my first trip to the Natchez National Cemetery in Natchez, MS, this past Sunday. My friend's husband passed away in January and I made the trip with her to visit his grave. I took a few pictures to show you the cemetery.    

Rows and rows of soldiers that were cremated in this section.  When a wife dies she will have her name engraved on the back of her husband's tombstone, if she chooses to be cremated.  

Robert "Bobby" Lane Armstrong 

 Thanks for serving our country and may you rest in peace.  

Memorial services for Robert "Bobby" Lane Armstrong, Jr., was held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 2, 2015, at Christ Episcopal Church in Vicksburg with the Rev. Samuel B. Godfrey.  Burial was held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday February 5 at Natchez National Cemetery.  

Mr. Armstrong died January 12, 2015 in Natchez.  He was 68.

He was born and worked in Monterrey, California as a police officer and retired 12 years ago in Vicksburg. Survivors include his wife Linda Johnette Armstrong; a daughter, Rosie Irene Armstrong, two sons, Robert Lane Armstrong III and Jack Russell Armstrong.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Christ Episcopal Church, 1115 Main Street, Vicksburg, MS  39183.

Looking back towards the Mighty Mississippi River.

Looking towards the entrance and across the road to another part of the national cemetery.

POW-MIA flag flying overhead.

To be continued...

Pix Of A Century Plant

Agave Americana is a common name for the century plant. 

Yesterday, a friend and I drove to the Natchez Cemetery in Natchez, MS, to visit her husband's grave on the military/veteran  side.  As we were approaching the cemetery she told me that this was a century plant on the hill.  I have never heard or seen one and took this picture. 

I found out that it is a species of flowering plant in the family Agavaceae, originally native to Mexico, and the United States in Arizona and Texas.  Today it is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant. 

Although it is called the century plant, it typically lives only 10 to 30 years.  It has a spread of about 6-10 feet with gray-green leaves of 3-5 feet long, each with a prickly margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce to the bone  Near the end of its life, the plant sends up a tall, branched stalk, laden with yellow blossoms, that may reach height of up 25-30 feet.

The plant dies after flowering, but produces suckers from the base, which continue its growth. 

My Sunday trip to Natchez to be continued...

Venison!

Right on!

Deer Pix By My Facebook Friend

My Facebook friend, Mike Persichini, can take the most awesome pictures of deer in their habitat near his hometown in Michigan.  He also feeds them and they have come to trust him.  I look forward everyday to seeing what pictures he has captured.  Mike has been taking pictures of these beautiful animals for the last 15 years.  Here are a few he downloaded today for his friends to enjoy and I know you will enjoy them as well. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Life Of Hunting

 

Meet Dragon

Rare white-faced fawn, rejected by mother, finds new life at animal farm.

CEDAR SPRINGS, MI -- As Hilary Powell walks away from a small, fenced enclosure in front of her home, a week-old fawn inside begins to cry.

The high-pitched noise is incessant at first as the fawn — all legs and no taller than knee-high — moves awkwardly like a child learning to walk.

It is hard for Powell to walk away hearing the cries that make her feel like a bad mother for leaving it alone, she says.

After all, she is the only mother the white-faced fawn knows.

Born in May of this year at Deer Tracks Junction farm, the fawn, named Dragon by Powell's 19-year-old son, was unique from the start. His birth mother, "Bunny" is a special type of whitetail deer known as the Piebald, which carries a genetic defect causing it to have large areas of white in its coat. The defect reportedly occurs in less than 1 percent of the whitetail deer population.

Dragon was rejected by his mother after birth, likely by natural instinct because he looks different than other fawns. His white coloring would cause him to stand out rather than blend in when trying to hide in nature, Powell said.

Dragon spent his first few nights inside Powell's home being bottle-fed before graduating to his own small pen in her yard. Powell still handles his feedings.

Later this summer, as he grows and becomes stable, he'll join the other deer in a large fenced-in pasture area. This could happen as early as July, Powell said.

Dragon was a masculine name chosen by Powell's son because so many of the other animals have softer-sounding names. The fawn has a white face, legs and underside, blue eyes and a pink nose. He was walking right after birth, Powell said, and will grow significantly just in his first year.

Deer Tracks Junction opened in 2012 along 14 Mile Road in Cedar Springs. It's a working farm that offers educational opportunities for children and families.

The farm continues to expand. Visitors are able to walk around and in some cases feed, handle or pet animals. Powell and her husband, Kelly, have several deer, goats, mini donkeys, KuneKune pigs and more. They all have names and most will hurry over to Powell for a treat when called by name.

The farm is a challenge that keeps Hilary Powell busy year-round. But she enjoys seeing it all through the fresh eyes of visitors.

"There's all these places that people could go and they choose to come here to make memories," she said of those who stop by. "It's very humbling to be part of the memories people are making."

Dragon's Video

A Hunter's Prayer

Checking Out Chotard Landing

Yesterday, my daughter and I took a nice drive up to Chotard Landing and Resort which is located 20 miles north of Vicksburg, off of Highway 61 North.  Also, it is 24 miles on Highway 465 and sets on the banks of Chotard Lake, a Mississippi River Oxbow. Chotard Landing Resort offers a place of tranquility for the fisherman and outdoors person at heart. It is within driving distance of Mahanna WMA, Shipland WMA, Twin Oak WMA and Delta National Forest. 

They have a country store, live bait, tackle, ice, gas, MS hunting & fishing license, boat rental, boat ramp, clean rest rooms, laundry mat, tavern, live entertainment, scheduled cook outs, scheduled events, camping, RV parking, cabin/condo rental and annual rental spaces. 

Due to levee construction by Eagle Lake, detour directions were provided above to Chotard Landing Resort.

 

Leaves are changing and looks like fall is in the air.

Looking to the left from the levee.

Levee/Hwy 465

An egret sunning.

Egret's enjoying the day.

Love this picture of an egret.

MS Alligator Records Broken

 Kenny Crechale of Morton and Ronnie Clifton of Petal.

Davis Island - An alligator that was 14 feet, one-quarter-inch long and weighing 826 pounds broke Mississippi records that other alligators had set earlier that day for length and weight.

Ricky Flynt of the state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks commented that it's the first officially documented in the state at more than 14 feet long.

He says it was shot Saturday by Kenny Crechale of Morton, hunting with Ronnie Clifton of Petal. Flynt says it was on private land, where permits let people take alligators during daylight with high-powered rifles.

Clayton Gibson, Parker Gibson, Reeve Gibson, and Aidan Gibson, all of Natchez, broke the state record for heaviest alligator with this 822-pound beast.

Earlier Saturday, Flynt had certified an 822-pound gator as the heaviest male harvested in the state.  Shortly after, Angelia Rivers of Ellisville, hunting with her husband, two daughters, a son-in-law and a daughter's boyfriend, for the longest gator measuring 13 feet, 7 3/4-inches.  

The public lands season lasts until noon on Labor day.  

The private land permits can be filled through 6 a.m. on September 21st.

Keep Calm

Yes!

Picture Of Queen Published Today

Queen:  Marian Love Phillips took this photo of the Queen of the Mississippi riverboat docked at the waterfront last Wednesday so the passengers could tour historical Vicksburg.  The riverboat will return again Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Thanks again to The Vicksburg Post for publishing my picture!  It makes me proud to know that it is worthy enough to be in our hometown paper.  I posted about the Queen of the Mississippi this past Wednesday when she docked at our waterfront.  She will return tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.  Not sure if she will be southbound/northbound and will return on September 9 at 8:00 a.m. loaded with more passengers to tour our historical civil war town of Vicksburg, MS. 

Tribute To Deer Hunting

Deer hunting brings millions of people together in America every year. Hunting whitetails is what unites us as friends and family. Antler Addicts felt inspired to make this deer hunting tribute because they see a need that each one of us needs to be more unified as hunters.  

An excellent video for all hunters in our great wild outdoors!

Published on October 24, 2014 by Antler Addicts.

Working The Ole Man River

Today I drove by the Louisiana Circle to check out the river traffic and got lucky. The M/V City of Greenville was passing by.   

A close-up of the M/V City of Greenville.

Here comes another towboat under the bridges and it was...

M/V Katherine Berry.  

M/V Katherine Berry on her way northbound on the Mighty Mississippi at Vicksburg, MS.  Wishing both riverboat pilots safe travels!

Queen Of Mississippi Docked Today

The Queen of the Mississippi paddlewheeler docked at our waterfront in my hometown of Vicksburg, MS, today. It's always a pleasure to see and to welcome all her passengers to our historical civil war town and to the Vicksburg National Military Park. The weather was a perfect day for touring and site seeing.  She will be back to see us again on August 30, at 2:00 p.m. and also on September 9, at 8:00 a.m.