Four Generations!

Picture taken outside of El Sombrero (Mexican Restaurant) after a family get-together yesterday. Tidus David and his Mom and Dad will be going back to Great Lakes, IL, today. I'm so glad that I got to see and hold him. I took a lot of pictures to put in my "new" brag book! We have myself, my daughter, Kathleen "Kathy", Tidus David and my granddaughter, Candace Lynn.

SusieQ!

I have a dear friend by the name of SusieQ (Sue Burch), whom I met approximately 9 years ago on a forum called, Bowhunting Bowsite. She is a lady hunter also and lives in South Carolina. Her website is called, The Burch Family. I have her linked on my website as well at, A Dixie Lady Deer Hunter. She is a real trooper since she has become disabled with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and other health problems since 2001. She still tries to get out there and deer hunt with her husband when she can. SusieQ has developed two more sites and is the Executive Director of Women Hunters and Bowhunters for Women. This organization is dedicated to the encouragement, education and promotion of women in the hunting traditions. They strive to instill the importance of ethics, responsibility and sportsmanship in hunters. They share their knowledge and experience while encouraging participation in the outdoors. Women hold the key to the future of hunting and WomenHunters® continues to contribute to the positive growth of hunting for future generations. This lady has really inspired me through the years. I was fortunate to have met her on the forum. Her question on the forum back then was, "Are their any lady hunters out there"?

Tidus David in Mississippi!

I had the most wonderful surprise today! My Great Grandson came to see me all the way from Great Lakes, IL. I was in a state of shock when my granddaughter Candace and her husband, Ryan showed up at our front door. They drove down last night and wanted to surprise the whole family. Ryan's on two weeks of medical leave from the Navy. They will be staying in Tallulah, LA, across the Mississippi River, at the other Great Grandmother's home until Thursday and will head back home, stopping in St. Louis, MO, to visit some friends. Tidus was a little fussy since he has been passed back and forth from Greats, to Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles, and etc. Posting a few pictures of the happy event. I am still in the state of shock!

Six Weeks Old!

Today happens to be my Great Grandson's six weeks on our planet earth. I'm so blessed to have lived long enough to experience this wonderful occasion in my life. I can't wait to hold Tidus David! His Dad and Mom live at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Great Lakes, IL. They are planning to come home for Thanksgiving. I'm sure he will be getting a lot of hugs and kisses when he gets here.

4th Charming, Just Charming!

We had a lot of fun riding around checking out deer stands and was fortunate enough to see several deer, a wild hog and quail.
It wasn't all play for Rex....here he is cutting grass by the witches' house directly across from the deer camp house!
Erin and I went out with Rex and GuyK to look around on the "gators" and a storm came up and we all got soaking wet. I have not had so much fun getting wet in a long, long time! I felt like a little kid again playing in the rain!
Denise and I enjoying quality time together. She always makes Bob and I feel at home and has become a very dear and special friend.
Rex visiting with his blogging buddy, GuyK, after he arrived and parked his camper behind the camp house!

It was so nice to meet GuyK of 'Charming, Just Charming' and his wife Penny. They are such nice people. They pulled into Vicksburg around 11:45 and hung around for about an hour, taking pictures, eating a quick lunch and then we were off to Rex's Christmas Place in the Delta. Before we got out-of-town, GuyK stopped along Highway 61 North and purchased some Smith County watermelons! After an hour and half we finally made it to the famous Christmas Place Plantation Hunting Club and was warmly greeted by Rex, the perfect host!

That Ragged Old Flag

I heard this on the radio yesterday and thought
it would be appropriate to post for the Fourth of July!



I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
in her own good land here She’s been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearin' thin,
But she’s in good shape, for the shape she’s in.
Cause she’s been through the fire before
and i believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don’t let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I *do* like to brag
Cause I’m mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"

Written and sung by Johnny Cash

A Pre-Fourth Blast!

We had a great time exploring the hunting club. Rex showed us some deer stands and here we are making our way across the Beaver Dam.

Burney cooked the crabs and craw fish. Denise and the wives at the camp prepared all the trimmings! It was a delicious feast!


Bob and Burney enjoying a ride to the beautiful 40 acre lake at the Christmas Place. The John Deere "gator/mule" is a fun way to travel around the camp.

Hershel "Chief" Howell and Bob having a good ole time talking about hunting and enjoying the beautiful day at the famous Christmas Place Plantation Hunting Club.
Bob and I are so blessed to have met Rex, Denise and the Howell Family. They have enriched our lives so much. We look forward to the future and building more fond memories with our new-found friends.

My Free Tickets???

I had won two free tickets to see Jason Aldean back in March of this year at the Vicksburg Convention Center and Auditorium, but the concert was cancelled. A computer randomly picked my name from the fan members of the River 101 Fun Country Radio Station. I was looking forward to seeing him. He is getting more famous day by day and on his way to making the big time. While Aldean is headed for the big time, Bob and I are headed to Rex's Christmas Place Plantation Hunting Club for a fun Saturday and the Fourth. Looking forward to visiting with him and his family/friends again. Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July my blogger friends!

Lucy's Annoying Brother, Ethan!

Playing with our (peek-a-poo) dog Katie!

Ethan's new Ducati motorcycles!

Ethan and I are spending some quality time together today. He went with me this morning to get a spray-in-liner for the bed of our new truck. We have been to "Wally-World" and just hanging out having the best time. Ethan is a well-mannered young boy and loves to read. He is looking forward to Youth Weekend when hopefully he will get a deer at the Christmas Place Hunting Club. Ethan will be in the 8th grade when school starts in August. He is the youngest of my three grandsons.

Tea Time With Lucy!

Having tea with my youngest granddaughter Lucy. We are spending quality time together today. I am so blessed with grandchildren. They bring so much joy to my life. I am very fortunate and a proud (Grandmother) Gran Gran!





Lucy enjoying her tea and cake!

Lucy will be 10 years old in September! She will not be the youngest much longer, because my youngest daughter, Suzi will be having her first baby in August. Another granddaughter! This will give me 5 granddaughters, 4 step-granddaughters, 3 grandsons, 2 step-grandsons and one great-grandson. I'm not bragging am I?

Practicing for Bow Season!

I took this picture of Bob back in September 1986 practicing for bow season. After Bob had his tree stand accident in 1993, he could never get back into a climber stand. A well broke and he was slammed up against the tree and broke his first and second ribs, wrenched his back and knocked out a tooth. He had his safety belt on and another hunter (Brad) was hunting nearby and heard the noise and went to check on Bob. When Brad got to Bob, he said he did not remember coming down from the tree. A few years later, this stand accident ended up in court, whereby we had to sue our lawyer for mal-practice. This lawyer was a sitting Municipal Judge in Memphis at the time of the hearing. We went to Federal Court here in Vicksburg and won!

Sir Ugly!

My girlfriend, Lynn and I were hunting together on a cold December weekend back in 1991, at Brown's Point Hunting Club on King's Point Island, near the Mississippi River, when I shot this ugly deer. It came out in a long deep draw and just stood there...Like....please shoot me, because I'm so ugly! No does want me! We both thought it was a doe and I decided to shoot and it dropped. We waited and saw that it was not dead and slowly walked down the draw to the deer. Could not believe as we got closer, that it was a 7 pt. buck! I had a .22 pistol on me and Lynn said that she wanted to finish the hunt. Bob was hunting down from us and when he heard the shot, he came to check on us. Before he saw the deer, I told him that I had just shot the ugliest deer in the woods. He laughed and said, I got to see this ugly deer. When he approached the deer, he wholeheartly agreed. I had him mounted on a plaque and Sir Ugly now has a place of honor in our home.

Ellis Nassour's Fame!

A picture of myself with a good friend of mine, Ellis Nassour, who coordinated tours headlining Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Peter, Paul & Mary, Al Hirt, Peter Nero, Connie Stevens, Julie London and Bobby Troupe. His first interview was with Bob Hope. He is at work on Marvelous Gals from Movie-Musicals and his first novel, The Scent of Magnolia. He's an international media journalist, veteran of The New York Times and New York Daily News and writes extensively for Playbill and Broadway Stars.com. Ellis has conducted creative writing seminars at Rutgers University, the Space Coast Writers Association, the University of Kentucky, Hinds College and the University of Mississippi. He is on the Executive Board of theatrical organization Drama Desk. September 2005 saw the dedication of the Mamie and Ellis Nassour Arts & Entertainment Collection at the University of Mississippi in memory of Ellis' parents [presently housed in the John D. Williams Library]. The launch of his 1993 Patsy Cline biography at New York's Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant began the annual St. Patsy's Day event (look-alike contest) on St. Patrick's Day night. Ellis was instrumental in getting Patsy Cline named to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. An updated trade edition of Ellis' Patsy Cline biography will be published in 2008. Ellis has made it really big in New York. He attended St. Aloysius which was run by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. I attended St. Francis Xavier Academy, which was run by the Sisters of Mercy. It is now called the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. Ellis and I also worked together part-time at the Strand Theatre after school hours. I told him one day at work that he would make it big one day. I was right! This picture was taken about five years ago at the Yeager Plantation in Mound, LA, at a small class reunion get-together. I am so proud of my hometown friend!

Billy's All Wet!

Bob took this funny/wet picture of Billy Boykin, Jr., at Brown's Point Hunting Club, Kings Point Island, around the new year about 19 years ago. Bob and I, Billy and his wife Lynn were the only ones at the camp hunting at the time. All the other hunters were smart and got out in time. The Mississippi River and the back waters had risen and the camp was slowly going under water. We had left our vehicles safely on the road and walked back to the deer camp to hunt some more. When we got ready to leave out the next morning, the water was so high that we decided to elect Billy to go and get the boat so we could get out. He had to wade into the cold frigid water to the other side to get the boat. It was not funny at the time for him, but as you can see he was trying to get his wet clothes off and change into some dry ones. Billy had harvested a deer the day before and we had to get our guns, etc., out of there. It was an adventure for sure! The look on his face tells it all! His favorite song he would sing all the time was, "I Feel Good"....but I don't think he was feeling so good at this point in time to sing, "I Feel Good"! More like "I Feel Brrrr Cold!

Happy 17th Birthday Carl!

Carl and I riding around on the 4-wheeler at Bob's camp, Homewood Hunting Club in Claiborne County. That day we hunted Bob's "Cedar Tree" stand but did not see anything. In 2003 Carl harvested a 5 pt. buck at my camp at Jasper Bottom Hunting Club in Claiborne County. Hopefully, this season he will either get another buck or his first doe.

Carl and I will be spending the day together. Will pick him up for lunch and take him to his favorite place, Ryan's. Family will get together later this afternoon to celebrate his 17th birthday.

John's First Visitors

We were John's first visitors of his newly purchased bus on Ebay. He picked it up in Texas and came through Vicksburg on his way back home to South Carolina. We met up with John at the Mississippi Tourist Infomation Center back in 2003.

Cally the cat!

Bob playing with Buddy!

John and Bob before we went in to see how he had refurbished the bus since his last visit to Vicksburg.


Bob and I visiting John in his Finn's Express Inn bus with his beagle dog named Buddy. John is also a blogger at On the road with Buddy and Cally Cat too!! Check it out!

Finn's Inn Express

You can check out Finn's Inn Express as he travels across the US in an old promotional Budweiser bus that he has converted into his home away from home. He pulls his motorcycle and convertible Volkswagon in the container behind him. Makes for a long pull. (Will have more pics to come)




Let me introduce you to John Finn, who is a former Boys Town classmate of Bobs'. After Rex and Denise left to go back home to Water Valley, MS, John wanted us to come by and visit him at the Ameristar RV Park. He was passing through Vicksburg going to Louisiana, Texas, on up to Montana and over into Wisconsin. He is originally from Columbia, SC. We enjoyed our visit very much and Bob caught up on his former classmates, their whereabouts and talked about old times. Later we took him to Ameristar Casino for dinner. It was an enjoyable evening.

Here's to Friendship!

Toasting champagne!
Other points of interest we took in was lunch at Anchuca Mansion and Inn and dinner at the new Riverview Buffet at Rainbow Casino.





What happens in Vicksburg, stays in Vicksburg!!