Johnny Cash~How Highs The Water Mama

No Walk in the Park for Wildlife!

Cattle graze Friday on the levee at Eagle Lake north of Vicksburg.

Deer, forced by flooding to keep on the move, run Friday at Tara Wildlife.

High waters have gators, cattle, deer, others on the move!

The Lord's Prayer by Zoei

On The Hunt-Turkey Time!

Hunter Screws, the son of Ellis and Karen Screws, killed his first turkey while hunting in Delta National Forest on March 13. The big bird weighed 26 pounds, had 1 1/8-inch spurs and an 8 3/4-inch beard. Congratulations Hunter for your fine turkey harvest in our great outdoors!

My Precious Granddaughter

My daughter, Suzi and her hubby Dennis, who lives in Fredericksburg, VA, sent me a picture of Emma Claire at 7 months old. I'm looking forward to being with Emma on her first birthday in July. This is a sweetthing! What a way to celebrate my 500th post!

Rising Water Downtown

Yesterday I went downtown and rode up on one of two parking garages and got a few pictures of the rising water at the waterfront. You can see the opening gap in the wall straight ahead (which is the exit) and the city is laying railroad ties down and plugging the holes and will continue to raise it up as the water rises. You are looking at the Yazoo Diversion Canal which empties into the Mississippi River. To the left is the Horizon Casino boat which is in a cofferdam and rises with the water. The hotel is pictured below.
Looking down is the Catfish Row Art Park and you can see the trees are under water outside the wall. The rig in the water had been used for widening the channel so the towboats and barges could get to and from the Port Of Vicksburg. With the Yazoo River on the rise, operations are at a standstill. Also, you can see the beautiful murals that Robert Dafford & Co., has painted on the flood walls. Charming, Just Charming!

Videos of Rising Water

Mississippi River Continues to Rise....

Vicksburg Flooding....Bob Rall Narration

More Vicksburg Flooding....No Narration

At Mississippi Welcome Center

Looking south of the Mississippi Welcome Center, Vicksburg, MS. You can see how swollen the river has become.

The current is really swift and swirling...The I-20 bridge is to the left and to the right is the old Hwy 80 bridge. The Hwy 80 bridge is closed now and used only for rail purposes. Pier 4 shows scars from numerous hits from barges trying to maneuver going downstream.

Don't Pressure Deer on Levees

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife,Fisheries & Parks (MDWFP) had this to say about the deer and the rising water....
The rising flood waters along the Mississippi River are forcing white-tailed deer to seek refuge on high ground. When water floods areas normally inhabited by deer, the animals seek dryer land, usually on a nearby levee. Large groups of deer can be seen along various levee systems throughout the Delta region, according to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Deer Program Leader Chad Dacus. “People don’t need to go out and look for deer on these levees,” Dacus said. “When you put pressure on them they’ll return to the flooded areas. The best thing to do is back off and leave the deer alone.”

MDWFP conservation officers are working flooded areas in an effort to help those affected by the rising waters. MDWFP Law Enforcement Bureau Chief Steve Adcock said the officers are working the flooded areas by boat and are assisting landowners. They’re also working with other law enforcement agencies to deter criminal activity. “We have officers patrolling those areas constantly to help anybody that needs help and we want to be out there to protect property and prevent looting,” said Adcock.

Welders Out Of Work

Here's an update on the flooding in Vicksburg....
LeTourneau (producer of offshore oil rigs) has laid off 1,165 (welders) employees because the river has rose over LeTourneau Road (south of town) forcing the plant to lay off 1,300-person work force and the Yazoo backwater has threaten crops. The Mississippi River is to crest at 49.3 feet on Sunday. As of yesterday it was 48.7 feet. It rose 0.3 foot. The flood stage is 43 feet. An estimated 200,000 acres of cropland is already under water inside the levee system north of town. Warren County officials closed LeTourneau Road yesterday morning and will not be able to get people to its production facility on the MS until the river falls back below Tuesday's stage of 48.4 feet, which may be a week to 10 days. I saw on the news the other day where deer at Tara Wildlife were all huddle together trying to stay on higher ground (levee) north of town. The road going to Tara has been closed due to flooding over the road. With more rain forecast for this evening and tomorrow it want help the flooding situation. Again we are bracing for some more bad weather.

STAR Student ~ STAR Teacher

Christoper P. Rabalais

St. Aloyisus High School

Christopher, the 18 year son of Conrad and Patricia Rabalais, is a member of the football, track and field, Quiz Bowl and math and science teams at St. Aloyisus. He was the winner of the Kodak Young Leader Award and the 2008 Virgadamo Award, was named a 2007 National Scholar Athlete and was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha and Key Club. He was also co-editor of his school's yearbook in 2007 and became an Eagle Scout in 2005. Christopher plans to attend Louisiana Tech University and study civil engineering.

Christopher's STAR Teacher is St. Al algebra and calculus instructor Eleanor Phillips. She has a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Mississippi State University. This is the third time Phillips, who has taught for 17 years, has been named a STAR Teacher.

Eleanor is our daughter-in-law and we are so proud of her. Congratulations El! This is a sweetthing!

Flowers & Birds Oh My!

This planter birdhouse is on one of our post at our cypress bungalow home. The other day Bob and I noticed as we were sitting on our porch glider that a wren was flying back and forth to the birdhouse.

As we looked in you could see three little babies. It was very enjoyable watching Mama and Daddy Wren feeding their chicks. I checked it this morning and they were all gone...I guess you might say...they flew the coop!

Our azaleas are in full bloom now. I'm surprised the storm that came through the other day did not knock all the blooms off. We are enjoying the spring here in Vicksburg.

Yesterday, I picked up our Anniversary Flowers at The Ivy Place that we won on Fun Country Radio Station - River 101 that I had posted on April 4, 2008. There is a mixture of pink carnations, daisies, white roses, and a lily. With this package we also won one free hotel night stay at Horizon Casino/Hotel and Dinner for two at Cedar Grove Mansion Inn and Restaurant. We were very lucky. This is a sweetthing!

River on the rise!

Drove by Rainbow Casino/Hotel this morning and took a few pictures. As you can see the River is getting closer to the casino. Notice the trees underwater already.

Towboats trying to round up floating barges. The Mississippi River is really close to Hotel now.

To the far right is a new casino being built. It will be named Riverwalk Casino.

The MV Cindy Celeste

The Cindy Celeste tow takes on water as barges float loose on the Mississippi River south of the bridges Sunday afternoon.

Four of about 10 barges that broke loose after hitting the U. S. 80 Bridge Sunday afternoon float past Rainbow Casino. The circular tower to the left is where the Riverview Buffet is located and you can get a great view of the Mississippi River while you dine. Bob and I have ate there with Rex and Denise when they came to visit us. A birds eye view!

According to The Vicksburg Post yesterday, more restrictions for traffic on the Mississippi River at Vicksburg might be ordered after a fourth tow hit the U.S. 80 bridge Sunday, broke apart and sent half its barges careening downstream and seriously imperiled the crew.

"It was a close call," said Albert Smith, fleet manager for Ergon Marine, which has been rounding up free-floating barges. "My guy called me and said they were fixing to start getting people off the boat, but it was able to get turned around and saved."The bow of the towboat, the MV Cindy Celeste, apparently plunged after the impact and started taking on water. Once facing the current, pumps were able to remove water from the hull. The swirling and cross currents have now sent four tows into bridge pilings in 12 days. The MV Cindy Celeste was pushing 19 barges at about 2:30 pm when it literally was pulled into Pier 3 of the bridge by a quick current. “The current was shoving him so hard there was no way the poor guy could get away from it,” said Smith, who watched the accident on video. Two cameras mounted on the bridge recorded the accident. Some barges were loaded with corn and others with steels. (I heard this distress call on our scanner at home)

Albert Smith of Ergon reinforced the dangers. “We haven’t totally wrapped up the first barge accident, so that gives you and idea of what we’re facing,” he said. “The current is so fast right now, we just can’t get to some barges we have tied off to trees down river.”

Barge traffic restrictions have been in place for more than a week, both on the number of barges that can be cabled together for south-bound trips and on the times loads may pass under bridges in Vicksburg, Greenville and Memphis.

Trees Stake Their Claims

Paul Buford was lying on his couch on Firemans Lodge Road near Eagle Lake (north of Vicksburg) when the winds started howling. He got up walked to a window and saw tree limbs falling in a vacant neighboring lot. "The next thing I knew the whole house was exploding," said Buford, "and I was standing next to a tree that was on my couch. It missed me by a few inches, or maybe less. I have a few scrapes on my back." A large pecan tree, roughly 35 inches in diameter and 100 feet tall, crashed straight through the house, splitting it almost equally in two. On Saturday, the upstairs bathroom and bedroom stood exposed, the bed still made and a placard with a Bible verse from the Book of Proverbs still nailed to what remained of the wall. It reads, "Trust the Lord with all your heart." Buford said he's thankful to be alive, too, but he can't help but feel a bit sour about his luck as of late. The house he previously lived in on an adjoining lot burned down two years ago. More recently, he had a motorcycle accident on the levee near Eagle Lake and broke his shoulder blade. The most stinging pain of all -- his home and its contents -- were not insured. "I'm lucky to be alive, but I'm also sick about all we've lost," he said. "We really didn't have a lot, but it was all we had."

This lady shown here is Barbara Quirk and her sister is one of my best friends who now lives in Pensacola, FL. She is looking at the damage from a downed oak tree in front of her house at 6480 Halls Ferry Road Friday. Actually, I have been in this home. Glad it did not hit it -- pretty close. Also, two trees and power lines blocked the road, forcing cars to find alternate routes.

Tommy Hutto who lives at Eagle Lake looks at his prized 2006 Chevrolet Z71, which became home to a pecan tree during the storm. I worked with Tommy and his wife at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Thank the Lord it did not hit their home!

Storm Aftermath!

This shows the exit from the Vicksburg floodwall on the waterfront which has been barred up and more beams will be added as it begins to rise. This is called the Yazoo Diversion Canal which empties into the Mississippi River. It looked like it was leaking through the beams this afternoon.

You can see this all over town, Entergy crews and tree surgeons trying to get things cleaned up and restored.

This down tree was at the Mississippi overlook where I took a picture of the playground park below.

The Mississippi River is very close to the playground near Blackjack Casino. Notice how close it is to the hotel on the far right.

As we drove up Mulvihill Street this afternoon a tree was blocking half of the street and lines were pulled down. This is three blocks from our house. You see a lot of this around town.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson said winds in Vicksburg reached 80 mph at the height of the storms this past Friday. That contrasts with 75 mph winds reported in the city on August 29, 2005, the day Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast and much of south Louisiana. Representatives of the NWS were expected in the area in an attempt to determine if the storms were tornadoes or straight line winds. The storms had "done $150,000 to $200,000 in damage" at Warren Central High School off Mississippi 27. Entergy Vicksburg spokesman said 12,000 electricity customers were without power at the height of the storm and 10,000 remained without electricity. He said outages could last 48 hours. (My brother's electricity finally came on this morning, my step-son and his family are still running on a generator and our cable TV is down). Several trees have smashed through homes. River Region Medical Center was without power for three hours but the hospital operated on a generators. Our Sheriff Martin Pace said that in his 29 years he had never seen so much wide spread damage that was not hurricane related. When Bob and I drove around this afternoon we saw a lot of down trees, trees on vehicles, power lines on the ground, power poles snapped in half, trees on top of houses and some roads were impassable. Through all of this no one was seriously injured. Not only are we dealing with cleaning up after this storm but we have flooding north and south of town. This is not a sweetthing!

A Brother & Sister Hunt

Shelby Bottin, 9, shot this 8-point buck while hunting with her dad, Bobby, on Paw Paw Island. She made the shot with a .243 and had a 20-inch beam. This was her fourth deer and second buck she has shot in her lifetime. Way to go Shelby!

Connor Bottin, 7, bagged this buck with a 21-inch beam. He made the shot with a .243 from about 70 yards. He was hunting with his dad, Bobby, on Paw Paw Island, north of Vicksburg.

These two young hunters are late comers for my post On The Hunt! My Congrats to Connor and his sister, Shelby, for harvesting a buck in our great outdoors! This is a sweetthing!

Videos by Corey

Bulls tells Corey where Turkeys are....

Buck on a rope....

Corey thanks everyone.....

Corey Brossman is the owner of Hunting Extreme Production Incorporated and a friend of mine over at my CamoSpace.com. He is 29 years old and lives in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. He currently host, produce and edits a national outdoor TV show. He enjoys meeting new people when he's on the road and hearing there best hunting stories. Inneloc's Out-There is the name of the show, and will begin airing in July. The show will feature country artists, friends, and most importantly family. This has been a life long dream of his, and he promises to work extra hard to bring you in the face and fun hunting entertainment. Congratulation Corey and Good Luck with your new show! Charming, Just Charming!

Made National News on CNN

My daughter called and told me that Vicksburg was on the CNN news on the Internet. Below is a report from CNN that I pulled up to post here.

A tornado devastated a mobile home park in Benton, Arkansas.

(CNN) -- Strong winds and possible tornadoes roared across southern Mississippi on Friday, shredding roofs and slamming trees and power poles into homes and businesses.

A tornado devastated a mobile home park in Benton, Arkansas.

At least one minor injury was reported in Vicksburg, Mississippi, when winds from a possible tornado knocked a 4-foot-diameter oak tree onto a mobile home, the National Weather Service said.

Other reports of tornadoes came from Richland, Madison and Lakeland, all suburbs of Jackson, Mississippi.

The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of 60 mph in downtown Jackson.

There was extensive damage in one area of the city, where uprooted trees smashed into several homes and businesses, Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance said.

The storm knocked down power lines throughout the area, he said, adding that there were no initial reports of injuries or deaths.

Tornado watches were in effect from central Louisiana through southern Mississippi and central Alabama until 6 p.m. and into north Georgia and the northeastern tip of South Carolina until 10 p.m.

Right before the storm hit I was on the phone, when all of a sudden the winds picked up, the phone went out and my computer shut down. It was just before noon and the sirens started blowing and I grabbed my purse and meds and ran for cover in the bathroom. Our lights flickered off and on a lot, but never went out. It is 7:00 p.m. now and we do not have cable, so we don't know what damage has been done and where. Our radio station River 101 has been off the air since it hit. Left the house to run an errand and most of the shopping areas are without lights and have closed for the day. Most of the traffic lights are not working, trees are down all over the city. I heard that they had to close I-20 from Vicksburg to Bolton, MS, for awhile because of the debris and signs down on the highway. My granddaughter just happened to be in Pearl, MS and got a picture of the tornado on her cell phone. Pearl is about 60 miles from here. Thank goodness our power has not gone out! We are not out of the woods yet...we have another round of storms heading our way. This is not a sweetthing!

Fun Country ~ River 101

Ron and Betsy on the Hometown Morning Show

River 101 - WBBV-FM is our hometown radio station. Birthdays and Anniversaries are announced Monday through Friday at 8:50 a.m. If you win for your birthday you would received a lunch from Cuzz's Barbecue on Hwy 61 South. For your anniversary the winner would receive a package that consist of a Dinner for two at Cedar Grove Mansion, an anniversary arrangement from The Ivy Place and a one night getaway at Horizon Hotel Casino. The winner is announced only on Friday morning for the anniversary. There were only three Anniversaries announced today and Betsy read the names and Ron picked a number from 1 to 3 and he called out No. 3, which was the number by our name. Yay! We were so excited. We have never won an anniversary package on the radio before. I have called in Birthdays for family and friends and won, but never an Anniversary. Thanks River 101! This is a sweetthing!