About Me

The mountains are calling and I must go...Got the t shirt in Georgia one year and this is our calling! We'll see y'all down the road!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Greenville MS to Gulfport MS and the Blow Fly Inn!

We left Greenville this am after a breakfast (cereal, toast, and the two eggs I had hardboiled b4 we left Don's)..I have to admit that hotel was nothing to write home about (America's Best Value) Greenville, NOT!!! 

It was raining and really never quit...We stopped and had lunch outside Jackson, MS ..a Mexican restaurant (surprise) delicious!! and then moved on to Gulfport..Rained like crazy!! 

Finally I made reservations on the way..at the Quality Inn in Gulfport..nice place..went down to Al and Irene's place and had a drink and headed for the Blow Fly Inn for dinner...

Found it via Al's GPS and it ws raining like crazy! Dark too. Bet it would be something to see during the day. Dinner was great! We left and went back to the motel where we ended the evening with another drink or two..didn't really want it to end as we realize we will see them in the am and then probably another year or so...wahhhh...We are so blessed to have them as friends...to think they came all this way to be with us for just a couple of days..wow!!!
I'm sure the blues festival had something to do with it..but then again....can't wait till next year..b4 if we can make it..would love to see Steve and Lorraine, Landon and of course Alex, Rhonda and Little Alex!!

Headed to the coast in the am..(hopefully) and then on to Louisiana..then to Natchez and the trace..back to Don's for a few...

Today was 3 years ago we lost my mom...wow..still feels like yesterday..I can still tell everything that happened that day...miss u momma!! Love u!! Think of u allllll the time! The only thing that makes losing u easier is knowing u are with Daddy..and u both have got to b happy!  I think of "the letter" and know that's how it's meant to be..Love u both!!
Seth and Mason called today and I know it was because of the date...Love u guys and thank u!!

Pictures to come as I tried but wifi won't let me...so please check back in a day or two!!!
The BB King museum in Indianola, MS but they were closed.

Following Al and Irene

Following Al and Irene...weather sucked!

Pictures of Blow Fly's at the Blow Fly Inn, Gulfport MS!

Irene and a blow fly!!!!

A little boy and the picture he did at the blow fly!

Diners, drive ins and dives ...the reason we went there....




Saturday, September 29, 2012

We're here in Leland MS at the Blues Festival!

September 29th...Leland MS...We left Cornersville  on the 27th and made it as far as Tupelo on the that day..great night at the Super8 in Tupelo and then got up the next morning headed across the way and ate at the truck stop for breakfast...hardest thing about that was they had fried bologna as a meat with breakfast..I didn't do it though because I wanted to be good. Had a veggie omelet and grits which was delicious..Ken had a bacon omelette and thought it was yummy!

We made it to Leland MS at around 1330 after a beautiful drive through the cotton fields of MS...We really enjoyed that!  


Checked into America's best Value in Greenville, MS..very dated, pool yukky, but bed is a king and very comfy and in a safe area..probably wouldn't stay here again..but it works..

Al and Irene texted and they were here so we ran out and got our hugs and saw their new car.  It's been over a year since we saw them but feels like yesterday.  We had a few drinks in the room and thought well, no driving, let's go across the street to Shoneys...bad idea.  I swear I think every Shoneys sucks..food not bad but service is ridiculous!!! 

Got up this am and met for the continental breakfast in the motel..that was not impressive either. Anyway had enough to get us started and headed out with a little drive over to Arkansas just because..then some gas and a drive through Leland.  Today was the Kermit the Frog celebration in Leland along with our Blues Festival. We walked the Kermit event and then headed over to the Blues event. We saw the blues murals and then went to the Blues Museum! Loved it! While we were there, blues player Pat Thomas showed up, saw us and ran outside and got his guitar! He played songs, gave us dominoes (autographed) and then each of us got an autographed picture!  The museum has a section dedicated to him and his dad! So cool!! 

Music was incredible!!! There were 2 acts that stood out above all the others. 
L.C. Lumer..he was this little old man with his band.  He played guitar, he had a woman with him, Mississippi Millie McLaine. They were incredible!! She played an instrument that looked like a silver necktie that she played with metal things on her fingers...she danced..and they got the whole place rocking!! Ken talked to her later, thinking she was part of the band and this was the first time that they had played together..."It's a Delta thing"...she told him..they looked like they had been playing together forever!! Incredible!! 

Later a young woman named Eden Brent played outside and she was just incredible!! I don't even have words for her because she was sooooo good!! It was raining but we didn't care, Al and Irene had an umbrella so we went out and bopped to her music!!! She had us soo wrapped up in what she was doing! Gosh can that girl play the keyboard!!! And she is from Greenville!  
Leland MS home of Kermit the Frog!

Leland MS home of the blues!!

Leland MS Blues mural..

One of the first instruments kids played back in the day!

Pat Thomas..blues...he saw us in the museum and ran out and got his guitar!
                                                                              Incredible!
Ken and Al picking cotton!

Pat Thomas opening act for the Blues Festival!

Me and Jimmy"Duck" Holmes...he was great and just too cute!!

L.C. Ulmer and Miss Mississippi Millie!! This was something to see!!

Eden Brent, she was incredible!! Singing and the keyboard! Wow!!!

Al, Irene and Ken under the umbrella watching Eden!

Playing the guitar behind his back, L.C. Ulmer

Al, Irene and Ken enjoying the music!

We are already making plans to come back next year and extend a few days as there are other events going on in the area. 

Came back to our room and talked awhile, and we are heading for Gulfport MS tomorrow...such an incredible time we are having, and are so glad to be spending it with Al and Irene!!! 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Cornersville, TN to Tupelo, MS via the Natchez Trace

We left Cornersville this am and went by the local Shell station to get ice.  While we were there a Cornersville Police Officer pulled in, we had never noticed this before but it was too cute...had to have a picture!


Notice the front plate...GOTCHA!!! How cute!!



So on we went to the Natchez Trace Parkway out of Columbia..We had driven the part from Nashville to Columbia, but decided to backtrack a bit so we didn't miss much.  A beautiful drive all the way to Tupelo.  It goes from Tennessee through a bit of Alabama and then on to Mississippi.  The colors are changing, not many people on the road so nice!  The really nice thing is that the Trace does not allow commercial vehicles so no big trucks!  The speed limit is 50 so not a bad ride.  (Of course Ken did flashed by an officer, Thank goodness he didn't turn around) as mr speedy was probably going 60 or so.  

We took a few walks today, one to a waterfall, but there wasn't much water falling, then one to the highest point in the Alabama section. We also took a drive on the "old" trace so that was cool.  

We made it to Tupelo this afternoon and decided to go visit Elvis's birthplace.  I was here a couple of years ago with the volunteers when Annette was with us, as Elvis was her idol.. We also toured Graceland when we were in Memphis.  It was a tourist trap but we looked around and got a few pictures.  

Went by the grocery store and now we are in the Super 8 for the night. 
The Gordon House


Ken on our walk to the falls

On the walk

Me


A tobacco farm on the parkway

Scenic view

The turtle who crossed the road and we turned around to make sure he made it safely!

Grinders Inn where Merriweather Lewis died...was it murder or suicide?

Crossing the Tn...

Ken on our walk to Freedom hills ...AL

Me on the walk to Freedom Hills...the highest point on the parkway in AL



ELVIS'S boyhood home in Tupelo, MS



Where Elvis went to church and sang "OLE SHEP"

Tomorrow we head for highway 61..the Blues Highway and meet up with Al and  Irene.  He called and they are spending the night in Mobile, AL...I was there when I was 6 weeks old and daddy had school..Guess we lived in a motel there for about 4 months.  

What a great day and drive we had!!

September is flying by!

September 24th through the 26th!...Cornersville, TN..Don't know where the time is going!  We're almost through the month of September, colors are slowly changing.  Don and Dana's trees out front are slowly changing from green to a beautiful shade of red..the nights are getting cooler.  We used to be able to sit outside until dark in just shorts and t shirt, now I have to put on a sweatshirt to walk down to close the gate.  We still sleep with the windows open and a fan going in the bedroom but haven't had the air conditioner on in a couple of weeks.  

Ken mowed the lawn and you can see the growth is slowing down.  Subtle changes but you can see the seasons changing.  It's getting closer to the time we will be heading back to CA and NV.  

Talked to all the grandkids this week!  Now we're getting ready to go to the MS Blues Festival in Leland MS.  We'll meet up with Al and Irene on Friday. Should be a fun time!! 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

I Cannot believe this is the 23rd!!!

September 23rd...Cornersville, TN...What happened to the  to the other days????...I can't believe how time flies...!!!.... We are here in Tn..the other day I went grocery shopping..and honestly can't remember what else!!

Yesterday on the 22nd we went to Lynnville Tn and watched the Truck and Tractor show! It was incredible.!  We were there at noon or so to watch the antique tractors which was really cool! We had our lunch at the cabover..tuna and I had a veggie sandwich,...delicious!!  Then after a couple of hours they quit pulling tractors so we thought we'd take a ride to Columbia and pick up some beer and ice..just to kill some time.  When we got back there was a line waiting to get inside! Incredible! there were so many people there, big difference from the afternoon!! But we had a great time watching the tractor pull and then some trucks came out...wow!!

We came home and I made some quickie tacos for dinner...

This morning we got up, and I made some grits and scrambled eggs for a late breakfast, we thought about going to Cracker Barrel but that definitely would have been noon...At 1200 Ken came in and we watched the Tennessee Titans vs Detroit Lions for a few hours!  Incredible game...and Tennnessee won!! YAAYYYY... during that time I talked to Al and Irene and we will meet them in MS on Friday for the Blues Festival!  Can't wait as it's been way too long since we've seen them!!

Making some veggie and Ken's oyster pizza for dinner...loving our Sunday's in the South!!
Miss those grandboys tho!!!!
Don't know why I took this other than it was GOOD!!

Cabover!

This truck and pulling

The little ones and pulling!!

Santa drives a souped up Farmall!!!

Black smoke equals power!!! 
I don't think I have it but one of the tractors ran on french fry grease!! She was a nurse practitioner and did a great job!  Outran her hubby!!

Nights are getting colder..fall is definitely in the air!!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Back in Tennessee!

September 19th..Springfield Mo to Cornersville, TN..Got up fairly early from the motel and got ourselves outta there.  We knew we had almost 500 miles to go to get back to Don's house in TN.  Looked at the continental breakfast and decided to get it to go a Mickey D's.  Ken had his sausage burritos and I got the side of eggs and an english muffin.  Worked.  So we left Springfield and drove across MO to Sikeston area...don't tell Uncle Lewis..we got off at highway 62 and visited Walmart. This is where I can get the wine I usually buy there in Ca. it's a whopping $1.97 a bottle there $2.67 in MO and if you buy any wine in TN it's a lot more expensive...so off I go with a case of wine and we saw a restaurant Mexican of course across the street. So a little lunch in our tummy and headed for Tn. 

The drive across MO and Tn is just so beautiful...the cotton fields are white as snow..just stunning.  So we made it home around 5 or so.  Not bad since it was about 500 mi...
Cottonfields of MO!!

Decided on some veggie and salmon burgers for dinner, easy and delicious.  Good to be back, now planning our trip to Mississippi next week!! yayyy..

September 20th...Got up around 8 this am and took our time getting ready..breakfast about 1000...saw on Facebook, Linda was thinking about doing  a diet that was only 600 calories a day...glad she decided against it!! Smart sissy!! 

Less than a month and we'll be heading back to Ca.