Memphis to Grand Isle, Louisiana

Pat Jones

"Diddley-Bo" or "Jitterbug"
Many blues musicians got their start playing one,
 including
Muddy Waters!

From Southaven (Memphis), we spent a couple nights dry-camping at Casinos and Wal-Marts along the way (still don't like to travel long days!!!) and stopped for a week in Vicksburg, MS, where we parked at an Elks Club.  Had our own little space no one could see unless they drove behind the pool building :-).  Along the route, we tried to pull into a Blues Museum along Hwy 61, but came upon a railroad trestle to go under, and it was too low.  Got directions another way, but in a BAD area and no good place to park, so Al did some creative turning around and we headed back to the Hwy.  We went to the Leland Blues Museum and spent a couple hours.  A local, well-known blues artist was there, playing and singing.  Pat Jones.  His father was really well-known, we read.  It was nice to have live music, since we were the only ones there. 

     Kitties had picked up fleas someplace, even with their monthly application of Frontline.  We tried flea powder (which was nasty and didn't seem to help), then took them to vet for flea baths.  They came back smelling good and not scratching!!!  While they were out, we set off flea bomb in the RV and vacuumed good.  We also started them on a monthly pill called Comfortis which is supposed to be much more effective than the topical Frontline.  Will see! 

Castor oil pump from old drug
store, circa 1800

     We found the very 1st Stein Mart store in Greenville, MS.  We LOVE Stein Marts!  They were having a huge clearance sale, plus they had a back room where everything was $3.  Al got several really nice shirts, and I got a few tops plus a couple things on regular sale from out front.  That was fun, but dangerous for compulsive shoppers.  Only salvation is we don't have a lot of room in the RV! 

Part of the pharmaceutical display in Old Drug
Store in Vicksburg

More from the drug store display

How'd ya like to bathe yourself and all your kids on one of these?

     Vicksburg is quite an interesting little town.  We went to the Coca-Cola Museum where it was first bottled, to an old drug store where the owner has displayed his personal collection or old-time pharmaceutical supplies and equipment.  Then to their old Court House Museum (9 rooms full of civil war stuff and President Davis's information, weapons, costumes, uniforms, furniture, ships, etc. Old Record storage at the court house below.  After I took these 2 shots, was told I wasn't  supposed to be back there.  Oh, well, I found it quite interesting before I had to leave!





Sitz-bath?

Court room in old Court House

cotton steamer

Some of dolls in museum

Next day took a  tour through the Corps of Engineers Lower Mississippi Museum which was free!  Quite new and very well done of life on and around the river.  There was the old Mississippi IV which was a part of it, but was closed for maintenance.  It was a working tugboat but also served as the flagship for the Mississippi River commission.  The doll and toy museum (mostly dolls) was small, but packed full of  about 1000 dolls and a few toys! Many from other countries and very interesting to me.  Al was a good sport!

     Took 16 mile driving tour through the National Military Park which was a detailed account of the 47 day seige between the Union and Confederate armies.  If we had stopped and read every marker, we would STILL be there! 

Marble floor inside this 1800's monument
at Nat. Millitary Park

Betlinsky House in Vicksburg

Vicksburg court House Museum at Night

     Went to lunch at Anchucka Mansion (great food!) and got free tour of the mansion after!  Then went through the Betlinski House.  Both magnificent homes.  Amazing what luxury they had even then! 
     That evening, went back into town for an Art party at a gallery.  The owners have fixed up the upstairs of the old building above their shop as their home, and invited the community for h'ordeurves and wine.  It was interesting how they fixed it up, and lots of people there.  After, we drove by the Old Court House again, as we heard they light it in blue at night.  It was very impressive!
     GRRRR!!!  Picture placement problems again!   Photo of puppets  (below) was from the doll museum.  Flat wooden boat was in Mississippi River museum.  This type of boat was built for a one-way trip to transport goods, then the boat was dismantled and the lumber was used to build down-river.  



One of biggest monuments in the
National Military Park

Cotton Fields along the highway

     Leaving Vicksburg, we drove further on the Natchez Parkway.  Very pretty, peaceful 2-lane drive.  Parked at Natchez State park, and were surprised to learn they allow bow hunting in their park.  We didn't venture into the forest!  Lots of bugs!  Drove around looking for different park for another night or 2, and decided there wasn't much to see  except we did stop and tour the LongWood mansion.  It is the largest octagonal house in America, begun in 1860 for wealthy cotton planter and his family.  They only finished the outside and the interior of the basement (which was meant to be slave quarters)when the war began and the workers fled.  Local workers completed the basement level for his family of 8 living children (out of 11), then owner died in 1864 and the rest of the mansion was never completed.  His wife continued to live there with all the children.  There was an agreement by the family to never finish it as a poignant reminder of past glories and tragedies. 

Cypress (?) trees in swamp.  Once the
watersrise, the trunk swells,
and stunts their growth.

Cajun Swamp

     From there, we stopped at Moranza, then Breaux Bridge which is not far from Lafayette, LA.  Met the neighbors there, and they invited us to go with them on a 2-hr Cajun Swamp Tour.  That was interesting and relaxing.  Saw LOTS of blue and grey heron, White Egrets, etc., and 2 alligators.  Learned about the trees in the water.  They originally grow on land, then when flooded, their trunk base swells and it stunts their growth.  He told us the baby blue herons are born white, but they have green legs and feet to distinguish them from the white baby Egrets.  He was a walking encyclopedia of the swamp and its inhabitants.


Imagine baking in this oven!

      Next day went to Vermillionville, in Lafayette.  It is an attraction of itself.  Had lunch in their Cajun restaurant.  Al ordered their special plate, which had a LOT of food, and ALL of it, including the fresh corn was covered in sugar!!! So much sugar!  Then he couldn't decide which of the 2 included desserts to choose, so the waitress said she'd bring a little of each.  She brought 2 whole desserts!  Bread pudding with a carmel sauce, and a lemon cake.  We had to try a little of each, and they were good, but OH SO SWEET!  The only "safe" food I could find was a baked potato (HUGE) topped with crawfish ettouffee (Sp?).  Also had my first Cajun Gumbo.  Was pretty good!  

When a daughter was of age to be courted, father
 painted the chimney white to let the boys know

Wash clothes with one of these?

     After lunch, we toured the grounds, meeting interesting people in the living museum.  One fellow explained how their homes were built of clay and horsehair stones.  Also  used this as insulation in between their walls.  He was very knowledgeable and fun to listen to !  The chimneys were built in such a way so if there were a chimney fire, they simply knocked the chimney down, away from their home.  Hopefully, this happened at the end of the cold season!!!



Couldn't find out what made these holes on  the beach. 

One of the demolished homes along the bayou

This sign was for Theriot for Judge. 
Judge The Riot?  Poor guy!  What a name

Moved on and stayed one night at Houma, then found Grand Isle State Park.  The very south-eastern tip of Lousiana surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico.  So, here we are!  Still trying to get to New Orleans!   The jack leveling system seems to have a short.  Works sometimes, but only after it cools off for awhile, so can't level when we first park!  That may be in Hammond, LA and we'll do that either before or after New Orleans!  Probably moving on to one of those places in the morning.  Devastation from storms was very obvious driving along the Bayou towards Grand Isle.  Home after home showed damage and/or being elevated.  Many were just boarded up and abandoned. or lived in as -is.  Pretty sad.  People we talked to at Grand Isle had a summer home there, and just rebuild every time it happens!   Can't imagine living like that, knowing it will happen again and not knowing when!

People build High up, then rebuild after every storm!

Sunset



Sunset at Grand Isle, LA



On Beach at Grand Isles State Park, LA

Sunrise next morning, Grand Isles

From bridge to Grand Isles, LA

From here, on to Hammond, LA to an RV repair to have the leveling jacks system checked out, as it quit working.  Have to do without it til we get it fixed.  Well, it needs a new electronics board, which needs to be ordered.  Made an appointment to get it installed Nov 5, and in the meantime, we headed to New Orleans to fill the time til then.  Hope the part is the problem when we get back!
    So,, that's all for now.  More from New Orleans on a different blog. 
     Since it's almost Halloween, found a cute article about the Mystique of Halloween to share.  It dates back to ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, and to link it to Christianity in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated Nov 1 as All Saints Day, a time to hallow or honor all saints and martyrs.  This holy day was incorporated into the Samhain tradition and given the name All Hallows' Eve, which eventually became halloween.  In early America, neighbors gathered to tell stories about the dead, read fortunes, dance and sing.  These rituals transposed into ghost-tellings and mischief making.   In 1846, Irish immigrants brought their tradition of dressing in costumes and going house to house to ask for money or food, which is how it all started, then evolved into parties focusing on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes.  So, that's all I read about that!  Happy Halloween!
Best to all,
Al & Sylvia

PS:  Our friend Gene sent the following  note which really made us feel better about ourselves, and hopefully it will help you, too:  "Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was?     Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses.  Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame, have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what is known as an event boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next.     Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new local."   It's not aging...it's that door!  Whew!!!









Tennessee to Mississippi

One amazing place we stumbled upon in Stanton,Virginia, was the Camera Heritage Museum!  Over 2000 antique cameras and accessories from 1850's to recent.  Camera buffs may want to visit www.cameraheritagemuseum.com.  In their collection is a camera that was used in a James Bond movie and another that photographed the bombing of Pearl Harbor from a Japanese aircraft.  They have spy cameras,Leicas and old wooden plate cameras, and over 150 daguerreotypes.  Quite an interesting diversion from the typical tourist trap!

Restaurant in old Stable

While at Candler (just outside Asheville, NC), we visited a Farmers market with huge vegetables! Had lunch at the Moose Cafe' next door.  We were NOT impressed with the lunch specials!  Not  like Mom's cooking or even mine!


Biltmore House

Veranda of Biltmore

 Visited the Biltmore House which was incredible!  255 rooms, 43 bathrooms, 4 floors, and a sub-basement where all the mechanical stuff was.  this house was built way ahead of most homes.  Sat on 80,000 acres of land.  There was an indoor swimming pool with diving board, changing rooms, a gymnasium, and of course all the servants' quarters.  We had a nice lunch in what used to be the stable and carriage house for their 25 carriages they kept for guests.  Guests at that time traveled far so would stay for a couple weeks at a time! 

Went to see the movie "2016".  Pretty comprehensive documentary of our President's life!  Everyone should see it!

From Candler (Asheville) we went to Pigeon Forge, TN.  Got to town on the day of their Rod Run and it took us an hour and a half to go the last 4 miles to the RV park.  We got their last space!  Older park, but people were nice.
 Pigeon Forge is "Hillbilly Disneyland", or like Orlando.  One show after another, of all sorts.  We went to see Dixie Stampede Dinner Show.  Horse show was ok, but didn't hold a candle to the Arabian Nights show we saw in Orlando, and the food was served with no utensils. ...part of the deal.  ( Whole game hen, cream soup, way over-cooked corn on cob, slice of oven roasted potato, biscuit, and apple turnover for dessert. )  This is photo of the one they took of us but we didn't want to spend $25 so copied it.  Everywhere we go they take your photo and want to sell them to you!

We rode the trolley around town( $.50 each for a ride), then got off and walked through the shops.  The streets were lined with hundreds of old cars, and while on the trolley we even saw a baby kangaroo on a leash!
Visited the Titanic Museum which was quite well done and very interesting.  No photos allowed!!!  Another bummer! Lots of remnants of the ship wreck, stories of the passengers, and replicas of parts of the ship, including the famous staircase!  Also a section on the salvage endeavors.

Where we saw the bear

The last day at Pigeon Forge, we drove the Cades Cove Tour.  11 mi loop through the forests where early settlers lived and worked.  Visited old cabins, and an old Grist Mill still working and visited with other tourists.  Saw a few wild turkeys, a couple deer, and caught a glimpse of a mama bear with 3 little cubs running through the woods and across the road ahead of a few cars ahead of us.  Too fast to get a photo!  :_(

propellar-driven car

enclosed motorcycle

From there to Nashville.  Went to Lane Motor Museum.  Over 150 Unique cars from around the world.  The VW with 2 fronts was designed for a Fire Dept in area with a lot of small roads with dead ends.  Driver could get out, get in back seat and drive forard to get out instead of having to back all the way!  There were cars run by propellars, foot pedals, cars with 3 wheels, some looked like motorcycles with enclosures, and one had no reverse.  Not needed, as it only weighed 220 pounds, so if you wanted to turn around, just pick it up and move it!  Really enjoyable to go through.  Have many photos, but won't post here.


Amphibeous car

220# with no reverse gear

 Of course in Nashville, we had to go to the Grand Ole Opry House!  Shows were really expensive, so we took Backstage Tour.  Got to walk through the empty place, saw the stars' dressing rooms, and stood on the famous oak circle where the stars stand to perform.  Pretty impressive place.


Opry House



One of star's dressing rooms

Had lunch at BB King's Restaurant in Nashville.  Great salads, and listened to good Blues while we ate lunch.  Guess the area is pretty hopping at night, but we chose to not do that to ourselves. 

John Beardsley does Elivs

Another night we went to see John Beardsley perform as Elvis.  Great costumes, Awesome band, and he tried really hard to move and sing like Elvis. Longest running musical performed in Nashville since 1999.  He included history of elvis, sang over 30 songs and had 5 costume changes.  He made a point to kiss every woman in the audience on the cheek.  He was so sweatty I almost got sick when he dripped all over me!  Guess I am getting old!   Enjoyed the show, but our daughter's friend Ray who used to be in Vegas was much more natural at it.

 Then on to Memphis, TN/Olive Branch, MS in search of my cousins, Maxine and her brother, Jimmy.  Hadn't seen them since they left Washington 50 years ago!   Maxine had lived in the area the last address I had gotten from my parents years ago.  We found an RV Park in Olive Branch (where we stayed this past week) and I continued to search the internet and facebook until I finally got someone to tell me they would get hold of her!  I was so excited, but had to wait til she called me.


Elvis's 15' couch in living room

 In the meantime, we were only a few miles from Graceland, home of Elvis Presley!  What an amazing home!  He was only 22 years old and single, after his first year of recording when he bought this home in 1957 for $100,000.  It is a gorgeous home, and still furnished with his things.  His studio, trophy room, costumes, gold, silver records, etc., all on display, along with room where you can watch him perform and hear his songs.  Went through his 2 private airplanes, and his car museum.  What a fun place!  Too bad his addictions caused him to die at only 42 years old.  Can't imagine how much more he could have done with his life had he not gotten into that.  Guess the stardom is a tough life.  He is buried in his meditation garden, along with his parents, grandma, and twin brother who died at birth. 

Next day was beautiful, so we chose to visit Mud Island, which is a River Park.  Amazingly detailed 5-block model of the Mississippi River . 

Sylvia & Maxine

Johnny & Maxine Mason

Sylvia, Robyn & Maxine

Then, I got the call from cousin Maxine!  We went to her home and met her and husband, Johnny, and while there, one of her 5 children, Robyn came with her husband, Shawn.  What an incredible visit we had!  She and I connected like we were still the kids (about 6 and 15?) 50 years ago.  She is an amazing artist, and has some of her work in an art show here.  Just started doing work with Japanese Rice paper (her mother was Japanese!).  She is being treated with Chemo & Radiation for 2nd round of ovarian cancer.  She had been free of it for a year and it came back.  Has been very ill, and God granted us this 5 hour visit where she was pain-free.  She doesn't know where brother Jimmy is, so search will continue for connecting with him.

Next day to Beale Street.  It was kinda rainy, so walked the  2-3 block area and looked in shops at souveniers, listened to music, and found the Rock N Soul Museum.  Were'nt sure we wanted to go, but not much else to do that day, and admission was $10 with military ID.  We were so glad we went!  It was several hours of history, music and enjoyment developed by the Smithsonian Institute!

I remember listening to "Green Hornet" on one like this

Families would only get 1 battery per year to use this radio, so were very selective in their listening!

A Chronology of pioneers who overcame barriers to creat the musical sound that changed the music world forever.  Elvis, Otis Redding, BB King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, etc.  Saw old costumes, posters, instruments, photos, and exhibits.

I think I am about blogged out for today.  Al took day to be on his own today, so I have had time to just work on this.  We both get a little overwhelmed being together 24/7 at times and have found this to be a good idea.  He asked if I wanted to go someplace, but not sure where to go without car to move on, and didn't want to just walk the mall today.  Nice to just be here with the kitties today.  Tomorrow, we will move on.  Not exactly sure where, yet, but are working our way to New Orleans.

All for now!  Hope all is well in your worlds.  Sylvia  & Al