Mt. Locust and Jackson

12-1-14:

our winter home

Arrived at our new "home" for the winter.  We will workamp at historic Mt. Locust in the Mississippi delta near Natchez, MS.  It is a site with the National Park Services.  We are at mile marker 15.5 on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  It's a beautiful place to be for the winter!  Lots to learn in the way of history, local culture, flora and fauna!

at the gate 

a look at the mound from the road

12-2-14:  Today we did a little exploring beginning with Emerald Mound along the Trace.  It's supposed to be the 2nd largest Indian mound in North America.

a look at the road from the top of Emerald Mound

the secondary mound in the distance

reading about this large mound

long and winding road

Walked a couple of miles around Mt. Locust.  Lots of good hiking in the area, BUT lots of hunters out this time of year, too.  

Rocky is loving his new backyard

Mt Locust Inn from our walking trail

this split rail fence surrounds much of the NPS property here

the trail near the family cemetery

we get to walk this pretty road and listen to the pileateds, kingfishers, and various other birds

the hay field in front of Mt. Locust, owned by NPS, harvested privately

Ferguson/Chamberlain family cemetery on the property

Enjoyed exploring some of the property today with David and Rocky.  Looking forward to learning much more!

We stopped in at Belk and went our separate ways to our particular departments.  We each found a little something and when I got home I noticed on my online banking that there were 2 charges for the same amount.  I thought, "great, they charged me twice".  Our bank must've thought the same thing because they sent me an email about it.  But when I pulled the receipts out, we had each spent the exact same amount!  We finish each other's sentences, but dang! haha

12-3-14:  First day on the job!  David gives tours of the historic inn, and I work in the visitor center.

NPS VIP''s

Ranger Mike oriented us with the place, and then cut us loose about noon.  So we went into Natchez to the public library for wifi.  Only way for David to post FB pix and for me to work on my blog.
Tonite we had the pleasure of listening to a Great Horned Owl as we lay in bed.  I'm sure we are in store for lots of new sounds over the next 4 months!

atop the MS capitol

12-4-14: David needed to go to Jackson today to pick up his credentials.  This was the first time either of us have been to this city.  We took Rocky with us for a road trip.  I had googled a couple of things I wanted to see there, so we enjoyed the day.  Jackson is the capitol of MS and is a big city with a small town feel.  At least downtown.

the old capitol, now a museum

new capitol

pretty grounds

loved this monument which honors Confederate women: mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters

Mississippi's Merci Train boxcar given by France in 1949

the old depot

On the way back to Mt Locust on the trace, we got a glimpse of something we didn't know was in the area:  a nuclear reactor at Port Gibson

12-7-14:  Made an unplanned trip to Texarkana to spend a few days with Edith.  She's come down with pneumonia and is in the hospital.  David took me to Shreveport where Cranford and Kathey met us and brought me on in.  Kathey said that sounded like they were picking up a fugitive.  

bear sign around Vicksburg

On I-20 just outside of Vicksburg, we noticed bear signs.  Not bear "sign", but bear "signs".  Seems Mississippi has reintroduced the black bear.  At last count they have about 40 - 50 statewide.  Southern MS has the Louisiana black bear and the north part of the state has the American black bear.  They are not distinguishable other than their skull sizes. I would love to see one, but won't be measuring the skulls!

David's "office" - Mount Locust Inn

restored to it's original look

blue shutters indicated prosperity 

the back of the old "stand"

the NPS split rail fence surrounds much of the property

round hay bails --- where cows can't get a "square" meal

Grape Arbor 

family cemetery 

Johnnie was Ranger Rick's grandmother 

Trail behind the inn that leads to slave cemetery

Only remaining headstone in slave cemetery

#davidlovesselfies

Master bedroom in Mt Locust

Desk in Paulina's bedroom 

Boys' room

Girls' room 

Knitting, spinning in the tap room

Tap room

Cistern 

My kind of activities 

Ranger Eric "Rick" Chamberlain 

Rick is a 5th generation Chamberlain & was born in the house

Love the history of Mt. Locust.  Above are some pix from where we are volunteering.

 

Happy, safe winter to all our friends!

William, Grandma Polly, and Ranger

Miss Lou and Miss-Lou





We have wrapped up our Texarkana stay by having Thanksgiving with Edith, Gus, Laura, and Mann. Very thankful Laura (Miss Lou) and Mann were able to come in and join us!  Now we are leaving the the Ark-La-Tex and heading for the Miss-Lou!  So sad to leave our peeps, but looking forward to new adventures on the historic Natchez Trace for the next 4 months!











This is what The Yarn Garden uses to wind a hank into a ball

some use a spinning wheel kind of thing -- can't remember what this one is called

always fun to see how each shop does theirs

Will and Christena Nash -- love this couple

Gayle Sharp shared this with me -- my pop on bottom right

Ethan Goff's "Fish" lost an arm

Laci sent me this pic of Ethan's sock animal I made him last Thanksgiving/Christmas.  I told her I was surprised it had stayed in one piece this long.  She said he sleeps with it at night!  How sweet.  I told her a needle and thread would take care of it.  "Now to find a needle and thread", she said.  She's my niecey!!

Gus trying to stay awake on Thanksgiving

Edith rocking her new iphone 6!

Happiness

Mann sporting the scarf I knitted for him

Gus looking super cool in the one I knitted him

Laura Lee and Mann

love them!

acting casual

Gus, Miss Lou, and Mann




sweet couple

Brother and Sister

Gus, David, me, and Lulu

missing the Kansas part of our fam

11-27-14 - Had a wonderful, sweet, and simple Thanksgiving at Edith's place!  David ordered Thanksgiving Dinner from The Flour Child in Texarkana, so all we had to do was heat 'r up!  It was yummy!  Texarkana Peeps, I'd def recommend that place! Loved spending a quiet autumn day with family!  Missed the Goff group and the McClintock group.  But enjoyed pix from the Goff's!

Tricia Goff shared this photo of my pop and her pop: Gerald on left and Jimmie on right

Why?

our new pad for the next 4 months

David will be giving tours of this historic inn -- Mt. Locust

Mississippi River bridge from the Vidalia, LA side at Natchez,MS

here come the barges

11-30-14:  Headed to Miss-Lou today.  Looking forward to a new area of the USA and workamping at historic Mt Locust on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  They call this area Miss-Lou because it's Mississippi and Louisiana all mixed together!  Kinda like the Ark-La-Tex is those 3 states mixed together. 

Much Love & Happy December!

Dad, Mom, and Brother Rocky