Mississippi You're On My Mind. .No. 36*

M, I,"crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, hump back, hump back, I....how many of you learned to spell Mississippi  this way?


We love Mississippi.  We especially love the Gulf Coast: Gulfport, Biloxi, Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis. 






  
Sadly Katrina didn't leave much of what we most loved about that part of Mississippi.  We have not been back since Katrina but our family has.  They have brought back reports of what is gone and what has come back.  There is still much to be done.

Four-Square Book Store
Downtown Oxford

We also love Oxford. We stayed right off the Square.  We could walk to do our shopping and eating.  We did take a driving tour around Oxford.  You will note that I am not stressing that the University of Mississippi is located in Oxford...since they are a major rival of my Alma Mater, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Faulkner's home in Oxford

The City Grocery has a great dinner menu and for breakfast you must try at the Ajax Diner.....and last but not least...you must drive out of a town and have catfish at Taylor Grocery.  Someone in Oxford will give you directions.  Go early, because they start lining up at 5:30pm...no reservations...go "really" casual!


Chuck likes Tunica.  I am not much for gambling, but it is closer to us than Las Vegas.  I usually get $40 and head to the gift shop.  I like to take something home for my money not leave it in a slot machine...that's all I play.  I have never wanted to embarrass myself at the tables.  I determined a long time ago that I am not destined to win my money.  I have to earn it...that sound like a commercial?

Me-Dancing with the Rabbit

From my travel journal

We made one trip to the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Choctaw near Meridian.  Chuck and our brother-in-law played golf while my sister-in-law and I shopped.  Great Trip!


Mississippi is so close to us that it is an easy drive and we can say and feel like we are on vacation quickly.  That is what is known as instant gratification. 
It is about two hours to Tunica and a day's drive
to the Gulf Coast. 

Sometimes we get lucky and
find a picnic table at a
rest stop.

Of course, any time we go with our family a picnic is on our agenda.  

and sometimes we just pull over
on a Church parking lot:)

Nothing fancy--Vienna sausages, crackers, cheese, maybe a sandwich or two...maybe!


Speaking of Mississippi, makes me think it's about time to go again.  However, we are headed to the West Coast to see our daughter this year. We'll put it on our "go back to list".  There is very little on that list as there are so many places we have on our "not been there" list.


Stayed tuned for my next stop...No. 35 will be going out West to Utah!


*For "new to my blog" friends...on May 17, 2010, I visited Wisconsin.

 I can now say that I have been in, to or through all 50 United States.

 I am committed to make an Artist Trading Card "ATC" for each of

 the 50 States. 

La Vie Claire

I found the most beautiful magazine in the "free" bin at my library.  What a disappointment when I found out it is no longer in publication. 

Spring 2005 Issue

However, there is a website-Claire Murray Lifestyles  where you can still order back issues...which I think I will do right now.  The one I got was Spring 2005.  I will want one for every season.  I cannot afford all of them.  I wish!

Vintage Notions, a peek at the past!

Vintage Notions: 
An Inspirational Guide
to Needlework, Cooking,
Sewing, Fashion and Fun

by Amy Barickman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just found this wonderful book at the library. I have read through it and determined it is a must have for my library. It is an excellent reference book on everything vintage from the 1920's. It has patterns, crafts and recipes from that time period. It is arranged by seasons and the chapters are months in chronological order. 

Connect to Amy's Blog

The author of the book Amy Barickman is renowned in her field. 

Mary Brooks Picken

This book is dedicated to Mary Brooks Picken who died in 1981 at the age of 95. Ms. Picken was a trailblazer and renowned for her support of the education of women. Ms. Barickman conceived the book "to rescue Mary Brooks Picken from obscurity".

If nothing else the illustrations in this book are beautiful. I loved looking at the vintage pictures. One particular article reprinted in this book caught my eye: "Walking Like a Princess" by Marilyn Madison, Inspiration, October 1925  found on page 182. To quote, "Every woman can take on a new beauty, a new charm, if she will practice lightness on her feet, will wear her clothes rightly and will carry her accessories as well as her arms and head in a graceful and smart manner. As for me, I am practicing, and one of these days I am going to hear someone say, to my back, of course, 'Isn't she charming? She has the carriage of royalty, the poise of a princess.'" Read the book to see how you can accomplish this feat!


Right now I am headed to Amazon to order my personal copy!

View all my reviews

I lost a Friend yesterday!

I am saddened to say that today I have one less Friend following my Blog.  Do you other Bloggers feel remorse when you lose one of your followers? 


I obsess.  Have I written something that offended them?  Maybe, my Posts are not what they expected or like. They may be just simply bored! Then, again maybe they have a quota of Blogs they want to follow and  mine hit the "cutting room" floor to make room for a new one.  

Regardless, I am sorry to lose you, whoever you are!  Hope you will come by again for just a short visit to say "hi"!

The Sweet Life in Paris

The Sweet Life in Paris: A Recipe for Living in the World's Most Delicious City 
by David Lebovitz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book came across my desk at the library. It drew me in because my daughter actually like in Paris for three months.  She wanted to stay longer, but obligations that brought her back to the States.  


I really loved the book. It was like reading a blog in the form of a hardback book. It took me half as long to read as I thought it might since half of it was recipes.


David Lebovitz immigrated to Paris from San Francisco. He seems to voice more complaints in the book than compliments about Paris and Parisians, in general.  I wonder why he even wants to stay. He has been there long enough so that he is a foreigner both there and here. When reading between the lines, I never detected a sense of joy about him. It is more like he is resigned to his fate. How sad. Take my perception with a grain of salt; it is just my perception. You will like the book and his take on Paris and especially the food/recipes.

View all my reviews

The Eyes of Texas-No. 37

Artist Trading Card*

I have so many connections to Texas I hardly no where to begin....at the beginning?  I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Texas is a neighbor.  In the '50's people went to Waskom to buy eyeglasses at cut-rate prices.  They went to Tyler to see the rose gardens and still do.  They went to Dallas to shop and to go to college at SMU.  I chose a different route and ended up in Arkansas. That doesn't stop me from visiting Texas often.  My uncle was a City Manager of Waxahachie, Taft, Port Arthur, Schulenburg. My Grandmother and Aunt were florists in Sinton.  I have cousins in San Antonio and New Braunfels; one childhood friend in Houston; and one work friend in Dallas.  My Mom and Dad were in hotel/motel management in Denton, Houston and Longview.

In the 90's I went to Dallas as a part of the course I was taking at the Chandler School Decorating.  My sister-in-law and I went to the Giant Flea Market in Canton a few years ago when I was in that business.  

Chuck and I love the "Hill Country".  My aunt/cousins have generously let us stay in their condo in New Braunfels. 

 On our way to the condo we stopped in Austin to see Albert and Gage at Don's Depot.  We became loyal fans after we saw them at an 'acoustic cafe' venue.  

While there we made side trips to
Gruene and Luckenbach.








We are planning a trip down through West Louisiana and back up East Texas.  Of course, the "Hill Country" is always on our radar.  We think we'll stay in Fredericksburg the next time.

*For "new to my blog" friends...on May 17, 2010, I visited Wisconsin.  I can now say that I have been in, to or through all 50 United States.  I am committed to make an Artist Trading Card "ATC" for each of  the 50 States.