The Mississippi River in Natchez, Mississippi. Louisianna is on the left shore.
Mark Twain wrote: "... the basin of the Mississippi is the BODY OF THE NATION. All the other parts are but members, important in themselves, yet more important in their relation to this."
Barges carry grain southward and petrochemicals northward.
Almost like a sea shore, the Mississippi has birds similar to sea gulls. 40% of the migrating fowl and shore birds of North America use the Mississippi "Flyway" as their route because it is lush source of food and shelter.
That night, it was not raining in Natchez, and yet I saw lightening (intra-cloud flashes) over Louisiana (just across the River) every few seconds. However, I never heard the thunder. This weather condition, sometimes called "heat lightening" , is apparently common in the south-east. The sound waves were probably refracted by a temperature change in the clouds such that they bounced west or up instead of reaching the ground on the east side of the River.
Natchez has no rocks, so cement has to come from upriver. Here is the bluff that protects Natchez from flooding the changing course of the River.
We had catfish, cornbread, and mustard greens in this old railroad car that is attached to a restaurant. The windows of this railroad car overlook the sunset on the Mississippi River.
Natchez is so tropical and lush, it is not always easy to read the stop sign.
Natchez has many antebellum (pre-Civil War) homes.
We stayed in a graceful Bed-and-Breakfast that had a player piano.
The median household income is $25,000 and 25% of the popular lives in poverty. Here's a modest house near the town cemetery.
Natchez Cemetery has separated sections for Protestants, Catholics, and Jews.
Tomb of man and wife who were in the 30's during the Civil War. A present-day person honors them with the Confederate Battle Flag.
"THIS STONE, was erected by WILLIAM McCAFFRY, as a memorial of conjugal affection, to the memory of his wife, MARGARET ANN McCAFFRY whose maiden name was O'HARA, born of respectable parents at Templemore, County of Tipperary Ireland, and died at NATCHEZ on the 15th of October, 1895, age 55 years and six months. She lived and died in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. In life she performed all the social duties with cheerfulness and fidelity; she was positivly [sic] useful; and those who knew her most loved her best."
Space ... the rural South has plenty of space.
Often, there is no fence or visible boundary between the yards of homes.
We drove along Highway 61 towards the Mississippi Delta, the northwest corner of Mississippi. The grassy or gravel shoulder of the road is often used by slow-moving tractors.
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Heading north along the Mississippi River into Vicksburg and Yazoo City.
