Confederate Battery Above The Mississippi River

This Confederate cannon is one of many on the bluffs above the Mississippi River.  They kept Union supplies from being shipped from the north to supply the troops.

Ulysses S. Grant Monument - Vicksburg, MS

While I was in Vicksburg Mississippi taking my Mississippi Land Surveyors Exam, I visited the Vicksburg National Military Park.  This park commemorates the Battle of Vicksburg by Union forces led by U.S. Grant, from May 19, 1863 to July 4, 1863.  I am somewhat of a history buff so anytime I can "walk where they walked" I do.

This monument of Grant is at the  site of his headquarters during the battle and ensuing siege.

Abe's BBQ - Clarksdale,MS

This place was recommended to me.  The BBQ was OK but nothing to write home about.

How Bout' Them Cotton Pillows??!!!

SDC Sand Sculpture

This sand sculpture at Silver Dollar City was absolutely amazing!  This is just one part of it showing a lumberjack and a buffalo.

Headin' West!

Great show!

SDC!

Tab & Anson waiting to get in the Opera House at Silver Dollar City!

David and Goliath!

Your's truly with Brother Juan Carlos, the national director of OBI Guatemala.  This was taken at the OBI Holiness Convocation in Neosho, Missouri.  He really couldn't believe that Tabitha's Dad was taller than she was!  The only way this picture could be better was to have my brother Ralph (6'6") on the other side of Brother Carlos!

Old Swimming Hole

This is where my Dad taught Ralph and I to swim. He took us out in the middle and let go...it was sink or swim!  This is the old bridge across Eleven Point, east of Peace Valley, Missouri .

The Cuisine at Berry Manor Inn

Mike, Cheryl and their staff were totally awesome!  I have stayed in several B&B's but BMI was above and beyond the best!  The food...When we arrived it was early afternoon and we just had to eat at Wasses Hotdogs and after touring the town we had the dining experience of our lives at Conte's.  After we arrived back at the BMI we relaxed for awhile in the common room.  There were all kinds of coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, milk and....

BLUEBERRY PIE!

AND

CHERRY PIE!

The "Pie Moms" keep the common room pantries filled with HOMEMADE pies!  Janet (Mike's Mom) and Ally (Cheryl's Mom) are world famous and they should be!!  Anytime, day or night you can savor a slice of baked delight!  As I have already said...these folks take care of you!

First Morning Breakfast....

POACHED PEAR

And the second morning....

Glazed french toast with sausage links.... and (not shown) Blueberry Juice!

This my friends, was breakfast fit for royalty!!!

Berry Manor Inn B&B

We sailed back to the mainland from Monhegan Island, picked up our rental and drove to the Berry Manor Inn- Bed and Breakfast.  This four star AAA rated inn was epitome of luxury!  The picture below is the main house where breakfast is served, and most of the rooms are located

Our room, #12, was located in the Carriage House, shown below.  I have also included one picture from the BerryManorInn website.  You can also visit their facebook page, FB-BerryManorInn  Cheryl and Mike made us feel like part of the family! If you EVER get the chance, stay at this inn!

Carriage House

Monhegan Island - "The Wild Side"

More than half of Monhegan Island is designated as "Wildlands" which is basically wilderness and un-developed coastline.  I was able to spend most of one morning and a late evening exploring and it was a fantastic experience! I felt like Winslow Homer, Herman Melville and John Masefield all morphed into one...  Hope you enjoy the video and pictures...

Seagulls on the rock

The blue object in the foreground is trash, such as lobster traps and buoys

Wreck of the D.T. Sheridan.  Grounded on the rocks in a dense fog, November 5, 1948, while towing barges

Yours truly exploring the wreck

The trails were pretty rough

A boardwalk across a bog

South end of Monhegan

While I was standing at this spot I kept hearing a bell which I thought was perhaps on a ship but I finally figured out it was on a buoy out of sight in the fog (BTW...my camera has a time delay so I could take a self photo!)

The highlight of my island visit...getting to see some wild seals

I could hear these seals grunting and barking so I tried to get as close as I could.  They were really wild because when I tried to get closer they all slid off the rocks and disappeared.

Food for Thought

I had thoroughly checked out Monhegan Island on the web (I thought) so when we set sail all we took with us to eat was a couple of snacks.  According to the research I had done, there were a couple of restaurants open and a couple of stores that sold groceries.  We arrived on the island with our Cheezits and snackmix to find only a small store called "Carina" open for business!  Our Tribler Cottage Apartment had all the facilities to cook but I really don't care for fried Cheezits!  "Carina" had a deli and made clam chowder so we did eat there but we knew we would need to fix a couple of meals at our apartment.  So...we put together a grocery list and went shopping!

Please realize that everything has to be shipped by boat to the island so there is a CONSIDERABLE markup!

1 red apple - $1.25

Small jar (8 oz.) peanut butter - $4.25

Loaf of bread - $4.00

This isn't all we got but it was over $25 for our small bag!  Carina Grocery

It was cool to cold on the island so when we FINALLY got our apartment warmed up we cooked up a real good supper.  Our apartment, The "Bayberry" was quaint but nice.  It was a storm-weathered old house with uneven floors, a cluttered but comfortable common room and the owners apartment on the top level.  It seemed that everyone on the island was used to the cold because every place we went in was chilly!  Needless to say, our little gas heater ran full blast for two days! Tribler Cottage

I loved our stay on Monhegan...although for Tami's sake I wished it was warm and sunny.  I guess my natural bent toward melancholy and reading lots of books about the sea made me right at home in the surroundings.  "In our land the works of the Lord are not obscured by what the hands of men have made....Rock and waste of sea and the high sweep of the sky - winds and rain and sunlight and flying clouds - great hills, mysterious distances, flaming sunsets, the still, vast darkness of night! These are the mighty works of the Lord, and of none other - unspoiled and unobscured.  In them He proclaims Himself. They who have not known before that the heavens and the earth are the handiwork of God, here discover it: and perceive the Presence and the Power, and are ashamed and overawed." Norman Duncan - "Doctor Luke of the Labrador"

Wednesday Lunch

Wednesday Supper