Westward Travel

I've been trying to update this blog for a couple nights, but my PC doesn't want to behave itself and keep connected! Wonderful air cards! LOL

So to bring you all up-to-date. We didn't leave Gulf Shores, AL until Tues. morning. Since we had a free night of camping, we decided to wait until Tues. to leave.

We stayed on the Mississippi River at River View RV Park in Vidalia, LA, across the river from Natchez, MS.

View of bridge at sunset from park

We spent Wed. touring three annabellum homes in Natchez. Were they ever beautiful. Our only problem was we went to the best one first & the others just didn't hold up. The following are a few pictures of the homes we visited & a little history. Natchez is the oldest continuous settlement on the Mississippi River, settled in 1716 by the French. The city once boasted over 500 millionaires, more than any other city in the US except New York. Fortunes were made in cotton in antebellum days as today in the 19th century, cotton still grows in that rich land. Natchez as a city survived the Civil War with little loss to property. The town was quietly occupied in the summer of 1863.

Stanton Hall, built in the 1850's. Considered by many to be the grandest of the Natchez mansions. It was the most beautiful home we visited. No pictures could be taken inside the home, so the pictures following were taken from post cards that I purchased so I could put them on the computer to include them here. Not real clear, but gives you an idea of the inside.

Lower Hallway - our RV could fit inside this hallway almost twice!!! The size of the doors was just amazing! You looked like a dwarf standing in the doorway. The architecture was fabulous. A lot of the furnishings were made in other countries or states & shipped to the home. The original gas lighting chandeliers (now changed to electric) were beautiful. Very hard to describe. A must see!

Looking at 1/2 of the parlor. Furnishings now have been reupholstered in red and gold. Christmas tree is traditionally placed on the table of the bay window on extreme left of picture. Notice the 2 pointed arch. Matches the arch in the hallway.
Dining room with silver service.
Bedroom on upper floor. All beds were 4 poster with canopy. Chamber pot doubles as a step to reach the high bed. Beds were high in order to receive the breeze from windows. All had mosquito netting as there were no screens used.
Bill standing under one of the many giant oaks still standing from the original plantings.

Rosalie built in 1820s by Peter Little. It was used by federal troops as their headquarters. The furnishings were carefully stored by the occupying troops on the 3rd floor of the home showing the care not to destroy & abuse the property. I was lucky enough to play the grand piano in the parlor during our tour. A very special, neat experience. Luckily a hymn book was there on the piano opened to "What a Friend We Have In Jesus", a hymn I have played many, many times! The other side of the home looks toward the Miss. River & the grounds were beautiful. I didn't take my camera in as I didn't think we could take pictures here either. But the tour guide said, oh yes, you can take pictures all you want! Might know! Food was prepared in the building to the left in picture then taken through a walkway to the lower porch & passed through a window into the dining area. No cooking was done in any of the homes because of the heat and chance of fires.

This is the beautiful entrance to Longwood. Wouldn't you like to drive down this driveway to your home??? I love this picture. So peaceful looking!This is Longwood. It was using environmentally friendly technology long before "going green" was popular. Dr. Haller Rush Nutt used solar panels (strategically placed mirrors) to reflect the sun's rays for the purpose of heating water in the house. This is the largest remaining octagonal house in the US. It was under construction before the Civil War. When the war started, the workmen who were from the north, abandoned saws & hammers & returned home. Dr. Nutt, also a northerner, lost his wealth and plantations across the river in LA & died a broken man. Longwood remains unfinished today. The basement floor was completed for the family to use, but the 5 other floors remain unfinished.

Bill & tour guide talking. This is the first floor of the home which is not completed. The basement would be located under the porch where they are standing.

This is looking upwards from first floor up. Shows upper floors left just as they were.

We left Vidalia, LA this morning to head north to hit Interstate 20 & then across Louisiana. Missed our route, but still made it to where we were going. Road was good & very little traffic. Worst part was it was very, very foggy this morning. We arrived in Terrell, TX (approx. 60 miles east of Dallas) this afternoon around 3:45pm. Got my washing done, our showers taken & supper eaten so Bill could take up the water hose & sewer hose. When we pulled into Blue Bonnet Ridge RV Park, there was a sign up for freeze warning. So don't want to take the chance of frozen hoses! The wind has been blowing very hard since we arrived. We didn't unhook from the truck, but the trailer sways with the wind quite a bit. Almost like being drunk when you walk through the trailer. Will probably rock us to sleep.

Tried to call my sister, Romayne tonight to see how they were fairing in New York State! Erie, PA is calling for 1 - 1-1/2 ft. of snow still. When I checked the weather there yesterday they had severe weather alert until Sat. Temperatures are in the mid 20's. An email from my friend Sarah in N. Warren, says she has a foot of snow on her railing on her deck. She has shoveled twice today & it is still coming down. Oh my...........I don't miss it!!!!! Can't wait to get to Apache Junction!!!! Have been checking temperatures along Interstate 40 so we can be prepared for low temperatures at night. Day time doesn't look too bad & don't see any snow in the forecast. I think we will make it!

Yesterday my daughter let us know that little Nicholas has bronchitis. Gosh, those guys keep fighting those colds. He was feeling better tonight. All weekend he had a fever. Maybe he will be on the mend now & can get back to school next week.

Well, I think that about catches us up. Until next time..........The Traveling Cardinal's