Five Days on the Road -- Photo Journey

Monday: The silvery Suwanee River in northern Florida was a beautiful sight to see. No one was around, but on the weekends this river is full of tubers, as the dozens of shops selling tubes would indicate.

Tuesday:  We were spending the night in Gulfport, so drove over to Biloxi just to check it out.  The beaches there are flat and it really appears that the water is on level with the rest of the land -- and it probably is. I had heard there was a lighthouse and when we saw it...well, we had to laugh.  It is like a toy lighthouse.  Truly do not know how anyone ever saw a light from it, but I suppose they did.  Along the E. Beach Blvd. they have a replica that is nearly the same size.  We motored down to the Hard Rock Casino and spent a little time eating nachos, drinking beer, buying some gifts and earrings, and checking out various wardrobe pieces and instruments from famous rock and roll musicians. Other note of interest:  an antique shop sign in Gulfport said it sold "Used and New Antiques" -- not quite sure what that means.  

Jim at Cafe Du Monde, waiting for beignets and coffee

Jackson Square as beautiful as ever

Wednesday: New Orleans, French Quarter.
I have been wanting to return to New Orleans ever since I was there over Thanksgiving weekend in 1979 with my friend Cathy Jones.  Back then, New Orleans was not even much of a destination.  The French Quarter had its charms, but in general the riverfront was undeveloped, with the defunct Jax Brewery building falling apart.  Cafe Du Monde -- the famous coffee and pastry shop -- overlooked the river, which bends so beautifully through the Crescent City.  When we were there in November, it rained a lot, so much of the outdoor activity was limited.

So it was much different to be in New Orleans when it was summer, when it had been through so much, when it had made so many changes, when it has become a destination in itself.  We parked and walked along the gorgeous new riverfront park.  Back in the day there was one steamboat tour -- now there are several.  The park is basically a huge dike meant to protect the city.  Once back down on street level, we visited Cafe Du Monde, which is now blocked in by the dike, but at least someone had created some beautiful art to help soften that blow.  Painters Alley was bustling and was where I found the Faulker House bookstore.  Before walking in, I heard a patron of a painter telling him, "My writing practice is haiku."  Big smile to that, as this year I have been practicing haiku as well.

The bookstore was small and stacked with books.  I discovered that Flannery O'Connor had actually wanted to be a cartoonist and a book of her cartoons was published in 2012,  I purchased a book of Blues Poems and a guide to the Blues in Mississippi, our next destination.  We also found a stone and crystal shop where I purchased Mardi Gras colored beaded earrings.  I am on the hunt for many new earrings this trip, since I am terribly bored with mine.  After making some gift purchases, we settled into the Jackson Brewery for a craft beer and to make hotel reservations for the night.  Next stop: Laurel, Mississippi, where we had a steak dinner and called it a night.  We are now seeking out markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail and Country Trail the next two days.

Painters Alley

Jackson Brewery

Poetry Interlude:  "The Blues" by James C. Morris

These are the blues:
a longing beyond control.
left on an unwelcome doorstep,
slipping in when the door is opened.

These are the blues:
a lonely woman crouched at a bar,
gulping a blaze of Scotch and rye,
using a tear for a chaser.

The blues are fears that
blossom like ragweeds
in a well-kept bed of roses.

(Nobody knows how tired I am.
And there ain't a soul who gives a damn.)

Meridian, Mississippi

Thursday:  We drove to Meridian to visit the Jimmie Rodgers museum.  The woman running the museum was full of information, shared a video, and showed us some of the most interesting items -- mainly his guitar.  No photography was allowed, so I was unable to get any pictures.  Jimmie Rodgers is considered a huge influence on blues and country artists everywhere.  His "blue yodel" was what has been imitated by blues and country artists in various incarnations throughout the years.  Jimmie had a very short career -- six years all told -- as he suffered from tuberculosis which eventually did him in.  He was very successful for his time.  After the museum, we found our first blues marker at Singing Brakeman park.

After the sites in Meridian, we drove to Philadelphia to see the Marty Stuart marker.  It is Marty's Saturday night show on FamilyNet that encouraged us to make this trip. We look forward to seeing Marty perform next Friday in Nashville.

After Philadelphia, we stopped in West Point to check out the Howlin' Wolf marker. It included a sculpture based on a photograph, and was in a park area. Very pretty this town.

Marker on Main Street Philadelphia

Most towns in Mississippi looked like this.

Howlin Wolf has always been a favorite

Believe it or not, it was still time in the day, so we made our way to Tupelo to see Elvis's birthplace.  The grounds there are simply gorgeous and features a huge visitor's center, a rather hokey movie about his life up to age 13, his childhood 2 room home, church, and even outhouse!  Elvis has both blues and country markers on the grounds.

Elvis at 13 statue.  Markers in the background.

Tupelo is a crazy town to drive around.  Even our GPS was overworked with "take this ramp" -- "merge right" -- "make a left U-Turn."  But Southern hospitality, which is a very real thing, was alive and well.

We woke the next morning to rain -- miserable, dreary, beating on the ground rain.  The temperature had dropped into the 60's and yes, seemed chilly.  The weather caused us to scale back our plans, which had included the B.B. King Interpretive Center, a seeking out of several blues and country markers in the Greenwood area, the infamous Tallahatchie bridge, as well as the three different burial places of famous blues artist Robert Johnson.  However, where we ended up made for a perfect day.

Friday: Oxford and Clarksdale, Mississippi

The rain kept our windshield wipers busy as we drove west to Oxford, the home of Ole Miss.  After so many little towns, it was quite different to be among such an elegant and academic atmosphere. We found the town square -- which boasted a blues marker of its own -- and I found my way to my destination -- Square Books.  I love independent bookstores, and this one was a beauty.

I arrived in my shorts and t-shirt, but was among people in jeans and rain jackets, most of which gave me a kind of smile. It was obvious I was an out-of-towner in a town of close knit academic types.  I even heard a store employee mention Beth Ann Fennelly, who I know is the head of the poetry masters program at Ole Miss, as I took a workshop with her at the Sanibel Island Writer's Conference. I purchased an autographed novel written by the bookstores's owner and some gifts, and then we were on our way to Clarksdale, home of the blues.

This town is loaded with markers: Wade Walton, Sam Cooke, Ike Turner.  It seemed no matter where we looked, there was another marker.  A few other blues pilgrims were in town with us, checking out the museum and the markers.  We finished off our visit with a barbecue meals at Abe's BBQ, located at the crossroads famous as being the place where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil so he could play the blues guitar like no other.  The blues guide I purchased in New Orleans takes issue with this location and, of course, the whole this is just Faustian mythology.  But it is a unique spot, and we enjoyed being part of this mythological and musical odyssey.  

Authorized spot for graffiti

Robert Johnson mural

Our main destination

Corner of Delta and Blues Alley, Clarksdale

The famous Crossroads

Friday evening we arrived in Memphis, our home for the weekend.  Our musical odyssey continues with visits to Graceland, Sun Studios, and the Rock 'n' Soul Museum.  Watch for the next update!