This cannon sits at a scenic outlook over the river in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Called “The Widow Blakely,” it was used to defend against Union gunboats during the siege on Vicksburg during the Civil War. With the sun setting over Vicksburg on my drive home to Texas, I had to pull off the highway for a while to stretch my legs and decided to get a few shots around town. This is the only one that I liked as is. (Others may appear later if something neat can be salvaged through creative cropping.)

Greetings from Meridian, Mississippi! I’m making a pit stop at the Holiday Inn Express here on my way to Jacksonville for the family Christmas hootenanny. Nothing exciting to report, but I do have two observations to share:

1. I believe that every convenience store in the South is required by law to carry pickled pigs feet. However, Mississippi is the only place where they actually SELL. They had three nearly-empty jars of them on the shelf closest to the register when I ran out looking for a late night snack. (Despite my penchant for redneck chic, no, I did not partake. I bought a Moon Pie, thankyouverymuch.)
2. While I was at the convenience store I decided to grab a magazine since there wasn’t anything worthwhile on TV back at the hotel. After looking around the whole convenience store (and it was a pretty big one) I realized they didn’t have a magazine rack. Not even a stack of Greensheets or the Thrifty Nickel. That annoyed me enough (and the TV prospects were so bleak) that I decided to try the EZ Mart down the street, too. Same deal. Three jars of pickled pigs feet, but not a thing to read. Now, I realize that Mississippi is only the 49th Smartest State in the union, but even if nobody can read don’t you think they’d at least like to look at the pretty pictures?

With long enough of an exposure the sleet on the street really sparkles.

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The streetlight cast an interesting glow across the newly sleet-covered road. (I promise I don’t live in a red light district.)

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I think of butter churns, horse-drawn buggies and handcrafted furniture …
And jalapeno jack cheese of course!