We're in Mississippi, Ya'll

A quick update from the Magnolia State: After leaving Galveston we did some nice birding at High Island and Anahuac Wildlife Refuge before leaving for Louisiana. Our goal was St. Francisville, an old town near the Mississippi which sits up on a bluff, hence the name of our planned golf course, The Bluffs, St. Francisville. Before getting there we took a little detour further north to look for some rare birds which we didn't find, but we did find "love bugs." These are little black flying bugs which come out a couple of times a year en masse. They look like little biplanes as they fly about, but are very adept at hitting your windshield as you drive. After a few miles of driving in love bug country, your windshield is spotted black which can seriously interfere with visibility, especially if you are already tired and cranky because you didn't see the birds you drove so far to see.

We gave up on the birds and headed to St. Francisville, only to find out that the ferry to town was not in use. Not realizing that the ferry actually crosses the Mississippi River, we grouchily drove the extra 60 or so miles around to the bridge and finally got to St. Francisville, a beautiful, quaint old plantation town with lots of charm and old houses beautifully restored. Our spirits raised, we called the golf course only to learn that they had become a private course 3 months ago and we could only play if we stayed at their expensive lodge, which we weren't eager to do. Instead we camped out, drove to the course the next day and looked hopeful and pleading that we needed to play their course for our book, at which time they relented, especially since no one was actually on the course at the time and at least they could make a little money from us, BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BOOK JUST THIS ONE TIME. The course was just great. Pristine, green, large fast smooth greens, great scenery and beautiful southern style brick homes. We had a lot of fun and Gloria got her first par 4 on the trip.

We then drove north to Natchez, Mississippi, a great old town on the Mississippi dripping with history, but, unfortunately for us, it was dripping with a heavy all-day rainstorm. We had a free snack at the visitor center, watched the movie and headed out to McComb in hopes of playing golf the next morning. Our 12 year old Roadtrek showed its age as water started seeping, then steadily dripping in at about six places, though fortunately we had about six saucepans to catch the drips. We put up the awning which stopped most of the leakage, turned on the air conditioner, had a great dinner followed by 2 games of scrabble and a night listening to the rain and thunder which finally stopped. Next morning we went to the golf course and found out it was too wet to play, so on we went to McComb for a great lunch at The Dinner Bell, an old southern restaurant where you and about 15 others sit around a big round table with a lazy susan piled with all kinds of southern delicacies -- fried chicken, fried eggplant, rutabega, collard greens, candied yams, banana cream pudding with wafers... It was delicious -- you took whatever you wanted or could catch as it whizzed by, and the sweet tea was unlimited. We chatted with the folks, then left for Terry, Mississippi, and Gloria's niece Michele, husband Mike and their daughter Nicky, their twelve horses, six dogs, and five cats (or was it five dogs and six cats?)

Anyway, we met up for dinner with Lisa and Tony and their children Henry, Mary and Peggy who lived with us two years ago (all except Tony who was back in Taiwan working and taking care of his parents). It was a joyous reunion, topped off by the best fried catfish, fried dill pickles, mustard greens and sweet tea we had ever tasted. The rain has stopped, we're feeling great (and well-fed), and will be playing the McComb course Sunday morning and a course in Milton, Florida Monday afternoon. We like the southern hospitality a lot, though our clothes aren't fitting very well. Oh well, we'll soon be further north -- we can't wait for that great Maine lobster!