Indiana and Pennsylvania

In Evansville, IN we found this interesting architecture

on this high school.  Check out the right side

of the picture.

 

Doesn't the right side look like it is crooked?

It reminds us of the Weasly house from Harry Potter.

 

Last minute we took a side trip here.

 

Please click on this to enlarge.

 

This is what the previous sign was referring to.

 

An actual picture of the fire.

 

We were amazed at how quickly the

events happened.  Personally, I do not

know where these people from Flight 93

got the courage to do what they did

to save others in Washington, DC.

 

There is a rather long walk to the wall of remembrance

and there are a few cut outs in this lower wall

where tokens of love have been left.  When we

were here years ago, there were large fences

where there were 15,000 plus memorials

left.  I took pictures and posted a few on my blog.

I asked the park ranger what happened to them.

She told me that when the visitor center is complete,

a rotating wall of remembrance will have all

the memorials that are currently packed away.

 

The large boulder you see in the center is the

impact point of Flight 93.

 

The Wall of Remembrance.

Here are listed the 40 names of those who

perished that fateful day.  I learned there are a

few places where family members can enter quietly.

There was an air of solemnity throughout

the complex whether it was adults or school

children on a class trip.  This being the traditional

"Memorial Day" or "Decoration Day", it was

a good thing to visit here today.

We are safely home and will start to think about

where our next road trip will take us.

Thanks for joining us.  Hope you had a good time.

God Bless!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paducah, KY

Entering Missouri for a short time.

 

An artistic rendition of the oil rigs

that were built in Missouri in the late

1800's.  It's also where Bill was

given a whole free pizza!

 

Bill is standing at the location of the New Madrid

Riverfront Park in MO.

 

This is where scientists say the New

Madrid fault line is located.  This fault line is

different from other fault lines because

it is located five and ten miles underground.

People can sense about a half dozen tremors

each day from the slipping fault line.

 

We ate our free pizza under the cottonwoods

by the Miississippi River at the partk.

Here's another artsy fartsy picture of a bird.

 

Now in Kentucky.

 

A road less traveled along the flood plain

of the Ohio River.  When the river is al full

flood stage, where I am standing could be

30 feet under water.

 

After nearly three miles, we arrived at the

railroad trestle and Ohio River.

 

Walking closer to the river, we encountered

fresh mud deposited by the Ohio River

during a recent minor flooding.

 

At the river's edge, we watched a tug boat and

crew sorting barges by location and destination.

By looking at the man standing near the flag,

you can see how huge the barges are.

 

After a day of searching for earthquake faults,

traveling on roads less traveled and experiencing

the shuffling of barges, it's time to relax in

out hotel suite with fresh tomato and cheese

sandwiches and a bottle of wine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Covington, TN

When we first saw wheat about 200 miles south

of where we were today, it was yellow and ripe.

This winter wheat is still green in northern MS.

 

Here is an excellent shot of what the farmers

call rice levees in the rice fields or paddies.

Rice need to grow in water.  To contain the

water, they mound up the dirt in little levees,

thus forming rice paddies.

 

A closeup shot of the rice that is still young.

 

Here you can see the rice paddies being

filled with water.

 

Fertilizer is being transferred from the truck

to the spreader to fertilize the rice.

 

We stopped at a roadside fruit and vegetable

stand to buy some tomatoes and peaches.

I am playing hide and seek with the rooster!

 

Jean among the young palm trees.  This may

be the last I see of palms for some time.

 

Another metal creation.  It looks like a donkey to us.

 

Our final time crossing the Mississippi River.

This is what I call a "drive by" of the

Memphis, TN skyline from the bridge.

 

A parting shot of Memphis before we

moved on to Covington, TN for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mississippi River Flood Plain

The Natchez Bridge late last evening from

our hotel room.

 

The Natchez Bridge this morning as

we were about to leave our room.

 

Imagine my astonishment when we saw soy beans...

 

...corn and...

 

...wheat growing in Louisiana!  Of course Bill

was quick to remind me that this is the flood

plain of the Mississippi River.  The alluvial soil

is rich and makes these crops productive.

 

Rice and grain are stored in these silos along the

river waiting to be transported down stream to

either American or foreign ports.

 

We are now in Arkansas!

 

Driving on top of a levee which just happens

to be called Levee Road.

 

A long view of the open farm space from

Levee Road.  I love seeing the perfectly aligned

rows from planting.

 

Both beef and dairy cattle are enjoying

a rest from the heat under trees and in bayous.

 

I cracked up when I saw these cattle playing

"following the leader"!  Bill tells me this

is typical of cattle when they are on migration

or going back to the barn to be milked.

 

Bill is standing by the car covered with

the dust from levees.  We will have to

find a car wash tomorrow!

 

Bald cypress trees in Cypress Park, MS.

 

We don't want to block traffic anymore, so

we must say good bye to the cypress!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natchez, MS

Inside court of the hotel where we stayed last

night in Baton Rouge, LA.

 

One of several homes in historic St. Francisville, LA.

 

I was quite impressed with the flowers

in front of this house.

 

The courthouse in historic St. Francisville, LA.

 

The Mississippi River is eight feet above normal

and within two feet of flood stage.  The trees

would normally be on dry land.

 

Grace Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal mission was set up in 1828 and

the church was refurbished in the 1860's.

 

Rosedown Plantation.

 

Wherever there is high humidity and warm

temperatures, Spanish moss will grow.  I just

had to have an artsy fartsy picture of it close up.

 

We had one of the most wonderful

meals here in historic Natchez, MS.

Everything was fresh and full of flavor.

The beer was cold and the view of

the Mississippi River was extraordinary.

 

A view up the street from where we had dinner.

 

We crossed the bridge into Louisiana to look

back at historic Natchez.  Here you can see

a paddle wheeler has been converted into

a casino.

 

This is the Natchez Bridge as seen from Louisiana.