2014 Vacation, Day 3

We stayed in Jonesboro, Ar last night and got up this morning we were on the road by 8:00 or there abouts.  Jonesboro is in eastern Arkansas and The Moment we left town, driving south, it felt like "The South".  Not the deep south, mind you, but 'The South'. 

Houses have taken on a different look, fences and landscaping are changing too and we are seeing different culture changes.  We are trying to maintain a route south.  The roads try to push us South West, we feel, but we are determined to travel South and East so as to reach our goal of The South and The Gulf.

 

There are blossoms and blooms every where!  I think this beautiful flower is a kind of clover but it is not what we have in Iowa.  There is wisteria, Bridal Wreath, blue Iris and now that we are in "the South" Rhododendron and Azaleas and red, red roses are everywhere! 

 

The windy, hilly roads of Arkansas have given way to the flat lands of the Mississippi Delta.  This flatness takes us by surprise being used to the rolling hills of Missouri and the bluffs and cliffs and ruggedness of Arkansas.  We discuss Delta and I say New Orleans was built on a delta.  As we see signs and references to Delta in our here and now, we look it up (oh yes, Google!) and see that northwest Mississippi is a large delta -- the land that lies  between the Mississippi and the Yazoo rivers.  So we continue to learn something every day. 

 

Houses are having more attitude and character. 

 

Towns are older and streets more narrow.

 

River towns have bluffs and river bottom roads. 

And every town of any size any more has a Floating Casino. 

What is with that? 

 

Gramps and Granny visited Longmont, above.  The tour made a fierce impression on Gramps.  Only the first floor was every finished.  It was being built during the 1860s, the Civil War came along and the workman lay down their tools and left, never to finish the house.  A lot of the supplies were still there 100 plus years later and I think Gramps was intrigued and would have liked to get the call to finish it. 

 

I didn't get photos from Natchez but there are soooo many wonderful houses and mansions and many open to the public that we may need to do a WOW in Natchez some time.  I think it must have more mansions per capita than any other southern town -- but I'll research that to make sure!  

 

Tomorrow -- eastward to Louisiana, the Gulf, the Ocean, Cajun and creole and sea food  and beautiful plantation houses!