A storm and Natchez

Ok, well I wrote a post about a week ago and just as I was finishing, a huge storm came up.  So I ran out of the room going for the camera to get a picture of the bent over trees and sideways rain.  I didn't get the camera in time and when I came back to the computer, the electricity and gone out for a split second and my post was lost.  I was disgusted and decided to write another day.  Today is the day.

When Brent and I went out to the car the following morning after the storm, this is what we found. A fairly big tree next to our car was busted over taking the fence with it.  One of those 'tender mercies' that it had not landed on our car.

Usually this is the scene that greets us every morning.  This is a pic of our backyard on a beautiful Saturday morning.

Recently, we took a trip to Natchez, Mississippi.  This is the Grand Hotel which sits on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River.  We stayed here....didn't get a room with a river view, but it was a nice place to spend the night.

As the signs says, Natchez sits right on an upper bluff of the river

Brent went out in the early morning and took this picture of the river.  You can see that in the early morning the river is placid, but looking at the bottom of the bridge posts, it flows swift.  The boat is a casino.  In many places in Louisiana, gambling is only legal if it's floating.

This is some of what is left of the Natchez Trace.  It's a path/small road first created by the buffalo traveling north from Natchez to the salt licks in Tennessee along the river.  It was originally 440 miles long. It was also used later by the American Indians and later the traders and explorers.  Parts of the trail, as right here, are still accessible.  We walked down there the evening before and got a few mosquito bites.  

Pretty fountain and flowers in the park behind the hotel.  This last picture is a magnolia flower.  I keep looking for a magnolia tree in full bloom, haven't seen one yet.

Sister Wall directing who should stand where for the June 'go home' picture.  She's a stickler for that. :)

The results.  Hmmm, needs work.  It was a very hot day and they wanted to take those jackets off "tout de suite".  French for quickly. 

Love you all...........Ma and Pa, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Carol and Brent....Sister and Elder Olsen (just look at the titles we give ourselves....whew!)