Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all and Happy 2009........Happy Birthday to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Peace to all........

Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Buck Fever

Well it's "buck fever" time in the Delta and the boys around here can do nothing but walk, talk and dream about hunting. I have to admit I've already enjoyed my share of venison this fall and it's only December. I've already consumed summer sausage, venison balls made from tenderloin, bacon hamburgers (that were divine) and good 'ol tenderized fried hind quarter simmered in brown gravy and served with rice, biscuits and bbq green beans.....Now that's a hunter's buffet.

It started with my stepson Jake bagging his "first deer" on the youth weekend in Yazoo County. Mississippi gives the kids 15yrs and younger a head start on gun season for white tail deer by letting them hunt a week earlier than the official "opening day" where all ages can bust out the shotguns and rifles and hit the woods looking for that "wall trophy" but usually settling for some "meat for the table". He dropped her with one shot (as his father told me, busting with pride) from 120 yards !!! Then comes the Southern ritual of "bloodying" the hunter after his first bag..........

The next outing he got a spike buck (again dropped him, this time at 200 yards with the "big rifle") but that only gave him Buck Fever more than ever !!!! But it did give our freezer plenty of venison to start out the winter. Yazoo has a fine venison meat processor in town that does an excellent and diverse array of sausages, steaks, burger meats, and even hot tamales !!! and is very reasonable and runs a very clean outfit !!! (Milner's Processing, 662-746-6472)...... But back to the Buck Fever.............this big one was out chasing several does this thick foggy morning (12/18/08)and gave "Hunter" the wall trophy he had been waiting for, I got some first hand pictures when they brought him to the beer shop for all the guys to "ooh" and "aah" over, drool is probably what they were really doing .....and it has been the talk of the town today !!!! 17" spread, 22 points....

Nothing Beats a Good Ol' Fish Fry

Butterflied White Perch.........the best way to cook a whole perch. Slit the fillets along the bone but leave the meat on the fish, bread and drop into peanut oil and cook until golden brown. Fillets are fine, but something about cooking that fish on the bone enhances the taste !! Plus that meat just peels right off and you don't have to mess with the bones. It may be psychological but most people in the Delta agree !! Plus when you cook a mess of them and stand them upright in a Budweiser beer flat, they are a pretty site to see. I only got a picture of one, cause everyone was eaten 'em hot out the grease.......we call that the catch and de-grease program of fishing down here !! Serve with dill cole slaw and Crystal hot sauce and maybe a french fry and some light bread on the side. The hush puppies never make it to the table, it's all best eaten standing around the fryer, out on the porch, burning your lips and fingers and chasing it down with a cold beverage.

Our State Flower

A huge lush magnolia tree in full bloom is a common site in the Delta...........They are used to decorate for any summer party, weddings, baby showers and the like. I just like to float a big bloom in a glass bowl with water and the aroma beats any store bought potpourri you every smelled. Our Great Governor Haley Barbour had magnolia saplings as "favors" at both his inaugurations in our capitol city of Jackson. I have both of mine planted in prominent places in the yard(see pic to the right, first bloom) to watch them grow and become strong just like our State is doing under his leadership. Oh, by the way, Haley is born and reared right here in Yazoo City, graduated from Yazoo High School with my sister, they were Mr. and Mrs. YHS back in 1964 or so.

The King

Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis, Tupelo, MS. Though not in the Delta, Elvis was still tremendously impacted by the black blues music of the Delta and the gospel songs and negro spirituals from the delta cotton field workers. There is no better road trip than to ride up Highway 61, the blues highway, straight through the heart of the Delta and on into Memphis to visit Graceland. I have been to Graceland a lot and taken friends, both skeptics and fans, but all leave with an amazing experience and an appreciation of why Elvis was and still is "The King" !!!

The one that DIDN'T get away......

Now my husband is a fisherman, as is any sane man in the south. I'm gonna share with you his near record catch. That would be a red-eye crappie, sometimes called a white perch around these parts. That one is about as big as they grow, he weighed in at 2 pounds 8 ounces, the state record is 3.3. He is now proudly displayed in my den on a nice piece of drift wood and some grass sprigs accenting it. If you have never eaten fresh fried perch, you haven't lived......

another one of the many reasons I choose to live in the Delta......

Red Hot Delta BBQ

Barbequeing or Q'in is serious business in the delta.

This is the way a proper spread of ribs should be

presented ..........these particular ones were prepared

by my dear friends "The Sassy Sows"......

Wolf Lake in July

Wolf Lake in July 2008 in the rain shower..... (on left)

Cypress tree on left front of my landing in Humphreys County,Mississippi

Same tree back in 2004 with sunshine and

lower water...... (on right)

Wolf Lake is pretty much my favorite place to be in my spare time. My family has owned a lot since the mid- sixties and we have had many parties, especially 4th of July celebrations, graduation luau's, hell, we even had one of my friend's weddings out on the deck long ago. It is an oxbow lake and the water level fluctuates with the Mississippi and Yazoo river levels. It has fine fishing and boating !! You can ski for over fourteen miles if you can hang on that long..........

The deck........