hi y'all: i am terribly sorry i can't post any photos - this computer is kinda screwy and i had a few picked out but it wouldn't let me upload them. so just a few words - a word is worth a million pictures right? oh wait...

we are in lovely and historic natchez mississippi. we are parked by a white gazebo on the banks of the great mississippi river. matt you would go crazy reading historic markers in the south. you would need a week in each town. we just came from vicksburg which is chock full of civil war stories, antebellum houses, blues legends, catfish, juke joints, barbecue, etc. the downtown there is actually the cutest one we've been to, not quite as depressing as helena, clarksdale, greenville.

in vicksburg we jumped around in a water park/fountain area like kids. i was so wishing jarom and bella could be with us. there was a childrens' art park anda large play area made to be like a steamship. not quite as cool as it sounds, but fun nonetheless.

there is a diner here which is a fast food chain called The Waffle House. It is small, grungy, cheap, and open 24'7. sorry for the typos, i'm on darin's laptop and i am a very bad typist on here. anyway we sat in the waffle house for like an hour last night grubbing on some grits and writing and reading and listening to the black folks talk in their sweet low heavily accented voices.

one guy in arkansas told us we were like a flashback to the seventies. we stand out a little but most everyone is super nice and friendlyu to us. actually, everyone,.

yesterday was church day so everything in the whole delta area was closed up= some places forever. front porches were busy with families out talking and laughing. whole groups of folks gathered round tiny country churches in their sunday best. anyone you wave at waves back with a big old grin. when you drive down highway 61 (yes bob dylan's famous song) you are surrounded by swampy marshes/cotton fields/crimson clover and viney trees and kudzu. out the window is a wild green world.

we also explored some giant indian mounds. here again, i thought of the kids. jarom would have a blast rolling down the great grassy slopes.

i think of all y'all a lot - i mean all the time! - mikie, your blogs are entertaining and i miss you! momma you're the best in the west - for taking care of my cats and for being such a lovely person and you are my favorite person to buy presents for! amy and matt and kids - i have so much fun with you i can hardly stand it. can't wait to see your photos from disneyland! addie - your spirit is catching. you would have been so inspired by this folk art gallery we went into. joey there is a train whistle blowing and we listened to scratchy old blues songs today and you'dbe dying. last and not least, dad you're the greatest and i always love talking to you and you are very uplifting and kind.

i love you all so much! greeting and kisses from the road!