New Orleans- Part 1

Jackson, Mississippi

“World’s Only Cactus Plantation!”

Driving from Clarksdale to Jackson, we passed signs for the world’s only Cactus Plantation. Obviously intrigued, we decided to follow the signs, which took us on a bit of a wild goose hunt. The old man working used to be a salesman for Frito’s in New Orleans when it was just getting going. He gave us bottles of water. We bought a little cactus for Rachel Jarman which immediately tipped over in the car, spilling dirt all over the back seat.

Mississippi Delta

Downtown Clarksdale is a funny place — you can’t tell what’s faux-derelict and what’s genuine. The store fronts are complete with (vividly colored) peeling paint, and old-fashioned signage.

Everything seemed to be closed on Sundays. Even the Cotton Museum.

This jewelery store was one of the few shops open.

A close up shot of a banner in the Delta Blues Museum.

The side of Muddy Water’s shack in the museum.

A stack of tires I made slightly more colorful.

Shack Up Inn — Clarksdale, MS

Ok. A blog can’t even begin to describe how amazing the place we are staying in tonight (and probably tomorrow night) is. It is in Clarksdale, Mississippi, right near where famed blues musician Robert Johnson reportedly sold his soul to the devil in return for musical skills. Already cool. It is also a series of converted share-cropper shack. The place is called Shack Up Inn, and has more character and “rustic” charm than you can shake a quirkily derelict stick at. Pictures give it more justice that my feeble words, so I’m just going to put up a few of my favorites with lots more to come I’m sure.

Our shack- The Pinetop Shack.

A really cool table that I was tempted to sneak into my purse. If I had a table-sized purse.

more alabama

We had breakfast as a restaurant that you had to be 18 or older to go in. They stopped serving breakfast by 10:30. Smoking was allowed.

Sugar packs

Our Very First Tractor Pull

But before I get to that, aren’t these cups brilliant? They were a mere $1.25 at the Cook’s Natural Science Museum (sponsored by Cook’s pest control!). I just thought they were darling.

And then we went to a tractor pull.

On to Alabama! (but not before a stop at Jack Daniels)

Yesterday we left Nashville and winded our way slowly down to Alabama. We managed to stop at the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN, because we heard the tours were free of charge. Before we got there, though, we stopped for some pictures of barns and such.

Nature

Today we spent the bulk of our day in Nashville energizing. And by energizing, I mean napping, watching tv, and going online. We did, however, manage to get out in the sun for a while by going to a park in the affluent Belle Meade neighborhood. The center of the park was bypassed by a huge staircase that had ambitious runners going up and down. I chose to write things with rocks and grass, dissect a Do Not Enter sign, and take close up shots of my in-need-of-pedicure toes.

Nashville Skyline

Once we hit Nashville, the weather turned from blistering hot to pleasantly hot. We strolled around town, and Ben and I went into the Country Music Hall of Fame/Museum.

You could see the kitchen from where we were eating outside!

After dinner, we headed into town to hear some music. We were tired, and only went to one bar for a bit. There was an older man and a younger woman dancing, and laughing, and talking closely the whole time we were there. I thought they made an odd couple, and was compelled to take 7,999 pictures of them all night. Then I saw the man telling everyone who would listen that she was his daughter, which changed things a bit. Still a little strange though.