Paula Dean

I've been living in the Deep South for three years. To my surprise, I have witnessed the African-American population call each other by the forbidden "n" word. Where do whites line up to complain about being called "Honky and Georgia Cracker"?

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

Master Sergeant Derrick V Washington retires

The 5/29/13 issue of The Clarksdale Press Register announced "Master Sergeant Derrick V. Washington is  to retire from the United States Marine Corp after 24 honorable years of Service. The ceremony will take place at Quantico Marine Base, Virginia May 30, 2013."  Google or Bing his name and find his list of degrees, campaigns and medals.

Master Sgt. Washington is a credit to his country, his family and community. I pray his life inspires our undirected youth.. Life exerts itself in poverty. There's nothing to do. Testosterone rages. Lines drawn. Guns drawn. Another young life is cut short.

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

MS grown well-known actors

MS grows more than cotton.

Per the Clarksdale Press Register, the most famous Mississippian is Morgan Freeman.
Elvis is 2nd.
Oprah Winfrey is 3rd.
James Earl Jones is 4th.
Stella Stevens is 5th.
Sela Ward is 6th.
Parker Posey is 7th.
Gerald McRaney is 8th.
Cassi Davis is 9th.
M.C. Gainey is 10th.
Mary Ann Mobley, Gary Collins, Diane Ladd, Johnny McPhail, Joey Lauren Adams, Finn Carter, Lacey Chabert, John Dye, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Cynthia Geary, Garry Grubbs and Robert Earl Jones are also Mississippi actors.

I met Johnny McPhail at a local Tennessee Williams event. He was excited about his next movie. I stood right next to him and craned my neck. He's 6'4". Meeting Morgan Freeman is on my Bucket List.

2013 Red Convertible Travel SeriesClarksda

Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly's "Titled World"

According to The Clarksdale Press Register, "Tom Franklin and his poet wife, Beth Ann Fennelly, co-wrote the novel 'Titled World' set in the April 1927 MS Delta flood. He read a portion of it here last week."

Franklin said, "The tension of rising waters in the book provides an effective metaphor for rising human tensions."

CPR, "The size of the flood was the costliest disaster to ever hit the United States. It guaranteed widespread misery and hardship and those things provided the well-spring of concern. With so many people drowned and others displaced, there is no end to the possibility of stories. It inspired dozens of blues songs, William Alexander Perry's classic memoir 'Lanterns on the Levee',  and the novel 'Southern Cross the Dog' by Chinese-American Bill Cheng."

Clarksdale hosts at least one author a month promoting their new work. We are fortunate to have a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation with support from the Delta Bridge Project, the Friends of the Library and KCP & L, and partnership with the Coahoma County Higher Education Center. Hors d'oeurves by Alexander Pretti & Co.

The MS River is six miles from us and held back by the Levee. Locals pay attention to the Helena, AR MS river stage. Excessive rains in Ohio and Illinois and up the Missouri keep us on our toes. The questions on everyone's mind is: Will it flood behind the Levee and how high? Do residents need to evacuate?

In 2011 the Hamburg, IA Missouri River Levee breech sliced off the Levee like meatloaf. The Missouri flows into the MS near St Louis. The Mighty MS is a force with a mind of its own. It bears watching.

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

MS Delta Crud

pollen
pesticide
insecticide
h u m i d i t y
mine for breeze
Hack. Hack.
fever
chest rattle
diaphanous
antibiotics
cough suppressant
etc.
floaty days
spotty sleep
sweaty day and night

Yah for winter!

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series