iPhone4 experiment 2

These photos were taken last night. I just stepped out of the truck, aimed the iPhone at the subjects and pressed the little button. Not bad. Not bad at all. But, boy, I wish I had some zoom!

Sunset on Friday, March 19

The sky was extremely hazy, and made for an interesting photo. What a beautiful sight. Even better, I shared it with my gorgeous wife, Karen.

Black and Red

Caboose

Downtown Vicksburg

February 2010

Hotel Vicksburg

The Vicksburg
Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010

Battery DeGolyer in the snow

Battery DeGolyer in the Vicksburg National Military Park was beautiful under a light blanket of snow early Saturday morning. The sun was rising quickly.

Mississippi sunrise

One of my favorite places to shoot the sunrise is on the levee along the Yazoo River up Hwy. 61 North. A couple of bayous up there are the perfect setting to see a new day dawn. This was shot on Saturday, Oct. 24, with friends Robert Walker, Jerry Rushing and Ritch Southard. Folks, it just doesn't get any better than this.

Barges under the bridges

My good buddies Sam Andrews, Robert Walker and Paul Ingram and I shot photos during the Over the River Run for executive director Annette Kirklin to use in the coming year. We had a blast being on the bridge and enjoyed shooting photos of all the runners. Annette is getting all our photos, so I won't steal her thunder and post any here. But we did have the fortune of having several tows and barges go under the bridge during the event. Here are some of those shots. What a neat experience!

Birth of a magnolia seed

The cones (or whatever you call them) of the magnolia tree in my neighbor's yard are birthing their seeds now. The big, red shiny seeds are emerging and looking like fat ticks draining the lifeblood from the tree. Kind of gross when you think of it that way. But they are still beautiful as they are. Life renewing itself is always a wonderful thing.

Margaret Dennis

One of the most gentle spirits I have ever encountered was that of Margaret Dennis, who died Monday at the age of 94. Her husband, the Rev. H.D. Dennis, told her he would build her a castle if she would marry him and he was true to his word. The transformation of Margaret's Grocery has been documented worldwide. I have spent many mornings and afternoons documenting the place and was fortunate to speak and visit with Miss Margaret several times. She will be missed.

These photos of Miss Margaret and the Reverend were taken in October 2006.

Below are some photos of Margaret's Grocery that I shot in July 2009, including some close-up shots of some of the details of the design. It is fascinating to study the place and look at the creativity the reverend used in building the monument to his wife. If you haven't been and you live anywhere even remotely close to Vicksburg, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Call me! I'll take you there!

The Ark of the Covenant

Self-portrait

Miss Margaret's obituary as it appeared in The Vicksburg Post on Tuesday:

Margaret Dennis died Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, at Vicksburg Convalescent Home. She was 94.

Mrs. Dennis was born in Bolton. She was a member of Cool Springs M.B. Church and was a former Sunday school teacher.

She retired as owner/operator of Margaret’s Grocery.

She was preceded in death by her father, the Rev. Joe Martin; her mother, Illinois Harvey; and two brothers and two sisters.

Survivors include her husband, the Rev. Herman Dennis of Vicksburg; and a stepdaughter, Cora Dennis Williams of Brooklyn, N.Y.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.