Friday, June 15, 2007

The Mighty Mississippi


For a series of articles on the history of transportation on the Mississippi, click here.

There are few rivers as beautiful or as rich in history as the Mississippi. Rivers, or any body of water, have always held a special fascination for me. I was born in a city on the shore of Lake Michigan, grew up along the Fox River in Wisconsin, sowed my wild oats in Chicago again by Lake Michigan, married and reared a family in Minnesota with the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers as favorite places of recreation. Today I took darlin' 4-yr-old granddaughter Olivia to Hidden Falls, a lovely park not far from our house. She squealed with delight at the sight of a paddle boat, fascinated by speed boats rapidly moving by, intriqued by kayaks, and delighted with the barge in the above photo. I felt the same as she! For more photos of the same barge, look here.

16 comments:

  1. I am always fascinated by the barge/tugboat relationship. It's a whole different world right there in the river as the rest of us go scurrying about on the freeways and hardly give them a 2nd glance.

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  2. Sounds like you both had a good time. And, I agree, the river is beautiful.

    If your grandaughter is still there bring her over to my blog to see my baby kitties.

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  3. I love stories about the Mississippi-it is as you say a mighty river, and the stuff of legend.

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  4. I read your post today, it seemed you are always 'related' to the rivers, lakes, shore....I supposed you love the sea as much ;) Is that Olivia in yellow?

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  5. Nice photo. Thanks for sharing the info with us.

    Today I posted the Auction Barn.

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  6. Anonymous8:09 AM

    I don't get to cross this river often but I am always impressed by its size when I do.

    Your photo is very nice.

    Abraham Lincoln
    Brookville Daily Photo

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  7. Kate - my ATCs are here:

    http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/522193547BkcxBo

    and some of the greeting cards Ive made here:

    http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/522193457iKLcdb

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  8. One mighty river! So did the tugboat captain honk the horn for you?

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  9. Nice photo of the river.

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  10. Thank you for the beautiful river image. I love rivers, and the swamps along them, grew up near a large and a smaller one, and there was nothing more fun than spending time there. I have never seen the Mississippi, even though as a little girl I felt a great kinship with Tom Sawyer. To this day I regret that me and my brother never managed to build a riverworthy float! :-)

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  11. Hey, fellow St. Paulite. I just discovered your blog and it is excellent. LOVE the great pictures.

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  12. There is nothing like sharing the delight of seeing something new with a grandchild. Reading your post, I could picture the whole scene.

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  13. Wonderful to see this beautiful river. I long to visit Mississippi - home of so many great writers and my absolute favourite, Eudora Welty. My best friend comes from Memphis, Tenn and her busband from Jackson, Miss A trip is planned but not sure when. One day, I'll see this river. It's been a longtime dream. Thanks for posting.

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  14. Are those sand or dirt on the barge? Is the sand/dirt being removed from some place or being shipped to a destination?

    The reason I ask this is because a lot of beaches "buy" sand to replenish the shores.

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  15. beautiful photo Kate....I'm sure Olivia had a ball!
    You know.....I kind of like water too!
    The Waterboy across The River.

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  16. I lived nine years as a kid in Vidalia, Louisiana and never tired of watching the massive barges and the dance the tugboat drivers did to keep their loads moving and not running into one another.

    Wonderful shot.

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