As a lot of you know, I live just a hair’s breadth away from the mighty Mississippi River. Well, actually not the REAL Mississippi River, but a smaller river, a canal really, what used to be the Mississippi River a little more than a hundred years ago. The Mississippi River is constantly moving and with that movement often comes course changes. That’s right, the river actually changes course. That’s what happened here in Vicksburg in 1876. The river changed course and left Vicksburg and its very active port, high and dry.
(more…)Archive for the ‘Vicksburg’ Category
It’s All So Exciting – ‘Til It Isn’t
Posted in Autumn, Baer House Inn, cruise, cruising, vacation, dessert, desserts, drinks, eating, Family, food, friends, history, humor, innkeeping, Jansen Schmidt, laughter, Mississippi, travel, vacation, Vicksburg, writing, tagged American Cruise Lnes, American Queen, Baer House, historic homes, low water, Mississippi River, paddlewheeler ships, paddlewheelers, river cruises, river cruising, steam ships, tour homes, traveling, Viking Cruise LInes, Viking River Cruises, Yazoo Diversion Canal, Yazoo River on November 7, 2022| 6 Comments »
The Broken Lightbulb: A Spooky Tale
Posted in Baer House Inn, blogging, Family, Fiction, friends, history, humor, innkeeping, Jansen Schmidt, laughter, Mississippi, Paranormal, redneck, travel, vacation, Vicksburg, weird, writing, tagged Baer House, Baer House Inn, ghosts, haunted, haunted B&Bs, haunted inns, historic inns, light bulbs, locked doors, Mississippi, random, spirits, traveling, unexplainable events, unexplained, unexplained phenomenon, unseen forces, Vicksburg on August 8, 2022| 12 Comments »
Here at the inn, I have a policy: if a room is not made completely up and ready for someone to check into it, I keep the door to that room either shut or locked until it’s ready to go. I don’t like snoopy guests – and they are, every single one of them – to peek in and see a dirty or unfinished room. I just think that’s unprofessional. I’d rather have those snoopy guests wonder what those rooms look like than for them to see an unmade bed or a vacuum cleaner sitting in the middle of the room or towels stacked on the dresser. Hey, my inn, my rules. I want to present it in its best light.
(more…)A Trip To the Oligocene Epoch Right Down the Road
Posted in blogging, blooms, driving, flowers, friends, gratitude, history, humor, Jansen Schmidt, Mississippi, travel, Vicksburg, writing, tagged Earth science, erosion, Flora, Flora Mississippi, forest, fossils, lichen, Loblolly pines, National Natural Landmarks, National Park Service, nature, nature walk, petrified forest, petrified wood, pine needles, prehistoric, science, trees on May 16, 2022| 6 Comments »
A few weeks ago, I time traveled. I wasn’t gone very long and I didn’t travel very far, but I definitely went back in time. Back about 36-38 million years ago in fact, if scientists are right. It wasn’t as exciting as I thought it might be but it was interesting none-the-less.
(more…)I Still Wanna Believe
Posted in Baer House Inn, blogging, blooms, Family, flowers, friends, goals, gratitude, humor, innkeeping, Jansen Schmidt, laughter, money, motivation, positivity, Shopping, success, Vicksburg, writing, tagged aroma, craft booths, craft fairs, crafters, faith, flea markets, good business, good people, honest people, honesty, pre-pay, promises, scents, selling stuff, smelling, strangers, trust, trusting strangers on May 2, 2022| 6 Comments »
There are so many dishonest people in the world today. So many people with harmful agendas. So many people out to make a buck. I think you’d be somewhat foolish if you weren’t always a little leery of people selling stuff. There are thieves who will take your money and disappear. But I also choose to believe that there are still good people out there too. People who are just trying to make a living. People who come by their money honestly. People who aren’t trying to trick you into buying something they have no intention of delivering.
(more…)What’s Your Inn Guest FICO Score?
Posted in Baer House Inn, breakfast, driving, eating, food, humor, innkeeping, Jansen Schmidt, money, travel, vacation, Vicksburg, writing, tagged active military, Airbnb, B&B, Baer House, Baer House Inn, bed and breakfast, discounted rooms, discounts, early riser, housekeeping, inn guests, inn hosting, inn hosts, military, military discounts, Mississippi, money, morning person, overcharging, undercharging on February 21, 2022| 2 Comments »
The other day I had a guest experience that I wish I would have handled differently. Hey, sometimes it happens. But you never know UNTIL it happens. And we all know that sometimes all it takes is one person to screw things up for everyone else. Here’s what happened?
(more…)Valentine’s Day Fail
Posted in alcohol, beauty products, blooms, dessert, desserts, diamonds, drinks, eating, flowers, food, Holidays, humor, Jansen Schmidt, jewelry, love, romance, roses, Vicksburg, writing, tagged chocolate, dining, dining out, dinner, February 14, love, red roses, romance, romantic, roses, special day, special person, Valentine, Valentine's, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2022| 8 Comments »
Here we are at February 14th already. Valentine’s Day has arrived again. Time to show your special someone how much you love them. I know, I know, you should do that every day, but today is the one day a year when you should really treat your sweetheart to something uniquely special. Something out of their ordinary. Something frivolous. Nothing says, “I love you,” like wasting money on something only the receiver will appreciate and enjoy. Like flowers. Or a bottle of their favorite Prosecco.
(more…)The Je Ne Sais Quoi of Abandoned Places – Part Two
Posted in Baer House Inn, blogging, bucket list, camera, cement walls, Family, friends, history, humor, Jansen Schmidt, positivity, resolutions, short story, travel, vacation, Vicksburg, weird facts, writers, writing, tagged abandoned places, adventures, American Civil War, exploring, headstones, historical places, history, Mississippi River, off the beaten path, Port Gibson Mississippi, preservation, ruins, southern plantations, traveling, Windsor Plantation, Windsor Ruins on January 17, 2022| 6 Comments »
Last week I told you of my interest in exploring ghost towns and abandoned places. I relayed the story of the town of Rodney, the capital that almost was. This week, I continue my exploration adventures with you to another spot not too far from my home in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Let’s wander over to Windsor Ruins, what’s left of Mississippi’s greatest plantation home ever.
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