Sunday morning an obliging fellow quilter from New York gave us a ride to Jackson and dropped us off at our historic boutique hotel,  The Old Capital Inn.  Small and elegant, with a courtyard, it reminded us of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Seen near the hotel. Reminds me of our summer home!

After dropping off our luggage, we headed across the street to the Mississippi Museum of History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum History.  It was massive.

We explored the History Museum first.  Mississippi is home to many ancient Indian Mounds, something which intrigues me no end.

As Banjo Man, perusing the display,  said seriously, “You made me love mounds.”

My claim to fame.

Remember the 2015 visit to the Serpent Mound in Ohio?

road trip: day 3, the serpent mound

We took a break for lunch in the cafe and tried Mississippi’s delicious version of gumbo, a thick soup with black-eyed peas, red beans, turkey and okra.

Then it was time for the Civil Rights Museum.

We had no idea what we were in for.

The center, called “This Little Light of Mine”, was ringed with benches and suggested as a space to take a break between exhibits.

It’s an ugly, tragic, horrifying history. I had to take several breaks from the intensity of the history of hatred. Sitting in the center circle didn’t do it for me, so I fled to the cafe and ordered a cup of coffee.

Later that evening we were treated to another storm, with rain, wind, and hail. Our third floor room, with its small French doors and little balcony, was a cozy retreat. The lights flickered, the internet went on and off and the tv weathermen warned of another tornado.

We were ready to leave Mississippi.

Before all this cancer business, we’d intended to make a Gee’s Bend Retreat into a vacation that included renting a car and driving the Blues Trail, with a few Indian Mounds visits sprinkled in.  Maybe another year, maybe not.

Everyone we met was lovely and kind. Mississippi’s sweet Southern hospitality is real.  And we were grateful for it.

Thank you, Jackson.