(Photo by Bill McKinney)

I always wondered how Mississippi--and in particular, Greenville--grew such a large crop of brilliant writers, such as Shelby Foote, Walker Percy, Ellen Douglas, etc. etc.  After a recent visit to that Delta city, I found the answer in a terrific independent bookstore.  McCormick Book Inn, overseen by curmudgeonly Hugh McCormick, is only too happy to enlighten the curious.

(Photos by Bill McKinney)

Driving through the Mississippi Delta on Hwy. 82, we stopped at a BBQ spot in Indianola. I had heard there was a BB King Museum in the works, and the purveyor of pork at Big Daddy's BBQ told us just where it was--101 South Sunflower Avenue.

"It's another beautiful day at The Bluffs."

That's what you hear when telephoning the charming resort on the outskirts of St. Francisville, Louisiana. And it's not just a good public relations ploy. The whole world seems to shine brighter when you visit this blooming spot.

The flowers are stunning, the weather’s divine, and the Grand Hotel is better than ever. Come on down to the coast.

In the Gulf South, L.A. stands for Lower Alabama. Seasonal delights appear at every bend, especially along the coastline circling Mobile Bay. Two venerable attractions promise to brighten up your visit with flowers, fun, and a sense of wonder.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home

(Photos by John O’Hagan)

They're everywhere. Giant red plastic penguins. One sits quietly--all 4 feet of him--next to the sofa in the hotel lobby. Another peers stoically out the gift shop window. More congregate in large numbers on the roof and stand sentry on the outside window ledges. Holy cow, it's like something out of a Monty Python movie. I decide to check in and check out this hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, that blends the best of contemporary art and plush accommodations. I also have a sudden yearning to watch Animal Planet.