April 9, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. A Drive.

I know we are supposed to stay at home but today we disobeyed instructions. We went for a drive in the country. We live close to the Natchez Trace, the National Parkland running from Natchez to Nashville. 50 mile an hour speed limit. No signs. No towns. Ken and I loved to drive on The Natchez Trace, especially just north of our house when the road runs just beside the reservoir. Our pattern was to drive on the Trace until we got bored with it, then take the country highways home. The minor highways in Mississippi are excellent, paved and smooth. We would wander until we finally got home. Kashina is uncomfortable with just wandering so today I mapped out a plan for our drive which kept us both happy. we left home at 10:30 and drove right to the Trace, where we headed for Tupelo. The drive was beautiful with almost no cars. The fields were green and lush. The reservoir is high with only one man fishing. Next we drove east on Highway 16 to Carthage. While we were there we picked up lunch at McDonalds, using the drive through of course. We ate lunch in the car sitting in the parking lot outside a Mexican restaurant, who had a whole stream of people having food brought to the car. Then we drove back on 16 to highway 35, where Kashina used the GPS on her phone to get us home, all via back roads, which made me happy. We arrived home at 1:30. The countryside in Mississippi is lovely. The houses and farms are well tended and at this time of year everything is green and fresh. As I had not really left my home for weeks, I decided it was time. And I enjoyed the drive.