Nature
Beauty In The Forest
Travelers in search of scenic solitude may want to explore Tombigbee National Forest, a 67,000-acre expanse in northeastern Mississippi. Named for the Tombigbee River, a moniker attributed to the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, the forest boasts rolling hills of pine and hardwood forest and rich populations of wildlife among its abundant natural features.
Not far from Ackerman, Mississippi, headquarters of the Tombigbee Ranger District, is picturesque Choctaw Lake Recreation Area. Swimming and boating are popular pursuits at the lake, and anglers try their luck at scoring largemouth bass, bream, catfish, and crappie. A nearby day-use area includes picnic facilities and a swimming beach. Bathhouses, boat ramps, and a fishing pier are also provided.
Mike and Rose Anna Robertson, F488515, have enjoyed numerous sojourns at Choctaw Lake Campground, whose 21 wooded campsites wrap around the lake. Sites include full hookups, a picnic table, a campfire ring, and a grill. Several picnic shelters are provided.
The couple enjoys the campground’s out-of-the-way location. Its campsites are “so quiet, you can feel the stillness. When the wind blows, you can hear the rustle of the leaves, the birds chirping. On some days, it’s so quiet, you can hear a spider walking on the fallen leaves,” Mike said.
The Robertsons discovered Choctaw Lake Campground several years ago when their usual facility was booked. They enjoyed their stay so much that they’ve returned almost a dozen times since.
When planning a stay, “We now refer to it as, ‘we’re headed to the woods,’” Mike said.
Recreation area visitors also can explore the wildflowers and other vegetation around Lake Choctaw via the 2.5-mile Lakeside Trail. Wooden footbridges enable close-up views of aquatic flora and fauna. Three additional trails lead into the pine and hardwood forests, sometimes traversing hilly terrain. Choctaw Lake Recreation Area contains the northern trailhead for the 32-mile Noxubee Hills Mountain Bike Trail, popular with bicyclists, hikers, and bird-watchers.
Choctaw Lake Campground is near the Natchez Trace Parkway, Noxubee Wildlife Refuge, and French Camp Historic Village, among other attractions.
Details
Tombigbee Ranger District
Highway 15 South
Ackerman, MS 39735
(662) 285-3264
Choctaw Lake Recreation Area
http://bit.ly/ChoctawLake
App File
Military And Veterans
Veterans Day, observed on November 11, honors those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. Apps offer a variety of information for current and past military personnel, as well as civilians. Here’s a sampling.
Mindfulness Coach: Created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), this app is designed to help veterans, service members, and others learn how to practice mind-fulness. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, helping with anxiety and depression, and coping more effectively with chronic pain. Free for iOS and Android. https://mobile.va.gov/app/mindfulness-coach.
Stars and Stripes: A comprehensive source of U.S. military news via independent reporting from Stars and Stripes journalists. After downloading the app, guests have free access to top stories on the Front Page. Unlimited digital access to all the site’s content requires a subscription, which helps fund the delivery of thousands of print newspapers to forward-deployed service members around the world. Free for iOS and Android. www.stripes.com/subscribe/apps.
Team RWB: Short for Team Red, White, and Blue, this social platform is run by a nonprofit organization and serves as a wellness community for more than 200,000 veterans, active-duty personnel, reservists, National Guard members, and civilian supporters. Members can connect with one another and engage in various activities, including in-person and virtual workouts, service-oriented events, and social activities. Free for iOS and Android. www.teamrwb.org/member-app/.
Bookshelf
Weather Or Not
In addition to its winter weather forecast, the 2021 Farmers’ Almanac predicts next summer will be stormier than usual.
Winter is just around the corner, and RVers may wonder what lies ahead, whether they plan to travel or stay put. The 2021 Farmers’ Almanac offers insights with its long-range forecast, dubbed “Winter of the Great Divide.”
For 2021, this time-honored publication is anticipating “cold and snowy conditions in the north, drought in the west, and everything crazy in between.” Its predictions:
The cold and snowy side. It should be a chilly one for the Great Lakes and Midwest, the Northern and Central Plains, and the Rockies.
Snow will be abundant — possibly above average — for parts of the western Dakotas, northern portions of Colorado and Utah, and Wyoming. The southeastern United States, excluding the Tennessee Valley, can expect average precipitation but chillier-than-normal temperatures.
The dry side. Areas across Arizona and Southern California should experience a mild, dry winter.
The crazy in-between. In New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma east into Arkansas, and Louisiana, Mother Nature will mix tranquil weather with occasional shots of cold and wintry precipitation.
Wet weather will be on tap along the Pacific coastal plain, from northern California and points north through parts of western Oregon and Washington.
Winter wild card. Around the Tennessee and lower Ohio River valleys, north and east up through New England, some intense systems will deliver a wintry mix of rain and icy or snowy weather.
Snow way out. A blizzard is forecasted February 12 through 15 along the Eastern Seaboard, with the potential to dump 1 to 2 feet of snow.
In addition to weather prognostications, the almanac includes a mixed bag of advice: how to raise chickens, save money, boost immunity, grow food, and live more self-sufficient lives, among countless other topics.
The Farmers’ Almanac has been published every year since 1818. The 2021 edition is available in bookstores, retail stores, and online at Amazon.com and FarmersAlmanac.com.