Rowan Oak

Photo by flickr user UGArdner (away for a while)

William Faulkner set many of his stories in the fictional county of Yoknapatawpha, including the novels As I Lay Dying, Intruders in the Dust, The Sound and the Fury, and Light In August. Yoknapatawpha, located in northwestern Mississippi, is believed to be based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, home to Oxford.

It doesn't take long to realize the importance of William Faulkner to the town of Oxford and the reverence he is given. Besides the aforementioned bronze statue on The Square, perhaps the biggest reminder of and tribute to Faulkner is the preservation of his home, Rowan Oak. Cared for by The University of Mississippi, Rowan Oak is now a museum, allowing visitors a glimpse into Faulkner's life.

Photo by flickr user southerbelle09

Photo by flickr user G. J. Charlet III

Photo by flickr user jonfhall

In his study, visitors are able to see the outline of Faulkner's Pulitzer-prize winning novel A Fable, which he scrolled on the plaster walls.

Photo by flickr user jonfhall

Rowan Oak is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

A feeling in the air...

"Well there's a feeling in the air, just like a Friday afternoon. Yeah, you can go there if you want, though it fades too soon. So go on, let it be. If there's a feeling coming over me, seems like it's always understood this time of year."

-"This Time of Year" Better Than Ezra

Photo by flickr user Robert Pollack

The first hint of early fall came today complete with blue skies, wispy clouds, and a slightly cool breeze. There is something about this time of year, this type of day, that tends to make me wistful for a place in my past.

I miss the sights, the places and the people that made this city home. I'd love to stroll around downtown, coffee in hand.

I might sit for a while with William Faulkner who has been watching the town in life and in death (or at least since 1997 when this bench was dedicated.)

Photo by flickr user stephen_from_1971

I’d browse the shops lining this historic Square, boutique after boutique, and grab a bite at one of the many incredible restaurants that call this place home.

This week, I'd like to show you around Mississippi, and since a week isn't nearly enough time to cover the depths of the state, I'd like to share the corner I knew best.

Welcome to my Mississippi.