Rose Gate Farm-on the Beautiful Topisaw Creek

My family visited Rose Gate in July 2012 and we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was perfect for our vacation needs. As a native of the area I was familiar with Topisaw Creek and the Bogue Chitto River, having camped, fished, tubed, and kayaked in the area off and on over a lot of years. But I had no idea there was such a hidden jewel nestled way back in the woods off a road already less traveled. The house was beautifully appointed and full of unexpected amenities and little secluded nooks for reading or sipping coffee and watching a sunrise or a thunderstorm. I loved the front porch swing, the open layout of the house, and especially the enclosed sunroom that runs the length of the house on the east side and takes advantage of sunrise through the woods.

We availed ourselves to the recreational opportunities the creek affords by lounging in the cool water and on the sandbars, kayaking on a couple different stretches of stream, and small water fishing for redbellies (longear sunfish) and Kentucky or spotted bass with fly rods and ultralight tackle. After a half century of catching redbellies, I am still convinced they are the prettiest and definitely the tastiest fish in Mississippi.

But we were equally content to just hang around the house, enjoy the great sound system or watch movies, loaf on the patios, and wander the gardens and grounds. Actually, we were so content that nobody wanted to go anywhere else to visit, sightsee, or even to eat out - a remarkable condition for us. In fact, after an especially heavy thunderstorm knocked out power for miles around for a couple hours, we just lighted a few candles and enjoyed the enhanced peace and quiet even more.

It would be easy to pass along the road by Rose Gate and never even know it is there, perhaps its greatest charm, for me. But once you do visit, I'm sure that you, like my family, will look forward to going back again and again.