Saturday night in the Quarter: February 14, 2015

A passing Elvis gave Trish and Connie green scarves and gave Trish some Mardi Gras beads. Trish passed them on to Connie, for her very first pair of Mardi Gras beads



What Connie and Trish did for Mardi Gras beads on Bourbon Street.  People on the balconies toss beads to the crowd below.

Trish with some of her score.  Christians set up on Bourbon Street to offer revelers the opportunity to change their ways.

Busy, busy Bouron Street

Lots of fun costumes

These kids were on Bourbon Street when we were there, with their mobile sound machine.  We're blocks from the Quarter now, headed back to the car

Connie and Trish relax in a doorway on the way to the car

Our encounter with the "krewe" of Elvis

At the back of St. Louis Cathedral, the shadow of Christ blesses the Quarter

No trip to NOLA would be complete without café au lait and beignets at Café du Monde

Brass band on the corner of Frenchman Street

At Lake Ponchartrain and City Park: February 14, 2015

My almost life-long friend Trish (we've known each other for 50 years) flew in from Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.  We headed out to the Lakefront.  Good memories!

Connie, Trish, and me.  Connie was my editor at the Williamson County Sun in 1986-87, and one of the first people to hold newborn Amon on January 5, 1987.

Wading bird at Lake Pontchartrain

Happy Valentine's Day, sweet Papa Tom!

Resting pelican

Connie, Trish, and me at City Park

On the road to Mardi Gras: February 13, 2015

Connie and Tom at Taqueria Chihuahua in Giddings, Texas.  Incredible "homemade" tortillas stuffed with your choice of eggs, bacon, chorizo, chicken fajita, etc., etc.  So delicious!  We put some extras in the Bucee cooler for the road.

Sunshine again, at last! (February 6, 2015)

Einar and Lucy, done with winter.  Me too!

Ending as we began: at Cafe du Monde (January 31, 2015)

These guys were amazing!  Not only did he balance on one arm . . . he did a one-armed push-up from this position!  How much strength does that require???

Servers on a break.  Except the guy on the right kindly took our order, to go.

Au revoir, until Mardi Gras!

Checking out the float den (January 31, 2015)

Looks like I'll be riding with Minnie, J. Cricket, and Mickey.  Papa Tom plans to walk the parade route alongside the float.  I'll be sure to give him a Zulu coconut or two!

Ed and Jeannie Harris, North Carolinans who've relocated to NOLA and love riding in the Zulu parade.

On our way out of the Mardi Gras World float den, we thought we'd encountered the world's largest squirrel.  But no, this is a nutrea, not Papa Tom's nemesis,  but more scary!  We saw some nutrea beds in the Honey Island swamp.

Zulu Dynasty float party (January 30, 2015)

The Zulu witch doctor blessed the float and riders

Zulu witch doctor with the riders

Ready for Mardi Gras!

World War II museum (January 30, 2015)

Harley made a motorcycle for couriers to use during World War II, complete with gun scabbard.

Replica of one-man bomb shelter used by the Germans at their manufacturing plants

Atlantic Wall fragment (see below).  I remember seeing "Hitler's Teeth" on a beach in Norway back in '74.  Hitler had barricades, that resembled jacks (if you've ever played that game), placed on beaches to prevent Allies from landing.

NOLA! (January 29, 2015)

Best. Pizza. Ever.  At Katie's, in Mid-City, off Iberville.  Shrimp, oysters, and crab in a Tobasco marinara sauce with Provel cheese (blend of cheddar, swiss, and Provelone).  Got home and ordered Provel cheese from Amazon, my favorite place to shop.  

Dusk at one of New Orleans's above ground cemeteries.

Street musicians in the Quarter.

Back to Cafe du Monde.  Saw these cyclists earlier.  Great minds.

Honey Island swamp (Wednesday, January 28, 2015)

Coconut tree to be

People either live or have vacation homes right on the swamp.  Captain Charlie assured us that the gators are shy and don't interfere with people on jet skis, skis, or swimmers.  

Do you see the blue heron standing in the water behind the boat?

Red buds in bloom

Swamp water so black that it reflects perfectly

What's up and what's down?  Cyprus trees all around.

Cyprus knees.  In addition to roots (I think), cyprus trees have "knees" for obtaining nutrition.

A marsh is beyond the swamp.  Marsh is flooded prairie; swamp is flooded forest. Captain Charlie whistled loudly and a herd of feral hogs emerged from the trees for his special treat of beer-soaked corn. I couldn't get close enough for a photo.   

Riding on the river

Mandeville, on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain (Thursday, January 29, 2015)

1500-year-old oak tree, some 38 feet in circumference, in Mandeville, Louisiana

Oldest continuously operating jazz club in the world: music on Friday nights

Back door of the Dew Drop Social Club (somebody else would have the first "Dew Drop Inn")

Alongside the Dew Drop Social Club.  Spanish moss is an air plant, not at all harmful to the oaks.

In the Drew Drop Social Club parking lot.

Wish we could have been at the Dew Drop for Friday's performance, but that was the night of the Zulu Dynasty float party.

Baptist Church next door to the Dew Drop.  If the party lasts all Saturday night, you can head next door on Sunday morning.

Do you see the Mardi Gras beads in the tree?

Ruby's is ranked as one of the top 10 roadhouses in the USA.  Not sure why.  Inside,was a beer joint with pool tables and lots of locals who eyed us real good over their Miller Lites.

Ruby's front porch.  My maternal grandmother wanted me to be named "Ruby," after the sister who raised her when Mema was orphaned at age 12.

NOLA! (January 28, 2015)

So Papa Tom and I flew to New Orleans on Wednesday, January 28, for a few days of fun before the Zulu Dynasty Mardi Gras float party on Friday, January 30.  I was very impressed with Hertz: we were directed to a board that displayed "Cloninger" and where our rental car was parked, with no need to stand in a line, present a driver's license and credit card, or sign paperwork.  Wow!  I love the computer age.

We've all had Mardi Gras king cakes. We've all had fun wondering whose piece had the baby inside.  Never before have I seen a need for the public to be warned about the baby.  Oh, make that "baby figure."  Not a real baby!  Duh!

Made a beeline (why is it a beeline?  Bees don't fly in straight lines, right?) for Cafe du Monde, for our fix of beignets and chicory coffee.  Papa Tom drinks his half and half: half coffee, half hot chocolate.

Our first night in town, we splurged.  We each got our own order of beignets, although I shared with Papa Tom.

What?  Really?  There's a dress code on Bourbon Street?