Eight Landscapes and a Gator

I once had a wonderfulbook of Ed Ruscha's. It was called "Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass." This post is titled in his honor.

Happy Swamping!

Finally back in the swamp, lovely day on the boat, we're slightly toasted but happy. Lots of nesting birds, baby nutria and a beehive that looks inside out. The swamp is very zen, "you can never step in the same river twice", even if we go to the same spot three times in a day it is different not only by light but by the ceatures therein.

We'll be going out again today and we'll keep you posted.

Party Gras!!!!!!

Mardi Gras was everything that we expected it to be. How many things can you say that about? We saw the courir ride out at the crack of dawn with people so glazed they would fall off their horses, then get back on and ride and fall off some more. We saw masks designed with holes for drinking beer. We heard some great music from all especially the Lafayette Rhythm Devils and Jeff Broussard and the Creole Cowboys. We ate home made gumbo. We danced till our legs hurt. And we saw lots of chickens beeing chased, through the mud. This year the score is chickens 10, people 0. As our friend Chris put it, "It doesn't matter if you are the first to pass out or the last, you'll know you had a good time."

One special thrill of the morning for me was a chance meeting with Chris Raymond. He is a mask maker whose fantastic Mardi Gras masks I have collected. You can see his masks in action and hear the his story about the meaning of Mardi Gras at his site almostcajun.com. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Miscellany

For the Birds

We've been partying pretty heavy. Last night we were running from dance hall to dance hall to shake it to one great band after another. Imagine Lafayette Rhythm Devils, Balfa Toujours, Feufollet, Geno Delafose, Steve Riley. No wonder the Grammys had to create a new category just for these great musicians. And we've got two more days of Mardi Gras fun to go with parades, courirs, and dances day and night.

However, lest you think we are slacking from our true calling, I assure you we've been faithfully dragging ourselves out to the swamps in search of alligators, herons, hawks, nesting birds and more. Honest.

Quiz Number 2

How do you know you are in Louisiana? Travel from 14th Street to Louis the 14th Street, and the ground hog wore beads and sunglasses.

Quiz of the Day

How do you know you are in Louisiana?