Heritage Ball On Saturday, February 9, 2013 Saint Matthew Community Center will brighten the night, proclaiming we are rich in heritage and strong in faith in Ouachita Parish. The Saint Matthew HERITAGE BALL will take place in the old Saint Matthew High School gym, now the Saint Matthew Community Center. The HERITAGE BALL will bring fun, fellowship and excitement back into the old gym from 6-10PM, doors opening at 5:30PM. Tickets are $25 and available through the church office at 323-8878 or any Heritage Team member. You can catch Dennis Bratton at Mojuni’s Restaurant, Dollie Sweet at Harvey’s Dance Hall, or Judy Padilla at Landry’s Vineyards. Other members are Greta Boudreaux, Maria Maggio, Cindy Price, Alisa Lear, JJ Johnson, Deeda Miller, David Soignier, Jimmy Fried and Thomas Kennedy. This winter evening begins in the courtyard between the Community Center and Saint Matthew Church with warm beverages, light appetizers and soft music. Twinkling lights flowing into shades of blue and silver against dark backdrops will delight the soul on what we hope is a brisk, clear night. Guided tours of Saint Matthew Catholic Church, accompanied by organ music and stories of the beautiful portraiture stained glass windows will be at 5:30PM & 6PM. Tours are available with a HERITAGE BALL ticket. The names on the windows are also on streets and buildings in Monroe and West Monroe, with many descendents still attending daily masses in the same chapel as their forbearers. Dress is black tie optional but everyone will want their party attire to shine. This is the weekend preceding St. Valentine’s Day so start early, and it is the last weekend before Lent. Saint Matthew Catholic Church, 121 Jackson Street in downtown Monroe, has been in the community since 1851. An old gym constructed in the 1920’s and once part of Saint Matthew High School, the Community Center is focusing recent efforts on becoming a viable event venue and community resource. All proceeds from the 2013 HERITAGE BALL will go to the Community Center Kitchen, which will provide a home to the Saint
Matthew Saint Vincent de Paul Meals program. The performing band, CODE BLUE & THE FLATLINERS, is a reknowned twin cities resource. The Heritage team will have the area blanketed in sweet sounds thanks to the efforts of Ed Patton’s organ music inside the church, musicians in the courtyard between the Community Center and the Church, then the sounds of Code Blue & the Flatliners emanating from the gym and warming up the night. Supported by such sponsors as Landry Vineyards, Monjuni’s Restaurant, AdsPlus, Fiesta Nutrition, Choice Brands and Vantage Health Plan, along with the effort and skills of
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many parishioners, the food and wine stations should tempt and delight any foodie. Delectable hors d’oeuvres and potables will establish that we intend to feed belly and soul that Saturday evening. Wonderful, surprising items await bidders in the Silent Auction – gift baskets, day trips, original works from local artists and much more. There are also $25 RAFFLE TICKETS for CASH PRIZES totaling $5,000. You must be 18 or older to purchase or win, and the winner need not be present. It will be an evening decorated with starlight to create new memories and dance away your cares, surrounded by a heritage of faith. Join us for the HERITAGE BALL!
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Talkin’ It Up! I like January. It’s probably the only month I can relax a bit without feeling guilty. Winter weather (all three days of it here in Louisiana) has set in so there’s not much going on outside. It’s best to stay indoors if you can, do a little cooking and reading and take advantage of these quiet, lazy days. They’ll be gone before we know it. If I were you, I’d make myself some hot chocolate or tea, grab a throw, and settle in with this issue of LA ROAD TRIPS. Although festivals and other celebratory events are somewhat limited this month, our writers are sure to entertain you with their articles ranging from historical recounts to tall tales and everything in between. Join us on a road trip from the comfort of your home as you peruse the pages of LRT. Stay warm and happy as we welcome the new year, and let’s keep in touch.
Mona
Mona L. Hayden, Editor monalh@bellsouth.net (318) 547-1221
ROAD TRIPS "Celebrating country living and city happenings!"
january BOOK REVIEW 23
INSPIRATIONAL
The Garden Diary of Martha Turnbull, Mistress of Rosedown Plantation Edited and Annotated by Suzanne Turner
BUSINESS REVIEW 23
Brittany’s Originals - Farmerville, LA
DELTA OUTDOORS 9
contents
A Life of Trial…and Error by Dennis Stewart A Great Last Hunt
8
Get Back to Work by Robert Lemoine
MONTHLY TIDBITS 3 9 10 13 14 16 22
Talkin’ It Up! Taking Stock & Making Changes by Su Stella Louisiana Lagniappe – Remember When January Calendar Backtalk Louisiana Lagniappe Answers
12
In the Crosshairs by Sonny Harrington The Dominant EYE
16
Going Native by Larry Brock What We Look For
20 21
Illinois Deer Hunt by Johnny Wink
15 17
My Favorite Fishing Hole by Joe Joslin When Do Bass Spawn?
ROAD TRIPS
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Wintertime Gardening by Mona L. Hayden
2 6 15
RECIPES
5 7
FESTIVALS & ENTERTAINMENT Heritage Ball 31st Annual Ag Expo-West Monroe NELA Master Gardner’s Seminar
St. Tammany Parish 2013 Cultural Awards
Recipes by Stacy Thornton Sweet Travels by Donna McManus The Pleasures of Tea
8th Annual Eagle Expo Travel Adventure by Dianne Newcomer Globe Trottin’ in 2013
10
Hit the Road – by Deborah Burst Party Hardy New Orleans
11
Explore Louisiana North Taking You to New Heights
18
Beds & Beignets by Mary White Bed, Breakfast and Baton Rouge
HISTORICAL 4 14
The Crew Lake Horror by Lora Peppers
19
Adventure Awaits – But Not at 75 MPH! by Lee Estes
Louisiana in the Civil War: January 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation by Terry L. Jones
HUMOR 8
All Things Southern by Shellie Tomlinson “Johnny Sings a New Song”
11
Runnin’ the Roads by Barbara Sharik The End of One year, the Beginning of Another
18
V. P. by Dixie Hall
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The Crew Lake Horror
PUBLISHER LRT Publications
By Lora Peppers
Back in November, a friend named Marlon Eby posted on my Facebook page an article from an 1885 Louisiana Democrat newspaper out of Alexandria. What I discovered, if half true, would make Cool Hand Luke look like a vacation documentary! In the 1880’s a small body of water called Crew Lake (located at present day Start, LA) was a local day trip spot for most of Northeast Louisiana. Church groups, school groups and fishing parties would load up on the train in Monroe and head out to the lake. While the men fished, the women would set up the food as the children played nearby. The men folk would come back loaded down with fish caught from the lake and there would be a large fish fry and party. The happy group would usually arrive back in Monroe well after dark after a full day of festivities. Somewhere near the lake the Louisiana State Penal System set up a convict camp. The only clue given to its location was found in an August, 1885 Louisiana Democrat article: “The camp is not nearer than half a mile to the nearest citizen settlement, and no road passing in a mile of the camp, except the railroad.” In July of 1885 the Louisiana Democrat reported that an 18 year old Irishman named Phillip Riley was sentenced to the pen for stealing a box of tea. He vigorously proclaimed his innocence but was sent to Crew Lake. Not long after, four convicts were made to hold him down while he was whipped to death by “Joe the Butcher” McQuarters, a prison guard. Convict bosses wrote letters to the family, signing Riley’s name, stating he was well and they were treating him kindly. After accusations were made, Governor McEnery called District Attorney P.H. Toles to investigate. Toles asked witnesses to come forward and stated he had not heard from the Riley family. The problem was, convicts could not testify in court. They were deemed unreliable witnesses. After accusations were raised, Monroe’s two newspapers, the Ouachita Telegraph and the Monroe Bulletin sent reporters on a surprise visit to the camps but found no evidence of abuse. By August, the Louisiana Democrat newspaper was leading the charge. It was reported that one of Philip Riley’s brothers and a family friend came to the camp in search of his brother’s body. The family friend, Frank Fisher, was approached by a convict, who whispered in his ear, “Don’t give me away. Don’t tell anybody I told you; they’d kill me if you did! Another convict told him, “When my time is out, God helping me, I intend to devote my life to
visiting every community in the State to denounce their horrid crimes, far worse than slavery.” Mr. Fisher timed the men’s work hours. At ten till five in the morning, the men were hard at work. Only one hour was allowed for dinner and they only stopped when it was too dark to work. He counted twenty-five newly dug graves in a row, seven more across the railroad track, and was told “the woods were full of them.” Another witness came forward, named Captain Jack Groome of Alexandria. He was on a visit to Delta, LA when he saw two emaciated men lying prone on the floor of the depot. One man had both legs gone due to frostbite. They were convicts on their way to a hospital. The guard didn’t have enough money for the train fare and telegraphed the camp for funds. He was told to wait for a boat. They had been waiting for days but no boat would take them. By September the Louisiana Democrat reported that two convicts, at two separate times were being transported to Crew Lake on board the steamboat Pargoud. James Doyle had been pardoned, but jumped overboard “in a fit of madness.” Mr. Furlough jumped from the same steamer. He preferred drowning to going to Crew Lake. In May of 1886, another horror story came out of Crew Lake. A French speaking African-American convict named Theophile Cavalier was found crawling on all fours at a Baton Rouge train station. In broken English, sometimes using an interpreter, he told a reporter from the New Orleans Picayune that he had been convicted of larceny and sent to work at the North Louisiana camp. He had been forced to work outside without shoes in the winter and as a result lost both feet to frostbite. He told the reporter that eighteen months before, when he had been sent to the camp, he had loved to sing and dance. Later that month, a legislative committee of five men went to Hogden’s Camp at Crew Lake. They interviewed five convicts and two guards about Cavalier but no important evidence was found. And here is where the newspapers seem to go silent. Nothing further was reported. Apparently, nothing was ever done. The camp must have eventually faded into history. Questions still remain.
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______________________
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mona L. Hayden
monalh@bellsouth.net (318) 547-1221
OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL Debbie Hamilton Pope June 14, 1952-August 24, 2008 Louisiana Road Trips magazine is published monthly to promote, inform, and entertain the residents of Louisiana. It is distributed FREE; however, home delivery is available. This magazine will reach approximately 61,000 individuals. Submission of articles and photos are always welcome but may be limited to availability of space and edited for content. Copyright 2012 with all rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing within this publication is prohibited without written permission of the Publishers. The opinions expressed in Louisiana Road Trips magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. “Louisiana Road Trips” magazine retains the right to refuse any advertisement.
ROAD TRIPS P. O. Box 2452 West Monroe, LA 71294 (318) 547-1221
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Just where was the convict camp on the lake? Where are the graves of all those men that Mr. Fisher saw? If anyone has ever heard of it and knows where it was, e-mail me at the address below! Lora Peppers, a Monroe native, grew up in Bastrop and graduated from ULM. Her love of history dates back to childhood when one of her favorite activities was visiting local cemeteries to examine headstones. She also loves to travel, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park being her favorite place on Earth. Her job as a genealogist and historian has given her the opportunity to lead many lectures and author several books. She can be reached by e-mail at loradpeppers@hotmail.com.
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8th Annual Eagle Expo The 8th Annual Eagle Expo, scheduled February 28 – March 2, 2013 in Morgan City, will feature seminars from wildlife and nature experts, a live raptor presentation, boat tours to view eagles and nest, and opportunities to meet fellow birders. Heading into its eighth successful year, the Eagle Expo is a tribute to the return of the American Bald Eagle to Louisiana, which was removed from the endangered species list in June 2007. This year’s Expo will include a presentation by Save Our American Raptors (SOAR)-South on Thursday 6 – 7:30 pm at the Patterson Civic Center. A photography workshop by renowned wildlife photographer CC Lockwood will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013. Known for his numerous publications and books, his photography has been featured in prominent publications such as the Smithsonian and National Geographic. The workshop includes a seminar with a field trip to Bayou Black and requires separate registration and payment. Contact CC Lockwood at www.cclockwood.com or call 225-769-4766 to register. Space is limited. Tours to view eagles will take place Friday and Saturday. Featured waterways include the Atchafalaya Basin, Lake Verret, Turtle Bayou, Bayou Black, and Bayou Long. Tours will be at 9 – 11 am and 1 – 3 pm on Friday, and 9 – 11 am and 2:30 – 4 pm on Saturday. The Turtle Bayou Tour includes two small natural bayous that provide for fantastic views and local wildlife. Aside from eagles, you might encounter Anhingas, Double-crested Cormorants, Red-shouldered Hawks, White Ibis, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Carolina Chickadees and various species of terns and gulls. The Bayou Long Tour includes various waterways including Lake Verret, Bayou Magazille, Fourmile Bayou, Grassy Lake, Bayou Cherami, Bayou Milhomme, and Lake Palourde. On this tour you will be able to view Bald Eagles and their nests, Blue Heron, Great Egret, Belted Kingfisher, White Ibis, and various species of birds. Friday evening will feature a dinner and a presentation by photographer and author, Tim Mueller, at Petroleum Club of Morgan City from 6 – 8:30 pm. This dinner requires a separate fee. Saturday features speakers in the morning with boat tours in the afternoon. Speakers include Darlene Eschete; David Hancock; Nickolas R. Smith, USGS Louisiana Louisiana Road Trips
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Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; David Muth, NWF Program Director of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign. Full registration includes the seminars Saturday morning, breakfast Saturday morning, a t-shirt, one boat tour, and the SOAR presentation on Thursday evening. One day registration includes one boat tour, breakfast on Saturday and all seminars on Saturday. The Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau has partnered with the BaratariaTerrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, LSU Natural Science Museum, Conrad Industries, Johnny’s Propeller Shop, the Audubon Society, LUMCON and volunteer birding enthusiasts to showcase not only the American Bald Eagle, but the numerous species of birds and wildlife found within the Atchafalaya Basin and surrounding areas. For a complete event schedule, costs, registration forms and listings of hotel rates, contact the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau at 985-395-4905, visit online at www.cajuncoast.com or email info@cajuncoast.com.
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31st Annual Ag Expo West Monroe Come see the newest products and services for agriculture producers and businesses, educational displays, programs and seminars, a Jr. Livestock show featuring more than 400 animals, stock dog trials (featuring Border Collies), and Miniature Cow Show. More than 120 exhibitors from all over the U.S. will participate in the trade show with 10,000+ attendees visiting each year. Educational exhibits about cotton, beef, farm animals and school gardens will be featured in this year’s popular Ag Alley, coordinated by LSU AgCenter. The Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting is held concurrently at the Hilton Garden Inn across the street from Ike Hamilton in West Monroe. Admission at the door is $7; children under 12 free. Advance tickets are $5. Ag Expo is sponsored by the North Louisiana AgriBusiness Council, with extensive cooperation from LSU AgCenter, LA Tech University, Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association and Monsanto. Additional information, including exhibitor applications and event schedules, can be found at www.agexpo.org,
Ag Exp 2013 Friday, January 18th (2-8pm): Forestry Forum (8am, West Monroe Convention Center)* Agri-tourism Seminar: Horses (8:30am Ike Hamilton Expo Center)* Southern Stock Dog Assoc. Cattle Dog Trials (9am – Ike Hamilton, open all day) Jr. Livestock Show (6pm) Saturday, January19th (9am-4pm): Miniature Cow Show (Ike Hamilton Expo Center, 9am & 2pm) Jr. Livestock Show (9am) Master Gardeners Event (8am, West Monroe Convention Center)* Fri., Sat & Sun: LCA Annual Meeting, Hilton Garden Inn* *pre-registration required
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TRAVEL ADVENTURE
By Dianne Newcomer
Globe Trottin’ in 2013 Happy New Year, everyone! I realize your head is probably still wrapped in the holidays but as your travel agent, I feel compelled to tell you we need to start planning. 2013 is here and I want this to be your year. It's time to get off the LOUISIANA ROADS for a bit and go see the world. Here’s a taste of offerings in 2013: River cruising is exploding! This is the fastest growing vacation segment that we sell at Monroe Travel Service, and right now folks are scrambling to get onboard. Keep in mind that riverboats are small, boutique-like experiences. There simply are not oceans of cabins available. At Monroe Travel Service, we have some interesting new ways to travel rivers for 2013: - AmaWaterways is back on the Douro River in Portugal. In addition to drifting through Portugal’s beautiful wine country, they also feature 21 other special wine dates on the rivers of Europe. WWII history buffs might want to consider one of their two 7-night French itineraries, the "Paris & Normandy" or the "Jewels of France". They’ll also feature four Jewish Heritage sailings on the Danube. - Avalon Cruises has 2 more "Suite Ships" in 2013, with wall-to-wall windows that, with the push of a button, transform into open air balconies. The 166 passenger EXPRESSION will be running the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers on longer cruises while her new baby sister, the ARTISTRY II, makes the shorter 7-day Amsterdam to Basel run on the Rhine. - Big news! Tauck has dropped the single supplement on all their sailings for 2013. Come on, singles, don’t miss the boat! - Uniworld is selling Italy. I think their "Splendors of Italy" river trip – a 7-night river cruise with a 2night stay in Florence and 3nights in Rome—is a delightful way to see old world charm.
Yet, if Asia has your heart, ask us about the Mekong River adventure to Vietnam and Cambodia or the new Century Legend on China’s Yangtze River. Stop ACL scares on the slopes! If skiing is your game and you worry about the knees, check into KNEE BINDINGS. According to my doctor, Knee Bindings are a great way to protect your knees and put the fun into snow season! FYI: KEYSTONE is offering free lifts for kids right now. The Rockettes are leaving New York! In May, the Norwegian BREAKAWAY will set sail from the Big Apple and make weekly runs throughout the summer to Bermuda. Along with about 4000 other guests, the BREAKAWAY will carry the world-famous ROCKETTES out to sea. The ship will have a three story sports and recreation center with 5 water slides and a rope course with a walk-the-plankextension over the side of the ship. It even has a luxury seafood restaurant by Geoffrey Zakarian of Iron Chef fame. With this new ship, the competition in the cruise industry just got tougher. Call us for some very serious cost savings! The Mouse got bigger!! Heads up, folks, the magic is spreading like wildfire and you don’t want to miss out on the fun. This has been a busy year at Disneyworld! It cost $425 million but the first phase of the expansion behind Cinderella’s Castle called FANTASYLAND has opened with rave reviews. According to avid MICKEY MOUSE fans that we sent to the grand opening, FANTASYLAND represents what Disney does best. They have gone back to their roots and targeted the kids again—and in a big way. This is only phase one! Also, don't miss the all new Test Track, Splitsville, and the Art of Animation Resort (next door to ESPN Wide World of Sports complex and Hollywood Park) with its really cool family suites. You also need to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean, the new "Celebrate the Magic" nighttime show, the new Kilmanjaro zebra safari, and the new interactive Phineas & Ferb Adventure. Call MONROE TRAVEL SERVICE at 323-3465 and check it out! Forget Fantasyland and get real! In the real world there are some big things happening. Let me highlight just a few of the really neat tours we are
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selling for 2013: 1. Bhutan and Myanmar are open! What a rare opportunity to be one of the first to experience a land of strange and unparalleled beauty and tradition. Call Rob at my office to arrange a customized tour! 2. Iceland is hot this season. For example, consider the "Iceland Boutique Journey" which includes the chance to see the best of Iceland: Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss Waterfall, Lake Myvatn, and Skaftafell National Park. 3. Amazing new tours for 2013 include programs to North Korea, India’s Golden Triangle, Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, and Borneo. Exotic touring with authentic and enriched experiences, where all details are totally handled seems to be the "in" thing. Wonder if the world of travel is evolving from sightseeing to sight-experiencing? 4. "Walk with Lions" is a new 12 day Tauck tour of Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia that I really like. Not only do you walk with young orphaned lions, but you visit a meerkat colony, experience a game drive safari, enjoy a barbeque with locals, watch for great white sharks, and see beautiful Cape Town. 5. Want to be inspired by history? Call about our special WWI and WWII tours that retrace the history of these two conflicts. These 12-day tours start in London and end in Amsterdam. See why I am so excited about the new year? What a wonderful world we have out there just waiting to be enjoyed! Give MONROE TRAVEL SERVICE a call at 323-3465, and let's kick off the new year! We are located at 1908 Glenmar, right next door to Luffy's Medical Supply and the Muffin Tin, so drop by for a free brochure. Make the time to get out there. If you don't go now, when?
ALL THINGS SOUTHERN
By Shellie Tomlinson
"Johnny Sings a New Song" Hello folks! Welcome back to Coon Creek. Can you believe it? Another year has come and gone. Happy New Year my friends! My prayer for all of you is that 2013 will be full of blessings for you and yours and that you will each know deep in your hearts that all good gifts come from above. Now, make yourselves comfortable and let’s chat... ~smile~ I don’t know about you, but I have really been enjoying this cold weather. It actually felt like Christmas. Just a few weeks ago you
All Things Southern “Bringing you the charm and heritage of the South…” ph 318-559-0319 • cell 319-282-2508 tomtom@allthingssouthern.com
would’ve thought it was summer time. My climbing jasmine was shooting out tiny yellow flowers and the lake was brimming with unseasonable activity, which of course, reminded me of a story... One afternoon Little Johnny was walking along the lake bank skipping rocks when he managed to slip up on a big old water snake sunning itself on a cypress knee at the water's edge. Now, there are few things Little Johnny likes more than killing snakes. A short while later he came barreling into the house, holding that dead snake by the tail and hollering for his mama— who just happened to be having the preacher and his wife in for coffee. I believe they were making early notes on the spring revival. Little Johnny didn't see their guests right off. He was too busy looking for his Mama. Soon as he saw her he started waving his snake in the air. "Look
a here, Mama. I done slipped up on this big old snake. Can you believe how big he is? What type of snake do you think he is? I bet he's a mean old cottonmouth!" His mama put up her hand to slow him down, but he was too excited. "Mama, I hit him over the head with Papa's shovel and then I dragged him up the lake bank and poked him some more and then I cut his head off to make sure he was dead. And then"— about that time Little Johnny noticed his Mama cutting her eyes to the preacher whereupon Little Johnny promptly switched bait in midstream. Cradling that dead snake in both hands, Little Johnny hung his head, and finished on a sad note, "And then, Mama, that’s when the Good Lord called the poor thing home." Can Little Johnny spin or what? Y'all have a good one and drop me a note sometime. I love to hear from you! ~Hugs, Shellie
Get Back to Work By Robert Lemoine
Since you’re reading this, the world didn’t end on December 21, 2012 like some of the scientists, astrologers and others predicted. That said, the Mayan calendar is just that – a calendar, one that changes each month, year, decade, century, millennium. Now granted, things did change this past year. We showed how we can complain about politicians and put them right back in office. We watched the price of gas go up and down like a yo-yo, and day turn to night and back to day again 365 times. Hmm… maybe things really haven’t changed. The Bible tells us there is a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV): There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Now that the holiday season is over, it’s time to get back to work. It’s interesting how very little gets done between Thanksgiving and Louisiana Road Trips
New Year’s when so many people in the workforce seem to shift their efforts elsewhere. However, the work we must get back to is loving Jesus and telling our friends and neighbors who He is. Christmas is supposed to be about Him, but sometimes He is forgotten in the mad rush to celebrate. “I’m going to the clearance sales to save $5 on a pair of thermal knitted long stockings that I’ll probably never wear again.” Somehow, we think it’s acceptable because we say “Merry Christmas” as we stepped over someone while jumping in front of the crowd. Some of us may give a meal to a stranger or volunteer at a homeless shelter during this time of year. There are people out there who help those in need throughout the year, not just seasonally. I’m sure they’d appreciate your generosity year round. In short, it’s time to get back to work. The world didn’t end. Your mortgage payment is still due. People are still hungry. Let’s use this time of year to remember how to love one another. After all, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God and next is to love your brother. Put aside your New Year’s resolutions and make lifetime resolutions. Make a change that counts. It’s time to pay it forward, because we don’t know when the end is coming. May God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down. A lifelong resident of Union Parish, Robert Lemoine is a Christian small business owner. He and his wife, Summer, oversee www.foreverandalwaysonline.com and also sell Christian merchandise at flea markets and fesitvals in north Louisiana and surrounding states. Robert's writings are most inspirational, Christian, and patriotic with occasional reflections on lessons learned. He can be reached at writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com.
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A LIFE OF TRIAL…AND ERROR
By Dennis Stewart
A Great Last Hunt
Five years ago, my hunting buddy Chuck invited me on a Wyoming deer hunt. In November of 2012, I enjoyed my sixth straight successful Wyoming hunt with Chuck. The ranch we hunted on has both whitetail and mule deer. For a reasonable trespass fee, we’re granted exclusive hunting rights on 5,000 acres for four days, in the shadows of Devil’s Tower in the northeast corner of Wyoming. The first year, we arrived early and the rancher allowed us to hunt that afternoon, too. Almost immediately we spotted a nice whitetail buck. I made a lucky shot from more than 200 yards and literally before my hunt began, I had already bagged a nice 10 point, the largest deer I had ever taken – up to that time. Two years later, Chuck and I were hunting the area on the ranch we named “the airport” when we spotted two bucks chasing a doe. I had the right of first refusal on whitetails that year, and Chuck had the right of first refusal on mule deer. Fortunately for me, these were whitetails. Once again I made an incredibly lucky shot from 235 yards and dropped the larger buck in his tracks. As we walked closer to the buck, I began to get more excited. There was no “ground shrinkage”. This turned out to be a 12 point whitetail with drop tines on each side. He is probably the largest buck I will take in my lifetime. Wyoming allows you to take only one buck per year. I have taken two mule deer forkhorns on these hunts plus a nice little 8 point whitetail buck. He and the 10 point are
mounted high on the wall in my cathedral ceiling living room in Delhi. In November 2012, we made our annual pilgrimage to Wyoming. Once again, I had the right of first refusal on whitetails. The thermometer in the truck read two degrees below zero when we arrived at the ranch before dawn on the first day of the hunt. As we sat in the truck waiting for daylight, we spotted a whitetail buck bigger than any I’ve seen in Louisiana the past ten years. However, Chuck cautioned that maybe I should wait since this was the first 30 seconds of a 4 day hunt. I passed the buck up. You can guess the rest of the story. We didn’t see anything better the rest of the first day. I did take a shot at a smaller whitetail that afternoon but it was a clean miss. Before dawn the second day, we were sitting in the same spot and saw the same buck. This time, Chuck said, “If you don’t shoot him, I am!” I took a good rest, aimed and shot. The buck dropped. It was a very nice 8 point, and even had an acorn tip. Over the past six hunts, Chuck has taken a deer every year, mostly mule deer. Several of them have been 4 by 3 points. The ranch also has Merriam wild turkeys, and Wyoming allows you to shoot them with a rifle. I have paid the nominal non-resident license fee and taken three turkeys. I have never taken a wild turkey in Louisiana.
“If you don’t shoot him, I am!”
All good things must come to an end. I am now 59 years old, and the two-day trips to and from Wyoming have started to wear on me. Going up there is fun, but the drive back has become long and tedious. I reluctantly told Chuck this was my last Wyoming deer hunt. The hunts have been wonderful and one thing I will miss the most is visiting with Wayne who owns the ranch. He has often gone above the call of duty, hauling out our deer on his 4 wheeler when they fell deep in a draw, and offering excellent advice on where the big ones were hiding. One year in particular I had not taken a deer on the first two days and Wayne took me under his wing, helping me track bucks up and down the hills in a foot of snow until I took a mule deer buck. We have also enjoyed taking Wayne’s 80 year old father out to eat supper at least once during each of our six hunts. Except for two years in Korea, he has spent his entire life on that ranch. He has a wealth of knowledge always kept us entertained with his wit. The great thing about hunting in Wyoming other than trophies accumulated for your wall are the wonderful memories of outstanding snowcovered mountain scenery, of excellent companionship, and of the privilege of getting to know people like Wayne and his father. It’s been a great run. Dennis Stewart grew up in northeast Louisiana, graduated from La Tech and LSU Law School. After having taught law at ULM and working as an Assistant District Attorney, Dennis is now a Hearing Officer in Rayville. He loves to hunt, fish, read, write, and shop on eBay.
Taking Stock & Making Changes
By Su Stella I will defend myself here just a bit and share a few things I discovered about myself. Seems I have been making lots of $10 fused glass jewelry, fun novelty soaps, funky fast small paintings, but since I was doing small local craft fairs and selling at the farmers market, the art and crafts fit the events. Somewhere this year I realized that I wasn’t really making money, just enough to support my ‘art hobby’ by buying supplies and paying fees but never making a profit. Since I had already spent money booking the fall events, I just finished my last craft fair of the year, confirming for me the need for new and improved goals and life affirming upgrades. With so many friends on antidepressants, one of my sayings is ‘the cure for
depression is action’. What I am going to say next will surprise these friends. I spent much of the past few months depressed and feeling like I was drifting like a jellyfish in open water. I never let it show. I would enter my studio craving change and either puttering around aimlessly or making ugly art. What I realized was that I was taking action but I had no direction. My old goals were now past and I hadn’t put much thought into the new… yet. Since the Mayan calendar has completed its course, it’s time for me to make stellar inner and outer life changes. I am starting with the basics. I began jogging two miles every few days, drinking more herbal tea and less beer, more fresh veggies and less bread. But the biggest change I have to make is becoming my own job creator. With my friend now my business partner, we are planning our pet sitting and dog walking business,
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something that had been on the back burner for years. Now I plan to vend at just a few big events like the Shreveport Mudbugs Festival and have Carmen help build my online art business. I will soon be drafting a business plan for the dog biz and the art too. I once heard it said, “If you don’t have time to write a business plan, then you have no time to run a business.” As the world calendar changes to 2013, it may be time to re-evaluate your own life. Are you happy? Is there something that you have always wanted to do? Leap out of your comfort zone, even if its baby jumps, and make the commitment to yourself. It’s time to take pen in hand and write your new goals and set a fresh course. Drop that old baggage in the trash so you can travel light to spectacular vistas and amazing adventures. Happy, healthy and wealthy New Year!
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Hit the Road
Party Hardy New Orleans Mardi Gras and Super Bowl XVII Collide
By Deborah Burst Last July, when I was writing my August article, the entire state was waiting anxiously for Drew Brees to sign his contract. Saints fans have had a pretty rough road this season. It all started with that San Francisco playoff game in January, losing in the last 8 seconds. Yep, most Saints fans will agree, we were 8 seconds away from last season’s Super Bowl. And we’re not even going to talk about the whole Bounty Gate debacle, or should I say conspiracy. But it didn’t stop Saints fans from chanting, “Who Dat” and “Black & Gold Super Bowl.” Matter of fact, my August article ended with, “Get out the hankie and start second lining the streets of New Orleans, and keep those fingers crossed that our home team will have home field advantage for the Super Bowl.” Well…that ain’t happening. The “Who Dat” chants have been replaced with, “What the ___,” (just fill in the blank with your favorite curse word). Or to quote Jim Mora, the ex-Saints coach, who probably gave the best postgame rant, “Playoffs? Don’t talk about — playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs?” So what’s a Saints fan to do? Party! Like we always do.
Why not a preseason for Mardi Gras? We’ll start training on Kings Day, January 6, with King Cake parties, then throw in a couple of Mardi Gras Balls, and second lining with marching krewes working up to the big day. Heck, we’ll be so busy going to parades we won’t have time to watch playoff games. And who cares, we have the freakin Super Bowl coming to town. Yep, Super Bowl fans should just camp out after gameday and catch 10 long days of non-stop parades. Talk about a Chamber of Commerce fantasy come true. What’s great about the Super Bowl, well, I mean besides football and an excuse to eat junk food all day, is all the Lagniappe. We have a new streetcar line that runs on Loyola Avenue from the Union Passenger Terminal to Canal Street. Poydras Street has a whole new attitude with a sassy row of pub style restaurants, and there are new sidewalks throughout the New Orleans CBD and French Quarter. Along with the Super Bowl, the National Football League hosts what they call the NFL Experience, a pro football interactive theme park with games, displays, entertainment, kid’s football clinics, free autograph sessions and a huge football memorabilia show. View the Lombardi trophy up close, take a peek at Remember When . . . the Pro Football Hall of Fame rare mementos, 1. What were the “ring or test your kicking skills by kicking an extra tournaments” in Lake point or field goal. It opens Wednesday, Providence in the 1800’s? January 30 through the day of the game, 2. Where was northeast Sunday, February 3. You can Louisiana’s only train robbery? buy tickets in advance or at 3. What was known as “The the Convention Center box Cradle of the Stars”? office an hour before opening. 4. Was St. Joseph named The New Orleans Super for a saint? Bowl committee 5. What is broken rice will also host called? Super Bowl 6. What is the African name for okra? 7. When was the Louisiana Purchase? Boulevard 8. What Governor was given a sports with four jacket with sleeves that tied in the days of back? music 9. How did Union Parish get its name? featuring 10. What does it mean when a Southern local woman is told her “cotton musicians is low”? Answers on next page 16 at
ouisiana
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Woldenberg Park. Free to the public, the Super Bowl Boulevard will open on Thursday, January 31 and run until the day of the game on Sunday, February 3. And don’t forget the Sugar Bowl. The game will be on January 2 in the Superdome hosting Florida and Louisville. On New Year’s Day, the famed St. Augustine Marching Band will be high-stepping in a second line parade through the French Quarter. The spouses of the official traveling parties for Louisville and Florida will join the St. Augustine High School Marching Band as well as team cheerleaders, small floats and horse-drawn carriages. The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Pat O’Brien’s and finish in front of Arnaud’s Restaurant. Of course we don’t know who will be in the Super Bowl, but we do know who won’t be, sigh. How about a battle between the New Orleans Super Bowl sons, Eli and Peyton Manning? It’s not a Black & Gold Super Bowl, but maybe the next best thing. Hmm, can you imagine poor Archie and Olivia Manning? What a dilemma! A New Orleans native now living in the piney woods of Mandeville, Deb will be partying with the Super Bowl fans in the French Quarter and catching beads uptown at the Mardi Gras parades.
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RUNNIN’ THE ROADS
By Barbara Sharik
The End of One Year, the Beginning of Another I made New Year’s resolutions once. I resolved to take better care of myself, promising to exercise more. I tried jogging. I got shin splints. I was accosted. I got hot and tired. People laughed at me. I sweated a lot. I got leg cramps. I got blisters. Healthy? Thanks, but no thanks. I wrote that resolution off as a lost cause. Dieting resolutions did not last until the water got hot. Or actually, not until the cake got gone. And the cookies. There is this skinny little lady living inside me who nags me about being fluffy so I have to feed her chocolate to shut her up. Giving up on major resolutions, I tried minor pledges instead. Things like getting up when the alarm sounds first time––no
hitting the snooze. To ensure the success of this resolution I moved the alarm clock way away from the bed. To break this resolution, I figured out how to use my back-scratcher to reach the snooze button without getting out of bed. Another one bites the dust. I pledged to wash dishes immediately after eating because when I have but one glass, one plate and one fork it is so easy to simply set them in the sink. Before you know it, the sink is full. Good intentions pave my way; unfortunately, my path is littered with dirty dishes. The mother of all resolutions came when I promised to talk less; I have been known to be very opinionated and long-winded. Unfortunately,
Broken resolutions do not represent failure.
Taking You to New Heights You might not know it, but Louisiana’s highest point lies at the top of Mt. Driskill near Arcadia in Bienville Parish. Standing at a majestic 535 ft. above sea level, it is really just a tall hill. Only two other states highest point is lower – Florida and Delaware. Mt. Driskill is named for James Christopher Driskill who moved to the area in late 1859. Some of his descendants still live in the area. Once you find it, navigating your way to the top is easy and only takes about 15 minutes. To get to there, take exit 67 South. Go 1.7 miles to Arcadia. Go south on State Road 147 for 7.4 miles, then turn right on State Road 797 for about 3.7 miles. Turn right onto State Road 507 and continue on for 1 mile. The trail to the top is located to the left side of the Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church. Most of the route to the top is on private property so please be respectful. Send us your picture and you may find yourself in our monthly newsletter. Happy Mountain Climbing, Louisiana North style! Louisiana Road Trips
it did not take long to develop athlete’s mouth by sticking my foot in it a time or two, breaking the overly opinionated part of the declaration. Then, I could tell the other half was a goner also when my friends’ eyes glaze over before I am halfway through my tale. Frankly, resolving something once a year never works. I can make a resolution in the morning and be fallen flat off my resolution wagon by day’s end. I need either to stop or get a wagon with steeper sides. Here is the thing––broken resolutions do not represent failure. They equal being human. If you have trouble sticking to your self-promises each year, do what I do: Either stop making them altogether or make them really simple and realistic. Like friend Dennis. Keeping it simple and realistic, he gave up decorating a tree ever since his cat ate the tinsel, filling the litter box with sparkling icicle-wrapped kitty cat poo-poo. However, he also bah-humbugs Christmas lights left hanging year round. Maybe it is because Christmas is the last holiday before the New Year some folks hate to let it go. Naturally, it takes a lot of ladder time to put them up, it takes a lot of ladder time to take them down––putting it in the ‘more fun to put up than take down’ category––hence, the “lets just leave ‘em hanging” attitude now taken by many die-hard decorators. Yet, instead of counting on everyone becoming so habituated to the strands of lights stapled around the rooftops that they pay no attention for the next eleven
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months, maybe these folks would get more bang for their bucks if they plugged them in for each holiday. They can intersperse red, white and blue bulbs for patriotic holidays like the Independence Day or yellow, green and lavender for Easter. Definitely all red for Valentine’s Day and all green for St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe put up pink or blue lights with the birth of a new baby. It would be appropriate to burn all black for April 15th when Income Taxes are due. Get out your calendar and assign colors to each special day. Use your imagination. Stop leaving these strands hanging limply from one Christmas to the next. Brighten ’em and light ‘em. The colors of the rainbow are unlimited and so are posting color-coded messages. We can start a new national trend. Besides, the keep-the-lights burning idea will eliminate the frustration of waiting from one Christmas to the next only to discover half the bulbs are blown. Fact is, you can begin right now by putting up purple and gold bulbs in support of LSU and black and gold in honor of the Saints. We have become a colordriven society, which is a good thing. Just remember, when this idea sweeps the nation, you read it first right here in Louisiana Road Trips while Runnin’ the Roads. Barbara Sharik makes her home at Wit's End in Jones, Louisiana with a couple old dogs, young dogs and several stupid dogs, a cat, a talking cockatiel and a white dove. She's active in civic affairs, serves as a Justice of the Peace, a Notary Public, is the Clerk for the Village of Bonita and a columnist for the Bastrop Daily Enterprise. She has authored several books. You can email Barbara at barbsharikvail@hotmail.com
IN THE CR SSHAIRS
By Sonny Harrington
The Dominant EYE Everybody is either right or left handed, few of us are truly ambidextrous. One thing is for sure, you only have one dominant eye. It may be blue or brown or green or hazel but just one and only one will be dominant. I did see a fellow that had one brown and one blue eye and wondered what he put on his driver’s license. It doesn’t matter if you shoot a rifle, pistol, or shotgun. You might ought to find out which eye is dominate. We cover this in every Hunter Safety class and every Concealed Carry class. Here’s how to find out which eye is dominant. Pick out your target across the room. Let’s say the it’s the light switch. Focus, don’t take your eyes off it. Now point at it. Doesn’t matter which hand you use. Close your left eye. If your finger is still on it, your right eye dominant. Close your right eye and your finger jumps off target you just verified your right eye dominant. If it’s reversed, well, you get the idea. What’s my point (no pun intended)? If you’re right handed and right eye dominant, it’s a perfect world. But if you’re right handed and left eye dominant… Well, I’ll just quote one of the astronauts, “Houston, we have a problem”. It’s not a big problem, it’s just not good. If you’re shooting a shotgun you may have a tendency to crawl the stock. I have seen one shotgun made for a right handed man that was blind in his right eye. The stock had this big swooping cutout in the cheek piece. When he shouldered the gun he was looking down the barrel with his left eye. Years ago in the 1970’s I shot a little rifle competition and my coach had us patch our off eye. He wanted us to focus and relax the
other eye or side of our face. Shotgun shooters like to keep both eyes open – probably something to do with depth perception and calculating speed all at the same time. Tricky stuff, especially on doves at mach II or teal at warp speed. By the way, a mach is the speed of sound, 650mph at sea level, and a warp is faster than the speed of light. I got that off Star Trek. Back to shooting, I feel the most common cause of missing with shotguns is stopping the swing. So I tell my beginners, shoot like your using a water hose, the shot comes out in a string, just keep moving and swinging with the bird. How far out in front depends on distance and speed off target, thus a challenge is born. With rifles you can close one eye and get away with it easier. Concentrate on your target and squeeeeeze your trigger, especially with the accuracy of a scope. But with open sights, guess what? We got a new deal, particularly using handguns. Now we align the front sight in the rear, fine bead with a rifle and squared up with a handgun. Align is the key word. Front sight, rear sight, and target. Three things: the eye is working on back and forth, way out, up close, over and over in a nano second. Here lies the problem. You can’t focus on but one thing at a time, humanly impossible to do more than one at a time. In shooting, concentrate on the
front sight, align all three but the front sight is primary. Concentrate on it and squeeze. For some reason I’ve tested hundreds of people on dominate eyes and have found that more women are cross dominate, meaning right handed and left eye dominant or visa versa. More men, on the other hand, are color blind than women. That explains how we dress. And so it is, these mysteries in life that I ponder while sitting on the deer stand, waiting day after day, to use my dominant eye on the crosshairs, resting behind the shoulder of the big buck. Sonny Harrington is a Hunter Safety Instructor. He is also an NRA (National Rifle Association) Rifle & Pistol Instructor and has hunted from Alaska to Mexico.
It’s not a big problem, it’s just not good.
CFTA
(Civilian Firearms Training Academy)
Conceal Carry Weapon Permit Class
"Refuse to be a Victim" January 14, 2013 5:00pm $100 Call to pre-register
376-0207
Classes every first Monday through July except in May (second Monday) Louisiana Road Trips
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Calendar of Events
January 2013 Through January 5
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Christmas at Oaklawn Manor Franklin – 337-828-0434
January 1
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Winter Wonderland Ice Rink L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles
January 1-6
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"To the Arctic" IMAX Shreveport – 318-424-3466
January 4-6
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14th Annual Southern Louisiana Boat, Sport & RV Show Houma – 985-850-4657
January 5
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12th Night Krewes of Centaur and Gemini Bossier – 318-470-0006
January 6
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Mardi Gras 12th Night Lake Charles Civic Center Lake Charles – 337-436-9588
January 10-13
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Annual Mid-Winter Fair Rodeo Lafayette – 337-515-9115
January 10
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Living on the Bayou St. Martinville – 337-394-3754
January 11-12
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January 19
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13th Annual Chili Cookoff Houma – 985-851-6977
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Home Show 2013 Lake Charles Civic Center
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The St. Mary Community Concert Association presents “Masters of Motown” Morgan City Municipal Auditorium 985-385-2307
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival Lake Charles – 337-436-9588
Battle of New Orleans Celebration Chalmette – 504-589-2636
January 15
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Louisiana Marathon Baton Rouge – 888-524-9861
January 18-21
Louisiana Fur & Wildlife Festival, Cameron – 337-370-6416
January 12-13
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Thibodaux Playhouse Presents: “Barefoot in the Park” Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Thibodaux – 985-446-1896
January 18-20
Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival New Orleans – 504-581-1144
January 12
January 18-19 & 24-27
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From Elvis to Hank to Johnny: Celebrating 65 years of the Hayride Shreveport 705 Elvis Presley Avenue (formerly Grand Avenue) Krewe of Apollo Carnival Ball Larose Civic Center – 985-532-2657 Krewe od Ambrosia Tableau & Ball Thibodaux – 985-447-5911
January 25-31
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Techeland Arts Council Folklife Stage Play: No Hitchin' Franklin – 337-828-5739
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January 26
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Fasching Karneval & Parade Minden – 318-371-4258 Krewe of Ambrosia Mardi Gras Mambo Thibadaux – 985-447-5911
Louisiana in the Civil War
January 1863: The Emancipation Proclamation By Terry Jones On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and made freeing the slaves a war goal of the U.S. government. Lincoln became known as “The Great Emancipator,” but in reality the Emancipation Proclamation’s promise of freedom intentionally excluded some 800,000 slaves—many of whom lived in Louisiana. Lincoln abhorred slavery, but he made it clear when the Civil War began that he was fighting to restore the Union, not to free the slaves. In a public letter to the New York Tribune published just a month before he issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln declared “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that.” Lincoln realized that slavery helped the Confederacy wage its war for independence. Slaves performed most of the labor in the South constructing Rebel military fortifications, working in munitions factories, and harvesting the food that fed the Confederate army. Every slave who worked in such a manner freed up a white man to serve in the army. First and foremost, Lincoln’s presidential order freeing the slaves was a military measure to help the North win the war. Upon learning of the Emancipation Proclamation, thousands of slaves would flee to Union lines. Not only would the Confederates lose their slave labor, they would have to strip large numbers of soldiers from the front lines to stop the runaways. Adopting emancipation as an official war goal also would make it less likely that the anti-slavery Europeans would intervene on the side of the Confederacy. Emancipation, however, was a complicated matter because most Northerners were fighting to restore the Union and had no interest in freeing the slaves. To win the war, it was absolutely vital that Lincoln keep the slave-holding Border States on his side, not to mention the thousands of slave-owning Southerners who had opposed secession and were providing important support to the Union. Lincoln knew that if he attempted to free all of the slaves, loyal slave owners in
More importantly it ensured the future Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware, freedom for countless others. A slave would and in the Union controlled areas of the be free if he could make his way from Rebel Confederacy, might well join the Rebels to controlled territory to a Union occupied area. protect their valuable slave property. To For example, slaves living in Iberville Parish prevent that from happening, the could step across the parish line into Emancipation Proclamation carefully avoided Assumption, Ascension, or St. Martin and be freeing the slaves held by most Unionists. free if they made contact with Union troops. The document’s fourth From an early age school children are paragraph listed the areas in taught that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. which slaves were to be While it is true that he set things in motion, emancipated. None of the most of the slaves who gained their freedom Border States was mentioned, and it specifically during the Civil War emancipated themselves by running away from their masters. The exempted thirteen Louisiana Great Emancipator intentionally left in parishes that were under bondage the thousands of slaves who lived in Union control: St. Bernard, thirteen Louisiana parishes because he did not Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. want to anger the loyal citizens who resided John, St. Charles, St. James, there. Those slaves were not freed until a Ascension, Assumption, Unionist state constitution abolishing slavery Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. statewide was adopted eighteen months later. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans. Many of the Dr. Terry L. Jones is a professor of history at the plantations in these parishes had been leased University of Louisiana at Monroe and has published to Unionists, and the area’s slaves were forced several books on the American Civil War. to work for them (see “October 1862: Slavery by Another Name”). Lincoln declared that these exempted areas “are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.” The cold, calculated nature of the Emancipation Proclamation was not lost on people at the time. One British newspaper noted, “The principle asserted is not that a human being cannot justly The Audubon Cottages (by Deb Burst, own another, but Dec 2012) in the French Quarter are on that he cannot my list of weekend road trips. The own him unless he architecture and history lured me in is loyal to the but the French Quarter butler service United States.” definitely sends this place to the top! Despite the - Millie W., Lafayette loophole, the Mona, I feel like you do about Minden. Emancipation It’s probably one of the most charming towns I’ve ever seen. The shopping Proclamation did is good and the people are so friendly. I get there as often as I can. immediately free – Kelly R., Many thousands of slaves who lived When I saw the article about fishing in the December issue, I thought in the Union you’d lost your mind… then I read it and it makes perfect sense. I’m controlled areas of new to fishing and to Louisiana and I guess I forgot you people do Virginia, Georgia, just about everything year round. I think I’m going to like it here. South Carolina, – Frank G., Baton Rouge, via Nebraska and Tennessee.
Louisiana Road Trips
K C A B K TAL
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RECIPES
by Stacy Thornton Happy New Year… 2013 is here to stay! I wish you all a year full of good health, happiness, peace and joy. Here’s a list of some simple resolutions – smile every day, be thankful, do a good deed, learn something new, try new foods, and believe in yourself. Happy Happy New Year!
Hoppin John Louisiana Style 1 pound dried black-eyed peas (rinsed, soaked overnight and drained) 3 tablespoon(s) olive oil 1 package (13-14 oz) kielbasa, sliced 2 large onions, chopped 6 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped 2 (about 1 1/2 pounds total) ham hocks 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced, if desired salt and pepper 2 cup(s) long-grain white rice Louisiana hot sauce, for serving Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat, add the onions and remaining oil and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Return kielbasa to pot and add soaked peas, ham hocks, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Twenty-five minutes before the peas are done, cook rice. Transfer ham hocks to a plate. Shred meat, skin and bones. Stir meat back into the pot with jalapeño, salt and pepper. Serve over rice with additional jalapeño and hot sauce, if desired.
NELA Master Gardner’s Seminar
Cabbage, Onions, Potatoes & Sausage This is comfort food when it’s cool outside. Great with a pan of homemade southern cornbread. 1 head of cabbage, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 to 3 medium red potatoes, diced with skins on 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced 4 to 6 slices bacon Creole seasoning Cut cabbage up, rise and separate pieces. Boil potatoes until just done. Drain and set aside. In large dutch oven, fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and cool. Add chopped onion into bacon drippings and cook until tender. Add cabbage over onions, reduce heat and cover. Allow cabbage to steam with onion about 10 minutes. Stir to combine. Add potatoes and sausage. Season with Creole seasoning and toss to combine all ingredients. Cover and continue to cook until heated through about 15 more minutes. Crumble bacon over each serving if desired. You can also add small ears of corn on the cob and diced tomatoes if desired.
Anytime Corn Dip 3 (11 oz) cans Mexican style corn 4 oz diced green chilies, drained 5 green onions chopped 8 oz sour cream ¾ cup Mayonaise 10 oz shredded cheddar cheese Hawaiian bread Cut center out of bread and form a bowl with about 1” thickness. Break the discarded bread into bite size pieces. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Place corn dip in the bread bowl and serve with reserved bread. This dip is also great with corn chips, crackers, and fresh vegetables.
Oh So Good Chocolate Chip Cookies
Roger Swain, former host of The Victory Garden on PBS, will be the keynote speaker at the Northeast Louisiana Master Gardeners’ third annual seminar on Saturday, January 19th, 2013, at the West Monroe Convention Center. The theme for 2013’s seminar is “The Kitchen Garden: Flowers and Food from the Home Garden.” Doors open at 7:30am for registration ($20 per person), visits with numerous vendors, and for meeting Roger. His topic will be “Growing Food in Public.” Local Master Gardeners Teresa Morris and Christy Francis will also speak on cultivating a wide variety of herbs and flowers. Roger Swain will also be at Ag Expo at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center from 2-4pm at the Master Gardener’s table. Known as “the man in the red suspenders,” Roger hosted The Victory Garden for fifteen years, making him one of the most widely known male gardening personalities in the country. This annual seminar coincides with Ag Expo, and is sponsored by the LSU Ag Center, the Northeast Louisiana Master Gardeners’ Association, and the North Louisiana Agri-Buisness Council. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by mailing check to NELA Master Gardeners, 704 Cypress Street, West Monroe, LA 71291.
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp baking soda 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats ½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup butter softened 1 egg 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ tsp salt 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ½ cup raisins
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine brown, butter, and sugar in large bowl. Beat until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low and add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, nuts and raisins by hand. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Spicy Party Pretzels 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp garlic salt 15 oz pkg mini pretzel twists
1 oz package dry ranch-dressing mix 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix ranch dressing mix, garlic salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk in vegetable oil and mix well. Spread pretzels over a medium baking dish. Pour the seasoning mix over the pretzels. Stir to coat. Bake coated pretzels uncovered for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
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GOING NATIVE
By Larry Brock
What We Look For Look around. British statesman and naturalist John Lubbock remarked, “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” Find wonder in the natural. Look beyond the commonplace. Look back. Did you notice our native foliage last fall? Nearly every native tree and shrub exhibited some color. Most were exceptional! As viewed from the southfacing windows of my house, a slanting southern sun backlit brilliant dogwoods, sassafras, creepers, red oaks and maples. North-facing windows spotlighted colorful sweet gums, tulips, sumacs, cypresses and birches. Plus, I may have the only sourwood tree in Lake Providence. Those awesome scarlet leaves persisted for two months! Look up. On one early morning outing, a pair of chickadees and a tufted titmouse foraged noisily in a backdoor vitex. Later I spotted bluebirds feeding in the tops of creeper-draped trees. Passing by shrubs I heard rustling feathers. To my consternation, a bird or two often burst forth. Evergreen shrubs provide essential winter shelter for many birds including wrens, sparrows, cardinals, juncos, kinglets, titmice and warblers. Other species like woodpeckers, sapsuckers, flickers, waxwings, robins and jays usually seek shelter in trees. That evening mockingbirds dueled at dusk on the driveway. Keep an eye out.
ouisiana Answers …
Look down. As of this early December publication deadline, wildflowers including asters, chicory, coneflowers and mistflowers were still blooming. Flowering weeds included dandelion, henbit, clover and shepherd’s purse. Wildlife will make use of these plants during lean winter months. Spring flowers like larkspur were sprouting plus spring bulbs like paperwhites and snowflakes. One afternoon, while opening a seldomused storm door, a northern leopard frog leapt from the outside door frame onto my outstretched hand. Snake?!!! Even as I blindly recoiled from the feel of the damp creature, it jumped onto my chest then bounded onto a living room chair. Recovering my shattered wits, I grabbed the frantically wriggling creature and returned it to nature. Quiet, panicked pulse! Look around. Until recently, elegant Peruvian Paso horses ranged in a neighborhood pasture, their natural gait, flowing manes and flipping hooves a delight. Then ere Thanksgiving, a neighbor’s domesticated bronze jakes escaped their pen and foraged through the neighborhood for weeks. One morning they started pecking at their reflection in my bay window. Shooing them away, they wandered under my carport and jumped upon my car. When my wife went out to take pictures, they gobbled at her. Suburban weird! Early one damp gloomy morning, I spotted a red fox on my north property line sniffing along the trail of some prey, working his way across the vacant lot toward my house. Then, on the near side of a dividing fence, I spotted a cottontail hopping cautiously along in the shadows. It reminded me of my childhood and Uncle Remus stories. My neighborhood on the outskirts of Lake Providence is home to whitetail deer, red tail fox, cotton tail
rabbits, fox squirrels, raccoons, opossoms and reportedly bobcats. And that doesn’t count all the smaller critters that live here. Habitats include a seasonally-flooded slough, pecan orchard, pastures, agricultural fields, overgrown fallow fields and suburban home sites. In early December, roses still competed with sasanquas for attention in the landscape. Without a hard freeze, many 2012 plants were still flowering – bleeding heart, cannas, coneflower, cosmos, impatiens, lantana, marigold, Mexican honeysuckle, Mexican petunia, periwinkle, sages and salvias. A few spring plants sported an occasional blossom such as clematis, quince, buckeye, azaleas and redbud. Look closer. A December sunrise slipped through the cypress slough to embrace those ancient conifers. Deer crept silently down to water’s edge for a morning drink. Orb weavers huddled against the cold, their dew-draped webs glistening in the new day. The heat of the sun brought out butterflies, skippers and bees. In the enchantment of a bright afternoon, the air was alive with floating fluff captured in sunlit eddies – seed, spores, mold, pollen, dust, spiderlings, webbing, gnats, aphids and flies. At last, those silvery scenes faded into another golden sunset. Look for a rich life in 2013! Going Native gives nature wonder capital. A life-long resident of Lake Providence, Larry Brock was inspired by his grandfather’s passion for gardening and his own desire to recover the horticultural uniqueness of this region. Larry is drawn to the relationships between plants, birds, insects and soil and can be found puttering outdoors in his yard most any time, weather permitting.
1. Mounted horsemen dressed as knights, rode at breakneck speed to try to spear a suspended ring with a lance 2. Near Spaulding in Caldwell parish, 1901 3. The Louisiana Hayride 4. It was named for Jose Vidal, whose patron saint was St. Joseph 5. Short grain rice 6. Gombo (hence file gumbo) 7. 1803 8. Earl K. Long 9. From a Daniel Webster speech, “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseperable.” 10. Her slip is showing…
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Sweet Travels The Pleasures of Tea By Donna McManus
JANUARY is the first month of the calendar year, bringing celebrations of a new year, resolutions, and my birthday! One resolution that would benefit our health is to add hot tea to our daily menus and what better time to do that than January – National Hot Tea Month! Tea contains antioxidants to help maintain healthy cells and tissues in our bodies. Studies show that tea aids in the ongoing battle of the bulge and increases the body's immunity to colds and flu. Latest research suggests that drinking black tea may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are four types of tea: Black, Green, Oolong and White. They all are made from the same evergreen plant called the Camellia sinensis. During oxidation tea leaves undergo natural chemical reactions that result in their distinctive color and taste characteristics. Herbal and Red (Rooibos) tea are not actually tea but are a combination of leaves, roots, bark, seeds or flowers of other plants. •Black Tea helps maintain already normal cholesterol levels as well as helping maintain cardiovascular function and a healthy circulatory system. Black tea comes in many flavors. Enjoy hot or iced. •Green Tea contains healthy antioxidants that help maintain cholesterol and healthy blood sugar levels and is good for skin and teeth. Some loose green teas are scented with flowers or mixed with fruits to create scented or flavored teas. Enjoy hot or iced.
•Oolong Tea is full-bodied with a flavorful fragrance and sweet aroma. Oolong teas are beneficial in reducing and maintaining weight. •White Tea is the purest and least processed of all teas. This loose leaf tea has very little caffeine and brews a light color and flavor. White teas also contain healthy antioxidants and are the best for skin and complexion. Expand your tea horizons and drink hot tea. It not only taste good but it is good for us, too! Sweet Travels Tip: To make the best cup of hot tea… always start with fresh, cold water. Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea (or 1 tea bag) for every 6 oz. of water. Preheat the teapot by rinsing it out with hot water, then add tea. Bring water to a full, rolling boil and pour the water into the teapot. Steep tea 3-5 minutes, depending on your taste. If using a tea bag, steep for less time. Always serve tea immediately to retain the heat and freshness. Be sure to keep teapot clean so residue or mineral deposits do not build up and ruin the taste of the tea. The Sugared Violet offers this recipe for Green Tea Cupcakes to accompany your cup hot of Green Tea. ~Enjoy~
Green Tea Cup Cakes (makes 10 - 12 cupcakes) 1/2 cup whole milk 3 green tea bags 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder a pinch of salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 egg, at room temperature 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Put 1/2 cup milk and 3 green tea bags in a liquid measuring cup, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight if possible to infuse. Preheat the oven to 325° F Put flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, pinch of salt, and butter in mixer, beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency. Remove the green tea bags from the infused milk and strain into the measuring cup. Combine the milk with egg and vanilla; whisk. Slowly pour half the milk, egg and vanilla mixture. Beat until all ingredients are mixed. Turn mixer high speed and beat to make sure there are no lumps. Turn mixer down to mediumslow and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture, beating until smooth. Spoon batter into paper cases lined in a muffin tin until each is two-thirds full. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the cake bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the center of a cupcake should come out clean. Cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack. When the cupcakes are cold, top with Green Tea Buttercream Frosting. • • • • • • • • • •
Green Tea Buttercream Frosting • 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature • 2 1/2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder *** • 2 tablespoons whole milk • Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, and matcha green tea powder in mixer until well mixed. Turn mixer to a slower speed and slowly pour in milk. Continue beating until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. *** Can be purchased @ The Spice & Tea Exchange***
From the kitchen of The Sugared Violet……. sending good wishes your way in all your travels! Donna Ellen McManus, Owner/Pastry Chef View all the epicurean delights on Facebook Be sure to "like" The Sugared Violet on Facebook Louisiana Road Trips
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BEDS & BEIGNETS
By Mary White
Bed, Breakfast and Baton Rouge Ready to get a running start on the New Year? Then look no further than Baton Rouge. A city famous for its sporting tradition and cuisine, “Red Stick” is getting the New Year off to a flying start with a couple of high-profile events highlighting its heritage that will likely draw large crowds to the state capital. Runners will be lacing up for the 2nd annual Louisiana Marathon weekend taking place from January 18 – 20. Long-distance runners can choose either the 26.2 mile main marathon or the 13.1 mile half marathon, while a 5K is open to anyone interested in going at a more leisurely pace. The Louisiana Marathon Wellness & Fitness Expo, being held from January 18 – 19, is the lead up to the main event and will showcase the latest in running apparel and shoes and nutritional information. Marathoners and their supporters can stop by the Finish Festival, a post-race celebration honoring all the runners, for a well-earned meal of shrimp and grits, gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and more courtesy of ten different restaurant partners. Louisiana craft beers and live music provided by local talent also will be on tap. Participants can savor even more of the city’s renowned cuisine during Restaurant Week which begins on January 14 and runs through marathon weekend. Around 30 of the top restaurants in the area will be offering 3-course prix fix menus to showcase the local cuisine of Baton Rouge. A donation of $5,000 will be made to the Baton Rouge Food Bank at the end of the week. Janice DeLerno will be making a point of stopping by a few of the establishments taking part in Restaurant Week. She used to own a
restaurant along with a catering company; but now she’s the proprietor and innkeeper at The Stockade Bed and Breakfast (www.BnBFinder.com/Stockade). (Ms. DeLerno is also the president of the Louisiana Bed and Breakfast Association.) The Spanish-style hacienda was built by a Wisconsin cavalry in 1864 as a stronghold to block the southern entrance of Baton Rouge from the Confederate army during the Civil War. Archaeological digs on the property have revealed items such as bullets and soldiers’ personal effects, earning it a place on the National Registry of Historic Places. Although, many innkeepers dreamed of one day opening a bed and breakfast before actually bringing the idea to fruition, Ms. DeLerno was far more pragmatic in her reasoning. After purchasing the property in 1990, she drew up plans to convert it into a gallery to showcase her art collection; but the city denied her request (the collection now resides across the street). Although she had been floating around the idea of opening a bed and breakfast, she never seriously considered becoming an innkeeper until those plans fell through. “It was a way to raise the revenue to maintain the property,” said Ms. DeLerno. She officially opened The Stockade Bed and Breakfast in 1994. Conveniently located near downtown Baton Rouge, the inn offers five individually appointed rooms dressed in antique furnishings and original regional artwork from Ms. DeLerno’s collection. Along with being listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the inn also has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Mary White is the author of “Running a Bed & Breakfast For Dummies” and an avid B&B goer. She has stayed at bed and breakfasts all over the world and particularly loves the inns of Louisiana. In 1998, Mary founded BnBFinder.com, a top on-line bed and breakfast directory that lists thousands of B&Bs, inns, and boutique hotels worldwide.
V.P.
By Dixie Hall The first impression was odd. He was way too tall and just not an average guy. Case in point: When asking his French class to repeat a phrase back to him, he would move his right hand mysteriously in a circular motion as if he were dusting a 6 ft. table. At first, the students looked at each other dumbfounded. How ridiculous. After a while, we repeated on command, looking like a class of overgrown children learning the new infant sign language. It worked though. V. P. Dalrymple is definitely not your average Joe. I had him for French and English at West Monroe Junior High back in the “olden days.” He forced me to tell the cutest guy in our class: “J'aime aller à la bibliothèque.” Of course, one always sweats when speaking in another language something as intimate as “I am going to the library”. If you performed any task with extreme perfection you were rewarded by V.P. It did not seem like much but by the end of the year I fought as hard for a “crummy button” as everyone else.
A crummy button was in all actuality an M&M elevated to “golden crown” status by the lilt in V.P. ‘s voice. “And now I will reward you with this most precious crummy button for excellence.” There were times we were all acting like dancing fools for just one little piece of candy. I ate mine immediately but kept a tally. I think Johnny Herbert and Rod Noland saved theirs to the end of school to prove to all of us they were the smartest. I received a button for writing an essay on “How to Tie a Shoe”. I would tie my brother’s shoes over and over, like a mad shoe-tying scientist. Tying then writing, erasing then tying, throwing the paper away, crying...starting over, tie again. After all the emotional frustration, I believed a crummy button was more than enough reward. Our papers were posted for all to inspect. I was absolutely expectant every time I went to class. One day we had chocolate eclairs in French class and could only speak French. I was limited to “J'aime aller à la bibliothèque”. I knew more but that was my comfortable phrase. I didn’t want to overwhelm the cutest guy in our class by being “too smart”. The class of 1973 adored V.P. He told us he was getting married. We planned a party to
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celebrate his marriage. I don’t remember a lot of details because I had to miss the party. I contributed money toward his gift but I just thought the “treasurer” was trying to get concession snack money. I found out they gave V.P. a pool table for his wedding gift. Don’t you know the new bride was thrilled to have that? Surely you jest, young fellow. Because V.P. Dalrymple woke up every day determined to encourage a spark, refused to fall into blah-ness, and was so outrageous just to make a difference... we still talk about him to this day. Everyone has a V.P. story. At the end of school he gave us a small slip of paper with a handwritten message. V.P. told each student a special, unique strength he saw in them. The room was speechless. For some, it appeared to be the greatest thing they had ever been told thus far. For others, they wondered how he knew them so well. One girl actually cried. It seemed time stood still when I read mine and I never will forget the encouragement. It made me want to give my own life away like that someday. One never knows how the smallest effort makes the greatest difference or how far reaching the ripples of kindness will trickle down the generations. I am thinking of buying a pack of M&M’s and calling the grandkids for story time. Thanks V.P.
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Adventure Awaits – But Not at 75 MPH!
By Lee Estes, FPSA One of the great tragedies of our mobile society is planning a trip to Washington, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, or Disney World and trying to get there and back by the fastest route possible. Highways have contributed to this situation a great deal. Sometimes the Interstates increase the mileage. For instance travelling to Memphis from Monroe by I-20 and I-55 is about 75 miles further than going via Greenville and US61. Mileage, however, is not the primary consideration in this article. What about all the possibilities between home and Washington or Yellowstone? For example, imagine a short trip from Monroe to Alexandria. With US165 four lanes and a 65 mph speed limit (except in the speed traps of Georgetown, Pollock, and Ball), you can make it in less than two hours. However, if you start a little earlier and leave the main road, there is a lot of history in the towns the present highway bypasses. Grayson, Clarks, Olla, Urania, and Tullos all witnessed a parade of sawmills and oil booms during the first half of the 20th century. Fascinating stuff, if you spend a little time discovering it. Another popular destination for Louisianans is Branson, MO, a little more than 350 miles from Monroe, a day's drive through lots of interesting places. It might be beneficial to skip a couple shows there and stop in Little Rock, Harrison, or Eureka Springs. We often try to go too far in too short a time and wind up tired and exhausted. When I started planning and directing oversea tours, I found myself doing that very thing, consequently wearing myself and my clients out. Sadly, most of the bigger tour companies are guilty of the same thing. They show all these wonderful places in the brochures, then you see them through the
windows of the tour bus. Now, let's think hypothetically and say we are going from Alexandria to Orlando for a visit to Disney World. You plan to take I-49 to I-10 and keep the pedal to the metal until you hit I-75 where the traffic is unbearable. You make a quick trip, see nothing but trucks and concrete, are tired, and quite possibly irritable. Alternatives? Well, if you must hang with the interstates, take a little time to explore the attractions in Biloxi and Mobile. The Naval Air Museum in Pensacola should be a must see for everyone. There is a lot to see in Tallahassee, Gainesville, and the wonderful horse country near Ocala. Fact is, there is a lot more to see than the highly advertised destinations. A second alternative is to abandon the Interstates and have an adventure along other highways. From Alexandria you might take LA28 to intersect US84 and follow it all the way to Valdosta, GA before turning south toward Orlando. The roads are good, traffic light, and you see towns you probably never heard of but have their own particular charm. Think of the adventure of discovering eating places in small towns. Sometimes it can be awful, other times wonderful, but always an opportunity to meet and mix with local residents. This way, you expose yourself to the real joys of travel in the United States. In the preceding paragraphs, I have cited just a few possibilities, but they are everywhere, in every direction. If you're driving to New York, consider abandoning I81 through Virginia and follow US11 which takes you through some of the most historic small towns in America. US60 and US68 in Kentucky do the same thing. US1 down the Atlantic coast was once the main route to Florida until superseded by I-95 but it reeks with American history of the twentieth century. US80 once crossed all the way from San Diego to Savannah and US66 has a legendary, although piecemeal, iconic place in American history. On your next trip, make it a genuine adventure. You just might develop into a trivia expert on United States geography.
native, migrated to Louisiana in 1956 with his wife, Lottie. He worked in aviation then with A&LM Railway. He began making photographs in Europe after WWII and ranked among the leading monochrome exhibition photographers in the U.S. during the 80’s. His extensive travels included leading tours across the globe. Lee has authored three photo/documentary books and is currently involved with the documentation of The Dixie Overland Highway (US80) in Louisiana, funded by a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
Lee Estes, a Kentucky
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Luisiana Cameron Eat More Fish Sign 1960ʼs
You must leave the super highway to corss a river on a 300 foot covered bridge
You cannot find the simple elegance of Shaker Architecture while whizzing along the Interstate.
Kentucky Tourist Cabins on US68.
Illinois Deer Hunt By Johnny Wink
I’m writing this in the So we had a blast duck hunting, then split of duck season with went deer hunting on Friday. We hunted all two weeks off to rest and private land owned by Mr. Ron Weigel, owner of the guide service, and were guided by Joe get my blinds back in Narone. Everyone we met was so nice and shape. But instead, I get accommodating. They even helped get my fat talked into a deer hunt butt up some of these tall stands. That first in Illinois, the land of Lincoln. Actually, we had this planned for almost morning all I see are geese a year and got our license back in June. Illinois flying overhead and only has two four-day shotgun seasons and a squirrels everywhere. My three-day muzzleloader season. I can only go friend Steve sees a few doe and a small six-point––not during muzzleloader season. I don’t have one but they tell me they have plenty. big enough to shoot. That afternoon they decide to make a bump so a few We drive 12 hours and find out this place just across the Mississippi River from St. men get in line and walk through a small patch Louis. The Missouri, Illinois and Mississippi of woods and drive the deer toward us. The first bump, I saw three does. Even rivers all meet at this point. Our guides, Deer Plain Deer Guide Service, came though I had an antlerless tag duck hunting with me last year. They wanted me and my friend, too, I was Steve Tippen from West waiting on my trophy buck. We Monroe, to come a couple days regrouped and early. We do and they take us got set up for duck hunting in flooded corn the next drive. fields. We had a great time This time the shooting mallards in the pit woods are much blinds right next to a Federal bigger and we Game Reserve. It was cool to see have more nothing but mallards and a few big Canada geese. We killed our Joe the guide, Steve Tippen, and Johnny Wink. shooters. The owner puts me in ducks quick then headed to the the best spot and says, “They are going to be camp house just a few hundred yards away. I could not believe how close everything running right at you so get ready.” was. Then I figured out why they have no Steve is right up from me in a ladder stand. rifle season for deer. Everything seems to be I stayed on the ground behind a big thicket. A right by a house. However, the ducks and few other hunters line up along the edge of the deer pay no woods. Minutes later I see some deer chasing a attention to any doe around Steve’s stand. While I was watching of that stuff––all I hear all this shooting to my right. I tell myself they want is the the deer have broke out of the woods and are standing corn. running out in the field so I begin running to get There was lots of to the edge. I want to see the deer coming out it in the water where all the shooting is going on. What I see and out in the though, are hunters shooting way out in the field. That‘s why field. Then I hear a boom right behind me. I spin the deer are so around. Steve just shot. Now, which way do I go? Then, I look right in front of me and there big and tall and is a nice eight-point, about 225 pounds. So I body weight so walk to it and it’s been shot once in the heart. high. They look I’m wondering who shot it. like cows.
Now, the owner comes up in his truck and says, “Wow, that’s a nice one.” Then he tells me the men on the field side got a nice eight-point buck and a heavy doe. We take a few pictures with this deer, then drag it back up to the fence. Then the other hunters drag their doe and eight-pointer up, saying what a nice deer I got. At this point, I haven’t said anything. Then Steve tells everyone he got a nice one down the hill. He asks why I took off and I said I thought the deer were running into the field and I wasn’t going to get a shot. He said t the big 140-something class buck that he killed was running right to me. When he saw me run up the hill he took careful aim and killed the big 250 lb., 11-pointer. Well, my daddy always told me to stay put where ever he put me and not to move. But NO! Hard-headed Johnny always knows more than the guides so I moved from the best spot and didn’t get a deer. Everyone still thinks I killed one and start telling the stories of what just happened. They say the deer started pouring out of the woods and they started shooting and one big buck they missed went back in. When all the other deer came out, they didn’t look for the first deer they shot at, plus they knew I was in there, too. Only one guy didn’t kill anything. So I told just what you are reading and this guy started smiling when he found out he was the one who really killed that big deer. I showed everyone that I had not even shot yet. Now it was time to relax and enjoy this pretty place and get the big steaks on the grill. I got to hunt two more days and saw big––I mean big––scoring deer every afternoon, just too far for my muzzleloader. In the end I can say we had a great time and great food…thanks Joe and thanks again, Mr. Ron Weigel, at Deer Plain Deer Guide Service. Maybe next year… Thank the Lord I am a duck guide in Morehouse Parish and I hope I don’t get picked for jury duty this January when I will be very busy duck guiding.
“They are going to be running right at you so get ready.”
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MY FAVORITE FISHING HOLE
By Toledo Bend Pro Angler, Joe Joslin
When Do Bass Spawn? many opportunities to reproduce. Mother Nature Another is so awesome and I thank God for the question I get opportunity to see it firsthand. It never gets old asked often in and boring as there is always something new and mid-winter is exciting going on if we just when do take the time to observe. bass The best bass fishing spawn, meaning when do they oftentimes comes both before move up in the shallows and (pre-spawn) and after (postbecome aggressive and easy to spawn) the spawn. While catch. This really depends on both are excellent, the pre mostly one thing… the weather. spawn is hard to beat as I have seen times as early as the there's hardly anything like first week of January when the being on the lake in the early bass were stacked in 2-4 feet of spring after a 3-4 day warmsubmerged grass. I did a video up and finding big bass one year on January 4th and 5th bunched up and hungry where we were in tee shirts and while just crushing your using wacky worms and just Toledo angler, Mike Fruge, with baits. So I am giving a long killing 2 to 5 lb bass. These a huge south Toledo bass that answer to a very short warm-ups can cause areas to hit a wacky rigged Senko last question which my wife says load-up with quality fish as bass spring. position themselves to stage just is nothing new. The before spawning. Currently, many bass question was already have a lot of roe (eggs) in them "when do bass and will move on to pre spawn areas as spawn?" It totally soon as the water warms a bit. depends on the The northern part of the lake weather which normally has bass move up first to impacts water spawn since that part of the lake is more shallow with more off-colored water that temps, one of the major factors that warms quicker than clear, deep water. trigger bass However, last year we had 8-10 days of movement. Ideal very warm weather in February and had water temps for a strong wave of bass move up and spawning of spawn on south Toledo. This was very largemouth is unusual there. However, some really generally 66 to 68 cold weather afterwards slowed the next degrees. However, wave down and then things went back often the best to normal with bass spawning as late as fishing is during the full moon in early May. the pre spawn, So last year on south Toledo we especially if you actually had bass spawn in February, March, April and May. However, many spawned late March and early April which is basically normal. I love it when we have such a long spawning season as it is very common to catch a post spawn bass the same day you catch a bass that has yet to spawn. This is how The Creator of this universe designed it as it gives the bass population
share my views and do not target bedding bass using sight fishing patterns. My personal favorite water temp range is 58 to 65 degrees. Having said all of that, we experience excellent fishing from January through May but late winter and early spring cold fronts do slow things down for a few days. I think March and April offer the most stable and consistent fishing on south Toledo during the spring. We had clients catch lots of bass during these months last year plus two bass over 10 pounds. This spring 2013 looks to be good as well with decent water levels and plenty of submerged vegetation on the southern part of the lake. Good fishing, God bless and Happy New Year!! Joe Joslin is a syndicated outdoor columnist, tournament angler and pro guide on Toledo and Sam Rayburn. Contact him at 337-463-3848, joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com, or www.joejoslinoutdoors.com.
For effective, low-cost advertising, call
Mona L. Hayden
(318) 547-1221
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Wintertime Gardening By Mona L. Hayden With each new year, a fresh slate stretches out before us full of hope and fresh opportunities, both here at Louisiana Road Trips and also in our gardens. I foresee being pleasantly surprised at what lies ahead, waiting to be discovered and developed, like a new notebook with perfect paper that hasn’t been creased or scribbled on, a book with the spine still intact, and seeds that germinate and grow into beautiful plants. For me, there’s no better place to witness new beginnings than in the garden. Although the change of seasons is somewhat subtle in our climate, our gardens boldly reflect this transformation. With leaves on the ground and showy blossoms on hiatus, winter offers you the perfect opportunity to get a good look at the bones of your landscape and plan for adjustments. This could be simple tasks such as removing limbs from trees, replacing shrubs, and relocating plants. It could also help determine where a walkway or bench could enhance the appearance and function of your design. I take digital photos, print them out, and then sketch on the printed copy to help visualize the results I’m after. In the meantime, I’m still pining away for really cold weather. I’m like a fruit tree, requiring a certain amount of chill hours in the wintertime or else I just won’t be as productive once the weather heats up again.
As gardeners, we know that January moves at a snail’s pace. This quiet, restorative time is obviously meant to be spent inside reflecting on both the state of our lives and that of our gardens. While nature has lulled itself into a deep slumber, we’re busy indoors making plans for the upcoming seasons and browsing plant catalogs. My plans always include a vegetable garden for various reasons. First, it brings you closer to the earth, which is always a great endeavor; and second, if the price (not to mention taste) of tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables don’t motivate you to grow your own, then you might want to have your butler shop for you. It’s common knowledge now that most of our grocery store tomatoes come from Chili, are shipped over while they’re still green, then gassed to ripen them for market. That alone explains more than I care to know. A garden can also be the perfect companion. You nurture it while it’s young, then it later nurtures you with its bountiful harvest. It’s give and take, yin and yang, and sometimes even Lucy and Ethel, depending on your personal style! Not to mention the exercise, fresh air, and quiet time you spend subconsciously sorting through your thoughts to process them more clearly. I’ve made some of the best decisions of my life in the garden and on my mower (and some of the worst sitting indoors with artificial light and canned air).
While indoors, begin making lists of what needs repairing, replacing, or removing when the weather warms up. Determine which chores in the garden appeal to you and which ones you dread. Plan to eliminate plants that require the dreadful work, such as delicate roses, and replace them with hardy shrub roses that don’t demand nearly as much attention. I personally don’t like to water when it’s miserably hot and humid so I’ve rigged up sprinklers and devices throughout the yard to do away with that chore. If you don’t like mowing, make plans to put in groundcover or wildflowers, or install new beds. If you prefer to be outside in the winter, tend to maintenance chores that you didn’t get to at the end of the last gardening season, like sharpening blades and organizing your tools. Or start sowing seeds to transplant in the spring. So instead of just marking time until the chill of winter is behind us, grab some gardening books or catalogs and just relax and enjoy the season because you’ll be busy again before you know it.
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St Tammany Parish 2013 Cultural Awards Parish president Pat Brister and the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs will recognize eight artists who have shown outstanding achievements at their 8th Annual President's Arts Awards on Friday, January 11, 2013. The awards were created to honor the best of the arts in St. Tammany Parish. Each honoree will give a brief speech along with a short video in accepting their award.
Honorees for the year 2012: Literary Artist Eve Brouwer Performing Artist Brian Fontenot Visual Artist Bill Binnings
Musicial Artist Alissa Rowe Culinary Artist Keith Frentz & Nealy Crawford-Frentz Lola Restaurant
Patron of the Year Diane Winston President's Award Slidell Little Theatre Lifetime Achievement Constatin Apetrei
HOME SUBSCRIPTION Enjoy LOUISIANA ROAD TRIPS for only $20/year Name_____________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________ City______________________________________________________ State_________ Zip___________ Phone_________________________ To subscribe, send check or money order to Louisiana Road Trips at P O Box 2452, West Monroe, LA 71294 Louisiana Road Trips
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Brittany’s Originals
BOOK REVIEW
The Garden Diary of Martha Turnbull, Mistress of Rosedown Plantation
Farmerville, LA
Edited and Annotated by Suzanne Turner From hot houses and chicken yards to bell jars and beehives, this unique book is a detailed recollection of everyday life on a vast plantation and its gardens over a period of almost 60 years. Martha Turnbull’s garden diary was found in the attic of a descendent in the mid 1990’s, revealing rural life in West Feliciana Parish in the 19th century at Rosedown Plantation where she lived with her husband Daniel and two sons until their untimely death prior to the Civil War. Martha documents her gardening plans and techniques as well as food preservation and sustainable living practices of that era. This strong and energetic woman not only persevered but thrived during a time when many weren’t as fortunate. The original diary was translated over the next decade and a half by Landscape Architect Professor and Preservationist Suzanne Turner. Each diary entry in the book is followed up by Ms. Turner’s comments on what may or may not be happening at the time. Her expertise shines brilliantly as she captures the meaning behind even the most subtle entries. Although so much has changed throughout the years, a lot has remained the same, as exhibited throughout the page of The Garden Diary of Martha Turnbull, Mistress of Rosedown Plantation. Anyone with an interest in Louisiana history, its infamous culture, and gardening on any level will appreciate every page of this beautiful book.
Louisiana Road Trips
Since opening the doors in northern Union Parish in August, 2009, Brittany Canterberry, owner of Brittany's Originals has been promoting small town living with her trademarked logo on t-shirts. Soon after, she went on the road to market her products to shops in neighboring states. Brittany has since taken her line of clothing called ‘Small Town Girl T-Shirts’ to both the retail and wholesale markets throughout LA, TX, AR, and AL and looks forward to steadily expanding her business. In 2010, she built a print shop in Spearsville, LA and began printing all her t-shirts instead of outsourcing. Brittany continues to do all her own artwork, printing and selling in Union Parish. They also do custom screenprinting for schools, businesses, etc. A recent job included designing and printing the t-shirts for the Louisiana Watermelon Festival held in Farmerville. Brittany’s Originals, Home of the Small Town Girl T-Shirts, is located at 510 Miller Street in Farmerville. Store hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and on Saturday from 10am-2pm. Here you’ll find those famous t-shirts as well as jewelry, purses, home decor, and ladies vintage corral boots. Visit Brittany’s Originals at FACEBOOK to see what’s new in the shop. Be sure to LIKE them while you’re there! If you’re interested in carrying the t-shirt line in your business, please contact Brittany at (318)368-9908 or brittanysoriginals@yahoo.com.
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