Beauregard Watermelon Festival A Sugartown watermelon is known as the sweetest watermelon to ever grace a taste bud. These jewels are grown in the rich loamy soil within 50 miles of DeRidder. The Beauregard Parish Watermelon Festival was originally held in Sugartown but is now held at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds in DeRidder, this year on June 2325. According to Cleo Martin, Beauregard Tourist Commission, the festival was revived after about 50 years of no celebration and moved to DeRidder in 2005. Travelers can stop at watermelon stands in Sugartown or purchase melons at the three main gates of the festival. Here, you'll enjoy plenty of vendor booths selling everything from outdoor yard décor, arts and crafts and LA souvenirs to beautiful jewelry and clothing; dine at one of many food booths for authentic LA cookin'; or enjoy carnival rides on the festival midway with daily bracelet specials. Gates open at 4pm on Thursday, June 23rd.
The festival kicks off at 5pm with the traditional “Cutting of the Melon”, followed by the Celebrity Seed Pitting Contest and live entertainment from local artists. Dance the night away with Ed Jardell and the Louisiana Scramble Band. At 5:30pm on Friday, live entertainment begins with Katelyn Johnson Band. Power & Light Christian Rock Show takes the stage at 6:30pm, then Danny Collet & LA Tremor shake it up at 7:30pm. At 6pm, don't miss the LA Association of Fairs and Festivals pageant where the winner will compete in the Queen of Queen's pageant. Saturday morning fun starts at 10am and go until 12midnight with puppet shows, magic shows, live entertainment and watermelon competitions. At 5pm, Henry Reggans Band performs classic rock, Cajun, R&B and jazz, with the Bernie Alan band playing swamp pop at 6pm, and the highlight of the evening begins at 9pm when national recording artist Jo-EL Sonnier performs his Cajun classics. The Watermelon Idol talent contest takes place at 7pm. Barney Fife impersonator Scott Epperson and Mayberry Memories will also be at the festival.
“The sweetest melons you'll ever find grow on a Sugartown Watermelon vine!”
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For a complete listing of events, vendor applications and pageant entry forms, visit www.beauregardwatermelonfestival.com or www.watermelonfestival.info or call 337-463-5534 or 1-800-738-5534.
Talkin’ It Up! “Come on in - the water's fine!” That's the message we want to convey this month to our readers. Seems with all the media coverage about the Mississippi flooding in Louisiana, some local businesses are suffering the consequences. For instance, Jim Bowie's Relay Station in Enterprise has customers calling regularly to see if the restaurant is open, which it is. Yep, they're still serving up great food and fabulous music! Let's please get the word out that LOUISIANA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. There may be a temporary detour, but that just adds to the fun! Being possibly the most resilient state in the union, who would expect any less? Not only are we open for business, we're also open for FUN! With celebrations like the PEACH FESTIVAL in Ruston, the BEAUREGARD WATERMELON FESTIVAL in DeRidder, and the DAYLILY FESTIVAL & GARDEN SHOW in Abbeville, there's no excuse to stay inside. Gather up some of your best friends and find some summertime entertainment. I guarantee you won't have to go far. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and let's keep in touch!
Mona Mona L. Hayden, Editor/Publisher monalh@bellsouth.net (318) 547-1221
ROAD TRIPS "Celebrating country living and city happenings!"
june
contents
BUSINESS REVIEW DELTA OUTDOORS
12 13 13 15
4 17
17
23
Games to Delight Your Dog
Two Handed Petting by Johnny Wink My Favorite Fishing Hole by Joe Joslin How to Catch a Really Big Bass
FESTIVALS & ENTERTAINMENT 2 8 9 15 23
$13MM Historic Preservation in Bastrop Louisiana Lagniappe Answers Going Native by Larry Brock Celebrating Light & Life in the Garden SWLA Youth Celebrate Poetry by Sherry Perkins June Calendar of Events
RECIPES 19
Beauregard Watermelon Festival
Recipes by Stacy Thornton
ROAD TRIPS
On the Scene – by Deborah Burst Tales of Cocktail
5 6
Daylily Festival in Abbeville Squire Creek Louisiana Peach Festival Jim Bowie Festival
6 7
HISTORICAL 10
Zadoc Harman: Free Man of Color in Colonial Ouachita Parish by Lora Peppers
16
Louisiana in the Civil War by Terry L. Jones
11 14 20 21 22
HUMOR 12
A Life of Trial…and Error by Dennis Stewart Just Look at the Bright Side
13
All Things Southern by Shellie Tomlinson “Nekkid Comes the Bride?!” Runnin’ the Roads by Barbara Sharik Weather Myths and Folklore Diagnosed and Debunked
18
20
2011 River Reads Selection
Sign Language Works Just Fine! by Lee Estes Travel Adventure by Dianne Newcomer It’s a Grand World – Touch Every Corner! Hometown Louisiana Now Accepting Applications Beds & Beignets by Solomon Singer This Trip is for the Birds Downtown Baton Rouge Boasts Boutique Hotel by Cheré Coen Hit the Road – by Deborah Burst Atchfalaya Autumn II What’s So Important? by Su Stella Folktales by Misty Haze Still Time to Sow by Mae Flager
MONTHLY TIDBITS 3
Talkin’ It Up! 5 Louisiana Lagniappe – Remember When 10 Backtalk 11 Book Review-Exploring Cajun Country
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Two Handed Petting
PUBLISHER
By Johnny Wink
Almost every day I learn something new about my animals. If I really listen to them either from sound or body movement or the way they look at me, they're always communicating with me. We think they're stupid and rely on us for everything but really, we rely on them for comfort and friendship. If we pay attention, they tell a great deal about what they're thinking. Take for instance my cat, Tom Jones. The other morning he woke me up biting my arm. After a couple nips he bit me real hard. That woke me up. I was so angry with him I knocked him off the bed. Shortly afterward, I got a phone call from someone wanting to know where I was. He said he'd just left my house after hollering my name at the door. I didn't answer him and Tom Jones was just trying to tell me someone was in the house. I felt so bad about pushing him away. You see, I'm very hard of hearing because of all the shotguns going off in duck blinds for 36 years. Sometimes I don't hear everything in the house. I have geese that roam the yard and when someone drives up they get really loud. Also, my dogs in the kennels let me know when someone is driving up or if something is roaming the yard that shouldn't be there - like a fox or coyote trying to eat one of my outside friends. They all communicate. Even my doves tell me when their food
bowl is low. When my half-wild outside cats are hungry, they forget about being wild and run and purr and rub up against my ankles trying to lead me to their feed bowls. My dogs kick their food bowls all over the kennels when they're empty. In fact, you can even tell by the tone of an animal's voice what he or she wants. All these animals love to make us humans do things - crazy things. Remember feeding your pet and they didn't want it so you looked for something else for them to eat? Who's the pet here? Why does Tom Jones want the $40 bag of cat food instead of the $12 bag? I tried them both. They taste the same to me. I think he just wants me to spend more money on him them I do on the outside cats. I think when we're gone they come up with bets to see which animal can get their owner to do the funniest thing. Well, that's okay. The next time I do something stupid, I've got someone to blame. My animal made me do that. The day my dogs start throwing me a dummie bumper to retrieve, I'll know I've lost it and need to go back to the city. Even though that might be good exercise, just the thought of a dog telling me to do something is not right. I shouldn't have to jump at his command. Another thing, none of my pets like one-handed petting. They know I can be doing a lot of other things when I pet with one hand so my pets demand I pet them with two hands. If I watch TV with the remote in one hand so I can channel surf and pet them with the other hand, my pets want all the attention. They want both hands. Even while I'm in the duck blind hunting, my dogs want me to pet them. I've decided it would be a better world with more pets because I've never heard of anyone doing bad while using both hands petting their animals. Well, I hope Tom Jones will get over being mad at me because as I write this, the Mississippi River is real close to the top of the levee and I'm about 16 miles from the river. If the levee breaks in the night, I hope Tom Jones bites me real hard so I can wake up before the water gets here. And I pray for everyone affected by the rising water and may the river go back down very soon. Remember, two hands on your pets.
LRT Publications
______________________
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mona L. Hayden
monalh@bellsouth.net (318) 547-1221
OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL Debbie Hamilton Pope June 14, 1952-August 24, 2008
SALES
Tom Jones was just trying to tell me someone was in the house.
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Mona L. Hayden (318) 547-1221 Sunny Meriwether (318) 547-8126 Mark Cobb, Media Specialist / Sales markecobb@gmx.com • (318) 734-4894
Website www.la-road-trips.com
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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 56,000 individuals. Submission of articles and photos are always welcome but may be limited to availability of space and edited for content. Copyright 2011 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
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P. O. Box 2452 West Monroe, LA 71294 (318) 547-1221
Sign Language Works Just Fine! Cortina, Italy 1985
By Lee Estes One of the great joys of travel occurs when someone unexpectedly invites you into their home. Because my group tours were designed to allow more free time than most programs, more of those opportunities were available. It is a relatively short run from Venice up to Cortina, beautifully nestled among the peaks of the Dolomiti, and we check into the hotel in mid-afternoon. Plenty of time to explore this wonderful Alpine town. After arranging a time for dinner in the hotel, Lottie and I take off, camera at the ready, to explore Cortina. We gauge the limit of our adventure by estimating how long it will take us to get back to the hotel in time for dinner. We had just about reached this arbitrary limit and almost to the last house before the steep slope of the mountains when I tell Lottie to wait while a take a picture of a small rustic shrine some thirty yards away. Trying to compose my picture, I am not aware an elderly man is observing me from the balcony of his home. A home of typical style, much as those you might see in Switzerland or Austria. Roof overhanging the balcony, stables below, flower
boxes, and gingerbread on the cornices. When I discover his presence, he waves a hand and motions me to come up and visit. I yell at Lottie and motion for her to join us. Once together, we are ushered inside and meet his wife, a gracious white haired lady with the rosiest cheeks I've ever seen. Greetings are exchanged; all we could do was smile without knowing each other's language. Didn't matter, if you want to communicate a way can be found. Lottie and I are thinking about how long will it take to get back to the hotel, but after a few minutes we don't care. No hotel dinner could equal the joy of visiting with these folks. The hostess excuses herself for a moment, and returns with a bottle of very pale green liquid and some glasses. We don't know what's coming, but we must be courteous and drink it even if it means staggering back down the mountain to the hotel. Turns out to be eggnog and quite tasty. We visit for about an hour, are shown pictures of their fiftieth wedding anniversary, in return we showcase our grandchildren. Lottie shows interest in a piece of handwork on the table and it rewards us with a visit to the bedroom to see a beautiful bedspread the lady had crocheted. I am curious about a domed projection into the living room with a bench surrounding it. 1. Are there any closed seasons for That turns out to fishing in Louisiana? be the oven with 2. What former Governor has a tabernacle the oven door on named after him in Jackson Parish? the kitchen side of 3. Where is the deepest portion of the the wall. Nice way to Ouachita River? utilize the heat to 4. Who was the first southern governor to create a human warm the living relations commission? room. 5. Name three or four of the most poisonous snakes in Louisiana. 6. What was Vidalia's original name? 7. What was constructed to help make the Ouachita River navigable? 8. Why does Louisiana have the longest constitution? 9. When Louisiana entered the Union in 1812, what number did it enter as? 10. What LA Governor once said, “When I took the oath of office, I didn't take any vows of poverty”? Answers on next page 13
All we could do was smile without knowing each other's language.
When we finally bring ourselves to say goodbye, the lady kisses us on both cheeks, a real surprise among strangers. When we leave it is a forced march back to the hotel. At dinner everyone tells their experiences of the afternoon. Our tour escort, a native of Italy, says we must have made a wonderful impression to be kissed on both cheeks. It merely reaffirms something I have known for a long time - there are lonely people all over the world, praying for someone to come visit with them. Lee Estes, a Kentucky 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
ouisiana Remember When . . .
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TRAVEL ADVENTURE
By Dianne Newcomer
It's a Grand World - Touch Every Corner! Don't be fooled by the couple of nice cool days we had recently. Summer is just teasing us, giving us a chance to catch our breath before the big meltdown comes! Between the high water and the heat, I think you need an escape plan. Lucky for you, I'm a travel agent and know some pretty cool places to run and hide and get rejuvenated. Here are a few deals in the marketplace that will save you money and stir up some summer fun: HEAD NORTH TO ALASKA! You've waited long enough. At Monroe Travel Service, we still have some last minute space to fill in Alaska so go see beauty too cool to miss. 7 Day Cruise on Holland America from Seward to Vancouver - June 19, 26/ July 3,10,17,24,31/ Aug. 7,14,21--ocean view from $599; 10 Night cruise/tour includes Fairbanks, Denali, Mt. McKinley plus 7 day cruise - June 29, July 3-- ocean view cabin-$1099; 11 Night cruise/tour includes 7 day cruise & Anchorage, Mt. McKinley, Denali, Fairbanks - July 27, Aug. 24-- balcony cabin-$1454, mini suite--$1579; 11 Night cruise/tour includes Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage and 7 day cruise -June 28--balcony, $1599; Aug. 9,16,23. Ocean view cabin from $1867. AIRFARE TO EUROPE for $399! Pick one of these destinations and on select dates, get round trip companion airfare from Dallas for as low as $399 on one of these escorted tours: British Landscapes--10 days, 13 meals. Starting at $1849 (Sept & Oct); Discover Switzerland--10 days, 13 meals. Starting at $1549 (June & July); Italian Vistas--13 days, 18 meals. Starting at $2699 (Sept & Oct); Rome & the Amalfi Coast--10 days, 13 meals.
Starting at $1799 (July, Sept & Oct); Shades of sale, $700 off, free air from Jackson, and Ireland--10 days--13 meals. Starting at $1699 kids sail for $999 on their Aug. 5 sailing (Aug & Sept) from Athens to Istanbul. This is 8 days on SEE THE USA or CANADA! 7-day one of the best ships in the Med, plus free Hawaii cruise from Honolulu - 6/25, 7/2 & 7/9 shore excursions, too. This “deal” is really - Ocean view cabin starts at $1479/ Balcony too hot to miss! from $1879; Rockies Chills and Glacier Thrills -If you are looking for a real deal, then Vancouver, Jasper, Banff & Calgary-June 25-check these once-in-a-blue-moon offers $1775, 8 days, escorted; Trailblazer Tour--Vegas, from OCEANIA CRUISE. You not only get Sedona, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Bryce, and 75% off their cruise price but there is free Zion-June 26--$1415, 8 days, escorted. air from select gateways. This is a historic Kids Stay FREE at the action packed savings event so pick your trip and let's NICKELODEON SUITES in Orlando, plus free talk about one of these super specials: buffet breakfast for 4 daily and free shuttle to Ultimate Panama Canal --San Francisco to Disney World, Sea World, Universal, & Nick Studio New York--Sept. 9-- 21 days; Sands of shows. 7 days/6 nights only $535 per person. Time--Istanbul to Athens--Sept. 19--Nov.2ESCAPE to the BEACHES of our World! 7 -12 days; Roman Revelations--Istanbul to Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise sailing from Barcelona--Oct.1--14 days; Mediterranean Fort Lauderdale on the amazing OASIS of the Rhapsody--Istanbul to Barcelona--Oct.15-SEAS--June 4, July 2, 16,30, Aug. 13, 27, Sept 24-- 14 Days; Legacies of Antiquity--Rome to Balcony: $999. The one and only ATLANTIS, Istanbul--Oct.21 Days. with free breakfast for everyone, and kids get These summer deals are happening lunch and dinner for FREE, plus a 4th night free. NOW and space is limited. At MONROE Go see if it is really better in the Bahamas and TRAVEL SERVICE--1908 Glenmar, next door to the Muffin Tin-- we sell the world. stay at the #1 resort in the Caribbean ! Space is Give us a call or come by for a free limited so call us soon! Thinking about going to brochure on some place you have always Cancun? At the PALACE RESORTS in Mexico, dreamed of going. Let's plan your escape kids stay free this summer. How cool is that? today! It is time to have some fun! Go to Jamaica in June and enjoy a surprise secret rendezvous at an award winning, all inclusive, adults only COUPLES RESORT. Rates for this romantic escape start at Hometown Louisiana, a juried, upscale arts and crafts show, is now only $363 per accepting applications for the 2011 Hometown Louisiana event in Bastrop. couple, per night. This is a fantastic opportunity for talented artisans to be included in an event REGENT with music, fun, food, and a classic car show. All open-air booths are underSEVEN SEAS is roof and on concrete. Booth sizes are 10x10 to 10x18 and fees are $70-$135. offering a 2-for-1 Last year's Hometown Louisiana was a great success with accolades from exhibitors, shoppers, and food vendors. Due to space constraints, this event, scheduled for Saturday, November 5, is relocating to the new $4 million Morehouse Activity Center (The MAC) at 9525 Marlatt. For more information or applications, contact the Visitor Center at 124 North Washington in Bastrop, or call 281-0911, or email hometownlouisiana@gmail.com.
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BEDS & BEIGNETS
by Solomon Singer
This Trip is for the Birds Nothing says Louisiana more than swamp tours, and some of the best are ten miles outside of Lafayette in Breaux Bridge on beautiful Lake Martin. More than ten thousand birds visit Lake Martin each year, including White Ibis, Cormorant, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Tri-color Heron, and Great Blue Heron. In fact, 60% of all U.S. bird species pass through the Lake Martin Sanctuary each year. Located just steps away from the Sanctuary, Maison Madeleine (www.BnBFinder.com/MaisonMadeleine) is a bed and breakfast full of Creole charm, elegance, and just a dash of mystery. Built in the classic Creole style with walls of bousillage (a mixture of mud and Spanish moss), the house is typical of structures from the early 1800s but dates to the 1840s. Moved to its current location and restored by innkeeper Madeleine Cenac, Maison
Madeleine has three guest rooms outfitted with period furniture. A little bayou mystique surrounds the inn. Cenac tells the story of the then abandoned house calling to her one afternoon from across a cane field and after an hour of exploring, she found it hard to leave. Restoring the house became a family project. Cenac's three children and her partner, musician Mark deBasile, moved the house from its original location, rebuilt the exterior walls using traditional techniques, and created an addition to the house based on the design of another house from the same period. Even the addition features bousillage walls with rough hewn beams,
but the entire structure has been updated with electricity, air conditioning, wifi, and other modern amenities. Formal gardens surround the inn and French antiques fill it; La Petite Chambre is appointed with a Louis XVI bed. Besides the amazing bird watching, Breaux Bridge has been designated the “Crawfish Capital of the World” with their annual Crawfish Festival held the first weekend in May. While there, check out the phone book. The Breaux Bridge telephone directory prints nicknames next to given names so you can call “Peco” Castille or “Lil Joe” Guidry. Come on down, see the birds, have some crawfish, and enjoy a trip through time at Maison Madeleine! Visit www.BnBFinder.com/MaisonMadeleine for more information. Solomon Singer, Public Relations Coordinator at BnBFinder.com, has done his fair share of road trips, many of which have been in Louisiana. BnBFinder.com is a top-rated bed and breakfast directory with thousands of B&Bs, inns, and small hotel listings from all over the world.
Visit our newest location in WEST MONROE at the corner of Arkansas Road & Forty Oaks Farm Road in J-MART
Same great food
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Same great service!
On the Scene
Tales of Cocktail
New Orleans premier summer event By Deborah Burst
Get ready for a wild ride as we toast our way across the cityscapes of New Orleans at the 9th annual Tales of the Cocktail event held July 20 - 24. Before we begin, let me say what Ann Tunnerman has done with Tales of the Cocktail is pure genius…with a heavy slant towards miraculous. Imagine throwing a party in middle of the summer heat in New Orleans. But what if you threw this kick-butt party celebrating the cocktail? Throw in the frivolity, cocktails, food, air conditioning, and invite sponsors from all over the world. Just listening to the accents and talking with people from across the globe is top on my list. Using the New Orleans “Partee” rating scale, TOC comes in a close second behind Mardi Gras. Come see for yourself. Drop by the Monteleone Hotel on Royal Street, walk the lobby, go upstairs and take a stroll through the tasting rooms. Here are some of the “Partee” details from last year, just so you know what to expect. The locations may change but not the fun. On Wednesday night, a kick off party at the Contemporary Arts Center started the evening with a circus of characters. I walk in and someone is doing acrobats from long pieces of cloth hanging from wall to wall. Several stations of cocktails and food kept the spirits flowing until our bus ride to the Elms Mansion on St. Charles Avenue. Probably one of the most iconic New Orleans scenes, a mansion cradled by towering oaks and manicured gardens. A wrought iron fence, garden gazebo, and oak branches glisten against the black night wrapped with tiny clear lights. It was a magic evening, reminiscent of the old south with
fireflies dancing across the warm summer night. The dining room offered a nice selection of cheese and finger foods, while each room featured a bar and mixologists pouring drinks of scotch and rum to root beer liquor. For a romantic, inexpensive, and safe ride back to your hotel, pass up the cabs and save a couple of bucks by taking the streetcar that rides up and down St. Charles Avenue and at $1.25 a ride, you won't have to worry about drinking and driving, will have a front row seat to one of the most exquisite Avenues in the country, and meet some incredible people along the way. On Thursday there's moonshine breakfast and a spirited dinner at Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House on the corner of Iberville and Bourbon Street. At the Moonshine Breakfast, I talked with Brian, seventh generation master distiller of Piedmont Distillers, Inc. located in Madison, a tiny town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. I also chatted with some friendly folk, Jessica, Sara and Joe, all Piedmont Distiller employees about their new products featuring Moonshine infused with strawberries and raspberries. We did a little brainstorming on the best packaging. They have the traditional bottle, and a new design, a mason jar with whole fruit visible inside the jar. Most agreed…mason jars. Very tasty with the infused fruit and natural sugars, plus the more nostalgic package helps conjure up all those “first sip of moonshine” stories. Cocktail hours may never be the same after the Cabildo cocktail hour. Tales patrons mingled and sipped cocktails throughout the three story exhibit featuring Two Hundred Years of Louisiana History. And a trip to New Orleans would not be complete without a trip to Dickie's Brennan's
What if you threw this kick-butt party celebrating the cocktail?
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Bourbon House Restaurant. Home to N.O.B.S (New Orleans Bourbon Society) organized in 2007 with 1200+ members. The dinner featured cocktails by guest mixologists Kimberly Patton-Bragg and Franky Marshall along with food prepared by Bourbon House Executive Chef Darin Nesbit. Chef Darren worked his magic with a tantalizing menu highlighted by Tuna Gravlax Salad, Veal Sweetbreads, Smoked Softshell Crab, and a yummy Chocolate Caramel Bavarois for dessert. Had to forego Tales events for the afternoon but made it back to the Esquire/Don Q event on the second floor of Restaurant August. Saw some familiar faces including Jennifer Bond with Bond Public Relations & Brand Strategy and Susan Ford, publisher of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine. The event was well attended with several New Yorkers kicking up the energy level a bit. This year, expect another fun-filled Tales of the Cocktail held at the Hotel Monteleone. The Spirited Award Ceremony will be held at the Mahalia Jackson Theater and there will be excursions to Laura Plantation and New Orleans cemeteries. Sign up for the spirited lunches and spirited dinners as they sell out fast. And a popular event every year is the complimentary tasting rooms held at the Monteleone Hotel throughout the event and weekend. Tales of the Cocktail ticket and event info: www.talesofthecocktail.com Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal Street, www.hotelmonteleone.com, (504)523 3341
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Daylily Festival in Abbeville The rich heritage of the daylily culture in Vermilion Parish will serve as a backdrop for the 10th annual Daylily Festival and Garden Show is scheduled for Saturday, June 4, 2011. This FREE event will run from 8:30am to 3pm in Magdalen Square in Abbeville. The event will feature local horticultural groups, garden centers, nurseries, and related businesses. Shop with over 70 plant vendors and enjoy educational talks on gardening topics. The speaker series kicks off with Robert "Buddy" Lee, inventor of Encore Azalea that blooms in spring, summer and fall, as he discusses Backyard Plant Breeding at 9am and All About Azaleas at 10am. He currently serves as Director of Plant Innovations for PDSI, a plant innovation company that manages the Southern Living Plant Collection. Buddy is one of the most respected plant breeders and horticulturalists in North America with over 30 years' experience in nursery management, breeding, propagation and new plant development. He is active in numerous organizations and in 2000, the LA Nursery and Landscape Association recognized Buddy's significant contribution to the industry by presenting him with a Professional Achievement Award; and in 2007, the Azalea Society of America awarded him
the Society's Distinguished Service Award. At 11:30am, join Nick Landry for a cooking demonstration. Landry is the Corporate Chef / Research and Development Chef for Bruce Foods Corporation. A native of Abbeville, Nick attended the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University where he received a B.S. degree in Culinary Arts and has an extensive background in Southern and Cajun Cuisine. Chef Landry has worked in several prestigious places such as The Ritz Carlton Resort and Spa on St. Thomas island and the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. At Bruce Foods, Chef Landry participates in product development, menu design, recipe formulation, quality control, food demonstrations, food styling/ photography and marketing. At 1pm, the Vermilion Parish 4-H Garden Contest Awards Ceremony will be held. Other events include a plant swap at 10am and volunteer Master
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Gardener's answering questions. The event is co-sponsored by the Abbeville Main Street Program, Greater Abbeville-Vermilion Chamber of Commerce and the LSU AgCenter. For more information call 337-8932491 or 337-898-4335.
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Zadoc Harman: Free Man of Color in Colonial Ouachita Parish By Lora Peppers Anyone with a passing knowledge of Colonial Ouachita Valley history knows the names of early founders of Monroe. Names such as Filhiol, Breard, Oliveau, Lamy and Morhouse are still known today. I hope to add one more name to that list - a free man of color named Zadoc Harman. Zadoc, according to the records he left behind, was from “Lewes Town, Sussex County, Delaware”. He and his family came to the Ouachita Valley around 1793 and set up an Indian trading post on the Prairie Chattlerault, south of Bayou Bartholomew. Zadoc's family consisted of his wife Elizabeth Clark, two daughters Ellen and Nancy, and a son named Warner. His reason for coming to Spanish Louisiana is murky. Spain had decreed any slave fleeing from the U.S. was free in the Spanish territories. Was he an escaped slave taking his family to freedom? Others say he had lived
for a time on the French Broad River in Burke County, NC. He was a horse thief who stole from whites and sold them to the Indians and vice versa. Under threat of death from the Indians who found out about it, he fled to the Spanish territory. Whatever his reasoning, Zadoc was respected by Commandant Jean Filhiol and was even called as a witness in a trial. Zadoc soon became a successful businessman and farmer. He was the only free black man to have a profession and owned extensive land claims in the area. His daughters married into good families. Local men apprenticed their sons and daughters to the Harmon family so they could learn agriculture and how to card and spin wool. Zadoc was a wealthy man and this didn't sit well with his white neighbors. The first conflict came from the Marquis de Maison Rouge. Word came to Maison Rouge that Zadoc had remarked
He was a horse thief who stole from whites and sold them to the Indians and vice versa.
K C A B K TAL stop writing!
When I get my hands on LRT, I don't stop turning pages until I find the Going Native column (by Larry Brock). I collect all his articles and have them in a binder for reference as I try to put together my own native garden. His knowledge is endless and his words are like music. Please don't ever let him Pauline G., Monroe
The articles on Canyon of the Eagles (May 2011) came at the perfect time. I'm going to be in that area in August and just made reservations for a couple nights at the Nature Park and Resort. You're descriptions sold me on the place so I'll be reporting back after my visit. Jack L., Lake Charles I'm so pleased that you're including a column on bed and breakfasts in Louisiana (Bed & Beignets by Solomon Singer). When traveling for business or pleasure, I always seek them out and this makes it so much easier. Thanks, Solomon! Wanda E, Natchitoches Finding Scarlett O'Hara (by Sherry Perkins, May 2011) made me smile as I remembered gentler times. I hope she writes more for your paper. Lisa M., El Dorado, AR Louisiana Road Trips
to a neighbor that the Marquis was a foolish man and would cause trouble for his settlement. Zadoc has also made the remark in New Orleans to some pretty important people. The Marquis was in financial difficulty; his settlement was floundering. Zadoc had just given him someone to blame. He decided that the remark Zadoc made was the reason why New Orleans was not helping him out financially and so he brought a defamation suit against him. Zadoc countered Maison Rouge's claims by stating he was gossiping for fun and in New Orleans an official stopped him and demanded he tell him all about what was going on in the settlement. Zadoc told him all he knew. Because Maison Rouge didn't answer Zadoc's testimony due to bad health, Filhiol dismissed the suit. However, the damage had been done. The Marquis had stirred up the settlement against Zadoc. More charges followed. Zadoc was asked to pay a debt for Louis Badins in New Orleans. He didn't get a receipt marked “paid in full” and the New Orleans merchant charged Badins interest. Badins brought suit against Zadoc for the money. Badins won, but the verdict was reversed by the Governor and he had to pay court costs. Badins began to urge local residents to bring complaints against Zadoc to Commandant Filhiol. Residents began to claim he was a gossip who sewed discord and scandal. They also said he had a bad temper, but at the same time he was “an industrious inhabitant.” Filhiol dismissed the charges. The petitioners went to the Governor, but Filhiol told him it was a vendetta by a small group of citizens. This still didn't stop Badins. He kept complaining to the Governor. The pressure continued to mount. Zadoc was threatened by a local settler. Rising debt caused him to mortgage his property. He
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lost his right to trade horses to the Indians. Finally, taking what little money he had left, he moved on to Spanish held Nacogdoches, TX just after Louisiana became a state. In 1824, the last of the Harman family land in Ouachita was sold for $260 and the Harman name in Ouachita disappeared into the mists of time. 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. Editors Note: LOUISIANA ROAD TRIPS congratulates Lora Peppers on her 50th submission to the magazine. Lora is most impressive with her research and knowledge of the area and continues to be a reader favorite.
Downtown Baton Rouge Boasts Boutique Hotel By Cheré Coen The Hotel King wasn't as grand as its neighbor across Lafayette Street in downtown Baton Rouge but it owned a great history. While Gov. Huey P. Long stayed at the larger Hotel Heidelberg and worked his political machinery there, it's rumored that his girlfriend may have used the servants tunnel heading to the Hotel King. In other words, when Long's wife arrived, the girlfriend crossed under the street unnoticed in what was called “Peacock Ally.” Or so the story goes. The Heidelberg became the Capitol House Hotel until it fell on hard times. It was restored a few years ago and converted to the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. The adjacent Hotel King - although actually facing Convention Street - is the most recent to be renovated and is now Hotel Indigo after a $25 million renovation, part of the InterContinental Group. This charming boutique hotel may stand in the shadow of its imposing neighbor, but size is the least of a visitor's thoughts upon entering the lobby. The building began in the 1920s as administration offices for Standard Motor. After being purchased for a hotel, four floors were added. Since its days as Hotel King in the 1930s, the building has served as a dormitory for LSU female students and a state office building, but its transformation this year
took the historic building back to its heyday, emphasizing its quality bones. As Hotel Indigo, the building's history is accented in a variety of murals featuring details of Baton Rouge. The conference room focuses on the hand of Huey Long and the river skyline of Baton Rouge wraps around the ultra-modern desk in the front lobby, located in front of a floor-to-ceiling curved reclaimed pinewood wall. A close-up of the Capitol steps greets visitors to the fitness room. The 93 guest rooms feature exquisite plush linens of which it's difficult to escape. General Manager Francis Grayson Jr. says the secret to the bed's comfort is all in the layering - and there's plenty of it. In addition to oversized showers, hardwood floors and high-speed Internet connections, rooms contain highdefinition flat-screen TVs with amazing picture quality. Guests can enjoy fresh cuisine at the King Bar & Bistro, named after Huey Long's nickname as the Kingfish, and cocktails at the stylish bar, popular with the local night owls. There's 24hour room service and access to the business and fitness center, plus a boardroom that seats up to 12. For more information on Hotel Indigo, call 1-888-211-9874 or visit www.ichotelsgroup.com.
Book Review
Exploring Cajun Country A Tour of Historic Acadiana Louisiana's famous Cajun Country is a place where today's travelers can still experience the rich heritage and traditions that began in the eighteenth century. From foodways and folk tales to music and festivals, Acadiana offers something you can't get anywhere else. Journey through this historic and unique part of the state with travel writer and historian Cheré Coen as your guide. Experience Cajun Country through its exceptional cuisine, area events and historic attractions. Cheré Dastugue Coen is an award-winning journalist, instructor of writing, playwright, novelist and cookbook author. A native of New Orleans, Cheré now makes her home in Lafayette. Her books include the cookbook travelogue Cooking in Cajun Country with “Cajun” Karl Breaux and Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets with Jude Bradley. Visit her website at www.louisianabooknews.com. If you would like to schedule a booksigning with the author, please contact Katie Parry at 843.577.5971, ext 113 or katie.parry@historypress.net Louisiana Road Trips
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A LIFE OF TRIAL…AND ERROR
By Dennis Stewart
Just Look at the Bright Side People ask me how I can be so positive and optimistic when I work every day as a Hearing Officer, presiding over Protective Orders and resolving domestic disputes involving custody and divorce in Hearing Officer Conferences, where everyone is angry and it is impossible to make everybody happy. As other Hearing Officers will tell you, the only way you know you made the right decision is when both sides leave equally mad at you. Being married and divorced four times was excellent training for having a job where you never make anyone happy. I am a glass half full type of guy. Guess it runs in the family. My Granny was eternally optimistic. If you told her the hail storm just flattened the corn crop, she would say, “Well, it could be worse”. If you told her a bee had stung you on the butt in the outhouse, she would say, “Well, it could be worse.” One day I got fed up with her always cheerful attitude and ran in the house and yelled, “Granny, the Devil just came up in the yard and grabbed Grandpa and carried him off!” Granny replied, “Well, it could be worse.” Exasperated, I asked “Granny, how on earth could it be worse than that?” Granny said, “Well, the Devil could have made Grandpa carry him.” You just have to learn to always look at the bright side of things. For example, when I first became a lawyer 34 years ago, the Louisiana Bar Association charged only $100 a year for bar dues. Today, they charge about $500 a year, including disciplinary fees. All you get is a subscription to a Bar Journal that has unreadable articles that are totally useless to a north Louisiana law practice. But I choose to look at the bright side. Which is, for 34 years all the articles were unreadable but last month they actually printed an article that was interesting. It was about the Beatles. Of course, this month's issue was the usual jibberish. When I became a lawyer 34 years ago, we weren't required to attend Continuing Legal Education classes. Today, we're required to attend 12 hours of CLE every year, costing at least another $500. That's enough to hack most lawyers off. But I choose to look at the bright side. Which is, they can make me attend CLE lectures but they can't make me pay attention. I carry a USA Today into the classroom, read all the
articles and do all the puzzles. Then I mentally relive my most recent bear and deer hunts. If the class is still not over, then I mentally undress all the lady lawyers in the class, which can be a very scary experience. Being a Baptist, I am quite accustomed to not paying attention. For decades I have not paid attention during Sunday morning sermons, also known to Baptists as The Longest Thirty Minutes of The Week. Many people complain and are angry about paying $4 a gallon for gas. Not me. I choose to look at the bright side. Which is, every member of Congress has been bought and paid for by the big oil companies. The price of gas has doubled in the last 5 years, and it will double again in the next five years, because the big oil companies can charge us any price they want and the government will do absolutely nothing about it. So every time I fill up, I smile and am thankful I am paying only $4 a gallon today instead of the $8 a gallon I will be paying in 2016.
“Well, it could be worse.”
As a Hearing Officer I get chewed out every day as part of my job is to resolve custody disputes. It works like this: the two people in the world who know a child the best is the mother and the father. They are in the best position to know what is in the best interests of the child insofar as custody after a divorce. Yet when the mother and father cannot agree between themselves, I am called on to decide custody after a hearing that lasts less than an hour. No matter what decision I make, everyone is going to be unhappy, and I am going to get telephone calls from grandparents, step-grandparents, and nonrelatives who were not concerned enough to come to the hearing but who are concerned enough to chew my butt out for the decision I made. But I choose to look at the bright side. When someone calls me up and chews me out in a novel and unique fashion, I appreciate the effort that they put into being different. Especially when they took the time to find out something about me personally and therefore made their criticisms more personal to me as an individual. It is almost like being married again.
2011 River Reads Selection
The Ouachita Parish Public Library today announced Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees and Chris Fabry, foreword by Mark Brunell has been chosen as the 2011 “River Reads” book selection. River Reads is the library's summer reading program for adults that will encourage area residents to read the same book then participate in dialogue, discussion, and activities that widen the understanding of the book's topic. “Coming Back Stronger is the true story of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees battle to return to professional football after a potentially career-ending injury,” said Robin Toms, library director. “The book has a message we want to share with everyone in our area. It's so important to remember that while we can't always change our circumstances, with discipline, faith, and determination we can change our perspective. Sometimes, a setback is really the beginning of a comeback. You don't have to be a football fan to be uplifted by this book.” This year, River Reads programs will kick off with a party Thursday, June 2nd from 5-7pm in the Louis Lock Room at the Main Branch at the corner of North 18th and Stubbs in Monroe. Contemporary jazz musician Vandell Andrew, a native of New Orleans, will entertain patrons at this free celebration of the River Reads program. The Ouachita Parish Public Library has planned a long list of activities and programs around Coming Back Stronger. An activity guide listing all the “River Reads” programs this summer is available at every branch of the Ouachita Parish Public Library. A continually updated list of events for River Reads is posted at www.oplib.org and on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit the website, become a Ouachita Parish Public Library fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or call 327-1490.
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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.
ALL THINGS SOUTHERN
By Shellie Tomlinson
"Nekkid Comes the Bride?!” Hello folks, there are more things to talk about than there is time for me to tell 'em, so grab a seat and let's chat…~smile~ I hope y'all are all buckled up! The wedding season has officially begun and as I mentioned in my latest book, Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy, we can usually count on it bringing us some strange stories. It's too early to know if we'll reach the level of bizarre we saw when Elvis' daughter married Wacky Jacky, but a few interesting stories are already trickling in. I once read about a New Jersey man who
All Things Southern “Bringing you the charm and heritage of the South…” ph 318-559-0319 • cell 319-282-2508 tomtom@allthingssouthern.com
hacked into his girlfriend's favorite video game and reprogrammed it so that when she reached a predetermined score a diamond would appear along with his proposal. Cool geek move. Sweet Thang said yes. The article went on to say he admitted covering his bases by making sure the score was pretty low. Bad geek move! Don't you just know he's paying for that? “You made sure it was low enough? So what are you saying?” (Note to Venusians: Few men are ever saying anything more than what they're saying. While there's the rare fellow, like Bubba, who thinks innuendos are those tight swim shorts, most males understand the concept; they're just clueless on how to play the game.) And, of course, with the season will come the latest wedding trends. We can only hope they'll be positive like “Save the Date” cards, an idea Southern girls have totally embraced. Not only do these preinvitation cards give guests plenty notice,
they're a great heads-up to other area brides and they give belles license to extend the drama tastefully. It's a win-win, unlike other tacky developments we've seen. Custom used to dictate that the bride didn't wear white if she'd been having supper without saying grace. Today's brides will wear white with their bellies stuck out to there! And yet, even a white dress on a used bride is preferable to a sheer dress on a new one. That's correct. It hasn't been but a couple seasons now since those who call themselves in the know in the fashion world offered the world the sheer wedding dress. Girls, if ever there was a time and place to leave something to the imagination, it's when you're parading down the aisle in front of God and everybody. Like my friend Paulette said, “Naked comes the bride” just doesn't have the right ring to it… Y'all have a big day and come see me some time. That's allthingssouthern.com. ~Hugs, Shellie
$13MM Historic Preservation in Bastrop Bastrop is mid-way to completion of a major $13MM historic preservation/ economic development project. This 11,000person community in northeast LA, hit hard by the recent economic downturn and loss of industry, is bouncing back with a new rice mill, a new Morehouse Parish Activity
Center (the MAC), and a chicken processing facility. Most newsworthy is the conversion of a landmark 84,000sf 1927 schoolhouse downtown into senior citizen housing. The $13 million project is buzzing with 80-200 construction professionals and involves numerous local, regional, and national suppliers. Additionally, developer Tom Crumley of Woodward Interests in New Orleans with Architects Plus and Breck Construction of Monroe carefully salvaged original interior doors, transoms, baseboards, moldings, chalkboards and more for reinstallation in the public and private 1. No spaces. 2. Jimmie Davis “Returning this historic structure to 3. At Jane Russell Hills south commerce will of course benefit our tax roles,” of Bosco says Bastrop Mayor Betty Olive, “but repurposing 4. John J. McKeithen this National Register building to 68 independent 5. Cottonmouth, Coral, senior housing units just blocks from our restored Canebrake Rattler, Main Street district is truly remarkable.” Copperhead With a projected 6. Post of Concordia completion date of early 2012, 7. The Columbia Lock and Dam this project represents hope for 8. Because it includes tax rates, public economic recovery and official salaries, a map of paved Bastrop's community pride for highways, etc. and must be its historic buildings. Former amended as these details become students track the progress on dated. Facebook under Hometown9. 18th 10. Richard W. Leche Louisiana Bastrop with posted historic and construction photographs.
ouisiana Answers …
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A designated Main Street community since 2000, Bastrop received the distinction as the first Preserve America Community in Louisiana in 2004. For more information concerning this historic preservation and community involvement project, contact Marc Vereen, Director of Bastrop Main Street at 318 283 3308 or 318 372 7977 or via email at mvereen@cityofbastrop.com.
SIGNIFICANT INCOME POTENTIAL Full Time / Part Time Memphis company adding team members to promote ship-to-door food business. Must have computer. Email:
great.income@yahoo.com
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Hit the Road
Atchfalaya Autumn II
Greg Guirard captures the inner soul of the Basin and its people Text and photos by Deborah Burst I sit in my living room and watch the Corps of Engineers open the Morganza Floodway releasing the swollen Mississippi River into the Atchfalaya Basin. Just a month ago I spent a weekend in the Basin with my sister and brother-in-law, Misha and Ed Guirard, when Ed's uncle, Greg Guirard, stopped by to give me his book Atchafalya Autumn II published last October. Two days after the floodway is open, I watch deer swimming in the flooded waters struggling to reach higher ground. Distraught, I turn the television off and grab Greg's book for solace. His words and rich photographs paint a comforting but surreal experience as he muses about the decimation of the great cypress forest and today's urban sprawl. My thoughts go out to friends, family and all those who live along the Basin. Louisiana has had a long love affair with its rivers and bayous; they bring beauty and romance, commerce and industry, and sometimes death and destruction. After the Great Flood of 1927 a network of locks and levees were built to control the Mississippi River and protect central Louisiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. It's been 38 years since the Morganza Floodway opened and
although most people will be protected by levees, more than 20,000 homes and camps will be sacrificed. But what about the environmental impact? Greg bemoans the mortality of the Basin in his book, “We assume nature can take care of itself. That it can renew somehow. We fail to realize its needs are our needs.” A Cajun author, photographer, and lecturer Greg's family set homestead at the turn of the 20th century outside the small town of Catahoula. He lives on the fringe of the Basin with a bayou skirting the property and the levee in plain view. Now in his 70s he still works the land, builds furniture out of sinker cypress, and goes inside the bayous for crawfish, photographs and peace of mind. Set in the autumn months, his photographs highlight sunrises and sunsets with scorching ribbons of clouds in a fiery canvas of orange, pinks and reds. The book spans two decades of Greg's travels introducing readers to the Basin and its people. Peppered with quotes from David Henry Thoreau and William Faulkner, he uses a line from Thoreau in describing his journey, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…” He builds a platform for his camera and tripod at Lake Fausse Pointe among a group of three cypress trees overlooking a corridor of trees. Unlike artists, photographers are at the whim of nature's moods. Catching that perfect sunrise is not a chance meeting. It can be a painstaking process as he races to the platform several times fighting the dark, cold and sometime foggy waters. And finally a prized photo, what Greg calls a gift, albeit a brief one. The sun slides through a narrow slit on the horizon framed by weeping moss. It's a
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…”
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quick peek as a blue heron perches on a stump inside the shaft of orange sunlight. And some photos just speak for themselves. A late afternoon glow splashes across a flock of white pelicans and a curvaceous cypress tree bathed in the light of a full moon. In addition to the visual splendor, Greg takes time to share the swamp's sweet songs: the early morning call of geese, ducks whistling over the trees, cormorant and anhinga feeding on the water. The book echoes much of my visits-boney cypress clutching strands of spiraling moss, bald eagles and swallowtail kites soaring the skies, a beaver nursing its young, and gators sunning their hides on floating logs. The Atchafalaya Basin holds over 170 species of birds, some with wing spans of eight feet or more. Skilled fishermen catch catfish over five feet and garfish more than 10 feet, alligators 11 to 15 foot long weighing a ton and turtles at 100 pounds. Beavers, nutria, mink, otters, deer, bobcats, coyotes, Louisiana panther and the threatened Louisiana Black Bear all make the Basin their home. Moved by the Basin's infinite beauty and dedicated to Faulkner's stewardship of preservation, Greg records the sights and sounds in seven self-published books. He, like all of us, anxiously awaits the fate of the Atchafalaya Basin. “There is an almost mystical connection between Cajun fisherman and the swamp, a desire not only to see but to touch, to be part of the wilderness...to be in concert with the big woods.” For more information and a look at Greg's photographs, visit www.gregguirard.com Deborah Burst, freelance writer and photographer, lives and writes in the piney woods of Mandeville. After a 30year stint in banking, she graduated from Tulane in 2003. Her work has appeared in regional, national, and international publications. A personal translator blessed with an emotional art form, Deb discovers the food, culture, and people along the backroads each month in Louisiana Road Trips.
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GOING NATIVE
By Larry Brock
Celebrating Light & Life in the Garden June is the month of summer's solstice, longest day of the year. After reaching the northernmost point in its annual progress through the sky, the sun now reverses and days will get progressively shorter. For moderns, summer begins on the solstice; to ancients it marked Midsummer. June's full moon was called the Green Corn Moon by Cherokee Indians. To the English it was the Rose Moon. Apt names, confirmed even today by waist-high corn and red roses that highlighted recent road trips. As forecast, the climate has become increasingly hostile. Here in northeast Louisiana, we've been hedged about by drought and wildfires to the west, floods to the north and devastating storms to the east. May's record flooding along the Mississippi forced deer over the levee and into the neighborhood. Homes, camps and crops were destroyed. Lives, farms and jobs were impacted. Though we've experienced our share of heat, drought and damaging storms, compared to neighboring states we've been spared much and for that we're most grateful. Adversity points out the value of incorporating hardy plants in the home landscape - plants that can withstand heat, frost, drought and the occasional overflow; plants that are not choosy about soil types; plants that do not require supplemental
fertilization or irrigation; plants that are insect and disease resistant. I'm talking about plants that are already growing here and adapted to this particular area - native plants. Few yards have ideal soil. So to fulfill their horticultural aspiration, gardeners often raise beds, till, lime, fertilize, compost and amend their soils in order to satisfy the cultural demands of the latest cultivar or exotic import. Then they pinch, prune, deadhead, stake, mist, dust, spray and mulch to maintain the plant in an otherwise artificial environment. On the other hand, native plants are generally hardier and easier to maintain. And if you think natives can't be grand, check out a Southern Magnolia! Consider the predominant clay soils of our region - either the black “buckshot” of the bottomlands, the white “crawfish” dirt of the Macon Ridge or stiff red clay of the hills. All are difficult to work and most experts would simply say, “Amend them.” Instead of forcing your ambition on the soil, let nature instruct you. Get a map of the area, trace the extent of your soil type, and see what plants occur naturally. Begin with those that have a proven durability. April showers brought May flowers natives like penstemon, showy primrose, clasping coneflower, false dandelion, blanket flower, black-eyed susan, rough-leaf dogwood, oak-leaf hydrangea and magnolias to name a few. Colorful bedding plants included daisies, dianthus, impatiens, marigolds, snapdragons and zinnias. Hardy amaryllis (Hippeastrum) bloomed as usual; daylilies and cannas too. Flowering landscape plants included pink
gumpo azaleas, wax-leaf ligustrum, nandina, oleander, hydrangea, pink spirea and confederate jasmine. Many of these latter plants were traditional non-natives that have proved hardy for many generations; a few were recent introductions. Swallowtails nectared on trailing lantana, purple verbena, butterfly weed (Asclepias) and butterfly bush (Buddleia). Hummers fed on larkspur, salvias and sages. Birds feasted on fruiting mayhaw, dewberry, strawberry and winter grasses gone to seed. Birds everywhere --- swifts and swallows on the wing … warblers, wrens that loudly sing … redbird, bluebird feathered bling … kites and jays and other things. Wildlife was abundant in the landscape deer, squirrels; turtles, toads, frogs, anoles; butterflies, dragonflies. Every turn of the spade exposed an earthworm. How rich the diversity of a natural landscape! Rejoice in the cool mornings that remain, for summer will be hot and dry soon enough. But for now, bask in the bright green foliage that fills our Southern fields and forests. Enjoy the flowers that bloom from every bed, the birds that call from every bush. Celebrate the hours of light and life that fill our gardens. Drink from the serenity found there. All too soon the day will end, shards of setting sun fall upon the lawn, and we will rest. Peace be with you! 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.
Squire Creek Louisiana Peach Festival The 2011 Squire Creek Louisiana Peach Festival opens its 61st run June 24 in downtown Ruston. The weekend event includes arts and crafts, children's activities, music in Ruston's historic Railroad Park, food, a parade, sporting events, a pet show, peach cookery contest, peach eating contest, a rodeo, antique car show, and plenty of Ruston peaches. Legendary rock-in-roll singer Percy Sledge brings his award-winning voice back to the festival as this year's headline entertainer. Sledge performs June 25 at 8pm on the Railroad Park stage. Admission is $10. Concert-goers are urged to bring lawn chairs. Sledge, a Mississippi native, jumped to almost instant fame in 1966 with the soul song “When A Man Loves A Woman,” earning him a spot in the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame. Chasing Daylight makes its second appearance at the festival this year performing at 7pm Saturday, just prior to the Sledge concert. The West
Monroe-based group plays pop, rock, and a little bit of everything good. Earlier on Saturday, at 2pm, the Russ-Town Band presents its annual Americana concert at the historic Dixie Center for the Arts in downtown Ruston. Admission is free. Festival gates open at 5pm on June 24 with traditional first event - a pet show beginning at 6pm in Railroad Park. The peach eating contest immediately follows. Admission to both events is free. A $5 admission for ages 7 through adult begins at 8pm with the start of Evening in the Park, featuring Left Arm Tan from Ft. Worth. The four-man group plays “Texas driving music” that carries you through the Hill Country to the Rust Belt to on to California highways and back. Left Arm Tan's song “Wish” earned the group the Saving Country Music 2010 Song of the Year award. Saturday events are from 8am until 10pm. Admission is $5 ages 7 and up from
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8am to 6pm. At 6pm, admission at Railroad Park, site of the Percy Sledge concert, jumps to $10. Festival-goers can purchase day-time only admission for Saturday for $5, or all-day admission, which includes the Sledge concert, for $10 per person. For more information call the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce at 255-2031 or visit www.louisianapeachfestival.org. The Squire Creek Louisiana Peach Festival is produced by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and is corporately sponsored by Squire Creek Country Club, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Celebrity Theatres, Century Marketing Solutions, Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau, Volvo Rents, Jim Taylor Ford, Ivan Smith Furniture, Raising Cane's, Z-107.5/ESPN/99.3X, The News Star, KALB News Channel 5, Louisiana Life, KTVE NBC 10, myarklamiss.com, KARD Fox 14, Lamar Outdoor, The Radio People, Suddenlink Media, Ruston Daily Leader, and KRLQ 94.1.
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Louisiana in the Civil War May 1861: Mobilizing for War By Terry L. Jones In May 1861, war clouds gathered and Louisiana buzzed with activity. Decades of bitter arguments between the North and South over slavery, tariffs, and states' rights came to a head when Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. Eventually, eleven Southern states-including Louisiana-seceded and formed the Confederate States of America, under the leadership of President Jefferson Davis. By May 1861, full scale war had erupted and Louisiana mobilized to defend itself. During that spring 150 years ago, thousands of Louisianians rushed to volunteer for military service. Enlisting in the army during the Civil War was a local thing. The basic military unit was a company of about 100 men raised in a particular community. Brothers, cousins, and friends marched off to war together. Unfortunately, if the company got into a particularly bloody fight, they also died together. For example, 151 men served in the Pelican Rifles of DeSoto and Natchitoches parishes, but only 32 survived the war. Of those, 31 were wounded. Once organized, the company was sent to one of many training camps to be assigned to an infantry, cavalry, or artillery unit. Infantry regiments were the backbone of the army, and they were usually composed of ten companies. Over the course of the war, Louisiana fielded thirty-three infantry regiments. In comparison, Pennsylvania raised 215. It was at the training camps that the men got their first taste of military life, but few
from 24 different countries can be found on enjoyed the constant drill and hard manual the rolls of Louisiana's Civil War regiments. labor. One soldier wrote his father that he felt In New Orleans, several hundred free like “the Rich Man in the Bible and biseach the officers to let me warn my brothers against men of color also offered their services to the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis refused to accept the folly which has brought me here. . . .I do them, but Governor Thomas Moore did make implore you to think well before telling any them a part of the Louisiana militia. Some of more of the family [to] enter [the] ranks.” the men later joined the Union army and will Those regiments hailing from North be featured in a future column. Louisiana and the Florida Parishes largely Even women joined up. A number of were made up of English-speaking, Scot-Irish Louisiana units followed the French custom of Protestants like most other Confederate units. recruiting vivandières (“vee-vahn-DYAIRS”), But others were unique in the or women who served as cooks, nurses, and Southern army. Louisiana was the laundresses. Some vivandières even wore only Southern state that was their own distinctive uniforms, complete with predominantly Catholic, and it had sword and plumed hat. Others, however, were the highest number of foreign-born people. In fact, nearly one-half of the not so neatly attired. Just before the First Battle of Bull Run, four Louisiana vivandières New Orleans population had been born outside the United States. had to be hauled from the front lines, and they were described by one witness as being Those units from South Louisiana, and “disgusting looking creatures,” who were “all particularly from New Orleans, were filled dressed up as men.” with mostly Catholic men Rose Rooney, a vivandière from New who came from many Orleans, was also at Bull Run. Rather different nationalities and than withdraw like the others, she tore cultures. Some regiments down a rail fence while under heavy fire had large numbers of to allow an artillery battery to enter the foreign immigrants who fight. Rose was still on the company spoke a variety of roles when it surrendered at languages, while others Appomattox nearly four years later. were dominated by By the end of May 1861, thousands of French-speaking Cajuns Louisianians were in uniform ready to and Creoles. The most cosmopolitan of all was Typical of the “boys of '61” meet the enemy. A motley group, they represented the state's multi-cultural the 10th Louisiana. Most was Edwin F. Jemison, of Ouachita Parish, who heritage and would compile a proud of that regiment was joined the Pelican Greys military record second to none. foreign-born, with one when he was sixteen. A company having men from year later, he was Dr. Terry L. Jones is a professor of history at the 15 different nations and decapitated by a cannon University of Louisiana at Monroe and has ball at the Battle of published six books on the American Civil War. another being made up Malvern Hill, Virginia almost entirely of Greeks (Library of Congress). and Italians. In all, soldiers
Enlisting in the army during the Civil War was a local thing.
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MY FAVORITE FISHING HOLE
By Pro Angler, Joe Joslin
How to Catch a Really Big Bass Often when I run a photo of a huge bass I will get questions from anglers wanting to know how to catch their bass of a lifetime. The main question seems to be what bait/pattern to use to catch a 'money' fish. While numerous baits have the potential of getting "Big Bertha" to bite, I will list several that consistently catch the big ones and are also easy to use for the average angler. The first is a spinnerbait and my choice for current conditions is a 3/8 oz.Stanley Vibrashaft with double willowleaf blades with a white or shad colored skirt. Another is a TX or Carolina rigged 10 inch Berkley Power Worm in watermelon candy and plum or on bright/sunny days, a redbug color. The third is a plastic frog with my favorite being Stanley's Ribbit and my number one color - pumpkin pearl. The fourth and final bait is Bill Norman's deepdiving crank bait, the DD22. For a little how-
100% clear Fluorocarbon or Big Game clear to info, I suggest working the Stanley Vibrashaft or low-vis green. For deep crankin' I use over submerged grass on humps/ridges as well Abu Garcia's Revo Toro Winch as along the outside edge of reel which takes so much work shoreline grass and would key on out of cranking these big lures points with grass. Experiment with its 4:6 to 1 gear ratio. I have with retrieves using both fast n The Revo Winch mounted on an 8' slow/with pauses until you see All Star medium action cranking what they want. I fish the Ribbit rod. With 12 lb Fluorocarbon and on 50 lb test Spider Braided line this rod/reel I can throw the over visible grass on humps, DD22 a country mile which is ridges and points. I also like very important to getting the lure Stanley's Double-Take frog hooks down to where the fish are in 4/0 and 5/0 sizes. For the huge holding. For more specific helps Bull Ribbit, I use the 6/0 size. I and suggestions as well as weekly always dye the feet of Ribbits with a chartreuse soft plastic dye Sherry Joslin, my favorite fishing updates on Toledo Bend please check out our website at pen made by Zoom. fishing partner, with her www.joejoslinoutdoors.com. My methods for the 10 inch recent Toledo big bass that hit a Texas rigged Power Worm are to fish them Joe Joslin is a syndicated outdoor TX/weightless over shallow grass plastic worm. columnist, tournament angler and or to rig them on Texas or pro guide on Toledo and Sam Carolina rigs in depths of 8 to 25 feet with my Rayburn. Contact him at 337-463-3848 or best action in June coming from 15 to 22'. Finally, www.joejoslinoutdoors.com I work the DD22 on 10 and 12 lb test Berkley
SWLA Youth Celebrate Poetry
by Sherry Perkins Poetry may bring images of classical pieces to mind like “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas, or “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe, or maybe even “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. However, an image you may not associate with classical poetry is a group of high school students reciting poems. Recently, the Central School in Lake Charles hosted the regional competition of the National Recitation Contest “Poetry Out Loud.” The Arts and Humanities Council sponsored this event and I was one of five judges.
Ten area high-school students, including those home schooled, competed for a chance to advance to the state competition in Baton Rouge. Students recited from memory a chosen piece from the approved list and were judged on performance areas of physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, level of difficulty, evidence of understanding, and overall performance including accuracy. The task seemed superior to their teenaged years yet each competitor showcased their ability and talent in an awesome manner. Rebecca Unsworth and Keagan Kane received third and second place respectively
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with southwest Louisiana's very own David Douglas outshining the competition to win first-place honors in Baton Rouge. By winning at the state level, David won a trip to the national competition in Washington, D.C. to compete against more than 365,000 students for a $20,000 cash award and prizes for his school. Although David did not come away the victor, another southern student won the national competition - Youssef Biaz from Auburn, Alabama. It is my hope that this competition continues to grow. Any high school or home schooled student can participate. For more information, visit www.poetryoutloud.org. Louisiana is filled with art and culture and it is our diversity that should continue to be celebrated and promoted, especially by our youth! Can you imagine the looks on the faces of students from New York or California when they were defeated by a southerner from Alabama? Congratulations to Youssef Biaz from Auburn, Alabama, and David Douglas from Lake Charles! These students' superb efforts are duly noted.
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RUNNIN’ THE ROADS
By Barbara Sharik
Weather Myths and Folklore Diagnosed and Debunked I've always heard there's always a cold spell before Easter. Easter's come and gone and indeed we had a cold spell prior. In fact, there were a half dozen; each of which was thought to be the cold spell, only to be topped by the next. It's a good thing Easter wasn't any later or we would've missed Spring altogether. Everywhere I've lived, everybody says, “If you don't like the weather, wait a minute. It will change.” A universal statement each locale believes is their own. Here is no different. Another thing I've heard since moving down South is about mosquitoes. We certainly have them in Louisiana. So many, for years I proposed they be our State Bird. Then I thought, why not just let them be what they are: the State Insect. For as long as I've fought off Louisiana mosquitoes I've heard oldtimers say we needed a hard freeze to kill them off. As a transplant, I believed what they pitched. I wanted them eradicated too. Come on, Old Man Winter, do your thing. Freeze those little suckers. Now that I'm an old-timer, it's finally dawned on me hard freezes eliminating
mosquitoes is a fallacy. What opened my eyes? Alaska. Bigger and more ferocious mosquitoes cannot be found anywhere else in the U.S. than in Alaska. Same with cold weather. If a freeze doesn't kill off mosquitoes in Alaska, how can we expect it to work in Louisiana? We've all heard “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailors delight.” When the sun's setting and the sky's red, it suggests a lot of dust particles in the air, which means high pressure and stable air coming from the west. Accordingly, good weather's likely to follow. But, remember, “If you don't like the weather, wait a minute. It will change” and that's true even if you do like it. “When leaves show their undersides, be very sure rain betides,” has merit. Poplars are good forecasters. Leaves react to sudden changes in humidity, stalks soften and their undersides become visible as they droop limply. No rocket science involved. A starry night means waking up to a sunny day is possible but not assured. We who live in the stormy South know tempests can move in quickly. Where there
Freeze those little suckers.
were no clouds, there suddenly can be clouds… That animals sense storms has merit because some animals are more sensitive to pressure changes. Likewise, a dog with keen hearing might hear distant thunder. Take my Rose-dog. She knows way before a storm is overhead. She gets uneasy and stays anxious until the thunder and lightning move on up to Arkansas. She's more attuned than my weather-alert radio. TacoBelle's gotten old and deaf and sleeps through storms. BooCat, she'd like to go outside and dance naked in the rain. If cows are lying down, is it going to storm? Experts allow that cows may feel pressure change prompting them to sit a spell, but insist, scientifically, cows huddled together in fear of an approaching storm lacks validity. Hah! Don't tell Gramps that aches and pains don't warn him of rainy weather. Falling barometric pressure causes blood vessels to dilate and although doctors disagree, old-timers swear it affects joints, bones and sinuses. My Tinnitus gets louder as the humidity gets higher. Higher humidity increases chances of rain. So, there you go. Counting cricket chirps to determine temperature is substantiated. To calculate in Fahrenheit, count chirps over 14 seconds and add 14. There are several formulas. Check the “Old Farmer's Almanac.” If the groundhog sees its shadow on Feb. 2nd, six more weeks of winter weather will follow. With only a 37 percent accuracy rate, Groundhog Day's turned into more fun that fact. What weather indicator does an overabundance of reptiles designate? Almost camouflaged, but not
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quite, I spotted a really large snake gracefully draped over the branches of a bush by the patio. Excellent photo op. A few moments later, I spied a striking striped ribbon garter snake on my screened-in patio (no pun intended). More photos. Next was a handsome redheaded male breeding five-banded skink on the side of the house and peeking out from a piece of PVC drainpipe, his girlfriend. She had a sweet face with doe eyes. A few days earlier I almost stepped on a five-foot long chicken snake on the walkway. Friend Dennis suggested I locate and purchase a Mongoose. 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 e-mail Barbara at barbsharikvail@hotmail.com.
RECIPES
by Stacy Thornton
Summertime is here, along with fresh fruits and veggies. School is out, the kids are happy, so sit back and relax in the sunshine with swimming parties, outdoor fun, and Father's Day (June 19th). This month I'm sharing some recipes with cream cheese as the main ingredient to create easy dishes. For example, place an 8oz block of cream cheese on a plate and cover with Pickapeppa sauce or salsa, serve with crackers and you have an instant appetizer. Cream cheese recipes can be found in appetizers, dips, main dishes, desserts, and salads. Enjoy the recipes and the sunshine!
Stephanie's Fruity Nut Cheese Ball (This recipe is a big hit at family gatherings) 32 oz cream cheese softened 1 small onion finely chopped 8 oz can crushed pineapple, do not drain 6 oz chopped nuts (I use pecans) 2 cups mild cheddar cheese 1/2 cup strawberry or apricot jam 12 oz bag ocean spray fruit mix In large bowl mix cream cheese with onion and pineapple until smooth. Stir in 1/2 of the fruit mix and cheddar cheese and mix well. Form into cheese ball and press in the center making a bowl. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and tap into place. Add jam into the center and add remaining dried fruit mix. Serve with your favorite cracker or chip.
Grilled Jalapeno Poppers 20 jalapeno peppers, halved/seeded shrimp, peeled and deveined boneless skinless chicken, bite size 8 oz cream cheese 20 slices thin sliced bacon, halved Cajun seasoning (we use Tony's) wooden skewers (soaked in water for grilling) or toothpicks Halve jalapeno peppers lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane (wear gloves to protect hands). Spread cream cheese in jalapeno peppers. Season meat with Tony's. Place a piece of chicken or shrimp on top of jalapeno and wrap with bacon. Secure with toothpicks or wooden skewers. Grill jalapeno poppers over a medium heated grill until shrimp or chicken is done, about 7-8 minutes, turning as needed. Delicious!!
Cream Cheese Fruit Pie 1 graham cracker crust 8 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup of sugar 2 cups whipped topping 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries / peaches Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Stir in fruit. Spread in graham cracker crust. Garnish with fresh fruit. Refrigerate about 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!!
Some Like it Hot Jalapeno Burgers
Daddy's Favorite Banana Pudding
2 pounds ground beef 8 hamburger buns, split 2 cups seeded/chopped jalapeno pepper 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
8 oz package cream cheese 1 can sweetened condensed milk 3 cups cold milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 oz whipped topping, thawed 4 bananas, sliced 1/2 (12 ounce) pkg vanilla wafers 5 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.
Preheat grill at medium heat, then oil. In a medium bowl, stir together jalapenos and cream cheese. Divide the ground beef into 16 portions and pat out each one to 1/4 inch thickness. Spoon some cream cheese mixture onto center of 8 patties. Top with the remaining patties, pressing the edges together to seal. Grill about 10 minutes per side, or until well done. DO NOT press down on meat while grilling, making the cheese ooze out. Serve on buns (I love Ciabalta bread) with your favorite toppings. Yummy!!
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Calendar of Events
June 2011
Thru June 5 ___________ Cajun Heartland State Fair Lafayette – 337-265-2100
June 2 _______________ Downtown Gallery Crawl, Monroe
June 3 _______________ Downtown at Sundown Friday Concert Series www.cityoflakecharles.com Downtown Lake Charles Free Admission
June 3-4 ______________ Good Old Days Hall Summit – 318-932-8732
June 3-5 ______________ Bon Mange Festival Gheens – 985-537-5800 Buggy Festival Church Point – 337-684-2739 Spice and Music Festival Opelousas – 800-424-5442 Back to the Beach New Orleans – 504-836-2205
June 6, 13, 20, 27_______
June 11-12____________
Catch A Concert www.lakecharlescommunityband.com Lake Charles Civic Center- Arcade Pavilion – Free
Arts & Crafts Festival Melrose Plantation, Natchitoches 318-379-0055
June 9, 10 & 11 ________ Springhill Championship Rodeo 870-904-3456 318-464-9399
June 10-12 ____________ French Market Tomato Festival New Orleans – 504-522-2621
June 13-17____________ Adventures in Art at Masur Museum Summer Camp, Monroe
June 17-19____________ Cajun Crossroads Festival Mansfield – 318-453-3230 Let the Good Times Roll Shreveport – 800-551-8682
La Corn Festival Bunkie – 318-346-2575
June 18-19____________
The Day the War Stopped St Francisville – 800-789-4221
Juneteenth Celebration Lake Charles – 800-456-7952
June 11 ______________
June 23-25____________
Juneteenth Freedom Festival Donaldsonville – 225-474-5663
Miss LA Pageant Monroe – 318-843-1872
June 11 ______________
June 24-25____________
Annual Piggly Wiggly Steak Cook-off Springhill – 318-539-9116
La Peach Festival Ruston – 800-392-9032
“BRAIDED FRIENDSHIPS” Quilt Show South Main Mall, Springhill, LA 318-539-2042, 318-847-4756, or 318-539-2163
June 24-26____________ Watermelon Festival DeRidder – 337-463-5534
What's So Important?
By Su Stella I have been glued to the news watching Louisiana and U.S. history unfold daily. My heart goes out to all those near the 'Morganza Spillway' who are being flooded out for the sake of saving bigger cities. Watching the news coverage made me look around at my quiet world and think about how life unfolds in unexpected ways. It was seven springtime's ago when I got the call that my Dad was in a coma and dying. The part that struck so cruel was that I always expected that he would die of a heart attack from overexerting while shoveling. With daffodils and tulips filling my front yard and the dangers of winter behind, I let my
guard down only to be betrayed by a microscopic devil coursing through my Dad's veins. You just never know. I challenge everyone who reads this to create your new world. Get out a calendar or a pen and paper, go through this issue and previous ones and start making a list of fun, festivals, and places that you would love to visit. Set deadlines and stick to them. Instead of saying “I don't have the money, time, or whatever,” rethink your options. Pack a lunch and share a ride with a friend to keep your costs low, just don't miss the fun. Live for today - everyday. And volunteer. So many events need
help to make their event a success. In return you can attend an event, make new friends and sometimes even enjoy a great meal. Several of my friends have attended concerts, sporting events and other openings, even meeting stars by trading their time when they didn't have cash. Stop and visit towns that you usually drive right through and eat lunch, stay at a bed and breakfast, or find that perfect treasure. We all take for granted that things that have been there will always be there. That's so untrue so get off that highway and take the scenic route. A few minutes research on the internet can turn that routine drive into an exciting adventure.
“I don't have the money, time, or whatever.”
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During the next months as flood waters recede, pack your tent, some cleaning supplies, coolers and friends, and have a 'fix-cation'. Extra hands will help lighten the work for so many with heavy hearts. Another way to offer aid is to cultivate a garden to not only feed yourself but displaced people and creatures as well. Aside from the loss of homes, we are facing losses to animal habits and farmlands. Tiny seeds nurtured can make a big difference! Louisiana is an incredible state to live in. The diversity of lifestyles, the rich heritage, and everything that make this state unique deserves to be rebuilt and preserved and enjoyed. When you ask yourself what's so important, just look around.
Folktales By Misty Haze
Not being from Louisiana makes it hard for me to talk about folklore or folktales from the area. I have heard a lot since coming here in 1988 but I cannot relate to them. I can tell about the ones from back home easily; at least I thought I could. Keep that in mind as I tell you what I was told. I came to Bastrop because my ex-husband's family was here. I was born and raised in Penn Yan, New York in the heart of the Finger Lakes, Indian country, and spent eleven years in the military. I have lived in Florida, California, Hawaii, and Midway Island. Many years ago when I was a young teen back in New York, the story was told of an abusive man in my home town from the early 1900s. Everybody knew the tale. The abused wife threatened to haunt him if she died before him so when she died, he had a huge dark bronze colored stone erected on her grave. As tales go, soon after the funeral, her face was supposed to have appeared, flesh and all, on the stone. The bugs and worms came to that spot to eat. Gross, I know, but that's the way this tale went. It was said that the guy tried to have it removed, sanded and polished. Nothing worked. When they couldn't get it off, the man replaced the stone but the face returned. He supposedly went a bit crazy and the rest is history. Okay, everybody likes a spooky tale but back in the sixties I was curious about it so someone took me to the grave site. I did not see a face but a weird defective spot on the stone. It was still flesh colored then but not anything but
The story has been passed down orally since the stone. It did have bugs and worms crawling early part of the 20th century and no written around the small holes in the spot but it didn't version has been found. really impress me at the time. I did not get pictures or even remember the name on the Finally, Lakeview cemetery records reveal stone. However, I recently decided to take in Matilda was born in 1859 and died in 1936. This some lectures on folktales and it all came generally would not affect the story but her tumbling back into my lap. husband, Francis was born in 1850 and died in I went online and there it was when I 1929. Which if you calculate it, he died seven googled “Penn Yan NY cemetery tales.” But I years before she did. That tends to put real got more than I expected. It seems that there damper on this story. Even so, the image on the were three different versions of the tale. Nobody grave stone is real and people still tell tales of the knows where they came from but they are all haunting. Flocks of people still visit the grave and about the same lady - Matilda Gillette. All three take pictures of the phenomenon. stories agree that the image of her reclining I did examine the pictures on the internet head appeared on the dark grave stone and that someone took and can now see the face nothing has been able to remove it, even image but the face on the stone seems to be the repeated polishing of the stone. The second only true part of this tale. I was told that story is that the Gillettes were a happily married folktales do not necessarily have to be couple who made a promise to each other that completely true; just believable and handed when one of them died the other would remain down verbally. Seeing that I am sixty and unmarried. When Matilda Gillette passed away, people still come to see the grave, even from Francis Gillette did remarry and as a result of outside of New York, I guess is a folktale - a breaking his promise, he found that his wife's tall tale folktale but a folktale in its own right. face appeared on her tombstone. His was horrified by this image and being www.la-road-trips.com unsuccessful in trying to remove it by polishing the is seeking stone, he ordered a new tombstone to replace the original one. Matilda's face appeared again on the new tombstone. The third story Work your own schedule Contact: was that she died knowing he and earn 20% commission! Mona L. Hayden was unfaithful and she If you enjoy meeting people, monalh@bellsouth.net haunted him. . . this is a great opportunity. (318) 547-1221 With these three versions Call today! in mind the remainder of the story is the same no matter which one of the above versions you want to believe. There is a face on the stone.
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Still Time to Sow By Mae Flager
This spring has been a challenging one for me in the garden. I started nursing school at Louisiana Tech in March and it seems that every time I head out to get my hands dirty, I get called back in by books, notes, and stethoscopes. I set up my desk right next to the set of grow lights we built to start seeds and would gaze longingly over at the little guys while I hit the books late into the night. The worst part is some of them were still languishing inside in containers well into May as I had not had time to prepare their raised beds. I was feeling like a dirty garden neglecting scoundrel and was sure they had turned their noses up at me for my wanton disregard. Imagine my surprise when I finally had some free time to get my hands dirty and found my garden had given me a lovely surprise. As I rolled up my sleeves to start weeding, I noticed some very tomato-y looking weeds. I must have let a black cherry tomato or two drop and sit in the soil last year and seeds left behind after the fruit decomposed decided to germinate. After dividing, I ended up with ten beautifully healthy plants - and the motivation I needed to set everything right with nature. My garden never ceases to amaze me, as those plants had a timetable to keep even if I was stuck inside in the artificial light. If like me you've been less than attentive to Mother Nature's schedule this year, fear not as there's still time to get a garden growing. Corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants can all be started this month for a late summer/early fall harvest. Basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, savory, mint, coriander, parsley, and chives will also take off this month giving you fragrant companions for your vegetable harvest. Zinnias, lobelia, sunflowers, verbena, salvia, nasturtiums, and marigolds can be sown or started with seedlings in June and will give lovely color throughout summer. The
marigolds are a great natural pest deterrent and look nice planted around the base of tomatoes. Whether you've been a dutiful gardener or a lackadaisical one like me, I hope your June is filled with fantastic garden surprises and the joy of newly sprouted leaves and fresh buds and blooms.
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Mae Flager is a native Floridian who's enjoying her new north Louisiana habitat. A writer and gardener, she enjoys digging in the dirt and seeing what grows. Please let her know if you have thoughts, suggestions, or gardening tips that just must see the light of day, maeflager@gmail.com.
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Jim Bowie Festival
For a knee slappin' good time, make plans to attend the 23rd annual Jim Bowie Festival in Vidalia on September 23 and 24, 2011. Come out and enjoy a zesty taste of all kinds of music featuring Wayne Toups, playing his distinctive fusion of rock, folk, R&B, and Cajun tunes. Sample food as you browse numerous vendor booths selling one of a kind Louisiana items. You might even catch a glimpse of an alligator lazing on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River! Vidalia promises you a great time at this annual festival that's free to the public. Show off your talents at the contests and events held here. Gather your family and friends and stay for the evening or the entire weekend! For more information on festival events and vendor applications, call (318) 336-8223, visit www.vidaliala.com, or email jamieburley@att.net. This event is sponsored in part by the Louisiana Department of Tourism.
Games To Delight Your Dog Summer is a wonderful time to spend outdoors with your dog. It not only keeps him happy and healthy but forges a special bond. Of course, fetch is always a good game. Hoops - Take a laundry basket or large plastic pail and weight it down with a heavy object. As he watches, drop the ball into the bucket several times, while saying drop. Give him the ball, bring him over to the bucket and say Drop. Do this until he drops the ball in the basket, then immediately praise him. Hula Hoop - Begin by holding a hula hoop upright on the floor. Lead your dog through the hoop, then reward him with praise or a treat. Raise the hoop several inches off the ground and lead him through again. Keep raising the hoop a little more each time. Tug-of-War - Because dogs are instinctive hunters, this game reminds them of catching prey. For that reason, stop playing when the game becomes too serious. The material shouldn't shred easily, either, because your dog could swallow pieces. Your best bet is to pick a rope that has been specifically designed as a dog toy. Louisiana Road Trips
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