Happy Icy Mardi Gras

Some time in the middle of the night, it began to rain and because the temperatures were below 32 degrees that rain was mixed with sleet, freezing rain, and ice.  This part of Louisiana was under a Winter Weather Advisory until 4:00p.m. and then more cold rain for the rest of the evening. Most of the small communities canceled their Mardi Gras celebrations.  We are very disappointed.  We were looking forward to experiencing the prairie or country-style Mardi Gras.  The large communities like Lafayette and New Orleans had their parades.  The weatherman said that this is the fourth time this winter Louisiana has had ice and the first time that he knew about that there was ice on Mardi Gras Day.  Parts of I-10 including in this area and the big bridge were closed until the temps warm up.

When Sandy and I stepped out to walk, I neglected to check the steps on the camper.  I took my first step and found myself at the bottom on my bottom.  Only my back had contact with the other two steps.  Carol heard the commotion but it was too late to help.  Had I looked before I stepped, I would have noticed that the steps were covered with ice.  Because it was cold, I had five layers on (turtleneck, sweatshirt, hooded sweatshirt, Illini jacket, and raincoat).  I think this must have saved me because I was able to get up, had no broken bones, and Sandy and I went for our walk.  We went to Walmart for a few things.  I spent some time with my computer expert (Peggy) and other then that we stayed in and stayed dry.  Hopefully, tomorrow we can get out a little more.    I am going to post several pictures of the ice.

This picture looks like it was taken in Illinois instead of Louisiana.

Don had to scrape his car before he went out for the daily paper

It wasn't fit out for man or beast so beast spent the day sleeping in an easy chair.

Our truck covered with ice.

Inside the truck looking out.

Trees with their coat of ice.

Snapshots from a Trip to the Post Office

It went from hot yesterday to cold this morning.  It was also overcast.  We were going to Washington, LA to several antique shops.  It is said that 80% of the buildings in Washington are on the National Historical Registry.  As we read the brochures about the city, we learned that the antique shops are only open Friday-Sunday.  Today (Monday) would not be a good day for a trip to Washington so we changed our plans.

First thing I accomplished was laundry.  This should be the last time I do laundry this trip.  I talked to Peggy and she told me they and Bill and Ericka were going shopping in Layafette.  We were invited to go but Carol didn't want to shop today so we stayed home.  I did need to visit a post office for stamps so we left the camp to do that.  I always have my camera so here are a few pictures from our trip to the post office.

This is the post office at Henderson.  I did not buy my stamps here because I knew how small it was and that it had limited hours.  We went to Cecilia for my stamps.

Carol wanted to see where the road went if you turned left at the corner by Pat's Restaurant so we turned left and went under the interstate.

After crossing under the interstate, the road turned left across a bridge by this house.

I thought it was a neat looking house.

I love the way the branches of the old Live Oak trees bend down to the ground.  It makes for easy tree climbing.

These two schnauzers were waiting on their owner and we pulled up to park by this truck.  We went inside for me to buy postcards.  We had Sandy with us so when we left her in the truck, she jumped into the front seat.  True to the yippy nature of schnauzers, they barked at her.  Sandy ignored them.  Aren't they stylish in their sweaters?  

We ended our trip to the post office by stopping by this little place.  We thought it was an antique store but it was more than that.  It had lots of crafts, art, and homemade items from local artisans showing the culture of this part of Louisiana.  It was a neat store.

Tomorrow we plan to go to Iota, LA to a Courir de Mardi Gras.  It is a country celebration of Mardi Gras.  I hope the weather cooperates.

Sunday in Louisiana

Last night we slept with the windows open.  It got up to 72 and started out overcast but just like yesterday by early afternoon the sun had sent the clouds packing.  At 3:00 p.m. It was 13 and snowing in Illinois.  I guess I will just have to miss that snow storm.  Because it is so nice down here, it is hard to imagine 13 degrees and snow!

Before we came down here, we had heard on the Travel Channel that the Tiger Truck Stop just west of Baton Rouge on I-10 was one of the best truck stops in which to eat. It gets its name because of a tiger kept there.  We wanted to eat there but when we got to the truck stop,  the place did not look very appetizing.  We have eaten at truck stops many times but this one didn't appeal to us.  We decided to bypass it.  I did see the tiger.

We also went to a Bass Pro Shop.  The inside was decorated like a Louisiana swamp with cypress trees covered with moss.  The taxidermied animals were native to Louisiana.

As we were driving back to camp we drove through Baton Rouge and I snapped this picture of the Capitol building.

This was taken from the 18-mile bridge that passes over the Atchafalaya Basin.

Sunset over the camp.

We ended the day with a family-style supper outside at Don and Peggy's camper.  The 6 of us had a Central Illinois meal of ham, potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, pickled beets, assortment of pickles, angel cake, strawberry ice cream, and fresh strawberries.  It tasted like home and we all enjoyed the food and the good conversation with good people.  As we sat together talking, feeling stuffed, we saw this sunset.  What could be more perfect?!

Mardi Gras: Cajun Palms Style. PART 2

The waitress/owner of the restaurant.  She is from Texas!

Carol waiting patiently as Peggy and I try to decide what kind of filling we want in our King Cake.  We decided on chocolate.  Carol and I had some for desert and chocolate was a great choice.

The sky was a deep, deep blue behind the clouds.

Sandy enjoyed a nap in the sun.

Golf carts on parade.

Mr. Mardi Gras with some of his beads.

Mardi Gras: Cajun Palms Style PART 1

We headed out at 8:00 a.m. For the little restaurant in Breaux Bridge that has a live Zydeco band playing during breakfast.  When we got there the line to get in was half way down the block!  We opted for another little restaurant with live music and a breakfast buffet.  Their biscuits were the best I have ever eaten.  It was a fun little place and an older couple entertained us by dancing.  We did a little shopping downtown and picked up a King Cake from a local bakery.  It looks delicious.

Back at the camp, we enjoyed the warmer temperatures and good conversation with Bill, Ericka, Don, and Peggy.  Clouds moved across a deep blue sky but no rain.  The temperature got up to 81.  Carol, Sandy and I sat outside waiting for the golf cart parade.  It was a fun parade.  The golf carts were decorated with Mardi Gras colors, flags, bunting, etc. and the riders threw beads, cups, and candy just like the big Mardi Gras parades.  After the parade we all went inside to watch the Illini play Michigan State.  Topping off a great day...the Illini won!

Currently, we have all the camper windows open and are actually wearing short sleeved shirts.  This has been the warmest day since we got here.

My IPad has been giving me fits tonight and I have lots more pictures I want to post so I am trying something new to try to trick it.  I am going to have multiple posts for the same day.

This is where we were going to eat!  The line is shorter but we aren't hungry now.

This is where we ate.

Jacqueline's:  Real French Cooking

A rare picture of the blogger and her husband.

Great Breakfast Companions:  Don and Peggy

The two-woman band that entertained the breakfast diners.

The Atchafalaya Swamp: Up Close and Personal

Two mornings in a row we had sunshine; however by noon the sun was covered by clouds.   We drove into Lafayette looking for antiques.  We found an antique mall that was supposed to be open at 10:00 a.m.  It was 10:00 but the mall was not open.  We went to the Lafayette Visitor's Center for info about other antique places.  They did not know of another and told us that the owner of that mall opens whenever they feel like it.  This is a good example of the laid back attitude of some Louisiana natives.  We went back to camp to relax until our 3:00 p.m. Swamp tour.

This is McGee's Landing where the tour began.  I was able to get a picture of the back of the restaurant as we were pulling out.

The Atchafalaya Princess

We enjoyed the tour.  It lasted about 1 1/2 hours and we heard a little history of the basin and how it has changed since the levee and dam system has become a part of the Mississippi River.  We saw several different kinds of birds and an Opossum.  It was nice change to see a living opossum instead of road kill.  The captain of the boat tried very hard to find alligators but the cool temperature and overcast day was not to the liking of the alligators who live in the Atchafalaya Basin.  A airboat tour came by and they found a nest of baby alligators and showed us where he had found them.  Can you find the babies in this underbrush?

We actually did see the baby alligators among this brush.

The brush we in which we found the babies is just beyond the airboat.

Redwood cypress in the basin.

There were houseboats and floating houses all along the basin area we were in.  It would be good fishing and hunting out here.

This is the restaurant we ate supper in.  The men all had some kind of fish or seafood.  Peggy and I had a cheeseburger and fries.  It was very good...not your usual MacDonald hamburger.  It was seasoned like the typical Cajun meat.  We both had room for dessert.  Peggy had bread pudding and I had a layered chocolate/vanilla cake...also delicious.  It began to mist as we were headed back to the camp.  I hope the rain holds off because tomorrow is the golf cart Mardi Gras parade.  I am looking forward to that.

Alligators and The Creole Nature Trail

Do you see these shadows?
Shadows mean sunshine and that is what we had ALL day!
We decided to drive the Creole Nature Trail.  It is about 100 miles long and  is one of the oldest scenic byways in America.  The drive takes you through marshes, prairie, and along the Gulf of Mexico.

We crossed canals, bayoues, and lakes using bridges, a drawbridge, and a ferry.

We hiked broadwalk, paved, and grassy trails, drove gravel and

Paved roads.

The most exciting thing we saw was over 30 alligators.  We saw most of them as we were driving the Pintail Drive and Broadwalk.  Because it was such a sunny day, the alligators were enjoying laying in the sun.   Most of them were in the water and were small but there were a few larger ones on the banks.  In fact, on the Wetlands Walkway, one was in the grass along the walkway.  It was on my side of the trail, laying in the grass, about two feet from the trail.  I nearly jumped out of my skin and my reaction caused Carol's heart to beat rapidly.  After watching them from the safety of our track, I didn't expect to see one so up close and personal.

A good deal of the drive goes through a couple of national wildlife sanctuaries.  We saw flamingoes, pelicans, egrets, white and blue herons, and ducks of many, many different kinds.  As we drove by the Gulf of Mexico, we saw houses, hospitals, fire stations, etc. on tall support beams.  We talked to a man from Lake Charles.  He told us that when Hurricane Ike came through in 2006' everything in this area was under 15 of water.  A lot of the buildings have been rebuilt after that date.  There are new, more stringent building codes that require the support beams be dug at least 15 below ground and lift the structure 15 feet above.  They are able to park their cars under their houses.