Thanks, Katrina

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Fall Festivals in SE Louisiana

During the past month we've attended a few fests here in the New Orleans area.

There was the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Fest in Lafayette Square

We'd waited a year to see Keb Mo perform. He was his perfect self. This festival was dampened by the fact that I tripped over a wire that must've been related to conduit that was once a parking meter.

It doesn't look evil, but this is the wire sticking out of the surface that tripped me.

It is related to a parking lot on St. Charles and Union

AND I ended up in Tulane's E.R. for 3 hours and 3 stiches AND a tetanus shot. My ribs are still bruised from where I landed on my Nikon D90 and my poor camera can't support filters any more (woe is me, LOL)

We walked back to the fest to see Keb Mo. He was was great, but we left early due to the fact that I wasn't in a festive mood (read heart palpitations from another adventure of mine this year).

But at today's festival - held in historic Covington Louisiana - the Three Rivers Arts Festival we maintained a strict vigilence to watch out for broken pavement and such. I am proud to say that I didn't fall one time!!! And we actually got some good flix to share with y'all. I also took a lot of windows for my Windows Wednesday series.

Covington is a town almost as old as New Orleans and her architecture shows it. The city is also the home to the artsy-fartsy people who put on a festival like Three Rivers. Don't get me wrong, I love walking thru this Festival, but some of the people are rather phoney for my taste.

On the other hand we caught a lot of pictures that capture the intrigue,beauty and talent that is showcased by the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Take a look!

There were several vendors selling these awsome glass globes.

There were artisans working in metal, pottery and wood, creating bowls, vases, bread pans, fresh flower holders and more.

This glass vase was at it's most beautiful when the sun shone on it.

These glass globes were shown off using white lights inside one of the many open art galleries on Columbia Street, where the festival took place.

Awesome wood sculptures of New Orleans' iconic architecture were featured

The weater was beautiful, allowing us to enjoy tiny flowers still blooming in November.

This fountain can be found walking toward the historic Columbia Street Landing

We took a tour of Dependable Glass Works where we learned that - not only do they do glass - they do glass ANY WAY you want it. This pane is just an example of the hundreds of variations they offer. It was a fascinating tour

I loved how this glass sculpture of the state of Louisiana sitting on a colored glass countertop looked.

The sky was covered with puffy clouds, it was awesome. I just wish I'd taken a picture of it!! We liked the look of this very old vent.

This was a very cool, funky sculpture

Here is a bigger view of her work. And here is her webpage for more interesting papier mache work

This artist was selling colorful gourds.

Metal sculptures of all kinds were offered

And this artist had huge garden metal sculptures
It was an enjoyable few hours. We try to go every year because this festival has quality art work, not just Christmas Bazaar type items.

Here are links to some of the artists we found interesting:

Bergeron Woodworks, who creates fantastically beautiful wooden chests and other furniture from discarded wood .

Works of Man. This artist has a whimsical spirit. He was quite friendly and his work on miniature "machines" is incredible!

Savoye Originals.
His work with various materials is excellent. His gallery is fun to look through. It's on Columbia Street.

Out of Thibodaux, Bergeron Woodworks creates very beautiful furniture and framing

John Perilloux from Robert Louisiana creates awesome tables and lamps with a nod toward natural lines.

Natural Frames by Organic woodworking are beautiful. Check out their website!

Joshua Lee Studio in New Orleans. His work depicts life in New Orleans and is very, very good

My favorite jewery creater was Chester Allen His work is unique, beautiful and each piece has a story. Check him out for your Christmas shopping!

Friday, November 09, 2012

Sunset

It was a priceless gem of a day weatherwise. I enjoyed sitting in the front yard, amusing my crazy Lab and taking it all in for 2 hours. Ah, retirement! This was taken about 4:30 of one of the live oaks. Enjoy!

click on the picture for a larger version.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Mystery of the Bee

For the past three days AND nights I've notice a bee sitting on top of one of my plants. I don't know if the bee
sits on it all night long, but it's there when the dog gets me up at 6:30 AM and it was there after the sun set every evening this week. I thought it was dead until today when I noticed it had moved. I've never seen bees do anything like this and am wondering if anyone has an answer. Here are the pictures.

Windows Wednesday

Taken at Lafayette Square in New Orleans

Friday, November 02, 2012

Words of solace from a Katrina survivor

From the incredibly talented Ian McNulty , words of solace from the survivors of Katrina to the survivors of Sandy

Excerpt:

It was early November 2005, about two months after Hurricane Katrina, and I’d been back at my New Orleans home for a few days before I spotted my first neighbor. She’d come back for her own first look at her house and at our neighborhood, all of which had been flooded by the levee breaches here.

I was relieved that she was okay and I beamed happily at her. She smiled back, reflexively it seemed, because a moment later, she started shaking a little as tears gathered in her eyes.

“Can you believe it?” she said. “I mean, what are we supposed to do now?”

Her question hung there as we both gazed around. By this time, the floodwaters had long since drained away, leaving what had been an old, colorful neighborhood of homes and businesses, churches and schools as a blanched, shattered, stained, debris-strewn landscape that was dead quiet, with no other people to be seen.

I hugged her, because she was crying now and because I had no other way to answer. I didn’t know how anyone could possibly begin fixing the total mess that had suddenly engulfed our lives.

Originally posted by NJ dot com

Thursday, November 01, 2012

Happy Birthday New Orleans Saints

The National Football League awarded its 16th franchise to New Orleans on November 1, 1966. Appropriately, it was All Saints Day. In mid-December, 28-year-old John W. Mecom Jr., a successful Texas and Louisiana businessman, became the majority stockholder.

Happy 46th Birthday, Saints!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Scuzzbucket of the Week

I bet this guy either has a stupid wife or no wife at all.

He joins the insane-filled GOP crazies that want to control a woman's rights.

Quote:

Republican U.S. House candidate from Washington State John Koster, i has doubled down on his longstanding opposition to abortion, answering a question at an fundraiser by saying that to abort a rapist’s child is to inflict “more violence on a woman’s body.”

“Is there any time you would agree to an abortion?” Koster was asked.

“..... on the rape thing, it’s like, how does putting more violence on a woman’s body and taking the life of an innocent child, that’s the consequence of this crime. How does that make it better?’

Go to hell, Joe

Sunday, October 28, 2012

VOTE!

Early voting ends this Tuesday, October 30th. After that you have to line up on November 6th.

Our ballot in Louisiana contains NINE Constitutional Amendments, so it's best that you become informed so you can vote intelligently.

This link will give you the background on the amendments and explain - in plain English - what they're all about.

Again, be prepared and vote smart.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

After 30 years of service, I retired from corporate america yesterday. It feels fresh, good. I'll be taking off through the holidays and hope to post more frequently on this blog during that time. I'd like to hone my writing skills and share more of me rather than news items. Let's see how this turns out!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Windows Wednesday

Statue of Henry Clay against a backdrop of reflective windows taken in Lafayette Square.

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Scuzzbucket of the Week

It takes a "special" person to abuse a helpless animal.

Today's special person is the "sweet" Sean D. Janas

A 20-year-old Wausau woman was in Marathon County Jail on Monday on charges that she slit the throat of her boyfriend’s dog after poisoning it with Drano and bleach.

Sean D. Janas appeared in Marathon County Circuit Court and was held in jail on a $2,500 cash bond. She is charged with felony mistreatment of animals, giving poison to an animal and obstructing an officer. She faces more than five years in prison and $30,000 in fines if convicted of all charges.

Marathon County Assistant District Attorney LaMont Jacobson said Janas kept a diary with “disturbing content” in relation to the abuse suffered by the dog, a 4-year-old German shepherd-Labrador mix named Mary.

Entry:
“I need to find a way to kill her without it looking like I killed her,” Janus wrote. “I’ve done lots of things already. I’ve given her drano, bleach and a lot of pain pills lol one night she got all tweaked out because of it, it was so funny.”

In another entry:
“I have never hated an animal so much in my life, much less hate one or beat one. But the pleasure I get from watching her whimper in pain and cry out for help as I shove drano and bleach down her throat is like no other”

According to the criminal complaint, police believe Mary was killed June 4 after suffering months of abuse. A veterinarian told police the dog had been brought to a local clinic on April 11 for treatment after a resident found the animal wandering in the street, bleeding from her head. Mary’s owner reported the animal had been vomiting blood for about a week prior to its death.

Neighbors reported hearing Janas yelling at the dog and later observed her striking the dog in the back yard with a leash. They believe she also stabbed the dog.

Roommate and dog owner Steven Kuick was unaware of Janas’ efforts to kill his pet.

Update November 30, 2012
A court-date has been announced for the woman accused of poisoning and killing her ex-boyfriend's dog. 20-year-old Sean Janas will be in Marathon County Court on December 3rd for an arraignment hearing. She'll be asked to enter a plea to felony animal abuse charges.

If convicted she could get 5-years in prison and over $30,000 in fines. The judge and prosecutor have received hundreds of letters and emails from the community calling for the maximum punishment.