Winds of Change

This year has seen a lot of wind in this area. Crazy, strong winds! At least two of the storms brought us wind over 70 mph - that's hurricane force winds! 

Many Indigenous cultures believe that the wind is the Creator talking - that the wind will blow when a person is trying to be told something. Well, I should have been listening harder because those winds were telling us that change was in our future.

We've moved. But this time the move was into our own house. Not on our property in the mountains but very close by. In the quaint and quirky little town of Cripple Creek.

The Town of Cripple Creek as seen at the overlook

A lovely Victorian House chose us to come live within its walls. (I swear there was a bit of magick involved, but I will expand upon that in later posts - gotta have something else to write about)

Welcome to The Painted Lady.

Yes, that's a white pocket fence that you see. The house was built in 1900 and still has many of the original features - doors, transoms, wood molding, brass light fixtures and the gorgeous fireplace with the original firebox. Though it burned coal not wood.

Front entry with original doors

Dining Room with original light fixture

In the coming weeks, I will share things about our new home, the town, and the 'neighbors' who live around us.

Click on the pictures to enlarge and see details.

Bees, Boxes & a Microbe update

Microbe Update ~ Before I get started, I'd like to give a bit more explanation about the art I featured this past Sunday - The Art of the Microbe . All the pictures featured in that blog post were actually very unique artwork that had been creating by using living bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms. The designs were created in petri dishes by various means.  I encourage everyone to visit the link provided at the beginning of the post to learn more.

And now on to other things..... Settling in is going to take longer than I had anticipated. But I'm not complaining. My days are now filled with "Grandma, come see" or "Grandma, let's play". I have begun babysitting my oldest son's youngest daughter, Miss Fae, on a semi-regular basis.

Miss Fae explores the world with a gentle step and a sense of joy that is quite infectious.  We've learned how to 'paint' on the sidewalk with water and a found feather. We've built a raft from sticks so the bug in the puddle had a place to go. We did our part in repopulating the dandelions in the front yard.

And we've had numerous Tea Parties in the middle of the kitchen floor. And then at least once, if not twice, a week I spend time with our other five grand children. So my time is filled with much Love and Laughter!

The mountain of boxes that have filled the garage are slowly dwindling. Hubby and I try to tackle 2-3 boxes a day. I've already discovered items I had forgotten about - like the children's table & chairs I had bought just before I began packing. And our Kids have been the beneficiaries of numerous boxes of cast-off items. Some day we shall reclaim our garage!

I have a hive of ground dwelling bees in the backyard. Something has to be done about the bees so that we can enjoy the backyard. I emailed Zan Asha of  Vagabond Creations about the bees. Since she is a beekeeper, I felt she could advise me. Zan suggested that I contact a local bee club or even a nature preserve about the Hive's removal. I shall keep you posted....

And I have been enjoying the cooler temperatures!! Especially after enduring the horribly hot summer that Arkansas experienced this year. And yesterday, while at the grocery store, Miss Fae and I made a HUGE discovery!! PUMPKINS have arrived!! Oh JoY!!!! The season will soon be upon us!!

Cat Tales ~ Movin'... Movin' On Up!

The last few weeks have been a blur for Me! Me was so busy making sure Mommy didn't forget to pack all of the important stuff - you know ... the canned cat food, the can opener, Mes pillow, Mes brush, Mes soft bed, and of course Mes Catnip. 

Then Daddy came home. (We Kitties had to ignore Him - We couldn't act like we had missed him but those silly hairy Doggies had to fall over themselves showing Daddy how much they had missed him) And Me and Mes Silly Siblings all got stuffed into a bedroom then so Me doesn't know everything that went on, but Me did watch for a bit through the window. Daddy and the Two Boys from their litter and a couple other guys that Daddy knows got real busy moving everything that Mommy had packed into BIG yellow trucks. 

Then Mes Silly Siblings all got stuffed into their little boxes and loaded up into the big car that Daddy drove down to take Us to our new home. And the worst part was that those big hairy, shedding Doggies got put in the same car! Have you ever been stuck in a car with three wet Doggies till they dried off? (It rained the morning We left and the Doggies got wet going from the house to the car) It is NOT a pleasant thing! Mommy had to hold some Catnip under Mes nose so I could breathe! And those Doggies have no manners! They shed white hair ALL OVER the black interior of the car! But Me knows Mes manners, Me just shed all over Mommy. 

But Mes special and Me got to ride up front on a pillow between Mommy and Daddy. Me helped Daddy navigate. Me didn't want him to get lost! And We drove and drove and DROVE!!! I never thought We get there! But finally We arrived at our Transition House. And then We got stuffed into a room again while Daddy and the youngest Boy of their litter unloaded the trucks.

But, it was all worth it! Mommy and Daddy splurged and bought Me the biggest condo they could find. And Mommy even spread Catnip ALL over it! The only problem is, now I have to share Mes nice big condo with all Mes Silly Siblings!

Purz and Catnip Dreams ... Gomez

Cat Tales ~ Road Trip!!!!!

Mes going on a ROAD TRIP!!!

It's been forever since Mes gotten to go on a Road Trip. The last time was when Mommy and Daddy decided to live in the WildWoods of Arkansas. And that was many, many, many moons ago!

Now Mommy says Wes going to go live in the UrbanWoods of Colorado. And Wes have to drive and drive  and drive to get there. Me likes Road Trips and Me has a bed that Me rides in (cause Mes special) and Me can see out the window but everyone else has to ride in cages. Theys not happy.

Those hairy shedding Doggies are going to ride in the same car with Us Kitties. Mes not too sure Me likes that idea....
Mes gotta go. Me must make sure that Mommy has Mes water bottle and a bit of Nip packed for me.

Me will be sure to give you a FULL report once Mes unpacked.

Purz and Catnip Dreams ... Gomez

Don't Touch That Dial!

I'm turning in my modem and shutting off my internet service today (shudder!!) I may go through withdrawals! LOL Just joking!!

I have put The Candy Corn Chronicles on autopilot while I am transitioning. So y'all be good and play nice! I'll catch up with everyone once I'm more or less settled (probably less).

See you soon!

Cat Tales ~ Winds of Change

Mommy has been talking to us a lot lately. And I don't think it's because Daddy's been gone and she has no one else to talk to. She's been telling us about a new place Wes going to go live at. She calls it our "Transition Home".

She said she knows how the foundlings who have come to live with us feel ~ Just so happy to have found a warm, safe, dry place to curl up in. Mommy said she feels like that about this "Transition Home". She's just happy that Daddy was able to find it.

Mommy said that Wes needed to move closer to her litter of kids to help them out. And to help out with those noisy, sticky Little People that Mommy calls 'Grandkids'.
Hrmph! There's nothing too Grand about them! But Mommy promised that she would buy us a nice tall Kitty Condo so Wes could get away from them sticky little hands.

Me supposes that wouldn't be so bad...especially if it is coated with Catnip!
Me gets dibs on the top bed!!

Purz and Catnip Dreams ... Gomez

10 Days and Counting.....

In only 10 days Hubby and Sons will be here with the moving trucks. There will be a flurry of activity as they pack and stack all of our earthly possessions into those trucks. It's been so long since I've packed some of the boxes, that I've forgotten what's in them. It'll be like opening presents when we get to our new 'Transition Home'. 

I've noticed there's been a flurry of activity over at the Neighbors. It seems They're getting ready for the move as well....

August Update

A lot has and hasn't happened in the last month.
The weather is still hot and dry. I feel like someone stuck us in the oven, turned it to broil and forgot about us!  We had two brief rain showers the whole month of July. Not near enough.

Hubby went off to Denver and is now working. (I wrote a bit about that last week). He should get his first paycheck this week. Oh, Happy Days!!
We signed a lease on a house in the northern suburbs of Denver. It's not exactly my idea of a dream home, but we felt it was the best way  to get into a place up there and not have to deal with a landlord. Nothing against landlords (we may become some fairly soon) but when a person has animals, landlords aren't exactly the most desirable people to deal with. And believe me, I am making a mental note of that! I don't want to become a person that I wouldn't even want to deal with!

Our "New" House

Had a couple of showings of the house here in Arkansas. And we remain hopeful that it will sell before the end of summer.
I am still packing away. I have odds-n-ends in the house to pack. All that oddly shaped stuff that just doesn't quite fit into any normal size box. But I am spending most of my time packing up Hubby's garage and two shop buildings. He won't be able to find anything for a good while. Teach him for not packing it himself! And I have  a deadline to meet. We are leaving Arkansas the end of the month. I'm anxious to to rejoin the Family and to rejoin the Art Scene. I have dearly missed creating my Faeries and any and all sort of Halloween items.

And speaking of Halloween... We'll have two, possibly three yards to "Haunt" this year! WooHoo!!! We'll have to use what we have, so this year won't be all that creepy but it'll still be fun!

And don't forget, Gomez is having a Giveaway! You can read about it here!

Day #182

July 1st. 

Calendar day #182. 

We are roughly half way through the year. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
So much happened in the first half of the year that I'm almost afraid to see what happens in the last half....
But, I guess I should catch you up on things.....

• My DIL, Crystal, who broke her collar bone in April had to have a plate put in to correct the fracture but has recovered quite well. She is a mother of two and is going to school to become a licensed personal trainer and will graduate in August. She never let the break or the subsequent surgery slow her down!
• My youngest son, Jeremy, proposed to his sweetie, Tracy, and there is a wedding planned for sometime next summer. (We already consider Tracy our DIL ♥ ) Tracy has also ask us to "Haunt Their Yard" this coming Halloween. She will be hosting the October monthly LUPEC meeting and wants to give the gals a 'scare'. Should be fun. All our Halloween stuff is in boxes and labeled and it will be the last items moved. Can't have the Halloween stuff getting lost in the shuffle! The Ghoulies would be most upset!

• Hubby is still on the job hunt. Every day he faithfully combs numerous job sites on the web and has become quite proficient at writing a cover letter. We remain ever hopeful that he'll get a call for an interview. Hubby will be heading out to Denver soon. He'll leave with the truck and trailer loaded with various items from our household. (Can't go empty-handed!) He'll continue the 'job hunt' and subsequent 'job acquisition' there while I continue to ride herd on the dust bunnies here at home. (really seems like they reproduce over night!) I'm afraid, if left unsupervised, the herd'll become so large that it would frighten away prospective buyers!
• The house is finally on the market. The Realtor told us how nice the house looked and that all our work really made it look sharp. He was optimistic that it would sell in a few months.  (Our Realtor is a friend so I don't think he was feeding us any BS) So if you or anyone you know is in the market for a really nice 3 bedroom~2 1/2 bath home with lots of character, let me know!!!

• A ghost from the past has arisen and come back to haunt my SIL. Because of the possibility of a long term exorcism, my daughter Jenny and family have moved back to Colorado. I admire her immensely for her inner strength. She tackled packing up her household while 5 mon. pregnant and with three small children running around. And I am ever so thankful for her brothers (both real, step and in-law) who helped move and unpack them in their new home. I will be heading out to Colorado to be with the rest of my family no later than the end of September - whether the house sells or not. (But I know it will!) Jenny will be needing help when the October baby comes!
• And now that I have a bit more free time, you'll be hearing more from me. I have accumulated way too many book marks about things I want to share with you! (Thanks in part to my dear Hubby and my wonderful Sister!) And I hope to get back into creating as well. 

Implementing Life's Lessons

I have previously written of some of the lessons that the Universe wanted me to learn. The two most important lessons I learned from the Cajun people of South Louisiana - The importance of Family and The Enjoyment of Life.

All too often Life places obstacles in our path. Sometime these obstacles are small and easy to overcome and other times they can be very daunting and almost over-whelming. But we must always remember that we are never alone in tackling these difficulties, no matter the size. Family and Friends (and really, aren't our friends part of our Family?) are there to help us on that journey we call Life. They are there to listen when we need to talk, lend a hand when we need help, share in our joys and our woes. All we need to do is ask for their help.

So, when my oldest son called last week needing assistance, I did not hesitate to say that I would be there to lend a hand - even though it meant that the completion of our house makeover would be delayed. Ten days ago, my daughter-in-law was in a 4-wheeler accident and broke her collar bone. And while my son is a very capable young man, the stress and strain of working full time, running the house, and taking care of their two little girls and his wife was rapidly becoming too much. My DIL's family lives nearby and have been great to lend assistance but they all work so their time is limited. I flew out to Denver this past Saturday and will be here till about mid-May when I'll head back home for my Hubby's college graduation.

Please send positive healing energy my DIL's way. She may be looking at surgery if the brace doesn't pull the bone back into place.

And this recent accident has only proved that Life can be so uncertain. One never knows when something can happen. We should all strive to live each and every day to its fullest. Every day dawns anew - a fresh start - a chance to fulfill dreams.

Living in the South ~ The WildWoods

When we relocated to Mena, we moved to a unique house located in a small woods a few miles outside of town. The property on which the house is located is as unique as the house. 
The house was built in the 1950s by a retired Military officer. He fell in love with the manor houses of Germany while he was there during WWII. When he came back to the states, he decided to build a house similar to those he saw. He built a 3800 sq ft cinder block house. All the walls are cinder block. Even the interior walls are cinder block. The layout is interesting and quite a few people have commented on how comfortable the house feels.  
(I even have a real Harry Potter under-the-stairs closet & Hubby is still looking for the hidden bunker that he just knows the original owner had installed.... )


The property is located next to a school which serves the small communities on the west side of the county. The original property encompassed several acres complete with an orchard, but as the school grew, they began to purchase some of the property for expansion. Eventually the school purchased everything - the house, the land and all out buildings. That's where we came in. The school was needing money for a paved track for track and field events. They put the house, outbuildings and two acres up for sale. And we bought it. The school kept 10 acres of the original property to keep in its natural state for an outdoor classroom. Our house is totally surrounded by that outdoor classroom. The kids of the school maintain the trails in the woods (outdoor classroom) and keep trash and dead-fall picked up. I have enjoyed seeing the kids ooh and aah over the things to be discovered in these woods. I can hear the band practice in the morning, and see the kids run laps through the woods (track practice) every weekday afternoon. And it gives me a good feeling to look at that track (I can see it from my backyard) and know that we helped with its installation. And the school has achieved a track championship every year since we moved here.


These 10 acres have come to be known as the WildWoods. They have been a source of amazement and enjoyment for me as well as the children at the school. I'm always up for a walk in the WildWoods to try and spy the first wild orchid of the season or watch as the grove of American Mandrake comes into bloom. These Wildwoods have also been a source of enlightenment. It is here that the trees taught me to listen. It is here that my spirit has run free and unfettered. 
The woods are a mixture of hardwoods and pine. A small creek is at the back edge of the WildWoods, separating it from pasture land. We've had a fox den up under a shed, a bat take up residence outside the backdoor, and even deer have been seen in the WildWoods (or was it possibly the Green Man?).  The trees speak to me with the rustle of their leaves on the wind and share their joy of Spring by bursting into bloom. I felt the trees pain one Spring when their branches were bent and broken from the weight of an unexpected wet heavy snow.


There is quite a variety of trees here in the WildWoods - Oak, Maple, Hickory, Walnut, Dogwood, Pine - to name just a few. They each have their unique personalities and rhythms. But the tree that has been a close friend, since the time we moved in, is a lovely Sweetgum tree that stands not too far outside our back door. She has provided us with shade in the scorching summer sun, glorious color in the Autumn, a buffet of seeds for the little birds in the winter months, and she is one of the first trees in the yard to show signs of Spring. I am going to miss these trees who have become members of the family.

Living in the South ~ Spirituality or lack there of...

Driving through the South a person will see a common theme - churches. There is a great abundance of churches in the Bible Belt as well as the occasional tent for the tent revival. Yes, there are still tent revivals. And there is a church or religion for every size, shape, or taste.  Almost.


I never realized how restrictive and biased religion really is until I moved here to Mena. Catholicism is the predominant religion in southern Louisiana and the parishioners are very adamant about their religion. But they are also very tolerant of those who do not share their faith. But in this section of the Bible Belt, religion is everything and everywhere. A common thread through conversations is, "what church do you go to?"  And here, like in most places where religion is a big part of people's lives, people are overweight and feel that going to church on Sunday absolves them of all the sins committed during the week. And people aren't as tolerant of those who do not share their beliefs.


About two years after we moved here, there were still quite a few 'progressive thinkers' around. And they were trying to make the community into a destination place for tourists rather than a stop-over place. One of these 'thinkers'  decided to start a non-denominational church - a place of worship for those of alternative faith. He openly advertised in the local newspaper for several weeks about an organizational meeting to be held at his house. This organizational meeting was going to be held just before Beltane and he openly stated that he was going to have a bonfire - he welcomed people to come celebrate Life with friends around the bonfire. Almost immediately there were flyers around town advertising meetings to be held at various churches about this new 'heathen' church. A few days before the 'thinker's' meeting was to be held, I stopped by the local Salvation Army store for a bit of junqueing and who did I find inside but several women who were holding an impromptu meeting regarding the devil's arrival in town. These women were encouraging the other shoppers to join in the protest they were going to stage in front of the guys house the night of the meeting. (can we say angry mob with pitchforks?)  I was aghast at what I was seeing and hearing. I mean, this is the 21st century, right?  The next week in the local newspaper, under the police report, I saw that several people were arrested for trespassing  at the residence of the 'progressive thinker'.

* Tolerance - Just another word in the dictionary *

And then there is the local church who requires some of the parishioners to stand on the street corner with signs which read about salvation and damnation. These people go so far as rushing cars stopped at the stoplight and shoving flyers about sins, death and damnation into open windows. Quite often those flyers land in the laps of children.


I've also heard that there are illicit activities that still take place deep in the woods of  Arkansas.........

Living in the South ~ The Buckle of the Bible Belt

       When we began to look for a new home, we decided to relocate closer to Hubby's Grandparents who lived in eastern Oklahoma. They were getting older and really needed someone around to help them out. We decided to settle in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas. This area offered four seasons and the mountains that Hubby and I missed.  (I hadn't ever seen any place as flat as south Louisiana!) And yet, the Ouachita Mountains were close enough we could still help out the Grandparents. 
       We moved to the largest town in the Ouachita Mountains, Mena. A town with a whopping population of approx. 6,000.  Hubby affectionately calls Mena, The Buckle of the Bible Belt. 

Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is extremely high. (to quote Wikipedia)

      In other words, the Bible Belt has a population of conservative thinking church goers. The Bible Belt area stretches from Texas to the eastern seaboard and as far north as Missouri, Kentucky, and Virginia. Mena sits just about in the middle of this area - hence the name, Buckle of the Bible Belt.

       While the people in this part of the South are still quite friendly and helpful, the familiarity we had experienced in Louisiana was not in evidence here. Rugged country and great distances between communities serve to isolate many of the residents of these areas. This isolation causes a closed way of thinking and a wariness of strangers.  And you thought Deliverance was just a movie.....

       I quickly realized that the "Good Ol' Boy Network" is alive and well. It's not how good you are at what you do that matters but who you know and who you are related to. The difference between social classes is very apparent. The wealthy feel like they are doing the poor a favor by employing them. And the poor are quite happy to work for piddling wages. People are comfortable with this arrangement because that's the way it's always been. Change and progress are not always welcomed or accepted. 

       I noticed that women are not always treated on an equal basis with men. I think this is due in part to the religions of this part of the South, many of which place restrictions on women. Now I may play the 'Dumb Broad ' on occasion but please don't insult me by assuming I have a low IQ just because I'm a woman. Hubby has had to rein me (my temper and my mouth) in on several occasions.

       There is still the sense of family and community, though not as strong as in the Cajun country. And the people of these Arkansas mountain hamlets will definitely come together in case of emergency or disaster, disregarding their differences. In 2009 when the town of Mena was hit by a tornado, over 600 homes were damaged or destroyed. For a month after the tornado, various churches would distribute free lunches, bottled water, and other essential items to those affected as well as to the volunteers assisting in clean-up and rebuilding. The local Mennonite men volunteered their construction expertise and rebuilt several homes. This combined effort helped strengthen the feeling of community in Mena. Unfortunately, that bond weakens over time.


       Before the economy took a nose dive, Mena had a fairly diverse economic system. It wasn't necessarily thriving but a variety of industries called the Mena area home - a small electric motor assembly plant, Tyson chicken farms and processing plant, numerous aircraft refurbishing businesses at the local airport, and quite a few classic car restoration shops. All these industries, and a few more, brought in outside dollars to the community, something which is vital if a town is going to  be vibrant and thriving. But, alas, a lot of these businesses are what are called 'luxury industries' - businesses that are dependent on people having throw away income. When that excess income dried up, so did the businesses dependent on it. And in a small town, it doesn't take but a few businesses to close to create a lot of lay-offs. And it doesn't take but a few lay-offs to strike a hard blow to a community's sense of Hope in the future.

Living in the South ~ Cajun Country ~ Lagniappe

Lagniappe ~ Cajun French for a little bit more.

I spoke in a recent post about how Cajuns celebrate everything. I'm sure you've all heard or know about Mardi Gras. And what a huge party that is!  But did you know that there is a Festival that takes place at least once a month, and once a week throughout the summer, somewhere in the state of Louisiana? These people know how to have a good time. The festivals celebrate everything from the Yam, to Rice, to Buggys, to Pirates. You name it and there is a Festival for it.
The town we lived in, Crowley, is known as the Rice Capital of America and is famous for The International Rice Festival. The Int'l Rice Festival is one of the largest and oldest agricultural festivals in the South, with over 100,000 people attending in a three day period. I had the distinction of being this Festival's organizer for three years. I learned a lot about special event planning. And this opportunity gave my OCD  organizational skills a chance to shine. Do you need an event planned for 75,000 to 100,000 people? I'm your girl!

I would also like to make note of something that I had not seen since my childhood. The way young kids are allowed to run and play without a lot of grown-up supervision. And yet there is supervision everywhere. Children mind all adults. (especially with the threat, "Don't make me tell your Momma!) And Adults look out for all children.

My long red hair was a source of amazement in south Louisiana. Red hair is a novelty down there because most of the people are of French ancestry and black or brown hair is dominant. Most women have short hair because of the heat and humidity - I'd wear mine in a bun in the summers. I had a lot of people come up to me and ask if they could touch my hair, especially children.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed South Louisiana and felt like this was home, it wasn't long before the hot, humid summers really got to me. I'm not a real heat loving person. And the constant threat of hurricanes in the summer weighed upon us. We had experienced one hurricane while living there (Hubby had experienced more while growing up, but it was fun and games then) and it was a nerve racking experience. The torrential rains, the howling wind and the mini-tornadoes which are spawned from the hurricane are nothing to trifle with. And then the utter destruction in its aftermath. This was the first time I had seen such destruction and it was mind boggling. When I heard a news reporter say, "If you are not prepared to lose absolutley everything you have at least once a year (because of a hurricane), then you shouldn't be living in South Louisiana." I knew he spoke the truth and that we had to move. And well, being the Gypsies that we are, we began looking for another home.

Living in the South ~ New Orleans

I can't write about Louisiana and the South and not mention New Orleans.  We visited there on several occasions. Never at Mardi Gras but we did go one Halloween. Now that was F*U*N!! We haunted the French Quarter on that occasion. There was a Halloween parade complete with Vampires throwing beads through the streets of the French Quarter. And the people who were "Haunting" the Quarter that Halloween night were dressed in costumes of every size, shape and species. We had a good time just sitting on a bench and watching the Ghoulies go by.


New Orleans was everything I had imagined and then some. We did some exploring in the Garden District - an area of New Orleans with some of the best preserved historic Southern mansion in the US. But the French Quarter was where we felt at home. The air was thick with history. The streets echoed with the thousands of feet that had once trod on their stones. The buildings teased and taunted with the stories that were held within their walls. 


We rode streetcars and riverboats. We had beignets and cafe au lait. We saw the Superdome. We visited the site of the Battle of New Orleans. We had a drink in the bar that was once the Pirate Jean Lafitte's blacksmith shop. But one of the most memorable things we did was visit the cemeteries. (Go figure....) The crowding of souls contained in the walls of those cemeteries could be felt even in the heat of the day. But the cemeteries were neither sorrowful nor gloomy but almost had an air of gaiety about them. Perhaps a perpetual party was taking place - it was once a Southern tradition to enjoy a picnic lunch at the cemetery. Relaxing and passing the time on the ancestors' graves. Perhaps those picnics were still taking place.... 

*** I'll continue my Southern ramblings next Tuesday. So don't touch that dial! ***

Living in the South ~ Cajun Country ~ Flora and Fauna

For someone who loves all things green and growing, the sub-tropic climate of South Louisiana was heaven. Especially coming from a part of the country that is brown 7 - 8 months out of the year. But the climate was also very challenging.
I finally had a chance to grow all those gorgeous exotic plants that I had only dreamed about. And there was always someone around that wanted to swap plants. So much fun!! But in that lush climate, plants weren't the only things that thrived. Plant diseases and insect pests also thrived.

But I enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I became a Master Gardener. The schooling for this program is thorough and it greatly expanded my knowledge of plants. And because of this training I became a coach for the local Parish 4H horticultural team. This group of girls and I would travel around to the local nurseries in the Spring learning the identities of plants in preparation for the State competition. That was fun! I encourage everyone out there to take advantage of their local Master Gardeners. Often times these individuals can be found at the local extension office. They are trained to answer questions and assist people who have concerns about their yard, flowers or garden.

And the bugs..... Love-bugs. June-bugs. Mayflies. Cicadas. Crickets. Spiders. Mosquitoes. So many mosquitoes!!!  Chiggers!!  AGH!!  How I hate chiggers! The itch of their bite is worse than a mosquito bite. We had spiders so big that they would build webs across the bayou behind our house. The bayou was more than 10 ft. across.

And then all the other critters. Armadillos and possums living under the house.  Crawfish making castles all over the front yard. And the frogs. The wonderful serenade of frogs every night. We had bullfrogs in our pond. And little green tree frogs everywhere.... in the house, in the car, in the bathtub. And the cats were always bringing something in the house that I had to catch. But I didn't actually 'catch it'. I would find a basket or bowl that would fit over the critter and then when Hubby came home, he'd 'catch it' and take it outside.

But what I will always remember about the plant life there is the Live Oaks. These are absolutely incredible trees. They are one of the few trees that can withstand the forces of a hurricane. They are slow growing trees that do not lose their leaves like other oaks. Live Oaks are considered an evergreen in the same category as a Magnolia. They lose their leaves in the Spring.  The Live Oak Society is a registry of Live oak trees who have a girth of 8 ft. or larger. These trees are considered to be about 50 years old. When they approach 100 yrs., their girth will be at about 16 ft. Incredibly massive trees whose branches sweep so gracefully down to the ground. This is where I discovered my affinity for trees.

Living in the South ~ Cajun Country ~ The People

Living in South Louisiana was quite an adventure. 
But an exciting and fulfilling one!

The Cajun people are warm and welcoming. I immediately felt at home, though I did have to get used to be called, Sugar or Honey. And then there was the touching and hugs and kisses (okay - air kisses). I wasn't used to that! You see I came from an area of the country (Colorado = cold and snow) where people didn't hug and kiss when they saw each other at the store. I guess it's kinda hard to get the full effect of a hug when you're bundled up in two or three layers of clothing. But I got used to it and now have come to expect it. I'm going to miss that familiarity. Maybe I can start a new trend back in Colorado. Or get arrested for assault!

The respect that Cajun children show their elders is something that is now lost in many other areas of the country. Children are taught from the time they can speak to call men Mister and women Miss (followed by the name of the person). I was always called Miss Jeanne. Doors were always held open for me. Made me feel like a Queen! I already miss this! I was raised to respect anyone older than me. To say Please and Thank You. To use Mister or Miss or Mrs. These things all seem to be lost in today's hurried world. Except in the Deep South. 

It was awhile before I could understand everything people were saying to me. I did a lot of smiling and nodding in the first few months. Not only is their accent heavy but French words are quite often thrown into a sentence. And then even those words aren't true French but a bastardized version of French - Cajun French. I seem to have picked up a bit of an accent from the time I spent there. Many people have come up to me and ask where I am from...that they just can't quite place my accent... I just smile at people when I'm ask this and say that I studied abroad....

The sense of Family is strong in the Cajun Culture. The families are large and quite often several generations will live within a few blocks or a few miles of each other. And even though they may argue and carry-on, they are always there for each other during troubled times. And this sense of Family even goes on to include those who aren't even blood relation. This was the first lesson The Universe wanted me to learn from living there.


The Cajun People also have Joie de Vivre. A Joy of Life. They celebrate everything!!! This Love of Life is ingrained in them. It is their heritage. All too frequently they must confront danger and disaster (tornadoes and hurricanes) so they make sure to enjoy the time they have. The Cajuns are a lively, happy people and when one is immersed in the culture like I was, you can't help but enjoy Life! This was the second lesson that I was to learn.


But there is a dark side to everything. Extremes can be seen in many aspects of Life in the South- From the (amount) food that is eaten to the liquor consumed. The division of social classes is still very evident. And people happily accept their 'place' in the social structure of their society. A great number of Cajuns living in rural areas have never been out of the town where they were born, raised, and currently live. And many have nothing more than an 8th grade education. Cajun French is still the only language spoken in many remote areas. And you still hear about people going missing in the swamp....

Ta~Da....The New Kitchen

I have to show off the new kitchen.

It took awhile for the kitchen and I to come to an agreement on the color scheme. But when we did, things started to flow together nicely. The cabinets were painted a dark chocolate color and the walls are goldish/tan color (actually called Bleached Wheat) I wouldn't have necessarily chosen those colors but the kitchen seemed to like them.

I cleaned and polished the old cabinet hardware. It is now a pretty antique copper color. There are still a few things left to do - like some valances over the windows, a curtain for the back door, molding around the light over the bar and a pot rack for beside the stove.

The lights I have in the kitchen give the pictres a yellowish cast. So the colors you are seeing aren't quite true to life.

And now for the before pictures.

I know! I know! You're saying how could she live with that ..... well, let me explain. We've lived here 5 1/2 years. The first three years, our time and money went into fixing things like plumbing (various fixtures & lines) , hot water heaters (we have three), air conditioners, electrical, and other various necessary items (like a dishwasher, refrig, & stove not to mention the car repairs and tires and ...well, you get the idea). The last 2 1/2 yrs Hubby has been unemployed and attending college. So money has been tightly budgeted. But now that we will be selling the house, we are finishing up those long needed updates and turning this into a lovely dwelling for the next owners.

April's Agenda

April. Already. Wow! Where has the time gone?

Time. Such a fleeting thing. Here one moment and gone the next...

We had planned on having the house finished and placed on the market to sell by this time but cold weather and projects not going as planned have delayed things. The kitchen is almost finished, though. Just waiting on the new flooring to be installed. (should be going in as you read this post - as long as you're reading this after 9 am) I'll share pics as soon as the floor is in. 

This month should be productive. I'm down to just two rooms (mostly ceilings) to paint and have most of the inside packing done. I've been trying to squeeze in some creativeness during paint dry time but there always seems to be something else that needs to be done ... laundry, cooking, mowing. Where is that maid when you need her?

This month you're going to have to put up with me reminiscing about living in the South. (Painting gives a person a lot of time to think.) We'll continue to meet a few of the inhabitants of the Land of Melting Shadows. And this month's Sunday Art Posts will be about art from things that would otherwise be thrown away - in honor of Earth Day - April 22.
Oh, And Gomez will continue with his Monday Musings. 

So stay tuned! 

It's a sign....

I received something interesting in the mail over the weekend. 

A notice from a magazine I subscribe to "Welcoming me to my New Home".  The notice congratulated me on my new home and stated that my change of address would take effect with my next issue.

I took it to be a sign that the place we will be moving to this summer is now being held in vibrational escrow for us.

 Unfortunately the address of the new place wasn't given.