Louisiana Town

FINAL FAREWELL FROM LOUISIANA TOWN

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

This is the final post to the Louisiana Town blog. It has been a very interesting eight years living in the town where I grew up.

There were frustrations and rewards during our tenure there. I won't elaborate... but the frustrations were eased by a few wonderful rewards. All-in-all, it was not really as bad as I feared.

However, a new day has dawned. We have relocated back to Texas permanently! This, too, has caused some frustrations (and I'm sure there will be more!), but the rewards have already begun to flow, as well. It was definitely the right decision for us.

I truly hope you will join me at my new blog, Wandering Waco! While initial posts are likely to be sporadic, due to trying to unbox our world and settle in (!), I hope to explore Waco (and Woodway!) along with you. I have already made visits to a few local attractions that are definitely blog-worthy! Plus... there is the (painful) renovation of the house here that took place while we were still in Louisiana. I do NOT recommend remote renovations! You will suffer through the insanity of that... but I will include pictures!

When you arrive at the new blog, I will have posted instructions on subscribing by email to receive the posts in your inbox when they are published. Or, you can set up to follow the blog via your preferred reader. Your choice!

But for now... farewell the last time from the world of Louisiana Town. Thank you all so much for sticking with me!!

AUNT BUBBA HAS LEFT THE PLANET

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 20:16:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies.

I am so sorry you have not heard from me in nearly three months. Things became a little intense in late January and escalated from there.

Some of you know about my "Aunt Bubba." I posted about her back in 2008 and the link will take you to that very short post. She is the reason we relocated from Austin, Texas to DeRidder, Louisiana, my hometown.

After a very long period of mobility challenges beginning in 2008, she became bedridden in April of 2012. While that does not appeal to any of us, the blessing was her slight level of dementia that apparently allowed her to think she had actually been up and about! After sending her flowers for some occasion, I walked into her bedroom. I saw the flowers and commented on how lovely they were. She immediately responded, "Yes. Aren't they? I cut them this morning in the garden." Okay. LOL! If that's what she thought, so be it. It was now true!! I was happy to discover she did not have real grasp of her situation. Perfect!

Things remained at that level for nearly five years. The caregivers, who all have an incredibly special place in Heaven, took such excellent care of her. They all became her friends and she enjoyed each and every one of them. Two of them were with her from the beginning in late 2008 until the end.

And that's why I titled this "Aunt Bubba Has Left The Planet." She turned age 92 on February 1st. That gave her the longevity title in the family! Unfortunately, the week prior to that, she began experiencing some major challenges. Blessedly and peacefully, she passed away on February 20th. While loss is always difficult, it is made so much less so when one has lived a good, long life and enjoyed so much of it. She was a very fortunate lady for the most part. There were losses of her own... but she was definitely a Steel Magnolia!! She pushed through the difficulties and continued on. A sweet Southern Belle... with the heart of a lion!! :) She (and my mother) graduated from college when not so many women were doing so. She held positions of importance in her career. She traveled extensively. She lived her life to the fullest. We should all be so lucky!!

With all of that said, it is now we must begin the new chapters of our lives. The past 8+ years have been focused on managing her care and business affairs. That will end soon when the final bills are paid and there is nothing left to manage. Stay tuned for more on the new chapters. Right now, just look up and say, "Good Job, Aunt Bubba!"

Until next post...

GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER PART 3

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 20:57:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals. I believe this will be the final installment of the Global Wildlife Center adventure. I saved the best (for me) for last.

While we had been informed the animals were VERY comfortable with people and would easily eat from our hands, I could not have imagined how truly comfortable was an accurate description.

The reason the Giraffe family statue is so appropriate at the Center is due to the actual Giraffe family residing there! Yes. There are two "baby" Giraffes along with multiple adults. You can only tell when you see them all together and notice the difference in height. There is one "baby" to the left of the tall, center Giraffe, and one off to the right.

So... as we approached and rolled to a stop, the Giraffes slowly came toward our vehicle. They are absolutely gorgeous, gentle, giants. Maybe that's why their name begins with a "G." :) They clearly knew the drill and slowly stuck those long necks into the openings around our Pinz... and helped themselves to the treats. I didn't care. I just could not believe I was this close to a Giraffe.

We let them eat right out of the bucket for a while. I was terrified I would spook them if I made a move... but I finally couldn't stand it any longer. Could I get closer? Not really! I was already having to lean back to catch the pictures you see. Could I pet a Giraffe?

Yes!!! This sweet creature didn't even blink when I reached out and began petting its head while it ate. I honestly did not want this time to end.

A bit further along, we encountered the "babies." They were just as friendly as the adults and approached us the same way. The two of them apparently hang out together and remained close together as they "invaded" our vehicle. We let them feed on their own for a bit... and then I tried feeding them from my hand. No problem. One softly "Hoovered" the treats from my open palm while the other remained head-in-bucket. What wonderful animals.

I reiterate. Go to this facility. Take the Private Pinz Tour with your family or a few friends. Buy the big bucket of treats. Believe me... this is not an experience you are likely to have elsewhere in the State of Louisiana. For those of you in other states, check for this type of center in your area. You may be surprised, as was I, to discover this marvelous experience so nearby.

That ends our tour. I hope you enjoyed it. I know it's not the same as being there. Treat yourself to this kind of experience when you can.

Until next post...

GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER PART 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 16:28:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies. I told you I would be back with more photos from the Global Wildlife Center adventure. Here are some more.

There are Camels and there are Dromedaries. If you are curious about the differences, click here for a short lesson. (One easy difference: A Camel has two humps. A Dromedary has one hump.)

There were birds, also, although not nearly as many as there were four-footed critters. A couple of Geese (below) didn't seem to mind sharing space and snacks with the long-legged Greater Rhea which shares some characteristics with the Ostrich and the Emu... but is neither.

As we drove, this Greater Rhea was determined to keep up and get some snacks!! They run quite well and have a pretty long stride at higher speed.

Who doesn't love a Llama? Look at these faces! These were so sweet and gentle. They enjoyed eating the treats right from our hands. One even chased alongside the Pinz as we drove while Charlotte held out treats for it to snack on mid-stride!! Hilarious!!

The only somewhat enclosed animals were the Kangaroos. They had a large enclosure surrounding the pond near the main buildings. There were a number of them. Two had Joeys (babies!) and we were able to spot a pair of little legs dangling from one mother's pouch. We weren't able to capture a photo, however, as the mother was turned away from us.

Okay. Some of you (us) are of an age that allows us to be familiar with the Watusi dance (be sure to watch the video)! Others may remember some National Geographic specials which included information on the Watusi Tribe in Africa with extremely tall men and extremely colorful clothing. There are also Watusi Cattle and there were some beautiful examples of them at the Center. They are known for their exceptionally long horns.

The mother below had her calf with her. Beautiful animals.

I believe the next lovely bovine was a cross of some other types of cattle. Sorry, I cannot recall. But it was a really beautiful animal and I want you to see it.

And... speaking of bovine... who doesn't love a bison?!?

Well, Hello, Charlotte!!! Got anything for me?

No luck with Charlotte. I'll try the other rider! Hello!!!!!! Whatcha' got for me? Huh?

Okay. Okay. I'm a soft touch. Have a cuppa' snacks! (My new best friend.) :)

Alright. That's a lotta' pictures for you today. I think there will only be one more round... but it's one I think might amaze you. It should at least make you want to make the trip.

Until next post...

UNBELIEVABLE!! GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 21:17:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!! You just are not going to believe this post... and a few after it to get all of the pictures to you!

I had never heard of the Global Wildlife Center, much less known it was in southeast Louisiana... a mere 4 hour drive away from where I am in southwest Louisiana. My friend, Charlotte B., with whom I have traveled on several "excellent adventures", made me aware of it and suggested it might be a good place for us to visit. We were long overdue for a catch-up and it seemed like a great idea. She is such a good amateur photographer and it was a perfect spot for photo ops! Check out the web site but definitely check out the photos I have posted for you. Most are hers with a few of my cellphone camera photos mixed in.

I will tell you that kids of ALL ages will enjoy this place. We were fortunate our booking in early December happened to be on a wonderful, beautiful day... albeit a bit chilly (which will explain our attire!). Sunshine. No wind to speak of. Perfect. Having reviewed information on the web site, I had booked a Private Pinz Tour for us. You can read more there about the two different types of tours.

Without further ado... please join me on my visit to the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana!!

The main buildings and a lovely statue of a giraffe family. (That will make sense later.)

After loading up in our Pinz (and getting our huge bucket of animal feed piled into the thing!), we headed out to the "savanna"-like area comprised of about 700 acres (with an additional 200 acres in hay for wintertime feeding when necessary). Ahead of us was one of the Safari Wagon Tours which holds multiple folks. I assure you all of the animals know exactly what is coming when these roll onto the landscape!! LOL!! The whole nearby herd arrived en masse for some feed! Yes, there are a couple of giraffes in the picture. The numbers of exotic deer was huge!

There was a sign posted in our Pinz clearly stating that anyone feeding a Zebra would be removed from the tour!! I asked our lovely guide why that would occur? She advised that the Zebras were "love-biters" and they loved anyone feeding them... meaning potential "love-bites" from them. Unfortunately, a Zebra "love-bite" can be rather large, painful, and unwanted! Made sense. Hated to have to not feed them, though, since everyone else was getting fed. Sorry, guys! :(

Some of the racks on the exotics were just amazing. We happened to be there during rutting season... so there was a lot of clashing of racks as we drove through.

While not an exotic, this elk was a lovely specimen. My friend, Charlotte B., enjoyed him until he caught her with his rack!! He gave her a good jolt but she was an excellent sport about it. Just don't think you are "safe" due to your being inside a vehicle. :)

The next photo shows the same type of vehicle we were in (Pinz). It gives you some scale to the animals we were enjoying. Yes, you are seeing a Llama, Giraffes, and Zebras with the exotic deer.

Okay!! Now you know what we are doing. There are more photos for you... some more "up close and personal" than you could possibly imagine. I know I wasn't quite prepared for it!! Stay tuned!!

Until next post...

"STUFF"

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 20:47:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, my Blogging Buddies!

I apologize profusely for the length of time since my last post. There have been some changes here that created other priorities. I do have some photos for you to enjoy, however, and I have enough for more than one post... so I hope to get a bit "caught up" with posts.

With that said, please allow me to provide you with some shots I found interesting.

First of all, I saw something I had not seen before... nor did I know it was possible. During my early morning walks, I found the usual beauty (photo #1 below) but also found something unusual to me. Take a look at photos #2-#5 below and see if you notice something. (I'll tell you what I saw after the photos.)

Do you see what I saw? The sun has not yet risen and is still just below the horizon... but the clouds were positioned in such a way that the sun cast shadows from below them!! Yes... those grey areas you see above the clouds are actually the shadows of the clouds!! I had never seen this before and found it to be completely interesting.

My favorite holiday has nearly always been Halloween. I remember my grandmother making homemade fudge, cookies, and caramel popcorn balls. She would tie clear wrap around an appropriate "serving" of these items (2 pieces of fudge, 3 cookies, and a popcorn ball!) using orange and black ribbon to close them. She would then place a number of them on a tray. When her doorbell would ring, she arrived at the door with the tray in hand. I'm pretty sure there were parents who drove their kids across town (which didn't take more than 5 minutes!) to get one of her special homemade Halloween "treats!" I know my brother and I insisted my parents take us there VERY early to be sure we got ours! I doubt we would have missed out on them... but we wanted to be sure. As an adult, I would dress up to answer the door. One year I dressed as a Gypsy fortune-teller. I would "read the palm" of each child, taking cues from them about what they liked, etc. It was lots of fun and they would stand wide-eyed while I told them about their future... which was always good. :)

With all of that now in the open, I present you with a few photos I was able to take in Texas as Halloween approached this year.

Glad to see there are still those who get into the "spirit" of the thing!! :)

Finally, I was driving down one of the many country roads here and came across a newly cut field. The fun part was what was occupying the field! Little opportunists, these. I watched them for a few minutes as they mowed across like a synchronized swimming team!

I hope you have found at least one or two things of interest. It seems like the best things show up when I am not looking for them! Perhaps that is how it is should be always! :) So... don't look... but be aware and keep your eyes open for something for which you weren't looking.

I will try to post at least once more before Gobbler Day... but in case I miss that, I wish all of you a wonderful Turkey Day!! Find something to be thankful for as I know there are many things we all sometimes take for granted.

Until next post...

GOD BLESS SGT MAJ STRICKLAND - 9/11/2016

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 08:30:00 +0000

Greetings to my Blogging Pals. Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. I do not see the 12th Anniversary as any different from the 2nd, the 19th, or the 100th. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.
*** This was posted in 2009 as my tribute to Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. I repeat it here as I will continue doing so on each anniversary of 9/11 as long as I am able. There are a couple of notes and updates from 2010 in italic.

Please meet Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. He was 52 years old, born in Washington State, and had a Bachelor of Science degree. He had served our country in a lot of places including Germany, Washington State, Washington DC, Texas, and Virginia. He had many awards and decorations. Most devastating for me to learn was his plan to retire upon completion of 30 years of service... at the end of September 2001. After all of his service, he was close to spending more time on his hobbies (fishing, hiking, gourmet cooking, and needlepoint) and especially looking forward to spending more time with his family. SGM Strickland left behind a wife, Debra, who was the Garrison Command Sergeant Major of Fort Belvoir, VA. at the time, three adult children, and one grandson who will never know his grandfather as he was only a year old when SGM Strickland was taken. His parents also were left to deal with the untimely loss of their child.

NOTE: I posted a note to the family at Legacy.com and received two emails.

One was from SGM Strickland's son-in-law and read, in part:

"I came across your blog today while searching for SM Larry Strickland. I am lucky enough to be married to his daughter Julia and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for caring enough to research this remarkable man. Everything you read about him and his character is true. He left behind an amazingly strong wife, a beautiful daughter, his two sons, and his grandson. His grandson was 4, not 1 as many newspaper articles claim, so he does remember his grandfather, and fondly."(I was SO happy to read that his grandson did remember his grandfather and wanted to share that with you all! MNC)

The other email was from SGM Strickland's daughter and read, in part:

"Mary, thank you very much for your kind words. I am Larry's daughter, and it is wonderful to know that though it's been 8 years, remembering him and this tragic event is still as important now as it was the day it happened. He was truly a wonderful man, and the best father anyone could ask for."

SGM Strickland headed out to work that day at the Pentagon as there were some meetings he deemed important enough to attend even though he could have skipped them. He had annual leave built up that needed to be used or lost. He chose to go to work. If you knew nothing more about him than that, you would know the character of the man. It was that character that had him in his office on the second floor when the wing he was in was struck by American Airlines Flight 77.

But this is a tribute to SGM Strickland's life. And I've got to tell you the things said about him and written about him are absolutely glowing!! What a wonderful thing... to have those left behind remember you so well and so lovingly. It's not just family. These were friends, co-workers, people who knew him on a "business" level where, many times, the feelings are not so great. I would suggest you take a few moments today to review three different web sites where there are tributes (and from where I gathered much of the information I am sharing with you). It really won't take that long and, thankfully, most of us did not actually know anyone who was lost that day. Perhaps it would be good to learn about at least one of them. I know it gave me a very new perspective.

Pentagon Memorial Fund - Names of the souls lost at the Pentagon are alphabetical by last name. Scroll down and click on SGM Strickland's name to read about his service career.

Columns - The University of Washington Alumni Magazine- Read a really great article here about SGM Strickland's personal life. Sounds like someone we would all like to have known.

The Washington Post - This project is a database of all of the souls lost that day and has a very nice tribute to SGM Strickland.

Legacy.com - This is where folks can leave notes for the family. Many folks were positively impacted by SGM Strickland. Some commented here about their appreciation of the man. I invite you to take just a moment to leave a note here to let the family know the loss of their loved one is something we all remember.

9-11 Heroes - This is another site where a note can be left. Again... take a moment to leave a note on at least one of the sites. You have no idea how much this can mean to family members.

Thank you, SGM Strickland, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

GOD BLESS MAJ RONALD MILAM - 9/11/2016

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 08:00:00 +0000

We should never forget.

RANDOM PHOTOS

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 15:52:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

There has not been a lot happening lately... so I don't have anything to "tell" you... but I always have my phone camera and there are some photos I have taken this spring/summer I will share with you now.

By mid-May, the tire garden was doing well with tomatoes on the way!

At the same time, there were some beautiful daylilies blooming in another area of the yard.

Mid-May was also a good time to hit the "all-you-can-eat" crawfish buffet at a nearby casino!! This is the "bucket" you get to start your feast. The gals I went with went back for second buckets to share! YUM!

You may be a little tired of my morning walk photos but bear with me. :) I enjoy them so very much!

This little one was crossing one of the airport streets. I almost didn't see it! It blends so well... and the front of my shoe gives you the scale of the "tiny turtle."

On another morning, I glanced down just in time to see this little critter making its way across another road. When I asked it to "please stay still so I can get your picture!", it stopped, raised its head a bit, looked toward me, and waited! LOL!

During late June through July and into August, I am lucky enough to see HUGE groups of wading birds, primarily white herons with a few Great Blue herons occasionally mixed in. I don't know for certain but I believe there must be a rookery fairly close by. On some mornings, I see literally hundreds of these birds fly over... ranging from small groups of 2 or 3 birds to the huge groups I mentioned that contain more than I can count as they fly over! My best estimate is about 300 birds that I have seen in one morning. My guess is there are more I do not see... so I would bet totals in the 500-600 range. At any rate, they are beautiful to see in the early morning light as they head out for wading and dining all day.

This morning, I was a little late returning from my walk... and spotted a rather interesting "sand trap" on the golf course. :) I'm not sure if you have to "play through the puppy dogs" or what?!? They certainly seemed comfortable in the cool, damp sand.

Finally, I know I have posted "sky" pictures before but sometimes nature provides some pretty cool stuff. :)

Ending on a humorous note, I pass this driveway every morning on my walk. The newspaper that is delivered there is typically on the grass to either side of the driveway although it has hit the edges of the pavement, too. Never see it dead-centered on the driveway. So... Blogging Buddies... what day do you think was the day the newspaper was placed DEAD-CENTER on the driveway? Why, the day after the driveway had been PAVED, of course! Couldn't walk on it... thus the tape. LOL!! Never fails, does it?

As always, thank you for dropping by.

Until next post...

HODGES GARDENS, PART IV - FINAL POST

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:10:00 +0000

Yes, Blogging Buddies... this is the last Hodges Gardens post.

So... an immediate caution. REPTILE ALERT!!!! There will be a few photos I am placing at the very END of this post that may be unsettling to those who have issue with reptiles without legs. I will caution you again but I cannot control how much of this post appears as you scroll. It is up to you now!

On our last day at Hodges Gardens, we decided to do a little more fishing. We had wet a line or two the day before but with no success. It had been a VERY long time since I had been fishing (we figured out August 22, 1995!) so I was hopeful to catch at least one! The spousal-unit has very kindly been teaching me to fly-fish and we have done a little practicing a few times but it has been more practice than fish-catching. :) No luck at the small pond called Blue Hole which I have posted about previously. You can visit that post here.

We went to a couple of spots but our success was at the last one of the day (of course!). Here is where we were:

There was no one else there so we were able to split up and put some distance between us. I opted to fish off of a small barge-like craft tied to the shore. The spousal unit was fishing from the little pavilion you see above.

He was the first to pull off a catch. Very nice little perch. It was "game-on!"

Not to be outdone, I felt a tug a few minutes later. The spousal-unit had released his lovely fish back into the lake and made his way over toward me as I reeled in my catch!

We were now tied at one-to-one. That was the end of my competition, sad to say. But I didn't know it at that moment.

I removed the fish from my line and sent it on its way to tell its friends to drop by and grab my lure! As the spousal-unit began making his way back to his spot, I called out to him to stop! I had cast out as he headed away and immediately had another fish on! I honestly thought it might be the same little perch again since it had just been released. It wasn't. As I reeled it in, I saw a lovely little bass at the end of my line. It was small but VERY feisty and fighting hard the whole way in. I began to lift it out of the water... and it simply slipped itself off of my hook and swam away!!! Oh NO! I told the spousal-unit, who was standing just behind me, to cast his lure out there. He chuckled at me but did it anyway. Guess what?!? Yep. Who would have ever believed it (except for those of us who have fished since we were little kids!)? He immediately got a strike and reeled in this cutie... which, by the way, was IDENTICAL to the little bass that had just snuck away from me! I am not kidding.

After we had a good laugh about all that, we continued fishing for a while. We decided to pack it in and head to the casa. The spousal-unit left his line hanging over the edge of the pavilion while we packed up my rod & reel. When he picked his back up to reel it in, he discovered an itty-bitty "Stealth Perch" had taken his lure!! That little critter was so light, it hadn't even made the rod move!! The rod is on the shelf behind the fish. We captured a photo before sending it back to the depths. Too funny!!

REPTILE ALERT!! SAY GOODBYE NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

So... before we made it to our productive fishing hole, we had fished from a large pavilion at the other end of the lake. Before actually setting up to fish, I had been walking one of the paths to capture another picture when a very bright green caught my peripheral vision. I stopped and looked down toward the ground. Well, it had stopped and was literally "looking up" at me!! We were in a stare-off. LOL! I moved very slowly while talking very quietly, asking it to please stay where it was so I could get a good photo. It was obliging and remained in its position while I snapped a couple of shots. It was really very lovely... and when I was done, I walked slowly away while it crawled slowly away in the opposite direction. A very nice encounter. Look nearly center in the photo where the clover-looking foliage is...

As we were fishing from the pavilion, which was fairly high above the water, I noticed movement between an island a good distance away from us and the shore upon which our pavilion stood. I watched it for a moment then immediately recognized it was one of my least favorite reptiles... the Water Moccasin or Cottonmouth. I learned to respect these snakes at a very young age. They are venomous, stealthy, and everywhere there is water in the south! I pointed it out to the spousal-unit and we watched it swim quietly and quickly to our side, disappear into the thick vegetation at water's edge, then crawl slowly up onto the shore right beside our pavilion among the tarot plants. Wow. I leaned over the pavilion wall and watched the whole dance. I took several photos including a zoomed-in head shot (below). It crawled around a bit but apparently decided the "grass was greener" elsewhere, slithering back into the water and heading away. We guesstimated the length of this specimen to be at least 5'. My photo (2nd one below) was taken wide but the critter's length obviously turned the photo 90 degrees! Sorry it will be hard to view but I want you to try to grasp the length.

Sorry that one didn't show up the way it was taken. I was actually leaning over, looking down the white rock wall that is now to the right of the photo, taking the shot.

At any rate... that concludes our Hodges Gardens tour! Hope you found some portion of the tour fun, informative, educational, interesting... ???

Until next post...

HODGES GARDENS, PART III

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 19:36:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

Yes, there are even more photos from Hodges Gardens. I have shown you a few areas of disrepair. Sad. But there are some areas where folks are trying to keep up. While small, they are delightful. So... just want to offer you a few shots of some really great places within Hodges Gardens.

We still have tomorrow to look at so don't give up yet! There are a few fun things yet to come. It was our last day there and the "hunt" was on. Stay tuned for that!

One of the fun things was the telescope that pointed to Texas! I remember it as a child and begging my parents to stop and let me look through it. I wanted to "see" Texas!! Unfortunately, it is no longer functional... but remains as a reminder of a time long, long ago... before satellites and Google Earth allowed everyone the ability to "see" the planet from above.

So... just a slow drive around the Gardens will reveal a whole lot of things going on. Amazing how it seems so quiet and remote but yet is managed by concerned individuals. I can appreciate that.

If you are tired of the Hodges Gardens revue, know that there is only one more post to finish it. :) I hope you can stay with me for it.

Until next post...

HODGES GARDENS, PART II

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 15:13:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!

So, there are just so many beautiful things about Hodges Gardens, I wanted to share some more photos with you. I will try to select the very best to limit the number! I hope you can enjoy the feeling of peace and serenity there.

Without further introduction (as it is not needed):

Unfortunately, among the beauty are the hidden areas where neglect has wrought havoc. :( Very sad. But it's the old "good with the bad" situation.

Well, we enjoy the parts we can and hope things will improve for the park.

After the first "visitors" our first evening there, we had an even larger group arrive for the second evening!! What?!? Did a memo go out?!? :) I didn't even know these little guys could RUN!!!

So... I hope you have a little better feel for the park. I have some more photos for you in the next update on Hodges Gardens! Even while there is some deterioration, there are those who persevere in making the park a place to enjoy and learn.

Until next post...

HODGES GARDENS, PART I

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 20:35:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!! Welcome back!

So... the spousal-unit figured I needed a little break last month. He had heard about Hodges Gardens State Park from some folks and checked it out online. He rented a cabin for two nights. Our adventure began with checking in and finding our cabin!

First things first. Unload and check out the cabin. That done, relax on the back deck with a refreshing adult beverage and enjoy the lake view. That's when the first "guests" arrived.

So... we talked to them... they honked at us... there was a mutual unstated agreement we would remain on our deck and they would remain on the ground below. They eventually waddled off back to the lake.

We did some driving around that afternoon. I had visited Hodges Gardens many years ago with my family when the Gardens were privately owned. I remember how gorgeous they were then. Unfortunately, having been donated to the State and with funds becoming difficult to get, a lot of it has gone into a state of disrepair that is sad to see. There were still some very nice areas that we visited on a drive around the park.

A few pictures to give you an idea of the place. There will be more posts about this trip as I have a LOT of pictures but don't want to post all of them at once! Overload!

Our First Wildlife meeting... along the edge of the road on the way to the cabin

We drove to the Visitor Center/Gift Shop... but they were closed as we were there during the week. Still pretty to see.

Alrighty! You have seen a few of many photos. More will be coming in the next few days.

Bottom line: We had a great time! It was a little toasty but there was nearly always a breeze. Going during the week meant very few other visitors there with us so we really had the run of the place! Very enjoyable.

Stay tuned!!

Until next post...

FINALLY A RAVE!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Fri, 27 May 2016 19:21:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

I know. I have been lax in posting. The good news is I have had several things lately that I consider "blog-worthy" so there are at least 2 or 3 new posts coming soon... with pictures!!

However, I am most pleased to have a RAVE to post today. Seems like many of my experiences are negative so you have to read my rants (The Running Store most recently)... and I hate that since I much prefer excellence in my experiences!

So... I am happy to tell you all about an online shopping experience I had recently.

My aunt was in need of some new sheets for her bed. She has been completely bedridden for four years and it is important to have good sheets to help avoid skin breakdowns. I am cautious to shop for a high thread count Egyptian Cotton product. I went to Amazon to see what was out there.

After some shopping and checking, I placed an order through Amazon. The product was fulfilled through eLuxury Supply. I was pleased with the items and went to that firm's web site to see what other products they offer. It was then things got a little shaky.

I found the exact same product I had ordered through Amazon at a lower price on the eLuxury Supply web site. Hmmmmm? That's odd. eLuxury offers free shipping so that didn't explain a pricing difference. You all know me pretty well so you already know I fired off an email to the Customer Service Manager (whose card with full contact information was included in my order!) to figure out why there was a difference.

Blogging Pals... I am here to tell you I received a nearly immediate reply. There was an apology for the pricing difference along with a couple of potential reasons for it. The key thing here... there was notice that a refund had already been issued for the price difference (I didn't ask for one) along with the invitation to check back with him if there were any problems with the product down the road. What?!? A real live person concerned with customer satisfaction?!? It's like sighting a unicorn!!

What I am telling you all is to please check out eluxurysupply.com the next time you are seeking linens. They also have other products including beds/mattresses, bath products (towels, bathrobes, etc.), furniture (indoor & outdoor) and home accessories, as well as some pet furniture. Check them out. Are they the "cheapest?" No. Do the products have value to account for the pricing? I can only speak to the sheets but have to say "yes" to that. What is more important to me is a USA company providing excellence in Customer Service.

So... remember to check out eLuxury Supply the next time you have a need for these types of items. I can only highly recommend them... something that is rare for me to do. :)

Until next post...

WALK AWAY FROM THE RUNNING STORE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Mon, 09 May 2016 16:19:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

In the interest of providing a public service, I want to make you aware of some things about The Running Store in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The store was originally established as Tri-Running. A friend of mine suggested we go there as they offered great service. The employees were educated about how to determine one's gait to establish whether one had a neutral walk or something else. (There is discussion that this is not important in determining the best shoe for walking or running. You make the call.)

At any rate, we visited there, received a lot of good information from the employees, and purchased walking shoes we liked. While the pricing at Tri-Running was slightly above Zappo's and other online retailers, plus we had to pay tax, it wasn't significant enough to cause any concern. We made that decision consciously. And we have recommended the store (Tri-Running) to a lot of folks we know, some of whom we know for certain have been there.

This past week, we both had a need for a new pair of walking shoes. We went back to the store where we had had success in the past. We were surprised to find the name changed and the store space cut by more than half!! The two young men there were very nice... but they offered no actual "services" other than asking about our size and if we had any preference of brand. Hmmmm. This should have clued us in that things had changed... and not necessarily for the better. However... in the interest of shopping locally, we moved forward with trying on some shoes.

After finding a pair we liked (we both liked the same pair!), we checked out at the register. We left the store thinking the price of the shoes was rather high. Later on, we decided to check Zappo's for the pricing there. While Zappo's is not a discount store, they do offer good and typical pricing. Surprise! The Running Store charged full MSRP for the shoes, a substantial $30 more than Zappo's (and a huge number of other online retailers including Nordstrom's!). This was a 25% higher price. Hold on!! We're all about supporting a local business... but this is not acceptable.

So... I took both pair back to The Running Store in Lake Charles a day-and-a-half later. Neither pair had done anything but ride in my vehicle. They had not been touched. I was very surprised and confused when the young man there told me they did not issue refunds on shoes. They would only issue store credit. What?!? Other than a clearance sale, who doesn't refund on unused items? I am typing below the exact wording printed on the credit card receipt. Bear in mind, there was absolutely NO posted signage within the store indicating there were no refunds on shoes. I guess one had to purchase a non-refundable item before finding out it was non-refundable? Hmmmmm.

Printed on the receipt (exact words although in much larger print than is on the receipt!):

"Exchange Policy.
Shoes: If after several test runs you find your runs painful as a result of the shoe, please exchange them within 30 days of purchase and we will apply your exchange toward another product. Special orders for styles/sizes/colors not in stock are subject to a $10 shipping fee.
Other items: Refunds are granted only when exchange item is unused (with tags or packaging) and within 30 days of purchase with receipt. Electronics may only be exchanged if unused and in unopened packaging."

Alright. After you have read it, how do you interpret it? It appears to me that if I USE the shoes, I can only exchange the shoes. That's fair. One cannot sell used shoes as new! I get it. If I return used shoes, I should not expect a refund. However... the policy stated does not seem to address returning NEW, UNUSED shoes? In fact, the "Shoe" section clearly only addresses shoes that have been used. That's my take. Wonder what the legal eagles would say about it? Hmmmmm.

At any rate, the young man reached out to the "new" owner (now we have confirmed the store was sold). He spoke with me on the phone. I asked him to either refund the price and I would leave the shoes... or at least refund the price difference and I would keep them. At this point, the new owner made it quite clear (implicitly) his interest was strictly in profit and customers were not important. While he tried to tell me he had to pay shipping to receive the shoes and he couldn't not charge tax, I simply responded that Zappo's (and other onine retailers) actually paid the shipping to get the product as well as to ship it out to customers! Zappo's even pays return shipping if the product isn't satisfactory... for ANY reason! I knew I would pay tax purchasing locally. He continued that he had overhead that Zappo's didn't have. Uh... I wonder if Zappo's is aware they have such little overhead! *chuckle* They might argue that point.

Let's just say this about all that. If you don't mind paying full MSRP for something you can get a lot of other places for at least 20% less, overnight in some cases, without paying taxes or shipping, please feel free to give The Running Store your business. If you believe that fair pricing and customer service are important, I suggest you simply walk away from The Running Store.

Until next post...

NO MORE EXCUSES...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:35:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies.

Well, I have no more excuses. It has been far too long since my last post. I have been on-the-road... but that really isn't an excuse.

What I have found, however, is that road trips can bring some very interesting little tidbits. I am going to share a few with you here today. Without further ado...

RED LIGHT? AT A TWO-LANE BRIDGE? TO CROSS THE RIVER??? WHAT?!?!?

Okay. So they were working on the bridge and it was down to one-lane for a bit. Still... it was funny to see a red light coming up on a 65-mph highway... at the bridge!

There is NO question what the driver of this vehicle does for a living!!

And sometimes it is fun to go somewhere "just because." That was the case with Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. If you don't watch the HGTV program "Fixer-Upper", I urge you to check it out. This is the city where it is filmed.

The Silos at Magnolia Market

Cute Momma Goat with her Kid :)

There was a LOT to do at Magnolia Market besides just shop. There was a HUGE area of faux grass where kids (the human kind) could play all sorts of games. There was a big cage full of all kinds of balls... footballs, soccer balls, little kicking balls... and things like frisbees with a sign advising the little ones to enjoy but please put the item back when done playing. The activity on this area was ridiculous! Kids were playing all kinds of games. There were swings and picnic tables surrounding the area. It was a great place to have the young'uns wear themselves out! There was a garden area that is currently under development. There was an entire collection of food trucks! (My crepe was excellent, by the way.)

Sometimes, however, the interesting tidbits happen at home. When the spousal-unit was opening a little snack, he began laughing. I had to ask what was funny? He showed me. I am still wondering exactly where the 20 grams of protein would be found considering the number of... well... look for yourself.

So... that's pretty much all I have for you. Nothing fascinating. Just the same old stuff... but hopefully with enough interest for you. :)

Until next post...

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?!?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 20:23:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

As has been credited to the ever-so-dry Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain), "The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." (Note he never said exactly that phrase... but it doesn't matter here.)

So... I am still around. The beginning of 2016 has been a little challenging. The "grawdoo" or "creeping crud" that apparently hit every household during the first part of this year attacked me mightily the third week in January and lasted nearly two weeks. I thought I was out of the woods by February 1st... but I was wrong. :( A quick relapse followed which knocked me down another two weeks. Sigh. I am very fortunate and am rarely hit by any of the things "going around" so it was quite a surprise... and an unpleasant one at that. By mid-February, I was back up and running. There was a lot to catch up on after that much time away from my normal duties. Factor in working on taxes for two households plus getting a real estate deal closed in early March... well, I have just slacked off tremendously on posting.

While I can't provide you with anything truly fascinating, I did want to check in. I have encountered a few things I considered blog-worthy so will share them with you.

Someone decided the single word on the marquee as one entered the local airport property was too boring. He (or she) decided to change it. See what was put on the marquee. For bonus points, comment with the single word that is formed from these letters. :) And no... I don't believe "Cow Meel" is actually a thing.

This past Sunday morning was quite foggy. During my morning walk, I saw the sun surrounded by the fog making it look more like the moon. I took a couple of shots to see if they turned out.

Finally, I had some paperwork I needed to copy right away for a transaction taking place that day. I was happy there was a FedEx store very close by where I could get multiple copies done quickly and relatively inexpensively... until I got there and found...

Now then... there was NO time put on this... there was no clock on the door with the big hand and little hand pointing to numbers that would give me a clue... you are seeing exactly what I saw. I sat in my vehicle for ten minutes (yes, I did time it) before deciding that "right back" apparently had no real meaning to the party at the store. This was not close to lunchtime or any other thing one would expect to cause a need to close... but I understand the occasional need to leave during normal working hours. I just would truly appreciate you giving me ENOUGH INFORMATION to know whether I should wait for you to return!!!! AARRRGGGGHHHHH!

There has been some fun recently, thank goodness! One of my friends here and a friend of hers, who I have met and know, decided to go to the nearby Casino for all-you-can-eat crawfish! Yes. That is a big deal here in south Louisiana. When crawfish season begins, there are mad dashes to places that sell them (bring your own cooler to contain the little critters until you are ready to boil them!) and to places that cook them up for you to enjoy without the work. I was invited to go along for the fun. I was more than happy to oblige!! Yes... I do love me some mudbugs. So... we headed off for the festivities. Arriving about an hour before serving began, we found a bank of penny slots to occupy our time. Lots of fun but not a lot of winning. That was okay. Just before it was time to eat, however, my little pennies got benevolent and hit a lovely bonus round that ended up putting me $80 up at that point. Made dinner taste even better!

I won't go into great detail but I will tell you that the crawfish buffet was quite a spectacle. We were joined by a fourth friend at this point. The system was as follows: get a round tray with high sides and wander down the line while the server behind the counter scoops a huge bunch of mudbugs into a giant bucket and sets it on the tray. Then one carries the whole mess back to the table where the mudbugs are poured out of the bucket into the tray to begin the chowdown. Let the peeling and tail-popping begin!! We sat there for nearly 90 minutes, eating and eating and eating. Two of the four of us at the table returned for a second full bucket!! The other two (I was one of these) split a second full bucket. Yummmmmmmmm! So, so good. So, so messy. And worth it all.

After dining and a trip to scrub down like a surgeon before entering the operating theatre, our fourth headed elsewhere while the three of us looked for more slots to enjoy. We found two side-by-side that were the same and were such fun to play! We had no idea how long we were there until we had finally let the house take our limit and were ready to leave. So worth it! Most fun I've had here in a VERY long time!

Alrighty. While this isn't a lot to report, I hope you at least know I am still here... and I will try to be better about posting!

Until next post...

SO RANDOM...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 15:40:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

Sometimes I find myself with a few photos that didn't really fit into any of the posts I have published. But I still think they are "blogworthy" so I'm going to use them to end this year! I hope you find them interesting or amusing... or at least worth a peek. There is a video, also. If it doesn't work in your email, go to the actual post at http://louisianatown.blogspot.com/2015/12/so-random.html and view it there.

Without further ado...

The night before Halloween, we had quite a bit of rain... as evidenced by the "moat" around this house down the street!

A couple of weeks later, I caught a glimpse of these on my morning walk.

A closer look revealed really interesting "dots" on the 'shrooms! Does it remind you of Alice in Wonderland, too?

And three days later, they had flattened into little umbrellas!

The spousal-unit provided a few shots that we really had to chuckle over.

In all fairness, it does say "Driving" center... not "Parking" center!!! Sigh.

"Dispatch... did you say we are supposed to guard the shopping carts... ?

... or the soda machines?

On a recent visit to a land far, far away, I encountered a couple of things I found bewildering and interesting.

Look! The arrow says Sushi is down this way on the left!!! Yum!!

Ummmm... the only thing down this way on the left is a fence... uh... hello?

VIDEO FOLLOWS

On a morning walk in the far, far away land, I encountered a most interesting way to remove piles of leaves. Apparently the residents are completely in synch as most had raked theirs all the way into the street neatly along the curb! Most excellent!! Be sure to click the expand screen icon in the lower right corner of the video to be fully amazed!!

So... as a new year approaches, I can't promise any further 2015 posts... but I will definitely return in 2016. If I don't manage more this year, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas or a Bah Humbug (your choice) as well as a Safe, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!

Until next post...

TWO LEGS TO FOUR LEGS AT THE FAIR...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 22:23:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

Well, I wanted to get this post out sooner than now... but we all know how that goes. :)

This one is just for fun to show you a few more of the fabulous farm critters that were judged at the Beauregard Parish Fair in October. You have seen the poultry review previously. We're moving from two-legged to four-legged now.

Momma and her two "kids" :)

My newest friend

This little guy was wreaking havoc in his pen!! First, he turned his feed dish up and nearly over! Then, he tried jumping into the water trough!!

Anyone remember Billy Goat Gruff?? Found him!

And... just for fun... on a completely unrelated note...

I DO love a sense of humor!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Until next post...

CHICKEN... IT'S WHAT'S FOR THE FAIR!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 20:57:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

November started beautifully... then slowly took a spiraling nose-dive. :( I hope your November was wonderful. I will be glad to see December on Tuesday.

What I have not gotten to share with you yet (and intended to do so in early November) were some photos from my trip to the Beauregard Parish Fair this October. I thought I would start you out with the Chicken pictures. Honestly... I had seen some "exotic" chickens when I went a few years ago... but nothing compared to the variety I viewed this year! I have other photos to share and will try to get back on track with posting for you ASAP!

Please enjoy this plethora of magnificent poultry!

Seems like there is a 4-way mirror here!

Lotsa' colors on this handsome one

Whole new picture of "feather duster"

An assortment of feathers

And more feathers

Anyone need a powder puff?

Any idea which end of the chicken you're seeing?

A late '60s "Beatle" chicken?!?

About as pretty as can be

Competition for the one above

Is this a Yin-Yang thing?!?

Ready for Trick or Treat with the Devil's Mask!!

Hope you enjoyed the poultry-fest!! I have more critters to show you next time. Will try to get that out in a few days!!

Thank you for your patience with me. I will try to do better.

RAMBLING AGAIN...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:01:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

September has been a slightly difficult month so I will be glad to see it go. October is always interesting as we begin to see crazy fluctuations in weather and there is some hope for a period of cool lasting longer than 1 day. :) We'll see what we get.

With all that said, there are always those crazy photo opportunities I just can't pass up. It's time to share a few of them with you.

As always, my early morning walks provide some very good colors and fun things like fog.

ARACHNOPHOBES BEWARE!! DON'T LOOK!!

So... one morning when I left the back yard through the walk gate in the dark, I hit a spider web with my face. Backing off, I peered with a streetlight in the background and could just see a web with a large, garden-type spider on it. I ducked beneath it and continued on my walk assuming it would be gone when I returned in about 35 minutes. I was wrong. This spider was not deterred by something too large to eat crashing into its web... which did NOT break, by the way! Sturdy! So, with plenty of light, I snapped a couple of photos to share with you. It is really a beauty and it was out there for a few days before moving on to greener bug-catching pastures!

No, it is NOT eating my Suburban!!! It's all about perspective!

I happened to look up on a walk one morning. I saw a cloud formation in the distance that seemed vaguely familiar.

Couldn't quite put my finger on it... but I zoomed in for a closer shot. When I was viewing it later on the computer, I saw what I didn't immediately recognize before.

Anyone else see a Dairy Queen soft-serve cone?!? Yummmmmmm.

Finally, I had always thought that reincarnation as a pet of my terrific pet-loving friend, Susan S., would be the ultimate return. Not so fast!! The newest member of her little four-legged "family", Sashi, was caught in this candid shot... held behind bars... her gorgeous little eyes begging to be set free... but to no avail. There is clearly a prison environment here that makes me question my initial thought. Sigh. An older sibling in the background, Sawyer, has apparently come to terms with incarceration. Poor little things!

The Jasper Air Show, which has rained out the past two years, is scheduled for this coming weekend. If things work out, I will try to get some good pictures for you all to enjoy.

The Beauregard Parish Fair is looming near. The dates are October 6-10. I haven't made it back there for a few years but am hoping for great weather. Nothing quite like a small-town fair to get things going. :)

So, my friends... until next post...

9/11/2015 - PLEASE RENEW YOUR ACQUAINTANCE WITH SGT MAJ LARRY STRICKLAND!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 21:33:00 +0000

Greetings to my Blogging Pals. Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. I do not see the 14th Anniversary as any different from the 2nd, the 19th, or the 100th. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.
*** This was posted in 2009 as my tribute to Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. I repeat it here as I will continue doing so on each anniversary of 9/11 as long as I am able. There are a couple of notes and updates from 2010 in italic.

Please meet Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. He was 52 years old, born in Washington State, and had a Bachelor of Science degree. He had served our country in a lot of places including Germany, Washington State, Washington DC, Texas, and Virginia. He had many awards and decorations. Most devastating for me to learn was his plan to retire upon completion of 30 years of service... at the end of September 2001. After all of his service, he was close to spending more time on his hobbies (fishing, hiking, gourmet cooking, and needlepoint) and especially looking forward to spending more time with his family. SGM Strickland left behind a wife, Debra, who was the Garrison Command Sergeant Major of Fort Belvoir, VA. at the time, three adult children, and one grandson who will never know his grandfather as he was only a year old when SGM Strickland was taken. His parents also were left to deal with the untimely loss of their child.

NOTE: I posted a note to the family at Legacy.com and received two emails.

One was from SGM Strickland's son-in-law and read, in part:

"I came across your blog today while searching for SM Larry Strickland. I am lucky enough to be married to his daughter Julia and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for caring enough to research this remarkable man. Everything you read about him and his character is true. He left behind an amazingly strong wife, a beautiful daughter, his two sons, and his grandson. His grandson was 4, not 1 as many newspaper articles claim, so he does remember his grandfather, and fondly."(I was SO happy to read that his grandson did remember his grandfather and wanted to share that with you all! MNC)

The other email was from SGM Strickland's daughter and read, in part:

"Mary, thank you very much for your kind words. I am Larry's daughter, and it is wonderful to know that though it's been 8 years, remembering him and this tragic event is still as important now as it was the day it happened. He was truly a wonderful man, and the best father anyone could ask for."

SGM Strickland headed out to work that day at the Pentagon as there were some meetings he deemed important enough to attend even though he could have skipped them. He had annual leave built up that needed to be used or lost. He chose to go to work. If you knew nothing more about him than that, you would know the character of the man. It was that character that had him in his office on the second floor when the wing he was in was struck by American Airlines Flight 77.

But this is a tribute to SGM Strickland's life. And I've got to tell you the things said about him and written about him are absolutely glowing!! What a wonderful thing... to have those left behind remember you so well and so lovingly. It's not just family. These were friends, co-workers, people who knew him on a "business" level where, many times, the feelings are not so great. I would suggest you take a few moments today to review three different web sites where there are tributes (and from where I gathered much of the information I am sharing with you). It really won't take that long and, thankfully, most of us did not actually know anyone who was lost that day. Perhaps it would be good to learn about at least one of them. I know it gave me a very new perspective.

Pentagon Memorial Fund - Names of the souls lost at the Pentagon are alphabetical by last name. Scroll down and click on SGM Strickland's name to read about his service career.

Columns - The University of Washington Alumni Magazine- Read a really great article here about SGM Strickland's personal life. Sounds like someone we would all like to have known.

The Washington Post - This project is a database of all of the souls lost that day and has a very nice tribute to SGM Strickland.

Legacy.com - This is where folks can leave notes for the family. Many folks were positively impacted by SGM Strickland. Some commented here about their appreciation of the man. I invite you to take just a moment to leave a note here to let the family know the loss of their loved one is something we all remember.

9-11 Heroes - This is another site where a note can be left. Again... take a moment to leave a note on at least one of the sites. You have no idea how much this can mean to family members.

Thank you, SGM Strickland, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

9/11/2015 - PLEASE RENEW YOUR ACQUAINTANCE WITH MAJOR RONALD MILAM!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 21:30:00 +0000

We should never forget.

TELL ME AGAIN...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 20:30:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!

There are some things you can see (or hear) and even spend some time letting it sink in... but you still find yourself thinking "Tell me again... ??"

I have a few pictures to share that made me think exactly that. I offer you, my faithful readers, the opportunity to add a caption to any you find to be most interesting. There are definitely a couple that BEG for captioning!! I will publish your caption with the photo in a future post if you don't mind. :) Send 'em in!!

So... with all of that said, let's take a look, shall we? Let's start with the "Oh look! They have chickens." This is followed by "Oh look! Are those concrete?!?" (Lack of movement was a really big clue here!)

Then there is the Tell Me Again signage. Did you really not know the less-than-savory meaning of that combination of letters when you were having that GIANT sign made?

Okay. You said this was your friend's "redneck swimming pool?" Really?!? Amazing. I am impressed with the cooler included.

I am always appreciative of warning signage, especially on-the-road. The likelihood I will have an accident laughing so hard is higher, however, than the likelihood I will consider myself "warned" of any danger with the following:

Finally, I kept what I consider to be the best for last. I can think of nearly 100 captions just referencing the "dead letter office" alone!! What do you think?

I do hope you have had a little fun going through the "Tell Me Again" exercise with me! It's just so much fun to find "accidental" interesting things!!

Until next post...

JUST THINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Nell) — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 18:42:00 +0000

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

Wow. Time has flown by. There have been a few things going on that have caused me to not sit and check in with you. I'm sorry about that but I'm here now.

I thought I had a pretty good handle on the word "hot" and what it meant referring to weather. This July in southwest Louisiana has created a whole new meaning, I think. Between the temperatures and humidity, both at very high levels, it has been nearly unbearable. Of course, we know about that down here near the Gulf of Mexico... but knowledge does not make it easier to bear!! My biggest fear? August.

I have had some friends send me some interesting photos and I know many of you enjoy seeing the things that make day-to-day different or fun. Without further ado:

#1 - From my friend, Susan S., the tiniest Domino's she has ever seen... in Butte, LA. Any of you seen anything smaller? Send me the pic!

#2 - The Beauregard Watermelon Festival took place recently. A couple of the contenders, with their weights displayed proudly, were photographed by my friend, Debbie J. Yummmmmmmm! They look like the famous Sugartown Watermelons!

#3 - On a recent morning walk, I ran across this little fella' (?) headed somewhere of which only he knew the location! He very kindly stopped but remained "out" so I could capture him for you. We parted friends. :)

I apologize for my delay in posting but am hopeful there will be some things of interest happening soon... maybe? Never know. But I will keep my eyes peeled!!

Until next post...