Cajun Country
(Click thumbnails to see full-size photos)




Natchitoches

On our way down to visit "Cajun Country" in April, our very first stop just had to be the
Steel Magnolia House, where the movie "Steel Magnolias" was filmed in Natchitoches. LA.
It is now an awesome Bed & Breakfast, and was a memorable highlight of our trip! I believe the movie
"Steel Magnolias" is timeless to Louisiana and Southern women, just as "Gone With the Wind" is for
the Civil War era South. Located approximately 2 hours north of Lafayette, which was our base in
SW Louisiana during our trip, I would not have missed the opportunity to visit the Steel Magnolia House
for anything! It's a beautiful home not only reminiscent of the movie, but also one packed with lots of
Louisiana history and, of course, dripping with Southern charm as sweet as sugah, itself!

The entire South had experienced a colder than normal, and extended, 2009 winter; so, the flowers
(especially Azaleas) were late blooming everywhere this year. However, the South is never without
blooming flowers. I was in awe of the huge pink, Japanese Magnolia trees that some Southerners call "Tulip
trees." Their large, fallen petals carpeted the grounds of Steel Magnolia House in pink --- Shelby's
(and my) "signature color" --- as well as many places throughout Natchitoches. Camellias in various colors
were also blooming everywhere down to Lafayette and throughout South Louisiana. It had been many
years since I was fortunate to see so many varieties of Camellias.



You may CLICK HERE for more about the Steel Magnolia House


Below is a taste of the beautiful Steel Magnolia House and quaint Natchitoches, the oldest permanent
settlement in Louisiana after the Louisiana Purchase. It is older than New Orleans...

Steel Magnolia House from Rue Jefferson Street in the Historic District (April 2010)	Steel Magnolia House from corner of Rue Poete and Rue Jefferson Streets (April 2010)	Pink Japanese Magnolia petals EVERYWHERE - in Blush or Bashful? :-) (April 2010)
Looking out an early morning window in Shelby's Room (April 2010)	So many special, loving touches fill Shelby's Room (April 2010)	Greeted with YUMMY cookies and Shelby's Room Special Guest Book on the nightstand. :-) (April 2010)
Looking down on the fountain where Ouiser and Clairee "made-up" on a beach placed in front (April 2010)	A FANTASTIC breakfast! Andouille Sausage Quiche, plump red grapes, and pomegranate/blueberry juice - picture perfect and soooo good! (April 2010)	Standing by the front porch column where Ouiser tied her dog in the movie (April 2010)
Basking in huge, gorgeous pink petals! (April 2010)	What more can I say about the beauty of the embracing Southern porch? (April 2010)	And, YES, Southerners do decorate for every season! In its Christmas glory, this door was featured on the cover of a 2009 Natchitoches local newspaper section. (April 2010)
Beautiful Red Camellias gracing the backyard (April 2010)	Rue Williams Avenue under the Oaks where Annelle is seen walking into town at the beginning of the movie (April 2010)	Looking toward the Historic Downtown District across the Cane River (April 2010)
Crossing the bridge over Cane River (April 2010)	One of the many benches, on the Historic Downtown side of the river, and also carpeted in goreous pink Japanese Magnolia petals (April 2010)	Part of the Historic Downtown District along the Cane River (April 2010)

Swamp Pop Music
(Click thumbnails to see full-size photos)



What is Swamp Pop?

For those who think you have no idea, you may be amazed to know you've
probably listened to it at some point and may have even danced to it without realizing.
Great Cajun food is not the only thing unique to these warm, fun-loving people! Fantastic
music fills the area and their lives --- music that reaches into the very core of the
heart! Swamp Pop is one of the genres you will hear whenever you visit Cajun country.
Go to Wikipedia below for some concise, but good information that may surprise you
about Swamp Pop music:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_pop




Visiting KBON 101.1 FM

KBON 101.1 FM radio station is unlike any you will ever see. Mr. Paul Marx has created
not only a great radio station, but also a one-of-a-kind "home" for artists and musicians, and
everyone else who may walk through his door! It's like a museum for hundreds of recording artists
and musicians who have visited and left their signatures, photographs, and personal items displayed
on the many hallways and walls throughout the entire building. There are also oodles of recording,
radio, and phonograph memorabilia, as well as items local to South Louisiana filling the three, large
display windows on the front entrance of the building. And, it doesn't even stop there folks!
Throughout the building you will see so much more on display!

Click HERE to see Paul Marx, owner of KBON
& DJ Fred Melancon

KBON 101.1 FM Radio Station Eunice, LA (March 2010)	Front display window at entrance of KBON (March 2010)	Left display window at entrance to KBON (March 2010)
Inside the many halls at KBON. The chicken-wire object is actually a crawfish net. (March 2010)	DJ Fred Melancon is not only "Louisiana Proud" but also KBON Proud! He thoroughly enjoys showing off all the artists' signatures & memorabilia! (March 2010)	An early Shondell album with Swamp Pop Greats as Warren Storm & Rod Bernard. (March 2010)
Shirt and belt worn by Jimmy C. Newman on the Grand Ole Opry on display at KBON (March 2010) Irma Thomas poster signed for KBON. I've been a very BIG FAN of hers since the early 60's. Irma is New Orleans "Queen of Soul!" (March 2010)

WOW! Singing with da' Classics!


What a great way to end a night out with Fred and Sandra Melancon!
They brought my husband and I to hear Sean Vidrine and da' Classics
who were performing in the Lafayette area; and, before we left, someone
grabbed me to let me know I was going to sing with them! Awesome, but
no practice? Not a problem --- it was a Piece-of-Cake for these GREAT
musicians with whom I sang an Irma Thomas favorite, "It's Raining"!

A Special Thank You to such a Wonderful band
for the FUN opportunity!

"Sean Vidrine & da' Classics"

Sean Vidrine - Accordion/vocals
Charles (Charlo) Guilbeau - Keyboard/vocals
Bradley Lavergne - Lead guitar/vocals
Raylan (Rock) Allemand - Bass/vocals
Carl Dugas - Drums/vocals
Jim Hebert - Scrubboard/Manager

	Sean Vidrine and da' Classics (March 2010)
Getting it altogether really fast! (March 2010)	Singing "It's Raining" These guys really brought me back into my element! (March 2010)	With Sean Vidrine, fantastic accordion player and singer! I've enjoyed his CD I brought back with me! (March 2010)
Singing "It's Raining" with Raylan (Rock) Allemand playing Bass guitar (March 2010)	Singing "It's Raining" with Charlo Guilbeau at the Keyboard (March 2010)	Singing "It's Raining" with Carl Dugas at the Drums (March 2010)

Back to KBON for Radio Interview with DJ Fred Melancon
on his Sunday Night "Swamp Pop Train" Show!

Settling in with Fred :-) (March 2010)	Getting Ready! (March 2010)	Things move F-A-S-T, but he does ALL the work... and also makes his guest very comfortable! (March 2010)
Can you tell Fred LUVS his job??? This is one FUN man! (March 2010)	Getting those songs out to fans all over the country who listen in every week! (March 2010)	Winding down... Wow! Were we really here 3 hours? (March 2010)
	Can't Stop the Music in Me! (March 2010)

Thank You for a great time, Fred!



Vermilionville


We visited Vermilionville, a Cajun/Creole Folklife village, with Fred Melancon as
the BEST Cajun tour guide/host anyone could have! He is a walking history book of not
only facts about the Cajun lifestyle, but he also speaks quite a bit of Cajun, himself -
and understands much more. During our outing, we met a group of tourists from
France with whom he and another gentleman at the village conversed. I
absolutely loved hearing their French and Cajun French conversations going at
the same time!

With Fred Melancon getting ready to take a hand-pulled ferry ride! (March 2010)	Here we go as she pulls the rope! What a smoooth ride - WOW! (March 2010)	Looking back to see how far we've actually come on this ride across the peaceful, tranquil water - quite a way! (March 2010)
The Very 1st Louisiana Formosa Azaleas I saw on this trip! All azaleas were late blooming this year due to their harsh winter. (March 2010)	I went WILD taking photos of the Spanish Moss, as Fred got tickled over my excitement :-) (March 2010)	Two Yellow Rays of Blooming Sunshine! (March 2010)
Aldus Roger Portrait King of the French Accordion (March 2010)	Acadian Dance Hall where Cajun music is played and Cajun style dancing is demonstrated (March 2010)	Music - A Shared Legacy of Native, Creole, and Cajun styles
Typical Acadian House (March 2010)	Chimney made of lathe - a lightweight wood to give it shape before adding moss from the trees and mud from the bottom of the bayous that hardens like brick. (March 2010)	Looking up at chimmey to see old method of construction used (March 2010)
Cajun Mudboat This boat was used in shallow swamp waters (1 ft. deep) and was maneuvered by a bamboo pole. (March 2010)	Food typical of the area (March 2010)	Typical Old Cajun Kitchen (March 2010)
Religion of the area (March 2010)	Cajun Catholic Church with a home for the parish priest on the grounds (March 2010)	Cajun Catholic Church with parish priest's connecting home (March 2010)
Cajun Catholic Church (March 2010)	Inside the little church (March 2010)	The church's simple cemetery (March 2010)

More to come of Cajun Country!