Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler.

Bonjour,

As many of you may be aware, it is time for the annual Mardi Gras celebrations. Many of us associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, where possibly the largest festivities occur; however, many other cities join in celebrating the days leading up to the season of Lent.

New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade
ibtimes.com

If you have never participated in Mardi Gras in a small town, you have missed a totally different experience.  Although the parades may be more numerous and some more flamboyant in New Orleans, the celebrations are equally as festive and definitely more family-oriented in the smaller cities.  Mardi Gras customs can be traced back to Medieval Catholic Europeans, with the  large population of Acadian Catholics in Louisiana continuing these rich traditions in many small parish towns.

Mardi Gras Mummers
visitportarthur.com

Where I live, here in Southeast Texas, through the influence of our large Cajun and Creole population, the weekend before Lent is one long community celebration.  The festivities begin Thursday evening with a "chicken run," or Courir de Mardi Gras.  This event is a parade of costumed participants traveling on horseback, symbolically gathering the ingredients for a gumbo. The parade ends with young onlookers engaging in a foot chase for a live chicken, allegedly to be used in this rich Cajun "soup."

Chicken Run
beaumontenterprise.com

The remainder of the weekend is similar to the typical New Orleans carnival atmosphere consisting of live music, numerous parades with marching bands and beautifully decorated floats carrying Krewe members throwing beads and doubloons, and, of course, lots of food and alcoholic beverages.  However, here, as in many of the smaller cities and towns, the participants often consist of entire families, including young children. The atmosphere is friendlier and less rowdy...I give it a G- or, at most, a PG-rating.  It is a community party we look forward to every year.

Krewe of Aurora Parade
visitportarthur.com 

When I bring my grandchildren to watch their parents participate in the Friday night parade, I will be adorned in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold, but with a FrenchiGrace twist.

I hope you will have the opportunity to celebrate the occasion of Mardi Gras, if only by raising a glass of bubbly or indulging in a favorite food in anticipation of the ritual of fasting during the Lenten season. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Adieu,

Puppy Love

Amour de Chiot

(Puppy Love)

Bonjour,

It is my hope that all of you enjoyed a joyful Christmas season shared with family and friends. Now we all begin the new year with the promise of a fresh start.

Although it is customary to make resolutions, I rarely do so but instead try to live each day the best I can.  This year my world has been turned upside down because of the little boy below.  This precious Llewellin setter joined our family over the holidays.

Kipling
"Kip"

For a while now, Monsieur has been expressing his desire to own a bird dog.  Having two dogs already and thinking such interest would pass, I failed to take him seriously...until this youngster was presented to me.  How could I possibly say, "no?!"

He truly is the cutest thing, but it has been quite a while since I have dealt with a young puppy and never one this age.  He joined us at a mere six-weeks old and, therefore, is very demanding.  Although Monsieur does assist with his care, the most burdensome part--those nightly awakenings--fall upon me. Needless to say, there has been no blogging nor jewelry designing done by me in recent days.

I am looking forward to more restful days ahead with little Kip and getting myself back into some semblance of a routine again.  I would love to hear how you are beginning the year.  Please do share your thoughts below or via the link above.

Adieu,