Judy Stewart on the left

Yesterday a great woman, Judy Stewart, left this earth.
Today in Joan Borysenko's book, a Pocketful of Miracles, I read: "Love is a verb, not a noun. It can only be experienced when it is flowing. When we become a source of love, when it flows through our eyes, our voice, our prayers and the selfless acts of lovingkindness that we offer to others, then we feel happiness. "
Let those of us who have known Judy, whose eyes shared that love with us, spread it through our eyes to others.
This, I believe, will start a tsunami of love.

Yesterday, all of the New Orleans Museum of Art Docents were introduced to the artist, Mel Chin.
I am gobsmacked by his work, his wit, his political, and his ecological dedication.  http://www.melchin.org/

I invite you to look, read, ponder, and then reflect. The works, the philosophy and the exhibit currently on display at NOMA is certainly worthwhile.
http://noma.org/

Hearing the man and seeing his latest work: "Funk and Wagnall from A-Z," will blow  you away! It is a cross between visual poetry, a Monti Python animation, a visit to the "Matrix", and an entrance into Mr. Chin's creative world.

Mr. Chin's position on the need to remove all lead from the grounds that our children play upon is staggering. You may even help by making a Fundred Dollar Bill to assist with "Operation Pay Dirt."

I don't want to spoil it for you. Go, see, explore, think....

Parades yesterday were a bonanza! Three parades rolled past us under the Superior Grill band stand! We were able to do the "Wobble" while we waited for the school bands and marchers to pass on St. Charles Ave.

There is much fun to be had when you dawn a tutu and a hat and dancing shoes.  I had forgotten the steps, but a talented gentleman verbally cued me as we danced with a friendly crowd. I love to dance and sing in the street. There is something ever so freeing about being in a group moving and swaying to the same tune. It is a great form of mob psychology. Singing with strangers somehow melts away all of our differences. We just assume that we all are there to enjoy ourselves. There is no mine, it is all ours.

This is one of the beauties of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. When a child misses a favorite throw, there is usually someone who is willing to give away the prized catch to the child.  I always give up the beads and stuffed throws to the children that are nearby. One little girl was whining about not catching anything. I watched as she dodged the throws.

"If you want something, you need to raise your hands and try," I said to her gently.

Her response was,"I'm afraid."

"Well if you want the items, you will have to try, and not whine." When the next float past, she held up her hands, I made sure that she got something. Another convert and a less fearful child in the world.
Carnival has many lessons.

Dance, sing, dawn a tutu and catch a parade.

Cleopatra rocked Napoleon Ave. Last night!

What lets you know right away if a parade will rock?

When you see the Purple Knights of ST. Aug proudly march by.

Yes, the Marching 100 invited us to begin our carnival spectator sport with a roar. We cleared the street for the marching band and knew that what was to follow would be spectacular, and the Krewe of Cleopatra did not disappoint. We garnered lots of treasures from these excellent throwing women. It used to be that the women's parades were labeled as poor sports; unable to toss beads, and a little stingy.

The women of Cleopatra certainly uprooted that myth.( Actually when Muses rolled, they dispelled that old wives tale.)

We caught head bands with cleverly decorated gold lame asps attached; bracelets and light-up necklaces with the logo on them;  Cleo key rings with beer openers and an LED light, and the little ones were given all sorts of soft animals. Well done ladies of the Nile. This is a parade to view again.
Today, there will be 6 parades in our neighborhood. What a way to celebrate a Saturday.

http://www.kreweofcleopatra.org/


Before the parade rolled, we dined at Baie Rouge on Magazine Street. We had their signature fries with brie cheese melted on top and the steamed mussels.  The mussels were perfectly prepared and very favorable. Our only complaint was that there were too many fries!

http://baierougenola.com/

Lena Prima at the Pavilion of Two Sisters in City Park

She rocked the house.  Singing songs that her father made famous and swinging with a great horn section.  The bands happiness was broadcasted to the room filled with smiling, toe tapping,and dancing feet.  My friend, Nat, and I could not sit.  The music was soulful, joyful and the rt hymn was contagious.

Lena sang many of the songs made famous by her dad, and a few from her new album.  Her band played, "Sing. Sing, Sing," and the smiles on the audience face broadened.  We clapped. stomped, and jived to the sounds.  You could see faces going back in time.  It was a joy to watch the elderly lady in the front row, singing in Italian to "Buona Sera Signorina." 

When Lena sang," Angelina at the  Pizzeria," the entire audience was singing. A grand evening with a grand lady.  Check out the websites below for more performances by Ms. Prima.

http://www.lenaprimamusic.com/

https://www.reverbnation.com/lenaprima

A word from Chief Joseph this morning: all things are interconnected. What befalls the earth befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

I ponder that this day. Peace to all

I visited Eden House yesterday. What a title for a free home to those who seek refuge from the web of chaos, confusion, and violence.  Women who were kidnapped from the streets of America, drugged, and gang raped into a life more violent than we care to admit.  These women are given a key to their own home, food, shelter, medical attention, psychological and spiritual assistance for two years.

I saw the rooms and home filled with love and appreciation for those whom we caste aside, because they "have chosen" the path of chaos.  How does a 12 year old know?  All women are connected, what we do to the least, we do to ourselves.

Web Eyed and Groggy

We walk through our elected paths

Spinning and weaving scattered life lines

All events supporting our fragile web

We could re-wire it……

Daunting task that that might be..

Past and future woven and connected

Blending real and imagined

Catching the droplets of imagination

One…at…a….time….

Sticking or rebounding

We crawl from one anchor to another,

Testing.

Births, first romances, divorce, death, hurricanes.

Reweaving as we go.

Patching up the worn out spots-

Occasionally springing for present to past (future)

S-u-s-p-e-n-d-e-d  by the thread of our remembrances:

Dangling, fearful, yet willing to

Risk the LEAP!

Constantly re-inventing our stories (selves)

Swinging, rhythmatically between past and future

Unable to remain suspended in the present.

http://edenhousenola.org/ 

 

Carnival Time 2014

   Yes, it is time again for the craziness of Mardi Gras. Here is a photo of the Jeffeson City Buzzards in their annual Drag Parade. Yes, grown men gather on a Sunday afternoon to march through the streets of uptown New Orleans wearing sorry looking dresses.

   This is some sort of ritual that initiates the new members into their all male organization. I am partial to their new float as it incorporates the features of old New Orleans' houses.  The roof is corrugated tin, the posts are made from wrought iron and the porch has old column supports!

    Several of the men wear very becoming dresses, other wear.... well just look at the photo...

I am always intrigued by the assembles that are hammered together for this event. One of the older members made ear rings  out of painted crab shells. Yes, the entire shell. He affixed a rubber band to the shell and mounted it onto an ear peace. Quite charming...

    These same men will wear carnival costumes on Mardi Gras day and follow Pete Fountain down St. Charles Avenue.  Please join in the carnival .....

For those of you who are not enjoying our beautiful weather in New Orleans....

Snow glistening off of icicle gutters

Drip, drip, drip

One splash at a time

Patiently thawing out

Melting off

Washing away

Our grievances

Our little petinesses

Wait, wait, wait

Why rip off the defrosting?

Hurry the ever slow, yet, steady progress?

32 ° rising

Ice runs off steep roofs

Slowing cautiously over frozen gutters

Mother cries for her earth

Hidden beneath sparkling blankets

Inch-by-inch knitted and pearled

Stitches of humanities offenses

She covers

Rest, reflect, reinvent yourselves

Black berries unpowered

Dis connect from your blurry visions

An avalanche of love

Covers the roof tops

Cascades down the gutters

And slowly dissolves beneath our sore eyes

Filled with the blue screens

And I touches

Look up.. look away

Pray, hope, Believe

2/12/10 snow days 

Rosalynn Moore

Life’s Messy. To create one thing, You mess up another: Space, clothes, the room. You arrange the flowers; Dig the dirt, plant the seeds; All messy propositions But you get the dirt, paint, pollen On your hands, clothes, hair And face, if you’re lucky. The more engaged; The grander the mess. Cleaning up the gulf is messy Cleaning out your closet, your soul Is Messy But there is no growth, development Nor creation without it God, you must be a real mess.

Rosalynn Moore's poetry

Krewe du Vieux danced through the Marigny last night with its usual flair for the hypocrisy and absurdity of life in New Orleans.  We caught many satirical treasures.

•  Medicine bottles from the PajamaCare Float. The bottles were filled with chocolate kisses.
• Pizza menu from the Putin Olympic with items that are X rated
• Noise violations handed out by mockers hushing us
• Krewe du Vieux tattoos
• Proclamations encouraging every one to dance and sing in our homes and on the streets
• "Go Directly to Jail" cards with out former mayor's picture plastered across it
• Bobby Jindal, the evil king of viliny
• Marlin Gusman's in an orange jump suit inviting us to the farewell dance at the New Orleans Prison

Lots of brass bands and humor to begin the marching groups of Mardi Gras 2014.  Let the humor and fun continue.
http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2014/02/krewe_du_vieux_2014_was_delici.html

Have you heard about Jacques Imo's Restaurant on Oak Street?

No one minds the wait as Jacques bounces from adulating connoisseurs of New Orleans cuisine to slack mouth tourist. This New Orleans restaurant is operated by Jacques Leonardi whose emblematic hot pepper boxer shorts have become a symbol of nouveau cuisine at the river’s bend. The no reservations, three drink wait is expected and made more carefree by Jacques’ 1960’s pew dancing maneuvers. There are two large church pews used as a waiting line to the left of the ever opened door across from the bar. Guest may sit and follow the bouncing Jacques floor show.

There’s a smiling team of prep cooks frying the savory seasoned fried oysters that top all of the complementary house salads that every guest is served. This is just one of the many delicacies springing from the mind of this creative chef. Reading Jacques’ menu is as much fun as sampling the food. One of the summer favorites is “Fried Green Tomatoes meets Godzilla.” Godzilla is a large fried soft shell crab, battered and cooked claws extended in an Edvard Munch “Scream” posture.

Jacques returns from his rounds, visiting all of his guests, a little more somber. One of his many gifts is a fond appreciation for his customers. He remembers all, and offers a little Cajun lagniappe to everyone: a drink here, a dessert there. He is a humble, gentle man who thoroughly enjoys life and his customers. 

I highly recommend a visit to this New Orleans delight.