What I like most about Louisiana is the people, the music, the cuisine, the festivals and the opportunity for endless outdoor activity.
The people are a melting pot of cultures – Spanish, French, African, Native American, and French-Canadian. The music – ah! the music! – ranges from New Orleans Jazz and Blues to Zydeco in rural Louisiana. The cuisine varies from red beans and rice to Crawfish Étouffée, from Beignets to Bananas Foster, from Po Boys to Muffulettas, from fried oysters to crawfish boils – all delicious and not to be easily found elsewhere unless one has the crustaceans shipped from Louisiana. My daughter and son in California have Tony’s Seafood on Speed Dial.
Louisianians are always celebrating something from various festivals to the world renowned, Mardi Gras. And, let us not forget the sometimes rowdy celebrations at LSU and the Saints football games. Or, even the loud encouragements heard at the “watch gatherings” in the Tiger Room.
Additionally, Louisiana waterways and marshy lands offer fishing and hunting for those, like many in my family who love the outdoors. I must say that a boat ride into the waterways of the swamp is a treat for the eyes as one catches a glimpse of an eagle in a tree top or an egret or pelican on the marshy banks. It can also be a bit alarming when an alligator is cited just a bit too close for comfort.
C’es la vie’ – such is life in Louisiana
by Shirley B.
My American story started when the Mayflower set sail from England in 1620 to go to the New World in search of Religious Freedom with 132 people on board, 30 crew members and 102 passengers.
For years, I had heard my mother’s side of the family say we were descendants of Peregrine White, the first baby born in the New World, but we had no documentation to prove it was true.
It was not until my son, Greg was in Elementary School and had to do a Social Studies project that I mentioned that we were descendants of Peregrine White. He decided to do his project on Peregrine.
Most people think that the Mayflower landed at Plymouth but on November 11th, 1620 after 66 days on the open sea in search of the New World, the Mayflower set anchor in Provincetown Harbor.
It was on November 20th that Peregrine White was born; he was the second baby born on the Mayflower and the first baby born in the New World in Provincetown Harbor.
The Mayflower stayed in Providenicetown Harbor for 5 weeks then left because of a skirmish with the Nauset Indians. The ship sailed a short distance across what is now called Cape Cod Bay, landing at Plymouth on December 16th, 1620.
The year Greg did his project, we sent copies of it to our family members for Christmas. This sparked an interest in doing a genealogy search by my husband and sister to verify our connection to Peregrine White, the first baby born in the New World.
My sister went one step further and filled out the necessary papers to become a member of the Mayflower Society. Only direct descendants of the 132 people who were on the Mayflower are eligible to be members.
It is interesting to note that the word Peregrine is a derivative of the Latin word “peregrinatur” that means Pilgrim.
by Elizabeth K.
My greatest challenge at the present time is the accumulation of papers – daily mail, old records, etc. When I was home, I had a system and enough storage that papers were filed away and out of sight. Now that I’ve downsized, there is no need to keep anything that is not of value.
I must come up with a new system and a time-table for sorting what is necessary from what is not and discard the latter. I will stop putting off until tomorrow what must be done today.
I will begin with the daily mail and immediately discard what is not of interest or value. Next, I will go through old files – receipts, work orders, etc. and decide what should be kept and what can be shredded. I will attach a time table to these goals and get them accomplished.
Now, I must get to work !
by Leea P.
At this point in my life, at the age of 92, I am able to look back and realize almost with surprise and astonishment, the amazing influence of God in my life. In my early childhood, I was surrounded by extended family members who all practiced their Catholic Faith consistently.
During my High School years, my family was uprooted and moved to Houston, Texas. There were no longer extended family who lived close by. My family turned to one another and became much closer as a unit.
Geographically, our new home was in walking distance of the Catholic Church where many activities were held. The priests and members of the congregation became friends and extended family. Again, God was acting in our lives.
At age 50, I relocated to Baton Rouge where I learned that each elementary school required a counselor. Those were my qualifications: BINGO – there He was again.
After retirement, I experienced a debilitating stroke that ultimately led to Williamsburg as my residence.Then comes the pandemic and restrictions of staying home. As a result, I am now watching mass daily on the Catholic Life Channel and enjoying Bishop Duca’s homilies, which have motivated me to be closer to God than I have ever been in my life.
by Margaret K.
