Feast To Famine

Today is one of my favorite days of the year....it's Mardi Gras!  This is one day I can wrap my head and my heart around.  I love a good party, therefore Mardi Gras is right up my alley and I happen to smile when I see the colors purple, green and yellow together!  I also love food... so whether it's Mardi Gras or Pancake Day to you, either works for me.  Today is all about indulging or over indulging as the case may be.  Party on!  Eat those pancakes!  Empty the larder!  Throw me something mister!

The first two months of 2017 have been a veritable feast.  I've traveled to some lovely and interesting places.  I've spent time with some of my favorite people. I did not make any ridiculous resolutions this year so my diet has not yet begun.  The signs of excess fun, food and frivolity are beginning to show which can only mean it's time to dial it all back and refocus.  Time to slow it all down, be more introspective and shut out some of the chatter.  Maybe it's time to stay home for a while (maybe...). It's definitely time to use more discipline when it comes to eating and drinking.  Cue Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of 40 days of living simply, praying more and fasting.  Through these practises we are able to focus more on the journey Jesus made for us and prepare for Easter. Time spent living simply can bring my attention away from the material aspects of life and more to the spiritual ones.  By praying more I have something better than the Internet to connect me to something much more important than anything online.  By fasting I am reminded of the discipline it takes to lead good life in the midst of temptation and can remind me there are many who are in need every day.  This leads to one more part of Lent, alms giving.  This is a great time (well, any time is a great time) to give a little more to our favorite charities or give our time generously to those who need us.  Lent is hard work, right?  But hard work reaps great benefits!  One more reason I love Mardi Gras....Ash Wednesday.

Stuck in a "Moment"

Have you ever caught yourself in a "moment" and thought... "This is something very special, I will remember this forever!"?  It is like you are looking down and seeing something extraordinary.  I am not talking about just good times but times when there is a force bigger than the sum of it's parts.  It is almost a spiritual experience.  I know...this sounds a little wacko and normally I'm not a wacko (hush!) but stick with me here and I'll try to ramble my way to a point.

This past weekend we were in Baton Rouge for the Baptism of our newest family member.  As expected, there were aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents in town for this event.  Any time we all get together can be considered a special experience.  We laugh, we eat, we drink, we reminisce, we cry (usually through laughter) and we always have a great time.  This weekend was no different. 

Happy Baptism! 

gratuitous blue sky and spring flower picture....because it was a beautiful weekend!

Every once in a while though, there are extraordinary moments.  We end up somewhere we never expected and we are taken over by the minutia.  Not everyone in that moment will realize just how special it is, we all have our own perspective and my "moment" is not necessarily your "moment".  It all happened when we were in the kitchen. We were talking and people were coming in and out and the conversation was jumping from one topic to another.  There was plenty of laughter and we were all talking at once....because that's what happens when we are all together, who has time to listen when we all have so much to say!?  Then one person told a story and there was a hush in the room.  It was poignant and we were all brought to tears at the love in the story.  A room full of rowdy people was hushed and awed.  It takes a lot to hush this crowd!  I can only assume that is when the Holy Spirit entered the room and we were all filled. 

These moments don't just happen.  It is not that there aren't lots of special events or family get-togethers but "that feeling" only happens every once in a while.  Not sure what makes a "moment" but I know you have all felt it at one time or another.  Sometimes we are too busy or caught up in our own heads to pay attention enough to realize just how special some times are.  We need to stop, soak it all in and look at our lives from above and then maybe we will realize we are truly blessed to be who we are and where we are, right in that "moment". 

Enough preaching.... now for a few more pictures from the weekend.  Baton Rouge was in full Mardi Gras mode.  We ate crawfish and boudin balls and king cake!  We went to a Mardi Gras parade too.  It was a beautiful sunny day but a bit chilly and very windy.  Everyone still managed to catch their share of beads and we all enjoyed the sunshine.

"Throw us something mister!"

They had to wear all those beads so they did not blow away in the wind!

Hope everyone enjoys the last few days before Lent begins.  Happy Pancake Day to all of my Canadian friends, wipe that syrup off your chin!  Happy Mardi Gras!  I am considering a few Lenten options for the blog so we shall see what happens. 
Forty days of ????  Suggestions?

Spring in the South, King Cakes and Open Windows

Spring has sprung in south Texas and south Louisiana.  I find this a double edged sword.  I enjoy this time, don't get me wrong, who wouldn't?  It is warm, sunny, windy and there are signs of life all around.  I have even been able to open my windows!  Open windows are something very familiar to some of you in the spring who live north of the sultry south, to those of us who live down here, it is a delicious pleasure that lasts only moments.  I savour those moments, the fresh air blowing through the house smells so nice and feels luxurious.  I don't even mind the dust that it leaves on all my furniture.  I can dust in the air conditioning....someday.  In the meantime, I choose to enjoy the open windows while I can, I count this as one of life's absolute pleasures. 

I said this is a double edged sword so here is the other side.  Open window season is followed by "too hot to exist" season faster than you can say,"stop talking about the weather.".  I know there are many of you still digging your way out of winter's deep freeze and to you I say, "enjoy it while you can."  At least that is what I would do.

 In other news and observations....people in Louisiana love Mardi Gras!  We were in Baton Rouge last weekend and the entire town was decorated in purple, green and gold.  Evidence....

Just a local shop in a strip mall!

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A beautiful Mardi Gras wreath on my sister's front door

front door fully decked out for Mardi Gras!

Everywhere we went there was Mardi Gras!  I loved it!  We walked into a local grocery store and the smell of King Cakes hit me in the face/nose.  King Cakes are delicious cakes available only during Mardi Gras.  They are similar to coffee cake, and there is a plastic toy baby hidden in the cake and the person who gets the baby is supposed to bring the next King Cake... traditionally.  Have I mentioned that the cakes are delicious?  They are iced with either a sugar glaze or cream cheese icing and sprinkled with green, purple and gold sugar crystals.  So festive and fun! 

It seems every time I go back to Louisiana I am reminded of how much culture exists there and how much I love it.  There really is nowhere like Louisiana.  The food, the culture and the people are truly unique.  One more week of Mardi Gras celebrations and then....Lent.  Party on!