Friday, September 19, 2014

the end.

the end of this blog
and the start of a new one

the end of Thinking For Myself
while still thinking for myself of course

(for real - if you are going to miss this blog oh
many cherished readers - please let it be known -
I respond to comments)

think of it

a NEW BLOG

travel - it's a travel blog - that is what I love writing about
not so much about me but about the world I am exploring
well ok, and me

what should I call it.....
national geographic is taken
it needs to be witty and pertinent

Being in Place - Place of Being - Being Places

where I am placing my being next
is Albuquerque, New Mexico on Tuesday


read all about it on

http://beingplaces.blogspot.com/2014/09/blog-post.html 



thank-you loyal readers
 good night

xxoo

Sunday, August 31, 2014

it has been a few months since I have posted
my end of the month favorite photos

so I have a lot of them saved up - ready





















baby octopus in egg sacs....













 




until next time

Monday, August 4, 2014

a break from the New Orleans saga......

to show you my yard



this is the new passion vine


 first flowers









 this is one of the other passion vines


 Myers lemons 


 the sky vine - taking over the east wall






this is yet another species of passion vine


they call this the butterfly plant
they love it - their caterpillars eat it down to nothing
and it comes back the next year



 this is our 3rd pineapple this year
I am still amazed that pineapples grow in the yard!



double hibiscus


who out there knows what those are lined up on the window sill??



the tropical summer



Saturday, July 26, 2014

New Orleans - the MUSIC



"down in the Treme
just me and my baby
were all going crazy
while jamming an' a havin fun...."

(full version)

some would say I should have started with the music and not the houses
but the house were so obvious 
and the music not so much


we went to the French Quarter




where we heard some good live music in the restaurant near Latrobe Park


near the french market


we sat in the park - loved the statues


then we had to have coffee and beignets 


 down the street at the Cafe du Monde


the man loves good coffee


 of course it was packed with tourists


but we heard some of the best jazz there
didn't feel comfortable taking pictures of the band....

that night Willie went to Frenchman's St
and said he heard some good music
(they start after I go to bed........)
next night - even on Frenchman's not much music

 riding our bikes trying to get to the river 


 we pass the Euclid - holy crap 


the place where these guys recorded!


 hanging out where the greats walked 



 just across the street was this huge bridge over the tracks



 the only way across the river
I was like no way am I going over that

the pictures - and I knew they wouldn't -
just could not show the perspective of how high and scary this was
the only saving grace and what made it possible was that you could not see over the sides....




of course I did it and it was wonderful to see
the Mississippi River in all her glory on the other side



  these are not great photos as it was overcast and getting dark





  the mighty Mississippi River 



I had heard about it all my life - I saw it up north when I was younger and it was smaller



to see how new orleans was the river and the river was new orleans

to see it here in all is glory was somehow transforming



still in search of music we did some research
we went to Mimi's on a saturday night



and guess what - right - no music
great tapas though.....

Mimi's in the Marigny



well that explains why it is such a wonderful, interesting and happy part of town




we did have a great lunch in a little bar we went into in the Treme
running in to escape an afternoon downpour and the crowds


but no music


the last night we were in new orleans
we went to the Hi-Ho Lounge to hear some Latin jazz



we saw a play bill on the wall at Mimi's

and cuban food was advertised

perfect

when we get to the bar, it is dead and we almost left
then we think to ask about the food
- oh yeah, through that side door out back....

it was like alice in wonderland
the little door opened into a narrow walkway and onto a small back patio
that was not dead at all
very interesting people, many in costumes, great looking food going by
good canned music

the food was awesome
new chef in different locations hoping to get his own restaurant
a really nice young man came and hung out with us

but of course the Latin band was not showing 
and so a punk rock band was showing up instead

walking home later that night
we did hear a lovely singer being accompanied on the piano as we walked by a house
and we stood under the window for awhile

and a guy quietly strumming a guitar on a balcony somewhere on royal street

and later a lone trombone










next time (if you can stand anymore) - the food and most important - the people
of new orleans