Around the Vieux Carre

 and that means "old square" - I had to look it up.

So I happened upon Jackson Square again.

You really can't help it.

Since people actually managed to stay out of my

camera lens I love this shot from the fountain out

to Andrew Jackson statue. Because the horses front

legs are in the air, it means the rider died in battle.

 Cruising the streets shops have amusing items in front of their door.

 I love the ethereal look of these buildings and I don't know how

I achieved it. Something I did with the exposure or lack thereof but

it muted everything and its really how they look in real life.

This is a popular hotel and its because of the corn on the posts of the 

fencing, but not only that its a beautiful, well kept structure and

just happens to be next door to the hotel below.

When I was last here, I took the haunted history tour 

the Andrew Jackson Hotel was on the tour and has

noted experiences of hauntings. It was a boarding school

back in the 1700's when a fire broke out and

5 children lost their lives.  

 and this bar was also on the list.

 In its former life, it was the LaFit brothers blacksmith

shop and its reported that its haunted by a girlfriend of one of them.

Notice the spot there - that I didn't notice when I took the photo - I'm

going with the spooky.....

because I can.

Stalking dead people..........

So it appears riff-raff like me can stalk the old cemeteries

between the hours of 9-4.

And I was totally all over it. 

Because I love cemeteries because they have history

and can tell you so much about the people

who lived here and their lives.

 It was a cloudy, gloomy sort of day and that was perfect for 

prowling around in St. Louis Cemetery.

It's amazing.

It's old.

And sadly decaying. 

Unless the families pay for perpetual care, they are 

in charge of tending their families graves.

And for quite a few there appears to be no family remaining.

Katrina didn't help.

 And this gem just flat stood out amongst the crypts.

I'm thinking and its so obvious that its a modern version of the pyramid.

Family crypts are multi-generational and

sometimes its difficult to tell the roles they played.

Movers and shakers or behind the scenes.

 This is the infamous Marie LaVeau's grave.
The multi-racial voodoo priestess who was born free as a daughter of a white planter.

There's no name plate, tombstone but you know its hers.

X's are placed on there for luck. There is also offerings of 

all kinds of trinkets and cards left for her.

Very interesting as she kind of stands alone.

Sort of.

 There are rows and rows like this.

Some crumbling. Some new. Some pristine.

Some awkward rows.
I  also found offerings of shells and rocks left on graves or in their
vicinity but I don't know why.
No one was there to answer that question.

 And don't people leave the darndest things on crypts and graves. 

This was just one of many that I'm sure has a great story to go with.

I'd love to know it.

There are all kinds of statues, crosses and iron fences 

honoring and guarding loved ones.

I have a lot more pix.

I know you can't wait.

tearing up the backroads

 Along the Gulf Coast roads we got our first glimpse of

Mobile AL skyline.

 For some reason blogger does these photos out of order and

then makes it totally annoying to rearrange them.

So Biloxi and you know I love my shrimpers.

And how pretty are these.

 Also cruising down the highway - there were 3 lighthouses.

This was the best drive by shot.

Beautiful dock and park in Fair Hope AL.

There are also bird condos in the water.

Very fun!

Will be roaming about New Orleans today and hopefully do some 

different things this time around.

We hit 10K on the RV

 And here's the picture to prove it!!! 

Just rolled over on this trip.

 We went from Jax-Tallahassee down the the Gulf Coat Road.

 And found that Pensacola is gearing up for Spring Break.

Gonna be wild times.

 Lots of scenic views going on.

 Didn't have time to ride. Aww shucks.

Its been cold so how weird that we had a hotel room on the beach

while we have an RV..

Shots were made from Iphone sorry about dashboard stuff.

Weekend artists

As you know, or not, 2 page layouts have baffled me.

It appears my bafflement may have come to an end.

These are 4x6 pix (except for 1) 

on 8x8 double pager. 

I know you're as shocked as I am.

But all of the photos needed to be used in order to tell the story and

I didn't think about it until after I ordered 4x6 photos across the board.

Well  doh!!!

However, it totally worked out. And I couldn't help but do it

in a cartoony style because as I looked at the pictures the pretend

conversation took place in my head.

It just couldn't be helped.

The first photo on the left shows were "Ms I need that crayon now" is seated.

Far far away from her brothers and the action.

Until that yellow crayon became a really urgent need

and it was obvious the brothers were just not fast enough.

I know how she feels because I color the same way.

When I need a color....

I need it NOW.

Off the road....

Continuing with the scrapping of New Orleans photos and staying with Authentique even though its a different color will in my mind bring continuity to the other New Orleans pages already completed. I'm pleased to say we'll be heading back to New Orleans in a few days with the RV and I'll get some do-overs in my continual photographic endeavors to hone the craft. 

The above photo is a cemetery located on a back road down Rte 11 toward Venice LA just off the side of the road. It is not the only cemetery on the road, its just the one where we could pull over without getting run down by cars careening down the highway at 70mph. I shot this one from the car window with the 18-55 canon lens. 

I love cemeteries as you can glean a lot of information from them in your ancestry hunting (although I haven't encountered any located in LA). I did write a hub about it cleverly titled "Raking through the dead leaves." Anyway the cemeteries in LA are extremely compelling not only because they are above ground but also from the melding of religions. Because of their delicate condition unsuspecting riff-raff, like me, can't just meander through the old ones so I believe I'll be booking a tour this next time around. 

You can't just go to New Orleans without including one of these historic and "haunted" cemeteries  in   in your photopraphy pictorial or your scrapbook albums. 

Notes from today...

Usually when I get my nails done I drop into the LSS that is conveniently located nearby and they had the new Bella Blvd patterned pack of really cool, fun colors with different background designs with different colored alpha stickers and journaling cards. swoon. I kept this simple because Ms Amelia in her amazing hat and adorable face in this great shot should take center stage. I fussy cut those hearts from American Craft. 

Ever since I got my new pair of TH tonic scissors fussy cutting is fun.

Actually I kept dithering around about this page and that astounds you I know. I couldn't decided if it needed more; another title, more paper, emebellishments  yadayadyadayada arrgghhh - I finally just called it a day after swirling some twine around-you can never have too much twine. Of course mom will fill in deets in what little space I gave her as I actually cut the journaling card up to make it fit. 

Pink, green, red, teal. 

Yum.