Home

  I arrived home today after being on the road and conducting an audit/inspection in Leakesville, MS. It's a 2,600-man unit.   I drove 716 miles round-trip.  

Glad to be home.

Susan Jane Daniel

 Susan Jane Daniel was my best friend when I grew up on the Farm in rural West Feliciana Parish.  She passed away so very early in Life.  Actually, while we were in the 7th grade.  For some unknown reason, thoughts of her traveled through my mind this morning, as the ice storm approached the Lil City by the Red.  She played clarinet in the high school band, while I played alto saxophone; she sat in front of me in band practice. Susan Jane and her family lived in the rural settlement of Elm Park, La, where the post office was located in her father's store, which closed many years ago.  

I am not sure why, but Susan Jane Daniel entered my mind this morning. Something triggered the memory. While I was writing this post, the AC unit grill fell to the floor with a loud bang.  Was Susan Jane's presence being announced? 

May Your Memory and Soul live on, Susan Jane.

Where When is This Going to End

 I awoke this morning early and read the online WSJ, one of the lead articles of which is about. The shooting/killing of Mr. Pretti, a frame-by-frame of the event, is shown on the WSJ webpage.

It made me sick. I sit here thinking about why you are drawn to this mayhem. I know it's wrong. The Federal Government's spinning of a dishonest story about the actual events, frame by frame, gives the actual account of this matter. 

Where and when will these people in DC stand up and speak the truth? 

Pork Sweet Potatoes, Collard Greens.. Its a Louisiana Day.

 Yesterday, I grilled some pork tenderloins on The Egg. Baked some Avoylles Parish Sweet Potatoes, I usually buy a 40 Pound crate in early October, which last me until the end of January.  What I truly like is Collard Greens or Mustard Greens, so I picked up some from the local farmers' market.  Fresh, already-washed, young greens.

Keeping My Mind Away from the Turmoil

 In recent weeks, as with all, my mind and thoughts have been bogged down by the acts and actions of elected officials in DC, government employees around the country who are acting like "Brown Shirts" of the 1930s, and disinterested ordinary folks.  

To take my mind off the above, my walks in the neighborhood have become longer, with stops to photograph homes, streets, flowering bushes, etc.  

Thank Goodness for this blog and the folks who leave commentary.   I feel supported in many ways.  

Here are some more photographs of the neighborhood I have lived in since 1991, coming here to the Lil' City by the Red to take a second-in-command role at a DOC facility.  Which, in the long term, in 1996, I assumed the role of head knocker...The W., I was accepted by the local population in those early years as a starched white-shirt, khaki-pants, penny-loafer gentleman.  Thus, my career in the Public eye took off and has garnered me many accolades over the years.

Pardon me for that brief digression on the above. Now back to the photographs.

The first home, second home, were in states of deterioration, before they were brought back to life by the current owners, who did a marvelous job of restoration to the maximum degree. The last photo shows Albert Street.  The concrete in the middle of the street was placed there in 1906 due to taking up the tracks of the horse-drawn streetcar.  

As the Tour of the Garden District continues:

 The tour of the Garden District continues, as the world becomes more discombobulated.  Here are a few more photographs of my neighborhood. I have included the home I recently sold; I have owned it since 1997, fully renovated, as the Classic Bungalow it was designed to be.  I purchased it in 1997, from the son of the original owners who built it in 1923.  At the time, Mr. B was 82 years old and a bachelor.  He often said that he had sold it to another bachelor.

My old Front Porch

Front photograph of my old home.

                             

Another Garden District Beauty 

  
 

Another Walk throught the Neighborhood.

 Continuing to let folks know a little more about the Lil' City by the Red, here is several more homes, and one Church.  The Church is St. James Episcopal Church. It was established in the mid 1850s; this is the second building to house the congregation.  The two homes, one of which I renovated in early 2010. I was swept up in the renovation theme trickling through the Garden District, so I tried my hand at flipping this house, but (and there is always a but) I found I wasn't a good flipper. The other home is of a married couple who adopted me when I first came to the Lil' City by the Red. The lady is now passed away, but her husband is still living at 95 years old.  I have always said they were my adopted grandparents.

 St James Episcopal

My Flipper

                                                                The Adopted Grandparents 

Big Things are in Richland Parish

 The Meta Data Center is coming to Richland Parish, out in the middle of NoWhere, but that is nothing for Richland Parish,  Everything is Big in Richland Parish, even the Mail Boxes.

 

Photographs on a Sunday

 In keeping with my promise to myself, I am starting with photographs from the walks I take around my neighborhood and a few personal images of a Younger Me.

The renovation bug has hit my neighbors across the street, which is Fine and Dandy.    Here are before-and-after photos of the house on the other side of the block.

And a bonus photograph of me hiking the Goat Trails near Abiquiu, NM.  My sister owned a second home in Teseque, NM. I used to travel out there a good bit because I have friends in Santa Fe, NM who stilll resided there. 

 I have to say the photograph indicates my puggy status way back when, before the cycling phase of my life.

Listening to UnDimmed by Cecily Mak. and Photographs from a walk in the Neighborhood

 Cecily Mak, tells her story of becoming UnDimmed in her Life. 

I have enjoyed listening to the book; her voice draws you in, and the subject helps me on my journey.  I found it on Spotify.   

More later.

Photos from a walk in the neighborhood:

First Photo is Jackson Street, with the Live Oak Canopy, Second  and Third Photos were taken on my street

Its 6:19am

 Here I am in front of the Apple iMac, about to make an entry in this blog, which I have kept going since 2006.

This Blog has kept me sane, made me more open and more trusting of folks, and I say Thank You to it and all who read it.

In life, I have come to realize that one must not actually look behind, in that sense of the word, but (and there is always a but) one can remember not to fall into a Gar Hole. (In the waters and bayous of Louisiana, live Alligator Gar. They inhabit the muddy waters and banks of the bayous. They waller out holes in the bed and banks of the bayou; these holes are deep, and stepping off in one is dangerous.

Its Another Day, Its another Dollar. Time is moving on And Some of US are doing just That.

 Yep,  Time is certainly moving on, Here on the Red Bricks of the Neighborhood.   We are loosing some short time residents and long time residents as well.   Mostly due to career changes, or business decisions.

But there is another change occurring, Older folks are leaving to be close to their children or grandchildren.    We have always had the first paragraph of residents. However, this new obsession with caring for grandchildren is something that my generation created.    It seems that my generation won't let their children stand on their own two feet; they must be involved with their children and grandchildren constantly.  It's an amazing cultural event.   Moving out of a neighborhood you have lived in for 40+ years, uprooting yourself to find another home or condo to be near your offspring, is just ridiculous to me.  Why depend on your offspring to supply you with support?  Aren't you independent enough to make it on your own?  

It's a puzzling time, somewhat confusing, when the World around you in the Nation that you live in needs stability. Here you are, packing up and leaving.

How the Masses are rooting out An Individual

 Fifteen Years ago, we didn't have too much social media.  What we had were CBS, NBC, ABC, and the all-mighty CNN.

Now we have TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and on and on of new platforms arriving daily by unwarranted invitations to our cellphones, Google Accounts, and other means of communication.

We are bombarded by this opinion, that opinion, whatever opinion, whoever's opinion.  Thus, it's almost like a lone person can NOT have an Opinion.

Each of us is truly an individual, within our Own Worlds, which, by my standards of living, is what a person should have. 

Not some conjugate way to live.  Be who You are.  Be a Person, not someone in a Mass.  

I Think!!!!

 The New Crime in our Capitol is:

Willful Ignorance To The Maximum Degree

That is all I have to say!!  Every One of Them. No Exceptions. Because it's not Stupidity, they all need to get up and Stand Up. Don't worry about getting elected again, Cause if you make the Correct decision for the Correct Reason, History will commend you later on.... Hindsight is Deserved. But (and there is always a but) Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely!!

As I Progress

 In six days, I will be coming up on sixty days of being cold sober. I have been indulging in the world of spirits since I was 14.  Here in Louisiana, it was just customary back in those days that if u were 14 or above, you could walk in the back door of a local establishment and purchase whatever you fancied on a Friday or Saturday night.  (Let me digress where, for a moment, Louisiana customs, as with the previously described, are changing;  buying from the back door is a Big No now.)

As a TeenAger, I had a taste for a certain wine produced by the Gallo Brothers, labeled "ToKay".  It was a red wine blend sold in half-gallon jugs; it lasted until the wee hours of Sunday morning.  We had Creek Parties; we all would go down to the local creek. Someone would have a new eight-track of Steppenwolf; we would build a fire, dance, and cut up till early Sunday morning, then sneak back home before Sunrise.

So I am progressing and understanding that I want to stay around on this Earth a little while longer. As my dear Sister has told me,  of Late,  I'd better change My Ways.  Well, Dear Sister, I have.

Truly... I have Such RAW EMOTIONS !

 The Loss of A Life

 I can not describe how emotional I am.  I have to write about my feelings here.  

 As I watched in Horror, the second video of the Woman, who was joking and smiling with that Officer, 

Then in three seconds, She Lost her LIFE.

I'm Disturbed, I'm Angry. I Cried, 

 For the Sake of Our Nation!!

STOP IT

Back From the Mississippi Delta

 I  came home yesterday, left MSP Guest House at 530am, drove 278 miles back to the Lil City by the Red. Back to the safety and comfort of my lil section of Life. 

I spent four days up there, reviewed, inspected, and wrote a six-page report. Enjoyed myself, told stories, and walked 14.7 miles inside the Unit Compounds that occupy the expansive complex of 22,000 acres.

It's located in the North American Flyway.   Here are some photographs.  I refused to go into Unit 17, that's Mississippi's Death Row/House.  Just on the principle of my beliefs.

In the First photograph, notice the corrections unit behind the geese. Notice the Church Spire in the background.   Each Unit is receiving a Church Building to house religious services in.  The modern movement of bringing faith-based Programming is changing violent prisons here in the South.

The third and last photograph is of the back of the Front Gate of MSP. Many offenders, that is what they see each day, the Back of the Front Gate, as Louisiana, so goes Mississippi, their respective Maximum Security Complexes are becoming Old Age Homes.  That is another topic for Another Day.

Other than that, it was a very successful trip and inspection.

Tis Januray 1st 2026 Travels to Look forward to:

 Today I am packing up to travel to the Mississippi Delta on Sunday, to Parchman.  If you know anything about the South, The Word Parchman has the same connotation as Angola.   Both are in the Mississippi River Delta; one is located about 278 miles from the other; one draws backwater from the Mississippi River, and the other is protected by a levee system from the Mississippi River; and each is notorious for the Penal Systems of the South.

I will spend four days there, on the 22,000 acres, 2854 Souls, making sure the accreditation standards are met to the utmost.  

I haven't really spoken about my travels to the Magnolia State. From time to time, I wanted to provide some information, along with photographs, of my travels deep into the rural landscape of Mississippi.