Baja St. Martin

I have just returned from a week in southern Michigan where I visited with my two sisters. The temperature was in the mid-20s when my baby sister met me at the Detroit airport and there was some snow. At her house there was a lot of snow which her dog, a Great Pyrnees loved.
On the way to our older sister’s house we drove on some country roads where the old barns and trees and fences and roads were shrouded with snow. The houses were mostly frame, two-story with add-ons, set back from the road in the middle of acres of what would be cornfields. It was so picturesque. Could have been on a postcard. We passed through the village of Chelsea, Mich., where the Jiffy Mix factory was. Big silos everywhere.
My sisters and I reminisced about family experiences, as sisters will do when together. We are far apart in ages so we pretty much shared very few things with relatives. We all, however, at separate times, remembered spending time at the farm of an aunt and uncle – of playing in the barn, helping feed the cows, being scared of the bull, learning about electric fences, gathering eggs, driving the tractor.
When I left my older sister’s home six days later, all the snow was melted, the temperature was in the high 60s and we walked in shirt sleeves. I arrived in New Orleans in 80-plus temps – and wind. The plane bounced about, up and down, as it approached the runway. Not my favorite moments. Now it’s raining and still windy. My sinuses are taking a beating with all these weather changes.
I walked the dog today, much to her delight, and there were just six trucks at the landing. Rain was forecast so I suppose the fishermen were staying home. Oh, yes, I took a few boiled crawfish up to my brother-in-law ($3.99 a pound) but would you believe that we found boiled ones for sale in the Kroger’s store in their town. I don’t recall the price.
Nobody seems to be catching crawfish in the spillway. I did hear of one young fisherman who got three sacks from over 200 traps on the “inside,” or in the Belle River swamp area. The water is still a little high and I expect it’s cold. As I drove to New Orleans on Hwy. 3127, I did see traps in the flooded fields. I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll get spillway crawfish at all this year.
Food for Seniors is coming March 24 and that evening at 6 p.m. the Recreation Board will meet. Bingo is this coming Tuesday and it will be birthday day. We are planning a pot-luck lunch on May 17 in the Belle River Community Center. The last was a real success so we decided to have another.
Easter Break for Stephensville Elementary is March 24 to April 1. (Uh-oh, that’s April Fools Day!)
I probably shouldn’t advertise this, but I am so tired of hearing the results of political polls, about debates, primaries and caucuses. It seems like that’s all that’s on TV these days. And I continually wonder where the stations find all these “retired” people to comment on various things. A presidential campaign is certainly a boon to all the dozens of people who once did something noteworthy. I suppose you can’t blame them. The pay is probably good.
The yards here are green but mostly under water. I can hear an alligator croaking either under my house or in the ditch between my neighbor and myself. The skies are streaky gray and more rain is coming. All the water seems to deaden the sounds. It’s wonderfully quiet. Good to be home.

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lindacooke1939@gmail.com.