Baja St. Martin

Life is quiet here these days. I’m happy with that. The last few weeks have been hectic with the levee business to worry about, the veterans luncheon, the COA appearance, Food for Seniors, electricity help for people. Not so much going on this week.

I’ve heard the price of crawfish is down to $1.25 which is still high enough so a person can make some money. The water is really high but reports are that it should be falling. Actually, the water is up over the launch ramps at the landing but not yet to the pavilion floor. The dog and I are limited to the batture of the levee for our walks. All my sit-upon stumps are under water!

I don’t need an alarm to awaken any more since many crawfish boats and trailers begin passing about 5:30 a.m. every day. Those are the late ones. If I’m lucky I sleep through all the ones which pass about 3:30 a.m.!

The rain is beginning to come down now. Everything outside is so wonderfully green but my newly planted marigolds and zinnias need the water. I have calendulas, petunias, day lilies and amaryllis in bloom. Cajun hibiscus doing nicely. Much to my delight, I’m seeing life in my Queen Iochroma, my schefflera, allemanda and my antique hibiscus.

The purple martins are busily nesting as is the wood duck. At least three hummingbirds are using the feeder – taking turns, of course. They are not sociable creatures!

I went to my first water aerobics class on Monday and the next day I ached all over, but it still feels good. The instructor is a retired teacher friend who has a big in-ground pool in her back yard. I am not interested in jumping up and down on a hard floor, but the workout in water is perfect.

My daughter in Pensacola sent me some pictures of the flooding in her neighborhood. They had 26 inches of rain in about 12 hours. Her house is high and dry but her street is under water and some of her neighbors have water inside their houses. She said most of the town was flooded with streets washed out in places. From her back porch you can look across an empty lot, a shell road and then to Escambia Bay. This morning it is all under water and just looks like the whole bay is almost to her back door.

And here, there was barely a mist on my windshield as I drove to a meeting in Napoleonville. I will have to water my garden and flowers. It is much cooler this morning, however, and kind of nice, though it certainly is a nuisance hauling out warm clothes again. I’m wondering how that pool water is going to feel on Friday!

My trip to Bayou Chene was great as expected. I will write a separate story about it, but for now thanks to Jerry Mendoza who drove the boat I rode in. Thanks to Orie Mendoza who invites me every year. It was nice to meet Stella Carline Tanoos who has done a lot of historical research on the Chene area, most specifically on the cattle drives. That is something I will have to speak with her about. Sounds fascinating.

I keep telling my older sister that the Lockwood Asch engines were first made in Jackson, Michigan, my home town and where she now lives, but she hasn’t yet found any confirmation locally of that. I do know Lockwood Asch sold their engine business to Nadler of Plaquemine which was in business for over 100 years but no longer. At the Bayou Chene event, one man was wearing a T-shirt which advertised Nadler Foundry and I just had to ask him where he got the shirt. I think he said some friend had it specially made.

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lcooke9417@bellsouth.net.