Brunch in Arnaudville -- and pictures from the passenger side

Somehow I managed to turn this post into a draft or I never published it. Either is a possibility. So I'm publishing it (again?) just so it's recorded. Wish I knew what I did....
Last Sunday we drove down to Arnaudville, Louisiana, to meet Rory and Meggan for brunch at a cafe called "Little Big Cup." The food is amazing! If you're ever in the Lafayette area along I10, it is THE place to eat. It's my second time eating here, and I've been impressed both times. 

Really, make reservations and go! In addition to the food, the atmosphere is fantastic and the restaurant is right on Bayou Teche. There's an outdoor eating area where diners can clamor down the patio steps and eat right on the water's edge. I recommend spring or late fall for alfresco dining. Ask for the etoufee: it is the official festival of Arnaudville.

The rest of this post is about the town. It's relatively typical of South Louisiana towns, but pretty in it's own way. I put my window down and grabbed a few pictures from the air conditioned passenger side. It's too hot to go out-of-doors. It's almost too hot to put the window down! 

Bayou Teche and Bayou Fusilier intersect giving one many places for photo opportunities. And, speaking of opportunities, this is a great place for a swamp or bayou tour. Eavesdrop on the locals and you'll likely hear some Cajun French. It's also a great place to hear zydeco music.

Enjoy Arnaudville, Louisiana.    

The front (top) and back (bottom)
of the old gin still in use.

Pin It Weekly #129

Still thinking of Paris

Swampin'

Laura and her new camera....
photography is one of her hobbies.

My sister, Laura, and her two daughters were here last week for a visit.  She phoned ahead and told me she had a plan for at least one day of her vacation in Louisiana: she wanted to go on a swamp tour.  


I've been on a trip something like this before, when the boys were young, and I wasn't so impressed, but I could be convinced provided she brought along mosquito spray.  She agreed.  Turns out we didn't need it but I didn't know that at the time.

Haley and Riley (sorry the photo is so bad girls)

She invited our other sisters and made arrangements with Cajun Country Swamp Tours which is located in Breaux Bridge, and headed by a zoologist/botanist tour guide who unabashedly loves the water, the swamp, and the Acadians.

Sisters Angie and Sid

Lake Martin

I must admit, it was way more interesting than I could have hoped for.  In fact, I really want to take the grandchildren on a tour in a few weeks.  


The weather was perfect, bright and sunny, warm but not sweltering and breezy.  Of course, I would not have wanted to be going out at 11:00 when we returned to shore!  We were tired but it was getting a bit too warm.  The tours last two hours, so that means the 11:00 tour ends at 1:00, a very hot part of the day. 


We saw all sorts of birds from roseate spoonbills, several egrets, a great blue heron, anhingas, an owl, Carolina chickadees, and maybe a few more I've forgotten.


My favorite were the beautiful water lilies, which I photographed, but my camera is acting up again and those pics did not come out.
Since we were in a swamp, there were only two types of trees, but don't let that make you think that there's no variety.  It's amazing how beautiful the trees are.  

Cypress tree 

Check out these beauties.  Isn't it interesting how this tree on the right is alive but has no center?  I love it that the guide points out these sights and explains them.


That he explains them in a humorous, entertaining way made the tour even more fun.  These guys are serious about their Cajun hospitality!  

An alligator

A bit of land

Of course, he was good about pointing out those things we expected to see.  Spanish moss, cypress knees, alligators, they were all there!  And we got to see them all from a crawfish skiff deep enough to feel safe but open so that we could easily see and snap photos.  Definitely worth the trip!    And as an extra special bonus......no mosquitoes!

Spanish moss

Cypress knees

A Great Combination....

Scarves and beads make for a very nice accessory.  Of course, a beaded scarf can serve two purposes--they're warm and pretty!  


When I designed these scarves, I really wanted to be able to use them as jewelry and clothing.   


The fabric is quite unusual, it has a stripe of variegated thread that adds a little sparkle, so when I choose beads, I try to keep in mind that there's already some color.  Couple that with the monochromatic colors of hand-dyed fabric, and we have lots going on.  


It was easy enough to find the beads, however.  Most are beads in my stash, but a few are some I picked up especially for this design.


The red fabric doesn't have a deep a range of colors in the dye, so I felt comfortable using a bigger variety of glass beads.


I like the added weight that the beads give to the scarves.  I've made a few scarves with beading on the edge so that they hang well because of the weight.  But I really like the look of the beads connecting the sections of the scarves.


This final scarf is a sheer fabric with French words written in a beautiful script.  I've had the fabric for a long time and ran across it while looking for fabric for a different project.


When I saw it, I just had to make a few scarves.  I ended up with three and decided to add beads to this one.  It has a loop at the opposite end so that the beaded edge can be slipped into the loop for closing. 

No tying, no loose flapping ends (well, only one, anyway) and a nice false knot that never unties.  I have a couple of scarves like this and love the look.  Generally I wear them with the loop a bit high so that the opposite end drapes down comfortably.