Week 4

Well, we arrived four weeks ago yesterday.  It's been an interesting month and even though we don't quite have our routine down yet, we're getting closer. 

This week we went to Natchez, MS on Tuesday night so we could visit the seminary class there at 6:00 am on Wednesday.  Natchez (rhymes with 'matches') is right across the Mississippi River about 1 3/4 hours away from Alexandria.  We didn't have time to linger on this visit, but we're looking forward to exploring in the future.  While Alexandria was burned to the ground in the Civil War, Natchez was spared.  It has over 40 authentic Antebellum and Victorian Bed and Breakfast spots and historic inns.

The seminary teacher is a Natchez native.  He bought the house next to his mother's (where he was raised) about five years ago and has been fixing it up ever since--it's a lovely circa 1840 home.  Meanwhile, his mother is living elsewhere caring for her mother, so the sister missionaries assigned to Natchez live there.

Crossing the Mississippi

The Blalock's home--pretty cool seminary setting

Nice digs for the sister missionaries in Natchez

On the way to Natchez there is an 1800 acre cotton plantation called Frogmore on the Louisiana side of the river.  It offers tours showing the progression from slave days to the modern cotton operation.  We'll stop there when we have more time.  But it was fascinating to see the harvested cotton in huge bales in the fields as we drove by.

Cotton field just before harvest, cotton bales, and more cotton bales

Wednesday night we substituted in institute in Alexandria--it felt good to teach an institute class again.  Thursday morning we left home at 5 am to go the the seminary class in Leesville, 48 miles to the south west of us.  We toyed with the idea of staying there all day until the institute class that night, but there isn't that much to do there, so we came home and drove back in the evening.  That institute class is primarily for the soldiers at Fort Polk, but only one of them was there that night, though several retired couples attended.  It was dark when we went in the morning so we had no idea what we were passing  On the way home, however, we saw that we were passing more cotton harvest.  These bales were in huge blocks instead of cylinders.

So much cotton!

This week we opened a small checking account at a local bank so we'll have easier access to cash when needed.  While the person was processing everything, the bank manager (a LA native in his 60s) came out to greet us. Hearing we're from Utah, he spent the next 20 minutes telling us about local lore, things we must see in the area, and other interesting tidbits.   Here's some of what he told us:

• Most Louisianans think of New Orleans as another state--it doesn't represent the real LA at all
• The reason there are no antebellum homes or plantations in the immediate vicinity is that the union army burned Alexandria to the ground in the Civil War
• Natchitoches (remember--pronounced nack-a-dish) is the oldest city in the entire Louisiana Purchase; it was established in 1714 (New Orleans was founded in 1718 and the LA Purchase was in 1803)
• Many people have French names that end in 'eau' or 'eaux' (pronounced with a long o as in 'no').  The difference in spelling has to do with literacy.  When the early French Canadians settled in LA most didn't speak English and many were illiterate.  When they went to market to sell their crops, the buyers asked them to sign their names.  If they were illiterate, they made their mark with an X, then the person doing the transaction asked them their name, and wrote it in front of the X, for instance MoreauX--which became Moreaux.  If the farmer was literate, he would just write his name--Moreau.  Centuries later, the x still shows up on some names and others don't have it, depending on the literacy of their ancestors. 
• I thought alligators were confined to the south of the state, but he assured us that every lake in this area is full of 'gators, but they seldom leave their lakes.  He said if you go out to a lake at night and shine a bright light over it, you'll see what looks like glowing red coals.  Those are the 'gator's eyes, and you can tell how big one is by the distance between the red glowing eyes.  We don't plan to test this out!

He was absolutely charming, but to be honest, we haven't found a grumpy person yet.  People are very gracious, and southern charm is alive and well in Louisiana.

Friday evening we went to the Alexandria ArtWalk downtown.  There were about 80 artists/ craftsmen displaying their wares, food trucks (although we ate at a 60-year-old diner), entertainment, and free admission to the Museum of Art.  At 7:30, the Light Parade started--mostly children in the most fanciful costumes made of paper and lights. Fun glimpse into local culture.

The Light Parade

Today we both spoke in sacrament meeting.  Our little Marksville branch is so tiny, and attendance varies week by week, but there are some exceptionally fine people in it.  It is really a challenge to stay firm in the faith with so little support from others, but they're doing it.