"FADING MEMORIES"

Hurricane Audrey 
 June 27, 1957

National Weather Service picture of Audrey. NOAA

Sixty-one years ago today one of the worst hurricanes to strike the gulf coast had a direct impact not only on the landscape of Cameron Parish and southwest Louisiana, but also on its families.

Hurricane Audrey hit the Cameron Parish coast during the early morning hours of June 27, 1957.

Many people were unprepared for the storm because it arrived 2 days earlier than calculated.

With winds over 125 mph with gust up to 150 mph and waves over 20 foot, the Category 3 hurricane devastated the Cameron Parish coastal communities of Johnson Bayou, Holly Beach, Cameron, Creole, Oak Grove, and Grand Chenier.

Structures were completely destroyed. Houses, Barns, Hotels, Businesses, Schools, Libraries, and Churches.

The destruction forces from Hurricane Audrey reached from Galveston, Texas to Cocodrie, Louisiana. Many small communities like High Island, Texas to Pecan Island, Louisiana were greatly affected.

Along with the physical devastation there was something far worse. DEATH.

The official count of the death toll by Audrey was over 500 lost souls, but it is estimated over 600 perished.

My family knows first hand the force of Audrey. My grandparents Berton and Audrey, their 3 children Warner, Gerald, and Sandy, along with my great-grandfather Pierre Savoie, and my great-uncle Guidry Savoie and his wife Juanita, all rode out Hurricane Audrey from the attic of my grandparents home in Cameron.

Sandy, Audrey, Berton, Warner, and Gerald Daigle

After riding out the storm all day and night, they walked 6 miles to the town of Cameron. They waded through saltwater, mud, marsh grass, dead snakes, fish, cows, horses, alligators, nutria, muskrat, and worst of all, humans.

As they walked this heartbreaking journey, they were able to see first hand the death and destruction that mother nature can bring.

Warner Daigle ,14 years old, in white t-shirt, carrying a body. 

They passed friends, neighbors, and relatives old home sites, with no more homes.

They knew if there were no house then the family that lived there probably drowned.

My grandmother passed her Aunt Tilley's home place with no structure left.

Her Aunt and Grandmother rode out the storm until the house broke apart and floated away. Her Aunt Tilley was rescued 2 days later and 20 miles north, wrapped in barbed wire and clinging to pieces of wood from the house. Her grandmother did not survive.

There are many other stories such as this, from other families who rode out the storm. 

Some are far worse.

In one family, the only survivor was a 12 year old boy. He lost his entire family in one day. His grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters.

There may always be written records of Audrey's winds and water levels and there will be records of the death toll caused by the storm.  Let us never forget the impact the storm had on the lives of our ancestors.

61 years have passed since Audrey in 1957. There are not many first-hand survivors left who rode out the storm. As time marches on, so do the memories fade.

Hurricane Audrey 60 Years Later

Video

May the memory of Audrey's destruction never fade away.

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a 

tree without roots." 

~ Marcus Garvey ~

"Summer Fun Memories - Blog Life "

WEEK 11

It's summer time!

The Kids are out of school, traffic is less congested in mornings and afternoons, and no homework (for the kids and parents).

The Original Karate Kids.
Marsha, James, Kelly, and Chris.
Early 1980's.

For most kids the summers are made for fun and relaxation. Stay up past their normal bed times, sleep late, and then enjoy the day.

What could be better than to be be young again with no worries or thoughts about tomorrow and the future.

Me  around 5 or 6 years old. 
Enjoying some summer time fun with a giant gas funnel as a hat.
No YOUTUBE so we only had our IMAGINATION to play with back then.
Circa 1976-77

When I was growing up, my dad was a school teacher and he got the summers off along with all the kids. As a side job in the summer, he worked as the caretaker/director/maintenance man/supervisor for the Cameron Recreation Center Pool.

Every summer while I was growing up was spent swimming at the Cameron recreation center pool behind Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. 

Me and my brother Josh at the Cameron Recreation Pool.
Probably the summer of 1983.

Each day we would ride to Cameron with our dad. We would usually spend the entire day at the pool. By entire day I mean from  9 am until 8:30 pm. Every day.

I loved the old Cameron recreation center.

There was a swimming pool, playground, ball fields and tennis courts.

Tennis Crew

Just about every kid in and around the town of Cameron went to the swimming pool. Either for the morning swim session or the afternoon session.

We always had enough people to play softball games or had someone to play tennis with. There were usually enough people to play some doubles in tennis. 

This was all before the invention of home VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS. We had video games but they were only the arcade editions that you played at businesses and they cost money... Lots and lots of QUARTERS....

We would walk down the street to the Sweet Shoppe for a double cone of ice cream, and then walk over to Val's Video to see what the new releases he had on VHS. Val's Video was the original BLOCKBUSTER and REDBOX.

As I reflect on those long, hot, summer days at the old pool, I remember all the good times I had and all the people I had them with.

Me and my brother James. Enjoying our rectangle trampoline.

Keith "Fat Cat" Portie enjoy the summer on Holly Beach, Louisiana.

I know we can't go back in time, but for just one brief moment I would love to go back for 5 minutes and get a dose of that "Pac-Man Fever" while listening to the Michael Jackson song "Beat It" on my state of the art Sony Walkman cassette player....

The Daigle Family - Laura, Willie, James, and Josh
Circa 1988

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

"America Dream 2.0" by Justin Martindale

"Art is in the Eye of the Beholder"

WEEK 9

"Creativity takes courage." 

~ Henri Matisse ~

Southwest Louisiana is known for its delicious foods, great hunting and fishing, and beautiful outdoor sights and sounds.

Southwest Louisiana is also home to some great artist. There are a wide range of art mediums being used, such as photography, oil, water, & acrylic painting, pencil and ink drawings, pottery, quilting, and many other types of craftsmanship.

ART is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

There are many forms and styles of art found in and around southwest Louisiana. Some say that art is in the eye of the beholder, so whatever we think of as being beautiful or that evokes an emotion can be art.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that my great-grandfather was a true artist. 

Pierre Savoie was born on August 7th, 1898, in Creole, Louisiana. I always thought it was cool that I met and knew someone born in the 19th century. 

Pierre's first language was French. Pierre never went to school but he was an educated man. While my grandmother and her sisters and brother were learning in school, they would come home to do their homework and Pierre would learn with them.

Pierre could not read and write but he managed to work for Mobil Oil Inc. as a boatman until he retired in the 1960's.

Pierre grew up in a time when he, his brothers, sisters and many other cajuns were punished for their Cajun-French heritage. The children were punished for speaking French in school. In a way this was a form of cultural Genocide for the Cajun people in Louisiana.

Pierre grew up living off the land, he always had fruit and vegetable gardens and he hunted and fished to survive. These activities were not for "sport" and entertainment but to put food on the table to support his family.

Pierre was born the year of the Spanish-American War (1898), and he lived during World War I (1914-1918), World War II (1939-1945), Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam (1955 - 1975), the Great Depression (1929-1939), and he survived two Hurricanes (Storm of 1918 and Hurricane Audrey in 1957).

After Pierre retired from the oilfield he took up a hobby. He started hand carving wooden duck and goose decoys.

Pierre would comb Holly Beach and Rutherford Beach picking up driftwood. He would take this driftwood home and carve it into the most beautiful ducks and geese imaginable. 

Lake Charles American Press story by Ms. Genevea Griffith

Lake Charles American Press photo of Pierre Savoie carving a decoy with a hatchet.

Pierre would carve tiny ducks 2-3 inches all the way up to goose decoys 1-2 foot tall.

Over his lifetime Pierre probably carved several thousand birds. Pierre gave away most of his carvings, he never charged a dime for them. There are probably dozens and dozens of people around south Louisiana who have a Pierre Savoie carving in their house.

Goose carving by Pierre Savoie

Pierre Savoie and his goose carving.

I remember when i was a boy i would go into his shop, an old airstream looking trailer, and explore around. He had all types of carving knives and files. 

What I remember the most about his shop was the smell. It had a mixture of different wood smells. The most prevalent was the odor of cedar, but he also used cypress and tupelo wood. There was mounds of wood shavings all around his shop.

Pierre carved decoys until he was in his early 80's. The most amazing thing about Pierre was he did most of his carving while legally blind. He had a glass eye and could barely see out of the other one but he continued to carve and whittle his birds.

Pierre Savoie's Weathered and Aged hands carving a miniature duck decoy.

As I sit here each day and I look at the decoys on my shelf, I see the work of a true artist. Someone self taught, with no formal training or education.

I have been to Paris, France where I saw the Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum, and I have seen Faberge Eggs in the New Orleans Museum of Art. I have seen many priceless works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Smithsonian Museums in DC. 

I can say without a doubt, all the these art pieces are no match for Pierre Savoie's hand carvings.

Art truly is in the eye of the beholder and to me, my Grandpa Pierre's carvings will always be priceless....

Pierre Savoie 

(AUGUST 7, 1898 - OCTOBER 29, 1987)

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

"Memories of Home While Fishing for a Job"

WEEK 8

I never truly appreciated fishing with my grandfather J. Berton Daigle until after he was gone. 

While growing up I would go fishing with my grandfather at least once, if not twice a week. 

J. Berton loved to fish. He would go fish in the ship channel in Cameron, the old river in  the Calcasieu Lake, and his most favorite area, North Prong.

We would go to Bennie Bourg's camp on St. John's Island and fish off the wharf all day. At one time he even had a camp on North Prong. We would go and spend two or three nights, fishing all day.

For J. Berton, I learned it wasn't about the catching, it was about the fishing. He loved bringing others with him to experience a fun time. 

J. Berton's favorite fishing partner was Monsignor M.J. Bernard. They would go fish together all day and then come back to the house to clean the fish they caught. I remember Father Bernard LOVED drinking martini's. Father Bernard was the only person I Knew who drank martini's other than James Bond, and I loved James Bond. I would always fix Father Bernard a martini while they cleaned the fish. Gin and vermouth with an olive.

One day, when I was about 12 or so, I thought, if James Bond drinks martinis then they must taste pretty good. So, after I fixed Father Bernard a martini, as I was taking it to him outside, I decided to have a taste of that cool James Bond drink. As the glass touched my lips and I tilted my head back I thought, Secret Agent 007.

All I can say is, after that gin and vermouth venin concoction ran down my throat, my eyes watered, I lost my breath, and nearly vomited on myself.

As a 12 year old, that was the worse experience I ever had with the taste of a beverage. I thought, not only why would James Bond drink something like this, but how in the world could Father Bernard drink that gosh awful drink.

To this day I will never try another martini...

But I still love James Bond.

I've learned recently that job hunting is a lot like fishing. You need lots of patience while looking, it's mostly luck if you get a nibble, and it takes some skill to land it. 

J. Berton with his best catch and a few fish.

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

Homemade BEER BREAD - Making more dough.

BEER, IT'S NOT JUST FOR DRINKING...

I decided to broaden my bread making skills.

I found a recipe online for Homemade BEER BREAD.

Its simple, easy, and only has 4 ingredients.

12 oz BEER ( I used Lite beer- Any will work)
3 Cups Self Rising Flour
Sugar (To taste.-Recipe called for 1/2 Cup)
1/2 Cup Butter

Thats it. Only four ingredients..

There is no kneading of the dough or having to let it rise 2 or 3 times.

All you do is add the ingredients together, mix it in a bowl, pour it in a pan, and bake at 375* F for 55 minutes.

It came out extra crunchy on the outside and has a sweet, moist inside.

Very DELICIOUS!

Youtube video of me making the bread.

"Being Unemployed Is For The Birds"

WEEK 7

I love photography and I love Southwest Louisiana. Combine those two things and you can understand why I love taking pictures of the landscape, wildlife, and nature around southwest Louisiana. 

As most everyone knows, I especially love taking pictures of the majestic pelicans, screeching seagulls, quacking ducks, and honking geese found in Cameron Parish.

                

I recently noticed something that I had never noticed nor paid attention to before and it wasn't until being unemployed and tending to my garden that I really noticed the numerous songbirds in Southwest Louisiana.

While growing up and living in Cameron, I never really noticed any songbirds around. In the winter we would see ducks and geese, and in the summer we would see seagulls and pelicans.

Each morning, after I go out to check my garden and the classifieds, I sit on the porch and drink my piping hot coffee that I brewed. 

Over the last couple of weeks, as I sit drinking my coffee I have started noticing the beautiful tweeting, chirping, cooing, and whistling echoing around my backyard. Along the tree line I could see some fluttering and movement. 

I made my decision.

I needed to get a bird feeder. 

I went to Wal-Mart, got some bird feed (and a bonus bag of squirrel food-more on that later), and a little bird feeder.

I got home and hung the feeder next to my house. I had been seeing squirrels playing in the trees so I put some squirrel food on the ground next to the bird feeder.

Well, just like relatives at a crawfish boil, the birds soon swooped in to eat. I noticed red birds (Cardinals), blue birds (Blue Jays), doves, robins, and some yet to be identified colorful birds.

 

It is oddly relaxing watching birds swoop in and eat some feed. The birds will fight with each other for territory. They will team up against other species, the red birds run the blue jays away, then the blue jays run the red birds away. It goes back and forth throughout the day.

I soon learn that there is a second participant in the battle for food. SQUIRRELS.

There can be 2 or 3 different bird species eating but the squirrels will zoom in and run all the birds away and then they begin to feast.

This goes on throughout the day. It's like a choreographed circus routine. Red birds, Blue Birds, Doves, and then Squirrels, rotating in and out to feed. It is very peaceful and harmonious the way the cycle plays out throughout the day.

Even while being unemployed and on the job hunt, life in southwest Louisiana can still be very relaxing. 

All you need is a bag of bird feed and a little patience. 

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

DISCOVER BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD:

www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wildlife/birds-louisiana

"How to be Unemployed and Still Make Some Dough"

WEEK 6
Eureka! 
I figured out a way to make some dough while unemployed.

While waiting to hear back from my job applications I submitted, and for my garden to grow, I decided to try a new endeavor.

As you can tell from the headline, I am making some dough while being unemployed.

I am gonna let you in on the secret of how you can also make some dough..

All you need is yeast, salt, water, sugar, flour, and most important of all, time.

Yes, while I am unemployed I am making some real dough....... For my homemade bread.

BREAD MAKING.

I love bread. 
I love fresh, piping hot from the oven bread. 
I love homemade bread that my granny used to make in her house in Cameron. 
She would make giant loaves and pans of small individual rolls. She would make bread all day and then we would eat it for supper with some fig preserves and syrup. 

My grandmother, Audrey, started off making homemade bread by hand.
She would mix her ingredients by hand and then cover the dough to rise.
I would remember her making several loaves at a time because we would gobble it up as fast as she made it.

Then one day something odd happened.

My grandmother stopped making handmade bread.

No more mixing flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. 
No more kneading by hand. 
No more covering the dough and letting it rise.

Nope, she stopped making handmade bread and was trying something different.

She started using a high tech gadget called an electric bread maker.

That bread maker would do all the work for you.

That thing was automated.
All you had to do was pour in the ingredients and push start.
It would mix the yeast, water, sugar, salt, and flour all together, then let it sit and rise.
Then that bread maker would start baking.
All in one pot.

My granny would still make homemade bread, just not by hand.

So, as I sat home, waiting to hear back from job applications and for my garden to grow, i decided i needed to try something else.

As i sat contemplating things to do, I thought about grannies homemade bread.
I decided to make some homemade bread like my granny used to do.

I researched recipes online and I even watched some YouTube videos.

So, on the 6th week of unemployment, i decided to start making some dough.

I bought my ingredients to make some bread by hand, from scratch.

I bought my bread flour, salt, sugar, oil, and yeast.

Then i woke up early one morning, checked on my garden, looked in the newspaper for a job, and got out my ingredients.

I mixed my ingredients. 
I kneaded my dough. 
I waited for dough to rise.
I divided my dough.
i waited for my dough to rise, again.
I baked my dough.
I waited for my bread to arrive.
I took my bread out of the oven.
I buttered my piping hot, homemade bread.
I tasted my fresh, hot, buttered, homemade bread.

That bread tasted......     Just like the homemade bread my granny used to make.

Cameron may not be what it was, but my memories will always be of home....

Below is A YOUTUBE Video of me 

making a second batch of bread.

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

"Tales from the Unemployment Line"

3 WEEKS AND BOREDOM

 That's how long it has taken for the boredom to set in. 3 WEEKS.

I've been unemployed now for 5 weeks. I started a new job on March 1st, and after 4 weeks, I was laid off. There were 3 of us hired at the same time and we were all let go on the same day. 
Boy were we surprised.

This was the first time I have ever been laid off from a job. After working nearly 20 years for the government, I never before had to think about layoffs and cutbacks.

The first couple of days I kinda let it sink in that I no longer had a job. I had to decompress from the previous 4 weeks of learning a new job, a new routine, and having new co-workers. By the end of the week I was ready to get moving again.

WEEK 1
Finally, I started looking for a new job. Every morning I checked the classifieds in the newspaper, and several online job sites. I would read every single job opening posted. Just trying to figure out if I were qualified for the position.

In the beginning I was very selective. I was looking for the perfect job. I would apply for a job then wait to hear back.

I would apply.
Then I would wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.

WEEK 2
By week two i was getting into a routine while on the job hunt.
I would Wake up.
Look for a job.
Maybe apply for job, if one looked interesting and I met the qualifications.
Watch Netflix.
Check emails.
Pick up daughter from school.
Cook supper.
Go to bed.

Wake up next day and repeat routine from day before.

WEEK 3
Boredom officially sets in.
Now I am no longer very selective on the job hunting.
I apply for nearly every position i see. I figure job hunting is like fishing. You cast your line out enough times you are bound to get a bite. By the end of week 3, still no bites, not even a nibble.

So, I decided to change up the routine a little bit.

I planted a garden.

Yep, I planted a garden. I put together a small 4x8ft. box, put in some topsoil, fertilizer, and garden soil.
I put the small box garden in my backyard. I planted cucumbers, eggplants, purple bell peppers, banana peppers, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, and my most favorite of all, HOT PEPPERS.

Yes,  HOT PEPPERS.
I had jalapenos, Tabasco, habanero, and cayenne peppers. I plan on canning some peppers once my plants start producing. I loved the homemade pickled peppers my grandma would make and i hope to replicate her pickled peppers.

After I get my garden all nice and set up, it happens.
Reality sets in.

I soon realize plants do not grow overnight. Nor do they grow in 3 days. Not even 5 days. It was going to takes weeks and weeks before I am able to harvest my first crop from my garden.

So, by the end of week three I am officially BORED.

It's the same routine as week 2, except now i get to go outside every morning and look my garden. I wake up and go outside and just stare at that garden. Hoping that this will be the day. Today will be the day that I will have something to pick.
Nope, today ain't the day.

WEEK 4
Repeat week 3.

WEEK 5
Guess what!

Still no vegetables in the garden.

Now boredom  has fully set in.
Each day its the same routine.
No job, no vegetables, and nothing to watch on TV.

Still on the job hunt.
Still waiting on the garden to grow.

Until next time.
More Tales from the Unemployment Line.