Tuesday, February 17, 2009

GONNA SEND 5 COPIES TO MY MOTHER



















I had the good luck of having one of my paintings used for the cover of the current Lagniappe newspaper. That’s the local alternative paper down in Mobile, Alabama. It is the second time one of my paintings have graced their cover. That’s the painting above. The first one they used was a Colonial Dixie painting.

It’s Mardi Gras time down there in Mobile and every year I do about 5 or 6 paintings for the season, my favorite season of the year. I think the reason I like it so much is because it is a 3 week holiday. Stacey and I go back and forth for those 3 weeks. We see parades, eat great food and get to see all kinds of folks we don’t see all year long. That’s my favorite part of Mardi Gras, the fellowship. Everyone is in a great mood. Each day I run into someone I haven’t seen since last year and we usually have a beer and catch up a little bit. The parades are great, but they are just a back drop to the social part of it all.

So far this year we have had the good luck of spending time with 2 couples who were in Mobile for other reason. First our friends Gwen and Pepper called to tell us they were in town for a wedding, the next thing I know we are all sitting around Mom and Dads dinning room table eating, laughing and having a great time.

We also had dinner with Kimberly and Youann. They were in town on business so we made plans to see them and had another great time. We took them down to one of the huge float barns for a inside look at how the floats come to be. Their baby Noah was really impressed.


Today I will load the truck and head back to Mobile for about 8 days. I will finish the float Stacey and I build every year for the Mystic Fish Parade. This will be the 17th Mystic Fish Parade. The best parade to ever hit the streets of beautiful downtown Mobile. This year the float is a Octopus. If ya get a chance stop by and see us! And stop by Restaurant 219 to see my other Mardi Gras paintings.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Mardi Gras 2009



















It is here, the 2009 season. After being in such a terrible way over the Christmas holidays, with my back hurting like it was, I am ready to celebrate.

Stacey and I went down to Mobile last Thursday and started getting things in order. Mardi Gras is a lot of work, especially the way we do it. We have two parties, back to back. At the first we host about 50 people. We will serve them a shrimp boil, 16 dozen oysters and some kind of meat off the grill. We have built a grill from 40 cement blocks, right in our front yard, and we will cook a pig or some other huge amount of meat for the Saturday night party. Next day we will have a parade and a reception after. At this parade and party we will host up to 70 people. No big deal, this is our 17th year and we could do it in our sleep. Which is good because it may be the only sleep I get that weekend.

We missed the first parade due to the fact we were attending the Osiris Ball. This is our second time attending the Osiris Ball and it is big fun. It is like no other ball I know of. At the Osiris you don’t have to walk around trying to find someone you know to talk to. At the Osiris Ball one is entertained by a tableaux like no other. At most balls they just call out names and some lady and a drunk masker walk off the stage and let you look at their over priced Mardi Gras gowns.

The theme for Osiris this year was “Out of Africa” and it started with a African dance and drum troupe. They were great and really set the tone for the evening. There was one dancer who was on stilts and dress in a white outfit, kinda like the one Michelle Obama wore to the inauguration balls. It looked great the way it flowed from the ten foot tall dancer. Mrs. Obama should have been on stilts like this guy.

All the beautiful people were there that night and a great time was had by all. This group knows how to have a party. There were so many bars that it didn’t take long to get a drink. There were super sized t.v. screens so you could see the tableaux no matter where you were. The tables were all decorated with a different African theme. At our table there was a gold skeleton, rattles and shakers, glass skulls with candles burning in them and spears. All for us, the guest, to play with and take home. At another table there was a super sized blow up penis. From the size of them I would guess they were African penises. Can’t wait til next year, I just love this ball.