Tomorrow is Mardi Gras

My participation in this year's Mardi Gras season so far has been indulging in a few bites of scrumptious king cake with strawberry and cream cheese filling. 

Last year instead of parades and crowds, we celebrated with a mid-morning visit to a Mardi Gras exhibit of elaborate costumes and masks at our town’s cultural center.

 The masking Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans create  colorful, intricately decorated costumes each year.

Their creations are part of a tradition that pays homage to the south Louisiana native Americans who helped  “Maroons,” most of West African descent, who were escapees from enslavement on plantations.

The masking Indian tradition has been maintained in the New Orleans African American community since the 1800s.

Design and construction begins about a year or more before Mardi Gras. The finished items, from head to toe, are heavy with intricate beadwork and other embellishments.

The design, construction and parading in the flamboyant works of art portray "liberation, self-determination and freedom of expression," according to the exhibit displays.

Let the good times roll! 

More on the tradition and history of Mardi Gras Indians here.

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My Guys with Beards

Hubby and our sons Walt, left, and Jeremy

Beards are apparently a family affair for us these days. Hubby’s facial hair dates back to an extended van adventure in 1977.

Our only son at the time was 5-year-old Walt, and now he also sports a beard. His adopting the style was out of necessity during recovery after extensive carpal-tunnel surgery late last year. 

I am interested to see whether the facial hair will be long-term or not.

Jeremy, eight years younger than his brother, has cultivated facial hair for a while now. I think he looks rather dashing.

My mother was a fan of clean-shaven faces. I have no problem with most beards. I like their beards, but I love those guys with or without hair on face . . . or head! 

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Popular Path

A memory recorded in sand

Even though rain and cold have kept Hubby and me off our town’s paved beach walk lately, my iPhone photo of September 22, 2019, supplies a happy memory.

Hope your February will be filled with blue skies and precious moments!

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