I’m back from New Orleans and glad to be with my family but I miss the energy and vitality of the Crescent City. Sure there are lots of tourists and conventioneers but there is a tremendous number of people who live and work in New Orleans. They seem to barely notice the tourists and treat each other with good cheer. They come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders. Its truly a city.
I was in New Orleans this week at an energy business convention. While there the US Navy and friends showed up for a party. A party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812 and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. New Orleans is the innaugral city of a three year fifteen city celebration. I mean if you are going to celebrate, you might as well start in New Orleans.
The USS Frank Mitscher, a Guided Missile Destroyer. The ship has a brand new skipper, in February this year Commander Monika Stoker assumed command of the ship. She is also the first African American woman to command an American warship.
The USS Dewert, an “Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate.” Reportedly in October 2011 this ship, along with a British vessel, rescued a an Italian Merchantmen from Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
The French Navy Germinal, a light monitoring frigate, showed up for the party also.
The USS Wasp, an Amphibious Assault Ship. It is a lot bigger than what it looks like in this photograph. This is as close as I could get.
It carries a whole bunch of Marines and their equipment. Reportedly, about 3000 sailors from the various ships had a pretty good time Tuesday night in the French Quarter.
The modern warships were great and a special to see but the big attraction was the Tall Ships that came in to celebrate also.
The Coast Guard’s WIX Eagle a training ship was there. She started out as the the German vessel, SSS Horst Wessel. Adolf Hilter attended her commissioning. The United States seized her after World War II.
The Indonesian’s sent their KRI Dewaruci, their navy’s training vessel. It also was built in Germany in the 1930’s. It
I loved the woodwork on this ship.
Ecuador sent their BAE Guayas, another training vessel. It was my favorite because of the condor below.
I just hope that all the sailors get back to their ships, the right ships.
I’ve been walking a lot around New Orleans the last couple days. I found a few caches and took lots of photographs.
I noticed that on consecutive days I took photographs of this building, labelled Delacroix Corp.,
I just love the building. First the green color. I love that green, and the big windows. Second the silvery letters for the sign with the two different fonts, part script and part block letters, and the rakish angle in the Delacroix. It’s written with flair, and then the down to earth Corp.
Third, the mysteriousness of it, Who knows what Delacroix does? I mean its not a restaurant, nor a tshirt shop. They don’t have a web site but they have a some sort of mysterious connection to the oil and gas business. The president of the firm is a third degree connection to me in Linked In. The ground floor windows are glass blocks.
What’s going on in there?
I just love the French Quarter. It has its secrets.
I’m in New Orleans for a few days this week.
The red theme started in Tulsa at the airport.
Flew into New Orleans, checked into my hotel, and the red paddles on the paddlewheeler was one of the first things I saw through my room window.
My readers know that I have a think for red cranes. Sorry.
The streetcars were out.
The Norwegians are coming, the Norwegians are coming, Vikings, run for your lives.
A red crane and a red boat!!!!
Two carriages and a donkey. Don’t you think a four row carriage is a little much for one donkey? I think so!!
Thanks Gemma Wiseman and Magical Mystery Teacher!!
I’m in New Orleans on a business trip attending the Gas Processors Convention. I haven’t been here since right before Katrina in 2005 when Sweetie came along.
The town was jumping Sunday afternoon with the French Quarter Festival going on. Tell you what New Orleans knows how to party. There were lots of bands in lots of different places. The place was packed.
But people were under control. Apparently I dropped my cell phone. A lady chased after me for two blocks she said until she caught up with me to give it back to me (I move fast when I’m walking.)
People were major chilling to the music.
New Orleans reminds me a little of the Santa Fe of my youth before the billionaires crowded out the millionaires. Santa Fe has the public party side especially during fiesta (like I know what I’m talking about, I
haven’t been to the fiesta in 35 years) but also a very private side in private courtyards and closed doors.
Both New Orleans and Santa Fe give hints of ordinary people who actually live and work there. But an outsider never sees these people.
New Orleans in the South but it is different from the rest of the South. I think that is why I love it.
It is more than just a town to party in, it is a town with soul. There has been inroads by the developers who bring in the expensive condos with high gates, security, and chain restaurants and “high end” retailers.
I don’t think they will ever completely take over.
Thanks Sylvia, Sandy, Arija, Lady Fi, and Gattina!!
Earlier this week I went on business to northwest Oklahoma. On the way back I stopped at Gloss Mountain State Park.
The big hill at the park is called Cathedral Mountain. I didn’t know that it had such a grand name or I would have taken a picture of it. I didn’t so what you get is this pic from halfway up the hill back down to the parking lot.
The wildflowers were out and putting on a show even though it was overcast.
Most of the climb actually had stairs. The last fifty feet was kind of hard.
I went up looking for a geocache which I didn’t find. What I wasn’t expecting was the many birds soaring. The wind was strong on the ground. At the top of the mountain hill it was even stronger. The birds were soaring. The effect was magical as they dipped up and down and all around.
As I walked the length of the mesa I saw more and more birds.
I was surprised when about 50 feet in front of me two full grown turkey vultures came out of the hole in cliff, took a look at me and took off.
There was a teenager, about half the size of the adults, looking at me with scorn before he took off.
I got close to the end of the mesa. About a mile walk and I could see Lone Mountain across the way.
The mesa narrowed in spots to where it felt like I was on a sidewalk in the sky.
The whole time I had an escort. I guess they were waiting to see if I fell off the cliff or got bit by a snake or something.
You could see forever at the end. That spot of water in the distance is the historic Cimarron River.
The vultures stayed with me the whole way. Nothing gets your head on straight than being shadowed by vultures.
Camera Critters
ps: In researching this post I came across a Tulsa Wedding Photographer who did a photo shoot of a model in a wedding dress on top of Cathedral Mountain Hill. Some outstanding photos.
My very nice boss and considerate boss gave me two tickets to go see Miranda Lambert in concert Thursday evening at the BOK Center here in Tulsa. So off we went.
She is a blonde country singer. When son SuperPizzaBoy was just a small lad he liked to watch the blonde country singer on the GAC channel. Is there still a GAC around. Nowdays my 5’11” little boy likes to watch SpongeBob Squarepants. Should I be worried?
Ms. Lambert gave it her all!
(Thought I’d throw this in, Sweeetie and I chilling at the concert.)
Lambert got a little tired and they brought her couch out so she could rest a little bit. Notice the boots. I think those are her geocaching boots. She better get some long pants and deet though, the ticks and chiggers will eat her up otherwise.
In case you are not familiar with her here is a video.
Chris Young opened up. He was a great opening act. He has a wide range of music he sings and has a great voice.
The other opener was Jerrod Niemann. He was really good.
Another performer with a strong voice and wide range of styles to draw on.
Funny thing is that Young and Niemann both really connected with the audience. Tulsa is an old time music city with lots of heritage and they appreciate good music of all kinds.
Something I really like in a concert is when the headliner brings in the openers for a song. I love that kind of graciousness and generosity. Lambert brought both Young and Niemann out.
Anyway, a great time was had by all!
Lone Mountain in northwest Oklahoma looking with a canola field in the background..
The mesa to the left of the mountain is Gloss Mountains State Park.
Here is a closeup.
Here is a closeup from the State Park .
I elected not to do any geocaching because of this sign, and I was the only one in the park, and I was 40 miles from the nearest hospital.
Maybe next time, if I can get you to go with me.
“Our Town” by Kerry James Marshall
As previously posted we went on a road trip to Bentonville, Arkansas to see the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. There were of course lots of great art there by famous artists, there were many works by artists that I am not familiar with. The above work caught my attention for several reasons. First, there is no frame, it is on canvas but is not stretched into a frame. I have no idea of the significance of that but it is different.
Second, there is a lot of tension in the work, nice houses with yards and birds bearing ribbons and a nice cheery title on one hand and on the other the two kids seem angry about something. The boy is glaring at the girl who looks like she is on an angry mission and she has thought bubble popping out of her head going to one of the houses.
Third, there appears to be graffiti to the left of the boy. Overall things don’t seem to be all that great in the photo and much of that tension is due to the graffiti. The piece overall made me think a lot and try and resolve things in my head and figure it all out. I don’t know much about art but I am not one who thinks that art is just one thing. Some art is relaxing and makes me think relaxing thoughts. Some art inspires, other makes me angry, and some art makes me think. Art can be a lot of different things. This piece made me think.
Graffiti has a way of upsetting and unsettling things, it certainly does me in certain settings such as neighborhoods and office areas. Graffiti in hard to get to drainage ditches doesn’t bother me at all, nor does graffiti in Tulsa’s only “permission zone” (that I know about) doesn’t either. If only it were that simple? Since I started posting about graffiti I now see it everywhere.
To me that there is an interesting parallel between graffiti and my hobby geocaching. They both appropriate public spaces for unintended uses. One difference is that graffiti is meant to display and be seen where geocachers seek to hide their work from the general public (aka “muggles.”) Another difference is that most people are ok with geocaching (except for some bomb squad units in various towns and cemetery managers in South Carolina) but are not ok with graffit.
You can read about Kerry James Marshall by hitting the link. He is a very interesting guy.
Knocking around the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow Saturday night we happened upon Holy Joes’s Christian Nightspot in what looked to be an old feed store.
The signage looked to be new and the porch lights were on but it wasn’t open. Maybe because it was the night before Easter.
They had an old schoolbus with some major air conditioning and an old ambulance.
Not much online about them and what is there is eight years old. A confusing story about how they gather up people from the homeless shelters and camps around town and bring them in to enjoy music and refreshments (non alcoholic) receive counseling and help in getting jobs as well as providing basic hygiene items like toothbrushes and toothpaste. All very good stuff.
If you know anything about Holy Joe’s Christian Nightspot let the rest of us know.