Is it the Roman Empire? Stonehenge? No, its Diamondhead, Mississippi

Here are the sweet shots from Diamondhead. The FEMA trailers were just off to the side, empty and meaningless. I thought the structures juxtaposed with the bay looked quite remarkable. The photography lacks the intense heat and humidity, combined with the giant mosquitos.

Diamondhead, Mississippi

When Lionel took me through the section of Diamondhead closest to the bay, I couldnt believe the damage. Again, almost everything was simply gone. The half million or more, homes were taken from their supports, that were still standing if they were wooden. The ones made of brick were collapsed and broken, since they were not designed to bend with the wind. The dense woods were full of everything from the homes. There was only one thing that was annoying there; most of the home sites had unoccupied FEMA trailers. The wealthy homeowners had options on where they could live, unlike others. Many homes here were vacation homes, so they simply stayed in their main home. Apparently, the FEMA trailers were used as a place to take a lemonade break if they came to watch the migrant labor repair their vacation home. I wonder how many families who are still waiting on their trailer today know about this.

New Orleans and some Gulf Coast damage

Zane and I visited Biloxi and Gulfport to view the damage from Hurricane Katrina. As much as New Orleans was damaged from the flooding from the failed levies, the damage from the winds and storm surge along the Mississippi Gulf Coast was mind numbing. It was hard to take in once there.







To say it best, basically nothing that was there, is there now. The miles and miles of beautiful gulf front homes along route 90 are now messy lots, full of bricks and debris. The live oak trees are there, but even they have been minimalized from the winds. It looks as if they have been trimmed by a very bad tree surgeon. It was my estimation that for every 100 properties, only one was still standing-with damage. There were no more stores with crappy souveniers and tee shirts, no gas stations, no restaurants........gone. It was surreal. There was some life though, as many were rebuilding what was left of their properties (ones that survived).
I would bet it will take at least a decade to see the gulf coast to look anything like it did when we were there in 2001.

In the French Qtr. District of New Orleans

There is nothing quite like the mixture of new orleans + high temperature + high humdity + beniets + cafe ole. I dont get to do it too often, but when I do, its a treat. If you have been to the French Quarter, then you have been to Cafe Dumond, the famous french coffee house. I love the noise, the dozen or so ceiling fans, the nasty looking pigeons, and the usual musician playing just outside on the sidewalk. The beniets are not good for you, but oh are they good to eat.







































Zane and I stopped there after a visit to Tulane. This was his first college visit, and I hope a good one. Although its a bit far, Tulane would be a wonderful school to attend, and it would provide many opportunities for Claudia and I to visit and go to Cafe Dumond.

zane finds a friend in Lionel's yard

During the first day of working on the house, I encouraged Zane to go and do some light exploring in the backyard woods. He didnt get ten steps into the woods, when he came inches away from the web of this spider, stretched across the path. For an Ohioan, it was gigantic, but Lionel quickly dismissed it as a juvenile banana spider. We went to visit it each day, bringing it grasshoppers to munch on.

As far as working on the house, it was Lionel, Lionel's brother Joe, Zane, and myself. We installed the laminate flooring, the baseboards, and all of the interior doors and doorknobs. The flooring took the most time and mental energy, because it was often uncooperative and tedious.

Zane and I got to go to New Orleans to visit Tulane University, Zane's first college visit. It is situated in the beautiful Garden District in the city. Afterwards, Zane and I went to the French Qtr, to get our beniets at Cafe du Monde. Zane was entertained with the numerous and ragged pigeons that walked around the cafe.

Lionel and Jaq's FEMA trailer was very very small. They did their best at making it liveable, but I really dont know how they did it. 

Lionel and I reunite with Professor Bowman

Professor Bowman and his wife Ginnie Gale took us out for a "all you can eat" catfish lunch in Hattiesburg. The food was excellent, and visiting with Dr. Bowman was the real treat for Lionel and I. We were his last students at Southern Miss before he retired in 2001. Like many others who retire, he finds himself busier now than when he was the Art Education professor at USM. Like myself, he has dropped some weight, gotten a better haircut, and maintained his good looks.


 

Arrival at Lionel's in Diamondhead, MS

As we approached the Gulf Coast, I started noticing the FEMA trailers more and more. Some trailers sat in front of very old trailers that were looking like they were on their last legs. I cant imagine these people would be in any hurry to fix anything, since the FEMA trailer was so much nicer-and free. On interstate 59, between Hattiesburg and Poplarville, we drove by where they are storing the brand new trailers, which surprised me. Why were there new trailers, when many people still have not received their's......10 months after the storm? There were thousands standing side by side. We drove by atleast one mile of these FEMA trailers, with much confusion. The smell of mildew and mold started to come into the picture too. I noticed it just before we got to Kiln, MS-hometown of Brett Farve of the Green Bay Packers. The photo was taken in Lionel's city of Diamondhead, MS. He says that most of the debris has been cleared, which surprised me-there is still so much debris, especially in the woods. It would be unsafe to walk there, and there is no efficient way to clear the trash...meaning most of the woods will just have trash all in them, until they grow over. Lionel also said that there has been no mosquito spraying by local authorities this year; they are numerous and large. 

day 2: from Tennessee to the Gulf Coast

Zane and i got up after a decent night of rest; thank god the rains stopped by 1am. we took a few photos of lawrenceburg, which reminded me of andy griffith's 'mayberry' lost in time.
we started to see the rebel flags everywhere here in lower tennessee.

we had breakfast at a nice little diner, then got on the road to hattiesburg. we stopped for coffee at the university of alabama, in tuscaloosa. i wished we had time to stop at the paul 'bear' bryant museum on the campus, but we did stop at the Bad Ass Coffee Company at the university.

Photo 1: zane in Lawrenceburg, Tn
Photo 2: a shot from Lawrenceburg
Photo 3: Northern Alabama

day 1.....the rains followed us

Since there was never any internet connections in mississippi, i had to wait until today to work on the blog.

The first day of driving to tennessee went smoothly, except for the rain that eventually found us in kentucky, following us into tennessee. we had a brief moment of dry to set up camp, but the thunderstorms found us in lawrenceburg.

it was a long night, as the tent leaked at one of the joints. we moved to the cab of the truck until the rain stopped.

Photo 1: my view for most of day 1
Photo 2: Cincinnati, OH
Photo 3: upon arrival at the campsite @ David Crockett State Park, Lawrenceburg, TN

What we will probably run into in Lionel's backyard bayou

These lovely animals are in Lionel's back yard, which backs up into the swamps of the Jordan River. Zane and I hope to go explore and see them; actually just the giant guinea pig looking Nutria. We are more respectful and fearful of the other two.













There is one main problem with our exploration: Hurricane Katrina took out both of Lionel's four wheelers. I am not certain I want to be running away from one of those boars again-they are a bit intense.

How about some fishing, Mississippi style?

While in Mississippi, we hope to go hand grabbing for catfish. Here are some pics of our grad school buddies from Southern Miss on a recent trip. There are no fishing poles, lures, worms, or lines-just you and your wiggling finger. All you do is swim underwater and disturb the catfish watching over it's spawing nests. Yes, it hurts, and sometimes they get almost up to your elbow, but what else is there to do in the 100 degree afternoon heat. By the way, watch out for the gators too.

The reason I have been limping around all Spring

The pain has been quite bad at times, and you have seen me grimace as I would get out of my chair. This is the ligament that is the root of the pain, and my physical therapists have been working on it very very physically. It really hurts when they drive their elbows into it.

They said it was caused by a high school or college football collision.  

one of the places zane and i will visit after mississippi

On our way to South Carolina, we will visit and camp in Hale County, Alabama. it is one of the poorest places in the country, and a place where a branch of the architecture department at Auburn University constructs beautiful and creative dwellings and public buildings for these people. much of what they make for the people is from discarded or recycled materials. the yancey chapel in the photo uses recycled tires in its walls for example. we will have pics. 

so what would you think if your art teacher would drive around on this? the early 1980's Honda Passport. it has a whopping 70cc. i think i could actually afford this bad boy, and it will go 50 mph. i think the nerd level is quite high, as is the cool factor. they can be bought for about 6-700 bucks.

Back in Mississippi very soon

My son and I are leaving on Father's Day for the Deep South. Graduate school buddy *Lionel Clark and I will be reunited for a week at his residence in Diamondhead, MS. His house was almost destroyed during Hurricane Katrina with an 11 foot storm surge. We plan to finish the house so that the family can move from their tiny FEMA trailer. We were also invited to attend a crawfish boil with our former professor, Dr. Jeff Bowman.

*the only person who also has a catfish tattoo