Adventures around Monroe
We got up this morning and went to church at the White Ferry Road church. I love going to different churches in different places because it reminds me that God’s people worship the same God even if they do it a little differently. We went to a Sunday school class first on forgiveness. As we were leaving, a man, who we later learned was Mike, stopped and asked us if we were visiting. We ended up talking to him and his wife Christi for a long time and then sat with them at church. I think she would be my best friend if I lived there. Although I’m sure that position is already taken. I met her dear friend, Debbie after the service. Mike & Christi seemed to be loved by everyone there. Mike got ordained as an Elder at the service. All the music was a cappello. It was cool to hear all the harmony. I enjoyed it even though I don’t have a musical ear. But my husband, Mr Music, really loved it! It was also Senior Sunday to honor all the graduates and Alan Robertson, one of the Duck Dynasty brothers, gave the message. So inspiring!
After church we had leftovers for lunch in the parking lot and then headed to Alto, which is about 25 miles from West Monroe. Remember John & Anne, Bruce’s friend from high school (hint – they met us in Texas on our bike trip and were the first recipients of BuzzWTR)? Well this trip we planned to stay at their home in Alto, LA. As soon as we walked in to Anne & John’s house we could smell the delicious blueberry-something-yummy-that-I-can’t-remember-the-name that she had just whipped up. It had started raining during the night and had been raining pretty steadily ever since. So we all just sat in the kitchen and told stories. John & Anne are rice farmers and it is so fascinating! When John told us he also has a business “moving dirt” I pictured a back hoe scooping away. But oh, not so! John has a laser precision machine to make the field zero grade or whatever slight grade they might need to move the water from field to field after they flood the rice fields. The fields have to be flooded a few times and then the water “taken off” during various stages of growth. I honestly had no idea what a rice plant looked like. It looks a lot like wheat but the stalks are heavier. Then once it’s harvested, it is kept in these bins that have to be temperature controlled with fans and stuff. Very complicated!
A few hours later the rain stopped and the sun came out so we all jumped into their neighbor’s old Army jeep and took a tour of the area. Anne pointed out the Boeuf River, which surrounds one of their properties on 3 sides. She said that she likes to kayak there in the winter, but not in the summer because you see more alligators in there in the summer. What!? I would be afraid that the one alligator who decided to stay for the winter might get a little hungry for the red meat in the kayak. Yikes! She’s a brave woman!
When we got back, Anne made us Shrimp & Sausage over rice and a yummy salad. And for dessert – that yummy blueberry thing. I wonder how many times I can say yummy in one post? Probably time for that thesaurus. But you know, sometimes delectable, luscious and succulent just don’t convey the right feeling.
Soon we were all yawning (or was it just me yawning – I have not been getting my 8 hours lately) and so Bruce and I headed out to Harvey. It was very tempting to accept the king size bed in the guest room that Anne offered, but sometimes it just feels easier to stay in Harvey.
I’m missing something, Pam. Maybe you said earlier and I missed it? Are Anne and John friends? Relatives? Or someone you met on the Coast-to-Coast adventure last fall that you just decided to go back and see?
Bruce knew Anne’s family growing up. She is from Wichita.