Featuring Ransom McCormick in The Changed Waters exhibition

I discover today that not only we will be observing the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina that for some of us, early Sept will also mark the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Betsy both of which I barely escaped by having moved away 2 weeks prior to Betsy and not returning just two weeks before Katrina and the levees breaking.  Go figure




 Right Side of "We Survived Katrina~Ransom McCormick 22"x24"

Clap Your Hands... Clap Your hands...

Maybe its the respite from cold, maybe it is the wonderful sun beaming in low 70 weather this week, but here I was early, early Saturday morning online writing... 

I woke up at 2:30 AM as in "sez wyut"? What on earth?

I had gotten already about 5 hours of sleep, but was not planning to be up this early...

But I know in part what it is about; I had a great day yesterday overall & on impulse I went by to look at a converted space that I had been curious about for months...

Since I had decided I will move this spring from where I am currently living, I figure what the heck, let me go and see.

Big mistake...

When they showed me the only available unit as I came down the entryway and turn the corner, my immediate response was OMG!  What hit me was floor to ceiling windows with a gorgeous view of New Orleans.  I rushed past seeing the other rooms to immediately go to the window which also had bay seating.

 The windows were not unlike these except wider.  I've always love Mister's house in The Color Purple.  I love lots of light, lots of windows...

My instinctive, knee-jerk reaction  was so ok "this is it"...

"Whoa slow down Nellie.. Be a grownup look around the apartment and ask question... Hold on hold you can do this, you can be mature about this" all the while my heart is doing Zumba!

The one two punch came when I discovered the rent was 50% less then I am currently paying, the building is green and it is walking distance in any direction to all I need to attend to.  Adding to boot it was high ground.

For those who may have been hiding in a cave,  you want high ground if you are to live in N.O. especially since Katrina.  Call it a knee jerk,although totally justified, reaction  post storm, you just might want the highest ground in case of flooding.  If info given me is correct, this was an old department store built in the early 1900's so you know it has survived many a hurricane, solid as a rock.

The neighborhood although having seen like many large cities a seediness, some by accident, some neglect, some by design but a neighborhood not unlike many others in this city or any other metropolitan ;it is now going throw a regeneration , a re*sparking;there are many pockets of this re-emergence all around. Fits & starts, an unplanned plan that will not benefit all, sadly.

In 2-3 years it will be impossible to get this area or at this price.  It has been known for awhile almost a decade that this area had been eyed for the expansion.

When you start seeing artists, visionaries, entrepreneurs moving into an area its a clear heads up a happening is getting ready to happen! But for the right now there are some who won't see it that way which suits me fine for the moment. Until we are priced out of the area.  I've always kicked myself one too many times by not taking advantage of the time, when the time stares me in the face...

But getting back to the apartment.. 

When I could slow my heart down some and stopped my eyes from bugging out I took a look at the rest of the unit. It is minus 1 bedroom as I currently have, does not have some of the architectural features in my current place,(but I can correct that) AND I would have to give up my veggie garden and a back yard.  Upside there is a farmer's market within walking distance.  The owners seems amendable to taking a tiny corner in the back for my  garden containers, but even in the end it is not feasible for that I could work with it. There are a few things I have to give up, but I would gain others.

Please know I am so NOT a fan of apartment living.  Its been decades for me to live in one.  Even where I live now is a 125 yr old house converted into 3 apartments.

But something about this place resonates with me.

Did I mention the windows?

 In the bedroom is also those massive windows facing the New Orleans skyline of downtown and the river. 

One things that struck me is running parallel to the building across the street is a now empty lot that in it hey day was my father's business when I was a little girl.  This area was during the height of segregation was what I called New Orleans' Harlem... Now it is, not unlike Harlem & like me, going through a resurgence.

What was shown to me, someone already got, but the next door unit will be coming up for rent after the 1st of March & larger then the one shown me. Quite timely with spring around the bend.

I am going to propose something to the owners of making the halls a walking gallery, there is lots of space for that... And of course it being my art even if it is in the common areas...The majority of the people living in the building are over 55.

So now, how will I do it.

I will find a way.

Reducing my output by 50% is quite enticing. The worst that will happen right now is I have to stay put if someone beats me to the unit.  Eventually, another will come up...

What my job is to put it out there, to speak words to truth to be ready & open for when the opportunity arises...

And clap my hands, clap my hands (with glee)

Now maybe I can go back to sleep....

The addendum to my 2AM  couldn't go back to sleep musings. 

Now I am completely wide awake!

However while in la la land, I dreamt I was having (I think) lunch with the last 3 mayors of the City of New Orleans: Landrieu (Sitting) Nagin (last) & Morial (previous to Nagin).

Why? I haven't the foggiest notion, but I've learned to pay attention to my dreams; it is my subconscious, yearnings or challenge that needs figuring out, especially the ones I remember all or in part.

I know it had to do something with the place I spoke about in part one.  I also know each one had innovative visions of what New Orleans was to become and each were in different stages of that when their time ran out sans the sitting Mayor.

I look at each of their contributions, some successful some fell flat and thought of one things.

Let me put a disclaimer in here; I am not a fan of politics...

It was my dream and why they were there I don't know.

 It was a  dream...

 I was asleep.

Now, sometimes we all have things we envision or hope for yearn for to happen with us or for us.  Some will come to fruition, some will come through but not in the time or manner of our expectations and others will fall flat, not unlike these three men.  Mayor Landrieu is still the freshman Mayor, still fresh, still in his honeymoon period . Some will fuss, a LOT will resist & others will find ways to toss a monkey wrench, the kitchen sink & a baseball bat  into his vision. 

I simply am an observer

But as in the case of them or us, in certain matters, we have to wait until things get to its final conclusion. I, too, like others at times want instant gratification but despite all the effort, I simply may not get what I want when I want it and in the manner I want it. 

But it will come. 

And precise in the way it should but I wouldn't know that until the final conclusion.

Slowly I've learned, put it into practice but awhile away from it becoming a habit, to smooth myself out of the way allowing something to come to its final conclusion.

Case in point last fall I planted some wildflower seeds in a pot and nothing happened.  I tossed the pot and the residual seeds in a pile on my back step where I kept my pots and promptly forgot about them.  I did not think they would survive neglect nor the winter especially since we had a colder then seasonal winter of us.  The winter being a weird roller coaster ride in temperatures.

Much to my surprise a few days ago I came to discover they not only germinated & grew, but survived the neglect.  One pot, not only grew but gave me flowers all winter!  I did not know wildflowers could survive cold.

So i took the others thinned them, re potted all of them in new pots giving them space and air thinking that if they survived the transplants they'll be just fine.

Well as I would have it when I stepped out to get my paper this morning, the biggest one gave me blooms! Yes blooms! In 3 days! And all the other pots not only survived my transplanting but look mighty sturdy.

It brought a smile to my face apart from the fact you can tell it is the beginning of another lovely day.

I say all of this for a reason.  Sometimes we have to smooth out of our way.  

Everything and everyone has an appointed time when things  happen.  Sometimes even when we are neglectful or doing things others may look upon as not the "right" way something is to be accomplished, just may, despite everything grow & blossom if we let it be.

Those wildflowers had their own way; I was in their way & I gave up on them far too easily since they did not do things in the appointed time that I designated for them.  And then when I wasn't looking (Whew) they did what they needed to do.  Grow, glow and gave me a pleasant gift this morning...

So as I be about my day I will remember this and as I continue on working on new habits and refining the old ones I will repeat here what I saw in a woman's office yesterday: "Thank God for what you have; Trust God for what you need". 

There are some things I do not need to control; it will happen if you give it (or us) room.

Clap your hands... Clap your hands...

"Spring Rendevous" by one of my favorite artist, Charles Bibbs

http://www.theworldart.com/

"You can't hit a home run unless you step up to the plate.  
You can't catch a fish unless you put your line in the water.  
You can't reach your goals if you don't try."  
-Kathy Seligman 

Your Blues are Like Mine...

Hotel Congress 5-30-10

Hotel Congress in Tuscon, Arizona

We had a 3 hr layover in Tuscon in part because the train got in too early. I decided to get off the train to walk around the station only to find on the opposing side I could hear some serious Etta James blues wafting through the air. I followed to sounds to find across the street at Hotel Congress a wonderful 4pc band wailing away on an Etta James song. The singer then broke into the song Jelly.

I was caught up in the sounds and had for a moment forget I needed to be counscious of the time to make it back to the train before leaving as it would be another 3 days if I missed it to get another one. But this balding, Hispanic man was doing mad justice to "Belly"...

So I thought I would be smart & stand on the outside so I could listen & still pay some attention to the train. It actually gave me a much better vantage point where I stood on the sidewalk. The bass player notice me, cane and all & smile which embolded me to make a request of them to "play something for New Orleans"...

The singer obliged and played an original piece he wrote called "I Loved the French Quarter" which was a pretty good with a second line rhythm. He shouted out to the audience to cheer for the woman on the other side of the fence from n'Awlins and the audience obliged. The song was so good I did a jig or 2 (well ok 3) to the rhythms & then had to force myself to leave...

Of course I misplaced the name of the group, but called the hotel this morning to find it out & waiting for the call.

Seems like everytime I go through Tuscon, something like this happens to me...

Go figure (and enjoy)...

Brought it on Home...

Bienvenue!

I came back home to New Orleans after a 5 years absence. I had been craving to go home for over two years but time & circumstances would not allow it to happen before this fall.

I've created the Burnt Toast blog to document my experiences especially in this 1st year through my photography, muses & whatever suits me. In part, I want to experience being part of the never to be repeated, I pray, revitalizing & reinvention of New Orleans. It will be my own eyes & how I see the fits & starts, hills & valleys as I see this quirky, magnificent, perplexing, never a moment of boredom, resilient city glow as it never has before.

My family's stamp is all over the city & goes back a century or more.My maternal grandmother in the early 1900's worked at Two Sisters where she passe blanc(passed for white) in order to support her only daughter who was too brown to pass off.

In the 1940's my parents met & fell in love right on 600 block Burgundy in the French Quarters where my father, a handsome, striking musician home after the war (WWII) moved next door. My mother was living with my Uncle Ellis a French speaking Creole who own a very successful bar & restaurant at that time called the Golden Pumpkin. According to family lore, it was the hangout for the Zulus during Mardi Gras. My mother worked there.

Shortly, before I was born my parents moved to Gert Town on Fig Street (I was a Charity baby) but before I was 5 months old bought a house in the Lower Ninth Ward which became my childhood home.

In my teens my mother moved us to Southern Cali only for me to return to N.O in my early 20's then back to Cali for another 22 years returning in 1997 living in both the Marigny & Uptown until I left in 2004 for work.

I only escape being in Katrina narrowly by the job offering me an additional year otherwise I would have been here in Katrina, other family members were not as fortunate.

But like a boomerang I would always return to New Orleans as I did this year.Whatever it is that pulls me back I cannot get voice to that yet. I just want to see what will flow this time around. So welcome to this thyme...