Life in a small town...Gramercy, La.

It is always a treat to visit Linda and Jamie's family in Gramercy, Louisiana.

In the heart of Gramercy is this building that houses Nobile's Restaurant.  The building has housed many businesses throughout the years including (a long time ago) a doctor's clinic where the local babies were even birthed on the top floor.



If you did not know this restaurant's fine reputation you might pass it by as "too rustic by a mile".  I think they are better at cooking than painting but I particularly liked the line-up of mops by the back door.



And surprise.... the inside is charming, all the customers are both welcoming--and related,  and the food is really good.  It's another gem to add to my list of Mom and Pop's worthy of mention.



If you should ever need your VCR programmed, your remote decoded, your new iphone explained or your watch reset....I know a 4 year old that would be glad to help you out.   Jamie's grandson (and best friend--that's what his shirt says) Andrew is a Wiz at all things electronic.

 We did another trip to Linda's family's farm and she proudly picked a bunch of spinach mustard for my salad--yum.

Then we stopped by her aunt's house to sit on the back porch where the family gathers every afternoon to reminisce and share the latest gossip.

Linda's Mom, Ethel,  (who is famous as one of the best cook's in town) had a pot of spaghetti waiting for us at her house so we didn't sit very long,  

And you can tell by Jamie's expression,  Ethel Pollett's spaghetti is not to miss.

The visit would not be complete without saying hello to T-Black and his wife.  And I scored another jar of T-Black's great hot sauce!  Ahh!  Life is so good here.


The following pictures are not from Gramercy but they are indicative of the lazy life in the south...

Porches are important in Louisiana and are evident everywhere.  I was trying to think of any friend's house in Tucson with a porch and I cannot think of one.  Lots of back decks but no porches where neighbors can join you for a glass of iced tea and some gossip.

Even the fanciest restaurants in the south provide a lazy place to sit and watch the world go by.

If Halcyon II had a porch then I know who would be sitting and rocking on it.

(These pictures are especially for my kids)...Many years ago my husband, Roger, and I had a restaurant in Houston called 'Crickets'.  It was a 'family' restaurant in the true sense and had a porch, rocking chairs and a porch swing for communing with each other and the neighbors after a home-cooked meal.  A few days ago I drove by to see if the building was still there.  Nope!   

There's a strip center though and a nice paved parking lot (where some beautiful shade trees once stood) and a Chinese restaurant with a 'take-out' window so you can speed away quickly. 

We call it 'Progress'.

The tragedy in the lives of most of us is that we go through life walking down a high-walled land with people of our own kind, the same economic situation, the same national background and education and religious outlook. And beyond those walls, all humanity lies, unknown and unseen, and untouched by our restricted and impoverished lives. -Florence Luscomb, architect and suffragist (1887-1985)