Natchitoches
Pronouned "NACK-uh-tish" for all you nonlocals, such as myself, is a quaint little Louisanna town halfway from Dallas to New Orleans filled with Bed & Breakfast Inns, including the site where Steel Magnolias. As it is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, it is also filled with history. After breakfast Friday morning we went out in seach of some of that history. We choose to tour the Melrose Plantation, just outside of town.
Melrose flowerpot cat.
I love this picture... 'cause every one needs a little cat butt with their family pic!
Deeanna quickly made friends with this Melrose kitty while we waited for the tour to begin. The other one bit Kiara. She got too close.
The African House. Because of the way it was built, it never gets hotter than 89 degrees, even in the dead of summer, and in Louisanna, the dead of summer is HOT!
These are the murals on the upper floor of the African House where Clementine Harris depicted her views of live on the plantation.
Then it was time to head into the big house.
A few of Clementine Harris' paintings that were hanging in the big house.
I love touring plantation homes. I wish we could have stopped at a few more. Oh well, it's on the list of things to do. The long, long list!
After the tour was over we strolled around the grounds, taking in the beautiful day, beautiful sights and beautiful smells.
This magnificient Oak is over 300 years old! I want one in my yard!
St. Augustine church was built by the same man who built Melrose. It is the oldest African American Catholic church in America. It is also the location of the wedding scene from Steel Magnolias. Clementine Harris is buried in the grave yard behind the church. We walked around back there for a minute, but the girls think it's creepy. I find the juxtaposition of 250 year old grave markers next to one that's only 10 years fascinating. I've been dying to take them to the St Louis cemeteries in New Orleans, but they want no part of it.
Yet.
I had read online that Lasyones was the place to go for the famous Natchitoches meat pie. Unfortunatly, they were only open until 3 p.m. and we happened to have strolled up at 3:05. 5 minutes late, story of my life!
Seeing as how I was determined to try one of Louisiana's state foods, we chatted up some locals at a gift shop to see if they could point us in the right direction. They sent us on our way to Papa's, which is conveniently located right next to Mama's.
Dinner salad, dirty rice, and Natchitoches Meat Pie. Yum.
We rested out feet for a while along the Cane River Lake. This body of water used to be a river, connecting the town and area's plantations with the mighty Mississippi, but Mother Nature shifted the course of the river and left in it's stead this 33 mile long winding lake.
I love the hanging flower baskets added to this city's lovely lamp posts.
Kiara's checking out some tulips. She'll swear she wasn't posing for this one, but don't believe it! After this pic we loaded into the car and headed on in to New Orleans.
I had read online that Lasyones was the place to go for the famous Natchitoches meat pie. Unfortunatly, they were only open until 3 p.m. and we happened to have strolled up at 3:05. 5 minutes late, story of my life!
Seeing as how I was determined to try one of Louisiana's state foods, we chatted up some locals at a gift shop to see if they could point us in the right direction. They sent us on our way to Papa's, which is conveniently located right next to Mama's.
Dinner salad, dirty rice, and Natchitoches Meat Pie. Yum.
We rested out feet for a while along the Cane River Lake. This body of water used to be a river, connecting the town and area's plantations with the mighty Mississippi, but Mother Nature shifted the course of the river and left in it's stead this 33 mile long winding lake.
I love the hanging flower baskets added to this city's lovely lamp posts.
Kiara's checking out some tulips. She'll swear she wasn't posing for this one, but don't believe it! After this pic we loaded into the car and headed on in to New Orleans.
