Inez Scroogs, Student Harmonica Instructor

These are photos of a young girl who used to live in our Carondelet house. These photos were taken as a WPA project. Billy found these photos in the Louisiana Division of the New Orleans Public Library online.



Isn't that neat?

Thanks for your support!

A lovely woman from Portland, Maine named Shannon asked a very good question. She wanted to know who to contact if she wanted to refer her local bookstore to the distributor of Billy's Book, Down in New Orleans. The publisher of down in New Orleans is the University of California at Berkeley Press. I asked Billy about the specifics and here is his answer:

The information for booksellers interested in ordering books from UC Press is located on their website at http://www.ucpress.edu/books/bookstore/ There is a link for the sales representatives on that page and at that link there is information for the representatives for each region. I think that is how independent bookstores can order copies of the book.

-B

We are happy to hear from Shannon, and double-happy to hear that she thinks that the Portland community would be interested in the book. Thanks!

Down in New Orleans is Finally Available!

Look to the right!

Yay!

If you should want to support the book, which we would greatly appeciate, please order it from your local bookstore. We really want to support local business!

Two NOLA bookstores we love:

Octavia Books -Billy will be reading from his book here on the first Thursday, September 6, time to be announced, but he will probably start at 6pm
Maple Street Bookshop

Billy will be on Thacker Mountain Radio on September 13 at 5:30pm, in Oxford, MS.

The Kitchen

I am very excited about our kitchen. It was a much, much later addition to the house, so it is sort of modern in its lines. We outfitted it with some stand alone Ikea kitchen furniture -the white parts of which will be painted a nice, bright color. Note to all: never drink and put togther Ikea furniture. Never. Not even one harmless little cocktail to deal with a no-AC work environment. It is a very easy process, but a nonchalant/overconfident attitude inspired by the cocktail will result in putting pieces that almost look alike into incorrect places and that royally stinks.


I am most excited by the stencils that I made for the walls. I painted these to about plate rail height and I like the way these turned out. Excuse the dark pics.



For lack of better materials, I used an old vinyl shade I had hanging around for a stencil plate.



Billy and I have always had a Chambers oven in our Nola kitchens. Someone threw this one out after the storm, and Billy picked it up of the street! Free! Now all we have to do is refurbish it and drag it in...

Ruthie Monday Orr's Island

Now them is some frickin' happy pooches. Check out the grins.



Hanging out at Princes while we get some clam chowder on Orr's Island

Beach day

Went to the beach yesterday with my sister Manna, Vi, Jess, my father in law Big Bill and his partner Soukha and B. Here are a few Vi-centered pics.

Manna and Vi (stars represent three sisters)

Manna, Violet and Me (photo by Billy)

The Front Entrance

This is the front entrance. We have repaired the caved-in ceiling and painted the walls. we have yet to touch the trim. I am NOT looking forward to painting the stairwell.

Out and About in Maine

On vacation, just got the computer up and running....

I finally have a little time to post the goings on of my life, now that I away from the renovation process for a bit.

To come:

For all who have been asking (some hounding) for pics of the renovation, pics of the house as it was the day we left NOLA

Ruthie pics- and yes, one to make up for this missed monday

Pictures of Orr's Islnd, Maine, where we are milling about this year

Violet pics

etc, etc.

I am NOT a dog freak, I swear....

BUT, Miranda's friend just sent a picture of Olive, the dog who inspired the entrance of Ruth-Anne into my life and one of Ms. Norma's cats hanging out.

photo by K. Cramp

My cat would kick the bee-jeezums out of Ruthie:

Olive and Ruth-Anne

Ruthie Monday: Got an Itch

Gots to get it...

What?

Ruthie Monday by Billy Sothern

'puter problems last night. Here we go:




I was tired. So was the whole kit and kaboodle. Except they were tired from play. I wish!

Lady Bird All Gone

Lady Bird Johnson passed away.

I am grateful for her love of wildflowers.*

*Wildflower backdrop photo came from here.

Happy Birthday, Miranda!!!!!

Today is Miranda Lake's birthday!

Conner Valentine!

This is my cousin's new little babe, Conner:

Ruthie Monday No. Sumthin-Sumthin

Ruthie and Mr. Blue

Mabel wants a piece of the action:

I'm not invited.

Baby Pool Party at Miranda's

Pool Party Daddy

It is the job of the Pool Party Daddy to throw his children and those of others into the air. Over and over.

June

Louise

Sophia

And then there are the water-dance moves

Pool Party

We have a pool party every Friday so our friends with children can visit with us AND wear the littles out...

Sarah and David with wee June

Ruthie Monday XLX

How many Angel's trumpets long is Ruthie?



Answer: 1.5

Violet Ray Greer

I hope these pictures show up:

Here's little Violet, my niece, still looking like me (without the red hair!)