NH to AZ via New Orleans

We left New Hampshire a week later than usual and what was planned. We moved, piled everything (boxes & furniture) into the middle of rooms, put the house into deep-freeze condition and hit the road West. We'd already had to shovel snow and it was cold and foggy. Planned side trips in Maryland and the Carolinas didn't get done as we stayed ahead of some nasty weather.

New Orleans was in the midst of a lot of rain (22" in 15 days!) when we arrived in the Big Easy. It was good to quit driving for a few days and visit with old friends. In between rain storms we did get to see some of the French Quarter and sample a Muffuletta for lunch. Yummy, very yummy.





I kept seeing "metal men" on the street corners and finally figured there was on each corner of Jackson Square . Here are two of them, silver and gold.







I stood way back and used my digital zoom after my friend told me about one of them chasing her down and being very angry for taking his photo. Until I was told, I thought they were statues.

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Jeanne d'Arc looks freshly gilded and very regal.
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Balconies, lushly planted balconies were everywhere I looked. In the French Quarter, I soon learned to look up.

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Looking up was what spotted this beautiful old iron lantern under one of the covered walkways. It got a giggle from me at the sight of the twisted florescent light bulb replacing the oil lantern innards. Modern meets antique & clashes??

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People watching can also be fun. I was glad I was not walking around in her shoes.

I did some beading with my friend Bev, No Easy Beads. Not as much as we would have liked, but a good exchange of creative ideas were rushing around. We ate, we talked, sampled typical local food, and just plain enjoyed the relaxed company of good friends.

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Leaving town pointed up just how much rain New Orleans received while we were there.

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Somewhere in West Texas there is an older motel on an old US Highway that was cheap and clean. I wish this relic of a steam shower hadn't been disabled years ago.

I guess you could say we traveled from snow to snow in 10 days ......

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This is what Tombstone looked like soon after our arrival.

So much for trying to wear flip-flops 365 days of the year!
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We've celebrated Christmas with family & friends and have almost settled into the winter quarters. I'm still trying to evict the Summer's crop of spiders and find places to put things. The beads are put away and I've been making lists of projects, ideas and things I want at Tucson's Gem shows.