Separation of Life and Web
First off, thank you all very much for the feedback and encouragement after the last post. It is now part of the World Wide Web, cached forever, dirty laundry perpetually hanging on the Internet line for all to see. With that in mind, I can see now why one reader says it’s best to keep life and internet separate. Maybe, maybe not.
Life in the Louisiana wetlands is what I write about. It is MY life, and I’m passionate about our lives here. So, once in a while, in my human frailty, I will probably succumb to the temptation to reach out to my long-distance friends for support. Indulge me. Forgive me. Just don’t ignore me!
On a lighter note, yesterday, my 19-year-old son and I stumbled upon an interesting sight.
These two black, ominous-looking boats, docked one behind the other in a public waterway near downtown Houma. I remember seeing these boats docked there several years ago, but I never got to visit them up close.
Turns out . . .
they will be on display through the weekend starting today. I’m not sure I’ll have the chance to see them this weekend. I’m assuming they are replicas of the Nina and Pinta. Showing my ignorance here about old sea-faring vessels, but I’m not sure if they are called schooners or what.
So, maybe Capt. Swallow or Shoreacres, or someone in the woodwork will come forth and educate us about what these vessels are really called. If I get to go aboard, I’ll be sure and take pics for you.
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In case you’ve been wondering what’s been happening with Who Dat, here is a photo of her from yesterday. Look closely.
Notice how you can see almost all her body atop the nest now? The eggs must have hatched, meaning she is sitting atop her owlets, sheltering them from the elements. As I walked around the back deck taking her photo, she blinked at me several times. I guess I was interrupting her nap.
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And now for the new adventure I promised to tell you about. It has something to do with this logo:
Tomorrow morning, along with Don Dubuc and two other Louisiana outdoor journalists, BW will be co-hosting a new radio show called, “Hunt, Fish, Talk!”. The show airs at 8 a.m. on ESPN 1350 AM. We will be discussing, in round-table fashion, current events and topics having to do with the outdoors. The first topic is a controversial one about the 14″ minimum size limit of the large-mouth bass in the Atchafalaya Basin.
I’m nervous. I’m scared. I’m excited. And I hope I don’t sound like a total idiot. The truth is, I wasn’t going to tell you about this until after the fact because I’m afraid I’m going to sound like a complete dork. But because you all have been such good friends, I decided to let you join me on my first ever radio show. All I can say is, if I sound like a complete idiot, we can laugh about it together. And if this ever grows into something bigger, we can all look back to this first show and say that is where it all began. (That’s me dreaming!)
Here’s the link to Don Dubuc’s web site where the radio show streams live.
So, round about 9:10 a.m. tomorrow, I’ll be back here peeking at the comments to see just how good/bad you think I did. Go easy on me, friends, okay?
Off to study for tomorrow’s show!
BW
PS If you are doing the Mardi Gras thing, PLEASE be careful and watch out for stray bullets, flying beads, and drunk drivers. Just sayin’.
Congrats on the radio show capt!!
Hey Chris, thanks! When you coming down? I saw those bass photos! Man, I was jealous! And NOW you know why I was asking those size/creel limit questions 😉
Unfortunately not till the end of may. Would love to get up with you! Keep us posted on your fishing trips!
Well are ye just on one adventure after another, this week!
The Niña & The Pnita are in fact…exactly that – the most historically accurate re-creations o’ Columbus’ Caravels. They were built originally just as that (and the Pinta – the larger one – was most recently built in Brazil) they are now additionally floating museums!
They are rather ironically registered to “The Columbus Foundation, British Virgin Islands” (while I’m sure Columbus might be pleased, the Carib & Arawak would no doubt be less amused).
They leave Houma on Feb. 26 for a time in Texas, then return to Louisiana for “Contraband Days” (Lake Charles) Apr 27 – May 8.
Read more about them here http://www.thenina.com/
Thanks since I didn’t have time to look this up! Knew I could count on you, Captain!
Those were here in Oklahoma not long ago! I saw them in a waterway myself! Small world.
Nat performs Tuesday morning on Channel 8’s Good Morning Oklahoma at 6:30 a.m., I’m not sure if they will have anything on their online version but if so I will send you the link by email!
Oh wonderful! Tell her I’m so proud of her! And yes, send that link!
BW,you will do fine on the show,if it gets ackward here is something to think about and will help ease things, Down in Lafourche Parish , Louisiana , Boudreaux gets a job with BP helping with the cleanup.
He reports for work and is told to speak to a supervisor about his assignment.
He finds the man and asks, “What it is I suppose to do?”
The supervisor tells him to go to the animal shelter and clean the pelicans.
Two hours later, Boudreaux comes up to the supervisor and says, “Okay. Dey all cleaned. You want me to cook some rice?”
Ha ha ha ha!!! Oh my gosh, that’s a GOOD ONE, Ronnie!!!
Hello BW. I never did comment yet because I’m honte I guess and I don’t know you that well. I have to admit, blogging personal feelings makes powerful reading and that’s OK. Your blog and I read some other ones all do that. But I don’t. I distance myself from blogging. Most of the time anyway. Those ships look cool. And I have no doubt that you’ll do good on that show. From your writings and profile you seem very capable. Remember a long time ago you said leave a comment on your blog? That was 2008. I had to change jobs, get a CDL and start new job. So I had quit blogging to focus. Now I deliver beer all day in Ville Platte! lol. But, better late than never. –Mike Hebert (from way up north Evangeline Parish)
Well, hello there Mike the Creole Cajun and welcome BACK to this bayou blog, again. I appreciate your words, Mike, and so glad that you’re gainfully employed. You’ve been hanging around since 2008? Well, I’m very glad you stopped by again!!! Thanks for the comment, too. Have a great weekend, Mike.
Oh Crabby King Cakes, I doesn’t gets to call in….
Up here I’d say the water there is too shallow to support a 14 inch bass limit but in warmer temps maybe. Or maybe they will all stunt out in 5 years. Most pics I see of bayou bass have the big head small body of stunting already.
Be thinking about a Baton Rouge weekend 1st of March if I keep leaning toward healthy.
I heard some talk today of the red gnats being along the Illinois river.
Good Luck. Prayers sent. LOL.
May I quote you on the “body vs head” shape on the show?
Blu – do you want the number so you can call in?
I forgot all about Who Dat! You’ll have to post photos when you see small heads sticking up from the nest. Do you know how long they will stay with mom in the nest?
I wanted to invest in a motion camera, install a tall pole in the deck, and mount it on top of there. But I think all the activity would really disturb her now, and I would hate to scare her away. When I first discovered her, I think I read that it takes only 52 days from hatch to fledge. Don’t have time to look at that again right now
Exciting! Fun! Enjoy!
I plan to enjoy it!!! Thanks, Cuz!
I hope I’ll be able to listen to you where I am…..since I’m not home at the moment. Best of luck to you! You’ll do fine!!!
I just checked Don’s website and see that he does archive his show so if anyone misses it – you can still hear it later.
Yes, yes, smarty pants, I was going to get to that later!! If I don’t like how I sound, I wasn’t going to give anybody the archives link, lol!
Wishing you the best on the show. I’ll have to catch it from the archives.
No problem!
Good morning, everyone. I’m ready and waiting at my computer. Oh, wait, I need a glass of water just in case. Checked the “mute” button on the land line, it works. Just in case I have to cough or burp or something 🙂 And I want y’all to know that I studied 3 x as hard as these guys did because there are 3 of them and one of me. Did I do that math right? Now, if the dogs would just use their inside voices and not bark through the whole show, this will go great!
Okay, wish me luck. It’s about 35 minutes to show time!
Whew! I’m finished! That was quite an experience. Now, you have to rate me on the Dork Scale with 1 being Radio Show Dork of the Year and 10 being Radio Show Hostess Supreme!!!
Chime in NOW!!!!! I’m planning to use this as a constructive criticism tool. I mean, you don’t realize how many times you say “uh” until you’re on radio or TV. My speech teacher was right, “uh” is the single most over-used two letter word in the English language!!!
You did great Captain Wendy…I would say a 10. The 14 inch bass rule has long been a topic of great interest to people in the Basin since 1992. I agree with you on the survey as well. Obviously you did your homework!
Severe weather has just hit Bayou Tech…gotta unplug the computer!
Hi Beth! I love your screen name! Have we met? Thanks so much for chiming in this morning. I need feedback and will try to have feelings of steel because I want to be the best I can be. I feel like I represent all the outdoor women of Louisiana, and I want to do a good job. Even though I don’t fish the Basin, I can sympathize with the limitations this limit has put on families fishing and putting food on the table. I’m just about as grassroots as they come, Beth. Thanks again for the comment! BW
BW, Thanks to a friend I have been following your blog since last deer season. Not always during hunting season but when I have a chance. She told us last week about Don’s new show and that you were going to co-host. Since we are not in the New Orlean’s listening and viewing area, we have to rely on people who left their heart and soul on the bayous of Terrebonne and Lafourche. To listen to the show requires a computer over here. Loved the way you pointed out the first sentence of the first paragraph. We have bon fires on the levee every few months to meet and discuss the legal issues in the basin. We also meet formally at least twice a month and sometimes three times. It is good to hear the voice of another outdoor woman ON THE RADIO! AS far as I know you are a first. Hope you did not get severe weather today.
I love the sound of sitting around a fire discussing legal issues!!! And the fact that y’all are meeting often is very impressive! Well, being on this radio show is a dream come true, my friend. PS – how did she know about the radio show? The blog or did she hear the commercials on the radio? Check your email!!!
I missed it! I was in the car (in TERRIBLE weather) with Hubby on the way to B.R. We were going to pick up Dad for the weekend. I’ll have to catch the “re-run”. Is this going to be a “regular gig” for you?
Mais, you coulda listened in da car at 1350 AM, cher!!! It is going to be the third Saturday morning of every month for now. We will have a topic of discussion each week. This week was the 14″ minimum size limit on Largemouth bass in the Atchafalaya basin–a very controversial topic.
Kinda hard to listen with talking going on. About that 14″ limit…they should have done away with it in the late ’90’s. It’s the tournament fishermen that have been pushing the 14″ limit. We don’t even fish for bass in the basin anymore. We’ve thrown back too many 13 3/4″ fish. When we fish, it’s for food. We don’t fish for a wall mount or prize money. Don’t get me wrong…I have nothing against those who wish to fish for trophies. It’s just that it’s PAST time to do away with the 14″ size limit. Sorry…ya got me going. I definitely have to listen to the re-run to hear what y’all had to say on the topic.
Well, that’s basically what was said, Steffi!!! I guess I didn’t realize you used to fish the basin for bass or I would have gotten your input on the topic. You are right on in your feelings, though!!! It’s amazing to me the number of people who say they catch plenty right under 14″ that they have to throw back. Interesting stuff. Thanks for the input!
We actually had NEVER fished saltwater till Hurricane Andrew messed up the basin. Pierre Part and Belle River were the places we usually fished. We sometimes fish Blind River and the Petite Amite, but during the warm weather months…idiot boaters with no respect for others on the water will run you over. Blind River and fly fishing for bream are a good combo in the Spring when the “worms” start falling from the trees.
And there you are, a perfect example of what one of other co-hosts said–saltwater fishing didn’t become as popular as it is now until after Hurricane Andrew and the 14″ LMB size limit.
Well, lookie at this. Come in late and you miss the party! Congrats on the radio gig. I love listening to the outdoor show that’s on the sports talk station here. You got better hours, though. Here it starts at 4 a.m. It’s a great place to get updates on where fishing’s good, what the weather is like up and down the coast, and so on. Actually, there are a lot of calls about Louisiana, too – guys going over to Calcasieu, especially. Well, and the guys fishing tourneys over there.
I see the Capt. got the word out about the Columbus ships. I saw them down in Corpus Christi some years ago – maybe ten years ago, now that I think of it. What amazed me most was their size. People were smaller then!
As for personal life on the blogs – I don’t see any problem with it at all. I never even gave a thought about whether I should post about my mom’s death and funeral. I couldn’t focus on anything else, anyway.
Of course, there are other considerations when situations involve living people! I always try to remember that my kinfolk are reading my blog!
A wise person once told me, “Never say or write something you wouldn’t want your momma to hear or see”.
Shore, you really didn’t miss the party!!! Unless you were at your computer Saturday morning and could have tuned in!! Don starts his show at 5 a.m. and we came on at 8 a.m. so I didn’t have to get up with the chickens, as it were! I saw the boats were still there this afternoon but I was too preoccupied with other things to take the time to go aboard! Oh well . . . . and you are oh so right about situations involving living people!!!
I look forward to reading your posts and hope to come across your show on the dial…Phil
Welcome to the bayou, Phil, although I think you’re stopped by before! Thanks for the comment! BW
Welcome to the bayou, Phil, although I think you’re stopped by before! Thanks for the comment! BW
As usual, I’m late chiming in. I’d been out of town to see my Dad.
I hope the radio show came off without any hitches. I’d have been petrified. I remember how nervous I’d get when I had to get in front of my class and read my book reports!
Am waiting eagerly for Who Dat’s owlets to rear their heads above the edge of the nest.
Happy Fat Tuesday! Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we diet.
Hey Gue`, you know what they say! Better late than never, and glad to hear from you again. How about tour, eat, and be merry? That’s what I did today with customers from Alaska! I might just write about that trip! I was nervous at first, but got over it very quickly–that’s what a good host does–makes his guests comfortable, right? Don Dubuc is fantastic at doing just that!