A Southern Life

A Southern Life: my take on traditions, food, sights and more.

  • Wreaths on a New Orleans Walk

    I was very late in getting my Fall wreath up this year.  We were doing work on the house – a necessity for old homes, but I wouldn’t trade for the world.  I brought my camera on a recent coonhound walk to document what the neighbors were featuring.  There were a number of Halloween decorations…

  • Relaxing at The Fly

    New Orleans has and abundance of flora and fauna and beautiful parks. Audubon Park is a beautiful park and tucked away way at the back on the river side of the park is an area know as “The Fly.” It has a fabulous river view and wide grassy areas. While it is not as well…

  • New Orleans Friends

    Since moving to New Orleans, I have so enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends. It is especially fun when I meet someone who I have much in common with, and who wants to share the New Orleans experience with the world, just as I do. Cindy Bush is a New Orleans native who…

  • Resurrection Fern

    Many are familiar with the beautiful Spanish Moss that drapes majestic live oaks in the South as it does these lovely trees in Audubon Park, here in New Orleans.   Another thing that loves the stately live oaks is the Resurrection Fern. This fern gets its name because it goes from this in dry weather:…

  • Halloween in New Orleans | Part II

    Okay, I showed you a lot of the houses with their fun Halloween decorations yesterday. Today, I want to show you a really fun house on the corner of St. Charles Avenue and State Street. It is the Boneyard. There is an article in on the Tulane News site that tells about the family that…

  • Halloween in New Orleans | Part 1

    Halloween in New Orleans is a BIG deal to put it mildly. In terms of celebration, it is second only to Mardi Gras. Lots of decorations, parties and fun.

  • Hurricane Reflections

    Watching all the devastation that is happening on the East coast this week has had me reflecting on my first hurricane experience here in New Orleans this year. Back in late August and early in to September, we endured Hurricane Isaac. While we did not experience such devastation in our neighborhood, many in surrounding parishes…

  • A New Southern Beginning – New Orleans Style!

    Things are looking different around here. With a new city and coming back after a long hiatus from writing at A Southern Life, it was time for some changes. I’m so excited to show you what is going on in my Southern Life that is now being lived in New Orleans. So, really, what’s not…

  • Chargrilled Oysters!

    Oysters – an interesting little mollusk. People eat them raw, fried and yes, chargrilled (or charbroiled). I have often wondered, who was the first person to open an oyster and think, “Hmmmm, wonder what this tastes like?” Traditionally, oysters are said to be best during months that end with an “R.” With refrigeration, oysters are…

  • Fall Dinner Party in New Orleans

    Since moving to New Orleans, I have really enjoyed making new friends and renewing acquaintances. I also enjoy having a roomy dining room that makes entertaining so much easier. Recently, we had some friends over for a casual, early fall dinner. I was busy getting things ready and didn’t get enough pictures of the table.…

  • Big Move! – Also Known As A Leap Of Faith

    Believe it or not, I am now in New Orleans. I loved the beautiful Twin Lakes area of Arkansas and will be back often to visit with friends and clients, but for now, I’m coastal! Things I am loving so far in New Orleans include: One of my favorite experiences when we first got here…

  • How A Southern Garden Grows

    No matter how many times I put in a garden I will never cease to be amazed at the way they grow and what they give back. You may remember, a few weeks back when I posted about putting in my garden. This is how it looked in May: In just a few short weeks,…

  • Southern Garden

    My, what a labor of love a garden is. Been working on getting my garden in this weekend. It is a bit late, but with soooooo much rain, I had to wait for a dry weekend. It turned out that this weekend was perfect. Cool temperatures with overcast skies but NO RAIN! Before I go…

  • Southern Words from Donna

    You may remember my friend Donna Butler Douglas that I introduced you to last year. Remember her? She is the creator of the fabulous DonnaDots! Here are some DonnaDots to help you remember: Yes, that Donna. She is so very talented and as it turns out, very organized as well. Donna has graciously written down…

  • Southern Dogwood

    The dogwoods are blooming beautifully here. Love dogwoods and how inspirational they are. Have you hear the Easter legend of the dogwood? When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew To a towering size with a lovely hue. It branches were strong and interwoven And for Christ’s cross its timbers were chosen. Being distressed at…