We’re Not in Kansas Anymore!

 Well, tell that to the tornados that have been chasing us across Texas and Louisiana! During our short, but lovely, visit with my brother and sister in law in Brenham TX we witnessed the most spectacular lightning show ever! That was just the pre show to what would come the next night in Lafayette LA. We chose to stay at a harvest host there (a living history museum) thinking we would be ahead of the violent thunderstorms moving across the south. All was good when we arrived under cloudy skies. We even had a chance to tour the village. Just around 6:00 as we were preparing dinner in our tiny camper (there were 3 other campers in the lot as well) both of our phones sounded an alarm with a message to take cover and move to a safe shelter a a tornado was nearby moving quickly in our direction. Not to joke about this but we both looked at each other somewhat bewildered since we were in a camper in the parking lot of a closed museum. Some of the other campers and Rick convened to see if anyone had any suggestions- it was now thundering and lightening and a light rain began to fall. Rick came back to our camper with a shrug…no one knew what to do so they all just went back into their campers. We sought shelter with Hailey, our dog, among the steel beams of a nearby structure. The threat was short lived and after 15 minutes an all clear notice came on our phones. During the night the storm ragged on- no wind, just rain, thunder and lightning. Around 2:00am Rick shook me awake whispering, “Cath, look out the window. There’s a guy in a white mask and a black cloak walking across the parking lot ”.  Silently we watched as a figure cloaked in a long (all the way to the ground) hooded black cape made its way slowly across the parking lot in the rain and among flashes of lightning. It was so creepy. We didn’t sleep much that night!

Leaving Chris and Laurie’s House

The Parking Lot Before the Creepy Cloak Guy

Finally driving out of the storm and into Mississippi we stopped at our next destination, the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Ocean Springs MS. The only thing we need to be careful of here is the alligators- no big deal!

Today we took to the streets to sample some local food (we actually tried crawfish!) The chef, after finding out we were from these parts (maybe our northern accent gave us away) brought us out a few samples of things we have never tried. Oh, and did I mention that the place was also a brewery? 

My favorite stop if the day was Tatonut sought shop. Practicing self control we only selected 6 of their amazing donuts. Other patrons left the shop with dozens! Sadly, the jellybean and pink peep topped doughnut didn’t last long enough for me to get a picture! Rick’s banana pudding doughnut topped with vanilla wafers met the same fate. But here’s Rick in front of the shop.