Cajun Country Road Trip

My wife Janet and I have traveled extensively within the US and found people in most places pleasant, but sometimes of varying temperaments and hospitality. Never have we met a populace so uniformly polite and pleasant as the folks in the Cajun Country of Louisiana. From the hotel staff to the convenience store clerks, restaurant employees and people we passed on the street, almost to a person we were met with smiles and greetings from total strangers. And they weren’t the canned ones necessitated by the

demands of business, but those of a genuine and pleasant people. One of our goals on these little trips is to skip the chains and touristy places and visit the places where the local folks go. We visited two this trip, and both were good picks.

The first we discovered while driving in the middle of nowhere in Terrebonne Parish near a town called Bayou Black. A nondescript little building with a gravel parking lot, the Bayou Delight Restaurant was surrounded by vehicles with local tags. We turned around and went back, and we were not disappointed. There was live music (an old gentleman on a synthesizer who could sing more Cajun tunes than I have ever heard) and good food: just about any crab, crawfish, shrimp… (…I could go on for a while here) dish you could imagine. There was dancing and good conversation from everyone. We were made to feel welcome, even to the point of receiving our Honorary Cajun Certificates. If you want the genuine experience with genuine good folks check out the Bayou Delight Restaurant.

The second place we visited, Gros Marina, is in Saint Martin Parish. It was literally six miles down a road along Four Mile Bayou near the little town of Stephensville, on Highway 70 north of Morgan City, Louisiana. There is one road that winds along the banks of the bayou, turning to gravel before ending near Gros Marina. This means you drive six miles into this little piece of Cajun Country and six miles out, but it’s worth the trip. The locals travel there mostly by boat (everything from kayaks and aluminum bass-boats to double-deck houseboats). After photographing gators, turtles, egrets, nutria and a variety of wildlife on the way in, we arrived to meet Leroy Gros and his youngest son, Ben. Ben explained that there is food and music there every weekend during the summer. We enjoyed Burgers and Fries and a bucket of beer on the covered veranda beside the bayou. Now, don’t go looking for a lot of fancy digs here. Matter of fact, if you drive in, there’s only one small sign at the entrance, and you’ll have to make your way past outboards hanging for repair in order to get back to the marina. What you will find are good people and a pleasant time “down on the bayou.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, if you are reading or have read one of my novels and like(d) it, please go to Amazon.com and leave a review of the book. Tell others why you liked it. The next novel will hopefully be out in the Fall. It will not be a military thriller like Melody Hill or The Gomorrah Principle, but more of a love story about a vet recovering from the horrors of combat. I guarantee it will make you laugh, despite the serious subject matter. The tentative title is Raeford’s MVP.

Blondie, A Dog Who Knows Fine Bourbon

Some of you may not know that I have a new Lab puppy. His name is Blondie. He is a very intelligent and inquisitive little critter who is open to trying new things. This I learned the other evening while on the back of the place burning brush. While tending the fire, I set my glass of Bourbon on a five gallon bucket on the hill.

Blondie who had grown bored with chasing crickets and toads, found my glass of Evan Williams and helped himself. What he didn’t slurp out, he turned over and drank off the bucket.

“No problem,” I figured. He didn’t appear to have gotten too much, so I wasn’t overly concerned. A few minutes later he trotted back up toward the house, and it wasn’t long before I heard a commotion. He was barking and growling. I thought about the cats and realized he was probably terrorizing them, chasing them around the deck. The cats barely tolerate him as it is, so I hurried up to the house to save them.

When I arrived the cats were lined up on top of the deck rail–all five of them, Doctor Claw, Zoie, Harry, Butter Cup, and Zero staring down at my ferocious little lush with more disdain than fear. They didn’t need my help. He was lying on his back, all four paws in the air, growling and barking at them. Figuring he had embarrassed himself enough, I took him inside and let him sleep it off on the couch.

I’m sure Bourbon isn’t good for a dog and fortunate he didn’t get more. Next time I reckon I’ll put my Evan Williams on a fence post.

Rick DeStefanis – The Word Hunter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may also enjoy: Eagles, Bluebirds, & Opposums

The Gomorrah Principle: Judge’s commentary from the Writer’s Digest Book Awards

It is always good for the writer’s heart and soul to receive positive commentary, whether it be from readers or professional sources. Below is such a commentary from a judge representing the Writer’s Digest Book Awards. If you’ve read The Gomorrah Principle, send your comments as well, or better yet, post your review on Amazon, and GoodReads or the retailer’s site of your choice. Meanwhile, back at the ranch: The prequel to The Gomorrah Principle is Melody Hill. Already receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews, this story begins in the fictional east Tennessee town of Melody Hill and tells the story of Duff Coleridge. If you have already read The Gomorrah Principle, fret not. You will not be disappointed. As several reviewers have written, either book can be read first.

Additionally, out in February of 2016, Raeford’s MVP is somewhat of a departure from the military fiction thriller genre inasmuch as it delves more into a veteran’s life after Vietnam. Only the first six chapters actually take place there, with the bulk of the story devoted to combat veteran Billy Coker’s journey as he searches for meaning in his life after the Vietnam War. Raeford’s MVP is a love story, a war story and a story of redemption all rolled into one. It’s guaranteed not to disappoint.

Here are the comments from the Writer’s Digest Book Awards:

The Gomorrah Principle, a Vietnam Sniper’s Story, by Rick DeStefanis is a riveting tale written with the skill and precision that is necessary for the topic. Anyone who has ever served the country will appreciate the deft hand and heart, combined with the hard, cold reality of how war affects the human soul. The opening scene gives readers an inside look at the conflicting emotions of the main character. In this genre blend, DeStefanis proves that he is a force to be reckoned with in the literary world. There are no glaring technical errors that would pull the reader out of the story. The plot is well crafted, and the pacing is spot-on…. Once people read it, I think word of mouth will make DeStefanis a must-read for anyone who enjoys recent history, war stories, mysteries, and romance.

-Judge, 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards