Louisiana Lagniappe

Down in Louisiana there’s a unique word that describes the feeling of having more than enough, extra, or an unexpected gift. It’s called lagniappe (lan-yap).

 Like an extra helping of deep rich, roux gravy on mashed potatoes, extra shrimp in your gumbo, or a little more cream in your coffee, this word just seems to capture the joy of occasionally going overboard with something good. That’s exactly how we felt when we saw these photos from Laura’s recent Louisiana trip. It’s a design lagniappe of sorts, filled with more than enough inspiration to keep us creating for a while!

We’ll be using some of these fabulous design inspirations in upcoming artwork.  In the meantime, we’ll just have to dream of these steamy cups of café au lait and mounds of beignets topped with snowy caps of powered sugar. 

                                     

So, fix yourself the strongest cup of coffee you can make and enjoy a little visual lagniappe with us today as we take a trip down south, just outside of New Orleans, through Laura’s travel notes and photos...

        Up at sunrise to go “birding” in the Bluebonnet Swamp with James and my brother-in-law, Robert McLaughlin III.  Robert is an avid birder, historian and storyteller of Louisiana history and culture and his invitation to this swamp was one of the highlights of our trip! The swamp is part of the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, a 103 acre paradise right in the heart of the busy city of Baton Rouge.



The birds were shy, but the wildflowers put on a show.

                                       Found this weathered bee box near the swamp,

                             

                                          these mushrooms having a party on a log

                                                and two precious cardinal bird eggs. 

                                         Could have stayed all day in the swamp ...

 but, a little tour of homes and sites was waiting.

    Love the whimsical color combinations on this  home.                                 

                                                                              

the magnificent boughs of this ancient oak tree

                                             and soft Spanish moss swaying in the breeze,

                                                          draping everything in sight.

                                           We had two little finales on this lagniappe day... 

                                                    trees with storybook pages of bark

and pink breezy flowers.

 

" For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, ... this our grateful hymn of praise." 

                                                 Folliott Piermont ( 1835-1917)

 Savoring southern sites,

                           The Velvet Lime Girls