Nathan finally found the camera's USB cable so I was able to upload our vacation photos, plus every other picture we've taken over the last four or five months. So this is going to be a monster picture post!
We flew in to New Orleans and drove from there to the Southern tip of Alabama.
The world takes a long time to recover from a hurricane.
We were hoping for hot weather because it had been so cold in Portland, but we were happy to get to remember what thunderstorms look like.
We stopped at a casino in Gulfport for an all-you-can-eat crab legs buffet. It was the first time I had crab legs since leaving the east coast.
There is no describing to people from Portland why I don't eat the shrimp up here. But a picture of Gulf Coast shrimp might partially explain it. Too bad taste can't translate over the internet yet.
The next day, Nathan's grandma and Great Aunt Marlene set to work preparing a feast for kings. I told them I missed the Gulf Coast's seafood, but I never expected them to hand me my wildest dreams on a platter.
The beginnings of gumbo.
The long growing season in the South makes tomatoes like this possible at a time of year when in Portland I hadn't even put my tomato starts in the ground yet:
Aunt Marlene is famous for her etouffe. The gumbo is in the rear stock pot.
Pie!
Baked beans and green bean casserole.
Crab stuffing.
Fried oysters.
Cocktail shrimp.
During the days, we'd explore the family's property. They've begun a goat raising operation, so we played with some goats.
We saw a wild turkey.
Nathan's grandparents are building a cabin by a fishing lake they also built.
We saw a giant snake.
And another giant snake.
And a turtle.
And the cattle. Note the Katrina-damaged silo in the distance.
We found a chanterelle imposter. We weren't able to identify it, but we know it's not a chanterelle, and it's probably not a jack-o-lantern.
On our way back out, we spent a few hours in New Orleans taking in the sights.
And eating beignets!!!
On the flight back in to Portland, I got some awesome pics of Mount Hood.
You can see the whole album by clicking on the link under any of those photos!
1 comment:
I just lived vicariously through this post.
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