New Orleans 2012

The guide didn't say whether this tomb was opened for a new arrival or whether they were making repairs. The nameplate was lying off to the side broken.

A look inside the tomb. I am guessing those pieces of wood are the remnants of a coffin. Once the body decomposes it is swept into the bottom of tomb and the tomb can be reused. If the deceased chose a metal coffin the coffin is removed, the remains placed in a burlap sack, and the sack is dropped into the bottom of the tomb. Very little embalming fluid is used for this type of burial.

Just thought these two tombs were interesting. The one on the right had a Masonic symbol on it.

If you didn't want to be buried in the family tomb or couldn't afford one of your own you could be buried with a community organization. This one was for firemen.

Tombs have to be sealed for at least one year before they can be reused. If you die and your tomb is not ready to be opened you can rent space in this wall - the timeshare of the dead. Some of these spaces have been sold and are owned for permanent use. Again, cheaper than a tomb of your own.

This house was the set of the nursing home from the Benjamin Button movie.

Sandra Bullock's house.

This house had a huge old live oak in front of it.

An example of pre-HVAC era design with many large windows for cross ventilation during the summer and shutters for winter. The circles on the ceiling for the upper deck vent the roof to help keep the house cool in the summer.

The house where Jefferson Davis died.

Anne Rice owned this house for a while. It's had many additions of different time periods and designs over the years.

Archie Manning's house. Peyton and Eli grew up playing football in the yard here.

This house was a church for a while. It had tremendous termite damage and since Anne Rice attended services here they asked her for $500k to restore it. Instead, she bought it, kicked out the church, and had it restored. It's now a private residence and was owned by Nicolas Cage for a while.

This corn stalk fence is cast iron. It was made in Philadelphia and was sold in a mail order catalog. Today it would cost over a million dollars to replace.

Some history on the house and corn stalk fence.

Louisiana Bald Eagle

Old Timey Draw Bridge

Great Blue saying hi

Nutria aka sawmp rat

Great Blue Heron

This Cypress Tree has a disease where it dies then regenerates from the inside out.

Woody Woodpecker

Hooded Merganser

Red Tailed Hawk

Movie Star Tree (has been in movies like Interview with a Vampire)

Gator

Raccoon

Old boat on the bayou

Young ibis

Pelicans and egrets and ducks, oh my!

Not sure what this litte duck is - maybe a scoter.

There's a nutria!

A very pink katydid

Mmmm... yummy bugs! Crickets and waxworms anyone?

Our chef preparing cricket topped cookies.

Armor is fun!

Cool butterfly

Look! You can see it's proboscis!

Everyone was sleepin'

Chase and Ali's half-cousins, twice removed

Goat in a bucket