Dear Blog World, I Survived!

The Bumpkin is proud to make the following announcement:
NEW ORLEANS IS BACK!
For the first time, since the levees broke, I can honestly say, it's back to the same ole', same ole' in the Big Easy. The crowds were back in full force this year.
The Bumpkin extended Mardi Gras for a day, sorry if I kept you waiting. Just between us peeps, we will call it the day of the hair of the dog that bit me.
I promised to share these pics with all of you, so without furter adieu, let's get on with it.

Everybody has a ladder. Some tall and some short, but bottom line a little closer to the floats equals more beads. This is how the entire parade looks before a parade. Nobody does it better than New Orleans, these people have Mardi Gras down pat.

This was my favorite float. They threw beads with dolphins and starfish on them.

Lady Amy and Queen Jo of the Back Porch Royalty! We had so much fun!


This was directly behind the Bumpkin during all the parades. Perfect spot to catch the parades. Alcohol, food, and the bathroom was only $1 each visit. However, they would not make change for the potty $1's. My John got into a tight spot, and still has 4 pee credits left, so if you are in the area, tell em the Bumpkin sent ya!



The ladies in the buildings above us had a good idea to get the good beads shot through their windows.


Shout out to all you Bears fans, this is the only bead John will wear. We took a jab or two from the many Saints fans around us. But, the Cubs hat got us a bead or two. Something to the effect of, "Go Cubs" and then a bombardment of beads from above hit directly afterward.





They say animals can sense people who are animal lovers. This guy came right up to the Bumpkin for a nuzzle.



Bumper to Bumper peeps as far as the eye can see!

These guys are one of my favorite things to see. It must be the mask, my heart races Antonio Banderas Zorro style, when these guys trot by.

Decorations on the balconies are plentiful, but I just had to show you all this one. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! The best I have ever seen!



Several times during the revelry we talked about you blog friends we have made. We love sharing the best times of our lives with you!

Love,
The Bumpkin and John

P.S. I can never get a serious picture out of My John, look at that face, at least he didn't do this as he usually does!

I have albums of this pose!

We Interrupt This Blog To Bring You Mardi Gras!

When you see this...Better get your hands up high!

The Bumpkin may be missing for a day or two, I will be here if you need me! Although, no promises on being in the best condition for any emergencies:)

Mardi Gras is here, and Fais Do Do (translation is Cajun Throw Down, pronounced as faye-dough-dough) is in full swing. Last night was our hometown nighttime Mardi Gras parade, and tomorrow it's off to the Big Easy. The night parades are always the best, because of all the lights of course. It was my small town's first night parade, and they were some things that will have to be worked out, including the route. The floats couldn't make the narrow turns, the police were over-zealous, but a good time was had by The Back Porch Royalty. Tomorrow I'll get to see Val Kilmer(Oh Ice Man!) as The King of Bacchus, and today Kid Rock is the King of Endymion. The celebrities are always around during Mardi Gras, may even catch a glimpse of Bradgelina, they have a house on the parade route. If you have never been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you must put it on your bucket list! Just two things to tell you if you do. Leave all valuables at home, and Hurricanes make you puke, other than that just wing it, and have a blast. I'll have My Marine to protect me, and we know the safest places to go, no tourist stops for us, we hang with the locals at the corner of Royal and Frenchman Streets.
The costumes of Mardi Gras are outrageous, and The Bumpkin and My John will be clicking away to share with all of you.
Are any of you old enough to remember a band called Larue that sang the song "New Orleans Ladies?" This is one of The Bumpkin's favorite songs, and when us Cajun Belles here it, we all pause, and shine! I've been singing it all day. What a wonderful life we live here in the deep south, maybe next year some of you can join us. The Bumpkin has 2 extra beds! Must love dogs though!
Have a great weekend everybody!
Love,
The Bumpkin

I Really Like This Lady!

There have been a lot of things said about Michelle. I can say this.
I appreciate these things about her, so far.

She wouldn't take no for answer concerning her mother living with her in the White House.
She wore virtual unknown designers to all inauguration activities, and they became well known.
She wears little or no makeup on national television.
She stood up for her daughter when she wanted to ride the school bus to school. (Do you think the Secret Service rides the bus too?)

This is my favorite picture of our new President. What do you think she was saying here.

Well, I'll tell you what I think she said.
"Didn't I tell you, I told you, you would win, I told you so, I told you so!"

And this look on the Pres' face.
Definitely, "She will never let me live this one down. I can't believe she was right again!"

Truthfully, I see alot of....."Together we can do anything Baby," and a "Yep woman we did it, and I couldn't have done without you."

I want to hear from all of you, what do you think the conversation was?

Can't wait to see what this couple leaves for the history books!


Love,
The Bumpkin

Damn That's A Great Cherry Cake!

This recipe courtesy of Ms. Jo, The Queen of the Back Porch, and a lady I really needed in my life. We nailed this down over our daily afternoon cup of coffee. Glad I can share some of this lady's cooking with you all. Looks tough, but no just like everything with Jo, stress free!



Prepare 1 Box of Betty Crocker Pineapple Cake mix according to directions, EXCEPT substitute the water with Pineapple juice. Bake in two round pans, and then cool completely.

For the icing:
2 8oz tubs of Cool Whip thawed(maybe I should have said container here, but hell it as a tub, you know, a tub of cool whip.)
2 8oz bars of cream cheese softened.
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 Large instant Vanilla Pudding, prepared according to directions(It took us a while to come up with the exact words for make the damn puddin')
Using hand mixer, mix until smooth, and peaks begin to form.

Using a large serrated knife, place one hand on top of each cake layer, and slice in half. They must be completely cool for this to work well.

You will need two large cans of either Cherry or Blueberry pie filling.

Start with a cake layer, and then add the icing mixture in center only do not cover sides with icing. Then pour a layer of cherry pie filling, then repeat until you get to the top layer of cake. Generously cover the top layer with icing, so that it overflows on to the sides of the cake, a little not a lot. Then generously pour remaining pie filling over top layer of icing, letting ooze all the way to your cake plate. Ms Jo says, "You can never have to many cherries!" Chill until serving.

4th of July spin: Use both cherry and blueberry filling for a great Red, White, and Blue.

Ms. Jo is perfecting a tropical version of this cake over the next few weeks. We will share before summer!

Love,
The Bumpkin

This Guy Is Getting A Piece of Kingcake!

Congratulations to USC Emily & Abe over at From The Land Of Cotton winner of the Kingcake. Please email The Bumpkin at bumpkinonaswing@aol.com with your name and address as soon as possible, so I can get it to you in time to celebrate Mardi Gras.

Thanks to everyone who entered! I've made some great friends and reads from this little giveaway.

Lady Luck this month uh?

Love,
The Bumpkin

Sunset At The Redneck Riveria

I've read your post, and I see where a lot of you list your'e favorite beach/vacation. Perdido Key, FL and Gulf Shores, AL(same beach minutes apart). For us locals, who yes, still vacation there, even though it just miles due east by water, we call this the Redneck Riveria. Because we live on the beach, it kinda loses some of the luster if you ask me, to vacation at the beach, but we've had some really good times there when The Back Porch becomes The Balcony. My preference, the mountains, if you didn't catch that in my first post. Tennessee in the fall. So even though I didn't get tagged in that go-around to answer my favorite vacation spot, there's the answer anyway. My favorite place is the Smokey Mountains, but hey look at this sunset, it'll do in a pinch!
Love,
The Bumpkin

Photo by Mr. Billy

He Never Promised Me A Rose Garden!

Well, not exactly, but he did say I could grow my own roses. While the rest of you got a dozen red roses, this is the Bumpkin's Valentine Day present. One custom built greenhouse, complete with custom slated workbench (slated so you can just push the dirt through to ground, and then wash away when potting). Being how it's gonna be a while on the bailout of our economy, and we are now counting the change that Obama promised us (maybe that isn't exactly what he meant), we decided to start growing our own produce, and flowers. The Bumpkin usually spends more than your Macy's/Gap/J Crew budgets each year on flowers for the yard. My John, a master carpenter, just whipped out his magic wand, and Voila! The Bumpkin has a Valentine's Greenhouse. I should give him a little more credit, he actually built this in three days of rain, what a sweetie.
Over the coming spring months I will be sharing the fruits of our labor with you, in pictures. Nothing makes the Bumpkin smile more than a new bloom.
I was a little jealous, when I heard of your fancy dinners, and new pearls. But bottom line, I've gotten all of those things from My John, and it's the little things that really matter. This year was very low key for us. He didn't even get a Hallmark. I know I should have, but it's just not a great year for us. But don't worry, he got his sweet on, my favorite neighbor Jo, baked a sinful sweet cream cheese cake, and we had a lovely dinner on The Back Porch. Truth be told he would rather have Jo cake than a Hallmark any day. Hope the rest of you had a great Valentine's Day. Speaking of great Jo cakes, watch for the upcoming recipe from her for her Damn That's a Great Cherry Cake. This woman can bake, and I am forcing her to measure, and write down the recipes!

Love,
The Bumpkin