Ocean Springs Mississippi #MardiGras

Some of you who are readers of this blog were asking me to post more photos about #MardiGras. I have all the photos stored in 3 PC's so; I am posting randomly. These photos were taken in Ocean Springs , Mississippi and if my memory is right, this is the Elk Mardi Gras. There are two parades in Ocean Springs that I can remember, one in the morning and the other, at night time. The town supported both parades in fact; both events were crowded.

Mardi Gras is part of the tradition in the South; Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Other's call this event, Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras season culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is a big celebration of dancing, fun, eating lavishly before fasting and religious obligations. Before Lent season begins, there are so many Mardi Gras parades all over these places.

Mardi Gras is fun because families and friends gather around for barbecue and have a good time. If you never been to a Mardi Gras parade, you should visit New Orleans. If you love big crowd, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the best! Don't stay drunk at night in French Quarter okay?

I missed Mardi Gras events in Mississippi for two consecutive years now. Hopefully next year, we will be there! We will be moving to Mississippi any day now and we are just waiting for the final sale of our home. Hubby and I are excited! Thanks for visiting this blog always. Happy Fat Tuesday y'all!

Bundle Up, Stay Safe and Warm

The thought of having below 28 degrees of temperature while living here in Florida is exciting. Today, we get to experience that and most of my friends are wishing of rain so that; we will get to experience snow but, that's not happening though. As I went outside, the sun is shining so bright, the wind is chilling to the bones and yap, we need to bundle up since we are not used to this temperature.

It was 17 degrees below freezing so; here is the frozen bayou but, it's thin ice though.

There was two gators down the water but, it's not visible on the picture.
They're not moving and they hate cold. The bird is teasing them lol.

Here is the close caption on the water. It's fascinating to see ice.

These are snowflakes on the top of the car.

I braved myself to have this photo taken without my coat and mittens on.
 It lasted few seconds and I was freezing.
My hands were numb , silly me.

The bayou and it was frozen with thin ice.

The sun is shining but, it was still very cold.

It was 7AM , cold and breezy.

I went closer and took a photo of the frozen fountain.
I took few shots and ran inside the car to keep me warm.
Wooo! It was freezing cold!

I live in Mississippi and Florida so; having a below freezing temperature is quiet an exciting experience. Other than that, I am happy that our temperature is not brutally cold. Though we have a scorching summer, I am totally happy for that. Less hassle and most of all, we get to enjoy the beach most of the time. Buddle up you guys and stay safe and warm!

Flashback Wednesday: Rest Area

When we travel from Florida to Mississippi, it will take us 12 hours on the road. If we leave early in the morning, we usually arrive at dusk. There are instances that we leave after lunch so; we either spend a night in Panama or Destin. I love it when we spend a night in one of the hotels in Destin Beach. Anyway, road trip is fun and I like taking pictures when I sit by the passenger seat. Most of the time, we stop in the rest area to attend the call of nature and stretch a bit as well. The photos below were taken in one of the rest areas during our trip.

Rest Area is a public area which is also called as travel plaza, rest stop, service center, service plaza, service station or service area. Most of them are located next to a highway, an expressway, or a freeway. Thank goodness for rest areas because both drivers and passengers can rest as well as buy food and eat in the car or in the picnic area. Most rest areas have these facilities: park with picnic area, fuel station, rest-rooms, convenience store, drinking fountains, vending machines, pay telephones, gas station and restaurants. It also has parking areas for buses, trucks as well as recreational vehicles. At night, rest areas usually have a security officer.

Facilities may vary in every states and every town. Some have complete facilities while others have only the basic such as the car washing area minus the gas station, Some rest areas have the vending machines minus the restaurants. Most rest areas though have driving information bulletin, maps and traveler information or exit guides which contain maps and advertisements for hotels, tourist attractions and restaurant discounts. Anyone can have all these for free. Some of the rest areas have visitor information centers with staffs on duty too. In Florida, there is a welcome center or Visitor Information Center that give out free orange juice for everybody and the juice is made from a fresh Florida orange produce. I also remember that it is either Alabama or Mississippi Visitor Information Center that give out free can of soda to everyone.

Random Photo: Hard Rock

A blogger would take photos randomly. About 5 years ago, someone asked me, "Why do you always take pictures?" and I replied, I blog about it, I am a blogger. " A blogger? What's a blog?" Thank goodness that these days, people have the idea what's a blogger and a blog means. Everyone is doing it especially when Twitter, Instagram and Facebook became a way of life, right? Before, they probably thought it was my first time to see tons of food on the table LOL. You know those awkward moment when I took photos of my plate and all LOL. You can relate, I know that.

Taken at Hard Rock Biloxi

This was taken when hubby and I were at the elevator going down to the second floor where Satisfaction Buffet was. Oh yeah, we love to dine at Hard Rock. We miss Mississippi.

An Awesome View of the Gulf

My husband won't stay at home when I was sleeping. I work at night and sleep most of the time on day time. My father-in-law and him would go out buying stuffs at Wal-Mart, drive down the Front and East Beach, and if there were garden and boat shows, they would go. One time, I woke up for lunch and they were gone somewhere. When they arrived few minutes later, they were excited telling me that they bought a pontoon boat, LOL. Anyway, the photo below was taken at the end part of Front Beach in Ocean Springs Mississippi. I was at the top floor (restaurant) taking this picture. What an awesome view huh?

Shrimp Boats by the Gulf

When I got out from work at 7AM, I was dead tired so; hubby and I would go to Hard Rock for breakfast, it's halfway between my workplace and home. My father-in-law at that time was still asleep. Hard Rock has a Satisfaction Buffet serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The buffet truly satisfies my growling appetite and it's only $7 per person. On Wednesday's and Friday's, it was 50% off. Basically, if we dine on those days, $7 covers for both of us. Great deal right? The photo below was taken at the garage of Hard Rock in Biloxi Mississippi, viewing the awesome Gulf, shrimp boats and deer island. The shrimp boats were owned by the local fishermen and a number owned by Vietnamese. A pound of large shrimp was only $2. We sometimes drop by at early morning to buy a couple of lbs.

Have a Wonderful Thursday

What a lovely day! This is an old photo that I took in one of our road trips back and forth from Florida to Mississippi. I was on the passenger's seat so; I got all the time to take pictures. I remember that during this time, I used my blackberry phone and an ordinary Kodak camera in taking photos. This picture is not the best but, you can tell that nature speaks beauty. As the sun goes down on the horizon, it somehow gives me that calming feeling that everything will be alright. Have a wonderful Thursday everyone.

The Mississippi Welcome Center and Rest Area

Did you have a road trip lately? If you travel towards Louisiana on the I-10 you will see the Mississippi Welcome Center on the right side after you cross the state line.You should stop by and see the design of their well decorated building. Visitors are given free coffee and sodas.These photos were taken at the courtyard of Mississippi Welcome Center.The artists used the dead tree probably Oak as canvas. They re-used it and beautify by carving birds artwork. These birds are common in Mississippi such as cranes, seagulls and pelicans.It's really beautiful and you can see these art pieces when you travel along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi towards Louisiana.I have been traveling from Florida to Mississippi since 2008 but I never noticed these trees until February. I really think this art work is newly put up.The welcome center always have an amazing landscape. That is why, you should check it out.

Wood Carvings at Mississippi Welcome Center

If you travel towards Mississippi, stop by at Mississippi Welcome Center and you will see the wood carvings of birds using the existing tree.These are great carvings of birds and animals which are popular in the Gulf coast.There are so many great wood carvers and artists in Mississippi and most of them offer their talents and skills to create such a wonderful art pieces.Some oak trees were toppled down during Katrina so, what they did was save it. They do not uproot the trees. They created a wonderful art out of it and you will see it once you drive down the Highway 90.This is the beautiful Welcome Center in Mississippi and at the front, you will find the 3 bare trees with carvings of pelicans and seagulls. The white car is the rental car that we used. I was relaxing inside when I saw the trees with carvings of birds. I took the pictures to show you the beautiful attraction in this area. If you happen to pass by, take a look at it. It's truly beautiful.