Butte La Rose et Les Entourage

Photo by: The Teche News

Bonjour.
The Atchafalaya Basin Festival set for Sept. 6 at Henry Guidry Memorial Park in Henderson has been postponed because of Gustav. Organizers Gary Simon (257-2444) and Rickey Douet (230-1731) will be meeting Sept. 16 to decide on a new date.
You can still purchase raffle tickets for the Ford pickup donated by Jackie Edgar. The festival will go on.
Hugs to little Miss Morgan Kate Verret on her singing debut at the Petit Paris Café Sunday. She gave us her version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and she was great!
Hazel Theriot, coordinator of the Food for Seniors for St. Martin Parish, along with Deputy Sheriff Grover Angelle who delivers the food parishwide, take personal interest in helping their people. They apologize for the paperwork error this month that caused a shortage of food boxes so they were unable to fill all the orders and some of the seniors had to make a second trip. All turned out well.
C’est pas un nom Cajun! Henry Hampton moved here from New York City in August of 2007, fell in love with this area and also with a girl from here, married her and this is where he has planted his roots.
He writes:

Hi Helen. I’m currently teaching music full time at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau. I teach group music appreciation classes for grades Pre-K through 8, as well as individual piano, guitar, and fiddle lessons at the school. This doesn’t leave me with much time and energy for private lessons outside of school, but I do have about five kids I teach at their homes.
I lived in downtown Manhattan, just a mile or two from the World Trade Center, for 24 years. But I grew up in Larchmont, N.Y., a suburb about 10 miles from the city limits. My family’s roots were in Buffalo, N.Y., up near the Canadian border.
Best, Henry.

Henry jams at Vermilionville on Saturday afternoons and often I see him there. Those of you interested in learning to play Cajun music, his e-mail address is hample@rcn.com. He sings also. Who could not resist falling in love with our laid-back Cajun way of life?
Johnell and Howard Theriot brought me roses from her garden at the café last Sunday. Her vase held several different kinds and colors and all were beautiful. I asked her to share her interesting story with us:

Cousine Hélène, I pray to St. Therese, the little flower. About 10 years ago, I promised to purchase a statue if she would intercede for me. She did, and I purchased a four-foot concrete statue which I placed in my yard. I then began to plant a rose bush near her statue whenever she helped another petition to be answered. The number of bushes has grown to 14. These roses are different shades of red, pink, yellow and white. They bloom nearly all year round. I frequently pick roses on Christmas Day and even on Easter. Most of the blooms stay on the bushes to honor St. Therese, but I frequently pick some to bring to friends, or to go in the house.
Johnell Theriot.

Une belle histoire, merci Cheré.
I try to make the 7:30 Mass at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Catahoula every Sunday morning to sing. Coming in early is Ben Bienvenu, his wife, Darlene, and their children, Wyatt, Oren and Michelle. No matter what the weather, they come to church together. This tradition still goes on with many families. Remember when our kids were small and preparing them for church on Sunday mornings was like a circus? Everyone was in each other’s way getting prepared to leave the house together to make it in time for Mass. I also see one of the Boudreaux families.
Did you know nos musicien Dalton Robin (drums) and Emery Dautreuil (guitar and vocals) run up to Bossier City and Shreveport several times a month to meet with their band and play Cajun, Country and Swamp Pop music. John Seruleado and his Overland Express Band and member Ronnie Ray (keyboard and vocals) also play private parties, fund-raisers, and on occasion have played for Sandra Thompson, former director of the Atchafalaya Basin Program, in Baton Rouge. They’ll be playing a fund-raiser at Henry Guidry Park Sept. 20. Y’all go check them out and at the same time help some one in need.
Dieu bénir,
Cousine Hélène