We Are Easily Amused

Shreveport snow
Originally uploaded by darebouche

Phones are ringing all over town. People are making random exclamations, such as "Whoa!" Others are laughing, either with us or at us. Why all the fuss? It's snowing! We don't see snow around here; and even if it doesn't "stick," just witnessing white flakes falling from the sky is an event. We're excited and we're not embarrassed about it.
I went outside for a few minutes just to let the snow land on my face and to take pictures.
I have a happy random memory about snow. One day, when I was in 7th grade, it starting snowing hard. Our much beloved teacher, Mrs. Scott, could not divert our attention away from the windows. After all, this was a huge moment in a Louisiana 12-year-old's life. Mrs. Scott became so exasperated that she called the principal to our classroom.
Sister Natalie scared us only slightly less than the Wicked Witch of the West. That day, everything changed. Mrs. Scott asked for help settling us down. Sister Natalie laughed, shook her head and said, "Oh, let them play."
Her iron maiden image was gone forever and I think she was happy about it.
Let it snow!

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Crossing the Bridge

In Louisiana, we have a lot of water: lakes, rivers, creeks, bayous, swamps and a gulf. Throw in ponds, sloughs and a bog or two and you understand that we have a lot of bridges.
Having been forced to drive into a part of the state I haven't visted often, I may be guilty of underappreciating the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge. I crossed over it a half-dozen times over the last couple of days, and it grabbed my attention sufficiently to inspire a couple of drive-by snapshots. This span, we are told, was the first "large weathering steel bridge in the United States." I don't know what that means, but it's nice we're first in something. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River as part of Interstate 310, which connects U.S. Highway 90 with Interstate 10. The first thing you notice is that there aren't that many cables connecting the towers to the bridge decking. This, apparently, is something of an engineering marvel. It's signifcant and interesting, and I'm glad I've driven across it. I'm just glad I didn't think too much about it before I did.

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