Mardi Gras, Chicken Run, Food, Music and Friends

Wow, it is hard to believe, but week two at Betty's RV Park was crazier than week one. Most of what we did were the same things we do here: food, music, friends and great fun.

On Friday Cordell did a turkey in this unique cooker. There is no oil, just heat surrounding the bird. It was done in two and a half hours and everyone brought a dish of their choice making for a great meal. The standard for food at Betty's is very high. 

On Saturday Rick and Denise flew in for a long weekend of Mardi Gras fun. We gave them beads and new tees for the celebration.

Dodo had the perfect outfit for her to go to the chicken run, leggings with dodo birds that could also pass for chickens.

Miss Kate and Betty are ready for the chicken run in Church Point. Kate and her husband Brian invited everyone at Betty's to watch the events of the day on their property. This was our third chicken run and we have been at a different place each time. 

The day dawned cool and overcast, but fortunately it did not rain. We arrived in Church Point a 9AM and the party began. Here are Nanc, Rick and Denise enjoying a mimosa to start the day.

Like any event in Acadiana food plays an important role. Everyone from the park brought a covered dish and Kate and Brain provided meat and gumbo. Left, Nanc, Denise and Rick are checking out the Cajun microwave, a stainless steel cooker in a wooden box with the fire on top, and they are also staying warm. Next, Nanc, Betty, Denise, Angela and Dodo appear to be in awe that there were two pigs in the cooker. Brian and Bob cooked this huge pot of gumbo and someone else was making jambalaya, so there was plenty of food for all.

The whole group from Betty's with Brian and Kate. Only in Cajun country would people invite almost thirty strangers to their home and feed them.

The chickens getting ready to run in hopes of not becoming part of the next pot of gumbo. Here is a link from our first Chicken Run.

The tradition of the Cajun Courir du Mardi Gras or Chicken Run dates back to Europe when the peasants would not have much food after a long winter so they would go beg for food and money. Here the Captain meets Brain to ask permission to come on his property.

After they get permission, the Captain signals that they are allowed to enter. These revelers with ragged outfits dress to mock the rich who dress in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power. 

The revelers start early in the day going from farm to farm to chase the chickens to make gumbo so by the time they got here they had had a "few" beverages.

The chicken is released and the run is on. It was very wet in the field because of several days of rain so there was a lot of splashing.

This bird escapes the first group of revelers and flies away.......

.....only to be captured by the next group. I don't think any ever go uncaptured.

A happy reveler with his bird.

After the Chicken Run they have a traditional Mardi Gras parade. Nanc, Denise and Barb are ready to catch some beads.

There are many revelers on horseback as part of the parade.

Bernie, Denise, Rick, Nanc, Jim, Deb, Barb, Jean Paul, Dan and Dave are ready to shout out, Throw me something mister".

Let the gathering of beads begin. Many of them ended up on the ground and because it was muddy this is where the stayed.

This is a typical Chicken Run float.

The signs did the job. The ladies were weighed down with many beads. Nanc usually keeps a few of the nicer ones, yes there are some beads that are just okay and others that are very neat. Betty uses beads as a neat ground cover at the park and many local organizations recycle them. The Chicken Run and Cajun Mardi Gras is something that should be on every one's bucket list.

Even after a long tiring Sunday of fun the good times don't stop at Betty's. Monday started with a Zydeco pot luck breakfast and then a couple hours to rest before the afternoon and evening fun began.

Several local musicians and some from the park play into the night. Here are Dan, Wayne, Dave, Kristy, Joe, Dave and Barb.

Denise did a set on the scrub board while Rick sat in on the drums. 

Everything was fine until Bernie brought out the Fireball. That lead to some strange adult behavior.

Dave having a great time celebrating his birthday.

Rooster got down on the guitar while Dave sat in on the drums and Deb got out the Mardi Gras mask.

Then Dodo and I hit the dance floor.

Betty and Monica sang a couple songs and.....

Celine and Jean Paul donned their Mardi Gras hats.

Without a doubt the highlight of the evening was Denise and Nanc singing Hotel California. They soon became an Internet sensation. Here is a link.

The evening ended with a man dance that proved it was time to go home. It was a fun filled day.

While some people from Betty's went to another parade on Fat Tuesday a few who were to tired found a new use for beads, the first of its kind Betty's RV Park bead toss.

On Wednesday Denise and Rick headed home after a very busy few days of Cajun food and Mardi Gras fun that included some of those great Louisiana oysters. 

Wow, Mardi Gras was over and it warmed up enough to have the first outdoor happy hour of 2018. Here in Louisiana it looks like spring has arrived as the long range forecast is all warm temperatures.

Another Betty's tradition is gathering to say good-bye to our friends who are leaving. On Thursday five couples: Bernie and Dodo, Jim and Bobbie, Dave and Kathy, Heinz and Angela and Rick and Barb all left. While we are sad to see our friends depart we always say, if you don't leave you can't come back.

While there were several empty spots, they soon filled with new rigs so we will be making more new friends and seeing old ones. Like we always say, making and meeting friends is the best part of our full time lifestyle.

I have added Dave 'n Kathy's Vagabond Blog to our blog list. Many people we know no longer blog so it is nice to find another one to add to the list.