Ascension Magazine

Houmas House

The grandeur, opulence, and extravagant lifestyle that defined the South during the golden years of the sugar plantations is seeing a magnificent rebirth in Ascension Parish. Houmas House Plantation, the crown jewel of Louisiana's River Road has been restored and revived in a manner that, believe it or not, suggests the amazing possibility that its reputation as the standard bearer of southern hospitality has yet to reach its zenith. The reason for such outlandish optimism lies in a common thread sewn since its early years. The Sugar Palace', as it became affectionately known, got to be the icon of the sugar industry because of the brilliance of its leaders. Some of the most astute and shrewd military and commerce personalities of the day, built that reputation one building, one small land acquisition, one family at a time. These great people came from the four corners of the earth to make a new life in Ascension Parish, and they certainly found a land of opportunity'.

One of the earliest major impacts on this property was made by Mr. John Burnside, for whom the nearby river town was named. In 1858 the spirit of Houmas House captured Mr. Burnside's soul and he sold his considerable business holdings in New Orleans to become a planter. He spent $1,000,000, half the total of the sale of those businesses, and on April 15, he made Houmas Plantation his home. More

Bully's Cancer Walk Team Needs Donations

In 1992 my mother, Thelma Brent, died from complications associated with breast cancer. There is hope that one day this disease can be cured. That hope stems from donations, across this great country, that keep funds available to perform the research needed to develope a cure.

I have a Walking team that is walking on her behalf in Boston Mass. in August. If you can help we are asking for donations of $5 to $10. More may be sent but every little bit helps. We lost our loved one. Maybe we can help others not lose their's. More

California ain’t much different from us Southern Folks

This past month my dear sweet sister asked me to fly to California and help her and my brother-in-law drive across the United States to Tennessee. They have lived in California for 30 years and finally these two great Southerners were returning to live in the South in Columbia, Tennessee.

To start this trip I coaxed my sweetheart into going with me and help with the driving by dangling fun events in front of her. We could visit San Francisco, do some wine tasting, go see the Giants vs. Oakland A's baseball game and just hang like we were in a Bill and Ted's excellent adventure.

The first event was a shuttle bus trip to Giant Stadium in close quarters with 20 Giants fans who were salivating over seeing Barry Bonds. Yikes!!! I didn't like him when he was a killer 'B' in Pittsburg. I was loving the excitment of a ball game but not the anticipation of seeing the future Hall of Famer (astorisk). He did play a couple of innings and then limped off the field.

Dakota, my nephew's step son had an orange rubber chicken. I asked the reason for carrying this rubber chicken. "It's a boo chicken, held up and swung around over your head, when the opposing team walks Barry intentionally". I then noticed he had his finger in the chickens butt. Why do you have your finger there? "Because it fits and Tim does it too." Well seems like we're back on the farm. More