John Preble, This One’s for You…

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Jason

Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline.

–Tao Te Ching.
Soaking the Stress Away
Soaking the Stress Away

Back in junior high, I worked for this guy out in Abita Springs. He was this crazy old guy who had bought an old gas station and started collecting things. He covered the walls and the ceilings with crap found in the trash or things people left on his doorstep and called it a museum. It could be anything though: Old computer parts, driver’s licenses, paint by numbers, broken dishes. For me, it was bottles. Thousands of them.

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Roofing Round Two

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Jason

Dirty Darren and Alex get together to help tear the roof off the house- once again. These photos are from back in May, but things haven’t progressed since then. Just after we began, we ran into a few problems- Money, time, injuries, Paddy… So now, three months later, the roof is still uncovered, the tarps are torn, and the rain keeps falling.

This project, along with many others is on hold indefinitely… Still, the memories and photos are there. For what it may be worth.

Dirty Darren

Dirty Darren

View from the Top

View from the Top

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Lac du Vignaud

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Jason

Alex and Jessica ditching work at the lake one beautiful spring day in early May.

I was the only one brave enough to jump in that day… it had been five years since I last had the chance and I wasn’t waiting any longer.

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Cold Frame

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Jason

Some Green Emerging

It's a (Le Vignaud) BLUE House

Gus helps me build a new cold-frame for the tender spring seedlings. I had been looking for some old windows to use for a long time and finally some happened to come my way. Gus helped with the painting, and even the grass looks a little cheerier thanks to the Le Vignaud Blue that ended up everywhere…

Once again the color was an obvious choice: It’s the one and only Le Vignaud Blue. Also seen here.

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A Walk in the Country

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Jason

Genuine "Limousin"

Genuine "Limousin"

Alex and I ditch work one day in April… The day after Alex lay dying if I remember correctly. Who can stand roofing after a night with Paddy?

So instead, we took a walk to the lake and had a nice chat with the cows on the way. The lake was still frigid, but the first spring leaves were just starting to emerge from the surrounding trees. Just before sunset, the light is wonderful and the lake is calm.

Sunset at the Lake

Sunset at the Lake

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Welcome to the Neighborhood

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Jason
Is this the French version of the flaming bag of dog shit on the front porch, or a really strange way to welcome me in to the commune?
Is this the French version of the flaming bag of dog shit on the front porch, or a really strange way to welcome me in to the commune?

I have to admit, there have been a few moments in the last five months when I have finally felt like I was starting to make some headway in the community: Cider left on the windowsill; The first time the old man in the yellow Renault waved to me after so many times driving by without turning his head; The time the lady next door loaned me her fourche au bécher after watching me struggle in the garden all day; Getting compliments from neighbors I had never met about how happy they were about all the work finally being done on the house and how great it looks– small things, but they mean so much to me.

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