Just want to share long read, but i think a great one

[DUCKGOGETTER]

This is something about one of the greatest men i ever knew my grandpaw. He was like a second dad to me and he is one of the men that i can thank for everything i know about the outdoors and believe me when i say he lived off the land as much as he could. He hunted, fished, shrimped pretty much anything in the outdoors, but one of his favorite hobbies was gardening. Up to the day the good lord took him that's what he loved to do the most. Not only did he love doing things outside, but his cajun heritage was one of the most important things he passed down to his family. Now the the meaning of this story. I can remember when i was a little kid going to his house and him out there in his garden, and he had an old 8 track player with his cajun/french 8 tracks playing. And when i say cajun/french music i mean a guy and an accordion and that's it. He had a great collection of them. Well the other day i was helping my sister get some furniture out of storage and i came across his 8 track player and his case of old cajun/french 8 tracks. Took it home and low and behold this thing works. Listened to them all day yesterday and i can still picture him in his garden. Gonna try to find someone who could possibly clean it up so i can pass this stuff down to my son, cause just like my grandpaw taught me to love my cajun background i will show him the same way.

Thanks, dgg

[SULPHITE]

This is something about one of the greatest men i ever knew my grandpaw. He was like a second dad to me and he is one of the men that i can thank for everything i know about the outdoors and believe me when i say he lived off the land as much as he could. He hunted, fished, shrimped pretty much anything in the outdoors, but one of his favorite hobbies was gardening. Up to the day the good lord took him that's what he loved to do the most. Not only did he love doing things outside, but his cajun heritage was one of the most important things he passed down to his family. Now the the meaning of this story. I can remember when i was a little kid going to his house and him out there in his garden, and he had an old 8 track player with his cajun/french 8 tracks playing. And when i say cajun/french music i mean a guy and an accordion and that's it. He had a great collection of them. Well the other day i was helping my sister get some furniture out of storage and i came across his 8 track player and his case of old cajun/french 8 tracks. Took it home and low and behold this thing works. Listened to them all day yesterday and i can still picture him in his garden. Gonna try to find someone who could possibly clean it up so i can pass this stuff down to my son, cause just like my grandpaw taught me to love my cajun background i will show him the same way.

Thanks, dgg


Man great post...Isn't amazing how you don't realize how much people shaped your lives until your reminded of things such as this...we may not be able to change some big things in this life but we sure can pass our small things in hopes of they become the "small things" to someone else! thanks for sharing.

[wtretrievers]

I known what ya mean.....been cleaning out my Paw paws shop, he passed in '91 found stuff in
there that brought back a lot of memories! Old willys jeep parts from the jeep he had that we hunted the Tunica hills in Miss with :)

[bigoledude]

We lived in Chalmette and owned a farm in Avoyelles. My brother and I worked on that place every weekend, Holiday and of course, all summer long. Our parents spoke only french to us. We were sadly forced to reply in English. We can slaughter cattle and butcher it up. We have butcheries with our wild-caught hogs. We make our own boudin, cracklins and can put together the best dirty rice.

I still cook for all large family or church functions.

There was nothing about farm life or the Cajun Heritage that my father didn't cherish. He liked the work and LOVED the CAJUN/FRENCH heritage!

I never knew a man so proud to be a French/Cajun. He referred to himself as a "creole" pronounced "Clayoulle". After taking Louisiana History I told him the term Creole indicated some negro blood in our lineage. I got ready to duck after I said it. But, he laughed and told me he'd heard of that term with the "other" meaning, patted me on the head and said I could be sure.

I've come to be also proud of my heritage. Today I can understand every french syllable spoken as fast two dried-up ole cajuns can rattle it off. However, if I must do the talking, I take it slow and remember every word carefully and barely finish a thought without a mistake or two.

My brother and I became avid hunters and fishermen. We absolutely loved our sweet-spot of huge pissing male blue-gill. Sac-a-lait may have been our favorite. We could fill a nice 1500 sq. ft. house with all the specks, white trout, croakers, flounders, redfish and drum that we've caught over the years. The catfish caught on trotlines alone might fill half that mythical house.

My father and his brothers brought us and gently encouraged us to participate in all of this. We all drove the truck and tractors in the fields as young as 8 or 9 years old. Usually when we were out of sight of the kitchen window.

My brother seemed tough as ever and just had a stroke and died. I miss him so bad it's hard to take. Evey duck I shoot reminds me of a freezing morning somewhere with him. When we start caging-up the dogs.....He had the best dog-mind I ever saw. Many field-trial champions to show it.

Thanks for allowing an old Cajun to reminisce!

[DUCKGOGETTER]

Man that's a great story thank you for sharing with me. I will teach my kids all the same things i've learned from my parents and grand parents about our cajun heritage.