F is for the Fur and Wildlife Festival and the Rayne Frog Festival

Continuing on with the A to Z Blogging Challenge, today's letter is F, which takes us to Cameron Parish for the Fur and Wildlife Festival. I have never been to this festival, but I've read about it. They have competitions for muskrat and nutria skinning, oyster shucking, trap shooting, duck and goose calling, and dog trials (the dogs that fetch the ducks out of the water after you shoot them). There's music, carnival rides, and food, including a gumbo cook-off.

The festival was born in 1955 when a Mr. Leon Hebert (pronounced A-bear) skinned 5 muskrats in 53 seconds and won the Louisiana title. He placed fifth in the nation that year.

You'll have to wait until next year for this one, as it is held every January. In 2014, I had a guest blogger post a report from this festival. Read her account and see her fantastic photos here. For more information on the festival, see their link here.



Next we go to Rayne, Louisiana, the "Frog Capital of the World." Naturally, they have a festival to celebrate the status. Competitions include frog racing, frog jumping, and frogs in costume. (There's something to see!) Pageants and parades are always a big part of these festivals, as well. For more information of the Frog Fest, see their website here.



I've never been to this festival either, but Rayne is an easy stop off I-10, and we did visit the town once. I was enchanted by the many and varied frog murals throughout the town. Read my post and see photos of the murals here. I love the way the frog looks like he is stepping off the wall in the mural below.



Tomorrow we'll visit the Great Acadian Awakening and a Gumbo Fest!

D is for the Gueydan Duck Festival -- #atozchallenge

D is for Ducks!

Ducks love Southwest Louisiana. There's so much water for their natural habitat! According to my birding expert friend David Booth with the Gulf Coast Bird Club, approximately 20-25 species of ducks either reside in or migrate through our corner of the state. Not surprising, as this area is known as a "sportsman's paradise," duck hunting is a popular pastime. Also not surprising, there is a festival dedicated to ducks and duck hunting.



The small rural town of Gueydan (gay-don), also known as the Duck Capital of America, hosts its annual Duck Festival each August. You'll see craftsman create duck decoys and duck calls. Watch or participate in skeet shooting. Enjoy the usual carnival rides, food, music and fun. My family attended this festival in 2010. Read about that adventure here.



Tune in tomorrow and read about New Orleans' Essence Music Fest and étouffée.

Heckhaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Several years ago my family and I attended a harvest festival at Sam Houston Jones State Park. Music wafted through the trees and crafts entertained the kids – all pretty low-key. What I remember most about the event was a woman who came with several wild birds and animals. I was fascinated by the owls and spoke with her briefly. Her name is Suzy Heck and she runs Heckhaven, a wildlife rehabilitation center south of Lake Charles.

After that festival, Suzy and her organization were always in the back of my mind. I wanted to know more and finally satisfied my curiosity yesterday when Andrew and I went to visit Suzy and her menagerie of injured animals and abandoned babies. What this woman does out of her love for animals is nothing short of amazing.

A young black vulture.

Litters of baby opossums and raccoons, squirrels, foxes, and rabbits, from tiny pink infants the size of your thumb to temperamental adolescents and birds of a myriad of species – wading birds, raptors, owls, many with broken wings or legs or injuries from gun shots or car accidents. Suzy also takes in abandoned exotic pets such as ferrets, chinchillas, reptiles and cockatoos. They are all welcome at her wildlife sanctuary. Many of the animals arrive via Animal Control or the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Some are brought by people who find injured animals in their backyards. Her goal is always to rehabilitate them and release them back to the wild. But if an animal is permanently injured or for some other reason cannot survive on its own, the animal becomes a permanent resident.

Baby opossum.

A very talkative and charming cockatoo. "But he'll bite your finger off," says Suzi.

Suzy does not consider any of the animals, even the permanent residents, as pets. “They’re wild animals. You can’t pet them or snuggle with them.” But I suspect she becomes attached to them (and they to her) nonetheless and she cares for them like family. She does, after all, name the animals, at least the permanent residents. During Hurricane Ike in 2008, her property flooded. Her home filled with three feet of water. Suzy, her elderly mother, and “five dogs, three cats, two raccoons, and a pot belly pig” escaped to the attic. For three days!

Young curious raccoons.

Heckhaven sits on a mere five acres, but the property does not feel overwhelmed by animals. The acutely injured and very young reside in the “hospital” which is the back of her house. She has no idea how many animals live on her property at any given time, but there are hundreds. Over 100 are permanent residents. Ducks, geese, and other wading birds live by the pond. A baby goat, chickens, and other birds hang out in a large fenced-in area beside the house. Many animals such as her treasured golden eagle, several owls, older raccoons, foxes, a monitor lizard, and more live in large enclosures in the back yard. A herd of deer roam the nearby woods. Six peacocks have free rein of the property. And she single-handedly cares for them all! She receives no federal or state funding, but relies primarily on donations from the community.

Calcasieu, the golden eagle. Shoo-shoo, for short.

With the help of several of her permanent residents, 67-year-old Suzy goes on the road locally to festivals and other events, schools, and the Children’s Museum to educate people about ecology, wildlife, and what to do if you encounter a wild animal. (If it is injured, call Animal Control or Wildlife and Fisheries. If it appears to be an abandoned baby, it probably isn’t. The mom is likely nearby, so just leave it alone. If you are certain it is abandoned, call the animal authorities.)

This little guy was brought in by Animal Control while we were there.

Suzy came to Lake Charles from the Dallas area in 1986 and started Heckhaven at that time. She had done some wildlife rehab in Texas, and according to her mother, Suzy has been “doing this all her life.” Only God knows how many animals she has helped over the decades, but she says she takes in approximately 1,000 animals a year.

 Great-horned owls. Rather comical. Reminded us of Laurel and Hardy.

Geese finding shade by the pond.

Heckhaven is a 501c non-profit organization and completely self-supported. Suzy says it is the only wildlife rehab center in southwest Louisiana. The public is welcome to visit the center, but legally they must stay behind the fences. She gladly accepts donations of money, feed, and materials (cage wire, lumber, fencing, roofing, cages and pens). For more information or to make a donation, call 337-477-6129, email heckhaven@aol.com, or see her website, www.heckhaven.com. 

Planting Season Reminds me of Forest Hill, Louisiana

It's that time of year, spring and all, and I've been planting a fair amount of flowers and vegatables in the garden beds. I'm reminded of a fabulous trip I took to Forest Hill, La. a couple years ago. Please read about it here. Forest Hill is THE place to go for plants of all kinds.

A good friend gave me this sign for my birthday earlier this year. I do love paisley (sounds like an herb, huh), but I hope to grow more than that this year. See the spinach on the right side? I'm off to a good start. What are you growing in your garden?

 

Flashback Friday -- Natchitoches, La.

We're heading to Natchitoches tomorrow to bring Eric home for the summer. So I thought I'd share my 2010 post on this charming town. Updates: Mighty Max Superdogs no longer exists. And Eric only has one year of high school left.