Vintage Memories: A Sunday Veiller, 1968

Do you miss the good ole days? I do. The slow-paced, playing with your cousins, stepping in chicken poo days. Going to Mama (pronounced Mahh-mahh, like “Ahh! I’m scared”) and Papa (pronounced the same but with P’s) Aucoin’s house for Sunday dinner was what we did each week. The kids would play outside while Mama and the women cooked in the kitchen, and the men sat around and visited. Mama would often have fish cooked in her famous white gravy that no one, and I mean no one, can make like she did. The men would eat first while us kids would eat all around on the floor. Then the women would eat and clean up. It was the perfect Sunday. It was what families did, what they made time for. I’m glad I have these memories to look back on and remember. They make me smile, and I love sharing them.

Do you have a favorite tradition from your childhood? Tell us! Comment below or e-mail us at bonveillercher@gmail.com.

Vintage Memories: Mardi Gras 1967

Looking through old photos is a favorite pastime of ours, and it’s especially fun when there is an interesting story behind them. Vintage Memories is a series we are doing that spotlights just that kind of photo. However, we only have so many old pictures to go through, so we want y’all to share some favorites.

Pictured here is a Mardi Gras parade in Mamou, Louisiana, in 1967. Everyone is dressed in the traditional Mardi Gras garb usually only seen in rural areas. Most are handmade, brightly colored, and unique, but unlike the elaborate costumes of big city Mardi Gras parades, these outfits need to be durable and comfortable because parade participants are often riding horses and chasing chickens for the gumbo! Although it’s difficult to see here, the sign in the back is from Reed’s King Freeze. Seeing this sign sparked our interest, and our exhaustive internet search has left us empty-handed. We’d love any information on this vintage business. What type of business was it? Is it still open? Please comment or e-mail anything you might know about it.

Now that we have shared our vintage Mardi Gras, we want to see yours. Please contact us if you have a photo and story of a Mardi Gras of the past, so we can share it in an upcoming post.

Katrina & Lexi

bonveillercher@gmail.com