PIGFEST BEGINS HERE

Pigfest. Just to say that magical word brings a feeling of peace and love for our Cajun friends. This is the most anticipated event of the year for us and for good reason. We will go to Pigfest 'till there are no more pigfests, or until we are no longer of this earth. Think of a van full of hippies driving many hours and arriving exactly where we need to be. Pigs in the ground roasting, a stage empty and waiting, aunts and uncles waiting for their beloved Donnie, friends in every camp, the Levee looming off to the side.
Friday night was Okie night so we gave them some of the best original Folk, Jam Rock and Blues for miles around! The band was great and we all had a great time. Friday night was also very cold as you can tell by checking out Atchi. This is right before he went to get his blanket. This is also right before he discovered muscadine wine! A little sip will do yah.

High aspirations!

Would you believe that most of it was still there when we went home? We ate too much food to drink anything. Keep in mind this was for 7 adults for 3 days. The only thing we ran out of was pepsi.

Family time

We hung out in our camp for a while for a little "family time". This is about when Donnie "arose" Saturday morning and Doug took time out to congratulate his best friend on his previous nights' stupidity. I was glad to be there to photograph him in all his glory while I was feeling quite fine not having imbibed. Snicker.

Food, food, and then some more food

Cooking in a fully stocked, complete with all utensils, spices, ect kitchen in the woods is one of the coolest things I have ever done. "Stuck in the kitchen" didn't come to mind (It's an affliction many women can identify with, especially on holidays when you would rather play with your kids) The entire time I was chopping onions, green beans and other stuff I was wondering how could I ever get lighting that great in my kitchen?

Camp Morningwood

This is one of the more entertaining and friendly camps. They also have the hottest fire at night and are close to our camp.

DPB Tribe

Notice Katie is "fresh as a Daisy" as they like to say in the South.

Everyone loves a monkey!

Once again, the monkey keeps everyone in stitches with his clever humor. Click on the picture to see him better. This moneky has really become the life of the party anytime he is around. I am currently unaware of his location and it has been threatened that he may now reside permanently at Pigfest. This brought me to instant and very real tears. Those responsible should be very ashamed.

Anybody Hungry?

The food never stops, this is the result of a quick pass the the food line. there are literally dozens of women waiting in a long line to put a huge pile of whatever is in front of them onto your bending plate.

More music!

Donnie playing mando with his good friend Mike Foster Jr.

He carries his guitar in a plastic bag.

This man has no website, business cards, or any newfangled technology. All he needs is a chair and a guitar and he plays the blues. Thats what he does.

I see you.

The kids have a table set up to face paint & they seem to get most every adult at one time or another.

Pigfest delights!

The monkey made his 2nd trip to Pigfest and accompanied me to get my evil eye that seemed to disturb a few people. They think Okies are funny folks thanks to the DPB tribe. It's mutual, we think they are pretty funny too. One thing we did do this year was bring a real live indian to PF, our good friend Atchi, who ended up taking home gifts of indian artifacts and a few new friends.

Culture shock

Here you see 2 Madison Parrish Sherrif deputies chowing down on some great food. Security is kinda tight out there to keep only the invited folks in so it doesn't get crazy. When we first pulled in they walked up and opened the side door to the van and suprised us all. The funny part is this one says in the thickest accent possible, "now don't worry yall' we aint here to search you or nothin' we just want to put bracelets on youns" .....How you respond to that I don't know, we laughed for a long time over that. Being from BARTLESVILLE and all. Don't worry folks, we weren't doing anything wrong, it was just surreal.

Genuine Delta Blues

Another "Governer Approved" Bluesman.

Everything is beautiful

Mike Foster and family spend 2 weeks decorating the trees with lights and things that blow and spin in the wind, even had crop dusters fly over low. The whole place is meant to fill your senses and really is a beautiful time and place. You never want to leave.

Rip

Food is always cookin'

Even while the music is playing, there is a full kitchen cooking at all times.

Keep it in the ditch

Delta Blues Legend Rip Wimbley shakes Don's hand after playing Pig Fest together for the second year. Donnie loves to play with this guy and I am sure will tell you all about how this man is Bona Fide Blues as stated by the Govenor of Louisiana.

What we saw at that moment in time.

Hillbilly from Arkansas

This is my friend from Ark. He happens to live on the other side of the dam where we fish on the White River. He was the first person I looked for when I got to Pig Fest. Saturday morning when I got up Donnie was still "asleep" so I went and took a shower and ended up walking thru the woods with him. We went and sat in the "slew" and watched the kids play hide and seek. There are lots of kids running around the place and the rule is everyone keeps an eye on them so they get to run free all day. It really is wonderful.Doug came around on a walk and sat with us. It was really nice to get up and have nothing to do but visit, listen to music and cook.

Going home....

This is pretty much what it looks like after several people have been spending alot of time in a van together after a few days. This trip was actually pretty clean. The ride home was slightly dangerous due to excessive cajun food consumption.

Blues Challenge

Last night we went to Tulsa for the TBS blues challenge. The guys dressed up since last year they wrote about how bad the guys competing were dressed and we all knew they were specifically talking about DPB. It was pretty funny. The challenge was held at the VFW where my Nana had been a bartender when I was little and I remember spending alot of time there, it was really cool to go back. The building hasn't changed much, it even smells like I remember. It was nice to go back and remember some of the good times we had up there in that old bar. I remember even going in there when I was about 14 and having a birthday party right where I had Donnie get a picture of me.... The table was in the same spot. Anyway, the guys won oddly enough, so we are going to Memphis in January, That should be cool. Katie and I had a good time fooling around acting stupid and that was pretty fun too. Thats pretty much it, I'm sure the pictures tell the story.