Bayou Mermaids

In the depths of the Bayous of South Louisiana,
generation after generation, folks tell the tales of the Bayou Mermaids ©.
Nowadays, sightings are rare and only a handful of humans who are alive today claim to have been lucky enough to see one of these delightful creatures.
Now, however, the rest of us can enjoy their beauty
through these representations and ...
( There is also a series of Bayou Mermaid© paintings)

"Clothilde"
is our most recent visitor.

"Marie"
was our first find.

The building of the Diversion Canal opened dense swamplands that had been hidden for centuries, and in the past few years there have been several sightings reported in and around Maurepas and Head of Island, Louisiana.

We call her "Clothilde", and she's taken up residence on the banks of the Diversion Canal.

She lounges among three connected pools,
with a small bridge over one of the falls.
These photos were taken immediately after completion, before the plants were put in

The garden is full of nooks and crannies of varying shapes and sizes - a showcase for herbs or other specialty plantings.

Here's a view of the herbs from ground level
and looking down from the second floor balcony

And here's some of the other specialty plants

From the banks of the Mississippi River came the first realization that we were not alone as we sit and relax or walk the levee in search of driftwood and other treasures.
Oh! What treasures we found behind that levee!

Well, it took a little coaxing, but we convinced Marie to relocate to Alligator Bayou,
just a few miles upriver, where there are still many cypress trees to swim among.
There at the head of infamous
Bayou Manchac, she greets visitors to
world renown Alligator Bayou Bar, Tours, Canoe Rental, Gift and Bait Shop.
With 3,0000+ acres of recreational area,
Bluff Swamp and Spanish Lake
provide her with plenty of room to frolic !

Since so many of her ancestors used Bayou Manchac to travel between the Atchafalaya Basin and New Orleans, we're sure she's met up with some of her cousins there. We hope to have photos of her in her new home soon.

Want to know more about Alligator Bayou Bar?
Click here to go to their web site
http://www.alligatorbayou.com

Clothilde ... some mo'

There's another single fountain adjacent to but separate from the other 3,
with more nooks and crannies for plants.
In this pool, the owner wanted some water plants that required calmer water,
so the pump is smaller, and the water is directed toward the concrete,
allowing for a gentle, easy flow from the "rocks" into the pool..