A friend in Biloxi, MS

 Sunday, as we drove west on the coast road (US90) from Mobile, we saw some familiar sights that still stun us. A few years ago, we spent some time on this same route, and marveled at the majestic houses on the Gulf of Mexico, a stones throw from the water. Those houses with their welcoming front porches and tall windows, surrounded with equally majestic live oaks were unknowingly living their last glory days. Hurricane Katrina scrubbed the landscape completely clean from just west of Mobile to New Orleans. All those majestic houses in Biloxi, Pascagoula, Gulf Shores, Bay St. Louis have disappeared, leaving behind front steps to nothing, a few foundations with the plumbing fixtures visible, but mostly everything was washed away. We saw the same scene in January, 2006, when we went to the area to pound nails; our tiny effort to help get rebuild. At the time, I was overcome with sadness, remembering our own flood aftermath, and knowing that these folks were just barely getting started at restarting. This time, we laughed with happiness at the battered live oaks, all sprouting new leaves and branches. We saw small businesses back at work, and construction everywhere. We saw 'for sale' signs on many empty lots, shopping centers either partially occupied, or being cleared. We also saw massive new casinos (read: employers) and hotels, new condo units and gas stations, restaurants and the ugly beach stores with neon lights. All good signs that 4 years later, people are recovering. And, the trees are recovering, too.

We stopped at an empty lot that was a pre-Katrina yacht basin. There was what appeared to be a lighthouse we did not know about. While there, this little dude (dudette?) sidled up to our Cottage, blocked from the wind, and began to take a sunny bath. She appeared to be not at all concerned that we were walking her way, and continued to preen until we were close enough to touch her (we didn't). When we got in the truck and pulled away, she was still standing there!

We found out later that the lighthouse was real, but was obviously out of commission now.