Happenings in Frenchmen's Bend this Weekend.

Come back on Sunday for OPEN HOUSE, 2-4 pm.  ***
1508 Frenchmen's Bend

This spacious 4BR/2.5-bath home on the golf course is in fabulous condition. The large kitchen is bound to be the gathering place--granite counter tops, a huge island, lovely glass-front cabinets, and plenty of space to COOK!  Beautiful wood floors in the living room, fireplace flanked by built-ins, windows providing a wonderful view of the backyard and golf course beyond.  Relax and unwind in the master suite featuring a big jet tub and separate shower.  The master is on one side of the living room while the other 3 bedrooms are on the other side.  Nice landscaping provides flowers to enjoy almost all year long.  Take a look. You won't be disappointed!

So good to know.  I don't even want to think about how horrible it would be to lose one of mine right in front of my eyes.

Thanks so much for writing this, Toni.

Gayle Causey

The Ouachita Parish Schools' and West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce' Adopt-A-School Program honored the district's top teachers and support employees Tuesday night during the annual Adopt-A-School Employees of Distinction Banquet in West Monroe. Missy Williams of Highland Elementary was named the Elementary Teacher of the Year, Amy Weems of Ouachita Junior High was named Middle School Teacher of the Year and Susan Roberts of West Monroe High School was named the High School Teacher of the Year.

Williams, a fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher, has been teaching for 21 years.

Weems has taught family and consumer science in Ouachita Parish for six years.

Roberts has taught high school English in the district for 27 years.

Following are the top teachers and support workers from each of the district's 36 schools:

Boley Elementary: teacher of the year, Donna Bryant; support employee of the year, Debbie Russell.

Calhoun Elementary: teacher of the year, Emily Little; support employee of the year, Marcus Ard.

Calhoun Middle: teacher of the year, Lauren Howe; support employee of the year, Ann Stewart.

Central Elementary: teacher of the year, Leslie Williamson; support employee of the year, Lori Wingfield.

Claiborne Elementary: teacher of the year, Dawn Jordan; support employee of the year, Sharon Johnston.

Crosley Elementary: teacher of the year, Julie Davis; support employee of the year, Alexa McClain.

Drew Elementary: teacher of the year, Amy Nugent; support employee of the year, Alberta Kirkham.

George Welch Elementary: teacher of the year, Susan Aulds; support employee of the year, Rex Graves.

Good Hope Middle: teacher of the year, Carla Austin; support employee of the year, Christopher Hunter.

Highland Elementary: teacher of the year, Missy Williams; support employee of the year, Amy Munholland.

Jack Hayes Elementary: teacher of the year, Sandra Patterson; support employee of the year, Anita Ross.

Kiroli Elementary: teacher of the year, Beverly Stone; support employee of the year, Margie Robinson.

Lakeshore Elementary: teacher of the year, Crystal Scott; support employee of the year, Jessica Chambless.

Lenwil Elementary: teacher of the year, Whitney Futch; support employee of the year: Melissa Speller.

Ouachita Junior High: teacher of the year, Amy Weems; support employee of the year, Gina Peterson.

Ouachita Parish Alternative: teacher of the year: Ryan Matthews, support employee of the year, Raeann Williams.

Ouachita Parish High: teacher of the year, Angie Fenske; support employee of the year, Ursula Stanley.

Pinecrest School: teacher of the year, Terri Matz; support employee of the year, Melissa Johnston.

Richwood High: teacher of the year, Hesam Akbarian; support employee of the year, Vanera Reddic.

Richwood Middle: teacher of the year, Vanessa Clark, support employee of the year, David Britton.

Riser Elementary: teacher of the year, Missy Hines; support employee of the year, Staci McKnight.

Riser Middle: teacher of the year, Lisa Hightower; support employee of the year, Ricky Morris.

Riverbend Elementary: teacher of the year, Marcie Houston; support employee of the year, Shelia Williams.

Robinson Elementary: teacher of the year, Angela Johnson; support employee of the year, Eva Spikes.

Shady Grove Elementary: teacher of the year: Marian Jones, support employee of the year, Carrie Jean Dunn.

Sterlington Elementary: teacher of the year, Callie Rhodes, support employee of the year, Lee Ann Cooper.

Sterlington High: teacher of the year, Cheryl Meade; support employee of the year, Ken Black.

Sterlington Middle: teacher of the year, Tammy Tevy, support employee of the year, George Allen.

Swartz Lower Elementary: teacher of the year, Rebecca Young, support employee of the year, Kandice Franklin.

Swartz Upper Elementary: teacher of the year, Janita Maxwell; support employee of the year, Martha Sikes.

Swayze Elementary: teacher of the year, Jandrea Brown; support employee of the year, La Shonn Ellis.

West Monroe High: teacher of the year, Susan Roberts; support employee of the year, Lisa Ware.

West Ouachita High: teacher of the year, Tressa Farrar; support employee of the year, Mike Lowe.

West Ridge Middle: teacher of the year, John Jowers; support employee of the year, Kathy Ramsey.

Woodlawn Elementary: teacher of the year, Cassie Remington; support employee of the year, Kim Graham.

Woodlawn Junior High: teacher of the year, Pam Jones; support employee of the year, Annette Mercer.

CONGRATULATIONS to ALL!  You make a difference in the lives of our children!

(Thanks to The News Star for this information and picture.)

Weekend rains were devastating for most of the tulips in the area, so enjoy these while you wait for their replacements.  And, take heart!  Dogwoods and wisteria are starting to show up all over town!

TULIPS at KIROLI PARK

It's been a little gloomy for the past couple of days, but the spring flowers don't seem to mind!  I guess the 80+degree temps are encouraging them to start showing up.

These lovely tulips are at Kiroli Park in West Monroe. The azaleas are just starting to open, too, so the park and other parts of Monroe and West Monroe will be really beautiful for the next few weeks.

I have a spectacular dogwood tree in my backyard which should be in full bloom in 7-10 days.  The buds are so fat that I know they are almost ready to open. I'll post pictures when the day finally arrives. I can't wait!

Spring is here!

Daffodils a little closer to Monroe & West Monroe.

A field of daffodils owned by Thera Adams will be open to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The field is about 20 miles south of Monroe on Louisiana 34, about 10 miles from Jimmy Davis Park.

Adams invites people to visit the field and take photos, picnic and enjoy the scenery.

The field was started by her late husband, Henry Adams. About 12 years ago she opened it in his memory.

She said there are thousands of bulbs and about 200 varieties. Adams said the bulbs take care of themselves, she does a bit of dividing and planting and lets nature take its course.

The property was homesteaded by her husband's grandparents in 1900. Adams said he planted the field so his father could enjoy looking at it from the front porch of the family home.

Coming from Monroe, the field will be on the left, with a white house across the street. For those using a GPS, the house number is 680 N. Louisiana 34.

Adams said if you get to the town of Joyce, you've gone too far. For more information, contact her at (870) 836-5221 or (870) 818-8303.

(Thanks to The News Star for this story.)

While you're out driving enjoying the spring flowers, let me know if you find a house you would like to see. I'll be happy to give you info on the property and make an appointment to show it to you. 318-614-5615.

The annual Jonquil Jubilee Historic Home & Garden Tour will be held in Gibsland, LA, on March 3, 2012.  This year, the tour will include a visit to Sally's Field, a display featuring over 6000 daffodils, Lorris and Elaine’s Garden, a L&NW Vintage Train Engine, and many many more attractions.

The festival begins at 8:00 am with a Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the Gibsland Lions Club.  Vendors will be gathered at the Pavilion and Gazebo area and always have many hand crafted items for sale.  Items for sale include iron works, original art, and a large assortment of plants and garden accessories.

Maybe I'll see you there!

To Go:

Gibsland is approximately one mile south of I-20, Gibsland/Athens exit #61,  45 miles east of Shreveport,  56 miles west of Monroe.

Thanks to The News Star for the following excellent article written by Greg Hilburn:

2012 gets down to BUSINESS

Ouachita Parish has been bleeding jobs for almost a decade, but at least two economists believe the regional hub of northeastern Louisiana could enjoy net job growth in 2012, thanks to ongoing expansions at CenturyLink and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

"There has been a slow, steady decline in employment in Ouachita Parish for nine consecutive years, but I expect that to abate in 2012," said Bob Eisenstadt, director of the University of Louisiana at Monroe's Center for Business and Economic Research. "I believe we've bottomed out and will see a modest turnaround."

LSU economists Loren Scott and James Richardson forecast a growth rate of 0.5 percent for Ouachita in 2012 after a lost decade that saw the exit of two Top 10 employers in State Farm and Guide Corp.

Unfortunately, job losses and population declines in rural northeastern Louisiana are expected to continue, although there are bright spots like ConAgra's Lamb Weston sweet potato processing plant near Delhi.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret believes those recent expansion projects have set the foundation for more growth in Ouachita and the region.

"Generally, I see more opportunity for manufacturing in northeastern Louisiana because of the available land and the credibility that's been established with success stories like CenturyLink, Conagra and others," he said.

"Overall, it's a brighter outlook that we've seen in quite a few years," Eisenstadt said. "The Ouachita Parish economy is strengthening."

CenturyLink

CenturyLink's explosive growth since 2009 elevated it from Monroe's signature company to Louisiana's top corporate star.

With as much as $20 billion in annual revenue, CenturyLink is the largest company headquartered in the state.

The company, with its headquarters on U.S. 165 North, offers northeastern Louisiana's most lucrative job growth in 2012 and beyond.

CenturyLink announced last summer it will add 800 jobs here during the next five years with an average salary of $65,000 plus benefits and invest $30 million in a capital expansion to make room for the new workers. That's in addition to the completion of a 350-job expansion announced in 2009.

Gov. Bobby Jindal said the Monroe company "will truly transform the economy here for generations to come."

And when CenturyLink adds 800 employees to its Monroe headquarters, it could lead to 1,250 spinoff jobs that are likely to be just as lucrative in pay as those of Monroe's Fortune 100 company.

Once all of the new jobs are in place, the company will employ 2,500 workers at its headquarters with a $155 million local annual payroll.

"I think we have a great future here in Monroe," CenturyLink chief executive Glen Post said when the company announced its expansion plans.

See the complete article here: 

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201201010115/NEWS01/201010315

The dead of winter, as home gardeners and landscape professionals know, is the perfect time to plant a tree. From February 27 through March 4, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry hosts its annual Shade Tree Sale at its offices throughout the state. More than a million superior genetics hardwood and pine seedlings have been distributed to the public at bargain basement prices during the sale since it began in 1976.
Planting a tree is a truly unselfish act. You don’t plant them for yourself, but as a gift for the generations to come. To plant a tree is an act of reverence … a love letter to the good earth.

http://countryroadsmagazine.com/Features/planting-hope

Thanks to my friends at Country Roads Magazine for this good info!

All this beauty from something so small!