The French Quarters Celebrate Fat Tuesday at Mardi Gras

Miss Bearnadette caught some beads at the Mardi Gras parade on Fat Tuesday, New Orleans!

Mardi Gras has nothing to do with the Braaksma family tree that I know about, but I had to post this little image in the spirit of the season. How can a Dutch girl who loves spring with its tulips not love Mardi Gras colors - purple, gold and green - colors that look perfect on tulips.

I love purple tulips enough to have ordered hybrid purple bulbs years back, but they really didn't thrive in Arkansas. My red and yellow tulips come up readily each spring, but the purple tulips abandoned my yard within a couple seasons of planting. Happily, my demure purple crocuses greet me each spring.

I'm working on some images from the 22 Olympics in Sochi and the Dutch skaters in their orange speed suits, dubbed by the media "The Orange Crush" after they amassed a stash of medals in speed skating.

I hope to post the orange-suited Dutch skaters soon - until then, Laissez les bons temps rouler!