Our Lady of the Gas Station

Our Lady is not bound by means!

The Gas Station Mary. She perfectly blends our ancient reliance on the Blessed Mother with our modern reliance on petroleum.  It is nice to see her out there, braving it in the world, bringing peace and dignity to places where she is honored, even gas stations.

Our Lady of the Youngsville Highway Texaco Station

Our Lady of the Youngsville Highway Texaco Station

Our Lady of the Ambassador Wines and Spirits

Our Lady of the Evangeline Thruway Tobacco Plus

Our Lady of the West Willow Shop-Rite

ShopRite at Carencro

Opelousas

"Our Lady of the Petrol. The Virgin reigning over a lighted and landscaped corner of a Shop Rite gas station along the main drag just off an Interstate 10 exit." (via Keith)

Shop Rite aux Opelousas vers Bellevue- day

Shop Rite aux Opelousas vers Bellevue- night

Abbeville Shop Rite photo (credit: Alice Cantrell)

These pictures are from the Lafayette, Opelousas and Abbeville areas. Thank you Shop-Rite Stores (and the Youngsville Highway Texaco Station) for placing Our Lady prominently in the community! Whether she blesses all who buy the petroleum products stored under her feet, or those who pass her on the busy Acadiana highways, it is great to see her where she is needed most.

PS. If I ever own a gas-station, I would do it like this: this.

Paul's Meat Market Commercial

This commercial transcribed in Evangeline Parish French, spoken by Charlie Manuel of the Tasse de Cafe' Radio Program out of Ville Platte Louisiana, KVPI 92.5 FM.

Allez pis visiter avec le vaillant monde qui va apprécier votre business.

"On veux charrer avec vous pour le Paul's Meat Market and Grocery.

Well, on connait de hier c'était une grande fête (Thanksgiving) et j'suis sûr qu'on a toujours le ventre plein depuis hier on avait mangé tous ce bon manger pour la fête, mais Paul dit...

"Pour remplacer ce manger-les et c'est le place pour aller c'est en Paul's Meat Market and Grocery, ça c'est sur le chemin Chataignier juste un peu près un demi-mile en dehors de la corporation de la Ville. Allez pis "chop" avec Paul et Tammy et Silas et vous-autres va trouver la qualité de grocerie et de jardinage et viande de tout qualité ça vous-autres après 'garder pour. 

Parle desous ça, vous-autres va avoir le service personel, pour example, vous-autres peux trouver cet weekend icitte des specials comme ça icitte là là vous trouvez:

 1.un rôti d'épaule de bête sans d'ossaille pour deux piastres et quatre-vingt dix-neuf sous la livre 

ausitte 

2. des cuisses de poulet FAMILY PACK quatre-vingt dix-neuf sous la livre 

3. un rôti d'épaule de viande de cochon ça c'est un dix-neuf la livre 

4. les jambons sans ossaille an average de quatre livres chaque par John Morrel une quatre-vingt neuf la livre

5. le bréchet, deux cinquante neuf la livre

6. les pork chops les coupe des bouts dix livres quatorze piastres et quatre-vingt dix neuf sous 

7. la mayonaise Blue Plate, un jarre de trente-deux onces pour trois piastres et quatre-vingt neuf sous

8. assaisonment Hi-Top a sorti soixante-neuf sous chaque

9. le aluminum foil dix-huit pouce par trente-sept pieds et demi pour un soixante-neuf 

aussi 

10. les Cokes, une boutaille de deux litres pour un soixante dix-neuf et un twelve-pack de douze onces les can, trois pour douze piastres. 

11. Le Vitamin Water, un quarante-neuf chaque

12. et y'en a plein d'autres! 

Allez pis visiter avec le vaillant monde qui va apprécier votre business.

Shop en Paul's Meat Market and Grocery."

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Our Lady of Louisiana Avenue

"Our Lady of Louisiana Avenue crushes the hosepipe underfoot."

Our Lady of the Garden Hose

Our Ladies of Ozenne Road

Mary Statues of Ozenne Road, Leonville, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana 
  

Mr. Reed and his Lady

 "To honor the Blessed Mother."

Marie, Jesus, St. Francis? and Resurrected Jesus

Marie Aucoin

Our Lady of the Natural Light

Our Lady of the Natural Light

Our Lady of the Reeds

Real Rosary for extra awesomeness

Nice, Nice

Our Lady of the Louisiana Humidity

LaGrange House Update, Red and Seafoam Green and Blue

We went to the LaGrange House down the road today, and she made me blue. She is falling down more... but she is still so beautiful, all green and red. 

There is a giant overgrown holly bush in the "front yard", with those dark spiny green leaves and round red berries. Now the front yard is actually the woods, but many other yard plants survive, such as irises, cherokee roses and chinaball trees. In early March, the whole place is covered in purple wisteria and the big bees hum in swarms.

The house has a red chimney and porch and trim, as well as old green tar paper covering the outside. Most of the doors and a few interior rooms are a sea foam green, and the wall paper that survives is white with green and red flowers.

I found a couple of old marbles under the porch, as well as an old leather shoe and a modern-ish belt. I also located the bottle dump in the back and found three beautiful small bottles, and one shaped like a grenade, so I didn't mess with it.

There is a possibility that we may be able to help restore the LaGrange House, by the grace of God.  We do not own the LaGrange house, but we do know the owners. We believe that it is of historic value. We hope to raise funds to help this place be saved. It has deteriorated much in the six years that I have lived near it, even since last year. Here's to prayin' that something can be done to save this place, because it is incredible.