Of Sugar Cane, Rice Fields, and Country Music

Jan 20:  We spent most of this day traveling, much of it on freeways or divided highways, so no photos to share, although it has been an interesting drive.  Thanks to my iPhone and a pretty strong signal, we could look up information and learn about the countryside we were passing through, as questions occurred to us.  As a result, we've learned a bit about sugar cane and how it's grown, about rice fields and the fact that the areas we were passing through have a rich history of rice-production, and when we began to wonder what the egrets were finding so fascinating in the rice fields, discovered that many of the former rice fields have been converted to crayfish (called crawfish here) farms.  Why?  Because, as with other grain crops, the cost of producing rice is high compared to price earned, but there is a growing market for the crayfish, which naturally like to live in the rice fields, so many former rice farmers have become crayfish farmers and are making really good money doing that.  It's also a way for those with less land to still make a decent living.  Who knew?

When we were traveling the blues highway, we listened to the blues to more thoroughly experience the atmosphere of the area.  While traveling in Louisiana and Texas, we've been listening to country music for the same reason, and because that's what most radio stations here play.  When we first heard a station announce they would be playing "If I Could Have a Beer With Jesus", we thought it was a parody of country music, similar to John Denver's "You Dun Stomped On My Heart" or "Forest Lawn", but to our surprise, it's a real song, and YOU too can listen to it here.  I guess it's a reflection of how easily people in the south so easily integrate everyday life and occurrences with their religious  beliefs; therefore, why not sing about kickin' back and having a brew with The Man?  

Life is never-ending learning!