Back Home for Politics, Gustav and (Maybe) Ike.

I’ve just returned to Louisiana after a week in the North Carolina Mountains, followed by another week out west in Hood River, Oregon where my youngest daughter lives with her husband. And there certainly is a lot to catch up on, with problems to address. On the national front, the Democratic convention is dominating the news. I’ve been a delegate on a number of occasions in the past, and my sister, Madeline, is representing the Brown family as a.delegate in Denver. I of course keep up with the proceedings by watching CNN as my oldest daughter Campbell does the play by play. Check out my column this week on remembering past conventions, both Democratic and Republican. You can read it by Clicking Here. And whaqt are the options for the Republicans if Hurricane Gustav does hit the Louisiana coast? Ge the latest update of what Republicans will do by Clicking Here.

Below, you will see some of the scenes from the beautiful mountainous region around both Mt. Hood and Mt. Saint Helene just south of Portland.

Some of the Brown gang is pictured above after a day of hiking this glorious mountainous region. My son James is on the right, and my son-in-law Tom is on the left. It was a treat to spend some time with my youngest daughter, Meredith who lives with Tom on the mountainside right on the Washington –Oregon border.

The bridge in back of me connects Oregon and Washington, and it is privately owned. Similar bridges and roads all over America are not built with public funds. Unfortunately, many legislators in Louisiana want everything to be built and run with public funds. What a waste.Think about how much more could be accomplished and how much money could be saved if the private sector could be more involved in public projects.

Yes, they believe Bigfoot is alive and walking the woods in the Mountains of Oregon. My daughter Meredith and I stopped off for a bit of hobnobbing with members of the Bigfoot Society and their Bigfoot Bash and Bounty along the Columbia River Gorge. And low and behold, take a look at who we stumbled on.