PUBLISHER
Brian Rushing
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Mary Downer Ditch
EDITORIAL
Ashley Bourgeois
CONTRIBUTING
John Doucet
Evie Tippett
Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com
Editorial: maryditch@rushing-media.com
Creative: graphics@rushing-media.com
Sales: sales@rushing-media.com CREATIVE
There’s something about our Health & Wellness Issue that always feels deeply personal to me. Maybe it’s because, like so many others, I’ve spent years trying to figure out what a “healthy lifestyle” is supposed to look like. And the older I get, the more I realize it isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency. Grace. Balance. Learning what makes you feel your best, physically and mentally.
My own wellness journey has been filled with small victories, a few missteps, and plenty of learning along the way. One thing that continues to ground me is simply being outdoors. Whether it’s walking, traveling, sitting in the sunshine, or relaxing in my hammock with a good book, nature has a way of restoring both the body and the mind. While my husband finds joy on the golf course, I’m perfectly content soaking in a quiet evening in the backyard. Those simple moments remind me that wellness isn’t always found in strict routines or intense workouts — sometimes it’s found in peace, rest, laughter, and the little things that make you feel alive.
This year, I’ve also become more intentional about the foods I put into my body, especially learning what works best for my health. What I’ve discovered is that eating fresh and healthy isn’t about deprivation; it’s about nourishment. It’s about fueling your body so you can fully show up for the people, places, and moments you love most. When we prioritize fresh ingredients and mindful choices, we give ourselves the energy to live more fully — whether that means chasing kids, working long days, exercising, or simply enjoying life’s everyday moments.
That idea — eating fresh — became the heartbeat of this year’s issue. It sounds simple, but sometimes the simplest changes can have the biggest impact. Jenny Bourg, a local gardner in Bourg, earned a reputation as the ‘Louisiana backyard gardener’ by growing a 44lb cabbage, the largest in the state. But more than breaking large vegetable records, Jenny has the privilege of eating directly from her own garden, following the food she cooks with throughout its entire journey, from seed to edible vegetable. With a strong social media presence, she also teaches and encourages other local gardeners to grow organic produce, with a focus on growing in south Louisiana. “Mawmaw Dirt” also visits local farmers markets with her extras, selling and teaching along the way. Learn more about Jenny starting on page 30.
Inside these pages, you’ll also find our special advertising section, What’s Up, Doc?, where we spotlight local medical professionals and offer a behind-the-scenes look into their practices and passions. Be sure to check it out beginning on page 18.
Health and wellness are not destinations we magically arrive at overnight. They are lifelong journeys shaped by our habits, our choices, and the way we care for ourselves along the way. My hope is that somewhere within this issue, you’ll find encouragement, inspiration, or perhaps even a fresh perspective that speaks to your own journey.
Here’s to feeling better, living fuller, and embracing wellness one choice, one step, and one day at a time. POV
What’s one small habit that instantly makes your day better?
Making my bed in the morning, a small task that makes me feel like I started the day off on the right foot.
Actively being present, engaged, and playing with my family. No matter how tough any given day has been for me, when I’m fully present with them, the stresses go away and life effortlessly improves!
Meditation is a habit that instantly makes my day better. Whether meditating through prayer, the rosary or visualization, pausing to anchor myself in the present moment (no matter what time of day) is the best way I’ve found to find peace, feel joy and show gratitude.
Starting the day with prayer and giving thanks to God. It puts life in perspective and helps me stay focused on the day.
Prayer. It’s so important to me to spend the first part of my day with our Lord and Savior. I love to start my day with quiet time and in prayer, followed by a worship song and Bible reading and/or a devotion. Throughout each day, I am praying for different needs for my family, our community and our country. I am also thanking the Lord for his faithfulness and unconditional love. This always makes for a better day.
BY BONNIE RUSHING | PHOTOS BY CHANNING CANDIES
El Barrio was designed with celebration in mind — a vibrant gathering place where modern elegance meets warm hospitality. Inside, warm wood tones, woven textures and soft neutral palettes create an atmosphere that feels elevated without losing its laid-back charm. Oversized rattan pendant lights float above the dining room, while sculptural rope chandeliers and glowing glass fixtures add warmth and movement throughout the space.
Natural cane-back seating, clean architectural lines and airy open spaces give the restaurant a refined aesthetic, while colorful artwork and lively gathering spaces keep the energy playful and inviting. At the bar, softly lit arched shelving and industrialstyle glass racks create a polished focal point that feels equally suited for casual margaritas or a celebratory night out.
Outside, El Barrio’s patio extends the experience even further. Lounge seating, oversized umbrellas, glowing string lights
and lush landscaping transform the outdoor space into a destination of its own. A tranquil fountain and open-air dining areas create the perfect backdrop for lingering brunches, sunset cocktails or evenings spent with friends around the table.
The overall effect is a space designed for gathering, celebrating and slowing down long enough to enjoy good food, cold drinks and even better company. At El Barrio, the atmosphere is as much a part of the experience as the menu itself. POV
Point of Vue magazine is pleased to present What's Up Doc?, a special advertising section to highlight local medical professionals and give you a closer look behind the scenes.
SPONSORED CONTENT
For more than three decades, Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness Center has been a trusted name in the Bayou Region, providing patients with innovative, compassionate care in the fight against chronic pain. With a team of highly trained physicians rooted in the community, the practice combines experience, advanced technology and a deeply personal approach to treatment.
For Dr. Michael Haydel, medicine is more than a profession—it’s a legacy. Inspired by generations of physicians in his family who dedicated their lives to caring for the Houma community, his path into medicine was shaped early. That foundation continues to guide his philosophy today.
“I feel as most physicians probably do, that our profession is a vocation and not just a job,” Dr. Michael Haydel said. “The idea that practicing medicine is a privilege and not just an obligation means everything.”
medicine was shaped by a lifelong desire to care for others, combined with a natural aptitude for science and problem solving. His approach to interventional pain management reflects both technical expertise and a strong emphasis on relationships.
“I truly listen to my patients… and strive to understand how it affects them and
That philosophy is supported by a rapidly evolving field. Advances in interventional pain management have expanded treatment options far beyond traditional approaches, offering patients minimally invasive solutions that can restore function and improve quality of life.
“It used to be patients were only offered epidural steroid injections or surgery,” Dr. Michael Haydel said. “Now, there are many more minimally invasive treatment options that have been very successful.”
those around them,” Dr. Andrew Barker said.
Dr. Keith Duplantis shares a similarly rooted passion for patient care, one that began at an early age and continues to drive his work today. In interventional pain management, he finds fulfillment in helping patients achieve meaningful, often immediate relief.
“Patients can have immediate pain relief with an injection, and to me that is very gratifying,” Dr. Keith Duplantis said.
Dr. Andrew Barker’s journey into
At Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness Center, patient care begins with listening. Each physician emphasizes understanding not just the source of pain, but how it impacts a patient’s daily life, relationships and overall well-being. Treatment plans are never one-size-fits-all, but instead carefully tailored to each individual.
“Pain is like a puzzle,” Dr. Keith Duplantis said. “It has a lot of pieces that you must put together.”
Staying at the forefront of these advancements is a priority for the entire team. Through ongoing education, national conferences and hands-on training, each physician remains committed to delivering the most effective, cutting-edge care available.
What truly sets the practice apart, however, is its deep connection to the community.
“Everyone in our practice is homegrown and plans on staying here to make our community as pain-free as possible,” Dr. Keith Duplantis said.
For patients navigating chronic pain, the message from the team is clear: there is hope.
“Don’t lose hope,” Dr. Andrew Barker said. “There are many treatments and emerging advances that can help give you your life back.”
Dr. Lacey Giambelluca’s passion for science and hands-on problem solving led her to pursue a career where she could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives every day. A New Orleans native, Dr. Giambelluca completed her orthopaedic residency training at Ochsner in New Orleans before completing a Foot & Ankle Fellowship at Duke University.
Today, as a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon serving the Bayou Region at OrthoLA, she specializes in helping patients regain mobility, reduce pain and return to the activities they love. Her practice includes treating sports injuries, fractures, bunions, arthritis and complex foot and ankle deformities in patients of all ages.
“Foot and ankle pain can severely debilitate people’s quality of life,” Dr. Giambelluca said. “Being able to relieve pain, restore function and get someone back on their feet is incredibly rewarding.”
Dr. Giambelluca believes patient care begins with trust, communication and individualized treatment plans. She works closely with each patient to understand their goals, answer questions and help them feel confident in their care and recovery process.
At OrthoLA, she is part of a team of board-certified orthopedic specialists committed to delivering high-quality care to the region while staying at the forefront of advancements in orthopedic medicine and foot and ankle surgery.
At Grafton Dermatology, patient care is rooted in a passion for science, education and community. The team is driven by a shared commitment to helping patients better understand their skin and achieve long-term health through personalized, attentive care.
Specializing in dermatology allows providers to make a visible and meaningful difference. From treating common conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis to performing comprehensive skin exams for early detection of skin cancer, the practice focuses on improving both health and quality of life. With the ability to care for patients of all ages, Grafton Dermatology supports
individuals and families through every stage of life.
A patient-first approach guides every visit. The team prioritizes clear communication, comfort and efficiency, while taking time to explain diagnoses,
treatment options and preventative care in a way that is easy to understand. This approach helps patients feel confident, informed and actively involved in their skincare journey.
What sets Grafton Dermatology apart is its balance of advanced technology and personalized care. Providers and staff work collaboratively to deliver customized treatment plans in a warm, welcoming environment.
With a strong commitment to ongoing education and community outreach, the team continues to bring the latest advancements in dermatology to the patients they serve.
South Louisiana Medical Associates continues expanding its neurology service line with movement disorders specialist Dr. Kyle Paulk, bringing advanced neurological care and specialized services to the Bayou Region.
A Louisiana native and LSU graduate, Dr. Paulk specializes in movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease, cognitive disorders and other complex neurological conditions. His expertise fills a gap in the region, offering patients access to highly specialized care that is not widely available locally.
Since joining SLMA, the practice has also expanded neurological diagnostic services, including EMG testing, helping patients receive more comprehensive evaluations and treatment closer to home.
Dr. Paulk completed fellowship training through the prestigious VA/OHSU Movement
Disorders Fellowship in Oregon, where he conducted Parkinson’s disease research and participated in pre-gene therapy clinical trials.
“With my fellowship training and research background, I can help expand access to specialized neurological care for patients in Southeast Louisiana, a region where these services remain scarce,” Dr. Paulk said.
In addition to treating patients experiencing tremors, movement changes, memory concerns and other neurological symptoms, Dr. Paulk works closely with primary care physicians and specialists throughout the region to ensure coordinated, patient-focused care.
Dr. Paulk is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and sees patients in Houma.
Terrebonne General Health System honors our dedicated physicians for improving the health and wellness of the patients and families in our community and for their tireless devotion that saves lives each day!
Dr. McCall Walker Cardiology
Dr. Brian Falkner Emergency Medicine
Dr. Guy Lefort Emergency Medicine
Dr. Michael Straney Emergency Medicine
Dr. Deborah McCollum Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Gerald Foret, III Emergency Medicine
Dr. Stephen C. Lim Emergency Medicine
Dr. Stanford White Emergency Medicine
Dr. Donald Netherland Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Samuel Ganier Emergency Medicine
Dr. Kelly L. Maiche Emergency Medicine
Dr. Sindhura Bandaru Endocrinology
Dr. Elisa Arrillaga Emergency Medicine
Dr. Brendon Gros Emergency Medicine
Dr. Justin Okons Emergency Medicine
Dr. Rachel Coleman Endocrinology
Dr. Larick David Emergency Medicine
Dr. Michelle N. Huber Emergency Medicine
Dr. Phillip Paulk Emergency Medicine
Dr. Rory Eschete II Emergency Medicine
Dr. Joshua E. Leboeuf Emergency Medicine
Dr. Brian Roberts Emergency Medicine
Dr. Andre F. Guidry Family Medicine
Dr. Richard Haydel Family Medicine
Dr. Alain Chesnut Internal Medicine
Dr. Allen Vander Nephrology
Dr. Sheena Duplantis Obstetrics/ Gynecology
Dr. Russell Henry Internal Medicine
Dr. Tiffany N. Eady Neurology
Dr. Comfort M. Takang Oncology
Dr. Alana C. Nichols Internal Medicine/ Pediatrics
Dr. Sandra Grant Neonatology
Dr. Bedford Nieve-Cruz Neonatology
Gynecology
Gynecology
Dr. Channing Sanders Obstetrics/
Gynecology
Dr. Patrick T. Spiller Otorhinolaryngology
Dr. Aruna Sangisetty Pediatrics
Dr. Ugochukwu Ezema Pulmonary Medicine Critical Care
Dr. John Steigner Radiology
Dr. David Hagen Otorhinolaryngology
Dr. Jill Sutton Pediatrics
Tania Kohal Pulmonary Medicine Critical Care
Dr. William Tiemann Radiology
Dr. Logan St. Cyr Palliative Medicine
Dr. Hector Linares Physical Medicine/ Rehabilitation
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Dr. Brigitte DeMoss Pathology
Dr. Jeffrey Rau Plastic Surgery
Dr. Ashley Prejean Radiology
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Dr. Bryan Rau Radiology
Dr. Stephen Charbonnet Urology
Dr. Amber Poirot Wound Care
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Dr. Peomia C. Brown Pulmonary Medicine/ Critical Care/Sleep Medicine
Dr. Jeremy Rau Radiology
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Dr. Nicole McKee Administrative Staff
DERMATOLOGY
Dr. Alexis R. Duke
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ENDOCRINOLOGY
Dr. Mariam H. Menhem
Dr. David A. Sisam FAMILY MEDICINE
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NEUROLOGICAL INTRAOPERATIVE MONITORING
Dr. Kevin J. Callerame
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Dr. Robin C. Davis
Dr. Roshni S. Dhoot
Dr. Benjamin K. Simpson
Dr. Colin N. Van Hook
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Dr. Karl G. Haydel Jr.
Dr. Jimmy N. Ponder Jr. PATHOLOGY
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PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY
Dr. Stefanie Y. Cheang
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PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY
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TELESTROKE
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Dr. Namir A. Khandker
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Dr. Spurthi S. Surpur
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ASSOCIATE
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Dr. Beau M. Bergeron
Dr. Michael A. Cordone
Dr. Katherine S. Cox
Dr. Stephanie M. Guzman
Dr. Julia B. Kendrick
Dr. Bethany L. Menard
Dr. Kristie D. Osteen CARDIOLOGY
Dr. Amit N. Amin
Dr. Robert H. Drennan
Dr. Ahmad Y. Jabbar
Dr. Paritosh Kafle
Dr. William R. Ladd
Dr. Mohammed S. Rais HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
Dr. Robert K. Gamble
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Dr. Anne E. Price NEONATOLOGY
Dr. Lisa M. Barbiero
Dr. Anne E. Tufton NEPHROLOGY
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OTOLARYNGOLOGY
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Dr. Syed A. Akbar
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UROLOGY
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COMMUNITY
AFFILIATE
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Dr. Ian T. Watson FAMILY MEDICINE
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NOT PICTURED: EMERGENCY MEDICINE
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HOSPITAL MEDICINE
Dr. Bipasha Nath
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BY EVIE TIPPETT | PHOTOS BY CHANNING CANDIES
At first glance, Jenny Bourg’s house looks like every other quaint settlement on her street in Bourg, La. But, with just a stroll around the side, you’re transported into a beautiful, lush, green paradise. Tomato plants stand over twelve feet tall, ribbon wrapped around their stems to keep the plants from drooping in the dirt. Potted pepper plants dot her backyard, a leafy tunnel leads you to the bulk of her garden housing flowers and green beans, eggplants, cabbages, cucumbers, and more. In the middle stands the small greenhouse her generous husband Terry built for her as a Mother’s Day gift one year, made completely of recycled antebellum windows. That greenhouse is where the magic begins, where Jenny starts her seeds.
With the freckled, tanned face of an experienced gardener, Jenny comes from a long line of farmers. Her family settled here in Louisiana in the 1700s and tended to large farms which later became smaller gardens in their backyard like Jenny’s— although the average visitor could consider Jenny’s garden to be pretty big. Her mother, who passed away at ninety years, gave Jenny tips and advice for as long as she lived. “She’s been my biggest inspiration, actually,” Jenny said.
Originally from Montegut, Jenny went from hobby-gardener to a national produce-growing legend. She’s even featured in a book called “Bayou Harvest” written by Nicholls professor Dr. Shana Walton. The account details the inspiring ways in which Jenny is actively keeping the tradition of gardening alive.
married and out of college. “I wasn’t at school functions, swim meets, and all those things anymore,” Jenny said. “So I said, you know what? I’m gonna go a little further with my garden.” Prior to this declaration, Jenny always had something growing in her yard, but it wasn’t until just ten or twelve years ago that she began creating the raised beds in her backyard garden.
Fast forward to now, and Jenny said she can’t go anywhere without being recognized for her record-breaking produce. “I was on a train in Denver, Colorado, trying to get to my daughter, and people recognized me. [...] It’s kind of crazy that it went in that direction. I had news people, Channel 6 and 26 and all, come out here and do interviews. [...] The story ended up in the UK. The craziest thing,” she shared.
Jenny gained this reputation as the ‘Louisiana backyard gardener’ by growing a 44lb cabbage, the largest in the state.
I pulled it with him there, he was freaking out ‘cause it was like eight feet around the outer leaves. I could lay down and hide behind it,” Jenny said. The Department of Agriculture made a post about Jenny’s 44lb cabbage and her gardening stardom was sealed.
Aside from the record-breaking cabbage, Jenny also donated a 39lb cabbage to Terrebonne Churches United Food Bank. And in the way of other produce, Jenny has grown a 25lb beet (which her grandson could hardly hold), a 17lb cauliflower, and a 5.8lb eggplant which was picked before she considered whether or not it could be record-breaking (it was).
But more than breaking large vegetable records, Jenny has the privilege of eating directly from her own garden, following the food she cooks with throughout its entire journey, from seed to edible vegetable. “I always make posts about it, ‘living off the land and loving it.’ We do buy milk and bread, but I got seven freezers. Each season, I vacuum pack broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, beets. I do a lot of jarring. I save what we need and I used to give everything else away,” Jenny said. She still gives a great deal of her fresh, homegrown produce away to food banks, but now that her husband has retired, and others ask her for the high quality, organic vegetables, she has found other places for her harvest.
“The environment’s always changing. It’s getting harder and harder. Where I grew up in Montegut, people can’t grow a garden like they used to ‘cause of the salt water, and so I kind of teach people how to get their soil good. Because your garden is actually all about what’s in your soil. That gets you going,” Jenny shared. “You can do everything right, but if you get one thing wrong, your garden’s gonna suffer for it.”
While Jenny did grow up around farming and gardening, she didn’t dive deep into her own produce until her daughters were
After posting pictures of it online, she was encouraged to call the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to weigh and record her large produce, and did just that. “I never even thought to weigh vegetables,” Jenny said. Upon first contact, the department was actually hesitant to make the trip to Bourg if Jenny’s cabbage was going to be ten pounds or so, considering the record was 28lbs. “I said, dude, please come. I guarantee it’s bigger than 28lbs.”
Because a vegetable loses weight the minute you pull it, in order to get the accurate weight and to have that weight recorded within the department, Jenny was instructed to wait for the arrival of Shawn Waguespack, the Weights and Measures Supervisor. “When
Keeping her produce organic is a priority for Jenny who now travels to farmer’s markets in a renovated horse trailer, selling her produce and sharing gardening tips with it. Her plant beds are smartly lined with specific flowers intended to repel pests from eating her produce. “There’s no pesticide, chemical processing, and I make my own compost, and I use all organic [ingredients] to grow in. I go to these markets, and I know the big farmer on the side of me, there’s no way they can be organic. But people come, they buy fresh garden vegetables, and they don’t worry about what was sprayed on it,” Jenny said. “I could eat off the vine and not worry about it, you know?”
As an added bonus to her ‘living off the land’ philosophy, Jenny’s husband often fishes, shrimps, and crabs so their seafood is usually fresh as well. One recipe Jenny shared was a dinner plate filled entirely with their own caught or grown foods. “I was able to bronze some fresh trout and use onions and peppers from the garden to top it. Then, I cut an eggplant, deep fried it, and made an eggplant steak. I peeled crabs, and I made a crab sauce to put on top of the eggplant. Then, I fried crab claws, and made a salad with the tomatoes. It all came from us.”
Not only is it fulfilling to cook with your own sourced food, but Jenny finds it especially rewarding to teach other people how to also. Her Facebook group ‘Jenny Bourg’s Tips and Tricks of Gardening Group’ has amassed over 50,000 followers, and is free for anyone to follow. Jenny encourages learning to work with Mother Nature. She’s protected her tomato plants with frost blankets, rebuilt her entire garden after Hurricane Ida plowed through it, and knocked off the roof of her greenhouse, which actually turned into an unconventional blessing. “I came home, the roof was off. They got watered, and my plants survived, and I had the prettiest garden. Somebody took care of them for me,” she quipped.
Some of Jenny’s best advice when it comes to gardening is that composting is a key factor. If someone doesn’t have the means to compost, there are some organic soils Jenny recommends, and most importantly, she stresses to the beginning gardener to not go too big. It takes some time to work up from a shorter tomato plant that can yield around 20 tomatoes to the twelve footers
in her backyard which can produce up to 500 tomatoes at a time.
But it isn’t just Jenny’s own advice that makes her planting so successful. She harkens back to the pre-Internet days when farmers looked to the sky to decide how to plant. Her and her husband call it ‘planting by the moon.’ “I put out a garden calendar with above ground crops and root crops, and that’s supposedly the old time way of planting. They grew gardens like no other, and they knew how to look at the sky and look at what was going on with the moon, and they knew when to plant. That’s just speaking from my family on down the line. So, I keep that tradition,” Jenny said. Now her techniques may be tried and true, but her shopping methods are modern. Jenny acquires most of her seeds online from Baker’s Creek Rare Seeds Company, but when she does go local, she buys from Raceland Ag. Service. Even her shopping habits have influenced followers of her gardening Facebook group, with Texas natives purchasing seeds from Raceland, La. As for her gardening equipment, many of her shovels were passed down from her family and she has quite the special lore of a particular wheelbarrow. “The old man up the street was in a wheelchair. He was really involved with the war museum. He died at 90, about two years ago,” Jenny shared. “His wife had passed away maybe 20 years ago. I would always cook extra and bring him food, and one day he called me, said ‘I have something for you.’ He said, ‘I never thought I could part with it, but you’re the only person that would deserve it.’ I went over, he made me open his shed, and there’s
a wheelbarrow with some big wheels on it. He said, ‘That was my wife’s, and I want you to have it.’ I love that wheelbarrow.”
This is just one example of how gardening has become a bigger entity in Jenny’s life, connecting her to people all around the world, and even closer with her neighbors and family, and even herself. She finds such grounded joy in being out in her garden everyday, listening to the birdsong of the purple martins that live in one of her tall birdhouses. “So many people are watching TV and the business of the world that’s not so good right now,” Jenny said. “I come outside, and it’s just so peaceful. The birds are out, I know when their babies are hatched, I witness when they all come out, and then they leave ‘cause they fly back to South America. I’m able to see when my flocks leave. It’s just really cool to be a part of that.” Jenny remarked on one friend of hers over in California to whom she said, “Get off the internet, and I’m mailing you some seeds!”
If there’s one thing Jenny is as passionate about as gardening, it’s certainly her grandchildren. Coined ‘Mawmaw Dirt,’ Jenny is nearly always brought to tears at the sight of her grandkids with their own thriving plants, knowing she is a part of something much larger than herself, and that she is playing a vital role in keeping gardening alive for generations to come. One of her favorite things to hear is
when her grandson Facetimes her and says, “Mawmaw Dirt, you gotta come see my garden.” He’s already watering his own plants before school and listening to his grandma’s tips, planning to have a backyard garden like hers one day.
While there are certainly some caveats to the wonders of working outdoors, like snakes in her pepper plants and egg-laying bugs to keep away, nothing beats the peace, joy, and fulfillment one could clearly get from following in Jenny’s footsteps. A woman who can tell you every detail of the vegetable she’s selling you because she grew it with her own labor of love.
Over time, she’s still donated produce to food banks, plants and seeds to community gardens, gives produce to her older sisters, and charges only enough out of the horse trailer so she can have enough money for more seeds. At the start, Jenny took to filling her car trunk up with boxes of produce and giving them away in the Rouses parking lot. “When I saw a handicapped person, or I knew that person couldn’t grow a garden, I’d go out with a box. I gave a lot away,” Jenny said. She so obviously has built a life for herself and for her community that is filled with peace and connected—not only to nature—but to her own village, concerning herself more with birds than with business, and what a beautiful harvest she’s reaped.
“Most importantly,” Jenny said, “I like to put the word out about just getting involved with stuff like this. It’s so good, and everything else seems less important when you’re playing in a garden.” POV
BY KATIE RICHARD, MA, BSN, RN, DIRECTOR
The most common cancer in the US, skin cancer can also be one of the most preventable. Knowing risks and protecting your skin help safeguard your body ’ s largest organ.
Skin cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. Most damage results from exposure to UV rays from the sun or tanning beds. Avoiding excessive exposure to the sun, wearing sunscreen and not using tanning beds reduce risks.
Other risk factors for skin cancer include:
• Aging
• Family history
• Blue or green eyes
• Blonde or red hair
• Fair skin that reddens, burns or freckles easily
However, did you know what you eat can also boost the skin’s defense? Healthy skin happens from the inside out. A balanced diet promotes healthy functioning of the entire body including the skin.
An antioxidant-rich diet can offset some skin damage caused by UV exposure before it turns to cancer. UV light rays trigger a chain reaction of damaging compounds known as free radicals. Foods rich in antioxidants—sometimes called
superfoods—help combat free radicals. Superfoods also provide other health benefits such as improved heart health, immunity and digestion.
If you plan to spend time in the sun this summer, in addition to sunscreen, add some of these foods to your grocery list for protection.
Grab Some Berries
Berries top the list for skin protection. Summer ’ s bounty of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries provide a perfect antidote to summer ’s hot sun. Keep frozen berries on hand when products are out of season. Research also shows that antioxidant-rich foods reduce inflammation to decrease sunburn.
Eat the Rainbow
Add more color to your plate to add more antioxidants to your diet. According to one study, red and orange fruits and vegetables—known as carotenoids—can provide sun protection equivalent to SPF 4 sunscreen. Go heavy on tomatoes, which are filled with lycopene that guards against sun damage.
Sip Green Tea
Antioxidant-rich green tea helps calm UV-related skin inflammation. That’s the
reason it is often an ingredient in skin care products.
Indulge Dark Chocolate Cravings
When you need a sweet treat, choose a bite of dark chocolate, which contains polyphenols. These inflammation-taming antioxidants can improve skin hydration and circulation. The darker the chocolate, the more polyphenols.
While balanced diets play a crucial role in proper functioning of the body, take other precautions to protect your skin. According to the CDC, many cases of skin cancer are largely preventable by adopting safe sun habits including:
• Applying broad-spectrum sunscreen, which protects from UVA and UVB rays, with SPF of 30 or higher
• Wearing wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and clothes that cover arms and legs
• Staying in the shade to lower UV exposure
• Avoiding direct sun during peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It ’ s important to examine your skin routinely and get thorough skin checks annually from a dermatologist. Contact Thibodaux Regional Cancer Institute for information about skin cancer or call 985.493.4008.
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Being back in Boston is like using all the B tiles in a game of Scrabble all at once. This is Bean Town, and I'm hoteling in the Back Bay. The Boston Bruins play up the street, and a concert of Beethoven Bagatelles plays down the street. So many names here begin with this letter that the two B tiles and the two blank tiles will not be enough for your babbling brain to even broach this game before breakfast. But, be brave, brother: When beholding the brick banquettes along the boulevards in this place, it’s a better bet to use chess moves.
Besides, today is Sunday in Boston, and this bayou boy seeks beatitude. So, church. Fortunately, I am only a few blocks from the mother church of the Catholic archdiocese, which has an early morning mass. I am guided on this sidewalk pilgrimage not by Google Maps but by a particular species of hefty pigeon that seems to much prefer walking to flying. Or maybe Sundays are days of rest for them. In a way, their walking invokes an appropriate thanksgiving for a Sunday: I'm thankful in these church clothes to have them underfoot rather than overhead.
My wobbly avian chaperones lead me to the vaulted steps of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which occupies an entire city square. It’s a magnificent Gothic structure completed in 1875 with an exterior of locally quarried limestone and puddingstone. The puddingstone reminds me that I would need to seek breakfast after mass. "There’s a Dunkin' Donuts just three blocks from here," said the heftiest of my chaperones with unabashed ulterior motive. "You'll need to wait outside for me," I told it. Apparently, I was overheard by parishioners who then asked if I needed help. I guess Bostonians ignore their pigeons. That’s why they flock to visitors. Inside Holy Cross, you find a vast, rippling sea of pews that seats 2000. You'll see the largest stained glass collection in all of New England, with such an array of windows that there’s an annotated map to guide you through them. You'll hear the largest pipe organ ever built by the world renowned Hook and Hasting Company. And you'll gaze helplessly at the 364-foot long ridgepole that collects dozens of immense and ornate wooden rafters 120 feet overhead. The church is a complete sensory overload, just as the Counter Reformation ordered.
Today atop the altar, trembling in the droning resonance of the organ’s 5000 pipes, is an entire nursery of cultivated flowers, including hundreds of white lilies and yellow daffodils arranged in long rows that lead your gaze toward the altar. The flowers mark a celebratory occasion--the monsignor ’s retirement, after decades of overseeing 2100 masses per year and tens of thousands of sacraments. His name is Kevin O'Leary, an inevitable pair of names given the present location. This 75-year-old is a jolly and loquacious man, which I discovered when trying to leave after mass. Apparently, I caught his attention during the recessional as he walked past my pew, saw my unfamiliar face, and attentively noticed that I carried a travel bag slung over my shoulder. On my way out, he asked "Is that a money bag?" inquiring no doubt with the ongoing $75,000 organ overhaul campaign on his mind. We chatted for a good 10 minutes in the vestibule (actually, I was only listening to his enrapturing jollity), and then we came to realize a bayouland connection: He once worked with Carmelite nuns who hailed from southern Louisiana. "Wonderful people," he admitted, "Always cheerful. And good cooks!" As we bid our good-bye, he playfully tugged at my shoulder bag. As the front door opened, a choir of avian cooing greeted us. "They're waiting for you," the monsignor said. Outside, my chaperones and I witnessed sunrise between the cathedral’s twin towers as if we awaited the solstice at Stonehenge. And just like that barren druidic plain of southern England, here in New England there’s nothing open for business so early in the morning. But, true to their promise, my entourage guided me across Peters Park, where they often scavenge on weekdays with equally ravenous schoolchildren, to the one business with its lights on-
-a Dunkin' Donuts store three blocks from the cathedral, just as promised. I waited, ordered, paid, and waited more, and then we all left for the park to dine on a bench near the softball field under the tulip trees. After having a cup of coffee and my share of the breakfast sandwich, it was time to bid farewell to my chaperones. As soon as the sandwich was gone, they wobbled away and returned down the street to guide other tourists to the next mass, true to their unabashed ulterior motive. Now alone, I would use chess moves to wind a way back through the labyrinth of red-bricked apartment complexes toward the distant skyscrapers of the Back Bay.
As I reported here last November (Vol. 19, Issue 11, pp. 28-29), the Boston area is where Dunkin' was founded. Logically, there’s lots of them here (60, in fact), and thankfully they're open for Sunday business. However, the other places notably open for Sunday business outnumber Dunkin' stores 10 to 1. There are nearly 600 churches in Boston, and on my unchaperoned return trip I encountered many, observing how their mortared brownstones oddly fit amongst the glass and steel encroachment of 21st century. Magnificent historical structures whose inspirational bell towers once scraped the sky are now dwarfed by buildings that have pushed the celestial dome far back. The famous Romanesque façade of Trinity Episcopal (1877) is incarnated each morning in the reflective glass walls of the decidedly nonhistorical brutalist building a few yards away across the street. Not far from this, the Old South Church (1875), where Ben Franklin and Sam Adams once hung out, is now squeezed into its block by a series of forprofit businesses, such that the secular and the sacred are actually touching(!) Warren Buffet calls the stock market "a church surrounded by a gambling casino." That irony is not lost here.
The Back Bay of Bean Town is so called because it ’ s land reclaimed from the Charles River, a feature in common with all the pumped-out and leveed areas of PoV country. In the lobby of the Old South, an elderly woman sold souvenir coffee cups that read "Party like it’s 1875." Sounds like a call for tickets to the Beethoven Bagatelles concert down the street. I'd hate to go alone. I wonder if Boston pigeons like classical piano. And do they play Scrabble? POV
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49th Annual Cajun Heritage Festival
June 6-7
Larose Civic Center
A hunter’s dream, the Cajun Heritage Festival showcases a decoy show and live auction, plus carving demos, duck calling contests, Cajun food, vendors and raffles. The festival celebrates the Cajun heritage of Lafourche Parish and is free and open to the public. Stop by the Larose Civic Center and enjoy the display of hundreds of uniquely designed duck decoys!
Gheens Bon Mange Festival
June 5-7
Vacherie Gheens Community Center
Bon Mange’ translated means "good eats," so how could you miss out on this! Join the fun of the 52nd annual Gheens Bon Mange' Festival featuring fresh cooked foods like griades, gumbo, jambalaya, cracklins, and more.
Allons Danser Cajun French Music and Dancing
June 13, 10 a.m.
Houma Municipal Auditorium
Allons Danser - that’s Cajun French for “Come On and Dance!” Join us for an unforgettable, family-friendly day of Cajun French music and dancing. Doors open at 10 a.m. and the band begins at noon. This event is hosted by the Cajun French Music Association Bayou Cajun Chapter.
Bayou Home Show & Cannata’s Festival of Food
June 13-14, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Barry P. Bonvillian Civic Center
The 13th Annual Bayou Home Show & Cannata’s Festival of Food is back! Discover the latest in: Kitchens & Bathrooms;
Remodeling & Renovations; Flooring, Siding & More; Innovative Products & Ideas. Meet face-to-face with trusted professionals, compare options, and find the best deals to bring your home projects to life. The Cannata’s Festival of Food includes free samples and tastings, exclusive coupons and recipes, new products from top brands, and Cannata’s specialty favorites. Adults are $6 and children 13 and under are free.
2026 Bayou Region Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
June 18, 6 p.m
Courtyard by Marriott, Houma
The Community Sports Institute’s Bayou Region Athletic Hall of Fame will welcome the 2026 inductees at this annual event. The sports-themed banquet honors local athletes and coaches highlighting their contributions and success. This year’s renowned inductees include boxing great Robert Allen, outstanding baseball pitchers Brandon Belanger and Kenny Holubec, stellar football offensive lineman Ben Bordelon, volleyball star Marei Lirette and coaching legend Preston LeJeune.
United Houma Nation Celebrating Abilities/Disabilities Powwow
June 27-28
Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center
The United Houma Nation is excited to invite the community to the 14th Annual Celebrating Abilities/Disabilities Awareness Powwow, a unique event that blends cultural tradition with a special focus on honoring individuals with disabilities. There will be traditional Native American singing and dancing, Native American dress, arts and crafts vendors, local Native American food, and more. The powwow is free and open to the public–you do not need to be affiliated with the United Houma Nation to attend. POV
