Judy, Nancy and Arlene: “We have come to Mardi Gras since we were kids. Three of us are sisters. There were nine kids in our family. We grew up on a farm in Silverhill. Dad was a farmer and worked for Jax Beer Company. Each of picked 100 pounds of cotton a day. We once picked 1300 pounds in one day. The hardest part was bending down over and over. We milked the cows and drove the tractors. After we worked in the cotton fields, we walked three miles to go swimming in Fish River. Sometimes we swam in the nude. Then we walked three miles back. We had to walk three miles to school if we missed the bus. We walked three miles to church. We did a lot of walking. We made stilts and walked on them down our dirt road. We used to park the car on the bridge on the dirt road, turn the radio up and dance until another car came down the road. We all got married and left the farm.”

Arlene: “I was 18 years old when I married and moved to Japan. My daughter was born in Japan. We moved all over the world, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. I have no complaints about my life.”

Nancy: “I paint with Mardi Gras beads and make art from them. I am out right now and need to catch some more.”

Kathy: “I am a friend. We’ve known each other for 40 years. I grew up in New Jersey, but come down for Mardi Gras and visit family.”