<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains]]></title><description><![CDATA[Marian P. Merritt, writes stories that blend her love of the mountains with her deep Southern roots.]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:18:27 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.marianmerritt.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Welcome to Lagniappe!                          Stories, Places, Food &#38; Life Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains]]></title><description><![CDATA[What is Lagniappe? la·gniappe (lnyp, ln-yp) n. Chiefly Southern Louisiana &#38; Mississippi 1. A small gift presented by a storeowner to a customer with the customer's purchase. 2. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit.]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/welcome-to-lagniappe</link><guid isPermaLink="false">60086ba280d4950017056d4c</guid><pubDate>Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:48:51 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Colorado's Abandoned Towns    Ironton]]></title><description><![CDATA[Unlike the mining camps perched higher on Red Mountain, Ironton sat on relatively flat ground about 1,500 feet lower below Guston and Red Mountain Town. Its location made it an ideal supply, staging, and transportation center for the sounding mines.



Ironton was becoming more than a mining camp. It was becoming a town.
]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/ironton-colorado-ghost-town</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8dd8da1d0590986fff5b61</guid><category><![CDATA[COLORADO ADVENTURES]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:30:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_a6dd9c4f99364e21a8af076e6b9b8623~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Colorado's Abandoned Towns    Guston]]></title><description><![CDATA[More than a century ago, several hundred people made homes more than 10,000 feet above sea level in Colorado's San Juan Mountains. 

But Guston was different from the mining towns we're accustomed to imagining. 

There was no neat Main Street lined with stores and homes. 

The mines came first, and the community simply grew around them. 
]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/guston-colorado-ghost-town</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8dd8d25a2a910e1d86b5d9</guid><category><![CDATA[COLORADO ADVENTURES]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:30:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_8bacb78ff695479385413a9d4b40965e~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_843,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Colorado's Abandoned Towns                                    Red Mountain Town]]></title><description><![CDATA[More than a century ago, hundreds of people climbed into Colorado's San Juan Mountains and tried to build a town at nearly 11,000 feet. Today my husband and I are taking our Jeep up the mountain to see what they left behind--and to answer the question I can't stop asking:

Why would anyone choose to make a home here?]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/red-mountain-town-colorado-ghost-town</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a872501602504a8ec4815af</guid><category><![CDATA[COLORADO ADVENTURES]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:30:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_be8c98db0b5d4a1faaf207cf568191c4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_600,h_559,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Colorado's Abandoned Towns    Iola ]]></title><description><![CDATA[The idea that an existing town could be deliberately abandoned—not because its residents wanted to leave, but because the Gunnison River would be dammed downstream, flooding the valley and turning their homes and land into the
bottom of a reservoir seemed unbelievable.]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/abandoned-towns-of-colorado-iola</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7b590af1f88bc38bdae020</guid><category><![CDATA[COLORADO ADVENTURES]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:30:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_59a5036fb4a64d60839bb3aee3388203~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_650,h_367,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exclusive Private House Concert - Rodeo and Juliet]]></title><description><![CDATA[Saturday Evening, August 8, 2026 We had the pleasure of enjoying a wonderful evening of friends, food, familiar memories, and fantastic music while attending an intimate, yet dynamic Private House Concert by Rodeo &#38; Juliet. The concert was hosted by a generous friend who offered her lovely home’s patio for an unforgettable evening. The temperature cooled nicely and the intentional soft glow of the landscape and patio lighting provided the perfect relaxed but attentive setting.   The amazingly...]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/exclusive-private-house-concert-rodeo-and-juliet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7a25a5093f5cfd041db66f</guid><category><![CDATA[LAGNIAPPE]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:53:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_864d1e64dfe246ea8064dd9f5134c0ce~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[DEATH BY WASABI]]></title><description><![CDATA[Death By Wasabi             Deciding my palate needed stimulation, I ventured to the sushi counter at the local grocery store.             Not only would this be fresh and exciting, but something I could say with a measure of class. “Why yes, I love sushi.”              Anxious to join the ranks of the other sophisticates, I eagerly opened the package and examined the California rolls. The small tray held six of the delicately wrapped goodies along with a package of soy sauce, a small bundle...]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/death-by-wasabi</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6331cce7e5389423d3521c7b</guid><category><![CDATA[LAGNIAPPE]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2022 16:01:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_470c9e0445574ef6ae5d3399b97221c2~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_325,h_480,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Interview with BJ Mayo - Author: Alfie Carter]]></title><description><![CDATA[Please welcome my good friend and author, BJ Mayo. I had the privilege of reading his debut novel, Alfie Carter, and was honored that he trusted me to read his first draft in its rawest form. His story is amazing and his characters are unique and memorable. I fell in love with Jackaleena. She stole my heart with her courage, innocence, and fledgling faith. I think she will steal your heart as well! And Alfie...what can I say about Alfie. He starts out as a salty small-town detective and I...]]></description><link>https://www.marianmerritt.com/post/interview-with-bj-mayo-author-alfie-carter</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ffa213c9a88b80017fb94b5</guid><category><![CDATA[BEHIND THE BOOKS]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:01:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0c7cf_f5439cecdf8749eb95300b78837304cc~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_640,h_480,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>MARIAN P. MERRITT - AUTHOR</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>