​A short video: Toward the end of our Sunday evening dog walk, the sound of a clarinet pulled us off our usual route and up to the 800 block of Royal Street. Noted musician Tim Laughlin was playing on his balcony. As I watched, four other residents of the building came out and stood on the street to listen to their neighbor (they're out of the frame on the right, standing well apart from each other). Laughlin teases them at the end - "It's the first time I've ever emptied a building!" Feeling fortunate to have captured the moment. 

​A short video:  The final dog walk of the day is very short now, just to the fire hydrant and back. We should be used to the quiet by now, but marvel anew every night. The dogs are very confused by the fact that we stand in the middle of the intersection, simply because we can.

​A short video: We can't usually pinpoint the day each year when the Chimney Swifts return from wintering in South America. One day, we'll just began noticing them soaring overhead. In the new, quieter Quarter, their squeaky-wheel hunting song sailed in through the open doors to the balcony at twilight on April 1st. We ran out to welcome them home. They fly so fast and high, there's not really much to see on this vid, but at least you can hear them.

​A short video:  
​Robert, the One-Man-Gospel-Band is a regular down at the Moonwalk along the river.  Today, he was trying to earn enough for a room for the night.  We tipped him, but it certainly wasn't enough for a room.  "That's alright," he said. "I appreciate it."  

​Decatur Street is one of the borders of the French Quarter neighborhood, running between the river and Jackson Square. It's COVID quiet this evening. We sped up the video X2.

There wasn't much of an audience, but that's little deterrence to any bagpipe player worth his kilt.  

Tim's a regular performer on and around Jackson Square.  Hearing him playing from our office this morning cheered the heart and we went down to say hi. 

​It's not your typical French Quarter Sunday morning.  A 50-second video shot  from FQJ's Chartres Street balcony at 9am, March 22, 2020. 

- Ellis Anderson