A Mural Legacy To The Colonial French

One of my favorite, and sometimes daily, stops is the Ste. Genevieve Post Office. It's only a couple of blocks from our home on Main Street. . .The first time I visited it, I loved the old wood and brass of the interior. . .Then I gazed up. . .in awe. . .There, up high for all to see, was a mural painted by Martyl Schweig in 1942 as a WPA project. . .Named "La Guignolee," it depicts a New Year's celebration in colonial Ste. Genevieve. . .when the Canadian French and Creole dominated the territory in the 18th century. . .

The French came to hunt and trap, and maybe do a little farming, but what they liked best was to celebrate and dance. . .Any occasion gave them an excuse to do so. . .They were a colorful bunch who seemed to have loved life. . .and that is exactly why I love to look at the mural. . .It is beautifully painted, but more than that, it reminds me to lighten up and enjoy life myself. . .Put a smile on my face and maybe dance a little along the way. . .Such a unique town. . .