02/25/2023 Had the pleasure of meeting Mr Calvin at a crawfish boil/dog funeral at a friend's camp. He is healthy and appears to be in good spirit.

My wife of 46 years passed away 2wks ago. I had been scanning KZfaq in some mindless ritual and ....suddenly found myself able to wrap myself in something pure for the 1st time since the bedside vigil came to a close. I wish we had been able to watch the program together as it is one of those things that would've just been time perfectly spent. We found joy in such distraction. Although we both have read hundreds of books as we couldn't seem to resist it ,I've not had the urge to pick anything up until now. I immediately ordered the book from the library. If she was still here I would have attempted to have presented her with an autographed copy as it would have been a perfect gift. Thanks for restoring me in some way. Darron Kennedy/Pearl River, La.

"If people hear that you are fixing a banquet every day, you will have company." - That is possibly one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

im a grownass man and I was teary eyed watching this,im coming to the last chapters in "my story"and im planing to cash out all my "stuff"and hit the road.the bayou country on my list of pkaces in this great country I plan to visit,thank you for this beautiful view into your world and life.

Poor Calvin thought he had found paradise with the love of his life. Never, ever plan your life around a woman.

How wonderful it is to be young, strong, healthy, and fearless.

One of the best videos I have seen on KZfaq.

"She" was flat out friggin beautiful.. and SHE still IS! WOW what a peaceful vid.. your face is perfect for the camera. No doubt you could have maid a living in Hollywood.. I am glad the the river got to enjoy your beauty..

Love Louisiana! Born and raised there... Such a beautiful place to live. Thanks for sharing your story❤

I've watched a lot of things on KZfaq (most poorly done), TV, theater, and in life in general. Very few times have I've been enthralled. I've been entertained, amused, scared, mad, and many other things. Enthralled and even a bit envious? I can't remember when that last happened to me. Thank you very much for sharing your story, your life.

She looks so beautiful when she was young (like Kirsten Dunst I thought). Love the style of the seventies for the boat and for clothes they wore.

As a young boy, I spent a lot of time with a family that lived in the basin & raised 10 children. Some are still living & some are not. I have so many wonderful memories that are invaluable and I wish I could relive those happy times. I have seen the good, the bad & the ugly of what has happened to the basin. The worst thing that ever happened was the intrusion of the Corps of Engineers diverting waters that wanted to go their own way. These diversions ruined the hunting & fishing in the basin. I went out there a couple of years ago and had tears in my eyes when I left. I will never return.

I think Calvin still loves and misses her

Great story until "We ran out of money and went to work on a tug boat and cheated on my boyfriend." 🤔

She is absolutely beautiful And I envy the life they led I’m from Louisiana and deeply appreciate this!

I lived near the basin for almost 2 years. Some of the best people on earth can be found down on the bayou.

A true story teller. As a writer myself I was lost in love of this story. Thank you

I was a teenager working at a summer camp in Louisiana when I first came across this book. I could not put it down and it woke my spirit up- Ive lived a great life so far, and more to come!

I absolutely love the history that goes with the story. The commitment and passion between two people that made a dream into a reality!!!

Calvin still looks wounded . Her leaving and cheating made the ending of this doc a little hard to watch

I watched this video probably 3 years ago and i thoroughly enjoyed it. I am 72 years old and i still had tears in my eyes watching this. Enjoy

I don't know but something bout the way she tells her story is just beautiful full of love and soul gives you a different better way a life could and can be lived if you choose!! She is beautiful inside and out I could listen to her story's all day

This is the most accurate depiction of life on the bayou as someone who has lived in the Atchafalya Basin my entire life… thank you so much these ARE my people

I've thumbed all across this country, first daughter was born in Lafayette. Louisiana has always had my heart, a true treasure. Thanks for sharing, got me thinking I need to go back to one of my first loves, Louisiana. Recommend all to go visit. God bless 😇🙏

You are still beautiful. And what a wonderful writer. You absolutely drew me in and captivated me. Thank you for such a personal story.

One of the most amazing places I've ever been! In 2010 my wife and I travelled from overseas to visit my sister in Texas. From there, we drove to New Orleans for some fun and on our way back to Dallas, I got the itch to explore something other than the tourist spots. we stopped and enquired at a roadside facility as to how we could explore the bayou. A lady told us to wait on the porch and 30 minutes later a gnarly old dude turned up in an old truck pulling an even older aluminium boat on a trailer. We could hardly understand a word he said due to his accent but he took us on a slow boat ride through the swamp for the next two hours. I recorded some of my best memories on my video camera that day.

Can't believe I'm tearing up. This was a fantastic video and documentary.

CRIED & PRAYED, I LOVED IT, A MUST WATCH FEEL GOOD VID. THANK YOU FOR SHARING! GOD BLESS

Having experienced that area in Thibodaux, Morgan City, Houma area, let me say that one has to be rich to live the life. The Cajuns are truly blessed.

I'm a native Houstonian, but some of my fondest memories are from south LA when I attended LSU. Gwen and I are the same age, and I remember some of the things she talked about during that era. I went to college with some kids who were raised in DeRidder, Mamou, Golden Meadow, Henderson, New Iberia. I remember driving from Houston to Baton Rouge BEFORE the Corps of Engineers built that big bridge across the Atchafalaya River. Great food in that area! During my LSU days, I remember when the campus put us on lockdown b/c of the shooting of MLK. They were afraid there would be riots in B.R. That seems like a lifetime ago. The people I met in B.R. were wonderful. Many of them still live in the area and in Crowley and Eunice. :)

Born in La but raised in MS. Lived on houseboat for the first twelve years of my life. Ours was not as nice as yours. You appear to be the first hippy lady. Good for you! Love this video.

What an awesome video. Brought back some great memories. Growing up in Hialeah in the 60's I spent most of my summers and weekends in the Big Cyprus Swamp just enjoying and exploring the Everglades. I still go camping and exploring, but for some reason, being in the middle of Kansas just isn't the same. :-) Thank you for sharing.

Father Time has come to ask me what I did with my life on this earth, and I have nothing but regrets of what could have been.

OMG!!!! there you are!!! i've always wondered where you ended up. i read your book. years ago. would loan it to friends, never got it back. would buy another...and another....they were as enrapt as i was. had to read it over and over. what an awesome experience for you. thank you so much for taking me along.

wow , how very cool to live like that in those days . i'm a child of the sixties and have older siblings your age and we all grew up on a farm in southwestern new jersey. corn fields and cedar swamps and of course the delaware river. i woud'nt trade those days for all the gold on earth. now in my mid5o's i;m planning a shanty boat for my retirement here in north carolina . what a wonderful way of life . oh , and your cute , then and now.........!

I ran the Atchafalaya many a time, from Morgan City to the offshore rigs, and back, but always on a schedule. I always envied the ones who lived back off the main channel, and off the clock. I enjoyed the company of the Cajuns I worked with, manay of whom still lived by the old ways. I went from a kid to an adult there, too. But in time off, I went back to Tampa, and later a small town in the swamps of North Florida. This video catches the swamp very well, and also the young people who were trying all kinds of ways to live. Now we are seniors, and many of us still trying new ideas. Thanks for a beautiful video, sharing a part of your life, and bringing back a forgotten part of my life..

This is LIVING! This is following your soul in the path that you wish and not giving in to societal expectations. While it may not be for everyone, it was for this lady and how fortunate she is to have followed her soul to exactly where she was suppose to be.... too bad many of us will never do this.

This story touched me when I was an adolescent I never forgot it and so glad I found it on KZfaq alll these years later ❤

What a wonderful lady, I hope I’m half as wise as she is when I’m of that age, I’ve lived on a boat on a small navigable River for 18 months now and it’s a great life

Beautiful Story. I have a place too that I go back to where nothing changes. Everyone needs that.

SO inspiring. Affluent Americans, we make things far too complicated.

Omg I love Gwen so much she’s probably my favorite person on earthhh I know her in real life and own her horse delta j 😁

I just stumbled on this and I am sure glad I did. What a great video. Thanks

I think about you two often, how lucky you two were to experience such a magical love, a precious, sweet, private love in Nature's bossom. To be in love & make love in the precious Bayou. To be in love in the south.

wow, I can't help but notice that Calvin looks heartbroken still

One of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever seen....god bless you and thank you for sharing ❤️❤️❤️

Lady you were beautiful as a yong. women an you are still beautiful an lovely woman,i love your story we had a hose boat and love it. still whit the same lady 44 years later so mutch memory an happy est.

I love this. So much experience of life is done in the home. God blessed this man and this woman then I say a prayer that the lord has continued this family traditional

. . . you killed that guy when you made him go back . . .

I so enjoyed this! Excellently produced and filmed! My father came home from WW2, married my mother and lived on a houseboat when first married. I was able to share this with them before they both passed into Glory. While watching with them it brought many heart warming memories to them and opened up a chapter of their lives I'd heard very little about! Many thanks for sharing this. Is there a DVD available for purchase? I would enjoy sharing this with my son and daughter while telling more of their grandparents life story! Again, many thanks!

Wow! Calvin looks still looks broken after all these years. It blows my mind that a woman can have a fairy tale life and will still cheat.

This is amazing, Louisiana is so beautiful and these folks are true Americans

During this time the Vietnam era In the early 70s and late sixties... I'm sure they were many people living in the swamps... out-of-the-way places.

Calvin still hurts over Gwen

Wonderful story. I live a stones throw away from the place of this story.

What a beautiful woman. Looks like it was a beautiful life too.

I have really enjoyed this video very much! You are a very beautiful Lady, inside and out, then and now!! Such a sweet soul and great heart you have and I don't know you but it's obvious you are just a great person!! I am sure everyone that views this video will feel the same way!!

We get older bit our hearts we are still young meeting good people and sharing life is great experience. A singer called Stuart Adamson had a song Big Country this video is exactly what he was singing about sadly he past a way some years ago but when I see films like this I always think of their music. The Band was also called Big Country.

VARY ENTERTAINING AND MAKES YOU WANT TO BE IN THE LOUISIANA SWAMPS FOR SHORE! THOUGHT BOUT IT MEANT A TIME BUT TIMES PAST ME BY AND THAT'S OVER NOW!

Yep, Bayou life is heaven. I miss my camp on Bayou Signet

Its a amazing all the time Calvin and yourself spent together u didnt fall in love. very cool story.

Loved the story

Wow, I think I'm in love!

I remember the story published in The Mother Earth News Magazine long ago....

Love hearing this story again! Thought of it so many times over the years.

Wow. This is so beautiful.

great story, great lifestyle......great video

Loved the book and had to watch the documentary!

my god you were a stunning young lady

love you story put tears in my eyes happy tears i rember 73 high waters i was like 5 or 6

Very nice n brings back great memories. I hunted on and close to bayou chene, if this is where she is talking about n pictures look familiar. I gres up on Mermentau river water skiing, fishing n hunting all year at our camp n when I got older started fishing on the Atchafalya river n basin. I now live in Philippines n that is one thing I miss a lot n hope to go visit one day. God Bless n peace b w u all!!

Love this thanks for posting

That was stunning!

That was Awesome and I was Proud to be a Doodlebugger and worked in the swamp, it felt like Home!

I SO ENJOYED IN TO MANY WAYS TO LIST AND I SHARED...THANK YOU!

This is a favorite video of mine. Beautiful.

How very blessed they were then to live that dream. If only we all could

What an amazing life! I adore this documentary. it gives me hope!

She is still beautiful!

You're more beautiful now, your experience was Incredible.

You are such a pleasant narrator. I thought id you when you were talking about your grandma when she would tell you stories. It reminded you of what heaven would be like??? Well, thats what you did for me and im sure many, many others. Such a pleasure.

W❤W. This is the Most Perfect life. I wish I could have lived that way and would still love to live that way.

“Honey, wear sunscreen”. Did we even know what sunscreen was when we kids? I certainly did not but wish I’d had that exact advice! Thanks for sharing this story!

This is one of my favorite videos, ever.

What a wonderful life. Thanks for sharing it.

What a beautiful story told by a beautiful calming voice.

I grew up near where they had their houseboat. I remember passing by there on the school bus every morning.

I remember the first time I saw Pierre Part…I was in love. Even though I live in Indiana..I have maintained our long distance love affair! Part of my heart remains in the basin!

Great video with such a meaningful story in the lives of so many of us.

What a wonderful soul---in a magical place.

Loved the video, and the amazing house boat they built. I wish they would've explained or shown what ever happened to the house boat. Dying of curiosity as to what happened to the house boat.

She was so HOT at her young age. Oh and GEAUX TIGERS!

For those complaining about the fund raising, 2 words, fast forward. They've gotta make money to keep the lights on. For those complaining about her leaving him. It kinda looked like their non marital relationship had run it's natural course. I've learned more about myself in the dissolution of relationships than I could have ever imagined. We should take that knowledge forward to become a more enriched person, no matter how much it sucks at the time. It appears from their "reunion" they did exactly that. I gotta say though, I thought it was going to be that she ran away with the photographer, his lens sure loved her so I figured he did too. They lived their dream, not so we could live it vicariously through them...nevertheless we have. Well done video. Thanks for the visions of what was, what could be or what could have been. Dreamscapes of the 70s.

Beautiful Story ❤ Aloha From Hawaii🏝☀️🌊🏄‍♀️

Calvin didn't want to go to Vietnam.

I would want to build a life like this with someone, but it's disheartening when that "someone" doesn't want to put forth the effort! All my dreams are gone with the wind working and slaving for the corporate man's dream; not mine! 😥

What a lovely video, and life.

I remember these folks when I used to work at Fred Parnells the Sports Shop.

Tis story, e settings, e experience they hold, r all so beautifully sentimental n poignantly romantic. E faraway look in e lady's eye were so sensual it totally charmed me..

This was super cool!!