In addition to all the construction going on along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, many homes are being deconstructed. Citizen diarist Heather Harper writes about one such house -- the home where her grandparents lived for many years.

Two years after Katrina, MSNBC.com citizen diarist Steve Harper writes that healing sometimes happens whether you want it to or not.

MSNBC.com citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes about her feelings and the situation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as the two-year-anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches.

Seventeen months after Hurricane Katrina wrecked her home, Mary Perkins is all moved into her new house in Bay St. Louis. Photo courtesy of Mary Perkins I am now totally in my house!! Yay!! The photo shows you the finished...

Citizen diarist Steve Harper writes, "I absolutely one hundred percent believe in Santa Claus."

I'm in!! I'm in!! That's all I need to say to those who are following my life these days in the recovery and rebuilding of my house in Bay St. Louis, Miss., where Katrina almost totally destroyed our town and...

Citizen-diarist Steve Harper recalls an "amazing" weekend when four volunteers from Virginia made a big difference in the lives of two Katrina victims -- Harper and his wife, Heather.

Thanks to the efforts of several organizations and some worn-out volunteers, a new playground has some children of Katrina laughing for at least a little while, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

Citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes that construction of her new Bay St. Louis home is "moving right along."

After a year of living in a FEMA trailer, residing in a real house takes some getting used to, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

Citizen diarist Mary Perkins is "counting the days and hours" until work on her new home in Bay St. Louis is finished.

Well, it's been a year and a day since I was in my house, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

Citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes about the range of emotions on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Citizen diarist Maria Russell writes about how she and her husband discovered the Mississippi Gulf Coast, their tough decision to leave what they now consider their Home and the lessons of Hurricane Katrina.

Citizen diarist Mary Perkins urges the nation to remember the dead and the living on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Citizen diarist Hannah Anderson says the progress made in the year since Hurricane Katrina is substantial.

Volunteers helped frame and sheetrock citizen diarist Mary Perkins' rapidly rising home in Bay St. Louis.

Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans, which is how Steve and Heather Harper came to find themselves in a new home in Bay St. Louis.

Thanks to a generous patron, 26 artists from Hancock County will have an exhibit at a prestigious gallery in Washington, D.C., citizen diarist Gwen Impson writes.

A slab for a new home has been poured and a Baptist church has adopted me, citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes.

Is this the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or some alien plant populated by blood-sucking aliens? Citizen diarist Steve Harper has his doubts.

School is out, and citizen diarist Noah Anderson has skateboarding and waffles on his mind.

It's like living long ago in a galaxy far away... As part of a continuing service to sci-fi geeks like me everywhere, I give you more post-Katrina sci-fi similarities. EPISODE III: "The Backroads Warrior!" *We see strange vehicles everywhere* In...

Citizen diarist Gwen Impson writes about a new 58-page catalogue aimed at promoting the work of the hurricane-battered artists of Hancock County, Miss.

Citizen diarist Steve Harper, an avid fan of science fiction movies, is struck by the similarities of post-Katrina living and the space scenarios imagined by authors and filmmakers.

When the New Old Time Chautauqua Jambalaya Vaudeville tour came to town, troubles were forgotten for several spellbinding hours, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

After hearing NBC's Brian Williams say that he gets e-mail urging him to stop reporting about Hurricane Katrina, citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes about fears the rest of the country is forgetting the Gulf Coast.

Sometimes it seems as though Hurricane Katrina was just a bad dream and we will all wake up soon and it will be over. But I know that's not how it works, citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes.

After the amazing discovery of a family heirloom, a backhoe removes the cement slab where the Waveland home of Steve and Heather Harper stood until Hurricane Katrina came a calling.

Thanks to volunteers around the nation, members of the Hancock County arts community are able to show their work far and wide. (Photo by Joe Tomasovsky) In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, The ARTS in Hancock County has been active...

A beloved and apparently dead traveler's palm is demonstrating how Mississippi residents are slowly coming back from Hurricane Katrina, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

This past weekend I went to the Youth Legislature, which is sponsored by the YMCA. It is a really fun program sponsored by the school. You get to write a bill and try to get it passed into law. Mine...

The struggles of first responders along the Mississippi Gulf Coast aren't newsworthy to an American public more interested in Donald Trump becoming a father, citizen diarist Patti Hannah writes.

Late-breaking news and what didn't make the newspaper or the TV broadcast. Citizen diarist Patti Hannah tells the tale.

After being postponed by an ice storm, the "Hearts for Art" event at the William J. Clinton Library in Little Rock, Ark., came off last weekend and was a tremendous success, citizen diarist Gwen Ipson writes.

The kids are holding up remarkably well, but even the most positive among us can find things that we might complain about from time to time, if we were so inclined, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

An Army Corps of Engineers subcontractor tears down Mary Perkins’ home in Bay St. Louis. Photo by Mary Perkins As the adage goes: Out with the old and in with the new. My house was demolished this week. I had...

A local pharmacy's decision not to reopen leads citizen diarist Mary Perkins to wonder "what are we striving for?"

Think of a household or construction item and there's a good chance citizen diarist Steve Harper had dodged one in the last few months while driving around in southern Mississippi.

A marathon wait for food and a horse with no control make for an eventful Mardi Gras, citizen diarist Noah Anderson writes.

Hurricane Katrina has washed away a huge hole in my brain where my short-term memory used to be, citizen diarist Steve Harper writes.

An ice storm in Arkansas has temporarily derailed the launch of "Hearts for Arts," a series of traveling art exhibits aimed at helping Hancock County artists get back on their feet, Citizen diarist Gwen Impson writes.

The instict to rebuild despite the potential for another hurricane is strong, citizen diarist Heather Harper writes.

When I was watching the Grammy's U2 played their song "One." They also played that song at the Hurricane Relief Concert. It is one of my favorite songs. While they played I was listening to the words more carefully. It...

Five months later, it seems like Katrina hit only yesterday, and then it seems like it's been forever, citizen diarist Mary Perkins writes.

As we even struggle on, we find things to feel joyful about, and many of them come all at once.

Mary Gray of Wayzata, Minn., had a brainstorm that is helping Mississippi artists recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, citizen diarist Gwen Impson writes.

Things seem to be happening. We were pleasantly surprised last week to find that our lot has been cleared by the Corps (except for a stray car, which they say they’re not contracted to deal with — we’re not sure...

First off, let me start by saying that I'm not a Republican. I'm not really a Democrat, either. I've always considered myself politically agnostic, and have always agreed with someone I heard quoted as saying whoever WANTS to be president...

Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow is Wednesday. Yesterday was Wednesday. It's a never ending cycle. Up until Katrina hit. I had just entered the sixth grade and was just getting into the hang of things. It all seemed so normal. But...

Dear Steve, Hope this letter finds you well, and if not, cheer up! Things could always be worse! The reason that this first letter comes to you from age 36 is that all of the other letters I wrote were...

When the state called and notified me that the president of the United States was coming down to the coast and they asked me to drive one of the vehicles in the presidential motorcade, my stomach did immediate flip-flops. Honor?...

The president of the United States came to our school today. It was very exciting. Especially since we had snipers on the roof!

This weekend we painted our downstairs. It is WHITE!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to paint it TIFFANY BLUE. I was outvoted by my lovely father who wants a stripe of RED.

It has been sometime since I have written a blog. The daily life of an aftermath of a disaster threw this family a few unexpected curve balls that didn’t leave me much time to do anything but to refocus and get back on track with survival mode.

Hug! Hug! "How are you? How did you fare? It's so good to see you! How much water did you have? How's your house? What are you going to do?" I know "Take it one day at a time!" That's the greetings you hear all across Bay St. Louis and Waveland wherever you go. You see people you know, some you've known all your life, and the greetings are the same.

Day by day the personal loss of possessions seems to get easier, both for myself and Heather. To quote Tom Waits "Memory's like a train, you can see it getting smaller as it pulls away, til the things you can't forget, and history puts a saint in every dream."

Well I now have my algebra class back at OLA (Our Lady Academy). It is really nice to be back in my all-girls school even if we have boys in the class. I think it is a step toward normalcy even if the school keeps changing our schedules around.

I thought I should write something, since I haven’t blogged in a while. I have nothing really useful or new to report, and I’ve been in such a funk that I haven’t felt like blogging anyway. Sometimes it’s hard to keep the positive attitude. Sometimes I just want to run away. Sometimes I want to curl up in my trailer, under my beautiful donated quilt, and be left alone for a day or two.

This New Year was a little different than any other years. We went over to our "Uncle" Chris' house to celebrate. We hung out there for a while. Then Uncle Chris got a bunch of fireworks and we went down to the beach to set them off. He put his blow torch in the back of the truck where we were riding and said "If the police stop us you don't know what that blowtorch is for." We weren't supposed to set off fireworks because there was a burn ban in the area. Luckily no one saw us.

The adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true enough. I can sit here and describe our art community. I can tell you in words how rich and diverse the arts community is or I can simply point you to our Web site.

The last time I wrote my blog, I was having good days and bad days. Well, that hasn't changed much. But with the holidays just two days away, I find myself irritable, short-tempered and not really able to focus. I guess it's just the emotion of the holiday fast approaching.

Well Anna Wintour didn't e-mail me but her assistant did. I told them about my idea to photograph models in haute couture, but she didn't think it would be right for Vogue.

A few days ago my little sister decided to make a playmobile Christmas scene, so I decided that I would make a Katrina Christmas scene. In it there is a road blocked off by a debris removal crew. There are also the fire department, the EPA, and search and rescue teams with dogs.

I never actually thought I'd need to depend on the kindness of strangers, but here we are. My life has been so much easier to put back together because of donations, both monetary and material. Really, life isn't "back together" yet.

These words are often used jokingly. However, its no joke if you’re an artist who has lost everything -- home, studio, art materials and equipment -- everything you need to make a living.

One of my tasks with the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce is to collect and compile information for the chamber’s monthly newsletter, and yesterday I stumbled across something that I thought would be of interest to my friends all over the U.S., fellow Mississippians, every American, and possibly the whole world.

I suppose some people might think that I'm a bit opportunistic. That I'm trying to use the storm to get publicity for my band, but I guess I'd prefer to think of it as being hopeful, making the best of the situation, and hoping that something good might come from all of the tragedy and heartbreak that has come our way lately.

Dear Santa, I have been very good this year! I even helped my parents clean up our house after the hurricane! So I think that I should get extra presents this year! So here is my wish list!

As we pass the 100 day mark for Hurricane Katrina here in Hancock County, some days are good, some are bad. Sometimes I find myself very angry and bitter about what has happened here.

This week in literature class we were asked to write a paper on our experiences in the hurricane. I wrote about the whole time I was in Hattiesburg and Birmingham I was wondering how my house was. My mom has been asking me what I want for Christmas and my birthday -- my birthday's on Christmas.

Remember last year when the Tsunami hit Asia it was all over the news but eventually people sort of forgot about it and the people affected by the giant wave? I guess that is how it is with all news stories, though.

"Old Town" Bay St. Louis was the heart of the arts district in our community and Main Street was where the action was. Galleries, shops, restaurants lined Main all the way to the waters edge with more shops along Beach Blvd.

As a songwriter, I know that you can't write a song that is appropriate for every situation, but the songs I hear this Christmas seem particularly out of place. I know that many people want to feel some sense of normalcy, or the way things always have been, but for me, things just aren't, and I don't think I can force them to be.

I thought Katrina would be nice enough to wipe out the gnat population but I was wrong. They are back and hungrier than ever! We were helping our friends get ready for a party this weekend and we were working outside. They would swarm around every part of your body and attack all at once!

This is a follow-up to a recent Citizens Diary entry which elicited more responses than I ever dreamed. Thank you MSNBC.com for spotlighting Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Mississippi! The apparent readership of your website is mind-boggling.

Steve and I attended the Mississippi Renewal Forum meeting in Waveland on Thursday night. I'm glad to say the crowd's response was much more positive than last time any of these ideas were discussed. We arrived early and got seats, but there were many people who had to stand outside the portable building.

Like everyone, we enjoy getting mail, especially now. Holiday cards and mail-order catalogs signal that Christmas will soon be here, and even in our present condition that remains a very good thing.

The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally known as a day to shop. We went to a free toy giveaway at Calvary Chapel, so I guess in a way we were shopping.

Normally a call for artists means something different. Normally it’s an invitation to enter a show or exhibit. Needless to say, these are not normal times.

I never thought I would be able to say that I live in a trailer. Now, however, I probably use the word "trailer" 15 times a day.

Last week was Thanksgiving, and I thought it would be a tough holiday to go through. It was rather hard. The FEMA trailer ovens are real small. Not large enough to bake a turkey or much of anything. So I went to have Thanksgiving with friends of a friend in Diamondhead.

I'd like to think that the storm and the aftermath hasn't changed me, but I know it has. I guess I mean mostly in my ways of thinking, and attitudes. I'd hate to think that this has made me "pessimistic"... I'd prefer to think that I am remembering my Boy Scout days and simply being "Prepared."

Can you imagine going from a normal world one day where you can pick up the phone and get in touch with family, friends, whomever to the next day where everything is disconnected? It’s unreal and unsettling. Evacuating for the hurricane was bad enough but being unable to communicate was a real nightmare!

Wal-Mart opened its 57,000-square-foot express store this past weekend. It's nice. They have a little bit of everything you might need, like plastic bins for storage, small appliances for cooking in a FEMA trailer or a house without a stove, etc. And they have some basic food items.

The weekend would have been a normal one if the bottom of our house had Sheetrock. On Friday, we went to the movies. We saw Harry Potter.

The weekend was way fun. We went to the Louisiana Renaissance festival. There were fewer shows than last year but it still fun. It's getting really cold down here, and when I say really cold I mean REALLY, REALLY COLD!!! I barely have any jackets at all.

There are so many topics one could write about in this post-Katrina state. Initially, I thought I would write about “diversions,” something so desperately needed by someone who is usually positive and “up” like me.

I exchanged tearful hugs and a goodbye with yet another dear friend and her family this week. Her reasoning for packing up and leaving was understandable. It’s wasn’t so much because of Katrina but her fears of what the aftermath of this storm will bring.

Since I can only access e-mail at school now and grades are due this week, let me come right to the point and say “Bring on the parades!” I am in this as deeply as anyone.

As Heather and I have returned to playing in New Orleans over the past few weeks, it's been interesting to have the conversations we've been having.

Last night the rain, wind and cold came through. My cat, Freeway (named that since a friend's daughter found him on the interstate with a brother and 3 dead brothers and sisters in pouring down rain), went wild about 11 p.m.

The Arts represents 200-plus visual artists, writers, sculptors, musicians, performing artists, artisans, art businesses and friends of the arts. We may not be rich economically, but we are rich in both the quality and diversity of art found here.

That old saying -- there is always light at the end of the tunnel. OK, that sounds great, but if I can just find the tunnel I think I would feel a little better. Today in the FEMA "TROUSE" (trailer-house) started out like normal. Rise and shine from the bed, trip over our cat, and take the normal two steps into the kitchen.

I see today that some of the debris piles are getting smaller, except in areas like Cedar Point and Waveland, some of the hardest hit areas. On Friday I visited Pearlington to see how the Pearlington Public Library is.

Throughout this whole experience I've been hearing various songs in my head that seem to have relevance. (Being a musician, I guess this is only natural.) Of course, "Stormy Weather" pops up. "Can't go on, Everything I have is gone, Stormy Weather."

Today I woke up, got dressed, went to church, and worked endlessly in my back yard. It dragged on forever!!! (It was only two hours but still.) It's slave labor; I don't even get paid. Even though there's no place to spend it.

The rumor saga continues. For the last few days, I don't know anymore than what I knew a few days ago. We have been living lives with not knowing what, where, why or how come?

It used to be that when you said you ate out last night it meant at a restaurant with a menu. It is slowly getting back to that. Not quite yet, though. We still have the free food places. My personal favorites are the hippie tent and the big tent.

Almost two weeks ago I did something I haven’t done in a few weeks. I cried. It came on very suddenly. I was visiting family in St. Louis.

I was just reading some of the Citizen Diaries and the one from the lady about her autistic child really got me. So many of us have lost everything. I guess you could say that I was lucky, because my house was not washed away, leaving only a slab.

My new vocabulary term for the day: SHRAC The acronym SHRAC stands for “Shoreline Retreat Advisory Commission” and was created by Dr. Rob Young of Western Carolina University. SHRAC is intended to stop the redevelopment of small coastal towns affected by hurricanes, since it costs the government so much.

As a teacher of K-5 kids, I've found it interesting to watch the recovery that my students are making. The first few days back were filled with confusion as all of the returning students were funneled into one classroom per grade level while we waited for our portable trailers to be ready.

Here come the rumors. As if I really need something else to worry about today after another sleepless night of worries. I pray that none of them are true. After Katrina did her hit and run, my family was more fortunate than some, well at least I thought we were.

When we were cleaning up our house I was taking a break on what used to be my couch and I thought it would be a really good picture (if you put me in a haute couture gown, did my hair and makeup and all).

Welcome to my first Internet blog. It's been really hard living down here. I can barely ride my skateboard down the street without having to walk around a pile of debris.

When I was driving home to Bay St. Louis for the first time I noticed the smell. It smelled disgusting, sort of like rotten eggs, mud, sulfur and mold.

I was sitting in the middle of a debris pile like a little girl with tears streaming down my cheeks digging through the mud and muck with a spoon that wasn’t even ours. I got lucky today. I dug up one of our spoons -- at least I think it was, too rusty to really tell. I looked my husband square in the eyes and told him that this is the last trip we make back to "the slab."

I left for work about 6:55 a.m. I like to leave early each morning, because I ride down streets in the Bay and Waveland and just look at the devastation. You see, I was born in Bay St. Louis.

Hi. My name is Steven Harper and my wife Heather and I live in Waveland, Miss. ... Well, we have a piece of property in Waveland that used to have a house on it. Now we live in Pearlington, Miss., right on the Louisiana/Mississippi line.

Term for the Day: "Slabbed." When I was first able to hear radio news reports from the Mississippi Coast, I heard statements such as "Long Beach is gone." My husband Steve and I had evacuated to Mobile from Waveland packed for a three-day trip.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 70 days since Katrina. Sometimes I think I’m doing well, dealing with the way things are these days, but every once in awhile, I have a meltdown. This morning was one of those times.

Even after a devastating disaster, life goes on. While some things, like receiving mail or returning to a job or school, might be put ‘on hold,’ other things just keep accumulating. For instance, laundry.

Hi, my name is Hannah Anderson. I am fourteen years old and I live in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, with my parents, my brother and my little sister.

It’s hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast one month ago today. Time sure goes by fast even when you’re NOT having fun.

It's been more than 6 weeks after Hurricane Katrina and life is going on. Our weather has cooled down a lot and the days have been so pleasant.

Now it’s Friday, and we are in a campground in Robertsdale, Alabama. Dave and I don’t really know what we’re going to do next. We’re just taking things day by day. Right now we’re just exhausted; mentally, emotionally and physically.

Our friends from Knoxville arrived, not only with a trailerful of supplies, but with the announcement that a television crew was en route with the sole purpose of focusing on Bay St. Louis.

Rumor was that post office was going to be bringing in trailers and try to restore business, so we were asked to move. So today we moved across the street to a church parking lot.

After spending Sunday night (of Labor Day weekend) in Gulf Breeze, Florida, we made our way to Bay St. Louis on Monday. Evidence of Katrina was seen on I-10, beginning just east of Mobile and then it got progressively worse; trees were downed, billboards knocked over, cars that had run out of fuel parked on the shoulder.