It has been an exciting time in South Louisiana lately.

Last weekend the region experienced its first taste of tropical weather when Tropical Storm Lee dumped lots of rain across the region. Lee was the first tropical system to impact the area since 2008, when hurricanes Gustav and Ike wreaked havoc across the River Parishes. Although Lee produced little damage, it was a good dress rehearsal as today is the official peak of hurricane season, and there are a number of systems churning in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Immediately following Lee’s rainstorms, the region also got its first taste of cooler weather. The cool front was a welcome surprise after a particularly oppressive summer. Even though the region has not seen the last of hot weather for the year, the taste of temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s makes the impending return of warmer temperatures feel a bit more bearable.

Then, Thursday night, the Saints kicked off the 2011 NFL season against the 2010 Super Bowl champs, the Green Bay Packers. After a hard fought game, the Packers emerged as the victors, but the Saints performance gave area football fans reason to be optimistic.

Lastly, tomorrow the region along with the rest of the nation will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. (See the story on page 2A for local events.) It is a somber occasion, to be sure, but also one tinged with a bit of national pride.

So, in the course of a week, the emotions of residents ranged from anxiety to elation, from hope to disappointment, from celebratory to somber. Life here in the River Parishes may not always be easy, but rarely is it dull.