Bluffs & Bayous { March 2011 { Page 1
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From Your Publisher . . .
W
elcome to March! It is hard to believe that, as I write this, it is the middle of February and we are basking in 70-degree weather. About a week ago I was driving up to Vicksburg for some meetings and
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tenderly driving and walking on ice and snow. Now, within one week, I’ve dug out my spring clothes and slept with the windows open. I know February always tricks us about mid-way, but this is a real blessing to have enjoyed over a week of warm weather. We have a delightful issue for you to enjoy this month as we focus on local talents who are enjoying growing popularity in the music industry. Our region is gifted with creative artists in this sphere, providing us a plethora of material to celebrate and share with our readers. Also, throughout our region, March brings spring pilgrimages, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and a wealth of additional activities to welcome the wonder of spring. Be sure to check out our Premier Events section as well as our Up & Coming! occasions as you plan your weekday and weekend outings, day-time excursions, and road trips.
We have a treat in store as you peruse In the Kitchen with Cheryl’s Friends & Family—my friend Rose Borum’s Vietnamese recipes; and we know you will be inspired by Meghan Bell as she tells “Avery’s Story,” a reflection on her experience with and continuing support of Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. As always, we appreciate your continuing support as avid readers and contributors; your expressions of how much you enjoy each Bluffs & Bayous issue; and your active patronage of our advertisers who have as much a story to tell with their advertising as do our columnists, our featured personalities, and all you who enrich our life along and beyond the Mississippi.
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C o n t r i b u t o r s
A Mass Communications graduate of Louisiana State University, JoAnna Sproles of Brookhaven, Mississippi, has more than 15 years of experience in managing public relations and contributing articles to newspapers and magazines.
Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.
Devoted to assisting others living with Turner Syndrome (TS), congenital heart defects, and cystic hygroma, Megan Bell spearheads a ministry of making heart pillows and blankets for pediatric heart patients at Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. A native of Vicksburg, Bell currently lives in Pearl, Mississippi, where she is a fifth-grade teacher at Pearl Upper Elementary School.
on the cover Columnist Ross McGehee, a lifelong resident of Natchez, Mississippi, owns a diversified and far-flung farm operation.
Columnist Mary Emrick is the owner of Turning Pages Books & More in Natchez, Mississippi.
Photographed during a live performance, Boone Daughdrill is a member of The Band Perry that includes singer Kimberly Perry and her two brothers, Reid and Neil. See story on pages 30-34. Photograph by Tiffany Price, Tiffany Danielle Photography, taken August 2010 in Abingdon, Virginia.
publisher Cheryl Foggo Rinehart editors Jean Nosser Biglane Cheryl Foggo Rinehart graphic designers Jan Ratcliff Anita Schilling staff photographers Cheryl Rinehart Van O’Gwin Elise D. Parker sales staff Cheryl Rinehart Donna Sessions JoAnna Sproles
Cheryl Rinehart
Donna Sessions
JoAnna Sproles
Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi area in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.
office
423 Main Street, Suite 7 Natchez, MS 39120 601-442-6847 | fax 601-442-6842 info@bluffsbayous.com editor@bluffsbayous.com sales@bluffsbayous.com www.bluffsbayous.com
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March 2011 FEATURES Drummer Boy Beating the Odds............................................................ 30-34 Russ and Andy’s Acoustic Extravaganza................................................ 36-37
FAVORITES All Outdoors Pickup Lines............................................................................................. 14-15
Drummer Boy Beating the Odds pages 30 - 34
Events March . . . Up and Coming!.................................................................... 56-66
From the Stacks Guilty Secrets Past Haunting Souls Present................................................ 10
In the Kitchen with Cheryl’s Friends & Family Rose Borum’s Tribute to Her Mother..................................................... 46-48
Southern Sampler Krewe of Killarney’s 2011 St. Patrick XXI.................................................... 25 Avery’s Story............................................................................................ 42-43 Lunch on the Back Porch........................................................................ 52-53
THE Social Scene Christmas Tea Party........................................................................................ 8
Russ and Andy’s Acoustic Extravaganza pages 36 - 37
Magnolia Garden Club Meeting................................................................. 11 Mayor Celebration....................................................................................... 12 PCAC October Fest....................................................................................... 13 Shuffle to the Chefs................................................................................ 22-24 Krewe of Phoenix Call Out Ball.............................................................. 26-27 St. Francisville Pilgrimage Party................................................................. 28-29 60th Birthday Celebration........................................................................... 29 Madelyn Walsworth’s Sweet Delights Birthday......................................... 41 Historic Natchez Tableaux Royalty.............................................................. 49 Book Signings at Cover to Cover................................................................. 50 Natchez Day at the Mississippi Museum of Art..................................... 54-55 McComb Garden Club Meeting................................................................... 55
Weddings and Engagements Dyer and Winding Wedding Weekend.................................................. 18-20
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THE Social Scene
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Emma Barrett
Christmas Tea Party
n December 4, 2010, Annaston Poole hosted a Christmas tea party to collect gifts for Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital. The girls dressed up in feathers, pearls, hats and gloves and dined with fine china at a table just their size. Santa made a surprise visit and read the book Mortimer’s Christmas Manger.
Josie Breakfield and Mary Gwyn Hynum
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Clara Barton Calcote, Hailey Walker, Annaston Poole, Matti Claire Smith, and Laney Kate Earls
Emma Barrett, Hailey Walker, Clara Barton Calcote, Annaston Poole, Posie Breakfield, Santa, Matti Claire Smith, Laney Kate Earls and Mary Gwyn Hynum
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From the Stacks | review by Mary Emrick
Guilty Secrets Past Haunting Souls Present Crooked Letter Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin rooked Letter, Crooked Letter, the third novel by Edgar-Awardwinning author Tom Franklin, was released in the fall of 2010 by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Franklin grew up in the small town of Dickinson, Alabama; but now as a professor at Ole Miss, he resides in Oxford, Mississippi, with his wife, poet Beth Ann Fennelly, and their children. Franklin, admits that he “used a lot of autobiographical stuff for Larry, the mechanic” who is one of two central
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characters in Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. The other central character is Silas, a “friend” from Larry’s childhood. The boys, one black and one white, grew up together in rural Mississippi on land owned by Larry’s father. However, this was an era when black and white children were not allowed to be friends, so their friendship had to be kept a secret— even from their parents. Set in the small, fictional Mississippi town of Chabot, Tom Franklin’s Gothic novel begins when Larry is 41 years old; but the darkness in the novel’s plot began 25 years earlier.
Franklin builds the suspense in Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by transporting the story between past and present. In the present, Silas “32” Jones is the town constable. The residents of Chabot have been searching for a missing young lady for eight days when a masked gunman enters Larry’s home and shoots him in the stomach. Twenty-five years earlier, Larry was the last person to be seen with another girl, one who had been abducted, and was accused of her murder. Though never found guilty, Larry has lived a sad life of isolation in his small hometown where he struggles as an auto mechanic with few customers. While investigating the present disappearance, Silas shows up at Larry’s home soon after the shooting and saves Larry’s life. The two former friends, both guilty with secrets, have been estranged for decades. They are now forced to confront the past they’ve buried and ignored. While reading this well-crafted novel, two clichés came to mind: “Be careful what you pray for” and “no good deed goes unpunished.” If you are looking for a whodun-it novel that will hold your interest and remain in your memory long after you put it down the last time, I recommend Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.
THE Social Scene Magnolia Garden Club Meeting
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embers of the Magnolia Garden Club in Magnolia, Mississippi, enjoy an afternoon snack and socializing before their business meetings and project work. In October, they created homemade cards using dried, pressed flowers from Carol Stephenson of Pike County’s Flower Lovers Club. Photographs by Elise Parker
Evelyn Adams
Sherry Gaudin, Betty O’Rourke, and Gilda Zeidman
Dawn Speed
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THE Social Scene Mayor Celebration
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cComb, Mississippi, Mayor Whitney Rawlings was sworn in January 4 at the State Theater in McComb. Afterwards, family, friends, and supporters enjoyed a reception. Photographs by Elise Parker
Susy Sanders, Andrea Sanders, and Ann Mapp
McComb Mayor Whitney Rawlings and Selectman Melvin Joe JohnsonÂ
Nancy Hewett, Vicki Hollingsworth, Sarah Beth Wild, Mary Ann Ratcliff, and Cyrena Austin
Maureen Clark, Ganeath Brewer, and James and Rebecca Brumfield
Tommy, Rachel, and Jack McKenzie
JB and Betty Robinson
Taylor and Jackie Ramsey
Meredith and Kennon Singley
Jim Covington and David Myers
Nancy Felder and Loreice Naklie
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THE Social Scene PCAC October Fest
ike County Arts Council held its sixth annual October Fest at the Ice House Courtyard in McComb, Mississippi. The Dixie Pickers, a local band, provided the music. Southwest Distributers provided the special German beers. The event was sponsored by The Retriever Photographs by Elise Parker
Dixie Pickers: Tony Powell, Jake Holloway, and Thomas Simpson
Mary Alta and James Clark with Shelton and Kay Little
David and Alison Strong with Melanie Haydel
Virginia and Wallace Pope with Dixie Fouche
Sharon White and Angela Johnson (a.k.a. Nurse Feel Good)
Ronald and Carolyn Smith
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All Outdoors | by Ross McGehee
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Pickup Lines
red was pretty excited, to put it mildly. And the folks listening to him over the two-way radio were getting an earful. He didn’t know that the radio had been “keyed-up” accidentally; and without the benefit of a visual reference to the action, those tuned in knew only that he was in the company of some wild female. Even though he cleaned the truck out pretty well afterwards, he missed some of the “poop” that was on the door. We’ll get back to him later. Not too many years ago, folks who drove pickup trucks noticed that the engineers who designed the trucks seemed to be spending more time on form rather than function. Leather seats, carpet, trickedout sound systems, console shifts, chrome wheels and bumpers—what is the deal? As it turned out, more and more urban buyers wanted a truck for status or to haul mulch for the flowerbed twice a year. That’s fine, but they’ve ruined trucks for those of us who actually work in them! I know a guy that was recently in the market for a truck to use on his farm. He is a very practical kind of person and knew what the vehicle was going to be subjected to on a daily basis. Everybody and his brother drives his work truck, so vinyl seats and floor mats for muddy boots and Page 14 { March 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
diesel smears, an automatic transmission for the clowns who still don’t know how to drive a manual transmission and will burn up a clutch, the basic radio, big bumpers (painted), and four-wheel drive were necessities. However, his wife had a stroke! The truck was the wrong color. As far as color goes, “Cows are black, tractors are green, and the rest don’t matter.” It is futile to spend much money or time on your image if you drive a work truck. My dad frequently had his stock dog riding in the cab with him; and, consequently, every truck he had possessed the distinctive aroma of dog slobber. How nice! He totaled-out every truck he ever had, but each time it took about 100,000 miles to accomplish it. Fighting bulls crashing into the sides or falling pecan limbs are tough on a truck’s appearance. So is the barbed wire or tow chain that gets dragged over the side by some careless employee. Bouncing across cattle trails or driving through flooded roads is tough on suspensions. There is always going to be a five-gallon bucket of oil, diesel, chemical, or something caustic leaking in the back. Someone is going to jackknife a trailer while backing up and bend the back bumper. Then there are the tools and the assorted (or unsorted) cargo.
My friend Winfield has the most interesting truck around. Don’t even think about riding with him. There is barely enough room for him on the seat! The rest of the truck’s contents are piled or stacked level with the dash, a malaise of manuals, boxes, clothes, tools, hydraulic hoses, and air conditioner repair parts, and somewhere in there is a lunch box. Why doesn’t some of that go into the back? There is no room! Along with all the other clutter, he has three toolboxes, all in advanced states of disrepair, spilling tools into the bed of the truck. Every time he hits a bump, $15 worth of wrenches fall through the crack in the tailgate. But he likes it and can find anything in there. Don’t disorganize his disarray! My friend Rodney once had a work truck that lacked doors or a windshield, either of which would impede his ability to shoot, so he dispensed with them. What was he shooting? Whatever needed shooting, of course. Actually it was his on-the-farm truck and not tagged for highway use, and the rotted-out floor made it necessary to slow way down when going through a mud hole unless the driver and occupants didn’t care about their respective cleanliness. Also, the stick shift was missing a critical piece that kept it in line with the gears, so it swung from side to side, bumping the dash from right to left and back as you drove. It was real interesting trying to shift that thing! Air conditioning in a work truck can get personnel in trouble. In and out all day long, cold then hot then cold again will make you sick! Lots of folks run the AC but leave the windows open so the shock won’t be so bad. But the shock of climbing into the cab with personnel that either need to spend more time on personal hygiene or have had a hard day at work can be unpleasant, to say the least. Try it with the windows up and heater going in the winter! Rodney had an employee they called “Polecat”; he smelled so bad that he had to ride in the back regardless of the weather. You would think with no doors and no windshield there would be adequate ventilation, but evidently that wasn’t the case. I have heard of folks that use a toothbrush to scrub the cracks and crevasses in the cabs
of their trucks. They condition the leather seats and Armor-All the dash. Some even put shiny stuff on the tires! Of a truck!! A real truck is one that you can’t tell what the actual color of the vehicle is. You also can clean the floor mats with a garden hose— with the floor mats still in the vehicle. If you see a pair of rubber boots crammed upside down between the bed and the cab, it’s usually a pretty good sign of a work truck. Are there five layers of invoices, some small engine parts, a half box of shotgun shells, a section of wiring harness for whoknows-what anymore, and a set of calfpulling chains on the dash? Work truck. Is the license plate so hopelessly mauled from hooking up trailers that only the year and month stickers can be read? Are there three tow chains hopelessly tangled with a pair of frayed jumper cables, lying under a flat spare tire and soaking in the inch of mud and 90-weight gear oil that coats the bed? Work truck. And the cabs are only cleaned when your wife has no choice but to ride. Or when Fred already has ridden. Once, Fred and I were faced with the task of moving a baby calf. It had been orphaned, so we had caught and transported it the day before to bottle-feed it until it could be put with a cow that had lost her own calf. It had already imprinted on us and followed us around the yard after twenty-four hours. As luck (good or bad) would have it, a foster mother became available the next day. Since the transport to the prospective mother was only three miles, we loaded the calf into the cab of the truck in a standing position. Fred got in and sat with the calf in front of him facing the driver’s side. I got in to drive. We hadn’t gotten out of the driveway when the calf lost bladder control. Right on Fred’s pants leg. Calves have pretty large bladders for being so little. Actually, this “little” calf weighed about 75 pounds. So, do the math on bladder size. Fred was not prepared for this. Some pretty colorful expletives were utilized in the description of what this “female” was doing to him. Then the calf tried to get up on the seat. Fred doesn’t weigh much more than 75 pounds himself and had a struggle with the calf as he used more colorful language to describe the situation. Then the calf evidently decided that since irrigation and levitation had not resulted in escape, maybe pooping would get the job done. And she was sure to do just that
on Fred’s other leg! Without trying to be indelicate, there is not much that is stickier, smellier, or nastier than what a baby calf can produce under stress. And Fred was doing a pretty good job of what we shall refer to as color commentary. As funny as it was, it got funnier when I realized that the calf had leaned against the microphone on the radio and everyone on the channel was listening in as Fred had some female committing all manners of indignities on him. No one could tell from listening that it was a calf. We arrived at the catch-pen with a truck in shambles, a calf in tow, a wardrobe in ruin, and Fred in disgust. So if the opportunity presents itself to ride with someone and you open the truck door only to be horror struck at the condition of the interior—the rips in the seat, the clutter on the dash, that strange smell, and that stain on the door—just remember: Form follows function; it’s a work truck.
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Dyer and Winding Wedding Weekend
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Jolimar Summit provided the setting for the marriage of Regina Dyer and Jackie Winding at half past four on October 16, 2010, with Reverend Guy Wells officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff White of McComb, Mississippi, and the granddaughter of Ms. Wyonia Gibson and the late Mr. Napoleon Sanders. The groom is the son of Ms. Bobbie Williams and the late Mr. Jackie Winding of Liberty, Mississippi. The ceremony was preceded with a cocktail hour during which guests were treated to an assortment of signature cocktails and a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres provided by Fig Tree catering. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an ivory strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline, beaded bodice, trumpet silhouette, and antique lace court train. The gown was accented with a beaded Italian lace, cathedral-length veil with a Swavorski crystal and Mother of Pearl head piece, and complemented by aqua blue bridal shoes accented with white and aqua crystals. Her bridal bouquet was a vintage, 1930s couture, feather piece finished with Venice ivory lace, vintage beads, and crystal jewelry, custom made in Switzerland. Photographs by Image Maker Photography Left: Jackie and Regina Winding Below: Front—Tori Saunders, Mia Saunders; back—Amanda Andrews, Erica Robbins, Sigourney Simpson, Regina Winding, Joanne Smart, Debbie Kline, and Keshia Winding
Above: Brooks Winding, Lenard Hamilton, Axavius Winding, Jackie Winding, Clifton Young, Anthony Dyer, Eric Winding, Damian Jackson, Quentin Cains, and Logan Robbins-Rumph Right: Lenard Hamilton, Amanda Andrews, Tori Saunders, Axavius Winding, Erica Robbins, Mia Saunders, Brooks Winding, Sigourney Simpson, Logan Robbins-Rumph, Regina Winding, Jackie Winding, Quentin Cains, Joanne Smart, Eric Winding, Debbie Kline, Damian Jackson, Keshia Winding, and Anthony Dyer
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The bride’s sister, Sigourney Simpson, served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Erica Robbins, Joanne Smart, Debbie Kline, Amanda Andrews, and Keshia Winding. Each wore a Marchesa inspired, chocolate and champagne, strapless chiffon gown with a draped and beaded bodice and full cathedral-length train. Serving as junior bridesmaid and flower girl were Tori and Mia Saunders, respectively. Readers were Julie Monical and Makeda Miller-Peterson, and serving as proxy bride during the rehearsal was Tamika Washington. Brooks Winding served the groom as best man. Groomsmen were Axavius Winding, Damian Jackson, Lenard Hamilton, Eric Winding, and Anthony Dyer. Serving as junior groomsmen was Quentin Cains and as ring bearer was Logan Robbins-Rumph. Ushers included Carlos Hollins, Avery Brown, Clifton Young, and Byron Colbert. The wedding reception was also held at Jolimar Summit where guests were entertained by music, dined on a wide assortment of foods provided by Fig Tree catering, and enjoyed bride’s and groom’s cakes, both provided by Tara’s Cakes in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Guests were invited to capture memories of the evening with souvenir photographs taken in the very popular photo booth, which provided guests an assortment of props, ranging from feather boas and blow-up “mocktails” to festive masks. Guests also were treated to personalized cookies and signature truffle boxes containing champagne and amaretto flavored truffles provided by Sandy Kay Candies of Liberty, Mississippi. Memories of the evening were captured by Beth Hemeter of Image Maker Photography, videography was provided by Europa Video Productions, and the evening’s music was provided by Julius Wright.
Top: Logan Robbins-Rumph, Quentin Cains, Regina Winding, Wyonia Gibson, Tori Saunders, and Mia Saunders Middle: Jackie and Regina Winding
Regina Winding, Carlos Hollins, and Debra King
Bottom: Lorin Stevenson, Regina Winding, Edward Stevenson, Mercedes Ricks, Jackie Winding, and Robert Hertzberg
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Joanne Smart, Lorin Stevenson, Ed Stevenson, Regina Winding, Robert Hertzberg, Julie Monical, Laura Richardson, and Mark Brown
Makeda Peterson, Regina Winding, Mione Lewis, Shawnika Lewis, Kellie Johnson-Turner, Cecilia Brown, and Marteesha Peterson
Jolimar Summit provided accommodations, including a daily brunch and an assortment of events, for the entire wedding party and out-of-town guests. In addition, guests were greeted in their rooms with welcome boxes containing an assortment of snacks, beverages, and souvenirs inspired by the State of Mississippi. Prior to the nuptial ceremony, the wedding weekend began on Friday morning as the bride and her bridal party were treated to a champagne spa day hosted at Jolimar Summit’s spa facilities. That evening, following the wedding rehearsal, the entire bridal party and out-of-town guests enjoyed a Surf & Turf dinner, catered by Jolimar Summit, that included steaks, shrimp scampi, crab cakes, and lemon almond asparagus followed by a celebratory birthday cake in honor of the bride’s mother, Sandra White, and the bride’s
best friend, Erica Robbins. During the dinner, the bride and groom presented their wedding party with commemorative gifts, which ranged from personalized pendants and jewelry boxes to monogrammed flasks and shirts. As a farewell wedding weekend treat, departing guests gathered on Sunday for a southern champagne brunch of the venue’s made-toorder waffles and wings, eggs, assorted fruits, muffins, and breads. The couple honeymooned in Beverly Hills, California, and reside primarily in McComb, Mississippi, although they currently travel extensively and plan to visit Bora Bora this spring.
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f Shop Historic Summit f
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THE Social Scene Shuffle to the Chefs
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atrons celebrated a night out during late January’s Shuffle to the Chefs event in McComb, Mississippi, enjoying chef-prepared meals, live music, and holiday beverages at the homes of Tommy and Rachel McKenzie, Brad and Jeanna Clark, Brian and Angela Remley, and Joey and Amy Wiggington. Shuffle to the Chefs is a local charity event which raises money to benefit St. Andrew’s Mission. Photographs by Elise Parker
Allison Wally, Ryan Wally, and Becky Venable
Mike Belote, Rhonda Lowery, and Chandler Givens
Roger Nickerson with Jane and Tommy Walman
Serrie Smith with Danny and Amanda Smith Dierdre Reynolds with Dunbar and Alister Watt
Steve Blue, Betsy Murrell, Candy Blue, and Kristin Ratliff
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Chrissy and Larry Dorr, Susy Sanders, and Larry Aycock
THE Social Scene
Renee Belote and Joe Kimmel
Kim and Bud Doherty
Sue Ellen and Ed Codding
Colleen Parker and Gidge Clayton
Jim and Betty O’Rourke
Harry and Jane Beacham
Jennifer Dumas and Jennifer Gholson
Chasity Lunsford and Garilyn Lunsford
John Grafton, Maria Price, and Kari Bessonette
Angela Remley and Sara Doyle
Mark and Nicole Lampton
Betsy Enochs-Robichaux, Janet Tarpy, and Susy Sanders
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THE Social Scene
Vic and Mary Beth Donati with Carla and Tony Stringer
Holly Turnage, Linda and Harry Young, and Stacey Reno
Heather Kelly, Ruth Vince, and Renet Tullos
Louise Gombako-Amos, Corey Amos, and Kristine Kimmel
Martha Russel Williams, Jackie Zuber, and LaJoyce Swanigan
Melanie Williams, Joyce Orr, and Connie Brown
Chad and Betsy Lindsey with Becky Venable
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Southern Sampler
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Krewe of Killarney’s 2011 St. Patrick XXI
he Krewe of Killarney in Natchez, Mississippi, celebrates St. Patrick’s Day this month with festivities led by Robert O. McWilliams, the Krewe of Killarney’s 2011 St. Patrick XXI. McWilliams
is of Scotch-Irish descent and has lived in Natchez since 1954. He is married to Natchez native Ruth Brown McWilliams; and they have one son, Robert O. McWilliams, Jr., of Louisville, Kentucky. In 1997, “Mr. Bob” retired as manager of the Mississippi State Job Service, ending a 32-year career; and in 1993, he retired from the Mississippi Army National Guard 155th Infantry after serving 28 years. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in business administration and a minor in accounting, he established Quality Tax and Bookkeeping Service in 1982 and continues to operate the business today. Long involved in Natchez activities and organizations, he is past president of the Natchez Civitan Club, with particular emphasis on Special Olympics, and past Commander of American Legion Post No. 4 in Natchez. Presently, he is a Natchez Chamber of
Commerce Ambassador, a member of the Natchez Retiree Partnership, a member of the Family Selection Committee of Habitat for Humanity, a member of the Santa Claus Committee, and a volunteer driver for Natchez Stewpot. McWilliams and his wife attend St. Mary Basilica where he serves as usher, and he is active in the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. Involved with the Krewe of Killarney since its first parade twenty years ago, McWilliams explained, “I was drawn to the Krewe by the spirit of fun and caring exhibited by its members. I consider the work of the Krewe very important to the children of the Natchez area.” The Krewe of Kilarney gives $500 scholarships to five area seniors each year and also donates to Holy Family Early Childhood Learning Center and to Pleasant Acre Day School. Income from membership dues and from the annual auction contributes to funding these activities. “Mr. Bob” encourages everyone to consider joining the Krewe of Kilarney that meets only once a year. The Krewe’s annual party with its live auction is hosted by the outgoing St. Patrick—who this year is Peter Burns—and gets underway March 12 at 6:00 p.m. at The Columns. The parade is held each year on March 17 in downtown Natchez, Mississippi. Everyone is encouraged to gather at 5:00 p.m. in Memorial Park behind St. Mary Basilica. The procession begins at 5:30 p.m.—a nonmotorized parade, down Main Street—as the multitudes help St. Patrick banish the snakes from Natchez. Membership dues include loads of fun and an opportunity to help our area children. “I am honored to be chosen St. Patrick XXI, and I want to encourage everyone to join in our St. Patrick’s Day activities,” McWilliams said. “Remember, everyone can be Irish for a day.”
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THE Social Scene Krewe of Phoenix Call Out Ball
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he Krewe of Phoenix held their Call Out Ball in early February at the City Auditorium in downtown Natchez, Mississippi. The 2011 Royalty presented their Motown-themed performances before Dee Newman, Queen Rosalie XXIX, and Brad LeMay, King Rex XXIX, to a packed and enthusiastic audience.
Bryant, Johnny, Edie, and Scott Christian
Patricia and Laurie Cloutier
Sarah Lindsey Rodgers and Caroline Devereaux
Andrea and Ray Bradford
Beth and Allen Richard with Clay and Angela Gibson
Katie and Reeve Gibson
Cheryl Rinehart with Chick Graning
Bradley and Ginny Harrison
Benny and Amanda Jeansonne with Karen and Biff Partridge
Ashley and Mike Linton
David Cauthen and Patricia Lozen
Stephen Edwards and Mary Margaret Alwood
Ricky and Wanda Smith
John and Marcia McCullough
Pat Burns, Gayle and Mike Henry, and Connie Christine Newman with Burns Caroline Devereaux
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THE Social Scene
Rick and Melanie Kennedy with John Burns
Claudia Malone and Amy Byrne
Michael and Kimberly Burkley, Lynn Janette, Jules Michel, Luke Janette, and Brennan and Caroline O’Brien
Ron and Kay Jenkins
Gary Wills with Todd and JoAnn Waycaster
Laura, Abby, and Gene Laird
Kymberly Morgan and Andrew Stubbs
Curtis and Annette Moroney
Anne McDaniel, Lisa Maples, and Pam Middleton
Mike Rinehart and Benny Jeansonne
Terry and Walt Roddy
Dee and Steve Newman
Linda Michel, Queen Dee Newman, and Christine Newman
Lewis and Debbie Blackwell
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THE Social Scene St. Francisville Pilgrimage Party
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he West Feliciana Historical Society honored its home-owners and pilgrimage coordinators with a buffet cocktail party at the home of Linda and Tom Flynn on Thursday, February 10, in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Dot Temple, President of the West Feliciana Historical Society expressed appreciation to all for their involvement with the St. Francisville Pilgrimage and led a toast to the success of the 2011 Pilgrimage. Special guests of the evening were Miriam Garrett and Ed Daniel, lifelong Historical Society Board Members, and Lucille Leake, the very first Pilgrimage Chairperson in 1972.
Dot Temple, West Feliciana Historical Society Board President
Bobee Leake, Lucille Leake, and Catherine Leake
Lynn Leak, Craig and Michelle Roth, and George and Ann Kurz
Leonard and Elaine Sullivan with Linda and Tom Flynn
Mary Ellen Daniel, Lauren Field, Cammie Norwood, and Sylvia Leake
Miriam Garrett and Ed Daniel
Rachel Hall and Dot Temple
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60th Birthday Celebration
he staff at Fallin Career and Technology Center in Natchez, Mississippi, celebrated a special birthday for one of its staff members—Anthony Tuccio—who turned 60 in January 2011
Amanda McKinney and Heather Spillman
Front—Trish Pomeroy, Shannon Doughty, and Ginger Cowart; middle—Linda Grafton, Bernadine Anderson, Yolanda Myles, Jeanne Slover, Anthony Tuccio, Lyvette Banks, Bernice Lewis, Martha Jane Ratcliff, and Shelia Hickingbottom; back—Donald Cavin and Eric Stewman Cammie Norwood and George Kurz
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Drummer Boy Beating the Odds
by JoAnna Sproles
B
efore he was 3 years old, Boone Daughdrill was banging on pots and pans he pulled from the kitchen cabinets in his hometown
of New Hebron, Mississippi. Now, as he turns the corner into his 30s, he is sounding steady rhythms to the recognized songs of country music group The Band Perry. “Growing up, I would play on everything in sight,” he said. “Music was and still is the way I express myself. It has been a huge blessing in my life, and I am so thankful to be allowed to do something really I love.” Bluffs & Bayous { March 2011 { Page 31
Daughdrill (top left) playing in 5th grade band at New Hebron Attendance Center, and (top right) at Lawrence County High School. Middle—The Band Perry—Reid, Kimberly, and Neil Bottom—Boone Daughdril with his wife, Loren
These days you can see his fast silhouette behind Kimberly Perry and her two brothers, Reid and Neil, as they charm country music audiences with sweet melodies of growing, loving, and learning through lyrics. The Band Perry has climbed quickly to stand apart from other bands clamoring for number-one spots and coveted stages. They started 2011 with a performance on The View, then, in late January, performed their hit single “If I Die Young” on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show stage and a few days later on The Ellen Degeneres Show. In October of last year, the song became the group’s first Top 10 single on the country chart as well as their first Top 20 on the Hot 100. Then, during the week of December 11, the song became their first Number One hit on the country charts. The Band Perry has been nominated for four upcoming 2011 American Country Music Awards, including Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. They were nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “If I Die Young.” Kimberly Perry has an additional individual nomination as the writer of the single, which is up for Song of the Year. The 2011 ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 3 at 7 p.m. on CBS. “I have a lot of ‘wow’ moments these days,” Daughdrill said. “I look around at where we are and what we are doing and the audiences we are playing for, and getting to play music through it all is icing on the cake.” Daughdrill, the son of Chester and Dixie Daughdrill, who still live in New Hebron, Mississippi, attributes his growth as a musician to playing with and learning from family. When he was a boy, he learned about the drums from his uncle who often played with him. “Mostly, I would learn by watching and listening. My uncle’s playing taught me a lot; and listening to music, as much as I could, taught me, too,” he said. Music runs in Daughdrill’s family. Andy, his older brother, played the guitar and still does, moonlighting with the wellknown area band Ghost Town. Although separated nowadays, the Daughdrills formed the band Big Daddy Rabbit & the Cane Cutters during college and played together, rocking bars, fraternity houses, and backyard private parties. Like most musicians, Daughdrill played other instruments, including the piano and following Andy’s footsteps in guitar, but he always settled back into the seat behind a drum set where he felt grounded. “For me,” he said, “it was always the drums. To put it simply, they were an easier instrument to play than the piano and guitar. It was also more physical to play the drums, and I needed that outlet, and it helped me to have something that would make me sit down, focus, but also allow me to move.” Daughdrill’s mother, Dixie, said Boone played the drums whenever and wherever he could: “It has always been something he grew up with. He would beat on everything. At school, his teachers would say he would even tap sitting at his desk. Then, in second grade, he brought a drum kit to school and played a solo in the hallway, and he couldn’t even really play yet.” Page 32 { March 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
His brother, Andy, said although Boone is actually pretty talented with other instruments he always did favor the drums. “Growing up, I always remember him playing something as if it were drums, which also pretty much drove us all crazy,” Andy said. “Above everything else, it was the drums. It was just born in him.” For brothers, the music they grew up playing creates a common bond that Andy easily admits he is grateful to have. “I do treasure the fact that we have music,” he said. “When we are together, all of our conversations really do turn toward music in one way or another.” In addition to playing at home, Daughdrill also played in the school band, starting in the fifth grade. By the time he graduated from New Hebron Attendance Center and then Lawrence County High School, he had learned even more about music and his craft as a drummer. At Copiah Lincoln Community College, Daughdrill finished his certification in welding as his preparation for a “practical” living. Shortly after working as a welder, Co-Lin asked him to head the drum line as captain, and he could not resist the opportunity to return to music. While he took on his new responsibility with the college, he began coursework toward a degree in music education. Because of mutual friends in music, when he was 22 years old, Daughdrill received a call from Kimberly Perry, recruiting him
as drummer for her solo career at the time in Christian music. He moved to Nashville and played for 3½ years with her. During the last year, he began filling in with the Christian music group DecembeRadio and eventually joined them full time. The band enjoyed a large following, connected by faith, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock or Rap Album. “I think that during my time with DecembeRadio we must have driven all over the United States three times backward and forward. It was a great experience,” Daughdrill said. “You learn how to adapt, get along with others, and how to handle all sorts of situations you encounter, which is great. But it also has its challenges,” he admitted. Daughdrill, who is a self-proclaimed family man and newly married, said being on the road for weeks and months out of the year makes it difficult to stay connected to family back home. “Keeping the relationships going is definitely the hardest part, but you continually try to connect with them, talk on the phone, and visit whenever possible,” he said. Visiting family, for Daughdrill, includes his new wife, Loren, who is from Clarksville, Tennessee. They have been married just over a year and reside in Nashville. They met at an outreach ministry event she was helping organize and began a relationship as friends until it eventually developed
into a romance. About her important and challenging role in his life, he explained, “You have to be a special sort of woman to put up with a man who is gone all the time. She has to be strong and independent to tolerate this kind of time by herself. When I get home, I joke about being in the way of her schedule and her routine.” In this same vein of keeping relationships going and continually trying to connect, in late September of last year, Daughdrill received a call from his old friend Kimberly, this time inviting him to join her and her brothers as The Band Perry. After five years with DecembeRadio, he made the difficult decision to reconnect with the Perry family. “The guys with DecembeRadio and I were so close after all that time together and are still the best of friends. I prayed a lot about the change; and once I decided to play with the Perrys and was at peace with that decision, I knew it was the right thing to do,” he said. “Although many years had passed, when I got back with the Perry family, it really did feel like I was home again. They are genuinely the nicest family and show a real love for their fans. It is really a blessing for me to play what I love and do it with such a great group of people.” Daughdrill has come a long way from banging on pots and pans. The Band Perry continues to earn increasing recognition Bluffs & Bayous { March 2011 { Page 33
through award nominations, song popularity, and a growing fan base. He said that, whatever his future holds, he hopes to continue to bang on his drums, and he feels extremely fortunate that his work is doing what he is most passionate about. In the immediate future, the band will open concerts for Tim McGraw starting in April and begin playing with Keith Urban in Canada starting in September. “With music, you can look out and really see the crowd. They are dancing, clapping and smiling while you play your music. It pulls at your heartstrings because music can be so personal for people, and you get to see firsthand how it affects them as you look at their faces,” Daughdrill said. “I hope to continue to play . . . live a long life, and play.” Check out www.thebandperry.com and www.timmcgraw.com for concert information and dates.
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I
n 2008, on an off-handed comment from Cliff Brumfield, co-owner and manager of Pearl Street Pasta in Natchez, Mississippi—“Hey, do you think you guys could come play at Pearl Street
this weekend or next weekend?”—Andy Guida and Russ McSwain got together and worked up a couple of hours of material and pulled it off. Then the fever hit them: “We wanted to do some more gigs,” said Guida, and that is exactly what they have been doing ever since. The two have played their easy listening music (though it is not your typical easy listening) at various restaurants, bars, private parties, pier parties, and even wedding receptions.
by Cheryl Morace
everyone is having fun, so are we; and we just keep singing!” When asked more specifically about their repertoire, Guida replied, “We play everything. We have never been stumped. We even play Leonard Skynard match-up, The Commodores, Neil Diamond, Alice in Chains, Paula Abdul, and Michael Jackson… yes…even on a guitar…our version.” “However,” quipped the duo, feeding off each other’s phrases, “don’t request ‘Mustang Sally.’ We don’t play it. Never will. We’ll embarrass you if you make that request.” Both musicians do have day jobs, their music no longer being a career goal. However, they will consider any offers from music companies. “Right now, we’re just not pursuing this,” said McSwain, “it takes too much effort!” McSwain is the Marketing Director for Twenty First Mortgage, a company based out of Knoxville, Tennessee. He is married to Nicole Blackwell and they have two
children. He job takes him on the road every week and usually out of town two nights a week. Andy Guida is the News & Sports & Program Director for the First Natchez Radio Group and has a two-hour sports show, Side-Line Shake Down, each Monday night. He is married to Stephanie McIntosh, and they are expecting their first child. While both artists have very busy lives and careers, they love to perform, play and sing for personal enjoyment, and write. Andy Guida began a project, Elan’Ore Swede Dream Sequence in 2005 for which he records songs that are written specifically for this project. Russ McSwain currently works with Andy on this project as well. Who knows where this creative and challenging endeavor may lead them. What we do know is that their love of music, life, and people continues to bring pleasure, entertainment, and excitement to so many others. Just don’t request “Mustang Sally”!
Photograph by Mark Brockway
Russ McSwain comes from a musical background. His father was a professional musician from the 1960s and still plays in a band today. “I grew up around music,” McSwain recalled. “My dad taught me how to play a G cord when I was three years old. His love for music is in my blood. I was a campfire guitar player, and I’d pull out the guitar when friends were around. Before I moved back to Natchez in 2004, I had never played before an actual audience; and within about six months of coming home, there was a group of guys who formed the band Less Than Zero, and I was one of them.” “I love to play guitar, McSwain said, “but I really loved playing with those guys, Ben Long, Fernando Vengirea, and Priester Byrne. They had all played in other bands before. I was the newbie. In fact, the first couple of times we played, I was so nervous, I threw up.I had gone from playing for a few friends to a packed bar.” Andy Guida also was introduced to music as a young child. After announcing he wanted to play guitar, his grandmother insisted he learn how to play the piano; so in the third grade, he took lessons and learned about music theory. Later, he bought himself a guitar and a cord book and taught himself how to play the instrument. In high school, he formed a band and always tried to work with really talented musicians. “Playing with musicians who were better than I was made me better,” said Guida. While still in Natchez, Guida played with the Sports Bar Band before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, where he lived for four years, playing with a variety of musicians, living his musical dream, and getting better all the while. Guida and McSwain enjoy the camaraderie of singing and playing their acoustic guitars together. Their chemistry and talent mesh; they feed off each other. Their quick wit, laid-back style, and enjoylife-with-music attitude is what makes this duo unique. “We play all types of music from Motown to Top 20,” explained Guida. “Both of us sing and play the guitar, so there is no lull in the music during our performances. If Russ needs to take a break, I’ll play a couple of songs by myself and vice versa. If we are hired to play a three-hour gig, there is no break. We perform for those three hours…sometimes more because, if
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Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Page 38 { Bluffs && Bayous {March March2011 2011{{ Bluffs Bayous
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Bluffs Bayous March2011 2011{ { Page 39 Bluffs && Bayous {{March
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Page 40 { Bluffs && Bayous {March March2011 2011{{ Bluffs Bayous
THE Social Scene Madelyn Walsworth’s Sweet Delights Birthday
M
adelyn Walsworth of Meadville, Mississippi, recently celebrated her eleventh birthday with a party at Sweet Delights in Meadville. Guests made their own cakes and decorated their own cooking aprons as they joined Madelyn for her birthday festivities.
Madelyn Walsworth
Front—Katie Overhultz, Carsyn Bolin, Jessica Borel, Victoria Sittig, and Katherine Sittig; back—Ashleigh Martin, Brooklyn Bolin, Madelyn Walsworth, Brianna McCurley, and Katelyn Borel
Sandra and Madelyn Walsworth
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Southern Sampler | by Megan Bell
I
Avery’s Story
can remember so clearly the moment I would most likely develop found out I was pregnant. Even more infant hydrops and die by the vividly, I remember the day we found time I was 24 weeks along. out the news. My only real fear going into To our amazement at the that room was that the baby wouldn’t be following appointment, the positioned correctly, and they wouldn’t be hygroma was significantly able to determine the sex. Looking back on smaller; her right kidney became the moments as I watched her, while lying visible; and even though she on the table, I can see now that something had some distillation, both wasn’t right, and we just didn’t notice at the kidneys were functioning. time. I was in awe of my precious little one Although there was still a moving around in my belly as she sucked concern for heart defects (which her thumb. What could be wrong with that? could not be seen through fetal When the doctor came in unexpectedly, echocardiogram), she did have I still didn’t let myself think anything could four chambers, and her heart be wrong until she sat down to tell us she rate was normal. I could tell Avery Bell had some concerns. I suddenly felt as if the the doctor and technician were earth had moved from under my feet and surprised themselves. Immediately, I just I was falling into a bottomless pit. Cystic thanked God for what he was doing with my hygroma? May not survive? Specialist? little girl. We began to have the mindset that I had just seen her moving around Avery, as we decided to name her, would be fancy free! Hearing and then knowing that here in June. the growth was a large one, that one of Avery Elizabeth Bell was born on June her kidneys had not developed properly, 9, 2009, weighing 4 pounds and 15 ounces and that it was unclear whether she had all four heart chambers, I had little to hold on to. I still had hope in my heart that everything would be okay. I held on to that hope and used the time to draw closer to God. The waiting was the worst part. From one appointment to the next, all I could do was wonder if we’d hear a heartbeat, or not. At the next appointment, I was relieved to hear her heart beating at the normal rate. The news from the amniocentesis, however, was disheartening. We were told that our little girl had Turner Syndrome; and that with the size of the hygroma Avery and Megan Bell along with the other defects, she
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at 17¼ inches long. I was so thrilled to hear her cry and see her tiny body moving with her beautiful face and red hair! She was immediately screened after birth; and before I even held her, I was told she would be transported to University Medical Center’s NICU. Avery coded several times in NICU, but was stabilized and put on medication to await surgery. At one week old, Avery had closed-heart surgery at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, to repair her aortic coarctation, which is a narrowing of the aortic arch. By her first birthday, Avery had undergone two heart catheterizations at Blair E. Batson and another open-heart, valvereplacement surgery in New York City, due to her bicuspid valve defect. Amazingly, at almost 19 months old, Avery is now thriving and developmentally on track. She will have surgeries and procedures
Barbara Willingham and Judy Simmons
throughout her life and be monitored by many different physicians, but she is expected to live a normal, healthy life. She is a beautiful, happy, healthy toddler with quite a personality! After my Avery’s last open-heart surgery, I was urged to begin a ministry called Cross Healed Hearts. Through this ministry, I hope to help, love, and support others who are going through difficult times, as well as shine a light on God’s love for us and the miracles He is constantly performing. Author and pastor Rick Warren once said, “Your greatest ministry will likely come out of your greatest hurt,” and I believe that statement to be very true. When I found out my child had TS, I had never even heard of cystic hygroma much less the syndrome. Unfortunately, everything I found online at the time was negative and heart-breaking with no hope to be found. I decided to begin a blog filled with information and helpful links for families living with Turner Syndrome, Congenital Heart Defects, cystic hygroma, and the like. While the blog contains information, its main purpose
sacs, and remove the extra mucous. If the air sacs stay closed and mucous builds up, pneumonia can easily develop. With good coughing and deep breathing, a patient gets on the road to recovery quickly. Children hold the soft, minky fabric side of the pillow to their chests during coughing for comfort and stability. The opposite side of the pillow is made of cotton twill, and caretakers and visitors are able to sign it with a Sharpie marker (which is also donated). The blankets are red or heart print, fleece, tie-knot blankets which are given to infants recovering from heart surgery or to expectant mothers whose children are diagnosed with CHD. Aside from this, we have also sent our Cross Healed Hearts appliqué pillows to people locally and across the United States as a token of our love, prayers, and support. Pillows are created and stuffed by volunteers Laura Beauman, Rebecca Beauman, Carolyn Justice, Judy Simmons, Linda Turner, and Barbara Willingham (of Willingham’s in downtown Vicksburg), all of Vicksburg, Mississippi, as well as is to reveal the healing power of the cross Madelynne Gordon and Mary-Ashlynne through love, support, and prayer. Those Gordon of McComb, Mississippi, and affected by TS, CHD, and other syndromes, made possible by donations. Mrs. Judy are able to share stories of hope with the world through their journal entries. Busby of Fabs and More in downtown Vicksburg sells us fabric at her cost and accepts donations in Hair pins sold her store to help in the endeavor. Pearl Upper Elementary at Willinghams Quest classes, led by Becky in Vicksburg, Wigglesworth and Sherry Mississippi, and at Downs in Pearl, Mississippi, Private Collection in also help by creating the tieMadison, Mississippi, knot blankets as part of a for the benefit of the community project. To access more information cough pillows and on this ministry, or to fleece tied blankets donate to our pillow/blanket for Blair E. Batson ministry for Batson, please Hospital email crosshealedhearts@ yahoo.com, visit www. crosshealedhearts.blogspot. We recently started a heart pillow and com, “like” our Facebook page, or contact blanket ministry for pediatric heart patients Megan Bell at www.crosshealedhearts@ at Blair E. Batson Children’s hospital yahoo.com. Thank you and God Bless! in Jackson. The heart-shaped “cough” pillows are for children recovering from heart surgery in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. After heart surgery, good care of the lungs is especially important. What is necessary in recovery is coughing and deep breathing. This helps open the small air Bluffs & Bayous { March 2011 { Page 43
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In the Kitchen with Cheryl’s Friends and Family
Rose Borum’s Tribute to Her Mother
I
’ve known Rose and Tom Borum a long time. We became friends through our membership and work with Natchez Junior Auxiliary. Back then we enjoyed gathering for dinner parties at each other’s homes. Needless to say, when I was a guest at the Borums’ home, the dinners were amazing. Rose would have everything prepared beautifully from the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres through the distinctive coffee and desserts. When I asked her to focus on her Vietnamese heritage and cooking for our readers this month, she did so as a tribute to her mother, Rose Marie Shields. I hope you enjoy learning about Rose Marie and Rose—their culture and their cooking—as Rose has shared these treasures with me. Rose Borum’s mother, Do Thi Huong, was a War Bride of the Vietnam War, who became Rose Marie Shields when she came to the United States in 1968 after marrying Sergeant Eugene P. Shields of Grenada, Mississippi. With them they brought their two children, four-year-old Rose, whom
Above—Rose Marie Shields Right—Rose’s special ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking.
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they called Nickie, and two-year-old Gene. They settled in Fort Rucker, Alabama, for a year until Eugene took on another tour of duty and went back to Vietnam. While in Vietnam, Rose Marie was a business woman who had others take care of her as she helped run a family business that had contracts with the military in Vietnam. At home in Mississippi and with her husband again overseas, however, Rose Marie had to learn not only to cook but also to drive and take care of the children. They moved to Grenada to be near the Shields family, and there she taught herself to cook and became a phenomenal cook with help from her Vietnamese cookbooks and magazines. In later years, she taught her friends to prepare some of the delectable and intriguing dishes of her homeland. Rose Marie was born and grew up in the Imperial City of Hue where the Royalty of Vietnam once lived. There are dishes known only from that province that she remembered and revived. She lived her adult life in the southern provinces
of Vietnam in Que Nhon where her children were born. When, as a young Mississippi wife and mother, she began to develop her cooking skills, she drew from the influences of her Vietnam homes, added American food to her repertoire, topped these off with her innate ability to assimilate, season, and garnish—and voila—fantastic food! She passed down her passion for food to her daughter, Rose Shields Borum, who dedicates the following to Rose Marie Shields’ perseverance and tenacity and talent, sharing the influence of her life and her recipes with you, as she did with those close to her. Vietnamese Shrimp Toast Appetizer 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and finely chopped 1/2 pound lean ground pork 1/4 cup finely sliced green onions 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tablespoon Vietnamese Fish Sauce 1 large egg, beaten 1 small loaf French bread, sliced (Twin bag of French bread is usually the right diameter.) 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying 1 sprig of Thai Basil for garnish Mix together shrimp, pork, green onions, garlic, fish sauce, and egg. Spread the mixture on the French bread.
Heat oil and slide bread into it and fry with mixture side down first. Turn over after browning and let bottom side brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Cool and enjoy. This can be done ahead of time, frozen and then thawed out and heated in 350 degree oven. Serves 8. Asparagus and Crabmeat Soup 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water 4 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon fish sauce (Asian aisle) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup green onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 pound lump crabmeat 1 egg, beaten 1 14-oz. can asparagus (Save liquid.) 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped Chopped green onions for garnish Freshly ground black pepper Mix together cornstarch and cold water and set aside. Combine broth with fish sauce (found in the Asian food sections of grocery stores), sugar, and salt. Bring to boil and simmer on low. In sauté pan, heat vegetable oil. Add garlic and green onions, and sauté until aromatic. Add crabmeat
Top—Rose Borum Above—Rose with husband Tom Borum Left—Rose’s table set for serving up entertaining entrees.
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and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce. Stir fry on high heat for 1 minute and set aside. Bring soup to boil, adding cornstarch mixture, and stir gently until soup thickens but is clear. While the soup is boiling, add beaten egg, and stir gently, making egg threads. Continue stirring, and add crabmeat and asparagus with its liquid. Heat thoroughly and transfer to soup tureen. Sprinkle with cilantro, chopped green onions, and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4. Vietnamese Spring Rolls 2 ounces rice noodles 8 rice paper wrappers (8.5 inch diameter) 8 large cooked shrimp, peeled, de-veined, cut in half 8 slices cooked pork loin 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 2 lettuce leaves, chopped Dipping Sauce: 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (Asian aisle) 1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts Bring a medium saucepan of water to s boil. Boil rice noodles 3 to 5 minutes or until soft and then drain. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one rice paper in water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper on a plate. In center of wrapper, lay a handful of noodles, 2 halved shrimp, a slice of pork loin, lettuce, mint, chives, and cilantro. First fold up each side of wrapper covering end of little pile. Then fold up the bottom of the wrapper covering up the pile of ingredients. Slowly but tightly start rolling from bottom to top edge until you get to the end. Repeat with remaining ingredients. In a small bowl mix hoisin sauce (found in the Asian food sections of grocery stores), with the chopped peanuts. This will be the dipping sauce. Serve Spring rolls immediately. Serves 8.
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Banh Mi (Vietnamese Poboys) 4 French bread baguettes, split lengthwise with side hinge Mayonnaise to spread on all open baguettes Maggi Sauce (Vietnamese Soy Sauce found in Asian markets) 1 small cucumber, deseeded, sliced in thin, lengthwise strips Sprigs of cilantro 2 small carrots, shredded into long thin strips 2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced Slices of meat of your choice—pork, turkey, or roast beef Salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut French bread baguettes in half, leaving a side hinge on each. Spread insides with mayonnaise and sprinkle with Maggi Sauce. Place on a baking sheet and heat for 5 minutes. Take out and let cool enough to handle. Place the meat inside the baguettes; then start putting in the jalapeno, cucumber strips, carrot strips, and cilantro. Salt and pepper; then enjoy! Serves 4. Vietnamese Ice Coffee 4 cups of water 1/2 cup Cafe Du Monde Coffee 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk Ice cubes Brew coffee, using your preferred method. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into each of 4 coffee cups. Pour 1 cup of fresh coffee into each cup, and stir to dissolve the condensed milk. Serve each cup of coffee poured into a tall glass containing small a handful of ice cubes— but not too much ice because it will water down the coffee too much. Let each guest stir his or her coffee briskly with long icetea spoons to chill down the coffee. Very nice on a hot summer day! Serves 4.
THE Social Scene Historic Natchez Tableaux Royalty
T
he Natchez Garden Club and the Pilgrimage Garden Club held their annual holiday and royal court announcement party during the Christmas holidays. The 2011 Historic Natchez Tableaux Royalty was announced during the month as well at each club’s Christmas Party. The Historic Natchez Tableaux, Scenes of Natchez Past will open March 11 and run through April 9. The Pilgrimage Garden Club Royalty will reign the first two weeks of the production followed by the Natchez Garden Club Royalty.
King Luc Charboneau, Queen Natalie Phillips, Page Kailey Gremillion, Page Jake Hairston, and Page Mylie Magee
PGC Royal Court: Front—Mylie Magee, Kailey Gremillion, and Jake Hairston; back—Molly Butts, Joseph McDonough, Crimens Clifford, David Jeanson, Louisa Mohon, Patrick McDonough, Madeline Jeansonne, Kole Junkin, Natalie Phillips, Stacy Parker, Luc Charboneau, Jesse Morrison, Ginnie Scarborough, Kaitlyn Mayfield (not pictured, Andrew Little and Haley Forman)
Brandon Houck, Hannah House, Joshua Gamberi, Rachael Wagoner, Rachel Reeves, Andrew Johnson, Queen Britton Hinson. King Wyatt Craig, Taylor Hinson, Ashley Norman, Kyle Ketchings, Jessi Pace, Betsy Daggett, and Steven Eames Front—Pages Clair Ulmer and Will Welch
Page Clair Ulmer, NGC Queen Britton Hinson and NGC King Wyatt Craig with Page Will
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THE Social Scene Book Signings at Cover to Cover
D
uring the 2010 holiday season, Cover to Cover Books & More in Natchez, Mississippi, hosted a number of events featuring prominent authors. On October 23 at Natchez Coffee Company, Wyatt Waters signed his 2011 Calendar and Christmas Memories from Mississippi; on November 26 at The Carriage House,Walt Grayson was featured signing his Oh, That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories; on December 3 at Cover to Cover, Bob and Jan Carr and Rolland Golden signed their Raising Our Children on Bourbon: A French Quarter Love Affair; on November 27, Ken Murphy and Scott Barretta signed copies of their Mississippi: State of Blues; on December 11 at Natchez Coffee Company, John Grady Burns signed his Evergreen: Decorating with Colours of the Season and Personally Yours; and Anne B. McKee signed her Remembering Mississippi at The Carriage House on December 18. Anne McKee
Clyde Gousset and Walt Grayson Michelle Kelly and Wyatt Waters
Camp and Brittany Funderburg with John Grady Burns
Scott Barretta, Val McKnight, and Ken Murphy
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Barbara Haigh, David Haigh, and Ken Murphy
Walt Grayson, Jo Grayson, Meg Freeman, and Patrick Brown
Bob Carr and Bill Slatter
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Southern Sampler | by Alma M. Womack
T
Lunch on the Back Porch
he situation in Egypt has had me worried to death; and with the problems we are facing in this country, well, I have just been beside myself with aggravation. And wouldn’t you know, I spent all January and the first week of February with no Internet access. I had to call the Internet service several times, talking to Abraham I and II in India or somewhere, to get people to come out to my house and see what in the world was wrong. Abraham II and Alma had a lengthy discussion on the third call when he assured me he would have someone call me in five to seven days. “Oh, no,” says I. “You will have someone call me TODAY, THIS DAY, and he had better be an American living close enough to me that he can come and fix whatever is broken.” Abraham II agreed; and that afternoon, I had an appointment for the next week. Only when the tech came, he didn’t have the equipment to fix the OLD 7000 series; it would be better, he said, if I upgraded to the NEW 9000 series. So, once more trapped by the planned obsolescence of cyberspace equipment, I had to upgrade, and it would be another five days before the new modem and dish could be installed. Nothing to do but wait some more. I was afraid that our republic would fall while I was unable to read The Drudge Report, Lucianne, and Red State to see who needed Page 52 { March 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
a sharply worded fax or email that day. Luckily, things held together until I could get re-connected to the world, and certain legislators know that I have returned. I really should be thinking about yard work, for March is a good month to get things shaped up for the April and May plantings. I usually am a little bit late planting, preferring May to April when it comes to setting out the tender annuals. Whenever it is warm enough to plant cotton, it is warm enough to set out caladiums and elephant ears, two of my favorite plants. The new hosta that I swore I wouldn’t get will already be planted by then, and the old ones will be coming up. These foliage plants have become my favorites, for they provide color and interesting leaves and require less care than the blooming annuals, and I am certainly into the easiest way to garden. Bring on Spring! Whenever I meet Holly or Coty to transfer grands Liza and Drew, we always make the exchange at the old Texaco station in Woodville. I don’t know how old it is, but I stopped there in the late ‘60s, going to and from LSU, and it looked old then. It was a good place to get a cold Coke and some chips to sustain me until I could get home or back to school where the real food was. It is still a good place to stop when going on down to the capitol; but now, there’s a lot more than the regular fare to offer the hungry traveler.
The back of the store has been turned into The Back Porch Cafe where breakfast and dinner (lunch to you sophisticates) are served daily, and the fare is sensational. On the dinner menu, there is always fried chicken to go with the other meats of the day, but I have never eaten anything but the fried chicken. It has to be the absolute best chicken in this part of the world, and I am so thankful that I don’t live too close to Woodville or I’d be twice my size. Oh, it is so good, as are the sides that go with it. Nothing fancy, home-style cooking, but I would put their food up against any food anywhere. The place is always full around noon, but it is pretty quiet for a cafe. That’s because everyone is eating and not talking, and there is no aggravating music to make you nervous. If you’re ever in that direction around the twelve o’clock hour, do yourself a favor and eat at The Back Porch. Lewis Grizzard would give it a rating of 5 bowls of turnip greens, his highest praise for good food. Speaking of Lewis, I just wonder sometimes what he’d make of the upside down world we live in now. Lewis was always quick to defend common sense, good manners, love and respect for our country, and the Southern way of life. His standard dismissal to people who could do nothing but criticize our way of doing things was “Delta is ready when you are.” I’d like to send that same message to a whole list of
people who continually criticize, denigrate, and just plain bad mouth our wonderful country: if you don’t like it here, Delta has flights to China and Venezuela and the Middle East. I’ll contribute a dollar to your tickets. Just go, and go quickly. And while I’m at it, remember our soldiers in the Armed Services; pray for them and support them and their families in every way you can. Those young people are protecting this whole nation, and they deserve every good thing that we can give them. With that admonition, I will close for March by encouraging our local residents to enjoy the beauty that is Spring Pilgrimage. There are beautiful grounds, beautiful homes, and loads of Southern hospitality; and all too often, local residents ignore it all. Many people work long hours to make Natchez shine, and we should all be appreciative of their hard work and dedication. Take one day, at least, and enjoy the history and beauty of this lovely, old town.
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THE Social Scene Natchez Day at the Mississippi Museum of Art
T
he Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, Mississippi, hosted “Natchez Day” on January 8, giving Natchez, Mississippi, residents and guests from around the state a chance to attend a festive brunch and lecture about the art history of Natchez, the oldest city on the Mississippi River; view a showing of works from Natchez artists Rolland Golden and Conner Burns; tour several of downtown Jackson’s recent historical restorations; and end the day’s activities with a closing celebration. Presenting the morning’s lecture was Museum Registrar Joanna Biglane McNeel, formerly of Natchez.
Peter Burns, Annette Burns, Conner Burns, Melanie Kennedy, Tyler Burns, Diane Burns and Carter Burns
Durden Moss, Connie Burns, Marcia McCullough, Helen Smith, Gayle Henry, and Pat Biglane
Anne MacNeil, Hattie Ruder, and Carolyn Gwin
Liz Dantone, Al Walker, and Keith Karlsen
Bill and Bobbye Henley with Jean Reed
Carrie and Jarrod Lambert with Rolland and Stella Golden
Al Walker, Joanna and Jason McNeel, and Anne MacNeil
Rena Jean Schmieg, Kathleen Jenkins, and Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton
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THE Social Scene
Gwen and Dr. David Ball
Mimi Miller
T
Marcia McCullough and Karen Stubbs
Ann Garrity
Mary Jean and Lee Nicholls
Ginny Harrison, Sandy Taylor, and Meredith Trovato
THE Social Scene McComb Garden Club Meeting he McComb Garden Club in McComb, Mississippi, recently enjoyed a luncheon and tour of Jolimar Summit Spa and Retreat, in Summit, Mississippi.
Jane Walman, Gay Austin, Vicki Hollingsworth, Kathy Asaf, Lailla McEwen, Gene Butler, Sylvia Burrow, Delores Feldman, Kathy Parker, Virginia Griffin, Trisha Ray, and Nancy Yarborough
Connie Watts, Gene Butler, and Gay Austin
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March ... Up and Coming! Premier Event March 12 - April 16 Natchez Spring Pilgrimage Natchez, Mississippi From tours of the marvelous antebellum mansions, to the Historic Natchez Tableaux, to the mounds and Grand Village of the Native American Natchez, and to a medley of musical and theater productions, Natchez abounds with entertainment and tourist destinations during its annual, five-week Spring Pilgrimage, first staged in 1932. Every spring, thousands of visitors come from all over the country to visit historic Natchez, Mississippi, and learn the intriguing stories behind its many historic sites. Natchez is home to more than a hundred antebellum homes, many of them private residences and about 30 that open their doors to visitors for tours during the pilgrimage season. Morning tours take place between 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and afternoon tours run from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. A well-known pilgrimage tourist attraction is the Historic Natchez Tableaux which includes a number of enacted scenes recounting the rich cosmopolitan ambiance of Natchez—nearly 300 years rich in a heritage fashioned from the nations of the five flags that have flown over its bluffs. The Tableaux begins at 8:00 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night during the pilgrimage season. Also, every year, as a part of the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, the Natchez Little Theatre presents Southern Exposure, a thrilling drama about a sweet Southern belle who finds herself in a bind during the flurry and fanfare of pilgrimage season. You won’t want to miss out on any of these exciting events during the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage. For more information on events and schedules for house tours, call 601-446-6631 or 800-647-6742 or visit www. natchezpilgrimage.com/spring. March 18 - 20 40th Annual Audubon Pilgrimage St. Francisville, Louisiana The fortieth annual Audubon Pilgrimage, March 18, 19 and 20, 2011, celebrates a southern spring in St. Francisville, the glorious garden spot of Louisiana’s English Plantation Country. For four decades, the sponsoring West Feliciana Historical Society has thrown open the doors of significant historic structures to commemorate the tenure there of artist-naturalist John James Audubon as he painted a number of his famous bird folios. Page 56 { March 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
Features of the 2011 Audubon Pilgrimage include two historic townhouses, Avondale and White’s Cottage, and in the surrounding countryside two nineteenth-century plantations, Wakefield and Spring Grove, plus Afton Villa Gardens, Rosedown and Audubon State Historic Sites, three nineteenthcentury churches, an Antiques Show and Sale in two historic buildings, and the Rural Homestead with lively demonstrations of the rustic skills of daily pioneer life. Tour hostesses are clad in exquisitely detailed 1820s costumes, nationally recognized for their authenticity. The National Register historic district around Royal Street is filled during the day with the happy sounds of costumed children singing and dancing around the Maypole. In the evening, as candles flicker and fireflies flit among the ancient, moss-draped live oaks, there is no place more inviting for a leisurely stroll. Friday evening features old-time Hymn Singing at the United Methodist Church, Graveyard Tours at Grace Episcopal cemetery, and a wine-and-cheese reception at the West Feliciana Historical Society museum headquarters. Light Up The Night Saturday evening features live music, dinner and drinks. For tickets and tour information, contact West Feliciana Historical Society, Box 338, St. Francisville, LA 70775; phone 225-635-6330; visit www.audubonpilgrimage.info, or email sf@audubonpilgrimage.info. For information on overnight accommodations, shops, restaurants, and recreation in the Tunica Hills, see www.stfrancisville.us or www.stfrancisville. net, or telephone 225-635-4224. March 25 - 26 Heritage Festival Weekend Port Gibson, Mississippi Port Gibson Main Street Program will host the 19th Annual Port Gibson Heritage Festival March 25 and 26. Unique this year is a live recorded gospel CD produced by Kenneth McGriggs of Spirit of Gospel. This event will take place at First Baptist Church, beginning at 7:00 p.m on Friday, March 25. All area groups, choirs, or soloists are invited to participate. All events are free, and the public is invited to bring lawn chairs. Saturday offers the 5K Della Dash, a Mississippi
March ... Up and Coming! Premier Event Track Club Grand Prix event, beginning at 8:00 a.m. by the Water Department on the south end of Market Street. In the downtown area, arts-and- crafts vendors, food vendors, and demonstration artists will be open; and a Children’s Park, located at 700 Market, will include an entertainment stage, various rides, activities, and animals. Artist Alley features a number of talents from the Mississippi Artists Guild as well as other distinguished artists from across the country that will offer their wares for sale. Mississippi Cultural Crossroads will host its annual Quilt Show Exhibit as well. The Music Stage, located in front of the Matt Ross Administration Building, will feature a Step Show from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Recognition at 2:00 p.m., Tré Williams & the Revelations at 4:00 p.m., and Denise LaSalle at 6:00 p.m. For more information and applications for participation or for volunteering, contact the Main Street office, 601-4374500 or 601-437-4500. March 30 - April 11 71st Annual Columbus Spring Pilgrimage Columbus, Mississippi The Columbus Spring Pilgrimage is touted as one of the best and most authentic historic home tours in the South. The antebellum mansions are flawlessly maintained; and many feature re-enactment activities taken from the 1800s and complemented with period costumes to add authenticity to these two weeks of historic commemoration. Walking and driving tour maps are available at the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center. For more information, call 662-329-3533 or 800-327-2686 or visit www.columbus-ms.org.
April 1 - 30 Tapestry: The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi The tapestry of Vicksburg, Mississippi, reveals a rich history, woven by the hands of those who were here before us and depicting the many distinctive events of the past to produce the array of beautiful homes and unique cultural experiences we see in Vicksburg today. Explore Vicksburg society by touring its historic homes and their many interpretive presentations that are sure to bring to life the heritage and culture of this remarkable river city. For more information, call 601-638-2000 or 601-883-9956 or visit www.visitvicksburg.com/events.
April 8 - 10 73rd Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage Holly Springs, Mississippi The 73rd annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage features a full schedule of home tours and events sure to please every visitor. This exciting weekend of tours includes museums, gardens, and cemeteries as well. Visitors may tour such homes as Walter Place, Featherston Place, Polk Place, Finley Place, and Montrose. Also included are tours of the Marshall County Historical Museum, Sabbath School, and various churches. An organ recital is set for Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church with a vocal performance Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Other Saturday activities include an Arts & Crafts Fair (10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) on the historic town-square along with re-enactments and carriage rides. Tickets are $35 per person, $30 for Seniors age 65 and older, and $30 for groups of 12 or more. Children 10 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 662-252-2365 or 901-230-3576 or on the day of the tour at the Marshall County Library. Tickets will not be available for purchase at individual homes. The pilgrimage’s final day features the Sweet Sunday Special for $40 which includes all homes on tour as well as a champagne brunch and theater presentation (11:30-1:30) at Montrose. For more information on tickets or events call 662-252-2365 or 901-230-3576 or visit www.visithollysprings.com/pilgrimages. April 9 Book Signing: The Haunting of Mississippi Magnolia Hall Natchez, Mississippi From Native American burial grounds to Civil War battle sites, the Magnolia State encompasses an area brimming with rich history and its related ghouls and phantoms. This ghostly guide—The Haunting of Mississippi—takes readers on a tour of seventeen historical sites that the supernatural tend to frequent. Currently living in Algiers, Louisiana, Barbara Sillery is the owner of Lagniappe Media, an advertising agency that combines creativity with technology. A television producer and writer with a penchant for the paranormal, she is also the author of Pelican’s The Haunting of Louisiana. Barbara Sillery will be reading and signing The Haunting of Mississippi at The Natchez Book Party at Magnolia Hall on April 9 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Lunch is $20, and reservations may be made with Cover to Cover Books & More, 601-445-5752. Bluffs & Bayous { March 2011 { Page 57
March ... Up and Coming! March 1 - 31 “In Celebration of Women’s Circles” Janet Akers The Cobb House Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, Mississippi March 1 - Reception, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 601-631-2997 annette@southernculture.org www.southernculture.org
March 1 - July 17 The Orient Express MS Museum of Art 380 S. Lamar Jackson, Mississippi 1-866-view-art March 3 “Let’s Go On With The Shows” Concert Concordia Bank Lobby Vidalia, Louisiana 7:00 p.m. 318-757-2707 sgilmore@state.lib.la.us March 3 - 5 The Light in the Piazza Blackbox Theatre at Belhaven University Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 p.m. 601-965-7026 boxoffice@belhaven.edu
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March 4 - 5 The Princess and the Pea Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Company Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center Jackson, Mississippi 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $18 - $25 601-853-4508 www.msmetroballet.com March 4 - 6 The Lion in Winter City Park Players Alexandria, Louisiana Adults $12, Sr. $10, Child $5 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 2:30 p.m. 318-484-4478 cityparkplayers@gmail.com March 4 - 6 Barak Shrine Circus Monroe Civic Center Arena Monroe, Louisiana Friday: 7:30 p.m. Saturday: 10:00 a.m.; 2:30 & 7:30 p.m. Sun. 2:00 & 6:00 p.m. $10 Adults; $5 Children 318-329-2338 March 4 College Cheerleaders & Classic Cars Parade Downtown Alexandria Alexandria, Louisiana 4:30 p.m. Aaron Green 318-442-9533 March 4 Kids Mardi Gras Mask Making Workshop Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, Mississippi 3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. $10 per child (ages 6 & up) 601-631-2997 info@southernculture.org March 4 Krewe of Phoenix Parade Downtown Natchez, Mississippi 5:00 p.m.
March 4 Mardi Gras Merchants’ Parade Downtown/ Midtown Lake Charles Lake Charles, Louisiana 337-436-9588 March 4 Taste of Mardi Gras Alexandria Riverfront Center Alexandria, Louisiana Reserved Tables: 6:00 p.m. General Admission: 7:00 p.m. 318-302-3051 www.alexmardigras.com March 5 Krewe of Phoenix Grand Ball Natchez, Mississippi
March 5 10th Annual Vicksburg Mardi Gras Parade Downtown Vicksburg, Mississippi 4:00 p.m. 601-634-4527 kimh@vicksburg.org March 5 AMGA 15th Annual Children’s Parade Downtown Alexandria, Louisiana 10:45 p.m. 318-290-7566 www.alexmardigras.com March 5 Hinamatsuri Family Day Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 601-960-1515 March 5 Krewe of Dionysus Mardi Gras Parade Natchitoches, Louisiana 800-259-1714 www.natchitoches.net
March 5 King Cake Party Alexandria Zoo Alexandria, Louisiana 2:00 p.m. 318-441-6810 www.alexmardigras.com March 5 Mardi Gras Zydeco Dance Lake Charles Civic Center Lake Charles, Louisiana 337-436-9588 March 6 GingerSnapp Performance Baton Rouge Mental Health Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana 225-774-2141 March 6 AMGA 16th Annual Krewes Parade Alexandria, Louisiana 2:00 p.m. 318-473-9501 www.alexmardigras.com March 7, 14, 21, 28 March Mondays Presented by Warren County Master Gardeners Warren County Extension Office Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 601-636-5442 www.warrencountymastergardeners.com March 8 2011 Mardi Gras Masquerade Gala Natchez Downtown Association Dunleith Plantation Natchez, Mississippi 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Cash Bar, Music, Silent Auction $20.00 601-442-2929 March 10 Bi-annual Hit the Bricks Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 601-634-4527
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March 11 Kid Rock Mississippi Coliseum Jackson, Mississippi 7:00 p.m. $22 - $86 www.kidrock.com March 11 Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Galloway United Methodist Church Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 p.m. 601-960-1565 March 11 - 12, 18 - 19, 25 - 26 Gold in the Hills Parkside Playhouse Vicksburg, Mississippi 7:30 p.m. $12 adults; $10 senior citizens (55 & older) $7 students; $5 children (12 & under) 601-636-0471 www.e-vtg.com March 11 - April 17 Southern Exposure Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, Mississippi 319 Linton Avenue March 11: 7:00 p.m., $10 Benefit, Natchez Firefighters Association Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8:00 p.m., $15.00 Sunday April 17: 2:00 p.m. March 12 - April 16 Natchez Spring Pilgrimage Natchez, Mississippi 601-446-6631 www.natchezpilgrimage.com/spring
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March 12 EXPLORE! Archaeology Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Ages 6 - 8: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 9 - 12: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. $10 601-442-9021 kmcneil@mdah.state.ms.us March 12 ZOODAY The Jackson Zoo Jackson, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 601-352-2580 March 12 Rebellion and Relics: The Civil War in Mississippi Old Capitol Museum Jackson, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 601-576-6920 mdah.state.ms.us/oldcap/ March 12 Artists Reception ArtsNatchez Gallery Natchez, Mississippi 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 601-224-0043 www.artsnatchez.org March 13 Classic Sunday Opera: Tristan and Isolde Russell C. Davis Planetarium Jackson, Mississippi 2:00 p.m. 601-960-2300 www.msfilm.org or www.msopera.org March 15 - April 12 Intermediate Digital Photography Workshop Masur Museum of Art Monroe, Louisiana Tuesdays: 6:15 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. $120 museum members; $160 nonmembers 318-329-2237 evelyn.stewart@ci.monroe.la.us
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March ... Up and Coming! March 15 Expressions of the Orient Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi 5:30 p.m. hors d’oeuvres; 6:00 p.m. program 601-960-1515
March 18 - 20 Ladies Civil War Academy Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi 601-442-2901 rperson@mdah.state.ms.us
March 17 Kings & Queens Ball Monroe, Louisiana Time: 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. $45; $60 for couples 225-270-1456
March 19 Festival of Live Oaks New Iberia City Park New Iberia, Louisiana 337-369-2337
March 17 - 20, 24 - 27 Broadway Bound Strauss Theatre Monroe, Louisiana 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 2:00 p.m. $25 318-323-6681 www.strausstheatre.com March 18 - 20 40th Annual Audubon Pilgrimage St. Francisville, Louisiana 225-635-6330 www.audubonpilgrimage.com March 18 - 20 Jackson Garden & Patio Show Mississippi State Fairgrounds Jackson, Mississippi Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 601-919-8111
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March 19 Magnolia Arts Market Downtown, East Rail Road Street Magnolia, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 601-783-5072 LoriFelix@att.net March 19 Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade Downtown Jackson Jackson, Mississippi 601-948-0888 www.sweetpotatoqueens.com
March 21 Chocolate Lover’s Workshop Viking Cooking School Ridgeland, Mississippi 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 601-898-8345 March 21 - April 4 Azalea Festival Pike County, Mississippi 601-276-3817 amygazzo@smcc.edu March 22 Taste of DeSoto The Arena at Southaven Southaven, Mississippi 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. $35 in advance; $40 at door 662-893-4323 www.thetasteofdesoto.com
March 22 “Everything is coming up ROSES� with Trish Aleshire Vidalia Library Vidalia, Louisiana 2:30 p.m. 318-757-2707 sgilmore@state.lib.la.us
March 23 Leo Honeycutt Lunch & Book Signing Carriage House Restaurant Cover to Cover Books & More Natchez, Mississippi Lunch: Carriage House 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Signing: Cover to Cover 1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 601-445-5752 info@c2cbooks.com March 24 14th Annual Festival of Flowers Pike County National Bank McComb, Mississippi 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Free Admission 601-248-8976 March 25 - 26 Alcorn State University Piano Competition Trinity Episcopal Church Downtown Natchez, Mississippi Friday - 7:00 p.m. Piano Recital, Dr. Bernardo Scarambone Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Piano Competition Saturday - 7:00 p.m. Piano Recital, Dr. Julia Mortyakova Free and open to the public 615-585-5330 www.alcornstatepianocompetition.com
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March 25 - 27 46th Annual Jackson Assembly Antiques Show & Sale Jackson, Louisiana 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. $10 (good for all three days) 225-634-7155 www.felicianatourism.org March 26 - 27 Natchez Powwow Grand Village of the Natchez Indians Natchez, Mississippi Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sunday: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. $5 adults; $3 children 12 & under 601-446-6502 March 26 Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Thalia Maria Hall Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 p.m. 601-960-1565 March 27 Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show Mississippi Coliseum Jackson, Mississippi 1:30 p.m. 601-353-0603 March 28 Azalea Coronation Edgewood Park McComb, Mississippi 6:00 p.m. 601-276-3817 amygazzo@smcc.edu March 30 - April 11 71st Annual Columbus Spring Pilgrimage Columbus, Mississippi March 30 - 31 Mississippi Performing Arts Festival for Children/Puppetry Jam Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum Jackson, Mississippi 11:00 p.m. 601-977-9840 www.mspuppetry.com
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March 30 - April 3 McComb City Fair McComb Sports Park McComb, Mississippi Free Admission 601-684-8664
March 31 Ruth Ballet Magnificat! Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center Jackson, Mississippi 6:00 p.m., $15.00 601-977-1001 www.balletmagnificat.com March 31 Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music St. Philip’s Episcopal Church Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 p.m., $25.00 601-594-5584 www.ancientmusic.org April 1 - 30 Tapestry: The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi 601-638-2000 www.visitvicksburg.com/events
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April 1 - 2 Journey of the Prodigal Son Ballet Magnificat! Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center Jackson, Mississippi 2:00 p.m. $15.00 601-977-1001 www.balletmagnificat.com April 2 Ironwood Market: Art on the Tracks Downtown Railroad Park McComb, Mississippi 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 800-993-0757 www.artonthetracks.com April 2 True Story of 3 Little Pigs Mississippi Children’s Museum Le Fleur’s Bluff State Park Jackson, Mississippi $8.00, Members free 10:30 a.m. 877-793-5437
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April 8 - 10 73rd Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage Holly Springs, Mississippi 662-252-2365 www.visithollysprings.com/pilgrimages April 9 Natchez Book Party & Lunch with Barbara Sillery Magnolia Hall Natchez, Mississippi 11:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch $20 (reservations available) 601-445-5752 info@c2cbooks.com
Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.
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