DeSoto Magazine November 2018

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November CONTENTS 2018 • VOLUME 15 • NO. 11

features 48 Tip of the Hat To the Stetson Mansion

62 Reality Check With Virtual Reality Jobs

56 A Need for Nature Special Memories for Special Children

departments 14 Living Well Getting “Hip” at OrthoMemphis

40 On the Road Again West Point, Mississippi

16 Notables Robert St. John

44 Holiday Gift Guide 68 Homegrown Susansnaps

20 Exploring Art Lucedale’s Men of Refuge

70 Southern Gentleman Mississippi Armed Forces Museum

24 Exploring Books Turkey on the Table

74 Southern Harmony Charlie Worsham

28 Into the Wild Dismals Canyon

76 In Good Spirits Sage Advice

32 Table Talk Crossroads Seafood

78 Exploring Events

36 Exploring Destinations Asheville’s Gingerbread Contest

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80 Reflections Spun Together

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editor’s note } november Giving Back

This past year has been fraught with highs and lows for many of us. To climb out of those low valleys, it helps to give thanks for the good times and to give back to the communities and people who need our help. Each November, DeSoto Magazine strives to recognize people and organizations that do just that.

We begin with Robin Branch’s story about three local nonprofit organizations that are creating opportunities for special needs children to have memorable outdoor experiences – activities that can change their young lives.

A new company called Lobaki, which started in Clarksdale and recently moved to Jackson, is giving hope to Mississippi’s young people by training them for high-tech jobs. Karen Ott Mayer’s first- person experience with virtual reality presents a picture as to why this technology is so exciting.

My feature about Stetson Mansion may seem like just another holiday story, but actually it’s a peek into the life of legendary hatmaker John B. Stetson, an American manufacturer well known for his philanthropy. His legacy continues with the current owners of his Victorian mansion who invite the public to celebrate the holidays with the annual “Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular!”

NOVEMBER 2018 • Vol. 15 No.11

PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paula Mitchell EDITOR-AT-LARGE Mary Ann DeSantis ASSISTANT EDITOR Andrea Brown Ross

Writer Charlene Oldham tells about the craftmanship from the Men of Refuge, who are learning new skills to better themselves. Karon Warren interviewed Hattiesburg’s Robert St. John, a notable restauranteur who launched Extra Table, a nonprofit that supplies food to those in need.

All of us at DeSoto Magazine are thankful for you. We are truly blessed to have such an amazing community of readers and advertisers.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mary Ann Our Apologies…

We regret that John Ruskey’s name was inadvertently misspelled throughout the “Kayaking for Kids” article in our October issue. We offer our sincere apologies to Mr. Ruskey, who so graciously gave us his time and supplied many of the beautiful photos.

on the cover Cover photo of the Stetson Mansion was taken by Neal Smith, founder and owner of East Coast Virtual Tours (ECVT).

Based near Jacksonville, Florida, the company specializes in architectural and real estate photography. Visit ECVT’s website at eastcoastvtours.com.

CONTRIBUTORS Robin Gallaher Branch Cheré Coen Mary Ann DeSantis Jason Frye Michelle Keller Debi Lander Karen Ott Mayer Charlene Oldham Andrea Brown Ross Karon Warren Pam Windsor PUBLISHED BY DeSoto Media 2375 Memphis St. Ste 208 Hernando, MS 38632 662.429.4617 ADVERTISING INFO: Paula Mitchell 901-262-9887 Paula@DeSotoMag.com DeSotoMagazine.com

©2018 DeSoto Media Co. DeSoto Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein t o b e re p ro d u c e d i n a n y m a n n e r.

Any advertisements published in DeSoto Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s services or products. DeSoto Magazine is published monthly by DeSoto Media Co. Parties interested in advertising should email paula@desotomag.com or call 901-262-9887. Visit us online at desotomagazine.com.

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living well } orthomemphis

Get ‘Hip’ At OrthoMemphis

By Michelle Keller | Photography courtesy of Prescouter

Advanced technology has decreased recovery times for hip and knee replacement surgeries, making it possible for most patients to walk out of the hospital the next day.

Our bodies are much like our vehicles. Sometimes even the best care, including changing the quality of what goes in the machine can still result in a need for repair or replacement. In years past any type of total replacement therapy was considered a ‘major’ surgery.

Utilizing technology and a well-trained staff, OrthoMemphis has accelerated the recovery time of these procedures. If you are considering a hip or knee replacement but are leery of the downtime away from work and play—think again. This isn’t your grandfather’s hip replacement.

According to Dr. Drew Wodowski, who specializes in both hip and knee replacement at OrthoMemphis in Southaven, Mississippi, the most common indication for a hip or knee 16 DeSoto

replacement in 2018 is severe, painful arthritis of the affected joint that has not improved with non-surgical management.

“For either the hip or the knee, there are other specific indications such as arthritis from previous trauma, avascular necrosis (decreased blood flow to the hip resulting in dead bone), joint or limb malalignment, and trauma (like a hip fracture),” he says.

Physical therapy (PT) can be an option in all stages of osteoarthritis. “When arthritis occurs, the affected joint can be unstable, and the goal of physical therapy is to strengthen the dynamic stabilizers of the joint (muscles and their tendons) around it to provide stability,” says Wodowski.

“In early stages of arthritis, PT can decrease the

rapidity of progression of arthritis. In later stages, PT can be used to keep muscles strong before replacement so that they are in top shape after surgery,” he adds. “After surgery, PT is used to maintain range of motion of the joint and provide stability such that recovery is smooth and pain-free as possible.”

Hip and knee replacement surgery today are very different than they were even five years ago. Gone are the days of long hospital stays and arduous recovery. In fact, most patients go home to their own house after surgery.

“In my practice, I use a rapid recovery joint replacement protocol with multimodal anesthesia,” says Wodowski. “What this means is that most patients leave the hospital the day after their surgery, with well-controlled pain.”

Wodowski indicates this is driven by recent advancements in anesthesia, surgical techniques, and pain control pills that work in many different manners to alleviate pain from different pathways.

“For knee replacement, I use a technique called ‘gap balancing’ that allows the replaced knee to move and bend through a full range of motion without instability,” he explains.

“This produces a consistently stable knee and makes rehab easier.”

According to Wodowski, the direct anterior approach in hip replacement has been shown to decrease recovery times.

It also allows perfect placement of the hip components using a new x-ray-based tool.

“The implants that I use for knee and hip replacement are also very advanced, with many customizable features that can be tailored to individual anatomy. The longevity of the implants has been proven to be excellent.”

The biggest question patients have when considering any type of surgical procedure is what can they expect during recovery.

“After surgery, you will be walking on your joint the same day with a walker and assistance of a therapist,” Wodowski explains.

He says it takes a replaced joint up to a year to recover so that the patient gets the maximum benefit, but the first 4-to6 weeks are where the real progress is made. Hard work with therapy and maintaining range of motion in the replaced joint is the mainstay of recovery. Walking around the house and around the block or to the grocery store or going out for dinner is encouraged from the time you leave the hospital. Wodowski indicates that while you should refrain from serious physical activity like running, squats, road cycling etc., for six weeks after the replacement, most activities are fine from day one.

Contrary to popular belief or archaic doctrine, the use of replacement is not actually dictated by a patient’s age.

“The degree of osteoarthritis, and the patient’s overall medical health are the two most important factors when considering replacement therapy,” says Wodowski. “Hip and knee replacements have been shown to be successful in patients over 85-to-90 years old.”

Many people suffer unnecessarily for years with chronic joint pain. Sacrificing six short weeks in recovery could make the difference in the overall quality of life. If joint pain is interrupting your daily routine, replacement therapy may be the answer. If you’ve tried injections and exhausted PT, the time to consider surgery is now. With advanced technology and a rapid recovery time, OrthoMemphis can assist you from start to finish.

Michelle Keller is a freelance writer based in Memphis. An advocate and volunteer against domestic violence, Michelle also writes for The Austin Times Newspaper, On The Links Magazine and National Hardwood Magazine.

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notables } robert st. john

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Setting an Extra Table

By Karon Warren | Photography courtesy of Robert St. John/Extra Table

Hattiesburg restaurateur finds an efficient way to supply healthy food to non-profit pantries in 29 counties around Mississippi. His goal is to reach all 82.

In 1987, Robert St. John opened his first restaurant, Purple Parrot, in Hattiesburg; in the ensuing years, he has gone on to open four more restaurants – Crescent City Grill, Tabella, Ed’s Burger Joint and Branch, and The Mahogany Bar, all in Hattiesburg. Throughout the years, St. John also plugged into his community, spreading out his philanthropy to his neighbors.

Those individual efforts coalesced into a concerted mission after a phone call in 2009.

At the time, the Edwards Street Fellowship Center in Hattiesburg was providing emergency and supplemental food to 800 families every month through its food pantry. The food pantry filled its shelves solely based on local donations.

The center called St. John in a panic because it was completely out of food. St. John didn’t hesitate. He called Sysco, his food service distributor, to see if they could help. Sysco didn’t hesitate, either, so St. John put together an order, which was quickly shipped to the food pantry.

The entire situation got St. John to thinking.

“‘You know,’ I thought, ‘I bet there’s an easier, more efficient way to collect food, and they won’t run out of food,’” he says.

St. John readily admits he didn’t think there was a food shortage in Mississippi or that the food pantry would need a lot of food.

“I quickly learned there was a huge problem,” he says.

“It’s a real deal, and my eyes were opened.”

Therefore, he went back to Sysco to see if the company

was interested in working together to help alleviate the food shortage. Again, there was no hesitation on their part.

So, in 2009, St. John launched Extra Table, a nonprofit that seeks to supply food to those in need throughout Mississippi through local organizations.

“We founded it on two principles,” St. John says.

“One, 100 percent of money raised would be used to purchase food, and, two, we provide healthy food.”

St. John toured food pantries around the state to see what they had and what they needed. Most were supplied by food drives, which resulted in many shortcomings.

“Food pantries are the most inefficient way to supply food because people use it as an opportunity to clean out their own pantries,” St. John says.

Extra Table took a different approach. It is not a government organization, but, instead, is privately funded.

“We fundraise and collect funds from donors just like you,” says Martha Allen, executive director of Extra Table.

“Donations are coded by zip code so your money stays local, and 100 percent of your donation is spent on food.”

Extra Table takes those funds and purchases new and healthy food from Sysco, who delivers and shelves the food at participating food pantries. Allen points out that $1 spent on buying food in bulk from Sysco goes a lot further than $1 spent at the grocery store for everyday shoppers.

“Extra Table is such a smart and efficient way to make an impact throughout our state,” Allen says.

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Together, Extra Table and Sysco now ship more than 14 tons of food on the last Wednesday of every month to 32 food pantries in 29 counties.

Every agency is approved by Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

“Extra Table has been growing rapidly each year since 2009,” Allen says.

“With our 10th anniversary upon us, I expect growth, increased visibility, and we are always looking for new partners to help us tell our story.”

St. John says his ultimate goal is to cover all 82 counties in Mississippi.

“There’s help for people in their communities, and we can help ends meet,” St. John says. “Food is the most basic need. If you don’t have it, the other stuff doesn’t matter.”

There is the possibility of taking Extra Table nationwide, but it’s not something St. John is ready to consider right now.

“We need to get all of our ducks in a row in Mississippi and make sure we’re running on all cylinders before we go nationwide,” he says.

“There’s literally no part of the country we couldn’t get to.”

Those interested in supporting Extra Table can donate online at the nonprofit’s website, and can direct their donation to the community of their choice. Anyone working with a food pantry or in need who wants assistance from Extra Table should contact Allen.

However, St. John cautions them to be prepared for her response.

“I warn anyone who contacts Martha, she will be there,” he says.

“She’s on fire.”

He may not admit it, but St. John seems pretty on fire for Extra Table as well. Ten years ago, he answered the call of his community, pitching in to help because he could. He didn’t imagine what would transpire throughout the next decade.

“I never really planned on this, but it’s what I’m supposed to be doing,” St. John says. extratable.org Karon Warren is a freelance writer based in Ellijay, Georgia. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Karon also writes for USA Today and her blog, ThisGirlTravels.com.

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exploring art } city of refuge for men

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A Message of Hope through Art

By Charlene Oldham | Photography courtesy of City of Refuge for Men

The works of art from the City of Refuge are not only inspiring to those who buy them, but also to the men who create them.

It takes a lot of money to feed and house about a hundred people, but City of Refuge for Men relies on hard work over handouts to cover its costs.

The wake-up call comes at 5 a.m. for residents at the faith-based addiction recovery facility in Lucedale, Mississippi, where the day begins with a devotional reading, prayer and an hour of chapel each morning. The men also attend an hour of chapel each evening. In between, new residents spend most of their time in classes while those who’ve been in the program longer devote more time to mastering hands-on tasks in the wood shop, paint and body shop or one of the City of Refuge’s other work areas.

“They go to six years of church in six months, so there’s a lot of church,” said Sandy Delchamps, City of Refuge’s director and pastor. “But we do a lot of work around the facility because I feel a lot of people have never been taught any skills.”

Residents spend a minimum of six months in the program, which is free. But they are expected to put in work hours and participate in other parts of the program, which includes leadership training, mentoring groups, individual and group counseling sessions and community service, among other activities.

Some enter the program voluntarily. Others are assigned there by drug court judges, probation and parole officers and other officials, with about 30 men coming from nearby Harrison County. But the program accepts residents from across the country and is currently building a facility large enough to house 450 men. It also offers transitional housing options for those leaving the residential program. Although the nonprofit receives some donations, City of Refuge gets the majority of its funding from the goods and services its residents produce.

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or we’re putting it back into the ministry,” Delchamps said.

“Our power bill is $5,000 a month, so we have to learn how to support ourselves – to take care of ourselves. And it teaches the men how to do that.”

Some of its most-popular products are the handpainted crosses and plaques that bear Bible verses or inspirational sayings. The wood plaques are designed in the City of Refuge’s in-house design shop and are carved using a computer numeric control, or CNC, machine.

“People learn some design skills, some computer skills, and we also have an engraving machine that laser engraves some other items too,” Delchamps said. “We have people work in all different departments so they get an idea of how everything works.”

But it takes a while to master the machinery for those residents who’ve hardly hefted a hammer before coming to City of Refuge. Delchamps said they often start with scrap wood from the facility’s sawmill or donated pallets.

“Some guys have never read a tape measure before.

So, we take old wood and turn it around to make crosses, and some discover skills they never knew they had.”

The City of Refuge sells its wares online. Residents also go out to visit local retailers and festivals or set up a table in front of big chain stores when the locations’ managers will let them. There, residents share their stories, which sometimes bring people who need help into the program. For instance, Delchamps says the current body shop supervisor is a program graduate whose mother first encountered City of Refuge 24 DeSoto

residents selling crosses and plaques in front of a Walmart store.

The grassroots sales force also attracts interest from people like Claire Agner, who was inspired to support the residents’ recovery efforts after a couple of them came into her store offering some of their products for sale. Agner, who owns Commerce Street Market in Hernando, Mississippi, says she asked the men to share their stories and was so moved by them that she soon called the organization to learn more and place a bulk order. Today, her store carries plaques produced by the City of Refuge, including some that feature personalized touches like Hernando’s signature water tower.

“People love them because, not only are they supporting a great organization, they have a Bible verse that speaks to them and some also have a Hernando landmark,” said Agner, who loves the idea of supporting a Mississippi-based organization. “Just like that organization spoke to us because they are giving these men a second chance and they are part of this community.” corformen.org Charlene Oldham is a St. Louis-based writer who grew up in the Arkansas Delta. She has worked as a staff writer for both the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Dallas Morning News.

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exploring books} turkey on the table

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Creating a Kid-size Turkey on the Table

By Debi Lander Photography courtesy of Steve Birdsall (children’s photos). Book cover provided by authors.

Turkey on the Table combines history, art, and fun for families as Thanksgiving approaches.

Most of us vividly recall learning about the First Thanksgiving in elementary school. We were told English Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts shared a bountiful harvest in 1621 with their Native American neighbors who had helped them survive in the New World. For decades, children trotted off to school dressed up as Massachusetts Pilgrims and Indians to join together for classroom feasts. They learned that pumpkin was good for more than jack o’lanterns and corn was ground into cornmeal and baked into bread.

Years later, folks in St. Augustine, Florida, claimed Florida as the site of the first Thanksgiving celebration.

Eminent Florida historian Michael Gannon says, “Not until 56 years later would the Pilgrims in Massachusetts observe their famous Thanksgiving. St. Augustine’s settlers celebrated the nation’s first Thanksgiving on Sept. 8, 1565. Following a religious service, the Spaniards shared a communal meal with the local native tribe.”

Whichever version you embrace, it wasn’t until 1863, during the Civil War that the U.S. holiday became official.

Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.

Today, however, parades, overindulgent meals, and football compete with the original meaning behind Thanksgiving.

Enter Kelly Maunus and April George in 2014 – two moms who decided to create a book and project to help foster gratitude. Their “Turkey on the Table” book-set features a calico fabric stuffed turkey, complete with heart-shaped prongs to hold its turkey feathers. Children color the paper feathers and write a word denoting something specific they are thankful for—food, family, faith, their pets and friends.

George says, “We wanted to bring some attention to the Thanksgiving holiday in a way that would engage the whole family. Many families have a tradition of going around the table and saying what they are thankful for, but we thought the turkey would be a great visual display of gratitude for all to see during the entire month of November; it’s a representation of what’s in your heart.”

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Other Books for Thanksgiving

Looking for an age appropriate book with a Thanksgiving message? Here are a few suggestions: Where is Baby’s Turkey? by Karen Katz

This interactive book allows little ones to lift the flaps on each page to find a turkey stuffed animal.

The Birdsall family of Baltimore purchased the book set last year. “My kids enjoyed seeing the feathers on the turkey grow in number each day and because we made a rule that each feather had to be unique, it forced them to think deeper about their day to find a new person or program to be thankful for,” says Steve Birdsall, a father who helped his children put the calico bird together.

In addition to this meaningful family activity, every book set purchased provides a donation of 10 meals through a partnership with Feeding America. Previous to this year’s upcoming holiday, Turkey on the Table sales provided over 547,120 meals to Feeding America. The goal this year is to reach a million.

Co-author Maunus says, “We love that our product gives back to those in need and that we are partnered with an amazing organization like Feeding America. Food insecurity is a real issue in America, and many hardworking people and children depend on their local food banks for sustenance. We are honored to help in any small way.”

Colorful illustrations by Christen Cushing of Los Angeles jump off the paperback book’s glossy pages. The characters in the story resemble Japanese anime (animation art) or comic book figures. The style appeals to children.

“The book works well as a short bedtime story,” reports Birdsall. “As a parent, you know that you should be teaching gratitude to your children. “Turkey on the Table” is a great tangible reminder to pause and reflect, as a family, to take time in our busy days to offer thanks.”

Find the book and turkey set at independent shops, including Ultimate Gifts in Southaven, Mississippi, and in national chains such as Bed, Bath and Beyond and Michaels, or online from Amazon.com. Suggested retail price $39.99.

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Franklin’s Thanksgiving by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

Beloved turtle Franklin likes everything about Thanksgiving, from eating pumpkin-fly pie to making cornucopias. But best of all is having his Grandma and Grandpa share the holiday.

The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh

In this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, Giles, Constance and Damaris Hopkins are all passengers aboard the crowded Mayflower.

Grades 4 and up: Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson and Matt Faulkner

Meet one invincible “lady editor” named Sarah Hale who spent 35 years working to save Thanksgiving. Her many petitions to Abraham Lincoln swayed him to sign the Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863.

America’s Real First Thanksgiving: St. Augustine, Florida by Robyn Giola

Before the Pilgrims celebrated, Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez arrived in Florida and founded St. Augustine. On Sept. 8, 1565, the Spanish and the native Timucua celebrated with a feast of thanksgiving.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving by Charles M. Schulz

Although Charles Brown can barely make toast, he tries to fix Thanksgiving dinner for Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang. A classic for all ages.

Debi Lander is a freelance writer/photographer and seasoned international traveler. She formerly lived in St. Augustine, Florida, where she learned about the true first Thanksgiving.

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into the wild } dismals canyon

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Dismals Canyon: Nature’s Playground

By Andrea Brown Ross | Photography courtesy of Daryl Forester, Ronnie Harris and Laura Saylors Gibson

Mother Nature has her own blinking lights – a rare and natural phenomenon known as Dismalites. The only place in the U.S. to see these glow-in-the-dark bioluminescent creatures is Alabama’s Dismals Canyon.

The holidays will soon be here with all their grandeur.

And one of the most anticipated traditions of the season is the countless blinking lights. After the holidays are over, and cabin fever has set in, where can you go to enjoy the evening lights and release some energy?

The answer is tucked away in the Appalachian Mountain foothills in northwest Alabama. Dismals Canyon, an 85-acre, privately-owned natural conservatory, offers a unique opportunity to view rare glow-in-the-dark creatures known as Dismalites in the fall and spring.

Dismalites, or Orfelia fultoni, are the only bioluminescent fly species found in North America. The larvae use their bioluminescent lanterns to attract prey. The species typically live along the bank of a stream in the moss near a rock cavity or sandstone cave. After twilight, the Dismalites illuminate the Alabama canyon, located in Franklin County.

Although the best time of year to view the Dismalites is typically late spring, tour guide Britney Slappey says the canyon doesn’t disappoint in the fall.

“Because of the temperature change in the canyon, DeSoto 31

we are typically about two weeks later in the changing of the fall foliage,” she says.

Amanda Wilson of Senatobia, Mississippi, began visiting Dismals Canyon in 2011, with her most recent trip being this past summer. Wilson thinks it’s a great day trip for north Mississippi families.

“It takes us about three hours to get there. We typically spend half a day there. Perhaps the best part is that it’s fun for all ages. Grandparents to grandchildren have a good time,” she shares.

The National Park Service recognized Dismals Canyon in 1974 as a National Natural Landmark. The canyon floor offers many points of interest, including a swimming hole, waterfalls, natural bridges, Native American sites, caves, and caverns. In addition, there are more than 500 species of flora and fauna.

“It’s definitely a different world in the canyon. It’s considered the last primeval forest east of the Mississippi River, 32 DeSoto

because it’s never been touched by axe or fire,” says Slappey.

“A lot of the tree and plant species are not commonly found this far south. Our location in foothills of the Appalachian Mountains affords our visitors the opportunity to view species they would typically find in the Carolinas,” she explains.

Wilson adds that photo opportunities abound.

“It seems like nature’s playground. My boys love the Native American sites as well as exploring the caverns, caves, and the 139-foot Champion Tree,” says Wilson.

The canyon also has a 1.5-mile hiking trail. In order to make the most of the experience, Wilson encourages her children to explore and hike the canyon before playing in the waterfall.

“It can be tough,” she says. “Once in the canyon, one of the first highlights is the waterfall, but I want my children to see more of the park. So, I tell my kids we’ve got to explore everything else and then come back to the waterfall and swim.”

While the trail is considered relatively easy for all ages,

visitors are reminded to wear appropriate clothing. The canyon floor is subject to downed trees, large roots, rocks, and mud.

In addition, depending on recent weather, ankle-deep water streams may have to be crossed.

Slappey recommends visitors plan on hiking at least two hours. Wearing clothing and shoes that can get dirty is a good idea.

“My children wear old tennis shoes that can get muddy and wet,” says Wilson. “There are rocks, so no sandals or open shoes. They also wear their swimming trunks. We towel off and change into dry clothes for the ride home.”

After visiting the canyon several times, Wilson has the following suggestions based on experience: dress appropriately, bring drinking water and stay hydrated, and know where the bathrooms are located.

(Bathrooms and showers are located at the trailhead.)

Visitors are advised to bring drinking water and a flashlight for the Dismalites tour after dark. The temperature inside the canyon can drop by 10-to15 degrees, and water in the swimming hole can be cold, even in the summer so appropriate outerwear is recommended.

Dismals Canyon can be a secluded getaway for visitors wanting to stay overnight. A limited number of cabins are available for rent. Massages are available by appointment to guests and campers, as well.

Guests interested in getting even closer to nature have the option of primitive campsites, which are available on weekends from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Each campsite is accessible only by a short hike.

Recreational vehicles and pop-up campers are not permitted as drive-up campsites are not available.

A grill and soda fountain shop, as well as a country store, are available. For specific information and details, check the canyon website.

Wilson says, “For those who have an adventurous spirit, and who like to traverse the natural elements, it’s a great adventure!” dismalscanyon.com Andrea Brown Ross is assistant editor for DeSoto Magazine. She lives in Como, Mississippi.

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table talk } crossroads seafood

Billy Crumley

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The Crawfish King Story and Photography by Karen Ott Mayer

The crowds have followed Billy Crumley to his new restaurant in Hernando for fresh crawfish and a friendly atmosphere.

Anyone who has eaten crawfish at Billy’s Crawfish in north Mississippi most likely knows Billy Crumley – and probably has a good story about him. Originally from North Carolina, he came to Hernando, Mississippi, in 1985 via Anchorage, Alaska, where he spent many years.

Direct with a biting sense of humor, Crumley is known in the area as the Crawfish King and the default cook for many fundraisers, especially for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s department where he spent 17 years.

Today, however, he’s wearing a new hat as the owner of Crossroads Seafood. Located nearly under the new I-69 bridge that crosses Highway 51 just north of Hernando, the new restaurant opened in April and offers a lunch and dinner

menu, a full bar, live music and a steady stream of his loyal following.

Crumley knows his crawfish and how much people love them. He sources his crawfish from Louisiana and knows a good one when he sees it.

“Crawfish is seasonal from December to July. During peak season, I sell 500 sacks of crawfish,” he says. “People always say the best ones have a straight tail, but I don’t think that’s true. I’ve tried all kinds and I think that’s a myth.”

Crumley runs Crossroads Seafood in partnership with his daughter Taylor Bell, the general manager.

“The restaurant world is hectic but fun. I enjoy meeting all the new people,” says Bell.

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While Crumley loves the food business, he laughs when asked about the reason for opening the restaurant.

“I think because I am crazy,” he says.

Crazy or not, Crumley not only opened the restaurant but also tackled the abandoned building which sat covered in vines and behind shrubs for the better part of a decade and long before the new interstate arrived.

“I gutted the building in August 2017 and finished up in February 2018. We did most all of the work ourselves,” he says.

Those who have lived in Hernando prior to the recent growth know the old building. “This building was Howard Love’s bar and grill at one time,” explains Crumley.

Maybe cooking is just in his blood as his parents owned a restaurant in Atlanta when he was growing up. The menu itself is classic Southern seafood in many ways. Appetizers include gator nuggets, fried pickles, crawfish tails, and Billy’s own Gator Roll-Ups.

“Everything here is named Billy for some reason,” he says, again with a laugh. The Gator Roll-ups are his own creation and include alligator, jalapeno peppers, cream cheese and bacon. Billy has his own Cajun batter and Cajun spice mixture, which is found in many of the dishes. Favorite dishes are marked in red on the menu and include the Crawfish Dip, the Shrimp Po’ Boy, the Gator Roll-Ups, and gumbo.

A casual atmosphere that feels like a mixture of a diner and roadside grill, the restaurant fits everyone from a young family with kids to the working professional. It’s just that kind of place where everyone may know someone. On one evening, Scott Paton and Shirley May sat together listening to the live music. They’ve known Crumley for years.

“We’ve been here about three times since he’s opened, and there’s nothing we don’t like on the menu,” says May. 36 DeSoto

They are, however, partial to the catfish. Although they live in Southaven where plenty of restaurants abound, they enjoy the friendly familiarity. “It’s also nice to have live music,” says Paton.

The couple says they too have followed the proverbial Crumley crawfish trail as he’s served people all over the county.

When Crumley sees the couple, he laughs and shakes his head as they all joke with each other.

Another Crumley friend sits at the bar, relaxing and enjoying a drink. The pair spars back and forth. “We’ve known each other for more than 40 years,” laughs Crumley.

Crossroads Seafood is open for both lunch and dinner.

Two kitchen managers, Marcus Dlugach and Mario Dockery, split time serving customers throughout the day. Lunch specials include a grilled chicken salad and classic Po’boys. A Crossroads favorite is the Shrimp Po’boy, served either fried or boiled.

“You can actually order anything from the menu for lunch or dinner. We can serve lunch in less than 30 minutes for the working crowd,” says Crumley, who notes the restaurant offers a 10 percent discount for all law enforcement.

Crossroads has a large outdoor seating area which Crumley is still developing and hopes to cover. In addition to live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the restaurant also hosts the Battle of the Bands all day on certain Saturdays.

“We also have karaoke on Wednesday nights.”

While the restaurant is new, it feels as if it’s been there for a long time. Maybe it’s the friendly atmosphere or the fact that people know each other. Combine that with the fresh seafood and it is likely Crossroads Seafood will become a neighborhood fixture… just like Crumley himself.

Karen Ott Mayer is a freelance writer based in Como, Mississippi.

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exploring destinations } asheville, north carolina

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Gingerbread Champions Come to Asheville

By Debi Lander | Photography courtesy of Omni Grove Park Inn and Debi Lander

The annual National Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville offers a sweet feast for the eyes.

Visions of sugarplums danced in my head as I drove to the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. I made the trip to the historic Blue Ridge resort last December to view the winning entries in the National Gingerbread House Competition.

A trail of cookie crumbs led me to displays evoking more joy than a wide-eyed child opening that ardently hoped for gift from Santa Claus. Much more than elaborate houses and cutesy cakes, these creations were architectural masterpieces and stunning works of art. This contest takes gingerbread to the stratosphere of culinary art.

The competition began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 as another way to celebrate the holiday season with no plans to

continue the following year. They had no possible way to know that more than two decades later The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition would annually host one of the nation’s most celebrated and competitive holiday events.

This “best-of-the-best” competition is divided into three categories: children, teens and adults. All entries must be 100 percent edible with 75 percent of the entry being gingerbread. The remaining 25 percent can be candy, icing and other edible additions with no artificial decorations.

Surprisingly, the entries do not have to be houses.

The contestants submit their creations upon admission – meaning gingerbread display assembly beforehand and transport, typically in a car, to the hotel. The Inn’s staff DeSoto 39

Grove Park Inn

obligingly maintains a triage unit with stores of royal icing for last minute fixes and touch-ups.

A panel of highly regarded judges evaluates each entry based on overall appearance, originality/creativity, difficulty, precision and consistency of theme. The 2017 judges featured world-renowned pastry chefs and artists, including the founder of the International Sugar Art Collection, a curator of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the author of “Making Great Gingerbread Houses.” In 2018, Carla Hall, renowned celebrity chef, author, and television personality, will join the panel of eight. Head judge, Nicholas Lodge has authored more than a dozen sugar art books and instructional DVDs.

Bragging rights seem the most sought-after award, but dividing $25,000 in cash and prizes puts icing on the ego cakes. In addition, contestants gain the media spotlight. In the past, the competition has merited broadcast coverage by ABC’s Good Morning America, the Travel Channel and the Food Network.

A visit to the Inn itself is another sweet treat, an overnight stay even better.

The 513-room resort recalls a grand old National Park lodge, decorated for the holidays with glorious greenery, trees and lights. The Great Gingerbread House – a Hansel and Gretel 10.5-foot gingerbread replica of the Grove Park Inn – lures adults and kids alike to the welcoming Great Hall.

I browsed the floors of gingerbread art for hours, delighting in the children’s entries (a baseball stadium), relishing the creativity of the teens’ designs, and swooning over the breathtaking designs of the adult winners. My personal favorite was The Wall from Games of Thrones in the teens’ category.

Billie Mochow, a multiyear winner from Burns, Tennessee, said, “Coming up with my idea is one of the hardest parts.” She contemplates possibilities from January through May, beginning her tedious artwork in the summer. Some parts must be made early so the gingerbread dries out and won’t become soggy later.

When not working with gingerbread, Mochow creates wedding cakes and sugar eggs at Easter. Her entry of the majestic swan pulling a sleigh across a glassy lake was regal.

“The delicate fondant feathers on the swans back were the hardest part,” says Mochow.

The 2017 overall winning entry by Ann Bailey of Cary, North Carolina, showcased a collection of books topped by sculpted figures from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” These tiny, yet detailed gingerbread men would have made Michelangelo jealous. The 3-dimensional assemblage brought audible gasps from onlookers. The Grand Prize winner’s creation stays in a display case at the Grove Park Inn all year long.

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It is necessary to secure reservations early for Asheville’s busy holiday season.

The Gingerbread display opens to the public from Nov. 25 through Jan. 5 on Sundays after 3 p.m. and throughout the day Monday through Thursday. Only overnight and dining guests of the resort can attend on Fridays and Saturdays.

Please note, viewing is free but parking is $20. As part of its ongoing commitment to local not-for-profits, The Omni Grove Park Inn donates half of all parking proceeds raised throughout the contest to eight local recipients. Since the inception of the charitable Holiday Parking Program in 2013, the property has contributed over $340,000 to nonprofit partners in western North Carolina. omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grovepark

Asheville’s Other Attraction

Asheville is also home of the iconic Biltmore Estate, America’s largest and perhaps grandest home. Always an eyeful, the Châteauesque-style mansion, built for George Vanderbilt in 1895, dresses itself to the hilt during the holidays – as it did during Vanderbilt’s time. Christmas at the Biltmore Celebration runs from Nov. 3 until Jan. 6, 2019.

During November and December, ticket prices range from $65 to $85 depending on the day of the week. biltmore.com/events/christmas-atbiltmore-daytime-celebration

Debi Lander is a freelance writer/photographer and seasoned international traveler based in Ocala, Florida. She maintains a website at Bylandersea.com.

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, t n i o P t s e W ippi

on the road again } west point, mississippi

s s i s s i M

9:00 Enjoy breakfast at Jubilations Coffee House. A fresh brewed cup of coffee and cheddar sausage balls or blueberry scones are perfect for cool November mornings. Be sure to go next door to Jubilations Cheesecake, where you’ll find over 40 varieties of the luscious dessert.

10:00 Tour the Howlin’ Wolf Museum, which pays tribute to the life and legacy of Blues Musician Chester Arthur “Howlin’ Wolf” Burnett. His music inspired many blues and rock legends. Open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

11:00 Shop for hidden treasures at the numerous antique stores around town. Be sure to take in all the beautiful murals scattered throughout West Point.

1:00 Grab lunch at Main Street Market. This locally owned restaurant and market has an extensive menu offering everything from sandwiches and salads to seafood and barbecue.

Delicious plate-lunch specials are available daily. Visit the market for fresh-cut meats and spices to go.

2:00 Visit Waverly Plantation Mansion. Built in the 1840s, Waverly is one of the most beautiful antebellum homes in the South. Furnished with period antiques as well as original mirrors, chandeliers and other items. The most stunning feature is the 65-foot-high entrance topped by an octagonal cupola.

3:00 Plan some outdoor time in West Point. The area is known for fantastic outdoor activities, including these highlights: - Golf at Old Waverly Golf Club, named “Mississippi’s #1 Golf Course” by Golf Digest. Old Waverly Golf Club is a private club, but overnight guests may enjoy the course and other amenities. oldwaverly.com - Mossy Oak Golf Club is another option for those just looking for an afternoon outing. mossyoakgolf.com - Grab a pole and head to Waverly Waters. This 70-acre fishing lake designed by Bill Dance is a fisherman’s paradise. waverlywaters.net - Hunt at Prairie Wildlife Preserve, located on 6,000 acres, near West Point. Guests can hunt for quail, white-tailed deer, rabbits or doves. Bird watching, horseback riding and clay shooting are also available. prairiewildlife.com 6:00 Dinner at local favorite Anthony’s, where everything is made in-house and fresh to order.

Favorite dishes include the beef tenderloin with bayou butter or the Chicken Anthony, a fried 8-oz chicken breast topped with homemade mushroom and onion cream sauce. Anthony’s also offers great appetizers, seafood dishes and decadent homemade desserts.

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To Plan Your Visit:

westpointms.org westpointlife.com jubilations.com mainstreetmarketrestaurant.com anthonysgoodfoodmarket.com

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, t n i o P t s e W ississippi M

Upcoming Events: Holiday Open House November 11, 1 – 4 p.m.

Shop local, downtown and around town!

The Kansas City Southern Holiday Express Train November 23 4 p.m. – Until West Point is the first of only five stops in Mississippi on the 19th annual tour of the Kansas City Southern Holiday Express! Tour each rail car, which is beautifully decorated in different holiday themes.

Take pictures with Santa and his elves. After the tour enjoy cookies and hot chocolate while viewing model trains inside the Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum, located at 5 Depot Drive in West Point. Tours and pictures with Santa are free.

Christmas Parade December 3 6:30 p.m.

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greater goods } holiday gift guide

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1. Hobo purses, Center Stage Fashions, 324 W Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 2. Tribal sweater, Upstairs Closet, 136 Norfleet Drive, Senatobia, MS 3. Jennifer Thames jewelry, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 4. Makeup bags, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 5. Gingersnaps, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 6. Cristen Maxwell Handbags, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 7. Top, Vest and assorted necklaces, The Speckled Egg, 5100 Interstate 55, Marion, AR 8. Occasionaly Made gloves, Paisley Pineapple, 6542 Goodman Road, Olive Branch, MS 9. Leather Earrings, The Speckled Egg, 5100 Interstate 55, Marion, AR

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for Him 3

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9 10 1. Bowties, SoCo Apparel, 300 W Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 2. Men’s t-shirts, The Bunker, 2631 McIngvale Road #106, Hernando, MS 3. Snoozies house shoes, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 4. Properly Tied dopp kits, SoCo Apparel, 300 W Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 5. Rustic fence post duck carving, Commerce Street Market, 74 W Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 6. Collegiate tumblers, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 7. Wall decor with bottle opener, Merry Magnolia, 194 E Military Road, Marion, AR 8. Freaker socks, Ultimate Gifts, 3075 Goodman Road E, Southaven, MS 9. Icemule coolers, The Wooden Door, 6542 Goodman Road #104, Olive Branch, MS 10. Kimber 1911 Custom II .45 handgun, Guns and Fine Jewelry, 570 Goodman Rd E, Southaven, MS

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for the Home 1

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1. Sea Gull Sfera 6 light chandelier, Magnolia Lighting, 470 US-51 N, Hernando, MS 2. Mudpie turkey cutting board, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 3. Swan Creek Candle Company candles, Commerce Street Market, 74 W Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 4. Simmered cider candle, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 5. Crossroads pottery, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 6. Wall art, The Wooden Door, 6542 Goodman Road, Olive Branch, MS 7. Casafina Deer Friends. The Wooden Door, 6542 Goodman Road, Olive Branch, MS 8. La-Z-Boy recliner, Wilson Furniture, 225 Washington St, Collierville, TN 9. Etta B platter, Mimi’s on Main, 432 Main Street, Senatobia, MS 10. Salad serving set, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 11. Collegiate Christmas ornaments, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS

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for the Kids 1

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1. Star from Afar, The Square Cupboard, 328 W Commerce St, Hernando, MS 2. Melissa & Doug Farm & Tractor play set, Commerce Street Market, 74 W Commerce St, Hernando, MS 3. Little llamma, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 4. Children’s books, The Square Cupboard, 328 W Commerce St, Hernando, MS 5. Fun little gifts for kids, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 6. Children’s books, Bon Von, 214 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 7. American Jewel headphones, Mimi’s on Main, 432 Main Street, Senatobia, MS 8. Elf, Santa and Reindeer Dust, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 9. Melissa & Doug Noah’s Ark play set, Merry Magnolia, 194 E Military Road, Marion, AR 10. Kid’s slippers, Paisley Pineapple, 6542 Goodman Road #115, Olive Branch, MS 11. Stocking Stuffers. Merry Magnolia, 194 E Military Road, Marion, AR

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The Stetson Mansion “Christmas Spectacular!” is a link to Florida’s Victorian past and to John B. Stetson, a hatmaker and entrepreneur whose philanthropy changed American manufacturing, especially at the holidays.

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A TIP OF THE HAT TO

STETSON MANSION

By Mary Ann DeSantis Photography courtesy of Neal Smith, Edson Pacheco and Art Faulkner

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Decorations for the Christmas Spectacular! change every year but always include a nod to Mr. Stetson and his hats.

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Every Christmas since 2011, JT Thompson and Michael Solari have invited a few thousand people into their home to view the “Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular!” And spectacular doesn’t begin to describe the elaborate decorations that fill the home they restored after moving there in 2005.

The eight-week long holiday home tour is a fitting tribute to John B. Stetson, whose Stetson cowboy hat became an iconic symbol of Americana. The hatmaker and philanthropist was among the first – if not the first – manufacturer to give his employees Christmas bonuses and gifts in the early 20th century. The extravagant annual company Christmas parties were legendary and even continued long after his death. In 1920, his Christmas gifts to employees were valued to be more than half a million dollars. In addition to cash bonuses for every worker, he also gave shares of stock, 2,524 turkeys, 444 hats, and 1,400 pounds of candy.

His philanthropy and generosity extended to his winter hometown of Deland, Florida, as well. The Philadelphia native’s contributions to the Central Florida town were numerous: power and icemaking plants, a golf course, tourism efforts, and – most notably – large contributions of money, time, and land to Deland College, which eventually became Stetson University.

He served on the board and often walked on campus.

“John Stetson was Florida’s first snowbird,” says Solari. “He brought his whole family down for six months every year. He built a schoolhouse in the backyard for his children and even opened it to his servants’ kids as well.”

Stetson entertained many prominent guests, including Thomas Edison who installed the electrical system in the mansion, making it the first in Deland to have illuminated lights. And he didn’t forget the town’s residents either: he often invited the community to concerts on the massive Stetson Mansion lawn.

By the same token, Solari and Thompson open their doors to the community. Guided tours of the historic mansion are offered throughout the spring and summer, but it’s the highly rated “Christmas Spectacular!” that draws sell-out crowds. Last year alone, more than 10,000 people came to see the Victorian-era home decorated for Christmas.

Unlike many holiday home tours, DeSoto 53

Stetson Mansion is open for tours year-round. After the holidays, the exquisite woodwork and parque floors are especially visible.

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the Stetson Mansion’s event is not staged by professional designers but rather Thompson himself.

“We close the mansion for two months so JT can devote every day to install every painstaking detail. It is amazing to watch his love for the season provide such original inspiration,” says Solari.

Last year, Thompson jokingly said he had a little help from a designer named Irma. He painted and re-used many of the limbs and boards that he found in the yard after the hurricane blew through in September 2017. The natural elements provided an ethereal beauty to the decorations, especially in the dining room where the theme ‘Snow Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ adorned almost every surface.

“The decorations come right from my own head; I don’t even look at Pinterest,” Thompson says with a smile. “I don’t repeat the same decorations each year. It’s always different and it will be at least four years before the Snow Babies return.”

Knowledgeable guides lead guests through every room in the mansion, all filled with exquisite layers of decorations that the home’s owners have collected through the years. Many of the decorations are family heirlooms, and rooms often have a Victorian theme – particularly appropriate as the Stetson Mansion was built in 1886.

Although the decorations and themes change every season, some things are a constant, such as the “Salute to Veterans” display. Guests also wonder about the strategically placed peacock décor, which is a nod to Mr. Stetson’s “guard” peacocks that roamed the property in the late 1800s. But it’s the traditional crèches with the Christ child that are always prominent.

“This is a Christmas house that celebrates Christ’s birth, first and foremost,” says Thompson. “There is a crèche in every room. We’re not apologetic about what it is, and we will not compromise on calling it ‘Christmas.’”

The philosophy is working.

Positive ratings on the TripAdvisor travel site keep climbing, garnering a “Certificate of Excellence” because of the consistently great reviews from travelers. In addition, the travel site recently named Stetson Mansion as Florida’s most popular attraction, beating out even DisneyWorld.

The idea for opening the historic home at Christmas evolved from friends and acquaintances asking to see Thompson’s DeSoto 55

“over-the-top” decorating skills, which included family heirlooms from both his and Solari’s mothers. The word spread and people kept calling, so in 2011 the first “Christmas Spectacular!” opened to the public. Each year since, the number of visitors has doubled for the 75-to-90minute tours.

Thompson says this year’s highlights will include tributes to classic Christmas carols, such as “Angels We Have Heard on High” in the living room and “O’ Little Town of Bethlehem” in the music room.

“We hear so many people say, ‘This is on our family’s Christmas to-do list every year,’” says Solari. “Kids love it even though it is very sophisticated and reverent.”

Thompson, who creates the Christmas wonderland with very little outside help, adds, “This is not just a tour, but an experience. People can step back 130 years and still experience something fresh and new.”

Stetson Mansion “Christmas Spectacular!”

Holiday Home Tour Deland, Florida Nov. 15 – Jan. 15 Tours: 10:30, 1:30, 3:15, 5:00, 7:00 daily, excluding Sunday mornings Online reservations required at stetsonmansion.com Adults: $25+tax ($26.63) Children & Students (ages 6-22): $15+tax ($15.98) Children (ages 5 & under): free (Not recommended for infants and toddlers) Free Parking

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POLISHING A DIAMOND

The hard work by JT Thompson and Michael Solari to provide a memorable holiday experience is surpassed only by the labor and passion they put into the Stetson Mansion when they purchased it in 2005. The renovations — from replacing an electrical system originally installed by Thomas Edison to rebuilding the on-site schoolhouse into a Zen-like cottage — took 18 months to complete.

The men were looking for a beach cottage near Daytona, not a mansion that needed an overhaul, when they moved from South Florida.

“The mansion chose us; we did not choose it,” says Thompson.

“I’ve always been a dreamer and I knew what this home could be.”

Thompson and Solari found 325 sponsors nationwide who donated labor and products to save the home.

When the restorations were completed in 2007, a charitable showcase event recognized the sponsors and raised money for the Museum of Art in DeLand.

“Stetson Mansion was a diamond that had been forgotten,” Thompson wrote after the work was completed. “It was desperately crying out for the right people to see past the decades of neglect and save it. This diamond needed to be polished. I had never polished a diamond before, but I have never been one to run from a challenge.”

Solari and Thompson painstakingly renovated the entire home while incorporating modern conveniences without compromising the architectural or historical integrity.

Visiting the “Christmas Spectacular!” at Stetson Mansion is an annual event for Editor-at-Large Mary Ann DeSantis.

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By Robin Gallaher Branch Photography courtesy Mayfly, Catch-A-Dream, and Camp Looking Glass

Three local nonprofit organizations offer opportunities for creating outdoor memories for special-needs children.

A love of the outdoors drives three nonprofit organizations to create special opportunities for adults and children with special needs, children placed in foster care, and families with children suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

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Catch-a-Dream

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Camp Looking Glass

Catch-a-Dream

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Camp Looking Glass

What makes summer camp? Well, it’s silly songs around a campfire. Fingerlickin’ s’mores. Pranks played on new friends. Take-home crafts. Adventure hikes.

Learning new skills like horseback riding, disc golf, and swimming. Good food.

And that’s what campers enjoy at Camp Looking Glass, a camp with a specific niche: a camp for people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

“The goal is to have a camp experience exactly like other camp experiences,” says Natasha Abner, assistant director and board member.

“We do everything at this camp.

Yes, we adapt some activities and buy some special equipment. We have a lot of volunteer support,” Abner says. “Volunteers make the activities that are physically, mentally, or socially challenging for the campers doable.”

For example, a mentor may help a camper think through and do the next step in an activity. About 25 campers come yearly for a week.

Founded in 2004, Camp Looking Glass offers sleep-away summer camps and year-round recreational activities to children and adults with disabilities in the Mississippi Delta area. Campers attend at no cost, because donations and grants provide the funding.

In her years as a volunteer counselor, Abner, has watched many campers return and has seen their confidence grow. Camp Looking Glass is unique because nobody ages out. The single requirement is to be old enough to sleep away from home. Parents and guardians aren’t allowed.

From its start, Camp Looking Glass rented the Leroy Percy State Park in Hollandale, Mississippi, each year.

But summer 2019 heralds an exciting change. Camp Looking Glass is building its own camp on 11.2 acres in Greenville, Mississippi, and will have its first camp there this summer. Plans are already underway to add another week to the camp as soon as possible and to have more overnight events.

If the camp’s name sounds familiar, you’re right. It comes from the classic by Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

“We want to change the way people with disabilities see themselves and the way America sees them,” Abner explains. camplookingglass.org.

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Mayfly Project

A child enters the foster care system and is assigned to a family. In an all too familiar scenario, and for a myriad of reasons, the child’s placement does not work out. The state puts the child in another family…and then another…and on and on.

Each new family may mean a new school. The repetitive cycle may continue until age 19 when the child “ages out” of foster care.

Concerned about this national trend, Kaitlin Barnhart, 37, a social worker in Idaho, started taking foster care children she worked with on short trips and teaching them her skill: fly fishing. On social media she found that Jess Westbrook in Arkansas was doing something similar.

“We teamed up,” Barnhart says. “We’ve found that a child in foster care often has never been to the outdoors; the child may have entered a sport but has not had the chance to complete it.”

The Mayfly Project started in 2015. It’s done 20 projects so far in 15 states and has had 200 participating children. It’s expanding this year to Georgia, California, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont, and Texas.

Named for an aquatic insect that fish find tasty, the Mayfly Project supplies the gear, transportation, mentoring, and teaching associated with fly fishing to foster care children. Its mission is to build relationships through fly fishing and introduce foster care children to their local water ecosystems. Funding comes through donations and grants.

Groups of about 10 children and 10 mentors meet for teaching sessions before starting the outings. A group’s size is determined by van space and the river site. “For safety, we have to be able to see each other down the river,” Barnhart explains.

The children learn things like casting, how to choose and tie a fly, and essentials like how to clean their boots and waders. While learning the sport of fly fishing, they’re taught to respect the environment.

One of the first things to master is what’s called “match the hatch,” which means to look at the water and see what eggs are rising to the top and match the life stage of the emerging insect.

“The skill in fly fishing comes with finding a fly in your box to match what you see. That’s what the fish are eating that day,” Barnhart says.

Time and time again Barnhart sees the children change. Studies indicate that fly fishing, or just getting outside, helps people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, and depression.

“Healing happens. A lot of healing happens when you’re outside,” she says. themayflyproject.com Catch-A-Dream

Catch-A-Dream starts where Make-A-Wish stops.

Unexpectedly, Make-A-Wish, a foundation specializing in giving children with life-threatening illnesses a trip they’ve dreamed about, clarified its mission: trips will not allow weapons.

“That meant eliminating hunting and often fishing,” says Spencer Brunson, project manager for Catch-A-Dream, a Starkville, Mississippi, nonprofit.

So Catch-A-Dream stepped in, starting in 2000. It provides hunting or fishing experiences to children up through age 18 with life threatening illnesses. Families also attend. Often tallying $4,500, a trip’s cost covers gear, lodging, transportation, the outing itself, and tannery charges; outings frequently last four or five days.

“The families have no expenses or responsibilities,” Brunson says. “A lot of the children we get have never hunted or fished.”

Catch-A-Dream makes a wish like a deep sea fishing excursion in the Gulf, fly-fishing for trout in Montana or Colorado, elk hunting in Wyoming, and a moose hunt in Maine come true.

“We work with partners in the US and Canada. It is best if the family comes.

That means brothers and sisters and parents,” Brunson says.

In practical terms that means for the first time in years, the whole family 62 DeSoto

may have a break from the ongoing stress of an illness. The family leaves behind juggling schedules, cooking, and to-do lists.

Everybody comes and enjoys.

Overnights are in a hotel instead of camping in the wild or bunking aboard a sea vessel. For the trip’s duration, the child is near a hospital.

“Generally, a candidate is in the middle of treatment for a very serious situation and has a positive outlook,” Brunson says.

Referrals come from social workers across the States and Canada. Outfitters donate their time and expertise.

A host family meets the Catch-ADream family at the airport. “We tell the mom and dad, ‘As soon as you get on that plane, we’ve got you covered,’” Brunson smiles. He knows many memories, good ones, will be made.

Volunteers, whom the foundation calls Friends, serve by raising funds and promoting awareness of the concept. catchadream.org Mayfly Project

Robin Gallaher Branch, a Fulbright scholar, teaches adjunct classes in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Christian Brothers University in Memphis and writes for many news sources.

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REALITY CHECK 62 64 DeSoto

By Karen Ott Mayer Photography courtesy of Lobaki and Karen Ott Mayer

Virtual reality is changing lives and offering hope for jobs to Mississippi’s young people.

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Life isn’t always easy in the Mississippi Delta, especially for youth trying to find a meaningful path. For years, the general approach has been the bricks-andmortar solution with eyes turned towards community centers, more schools, and small business infrastructure. But what if the life-changing answer lives in another world just a headset away from hard reality? Enter a new company called Lobaki, started in Clarksdale and now located in Jackson, Mississippi.

When Josiah Jordan or any of the Lobaki team, including his father Vince and brother Vinnie, begin talking about the emerging field of virtual reality, the concept takes a minute to sink in.

“Virtual reality puts you inside of an experience,” he explains. As I stood and listened in their former Clarksdale studio, more questions came to mind with each of his explanations. Despite our early conversation, he was right. To truly understand virtual reality, I had to experience it for myself. Then, the practical makes sense. VR literally has thousands of applications. This group has designed a 3D airplane interior for a client to walk through. In health care, they are working in oncology, therapy and physiology. For example, instead of rehab patients just walking on treadmills, they can walk through a virtual redwood forest.

The physical VR space is about 16-square-feet with two small sensors (like cameras) opposite each other on tripods. Jordan explains that I can choose from a list of virtual reality experiences and suggests the deep ocean trip. He places the headset on my head and adjusts the ear pieces. The headset is lightweight and a screen sits just inches from my eyes. When he turns it on, the effect is a bit dizzying.

Suddenly, I am standing on the ocean floor surrounded by sea debris – old bones, a shipwreck and swimming fish. In the background, a huge whale floats by, then slowly moves my way, circling me and staring at me with his lifelike eye.

Everything happens in 3D and that is key to understanding the entire virtual reality experience. I’m not watching a movie or playing a game, I am actually living the experience as the whale floats by me. What’s even more mind blowing is I can move 66 DeSoto

through the space, bend down to look underneath objects or turn 360 degrees and see the entire ocean world surrounding me.

I am part of the environment not just an observer. “This technology actually maps the space,” explains Jordan.

Virtual reality technology has been used commercially for years. Until now, the technology was highly inaccessible for private use due to costs. What changed in the last three years is the headset itself.

“This Oculus headset runs about $400 and is now affordable,” says Jordan.

Today, the U.S. and China are leading the field and Lobaki’s team is dedicated to growing the technology in Mississippi. “We are turning around the tech desert, and like to say we’re practicing VR evangelism,” says Jordan.

As I struggle to understand the practical implications of this technology, Jordan encourages me to design in a 3D space. I hold two controls in each hand. With the headset, I see the controls as a pen and a palette. The background is blue and he encourages me to write on the space. I make lines – which appear to be two dimensional.

Then, he tells me to walk around and write again. The words and lines hang suspended as if in air, and I can see them from all sides.

Jordan and his teammate Michael Everett laugh at my reaction, which mirrors many people who experience VR for the first time.

Lobaki, the company Vince and Josiah Jordan started in 2016, came to Mississippi only in 2017 through a series of happenstance conversations. Jordan and Michael Bezzina, a friend, led the first summer academy set up by his father Vince Jordan. Today, Josiah travels between New Zealand and Mississippi, spending more time here.

Vince Jordan is most recently from Boulder, Colorado where he has always worked in the technology industry.

“I wanted to see if we could take these kids and train them to become developers,” says the elder Jordan. And in a short time, he did. Six teens who were high school sophomores entered the world of virtual reality from the developer side.

“What I found is that these Mississippi kids are just as smart as any kids,” says Vince.

Teammate Michael Everett who joined Lobaki in 2018 is living proof of a VR career path. Raised in Maine, Everett lost interest in high school and struggled to DeSoto 67

find his place.

“I am self-taught and have been using computers since I was seven,” says Everett. “My teachers knew I was bright, and I knew what I wanted to learn but there wasn’t a clear path.”

He left school and started working – all while teaching himself more skills.

His breakthrough came when he worked at a local animal shelter in Boulder.

“They built this new, state-of-the-art facility that had a lot of tech in it.”

Every time there was a technical issue, Everett volunteered his talent. Soon, the information technology director took notice; when he left, Everett assumed his role.

Everett understands students like Deuntay Williams, who lost interest in school.

Williams met the Lobaki team through a friend and began working with them.

Today, he designs VR environments that are nothing short of stunning. As he sits in front of the computer, he shows me his work. “It took me two weeks to create this house,” he explains.

Williams is using a program called Unreal Engine, and projects can take one-to-two weeks to complete. He moved with the team this fall from Clarksdale to Jackson, where he is now working full time. When asked if he ever thought he’d be doing this work, he laughs and shakes his head. “I make what I used to watch. I never dreamed it. Now, I want to learn coding and animation.”

His seatmate, 19-year-old Shalin Jewett, graduated from high school in May 2018 after joining Lobaki in September 2017. One of her projects involved designing a new VR lab for Clarksdale High School, which is now a reality. She encourages other young people to look at the field. “I love computers and I didn’t know anything about this field,” she says. “If they like computers and don’t like working in fast food, they should explore this.”

Virtual reality isn’t just for recreation or entertainment. Born in the aerospace and automotive industries, VR is now moving into healthcare, film and manufacturing. Equally key is having a workforce that can support the industry.

“We can’t find enough people around the globe who can fill the positions available today,” says Josiah. “To create a virtual reality environment takes coders, developers, artists, designers, and writers.”

In October, Lobaki celebrated the grand opening of their new 15,000-squarefoot studio in Jackson where they are developing a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. C Spire has been a dedicated Lobaki partner throughout the journey.

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“We also have a separate workforce development academy we’re creating in Jackson,” says Josiah. He also believes the entire Lobaki team is excited about the future, especially for those working and living remotely as he explains.

“All it takes is the hardware, an education and the internet and you can do this job from anywhere around the globe.” lobaki.com

What It Takes

To build virtual reality experiences, students must learn: Coding 3D modeling Animating Illustrating 2D artistry Sound design Texture Art Lighting Design Special Effects Interaction Design Karen Ott Mayer is a freelance writer, based in Como, Mississippi.

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homegrown } susansnaps

Susan & Laura in Susansnaps Shop

A Cookie Cure

By Cheré Coen | Photography courtesy of Laura Stachlerwith and Cheré Coen

A dreaded diagnosis leads to a sweet creation that helps cancer patients nationwide.

It was the stuff of nightmares.

Susan Stachler and her father, Ken, were diagnosed with cancer at the same time and faced the long and painful process of chemotherapy together. Worst, Susan’s aunt, Susan Carver, the woman she was named for, had died from Hodgkin’s at the young age of 28.

Chemotherapy prevents cancer cells from dividing and growing but the harsh treatment may produce side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and a lack of taste.

“Susan described it as licking the back of an aluminum can,” says Laura Stachler, Susan’s mother.

As father and daughter were undergoing treatment, a nurse mentioned ginger, an herb that helps alleviate nausea and loss of appetite. That was all Laura, who worked as a caterer at the time, needed for inspiration. She went home and baked ginger snaps in her commercial oven, adding spices and turbinado sugar to the recipe.

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“I really had never baked a ginger snap before,” she says.

The recipe was a hit, and her daughter loved them and shared them with other cancer patients. As word got around, the mother and daughter began to see a company forming. Today, the duo makes 10,000 “Susansnaps” a day in their small store in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and sends them nationwide, many to cancer patients recovering from chemotherapy. They have been spotlighted on the “Today” show, “Made in America” and CNN; magazines, including “Southern Lady,” “Good Housekeeping” and “Martha Stewart Living” have featured them.

This past spring, Laura and Susan Stachler published their story in “The Cookie Cure: A Mother-Daughter Memoir,” that brought them more national publicity, including a starred review from Booklist.

“This deeply heartfelt and moving memoir recounts

how the Stachlers’ darkest days ended in the triumph of building a successful business, each woman with her truest friend and ally by her side,” Booklist wrote of the book. “Their memoir is a testament to the bond between mothers and daughters, and a reminder that there is always hope.”

From tragedy came a sweet new life.

“That delicious cookie planted a seed,” Stachler says.

A sweet reaction

After the cookies became popular with cancer patients, the Stachlers began selling them at gift shows and markets — even out of the back of their van. Susan created the logo and packaging while Laura added more flavors. Her original recipe, which she created on the fly when Susan was ill, has never changed.

The response was so positive they expanded the business, opening a storefront in Sandy Springs near Atlanta.

“One thing led to another,” Laura explains. “As she (Susan) got stronger, she had more ideas and the company got a little stronger, too.

“One thing just honestly led to the next to the next to the next, without any plan.”

Susansnaps, named for both Susan and her aunt, now offers five flavors of gourmet gingersnaps: the original Susansnaps, Cocoasnaps, Citrussnaps, Alohasnaps with toasted coconut and Pnuttysnaps. Seasonal flavors include pumpkin in the fall, candy cane during the holidays and red velvet and key lime in the winter/spring. The packaging is as sweet as the ingredients, topped with polka dot bows and sporting the story that started it all, which resonates with customers.

“We never imagined that the story on the back would mean so much to people,” she says.

The holidays are crunch time for the small company that sells to corporations and businesses as well as to the public.

One day they created 40,000 cookies, which can be stressful for the small staff. They even answer their own phone.

But it’s all relative, Stachler says.

“The hardest day at Susansnaps is nothing I’ve seen Susan do and we have done together,” she says, relating to Susan’s past illness.

Bottom line, Laura insists, is helping others, whether through a bout with cancer or just to make them happy.

“Every customer is very important to us and I feel it a privilege to serve them,” she explains. “It’s really rewarding.

It makes people happy. And if that makes people happy, that’s pretty great.”

Susan Carver Foundation

The Susan Carver Foundation, named for Laura Stachler’s sister who died in 1977, receives 10 percent of all Susansnaps sales. The foundation donates gifts of the cookies to patients undergoing cancer treatments during the holidays and helps raise money for cancer research, especially for studies that examine the link between genetics and cancer.

For more information or to order, visit susansnaps.com.

Cheré Coen is a freelance food and travel writer living in Lafayette, Louisiana, but her Mississippi roots run deep.

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southern gentleman } the mississippi armed forces museum

Patriotism, Pride, and Preserving the Past

By Jason Frye | Photography by Mary Ann DeSantis

The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg honors all veterans with dynamic displays, reminding visitors that freedom often comes with a price.

Squatting beside my grandfather in a “foxhole” left by the root ball of a felled tree, I stared down the straight shaft of a branch-turned-bazooka and sighted in on the treads of the bulldozer as it passed. My dad was directing the dozer operator to flatten out a piece of the mountain property he’d just bought, making room for my new home and space for my grandparents.

When the moment was right, my grandfather patted the top of my head and told me, “Fire.”

I did. And in my mind, he and I were in France, laying in a ditch alongside 100-year-old hedgerows watching 72 DeSoto

as a column of Panzer tanks rolled by. My grandfather and I had survived the landing at Omaha, had scaled cliffs and tossed dirt clod grenades at German machinegun nests secreted in the trees, and now we were here, two men holding off the reinforcements that might – if we weren’t successful – drive us and our allies into the English Channel and to our fates.

My granddad did these things – stormed the beach at Omaha; scaled the cliffs; shot snipers from trees and lobbed grenades into hives of mortar positions and machinegun nests; loaded and fired bazookas at the treads and engines of Panzers,

Tigers, Jagdpanzers; watched his friends die and, at 20 years old, sacrificed some part of himself as he ended the war for young men with whom he would’ve otherwise shared a beer and a story of hard work in the field or forest or mine.

I like to think my grandfather was exceptional, but in reality, his is a common story across the South: he served, he came home, he raised a family. We have a deep-rooted sense of patriotism and military service and for generations we’ve been sending soldiers to battlefields far and near. Some we forget, others we honor, still others we honor for the wrong reasons. But a few miles south of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, one museum tells the story of the state’s military contributions with incredible, insightful and impactful exhibits, interactive displays and relics from a number of theaters of war.

The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, a 36,000-square-foot facility, details more than 200 years of military history from the War of 1812 to present day. A Hall of Honor pays respect to Mississippi’s Medal of Honor Recipients; various tanks, aircraft and artillery pieces stand proud to tell their part of the technological advancements of war; walk through a World War I trench and see a diorama of a Huey helicopter ready to carry the wounded off a battlefield in Vietnam; see the weapons and uniforms enigmatic of each conflict and era of military service. But most importantly, keep alive the stories of the brave men and women who served – and still serve – Mississippi.

Museums like this don’t spring out of the ground fully formed and ready for visitors. The Mississippi Armed Forces

Museum started in 1984 with the private collections of two veterans, Donald Evans and Doug White. They secured a space in a warehouse on Camp Shelby and showed their goods to anyone who wanted to see. Soon other veterans and soldiers organizations began feeding them items for display and the collection grew. In 1999, funding from a variety of groups, state and local officials, and the Mississippi Legislature reached a milestone: the construction of a new 26,000 square foot museum. In 2001 it opened, but by 2015 it was time to grow again and it expanded by 10,000 square feet, allowing for more space dedicated to research and offices, leaving 26,000 square feet clear for visitor displays.

I think many Southern Gentlemen of a certain age have an affinity for World War II. Like me, they grew up knowing their grandfathers or fathers sailed or flew or marched through Europe or Africa or the South Pacific. They held them – rightly – as heroes. Often, we forget someone when we tell that narrow view of war, but the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum doesn’t neglect the contribution of women in war.

From battlefield nurses to spies for the Union and Confederacy to heroines stepping out of their traditional roles and onto factory floors, eager to fill the shoes of the fighting men overseas, to pilots and logisticians, women have long served important military roles. The displays at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum detail their stories and their parts in conflicts foreign and domestic.

It’s important we remember everyone war touches, to honor their struggles and tell their stories.

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Not so the next generation of grandsons can kneel in a foxhole and fire imaginary bazookas at enemies that aren’t there, but to remember the humanity of everyone on every side of every conflict. The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum helps us remember the lessons learned by the generations who have served so honorably. armedforcesmuseum.us

Jason Frye is a freelance writer from Wilmington, North Carolina. Jason has authored three travel guides for Moon Publications and written for Southern Living and the Dallas Morning News.

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southern harmony } charlie worsham

Following His Heart Pam Windsor | Photography courtesy of Allister Ann, Charlie Worsham

Nashville artist and former Mississippian Charlie Worsham is giving back to his hometown and inspiring young people to pursue their musical dreams.

Singer, songwriter, and musician Charlie Worsham is wrapping up the year on a high note in nearly every way possible. He recently got married, completed a tour that took him to England twice, and will celebrate the success of a scholarship program he created in his hometown of Grenada, Mississippi, with a big gala in December featuring Vince Gill.

Worsham left Mississippi years ago to attend Boston’s Berklee College of Music before moving to Nashville. Now signed with Warner Music, he’s recorded two albums, toured with a number of major artists, often appears on the Grand Ole Opry, and stays busy with other projects. But through it all, Worsham maintains close ties to his home state.

“I love talking all things Mississippi music,” he says. “I traveled a lot growing up, but my first time to live outside the state was when I went to college in Boston, and it was my first time representing Mississippi from outside its borders.”

He points to the state’s rich music heritage with artists 76 DeSoto

like B.B. King, Jimmie Rogers, Charley Pride, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette, Marty Stuart, and others. Those influences run deep and Worsham references one example on his last album ‘Beginning of Things.’

“There’s a song called ‘Please People Please’ and the guitar solo is lifted directly from the building blocks that I started to learn the electric guitar on, which were B.B. King and his guitar playing, the bluesy bending of the notes. Anytime I bend the string, it’s influenced by B.B. King.”

His love of music began as a young boy.

“It’s funny,” he says with a laugh. “First, I struck out at t-ball. Then, I got tired of hurting my hands breaking boards in karate. So, music just made sense.”

His recalls tagging along with his dad, who often played drums with regional bands.

“I vividly remember the sound checks, sitting on his lap, and getting to bang on the drums. The most alive I saw my

Follow Your Heart Arts Program

dad was behind the drum kit and hanging out with his band brothers.”

Though the interest began with his dad, Worsham credits his mother with actually putting music into his hands by getting him piano lessons when he was in kindergarten. Other instruments soon followed.

“He picked up a different instrument each year,” his mother, Sherry Worsham, explains. “By second grade we got his first banjo, the next year it was a Dobro, then there was a fiddle, and then he got his first guitar.”

For Wosham, getting that guitar was a big deal.

“The guitar was something I really wanted to play because they took me to see Vince Gill probably a dozen times growing up, and I wanted to be Vince. I wanted to be the guy in the middle of the stage. Every couple of songs somebody would bring him a different color guitar and I thought that was the coolest thing.”

Another well-known artist and fellow Mississippian also inspired Worsham in those early years.

“Marty Stuart signed a book at a show my parents got me for Christmas. They asked him to write ‘Follow Your Dreams’ and he wrote ‘Follow Your Heart.’”

Worsham later had those three words tattooed on his arm. He remains grateful to music and the many opportunities it has allowed him. During a visit to his old high school a few years ago, he realized how lucky he’d been to have the resources to pursue his dreams.

“I was talking to a group of kids and asked if anybody had a crazy dream. Everybody in the room pointed to one girl who would have crawled under the floor if she could have.

Part of it was because she was shy, but she’d also dreamed of becoming a Broadway actress and I could tell the dream had already become out of bounds for her in terms of reality. And

it broke my heart.”

So Worsham came back to Nashville and got busy.

“I’m lucky to have friends with deep pockets, friends with influence, and friends at the County Music Association (CMA) which does so much good work, and a mother who knows how to write grants. So we just went to work.”

This year, Follow Your Heart scholarships were given to three people who hope to pursue careers related to the arts or music. The program also has a second component that, with the help of the CMA, The Academy of Country Music, the Delta Music Institute, and the Fender Corporation, puts guitars in the hands of local students.

Back in Nashville Worsham continues working on his own career and will soon begin writing songs for his third album. His music philosophy involves blending some of the old with the new.

“I’m trying to create nostalgia,” he says. “I believe if you know where music’s been, you’re able to steer it in a way that brings it forward and honors the past at the same time.”

His more immediate project, however, is the upcoming fundraising gala for Follow Your Heart, featuring a very special guest.

“I can’t believe this,” Worsham says. “Vince Gill is coming to my hometown in Grenada for the scholarship gala.

He’s not only my all-time hero, he’s the most humble and generous person in the world. It’s going to be a great night for a great cause.”

Worsham will be there, too. Helping others make dreams come true.

Pam Windsor is a Nashville-based freelancer, who has written for AARP, MotorHome Magazine, the Myrtle Beach Sun News, American Profile, Country Weekly, and other publications.

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in good spirits} sage advice

78 DeSoto

Silky Smooth & Trendy “Advice”

By Mary Ann DeSantis | Photography by Tony DeSantis

If you are saving your fresh sage for Thanksgiving dishes, you may want to put aside a few sprigs for a refreshing cocktail developed at Sea-Guini Lounge and Restaurant at the Opal Sands Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Justin Burk, director of food and beverage at the luxury resort, developed Sage Advice with his team. Contrary to what some may think, the cocktail wasn’t really about imparting any radical wisdom.

“We came up with the name as a team of managers, all just sitting around throwing names out and that’s what we decided on,” says Burk, who still enjoys spending time behind the bar developing new drinks.

Using sage in cocktails is not so far-fetched. After all, sage was used in the Middle Ages as a medicinal herb. Later, Native Americans used the pungent herb for healing and spiritual cleansing. While sage gives the drink a robust flavor, it’s the egg white that adds a creamy texture.

“Egg whites have been used in cocktails dating back more than a century,” says Burk. “Like a lot of things, it comes and goes as do trends. Adding an egg white is unique, and that’s the main reason we have it in a drink.”

Egg whites give cocktails a rich, silky texture and a nice “foamy cap” that bartenders often complete with bitters.

Many trendy cocktails are now using egg whites in drinks – not just for the novelty of it – but to add smoothness. The egg whites are basically tasteless so their contribution is almost entirely textural.

When using egg whites in drinks, it’s important to start with fresh, pasteurized eggs to reduce the risk of salmonella.

“The risk is very minimal when using good eggs,” says Burk. “Some people say that mixing the egg white with lemon or lime juice kills the bacteria, kind of like ceviche.”

Cocktails using egg whites call for a “dry shake,” which is somewhat of a misnomer. Dry shake simply means shaking without the ice. Burk recommends starting with the egg white and then adding all the ingredients. Shake vigorously so the egg white will be well blended. The cocktail will have a velvety foam when the eggs have been adequately whipped.

Shake again with ice to chill the drink and then double strain into a Martini glass.

Although sage is especially popular at Thanksgiving, Burk says the Sage Advice cocktail is not just seasonal at Opal Sands. “It will be on the menu until we decide to take it off.”

Sage Advice Cocktail

2-ounces Stoli Vodka 1-ounce simple syrup 1-ounce fresh lemon juice 1 egg white 5 sage leaves 1 tablespoon of fig preserve Garnish: sage, spray of bitters (Burk uses rhubarb bitters).

Prep: Add all ingredients to shaker, starting with egg white. Dry shake for 10 seconds without ice, then wet shake with ice until chilled. Double strain.

Glass: Martini

Mary Ann DeSantis is the editor-at-large for DeSoto Magazine.

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exploring events } november Holiday Open Houses: November 2:

Columbus, MS November 8 - 10:

Greenwood, MS November 10:

Senatobia, MS

Marion, AR November 10 - 11:

Hernando, MS November 11:

Cleveland, MS

New Albany, MS November 13:

Holly Springs, MS November 18:

Batesville, MS

Pontotoc, MS

Tupelo, MS November 23:

Oxford, MS November 24:

Old Towne Olive Branch, MS Kudzu Playhouse presents “Madagascar - A Musical Adventure JR” November 1 Hernando Performing Arts Center Hernando, MS Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR follows all of your favorite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. For more information, call 888-429-7871 or visit kudzuplayers.com.

Helen Brett Mid-South Jewelry & Accessories Fair November 1 - 4 Landers Center Southaven, MS The Mid-South Jewelry and Accessories Fair is a cash and carry show as well as order writing. This market attracts 5,000 buyers and has 250 booths which include children’s items, home decor, jewelry, personal beauty, women’s fashions and gourmet items. For more information call 662470-2131 or visit helenbrettexhibits.com/1806-southhaven/.

Parks & Craft Fair November 3 The Gale Center Hernando, MS 8:00am - 2:00pm A holiday market for the community. For more information call 662-429-2688, email hernandorecreation@ cityofhernando.org or visit hernandorec.com.

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USO Dinner & Dance November 3 The Gin at Nesbit Nesbit, MS 7:00pm Doors open at 6:30, Dinner served at 7:00. Music featuring a Live 22 Piece Big Band, Music City Swing out of Nashville, TN.1940’s attire encouraged, 4 course meal from Scotty’s Smokehouse Catering. For more information call 901-504-5264.

6th Annual City of Horn Lake Winn & Annie Ruth Brown Memorial Veteran’s Day Breakfast and Program November 8 Landers Center Convention Hall Southaven, MS 9:00am Guest speaker Mr. Olin Pickens, whom was captured in 1943. For more information contact AJ Linville at alinville@ hornlake.org or call 662-342-3482.

Mississippi Cornhole Classic November 10 Batesville Civic Center Batesville, MS Online registration available on Eventzilla. Food trucks, BYOB, merchandise. Free to spectators. For more information visit facebook/mscornhole.

Walk For Wishes November 10 Snowden Grove Southaven, MS 9:00am For more information visit walkforwishesmidsouth.org.

Senatobia’s Christmas Open House & Bazaar November 10 Senatobia, MS 10:00am - 3:00pm Enjoy the “NEW” Santa’s workshop, ArtWalk, wagon rides, bank drawings and more. For more information call 662-562-8715.

41st Annual Hernando Christmas Open House November 10 - 11 Hernando, MS Shop and visit participating businesses in and around Hernando. Sunday is official Open House, however, Saturday is preview day for some businesses. Santa picture packages will be available for purchase on Sunday. For more information, visit hernandoms.org or call 662-429-9055.

18th Annual Veteran’s Appreciation Luncheon November 12 Southaven Multi-Purpose Arena Southaven, MS 11:00am In observance of Veteran’s Day, the Mayor’s office and the City of Southaven will host an annual Appreciation Luncheon in

honor of military veterans from all branches. Cost is free for veterans and $10 for guests. For more information, call 662-280-2489 or visit southaven.org.

show, play areas and hayride. There is no cost, if you are just observing and taking pictures. For more information, call 662-429-2540 or visit gocedarhillfarm.com.

Hernando Veterans Parade November 12 Hernando Courthouse Square Hernando, MS 10:00am Lest we forget what our veterans have done for us, help us publicly offer our thanks, respect and admiration by attending the parade Monday, November 12. All veterans are encouraged to participate. Motor vehicles will be provided for those veterans for whom walking is difficult. For more information or to sign up, visit hernandoveteransparade.com or call Carolyn Young at 901-634-1548.

Memphis Arts Collective November 23 - January 3 Crosstown Concourse Memphis, TN Artists and artisans will be showing work in mediums including: painting, photography, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, metal working, fiber and textile arts, soap and candle making, cartooning, mixed media, retro collectibles, printmaking, glass work, and holiday ornaments among others. Opening night celebration and silent auction benefit on Friday, November 23 from 6 pm-9 pm. For more information visit memphisartscollective.com or call 901-833-9533.

Merry Christmas Tree Farm & Gift Shop November 17 - December 24 Nesbit, MS Merry Christmas Tree Farm is the number one tree farm in the Mid-South, with a huge selection of Christmas trees in a variety of sizes. Take a free hayride into the tree farm during the holidays and choose and cut your favorite tree or it can be cut for you. For easier handling, trees are netted at no extra charge. Pre-cut trees and wreaths are also available.

For more information, call 662-429-9462 or visit merrychristmastreefarm.com.

Cedar Hill Farm Christmas Tree Farm November 19 - December 23 Cedar Hill Farm Hernando, MS During the Christmas season, Cedar Hill Farm will be open for families to choose and cut their Christmas tree right from the farm. Take a hayride out to the back forty and pick out the perfect tree. There is no admission to the farm during Christmas! For more information, visit gocedarhillfarm.com call 662-429-2540.

18th Annual Southern Lights November 22 - December 30 Central Park Southaven, MS Drive through the 116-acre park with 500,000 twinkling lights. Cars can tune to five FM radio stations playing Christmas music as they ride through the park. Don’t miss the Christmas Tree Farm synchronized to music by TransSiberian Orchestra. Weekdays dark- 9pm & weekends dark10pm; closed Christmas Day. Proceeds benefit local charities.

For more information, visit southaven.org or call 662-280-2489.

Cedar Hill Farm Cookies & Milk with Santa November 23 - December 23 Cedar Hill Farm Hernando, MS For $9.95 plus tax, you can visit with Santa and have your picture taken, while enjoying light refreshments. Price also includes admission to the petting zoo, train ride, chicken

Shop Small Business Saturday November 24 In an effort to support local shops that make our communities strong, American Express launches Small Business Saturday® on the Saturday after Thanksgiving — to encourage people to Shop Small and bring more holiday shopping to small businesses. For more information visit facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday.

Red and Greenwood Weekend November 29 Main Street Greenwood presents the Lighting of the Courthouse at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Chamber’s Outdoor Holiday Movie on the courthouse lawn at 6:30 p.m. FREE admission! Concessions will be available for purchase. For more information visit greenwoodms.com or call 662-453-4152.

Alabama November 29 Landers Center Southaven, MS 7:30pm ALABAMA is the band that changed everything. They reeled off 21 straight #1 singles, a record that will probably never be equaled in any genre. Purchase tickets at Landers Center box office, 662-470-2131 or Ticketmaster.com.

New Albany Holiday Tour of Homes December 2 Union County Heritage Museum New Albany, MS 1:30pm - 4:00pm The four homes on the tour are in the Northside Historic District and are turn of the century homes in one of the oldest sections of New Albany. Live music and light refreshments will be part of the festive event. Tickets for the tour are $10 for the four homes and can be purchased from any garden club member and at the museum. For more information call the museum at 662-538-0014 or email hndgardenclub@gmail.com.

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reflections} spun together

Spun Together

By Karen Ott Mayer

Memphis is a long way from St. Henry, Ohio, but Houston, Texas, is even farther. As I stand in the parking lot of a La Quinta Hotel watching a car drive away with two handmade Maple spinning wheels, I think life is... so beautifully weird.

Explaining this historical thread isn’t easy, but it’s where this story begins. My family comes from Coldwater, Ohio – where it seems everyone lives nearly a century or more.

My grandma made it to 97, her sister to 98, her brother to 94.

Oddly, my sister married a man whose family also hails from those northern parts, and his grandma and grandpa (Gramps) lived to be 97 and 102. When Gramps died in Memphis, the family did what all families do and started cleaning out a century’s worth of life goods. One day, my sister called me.

“Do you want two handmade spinning wheels? They were made by some guy in Ohio, and no one knows what to do with them.”

Always the sucker, I agreed to take them along with handwritten letters from Gramps and a newspaper article about the woodworker Ben Uhlenhake. A year or so later, I picked up the newspaper clipping and wondered if any family remained. After a quick Google search, several calls and emails, I found family members who were excited to hear about the spinning wheels. One of Ben’s daughters (who is, of course, 94) remembered he made about nine wheels for friends and family.

After a month or so of planning, I met one of Ben’s greatgranddaughters in Texas where we gathered to exchange the 82 DeSoto

wheels. Ironically, I was traveling to Houston not far from where she lived. We shared stories of our families and laughed again at the longevity.

“What’s the deal with everyone up there?” I asked.

She laughed, telling me that Ben himself lived to be nearly 100.

We could only hope we inherited the genes.

Later, some asked me if I sold the spinning wheels. In fact, the family offered to buy them but I refused any money.

How can I sell something which came to me free in life? By the time we parted, I felt as if I had found another part of my family story.

More than 50 years ago, a quiet man named Ben set up a woodworking shop in the basement of his Ohio home.

He wrote a letter to the grandfather of a man my sister would marry decades later. I found in his simple, penciled letter a reminder of the kind language and quiet dignity so often a part of that generation of German, Pennsylvania Dutch Catholics.

Always about duty and faith and work and family. Nothing flashy, nothing to brag about or to prove as far as wealth or stature.

I watched the car with Texas plates drive into the distance, thinking I’ll probably never meet them again in life.

But then wondered... how amazing we ever met in the first place.

Karen Ott-Mayer is a freelance writer based in Como, Mississippi.