DECEMBER 2018
THE TRAIN TO
ChristmasTown
Oh what fun it is to ride Batesville’s all-singing, all-dancing holiday spectacle on rails
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BEHIND THE COVER The Train to Christmas Town DECEMBER 2018
THE TRAIN TO
ChristmasTown
Oh what fun it is to ride Batesville’s all-singing, all-dancing holiday spectacle on rails
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This month’s cover feature, “The Train to Christmas Town,” is your ticket to holiday excitement in the form of a singing, dancing seasonal spectacle on rails. Inspired by the 2012 children’s book by Peggy Ellis, The Train to Christmas Town is a one-hour voyage through Batesville, Mississippi, to pick up Santa Claus from the North Pole. This annual attraction brings more than 130 seasonal jobs to the city and aims to recapture a bit of Batesville’s former glory as a major depot for passenger trains. Take a look behind the curtain on page 20.
FEATURE & PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER
26 WHAT'S INSIDE 12 Native Son 16 No Place Like Home Place 20 The Train to Christmas Town 26 Cosplay for a Cause 30 Recipe of the Month 34 Merry Makings 39 Beer from Here
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62 Animal of the Month
OUT & ABOUT 42 Hernando Christmas Open House 44 Wags for Whiskers 46 Art on Fire 48 The Purse Project 50 Noah’s Gift 5K
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52 Hernando Parks & Craft Fair 54 Desoto County Veteran’s Day Celebrations 56 Walk for Wishes 58 Howl at the Moon Fundraiser 60 Wine Down
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From the Editor
Get Jolly (and Stay There!) As a deadline-driven, no-nonsense local journalism personality, getting swept up in the holiday spirit requires considerable effort on my part. Last year alone took all three “The Santa Clause” films, the entire Rankin/Bass catalog, 11 pounds of fruit cake, and my wife’s crafty home decorations that would even put the Griswold family circa 1989 to shame to get even the slightest “Ho, Ho, Ho,” out of me. Hopefully you don’t need quite as much of an emergency joy infusion to get your holiday hustle on, but just in case you do, we’re here to help. The December issue of Click is all about – what else – celebrating the holiday season in style. This month’s cover story is all about Bastesville, Mississippi’s Train to Christmas Town. This seasonal spectacle delivers light thrills and minor chills (it’s actually quite toasty in the train cars) on an all-singing, all-dancing railroad to Santa’s place. Read all about this joyful annual event on page 20. In addition, we’ve got a tantalizing selection of holiday recipes from some of Click’s most talented recipe contributors. From Andrea LeTard’s brown sugar short ribs to Justin and Amy Burks’ matcha hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows, we’ve got you covered when it comes to memorable winter meals. Finally, there’s usually a lot of debate this time of year on what exactly constitutes a Christmas movie (looking at you, Die Hard), but I think we can all agree that Ghostbusters II is one of the unsung holiday classics. I mean, they do wear Santa caps at one point, right? The love for Slimer and Co. runs deep here in Mississippi: look no further than the Desoto County Ghostbusters, a nonprofit group that aims to bring a little holiday cheer to local youngsters this season. See their story in “Cosplay for a Cause” on page 26 and keep an eye out for them in some of the upcoming local Christmas parades. So, from all of us to all of you: enjoy your holiday season and go easy on the eggnog. Season’s greetings,
Casey Hilder
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Write to us Editor @myclickmag.com Click Magazine P.O. Box 100 Hernando, MS 38632
EXPERIENCED, COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND Co-Presidents Jonathan Pittman Angie Pittman Editor Casey Hilder editor@myclickmag.com
Art Director Courtney Spencer Copy Editor Taylor Smith Writers Amanda Bernard Casey Hilder Sarah Vaughan Photographers Frank Chin Casey Hilder Mike Lee Doug Farris Sales Director Lyla McAlexander lyla@dttclick.com
Account Representatives Melanie Dupree melanie@dttclick.com
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We make every effort to correct factual mistakes and omissions in a timely and candid manner. Information can be forwarded to Casey Hilder at address listed above.
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Click Contributors
Andrea Letard
Andrea LeTard is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and creator of Andrea’s Cooktales, a recipe website and video series where there’s a story behind every recipe. Her recipes are what she calls next-generation Southern: fun and fresh with a modern twist using unexpected ingredients. Follow Andrea on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or read her blog and watch her video series at AndreasCooktales.com.
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Taylor Smith Taylor Smith really should change her name to “Word.” She’s been a reporter for multiple publications in the Mid-South, including The Daily Helmsman, The Leader and The Commercial Appeal, and she journals every day. When she’s not moonlighting as a copy editor, she’s working full-time as a project coordinator for City Gear, an urban streetwear retailer, or watching another episode of Forensic Files with her fiance, Jason.
Depp Britt
Mike Lee
Depp Britt is an IDS associate with Howse and the designer behind many of the homes featured in Click magazine. With an eye for detail and an emphasis on the unique, Britt brings approaches each home like an extension of his own. For more info on Britt's work, contact him at 901.937.9241 or via email at depp.britt@thehowse.com.
Event photos in this issue were captured by Click photographer Mike Lee. Mike started in news in 1971 as a TV writer, photographer, and art director. For 20 years, his work appeared on national and international television broadcasts, and was published in print media worldwide.
Amy Lawrence & Justin Fox Burks Husband-and-wife team Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence are the authors of the cookbook The Chubby Vegetarian: 100 Inspired Recipes for the Modern Table (Susan Schadt Press, 2016) and The Southern Vegetarian: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table (Thomas Nelson, 2013). Amy and Justin recently celebrated ten years of writing and photographing dishes for their Chubby Vegetarian blog, and they often share their new ideas and inspirations on Instagram (@chubbyveg). Learn more at thechubbyvegetarian.com.
Robert Seymour, DDS • Jason Parolli, DMD • Bryant Trotter, DMD myclickmag.com
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NATIVE SON Hard-traveled author Hank Burdine captures the arts, music, food and indomitable characters of the Mississippi Delta in his latest book, Dust in the Road: Recollections of a Delta Boy INTERVIEW BY CASEY HILDER
Few know the magnetic pull of the Mississippi Delta like author Hank Burdine. Burdine was raised in Greenville, Mississippi, right on the river. The son of a road builder and self-proclaimed “gentleman farmer,” Burdine didn’t pick up the pen in earnest until eight years ago when he began to contribute a series of letters chronicling the many colorful aspects of life in the Delta. Now a longtime Delta Magazine contributor, Hank decided to form a Delta anthology of sorts in his new book, Dust in the Road: Recollections of a Delta Boy.
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Click Magazine: How did you get started writing about life in the Delta? Hank Burdine: I was raised in Greenville, Mississippi. We were in the roadbuilding business. Around 1990-something, business had slowed down and, basically, was fixin’ to grind to a halt. I packed up all my things, leased my farms out and moved to Southern Colorado where my wife and I raised our three kids. She came down with breast cancer, stage IV metastasized. After we started treatment, we moved to the Destin, Florida, area. I wrote my first article for Emerald Coast Magazine about seven years ago, right about the time that Delta Magazine published its first issue, the one with Lee and Pup McCarty on the cover. I knew Lee very well, so I read that thing cover to cover and sent a letter to the editor at the time, Melissa Townsend, about why it was hard for me to leave Mississippi. The next month, she came back and asked me for another article. After that, she told me she was open to running whatever I wanted to talk about. That was 60-something articles and a whole book ago. I’ve been writing for Delta Magazine for about 15 years. CM: How did you decide to collect these stories in a book? HB: Well, I realized about a year or so ago that I had enough articles about enough different subjects in the Delta that we could probably put a book out. So we teamed up with Coopwood Publishing, the company behind Delta Magazine, to bring it all together in Dust in the Road. CM: You’ve been involved with a few land management projects in the Delta. Is it fair to say you’re a conservationist at heart? HB: I’ve been accused of being a tree hugger sometimes. Portions of all of my farmlands go into Conservation Reserve Programs. I try to look at it kind of like the old Native Americans: Even though we may have title to the land, we don’t own the land. We’re here to take care of the land and preserve it for future generations. The greatest conservationist is the American hunter. He’s going to see to it that the sport he or she loves is perpetuated and passed on down to future generations. A lot of the time, that’s accomplished by putting your money where your mouth is and developing these lands and keeping them filled with natural wildlife. CM: How did you become known as a storyteller? HB: I’ve been telling stories all my life and hearing stories all my life. I grew up under the aura of some of the greatest writers of our time down here in Greenville, sandwiched between General Gallatin Paxton and General Albert Lee. I had quite the upbringing with the former presence of those two gentleman right on either side of me. I was surrounded by arts, music and talented people like Shelby Foote. It was that kind of environment that I grew up in, never thinking that I would eventually become a writer. All that artistic largesse was concentrated in the town of Greenville. I think a lot of it has to do with the influence of William Alexander Percy, a poet from the area. There’s a chapter in my book, Remnants of a Wall, about his legacy that might be able to give you a little insight on why I think that is.
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TALES FROM THE DELTA THE GREAT FLOOD OF 2011 I’m on the Mississippi Levee Board in 2011 and up comes this huge flood with the potential to be a big natural disaster for our area. And as it turned out, the 2011 Flood was the greatest flood in our recorded history. It brought 25 percent more water than the 1927 flood did, but because of the things put in place by the Mississippi River Tributaries Project, we were able to pass that event without a single acre becoming wet that wasn’t supposed to and not a single life lost. A lot of the pictures we had taken and writing on that event appeared in Delta: Landscapes, legends and legacies of Mississippi's most storied region. We passed that event pretty well and our levee system remains in good shape.
RICHARD GRANT, AUTHOR OF DISPATCHES FROM PLUTO You can read the whole story of the first time I ever met Richard in the epilogue of my book. The thing I adore so much about Richard is that he’s real: you won’t find a plastic bone in Richard Grant’s body. He’s a world traveler and a great writer who was going through some times and ended up down in Oxford, Mississippi. He met a gal named Martha Foose (Author and Executive Chef of Viking Cooking School), who I consider one of the true Delta heroes. Martha brought him down to the Delta for a picnic and showed him around Belzoni, Mississippi. The difference in Richard and so many other writers from up North who covered the Delta is that he put his heart and soul down here. He wasn’t here for a couple of weeks, the man bought a house and moved his family here. He’s a true Southern gentleman, even though he isn’t Southern.
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JOHN RUSKEY & QUAPAW CANOE COMPANY John’s a hero of mine. I me John five or six years ago and heard about how he got involved with the river and just loved the water so much that he about died on a homemade raft with his friend. My hat is off to John for what he’s done with the Quapaw Canoe Company and showing the kids, the next generation, what it’s all about by bringing them on the river. The Mississippi River is one of the biggest, most powerful forces we have here in America, and to experience it on a big expedition canoe like he does is unbelievable. But me, personally, I’d rather have a little horsepower on the back of my boat. I’ve often told John that I want to be on his speed dial if he ever ends up in a jam on the river. “Have boat, will travel.”
JERRY LEE LEWIS I got a surprise phone call from my editor at the time, Melissa Townsend, to head up to Hernando early one morning for a project that turned out to be an interview with Jerry Lee Lewis. My first reaction was “Good God almighty, what in the world?” Around the time, Jerry Lee was going with and has since married a girl from Benoit, Mississippi. We were invited into the Lewis home and it was as congenial a gathering as I’d ever had. Jerry Lee seemed to know that I wasn’t about to ask him any questions he didn’t want to answer. At the time, he was mourning one of his favorite little dogs, a Chihuahua named Topaz. I had always heard and know it to be a fact my own self that a man is due two things in his lifetime: one good woman and one good dog. For me, it was my big old Chesapeake Retriever, Bud, and my wife, Sally. So I tried to lead him in with this question to get him talking about his dog without directly asking. When I told him that, he looked at me, looked around the room once, tugged his chin and said “Well, I believe I’ve had me more than one good woman.” He never did say anything about his dog.
DANO NAPOLI MPT, OCS, CERT. DN
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NO PLACE likeHOME PLACE
Chronicling the livestock and liveliness of Marshall Bartlett’s Home Place Pastures FEATURE BY EUGENE PIDGEON PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER
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Marshall Bartlett is one of those guys who always seems to know where the fish are biting and on what. His has a spontaneous charisma which melds the best and worst of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” with Eddie Albert’s “Green Acres” where common sense and love of tradition must compete with rural farce, the coarse and inevitable folly of Mother Nature, and the single minded and incorruptible fortitude of a vision for something different, for something better and for something everyone can share. Bartlett is a 29-year-old farmer, as well as the chief cook and proprietor of all things porcine at Home Place Pastures in Como, Mississippi. He was born into the rich and complex farming traditions of North Mississippi. His family established Home Place Pastures in 1871 and grew through the postbellum ravages of Reconstruction and southern reunification. Despite their family’s history working the land, Bartlett’s parents encouraged their children to go to college in lieu of becoming farmers because of the difficult lifestyle. “They pushed us that way. But I grew up here and it is just in my blood,” says Bartlett. “As a kid, it was paradise. I genuinely love farming. I grew up farming here every summer since I was 13. I love this place.” Five years ago, he sliced off a parcel of 800 acres from over 2000 acres of workable land to transform a beautiful farm into a sustainable and pastured animal operation. “There is a lot of pride and close connection with the land,” he says. “I am the fifth generation to farm here. I am part of a 150-year family farming legacy.” Home Place Pastures started with or two helpers and now boasts a crew of 15 employees, and the economic dividends of his business are returned to the immediate boundaries
of his hometown community. “Como, Mississippi, is a poor, rural community that definitely needs some improved economic activity. I am most proud of how we have been able to generate opportunity and positively impact the economy out here.” Taking a step back into memory lane Bartlett laughs and recalls how the choice to tend hogs was more circumstance than providence “The truth is I was very young and was working for a company in New Orleans for two years that was selling lamb and beef. I knew New Orleans was on the horizon of where I eventually wanted to sell. And just so there wouldn’t be any problem or conflict of interest I signed a non-compete agreement and chose hogs.” Bartlett was also passionate about restoring part of the state’s history with hogs. “It all began to change in the 1980s,” says Bartlett. “Bryan Foods was a big packing plant down in West Point, Mississippi, and by rote and systematically when they shut down and left, all the markets for finishing and raising pigs commercially began to shut down as well.” The mission of Home Place Pastures was to restore those traditions in a way that is humane and ethical, from the birth of the pigs to their place in the market. According to Bartlett, the three intrinsic considerations necessary to have and monitor when raising high quality meats are nutrition, genetics, and stress. “We were committed to raising our hogs all out doors and naturally. We are also celebrating some of the heritage breeds that excelled in the outdoor systems and have unparalleled meat quality. We make certain our hogs are well-kept and free. They never see a cage. They are never confined. And at Home Place Pastures, we never use antibiotics” myclickmag.com
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The very first sale was of a half a hog to his friends Judge and Becca who own and operate Tribecca Allie Café in Sardis. Bartlett did his own marketing, so he was coldcalling potential customers and dropping by restaurants to set up regular accounts locally in Oxford and Memphis. Eventually, he broke into the New Orleans market, just as he wanted, with six-hour drives (sometimes twice a week) to the Big Easy. “I built a container out of plywood and contrived a makeshift cooler to keep the product fresh in the back of my truck. It was crazy, but it worked.” Bartlett’s persistence, creativity and stamina began to reap real dividends. Home Place Pastures now serves 50 restaurants in the greater New Orleans area, in addition to established accounts in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and other parts of Louisiana. Now, their core litter groups range from 40 to 50 piglets at a time. They’re weaned together and never separated so that they can establish their own internal and social pecking order in their relationships, according to Bartlett, which keeps their stress levels down. The animals are also monitored by the strictest of biosecurity protocols. The runts that fall behind are grouped together and sent out as barbecue pigs while slower growing hogs become top hogs or finished butcher hogs. Bartlett is quick to acknowledge those who have helped Home Place Pastures become what it is today. Students from the vet school at Mississippi State University in Starkville do
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a farm tour and write a report on methods they can use to improve their business model. “They’ve helped us with the development and installation of our bio security protocols and we can even take our sick animals to them for care. Then again it is just about having a farm family and people who are willing to help us out.” Bartlett also has a friend in Temple Grandin, an international pioneer in the field of humane animal practices, who changed the paradigm of raising and slaughtering commercial livestock. “She is on the forefront and has really developed and introduced amazing and humane animal handling techniques. The systems she has designed to keep the animals stress-free from birth to slaughter are critical to our operations at Home Place Pastures.” When they built their processing plant, Bartlett spoke with Grandin and her designer about their plans to make sure the work they’d be doing was to the highest standard possible. And that attention to detail has paid off. Bartlett and his small, patchwork coterie of advocates and supporters have been able restore the lost traditions that he remembers fondly. “I remember my dad telling stories about how the local families would keep hogs and feed them all of their food scraps,” Bartlett says. “They would share everything with the neighbors-the bounty of the hog from the skin and cracklings to the loin and chops. I just love that idea of community and sustainability.”
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THE TR AIN TO
Christmas Town Oh what fun it is to ride Batesville’s all-singing, all-dancing holiday spectacle on rails FEATURE & PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER
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The sleepy Southern town of Batesville, Mississippi, was once known far and wide as a stop for passenger trains on the way from New Orleans to Chicago. In 1995, a faster railroad that circumvented the Batesville stop was constructed and the status as a major passenger rail town slowly died off. But around the holiday season, the old train depot just off Batesville’s town square springs to life to usher young passengers on an hourlong trek full of concentrated Christmas cheer. “The Christmas Train is seen as a way to bring back that tradition of a passenger train rolling through Batesville,” says Andrew Christl, Director of Passenger Operations for Iowa Pacific Holdings. Christl oversees operations of The Train to Christmas Town, an annual attraction inspired by the 2012 children’s book by Peggy Ellis that brings in tourists from as far as Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama. The titular train is an EMD E8 passenger-train locomotive with nine cars of different types attached, including double-deckers and dome cars with elevated seating. “The city’s been really great, they’ve supported us a lot over the past few years through improvements to the town square and gazebo,” Christl says. “From improvements to the lighting and bathroom access to allowing us to block the crossing for 45 minutes at a time to board, they’ve been great partners throughout the whole process.” Boarding begins with a troupe of elves serenading pajamaclad families with music, dancing and sing-alongs set to the tune of a dozen songs written by the four-time Grammy nominated children’s music group, Trout Fishing in America.
Songs include rousing tracks like “Chocolate Christmas,” “Sometimes Santa takes the Train.” When everyone gets situated with their refreshments, the book reading begins. During the reading, the characters from the book like Bumblebee, the polar bear, appear and interact with the children before the train reach the North Pole, a brightly lit set piece where Santa enters the train. Upon boarding, Jolly Old St. Nick makes his way through the train cars, greeting children, posing for photos with families and handing out trinkets. Once Santa’s made his way through the train, another round of sing-alongs begins -- this time focused on the standard Christmas classics like “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” -- before returning to the station. Event managers Sheila Pounders and Don Johnson are responsible for hiring and training staff, distributing cookies and preparing hot cocoa by the gallon. “Don helps get the train ready to go on the tracks, and I take it from there by issuing tickets and handling any issues that might pop up,” says Pounders. As the co-owners of Court Street Patio Restaurant in Batesville’s town square, Johnson and Pounders are no strangers to serving large groups. “I’ve never operated anything like this on a train before, but I’ve picked up a lot of tricks of the trade over the past few years and things operate very smoothly now,” says Johnson. “It’s good to take the guesswork out of things. Now, we mix our cocoa down to the ounce.” Johnson estimates his team prepared more than 6,000 pounds, or 3 tons, of cocoa powder and passed out more than 40,000 cookies in 2017. myclickmag.com
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“One of my favorite parts of this job is seeing all the different outfits,” says Pounders. “Some of the parents are hilarious with pajamas, Grinch outfits and different kinds of Santas. People take part this very serious. Last year, we had a family of 15 show up all wearing pajamas with their names on them made by the grandma.” The Train to Christmas Town brings more than 130 seasonal jobs to Panola County, many of those being performers and the colorful cast of characters. “We find that some of the most energetic and bright elves we can find are local high school students,” Christl says. “We typically hire a core adult staff for day-today operations, but it’s primarily students staffing the trains and handling some of the more theatric elements.” Returning staff members are rewarded with increased pay for every year they return to work as a member of the cast. “We try to teach some responsibility and ethics to go along with the position,” Johnson says. “This is a real job with some real duties, but I think if you talk to anybody who works with us, they’ll tell you that seeing the looks on the faces of those kids is the best part.” Now in its fourth year of operation, The Train to Christmas Town shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. “ We have an excellent working relationship with the city,” says Johnson. “The mayor and board of aldermen have worked very closely with us throughout the whole process to make this happen.” In addition to Batesville, Iowa Pacific operates five other Trains to Christmas Town in places like England, Oregon and Massachusetts. The Train to Christmas Town will run out of the Batesville Town Square through December 23. For more information, visit grenadarail.com. “It’s been a real good economic boost for our city and we’d love to keep it that way,” says Pounders. “But the most important part is making something the children can remember. All you have to do is see it a couple of times and you remember why you do it.”
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COSPLAY FOR A CAUSE The DeSoto County Ghostbusters spread love, hunt negatively charged ectoplasmic entities FEATURE & PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER About six months ago, DeSoto County residents began to notice “something strange” in their neighborhoods in the form of the Ecto-17, a tricked-out 2001 Cadillac Hearse modeled after the iconic ride made famous by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. “We love the reactions from the kids,” says DeSoto County Ghostbuster Jack Johnson. “And the adults who see it become kids again for one brief moment.” The DeSoto County Ghostbusters are a nonprofit group dedicated to spread a little bit of happiness while patrolling the tri-county area for spectral beings. “We’re big on public appearances, Facebook contests, prize drawings: all that fun stuff,” says DSsoto County Ghostbuster David Hailey, who also works as a realtor with Kitchens Realty Group. The “core four” DeSoto County Ghostbusters are comprised of Jack Johnson, Cory Coffman, Andrew Hylander and David Hailey, though their ranks include several additional “reserve” Ghostbusters like DeSoto County Sheriff, Jonathan Bigham, and numerous spouses and children. “My son has been a big part of lots of the events we attend,” says DeSoto County Ghostbuster Cory Coffman. “He comes along with me and it really helps get the kids involved. He hands out fliers, gives handshakes—he probably feels like a little bit of a celebrity.” The team has made charitable appearances for organizations like The Ronald McDonald House, The Horn Lake Chamber of Commerce, Avellino’s Pizza, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. “Anything for charity, we do it for free,” says Hailey. “If a business wants to promote itself, we sometimes charge for that, but generally all the money we make goes back into the Ecto.” Jack Johnson is the group’s “mad scientist,” who recreates much of the Ghostbusters’ spirit-seeking technology. “My house has become the Ghostbusters headquarters of sorts,” he says. “So I’m the one sitting around with all the car parts. Johnson came across the vehicle that would eventually become the souped-up Ghostbusters ride in an impound lot and quickly collaborated with his team and local businesses myclickmag.com
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to get things looking presentable. “We got the car on May 25 and everybody teamed up to get things presentable,” Johnson says. “On June 7, we were able to make out first appearance as a group at the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis.” Far from an unofficial outfit, the groups’ activities have even been approved by Ivan Reitman, director of the first two Ghostbusters movies. “The original car was a ’59 Cadillac and we’re working with an ’03 Cadillac, so we took a few steps to modernize the design of the vehicle while still keeping it classic,” says Johnson. “The ‘17’ in the name is because that’s the county code for DeSoto County.” While DeSoto County’s group amounts to little over a dozen members, they are among hundreds of fan clubs spread across all 50 states, each with their own handmade uniforms, logos and associated props. “We do all kinds of things,” says Hylander, an electrician by day. “Stuff for schools, of course charity events, community gatherings.” Wielding proton backs and other ghost-capturing devices, a typical DeSoto County Ghostbusters appearance includes hands-on interaction with movie-accurate gear and a slime lab for the youngsters. Several partnerships with local businesses helped solidify the DeSoto County Ghostbusters’ appearance and equipment, including uniform and patchwork from
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Southaven-based Pat's Monograms, lighting effects from Two-Way Communications, car parts from Illusion Ink, and even a glowing endorsement from DeSoto County Sheriffs Bill Rasco and Eddie Vanstory in the form of the flashing blue lights atop the Ecto-17. 0 “David and I are both veterans,” Johnson says. “So this is a way for us to continue serving, and having all these small businesses and members of the community helping out means a lot. Running a charity costs money and everyone who wants to help us out means so much.” According to Johnson, Hylander, Hayley and Coffman; the appeal of the Ghostbusters goes beyond the catchy theme song from Ray Parker, Jr., or even the boyhood dream of filling the boots of the original four. That’s the thing about Ghostbusters—it’s open to everybody. There are no inherent superpowers, just a bunch of normal guys and gals of all ages and races suited up in slightly gaudy flight suits packing a plethora of “advanced” technology. “It’s been pretty surreal,” says Coffman. “It’s one thing to watch it, but a whole other thing to be a part of it.” The Ghostbusters will appear alongside their sweet ride in the upcoming Southaven Christmas Parade on December 7 and Hernando Christmas Parade on December 3. For more info about the DeSoto County Ghostbusters, check out facebook.com/DeSotoCountyGhostbusters.
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A FESTIVE FEAST Perfect the art of holiday entertaining with a selection of handcrafted seasonal recipes
Acorn Squash Tart with Prosciutto and Pomegranate Recipe courtesy of Serena Wolf
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 1 small acorn squash Kosher salt 2 sheets frozen puffed pastry, thawed (from a 17.3-ounce package) 2 cups grated Fontina cheese 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (optional) 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese, divided 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 3-inch pieces 1/3 cup pomegranate arils Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl combine the olive oil and syrup. Briefly set aside. Slice the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice each half crosswise into ½-inch half moons. Brush the squash on both sides with the olive oil mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the squash over halfway through the cooking time. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Gently roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth it out. (Aim for something about 12” by 10.”) Transfer each sheet of pastry to the prepared baking sheets. Gently score a ½-inch border around the edge with a paring knife. Pierce the pastry all over inside the border with a fork to help release steam while the pastry bakes. Brush both with a little olive oil. Transfer the puff pastry to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. To assemble each tart: Top with 1 cup Fontina inside the scored border. (If the pastry has puffed up inside the border, simply flatten it slightly with a spatula.) Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon thyme and top with half the prosciutto. Add 1 ounce goat cheese and 6 slices of squash. Return tarts to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned and the prosciutto has crisped around the edges. Finish the tarts with the remaining goat cheese and the pomegranate arils.
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Brown Sugar Short Ribs Recipe courtesy of Andrea LeTard
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 to 5 lbs short ribs Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 large onion – diced 4 garlic cloves – minced 1 ½ cups good red wine 3 cups beef stock, plus more if needed 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons fresh thyme ½ cup light brown sugar Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large cast iron pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Sear all sides of the short ribs until browned and a nice crust is formed. Set aside on a plate. Turn the heat down to medium, add the onion, and cook until slightly brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, or until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and scrape up all brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaves, and stir together. Place the ribs back into the pot, making sure they’re almost covered in the liquid but you can still see the tops. If they need more liquid, add more stock. Sprinkle the rosemary, thyme, and brown sugar over the ribs. Roast in the oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until tender and almost falling off the bone. Transfer the ribs to a serving platter. Skim and discard the fat off the top of the gravy then blend what’s left with a hand-held blender – if you don’t have one, you can use a regular blender or leave the sauce chunky. Serve gravy atop the ribs or on the side. Makes four servings
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Cranberry-Apple Chutney with Curry and Ginger Recipe courtesy of Justin and Amy Burks
2 pints organic cranberries 1 cup of raw sugar 2 large Pink Lady apples, peeled and diced 1 inch of fresh ginger root, microplaned 1 1/2 tsp. sweet yellow curry powder 1/2 cup tangerine juice Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl combine the olive oil and syrup. Briefly set aside. Slice the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice each half crosswise into ½-inch half moons. Brush the squash on both sides with the olive oil mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the squash over halfway through the cooking time. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Gently roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth it out. (Aim for something about 12” by 10.”) Transfer each sheet of pastry to the prepared baking sheets. Gently score a ½-inch border around the edge with a paring knife. Pierce the pastry all over inside the border with a fork to help release steam while the pastry bakes. Brush both with a little olive oil. Transfer the puff pastry to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. To assemble each tart: Top with 1 cup Fontina inside the scored border. (If the pastry has puffed up inside the border, simply flatten it slightly with a spatula.) Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon thyme and top with half the prosciutto. Add 1 ounce goat cheese and 6 slices of squash. Return tarts to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned and the prosciutto has crisped around the edges. Finish the tarts with the remaining goat cheese and the pomegranate arils.
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December 2018
White Chocolate Matcha Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Marshmallows Recipe courtesy of Justin and Amy Burks 2 1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 ounces (6 squares) white chocolate 2 teaspoons matcha powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Maldon sea salt (to taste) Peppermint mini-marshmallows Place milk, maple syrup, white chocolate, matcha, vanilla, and sea salt into your mini-slow cooker and set it on low for an hour or so; whisk the mixture twice during this time so that the chocolate melts. Set the slow cooker on high to further warm for an hour; whisk before serving the hot chocolate in mugs. Top with peppermint marshmallows. (Serves 2; recipe may be doubled or tripled if needed).
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MERRY MAKINGS Decking the halls with interior designer Depp Britt FEATURE & PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER
When it comes to decorating for the holidays, striking a balance between the home as a place for seasonal entertaining as well as living space can be tricky. This month, Click aims to take the confusion out of Christmastime with holiday home décor tips from interior designer Depp Britt. “I have a simple rule of thumb when it comes to Christmas,” Britt says. “If you bring something out of the attic, you need to pack something away.” According to Britt, a tendency to over-decorate and utilize absolutely every single ornament, bit of tinsel and hand-me-down bauble can make for a clustered mess that is often difficult for guests to navigate. “You don’t want to try to fit 20 pounds of potatoes in a 10 pound sack,” he says. “So don’t be afraid to leave a few things in the attic this year if you have a bit more than you can reasonably fit into your living room.” Britt offers a few key pointers for avoiding the Christmas clutter and putting a brand new festive face on your domicile. 34
December 2018
Ornament Orientation Britt suggests mixing in a variety
familiar with an emphasis on the tiny elements that define a home. “Nothing has changed in this space we have right here except the addition of Christmas ornaments in a bowl,” Britt says. “But it’s placed in relation to what we already have in the room so it works really well.” Little touches like adding a Christmas-y element to an already existing centerpiece can go a long way In terms of adding a little bit of holiday flair to a home without adding unnecessary clutter. On the contrary, less pronounced elements like undersized Christmas trees can be presented more prominently simply by placing them on a small table or other elevated surface. “Don’t be afraid to give your tree a lift, especially if it’s one of those smaller four or five foot trees,” Britt says. “Getting around your house easily should always be a priority, and I find it’s always easier to work strictly in terms of your existing space.”
of ornament sizes beyond the simple ball shape. The idea behind this is simple: a variety of forms is more pleasing to the eye. He also notes that stand-out trees often contain an element of the unconventional, such as the faux Cardinal feathers that top off his most recent creation. “I don’t hate angels and stars,” Britt says. “But I grew up with that, and I always have to do something different. This year is all about ribbons.” The ribbons in Britt’s tree form a nest at the top along with the scattered red feathers, particularly apt for the season since red birds often represent the arrival of guests. However, because this year’s tree borders on over-the-top, Britt went for a decidedly simple design for the nearby dining room by simply adding a few floral accents. “If you’re going to overload in one place, be sure to go simple in the area around it,” Britt says.
Festive Florals Poinsettias and mistletoe are an essential part of holiday décor, but keep in mind that these plants can often be poisonous for pets. A fresh alternative can come in the form of strategically placed pine cones and other seasonal flora. “It’s a very simple touch that lets the guest know exactly what time of the year it is when they walk through the door,” Britt says. “Don’t be afraid to go out into your yard and collect some of those plants that come into the house very well such as magnolias, nandina and evergreen branches.”
The Colors of the Season One of the biggest pitfalls in holiday décor is color selection, according to Britt. While the mention of Christmas might immediately bring swirling visions of red and green, strategic use of other frequently occurring holidays colors – metallics like gold and silver, white, maybe even a little purple – can bring a room to life and add a pleasant glow.
The Christmas Touch Good presentation is all about blending the festive with the
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December 2018
BEER FROM HERE WITH DERRIC CURRAN AND ALISTAIR CLARK Owners and Operators of The Mississippi Ale House
DELTA GRIND Friends, family, and the warmth of a home-made Christmas dinner shouldn't go without the warmth that comes with a good seasonal beverage. 1817 and Mississippi Ale House's newly released Delta Grind fits the bill for beer and coffee lovers alike. Their tasty mix of vanilla and coffee is the perfect end to a long day of stuffing your belly and dealing with one too many of Uncle Frank's off inappropriate jokes. So, don't let the holidays pass without a little Delta Grind to get you through them. BREW FACTS Brewery: 1817 and Mississippi Ale House Style: Coee Sweet Stout ABV: 6.8% IBU: 22 Appearance: Dark roasted brown Where to find this beer: Mississippi Ale House
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December 2018
Jesse Dement, Santa Clause & Kimberlee Keltner
OUT&ABOUT
Andy & Jessie Dement, Santa Clause, Raquel Dement
$ Hernando Christmas Open House
$ Hernando Parks & Craft Fair
$ Wags for Whiskers
$ Desoto County Veteran’s Day Celebrations
$ Art on Fire
$ Walk for Wishes
$ The Purse Project
$ Streetdog Foundation’s Howl at the Moon Fundraiser
$ Noah’s Gift 5K
$ Wine Down
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Hernando Christmas Open House The heart of Hernando lit up for the holidays as shops around the Square opened their doors to carolers and shoppers alike during the 41st annual Christmas Open House. The Big Man in Red even dropped by the Chamber of Commerce to scope out the snacks and make a few tweaks to his Naughty or Nice list.
NOVEMBER 3
Kristen Sears & Christa Cox
Kimberlee Keltner & Dawn Edwards
Cynthia Mitchell & Ally Goff
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December 2018
Sadie Reed & Mary Gray
Maci Bradley & Maggie Moyer
Hernando Cheerleaders
Jennifer Kuykendall & Darla Walker
Ashton Elander & Sarah Pirtle
Cory Hollis & Betsy Carol Tackett
Ellie Potts & Jay Nichols
Anna Johnson & Molly Capell
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Wags for Whiskers DeSoto Animal Rescue Society invited pet lovers from across the MidSouth to take their four-legged friends out on a two-mile walk for charity. All proceeds from the 14th annual fundraising event will help DARS in its mission to get animals off the streets and into loving homes.
OCTOBER 20
Mari Fortune with Cricket
Hall & Maria Butterworth with Mug
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December 2018
Hunter House with Daisy
Stephanie Mothershed with Tucker
Allison Rogers with Hank
Jeremy Bennett with Andy & Buddy
Wendy Gardner the 'dog'
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Art on Fire This festive fall party has been pegged as the Dixon Gallery & Gardens’ biggest night of the year. The bash featured live entertainment and a roaring bonfire alongside more than two dozen food and drink vendors. Proceeds from the silent auction and “Hot off the Wall” Art Sale directly benefit the Dixon’s art education and outreach programs.
OCTOBER 20
Joe Oakley & Lia Roemer
Megan Key & Kimmy Ellis
Frank Porter, Derrick & Ashley Chatman
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December 2018
Caroline & Phillp Smith
Rachel Black & Ryan Carmichael
Kontji Anthony
Erin Henderson
FIRST SECURITY BANK
Leslie & John Daniel
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The Purse Project Hernando’s One Memphis Street played host to The Purse Project, a luncheon, fashion show and auction benefiting the House of Grace, a domestic violence shelter for women and their children serving 10 counties in North Mississippi.
OCTOBER 25
Janell Hankerson & Bridget Cobbsmith
Sunny Stuckey & Jesse Dement
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December 2018
Vickey McLendon & Kathy Chatham
Beth Pharr & Missy Flanagan
Cynthia Short
Merry Christmas from
THOMAS INSURANCE AGENCY
Adrienne Kelso
Carol Smith & Jan Vidal
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Noah’s Gift 5K Hernando’s annual Noah’s Gift 5K kicked off at the Maddox Foundation and led runners on a scenic route throughout town before wrapping back around. Since 2010, the race has helped raise funds for the Noah’s Gift Endowed Fund. The grant program offers youth ages 13-19 the opportunity to do something extraordinary in honor of the late Noah Costa.
OCTOBER 27
FIRST PLACE: Joseph Thornhill
Susan Shedden, RIck Underwood & Brian Churchill
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December 2018
Raul Marquez, Mickey Moton & Houston Faulkner
Nicklay family
Because every angel deserves a halo...
Scott & Lauren Lewis
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Vance & Destinee Daly with 'Pinky'
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Trish Spalding & Andy Motzkus
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Hernando Parks & Craft Fair The Gale Community Center in Hernando hosted a holiday market featuring an array of handmade goods and trinkets.
NOVEMBER 3
Stephanie & Jasmine James
Kathryn & Hank Whitten
Austin & Kendra Taylor
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December 2018
Kim Ingram
Tim & Wesley Pena
Wiihing everrone a Meey Chriitmas and Haay New Year om
Jeanne BoothWheatley Jed & Valorie
Carol Ricossa
FIRST SECURITY BANK
Katie Jarnagin
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Desoto County Veteran’s Day Celebrations Various organizations across Desoto County held events in honor of Veteran’s Day. In partnership with the Southaven Mayor’s office, the City of Southaven held its annual Appreciation Luncheon honoring veterans of all military branches. The City of Horn Lake invited all veterans and current military personnel to an honorary breakfast at Landers Center.
NOVEMBER 8-12
Louis Davis, Vet Korean War & Olin Pickens, Vet WWII
164th OSS, Memphis
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December 2018
Norma Bradford & WIlliam Jones Anne Krekelberg
Julius Hite, Lynn Herron & Bill Horne
Steve Powell
Joe Mabe
David Hill
Faith Turner, Autumn Burrows, Krystal Jones & Octavia Martin
Chuck & Jeanne French
Tim Rowland & Kacey Reed
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Walk for Wishes Hundreds of people came out to support the North Mississippi Walk for Wishes. Although the community-wide celebration benefitting MakeA-Wish was free to attend, many participants sought out sponsors and donors to contribute to the cause.
NOVEMBER 9
Jack Johnson & Andrew Hylander
Shelby, Judy & Leland Gupton
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December 2018
Diane Guerreto & Sue Cox
Joy Savage & Susan Dunaway
Alexandria Craft, Mary Wilkerson & Laura Hargrave
Katie Hargett & Catherine Duncan
Mikaela & Cheryle Nix
Madison Ray & Jonathan Swann
Will & Gracen Warren, Marysusan Asters
Cecelia, Casey, Lucas & Nick Tansey
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Streetdog Foundation’s Howl at the Moon Fundraiser Scores of animal lovers gathered at The Warehouse in Downtown Memphis for the annual Howl at the Moon charity event benefitting Streetdog Foundation. Since its inception, the Foundation has rescued hundreds of dogs from Memphis streets and kill shelters. The rescue organization relies on its volunteers to foster found dogs as the organization works to find each animal a forever home.
NOVEMBER 10
Glaze Hardage & Tera Ashley
Alexander & Mary Ramirez
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December 2018
Jenny & Steve White
Jimmy Sides & Amy Carroll
Kelly Quinn & Jurnee Taylor
Mark Parsell & Eddy McDermott
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Wine Down Few things pair better than great wines and great art, a tradition that Dixon Gallery & Gardens continues with its monthly Wine Down tasting event. As the winter holidays loom closer, the Dixon invited guests take a step back from the hustle and bustle and reflect on what matters most. Whether that’s wine, friendship, or family, this special Wine Down offered the opportunity to enjoy all three.
NOVEMBER 9
Carol & Kevin Kilgore
Michael & Susan Leinert
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December 2018
Sam Kirkland & Reagan Bugg
Jim Petrea & Jutta Siebert
Kent Willis & Kelechi Ohayagha
Gina Deutsch & Wesley Grace
Kip & Christina Gordon
Karen Madlock & Dr. Dee Lofton
Tom Williams
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ANIMAL OF THE MONTH
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THE WHITE-TAILED DEER Athletic and Prolific BY RUSS THOMPSON
When it comes to animals this time of year, many people think about reindeer. However, right here in our own backyard we have our own amazing animal: the white-tailed deer. So, let’s stop worrying about those gifts you’ll have to return from that relative who just doesn’t seem to know you and extol the virtues of our very own Rudolph the white-tailed deer. The white-tailed deer is one of those animals we take for granted because there are so many of them in virtually every county in the Mid South, but that wasn’t always the case. In the early part of the twentieth century they were virtually wiped out by overhunting for hides and food. If you want to get technical, they were ‘extirpated’ or became virtually extinct in our area. Thanks to effective game laws and reintroduction efforts, we have plenty of deer around today. In fact, some areas have too many. Where they are overabundant, they may overgraze the vegetation and even pose a risk to drivers when they cross the road. These animals are herbivores, which means they eat plants. Like my friend, John Paul, they have stomachs that are made to eat a large variety of foods including twigs, leaves, acorns, clover, corn, grass, alfalfa, nuts, fruits, and fungi. Their most active feeding time is around dusk and dawn, and they are considered to be nocturnal or crepuscular (there I go with those fancy scientific terms again). Most of the day they are found deep in the woods, but may be seen in fields, orchards, thickets, and sometimes even in the yard. They are also very athletic, being able to sprint up to thirty miles per hour and leap as high as ten feet. You would want
to be able to do that too if you needed to escape predators. Deer are one of our largest mammals, growing up to seventy-eight inches in length and weighing as much as three hundred pounds. They have two hoofed toes, large eyes and ears, and a medium length tail. Like humans, they have different fashions and styles depending on the season: they have more of a reddish coat during the warmer months and in winter they are more of a grayishbrown color. Their bellies and throat are white. Males have antlers that are shed each year. They use these antlers during the ‘rut’ when they fight with other males, usually in November. It’s kind of like a Saturday night college fraternity party for deer without the beer. They often flash their white tails, stamp their feet, and snort to warn other herd members of danger. You can tell their age by how worn their teeth are, not by the number of antler points, which is a common misconception. White-tails breed between September and February and gestation is around six to seven months. Does or female deer are smaller than bucks and usually give birth to one to three fawns. The fawns are covered with white spots and can walk as soon as they are born. They tend to lay low for many weeks before following their mothers around for safety and to help them find vegetation. You would do the same if you were faced with the threat of hungry bobcats and coyotes. So, during this time of year when we heap praise on Rudolph for all of his reindeer traits, we should stop for a moment to praise the athletic, prolific white-tailed deer right here in our own backyard.
Russ Thompson was a science teacher for 14 years and has been a freelance writer since 2014 focusing mainly on science and nature writing as well as fiction. His science and teaching background has compelled him to take an interest in researching and writing about the natural world.
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