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F RO M T H E E D I TO R
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nniversaries, whether personal or professional, come around each year and have special meanings for those who celebrate them. In August 2011’s “Back to Schoolâ€? edition of Bluffs & Bayous, I started my adventure in freelance writLQJ ZLWK WKH ´6RPHWKLQJ 6FUXPSWLRXVÂľ VHULHV 'XULQJ WKRVH Ă€UVW articles, I was able to travel the Mississippi Delta and test some of the tastiest menus and dishes in the South. Once I moved home to Natchez and began to write the features for Bluffs & Bayous, I learned so much about our area’s amazing niche in this haven of eclectic culture and Southern hospitality. )RU WKH SDVW Ă€YH \HDUV , KDYH KDG WKH SULYLOHJH RI UHVHDUFKLQJ story lines, interviewing interesting individuals, and working with the best that Mississippi and Louisiana have to offer. My years so far at Bluffs & Bayous have helped create the author and individual that I have become. Whether writing about Natchez’s Great Mississippi River Balloon Race, St. Francisville’s Christmas in the Country, and Vidalia’s Jim Bowie BBQ Throwdown or about
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community members from far and wide, I have enjoyed every story, sit down, and phone conversation. Our region is rich in detailed histories, elegant lifestyles, and entertaining events that shape each edition of Bluffs & Bayous. As Bluffs & Bayous marks its own sixteenth year with this August edition, we say thank you for allowing us into your homes and lives as we explore the goodness, the greatness of life along and beyond the Mississippi.
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August 2016
FEATURES
Living in History pages 36 - 37
The Natchez 300: For the Love of Football Along and Beyond the Mississippi pages 38 - 39
The Making of an Artist pages 40 - 42
2016-2017 Football Schedules pages 46 - 48 Page 8 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
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August 2016
F AV O R I T E S
Events
Louisiana Up & Coming! .................................................................................................... 58 Mississippi Up & Coming!.............................................................................................. 60-62
All Outdoors Timmy and Tommy ........................................................................................................14-15
G’s Fare A Grove of Recipes..........................................................................................................18-21
The “State Birds” of the South pages 64 - 65
In the Garden Dwarf Canna: A Go-to Plant for Mississippi ................................................................. 30-31
Legal Notes Putting Alimony at Risk ................................................................................................ 24-25
Southern Sampler The “State Birds” of the South..................................................................................... 64-65
The Social Scene Natchez Festival of Music Honors Lessley and Paradise ................................................... 13 Pike County Chamber of Commerce Fish Fry ..............................................................16-17 Caring Women Awards Luncheon................................................................................. 22-23 Windsor Car Show .............................................................................................................. 26
A Grove of Recipes pages 18 - 21
Autograph Parties for Miss Mississippi Pageant ........................................................... 28-29 Class of 1961 Reunion ........................................................................................................ 32 McComb Garden Club’s “Afternoon in the Azaleas” ........................................................ 44 Retirement Reception for Mitchell .................................................................................... 51 Birthday Party for Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce ................................ 52 JA Banquet ......................................................................................................................... 57
ON THE COVER In addition to being a full-time physician, Dr. Kim Sessums, at home in his studio, creates art that people from all over the country can enjoy. See the story on pages 40 - 42. Photography by Jennie Guido and artistic design by T. G. McCary
Dwarf Canna: A Go-to Plant for Mississippi pages 30 - 31 Page 10 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 11
PUBLISHER Cheryl Foggo Rinehart MANAGING EDITOR
CONSULTING EDITOR
Jennie Guido
Jean Nosser Biglane GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Jan Ratcliff
Anita Schilling
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Tim McCary
Van O’Gwin
Cheryl Rinehart
Lisa Adams Whittington SALES STAFF
Jennie Guido
Cheryl Rinehart
Donna Sessions
JoAnna Sproles
CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Gary R. Bachman
Lucien C. “Sam� Gwin
Becky Junkin
Ross McGehee
Jennifer J. Whittier
Alma Womack
Cheryl Rinehart
Dr. Gary R. Bachman
Jennie Guido
Jean Biglane
Jan Ratcliff
Anita Schilling
Van O’Gwin
Tim McCary
Lisa Adams Whittington
Lucien C. “Sam� Gwin
Donna Sessions
JoAnna Sproles
Becky Junkin
Ross McGehee
Jennifer J. Whittier
Alma Womack
Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHà HFW WKH YLHZV RI WKH SXEOLVKHU QRU GR WKH\ FRQVWLWXWH DQ HQGRUVHPHQW RI SURGXFWV RU VHUYLFHV KHUHLQ :H UHVHUYH WKH ULJKW WR UHIXVH DQ\ DGYHUWLVHment. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.
OFFICE 423 Main Street, Suite 7 | Natchez, MS 39120 | 601-442-6847 bluf fsmag@gmail.com | bluf fs.editor@gmail.com bbupandcoming@gmail.com www.bluf fsbayous.com
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Natchez Festival of Music Honors Lessley and Paradise
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n Friday, June 3, 2016, Mary Lessley and David Paradise were honored with a cocktail party for their work and dedication to the Natchez Festival of Music. Friends and family gathered at The Towers, the home of Ginger and James Wesley Hyland, and enjoyed an elaborate spread and delicious cocktails.
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1 David Paradise and Tom Taylor 2 Ann and Robert Paradise 3 Ginger Hyland and Lynn Beach Smith 4 Pat and Karen Biglane 5 Jay Dean and Diana Glaze 6 Mary Lessley and Laurie Morgan 7 Carolyn and Sonny Gwin 8 Sandy Taylor, Laurie Morgan, David Paradise, and Tom and Ginger Schwager 9 Everett and Catherine Ratcliffe 10 Scott and Jennifer Slover with Katie and Bubba McCabe 11 Jim and Mary Lessley with Bill Henley 12 Sam Kirby with Bill and Kathy Faye Jones 13 Tom Taylor, Bobbye Henley, and James Wesley Hyland
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ALL OUTDOORS
BY
home, and there sat two deputy sheriffs talking to each other in their vehicles. It was too much temptation. So Timmy ran the stop sign, did a double donut in the intersection, and took off for home with the deputies in hot pursuit. He got home; and as Tommy came out of the house, Timmy left the car running and ran inside. Tommy, not suspecting anything was amiss, tore out of the driveway on his way back to town. Tommy says that he had no idea why the deputies fell in behind him, pulled him over, dragged him out of his car, threw him in the ditch with his arms behind his back, sat on him, read him his rights, and hauled him off to town. He had no clue! Much later, Timmy was sitting by the pool when his mother came out of the house and told him, “Get up. We are JRLQJ WR WKH VKHULII·V RIÀFH µ ,W ZHQW downhill from there. Since they raise citrus, Timmy had a high-level meeting with some Chinese clients about importing some juice. He took them to the country club for lunch, and everything was going well until it came WLPH WR SD\ WKH ELOO 7KH ÀUVW FUHGit card came back as cancelled, so Timmy wondered “What?” and tried another one. It was cancelled, too. After the fourth card came back, Timmy knew what was up. He swore revenge. Tommy was gone out of town on vacation for a week. So the day he left, Timmy called all the appropriate agencies and services and had all the power, the water, the gas, the pool, and the credit cards cut off! Tommy came home to a mess. A freezer full of thawed-out ÀVK LQ )ORULGD GRHV QRW GR PXFK IRU WKH DPELDQFH RI D KRXVH Tommy runs a large herd of cattle as one of the enterprises. He had occasion to buy a set of cattle and was low on money in one account; so he just wrote a check on another account, intending to replace it with the proceeds from a loan. Well, he forgot to get the loan. And he forgot that he wrote a check. Timmy had been putting money in that account to cover an anticipated expense. He paid the bill when it came in, and the check bounced! “Wait, what?” he asked. “It bounced? There was plenty of money to cover that.” The bank teller told him, “No, there was a $104,000 check drawn on that account two weeks ago.” I think if I wrote check for $104,000, I would have remembered to cover it. Just saying. That took some phone calls to straighten out! Timmy has a pool in his backyard. Swimming is the only type of exercise that he can do; and he has to do it at night because, when you weigh north of 600 pounds, there are not a whole lot of options for swim suits. So one evening while his daughter entertained guests inside, around ten o’clock Timmy slipped out the
Timmy and Tommy T
immy is a big ole boy. Well, that does not really do justice to how big he is. His waist is 80 inches. He does not drive KLPVHOI DQ\ZKHUH EHFDXVH KH FDQ·W ÀW EHKLQG WKH VWHHULQJ wheel of any vehicle; and he has a twin brother, Tommy, that is just as big! I guess that it “runs in the family” since Tommy has a son that at age twelve weighed more than 220 pounds. 7LP DQG 7RP FDQ·W Á\ DQ\ZKHUH VLQFH WKH\ ZRXOG KDYH WR buy two tickets each. So they are driven everywhere. San Diego, Portland, or Maine, it doesn’t matter. And they always travel with their personal legal counsel. What? Yes, they have a young attorney that goes everywhere with them to advise them in their businesses. It turns out that they grow oranges and can orange juice under six different labels, have a large cattle-raising operation, and manage a variety of real estate investments in Florida. What they do in their spare time is play some outrageous tricks on each other. It helps that they don’t live close together. About two-hundred miles separates their residences and citrus groves. And they never know what is a real problem or what is a gag. Back when they attended high school, they shared an Oldsmobile Cutlass. Tommy had a date one Friday night and needed the car. Timmy had possession of said vehicle to run some errands but had promised Tommy that the car would be home in plenty of time for his date. Driving back home, way out in the country, Timmy was cutting it close with the time. He came to a four-way stop on the gravel road Page 14 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
Ross McGehee
sliding glass door of the bedroom to take a swim. He lives along a bayou; and about the time he rolled into the water, an alligator leaped into the pool from the side next to the bayou. Timmy did all he could to swim back to the side, but there was going to be a problem getting him out of the pool in a hurry. So he called his wife in a panic to help. The alligator was swimming closer. Timmy called again for help. The guests started coming out to see what the racket was about. The alligator was swimming closer still. Finally, when all the guests were looking at something they would rather not see, Tommy stopped pulling on the string that was connected to the rubber alligator. Timmy was glad it was a gag but mad that he had been had. The guests went back inside, trying not to think about the view. Oh, it goes on and on. They can certainly entertain a crowd with their stories, and they don’t let any of it get next to them. At least not that they’d admit to. And with a sense of humor like that, I can see why their attorney is ever present. Columnist Ross McGehee, a lifelong resident of Natchez, Mississippi, owns a diversified and far-flung farm operation.
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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS
Pike County Chamber of Commerce Fish Fry n Thursday, June 9, 2016, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Fish Fry for the chamber members and community at the Fernwood Country Club in McComb, Mississippi. Along with awards given to several esteemed community members, Barbie Bassett gave a heartfelt and humorous speech about life in the news.
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Jake and Amy Gazzo Mike and Sherry Spears Wendy and Brian Smith Dr. Cedric and Carmelle Ellis Kathlena and Katelee Thomas Jeremy Collins and Timothy Jackson David and Carolyn Varnell Laiha Pevey and Lindsey White Mary and Ted Tullos Katelee Thomas and Lee Ellen Haskins 11 Laiha Pevey and Lee Ellen Haskins 12 Olivia and Craig Haskins
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THE social SCENE
MCCOMB, MS
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13 Catherine Sanders, Barbie Bassett, and Lindsey White 14 Sidney and Suzanne Lampton with Lee Ellen Haskins 15 Carolyne Haskins Ott with Lee Ellen, Brenda, Craig, and Olivia Haskins 16 Tena Haskins, Suzanne and Sidney Lampton, and Carolyne Ott 17 Maryian and Charles Gillis
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G’S FARE
BY AND COURTESY OF
Becky Junkin
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jennie Guido Becky Junkin and Molly Manning
A Grove of Recipes “Ole Miss might have lost some games but they have never lost a party!”
W
H ZHUH LQWURGXFHG WR WKH *URYH DERXW ÀIWHHQ \HDUV DJR ZKHQ RXU VRQ DWtended Ole Miss, and my husband quickly changed from being an LSU Tiger to being an Ole Miss Rebel. Since that year, we have attended tailgating festivities in the Grove at Ole Miss football games and watched the attendance increase every year. On football weekends, you can feel the energy and excitement of the Grove’s sea of red and blue. Tents are decorated, some even with chandeliers added for night games; food is prepared; and drinks are mixed. Some of my children and grandchildren now come to the games; and we enjoy a family weekend of food, fun, and football. We plan and plan our food for the tent, and I have shared many of those recipes over the years. So for this year’s tailgate menu, I have collected recipes from different Natchez tents in the Grove. Hope you all enjoy them as much as we all have, and Go Rebels! /RX (OOHQ 6WRXW VHQW PH WKHVH UHFLSHV IURP KHU ÀOH RI *URYH IDYRULWHV 7KH\ DUH quick, easy, and enjoyed by all.
CORN DIP 2 cans Mexicorn (Drain one and not the other.) 1 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise 8 ounces sour cream 1/2 cup green onions, chopped 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers (You can adjust to your taste.) 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1 pinch sugar Mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate. Serve with your favorite chips. (I like Doritos Scoops.)
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CHICKEN SALAD 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cooked Bottle of beer Salt Garlic, minced Red grapes, halved and seeded Green onions, minced ½ cup almonds, sliced 1 to 2 tablespoons Zatarain’s Creole mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette, to taste SautĂŠ the chicken in beer, water, salt, and garlic. Chop up the chicken once cooked and mix together with remaining ingredients. All ingredients except the chicken and beer are “to taste.â€? Chill before serving. You can serve with your favorite crackers.
2ND\ HYHU\RQH ÀUH XS WKH FKDÀQJ GLVK because the following recipe is so quick, easy, and delicious and is perfect for the Grove. Shelton Hand has been making this for his tent in the Grove for several years. While spending the day at the Grove, you are going to need something with subVWDQFH IRU OXQFK RU VXSSHU DQG WKLV GHÀQLWHO\ ÀWV WKH ELOO :H KDYH IRXQG WKDW LI we warm up the food at the condo or hotel, it doesn’t take nearly as long to heat up at the tent. This fare is always a hit especially when the weather begins to get chilly.
QUICK AND EASY CRAWFISH ÉTOUFFÉE 1 bag frozen onions, chopped 1 bag frozen bell peppers, etc., mixture, chopped 1 teaspoon garlic Butter for sautÊing WV\UKZ JYH^ÄZO [HPSZ Tony’s seasoning to taste Pepper to taste 1 can cream of mushroom soup Green onions, chopped Cooked rice for six servings SautÊ the bell-pepper mixture, onions, and garlic in butter until onions are clear. (KK [OL JYH^ÄZO [HPS TLH[ [OH[ OHZ ILLU well drained. Add Tony’s seasoning and pepper. SautÊ until the tails are hot. Add 1 can mushroom soup and stir with heat on medium until it is bubbly. Garnish with chopped green onions about 5 minutes before you serve. Serve over rice. This recipe serves about six; but for the Grove, you will have to multiply it.
This is a new idea that is making the rounds with working people. It is a quick and easy way to make a salad and get to work without the salad becoming soggy. You can use any size mason jar for this. It would be ideal to take to the Grove in your ice chest and keep chilled until ready to serve. You can even make several different salads so that everyone would have a choice. I found a basic recipe on www. buzzfeed.com that would work well with any combination. Remember, the salad dressing always needs to be on the bottom.
SALAD IN A JAR In a jar, layer in this order: 1. Dressing of your choice 2. Grains or a protein (chicken, beef, or Ă„ZO PU IP[L ZPaL WPLJLZ 3. Cheese, nuts, or dried cranberries 4. Greens Remember to use this order so your salad will not be soggy. When you are ready to eat, turn the jar over and dump into your bowl. Salad is fresh and completely ready.
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Several years ago, we were visiting a tent in the Grove; and Julie Johnson arrived with some beautiful and tasty “Ole Miss” cookies that her sister, then working at a bakery in Oxford, had made. Fast forward and this super talented sister, Molly Manning, has brought her talents to Natchez. Since those long-ago days in Oxford, Molly has graduated from The )UHQFK 3DVWU\ 6FKRRO RI &KLFDJR DQG ZRUNHG IRU D ÀYH VWDU KRWHO LQ &KLFDJR 1RW RQO\ DUH these cookies wonderful but they also make beautiful table decorations. I already have an order in for some of her cookies; and she also makes cookies denoting other area teams.
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Baking must run in the family! This cake is from Julie Johnson and is perfect for the Grove—a Mississippi Mud Cake. She originally found the recipe in Southern Living. Quite often we crash at the Johnson tent, and my family can attest to how good this cake is.
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 cup butter 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 cups sugar J\WZ HSS W\YWVZL ÅV\Y 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 (10.5 ounce) bag miniature marshmallows 1 container chocolate frosting Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted. Remove and set aside. Microwave butter and semisweet chocolate in a large microwave-safe glass bowl on high for 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Whisk sugar and next 5 ingredients into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into a greased 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with miniature marshmallows. Bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle warm cake with chocolate frosting, and sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans. Becky Junkin, mother of four and grandmother of eight, is a lifelong Natchez resident, a retired elementary teacher of twenty-four years, and FHUWLÀHG 3LODWHV LQVWUXFWRU
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Caring Women Awards Luncheon erit Health Natchez recently hosted the eighth annual Caring Women Awards Luncheon on May 19, 2016, at the Natchez Community Center in Natchez, Mississippi. There were sixty-one women in the community who were nominated for the way in which they inspire hope in others with their thoughtful actions and help make our world kinder, gentler, and warmer by their positive attitudes, gentle spirits, and compassionate hearts. A luncheon, guest speaker, and awards ceremony honored the nominees and winners.
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1 Marlene Smith and Amelia McDonald 2 Diane Golden and Brenda Rasco 3 Savannah Vance and Lydia Dunn 4 Nelda Thomas and Susan Bonnette 5 Kelly DorĂŠ, Natalie Dunn, and Kirby Watts 6 Lynda Hall and Bernice Richardson 7 Abby Shields and Eric Robinson 8 Disa Taunton and Mary Frances Sessions 9 Kira and LaWanda Toles with Quatina Proby 10 Nancy Hungerford, Glenda Wilson, and Renee Henry Cornelt
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THE social SCENE
NATCHEZ, MS
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11 Quatina and Whitney Proby with Eden McMillin 12 Maxine Brice, Joan McLemore, and Ann Thornhill 13 Catherine Cartwright, Marlene Smith, and Amelia McDonald 14 Millicent, Kate, and Monica Mayo with Christine LeBlanc 15 Eric Robinson, Lee Hinson, and Sue Stedman 16 Calvin Butler, Diana Nutter, Chassidie Roberts, and Kaelin Daye 17 Deanne Tanksley, Anna Huffines, and Caitlin Goodman 18 Seated—Gwen Young and Ann Thornhill; standing— Blair Lee, Amanda Taylor, Donna Miller, and Kira Toles 19 Cristy Carter and Heather Covington
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LEGAL NOTES
BY
Lucien C. Gwin III
However, after 1994, the Mississippi Supreme Court shifted gears and found that, if a divorced woman was receiving Periodic Payment Alimony and was found to be living with another man, this created a “Presumption of Material Change of Circumstances,â€? which could potentially derail her Periodic Payment Alimony. What this means is that should the woman receiving Periodic Payment Alimony be shown to be cohabitating with another man, she then has WKH EXUGHQ WR SURYH WKDW KHU Ă€QDQFLDO needs have “notâ€? changed due to the relationship with the new man and that the new man is not supporting her, or her him, in any form. If the paying ex-spouse can show there is any form of mutual support, for example that the ex-wife pays the bills and the new man provides maintenance or repair services (quid SUR TXR WKHQ WKHUH LV DQ DOWHUHG Ă€nancial situation which may void Periodic Payment Alimony. In the recent case of Heiter vs Heiter, an ex-wife had been awarded Periodic Payment Alimony of $650.00 per month. At the time, the Court found that she did suffer some PHQWDO GHĂ€FLHQFLHV 6KH DOVR UHceived other payments from her ex-spouse’s retirement. However, she was clearly living with another man. She proved, though, that she was not in a sexual relationship with this man and that the arrangement was platonic. Further, she paid certain bills and her livein paid certain bills. 7KH 0LVVLVVLSSL 6XSUHPH &RXUW ERXJKW LW DQG IRXQG WKDW KHU Ă€nancial situation was still so dire that without the help of her male, live-in roommate, she could not make ends meet. There was no TXHVWLRQ WKDW VKH EHQHĂ€WWHG IURP WKH URRPPDWH¡V PRQH\ EXW WKH Court found that this was a “factually unique scenarioâ€? where the ex-wife had “no choice but to cohabitate.â€? Thus, the periodic alimony continued. However, in the majority of the cases in which a divorced woman is receiving periodic alimony and living with another man withRXW EHQHĂ€W RI PDUULDJH LW LV H[FHHGLQJO\ GLIĂ€FXOW WR VKRZ WKDW WKHUH is not some form of mutual support occurring. In almost all other cases in which the new man was doing even the menial tasks of cutting the grass or changing light bulbs, the courts have found that the periodic alimony should be stopped.
Putting Alimony at Risk I
n today’s divorce law, a woman in a divorce almost always receives alimony. It is extremely rare to see any man awarded alimony except maybe in Hollywood. 7KHUH DUH WKUHH IRUPV RI DOLPRQ\ LQ 0LVVLVVLSSL 7KH Ă€UVW LV called “Rehabilitative Alimony.â€? This is an amount of money ordered to be paid to a divorced woman for a short period of time in order to give her the ability to get on her feet again and start making a living for herself. The second form of alimony is called “Lump Sum Alimony.â€? This is an awarded amount of money that is paid to a divorcing woman for a stated period of time (most often years). If a lumpsum amount of alimony is ordered, then the husband must pay this amount regardless of whether the wife remarries or even dies beIRUH WKH Ă€QDO SD\PHQW ,Q WKH HYHQW RI GHDWK WKH KXVEDQG ZRXOG SD\ KHU HVWDWH WKH Ă€QDO DPRXQWV GXH The last form of alimony is called “Periodic Payment Alimony,â€? and this is an ordered monthly amount owed to the wife; it continues normally until the wife remarries or dies. If circumstances change substantially, this form of alimony can be PRGLĂ€HG RU FXW RII Prior to 1994, the law in Mississippi was that any woman who received Periodic Payment Alimony and who was later found to be co-habitating with another man could expect to have her alimony payments terminated. Page 24 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
My Take: Very few families have not been impacted by divorce. Alimony is often a lifeline for a lot of women. My advice to any woman receiving alimony is never to take a man in to live with her. I have
often told women clients going through a divorce that women’s liberation has not been kind to divorced women. Today, the divorced woman is expected to get out there and earn a living like a man; yet she is not paid the same as a man. Life is not fair. If you are a divorced woman getting alimony and take in a male roommate, life may become even more unfair. Lucien C. “Sam� Gwin III was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981 and has been practicing many aspects of the law at the firm of Gwin, /HZLV 3XQFKHV .HOOH\ LQ 1DWFKH] 0LVVLVVLSSL ever since.
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THE social SCENE PORT GIBSON, MS
Windsor Car Show he first annual Windsor Car Show was hosted by the Port Gibson/Claiborne County Chamber of Commerce on June 11, 2016, in downtown Port Gibson, Mississippi. The forty-seven participants braved typical Mississippi-summer heat in order to support this car show. In addition to the car show, there were two exhibitions: Dwight Burnette and Todd Skelton from Brandon brought “The Predator” and Chris Taggart and crew from Brandon brought “Swamp Thing”. The two exhibitors wowed the crowd.
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Joe McBroom Frankie Carrol Jim Dent John Coleman Don Owens Earl Brewer Dennis Cooper Bucky Mulholland Becky Ferguson Darron L. Warner Hayden Quimby Jack Curtis Steven Chambliss Carl Jason Boren Mack May Phil Pinnix
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Bruce Davis Bonnie and Billy Taylor Steven Chambliss and Fred Reeves Billy and Bonny Taylor with Fred Reeves
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THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS
Autograph Parties for Miss Mississippi Pageant uring the last week in June, contestants competing in the Miss Mississippi Pageant gathered in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to take part in the pageant’s week-long festivities. On June 20, 2016, the Outlets of Vicksburg hosted an autograph party after the Miss Mississippi Parade. On June 22, 2016, the George Carr dealership sponsored another autograph party for contestants and the Vicksburg community. Photography by Anita Schilling and Donna Sessions and courtesy of George Carr
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5 1 George and Debbie Carr with Miss Mississippi contestants 2 Charlotte Poole, Bella Gibson, Presley Carr, Ansley Poole, Emma Poole, and Halle Gibson with Hannah Roberts 3 Alivia Roberts, Wanda Newell, and Kaylan Frye 4 Emily Tingle with Anna Grace McAlpin and Carley Claire Dawkins 5 Back—George Carr, Hannah Roberts, Clayton Carr, and Debbie Carr; front— Liam and Bella Gibson, Presley Carr, and Halle Gibson 6 Sadie Jones with Leah Gibson 7 Mary Katherine McCaa with Olivia and Stephanie Larsen 8 Julie Carr and Katie Busby 9 Mary Beth White and Dinnie Johnston 10 Michelle Hill and Marlene McLaurin 11 Jeanine Hanks and Anne Elizabeth Buys 12 Kaylan Moriah Frye and Molly May 13 Abigail Walters, Bella Dubose, and Abigail Wilbanks 14 Holly Harrington, Brylee Smith, and Alivia Roberts 15 Chris and Katie Busby 14 16 Emily and Natalie Hendon
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THE social SCENE
VICKSBURG, MS
17 Pam Dorrell, Carole Simpson, and Nancy Ballard 18 Alivia Roberts with Presley Kirkland and Ashlin Skinner 19 McKinleigh Ebke and Ryan Hadley Grey with Katie Busby 20 Maggie Barrett and Gracie Black with Abigail Wilbanks
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Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 29
IN THE GARDEN
BY
Dr. Gary R. Bachman
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Dr. Gary R. Bachman
Dwarf Canna: A Go-to Plant for Mississippi L
ately, I’ve been telling you about some of my favorite go-to plants for Mississippi gardens. The canna lily is another easy landscape plant that I think everyone should have in his or her garden. Cannas are valued for their large tropiFDO IROLDJH DQG VKRZ\ EULOOLDQWO\ FRORUHG Ă RZHUV They can be used as accents for the back of a landscape bed or in containers. Contrary to what their delicate appearance might make you think, canna lilies are extremely durable and quite impressive when massed together. The cannas I remember “back in the old daysâ€? were giants that needed to sit in the back row of any landscape bed. And for good reason: Many of them were over 5 feet tall. They would stand like sentries on guard with their colorful blooms as hats. It seemed at the time that this large size was the destiny of all cannas. However, one of the latest crazes in cannas is the development of dwarf selections for containers. 7RSÂł&DQQD OLOLHV DUH YDOXHG IRU WKHLU WURSLFDO IROLDJH DQG VKRZ\ Ă RZHUV 7KH Ă RZHUV RI WKLV &DQQRYD 5RVH DERXW WR LQFKHV DFURVV DUH KHOG KLJK DERYH OXVK IROLDJH 5LJKW Âł&DQQD OLOLHV DUH HDV\ ODQGVFDSH SODQWV IRU 0LVVLVVLSSL JDUGHQV 7KLV 6RXWK 3DFLĂ€F 6FDUOHW LV D GZDUI VHOHFWLRQ WKDW FDQ UHDFK IHHW WDOO
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These cannas have a compact growth habit and the ability to branch. Typically, these dwarf cannas are from 16 to 24 inches tall and are perfect thrillers for combination containers. At the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, we grow the dwarf cannas as massed bedding plants and enjoy their FRORUIXO Ă RZHUV HDFK VXPPHU The smaller size of these varieties does nothing to limit the proud display of their JRUJHRXV Ă RZHUV A couple of great examples are the Cannova and Tropical canna series. These SODQWV XVXDOO\ KDYH Ă RZHUV WKDW DUH DERXW 3 to 4 inches across, which is pretty big IRU D GZDUI 7KH EHDXWLIXO Ă RZHUV DUH VRIW and form on spikes held high above the wide, lush foliage. These varieties produce reliable color in shades from rose and red to yellow. $QRWKHU JRRG FKRLFH LV 6RXWK 3DFLĂ€F Scarlet, which was named an All-America Selections winner in 2013. 7KLV SODQW¡V LQFK Ă RZHUV EORRP DOO summer long and are a delicious blend of VFDUOHW VKDGHV 6RXWK 3DFLĂ€F 6FDUOHW WKULYHV in hot and humid conditions, making it a perfect choice for our Mississippi gardens and landscapes. A little bigger than the tropical cannas, it has the potential to reach 4 feet tall. Though it’s not required, deadheading prolongs the bloom period. Each plant has PXOWLSOH Ă RZHU VKRRWV DQG UHPRYLQJ WKH VSHQW DQG IDGHG Ă RZHUV DOORZV WKH VKRRW EHORZ WR GHYHORS DQG Ă RZHU )RU WKH EHVW JURZWK DQG Ă RZHULQJ SODQW dwarf cannas in full sun, making sure they receive at least six hours each day. Keep soil moisture consistent. While the plants can WROHUDWH GULHU FRQGLWLRQV Ă RZHULQJ VXIIHUV An interesting note about dwarf cannas is that most are seed grown and will produce quite a bumper crop of seeds each summer. If you are an ambitious gardener, this seed production is an opportunity to collect and grow your own canna seedlings. Simply put three or four seeds in potting mix in a 3-inch container. Place the pot in a shady location—the north side of the house would be great—and keep it moist every day. With some luck, you’ll have a new crop of dwarf cannas to display and can tell everyone, “I grew these.â€? Columnist Dr. Gary R. Bachman is an assistant extension professor of horticulture at Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 31
THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Class of 1961 Reunion n Friday, May 6, 2016, members of the graduating class of 1961 from Margaret Martin High School gathered at the home of Caroline Doughty in Natchez, Mississippi, to celebrate their 55th reunion. This particular class was the final class to graduate before Margaret Martin closed its doors. Friends and family caught up on old times and made new memories over the beautiful spring weekend.
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1 Mollie Echols, Barbara Rodriguez, Jessie Shell Harrell, and Patricia Butler 2 Jay Lehmann, John Petermann, and Elizabeth Lehmann 3 Nicky Myers and Lewis Powell 4 Rebecca Edens Littig, Carol McDaniel Chavis, and Kent Allgood 5 Kenneth and Stephanie Mercer and Stratton Hall 6 Barbara Rodriguez, Jack Kelly, and Elizabeth Lehmann 7 Beth and Joe Ring 8 Mollie Echols and Judy Jones Mize 9 Julie Jones and Stuart Hudnall 10 Cody Davis and Stratton Hall 11 Carolyn Myers, Katharine Warren Garner, and Caroline Doughty 12 Joe Sprague with Gail and Elmer Smith 13 Carol and Tom Bates 14 Linda Reese Shirley and Katharine Warren Garner 15 Lucy Ann Woods with Newmie and Marsha Robert 16 Agatha Weeks, Margaret Searcy, and Diane Laborde 17 Lucy and Elvin Dykes
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1DQF\ %HOO VWDQGLQJ LQ IURQW RI DQ RULJLQDO soda fountain at the Biedenharn Coca-Cola 0XVHXP ZRUNV WLUHOHVVO\ WR XSKROG VRPH RI 9LFNVEXUJ¡V ÀQHVW KLVWRU\
Living in History A
native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Nancy Bell, the Executive Director of the Vicksburg Foundation of Historic Preservation, now calls the historic streets and landmarks of Vicksburg, Mississippi, home. With an undergraduate degree in archeology and anthropology and a graduate degree in historic preservation, Bell has worked in the Vicksburg area for thirty-three years, helping to preserve the history that makes a city like Vicksburg a jewel for the South. “Vicksburg is a unique city in Mississippi because of its past as represented by its cultural heritage, history, and diverse architecture and because of its present wealth of talented residents. We have a wide range of employers, which includes three Corps of Engineers facilities, private corporations that support their work,
businesses that make their living off of the Mississippi River, and a variety of industries at the port,� Bell explained. “Our location on the Mississippi River, on I-20, and intersected by major rail transportation has helped to keep Vicksburg’s economy moving even during downturns in the nation’s economy.� Bell shared the mission of the foundation, which is “to identify, preserve, protect, and interpret Vicksburg’s unique architectural heritage.� Bell and the foundation work in numerous ways to make this mission a reality in Vicksburg by safe-guarding its rich history. “The foundation conducts cultural resource surveys. To date we have surveyed 3,400 buildings in Vicksburg. We continue to survey historic neighborhoods; and as time moves on, so does what is considered historic (50
years). So, now we are surveying 1960s neighborhoodsâ€? Bell said. “We also prepare National Register of Historic Places nominations. To date, we have successfully listed over 60 buildings, 5 districts, and 2 cemeteries in Vicksburg.â€? Of course, a major function of the foundation is to protect properties that are in danger of being demolished, that have been renovated in a way that is not historically appropriate, or that suffer from deterioration. “The foundation works as advocates for the buildings in need and tries to Ă€QG DOWHUQDWLYHV ,Q VRPH FDVHV ZH KDYH purchased endangered buildings and then sold or given them to people to rehab. We have taken this step with 18 buildings and have saved them from demolition,â€? Bell said. “Also, we have facilitated the relocation of 5 historic buildings that if left on
by Jennie Guido • Photography by Jennie Guido and courtesy of Nancy Bell Page 36 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
7UDQVIRUPLQJ KLVWRULF VFKRRO EXLOGLQJV LQWR WKH FHQWHU IRU WKH 6RXWKHUQ &XOWXUDO +HULWDJH )RXQGDWLRQ KDV EHHQ D ODERU RI ORYH IRU %HOO DQG KHU VWDII
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their original lots would have been demolished. In one instance, the owner wanted to be paid for the house; and we found someone to buy it at a small price and move and rehab it.â€? One of the major projects that Bell is proud of during her years with the foundation is the rehabilitation of the 5 historic buildings that once served as the St. Francis Xavier Convent and Academy in downtown Vicksburg. “In the early 1990s, the sisters of the school were looking to sell the property; and there was the possibility of its being purchased and transformed into low-income housing. That was something that the foundation could not allow to happen,â€? Bell remembered. “Finally in 1994, the city purchased the historic block; and we began working on creating the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation that we now have.â€? Currently, the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation houses facilities for educating the Vicksburg community with workshops and classes that cover everything from cooking to ballroom dance. Additionally, it is home to many exhibits and lectures, and provides a historic venue for community events. The foundation also owns and operates the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum in downtown 9LFNVEXUJ ´7KLV PXVHXP LV WKH ORFDWLRQ RI WKH Ă€UVW ERWtling of Coca-Cola anywhere in the world and is open to the public year round,â€? Bell said. Nancy Bell and the Vicksburg Foundation of Historic Preservation continue to serve as sentinels in protecting and keeping vibrant the history of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Bell, moreover, promotes other positive aspects of the town. “People stay in Vicksburg because there is a real sense of community here. We are small enough for people to feel that they are a part of the political process, meaning that our elected leaders are always available for faceto-face meetings with their constituents,â€? Bell explained. “On the other hand, we are large enough to support a wide range of special events and festivals, sports events, local restaurants, and specialty shops that keep visitors coming to Vicksburg year after year.â€? For more information on the role of Nancy Bell and WKH 9LFNVEXUJ )RXQGDWLRQ RI +LVWRULF 3UHVHUYDWLRQ YLVLW www.preservevicksburg.org. Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 37
Photography courtesy of the Natchez Convention and Visitor Bureau
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I
n Natchez, Mississippi, football is a type of religion for most of its citizens. Whether rooting for the home team on a Friday night, traveling to far-away college towns on the weekends, or spending time in the Super Dome, Natchez football fans love an excuse to be on or near the gridiron. Here DUH WZHQW\ ÀYH RI WKH 1DWFKH]LDQV ZKR PDGH LW WR WKH ´ELJ OHDJXHVµ ZLWK FROOHJH RU SURIHVVLRQDO gridiron careers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Allen Brown—Ole Miss and Green Bay Packers Joe Fortunato—MSU and Chicago Bears Herman Carroll—MSU and New Orleans Saints Jennings Cothren—Ole Miss and Los Angeles Rams Perry Lee Dunn—Ole Miss and Dallas Cowboys Jimmie Giles—Alcorn and Houston Oilers Stevan Ridley—LSU, New England Patriots, and Detroit Lions Chuck Hinton—Ole Miss and New York Giants Andrew Ellard—MSU James Hall—Northwestern and Atlanta Falcons Gary Huff—Florida State University and Chicago Bears
12. Charles Kempinska—Ole Miss and Los Angeles Chargers 13. Von Hutchins—Ole Miss, Atlanta Falcons, and Indianapolis Colts
14. 15. 16. 17.
Braxton Fondren—Mississippi College Floyd Rice—Alcorn and Houston Oilers William Shaw—Georgia Tech and Buffalo Bills Cap White—Millsaps
18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
Forrest White—Belhaven Jonathan Gamberi and Joshua Gamberi—Belhaven Cedric Tillman—Alcorn and Denver Broncos James Williams—MSU and New Orleans Saints JEB White—Millsaps
23. Hugh Green—University of Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24. Keith Woodside—Texas A&M and Green Bay Packers 25. Semmes White—Millsaps
Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous {{August August t 2016 2016{ { Page 39
THE MAKING OF AN ARTIST
I want to be remembered for making art that makes a difference, for choosing to live in a small town to raise my family, and for practicing medicine rather than chasing some bigger dream of fame and fortune in the art world. I feel like we should use every talent that God has given us and live every day to the fullest. I know that we come into this world broken and defective, that there is a disconnect between us and the God who gave us life, and WKDW ZH FDQ¡W À[ WKDW E\ RXU RZQ HIIRUWV EXW +H FDQ DQG +H GLG , ZDQW WR EH UHPHPEHUHG LQ WKDW OLJKW WKDW , OLYHG P\ OLIH NQRZLQJ RI WKDW UHGHPSWLRQ QRW P\ JRRG ZRUN RU VDFULÀFH EXW +,6 ³- .LP 6HVVXPV 0'
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uch strong beliefs are evident in every piece of art that Kim Sessums creates. His passions blend beautifully to form the mosaic of the man, husband, father, artist, and physician that he is. When I stepped into the studio that is located behind his late nineteenth-century home in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and is comfortably swaddled in the coolness of ancient oak trees, I immediately felt a peace in this sanctuary devoted WR WKH FUHDWLRQV RI DQ DUWLVWLF PLQG 7KH VWXGLR OLEUDU\ ZDV ÀOOHG with treasured resource books, personal correspondences, and communications from the likes of the Reverend Billy Graham and the American artist Andrew Wyeth. As Kim Sessums and I moved into the expansive studio workplace with its vaulted ceilings and glass walls allowing in the northern natural light, I admired the imaginative collages, paintings, and drawings that graced the walls, each with deeper meanings often known only to the artist. Skill, artistry, and deep emotional content
surrounded me. How could I possibly delve into the mind of this man? Sitting comfortably in the library warmed by the sun through à RRU WR FHLOLQJ ZLQGRZV KLV ZRUGV VHHPHG WR à RZ IUHHO\ DQG , listened as intently as a child to this strangely unique life story. Who is this man, and where did this art come from? From a present-day perspective, one would never think that Kim Sessums’ life has been anything other than easy and smooth—nationally known sculptor, highly regarded OB-GYN physician, beloved husband and father, and respected community leader; but that assumption would be far off the mark. His life began as a humble RQH )RU ÀYH \HDU ROG .LP 6HVVXPV DORQJ ZLWK KLV WKUHH \HDU ROG sister, Karole, and seven-year-old brother, Kevin, life was good in the typical small Southern town of Pelahatchie, Mississippi, in 1963. Howard Sessums, a Mississippi basketball legend of that time, was coaching the local high-school team while Nancy Carolyn took care of her Harperville-bred, childhood
by Jennifer Jackson Whittier | Photograpy by Jennie Guido and Tom Joynt Photography Page 40 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
sweetheart-turned-husband and their three small children. Coach Sessums had just taken a new job at Hinds Junior College and, along with his Pelahatchie friend Chunkin’ Charlie Ward, was pursuing sideline income raising a small herd of cattle. It was a Sunday when Coach Sessums dropped Nancy and the kids at her parents’ house in rural Scott County. He had an appointment to see a man about a cow. That morning as the baby blue Volkswagen Beetle drove out of Lyle and Joyce Britt’s gravel driveway, little Kim was crying, watching from the front kitchen window. He had wanted to go along. Five miles north, the young coach and cattle farmer crossed Highway 21; and his vehicle was struck by a truck. Howard Sessums was killed instantly. Nancy was left to raise three small children on her own. She lost weight; she couldn’t eat. The family assumed it was because of stress and emotional trauma, but the diagnosis was esophageal cancer. Kim’s mother GLHG ÀIWHHQ PRQWKV DIWHU KLV IDWKHU¡V GHDWK and his life changed forever. He was only six years old. Fellow basketball coach and friend Jake Mills was living in Pennsylvania at the time. Upon hearing the news, he considered taking in the Sessums children to live with him, his wife, and two small boys; however, the maternal grandparents, known to the NLGV DV 0RP DQG 3RS WRRN WKHP LQ 7KH Ànances were tight. Kim found out later that other families in the community had paid for his school meal ticket. Pop worked at a hardware store, Mom for a local drapery shop, and they had a garden. They cried every day at the sight of these three grandchildren, constant reminders of their loss. Kim felt it then; he feels it now, a half century later; and it makes its way into his art. Everybody talked about the tragedy but not in front of the kids. The gravel road environment was a bit isolated, and Kim was often restless. It was hot, and the window air-conditioner unit was turned on only when company came. He can remember placing his sweaty little face in front of the round grid on the window unit and feeling the sweet relief of the cold, blowing wind. Entertainment was scarce, so the Sessums children created their own: tiny communities erected between pine-tree root systems, theatrical events played out on the picnic table, and homemade costumes. Kevin wrote poetry and short stories. Karole composed music on her guitar; and Kim made art, lots of art. They often
7RSÂł 6HVVXPV ZRUNV WKURXJK PDQ\ VWDJHV when sculpting a piece. $ERYHÂł7 %2< SDVWHO RQ VDQG FDUG
played dirt-court basketball until well after dark. Necessity bred creativity. Kim mowed the grass around his parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cemetery gravestones. Over time the pain and anguish built up inside the little boy. His loss was tangible. He began to express his feelings through drawings, reproducing whatever images struck his fancy. Other people noticed, and that led to more tolerable attention. Kevin and Karole continued to express their creative energies in
their own ways. The trio became known as those Sessums kids who had lost their parents. It is not a distinction one longs for, and Kim learned years later that his cemetery routine was not a common endeavor. Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggling to gain attention in unproductive and disruptive ways throughout elementary school all came to a head in junior high when he was sent to the principalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RIĂ&#x20AC;FH DIWHU D Ă&#x20AC;JKW 7KH VFKRROV KDG UHFHQWO\ integrated; and the principal, E.T. Hawkins, was a legendary black school leader known for his intensity and size. He stood six feet, three inches tall and weighed three hundred pounds. E.T. Hawkinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; words still ring in Kim Sessumsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ears to this day: I know what happened to you. I know you lost your parents, but you are going to have to decide if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to let that cripple you for the rest of your life or if you are going to move on. Suddenly the walls came down. 6RPHERG\ Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ XQGHUVWRRG DQG WROG him the truth. Years later, Kim Sessums, MD, gave the baccalaureate address at Forest High School. He charged the students to take the next step in their lives regardless of their circumstances. He shared with them his story, he shared with them those words from E. T. Hawkins, and he cried. While still a student in Forest, Kim met Joe Rex Dennis, who worked for the +RXJKWRQ 0LIĂ LQ SXEOLVKLQJ FRPSDQ\ A friend of Kevinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Joe Rex exposed the brothers to art, design books, and new ideas. Kim credits this friendship and exposure with expanding his awareness of creative endeavors of all sorts: design, painting, sculpture, and architecture. Joe Rex assisted in Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s application and acceptance into the Mississippi State University School of Architecture in 1976. Though doing well in his design work, Kim decided to leave the program; and he often looks back on that decision as one of immaturity and youth; but God works in mysterious ways. After a brief stint as a walk-on basketball player at MSU and at the suggestion of basketball coach Kermit Davis, Kim transferred to Belhaven College to play. While at Belhaven, Sessums decided to pursue his medical education. Also while there, his work creating his own art developed more intensely. Art Department Chairman Jon Whittington was a mentor and taught him much about composition, design, chiaroscuro, and black-and-white photography. To supplement his income, Sessums worked as a scrub technician in Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 41
surgery at a local Jackson hospital. In 1980, he entered medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, and his OB-GYN training took place at Tulane University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The parallel careers and passions took root in those formative years and have persisted to this day. In 1988, Dr. Kim Sessums and his family moved to Brookhaven, Mississippi; and along with his new partner, Dr. Steve Mills, established Brookhaven OB-GYN Associates. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, the son of Jake Mills, the same man who so many years ago had considered taking in the orphaned Sessums children, was now a partner. God does, indeed, work in mysterious ways! Dr. Richard Rushing joined them in 1990, and Dr. Leigh Cher Gray became the fourth physician in the clinic in 2002. 2QH RI WKH PRVW LQĂ XHQWLDO SHRSOH LQ 6HVVXPV¡ OLIH ZDV Bruce Brady, the well-known wildlife sculptor, who also lived in Brookhaven. Brady not only helped him with his transition to sculpture in 1995 but also became a great mentor in the art of balancing family, art, and work. He introduced Sessums to the foundry aspects of bronze casting; and though Bruce Brady died in 2000, Sessums still feels his presence and encouragement on each sculptural endeavor. The long list of impressive Kim Sessumsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bronze sculptures includes the portrait busts sculpted from life of Andrew Wyeth, Billy Graham, and Eudora Welty. He created the Mississippi Hall of Fame Awards for The Ferris Trophy, The Howell Trophy, The Gillom Trophy, and The Hull Trophy. His public monuments include those of Coach Johnny Vaught at Vaught Hemingway Stadium at Ole Miss, Frank Day at the Lucky Day Residential Colleges on the Ole Miss and University of Southern Mississippi campuses, the Boo Ferriss sculpture at Delta State University, the African American Monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park, and the newly installed Mississippi Monument at Shiloh.
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Over the years, his wife, Kristy Sessums, has developed an eye for good art. She understands her husband and his process, and she can spot failures early. Kim appreciates her honesty and needs her critique. She also reminds him of his sometimes misplaced priorities. When the children were younger with multiple family activities, Kristy would often notice that her husband was physically with the family; but mentally, he would be planning art projects or redesigning building or renovation spaces. By his own admission, she keeps him grounded. They are best friends. Dr. Kim Sessums loves his medical practice and has devoted many years to his relationships with his patients and the broader southwest Mississippi medical community. He has no intentions of UHWLULQJ IURP WKDW SDUW RI KLV OLIH DQ\ WLPH VRRQ $V KH UHĂ HFWHG RQ WKH past twenty-seven years as a rural Mississippi OB-GYN physician, this story came to mind; and he shared his memory of its events: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A young teenage girl came into the clinic . . . pregnant, alone, afraid. I could see the tears well up in her eyes as we talked about her future and the future of her baby. I asked her what she wanted to do with her life. She said that she wanted to be a nurse. She VRXQGHG VHULRXV EXW , KDG KHDUG WKDW XQIXOĂ&#x20AC;OOHG GUHDP PRUH WLPHV than I care to express. I shared with her my memories of Mr. E. T. Hawkins, my circumstances when I was her age, and how he had taken me aside and had spoken the words to me that began to change my perspective on life. I encouraged her, saying that this pregnancy didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to stop her from realizing her dream, that she FRXOG EH DQG GR ZKDWHYHU VKH ZDQWHG , WROG KHU ZKHQ VKH Ă&#x20AC;QLVKHG nursing school, to come back to the clinic and tell me. Several years passed, and one day my nurse told me that a young girl at the front desk told them that she needed to speak to Dr. Sessums about a personal matter. She held her nursing diploma in her hand. I gave her a hug and thanked E. T. Hawkins in my heart.â&#x20AC;? On the granite base that holds the Mississippi Monument at Shiloh, Kim Sessums has inscribed the words of a young Mississippi Confederate soldier who fought at Shiloh. Among the thoughts Augustus Mecklin wrote home to his mother the night before the battle were these: â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the moment I trust I made a sincere, honest surrender of myself to God, the maker and preserver of my life. I told him my desire to live, and by doing so, I might KRQRU +LV QDPH DQG EHQHĂ&#x20AC;W my fellow creatures. I trust I was honest in this. I asked for life if that might be a useful one. Let me remember this in future years.â&#x20AC;? Those words kept speaking to the artist over the two years that he formed the three RYHU OLIH VL]H KXPDQ Ă&#x20AC;JXUHV that make up the composition of the Mississippi Monument at Shiloh. He hopes they are UHĂ HFWHG LQ KLV RZQ OLIH LQ KLV medical practice, in his family, and in his art.
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 43
THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS
McComb Garden Club’s “Afternoon in the Azaleas” he McComb Garden Club held its “Afternoon in the Azaleas” garden tour featuring the gardens of Lisa and Eric Lewis, Melanie and Frankie Montalvo, Dawn and Hiram Sumrall, and the office of Lauren Brock Jones, DMD, all of which are located in McComb, Mississippi. Each home on the tour represented a different architectural style and complementary landscaping.
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Dawn and Laura Sumrall Amy Adams and Jessica Trotman Melissa Duncan and Kim Brewer Laura Sumrall Kindra Price and Kristen Hemphill Patricia Holliday and Kathy Thaxton Polly Thomasson and Lisa Loper Eric and Lisa Lewis Laurie Calhoun, Denise Owen, and Coleen Humphreys Laurie Calhoun, Dawn Sumrall, and Carla Stringer Melanie Montalvo, Tammy Wells, and Debbie Howell Kim Root, Laura Sumrall, and LeeAnn Bates Brittany Raybon, Stacey Tamor, and Jennifer Van Taylor Wells, Tammy Wells, Kindra Price, Debbie Howell, Kristen Hemphill, and Sandy Summers Kim Brewer, Mallory Newlon, Lauren Brock Jones, Kristin Ratliff, and Allison Ott Laura, Hiram, and Dawn Sumrall Sara Hemphill, Cindy Henderson, Meredith Talbot, Regan Jones, April Boarman, and Heather Newlon April Boarman, Regan Jones, Lisa Lewis, Meredith Talbot, and Sara Hemphill
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BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 45
2016-2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES*
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
USC (Arlington, TX) Western Kentucky at Ole Miss Kent State Kentucky at Arkansas at Tennessee Texas A&M BYE at LSU Mississippi State UT Chattanooga Auburn
7 pm 2:30 pm 2:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
Clemson Arkansas State Texas A&M LSU ULM at Mississippi State BYE Arkansas at Ole Miss Vanderbilt at Georgia Alabama A&M at Alabama
8:00 pm 6:30 pm 6:00 pm TBA TBA TBA
Sept 1 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Sept 29 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12
Kentucky Wesleyan Texas A&M-Commerce at West Georgia Shorter University Mississippi College at West Alabama West Florida at Valdosta State North Alabama BYE at Florida Tech
6 pm 6 pm 1 pm 6 pm 6 pm 2 pm 4 pm 1 pm 2 pm
TBA TBA TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
1 pm
Sept 4
TBA TBA TBA TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
LA Tech at TCU Texas State Texas A&M (Arlington, TX) Alcorn State (Little Rock, AR) Alabama Ole Miss at Auburn BYE Florida LSU at Mississippi State at Missouri
TBA TBA TBA 1:30 pm
Sept 10 Sept 15 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19
Sept 1
Millsaps College
7pm
Sept 1
Mississippi Delta
7 pm
Sept 10
at Wisconsin-Whitewater
1pm
Sept 8
Coahoma
7 pm
Sept 17
at Huntingdon College
1pm
Oct 1
East Texas Baptist
1pm
Sept 15
at Gulf Coast
7 pm
Oct 8
at Sul Ross State
6 pm
Sept 22
Jones County
7 pm
Oct 15
McMurry
1 pm
Sept 29
East Central
7 pm
Oct 22
at Louisiana College
6 pm
Oct 6
at Hinds
6:30 pm
Oct 29
Hardin-Simmons
11 am
Oct 13
at Holmes
6:30 pm
Nov 5
Mary Hardin-Baylor
1 pm
Nov 12
at Howard Payne
1 pm
Oct 22
Southwest
3 pm
Oct 29
at Pearl River
2 pm
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
North Carolina (Atlanta, GA) Nicholls State at Missouri at Ole Miss Tennessee at South Carolina Vanderbilt BYE Florida (Jacksonville, FL) at Kentucky Auburn UL Lafayette Georgia Tech
4:30 pm 11:00 am 6:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
UMass Kentucky North Texas at Tennessee at Vanderbilt LSU Missouri BYE Georgia (Jacksonville, FL) at Arkansas South Carolina Presbyterian at Florida State
TBA
3:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Bethune-Cookman (Daytona Beach, FL) Alabama State Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling State Arkansas (Little Rock, AR) at Alabama A&M Texas Southern BYE Southern University at Prairie View A&M Mississippi Valley State Jackson State
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
6:30 pm 2:30 pm 6:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA 2:30pm TBA TBA TBA TBA
2:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA
*Times and locations subject to change. (Location in italics indicates a neutral site.) Championship Games: SEC–December 3, 2016, 3:00 p.m. CST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. C-USA–December 3, 2016, time/location TBA. 2016 High School Football Schedules may be found at the following sites: MHSAA–www.misshsaa.com, MAIS–www.msais.org, LHSAA–www.lhsaa.org/sports. At press time, all SEC TBA times had not been listed due to undetermined television scheduling. Check local listings closer lg \Yl]k ^gj kh][aÚ[ lae]k&
Page 46 { {August August2016 2016{{ Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous
at UNLV
9 pm
Northwest
6:30 pm
Sept 10
at Tennessee State
6 pm
Sept 8
Itawamba
6:30 pm
Sept 17
Grambling State
6 pm
Sept 15
at Southwest
7 pm
Sept 24
at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
4 pm
Sept 22
Pearl River
7 pm
Oct 1
MS Valley State
6 pm
Southern University
6 pm
Sept 29
at Gulf Coast
7 pm
Oct 15
Oct 6
Co-Lin
6:30 pm
Oct 22
at Texas Southern
2 pm
Oct 15
at East Central
2:30 pm
Oct 29
Prairie View A&M
2 pm
Oct 20
Jones
6:30 pm
Nov 5
at Alabama State
2 pm
Oct 27
at East Mississippi
7 pm
Nov 12
Alabama A&M
2 pm
Nov 19
at Alcorn State
TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 24
Wisconsin (Green Bay, WI) Jacksonville State Mississippi State at Auburn Missouri at Florida Southern Miss Ole Miss Alabama at Arkansas South Alabama at Texas A&M
2:30 pm 6:30 pm 6 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 6:30 pm
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 6 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 25
at Arkansas South Carolina State at Texas Tech at Middle Tennessee UTEP Western Kentucky at UMass (Foxborough, MA) at FIU Rice at North Texas UTSA BYE at Southern Miss
3 pm 6 pm 6 pm 6 pm 6 pm 7 pm TBA 6 pm 6 pm 4:30 pm 2:30 pm
Sept 3
Point
2 pm
Sept 10
at Florida Tech
6 pm
Sept 17
West Alabama
7 pm
Cumberland
7 pm
Sept 29
at Delta State
6 pm
Oct 8
West Florida
2 pm
Oct 15
Valdosta State
3 pm
Oct 22
at West Georgia
1 pm
Nov 5
at Shorter
12:30 pm
Nov 12
North Alabama
2 pm
South Alabama South Carolina at LSU at UMass (Foxborough, MA) BYE Auburn at BYU at Kentucky Samford Texas A&M at Alabama Arkansas at Ole Miss
11 am 6 pm 6 pm TBA
Sept 24
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 14 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
Southern Miss at Florida New Mexico State South Carolina at Alabama Vanderbilt BYE Mississippi State at Missouri Georgia at Tennessee Austin-Peay at Louisville
6:30 pm 2:30 pm 3 pm TBA TBA TBA
Sept 1
at Belhaven
7 pm
Sept 10
Trinity University
1 pm
Sept 17
at Chicago
1 pm
Sept 24
Hendrix
1 pm
Oct 8
at Centre
1 pm
Oct 15
Birmingham Southern
1 pm
Oct 22
Washington
2 pm
Oct 29
at Berry
12 pm
Nov 5
at Sewanee
1 pm
Nov 12
Rhodes
1 pm
Sept 5 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
Florida State (Orlando, FL) Wofford Alabama Georgia Memphis BYE at Arkansas at LSU Auburn Georgia Southern at Texas A&M at Vanderbilt Mississippi State
7 pm 3 pm 2:30 pm TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
TBA
TBA 9:15 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
*Times and locations subject to change. (Location in italics indicates a neutral site.) Championship Games: SEC–December 3, 2016, 3:00 p.m. CST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. C-USA–December 3, 2016, time/location TBA. 2016 High School Football Schedules may be found at the following sites: MHSAA–www.misshsaa.com, MAIS–www.msais.org, LHSAA–www.lhsaa.org/sports. At press time, all SEC TBA times had not been listed due to undetermined television scheduling. Check local listings closer lg \Yl]k ^gj kh][aÚ[ lae]k&
2016-2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES*
Sept 1 Sept 1
Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous {{August August2016 2016{ { Page 47
2016-2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES*
Sept 1 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
at Vanderbilt at Mississippi State East Carolina at Kentucky Texas A&M Georgia BYE UMass Tennessee Missouri at Florida Western Carolina at Clemson
7 pm 6 pm 3 pm TBA TBA TBA
Sept 1 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
Appalachian State Virginia Tech (Bristol, TN) Ohio Florida at Georgia at Texas A&M Alabama BYE at South Carolina Tennessee Tech Kentucky Missouri at Vanderbilt
6:30 pm 7 pm 11 am TBA TBA TBA TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 25
at Kentucky Savannah State Troy at UTEP Rice at UTSA at LSU BYE Marshall Charlotte at Old Dominion at North Texas LA Tech
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
6:30 pm 6 pm 6 pm 7 pm 6 pm 11 am TBA 6 pm 2:30 pm 2:30 pm 4:30 pm TBA
Sept 3
at ULM
6 pm
Sept 1
at Coahoma
6:30 pm
Sept 10
at Tulane
7 pm
Sept 8
at Holmes
6:30 pm
Sept 17
Alabama State
6 pm
Sept 24
at Alabama A&M
6 pm
Sept 15
Hinds
7 pm
Oct 15
at Jackson State
TBA
Sept 22
Northeast Mississippi
7 pm
Oct 22
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
4 pm
Sept 29
at Jones County
7 pm
Oct 6
at Pearl River
6 pm
Oct 13
Mississippi Gulf Coast
7 pm
Oct 29
at Alcorn State
2 pm
Nov 5
Texas Southern
4 pm
Nov 12
at Prairie View A&M
1 pm
Nov 19
Mississippi Valley State
4 pm
Oct 22
at Co-Lin
3 pm
Nov 26
Grambling (New Orleans, LA)
4 pm
Oct 29
East Central
5 pm
Sept 1 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 7 Oct 14 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
at Wake Forrest Southern University Navy UL Lafayette at UMass at UCF Memphis at Tulsa SMU BYE at Houston Temple at UConn
6 pm 7 pm 6 pm TBA TBA 7 pm 7 pm TBA TBA
Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26 Dec 3
Southern University at Oklahoma at Georgia Southern BYE at Auburn Idaho Texas State at New Mexico at Arkansas State South Alabama at Georgia State at Appalachian State BYE UL Lafayette
6 pm 6 pm 5 pm
Sept 1 Sept 10 Sept 17 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Nov 19 Nov 26
South Carolina Middle Tennessee at Georgia Tech at Western Kentucky Florida at Kentucky at Georgia Tennessee State BYE at Auburn at Missouri Ole Miss Tennessee
7 pm 3 pm 11:30 am 2:30 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA
TBA TBA TBA TBA
Aug 11 Aug 20 Aug 26 Sept 1 Sept 11 Sept 18 Sept 26 Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 Oct 23 Oct 30 Nov 6 Nov 13 Nov 17 Nov 27 Dec 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 24 Jan 1
PRESEASON at Patriots at Texans Steelers Ravens REGULAR SEASON Raiders at Giants Falcons at Chargers BYE Panthers at Chiefs Seahawks at 49ers Broncos at Panthers Rams Lions at Buccaneers at Cardinals Buccaneers at Falcons
TBA 6 pm 6 pm 8 pm TBA 4 pm TBA TBA 2 pm
6:30 pm 7 pm 7 pm 7 pm 12 pm 12 pm 7:30 pm 3:25 pm 12 pm 12 pm 12 pm 3:05 pm 12 pm 7:25 pm 12 pm 12 pm 12 pm 3:05 pm 12 pm 12 pm
*Times and locations subject to change. (Location in italics indicates a neutral site.) Championship Games: SEC–December 3, 2016, 3:00 p.m. CST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. C-USA–December 3, 2016, time/location TBA. 2016 High School Football Schedules may be found at the following sites: MHSAA–www.misshsaa.com, MAIS–www.msais.org, LHSAA–www.lhsaa.org/sports. At press time, all SEC TBA times had not been listed due to undetermined television scheduling. Check local listings closer lg \Yl]k ^gj kh][aÚ[ lae]k&
Page 48 { {August August2016 2016{{ Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 49
Bluffs & Bayous Page 50 { { August August2016 2016{{ Bluffs & Bayous
THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS
Retirement Reception for Mitchell
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fter forty-two total years of library service, thirty of them as the director of the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library, Deb Mitchell celebrated her retirement. Family, library staff and board, public officials, and many friends gathered on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, to issue accolades and congratulations 3 for a job well done. Mitchell started her career in Natchez as Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Librarian in October 1974. She then traveled to Vicksburg in 1977 and became Assistant Branch Manager until 1980. Returning to Vicksburg in 1983, Mitchell became Director in 1986 when WCVPL became a single county library. Presentations from the Board of Trustees, Friends of the Library, and Library Staff followed the reading of a resolution from the Warren County Board of Supervisors honoring Mitchellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exemplary career bravely pushing the WCVPL into the technology age while maintaining a beautiful library with updated collections.
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7 1 Joy Garretson, Lacy Ellinwood, Deb Mitchell, and Jennifer Peacock 2 Denise Hogan and Jennifer Smith 3 Deb Mitchell, Jannie Mitchell, and April Blackwell 4 Debbie Carpenter and Don Kirby 5 Beth Culpepper, Robert Walker, Randy Sherard, and Pam Gee
6 Bill Nichols, John Kamman, Brenda Hawkins, Trudy James, Deb Mitchell, Helen Bowman, and Randy Sherard 7 Marie Cunningham, Trena Taggart, Sandra Mayfield, Paula Benard, Evangeline Cessna, Lesa Foster, Denise Hogan, Zandra Miller, and Katrina Stokes with Deb Mitchell
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 51
THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Birthday Party for Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce n Thursday, June 30, 2016, members of the community and the Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce gathered to celebrate the chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 108th birthday. The cocktail-hour gathering took place in the Barrel Room at Bowieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tavern in downtown Natchez, Mississippi.
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Caitlin Goodman and Lauren Burns John Rollins and Debbie Hudson Debbie Hudson and Stuart Heflin Edward and Kathleen Bond Lanius Fortenberry and Bobbie Sue Brewer 6 Doug Charboneau, Pat Biglane, and Regina Charboneau 7 Andrew Calvitt, Debbie Hudson, and Pat Biglane
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10 8 Caitlin Goodman, Agnes Holloway, and Lauren Burns 9 Debbie Hudson, Frances Cothren, and Crystal Moffett 10 Amanda and Benny Jeansonne, Janet McNeely, and Charlie Speed
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Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 53
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Page 54 { {August August2016 2016{{ Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Bluffs Bluffs & Bayous & Bayous {{August August2016 2016{ { Page 55
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THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MS
JA Banquet he Junior Auxiliary chapter in Brookhaven, Mississippi, recently celebrated its successes from the 2015-2016 year with a banquet at the St. Francis Catholic Church for its members.
T
1 Betty Ann Perkins and Dott Cannon 2 Melissa Leggett and Jasmine Wilson 3 Caitie Boatwright and Lindsey Calcote 4 TA Boyd and Becky Corkern 5 Aimee Harris and Lisa Breazeale 6 Ashley Choudoir and Anne Houston Cupit 7 Anna Johnson and Abbey Barker 8 Shannon Clark and Velma Estess 9 Emma Coleman and Stephanie Henderson 10 Stephany Smith, Amy Valentine, and Valarie Oglesby 11 Kellie Smith, Summer Williams, and Brittany Rushing 12 Liz McDaniel, Becky Allen, and Valarie Oglesby 13 Amy Mason, Tracy Freeny, Wendy Hall, Katie Nations, and Amber Martin 14 Stefanie Orr, Wendy Hall, Katie Nations, and Lindsay Calcote
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Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 57
AUGUST Louisiana Up & Coming! www.louisianatravel.com
ST. FRANCISVILLE
MONROE
ALEXANDRIA www.alexandriapinevillela.com
August 20 Polos & Pearls & LA Veteran Foundation Car Show Downtown St. Francisville 9 am – 9 pm Car show: 9 am – 3 pm www.lavetsfest.org
August 4 Downtown Gallery Crawl DeSiard and Trenton Streets 5 – 9 pm (318)503-5125
BATON ROUGE Throughout August www.visitbatonrouge.org Through September 3 LSU Special Library Collection presents From Grand Village to Bluff City: 300 Years of Natchez History LSU Campus Library Free (225)578-6544 / Lib.lsu.edu/special JACKSON www.felicianatourism.org
August 31 – September 4 Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall 8 am – 5 pm www.travelingwall.us
August 4 First Thursday Antique Alley 100 – 400 Blocks of Trenton St. www.antiquealleyshops.org August 6 Zoobilation Louisiana Purchase Zoo 10 am – 5 pm (318)329-2400 / www.monroezoo.org August 6 - 7 & 12 - 14 Oliver! Strauss Theatre Centre Times vary (318)323-6681 www.strausstheatrecenter.com August 20 16th Annual Bayou Black Open Rodeo Monroe Civic Center 7 am – 7 pm (318)329-2225 / www.ovdtc.org/index.htm VIDALIA August 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31 9LGDOLD )DUPHUV· 0DUNHW Old Courthouse
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Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 59
AUGUST Mississippi Up & Coming! www.visitmississippi.org BROOKHAVEN Through August 6 Exchange Club Fair Exchange Club Park 6:30 – 10 pm (601)669-2682 / www.facebook.com/ brookhavenexchangeclubfair August 16 BRAG Reception honoring Billie Mathis & Janet Smith /LQFROQ &RXQW\ /LEUDU\·V 9HUQRQ 5RRP 4:30 – 6:30 pm modestyann@aol.com August 17 – 19 BRAG Watercolor Workshop Lincoln County Library Kathybehan5@gmail.com September 3 Porches and Private Eyes Premiere The Haven Theatre 7 – 10 pm (601)669-1878 / www.haventheatre.org HATTIESBURG August 4 – 7 Lucky Rabbit August Market Hattiesburg 217 Mobile St. 9 am – 5 pm August 20 Avenues Wide Market Day The Avenues (Hwy 49 to Downtown) 8 am to 12 pm www.theavenuesyardsale.com JACKSON Throughout August www.visitjackson.com Throughout August Live Music Concerts Duling Hall www.dulinghall.com Throughout August Art Events at Mississippi Museum of Art www.msmuseumart.org
Page 60 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
Mississippi Up & Coming! AUGUST Throughout August 0LVVLVVLSSL )DUPHUV· 0DUNHW 929 High Street Every Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday 8 am – 2 pm www.mdac.ms.gov/bureaus-departments/ farmers-market August 15 Bright Lights Belhaven Nights Belhaven Neighborhood & Park 4:30 – 9:30 pm Advance: $10 / Gate: $15 www.greaterbelhaven.com August 19 - 20 4th Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival Downtown Convention Complex www.jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com August 27 – 28 MS Craft Show Mississippi Trade Mart Saturday: 9 am – 6 pm & Sunday: 11 am – 4pm $7 www.mscraftshow.com September 5 Kettle Bell Run 5 & 10K 6DOYDWLRQ $UP\ :RPHQ·V $X[LOLDU\ Registration: 7 am Race: 8 am Before Aug. 19: $30 / After: $35 (601)982-4881 www.salvationaryalm.org/jackson
LIBERTY August 20 Scenic Rivers Archery Family Fun Shoot Ethel Vance Park Registration: 7:30 am www.visitscenicrivers.com MCCOMB August 13 Iron Horse Classic &URVVÀW 0F&RPE 4-Man Team: $260 7 am – 5 pm www.thegaragegames.com/events/ironhorse-classic August 27 SMRMC Baby Expo C.O. Haskins Auditorium 6th Floor 10 am – 2 pm (601)684-3987 / (601)660-4371 NATCHEZ Throughout August Natchez Tricentennial Events www.natchezms300.com Throughout August Live Music Event Calendar www.visitnatchez.org/full-event-calendar
August 3 1DWFKH]·V WK %LUWKGD\ &HOHEUDWLRQ City of Natchez Times and venues vary www.natchezms300.com August 11 - 14 Moonlight & Magnolias Natchez Little Theatre 7:30 pm (877)440-2233 www.natchezlittletheatre.org/ August 12 %DOOHW 0DJQLÀFDW ´0DNH 8V 2QH ² $ Night of Unity” Natchez City Auditorium 7 pm (601)445-0091 / www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org/makeusone August 13 Featured Artist Reception: Tim McCary & Amanda Jeansonne ArtsNatchez 5 - 7 pm Exhibit: August 13 – Sept. 10 (601)442-0043 / artsnatchez@gmail.com August 20 WK $QQXDO 1XELDQ·V $OO :KLWH $IIDLU Natchez Community Center 8 pm / $15 Attire: All White
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 61
AUGUST Mississippi Up & Coming! August 20 - 21 St. Jude Semi-Pull and Annual Charity Dinner The Castle at Dunleith All day (601)446-8500 www.dunleith.com/inn/events.cfm August 25 - 28 Free Day for National Park Service Birthday Melrose National Historic Park All day (601)446-5790 www.nps.gov/natc/index.htm September 1 Grand Village of the Natchez Indians 40th Birthday Party Grand Village of the Natchez Indians 9 am – 11 am (601)446-6502 / mdah.state.ms.us/new/ visit/grand-village-of-natchez-indians/
SUMMIT August 19 2nd Annual Scenic Rivers Banquet SMCC Campus Horace C. Holmes Student Union Bldg. 6 pm (601)684-7661 VICKSBURG Throughout August www.visitvicksburg.com Throughout August Live Music Event Calendar www.visitvicksburg.com Throughout August Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation info@southernculture.org www.southernculture.org
August 4 - 7 & 11 - 14 Vicksburg Theatre Guild Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 7:30 pm Saturdays & 2 pm Sundays (601)636-0471 www.vicksburgtheatreguildcom August 13 Tara Tomahawk Tromp 5K Off-Road Trail Run Tara Wildlife Lodge 6791 Eagle Lake Shore Road 8:30 am (601)279-4261 / www.tarawildlife.com August 16 – 20 Old Man River Quilt Fest Vicksburg Convention Center (601)634-0243 www.oldmanriverquiltfest.com August 20 Gator Bait Triathlon Messina Landing 8:30 am mixonmathew@yahoo.com www.vsaswim.org August 20 – 21 93rd Annual Vicksburg Coin Show Riverwalk Casino Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm (662)571-1484 www.riverwalkvicksburg.com August 26 – 28 Tara Wildlife Mississippi River Nature Weekend Tara Wildlife All day (601)279-4261 / www.tarawildlife.com
%H VXUH WR FRQÀUP GHWDLOV RI WKH HYHQWV should changes have occurred since events were submitted.
Page 62 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 63
SOUTHERN SAMPLER
BY
Alma M. Womack
The â&#x20AC;&#x153;State Birdsâ&#x20AC;? of the South
G
enerally speaking, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother the insect world too much. 7KHUH DUH PDQ\ EHQHĂ&#x20AC;FLDO LQVHFWV around me, and they are allowed to be EHQHĂ&#x20AC;FLDO LQ SHDFH +RZHYHU Ă LHV PRVquitoes, roaches, and the hated dirt daubers I hunt and kill with regularity. Especially loathsome to me are the nefarious dirt daubers and their ugly, lumpy, disgusting nests built all over my clean, painted ceiling on the front porch and in the carport. There are a million places around here that they could build a nest and remain unmolested; but no, they have to come to my front porch to build their
Page 64 { August 2016 { Bluffs & Bayous
condos. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather build on that tall ceiling than anywhere else, for itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too high for me knock down their nests without climbing on a ladder. They have caused great anguish through the years, for my porch has been their favorite target since we moved here. Many dirt-dauber generations have come and gone with me cursing every one of them and to no avail. One year, I was washing down the porch, getting rid of the daubers, wasps, spiders, and dust. The tall ladder had to be moved periodically since the pressure washer hose would only reach so far. I was
up and down the ladder all morning, soaking wet, nasty muddy clothes on, and barefoot by that timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a real beauty. Coming down the ladder for the umpteenth time, my right thumb got caught in the brace on WKH ODGGHU DQG WKH Ă HVK ZDV SHHOHG EDFN exposing the bone. Only I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize it DW Ă&#x20AC;UVWÂłWKRXJKW , KDG D OLWWOH VFUDSH :KHQ I saw all the blood and that little white bone, I got weak in the knees. Louise Stevenson was here that morning, working inside while I washed the outside. She helped me get the thumb wrapped up to slow the bleeding. Just at that time, my dad came by for a cup of coffee and ended up taking me to Dr. Passman in Jonesville. When I told Dr. Charlie what had happened, he just shook his head and sewed me up. I got a look at myself when leaving his clinic and had to laugh at how truly bad I looked. Later I called Dr. Charlie and apologized for coming in looking so awful. Being the sweetheart he was, he just laughed, too. Another year, I had read about a blue ceiling being a deterrent to dirt daubers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Haint blueâ&#x20AC;? would keep out the ghosts, but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if it would work on the demon daubers. Well, it was worth a try; so I got out the ladder again and went to work painting the ceiling, praying all the while that whatever dogs were here then would not come along and knock over the ladder. I had to hold on with one hand, spray wasps and daubers with one hand, and paint with one hand. It was not easy since I have only the two hands. $Q\ZD\ WKH MRE ZDV Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ FRPSOHWHG and the newly painted ceiling was christened by a dirt dauber who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that the blue paint was supposed to scare him away. One year, nasty little birds that made mud nests decided that they liked the front porch, too. We battled all that spring. I kept the water hose on the front porch to run them away and wash off their disgusting nests at the same time. If they had eaten the dirt daubers, I might have cut them a little slack, but they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t interested. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shoot them without destroying the wooden ceiling and trim, so I fought them with the water hose and bagpipe music.
They must have been English birds, for they purely hated the bagpipe music as much as did my daughters. If it took the lilting pipes to keep them off my porch, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scotland the Braveâ&#x20AC;? would play all day. $IWHU WZR \HDUV WKH\ Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ OHIW IRU TXLeter, drier quarters. Not the dirt daubers. They are here annually; and since I have Tupelo Brake in front of the house, there is no shortage of water (even in dry weather) for the daubers. For some reason, they like the sandy gravel on the road so that a goodly portion of the nests are gravelly and especially hard to remove. Also that road soil has some red in it from the gravel, and it stains worse than the buckshot mud. Personally, I think they do it on purpose, just to make my life harder since I have killed so many of their ancestors. Right now, the ceiling and trim on the porch are home to about two dozen or more dirt dauber homes. I am trying to convince myself to drag out the equipment and spend a day knocking down nests and washing away their evidence. I will eventually get to it and be proud that I have a clean porch again. But for now, it is so hot, even early in the morning, that I am loathe to do anything strenuous. (DUO\ PRUQLQJ LV IRU WHQGLQJ WR P\ Ă RFN of chickens that has increased in size the ODVW PRQWK ,W LV DOVR WKH WLPH WR ZDWHU Ă RZers to keep them alive until the rain showers JLYH WKHP D SURSHU ZDWHULQJ :KHQ , Ă&#x20AC;QLVK with them, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to drag the water hoses to their places to irrigate with sprinklers and then go inside for regular house work, RIĂ&#x20AC;FH ZRUN DQG VR RQ %HIRUH , NQRZ LW itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to start the noonday mealâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;dinner to us country folksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and the morning is gone. The afternoons are too wretchedly hot for me, so another day goes by and the porch ceiling is still covered with mud houses. I am to the point of walking out on the porch and not looking up to see the mess. However, the weather is bound to get better some day; and when the temperature is more bearable, the washer and the ladder will come out of the barn. Then, the evidence of the 2016 generation of dirt daubers will be only a memory. Until then, I will just use the back doors to go outside into the inferno that we call August. Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland 3ODQWDWLRQ RQ %ODFN 5LYHU VRXWK RI -RQHVYLOOH Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.
Bluffs & Bayous { August 2016 { Page 65
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AUGUST 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Natchez Legends & Lore
You are invited to Natchez, Mississippi for our 300th Birthday Celebration! AUGUST 3, 2016
800.647.6724 | natchezms300.com
$XJXVW UG HYHQWV )5(( DQG 2SHQ WR WKH 3XEOLF AUGUST 1-31 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everywhere with Roy Lewisâ&#x20AC;? Photography Exhibition
9:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony with Hutke Fields, Principal Chief/Great Sun of the Natchez Nation Natchez Indians Presentation by Jim Barnett Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Activities with guardian Grand Village of the Natchez Indians
601.445.0728 | natchezms300.com
601.304.1383 | 601.445.9185 catholiccharitiesjackson.org/makeusone AUGUST 13 Second Saturday
800.647.6724 | natchezms300.com
400 Jefferson Davis Boulevard 1:30 p.m. Presentations on Colonial Louisiana with authors and historians Erin Greenwald and Emily Clark Fort Rosalie Artifact Display Junior Ranger Activities with guardian Book Signings Natchez Visitor Center
´5HĂ HFWLRQV V WR 3UHVHQW 'D\ 1DWFKH] through Pointillismâ&#x20AC;? by Joe Johnson
Natchez Photography Tour
601.442.2500 | natchezms300.com
601.660.7300 | tourology.net
AUGUST 1-DECEMBER 31 â&#x20AC;&#x153;They Equip Themselves like Warriorsâ&#x20AC;?: The Natchez Fort Site at Battleground Plantation
QG $QQXDO 0DUFXV *DUYH\ 'D\
601.446.6502 | mdah.state.ms.us/new/visit/ grand-village-of-natchez-indians/ AUGUST 3 +DSS\ %LUWKGD\ 1DWFKH] WK &HOHEUDWLRQ
640 South Canal Street
800.647.6724 | natchezms300.com
4:00 p.m. Natchez National Historical Park Dedication & Ribbon Cutting of Fort Rosalie Site
AUGUST 3-5 MS Association of Addiction Professionals
601.442.5880 | natchezconventioncenter.org
528 South Canal Street
AUGUST 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 Natchez Walking Tour
6:00 p.m. Happy Birthday, Natchez! 300th Celebration A celebration on the bluff with food, live music, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, arts and crafts YHQGRUV FXSFDNHV Ă&#x20AC;UHZRUNV DQG PRUH
Broadway Street overlooking the Mississippi River
AUGUST 12 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make Us One -A Night of Unityâ&#x20AC;? with Ballet 0DJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDW DQG WKH 06 0DVV &KRLU
601.660.7300 | tourology.net AUGUST 10-11 MS Public Transit Leadership Conference
601.442.5880 | natchezconventioncenter.org AUGUST 11-14 Natchez Little Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Moonlight & Magnolias
877.440.2233 | natchezlittletheatre.org
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601.597.2112 AUGUST 15-19 MS Department of Mental Health
601.442.5880 | natchezconventioncenter.org AUGUST 20-21 St. Jude Charity Weekend
601.446.8500 | dunleith.com AUGUST 25 National Park Service Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day
601.446.5790 | nps.gov/natc/ AUGUST 25-28 Fee Free Days for National Park Serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday
601.446.5790 | nps.gov/natc/ AUGUST 27 Civil Rights Commemoration of George Metcalfe
800.647.6724 | natchezms300.com