Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 1
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Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 3
From Your Publisher . . .
A
s I write this note, I have just celebrated the first day of Fall. It was a rainy weekend, but the rain brought a beautiful, clear, sunshine-filled day that was enjoyed by so many. After watching the Saints play, Mike and I went for a long over-due walk in Downtown Natchez. It was a daily routine that we participated in a few years ago, and I miss that time. I remember walking either early mornings or late evenings with appreciation for our mild climate as we watched the seasons come and go. Don’t get me wrong, I still watch the seasons come and go; but an afternoon stroll on a clear, brisk day after a full football watching weekend was icing on the cake. As the heat lifts and my arms get a break from dragging the water hose around the yard, I anticipate getting outside more on my bicycle or walking around to enjoy the Fall days. For all of
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my hunting friends who welcome Fall for the upcoming hunting seasons, the Rinehart’s might get a little hunting in this season as Mike has leased some land and purchased all the “hunting” equipment needed to satisfy his hunter lust desire. If you are not into physical or hunting activities, we have a plethora of festivals and activities to indulge yourself in this October. Our cover sports two beautiful and talented musicians, Hannah and Caroline Melby, of HanaLena. Originally from Starkville, Mississippi, the dynamic due now makes their home in Nashville, Tennessee. I had the privilege of hearing them perform during MUW’s Homecoming festivities this past spring. I was blown away by their performance. They will be performing at noon
in Brookhaven, Mississippi, at the Ole Brook Festival on October 5, 2013, and the performance is free! For more events in October, be sure to check out our Premier Events and Up and Coming Calendar in this issue. Be sure to catch the gardening articles on fall mums, pumpkins, and gourds; Caroline’s healthy Halloween treats; and our salute to the arts in Natchez and McComb, Mississippi. We feature the St. Francisville Garden Symposium, its speakers, and weekend schedule in addition to several balloon pilots who come year after year to Natchez for the ever popular Great Mississippi River Balloon Race. G’s Fare has fantastic fall recipes, and we want to introduce you to Tina Riad of McComb, Mississippi, and her new invention to assist breast cancer survivors. Until November, our Dining Issue, enjoy your October life along and beyond the Mississippi.
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C o n t r i b u t o r s 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.
Caroline Devereaux is wife to Matt and mom to two daughters, Stella and Mary Tucker. She is a certified Pilates instructor and enjoys educating others on overall health and wellness. They reside north of the Big Easy in Covington, Louisiana.
Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III, a native of Natchez, Mississippi, was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981. Since then, he has been practicing at the law firm of Gwin, Lewis, Punches & Kelley, LLP, in Natchez. His practice includes general litigation, real estate law, divorce, contract disputes, eminent domain, products liability, personal injury, medical matters, and some estate work.
Robert Ferguson, a resident of Jackson, Mississippi, for most of his life, received his degree in horticulture from Mississippi State University in 1973. Interested in orchids since the age of 13, he owned Ferguson Orchids from 1973 to 2002 where orchids were cloned, grown from seed, and sold. Ferguson is a Life member of The American Orchid Society, has garnered four American Orchid Society Awards for his orchids, and has won three American Orchid Society Exhibition Trophies for Best of Show.
Becky Junkin, mother of four, grandmother of soon-to-be six, is a lifelong Natchez resident and a retired elementary teacher of twenty four years. She is a certified Pilates instructior and owner of Pur Pilates Studio. She and her husband Jerry live and entertain in their antebellum home Heckler Hall. Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.
publisher Cheryl Foggo Rinehart managing editor Jennie Guido consulting editor Jean Nosser Biglane graphic designers Jan Ratcliff Anita Schilling media coordinator Adam Blackwell staff photographers Van O’Gwin Elise D. Parker Cheryl Rinehart sales staff Tracey Farrell Lynn Janette Cheryl Rinehart Donna Sessions office assistant Rachel Benoit
on the cover HanaLena will be performing at this year’s Ole Brook Festival in Brookhaven, Mississippi, on October 5, 2013. For a complete list of festivals and events, refer to pages 72 - 90. Cover photo of HanaLena by Fairlight Photography Eye Model Management, Nashville, TN
Rachel Benoit
Adam Blackwell
Jean Biglane
Tracey Farrell
Jennie Guido
Lynn Janette
Van O’Gwin
Elise D. Parker
Jan Ratcliff
Cheryl Rinehart
Anita Schilling
Donna Sessions
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 not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.
office
423 Main Street, Suite 7 | Natchez, MS 39120 601-442-6847 | fax 601-442-6842 bluffsmag@gmail.com bbupandcoming@gmail.com media.bluffsandbayous@gmail.com www.bluffsbayous.com
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October 2013 FEATURES A Ballooning We Will Go ...................................................................................48-53 Flourishing Foliage: Twenty-five Years of Education in Gardening ................54-57
FAVORITES Creative Expression Adirondack Appreciation .......................................................................................36 Pup Parodies ............................................................................................................37
Events October Up & Coming! Premier Events ............................................................72-75
A Ballooning We Will Go pages 48 - 53
October Up & Coming! ......................................................................................76-90
G's Fare Friendly Fall Favorites ........................................................................................10-13
Healthy Living The Healthy Trick to Treating ............................................................................58-60 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Survivor Invents Ta Tas to Go ........................................................................66-67
In the Garden Plant Mari-Mums in Fall Gardens for Color ......................................................16-17 Pumpkins and Gourds Make Attractive Fall Displays .......................................20-21 Various Legged Pests of Orchids .......................................................................40-41
Legal Notes Humor in the Law ...................................................................................................23
Southern Sampler Ghoulish Tasks on the Farm ...............................................................................70-71
THE social SCENE
Flourishing Foliage: Twenty-five Years of Education in Gardening pages 54 - 57
Celebrity Waiter of Vicksburg Benefit ..................................................................8-9 Republican Party Fundraiser ..............................................................................14-15 Breast Cancer Awareness Gala ...............................................................................18 Book Signing for Alice Mitchell..............................................................................22 Lisa Flattmann’s Spooktacular Extravaganza ...................................................24-25 Chamber of Commerce’s After Hours ...............................................................26-27 Natchez Rotary Club Reception.........................................................................38-39 Mary Blair Johnson’s First Birthday Bash ..........................................................42-43 Mophett Competes in Duck Calling Contest .........................................................61 A Gallerie’s Grand Opening ....................................................................................62
THE wedding SCENE
Megan and Peter Vincent’s Wedding Celebration ...........................................30-32 Atkin’s 60th Wedding Anniversary ...................................................................34-35
Friendly Fall Favorites pages 10 - 13 Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 7
THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS
Celebrity Waiter of Vicksburg Benefit
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he Ameristar Casino Hotel in Vicksburg, Mississippi, held its annual “Celebrity Waiter of Vicksburg” dinner benefiting the American Cancer Society on Tuesday, August 20, 2013, at Bourbon’s Restaurant in the Ameristar. The event began with cocktails with dinner promptly following. The Master of Ceremonies was Skipper Guizerix; and the Celebrity Waiters included Mayor George Flaggs, Dr. Sam Pierce, Harley Caldwell of Coldwell Banker, Jason Martinez of Hobie’s Outdoor Sports, Tom Kendall of Trustmark Bank, Mike McMillan of Promise Hospital of Vicksburg, Jennifer Jackson of Two Friends, Matt Farrell of Trustmark Bank, Paul Avery of Lady Luck Casino, Bill Fulcher of Mission Primary Care, Bess Averett from Friends of Vicksburg, Police Chief Walter Armstrong, and Alice Ellis from May and Company.
1 Dr. Randy Easterling and John Milazzo 2 Dan Cherry and Frederick Steed 3 Ashley Smith and Kellie Pierce 4 Amber Mathal and Francine Cheeks 5 Christine Guizerix, Amanda Guizerix, and Tami Milazzo 6 Paul Barry and Catherine Barry 7 Kelly Andrews, Jennifer Jackson, and Melba Mitchell 8 Josh McBride and Blair McBride 9 Jonathan Brock, Lindsey Martinez, Randy Martinez, and Rino Martinez 10 Kellie Pierce, Ginny Abraham, Kristie Smith, and Pat Pierce
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THE social SCENE
VICKSBURG, MS
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11 Tami Milazzo, Janie Easterling, and Nalini Torres 12 Carol Stadler, Pam Slenko, and Ray Slenko 13 Penny Varner, Bob Morrison, and Corin Morrison 14 Riley Nelson, Susan Kendall, and Madison Kendall 15 Marianna May Jones, Mike Gough, and Karen Gough 16 Carl Cunningham, Jr., Dr. Wanda Newell, and Jeremy Mason
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G’s Fare by Becky Junkin
Friendly Fall Favorites F
all is finally here, and this is probably my favorite time of the year. I love the weather when it is beginning to cool down, the excitement of football games, and fires on the patio. More importantly, I am beginning to want to cook again. I love pumpkin and could fill up the entire article with pumpkin recipes, but my husband reminded me that probably no one but me likes pumpkin that much. So, with that in mind, I have asked several friends to share with me their favorite fall recipes (and I still slipped some pumpkin recipes in). The following recipes are some of my friend Sissy Eidt’s favorite fall recipes. Sissy owns Everything Fancy, and she has been catering in the Miss-Lou area and beyond since 1981. The following recipe is from Southern Living many years ago.
Cherry-Almond Glazed Pork 1 4 pound pork loin roast rolled, boned, and tied 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 12 ounce jar (1 cup) cherry preserves 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoon light corn syrup 1 teaspoon cloves 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 cup slivered almonds toasted 1/4 teaspoon salt Rub the roast with a little salt and pepper. Place on rack in shallow baking pan. Roast uncovered in 325 degree oven for about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients except almonds. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Add toasted almonds. Keep warm. Spoon enough hot cherries over roast to glaze. Return to oven for about 30 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees. Baste roast several times during last few minutes. Pass remaining sauce with roast. Makes 8 servings.
This recipe is from Bobby Flay at www.foodnework.com.
Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for garnish 1 large zucchini, finely diced 1/2 pound ground pork 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1/2 pound ground veal 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced 1 pound ground beef chuck 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with 1 cup Panko bread crumbs coarse salt 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Par1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided mesan cheese Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup ketchup, divided 2 large eggs lightly beaten 1/4 plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the zucchini peppers, garlic paste, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables. Mix until combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the remaining ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
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On the sweeter side of the table, Sissy has 2 desserts centered around the October favorite—Pumpkin! The following recipe is from www.allrecipes.com. “One of the first recipes to come out of the EAGLE BRAND kitchen, magazine ads in 1927 promised glorious pumpkin pie…the kind about which the poets have sung.”
Harvest Pumpkin Tarts 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 24 3 inch unbaked tart shell Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together condensed milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, egg, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl until smooth. Pour evenly into tart shells. Bake for 18 minutes or until center is just set and pastry is golden. Cool and garnish as desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
The following recipe is from www.yummly.com.
Pumpkin Cake with Orange Glaze 2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup raisins 2 cup sugar 1 cup Crisco butter flavor shortening 4 eggs 16 ounce solid-pack pumpkin pie filling 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel 4 teaspoons orange juice Chopped walnuts Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10 inch Bundt pan with Crisco and lightly flour. Pour boil water over raisins in colander and drain. Press lightly to remove excess water. Combine granulated sugar, melted Crisco, pumpkin, and eggs in large bowl. Beat at medium to high speed of electric mixer for 5 minutes. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, and cloves in medium bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating at low speed after each addition cup until blended. Stir in raisins with spoon and pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 to 20 minutes in the pan. Place cake, top side up, on wire rack. Cool completely. Place cake on serving plate. Combine confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and orange peel in a small bowl. Stir with spoon until blended. Spoon the icing over the top of cake, letting excess glaze run down the side. Sprinkle with chopped nuts before glaze hardens.
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The following is a recipe that Sissy’s grandmother made.
“Nanny Passbach’s” Stuffed Oysters Clean, scrub, and grease about 65 oyster shells (or ramekins or casserole dishes) 1 galloon oysters (coarsely cut) 1 large handful of chopped parsley 2 1/2 large handfuls of chopped celery (use tops and inside also) 3 1/2 large handfuls of chopped green onions 8 eggs lightly beaten 4 sleeves crushed saltines 2 cups of shredded parmesan cheese Drain and reserve oyster liquid. Reserve 1/3 of the cheese and crushed crackers. Mix other ingredients well and add oyster liquid to make a lightly thick consistency. Put in oyster shells, ramekins, or casserole dishes about 2/3 full. Top with cheese and cracker crumbs and a small pat of butter. Bake about 20 minutes until bubbly in a 350 degree to 375 degree oven.
The following is a recipe from Key Ingredients of Memphis.
Southern Vegetable Pie 1 green bell pepper cut into 1/4 inch strips 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 6 eggs 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 cup heavy cream 3 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4 in 2 teaspoons salt slices 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 in slices 2 cups stale French bread cubes (1/2 inch) 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch 2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded strips Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add onions, garlic, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and mushrooms; and sauté 15 to 20 minutes until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes and cheeses. Add sautéed vegetables; and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into a greased 10 inch springform pan, packing mixture tightly. Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until firm to the touch, puffed, and golden brown. If top starts to brown too fast, cover with foil. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
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Dr. Carl Passman is not only a fantastic orthopedic doctor but also a fabulous cook. Below is a recipe that he gave me. It is perfect as an appetizer while watching a football game.
Easy Sautéed Shrimp 1 16 ounce bottle Kraft’s Zesty Italian dressing Salt and pepper to taste 1 stick of butter Dash of Tabasco 1/2 cup of beer 1 pound of peeled shrimp Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Pour in the salad dressing and simmer it just below the bubbling point until you can no longer smell the vinegar aroma. This should take about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir it occasionally. Add butter and the beer, and stir well. When the butter melts, reduce the fire to low and continue cooking until you can no longer smell the beer. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco; then drop in the shrimp and sauté them until they turn pink and tender. This should take about 4 to 6 minutes on low. When they are cooked, remove them from the sauce. (You can save the sauce in the refrigerator.)
This dish could also be prepared in a casserole dish in the over at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Shrimp and Artichoke Appetizers Use the 1 pound of shrimp from recipe above 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 14 ounce can of artichokes, cut in half 1 can sliced olives (I like olives, so I and drained used the regular size can and sliced 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard them) 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar Diced fresh tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste Fresh tarragon 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil Combine shrimp, artichokes, olives, and tomatoes in a bowl. Whisk together next three ingredient. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil until thick and creamy. Pour over shrimp and toss. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley and tarragon. Serve with toothpicks.
The following is probably the easiest homemade salsa you have ever tried. My daughter, Lari, brought it to the beach; and it was devoured. It is best to wait to eat it for 24 hours. I drained off some of the liquid on the diced tomatoes as I like my salsa chunky but did not drain the Rotel.
Easy Salsa 3 cans of diced tomatoes 1 can Rotel 1 bunch of cilantro chopped 1 bunch green onions chopped (if you like onions, chop two bunches)
Garlic salt 1 teaspoon lime juice 2 tablespoons cumin Salt and pepper to taste Tabasco to taste
Mix together and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The last recipe is from my daughter-in-law Stacey. It is a sweet and salty version of “trash” that she made up.
Trash 1 box of honey nut cheerios, 1 large jar honey roasted peanuts 1 large bag of dark chocolate M&M’s 1 bag Craisins 1 bag yogurt covered raisins 1/2 bag of pretzels Mix together and store in a large Ziploc storage bag.
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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS
Republican Party Fundraiser
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he Republican Party Fundraiser was held on August 29, 2013, at the Fernwood Country Club in McComb, Mississippi. The Organizing Committee was headed by Constance Cowart along with Ted Tullos, Jim McCullough, and Laurie Allen. Dr. Larry Stewart served as the Master of Ceremonies, and the evening’s entertainment began with the legendary “Honky Tonk Angels” comprised of Cindy Hyde-Smith, Lynn Fitch, and Melanie Sojourner. Local artists, Prudence McGehee, Dianne Burris, and Linda Byrum Wallace, provided 3 paintings for the live auction. However, all items created a bidding sensation helped along by auctioneer Warren Guedry, which was great entertainment in itself. The successful event ended with guests dancing the night away.
1 Melanie Sojourner, State Senator for District 37 2 Tommy McKenzie, McComb’s City Selectman, and Rachel McKenzie 3 Deborah and Bill Pendleton 4 Judy Thompson and Savina Lewis 5 Tracey Farrell, Prudence McGehee, and Linda Byrum Wallace 6 Aaron Tullos 7 Beverly Britt, Greg Harper, and Constance Cowart 8 Mary Tullos 9 Sam Mims, Representative for District 97; Dr. Larry Stewart, Master of Ceremonies; and Tommy McKenzie, McComb’s City Selectman 10 Bill and Deborah Pendleton; Ted and Mary Tullos; and Carol and Mayor Whitney Rawlings
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11 Constance Cowart, Carol Rawlings, and Tracey Farrell 12 Prudence McGehee, Charles Ray Bates, and Linda Byrum Wallace 13 Aaron Tullos, Mary Tullos, and Prudence McGehee 14 Tracey Farrell, Mayor Whitney Rawlings, and Constance Cowart 15 Keith Smith and Kay Newman 16 Cindy Hyde-Smith, Tommy Stephens, Lorraine Hyde, Representative Bill Pigott, and Representative Becky Currie 17 Sidney Harper, Tracey Farrell, Representative Greg Harper, and Linda Byrum Wallace 18 Bill and Deborah Pendleton with Sidney and Greg Harper 19 Sidney and Greg Harper with Mary and Ted Tullos
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In the Garden
Story and Photographs by Dr. Gary R. Bachman
Plant Mari-Mums in Fall Gardens for Color ou may be familiar with the saying, “What was old is new again,” as related to clothing and decorating styles; but it is also true of landscaping. While fall-flowering mums seem to attract the most attention for fall color, there is a “brand new” plant called the mari-mum being promoted for the fall garden and landscape across the Southeast. Have the plant breeders been working overtime? Actually, a mari-mum is simply a fallplanted marigold. Marigolds are an old standby for me in the spring and summer; but over time, I had completely forgotten how effective these flowering annuals can be in the fall. Why can’t they be successful then? Marigold colors are earthy and warm, just like the flowering mums. Their orange, yellow, red, and gold colors are outstanding in any harvest display. There are several types available, but the big two are the American and the French marigold. Page 16 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
The American marigold is also French marigolds, such as the called the African marigold, and Bonanza mix, are smaller and have more flower variety than various series range from fifteen their American counterparts. inches to more than three feet tall. American marigolds are recognizable for their double flowers shaped like pom-poms. Popular series include the First Lady, Discovery, and Inca II. These series feature colors of yellow, orange, dark orange, and white. American marigolds sometimes need staking because of their big flowers and tall stems. An outstanding newer series is the AllAmerica Selection Moonsong Deep Orange, which has flowers up to three and a half inches across. French marigolds are smaller and have more flower variety. There are single and double flowers, and they come in yellow, orange, and red. Some even have stripes. Popular series include Bonanza, Janie, and Sophia. French marigolds are generally less than fifteen inches tall. Marigolds are free flowering from early summer to frost if
American marigolds, such as the All-America Selection Moonsong Deep Orange, have big flowers and tall stems.
you deadhead and remove the faded flowers. Always prepare planting beds in full sun and work in good-quality compost. This step improves the soil’s water-holding capacity and keeps it consistently moist. Since the fall season is relatively short, sprinkle a three to four month, controlled-release fertilizer at planting. One advantage of planting marigolds in the fall is that they reduce the incidence of spider mites, which can be troublesome in the hot, summer months. The mites may be present in the cooler fall season, especially if we have drought conditions; but their reproductive rate will be greatly reduced. I think you will find mari-mums are good companions for the other cool-season colors we are planting at this time. Try them planted in combination with the colorful flowers of violas, pansies,
or Sonnet snapdragons. You can interplant them with cool-season foliage like ornamental Pigeon cabbage or the dark burgundy red foliage of Redbor kale. So, keep the fall-flowering mums in big containers on the porch and patio; but plant mari-mums in your landscape beds to celebrate the harvest season.
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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS
Breast Cancer Awareness Gala
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n Thursday, October 10, 2013, the 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Gala will be held at six o’clock P.M. in the Pike County Safe Room in McComb, Mississippi. There will be a silent auction, raffles, door prizes, refreshments and entertainment. Pictured are volunteers working on the “Bras for a Cure” portion of the fundraiser and event. Tickets are available at Family Pharmacy, Courtyard Rehab, and Gulf South Gallery. All of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.
1 Margie Parsons, Patricia Jackson, Tori Ryall, Cheryl Hampton, Joan Stamps, Lynn Wells, Gloria Hawkins, Wanda Ellzey, Laura Weathersby, and Nita Pounds 2 Joan Stamps, Lynn Wells, and Wanda Ellzey 3 Nita Pounds, Tori Ryall, and Margie Parsons 4 Lynn Wells
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In the Garden
Story and Photographs by Dr. Gary R. Bachman
Colorful pumpkin, squash and gourd displays at local garden centers around the state are indications that summer’s days are nearing an end.
Pumpkins and Gourds Make Attractive Fall Displays id-September may be the beginning of fall, but the best way to know summer is ending is to look at all the colorful pumpkin and gourd displays at local garden centers around the state. These displays are not only for Halloween anymore. Fall harvest displays can add charm and interest throughout the autumn season. What is more seasonally appropriate than using pumpkins and gourds along with fall-flowering mums and colorful mari-mums? Besides basic orange, pumpkin colors include red, yellow, white, blue, and even multicolored stripes. Pumpkins can be miniature, flattened, necked, smooth, winged, and warty.
There are hundreds of different varieties of pumpkin, squash, and gourd; and pumpkin patches are springing up all over Mississippi. Let us take a look at a few fall favorites. The Cinderella pumpkin is an heirloom variety that originated in France. This pumpkin has been a fall favorite since the late 1880’s. If the shape seems familiar, think back to an old Disney movie you may have seen. Popular opinion is that this pumpkin variety was used as the model for Cinderella’s carriage in the classic animated film. The flattened shape also makes this a good stacking pumpkin. Not all pumpkins have smooth skins. One of the more interesting varieties is the peanut pumpkin, which is a cross between an unknown pumpkin variety and
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a Hubbard squash. This pumpkin has a warty surface that resembles peanuts. It is a great choice for adding coarse texture to any display. While the large pumpkins get the most attention, miniature pumpkins are very versatile. There are plenty of cute mini varieties, including some that are solid white, traditional bright orange, or white with orange, vertical stripes. Try displaying minis in big flowerpots or bowls. Mini pumpkins will keep all through the season sitting on the front porch. Why stop with pumpkins when there are interesting squash and gourds available for displays? Turban squash is a popular, hat-shaped variety that Native Americans grew. The bulb-like top makes a good fall decoration
Turban squash is a popular, hat-shaped variety that Native Americans grew. The bulb-like top makes a good fall decoration with its bizarre shape and multicolored stripes.
with its bizarre shape and multicolored stripes. This squash would make a fantastic centerpiece for any gathering of family and friends. Other good squash varieties for decorations include Hubbard and any of the winter squash. Gourds come in amazing varieties. Some of the more interesting ones have wings and warts, and the swan-shaped gourds are colorful and spectacular. Believe it or not, most are delicious when baked or made into a pie. A Bachman family favorite is homemade pumpkin seeds. After carving a jack-o-lantern, save and thoroughly wash the seeds. Toss with melted butter, sprinkle with sea salt, and
bake at 300 degrees until slightly toasted. It will be hard, but let the seeds cool and then enjoy. Be sure to inspect your pumpkins, squash, and gourds before purchasing. They will last longer if there is no surface damage and that includes pumpkins for carving before Halloween. To extend their usefulness, try painting scary faces on their surfaces instead of carving them. If you just have to carve a pumpkin, you can coat the cut surfaces and inside with petroleum jelly. This will help to seal and keep the flesh firm. Enjoy locally grown pumpkins, squash, and gourds in festive displays this fall. Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 21
THE social SCENE MAGNOLIA, MS
Book Signing for Alice Mitchell
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rs. Alice Mitchell of Magnolia, Mississippi, recently published her first children’s book. It is an illustrated storybook of a poem, which has been nearly three decades in the making. My Mama’s Closet is a sweet book illustrated by artist Sheryl K. Perry. The author and illustrator shared their journey from inspiration to publication, to a full house at the Magnolia Public Library during September’s Munch-aLunch. After reading the book to the crowd, the author and illustrator signed and personalized copies of the book. Photos by Elise Parker
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1 Quin Parker, Nita Gilmore, Becky Bobbs, Sandra Rushing, and Bonnie Shows 2 Betty Jo Flowers (seated) with Bud Flowers and Bess Gore 3 Judy Johnson and her granddaughter, Emma Temple 4 Donna Williams and Connie McNabb 5 Mary Regan and Sally Johnson 6 Mickey Lampton and Margaret Lang 7 Glenda Womack and Lillian Lang
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The man was accused of hitting a young punk with a very large stick causing severe and serious injuries. Ned went to the store to interview the old gentleman; and upon questioning the owner, the owner stated that while the young man was giving him a hard time he never touched the punk with a stick and only threatened him. Ned then noticed a video camera up in the corner of the building and asked if there was a tape. The owner sheepishly said, “Well, yes sir.” Ned then reviewed the tape, which also happened to have audio; and it showed the owner standing at the counter talking to a friend of his (who we will call Willie). Then, in walks the punk, a heated discussion begins, and the owner pulls out the “stick” and begins threatening the punk. At that point, they start moving out of the view of the camera, but the audio was still going. Then, the audio reveals screaming and hollering; and all of a sudden, Willie starts screaming, “Hit ‘em with that stick! Hit ‘em with that stick! Hi — oh-h-h-h.” Needless to say, Ned settled the lawsuit.
Legal Notes
Story by Lucien C. Gwin III
Humor in the Law S
ome of the funniest things I have ever witnessed have been in my law practice. The following are some true stories that have happened to either me or close friends of mine in the practice.
Alimony Hell A close friend of mine was trying a divorce case in a small town. His client was a small, elderly man with a beard, and he somewhat resembled a California prospector. He was divorcing his wife of many years. At the end of the trial, Judge Joe Zuccaro announced to the gentleman that after hearing evidence he had decided to give the gentleman’s wife four hundred dollars per month in alimony. With that, the little prospector stood up and seriously announced back to the Judge, “Why yo’ hona’, that’s mighty nice of ya. Why, I think I may give her a little money myself.” Getting His Attention Many years ago, an older attorney in Jackson had a new client come in to see him about his wife having an affair with
another man. The lawyer listened to the story and advised the new client that he could have his divorce papers filed in the morning. The client announced to the attorney that he did not want a divorce because he still loved his wife. He simply wanted advice on how to make the paramour stop. The lawyer said, “Oh, so you don’t want a divorce?” Then the attorney reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a long barreled 357 Magnum pistol. He then said to the shocked client, “Here’s what you do. You take a pistol this big; you go to this guy; you stick the barrel right in his face; and you tell him if he ever looks at your wife again you’ll blow his *** to hell and back.” The shocked client caught his breath and asked the attorney, “Will that work?” The lawyer replied, “It sure cured me of it.” Walking Tall Another close friend of mine in Jackson by the name of Ned was called by an insurance company to defend an older gentleman who owned and ran a convenience store.
Be Careful What You Ask For After I had been practicing law for about a year, I was tagging along with my law partner trying to learn what to do. He had a paternity suit in a small town, and he represented a young lady who had unfortunately gotten pregnant by a young man in the town. This all occurred before DNA, and paternity was proved by blood type and accusing the woman of having multiple affairs in order to prove that the child might be someone else’s. The attorney on the other side was an old southern attorney whose dialect was a true southern brogue. One of my dearest friends from law school was his associate, so we were looking real hard at each other across the table. The older attorney began the questioning of the girl and warned her that his questions would be “brutal.” Then, he began accusing her of having sexual relations with several other young men in the small town. Then, he said, “Isn’t it true that one night last year you were in car with three boys?” She replied, “Yes, sir.” He then demanded to know the names of those boys. With that, the witness stated, John Doe; Larry Doe; “and your son.” This is absolutely a true story. I hate to admit it, but both my dear friend and I lost it at the table that day.
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Lisa Flattmann’s Spooktacular ExtraVaganza Lisa Flattmann’s Halloween Fever obsession was a hit for the 2012 Halloween season. Reflections are from last year’s party of a home decked for the season, ghoulish treats and tricks, and a gathering of family and community friends.
Lisa Flattman
Callie Godfrey and Judy Burkley
Mary Ann Whittington and Carol Ann Riley
Callie Godfrey and Dianne Kirby
Jan Kirkwood and Kirby Watts
Linda Bowers, Carrie Neyland, Sandra Peoples, Beth Street, Suzie Blanchard, and Sylvia Stahan
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Andree’ Gamberi and Judy Burkley
Ashley Junkin, Shannon Parker, Shelia Thompson, and Lou Ellen Stout
Fayla Guedon, Melissa Vaughn, Katherine Nutter, Emily Maxwell, and Ashley Junkin
Mandie Goldman, Bonnie Kyzar, and Tina Cox
Fayla Guedon, Jamie Gibson, and Leigh Dickey
Amy Dunnaway and Shannon Murray
Shelly Rodgers
Kate Ellard, Edie Christian, and Sandra Ellard
Andree’ Gamberi and Jennifer Mire
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Chamber of Commerce’s After Hours
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he Natchez-Adams Chamber of Commerce held their after-hours and ribbon cutting event for Rolling River Roasters on Thursday, September 5, 2013, in Downtown Natchez, Mississippi. Members gathered in the renovated historic building to mingle following the business day.
1 Margaret Perkins, Rene Adams, Kristy Parker, Stephanie Wall, Tammy Ridley, Rose Borum, Katie Bailey, and Donna and Tim Sessions 2 Barbara Rodriguez, Judy Bartley, and Carolyn Doughty 3 Jennifer Haile and Barbara Nell Lomasney 4 Caitlin Huffines and Catherine McDaniel 5 Betsy Sawyer, Anne Paradise, and Peter Burns 6 Donna and Tim Sessions, Margaret Rowe, and Beth DeAngelis 7 Matthew Goldman, Glen Laird, Rene’ Adams, and Agnes Holloway 8 Mark and Mary Ann Carter with Chuck Caldwell and Hal Hicks 9 Tammy Prince, Kippy and Karrie Blaney, and Patricia Lozen
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THE social SCENE
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10 Ed Bowser, James Brown, and William Jones 11 Leigh Ann Delaney with Ron and Joann Brumfield 12 Pat Biglane, Rene’ Adams, and Tim and Donna Sessions 13 Mike Rinehart, Marie Perkins, Dianne Brown, and Carol Jones 14 Mike Gemmell and Pat McDonough 15 Margaret Perkins and Rene Adams 16 Maxine Brice and Debbie Hudson with Ronnie and Kaye Harris
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THE weddingSCENE VICKSBURG, MS
Megan and Peter Vincent’s Wedding Celebration
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n August 24, 2013, Megan and Peter Vincent were honored with a wedding celebration in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The party was held at the B’Nai B’rith Literary Club, and the happy guests enjoyed food and drinks while congratulating the newlyweds.
1 Peter and Megan Vincent 2 Beth and Dean Norman with Brother and Jane Blackburn 3 Al and Cindy Windham 4 Carol Bonelli and Claire Jackson 5 Becca Stewart and Bobby Bailess 6 John Reid Golding and Rob Sadler 7 Penny Varner, Naomi Cook, Mack Varner, and Sister Paulinas Cook 8 Kelly Andrews, Leslie Waring, Naomi Cook, June Boyd, Burton Boyd, and Belynda Waring 9 Bobby Jean Noe and Jim Cook with Renee and Mike Turner 10 Mike, Sara Jean, Clara Grace, and Renee Turner
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THE weddingSCENE
VICKSBURG, MS
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11 David Hoseman, James Halford, and Connie Hoseman 12 Woody and Debbie Brumitt 13 Peter Vincent, Keith Upchurch, and Jay Hobson 14 Peter Vincent with Jill and Keith Upchurch 15 Peter and Megan Vincent with Natalie Bailess 16 Christy Guizerix, Liz Allen, and Cissy Coleman 17 Jane Jones, Natalie Bailess, and Sallie Terry 18 Kay Farrell with Mike and Mary Stewart 19 Trisha and Robert Sadler 20 Dean Andrews, Lucia Brown, and Kelley Andrews 21 Martha West, Linda Lewis, and Wade West 22 George and Ginny Abraham
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THE weddingSCENE VICKSBURG, MS
23 Carol and Dr. Lamar McMillin 24 Amanda Cobb and Charles Waring 25 John George, Carol George, Jane Thames, and Lee Davis Thames 26 Katherine Bailess, Natalie Waring, Sara Jean Turner, Allie Gamble, Emily Monsour, and Hannah Hayes
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30 27 John and Lynn Carpenter, Marlene McLaurin, and Joy Mihalyka 28 Margaret Hicks, Linda Parker, Billy Libbey, and Norma Habeeb 29 Front—Beth Huff, Lindsay Burgess, Megan Vincent, Naomi Cook, and Leigh Lusk; back—Lauren Coulon, Sally Southall, Gareth Lampkin, and Rachel Ware 30 Raymond Abraham and Patsy Humble
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THE weddingSCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Atkin’s 60th Wedding Anniversary
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r. and Mrs. Reynolds Atkins celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Friday, September 6, 2013, at The Briars, which is the home of Leon and Kristy Atkins. Reynolds and Ella were married on September 6, 1953, in Natchez, Mississippi, at St. Mary Basilica. Friends and family gathered at The Briars, enjoyed food prepared by Nan Garrison, and listened to music, which was provided by the Y Z Ealey Band. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds Atkins Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds Atkins’ wedding portrait Tommy Ferrell and Ella Atkins Paige Dickey and Sara Atkins Jana, Jennie, and Doug Atkins Johnny Atkins and Reynolds Atkins Ashley Gilbert and Sammy Atkins Linda Middleton and Bubba Hinson Myra Myers, Kenny Myers, Randy Myers, and Donnie Melton
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THE weddingSCENE
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10 Johnny and Jennie Atkins 11 Brandon and Sara Atkins 12 Sammy Atkins, Johnny Atkins, Ella Atkins, Reynolds Atkins, Leon Atkins, and Sissy Blackwood 13 Johnnie Hinson, Reynolds Atkins, James Hinson, and Ella Atkins 14 Eddie and Karen Benit 15 Rose Blackwell and Ella Atkins 16 Jennie Atkins and Kenny Myers 17 Michael and Kimberly Burkle
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Adirondack Appreciation H ow does it feel to be the only city in Mississippi to be awarded a one hundred thousand dollar beautification grant? Just ask Libba Alford, President of the Main Street Association in McComb, Mississippi. McComb was awarded the Entergy Inc.’s Mississippi Makeover Grant. The money and in-kind services will be used to light the historic coal chute, restore period light fixtures, and add seating around the pavilion area.
Participating artists in the Adironkack chair project are: Scott Nichols, Tracey Farrell, Evelyn King, Prudence McGehee, Sue Brewer, Linda Wallace, Connie Lambuth, Emily Lambuth, Caroline Whittington-Lawrence, Nancy Brister, Linda Wallace, Lisa Loth, and Carolyn Ford. Artist assistants are Michael Farrell, Blaine White, and Alexandre White.
When the grant application process began several months ago, Alford called Linda Byrum Wallace, an artist with the Southwest Mississippi Art Guild, and requested a prototype of an Adirondack chair for the seating area. Always up for just one more challenge, Wallace located an old chair from her son. Weathered and laden with “growths” from the Topisaw Creek floods, the chair took on a new life as she began scraping it down, cleaning it, and priming the surface until it was deserving of a Picasso reproduction painted on the front and back. Satisfied with the results, she presented it to the Main Street and Entergy committees for approval. While the chairs were being built by the carpentry students at McComb High School’s Business and Technology Complex, Wallace was busy assimilating her fellow artists to transform 12
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Adirondack chairs into three-dimensional works of art representing icons that McComb and Mississippi are known for. “I chose four themes and asked the artists to pick one. Once each theme was selected, the other artists had the autonomy to create their own vision of Mississippi and the rich history of the South.” The first of the “theme” chairs is dedicated to the city’s railroad and was conceived and painted by Lisa Loth. Without Colonel McComb and the railroad, the city would not exist. By now, the goal is to have all chairs completed and in place in the Depot. Won’t you please join the citizens of McComb, Mississippi by watching the trains roll through, get a dose of people watching, or use some brain power to solve the “Mississippi Proud” crossword puzzle?
Photos by Elise Parker
Creative Expressions
Creative Expressions
D
Pup Parodies
oesn’t a little puppy love go a long way? With the holidays right around the corner, why not make this Christmas season of gift giving a memorable one with a personalized “Fine Art Fido” created by Tim McCary, photographer and artist in Natchez, Mississippi. McCary explains, “Fine Art Fidos was a brainstorm I had one night about a way to raise money for the Natchez Adams County Humane Society.” Currently, McCary is working on developing and commissioning a dozen portraits of man’s best friend into works of art that are quite recognizable. Each of these twelve pet portraits will be featured in the upcoming Natchez Adams County Humane Society 2014 calendar, which will be on sale to the public. The process is fairly simple for making a “Fine Art Fido” of your beloved pet. McCary shares, “I will photograph a pet; and then after consulting with the owner, we will decide
what fine art portrait to pair the pup with. The client will receive a framed and finished art piece of his or her pet, the piece of art will be added to the 2014 calendar, and all of the proceeds of the portrait’s sale will go to the Humane Society.” Like many pet owners, McCary was able to come up with this creation with the help of his own hounds right in his back yard. “I started the project by photographing two of our own dogs first. Eventually, one was portrayed as Madam X and the other as Queen Elizabeth I,” McCary remembers. “Initially, my first inspiration was to paint my daughter’s dog that she adopted from the Humane Society last summer. What started as a trip to the pound to make a donation to the center in honor of my father’s birthday turned into adoption day at our house. She took one peek at the dogs at the shelter and fell in love with a small, fuzzy black and white puppy that she now calls Piper. However, Piper did not stay small; and she has grown
into a sleek, long-legged dog. It only made sense to pair Piper with the Madam X portrait. We call the piece ‘Piper X.’” McCary’s project will hopefully spark awareness for the Natchez Adams County Humane Society and not only raise money through pieces of art being sold but also find homes for a few pups along the way. As a family of dog lovers, the McCary’s are partial to their “pound hound.” McCary shares, “For some reason, pound puppies seem to know and show gratitude for being adopted even if they do occasion eat a television remote or two. Piper is the smartest of our four dogs, in which two of them were bought, one adopted before being sent to the shelter, and Piper being adopted directly from the shelter. She can learn tricks in just a few minutes. Of course, we feel her full potential could only be met if she were to become a Hollywood star. It is such a good feeling to know that you saved that puppy’s life that gets so excited when you come home and gives so much joy to your everyday life.” As far as the calendar of starring pups, McCary adds, “We already have commissions for over half of the dozen portraits that we will be doing for the calendar, and I feel confident that by the middle of November, each month of the calendar will be filled.” If you would like your own pup to end up in the pages of the upcoming Natchez Adams County Humane Society calendar, give McCary a call at (601)446-5670. Also, to make a donation to the Humane Society or find out more about what pets are waiting to go home with you, stop by the shelter located on Liberty Road or call (601)442-4001.
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Natchez Rotary Club Reception
T
he Natchez Rotary Club held a reception honoring Rotary District Governor, Rob Smith. Other special guests were the Natchez Young Professionals. The event was held on September 10, 2013, at 6:00 P.M. at Bowie’s Tavern where the group socialized and enjoyed delicious hors d’ oeuvres and spirits.
1 Sandy Taylor, District Governor Rob Smith, Pam Smith, and Forest Persons 2 Sammy Porter, Fred Parker, Mike Gemmell, and John Holyoak 3 Richard Branyan, Brooks Harrington, Will Carter, and Forest Persons 4 Lexi Crovetta, Scott Christian, and Robin Christian 5 Eric Robinson, Barbara Persons, and Forest Persons 6 Andrew Calvit, Jerry Moore, Curtis Moroney, Deanna Bowser, Shannon Parker, and Fred Parker 7 Andrew Calvit, Nellie Wimberly, and Doug Wimberly
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8 Albert Metcalfe 9 Key Smith, Dr. Melissa Jones, Russ Butts, Andrew Repka, Will Carter, and Deanna Bowser 10 Rotary President Carrie Iles, Richard Branyan, Key Smith, and Sarah Carter Smith 11 Jean-Luc Charboneau, Jim Smith, Chuck Caldwell, and Dane Olivero
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In the Garden
Story and Photographs by Robert Ferguson
Thrip damage on Cattleya
Various Legged Pests of Orchids ven though growing orchids can be tons of fun, sometimes there are pests that make it challenging. There can be eight legged, six legged, four legged, and even two legged pests that can attack and sometimes destroy your orchids. However, by learning to deal with these pests, the growing process can be easier to handle when these pests are involved. The most common method of introducing pests to your orchid collection is by purchasing an infested plant. Although you might be well educated in all the ways of determining if your new acquisition is pest free, bugs have clever ways of concealment. Whether you have a greenhouse, are growing in the home, or just growing outside under the shade of large trees, new orchids should be kept quarantined from your collection for at least 30 days. However, a pest spray program should be implemented when more than a half dozen orchids are grown together. There a many ways pests can spread to other plants. They can fly, crawl, walk, or just drop down from orchids hanging overhead. Plants need to be spaced to prevent
the crawling critters from migrating from plant to plant and infesting the neighboring orchid. It helps to keep a journal listing each orchid and record any problems experienced with each plant. There are several commercially available pesticides that can be used to control pests. After you purchase new plants, give them a good drenching of Malathion and surfactant (a drop of dish washing soap will do) solution for 15 minutes. It smells very bad, so it is best to do this in a very well ventilated place and wear rubber gloves. Most pests, insect wise, of orchids are very tiny and hide on the roots and the protective pseudo bulb covering, which is along the mid-rib of leaves and bases of leaves where they join the pseudo bulb. Since some orchid leaves have a slight curl at the edge of the leaves, this provides a great place for scale, spider mites, aphids, and mealy bugs to hide. While a cattleya is growing its new pseudo bulb, it is growing through a protective green sheath, which is just perfect for protecting very small insects. Pests also hide in other plants that may be planted around the greenhouse or adjacent areas. Pests can also ride on the breezes and be carried into the greenhouse.
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My first encounter with orchid pests had four legs and a long fuzzy tail. I was waiting for a seed pod to mature. After several months of waiting, I went out to examine my treasure after school and found no trace of it—only the teeth marks where it had been chewed off. I never found any remnants. You would think I would not forget that experience; but in 2002, I moved my collection to Vicksburg, Mississippi without a greenhouse for the first month or so. Therefore, I hung all my orchids on a fence. All was fine for a while until one morning I ventured outside early and found several orchids had been chewed down to the surface of the potting media. I knew it was time to get busy and get that greenhouse built. Spider mites and false spider mites, which are not a true insect but are in the arachnid family, can be a real problem for orchids. They tend to get smaller and smaller with an aging orchid grower. Initially, they can be seen mostly under the leaves of thin leafed orchids like Oncidiums, Catasetums, Cycnoches, and Cymbidiums. They tend to be a problem in the greenhouse when the weather gets hot
Right—Scale on Rlc. Spanish Eyes
and dry. Being spiders, when the infestation is severe enough, you can actually see the webs. Since these are not ‘insects,’ they will require a different pesticide. I would recommend pesticides; but with the EPA changing labels so frequently, it can be difficult to stay on the cutting edge of current pesticides. It is best to just consult with your local garden center and always follow the instructions. Scale has to be one of the most notorious pests of orchids. They can fly, crawl, and set up housekeeping right before your eyes. If left to their own devices, they can and will literally suck the very life out of your orchids. Controlling scale can be difficult if allowed to get established, and it is a two stage process. Initial spraying or drenching will kill adult and juvenile insects but will not control eggs until they hatch five to seven days later. Then, we have the “slimy slug.” They can destroy a prize bloom overnight and can crawl on air it seems. By spacing orchids apart and not touching each other, control can be gained. I use metal rings to hold my leaves vertical thus allowing more orchids to sit on the bench. Wire benches tend to also control movement of these nasty slugs. On a few occasions, my pests have had only two legs. Many people would visit my greenhouses, enjoy the blooms, and buy a few plants. I met one guy from Houston, Texas, that had orange hair—kind of strange to say the least. He was captivated by a large lavender Blc. Norman’s Bay ‘Gothic’ that I had, but the plant was well out of his price range. He had selected several orchids and placed them on the potting bench to purchase. I hung the lavender back up in its position. He would occasionally go back to the lavender, take it down, and talk about it. He made his selection from the pots on the bench and left. A couple of days later I was watering and came to the place where the lavender had hung, and it was GONE! There was only an empty space where it was supposed to be. About a month later I was talking to a vendor from Friendship, Texas, about some plants I had just imported from him and asked about the guy with the orange hair. He was very well aware of him and asked if I had any orchids missing after he left. Apparently, he had also taken a couple of orchids after he had left the greenhouse in Friendship. I sent out a “Wanted” poster to all my friends in the business. On another occasion, I was watering early one morning and found numerous two-inch pots empty. A day or two earlier there was a group of people that had toured the greenhouse. I guess they thought I would not miss a few small plants and took home a couple of souvenirs. Since all pests do not necessarily have four, six, or eight legs, I would strongly recommend some type of lock on your greenhouse to ensure your orchids and other treasures stay put. While locks may not keep out the other pests, it will limit access for the two legged variety.
Scale on Cattleya
Scale on Lc. Patricia Ann
Scale on flower of Lc. Patricia Ann
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
Mary Blair Johnson’s First Birthday Bash
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birthday party was held at the Carriage House’s Queens’ Room on August 17, 2013, in Natchez, Mississippi, for Mary Blair Johnson’s first birthday. The theme of the party was “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Guest enjoyed sweets made by Molly Manning, pastry chef of The Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois, and aunt of Mary Blair. Mary Blair is the daughter of Julie and Forrest Johnson.
1 1 Mary Blair Johnson with Julie and Forrest Johnson 2 JoAnn and Mary Virginia Waycaster, Jenny and Miles Robinson, Adele Middleton, and Walker Carby 3 Ella Grace Heflin 4 Anna Leigh Jordan 5 Jane Carby
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Depot District
Mid-Town
The Broadway Deli McComb Electric Gulf South Art Gallery Graphics, Etc/Moon Pie Designs Topisaw General Store Twice is Nice
Alford’s Flowers & Gifts Signatures / Japonica Gallery Lisa Lewis Interior Design Debecs/Sew Be It Dazzin’ Dancewear Selman’s Jewelers-Gemologists Guy’s Medical Center Pharmacy Family Pharmacy of McComb Ginny’s Gifts & Collectibles
Pike County Chamber of Commerce 112 N. Railroad Avenue McComb, MS 39648 601.684.2291 www.pikeinfo.com Page 44 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
Veterans & Hwy 51 N
Summit
Friendgirl Things District 51 Holmes Stationers & Gifts
The Village Accessory Outlet Shop Masey’s Jewelers Rustic Charm Vendor Gallery Frolic Boutique Sweet Tooth Café Southwest Vendor’s Mall Shooter’s Discount
Chamber’s Legislative Breakfast
Summit Christmas Parade
McComb Main Street Association “Night of Lights”
Magnolia Christmas Parade
Tuesday, November 5th 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Monday, December 9th at 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 6th at 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 1st at 7:15 p.m. Lighting of the Community Christmas Tree at Depot Pavilion
Osyka Christmas Parade
McComb Christmas Parade
Chamber Quarterly Business Breakfast
Saturday, December 7th at 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, December 14th at 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 17th at 8:00 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Senior Center
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A Ballooning We Will Go Ballooning for twenty-eight years this October, the city of Natchez, Mississippi, is proud to play the role of “home away from home” for many hot air balloon pilots, their families, and their crews year after year. With the Great Mississippi River Balloon Races scheduled for the weekend of October 18 through the 20, many different pilots along with their crew members have been planning their descent into town since they packed up their balloons and baskets at the end of last year’s event. For the past twenty years, Sally Durkin has worked tirelessly in connection with the Balloon Races as the Ground Crew and
Sponsor Coordinator. This year, though, she has passed the clipboard over the Curtis Moroney, who looks forward to the challenge of wrangling in the pilots and balloons this year. I was fortunate enough to talk to both of them and learn more about the in depth process of planning the events and races for the pilots and ballooning itself. Moroney explained to me that his main goal is to keep the pilots on their toes with each race and competition that is presented to them throughout the weekend. “You want to make the races challenging enough for the experienced, professional pilots but not so challenging that the new pilots and
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crews are intimidated by the course set before them,” Moroney shared. “Luckily, I was able to shadow and to work with Sally Durkin and the pilots last year at the races. So hopefully I was able to prepare for this year on my own by learning from her.” When I talked to Durkin, she shared that, “I started out with the races as a crew member for a pilot; and in 1992, I began assisting Connie Floyd, who was in charge of the ground crew and sponsor coordination each year. A year later, she got her pilot’s license and began competing, so I took over her position on the committee.” This year, Durkin will finally become a spectator at the races;
Above—Reagin Hults said “YES” to Sid Curless from the basket of Jones’ balloon in October of 2012. Right—Reagin Hults, Joel Jones, and Sid Curless setting off on the engagement flight.
by Jennie Guido however, she looks forward to catching up with the many friends she has made over the years. “I have been fortunate to have developed good friendships with most of the pilots over the years that extend beyond seeing each other over balloon race weekend. From time to time, I am asked to score other races; and that gives me a chance to see those friends more often. I may be retired from the committee, but I assured the pilots that I would still be around for the weekend—just not with a clip board and an attitude,” Durkin added. Durkin also shared with me how important the connection between the pilots,
their crews, and the people of Natchez is for this weekend to be so successful every year. “Pilots have a tendency to pick and choose which races they like to attend every year and stick to them. Luckily, Natchez is fortunate to be extremely popular among pilots; and this has allowed the races to sustain themselves over the past twenty-eight years,” Durkin explained. What is it about Natchez that keeps the pilots coming back every year? Durkin believes the answer is simple. “Natchez does a wonderful job of treating pilots like royalty. The balloon race committee does an outstanding job when it comes to making the pilots feel special. Lots of restaurants offer discounts on meals for pilots and crews because travelling from race to race
can be tough on their wallets. Because of this, I do not think there is much more that Natchez could do to improve on making pilots and crews feel welcome.” When it comes to feeling at home in Natchez, pilots and their crews are thankful for the friends they have found in their sponsors and their families. I talked to Joel Jones of Russell County, Alabama, who has been flying in the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race under the sponsorship
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of Moss Construction for the past Top right—Andrew and three to four years, about his in- Becca Smith wait to ride in Jones’ balloon. volvement with the races. He explained, “Randy and Helen Smith’s Bottom right—Helen Smith family (of Moss Construction), with and Joel Jones the help of Floyd Gardner, is one of the best volunteer crews I have ever worked with. They work well together and with me. They are quick to provide me with whatever I need and treat me like family. That is one of the best parts of ballooning for me; I love the fellowship between people and the excitement they bring to ballooning.” He went further to add that, “I look forward to coming down to Natchez every year just to spend time with the friends I have made and the possibility of making new ones. Natchez is one of the very special places we have on this Earth.” When I spoke to Helen Smith about the partnership her family has formed with Jones and his many crew members over the years, she was excited to share stories with me of the different flights with her ballooning friend. “One of my favorite flights may be from just last year when Joel took two longtime friends, Reagin Hults and Sid Curless, up for a balloon ride for one of the morning flights. Page 50 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
Above—The “Pirate” and the “Lady Jester” launching at the 2011 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Right—Packing up the balloon at a Great Mississippi River Balloon Race in the early 2000’s.
While they were flying, Curless proposed marriage! When it came time to land, the only place on this side of the river open for landing was beneath the bluffs at the Paradise’s Home, Magnolia Vale. We radioed up to Joel about the location; and Joel’s response was, ‘I think I would like to land in Paradise,’” Smith shared. Eager to hear more about this fairytale engagement, I talked to Reagin Hults to Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 51
The Natchez Crew with “Mi Casa Shoe Casa” in the mid 1990’s.
find out what that special moment meant to her. She explained, “The funniest element of the whole event was that I was the only one who had no idea what was planned for that flight! Sid set the proposal up in advance with Joel, shipped the ring to our piloting friends from Madison, Mississippi, and made sure that a photographer (Helen Smith’s daughter, Marietta) would be in the basket to capture the moment.” Hults added, “I was clueless to the whole thing even after Sid started proposing. I had a hard time taking my mind off of the flight to focus on what he was saying!” Smith also explained that they love to work with Jones because of his sense of good judgment while flying. Smith added, “Joel is not a risk taker as a pilot, and we appreciate that as a crew and as passengers.” Even though Smith has had the opportunity to fly, she explained that every flight does not have a member of the family included in the basket. “Joel brings along a crew that works very hard with him each flight, so he rewards them with a beautiful flight over our river town.” When thinking about the majestic qualities of ballooning, Jones added, “I think not knowing where you will end up is what gives ballooning that real sense of adventure. The colors and size of the aircraft only add to that excitement. To watch the balloon unfurl out of its bag and then inflate to that huge size is truly amazing. On top of that, being able to float away in one
is just a ‘wow’ moment every flight for me after all these years.” Another dynamic duo of pilots I had the chance to talk to was Robert and Sally Lupton of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They have been flying balloons for thirty-one years and attending the races for twenty-six years—only missing two trips to Natchez. Ever since their first year in Natchez, Stephens and Hobdy Insurance has sponsored their flights. Sally Lupton shared, “Sponsors make Balloon Races happen. Natchez has an awesome ballooning event and is one the best organized weekends for balloonists and spectators alike. We think of the weekend as a trip to visit with Braxton, Carol, and Tate Hobdy.” As for the Lupton’s crew, they have all been working together for over twenty years. “There have been lots of long chases, a temporarily lost balloon, flat tires too many to count, and many first flights with champagne. We stay in touch with each other through the year, so coming to Natchez is a reunion of sorts for our crew. Crew members that were kids in the beginning of our years in Natchez have started bringing their own kids to the races,” Sally Lupton added. With the races right around the corner, the Luptons are excited to get this year’s event underway. “This year is a little more special for us,” Sally Lupton shared. “Our daughter is flying in from England with her husband, who is new to the Natchez
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races. She has not been able to come to Natchez for several years, so we look forward to sharing this weekend of flying with her.” Sally also explained to me what ballooning means to her. She added, “Balloons are just spectacular. Their slow moving excursions allow the spectators to watch them intermingle with the landscape. Flying in a hot air balloon is quiet, so you can really take in all of the wildlife around you. Not to mention that you get to gaze at the Mighty Mississippi as you float over it.” Finally, I had the chance to talk to balloon pilot, Charles Venable, who has been coming to the Great Mississippi River Balloon Races since the second annual event. He and his wife, Norma, travel to Natchez from Joplin, Missouri, every year with excitement and anticipation of getting to work with their crew and sponsor of many years, Kelly’s Kids. “Both our crew and the James family have become good family friends that we look forward to seeing every year. We also stay in touch throughout the year and invite each other to family events, weddings, birthdays, and such,” Venable shared with me. “I’m beginning to think we have more close friends in Natchez than anywhere else.” Venable believes that the Natchez races are optimal for pilots and crews. Between the organizers and the landing sites on both the Mississippi and Louisiana sides of the River, Venable enjoys the challenge of the races and the ease of the event. “If you can fly in Natchez, you can fly anywhere. The winds can be tricky since they are different on both sides of the River, and you just don’t know what they will be like for your flight,” Venable explained. “My first time over the River was intimidating and made me nervous. I came in pretty low over Giles Island and actually had an upcoming boat honk at me from the water. However, the more experience I have had over the years has made the mile trip over the River easier. You have to respect the water and
the River, and I certainly have learned how over the years.” As far as the competition, Venable told me that he has become a pilot who flies for the love of the flight. While some of the pilots are very competitive, Venable has learned to let his passengers and crew enjoy the flight instead of racing for the finish. “I see the Natchez races as more of an accuracy competition. I do not like the target to take over my flight, so I tend to enjoy being in the air and let my passengers have a good time while flying,” Venable explained. In the beginning of their piloting career, the Venables attended fifteen events a year around the country. Now, they attend two to four events -- one being a local race in Kansas and the other being the races in Natchez. “I consider myself to be in the twilight years of ballooning, but we can’t pass up coming to Natchez. I love the history of the town, the beauty of the antebellum homes, and the hospitality of the people. There are not many places that we are Mr. Charles and Mrs. Norma; and in Natchez, it feels like home.” So, whether you are a veteran at gazing up at balloons or you have never watched one graze over the Mississippi River, take time to follow the Balloon Races this year. There is something so exhilarating about watching them make their way towards their targets; and thankfully, some of us can watch these balloons from our own backyards. Be sure to cheer on Joel Jones, the Luptons, and the Venables this year as they venture into Natchez for another Great Mississippi River Balloon Race weekend. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18 at the festival site, the Rosalie Bicentennial Gardens on the South end of Broadway Street in downtown Natchez, the balloon glow and fireworks show will kick off the weekend of festivities. Balloon competitions will take place Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 am and 4:30 p.m. Also, this year’s festival entertainment will include Cheap Tequila, Brent Cobb, Neal McCoy, The Ramblin’ Letters, The Red Hot Brass Band, Shannon McNally, Bonerama, Anders Osborne, and Cowboy Mouth. Tickets, t-shirts, and posters of the event may be purchased at the gate and festival or prior to the festivities at either the Natchez Visitor Reception Center or the Historic Natchez Foundation. For more information, call (601)446-1352, visit www. natchezballoonrace.com, or email Eugenie Cates at evcates@earthlink.net. Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 53
Burns brings elegance and romance to a book launch for Alex Hitz.
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Afton Villa Gardens is home to a gorgeous example of a Parterre Garden.
Flourishing Foliage:
Twenty-five Years of Education in Gardening The time of the year does not seem to matter when it comes to filling flower beds with seasonal color and foliage. Most design in gardening takes tedious planning and dedicated hunting for the perfect plant or shrubbery. Thankfully, the 25th annual Southern Garden Symposium held in St. Francisville, Louisiana, offers an endless amount of tips and suggestions when planning your fall planting and decorating your home. Scheduled for October 18 and 19, The Southern Garden Symposium has quite the list of lectures planned for this year’s weekend of learning and experimenting. I had the chance to learn about this year’s event from chairman, Catherine White. She explained, “In celebration of 25 years, the lineup of speakers this year is exceptional; and we believe they will pique the interest of all who join the Symposium.”
story by Jennie Guido Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 55
The scheduled speakers this year include Dr. Tomasz Anisko, the curator of plants in Pennsylvania’s Longwood Gardens; Gail Barton, a landscape consultant for the University of West Alabama; John Brookes, who creates magnificent gardens all over the United Kingdom and is author to twenty-four bestselling books; Mary Elliot of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and a past president of the Louisiana Fern Society; James T. Farmer, Editor-at-Large for Southern Living; Mr. Scott Ogden and Mrs. Lauren SpringerOgden, designers of the Water-Smart Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens; Marc Pastorek, owner of Meadowmakers, Inc. in Covington, Louisiana; and Natchez Native and floral design extraordinaire, John Grady Burns of Atlanta, Georgia. Top: Tomask Anisko, a native of Poland, will educate guests about perennials of all kinds and for all seasons. Middle: John Brookes will present a riveting workshop entitled Gardens Galore and cover the high points of his fifty year career in the gardens of England. Bottom: John Grady Burns is excited to present a workshop at the Symposium for the first time.
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While each speaker is sure to dazzle guests of the Symposium with detailed discussions on his or her own particular forte, John Grady Burns plans to “wow” the crowd with some of his favorite design tips and inspirations from over his many years of experience. Scheduled to present the morning of Friday, October 18 at the gardens of Afton Villa located on Highway 61, Burns plans to have an “over the top” lecture this year. “The floral program will last around two hours, so I plan to cover a large spectrum of different designs. Some things will be simple and easy while others might be a bit more complicated. However, no program is complete without a little “wow” design thrown in for good measure,” Burns shares. As for the location for Burns’ presentation, Afton Villa Gardens surrounds the ruins of a gothic antebellum mansion, which was destroyed in a fire in the 1960’s. However, in 1972, Genevieve and Morrell Trimble decided to restore the grounds and create some of the most exquisite gardens in the South. Today, there are over twenty acres of gardens, which include a parterre garden and a valley of daffodils. A veteran of the Symposium, Burns adds, “This is my first time to be a guest
Southern floral drama at its finest. Photograph by Mark Coffee
Burns uses fruit to juxtapose nicely with the perfection of these orchids.
speaker, but I have attended several times in the past. This event is perfect for anyone who is interested in gardening, flowers, and plants. The Symposium really should be on everyone’s list of must do’s.” With so many tempting programs scheduled throughout the day on Friday, Burns is having a difficult time choosing which presentation to attend after his
morning show. “I think the Symposium is such a success for several reasons. One being Neil Odenwald, the Symposium’s Master of Proceedings, simply for his talent and knowledge as a gardener. He really does put his heart and soul into the event and its planning from day one,” Burns explains. For those wanting tips on how to transform a garden or table scape for fall and the upcoming winter holidays, Burns suggests attending the Symposium for inspiration. “The Garden Symposium has an awesome library of books for sale each year to help pique inspiration at home once the presentations are over. However, personally, I like to use items in my decorating
from my gardens and even from deep in the woods. If each attendee can gather some inspiration from not only my program but also others over the weekend, hopefully that person will be inspired to go home and put the new knowledge to use in his or her home,” Burns believes. For more information on this year’s St. Francisville Garden Symposium, take a gander at their website (www.SouthernGardenSymposium.org) for a complete biography of each presenter, a detailed schedule of events, and even directions to each location throughout the weekend of gardening education. You can also call (225)635-3738 to register for a program or to ask for more information.
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Healthy Living
Story by Caroline Devereaux
The Healthy Trick to Treating
S
o, here is the deal. I am not going to pretend that the following clean eating/Paleo recipes will completely knock out your yearning for Halloween candy and goodies this year, but I am going to take a whack at it anyway. Besides, those that know me know that sometimes I am a sucker for gummy treats like gummy bears; so no judgment here if you still find yourself headfirst in the trick-or-treat basket. What I do know is that these recipes are absolutely delicious (hello, chocolate-dipped bacon?) and a fresh take on a traditionally unhealthy time of indulging in holiday cuisine. So, why not take a shot at surviving Halloween without sending a SWAT team out in search for your self control when it comes to candy-coated goodness? We will see how well my little ankle biters like these treats and my method of avoiding sugar highs and lows this Halloween. One thing I am definitely planning on doing (without my husband’s approval) is purchasing healthier candy for trick-or-treaters, such as organic dark chocolates, crystallized ginger, small packages
Inspired by a recipe from Whole Foods, this new take on a breakfast sandwich includes the fresh crunch and fibrous nutrition of an apple, healthy fats from peanut butter, and whole grains from granola. This recipe was provided by pbfingers.com.
Apple, Peanut Butter, and Granola Sandwich 1 organic apple, cored 2 tablespoon organic peanut butter ½ cup granola (from Peanut Butter Granola recipe provided by pbfingers.com) Directions: 1) Core apple. Slice apple horizontally into several slices to make sandwich “bread.” 2) Spread two apple slices with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter each and sprinkle with granola. 3) Top peanut butter and granola-topped apple slice with another apple slice.
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of nuts and dried fruits, honey sticks, and other natural treats. Now, that would be wrong if I had the “real” candy in the house for guests and not let my own clan partake in the feeding frenzy. I would be kicked off the island, for sure. I am considering trying an idea via Sarah Fragoso’s “Everyday Paleo” blog that she borrowed from Peggy of Primal Parent (part of Paleo Magazine dedicated to ideas for Paleo parents to make Halloween fun and survivable). After an evening of trick or treating, we will simply toss the traditional candy and replace it with the better stuff; or if you have obstinate older children who will not listen to “because I said so,” set up shop and let your little negotiators trade the bad stuff for the good stuff. For example, it will cost your child five pieces of junk candy for two pieces of dark chocolate. Turn it into a fun game of “store” and say goodbye to the tummy aches and semi-psychotic breaks. Personally, my 3-year-old is already a big fan of bartering and getting her way; so this game of store, trading, and bartering is right up her alley.
This recipe was found in Everyday Paleo.
Popcorn Balls 1 cup honey 1/3 cup light molasses 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon grass fed butter (We use Kerrygold.) 3 quarts air popped popcorn Directions: 1) In a saucepan combine the honey, molasses, and water; cook slowly over medium to low heat, and stir constantly until the temp on your candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees. 2) Add the butter and stir in until melted. 3) Have the popped popcorn ready in a large bowl and evenly pour the syrup over the popcorn. Mix well with a spoon. 4) Once the syrup has cooled, grease your hands (and the kids hands) with more butter and form the sticky popcorn into balls!
Nutritious nitty gritty about pumpkin: The pumpkin is a source of a natural carbohydrate that is very versatile and can be used for soups, stews, curries, salads, and more. The flesh is high in potassium, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene. The seeds of the pumpkin, also known as pepitas, are high in Omega-6 fats, which makes them better suited as an occasional snack than a staple; but they are also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, a mineral that is lacking in almost everybody’s diet. In fact, only 1/2 of a cup raw pepitas contains about 370 milligrams of magnesium, which is 92% of the recommended daily allowance. Other than magnesium, pumpkin seeds are also loaded with good-for-you nutrients like manganese, cooper, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and Vitamin K.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Remove the seeds from your carved pumpkin, wash off all the goo, and dry with paper towels. 1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2) Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. 3) Bake for about 5 minutes, or just until the seeds start to turn toasty. Watch them carefully, they will burn quickly!
Seriously, need I say more? The trick to keep it a healthy snack is to use good quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids—the more, the better.
Chocolate Covered Bacon 2 pounds thickly sliced bacon (preferably nitrate-free) 1 pound good quality dark chocolate 4 tablespoons butter or ghee Directions: 1) Fry the bacon in a medium pan until crisp. Fry in batches if your pan is too small to contain all the bacon slices at once. Remove bacon from the pan and dry with a paper towel. Keep the rendered bacon grease for future cooking. 2) Melt the chocolate in a pot with the butter or ghee slowly so it does not burn. 3) Using tongs, dip the bacon slices in the chocolate either on one half of the slices or on the whole slice. 4) Place the chocolate dipped bacon on a cooling rack placed over foil or parchment paper. Let cool for about 2 hours or until the chocolate has hardened. 5) Cut the bacon slices in bite sized pieces, if desired. Serve right away or store in a container in the refrigerator.
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Grain-Free Magic Cookie Bars Yield: Approximately 12 servings 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (full fat) 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons butter 2 large organic egg whites 1 cup finely ground nuts or nut meal (almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts – your choice) 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips 3/4 cup peanut butter chips 1 cup shredded coconut (3/4 cup go into layers, ¼ cup goes on top) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Directions: 1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2) Simmer coconut milk with honey and vanilla over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes whisking regularly to keep it smooth until it is reduced by half. The milk should be very thick after this. 3) Beat the egg whites in a small mixing bowl and mix in almond or other nut meal along with melted butter. 4) Pat the crust mixture down evenly in a 9 x 9 inch pan (ungreased with parchment paper lining, which works well to help remove the bars). It will be a bit sticky, but keep spreading it until it is even and reaches all edges. 5) Layer chocolate chips, coconut, peanut butter chips, and walnuts. Drizzle condensed coconut milk over the top. Sprinkle the top with a little bit of extra coconut. 6) Bake 30 minutes. Cool completely; then cut into bars or mini bites.
Frozen Banana Mummies and Hairy Creature Things Yields: 12-15 Mummies/Things 3 large bananas 3 tablespoons gently melted, food grade cocoa butter 3 tablespoons powdered coconut sugar Candy eyes (chocolate chips, currants, or raisins) Unsweetened, shredded coconut Food coloring Directions: Have the kids peel and slice (butter knife) the bananas into 1 ½ inch chunks. Skewer bananas with lollipop sticks (available at most craft stores), or use kabob skewers cut in half. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. For the candy coating: In a small bowl, mix the melted cocoa butter with the powdered sugar. Spoon a little drop of candy coating on a frozen banana and stick on an eye (or two, or three). Using a spoon, have the kids drizzle candy coating over the bananas in all directions, avoiding the eye. An egg carton turned upside down with little holes poked in the bottom made a good stand as we worked on them. For the Things: Make the orange shredded coconut by mixing a few drops of yellow and a drop of red food coloring with some unsweetened shredded coconut. We opted to toast the coconut for a few minutes. Voila, colored sprinkles. To assemble the “Things”: Attach eyes with a dot of candy coating. Drizzle candy coating on to coat front, avoiding eye(s). Sprinkle with coconut. Drizzle to coat back. Sprinkle again. Drizzle to coat top. Sprinkle again. You have to work in stages as the candy coating hardens quickly on the frozen bananas.
Hopefully, you’ll enjoy these fun and healthy recipes as much as we did. Have a safe, healthy, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN, everyone. Until next month! Page 60 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
GUEYDAN, LA
Mophett Competes in Duck Calling Contest
C
ullen Mophett, age 11, recently competed in the Louisiana State Duck Calling Contest held in Gueydan, Louisiana. Cullen placed second in the Junior Division, which is for ages 13 and under. For his accomplishment, Mophett was presented with a plaque and a Benelli Frenchi 20 gauge shotgun. He is the son of Greg and Charla Mophett of Natchez, Mississippi.
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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS
A Gallerie’s Grand Opening
A
Gallerie, a new shopping experience in Downtown Natchez, Mississippi, had its Grand Opening on Saturday, September 7, 2013. While browsing the store’s home décor and fashion accessories, family and friends of the owners, Amber Rayborn and Ashley Smith, were greeted with cookies and mimosas.
1 Patrick and Ashley Smith 2 Garret and Amber Rayborn with daughter Brooklyn 3 Amber Rayborn and Ashley Smith 4 Robert and Judy Green 5 Douglas Smith, Ashley Smith, and Julia Smith
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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 {{October October2013 2013{ { Page 63
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
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On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
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Photos by Beth Hemiter
Healthy Living
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
Survivor Invents Ta Tas to Go A
ccording to the National Breast Cancer Organization, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and is the second leading cause of death of women. Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die from the disease. Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be
diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 410 will die each year. There is good news, however, about breast cancer trends. In recent years, the National Breast Cancer Organization reports, perhaps coinciding with the decline in prescriptive hormone replacement therapy after menopause, seeing a gradual reduction in female breast cancer incidence rates among women aged 50 and older. Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990 partially due
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to better screening and early detection, increased awareness, and continual improvement in treatment options. Meet Tina Riad—an upbeat, humorous, talkative nurse, and now breast cancer survivor, who has taken lemons and turned them into lemonade. A double mastectomy survivor, Riad struggled in the beginning with her health situation due to the physical recovery of the surgery; and she did not know what to do with her empty under garment ware. Riad, not new to the medical profession being a nurse and married to a doctor, faced her worst nightmare with the aftermath of her surgery. It was something she had never experienced before. For many women (including Riad), the prosthesis on the market is too expensive, cumbersome, or just plain uncomfortable. What was she supposed to do when swimming or exercising? Riad found that trying to manage her physical shape following surgery was extremely difficult. “After my mastectomy I
women experiencing the trials of breast cancer motivates all women to aid in cancer research and fundraising in any way possible. Although her journey is just beginning, Riad is able to spread the word of her project through guest appearances to showcase her idea and by launching her new website. Bluffs & Bayous wishes her the best in this endeavor as she assists
others in putting their life back together following mastectomy surgery and battling breast cancer. For more information about Tina Riad and her Ta Tas to Go, please visit her website www.tastastogo.com. For more information about The National Breast Cancer Organization, visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org.
was at my most vulnerable,” reflects Riad. “Crying every day, feeling disfigured, and physically embarrassed, the last thing I wanted to do was to take off my clothes for a stranger in order to be measured for a prosthesis—especially one that would turn out to be expensive, uncomfortable, and exceptionally impractical.” Since patients cannot begin to wear a prosthesis for quite some time after surgery, the beginning of Ta-Tas To Go started to develop for Riad. After a long and highly comedic journey experimenting with gauze, water balloons, rice, Play-Doh, and small glass beads, Riad finally found it. A breathable, washable, polyester-nylon fabric, which was filled with tiny plastic pellets and held the same weight as a natural tata, became the prototype for the project at hand. It moved like a real breast and looked dramatically better than a silicone prosthesis. This invention could be worn immediately after surgery, would not require a fitting, and would be made available to everyone at an economical price. By sharing her story and innovative creation, Riad’s intention to help other
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Southern Sampler
Story by Alma M. Womack
game to Alabama and humiliated our entire state. Such is the depth of emotion regarding football games, and it is not likely to change in the foreseeable future. October also sparks the leaves turning beautiful colors; fall flowers begin to flourish; the air dips a bit cooler; and Halloween finished off the month. It is a good month for observing life and the changes that nature brings. Well, Woodrow started school on August 19; and it was just as traumatic as I had feared. He cried; his mama cried; his Emma cried (not in front of him, of course); and it was just all around miserable. The first week was torture; but thankfully, the second week was not as bad. By the third week, he got into the swing of things and decided he would stay and learn. The one saving grace has been that he is eager to learn to read and write, and school will be the avenue to obtain these skills. He is learning to play with children his own age and, so far, has not gotten into trouble by telling everyone what to do. Fridays are “free” days at his school, so he can wear his jeans, boots, and cowboy shirts and be comfortable that one day. It is all working out as we knew in our minds that it would. It was just our hearts that were injured watching him be in misery those first two weeks. Baby Jay has reached the terrible two’s about six months early. He can open more cabinet doors, pull out more toys, and cause more mayhem in five minutes than any little fellow I have ever dealt with. He does it all with a smile on his sweet face, so what’s an Emma to do? His saving grace is that he loves books and loves for me to read to him. He has a chest that has four drawers filled with his books, and he will remove them one by one to have them read to him. If you mention a book, he will go get it. How can that not make me smile and be proud? I have another reader, like Ms. Liza, who is now a sophomore in high school, a very hard to believe fact. Time does indeed march on. I had a refrigeration problem develop in August that has finally been resolved. The old refrigerator in the pool house died a partial death when the freezer part would not freeze any more. After Acie Murry checked it out and put a new switch on it, it still was not freezing properly and would not freeze the boys’ popsicles. I did not want to buy a new unit for the pool house; so I decided to get a nice new refrigerator for the house, move the old one to the pool house, and move the non-freezing one out to the tractor shed to keep cokes cool for the crew. My friend at Northeast Furniture, Craig Edwards, came to the rescue again as he had done in solving the sofa dilemma. We picked out a refrigerator that was 1 & 1/8 inches taller than the one I had. This meant the shelf over the unit would have to be moved up a bit to allow the new refrigerator to go under. An emergency call went in to Larry Crouch to see if he could fix the shelf early one morning before they took the combines to the field. He said it would be easy enough to fix and proceeded to fix it. Except now the doors on the
Ghoulish Tasks on the Farm
O
ctober has to be one of the best months in the whole year as far as busyness and activities are concerned. We farmers are well into our harvests in October, have already pulled corn, and cut the early beans and milo; we’ve also got the cotton pickers in the field by September to start harvesting the cotton crop. It is the culmination of a year of planning, working, and worrying —all boiled down to October. October means football, or to us in the Deep South, SEC football. We have perennial champions of teams with decades of tradition behind them, and we turn out in full force to watch them every Saturday. While I support my LSU Tigers first and foremost, I also support any SEC team playing a team from another conference. I love SEC dominance in the college sport of the fall. It may be foolish, but I still cannot forgive Les Miles’ dreadful decision making in the 2012 National Championship game when he basically gave the Page 70 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
cabinet above were too long for the opening, and he did not have the right saw to make a finished cut. The next call was to my brother, Juan McClure (who is over six feet tall but still called Nub). He has a shop where he builds furniture and does repairs in his spare time. I took the doors to him with the marks Mr. Crouch had made, and he quickly trimmed the two doors. “They will not have to have a lip,” I said. “Just cut them straight across. They’ll fit fine.” However, they did not fit at all. The second call to my brother was to see if he could go back and fix them with a lip this time. I marked where the door hit the shelf, and he started trimming again. The refrigerator was delivered, and the opening that it was to be pushed into was a half an inch too narrow. The facing would be easy to trim, so another call went in to Larry Crouch to please bring his saw and cut off that extra half inch. I had to wait until early the next morning since the men were all in the soybean field harvesting the crop that pays our bills. Larry came as planned, cut the facing, and shoved the refrigerator into place. Once the cabinet doors are installed, the kitchen will be back to normal.
The delivery crew for Northeast Furniture was wonderful; they brought the new refrigerator to the kitchen, took the old one to the pool house, and transported the one out there to the tractor shed. The freezer on that one had decided to work again, so the crew will have a cold box to keep lunches and drinks for them in our lengthy summers that last from April to November. It is a case of “all’s well that ends well,” but it always takes extra time for any simple project that I make to almost anything on the farm. Murphy’s Law must have been the cornerstone for this house since
no change but a light bulb has ever been anything simple. The dogs are fine and continue to guard the home and yard against all predators; the six new red pullets are growing and should be lying by November. My two schoolboys, Woodrow and Drew, are settling into a routine that will last twelve more years; and Baby Jay is packing his books to me, one of which has three singing pigs that say, “La, La, La.” The world is righting itself for us here on Smithland, minus our Pop and boss man, Mr. Buster.
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OCTOBER up
& coming! PREMIER EVENTS
October 2 - 13 Mississippi State Fair State Fair Grounds Jackson, Mississippi Looking for family fun? Then the Mississippi State Fair is the place to go! Starting October 2 and running until October 13, the State Fair is filled with events and entertainment for all. The lineup for this year’s musical entertainment includes Don Williams, Eric Benet, Halestorm, Justin Moore, Three Dog Night, Morris Day & The Time, and Blackberry Smoke. All shows begin at 7:30 P.M., and the Casting Crowns will perform at the Mississippi Coliseum on October 5, 2013. Visit www.mdac.ms.us for more information, a schedule of events, and upcoming announcements.
October 5 4th Annual Bricks and Spokes South at Walnut Street Vicksburg, Mississippi Do you enjoy relaxing bike rides through beautiful downtown areas? Then this event is just for you! On October 5 in downtown Vicksburg, you are invited to join the Bricks and Spokes Bicycle Ride. It will begin in downtown Vicksburg and go down the Old Mississippi River Bridge. There will be a 10 mile, 30 mile, 50 mile, and 62 mile ride. The route will be fully supported, so be sure to stop, refuel, and enjoy the scenery as you travel this unique route. Riders under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult, and all participants must wear a helmet. Registration is October 4 from 5:30 - 8:00 A.M. at the Senior Center at the corner of South and Walnut Street in downtown Vicksburg. The morning ride will begin bright and early Saturday at 8:00 A.M. After the race be sure to stick around for complimentary red beans and rice from Perry’s! Visit bricksandstokes.racesonline.com for more information.
October 5 Fall Festival and Old Courthouse Flea Market Vicksburg, Mississippi Do not miss the twenty-ninth annual Old Court House Flea Market at the Old Court House Museum and Court Square. Starting at 8 A.M. until 5 P.M., rain or shine, there will be over 200 arts and crafts vendors along with food booths. If you are looking for a day of fun for the whole family, do not miss this wonderful event. Contact George “Bubba” Bolm at (601)636-0741 or societyhistorica@bellsouth.net for more information. Another event for the whole family is the Vicksburg Fall Festival. The Downtown Fall Festival will have live music, activities for the kids, sidewalk sales, and a bike ride through downtown. The festival is from 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. in downtown Vicksburg. For more information please call (601)634-4527 or visit www.racesonline.com. Page 72 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
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October 5 Ole Brook Festival Brookhaven, Mississippi Sponsored by the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, downtown Brookhaven is preparing to host the thirty-ninth annual Ole Brook Festival on Saturday, October 5, 2013. The all-day event will feature music, food, games, and children’s activities. HanaLena will perform midday and is free. Known as “Mississippi’s Premier Family Festival,” this all day event will host over two hundred booths that include crafts, food, games, art, and music. A special kid’s area will be set up for the day. HanaLena, formerly known as Nash Street, is led by the sister duo Hannah and Caroline Melby. Currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, their roots reach all the way back to the state of Mississippi where they grew up playing old-time, folk, and bluegrass music. In 1996, they formed the band as Nash Street, named after the street they grew up on in Starkville, Mississippi. Since then, Hannah and Caroline have been traveling across the country performing and developing their unique blend of bluegrass, country, pop-acoustic, and blues. The band was declared the “Best New Act in Country Music” at the 2008 Colgate Country Showdown in the Ryman Auditorium. Continuing momentum, the sisters now focus on songwriting, touring, and recording with Grammy award winning producer and engineer, Bil Vorndick. Their new album will soon be available for purchase and download. As the band transformed into a sister duo, it became time for a new name. They thought it was imperative that their new name have a similar historical and nostalgic reference from their childhood. By combining a name and a nickname, they called their first business together The “HanaLena” Flower Company, which was a cut flower sale and delivery service for patrons and restaurants in town. Today, that name leads the girls’ musical career as they embark on a successful journey to the top. The event begins at 8:00 A.M. with the Main Stage Event at noon. Come out for a family day of fun in Brookhaven, Mississippi. For more information about the Ole Brook Festival, visit www.brookhavenchamber.org or call (601)833-1411. October 11 & 12 Kayak Mississippi / Phatwater Kayak Challenge XII Grand Gulf to Natchez Under-the-Hill Natchez, Mississippi The twelfth annual Phatwater Kayak Challenge will once again dominate the muddy waters of the Mississippi River this year on Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12. Two new races have been added to the original race. “The Crossing” will take place on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. For solo paddlers, this one mile sprint will depart on the banks of Vidalia, Louisiana, and paddle upstream from below the twin bridges to the Phatwater Phinish Line at Natchez Under-the-Hill. The Halph-thePhat and Phatwater Challenge will follow the next day, Saturday, October 12. Halph-the-Phat will be launching at 10:30 am in Waterproof, Louisiana, and Phatwater Challenge will begin at 8:00 am from Grand Gulf, Mississippi, with both finishing at Natchez Under-the-Hill. Cash prizes are awarded to the top finishers, and awards are presented to all who participate. For more information about the race or registration, visit www.kayakmississippi.com, email info@ kayakmississippi.com, or call (601)431-1731. October 12 Woodville Deer and Wildlife Festival Courthouse Square Woodville, Mississippi The 2013 Woodville Deer and Wildlife Festival celebrates the cultural and artistic heritage of Woodville, Mississippi. This event includes attractions that include art, live music, family fun, local food, and children’s activities in an attempt to engage local citizens in building the community pride and enhancing the cultural life of the area through art. The event will be held October 12 from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., and admission is $5 for adults and free for children. The festival is now accepting applications from regional arts and crafts vendors, and applications can be acquired at the Woodville Main Street Office in downtown Woodville. For more information, visit www.deerandwildlifefestival.com or contact Main Street at (601)888-3998. Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 73
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Through October 14 Natchez Fall Pilgrimage Natchez, Mississippi Every fall and spring, the breath taking plantation homes of Natchez, Mississippi, open their doors to guests and visitors from all parts of the world. Nineteen antebellum homes are presented and opened up to tour. These tours include glorious postCivil War architecture, marvelous gardens, and, of course, the historical background. These southern homes are open for three weeks in the fall and in the spring; and let us not forget that the tour guides are dressed as a family member or descendant from the time period, each with a fascinating story to tell. The plantation houses include Auburn, Ellicott Hill, Ravenna, Brandon Hall, The Gardens, The Towers, The Briars, Magnolia Hall, and Oak Hill. Take a trip to explore the wonders that these houses have to offer. Tickets for this event are $18 for youth and $30 for adults. For more information, call (601)446-6631 or visit www.natchezpilgrimage.com. October 18 - 19 The Southern Garden Symposium St. Francisville, Louisiana This year is the 25th anniversary for the St. Francisville Southern Garden Symposium. The annual event for garden enthusiasts across the south will host speakers, such as John Smith, and John Grady Burns. The weekend is a dream come true for any gardener, where participants attend forums, listen to highly valued speakers, tour magnificent southern homes, and tour the unique town of St. Francisville. Individual costs are $75 per lecture or $130 for the whole weekend. Registration forms are online at www.southerngardensymposium.org. For more information please visit www.southerngardensymposium.org or call (225)635-4225.
October 18 - 20 The 28th Annual Great Mississippi River Balloon Race Rosalie Bicentennial Gardens Natchez, Mississippi Hot-air balloonists from across the country will gather in historic Natchez, Mississippi, on October 18 - 20 for the twenty-eighth annual Great Mississippi River Balloon Race festivities. From 6:00 p.m. on Friday night at the festival site, the Rosalie Bicentennial Gardens on the South end of Broadway Street in downtown Natchez will host the balloon glow and fireworks show, which will kick everything off. The festival will last until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Balloon competitions take place Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 am and 4:30 p.m. each day. The Races host numerous musicians, singers, and bands with a wide variety of genres. Some of the entertainment this year includes Cheap Tequila, Brent Cobb, Neal McCoy, The Ramblin’ Letters, The Red Hot Brass Band, Shannon McNally, Bonerama, Anders Osborne, and Cowboy Mouth. The Saturday and Sunday festival offers children’s activities, rides, regional foods, and the ever popular Sports Bar Tent to catch this year’s SEC college football on Saturday and NFL football on Sunday. Immerse yourself in games, music, and great food at the twenty-eighth annual Great Mississippi Balloon Races. Tickets prices are as follows: Adults - Weekend Pass $30; Friday $5; Saturday $20; Sunday $15. Children (7 - 12) -Weekend Pass $10; Friday $3; Saturday $5. Children 6 and under are free for the entire festival. Festival tickets, festival t-shirts, and other logo items may be purchased in advance at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center at 640 S. Canal Street or the Historic Natchez Foundation at 108 S. Commerce Street. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate. For more information, call (601)446-1352, visit www.natchezballoonrace.com, or email Eugenie Cates at evcates@earthlink.net. Page 74 { October 2013 { Bluffs & Bayous
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October 26 Inaugural Hogtoberfest Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, Mississippi The Southern Cultural Heritage Center will be the location for the first ever Hogtoberfest (hog cooking and craft beer festival) on Saturday, October 26, 2013, from 1:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation (SCHF) is proud to partner with the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation (VFHP) to produce this special event. Admission will be free with live entertainment. Hog samplings and craft beer tasting will be available for purchase. The first 300 attendees will be able to purchase a special “Hogtoberfest” commemorative pint class. Proceeds from the event will benefit both organizations. If you are the best hog cooker in town, this event will be the place to demonstrate it. Registration is $50 for SCHF/VFHP members or $60 for non-members. Applications can be found at www.southernculture.org Cooks will be judged on the taste, consistency, and aroma of the hog and on vendor’s homemade barbeque sauce. Space is limited to the first 20 applications received. Hogtoberfest vendor benefits include camping space in the SCHC courtyard the night before, breakfast the morning of the event, and a commemorative Hogtoberfest glass. As a special kick-off to the event, the popular western film, “Tombstone,” will be shown on a big screen outside in the courtyard of the Southern Cultural Heritage Center on Friday, October 25 at 8:30 P.M. The movie is sponsored in part by the Strand Cinema. Admission will be free. For more information, call the SCHF Business office at 601-631-2997 or email info@ southernculture.org. November 7-9 Natchez Antiques Forum Natchez, Mississippi For thirty-six years, Natchez has highlighted the antique side of society by hosting an annual Antiques Forum. This year the focus is on the life of Jefferson Davis and the 150th Anniversary of the Union Take Over on Natchez, and there will be speakers who are descendants of Jefferson Davis and General Ulysses S. Grant. The three day event is one of the most highly acclaimed and longest running forum, which is all sponsored by the Pilgrimage Garden Club. Attendees will be given the opportunity to associate with well know experts of the Civil War, tour historic Natchez, and attend a farewell soiree at the famous Stanton Hall. Tickets are $275 per person. To register, please visit www.natchezantiquesforum.org. For more information, visit www.natchezantiquesforum.org or contact Jan Scarborough at (601)445-7479 or at janscar@ cableone.net.
November 9 Possibilities Tour: Turning Deserted Spaces into Dynamic Places Natchez, Mississippi On November 9, 2013, in the streets of the historic Downtown Natchez, a Possibilities Tour will be held. Sponsored by Alcorn State University, the Mississippi Development Authority, and the Mississippi Main Street Association, the tour will showcase twelve vacant buildings on Main and Franklin Streets. Having one of the most cultured and historic downtown districts, Natchez is the place to be when starting a new business or home. The event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information please contact Chris Hinton at chinton@natchezinc.com, Ruth Nichols rnichols@alcorn.edu, or visit www.natchezinc.com.
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Through October 14 Little Women Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, MS 319 Linton Avenue 7:00 p.m. $10 - $15 (601)442-2233
Through November 23 Conner Burns Exhibit Alexandria Museum of Arts Alexandria, LA 933 Second Street (601)446-6334 / www.connerburns.com October 2 - 13 Mississippi State Fair State Fair Grounds Jackson, MS 1207 Mississippi St. (601)961-4000 October 3 Songs and Stories of the Civil War Capitol Park Museum Baton Rouge, LA 660 North Fourth St. 5:30 p.m. www.atchafalaya.com October 3 Eternal Elegance Bennett Auditorium Hattiesburg, MS 514 North Main Street 7:30 p.m. (601)266-5418
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October 3 Pink Tie Gala Convention Center Jackson, MS 105 East Pascagoula Street 5:30 p.m. $50 per person (601)932-3999 / www.komencentralms.org October 3, 4, & 5 Patient A Loyola University New Orleans, LA Lower Depths Theatre / Music Complex 7:30 p.m. $12 Adults $8 Faculty, Staff, Students, & Seniors (504)865-2074 / www.montage.loyno.edu October 4 Art Remix Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 Lamar Street 7:00 p.m. / $5 www.msmuseumart.com October 4 Garden Tours @ Rosedown St. Francisville, LA 10:00 a.m. (225)635-3110 / www.lastateparks.com October 4 - 6 Gretna Heritage Festival Historic Gretna Gretna, LA Huey P. Long Avenue 10 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. $20 daily / $50 weekend pass 12 & under free www.gretnafestival.org
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October 4 - 6 Mobile Street Renaissance Festival Downtown Hattiesburg Hattiesburg, MS Mobile Street Friday 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Sunday 3:00 p.m. www.mobilestreetfestival.com October 4 - 5 Driving Miss Daisy Vicksburg Theatre Guild Vicksburg, MS 101 Iowa Ave. 7:30 p.m. / Sunday 2:30 p.m. Prices vary (601)636-0471 www.vicksburgtheatreguild.com
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up & coming! OCTOBER October 4 - 5 Carthage Oktoberfest Carthage Coliseum Carthage, MS Highway 61 East 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Free to the public www.carthageoktoberfest.org October 4 - 5 Mr. Sipp Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, MS 4146 Washington St. Shirley B. Waring / (601)-634-6179 www.vicksburgheritage.com October 4 - 6 Saint Paul Seafood Festival Saint Paul Church Grounds Pass Christian, MS Highway 90 North Ticket prices vary www.seafoodfest.org
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October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, & 31 Haunted Mystery Tours Myrtles Plantation Halloween Experience St. Francisville, LA 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $10 / Free Parking (800)809-0565 / (225)635-6277 www.myrtlesplantation.com October 5 Global Cardboard Challenge Mississippi Children’s Museum Jackson, MS 2145 Highland Rd. 10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (877)739-5437 www.mississippichildrenmuseum.com October 5 Town Creek Arts Festival Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 Lamar St. 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. Admission $5 www.msmuseumart.com October 5 Old Court House Flea Market Old Court House Museum Vicksburg, MS 1008 Cherry Street 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. George Bolm / (601)636-0741 societyhistorica@bellsouth.net www.oldcourthouse.org October 5 4th Annual Bricks and Spokes Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, MS 800th Block of South Street 8:00 a.m. brickandstokes.racesonline.com October 5 Fall Festival Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, MS Historic Washington Street 7:00 p.m. (601)634-4527 www.downtownvicksburg.org
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up & coming! OCTOBER October 5 Gold City Quartet Saenger Theater Hattiesburg, MS 201 Forrest Street Admission $15 (601)584-4888 / saenger@hattiesburg.org October 5 - 6 Highway 61 Blues Festival Warfield Point Park Greenville, MS 205 Warfield Point Park 12:00 p.m. (662)686-7646 October 5 - 12 38th Annual Red River Revel Festival Festival Plaza Shreveport, LA 71011 North Spring 8 a.m. - until Admission varies www.redriverrevel.com October 6 SugarFest West Baton Rouge Museum Baton Rouge, LA 845 West Jefferson Avenue Toni Brantley / www.wbrmuseum.org
October 6, 13, 20, & 27 Angola Prison Rodeo & Craft Show St. Francisville, LA 9:00 a.m. Gates open 2:00 p.m. Rodeo starts (225)655-2607 / www.angolarodeo.com October 8 Music in the City Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 Lamar Street Free Admission www.msmuseumart.com Bluffs & Bayous { October 2013 { Page 81
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October 10 Canton Flea Market Arts and Crafts Show Courthouse Square Canton, MS Courthouse Square 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. October 10 Breast Cancer Gala Safe Room Pike County, MS 6:00 p.m. Kimberly Woodley (601)648-7621 www.familypharmacymccomb.com October 10-12 Hamlet William Carey University Hattiesburg, MS 498 Tuscan Avenue $10 Adults / $5 Students 7:30 p.m. (601)318-6221
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up & coming! OCTOBER October 10 - 12 King Biscuit Blues Festival Helena, AR 870-572-5223 www.kingbiscuitfestival.com October 11 “The Beach Boys” Beau Rivage Casino and Resort Biloxi, MS 875 Beach Boulevard 8:00 p.m. (888)566-7469 October 11 & 12 Kayak Mississippi / Phatwater Kayak Challenge Under-the-Hill Natchez, Mississippi Friday 4:30 p.m. / Saturday 8:00 a.m. (601)431-1731 info@kayakmississippi.com www.kayakmississippi.com
October 12 29th Annual Summit Fall and Food Festival Downtown Summit Summit, MS Prices vary Delores Feldman / (601)684-2291 www.pikeinfo.com
October 11 & 12 Octoberfest Cleveland, MS Historic Downtown Cleveland BBQ, Music, and Fun www.clevelandmschamber.com October 11 - 13 Carnival and Flea Market Vidalia Riverwalk Vidalia, LA Eric Glatzer / (601)870-1008 October 11 - 13 42nd Annual Louisiana Gumbo Festival Homa Fairgrounds Homa, LA 1701 Bridge City Avenue (504)436-4712
October 12 Mexican Day of the Dead Masks Ohr-O’keefe Museum Biloxi, MS 12:00 - 2:30 p.m. $20 / $25 non members Ages 12+ Stacey Johnson / (228)374-5547 October 12 Over the River Run Old Mississippi River Bridge Vicksburg, MS Washington Street 8:00 a.m. (601)631-2997 / www.southernculture.org
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October 12 Woodville Deer & Wildlife Festival Couthouse Square Woodville, MS Courthouse Square 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission $5 / Children free (601)888-3998 www.deerandwildlifefestival.com October 12-13 Cajun Heritage Festival Larose Civic Center New Orleans, LA 307 East 5th Street $5 Admission Robby Matherone / (985)228-0845 www.cajunheritagefestival.com October 12-13 Bike MS: Bike to the Battlefield Vicksburg, MS 3330 Clay Street $30 Admission (601)636-6100 www.nationalmssociety.org
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up & coming! OCTOBER October 17 Angelina Ballerina, The Musical Saenger Theater Hattiesburg, MS 201 Forrest Street 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. $17 Admission (601)584-4888 / saenger@hattiesburg.org
October 18 Classics in the Courtyard Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, MS 1302 Adams Street 5:00 p.m. (601)631-2997 / info@southernculture.org www.southernculture.org
October 17 Junior Auxiliary Chicken Roast Hinds Community College Vicksburg, MS 755 Highway 27 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. $8 per plate www.javicksburg.com
October 18 Halloween Event West Baton Rouge Museum Baton Rouge, LA 845 North Jefferson Avenue 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. / Storytelling 8:00 p.m. contact_us@wbrmuseum.org www.westbatonrougemuseum.com
October 17 - 19 Delta Hot Tamale Festival Main Street Greenville, MS 503 Washington Avenue 9:30 a.m. - Until Admission varies (662)378-3121 / www.hottamalefest.com
October 18 Pink Wave Project Cathedral High School Natchez, MS 701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Street 6:30 p.m. Ron Rushing ron.rushing@cathedralgreenwave.com www.cathedralgreenwave.com October 18 - 19 Fall Flower and Garden Festival Truck Crops Experiment Station Crystal Springs, MS 2024 Experiment Station Road Rick Synder / (601)892-3731 October 18 - 19 Southern Garden Symposium St. Francisville, LA $75 per workshop (225)635-3738 www.southerngardensymposium.com
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October 18 - 19 Boo at the Zoo Audubon Zoo New Orleans, LA 6500 Magazine Street Admission $17 / 12 & Under Free 5:00 p.m. - Until (504)861-2537 / air@auduboninstitute.org www.auduboninstitute.org October 18 - 20 The Great Mississippi River Balloon Races Rosalie Natchez, MS Broadway Street Friday 6:00 p.m. / Saturday 11:00 a.m. 11:00 p.m. / Sunday – 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. www.natchezballoonrace.com October 18 - 20 The Gem, Jewelry, and Bead Show The Natchez Convention Center Natchez, MS 211 Main Street 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (504)265-8830
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up & coming! OCTOBER October 19 - 20 Ocean Springs Renaissance Fair Ocean Springs, MS 4900 Riley Road Admission $5 / Children Free 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (228)239-2131 October 19 - 20 40th Annual Old Farmer’s Day Brunett Farms Loranger, LA 56136 Loragner Road 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Ages 6 -12 $5 / 13+ $10 / Under 6 Free (985)878-2360 October 19 Halloween Arts and Crafts Mississippi Children’s Museum Jackson, MS 2145 Highland Road 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. www.mississippichildrensmuseum.com
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October 19 Baton Rouge Halloween Parade Baton Rouge, LA Downtown Baton Rouge Featuring Grand Marshall Nick Gomez 2:00 p.m. (225)288-5585 info@1031Consortium.com www.1031Consortium.com
October 22 Mama Mia Baton Rouge River Center Baton Rouge, LA 275 South River Road 7:30 p.m. www.brrivercenter.com
October 22 10th Annual Celebrity Dinner and Auction Brookhaven, MS (601)757-4367 info@barl.net / www.barl.net
October 22- November 3 The Grapes of Wrath The Jane Reid Theatre Center Jackson, MS 1100 Carlisle Street $22 Students & Seniors / $28 Adults (601)948-3533 www.newstagetheatre.com
October 19 Explore Birds Historic Jefferson College Washington, MS Highway 61 Ages 6 – 8 / $10 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Kay McNeil / (601)442-2901 kmcneil@ndah.state.ms.us
October 23 “The Know Nothing Party” Lunch Time Lecture West Baton Rouge Museum Baton Rouge, LA 845 North Jefferson Avenue Noon contact_us@wbrmuseum.org www.westbatonrougemuseum.com
October 20 Ailey II River Center Theatre Baton Rouge, LA 10745 Linkwood Court 7:00 p.m. $35 - $40 (225)766-8379
October 24 Ghost Tales Around the Campfire and Halloween Duck Hunt Historic Jefferson College Washington, MS Highway 61 6:30 p.m. Kay McNeil / (601)442-2901 kmcneil@mdah.state.ms.us
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October 24- November 10 Louisiana State Fair Fair Grounds Shreveport, LA 3701 Hudson Avenue Ticket Prices Vary 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. info@statefairoflouisiana.com October 25 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Saenger Theater Hattiesburg, MS 201 Forrest Street 8:00 p.m. Admission $10 (601)584-4888 saenger@hattiesburg.org October 25 - 27 Park-A-Boo Lafreniere Park New Orleans, LA Friday 5:00 - 8:30 p.m. Saturrday 1:00 - 8:30 p.m. Sunday 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. Admission $5 www.parkaboo.com October 25 - 27 40th Annual French Food Festival Civic Center Raceland, LA 307 East Fifth Street (985)693-7355 www.louisianatravel.com
up & coming! OCTOBER October 26 Annual Black & Blue Civil War Event History, Heritage, & Music Historic Jefferson College Washington, MS Living History events 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Free (601)442-4719 forkyaroads@aol.com October 26 Black and Blue Civil War Living History Historic Jefferson College Washington, MS Highway 61 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (601)442-4719 / forksyaroads@aol
October 26 Hogtoberfest Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, MS 1302 Adams Street (601)631-2997 info@southernculture.org www.southernculture.org October 26 Mississippi’s Walk and 5K for Diabetes Depot District McComb, MS 7:30 a.m. for Registration / 8:30 a.m. $15 for Children / $25 for Adults (601)648-7621 www.familypharmacymccomb.com
October 26 Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte Margret Martin Performing Arts Center Natchez, MS 64 Homochitto Street 7:00 p.m. $20 (601)446-6631 info@natchezpilgrimage.com October 26 The Park After Dark Mississippi Children’s Museum Jackson, MS 2145 Highland Road 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. Admission $6 www.mississippichildrensmuseum.com
October 26 Dash from the Dead Downtown Natchez Natchez, MS Haunted 5k with Music, Food, and Fun 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (601)442-4895 / DashFromTheDead.net October 26 Historic Longwood Halloween Carnival Longwood Natchez, MS 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $3 Children / $5 Adult Cara Moody Serio / (601)807-4119
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October 26 Treats on the Street Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, MS Historic Washington Street 9:00 a.m. (601)634-4527 www.downtownvicksbug.org October 26 Great Delta Bear Festival Rolling Fork, MS 5K Run/Walk, Music, Arts & Crafts, Children’s Activities, and Fireworks 8:00 a.m. - Until 662)873-6261 www.greatdeltabearaffair.org October 26 - 27 Yellow Leaf Arts Festival Parker Park St. Francisville, LA artsforall.uniquelyfeliciana.com October 27 The Spirit of Frederick Douglas Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, MS Musical, Drama 2.00 pm Admission 601-442-4719 forkyaroads@aol.com October 27 St. Alban’s Fall Festival St. Albans Episcopal Church Vicksburg, MS 5930 Warriors Trail 12:00 p.m. $10 (601)636-6687 / www.stalbansbovina.org October 31 Halloween at the Myrtles The Myrtles St. Francisville 7747 Highway 61 (800)789-4221 / www.stfrancisville.us
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