Bluffs & Bayous January 2014

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FROM THE EDITOR

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hile most equate those warm summer months of May, June, and July as “wedding season,” the tradition of reserving January as the perfect month to have those preparations in full swing dates back to the days of Hera and the other Greeks gods and goddesses. After a quick Google search, I learned that Gamelion, which is the mythological month of January, actually means “the wedding month.” So, what works for the goddesses of long ago is definitely suitable for the brides of modern day.

A few decades ago, two of my favorite people celebrated their own wedding day in the magical month of January. With family and friends by their sides on a blustery winter day, my parents said “I do” in St. Mary’s Basilica here in Natchez, Mississippi.

For the past thirty-two years, they have spent most days working side by side in several business endeavors, raising Aimee and me with extreme finesse, and teaching us what the word family really means. I cannot imagine two other people who could have loved me more, taught me better life lessons, or done it all with such patience. What an example to go by in my own life! Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I love you both and hope for many, many more years for the two of you.

Also, here’s to a very happy “wedding month” for all of those brides out there in their lives along and beyond the Mississippi.

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PUBLISHER Cheryl Foggo Rinehart MANAGING EDITOR CONSULTING EDITOR Jennie Guido 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 CONTRIBUTORS Robert Ferguson Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin Becky Junkin Ross McGehee Alma Womack

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

Robert Ferguson

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin

Becky Junkin

Ross McGehee

Alma Womack

Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do 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 bluf fsmag@gmail.com | bbupandcoming@gmail.com media.bluf fsandbayous@gmail.com www.bluf fsbayous.com

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January 2014

FEATURES

Bennett & Settle Wedding...................... 48 Brown & Kelpe Wedding ....................... 50 Engle & Smith Wedding ........................ 52 Flax & Engle Wedding .......................... 54 Perkins & Hollingsworth Wedding ........ 56 Restivo & Davis Wedding ...................... 58 Serafin & Jones Wedding ...................... 60 Trippe & Nobile Wedding ...................... 62 Wall & Bates Wedding........................... 64

ON THE COVER Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Nobile can reminisce on their wedding day with the timeless photographs taken by Haley Bale.

Read their story on pages 62-63.

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January 2014

FAVO R I T E S All Outdoors Whaaat?................................................................................................................10-11

Events January Up & Coming! ....................................................................................... 70-78 Bridal Shows ....................................................................................................... 79-80

G’s Fare A Recipe for a Change of Lifestyle ......................................................................14-19

In the Garden Catasetum Surprise ............................................................................................ 28-30

Legal Notes Contamination and Other Unpleasantries......................................................... 38-39

Southern Sampler From Under the Shade Tree............................................................................... 82-83

A Recipe for a Change of Lifestyle pages 14 - 19

The Social Scene Halloween at the Haven ......................................................................................12-13 McComb’s Night at the Museum ............................................................................ 22 A Day at the Races................................................................................................... 23 Third Annual Greek Fest.................................................................................... 24-25 Let’s Get Tickled Pink ........................................................................................ 26-27 Lansdowne Celebrates 160 Years ....................................................................... 32-34 Junior Auxiliary Fall Party ................................................................................. 40-42 Osyka Fall Festival ....................................................................................................81 Pilgrimage Garden Club’s Antiques Forum Farewell Soiree ............................ 84-85 May and Company Picnic ................................................................................... 86-87 The Order of the First Families’ Fall Gathering................................................ 88-89 “Tatas to Go” Launch Party.................................................................................... 89 Gathering for a Birthday and Jewels ...................................................................... 90

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The Wedding Scene Engagement Party for Strider & Jones .............................................................. 44-46

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ALL OUTDOORS

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story by Ross McGehee

Whaaat?

f you travel in big enough circles, you are going to meet some pretty remarkable people and hear some pretty remarkable stories. The term “remarkable” is not necessarily flattering. It is more fun when you can respond to the stories that you hear with, “Yeah, but you left out the funny part. I was there.” But before we commence; if the old saying “You are known by the company you keep” is true, I don’t know these folks. I was just watching!

Back during the high water of 2011, it was common to find anyone with access to a good boat taking a backwater tour along the Mississippi River on a Sunday afternoon. Finally the river got so high that it became hazardous for those who had inadequate experience with that much current, and the governor shut it down. Still, camp owners and landowners defied the order and kept patrolling their properties. I happened to be along on one of those trips.

River levels were about four-feet higher than anyone had ever seen. All the high water landmarks were underwater this time. Wave action in the large farming fields was incredible. We could only guess how deep the water was at any given location, and the motor was running hard to push us upstream to check on a camp about ten miles out from the landing. Several boats made their way together through the woods for much of the trip, often not knowing our location since the tops of trees looked much different from the trunks we knew so well at ground level. It was spooky but an adventure.

Finally, we got to the camp. The doors and windows had been left open to relieve pressure from the water, and it was all some of the younger members of the group could do to pull themselves against the current and enter the back door in chest-deep water.

Five minutes later, we turned loose of the porch posts; and the boats drifted away. That’s when the commotion started.

A passenger in another boat had shifted position and just happened to bump the fuel can with his foot. The fuel can slid about three feet across the bottom of the boat. That ain’t good! A quick inspection revealed about a half inch of gas in the can. Inquiry was made to the commanding officer of the 16-foot vessel as to how it came to be that in anticipation of such a treacherous journey, fuel was overlooked. His first offer was that he thought it was full to start with and must have leaked out. That theory was put to rest when his brother reminded him that he had been given $20 by the Page 10 { January 2014 { Bluffs & Bayous

owner of the boat, specifically for gas; and the money was still in his pocket! He either planned to keep the money or just forgot to fill up. It didn’t change the seriousness of the situation.

They weren’t up a creek without a paddle. They were up the Mississippi River without gas! It was a cautious, slow ride back to the truck. No side trips for sightseeing. No checking the neighbor’s camp. No splitting up to look for deer on flooded ridges. Just count on the current to drift the boat so the motor didn’t have to work too hard. What should have been a twenty-minute trip back took over an hour. Then, on reaching the landing, after SIX failed attempts to load the boat on the trailer, Captain Outrageous stepped off into the water and PULLED the boat into place. One of the party loudly announced that we needed to open a five-gallon can of something and pour it on the perpetrator. I didn’t hear exactly what it was, but I think it was “Whup-something or other.”

While the incredulity sinks in, let’s move on. A landowner was having suspicions about folks slipping in to fish in his ponds in his absence. He never could catch anyone in the act but knew it was happening from the litter left behind. So, he did what any technosleuth would do. He set up five of his deer cameras with motion detectors along the edge of the ponds. Sure enough, in a week, he had lots of pictures of several groups enjoying his hospitality and fish.

Instead of turning the situation over to the local constabularies, he chose to confront the trespassers himself. They, of course, denied it all. He told them that he had cameras at every pond and whipped out his pictures as proof. Mensa-Boy says that he doesn’t know if that stopped them or not because somebody stole ALL of his cameras since that time.

I can recall another occasion where a fellow with a great hunting spot enlisted his friends to help establish his food plots for wildlife.

Actually, he promised them the opportunity to hunt on the property if they did all the work; so arrangements were made for everyone to meet at nine a.m. on a particular Saturday morning for the chores. All the hunting friends were on time. Three large tractors sat abreast, serviced, hooked up, and ready to go. For three hours the gang sat on the tailgates of their trucks waiting for the Great Whitetail Hunter to arrive. No one could reach him on his cell phone, and calls to his house were fruitless.

Finally, at noon, our hero drifts into the camp yard; and the first words out of his mouth were, “If y’all are here, I might as well go get the seed.” Where was the seed?

Back at the store … in town … from where he just came … twenty miles back! To further aggravate the situation, apparently the lackadaisical leader was unaware that farm supply stores shut down at noon on Saturday. Seed and fertilizer were going to be a problem almost as much as the insurrection that was brewing before his eyes.

But the guys really wanted to hunt almost as much as they really didn’t want to go home and cut grass, so they endured a little longer. Hours later, they were frantically trying to catch up after a five hour delay when one of the tractor drivers came upon a huge rattlesnake.

Oh, a chance for retribution! They were putting the seed out with a spreader on the back of a tractor. (It’s like a huge funnel with a spinner beneath to sling the seed and fertilizer.) There were about twelve inches of slack beneath the top of the hopper down to the seed. The not-quite-dead snake was thrown in the hopper, and the trap was set.

It didn’t take long for all the tractor guys to gather and lay in wait for the landowner.

It wasn’t long before he came up the trail with his windows shut and the air conditioner going. Obviously, he wasn’t one to do any thinkin’ OR stinkin’. He inquired as to why everyone was sitting around instead of planting his plots. (Don’t you admire folks like that?)

The response was that the group was unsure as to whether or not there was an adequate supply of seed remaining for the job, and there may need to be some rationing. They did not invite him to look in the hopper, but they knew that he would.

When he did, they did not anticipate the result. “Mr. Detached” poked his nose over the top edge of the spreader and reviewed the contents with a rattlesnake about eighteen inches from his face! One of the guys later said that he remembered counting to four before there was a recoil response.

Rather than share a good laugh at the victim’s expense, they all looked at each other in amazement and said, “Whaaat?”

No need for closing arguments; other than to observe that these folks can legally, rightfully, and without forethought, vote.

Now, THAT is remarkable!

Columnist Ross McGehee, a lifelong resident of Natchez, Mississippi, owns a diversified and far-flung farm operation.

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THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MS

Halloween at the Haven

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Disney “Meet and Greet” was held in the lobby of The Haven Theatre in Brookhaven, Mississippi, on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, before a magic show in the theater.

Children came in costume to meet their favorite Disney princesses and princes.

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1 Back—Reagan Whittington as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Jaylynn Thompson as Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, Becca Hammond as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Susanna Ratcliff as Merida from Brave, Jamie Sproles as Wendy from Peter Pan, Katherine Shell as Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Maddie Ogden as Rapunzel from Tangled, Dannah Berry as Cinderella, and Nealey Brown as Snow White; front—Hannah Pounds as Pocahontas, Renee Kakadia as Jasmine from Aladdin, Daniel Clark as Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid, Jordan Lea as Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, Ian Sicks as Aladdin, and Emily Mezzanares as Mulan 2 Jamie Sproles and Abby Bozeman as Tinkerbelle from Peter Pan 3 Reagan Whittington and Daniel Clark 4 Mya Brooke McClain and Susanna Ratcliff 5 Nealey Brown and Becca Hammond 6 Maddie Ogden and Susanna Ratcliff 7 Back—Emily and Jason Childress; front— Morgan and Grayson Childress 8 Kensy, Lisa, and Jessie Clair Covington

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THE social SCENE

BROOKHAVEN, MS

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9 Emily Mezzanares and Susanna Ratcliff 10 Jamie and JoAnna Sproles 11 Dannah Berry, Renee Kakadia, and Ian Sicks 12 Hannah Pounds, Katherine Shell, and Maddie Ogden 13 Jordan Lea and Katherine Shell with Ramsey Caroline Waldrop 14 Kenzy Covington, Susanna Ratcliff, and Allison Covington 15 Jaylynn Thompson

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G’S FARE

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story by Becky Junkin

Recipes for a Change of Lifestyle

appy, happy New Year to one and all! At this time last year, my son, David, challenged the family to take the “Whole 30 Challenge.” This is not a diet but rather a lifestyle change that would improve our sleeping habits, that sluggish feeling, and our general overall health. Out of nine family members, four of us took the challenge. We all agreed to begin on the first Monday in January and continue for thirty days. However, all of us stayed on it for more than thirty days; and I actually stayed on it for three months. I have been on and off the diet for the rest of the year and, to be honest, probably more on than off as I feel so much better while practicing this lifestyle.

The most weight lost by any of us was twenty-two pounds with the average around fifteen pounds. The lifestyle change was not difficult, and we found that we became rather competitive regarding our meals and often took pictures to send to each other. The best change from the new lifestyle for me was my new ability to sleep well. I had gotten into the habit of waking up around one o’clock and not being able to go back to sleep. After about two weeks, I was sleeping soundly and not waking until the alarm went off in the morning.

The basic thought behind this lifestyle change and the Paleo Diet is that we go back to a lifestyle of our ancestors. In other words, they ate no processed food and no GMO foods! To participate in this lifestyle change, you need to check the ingredients on everything. If it has a long list of ingredients on the back or has anything in it that you cannot pronounce, put it back on the shelf. We all found that you learn new ways to season your food with fresh herbs, coconut aminos, and vinegars. The only drawback to this lifestyle change, we all agreed, is the difficulty in planning meals. There is no picking up something quick from the store or visiting a fast-food venue while practicing this lifestyle.

So, what did we eat? We ate grass-fed or antibiotic-free meat and chicken, wild-caught seafood, and local or organic fruits and vegetables. Avocado, coconut, and olive oils along with coconut or almond flours can be used in moderation. Ghee, which is a clarified Page 14 { January 2014 { Bluffs & Bayous

butter, can be substituted for butter; and we found we actually liked it better. For thirty days, you eat no sugar of any form, no grains of any type, no dairy (not even soy or almond milk), and no legumes. Two of us read the book It Starts with Food, and the other two found enough information on the internet to get started.

If any of you want to know more about this lifestyle change, please feel free to contact me at jdjunkin@bellsouth.net and mention the Paleo Diet in the subject line.

Junkin’s family gave the “Whole 30 Challenge” a try this past year to try and amp up a healthy lifestyle. Even granddaughter, Mamie Sandel, gave a go at the cooking.

Probably our favorite go-to lunch is my Broccoli Soup. (I have also used summer squash, spinach, or eggplant.) I made this up one Sunday in desperation for something different to eat for lunch.

BROCCOLI SOUP 36 ounces frozen broccoli (a little more or less is fine) 1 32-ounce organic vegetable broth 1 small package sliced fresh mushrooms 1 can artichokes, drained and sliced 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Cajun seasoning to taste Cook fresh thyme and frozen broccoli according to package directions. Place broccoli in small batches into food processor. Pulse together until pureed. Pour into a slow cooker, and continue pureeing and pouring until you have used the entire amount of broccoli. Add olive oil, artichokes, mushrooms, and seasoning; and cook for eight hours on low. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. If you are not on Paleo or Whole 30, you can add skim or almond milk; and if you are not on a diet, half and half can be added at the end to thin soup.

One of my favorite sites for recipes is nomnompaleo.com. Below are several of the recipes that I found there. The first is one of my husband’s favorites. I changed it up slightly from the original since he did not care for the five cloves of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg in the ingredients.

CAULIFLOWER MASHED FAUXTATOES Kosher salt 1 large cauliflower, cut into roughly uniform 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil chunks (I usually was running late and used Freshly ground black pepper frozen cauliflower.)

Fill a pot with an inch or two of water, and put on stove to boil. (You can use a steamer insert or just add cauliflower to water.) Cook until cauliflower is soft, about ten minutes. You are not going to overcook this, so just make sure you have enough liquid in the bottom of the pan. Drain the cauliflower well. You do not want it wet, or you will end up with cauliflower soup, which is not bad but not what you want at this point.

Put cauliflower, ghee, salt, and pepper in a food processor with a regular chopping blade. Process until all of the cauliflower is pureed and the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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I fixed these when we were in Florida, and no one who ate it realized that I had used almond flour and not regular flour. Be sure that those who eat these don’t have a nut allergy; this is made from ground up almonds. I serve these with the Emeril’s Tartar Sauce from the May issue of Bluffs & Bayous, which you can find online. (If I am using the tartar sauce, I actually use it instead of the mayonnaise in the cakes. This is one less step.) This recipe was supposed to make eight cakes, but I usually make four larger ones.

CRABBY CAKES 1/4 cup Paleo Mayonnaise 2 scallions, minced 1 large cage-free egg, lightly beaten 1 pound jumbo crab meat, rinsed and drained 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut or almond flour 1/4 cup coconut or almond flour for coating cakes 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (I use Louisiana Cajun seasoning.)

Kosher Salt (If using Cajun seasoning, remember salt is already an ingredient.)

Freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup coconut or olive oil Line a plate with parchment paper. Toss the crab meat in a large bowl with the 1½ tablespoons coconut flour, scallions, and seafood seasoning. Pour in the egg, and add Paleo mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Gently combine the ingredients with a rubber spatula. Divide the mixture into four cakes, and place them on the parchment-covered plate. Cover the plate, and chill the cakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm. When you are ready to cook, spread the 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Lightly coat the crab cakes with the almond or coconut flour. Heat the oil over medium heat, and fry the cakes in the oil. Drain on a wire rack. Serve with tartar sauce and a lemon wedge. We usually serve the crab cakes atop a salad of greens, artichoke hearts, black olives, and tomatoes.

On Sundays, I make hash brown sweet potatoes and grilled salmon, which I top with a fried egg and Paleo Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is not exactly like hollandaise sauce, but it is rather tasty.

HASH BROWN SWEET POTATOES 3 sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and cubed (Garnet are the best.)

1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Heat olive oil in a large skillet, and add cubed sweet potatoes. Cook over medium heat until potatoes begin to brown. Be careful when tossing the potatoes, for they can break apart easily, and you will have little pancakes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from skillet, and fry egg in the skillet while salmon is cooking in oven or on the grill. Top with the following hollandaise sauce.

This recipe for Hollandaise sauce comes from stupideasypaleo.com. I have the super-easy blender recipe, but the double-boiler, stove-top version can also be found at this same site.

PALEO HOLLANDAISE SAUCE 1/2 cup ghee, melted 2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon lemon juice Pinch of salt Pinch of cayenne pepper Gently melt the ghee; it should not be boiling hot. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the blender. Start the blender on low, and run for about 30 seconds. Now, slowly drizzle the melted ghee into the blender through the hole in the lid. You must go slowly or the emulsion will separate and get soupy (as it did on my first try). Once all the ghee is added and the hollandaise sauce has thickened, pour over the egg-topped salmon.

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This is the recipe that my son found. It came from Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat. There is a video on the Well Fed website that takes you through this process step by step. He also uses a hand-held emulsifier that works better than a blender of food processor to mix this recipe. Be sure to use regular olive oil and not extra virgin that will overpower the mayonnaise.

PALEO OLIVE OIL MAYONNAISE 1 large cage-free egg 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 plus 1 cup light olive oil, not Extra Virgin 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt Place the egg and the lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Cover and allow the ingredients to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Add 1/4 cup oil, mustard, and salt; and blend on medium speed until the ingredients are combined. With the motor running, drizzle in the remaining 1 cup of oil in a very thin stream. This should take about two to three minutes. Store covered in the refrigerator.

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Hands down, this is my family’s all-time favorite Paleo recipe, which they all still use. This also comes from nomnompaleo.com. David uses deboned, skinless chicken breast. He puts two servings in a Ziplock freezer bag and adds the marinade. Then, he gets all of the air out and freezes the bag. When his family wants chicken for supper, he takes the marinated chicken out of the freezer in the morning and puts it in the refrigerator. By evening, the already marinated chicken is ready for cooking.

FINE CHICKEN 10 drumsticks 2 large shallots, minced 3 scallions, sliced 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 1 tablespoon fish sauce (check ingredients) Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper Mix together the shallots, scallions, vinegar, oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Put the legs on top, and use your hands to make sure the chicken is covered in the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the chicken in an oven-safe baking dish, and pop in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through the cooking time. Arrange the drumsticks on a platter, and pour the cooking liquid over the chicken.

Becky Junkin, mother of four and grandmother of six, is a lifelong Natchez resident, a retired elementary teacher of twenty four years, and certified Pilates instructor.

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The following recipe for appetizers is from Cheryl Rinehart, who has been doing the Paleo Diet for about a year. The recipe can be found on paleomg.com.

BACON-WRAPPED SMOKED SALMON STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS 5 strips of bacon, cut in half lengthwise and widthwise 10 sweet peppers, cut in half lengthwise 3 to 5 ounces smoked salmon Pinch of salt Sprinkle of smoked paprika Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bacon in half lengthwise and widthwise so you have four strips of bacon per one piece. Cut sweet peppers in half, and pull out the excess seeds. How much salmon you use will be based on how big or small the peppers are. For each appetizer, take a small piece of smoked salmon, roll it up, push it into the sweet pepper, and then wrap a small piece of bacon around the sweet pepper. Try to tuck the sides of the bacon under the sweet pepper to keep it in place as you bake it.

Sprinkle the salt and paprika to each wrapped pepper. Place all bacon-wrapped peppers on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Put in oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crispy but not burnt. Let cool slightly because they will be HOT. Eat up!

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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 Page 20 { January 2014 { Bluffs & Bayous

On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River

Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Natchez k vidalia k Ferriday k Bluffs & & Bayous Bayous { January January 2014 2014 { Page Page 21 21 Bluffs

THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS

McComb’s Night at the Museum

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1 Neal Randall, Don Lazarus, and Mac Gordon 2 Whitney Rawlings 3 Supreme Court Justice, Jim Kitchens with Shirley Fitzgerald 4 Gail Spinnato and Andy Spinnato

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cComb, Mississippi held its first ever Night at the Museum on October 26, 2013, which featured local residents and officials portraying notable figures from the city’s past. The scenes were played out in short vignettes to tour groups and culminated in a fireworks display after the city’s official lighting of the iconic downtown coal chute overlooking the tracks and depot. The event was dedicated to McComb Railroad Depot Museum Director Winnie Len Howell with Patsy Carruth and Ganeath Brewer directing the endeavor. Railroad retirees were on hand to meet, greet, and promote the event to visitors. Photographs by Elise Parker

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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS

A Day at the Races

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n Saturday, November 2, 2013, the Pike County Arts Council held “A Day at The Races� at the home of Donna and Darrell Smith in McComb, Mississippi, with wood-horse races, food, beverages, and a silent auction with a $5,000 draw down.

Photographs by Elise Parker

1 Patti Brabham, Donna and Darrell Smith, and Ann Jackson 2 Cliff White 3 Landon and Kristin Ratliff with Niki and Neel Gatlin 4 Gidge Clayton and Jay Sanders with Larry and Cindy Stewart 5 Debbie Stovall 6 Kelly Parker 7 Constance Cowart and Prudence McGehee 8 Clem Stovall and Bobbi Hart 9 Tara and Steve Harrington and Andrea Sanders 10 Kristine Kimmel, Sharon White, and June Hart

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THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MS

Third Annual Greek Fest

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he third annual Greek Fest, held in McComb, Mississippi, October 26, 2013, had a wonderful turnout from all over the state.

Traditional Greek meals, wine, and desserts were available for visitors, as well as music and dancing. The church was open for tours, and guests enjoyed the wonderful October weather while socializing under outdoor canopies. The menu included lemon chicken, Greek green beans (in rich tomato sauce), Greek salad, tzatziki (cucumber yogurt sauce), fresh pita bread, rice pilaf, and spanakopita (spinach pie). A selection of Greek desserts included phinikia (fluffy cookies made of crushed walnuts, orange juice, cognac, and then dipped in honey), koulourakia (baked twists), baklava, and kourabiedes (shortbread and powdered sugar). Photographs by Elise Parker

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Anna, Michael, and Nicholas Crawford Danny and Melina Haddad John Balser and Ann Jackson Hilda Tompkins and Zaunda Landry Bob and Deanna Phelps Ellen and Antonia Haddad Louise Sinclair and Kaye Alexander David Billings, Bonnye Huffman, and Margery Freeman

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THE social SCENE

MCCOMB, MS

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9 Prudence McGhee with granddaughter Kylee 10 Lucy Lowery and Mary Regan 11 Anita McLeod, Liz and Paul Rohrig, and Chuck McLeod 12 Topher McCraw, Haley McCraw, Aries McCraw, Michael Crawford, and Ellen Parker

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Let’s Get Tickled Pink

Natchez, Mississippi

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baby shower honoring Kendale and Lisa Profice Reynolds was held in the Natchez Convention Center’s Nashville Room in Natchez, Mississippi, September 1, 2013. The event was a planned and staged afternoon of entertainment, games, gifts, and favors for the honorees and guests. The room was transformed from its traditional setting to a room of pampers, blankets, bottles, miniature clothing, and eager guests as they awaited the arrival of the parents-to-be.

Upon arrival, each guest signed the guest book and was given a guest bag, which contained pen or pencil, game cards, personalized mints, three tokens of love, lotion, hand sanitizer, scented soap, travel sewing kits, and cosmetic mirror. Male guest bags were stuffed with masculine items and a gold dollar announcing their presence was golden. Personalized gift bag tags were adorned with a picture of the expecting couple.

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Lisa and Kendale Reynolds Elyce Anderson Ruthie Washington Carlene Harper Rosena Profice, Ellice Morris, and Camille Williams

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10 6 Barbara Winston and Buffy Haywood 7 Lisa Reynolds 8 Kendale Reynolds 9 Joyce Murphy and Sharon Woods 10 Lisa and Kendale Reynolds

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IN THE GARDEN

story and photos by Robert Ferguson

These majestic orchids make for a beautiful addition to any collection.

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Catasetum Surprise

few years back a friend was importing orchids from Central and South America. In one shipment he received a Catasetum pileatum that seemed to have been in bloom for a while. It had a dried bloom on the end of the stem and a melon-sized seedpod on the initial flower.

The last flower was dried and pretty much preserved in form. I could not tell if it came from the wild or was grown in a pot since all the roots had been removed for shipment. Some orchid plants that are imported come into the inspection stations with as little plant material as possible to eliminate pests from also coming in with them.

Anyway, he called me and asked if I would like to look at his new treasures. He opened the large box and out fell bunches of species of orchids, which were all dried

up—mostly just pseudo bulbs. I had been importing for quite some time and informed him how to handle the plants. He was curious about the seedpod and asked me if I thought it would produce any seedlings. I told him I could flask them and just pray.

I went on home and lay the melon (capsule) on the washing machine in the kitchen. I knew Catasetum seedpods could get large and produce over 100,000 seed, but I did not know how mature this pod was.

My wife looked at it; she picked it up and smelled it like she always did with anything that was strange to her. I kidded her about smelling everything. She jokingly reminded me of how my cocker spaniel behaved when meeting other dogs. I explained to her about the seedpod and laid it

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upon the shelf above the washing machine.

Since I was installing equipment in the lab, I did not put it in there as I should have.

After few days passed, I noticed the pod (capsule) had split and was spilling seed everywhere. I collected the remaining seed into an envelope. I also had to pull the washing machine out from the wall and clean up. Seed went everywhere—on the machine, behind the machine, and even on the stove, which was five feet away on the other side of the room. I am guessing that when we opened the kitchen door from the outside, the breeze from the door carried the seed to the other side of the room.

Since orchid seeds are very light, they can be carried in the wind for miles. After collecting these seed, I put them into a separate envelope. I figured these were really

Top—What an interesting species of orchid!

Bottom—Again, the Catasetum orchid has the traditional appearance of an orchid with a unique style all its own.

contaminated, so I would have to sterilize them a couple of times.

I placed the envelopes in the refrigerator and went on about getting my lab back in operation. A couple of days passed before I could begin preparing the seeds for flasking. I went about my usual routine of sterilizing the bottles, seeds, and equipment and finally got them into the bottles. After making up a couple of dozen bottles, all I had to do was to wait. My lab lights are set up on time clocks, so there is no remembering to time the lights. After a few months passed, the flasks began to turn green like grass. Little Catasetums were all over the place.

A couple of flasks did contaminate, but they were quickly re-sterilized and re-flasked.

After the passing of a few more months, the bottles were getting crowded; so it was time to start re-flasking everything. This is kind of like thinning radishes in the garden; but in this case, it was orchids. They are re-flasked into new bottles and allowed to grow for several months again. This process has to go on for a couple of years until they are large enough to sustain life outside the protected environment of that flask.

About this time, the washing machine started backing up sudsy water worse than ever. I had already had the plumber out, and he poured acid down the drain from the roof. This time, the kitchen, breakfast room, and lab were all flooded. Soapsuds were everywhere. I must have mopped for hours.

I was on my hands and knees between the kitchen counter and the washing machine when I noticed Johnson grass emerging from the hole around the pipe where it goes through the floor. This was an old house that was built sometime before I was born, and whoever installed the drain had drilled three or four holes before they hit the correct place. I kept insulation stuffed in the surrounding hole to keep out air and unwanted critters from coming inside the house. The insulation was soaked and fell out, which allowed the Johnson grass to grow through the hole. I reached to pull it out but could not get a tight enough hold of it. It was mostly on the other side of the pipe.

Our kitchen was very small, so I had to get the appliance dolly out and remove the washing machine totally from the kitchen to finish mopping the floor. I decided to try to pull out the Johnson grass once again. After getting on my hands and knees to get a better look, I noticed, to my surprise, it was not Johnson grass after all! My wife came in behind me about that time and asked what I was doing. I showed her the vegetation and asked her what she thought it was. We were both on our hands and Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 29

Another species of the Catasetum orchid to dazzle your garden.

knees looking at it. It was about a four-inch tall swollen stem with white roots coming out of the base and attached to the rotted plywood under the vinyl floor. I touched it, and it was quite attached. She said it looks like a Catasetum plant. She was as familiar with them as I was.

I did not remove it right then. I finished mopping the floor and called an old MSU roommate of mine. He had a brand new camera that would walk, talk, and spit tobacco. I did not tell him what it was, but I wanted to get a couple of photos of something that he might be interested in. We invited him and his wife over for supper and talked about the mysterious plant. He was not familiar with it but knew I had grown orchids since my childhood and always, like everyone else, thought I was very nerdy.

We did not tell him what we thought it was. We just wanted to get his reaction. He was also on his hands and knees looking and snapping photos. He also knew it was not Johnson grass. I took him

to the greenhouse and showed him the Catasetums that I had grown from seed, and then it struck him. He looked at me and said that is the same plant in the kitchen. I told him the story about the seedpod.

He became very interested in how that orchid grew without the aid of growing in the bottle. I explained the whole process about orchids growing from seed in nature.

Later, I removed the orchid carefully and attached it to a cork slab. At the time I had hundreds of this type of slab with small orchids attached on my wet wall. However, I kept a close eye on this particular one for the next few years.

Catasetums experience dormant periods in nature, so this period has to be observed in the greenhouse to prevent rotting of the orchid. They go dormant during dry periods and lose all their leaves exposing their thorns. Yes, some orchids have thorns at the base of their leaves to prevent varmints from eating them during dormancy.

This dormant period is during winter and early spring when they receive virtually no appreciable moisture except for dew.

I kept all the Catasetums together on separate timed spray nozzles in the greenhouse to duplicate this dry period. A few summers later, the Catasetums began blooming and producing the white blooms of Catasetum pileatum including the variety “Washing Machine.� However, it was no different from the others.

Unfortunately, my friend that gave me the seedpod had passed away a few years before and never saw the blooms from his seedpod. I did share a few plants with his widow, but then she moved away, and I never saw her again.

I began collecting different species of Catasetums and crossing and sharing them with a friend at a large commercial range in Florida. We had quite a collection. He said they were difficult to sell to the public being that they would not bloom without observing the dormant period. People would forget and water them, causing them to skip their blooming cycle. Then during the next dormant season, they would be looking at a thorny monster that would not bloom. Therefore, most of them wound up in the compost heap.

Fortunately, today there seems to be a new-found love for Catasetums, and new hybrids are emerging frequently.

Robert Ferguson, interested in orchids since the age of 13, owned Ferguson Orchids from 1973 to 2002 where orchids were cloned, grown from seed, and sold.

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS

Lansdowne Celebrates 160 Years

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he Marshall family hosted a festive celebration in honor of Lansdowne’s 160th birthday in Natchez, Mississippi, on October 11, 2013. Friends were requested to attend in festive attire; “Make history come alive by wearing a costume from your favorite period in the last 160 years.” Guests arrived in costumes, relived a favorite decade, and toasted the grand old dame.

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Ann Vidal Willet and Joey Suen Vidal and Tanna Davis Stella and Phillip Carby JoAnne Phipps and Kari Giani Anne MacNeil and Beth Boggess Mark Drennen and George Marshall Barbara Hefley, Elaine Gemmell, Keith Carlson, and Mike Gemmell 8 Dianne Bunch, Marsha Colson, Liz Dantone, and Kari Giani 9 Mike Gemmell, Jack Kelly, Claudette Songy, Elaine Gemmell, Ralph Viceroy, and Ed Songy 10 MiMi Miller, Stella Sharp, Marsha Colson, and Darren Glenn

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THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MS

11 Jeff Mansell, Elaine Gemmell, and Allen Bridgeforth 12 Stratton Bull with Cheryl and Mike Rinehart 13 Devereux Slatter, Lisa Baker, and Marsha Colson 14 Margaret, George, David, and Anna Baker Trimble 15 Mary Jane Gaudet, Jack Laws, and Liz Dantone 16 Andrew Baker and Marion Drennen 17 Billy Tilden and Yvonne Murray 18 Charles Davenport and Allen Bridegeforth 19 Cindy and Newt Willis 20 Stella Carby and Bettye Jenkins 21 Keith Carlson and Dianne Bunch

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS

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22 Burt Baker and Stephanie Tortu 23 Dustin Longmire and Mary Jane Gaudet 24 Bill Slatter 25 Mary Jane and Ed Gaudet 26 Sue and Joe Steadman, Richard and Nancy Durkin, and Bazil and Jeannie Lanneau 27 Emily Edwards, Jerika Copes, Mark Weeden, and Dustin Longmire

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Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 37

LEGAL NOTES

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story by Lucien C. Gwin III

Contamination and Other Unpleasantries

once had a lawsuit in which I represented a small store in McComb, Mississippi, that sold a peanut-filled candy bar to a lady with a small child. The lady opened the candy bar while she drove down the road, took a bite out of it, and then proceeded to let her four-year-old daughter have the second bite. As she drove on a little further, movement caught her eye in the candy bar she was holding; and as she looked closely, she realized small worm-like creatures were wiggling from the candy bar she had just bitten. (I know this is disgusting, but it is true.)

She went straight to the hospital where she and her daughter were treated. She also saved the remnant of the candy bar with the worms and her receipt, which prompted me to tell my client that we needed to settle this matter (which we did).

In the past I have seen several people who have consumed foods of various kinds only to wind up with food poisoning. In fact, my law partner once had to stay in the hospital from what he believed to be spoiled mayonnaise that he consumed from a restaurant.

When one contracts a severe case of food poisoning from a restaurant, the question becomes: does the restaurant have liability?

The answer is: can you prove you got food poisoning from the Page 38 { January 2014 { Bluffs & Bayous

restaurant food? The problem most of the time is that whatever you ate is now gone. (We won’t talk about that any further.) Unless you took some of the food home in a “to-go box,” you may have a real problem with proof.

In Mississippi, our Courts have stated as follows: “In Mississippi food poisoning cases, medical and/or scientific evidence is generally a prerequisite to satisfying the element of causation.”

What this means is that just because someone goes to a restaurant, eats a meal, goes home, and within twelve hours begins to vomit violently does not in and of itself prove that what was eaten was contaminated subjecting the restaurant to liability. (Most food poisoning incidents run their course within forty-eight hours with no real injury.)

Our Courts have said there has to be medical or scientific proof that the food eaten was contaminated before one can even think of suing for the problem. Again, unless one keeps a sample of what was eaten, then it is next to impossible to prove that you contracted food poisoning from the restaurant.

Now, let’s change the hypothetical a little bit and suppose one goes to a restaurant, orders a hamburger, takes a big bite out of it, the hamburger crunches, and then one discovers that a roach was inside the burger. (This actually happened to a Natchez lawyer that I know.) In this case, Mississippi case law states: “In cases where a defendant business is selling the public a food product (which is contaminated by an animal, object, or other foreign body and an individual consumes that item) and the person becomes ill after discovering the contamination, this alone is enough to establish liability on the part of the defendant;” CEF Enterprises vs. Betts (Miss 2003) (emphasis added).

Now you know why I had to settle my worms in the candy bar case.

One more hypothetical. What about the case where someone is eating say raw oysters and accidentally swallows a pearl or a piece of oyster shell? Is there liability for the business selling the oysters?

Mississippi Courts have not answered this exact question; but the majority of states hold that where the object is “natural to the food” and the object does not in and of itself render the food unwholesome, then there is no liability to the food seller.

Examples of this would be bones in boneless food; corn kernels in corn flakes; gristle in a frankfurter; olive pits in a martini; and, of course, a pearl in a raw oyster.

Under this theory, the Courts have gone further and said that if the object could have been reasonably expected as natural to one of the ingredients of the food then there is no liability. A pecan shell in a pecan pie that shatters a tooth is a reasonable or natural object of the ingredient of the pecan; and thus, in all probability, there is no liability to those who sell such.

My Take: All cases involving contaminated food turn on their own facts. However, if you ever open a jar of pickles, take a bite out of one, and then realize it is someone’s thumb cut off by the pickle slicer, know that I am your lawyer for that case.

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981 and has been practicing many aspects of the law at the firm of Gwin, Lewis, Punches & Kelley in Natchez, Mississippi, ever since.

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 39

THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS

Junior Auxiliary Fall Party

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he Junior Auxiliary Chapter of Vicksburg, Mississippi, recently hosted their annual fall party at the Silver Creek Equestrian Club.

Members and life members welcomed the 2013-2014 provisional class. During their fall party, members enjoyed refreshments, fellowship, and presentations.

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Holly Porter and Alainna O’Bannon Casey Stokes and Whitney Simmons Jennifer Grey and Lindsey Gilliland Haley Bell and Carolyn Bradley Kelley Hicks and Barrie Hidalgo Christin Matthews and Alley Farrell Laurie Prescott, Mary Katherine Ellis, Christin Matthews, and Alley Farrell 8 Sally Southall, Tammy Sibley, Tammy Allen, and Lindsey Bradley 9 Life Members Mary Jane Wooten and Debbie Haworth 10 Life Members Dinnie Johnston, Ann Vessell, Pat Pierce, and Logan Peay

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THE social SCENE

VICKSBURG, MS

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11 Heather Murphy, Cathy Ann Goss, and Amy Rainer 12 Lauren Coulon, Lacey Lee, and Katie Ferrell 13 Marianne Jones, Debbie Haworth, and Lindsey Gilliland 14 Kate Holifield, Heather Kealhofer, and Cisi Mathews 15 Kelly Pierce, Amy Campbell, and Amy Gattle 16 Lulu Edwards, Lacey C. Lee, and Blair Hill 17 First Vice President, Jennifer Grey, and President, Alainna O’Bannon 18 Jackie Ponder and Lauren Coulon 19 Sarah Nasif 20 Logan Peay, Kristi Smith, Ginny Abraham, and Schuyler Oaks 21 Jodi Sumerall, Jennifer Walker, and Dara Hendrix

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THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS

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22 2013-2014 Provisional Class: seated (left to right)—Casie Combs, Kellie Pierce, Jodi Sumerall, Dara Hendrix, Lacey C. Lee, Lindsey Bradley, Blair Hill, and Tammy Sibley; standing— Amy Gattle, Kelley Hicks, Sally Southall, Jennifer Walker, Amy Campbell, Rebecca Antwine, Hallie Broadfoot, Lulu Edwards, Barrie Hidalgo, and Tammy Allen 23 Casie Combs, Rebecca Antwine, and Hallie Broadfoot 24 Life Members Ginny Abraham, Virginia Campbell, and Debbie Haworth 25 Melissa Smithhart, Kristen Allred, and Maggie Nasif 26 Melissa Smithhart and Margie Heltzel

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Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 43

THE weddingSCENE BROOKHAVEN, MS

Engagement Party for Strider and Jones

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any hosted an engagement party for Claire Strider and Taylor Jones at the Ditcharo home, Rolling Acres, near Brookhaven, Mississippi, on Saturday, September 28, 2013. The theme for the festive occasion was “Tailgating in the Grove� while Ole Miss fought the good fight against the University of Alabama.

Claire is the daughter of Laurence and Linda Strider of Phillip, Mississippi. Taylor is the son of Jack and Katie Jones of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Their wedding was November 2, 2013. Photographs by Bill Perkins

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1 Claire Strider with Taylor, Katie, Abbigail, Jack, and Garret Jones 2 Betty Jones and Claire Strider 3 Cindy Ratcliff and Carolyn Stephens 4 Cindy Ratcliff and Kathryn Duncan 5 David Phillips and Dr. Joe Moak 6 Diane and Henry Ledet 7 Abbigail Jones, Rebecca Peavey, Claire Strider, Bill Perkins, and Amy Ferguson 8 Katie, Jack, Betty, and John P. Jones

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BROOKHAVEN, MS

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Louis and Barbara Walker with Joyce and Jim Duncan Amy Ferguson, Cathy Ditcharo, and Natalie Ybarra Cathy Ditcharo with Claire and Linda Strider Abbigail Jones with Taylor and Garrett Jones Linda Moak with Dennis and Amy Valentine

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 45

THE weddingSCENE BROOKHAVEN, MS

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Dr. Samuel Moak and Dr. Joe Moak Gerald Williams and Amy Ferguson Kathryn and Tom Duncan Jim Duncan and Garret Jones Jimminette Phillips and Danny Smith Linda and Claire Strider Luis and Natalie Ybarra Myrtle Cartwright and Celeste Carty

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Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 47

Mallorie Honeycutt Bennett & Preston Forrest Settle

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M

allorie Honeycutt Bennett of Woodville, Mississippi, married Preston Forrest Settle of Fayette, Alabama, on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at Desert Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Wallace of Woodville.

Grandparents of the bride are the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert LaRue Calvert of Woodville and Mr. James Wallace Bennett of St. Francisville, Louisiana, and the late Mrs. Bennett. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Wayne Settle and Mrs. Susanne Acker Seaborn, all of Fayette, Alabama, and Mr. and Mrs. William Burt Settle of Jay, Florida. Brother Bernard Waites officiated at the half-past six o’clock ceremony.

Stately live oak trees draped in Spanish moss framed the garden setting where the couple exchanged vows. Boston ferns topped each of the white columns of the arbor, which was entwined with grapevines. Wrought-iron candleholders embellished with coral carnations, daisies, and coral ribbons lined the aisle. Mrs. Larry Calvert provided the program of nuptial music.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an ivory satin gown with delicate ruching on the strapless bodice, which continued onto the fitted skirt and flared at the knee in soft folds to form a brush train. Her veil of ivory illusion was banded with appliques, and she carried a bouquet of hydrangeas and lilies.

Laurel Madison Bennett, sister of the bride of Woodville, attended as maid of honor; and bridesmaids were Marisa Chaffin of St. Augustine, Florida; Cary Benton of Lake Rosemound, Louisiana; Corley Ann Ross of Vicksburg, Mississippi; Hali Beasley of Pearl, Mississippi; Shana Barnes of Neely, Mississippi; Ashley Rice of Clinton, Mississippi; Bonnie Sessions of Starkville, Mississippi; Jolee Harkness and Cammie Settle, both of Fayette, Alabama; and Amber Bryant of Ruston, Louisiana.

They wore coral dresses, styled with a oneshoulder bodice and flowing skirt, and carried white lilies. Junior bridesmaid was Katelyn Jones. Anna Grace Cain served as flower girl. She wore a white lace dress with a coral ribbon sash and carried a white daisy kissing ball.

Serving as best man was Nick Bearden of Brevard, North Carolina; and groomsmen were Mark Austin of Huntsville, Alabama; Brett Wiggins of Jacksonville, Alabama; Brent Jordan of Jay, Florida; Armand Schachter of Birmingham, Alabama; Captain Jason Clark of Marietta, Georgia; Lieutenant Colonel Bobby Jones of Oxford, Alabama; Kyle Henderson of Daphne, Alabama; Kyle Thomas of Helena, Alabama; William Bennett of St. Francisville, Louisiana; and Ely Odenwelder of Clyde, Texas. Clay Bryant of Ruston, Louisiana, served as usher, and ring bearer was Tommy LaRue Earnshaw of Dallas, Texas.

For her daughter’s wedding, Mrs. Bennett selected a teal green, knee-length

dress. Mrs. Settle’s ensemble was a gold skirt with a black lace blouse. Ms. Seaborn wore a silver dress with threequarter-length sleeves. They all wore corsages of coral roses.

A reception immediately followed the ceremony. In the tree-lined lane leading up to the Desert Plantation, a rustic table held the guest book and the bride’s portrait. Also on this table were pens for the guests to write wishes to the couple on the labels of wine bottles. Tiny white lights entwined the wooden handrails along the terraced brick walk leading through the gardens and up to the beautiful home, which was built in 1810.

In the dining room, the polished wood table held a large arrangement of mixed spring flowers. On the mantle were glass globes holding similar flowers. Hors d’oeuvres of fried catfish and apple onion tortes were passed to guests, who also enjoyed a wedding

buffet featuring seafood pasta, grilled pork loin, marinated vegetables, fresh fruit, and cheeses.

In the living room, the three-tiered wedding cake with raspberry, caramel, and Bavarian crème filling was placed on a silver plateau encircled with the bridesmaids’ bouquets. Each layer of the cake was trimmed with white lilies, and the top layer was accented with the initials of the couple. A separate table held the groom’s red velvet cake, which was decorated with the insignia of his fraternity, Delta Chi; the American flag; and the flag of his alma mater, Auburn University.

Family and guests enjoyed a lovely evening of dancing to the music of Easy Eddie and the Party Rockers.

Following a wedding trip to Turks and Caicos, the couple has made their home in Florence, Alabama.

PHOTOS BY TARA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 49

Rebecca Anne Brown & Lance Wayne Kelpe

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M

r. and Mrs. Ray L. Bradford announce the marriage of their daughter, Rebecca Anne Brown of Natchez, Mississippi, to Lance Wayne Kelpe of Ruston, Louisiana, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Jim Finley of Ruston and Mr. Bruce Kelpe of Arcadia, Louisiana. The couple was married April 27, 2013, at Brandon Hall Plantation in Natchez at six o’clock in the evening with Judge Al Johnson officiating.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a Casablanca Couture gown of ivory silk-satin overlaid with lace and beaded with freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals, and sequins. The gown featured a sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice with a mermaid silhouette skirt sweeping into a chapel-length train. With her gown, she wore a ribbon-edged cascade veil of illusion, which was scattered with diamond crystals.

Victoria Lee Bradford, sister of the bride, served as maid of honor.

Amy Brown, sister-in-law of the bride, served as matron of honor.

Bridesmaids were M’liss Johnson of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana; Morgan Kelpe of Ruston; Shelby Lowery of Monroe, Louisiana; and Bridget Webster of Winnfield, Louisiana.

Junior bridesmaid was Mallory Dickey of Natchez. They wore various knee-length dresses of Malibu blue sateen. Flower girl was the groom’s niece, Violet Jane Griffin of College Station, Texas.

Honorary best man was Thomas Martin Goss, Sr., grandfather of the groom, of Ruston; and Bruce Kelpe served as best man. Groomsmen were James Brown of Natchez; Chase Brown of Monroe; Clint Gleason of Ruston; Will Neeles of Ruston; and Aaron Wood of Arcadia. Junior groomsman was Carter Dickey of Natchez; and ring bearer was James Edward Brown, nephew of the bride, of Natchez.

Ushers were Jake Azbell, Cody Bradford, Zeke Kelpe, Josh McClain, and Gary Northen. Program attendants were Maggie Ulmer and Claire Ulmer, family friends of the bride. The music for the ceremony was provided by soloists Becky Stephens and Brandae Miller and organist Tamy Jackson. The wedding was directed by Cheryl Rinehart, and the floral designer was Pam Harriss.

A reception followed the ceremony at Brandon Hall and was catered by Heirloom Cuisine.

After a wedding trip to St. Lucia, the couple is at home in Ruston.

PHOTOS BY BECKY JEX & KATIE GREER TILLMAN

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 51

Caovilla. One shoe contained a sixpence given to her by her father.

Attending the bride as maid of honor was Valerie Campbell Hall, cousin of the bride. Bridesmaids were Carolina Campbell Hall, Sylvia Chapman Hall, and Madeleine Hall Brown, all cousins of the bride, as well as Lindsey Atkins Noto, Lisa Maria Heros, Lynn Huntington Witt, Jill Waring Upchurch, Anne Marie Dykes Smith, and Suzy Puckett Foral. The bridesmaids wore pink chiffon gowns and carried bouquets matching the bridal bouquet.

The groom’s cousin, Andrew Saint Tandy, served as best man. Groomsmen were Granville Napier Engle II and Michael Thomas Engle III, brothers of the bride, along with Kevin Randall Bull, Richard Lorne Haselwood, Stephen Cole Kimball, Eric Bradley Maddox, William Robert Nordwind, Jeffery Martin Ringer, and John Hopkins Williams IV. Ushers were Eric Matthew Behrns and Bradley Clay Fisher. The flower girl was Allie Foral.

Hank DeWolf Haselwood served as the ring bearer.

The wedding party processed to the hymn “Praise the Lord, the King of Glory.” The Crucifer was Eustace Cowan Conway; Christian and Braden Williams served as acolytes. Flag bearers were Christopher and Sage Lewis, the wedding banner was carried by Jackson Oaks, the Bearer of the Gospel Book was George Wilkerson, and Gordan Wilkerson was crucifer of the wedding cross. Herbert Watson Jones served as the Lay Eucharistic Minister.

Lectors were Lucinda Shelton Windham Maddox and Jennifer Saint Sterling, aunt of the groom.

Oblations were presented by Mary Ann Moss Darcey, Jason Reid Brown, and Samuel Claude Hall, cousin of the bride.

Program attendants were Frances Lyle Thames and Luke Elias Abraham. Mary Ruth Jones, wedding director, was assisted by Marianna Field, Susan Hadad, Patsy Shappley, and Lee Waring. The flowers

Melanie Campbell Engle & Robert Leverett Smith II M

iss Melanie Campbell Engle and Mr. Robert Leverett Smith II were united in marriage at the Church of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at half past six in the evening on April 20, 2013.

The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Billy Burton Bowman of Vicksburg and Mr. Michael Thomas Engle, Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi. She is the granddaughter of the late Mrs. Fulton Sherman Mills of Brookhaven, Mississippi; the late Mr. Jewel Hilton Campbell of Brookhaven; and Mrs. Michael Thomas Engle and the late Reverend Michael Thomas Engle of Greenwood, Mississippi.

The groom is the son of the late Mrs. Tucky Saint Roger of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the late Mr. Robert Stafford Smith of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the grandson of the late Reverend and Mrs. Clarence Edward Saint of Tulsa and the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leverett Smith of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The wedding mass was celebrated by Reverend Michael Nation, assisted by Reverend Beth Palmer.

Nuptial music was under the direction of Dorothy Kenna Brasfield, choir master at the Church of the Holy Trinity and of the Chancel Choir.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a French royal satin, fanal custom gown designed by LaSposa. The gown featured a silk tulle overlay and hand-beaded trim. Her cathedral veil of antique Brussel’s lace is an heirloom from the bride’s great-grandmother, the late Mrs. Hugh Vernon Wall of Brookhaven. It has been worn by all the brides of the Campbell family. The bridal bouquet consisted of white Duchess peonies, jasmine, white and light pink Romantica garden spray roses, white Andromeda, and Dusty Miller wrapped in an ivory silk dupioni ribbon. For “something blue,” the bride wore baby blue crystal shoes by Italian designer René

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on the altar were given in memory of the groom’s mother. Masses of lilies, roses, and hydrangeas adorned the altar and were arranged by the Holy Trinity flower guild.

Following the wedding mass, the bride and groom recessed to the hymn Lift High the Cross.

A reception hosted by the bride’s parents was held at the Vicksburg Country Club. Guests dined and danced to music by the Memphis band Almost Famous.

The driving entrance to the club featured aligned lanterns, and club doors were encircled with fresh flowers and greenery.

Cascading arrangements of roses, hydrangeas, and lilies draped the chandeliers of the ballroom. The bride’s wedding cake, designed by Heather Burns, was a focal point of the reception. The four-tiered, ivory and white butter cream confection was adorned with pale pink cherry blossoms. The groom’s chocolate, cream-frosted cake was in the shape of the state of Oklahoma.

On the eve of the wedding, the bride’s aunts and close friends hosted a bridal luncheon at Anchuca to honor the bride, her wedding party, and out-of-town guests.

The dining room was decorated with floral arrangements of roses, hydrangeas, and tulips. That evening, the groom hosted an elegant cocktail party and rehearsal dinner for out-of-town guests, family, and the wedding party at the B’nai B’rith Literary Club. Both the entrance and ballroom were adorned with cherry blossoms.

On the morning of the wedding, outof-town guests were entertained at a jazz brunch hosted by friends in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Bailess. Jazz music was provided by Mr. Alfonso Stevens.

Afterwards, the groom hosted a private tour of the Vicksburg Military Park.

The day after the wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Bowman hosted a brunch at their home for out-of-town guests and hostesses.

Piano music was provided by Mr. David Williamson.

Parties celebrating the couple’s marriage included an announcement party hosted in December 2012 by close friends at the Vicksburg home of Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Windham. Mr. Jack Johnson hosted a cocktail dinner party at his home in Greenwood, Mississippi, in March honoring the bride; and her friends, while there, spent the weekend at the Alluvian Spa. The Honorable Katherine Anderson of Middleburg, Virginia, hosted a luncheon in March for the bride at her home, Waterford Farm.

A brunch and shower honored the bride in Alexandria, Virginia, in the home of Mrs. Hugh Gamble. In March, the groom was entertained by groomsmen and friends at the Floridian Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

After honeymooning in Naples, Florida, and Northern California, the couple is at home in Washington, D.C. PHOTOS BY RENEE MICHELE

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 53

Lauren Marissa Flax & Michael Thomas Engle III

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entertained for lunch by Campbell and Rob Smith at Cave’s Valley Golf Club.

After honeymooning in Belize, the couple is at home in Denver, Colorado.

JACKSON PHOTOS BY CAMPBELL-LONNIE KEES PHOTOGRAPHY BALTIMORE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL-RENEE’ MICHELE PHOTOGRAPHY

L

auren Marissa Flax and Michael Thomas Engle III were united in marriage on the evening of July 6, 2013, at the Baltimore Country Club in Baltimore, Maryland.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lloyd Flax of Baltimore. The groom is the son of Mrs. Billy Burton Bowman of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Mr. Michael Thomas Engle, Jr., of Madison, Mississippi.

He is the grandson of the late Mrs. Fulton Sherman Mills of Brookhaven, Mississippi; the late Mr. Jewel Hilton Campbell of Brookhaven; and Mrs. Michael Thomas Engle and the late Reverend Michael Thomas Engle of Greenwood, Mississippi.

On their wedding day, the couple, their parents, and the wedding party traveled

by Baltimore trolley to the Baltimore Country Club where the ceremony was held outdoors on the old putting green. Guests were given parasols and fans to shade the summer heat. A string quartet provided classical and contemporary music including a medley of The Beatles. Escorted by her parents, the bride wore a sculptured lacetiered, chiffon gown with appliqued lace and silk roses. Complementing the bride’s gown was a bridal bouquet of flowers including white peonies.

Attending the bride were four of her best friends including Campbell Engle Smith, the sister of the groom. Granville Napier Engle II, the groom’s brother, served as best man. The groomsmen were Brett Bradley; John Halpin Caldwell; Eustace Cowan Conway; Jonathan

Flax, brother of the bride; Samuel Claude Hall, cousin of the groom; Kenneth Ibsen; Michael Kinard; Walt Lampton; Will Lampton; Scott Noblitt; and Matthew Owens.

Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception and formal dinner at the Baltimore Country Club.

As part of the formal dinner, the married couple received champagne toasts from the father of the bride, the maid of honor, and the best man. Roses, hydrangeas, and lilies draped the tables, which were adorned with cotton blossoms. Dancing followed in the ball room.

The Fourth of July weekend began with the bride’s parents hosting a Maryland crab feast followed by spectacular fireworks display over Fort McHenry.

On the eve of the wedding, the groom entertained his groomsmen and guests with a day of golf at the Baltimore Country Club. The bride’s mother hosted a bridal luncheon at Mama’s on the Half Shell, a popular Baltimore venue, followed by an afternoon at the Four Seasons Spa. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. Bowman hosted a cocktail reception on the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Decorations of Vicksburg, Ole Miss, the Grove, and Colonel Reb greeted the guests. After a rousing Hotty Toddy cheer given by the groomsmen, family members and friends gave toasts and shared comments about the couple to be married.

On the day of the wedding, the groom’s relatives and out-of-town guests were

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 55

Margaret Alison Perkins & Stephen Randall Hollingsworth

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argaret Alison and Stephen Randall Hollingsworth were united in marriage August 24, 2013 in Natchez, Mississippi. The couple’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Don Perkins of Brookhaven, Mississippi and Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hollingsworth of Spring, Texas.

The wedding ceremony was held at First Presbyterian Church officiated

by Reverend Noelle Read with music provided by Joshua Nichols and family friend Sarah Underwood. The bride was given in marriage by her father, Don Delmar Perkins.

The bride wore a Maggie Sottero, white strapless fitted A-line gown with dipped neckline and corset closure.

Extravagant embellished lace on Point d’Esprit creates this classic look with a beaded empire band circling the empire waist and finishing with a delicate scalloped border hem. Her chapel length veil complimented her Maggie Sottero gown.

Whitney Perkins, sister of the bride, of Brookhaven, Mississippi served as maid of honor with Marcee Carty of Jackson, Mississippi, Beth Dunaway of Waynesville, North Carolina, Brandi Hollingsworth of Spring, Texas, Katie Taylor of Ridgeland, Mississippi, and Andrea Tyson of Las Cruces, New Mexico, as bridesmaids.

Flower girl was Sophie Hollingsworth, niece of the groom, from Spring, Texas.

Alex Hollingsworth, brother of the groom, of Spring, Texas served as best man. Groomsmen were Zach Baugh of Dallas, Texas, Tom Bryant of Natchez, Mississippi, Mark Carter of Vidalia, Louisiana Scott Hanson of Natchez, Mississippi, Josh Purkeypile of Fort Worth, Texas, and Chris Walling of Lake Charles,

Louisiana. Serving as ushers were Eddie Burkes of Natchez, Mississippi, Lane Feltus of Natchez, Mississippi, Howard Jones of Natchez, Mississippi, Jeff Perkins of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and B.C. Tibeaux of Lafayette, Louisiana. The wedding weekend corrdinations was orchestrated

by Cheryl Rinehart of Apropos Events and Weddings from Natchez, Mississippi.

The wedding party traveled by trolley to the wedding ceremony from historic Dunleith and back to where the reception took place. Inside the historic antebellum home and outside on the surrounding galleries and brick courtyard as guest dined, and danced to music by the Bluz Boys from Jackson, Mississippi . The wedding date was also the 30th birthday of the groom, Stephen Hollingsworth. Following the wedding reception the couple departed in a horse and carriage that took them to The Pub on the grounds of Dunleith where they continued celebrating with out-of-town friends and family.

The couple was honored throughout the weekend with additional parties beginning with the Friday night rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom’s parents Susan and Guy Hollingsworth at Briarview overlooking the Mississippi River. Music entertainment was offered by Osgood and Blaque of Vicksburg, Mississippi. On Saturday morning a brunch was hosted

by Becky and Louis Jones and Frances and Bobby Meason serving grits and grillades for the wedding party and outof-town guests. Following the Saturday evening event guests were entertained with a brunch hosted by the groom’s aunts and uncles, Sandra and Eddie Burkes and Linda and McKinley Lundy at Pearl Street Pasta in downtown Natchez, Mississippi.

PHOTOS BY HALEY BALE

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 57

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fter a seven-year acquaintance and a wedding proposal on a sunset cruise, Amber Janeé Restivo and Charles Bradley Davis, both of Brookhaven, Mississippi, were united in marriage at four o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, October 26, 2013, at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi. Officiating at the ceremony was the groom’s childhood friend Reverend Trey Waldrop of Summit, Mississippi.

Parents of the bride are Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Restivo of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Her grandparents are the late Mr. and Mrs. Rolly Ryan of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Dominick Restivo of Independence, Louisiana. Parents of the groom are Ms. Shirley Price of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and Mr. David Davis of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His grandparents are Don Haralson and the late Orell Haralson and the late Mr. and Mrs. Russell Davis, all of Bogue Chitto, Mississippi.

Escorted by her father at the chiming of the hour, the bride wore an Allure Bridal fit-and-flare ivory gown made of soft, light-holding organza. The fitted, drop-waist, strapless bodice featured a sweetheart neckline and was strategically ruched asymmetrically with shimmering embroidery and Swarovski crystal accents. The skirt was created from layers of soft organza and circular ruffles and was finished with a chapel-length train.

Her fingertip-length veil also featured Swarovski crystals. To complement her ensemble, she carried a clutch bouquet of white hydrangeas, flame calla lilies, and brown hypericum banded in ivory and lace ribbons. Wrapped around the bouquet was the bride’s late grandfather’s rosary and attached was her late grandmother’s brooch.

Julianna Lambert of Brookhaven, Mississippi, matchmaker for the bride and groom, served as maid of honor.

Bridesmaids included Carley Price, sister of the groom, and Kristen Haire, both of Brookhaven, Mississippi; Lissa Little

Amber Janeé Restivo & Charles Brad ley Davis Page 58 { January 2014 { Bluffs & Bayous

of Columbia, Mississippi; and Lindsey Blount of Union, Mississippi. They wore knee-length, chocolate chiffon dresses made by Mori Lee complemented by hand-made, pearl dangle earrings that were gifts from the bride. They carried bouquets of ivory calla lilies with brown hypericum and springer ferns banded in torrid orange arabesque ribbon.

Brookelynn Saxon of Albany, Louisiana, cousin of the bride, served as junior bride. She wore a white satin gown that was hand-made by her mother.

Don Haralson of Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, grandfather of the groom, served as best man. Groomsmen were John Haralson, Lane Nations, Sawyer Smith, and Wes Boyte, all of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Tommy Smith of Brookhaven served as ring bearer. Ushers were Herb McCullough and Philip Jarancik, both of Brookhaven.

Guests and the bridal party entered the sanctuary to a selection of tunes softly played by organist Rachel Gatlin.

Jared Smith sang the Matthew West wedding song, “When I Say I Do.” Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception at The Crossing, Brookhaven’s newest venue, where guests dined to a variety of Cajun and seafood hors d’oeuvres and danced to music played by the Kingpins.

The bride’s four-tiered, classic white wedding cake, featuring polka dots, swirls, and chevron designs, was topped with fresh white roses and accented with the couple’s initials. The cake was designed by Janet Smith of Sweet Things. The groom’s two-tiered, chocolate camouflage cake, designed

by Annie P’s, was topped with a custommade, laser-etched duck scene on a saw blade; it was surrounded by duck figurines and hunting pictures of the bride and groom. A surprise to the groom, displayed on an easel next to his cake table, was a canvas of the bride dressed in her wedding gown and holding the groom’s gun.

Prior to the nuptial ceremony, the groom’s mother hosted a rehearsal dinner at Annie P’s Restaurant where the wedding party and the couple’s family members enjoyed smoked pork tenderloin and blackened chicken with delicious sides followed by banana pudding, the groom’s favorite dessert.

A slideshow with childhood pictures of the honored couple concluded the delightful evening.

After a honeymoon at The St. Regis Resort in Bora Bora, the newlyweds now reside in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi.

Many special thanks go to Trisha Ray at Alford’s Florist in McComb, Mississippi, for the beautiful floral designs; to Louie and Julie Meeks at JM Photography for the amazing photographs; and to everyone at Top It Off Events.

PHOTOS BY J M PHOTOGRAPHY

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Marlee Kate Serafin & Garrett Wayne Jones

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arlee Kate Serafin and Garrett Wayne Jones, both of Natchez, Mississippi, were married Saturday, October 12, 2013, at six o’clock in the evening at Brandon Hall Plantation in Natchez with Brother Bill Hurt officiating.

Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. John Serafin III of Natchez, Mr. and Mrs. Rossi Copeland of Ferriday, Louisiana, and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Jones, also of Ferriday.

Grandparents of the couple are Mrs. Helen Hedglin and the late Mr. Marlin M. Hedglin of Natchez; Mrs. Myrtis Serafin and

the late Mr. John Serafin, Jr., of Gulfport, Mississippi; the late Mr. and Mrs. George Bryant of Natchez; and Mrs. Sadie Jones and the late Mr. Elwood Jones of Clayton, Louisiana.

Music for the ceremony was provided by violinist David Troutman, and Doug Yates was the soloist. The bride’s entrance was the traditional “Wedding March” played on an antique Regina music box that was also used at her parents’ wedding.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a gown designed by Justin

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Alexander with ivory lace over light gold underlay in the flattering mermaid style, which featured Queen Anne Venice lace. It also featured a fitted waist and high illusion back with fabric-covered buttons closing the illusion back and covering the zipper; from the fitted waist flowed a chapel-length train. The bride’s fingertip veil, designed by Malis Ellen Henderson of Canada, was ivory tulle edged in tiny pearls, interspaced with clusters of pearls and clear sequins, and outlined in mystique thread. She carried a hand-tied bouquet of white hydrangeas,

PHOTO BY TG MCCARY

white roses, and campanella peach and chablis spray roses.

Kari Guido of Natchez served as maid of honor, and Lauren Middleton of Natchez was matron of honor.

Bridesmaids were Adrian Ellsworth of Meadville, Mississippi; Suzannah Ketchings of Vidalia, Louisiana; and Beth Lambert and Brittany Torrence, both of Natchez. They wore grey floorlength, one-shoulder chiffon gowns and carried smaller versions of the bride’s bouquet.

Anna Grace Generes, Olivia Generes, and Adele Middleton, nieces of the groom, were flower girls.

Gary Jones, father of the groom, served as best man. Groomsmen were Michael Blain of Olive Branch, Mississippi; Joel Hurt of Wesson, Mississippi; John Wesley Middleton III and Thomas Riley, both of Natchez; and Turner Smith of Jackson, Mississippi. Jake Middleton, nephew of the groom, was ring bearer.

Ushers were Eric Byrne and Charles Mascagni, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Colby Verucchi of Flowood, Mississippi.

During the outdoor ceremony, the bride and groom exchanged their vows in front of a uniquely designed cross made by Dennis Short. The flowers for the ceremony and reception were designed

by Mary Lessley and Darby Short.

Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception in the Tracings Room on the grounds of Brandon Hall. Guests enjoyed a variety of food catered by Sissy Eidt while the band Scratch provided live music.

On the Friday preceding the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at BriarVue, which overlooks the Mississippi River.

After a wedding trip to Antigua in the Caribbean, the couple is at home in Natchez.

PHOTOS BY BARRETT PHOTOGRAPHY

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 61

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Lauren Ashley Trippe & Bryan Browning Nobile

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auren Ashley Trippe and Bryan Browning Nobile were united in marriage on January 26, 2013, at Saint Mary’s Chapel on the grounds of Laurel Hill Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi. The chapel, located down a long, winding gravel road, is a stucco covered brick building with a beautiful iron cross atop its Gothic spire. The bride and her father walked down the white and black marbled floor to meet the groom as the sun was beginning to set. Officiating at the intimate ceremony was Reverend Doug Broome.

Parents of the bride are Christopher Paul Trippe and Melanie Holder Trippe of Natchez. Parents of the groom are Jimmy Carl Nobile and the late Beverly Browning Nobile of Moorhead, Mississippi.

Maids of honor were the bride’s sisters, Amanda Shae Trippe and Taylor Christian Trippe. Cianna Brewer served as a junior bridesmaid. Best men were the groom’s father, Jimmy Carl Nobile, and the groom’s brother, Jamison Carl Nobile. Coleman Cooper served as junior groomsmen. Flower girls were Madilynn Leigh Brewer and Darbie Lynn Brewer; and Parker Browning Nobile, the groom’s nephew, was the ring bearer.

Music for the ceremony was provided by harpist Merisha Gore and flutist Robin Rutherford. They played a beautiful rendition of “Canon in D” for the processional of the wedding party followed by the traditional “Wedding March” as the bride entered the chapel.

The marble altar was accented by candelabras and red and white roses in arrangements designed by Moreton’s Flowerland of Natchez.

The bride wore an Allure Couture gown made with layers of lace appliqué and Swarovski crystals and complemented with a chapel-length train. The fitted gown featured a V-neck, cap sleeves, and an empire waist accented with Swarovski crystals. Her veil was accented with a jeweled comb and trimmed with matching crystals. The bride

wore the groom’s late mother’s blue sapphire ring and diamond earrings for her “something borrowed” and “something blue.”

Following the ceremony, the bride and groom hosted a candlelit reception at The Vue in the dining room overlooking the Mississippi River. The reception began with the couple’s first dance to “Stand by Me.” Amanda Trippe honored the newlyweds with a heartwarming toast of love; and thereafter, the wedding party and guests were entertained by the local band Black Bayou as guests dined on delicacies

by The Vue restaurant.

The couple’s cakes were made

by Edna’s Cake Creations of Natchez. The bride’s three-tier cake was decorated with an elegant scroll design and red roses. The groom’s cake featured a baseball, representing his love of the game.

In tribute to the bride’s maternal grandparents’ fifty-ninth wedding anniversary, the grandmother’s wedding gown and couple’s photo were displayed in the entryway.

Sparklers lit the night as the bride and groom exited the reception through a tunnel of their closest friends and family.

Following a Natchez honeymoon at the Sunset View Cottages atop the bluff of the Mississippi River, the couple is at home in Wesson, Mississippi. The bride is employed as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department of Natchez Community Hospital; and the groom is employed by Copiah Lincoln Community College in Wesson as Assistant Dean of Students, Assistant Baseball Coach, and Assistant Athletic Director.

PHOTOS BY HALEY BALE

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 63

Becky Wall & Barrett Bates

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arrett Bates is the son of Johnnie Bates and Penny Travis, both of Kentwood, Louisiana. Bates graduated from Sumner High School in 2006. Bates has a six-yearold daughter, Alyvia, who attends Oak Forest Academy. Bates is employed by Matrix Corp., which requires him to be away from home for long periods of time and several hundreds of miles away. Of course, he always manages to find the time for his family back home. The Bride, Becky Wall, is a 2008 graduate of Amite School Center in Liberty, Mississippi, and the daughter of Sandra and Jamie Wall of Gilsburg, Mississippi.

The couple started dating in March of 2011 and was inseparable. They enjoyed so many of the same activities together and had many of the same friends. They always found as much time for each other as possible in between Wall’s full time job at Oceans Healthcare of Kentwood, Louisiana, and while Barrett was away at work, too.

On June 22, 2013, Barrett popped the question; and Becky said, “Yes!” He could not have asked her in a simpler yet heartwarming way. Bates and his daughter, Alyvia, baked a cake, which was Wall’s favorite; and they wrote in icing on the cake, “Will you marry us?”

The ring was in a heart as the center piece of the cake. Alyvia brought the cake in and asked Wall with her sweet voice, “Will you, Ms. Becky?” Of course, Wall was shocked they made her a cake and did not realize what was written on it at first. Once she knew what Alyvia was asking, she said yes with tears of happiness. From there, the wedding planning began.

With family and friends surrounding them, the couple exchanged their vows at Jolimar in Summit, Mississippi, at seven o’clock in the evening on June 22, 2013 – exactly one year after the proposal. What was going to be a small and simple wedding turned into a big wedding day. It was the perfect wedding day with a slight breeze blowing, a few clouds overhead, and rainbows as our back drop for the ceremony. Family and friends gathered for an outdoor ceremony. The reception followed after the ceremony late into the evening with plenty of entertainment.

The wedding party consisted of three bridesmaids, maid of honor, junior bridesmaids, and two flower girls, along with the three groomsmen, best man, junior groomsmen, and two ring bearers.

The rustic wedding ceremony was decorated with mason jars, burlap, and hints of turquois with white daisies and hydrangeas. It was a simple southern belle theme. The groom’s cake was a two-tiered devil’s food LSU theme cake.

The bride’s cake was four tiers of coconut cupcakes. The newlyweds greeted guests with a welcome sign that simply asked them to pick a seat and not a side to symbolize their union.

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JANUARY

up & coming!

Through January 5 Christmas on Ice Baptist Madison Clinic Ridgeland, MS Baptist Madison Dr. 1 - 11 pm $15 admission (601)500-5970 / www.visitridgeland.com Through January 5 Skating on the River River Center Baton Rouge, LA 275 South River Rd. 9:30 am - 9:30 pm (225)389-3030 Through January 12 Italian Art from the Collection Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 S. Lamar St. 9 am - 5 pm (601)960-1515 / www.msmuseumart.org Through January 19 Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Jackson, MS 2148 Riverside Dr. 9 am - 5 pm (601)354-7303 / www.museum.mdwfp.com Through January 19 I Gave My Whole Life To Words LSU Museum of Arts Baton Rouge, LA 100 Lafayette St. 10 am - 5pm $5 (225)389-7200/ www.lsumoa.org

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up & coming! JANUARY

Through February 14 Life into the Fiction: The Murder of Medgar Evers Eudora Welty House and Visitors Center Jackson, MS 1109 Pinehurst St. 9am - 3pm (601)353-7762

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 71

JANUARY

up & coming!

January 4 Krewe of Phoenix Twelfth Night Party Natchez, MS 408 Main St. Members only

January 9 A Trip to Italy Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 S. Lamar St. 7 pm (601)960-1515 / www.msmuseumart.com January 11 Mississippi Blues Marathon Jackson Convention Complex Jackson, MS 105 E. Pascagoula St. 8am - 3pm www.msbluesmarathon.com January 11 Native American Story Time Turing Pages Natchez, MS 520 Franklin St. 1:30 pm (601)238-8325 / murrayy@bellsouth.net

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up & coming! JANUARY January 11 Classics Recovered Band featuring Travis Woods The Dixie Center for Arts Ruston, LA 212 N. Vienna St. 7 - 10 pm $20 admission (318)255-1450 / www.dixiecenter.org January 11 2nd Saturday Downtown Natchez Natchez, MS Downtown 6 - 8 pm (601)442-2929/ downtown@natchez.org January 11 Post-Civil War Pointe Coupee Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center New Roads, LA 500 Main St. 10 am - 2pm (225)718-4275 / www.atchafalaya.org

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JANUARY

up & coming!

January 12 William’s Winter Soup Workshop Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, MS 1302 Adams St. 5:30 - 7:30 pm $30 members / $35 non members (601)631-2997 / www.southernculture.org January 16 Family Fun Science Night Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Jackson, MS 2148 Riverside Dr. 5 - 7 pm $12 admission (601)345-7303 / museum.mdwfp.com January 16-17 My Brother’s Keeper Jackson Convention Center Jackson, MS 105 E. Pascagoula St. Monday 7 am / Tuesday 5 pm (601)960-2584 www.jacksonconventioncomplex.com January 16-19 Mississippi Theater Association Convention Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, MS 1600 Mulberry St. Times vary (601)630-2929 www.vicksburgevents.com

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up & coming! JANUARY January 17 Look and Learn with Hoot Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 S. Lamar Street 10:30 am (601)960-1515 / www.msmuseumart.org January 17 The Art of Fashion: Anthony Ryan Louisiana Art and Science Museum Baton Rouge, LA 100 River Rd. 7 - 9 pm $15 members & college students / $20 non-members (225)344-5272 / www.lasm.org January 18 Chill in the Hill Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, MS Washington St. 8:30 am (601)634-4527 www.downtownvicksburg.org

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JANUARY

up & coming!

January 22 Art in Mind Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, MS 380 S. Lamar St. 10 am (601)960-1515 / www.msmuseumart.com January 22 More than a Painting Workshop Southern Cultural Heritage Center Vicksburg, MS 1302 Adams St. 5:30 - 8:30 pm $40 members / $45 non members (601)631-2997/ www.southernculture.org

January 23-26 Clybourne Park Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, MS 319 Linton Ave. 7:30 pm $15 admission www.natchezlittletheatre.org January 24 Bring It On: The Musical River Center Theatre Baton Rouge, LA 275 South River Center Rd. 7 pm (225)389-3030 / www.brrivercenter.com January 24-26 Cosi Fan Tutte Saenger Theater Hattiesburg, MS 201 Forrest St. 7:30 pm (601)584-4888

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up & coming! JANUARY January 25 Krewe of Phoenix Call Out Ball Natchez City Auditorium Natchez, MS 7:00 pm – 1:00 am $10.00 non-members Cash Bar January 25 Chili for Children Cook-Off Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg, MS 1380 Warrenton Rd. 11 am - 3 pm $5 (601)363-2340 www.ladyluckvicksburg.com January 25 C.S Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters River Center Theatre Baton Rouge, LA 275 South River Rd. 3 & 6 pm (225)389-3030 / www.brrivercenter.com

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JANUARY

up & coming!

January 29 Barry Manilow River Center Baton Rouge, LA 275 South River Rd. 6:30 pm (225)389-3030 January 30 Taylis Fernandez and John Paul Concert St. Andrew’s Cathedral Jackson, MS 305 E. Capitol St. 7:30 pm $20 admission Richard McGinnis / (601)594-5584 www.ancientmusic.org January 31 Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp The Stone Theater Ruston, LA Wisteria St. 7:30 - 9:30 pm Adults $20 / Youth $15 (318)257-2711 February 6 The American Spiritual Ensemble Bologna Performing Arts Center Cleveland, MS 7:30 pm Ticket prices vary www.bolognapac.com

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Bridal shows January 9 2014 Bridal Showcase Elite Hall New Orleans, LA 601 Loyola Dr. 5 - 8 pm $10 in advance / $20 at door (504)830-7241 / erin@myneworleans.com www.lmyneworleans.com January 12 Le Par Fait Jour “The Perfect Day” Lake Charles Civic Center Lake Charles, LA 900 Lake Shore Dr. $5 admission (337)652-4101 / billie_wws@att.net www.weddingswithstyle.net January 12 The Premier Bridal Show Jackson Convention Complex Jackson, MS 105 Pascagoula Street 1 - 5 pm (601)957-1050 / www.premierbridems.com

January 19 The Premier Bridal Show of North Mississippi BanCorp South Conference Center Tupelo, MS 387 East Main St. 1 - 4 pm (601)957-1050 / www.premierbridems.com January 19 Jour De l’Amour: A Bridal Expo Grey Stone Country Club Denham Springs, LA 9214 Grey Stone Dr. 1 - 4 pm Virginia Conaway daytoremeberweddingevents@gmail.com January 26 Baton Rouge Bridal Show Baton Rouge River Center Baton Rouge, LA 1 - 4 pm $10 advance / $15 at door sales@n-joyeventsbr.com www.theweddingmarket.com

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Bridal shows January 26 Memphis Pink Bridal Show Hilton Memphis Hotel Memphis, TN 939 Ridge Lake Blvd.

Noon (865)531-3941 / www.thepinkbride.com

January 26 Weddings with Style Bossier Civic Center Bossier City, LA 620 Benton Rd. 12:30 - 4:30 pm $10 admission Lana Rosalee / (318)752-5507/ editor@weddingswithstyle.net www.weddingswithstyle.net January 26 The Premier Bridal Show of the Gulf Coast Mississippi Coast Coliseum Biloxi, MS 2350 Beach Blvd.

1 - 4 pm (601)957-1050 / www.premierbridems.com January 26 South West Wedding Expo Old Kellwood Mill McComb, MS 1401 Old Hwy 51 1 - 4 pm Debbie Williams / (601)810-2026 January 26 12th Annual American Bridal Show Lake Terrace Convention Center Hattiesburg, MS 1 Convention Center Plaza 1 - 4 pm $7 admission www.hubbrides.com February 23 White Oak Plantation Bridal Show White Oak Plantation Baton Rouge, LA 17660 George O’Neal Rd. (225)751-1882 www.whiteoakplantation.com March 16 17th Annual Bridal Show 2014 Lafayette Cajun Dome Lafayette, LA 444 Cajun Dome Blvd.

Noon $12 admission Robin Hebert / (337)769-8603 robinh@theind.com / www.theind.com Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.

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THE social SCENE OSYKA, MS

Osyka Fall Festival

T

he Annual Osyka Fall Festival was held September 28, 2013, in downtown Osyka, Mississippi. Those in attendance enjoyed local arts and crafts, entertainment, carnival games and pony rides for the kids, along with a car, truck, and motorcycle show that culminated as a fun-filled family event.

1 Annalee Keller 2 Third Place for the Rib Competition—Bone Collector 3 Kim Wall with Bryanna Andrews and Ella Liuzza 4 Madeline Lenior and Lexie Bailey 5 Sarah and Levi Strickland 6 Professional Rib winner—Southern Heat 7 Emme Alston Lee 8 Professional Rib second place—Taggarts Southern Grille 9 Amateur Wing winner—Six Shooter BBQ 10 Amateur Wing third place winner—Old Smokeys

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SOUTHERN SAMPLER

story by Alma M. Womack

From Under the Shade Tree

D

on’t look to me for any New Year’s resolutions. I gave up on that nonsense years ago. My only resolution is to get through the day unscathed, fed, clothed, and housed. I figure if I can do that I am ahead of the game.

I do find that I am more apprehensive than usual approaching the coming year, and it has all to do with the climate of chaos in Washington. There is not much I can do about it, but it is still worrisome, and feeling this way is no fun. Perhaps like Candide, I should tend to my garden and ignore the foolish crowds until they start intruding into said garden.

The greenhouse has become my haven this winter where I am puttering with a variety of plants to set out in the yard when the time is right. When the greenhouse was being built, I got carried away with the height and got it a bit tall, making it harder

to keep warm in the winter. Space heaters work pretty well and are keeping the potted plants alive and well when the weather outside is not so nice. It is a peaceful place to work, and I can shut out the dog pack that stays under my feet when I’m in the yard.

Last fall, I decided to cut back the area in the yard behind the house. The distance from the oak trees to the field has increased several disk widths through the years, and it is mostly my fault. Not only do I mow the yard but also mow the turning row, right up to the crop, for I cannot bear to look at weeds between me and the cotton, beans, or milo. So, every fall when the fall field work is done, the tractor driver sees where I have mowed; and they move over a little bit to make sure they don’t get too close to any of my many plants. No one wants to be the culprit who sprays the crazy woman’s plants in the spring and either damages or kills them,

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so they keep moving back. I figure at the rate we are going I will be mowing several acres that could be put into crops by the time my mowing days are done.

This yard that started out with morning shade and many sun plants has evolved through the years to morning and evening shade and mostly plants that like filtered light. I just kept planting trees all over the place when I should have been content with the pecan and sweetgum trees that fronted the yard. But no. There are five good-size live oak trees across the side and back yards that started out as wee switches in 1971, but they are now shading most of the back yard.

As all gardeners know, no grass will grow very well under a live oak tree; so I have ended up with large areas of sparse vegetation to control. To compensate for no vegetation, I have filled a number of

large containers with shade plants under the first tree where there is also a wonderful wooden swing with long chains that make for a great swinging experience.

The second tree shades the boys’ tree house, and the ground is covered with pea gravel where they dig, haul, and rearrange rocks with all their outside equipment. It is a grand place to play and a magnet for all the children who visit here.

The third tree has no plants or rocks— just a little grass and few thorny vines that I am continually fighting. The fourth tree is where I park the ATV and the limb trailer. It also has a swing for me when I am watching the boys in their tire swing in the fifth tree.

Both number four and number five have lirope, ardisia, and lemon balm growing under them. These plants require no care; and the lirope is especially loved by Rocco, the Mountain Pyrenees behemoth, who uses it as a cool bed in the summertime.

Past the oak trees are a couple of Chinese Tallow trees, Crepe Myrtle trees, and several native pecan trees. There is also a large live oak that shades the chicken yard and has to be trimmed every year or so for the limbs keep growing and lying on the roof of the chicken’s house, and I can’t have that.

All these trees that started out so small are now growing close and forming a canopy of vegetation that I work under on the north side of the yard. It is all my fault because I have planted every one of them, and I loathe cutting anything down. They’ll die in their own time; and if I’m here, I’ll help to clean up once their down.

By the time this issue goes to print, I should have all the pruning of trees and

shrubs done, bulbs planted, and flower pots cleaned and ready for the plants of spring.

It is a good bit of work, but it is such a worthwhile chore to get the yard shaped up for the coming year. I enjoy the outside work, even when it’s cold; for not only is it good to be working with nature, it also is good to have the yard more orderly again.

Now, if I could just transplant that joy to housework. Happy New Year to all from us yard workers on Black River.

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.

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 83

THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS

Pilgrimage Garden Club’s Antiques Forum Farewell Soiree

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he thirty-sixth Antiques Form, sponsored by the Pilgrimage Garden Club, was held November 7 through 9. The focus was on the life of Jefferson Davis and the 150th Anniversary of the Union takeover on Natchez, Mississippi. The farewell soiree was the final event of the forum that entertained speakers and attendees in Stanton Hall.

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1 Tom McGehee with Greer and Carol Richardson and Barbara and Kelton Morris 2 Daniel Brooks and Jeanette Feltus 3 Laura and Scott McLemore 4 Toni Clark, Bitsy Gannon, and Sisi Brewer 5 Bertram and Carol Hayss-Davis

THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MS

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6 Marshall Shaw, Katherine de’ Montiluzim, Sylvia Porteous, and Randy George 7 Ulyssess Grant Dietza, Jay Carlisle, Judy Powell, and Donna Callaway 8 Sarah Smith, Emily Maxwell, Noelle Speed, and Fayla Guedon 9 Greer Richardson, Lauren Clark, and Dean Knight

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THE social SCENE VICKSBURG, MS

May and Company Picnic

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n October 26, 2013, May & Company, LLP, Certified Public Accountants of Vicksburg, Mississippi, had their Fall Family Picnic at the home of Katie and Rich Feibelman. The kids enjoyed many activities including pumpkin painting, and the adults took part in a bean bag toss competition.

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1 Ben Buck, Kelley Hicks, Katie Feibelman, and Melissa Hickman 2 Angie and Justin Jones 3 Will Carruth, Riley Nelson, and Nathan Cummins 4 Lindsay and Will Carruth 5 Linda Cook and Jennifer Harper 6 Kelley Trest and Jill Farmer

THE social SCENE

VICKSBURG, MS

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7 Laura Barlow and Lindsay Carruth 8 Mari Stoudt 9 Ian and Jennifer Harper with Alice Ellis 10 Lisa Gwin with Blair and Josh McBride 11 Ben Buck, Kyle Signa, and Jill Farmer

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THE social SCENE PORT GIBSON, MS

The Order of the First Families’ Fall Gathering

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he fall gathering of The Order of the First Families of Mississippi was held on Saturday, September 28, 2013, in Port Gibson, Mississippi. A welcome party was held at 10:00 am at Isabella Bed and Breakfast. At noon, a luncheon was held in the cafeteria of Chamberlain Hunt Academy.

Governor General Holmes Sturgeon presided over the meeting. The Chamberlain Hunt Ensemble provided music entertainment during the lunch. Chamberlain Hunt Academy President’s Keith Fraley spoke about the mission and purpose of Chamberlain Hunt Academy. Thomas H. Bowen, Jr., a past President and longtime member of the Board of Directors of Chamberlain Hunt Academy, gave an overview of the history of the school. A tour of the campus concluded the morning’s events of Chamberlain Hunt Academy. Members and guests also toured the First Presbyterian Church, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Wintergreen Cemetery, and the Ruins of Windsor that afternoon.

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Roy and Christine Eaton Virginia Carlton and Betty Bradley Alex Chesser and Janice Carter Jill and John Taylor Emma Crisler and Michael Herrin

THE social SCENE

PORT GIBSON, MS

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6 Cindy Phillips and Kathy Henry 7 Deborah Lum, Christine Eaton, and Frances Nelson 8 John and Jill Taylor with Tom Bowen 9 Michael Herrin with Kathy and Mark Henry 10 Grace Jones, Alex Chesser, and Deborah Henderson 11 Frances Williams, Virginia Brickell, and Charles Williams

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“Tatas To Go” Launch Party

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ina Riad had a launch party for her company “Tatas To Go” in September at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Her childhood friends from Texas to Florida joined in her celebration.

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Front—Suzy Gagnon, Tracey Farrell, Tracy DeBont, and Shannon Schierman; back—Debbie Gannaway, Sue Martin, and Nanette Miglio

Bluffs & Bayous { January 2014 { Page 89

THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MS

Gathering for a Birthday and Jewels

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riends gathered at the home of Lynn Janette recently as she and Hannah Provance hosted a jewelry party and trunk show to celebrate Lynn’s birthday in Natchez, Mississippi.

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1 Lynn Janette and Kimberly Burkley 2 Katie Tillman and Judy Burkley 3 Lacie Merritt, Lynn Janette, and Lisa Poole Myrick 4 Hannah Provance, Mattie McGehee, and Sophie Gasquet 5 Lynn Janette and Hannah Provance

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