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From Your Publisher . . .
W
elcome to the exciting month of December. Throughout the Bluffs & Bayous region, folks have been preparing to make this holiday season a spectacular one. In many of our communities, holiday decorations already “deck the halls” as they eagerly welcome the Christmas season, anticipate the lighting of the towns’ Christmas trees, and complement the Christmas parades that kick off following Thanksgiving weekend. Add this spirited expectancy to some of our recent chilly days and nights, and….. it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! In our December issue, we feature one of our community’s annual Christmas traditions—the work of the Santa Claus Committee in Natchez, Mississippi— that reaches out to embrace those whose holidays need a bit of brightening. Many of us are blessed with good health and the material comforts of home, nice jobs,
and financial security. Many others are not. The Santa Claus Committee with a bit of merriment and bastion of commitment has sought to help these multitudes who are not. For eighty-two years now on Christmas Eve, this committee’s enthusiastic members have cruised around the city of Natchez in a parade of their various vehicles, including Santa in his open-air “ride,” tossing candy and quarters and spreading cheer to children (and adults) along the way. At the end of their hours-long parade route, committee members welcome children to a Christmas party and distribute Christmas gifts, funded from the thousands of dollars the committee raises for this and other community-assistance agencies. We applaud all those in our communities who work so hard, so selflessly, to brighten the hearts of so many and keep the tradition of service alive in our communities. May their spirit, which is the spirit of Christmas both now and year round, find its way into all of our hearts this season and enrich us with a stronger conviction of what our purpose and mission are here on earth. This season brings amazing events for all of us to enjoy. It is a refreshing
time to reflect on the real reason for and the real message of this holiday season. Our December…Up & Coming calendar chronicles these many events throughout the region, and we provide their websites for you to visit and learn more about the exciting details. Be sure to select your favorites to attend and spread the spirit of the season. May all of our days this December be blessed with giving to others and may the riches of this sharing be reinvested year after year as we cherish life along and beyond the Mississippi. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the staff of Bluffs & Bayous!
Cheryl, Jean, Anita, Jan, JoAnna, Susan, Donna, Van, Michael, Sarah Adam, Elise, and all our Contributors
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C o n t r i b u t o r s
publisher Cheryl Foggo Rinehart editors Jean Nosser Biglane Cheryl Foggo Rinehart graphic designers Jan Ratcliff Anita Schilling media coordinator Adam Blackwell staff photographers Van O’Gwin Elise D. Parker Cheryl Rinehart sales staff Susan Harris Cheryl Rinehart Donna Sessions JoAnna Sproles
Adam Blackwell
Jean Biglane
Susan Harris
Van O’Gwin
Elise D. Parker
Jan Ratcliff
Cheryl Rinehart
Anita Schilling
Donna Sessions
JoAnna Sproles
Columnist Dr. Gary R. Bachman is an assistant extension professor of horticulture at Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Columnist Mary Emrick is the owner of Turning Pages Books & More in Natchez, Mississippi.
Johnny Bowlin serves as pastor at Meadville Baptist Church in Meadville, Mississippi. He has had editorials published in ESPN the Magazine, The Birmingham News, and The Desoto Times. He has also written two youth devotionals entitled The Real World and Teenagers God Uses and was a contributing writer for the New Orleans Zephyrs newsletter Bleacher Creature. A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and of New Orleans Baptist Seminary, he is married to Melinda, and they have one daughter.
Jennie Guido is a graduate of Delta State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Master’s Degree in English Education. She currently lives in the heart of the Delta in Cleveland, Mississippi, but she still calls Natchez home.
Columnist Ross McGehee, a lifelong resident of Natchez, Mississippi, owns a diversified and far-flung farm operation.
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 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 info@bluffsbayous.com editor@bluffsbayous.com sales@bluffsbayous.com www.bluffsbayous.com
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December 2011 FEATURES
Something Scrumptious Where Charity and Love Abide, There You’ll Find Christmas............... 26-29 Father and Son Collaborate on Mystery Thrillers.................................. 30-33 Try a Little Tin Roof................................................................................. 34-35
FAVORITES All Outdoors Pajamas for Christmas............................................................................. 14-15
Events December. . . Up and Coming!............................................................... 52-68
From the Stacks All Your Favorite Southern Cakes.......................................................... 10-11
In the Garden Effective Edging for Crisp Bed Lines........................................................... 20
Something Scrumptious
Where Charity and Love Abide, There You’ll Find Christmas pages 26 - 29
Pearl St. Pasta, Natchez, Mississippi....................................................... 38-39
Southern Sampler Pullets, Pecans, Coons......and Christmas!.............................................. 44-45 Christmas Has Done Me Good..................................................................... 51
THE Social Scene Brookhaven School District Retired Educators Reception........................... 9 Fourth Annual Classics in the Courtyard................................................ 12-13 Bryanna Andrews’ Birthday Tea Party........................................................ 16 Natchez Garden Club Fall Bash.............................................................. 18-19 Brookhaven Book Club Author Visit........................................................... 24 Friends 50 Trip.............................................................................................. 24 Community Hospital Hosts Chamber After-Hours..................................... 36 Newcomers Club Cocktail Party.............................................................. 40-41 Caroline Laird’s Sweet Sixteen Party...................................................... 46-47 Thompson Retirement Dinner..................................................................... 50 Grand Re-opening for Riverfront Royale Salon and Spa........................... 69 Retirement Party for Peggy Sue Fulghum............................................. 70-74 Women’s Health Expo............................................................................. 76-77 “Hootin’ and Rootin’” for Caroline’s Team........................................... 78-79 Oktoberfest Celebration.............................................................................. 80
Father and Son Collaborate on Mystery Thrillers pages 30 - 33
on the cover Reigning as the eighty-third Santa and representing The Santa Claus Committee, is Dr. Robert (Bob) Sizemore, who will take to the streets in Natchez, Mississippi, on Christmas Eve. Known for bringing Christmas cheer throughout the town, this civic committee is one of the many volunteer groups who work to make sure those in need receive the magic of the holiday. See story page 26 - 29. Photograph by Van O’Gwin of Van’s Photography in Vidalia, Louisiana.
Try a Little Tin Roof pages 34 - 35 Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 7
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A
THE Social Scene Brookhaven School District Retired Educators Reception
n annual appreciation reception recently honored retired teachers of the Brookhaven, Mississippi, School District. The come-and-go reception was held November 8 in the Lipsey School Library with Lipsey staff members and Lipsey student ambassadors, the Lamplighters, hosting the event.
Joyce Moore, Avie Collins, Laverne Edmonson, and Rita Rich
Wayne McGee, Sonya Foster, and John Ogden
Patsy Blalack, Connie Boyd, and Vicky Wallace Glenda Hart, Jean Phillips, and Phyllis Spearman
Sandra Meacham, Rosemary Britt, and Susan Chapman
Jan Franklin, Superintendent Dr. Lisa Karmacharya, Kathleen Hedgepeth, and F. D. Moore
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From the Stacks | review by Mary Emrick
All Your Favorite Southern Cakes! Cake Ladies: Celebrating a Southern Tradition by Jodi Rhoden Published by Lark an imprint of Sterling Publishing Company
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veryone knows a “cake lady.” This person is the one in your family, your church, your neighborhood or town who owns the title for her delectable cakes. She is the lady that brings the most delicious cakes for fellowships, reunions, potluck gatherings, and even funerals. Her cakes disappear first at these events leaving others’ cakes for second choice. We all know what the “cake lady” will bring and usually we know what flavor. Her reputation precedes her. Sterling Publishing Company’s imprint Lark Crafts released a book in November written to honor Southern Cake Ladies. The book Cake Ladies: Celebrating a Southern Tradition was conceived and written by Jodi Rhoden. The mouth-watering photography is credited to Lynne Hartley, Susan Patrice, and Jodi Rhoden. A cake lady herself, Rhoden owns and operates Short Street Cakes, a bakery in Asheville, North Carolina. Short Street Cakes evolved from Rhoden’s own home kitchen industry. The idea for the book Cake Ladies came to Jodi through her blog “My Life in Cake” from which she discovered others
throughout the South who were filling the resurging desire of consumers for scratch cakes. Rhoden then traveled throughout the South, looking for cake ladies young and old. After many visits, cakes to taste, and stories to hear, she selected fifteen biographies to include in her book. The creativity of the ladies is unmatched and as varied as the cakes and locations they represent. Each lady provides not only the story of how she earned the cake-lady designation but also the recipe she prizes the most; a few of these ladies divulge more than one treasured recipe. Along with their stories and recipes, the cake ladies share a bit of kitchen wisdom. The eldest cake lady, Mary Moon of Marietta, Georgia, states, “I was never lonely baking cakes, because people were always coming by and visiting when they’d come to get their orders.” Mary Moon gives us her “Fresh Coconut Cake” recipe including instructions on how to crack a coconut. All favorite Southern cakes are included from the caramel cake to the Italian cream cake. You will want to try them all. Included in this tribute to cake ladies is information on the “anatomy of a cake.” Rhoden describes each ingredient and what element it adds to the cake. Butter brings flavor and moisture while eggs allow air to be trapped in the batter and give the cake texture. She also discusses tools of the trade, helping bakers choose the correct pan, spatula, mixer, and oven temperature for their cakes. Cake Ladies: Celebrating a Southern Tradition by the young cake lady Jodi
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Rhoden is a great book for those who enjoy reading as well as using cookbooks. The stories are a delight and the pictures inspired me to head to my kitchen where I baked the “Mississippi Mud Cake” and the “Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.” Next, I will try the “Lemon Cheese Layer Cake”… so many choices. All of the recipes in Jodi’s book have been tested and tweaked by a test kitchen in New York City to assure success by even novice cake bakers like me. Mississippi Mud Cake Barbara Higgins & Sally Roberts Asheville, North Carolina Prep Time: 10 minutes Baking Time: 30 to 35 minutes Decorating Time: 10 minutes Cooling Time: about 2 hours You Will Need: For the Cake . . . 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted ½ cup cocoa powder 4 large eggs, at room temperature 2 cups sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract For the Topping . . . 1 bag (10 1/2 ounces) mini-marshmallows 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cocoa powder 4 cups powdered sugar Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the Pan. Spray a 9x13-inch rectangular cake pan lightly with vegetable spray. Make the Batter: Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add and mix all the cake ingredients together by hand until combined and no lumps remain, one by one in the order listed into the bowl. Bake the Cake: Gently scrape the batter into the pan. Place in the preheated oven, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Make the Topping: When the cake comes out of the oven, distribute the marshmallows evenly over the surface of the warm cake. Set aside. Put the butter and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the mixture is beginning to simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. The mixture will be slightly lumpy. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, whisking between additions. Continue cooking, whisking, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Immediately pour the hot glaze over the marshmallows, covering them completely. Let stand until room temperature before cutting. Mississippi Mud Cake can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Lois Mims Pine Apple, Alabama Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 20-25 minutes Cooling time: about 1 hour You Will Need For the Topping . . . ½ stick (¼ cup) butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 15-ounce can of pineapple slices, drained and juice reserved 1 small jar maraschino cherries (about 15), stemmed For the Cake . . . ½ stick (½ cup) butter 2 cups self-rising flour 1½ cups sugar 2 large eggs, slightly beaten ¾ cups milk 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice from can Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Before You Begin: To melt butter for the cake, place 1 stick of butter in a 9-inch castiron skillet and set it in the preheating oven until the butter is melted but not sizzling. Pour the melted butter into a heatproof mixing bowl, and set aside. Allow the butter to cool, but not solidify. Make the Topping: Place the remaining ½ stick of butter in the skillet and place the skillet back in the oven, until the butter is melted but not sizzling. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved: spread the brown sugar mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the skillet. Place one pineapple ring in the center of the skillet on top of the brown sugar mixture. Arrange five pineapple rings in a circle around the center ring. Cut the remaining pineapple rings in half, and arrange the half-circles around the outside edge of the skillet, pressing them against the sides of the pan, cut ends up. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring, and rest one cherry in each pineapple half-ring against the sides of the pan. Set aside. Sift the flour and sugar together into the mixing bowl. Pour in the melted and cooled butter, eggs, milk, and pineapple juice. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just combined and few lumps remain. Gently pour the mixture over the fruit in the skillet. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula to be sure to get all of the batter out of the bowl and into the skillet. Use the spatula to evenly distribute the batter, cover all of the fruit, and level the batter’s
surface. Place the skillet on the center rack of the hot oven. Bake the Cake: Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown and a knife inserted into the center of the batter comes out clean. Remove the skillet from the oven and set aside onto a heat-proof surface to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake to release any cake stuck to the pan. Place a heat-proof plate, inverted, over the skillet. With gloved hands, grasp both sides of the skillet and plate together, and invert the cake onto the plate. Remove the skillet. If any pieces of fruit have stuck to the skillet, quickly transfer them back onto the cake with a fork. The brown sugar glaze should drizzle slightly around the cake. Allow to cool; then serve immediately. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake will keep for two or three days covered at room temperature, or for up to a week covered in the refrigerator.
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THE Social Scene Fourth Annual Classics in the Courtyard
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he Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation of Vicksburg, Mississippi, hosted two events at noon on two Fridays at the end of October and first of November to present their Classics in the Courtyard. The event offered a variety of entertainment through different genres of classic music from local musicians. Lunch was provided by area restaurants.
Marilyn Hardy, Jeanette Cox, Jeppy Shiers, and Virginia Monsour
Emily Bonelli, Barbara Bagley, Joyce Dairs, and Bernell Ball
Kim Hallovan, Tammy Allen, Alainna O’Bannon, and Lee Thames
Joel Angle, Vance Kirk, and Matilda Asuzu
Gail Mason and Jerry Love
Patrick Smith and Jack Smith
Norma Habeeb and Emma Gardner
Katie and Neil Ferrell
Sam Porter and J. R. Armstrong
Pat and Barbara Cashman
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Lauren Cappaert and Katie Feihelman
Kala and Josh Williamson
Tulley Hall and Brigadier General Robert Crear
Erin Hern and Annette KirklandÂ
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All Outdoors | by Ross McGehee
Pajamas for Christmas
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his December, I think I’ll give as many outdoors-oriented people as possible a Christmas present! Oh, why not? It’s the season for giving and caring and all, so in the spirit of that I’ll do my part. Just don’t stand at the door waiting for UPS to show up with a package from me. Nah. It’s not that kind of gift. What I’ll give are helpful hints to the folks that have sent you useless, unimaginative, yard-sale fodder in years past. That way if the material aspect of the season must be perpetuated, at least you can use the gift. Seriously. If a person has six pairs of pajamas, still in the original store wrappers, they probably don’t need any more. Same way with Christmas-themed anything like coffee mugs or platters. They stay in the attic all year until some poor husband has to drag them down so they can be put in the kitchen cabinets where no one will see them for the whole month. “Oh, but if it gets cold, we can use them for cocoa.” The last time that actually happened was in 1974 when the fourth cousins from Akron showed up unexpectedly and left us all with the flu on New Year’s. So what can the outdoors person use often and remember the giver for giving? It doesn’t matter the occupation, age, or gender; there are some things that you often don’t realize are helpful to have on hand. Some are for general utility, some for safety, and others for fun. So here goes. Regardless of the reason for working or playing outdoors, everyone can use a good pair of binoculars. Depending on the application, you can select small inexpensive ones for a vehicle on up to the top-of-the-line “stabilized” models for bird watching. And it helps if they are engraved or initialed because they do tend to “sprout legs.” I have a set in the shop, another in the tractor cab, and one in the truck. They might not get used for three
months at a time; but the moment I need them, I really appreciate them. Along the same line is kind of a cross between a first-aid kit, survival kit, and care package. This is a good one for anybody to receive. Get a durable container or small duffle bag and load it with a few essentials for someone who spends a lot of time outdoors or far from home. Make it small enough to literally throw behind a truck seat or into a car trunk. To load it, start with a good first-aid kit. Not one of those little dinky, plastic, Zip-loc things but a metal box that won’t crush. It needs to have anti-histamine, aspirin, and Imodium included. To that, add some Dramamine and whatever is preferred for stings or bites up to and including an anaphylactic kit. Deep Woods Off and some Cactus Juice in tiny spray containers is a must for the package. So is a flashlight, independent of any flashlight that may already be in possession. Just a small Maglite for when the other one goes dead. To that end, a spare pair of batteries for both is a good idea. They go by lots of brand names, but a multi-purpose tool or Leatherman will get you out of a bind more often than you’d think. An ice scraper is also something you never think about until you need it. Throw one of those cheap disposable cameras in there, too. Jumper cables. Put them alongside the kit. But keep them separate from the other components of the package because of weight and grease. And get good ones, not the cheap junk that won’t
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start a go-cart. If the care package is going to students, make sure they know how to use jumper cables or they can do more damage than you can imagine by hooking them up backwards! Depending on the recipient, the addition of food items can be advisable. Bottled water and granola bars are good to have on hand along with anything else that is nonperishable. Don’t load the wagon with too much stuff, though. We’re talking about getting by if you miss a meal. If you are going hard core, MREs or meals-readyto-eat are available at surplus stores, and having a couple on hand isn’t a bad idea if your husband has a job that puts him out of reach from a meal for twenty-four hours at a time. What else goes in the package? Brandnew, fresh, clean socks. Leaking waders, wet leather boots, slips off the boat deck— you name it, and we’ve all wished we had a fresh pair of socks. They don’t take up much space and surely don’t add too much
to the total weight. Neither does a small telephone book or state map. Obviously, not everyone needs all of the items suggested. But for not too much money and with a little creativity you can give anyone something he or she can actually use or at least have on hand for emergencies. What else can you do? GPS. Global Positioning Systems make paper map reading almost obsolete. The technology is certainly not new, but the capabilities are getting better, and the new ones are more user friendly than the first units were. Hand-held units can measure acreage, guide you to a deer stand or fishing spot, or even provide information on the solunar tables. If you stay in the cold and wet long enough, you’ll appreciate a good pair of boots. Lacrosse has always made boots that do well but I got a pair of Muck Boots two years ago and they are so comfortable that I wore them for a solid week last year and was kind of disappointed when the ground dried out enough to go back to the Red Wings.
Keeping food and drinks cool in the summer heat has been a challenge for years. Styrofoam coolers are far too brittle and noisy to put up with. The next step up is the ones with the hinges on the lids that give up too soon. Then the lid blows off, and you have to replace the whole ice chest. I had never heard of a Yeti ice chest until Daniel gave me one for Christmas last year. It is a rugged unit and one bag of ice lasts through about four days of summer heat! They aren’t inexpensive, but they will pay for themselves in the ice they save and the food that doesn’t spoil. A rechargeable flashlight for a vehicle is more than handy. It is a great gift for anyone, for the receiver is pretty well through buying batteries at that point. Does your hunter have a fourwheeler? How does he or she transport that firearm? I’ll bet it’s on an exposed rack where limbs, mud, and vibration attack it daily. An enclosed gun boot is padded and far, far safer than one with its barrel pointing at everything a hunter drives past. And there is no end to the
racks, brackets, steps, or windshields to hang on a woods vehicle. Something else that is handy in the woods, yard, or on the farm is a gasolinepowered limb trimmer. Take a weed-eater, and put a tiny chain saw on an extending pole, and there is no end to the uses for it— trimming around deer stands or hunting trails, pruning limbs in the yard, or clearing overgrown farm fences. And if a wife is smart, she’ll buy the kind for her loving husband that has available attachments. Give him the edger or hedge trimmer attachment for Valentines Day. Call it a pre-emptive strike because he’s gonna give you a skillet. So if you want to give a gift that your outdoors type will appreciate and not recycle next year, stay out of the department store. The hardware store, Forestry Suppliers, and the farm supply store don’t sell pajamas and Josh Groban CDs for a reason. It’s because nobody who goes in there wants them!
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THE Social Scene Bryanna Andrews’ Birthday Tea Party
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t her home in Summit, Mississippi, Bryanna Andrews recently shared a special dressup tea party with friends and ladies of her family to celebrate her sixth birthday. The honoree and her guests enjoyed an array of activities—story time, fashion update, photography session, games, and songs—and dressed up with hats, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and feather boas to enjoy their tea-hat-themed cake for high tea. The event ended with a sleepover at the home of Stephanie Andrews.
Kim Wall and Ella Liuzza
Janet White, Bryanna Andrews, and Stephanie Andrews
Caryl and Caitlyn Hoover
Chloe Carney and Susan Mathis
Heather and Delanie Vielee
Haley and Dylan Morris
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THE Social Scene Natchez Garden Club Fall Bash
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n September at Natchez Coffee Company, The Natchez Garden Club in Natchez, Mississippi, held its annual Fall Bash, a casual event to benefit Magnolia Hall, one of the antebellum homes owned by the club. Each year, this occasion includes a silent auction, cash bar, and hors d’oeuvres for members and guests
Clark and Phyllis Feiser with Regina and Finely Hootsell
Chris Nutter, Richard Edgin and Katherine Nutter
Bob and Ann Nix with Will Godfrey
Eileen Ball with Lou Ann and Chandler Jordan
Front—Lauren Middleton and Amy Johnson; back—Julie Johnson and Catherine Callon
Front—Lauren Middleton and Amy Johnson; back—Aimee Guido, Katie Grace Edgin, Jennifer Slover, and Catherine Callon
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THE Social Scene
Catherine Callon and Jennifer Slover
Sam Kirby and Scott Slover
Carol and Smokey Joe Frank with Ashley Junkin
Bubba and Mary Ann Spell
John Ball, Wes Middleton, and Jake Middleton
David Bray and Lou Ann Jordan, with Kay and John Taylor
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In the Garden | story and photos by Dr. Gary R. Bachman
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Effective Edging for Crisp Bed Lines
rom railroad ties and landscape timbers to rolls of plastic and metal edging, nothing adds interest to the landscape quite like nice, crisp bed lines. We have all seen and used many types of landscape edging materials. But why not be a little creative? To get you started, here are some ideas for landscape bed lines between walkways and flowerbeds. Vintage dinner plates placed in the ground upright create a bright garden bed edge. Get some from your local thrift store, or stop at yard sales to buy chipped and mismatched plates. A couple of friends of mine enjoy collecting quality wines from around the country. They push the empty wine bottles in the ground upside-down for a unique edge. The green and clear glass creates a nice variation of natural colors. Small ferns have started growing in the clear bottles, adding uniqueness to the landscape bed line. Remember that whenever you use a material that creates a hard vertical edge, you need to clean the edge up. And if the edging is breakable, such as the examples I’ve described, trimming may be difficult. I don’t like to use a weed eater, and I have a couple of different strategies that work well for keeping bed lines clean.
The first and perhaps easiest is to cut in your bed lines. Use a sharp, square-edged garden spade to cut straight into the ground along the bed line. Then make a 45 degree cut from the bed towards the first cut. The small trench that results will hold your mulch and creates a very nice line between a grassy area and the landscape bed. The other method is to use landscape pavers to create a space for your mower wheels to run over as you mow your lawn. This method requires more work since the
Landscape pavers can be set into the ground to allow mower wheels to run over them, making a neat landscape edge that requires no trimming.
bed line must be dug out so the tops of the pavers are ground level. Placed end-to-end, the pavers create a nice, thin ribbon that forms a crisp bed line. I find it a bit difficult to keep my mower wheels on such a narrow bed line, though; so I prefer pavers laid side-byside. Positioned this way, they provide an eight-inch edge and add a formality to the landscape. The pavers can simply be set in soil at ground level; but if you do this, they can move around and get dislodged. I set my pavers in mortar mix to create a stable surface for my mower wheels. Properly edging your landscape beds not only looks sharp but also makes maintaining your landscape easier.
Be creative with landscape edges. These empty wine bottles have been pushed in the ground upside-down, where the green and clear glass colors add variety.
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Brookhaven Book Club Author Visit
Friends 50 Trip
The downtown loft home of Dave and Lilann Pace of Brookhaven, Mississippi, was the setting of a recent Brookhaven Book Club meeting called “As the Page Turns.” Jackson author Darden North, M.D., was present for the discussion and signing of his second book, Points of Origin. North has written and published three novels in the mystery, suspense, medical-thriller genre: House Call (2005), Points of Origin (2006), and Fresh Frozen (2008).
Friends 50, sponsored by Natchez Community Hospital in Natchez, Mississippi, took a three-day trip to Lafayette/Acadiana, Louisiana. The group enjoyed Cajun music and dance lessons, toured the Begnaud Museum, and dined on delectable cuisine, all in all reveling in the cultural gems of south Louisiana.
Front—Julie Montalvo, Dr. Darden North, Christie Hoover, and Deana Pendley; back—Kathy Swalm, Terrie Hall, Kellie Patti, Lilann Pace, Sarah Foster, Nancy Hoover, and Rockie Netherland.
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Marie and Bob McAllister, Edwidge Mead, Mary Jo Gunde, Beverly Aldridge, Mackie Saleeby, Bruce McCann, Liz Garrity, Yvonne Roberson, Sue Loy, J. C. Roberson, Corrine Randazzo, A. M. and Helen Ratcliff, Ed and Dorothy Wilson, David Williams, Bertha and Fred Graves, L. E. and Joyce McManus, and Ester Mingee
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Where Charity and Love Abide, There You’ll Find
Christmas
Left—Santa 2006, Larry Brown, a second-generation Santa, passes out presents on Christmas Eve at Braden School. Opposite Page—Bradley Harrison, Santa 2009, greets children at one of the traditional stops along the parade route, the Natchez Children’s Home. Each year, Santa distributes gifts and candy to the children there; and he and committee members sing carols with the children, staff, and friends.
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ach Christmas in Natchez, Mississippi, since the turn of the twentieth century, what is now the Santa Claus Committee but was once known as the Christmas Fund for Poor Children, has handed out candy and gifts to thousands of children. Created in 1900 by James W. Lambert, once publisher for The Natchez Democrat, this committee began as the Poor Children’s Christmas Tree; and annually, area civic officials and businessmen joined forces, collecting donations to be sure children throughout the area had a happy Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Santa paraded around town, stopping by St. Mary Orphanage for girls, the Natchez Protestant Home, and Charity Hospital and finished the trek by greeting children in front of the old Baker Grand Theater. A group of musicians there played Christmas music for the children, and a reception followed for the committee and Santa. In 1928, the official Santa Claus Committee was formed and membership increased through the years. In the 1930s candidates for Santa were nominated by a ballot
published in the newspaper; and citizens clipped out the ballots, voted, and mailed them in. Another tradition that began during this time was stopping for refreshments along the parade route. Today the committee elects the Santa each year; families in need register to be eligible to participate; and volunteers are on board to handle the contributions as well as order and wrap the gifts each year. The mission, however, remains the same—to spread the magic of Christmas and bring good cheer. For over half a century the traditions of the Santa Clause Committee have been infused by the spirit and enthusiasm of many but most uniquely by the spirit and enthusiasm of one lady, the matriarch of the Santa Claus Committee’s volunteerism, a lady sometimes known as Mrs. Claus, a lady who has worked with this project since she was a child—Katherine Ferguson Killelea. She began her volunteer mission at the tender age of ten when she was invited by Lambert’s daughter, Louise, to help bag the toys. She assisted every year since then until a few years ago when she retired and passed her visionary work onto Lambert legacies Caroline Ferguson McDonough and Beth Mallory Foster. Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 27
Kathy Killelea Sizemore recalls working with the annual Santa Claus Committee’s team of volunteers as one of her holiday highlights as she assisted her mom with collecting, sorting, and preparing the gifts for Santa to give on Christmas Eve: “Our entire family did this, and it was a ritual in our home to begin working on this project. I love Christmas, and this project is what makes our Christmas magical.” Befitting this tradition, Natchez style, Kathy’s husband, Dr. Robert (Bob) Sizemore, will be the committee’s Santa this year. “It is an honor to represent this group,” he said, “and continue the tradition of making sure all the children in our community have a Christmas. Before Kathy and I moved back to Natchez, we came every year for Christmas; and I was fortunate to be able to ride in the parade as a guest and participate in this tradition.” Having a Ph.D. in both microbiology and immunology, Dr. Sizemore is currently a professor in the Biological Sciences Department at Alcorn State University. He has served on the Board of Directors for Natchez Festival of Music and is a past board member of Natchez Little Theatre. Together, the Sizemores organized Caroling in the Park, an annual Christmas in Natchez event that has become its own Christmas tradition. A number of years ago, they also helped initiate what has become another tradition—an additional krewe, the “Krewe de Who,” in Natchez’s storied and celebrated Mardi Gras season. A gifted musician, Dr. Sizemore also has contributed his musical talents to community theatre and opera productions and, most recently, has tapped into his acting skills during the on-location filming in Natchez this past fall of the movie Rise Again. The Sizemores have one son, Carlan, who also is a musician. This holiday season, the Santa Clause Committee will celebrate eighty-three years of work in supporting area charities. Each year, over 300 area individuals pay dues to participate in the Santa Claus Committee’s Christmas Eve parade ritual. This unique experience begins early in the morning and continues throughout the day, wending through the streets of Natchez with police-car sirens sounding, with dozens of committee members’ cars following in tandem and honking to the hilt, and with Santa heaving his hearty “Ho, Ho, Ho” and tossing treats to excited street-side children. Stops along this year’s parade route include the Natchez Children’s Home where committee members join in singing
Top—Parading through town in his “holiday sleigh,” Roy Garcia, known to hundreds as Coach Garcia, donned the Santa costume and served as the Jolly Ole Elf in 1997. Middle—Following the Christmas Eve Santa Claus Committee parade in 2009, Santa Bradley Harrison distributed gifts on the stage of Braden School. To his right is Dr. Ed Daley, one of the committee members. Bottom—In 2006, Santa Steve Plauche with wife Liza hosted the Santa Claus party to conclude the day of parading and gift-giving.
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Christmas carols with residents and friends. Also along the parade route, Santa and committee members stop at designated homes for refreshments and merriment before concluding the parade at Braden School where Santa distributes gifts to children so their Christmases are merry ones. The Santa Claus Committee’s day-long festivities end with a holiday party hosted by Santa himself. According to Johnny Byrne, Santa Clause Committee Chairman, the committee will donate around $12,000 to local charities this year. While everyone has a little fun as the parade travels throughout Natchez distributing candy to the area children, the serious side of the committee’s endeavors is to contribute on a much larger scale, to help all of Natchez’s children have a
Merry Christmas. Over the last nine years, the committee has donated $110,973.79 to area charities and projects that include the following: Natchez Children’s Home, Catholic Charities, Pleasant Acre Day School, Children’s Christmas Tree Fund, Sunshine Shelter, Guardian Shelter, Shop A Cop, Salvation Army, Natchez Christmas Tree Fund, clothing for hurricane victims, and Natchez Humane Society Building Fund. Where charity and love abide, as with the Santa Claus Committee and all of its volunteers and benefactors, therein lies the real meaning of Christmas. May all of us remember to be loving and charitable this holiday season and throughout the New Year. We wish for all a blessed and charitably spirited Merry Christmas!
Santa 2010, Richie Montgomery, sends his hearty “Ho, Ho, Ho” and a Happy Christmas to All!
Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 29
Father and Son Collaborate on Mystery Thrillers
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Opposite page窶認ather-and-son writing duo Michael and William Henry
father-son duo is now authoring the Willie Mitchell Banks Series and Jake Banks Series of mystery thrillers. The first two novels of this series, Mike Henry penned from experiences during his years as District Attorney in the Natchitoches, Louisiana, court system. A Tulane and Virginia Law School graduate, Henry served twenty-two years as an attorney. The third and fourth novels in this series were co-written with his son William Henry. An Ole Miss graduate, William moved to Los Angeles, California, for several years and worked in the entertainment industry, followed by a move to Austin, Texas, where he worked in law enforcement.
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Above—Michael and William Henry working on excerpts from their fifth novel Below—The Henrys’ at a recent book signing at Barnes & Nobel in Shreveport, Louisiana
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William’s theatre, arts, and literature background along with his research into the world of LA gangs led him to the law enforcement genre. The combination of these experiences with some pretty savvy creative skills laid the ground work for the two Henrys to join forces and co-author the two most recent novels of the Jake Banks Series. The first of the four novels, Three Bad Years, deals with D.A. Willie Mitchell Banks—the last elected white politician in tiny Yaloquena County, Mississippi —who is called racist for prosecuting a young black mother. A boycott and protest turn into a riot and deadly fire. The D.A.’s trial of the riot leader uncovers secrets about the unsolved death of a six-year-old girl, the D.A.’s sordid affair, and his family’s role in the racial cauldron that is Yaloquena County. In Mike Henry’s second novel, At Random, Narco-terrorist “El Moro,” a character created by William at his dad’s request, kills a deputy in tiny Yaloquena County, and D.A. Willie Mitchell Banks seeks the death penalty. The drug cartel gets involved as does a violent hate group, all trying to undermine America’s criminal justice system. The third novel, The Ride Along, finds Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Banks with a re-assignment to New Orleans to follow his ex-girl friend, FBI Special Agent Kitty Douglas, who works with a federal task force to stop the flow of assault weapons through the Port of New Orleans to drug cartels in Mexico. Jake’s disappearance, violence from a vicious drug-smuggling cult, cop killings, assaults, and gritty pursuits trigger the arrival of Jake’s father, Mississippi District Attorney Willie Mitchell Banks, and David Dunne, Jake’s mentor and leader of the covert Domestic Operations Group (D.O.G.). In search of Jake and cartel and cult leaders, they delve into the dark corners of the French Quarter, but whether or not their efforts succeed is not resolved until the thrilling final pages of The Ride Along. D.O.G.S.: The Secret History, the Henrys’ fourth novel, takes place days after 9/11. Acting on secret orders from the highest level of the Executive Branch, retired Army Lieutenant General John Evanston and Special Forces Captain David Dunne assemble a small group of highly skilled special operatives, code-named DOGs (Domestic Operations Group), to avenge the 9/11 deaths and protect America from future terrorist attacks. Soon, though, the DOGs themselves are under attack from one of their own who has gone rogue. During the writing of his second book, when Mike Henry called on his youngest son to create the terrorist Moro, William crafted this fascinating “bad guy” in such a short period with such detail that Mike credited him in the novel. “Since William was a young boy,” Mike explained, “he has had a fascination with the bad-character syndrome. As a young boy he really was interested in pirates, the
waterways’ bad guys of their era, and has always been intrigued with those type characters. He has an ability to create a sympathetic, multi-level character and back story with such detail that I wanted him to work with me on the third novel.” The bad-character syndrome that Mike Henry described is germane to William’s screen play that explores the sordid world of LA gangs. Manny Jimenez, ex-gang member, turned producer and promoter said that Veterano was one of the most detailed, accurate renditions about LA gang life that he ever read. He said he wondered how William, a young southern gentleman from Mississippi who had never run on the seedy side of life, was able to create and capture gang life so vividly in his screenplay. William has novelized Veterano, and it is available as an ebook. Mike Henry’s first novel, Three Bad Years, also was originally a screenplay, one that Billy Bob Thornton and his manager, Bruce Heller, wanted to make into a movie. Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner were interested in this project as well, but it never reached fruition; and two years ago, Mike Henry novelized the screenplay. Neither of the Henrys is inexperienced in the entertainment world. Mike sold a script in the early nineties to Touchstone Pictures, a work he collaborated on with another writer. With both Henrys’ contacts, prospects still exist for their work to be picked up by movie-makers. Until then, the two continue to enjoy their challenging excursions into good-guy-versus-bad-guy, save-the-world, suspense thrillers—cinematic novels that weave their bad-guy characters through stories set in the rich, cultural South. Mike and William Henry currently are working on their fifth novel. Book signings in Natchitoches, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in Natchez, Mississippi, fill their immediate agenda in the surrounding area. William orchestrates their social media marketing, so be sure to check out their updated postings on Facebook at Henry & Henry Books and join the growing numbers to “like” their page. The Henrys’ mystery thrillers are available at amazon.com; Barnes & Nobel; www. henryandhenrybooks.com; Turning Pages in Natchez, Mississippi; Terra Home in Alexandria, Louisiana; and The Book Merchant in Natchitoches, Louisiana. To meet the Henrys, be sure to mark your calendar for their upcoming book signing at Turning Pages Books & More, 520 Franklin Street in downtown Natchez, on December 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm. Pick up all four of their novels for those on your Christmas list….and for yourself!
Above—Babes at the beach this summer clamoring for the duo’s books Below—Father-and-son co-authors at the Baton Rouge Book Festival this past October
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Try a little Tin Roof
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harles Caldwell and William McGehee, local craft-beer entrepreneurs, have created Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s first brewery—Tin Roof Beer Company. The two grew up in Natchez, Mississippi, graduated from Trinity Episcopal High School, and went their separate ways, Caldwell to Ole Miss and McGehee to LSU. While their paths crossed during home holiday visits, not until a couple of
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years ago did their quick visits and chats begin to take a more serious turn. McGehee graduated college and entered LSU law school; Charles took a year off, lived in Colorado, and worked on a ranch; but while out there, he began to delve into the chemistry of beer making. Thereafter, he attended the American Brewers Guild School in Vermont and later interned at Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company, Mississippi’s only full-scale brewery. As their business discussions escalated, they agreed it was time either to give up their speculations or do something about them…and pursuing the latter alternative is exactly what they have done. With the desire, skills of the trade, legal experience, prospectus in hand, and two years of intense preparation, they launched Tin Roof Brewing Company. Actually, Pictured in their warehouse, Charles Caldwell and Will McGehee, local craftbeer entrepreneurs, recently celebrated Tin Roof Brewery’s one-year anniversary.
they opened on the day of the LSU versus Ole Miss football game last year, November 17, 2010, perfect timing to celebrate with their friends, family, and Alma Mater. They have since developed an avid following, even opening the brewery for tours each Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Days are long ones for these partners as they promote their craft beer business by running the roads; making sales and securing event contacts; and, most importantly….brewing. Caldwell and McGehee began their beer business with two fermentation tanks and within the year purchased four more, currently sporting a total of six tanks and turning out approximately 70 to 80 cases of beer per hour according to Caldwell. The beer is available in grocery stores, restaurants, and bars throughout Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and the Northshore. While the venture began with draft beer, the Tin Roof Beer Company now cans its beer as well, making it Louisiana’s first comprehensive brew-canery. The growing popularity of canned beer has resulted from improved canning technology that preserves the taste and freshness of the beer. Tin Roof’s 12-ounce cans have become the genre of choice for sporting events, out-doors venues, and onthe-go occasions. Today, Caldwell and McGehee host a new, hip 9,000 square feet warehouse complex with a bar, seating section, office, and brewery area. On staff is Tom Daigrepont, brew master, and his son, Alex, along with interns from LSU. All their Tin Roof beers are handcrafted in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, using only the finest American and European malts, freshest hops, and pure parish well water. No preservatives or additives are ever used, so each customer can enjoy the natural flavor of the beer the way it was intended. Every batch of Tin Roof beer is brewed with an uncompromising commitment to exceptional quality, giving this beverage its consistent, delicious, and unmistakable Southern charm—you’ll know it when you taste it. The company’s two flagship beers, “Voodoo Bengal Pale Ale” and “Perfect Tin Amber,” will see distribution throughout all of Louisiana by year’s end. Their newest, “The Bandit Blond Pale Ale,” may prove to be one of their most popular yet. On tap as well for Tin Roof Brewing is the prospect of producing an LSU beer product; in fact, Caldwell explained, they are just waiting to secure the license. Be on the lookout for this new ale and ask for it when you are in the distribution areas. Our neighbors in Vidalia, Louisiana, may soon be stocking these beverages, and we hope they plan to share it with the many beer buffs across the Mississippi. We look for even more exciting news a-brewing from these two beer meisters—Charles Caldwell and William McGehee—and wish them the best of the season and continuing success into the New Year.
With the desire, skills of the trade, legal
experience, prospectus in hand, and two
years of intense preparation, they launched Tin Roof Brewing Company.
Alex and Tom Daigrepont, Tin Roof brew masters
Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 35
THE Social Scene Community Hospital Hosts Chamber After-Hours
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ommunity Hospital in Natchez, Mississippi, hosted a NatchezAdams County Chamber of Commerce After-Hours meeting October 27. Of special interest was the introduction of the da Vinci Si Surgical System that can perform a variety of robot-assisted surgeries for Community Hospital patients. Demonstrations were offered of this unique procedure.
Donny Rentfro, Garrett Rentfro, and Missy Rentfro
Pat Biglane with Mayor Jake Middleton and Dr. Mitzi Middleton
Donna Lindley, Agnes Holloway, and Renee Cantu
Margaret Perkins and Benny Jeansonne
Donny Rentfro, Fred Parker, and Dixie Lewis
John and Darla Wilkinson
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Kay Ketchings and Stephanie Rehms
f Shop Historic Summit f
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Something Scrumptious | story by Jennie Guido, photos by Aimee Guido
Pearl Street Pasta
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Natchez, Mississippi
ith the cooler temperatures rolling in and holiday décor lifting our spirits, I am beyond excited about the beginning of December. The holiday season is my favorite of the year. Sure, spring is lovely, summer is warm and fun filled, and fall is colorful; but there is something about the chill of a December day and the jingle of silver bells that make my life a little bit sweeter. Since I am a number of hours from home, the holidays also provide me with opportunities to come home to Natchez, Mississippi, curl up next to the Christmas tree, and spend time with the family. As a family, we often enjoy dinners “out” where the four of us gather around the dining table and catch up on what we’ve missed during our weeks apart. Through my years of growing up in Natchez, Pearl Street Pasta has been a staple when it came to celebrating special occasions—birthdays,
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meals before proms, and wine-filled dinners during weekends home from the Delta. Among the many unique aspects of Pearl Street is how it has evolved in a number of positive ways over the years. The menu, for example, that initially was fully Italian continues to provide innovative features while keeping its long-time favorites. Of course, I request my favorite table when making reservations at Pearl Street—what can be better than sitting directly in front of a vessel-filled wine rack and devouring some fabulous spaghetti! I usually like to start my venue of Italian dining with a glass of Pinot Noir from Pearl Street’s excellent wine list. After a house salad with the restaurant’s amazing, homemade, tangy-sweet vinaigrette, I have a hard time deciding what should be the main course. Sometimes, I select a bowl of the soup de jour; and, let me tell you, Pearl Street has some of the best when it comes
to cream of broccoli or chicken noodle. However, I can make a complete 180-degree decision and order one of the tasty pasta dishes. One of my favorites to this day is grilled shrimp with roasted corn and sundried tomatoes on top of penne pasta in a fantastic cream sauce. Just thinking about it makes my taste buds explode. Nowadays, I have learned to embrace a good, grilled fish dish and tend to order something along that line when dining out. On my last trip to Pearl Street Pasta, I ate the pan-seared salmon that has an amazing dill beurre blanc sauce that salaciously complements the asparagus that comes with it. I don’t know about you, but the fact that this particular dish can be classified as semi-healthy makes me wish that all diets consisted of only grilled fish and veggies! And, of course, you have to splurge and have a little dessert while eating at Pearl Street Pasta. When I was thirteen, we had my birthday dinner here, and that was when my love affair with the restaurant’s baked fudge began. If I had to choose one dessert to eat for the rest of my life, it would be this chocolate brownie drenched in a warm vanilla sauce. Death by this kind of chocolate concoction is the only way to go. So, my advice to all of you this holiday season in the Bluffs & Bayous area is to spend some time with your family around the dinner table. If this gathering can’t be in your own home, then venture to Pearl Street
Pasta in downtown Natchez, cozy up to that table near the wine, and enjoy every minute of your scrumptious dining experience. Working in a place that has been preparing for Christmas since the first of October has had me counting down the minutes until December starts. Every time someone comments, “It’s that time of year again,” I always come back with, “Thank God!” Cleveland does tend to feel like home sometimes, but nothing is better than coming home to family at Christmas and spending those few days with one of the best bunch of Guidos I know. Pasta JambAlAya (2 servings) 12 shrimp 1/4 cup sliced sausage 1/4 cup sliced Tasso 1/4 cup green onions 1/3 cup mushrooms 1/3 cup red bell peppers, chopped 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning Penne pasta Heat oil in saute pan and add shrimp, sausage, and tasso. Saute until shrimp is cooked. Toss in green onions, mushrooms and red bell pepper and add cream sauce. Toss in penne pasta and serve. Cream Sauce 1 8 oz. package cream cheese 2 cups Half & Half
1 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup butter Melt cheeses and butter, add Half & Half, then heat on low heat until blended.
Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 39
THE Social Scene Newcomers Club Cocktail Party
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embers of the Natchez Newcomers Club held a cocktail party at the home of Bob and Ann Nix in their historic home in downtown Natchez, Mississippi, recently. Board members welcomed and entertained new members as well as continuing members with a buffet of enticing foods prepared by their membership.
Hazel Ferrell, Ann Nix, Jean Farrer, and Sandy Taylor
Lynn Delaughter, Sharon Rouse, and Leigh Delaughter
Elodie Pritchartt, Bobbye Henley, and Liz Dantone
John Freedman with Lloyd and Alice Thomas
Dale Anderson, Lindee Daw, Jackie Anderson, and Hazel Ferrell
Hazel Ferrell, Jean Farrer, and Hettie Bolte
Bill Henley and Al Davis
Mary Estelle Sanguinetti and Dolly Freedman
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THE Social Scene
Bob and Ann Nix
2011-2012 Officers: Sandy Taylor, Parliamentarian and Party Chair; Elodie Pritchartt, Secretary; Alice Kuiper, President, Marie Gasquet, Newsletter and Publicity Chair; Faye Weatherly, New Members Chair; Irene Rosick, Treasurer; Johanna Busby, Adventures Co-chair; Hazel Ferrell, Sunshine Lady; and Ann Nix, Telephone Chair. Not pictured are Dolly Freedman, Telephone Chair and Adventures Co-chair; Kathy Trainer, Vice President; and Lynn Norris, Adventures Co-chair. Faye and Bob Weatherly
Kathleen and Al King
Terry and Meredith Trovato
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Southern Sampler | by Alma M. Womack
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Pullets, Pecans, Coons……and Christmas!
he little pullets are beginning to lay their initial batch of eggs (pullet eggs are small), and Woodrow and I are just beside ourselves at how smart our baby chicks have become. The net idea has worked really well, so that we can catch a pullet every time we go to the chicken yard. When Liza and Drew were here a few weeks ago, they got into the fun of netting chickens, too, so that all three grandkids were holding and petting the docile young hens. Drew wasn’t as enthusiastic as the other two about holding a chicken, but he held on for a goodly while before letting the little hen escape. When she did jump down, he took off after her and chased her around and around the pen, saying, “Come back! Come back!” I had to end up catching another one for him to calm him down. Once everyone had a chicken to pet, the others left on the ground resumed their pecking and scratching at the feed as if nothing had happened. The caught chickens would have to fend for themselves, for they were not a worry to the others. Chickens and people have a lot in common. And now to pecans, those that are lying on the ground and those still attached to the trees. We hope to begin harvest soon, to get those that have already fallen. If and
when we get a frost, we’ll come back and shake the trees to get the remainder of the crop. With the price so high this year, we have added pecan poachers to our list of uninvited folks on the property. It is amazing to me that people will stop and go into the yard of someone who appears not to be home, and just start gathering the pecans on the ground. When confronted, they will invariably say that they didn’t know anyone would care. When they are found under the trees along the highway, they didn’t know that anyone owned that property, so the pecans were just there for whoever came along first. I wonder how
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they’d feel if I just showed up in their yard one day and set up a tent and called myself camping out on their property. I always tell them that everything is owned by someone, and they ought to be able to figure that out. They’re not interested in my sermons; they just want those $1.50 a pound pecans. I have a story that sounds like it could have come from television or a Walton and Johnson sketch, but it truly happened within the confines of Jonesville, Louisiana. The story features long-time friend Louise Stevenson, who lives in Jonesville and is the mother, aunt, grandmother, greatgrandmother to a large family.
One day recently, one of her greatnephews brought her a coon that he had hit with his car, knowing that she would cook it to perfection for her family. It had not been dressed, so Louise put it in the refrigerator until her son, Larry, came in from work that day. He would be the one to skin it and get it ready for the baking pan. After a bit, Louise said she heard a funny noise and went to investigate. The noise was coming from the refrigerator, not the usual place for unknown sounds. When she opened the door, there sat the dead coon, growling and showing his teeth. She slammed the door shut to keep him confined as she wondered what in the world she was going to do with a live coon roaming in her refrigerator. When her daughter, Irma, came in from her job that afternoon, she started to the refrigerator to get a snack. Louise warned her not to open the door. When Irma asked her why in the world she couldn’t open the door, her mom explained that there was a live coon sitting in there. “How did he get in,” was Irma’s next question, so Louise had to explain about the delivery of the dead coon that wasn’t dead. They decided to just wait until Larry got home to handle the situation. Meanwhile, they were wondering if anything would be left in the refrigerator, or would the coon eat or break everything in his way. When Larry got home, they had to go through the story again because he, too, wanted to know just how a coon had gotten into the house and then into the refrigerator.
He was able to get the coon out by putting on some leather gloves and a long-sleeved coat for protection. In case you didn’t know, coons are not cuddly creatures; they will bite and slash at you with their wickedly sharp claws. It was those teeth snapping at her that gave Louise such a fright when she opened the door. She assured me that if the coon had escaped from his cool cage, she would have let him have that house to himself. He was grinning and gnashing his teeth at her, and that was too much to bear. Larry dressed the coon, and Louise cooked it, and they all enjoyed a good meal. We all had a good laugh at the ‘dead’ growling coon that was showing Louise his teeth when she opened the refrigerator door. Since this article will be in the December issue, let me send Christmas greetings to all our valued readers and friends. I really liked it better when, as a child, Christmas came every twelve months,
and not every three months like it seems now. I have to admit, I am still displaying harvest decorations instead of putting out Christmas displays. I am pretty limited to a few places in the house to decorate with native greenery, berries, etc. Outside, only wreaths can be hung on the outbuildings and in the trees. Anything on the ground will be unarranged by the varmint dogs that live here. But I would rather have dogs, so a compromise is made every year on what can be decorated. We have a good Christmas planned; for our little boys will be three, going on four, this year and a good age to enjoy the festivities that the season offers. Liza is thirteen, almost fourteen, and a bit old and world weary to celebrate like the little ones. We have a new baby boy, coming in January, compliments of daughter, Claire; and we are getting everything ready for him to be added to our family. And Buster, who was paralyzed for a time, and confined to a wheelchair for a longer time, is now able to walk without even a walker or cane, truly a miracle. We are thankful for all of our blessings this Christmas time, and pray that all of you in our reading audience will be blessed by the spirit of Christmas, too. Please continue to pray for our soldiers in distant lands, as they protect us from the heathens who want to do us harm. May God Bless those young people, and may He continue to bless us all who live in the greatest country on earth. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 45
THE Social Scene Caroline Laird’s Sweet Sixteen Party
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n October, Caroline Laird celebrated her sixteenth birthday with a party given by her parents, James and Alma Laird of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Her friends from West Lincoln High School enjoyed dancing to DJ tunes and viewing a slide show of special occasions in the honoree’s life.
Caroline Laird and Brady Dunaway
Caroline Laird and James Laird
Ashton Smith and Caroline Laird
Alma Laird and Mike Laird
Caroline Laird and Heather Moak
Conner Case and Caroline Laird
James, Alma, Caroline, Jonathan, and Mike Laird
Zach McMurray, Austin Patt, Bentley Sills, and Matthew Gill
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Donna Smith, Alma Laird, and Theresa Smith
Marisa Pruski, Karley Smith, Anna Rushing, and Katelyn Roberts
THE Social Scene
Luke Barrileaux and Caroline Laird
Hanna Potts and Caroline Laird
Brianna Fauver, Ashton Smith, Taylor Smith, and (standing) Kane Kimble
Caroline Laird and Johnathan Smith
Chase Buckles, Sabrina Wallace, and Anna Wallace
Amber Byrd, Catrina Marshall, Tiqueisha Byrd, Tamasha Buckley, and Charmeiska Byrd
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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 48 { December 2011 { 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 { December 2011 { Page 49
On the River k On the River k On the River k On the River
THE Social Scene Thompson Retirement Dinner
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ike Thompson retired from the McComb, Mississippi, Post Office recently and enjoyed a dinner with his wife and co-workers at The Caboose restaurant in McComb.
Seated—Mike Thompson; middle—Dennis Taylor, Charles Robinson, Danny Farmer, Randy Carruth; back—Jules Scott, Daniel Hart, Brenda Martin, Tommy Cook, and Richie Wood
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Judy and Mike Thompson
Southern Sampler | by Johnny Bowlin
Christmas Has Done Me Good I have always thought of Christmas as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely. And though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good. — Scrooge’s nephew Bob Cratchet, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
I
love Christmas. I believe in Christmas. Is it too commercial as Charlie Brown fretted about? Yes. I saw decorations up in early October at a local department store. Do we at times spend too much money on Christmas? Yes, again. However, I believe Christmas has done me good all of my life and will continue to do so. Like most people, I love the memories that Christmas always stirs in my heart. I remember not being able to sleep Christmas Eve while waiting on Santa to arrive. I remember greasy paper towels when my grandma Inez made homemade Chex mix that she called “Nuts and Bolts.” She made every family its own tin of nuts and bolts and covered each batch with a paper towel. I remember favorite toys long since gone and the pure joy of playing with those gifts. I remember trying to fool my sister who has the skill of opening presents and taping them back perfectly. One year, I loaded her gift box with weights from my weight set to throw her off. I remember
faces of loved ones long since passed and family gatherings with laughter. I remember our first Christmas as a married couple. I remember the beauty of our only Christmas in New Orleans and the lights of that city. I remember our first Christmas as parents. I remember one picture with Santa when Gracie would not stop crying, so all three of us got our picture made with Santa. Christmas has done me good. Christmas has done me good with its moments: watching old Christmas movies together, attending Christmas candlelight services, decorating that dusty tree each year with ornaments having special meanings, watching local Christmas parades, wearing my red Cleveland Indians cap with Santa on the back, shopping with my wife in the wee hours of the morning after Thanksgiving, listening to Christmas carols in the car, and seeing the excitement in my daughter’s face. Christmas has done me good. Christmas has done me good with its message: The message of God’s care for all of us, of a scared young couple with a once-for-all-eternity moment huddled in a barn, of peace on earth, of good will to all men, of hope, of forgiveness, and of the promise of a brighter day. Christmas has done me good.
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December... Up and Coming!
Through December 31 Christmas in Natchez Natchez, Mississippi Events throughout the month www.christmasinnatchez.com
December 1 - 31 Rosedown Nineteenth Century Christmas DĂŠcor St. Francisville, Louisiana 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 225-635-3110 www.lastateparks.com December 1 - 31 Christmas New Orleans Style New Orleans, Louisiana 504-522-5730 www.fqfi.org
December 1 - 3 Southwest Mississippi Community College Christmas Stage Band Show Summit, Mississippi Thurs. 7:00 pm Fri. 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm Sat. 7:00 pm Hurst Auditorium December 1 Alcorn State University Choral Christmas Concert Lorman, Mississippi 1:00 pm Little Theare, Fine Arts Building December 1 Christmas Parades Bude & Meadville, Mississippi Bude 3:00 pm Meadville 5:30 pm Tree Lighting 6:00 pm
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December 1 Natchez Garden Club Victorian Luncheon Magnolia Hall Natchez, Mississippi 215 South Pearl Street 11:30 am - 1:00 pm / $12.00 Soup & Casserole Sale / Back Gallery 601-443-9065 ntzgardenclub@bellsouth.net www.natchezgardenclub.com December 1 Eola Hotel Christmas Concert Natchez, Mississippi 5:30 - 6:30 pm / Free www.christmasinnatchez.com December 1 Fondren After 5 Historic Fondren District Jackson, Mississippi 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm 601-981-9606 www.fondren.org
December 2 Baton Rouge Symphony Chamber & Brass Concert St. Francisville, Louisiana Hemingbough 7:00 pm w/ dessert reception $20 or $50 season tickets 225-383-0500
December... Up and Coming!
December 2 North Boulevard Festival of Lights Baton Rouge, Louisiana Downtown 225-389-5520 December 2 The Burn Candlelight Tour Natchez, Mississippi 5:30 pm www.christmasinnatchez.com
December 2 Old Jackson Christmas by Candlelight Old Capital Museum Jackson, Mississippi Downtown 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm www.mdah.state.ms.us December 2 Millsaps Singers Christmas Carol Concert “Gloria in Excelsius� Millsaps College Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 pm / $10 Adults / $5 students www.millsaps.edu/news_event December 2 Christmas Parade Magnolia, Mississippi 5:30 pm December 2 - 3 85th Annual Christmas Festival Natchitoches, Louisiana 781 Front Street www.christmasfestival.com
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December... Up and Coming!
December 2 - 3 Gingerbread Gift Market MS Agricultural & Forestry Museum Jackson, Mississippi 1150 Lakeland Drive Fri. 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Sat. 9:00 am - 8:00 pm $2 / Free 6 and under
December 2 - 3 Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree Belhaven University Jackson, Mississippi 1500 Peachtree Drive 6:30 pm / Outdoor Concert / Free. 601-960-5490 www.belhaven.edu/music
December 2 - 4 Christmas at Melrose Natchez National Historical Park Natchez, Mississippi 1 Melrose-Montebello Parkway Fri. 6 - 9 pm Sat. 9 - 5 pm Sun. 9 - 5 pm Free admission 601-446-5790 www.nps.gov/natc December 2 - 4 Chimneyville Crafts Preview Party/ Festival MS Trade Mart/State Fairgrounds Jackson, Mississippi Dec. 2: Preview Party 7:00 pm - 10 pm / $50.00 Dec. 3 - 4: Festival Sat. 10:00 am - 6:00 Sun. Noon - 5:00 pm $10 / under 12 Free 601-856-7546 www.mscrafts.org December 2 - 4 Christmas in the Country St. Francisville, Louisiana Fri. 6:00 pm All Day Saturday 225-635-4224 www.stfrancisvillefestivals.com
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December 2 - 4 & 9 - 11 It’s a Wonderful Life Parkside Playhouse Vicksburg, Mississippi 101 Iowa Avenue $12 adults / $10 Seniors / $7 Students $5 under 12 years 601-636-0471 www.vicksburgtheatreguild.com December 2, 9, 16 Toward Bethlehem St. James Episcopal Church Baton Rouge, Louisiana 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Area Artist Music Interludes Quiet Lunch & Meditations 225-387-5141 ext.222 www.stjamesbr.org December 2 - 18 Annie New Stage Theatre Jackson, Mississippi 1100 Carlisle Street 601-948-3533 www.newstagetheatre.com December 2 - 30 Global Tree Display Jackson Zoo Jackson, Mississippi 2918 West Capital Street 601-352-2580 www.jacksonzoo.com
December 3 Christmas Parade Downtown Jackson, Mississippi Noon 601-960-1084 December 3 Christmas Parade Downtown Natchez, Mississippi 6:00 pm www.christmasinnatchez.com December 3 Christmas Parade McComb, Mississippi 10:00 am December 3 Fourth Annual Holly Days Arts & Crafts Show Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, Mississippi 9:00 am 3:00 pm www.southernculture.org info@southernculture.org
December 3 Breakfast with Santa Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, Mississippi $7 Breakfast, Games, Cookie Dec., Photos 601-630-2929 www.vccmeet.com December 3 Christmas Parade of Lights Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:00 pm 601-634-4527 www.downtownvicksburg.org
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December 3 Museum Merriment Family Day Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi Trustmark Grand Hall 10:00 am - Noon / Free www.msmuseumart.org December 3 Holiday Bazaar & Merry Market Natchez Convention Center Natchez, Mississippi 9:00 am - 5:00 pm / $5 holidaybazaar2011@gmail.com December 3 Treasures on the Trace Brandon Hall Natchez, Mississippi 1213 Highway 61 North Mile Marker 8.7 @ Natchez Trace Pkwy. Tour, Carriage Rides, Music 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 601-304-1040 www.brandonhallplantation.com
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December 3 - 4 Ballet Mississippi’s The Nutcracker Thalia Mara Hall Jackson, Mississippi Sat. 7:30 pm / Sun. 2:00 pm Lunch/Tea Party pre-Sun. Perf. / $30 800-595-4TIX mclanton@balletms.com www.balletms.com December 3 - 4 Rural Life Christmas Rural Life Museum Baton Rouge, Louisiana 225-765-2437 504-571-4672 judy.Leblanc@bourbonorleanshote.com December 4 Alcorn State University Choral Christmas Concert Natchez, Mississippi St. Mary Basilica / 7:00 pm December 4 Holiday Open House West Baton Rouge Museum Port Allen, Louisiana 2:00 - 4:00 pm / Free Music, Gingerbread, Apple Cider www.westbatonrougemuseum.com December 4 Christmas Tour of Homes St. Francisville, Louisiana 225-635-4224 December 4 Brunch with Santa Dunleith Natchez, Mississippi 10 am - 2:00 pm Photos with Santa Dunleith Parlors 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Brunch in The Castle www.christmasinnatchez.com Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 57
December 4 George Armstrong Library Tour of Homes Natchez, Mississippi 2:00 - 5:00 pm $15 / person; $24 / two 601-445-2153 bowser222@aol.com www.naw.lib.ms.us December 4, 11, 18 Brunch with Santa Bourbon Orleans Hotel New Orleans, Louisiana $34 Adults / $19 children 3 - 12 Reservations required Family Photos w/Santa $10
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December 5 Christmas at Co-Lin Natchez, Mississippi Open House 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm 601-446-1205 December 5 Christmas Parade Summit, Mississippi 6:00 pm
December 6 Lighting of the Bethlehem Tree Music in the City Mississippi Museum of Art Trustmark Grand Hall Jackson, Mississippi 5:15 pm hors d’oeuvres & cash bar 5:45 pm program Free / Donations Welcome 380 South Lamar www.msmuseumart.org December 6 The Museum Store Open House Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi 10:00 am - 7:00 pm 308 South Lamar www.msmuseumart.org December 7 - 9 Peter and The Wolf Belhaven University Center for the Arts Jackson, Mississippi 9:00 am & 10:30 am / $8.00 601-977-9840 www.mspuppetry.com December 7 & 17 Holiday Tour of Homes Natchitoches, Louisiana 781 Front Street www.historicfoundation.org
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December 8 Retirement Party for Dot McGee Warren County Chancery Clerk Warren County Courthouse Vicksburg, Mississippi 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Public Invited 1009 Cherry Street 601-636-4415 December 8 ZOO Party—Unleashed Jackson, Mississippi Duling Hall - Fondren 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Non-Member $50 person / $90 couple Member $40 person / $70 couple 601-352-2580 www.jacksonzoo.org December 9 Zion Chapel AME Church Natchez, Mississippi Annual Christmas Concert 7:00 pm / Free to Public normajwest@yahoo.com
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December 9 - 11 The Christmas Post Hawkins United Methodist Church Vicksburg, Mississippi Fri. & Sat. 7:00 pm Sun. 2:00 pm Free / Family Oriented 601-636-2242 www.hawkinsumc.com December 9 - 11 Carols by Candlelight First Baptist Church of Jackson Jackson, Mississippi 431 North State Street 601-949-1900 www.fbcj.org December 9 & 11 Festival of the Bonfires Baton Rouge, Louisiana Lutcher Recreation Park
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December 9 - 18 A Natchez Christmas Carol Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, Mississippi 319 Linton Avenue Dec. 9, 10, 16 &17 / 7:30 pm Dec. 11 & 18 / 2:00 pm www.natchezlittletheatre.org December 10 Downtown Christmas Parade Baton Rouge, Louisiana Downtown 225-603-5914 December 10 Leisure Culinary Classes Chocolates Baton Rouge, Louisiana Louisiana Culinary Institute 225-769-8820 December 10 Book Signing Michael & William Henry Willie Mitchell & Jake Banks Novels Turning Pages Natchez, Mississippi 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm 520 Franklin Street 601-442-2299
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December 10 Second Saturday Rolland Golden Gallery Natchez, Mississippi “Golden Variety� Feature Wine & Cheese Reception 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm 601-304-5500 www.rollandgoldengallery.com December 10 Annual Open House Conner Burns Gallery Natchez, Mississippi 207 Franklin Street Conner Burns Guest Artist Vidal Blankenstein 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm 601-446-6334 www.connerburns.com
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December 10 Christmas Village Arts & Crafts Market McComb, Mississippi 9:00 am - 4:00 pm National Guard Armory 769-204-1702 Thejoplinite@cableone.net December 10 Christmas in Osyka Osyka, Mississippi 4:00 pm Parade 6:00 pm Pyrotechnic Show @ Wall Timber Kim Wall 601-542-5994 walltimberco@wildblue.net December 10 Confederate Christmas Ball Old Court House Museum Vicksburg, Mississippi Court Room Period Dress or Coat & Tie Adv. Tickets Only: $50 couple / $25 single Wine Buffet George “Bubba� Bolm 601-629-6201 societyhistorica@bellsouth.net
December 10 - 11 Christmas in Port Gibson Home & Church Tours Port Gibson, Mississippi 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm $20 1 day pass /$30 2 day pass Emma Crisler @ 601-437-5103 reveille@bellsouth.net December 10 - 11 Nutcracker Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Company Jackson, Mississippi Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center 4908 Ridgewood Road Fri. 2:00 pm / Tea Party 4:00 pm / 7:30 pm Sat. 2:00 pm / Tea Party 4:00 pm www.msmetroballet.com Page 64 { December 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
December 10 - 17 Baton Rouge Arts Market Baton Rouge, Louisiana Main Street Market 225-344-8558 December 11 Old Court House Christmas Caroling Old Court House Museum Vicksburg, Mississippi Court Room 601-636-0741 societyhistorica@bellsouth.net December 11 Auburn Open House Natchez, Mississippi 400 Duncan Avenue 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Free / Tours, Refreshments, Music auburn@auburnmuseum.org
December... Up and Coming!
December 11 Natchez Garden Club Hosts Magnolia Hall Open House Natchez, Mississippi 215 South Pearl Street 1:00 pm. - 5:00 pm Free / Drawings for Gift Shop Discount 601-443-9065 www.natchezgardenclub.com December 12 Cover to Cover Presents: Natchez Book Party & Lunch Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya The Carriage House Restaurant Natchez, Mississippi Lunch $20 /11:30 am - 1:30 pm Guest Speaker Mary Lou Johnson Ridinger Reservations 601-445-5752 info@c2cbooks.com
December 12 - 31 Historic Jefferson College Celebration of Christmas Trees Washington, Mississippi Free / Open to Public 601-442-2901
December 14 Chamber Luncheon Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, Mississippi 12:00 pm www.vicksburgchamber.org December 15 River City Jazz Coalition Presents: Hilary Kole Baton Rouge, Louisiana Manship Theatre 225-344-0334 www.manshiptheatre.org
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December 15 An Irish Christmas Celebration Jackson, Mississippi 4000 Ridgewood Road Covenant Presbyterian Church Irish Band, Legacy w/guest Mairtin de Cogain 7:00 pm / $12 door; $10 advance 601-454-5573 www.LegacyIrishMusic.com
December 16 - 18 Snow Queen Ballet Magnificat Jackson, Mississippi 255 Pascagoula Street Dec. 16 - 7:00 pm Dec. 17 - 3:00 pm Dec. 18 - 2:00 pm 601-977-1001 www.balletmagnificat.com December 17 Handel’s Messiah, Part I and Other Holiday Pieces Jackson, Mississippi Wesley Chapel / Wesley Biblical Seminary 787 East Northside Drive / $20 601-278-3351 www.mschorus.org December 17 Historic Jefferson College Celebration of Christmas Trees Open House 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Washington, Mississippi Free / Open to Public 601-442-2901 Page 66 { December 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous
December 17 The Thunderbird Moonlight Run West Feliciana Sports Park St. Francisville, Louisiana 6K Run Jeffrey Beck 225-610-7978 jeffreybeck@bellsouth.net December 17 David Troy Francis in Concert First Presbyterian Church Natchez, Mississippi 400 State Street / 3:00 pm A CASA Benefit 601-442-2581 December 17 - 18 Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou Baton Rouge River Center for the Performing Arts Baton Rouge, Louisiana 225-389-4940 www.batonballet.org December 17 - 18 Christmas at Rosedown St. Francisville, Louisiana Music, Dance, Arts & Crafts, Cooking Demo 225-635-3110 www.lastateparks.com
December 20 Cover to Cover Presents: Natchez Book Party & Lunch Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya The Carriage House Restaurant Natchez, Mississippi 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Guest Author Gerard Helferich Reservations 601-445-5752 info@c2cbooks.com Bluffs & Bayous { December 2011 { Page 67
December... Up and Coming!
December 20 Unburied Treasures Mississippi Museum of Art Trustmark Grand Hall Jackson, Mississippi 5:30 pm hors d’oeuvres & cash bar 6:00 program / Free 380 South Lamar www.msmuseumart.org
December 24 Christmas Eve Bonfires Along the Levee Baton Rouge, Louisiana Along the Levee of Gramercy, Lutcher & Paulina St. James Parish December 28 Children’s Winter Workshop Masur Museum Monroe, Louisiana Making monotypes! 318-329-2237 jenny.burnham@co.monroe.la.us www.mansumuseum.org
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December 31 Vidalia Convention Center New Years Eve Party Vidalia, Louisiana 112 Front Street 318-336-9934 www.vidaliaconventioncenter.com December 31 New Year’s Eve 2011 New Orleans, Louisiana The French Quarter www.crescentcitycountdown.com Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.
THE Social Scene Grand Re-opening for Riverfront Royale Salon and Spa
R
iverfront Royale Salon and Spa celebrated its grand re-opening recently with an open house and style show at its Vidalia, Louisiana, riverfront location. Riverfront Royale was closed for several months due to the Mighty Mississippi Flood of 2011. Guests at the celebration were pampered with specialty salon services and treated to lavish hors d’oeuvres.
Martha Ivy and Kathy Edwards
Faye LaSyone and Ruthie Brown
Diane Box, Geneva Jackson, Mary Robertson, and Carolyn Tillman
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THE Social Scene Retirement Party for Peggy Sue Fulghum
O
n October 29, 2011, Peggy Sue Fulghum, who recently retired from the Internal Revenue Service after 31 year of service, was honored with a retirement party at the home of Denise and Bill Mounger on Drummond Street in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Guests that included friends and family members from near and far enjoyed smoked roast and salmon prepared by Fulghum’s husband, Mac, along with her favorite appetizers prepared by friends. Peggy’s favorite tomato sandwiches prepared by Helen Abraham and an Italian Crème Cake from That Special Touch in Pearl rounded out the buffet.
Martin Pace, Peggy Fulghum and Kim Pace
Sharen Wilson, Peggy Fulghum, Denise Mounger, and Carolyn Buford
Evelyn Weaver, Launo Moore, and Peggy Fulghum
Frank Quinn and Bill Mounger
Bill and Denise Mounger with Richard Owens
Tressie and Warren Pace with son, Taylor
Jennifer and Duke Lewis with son, Ridge
Front—Ridge Lewis; back—Mitchell Johnson, Will Pace, Jessica Paul, and Taylor Pace
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Jennifer Lewis and Mike Fulghum
Curtis and Carolyn Buford
Launo and John Moore
Mike and Evelyn Weaver
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THE Social Scene
Cicero LaHatte and Denise Mounger
Peggy Fulghum with David and Julie Johnson
Tressie Pace, Peggy Fulghum, and Warren Pace
Jeff Artman, Peggy Fulghum, and Suzanne Pace Artman
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THE Social Scene
Dixon and Sharen Wilson
Kim and Martin Pace
Suzanne Pace Artman and Jeff Artman
Betty Pace with Suzanne Pace Artman
Martin Pace and Betty Pace
Warren Pace and Peggy Fulghum
Nancy and Frank Quinn
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THE Social Scene
Mac and Peggy Fulghum, Cicero LaHatte, and Judi LaHatte
Amy Passons, Peggy Fulghum, Connie Pierpont, and Ridge Lewis
Connie Pierpont and Peggy Fulghum
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Peggy Fulghum and Betty Pace
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THE Social Scene Women’s Health Expo
T
he Women’s Health Expo was held on October 17 at the Vicksburg Convention Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Educational materials, health screenings, and healthy cooking demonstrations were offered to participants at no charge. To raise awareness of heart disease, River Region Hospital sponsored a Women’s Heart Disease Awareness Luncheon and Fashion Show at noon. Miss Mississippi, Mary Margaret Roark, as well as women from the community modeled the latest fashions.
Barbara Cashman, Helen Grissom, Ben Hawthorne, and Emily Abbot
Lillian Harris , Bobbie Beard, and Loni Beard
Jessie Pennington, Sara Leach, Brooke Lott, and Lurline Simmons
Gwen Robinson, Ali Hopson, and Francine Nosser
Shannon Plunkett, Dr. Michael Kanosky, and Whitney Hurd
Lori Quick, Dianna Balthrop, Carrie Whitehead, and Suellen Gunn
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Susie Calbert and Marnita Miller
Ann Walters and Dot Griffin
Fran Pampley, Pam Easler, and Iris Sumners
Vanessa Sceroler, Vickey White, and Natalie Noble
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THE Social Scene “Hootin’ and Rootin’” for Caroline’s Team
F
riends and family gathered in downtown McComb, Mississippi, on October 15 to walk in honor of Caroline Douglas. Eight years old and in the third grade at Bogue Chitto Attendence Center, Caroline was diagnosed in April with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. Caroline’s Team participated in a 5K walk and had multiple fund raisers to help find a cure for diabetes.
Morgan Smith, Kaylee Brown, Caroline Douglas, Gracie Guynes, Kayci Beth Wallace, and Addie White
Katelin Brent, Kaylee Brown, Caroline Douglas, Kinley Douglas, and Morgan Smith
Caroline’s Team
Lynn Brown, Leanne Douglas, and Becca Guynes
Addison White and Caroline Douglas
Front—Kaylee Brown, Caroline Douglas, Gracie Guynes, Gatlin Guynes, Kayci Beth Wallace, Katelin Brent, Kinley Douglas, and Addie White; back—Morgan Smith, Connor Douglas, and Kelsie Brent
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Katelin Brent and Caroline Douglas
Chris and Leanne Douglas
Kelsie Brent and Connor Douglas
Lacey and Dr. Brad Holmes
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THE Social Scene Oktoberfest Celebration
A
n Oktoberfest celebration was held at the home of Bill Perkins, Jr., in Brookhaven, Mississippi, to celebrate friends and the arrival of the Fall season. German dishes were prepared including brats and sauerkraut.
Bill Boerner, Reverend Gene Bennett, and Al Shams
Deborah Shams, Carole Bennett, Bill Perkins, and Merrie Boerner
Deborah Shams, Carole Bennett, Laura Groth, and Merrie Boerner
Jeff Phillips, Dr. Chad Smith, Mark Leblanc, Dr. Nic Belk, and Brad Boerner
Dr. Nic Belk and Dr. Wallace Weatherly
Isabel and Josh Reed
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