Bluffs & Bayous Sep 2011

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From Your Publisher . . .

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hank you to my entire staff for working so diligently to have our website up and running as an interactive website. Viewers can now go online and read Bluffs & Bayous cover to cover! Click on any website, whether in an ad or in the text of a story, and access the site or email address. Email the entire magazine or individual pages to family and friends all over the world. Download a PDF version of the magazine for sharing with others and reading offline. Print individual pages for filing, sharing, and distributing.

AND……all of this is FREE! Moreover, Adam Blackwell has been incorporating additional features on our Facebook page. The interactive magazine can be downloaded there as well. Become a fan of the Bluffs & Bayous’ Facebook page as well as link to our Twitter, Blogspot, Tumbler, and Shutterfly to get the latest updates, news, and photographs from our

Social Scenes. We will soon host some special offers, so be sure to login and become a fan of our social media pages.

Our September magazine is packed with adventures in the outdoors, from kayaking, swimming, and hunting to amazing grilling-in-the-outdoors recipes from Donna’s Chillin’ & Grillin’ section. She has rounded up some of her friends’ wild-game and outdoor-cooking secrets to share with you this month. We also have another “girlfriend” story that evolved during July, and I wanted to share some of my college friends’ thirty-three year friendship—it’s all about sisterhood.

The next several months will be busy here at Bluffs & Bayous: We are preparing our Festival, Dining, Holiday, and Wedding

issues; and if any of you have contributions to any of these theme-focused months, be sure to contact us now. We want to share our area’s festival and holiday events and our readers’ engagement and wedding stories, and now is the time to submit the fascinating details of those occasions of your lives.

Please refer to our website for information regarding these featured submissions.

Enjoy your month of area high school, college, and NFL football games and tantalizing tailgating fare from our recipes herein. We appreciate all of the emails, Facebook postings, and telephone calls regarding our August Back to School issue.

Your continuing, enthusiastic responses inspire us to work even harder to produce a magazine each month to top the one before—as we all accentuate the positives, the pluses, the superlatives of our life along and beyond the Mississippi.

Correction to August Edition: Tailgating Fan-Fare, page 28—Eight-Layer Greek Dip is from Holly Clegg’s collections of recipes submitted by Amanda Jeansonne.

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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 office Intern Kaytlyn Walker

Adam Blackwell

Jean Biglane

Susan Harris

Van O’Gwin

Elise D. Parker

Jan Ratcliff

Cheryl Rinehart

Anita Schilling

Donna Sessions

JoAnna Sproles

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.

Adam Blackwell of Natchez, Mississippi, is pursuing a degree in Public Policy through the Trent Lott Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi. He is a member of the Ole Miss Relay for Life Planning Committee, serving as Advocacy Chairman.

Columnist Mary Emrick is the owner of Turning Pages Books & More in Natchez, Mississippi.

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.

Hailing from Natchez, Mississippi, Dennis Hogue works at Sign Graphics and is Head Boys Soccer Coach at Cathedral School. A fan of the outdoors, camping, mountain biking, and playing the drums, he is married to Suzan Chauvin Hogue; and they have one daughter, Emma.

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

A native of Greenwood now residing in Natchez, Mississippi, Donna Sessions is an account executive with Bluffs & Bayous. Donna is a Banking and Finance Graduate of Mississippi State Univeristy. A believer in being active in her community, Donna is a member of The Natchez Garden Club, Treasurer of Preservation Society of Ellicott Hill, a member of the technology committee at Cathedral High School and Treasurer of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Vidalia, Louisiana.

A Mass Communications graduate of Louisiana State University, JoAnna Sproles of Brookhaven, Mississippi, has more than 15 years of experience in managing public relations and contributing articles to newspapers and magazines.

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.

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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September 2011 FEATURES Impractical Jokes..................................................................................... 16-17 Donna’s Chillin’ & Grillin’........................................................................ 25-27 Hunting Heritage.................................................................................... 28-31 Wildlife Expo Captures Outdoors Enthusiasts............................................ 31 River Kayakers......................................................................................... 32-33 The Vicksburg Killer Whales................................................................... 34-35 2011 Phatwater Kayak Challenge............................................................... 38

FAVORITES

Hunting Heritage pages 28 - 31

Events September. . . Up and Coming! Premier Events.................................... 60-61 September. . . Up and Coming!.............................................................. 62-73

From the Stacks Fall Reading Recommendations................................................................. 8-9 Lunch and Book Signing in Natchez, Mississippi................................... 12-13

Something Scrumptious Just Up Highway 61: Vince’s, Leland, Mississippi................................... 40-42

Southern Sampler Double Nickel Girls.................................................................................. 44-47 Why the Beach?....................................................................................... 52-53

THE Social Scene

River Kayakers pages 32 - 33

Family Duck Hunt......................................................................................... 10 1920s Party............................................................................................... 14-15 Class of 1961 Reunion............................................................................. 54-58

Weddings, Engagements, and Anniversaries Garber and Farmer Engagement Party.................................................. 18-21 Windham and Gribble Engagement Celebration................................. 22-23 Anniversary Party......................................................................................... 48

on the cover The SonRise Camp in Franklin County settles in at sunset in early August. This hunting property has been in the Shell family since 1948 with the pier, pictured here, having been added in 2005.

See article on pages 28-31.

Photograph by JoAnna Sproles.

Just Up Highway 61 Vince’s, Leland, Mississippi pages 40 - 42 Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 7

From the Stacks | review by Mary Emrick

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Fall Reading Recommendations

hoosing a book to review is not always easy. I realize I tend to review books that appeal to women more than men, but I guess that is unavoidable given my gender. I do read “guy” books like thrillers, I read an occasional horror book, and I fit in some nonfiction along the way. This month I have read many books that I want to tell you about. They are all very different, and only one of the four authors writes books that I would deem written for only the female audience.

First, The Conversion by native Mississippian Ron Tew is not what you might think, given the title. My first thought

was Inspirational Fiction—but, not so!

The Conversion is the adventure story of two friends as they try to navigate a fortyfoot sailing yacht from Fort Lauderdale across the Gulf of Mexico to Pensacola.

This book of male bonding is filled with deception and twists of personalities.

I found Tew’s book to be so engrossing that at one point in the book I became so angry that I slammed the book down in disgust and walked away. It was not thirty minutes before I was compelled to pick the book back up and see how author Ron Tew concluded The Conversion.

This provocative, well-written book I

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recommend with the warning, “It will make you angry!”

Another book I look forward to sharing with readers is The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman. I read an advance copy of this book that will release this month on September 6. The Lost Wife is an evocative historical novel that begins in Prague during the Nazi invasion of World War II. Two Jewish lovers are separated when the husband’s family secures visas that will give his family safety in America. With Lenka’s insistence Josef reluctantly leaves his new young bride behind. Lenka feels duty bound to stay in Czechoslovakia with her aging parents and younger sister in the face of the Hitler’s brutal, advancing armies.

Decades later, each thinking the other is deceased, Lenka and Josef catch a chance glimpse of each other at a family wedding in New York. Josef’s recognition of Lenka is immediate. Author Alyson Richman beautifully writes this powerful, heart-rending historical novel. Richman attended Wellesley College and presently lives in Long Island, New York. She is the author of the highly praised novel The Last Van Gogh.

Next, I must share with you The Hands of Strangers, a novella by award-winning Mississippi author Michael F. Smith. Set in

Paris, France, The Hands of Strangers could be ripped from today’s headlines. At the heart of this deftly written story is a nineyear-old girl who is abducted while on a school trip to the Musee d`Orsay. The book is a harrowing journey taken with the girl’s parents as they struggle to cope, following her disappearance. The Hands of Strangers is another tremendous accomplishment by Columbus, Mississippi, author Michael F. Smith, who teaches creative writing at Mississippi University for Women.

Finally, I recommend two “chick-lit” novels by Southern author Lisa Patton, Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter and Yankee Doodle Dixie. Patton has the pulse of the South in her blood, and it is revealed in her writing. She depicts the deep-seated tradition in the life of southern girls to cultivate life-long friendships with women who stick by them throughout all the chapters of their lives.

I have been reading and listening to way too much political news lately, and it is all very depressing. I was looking for something to bring me out of the doldrums—something lighthearted and funny. Lisa Patton’s books revived me with belly-bubbling laughter. Patton’s first book of the duo is Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter. In this tale, Leelee Saterfield, her two baby daughters, her elderly dog, and her controlling husband, Baker, are moving from her Memphis dream home

to Vermont for him to fulfill his life-long dream of becoming an inn keeper. His wife and childhood sweetheart is more than ready to give in to his decision. Three months after moving to Vermont, the “State” of a snow season, a mud season, and three weeks of color Vermonters call fall, Baker leaves Leelee, his girls, and the inn for a wealthy older woman. Leelee must make a success of the inn, having used her inheritance for the purchase. Her three best friends from Memphis come to her rescue in this humorous and entertaining book.

Patton’s second book is Yankee Doodle Dixie. This sequel, to be released by St. Martin’s Press September 13, finds Leelee and her daughters returning to Memphis, hoping to pick up their lives as they left them more than a year earlier. Now a single mom who must support her family, Leelee discovers quite a different set of circumstances facing her. Luckily, her three best friends are there to help her figure out this next chapter in her life. Lisa Patton’s books are just what the doctor ordered to make you smile and forget all your woes.

Lisa Patton’s home is Memphis, Tennessee, where she raises her two sons, tour guides, and writes books. She attended the University of Alabama.

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THE Social Scene Family Duck Hunt

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he Farmer brothers, their sons, and cousin enjoyed a guided duck hunt in Leland, Mississippi, this past December. The group braved cold weather for an early morning hunt. The fowl were plentiful as the group enjoyed their successful outing in the Mississippi Delta.

Jordan, Trevor, Henry, and Gary Farmer with Tommy Davis

Trevor Farmer

Henry, Jordan, Gary, and Trevor Farmer with Tommy Davis

Henry Farmer

Henry and Jordan Farmer

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From the Stacks | review by Cheryl F. Rinehart

Lunch and Book Signing in Natchez, Mississippi One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Home Place Authors Susan Haltom and Jane Roy Brown, photographer Langdon Clay

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Top—Author Susan Haltom Middle—Author Jane Roy Brown Bottom— Eudora Welty in the arbor between the upper garden and lower garden. Photo courtesy Eudora Welty LLC

Natchez Book Party and Lunch, featuring authors Susan Haltom and Jane Roy Brown and photographer Langdon Clay and their new publication, One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Home Place, is set for October 10 in Natchez, Mississippi. Haltom, Brown, and Clay will be signing and discussing the book during lunch at The Carriage House Restaurant and afterwards at Cover to Cover Books & More.

One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Home Place describes the deeply personal relationship between renowned American author and Jackson, Mississippi, native Eudora Welty and her garden. The book also includes the broader story of how American gardens evolved in the early twentieth century, including previously unpublished excerpts from Welty’s prose and correspondence. Historic images and full-color photographs of the restored garden are contained in the pages of this new publication.

In 1925, Chestina Welty, Eudora Welty’s mother, created and designed the garden that borders the English Tudor-style home in Jackson on its north, south, and east sides and covers three-quarters of an acre. When Eudora Welty’s papers became available after her death in 2001, her correspondence revealed many details of this garden and the significant role it played in her stories.

A horticulturist specializing in historic garden design and preservation, Susan Haltom of Ridgeland, Mississippi, had many conversations with Miss Welty about the garden and received her permission to tell the story. Haltom first met Miss Welty in 1994 and remembers her comment, “I can’t bear to look out the window and see what has become of my mother’s garden.”

At this point, Haltom began to work in the garden and realized the need to restore it to its 1925 to 1944 appearance for inclusion

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as part of the literary museum, a status that the home now enjoys. The garden opened to the public in April 2004.

Haltom consulted with Miss Welty to find the 1920s day lilies that once graced the gardens and some of the original camellias and roses. Miss Welty provided photographs from the 1930s, and Haltom found plants that were grown during that time period.

The garden layout, complete with plant names and locations, was found in Chestina Welty’s 1930s gardening journal.

Following the garden’s restoration, Susan Haltom and Jane Roy Brown collaborated to bring One Writer’s Garden to life. The project first began when Haltom started excavating the garden’s remains.

After extensive site research, she wrote a cultural landscape report to guide the garden’s restoration and invested hundreds of hours of physical labor to oversee the project. At the same time, she gave lectures on the garden, drawing connections to the imagery of flowers and gardens in Welty’s writing. Haltom and Brown, a landscape historian and award-winning travel and garden writer from Massachusetts, met when Brown visited the garden in 2004.

The two discovered that their unique talents blended well: Haltom’s strong suit was researching the archives, bigpicture thinking, and organizing ideas and material while Brown’s forte was writing about societal movements and national landscape-design trends in relation to the Welty garden.

The two authors chose a structure for the book which parallels the seasons of central Mississippi. The book begins with spring and moves through summer, fall, and finally winter, depicting the creation of the garden in the 1920s, its pinnacle in the 1930s, the downturn in the 1940s, and the postwar decline. This book is beautifully illustrated with photographs by both Langdon Clay and Susan Haltom.

Also included are historic images from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Home Place includes an extensive

Top left—An assortment of camellias Photo by Susan Haltom Bottom left—Fall Photo by Langdon Clay Right— Spring Photo by Langdon Clay

bibliography, index, original plant list, resources for historic landscape preservation, and questions for book club discussion.

For the 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. lunch at The Carriage House Restaurant, 410 High Street, and book reservations at Cover to Cover Books & More, 401 Main Street, call 601-445-5752. Lunch is $20 and includes entree, dessert, beverage, tax, and gratuity.

The autographed book is $35 plus tax.

About the Authors:

Susan Haltom of Ridgeland, Mississippi, is a garden designer and the preservation and maintenance coordinator of the Eudora Welty garden. She has published in Mississippi Magazine; Mississippi Gardens; Old House Journal; and Magnolia, the journal of the Southern Garden History Society. She is married to Dr. James Haltom, formerly of Natchez, Mississippi, and they are the proud parents of three sons.

Jane Roy Brown of Conway, Massachusetts, is a freelance travel and garden writer with a focus on historic gardens and landscapes.

She is also director of educational outreach for the Library of American Landscape History and has published in Horticulture, Preservation, Garden Design, and the Boston Globe. She serves as a contributing editor to Landscape Architecture.

Langdon Clay is a noted landscape photographer whose photographs have been featured in such publications as

Jefferson’s Monticello by Howard Adams and From My Chateau Kitchen by Anne Willan. His art photography can be found in museums in Paris, London, New York, Chicago, and New Orleans as well as in Jackson, Mississippi. Born in New York City and raised in New England, he now resides in the delta town of Sumner, Mississippi, with his wife, photographer Maude Schuyler Clay.

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THE Social Scene 1920s Party

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uring the last weekend of July, friends gathered in 1920s attire to enjoy cocktails and dinner in downtown Natchez, Mississippi.

Bettina Mas Coffey, Amy Killelea, and Melanie Miller Downer

Bettina Mas Coffey, Babs Price, Carole Jordan, Alma Carpenter, and Ann Logan Watts

Kathy Killelea, Melanie Miller Downer, Amy Killelea, Tanya Biglane, Babs Price, Bettina Mas Coffey, Ann Logan Watts, and Tonya Greer

Carole Jordan, Kathy Sizemore, Babs Price, Bob Sizemore, and Patty Killelea-Willard

Bob Adams, Carlin Sizemore, Kathy Sizemore, Carole Jordan, Babs Price, Patricia Lawless, and Cammie Dale

Terry and Meredith Trovato with Don Mitchell

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Bob and Kathy Sizemore

Bettina Mas Coffey, Tanya Biglane, Tonya Day Greer, and Cammie Dale

Katherine Killelea and Jeannie Peabody

Ken Price and Conley Greer

Joey Gunning

Stephanie Parker and Patricia Lawless

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All Outdoors | by Ross McGehee

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Impractical Jokes

-Boy, we got trouble. I shot a cow! That’s right. I shot a cow and I got to leave before I get caught with it! You can’t come up here this weekend. When they find out, they are going to be on the warpath! I’m on the way home right now. I’ll talk to you when I get there. Bye.” We were holding our sides trying not to laugh because Joey pulled it off to perfection and Kirk took the bait—hook, line, and sinker.

Kirk and Joey have a long history of some pretty hysterical practical jokes back and forth between them. They enlist the cautious, if not passive, participation of confederates from time to time and are sure to notify next of kin in advance, so the joke is usually known communitywide or among all of the hunting buddies, and everybody can share the laugh. We are always waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Anyway, in this particular instance, Joey hadn’t really shot a cow. We were calving during deer season and had found a stillborn calf in the pasture. It was put in the truck for disposal and was still there when the truck arrived at the camp mid-morning.

Joey was headed home anyway and saw the opportunity for mayhem. He knew that Kirk was coming from Opelousas to hunt

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later in the day and figured that he’d just ruin the weekend for him. Oh sure, it was an awful thing to do, but you know what they say about payback…..

So Joey loaded the deceased calf into the back of his own truck and headed home. I’m telling you, these guys play it to the hilt!

He had already called the gang at the farm supply store where Kirk drinks coffee every morning and told them what was going on.

He wanted them to be primed when Kirk came in to report what his “stupid little buddy” had done. They were all sworn to secrecy, as usual. So when Joey pulled up to the store later in the morning, everybody played along and ribbed him for shooting a calf that looked like a deer. Nobody ever noticed or mentioned the absence of a bullet hole. Kirk missed going hunting that weekend so the smoke could clear at the camp. Someone leaked the truth to him on Monday morning, and he vowed revenge!

It didn’t take long.

Joey had bought a new pickup truck the year before. It was his only vehicle whether he was farming, hunting, fishing, or going to LSU football games. After Kirk found out how he’d been snookered out of a hunt, he took off mid-week alone and without notifying Joey. Every time that Joey would call the cell phone to visit, Kirk would

pretend to be shipping rice out and too busy to talk when in reality he was sitting in the camp. He shot an old doe; and instead of disposing of the inedible components in his usual fashion, he retained quite a bit of them and left for home.

Joey had an old dog that had wandered up to his house. The dog was notorious for dragging stuff up into the yard and chewing it to bits on the porch. Joey hated that dog, but his wife was one of those bleeding-heart types and over-ruled the removal of the pest.

So when Kirk dumped a bucket of deer guts in the road ditch in front of Joey’s house one night, he had a pretty good idea where it was going to end up. If that wasn’t bad enough, he had the guys at the farm supply store to distract Joey so the rolled-up deer hide could be stuffed under the seat of Joey’s only transportation. Black truck, LSU home game in three days, windows rolled up, and doors locked for three or four hours, minimum. I’m told that it wasn’t pretty.

How to top that? Well, Kirk was extremely secretive about where he hunted.

He made sure that no one followed him into the woods and used circuitous routes to his deer stands. VERY paranoid about having his little honey hole discovered. So Joey dedicated himself to unraveling the mystery, and over time he found the haven.

Kirk’s deer stand had been well concealed.

Trail cameras monitored the area, and Joey was careful to look for and avoid those.

It took some doing, but with considerable effort a total of three additional deer stands were transported into Kirk’s hide away. All were leaned against trees within eyesight of Kirk’s stand. All had pink ribbon tied to them, waving in the breeze. The trail cameras had been approached from behind and had duct tape stretched over the lenses. But the icing on the cake was Kirk’s stand. A Hershey Bar had been melted and put in Kirk’s chair. A small amount of toilet paper had been applied and the perpetrator had exited. That’s cold!

Of course, no one in these circumstances gives any indication that he knows he’s been had. He just plots his next move.

Remember the dog that Joey hated?

Kirk had seen the dog and knew how Joey felt about it. Driving down the highway one day, he saw an unfortunate beast that had been the victim of a vehicular impact, and the dog looked exactly like the dog at Joey’s house. This was too good to pass up! So he loaded the expired animal in his

truck and headed for Joey’s house. These guys are ROUGH! Joey wasn’t home, so the deceased dog was placed in the road ditch by Joey’s mailbox. Kirk summoned Joey’s nemesis and loaded it into the back of the truck and off he went. As expected, Joey got home ahead of his wife and saw the dead dog.

Joey knew the pathos that would result when she saw it had been run over, so he raced to his shed and got a backhoe. The dog was buried before his dutiful wife got home, and he planned not to notice the absence of the dog in case she asked. His explanation was going to be that maybe the dog just wandered off.

Kirk waited two days before he drove close to Joey’s house and turned the dog back loose just down the road. It took off for a familiar house. Wish I could have seen the look on Joey’s face when he came out on the porch the next morning. That stuff, as we’ve seen, works both ways.

Kirk’s wife had a horse. Actually it was kind of between a horse and pony in size. She was absolutely irrational about the critter. The poor old thing had gotten pretty long-in-the-tooth, feeble, arthritic, lame, and attractive only to Kirk’s wife and about fifteen buzzards that checked in on a regular basis, just in case. Several friends, neighbors, and veterinarians had quietly suggested that the animal be relieved of its suffering, since all it ever did was lie down in the dooryard and attract flies. But Kirk’s wife would get hysterical, recalling the time when someone offered her an obscene amount of money for the pony/horse, and she couldn’t let it go it now any more than she could then. Kirk was pretty patient about the whole deal, knowing all too well

that you can’t reason with a woman about a horse. Yeah, it’s sexist, but it’s the truth!

So the horse lies around the yard all day.

Joey drives by often and knows the deal.

Kirk’s wife is off to some church function.

Joey knows Kirk will be home before her on this particular afternoon. He has already taken four old turkey decoys and painted them black. One has had the legs cut off and a long piece of string run through the belly section. Said decoys stay behind the seat of Joey’s truck waiting to be deployed at the most opportune moment.

The coast is clear, so Joey whips into Kirk’s yard and approaches the prostrate horse. Three of the now-buzzard decoys are positioned in the yard surrounding the resting animal. The one with a string tied to the bottom is set on top of the horse and the string is tied around its midsection so the decoy is “riding.” I can only imagine, once again, the look on the victim’s face when he drove up and saw the scene of fabricated death in the front yard…with Mama on the way home. It wasn’t long before they took the hint, reason over-ruled emotion, and mercy was delivered.

How two guys can perpetrate such acts of terror on each other on a sustained basis staggers the imagination. But if you have a twisted sense of humor, bordering on bizarre and crowding revolting, it’s pretty interesting waiting on what they will pull next. Just don’t get too close or you might get caught up in the vortex!

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements Garber and Farmer Engagement Party

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recent engagement announcement party honored Rachel Garber and Jordan Farmer at Hechler Hall in Natchez, Mississippi. Guests enjoyed the ambiance of the gardens and arbor, the delicious food, and the congeniality of family and friends as they celebrated this happy occasion.

Rachel Garber and Jordan Farmer

Henry Farmer and Walt Wilson

Dr. Chesar Ramirez, Jordan Farmer, and Steven Ashy

Cheryl Rinehart, Leah Ulmer, and Crecia Johnson

Whitney Ashy, Kortney West, Brittany Deshotels, Omeed Yazdi, and Rebecca Garber

David Martin, Maggie Martin Smith, and Tim Morrison

Leah Ulmer, Lisa Wilson, and Andrea Bradford

Bryan Adair, Barnett Serio, and Richard Edgin

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Courtney Martinez, Denise McCann, and Stephanie Bernard

Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements

Charles Mascagni, Sarah Wisner, and Zack Calhoun

Johnny Christian with Leah and Billy Ulmer

Joyce and Kurt Raeuchle

Mattie Smith, Cara Serio, Christine Paige Hopper, and Katie Grace Edgin

Donnie and Agnes Holloway, Brittney Laird, and Emily Stevens

Madison, Henry, Marla and Jordan Farmer with Rachel, Kathy, Ron, Andrea and Rebecca Garber

Wyatt Craig, Derek Spinks, Eric Anders, Brock Vines, John Holloman, Brittany Beckner, Ryan Rachal, and (seated) Murphy Hinson

Andrea Garber, Kathy Garber, Madison Farmer, Marla Farmer, Rachel Garber, and Rebecca Garber

Pam and Tom Middleton with Becky and Jerry Junkin

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements

Patrick Vogt with Cheryl and Mike Rinehart

Clay Ardoin, Ryan Ardoin, and Omeed Yazdi

Brittany Deshotels, Steven Ashy, Dr. Cesar Rameriz, and Sarah Hebert

Barry Bernard, Nanette Martinez, and Ryan Ardoin

Lee Best and Matt Marchbanks

Mike Rinehart and Kitty Bray

Madison Farmer, Kortney West, and Whitney Ashy

David and Julie Timm

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Front—Sarah Hebert, Brittany Deshotels, and Andrea Garber; back—Rebecca Garber, Denise McCann, Kortney West, Rachel Garber, Whitney Ashy, and Madison Farmer

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements Windham and Gribble Engagement Celebration

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he Bazinsky House in Vicksburg, Mississippi, was the elegant setting for an engagement celebration, honoring Sarah Louise Windham and Andrew Gribble. The hosts and guests gathered on Saturday, July 16, to wish the young couple much happiness with their approaching marriage. Hosts for the event were Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Bailess; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Buelow; Mr. and Mrs. James E. Blackburn, Jr.; Mrs. Frank Campbell; Dr. and Mrs. James Cook; Mr. Buddy Dees; Dr. and Mrs. Randy Easterling; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Farrell; Mr. and Mrs. Steve Golding; Mr. and Mrs. Ken Grogan; Ms. Shirley Gussio; Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hall; Ms. Linda Harris; Ms. Teresa Harris; Mr. and Mrs. Joel Horton; Mr. and Mrs. Allen Hudspeth; Ms. Patsy Humble; Mrs. John Wayne Jabour; Dr. and Mrs. Don Jackson; Ms. Meta Klaus; Mr. and Mrs. Larry Lambiotte; Ms. Suzanne Latham; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Morrison III; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Moss; Mr. and Mrs. Dean Norman; Ms. Josephine Peterson; Dr. and Mrs. Bill Pierce; Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sadler; Mrs. Jack Thomas; Mr. and Mrs. Herb Wilkinson; Mr. and Mrs. Dan Waring; Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Waring; and Mr. and Mrs. Howard Waring. The couple will marry in October at Vicksburg’s Crawford Street United Methodist Church and, thereafter, be at home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Andrew Gribble, Sarah Louise Windham, Cindy Windham, Dr. Al Windham, and Mary Ruth Windham

Herb and Faye Wilkinson with Jane Shelton

Andrew Gribble and Sarah Louise Windham

Joyce McPherson and Judy McMillan

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Weddings t Engagements t Weddings t Engagements

Allen Hudspeth, Joel Horton, and Dr. Al Windham

Michele and Cary Stockett with Harry McMillan

Mary Ruth Windham, Nelda Bridgers and Jeane Blackburn

Mary Ruth Windham and Peggy Gouras

John Kamman and Mary Chaney

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Donna Sessions

Jane and Kyle Greer, and Betsy Sawyer are grillin’ buffs as well. They have entered and won the Jim Bowie Contest Backyard Competition several times. Finally, Donnie Holloway and Agnes, his wife, have been our close friends and round out our pantheon of grilling fans. Donnie, it seems, is constantly cooking something great in his kitchen! Try these recipes while you are watching your favorite college football team! By the way GO MSU BULLDOGS!!

Donna’s Chillin’ & Grillin’ S

by Donna C. Sessions

mell that aroma–someone’s grillin’!

That comment comes from my husband, Tim, or me almost every weekend! You see, we are barbeque and grilling enthusiasts! This does not stem from childhood experiences but rather from a chance experience around 20 years ago. At that time, Commercial Bank, our family-owned bank in Woodville, had just opened a branch bank in Centreville, Mississippi, when the town was holding its inaugural barbeque competition, and Tim and I were asked to be “diplomat” judges.

We had no idea what we were getting into, just thought it sounded like fun!

And fun it was—so much so that we began the process of becoming Memphis in May certified barbeque judges. Upon completing the required Memphis in May barbeque course, passing the test, and judging two competitions, we became certified judges. The experiences we have

Smothered Venison 2 cups of all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ cup oil or bacon grease or combination of both 3 - 4 pounds tenderized venison steaks 5 cups water 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 medium onion, chopped 6 green onions, chopped Mix flour, Tony’s, and pepper. Heat oil in a cast-iron Dutch oven or skillet.

Coat venison in flour mixture, and brown.

Remove from oil and drain. Use the remaining flour to make a roux. Add water to make gravy. Return venison to pot and add onions and garlic. Simmer for 2 hours covered or until meat is tender. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. ~ Betsy Sawyer

had and the friends we have made judging barbeque are second to none! We’ve judged the annual Memphis In May World Championship Barbeque Competition many times as well as many local contests in Louisiana and Mississippi. This month in Bluffs & Bayous, not only are Tim, a few of our friends, and I sharing barbeque and grilling recipes but we are also adding some of our recipes for wild game such as venison and quail.

With Tim, though, this is more than just sharing recipes with others—this is about sharing his enthusiasm for grillin’ and chillin’ with others. He and our church friend, Brent Taunton, smoke up to 20 turkeys during Thanksgiving and Christmas for the Natchez Stewpot; and frequently, Tim cooks ribs or chicken for Good Shepherd Episcopal Church fundraisers. Our cousins Betsy Sawyer

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Donnie Holloway

Buck and Bourbon If you have a buck and a bottle of bourbon at the camp, this is a nice, change-ofpace stew.

2-2½ pounds venison, cut into 1½” cubes

5 tablespoons of flour 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2¼ tablespoons oil or lard 2 medium onions, diced ½ cup chopped green pepper 2 cloves garlic, diced 1 cup tomato sauce, canned or homemade ½ teaspoon thyme or crushed rosemary 3 ounces bourbon plus ½ cup water with a bouillon cube (beef) In a skillet (with lid for later use) brown over low to medium fire the meat cubes shaken or rolled in flour, salt and pepper.

Don’t crowd the meat pieces, but brown in the oil or lard and remove as they are ready.

Then set aside.

Sauté the onions, green peppers, and garlic in same skillet until soft. Add browned meat cubes and remaining ingredients, cover and simmer slowly for 1½ hours. Check for liquid two or three times.

NOTE: If the meat cubes are well floured, the stew will be properly thickened when finished. ~ Donnie Holloway Red Wine Venison Chili 3 pounds ground venison 2 large onions, sliced 6 tablespoons shortening or oil 2 bell peppers, chopped 2 29-ounce cans tomatoes, chopped 3 teaspoons salt 6 whole cloves 2 bay leaves 6 tablespoons chili powder, and more to taste 2 4-ounce cans green chilies, chopped Chopped jalapenos to taste 1 16-ounce can red kidney beans, drained 2 16-ounce cans “ranch style” pinto beans, drained 1 cup dry red table wine (not cooking wine) Fresh chopped cilantro to taste Brown the onion in oil. Add the venison and bell pepper. Brown, stirring the meat as it cooks. Drain off grease. Add the tomatoes, salt, cloves, bay leaves, chilies, peppers, and chili powder. Cover and

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simmer at least 2 hours. Add the beans and wine. Simmer until heated through.

If available, add fresh chopped cilantro before serving. Serve with Mexican corn bread or flour tortillas. ~ Donnie Holloway Hot Bean-Venison Dip Great for tailgating. Always a big hit. ½ pound ground venison ¼ cup minced onion 1 16-ounce can kidney beans, mashed 1 tablespoon chili powder ½ cup catsup ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 4-ounce can green chilies, diced ½ pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese shredded Sauté onions in butter; then add meat and brown. Add remaining ingredients, saving some of the cheese for the top, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted. Serve with tostadas or corn chips. ~ Donnie Holloway Rib Tickling Ribs Take three racks of baby back ribs, and remove the membrane from the back side.

Sprinkle rub onto ribs and massage into the flesh. Next, sprinkle a generous portion of light brown sugar on top of the ribs. Place the ribs in a baking pan, covering with cling wrap, and place in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate while you light your fire. This will help the spices penetrate the meat.

When your fire is ready, place the coals to one side for indirect cooking. Place several water-soaked chunks of oak, pecan, or hickory wood directly onto the fire (Always use seasoned/dried wood because green wood will give a bitter taste – and indigestion!). Smoke over low (200-225 degrees) heat for an hour. After you have smoked your ribs, wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them back on the grill on medium heat (250-275 degrees) for three hours or until the bone protrudes about ¼ inch. You may also finish the cooking in your oven indoors. When ribs are done, unwrap them, and mop generously with your Simple Sauce and place them back on the grill (or in oven) for ten minutes.

Remove from heat, let rest for five minutes, and enjoy! ~ Tim Sessions

Left—Tim Sessions (left) and Brent Taunton, as they smoke 20 turkeys for Natchez Stewpot Right— Jane and Kyle Greer

juice that is in the cap. Fill the cap with the sausage mixture, and top with cheese. Return the mushrooms to the grill, and continue cooking until the cheese melts. Serve as an appetizer or with a salad as an entrée. ~ Jane and Kyle Greer Easy Rub 1 oz. ground white pepper 1 oz. lemon pepper 1 oz. chili powder 1 oz. onion powder 1.5 oz. sea salt 1.5 oz. orange peel Combine all ingredients, and place in a glass container with lid (A Good Seasons dressing carafe works well for storing and dispensing your rub.) and store in pantry. ~ Tim Sessions Simple Sauce 1 cup ketchup ½ cup apple cider vinegar ½ cup honey 2 teaspoons minced onion 2 teaspoons Easy Rub Combine first three ingredients, and stir until well blended. Add minced onion and Easy Rub and stir until well blended. Place in container (A clean ketchup bottle works great.) and store in the refrigerator. ~ Tim Sessions

Quacos (Grilled Quail Tacos) 12 boneless quail (can be purchased at Cajun Specialty Meats) 2 avocados, sliced 2 shallots, diced 2 tomatoes, diced 2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese 1 package medium flour tortillas La Choy Soy Sauce Tony Chachere’s Garlic powder Onion powder Paprika

Moisten quail with soy sauce; and then season with equal parts Tony’s, onion powder, and paprika and a half portion of garlic powder. Let stand for a minimum of 30 minutes. Grill at 400 degrees for approximately 6 to 10 minutes. Do not over-cook quail. Let quail rest for 5 minutes after removal from grill. Shred meat. Wrap meat and all other ingredients in a warmed flour tortilla and serve. Makes approximately 12 servings. ~ Jane and Kyle Greer

Grilled Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms 8 Portabella mushrooms, gills scooped out, stems removed 1 pound Jimmy Dean Regular Pork Sausage 1 small onion, diced ¼ red bell pepper, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 love garlic, minced or ground 2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese Grill mushrooms top down on a 375 degree grill until they reduce approximately one-fourth in size. While the mushrooms are grilling, brown sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in a skillet. Remove the mushrooms from the grill, and pour out any Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 27

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hunting heritage T

by Joanna Sproles

he phrase “It’s a family tradition” has been tossed around in writings and songs and by word of mouth throughout the South for years.

Those words hold many meanings. For the Shell family of Lincoln County, Mississippi, true family tradition means spending time hunting in the great outdoors.

Matt Shell and Mike Shell of Brookhaven, who are 43-year-old twin brothers, learned everything they know about hunting and fishing from their father, Wilber, 71. All three men are avid hunters and outdoorsmen, carrying on the love of the Mississippi outdoors from Wilber’s father, Roy Shell. It was this particular Shell who started the first deer camp in Franklin County during the mid-1950s after traveling for years to the Delta to hunt deer. Wilber said it was not until he was about 12 years old that he could finally hunt deer with his dad at home.

And, he has not stopped since.

When Matt and his wife, Lucy, had a baby girl, Katherine, almost 14 years ago, Matt knew he would pass on the proper techniques, abilities, and passions for hunting to her. After a lifetime of hunting during every season possible, Matt says his biggest accomplishment and most proud hunting moments are not his kills, but moments during outings with Katherine, teaching her what he knows and treasures about the outdoors.

“To be able to pass that love and respect on to Katherine has been my biggest trophy,” Matt said. “When you are in the woods together, waiting and talking, with no television, computers, or cell phones to distract you, it is a time to grow closer and learn about what is going on in her life. Nothing can replace that time.”

Katherine went on her first official hunt when she was only four years old.

Hunting has been a part of her life ever since then; and she has become an accomplished hunter, armed with bragging rights. Matt estimates that she has killed close to 20 big-game animals and shoots as sharply as any man.

“When the guys around our camp hear Katherine shoot, we know to get the four-wheeler to help bring in the animal,” he said.

Opposite Page—(Left to right, standing) Mike Shell, Wilber Shell and Matt Shell with daughter Katherine enjoy the family’s SonRise Hunting Camp in Franklin County.

Top—Katherine Shell, at age 12, shows a large bass that she caught off the pond’s pier.

Middle and bottom—Katherine with a boar and turkey both killed when she was 11 years old.

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 29

Katherine has hunted deer, turkey, hog, various fish, and even a Hawaiian ram, which she killed during a special out-of-state hunting trip.

She returns to the woods as often as she does because, she said, “There is an adrenaline rush when you pull the trigger, hear the noise, and then see that animal drop. Eating the meat is pretty good, too.”

In addition to being successful at nailing their targets, the Shells are always on target regarding hunting’s rules, laws, and regulations.

Safety is the most important rule of the hunt, closely followed by total respect for nature and the conviction of eating whatever you kill.

“We have always been taught to play the game fairly. Don’t cheat. I could never look at an animal that I killed at night,” Matt said. “It is not about the killing; it is about the experience of the hunt. When we get together over the weekends and finally sit around the fire pit at night, we can honestly say we have solved all the world’s problems. It is about being with family and friends.”

Amidst this camaraderie, though, competition definitely thrives among these family members and their friends. According to Wilber, as his twin sons grow older, their level of competition grows fiercer, especially regarding the size and stories of their kills.

Mike stated that during hunting seasons, when apart in the woods, the three men obsessively text message and call one another to compare successes. “Even at my age,” Mike said smiling, “my daddy is the first one I call when I shoot something. We tell each other first whenever we are out. It is something we all share.”

The bond among the Shell family hunters started early during the boys’ first trip under Wilber’s watchful supervision.

While telling this 30-year-old story, the men interrupted one another, enhancing and overlapping details and adding to their excitement. It was during this trip that a deer suddenly peered from under a bush, and all three hunters pulled their triggers to shoot at the same time. Mike concluded the tale by saying that was about the last time Wilber ever really helped with loading and cleaning their animals. With two growing sons around all the time, Wilber explained that he could rely on them to do that work.

They all agree that the process of the hunt, the time it takes to know the animals on their property, talk to them in the wild, and lure them in ... those moments are the real reason for the hunt.

“The moment you pull that trigger, the fun is over,” Wilber said.

“It is getting to the point of the actual killing that is the exciting part when you feel the adrenaline and enjoy that relationship between you and the animal.”

The Shells’ hunting sagas, though, are not without their scary episodes and close encounters. At eight years old, Katherine was charged by a furious female wild boar whose six babies were caught in a nearby trap. Matt, who was right beside her, came to the rescue. On another occasion a few years ago, Wilber was bitten by a rattlesnake while walking through the woods with Matt, who had skimmed over the snake first. Wilber was treated at the hospital; but when the incident comes up, a quiet tension fills the room.

Top—Matt Shell shows his trophy deer from a bow hunting trip in Iowa during 2010.

Middle—During a Franklin County snow a couple of winters ago, Mike (right) looks on as Wilber (left) shows his hunt for the day.

Bottom—Mike Shell used a bow to make his deer kill in Iowa while hunting with his brother, Matt.

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Wildlife Expo Captures Outdoors Enthusiasts The 2011 Lincoln County Wildlife Expo is on target for the third year to attract families from all over southwest Mississippi and beyond. The Expo will feature vendors from all aspects of the outdoor world with features for all ages. Booths will include home décor, taxidermy work, feed and seed companies, recreational vehicles, game calls, and much more! The weekend will provide a host of activities for the entire family, and all proceeds benefit the Lincoln Civic Center for operations and improvements.

The Expo will be held on Friday, September 16, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, September 17, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event will be hosted at the Lincoln Civic Center, located at 1096 Beltline Drive in Brookhaven. The 2011 Expo’s Platinum sponsor is Brookhaven Honda, and The Gold level sponsors are Fielder’s Pro Shop of Brookhaven and McComb and Gold Nugget Pawn Shop of Brookhaven.

The event will feature a Big Buck Contest, sponsored by Smith Bros. Collision Center and 51 Pawn and Gun, for bucks harvested in Mississippi in the 2010-2011 season. Prizes will be awarded to the top gross scoring bucks for men, women, and youth divisions. All youth entrants will receive an award. All bucks that are to be scored for the Big Buck Contest need to be brought to the complex

by Saturday morning or on Friday night. The scoring session for the Big Buck Contest will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 18. The Lincoln

The haunting lure and exhilarating thrill of hunting in Franklin County keep the Shells coming back to the forests there time and time again. Now, however, for some of the Shells, distant woods—outside of Franklin County—are calling. Mike hopes one day to bow hunt in Kansas or Ohio.

Matt mentions taking Katherine to Africa to hunt big game when she graduates from Brookhaven High in 2016. Katherine thinks it would be nice to hunt moose in Canada.

And Wilber? Well, Wilbur sits very still and contently claims he has no urge to go anywhere other than the Franklin County woods where he first hunted as a boy with his dad.

Civic Center and its staff or volunteers will not be responsible for any damages or loss to deer during these events.

One new feature this year will be the “Kid’s Plot.” This area will showcase the Mississippi National Guard’s rock-climbing wall, Mr. Charlie’s fun jumps and dry slides, and a 3D bow-fishing tank, sponsored by the Mississippi Bow Hunting Association. Also, part of the event will be the Mississippi Museum of Natural History’s reptile display; and Terry Vandeventer, “The Snake Guy,” will present two of his popular “Living Reptile Museum” shows on Saturday. In addition, there will be a 3-D Archery Tournament open to the public, various guest speakers, and many more attractions.

Wild Game themed concessions as well as foods for the children will also be available at the Expo along with thousands of dollars in door prizes.

Gold Nugget Pawn Shop of Brookhaven will also be providing a gun to be given away via a ticket raffle. Everyone that purchases a ticket to enter the event will receive one chance in the drawing.

Tickets for the event are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 7 through 12; children 6 and under are free.

Additional information can be obtained from Quinn Jordan at 601-823-9064, at www.

LincolnCountyWildlifeExpo.com, or on Facebook at Lincoln County Wildlife Expo.

The Shell family hunts year round, no matter the season. Matt said his favorite time is the first week of January when he hunts white-tail deer. It is also the best time of the entire year to kill a mature buck. Matt hunts before his work day even starts, after his workday is finished, and all weekend long. He jokes that he even scheduled his wedding with Lucy in February— right after deer season and before turkey season—to accommodate his rendezvous with nature. To afford Katherine the yearround opportunities that hunting offers, Matt gave her a lifetime hunting license for her thirteenth birthday last year. When asked if that is what she really wanted

for the official start of her teenage years, Katherine quickly replied, “Yes,” adding that it was at the top of her wish list.

“I truly appreciate sitting out there in the woods,” she said. “The world just stops.

You can have conversations, ask questions, and listen to old stories. It is what has brought me closer to my dad, grandfather, and uncle. Much closer than I would be otherwise.”

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River Kayakers

by Dennis Hogue

AKA-“The Case of the Missing Sandbar”

Editors’ Note: This tongue-in-check submission from Dennis Hogue provides such an entertaining perspective on celebrating the outdoors that we wanted to share it with our readers. The synergy of friendship, simple pleasures, athleticism, camping, water, and kayaks in our vibrant Mississippi River region is just about as grand an adventure with nature as anyone can encounter. Enjoy Dennis’s refreshing and amusing rendition of a kayaking outing with the guys and the shots from their escapades.

T

Cast of Characters: Dennis Hogue John Holyoak Howard Jones Tate Hobdy Andy Wilson

he Short Version: I (Dennis) was invited to join my kayaking buds on a little trip down the Mississip. I had turned them down at least half a dozen times before and thought I should finally accept for fear of one day not getting an invite at all. And although kayaking is not my favorite, I was enticed with the promise of the “mother of all sandbars” and a fantastic camping experience. I do love to camp!

Top— ...And they’re off Left— ...Our group’s Modern Day Explorers

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After an hour into the trip, I could tell by the head scratching and look of confusion from my river guides that there would be no Shangri La Sandbar and that we were in “find-a-place-we-can-get-offthis-river” mode. And we did. A cozy little clearing that turned out to be actually pretty spectacular. Of course, it’s understood that there were cold adult beverages, and that goes a long way to making anything seem spectacular if you just give it a chance. As I mentioned, I do like to camp, and this one was as good a camping trip as I’d ever been on.

Good food, CABs (cold adult …), and a GREAT fire.

Bull was shot, jokes were told, and tales of previous adventures were shared by all. Big Fun! Slept like a baby and woke to a fog-filled river. I must say paddling in the fog on the Mississippi is kind of eerie and fun at the same time. We also had a headwind that made waves for us (literally and figuratively). As the sun rose higher in the sky, the fog burned off but the headwind continued to work against us. I was struggling to keep up with everyone else who seemed to just slice through the wind and waves. Then we rounded our last curve and saw the “bridges” and I knew I had made it. Even if I didn’t paddle another stroke, the river would carry me in. Finished dead last but finished, and that’s the cool thing.

So there was no sandbar. Who wants a bunch of sand in their tent anyway, huh?

Gotta go get ready for our next adventure.

Holyoak is taking us snow skiing somewhere near Roxie.

And all I gotta do is bring the CABs.

Top—Lewis & Clark Middle— Preparing for supper at our camp site Bottom left—We made it!

Bottom right—Packing up at Under the Hill

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The Vicksburg Killer Whales

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he Vicksburg Swim Association (VSA), founded in 1972, boasts numerous state champions and Mississippi swimming competition record holders. The team has recruited members for years by focusing on swimming as a lifetime skill and reminding members that every Olympic swimmer started out just as they are—having fun, getting fit, and making friends! The team, supported by parents and local community businesses, is a member of the USAT Association and participates in a year’s schedule of competition.

VSA was formed to provide the benefits of competitive swimming to as many youths and their families as possible. While swimming provides one of the best forms of exercise for cardiovascular and overall fitness, the VSA maintains that the camaraderie among swimmers and swimming families builds unique, lifelong friendships. Not only will children and parents enjoy competitive swimming but they will also meet people with similar goals

by Adam Blackwell and enthusiasm from Vicksburg and all across Mississippi. However, the greatest benefit of participating in VSA is the life skills children develop, including time management, the process of continuous individual improvement, self-discipline, and sportsmanship. The Vicksburg Swim Association’s principal intent is that children and their families will reap the rewards of competitive swimming and that through their active participation the sport will continue to grow and flourish for the benefit of those to follow.

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Within VSA, the Killer Whales function as an interesting hierarchy of cohesive long-term social units called pods— groups of individual swimmers who travel together the majority of the time. The size of a pod can vary anywhere from 5 to 30 swimmers; and each pod includes Bronze, Silver, and Gold sub-groups. The three major pods include the Developmental Pod, Age Group Pod, and Senior Pod. The Developmental Pod is made of all swimmers 8 years old and younger. In this introductory group level, all swimmers are taught the four competitive strokes—backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly. The Age Group Pod consists of swimmers ages 9 to 13. In this pod, swimmers sharpen their strokes and are introduced to starts and turns, endurance, and interval training—all important to competition. Comprising the top-level Senior Pod are all swimmers ages 13 and up who have made a commitment to swimming and training. Here, training and refining techniques are targeted for top state-level and national-level swimming.

Mathew Mixon, former competitive swimmer and coach, has coached the Killer Whales for three years. Mixon, a member of the swim team at Delta State University, serves as the Warren Central High School Swim Coach and offers master swim classes at the YMCA in Vicksburg. His knowledge, skill, and natural coaching ability inspire the area’s swimmers.

The Vicksburg Swim Association plays host to various swim meets and participates in numerous meets and other competitions throughout the year. According to Heather Butler, President of the Vicksburg Swim Association, anyone may come out to swim with the team with certain requirements. Each participant must be able to sustain a swim for twenty-five yards, attend practices, and join the association. During the fall, winter, and spring, and depending on the pod, the Killer Whales practice at Wyatt’s on Monday and Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and at Purks YMCA on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. During the summer and depending on the pod, they practice Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 4:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The active, fun-filled schedule of meets, competitions, and fundraisers for VSA through February are as follows: August 27: Gator Bait Triathlon and Open Water Swim September 16 -18: Sunkist Short Course Classic October 1 - 31: Mixed Bags Fundraiser October 7 - 9: Makos Fall Invitational October 25: Halloween Party November 13: VSA Banquet December 2 - 4: Santa’s BEST Invitational December 10: Sunkist Sprint to Christmas December 15: VSA Christmas Party January 27 - 29: DAC Charlene Craddock Invitational February 4: Makos Last Chance Meet February 11: 8 and Under Developmental Meet February 16 -19: Short Course Championship Meet For more information or if you have an interest in year-round swimming, please contact VSA’s Coach, Mathew Mixon, at mixonmathew@yahoo.com or 601-629-7392, or contact VSA’s President, Heather Butler, at athbutler@diamondjacks.com. Also, visit their website at www.vsaswim.org,‘fan’ their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter: @Vicksburg_Swim!

Carter Dickey and Bree Butler

Front— Mallory Claire Dickey and Connor Clark, back—Abby Wallace (in green cap)

Connor Clark swimming the butterfly

Charlie Martin swimming breast stroke

Tommy Martin, Slade Kingston-Miles, and Charlie Martin

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2011 Phatwater Kayak Challenge

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he tenth Phatwater Kayak Challenge, a 42.5 mile kayak and canoe race on the Mississippi River, will be held Saturday, October 8. Cofounders Keith Benoist and Melissa Morrison knew they wanted to bring their love for kayaking to their hometown in a challenging and unique way. Living in Natchez, Mississippi, gave them the opportunity to establish the perfect race course in their own backyard—the Mighty Mississippi. In March 2002, Benoist set out on the river in search of the feasibility of doing just that. Approximately 45 miles and 5.5 hours later, the course was established.

By October of the same year, Kayak Mississippi and what was soon to be dubbed Phatwater Kayak Challenge was born.

The Phatwater Challenge is open to all classes: Unlimited Kayaks, K-1s, K-2s, K-4s, C-1s, C-2s, Surf skis, Outrigger Canoes, as well as all recreational paddle craft, inflatable, strip-built, and kit-boats. Hobie ‘Mirage Drive’ kayaks are permitted. Paddlers

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with physical disabilities are welcome. The Phatwater does not allow paddle-wheel craft, homemade rafts, or use of an auxiliary motor of any kind, at any time. Participants unable to complete the Phatwater will be escorted to shore by one of our safety/chase boats.

The schedule for this year’s event is as follows: Thursday, October 6, at noon online registration closes. On Friday, October 7, site registration begins at 10:00 a.m. at Under the Hill Saloon. Boats may be delivered beginning at noon to the Put-In. Registration closes at 9:00 p.m. On Saturday at 4:00 a.m., paddlers begin gathering at The Natchez Grand Hotel. Buses begin loading at 4:30 a.m. and depart at 5:00 a.m. for Grand Gulf Put-In. The race begins at 8:00 a.m., and beginning at 11:30 a.m. racers are to arrive at the Natchez Landing at under the hill. The Phatwater Course Secure Awards Ceremony begins at 4:00 p.m.

For additional information regarding this race: www. kayakmississippi.com, keith@kayakmississippi.com, 601-4311731, Melissa@kayakmississippi.com, or 601-807-1216.

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 39

Something Scrumptious | story and photos by Jennie Guido

Just Up Highway 61

Vince’s

C

Leland, Mississippi

ontinuing on our adventure throughout the Delta, I decided to change things up a little and look for the perfect dinner place. After asking as many locals as possible and then sitting down to think over where throughout this area I had been over the years, I quickly chose Vince’s, located right off Highway 61 in Leland, Mississippi. Since I had the advantage of visiting this nighttime jewel earlier this year, I called ahead, made the reservation, and gathered up a group of friends that know their way around a menu and wine list.

I sat down with one of Vince’s owners, Cherie Clark, who explained the history of the business and the building itself.

“Vince’s was started in the 1920s by Vince Giardinia, a Leland local who had come from Italy to work in the lumber business.

After he got out of lumber, he opened Vince’s in the building where the restaurant thrives today. Although at the time it occupied only one side of the building, it was very popular and a local favorite,” Clark told me.

Top—Pan Seared Duck over Polenta Right—Original Store Front

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In 2009, Clark along with Joe Robert Campbell reopened Vince’s in the original building, which seated only 80 people.

They brought in Chef Will Gault from Oxford, Mississippi, where he had worked at several restaurants over the years, to head up Vince’s kitchen.

Clark explained, “Will knew how to pick a staff and make a menu that would work with what Campbell and I were trying to create.” After a steady growth of regulars through the years,

Vince’s expanded to incorporate two other buildings, adjacent and to the right of the original setting. With this expansion, came a full bar and seating for up to 175 people for this Delta favorite.

“What makes this place so unique is that you can come to Vince’s for an intimate dinner for two or with a large group and still have that cozy feeling. While we do have nightly entertainment, we aren’t a ‘juke joint’” Clark explained.

When you settle into Vince’s, you definitely do not feel as if you are in Mississippi anymore. The restaurant has both old world and modern ambiance that create Vince’s unique setting, made all the more unique by the décor, the ceilings, and the plaster on the walls that are original to the building.

When it came time to order, I had no idea where to begin.

So many menu selections tempted me, making me want to try a little bit of everything. Seeing our dilemma, Gault let us sample a few appetizers: Fried Asparagus with Crawfish Tails and a Champagne Beurre Blanc Sauce, Pita Pizza topped with Shrimp, a delish array of cheeses, and by far the most fabulous Crab Cake I have ever eaten. Don’t get me wrong; I love just about any crab cake, but some restaurants have absolutely no idea how to perfect one. I am glad to say that Vince’s has figured it out and gone above and beyond with the corn relish that was scattered on top. It was hard having just one bite of that savory starter.

I had told everyone that each of us had to order something different from what the others selected, and I had to have a bite of whatever they ordered. Well, I was not disappointed at all. I ordered the Andouille Encrusted Redfish with a Vegetable Orzo and a Creole Beurre Blanc Sauce. It was perfectly cooked, and the orzo pasta gave the fish a new twist, replacing the usual rice or pasta bed that appears more times than not on a menu. The others’ orders ranged from a perfectly scrumptious steak (and I’m not a very big fan of steak), Pan Seared Duck Breast with Polenta and a Balsamic

Top—The full bar is the perfect place for a night on the town.

Middle—The original side’s booths give off such a warm atmosphere.

Bottom—The decor in the large dining area is all original to the building.

Left—Fried Asparagus with Crawfish Tails: What a scrumptious starter!

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 41

Port Sauce, and the Blackened Redfish that was one of the many appetizing and tempting specials of the day.

I think my new love in life is duck. That piece of meat literally melted in my mouth.

Also, the bed of grits was perfectly fluffy and not overly cheesy to take away from the duck itself. Lucky for everyone, Gault shared this fabulous recipe for all of you to enjoy once duck season rolls around.

So, what would I suggest for your visit to Vince’s? After enjoying a crab cake for starters, I would settle into the Pan Seared Duck for the main attraction. While I tried both desserts, you have to get the bread pudding. I had ordered the Crème Brule; and while it was extremely tasty and a small bowl of heaven, that bread pudding is about as close to perfection as you can get.

Pan Seared Duck Breast over Polenta with a Balsamic Port Sauce Duck: Season one 8-ounce duck breast with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.

Sear the duck, fat side down, over low heat until fat gets crispy--about 10 minutes.

Turn the breast over and put in oven for 5 minutes at 425 degrees. Let it rest for 5 minutes and then slice on a diagonal.

Duck should be medium-rare.

Place on polenta and drizzle with balsamic port sauce.

Polenta: Bring 1.5 cups of milk and 1.5 cups of chicken stock or chicken broth to a simmer.

Add 1 cup of polenta.

Cut off heat and whisk well; then cover for 5 minutes to let steep.

Add 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese.

Stir.

Balsamic Port Sauce: Put 1 cup balsamic vinegar with ½ cup port wine in a sauce pan and reduce on low temp until it becomes slightly thick.

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Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 43

Southern Sampler | by Cheryl Rinehart

I

Double Nickel Girls

stumbled upon some members of the class of 1978 “W” graduates while in Jackson, Mississippi, attending the funeral of the mother of one of my Jester (college two-year honorary social club) sisters, Sylvia King Haver. She and I had graduated from Mississippi University for Women (the “W”) in 1976 along with my Jester sister Glenna Collumns Morgan who met me there to visit with Sylvia. The friendships I developed during my college years there generated heartfelt ties that I still treasure today. We ran into Sylvia’s sister’s, Peggy King Whitmore’s, “W” friends at the service and thereafter invited them to lunch. What these amazing women—these Double Nickel Girls—did for me that day, as we began to chat, was open up the flood gates of memories surrounding my four years of activities at the “W.” While each of

Enjoying tubing during the Double Nickle anniversary at Orange Beach, Alabama, “W” graduates Hart Sullivan Terhune, Rebecca Simmons Garrison, Jenny Katool, Peggy King Whitmire, Mary Clare Zelenka, and Tanya Tyler Carr pose for a quick photo.

the school’s four-year social clubs, two-year honorary social clubs, and class groups generated similar experiences, for many of the individuals involved, their personalities and adventures together created a bond that has connected these sister-friends for decades. Such has been the case for me as these ties of sisterhood have defined and strengthened me, making me proud to respond rhetorically to any female graduate of this historic institution, “Oh, you’re a ‘W’ girl, too?”

Once we started reminiscing—Hart Sullivan Terhune, Mary Clare Lovorn Zelenka, Jenny Katool, Tanya Tyler Carr, Terri Jones Vandevere, Glenna Morgan, and I—we hardly stopped talking, even to take a breath, as we visited for a couple of hours over lunch. On this rainy July afternoon, Glenna and I (a sister Lockhart and Jester paddle-line member) reacquainted ourselves with some of the 1978 Jester paddle line and some who were Lockheart sisters. What I discovered from visiting with this group of 1978 grads, four smart, savvy, funny, and intellectual conversationalists, was how

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much fun—genuine girlfriend fun—I had being with them.

One of my first questions to the group was did they all keep in touch. Well… multiple responses came from all sides and resulted in their deciding to celebrate their fifty-fifth birthdays together on a wellplanned trip to Orange Beach, Alabama.

Of course, there was a Thelma-andLouise trip a year ago to visit one of the group members now living in Arizona, but that comes later in our story. From their testimonies below, you can see where all they have traveled from to be together and pick up once more where they left off before careers, husbands, and children.

Rebecca (Becky Simmons) Garrison, who was not there that day, sent me her thoughts regarding her “W” friends and memories: “I arrived late at the week-long Double Nickel celebration, but there was no way I

was going to miss it. It had been a tough year, and I needed to be there. It was medicinal. I spent 12 hours flying from Sacramento to New Orleans, renting a car, and driving to Gulf Shores, and then 10 hours for the trip back home— all for 36 hours of validation that there are, indeed, some things you can forever count on to be good and solid.

“All those hours of traveling gave me time to think. I’m pretty sure that if I met any of these women for the first time now, we would become friends. Forget the history we have together, these are just amazing, smart, warm, funny, supportive human beings that anyone would treasure as friends.

“But we do have a history and that’s what makes these enduring friendships special.

We met each other 37 years ago as we each were making a new home for ourselves at the W. We all had different backgrounds and came from different hometowns. We all were immersed in the fear and excitement of independence; and although we all eventually landed in the same dormitory by our senior year, most of us first met on the third floor of Fant Dorm where we learned to play Hearts, took turns answering the hall phone, made popcorn, and stuffed our dirty clothes in laundry bags each Wednesday night [for the college’s laundry pick-up the

next day.] We put towels on our doors when we needed to study, and we shared three hall bathrooms with the other third-floor residents. Fate and Miss Louise Terry, The W’s 1970s version of match.com, planted the seeds of the Double Nickel Club that fall of 1974.

“In a way, the next four years was a metaphor for our lives to come. We went from being ‘green’ freshmen (that’s green as naïve and gullible, not environmentally conscious) to being confident, poised seniors. ‘Hail Senior Spirit,’ we would sing in the cafeteria, ‘our class is highest.

Four years we’ve been here; now we’re the wisest.’

“There were bad-hair days, classes that were too demanding, 11 p.m. curfews, and the ever inconvenient-yet-required swimming class. But there were plenty

of good times to match. And, we learned to rely on each other through them all.

“I moved to California 20 years ago before email, Facebook, and cell phones. Not sure what to expect but curious to find out, I made the pilgrimage back to Columbus in 2003 for our twenty-fifth class reunion.

And, as luck would have it, we all ended up in the same hotel.

There was no denying that we were all 25 years older, having survived all that life could throw our way between the ages of 21 and 46.

However, before the first evening ended, we had found each other, changed into pajamas, and piled into one room for hours of laughter, giggling, games, and stories.

We were dorm-mates again. The circle was reconnected for good.

“The saying, ‘She couldn’t carry a tune in a handbag,’ was crafted for me. Tone deaf doesn’t even come close to describing me. Still, I remember singing my way through my four years at the “W.” There were class songs, club songs, the Freshman Serenade, Junior/Senior rivalry songs, and spontaneous singing in the cafeteria – could we have been the original flash mob?

“A couple of times each year, Miss Forbus, the Director of Food Services, would decide to move the entire cafeteria operation onto the historic front campus for a picnic. We would sit on the grass under the Gingko trees and take a break from the stresses of academia. After all the fried chicken and asparagus casserole had been consumed, we would end the picnic by forming the loveliest, imperfect circle, holding hands and singing. We never could have known how true the lyrics we were singing would be: ‘We were strangers for

Top—On the balcony of their Orange Beach Condo, Double Nickle girls Rebecca Simmons Garrison, Mary Clare Lovorn Zelenka, Tanya Tyler Carr, Peggy King Whitmire, and Hart Sullivan Terhune enjoy some girlfriend time together.

Left—Front—Terry Jones Vandevere, Hart Sullivan Terhune, and Peggy King Whitmire; back—Mary Clare Lovorn Zelenka, Elizabeth Estes Bacher, and Jenny Katool

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 45

such a long time, but now we’re friends till the end of time. Our hearts are bound together, by the mighty bonds of love … God bless my friends.”

Mary Clare Lovorn Zelenka, now living in Mobile, Alabama, also shared memories of friendships formed from her “W” experience: “It is amazing to be able to warp back in time so easily with these girls, no matter how many years have past or how often we have seen each other. And not just the Double Nickel girls that I share a bond with but other ‘W’ girls as well! There have been varying degrees of visits over the years due to life, raising families, geography, or work. But now that part of our lives are completed for most of us, we are able to experience these warpback-in-time moments more frequently— such as our “Double Nickel” celebration of going to the beach this summer and our traveling to Arizona and the Grand Canyon like Thelma and Louise to visit other ‘W’ girls last year.

“One of my most treasured experiences is the effort nine of these ‘W’ girls from Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida made to attend my daughter’s wedding last summer. In fact, several of these nine girls actively participated in assisting me with planning and making this event happen. We laughed and celebrated just like we did when we were young girls.”

As with most groups, the Double Nickel Girls have their group leaders, secretaries, party team, and those content to allow the stronger-willed personalities to lead.

Elizabeth (Liz Estes) Bacher was in charge of sending the photographs to this story but not until she got the okay from Jenny (aka The Boss) Katool. Jenny was among those at our luncheon session, and

I remember her well when she came onto the “W” campus as a freshman. Elizabeth reflected on the thirty-three year, Double Nickel friendship celebration as an event that highlighted their closeness and making it seem as if they had been separated merely by summer break and were returning to school for the fall semester: “It did not matter that we lived in different cities and had families, jobs, and responsibilities,” she explained. “For that week on the beach, we were twenty again—silly, playful, and care-free.

“I think our friendships are unique and quite different from those friendships of coed schools, for we did not have the constant traffic or the drama of boys in our dorms and on campus. And I think perhaps that was the strength of our friendships; we relied on each other, supported each other, and were there for each other. Nowhere other than at a girls-only school could you go to

Top—Sunning on the beach are Terry Jones Vandevere, Peggy King Whitmire, Mary Clare Lovorn Zelenka, Jenny Katool, Hart Sullivan Terhune, and Elizabeth Estes Bacher.

Left—View from the balcony at Orange Beach, Alabama, at sunset

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breakfast in the morning in your jammies under an overcoat, run to class, and then make a beeline back to the dorm by 11:00 a.m. where we all huddled together with pillows and blankets to watch The Young and the Restless. Our impromptu skits on our dorm floors are still talked about to this day. And I’ll never know who we managed NOT to land in jail on our nightly raids for letters off the store advertising boards…..”

The Boss, aka Jenny Katool, had no idea when she stepped on the “W” campus in the fall of 1974 that she would make friendships that would last a lifetime: “Our beach trips have definitely evolved from younger partying and going out to now enjoying the company of true sisters in the condo and on the beach. As we get older, the condos get nicer,” she remarked.

“We prepare our meals now, creating theme nights, seafood night, homemade pizza night, and Mexican night. Theme nights are a tradition that began the last semester of our senior year. Each week, we had a party, each suite in turn hosting the party, and usually there was some kind of competition. The best one was talent night. People came from all over campus to watch!

“Now, however, we still maintain our feistiness as (at the beach) we ran the gamut from parasailing to having a masseuse come to our condo and give each of us a hot stone massage. We also decided to have a friendly swimming competition, and that is when Hart (Sullivan) Trehmune got a little competitive.”

During my lunch visit with these “W” gals, I heard the story of the Thelma-andLouise trip from Jackson, Mississippi, to Scottsdale, Arizona, to visit Peggy King Whitmire. Hart was to have joined them, but her mother took ill, and she was needed to care for her. The trip had its moments! On the last day of travel to Scottsdale, the sky turned dark and something began falling out of the sky.

These two southern belles had no idea what was going on. It was SNOW! What in the world was it doing snowing in November? It doesn’t snow in November in Mississippi! The girls were traveling on the scenic route winding up and down and throughout the mountains. The snow got so thick they could not see the road.

Jenny began to panic and checked their food and beverage supplies. Peggy finally navigated the group out of the mountains into Scottsdale—twelve hours later!

While I knew some of these girls gathered around the lunch table that day better than others, the bond of friendship, sisterhood, and those maturing college years struck a common cord in us all.

And interestingly, this bond extends to the next generation. During our visit, two of the Double Nickel girls and I discovered that our children know one another. My youngest, Caroline Shull Devereaux, a proud KD and USM graduate, was friends with Mary Clare’s daughter, Elizabeth Zalenka Thomas, who was a KD sister to Caroline; and Tanya Tyler Carr’s son, Chris Carr, worked with my son, Michael Shull, at The Purple Parrot restaurant in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

What a small world we do, indeed, live in. We began texting our children, asking them if they knew each other, and the comments from their return texts kept us rolling with laughter.

I have a feeling I’ll see more of these girls soon and will be the better for knowing them anew these many years later! For our beloved “W,” long may she live in our memories, long may we appreciate her bringing us back together, and long may our sister-friendships thrive and continue to reunite us.

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 47

THE Social Scene

S

Anniversary Party

urrounded by friends and neighbors, Kel and Barbara Feind of McComb, Mississippi, recently celebrated their tenth anniversary at Fernwood Country Club. Â

Barbara and Kel Feind

Terry Hoffman and Barbara Feind with Andrea, Emily, and Chase St. Germain.

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Barbara Feind with Don and Rocky Netherland of Brookhaven, Mississippi

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 { September 2011 { Page 49

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 50 { September 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 { September 2011 { Page 51

Southern Sampler | by Alma M. Womack

J

Why the Beach?

orie came by today in an absolute tizzy—“It is time to go to the beach, RIGHT NOW!” even though we hadn’t really talked about the beach this year. Why, I wondered, does any sane person want to leave the horrendous heat of Catahoula Parish and go to the coast where it is not only hot, but sandy to the nth degree? Why not head north to some mountains somewhere, where coolness is a possibility?

My daughters are all beach lovers, a gene they did not inherit from me.

Oh, I admit to a fondness for watching the waves of the gulf as they hit the shore, and the water is beautiful and cool when you’re in it. A person can lie on the beach under an umbrella and try to read a bit; but with the little ones, a bit is not for very long. I burn very easily, having descended from northern Europeans who weren’t into sun, so I have to stay under the umbrella most of the time. And then,

there is the sand that sticks to a person from head to toe.....I do not like sand.

Holly and Jorie are capable of beautiful tans; but Claire is fairer than they; and she burns, too. Common sense can head off the burn disasters, but other disasters have followed us to the beach through the years, which I will now enumerate.

Claire has had strep throat twice while visiting Navarre Beach. One time, we ended up in the Fort Walton hospital emergency room with two people from Ork and some real dummies. One woman brought in a child who kept throwing up all the time; and for the life of her and her sister and her mama and her aunts, all who came with her, they couldn’t figure it out. After some general questioning by a bored nurse, they admitted that the child was fed a lot, all the time, and maybe they were overfeeding the chubby little child.

This analysis took thirty minutes

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while Claire sat there in misery, waiting her turn.

Finally, she was called to the back, and Jorie stayed in the waiting room with the two from Ork. The female Orkian, a lover of the Goth look, asked her male companion, he of the orange and green hair with piercings aplenty, what he would think if she shook her coke bottle and sprayed the other people in the waiting room.

Jorie decided that they would be in the right spot if they sprayed her, for she would remove her sandal with the extra strong sole, and beat both of them. Luckily for the happy pair, they decided to calm it down before causing trouble with a Catahoula person with little patience for Orkians.

Claire got shots and medicine, and we went back to the condo, all in one piece.

Another year, I nearly caused a major fire, all through the innocent act of putting on the kettle for a cup of tea. For some reason, after placing the kettle on the stove, I had to go down to the beach, probably to deliver something to someone in dire need. After I got down to the beach, I sat

down to watch the waves a bit and thought to myself--a cup of tea surely would be nice about now. HOLY COW...I had left the stove on with a kettle that was probably on the verge of being empty. It might set off the fire alarm, causing problems for everyone in the whole building. As quickly as I could, I went back up to the room, just in time to turn off the burner before chaos could descend on us all. I don’t remember if I made any tea or not.

The third disaster that stands out in my memory is the time I was unloading the dishwasher. When I went to stand up, I could not straighten. I spent the rest of the time bent over at a 45-degree angle.

Couldn’t get out of the bed, couldn’t get in the car, darn sure couldn’t go to the beach.

I did what any reasonable person would do. I stayed inside, read books, and slept.

Couldn’t cook, either, but no one starved; that, I can remember.

We have had episodes of jellyfish stings, beaches closed due to seaweed, storms with massive bolts of lightning crashing all around, terrible food at some of the

restaurants, and burned people who were not careful. Nothing has been too bad to stop the trips, though, so I suppose it’s just something a person takes in stride.

As I said, the girls and their children love the beach, so I suppose we’ll be making the trek soon. There are always extras along to make the visit more interesting and fun. Jorie went several years ago (before Woodrow), taking extra kids, but not her mama who usually is the cook and washerwoman. When she returned home, she told me, “Now I know why you’re not crazy about the beach. It’s a lot of work taking care of everyone, and you don’t have a chance to lie on the beach all day. Next year, you are definitely going with us!” And that next year, Woodrow and Drew got to go, too, and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 53

THE Social Scene

M

Class of 1961 Reunion

embers of the Class of 1961 of Natchez High School in Natchez, Mississippi, recently gathered in Natchez for their fifty-year class reunion.

Eunice Knabb Cate, Carol Adams, Dianne Costley Brown

Eunice Knabb Cate, Kay Newman Galuppi, Jerry Ann Hall Erwin, and Mollie Jones Echols

Don Estes, Elmer Smith, Linda Reese Shirley, Barbara Stacy Rodriguez, and Duncan McFarlane

Pat Eidt Butler and Mathilde Bennett with her son, Culver

Lelia Moss Culhane, Jerry Ann Hall Erwin, and Corinne Randazzo

Wayne Harrington, Preston and Gwen Roland, and Greg Harrington

Dianne Renfrow Laborde, Jessie Shell Harrell, and Becky Edens Littig

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THE Social Scene

Agatha McKinney Weeks and Glenda Shows Morris

Sally and Lyman Aldrich

Carol Williamson Bates and Mollie Jones Echols

Linda Reese Shirley, Louis Valentine, and Elven and Lucy Dykes

Dianne Costley Brown, Cheryl Fortenberry Peterman, Gail Hall Smith, and Eunice Knabb Cate

Lyman Aldrich, Lelia Moss Culhane, and Susan Meason Edgar

Nancy Marion McCollum and Jack Garraway Kelly

John and Mary Jenkins

Woody and Carol Adams

John and Pat Eidt Butler

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 55

THE Social Scene

Delton Spring and Stuart Hudnall

Robert & Linda Reese Shirley

Billy and Kathy Smith Beall

Jim and Kay Newman Galuppi

Dianne Renfrow Laborde, Eunice Knabb Cate, Carol Adams, and Dianne Costley Brown

Charles Dudley and Steve Irwin

Nicky Myers and Allen Brown

Faye Newman Richardson and Kay Newman Galuppi

Elizabeth and Jay Lehmann

Katie Dudley and Brenda Gullett

Ike Musselwhite

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THE Social Scene

Jerry and Mary Thweatt Wise

Stan and Janet Kinnison Sewell

Carol Williamson Bates and Neumie Roberts

Eunice Knabb Cate and Mathilde Bennett

Glenda and Hubert Morris

Kenny Bruce and Willie Webb

Ann Barnes and Jim Smith

Lucy and Elven Dykes

Brenda and Bob Gullett

Cathy and Don Estes

Mellissa Powell and Vickie Webb

Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 57

THE Social Scene

John Peterman and Lewis Powell

Nancy Marion McCollum and George Piazza

Marsha and Neumie Roberts

Vickie and Willie Webb

David Blough and Vernon Chadwick

Clarice Hudnall & Mollie Jones Echols

Neumie Roberts, Barbara Stacy Rodriguez, and Joe Sprague

Lewis and Melissa Powell

Nancy Marion McCollum, Mary Beth Goss, and Pat McGivaren

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Bluffs & Bayous { September 2011 { Page 59

September ... Up and Coming! Premier Events September 8 - October 1 Hit the Bricks Vicksburg, Mississippi Open House Event: On September 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. downtown Vicksburg will offer a special evening of shopping with merchants’ open houses. Come downtown and enjoy extended shopping hours and refreshments sponsored by Vicksburg Main Street Program Fall Festival: Friday night, September 30, Bricks and Spokes riders will be welcomed downtown for packet pick-up. Whether you are a rider or not, come down beginning around 7:00 p.m. and enjoy a fall concert outdoors with live music! The fun will continue to Saturday with the Bricks and Spokes ride beginning at 8:00 a.m., followed by a day full of Daytime Exhibitions and music by some great local musicians! www.downtownvicksburg.org 2nd Annual Bricks and Spokes: The Vicksburg Main Street Program will host the 2nd Annual Bricks and Spokes bicycle ride on Saturday, October 1, beginning at 8:00 a.m. The ride will feature a 10-mile, 30-mile, and 50-mile distance. The ride will be fully supported and have plenty of places to stop and enjoy drinks and snacks along the way! When else can you bike across the Old Mississippi River Bridge? The route will begin in beautiful Downtown Vicksburg and travel the red brick road down to the Old Mississippi River Bridge. The ride is open to any type of bicycle (road bike, mountain bike, triathlon bike, etc.). You may register online at www.getmeregistered.com, download the registration form at www.downtownvicksburg.org, or contact the Vicksburg Main Street Program office at 601-634-4527. If you are not a cyclist but wish to become a volunteer or sponsor, contact the Main Street Office or email kimh@vicksburg.org.

September 11 MISS LOU Celebrates America Natchez, Mississippi / Vidalia, Louisiana The cities of Natchez, Mississippi, and Vidalia and Ferriday, Louisiana, along with the Natchez Festival of Music will be sponsoring in part the free patriotic concert MISS LOU Celebrates America on Sunday evening, September 11, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Vidalia Amphitheatre. In case of bad weather, it will be held at The Performing Arts Building on Homochitto Street in Natchez. This event on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 American tragedy will pay tribute to those who lost their lives and family members in the horrific events of that infamous day.

The program will consist of a Color-Guard Presentation of the Colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the singing of America’s “National Anthem.” Accompaniment will be provided by 100 church choir voices from both sides of the river as well as soloists, the St. Joseph Orchestra, and the St Joseph Jazzers and Singers.

Reserved seating will be provided for dignitaries who will be recognized. Stephen Guido will tether his patriotic hot-air balloon on the adjacent grounds prior to show time, and a fly-over will occur immediately after the singing of the National Anthem with brief comments to follow from the three sponsoring cities’ mayors. This promises to be a most moving family event, and we encourage everyone to come and bring their lawn chairs—but no ice chests please. Most area churches have canceled their Sunday evening worship services and encourage their congregations to attend this concert. Soft drinks and water will be sold throughout the event by the Natchez Festival of Music Guild and Board members to support their 2012 Festival Season. Also, small American Flags will be sold for $1 as people arrive.

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September ... Up and Coming! Premier Events September 23 - 24 Annual Jim Bowie Festival Vidalia, Louisiana The 2011 Jim Bowie Festival will take place on September 23 and 24 at the Vidalia, Louisiana, River View RV Park. This weekend will be packed with exciting entertainment, various vendor booths selling all kinds of products, and fun events for adults and kids alike! This year’s headlining act is Wayne Toups & ZyDeCajun. Other performances include Kevin Curtis Live, The Texaco Country Showdown, local gospel groups, and more.

The annual Bowie BBQ Duel will take place Friday evening on the grounds of the Festival, and admission to this event is free. On Saturday, September 24, the gates will open at 9:00 a.m., beginning with the Little Mr. and Ms. Jim Bowie Pageant. There will be a Pie and Cupcake Bake-off; DARE Fishing Tournament Awards Ceremony; Live Entertainment all day; College Football Corner Tent, showing live games; and delicious food of your choice. From burgers to fried gator, we think you can find something you will enjoy. There will also be fun rides for the kids, a great number of arts and crafts, and a reenactment of the famous Sandbar Duel.

Tickets at the gate are $10 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. Save a few bucks by buying $8 tickets early at Concordia Bank, Aaron’s, Delta Bank, or Tensas State Bank. Don’t forget the Vidalia Women’s Club Street Dance will take place in the evening after the Festival is over.

For more information, vendor or sponsor applications, contest registration, or a look at photos from previous years, visit the Vidalia Chamber website at www.vidaliala.com or call the chamber office at 318-336-8223.

September 30 - October 14 Natchez Fall Pilgrimage Natchez, Mississippi Nineteen antebellum mansions, many of them private residences, open their doors to visitors during this two-week Pilgrimage each autumn. Hostesses welcome visitors to two and three houses each morning and three more each afternoon. Longwood, Rosalie, and Stanton Hall are open every day. Look for costumed hosts at certain houses as they portray the houses’ noted ancestors and share stories of their lives in the 1800s.

In addition, the pilgrimage weeks offer Day’s End Diversions! The Stone House Musicale where visitors enjoy nineteenth-century classical music in the antebellum music room of the Joseph Stone House on Friday and Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Jazz and Juleps is offered for groups and individuals with advance reservation in the Carriage House on the grounds of Stanton Hall where toe tapping jazz and authentic mint juleps await visitors at the end of the tour day. Flags Over Ellicott Hill offers a history reenactment with libations and appetizers for individuals and groups at one of Natchez’s earliest sites, The House on Ellicott Hill, where Andrew Jackson raised the first American flag in the Mississippi territory in 1797. Premier events for your evening entertainment include Amos Polk’s Voices of Hope Spiritual Singers as well as the Mississippi Medicine Show.

For detailed information regarding tours, admission, packages, lodging, and more, contact Natchez Pilgrimage Tours at 601-4466631, 800-647-6742, or www.natchezpilgrimage.com

October 19 - 22 Natchez Antiques Forum Our American Heritage: Pleasures of the Past 1750-1850 Natchez, Mississippi The Thirty-fourth Annual Antiques Forum, sponsored by the Pilgrimage Garden Club of Natchez, Mississippi, is set for October 19 through October 22. What could be better than a gathering of like minded people at a gorgeous four-day party! If you have any interest in antiques, historic architecture, or history, you will fall in love with the Natchez Antiques Forum. Intimate parties, luncheons, and lectures will provide opportunities to meet internationally recognized experts, nose through our world-famous and museum quality interiors, and sample some of the best food south of the Mason Dixon line. From shopping to art talks, tours, and delicious dinners, this weekend is sure to be an amazing experience. For more information, tickets, and a detailed schedule, call Natchez Pilgrimage Tours at 601-446-6631 or Jan Scarborough at 601-445-747, or visit www.antiquesnatchez.com or www. natchezpilgrimage.com.

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Throughout September Africa in the Americas: Slavery in Spanish and Portuguese Realms Magnolia Mound Plantation Baton Rouge, Louisiana 10:00 am - 4:00 pm 225-353-4955 Throughout September Laurin McCracken Exhibit Lincoln County Public Library Brookhaven, Mississippi Reception & Gallery Talk September 15: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm.

601-833-3369 libraryinfo@llf.lib.ms.us September 2 - 3 Smokin’ in da Ville West Feliciana Sports Park St. Francisville, Louisiana Friday: Gates open 4:00 pm Saturday: Gates open 10:00 pm $20 per person; 10 & under free.

225-635-6717 www.stfrancisvillechamber.com September 3 Baton Rouge Arts Market Main Street Market Baton Rouge, Louisiana 8:00 am - 12:00 pm 255-344-8558 September 3 Community Market Clinton, Louisiana 8:00 a.m. until . . .

Featuring David Spiess’s Wildlife Art and in-door/outdoor buck mount Unusual and creative arts, gifts, plants, etc.

Music by Bayou Blasters 225-603-9003 September 3 Red Stick Farmer’s Market Main Street Market Baton Rouge, Louisiana 8:00 am - 12:00 pm 225-267-5060

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September 6 Music in the City Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi 5:15 pm hors d’oeuvres; 5:45 pm program Free admission; donations welcome 601-960-1515 www.msmuseumart.org

September 7 - 19 Rolland Golden’s Katrina, Natchez & the River 15 Gramercy Park New York, New York 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm 601-304-5500 www.rollandgoldengallery.com September 8 Hit the Bricks Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg Main Street Association 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Merchants’ Open Houses & Refreshments 601-634-4527 kimh@vicksburg.org www.downtownvicksburg.org

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September 8 Joe M. Turner Theatrical Performance Southern Cultural Heritage Auditorium Vicksburg, Mississippi 7:00 pm $25 members; $30 non-members $225 for private/corporate table 601-631-2997 oneenchantedevening.eventbrite.com

September 9 Sushi Workshop with William Furlong Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm $30 SCHF members; $35 non-members Space limited; reservations required 601-631-2997 www.southernculture.org

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September 9 - 10 Annual Cruising on the River Car Show Vidalia Riverpark Vidalia, Louisiana Friday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Saturday: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Registration at Comfort Inn Suites Open to all makes and models 318-757-2982; 318-336-3925; 318-336-8265 September 9 - 11 Crazy For You Baton Rouge Little Theater Baton Rouge, Louisiana Friday & Saturday: 7:30 pm Sunday: 2:00 pm Tickets: $25 - $45 www.brlt.org 225-924-6496

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September 9 - 11 35th Annual Bayou Lafourche Antiques Show and Sale Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium Thibodeaux, Louisiana Friday & Saturday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Sunday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm $5 for all 3 days 985-413-1147 www.tawasi.net September 9 - 11 Breaking Up is Hard to Do Parkside Playhouse Vicksburg, Mississippi Friday & Saturday: 7:30 pm Sunday: 2:00 pm $12 adults; $10 seniors (ages 55+) $7 students; $5 children (12 & under) 601-636-0471 www.vicksburgtheatreguild.com September 10 Delta Music Festival Ferriday, Louisiana Downtown Ferriday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm 318-757-9999 September 10 Explore! Water Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Ages 6 to 8, 10:00 - 11:30 am Age 9 to 12, 2:00 - 3:30 pm Registration & admission 601-442-2901 info@historicjeffersoncollege.com September 10 - 11 Jackson Gun Show Mississippi Trade Mart Jackson, Mississippi Saturday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm 601-922-8138 September 11 Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 Reception West Baton Rouge Museum Port Allen, Louisiana 2:30 pm Will show the film World Trade Center 225-336-2422 x 16 www.westbatonrougemuseum.com

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September 11 Miss-Lou Celebrates America 9/11 Patriotic Concert Vidalia Amphitheatre Vidalia, Louisiana 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 318-336-8223 September 13 Friends of the Library Membership Meeting The Mellon House (708 Orleans Street) Natchez, Mississippi 5:00 - 7:00 pm 601-445-2153 September 13 Tailgating Cooking Workshop Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm $30 SCHF members; $35 non-members 601-631-2997 www.southernculture.org

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September 13 Zoo and Me Morning Baton Rouge Zoo Baton Rouge, Louisiana 9:30 am - 11:00 am For ages 3 to 5 Pre-registration required 225-775-3877 September 13 - 25 Driving Miss Daisy New Stage Theatre Jackson, Mississippi Evenings: 7:30 pm Sundays: 2:00 pm Tickets: $22 - $25 www.newstagetheatre.com 601-948-3533 September 14 29th Annual Bishop’s Cup Colonial Country Club Jackson, Mississippi Tee off 12:30 pm; stroke play with shotgun start $200 registration includes green fees, cart, golf shirt, course snacks, social, and dinner.

601-960-8479 for dinner reservation 601-960-8471 rebecca.harris@jacksondicoese.org September 15 Highland Wildlife Expo Vidalia Convention Center 6:00 pm Vidalia, Louisiana 318-336-9934 September 15 - 18 Crazy For You Baton Rouge Little Theater Baton Rouge, Louisiana Thursday & Friday: 7:30 pm Saturday: 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday: 2:00 pm Tickets: $25 - $45 www.brlt.org 225-924-6496 September 16 - 17 Living Fountain Biedenharn Museum and Gardens Monroe, Louisiana $3 per person www.bmuseum.org 318-387-5281 Page 68 { September 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous

September 16 -17 Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival Riverbank Stage Downtown Natchitoches, Louisiana www.meatpiefestival.com 318-352-8072 September 16 - 18 Breaking Up is Hard to Do Parkside Playhouse Vicksburg, Mississippi Friday & Saturday: 7:30 pm Sunday: 2:00 pm $12 adults; $10 seniors (ages 55+) $7 students; $5 children (12 & under) 601-636-0471 www.vicksburgtheatreguild.com September 17 Annual Fall Fun Fly Northeast Aero RC Club Monroe, Louisiana www.weflyrc.net 318-323-1166 September 17 Red Carpet Classic Auto Show Blackburn Motor Company Vicksburg, Mississippi Registration: 8:00 am - 11:00 am Awards: 3:00 pm www.vicksburgcruisers.com 601-415-0421 September 17 9th Annual Beautiful Bride Vicksburg Convention Center Vicksburg, Mississippi 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Brides free; guests $15 Reservations required 601-630-2929 September 17 Bark in the Park Grand Village of Natchez Indians Natchez, Mississippi Annual Natchez Humane Society fundraiser $4 adults; $1 children 5 & under 601-446-6502

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September 20 Unburied Treasures Mississippi Museum of Art Jackson, Mississippi 5:30 pm hors d’oeuvres; 6:00 pm program Free admission 601-960-1515 www.msmuseumart.org September 20 Lunchtime Lecture – The Cadet Life Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Speaker: 1964 graduate Mike Gemmell Free / Noon 601-442-2901 info@historicjeffersoncollege.com September 20 - 21 Peter Pan Thalia Mara Hall Jackson, Mississippi 7:30 pm; $25 601-981-1847 September 22 Symphony at Sunset The Cedars Jackson, Mississippi 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm 601-981-9606 September 22 - 23 Pioneer Days Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi Arts & crafts, music, food 601-442-2901 kmcneil@mdah.state.ms.us September 22 - 25 Crazy For You Baton Rouge Little Theater Baton Rouge, Louisiana Thursday - Saturday: 7:30 pm Sunday: 2:00 pm $25 - $45 www.brlt.org 225-924-6496 September 23 - 24 Jim Bowie Festival Riverview RV Park Vidalia, Louisiana 9:00 am www.vidaliala.com 318-336-8223 Page 70 { September 2011 { Bluffs & Bayous

September 24 21st Annual D.A.R.E. Youth Fishing Tournament Jim Bowie Festival Grounds Vidalia, Louisiana 318-336-5231 September 24 Magnolia Mound Cajun Festival Magnolia Mound Plantation Baton Rouge, Louisiana 9:00 am www.cajunradio.com 225-343-4955 September 29 16th Annual Downtown Vicksburg Fall Festival Vicksburg, Mississippi www.downtownvicksburg.org 601-634-4527 September 29 In the Cross Hairs: Louisiana’s Hurricane Experience & the 2011 Mississippi River Flood Concordia Parish Library Vidalia, Louisiana 6:00 pm Admission free; books available 318-336-5043 September 30 - October 1 2nd Annual Bricks and Spokes Vicksburg Fall Festival Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg Main Street Program Fri. night: Concert and Packet Pick-up Sat.: 8:00 a.m. Ride; Festival events/ vendors 601-634-4527 kimh@vicksburg.org www.getmeregistered.com www.downtownvicksburg.org September 30 - October 14 Natchez Fall Pilgrimage Natchez, Mississippi Daily House Tours Day’s End Diversions Nightly Entertainment Natchez Pilgrimage Tours 640 S. Canal Street 601-446-6631 / 800-647-6742 www.natchezpilgrimage.com

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September ... Up and Coming!

September 30 - October 16 Mississippi Medicine Show Natchez Little Theatre Natchez, Mississippi Every Fri., Sat., Mon., & Wed.: 8:00 pm October 16: 2:00 pm All tickets $15 601-442-2233 www.natchezlittletheatre.org

October 8 Phatwater Kayak Challenge Natchez, Mississippi Kayak Race down Mississippi River Keith Benoist 601-431-1731 www.kayakmississippi.com

October 1 Black & Blue Civil War Encampment Historic Jefferson College Washington, Mississippi 10:30 am - 4:00 pm 601-442-2901

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October 10 One Writer’s Garden: Eudora Welty’s Home Place Lunch and Book Signing The Carriage House Restaurant Cover to Cover Books & More Natchez, Mississippi $20 lunch: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, 410 High Street Bookstore: 401 Main Street 601-445-5752 info@c2cbooks.com

October 19 - 22 Natchez Antiques Forum Our American Heritage: Pleasures of the Past 1750-1850 Natchez, Mississippi 601-446-6631 / 601-445-747 www.antiquesnatchez.com www.natchezpilgrimage.com

Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.

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