Delta Magazine September/October 2018 Complimentary Issue

Delta

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THE

FALL ISSUE

Annual Outdoor & Hunting Guide

QUICK BREADS with Martha Foose HALLOWEEN on Wheels

4

COLLEGE TOWN EATERIES

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MISTLETOE MARKETPLACE KETPLACE Novemb e er 7 10, 2018 MISSISSIPPI TRADE MART >> JACKSO ON, MS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER R7

FRIDA AY, NOVEMBER 9

PREVIEW GALA Presen e ted by the Junior League of Jackkson

A MORNING NG OF JAZZ & SHOPPING MARKETP PLACE BRUNCH | 8-11 a.m.

Prresen e ted by Regions

7-9 p.m. | Walk Walk the Red Carpet Presented by C Spire 7-11 p.m. | Shopping Hours 77-10 10 p.m. m | Silent & Premier Auctio ons 9 p.m. | Live A Auction uction 7-10 p.m. | Present Pick Presented by Lee Michaels Fine Jewellry

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8 A TIME TO BRUNCH & BROWS SE MISTLETOE MORNING | 8-11 a.m m.

Presented by Tr Trustmark

CONNECT T WITH KIRK CAMERON LUNCHEON & ST TYLE SHOW | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m m.

Prresen esented by Miississippi Baptist Medical Center Fashions F ash hions by Renaissance Feeaturing Kirk Cameron F S SMILES OF JOY SANT TA A SNAPS | 2:30-6:30 p.m.

LET T’S GLOW CRAZY! TWEEN FAS SHION SHOW | 4:30-6 p.m.

Presented by Universit e y of Mississippi Medical Centeer

MISTLE-TEAUX A GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT | 6-8 p.m..

SOME ETHING’S BREWING! A NIGHT TO LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL 8-11 p.m.

Prresen esented by Southern Beverrag age Co., Inc.

GENERAL SHOPPING HOU URS

SATURD DAY, NOVEMBER 10

Thu ursday ay y,, November 8 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Frida r y y,, November 9 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m m.

Satturday y,, November 10 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

O WHAT FUN! OH, A CHILDREN’S EN’S EVENT | 9:30-11 a.m.

Presen Pr esented by Errg gon

Tick i ets on sale September 1, 2018. For more inform mation or to order tickets, pleasee visit mistletoemarketplace.com etplace com or call 1.888.324.0027.

S SMILES OF JOY SANT TA AS SNAPS | 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

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HE WAN ANTS T GROW TO W UP TO BE EA SUPERH HERO

Cayson - Mathiston, ston, MS

WE’R RE HERE T TO MAKE E SURE HE E CAN. At Children n’s of Mississippi, we wantt every child to grow up p strong and healthy so their heir biggest dreams can an come true. We e’re expanding panding and modernizing d i ing i the h state’’s only l children’ hildren’ en’’s h hospital i l and our pediatric ediatric specialty clinics. Every inch

of our new facility will be designed gned with kids in mind, d, including a pediatric surgical wing, child-friendly riendly imaging, and private vate rooms for NICU and d PICU patients. Help us make k sure our patients’ tients’ big dreams can come me true.

Architectural rendering of the he new Children’s building

HELP US GROW G

SO O THEY CAN N GROW W..

Learrn more at growc childrens.org

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Leet us visit with you on our new equipment leasing asing option ns for our commercial clients. We offer multtiple financing options to meet your business needs. eeds. www.planters-bank.com 4 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Don t le Don’t et heartbu urn ruin your life.

Acid reflux disease affects ap pproximately 30% of the American population, causiing daily heartburn symptoms – but heartburn is only one sign that you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, a serious condition that has been linked d to esophageal cancer. Bap ptist Heartburn Treatment Center at Baptist North Mississippi can diagnose GERD and offers minimally invasive treatment that can help stop reflux. Please go to ba aptistonline.org/heartburn to learn more and take our short online quiz to find out if you might have GERD.

Get Betterr. baptistonline.org/heartburn

662-6 6 36-2120

A Legato H Heartburn Treatment Centerr

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DELTA M

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Publisher: J. Scott Coopwood Editor: Cindy Coopwood Managing Editor: Pam Parker Contributing Editors: Hank Burdine, Maude Schuyler Clay, Noel Workman, Roger Stolle Digital Editor: Phil Schank Graphic Designers: Sandra K. Goff, Cailee Conrad, Holly Ray Consultant: Samir Husni, Ph.D. Special Projects Coordinator: Stacye Trout Contributing Writers: Martha Foose, Brenda Ware Jones, Logan Kirkland, Susan Marquez, Aimee Robinette, Angela Rogalski, P. Allen Smith, Brantley Snipes, Cal Trout, Erin Williams, Keith Wood Photography: Tom Beck, Austin Britt, Sandi Burt, Gregg Campbell, Rory Doyle, Derek Fountain, Timothy Ivy, Johnny Jennings, Roy Meeks, Tom Speed, Jason Williams Circulation: Holly Tharp Accounting Manager: Emma Jean Thompson Account Executives: Cristen Hemmins, Kristy Kitchings, Wendy Mize, Ann Nestler, Cadey True POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to Delta Magazine P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 ADVERTISING: For advertising information, please call (662) 843-2700 or email Delta Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials or photos and in general does not return them to sender. Photography obtained for editorial usage is owned

by Delta Magazine and may not be released for commercial use such as in advertisements and may not be purchased from the magazine for any reason. All editorial and advertising information is taken from sources considered to be authoritative, but the publication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Neither that information nor any opinion expressed on the pages of Delta Magazine in any way constitutes a solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities mentioned.

No material in Delta Magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publication. Delta Magazine is published bi-monthly by Coopwood Magazines, Inc., 125 South Court St., Cleveland, MS 38732-2626.

Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, MS and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Delta Magazine, P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732-0117.

Delta Magazine (USPS#022-954)

Delta Magazine is published six times a year by Coopwood Magazines, Inc. EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICE ADDRESSES:

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 Shipping Address: 125 South Court Street, Cleveland, MS 38732 Phone (662) 843-2700 • Fax (662) 843-0505 deltamagazine.com E-mail: publisher@deltamagazine.com editor@deltamagazine.com Subscriptions: $28 per year 6 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Care for a sneak peek?

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from the publisher

Lost and found know the following statement is going to shock many of our Delta Magazine readers, but here it goes: we hunters brag—a lot. Some would say not only do we brag about our hunting successes, and perhaps even inflate those a little, we also boast endlessly about our guns, optics, bows, knives, clothes, boots, dogs, four-wheelers, side-by-sides, and the latest GPS hunting app gadgets. I’m afraid the rhetoric doesn’t end there as much discussion continues around the camp fire about our hunting vehicles. This is where it gets very deep.

I grew up hunting in a Jeep, so anytime I hear hunters talking about their Jeeps, I’m all ears.

My family’s first Jeep was a 1948 Willys my father brought home one summer when I was ten years old. That same year, I drove it all over our hunting club and the town of Shelby. Back then, a driver’s license didn’t mean anything in Shelby. The police couldn’t have cared less. In fact, all my friends were driving on the streets of Shelby by the time they were ten or twelve years old.

Then, in my early teens, daddy bought us a nice CJ-7 Renegade Jeep from Kossman’s that we had for only six months before I rolled it over five times driving too fast on a gravel road. After the wreck, the CJ-7 was never the same. So, we sold it and bought a Jeep CJ-5 in the mid 1970s and that was our family’s hunting vehicle from then on. The miles my father and I traveled hunting in it cannot be counted. I even took the Jeep with me to Ole Miss and lucky for me, it was a hit with my sorority friends.

In 1994, I bought my first truck and made the great mistake of selling the family Jeep. I didn’t see it again for twenty years.

As time passed, the Jeep was often the center of the hunting stories I told my sons when they were growing up. After they received their driver’s licenses, they wanted to know who bought the Jeep and if we could buy it back so they could have their turn with that piece of family history. I had sold it to Michael Rocconi of Cleveland and heard he later sold it to 1977, in the old family Jeep with friends Mike Nassar, someone “up in the hills.” So, the chances of getting it back were going to Greg Heinsz, and Tommy Malatesta at Hurricane Point be pretty slim. I tracked Michael down and asked him about it.

Hunting Club next to the Mississippi River.

“I didn’t sell it to anyone, I still have it,” he said. I couldn’t believe my ears. The Jeep I had grown up with was only a few miles from where Michael and I were standing. A month later he graciously sold it back to me for the same price I had sold it to him twenty years before.

The big day arrived when our entire family drove out to Michael’s farm to bring the Jeep back home for the final time.

We pulled up beside a barn, walked inside, and there it was. For a moment, all I could see was my late father sitting in the 1994, a few days before selling the passenger side with a smile on his face waiting for me to take him 1984, outside of Shelby.

Jeep with my bluetick hound, Bee, to the hunting club. behind the wheel.

Over the past four years, my sons have enjoyed riding in it and working on it. But they have moved away and now our daughter Travis is learning to drive it.

The old Jeep is special for many reasons, mainly because it is one of the only things I have left from my father.

Miles of memories well traveled indeed.DM TOM BECK

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Scott Coopwood Publisher 2014, the Jeep returned to our family after being away for twenty years.

10 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

@scottcoopwood1 publisher@deltamagazine.com

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from the editor

Pumpkins make me smile irst of all, they’re basically the mascot of everything that’s good about fall–and that is almost everything, in my opinion. And with the exception of Ichabod Crane, I really don’t know of anyone who has had a bad experience with a pumpkin.

As children, we carved them in anxious anticipation of Halloween and trick-or-treating; as adults, we carve them with our children in anticipation of trick-or-treating. (Yes, I always thought this was fun.) And while it is true that many pumpkins come to an unfortunate end once stolen by wayward teenagers and thrown in the street or left to rot for days on the front steps after Halloween, most pumpkins prove to be quite useful. They adorn our mantels and doorways We had a blast going through the hundreds of photos throughout the season. They fill our bellies with good things. submitted for the Delta Dog Think of life without pumpkin bread (my personal favorite), Contest! It brought back or pumpkin pie, or caramel pumpkin cheesecake. The advent memories of our beloved Bluetick Coonhound, Bee. He several years ago of the pumpkin spice craze elevated our became well-known around favorite gourd to mainstream rockstar status. Where our little town of Shelby and would Starbucks be today without the highly anticipated blessed and entertained our family for fifteen years. annual release of its Pumpkin Spice Latte, for example?

But I must say the few pumpkin-related fails I’m aware of fall into the “craze” category. Take, for instance, pumpkin spice protein powder, pumpkin spice Oreos (why would anyone mess with such perfection?), and, perhaps the worst, non-alcoholic-pumpkin-spice-sparkling-apple-juice blend. That one calls for the addition of alcohol just on principle. Who even strung these words together?

You will see this issue is packed with pumpkin goodness. From cookbook author and chef Martha Foose’s Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese bread on page 150 to the spooky Halloween treats enjoyed by ghouls in golf carts, page 58, to P. Allen Smith’s lessons about pumpkin varieties and the many ways to use them, page 144.

We have poured ourselves into the second annual Outdoor and Hunting section, page 101. You will read stories of guns, dogs, and dog whisperers—and find out the winner of our Delta Dog Contest—old hunting clubs and the women who grace the woods this time of year.

Read on about the town that time forgot—literally. Carrollton, which sits on the edge of the Delta, has a population of one hundred-ninety on a good day yet boasts ninety structures designated on the National Historic registry. Brantley Snipes tells about its history and those working to preserve it, page 70.

And finally, special thanks to David DiBenedetto, editor in chief of Garden & Gun, for bringing us our Final Word, page 184. He shares anecdotes about his first trip to the Delta and several other “firsts” he experienced while here to attend the Hot Tamale Festival several years ago.

A tremendous amount of work goes into every issue of Delta Magazine, but the fall issue is particularly special to us because it represents some of the best things about this unique place we call home. So clean your shotgun, pile your pumpkins, and get ready for the season! DM

WILL JACKS

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With “Coach” of Coach’s Antiques on the outskirts of Carrollton.This is a must stop for curious shoppers and collectors. I was particularly interested in his collection of vintage cast-iron skillets

Cindy Coopwood Special thanks to Britney Rocconi, who hand-dipped and decorated these sweet and spooky treats for the Halloween on Wheels feature. So adorable!

12 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Editor @cindycoop1 cindy@deltamagazine.com

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contents Volume 16 No. 2

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

88

departments

38

BOOKS

42

SHOPPING

46

ART

52

MUSIC

88

HOMES

150

58

168

144 154

JASON MASTERS

42

Reviews of new releases and what Deltans are reading now

Boots & Sweaters and Tabletops & Tailgates

Pete Horne: Musician and artist expresses realism and whimsy Kelly Love Native Greenville musicians releasing new album

Madison County Farmhouse: Built to house memories

FOOD

Fall Quickbreads with Martha Foose Dining & Restaurant Guide, page 158

HISTORY

Cleveland fire of 1978

in every issue 18 Letters 26 On the Road Where we’ve been, where we’re going next

features

58 70

GHOULS IN GOLF CARTS

THE TOWN THAT TIME FORGOT Cleveland Country Club’s take on Halloween

A day trip to Carrollton Lum Reek Restoration, page 76

101 2018 OUTDOOR AND HUNTING GUIDE Hunting memories, page 102 Hunting camps, 107 Women hunters, page 110 Upland hunting, page 120

144

PUMPKINS

Bush Gun Collection, page 128 Delta Dog Kennels, page 138 Delta Dog contest, page 142

Tips from P. Allen Smith on how to decorate and cook with pumpkins

14 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

30 Off the Beaten Path Roaming the Real and Rustic Delta

34 Hot Topics 172 Events A listing of events including concerts, festivals, book signing

178 Delta Seen Pages of snapshots from area fundraisers, art openings and social events

184 The Final Word

by David DiBenedetto

ON THE COVER: Gun collection of Wayne Bush.

Photo by Rory Doyle.

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LETTERS

COURTESY OF DIXON GALLERY AND GARDENS

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Auguste Rodin, Three Shades, Courbertin Foundry, cast 4/8 in 1985, Bronze. Collection of Iris Cantor on loan to the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis

From the

Hands of a Master

The Delta Legacy of Auguste Rodin

“The Patriot” by Malvina Hoffman, was commissioned by William Alexander Percy to honor his father, Senator Leroy Percy.

BY HANK BURDINE

HUGER FOOTE

T 56 | JULY/AUGUST 2018

It has been said many times that if you ever lived in the Mississippi Delta, and especially if you were born and raised there, it becomes a part of you, and stays with you forever. Over many years, this has proven true and the undeniable pull the place continues to exert over me remains ridiculously strong.

For fifteen years now, my Delta longings have been sated, at least in part, by the monthly arrival of your amazing magazine.

I’m five hundred miles away in Houston, Texas, yet I can smell God’s own food from Doe’s in Greenville, my home, in my mind at any time. That big river flowing endlessly into the sea. A Hank Burdine tale of local legend and lore. A cup of coffee and grits at Jim’s Café. The Blues, every single night, emanating from somewhere, maybe close, maybe a distant song on the wind, but always there. Even the advertisements, typically featuring photos of people and places I have known, of their children and grandchildren with

he French master Auguste Rodin, 1840-1917, was known as the father of modern art. Compared to Michelangelo, he was considered by

many to be the greatest artist of his era. Rodin modeled the human body with realism and physicality using intense individual character. He was able to find—through his hands in clay—“the beauty and pathos in the human animal.”

The Musée Rodin in Paris holds six thousand sculptures and over seven thousand drawings by Rodin, and his legacy is deeply rooted in the Mississippi Delta.

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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businesses across the Delta and the South.

Like Cleve Barham’s Fine Eyes and Betsy Alexander’s Real Estate company. Friends for life. That thread of familiarity that home brings. Artists, writers, the famous and infamous. So many who came from this land so deep in my blood and soul that when it hurts, I hurt, and when it laughs, I laugh. My momma and daddy in that dirt eternal, and the knowledge that anything I ever did that was decent, and anything I have ever known or done that was worthwhile, I owe to someone from the Delta. Teachers, mentors, and so many good people with huge hearts who gave everything they could give to help others.

These people have graced your pages since Issue One. From Kermit the Frog, to Auguste Rodin, your magazine has shown anyone who reads it that the Delta culture is deep, sprawling and fertile like the cotton fields.

From my childhood friend and worldrenowned sculptor, Bill Beckwith, to Rodin, one of the greatest sculptors in the

history of this earth, there are but two degrees of separation, and both, Malvina Hoffman and Leon Koury, have Delta connections and roots. That the beloved Muppets were a creation of Deltan, Jim Henson. Greenville storyteller and historian, Hank Burdine, who took us with him to re-live Holt Collier’s bear hunt with Roosevelt and many other journeys.

Music, food, art, literature and the people, all those wonderful people. All that was there then and now, the history of the past, the present and the future, fill your pages, and elevate our lives with pride and sense of place.

It has been an honor and a privilege to be a subscriber, and it is a distinct honor to thank you for creating and maintaining the best magazine ever. Godspeed.

Jim Veal Houston, TX

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JULY/AUGUST 2018

Weekend in VICKSBURG

Simple Vacation Meals

poolside living

15th

Anniversary

ISSUE

$5.95US

7

25274 24724

07

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Cocktail Chic

Find nostalgia in every item of the

Delta Magazine Gift Collection Call or come by our office to shop our gift collection at 125 South Court Street, Cleveland, 662.843.2700.

Shop online at deltamagazine.com Like our official Delta Magazine Page We love our new “Happy Hour” cocktail napkins, pack of twenty, $7 18 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Twitter @Delta_Mag

Instagram @deltamagazine

To subscribe, call (662) 843-2700 or visit deltamagazine.com

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I sat down the other night to read the editor’s letter in my newest copy of the magazine and I wanted to say— Congratulations! Fifteen years is a HUGE milestone for any publication in this day and age. I am so proud of the outstanding job you have done. I give kudos to you on the vision and foresight you had by betting on the Delta. Delta Magazine beautifully showcases the place I call home. It’s why I am so proud to be from the Mississippi Delta!

Martha Scott Poindexter Guenther Alexandria, VA

HYDRANGEAS Hydrangeas have mystified Delta gardeners for decades and now that the market is full of different varieties, I’m afraid the equation has not gotten any simpler. Hydrangeas are just starting to hit their bloom stride in May and June in the Delta. If planted in the correct location, hydrangeas really don’t need much pruning.

Old wood hydrangeas The first ones we will see bloom are our mophead/bigleaf/lacecap and oakleaf hydrangeas. These belong in the Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea quercifolia family, which is important to note as these are pruned differently from other hydrangeas.

These hydrangeas create blooms on old wood early in the summer. If you prune them in the fall or spring, you will remove the future blooms. Our old wood hydrangeas should be pruned immediately after they bloom. To reduce height and encourage stem vitality, remove the oldest and largest canes at ground level. Always use your hand snips to gently remove the old blooms.

hydrangeas & azaleas Show these southern landscape staples a little love for the best blooms

BY BRANTLEY SNIPES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY BALLARD

I

am not biased when it comes to selecting the best bloom season in our Delta

Landscapes, as I believe that all our seasons are the best season. Yet, there is something magical about early summers in the Delta. We’ve just experienced our landscapes spring back to life, and we watch in awe as they transition into full bloom throughout the summer. This transformation is best represented by two of our most common Southern landscape staples, the azalea and the hydrangea. However, often these beloved shrubs are not pruned correctly and therefore, fail to achieve peak bloom or growth habit. Here are some tips to ensure you are pruning your azaleas and hydrangeas correctly.

Brantley Snipes, PLA, MLA, MHS: owner of Brantley Snipes Landscape & Design, Inc.

New wood hydrangeas Other hydrangeas that are popular in the Delta can be pruned during the spring and winter, as they bloom on new wood. These hydrangeas include: H. paniculata (our common Limelight Hydrangea), H. arborescens and H. serrata. The blooms on these hydrangea varieties are white and appear later in the summer; therefore, they can be pruned in late fall or early spring. In fact, light pruning of these hydrangeas can increase vigor and produce more blooms.

To recap, if your hydrangea blooms early in the summer, prune immediately after it blooms and do not prune in the fall or spring. If your hydrangea blooms later in the summer, prune in the fall or early spring to aid in performance. If you are pruning correctly and still not enjoying any blooms, check to make sure your hydrangea is receiving enough sunlight.

Bigleaf hydrangeas, an old wood variety, should be pruned immediately after they bloom.

Lacecap hydrangeas, are also pruned immediately after they bloom.

Limelight hydrangeas produce on new wood and should be pruned in late fall or early spring.

100 | MAY/JUNE 2018

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

| 101

How do you all do it? How do you keep publishing this magazine with all of these wonderful articles in every edition?

I thought your May/June edition was the absolute best! I especially loved the gardening section. I have been a subscriber for many years and as a longtime fan, I have watched the magazine grow and get better with each edition. Congratulations to the Delta Magazine team for publishing the best magazine in the entire region and thank you for keeping it always fresh and interesting.

Mary Longworth Southaven, MS

Thank you for being by far the best magazine in the United States of America.

You could not make me love and miss Mississippi more than you do. Thanks!

Fred Terceira Williamston, NC

SEND COMMENTS AND LETTERS TO editor@deltamagazine.com or Delta Magazine PO Box 117 Cleveland, MS 38732 DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Share your Bulldog spirit this holiday season.

Enjoy beautiful pictures of familiar campus scenes that bring back special memories of your time at Mississippi State.

The official State calendar has become a Bulldog tradition. With pictures by MSU’s own awardwinning photographers, it’s truly a one-of-a-kind treasure. Order online today at msufoundation.com or call 662-325-7000.

Send friends and family exclusive MSU holiday cards featuring original illustrations by MSU alumni. Purchase yours online at msufoundation.com.

MSU is an AA/EEO university.

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22 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Reflections of Autumn

T

PHOTO BY TOM BECK

HE MISSISSIPPI DELTA is two hundred miles long and eighty-seven miles across at its widest point encompassing some 4.4 million acres or seven thousand square miles of the alluvial floodplain. Originally covered in hardwood forests across the bottomlands, it was developed as one of the richest cottongrowing areas in the nation. In the early days, this attracted speculators who developed land along the riverfront for cotton plantations. However, during the past decade cotton prices have fluctuated and many Delta farmers have turned to grain crops. Still, cotton continues on as the Delta’s iconic crop. Beautiful fields, such as this one, are always a welcome sight to Deltans and visitors alike. DM

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ON THE ROAD

where we’ve been, where to go next

GREENWOOD

TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY

Art imitates life at Rainey Farms. – CAROL ROARK The elusive fairy gnomes have struck again outside Fan & Johnnys! – DELTA MAGAZINE

PHOTO OPS &

POSSUM RIDGE

WARREN COUNTY

s k r a m e d a r T a t Del Many old tenant shacks like this one once dotted the Delta’s landscape, but now they are a rare sight. – HANK BURDINE Horsing around in the South Delta – MARTY KITRELL

GREENWOOD

RULEVILLE

Head ‘em up Over 1,000 cyclists recently visited Greenwood for the annual Bikes, Blues & Bayous Cycling Event. – GREENWOOD CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

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Refurbished and ready to roll in Sunflower County.

– GREG BILLS

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COAHOMA COUNTY

SENATOBIA

Pictorial Essay

The Milky Way sneaks through the clouds at sundown in the Delta. – WALT BUSBY

Mississippi life celebrated in a mural on the northern edge of the Delta. – BRUCE BARTLEY

FUNKY STOPS

BOLIVAR COUNTY

Jumpin’ Cat

Roaming the real and rustic Delta

Shout It Out Loud BRANDON

Deltans have discovered the incredible concerts that are taking place at the new Brandon Amphitheater. – DEBRA FERGUSON

A local favorite, Fat Baby’s Catfish House welcomes Highway 61 travelers to Cleveland. – BRUCE BARTLEY

YAZOO CITY

PORT GIBSON

An inside look at the Gemiluth Chessed synagogue. – MARTY KITRELL The old Bank of Yazoo City, Featured in the robbery scene of the movie Oh Brother Where Art Thou. – JIM HENDRIX Instagram users, follow @deltamagazine and see #DMphotoops

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Shop early this holiday!

GIFTS...GOURMET...FASHION...JEWELRY... HANDMADE...

HOLIDAY & HOME DECOR...SOUTHERN STYLE...

(OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)

Mistletoe Merchants

X September 21-23 Wilson County Expo Center Lebanon, TN

October 5-7 Agricenter Int. Memphis, TN

Holiday Market

X October 26-28 Agricenter Int. Memphis, TN

www.themarketshows.com 662.890.3359

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH roaming the real and rustic Delta

CARETAKER’S COTTAGE Step Back In Time

BY ANGELA ROGALSKI

I

n Sharkey County, forty miles north of Rolling Fork, along Highway 61, sits the small town of Nitta Yuma. And within this small community whose history goes back some two hundred years, is a quaint vintage shop fits into the whole picturesque portrait of Nitta Yuma just perfectly.

The Caretaker’s Cottage houses original artwork, heartfelt photographs, reclaimed furniture and other unique items. The shop resides inside an old railroad section house built in 1928 that seems to still exist in that time, a time gone by—but not quite.

Andrea Lawrence and her friend, Kristye Horn, are co-owners of the establishment which opened in November 2017. They say the ambience of the shop and the town itself really sets the tone for the experience that is the Caretaker’s Cottage. In fact, that ambience inspired their motto, “It’s Not Just The Shopping, It’s The Experience.”

“The history of Nitta Yuma is a story in and of itself,” Lawrence says. “And with the help of Mr. Henry Phelps, who owns the property that the shop sits on, and who is a direct descendant of the family who first came to Nitta Yuma in the 1700s, we have managed to create a unique shopping experience.” It took them about eight months to get the shop ready, as they wanted to keep as much of the history of the railroad section house as possible.

Filled with treasures, Lawrence’s own art and Horn’s photos of the Mississippi Delta are also showcased and sold there along with the many other vintage items and unique collectibles.

“We wanted it to be more than just a thrift store,” Lawrence adds. “We wanted it to have a sense of history along with the unique items that we sell.”

The Caretaker’s Cottage is open the second Saturday of every month, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. facebook.com/caretakerscottage61 (601) 761-3994

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On the iconic Highway 61 in Nitta Yuma, one of the most unique shopping experiences can be found at The Caretaker’s Cottage where artwork and other vintage items are sold.

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH

roaming the real and rustic Delta

EBENEZER BIG STORE & E.C. MOORE GENERAL STORE Delicious Hamburgers and Premium Hand-cut Beef

T

Above, the Ebenezer Big Store is a walk back in time and people from all over the state are driving to the store to feast on their delicious hamburgers and plate lunches. Below, the E.C. Moore General Store offers specialty and high-premium meats, as well as seafood.

en miles south of Lexington, Mississippi, in Holmes County is a general store/restaurant that’s said to serve up some of the best food in the state, especially when it comes to hamburgers. In a building that was constructed in 1846, the Ebenezer Big Store appears much like the small historic community of Ebenezer, where it resides: modest, but with a lot of personality.

One of the building’s owners, Nan Copeland, gives credit for the amazing food and recipes to the business’s managers and proprietors, Jerry & Donna Pierce, along with Jerry’s mom, Faye, and longtime cooks, “Granny” and “Peaches.”

“The Pierces do a wonderful job with everything at the local store, especially the food,” Copeland says. “And Granny and Peaches are amazing cooks.” Along with delicious home-cooked plate lunches that change on a daily basis, the Ebenezer Big Store has developed somewhat of a rep for its tasty hamburgers, which are juicy and loaded with toppings. “The hamburgers are so good that people have begun coming from everywhere to get them,” Copeland adds. “The plate lunches are phenomenal too.”

3178 Ebenezer Road, Ebenezer (662) 834-0101

B

etween Batesville and Oxford, the E.C. Moore General Store offers a unique option to supermarkets from a variety of hand-cut meats to fresh seafood straight from the Gulf.

Monica Contini, store manager, says that E.C. Moore carries the best cuts of beef and pork from premium suppliers.

“E.C. Moore is a specialty food store and meat market,” Contini adds. “We only sell the best cuts of meat available and in-season seafood fresh from the Gulf, such as shrimp, crab and oysters. And while all of our products are of the highest quality, our beef is probably our biggest seller.” Contini adds that E.C. Moore also sells a variety of sides and desserts, along with ready-made meals and seasonings.

24441 Highway 6 E. between Batesville and Oxford (662) 578-7100 DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Hop on the t Historic Double Decker Bus W WHEN

2:00 PP.M. .M. onn Fridaays ys before Ole Miss Hom me FootbalL Games W WHERE

Tours Deppart from the Visit Oxfordd Visitors Center 1013 jackkson ave. ave. east Learn moore and reserve tickets at 662.232.2477

1 0 1 3 J a c k s o n Av e . E a s t | O x f o r d , M S | 8 0 0 . 7 5 8 . 9 1 7 7 | v i s i t o x f o r d m s . c o m

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HOT TOPICS GUITARS IN DOWNTOWN YAZOO CITY Eyecatching displays greet visitors Yazoo City has long been known as the city that stands as the Gateway to the Delta, but it is fast becoming known as the Gateway to the Delta Blues.

Main Street, nearly abandoned a decade ago, is now a colorful tourist attraction thanks to the hard work and persistence of local business owners. The historic street’s colorful scene has recently been dubbed one of the most Instagram-worthy in the U.S. And the efforts to revitalize downtown have not stopped there.

The city produces an Independence Day event annually. Yaz Summer Blast includes a class reunion parade, live music, vendors, and spectacular fireworks shows, all with free admission. Ahead of the 2018 event, Mayor Diane Delaware tasked the city’s fire department with the creation of multiple guitar-shaped works of art for Main Street.

“We just cut the guitars out of plywood and bought paints from Walmart. They were painted by various Yazoo City firefighters to depict different Mississippi Delta and Blues scenes,” says Yazoo City Fire Chief Terry Harber. “The guitars were a simple way to help set the scene on Main Street for the parade and the Yaz Summer Blast concerts. We have more to come in the future.”

“They are all beautiful and unique and truly speak to the place

DAWN DAVIS ROSENBERG

1

Yazoo has in the history of the Delta and the Blues. And, I was surprised to find that our city’s firemen are so talented!” says Yazoo County CVB Executive Director Shanitra Finley.

For more information, visit visityazoo.org or call (662) 746-1815.

FARMER JIM’S PUMPKIN PATCH AND CORN MAZE Fun for the entire family Pumpkins, gourds, and mazes, oh my!

Farmer Jim’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze located on Highway 16, west of Rolling Fork, is open from October 1 through October 31 and offers visitors a chance to experience the autumnal joy of picking their own perfect pumpkin.

From a wide variety of traditional orange jack-o’lantern-type pumpkins to

2

an assortment of colorful, heirloom orbs, Farmer Jim Newman and his wife, Lynn, know how to put a smile on the faces of kids of all ages.

“We started in 2006,” Newman says. “And we’re open to the public on weekends in October and host many school and church groups during the week. This year we have six different varieties of orange pumpkins, twenty-seven different kinds and colors of heirloom pumpkins, and thirteen different kinds of gourds. People can pick their own pumpkin close to the front or travel on a hay ride down the patch for a wider selection.”

The two corn mazes also provide fun for the entire family. “We have one that’s for the daytime and one for our haunted maze, which is open two Saturday nights in October.”

Newman adds that teaching the children and others a little about pumpkin growing is also offered on the group tours provided to schools and other organizations during the week. “They can learn about growing pumpkins and life on the farm. The children also have an opportunity to play in the hay, find their way through the corn maze, and pick their very own orange pumpkin.” (Angela Rogalski) For more information and prices, visit: farmerjimspumpkinpatch.com

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HOT TOPICS NEW BOOK FROM DELTA MAGAZINE

DU S T RO R OAD

Collection of Hank Burdine’s writings to be released in October Hank Burdine has been writing for Delta Magazine since July of 2005. He has written intensely about things past and present, so vivid and “Delta” that it seems they could happen no where else but in our beloved flatland. Burdine has a handle on the pulse of the Delta and what makes it tick. He understands the eccentricities of its people and what drove its forebears to mold and shape this fertile, leveed, much ballyhooed enigma into what has been called the “Most Southern Place on Earth.” And he makes things happen, things that seem unattainable, but he somehow just puts it all together and comes up with Delta affairs that are themselves the things of stories. And then he writes about them. Burdine is a chronicler of the places, people and past happenings in this Mississippi Delta that are out there, but just need to be dug up, researched and written down. And he has written enough of them to have a book published by Delta Magazine of the essays he has contributed over the years. Dust in the Road: Recollections of a Delta Boy will be released in early October. Book signings will take place in towns around the Delta and state. You may also pre-order a signed copy at Delta Magazine. This is a book

in e th

3

RECOLLECTIONS OF A DELT E TA BOY

Foreword by

JULIA REED

ij Epilogue by

RICHARD GRANT

for anyone’s library that has a love for or interest in the Delta and it’s environs.

For more information, visit deltamagazine.com or call 662-842-2700

FESTIVALS TO FIRE UP THE DELTA Blues, tamales and arts to fill your weekend With October comes the advent of the many fall festivals for which the Delta is so well known. So get ready to get your music, food, and fun fix on!

The 2018 Deep Blues Festival in Clarksdale will be held October 11–14.

During the daytime, there will be five free stages located in downtown Clarksdale.The main ticketed portions of the festival are held at the Shack Up Inn and the New Roxy, which are two nighttime venues. Two bands will perform at each location on each night and then a band at each location on Sunday. The Deep Blues Festival is set apart from other festivals in that it is strictly focused on the music. The lineup will include Jimbo Mathus, R.L. Boyce, Bob Log III, among many others. Also in Clarksdale, on Saturday, October 13, the annual Cruzn the Crossroads Car & Truck Show will take place, and for literary buffs the Tennessee Williams Festival is not to be missed, along with the new Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum.

In Greenville, the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival, hosted

by Steve Azar and Jason Fratesi takes place on October 11-13 with acts such as Lucinda Williams, Azar and James McMurtry

4

performing on the main stage. Many other blues performers will be on the Highway 61 Blues stage and there is also a Mighty singer-songwriter competition. Also in Greenville, the town proclaimed as the Hot Tamale Capital of the World, with the most hot tamale vendors per capita, the Delta Hot Tamale Festival is scheduled for October 18–20. The Hot Tamale Festival is a fun-filled three-day event celebrating local and regional artists, musicians, and tamale makers, with Hot Tamale Pageants, cooking contests, and a plethora of other exciting events.

The 36th Annual Octoberfest will be held October 12–13 in downtown Cleveland.

This event includes bands that start performing at 6 p.m. on Friday and end at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Over one hundred-twenty vendors and exhibitors of arts, crafts and food are also lined up on Cotton Row. Rides and other activities are offered for children. The festival is also a Memphis in May sanctioned barbecue contest, with over sixty barbeque teams participating.

For more information, visit: deepbluesfest.com, mightymsmusic.com, mainstreetgreenville.com/delta-hot-tamale-festival, octoberfestms.com DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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BOOKS

Buzzworthy Comments

The Lost Country by William Gay (Faber & Faber) One of the great masters of Southern Gothic fiction, William Gay wrote The Lost Country before he passed in 2012. Anticipated for an entire decade, this posthumous novel is a perfect piece of Southern Gothic literature in every way. Set in the 1950s, Billy Edgewater is hitchhiking across Tennessee to see his dying father. The plot is set up like a wild, Southern odyssey of sorts, with violence and danger befalling him at every turn. Along the road, the reader encounters a variety of unfortunate, down-and-out characters: a con man with one arm, a woman running from abuse, and a perilous predator among them.

Lush with rich descriptions—some that stop us breathlessly in our tracks, worthy of rereading—this story is dark, raw, funny, and full of grit from the very beginning. Fans of this genre of literature should not miss. (Liza Jones) There There by Tommy Orange (Penguin Random House) Tommy Orange’s debut novel, There There, is the perfect read for Indigenous People’s Day in October. With a gracious mix of both direct and poetic language, Orange reveals the life of the urban American Indian by following a plethora of Native American characters in and around Oakland, California. These unforgettable characters’ lives are intertwined, and the story leads to the climactic event of the Big Oakland Powwow, which is a conference meant to celebrate Indian culture and bring people together. What actually happens at this event is more revealing than its rose-colored intentions.

Providing entry into a part of the country that is seldom seen or understood, Orange passionately demonstrates the heartbreak that America’s past inflicts upon the present. Indeed, this is an emotional novel that uses authentic storytelling to expand the mind and conscience of the reader. (Liza Jones)

William Gay

o Sheri Cleveland, Rep for MS Blood Services and Medical Practices Mediator Louise, Mississippi

Good Ole Boy by Willie Morris. My mother grew up with Mr. Morris and it makes my heart happy! The stories are about my family, friends, and Willie’s huge imagination in the Delta. o Donna Watts, Grain Storage Solutions Friars Point, Mississippi

A Painted House by John Grisham. I like to read it before each ginning season.

Tommy Orange

Rush by Lisa Patton (St. Martian’s Press) When Lilith Whitmore, the well-heeled House Corp President of Alpha Delta Beta, appoints recent empty-nester Wilda to the Rush Advisory Board, Wilda can hardly believe her luck. What’s more, Lilith suggests their daughters, both incoming freshman, room together. What Wilda doesn’t know is that it’s all part of Lilith’s plan to ensure her own daughter receives an Alpha Delt bid—no matter what.

Cali Watkins possesses all the qualities sororities are looking for in a potential new member. She’s kind and intelligent, makes friends easily, and even plans to someday run for governor. But her resume lacks a vital ingredient—pedigree. Without family money, Cali’s chances of sorority membership are already thin, but she has an even bigger problem. If anyone discovers the dark family secrets she’s hiding, she’ll be dropped from Rush in an instant.

(Special/DM Staff)

For the Record Books Delta Magazine fans are currently reading o John C. Cox

Lincoln’s Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him to the Presidency

by Dan Abrams and David Fisher

o Elizabeth Smith Bellipanni Before We Were Yours

by Lisa Wingate

o Patty Moore Bailey The Paris Wife

by Paula McClain

38 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

o Donna Watts

The President is Missing

by President Bill Clinton and James Patterson

o Lisa Kendall

The Lawyer’s Lawyer

by James Sheeden

o Nanette Long

The Motel Life

by Willy Vlautin

o Andree Walker Catfish Dream

by Julian Rankin

We asked Facebook friends and Delta Magazine Fan Page Group members to list the book they have read more than once.

o Carly Walker Robinson, Bookkeeper Stoneville, Mississippi

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

This book has everything! Nightlife, glamour, riches, romance, tragedy, and unrequited love o Carol Tutor, Retired Greenville, Mississippi

The Miracle of Bells by Russell Janney. I read it almost every year between Thanksgiving and Chistmas. It is an oldfashioned sweet story about how one deed can change countless lives.

Lisa Patton

o Billy Tabb Killer of the Flower Moon

by David Grann

o Bruce Bartley

The Other Woman

by Daniel Silva

o Jason Whittington It

by Stephen King

o Deborah Boles

The People vs. Alex Cross

by James Patterson

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Realizing Our Place: Southern Women in a Mythologized Land

by Catherine Egley Waggoner & Laura Egley Taylor (University Press) Catherine Egley Waggoner and Laura Egley Taylor, sisters from the Delta, travel back to their roots to take a look at what it means to be a woman in the Delta in this documentary-like book. They interviewed fifty-one women about identity, propriety, culture, family, race, religion, land, grace, domesticity, work, and relationship to men.

What makes this book so interesting is the sisters’ respectful, non-judgmental consideration of the truth of other women, and each woman is different from the next: the interviewees span race, age, religion, and socioeconomic background. With academic precision, they carefully study what unites all Delta women, as well as how they disagree. And how does being a Delta woman differ from being a Southern woman?

Probing, from different angles, what “place” means for women in such a mysterious region with arguably the biggest sense of place in the nation, this book renders an honest view of femininity without imposition or projection. “Does place seep into one’s very being, like roots making their way deep into the Delta’s rich, alluvial soil?” (Liza Jones)

Portals by Glennray Tutor (Yoknapatawpha Press) Portals is the debut art album of Glennray Tutor, a painter listed among the top fifty hyperrealists in the world. Tutor is known for his use of bright colors, detail, and metaphor. At first glance his paintings look like photos, but they are paintings with incredible detail.

Tutor’s early landscape paintings celebrate the unsung corners of the Deep South and his later still life paintings push the edge of American pop art. His still-life subject matter consists of small commonplace artifacts of daily life such as canning jars, cola bottles, toys, marbles, comic books, and fireworks.

“Once one’s amazement at the astonishing precision in the paintings of Glennray Tutor has had time to sink in, the opportunity arises to contemplate the visual eloquence and his depictions of the small artifacts of life, and how such compositions can say profound things about the nature of our existence.”(Special/DM Staff)

RHODES. FULBRIGHT. TRUMAN. GOLDWA WA ATER TER. COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FFAME. AME. In the past three years, Millsaps College has claimed all five with two Rhodes Scholars, four Fulbright Scholars, a T Truman ruman Scholar, a Goldwater Scholar, and a College F Foootball Hall of F Fame ame inductee. inductee WHICH ONE WILL Y YOU OU EARN?

WORLD CLASS. H HERE A ATT HOME. MILL S AP S.EDU

North Mississippi Murder & Mayhem by Kristina Stancil (The History Press) North Mississippi’s idyllic rolling hills and deep forests hide a history steeped in blood. America’s first serial killers, the Harpe brothers, brutally murdered as many as fifty people at the end of the 1700s before finally meeting their end on the Natchez Trace.

During Reconstruction, politician William Clark Faulkner, great-grandfather of the author William Faulkner, was shot in the streets of Ripley by a former business partner after being elected to the state legislature. In the 1960s, Samuel Bowers and the Mississippi Klan tried to start a national race war by orchestrating the Freedom Summer murders and the Ole Miss Riot. Kristina Stancil details the shadowy side of North Mississippi.

(Special/DM Staff) DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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SHOPPING

⋘ Rag & Bone leather and suede boots in white, forty four | fifty, Jackson

ite Knock’em out with wh y! da after Labor

⋘ Gentle Fawn

⋘

Tucker sweater, KAT, Cleveland

⋘

Matisse Distressed Buckle Bootie, Janie Rose Boutique, Southaven

Taupe fringed sweater by BB Dakota, H Squared, Cleveland

⋘ Matisse Marga Bootie, SAINT Boutique, Hernando

⋘

Antelope Bib-Front Wedges, The Wishing Well, Cleveland

Boots&Sweaters

⋙

Leopard Print cardigan, Mod & Proper, Cleveland

TIme to get cozy as the temp drops

Cinch your sweaters in style

Bussola Ramona Olive Bootie, Lulu’s, Oxford

⋙

⋘

⋘

⋘

Girl’s tassel fringe boots and pom-pom poncho, Punkin Patch, Cleveland

J.J. Winters snake print belt, SAINT Boutique, Hernando

Dolce Vita snakeskin mule, H Squared, Cleveland

⋘

Mink Pink fuzzy cropped sweater, Janie Rose Boutique, Southaven

42 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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⋘ Shark game-day

golf shirts, Hinton & Hinton, Oxford

For the little guys!

Boy’s shawl cardigan, Punkin Patch, Cleveland

⋘

Ugg Dustin Chukkas, Country Gentlemen, Greenville

⋘

Eleventy Car coat, Great Scott, Jackson

⋘

⋘

Add luster to your table with Viski gold stemless wine glasses and Oyster napkin rings from, Mod & Proper, Cleveland

Copper coasters, Viking Retail Store, Greenwood

Tabletops& Tailgates

⋘ Turkey centerpiece

and placecard holders, Flower Bouquet + Interiors, Clarksdale

Celebrate fall with seasonal assets on your table!

⋘ Rebs or Dawgs??

Ceramic tailgate platters, Mississippi Gift Company, Greenwood

⋘

Gold-leafed antlers Mod and Proper, Cleveland

⋘

Gunpowder scented South candle, Delta Outdoors, Cleveland

Great rustic fall entertaining pieces for home or the hunting cabin!

⋘

DIP-a-di-do-da Dip Bowls, Viking Retail Store, Greenwood

Simply drop your disposable pans and store-bought dips into these fun containers. So easy!

Sassafras, Vicksburg

⋘

⋘ Fancy Panz,

Copper handled serving board and wood handles cheese knives, Rosson & Co., Cleveland DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Mag gnoll ia Lighting h

Residential Lighting ·

Hernando Oxford Tupelo Ridgeland

44 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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ART

PETE HORNE

Capturing the essence of his subjects

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIMOTHY IVY

MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T CONSIDER A GUY FLOSSING HIS TEETH, a young woman curling her eyelashes, or a man opening his eye wide to pop in a contact lens as subjects for paintings. But most people don’t have the vision or whimsical touch that artist Pete Horne has. “I thought it would be fun to do a study of what people do to get ready for the day,” he laughs. “For my college thesis, I did a series of large-format paintings of people doing things like brushing their teeth and shaving.”

46 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Many artists say Horne’s paintings are almost indistinguishable from actual photos. Left, Horne’s take on some of his friends. Above, a painting of a fellow student while working on his master’s degree at Ole Miss. Below, one of Horne’s acrylic paintings.

The multi-talented Horne was born in Hattiesburg, but moved to Yazoo City when he was four years old. He lived there until attended college at Delta State. “I started out as a math major, and I still like math. I actually tutor students in calculus and advanced algebra,” says Horne. But while studying math, he got a bit restless and decided to pursue music engineering at the Delta Music Institute at DSU. “I

discovered I was more of a musician. I began playing backup guitar in some country music bands and I played in an ’80s cover band in college.”

In 2010, Horne needed some more hours to graduate, and his brother, Adam, convinced him to take a portrait class with Duncan Baird. “It was life-changing for me,” says Horne. “My brother is an outstanding, genius artist and I just took the DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Above, one of Horne’s close friends commissioned him to paint a portrait of his parents on their wedding day. Below, a painting of Horne’s brother, Adam.

class because he said I should. I became obsessed, especially interested in realism.”

Horne changed his major to art and stayed there, exploring realism in his thesis project.

“I wanted to show people in candid, almost unflattering, poses, doing what everybody does every day.”

After graduating from Delta State with a degree in art, Horne moved to Oxford to attend graduate school at Ole Miss. “I looked up artist Glennray Tutor, whose work I admired, and he invited me over.

When I got there, I was more interested in his amazing guitar collection; however, we did talk art. He taught me about how he uses color in his paintings. He was really nice to spend time with a student like me.”

During a school trip to New York, Horne and some friends broke from their

48 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

group and got on a train to Brooklyn to meet artist Donato Giancola. “He paints fantasy and sci-fi and he showed us how he uses models and reference images to build fantastical scenes. It was an amazing experience for me.”

While some of Horne’s work is on display at Studio 230 in Cleveland, he now does mostly commission work. “People ask me to paint their grandmother, or their children. It’s really fun for me to deliver a painting and watch people light up.” He admits he likes doing “the fun stuff.” He paints portraits of people he knows, but he doesn’t like them to be very posed. “I’ve been getting into still life paintings. I do them super tight, but when you look closely, you’ll see they are very tongue-in-cheek. I use quirky objects instead of vases and produce.”

One of his paintings features bananas, yellow rubber duckies, and a bobblehead doll of actor Bryan Cranston as Walter White from Breaking Bad. “My inspiration for those come from one of my professors at Ole Miss, Phillip Jackson, who does supertight still life paintings. He is one of my biggest influencers.”

When he’s not painting or working on video productions for others, Horne practices his guitar. He plays guitar for a band called Southern Halo, a sister-trio act that has gained popularity across the region.

A videographer, editor, artist, and musician, Horne describes himself as a “Swiss Army knife kinda guy. “I do a lot of different things. If I can continue doing what I’m doing and keep paying the bills, that’s what I want to do.” DM

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EXPERIENCE T H E M I S SI S S I P P I D E LTA t h ro u g h p re h i s to r i c fo s s i l s, N a t i ve American pot ter y, Civil War hi stor y, c ot to n fa r m i n g a n d re g i o n a l a r t.

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DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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MUSIC

KELLY LOVE

Greenville native has made his mark in the music business

BY TOM SPEED

G

rowing up in Greenville in the 1970s, a time she calls “the best of times,” Linda Love figures she probably first “met” her future husband Kelly by pelting him with a water balloon. Kelly was a few years her senior. They lived in the same neighborhood, where water balloon fights were a favorite pastime.

“I probably threw water balloons at him as a child and didn’t know it. I’m sure I pinged him in the head a couple of times,” she says.

Years went by until they would meet again under much better circumstances.

Kelly had grown up watching his uncle play a Fender Jaguar guitar during weekend family get-togethers. The Jaguar is a strange looking guitar with an odd shape laden with unusual switches and buttons that makes it stand out in contrast to the more well-known and sleeker looking Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars.

“I was always drawn to it,” he says about the guitar. “I would watch him play B.B. King songs. He was a big B.B. King fan. I didn’t know what he was playing; I just knew it was cool. When I was around 15, I decided I wanted a guitar.”

Love worked odd jobs around Greenville to save enough to money buy one. Within weeks of finally buying a guitar, he was in a band when after a young scrawny kid named

52 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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ASH VON CHAMIER

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Besides playing with the band Eli, Kelly Love has just launched a side band with his wife Linda, called The Georgia Honeys.

Kern Pratt knocked on his door and informed Love he was going to be the lead guitarist in his blues band. The two would hang out, throw parties, and play guitars in the back room of Pratt’s father’s Western Auto store.

Soon rock ’n’ roll changed Love’s life though. At a screening of the movie Grease, Love saw a short film that played before the main feature. It was called Freebird and focused on the Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“I saw clips of them playing live and I thought, ‘I want to be that guy! I want to do that!’ It made a big impression on me and changed my life.”

While Pratt was already well schooled in guitar, having taken many lessons over the years, Love was selftaught. He learned mostly from trying to play along to Lynyrd Skynyrd records.

“Those guys were really ahead of their time,” he says. “They have a reputation as being rednecks or whatever, but they could play!”

In time, Love began playing along to ZZ Top, Van Halen, KISS, and other rock records. When he attended his first concert (Bad Company at the Jackson Coliseum), Love was as entranced by the lighting and production as he was when he stared at that Jaguar or watched the Skynyrd clip.

“I just thought if I could ever get to that point, that was a goal in life—to get to that coliseum stage,” he says.

Love played in a variety of bands around the Delta. His bands often crossed paths with the Florida-based band Eli, a tour de force on the Southeastern concert circuit at the time. They became friendly.

Love attended Greenville Christian School and Linda went to Greenville High. But, Linda had a band also with her then-boyfriend who introduced her to Kelly. “It was love at first sight,” she says. The 54 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

two began dating, going to concerts, and playing music together. They soon formed a band together called Transit.

Once, when Eli was playing at Delta State University, the pair ended up backstage visiting with the band members.

“The guitarist turned to the singer, then he pointed to me and said, ‘Here’s your next guitarist. I’m quitting in two weeks!’” Love recalls.

Love was taken aback, especially when he received incessant calls from the band’s manager over the next several weeks. But Love wasn’t ready.

“I’d never left home,” he says. “I was still living with my parents.”

Instead, he joined an Arkansas band named Paper Tiger and Kelly peforming with his band, Eli. toured with them for two years almost non-stop.

“I got a lot of learning,” he says. “A different club every night, and having to win the crowd over because they didn’t know who you were. We were living on $7 a day.”

By 1985, that lifestyle was wearing thin. He traveled to Indianola where a band called Baby Blue was playing at the Indianola High School prom.

They were looking for a new guitarist. He auditioned. He didn’t get the job, but Baby Blue happened to have the same manager as Eli. Eli entered the picture again. Love got a call from them that next week saying the new guitarist wasn’t working out and they offered him the job. This time he took it.

“I’d gone out on the road for a couple of years and starved. So, I wasn’t so green anymore.”

The job required a move to Tallahassee, Florida, the band’s home base. But the decision was a no-brainer. Love packed up his 280Z, and took out the back seat to accommodate his musical

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equipment and headed south to his new home.

As Eli continued through the years (they celebrate their 50th anniversary next year), Linda and Kelly married, had children, and built a solid life in Florida. Love achieved his goal of playing rock music on big stages under the lights just as he had imagined when he first started out. But his musical journey also included writing songs with his wife, most of them a far cry from the hard-rock sounds that Eli is best known for.

The songs that came out of that collaborative partnership lean more towards the pastoral sounds they grew up with—languid country with a hint of blues. They developed a system—Kelly would come up with the melody, Linda would supply the lyrics, always in the interest of telling a story.

“I’ve always been a storyteller,” says Linda. “I refer to myself as a storyteller in music.”

Like Kelly, Linda grew up in a musical family. The family television was tuned to The Lawrence Welk Show as often as Hee Haw. And while her tastes leaned toward hard rock like AC/DC, she was just as likely to appreciate Loretta Lynn or soft-rock stalwarts like Bread.

“I played Bread so much I think my brothers probably wanted to lock me in a closet,” she says.

All of those ingredients from the backgrounds of both husband and wife mesh together into the songs they’ve written.

“This is something we grew up with,” says Linda. “It reminds us of home.”

Now, they’ve recorded those songs and will soon release a CD under the name, The Georgia Honeys. This partially comes from the fact that the couple just bought a lake house across the state line on the Georgia side of Lake Seminole. But, the phrase originated when Linda kept confusing Eli drummer Jamie Majors with his brothers Jess and Justin.

“They are all gorgeous,” Linda laughs. “But it was too many j’s and I got them confused. So, I just decided I was going to call them The Georgia Honeys. And it stuck.”

For the album, Kelly and Linda called on veteran producer John Kurzweg who has worked with major rock acts such as Puddle of Mudd, Creed, and Tishamingo.

The result, Out of The Murals, that will be released later this year, lands The Georgia Honeys in the same Americana neighborhood as duo acts like The Civil Wars and Shovels & Rope. It’s a mix that focuses on the songs, and their stories, while decorating them with acoustic instruments like guitar and mandolin. There’s a taste of blues, a dash of country.

Standouts on Out of The Murals include, “Willow Tree,” which is infused with the sound of wood and wire—acoustic guitars, tambourine, and sultry vocals and harmony. And, “Mississippi Scarecrow” is a haunting tune evocative of a wide Delta expanse. The songs that remind Linda and Kelly of home sound like that home.

Overall, the songs evoke the history of the lives of two people who grew up in the 1970s in the Mississippi Delta, taking in the sounds of their soil and the music played by their families. They sound like the yearning for a life of music, playing for big crowds under the bright lights, and also simply playing for each other.

In essence, the material sounds like Mississippi. And, they sound like Florida. They sound like a guy playing along to Lynyrd Skynyrd in his bedroom and a girl driving her brothers crazy with soft rock.

They sound like high school sweethearts and they sound like dreams fulfilled. They sound like, well, the best of times. DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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One day of open mic performances a follo o wed by 12 unforg o ettable acts c Dc/Ta\dDa- fUaWi\9/fad/T/a! F\;g/-a;Aa\9/a!>_/U2a D+a)D@/aDAaDc/TJa T !a a)D>-aDA/a A-aF_>>a a)9 ;Ta_Fa\Da\9/a TDA\a DT)9a \ 6/Ja \)9a\9 \ T/ >a!>_/Ua3//>;A6aDAa\9/a TDA\a DT)9a \ 6/a \a\9/a^hE0a ;A6a ;U)_;\a >_/Ua /U\;c >a;Aa9;U\DT;)a-DdA\DdAa />/A +ad9/T/a\9/aT;c/Ta@//\Ua \9/aT;-6/Ja ;=/a\9/a!>_/U+a -@;UU;DAa;Ua3T//J

The Delta Cultural Center’ s Front Porch Stage 223 Cherr y Street • Helena, AR 72342 DTa@DT/a;A3DT@ \;DA*a -/>\ )_>\_T >)/A\/TJ)D@ 3 )/!DD=J)D@[ />\ _>\_T > /A\/T DTa) >>a0hhJ]40JhBY^a[a0YhJ]]0J5]4h

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Hand-dipped and decorated Halloween treats by Britney Rocconi.

58 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Princesses, Power Rangers, and Batman

OH MY!

HALLOWEEN ON WHEELS IN CLEVELAND

BY AIMEE ROBINETTE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

F

OR SEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING, the Cleveland

Country Club has made Halloween night a signature event for its littlest members. Families don their scariest and cutest costumes and climb aboard decorated golf carts to trick or treat at the houses that are nestled along the course. Families have found that it is easier to get in and out of a golf cart, and it’s safer for children to run around without worrying about traffic in town.

With as many as sixty families participating, there is plenty of socializing for all ages.

It all started when Cindy and Allan Grittman were settling in their new home which is nestled at the on the golf course.

“There was an evening with a glass of wine and a fire out on the back patio not long after we moved into our house and Allan and I were discussing our new location and all of the things we liked about it,” says Cindy. “Being lovers of Halloween, it was hard for us to believe

the Country Club didn’t offer something for its members on Halloween. Our children are too old for trick or treating,

but we thought it was the perfect place for those with small children because it was so much safer than the streets—and a more controlled environment, but still with the freedom for them to run around and enjoy.

It would be fun for the parents, too.”

Allan mentioned the idea to Cleveland Country Club General Manager Aaron Lasker, who then took the idea to the golf pro at the club.

“We discussed the possibility while riding around one day and decided to give it a try. We honestly never expected it to turn into what it has become,” Lasker says.

Allan went a step further and offered to cook hot dogs and hamburgers at their house, once the trick-or-treating came to a close.

Needless to say, it has turned into one of the largest events of the year. The initial plan was to pull a trailer, hayride style, to transport the trick-or-treaters around the golf course, but when everyone arrived that first year, there was no choice but to use golf carts. Now, there is a new DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Cindy’s easy tips will help you turn any cake into a

Spooky Treat!

60 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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tradition with golf carts lining up at the clubhouse on Halloween afternoon. At dusk, the convoy of goblin-filled golf carts makes its way along the path of the golf course. The children trick or treat at the back properties of those who participate.

They often set up tables and chairs to greet each little ghost or goblin with goodies.

Although the event has gotten bigger each year, the Grittmans have graciously continued to host the party at their home.

“We are the last stop for the kids, and it is so fun to see them running up to our house full of excitement, and most likely, sugar!” Cindy says laughing. “The club provides the hot dogs, burgers, and various drinks for everyone. And Allan gets busy grilling. It wasn't so hard the first year or two because the crowd was a

manageable size. Now, it’s gotten more challenging because the number is up to about 150 or so. We have gotten our friends to bring extra grills, and the guys help Allan with the cooking.”

“I think the adults have just as much fun as the kids. Of course, we can't just leave it at hot dogs and hamburgers, so we always make our own appetizers. I have friends help out with that part too. I like to wait and see what the weather is going to be like and of course being in the Delta it can vary greatly,” she adds. “One year it was so cold we had the fire pit lit, and I had a large pot of homemade chili and some hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Both were hits. The next year it was so hot we had children wanting to jump in the pool. Cold drinks and lighter foods were the tickets. Easy serving, easy pickup types

of foods are usually what I try to stick with.”

The Grittmans have always been social, and while their two daughters are grown, they both come home to watch the spectacle. They are also expecting their first grandchild, a boy, in September, which will make this family tradition even more special.

“So, needless to say, I am looking even more forward to future Halloweens. I already have his first costume, and he is not even here yet,” Cindy laughs.

Entertaining at times can be a lot of work and this event is definitely one of those times.

“The decorations are a big deal to me.

I hate spiders, so they have become my theme. My friends cannot believe I use spiders, being so afraid of them. And the scary girl swinging in the tree is freaky, but she’s a hit with the kids and scares the guys who maintain the golf course! I try to add new things every year,” Cindy says. “It’s a crazy week leading up to Halloween, but I get a lot of joy out of it. Allan is usually really busy on the farm with harvesting, but he always makes time for this event.”

Cindy admits it is somewhat daunting to look across the course and see the line of golf carts headed their way with dozens of costumed children coming towards them.

“It all happens so fast, and we are so busy I honestly don't get to talk to everybody, but I do have the most fun.

Seeing the kids in their costumes, some homemade, and even some of the parents dressed up, is just a joy. It’s a great family time and is rewarding to know we had a part in making it all happen.” DM

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CINDY’S BOURBON CHILI The touch of bourbon and cocoa powder add a distinctive flavor to this chili. Make it a day ahead to allow the flavors to blend!

3 1 2 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ¼ to ½ 1 2 ¼

pounds ground beef of your choice 24 ounce can of diced tomatoes large cans Hunt’s tomato sauce can black kidney beans can pork and beans large onion, chopped large bell pepper, chopped cup of chili powder tablespoon cumin tablespoon of oregano teaspoon cayenne pepper tablespoon cocoa powder tablespoon brown sugar cup of Fireball Bourbon

Brown meat and onions. Drain the fat and add remaining ingredients. Bring up to a slight boil and turn down to low and simmer about an hour. I always make a day ahead.

The Grittmans also use a mixture of venison and sausage in this recipe.

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COBWEB CAKE Ice a cake in the color of your choice.

Simply melt marshmallows in a microwavesafe bowl for about 30 seconds. Stir marshmallows until they are cool enough to handle.

Stretch a small portion of marshmallow out into a long, thin strand. Wrap the marshmallow strands around your cake in every direction so that it resembles a spiderweb. Remember, the thinner strands will look better in the end.

For a double layer cake, be sure to drape

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some of the webs down the sides from one tier to the next. For a final touch, add a spider or two with long, spindly legs!

7-LAYER SPIDER WEB DIP Give this classic appetizer an easy Halloween makeover by adding a simple spider web and olive “spiders.”

1 1 1 1 1 ½ 3 to 4 ½ 1 1

15 ounce can refried beans packet taco seasoning mix cup sour cream, separated cup mild or medium chunky salsa (make sure it’s not watery) cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese cup cherry tomatoes, halved green onions, diced can olives, drained and separated cup prepared guacamole tortilla chips 10 to 12 inch round plate or dish

Mix the taco seasoning with the refried beans. Spread this mixture evenly on the bottom of the dish. Top beans with ¾ cup of the sour cream and gently spread. Add dollops of salsa and gently smooth on top.

Then, add dollops of the guacamole, spread slowly.

Slice half of the olives. Around the edge of the dish add the cheese, green onions, sliced olives, and cherry tomatoes, leaving the guacamole uncovered in the middle. Put the remaining ¼ cup of sour cream into a plastic bag and cut off the tip. Squeeze the sour cream into a spider web pattern over the guacamole.

To make olive spiders slice a few olives in half lengthwise and then cut a few olives into small strips. For each spider set an olive half in place and put eight of the strips around the halved olive to look like a spider.

Serve with tortilla chips.

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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SKULL AND BONES PUNCH Have fun with this festive drink by adding your favorite garish garnish!

Stan Spealman

662-887-4700

Indianola, MS

Keith Spealman

662-207-2298

6 ounces frozen pineapple orange blend concentrate, thawed 1 12 ounce can frozen berry punch concentrate, thawed 1 2 liter bottle ginger ale, chilled Ice Toy plastic skulls, skeletons, and/or spiders

Mix pineapple orange blend and berry punch concentrates in a large bowl. For a deeper, red bloody color add red food coloring. Slowly add chilled ginger ale.

Pack ice into punch bowl or dispenser until half full. Add skulls and skeletons. Add more ice and skulls until full and tightly packed. Slowly pour punch over ice.

As the ice starts to melt, it may be necessary to add more ice to hold skulls in place.

ALLAN’S ZESTY GUACAMOLE Lime zest gives this guacamole its bright flavor.

2½ cups chopped avocados 1¾ cups chopped tomato ¼ cup chopped onion juice of half a lime zest from half a lime, or to taste 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic salt 3 tablespoons picante sauce

Mix all ingredients well and serve with tortilla chips.DM

66 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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visit our website www.heatonpecans.com

DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Completing the circuit.

At Entergy Mississippi, the circuit means more than electricity. It means connection and potential. Families. Neighborhoods.

Businesses. We’re all part of a circuit. So we invest in industry. Inspire education.

Nurture community. We empower each other. And together, we power life. entergymississippi.com

A message from Entergy Mississippi, Inc. ©2018 Entergy Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

11:32 AM

68 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Restored,

not Renovated HISTORIC CARROLLTON THE TOWN THAT TIME FORGOT Unique hexagonal library on the lawn of Cotesworth where Senator George spent hours reading and drafting documents.

BY BRANTLEY SNIPES PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN BRITT

70 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Cotesworth, home of U. S. Senator J. Z. George, was featured in the movie, The Help.

A

day trip to Carrollton means an eight-mile road trip outside the flatland, a few degrees increase in elevation, and what seems like a hundred years back in time. This quaint town in the shadows of the Delta offers insight into not only local history, but state and national history through its preserved architecture of homes, churches, downtown buildings, and historical figures.

Descending the hill into downtown Carrollton, you are immediately transported into a living replica of 19thcentury design hosting current businesses and housing contemporary families.

Historic structures throughout Carrollton are restored—not renovated—and this is what allows the entire town to be one of the largest districts on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States. In fact, ninety structures contribute to Carrollton’s historic designation.

The original office of Senator George, c. 1838.

Interior of the hexagonal library.

Historic Carroll County Courthouse, c. 1876 DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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The Carroll County Community House built in 1836 as a WPA project.

Stanhope, c. 1845

The Oaks, c. 1848

Helm House, c.1874 72 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Carrollton was established as the county seat of Carroll County in 1834. At the time, it was the largest county in the state and required two county seats. The population of Carrollton peaked right after the Civil War and the establishment of the railroad.

This boom triggered housing and building development in the architectural aesthetic of the early 1900s. However, with the development of state infrastructure (roads and highways), Carrollton was no longer the center of the county and thus did not experience a continued increase in population growth or development.

The population declined throughout the 20th Century and left the existing development from the early 1900s frozen in time. The community utilized what architecture it had already established instead of building new, as this was more economically feasible for a small town.

Today’s population hovers around 200 and includes visionaries for both the success and preservation of this historical gem.

A day trip to Carrollton starts in the center of town at the Carroll County Courthouse. This symmetrical, two-story, hipped-roof Greek Revival building constructed of stuccoed brick was designed

by James Clark Harris (Greenwood Leflore’s son-in-law). The first floor’s crossed central hall doors are never closed, which allows summer breezes to travel through the corridor. This is actually the third courthouse built in Carrollton, the second on this exact site. Upon the burning of the second courthouse, citizens were able to save most of the records, giving the county the second oldest surviving records in Mississippi.

The commercial buildings across Lexington Street from the courthouse were built in the early 1900s and represent the three-bay, cast iron frame style, which replaced the wooden structures. Just south

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Bound books of town records residing in the Merrill Museum.

The Merrill Museum, which was once a Coffin and Furniture Company, c. 1834.

Carrollton Presbyterian Church, c. 1897

Photo of a young John McCain on display at the Merrill Museum.

of the courthouse is the Merrill Building Museum, the lone survivor of a strip of buildings referred to as Tobin Row. This two-story, common bond, gabled roof structure has been utilized as a store, residence, coffin manufacturer, and temporary courthouse. The store now serves as a museum of Carroll County memorabilia and showcases artifacts that include Choctaw items, old collectibles, articles, and features the John Sidney McCain collection—a compilation of personal and military memorabilia belonging to the grandfather and greatgrandfather of Senator John S. McCain.

On the north side of the courthouse is United State Senator J.Z. George’s law office. George served in the Senate from 1881–1897 where he helped frame the future Sherman Anti-Trust Act, introduced a bill to establish agricultural college experiment stations, and eventually the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is also Grace Episcopal Church, c. 1884 DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Gee General Merchandise Store, left with inventory captured in time.

recognized as one of the principal authors of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890.

George’s home, Cotesworth, was purchased as a stagecoach inn and transformed into a premier example of Greek Revival architecture. You may recognize it as the Foote Plantation in the 2010 blockbuster movie, The Help. The home remained in the George family for generations until his great-granddaughter donated it to establish the Cotesworth Culture and Heritage Center (www.cotesworthcenter.org).

Of the five historic churches located in Carrollton, four were established in the 1830s, and continue to have active congregations today. All can be found mere yards from the courthouse, representing different architectural styles.

Just as crucial to any community as its churches, the Carroll County jail lies in the shadows of the courthouse, as well. It is a two-story, brick cruciform structure with cells occupying the second story.

Once you’ve spent the morning exploring downtown Carrollton’s historic commercial and religious structures, drive across the creek into North Carrollton for lunch at Dixie’s Kozy Kitchen. This tiny building boasts some of the best burgers and plate lunches in the state. The Carroll County burger and hand-cut fries are worth every calorie.

After lunch, it’s time to experience the homes that Carrollton has to offer, many of which are from the antebellum period.

Office of The Conservative, continuously published since 1865.

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Walking Tour App

Stanhope

Dixie’s Kozy Kitchen is a must stop for lunch in Carrollton.

collectibles that span over a century—and if Coach is available, he’ll identify and provide stories and tales for each one of them. Make sure you step to the southeast of the building to see one of Carrollton’s seven cemeteries, complete with Union and Confederate gravesites. Coach even has a story on the design of the tombstones.

If you leave your copy of Delta Magazine at home, Carrollton has a great The Oaks walking tour app available for your smartphone. With an The Oaks is the ancestrial interactive map, the app also home of the Pitner family. Mr. tells the town’s history written Pitner was a vice president of the

by Carrollton resident Tommy Greenville, Columbus and Goodman and narrated by Birmingham Railroad and Walt Grayson. (Read how editor of The Conservative, Goodman meticulously Carrollton’s newspaper and also restored one of the town’s oldest the oldest, continuously printed structures, Lum Reek, on page publication in the state.

76. This app provides a much Extensive renovation has taken deeper dive into the structures place on the dwelling with a The Reivers, the Steve McQueen comedy filmed on location in Carrollton in that make up this preserved five-bay façade, distinguished by 1969 is approaching it’s 50th Anniversary. McQueen is pictured above with slice of history. a distyle portico with octagonal Carrollton native Mable Bryan during filming. The movie will be shown in If you want a more columns. A single-story addition honor of it’s 50th Anniversary during the Carrollton Pilgrimage October 5–6.

The original Winston Flyer car used in the movie, will also be on display at structured day trip, complete was added to the back of the the Carrollton Square. with tours, craft and food house during renovation. vendors, education exhibits, and live music, the Carrollton Pilgrimage structure was built as a WPA (Works Helm House and Heritage Day is October 3–5, 2018.

Progress Administration) project in 1935.

Home to the Orman Gee family, who Tickets are available and include tours of Just past the Community House, you’ll operated the general merchandise store. many of Carrollton’s historic sites, find Coach’s Antiques. Constructed by a The Helm House is one of Carrollton’s downtown buildings and antebellum local doctor who didn’t want the roof to most beautiful and ornate homes with leak, the building itself is a piece of homes.

For more information, many of the original outbuildings architectural history. Once you step visitcarrolltonms.com/carrolltonpilgrimage. preserved. These include the smokehouse, inside, you’ll experience artifacts and DM barn, and the three-hole outhouse. It was The design of Stanhope can be attributed to Carrollton’s prominent architect and master builder, James Clark Harris. It’s considered to be one of the most impressive homes in Carrollton with its Italianate detail consisting of hooded windows and roof brackets, a hipped roof tower, and balcony over the center bay. The upstairs was used as Dr. Washington Stansbury’s medical office.

remodeled in 1875—twenty-five years after its initial construction—after being bought by Colonel William B. Helm. The home is elaborately detailed with eclectic millwork, dropped acorns, and columns combined with an earlier single-story Greek Revival structure.

On your way back to Highway 82, be sure to check out the Carrollton Community House. This log cabin

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Lum Reek of Carrollton Once languishing perilously close to decay and demolition, this elegantly simple Greek Revival town house has now been given new life in a new century.

BY BRENDA WARE JONES PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN BRITT

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SITUATED COMFORTABLY ON THREE ACRES IN THE TOWN OF CARROLLTON, this formerly dilapidated 1837 house is enjoying brisk new life these days.

Architect Tommy Goodman and his wife Libba, took on this in-depth restoration in 2006 just after he retired from active practice.

“Lum Reek” is the name Tommy chose for the dwelling from the old Scottish toast that goes, “Lang may ye lum reek!” (“Long may your chimney smoke”). The house’s two chimneys were far from smoking when

the Goodmans acquired the place; one had fallen down altogether, and the other was in such disrepair that it had to be taken down and rebuilt. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the dwelling began life as a simple center-hall dogtrot, was refashioned into a two-story “I-style” and given period embellishments in 1850.

“The house was not habitable, and had not been occupied since the 1970s,” says Tommy. “Floors were missing, the porch was gone, and the property was so grown

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A crumbling and neglected one-room store was moved from downtown and converted into Goodman’s studio-cum-poolhouse, (above) with a porch added.

The same structure, before renovation.

Floor joists, columns, and the main house, the way they looked when the Goodmans took on the project.

An old window was used in the new greenhouse/potting shed that overlooks the pool.

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Wood planks salvaged from the dilapidated porch provided the paneling for the den, and hand-hewn sill beams were repurposed to create the fireplace surround and mantel.

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Goodman made and painted this plaster cast of his own visage many years ago.

The den in the new wing effortlessly blends old and new, with contemporary pieces alongside family antiques. The two old woods used on walls and fireplace contribute rustic texture. The mixed-media over the fireplace is by Alabama artist Ellen Weiland.

up that the place was barely visible.” While a gutting and renovation of this magnitude might have discouraged many, it was a challenge Tommy was more than qualified to undertake. The Shelby native, who had practiced principally commercial architecture in Birmingham for years, had to his credit some forty major historical projects. A recent project was the 1850 house of movie director Tate Taylor, “Wyolah,” in Church Hill.

So, he was well acquainted with the guidelines and restrictions for preserving historically significant structures, set out by the Department of the Interior and Archives and History. Working within these parameters, while infusing the rooms with a livable, contemporary air, was a labor of love for the couple. Coming home to Mississippi felt right for Tommy, whose family still farms in the Delta.

Originally consisting of just four rooms (parlor, dining room, and two upstairs bedrooms), the house was a type common in pre-railroad days. It had been designed with a three-bay façade, centered by a double-story portico framed by octagonal Doric columns.

Behind the original structure, the

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One of four original rooms, the living room exhibits more of the Goodman’s knack for blending vintage and modern. Goodman’s portrait of their dog “X-Ray” hangs over a prize collection of pre-Columbian artifacts.

Original colored-glass sidelights frame the door to the back porch. The red, blue, green, and yellow glass was used to represent the seasons.

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In the spacious dining room, Goodman’s Conte crayon portraits of his wife and daughters hang over the sideboard. The painting over the mantel, painted in the 1940s by an unknown artist, was a flea-market find in Nice, France.

Goodmans added a wing housing a back porch, kitchen, den, and master bedroom.

Additionally, Tommy designed a classic rectangular pool, the axis of view terminating in a simple, compact Greek Revival folly, which enthusiastic gardener Libba uses as a greenhouse and potting shed. She enjoys planting vegetables, herbs, and mostly perennial flowers, and also has a fondness for container gardening. “But as with all gardens, it’s an evolving, everchanging process,” she says, mentioning that putting in a fern and hosta shade garden is next, taking advantage of the ample shade on the property.

The pool house was originally an old one-room store in downtown Carrollton, slated for destruction, that Tommy moved onto his property and restored. To complete the project, the couple brought in Damian Augsburger to design the

landscaping around the pool, with additional help in planning and planting from Bruce Walters.

Knowing what to replace and what to preserve is key to such undertakings as this one, and often the regulations dictate decisions. “In the original living room, we were not permitted to redo the old floors, and had to leave the ceiling just as it was, peeling paint and all,” he comments. “And even though the color looks contemporary, the turquoise paint on the fireplace surround and mantel is original to the period.” He notes that, back then, this particular pigment was the most expensive one available.

In this room, the architectural details and select vintage furnishings breathe the air of antiquity, while modern pieces like the acrylic occasional tables and sofa link the décor to the present day. Over the sofa

hang two of Goodman’s own creations, a large Delta landscape in acrylics, and an intriguing wall sculpture of a fish, crafted from sticks he collected. A gifted artist, with a Bachelor of Art degree from Auburn and graduate work in fine art from the University of Alabama, Tommy has filled his retirement years doing what he loves best, painting in the pool house that also serves as his studio.

Across the wide entry hall, the dining room also blends past and present effortlessly, with eclectic elements forming a pleasing whole. Traditional Queen Anne chairs flank a glass-topped table, the base of which was crafted from wrought-iron porch columns salvaged from one of their former residences. Over this, a romantic Murano-glass chandelier from Italy sparkles.

Upstairs, the two original bedrooms

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The clean lines and sleek appliances of the modern kitchen complement the period architecture of the rest of the house.

For the art-loving Goodmans, even a water closet has room for a gallery wall.

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now serve as accommodation for guests, often including the Goodman’s two daughters and son, plus six grandchildren, when they come to visit. These are furnished with nineteenth-century beds, including an intriguing walnut daybed with stout ropes instead of box springs. He explains that back in the day a tool was used to tighten the ropes beneath the mattress as needed. “That’s where you get the phrase, ‘sleep tight,’” he adds. These serene chambers, painted in softest tints of robin’s-egg blue and pale mint, are redolent of the comfort of days long gone, with

filtered sunlight pouring through the many windows.

The rooms that were added downstairs, which form the hub of daily life, were carefully designed to blend seamlessly with the old original architecture. Wood planks salvaged from the dilapidated porch provided the paneling for the den, and hand-hewn sill beams were repurposed to create the fireplace surround and mantel.

Twelve-foot ceilings and stained heart-pine floors, lit by a bank of tall transomed Pella windows, blend old-world tradition with modern comfort. The adjoining kitchen

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In the stair hall, one of Goodman’s Delta scenes and a handbuilt stick sculpture hangs over the original jig-cut balusters.

A small table hand-burnished by Libba’s greatgrandmother.

The original land grant for the family farm, signed by President Grover Cleveland for Goodman’s great-great grandfather in 1895.

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Tightening the ropes under 19th century mattress inspired the phrase “sleep tight.”

The two guest bedrooms, forming the upper story of the house as it was in 1850, are filled with period furnishings and artwork. The horizontal-laid plank walls, in the days before gypsum board, were often left unplastered in country dwellings.

features limestone surfaces and stainless Viking appliances, with cabinetry enameled in a cool slate blue hue.

Their busy Birmingham life took on a much slower pace when they decided to make this small town their home, and Lum Reek is the perfect place to enjoy it. “We feel so fortunate to have been able to rescue this piece of history, which was almost certainly headed for demolition,” says Libba.

It’s evident that the twin chimneys of Lum Reek will smoke for generations to come. DM Lum Reek, along with several other historic homes and buildings, will be open for tours during Carrollton’s annual Fall Pilgrimage, which will take place on Friday and Saturday, October 5–6. For further information, call (662) 392-6194, or go to the website visitcarrolltonms.com.

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Fa l l Fa r m To u r s Thursdays & Fridays September - October Tour P. Allen Smith’s private home, abundant gardens, & enjoy a garden-to-table lunch.

Visit pallensmith.com/tours to book your visit!

P. ALLEN SMITH

MOSS MOUNTAIN FARM ROLAND, ARKANSAS

Tickets are $96.75 per person (All applicable taxes included)

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HOME

Built to

HOUSE MEMORIES This elegantly simple, tin-roofed farmhouse, tucked among tall, old trees in Madison County provides a world apart from the daily bustle for this couple and their family.

BY BRENDA WARE JONES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG CAMPBELL

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The spectacular pool and outdoor entertaining areas provide many hours of enjoyment for family and friends.

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The dining table is festive for fall dinners, with a quail and feather centerpiece straight from nature.

T

he couple grew up as “city kids,” and raised their own two in Jackson, as well. But they wanted their little ones to know about another, simpler way of life, closer to nature. He had been lucky enough, as a young lad,

to enjoy an old-time country way of life when he visited his grandmother on Sundays, and for weeks in summer, in the tiny rural community of Ruth.

Memories of building fires, shooting his BB gun, and playing in the woods led him to want the same experience for their two children, who are now grown with kids of their own. And so, the simply-named “Family Farm” was born. “I really wanted my daughter and son to experience some of the country life I’d had growing up going to visit my grandmother, who had chickens, a garden, and even split her own firewood,” he says. “I can remember when she got indoor plumbing, a party line, and water not from a well!”

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Trophies, both exotic and domestic, overlook the dual conversation areas in the cathedral-vaulted great room.

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The open kitchen flows from the dining area, with its long hand-built table that seats all three generations.

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The master bedroom downstairs features bold woods and a woodland toile on the window.

In 1982, the couple had the opportunity to acquire a fifty-acre tract in rural Madison County with beautiful woods. Over time, neighboring properties became available, and at present, the farm comprises 155 acres. An old barn original to the property was torn down, and in the mid-eighties,the owners built another themselves on weekends over several years.

“We really never intended to build a farmhouse on the land,” he continues, “But around 2011, we realized that with four grandchildren in the picture, what we really wanted was a place we could all get together for holidays and special times.” The cousins, two from Nashville and two in the Jackson area, relish their time exploring the trails they’ve built, working on their treehouse project, duck hunting, and helping their grandfather plant the food plots for the deer season.

Once the momentous decision was made, assembling the team to bring it to life was effortless: Billy Ware, of Mid-State Construction, was a childhood buddy, whose father had worked often with the client’s own father on various commercial projects.

And Ware’s go-to building design source was Keith Findley, himself a good hunting buddy. “I started sending Keith photos of ideas I liked, places I had seen, and he took it from there. The design he came up with was right on target, and soon we were ready to go!”

The large oil of the sunlit autumn woods was a gift from wife to husband, and pictures him with their four grandchildren.

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The mudroom is a necessary feature in wet weather, for hunters returning from a morning in the woods.

A smaller outdoor dining area is the perfect place for casual meals.

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The two-story, open-plan dwelling was completed in May of 2013.

His wife, who is as avid an outdoors enthusiast as he is, wanted a comfortable and rustic feel for the rooms of the farmhouse. She called on good friend and interior designer Joe Rankin of Rankin Interiors for help creating the cozy country-elegant look they wanted. “Joe has helped us with our house in town over the years,” she notes, “Working with him is really easy and always fun!” They used some old family pieces, and had several things hand-crafted by favorite artisans, although the long main dining table was truly homemade: “My husband made this himself, out of old salvaged wood,” she points out.

Salvaged material, used wherever possible, is one of the elements that contributes to the generations-old feel of the place, down to the reclaimed oak flooring from Sonrise Enterprises of Indianola.

The main living area downstairs is open and flowing, designed to accommodate all of the three generations of family members. The spacious chef’s kitchen is centered by a large gas stove crowned by a dramatic metal hood, hand-painted by decorative painter Sherry Matthews. The adjoining main dining area, with the handmade table which seats ten, flows naturally onto the long covered front

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The fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, near the pool, is put to great use in temperate weather.

porch. Autumn is an especially wonderful time to enjoy the place, when the weather is cool enough to leave doors wide open.

Twin arched doorways lead into the large living room, with its soaring wood-plank cathedral ceiling. Double seating areas, one facing a tall fieldstone fireplace, are illumined by a massive, rustic iron light fixture, custom-made by Ye Olde Lamp Shoppe.

Trophies of wildlife, both domestic and from their hunting trips to Africa, adorn the walls, testimony to the owner’s love of the hunt. Many of these beautiful mounts are by Jimmy McGuire, a talented taxidermist.

Holding a place of honor is a very special painting of the proud grandfather walking through the sunlit autumn woods with his four grandchildren. The artist is his wife, a gifted painter who has recently taken up her brush and pigments again after a long hiatus raising children and playing serious tennis. “She was an art major at Ole Miss,” her husband says. “And, several of the paintings around the house were done when we were dating back then. His pride is evident as he continues, “I’m thrilled that she’s returned to her art roots! She really captured the kids’ personalities in this painting.”

Other treasured works around the place are by an old family friend,

artist William C. Lester, Jr., of Dockery. The list of Mississippi craftspeople whose handworks create the home’s atmosphere is long: woodworking artisan Bill Rusk crafted the bunk beds upstairs. Greg Harkins made the chairs for the back-porch dining table, and the rockers on the front porch.

As captivating and commodious as the inside is, outdoors is where most time is spent by the family. An outdoor kitchen, and a second dining table on a screened porch, is well-used in all seasons.

The landscaping by Brad Carroll of Carroll’s Nursery, was designed to be simple and low-maintenance, framing the main house and pool area with clean-lined geometric beds. The pool itself was designed by landscape architect Michael Gibson. Out here, yet another dining area provides an ideal setting for al fresco meals, in the fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, designed by Keith Findley.

Those long-ago boyhood days spent in the fresh air are easily re-lived on this idyllic property. In some ways far removed from that grandmother’s rural life that inspired it all, but the identical spirit of love of nature, and simplicity, and seasonal pursuits, lives on. DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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From the editors of Delta Magazine

DU U S T RO R OAD A

A collection of the writings of HANK BURDINE

in e th

RECOLLECTIONS OF A DELT E TA BOY

Foreword by

JULIA REED

ij Epilogue by

RICHARD GRANT

Limited First Edition, to be released early October. Sold exclusively through Delta Magazine and authorized dealers. Call our office or go online to pre-order your copy today!

Check our social media posts for book launch and signing dates.

662-843-2700 • deltamagazine.com

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★ ★ ★

Delta Magazine’s

★ ★ ★

2018 OUTDOOR

and

HUNTING Reese, a Chocolate Labrador Retriever, submitted by Emily Wies of Cleveland.

INSIDE

Hunt Camp Memories Women in the Woods Upland Hunting Bush Shotgun Collection Dog Kennels & Dog Contest

GUIDE

2018

Delta Dog WINNER

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MEMORIES OF

MISSISSIPPI RIVER HUNTING

A DAY IN THE WOODS IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE

BY HANK BURDINE

T

he slow winding of the grinding starter and then the explosion and deep steady hum of the big WWII era diesel generator was the alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. at the hunting camp on Ashbrook Island in the middle of the Mississippi River when I was growing up.

Ashbrook was in Mississippi, but was situated on the Arkansas side of the river. You either had to get there by boat going up Luna Chute, the old meandering and twisting channel of the Mississippi River (before the Corps of Engineers straightened out the Greenville Bends leaving islands from both states on either side of the river channel), or drive across the river bridge and up the Arkansas levee to Po’boy Hunting Club and take a ferry across the chute. Ashbrook Island was a desolate, isolated, pristine 6,000-acre timbered island bounded by the Mississippi River, Luna Chute and Lake Paradise. Owned by one of the big timber companies, a group of about thirty men joined together and for a nominal fee leased the hunting rights and built a primitive campsite on a high ridge.

Ashbrook was indicative of most of the hunting camps up and down the river during the 1950s and 60s.

Clubs like Catfish Point, Huntington Point, Merigold, Caulk Island, Montgomery Island, Miller Point, Cracraft, Donaldson Point

and Ozark Island hunting clubs were symbolic of the numerous island hunting clubs prevalent back then. The river didn’t seem to flood as much then and crude cabins were constructed or shotgun houses were drug over the levee and placed on high ridges or up on stilts. Old yellow school buses were driven or pulled through the woods and sloughs and turned into sleeping quarters. Primitive bunkhouses were built that had rows of steel army bunkbeds with lumpy, moldy and mostly uncomfortable grey striped mattresses on them. Rats as big as housecats took up residence in these quarters during the off season and a ratkilling and shooing broomstick derby took place each time we moved in for hunting season. When that big humming generator was turned off at 10 p.m. it was not long before the snoring started and don’t believe that twenty whiskey lubed old men with bellies full can’t raise a ruckus when they stretch out at night, deep in the wilds of the Mississippi River. Many nights I just pulled my mattress and sleeping bag outside and slept under the trees with the run-out rats.

Times were exciting back in those days for a young kid at a river hunting camp. Most of the men were WWII vets and all knew each other and were friends. Lawyers, doctors, planters and insurance men shared camp chores and duties around the island. The camp cooks slept in canvas tents and were likely county or state prisoners allowed out for the hunting season, as long as they were GOOD

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A.C. Abraham, Bob Bobo, Brossie Dantone, Unknown, Joe Ellis, Oscar Carr, and Harvey Ross at the old Hurricane Point Hunting Club which is now Concordia Rod & Gun Club. Photo courtesy of Jack Bobo

1945, T. E. Pemble in Merigold Hunting Club located in western Bolivar County. Pemble is holding his trusty Mod 8-35 Remington automatic. Photo courtesy of Pemble Davis

One of the founders of Donaldson Point Hunting Club, Leo McGee. Photo courtesy of Brad Lipsey

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cooks, and most were. Many clubs had caretakers that lived on the island. They lived lonesome in a cabin with coal oil lights and very little refrigeration. It wasn’t until the late ’70s that underwater and underground electric cables were placed to electrify the camps.

I lost my daddy when I was twelve years old and was only able to duck hunt with him one time, but I had all of his hunting gear and guns, and I cherish them today. I killed my first deer on Ashbrook with his 44-40 lever action Winchester rifle that had been given to him by a warden at Parchman Farm. I know how many deer that gun has killed, what other things it had its steel sights leveled at, I don’t know. I killed my first turkey on Ashbrook with his full choked 3” Magnum Model 12 Winchester pump gun that he used on geese and ducks. These old guns have a place in my heart that can never be replaced with modern day auto loading Benellis, Berettas and camouflaged Remingtons. Most of the old men carried bolt action 30-06s or lever action 30-30s, along with a few M1 Garrands and British Enfields. They hunted out of old Willys Jeeps and International Scouts and small Ford Broncos, sometimes leaving them on the island all year long. I was mentored and brought along on the river by men like P. B. Griffin, Sonny Rich, John Gibson, Eddie Lafoe and Mr. Andrew Bell, all gentlemen and masters of the hunt.

There is no greater thrill to a young kid sitting on a log with a double-ought buckshot loaded shotgun across his lap, as when he begins to hear the yapping and howling of deer dogs, hot on the trail of a deer. With the horsemen crashing through the woods behind the dogs and the dog’s barks getting louder, while the young hunter knows that the deer in hot pursuit will come running right by him at any moment. Well, he is hoping and praying that it will.

Back in those days a nice 8-point buck was a trophy, to be bragged about and sent to the taxidermist and mounted. But, that was before the days of the Big Buck programs and selective culling of undesirable deer. And, of course, you NEVER shot a doe unless you had been chosen to provide camp meat, and then you were still squeamish about that. No one back then believed game managers when they called for a balanced buck to doe ratio, or, God forbid to kill spike bucks, as we thought they were not inferior, they just hadn’t had time for their horns to grow!

But, times are different now. The big old belching generators are gone as are the rusting school buses and shotgun shanty’s. The corporate timber companies realized there was much more value to the Mississippi River islands than just the timber. The recreational

OUTDOOR GUIDE

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Donaldson Point Hunting Club members, early 1960s—Bottom row, Graham Gray, Burt Jaeger’s brother and nephew from New York. Top row, Jim Gray, Dabney Gray, Gary Jaeger. Photo by Burt Jaeger

value was immense and the monied sportsmen and women were out there. By selling the land at a premium and keeping the timber rights for sometimes fifteen years, one by one the islands began to be sold and the old clubs disbanded and replaced with landholding clubs with memberships today selling for $250-450,000 apiece.

Then, you can build a large elevated cabin or hunting lodge with your total investment approaching $1 million. And you can only kill certain trophy size Boone and Crockett scored deer, or you are fined big dollars and lose the opportunity to harvest other deer that season. That is, of course, after you have killed the required number of does and culled bucks to keep the herd in balance. And the old Jeeps and Broncos and Scouts are gone, replaced by high riding Polaris Rangers and Honda 4-wheelers. Game cameras linked in with cell phones and computers record the precise movement and feeding habits of the deer. Creature comforts and technology like heat seeking infra-red scopes and range finders, have taken over the old way.

Ashbrook was basically sold out from under the old club members without them having a chance to buy in. An out of state consortium put together a deal to buy the land and form a club where no member could live within a one hundred or so miles of the club owned island. It’s a very fine club today. The Big Field still grows tall grass, the woods harbor a multitude of wild game and the Willow Flat still holds ducks. Trophy deer abound as do the wild turkeys. I wonder whatever happened to Ole Uncle Bob’s school bus, the 8-cylinder GM diesel generator, the old cookshack and mess hall? Were the two bunkhouses torn down and burned up along with the other old shacks and bathrooms and showers?

I know the present Ashbrook Club members enjoy their time over there. I know the air conditioners feel good when its hot and the central heat permeates the nice cabins when it’s cold. And I can only imagine what it is like to flip a switch and the lights come on in the middle of a wilderness. I know they have fun, but do they have the adventure, the excitement, and the wonder of what it was like back in the day when Ashbrook was wild, untamed and sometimes unforgiving? And, I wonder if they can still hear that old generator cough, spurt and slowly die down in the middle of a freezing, coal black night nestled deep in the bowels of the Mississippi River. DM

In the early years on the Mississippi River hunting clubs, Jeeps were the vehicles used to travel throughout the clubs on their primitive road systems. Willys Jeeps were the prefered four-wheel drive of the day. They were lightweight and mostly carried 4-cylinder, 90 horsepower engines.

Photo courtesy of Brad Lipsey

A tie was appropriate dress for some hunters on this unknown gentlemen (in the background) who was hunting in the South Delta on the Sunflower River in the 1940s. Photo courtesy of Pemble Davis

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Early members of Merigold Hunting Club with camp workers and hunting dogs. Photo courtesy of Pemble Davis

HUNTING CLUBS: A BRIEF HISTORY

BY MARK H. STOWERS

The Delta landscape is dotted with hunting clubs especially inside the Mississippi River levee. Each club is derived from acreage either leased or purchased from timber companies that originally offered few or no deer hunting at all. However, as the years passed, each club stocked deer and eventually the whitetail became prominent throughout the western portion of the Mississippi Delta up and down the Mississippi River. Today, most of these clubs are run like corporations with a president and board of directors. Annual club membership meetings are held and rules and regulations are strictly enforced. While there are many noted hunting clubs located on the Mississippi River from Tunica to Natchez and also in the interior portion of the Delta, the following is a brief history of a few of the older clubs.

Burke Hunting Club

The Coahoma County club located on the Mississippi River has its beginning in the 1970s and encompasses between 7,000 and 8,000 acres with six lakes and eight miles of Mississippi River frontage. There are thirty-five members. The club is known for large deer, however there is also turkey, duck, squirrel, quail, hog and abundant fishing. Many traditions are still upheld at Burke including the cutting of a shirt tail when a deer is missed and the initiation of deer blood on the face of a hunter who harvests his first deer.

Donaldson Point Hunting Club Located on “the other side of the levee” next to Gunnison, Mississippi, in 1946, Allen Warfield, Leo McGee and Jim Ed Bobo created the club, according to Dr. Dabney Gray as told to him by his father and one of the early members, Jim Gray. With acres purchased from the Anderson-Tully Lumber Company, the club in western Bolivar County encompasses 10,000 acres.

Original memberships went for $100 in 1947 and members hunted on horses and camped out in tents for days or even weeks at a time during the winter months. Today, members hunt deer, ducks, hogs, turkeys, and all small game. Fishing is also a large part of Donaldson Point with “Old River,” an oxbow waterway of the Mississippi River that was the river during the Civil War, running through the club. By the 1960s, the deer population was very healthy in the club and Gray notes when he harvested his first buck in 1965, it was one of seventy-five taken that opening morning of deer season. Like so many hunting clubs, Donaldson Point’s road system is made from narrow cut pathways through

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The main club house at the old Ten Point Hunting Club in Issaquena County in the late 1940s following a rare snowfall. Photo by Florence West Huffman, courtesy of Alan Huffman from the book Ten Point Deer Camp in the Mississippi Delta.

Donaldson Point Hunting Club member Robert Johnson during a Mississippi River flood in the 1970s. Several members hoisted their Jeeps in the trees to make certain they would not get ruined by the flood. Photo courtesy of Beth Johnson Fitzgerald

the woods that contain interesting and unusual names such as, The Tub Road, The Tea-Pot Road, The Chimney Road, and The School Bus Road where several school buses were parked back in the 1960s members often used for overnight stays.

Merigold Hunting Club

One of the oldest hunting clubs inside the Mississippi River Levee. According to the grandson of one of the early members, Pemble Davis of Merigold, Mississippi, the club is named after the town of Merigold. With 12,000 acres purchased from the Anderson-Tully Timber Company, the club has deer, duck, turkey, squirrel, hogs, ducks, geese and a lake to fish on as well. In the early years, turkeys were brought in from Amite County and deer were shipped in from Texas by train to populate the area. The first name of the land where the club is located was called, Indian Point, and it was one of the first settlements on the Mississippi River between Vicksburg and Memphis long before the Civil War. In fact, grave headstones located on the club list the occupant’s birthplace as England. The club has approximately fifty members.

Catfish Point With its beginnings in the 1950s, the members purchased land from three companies—Chicago Mill and Lumber, US Gypsum and Delta Pine and Land Company. Located in southern Bolivar County, the club has over 12,000 acres and fifty-five members.

Deer, turkey, duck, squirrel, dove, wild hogs and fishing opportunities are offered to members.

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Box Woods Hunting Club Located northwest of Midnight on the Sunflower River, the Twin Lakes Land and Timber Company has plenty of hardwood trees and duck hole sloughs throughout the 2,100-plus acres. The club initially began in the 1970s and includes squirrel, rabbit, deer, duck and fishing. In 2012, nine members bought the Box Woods and made improvements on the property with roads and a tree harvest. In the early days though, members were excited to find one deer footprint on the ground, but like other clubs today, Box Woods Hunting Club has progressed to a Big Buck program.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks has plans to introduce turkeys to the club.

Bear Lake Hunting Club Near Charleston, Mississippi is one of the most in-demand and least expensive hunting club located in the Delta area.

Longtime member, Bill Cossar has been part of the Tallahatchie County club that is next to the Tallahatchie Wildlife Refuge for several decades. Brushey Bayou runs through the property that provides excellent duck hunting along with Bear Lake which is an oxbow lake. The club began in 1948 with the initial 400 acres bought for $10 per acre. Cossar’s father, George P. Cossar, one of Mississippi most noted longtime legislators, and a dozen friends purchased the land from a lumber company and that now exceeds 2,400 acres. With fourteen owners and forty associate members, the club is in high demand for membership. Excellent deer hunting, duck hunting and fishing can be found on the property.

There is also squirrel, raccoon and turkey. Cossar’s father had the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks introduce five deer on the property that were captured in Copiah County in 1958 (two bucks and three doe) in order to start the deer population. A third clubhouse is located on the property (two were destroyed by lightning) and members have cabins spread throughout. An artesian well was built for the club that members tapped into. Members still pay only $400 a year and the waiting list has fifty plus people. DM

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WOMEN

hunters

It’s game on for these outdoor enthusiasts

BY BRANTLEY SNIPES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BECK

W

hen the topic for this article came up, the adage, “It takes one to know one,” kept playing in my mind.

Being that I usually have a loose turkey call floating around my purse, and at least one piece of camouflage floating around my Tahoe, it’s safe to say I am one who knows some. At least now I do, thanks to this article.

I tend to be the odd “lady” out in my group of friends, as one who doesn’t mind getting up at 5 a.m. to be in the woods sporting camo or spending my weekends in a tree stand instead of a spa. Hunting is my hobby. It’s part of who I am, and it has been a part of my life since I can remember.

Hunting, for me, started as a chance to ride around with my dad and eat Cheetos with corndogs, washed down with Gatorade (or our pick of beverage from the gas station cooler).

When told I couldn’t go, on the rare occasion, I think I was most upset to miss out on the Cheeto opportunity, as my mom was insistent on homemade goodness when we were growing up.

Over time, the sport clicked and ignited a passion and a love that has shaped my career path (landscape architect), location of where I decided to settle down (our land is thirty minutes from where I live), my breed of dog (beagle), and has influenced more life decisions than I can even tally, if even in the smallest of ways. Many of my greatest life memories and stories come from hunting trips or tales associated with them.

In the early hunting (and Cheeto) years, my dad and I focused on the whitetail deer, and while that infatuation still exists, we

have shifted our attention, or rather our obsession, to the wild turkey. We’ve traveled the country in pursuit of the bearded, horribly ugly, yet beautiful bird that can make you feel like you are an animal whisperer one moment, and a complete and total idiot the next. Fellow hunter Kim Rogers relates turkey hunters to hopeless romantics who returned “to the woods for weeks, talking and buying the turkey gifts; they may come out once, but they may not, but the next day [we] do it all over again.”

Yet, despite how the turkey makes you feel, being alive and totally present as the spring woods come alive in the morning is a taste of heaven. Nothing on earth can make you feel closer to our Creator than the sun rising, the whip-poor-will’s last verse drifting away as the chorus of forest birds begins, and life entering the stillness of the woods. The woods, during a hunt, are the last true place one can escape in this data-driven, constantly connected world. To me, hunting is not about what animal is harvested; it’s about being in communion with the natural world and connected to forces so much greater than I .

I’m thrilled to introduce you to some other women of the Delta who feel the same way. Ladies, who like me, struggle to find a flattering fit of camo, reside in the minority of a sport, and probably have missed a few momentous life occasions (such as a dear friend’s baby shower to work on completing a single season turkey grand slam—she’s a dear friend, she understood).

You’ll soon understand that hunting is part of our fabric, who we are, and what we live to do. So without further ado, I give you the ladies of the hunt…

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Kim Rogers got her start hunting with her father and her brothers, who expected her to “hold her own” in the woods. She did and has.

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Brantley Snipes harvests a gobbler and above right pictured with her father on a successful hunt.

KIM ROGERS For Kim, duck hunting is “not the green head piles, which are nice, don’t get me wrong, but having special moments afield with family and friends.” All of Kim’s memories of hunting, whether it is deer, duck, or turkey revolve around time spent with those closest to her. Whether it is time spent with her dad, brothers, or husband, it’s the moments spent in nature that have shaped her love of the sport.

Kim and her husband B. C. took their love of the hunt and created a waterfowl and upland game gear company, Wren & Ivy, founded out of a common love for the field, rooted in the traditions and ethics of the sporting lifestyle, and proud of [their combined] hunting heritage. Wren & Ivy combines classic styling with modern functionality in the gear they create.

Kim got her start hunting with her father and brothers, who expected her to “hold her own” in the woods and she was given all the same opportunities as her brothers. Special relationships between all of them were kindled through shared hunting experiences and shared time together in the woods. The same rings true today with her husband’s family, who are all avid outdoorsmen and women.

According to Kim, her mother-and sister-in-law will outshoot you, and then serve you hot chocolate before you ever blink while in the duck blind.

Kim’s love of nature drives her pursuit of the sport today. Like her grandfather, Kim feel’s closest to the Creator while in his 112 |

creation. To her, watching the sunrise over the cypress trees or as it crashes like glass into the break, the wind carries his voice and once again it seems her grandfather is sitting next to her. She’s instantly transported back to his front porch and the time spent with him.

Spending time in the outdoors is a spiritual experience, a time when all worries dissipate into the natural environment as a flight of mallards enters, or a turkey begins to gobble, or a deer rustles the leaves around her stand.

Growing up in the industry, Kim was always treated as an equal in the sport. She’s been blessed with a family where hunting and thriving in the outdoor environment is a way of life. Even though Kim has never felt like the “odd lady out,” she understands the need for some women to overcome certain stereotypes as hunters. But Kim’s philosophy is to just “Do the work. Educate yourself. In the offseason, pull back your bow, shoulder your gun, fill feeders, ask questions and find your answers. I believe if you feel you belong, then you probably do, regardless of what other people may think.”

One of the real beauties of the woods is that judgments don’t reside in nature; judgments live only in people. “A duck doesn’t care if you are a girl, a deer doesn’t care if you are tall or short, and what a beautiful lesson. If only people could be more that way, as God intended.”

Kim would love to get more women involved in the sport and believes it comes down to simple encouragement, invitations, and even making sure they have the right gear. Having newcomers

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Kim Rodgers grew up hunting and now shares her hobby with her husband and family.

comfortable and adjusted to the natural conditions is a must. Not everyone grows up as Kim did in a hunting family, but she and her husband both try to show as many people as they can what wonderful people make up the hunting community.

MOLLIE VAN DEVENDER Mollie’s hunting passport is something truly remarkable for any hunter, but especially for someone who took up the sport at age thirty-three. Mollie has traveled the globe pursuing her love of the sport with these experiences: Taking the Big Five (Rhino, Elephant, Leopard, Lion, and Cape Buffalo) in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and South Africa; taking an up-close elk with her bow; moose and two bears in Canada; boars in Hungary; and a Boone and Crocket whitetail in Mississippi. Each experience can bring her to tears just reliving what special moments that have created in her memory.

What started as an escape for a mother of three, turned into a lifelong passion that has become a family legacy. Mollie spends her time hunting in Mississippi at Tara Lodge outside of Vicksburg. It’s there where her family has created so many hunting memories gathering for holidays and special occasions. All four of Mollie’s children took their first deer with her, as well as her friend’s children.

Her granddaughter, Mollie, just harvested her first doe with her this past deer season.

Not only is hunting about creating memories and passing down a legacy, but before Mollie joined the sport, she carefully researched

how hunting is a conservation technique as deer become overpopulated in areas. To this day conservation is an essential part of who she is, as she owns The Onward Store, which celebrates America’s greatest conservationist, Teddy Roosevelt, and his first bear hunt.

Actively pursuing hunts throughout the world, Mollie loves the “adventure and the fair chase of pursuing an animal.” Mollie shares, “Being quiet and in sync with the habitat God has provided for all of us on this earth is amazing. We are all adapted to our habitat and animals in the wild are no exception. To be able to pursue game in their natural habitat and take a majestic trophy is unmatched.” The guides, challenges, friends, and memories are woven into the very fabric of who she is.

Participating in a male-dominated sport doesn’t bother Mollie one bit. She believes that if you truly love something like she does hunting, then you follow your heart and become the best you can be. “To ignore a pursuit at something that is woven in your heart and soul is wrong. One must find what gives them joy and go for it whether on a small scale or full-blown.”

STEPHANIE MCGARRH Stephanie McGarrh doesn’t know life without hunting. Growing up with a hunting club on her family property, she’s been hunting since the age of five, having harvested her first solo deer at age eleven.

It’s been a lifelong passion ever since. Today, Stephanie hunts at Merigold Hunting Club. It’s her absolute favorite place.

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Mollie Van Devender did not starting hunting until she was an adult. However, she has made up for lost time and has been very successful in her pursuits.

For Stephanie, the woods are the greatest part of hunting and bring an indescribable love and appreciation to her life. They teach her something new every time she hunts.

Stephanie is involved in all aspects of the hunt, such as the maintaining and putting up stands, planting food plots, cutting limbs, battling the mosquitos, the snakes, poison ivy, the briars, and the sweat of working in the woods in the July heat of the Mississippi Delta. Her greatest challenge of being a hunter is to balance her role as mother, her profession as a full-time nurse, complete the family grocery shopping, clean the house (and hunting cabin), and preparing meals with work that comes with hunting—the scouting, putting out cameras in pre-season, finding time to shoot her bow in the off-season. Women may have a harder time being able to dedicate as much time in the woods as the guys, but to Stephanie, the hard work is what makes the sport so rewarding.

She was well into adulthood before she realized she was the minority in her sport, as hunting was just a way of life for her family.

Friends in college would be shocked, amazed, and confused when they learned about her passion for hunting. Others thought she was just doing it to impress the boys or be cute, but that didn’t sway Stephanie from the sport. Once people really got to know her, they understood, and to this day, she doesn’t hunt for approval or recognition from the boy’s club–it’s about personal growth and her passion for the sport she loves.

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MACI FLAUTT Maci Flautt’s greatest hunting memory involves taking some vegan co-fellows from California on their first deer hunt in Mississippi. Not intending to shoot anything, but provide her friends with true hunting opportunity, a buck walked out, and Maci dropped it at 275 yards.

Not only did Maci have a trophy buck on her wall, but she had provided an experience that her co-fellows continued to talk about when they returned home.

Maci says, “I never intended on harvesting anything that trip because I was going to let them take a doe if one decided she wanted to try. All of a sudden, we saw a big buck coming across the pasture. I asked the girls if they minded if I shot. Both said they were excited to see me shoot. I dropped the buck at 275 yards with one shot. It wasn’t until we got up to the deer that I realized he had a drop tine. We were all so excited! They were on an adrenaline rush from what had just happened, and I was thrilled with my new trophy! Because I knew this experience was new for them and they were vegan, I offered to drop them off before I dressed the deer. They wouldn’t have it. So the three of us dressed the deer ourselves.

The sport of hunting has meant different things to Maci throughout her life. As a child, it meant spending time with her father at the local hunting club. As a teenager, it meant sibling rivalry. As a young adult, it meant escaping city life back in the woods of

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Stephanie McGarrh has been hunting since she was eleven years old. Pictured here years ago with her husband and son, Bailey.

Maci Flautt enjoying the thrill of the hunt

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Esther Virden pictured with some of her favaorite African harvests.

locations in places such as Colorado and Texas has taught Maci a lot about herself and helped her grow more confident in her hunting abilities, despite her own perceived expectations. She believes it’s these experiences that shape future (and current) hunters.

ESTHER VIRDEN

Mississippi. As an adult, it means escaping life’s demands for an afternoon. As a wife, it means spending time with her husband, and as a mother, it means passing down a family tradition to her daughters.

Maci’s earliest hunting memories are being at the hunting club, playing with her friends, and then taking part in dog running hunts.

The excitement had her hooked—all the men talking in radio code names and rushing from spot to spot trying to predict where the deer and dogs would cross. Their hunting club was never one “for guys only.” Children were welcome to hunt and take part in the action, regardless of their gender.

Throughout her hunting career, taking risks and experiencing new

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Hunting for Esther started as a bet with her husband after his muzzleloader misfired at thirty yards. Once the expletives of a missed ten point had cleared the stand, Esther insisted she could have dropped it, and her husband invited her to try. From that point on, “It was game on.” Esther dropped her first buck on her first hunt, and she’s now been hunting for eighteen years trying to go at least twice a month during deer season. People often ask how she got involved and she loves to tell the story!

Esther has traveled the world hunting and it is a family affair. From those experiences, her most memorable harvests are a wildebeest and a waterbuck, both taken in Africa. “The wildebeest is special because it was my first large animal in Africa and the waterbuck just appeared right in front of me!” Another one of her most exciting hunting memories is watching her son take a Gemsbock in Africa. But of all her travels, her fondest destination hunt has been in South Africa, where it’s just as beautiful to visit, as it is to hunt.

Arriving a tad later to the sport, Esther has never felt marginalized as a lady hunter. For her it’s just a great escape into the peace and quiet and she believes that aspect, along with a good book, is one of the most appealing things that would attract more women to sport. DM

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JASON WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY

Setters& Labs

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Yanks& Rebs Not All is Lost in Translation

BY CAL TROUT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON WILLIAMS

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T

Executing it proved more difficult.

Among the most significant challenges was bridging the generational gap that nearly killed upland hunting in the South.

I grew up regaled with stories of my grandfather and others his age, their bird dogs and the bevies of quail they found and stood over. Reading through my father’s collection of Nash Buckingham’s stories made it all seem real and within grasp.

Even though I came along in a wing shooting era that saw the large social dove hunts of early September practically vanish, and duck hunting become less a vital element of local culture and more a game for absentee landowners, it still didn’t occur to me that people didn’t hunt upland birds anymore. But they didn’t. At all.

In the Delta, upland hunting means quail. In other parts of the country it means everything from Chukar and Pheasant to Ruffed Grouse and Snipe. Woodcock are a favorite. So long as there is a dog out there finding and standing over birds, any of these will do for a fine day afield.

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HE DECISION TO MOVE HOME, FARM AND START A QUAIL HUNTING PRESERVE WAS AN EASY ONE TO MAKE BACK IN 2007.

certain apathy, ditto the lack of native, wild Bobwhites. But after a couple of years things started picking up saved, in part, by the owners of duck camps who don’t allow afternoon shooting most of the season, and the good people at Tallahatchie Hunts who bring in a trigger-happy, international clientele to duck hunt.

We now entertain avid upland hunters from all over the country, local men getting back in to the sport and others green to it, but genuinely excited. With such a diverse

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group of hunters it’s no wonder misunderstandings sometimes occur. The best thing about bird hunters is also the best thing about bird dogs: they tend to be forgiving.

In our fifth year operating I offended a customer. It wasn’t intentional. I chalked it up to cultural differences, just as Havilah Babcock observed that Northerners call a dog indicating birds “pointing” while Southerners call it “standing.”

Javier and Karen leave upstate New York

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Trout gives hunters instruction while readying Sky for the hunt.

every year after Christmas to bird hunt and hunt-test their dog, Max, around the country. They booked a self-guided hunt on our preserve, but when they showed up Max was a lab. I assumed they wanted me to provide a steady bird dog so they could work him on retrieving.

And so I asked, “Would you like for me to run a bird dog with you.”

Incredulity fell like an old Parker’s double hammer. “We have a bird dog.

What do you think he is?” Karen pointed

Seconds before chaos erupted.

at the sleek, black mass of beauty sitting patiently beside the chair in our living room. Backing off a little I relayed that in the Delta the term “bird dog” is specific to pointing breeds, while labs are called retrievers. They scoffed and said my dog flesh would not be needed.

But they did want me to shoot.

This is a professional hazard. Not that I’m a great shot. At best, I’m streaky, but if I take a gun on a hunt and end up killing a majority of a customer’s limit, then an

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uncomfortable conversation may take place regarding payment at hunt’s end. On these grounds I made my protest.

They countered that Max needed to work over as many birds and make as many retrieves as possible. Since Karen handles the dog, they needed me to shoot. Figuring my mouth had done enough damage I retrieved my Sweet Sixteen.

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immediately heeled. Besides the dog’s crate, the back of the vehicle was full of trophies and ribbons, primarily blue. I was just processing the sheer volume of accolades assembled when I noticed Javier putting together a .410. This reduced my confidence to random mutterings about my diminishing eyesight. He looked at me with curious sympathy, gave a nod to his wife, and she released the dog...

A little context is important. Earlier that year a customer brought a lab and wanted me to hunt a “bird dog” with him so he could work on retrieving. My setter, Sky, was in her prime and as good a birdfinding dog as I’ve had. With speed in spades, she possessed style and grace. She covered ground quickly and thoroughly.

When she pointed there was always a bird.

Once on a bird she kept it pinned down as long as it took for the gunners to get in position. Sweet around the house, she was endowed with a single-minded prey drive afield. Plus, she was steady to wing and shot and considered retrieving beneath her dignity, her sole eccentricity.

The lab’s name was Clark.

He was fun-loving and gorgeous. I knew from the kennel of origin that as a puppy he had cost at least a few thousand dollars. The customer said Clark had “some training.”

When we released them Sky cast out wide, found the wind and turned into it, running full speed, nose high. As she neared cover she turned half her body against the other half and slammed to a halt. The tail, high in the breeze told the story. I tried to hurry the hunters into position. Clark ran amok. The owner screamed, yelled and cursed. In Clark’s defense, he had never seen a bird dog work.

While I admired Sky standing rigid in the early afternoon light, Clark couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t running anymore.

Overcome with curiosity, he charged right at her, leapt over her head and busted the covey.

Sky bit him in the face.

That was two weeks before Javier and Karen showed up. Max was no Clark. He handled as near to perfect as any dog I’ve hunted behind. Working close and thorough, anytime he smelled birds his body would go aquiver with an excitement opposite a setter’s statuesque stance. Karen would whistle a command and he would sit. Once the gunners were in position, 124 |

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another command and he would flush the birds.

The first time, I missed twice. Javier doubled.

It was like that for while: Flawless dog work, good strong flush, one man dropping his share of birds while the other made eyesight excuses. After missing a few, though, I found my shot and we connected several times on different birds of the same covey. As the afternoon evolved it was as though we had hunted together from youth. Several times one of us checked off birds turning towards the other. Neither of us took shots that were, by right, the other’s birds to shoot.

Karen handled Max like a pro. He hunted slower than my hard-running setters, but he never missed a bird. Once we shot, he retrieved to heel and handed off game only when commanded. He would then wait for the mark and without fail make the blind retrieve. This went beyond normal dog work. He was no “meat dog” meant only to fill game bags. Nor was he a field trial dog judged on finds and form alone. Max was a perfect amalgam of the two. A new standard. Art afield.

I returned home after sunset, and my wife met me at the door, “Are you okay?

I’ve been worried sick.”

“Yes,” I said, “I’m fine. What do you mean?” She cocked her head aside, “You’ve been gone over seven hours?”

I gazed out the window through the dimming light of day as Sky looked up the ridge behind the house towards coverts of birds and all the ground I now know she would never cover—all the birds she would never find, and dreamed what a team the two of them would have made.

“I didn’t notice. It took a long time hunting the whole place with only one bird dog.” DM

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Wayne Bush

PRECISION, MECHANISM

&ART

THE STORY OF ONE MAN’S LOVE FOR FRIENDS AND FINE SHOTGUNS

BY CAL TROUT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

“I’ve collected guns, yes...it’s a difficult thing to explain to others, a gun as a piece of art. Guns are history. I like to look at the mechanism. I like to feel the heft...They just feel like a decent hunk of the past hanging on the wall.”

- BARRY HANNAH

AT 81, WAYNE BUSH steps cautiously as he descends the hill towards where the setter is standing firm. Before he is in position, though, the bird flushes wild towards where his friend and hunting partner, Watson Pillow, and I wait upon the crest. Bush mutters something and begins ambling back up the hill. Lily, the setter, has already cast out, found the wind and is gone. Pillow, turning, hollers over his shoulder, “Wayne, don’t trip and shoot me with that gun—Wait! Never mind. If I’m going to be shot I ought to be glad it’s with a Purdey.”

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A double barrel shotgun by J. Purdey & Sons

T

o the uninformed, J. Purdey & Sons has been making fine shotguns for over two hundred years. Today, the Purdey is routinely listed among the most expensive shotguns in the world.

Given the quality of the wood and steel and their signature “rose and scroll” method of engraving, a Purdey shotgun is as much a work of art as a fowling piece. Each gun is handmade to the exact fit and specifications of the gun buyer. Suffice it to say I never thought I would see one in person.

It’s not the only bespoke shotgun he owns. Several years ago, Pillow says, no one could find Bush, and he wasn’t answering the phone. Finally, he revealed he had been to Scotland to the gunmakers at David McKay Brown.

Pillow nods at me, “You ought to see the whole collection.”

Wayne Bush has been collecting guns since he was ten years old. To date, he has amassed one of the best shotguns collections in the South.

I

nside there’s a blast of cold air, an oil painting of men and women picking cotton, and forward, to the right, floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking a rain-spattered Tallahatchie River.

Amid it all, more gentility than anyone has a right to expect.

Taking it in, our eyes drift toward the bank-vault door on the wall opposite the entrance.

At first glance, his farm headquarters look as inconspicuous as any office on any farm from Peabody Lobby to Catfish Row, River Levee to Loess Bluffs. But it holds a singular treasure, the type of thing old timers talk about at places like the porch at Thornton Hunting Camp, or the duck blinds of Tallahatchie County. Tales of the Delta’s past opulence. Collections of fine art and libraries full of first editions. Artifacts of high culture it’s hard to believe ever existed.

Inside the fireproof, steel-reinforced concrete, climate-controlled gunroom is a case with three rows of guns, divided left and right, covered by two sliding-glass doors. The wood is deep red and lovely.

The case was a gift from another of Bush’s friends and hunting companions, Bill Litton. “Before he built the office and gun room, one time he wanted to show me a gun. So, we went in his house, 130 |

and he started pulling guns out from safes, behind doors, under couches. Everywhere. When he built the gunroom, I gave him a jewelry case from the old Stein’s Jewelry Store in Greenwood. It used to display fine crystal and silver. Now it displays fine shotguns.”

The collection itself consists of one hundred twenty-five shotguns, approximately eighty-five of which remain on display.

It includes fine firing pieces from all over the world. Among the highlights of his international shotgun collection is an Aya from Spain, Berettas from Italy, three Krieghoffs from Germany, the McKay Brown from Scotland and, of course, the J. Purdey & Sons from England. He also owns a James Woodward, the company recognized for producing the best shotgun ever made.

Towards the back, he pulls out a smaller, lighter gun, tastefully engraved, and pauses. “Oh yeah,” he recalls, “Piotti. Nice little

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Several years ago, no one could find Bush, and he wasn’t answering the phone. Finally, he revealed he had been to Scotland to the gunmakers at David McKay Brown.

Italian gun handmade by a Mr. Piotti. He just died, and these guns doubled in value.”

To top off this tour of European finery, he hands me a Boss.

The pinnacle of his collection, though, is eight pieces that point to his initial love for fine American shotguns.

The first time Bush hunted with us, he had a “new” L.C. Smith side-by-side. His usual gun inadvertently fired a few weeks before when he closed the breech. He had hunted with it nearly fifty years.

So, he found another L.C. Smith from the same year that was in usable condition.

For Bush, the L.C. Smith represents the finest American gunmaking has to offer. He still remembers the first one he ever saw.

Every Monday when Bush was a young teenager his father sent him around to the various constables to see if any of their farm laborers had been arrested and find out how much it would cost to

bail them out. They were friends with Constable Webber in Itta Bena, and one day when young Bush was there, he was admiring a host of guns on the wall. “He had a bunch of them hanging on the wall that’d been confiscated. Mr. Webber said, ‘You want one of them guns?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, I sure would like to have one.’ He said, ‘Pick out the one you want.’ And I had always heard of L.C. Smith, you know, that was supposed to be a really good gun. And I saw one, so I got it. He wanted twenty-five dollars for it. I said, ‘Mr. Webber, I don’t have twenty-five dollars.’ ‘That’ll be okay,’ he said, ‘Just take it. Pay me when you can.’ So that’s how I got started with them.”

He primarily collects side-by-side double barrels and says they are all from the early 1900s. Nothing here is made after 1940. I asked if he still has the gun he bought from Constable Webber all those years ago, and he took me into the gunroom and pulled it out. It

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had a simpler engraving than the scrollwork found on the others: a hunting scene with a man in a hat shooting over a standing dog.

All told he has eight L.C. Smith shotguns. Each is uniquely beautiful and well maintained. They sit among his collection of American models that includes three Parkers, five Lefevers, four Ithacas, an A.J. Fox and a J. Stevens with double hammers. All of these rest among finely engraved Brownings, Winchester 21s, and other staples of American wingshooting. “Once I got a good collection going, I thought I would also like to own one of every fine shotgun made in America,” he says as he hands me an early model Baker.

But with Bush, it always comes back to the old L.C. Smith guns he loved first. “That one right there is a really nice gun. It’s a 1913 A2, 20 gauge, L.C. Smith Deluxe. I think they only made 256 of those total.”

Walking away it’s difficult to sort out all of this. The collection is extraordinary. Bush is remarkably modest in general, but especially about this, his passion. He shies away from most questions addressing why he loves side-by-side shotguns so much, offering simply, “Oh, I just like them.”

But later, he opens up a little, “What’s fascinating to me is the precision. The mechanism. I’ve always wondered how in the world they could make something like that and make it work so well. And hold up for so long. And they made them all by hand! Precision on that level, that much work, that much trial and error—I think that’s art.”

“W

hat friends I have, what days I treasure most, what places I think about and smile...they are because shotguns are.

Without them, I would have been empty. They have made my life full.” – GENE HILL Leaving, we meet Bush’s wife, Celeste, returning from a Bridge

132 |

game. I ask her what she thinks of the gun collection. She considers it a moment, and with eyes beaming, perhaps with a love that passeth all understanding, says, “Oh, it just makes me happy he has his guns.

Because they bring him so much joy.”

Later, I ask Pillow what he thinks is behind Bush’s love for shotguns. What makes someone spend the time and money and resources it takes to put something like this together, “I don’t know,” he says. “Why do women love diamonds? Why do men love women?

Why do you love a setter bird dog? Cause they’re pretty, I guess. And some are beautiful.”

Driving back through Money up Highway 8 and past Tippo, something Bush said settles more heavily in my mind with each passing mile. “I hunt a lot with Bill and Watson. I have for a long time. But they are a lot younger than I am. You know, I’ve hunted with a lot of folks for a long time.” His voice trailed off. “Most of them are dead now.”

For all its depopulation and attendant decay, there are still a few remaining flecks of refinement in the Delta. It is not for hubris or even personal gratification that this collection exists. Each gun is, first and foremost, a mechanical object possessing a certain utility— a purpose that must be fulfilled. A gun’s artistry begins with its functionality. All told, and any wingshooter will verify this, it is the tool that provides friends the context to spend time together outdoors.

Litton adds, “I got to know Wayne first through doing business with him, and I learned he’s a man of impeccable integrity. Later, he introduced me to bird hunting. Our friendship really grew by hunting together. I’ve come to know him as a true friend. Above all else, he is a gentleman with a character that’s rare as some of the guns he owns.”

Bush has spent a lifetime hunting with his closest pals. This collection will remain, solid as a standing setter, as a testament to his best days spent afield with friends. DM

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⤵

Ravin R20 Crossbow, The Sportsman, Greenville

Great for waterfowling and fly-fishing

Wader Socks, Orvis, Renaissance at Colony Park, Ridgeland

M300 Tree Seat, Outlaw Sporting Goods, Greenwood

Swarovski CL Pocket 10 x 25 binoculars, Delta Outdoors

Whiskey Dog Collar, wrenandivy.com

&

GUNS GEAR

FOR THE FIELD

Shooting House by Sportsman’s Condo

by Southern Outdoor Technologies, Outlaw Sporting Goods, Greenwood

2019 Defender X mr HD10 Side by Side, Greenville Motor Sports, Greenville

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ForEverlast Men’s Pro Half-Leg Guards, cabelas.com

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Browing X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon Speed 30-06 Bolt-Action Rifle 22" Barrel, Pauls’ Mart, Cleveland

Benelli Montefeltro Compact Youth Combo 20-Gauge Shotgun 26" Barrel, Delta Outdoors, Cleveland

Verizon LTE Blackhawk Trail Camera, The Sportsman, Greenville

Fowling Piece Case, wrenandivy.com

Custom-Built .45 handgun, Bill’s Custom Automatics, Shelby

Canine Canteen and Command Collar, Wildrose Trading Company, Oxford Big Shot Magnum Bottle Opener provides dual-action for wine or beer bottles, Viking Retail Store, Greenwood

⤵

Pin Wiz Pro Hitch Pin & Clip Combo, Delta Outdoors, Cleveland

Convenient trailer hitch pin that’ll save your knuckles.

Garmin inReach Explorer+ Satellite Communicator, garmin.com

Halo XL600 Rangefinder, Outlaw Sporting Goods, Greenwood Dog travel Kit, Orvis, Renaissance at Colony Park, Ridgeland

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RAISING FRIENDS and TRAINING

CHAMPIONS “The best long-range shotgun load to have in one’s boat for mallards is a fine retriever.”

– NASH BUCKINGHAM Field & Stream, January 1947

BY HANK BURDINE

“We strive to train dogs that are compatible in the home, dynamic in the field, and the perfect family companion.”

– Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels

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T

o a hunter, there are very few joys in life better than to have at his side, in a duck blind or a dove field, a well-trained retriever.

And there is nothing more frustrating to fellow hunters than a hunting companion who has a hunting dog that is not well trained. I have seen too many good shotgun shells tossed needlessly away in the decoys, trying to get an ill-trained dog’s attention and get him headed in the right direction to a fallen duck. I have heard far too many curses of exasperation, as an overly excited dog breaks at the sound of a gunshot, to go fruitlessly dashing off through the sunflowers searching in vain for a dove that did not fall, or, that someone else shot. On the other hand, I have watched in amazement as a well-trained retriever waits for his command to fetch, stops on a whistle and looks back at his master to see a hand signal for a blind retrieve. I have experienced firsthand the bloodline of my great Chesapeake Bay Retriever Bud come out when his instinct took over and he hunted deep into the flooded bottoms of a secluded willow brake. A well-trained dog is an asset and pleasure to anyone who hunts.

As there are many types of hunting opportunities, there are just as many types of dogs used to pursue game. From blooded English Labs to Boykin Spaniels and Golden Retrievers, Brittany Spaniels, German Shorthaired Pointers to Llewellin Setters, the list of admirable and good gun dogs goes on and on. One must first define the type of dog needed based on the game to be hunted. Then decisions are to be made defining personal wants and desires; to kennel full time or to have a house pet that is as much a family

Hilltop Kennels 1593 County Road 23, Greenwood, MS 38930 • hilltopkennel.net

member as he is a hunting companion. Should you go through the arduous time and task of training your new pup yourself or have him trained by professionals who are keen at what they do? Or, should you reach deep into your back pocket and buy a finished and completed dog, ready for the duck blind or bird field? The decisions are many and should be taken very seriously if you are to end up with a great hunting companion and friend.

Even though there are many very good training manuals, books and videos that can help you step-by-step train your gun dog, one definite way to get precisely what you want and need in a hunting companion is to choose a good training kennel. Today’s training kennels are designed and located in areas that allow ample space and facilities for first rate development of your dog. Most are located out in the country where water courses are close by and the shotgun blasts used in training will not interfere with the neighbors. Today’s kennel facilities are modern and clean, utilizing state of the art training techniques. Decide whether you want to have the pleasure of training your own dog, or leave it up to the pros, to develop your companion. There are serious decisions to make when you decide to have a hunting dog, but with proper insight as to your wishes and needs, you can end up with a hunting companion that will give you much pleasure and love. A dog, after all, is a man’s best friend.

Hilltop Kennels provides excellent, professional training for both dog and owner. With a varied amount of services, Hilltop Kennels offers a little bit of everything. Some of their services provide basic and advanced Gundog training, AKC and UKC tests training, puppy training, and boarding if space provides.

Mike and Tammy Pierce, proprietors and trainers, believe that a dog’s owner should also participate in the training to make for a seamless transition when the dog goes back home. Taught to remain calm in the home as well as in the blind, Hilltop trained dogs are the ideal balance of family pet and hunting companion.

In addition to their training services, Mike and Tammy also breed the York Woods Retrievers which are labs that not only do well in the field, Successful retrieval by this but look good and make excellent Hilltop Kennel white lab. family dogs.

One thing that sets Hilltop Kennels a part is their focus on yearround training. Because of Mississippi’s hot summer climate, Tammy takes the dogs to Montana in the summer to provide a new, cooler environment to continue training. She believes this is critical to ensure your dog is fully ready before hunting season begins. During this time, Mike keeps training in Mississippi and cares for the boarded dogs. It’s completely a team effort.

“We're dedicated to it because it’s a passion of ours,” said Tammy.

“It’s a feeling you cannot imagine when you teach a dog something and you get to see the light bulb go off when he understands what you’re trying to teach him.”

Gorgeous setting of Blue Ribbon Kennels

Blue Ribbon Kennels 3030 Kickapoo Road, Jackson, MS 39209 • blueribbonkennels.com

John and Carol Kabbes, owners of Blue Ribbon Kennels, run a state-of-the-art kennel that offers boarding, retriever training, and obedience training for all breeds. Their spacious facility, which is laid out perfectly for training, sits on thirty acres just outside of Jackson and is a prime location to board or train your dog.

“Our staff is deeply committed to what we call the animal behavioral approach to learning, which is a concept that prepares the dog for living with humans by encouraging them to obey our commands upon request,” said John. “Dogs are taught how to listen

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Happy Blue Ribbon dogs awaiting commands.

for a command and not pay attention to other distractions in the environment around them. By doing this they are happier and seek out what is desired of them.”

With decades of experience under their belts and numerous champion-trained dogs to prove it, Blue Ribbon Kennels are thorough in both their training and boarding environments. All boarding areas are fully covered, and, in addition to their training, dogs are allowed indoor and outdoor access and playtime. Dogs are also housed in pens that are cleaned and disinfected daily, as well as fed a high-protein diet throughout their stay.

Dalin Kennels 134 Drive 32, Shannon, MS 38868 • dalinskennel.com

Owned by Dale and Linda Garner, Dalin Kennels offers breeding and training for excellent pointing bird-dogs.

Specializing in upland game, Dale and Linda raise German Shorthaired Pointers and have a great reputation all throughout the South for their well-trained dogs.

The Garners have successfully bred and trained field and show champion dogs for twentytwo years and have utilized their experience over the years to train the next generation of dogs.

Although most of the dogs trained typically are pointing dogs, Dalin Kennels is a year-round A German Shorthaired Pointer, trained training facility for all for upland game. sporting breeds and they work with retriever and flushing breeds as well. A Dalin Kennel trained dog is extensively equipped for personal hunting and field competition. The average training period is about three months; however, that depends on the dog’s previous experience and maturity.

“We tailor our training methods for the individual dog. Our approach is based on the Silent Command System, developed by Hall of Fame trainer Delmar Smith, and the Perfect System developed at Perfection Kennels,” said Dale. “Long check cords, time, and patience are our main training tools. We also have a 1month Puppy Program for young dogs. This program introduces a pup to basic commands, to the field, to gunfire, and to birds.”

At the end of the day, Dalin Kennels’ goal is to produce a wellmannered hunting companion that makes you proud day after day.

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A Wildrose yellow Lab at the ready

Wildrose Kennels 260 CR 425, Oxford, MS 38655 • uklabs.com • wildrosetradingcompany.com

Wildrose Kennels specializes in breeding and training British Labrador Retrievers. From these, owner Mike Stewart strives to produce the classic Gentleman’s Gundog through positive reinforcement training. Stewart believes this method develops each of these dogs into well-disciplined and fine-tuned hunting dogs.

Many Wildrose dogs are also trained as service dogs. One of the primary service areas in which they are trained is Diabetic Alert.

These dogs are trained to detect and alert their owners of fluctuations in diabetic levels. Wildrose Diabetic Alert Dogs are well known throughout the country. Other areas of service training include Search and Rescue, Therapy Dogs and Accelerant and Cadaver detection.

With numerous facilities throughout the South and Westincluding Arkansas, Mississippi, Colorado, Idaho and Texas– Wildrose offers training for dogs utilizing “The Wildrose Way.” The Oxford facility also includes a game bird program that produces flight-conditioned birds for training purposes such as chukar, pigeon, pheasant, quail and duck.

In addition to this, Wildrose hosts several seminars and workshops throughout the year. Founders of the Adventure Dog Certification Program and operators of The Wildrose Trading Company, Wildrose partners include Filson, Orvis, Ducks Unlimited, Wren & Ivy, Purina ProPlan, Westervelt Lodge, Blixt & Co., Cedar Hills Media & Marketing, Sitka, Blackfly Lodge, and Leonard Logsdail.

Ace’s Retrievers 5195 D W North Road, Kiln, MS 39556 • acesretrievers.com

Ace’s Retrievers offers a variety of services; however, they specialize in full-blooded retriever puppies, companion, started, and finished retrievers. Their training facility in South Mississippi, located just one hour from New Orleans, also offers upland bird dogs, blood trailing Labradors, and other speciality training needs.

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“We stand out due to our training experience and abilities with a multitude of breeds and sizes of, not just Labradors,” said Ace Berry, owner of Ace’s Retrievers. “This accumulated knowledge allows us to conquer almost any issue we come across, whether it’s with our retrievers or with outside client training dogs. We also have a new technology system, including videos, to keep our clients up to date with training status.”

There’s no secret to Ace’s Retrievers success. Hard work, up-to-date information, timely communication, and constantly improving training methods and services have kept clients coming back year after year.

dog, it is an impressive breed that can hold it’s own with hunting dangerous game or handling dangerous situations.

Michael Mims, owner of Delta Dogos, is passionate about his Dogos and makes sure they are not A Dogo Argentino from Delta Dogos. just fearless hunters, but also loyal companions for their family. Naturally bred to hunt wild boar and puma, Dogos are athletic, fearless, and make extremely protective watchdogs. As a family owned and operated venture, Delta Dogos is as passionate about their family as they are about protecting yours and they strive to produce trained protection dogs, as well as hunting champions.

With the growing number of destructive boars infiltrating states and agricultural land, Dogos play a valuable role in land management. Delta Dogos seeks to equip their dogs to excel in any situation by routinely providing new environments for their Dogos to hunt and stay on their toes.

Marty Roberts of Sporting Life Kennels, working with a Lab in training

Sporting Life Kennels 119 County Road 415, Oxford, MS 38655 • sportinglifekennels.com

Sporting Life Kennels has a saying: “Every waterfowl hunter has known a great retriever and every great retriever has a story.” Marty Roberts, Sporting Life Kennels owner, has developed a first-class breeding and training facility on forty-two acres in the hills outside of Oxford, Miss. Specializing in British Labrador retrievers, he offers puppies, finished gun dogs, retriever and upland training, as well as training with shed antler dogs.

Sporting Life offers a unique program called the Care Program and their emphasis on compassionate care for the female dogs is something that truly sets Sporting Life apart. This program places female dogs with area families to give her a high-quality of life.

Sporting Life breeds the dog and raises the puppies and, in exchange, the family gets a trained female dog with ongoing support and gun training. They also call this compassionate breeding.

“At Sporting Life we work hard to put the care of the dog first, over anything and everything else.” Marty said. “I don’t believe these dogs do well being trained and living their lives in a kennel in someone’s backyard, so we place the females in family environments so they can get that love that every dog thrives on. Everyone wins- the dog, the families who receive the dog, and us- with this program.”

Another unique feature of Sporting Life is their TV show: Sporting Life Retriever TV. With episodes available on The Pursuit Channel and Amazon Prime, Sporting Life Retriever TV focuses on the stories of the men and women who train and hunt with waterfowl retrievers and the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend.

Delta Dogos Minter City, MS • dogodogs.com

While the Dogos, more formerly know as Dogo Argentino, may not be the first dog that comes to mind when you think of a hunting

Llewellin Setters are beautiful Bird Dogs.

Mitchell’s Llewellin Setters 2023 Strider Road, Scobey, MS 38953 • mitchellsllewellinsetters.com

The Llewellin Setter is often referred to as “The Sportman’s Choice.” Dating back to the 1800s, the Llewellin is a foot-hunting gun dog, which means they hunt close-range to mid-range all day long. These dogs are outstanding upland game hunters for pheasant, ruffed grouse, woodcock, quail, and chukar.

Ronnie and Ginger Mitchell, owners of Mitchell’s Llewellin Setters raise their Setters to be great hunters and gentle family companions. The Mitchell’s breed some of the finest imported lines and spend a great deal of research when looking into their breeding program.

“We are very proud of our bloodlines and the exceptional care we take in breeding to continue these bloodlines,” said Ginger.

“Ronnie does a lot of research and looks two years out when making decisions regarding our breeding program.”

According to Ginger, the ideal Mitchell Llewellin Setter is a great hunting dog that is gentle-natured and does well with small children in a family environment.

“One of our bigger demographics is younger families where there might be some hunting done as a hobby, but the rest of the time they need a good family dog they can trust around their small children,” said Ginger. “Our dogs excel in hunting and in the home and that’s paramount to us.” DM

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2018

DELTA DOG FINALISTS

1st Runner Up: Diche, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, submitted by Edward Wall of Brandon

2nd Runner Up: Purdey, a German Shorthaired Pointer, submitted by Tyler Christmas of Merigold

3rd Runner Up: Deets, a Black Labrador Retriever, submitted by Tori Powell of Clarksdale

Congratulations to our Delta Dog Contest winner and finalists and a huge thank you to all who participated!

To see more Delta Dog photos go to deltamagazine.com/delta-dog-photo-contest/

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OUTDOOR GUIDE

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Pumpkins Cooking and decorating with my favorite harbinger of Fall

BY P. ALLEN SMITH

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espite what the calendar says, autumn doesn’t begin for me until I see my first pumpkin of the season.

Pumpkins mean delicious seasonal desserts, beautiful fall table centerpieces, and creative home and garden decor that starts at the dining room table and extends to the front door and beyond.

Heck, I’ve even made a house out of pumpkins!

This beautiful round orange squash plays a quintessential role throughout the season, indoors and out. But not all pumpkins are created equal—they vary greatly in size (palm-sized minis to thousand-pound giants), color (white, green, tan, orange, blue, and more), texture (smooth, warty, crackled, and ridged), shape (squat to round and everything in between), and use (cooking vs. decorating).

So let’s explore some of my favorite varieties for cooking, carving, decorating, and display.

“What moistens the lip and what brightens the eye?

What calls back the past, like the rich Pumpkin pie?”

– John Greenleaf Whittier, poet, 1846

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Choosing the Best Pumpkin for Your Autumn Recipes Over the years I’ve used pumpkin in recipes ranging from savory chicken stew to crème brûlée and martinis, and I’m not even close to finishing exploring the boundaries of this versatile fruit. As an ingredient, it brings a flexibility to cooking that I really admire. Sweet desserts and breads? Check. Savory main dishes? Of course. Thick creamy soups? Naturally.

Plus the health benefits are undeniable. One cup of fresh pumpkin contains only 2.5 grams of sugar and is rich in fiber. It’s also a great source of minerals and vitamins A, C, and E. So eat up!

And while all pumpkins are edible, there are definitely varieties that beat others for taste and texture. Make an effort to scout out some of the more popular cooking varieties to make your dishes really shine.

Long Island Cheese Pumpkin: This beige, heirloom pumpkin got its name because its squat shape resembles a wheel of cheese.

But don’t be misled by the word “cheese”—it’s a sweet, delicious pumpkin that is an excellent selection for soups, pies, and most recipes.

Jarrahdale Pumpkin: You’ll have no trouble spotting this unique gray-blue pumpkin from a distance. Its rich flesh makes it a versatile selection for both sweet and savory recipes.

Red Warty Thing Pumpkin: Another visually striking pumpkin variety with dark orange to reddish skin that is covered in small bumps or “warts.” These date back to the 1800s and can be used in a wide variety of recipes. Cook with it or simply enjoy its ornamental appearance.

New England Pie Pumpkins or Sugar Pumpkins: These pumpkins are often easily found in the grocery store or farmer’s markets and include several varieties of smaller pumpkins grown for baking.

Its small round size makes it very manageable in the kitchen (and oven) and packs a sweet, fleshy pulp perfect for desserts and sweet breads. heirloom variety with a whitish, pink-tinged skin that is covered in small, peanut-shaped growths. Although the description doesn’t make it sound especially tasty, it is one of the best pumpkins for desserts because of its sugar-laden pulp.

Blue Hubbard Squash: I’m throwing you a curveball by including this irregular, pear-shaped blue squash, but its rich, orange flesh is good for sweet and savory dishes alike. Blue Hubbard has an extremely hard outer skin, but it’s worth the extra effort to crack it open.

JANE COLCLASURE

Peanut Pumpkin: No, not a peanut-flavored pumpkin, but an

With the arrival of fall, I set my table with beautiful fall themes that include various sized pumpkins.

Baking With New England Pie Pumpkins

STEVEN VEACH

The small size of the New England Pie and Sugar pumpkins makes them especially easy to work with and cook. I like to bake them in advance and freeze the pulp so that I always have homemade pumpkin on hand. Here’s how to do it.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Take three to four five-pound pie pumpkins and puncture them several times all over with a large meat fork. Place them on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup) and bake for about an hour. Let cool.

You can then slice the pumpkins in half and remove the seeds. Scoop out the flesh and puree.

Use immediately or freeze puree for future use. It’s that easy.

A Pumpkin House welcomes guests at Moss Mountain Farm.

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This luncheon tablescape offers a nice color departure from traditional fall hues.

MARK FONVILLE

glass apothecary jar. Or simply mound a bunch of them together with votive candles.

The best carving or jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are those that have a fairly flat base and skin that is not so thick that it is difficult to carve. These pumpkins typically weigh about ten pounds and are maybe a foot tall.

The “original” jack-o’-lantern pumpkin is the Connecticut Field pumpkin which was grown by Native American Indians. Their texture is more smooth and less ridged, making them easier to carve.

Another popular carving variety is the Howden pumpkin, which has all the good attributes of the Connecticut Field pumpkins but last longer once carved.

TIP: When your pumpkin planter starts to look a little worse for wear, you can plant it directly in the ground. As the pumpkin begins to break down, it will provide your young plants with extra nutrients that they’ll be sure to enjoy.

Pumpkins for Carving, Stacking, Decorating and more Any pumpkin can be used for ornamental decor if you like the look of it. Many of the edible “pie pumpkins” have quite unusual coloring and texture making them just as valuable on the front porch as in the kitchen.

I especially like the minis, which come in a variety of colors and can be used grouped together to fill a see-through wire container or 146 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

A few of my favorite ornamental pumpkins Cinderella and Fairytale Pumpkins: These beautiful varieties look like a classic pumpkin that has been halfway squashed, resulting in a more horizontal appearance. Cinderella is a striking bright orange, and Fairytale has a tan coloring. Both are charming and classic.

Blue Doll Pumpkin: This exotic looking pumpkin weighs in at 15-plus pounds and has a blocky, almost square shape with deep ribs. That, combined with its dusky blue color, makes it a fun decorative fruit.

Warty Goblin Pumpkin: Like the Red Warty Thing, Warty Goblin has a very tactile appearance with lots of lumps and bumps. The green “warts” show nicely against the bright orange skin, making it perfect for display.

Toad Pumpkin: If you’re looking for a smaller warty pumpkin, then

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Toad will fit the bill. Each bright orange fruit is the size of a large apple and weighs 11/2 to 2 1/2 pounds.

Casper Pumpkin: As its name implies, this ghostly white pumpkin is a scene-stealer. The white skin shows nicely on a dark porch, picking up and reflecting any nearby light. Even without candles, Casper displays nicely from a distance.

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Hijinks Pumpkin: An award-winning pumpkin variety, Hijinks is celebrated for its smooth, orange skin with distinctive ridges. This ideal surface makes it a great selection for painting and carving, plus it has a very sturdy stem that acts as a perfect handle.

Turban Squash: Not a pumpkin, but crazy cool, either way. The Turban squash almost defies description, so I’ll simply say it closely resembles a puffy acorn. It is green, orange, white or yellow, and often a mottled version of all four. It typically weighs 5-plus pounds and is a must for any serious autumn display.

I hope my enthusiasm for the versatile, beautiful, and charismatic pumpkin will inspire you to try a new recipe or two. I am always on the lookout for new ways to incorporate it into my autumnal menus.

And as you start thinking about your fall decorations, consider adding a colorful, white, squat, or warty pumpkin to some of your designs. New and more fanciful varieties are introduced each year, and they add plenty of whimsy to this already magical season. DM P. Allen Smith of Moss Mountain Farm in Roland, Arkansas is a garden design expert, horticulturalist and author.

DRIVE THRU

F I N D US ON FAC E BO OK

I-55 at Old A genc y Road, R idgela nd, Mississippi 601.519.090 0 See a l l our reta il stores a nd restaura nt s on line at w w w. R e n a i s s a nc e A t C olonyPa rk .c om For leeasing information, contact The Mattiace Company at 601.35 52.1818

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Located in Historic Downtown Greenwood, e Station 222 Restaurant offers a one of a kind dining ex xperience with delicious menu options, including steak & se eafood, as well as a full bar.

222 Howard Street, Greenwood 662-374-5086 • station222restau urant.com

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FOOD

It’s Time for Y’ALL! Fall Flavors, Quick Breads, Muffins, and Scones for the Busy Season

BY MARTHA FOOSE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BECK

Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread, see recipe on page, 154

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Back-to-school time is upon us, bringing lunchboxes, bake sales, and sign-up sheets for teacher’s lounge treats. Road trips for away games and tailgating are revving up. Dove season sends us out on field trips, and house parties abound. The days are getting shorter, and time seems to fly by when the calendar hanging on the refrigerator barely has a blank day without an obligation penciled in on it.

These quick bread recipes are perfect for all manner of autumn occasions.

They are make-ahead-able, freeze-able, and keep well for days. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow or tucked in decorated tins, they are just the thing to present to a hostess or gift to a pal on their birthday.

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ITH THE LAZY, HAZY DAYS OF SUMMER IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, IT IS TIME TO SHIFT GEARS.

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Cooking Notes: • I like to use unrefined granulated cane sugar like Zilka brand which is available in the baking aisle of most big box stores. Granulated white cane sugar can be used in all of these, but the unrefined adds a slight molasses flavor that just sings fall to me.

• Check out craft stores and online specialty baking shops for cool disposable baking pans. This eliminates having to deal with keeping up with your bakeware and opens up some neat ideas for wrapping them as gifts.

• These recipes double nicely.

Consider slicing and wrapping individual portions and storing them in the freezer. They will be ready to slip into a lunch box, hand out as after school snacks, or feed the team on the way home from the game.

HONEYCRISP APPLE MUFFINS Heating the oven to 400 degrees and then reducing the heat to 375 degrees when the muffins go in, insures they will get a nice oven spring and rise forming the yummiest muffin tops.

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cups unbleached all-purpose flour cup plus 1 tablespoon unrefined granulated cane sugar, divided teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon fine sea salt teaspoon ground cinnamon large egg cups buttermilk, at room temperature tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted large Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)

Spray a muffin tins well with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, ½ cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, using a fork, combine the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients by stirring quickly with a fork. Be careful to mix just until combined. Fold in the apples.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups filling each until almost full. Sprinkle the muffin tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Put the muffin tins on the middle rack of the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. bake until the tops are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 1½ dozen muffins.

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ORANGE GLAZED CRANBERRY SNACKING LOAF This recipe doubles well, so make two and freeze one without glaze for a last minute hostess gift. If you like, add a bit of chopped fresh rosemary to the batter to give it an autumnal herb twist.

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cups unbleached all-purpose flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon fine sea salt large egg, room temperature cup granulated unrefined cane sugar teaspoons finely grated orange zest cup freshly squeezed orange juice tablespoons unsalted butter, melted teaspoon vanilla extract cup chopped walnuts cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees and place on oven rack in the center position with no rack above it. Grease and flour a 4½-by-8½ inch loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg.

Gradually add the sugar, beating at medium speed until light. Add the zest, orange juice and melted butter.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat until just combined. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the loaf for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove pan to a wire rack. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes then turn the bread from the pan to cool on the wire rack.

Makes one loaf.

For the Orange Glaze 1¼ ½ ¼ ½

cups powdered sugar teaspoon orange zest cup orange juice teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and vanilla extract. Pour the glaze over the thoroughly cooled loaf.

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For the Cream Glaze 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Whisk the powdered sugar and cream together until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaves.

FROSTED PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BREAD Spiced with fall favorites: clove, mace, nutmeg and cinnamon, this easy quick bread travels well, making it an excellent choice for tailgate spreads and snacks for teams on the go.

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1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda 4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend teaspoon baking powder cups unrefined granulated cane sugar

(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened cup butter, softened large eggs (15 ounce) can pumpkin Black walnuts for garnish, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two (9-x-5-inch) loaf pans.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the sugar, cream cheese, and butter at medium speed until well blended.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin and mix until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix until the ingredients are just combined. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. If desired, decorate the top with black walnuts. Bake on center rack of the oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans for 5 minutes then turn loaves out onto a wire rack to cool. Glaze loaves when completely cooled, if desired.

Makes two loaves.

This pumpkin bread is also delicious topped with black walnuts and a drizzle of honey.

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APRICOT OAT SCONES These golden streaked scones are made with pantry friendly ingredients and are easy to whip up for tea time.

1½ 1 2 1 ½ ¼ ½

cups unbleached all-purpose flour cup oat bran tablespoons granulated unrefined sugar tablespoon baking powder teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 large egg, beaten 3 tablespoons milk 1 (17 ounce) can apricot halves, well drained and chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine crumbs like a streusel. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg, milk, and apricots.

Using a fork, mix until a dough is formed.

Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough in half and lightly sprinkle the surface with flour. Pat the dough into two (6-inch), rounds each about 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut each round into six wedges. Place the wedges 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Cool the scones on a wire rack.

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BUTTERMILK, CANADIAN BACON, AND SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE SODA BREAD This savory Irish style soda bread is just the thing for early morning hunt breakfasts, late afternoon cocktail gatherings, or served alongside a hearty vegetable soup.

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Sunflowers and pumpkins announce the onset of fall and we love these seasonal new pieces from Etta B. Pottery!

Courtesy of Mississippi Gift Company

cups unbleached all-purpose flour tablespoons unrefined granulated cane sugar teaspoons baking powder teaspoon baking soda tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small pieces cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese slices Canadian bacon, finely diced large eggs cups buttermilk Peppercorns, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a round (2-quart) casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda. Cut in the butter until it resembles a course meal. Toss in the cheese and bacon. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg and buttermilk mixture to brush over the loaf before it goes in the oven. Pour the rest of the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir together with a fork to make a soft dough.

Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out and knead briefly, about 1 minute, until smooth. Shape the dough into a nice tight round loaf and place in the prepared casserole dish.

Brush with the reserved buttermilk mixture. The using a sharp serrated knife, cut an X in the top of the loaf. If desired grind peppercorns over loaf. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until golden brown and wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf. (Lightly cover with foil if the loaf seems to be getting too dark.) Cool in the dish 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack.

Makes one loaf.

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These muffins are a perfect choice for a lunchbox dessert or for snack time in the teacher’s lounge.

COCOA BANANA BREAD MUFFINS I love these chocolate banana muffins. This recipe also works well in a loaf pan.

One of the things I adore is that you don’t have to haul out the mixer. All you need to whip these up is a big mixing bowl and a whisk.

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The Artisan Bak ker Homemade Gra ranolla & Piz Pizza Dough

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Yazoo City, Mississippi 39 9194

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cups unbleached all-purpose flour cups unrefined, granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon fine sea salt teaspoon baking powder large eggs, beaten cup vegetable oil teaspoon vanilla extract very ripe bananas, very well mashed or pureed under ripe banana, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 10 muffin cups or a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla, and bananas and whisk just until everything is combined. Poor batter evenly among the muffin cups, or into the prepared loaf pan. Place banana slices on top of batter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake on center rack of the oven for 20 to 22 minutes for muffins and 55 to 60 minutes for loaves. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Cool muffins or bread in pan 10 minutes then turn onto a rack to cool. DM

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Delta Magazine’s

2018 Dining & Restaurant Guide

TIME. TO. EAT.

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BRING YOUR BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER BRUNCH RESERVATIONS FULL BAR OWN BOTTLE SERVED SERVED SERVED SERVED RECOMMENDED LIVE MUSIC CATERING FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

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Airport Grocery

3608 Highway 61 North / Cleveland / (662) 843-4817 airportgrocerycleveland.com A family-owned icon of the Delta where you can slow down with the rhythm of the blues, fill up on good times, and enjoy out-of-this-world food at a down-to-earth place. Menu favorites include house-made Delta-style tamales, old-fashioned burgers, BBQ smoked in house, charcoal-grilled steaks, and farm-raised catfish. Discover a comfortable, eclectic atmosphere with an impressive collection of nostalgic memorabilia, with some for sale.

Just like the relics on the walls, blues musicians tell a story of the wear and tear of days gone by. Musicians from Eden Brent, Fingers Taylor, and Blind Mississippi Morris have given remarkable performances on our humble stage. Private dining room available. Catering offered for any occasion. Kitchen open Monday through Saturday 11am to 10pm; Sunday 5pm to 9pm. Full bar with large selection and Mississippi-brewed beer.

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Doe’s Eat Place

502 Nelson Street / Greenville / (662) 334-3315 / Paducah / (270) 443-9006 Monroe / (318) 737-7169 / Biloxi / (228) 271-6377 People worldwide visit the Delta to hear the blues and to taste the savory steaks and hot tamales offered only at Doe’s Eat Place, family owned since 1941. First-time visitors entering through the front door are pleasantly surprised to find themselves in the kitchen. Family style, family welcomed, that’s the charm of having a Doe’s experience. Specialties are 2- to 3-pound steaks, homemade hot tamales, French fries from a cast iron skillet and Aunt Flo’s famous salad. Dinner, 5:30 to 9pm. Closed Sunday. Hot tamales on sale from 9am to closing. New locations at Margaritaville Resort in Biloxi and in Monroe, Louisiana. Now open in Ridgeland and Florence, Mississippi also in Springfield, Missouri. Franchises available.

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Louie’s Steakhouse

4280 Harlows Boulevard / Greenville / (662) 335-9797, Ext. 192 harlowscasino.com/dining/steakhouse Enjoy a truly memorable night out when you indulge in the good life at Louie’s Steakhouse at Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa. Louie’s specializes in steaks, featuring hand-selected, Choice aged beef flash seared and cooked to perfect tenderness and juiciness. Best of all, great steaks are just the beginning.

You’ll also feast on a variety of seafood, pasta and other hand crafted dishes. Don’t forget the Decadent desserts and so much more. All in a friendly, upscale atmosphere. Call us for more information or to make reservations. Thursdays, 5pm-9pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 5pm-10pm.

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Fat Baby’s Catfish House

3670 Highway 61 / Cleveland / (662) 721-9001 fatbabyscatfishhouse.com Fat Baby’s serves the best fried or grilled catfish, shrimp, ribeyes, frog legs and catfish gumbo in the Delta. Our signature menu item is the famous catfish bread. You’ve got to try it! Fat Baby’s Catfish House only serves U.S. farm-raised catfish. Fat Baby’s on Highway 61 is a family-oriented, buffet-style restaurant, plus short-order items and take-out orders. Live entertainment Friday nights, 5pm to 8pm.

We offer the best plate lunches for dine-in or take-out 7 days a week, 11am to 2:30pm and one of the biggest buffets of the best-prepared catfish and chicken in the Mississippi Delta.

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Velvet DitchV ibes,

Cotton District Cool

college town eateries 4 Notable to try this football season Ravine

Rustic comfort, southern cuisine

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

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ho would have thought that one would find nestled in one of the most typically southern college towns in the Southeastern Conference not one, but two establishments that have a Rocky Mountain lodge vibe? Well, Oxford is the town, and Ravine Restaurant and The Summit Lodge Bar are the places. These two football weekend destinations just might transport you to the slopes while satisfying your southern tastebuds.

For a secluded and quiet lodge experience, head three miles south of town on County Road 321 to Ravine. Aptly named by owners Joel and Cori Miller, this cutting-edge restaurant found its home in what was once a bed and breakfast. It was exactly what they had envisioned, with a rustic comfort and a big porch where people could enjoy eating outside. Open Wednesday through Sunday, Ravine features food that is locally grown, clean with simple flavors. “We focus on local as much as we can,” says Miller. “We don’t pile food on the plate, instead, we let the food speak for itself. Our clients have a discerning palate, and they appreciate the flavors and the effort we put forth to provide exceptional cuisine.”

The tapas or small plates menu is a mid-week favorite and features dishes such as blackened shrimp served on a fried green tomato, with maque choux and remoulade; a perfect example of the blending of simplistic elements that have become a signature of Ravine. Another specialty, found on the brunch menu, is the salmon BLT, with basil aioli and local tomatoes. And be sure to save room for the homemade brioche cinnamon rolls, with cream cheese icing and pecan streusel. They do not disappoint!

There are carefully curated menus available throughout the week at Ravine. Tapas are featured on Wednesdays. Thursday through Saturday the main menu is served. Sunday brunch is served weekly from 10:30 to 2 pm, and on Sunday evenings a prix fixe dinner, is served from 6 pm to 9 pm.

For more information on Ravine, visit their website at www.oxfordravine.com.

Ravine, 53 County Road 321, Oxford

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Oxford

The Summit Lodge Bar Après-ski cocktails in Oxford

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

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here do you go after a day of skiing in Aspen? Next to a roaring fireplace in a cozy ski lodge. Where do you go after an Ole Miss football game? The Summit Lodge Bar, located above Old Venice Pizza Company on the Square in Oxford. Reminiscent of a Colorado ski lodge, the décor is complete with photo murals of poplar trees in the snow, wood paneling, and a cozy seating area next to a fireplace video on a wide screen TV. The bar is made from a slab of 300-year-old white oak from a tree felled in central Mississippi.

Specialty drinks include the shotski—four shot glasses affixed to a snow ski, designed for four people to take a shot at the same time.

Another specialty drink is for the adventurous— a twisted ram’s horn with a shot inside. “We can’t divulge what’s in it,” says general manager Matt Chambley. “I can tell you it is potent. That’s usually reserved for a birthday celebration.”

Chambley says the bar is always coming up with new drink options. “We’ve started doing martini milkshakes. We have a whole menu of those, and they’ve been really popular.”

Some may remember the bar as Blind Jim’s.

For the past fifteen or so years, it’s been the Burgandy Room. But for the past year, folks have come in from the Mississippi heat to cool off at the Summit. The Summit Lodge Bar’s design was inspired by owner Jim Bulian’s travels out West, specifically the Sierra Mountains.

The full menu from Old Venice is available for service to bar patrons, and the view from the balcony overlooking the Courthouse square can’t be beat. Drink specials are posted daily on Instagram at #theoxfordsummit.

The Summit Lodge Bar, 1112 Van Buren, Oxford

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A lengendary bar and lounge in the making.”

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good eats guide

Paulette’s at the River Inn at Harbor Town 50 Harbor Town Square / Memphis / (901) 260-3300

Paulette’s has operated successfully in Memphis for more than 44 years and is located in the beautiful 28room boutique River Inn of Harbor Town. It features a grand view of the Mississippi River. One food reviewer described Paulette’s as “a Memphis institution and for a very good reason.” Paulette’s is a favorite with Deltans and continues to serve the same wonderful soups, salads, entrees and dessertsplus chef-created seasonal offerings—and the legendary hot popovers and strawberry butter. Perennially voted “Most Romantic,” Paulett’es serves breakfast 7–10, lunch 11-2, dinner 5-9 daily and weekend brunch 11-2. You’ll love the food and drink in the cozy Little Bar and the year-round rooftop Terrace with its wrap-around view of the River.

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Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

1452 Highway 1 South / Greenville / (662) 580-4242 dickeys.com Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Greenville, located on Highway 1 South, offers Texas style barbecue in a friendly, family oriented environment. Our meats are cooked “low and slow” and include beef brisket, pulled pork, polish sausage, ribs, and chicken breast. We use a genuine smoke pit , guaranteeing a rich and tender slow cooked taste! We also offer an extensive array of savory sides. You can dine in or carry out.

Our specialty is catering. We cater for events of all sizes including weddings, tailgating parties, business meetings, etc. We deliver and set up!

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Cajun Shotgun House & BBQ

1831 S. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Suite 120 / Greenville / (662) 334-9685 Cajun Shotgun House is Greenville’s finest in Cajun Cuisine and BBQ! Located in the Walmart Shopping Center, they also serve a variety of other great options including steaks, burgers, crawfish (in season), BBQ ribs and salads. All served with a smile in a down-home Delta atmosphere. Monday and Tuesday 11am to 8pm; Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 9pm; Sunday 11am to 2pm.

Call us for all of your catering needs: private parties, rehearsal dinners, business meetings and other special occasions.

B

BYOB

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Cicero’s

4587 Old Leland Road / Stoneville / (662) 686-7000 For over 35 years, Cicero’s Restaurant has been serving the Delta’s most delicious steaks and seafood!

Located in Stoneville (across the railroad tracks, on the right), we are family owned and operated; Owners, Trula, Carl, Ryan and Susan Moore. Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11am to 2pm. Cicero’s offers a variety of sandwiches (BBQ, reuben, philly steak, fried green tomato po-boy), salads, plate lunch specials daily during lunch hours! Full service restaurant for dinner hours, Monday through Saturday 5pm to close. Reservations not required, but appreciated. Our specialties include famous catfish and shrimp poboys, BBQ, steaks, chicken and wraps; plus we offer a variety of specialty beers. We cater to both large and small groups!

Wedding rehearsal dinners, business dinners, physicians’ offices, etc.

L 162 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Save Ro o m Fo r D ess e rt Serving Lunch and Dinner

Monday - Saturday New Orlean Orleans ns Brunch

Saturdays 10:00 0am - 2:00pm seriosresta aurant.com

For 50 years, The Crystal G Grill has been serving Delta classics to generations of families milies for lunch and dinner.

The Crystal Grill is known for or its generous portions and legendary desserts. Locals know ow to save room for dessert.

What will you try?

OPEN TUESDAY - THURSDAY, SUND S AY 11 11:00 00 AM - 99:00 00 PM SATURDAY - SUNDAY 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM 662.453.6530 423 CARROLLTON AVENUE GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI

506 Yalobusha Yalobusha Street Greenwoo Greenwood, od, Mississippi (662)453-4826 @seriosgreenwood

@ser iosrestaurrant ant

facebook.com m/TheCry stalGrill

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&Bob’s

Burgers

Dining in the Cotton District has never been better

Bulldog Burger Where burgers are an art form

BY LOGAN KIRKLAND

any restaurants may claim they are king of the burger, but one thing is certain, Bulldog Burger rules comfortably in Starkville.

Located on the edge of Starkville’s Cotton District, business bustles at Bulldog Burger with chatter from the outside patio as cafe lights pepper the space above.

It’s everything one could want in a burger joint. The burgers are delicious, there are salads for health-conscience friends and incredible appetizers and side items.

The go-to choices for an appetizer include fried pickles, tater tot fondue—tots drizzled with queso fondue and thinly sliced jalapeños to bring heat—and their innovative Philly spring rolls.

Filled with seasoned beef, peppers, onions, gruyere, they are also topped with queso fondue and will leave you begging for more.

Bulldog Burger has rolled out a new menu item called the “Yo Adrian,” which is basically the filling of the spring roll but smothered on burger with Bibb lettuce and mayonnaise. Other crowd favorites include “the Pimentology” burger, a salute to Southern food, is exactly what you think it is, pimento cheese and a perfectly fried green tomato.

There are many other burgers with fun names that live up to all expectations like the “Freshman 15”, which is any college kid’s dream with sassy sauce and a block of panko-fried mozzarella.

And be sure to save room for dessert. Bulldog Burger’s creamy milkshakes and a chocolateglazed do-nut bread pudding comprised of Shipley do-nuts and a salted caramel sauce complete the dining experience. They also offer an adult-only version of their milkshakes for those craving a night-cap. Try the spiked salted caramel shake, with Jack Daniels, or a raspberry white chocolate with Chambord.

With Starkville’s culinary scene swiftly elevating, Bulldog Burger leads by example making it a one-stop-shop for your beverage, dessert and hunger needs.

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Bulldog Burger, 702 University Drive, Starkville

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Starkville

Commodore Bob’s Elegant and intimate dining

BY LOGAN KIRKLAND

ucked away in the heart of Starkville’s historic Cotton District sits a restaurant meant to swoon the grittiest of southerners all while satisfying a meticulous Mississippi Southern belle.

This dance of bold tastes and attention to detail along with an intimate ambience is what makes Commodore Bob’s both successful and memorable.

A crossover of southern cuisines with hues of fine dining, this restaurant brings a taste that tourists and locals gravitate toward in Bulldog Country. Often referred to as one of the finer dining options in town, one can start their meal off with an intricate appetizer like the smoked salmon pâté, which is salmon layered with a beet horseradish cream cheese.

However, if the pâté is too adventurous, one can settle with the familiar but transformed deviled eggs, composed of pork belly, kraut-chi and herb caviar. The sweet yet savory decadence is the preview needed of what’s to come from the entrées.

Although wine and beer grace the menu, Commodore Bob’s signature cocktails are standouts and should not be overlooked. With headliners like the Bramble, a mixture of gin, blackberry liqueur, simple syrup and lemon, and the Blueberry Mintini, a vodka, Cointreau, simple syrup and lime, owner Brady Hindman subtly elevates the dining experience.

He proves this by having one of the smoothest drinks comprised of house made pickles and vodka for the Pickletini.

Noteworthy items on the menu range from a prime ribeye served with broccolini and sweet potato gratin, topped with a mushroom cream sauce to the blackened gulf catch of the day.

Commodore Bob’s transforms a plethora of dishes, including a cod filet fish taco with a tasty corn salad and coconut lime sauce served in naan bread, Shrimp and grits with house-made grits, and a crab cake fritter and andouille sausage.

One of its most interesting dishes is the “Chicken Fawafel,” which is a fried, curryseasoned chicken with a chickpea waffle finished off with a baba ghanoush sauce.

With fall briskly approaching, and football season on the cusp, Commodore Bob’s is the sophisticated SEC powerhouse everyone wants to attend.

T

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good eats guide

Larry’s Fish House

4238 Highway 7 South / Itta Bena / (662) 254-6001 or (662) 299-9621 larrysfishhouse.com Larry’s Fish House opened November 1996. We opened as a family-type restaurant. The restaurant offers all-you-care-to-eat buffet. We serve U.S. farm-raised catfish. Fried, baked, and grilled catfish fillets, whole fried catfish, fried chicken tenders and smoked pork ribs are available on the buffet bar along with country vegetables. We offer onsite catering for parties, family reunions, birthdays, corporate events and much more. Call today to book your Holiday party!

L

RR

The Gallery Restaurant

100 Sunflower Street / Merigold / (662) 748-2754 Founded by the late Lee and Pup McCarty in 1991, The Gallery Restaurant in downtown Merigold has been serving lunch and hosting special events for more than 20 years. The Gallery is a perfect place for a unique lunch experience. Mr. McCarty described it as “New York cuisine served with sweet cornbread and iced tea.” The McCartys designed and decorated the restaurant, reflecting their theme of “simple but elegant.” The Gallery provides a wonderful atmosphere for a brunch, luncheon or dessert shower. Come visit us for a truly unique Delta experience. Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 1:30pm.

B

RBYOB

L RR BR

Southern Craft Stove + Tap

705 Sisk Ave. Ste. 111 / Oxford / (662) 234-6007 southerncraftstoveandtap.com At Southern Craft Stove + Tap, we strive to cultivate a concept the whole family will love! We offer a carefully crafted selection of cuisine and libations including wine and beer on tap. Recently named ‘Best New Restaurant’ by Oxford Eagle’s Best of Oxford, Southern Craft provides the opportunity to mix a comfortable setting with a high-quality meal. Enjoy our patio, playground, banquet room, seated dining, bar or partake in our catering options for your next event. We hope you will come experience our energetic atmosphere with a modern take on Southern dining we hold so dear.

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Giardina’s

314 Howard Street / Greenwood / (662) 455-4227 thealluvian.com/giardinas A legendary institution enjoyed by generations in the Delta, Giardina’s offers a well-tested menu dating from 1936. A unique blend of sophistication and warmth, Giardina’s is the perfect setting for any event.

Seating includes fourteen private booths, a main dining area, and a bar that connects to The Alluvian Hotel.

In addition to the steaks, seafood, and pastas from the founder’s native Italy, Giardina’s kitchen continues to offer innovative southern cuisine with the Chef Cameron Shaw’s ever-changing specials and menu creations. Giardina’s is open for dinner Monday - Saturday from 5:00-10:00pm.

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Main Street Market

902 Cherry Street / Vicksburg / (601) 634-8088 mainstreetmarketcafe.com With deep roots, hospitality and the freshest food you can find, you don’t want to miss Main Street Market Cafe.Most of the food on the menu changes weekly to reflect seasonal and local offerings. Some things are just legendary — like Betty’s Biscuits. We are a from-scratch kitchen where you will find a fresh daily supply of quiches, soup, specials and pies. Our housemade ginger dressing is delicious. Try a Muffuletta topped with a New Orleans olive salad. Chicken and andouille gumbo is a local favorite.

B

BYOB RR

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a la carte alley

111 South Court Street / Cleveland / (662) 545-4229 alacartealley.net Welcome to a la carte alley, a Cleveland tradition since 1994, owned by Emma and Kyle Hallford. While we speicialize in lunch a la carte items, we pride ourselves in using fresh ingredients and having the best service staff in the Delta. Our part of the Delta is fortunate to have access to excellent talent from the Delta State community and that combined with only the finest produce, meats and accessories makes us your destination place for lunch. We meet your culinary needs. Please visit us to eat in or take out, you will not be disappointed!

L

THIS IS HOW W YOU DEFINE DELICIOUS S IN THE DELT TA . n to the good life at Louie’s , where the Delta ’s best steaks are ju st the beginning of an azing night out. We’ve also raised the bar on a variet y of seafood and other hand craf ted hes . N ow, we invite you to relax and enjoy the best dining experience in the Delta.

w w w.louies steakhouse.com

r more information or to make reser vation s , call (662) 335 -9797 ex t 192. ©

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HISTORY

The 1978

CLEVELAND The city almost lost its downtown 168 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

BY KEITH WOOD

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The late Leslie Walker, who was the fire chief back in 1978, talks strategy with firemen Gene Bishop and Terry Burd a few minutes before the explosion that sent several volunteers to the emergency room.

ust over forty years ago on August 13, 1978

J

while most Cleveland residents were attending church services, the Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call of a fire at the old Bill’s Dollar Store address in downtown Cleveland on Sharpe Avenue. Little did they know what kind of an ordeal was in store for them.

Former Cleveland Fire Chief Gene Bishop remembers that dreadful Sunday morning.

“I was a member of the Cleveland Fire Department at the time, though I was not yet an actual employee,” says Bishop. “It was a cloudy, misty day. The fire was already intense by the time we arrived, due to the content type of the store with lots of open rack shelving and paper products. It spread through an opening in the attic space and firewall into two other stores, Kaplain’s Men’s Store and a Milton Raines shoe store. Also, the Cleveland State Bank was close by.”

Downtown Cleveland was in flames and Bishop says that assistance was called for and provided by the Bolivar County Volunteer Fire Department as well firehouses from other neighboring towns.

One of the officers walked through Kaplain’s from the front door to the back and did not see any evidence of fire.

Unbeknownst to any of the first responders, the fire was out of sight in the concealed space above the ceiling in Kaplain’s.

Not long after the arrival of the fire department, the windows in the fronts of the store exploded hurling flying glass shards at firefighters and observers alike.

“When that happened, we were just putting ladders on the Milton Raines building,” Bishop noted. “I was standing in front and noticed some smoke and flames coming out of the façade. I mentioned it to the chief and almost at the same time, someone opened the back door and created a backdraft, feeding more oxygen to the fire. The next I knew, it was almost like seeing things in slow motion in a movie. I watched those large windows

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Firefighters work to stop a fire that destroyed three buildings and damaged Cleveland State Bank.

erupt outward and go in a million directions. The ladders were knocked off the building and one hit me in the shoulder. The explosion blew shoes all the way over to the railroad tracks and severed fire hoses in several places.”

Firemen and bystanders were injured from the blast. Bishop was one of them. “I had a large cut on my chin and cheekbone and there was blood all over my face,” says Bishop. “I ended up with over two hundred stitches. I didn’t really know how bad I was cut until I was sent to the emergency room. Every exposed part of my body that was not covered by my gear was peppered with glass cuts. I did not have on my helmet with a shield, and even though I was wearing a protective coat, any opening to my street clothes underneath was cut.”

For hours firefighters and others worried that a large part of downtown Cleveland would catch fire and be destroyed.

However, by 2:45 p.m., the fire was officially finally under control. A few hours later, it was declared out, but the damage it caused was enormous.

“It literally put all those stores out of business, the damage was so great,” said Bishop.

Even though there was initial worry about damage to the Cleveland State Bank, there was only minor smoke and water damage to items in storage above the bank, leaving all sensitive documents and currency unharmed inside the vault. The National Guard was called in to provide security patrols at night for days after the fire to prevent any looting to the damaged stores. The State Fire Marshall later determined the cause of the fire was a faulty fluorescent light.

Six firefighters and several bystanders were injured that day.

Extra doctors had to be called in to help the wounded. “Bud Grant was injured the most,” said Bishop. “He was already retired, and was there helping. He severed an artery in his arm when the storefront exploded.”

“I had only been in the fire department for three months,” said

170 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Terry Burd. “I was at church when the alarm went off. When I left church, I went to the station and saw what was going on. I was one of the first on the scene and was told to pack up and go up the outside stairwell of the Cleveland State Bank with Gene Bishop. For some reason we were then told not go up there, so we went back around to the front and were trying to get our lines in there when the explosion occurred. I remember all those shoes flying everywhere and the heat. Fortunately, I only received a cut on the back of my leg that required three stitches. I didn’t know I was cut until someone noticed blood on the back of my trousers.”

The fire is still ingrained in fireman Gerald Jacks’s memory. “I was sitting in the church choir when the alarm went off and I thought it was going to be a routine fire,” says Jacks. “I showed up in my coat and tie and immediately we knew this was a major fire and we were going to need assistance from other fire departments. I was an engineer operating the pumper, and we were having trouble holding water pressure. I left the pumper to talk to Leslie Walker about what we should do concerning the water. We just happened to be standing ten feet off the sidewalk in front when the explosion took place. I was facing the window.

I was still in my suit and I remember being able to turn away just in time and it felt like someone shot me with a gun all over the back of my body. After things settled down, we started assessing the injuries and I ran back to the pumper and felt something squishy in my shoe. When I looked down, my shoe was filled with blood. I had received a cut across the top of my right foot. They insisted I go to the hospital and report it. After checking on Bud Grant and Gene Bishop, who were injured the worst, I returned to fighting the fire.”

The damaged area remained vacant for several years until Abraham’s Men’s Clothing store, which is an anchor of Cleveland’s shopping district to this day, opened in the two spaces where the other businesses had been located. DM

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EVENTS

FESTIVALS, MUSIC & FUN THINGS TO DO September 1-2

Southaven

Tanger Outlets Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival 5205 Airways Blvd.

September 1-2

Carrollton

September 11

Memphis

September 20-30

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite

Annual Mid-South Fair

Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

Landers Center www.midsouthfair.com

September 14

Cleveland

Southaven

September 21-22

Cleveland

Mississippi John Hurt Music Festival

Annual Rice Tasting Luncheon

Pig Pickin’

John Hurt Museum, 1973 CR 109 www.facebook.com/pg/johnhurtfoundation/events/

Walter Sillers Coliseum, 11 am-1 pm

Delta State University deltastate.edu

September 2

The Gospel Showdown

September 21-22

Front lawn of Grammy Museum MS, 2 pm www.grammymuseumms.org

16th Annual Hernando Water Tower Festival

September 15

Courthouse Square www.hernandoms.org

Holly Bluff

9th Annual Holly Bluff Friends & Family Day Miller’s Place, 9 am-9 pm

September 4

Cleveland

Sanders Soundstage at Grammy Museum MS, 7 pm www.grammymuseumms.org

Memphis

Memphis

September 21

September 15

Memphis

Downtown Hollandale

John Prine September 22

Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

Memphis Botanic Garden, 8:30 pm www.memphisbotanicgarden.com

300oaks.racesonline.com

Greenwood

Across from BB King Museum, 9 am-4 pm Handmade arts and crafts, live music, kid’s activities, and festival food

September 22

Batesville Civic Center, 8 am-3:30 pm Free to the public 601-635-3222

September 15

Indianola

Indian Bayou Arts Festival

38th Annual 300 Oaks Road Race

Batesville

Hollandale

Sam Chatmon Blues Festival

September 15

Batesville Indian Artifact & Relic Show

Hernando

Cooper-Young Festival

Big & Rich with special guest Cowboy Troy

September 8

Cleveland

cooperyoungfestival.com

Grammy Spotlight: Travis Greene

September 7

September 15

Greenville

The 41st Annual Delta Blues & Heritage Festival

Tunica Resorts

Clint Black Gold Strike Casino Resort

September 22

1135 Dycus Road, 10 am-11 pm www.deltabluesms.org

Grenada

Downtown Jubilee Historic Square, 9 am-5 pm

September 8

Tunica Resorts

Jackson September 27

My Way: A Frank Sinatra Tribute starring Peter Lake

Travis Tritt Gold Strike Casino Resort

September 8

September 17

Brandon

Duling Hall, 7:30 pm www.msopera.org

Landers Center, 7:30 pm www.landerscenter.com

Alabama in Concert September 18

Brandon Amphitheater, 7:30 pm www.brandonamphitheater.com

September 11

Cleveland

Southaven

Justin Moore with special guest Tyler Rich Cleveland

Lee Ann Womack: All the Trouble Tour

September 28

Bologna Performing Arts Center, 7:30 pm bolognapac.com

Bulldog Bash

September 20-October 7

September 28-29

Starkville

Downtown Starkville

Jere Allen Exhibit Opening Delta Arts Alliance Ellis Gallery, 6:30 pm

172 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Vicksburg

Vicksburg Fall Pilgrimage

Ruleville Roast

12 venues, 4 tours vicksburgpilgrimage.com

Downtown Ruleville

Ruleville

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September 29

Tunica Resorts

Dionne Warwick Fitz Casino

September 29

Memphis

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Steve Martin & Martin Short Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

September 29

Jackson

John Alexander Vocal Competition Belhaven University Center for the Arts, 8 am-until www.johnalexandervocalcomp.com

September 29

Leland

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8th Annual Leland Frog Fest & Chili Cook Off Downtown Leland, 9 am-2 pm lelandchamber.com

October 2

Cleveland

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Bologna Performing Arts Center, 7:30 pm bolognapac.com

October 3

Tunica Resorts

Gateway to the Blues Concert with Keith Johnson

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October 3-6

Helena

King Biscuit Blues Festival Downtown Helena www.kingbiscuitfestival.com

October 3

Memphis

The Temptations & The Four Tops Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

October 4

Southaven

Brett Eldredge: The Long Way Tour Landers Center, 7:30 pm www.landerscenter.com

October 4

Brandon

The Beach Boys Brandon Amphitheater, 7:30 pm www.brandonamphitheater.com

October 5-6

Cleveland

Otherfest Highway 61 North www.keepclevelandboring.com

October 5-6

Carrollton

Carrollton Pilgrimage & Pioneer Day Festival Courthouse Square Food, music and educational & product tents www.visitcarrolltonms.com

October 6

Tunica Resorts

The Marshall Tucker Band Gold Strike Casino Resort

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October 6

Yazoo City

October 15

Jackson

Yazoo Music Festival

John Alexander Awards Concert

Main Street, 2 pm

Duling Hall, 7:30 pm www.johnalexandervocalcomp.com

October 6

October 18-20

Corner of Grove and Washington Street Live entertainment, children’s activities, sidewalk sales, and more

Delta Hot Tamale Festival

Greenville

www.mainstreetgreenville.com

October 19 October 6

Biloxi

George E. Ohr Art & Beer Festival

Tunica Resorts

Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Horseshoe Casino

386 Beach Blvd. www.georgeohr.org

October 19

October 6-7

Memphis

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

Southaven

Memphis

Memphis

Yazoo City

Ag Days Yazoo

Pinetop Perkins Homecoming

Triangle Center, 8 am-4 pm www.agdaysyazoo.com

Hopson Plantation & Shack Up Inn, 3 pm Pinetopperkinsfoundation.org/homecoming

October 20

2018 Southern Foodways Symposium Reading Food: From Menus to Soap Operas to Novels

The Man Who Came Uptown

Horseshoe Casino

George Pelecanos September 10: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

October 20-21

Memphis

Memphis Comic Expo

October 11-13

October 24-26

Native American Days

Various venues in Clarksdale www.coahomacc.edu/twilliams/

Winterville Mounds

Warfield Point Park mightymississippimusicfestival.com

Cleveland

Clarksdale

11th Annual Deep Blues Festival Various venues in Clarksdale www.deepbluesfest.com

Bologna Performing Arts Center, 7:30 pm bolognapac.com

Jackson

Cyndi Lauper

Cleveland

Octoberfest

Clarksdale

October 27 October 12

Vicksburg

Southern Heritage Twilight Air Show & Diamond Rio Concert Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport, 4 pm www.southernheritageair.org

Tunica Resorts

The O’Jays Horseshoe Casino

Stephen Markley September 18: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm September 19: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Perre Coleman Magness September 21: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Hambone Festival T. Rex Machine

Hambone Gallery www.stanstreet.com/hambone-festival.html

Downtown Green Strip Octoberfestms.com

Ohio

Southern Snacks: 77 Recipes for Small Bites with Big Flavor

Thalia Mara Hall, 7:30 pm www.thaliamarahall.net

October 27-30 October 12-13

Sheila Turnage September 12: Square Books, Jr., Oxford, 4 pm

John Prine

October 25 October 11-14

Danny Toma September 11: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

The Law of Finders Keepers

October 25 Greenville

America First Scott

Tennessee Williams Festival

Mighty Mississippi Music Festival

Lisa Patton September 5: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm September 6: Turnrow Books, Greenwood, 5:30 pm September 7: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm September 29: Square Books, Oxford, 1 pm

Tunica

Agricenter International www.memphiscomicexpo.com

October 11-13

Rush

Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen

University of Mississippi 2018southernfoodwayssymposium.bpt.me

Clarksdale

Jack Ford September 7: Square Books, Oxford, 1 pm

A Paranormal Evening with Alice Cooper

October 19-20

Oxford

Patchwork

Chariot on the Mountain

Shelby Farms Park www.memphofest.com

October 11-13

Todd Richards September 5: Snackbar, Oxford, 1 pm

Landers Center, 7:30 pm www.landerscenter.com

Mempho Music Festival

Clarksdale

Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes

Bobbie Ann Mason September 5: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Orpheum Theater orpheum-memphis.com

October 7

David Sansing September 4: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Chonda Pierce: Getting Back to Funny Tour

October 19

October 6-7

October 12

The Other Mississippi: A State in Conflict with Itself

Vicksburg

Downtown Fall Festival

BOOK SIGNINGS

Jared Chapman September 22: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 10 am

Tunica

Trace Adkins

Suffer the Children

Gold Strike Casino

Adair Sanders September 22: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 4 pm

October 27

Rolling Fork

Great Delta Bear Affair

King Alice

Downtown greatdeltabearaffair.org

Matthew Cordell September 24: Turnrow Books, Greenwood, 5:30 pm

Gravesend William Boyle September 26: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm

174 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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Southern Splendor: Saving Architectural Treasures of the Old South Robin Lattimore September 28: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm October 2: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm

There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake Loren Long September 29: Square Books, Jr., Oxford, 4 pm

The Stars Now Unclaimed Drew Williams September 10: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm October 1: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

The Wall in the Middle of the Book Jon Agee October 3: Turnrow Books, Greenwood, 5:30 pm

Refuse Julian Randall October 10: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Vinegar and Char: Verse from the Southern Foodways Alliance Sandra Beasley October 12: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

The Lesbian South Jaime Harker October 15: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Heavy: An American Memoir Kiese Laymon October 16: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm October 17: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm

The Southern Living Party Cookbook Elizabeth Heiskell October 23: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm October 25: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm

The Stars Now Unclaimed Drew Williams October 24: Turnrow Books, Greenwood, 5:30 pm

Waiting for Eden Elliot Ackerman October 22: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm October 24: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm

Make Something Good Today Erin and Ben Napier October 26: Square Books, Oxford, 5 pm October 27: Lemuria Books, Jackson, 5 pm

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DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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DELTA SEEN

James Wroten, Sue Triggs, Alex Triggs, Elise Ramage, Elaine Brandt, John Brandt, Bobby Poole and Rob Ramage

Deltans attend Brown Family Reunion at Beauvoir on June 23 Photos by Derek Fountain

Brown family descendants in front of Beauvoir House Marcia Poole, Rob Ramage, Elise Ramage and Elise Poole

Cosmo Lieberman firing the cannon

Linda Howard firing the cannon

Dianne Crawford, Gay Crawford Gruetzemacher, Gerry Crawford Pope,Ron Pope, Jane and Nick Crawford

Nick and Jane Crawford Cosmo Lieberman and Heather Poole

Linda and Don Howard

Attendees watch demonstration

Back row: Nick Crawford, Jane Crawford, D’anne Hurd, George Forsythe, John Depenbrock; Front Row: Dianne Crawford, Gay Crawford Gruetzemacher, Gerry Crawford Pope and Ron Pope 178 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Webster McDonald, Cynthia McDonald, Frances McDonald, Beth McDonald, Grady McDonald and Madalena Baker

Back row: Jim Heathman, John Depenbrock, Webster McDonald, George Forsythe, D’anne Hurd, Gay Crawford Gruetzemacher, Dianne Crawford, Gerry Crawford Pope, Ron Pope, Jane Crawford, Nick Crawford & Marshal LaMastus; Front row: Madalena Baker, Frances McDonald, Grady McDonald and Merle May LaMastus

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DELTA SEEN

Greenville Arts Council Do Drink the Brown Water Literary Series in Greenville on July 26 Photos by Sandi Burt

Austin Frye, Chris Hamilton, Ellen Frye

Paula Young, Pamela Spencer, Turnipseed and Sherrilyn Jordan

Bill Coppage, Will Coppage, Woodrow Wilkins

Whitney

Brucie Mintz and Melissa Moyse

Janet Benzing, Hillary Boggs and Terri Lane Linda Burgess, Maggie Dunlap and Hank Burdine

Will Coppage, Whitney Turnipseed and Bill Dunlap

Clarke and Judy Reed

Will Coppage, Bill Dunlap and Hank Burdine

Bill and Anne Walker

Valerie Rankin, Betty Lynn Cameron, Bill and Anne Walker

Mike Williams, Clair Quittmeyer and Katherine Crump

Mary V. Watson and Linda Burgess

Clinton Pettiet and Melissa Moyse

Ellen and Austin Frye

Toni Gambernini and Mary Jo Coombes

Bobby Warrington and Mollie Warrington DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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DELTA SEEN

Reed Jones, Joey Reed, Jennifer Medders, Larry Lambert with Amanda and Morgan Robinson

Michael Boulanger, Lauren Keen, Kelsey and Colby Spradling, Stormi Valentine and Judson Brown

BBQ and Brews Cleveland-Bolivar County United Way Fundraiser at Delta Meat Market in Cleveland on July 13 Photos by Roy Meeks

Matt Jones, Will Bradham, Bennett Crow and Jeffrey Farris

Mark and Marcia Hargett with Matthew and Corley Mullins

Front row from left: Tucker Lamastus, Reagan Carr, Will Carr; middle row: Christy Lamastus, Lily Carr, Camille Carr, Casey Carr; Back row: Alan Lamastus and Gary Carr

Tyler Cannon, Peyton Overstreet, Hamilton Brown and Judson Brown

Corley Mullins and Melissa Logan

Margot Bernard and Suzy Jones

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Chris Logan

Matthew McCreary

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Grand Opening of Mod + Proper in Cleveland on July 26 Photos by Delta Magazine

Charlotte Skelton, Morgan Wheeler, Allie Horne, and Martha Wheeler

Tess Poe and Suellen Williams

Nott Wheeler and Aimee Robinette

Christy Sledge and Beth Joel

Pam Parker and Paige Smith

Charlie and Cordelia Capps with Edith Sledge

Travis Coopwood, Mary Beth Smith and Kitty Kossman

Amber Davis and Kim Buehring

DELTA SEEN

Joyce Marie Sherman, Martha Wheeler and Marilyn Alford

Martha, Nott and Morgan Wheeler

Travis and Cindy Coopwood

Morgan Wheeler, Cindy Jaudon and Martha Wheeler

Morgan and Shawn Marchant with Jane Tackitt

Morgan Wheeler and Kelli Carr

Mary Beth Smith and Morgan Wheeler DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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DELTA SEEN

Beth Stevens, Andy Hackelman, Ethan Oltremari, Stephen Cookston, Holly Miller, Eric and Ellen and Maggie Miller

Rob and Susan Spiller

Bikes, Blues and Bayous in Greenwood on August 3 Photos by Johnny Jennings Po’ Monkey Day in Merigold on July 14 A selection of photos from Delta Magazine readers

Kelvin Jones, Jimbo Raley, Lisa Thompson, Carolyn McAdams and Scott Parish

Allan Hammons, Jim Bowen and Putnam Stainback

Davo Pittman, Mike Malouf, Wallie Stuckey, John Huston and Toni Powers with Katheryn Jasmine and Christy Beattie and John Pittman

Stephen Smith, Andrew Westerfield and Jamie Smith at the Po’ Monkey Festival in Merigold

Hank Burdine, Madge Howell, Jamie and Stephen Smith at the Po’ Monkey Festival

Leland High School Class of 1968 50th anniversary celebraton. Front row from left to right: Nancy Carithers Stallings, Margaret Kazan Karr, Virginia Virden Montgomery, Doris Maxey Flint, Donna Hyer Wicks, Claire Cefalu Mitchener, Eva Carollo Anderson, Bonita Fratesi Courson. Second row: Terry Carollo Powell, Andrew Cefalu, Nancy Jo Morlino King, Trey Conlee, Connie Horton Garner, Maria Bouton, Babs Franklin Moss. Back row: David Bariola, Paul Giachelli, Bob Jackson, Danny McCaskill, David Cooper, Harry “Bub” Branton, Paul Abraham.

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Bryce Lemmons, Bryan Wheeler and John Kinard

Tony Jones, Ronnie Maletesta, Earl Johnson, Stanley Lewis and Kevin Jones

Elizabeth Coleman and Jenny Smith

Leland High School Class of 1958 celebrated their 60th anniversary at the home of Dale and Rex Morgan. Front row from left to right: Barbara Kurts, Joanna Morgan, Diane Skelton and Dot Brown. Second row: Dale Morgan and Mary Lou Mundy. Back row: Howard Hurtig, John Letchworth, James Rutland and Larry Chandler.

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Vicksburg Pop-up at Lorelei Books on July 10 A selection of photos from Delta Magazine readers

DELTA SEEN

Joy Ann Hennessey, Cindy Coopwood and Betty Bexley

Peggy Teller, Gabriella DiLiegro and Linda Parker

Stacye Trout, Josephine Peterson and Laura Beth Strickland

Peter Barrett, Abigail Stehno and Leigh Provost

Gary and Jamey Gainspoletti celebrate the 4th of July with their grandchildren: Mary Cambre, Landry, Baylor Lee, Beck, Noah and Grey Gainspoletti.

Lori Morris, Derek Miles, Morgan Freeman, Jason Morris and Linda Keena

Haley Seller and Peter Barrett

Fred Anklam and Josephine Peterson

Jon Turner, Bill Luckett, Jack Turner, Semmes Luckett and Doug Turner at Turner Family Reunion held in Clarksdale

Judy Wilson with Diane Keaton

Tri-Delta Soriety Reunion, front row from left: Sally Williams Burnett, Barbara Deaton Artman, Elizabeth Ann Hood Booth, Becky Miller Tollison, Carol Sue Fletcher Murphy, Susan Griffith Haaga; middle row: Kim Montgomery Davis, Diane Viner Hogan, Rebecca White Hood, Peggy Kitchin, Priscilla Turner Aguzzi, Joni Battestelli Tyler, Lisa Patterson Milling, Suzanne Meriweather Bean, Mary Gerrard Pritchard, Sharon Stone Dorman; back row: Lynn Naron Nassar, Regina Cliburn Ginn, Joy Laurenzi Delap, Kathleen Aguzzi Lott, Debra Floyd Atkinson, Jane Gerrard Crump, Mary Kate Griffith Walhood, Vida Viner Townsend DELTA MAGAZINE 2018

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Thefinalword A first timer gets his fill of tamales and ICPs

BY DAVID DIBENEDETTO

hen I landed in Memphis on the way to Greenville for the Hot Tamale Festival in 2013, it was my first visit to the Delta, and I had strict driving orders from my friend Julia Reed, the author and Mississippi native. Among other things, I couldn’t miss the Blue & White, but most important I had to hang a right just after the town of Alligator and get on Highway 1. On it, she said, you’ll hug the river and get a prime view of plenty of algae scum, giant cypress trees, and thousands of acres of farmland that were once filled with cotton. I followed Julia’s orders, as one does, and was astonished by the utter flatness. Having been born and raised in the Lowcountry of Georgia, I was no stranger to a landscape lacking any real undulation, but this was truly something else.

What I really wanted to catch a glimpse of was the Mississippi River itself. Ever since reading On the Road, in which Jack Kerouac called the Mississippi the “father of all rivers,” I’ve felt it necessary to crane my neck and get a view whenever my travels take me within range. Besides, I’m a fisherman, and fishermen love studying rivers.

Eventually, I pulled into Greenville, a town every journalist, especially from the South, has a reverence for. Before checking in to the hotel, I found the building where Hodding Carter II, the editor of the Delta Democrat-Times, penned the editorials that brought attention to racial injustice and would go on to win him a Pulitzer in 1946. And while the Mississippi River was impressive, here was a place where courage was personified. Where words made a difference. I loitered for a few minutes, snapped a photo of the historical marker honoring the spot, and soon found my way to the Baby Doll House, where the festival was about to kick off.

It was a weekend of firsts for me, including eating a true Delta tamale. In fact, I ate so many I lost count, though not as many as Hodding Carter IV, who did not win the Hot Tamale Eating Contest but certainly took the prize as its thinnest contestant. (I also willingly drank brown water from the tap that didn’t earn its hue from a good splash of bourbon.

Welcome to the Delta.) But just as memorable was sharing a Kool Aid Pickle with the noted New Yorker writer Calvin Trillin. When I asked him what he thought, he described it as an ICP, an Interesting Cultural Phenomenon. (Partly because of this experience the Kool Aid Pickle found its way into Garden & Gun’s S is for Southern, our survey of Southern culture that was published last year.)

But what I truly learned about the Delta is that folks there love sharing not only their tamales but also their homeland with visitors. Within the first few hours I was invited on a morning dove hunt with a promise that birds would be darkening the sky. (Lacking any proper gear I deferred, but I still feel a twinge of regret when thinking about it.) There was also a post Tamale Fest party on a sandbar in the Mississippi that I couldn’t attend due to my flight out of Memphis, but I’m told an actual piano made the trip along with a few gallons of Bloody Marys. And Delta writer and bon vivant Hank Burdine, who I had just met, was already scheming to get me back for duck season. Hank and I both own Boykin spaniels, so we bonded quickly. This winter I’ll finally be making good on my promise to join him in a blind. I can’t wait to get back—and I’ll be bringing my dog. DM

W

David DiBenedetto is the editor in chief of Garden & Gun magazine, where he oversees all content. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina with his family and two dogs.

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