A creative studio in the woods inspires not only an artist but also her family.
Home With a History
A historic College Hill home that’s been in the same family for 90 years has been given new life to accommodate modern living and future generations.
Melon Margarita
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the start of summer with this margarita, a refreshing twist on a classic cocktail.
Milling Around
Superior Artisan Wood repurposes downed trees and stands up for the environment.
Night Lights
Fireflies prepare to set the dark hours on fire.
In Taylor, the Lusco family is carrying forward one of Mississippi’s most storied restaurant traditions.
Oxford: Inside Sarah Frances Hardy ’s Oxford art studio. More on page 30.
Northeast: Crafted by Tupelo ’s Superior Artisan Wood. Read about it on page 50.
OUR TAKE WITH
Ididn’t think spring would ever arrive after our historic ice storm was followed by almost no rain for more than six weeks. But, as April turned to May, the thunder came and brought inches of much needed rain for flowers to bloom and trees to turn a lush color of green.
And that is one of the main things we celebrate this month in our Home & Garden issue — the spring renewal of spaces and places that people gather throughout the year to enjoy the beauty of the earth and skies.
This issue is filled with art and nature. On page 30, take a look inside Sarah Frances Hardy’s art studio with the serene backdrop of Splinter Creek. There’s no doubt why she is inspired each day. But not all art is created by people, sometimes even the tiniest creatures can create art. You’ll see that on page 56, where you can read about fireflies and how north Mississippi is one of the most prolific places in the country to see fireflies in the summertime. Read about “Night Lights” and find local spots to watch the creative shows these bugs put on during the next few weeks.
Whatever you do and however you spend your time this month, we are thankful you’ve taken time to read this magazine today. Please share it with others and enjoy.
Happy spring!
PUBLISHER
Rachel West
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Emily Welly
EVENTS EDITOR AND SOCIAL MEDIA
COORDINATOR
Meg Kennedy
FOOD EDITOR
Sarah Godwin
COPY EDITOR
Ashley Arthur
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Lena Anderson
Eugene Stockstill
Sonia Thompson
OFFICE
BUSINESS MANAGER
Hollie Dalton
DISTRIBUTION
Allen Baker
Brian Hilliard
MAIN OFFICE
662-234-4008
ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bryan Nigh
SENIOR EDITORIAL
PHOTOGRAPHER
Joe Worthem
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Elsie Jane Adams
Rebekah Clayton
Sumeet Kulkarni
Maria Ramirez
Lisa Roberts
Ashley Rossi
ADVERTISING ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Alise Emerson
Leigh Lowery
Lynn McElreath
Keith Rainer
Moni Simpson
Whitney Worsham
ADVERTISING DESIGNERS
Paul Gandy
Markka Bartlett
Ryan Strickland
For advertising information, contact ads@invitationoxford.com.
To subscribe to one year (10 issues) or to buy an announcement, visit invitationmag.com.
To request a photographer at your event, email invitationmag.events@gmail.com.
Invitation Magazines respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.
THE TALENT
MONI SIMPSON ADVERTISING CONSULTANT
Moni has lived in Oxford since 2001, officially longer than she lived in her hometown, and she loves everything about raising a family here. She and her husband bought a 1970s home 15 years ago and have been slowly remodeling it by themselves one area at a time. They love their older, established neighborhood. A lot of their 50-year-old tree canopy was lost during the ice storm, but they are already seeing it heal itself with new growth and are excited to see the sunlight find new paths and reach through to previously untouched spots, creating space for the next generation of trees.
EMILY WELLY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
EUGENE STOCKSTILL WRITER
Eugene Stockstill spent more than 20 years working in newsrooms in Massachusetts, Alabama and Mississippi. An award-winning reporter, he has been published in The Oxford American. He now freelances for multiple publications and works as a parish minister in the United Methodist Church and a proctor and online instructor at Itawamba Community College. He lives with his wife and granddaughter in Hickory Flat.
Editorial director Emily Welly has worked for Invitation Magazines since 2007. She started with the magazine as a freelance writer shortly after moving to Oxford sight unseen with her husband, Nick, who attended law school at Ole Miss. She currently lives out of the area but is thankful to remain so connected to northeast Mississippi and the Oxford community through the magazine. When she’s not working, she is mostly likely found sitting on a sideline or a pool deck cheering on her three daughters, or daydreaming about the home renovations and garden projects she hopes to tackle one day.
REBEKAH CLAYTON EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER
Rebekah Clayton is a photographer and creative who loves being part of Oxford’s community events and meeting new people. Through At Your Best Photo, she helps clients feel confident and celebrated, telling stories that become lasting memories. Her favorite part of her job is making people shine at their best and sharing the spirit of the community through her lens.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Wonderbird Spirits
NOW OPEN
200 South 11th St., Oxford
The Taylor-based gin distillery’s new tasting room on the Square is open for tastings, a specialty cocktail service on Thursdays and special events. wonderbirdspirits.com
The Velvet Ditch
NOW OPEN
430 South Lamar Blvd., Oxford
Featuring a massive outdoor dining space and full menu, plus weekly drink specials. Open daily. The kitchen closes at 9 p.m., but the bar stays open late Monday through Saturday. thevelvetditchbar.net
Gordo’s Bubble Waffle
NOW OPEN
125 Heritage Dr., Oxford
Crispy bubble waffles with decadent toppings plus mini pancakes, waffle sticks, homemade ice cream, milkshakes, coffee drinks and more. instagram.com/oxfordgordos
Lusco’s
NOW OPEN
118 Town Square Lane, Taylor
This six-generation, family-owned Italian-Creole restaurant recreated its beloved original Delta location in Taylor. Open by reservation only Wednesday through Saturday. Read more on page 60. luscos.restaurant
Matchbox Matcha
NOW OPEN
1006 Van Buren Ave., Oxford
Serving up specialty matcha drinks from a charming space on the Square. Located in the alley between The Lyric and South Depot. instagram.com/matchboxmatcha_oxford
Aplós Simple Mediterranean
COMING SOON
803 Sisk Ave., Oxford
This much-loved Jackson and Ridgeland fast-fine Greek restaurant is expected to open in Oxford Commons in summer 2026. Find wraps, gyros, burgers, pizzas and more. eataplos.com
Photo by Joe Worthem
Apló s Simple Mediterranean
Lusco’s
Matchbox Matcha
Gordo’s Bubble Waffle
Wonderbird Spirits
Photo by Joe Worthem
Photo by Joe Worthem
The Velvet Ditch
Moondog Makers and Bakers
COMING SOON
Thompson Social Park, Saltillo
Famous for its gourmet wood-fired pizza, Corinth’s Moondog Makers and Bakers is opening a second location in Saltillo. moondogmakersandbakers.com
Vault on Fillmore
COMING SOON
603 N. Fillmore St., Corinth
Casual dining from the owners of SJ’s Southern Bites food truck and the former JP’s at Pickwick. instagram.com/vaultonfillmore
Marshall Steakhouse Oxford
COMING SOON
Pat Patterson Parkway, Oxford
This Holly Springs steakhouse, bar and banquet hall is expanding to a new location in Oxford near mTrade Park. Expected to open in June. marshallsteakhouse.com
Marshall Steakhouse Oxford
Vault on Fillmore
Moondog Makers and Bakers
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
HOME & GARDEN
FROM THE INVITATION MAGAZINES ARCHIVES
To celebrate our anniversary we will rerun favorites from past issues!
For many years, usually (but not always) in May, we have published a Home & Garden-themed issue. These magazines have featured luxurious homes, quirky cabins and creative renovations. We have visited with local farmers, expert flower growers and many master gardeners. One thing all our Home & Garden stories have in common is the sense of pride they reflect in this place we call home. Here are just a few of our favorites.
“How Now Brown Cow”
Invitation Oxford May 2010
Back in 2010, we got a look inside Brown Family Dairy farm, which was about a year old at the time. The farm still supplies milk to families, restaurants and markets around north Mississippi. They also sell milk (as well as beef and sausage) from their own farm store at 941 Highway 334, Oxford.
“Modern Family”
Invitation Oxford May 2013
Ellen and Eason Leake’s “Boathouse” was featured in the May 2013 cover story. The home was the first residence built on the Leakes’ 650 acres off Clear Creek Road. Since then, they have transformed the land into the Splinter Creek development. With more than 30 homesites, the community is built around environmental preservation and sustainability.
Annual combined oxford and tupelo issue
“Hollywood Material”
Invitation Tupelo
April 2014
The cover and the “Hollywood Material” story featured Premier Prints, a Sherman-based manufacturer of designer fabrics. In addition to being used by Mississippi decorators, textiles from the family-owned company had recently been used in Hollywood award-show parties. Premier Prints is still in business and recently announced it is installing a new printer and upgrading its processes and facility.
HOME & GARDEN
Continued from page 23
“Backyard Sanctuary”
Invitation Tupelo April 2016
This magazine featured Jeanett and Ray Emmons’ private, 80-acre Saltillo property, where they not only built their home but also created a certified wildlife preserve, complete with a walking path through the woods, thriving flower gardens and a 5-acre lake.
“Beep! Beep!”
Invitation Oxford May 2023
“Mai-ghty
Fresh Veggies”
Invitation Magazine March 2020
This cover and an inside story featured Mai Fair, a local farmer who creates beautiful veggie boxes from the produce and flowers she grows.
Interior designer Baylor Pillow of Oxford’s Beep Design Consulting shared what inspires him and some of his local work in this 2023 story.
THE PERFECT BLEND
A CREATIVE STUDIO IN THE WOODS INSPIRES NOT ONLY AN ARTIST BUT ALSO HER FAMILY.
WRITTEN BY SONIA THOMPSON | PHOTOS BY JOE WORTHEM
Driving through the stone-and-iron front gates of Splinter Creek — a community of modern lake houses on County Road 343 — and down a winding gravel path to Sarah Frances Hardy’s studio, the prominent colors on display are blues and greens.
The pine trees, the native grasses, the shades of the deepening lake waters all show off the soothing hues of nature. Even the studio exterior itself, with its striking and varied rooflines, blends into the loblollies reaching skyward, evoking the image of a modern treehouse.
But hike the short path up to the front door, and it opens into a riot of color. Floors stenciled with geometric shapes, an orange desk, a paint-covered table, hot pink floral bathroom walls, and a chartreuse-colored bedroom underscore the point: this is an artist’s workspace.
The colorful studio sits on a high elevation, looking down at a spring-fed lake with views of the water on three sides. The large picture windows frame the spectacular overlook, and of
course let in plenty of natural light.
“The colors change constantly,” Hardy said. “Sometimes the light will just pop really red or really, really bright acid green.”
Hardy, a painter and children’s book author and illustrator, says her new workspace is a far cry from her previous one.
“For the past 20 years, my studio was off the back of our garage,” Hardy said, laughing. “Now, I just look around and think, this is too good, it’s too good.”
Her former garage studio space, while dim and cramped, served its purpose, making it possible for Hardy to pursue her art career while raising three daughters with her husband, John. Now that their children are grown, Hardy is able to devote more of her workday to her art with fewer interruptions. That meant the need for a proper studio, which Hardy sketched out and then designed with the help of friend and architect Frances Zook.
The Hardys purchased their lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, and completed the build
Continued on page 33
Continued from page 31 in 2024. And, while they’re empty nesters, the studio and accompanying lake house on the same lot were designed with their grown children in mind.
When the whole family gathers, it means lots of coffee, then kayaking or paddleboarding, and hiking the 650-acre property together. Hardy says they all like to cook and enjoy their meals outside. For the nights, John designed the back deck with two benches built at the perfect angle for stargazing.
“Our girls love coming here,” Hardy said. “When we were designing both structures, we did so with the idea of them visiting with their future families. It’s such a great family place for our daughters and our new son-in-law; we are all gathering out here, but then it’s also my creative space. It really is the perfect blend.”
Lately, that creativity has been taking shape through an idea Hardy journaled about nearly a decade ago and rediscovered. She had found a box of her grandmother’s old quilt pieces and was noodling in writing about what she might do with them.
“I wrote, ‘I want to create a wild natural landscape, but incorporate the domestic — the quilt pieces,’” she said.
The idea is gelling to become a series of large-scale landscapes featuring those quilt scraps to be exhibited in a show called Wild Domesticity, slated to open this September at Pearl River Glass Studio in Jackson. Hardy had a previous show in that gallery 25 years ago when her children were young.
Playing with the juxtaposition of nature and the domestic, all in the workspace Hardy envisioned and then created with her family in mind, feels just right.
“The timing is just perfect,” Hardy said.
Home With a History
A HISTORIC COLLEGE HILL HOME THAT’S BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR 90 YEARS HAS BEEN GIVEN NEW LIFE TO ACCOMMODATE MODERN LIVING AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL | PHOTOS BY JOE WORTHEM
FoxShaw, the renovated house in Lafayette County where Leigh Shaw Fox and her husband, Chip, plan to retire one day, has a rich, old history.
It was once a part of the old North Mississippi College’s dairy barn, which was located on a site that also included a dormitory, a mule barn, a potato house and an orchard. Today, the house stands as an homage to a bygone era.
“It’s a recycled house,” Fox said. “It’s been a labor of love.”
The name Shaw has been connected to Lafayette County for six generations, and “probably the entire Shaw family were early settlers,” Fox said. They were among the Presbyterians who settled in north Mississippi in the 1830s and founded College Hill, one of Lafayette’s first settlements. Those first residents built a school and a church.
When Fox’s grandparents, Parham and Floyce Shaw, moved into the house at 310 County Road 102 in 1936, it had no electricity or indoor plumbing. They made numerous upgrades and moved the kitchen to the north side. It became the property of Chip and Leigh Fox in 2018, and the next year, they started planning renovations.
“We were the brilliant people who renovated during COVID,” she said. “It’s a historic family home. It’s always been a really tender place. My dad grew up here. This is where we had Sunday lunch. We went to church at College Hill Pres. This is where we knew we wanted to retire. This is a generational house.”
The old country residence is made of tumbled brick and flagstone and is trimmed with cedar. The original residence had three bedrooms and one bathroom. After the renovation was completed, it had four bedrooms and four-anda-half bathrooms. Most of the living space is downstairs, with an office and a guest suite upstairs.
Fox said she and her husband were involved on an almost daily basis with Chad Russom and his crews at Russom Construction. Continued on page 42
Continued from page 37
Fox designed parts of the renovated house, too.
“I had a vision of what I wanted to stay the same,” she said.
For instance, an old barn on the property could not be saved, “so we saved the wood and incorporated it into the house,” she said. That old wood has been incorporated into the ceilings, entryway and porch. The focus for Fox was maintaining the character of the original residence, while making enough changes to transform it into a more comfortable living area.
“It’s bringing the old into the new,” she said. “This project touched my soul.”
Interior designer Joe Rankin described the house’s updated ambiance as “sophisticated, casual elegance,” a space that “has the warmth of a cozy cottage but the spaciousness of a grand house.”
The original wood floors were renovated. Bricks from three old fireplaces were used to make the new fireplace in the great room. The old eat-in kitchen was upgraded with a new Wolf range and hood, among other items, but, Fox said, “it’s the same space. We’re cooking in the same space that Grandmother cooked for us.”
Ceiling light fixtures from the old living and dining rooms are now sconces in the new powder room. Beams in the foyer, great room and used for walls came from the old mule barn. Old hickory walls, pine floors and wood collected by her father became hand-hewn wood gallery walls and accent tables. One room, which was a part of the original house, is a total
of eight feet tall from floor to ceiling.
One of Fox’s favorite touches is that the vanities in the powder room were once the old dining room’s buffet.
“It’s from my dad’s aunt,” she said. “We wanted it to stay here.”
Fox’s favorite room in the house? That’s a tough question, but she defaults to what used to be the old dining room but now functions as a kind of sitting room.
“It’s the most inviting room in the house,” she said. (It’s featured on the page 40, with cedar ceilings, a fireplace and a full bar.) “Everyone that comes here, this is where they wind up.”
The front porch is another special place, harkening to old gatherings and making possible new ones. A separate screened porch replicates a similar one found at another old Shaw house.
The house owned by the Foxes has been for many years the site of numerous College Hill gatherings: Prayer meetings, sewing circles, Sunday lunches, family reunions and, of course, the making of beloved Brunswick stew.
“Last June, the Shaw family reunion was held at the College Hill Community Center and here,” Fox said, and it made her tear up when she realized her grandchildren were playing in the same house where her Aunt Jane had played 90 years before. “This is why we did it.”
The house will be far more than a retirement hideaway for the two of them, she said.
“It’s as much for the future.”
MELON MARGARITA
CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO AND THE START OF SUMMER WITH THIS HONEYDEW MARGARITA, A REFRESHING TWIST ON A CLASSIC COCKTAIL.
RECIPES AND STYLING BY SARAH GODWIN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM
HONEYDEW MARGARITA
VARIATIONS ON CLASSIC MARGARITAS ARE ENDLESS. THIS SUMMERY TWIST ADDS FRESH HONEYDEW JUICE FOR A DRINK THAT’S VIBRANT, SWEET AND REFRESHING.
Fresh lime juice or simple syrup
Tajin or salt
Ice
2 ounces fresh honeydew juice
½ teaspoon simple syrup
1 ½ ounces tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
DIRECTIONS
First, prepare the glass. Add lime juice or simple syrup to a small plate. Dip the rim of a glass in it until coated, then dip into salt or tajin to garnish. Add ice to the glass, and set aside until cocktail is mixed and ready to pour.
In a cocktail shaker, add ice, honeydew juice, simple syrup, tequila and lime juice. Shake until cold and frothy, 1-2 minutes. Strain into prepared glass, and serve.
HONEYDEW JUICE
Purchase honeydew juice at specialty stores, or make it yourself by blending chunks of ripe honeydew with a couple of cups of water and a tablespoon of lime juice, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
MILLING AROUND
SUPERIOR ARTISAN WOOD REPURPOSES DOWNED TREES AND STANDS UP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL | PHOTOS BY JOE WORTHEM
Chad Fletcher and Allen Murphree own and operate Superior Artisan Wood in Lee County, one of the only companies in the state that repurposes urban wood.
What exactly is wood repurposing? Well, let’s say your favorite aunt had a gigantic tree fall in her backyard during Winter Storm Fern, but she hates the idea of burning it up or having it hauled off to the landfill.
Enter Fletcher and Murphree, who can come to her house, cut up the tree and take it to their shop, where it could be transformed into a lovely mantelpiece, a rocking chair and other pieces of furniture inside a family’s dream home.
But there’s much more to the guys’ work than that. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the environment while they are alive and well, but they release CO2 when burning or decomposing.
Four billion “board feet” of wood go to waste in the United States every year, Fletcher said. A board foot is 1-inch thick, 12-inches long and 12-inches high. Four billion board feet is the length of 270 trips from Los Angeles to New York City. Every year.
That equals a whole bunch of carbon emissions into the atmosphere for no good reason, warming an already much-too-hot environment, Fletcher said.
That’s why one of the small business’ primary goals is to convince Oxford or Tupelo or some other city or town in Mississippi to step up and initiate a municipal urban wood program. Such programs can be found in places from coast to coast, and federal money is available to support such efforts, too.
“We’ll get our community one day,” said Fletcher, adding that he believes when one town makes the commitment, others will follow. “The benefits are tremendous.”
For the time being, Fletcher and Murphree content themselves with running a company committed to making the most of one of this state’s most important and overlooked resources.
“I’m an absolute tree hugger,” said Murphree. So is his partner. And both are quick to point out that just because a tree can no longer stand upright and provide the beauty, shade and food that are so easy to take for granted does not mean it can’t help us.
Trees damaged by disease or upended by storms are their specialty. They can come to you, or you can go to them. Their basic way of advertising? Word of mouth.
And because of how their company is set up, they can process much larger pieces of wood that bigger companies reject. Superior’s current portable mill can handle a piece that’s 60 inches
in diameter. That’s a big tree, y’all.
Superior started in 2017 after Fletcher began milling wood to help build his family’s house, then he began looking for a new career. Not long after that, he teamed up with longtime friend Murphree, who had some trees down in his yard.
And just like that, a new joint venture between the clean-cut Fletcher and the bearded Murphree came into being.
Superior Artisan Wood is located on a sprawling piece of property in the Lee County hamlet of Palmetto. Their shop, as it were, is a shaded, grassy area out back, where the portable mill sits not far from a big pond. A drying kiln is nearby. Large, locked iron gates out front keep cows from wandering off.
Samples of their work are all over north Mississippi. They helped a family build a new house at Lake Darden. They’ve got pieces hanging on the walls or being used as furniture at the Union County Heritage Museum in New Albany. They processed one piece of wood at Tammy Wynette’s old home in Tremont that they had to lift onto multiple blocks before they could make a single cut. They’ve sold wood to luthiers for guitars and dulcimers. They’ve even fashioned a
toddler-sized serving spoon.
Here’s the process in a nutshell. Reclaimed wood gets cut, then air-dried, then dried in a kiln, then smoothed (called planing). All of that can take months to complete, just for a single piece of wood.
The day of this interview, Fletcher donned his goggles and started to plane a large piece of black walnut, which already resembled a pretty groovy looking tabletop. This reporter, standing several dozen feet away, caught a few wood shavings in the eye. Wood can move.
And, said Murphree, wood can keep moving long after you think it should. One customer ordered a piece of red oak, which at one point in the process seemed to have swelled to dimensions much larger than the order’s specs. Sometime later, that piece had shrunk back to the ordered size.
Dead wood still on the move? Really?
“Red oak really likes to move around,” Murphree said. “Wood is the only thing I know that acts like it’s still alive,” even when it’s not supposed to be.
Learn more about Superior Artisan Wood, their craftsmanship and their offerings online at superiorartisanwood.com.
HERE ARE A FEW TERMS THAT COME UP IN THE WORK OF SAWMILLING.
BOARD FOOT: The volume of a piece of wood that’s 1-inch thick, 12-inches long and 12-inches wide.
CANT: A partially sawn piece of wood that has two to four flat sides.
CHARGE: A stack of lumber that’s been processed in a kiln.
DRY KILN: A closed chamber for wood that reduces the wood’s moisture content through controlled heat and humidity levels.
EMC: Equilibrium Moisture Content, the point at which wood doesn’t gain or lose any moisture, and so it no longer expands or shrinks.
GRAIN: The longitudinal fibers of a piece of wood. Grain can be straight, irregular, diagonal, spiral, interlocked or wavy.
LOG: An eight-foot piece of wood.
LUMBER: Processed wood. Also referred to as timber.
PLANING: The flattening and smoothing of a rough piece of lumber.
PORTABLE SAWMILL: A moveable machine that fits on a steel bed. An operator pushes through a log, which is cut or planed.
SAWYER: Someone who operates a sawmill.
Night Lights
WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL PHOTO BY SUMEET KULKARNI
FIREFLIES PREPARE TO SET THE DARK HOURS ON FIRE.
If you’re from the deep South, you probably call them lightning bugs. Others say fireflies. They go by other names, too. Firebugs. Candle flies. Lamp bugs. Whatever you call them, get ready, because their annual light show is just about to start. Fireflies show up at the end of May and show off for just a few weeks, and multiple Mississippi organizations have traditions of going out of their way to make sure all y’all have a chance to see the spectacular displays of night lights.
Wall Doxey State Park in Holly Springs has been giving guided tours since 2023. In recent weeks, the park has been shut down in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern. So stay in touch with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (mdwfp.com) to find out whether the Holly Springs park will have tours this year or not.
The last three years, though, the tours have produced lovely results. Aimee Nezhukumatathil, an Ole Miss professor and bestselling poet, has helped with the tours in Holly Springs and at other national parks around the country. She says such events help people nurture a part of life that’s far too easy to lose in the busy-ness of the day, even in this part of the world.
“We had a couple who came from Hawaii to see the fireflies at the Smoky Mountains but couldn’t get on the waiting list, so they drove down here, and they said it was worth every minute of it,” Nezhukumatathil said. “I also had kids and teens say that was the coolest thing they saw in the forest ever, so that makes me so glad and hopeful they won’t ever forget it.”
The Mississippi Craft Center in Ridgeland hosts something every year called the Snappy Sync Soiree and Firefly Tours for the same reason: To give folks the opportunity to slow down and bask in that which you cannot put a price tag on.
Firef L y Facts
Here are a few interesting facts about fireflies.
• The dazzling glow of the firefly is a chemical process called bioluminescence and is a part of a courting ritual.
• Fireflies are species of beetles, close relatives of soldier beetles. One thing that makes a beetle a beetle: hard coverings (known as elytra) over flexible wings.
• All fireflies are a part of the biological family Lampyridae.
• There are dozens of species of fireflies, some of which do not light up at night but can be seen during the daytime, pollinating flowers.
• The light emitted by fireflies is known as cold light, because it produces little or no heat.
• Little Blue Ghosts, Snappy Sync, Winter Firefly, Twilight Bush Baby, Shadow Ghost, Spring
“The first time I saw it, I really couldn’t believe what I was looking at,” Lordish Matheney, a state park manager, said. “It’s something amazing. The lights and how they flash, it reminds me of a church choir. I can’t even explain it.”
In case you cannot make it to an official tour somewhere, here are a few tips to help you create one in your own backyard, courtesy of the Mississippi State Extension Service.
• Reduce or eliminate using chemicals on your lawn.
• Turn off or eliminate any extra lighting you may have on your property. The light may interfere with the fireflies’ ability to communicate with one another.
• Plant low, overhanging trees or tall grass in your lawn to provide a space for them to rest and stay cool during the day before night comes around.
Mississippi is very much a haven for fireflies, and you may be among the fortunate ones who in times gone by made sure to have a Mason jar on hand so you could capture a few to study and admire during the dark hours.
Nezhukumatathil, well-known around the world as a poet of the natural world, said that fireflies point us to a precious reality too often taken for granted or ignored.
“As a woman of color, I’ve often felt both visible and invisible, and the natural world gives me another way to claim space,” she said. “Not through argument, but through care and witness and attention and knowing the names of the creatures and plants that live on this planet, in this country in particular. If we can keep noticing, keep tending, there’s still room to grow something gentler, together.”
Find a Q&A with Nezhukumatathil on her latest book of poetry, “Night Owl,” on page 80.
Treetop Flasher, Common Eastern Firefly, Flower Elf: These are just a few of the more colorful, off-the-wall names for fireflies.
• The Cypress Firefly was discovered at Wall Doxey State Park in Holly Springs.
• Most fireflies live only three or four weeks.
• The chemical that activates a firefly’s glowing is known as luciferin and is toxic. Twenty fireflies could provide a fatal dose to a human being.
• Firefly larvae are extreme predators, and some are cannibals that mimic glow patterns to lure unsuspecting males so they can consume them alive and obtain enough luciferin for children.
• The hotter the day, the faster a firefly flashes.
• The firefly population has been in decline in recent years.
SERVING THE NEXT CHAPTER SERVING THE NEXT CHAPTER
IN TAYLOR, THE LUSCO FAMILY IS CARRYING FORWARD ONE OF MISSISSIPPI’S MOST STORIED RESTAURANT TRADITIONS.
WRITTEN BY LENA ANDERSON | PHOTOS BY JOE WORTHEM
S S
ome traditions are too meaningful to disappear. They simply find a new place to continue. At Lusco’s in Taylor, a restaurant cherished for generations is welcoming guests again, carrying its history while making room for new memories.
Lusco’s, the beloved family-owned restaurant that operated in Greenwood for more than a century, has reopened in Plein Air. For longtime patrons, the return has stirred memories of celebrations, family dinners and evenings that stretched late into the night. For first-time guests, it offers the chance to step into a Mississippi institution still shaped by the family that built it.
This chapter is being led by the sixth generation of family members to work in the business, a continuation that feels especially meaningful to those now carrying the name forward.
“It means so much to me that we get to carry this on,” Mary Lusco Long, back-of-house manager, said. “I want this place to go on for 100 more years.”
As her name would suggest, Mary Lusco grew up in Lusco’s. She celebrated birthdays there, worked in the original restaurant as a teenager, and learned the ins and outs of hospitality by watching generations before her. Her grandparents, Andy and Karen Pinkston, recently retired after running Lusco’s in Greenwood for more than 45 years.
Letting go of the restaurant they stewarded for decades was emotional, she said. So was the responsibility of taking it on.
“It was their baby. I want to live up to their legacy.”
That legacy reaches far beyond one generation. The family history is visible throughout the new restaurant, where heirlooms and carefully preserved details help connect past and present. Among them is a safe that once belonged to Mary Lusco’s great-great-great-grandfather, now displayed in Taylor after passing through multiple eras of the family business.
Throughout the building, original curtains hang once again. Restored light fixtures and ceiling fans shine and spin overhead. The private dining rooms were recreated to match those in Greenwood down to the measurements. Other pieces were carefully removed from the old restaurant and reassembled in their new setting.
Co-owner and Mary Lusco’s father, Rhyine Long, said the goal wasn’t just to create a copy. It was to preserve a feeling.
“We knew if we were going to do this, we had to rebuild the original building as close as we could,” Rhyine said.
The idea took shape during the COVID years, when the family began discussing what might come next for Lusco’s. They explored
several sites before finding the right fit in Taylor, where the character of Plein Air and the opportunity to build intentionally made the move possible.
Since opening, the response has been immediate. Reservations have filled quickly with guests who remember the Greenwood restaurant and new diners eager to experience Lusco’s for themselves.
Some reactions have been deeply emotional.
For Wright Thompson, those emotions and nostalgia hit as soon as he walked through the doors of the reopened restaurant. He grew up in the Delta, and for decades, Lusco’s was a frequent, sometimes weekly, dinner spot for his family.
“When I walked into Lusco’s in Taylor for the first time, it took my breath away,” Thompson said. “The Lusco family managed to so faithfully recreate the space from Greenwood. The love and attention to detail are visible in every inch of the place. It’s such a great addition to our community.”
These reactions speak to what Lusco’s has meant in Mississippi for generations. The restaurant became woven into family traditions and personal milestones, from birthdays to engagements to weekly dinners that became lifelong rituals.
“It’s more than just a restaurant to a lot of people,” Mary Lusco said.
“It holds so many memories.”
Of course, the food remains central to the experience. Family recipes — like signature handmade onion rings, in-house-aged steaks, and wholebroiled pompano — are still at the heart of the menu, now prepared in a larger kitchen that allows the team to serve more guests while maintaining the standards that built the restaurant’s reputation.
Thomas Long, Mary Lusco’s brother and the family’s head chef, grew up cooking these dishes and now leads the Lusco’s kitchen. Mary Lusco handles most desserts and key family recipes, while the broader family — including Rhyine’s wife, Carrie — remains involved behind the scenes.
There are plans for more to come, including expanded lunch service, a finished patio and the possible return of Sunday supper, a cherished family tradition from the Greenwood location where friends and neighbors gathered around generous platters and whatever was cooking that day.
For now, the restaurant in Taylor is already doing what Lusco’s has always done best: bringing people together.
Mary Lusco hopes every guest, whether they knew the original or not, leaves with the same feeling.
“I hope they walk out of here and say, ‘There’s no place like Lusco’s.’”
Thomas, Mary Lusco, Rhyine, Carrie and Ann Frances Long
“JUNIE B. JONES, THE MUSICAL” AT REGENTS
egents Lower School brought a beloved character to life with its production of “Junie B. Jones, The Musical” in March. Moseley Baker starred as Junie B. Jones, leading a lively and humorous performance filled with colorful characters and engaging storytelling. The production offered a fun, family-friendly evening while showcasing the creativity and talent of Regents Lower School students.
Birdie Killens and Maggie Schroeder
Moseley Baker as Junie B. Jones and Regents Lower School students
Chris and Duffy Clayton
Mary Helen Quinn and Molly Turner
Moseley Baker, Lillian Frey and Lilah Shive
COUNTRY CLUB OF OXFORD GOLF TOURNAMENT
he Country Club of Oxford held its much-anticipated official season-opening golf tournament March 27 and 28, bringing club members together for a signature spring event for Oxford Country Club golfers.
TLuke Waite, Kyle Killens and Ned McGraw
Hunt Halford and Tim McAvoy
Sydney Fields, Hannah Dye, Mary Lela Vonder Haar, Abbie Brown and Ashley Harrison
Laura Stewart, Pauline Hensley and Natalie Matthews
Butch Lambert, Drew McElory, Blake Barnes and Steve McCluskey
Macy Richardson and Saige Drake
Kevin Bourin and Greg Vaughan
Geoff Lynch and Hal Reece
Knox Perry and Hays Roth
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH CLAYTON
BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY
The Junior League of Oxford hosted Breakfast With the Easter Bunny at the Farmstead on Woodson Ridge on March 28. The ticketed event included breakfast, crafts and an egg hunt.
Emma Grace, Reed, Elizabeth and Kaitlyn Hargrove
Julia Clare Jankowski and the Easter Bunny
Mary Lacy and Libby Grace Sabin
Cori Orange and Yisseth Romero
Megan, Brad, Lura, Brooklen and Bennett McDonald
Amy and Sally Harris
Destiny Ward and Briella Running
CRAWFISH BOIL
onderbird Spirits hosted a crawfish boil April 11, bringing friends and families together for a day of food and entertainment. Guests enjoyed fresh crawfish from Landshark Crawfish, coffee from Magnolia Coffee Co. and live music from Tate Moore and the Cosmic Doors.
Sonia and Louise Thompson
Joe and Caitlin Magnuson
Wonderbird Spirits co-owners Chand Harlow and Rob Forster
Georgia Hogue and Deja Samuel
Chadwick, Charlie Parker, Ellie James and Shannon Willoughby
Colin Richardson and Prestley Silvertooth
Jenny Hipp, Kate Victor and Letoya McClay
Stacey Shewbart and Mary King
Nina and Rob Mutersbaugh
BRUSHSTROKES FOR BRAMLETT
rushstrokes for Bramlett, an annual art show and auction featuring student-created artwork, was held on April 14. Guests enjoyed viewing and bidding on pieces created by Bramlett students, with proceeds supporting educational programs and resources. This year’s PTO copresidents are Courtney Carlton and Tricia Richardson, with fundraising efforts headed by Creighton Holder.
Charlotte, Jennifer and William Marascalco
Bonka Rice, Kaitlyn Vasquez and Frances Webb
Jessica, Jay, James and Nora Lynch
Theresa Lloyd with Anna and Waylon
Rotenberry and Dale Lloyd
Stephanie, Jackson, Luke and Martin Fisher
Carrie and James Stephens
Courtney Carlton, Blair Hull and Whitney Smith Turner
Misa Presley and Liz Cassidy
ARTIST RECEPTION WITH THAD LEE
n artist talk and reception with Thad Lee took place on April 14 at the University of Mississippi Museum, welcoming guests for an evening of art and conversation. Lee discussed his photography exhibit, “Unvanquished Soil: A Year at Greenfield Farms,” which is on view at the museum. It explores the landscape and rhythms of rural life.
David Mandelstamm
Frances Bryant with Sindy and Ella Abadie
Marilyn Frye and John Hardy
Lester and Cathy Williamson
Barbera Liddon, Martha Kellie, Lucy Banks and Kay Meadors
Thad and Luke Lee
Wayne and Shirley Gray
Fei Lan and Calendula Cheng
Genie Henson and Kerry Hamilton
MAHJ 4 A CAUSE
ahj 4 A Cause took place April 17 at the Graduate. Hosted by the Oxford Mahjong League, players gathered to “charleston” and “shuffle” to raise funds for Doors of Hope. This was the second year the fundraiser took place.
Joanne Mitchell, Julia Reed and Morgan Waters
Mahj 4 A Cause committee
Kristin Busby, Allyson Bays, Amanda Bevill and Rebecca Rhea
Regan Woods, Madison Kirk and Mallory Kirk
Mary Kelley Zeleskey and Anna Haley
Emily Gatlin and Lauren Cleary
Haley Mann and Haleigh Ritter
Kirsten Bynum and Stephanie Spector
Cheryl McInnis and Rachel Marascalco
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH CLAYTON
PHOTO BY ELSIE JANE ADAMS
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH CLAYTON
TURNING MARKETING INTO MOMENTUM
MAY 19
Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce visitoxfordms.com
BOUQUET CLASS WITH FARMSTEAD FLORALS
MAY 20
Chicory Market chicorymarket.com
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL GALA
MAY 21
Castle Hill Oxford visitoxfordms.com
OLD-TIME PIANO PLAYING CONTEST
MAY 21-24
University of Mississippi Music Building oldtimepianocontest.com
TABLE TOP GAMES GALORE
MAY 22
Sardis Public Library firstregional.org
BONSAI WORKSHOP
MAY 22
Chicory Market chicorymarket.com
ADULT GAME DAY
JUNE 5
Batesville Public Library firstregional.org
SUMMER SUNSET SERIES
JUNE 6, 13, 20 & 27 The Grove visitoxfordms.com
Photo by Farmstead Florals
AIMEE NEZHUKUMATATHIL POST TOAST
Interviewed by Eugene Stockstill
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is an Ole Miss professor and a New York Times bestselling poet. Her latest book is titled “Night
Q:
Talk a little bit about your new book, “Night Owl,” and about how much of your work is inspired by nighttime.
A: These poems are all centered around the nighttime. During the day, everything asks to be fixed quickly, answered quickly, and when I became a mom … it pretty much doubled. But at night the demands fade, and I can hear things I miss when the sun is up — my own breath, birdsong when they are migrating, memories and possibilities for writing. As a poetic framework, night gives me a way to move through emotional registers that might feel too bold or bright in full daylight. Grief, wonder, longing, tenderness, worry, yearning — they all glow differently in the dark.
Q: Your poetry focuses on the wonders of the natural world. Why is this such an important concept?
A: Attention to the outdoors is one of the deepest forms of care. To truly notice without turning away is an act of tenderness. Poetry teaches us how to look closely at what hurts and what still shimmers. When
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is also a certified firefly guide. Turn to page 56 for more on Mississippi fireflies and Nezhukumatathil’s expert guidance on catching their fascinating light shows.
we feel helpless, a poem doesn’t fix the world, but it reminds us we are not alone in our fear or confusion. It creates meaning from chaos. Rachel Carson says, “The more we learn about the inhabitants of the planet, the less appetite we have for destruction.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone about being more present to the wonders that are all around us?
A: Just notice something small and stay with it and see where that leads you. The tilt of a leaf. The sound your house makes at night. The way a certain word tastes in your mouth. Poetry begins there. And read widely, not just poetry that sounds like what you think poetry should sound like. Read poets who surprise you. Read outside your comfort zone. Let your ear be trained by many different kinds of music. Give yourself permission to write small. A stanza. A single image. A few lines scribbled before bed. You don’t have to begin with a grand statement. Trust smallness. Also, boredom is useful. Put your phone down. Let yourself be a little restless. Poems often arrive in that quiet space where nothing flashy is happening.
