Invitation Oxford - May 2022

M AY 2022

OXFO R D

home & garden A LIGHT AND BRIGHT OXFORD HOME T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

FELDER RUSHING'S EXPERT ADVICE ON N AT I V E P L A N T S

INSIDE A MODERN HOUSE IN THE TREES

CHEF NEV BRINGS THE SPICE TO TUPELO

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DEPA RTMENT S

EVENTS:

NORTHEAST

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EVENTS:

OXFORD

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Letter From the Publisher

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Autism Run

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“Ode to Joy”

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Digital Details

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BBQ Competition

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Oxford Film Festival

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Calendar

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Austin Shoes Run

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OHS vs. LHS Tennis

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Shoutouts

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“The Sleeping Beauty”

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Power Wheels Derby

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Recipes: Asparagus Couscous Salad

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Pontotoc Open House

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Water Valley Wine Down

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Out & About: Northeast

ON THE COVER

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Out & About: Oxford

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Good Neighbor: Juanita Floyd

This month’s covers feature homes that have been beautifully updated for modern family living. On the Oxford cover is a peek at a Wellsgate home renovation (see page 34). The northeast cover shows a Tupelo Tudor Revival-style house in the Highland Circle neighborhood (see page 42).

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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F E AT U R E S

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FE ATURES 34 Seeing the Light

A Wellsgate home is transformed into a bright, open space that welcomes family and friends.

38 Bringing the Spice

At home in Tupelo, Chef Nev brings upscale global cuisine to local diners.

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42 Historic Style

A Tudor Revival-style house in a historic Tupelo neighborhood adds new rooms but keeps its original look.

48 Q&A With The Gestalt Gardener

Mississippi’s top garden expert talks native plants, practical tips, garden must-haves, pollinators and more.

52 Into the Woods

A couple builds a modern house, with a few rustic accents, among the trees in Lafayette County.

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L E T T E R from the P U B L I S H E R Spring has arrived, and that means it’s time to clean up our homes, prepare our gardens and celebrate all that comes in the months of new growth and new life.

You won’t want to miss the homes we are featuring throughout this magazine.

Turn to page 42 to take a peek inside a Tudor Revival-style home in Tupelo’s Highland Circle neighborhood. The nearly centuryold home has been expanded and updated, but the charm and feel of its original style has been maintained. It’s a pretty house and a story you won’t want to miss.

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We also fell in love with the Anderson family’s hidden gem in Oxford’s Wellsgate neighborhood. They spent lots of time making their home more functional and fun for their family in the last few years. See their renovations on page 34.

And while homes are fun to see and become inspired by, let’s not forget the gardens. We are thrilled to have expert advice on growing native plants (and more) from Mississippi garden expert Felder Rushing on page 48.

Speaking of gardening, there are so

@INVITATIONOXFORD @INVITATIONM AGA ZINE

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many delicious veggies that are in season this time of year and in the months to come. Be sure and check out our Asparagus Couscous Salad recipe on page 30.

We hope you’ll enjoy this issue that’s packed full of beautiful homes and interesting people. And we’ll see you right back here next month.

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

@INVOXFORD @INVMAGA ZINE

PUBLISHER Rachel West

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Emily Welly EXECUTIVE EDITOR Leslie Criss OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Mary Moreton CONTRIBUTING WRITER Eugene Stockstill COPY EDITOR Ashley Arthur

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Holly Vollor STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Sarah McCullen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Abbey Hamelton Grant McLaughlin Lisa Roberts J.R. Wilbanks

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Abigail Nichols

ADVERTISING OFFICE

BUSINESS MANAGER Hollie Hilliard DISTRIBUTION Brian Hilliard MAIN OFFICE 662-234-4008

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson Amber Lancaster Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Becca Pepper Paul Gandy ADVERTISING INFORMATION 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 Mary at mary.invitation@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.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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D I G I T A L details E XC LU S I V E LY O N L I N E AT I N V I TAT I O N M AG .C O M

social S N A P S We love being tagged in your photos!

Adv ic e Fro m M i s s i s s i p p i’s No. 1 M a s t e r G a rd e ne r In this issue, we are excited to bring expert gardening advice from the premier Mississippi gardening guru, Felder Rushing. Turn to page 48 for a Q&A with Rushing on one of his favorite hot topics: native plants. To hear more from the expert, tune in to “The Gestalt Gardener” on MPB Think Radio Fridays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m., or listen online anytime at gestaltgardener.mpbonline.org. Also visit his “little corner of the internet” at felderrushing.blog.

That BBB Skillet though.

L O C A T I O N : Oxford U S E R N A M E : @bigbadbreakfastoxford

Fr id ay Fo o d Blo g

How D o e s You r G a rd e n G row?

…I can’t wait for the Oxford location to open…

L O C A T I O N : New Braunfels, Texas U S E R N A M E : @gypsywaltzyoga

Coming Soon: Parsnip Fries

Invitation Magazines’ weekly food blog has a brand-new look. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for creative ideas for seasonal suppers, after-school snacks, holiday feasts and more — all in a fun, new format. And find archived food blog entries at invitationmag.com.

What’s blooming in your flowerbeds? Have you planted your summer veggies? We want to see your garden projects and bountiful spring and summer harvests!

Share your pics with us on social media by tagging @invitationoxford and @invitationmag. Your photos may even be included in Social Snaps in an upcoming magazine!

CALENDAR AND EVENTS

I told y’all I’d be famous someday.

L O C A T I O N : Baldwyn U S E R N A M E : @heiferthedog

Have an exciting event coming up? Visit our website and share the details on our online community calendar. There’s a chance photos from your event will be featured in an upcoming magazine!

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DOWNTOWN REST

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C O M M U N I T Y M AY 2022

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”

OXFORD

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Oxford Community Market T U E S D AY S

Visit the Oxford Community Market on Tuesdays throughout May for local, nutritious food and sustainable products.

Tuesdays, 3-6:30 p.m., Old Armory Pavilion. oxfordcommunitymarket.com

OLE MISS BASEBALL

The national touring Carole King musical “Beautiful” comes to Oxford as part of the Ford Center’s Broadway Series. Purchase tickets online.

7:30 p.m., Ford Center. fordcenter.org

OLE MISS VS. MISSOURI

May 6 | 6:30 p.m.

May 7 | 6:30 p.m.

May 8 | 1:30 p.m.

OLE MISS VS . TEX AS A&M

May 19 | 6:30 p.m.

May 20 | 6:30 p.m.

May 21 | 1:30 p.m.

OLE MISS SOFTBALL OLE MISS VS. TENNESSEE

Ole Miss Graduation

May 1 | 5 p.m.

May 2 | 6 p.m.

M AY 4-8

Congratulations to all UM graduates!

Ceremonies start May 4 across the Oxford campus with Commencement in the Grove taking place May 7 at 8 a.m.

H O L I D AY S

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Ole Miss hosts the 2022 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The events start at noon May 12; continue at 1:45 p.m. May 13; and end with finals at 8:40 p.m. May 14, at the Ole Miss Track & Field Complex. secsports.com

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M AY 2 1

Grab your bike to ride a 20-, 45- or 70-mile route to support the Oxford & North Mississippi NICA Mountain Bike Team.

Online registration open through May 20 at 5 p.m.; in-person registration available the morning of the race from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. at the Oxford Skatepark. Race starts at 7 a.m. from Oxford Middle School. raceroster.com

commencement.olemiss.edu

Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Velvet Ditch Gran Fondo

C I N CO D E M AYO

May 5 M OT H E R ' S DAY

May 8 M E M O R I A L DAY

May 30

Destination Oxford Car Show M AY 2 1

Join in for the eighth annual Destination Oxford Car Show taking place in the downtown Oxford Chancery Court parking lot and on portions of North Lamar. Booths with swag, cars, bikes and more will be on full display for all to enjoy.

For more information, search “Destination Oxford Cruise & Car Show” on Facebook.

Master Gardeners State Conference

Tupelo Flea Market

M AY 3-5

Visit the Tupelo Flea Market for some magnificent market finds. Open 5-9 p.m.

May 13; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. May 14; 10 a.m.5 p.m. May 15. Tupelo Furniture Market Buildings 1 and 3.

The 2022 MMGA State Conference will host several well-known speakers and concurrent educational sessions. Includes vendors with garden-related items, raffles and door prizes, garden tours of local sites and Lee County members’ gardens, a garden party and an awards night gala at the Tupelo Cotton Mill. Register online.

Events take place 10 a.m.-7 p.m. May 3; 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. May 4; and 9 a.m.-noon May 5, BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

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tupelofleamarket.net

leecountymastergardeners.com

NORTHEAST

Tupelo Farmers’ Depot S AT U R D AY S

Enjoy Saturdays at the farmers market with local vendors and artists starting May 7.

8 a.m.-noon, Farmers’ Depot, Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

Gumtree Art & Wine Festival M AY 6 -8

Celebrate 50 years of Gumtree at this year’s rebranded festival. Events start at 10 a.m.

May 6 with “Paint the Town,” featuring plein-air artists. Enjoy family-friendly festivities all day long Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Downtown Tupelo.

Tupelo-Golden Triangle Rodeo M AY 1 4

M AY 1

M AY 12

Sing along to a night full of Earth, Wind & Fire’s classics live in concert. Purchase tickets online. 7:30-11:30 p.m., BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

Enjoy a night of soulful country music from one of the biggest independent country artists in the world. Purchase tickets online.

6-10 p.m., BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

The Southeastern Rodeo Association LLC, Bud Light and Cinch present the TupeloGolden Triangle Open Rodeo. Enjoy a night hosted by Rick Don’t Go Mason and a live performance by Southern soul artist Calvin Richardson. Purchase tickets online and at the box office. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m., BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

bcsarena.com

bcsarena.com

bcsarena.com

Earth, Wind & Fire Concert

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gumtreeartandwinefestival.com

Cody Jinks Concert

Alcohol Ink 101 M AY 2 1

Learn and practice techniques to create alcohol ink artwork at this workshop. Each participant receives a kit with all needed supplies as well as three inks to create a 6-by-6-inch art piece with guidance from instructor Jennifer Meadows. Registration, $75, available online. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Farmhouse Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

Jurassic Quest M AY 2 7- 2 9

Bring the entire family to the most popular dinosaur event on tour. Purchase tickets online or at the box office. Takes place 9 a.m.-8 p.m. May 27 and 28; 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

May 29, BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

BANCORPSOUTH ARENA

bcsarena.com

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S H O U T O U T S Ta s t e of t he S out h C a rol i n a L ow C ou nt r y

Last fall, the University of South Carolina Press published a book by one of our own — chef and Ole Miss graduate Kevin Mitchell. Since then, “Taste the State: South Carolina’s Signature Foods, Recipes,

and Their Stories,” which Mitchell co-wrote with renowned food scholar David Shields, has received praises from Forbes magazine to the “Today” show.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards listed the 230-page book as the U.S. winner and 2021 nominee for the global winner in the Tourism Food Book category in 2022. Forbes magazine also named it as one of the best new cookbooks for travelers.

Back in February 2022, Mitchell shared a taste of the low country with the rest of the country during a live “Today” show and “Today with Hoda & Jenna” cooking demonstration where he cooked fish and grits with tomato gravy as well as blackened salmon with curried black-eyed peas and collards.

“We tried to keep the focus on the mission of the book: Be entertaining and

inspiring, put people in the kitchen to try recipes and not be overly academic,” said Mitchell, who was named a South Carolina chef ambassador in 2020.

Mitchell, who earned a master’s degree in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi in 2018, is a chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of Charleston.

“We focused on three things: Tell people about the ingredients that were forgotten, focus on dishes synonymous with South Carolina, and include dishes people would be surprised by, like asparagus or oranges,” Mitchell said.

“Taste the State,” written in dictionary form, in alphabetical order, has been so successful that it is already in its second printing.

Find a copy of the book in Oxford at Square Books or order on amazon.com.

Twelve years ago, Danny Klimetz stepped away from his career as a geomorphologist and stepped behind the camera, turning his hobby of photography into a career.

Initially a wedding video/photographer and portrait photographer, Klimetz has expanded his business by focusing on storytelling. Now, his work primarily consists of shooting photography and video for nonprofits and local businesses, and his role as the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s Creative in Residence has helped not only transform his small business but also the businesses of other artists and entrepreneurs.

YAC’s Big Bad Business Lab, more commonly known as The Lab, is designed to give “creatives” (whether in digital-, fine- or folk arts-based small businesses) an opportunity to grow a body of work and their small business. The Lab’s pilot

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program started in 2021 and is currently working with their second cohort made up of local creative economy entrepreneurs and artists.

Klimetz serves as a peer leader to the program’s cohort.

He shares his knowledge, experiences and contacts with those who are interested in getting their businesses started.

“My job is to help them focus on the goals that they have set and give them exposure and access to different avenues they might not have known,” Klimetz said. “We connect them to the right individuals who can help them achieve their goals, both as a new business and as new business owners.”

The sense of community this year’s cohort has built together has made an

MAUREEN CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

Me e t Yok n a pat aw ph a A r t s C ou nc i l’s C re at ive i n Re s id e nc e

impact on the members’ experiences.

“As the program continues, this ‘help me, help you’ mentality will expand and hopefully, we as a community will be able to help inform and connect these services to local startups,” Klimetz said.

For more information on The Lab, the Creative in Residence, or other YAC programs, visit oxfordarts.com.

SHOUTOUTS

continued

BROOKE DAVIS JEFCOAT

Un ive r s it y of M i s s i s s i p p i E n g l i sh D e pa r t me nt G i f t e d a S p e c i a l D e sk

Ben Napier, who with his wife, Erin Napier, cohosts HGTV’s “Home Town,” recently delivered a desk to the University of Mississippi’s Department of English. It was not just any desk. This desk was built

by Napier from oak that came from the campus of Ole Miss and a bit of cedar that came from Rowan Oak, the historic home of the late writer William Faulkner.

“William Faulkner is an iconic Mississippi author, and we are honored to have Ben Napier’s beautifully crafted desk,” said Caroline Wigginton, chairman and associate professor of English.

The 2007 Ole Miss graduate’s first thought was to build a bookcase from the wood, but he ultimately decided on a desk.

The handcrafted writing desk now is home in the Hannah-Ford Room on the second floor of Bondurant Hall. Napier minored in English at Ole Miss and admits a great appreciation of writing and literature.

Last year, Napier built a bar top for McCormick’s Bar and Grill at The Inn at Ole Miss. He and Erin, also an Ole Miss graduate, are known for renovating houses in their hometown of Laurel. There is an episode of “Home Town” that features the donated desk. It can be seen by streaming it on Discovery+.

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C O U S C O U S salad

W I T H F R E S H H E R B S A N D V E G G I E S , T H I S S A L A D B R I N G S F L AVO R S O F T H E S E A S O N S T R A I G H T TO YO U R P L AT E .

RECIPE BY SARAH McCULLEN

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efore summer officially arrives in north Mississippi, celebrate the last of springtime with a salad featuring a favorite spring veggie: asparagus. Serve it as a side dish with your favorite grilled dinner or as a satisfying lunchtime entree.

Asparagus Couscous SALAD

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 1 cup Israeli couscous ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley ¼ cup chopped fresh mint 2 scallions, chopped Zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste ¾ cup crumbled goat cheese ½ cup chopped pistachios Preheat oven to 375°F. On a baking sheet, drizzle asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and roast until tender and bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then chop into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil, and add couscous. Cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine olives, parsley, mint, scallions and chopped asparagus. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Drizzle over veggies, and toss to combine. Add goat cheese, and toss. Add couscous, and toss again. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Stir in pistachios just before serving.

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A W E L L S G AT E H O M E I S T R A N S F O R M E D I N TO A B R I G H T, O P E N S PAC E T H AT W E LC O M E S FA M I LY A N D F R I E N D S .

WRIT TEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL

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o the average passerby, the lovely brick residence in the Wellsgate subdivision in Oxford where Summer Anderson and her family live, does not announce itself as a first-class example of residential renovation. You’d have to bother asking to uncover that piece of information.

“I had the vision all along,” Anderson said. “It wasn’t very functional for our family.”

Posh domiciles fill the hills of Wellsgate, and the neighborhood could easily serve as the suburban setting for a major Hollywood production. Small boats and Jet Skis bob on the shores of Wellsgate Lake. Residents walk with well-mannered dogs in peace and quiet past tree-lined dwellings. In a word: charming.

But in the days long before anyone ever envisioned this community, the area consisted of rolling hills, pastures and the small, sparkling lake. If these hills could talk, who knows what else they would say?

“They used to ride horses out here,” Anderson said.

When you start digging, you find out the Anderson home has undergone a transformation of its own. A former schoolteacher and now a real estate agent with Crye-Leike Realty in Oxford, Anderson moved from Yazoo City to Oxford with her husband and three sons in 2008. The next year, they moved into Wellsgate, but they didn’t begin renovating their current residence until two years later.

The main living area of the Andersons’ home fans out to one side of an expansive staircase just inside the front door, and the stairs lead to the four bedrooms upstairs. A quick tour downstairs and a conversation with Anderson help fill in the gaps as to all the changes that have taken place.

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Continued from page 35 “It was dated, dark, closed off” when the family moved in, she said. A bit like the darkening, waning days of fall before it hardens into the cold of winter. Now the house breathes the essence of springtime breezes and sunshine. A walk through the Anderson home feels like a pleasant stroll through a park.

“It’s more livable,” she said.

When the family moved in, a wall separated the kitchen from the living room, and the small, narrow back porch had little practical use. The laminated cabinetry was a dark hue, as were all the walls. Today, you might be hard-pressed to recognize the residence if you had not seen it since its construction in 2003.

The dark brick exterior and the interior walls have all been lightened, and four smooth white columns line the front porch.

The wall dividing the kitchen and the living room is gone, as is a backyard pool. Huge glass doors replaced the windows in the living room. A substantial back patio area allows the family to grill and entertain friends and family. Light floods the whole space with warmth.

Several other changes deserve special attention. A former side porch was walled in and converted into a convenient halfbath. The hallway off the kitchen offers

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ample closet space, including a nice-sized peekaboo locker. Hickory-pecan floors and marble countertops garnish the refurbished kitchen.

The kitchen, which sports a large stove hood and extended island, doubles as a dining room, with the island providing additional seating on stools.

“We all eat in here standing up,” Anderson said with a laugh.

Anderson gives a big shoutout to Oxford residential designer Amy Catherine Wilson, as well as interior designer Julie Montgomery, who helped pick fashionable lighting and all the other fine touches that can transform a house into a home. Deephanging lamps, a basin-like sink in the halfbath and rich, knotty floors give the dwelling a cozy feel.

As for quality of life, Anderson said she believes Wellsgate is the perfect place to raise a family.

“My sons fish in the lake,” she said, and they have a canoe, too. “We’ve been very happy here. This is a great place for family and kids.”

What would this house say if it could speak?

“Come on in!” Anderson said.

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Spice

AT HOME IN TUPELO, CHEF NEV BRINGS UPSCALE GLOBAL CUISINE TO LOCAL DINERS. WRIT TEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Neville Eroll, aka Chef Nev Taz (Taz because of his Tasmanian devil-like intensity in the kitchen), aka Mowgli (because of how much he enjoyed playing with the animals in his boyhood South Africa), is at home in the world.

Born in India, he moved to South Africa at age 2 during apartheid’s waning days. He has traveled and worked throughout Europe, and for a time, he lived in an Italian town right next to Corleone, the town of “Godfather” fame. And that’s just the start.

He has interned with Chef Gordon Ramsay. He helped prepare the food for George Clooney’s 2014 wedding. He speaks eight languages — Italian, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Afrikaans, Swahili and English. And he owns a Yamaha motorcycle that can take him almost anywhere he wants to go.

“We used to leave Italy and ride eight hours to Croatia just for the food,” he said with a big smile.

These days, Chef Nev calls Tupelo home, and he has big plans to bring the world to Tupelo’s front door. Partnering with the owners of Amsterdam Deli, he hopes to open a new restaurant in Tupelo sometime this summer: Spezia (the Italian word for “spice”), or maybe just Spice? Chef Nev is toggling between names as he juggles all the other details involved in starting a fine-dining establishment.

An earlier incarnation of the idea opened months ago atop Caron Gallery, garnered favorable reviews, then closed while developers worked on plans and specs.

Different locations for the new restaurant are being shopped,

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Amsterdam Deli’s general manager Robbie Curbow said.

When the restaurant debuts, diners will have a chance to enjoy a wide variety of world and local cuisines, as well occasional live music, in an ambient space.

The dress code will be semiformal (dinner jacket or sport coat required), and customers should expect to pay $120-$130 for a special evening. Chef Nev describes the menu as eclectic contemporary, meaning that you will be able to sample chocolate, beef and wine, for example, in ways you never before imagined.

“We want you to feel like you’re walking on a red carpet,” he said, “(with) food that will make you stop, think and savor.”

The big question for Chef Nev: Why Tupelo?

At age 16, the young man left South Africa to begin hospitality studies in Italy. He earned two degrees and gained a world of practical knowledge that made his lifelong dream of becoming a chef a reality.

That dream first took flight when he and his grandmother would watch Sanjeev Kapoor, an Indian chef and television celebrity.

“I was fascinated with the chef’s coat and the long hat,” he said.

Chef Nev’s trade has taken him across Europe, and to San Francisco, where he worked with Dominique Crenn, “the cooking superhero for women,” and The Cello at the St. Louis Four Seasons Hotel. After a disappointing business startup in Missouri’s gateway city, he was planning to move to the northeastern United States or back to Europe when a former business partner from Pontotoc invited him to move to the Deep South.

Relocating to the Magnolia State wound up putting Chef Nev in touch with the owners of Amsterdam Deli on Main Street, who became friends, then mentors and then business partners. One day they said to him, “Let’s put something new up here. Let’s start some new culture.” The result of that creative tag team will be Spezia/Spice.

You don’t have to spend much time with Chef Nev before you realize that he lives and breathes all things cooking. For him, food fires up his imagination, feeds his creative juices and gives him the chance to speak what he calls the most international of all languages.

“You can connect to more people through bread and water” than anything else, he said. “That’s something I hold close to my heart.”

When not cooking up special dishes or relaxing at home, Chef Nev rockets through the region in search of culture and food, astride a motorcycle that looks like it was painted by Picasso. He also teaches cooking classes at Amsterdam Deli: to children twice a month on Sundays; and to adults on occasion. One of his greatest thrills as a chef was cooking a tuna concoction for a group of children, watching them lick the plates clean and then hearing them proclaim to their parents they liked the tuna more than the chocolate.

“It’s like I’m a child with them,” he said. “Children are the best critics.”

Chef Nev plans to settle permanently in Tupelo, and the internationally trained culinary specialist and world traveler says he feels as much at home in Tupelo as anywhere else he has lived.

“It doesn’t matter where you live in the world,” he said. “If you feel like you’re home, you’re home.”

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A T U D O R R E V I VA L-S T Y L E H O U S E I N A H I S TO R I C T U P E LO N E I G H B O R H O O D A D D S N E W R O O M S B U T K E E P S I T S O R I G I N A L LO O K .

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

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onya Heidel Lipscomb has loved the house in which she now lives since she was a young girl. Her family lived in Yates Acres near Thomas Street, but she’d see the Highland Circle neighborhood and the Tudor Revival-style house on her way to Carver School.

Her husband, Drew Lipscomb, grew up in the Pierce Street neighborhood but moved with his family to Madison Street when he was a 10th grader. He had friends who lived in Highland Circle. So, both Lipscombs were familiar with the neighborhood and the house from their childhoods.

When they married, they lived on Madison Street, within shouting distance of Highland Circle and the house Tonya loved.

Six years and three sons later, she heard rumblings that the house might be going on the market.

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“I called to check on the house, and it was for sale,” she said. “It just all sort of happened.”

Drew Lipscomb was not quite as smitten with the house as his wife was.

“I liked it, but not as much as she did,” he said. “But when I saw the potential the house had, I fell in love with it, too.”

On Sept. 11, 2002, the Lipscombs purchased 640 Highland Circle, and soon after made the short move from Madison Street with then-6-year-old Andrew, 2-yearold Miller, and 6-month-old Alex. Daughter Ally Ayers came along a few years later.

The Tudor Revival-style house was built in 1929 by Word Baker, one of three Tupelo businessmen who wanted to form a new neighborhood north of the center of town. The Communities Development Corporation was made up of Baker, S.J.

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High and Phil Perabo. The house is thought to be one of the first two houses completed in Highland Circle, a neighborhood that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Holding true to Tudor Revival style, the Lipscomb home features a steep-pitched gable roof, brick exterior with timber accents, arched or elaborate doorways and tall windows that often have diamond- or rectangular-shaped panes. The interior features a lot of wood, including trim and ceiling beams.

The home originally had three bedrooms and one bath. A previous owner turned the attic into an additional bedroom, added a bath and closet, making the house four levels, including the basement.

“The house got taller, but not wider,” Drew Lipscomb said.

Through the years, the Lipscombs have completed several renovations. The first project, around 2010, was to renovate the upstairs bath. In 2017, the kitchen received a makeover.

And in 2019, the family took on a major renovation that, for the first time, added on to the depth of the house.

“What we’ve done has been mostly cosmetic,” Tonya Lipscomb said. “To be almost 100 years old, the bones of the house are so good. We’ve had very few problems.”

Of course, the Lipscombs were questioned about adding on when their children are grown and have left or will soon be leaving home.

“But COVID brought them all home,” she said. “So, it was perfect timing. We utilized the added space.”

A new den, a study and a porch were added off the rear of the house. There’s an entire wall of built-in bookshelves in the study, and the middle section serves as a hidden door. Behind the door is a hidden hunting closet where all manner of hunting equipment and clothing are kept out of sight.

“I got an idea for the hidden closet in a magazine,” Tonya said. “I asked John Pittman (of Pittman Cabinets) if he could build it, and he did.”

Drew Lipscomb gives credit to his wife of 26 years for the latest renovation.

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Continued from page 44 “It was her vision,” he said. “She made it happen.”

And both Lipscombs praise architect Linda Smith and contractor Mike Williams.

“I knew whatever we did, I wanted it to look like it fit the rest of the house,” Tonya said. “I told Linda what I wanted, and she took it and ran with it. She is just brilliant.

She took all my ideas and brought them to life.

“And Mike has a gift for taking a historical house and renovating while maintaining the integrity of the house. The new doors and windows are nearly identical to the ones original to the house. He did an amazing job.”

Williams is the owner of Stonegate Construction and has been building for 35 years. While he builds new homes, he is particularly fond of renovating older homes.

“It’s different,” he said. “You can’t just go in and add on; you have to take time and make sure things match. The most important thing we try to do is make the renovation, the addition, look like it’s always been there.”

Smith, principal architect and owner of ArchitectureSouth, spends much of her time on commercial projects, but enjoyed getting creative with the Lipscombs’ residential project.

“Working on an older home like this one provides unique challenges,” Smith said.

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“For example, there are things used in older homes that can’t be matched anymore, like the slate roof.”

But Smith found a way around the roof issue by making a flat roof that’s hidden behind parapets.

“Something that made this house extra special is how much of the original character of the house was still there, no matter how many owners it might have had,” she said.

According to the Lipscombs, Smith and Williams exceeded their expectations in every way.

“We are so happy with the addition,” Tonya said. “We got very lucky. We found people to work with that didn’t think my ideas were crazy.”

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Q&A with

GESTALT

G ARDENER

MISSISSIPPI’S TOP GARDEN EXPERT TALKS NATIVE PL ANTS, P R AC T I C A L T I P S , G A R D E N M U S T-H AV E S , P O L L I N ATO R S A N D M O R E .

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

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f you’ve ever entertained even a passing thought about planting a garden of the floral or vegetable kind, you ought to be familiar with Felder Rushing. Perhaps you’ve read one or more of the 30 books he’s authored or co-authored. Or you could have read his syndicated column in any number of newspapers for the past four decades. Maybe you’ve heard his unmistakable Felder voice while listening to MPB Think Radio: His “Gestalt Gardener” program has garnered Rushing many fans, followers and friends through the years as he educates, entertains and endears himself to those in need of gardening guidance. When he attended the opening of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden Bridgewater in Manchester, England, he was pleased to find that 80% of the beautiful flower borders were of plants native to Mississippi. A 10th-generation Southern gardener, horticulturist Rushing graciously gave up some of his gardening time to chat about one of his favorite subjects: native plants.

Q: What are native plants?

A: In general, native plants are any plants that were here before ships

started arriving bringing plants from other places, before Europeans started bringing exotic plants over with them. Native plants are those that were growing on this continent before the 1400s. Introduced, nonnative plants which have adapted well to our climate and soils and have started spreading on their own are said to be naturalized.

The term wildflower is broadly applied to herbaceous annuals and perennials that spread from seed. People get hung up about planting natives; daffodils are not natives, but I’m going to plant daffodils.

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Continued from page 48 Q: What are advantages of native plants?

A: Well, native plants have been here long enough to adapt to our climate and our soil. And they also work well with our native wildlife. For example, hummingbirds migrate south to north. When the buckeyes bloom here, the hummingbirds arrive, and the buckeyes lead them to Vermont. Native wildlife and native plants have worked stuff out between them pretty well.

Of course, not all natives are great — like poison ivy. And oak trees are thugs — they’ll sprout from every acorn, and they’re natives.

There’s a small percentage of people who are real purists, who think natives are better than nonnatives. There are great natives and terrible natives. In the end, they’re all just plants.

Q: What are some practical tips you can offer home gardeners?

A: Well, one would certainly be don’t plant native plants just because

they’re native plants, but plant them because they are good garden plants. Also, use different shapes, sizes, colors in your garden — use a mixture. Use familiar plants. You don’t need to use all natives; mix in nonnatives and wildflowers. Accessorize: Put in a birdbath, a post, a wagon wheel. I saw a garden using a small section of split-rail fence with seven native plants in the ground. It was stunning. And, you know, you don’t have to relegate vegetables to vegetable gardens.

One of the prettiest hibiscus we can plant is okra.

Q: What are the best native plants for attracting wildlife?

A: Most of them attract wildlife. The single best attractor of wildlife

is goldenrod, but we don’t like it because it’s common. But it’s the best pollinator plant. People think they are allergic to goldenrod, but they aren’t. It’s ragweed that makes us sneeze, not goldenrod.

Zinnias, purple coneflowers and sunflowers are good pollinators, too.

Q:

What are native plants you’d recommend gardeners include in their gardens?

A: The one native plant I think everyone should have is a magnolia tree. It’s our state tree and state flower. If you don’t want a big tree, there’s one that’s like a shrub called Little Gem. My goodness, whatever killed the dinosaurs couldn’t kill the magnolia. Redbuds are easy to grow. There’s one in the same family called Grancy Graybeard. It’s a stunning spring-blooming plant. And blueberries are great natives with gorgeous fall colors; a cypress tree will grow in any type soil. Every garden should have a clump of goldenrod, and though it’s not on our radar, every good garden should include narrow leaf sunflowers.

Q: Anything else you want folks to know?

A: A real strong trend nationwide right now is a flower

Felder Rushing

Tune into “The Gestalt Gardener” on MPB Think Radio Fridays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m., or listen online anytime at gestaltgardener.mpbonline.org.

For a free PDF of Felder’s Native Plants booklet, visit felderrushing.blog, and click on Felder Biostuff to contact him to request one.

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lawn. We seem to have an obsession about big pretty lawns — we think if it’s not nicely mowed, we’re not a good person. In the spring, we have clover and dandelions growing wild and they’re loaded with bees and butterflies. The trend is to leave a part of your lawn uncut until May. Let the spring wildflowers grow, mow around them. It will be pretty, but it will also remain loaded with pollinators.

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Into the Woods

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A C O U P L E B U I L D S A M O D E R N H O U S E , W I T H A F E W R U S T I C A C C E N T S , A M O N G T H E T R E E S I N L A FAY E T T E C O U N T Y.

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WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

hen Aaron Dewey and his wife, Scottye Carter-Dewey, began several years ago looking for land on which to one day build a home, the search was not a short one.

Then, in 2016, the couple stumbled upon a classified ad for the sale of some land. They looked at the land twice and decided they’d found their 60 acres of paradise, just outside the city limits of Oxford.

“We walked the land so much,” CarterDewey said. “There are old oak trees that are bigger than the two of us together can put our arms around; there are so many native plants. Our goal was to come in and put a house right in the middle of it all.”

Work on the property didn’t begin until 2018, and then it was just cutting and clearing enough trees for the driveway.

Ground was broken to start building their house in May 2020.

“It was supposed to take 10 to 12 months, but it ended up taking 16,” Dewey said. “After all, we did build a house during a pandemic.”

Despite the pandemic, there were only a few issues, primarily dealing with shipping.

The Deweys attempted to minimize materials

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used. The same tile went on the walls in all the bathrooms, for example.

Married for 17 years this July, the couple are Mississippians by birth — she’s from Meridian; he’s from Oxford. Sharing their home are Nellie, a sweet border collie, and Boone, a 12-year-old fluffy, white dog of uncertain lineage.

A modern house in the woods was not the initial concept for the couple’s home.

“Our original idea was to build a low-country style house, with wraparound porches,” Carter-Dewey said. “But as we spent more time on the land, we changed our minds. We decided we wanted lots of glass, so it gives the feeling the house is right in the trees. Our modern treehouse; that’s what we like to call it.”

Leaving the county road that serves as a border for part of the Dewey’s 60 acres and driving the 1,000 feet to the house, first on blacktop and later on a paved driveway, one may be taken aback by the modern house of wood and glass. But a second look offers the truth of the matter: It absolutely fits.

The collective vision for the house came from two people who love art and antiques.

Carter-Dewey has a master’s degree in art

history, her lawyer dad is an artist and her father-in-law is an art history professor at Ole Miss.

“We love local art especially,” CarterDewey said. “And it was important to us to have a place to display it.”

Her husband laughed. “We realized later that with all the windows, we really didn’t leave much wall space for hanging art.”

The walls that are in the house are mostly white, but each of the three bedrooms — including the owner’s suite — have a single wall painted a bright color.

Throughout the house, the floors offer a rustic look, thanks to reclaimed white oak from a barn in Tennessee.

The custom-built front door is solid white oak, and it took 17 men to haul and install it. Beyond the door, the living room opens on one end to the kitchen. Large windows on two sides let in natural light.

“We get good morning light,” Dewey said. “But no hot afternoon light.”

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the house. With past tornadoes in mind, the basement, which includes a guest room and full bath, has reinforced steel walls.

When the couple moved into their new home last October, they exchanged a 1,500-square-foot house for 3,000 square feet — 800 downstairs and 2,200 upstairs. The couple, who both worked from home during the pandemic, share an office. She’s a Human Resources Business Partner at CoreLogic and he’s Senior Dealer Relationship Manager for Chase Auto. Their office, like the rest of the house, boasts large windows which offer many distractions like blooming dogwoods and visiting wildlife.

The builder of the house is Josh Samuels with Samuels Construction in Oxford. The Deweys sing his praises.

“He was so easy to work with,” CarterDewey said. “He has a great sense of humor, and he took what I had drawn on the back of a napkin and made it happen.”

A project as big as building a house

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together proved to be easy for the couple.

“We work well together, even during the building of the house,” Carter-Dewey said. “Aaron was more into the building side of things, and I was into the design. He knew what he wanted for the floor, and I let him do it; I wanted to use wallpaper in the bathrooms, and he let me. We liked each other’s choices.”

Her husband agreed.

“The only argument we had was over the painting of the window trim,” he said, laughing.

So far, fall and winter are the only seasons the Deweys have experienced in their “treehouse in the woods.” But they’re looking forward to their first spring and summer in their new home. No matter the season, it’s clear the couple are comfortable and content living among the trees.

“We do love our house,” Carter-Dewey said. “It’s just a little different, I guess. But it fits us. It really does.”

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AUTISM RUN PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The 2022 Autism Awareness and Acceptance 5K took place March 26 at Tupelo’s Ballard Park, with proceeds benefiting the Autism Center of North Mississippi.

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1. Hailey and Swayze Schrader 2. Chelsea Bryant, Shelby Gann and Hannah Brayer 3. Jessica, Lilly and Sarah Kate Coker with Angie Engle 4. Farrah and Talana Dover 5. Melissa Tidwell and Alex Farned 6. Shay and Jakylan Toliver 7. Nicole Baker and Chris Reifers

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BBQ COMPETITION PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

On March 25 and 26, the Natchez Trace Golf Club hosted its 2022 Natchez Trace BBQ Competition. Barbecue competitors had the opportunity to prepare chicken wings, pork ribs or both.

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6 1. Ashley and Keith Lindsey with Tommy, Chris and Morgan Kemp 2. Michael Scurden with Ben and Josh Logan 3. Zach and Casey Clemons 4. Forrest Timmons and Shawn Palmer 5. Kelly Dillard and Scott Wood with Michael and Kim McCrory 6. Cheryl and Caitlyn Keokominh with Jennifer Ridgeway, Pon and Callie Keokominh and Bradford Ridgeway 7. Jared Hundley, Kris Del Grande, Miles Patton, Jeremy Griffin and Trey Trapp

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AUSTIN SHOES RUN PHOTOGRAPHED BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

Historic downtown Corinth provided the starting line for the 2022 5K Run/Walk fundraiser for the Corinth Rotary Club, which took place April 2. The Austin Shoes Run with Rotary 5K is an annual event.

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1. Cameron Crocket with Brody and Jordan Quinn 2. Kaley and Cody Davis 3. Rachel Williams and Mattie Kirk 4. Kalin and Maddox Burcham 5. Selina, Penn and Andy Holley 6. Henry Labas and William Orman 7. McKendry and Kohen Roach

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“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY” PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

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Members of the Tupelo Civic Ballet presented “The Sleeping Beauty” ballet in late March at the Tupelo High School Performing Arts Center. Learn more about the pre-professional ballet company at civicballet.org.

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6 1. Carlton Wall, Melissa Sullivan and Laine Alden Mansour 2. Sarah Karrant and Randy Davis 3. Zola Pike and Addie Grace Witt 4. Harper Young, Stella Vitagliano, Lexi Wilson and Maude Arnold 5. Annalise Kennedy and Elise Black 6. Abagail Davis, Ava Stevens, Lucy Lentz, Maddie Steele and Emma Davis 7. Ruby Koonlaba, Hattie Aronda, Abagail Finney, Aspen Kennedy, Mara Coggins, Anna Caroline Finney and Harper McCustion

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PONTOTOC OPEN HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Association hosted its annual Spring Open House on March 27.

Participating shops were open for Sunday afternoon shopping.

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8 1. Karen Johnson, Rhonda Vance and Paulette Reese 2. Mackenzie Thomas, Payton Bailey and Karley Warren 3. Gracie Austin, Paisley and Brynlee Baker 4. Wesley, Emery and Kaitlyn Smith 5. Karley Zachary and Angie Kitchens 6. Easter Bunny with Amelia Grace Warren 7. Ella Lilly and Jessa Lucius 8. Ashley and Greta Gray 9. Missy and McClain Griffith with Kate Osbirn, Erica Holloway and Claire Caldwell

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OUT & ABOUT G u mt re e Mu s e u m of A r t Fa sh io n S how

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“ODE TO JOY” PHOTOGRAPHED BY ABBE Y HA MELTON

On March 25, the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts was the site for the Memphis Symphony’s performance of “Beethoven’s Ninth, Ode to Joy.” Appearing with the symphony were the University of Mississippi Choir and the Memphis Symphony Chorus.

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1. Kris Zediker and David Goddard 2. Ellie Soper with Layne and Donna English 3. Kaylee Hill and Bristy Whitenton 4. Marcus Jones, Will Nelson and Courtney Wells 5. Keliah and Jachin Herman 6. Guarav and Rabina Shrestha

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OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

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The 2022 Oxford Film Festival, held partly in-person and partly virtually March 2327, included a Roaring ’20s Celebration, a Filmmaker Roundtable, Songwriters in the Round, and a tribute to the late Bill Luckett, former Clarksdale mayor, film producer, businessman and arts supporter.

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1. Donna Ruth Roberts and Nora Graeber 2. Dylan McCollum and Peyton Franklin 3. Ayesha Adamo, Hugo Sobelman and Sarah Rochis 4. Brian Whisenant, Lynda Addington and Jim Brunzell III 5. Michelle and Don Harvey 6. Shayden Smith and Jaznia Tate 7. Anne Quinney and Logan Baggett 8. Kayla Kirby and Brandon Otterson 9. Whitley O’Neal, Mindy Van Kuren and Rachel Weaver

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OHS VS. LHS TENNIS PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

Fans from all around town gathered as the boys tennis teams from Lafayette and Oxford high schools met for a match on the John Leslie Tennis Courts on the afternoon of March 31.

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POWER WHEELS DERBY PHOTOGRAPHED BY GRANT MCL AUGHLIN

The Oxford Park Commission hosted a Power Wheels Derby in the parking lot of the Activity Center on April 9. The fun, friendly competition was for children ages 1 through 7.

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1. Christopher McCluvin and Jeremy Richey 2. C.J. Miller and Ace Carothers with Jamie and Adalyn Petty and Kaizen Miller 3. Diego and Patricia Rojas with Michael, Alex and Matteo Cabello 4. Alayna and Lailynne Gross with Jamie Chandler and Jacob Gross 5. Keelan Case and Elizabeth Speed 6. Clarissa and Selby LaBarre 7. Carrie and James Stephens with Mary Katherine and Payton Denley 8. Bradley and James Kase Hankins 9. Logan and Rachael Durham

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WATER VALLEY WINE DOWN PHOTOGRAPHED BY ABBE Y HA MELTON

Water Valley Main Street Association hosted Water Valley Wine Down on March 31. The early evening event included a wine tasting and downtown shopping.

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1. Beverly Jiles and Beverly McDonald 2. Joe and Elizabeth Horseman 3. Audrey and Amanda King 4. Gary and Ann Marie Logan 5. Kayla Kimbel and Jeslynn Polk 6. Katelin and Bethany Byars

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OUT & ABOUT Lafayette Schools Parents of the Year

Miss Hospitality Pageant

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1. Sarah Foster, Molly Harwell, Sara Nowell and Chancie Lampton 2. Zoe Rubenstein 3. Keira Serrano, Ellie Tucker, Mary Margaret Hyer and Bella Yant 4. Pizzashop friends and family 5. Quentin Brewer and Kevin Dupuy 6. Mary Moreton and Sarah McLellan 7. Sam Haskell, Dolly Parton and Mary Haskell

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RECIPES

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G O O D

FE ATURES

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EVENTS

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GOOD NEIGHBOR

N E I G H B O R J UA N ITA

INTERVIEWED BY LESLIE CRISS

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FLOY D

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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uanita Floyd grew up in the Red Hill community in Blue Springs and graduated from East Union Attendance Center. She attended Northeast Mississippi Community College and received an accounting degree from the University of Mississippi. She is senior vice president of finance and administration for the CREATE Foundation, where she has worked for 37 years. She has three children and four grandchildren.

Q: You are a community columnist for the

Daily Journal. How did this come about?

A: Sometimes pain and devastation chart a new path. Sixteen years ago, I went through a divorce, had to raise three children by myself (ages 10, 12 and 16) and had to make decisions that would affect us all forever.

An unfortunate circumstance became the catalyst that caused me to allow my oldest son as a senior to graduate from the school district we were currently in, and then move my other children to Tupelo Public Schools. I had heard many negative statements concerning “white flight,” racial discrimination and other matters within the district. As a parent, I was worried — that teachers or administration had a set of standards for white children and another for Black children; worried that I didn’t know any of the teachers, counselors, etc., as I did in the district I’d been in for 13 years.

I asked the Lord to give me two witnesses I was making the right decision.

He did just that. At the end of that school year, I asked the editor of the Daily Journal if I could write about my experience as a Black parent in the Tupelo School District.

Since that first article published, I have been a columnist for 15 years.

Q: And how did you start public speaking?

A: I shared a story at a NEWMS event 80

I N V ITAT I O N | M AY 202 2

Juanita Floyd has been making a difference in the northeast Mississippi community and beyond for years through her work with the CREATE Foundation, her regular newspaper columns, speaking engagements and more.

about how my mother prepared me for integration. Since, I have spoken in front of 10 people to over 1,000 at school events, conferences, commencements, Black history events. In February 2020, I was recognized by the Mississippi Senate for my career and community involvement, and had the amazing opportunity to speak before them.

Q:

“The Summer of 1969” made you an author. What inspired you to write the book?

A: A businessman who heard me share my story said to me, “Juanita, that story should be in a book.” He contacted (author) Sara Williams Berry for me. Sara used my presentation to write the story in children’s book form. I never imagined people would

donate monies to help get this book into schools and libraries — to date over 7,000 books have been donated. The book was submitted to the Teacher’s Choice Awards, and in 2019, we won a national award in the category of family. My mother, Bernice Wade Gambrel, now deceased, has been the inspiration for everything I have done. She chose to see a different world filled with hope, opportunity, love and forgiveness.

Q:

Might there be other Juanita Floyd books in the future?

A: Sara and I are working on another book titled, “The Summer Before.” This book is geared to an older audience. One day, I would like to publish my columns in a book.