Natchez Magazine Fall 2025 by Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ

PUBLISHER

Stacy Graning

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Justin Clarkston

EDITORIAL

Jan Griffey

Sabrina Robertson

Anne McDaniel

ADVERTISING

Lisa Sanders

Denora Stewart

CONTACT INFORMATION

Natchez the Magazine

P.O. Box 1447

Natchez, MS 39121 info@natchezthemagazine.com

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Natchez the Magazine is published six times a year by Natchez Newspapers Inc.

A one-year subscription to Natchez the Magazine is $18. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Natchez area.

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FAs soon as the calendar flips to September 1, we’re innudated with the harbringers of Fall – from pumpkins to plaid. Here in Natchez, October floats in on the winds with brightly colored hot air balloons gently blowing across our skies. For some of us, Fall also brings a turn in the season for hunters, as they return to the fields and the woods for the thrill of the hunt.

all arrives in Natchez each year as football season draws fans to high school stadiums on Friday night and to college campuses on Saturdays. Fall Pilgrimage brings visitors to enjoy the weather and immerse themselves in our history, welcomed by crisp days, blue skies and, if they’re lucky, plenty of spider lillies to greet the way.

There’s a bit of all of that in this edition of Natchez The Magazine, from a homecoming tradition at Natchez High that brings thousands of alumni together each year to an opportunity to meet some of the women who find strength and peace through hunting.

“The ‘ber months” also mark a season focused on gathering and families, In that spirit, you’ll meet the Mires, a couple who created a dream home for their family filled with personal touches, stunning architecture and, most important, memories and roots. You’ll also read about Dr. Brennan O’Brien’s years-long partnership with artist Conner Burns to create a bespoke set of dishes to preserve the family’s legacy and celebrate its beauty.

Of course, what would fall be without a pumpkin or three? We’re happy to offer some recipes for that favorite orange gourd that let you stretch beyond the lattes and traditional pie.

So gather a blanket and a warm toddy, sit back and enjoy this edition of Natchez The Magazine. FROM THE EDITOR

PICK A Pumpkin

From lattes to candles, the pumpkin is a ubiquitous part of the Fall season. And while some may mark the passing of seasons by the arrival of the “pumpkin spice” flavor added to everything from coffee to creamer, pies to desserts, the humble gourd has much more to offer. Consider these recipes for a savory twist. And if you’re stuck on the sweet offerings, a cheesecake twist and splash of bourbon elevates the humble pumpkin pie.

SAVORY PUMPKIN HUMMUS

Submitted by Georgia J Llewellyn

Yield: 16 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

3 cloves garlic

¾ teaspoon salt

2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cumi

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seed kernels, or more to taste

1 pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS

Gather all ingredients.

Pulse lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and salt together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Add garbanzo beans and olive oil and pulse until smooth.

Add pumpkin, cumin, and cayenne pepper; process until well blended. Transfer hummus to a container with a lid and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Fold pumpkin seeds into hummus; garnish with paprika.

PUMPKIN WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

Maggie Michalczyk, RDN

Pumpkin white bean chicken chili is a flavorful and nutritious meal that you’ll want to make again and again this fall! It comes together in one pot and tastes even better the next day.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb chicken breast

4 tbsp. olive oil divided

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1 jalapeno chopped + extra for serving

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

5 cups chicken broth

1 can pumpkin puree

1 can white beans

1 can green chiles

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 cup cilantro + more for serving plain greek yogurt to serve

sliced avocado to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a pot. Add the chicken and saute for about 3-5 minutes then remove and set aside.

In the pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook until softened.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt and peppers. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer.

Add the chicken stock, pumpkin puree, beans, and chilies.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using two forks, shred the chicken.

Once shredded, add in the chicken, corn and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Add to a bowl to serve and top with sliced avocado, jalapeno, greek yogurt and cilantro. Enjoy!

BOURBON PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Servings: 12 to 14

Source: Gourmet Magazine, November 2003

FOR CRUST

3/4 cup (115 grams) graham cracker (from five full graham crackers) or gingersnap crumbs

1/2 cup (50 grams) pecans, finely chopped

1/4 cup (45 grams) packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Two pinches of salt

FOR FILLING

1 15-OUNCE CAN SOLID-PACK PUMPKIN

(About 1 1/2 cups)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup (95 grams) packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla

1 tablespoon (15 ml) bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

For topping

2 cups (454 grams) sour cream

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)

Pecan halves (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Make crust: Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.

Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour, although, honestly, I do it for much less these days, often only 15 to 20 minutes.

Make filling and bake cheesecake: Put oven

rack in middle position and heat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined. Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

Make topping: Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 additional minutes.

Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Do ahead: Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 1 week.

What to read next?

A little bit of magic, some unforgettable stories and a page-turning thriller are the latest recommendations from the Natchez Book Club.

MRS. ENGLAND

A Sunday Times bestseller!” Highly atmospheric and tense.”--Richard Osman, New YorkTimes bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club. Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs. England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, an enthralling tale of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. West Yorkshire, 1904.

ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT

“Like most people I lived for a long time with my mother and father. My father liked to watch the wrestling, my mother liked to wrestle; it didn’t matter what.” ’ This is the story of Jeanette, adopted and brought up by her mother as one of God’s elect. Zealous and passionate, she seems destined for life as a missionary, but then she falls for one of her converts. At sixteen, Jeanette decides to leave the church, her home and her family, for the young woman she loves. Innovative, punchy and tender, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a few days ride into the bizarre outposts of religious excess and human obsession

THE RULES OF MAGIC

An instant New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick from beloved author Alice Hoffman--the spellbinding prequel to Practical Magic. Find your magic. For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man. Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

THE IMMORTALISTS

It’s 1969 in New York City’s Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children-four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness--sneak out to hear their fortunes.

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in ‘80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.

Check with the Judge George W. Armstrong Library and the Concordia Parish Library for these titles.

LOOKING FOR SALVATION AT THE DAIRY QUEEN

Sometimes you have to return to the place where you began, to arrive at the place where you belong. It’s the early 1970s. The town of Ringgold, Georgia, has a population of 1,923, one traffic light, one Dairy Queen, and one Catherine Grace Cline. The daughter of Ringgold’s third-generation Baptist preacher, Catherine Grace is quick-witted, more than a little stubborn, and dying to escape her small-town life. Every Saturday afternoon, she sits at the Dairy Queen, eating Dilly Bars and plotting her getaway to Atlanta.

AND THEN THERE’S MARGARET

When Allison Montgomery’s beloved father-in-law and longtime confidant passes away, her mother-in-law, Margaret, ‘temporarily’ moves in. From rearranging the furniture and taking over the kitchen, to undermining and embarrassing Allie at every turn, including funding her daughter’s escape, throwing a hissy fit at the mall, and publicly equating Allie’s glass of Chardonnay to full blown alcoholism, Margaret turns Allie’s life upside down causing her to bounce between a sincere desire to support her grieving mother-in-law and an intense urge to simply push her out of the nearest window.

THE FUNERAL DRESS

A deeply touching Southern story filled with struggle and hope. Emmalee Bullard and her new baby are on their own. Or so she thinks, until Leona Lane, the older seamstress who sat by her side at the local shirt factory where both women worked as collar makers, insists Emmalee come and live with her. But just as Emmalee prepares to escape her hardscrabble life in Red Chert Holler, Leona dies tragically. Grief-stricken, Emmalee decides she’ll make Leona’s burying dress.

THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

A domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors--a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives. Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night, when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately lands on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over-and see everything anew.

THE TABLE

The partnership started with an idea.

Brennan O’Brien had returned to Natchez and had taken over his father’s dental practice when he crossed paths with Conner Burns. Over time, the dentist and the potter began to talk and share ideas. When O’Brien decided he wanted to create a one-of-a-kind set of dinnerware for his family, he turned to Burns who created magic.

“I thought it would really neat to make my family place settings that we could add to every year,” O’Brien said. “It was Conner’s idea to add ashes from our family fireplace to incorporate that sense of home.”

And, over the course of six years, Burns’ artistry has brought to life a series of place settings that will come family heirlooms for generations to come.

“The idea was to add one place setting each Christmas as a gift to my wife,” O’Brien said.

Six settings, along with a centerpiece bowl, grace the O’Brien’s family table –including one for O’Brien, his wife Caroline, and each of their children, Thomas, Elizabeth and Alice. Each setting includes a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, wine goblet and cup, and while they are cohesive, they are not identical.

“While each set of goblets or dinner plates is homogenous in the bake or the dyes used, each piece is slightly different,” O’Brien said. “And for me, that is sort of a metaphor for the family.”

O’Brien credits his parents with exposing him to art at a young age. “It really resonated with me,” he said. That exposure helped develop his appreciation for incorporating art – particularly the art of local artisans and artists – in the family home.

In addition to the place settings, a series of three vases by Burns is on display in the home, along with portraits by local photographer Allen Laird; a light fixture designed by Joel Misita; and a triptych by artist Kate Lee Laird which depicts a favorite hunting spot O’Brien

Facing page, Natchez artist Conner Burns created one-of-a-kind place settings for the Brennan O’Brien family. At top, the settings were created over multiple years, with one setting made each year for Brennan O’Brien to give to his wife, Caroline, as a Christmas gift. At right, Burns also created a centerpiece bowl for the family. Additional pieces by Burns as well as paintings by Kate Lee Laird are part of the family’s art collection.

shared with his father.

“I gave her a mental image and she really developed it,” O’Brien said. Through it all, O’Brien seeks to instill an appreciation for art in his children, as well. Thomas, 8, proudly displays a pot he made with “Mr. Conner” that sits on his nightstand

and holds his Rosary beads.

And while the O’Brien family completes one art project, future ones are surely ahead.

“I didn’t even realize until this year that we’ve reached our completion,”

O’Brien said. “It’s just been such a fun journey.”

MODERN Family

The Mires pull on Southern roots to create ‘a home for living’

STORY BY JAN GRIFFEY PHOTOS BY ANNE MCDANIEL

When Dr. Blane and Jennifer Mire set out to build their dream home in 2007, they wanted more than just a house.

They envisioned a place that honored their South Louisiana’s French Colonial heritage while providing a warm, functional space for raising their three children.

Inspired by the timeless designs of architect A. Hays Town, they brought

history into the present by blending old-world craftsmanship with modern family living.

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, architecture firm took the Mires’ inspiration and coupled it with detail of a home in Baton Rouge that they admired to create the design of their house. A Natchez contractor brought it to life.

From reclaimed antique bricks and cypress beams to wide-plank pine

HOME AND GARDEN

flooring, custom on-site stucco columns and a beautifullypatinaed slate roof, the home was built to feel “old” from day one— yet perfectly suited for contemporary life. Bevolo gas lanterns glow at the entry, while a private stretch of wooded land with natural creeks shields the property from its nearby golf course setting.

DESIGNING FOR FAMILY AND FLOW

The Mires designed their home around openness, flow, and togetherness. The downstairs centers on a spacious living and kitchen area that connects seamlessly to entertainment rooms: a billiards room, large dining space, and a media room that proudly celebrates LSU sports. Each child was given a uniquely placed bedroom—two daughters sharing the front wing, and their son tucked away over the garage—while a playroom, gym, and study round out the family-friendly layout.

A HOUSE FILLED WITH MEANING

What makes the Mire home truly unique is what hangs on its walls. Their eclectic art collection tells the story of their lives together—memories gathered from travels, experiences, and even their children’s creative hands. A George Rodrigue Blue Dog nods to their Louisiana

Jennifer and Blane Mire and their dogs, from left, Winston and Jett.

roots, while pieces from their middle daughter, Hannah Grace, add a personal touch of homegrown artistry. “We’ve never wanted ‘hotel art,’” says Jennifer. “Every piece had to mean something to us.”

OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS BEST

The bluestone and brick outdoor kitchen and pool area were designed for both relaxation and celebration. Surrounded by greenery that disguises their golf course address, it has become a favorite gathering place for family and friends—especially during fall football season.

A HOME THAT REFLECTS THEIR LIFE

Both Blane, a board-certified internist and longevity medicine physician, and Jennifer, a nurse practitioner who helps lead their integrative and aesthetics practice, share a passion for blending tradition with innovation in their work. That balance is reflected in their home: classic in its bones, modern in its function, and deeply personal in its details.

Jennifer grew up in Baton Rouge, while Blane grew up in Slidell, Louisiana.

“We met on a beach trip through our parents when we were on a beach trip in about 1990, and got married when

The Mire home is filled with meaning, reflecting their lives and experiences, expressed in their eclectic art collection, including some of their own children’s creations.

we were in our early 20s,” Jennifer said.

HOME AND GARDEN

Blane did his undergraduate work at LSU and graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Louisiana. He did his residency in internal medicine at the LSU Medical Center in Baton Rouge.

“Someone who was influential in Blane’s life during his residency suggested that he come and take a look at Natchez as a place to practice,” Jennifer said. He joined Internal Medicine Associates and has practiced for 25 years here.

The Mires have three children: Connor, 26, who is a financial investor in Lafayette, Louisiana; Hannah Grace, 24, who is in her second year of medical school at the William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg; and Abby Rose, 21, who is a political communication major at LSU.

“More than anything,” Blane said, “this house was built for living — raising our family, welcoming friends, and filling it with experiences that matter. This home reflects who we are: rooted in tradition, but made for the life we live today.”

Inspired by the work of architect A. Hays Town, the Mire home blends old-world craftsmanship with the needs of their modern family, while providing a nod to their South Louisiana heritage.

Above and bottom right, the class of 1990, also known as the first graduating class of Natchez High School, celebrates homecoming together with a reunion. Top right, LaTrice Ester shared this last year photo from Natchez High School Homecoming with the Class of 2000 -“The Golden Class.”

STORY BY SABRINA ROBERTSON

PHOTOS BY SABRINA ROBERTSON, SUBMITTED Homecoming at Natchez High

Natchez High School

Homecoming celebrations in recent years have become about so much more than crowning the next generation of Bulldog royalty and playing a football game.

In the past four years, decades of the high school’s alumni have come together for a homecoming celebration of their own at a tailgate event called “Tent City.” It’s the one part of the weekend where all Natchez High alumni, from 1990 to present, come together.

The school broke records with its homecoming game last year and this year looks to exceed that with an attendance upwards of 5,000 people from all across the country who’ve all come home to Natchez to reunite with old friends.

What has kept these former graduates coming home?

For Ashleigh Irving, Class of 2005, it’s the feeling of being part of a family.

Irving planned the 10-year reunion for her classmates and now the 20-year reunion, which included a four-day weekend of activities that included the homecoming parade on Thursday, followed by tailgating at the homecoming game on Friday, a community service day at Natchez Stewpot and a formal gathering at Cooley & Co. on Saturday and ended with attending a church worship service on Sunday.

Irving, who was the class president and president of the Student Government Association, said she traveled from Tallahassee, Florida, to Natchez to be a part of the homecoming reunion with approximately 50 of her classmates from maybe five or six states.

The 20-year reunion was extra special because of Tent City, which included a union of not only her classmates but generations of Natchez High graduates.

“We look forward to being at Tent City and seeing all of the different generations of classes come together,” she said. “It is truly a wonderful thing the administration has done to bring all of these classes together and very exciting to be a part of. It’s more than just food and music. It’s like family and it’s a tradition that is uniquely Natchez.”

Irving said, regardless of where she and her classmates are coming from, they all grew up with the same Natchez High School foundation.

“Natchez High gave us our foundation to go off into the world to do what we do,” she said. “Truly, nothing matches Natchez and I’m very

proud to come from Natchez. ... Over the years, we’ve always supported one another and have always been close-knit through hard times,” Irving said. “It’s been 20 years and already we’ve lost 10 or so classmates and have a balloon release for them.”

Irving said part of what makes the reunion so special is that even though she and her classmates have all gone their separate ways with their careers, “Once we get together, it’s like we’re right back in the hallways of Natchez High School.”

Moreover, it’s a positive event for the community, she said.

“It’s remarkable the job that the leadership for the school has done to have the insight to have this type of event. It is family-friendly and it unites the entire community,” Irving said. “I have to give kudos to the Natchez Adams School District. It’s a large undertaking to get that many people into one place and they do it well. ... Last year a few of my classmates had children who are a part of the homecoming court ... and one of the football coaches, Coach Cothren, was a classmate of mine and when we were in school, he was a football player so it’s a full-circle moment to see him as a coach out on the field.”

Irving said the Class of ‘05 has always been “unique and bold” throughout its tenure, “always setting the standard higher than before.”

The Class of 1990 — the first graduating class of Natchez High School when South Natchez and North Natchez combined schools — reunite and reminisce about the close-knit bonds they’ve forged as a class through some unique challenges they faced.

Dedrick Harris, a Class of 1990 graduate, said 2024 was his first year attending the Natchez High homecoming celebration — adding “I’d never seen anything like it before.”

Around 50 or 60 attended, he said, while expecting to see more classmates this year for the 35-year reunion.

“So, we’re the last class of North and South Natchez and the first original class of Natchez High School,” Harris said. “Some of the people I’m running into I haven’t seen in 10, 15, or 20 years. It’s a great time to remember some old times and catch up on new things going on and see how they’re doing. Last year was one of the best times I’ve had in a long time as far as coming back to Natchez and being able to see not just my class but all the other classes connected with us.”

Harris said he bonded with his teachers and administrators, who had done a great job of coming together to decide on a unified school name and school mascot. By popular vote from former Rams and Colonels, the Bulldogs were born.

“They did a really great job integrating us into the new Natchez High,” Harris said. “We were the Bulldogs then and continue to be to this day.”

More than 50 alumni of the Class of 2000 came together this year for the 25-year class reunion, said LaTrice Ester, class vice president.

What she looks forward to most each year is “embracing one another, catching up on life and reminiscing about the good old days,” she said.

“Natchez High will always be the core of my heart,” she said. “Originally being from Louisiana and moving to Mississippi at a young age, I’ve gained so many close friends, best friends that I call my brothers and sisters. Any time I get to see them ... it brings joy to my heart and is definitely food for the soul.”

Some don’t have to travel far to be a part of the Natchez homecoming experience.

Lekita Davis, a “proud graduate of the Class of 1995,” is also a district employee.

“My favorite part of homecoming is seeing everyone’s excitement about the festivities. There’s the energy of the Homecoming court, the coronations, the big game, the parade, and of course, the ever-growing event that is Tent City,” she said.

“Since I was a student in both Jefferson and Adams County schools, reuniting with my classmates gives me the chance to reconnect with old friends and get to

know others I didn’t know as well back then. It’s a time to share memories, catch up on life, and be grateful for those of us still here to enjoy these moments together.”

Davis said participation in homecoming has grown tremendously in the few years since Tent City started.

“A few classmates came together a few years ago to help organize our class’s participation in Tent City and the Homecoming parade. Since then, our turnout has grown each year. Last year, we had about 25-30 participants. As word continues to spread after each Homecoming, our numbers grow. This year, we’re celebrating our 30th reunion... and we’re expecting close to 50 classmates to participate.”

A special memory of the Class of ‘95, Davis said, is posing for a senior group photo with classmates standing in the shape of a 95 on the field before graduating.

“The Class of ‘95 is special because we were the first class to march across the Tom E. Williams Memorial Stadium field for graduation,” she said. “That moment marked a historic milestone-and we were honored to be a part of it.”

Left page, from top, Class of 1990 alumni celebrate homecoming together; alumni Ashley Sproulls, Acacia Claiborne and Elicia Pendleton; Tent City is packed with both students and alumni; and Class of 2011 graduates Devin Hence, Desmond McGuire and 1999 graduate LaQuilla Terrell. Above, top photo and second photo, Ashleigh Irving, class of 2005, shared these photographed memories from her high school days with her classmates. Second photo, Ashley Sproulls, Chelsea Hall, Lindsay Burns, Ashleigh Irving and Janee Sadler - Class of 2005 Freshman Class Officers. Bottom photo, some classes each decorate themed floats, like the one pictured for the Class of 1990, to ride in the homecoming parade.

STORY BY SABRINA ROBERTSON

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

INTO THE

Woods

Women find peace, empowerment in the hunt

Sitting in a quiet stand, listening to the sound of the woods — birds singing their early morning songs, critters scuffling in the brush — that is where women like Emily Peeples from rural Franklin County find peace in solidarity.

“I love just sitting there waiting, ‘cause you literally have no idea what’s going to walk out,” she said. “Last season I was sitting there and I hadn’t seen anything yet and honestly, I wasn’t expecting to see anything. All of a sudden, this huge buck walks out and by the time I can get my gun up, he already walked across. I’m like, ‘OK, well, I’m going to go ahead and keep this gun up, and maybe something will walk out. And sure enough, I had enough time to get that gun up and, and here comes that buck in that picture. He was walking across the road. He never looked up or anything, and I dropped him right there. You never know what you’re going to see.”

It’s a little bit harder for a mom of three to take off into the woods and be completely alone, but not impossible.

Sitting in a quiet stand, listening to the sound of the woods — birds singing their early morning

songs, critters scuffling in the brush — that is where women like Emily Peeples from rural Franklin County find peace in solidarity.

It’s a little bit harder for a mom of three to take off into the woods and be completely alone, but not impossible.

Peeples said deer hunting is her

temporary escape to a place of peace, she said.

“I like deer hunting. I’ve been turkey hunting multiple times but I’m not really about walking all around. I prefer to just sit somewhere, so deer hunting is a little bit more up my alley,” she said. “I’m able to tell my husband, ‘It’s your turn. I’m going hunting.’”

Her husband Dutch, is a hunter too, but he enjoys hunting turkey more than Emily does. He welcomes the trade-off so that they can take turns out in the woods, putting food on their table.

Though it’s not traditional, Peeples said she brought her love of the woods from early childhood into their marriage.

“My dad used to take me from the time I was four or five years old, so I grew up hunting,” she said. “Now, I kind of got out of it for a while but I got back into it once I got older and realized how peaceful it was in the woods. Like I said, I have three kids, so I love the peace. I can stay out

there all day.”

Peeples remembers the first deer she ever harvested was when she was a teenager, age 14 or 15, and it was an eight or nine-point buck.

“I was so excited because, honestly, I thought I missed and I did not miss. I can remember I was shaking so bad I couldn’t hardly crawl out of the stand. That was so long ago.”

Peeples said being a woman who hunts gives her a sense of pride and fulfillment.

“It makes me feel proud that I can stock the freezer too and that I can drag a deer just like a man can,” she said. “I can do what a man can do.”

Peeples is passing her passion on to at least one of her three children, who are ages 10, 5, and 3.

“My 10-year-old also enjoys hunting. He actually just got his first gun over the summer, so he’s pretty anxious to use it this season. My five-year-old is my little girl and she is probably not gonna be our

Facing page, Elizabeth Smith. Above, Emily Peeples. And at right, Elizabeth Smith with her father, Brent Smith, on a fishing trip.

FEATURE

hunter. She is like complete opposite of me. She’s super girly and I’m super not. And then my two-year-old cannot wait until he is old enough to go.”

Like Peeples, Elizabeth Smith from Vidalia, Louisiana, gained her love for hunting—and fishing—from her dad, Brent Smith, she said.

She considers herself to be a girly girl with just a little bit of tomboy in her. Smith enjoyed playing softball and basketball since I could walk and played one year in college. She is now a special education teacher at Vidalia High School.

“I’ve been hunting since my dad brought me as a little girl and that’s what we all would do sometimes,” she said. “It’s fun for me and my dad, too.”

Her boyfriend, Jake Spears, loves that she loves it, so the pair often hunts together. “I just go just to go and he eat, sleeps and breathes it,” she said.

Smith enjoys hunting out of a hunting camp in Church Hill, where she enjoys watching many young deer walk out each season—watching them grow until they’re big enough to take.

When the right-sized deer finally does appear—sometimes it doesn’t—It makes you nervous at first, but then there’s an accomplishment when you finally shoot one,” she said. Her first harvest was a spike when she was about seven or eight years old.

“It’s kind of a funny story, but kind of not funny too because someone got hurt,” she said. “We were going to get it (in a Bad Boy buggy) and my sister was sitting on my lap and slid off and hit the gas. My best friend went flying out and got a cut above her eyebrow. My first deer picture was taken in the Natchez Regional parking lot, waiting on her to get out after getting stitches.”

One thing Smith won’t do is clean them, she said.

“I put in my time and effort, but I let the boys do the nasty work,” she said.

Aside from deer hunting, Smith said she and her family also love deep-sea fishing on the coast and the occasional turkey hunt. “I went turkey hunting once and I want to try

it again,” she said.

Taylor Cooley — a Natchez business owner, photographer, and army veteran — has always been a good marksman but never hunted wild game until last deer season, when she also took her first deer.

“I went with my husband (Trey) on Thanksgiving day and not too long after we’d been out there a deer walked out,” she said. “My husband was so excited he wanted to immediately hop out and go check on her but I said, ‘No, no. There is still plenty of daylight left. Sit down. And so he did and not 15 minutes later, a little buck came out and he was able to harvest one with me. It was a super special trip.”

It wasn’t her first hunting trip, she said.

“I’d been out a couple of other times. We don’t get a lot of time to hunt with business and kids and all of that so we were kind of shocked at how it all worked out.”

Also, as a mom of four, Cooley said hunting is an escape for her, too, but in a different way. It’s her chance to unplug from a phone that is constantly buzzing and spend quality time with her husband and children, she said.

“It was something Trey had done ever since he was little and something different that we could do together and our kids enjoy it,” she said. “I enjoy going with them as something we could do as a family. ... We also don’t have cell phone service out there so there are no distractions whatsoever. No work. No anything.”

Cooley said she’d be glad to hunt more often whenever she can find the time.

“I enjoy the sport of shooting in general. I was a marksman in the National Guard. I’m trying to show our daughters they don’t have to be limited to certain activities either. The world is full of possibilities and they can do it all.”

Above, Elizabeth Smith and Jake Spears at a hunt. At right, Trey and Taylor Cooley.

HATS & GLOVES

PHOTOS

Sabrina Robertson

Hats and Gloves Tea on the Mississippi River in late September generated financial support for under insured or uninsured women to receive their annual mammograms. All proceeds are donated to Merit Health Natchez for the program, which is available on request.

1. Bessie Bradley, Sandra Satcher, Melody Brown, Valerie Quinn and Dorothy Matthews.

2. Cassandra Tennessee, Queen McMorris, Valeria Johnson, Natasha Posey and Laveria Rankin.

3. Front row, from left, Kevin Samrow, Rebecca Samrow, Jenny Vercher. Back row, from left, Hannah Gilmore, Rachael Phelps and Nic Bernard.

4. Event organizers Joyce Washington Ivery, her cousin Cynthia N. White, and Carolyn Spruille.

5. Dora Hawkins, Naydza Muhammad, Cheryllyn Branche, Judith Adams and Janice Hawkins.

6. Back row, from left, is Bonita Reed, Tanya Washington, Norma Bearden, Jennifer Blake, Mary Harris and Lillian Clark Edney. Seated in front is Evelyn Smith.

7. Brenda Brown, Kymberly Brown, Vvounzell Murphy, Jacqueline McNealy and LaTayna Brown.

8. Volunteers Jacqulyn Williams and Betty Bowser.

Building a stronger grid Fueling economic growth

These are exciting days in Mississippi. New industries and new jobs are moving to our state along with record investments. Entergy is already hard at work to stay ahead of increasing power demands in our growing communities.

We’re not only adding more power generation, but diversifying our energy sources with cleaner and more efficient power generation. This diversified mix will help ensure long-term affordability and reliability for all of our customers.

Scaling up the grid also gives us the opportunity to upgrade infrastructure and technology throughout our system – ensuring a stronger and brighter future for Mississippi.

Learn more at entergymississippi.com