Bluffs & Bayous May/June 2021

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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homes. Sorting through pictures, awards, and invitations from their high school experiences has flooded my memories with those happy times and turned my thoughts to reflecting on their paths following high school to where they are today—knowing in the midst of all this reminiscing that we have seven more grandchildren who one day will walk this path to their future with its rites of passage.

We hope your May and June months are embraced with open arms to experience new adventures, new outings, and all that awaits in life along and beyond the Mississippi.

ur May/June issue of Bluffs & Bayous celebrates hale and hearty lifestyles with its focus on recreation, healthy living, healthy foods, and a love story. Our calendar catalogues many activities in our Life Along areas of outdoor walks, runs, biking events, fishing tournaments, and even outdoor music concerts with the return of The Natchez Festival of Music season and a notable Fourth of July celebration in Natchez, Mississippi.

As we begin to recover from the pandemic with its mask-wearing and social distancing, most people in the area have received their vaccines. Their yen for socializing and back-to-normal activities is on the rise, and this issue is chock-full of opportunities to satisfy that yearning.

The weather, too, is accommodating this sentiment with its warmer days and azure skies as Mother Nature reminds us that summer’s golden moments are on the horizon of Father Time. How apropos that these May into June months honor some of those most dear to us in Mother’s Day and Father’s Day commemorations!

May brings additional golden opportunities to all of our communities with the ending of the school year, graduation for the seniors, and social gatherings to honor these soonto-be graduates. My own household is experiencing these bittersweet moments as our first grandchild, Blair, will graduate from Cathedral High School in Natchez, representing the sixth generation of our family to follow this tradition.

Ironically, I am still going through boxes of memorabilia from our own children’s keepsakes and sorting these treasures into five containers to pass on to their Bluffs & Bayous { May / June 2021 { Page 3

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PUBLISHER Cheryl Foggo Rinehart COPY EDITOR Jean Nosser Biglane GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Susan R. DeBusk S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R S Tim McCary Cheryl Rinehart Bill Perkins Lisa Adams Whittington S A L E S S TA F F Cheryl Rinehart Kari L. Blaney CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Gary R. Bachman Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III Alma Womack

Cheryl Rinehart

Lee Waycaster

Jean Biglane

Lisa Adams Whittington

Dr. Gary R. Bachman

Susan R. DeBusk

Tim McCary

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III

Sonny Womack

Kari L. Blaney

Lee Waycaster

Alma Womack

Sonny Womack

Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein.

We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.

OFFICE 225 John R. Junkin Drive | Natchez, MS 39120 601-442-6847 bluffsmag@gmail.com | bbupandcoming@gmail.com www.bluffsbayous.com

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MAY/JUNE 2021

FEATURES A Natchez Girl Named Suzanne in Colorado: A True “Fairy Tale”.................................................................................................. 28-29 Bringing Nature to You: OutsideIN MS.................................17-18 Something Scrumptious

Garden Mania ................................................................................................................33-34

PAGES 20-21

FAVORITES In the Garden Ther Herb Sage--A Salvia Family Member........................................................... 10

Legal Notes What to Do at Death.......................................................................................................... 23

Something Scrumptious Bring on the Berries.....................................................................................................20-21

Southern Sampler May Memories of Poetry and Mama........................................................................50

The Social Scene Create and Celebrate Senior Party...................................................................................11-12 Krewe of Phoenix Annual Rex & Queen Rosalie Royals’ Pre-Parade Lunch................................................................................................................16 Gordon Redd Receives the MPCA 2020 Hall of Fame Award...................... 24 An Easter Egg Hunt at Stanton Hall..........................................................................26 Fiesta Party Honoring Christine Newman and David Jenkins....................30

A True “Fairy Tale” PAGES 28-29

A Brunch for NGC Court.................................................................................................34 Co-Lin Hall of Fame...........................................................................................................36

Up & Coming Premier Events Up & Coming................................................................................ 40-41 Louisiana Up & Coming.............................................................................................41-45 Mississippi Up & Coming.........................................................................................45-48

ON THE COVER This issue’s cover entices us to open our arms to experience new adventures, new outings, and all that challenges us to embrace what May and June have to offer. Artistic Design by Susan DeBusk

In the Garden PAGE 10

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BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

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BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

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IN THE GARDEN

BY

Dr. Gary R. Bachman

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Dr. Gary R. Bachman

The Herb Sage - A Salvia Family Member

Tricolor sage’s variegated foliage in green, white, and pinkish make it the perfect choice for the edible ornamental garden.

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alvia is one of the groups of plants that all gardeners should have in their landscapes. This plant group has flowers with a wide-ranging color palette and different sizes. Salvias are loved—by me especially—because of their ability to attract pollinators, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

But there’s another type of salvia that smart gardeners grow, and it’s known botanically as Salvia officinalis. If that doesn’t sound familiar, consider its common name: sage. This salvia is one of the most recognized and used culinary herbs.

Sage is considered a perennial herb, but I find it to be unreliable in years two and three. I take the worry out of the equation and replant each spring.

I love common sage with its grayishgreen, coarse leaves; but there are more foliage color options.

Icterina is variegated with dark-green centers and light, golden-yellow edges.

I’ve grown this variety and love how the colors intensify with the cooler air of fall and winter. Tricolor has a beautiful, irregular pattern of variegated green, white, and pinkish foliage. The variegated foliage makes this selection the perfect choice for the edible ornamental garden.

Purple Sage is the filler with textured foliage that emerges a handsome reddish-purple color that also gets bolder in cooler weather.

While it is useful in the garden for its color, don’t forget its value as a great culinary herb.

My favorite sage use is with rotisserie chicken, and I stuff fresh sage underneath the skin.

At my house, we also harvest fresh leaves to dry in our dehydrator for recipe use later. Dehydrating is easy; just remember to set the temperature about 95 degrees.

In my experience, dehydrating at higher temperatures results in dried sage that has an unappetizing, gray color.

Sage is an easy herb to grow in either a raised bed or container. Once established in the spring, sage has the ability to handle droughty summer weather. In fact, like many herbs, the heat of summer can intensify its wonderful essential oils. But this comes at a cost of reduced leaf production, so keep the plants well hydrated to maintain an ample supply of aromatic foliage.

There really is only one thing that will decrease your success in growing sage, and that is keeping the plants too wet.

This is why growing them in containers using well-drained potting soil is my No. 1 choice. Raised beds come in a close second because of their wonderfully enhanced drainage.

I recommend pinching out the flowers when they form during the summer months to keep the leaf production going strong. I also go against some of the herbal “sage advice” and add a little fertilizer during the year to help promote more foliage growth

Columnist Dr. Gary R. Bachman is an assistant extension professor of horticulture at Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.

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Common sage is one of the most recognized and used culinary herbs.

Some sage comes with different foliage colors such as this Icterina, which has leaves with colors that intensify when temperatures drop in autumn.

The textured foliage of Purple Sage emerges a handsome reddish-purple color that gets bolder in cooler weather.

THE social SCENE MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

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Create and Celebrate Senior Party

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adison Stringer, a senior at Parklane Academy, was recently honored at a “Create and Celebrate” senior paint party and luncheon at Fernwood Country Club in McComb, Mississippi. The honoree and her guests celebrated their senior year with a Lilly-Pulitzer-themed luncheon and a canvas painting session led by Mary Elizabeth Stringer. At the check-in table, the ladies signed a frame for Madison to use in her college dorm. They then enjoyed mock mimosas followed by light appetizers, while they painted their individual Mississippi art creations, and a lovely three-course luncheon prepared by Chef Michael Guttuso.

Hosting the party were Jennifer Hill, Polly Patten, Carla Stringer, Belinda Dyar, and Sharon Johnson. The daughter of Trent and Melissa Stringer of Tylertown, Mississippi, Madison plans to attend Mississippi State University in the fall and major in business administration.

1 Madison Stringer 2 Mary Elizabeth Stringer, Chef Michael Guttuso, and Carla Stringer 3 Alli Simmons, Madison Stringer, and Camryn Johnson 4 Lilly Warshauer, Alli Simmons, Charlee Summers, and Andrea Simo 5 Avery Spring 6 Centerpieces 7 Emme Wallace, McKenna Pearson, Madison Stringer, and Shelbie Thomas 8 Check-in table 9 Front—Lacey Dumas, Avery Spring, Kathryn Bishop, Madison Stringer, Kate Honea, Charlee Summers, and Shelbie Thomas / Back—Lilly Warshauer, Andrea Simo, McKenna Pearson, Alli Simmons, Kaylea Wall, Emme Wallace, Camryn Johnson, Emma Wiggington

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10 Front—Shelbie Thomas, Avery Spring, Madison Stringer, Charlee Summers, Emme Wallace, and Lacey Dumas / Back—Alli Simmons, Lilly Warshauer, Andrea Simo, Kaylea Wall, Camryn Johnson, and Emma Wiggington 11 Andrea Simo and Madison Stringer 12 Kaylea Wall, Kate Honea, and McKenna Pearson 13 Sharon Johnson, Belinda Dyar, Madison Stringer, Melissa Stringer, Carla Stringer, Jennifer Hill, and Polly Patten 14 Lacey Dumas, Madison Stringer, and Kathryn Bishop 15 Mary Elizabeth Stringer 16 Centerpiece 17 Madison Stringer and Camryn Johnson

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NATCHEZ k On the River k NATCHEZ k On the River NGC MAY & JUNE EVENTS May 8 Mother’s Day Tea Magnolia Hall 11:30 am - 1 pm $20 May 20 Third Thursday Fish Fry Pick Up Washington St. (side of Magnolia Hall)

5:30 pm $20 per plate $10 per child’s plate

May 31 (Memorial Day) - August 6 Ellicott Pool Opening Monday - Friday 1 - 7 pm Saturday 10 am - 7 pm Sunday 1 - 7 pm Open to all paid NGC members and their children / $5.00 for any guest Non-NGC family summer membership: $200 Non-NGC Individual Summer Membership $125 Non-NGC Bed & Breakfast Summer Membership $200 Contact the NGC office 601.443.9065 for more information.

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NATCHEZ k On the River k NATCHEZ k On the River

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NATCHEZ k On the River k NATCHEZ k On the River

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

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Krewe of Phoenix Annual Rex and Queen Rosalie Royals’ Pre-Parade Lunch

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revious Rex and Queen Rosalie royals of the Krewe of Phoenix in Natchez, Mississippi, gathered on Thursday, February 11, 2021, in the Queen’s Room and Carriage House on the grounds of Stanton Hall for lunching in distanced areas and joining in fellowship following lunch to celebrate Mardi Gras and what would have been “Parade Day” the following day.

This tradition continued even through the pandemic with social distancing, safety measures, and loads of camaraderie.

Queen Rosalie royals were honored with a seated lunch buffet while Rex royals gathered for hors d’oeuvres and spirits.

1 Valerie Bergeron and Mimi Houghton 2 Valerie Bergeron, Charlotte Beard, and Sue Stedman 3 Pat Dickens and Mary Lessley 4 Valerie Bergeron, Pat Dickens, Sue Stedman, and Darby Short 5 Dee Newman, Charlotte Beard, Betsy Mosby, and Betty Dossett 6 Mary Lessley, Valerie Bergeron, and Sue Stedman 7 Robert Paradise and Mimi Houghton 8 Cheryl Rinehart, Valerie Bergeron, and Sue Stedman 9 Front—Betty Dossett / Back—Mimi Houghton, Mary Lessley, Darby Short, Cheryl Rinehart, Sue Stedman, Donna Sessions, Charlotte Beard, Dee Newman, Valerie Bergeron, and Betsy Mosby

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Bringing Nature to You: OutsideIN MS

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eet Robin Pearson, a gifted and knowledgeable teacher, who has spent over thirty-two years in the museum field and has created OutsideIN MS to share her love and knowledge of nature through tours and educational classes. In addition, she is an extraordinary artist with a gift for creating historical, whimsical tins available in local art shops and by customized orders. Educator, artist, outdoors adventurer, Pearson has channeled these skills into new adventures

to share with everyone.

Pearson acquired her undergraduate degree in biology from Albion College in Albion, Michigan, followed by her master’s degree in History and Museum Studies from Western Michigan University. She has served as director of small museums leading her to Natchez, Mississippi, where she served as Director of Historic Jefferson College located in Washington, Mississippi, a property owned by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

When the department closed the museum doors, Pearson was free to dive into her creative mode combining her educational background with her knowledge of nature and her love for the outdoors to establish OutsideIN MS. One of Pearson’s services as part of OutsideIN MS is guided individual and guided kayak tours on Old River in nearby Louisiana.

Her group tours are limited to six people. No matter the number in the group, the two-hour experience of propelling kayaks through the smooth waters provides close observation of multiple species of birds, fish, turtles, and maybe an alligator or two.

An additional option she

offers is Guided Nature Tours, hikes for a maximum of six people with children no younger than five years old. Trails are chosen among the many in the Natchez area relative to hikers’ fitness, ages, and interests; and each hiker is provided a trail bag for water, bug spray, a pair of binoculars, and a nature ID guide. Pearson’s knowledge of all aspects of nature is the perfect fit for hikers’ adventures with OutsideIN MS. If you are not a hiker or kayaker, Pearson’s OutsideIN MS has developed a fun downtown Architectural Scavenger Hunt. The scavenger hunt booklets are available at gift shops in Magnolia Hall, The House on Ellicott’s Hill, Stanton Hall, and Longwood as well as The Kitchen, Silver Street Gallery and Gifts, Rolling ‘N’ The Dough, and Pearson’s shop at 112 North Commerce Street. There are two hunts, one on Main and Commerce Streets and the other on Franklin and Pearl Streets.

Also exclusive are Pearson’s Nature Boxes, beautifully crafted for the curious nature lover to explore the worlds of birds, snakes, insects, rocks, butterflies, and more.

The boxes are creatively packaged and can

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be shipped or ordered directly from the website. These distinctive, investigative treasures can be purchased on an annual basis as well as via subscription, the perfect monthly treat for an entire year, each one unique and intriguing and certainly a fascinating experience for children.

As we anticipate the season’s warmer weather for weekends outdoors and look forward to school’s dismissal with ensuing languid days of summer, try exploring Robin Pearson’s take on what nature has to offer—something for everyone in the family to learn and enjoy with OutsideIN MS.

Additional information about the learning opportunities with OutsideIN MS is available at the following: 662.515.0490; 112 North Commerce Street, Natchez, MS; and www.outsideinms.com.

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2. and 3. Creatively crafted Nature Boxes intrigue the curious nature lover.

Downtown and All Around Our City...Vicksburg

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SOMETHING SCRUMPTIOUS

BY

BY Alma M. Womack Lee Jackson, RDN, LDN

AHOLLY tribute to CLEGG

W

BRING ON THE

hen the days start to warm up, nothing beats fresh seasonal ingredients like delicious locally grown berries. Just wait until you check out these good-for-you recipes that feature a bounty of berries—from blackberries to blueberries, to fresh Louisiana strawberries—in a main dish, quick bread, and dessert!

Berries are anti-inflammatory superstars known for their health benefits. They are packed with immune boosting vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants that help slow the aging process from the inside out. They also tout memory protection, reduced risk of cancer, and decreased infections just to name a few additional benefits.

The blend of ingredients in Blackberry Chicken creates a sweet and savory sauce that is to die for! Best of all, the longer the chicken cooks in the sauce, the better it gets!

Blueberries and lemon complement each other in Quick Lemon Blueberry Bread. The lemon syrup soaks through this luscious bread while Bisquick makes it easy and cream cheese gives a rich, smooth flavor.

For a sweet Louisiana treat, strawberries are the star of this Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait recipe—enticing for all ages. This fantastic no-cook dessert is a delicious warm-weather treat. Try layering this dessert in single serving tussie mussies or stemware for a beautiful table setting.

All recipes are from Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific Too Hot in the Kitchen Cookbook.

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Berries

BLACKBERRY CHICKEN

The sultry blend of blackberry jam and balsamic vinegar infuses the chicken with unbeatable flavors while the caramelized onions make a slightly sweet, savory sauce. Makes 4 servings 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2-3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth 1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar In large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion 5 minutes. Season chicken with thyme, and season to taste. Dust with flour. Add chicken to pan, cooking until browned on each side, about 7-10 minutes. Add broth and continue cooking another 15 minutes. Add jam and balsamic vinegar, bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook chicken for another 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Spicy Advice: The longer the chicken cooks in the sauce, the better it gets!

QUICK LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD Blueberries burst with flavor and nutrition!

This luscious lemon bread is a “go to” easy favorite; in fact, close your eyes and you’ll think you are eating cake. Makes 16 servings 1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided 2 eggs 1 tablespoon lemon extract 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat or regular biscuit baking mix 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 1 1/2 cups blueberries 1/3 cup lemon juice Spicy Advice: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before using, or the blueberries turn too mushy.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9x5x3-inch nonstick loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In large mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and lemon extract. Stir in baking mix and lemon rind just until blended. Carefully stir in blueberries. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately poke holes in 1-inch intervals on top of bread with toothpick. In microwave-safe dish, combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice, heating until sugar is dissolved.

Pour evenly over top of bread. Cool and slice.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE PARFAITS A fabulous no-cook dessert! This berry and cheesecake combination creates an explosion of flavor for cheesecake fans. Makes 8 parfaits 1 pound strawberries, stemmed and sliced 1 tablespoon sugar 1 (8-ounce) reduced-fat cream cheese 1/2 cup plain or vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 1/2 cups frozen nonfat whipped topping, thawed, divided 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs Mint garnish, optional

Terrific Tips: Any berries or a combination may be used. Any time a recipe calls for yogurt or Greek yogurt, either is fine.

In bowl, sprinkle strawberries with sugar, toss, and set aside. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, yogurt, confectioner’s sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup whipped topping.To assemble parfaits, in small dish or glass, layer graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese filling, and strawberries. Repeat layers and end with dollop of whipped topping. Garnish with mint if desired.

As a dietitian with Holly Clegg for almost fourteen years, I feel it is such a privilege to continue to provide her delicious cookbooks and catalogue of recipes that serve as important resources for healthy eating to prevent chronic diseases.

The best-selling Eating Well Through Cancer cookbook has sold over a million copies and has also been translated into Spanish helping many world-wide to eat with nutrition and ease side effects while going through cancer treatment.

Here is a link to the website with more information about who Team Holly is—her family and I along with a social media manager, Pryce: https://thehealthycookingblog.com/about/.

More information about Holly Clegg’s cancer journey and a link to her Gastric Cancer Research Fund with MD Anderson can be found here: https:// thehealthycookingblog.com/gastric-cancer-journey-md-anderson/.

Michael, Holly, Courtney, Haley,and Todd Clegg Pryce Bahnsen, Social Media Manager, with Holly Clegg Lee Waycaster Jackson, RDN, LDN Registered Dietitian, with Holly Clegg

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LEGAL NOTES

BY

Lucien C. Gwin III

What to Do at Death Eighth: If your loved one was still working at death, then contact your CPA or accountant to see if tax returns need to be filed for the year of death.

Ninth: Did the deceased have a pension or 401K? Oftentimes, these are transferable to named beneficiaries; and most of the time, just as life insurance, the benefits go outside of the will if a designated beneficiary is named in the policy. There may also be tax consequences if the funds were tax deferred.

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ost attorneys in small towns handle estate matters. When someone dies, we often get a call from the surviving heirs (often a spouse); and the first question is “What do I do?”

Recently, my good friend Nan Garrison gave me an excerpt from a book entitled Making Things Easy For My Family; and while a lot of the information in it was familiar to me, nonetheless, I thought this is very organized and worth sharing with readers since all reading this are going to experience death whether it be their own or that of a loved one: First: Upon the shock of a death in the family, you should notify all close friends and loved ones as soon as possible.

Second: Is there an employer to call?

Third: Call the funeral home and make an appointment within 12 hours of the death if possible. One of the most important things to know about the funeral home is that they will secure death certificates for you which can take 2-3 weeks to come back. (Ask for 10 copies.) You may need these certificates for estate administration. While it is rare, sometimes people will state certain instructions about their funeral in their last will and testament. I don’t encourage that and think it better to talk about funerals

way ahead of time. I have told my wife I want to be cremated. Some days she gets the itch to go ahead and light the match!!!!!

Fourth: It is normally okay to wait until “after” the funeral to call an attorney.

Before going to see the lawyer, determine if your loved one had a will. If so, you will need the original and take it with you. If there is no will, then your attorney will know what to do under those circumstances.

Fifth: You may need to determine if the deceased had a mortgage on their house or property and you will need to notify the bank or loan company. Are there credit card bills outstanding? These companies will need to be contacted; and if there are large debts, the attorney needs to know who the companies are and what the debts are.

Sixth: You need to next inquire if there was any life insurance. You will need to contact the life insurance company directly; and most of the time, life insurance goes “OUTSIDE” of the estate. But you will need the death certificate for the life insurance company.

Seventh: Was the loved one over 65? If so, you may need to notify social security as well as Medicare. If you get any checks after the death, most of the time you will have to refund the monies.

Tenth: Bank accounts need to be checked on. I try to advise clients who have older relatives to see if they can get the relative to agree to a joint account. It makes it much smoother at death if the accounts can be accessed without court order, but there has to be trust involved. A power of attorney is convenient for this, too; but the POA TERMINATES on death!

Eleventh: Automobiles that are not cotitled with another relative will have to have a court order allowing change of title and or sale if done while the estate is opened.

Twelfth: Land and house (real property) is a subject that I can talk about all day; but during the pendency of an estate, land and houses have to be kept up. This is usually the executor’s (most of the time a family member) job. Taxes on real property go on; and if the estate takes a while to close, then the property taxes have to be paid. This, too, is the executor’s or administrator’s responsibility.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of all of the ins and outs of estate matters, but it is a good overview of what you might be facing. Death is a certainty, and I would bet everyone reading this is going to be faced with a lot of these issues at some point in time. The more prepared you are, the easier it is on your family.

Lucien C. “Sam” Gwin III was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981 and has been practicing many aspects of the law at the firm of Gwin, Punches & Kelley in Natchez, Mississippi, ever since.

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THE social SCENE PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI

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Gordon Redd Receives the MPCA 2020 “Hall of Fame” Award

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ordon Redd, Jr., President of Redd Pest Solutions in Mississippi, was inducted into the Mississippi Pest Control Association (MPCA) 2020 Hall of Fame on January 21, 2021. Redd was recognized for his lifetime dedication to the advancement of the Mississippi pest control industry. MPCA promotes the standards and ethics of the industry by providing ongoing education and research for the pest control industry. At Redd Pest Solutions, Redd is responsible for the direct oversight of company operations. In addition to this leadership position, he is also a leader throughout the pest control industry and his community. He has served on many boards and committees within the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the MPMA, and local organizations.

1 Gordon Redd with Richard Linley, MPCA Past President 2 Karen Gregory, MPCA President, with Gordon Redd 3 Gordon Redd 4 Gordon Redd and Richard Linley, MPCA Past President 5 Eddie Brewer with Gordon Redd and his son, Trey Redd 6 Tripp Brewer, Gordon’s grandson and fourth generation; Eddie Brewer, Vice-President of Redd Pest Solutions; Gordon Redd with wife, Donna Redd; and Bevin Brewer, Gordon’s daughter and third generation

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! e b o t e c a l p the www.colin.edu

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

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Easter Egg Hunt at Stanton Hall

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he Pilgrimage Garden Club held an Easter Egg Hunt on the grounds of Stanton Hall in downtown Natchez, Mississippi, on Good Friday, April 2, 2021. The children hunted for eggs, enjoyed snacks, and participated in Easter activities. The Easter Bunny was present to preside over the hunt and posed for pictures with the children.

1 Gower Washington and Brady Gaudé 2 Leah Tillman, Molly McLemore, Reene Slover, and Avery Middleton 3 Eliza Harris, Evelyn, and Sydney Morris 4 Mary Blair Johnson, Easter Bunny, and Elliot Oberschmidt 5 Molly McLemore 6 Paige Blackwell and Aubrey Ryan 7 Ann Gaudé 8 Abagail and Gower Washington 9 Sydney and Casey Morris 10 Barret Brown, Presley and Piper Smith, and Caston and Lewie Brown 11 Easton, Sydney, and Evelyn Morris with Easter Bunny 12 Eliza Harris, Sawyer Kate Dollar, and Evelyn and Sydney Morris 13 Molly McLemore, Easter Bunny, and Natalie McLemore 14 Elizabeth O’Brien, Easter Bunny, and Thomas O’Brien 15 Easton and Evelyn Morris 16 Abigail Hall and Penny McCary 17 Claire Calhoun and Katelon Nettles 18 Terri Iverstine and Easton Morris 19 Gower Washington

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BY

Sonny Womack

A Natchez Girl Named Suzanne in Colorado: A True “Fairy Tale”

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Suzanne and WallaceWomack, The Wedding Day

nto our second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, so many of us are so weary of its restrictions—wearing masks, social distancing, missing family milestones, fearing the unknown—and so sick of its inconveniences. However, for millions in our country and worldwide, and hundreds of thousands in our individual states, these restrictions and inconveniences, which will at some point fade, pale in comparison with the permanent loss this virus has visited upon their lives. One such loss and its lingering love story follow.

My name is O. E. Womack, Jr., but everyone has always called me Sonny.

My family owned Natchez Equipment Company Inc. in downtown Natchez, Mississippi. We were in business for 60 years on the corner of Franklin and Canal Streets. Our company took up nearly the entire block. The Natchez Convention Center is located there today.

In 1970, I was twenty-six years old when one of the men I worked with told me that this past Sunday he was visiting relatives in Fayette, Mississippi. There were a boy and girl there riding horses. The girl’s name was Suzanne Pyron; and she had just graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She had the best smile, the best laugh and personality of anyone he had met. He was impressed and kept insisting that I had to meet her.

He kept telling me about Suzanne; and I finally called her older brother, Bernie. I knew him from the insurance office across Canal Street and told him that I wanted to meet his sister. I thought this would be a simple lunch date. He said she is easy to meet; and you will like her; but she is in Denver, Colorado, staying with her college roommate’s family and looking for a job.

Bernie said he thought she was just having a good time and spending their Daddy’s money. He gave me her phone number. I had to make the decision to fly to Denver before I even spoke with her. I decided to make the trip; something just told me to go.

I called Suzanne and told her that I worked across the street from her brother and that I would be in Denver on Thursday morning, July 2, around 9:00. I was hoping to come by and see her. She said fine and gave me her address: 5005 Garrison, Arvada, Colorado. I remember that address even 50 years later.

The best way to get to Denver was to drive to the New Orleans airport Wednesday night to take an early morning flight Thursday so that I would arrive in Denver at 9:00 A.M. In Denver I rented a car, found my hotel, and with the help of a map found her address. When I turned down the driveway to the older house with horses, chickens, and dogs, there was a Cadillac leaving. It was Suzanne’s father and mother, Wallace and Sue. I had met her father before, so they stopped and talked. They said they knew I was coming out to visit Suzanne. They had an Airstream trailer camped about 20 miles away in the mountains and said we needed to come over for dinner. The last thing Sue told me before leaving was that “Suzanne was not brought up like this.”

The Mayo family welcomed me and sent me out back to an old camper trailer that Suzanne was renting. I knew that something had been missing from my life. I knocked on the door and out came Suzanne with her German Shepherd, Jessica. Right then, at that moment, I knew what had been missing. After visiting with her, I knew the guy from work had been right. We got hamburgers for lunch and then drove out

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to the campground to visit her parents.

Suzanne’s dad was in the middle of the swimming pool playing with children from the campground. Wallace was bigger than life. He was outgoing, warm, friendly, and always open for some fun.

Sue and Wallace had two small Honda motorcycles. They were made for old folks and would run about 40 miles per hour.

Suzanne wanted to take them for a ride, so we hopped on and headed up into the mountains. After about an hour of riding, we stopped to enjoy the view. I suggested we should start heading back and asked if she knew the way. She laughed and said she had no idea where we were. I found our way back, and I could see that Suzanne did not mind getting lost at all. Everything was an adventure.

We went out to dinner with her parents and another couple from the campground.

After dinner, the plan was to meet at the dog races, which I had never seen; but Suzanne could not find the dog track. I now know that the idea of dogs chasing a fake rabbit around in circles was not really her idea of a good time. Instead, we found a carnival, much like the state fair. We rode some of the rides and looked at all the animals, mostly horses. The next two days we went sight-seeing all over Denver.

There were plenty of things to do there.

On the fourth day we spent together, we had lunch; and I asked her to marry me.

I didn’t expect a positive answer; I just wanted her to know my intentions. I was unsure of how this long-distance courtship would work. This was a shock to her, and she was speechless as you can imagine.

That afternoon, she drove me to the airport for the trip home. I flew to Houston and then to New Orleans. I got my car and drove home getting there after midnight. I went to work the next morning. I did not know this at the time, but I would be doing this regularly.

Suzanne left the airport and went to see her parents to tell them that this crazy boy wanted to marry her and that he had only known her for four days. Sue and Wallace liked me and told her to just give it time. The following Wednesday, I got a

two-page, air-mailed letter from Suzanne saying that she did not want to get married, etc., etc., etc.

I called her the next morning and asked her, if I came out there on Friday morning at 9:00 A.M., would she pick me up at the airport. I explained to her there would be no talk of marriage. It would be just her, me, Jessica, and Colorado. After some persuasion, she agreed.

So, Thursday night I did the routine and arrived at the Denver airport at 9:00 A.M. I walked off the plane, and Suzanne was waiting at the gate. I thought this was a good sign. So, we started over and never again did I ask her to marry me. I had three days this trip. It was just two young adults with a little money in their pockets. I could not think of a more romantic place to date my future wife than beautiful Colorado.

We made day trips all over the state in her yellow Mustang, always with Jessica in the back. We really enjoyed each other’s company. Sunday, it was back to the airport and the same routine.

I made this three-thousand-mile round trip every Friday for the next four or five weeks. Finally, I convinced Suzanne to come home to Natchez; so the next trip was just a one-way ticket. We loaded her yellow Mustang with all her stuff, nearly to the ceiling. I loaded up Jessica, and Suzanne wanted to bring another dog. She had rescued a Dachshund named Slinky.

Both of his ears were chewed up; he had been stepped on by a horse; he looked rough. She said he was hard to handle, and he was trembling. I just scooped him up and stuffed him in the car, and we headed southeast. Little did I know that for the rest of Suzanne’s life animals would be a big part of our lives.

We made it home and Suzanne moved back in with her parents on Oakhurst Drive in Forrest Lawn subdivision. I thought this would be a lot easier than flying to Colorado each week. I saw her every day after work and on weekends. But she could not get along with her mother. Sue, as always, wanted her to be a part of Natchez society, the garden clubs, etc. This was just not Suzanne.

After a few more days, Suzanne told me she had an appointment with a psychologist that she had seen before about this same situation. The doctor had moved to Mandeville, Louisiana. I agreed to drive her down there. We made the trip, and Suzanne went in the office with me sitting in the waiting room. After about an

hour, she came out the door looking like a thunderstorm a brewing, and she walked by me without stopping. She said she could not live in Natchez. I caught her by the arm and said I couldn’t live anywhere else.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the doctor’s office, and we sat down.

He didn’t understand what was happening.

So, I told him that I loved her and wanted to marry her, and he had just told her to get out of town! I told him that he was going to have to come up with a better solution! He said, well, maybe under those circumstances he could help. Mainly his thoughts were to get Suzanne out of her parents’ house and somehow get Sue to let up on all of the society stuff.

Suzanne and WallaceWomack, October 2020

In the car, we had the only real fight we ever had. I could not understand what had upset her so much. I told her I knew she loved me and did not want to be led on.

She said it was none of my business. A lot was said that I don’t have the ability to put on paper. We both got our feelings hurt.

We had a long quiet trip back to Natchez without another word. At her house, she went straight to her room and left me standing there with Wallace. I explained the situation to him and told him that I needed his help. He and Sue both wanted this relationship to work. He told me he would figure it out.

For the next two days, I didn’t see Suzanne. I decided to let her cool off. On the third day, I had to see her. How can being in love make me so miserable? I left work at 3:00, which I never did. I wasn’t sure if she would be home or headed back to Colorado. I arrived and her Mustang was in the driveway. Sue met me at the door

and sent me to see Wallace in the den while she went to get Suzanne.

Before Suzanne walked in, Wallace excused himself. I noticed Sue was not hovering around like normal. My thought was they were leaving before the fireworks started. Suzanne solemnly walked in and sat beside me on the couch. I didn’t know if she was going to hit me or hug me. She was trying to be serious but was soon back to her normal happy self. She told me she had been busy the last couple of days. I asked her what was going on. She said that she and her daddy had found her an apartment with a fenced yard for Jessica and Slinky.

(Thank God for daddies.)

She stuck out her hand and said let’s go look at her new apartment. It was half a duplex with its own fenced-in yard on Little Street in the Roselawn area. At the front door, she searched her purse and found two keys on a ring. She got the two keys apart and handed me a key. She opened the door.

It was fully furnished with everything in place. She said it was nice that her daddy owned a furniture store. Wallace had done all this in a matter of a few days.

From that day on, her mother let up; and Suzanne and I had a normal relationship.

I got to see her every day after work and on weekends. And the weeks went by.

Sometime in the middle of September, I let myself in her apartment, sat down by her and hugged her.

Out of the blue, she said, “Let’s get married.” I accepted.

My first thought was “You know your mother will make a really big deal out of our wedding.” She said “I know, but with your help I will live through it.” I was sure of this outcome the first day I met her. We announced our engagement to be married on her twenty-fourth birthday, September 30, 1970.

We met on July 2, 1970, and were married November 21 of that year (142 days later). On November 21, 2020, we had been married 50 years. Taking a chance and flying to Colorado was the best thing I ever did in my life.

We had a beautiful wedding, three children, four grandchildren, and lots and lots of animals.

My fairy tale ended on December 19, 2020, when I lost Suzanne to COVID 19. My fairy tale now exists only in my memories.

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Fiesta Party for Christine Newman and David Jenkins E

ngaged couple Christine Newman and David Jenkins were feted with a Fiesta Party at the home of Lisa and G. A. Mayers on April 3, 2021, in Natchez, Mississippi.

Throughout the evening, those in attendance enjoyed the social celebration and festive fare.

1 Christine Newman and David Jenkins 2 Zack Wilson, David Jenkins, Christine Newman, and Annabelle Wilson 3 Sandra Ellard and Marty Kennedy 4 Dee and Christine Newman 5 Mike Ellard with Pam and Tom Middleton 6 Ashley Camp, Angel Camp, and Marty Kennedy 7 Christine Newman and Amanda Floyd 8 Lisa Dale and Dee Newman 9 Marty Kennedy, Christine Newman, Kate Ellard, and Ashley and Andrew Ellard 10 Ashley Ellard and Kate Ellard 11 Paul Burns, Toby Maier, David Jenkins, and Christine Newman 12 Megan Guido and Jim Anderson 13 Christine Newman and Abby Laird 14 Laurie Belshan, Christine Newman, and TJ Baggett 15 Elizabeth Tanner, Abby Laird, Lauren Middleton, Christine Newman, Mary-Margaret Edwards, and Cameron Willard 16 Jacob Jenkins and Abby Laird 17 Peyton and Cameron Willard

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Garden Mania

The Moroney Garden

Three years ago in February of 2018, Curtis Moroney’s father, Charles Moroney, passed away. He had been growing a garden of tomatoes and peppers for at least the past ten years, planting his garden in six-foot circles, precise, exact, perfectly spaced, and symmetrically placed. He chose different varieties of tomatoes and some peppers and planted them in stages so he continuously had an eclectic selection of tomatoes and peppers throughout the summer and until the first frost.

That year with his father gone, Curtis Moroney felt compelled to continue the garden in his father’s memory. “I’ve got to plant the tomatoes,” Moroney recalled thinking.

“Daddy would have prepared the garden by now to begin readying the soil for planting.”

So out he went to purchase some tomato plants, and he placed them in the patterns exactly as his father did.

“Oh, by the way, I don’t even eat tomatoes” laughed Moroney. That 2018 crop was a success, and Moroney caught the passion for gardening. The next year, the garden evolved into a much larger space when he found an area on his father’s property where a big burn pile remained in the middle of a pasture from when they built a pond a few years back. Moroney prepared the area; planted grass; and then, looking at what he had done, realized that this space would make a perfect area for his 2019 garden.

The challenge to grow watermelons and other vegetables and fruits was knocking on his door. That year, he planted watermelons, cantaloupes, okra, and carrots. The carrots did not do well, and the deer scarfed up the okra as soon as it gained any height but did no damage to the cantaloupes or watermelons; so he fenced the area off. The okra came back with his adding more okra plants, and the watermelon and cantaloupes were prolific. However, the garden was way out in the pasture, and Moroney had to pull miles Lil Easy Cafe of hose out to the garden to water.

Maybe it was the ash from the burn pile that caused his home-grown produce to be so delicious. Whatever the secret was, Moroney felt successful and had great fun in perpetuating this bit of his father’s legacy. About his previous gardening experiences, he recalled that he did have somewhat of a green thumb in planting flowers and several vegetables on his Liberty Road property. Now, though, he is smitten with the hobby of searching for and planting a wider variety of garden vegetables.

The 2020 garden took on another change when Moroney moved it to the front side of the barn where once stood a large pecan tree. When he was a child, the family had cows and raised Arabian horses that congregated there in the shade of that tree. The pecan tree had long been Page 32 { May / June 2021 { Bluffs & Bayous

gone, and the grass had always grown twice as high in that area as anywhere else around. This spot was perfect, then, because it was more convenient than the location farther out in the pasture and because the grass there was a nuisance to control.

To create the new garden there, Moroney bought a fivefoot tiller for his tractor, tilled up the ground, and that year grew four different varieties of corn, pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, all sorts of peppers, squash, zucchini, kale, burgundy okra, cabbage, cantaloupes, and watermelons.

Today, the garden is ninety feet by forty feet with eight rows where, Moroney explained, “This year we are growing only one variety of corn. We have added sunflowers, because they are so pretty, okra, cucumbers, peppers, squash, zucchini several types of tomatoes, lettuce, trying strawberries again this year, and cabbage. The watermelons will be moved to another site for this year’s garden.”

Professionally, Moroney is an IT Consultant and works his garden as an important part of his active lifestyle. He is an avid cyclist; spends hundreds of hours volunteering and serving many organizations throughout the community all year long; and shares his garden bounty with friends, family and clients. He will be trying salsa this year with his garden’s all “meat” tomatoes, perfect for making sauces and salsa; and he will begin the process of raising one of his favorites, cantaloupes. They are easy to grow, spreading out onto the garden fabric he uses to prevent weeds. Easy to harvest, cantaloupes pop off the vine when the fruit is ripe.

One tip Moroney offered is about putting up okra.

Because okra is a prolific grower and has to be picked daily, he cannot eat enough or deliver enough to keep up with its productivity. Consequently, he preps the okra to keep for another day: He slices the okra thin, soaks it in buttermilk, dredges it in a spiced up cornmeal mixture of choice, places the coated slices individually on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and slides the baking sheet into the freezer overnight.

The next day, he drops the Smoot’s Grocery frozen, coated okra slices in a Ziploc bag and freezes them until he is ready to fry them. They will taste as if they are right out of the garden.

Another tip: Using the black garden fabric saves time and creates a clean look for the garden. This fabric is easily accessible at local hardware stores.

Moroney also advises installing a fence around your garden to keep out the deer and raccoons. He gets Curtis Mororney black quarter-inch PBC mesh that comes in a roll one-hundred feet long and five feet wide, and then He uses T-posts and zip ties to secure the mesh to the T-posts. He flares out the bottom of the mesh about six inches to the outside of the fence; so if a raccoon approaches the fence, it cannot enter because it is standing on the mesh. The deer have not jumped over this fence.

Curtis Moroney works his garden most evenings when he is not out bike riding several times a week. Gardening is about timing and about having all of the needed elements in place. It continues to be a learning process, engendered by a devotion to his father’s memory and fueled by his energy and passion for this challenging hobby. As long as gardening is fun and he is able to share his bounty with friends, family, and clients, then he will continue.

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Brunch Honoring NGC Court he 2021 Natchez Garden Club Spring Pilgrimage Royalty, their parents, and the Royal Court were honored with a brunch in Natchez, Mississippi, on Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Magnolia Hall, one of the club’s historic tour houses. Honorees and guests enjoyed a coffee bar, fresh juices, and a full array of unique brunch bites. Following the brunch, the royalty participated in the staging for their presentation during The Natchez Garden Club’s Fourth Annual Magnolia Ball held on April 17, 2021.

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Co-Lin Hall of Fame D

uring its annual awards day ceremony, CopiahLincoln Community College’s Natchez Campus named the following three sophomores to the prestigious 2020-2021 Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed on a student by the college: Asia Robinson of Natchez, the daughter of J. T. and Shernika Robinson, serves as Vice President of Service for the Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

She was selected to Who’s Who at Co-Lin and served as a sophomore homecoming maid. Asia is a biology major with plans to become an optometrist.

Skyler Thompson of Natchez, the daughter of Rodney and Renee Marceleno, serves as President of the Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and is President of Phi Beta Gamma Science Club. She was selected as Miss Co-Lin, named to Co-Lin’s Who’s Who, is a member of the PTK All-Mississippi Academic Team, and was selected as a PTK Golden Opportunity Scholar.

A pre-nursing major, Skyler plans to become a nurse and eventually a nurse anesthetist.

Brandon Wallace of Natchez, the son of Leslie Wallace, is a member of the Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. He was also selected to Who’s Who at Co-Lin and has earned scholastic status on the President’s and Vice President’s Lists.

An Automation and Control Engineering Technology major, Brandon will further his career as the Traffic Control Technician for the City of Natchez

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Asia Robinson, Skyler Thompson, and Brandon Wallace

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V idalia, Louisiana

Cory Keyes, Brent Smith and Chisum Mardis

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NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI May 15 Inaugural Mudbug Music Festival The inaugural Mudbug Music Festival will take place on Saturday, May 15, 2021, at The Natchez Bluff. The festival will feature live music, C&M Crawfish, and a wide variety of food vendors complemented with cold beer, drinks, and cocktails right along the Mississippi River Gates will open at 1:00 p.m. with music beginning at 3:00 p.m.

The first Mudbug Music Festival’s lineup includes top-notch talent from Riley Green, Drivin N Cryin, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, Southern Avenue, and The B3. A little bit of country, southern rock, soul, and zydeco, this event will entertain all.

General admission and VIP tickets are on sale at ardenland.net. A very limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $150 and include an exclusive viewing area in the front of the stage, private cash bar, private air-conditioned restroom trailer, and dedicated seating overlooking the mighty Mississippi. General admission tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the gate. Children 10 and under receive free admission.

Plan to make it a full weekend in Natchez; and join us on Friday, May 14, 2021, for Smoot’s Epic Street Party featuring live music from Epic Funk Brass Band and more, C&M Crawfish, additional food vendors, and plenty of cold beer and cocktails. This event will be free.

For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Stratton W. Hall at stratton@churchhillcreative.org. Mudbug Music Festival is produced by Ardenland.

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI July 4 Hank Williams, Jr., Performance Natchez Fourth of July Celebration On Sunday, July 4. 2021, Hank Williams, Jr., will perform at the Natchez Bluff for the River City’s Fourth of July Celebration. Williams's mega-impressive resume lists 70 million albums sold worldwide, six PLATINUM albums, 20 GOLD albums, 13 No. 1 albums, and 10 No. 1 singles. Marking 57 years since his first album in 1964, Williams released IT’S ABOUT TIME (Nash Icon Records) on January 15, 2016.

In addition to the history-making “Are You Ready for the Country,” the project includes tunes such as “Dress Like an Icon,” “Just Call Me Hank,” “It’s About Time,” and “The Party’s On” as well as re-recorded versions of such classics as “Mental Revenge” and “Born to Boogie” with Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, and Brad Paisley on guitar. IT’S ABOUT TIME brings Williams’s album count to 37 in his fivedecade career.

CHEST PAIN, SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN, HEADACHE, HIGH FEVER AND OTHER EMERGENCIES OFTEN NEED FAST MEDICAL CARE! Please don’t delay getting care in an emergency. With limited entry points, screening for everyone, enhanced cleaning and social distancing, we are taking extra precautions to help keep our emergency rooms safe – and ready to care for you.

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Additional honors Hank Williams, Jr., has garnered in the American music scene include being awarded ACM Entertainer of the Year, CMA Entertainer of the Year, and BMI Icon; receiving a GRAMMY; and being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. As a touring artist, he was a pioneer in bringing arena rock production values to country music; and he remains one of the most consistent ticket sellers in music, period, as generation after generation gets turned on to one of the most dynamic live performers ever to take the stage. Hank Williams, Jr.’s Natchez Fourth of July Celebration is produced by Ardenland.

Tickets sales began Friday, April 23, at ardenland.net. Tickets are $55.00 in advance and $65.00 at the gate. Gates will open at 1:00 p.m. with music beginning at 3:00 p.m. Support acts will be announced at a later date. For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Stratton W. Hall at stratton churchhillcreative.org.

Louisiana Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE LOUISIANA louisianatravel.com a great site for everything Louisiana ALEXANDRIA / PINEVILLE alexandriapinevillela.com rapidessymphony.org riveroaksartscenter.com Every Tuesday Alexandria Farmers Market 2727Jackson Street 3-6 pm 318.441.3400 / freshcentral.org Every Tuesday Run GDN 6:15 @ Spirts Patio heatherwillifordkrs@yahoo.com June 5 Gray Walk Farms Pop Up Beans ‘n’ Cream 94 Versailles Blvd.

8 – 10 am FB: GrayWalkFarms June 13 Indian Creek Triathlon Indian Creek Recreation Area 7:30 am indiancreektri.com

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MAY / JUNE Louisiana Up & Coming!

BATON ROUGE visitbatonrouge.com lsumoa.org rivercenterarena:baton-rouge.ticketscenter.com batonrougeballet.org Red Stick Farmers Market Breada.com Every Wed., Thur. & Fri. BR Area Historical Walking Tour 8 am – 1 pm 225.772.7253 / redstickadventures.com CLINTON / JACKSON eastfelicianachamber.org felicianatourism.org louisianasteamtrain.com May 1 & June 5 Clinton Market Days Courthouse/Downtown 8 am – 1 pm 225.683.5531 May 15 & June 15 Feliciana Trade Days 4133 Hwy 10 at Line Rd. 9 am – 5 pm 335.773.6396 FERRIDAY concordialibrary.org deltamusicmuseum.com July 3 Flotilla @ Spokane Lake St. John 2 pm line-up at Tom Bell’s Grocery $15 entry per boat

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Louisiana Up & Coming! MAY / JUNE MONROE / WEST MONROE monroe-westmonroe.org May 2 Antique Alley Sip & See Stroll Afternoon Tea 100 – 400 Block Trenton St. West Monroe 11:30 am – 1 pm / $35 eventbrite.com

DDS Gregg W. Jarrod Gregg, & Anna R. Womack, DDS 318-336-5711 DENTAL CENTER General Dentistry

1148 Logan Sewell Drive, Vidalia, LA 71373

May 6 – 8 Crappie Masters Fishing Tournament Forsythe Boat Dock crappiemasters.net/tournament/schedule-2 May 8 Market on the Alley Alley Way Park 11 am – 3 pm alafrance@westmonroe.la.gov May 15 Woofstock21 Kiroli Park 10 am – 4 pm FB: Woofstock21 May 22 Love Local Kiroli Park 11 am – 5 pm / $5 318.396.4016 May 29 Run for the Red, White & Blue 701 Kansas Ln. 318.362.5540 runsignup.com/Chennault June 5 Community Health & Wellness Expo Monroe Civic Center Free / 10 am – 2 pm 318.791.5074 June 12 – 13 Miss Louisiana Outstanding Teen Monroe Civic Center 318.329.2225 misslouisiana.com June 17 – 19 Miss Louisiana Pageant Monroe Civic Center 318.329.2225 misslouisiana.com

NEW ORLEANS neworleansonline.com neworleanscvb.com ogdenmuseum.org nola.org FB: Nolajazzmuseum/live newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu nobt.org neworleansfilmsociety.org neworleanscitypark.com

Recurring Weekly (Check updates on website.)

Crescent City Farmers Market Tues. at The River 7 am – Noon Thurs. at The Bayou 3 – 7 pm Fri. at Bucktown Harbor 3 – 7 pm Sun. at The Greenway 7 am – Noon crescentcityfarmersmarket.org PORT ALLEN westbatonrouge.net westbatonrougemuseum.com

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Louisiana Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE ST. FRANCISVILLE stfrancisville.us audubonstatehistoricsite.wordpress.com FB: St. Francisville Farmers Market stfrancisvillefestivals.com May 1 – 2 Tunica Hills Yard Sale Trail Multi-Family Yard Sale Off Angola Rd., Old Tunica Rd., & Greenwood Rd. NOT Clark Creek 8 am – 4 pm FB Group: Tunica Hills Yard Sale Trail May 27 & June 24 Vibes in the Ville Parker Park 5:30 – 7:30 pm May 29 Jungle Inn Crawfish Cook-off 7765 Solitude Rd. $75 entry / $10 all you can eat FB: JungleInn / explorewestfeliciana.com

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VIDALIA cityofvidaliala.com concordialibrary.org Every Wednesday Farmers Market Old Court House N. Spruce St. 9 am – 1 pm

Mississippi Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE

MISSISSIPPI

visitmississippi.org hikinginmississippi.com BROOKHAVEN facebook.com/VisitBrookhavenMS visitbrookhavenms.com brookhavenrecreation.com brookhavenlittletheatre.com Linclib.org/events.phy Braggarts.neebly.com Throughout June Brookhaven Farmers Market Railroad Depot Fridays 7:30 am – Noon FB: Brookhaven Farmers Market June 24 Girls Night Out Participating Merchants 3 – 9 pm / $20 601.833.1411

June 24 – 27 Brookhaven Little Theatre High School Musical Jr. Haven Theatre haventheatre.org July 22 – 23 Brookhaven Little Theatre Willy Wonka Kids Haven Theatre haventheatre.org FERNWOOD fernwoodcc.com

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Mississippi Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE JACKSON dulinghall.com msmuseumart.org visitjackson.com jacksonfreepress.com/c alendarmsnla.org craftsmensguildofms.org balletms.com msmetroballet.com Through July 11 Assemblages & Sketches

By Betty Sakai MS Museum of Art 601.651.3822/msmusemart.org

MCCOMB pikeinfo.com mccombarts.com mcrrmuseum.com FB: McComb Farmers Market

June 12 Iron Horse Music & Heritage Festival 208 N. Railroad Blvd.

10 am – 10 pm / Free FB: IronHourseMcComb

May 14 18th Annual Golf Tournament Fernwood Country Club 8 am & 1 pm Tee Times 601.684.2291

MEADVILLE meadvillems.com

May 21 SMCC Football Golf Classic Fernwood Country Club 1 pm Shotgun Start ccollins@smcc.edu

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NATCHEZ Live Music Events Calendar visitnatchez.org/full-event-calendar visitnatchez.org kreweofphoenixnatchez.com natchezpilgrimage.com FB Downtown Natchez Farmers Market thetowersofnatchez.com natchezgardenclub.org natchezlittletheatre.com

Mississippi Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE May 1 – 2 Gayrage Sale 624 Franklin St. Sat. 7 am – 3 pm / Sun. 8 am – Noon yallmeansallnatchez.org May 8 Mother’s Day Tea & Luncheon Magnolia Hall 11:30 am – 1 pm $20 per person 601.443.9065 / natchezgardenclub.org May 20 Third Thursday Fish Fry Pick up Washington St. side of Magnolia Hall 5:30 pm / $10 per plate 601.443.9065 / natchezgardenclub.org May 22 Bicycle Classic Downtown 8 am – 2 pm 601.445.4611 / natchezbicycleclassic.com May 28 Friday Fusion Landsdowne 7 pm / $20 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com June 4 – 5 The Natchez Open Duncan Park Golf Course 8 am – 5 pm 601.442.5955 June 5 Classical Landscapes First Presbyterian Church 7 pm / $20 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com June 9 “Firsts” Temple B’Nai Israel 7 pm / $20 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com June 11 Satchmo!

Natchez Community Center 7 pm / $25 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com

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Mississippi Up & Coming! MAY/JUNE June 18 – 20 Soul Food Fusion Festival Downtown Fri: Corner of High & Canal BBQ, Blues & Brews $20 / 5:30 – 10 pm Sat: White Linen Night 500 Block of Commerce $25 Sampling Pack / Cash Bar Sun: Lazy Magnolia Brunch Concord Quarters 11 am – 1 pm / $20 601.801.1008 June 18 String of Pearls Natchez City Auditorium $30 / 7 pm 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com June 25 Luckenbach Willie Nelson Tribute Band Natchez Community Center 7 pm / $25 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com June 27 Take Five Waverly Plantation 2 pm / $30 601.807.442 / natchezfestivalofmusic.com PORT GIBSON FB: Portgibson.chamber Be sure to confirm details of the events should changes have occurred since events were submitted.

MADISON/RIDGELAND visitridgeland.com madisonthecity.com ardenland.net mscrafts.org May 6 5K Run & 1 Mile Fun Run The Township @ Colony Park racerostr.com/47030 SUMMIT pikeinfo.com VICKSBURG southernculture.org visitvicksburg.com vicksburgartassociation.org tarawildlife.com vicksburgtheatreguild.com downtownvicksburg.org Vicksburg Farmers Market Vicksburg Main Street 601.801.3513 farmersmarket@vicksburg.org May 1 5K Walk/Run For Life Downtown 601.638.2778 / vicksburgpregnancy.com May 7 – 9 Tara Wildlife’s Spring Outdoor & Birding Weekend 601.279.4261 / tarabirdingweekend.com May 7 & 14 Spring Classics in the Courtyard 1302 Adams St. 601.631.2997

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May 27 History & Coffee in the Morning Southern Air Foundation Vicksburg/Tallulah Regional Airport 9 – 10:30 am / $5 318.574.2731 May 29 Lake Fest 310 Eagle Lake Shore Dr. 10 am – 5 pm 601.218.8100 June 17 Power of the Purse Sip & See / On-Line Auction Vicksburg City Auditorium 4:30 – 6:30 pm / $5 601.636.1733 June 21 Miss Mississippi Pageant Parade Downtown / Washington St. 7 pm 601.634.4527 June 23 – 26 Miss Mississippi Pageant Vicksburg Convention Center 8 pm 601.638.6746 missmississippipageant.com WESSON FB Wesson Chamber WOODVILLE woodvillems.org FB: Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Association

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SOUTHERN SAMPLER

BY

Alma M. Womack

May Memories of Poetry and Mama

W

hen I was a little girl, poetry was one of my very favorite things to read, along with the Childhood of Famous Americans series, stories about Apache Indians, and Nancy Drew mystery novels. Reading those books gave me a good grounding in American history and helped to prepare me for higher grades than fourth.

Memorizing poems was a must, and I spent many happy hours learning the poems and reciting them to my two little brothers, who didn’t give a fig for poetry. They were younger, so they listened if they wanted me to ride stick horses around the place with them when the poetry session ended.

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” “Casey at the Bat,” “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” and “The Blue and The Gray” were all favorites. Later on, I added “The History of the USA” or something like that wherein I memorized dates that went with the events.

Then, there was one about the presidents that started with George Washington and went all the way to Woodrow Wilson, just a bit out of date. Believe me when I say, I never had problems in history in grammar school, high school, or college. The characters of history had been my friends since fourth grade; school history was just a review for me.

One year for Mother’s Day, I decided to memorize a poem for Mama, the poem “Only One Mother the Wide World Over.” This particular day, I was sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch away from little brothers, who were playing in the dirt with their tractors. The memorization was going well, and I was just about done with the poem so that I could recite it to Mama. The porch was about five feet off the ground, which was fine when we were playing Tarzan or jumping on Wild West outlaws or Yankees running by us when the porch was the fort.

This day, there were no dangerous villains about, just a little girl rocking and memorizing a poem. When I got to the last few Page 50 { May / June 2021 { Bluffs & Bayous

lines, there was a great crash; for I had rocked right off the porch to five feet below. Alma and the chair were lying on our sides, and I believe that I was bit stunned.

After checking my bones to make sure they were intact and then making sure that the rocking chair hadn’t been broken, I quietly carried it back up the steps to the porch. No one had seen me fall or heard the cry of surprise when I hit the ground. I figured there was no need to tell on myself, so the memorization continued until I had the poem just right. Actually, I still remember the little poem: Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky, Hundreds of shells on the shore together.

Hundreds of birds that go singing by, Hundreds of lambs in sunny weather.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn, Hundreds of bees in purple clover.

Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn, But only one mother the wide world over.

I don’t remember the author of the poem or when it was written, but it seemed to be just right for my mama. It was delivered to her on Mother’s Day in a year long gone by. She was pleased to hear it, so my work and tumble off the porch had not been in vain.

Personally, I still think it is a good little poem for all the mamas of the world who love their children and sacrifice for them daily.

So, here in the year 2021, some 60-plus years later, I will send this poem as a Happy Mother’s Day wish to all the mamas in Bluffs & Bayous country. I hope your day is blessed.

Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.

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