Delta Magazine May/June 2019 Complimentary Issue by Delta Magazine

Delta

MAY/JUNE 2019

brunch for mom & dinner before the prom

Appalachian Trailblazers Fly Fishing the Norfork Tailwater

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Smarter energy for a brighter tomorrow. At Entergy Mississippi, we’re taking action today to build a smarter energy future for tomorrow. That means more reliability, fewer outages and more customer control.

COMMUNITY SOLAR Entergy customers can soon join our push for solar power. Participating in community solar has many benefits, which may include monthly bill credits. More important, it’s an opportunity to help cultivate a smarter energy future for generations to come.

ADVANCED METERING Over the next three years, Entergy Mississippi will be installing new technologies to better serve our customers and crews. More detailed energy usage information will help customers potentially lower their bills while improving outage response time.

SMART SERVICES We’re always searching for ways to provide our customers with more options to manage energy costs. So we’re developing new services like fixed billing, green pricing and smart thermostats. We may also provide eligible customers with backup generators to ensure power stays on, no matter what. Part of building a bright future includes keeping our rates among the lowest in the nation to attract new business and lift our communities. Because together, we power life. Learn more about Mississippi’s bright energy future at entergybrightfuture.com.

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IT’S GETTING CROWDED IN HERE. Our pediatric teams provide outstanding care to more than 175,000 patients a year, but we’ve outgrown our facilities. As we expand and modernize the state’s only children’s hospital and our pediatric specialty clinics, your gift will make the difference. The time to give is now.

HELP US GROW

SO THEY CAN GROW. Give today at growchildrens.org

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L I FE E MOVES PR E T T Y FA S T Take time t o savor the many flavors off Mississippi. Fr om

2019

per f ectly crisp fried chicken t o fr esh G Gulf shrimp , Delta

Q on the Yaz Que a oo

hot tama ales and f arm-r aised catfish, Mississippi has a

M y 3-4, Greenwood Ma

men nu full of authentic culinar y e xperienc es.

Mississsippi Food Festiv vals Biloxi Seafood Festiv val September e 14-15, Biloxi

Slo w do wn. Don’t miss o out.

Mississippi Food & M W Wine Festival

Hot Tamale a Festival

VISIT TMISSISSIPPI ORG/ DON TMISSISSIPPI. NT MISS OUT

J June 14-16, Jackson

Octob ber 17-19, Greenville

T H E M I D T O W N E R - H AT T I E S B U R G , M I S S I S S I P P I

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Try our at-ho ome slee ep apnea test. Do you snore? s Are you constanttly tired? Is your sleep unrestful? un nrestful? You are not alone. one. These are common symptoms of a con ndition called sleep apnea that affects a large percentage ercentage of Americans. The diagnosis can often be established using sleep testing in the comfort of your own home. The Sleep Cente er at Baptist North Mississippi can help.

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DELTA M

Publisher: J. Scott Coopwood Editor: Cindy Coopwood Managing Editor: Pam Parker Contributing Editors: Hank Burdine, Maude Schuyler Clay, Noel Workman, Roger Stolle Digital Editor: Phil Schank Graphic Designers: Sandra K. Goff, Cailee Conrad, Holly Ray Consultant: Samir Husni, Ph.D. Special Projects Coordinator: Stacye Trout Contributing Writers: Rebekkah Arant, Erica Eason Hall, Elizabeth Heiskell, Brenda Ware Jones, Liza Jones, Clint Kimberling, Susan Marquez, Savannah Myles, Jack Orloff, Aimee Robinette, Angela Rogalski, Katie Tims, Cal Trout Photography: Dianne Bond, Austin Britt, Sandi Burt, Rory Doyle, James Evans, Brian Flint, Beth Giacagglia, Randall Haley, Will Jacks, Johnny Jennings, Steve Matzker, Gunner Sizemore, Jason Williams

Stan Spealman

662-887-4700

Indianola, MS

Keith Spealman

662-207-2298

Circulation: Holly Tharp Accounting Manager: Emma Jean Thompson Account Executives: Cristen Hemmins, Kristy Kitchings, Wendy Mize, Ann Nestler, Cadey True, Joy Bateman POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to Delta Magazine P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 ADVERTISING: For advertising information, please call (662) 843-2700 or email Delta Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials or photos and in general does not return them to sender. Photography obtained for editorial usage is owned by Delta Magazine and may not be released for commercial use such as in advertisements and may not be purchased from the magazine for any reason. All editorial and advertising information is taken from sources considered to be authoritative, but the publication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Neither that information nor any opinion expressed on the pages of Delta Magazine in any way constitutes a solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities mentioned. No material in Delta Magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publication. Delta Magazine is published bi-monthly by Coopwood Magazines, Inc., 125 South Court St., Cleveland, MS 38732-2626. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, MS and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Delta Magazine, P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732-0117. Delta Magazine (USPS#022-954)

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

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 Shipping Address: 125 South Court Street, Cleveland, MS 38732 Phone (662) 843-2700 • Fax (662) 843-0505 deltamagazine.com E-mail: publisher@deltamagazine.com editor@deltamagazine.com Subscriptions: $28 per year 6 | MAY/JUNE 2019

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from the editor

Prepping for the outdoor prom dinner with Elizabeth and this talented group of moms was as much fun as the party itself.

Celebrations and Excursions here is nothing I love more than rummaging through flea markets and resale shops. Recently, I hit the jackpot when I walked into Consign for a Cause in Cleveland, Adrienne Hood’s brilliant idea that sparks joy for those needing to de-clutter, those who need a helping hand (a percent of each sale goes to charity), and people like me, the rummagers. There they were, simple, classic Champagne flutes––eleven of them for ten dollars. I scooped them right up and took them to the checkout counter, where I discovered they were 75 percent off! Yes, that’s right, I got them for two dollars and fifty cents. And what does one do with twenty-three cent champagne flutes?? Paint them, of course. Needless to say, I love the outcome as we used them for our Mother’s Day Brunch on page 102. In our food and entertaining section, two of the Delta’s most talented women bring you menu and party ideas for some of the many occasions to celebrate this time of year, Mother’s Day and the prom. Stylist Erica Eason Hall admitted to being obsessed with tablescapes as she styled our Mother’s Day brunch photo shoot. She mixed vintage dishes and glassware (hers and mine) with modern pieces and lush flowers to set the tone for this very special occasion. Then read on about the pre-prom dinner (page 108) recently hosted by a group of Oxford parents including cookbook author and TODAY Show food contributor, Elizabeth Heiskell–lucky for them! Elizabeth planned one of the most gorgeous and colorful outdoor tablescapes I’ve ever seen. The menu seemed almost secondary, but fun, casual food stations–especially the skillet cookie bar—hit the spot. Katie Tims takes us outdoors to the Appalachian Trail, sharing the fascinating stories of several Deltans who’ve hiked the over two thousand mile journey. Each of their experiences was unique, but after hiking the AT, the outcome was always the same. They were changed forever. Then head west to Arkansas to the Norfork tailwater and some of the best fly fishing in the Southeast. Cal Trout shares his love of fishing, the outdoors, and his wife, Stacye, who was along for the excursion. We are on the cusp of summer––festival season has begun, fields are being planted, there are parties to throw, and the great outdoors is calling. I hope you are inspired to celebrate and explore all you can this year! DM

I hope you are enjoying our new e-newsletter, The Edit. This bi-weekly newsletter helps us stay in touch with you by bringing you timely stories from the Delta and the South, including highlights on interesting people and happenings, great food and fun finds curated from Mississippi and beyond. Response to The Edit has been tremendous and it adds to all that Delta Magazine offers. If you’re not receiving The Edit, go online at deltamagazine.com or call our office today (662) 843-2700, to sign up!

Cindy Coopwood Editor @cindycoopwood cindy@deltamagazine.com 8 | MAY/JUNE 2019

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12 0 0 E A S T OV E R D R I V E

ACKKSSO ON N JJAC

coming soon: Chipper & Coco

HE ED D II S S TT R TT H R II C C TAT TATEEA ASSTTOV OVEERR..CCO OM M

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contents Volume 16 No. 6

MAY/JUNE

56 departments 30 BOOKS Reviews of new releases and 56

ART

MUSIC

HOME

what Deltans are reading now

80 74

Robin Whitfield: Artist by trade, conservationist at heart

Kingfish: Blazing a path for the next generation of Delta blues

A rural get away in Carroll County carefully built with reclaimed materials Bathroom trends: Renos and new-builds with luxe details, page 92

102

FOOD

118

HISTORY

Mother’s Day Brunch: Celebrate Mom with a brunch that’s pretty in pink Pre-prom party ideas with Elizabeth Heiskell, page 108 Remembering Dick Goodwin Royal Air Force Flight Leiutenant

in every issue

features

32 64 74

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION TRAILBLAZERS

Shopping local, town by town

FLATLAND FLY CASTERS

Deltans share their stories of hiking the Appalachian Trail

Fly fishing the Norfork tailwater

14 Letters 20 On the Road Where we’ve been, where we’re going next

22 Off the Beaten Path Roaming the Real and Rustic Delta

26 Hot Topics 124 Events A listing of events including concerts, festivals, book signings

128 Delta Seen Snapshots from area fundraisers, art openings and social events

ON THE COVER: Colorful tablescape designed by Elizabeth Heiskell at an outdoor dinner party in Oxford. Photo by Dianne Bond. 10 | MAY/JUNE 2019

136 The Final Word by Mike McCall

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Introducing M-Design, a full service design group unlike anything in Mississippi. From conservative to fearless, M-Designers will create a custom look that is uniquely you. That same designer will also implement your plan so you save stress, time and money. From the consultation to the selection, to delivery and set-up, we are there. And when it’s completed, we offer financing so you can choose how to finalize the project. M-Design is definitely different.

design

Design@Miskellys.com | 601.566.6017 | 601.939.6288

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YOU WANT A BETTER COMMERCIAL BANKER. REGIONS IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND ONE. EXPECT BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE THAT GOES BEYOND THE BALANCE SHEET. There will come a moment when you realize your Regions Commercial Relationship Manager is someone who will bring you a lot more than just ways to raise capital. You’ll see we’re here to demonstrate our value to you as local, knowledgeable business consultants. You’ll find we ask smart questions, listen to your answers and deliver smart solutions for your business. You’ll know we’re true partners. In that moment, you’ll realize you made the right choice.

LET’S START THE CONVERSATION TODAY. Alan Sims | Commercial Banking 662.227.4044 | alan.sims@regions.com

Commercial Banking | Treasury Management | Capital Markets | Wealth Management © 2019 Regions Bank. All loans and lines subject to credit approval, terms and conditions. | Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

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16008 Woodview Drive Spring is here and what a great time to own this

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Woody Sample

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LETTERS D

ART

rowing up in her home in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Kellee Mayfield was fortunate to have been surrounded by plenty of great artwork. “There was one painting in particular, a portrait of my grandmother that was painted by an artist in New York in the 1930s, that I was always drawn to.” Yet in school, Mayfield was pushed towards science. She graduated college and went on to become a successful sales rep for a medical device company. “I sold pacemakers for the heart, and I was often in the operating room when they were implanted.” Mayfield worked the Delta region, almost always on 24-hour call.

Kellee Mayfield Lake Village artist making art with moxie BY SUSAN MARQUEZ • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

36 | MARCH/APRIL 2019

DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

I would like to thank you for selecting me to be featured in the March/April edition of Delta Magazine. I am truly honored to be in one of the state’s prestigious publications.The article is well presented and I have received many compliments from friends, family and neighbors. I am grateful for your interest in my art and I so enjoyed working with Rory Doyle and Susan Marquez. I will always cherish this opportunity which I certainly consider to be a highlight of my career. I continue to look forward to reading each issue of Delta Magazine. Kellee Mayfield Lake Village, Arkansas

I know what it’s like to create something out of hard work, slaving over words, and word counts, making editing decisions, creating something special day in and day out, month by month, and yet, never receive the reward. The reward is a mere Well Done, from readers. And you

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deserve a Well Done for The Edit. I’ve just spent about thirty minutes checking out the site, your design, the topics, the copy, the photographs, and how it all comes together. You and your team deserve to know that for every person willing to say, Well Done, there are hundreds, even thousands more who just never take the time to say, Well Done! Michael Thompson Memphis, Tennessee Although I enjoyed the salute to Greenville’s generals (January/February edition, page 140), I was disappointed with the omission of a native born and reared general who led a most

distinguished military career. General Spencer Ball Akin was born in Greenville in 1889, named for Dr. Spencer Ball who had delivered him. Following his graduation from Virginia Military Institute, he began a career in the U.S. Army. In 1915, he married Miss Eleanor Holt Stone of a noted Greenville family. During World War II, General Akin was one of the eighteen personnel who, with General Douglas MacArthur, were rescued from Corregidor in March 1942 by four PT boats and vernally reached Melbourne, Australia. In April, MacArthur named then Brigadier General Akin Chief Signal Officer for his staff. For the remainder of the war, Akin continued as Chief of Signal Intelligence in the Pacific Theatre. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star. General Akin was also decorated as a Commander of the British Empire and the French Officer Legion of Honor. Major General Akin was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors in 1973. The general’s sister, Miss Matty Akin, taught in the Greenville public schools for forty-nine years and a school was named in her honor. In my remote childhood in Greenville, it was my privilege to meet General Akin and spend part of a memorable and instructive afternoon in his company. I was a little boy interested in history. Our neighbor and dear friend, Anne Akin Irvine, the general’s niece, and Miss Matty arranged a meeting during one of his visits to his hometown. I will always be grateful for their and his kindness. Eugene Ham Fayetteville, TN

Cocktail Chic

Find nostalgia in every item of the

Delta Magazine Gift Collection We’re “buzzed” about our exclusive linen hand towels, $22 each

Call or come by our office to shop our gift collection at 125 South Court Street, Cleveland, 662.843.2700. Like our official Delta Magazine Page Twitter @Delta_Mag

Instagram @deltamagazine

To subscribe, call (662) 843-2700 or visit deltamagazine.com 14 | MAY/JUNE 2019

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Th e Weddi edding Issu sue

Wedding Showcase

Expats in the Delta

The photography of Rory Doyle

Y’all Said SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS @deltamagazine

We Wanted To Know... What’s your favorite Southern travel destination? New Orleans! Laissez les bon temps rouler! @paigepollardhayes

That’s easy! Clarksdale, Mississippi, aka “Bluestown, USA” Oh, wait, I visited and never left... @rogerstolle

Besides the obvious 30A and the emerald coast, we love quick trips to Hot Springs and Lake Ouachita— theme parks, horse races and amazing house boat rentals all within a three hour drive from the #Delta. Leipers Fork and Franklin, Tennessee are gems as well! @jenniferwphillips The Grand at Point Clear! @emilyhayslewis Sea Island and the Cloister. @darlingfinethings New Orleans. Helena Bluesfest. Redneck Riviera. Memphis antique stores. @sob_southofbrimfield Monticello at Charlottesville, Virginia. @terrilf60 Starkville, MS! @bradnash Always the beach, from Gulf Shores to anywhere in Florida. Taking a trip in a month so I can stand on the Santa Monica pier. – Jan Mardis Hard to choose between Natchez, Mississippi and Charleston, South Carolina. – Ruth Owens Natchez!!!! – Kay Hutchinson Robertson Gulf Shores, Alabama – Amy Jennings Taylor

SEND COMMENTS AND LETTERS TO editor@deltamagazine.com or Delta Magazine PO Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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reflections

PHOTO BY MADISON DIXON

This cypress break, captured at sunset near Greenwood, is a beautiful representation of the hundreds of oxbow lakes and other wetland features that enrich the landscape of the Mississippi Delta. Many of these were created by the Mississippi River as it meandered and changed courses over thousands of years. DM

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ON THE ROAD

where we’ve been, where to go next

VAIDEN

LINN

A dog’s world Wrigley looking over the fields. – MECHELLE GENTRY WILSON

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, organized in 1859. – DELTA MAGAZINE

PARIS

PHOTO OPS & TAYLOR

Old GMC truck parked on the side of Highway 9. – JIM HENDRIX

MEMPHIS

A Look Back Beale Street, a few blocks south of The Peabody Hotel, was alive and well back in 1957. Several of America’s prominent musicians began their careers on Beale Street, such as B.B. King. – THE SCOTTY MOORE FAMILY

The multitudes have passed through these doors to enjoy the fried catfish and other offerings. – JIM HENDRIX

Instagram users, follow @deltamagazine and see #DMphotoops

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MERIGOLD

Delta Icon

House of Rock

MEMPHIS

Over the decades, thousands of Deltans have visited the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis attending sports and music events. For several years now, the building has been closed. But, in its heyday, the MidSouth Coliseum provided great entertainment for the masses. – WES BULT

At trip to McCartys Pottery is always in order, timeless and unique. – BETHANY BRYANT COOPER

FUNKY STOPS Roaming the real and rustic Delta

On the Air

PANOLA COUNTY

A new shooting range north of Batesville promises a great experience for gun enthusiasts across the region. – DELTA MAGAZINE

OXFORD

JACKSON

The weekly Thacker Mountain Radio Show is one Mississippi’s jewels. Delta musicians, artists, and writers often appear on the show. – KATE TEAGUE

Cultural Delight Mural in downtown Jackson by artist Jason Jenkins, depicting one of Mississippi’s treasures, our blues musicians. – RICK WOODS DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH roaming the real and rustic Delta

THE MCCLAIN EXPERIENCE & MAIN STREET ANTIQUES A unique and exotic destination and a collector’s dream BY JACK ORLOFF

ississippi is full of surprising stops along the road, and maybe none more so than McClain Resort in Brandon, which boasts two thousand acres complete with a general store, restaurants, farmer’s market, accommodations and a a three-hundredanimal safari park. This storied property was originally called the Luckett Lodge, where Buddy and Joni McClain, the current owners, were married in 2007. The couple purchased the lodge in 2012, the same year they vacationed in Africa. It was there they befriended Shaun Catton of Zimbabwe. Catton, intrigued by their dreams for a safari park in McClain Resort, moved to the United States and is now the resort’s animal and safari director. The property started off with four animals and now has over forty exotic species, from kangaroos to bison and zebras. The McClains have also created an idyllic place to exchange vows, just as they did on the property. They also offer catering services, so everything a bride needs to complete her special day is at her fingertips. 874 Holly Brush Road, Brandon 601.829.1101 or visit mcclain.ms

f you are looking for a cute local antique and gift store, look no further than Como Main Street Antiques located right next to Como Steak House. Melvin and Carla Crockett opened the store in 2011 and they don’t just sell classic old southern antiques. This unique store has something for everyone including pottery, candles, collectibles, gourmet food items and other small gifts. And it’s not just popular with the locals, tourists traveling through Mississippi and beyond have made their way to Como. People come from all over the world to soak up the sights and sounds of Como which also has a blues history with four blues markers dedicated to those who contributed to this genre. facebook.com/melvin.crockett.77 662.526.1000 22 | MAY/JUNE 2019

The McClain Resort offers an idyllic place to exchange vows and enjoy a variety of animals in a natural setting. Below, unique finds on historic Main Street, Como.

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH

roaming the real and rustic Delta

THE B.T.C. OLD-FASHIONED GROCERY Where food tastes like it used to

Reminiscent of grocery stores from the past, the B.T.C. offers visitors a wide array of fresh produce, dairy products and mouth-watering home cooking.

ucked away in the bedroom community of Water Valley, just twenty minutes from Oxford is a local gem, the B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Store. While other communities have a small-town grocery store, it’s rare to find one that also boasts a restaurant that has garnered mention in local and national magazines alike. The B.T.C. opened in 2010 and helped inspire a veritable renaissance in the sleepy little town. Owners Kagan Coughlin and Alexe van Beuren not only rescued the historic building in the heart of downtown, they and chef Dixie Grimes have transformed it into a destination for locals and visitors alike. Those looking for fresh, local produce and hands-down some of the best food around, can thank Grimes (namesake of the Dixie Belle Cafe inside the B.T.C.) for cultivating one of the most unique and celebrated menus in north Mississippi. “We just really love beautiful food and thought it would be really fun,” says van Beuren. The cafe offers specials that feature southern cuisine with a modern twist prepared with local produce. Daily offerings include unique salads and sandwiches––a recent sandwich special was Nashville-style hot fried chicken on butter-grilled cornbread-jalapeno bread––and plate lunches that are next level to say the least. “We have really just gone back to the basics,” said van Beuren. “Everything is super out-of-the-box and fresh, and there is something different to choose from every day.” On the groceries side, B.T.C. spotlights and rotates seasonal products. They receive most of their produce from local farmers seasonally. Everything from dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese to fresh grassfed beef and even local lamb that van Beuren and her husband raise themselves can be found in the store. They travel all over north Mississippi in search of the best products for their store doing their best to make it easy for people to buy locally. 301 North Main Street, Water Valley 662.473.4323 or visit btcgrocery.com DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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HOT TOPICS SAINT LEO LOUNGE A Stunner on the Square The new Saint Leo Lounge opened in Oxford with great acclaim last month to an elated crowd of Oxonians, media and other guests. Owner Emily Blount’s latest endeavor will be somewhat of a departure from its namesake just a few doors down. In a town with no shortage of bars, the Saint Leo Lounge will stand out as a true cocktail lounge, filling a gap between the college crowd watering holes and fine dining establishments. Blount turned to chef Dan Latham and bar director Joe Stinchcomb, both original members of the Saint Leo team, to help create food and beverage menus for the new concept. A James Beard Award-nominated chef, Latham is a well-known restaurateur and has collaborated with Blount on menu development since day one, while Stinchcomb currently helms the award-winning bar program at Saint Leo and will be splitting his time between the two concepts. Blount With a cool vibe provided by its industrial-chic interior— complete with fifteen disco balls––the new food and beverage menus will feature elevated bar bites and specialty cocktails, including a rotating house punch. And for large parties, bar cart bottle service will be available. For a sophisticated cocktail hour in a rowdy college town—this is just the place. (DM Staff)

1101 East Jackson Avenue, Oxford eatsaintleo.com

REED SMYTHE & COMPANY Beautiful Pieces for House and Garden “In my experience, the best way to pull a house together is to have a lavish party that seems insanely premature or even impossible,” writes Julia Reed in her column in a recent issue of Garden & Gun. She is referring to her ambitious decision to host Thanksgiving in her newly built but not-quite-finished house in Greenville only days before the holiday–and the mad scramble (involving multiple family members and friends) it took to accomplish said feat. But this is how she rolls. In addition to building her new home, her regular gig as columnist and contributing editor at Garden & Gun magazine, and the April release of Julia Reed’s New Orleans: Food, Fun, Friends, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll, her second book in less than a year, Reed has joined forces with her longtime friend Keith Meacham to launch a new business, Reed Smythe & Company. Meacham (whose maiden name is Smythe), an entrepreneur and busy mother of three, is also co-founder of the edtech startup Homer, an educational learn-to-read app. Born of a mutual love of beautiful houses and entertaining, Reed Smythe & Co. seemed a logical next

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Smythe and Reed

step for these two extraordinary hostesses, who have collaborated on parties and events for over twenty years. In fact, Meacham and Reed were both recently named to The Salonniere’s list of America’s 100 Best Party Hosts for 2019. Their newest endeavor will offer beautiful and unexpected pieces for house and garden. Reed Smythe debuted––and nearly sold out––at the Nashville Antiques and Garden Show in January. Collaborating with artists and artisans across the South to create their carefully curated home decor line is pure joy for Reed and Meacham who are both Delta natives. A favorite is photographer and Mississippi native Jack Spencer, whose work they are currently featuring. Inspired by their travels, Mississippi Delta childhoods, and their personal collections, the goal of Reed Smythe is to help their friends and customers create layered and rich surroundings in their own homes. No worries if you missed the Nashville debut, the shoppable website, reedsmythe.com, launched in late April, and offers new products, blog posts, and updates on their festive events. Until then you can check their instagram @reedsmytheco for more of their ideas, inspiration, and amazing artisanal goods. (DM Staff)

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HOT TOPICS COTTON HOUSE HOTEL OPENING Southern Hospitality and Modern Amenities The much anticipated opening of Cotton House looms as large in the community as it does in the greatly changed Cleveland skyline. It will be a game-changer in this Delta town, providing one thing that has been greatly lacking: a relaxed but luxurious boutique hotel for the growing number of tourists and travelers that come to the Delta for the blues, the food, and more. Conveniently located downtown in the historic district, the hotel offers the true ambiance and hospitality of the Delta with top-notch amenities and a carefully curated collection of Southern art adorning the walls of this ninety-five room hotel. Less than a mile from the only satellite Grammy Museum in the world and Delta State University, Cotton House is surrounded by Cleveland’s fabulous retail shops, cafes, and specialty stores along the downtown greenstrip. Cotton House will also have retail space occupied by Balance Fitness Studio and Blue Delta Jean Co. But perhaps best of all will be the food by chef Cole Ellis, who Southern Living Magazine recently named one of the South’s Best Chefs. His popular Delta Meat Market, a local favorite for lunch and its casual Friday night happy hour, will move across the street to the hotel expanding its menu to include breakfast and dinner. Bar

Fontaine will grace the rooftop and will boast a diverse menu and a considerable wine list. Ellis is also excited about the expansive bourbon bar—and so is Cleveland’s late night crowd. (DM Staff) 215 Cotton Row, (662) 843-7733 cottonhousecleveland.com

“ANYWHERE” NUTRITION Get Your Juice On The demand for healthier, grab and go food and drink options has increased across the Delta. Nutrition Clubs, part of Herbalife Nutrition, have responded in kind with a variety of beverages that can be enjoyed just about anywhere. Herbalife, which specializes in weight management, energy and fitness and personal care products, now offers loaded teas and meal replacement shakes tailor-made for clients’ health and hectic lifestyles. Nutrition Clubs have popped from Greenwood to Cleveland to Oxford. “I practiced as a dietitian for five years after college and have always had a passion for nutrition and health,” says Sarah Fincher. “When the opportunity arose for me to open Greenwood Nutrition, I immediately jumped on it. In a state with the highest obesity rate in the country and skyrocketing health care costs, I hope Greenwood Nutrition can help others make healthy choices that will positively impact their quality of life.” Of their offerings, a loaded tea is an energy drink that has twentyfour calories and no sugar. It is a mixture of green, black and oolong tea, plus it has ginseng and guarana for energy and focus. Loaded teas also feature Vitamin C and B12 and are topped with aloe for digestion and absorption. The meal replacement shakes are all low carb, low fat and low sugar. They range between 180-250 calories and 24-27g of protein. Fincher says these drinks are perfect for the healthy lifestyle of a busy customer. (Aimee Robinette)

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A world of discovery begins with Mississippi State University’s Cobb Institute of Archaeology, one of only a few endowed archaeological research institutes in the United States. Beyond U.S field work, archaeology teams from the College of Arts and Sciences have unearthed evidence in Israel corresponding to the time of biblical kings David and Solomon. Join our Infinite Impact Campaign and create possibilities for students and faculty in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures to spark discovery and engage children through the institute’s programs.

©SteveGulledgePhotography.Net

infiniteimpactmsu.com

The Cobb Institute pioneers pathways as it inspires current and future students to delve into the past to understand the present.

MSU is an AA/EEO university.

8:41 AM

We are pleased to welcome to the Delta Regional Medical Center staff…

Sharmayn Sayers-Erfourth, D.O., M.Ed. Psychiatrist DELTA BLUES PSYCHIATRY 129 East Starling Street, Suite A, Greenville, MS

662.725.1127 “Care you can trust, right here at home.” DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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BOOKS

Buzzworthy Comments

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (Penguin Books) It’s easy to get completely absorbed in Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. This novel grabs your attention and keeps you in a trance while reading. When the book must be put down, it will haunt you, and that makes sense because it is part ghost story. Setterfield will put you right aside the Thames in 1887 England. During the winter solstice, patrons at The Swan, an inn famous for its storytelling, witness an unbelievable event: a dead girl is brought from the river in the arms of a mysterious man, who is badly beaten and almost dead himself. When the girl incredibly comes back to life, she is unable to speak. Who is this miraculous girl? As you get to know the rest of the characters, the mystery multiplies. Three girls have gone missing. So which one is she? This is an addictive novel that celebrates magic realism, mystery and folklore in a fascinating setting. (Liza Jones)

Diane Setterfield

We asked Facebook friends and Delta Magazine Fan Page Group members to list the the best nonfiction book they have read. o BJ Hatten, Owner/Artist at North River Studio Enterprise, Mississippi

I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott (Simon & Schuster) I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott is a memoir-inessays, a collection that is easy to sail through with hardly a blink. This is because of its comforting, uplifting, funny, and charming vulnerability. Relating scenes from her life in an open-hearted and humble way, Philpott provides you with new understanding of your own experiences. Philpott’s honest take on family, career, perfectionism, and change is so on point that people will read this while nodding their heads, laughing, and sometimes crying. Philpott does a sensational job of clarifying what vexes us internally, that it’s okay to want more than you have and to change course when it’s needed. Many women might recognize themselves in these pages. The essays are so real and moving that it will feel like you’re having a personal conversation—an inspiring conversation that will leave you refreshed. (Liza Jones)

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeanette Walls. This well written book recounts the unconventional poverty-stricken upbringing Wells and her siblings had at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents. o Lisa Fratesi Ivy, UM Clinical Instructor Oxford, Mississippi

Mary Laura Philpot

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. In the 1920s the richest people per capital in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma due to oil being discovered beneath their land. One by one the Osage began to be killed off and the newly created FBI took over the case. o Libbi K. Logan, Real Estate Agent Cleveland, Mississippi

Biloxi by Mary Miller (W.W. Norton & Company) It’s fun to be inside the head of Louis McDonald, Jr. as he moves around town in Mary Miller’s newest novel, Biloxi. He’s sixty-three and has suddenly retired in expectation of an inheritance from his deceased father’s estate. Louis is also alone for the first time in a long time because he and his wife have recently split. While trying to avoid running into his ex-wife, he finds Layla, an overweight, mixed-breed dog with a gagging problem. As Louis points out, Layla seems more like a person than a dog. The bond between them makes for a touching and hilarious story—a sincere, dry narrative about late-life alienation and reconnection. It will be hard to turn away from both of these amusing, endearing characters and everything they do. This is such an absolutely enjoyable novel. (Liza Jones)

For the Record Books Delta Magazine fans are currently reading

o BJ Hatten

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

o Jan Mardis

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

o Trista Wilkinson Greer Sunshine in the Delta by Erica Sandifer

o Sheri Cleveland Sisters by Carol Saline

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o Kay Hutchinson Robertson Crooked Snake by Lovejoy Boteler

o Beth Michael

Cemetery Road by Greg Iles

o Sally Ann Jones Better than Eden by Nancy Guthrie

o Sarah Hewes

Signs by David Jeremiah

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. The true story of how determination and will allowed Louis Zamperini to survive the horrors of being a prisoner of war, but only faith in God would save him from the demons that showed up once he got home. o Bruce Bartley, Business Consultant Madison, Mississippi

Mary Miller

Charlie Wilson’s War by George Crile III. It details representative Charlie Wilson’s role in providing assistance to the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War. o Beth Henderson Stevens I Miss You When you Blink by Mary Laura Philpott

o Mary Branch

Spearhead by Adam Makos

o Ashley Welch Patterson Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks

o Joe Jackson

My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman

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Dick Waterman: A Life in Blues by Tammy L. Turner (University Press) Growing up in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dick Waterman was a a world away from the Mississippi Delta. Though he never heard blues music at home, he became one of the most influential figures in blues of the twentieth century. A close proximity to Greenwich Village in the 1960s fueled Waterman’s growing interest in folk music and led to an unlikely trip that resulted in the rediscovery of Delta blues artist Son House in 1964. Waterman began efforts to revive House’s music career and soon became his manager. He subsequently founded Avalon Productions, the first management agency focused on representing black blues musicians. Waterman was also intrumental in launching Bonnie Raitt’s career and he was her booking agent for many years. During his journey, Waterman also befriended and worked with numerous musicians, including such luminaries as B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, and Eric Clapton. In the early years of his career, he documented the work of scores of musicians through his photography (such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones) and also gained fame as a blues photographer. This authorized biography is the crescendo of years of original research as well as extensive interviews conducted with Waterman and those who knew and worked with him.(Special/DM Staff) Crooked Snake: The Life and Crimes of Albert Lepard by Lovejoy Boteler (University Press) In 1968, during Albert Lepard’s fifth escape from a life sentence at Parchman Penitentiary, he kidnapped Lovejoy Boteler, then eighteen years old, from his family’s farm in Grenada, Mississippi. Three decades later, still beset by half-buried memories of that time, Boteler began researching his kidnapper’s nefarious, sordid life to discover how and why this terrifying abduction occurred. Crooked Snake: The Life and Crimes of Albert Lepard is the true story of Lepard, sentenced to life in Parchman for the murder of seventy-four-year-old Mary Young in 1959. (Special/DM Staff)

Echo of a Hero: Spirits of Power by Pearson Myles Young adult readers will be instantly sucked in to the world Pearson Myles has created in Echo of a Hero: Spirits of Power. The debut series follows Austin Bennet who, after surviving a life-threatening accident, finds a mysterious mark on his chest. One discovery leads to another, and Austin stumbles upon an elite race of superhumans called the plenaries. Through a mysterious insurgent called The Orchid, Austin learns that humans and the plenaries have been engaged in an ancient war. But, that isn’t all that Austin uncovers: super powers of his own begin to manifest, seemingly connected to the mark on his chest. While he learns how to hone his new powers, as well as understand the complicated history between humans and plenaries, Austin seeks to find his place in this parallel world. Could he be the key to unifying both races like once before? This action-packed, creatively written, and heartfelt debut leaves readers waiting anxiously for the rest of the series. A must read for science-fiction lovers! (Savannah Myles) DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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1 | Gold leaf Chandelier with hand-blown glass globes. Howard and Marsh, Greenwood, 662.219.0756 2 | Tat2 Designs 24k gold-plated bangles with Republique Francais coins and Swarovski crystals. Gilbow’s, Cleveland, 662.843.1151

p o h S

3 | Hand-painted Italian ceramic plate. Lina’s Interiors and Antiques, Leland, 662.332.7226

YOUR TOWN

SPEND THE DAY EXPLORING, SHOPPING, AND EATING IN THE DELTA’S UNIQUE TOWNS

he Delta is a web of small towns that are interconnected like nowhere else. So much so that when asked, “Where are you from?” many just reply, “I’m from the Delta.” But each of

our towns has a unique identity, often due to the stores, attractions, and restaurants located there. We’ve always encouraged you to shop local, but now we challenge you to take it a step further. Make a day of it, and shop, eat, and explore the town. So if you’re going to Indianola to shop at Lavender Lane, be sure to stop for lunch at the Crown and visit the B.B. King Museum. Or if you’re looking for graduation gifts at Mississippi Gift Company or Fincher’s in Greenwood, take time to book a spa treatment at the Alluvian or dinner at Giardina’s. Every town in the Delta has so much to offer and makes for a day well spent! Study our gift guide and then use this special advertising section, organized by town on the following pages, as your guide to plan your next shopping day-trip.

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SUMMER STYLE

1 | Peter Millar shirts in spring colors. Abraham’s Men’s Clothing, Cleveland, 662.843.4541

2 | Matisse Wooden platform heel. Mod+Proper, Cleveland, 662.400.3111 3 | Yellow striped jumpsuit by Current Air. Mod+Proper, Cleveland, 662.400.3111 4 | Crosby cotton poplin blouse and tie-waist shorts. Lavender Lane, Indianola, 662.452.5131 5 | Neely and Chloe horse hair bucket bag. The Wishing Well, Cleveland, 662.843.7881 6 | Chinese Laundry two-toned sandal. Finchers, Greenwood, 662.453.6246

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FOR THE LITTLE ONES 6

1 | Boy’s tractor lamp. Lamp Shade House, Memphis, 901.767.3220 2 | Blue Sebastian shark soft sole shoes. The Young Ideas, Indianola, 662.887.5539 3 | Pink and sassy LV girl’s handbag. Punkin Patch, Cleveland, 662.843.0434 4 | Little girl’s Taylor sundress. McCall and Company, Greenville, 662.743.9813 5 | Kid’s Birkenstock sandals. The Country Gentleman, Greenville, 662.332.1356 6 | Big Kat Buggy. Ace Hardware, Cleveland, 662.843.8200

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Win the Party with favorites from the

Delta Magazine Gift Collection 125 South Court Street, Cleveland

662.843.2700

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Date Night

IN THE DELTA

TEAL TOUCHES 1 | Yeti Tote cooler in teal. Delta Outdoors, Cleveland, 662.843.9109

Mon-Sat: 5-10pm 314 Howard Street Greenwood, Mississippi 6 6 2 . 4 5 5 . 4 2 2 7 giardinas.com

2 | CAUS marbleized insulated go-cup. McCall and Company, Greenville, 662.743.9813 3 | Teal suede wedge heels by Carlos. Shirley’s Consignment, Cleveland, 662.719.6932 4 | Aveda salon products. ISH Innovative Styles for Hair, Cleveland, 662.843.6883 5 | Satin teal travel jewelry pouch. Lina’s Interiors and Antiques, Leland, 662.332.7226

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FUN IN THE SUN

1 | Peter Millar swim trunks. Oak Hall, Memphis, 901.761.3580

2 | Costa Del Mar sunglasses. The Sportsman, Greenville, 662.335.5018 3 | SKYE and Freya swimsuits with beach totes by Dazzle. A Fitting Place, Memphis, 901.683.0210 4 | Super Mable towable tube. Buckshot Marine, Greenville, 662.332.4881 5 | Swig insulated tumblers in summer colors. Brown’s Main Street Pharmacy, Greenville, 662.332.2010 6 | L* Space pink bikini. H Squared Boutique, Cleveland, 662.843.4504 7 | ICEMULE backpack coolers. Outlaw Sporting Goods, Greenwood, 662.459.9054 8 | Tic-Tac-Toe inflatable pool game. Punkin Patch, Cleveland, 662.843.0434

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1 | Blue transferware lamp. Lina’s Interiors and Antiques, Leland, 662.332.7226 2 | LaNelle B. Designs cultured pearl bracelets. Lynbar Jewelers, Greenwood, 662.453.2741 3 | Swig coﬀee mug. The Crown Restaurant, Indianola, 662.887.4522

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B.B. KING MUSEUM In the whole wide world there is only one. While you’re here, pay your respects at the final resting place of the King of the Blues.

400 Second St Indianola, MS T 662.887.9539 bbkingmuseum.org

Coupon good for one FREE admission with each one purchased. DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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5 1 | KAZI hand-woven baskets and mats. Cypress Design Studio, Greenville, 662.335.7226 2 | Woven color-block tote with leather handles. Mod and Proper, Cleveland, 662.400.3111 3 | Antique painted teapot. Moonstruck Antique Flea Market, Cleveland, 662.444.3532 4 | Musee Peace Train bath bomb. Mississippi Gift Company, Greenwood, 662.455.6961 5 | FINCHBERRY bath products. Hair Tenders, Greenville, 662.820.9368

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WOMEN’S · CHILDREN’S · HOME

100 FRONT STREET SUITE A INDIANOLA, MS (662) 452-5131

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To have. to hold. to celebrate. Decked out for wedded bliss and located right off the The Square, Graduate Oxford is the perfect setting for your big day. With a variety of distinct spaces, our hotel is set to host all your festivities, from the engagement party to the main event and everything in between. Book your event or room block today!

Graduate Oxford • 400 N Lamar Blvd • 662 234 3031 • graduatehotels.com

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CUTE & CASUAL

1 | Lululemon tank and hotty hot shorts. Balance Fitness, Cleveland, 662.545-4905

2 | Orange and pink Fanco blouse. KutWorks Boutique, Cleveland, 662.846.1818

3 | Colorful statement dangles. Good Hope General Merchandise, Yazoo City, 662.746.7776

4 | Sadie paperbag waist shorts. Emery Lee Boutique, Greenville, 662.702.5168 5 | Madeline Starling leopard sandal. Whitney’s Boutique, Vaiden, 662.464.7742 6 | Barton Perreira tortoise shell sunnies. Fine Eyes Eyeware, Ridgeland, 601.853.1695 9

7 | Pastel striped jumper. H Squared Boutique, Cleveland, 662.843.4504 8 | Gold palm leaf earrings. KutWorks Boutique, Cleveland, 662.846.1818 9 | Splendid Theodore wedge. H Squared Boutique, Cleveland, 662.843.4504

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HOME GOODS 1 | Large glass container. Cleveland Fresh, Cleveland, 662.441.0500

2 | Four-door console hutch by Crestview. Magnolia Marketplace, Indianola, 662.887.5503 3 | Cobalt blue glazed garden container. Davis Feed and Farm, Yazoo City, 662.746.9322 4 | Reclaimed headboard picture frame. Downtown Marketplace, Yazoo City, 662.746.5031 5 | Zebra-stripe cocktail ottoman. Howard and Marsh, Greenwood, 662.219.0756 4

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ATON

PECANS

ppr

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6 | Modern upright planter. Cleveland Fresh, Cleveland, 662.441.0500 7 | Blue-swirled cheese board and spreader. Lina’s Interiors and Antiques, Leland, 662.332.7226 8 | Oxford accent pillow. The Lily Pad, Oxford, 662.238.2900 54 | MAY/JUNE 2019

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ART

Robin Whitfield Inspired by nature, an artist by trade, and a conservationist at heart BY SUSAN MARQUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON WILLIAMS

IT WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT ARTIST ROBIN WHITFIELD LANDED IN GRENADA. The Clinton native has always had a strong love of nature and being outdoors. She discovered the Chakchiuma Swamp, located at the entrance of downtown Grenada, while doing field work as an art student at Delta State. Under the leadership of art professor Sammy Britt, Whitfield was exposed to working in the field as a way to sharpen her senses and create a dialogue with nature. “By the time I graduated, I knew my heart was in nature. I had no real desire to be a commercial artist.”

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Her first job out of college was to paint a mural for the school system in Grenada. Afterwards, Whitfield took a teaching job, which she learned was a good way to make money and also overcome extreme shyness. While teaching in Grenada, she began taking a good look at the town and discovered the old Masonic Temple, which had long been vacant. “I thought it would make a great art incubator.” The building now houses her studio as well as space for workshops. All was going well for Whitfield until a major event happened that shook her to her core. “I was doing well as an artist,” she says. “In 2016, I decided to take a month off to focus on nothing but painting. I went to my ‘happy place,’ Chakchiuma Swamp, and I was shocked to see timber harvest remnants. Although it was public land, I felt that it was my own private oasis, a place I went to be close to nature and to paint. Some of the largest trees around the swamp had been cut.” Both saddened and outraged, Whitfield went to city hall to speak with the city 58 | MAY/JUNE 2019

manager about the travesty that had occurred in “her” swamp. It turns out the city was struggling financially, so they turned to natural resources and sold the timber. “They were trying to get solvent, but they weren’t thinking things through. The swamp is literally at the entrance of downtown, and it is the most beautiful, unique natural wetland. There are many cities who try to create a wetland area that we naturally have here. Cutting down the trees was making it look terrible.” Whitfield had already spent much time and effort cleaning up the swamp, which had become a dumping ground. “I saw the swamp as my special place, and I was going to do everything in my power to keep the rest of the trees from getting cut. It’s like my outside studio, and I feel very spiritually connected there. The city manager saw I was upset, and he opened doors for me to speak to the city council.” And speak she did, not just once but every time the council met she was there to plead her case. She consulted with forestry experts and worked with students from Mississippi State to tag

and number the trees. “We had a data base of over six hundred trees.” A campaign to save the trees by having people pay to “adopt” them helped raise some money. “I didn’t just want people to just adopt a tree—I encouraged them to find their tree and celebrate it! My idea was to get people into the forest and make a personal connection with their tree.” While the campaign was successful in raising money, it wasn’t enough to keep the trees from being cut and sold. That’s when a benefactor from Jackson stepped in and contributed enough money to stop the tree cutting. The only thing he asked is that the area be named after fallen Grenada Police Officer Lee Tartt. The Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp was formed—a community organization functioning under the 501(3)c of the Grenada Community Foundation with the dual purpose of conservation of Chakchiuma Swamp at the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve and education in the City of Grenada. The mission of the organization is to protect and restore Chakchiuma Swamp habitat within the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve for the benefit of Grenada County biodiversity and all Grenada residents and visitors. Their vision

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is to provide opportunities for all people to experience the beauty of biodiversity in a unique wetland habitat located just a quarter mile from Grenada’s town square. Whitfield admits that being a wellknown artist helped with the fundraising effort. “I’ve lived in Grenada for twenty years now, painting the nature found in that swamp. That helped, but the real story is that this whole situation connected me to so many people in such a special way. My career really came together, and I became more visible to people. This is what I think art is for. I want to be in front of people and be meaningful. We can all see and feel the beauty of art, but each person filters it differently. And through my art, people are understanding and appreciating nature more. We are all about conservation and education.” It’s been a long road for Whitfield. “This was an unexpected and difficult story, but I feel that I’m in a special place in the story now,” says Whitfield. Her art has taken on more meaning since she began her fight to protect the swamp’s trees. She has created twelve images, one for each month, called Seasons of the Cypress. Each features a different native bird, flower, and insect and when hung together form one large piece. The series is sold as individual prints as well as notecards. “I recently received a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission to do a book on the series, with stories to go with the images.” Through the events of the past couple of years, Whitfield has become as connected to the community as she was to the swamp. “I’m serving on boards and committees, and I’m involved in projects going on in Grenada. I have enjoyed building strong connections and relationships, and I’ve learned that I can’t separate myself as a painter and a community leader. I see myself differently than I did when this all started. I like that I can now see myself as an artist, a community leader, and a nature lover. I followed my heart and jumped toward something I cared deeply about, and now things are coming to me that I never could have dreamed about. The swamp and I have helped each other to become more stable.” DM

EXPERIENCE THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA through prehistoric fossils, Native American pottery, Civil War history, cotton farming and regional art. • 12,000-year-old Mastodon • 14th Century Pottery • Spanish Colonial Beads • World War II • Civil War • Swamp Room • Art Gallery • and more 1608 Highway 82 West Greenwood, Mississippi Mon - Sat 9a.m. - 5p.m. Phone: 662-453-0925 museumofthemississippidelta.com

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RORY DOYLE

MUSIC

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KINGFISH Young Clarksdale prodigy is blazing a path for the next generation of Delta blues BY CLINT KIMBERLING

Ingram’s musical chops come naturally. He was raised in a family that plays the blues, and his mother, Princess Pride, is first cousin to country music legend Charley Pride. His first memories of hearing the blues are still fresh, and he credits his father with getting him hooked by playing Muddy Waters albums and for buying him his first guitar. At the age of eight, Ingram enrolled in musical education classes at the Delta Blues Museum, where he started on bass guitar. He eventually moved to the guitar when he was fourteen and quickly mastered the instrument. “I was taught the basics in the museum program, but I would watch YouTube videos and teach myself new songs. I just practiced a lot,” he says very casually as if there’s nothing to it. Shelley Ritter, director of the Delta Blues Museum, remembers a young Christone coming to music classes at the museum. “Even at a young age, you could see how interested he was. He was always paying close attention to the musicians and performers. Ritter recalls on several occasions, Ingram would run up to her and excitedly say something along the lines of,

‘Guess what Miss Shelley? I taught myself a John Lee Hooker song this weekend.’ You could see he had passion for it even when he was young. It’s been incredible watching him grow that talent.” Richard Chrisman, one of Ingram’s instructors at the museum, remembers him being a dedicated student. “You could tell he was going home and practicing and putting in time. Some kids just show up every week, and you can tell they haven’t touched a guitar in between classes. But he put in the work, playing nonstop.” Chrisman laughs and says, “I’m sure he could play circles around me now.” Ingram credits his education at the Delta Blues Museum for a lot of his early success. e first time he played in public was through the museum program when his class played a show at a public library and then later a show at Ground Zero Blues Club. “It was nerve wracking at first,” he remembers. “It still kind of is nerve wracking, but I got used to it and began to enjoy playing for people.” e unusual name “Kingfish” is also something that he can credit to the Delta Blues Museum. e name was given to him

RORY DOYLE

hristone “Kingfish” Ingram is poised to kick down the door of the music world. The twenty-year-old Clarksdale native is a masterful guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who is considered to be a rising blues prodigy and has been referred to as one of the most exciting young guitar players to come along in years.

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by his music teacher, Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry, who Ingram considers a mentor. Perry gave nicknames to all his students, and the ones that stuck morphed into stage names. “Kingfish” was bestowed upon Ingram because he was said to remind Perry of an Amos ‘n’ Andy character of the same name. Ingram didn’t always care for the nickname. “I didn’t like it at first. But it stuck, and that’s what I became known as.” He goes on, saying, “I decided to keep it as a professional name because the ‘King’ part reminds me of Albert, Freddie, and B.B. And the ‘fish’ part reminds me of Muddy.” He’s well aware that not a lot of people his age are into the blues. “You don’t see a lot of young black kids who have my feeling for the blues. ey’re listening to mostly hip-hop, and they just don’t get into the blues because it’s old, I guess. I listen to Top 40 also, but I feel the blues is my culture. Both as a Delta native and as a traditional African-American art form,” he explains. Ingram portrays an attitude toward music well beyond his age. He is a student of blues history and enjoys listening to the legends who came before him. He counts musicians among his influences that most kids his age have never even heard of. He has a wide range of musical influences that 62 | MAY/juNE 2019

ZAN MOSTOW

THE VICKSBURG POST

Kingfish performing at an outdoor festival in Vicksburg.

Kingfish performing at the historic Troubadour in Los Angeles.

move beyond the blues and into soul, rock, and even heavy rock genres. He takes a deep breath and lists names like Eric Gales, B.B. King, Prince, and Ernie Isley. “Probably too many to name,” he says. But they all come through in his music—a sound steeped in history and tradition. He creates a unique sound that echoes the blues without copying the past

and manages to advance the traditional sound. He describes it, saying, “I try to include different genres, try to mix it and evolve the sound, but keep it rooted in tradition.” e final product Ingram calls “rock but still bluesy in the foundation.” Ingram started gaining notoriety in the music world about five years ago. In 2014, along with his Delta Blues Museum classmates, he was invited to perform in the east wing of the White House for Michelle Obama. At age sixteen he was presented with the 2015 Rising Star Award by e Rhythm & Blues Foundation. Kingfish’s appeal beyond the blues world was immediate, and his music has taken him all over the country and to Europe. He’s made appearances on e Rachel Ray Show as well as e Steve Harvey Show. He was cast in season two of the Netflix show Luke Cage after a producer saw one of his videos. Two of his cover songs appear on the show’s soundtrack album. rough the Luke Cage connections, he was able to meet and collaborate with rap legend Rakim for a Tiny Desk Concert on NPR. “It’s all been awesome,” he says of his recent successes. “Getting on the Luke Cage soundtrack and going to the premiere in D.C. was great. And playing with Rakim

THE WHITE HOUSE

In 2014, Kingfish was recognized at the White House with a National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award. Pictured with Michelle Obama and Shelley Ritter, Executive Director of the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale.

PAUL NATKIN

was dope too. It was a lot of fun.” Of the Rakim concert, he says he actually learned the songs on way to the studio. But you wouldn’t be able to tell that just by watching the performance. In between shows and appearances Ingram likes to play video games, learn about conspiracy theories, and he spends a lot of time reading and watching documentaries on Netflix. “If I wasn’t doing this, I would probably be working in a factory or have some kind of day job. I’m grateful for the opportunity that the music has given me.” He is now hard at work promoting his debut album, Kingfish. e album was recorded in Nashville, produced by industry veteran and two-time Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, and features collaborations with Keb’ Mo’ and blues legend Buddy Guy. Kingfish will be released on Alligator Records where Ingram holds the distinction of being the second youngest artist to ever sign with the label. Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator Records, has been aware of Ingram for a number of years as word of this guitar prodigy traveled fast around the blues festival circuit. “I first saw him five years ago at e King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Arkansas,” he recalls. “He was very good then, of course, but his playing has matured so much. Now he knows which notes have punch and which ones tell the story.” Iglauer is impressed with his singular focus and growth as a musician. “He knows the blues isn’t cool for kids his age, but he was determined to be a blues musician,” Iglauer says. “He loves the music, and he feels it. He’s matured as a singer and a storyteller, and now he’s at a world class level.” Ingram is already at work on his next album and is excited for some upcoming collaborations that he’s not able to talk about yet. Next up is more touring and exposure for Ingram, including several dates with the band Vampire Weekend where he will open their shows on over a dozen tour stops. Iglauer, like most people in Ingram’s circle, is excited and hopeful about the future. “I believe he’s going to be one of the most significant blues musicians of his generation,” he says. “Kingfish is the cutting edge of blues.” Kingfish will be available on May 17. Learn more at christonekingfishingram.com

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Kingfish performing with blues great, Buddy Guy

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TRAILBL Deltans share their stories of hiking the Appalachian Trail

BY KATIE TIMS

iking the Appalachian Trail might sound easy. But strap on a thirty- to forty-fivepound pack and the game changes.

Factor in steep inclines, impossible rocks, slippery tree roots, blaring sun, rain, wind, snow, ticks, bears, snakes, spiders, mud, blisters (lots of blisters), shin splints, twisted ankles, body odor beyond description, and snoring shelter mates. So why take on the elements, pain, and suffering? “Because it’s the experience of a lifetime!” John Denton answered. “Once you do the Appalachian Trail, you won’t ever be the same again,” And he means it.

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AZERS John Denton, of Cleveland, at MacAfee Knob in Virginia, one of the most scenic and popular spots on the Appalachian Trail.

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Tradition dictates that hikers celebrate the AT’s halfway point by consuming a half-gallon of ice cream (in an hour or less) at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania. Blake Moore embraced the challenge with vanilla.

Lloyd Caufield at the start and near the finish (below) of the Appalachian Trail.

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Trail living at its finest—a typical AT shelter in early spring.

A Few of the Delta’s 2,000-Milers Every year, an estimated two to three million people hike a little or a lot of the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail, a footpath that extends from Georgia to Maine. Many start the five-million-step journey; few finish. In fact, since the 1930s, only 20,115 hikers have earned the prestigious 2,000-miler status. These include the “thru-hikers,” who traverse the entire trail in a single season and the “section hikers,” who complete the AT over multiple years Bay Bennett, twenty-three, is among the thru-hiker class of 2018. Originally from Greenwood, Bennett completed his trek in an impressive four months—starting at Springer Mountain on March 23 and finishing at Mount Katahdin on July 24. As part of his major in outdoor leadership at North Greenville University in South Carolina, Bennett counted the AT thru hike as his internship. He started and finished the AT (as the trail is known) with his friend, Maxx Marshall, who is a dual major in English and music at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. “We love being outside and being on the trail,” Bennett said. “We’re big early birds, so we’d just get up and walk until we got tired. By the end of the trail, twenty-nine miles was a normal day for us.” Lloyd Caulfield thru hiked in 2003 at the age of twenty-three. He started on April 17 and summited Mount Katahdin on September 30. Prior to the AT, Caulfield’s backpacking experience consisted of walking with a pack eight miles along a highway near his home in Water Valley, Mississippi. “The Appalachian Trail is one of those big life-changing events,” Caulfield says. “After you do the Appalachian Trail, you categorize everything in your life as ‘before the trail’ or ‘after the trail.’ The AT leaves an indelible mark on your life.” Blake Moore was in college when he completed a twenty-eightday backpacking trip in the Eastern Alaska mountain range as part of the National Outdoor Leadership School. This, in addition to a spring break trip to the Appalachian Trail, was inspiration for a thru hike, which he completed at the age of twenty-six, starting April 12 and finishing September 15. “Thru hiking the AT was something I’d always wanted to do,” Moore explained. “I’d planned on doing it when I graduated from college, but then I went to work as an accountant. The last thing you want to do in a professional career is ask for six months off. But I did it anyway.” (By the way, he was promoted and given a raise while on the trail.)

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Mahoosuc Notch is known as the “slowest mile of the Appalachian Trail.” Here, Blake Moore negotiates a typical few feet of this section.

John Denton is a farmer in Cleveland who section hiked the AT in just two seasons. Over the 2017 and 2018 summers, at the ages of sixty-five and sixty-six, Denton alternated his time between the trail and the Delta. “I read about the trail back in the ‘60s—I must have been twelve or thirteen years old,” Denton recalled. “The article was in National Geographic, and I said, ‘One of these days I’m going to do that!’ A few years ago, I thought I better hurry up. I almost waited too long.” Eighteen-year-old Mary Randal Henson, from Leland, is not yet a 2,000-miler, but she started the AT on April 17. At this very moment, Henson has her sights set on Mount Katahdin, a goal she’s had since a family vacation four years ago. “When I was fourteen, we went white water rafting at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina,” Henson explained. “The trail goes right through the center. I saw the AT hiker box and the plaque on the wall. Ever since then I’ve wanted to hike the AT. I’ve taken a gap year to do my hike.”

The shot every AT hiker hopes for—the summiting of Mount Katahdin in Maine. John Denton celebrates reaching the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

Crux, Thoreau, Bear and Johnny Walker On a recent Saturday at the Delta Meat Market in Cleveland, three of these 2,000-milers and Henson got together. Three hours later, the conversation was still going strong. “Hey, Bear, what do you think was the hardest part?” “Mahoosuc Notch, without a doubt,” Bear answered, referring to a tough mile-long section in western Maine. “It’s a valley, and all the rocks have crumbled off the top and piled down into the bottom. Some are as big as a house. You go up the rock, under the rock, around the rock.” “Yeah, you’re not hiking—you’re crawling,” Johnny Walker chimed in. “There are places where you have to take off your pack and throw it ahead, then climb up to it,” Thoreau added.

On the walking trail in Cleveland: (left to right) Lloyd Caulfield (in the boots he wore to hike the entire AT); Blake Moore (wearing the cap and T-shirt he wore on his thru-hike); Mary Randal Henson; and John Denton. DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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In 2018, the 10th Anniversary of his thru hike, Blake Moore returned with his family to MacAfee Knob. Blake, his wife, Clare, and Idalia, 4, and Gus, 6, camped near the Appalachian Trail and hiked up the mountain in time to see the sunrise.

Bay Bennett (right) and Maxx Marshall celebrate the summiting of Mount Katahadin.

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Appalachian Trail hikers don’t know each other by their given names. Instead, they go by trail names, which are usually gifted by fellow hikers according to noticeable habits, hobbies, or peculiarities. Bay is Crux. He loves rock climbing, and “crux” is term for the most difficult move or sequence of moves during a climb. “A hiker, Bird Dog, spent the better part of three days trying to give my buddy and me trail names,” Bennett said. “I talked a lot about rocking climbing, so that’s where Crux came from. It was fun to have that moniker.” Caulfield is Thoreau. The name was the result a literary mix-up. “I really have no knowledge of Henry David Thoreau—it was my lack of knowledge that got me that name,” he admitted. Moore is Mississippi Bear because of Ole Miss’s mascot debate of Colonel Reb versus the Black Bear. Although it’s not the reason for his trail name, Moore was quick to recount a bear sighting in the Shenandoahs. “One day I had my headphones on and was just rocking out the miles,” he said. “I looked over and there was a bear, eating blueberries by the trail. I was like, ‘Hi bear!’ I was so close that I could have touched him.” Denton, appropriately so, is Johnny Walker—not because he drinks whiskey but because he walks—a lot. “I started with a group and hiked with them all the way to Virginia,” Denton recalled. “I got off the trail for six weeks and then got back on at Hanover, New Hampshire. I didn’t get across the street before I heard, ‘Hey, Johnny Walker!’ I fell right back in my same bunch.” At the time of this writing, Henson had yet to earn her trail name. “I just hope it’s not something weird,” she said with a laugh.

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Bay Bennett celebrated his birthday on the AT by hiking through snow.

The Big Concerns

It’s the major injuries that are most worrisome. Imagine hiking all the way from Georgia to Maine and then having to give up and go “Hike your own hike” is the wise advice for hiking the home. That almost happened to Denton. Appalachian Trail. But there are a few concerns that all hikers share “I usually busted my a** every fifty miles on the trail,” he said. “I on the trail. got all the way through New Hampshire and the rocks. The trail was Of course, shelter and water top the list. Shelters are dotted along finally getting a little easier. I was happy and the trail, and most hikers come prepared with bumping along when, all of a sudden, I fell ample clothing, sleeping bags, and tents or hard. I screamed—it hurt so bad. I thought hammocks. As for water, creeks and springs somebody was going to have to carry me out are plentiful along the AT. On his hike, of there.” Moore didn’t filter his water and had no Eventually Denton got back up on his feet problems. Denton always filtered his. Bennett and hobbled three-tenths of a mile to a fell somewhere between the two, which shelter. worked fine until one day in New Jersey. “I thought I was done,” he admitted. “But “It was pouring down rain, and we the next morning I got up and kept going. I stopped by this little stream where I scooped limped the rest of the way—I barely made it up the water and drank,” he recalled. “I didn’t up Mount Katahdin.” think about the water and how it was coming Gear, pack weight, and proper footwear down from a pond. I ended up with giardia are other concerns. Then comes basic and getting super sick.” sustenance. With five million steps come at As well, his hiking partner was bitten by a least one million thoughts of food. non-poisonous snake in Virginia and “There were times when I hallucinated contracted Lyme disease near Lyme, New about McDonald’s french fries,” Caulfield Hampshire. Marshall never saw the tick, but knew something was wrong when he Bay Bennett (right) and Maxx Marshall in confirmed with a laugh. at the halfway point of the “I figured out how to eat,” Moore said, experienced extreme fatigue and terrible Pennsylvania, Appalachian Trail. explaining that he had to change his diet after headaches. Antibiotics and time took care of losing thirty pounds in the first three weeks of his hike. “It’s all about the disease, but it did make for several days of slow going. calories. My goal was to eat ten thousand calories a day. I didn’t always Minor injuries are to be expected (and hopefully prevented) on hit that, but it was my goal.” the trail. Blisters, sore muscles, fatigued knees, pack rash, and twisted It’s tough to eat that much without weighing down the pack. So, ankles are just part of the fun. Pain and discomfort are constants, so as THE TREK wisdom dictates, a hiker “should eat as much as there’s no use in complaining. possible, whenever possible.” That means making the most of the “Your clothes never dry out,” Caulfield said. “You’re either wet occasional restaurants, fast-food joints, and gas station stores. with sweat or you’re wet with rain, the whole time.” DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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Almost there…Blake Moore points to the finish line at Mount Katahdin.

“You gorge yourself as much as you can when you get to town,” Moore advised. On the trail, hikers must carry high-calorie, low-weight food. A few of the favorites are tuna packets, dried fruit, peanut butter, Cheetos, tortillas, jerky, and dehydrated meals, as well as Pop Tarts, instant oatmeal, Nabs, instant coffee, and Snickers chocolate bars. “We had brown sugar and cinnamon Pop Tarts every day for breakfast for four months,” Bennett said. “I think my daily intake was three Snickers bars a day,” Moore added. “After the trail I couldn’t eat any tuna for years,” Caulfield said.

Memories of a Lifetime Completing the Appalachian Trail isn’t as much about physical conditioning or prior backpacking experience as it is about raw determination. That was the case for Bennett when he celebrated his twenty-second birthday while hiking through freezing weather and foot-deep snow. It was the same for Denton whose slow pace dictated early starts and late finishes. Moore suffered stress fractures to both shins negotiating a long, steep downhill slope, which resulted in ten days of forced rest. Caulfield darn near didn’t make it to day one. His parents dropped him off at Amicalola Falls State Park, and Caulfield planned to spend the night in the shelter. The next morning he would hike the eightmile, uphill approach trail to Springer Mountain and the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. “It was pouring rain, and I had a 101-degree fever that night,” Caulfield recalled. “I wanted to cry. I wanted to call my parents and say, ‘Come get me! I’m not going to do it.’ But there was no cell

Here is an easy part of the Appalachian Trail. Notice the white blaze on the tree. There are approximately 165,000 of those white blazes marking the 2,190-mile path from Georgia to Maine.

service. The only option I had was to go hike. After that night I never thought about quitting again.” Yes, there are challenges on the Appalachian Trail. But according to these hikers, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. Lifelong friendships are made on the trail, bonds that connect people who appreciate the decision to make the arduous 2,200-mile walk. Moore hiked the second half of the trail with a group of close friends—Team Party, as they called themselves. It’s eleven years later, and they still keep in touch. Caulfield’s experience is similar; he met his group at the very first blaze in Georgia. Trail fellowship knows no genders, no political affiliations or ages. “You’re all bound by a common goal. Your politics are hiking,” Caulfield said. Last year, Denton met up with an eighty-year-old thru hiker. “I thought, ‘Man, I’ve found somebody I can hike with because he’s going slow like me.’ We bumped along for a while, then all of a sudden he was like the road runner—beep, beep, ptewwwwww!” Mindfulness teaches us to live in the present, to notice details and be grateful. On the AT, a hiker’s schedule is cleared by five million steps, one foot in front of the other. There are a lot of mindful moments. “On the trail I kept having childhood memories—stuff I’d never thought about before,” Denton said. “Maybe that’s the reason I was so slow—my brain was going faster than my feet. You think about stuff you did and some stuff you wish you didn’t do. A lot of people are running away from stuff.” “I think I thought about food most of the time,” Caulfield admitted with a chuckle. “For me, the trail made me live in the moment,” Moore said. “Every day is its own. Don’t take it for granted.” This led to his advice for Mary Randal Henson, who was about to start her AT thru-hike. “Don’t worry about next week or six months down the trail. Don’t think about Katahdin when you start because you’ll never get there. It’s just too far away. Just enjoy the journey.” DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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FLATLAND Fly Casters

One great thing about fly fishing is that after a while nothing exists of the world but thoughts about fly fishing. It is also interesting that thoughts about fishing are often carried on in dialogue form where Hope and Fear try to outweigh each other.” – Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It BY CAL TROUT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES EVANS

“THE NET! THE NET! GET THE NET!”

JAMES EVANS

I took my eyes off the mass of silver and red flashing in the current a few feet from me and cut them at my girlfriend, Stacye. Admittedly, this type of fanaticism doesn’t endear a woman to a man. In fact, it’s often the foundation for a fast parting of ways. She simply stared at me, still as a stoic, amid the roiling water of Arkansas’s Norfork River. I looked at the fish, then back at her with a desperation only an angler will understand. Our eyes met, and I knew it was hopeless. She hadn’t moved. There was a serious disconnect between my struggle and her level of care for that labor. I moved downstream to play the leviathan into some slack water near an outcropping of rocks. The fish ran and sent the reel screaming then took to the air. I bowed the rod to the trout and retrieved the line. It came in close, near the surface, a mere three feet from me, showed its two feet of length, its wide girth. Its hooked lip seemed to snarl, “You better treat her better than that.” Then it was gone. The line slackened, the rod straightened, and I hung my head. Looking up I realized I was now standing well downstream of Stacye, who was looking at me as though I was a stranger. She grunted, “Humph!” like she now understood something deep and disturbing about my character as a man.

It was early in our relationship. This was the first time she had been fly fishing with me. She came out of sympathy and morbid curiosity when my regular fly-fishing partner and Glen Allan native, Josh Quong, had to back out at the last minute. It was my birthday, and that would have been the largest rainbow I had caught to date. I took a deep, ragged breath, looked around at all the placidity a blue-ribbon trout stream offers, then doubled down, “WHY DIDN’T YOU GET THE DAMN NET!!!” She replied coolly, “You have a net clipped to your back. Why didn’t you get your own?” There is something about hooking into a big fish that makes a man forget himself; something primal in us that must land the fish. When a lunker is on, we abandon all reason, decency, and sense of propriety. Fly-fishing guides will tell you, “The tug is the drug.” But come on. Who doesn’t want to land a whale and hold it a while? Verily, who doesn’t want to hold, if only for a moment, a thing as beautiful as a trout. It’s not exactly like our quest to find love in this life, but they are certainly kin. And here I was representing the greatest threat our nascent relationship had faced. As my nerves settled, my senses returned. Although I was the same man standing in the same river, the moment passed, and the angst and anger I’d felt seemed carried away by the current, lost as the fish. As I struggled back upstream,

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Trout casting his grandfather’s bamboo rod.

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COURTESY OF CAL TROUT

Trout and Yarborough with a trophy rainbow.

emerging from the water’s surface. Or a fattened cutthroat brought to hand and glistening in the late afternoon light. But art dies knee-deep in gumbo wearing knee-high rubber boots, back casting into a pond-side hay bale. No trout lives in such environs. They like cool, clear water. It’s said trout only live in beautiful places. From Vermont to Alaska, I’ve yet to encounter a ∼ ∼ ∼ situation that proved this false. The Although northwest Mississippi Ozarks surrounding the hamlet of lacks trout and salmon habitat, Deltans Norfork, Arkansas, are just such a place. have a long tradition of enjoying the A man needs a little beauty in his sport. In fact, Tallahatchie Countian T. life, especially during times of suffering. C. Buford once landed a World Record And so it was with an invitation from Atlantic Salmon on light tippet. He Quong to fish the Norfork with another hauled the twenty-nine-pound beast Deltan, Blake Ward, I began fly fishing out of Canada’s Moisie River in 1982. in earnest some twelve years ago. I was Mr. Buford, a skilled fly caster who going through a divorce. These fine famously gave fly casting lessons to gentlemen thought a fishing trip would anyone willing to travel to his home on help. With Quong always ready to wet Buford Plantation, subdued the record a hook, I looked at it as therapeutic: a fish on a two-handed spey rod with healthy distraction with family and four-pound tippet. friends that morphed into an obsession. I grew up learning to fly cast from I’ve made multiple yearly trips to the my father. Of course, in this part of the trout rivers of northern Arkansas ever country all we can fly fish for is bream since. In 2010 my father and I went and or crappie or bass. While this achieves Trout and wife Stacye on their first fishing trip. booked a day on the water with Delta the coveted diversion from life’s general émigré Ron Yarborough, owner of Ron malaise, we understand that trout Yarborough’s White River Fly Guide. fishing is where the artistic and arduous aspect of the endeavor You won’t find a guide more knowledgeable or easy to get bequeathed to us by our angling forefathers intersect, producing, along with than Yarborough. After spending his formative years at times, a near perfect moment. Something akin to a caddis fly COURTESY OF CAL TROUT

I tried to formulate an apologetic segue into in the rest of the day. It was, after all, not even 8:00 a.m. “I’m sorry,” I stammered. “That was a really big fish.” “Yep,” she said. “I saw it.” Then she turned and walked towards the bank...

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COURTESY OF CAL TROUT

Trout battling a fish.

Selecting the perfect fly.

in Cleveland and Arcola, he dreamed of one day running a guide service on the several teeming oxbows that define the geography along the Mississippi. Years later, though, he found himself in Colorado working as a respiratory therapist. But the dry weather that typifies the Rocky Mountains didn’t agree with him. “My wife is a physical therapist, so I found us both jobs at the hospital up here, and we decided to move,” he explains. “Not long after, I went fishing with a friend on the White River. When I got home, my wife asked if I had fun. I said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to start a guide service.’” Yarborough started out at Mountain Home’s Blue Ribbon Fly Shop and was with them for six years before starting Ron Yarborough’s White River Fly Guide in 2008. On our trip a phenomenon peculiar to those north Arkansas tail waters, the White and Norfork, occurred called a shad kill. With weather conditions right, the water being pulled from the bottom of the lake sends thousands of tiny shad through the hydroelectric turbines. Giants rise from the depths to gorge themselves on this sudden buffet of bloody fish. At twenty-seven degrees and snowing, apparently these conditions were right for a shad kill. We immediately went from catching fifteen- to

Trout’s Hardy reel, a gift from his father.

nineteen-inch fish to catching twenty- to twenty-five-inch fish. My father landed a twenty-two-inch rainbow, and a few minutes later, I landed a twenty-four-and-a-half-inch brown trout. We took a couple of pictures, and Yarborough released the fish; “Let’s go make another run and try it again,” he said as he fired the motor and turned the boat back upstream towards one of the best days fishing of my life.

∼ ∼ ∼ Four years later Ron was my first choice when I decided to introduce Stacye to fly fishing. I was in the front of the boat casting free of instruction and care. She was in the back taking in all of Yarborough’s instructions. Within ten minutes she had a fish on. I’d yet to get a strike. Before she even netted the fish, without looking at me, she said, “That’s one.” Yarborough laughed, and I didn’t tell him what had transpired the previous day. She then out-fished me all morning. At one point while manning the oars, he leaned forward and under his breath said, “You need to put a fish in the boat, brother. She’s already caught eight. This is getting out of hand!” Five years have passed since then. Whenever we need a guide, DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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Trout and Quong fishing for grayling in Alaska.

Yarborough is always my first call. His business has grown tremendously. He employs six other guides and most days need to be booked well ahead of time. They average about a trip a day per year, with Yarborough taking the lion’s share of his customers himself. Fortune smiled this year, and we booked him on his one free day in the middle of a two-week run. Our twenty-month old, Ava, however, decided to take a nap just as we were getting ready to launch the boat. Stacye volunteered to stay with her while I fished a while. After an hour and a half and only catching a few small fish, I hooked into what felt like a log. Finally, it moved, and we knew it was substantial. Once it flashed to the top, we could see it was a legitimate trophy. In fact, it looked like a twin to the fish I lost five years prior. Yarborough began rowing seriously, giving me quiet but firm instruction: “Rod tip up! Let him run! Strip, don’t reel! Watch those logs!!!!” After nearly ten minutes of fighting the fish in a nearly floodTrout and Quong share a streamside laugh.

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stage Norfork, it came in close. Yarborough left the oars, grabbed the net, and scooped him up. It’s difficult to explain what that feels like. Fly fishing is so technical it can take a long time to become adequate enough to land even a small fish it. Landing a trophy is almost surreal. Mostly, I felt a tinge of regret that Stacye wasn’t in the boat as he measured it: twenty-three and a half inches and seven pounds. Yarborough said it was the largest rainbow he’s seen taken off the Norfork in at least two years. We motored back upstream to get Stacye and Ava, but they were both sleeping peacefully in the truck. Standing on the shore letting my mind drift, it occurred to me that time doesn’t heal a wound on its own, but time well-spent affirms family and confirms friendship. It provides the foundation for love. With every trip to a trout stream I am filled with a hope as old as flowing water. Suddenly, Ron slapped me on the shoulder stirring me back to reality, “Hey, why don’t we make another run and try it again...”

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INDOOR ARCHERY RANGE GUN + BOW REPAIR HUNTING + FISHING LICENSES

a small town store doing it BIG in the Delta

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HOME

A Cabin Reborn

Whether spent hunting, fishing, hiking, entertaining, or just kicking back from the busy week before, weekends at MeadowBrake are rich with memories in the making. BY BRENDA WARE JONES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUSTIN BRITT

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The old cabin, left, lives on in the new expanded one, above, as almost every scrap was salvaged and repurposed.

“HOW DID YOU EVER FIND THIS PLACE?”

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is the first question visitors often ask, after they make the long drive deep into the woods and arrive at Peggy and Charles Ed Snipes’s country cabin. They will tell you that the answer is, “after looking long and hard.” They knew what they wanted, and it was elusive: deep woods with the mix of pines, oaks, redbuds, and dogwoods they recalled from their native Georgia and Alabama. They found just what they had in mind in 1997, when they came upon one hundred acres of lush forestland in the Black Hawk area of Carroll County, complete with a rustic cabin. They named their woodland idyll MeadowBrake. “It’s a combination of my maiden name, Meadows, and a reference to a favorite boyhood hunting spot of my husband’s, Canebrake, in Dixons Mills, Alabama,” explains Peggy. Along the way, they have acquired extra contiguous acreage, bringing the total to three hundred, with still more leased for hunting. Four ponds, two of which they expanded and stocked with bass, bream, and catfish, complete the property. Just an hour and twenty minutes from their weekday home in Greenville, MeadowBrake soon proved to be the perfect getaway for the Snipeses and their two young daughters, Brantley and Maggie. But soon the original cypress cabin (which Peggy describes succinctly as “rundown,” with no insulation and a beat-up tin roof) proved not quite satisfactory. It had come fully stocked and furnished, with “lots of Fiestaware and vintage quilts and also lots of wasps and mice,”

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On the wraparound screened porch, above, a long bench, an estate-sale find, sits between two cherry-red rockers. Below, the Smoke House is Charles Ed’s domain, containing his grills and smokers.

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A painting of the old cabin by Brantley provides a pop of color under the dramatic handcrafted stairway. The antique cabinet serves as their bar.

recalls Peggy wryly. “And we could only use it September through April; it was just too hot in the summer, and the wasps won the ongoing battle.” It only had two bedrooms, and smack in the middle was a crude “privy.” “For privacy, we used the girls’ old boom box, which fit perfectly atop the toilet,” she laughs. “You had to go in there and turn it up real loud.” The girls grew up loving time spent with their dad out in nature. Brantley, who is now a landscape architect and Main Street Director in Greenwood, is an enthusiastic bow hunter, and Maggie loves to fly fish on her breaks from her job in D.C. with The Washington Post. “We say we raised the city mouse and the country mouse,” says Peggy of their girls, both Auburn grads like their parents. During the New Year holiday of 2010, things arrived at a bit of a 84 | MAY/JUNE 2019

crisis point. “We had daughters there with college friends, a friend with a new baby, and two uninvited flying squirrels in the cabin,” she says. “And that was the end of that. We knew we had to do something.” “Something,” in her mind, was perhaps a wing added with more sleeping space and a new bathroom with a tub. But Charles Ed, who has a Ph. D. from MSU and recently retired from his job there as a cotton researcher, was of the opinion that the old place wasn’t sound underneath. So they decided to tear the whole thing down and rebuild, using the existing footprint. They began playing with ideas and came up with a rough plan that they drew on a paper napkin one night over dinner with their friend and neighbor, architect Celeste Sanders.

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Another of Brantley’s works hangs over the fireplace mantel, depicting a stand of pines, below. Above, a chandelier crafted of shed antlers. Below left, a stuffed raccoon enjoys a box of Cracker Jacks. He was a gift from Charles Ed to Peggy, commenting, “You always wanted a fur.”

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In the rustic mud room, an antique door and a curtain conceal the washer and dryer. Below, a central island of reclaimed planed wood makes an ideal serving spot when entertaining.

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A small side table was welded by James Gray, fashioned from antique work tools that belonged to Peggy’s grandfather.

Hats and fishing gear stand at the ready for outdoor fun, above. Below, the console table was a gift from the girls to their dad. Made of lumber salvaged from the demolished MSU building where he once worked, it was designed and fabricated by Emily Roush Elliott of Delta Design Build Workshop.

The new “old” cabin retains the rustic charm of its humble predecessor and lost nothing in translation except the inconveniences (and the mice). Now two downstairs bedrooms, plus a spacious suite of bunkrooms upstairs, and plenty of open living space can handle any number of family and friends who happen to be in residence for weekend or holiday fun. In temperate weather, which is most of the year in our climate, everyone can enjoy the grand and inviting screened porch that wraps three sides of the first floor. Porch swings, rocking chairs, and sofas provide plenty of conversation groupings, and a cozy hammock is the vied-for spot for naps on lazy afternoons. “We’re here three out of four weekends,” she notes, and this porch is where we sit in the early mornings to watch the birds and spy on the deer and rabbits, maybe a fox or two. And there’s a bobcat we’ve seen quite often.” “The goal for the new cabin was to pay homage to the original one, while meeting the current needs of our family by increasing the space. We were really inspired by the concepts of reusing and recycling anything possible, both in construction materials and in the furnishings,” comments daughter Brantley. Delightful examples of this are seen everywhere: the fireplace mantel fashioned from an old front porch step, the kitchen island crafted from old floor joists, the chandelier made of old deer antlers. The cedar on the staircase is from the old cabin’s bathroom, and the mud room is, in fact, the old kitchen. Additionally, all the wall panels and molding were planed from wood of the old cabin. Acting as her own inspired interior designer, former art teacher Peggy had great fun creating the warm, colorful, and quirky rooms. She assembled a comfortable mix of old furniture that either came DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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Iron sconces and a contemporary mirror grace the wood-plank wall in a guest room. The upstairs bunk room, below, features a souvenir plate collection from states the family has visited.

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French doors lead onto the screened porch in the master bedroom. The oak bedroom set once belonged to Charles Ed’s great-aunt in Alabama.

with the original cabin or were vintage family pieces; the only guiding principle was, according to her, “everything had to be dog and hunting boot proof!” She mixed pottery collected from estate sales, antique fishing accessories such as poles and creels, and did her own sewing for cushions, curtains, and slipcovers. With the seasons, the look and feel of the cabin changes, with different baskets filled with whatever is blooming, and collections rotated. In fall, a display of antlers decks the shelves to be replaced in summer with their seashell collection. “We’re not beach people, so this is as close to the beach as we get!” she laughs. They salvaged and repurposed as much as they could from the demolished cabin and even looked to the woods surrounding the site for materials. The impressive open staircase from the living area to the upper story is a work of art in itself; the railing is handcrafted from random cedar branches and crossvine. It was very much a joint venture for the creative couple. “Charles Ed cut and re-cut each segment of wood and vine, and I stood at the bottom and gave him directions for which angle to turn each piece!” Outdoors, the native plantings form a naturalistic, informal garden around the house, designed by their daughter Brantley. They looked to the woods for plant sources, digging up oakleaf hydrangea,

beautyberry, smilax, and red honeysuckle. The daylily bed is an always-evolving feature, as Peggy likes to bring home different varieties culled from friends’ “and sometimes strangers’” gardens. Also, they have dug up bulbs from many old homes in Greenville, which re-bloom and multiply each year. A kitchen garden with herbs and vegetables was added a few years ago. Not far from the house is a smokehouse, designed to resemble the cabins at Camp DeSoto where the daughters spent happy summers as girls. This houses Charles Ed’s four grills and Cajun smoker, as well as an extra freezer. The open house plan, flowing from inside to porch to outdoors, lends itself well to entertaining, and the Snipes family does a lot of that. Anything can serve as a good excuse to gather a crowd; they celebrated Brantley’s passing her landscape architecture boards with a farmer’s market-to-table dinner for twenty-two on the back porch, and for one of Maggie’s recent visits, they threw a big shrimp and crab boil. Steak dinners for Charles Ed’s colleagues, church potluck picnics, birthday sleepovers for friends’ grandchildren, even “porch yoga” sessions for her yoga group have been talked about—MeadowBrake has been the venue for all this and more, with every promise of more to come. DM

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8 5 3 S . M A I N S T R E E T, G R E E N V I L L E 662.335.7226

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New& Renewed Whether renos or new-builds, these bathrooms pop with luxe details and modern style

BY REBEKKAH ARANT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE AND BRIAN FLYNT

hether renovating an existing bathroom or designing one for new construction, homeowners have the opportunity to create spaces that are both beautiful and functional.

RORY DOYLE

From small powder rooms to spacious master baths, these areas provide ample design potential. Careful attention to details and a welcoming color scheme can help create a spa-like retreat in a master bath. Smaller bathrooms are a blank canvas awaiting a bold wallpaper or burst of color. No matter the project, incorporating decorative details helps to add a bit of ambiance to the space while also reflecting personal style. These beautiful rooms created by Delta designers illustrate the impact of thoughtful planning and are sure to inspire your next project.

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Interior designer Judy Wilson recommended a custom Roman shade and upholstered bench to add softness, balancing the hard surfaces of the bathroom.

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Timeless master

The stunning walk-in shower features a tiled bench seat.

When Bob and Linda Yeager embarked on a renovation of their master bath, they teamed up with Brooks Reynolds of Cleveland Lumber Company and interior designer Judy Wilson to create a classic space. In order to make the most of the area, Reynolds designed a layout with a logical flow and included a large walk-in shower that is stunning yet practical. Clean lines and timeless finishes make the shower a lovely focal point while a wide opening and tiled bench seat ensure that the shower is fully accessible. Linda Yeager wanted to keep the color scheme neutral and worked with Wilson to make selections for the project. Although Yeager knew her likes and dislikes, she credits the design to Wilson. “Judy’s ideas are just great,” says Yeager. The bathroom’s large south-facing windows look out onto the large lawn and cypress trees, affording a beautiful view while also allowing plenty of natural light to pour in. Wilson points out that lighting is one of the most important aspects of bathroom design, and she incorporated layers of light to create a warm atmosphere, with the use of sconces that add a modern and refined touch to the space. Wilson also advises her clients to “think about the balance of soft and hard.” While bathrooms tend to have many features that are considered hard, a good design rounds it off with the addition of window treatments, greenery, and other details. In Yeager’s bathroom, custom Roman shades add character and softness to the room, and an upholstered bench from John-Richard helps to achieve this balance. When reflecting on the project, Yeager says that she “wouldn’t change a thing.” She encourages others to find “good people to work with” since her experience of partnering with Wilson and Reynolds resulted in such a pleasing outcome. “The fact that we did it and love it shows it was a success!”

RORY DOYLE

Sleek and modern, gold sconces add layers of light.

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The Grittmans chose to keep the leopard print wallpaper, which makes a bold statement in the small powder room.

Small space, bold statement

RORY DOYLE

Small powder rooms are just the space to make a bold design statement, and Cindy Grittman says that this room immediately caught her attention when she first looked at the house. After purchasing the home, the Grittmans kept the previous owner’s design of the powder room because “it was timeless and didn’t need updating.” Her favorite aspects of the bathroom are its dramatic wallpaper and unique sink; the combination of the black and gold color scheme and glamorous detailing creates a truly striking space. Grittman added her own bit of flair with personal touches: a modern, beaded chandelier adds to the drama of the room as do the gilded mirrors on the front and back walls. Artwork in classic gold frames and streamlined wall sconces round out this unforgettable design.

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Sconces mounted on the mirror allow light to reflect and provide ample light for the vanity area.

It’s All in the Details Designer Mary Clair Cumbaa worked with these homeowners to transform their bathrooms into luxurious spaces that bring together the elements of comfort and style.

BEFORE

Feminine but classic

BRIAN FLYNT

Jason and Jaime Fratesi collaborated with Cumbaa to renovate a bathroom for their teenage daughter, Ava. To create a sophisticated look that would transition well through various life stages, Cumbaa incorporated wallpaper on both the walls and ceiling and updated the vanity and lighting. Cumbaa loves the look of wallpaper in a small space and encourages her clients to embrace pattern; while a statement wallpaper may look too busy in a large bathroom, it works perfectly in a small one, adding depth and interest to the room. The muted color palette and fabric choices further contribute to the refined and romantic aesthetic of the room. Cumbaa completed the styling with feminine artwork selections. The European Roman shade was designed using a relaxed blush pink linen, providing a soft feminine look. 96 | MAY/JUNE 2019

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Vintage beaded sconces were chosen to align with the home’s circa 1920 design aesthetic.

BEFORE

Updating the basics

BRIAN FLYNT

In this renovation project, Cumbaa worked with her in-laws, Dean and Gwin Cumbaa, to breathe new life into an old room. The Cumbaas kept the existing subway tile backsplash and vintage mosaic tile floor but updated the space by selecting a new wall color as well as a classic marble vanity. By replacing the fixtures and lighting, Cumbaa elevated the room’s design; a unique crystal chandelier and crystal wall sconces give the room a new focal point. Cumbaa says that “a good mix of lighting really makes a difference in a bathroom.” A Roman shade in a classic pattern and a neutral shower curtain add a layered softness to the room.

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design details

ACHIEVE THE LOOK

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Carrara marble floor tile and fantasy brown counter tops pair with silver accents to elevate the formality of the bathroom.

New spaces, luxurious style

BRIAN FLYNT

The bathrooms in Tommie and Susan Cardin’s new construction home utilize finishes that coordinate with their formal styling. In the powder room, Cumbaa used gold detailing to dress up the space and introduced pattern with the wallpaper. The combination of details brings a sense of fun to the room while keeping it dressy. A gold and black accent table and decorative mirror add to the room’s chic style. The natural light of the master bath along with the crisp white paint and subtle blue details create a spa-like retreat. Café curtains soften the large window, add privacy, and allow in plenty of bright light— an ideal combination in a bathroom. In order to create a space with timeless elegance, Cumbaa helped her clients make luxurious selections and incorporated well-chosen accessories that add texture to the room and evoke tranquility. DM The gold hardware and faucet blend seamlessly with gold accented wallpaper to provide a funky yet formal twist in a small space. DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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FOOD

Mother’s Day

BRUNCH

STYLED BY ERICA EASON HALL • PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL JACKS MENU BY CINDY COOPWOOD AND CORDELIA CAPPS

Celebrate Mom with a brunch that’s pretty in pink and unapologetically feminine. The menu is colorful and fresh, calling on spring’s showstoppers

including fresh berries, tomatoes and asparagus. The tablescape designed by Erica Eason Hall is set with vintage finds mixed with modern gold touches to keep it interesting and up-to-date. But first, mimosas. A beautiful mimosa bar is a must for greeting brunch guests and will set a fun tone for the occasion.

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THE MENU SIGNATURE DRINK: MIMOSAS FOR MAMA APPETIZER: STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA MAIN DISH: HAM AND SPINACH FRITTATA SIDE DISHES: MARINATED CHERRY TOMATOES AND ASPARAGUS; BISCUITS WITH ASSORTED CONDIMENTS, WHIPPED CREAM, AND BERRIES

THE DECOR

CENTERPIECE: We wanted to celebrate this special day

with an over-the-top pink theme. For the centerpiece we used a porcelain soup tureen as our container and filled it with cubes of soaked oasis. Then for a lush, overflowing look we began adding flowers, packing it with hot pink Tanoshi roses, pink Boronia Heather, and miniature Pittosporum. For another floral touch we set out vintage porcelain placecard holders.

PLACE SETTINGS: Keeping the pink theme, we had fun

adding dashes of gold, mixing old and new pieces. We began with modern gold waxed lucite chargers. Next we added a pink floral pattern china—family heirloom Limoges china with delicate pink flowers and touches of gold along the rim, then a gold rimmed salad plate. Heirloom silver and vintage pink linen napkins tied simply with a darker rosecolored ribbon were placed at each setting. For glassware, one old, one new—vintage pink cut glass water goblets mixed with modern gilded honeycomb wine glasses.

mix it up

VINTAGE: Limoges china plates Pink water goblets Hand-painted floral placecard holders Pink linen napkins Heirloom silver NEW: Gold waxed lucite chargers Pottery Barn gold-rimmed salad plates Gold honeycomb wine glasses Junk store champagne flutes

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SIGNATURE DRINK

MIMOSA BAR: To create a Mimosa bar fit for a queen, begin

with the basics of bubbly spirits and orange juice. Champagne or Prosecco will always work but sparkling rose’ is a fun alternative. Other delicious add-ins include Ruby Red grapefruit juice, pomegranate juice or peach or pear nectar. Add garnishes of fresh fruit such as sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or pears. Sprigs of herbs such as rosemary, lavender or thyme add both visual and aromatic delight. We used cut glass juice pitchers and brushed gold champagne glasses.

SHORT CUT

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH: Make a large batch champagne

punch. No punch bowl? No problem! Just pour into glass pitchers and garnish with fruit to dress it up! We love Bucky’s Champagne punch from the iconic Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama.

BUCKY’S GRAND HOTEL BRUNCH PUNCH This recipe from the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama is the perfect recipe to serve if you prefer to make a large batch instead of setting up a mimosa bar. 16 16 16 8

ounces orange juice ounces pineapple juice ounces apple juice ounces Grenadine, or more for color Champagne to desired amount (up to 2 bottles) 24 ounces ginger ale

Mix and chill all juices until ready to serve. Pour chilled juices, Champagne and ginger ale into a punch bowl. Serve with ice if desired. DO AHEAD: Blend and chill juices for the punch the day before.

flea market finds

Scour resale shops and antique stores for unique dishes and other treasures. I found the cut glass pitcher (pictured left) at Moonstruck Antique Flea Market, and the brushed gold Champagne flutes were a steal at Consign for a Cause, both in Cleveland. I had some DIY fun with these plain glass flutes and absolutely love the results. See page 107 for DIY details!

STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA Have a bite of something light for your guests to enjoy before sitting. ½ 2 2 12

pint strawberries, sliced tablespoons balsamic vinegar tablespoons honey slices baguette, ½ inch thick olive oil for drizzling 1 to 4 ounce log goat cheese softened 24 leaves of arugula two per slice freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven on broil setting. While oven preheats, stir together the balsamic vinegar and honey in a medium bowl. Add sliced strawberries into the mixture and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil on high for about 60 seconds, until the pieces are lightly browned. Let cool slightly before spreading each piece with goat cheese, then top each baguette with 2 leaves of arugula. Spoon the strawberries over the arugula and sprinkle with pepper.

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HAM AND SPINACH FRITTATA Lighter than a quiche and equally versatile, experiment with different cheeses or substitute asparagus for the spinach. 6 2 ½ ¼ 1 ½ ½ 1

eggs, well beaten ounces Parmesan cheese, grated teaspoon black pepper teaspoon salt, or to taste tablespoon butter cup fresh baby spinach leaves cup chopped country ham tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Heat the broiler to high. Set a rack in the upper third of the oven. Put the eggs, cheese, pepper and salt in a medium mixing bowl and stir them together using a fork. Heat a 10-inch nonstick, ovensafe saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. When the pan is hot, add the butter spreading it around to cover the surface of the pan. Add the spinach and ham to the pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until spinach wilts and ham is heated through. Pour the egg mixture into the pan stirring carefully. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set on top. Sprinkle with the parsley and then place the pan under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and puffy. Remove the frittata from the pan and cut into wedges. Serve immediately.

MARINATED CHERRY TOMATOES AND ASPARAGUS A simple tangy vinaigrette is the perfect complement to this colorful mix. 2 pints of multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved 2 bunches fresh asparagus, tough stems removed 1 teaspoon salt

Fill a medium skillet with water seasoned with salt. Bring water to a rolling boil and add asparagus. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until crisp tender and remove from water. Spread on a plate or towel to cool. When cool, cut asparagus into approximately 2-inch pieces. In a large salad bowl stir together tomatoes and asparagus. Drizzle with dressing, toss well and serve.

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Dressing ½ ¼ 2 1 ½ ½

cup olive oil cup red wine vinegar tablespoons finely chopped garlic teaspoon chopped fresh thyme teaspoon salt black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together blending well. Cover and chill until ready to use. DO AHEAD: Dressing may be made 2 to 3 days ahead.

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BISCUIT BAR

DIY CHAMPAGNE FLUTES

Raid your community farmer’s market for fresh berries and scratchmade jams and jellies made from local produce.

Read below to learn how to turn these junk store finds into the stunners that were perfect for our Mother’s Day Brunch!

Fresh baked biscuits Sweetened whipped cream Fresh berries Butter Assorted jams and preserves

STEP 2: Brush on paint in desired pattern, allow

KEEP IT SIMPLE: Purchase a quality frozen biscuit, such as

STEP 3: To cure the paint, after air-drying the last

STEP 1: Clean surface of glasses with alcohol. to dry 1 hour between coats. (I applied three coats of FolkArt Metallic Gold Enamel Paint.)

Mary B’s instead of baking them from scratch.

DO AHEAD: Whip cream for biscuits up to 2 days ahead.

hour, stand glasses upright on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. You will have to remove a rack or two. Allow to cool completely. They should be top-rack dishwasher safe, but I prefer to hand-wash. –CC

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Pre-Prom

DINNER PARTY formal attire + a casual menu creates the pefect balance PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIANNE BOND

IF THERE’S ONE THING OXFORD MOMS KNOW HOW TO DO WELL, IT’S THROW A PARTY. And when cookbook author and TODAY show regular, Elizabeth Heiskell is one of them, things get taken up a notch. The gorgeous tablescape, loaded with flowers of every color and beautiful (though largely non-breakable) tableware was balanced by a menu of fun, casual food that kids love, even if they are in gowns and tuxes. And if you’re past prom-age, you’ll still love incorporating these ideas into your next outdoor party. – CC

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A table of hungry and happy teens enjoying dinner before the big event.

I overheard one of my daughter’s friends talking about their pre-dance dinners. she remarked that they were usually so awkward and uncomfortable––but my favorite part was when she said the only thing more awkward than the kids were the parents! so I set out to make sure our pre-prom dinner would be fun, relaxed, and youthful. We had a great group of parents working together, so I knew pulling it off would be a breeze. Machelle and Ernie Williams offered to host the party at their beautiful Victorian home just off the square. We decided that to make it more casual we would hold the dinner outside, lighting the area with strands of cafe bulbs. Fortunately, the Williamses have a covered outdoor space, which made the threat of rain less problematic! Our next call was to Details Rentals, who supplied the farm tables and wooden chairs which were a must to contribute this easy outdoor look. No tablecloths were needed, the simple rustic look of the wood was perfect. I stopped by Oxford Floral to pick up a gift and started chatting with David Naron about the dinner. I was thinking all white flowers and he quickly reminded me that there is nothing youthful, fun, or young about all white. David used the brightest, most festive and

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fun flowers he could find. I mean every vibrant spring color was accounted for! To continue with the tablescape a call went out to all the moms for gold chargers to use for the base of the place settings. Julie Yoste provided plates that she scored from Oxford Floral years before. They are actually made from tin (perfect for outdoors) and are a copy of Mottahedeh’s Tobacco Leaf pattern. Julie also created the fantastic place cards that hung from the back of the chairs with key lime green satin ribbon. These made a lovely and unexpected keepsake for the prom-goers and their dates. The entire table decor was super bright, super young and super cool. Now on to the food. Normally we serve the plates, but for this we decided to do fun interactive food stations instead. Our thought was that by letting them serve themselves and “play” with their food, this could be an ice breaker, helping to cut down on the aforementioned “awkwardness.” With that in mind, a super easy slider bar, mac and cheese bar and a skillet cookie bar were set up and ready for them to enjoy. All of the kids were just beautiful and loved every detail of the dinner. And as far as the parents being awkward––well, I thought we handled ourselves pretty well! - ELIzAbETh hEIskELL

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Katie Naron of Oxford Floral joined in to help with last minute details.

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Elizabeth Heiskell and Machelle Williams

Farm tables and chairs from Details Rentals added to the rustic look.

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SLIDER BAR Load up on slider buns and remember the options are endless! Once sliders are assembled, cover and keep warm until ready to serve. BBQ SLIDERS WITH JALAPEÑOS: Assemble with your favorite pulled pork and barbecue sauce. The jalapeños add heat and a little color. HAMBURGER SLIDERS: Grill patties in advance. We assembled ours with toppings, but it’s also fun to set out condiments and a variety of add-ons for guests to choose for themselves. Dill pickles and cherry tomatoes make a colorful garnish! ROTEL SLIDERS: Make rotel-sausage mixture, spoon over bottom of buns and brush butter over the tops. Recipe to follow.

ROTEL SLIDERS 1 1 2 1 24 ¼

pound ground pork sausage pound ground chuck 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chiles 16-ounce package processed cheese (such as Velveeta) slider buns, split cup salted butter, melted

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cook the ground pork sausage and ground chuck in a large skillet over medium, stirring until crumbled and no longer pink. Add the diced tomatoes and cubed cheese, and cook, stirring often, until cheese is melted and mixture is combined, about 8 minutes. Arrange the bottom halves of buns on baking sheets. Spoon the meat mixture onto the buns and top with the other half. Brush tops of buns with butter. Bake until heated, about 15 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve. Recipe from What Can I Bring, by Elizabeth Heiskell.

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MAC AND CHEESE BAR Make your favorite mac and cheese recipe or try this grown up mac and cheese with toppings galore. We set out crumbled bacon, basil, a variety of cheeses, caramelized onions and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

GROWN UP MAC-N-CHEESE 4 ounces thick sliced bacon vegetable oil salt 2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi 1½ cups milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated 3 ounces extra sharp Cheddar, grated 2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble with it is cool enough to handle. Add oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t bring to a boil. In a separate medium pot, melt the butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes. Place bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have course crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

SKILLET COOKIE BAR We simply baked pre-made cookie dough in giant Lodge cast iron skillets. (Not everything has to be hard!) For toppings, let your imagination run wild with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, nuts, M&Ms, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Oreo cookie crumbles, marshmallows, strawberries and maraschino cherries. Everyone loves this! DM

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Save v Ro o m Fo r D ess e rt For 50 years, The Crystal G Grill has been serving Delta classics to generations of families milies for lunch and dinner. The Crystal Grill is known for or its generous portions and legendary desserts. Locals know ow to save room for dessert. What will you try? OPEN TUESDAY - THURSDAY, SUND S AY 11 11:00 00 AM - 99:00 00 PM SATURDAY - SUNDAY 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM 662.453.6530 423 CARROLLTON AVENUE GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI facebook.com m/TheCry stalGrill

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HISTORY

Remembering DICK GOODWIN Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant BY NOEL WORKMAN

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oyal Air Force Flight Lieutenant Richard Montague Goodwin could never have foreseen his post-war life as a Delta cotton farmer (and serious vibraphone musician). “I fully expected to die in the

Greenville Army Air Base, 1942

war, but the rest of my life has been gravy,” Dick Goodwin told his family years later. The elder son of a British Kodak “overseer,” Goodwin attended Harrow Technical School in England, studying photographic chemistry and working at the Kodak plant until 1940 when he joined the Royal Air Force. In the RAF he was a leading aircraftman for more than a year on air crew duties, mostly photographic reconnaissance. In 1942 he volunteered to be a pilot and was sent to America for training. There he earned his “wings,” obtained a commission, and became a flying instructor, training American cadets in Mississippi at Greenville Army Air Field (as it was then known). “Frances Whitacre of Greenville fixed Mama and Daddy up on a blind date,” his daughter Betsy Bostic says. “Elizabeth Ann Mayhall became Mrs. Richard Goodwin six weeks later! It must have been a war thing. I think they were crazy,” she says.

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Lakeland School of Aeronautics, Florida 1942

British honeymoon Once married, Libby and Dick immediately departed for England. Libby actually beat him there. She was on a ship with other war brides and arrived in London three weeks before her husband arrived. Sight unseen, she met her in-laws and moved in with them. Libby worked with her father-in-law at Kodak and later worked as a clerk at the American Embassy in London, processing visas for people going to America. She was paid a whopping $1,020 a year. The most famous person she interviewed for a visa was Alfred Hitchcock.

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In a letter to her parents she wrote, “My boss is a young Sewanee graduate who knows Lee Belford (who many years later was rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Leland). It’s a small world.” It really was just that. During the war, Greenville neighbor Leon Davis was in London. As he passed the door of the American Embassy, he bumped into a young woman coming out of the building, looked up, and said, “Remember me?” Libby Goodwin of Greenville, working at the embassy, certainly did. In a September 18, 1944, letter to her Mississippi family, Libby explained that

Dick would fly a sortie every other day. “On the days he was to go, I was a wreck all day,” the new bride confessed. “He’s done some ops, so he does have that satisfaction.” Dick was in a crash that year and immediately got out of the plane uninjured. When he realized his co-pilot was still in the wreckage, he went back in to rescue him and that is when Goodwin was burned. They wore short gloves and leather flying caps, so his wrists and forearms and face were all exposed to the flames. “The plane was completely burned up,” Libby wrote to her family, “and no one knows how they managed to get out alive. “His face will be OK, and the treatment has been so good that only a week later it looks as though he only had a bad sunburn—but he may have to have some grafting done,” she wrote. “Daddy was always freaky about fire,” daughter Betsy recalls. “If the head flew off a match or something, it would send him off the deep end.” The war continued. As an RAF pilot, he flew reconnaissance and was never armed. The death rate for these guys was extremely high, hence Goodwin’s feeling he should have died. He continued flying and was selected by the RAF to fly government documents to Winston Churchill in France and later to the Big Three Conference in Potsdam.

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Post war adventures After the war he wanted to stay in the RAF. Libby was certainly willing, but the RAF had too many pilots and nothing for them to do. So in 1947, Dick and Libby returned to the Mississippi Delta. At that time Libby’s father, Phil Mayhall, had plantations at Lake Washington, Hollywood near Swiftwater, and Black Bayou near Hollandale, where Dick and Libby started out. “At Black Bayou the Goodwins had a shack with a wood stove and probably did not start out with a bathroom because the bathroom had three exterior walls, and every time it froze outside the pipes would freeze, and the sink would come off the wall,” recalls daughter Betsy. When the bayou backed up, only the front porch and the road were above water, so they would have to put the dog in a rowboat and take him to the road to do his business. Dub Winters worked on the farm after serving in Europe during the war. Goodwin was full of military efficiency and wanted tractors filled with gas in the evening so everything would be ready to go pronto in the morning. One evening Dub filled the tractor as instructed, but the machine was so hot it caught on fire and burned up. Dub came to Goodwin wearing his service medals from the war, saying, “I got

this medal for meritorious service. I lost it today.” When Mayhall sold some of the acreage, Libby and Dick moved to Hollywood (approximately six hundred acres). They were farming Hollywood in 1956 when Phil Mayhall died and continued to farm there until Dick died in 1985. When the Goodwins moved to Hollywood Plantation, they brought the Winters family, the Evans family, and the Billups family with them. Dub was the farm manager. Evidently the whole flaming tractor incident was forgiven. Libby and Dick had been married fourteen years when their son Jim was born. He died at twenty-five in a car crash driving to Memphis from Hollywood at Christmas 1981. Betsy was born two years after Jim and is the long time parish secretary at St. James Episcopal church in Greenville and a vocalist with Jazz Persuasion. “Singing with the band is my second job,” she says. “Since I was weaned on jazz, it was only natural I would end up singing jazz and keeping it alive in the Delta.”

This Brit needed a translator Daughter Betsy recalls the time “probably on Black Bayou because he was still very new—and very British. He went out to check on people chopping cotton, and he decided they didn’t need to chop any more.

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from our own airstrip. Smitty Smith used to do our crop dusting, and it may have been he who got us airborne.”

Flying, sailing or music making When he could no longer fly because of heart trouble, Goodwin took up sailing. He realized a sail was basically a vertical wing. He was always a member of the Greenville Yacht Club and joined B. J. Tonner’s Glen Allen Sail Club at Lake Washington.

Great Vibes for Dick Dick bought a set of vibes in the 1950s. Although he was self-taught, he played with musicians in Jackson and Memphis. He also met some wonderful people through his music, such as Buddy Rich, Joe Venuti, and Spiegel Wilcox. “We had wonderful parties at the farm when I was a kid. There was always live music,” daughter Betsy recalls. “He played music with Boogaloo Ames, Shine Thornton, Tommy Leonardo, Rene Coopman, and many others. Daddy was always a musician in my life. I remember his vibes had red Formica on the sides which matched the kitchen counters when they built the house in 1961.”

Farming gave him freedom

“Instead of saying ‘Y’all quit choppin,’ he said in his thick British accent, ‘The stand is rather sparse. Cease eliminating.’ The amazed hands looked at him like he was from another planet.” “There were quite a few miscommunications in those early years,” Betsy recalls. “We were breakfasting at the Holiday Inn Restaurant. In his British accent, Daddy asked the waitress for some butter. After repeating the word three times, she exclaimed with relief before she said, 122 | MAY/JUNE 2019

“Oh! You mean budder!” Goodwin’s greatest love was flying; although he never dusted his own crops. He owned a couple of private planes in Greenville, one with Ross Underwood. “I used to love to fly over the farm with him,” daughter Betsy recalls. “Everything looked like a toy village. We had an airstrip at Hollywood when I was a kid. The crop dusters would use it to refill chemicals. I don’t think it had fuel available there. I remember getting to go up in a glider once

“The greatest reward for my father coming to Mississippi was the freedom that farming gave him to pursue music and travel, and spend time with his family,” says Betsy. “I was his shadow once my brother Jim started school. We would go together everywhere. My favorite was to take the dog down to the Stuckey’s near the bridge. I would get a milkshake which I would share with the dog as we rode around.” Dick took his retirement in installments during his life. He would return to England for a month, usually in January when things were slow on the plantation. “He always managed to leave town right before an ice storm and leave us to deal with that,” Betsy remembers. “To this day I think I walk so fast because of my childhood experience, trying to jump across cotton rows to keep up with that six-foot-tall man. It was a wonderful way to grow up,” Betsy says. “And that is how a World War Two Royal Air Force pilot became a Mississippi cotton farmer and found his ‘soul’ in the music of the Delta.” DM

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EVENTS Jerry Clower Festival

New Kids on the Bock

Peter Frampton

Gumtree Festival Leland Crawfish Festival

FESTIVALS, MUSIC & FUN THINGS TO DO May 2

Jackson

May 4, 10 am-4 pm

Oxford

May 10, 8 pm

Memphis

The Band Perry

Oxford Maker’s Market

New Kids on the Block

Duling Hall

Courthouse lawn on Historic Oxford Square Handmade and homegrown goods with live music oxfordmakersmarket.org

FedEx Forum Special guests Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Naughty By Nature fedexforum.com

May 3-5

Memphis

Beale Street Music Festival

May 4-25

Tom Lee Park

May 3-4

Greenwood

Que on the Yazoo Downtown Greenwood BBQ competition, motorcycle ride and show, beer run, burger eating contest, live music, art and crafts, and more! queontheyazoo.com

May 3-4

Senatobia

Five Star City Fest

May 11

Various locations, numerous events and performances natchezfestivalofmusic.com

Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest May 11, 3 pm

Mississippi Museum of Art Live performance by mezzo soprano, Rachel Alexander Gibson

May 4, 10 am-2 pm C

May 9, 6-8 pm

May the Fourth Be With You Family Day Grammy Museum Explore the museum, art activities, music production, live entertainment and food truck. grammymuseumms.org

May 4

Yazoo City

Jerry Clower Festival Historic Downtown Yazoo City Arts and crafts, car show, food, kids’ activities, live music, and more!

May 4, 11 am-7 pm

Leland

Leland Crawfish Blues & Brews Festival Downtown Leland Featuring John Horton, Super Chikan, Lightnin’ Malcolm and more! lelandchamber.com 124 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Clarksdale

7th Annual Pinetop Boogie & Crawfish Boil

Music in the City

May 9-12

Clarksdale

blues2rock.com

May 7, 5:45 pm

Downtown Senatobia Enjoy activities and games, a 5K, cooking contest, live music, arts and crafts, a car show, BBQ, steak and crawfish, and more!

leveland

Natchez

Natchez Festival of Music

Greenville

Steel Magnolias Delta Center Stage deltastage.com

Ground Zero Blues Club

May 11

Cleveland

Pour Mississippi Beer & Music Festival Downtown Cleveland

May 11, 6-10 pm

Starkville

King Cotton Crawfish Boil Ocean Springs

Taste of Ocean Springs Food & Wine Festival

Cotton District Crawfish competition with unlimited beer and bevs and live music kingcottoncrawfishboil.com

L&N Depot parking lot

May 14 May 10

Vicksburg

33rd Annual Vicksburgfest

The Orpheum orpheum-memphis.com

Downtown Vicksburg Great music, fantastic food

May 15, 6 pm S May 10-11

Tupelo

48th Annual Gumtree Fine Arts Festival Historic Courthouse Square gumtreefestival.com

May 10, 6-9 pm

King Cotton Crawfish Boil Cotton District

Memphis

Earth, Wind & Fire

Starkville

PJ Masks Live! Save the Day Landers Center The hit live musical production landerscenter.com

outhaven

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May 16, 5:30 pm

Jackson

May 31

Food Truck Festival

Tracy Lawrence

Mississippi Museum of Art A garden party with food trucks, live music, a popup exhibition, and more outdoor activities

Gold Strike Casino

May 18

Hernando

45th Annual Hernando A’Fair Arts & Crafts Festival

Tunica Resorts

Greenville

8th Annual Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event

June 1 I

ndianola

steveazarsaintceciliafoundation.org

B.B. King Homecoming

June 7, 6 pm

Fletcher Park

Kansas in Concert

June 1, 5:30 pm

Cleveland

A Night in the Arts Summer Block Party

Courthouse Square Over 200 vendors along with food and live entertainment

June 6-9

Memphis

Memphis Botanic Gardens liveatthegarden.com

Delta Arts Alliance Wine tasting, food vendors, live music, auction and awards

June 8, 10 am-2 pm

Sinbad

June 1, 10 am-4 pm

June 10-15

Gold Strike Casino

Oxford Maker’s Market

46th Bentonia Blues Festival

Courthouse lawn on Historic Oxford Square Handmade and homegrown goods with live music oxfordmakersmarket.org

Holmes Farm A full day of blues, drinks and food

May 18

Tunica Resorts

May 24-25

Oxford

Oxford Bourbon Festival & Auction Enjoy tastings, food, live music and an auction benefitting Move on Up, Mississippi oxfordbourbonfest.com

May 24-26

Olive Branch

Brussel’s Bonsai 2019 Annual Rendevous Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery, 8125 Center Hill Road Bonsai hobbyists spend 3 days with top bonsai artists brusselsbonsai.com

May 31-June 2

Clarksdale

Oxford

Tunica Resorts

REO Speedwagon

Bentonia

June 2

Cleveland

3rd Annual Bud & Burgers Competition Downtown Cleveland

June 5-9

Clarksdale

Pinetop Perkins Foundation Master Class Hopson Plantation, Shack Up Inn Masterclasses in piano, guitar, harmonica, bass pinetopperkinsfoundation.org

Horseshoe Casino

June 15

Tunica Resorts

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Gold Strike Casino

Tupelo

21st Annual Tupelo Elvis Festival

June 15, 7 pm

Southaven

Florida Georgia Line

tupeloelvisfestival.com

Goat Fest VI

L&N Depot parking lot

June 11-14 June 1

Ocean Springs

Red, White & Blueberry Festival

BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

Shack Up Inn, New Roxy Theater Heavy Blues and Roots music festival

F E B R U A R Y 2 – A U G U S T 11 , 2 0 1 9

A sea of stolen lives. A ship that never landed. A voice, unsilenced. ([SORUH UDUH ´UVWKDQG DFFRXQWV RI ORVV DQG UHVLOLHQFH IURP WKH XQOLNHO\ GLVFRYHU\ RI D VXQNHQ VODYH VKLS 1RUWK 6WUHHW -DFNVRQ

StateStreet Group, LLC

twomississippimuseums.com/spirits

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June 16, 8 pm

Memphis

Boz Scaggs

May 13, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson May 14, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

Soungstage at Graceland graceland.com

June 20-28

AMERICAN HIS TO ORY

and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

Indianola

Beauty and the Beast

William Ferris

Presented by Mid-Delta Arts Association

Voice of Mississippi

June 20

May 15, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

Memphis

“Weird Al” Yankovic Michael Knight

The Orpheum orpheum-memphis.com

At Briarwood School for Girls

June 23, 7 pm

Southaven

May 15, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson May 16, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

Train and Goo Goo Dolls BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

Alex Kershaw

The First Wave May 17, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

June 26

MISSISSIPPI MUS SIC

Memphis

Peter Frampton

Mary Miller

The Orpheum orpheum-memphis.com

Biloxi

June 27

May 20, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford May 21, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Greenwood

Stars and Stripes Festival and Community Picnic

Barry Gifford

Arboretum area between the two downtown bridges. Enjoy food, live entertainment, a fireworks show and more.

May 22, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Southern Nights and Sailor & Lula

Julia Phillips

June 28, 7 pm

Southaven

Travis Tritt and Marshall Tucker Band: Outlaw & Renegades Tour BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

June 28, 11 am

Jackson

Opening of 2019 Mississippi Invitational Art Exhibition

S OU THERN CHAR RM

Mississippi Museum of Art Dr. Roger Ward will moderate a panel discussion with guest curator and Jane Carter Hiatt

BOOK SIGNINGS

Spying on the South May 30, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford Michael Ford

North Mississippi Homeplace June 5, 5 pm: Turnrow Books, Greenwood June 6, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson Deb Spera

Call Your Daughter Home

May 3, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

June 10, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford June 11, 12 pm: Turnrow Books, Greenwood June 11, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

May 4, 2 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Wright Thompson

Margaret McMullan

June 12, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Where the Angles Lived May 7, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson May 8, 12 pm: Turnrow Books, Greenwood May 8, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

The Cost of These Dreams S.J. Rozan

Paper Son June 19, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson June 20, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

Tammy Turner

Chanelle Benz

Dick Waterman: A Life in Blues

The Gone Dead

May 10, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford

June 26, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford June 27, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Casey Cep

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, 126 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Tony Horwitz

The Abolitionist’s Daughter

Behind the Rifle

Scan this QR coode to visit our mobile site.

May 28, 5:30 pm: Square Books, Oxford May 28, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Diane McPhail

Shelby Harriel

\VisitVicksburg

Disappearing Earth

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DELTA SEEN

Maggie Jeffords, Anna Makamson and Carly Freeland

Callie Galey, Thomas Burrus and Jane Rob Pannell

62nd Annual Junior Auxiliary of Greenwood Charity Cotton Ball at Leflore County Civic Center on February 23

Mary Taylor Killebrew, Meagan Williams and Kathleen Colbert

Matt Hargett and Jamie Hargett

Back row: Sally Walker, Samantha Pigott, Claudette Hawkins, Kelly Martin, Claire Smith, Brooke Nokes, Elizabeth Whites; Front row: Karlee Kelly, Erica Culpepper, Amber Eatherly, Lindsay Luke, Rebecca Howard and Amanda Redditt 128 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Ashlea Galey, Ann Gray Freeland and Laura Gore

Kelsie Tribble and Sarah Waldrop

Back row: Ashlea Galey, Laura Gore, Meredith Buford and Kathleen Colbert; Front row: Ryals Fair, Ann Gray Freeland, Mary Landry Brown, Lucy Hicks, Luther Wade, Wood Jefcoat and Haley Easley

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DELTA SEEN

Claire Coleman and Deren Meek

Bethany Tillman and Walker Sturdivant

Emmie Daugherty and Lauren Dale

Jamie Hargett and Courtney Walker

Mcleod Meek, Allison Meek, Kim Pillow and Stephen Pillow

Amanda Wiltshire and Samantha Pigott

Wade and Mary Margaret Evans

Michael Galey and Ashlea Galey

Pryor Hackleman and Paige Dunn

Lanie and Walker Sturdivant

Amanda Bush, Bethany Tillman and Sara Butler Makamson DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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DELTA SEEN

Vicki Bingham, Steve Forbes and Emily Dabney

2019 Spring Colloquia Series with Steve Forbes at Delta State University on March 4 Photos by Steve Matzker

Delta Artist Association Exhibit at the B.B. King Museum in Indianola on March 7 Photos by Theresa Spealman

Steve Forbes, Marlene Caston and Father Kent Bowlds

Ned Mitchell and Steve Forbes

Scott and Cindy Coopwood with Steve Forbes

Steve Forbes, Janie and Milton Bradley

Nina Bologna, Steve Forbes and Stephanie Baker

Steve Forbes and Judson Thigpen

Jack Davis and Steve Forbes

James Breeland and Steve Forbes

Becky, Sara and Helen Worsham

Johnny McWilliams and Robert Terrell 130 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Steve and Robin Rosenthal

Jack and Martha Catlette

Jennifer Lamastus, Iris Mitchell and Meg Howarth

Janice Dean, Kay Heller, Melanie Johnny McWilliams, Barry McWilliams, Whitney Causey, Jack Catlette, Vicki Lillan Kristee McGee, Cliff Trammell, Murray and Lynda Trammell Tucker and Lynda Trammell Preslee McGee and Lynda Trammell

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Hayden Hall Art Show at Grit Restaurant in Taylor on March 5 Photos by Randall Haley

Susan Carr Oppenheimer and Erica Hall

Robert Farris and David Aaron

Jeepsie Smith, Clay Jones and Rita Garner

Chand and Nicole Harlow

Hayden Hall, Sr. and Ginger Farris

DELTA SEEN

Robyn Rhoden, Francine Luckett and Jen Waller

Nick Bramlett and Piper Dunn

Hayden and Erica Hall

Campbell McCool and Hayden Hall

Sara Campbell and Margaret Pless

Monica and Robert Turnage

Charlie Mars and Clay Jones

Ed Croom and Sal D’Agostino

Kathy Stubblefield, Jane Wilkie, Jeepsie Smith, Betsy Corso and Rita Garner Rosie Brock and Maggie Dunlap DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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DELTA SEEN

Rob Spiller and Dr. Bruce Newell

Greg Iles book signing at Turnrow Books in Greenwood on March 7 Photos by Johnny Jennings

Paula Provine, Nancy Ehret, Cathy Singh and Beth Jenkins

Michelle Edwards and Cindy Dotson

Gavin Maliska and Johnny Jennings

Fred Lytle and Ginger Stillions

Russ and Ramona Lewis

Randi and Sharon Simmons

Margret Anne Bishop and Carol Lipsey

Debbie Gant, Nanda Reed and Sue Kelly

Kim Bennett, Katrena McDaniel, Faye Pearson and Jamie Cummins

David Dowd, Mary Jones, Becki Dowd and Jimmy Dale

Fawn Keen, Danielle Morgan and Susan Sheridan 132 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Greg Iles

Aubrey Hanson, Diane McDowell, Debbie Woodruff and Melissa Homolik

Lisa, Ed and Betty Frazer

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Greenville Arts Council Presents Greenville Honors Its Own at the EE Bass Cultural Arts Center on March 22 Photos by Beth Giacagglia

Pat Burton and Paul Mathis

Walt Stephens, Missy Stephens, Whitney Turnipseed, Nicki Wendy Witherspoon, Audrey Williams, Iris Stacker, Watford and Jon Alverson Guy Hall and Evelyn Edwards

Hillary Boggs and Terri Lane

Jan Engel, Lee Engel and Mary Virginia Watson

Pat Burton, Gloria Thomas and Erma Johnson

Sarah Ashley and Ryan Ashley

Howard Brent and Evelyn Brown

DELTA SEEN

Tim Bixler and Sonya Bixler

John Montfort Jones, Jessica Jones, Sarah Mitchell and Larkin Mitchell

Lisa Percy, Gayden Metcalfe and Ann Shackelford

Valerie Rankin, Evelyn Brown, Anne Martin-Vetrano and Melissa Moyse

Nicki Watford and Whitney Turnipseed

Daniel Boggs, Terry Franklin, Susan McCreary and Wesley Smith Amy Lauren Maranto, Lacey Brozovich and Emily Lewis DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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DELTA SEEN

Amale Azar, Mary Jo Coombes and Anna Ibay and Joy Hammers Judy Long

Betty Coleman, John Kenwisher and Rebecca Goodman

Diane O’Reilly and Ashley Dunavant

Bill Perry and Bobby Cannon

Photos by Sandi Burt

Audrey Williams, Melissa Moyse and Iris Stacker

Catherine Gardner and Shirley Lafayette

Becky Brown Morgan, Maria McDaniel and Charles Mason

Chris and Marcie Orr

Mary Tommy and Jennifer Scott with Leslie Davidson Jeff Nuskind and Dr. Gregg Dickerson Kay Adams, Mary Ruth Hooker and Sandra Oursler

Gwendolyn McElvaine, Linda Tankersley, Pamela Spencer and Scarlett Whipps

Wayne Ebelhar, Annette Ebelhar and Barry Piltz 134 | MAY/JUNE 2019

Bubbles and Bonbons at Belmont Plantation on March 24

Neal Kimbrell, Paige Smith and Nicolas Quyntanna and Mayla Jane Elliot Kritski

Wilma Hunter and Latonya Hunter

Wilson Stamply and BB Wong

Essie Patterson and Delena Jones

Mary Ruth Hooker and Donna Shirey

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Bolivar County DSU Annual Alumni Crawfish Boil on April 11 Photos by Gunner Sizemore

A selection of photos from Delta Magazine readers

Dr. James Robinson and Eloise Stratton Walker were named King and Queen of the Crawfish Boil

DELTA SEEN

The Bolivar County Alumni Chapter recipients, Lindsey Steadman, Andres Becerril Nieves and Anna Lott

Casey Bourgoyne-Charles, head DSU softball coach with Todd Ashley

Tricia Walker with Fish Michie at Van Hipp with Rick Harrison from TV’s Lee Alyward, Sallie Hardy and Nancy Holland Wax Bruce Blackman of the band, on a Class of ’65 Cruise the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville Pawn Stars Starbuck, with Charlie Ross

Ginger Stillions, Sandee King, Libbi Logan, Fixer Upper’s Chip Gaines, Megan Berryhill, Rebekkah Arant at Sunset Homer Sledge III, Susan, Homer Sledge IV with Trace Adkins Carolyn Coghlan Gremillion with Point Restaurant at Fly Creek Marina, Fairhope, Alabama Elton John

Front row: Tristan Dunaway, Emily Handwerker, Ayla Cawood, Emmett Chassaniol, Mimi Chassaniol Taylor; Back row: Rob McCurdy, Buzz Handwerker, Trinity Cawood, Mary Rae Chassaniol Cawood, Lydia Chassaniol, Vaiden Taylor, Randy Taylor, Briggs Taylor, Laura Stainback and Frank Stainback

Seated: Coach Grubb and Mrs. Randall; Front row: Bobby Steinriede, Curtis Hood, James Strait, Frank Dantone, Regan Ford, Clark Henderson, Billy Joe Bozeman; Standing: Joel Henderson, Hal Bridges, Neal Berryhill, Tommy Fava, Guy Hall and Perry Hutchinson at MDJC Football Reunion Dinner DELTA MAGAZINE 2019

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Thefinalword

KELLE BARFIELD/LORELEI BOOKS

Land, people, music, food, Delta

Mike McCall is editor of The Catfish Journal and author of Catfish Days—From Belzoni to the Big Apple. He is the former business editor of The Clarion-Ledger, co-founder of The Mississippi Business Journal, and former managing editor of The Sun-Herald. Other positions he has held have been with Westchester Newspapers and Offshore Magazine.

n 1971, The Commercial Appeal hired me for its Clarksdale Bureau. Until then, I had spent only one day in the Mississippi Delta— a wedding in Silver City. After orientation in Memphis, I cruised down U.S. 61 in my sputtering MGB to visit the town with my editor’s injunction ringing in my ears: “Go down there, son, and find a place to live.” I was raised in Jackson and spent most of my younger days in south Mississippi; thus, I was apprehensive as I arrived in Coahoma County. The land was flatter than a table top. Clouds of dust gathered in the distance, pushed by a convoy of tractors and dirt buckets, as Ag pilots did wheelies in the sky. It was planting time. I was as green as the soybean plants that would soon sprout from the Delta gumbo

136 | MAY/JUNE 2019

and realized I was rushing headlong into one of life’s learning experiences. An apartment on Second Street became home, close to downtown, where the “bureau” was housed on the fourth floor of the McWilliams Building, equipped with a metal desk, a wooden chair, and a teletype machine left over from the Iron Age. I purchased a $7 radio and listened to Early Wright on WROX as I banged out stories. Floor shaking, the thundering teletype alerted everyone in the building that news was being transported to Memphis, where it would be processed and delivered to their doorstep in the morning. As the CA’s regional reporter, doors easily opened to Delta community leaders, politicians, and the rank and file citizenry, all of whom warmly welcomed the new kid on the block. In those days, The Appeal was the highest circulation newspaper in Mississippi, with offices in Greenville, Greenwood, Tupelo, Columbus, Jackson, and Clarksdale. The annual cycle of large-scale farming, with planting, growing and harvesting—all under the watchful eye of Mother Nature— was the big story, but not one so obvious to a newcomer. Civil rights issues dominated the news and much of my time was spent covering the story, in court, dropping by Aaron Henry’s Fourth Street Drug Store, or interviewing others. I still found time to file dispatches from far flung locales, from Marks, Tunica, Cleveland, Charleston, Tutwiler, Batesville, Helena, Parchman, even Alligator. After hours, Clarksdale’s storied restaurants and joints drew me like a hungry pilgrim—to Abe’s, the Rest Haven, and Ramon’s. At the Ranchero, I craved the signature appetizer—a bag of potato chips dripping with BBQ sauce. On deadline and no time to get lunch? Charlie Renaldo’s pool hall would send over a cheeseburger. After three years, it was time to move on. Yet I always believed that someday I would again enjoy the fruits of the Mississippi Delta.

BY MIKE MCCALL

n late 1987, I was hired as editor of The Catfish Journal. In the eighties, catfish farming was booming, not just in Mississippi but all across the South. Most of the time I worked out of Jackson, but days and nights often found me traveling the Delta, from Yazoo City to Tunica and everywhere in between. I’ve stayed in nearly every motelhotel in Greenville and Greenwood. For years, I had an advertising-motel room trade in Indianola. I conjure up any excuse to go to the Delta. The trips require strategic planning so there’s time to visit important destinations—Lillo’s, Lusco’s, Cicero’s, The Crown, Nola, Alison’s, Crystal Grill, Blue Biscuit, Doe’s, Jim’s, Varsity, Larry’s, Gino’s, Giardina’s, P’Reaux, Fratesi Grocery, Onward Store, Sherman’s, Pea Soup’s, Ubons, Crawdad’s, and the Blue and White, to name a few. Who could ever forget The Bourbon Mall? All Delta classics. It’s not possible to condense thirty years of the Delta’s catfish farming experience into this space. Cheap, imported, often mislabeled fish nearly wiped out this unique, homegrown industry. But the hardworking folks who weathered the storm continue to raise a quality product, boosting the region’s economy and raising families in the process. Much has changed in the fifty years since I first stood on Delta soil. More than ever, farmers are challenged by production issues and the shifting currents of politics and international markets, but they persevere. Racial equality has progressed. The Delta’s evolution as the epicenter of the world’s blues music draws new visitors every day. But some things never change. The long sunsets are quite remarkable; in winter, there’s scant protection against an icy wind. The Mississippi Delta, where land, people, music, and food blend together like fine wine. DM

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