Invitation Magazines - September 2019

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20 Course of a Lifetime

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Letter From the Editor

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InstaLove: Bristow Cartoons

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Calendar

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In Season: Pecans

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Shoutouts

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Out & About

Golf, their favorite sport, is the tie that binds these 30 friends from Mississippi and Alabama in brotherhood.

22 Downsized

Interior designer Nancy Pannell’s newly built home is just half the size of her old one, but executed with no shortage of thoughtfulness, simplicity and charm.

26 Civil Axe Throwing

Step aside, bowling. There’s a new game in town. A business in Corinth debuts competitive, organized axe throwing.

30 Little “q” Ranch

From as far away as Alaska and as close as neighboring states, people come to try continental-style pheasant and quail hunting at Little “q” Ranch in Thaxton.

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ON THE COVER

Sporting dogs like the one pictured here are an important part of the outings at Little “q” Ranch in Thaxton, which offers traditional-style pheasant and quail hunts with expert guides. A visit to Little “q” includes a day of hunting and lunch at the lodge on the 126-acre property. Read more on page 30.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

SEPTEMBER 2019

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EVENTS 36

Dance Like the Stars

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Bodock Festival

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Boy Scout Clay Classic

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“Southern Fried Chickie”

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Paw Patrol Live!

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Ryder Cup Challenge

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Elizabeth Heiskell Lunch

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Tailgate Cook-off

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Landscape Construction

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L E T T E R from the E D I T O R When I was growing up, if you were a “tomboy,” who loved reading and also sports, there was always the library, but unless you played basketball or ran track, the only sports for girls back then were gymnastics, cheerleading and tennis.

While I secretly envied their sparkly costumes, the first two definitely weren’t for me. I did take some tennis lessons, but I never played any team sports until college, when I joined a city league softball team sponsored by the restaurant where I was working as a waitress.

I. Loved. Softball. I was terrible at it.

But I loved it. I must have struck out almost every at-bat that first season, but I remember the coach, Tony, watching me stomp from the batter’s box to the dugout and saying, “Well, if you ever do connect, you’re gonna knock it out of the park.”

What I was good at, which Tony quickly noticed, was running and catching.

He put me in left center field. I was fast, but I had zero experience judging the ball, so Tony would stand behind the fence, ready to position me. When somebody hit the ball

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my way, he’d yell, “In, in! To your right! OK right there!” or “Back up! A little to your left!” With his help I’d make the catch pretty much every time. But I couldn’t throw. So the shortstop would run out about 40 feet, and I would lob the ball to her. And one day, at bat, I finally connected with the ball.

I didn’t hit it out of the park as Tony had predicted, but I got on base.

That first season playing softball was just great. I wished I could have done it all my life. The following August, I graduated and moved to New York, where I discovered a thriving softball culture in Central Park.

Only — you had to be officially on a team. I remember roaming around Heckscher Fields with my glove, asking people in ongoing games if I could play, and getting the brushoff. The next spring though, I found a team that let me join. I ended up playing on about four or five teams through a season, (mostly coed) for almost 30 years. I became a leadoff hitter. A very good outfielder. A reliable and even sought-after pitcher. Eventually, I even learned to throw.

What I really got from softball though,

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besides the outdoors, and exercise, and the thrill of competition, was that other vital thing the sporting life gives us — community. On page 20, you’ll read about a group of men who’ve been golfing together for 15 years. Some are highly skilled, some just in it for fun, but they all get the same joy out of the experience. Same with the couples and friends you’ll read about on page 30, who enjoy bird hunting together at Little “q” Ranch in Thaxton. Sports offer us a chance to connect as well as to compete.

And you don’t have to be an expert — if you can’t hit a ball or shoot, there are plenty of other ways to get out and enjoy some friendly competition. Read about the newest organized sport in our area, Civil Axe Throwing, on page 26.

Whether you’ve found your sport, or are still searching, we hope you’ll be gratified and inspired by the stories in these pages.

ALLISON ESTES, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

@INVMAGA ZINE

PUBLISHERS

Phil and Rachel West

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITORS Allison Estes Emily Welly EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR Mary Moreton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lanie Anderson Susan Baldani Rachel Burchfield Sarah Hooper EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Meredith Hull COPY EDITOR Ashley Arthur

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Holly Vollor STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Gandy Ally Murphy Lisa Roberts Whitney Worsham CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Sarah McCullen SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR & ART ASSISTANT Alexis Lee

INTERN Abbey Edmonson

ADVERTISING OFFICE

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

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham Anna Zemek ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Paul Gandy Becca Pepper Hallie Thomas ADVERTISING INFORMATION invitationmag.com

Serving Alcorn, Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties.

To subscribe to one year (10 issues) of Invitation or to buy an announcement, visit invitationmag.com.

To request a photographer at your event, email Mary at mary.invitation@gmail.com.

Invitation respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.

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C O M M U N I T Y SEPTEMBER 14-OCTOBER 15, 2019

Corinth Fairytale Ball

Touch-a-Truck SEP TEMBER 14

Tupelo Parks and Recreation invites children to learn about and explore all kinds of trucks and heavy machinery.

Vehicle staff will be on hand to answer questions. Contact 662-841-6440 for more information. Free. Sensory-friendly 9-10 a.m.; Horns and sirens 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Ballard Park, Tupelo.

Meet and greet princesses from a variety of beloved stories, followed by an hour of dancing and singing. Admission includes two professional-quality photos and a cupcake and candy station. VIP tickets include the chance to get in at 9 a.m. and a private makeup, hair and nail appointment.

Child ticket $45; Adult ticket $20; VIP ticket $85. 10 a.m.-noon, The Franklin Courtyard, Corinth. facebook.com/franklincourtyard

Communities Forward Festival

Tupelo Ale Trail S EP TE MB ER 26

The annual Tupelo Ale Trail features craft beers and selected food pairings. Sweet Tea and Biscuits caters the after-party at The Farmhouse. Tickets $25. 5-10 p.m., Downtown Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

SEPTEMBER 21

Alcorn County Fair

This festival encourages interactions between citizens and police officers during a day of activities including a parade, basketball tournament, local food vendors, live entertainment and much more.

Call 662-841-6440 for more information.

Free. Noon-10 p.m., Gumtree Park, 683 N. Front St., Tupelo.

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facebook.com/CommunitiesForwardFestival

facebook.com/TupeloParkRec

DTMSA

TUPELO PARKS AND REC

SEPTEMBER 21

Three days of family fun, including carnival rides, live music, a beauty pageant, lawn mower pulls, bull riding, pro wrestling, a cheerleader competition and livestock shows. Crossroads Arena, Corinth. crossroadsarena.com/acf2019

Build-a-Buddy Fundraiser

Tallahatchie River Run

SEPTEMBER 21

Create a plush animal toy to raise money for the new Accelerated Reader program at Pentecostal Christian Academy. Tickets $20-28. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Pentecostal Christian Academy, Aberdeen. facebook.com/PCARAMS

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Autumnal Equinox SEPTEMBER 23

Sweater weather is coming. For the next three months, the days get shorter, the nights get cooler and it’s officially fall.

SEP TEMBER 28

Celebrate 30 years of the Tallahatchie River Run with a 5K run, a mile run for ages 12 and under and a ½-mile run for ages 7 and under. BNA Bank, New Albany. facebook.com/trr5k

National Do Something Nice Day OC TOBER 5

BILL AVERY

Try doing an anonymous good deed for someone. If you’re on the receiving end, share on social media with the hashtag #DoSomethingNiceDay.

Green Market OC TOBER 5

Dodd Eye Clinic presents the 11th season of Corinth’s Green Market, which features more than 65 vendors with handcrafted and homegrown items from pottery, woodwork and repurposed furniture to fresh produce, jams and honey. Free.

9 a.m.-3 p.m., the Corinth Depot. corinthgreenmarket.net

Tupelo Pride Festival O C T O B E R 1 1 -12

This colorful event kicks off Friday with a drag show at the Link Centre hosted by local drag queen GoDiva Holliday.

Saturday’s events at Fairpark include speakers and music, plus food trucks.

Friday 7-11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. tupelopride.org SEPTEMBER 2019 | INVITATION

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S H O U T O U T S Tup e lo Re a d s

LEE COUNTY LIBRARY

Since its inception in 2011, citywide book club Tupelo Reads has been provoking thoughtful discussion and uniting the community through literature. This year’s book is the young adult novel “Ginny Moon” by Benjamin Ludwig. The book explores themes of isolation and other issues, as told through the eyes of a teenage autistic girl.

Tupelo Reads came to fruition through the efforts of chairman Lisa Reed and the Tupelo Reads committee.

“It got started when my husband was mayor, and he wanted Tupelo to be a city of continuous learning,” Reed said. “We have done a lot of Southern-regional books and thought it would be fun to have a departure this year. We thought highlighting autism for community discussion would be interesting.”

The book was inspired by the author’s personal experience fostering and adopting a child on the autism spectrum.

“The process of becoming foster parents

involved us in all sorts of new communities and experiences, which helped inspire the plot of the story,” Ludwig said. “Adopting our daughter gave me the chance to think and talk about the needs of children who have a difficult time finding their voices.”

During the summer, retired Tupelo High School English teacher Bonnie Webb created a curriculum based on the book for the Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi.

“This book resonated with them,” Reed

said. “They really wanted to know what happened. We thought it was very successful.”

The Tupelo Reads committee will host a celebration of the book Sept. 24 at Romie’s Grocery, with Ludwig in attendance. A limited number of tickets are available, at $35 each. Ludwig will speak to classes at Tupelo High School at 10 a.m. Sept. 25, followed by a reading and keynote speech at 11:30 a.m. at the Lee County Library. The library event is free and open to the public.

DANIELE NOLAN

K i n g C it y C yc le s

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A brand new way to get around downtown is rolling into Tupelo very soon.

King City Cycles founder Ethan Nolan is launching this new bike rental business with the help of the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association.

“I started this company because I saw an opportunity for a new activity,” Nolan said. “I thought it would be great for Tupelo to have something like that downtown, you know, like a big city.”

The company will start with 10 bikes strategically placed in various areas between Broadway and Fairpark. By downloading the Koloni app, cyclists can view a map that shows the locations of available bikes. The bikes unlock by scanning a QR code, and they are tracked via geosensors.

“The idea is that you can pick up a bike at Fairpark, ride around, see where Elvis bought his first guitar, visit the restaurants downtown, and finish at another location,” Nolan said.

Nolan is originally from Tupelo, but he has also lived in Salt Lake City and California. He plans to expand King City Cycles locations to the rest of Tupelo in hopes of making the city more attractive to younger generations.

“When I came back six years ago, I realized that Tupelo has changed, and if I wanted to be a part of it, I’d have to show up and work, and put my money where my mouth is,” Nolan said. “This is our home.

(My friends and I) just want our little slice of heaven, and we love Tupelo.”

SHOUTOUTS

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Me e t L e e A n n T ho m p s o n

LISA BROWNING

It’s the dark of night, and New Albany High School students are busy filming the football players for a hype video, complete with rain effects and special lighting. Or it’s a school day, and they’re using professional editing software to put together the latest episode of news comedy show, “The Dog Feed.” Another day finds them building and painting sets for the next NAHS stage production. All of these opportunities exist thanks to journalism and art teacher Lee Ann Thompson.

“I consider myself to be a creative facilitator,” Thompson said. “These students are super driven and very proficient with technology. Our class is not really funded.

We raise the money ourselves to purchase cameras, computers, light extension cords — everything we use — with one fundraiser a year: We design and sell the homecoming T-shirts to the school district.”

All three of New Albany resident Janet Spencer’s children have taken Thompson’s classes. Spencer noted Thompson’s ability to embrace a child’s individual strengths.

“She is just like, ‘Be who you are,’” Spencer said. “She has been encouraging to all my children. She is very accepting and wants the best for each child that she comes in contact with.”

Thompson has been at NAHS for 27 years. She is retiring after this school year.

“I’m going to close this door so the next one can open,” Thompson said. “Whatever is in my future, I’m going to have to find a way to be around creative kids.”

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instaL O V E

BRISTOW CARTOONS

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upelo native and Corinth resident Robert Bristow is sure to make you laugh with his cartoons. Some are inspired by local sports and industry, while others poke fun at politics, economics and social issues.

Bristow, who studied at The School of Visual Arts in New York City, has been the editorial cartoonist for the Lee County Courier for over 25 years.

“As an editorial cartoonist, it is not very hard to get inspiration,” Bristow said. “Our politicians make it very easy for me.”

Bristow’s Instagram showcases his talent with a log of his insightful doodles.

FOLLOW ON INSTAGR A M @ b r i s t owc a r t o o n s

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He posts some of his work from the Lee County Courier as well as commissioned pieces not published elsewhere.

He comes from a family of artists and was introduced to art at a very young age.

“I have been interested in art for as long as I can remember,” Bristow said. “My dad was a cartoonist and artist, so my siblings and I could all draw before we could write our name. I love starting with the blank sheet of paper and then seeing what happens. It is always interesting to see the end result.”

To spice up your timeline with some cheeky and chuckle-worthy cartoons, follow @bristowcartoons.

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P E C A N S RECIPE BY SARAH McCULLEN

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PECAN PIE energy B I T E S ¾ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 20-25 pitted Deglet Noor dates Place pecans and coconut in food processor, and pulse for about 20 seconds or until finely chopped.

Add vanilla, salt and cinnamon, pulsing until just combined. Add dates in batches, about 5 at a time, processing until the mixture begins to stick together. Using your hands, scoop and roll the mixture into 11/2-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Each pecan pie energy bite contains approximately 93 calories, 2 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat and 9 grams of sugar.

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espite their tiny, shelled packages, pecans pack a mighty healthy punch, according to experts from the Mississippi State University Extension Service. And, lucky for us, they are indigenous to Mississippi.

“Pecans are native in a small part of Mississippi, the North Delta region, but have been planted throughout the state,” said Eric Stafne, a fruit crops specialist at the extension service. “Many varieties of pecan originated in Mississippi, especially from the coastal counties.”

Abundant throughout north Mississippi from September to December, pecans are loaded with fiber, antioxidants and

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nutritious fats that defend against cancer, degenerative diseases and heart disease.

“Pecans are a very healthy product with more than 19 vitamins and minerals,” Stafne said. “They are low in saturated fat as well.

Of course, like anything else, they should be eaten in moderation.”

Pecans make scrumptious additions to salads, desserts and other dishes. And they are an ideal ingredient for homemade energy bites — these simple, no-bake snacks are great for fueling a workout or an on-thego breakfast. This recipe uses Deglet Noor dates, which are lower in calories and sugar than Medjool dates, and captures the flavor of a sweet slice of your favorite pecan pie.

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Course of a Lifetime G O L F, T H E I R FAVO R I T E S P O R T, I S T H E T I E T H AT BINDS THESE 30 FRIENDS IN BROTHERHOOD. WRITTEN BY RACHEL BURCHFIELD ILLUSTRATED BY SAR AH McCULLEN

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f you’re looking for Bob Sims from Sept. 15 to Sept. 19, you won’t find him in Tupelo, where he has made his home for 16 years.

Instead, for those blessed days, you’ll find him with his golf buddies in Highlands, North Carolina. The group, which has no official name, visits every year to play the sport they love at clubs across the town.

“What would you do without your friends?”

Sims said. “Friends are right up there with family and church as a major part of your everyday life.

The more you have, the better off you are.”

Of the group’s roughly 30 members, five are named Bob, and all go by different monikers: Sims is known as “Fast Bob” because of his fast style of golf play. Then there’s Slow Bob (he plays the game a little slower), Doctor Bob (he’s a retired endodontist), Preacher Bob (bet you can’t guess his profession) and Big Bob. Along with the name Bob, the group members share a common passion: golf. They have met one another and become friends over the course of a lifetime — literally.

It all started with Birmingham native Mac Gober, and Sims, who lived in Birmingham for 37 years before moving to Tupelo.

With Sims as the conduit, the Birmingham-based group grew to include seven men from Tupelo.

“It was just happenstance,” Gober said. “Bob and I had a mutual friend, and I met Bob very shortly after I retired in 2005. It morphed into a group in Birmingham, and around eight or nine years ago we started taking trips to North Carolina.

Before you know it, we have 20 or so Alabama people and seven from Mississippi going to all kinds of different locations.”

The golf group festivities take place in Grayton Beach, Florida, in February and in Highlands, North Carolina, in September, mixed with day trips to play golf here and there throughout the year. Most of the men are retired, so the group and the get-togethers allow for solid friendships and social occasions that the men might otherwise have lacked now that they are no longer in the working world.

“When you’re retired and don’t have

associations with your comrades at work, business partners, and customers anymore, this (group) means a lot as far as male bonding,” Gober said.

The group has been in existence for about 15 years, all the time adding new members who are vetted friends and fellow golfers. Sims and Gober organize the trips each year, including renting houses where all of the guys stay together.

“You can’t put a price on it,” Sims said. “It’s really unusual — this group of guys gets along so well. There are never brawls or fights or real bad arguments. If we end up bringing a new one in and he’s a troublemaker, he’s just not invited anymore.

Thankfully, we haven’t had that problem.”

When the group began, they used to get out and hit the links at around 7:30 or 8 a.m., but they give themselves a little more leeway now, scheduling tee times at around 9 or 10 a.m. following a big breakfast.

“Mac and I are the cooks and do all of the meals,” Sims said. “We always cook a big breakfast. We are big breakfast eaters: eggs, bacon, plenty of toast.”

After breakfast, it’s 18 holes, then back to whatever rented house they’re staying at to have a toddy and either go out to dinner or, more likely, fix dinner at the house. Every trip, the gang can expect steak, lamb chops, hamburgers and a Stouffer’s lasagna. If they’re in Florida, they grab seafood at Stinky’s Fish Camp. In North Carolina, it’s fried chicken, coleslaw and potato salad from Bryson’s Food Store. One of the Birmingham guys is originally from Louisiana, so there’s usually a Cajun night to honor him.

“Golf is the common thread that connects us,” Sims said. “And loving to eat.”

Some of the golfers are really good, Sims said. Others are what he calls “weekenders,” who see golf as more of a hobby than a competitive sport. Sims has been golfing for 57 years, since he was 21, and currently plays three times weekly at Tupelo Country Club.

“I’ve been playing golf a lot of years, and I haven’t gotten any better,” Sims said. “I just love the game.”

Sims said it feels good to have friends all over the place, especially friends that like to do the same things, and he calls the trips the highlights of his year. Gober echoes his friend’s sentiments.

“It means the world,” Gober said.

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Downsized I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R N A N C Y PA N N E L L’ S N E W LY B U I LT H O M E I S J U S T H A L F T H E S I Z E O F H E R O L D O N E , BUT EXECUTED WITH NO SHORTAGE OF THOUGHTFULNESS, SIMPLICIT Y AND CHARM.

WRITTEN BY SARAH HOOPER

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ust west of downtown Saltillo, a bright little house sits next to a field of curious cows, as if it might have magically sprung up from the field itself. With a white tin roof and an ample front porch, Judy Pannell’s house reflects and absorbs the light in a way that gives it a sprightly glow.

When Nancy Pannell decided her 3,000-square-foot home in the Deer Park subdivision was a little too much, she set her sites on finding something smaller, something with a little more privacy, a little further out in the county, something … just right. With a vision in mind, the seasoned designer put pen to paper and made it so.

Pannell decided to scale down to exactly 1,500 square feet and was determined she could make everything fit comfortably. With a bit of doing and determination, she has.

A well-known interior designer in the Saltillo area, Pannell is an entrepreneur, a business owner and an antiques dealer. With that, her transition to a space this size required a certain commitment and several rounds of selective purges from her collections. She passed some things on to family and friends, sold some and, in the end, thoughtfully selected the things she most wanted to keep.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

“Most everything I’ve got here means something,” Pannell said.

Pannell and her husband moved to Saltillo in 1976. With young children at home, she took a break from design until 1990 when she opened the Antique Emporium in downtown Saltillo. She has been working steadily ever since. A few years ago, when her husband died, she decided to downsize.

The house took a year to build, due to various setbacks including weather. But Pannell knew just what she wanted.

“I did lots of the work myself,” Pannell said. “Being a widow with a disabled son at home, I needed to save money. So, I reused lots of old pieces.”

She contracted the work herself, and builder Woody Turner faithfully executed her vision, including finishes, like her polished cypress countertops and kitchen cabinets.

“They don’t use nail guns,” Pannell said of Turner and his crew.

“He works with a hammer and nails.”

Pannell, her adult son, Ash, and Mia the cat are now very much at home with two spacious bedrooms and two baths. Their personal spaces are divided by one large great room with a vaulted cypress

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ceiling. The cypress was processed at a nearby sawmill then washed with equal parts water and paint, sealed and mounted. The effect is cool and calming.

An eye-catching centerpiece that separates the open kitchen from the living area is a large island Pannell designed and Woody built from a collection of antique doors. One single large door serves as the long, outward facing side of the island while split doors serve as the ends. The base is painted a darker gray to contrast the surface which, like her countertops, is cypress washed with light gray and polished to a shine. Her back porch, which she plans to screen in, doubles as a dining room when she entertains.

“It’s a work in progress,” Pannell said.

Personal touches are everywhere. Pannell, a native of Merigold, keeps McCarty pottery and animals throughout the house. Having grown up on a cotton farm, she also uses lots of cotton in her decor.

One of her most unique pieces is a floor lamp she made using a porch post from her family home.

Walls painted light gray (Worldly Gray from Sherwin Williams) act as a canvas for Pannell’s eclectic gallery of paintings, photographs, pottery, baskets and furnishings. Above the kitchen island hang pendant light fixtures made by Peter’s Pottery and hand-delivered by Peter himself some years ago. Peter, a Delta-based artist, is a friend.

Pannell made building a hardened safe room a priority for the tornado-prone area. It easily doubles as dry storage and has already

come in handy during inclement weather. Her garage includes extra storage space for furnishings en route to clients, and a space for her own workshop. But for all its practicality, the home is most memorable for whimsical touches, such as the surprising and delightfully cozy nook she created with her granddaughter in mind.

Tucked away behind a pair of unassuming bifold doors, the “sleeping closet” has a queen-sized bed with plush pillows and beautiful linens. Decorated with cool, abstract paintings and warm, rustic sconces, Pannell has fashioned a refuge worthy of Sunday naps.

Pannell’s affinity for both design and antiques began in college, when she worked at the famed Fireside Shop in Cleveland while she and her husband, Dean, were students at Delta State University.

Fireside’s owner, Clemmie Griffin Collins, encouraged Pannell to pursue a degree in interior design. So, while her husband was working on his graduate degree at East Tennessee State University, Pannell earned a degree in interior design from the Chicago School of Design through the correspondence program.

So, what is next for Nancy Pannell? She says there is always more work to do around the house, and her client list keeps her busy. She has opened a booth in the new Artifacts marketplace on Commerce Street in downtown Tupelo. And an oil painting in her bathroom shows signs of her interest in trying her hand at another creative endeavor.

“One of these days I’m going to take art lessons,” Pannell said.

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STEP ASIDE, BOWLING. THERE’S A NEW GAME IN TOWN.

CIVIL AXE THROWING WRITTEN BY L ANIE ANDERSON

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n the heart of downtown Corinth, typically known for its boutiques, restaurants and historic appeal, visitors can shop, dine and also try a new sport. Civil Axe Throwing opened its doors in April on Filmore Street next to the restaurant Corner 415 and Carlie & Co. Boutique.

“Civil Axe Throwing feels like walking into a very comforting place, like you’re going to the diner down the street,” location manager Evan Meadows said. “That’s what we want, and it feels like it belongs in Corinth.”

While humans have been hurling axes since the stone age, axe throwing as an organized and competitive sport seems to have originated in 2006 in Toronto, Canada. Erin and Jorge Lima started Civil Axe Throwing in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2017, after they took

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

notice of its growing popularity on The Sports Network, a Canadian television network.

Now Civil Axe Throwing has locations in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Arkansas and Tennessee. The Corinth storefront is the first Civil Axe Throwing location in Mississippi, and the response so far has been very positive.

“We love being downtown in the middle of Corinth since it’s being revitalized,” said Scott Brewster, vice president of sales and marketing. “(People) seem to be very happy we are there and love coming and throwing axes with us.”

The store is open Thursday through Saturday evenings from 3 p.m. to midnight and Sunday evenings from 3 to 7 p.m. There are four lanes or alleys, and each lane has two wooden targets. Throwers SEPTEMBER 2019 | INVITATION

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ages 14 and older can compete individually or in groups. Coaches called “axperts” are on hand to provide training on procedures, scoring and safety.

“There’s a hands-on training aspect to what we do,” Brewster said. “Once people throw for the first time, you can see a lightbulb go off. Then they begin mimicking what our ‘axperts’ are doing.”

Those new to the sport are often skeptical or fearful about throwing an axe for the first time. Brewster admits even he experienced this before he tried it.

“There’s always a knee-jerk reaction (to axe throwing),” Brewster said. “People are shocked a bit at first. It’s a maturation process. Every single person who is an expert at this or calls it a hobby went through the same process. They thought, ‘That sounds interesting. I think I’ll give it a try.’ Then it clicks with them, and they see it as a sport.”

Amanda Watson of Corinth thought the same when she surprised her husband, Justin, with a game at Civil Axe Throwing for his birthday. Justin had experience in axe throwing, but Amanda did not. She was comforted by the training before their game, and the staff supervised the session to ensure that they were safe.

“We both loved it because it was different,” Watson said. “It wasn’t just your average date night. You get a workout for sure, but it’s also a lot of fun.”

Axe throwing is growing as an organized sport in the United States. The National Axe Throwing Federation, with which Civil Axe Throwing is aligned, began in 2016 and provides a standard rule system for competition. Individuals and groups compete at Civil Axe Throwing, but leagues also practice or play in tournaments at the various locations.

Axes are provided by Civil Axe Throwing, but some people choose to bring their own. Other experienced axe throwers even have them custom made.

“Some people make their own axes, which is amazing,” Brewster said. “We’ve got a lot of customers that will bring their own axes, and they are beautiful. They do an amazing job with the woodwork.”

In August, Civil Axe Throwing opened its second Mississippi location on Old Taylor Road in Oxford. Brewster said he anticipates a lot of excitement about the new location, especially among college students.

“There’s a youthful demographic at the University of Mississippi that can grow with us,” Brewster said. “Getting kids involved is how axe throwing progresses as a sport. That’s where I think it really starts to catch fire.”

To learn more about Civil Axe Throwing or book a game, visit civilaxethrowing.com.

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F R O M A S FA R AWAY A S A L A S K A A N D A S C L O S E A S N E I G H B O R I N G S TAT E S , PEOPLE COME TO TRY CONTINENTAL-ST YLE PHEASANT AND QUAIL HUNTING AT LIT TLE “Q” RANCH IN THAXTON. WRITTEN BY SUSAN BALDANI

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

J

oshua Quong enjoyed growing up in the Mississippi Delta.

So after living in the city for a number of years, he was ready to get back to his country roots. When he found some property in Thaxton where he could build a home and business, he asked his good friend and mentor, Orville Robertson, for advice about starting a bird hunting ranch on the land. Robertson, a retired colonel in the United States Air Force, was also an avid hunter and fisherman, so Josh trusted Robertson to steer him in the right direction.

“Quail hunting is a dying sport in the south,” Josh said. “People usually have to drive to Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma before they can find wild birds.”

This fall, Little “q” Ranch, offering quail and pheasant hunts, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Of its 126 acres, 86 are used for the hunts. Robertson, better known as “the Colonel,” is the main guide, along with avid outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman and former bronc rider Marshall Merchant.

“It gets better every year,” Josh said. “We started with 13 hunts a year. Last year we did 107.”

How did the ranch get its name? When Josh’s wife was pregnant with their first child, they didn’t want to know the gender beforehand.

So, people would always ask how “little q” was doing.

Josh was used to country life, but for Sally, who grew up in a Chicago suburb, being so far away from town was a whole new experience. She appreciates that it’s much quieter and more peaceful.

“It’s the best of both worlds for me because even though I go into town every day, and I have a career, I make a home out here,” Sally said. “It’s also nice because we live in the middle of nowhere, and my kids can run wild and free. There’s lots of space.”

Hunts run from April through October, and the rest of the year is spent raising birds for the hunts, along with breeding, training and caring for German shorthaired pointer puppies.

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Little “q” Ranch partners with Wildrose Kennels tp provide dogs for pheasant hunts.

Tom Bates, a neighbor, helped start the dog business. Early on, the ranch had only one English pointer belonging to Robertson. Josh acquired a second dog, and when Bates came along the third year and gave Robertson another pointer, it really snowballed.

Josh gives credit to both Robertson and Bates for making the hunts possible.

“These two men have selflessly shared their time, knowledge, and love with my little family in immeasurable amounts,” Josh said.

“There would be no Little ‘q’ without them.”

Kirk Donnell, who lives in Tupelo, has been going to the ranch since 2015. He visits at least six times a year to hunt quail and pheasant on the property.

“A guide who can control the dogs and then be able to turn and talk to whomever he’s hunting with, whether they’re doctors or contractors, and just have a fun conversation, is pretty hard to find,” Donnell said. “The Colonel is that guy. Josh and Sally go out of their way to make people feel at home every time. It’s a place that makes you want to go back.”

Clients gather for each hunt at the “Tin Can Lodge,” where Josh and his family lived before they built their current home. The ranch

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provides dogs, though some clients prefer to bring their own. Most clients bring their own guns and ammunition, but the ranch can provide them as well.

Hunters go out in groups of two to four, and they take home the birds they harvest. A half-day quail hunt, which is the most common, is usually 2½ to 3 hours and the distance about 3½ to 5½ miles.

“We’ve tried to keep it as simple as the old-time hunts where you can go out the back door and walk in the field with your dog and hunt,” Josh said. “Then, you walk back with a few birds for supper, just like folks did when they were kids.”

The pheasant hunts at the ranch are done in the style of “continental shooting” or tower shooting. Hunters rotate from station to station, while the birds are released in waves. Since Josh’s bird dogs are not trained to retrieve pheasants, Little “q” teams up with nearby Wildrose Kennels to provide Labrador retrievers for the pheasant hunts. The Labs get more training, and the kennel gets more exposure.

“It’s a coordinated event; a community event,” Josh said. “We got two (local) businesses involved, and there’s a really good synergy between us.”

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Joshua Quong

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Once the hunting is finished, everyone meets back at the lodge for lunch. Sally and her father, John Booth, otherwise known as “Papa,” prepare and serve the lunches. Josh does most of the dressing and packaging of the pheasants and divides them up among the group.

“It’s a definite team effort,” Josh said.

The ranch attracts patrons from all over, with most traveling from Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. One regular client comes all the way from Alaska to hunt at Little “q.” Another came from as far away as Warsaw, Poland.

“The connecting fiber among all is coming out and being with one another,” Josh said. “It doesn’t matter where anybody’s from; folks come out and really enjoy it.”

Frank Harwood and his wife, Terri, of Coldwater, have been going to the ranch since 2013 and visit at least four or five times a year, including on Terri’s birthday. Frank prefers to hunt quail, while Terri likes to take part in the pheasant hunts, but they always accompany each other.

“It gives us more family time together,” Terri said. “I have a hard job, and I work a lot, but my family time comes first; it’s a very relaxing, enjoyable bonding experience that we have together.”

About five years ago, Frank decided he wanted his own bird dog.

He ended up buying a German shorthaired pointer named Pearl Ann from Josh.

“Josh runs a good operation, and his birds fly nice,” Frank said.

“We really enjoy being part of the community,” Josh said. “It’s home. We’re a regular family here. We teach here. We’re folks who decided to put down roots, and we try to water them every day.”

For more information or to schedule a hunt, call 662-801-5764 or visit littleqranch.com.

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DANCE LIKE THE STARS T U P E L O

PH OTO G R A PH E D BY A L LY M U R P H Y

The 14th annual Dance Like the Stars fundraiser took place Aug. 24 at BancorpSouth Arena. Local celebrity dancers raised more than $300,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi and provided the entertainment during the sold-out event.

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1. Lauren McElwain and Brady Bramlett 2. Mindy Prewitt, Tyler Camp and Molly Lowellen 3. Joel Young and Tammy Wilson 4. Caroline White 5. Gemi Moore and J. Pullman 6. Benjermin Pryor and Sylvia Blanchard

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BODOCK FESTIVAL P O N T O T O C

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Pontotoc’s annual Bodock Festival took place Aug. 23-24 on Main Street. The event kicked off with a fireman’s pancake breakfast and featured live music, arts-andcrafts vendors, food vendors, a children’s corner and an antique car show.

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1. Montana Marshall and Judy Foster 2. Kelly Caples, Sonya Russell, Skylar Stockes and Shane Metcalfe 3. Lisa Windham and David Harrison 4. Vicki Cothen and Jenna Patterson 5. Debbie Ward and Jenna Moore 6. Lorie and Ronnie Liverett

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The 25th annual Boy Scout Clay Classic and Elite Eagle Shoot took place Aug. 23-24 at Camp Yocona in Randolph. Winchester Ammunition sponsored the event, which included lunch and awards for individual top guns and winning teams.

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1. Daniel White, Justin Murry, Casey Bruce and Danny Cash 2. Jonathan Dean, Shawn Woy, Will Moore and John Weeden 3. John Mooney and Red Rhea 4. Gary Holcomb, Don Shumaker, William Holcomb and Neil Patterson 5. John Milstead and Stuart Burleson 6. Jason Beasley, Jimmy Pollard, Max Edward and Phil Tutor 7. Ronnie Howell, Gregg Garner and Neil Afford 8. Wesley Bost, Kristy Crawford, Brenda Hopkins and Kevin McCourtney

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“SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKIE” T U P E L O

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Comedian Christy McBrayer and her band, The Redneck Greek Chorus, performed “Southern Fried Chickie” Aug. 9 at the Link Centre. The special one-night-only event benefited Saltillo’s Dr. R.B. Robison Educational Resource Center.

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1. Mimi Blanchard, Carol Kloac, Gina Yarbrough, Cindy Swann, Lydia Kimbrough and Sherry Smith 2. Jessie, Suzie, Ally and Jim Savery 3. Christy Montgomery and Sheri Dillard 4. Sonya Mackey and Analyn Weeks 5. Valerie and Olivia Ouzts with Ryan Watts 6. Joe and Mary Huckaby 7. W.K. and Jewel Webb 8. Joe and Charlotte Young

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PAW PATROL LIVE! T U P E L O

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

PAW Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue” took the stage Aug. 13-14 at BancorpSouth Arena.

The family-friendly perfomances featured choreography set to a dynamic soundtrack, dazzling lights and other special effects.

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1. Gaye and Bodhi Ellis with Bo and Ashley Sappington 2. Ava Joy, Bella and April Babb 3. Trisha Triplett, Braxton Johnson, Rockale Gray, Jayla Sanders, Sebastian Shumpert and Claudia Berry 4. Blaylon Hunsinger and Katelyn Newell 5. Bronson and Oakley Spradling 6. Mary Katherine and Krissa Ballard 7. Teagyn and Maci Griffin

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RYDER CUP CHALLENGE S A LT I L L O

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The 21st annual Ole Miss/Mississippi State Ryder Cup Golf Challenge took place Aug. 24-25 at Natchez Trace Golf Club.

Two-person teams, representing each school, played against each other. This year, the Ole Miss teams won by 8 points.

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1. Blake Hutcheson, Bill Diggs, Brent Rainey and Bobby Parks 2. Art Dobbs, Parrish Potts, Michael McCrory and Jacob Cameron 3. Bruce Coleman, Andy Moran, Will Lammons and Paul Saylors 4. Joe Banko and Daniel Owens 5. Buddy Fairley, Butch Godwin, Chip Turner and Sean Kohen 6. Scott Wood, Ken Hayes, Moe Livingston and Mark Hatfield 7. Bill Donald and James Billingsley 8. Trey Graves, Will Brann, Bill Roberts, Barry Replogle and Michael Monroe

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ELIZABETH HEISKELL LUNCH C O R I N T H

PHOTOGRAPHED BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

A luncheon and book signing with Oxfordbased cookbook author Elizabeth Heiskell was held Aug. 3 at The Franklin Courtyard in downtown Corinth. Proceeds from the event will benefit Main Street Corinth.

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1. Prentiss Butler, Lauren Leonard, Brittany Bryant and Claire Windsor 2. Ann Laughlin, Dianne Droke and Sallie Dillingham 3. Anna Evans, Ann White and Debbie Tallant 4. Elizabeth Heiskell and Kathryn Lee 5. Lauren, Lou Ann and Abbie Butler 6. Barbara Trapp and Mary Hinton 7. Margaret Bradley and Laura Albright 8. Annie Stanley and Brittany Bryant 9. Abby Smith and Lily Null 10. Sherri Rolison and Carolyn Swindle 11. Becky Null and Dena Johnson 12. Beverly Napier and Robin Elliott

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TAILGATE COOK-OFF P O N T O T O C

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The annual Rebel/Bulldog Tailgate Cook-off Challenge and spirit display competition took placew Aug. 17 on the courthouse lawn. The event was hosted by the Pontotoc County Chamber of Commmerce.

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1. Hannah and Wyatt Whitehouse with Abbey and Micah Bulter 2. Caden Corder and Rivers Donaldson with Briley, Daniel and Halena White 3. Daniel, Olivia and Alisha Galloway 4. Becky, Jennifer and Sarah Milner with Noah Wortham 5. Toby Collums, Jessica McLevain, Casey Sappington, Felicia Pollard and Ashley Tutor 6. David White, Ross Brown and Chad Rodgers 7. Autumn Martin and Dan Hester 8. Al Fallin and Misty Sneed 9. Chad Kimzey and Steve Cummings

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OUT & ABOUT VIEW MORE PHOTOS AT INVITATIONM AG.COM

Ja c k s o n S t at e Un ive r s it y Tr u n k Pa r t y

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1. Wesley Brown Jr., Essence Tillman, Gabrielle Moore, Kenidi Sanders and Madison McGuirt 2. Phyllis Sims, Charles Bouldin, James Ford, John Calvin and Carolyn Tucker Adair 3. Sherry McGaughy, Norris Crump, Cynthia Shields, Frankie Morris and Rhonda Cox 4. Dennis and Tami Heavner with Cody Smith, Pat and Wendy Stafford, Andi Nolan Pearson and Tony and Heather Palmer 5. Robin Satcher and Darby DeVaughn with Aubrey and Tara Lyle 6. Katie, Amanda and Anna May with Jenny Filgo

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MISSISSIPPI'S BEST

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