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VOL. 8 ISSUE 5
BEHIND THE COVER The Home Place
T he
HOME
Place
Wheat & Willow brings farmhouse chic to Senatobia’s historic Main Street
SUMMER HOME & GARDENS SERIES KICK-OFF
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May 2019
This month, Click magazine takes an in-depth look at the renovation process that led up to emotional opening of Senatobia’s latest five-star shopping experience, Wheat & Willow. A historic building in downtown Senatobia plays host to Lindsey and Brandon Powell’s fully realized dream of a home décor store with a unique Southern twist. We took that See their story on page 28.
20 WHAT'S INSIDE 10 Good Vibes 14 Design through Devotionals 20 Garden Variety 24 DeSoto County, Mississippi: By the Numbers 28 The Home Place 34 To the Moon and Back
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38 The Art of Cleanliness 42 Recipe of the Month 45 Beer from Here 62 Animal of the Month
OUT & ABOUT 48 Hernando Arts Festival 50 Chamber Lunch & Learn 52 Repticon 54 Wesley Meadows Golf Tourney 56 MudBug Bash
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58 Byhalia Chamber Awards Banquet 60 Horn Lake Chamber Luncheon 61 Mississippi Ale House Brewfest
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From the Editor
Life’s a Garden Much like a certain beastly Disney movie protagonist, I’ve spent the past few years covertly trying to a keep a rose safe. No, it’s not tied directly to my life force or anything bizarre like that, but this white rosebush has sat behind my shed since the house was constructed more than 70 years ago. Despite zero knowledge of how to maintain and nourish a plant that’s more than twice my age, I’m determined to keep it alive. So I occasionally water it, trim it, do pretty much everything a good amateur garden might do. I thought I’d been doing a pretty good job until I just recently learned that the rosebush in my backyard was a perennial plant, which means it grows, blooms, dies and returns largely on its own as the years pass. This thing would thrive (and has) for many years with no input from me whatsoever. Kind of like my wife. So cheers to all the strong, independent perennials out there: you make life brighter and more beautiful. This month’s issue of Click magazine kicks off our 2019 Home & Garden Series! For the next few months, we’ll be bringing you a bevy of useful tips from the area’s leading experts, as well as fascinating figures about the housing market of Desoto County. The series kicks off with features that include garden-fresh tips with Desoto Garden Club President Emilie Michaels (page 21), in-depth info on Desoto County’s population and recent housing sales (page 25), and a Q&A with locally acclaimed author and home designer Victoria Duerstock (page 14). In addition, we took at the fast-growing trend of “social smoothies” with a feature on Hernando’s Vibe Nutrition (page 10). Courtney Booker and Leslie Culver are the women behind Vibe’s delicious shakes and teas that are quickly becoming a healthy habit for many locals. I’ve always loved when artists can take the ordinary and turn it into something mesmerizing, and that’s exactly what this month’s featured painted does. Oxford-based artist Glennray Tutor’s work is both surreal and hyperrealistic, often turning the focus to everyday objects like marbles and playing with perspective to create a galaxy within a tiny, four-gram glass ball. See our out-of-this-world interview with Tutor in the page 34 feature “To the Moon & Back.” And those seeking for more artistic inspiration need look no further than our page 38 feature on Raven Wing Sundries, a creative line of soaps and oils crafted by Southaven Arts Council founder Sukie Nemeth. Soaps from this local farmers market favorite are all just a little bit different from one another, with more than 30 varieties and a huge array of dazzling colors and alluring scents. So from all of us to all of you: please enjoy this issue and more to come throughout the summer months. We’ve still got lots of great stories to tell. Read on,
Casey Hilder
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May 2019
Write to us editor@myclickmag.com The DeSoto Times-Tribune 2342 Highway 51 North Nesbit, MS 38651 Phone: (662) 429-6397
Co-Presidents Jonathan Pittman Angie Pittman Editor Casey Hilder editor@myclickmag.com
Creative Director Courtney Spencer Ad Design Nick Howard Copy Editor Taylor Smith Writers Casey Hilder Photographers Frank Chin Casey Hilder Brian Anderson Mike Lee Sales Director Lyla McAlexander lyla@dttclick.com
Account Representatives Melanie Dupree melanie@dttclick.com
Marianne Schurawel marianne@dttclick.com
DeSoto Times-Tribune 2342 Highway 51 North Nesbit, MS 38651 Phone: (662) 429-6397 We make every effort to correct factual mistakes and omissions in a timely and candid manner. Information can be forwarded to Casey Hilder at email address listed above.
Submit Your Event Interested in having your next party featured in Click? Submit your event by going to myclickmag.com or email us at events@myclickmag.com. Š2018 P.H. Publishing. Click Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be reproduced in any manner. Any advertisements published in Click Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser's services or products. Click Magazine is published monthly by P.H. Publishing, LLC.
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Click Contributors
Taylor Smith Taylor Smith really should change her name to “Word.” She’s been a reporter for multiple publications in the Mid-South, including The Daily Helmsman, The Leader and The Commercial Appeal, and she journals every day. When she’s not moonlighting as a copy editor, she’s working full-time as a project coordinator for City Gear, an urban streetwear retailer, or watching another episode of Forensic Files with her fiance, Jason.
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May 2019
Mike Lee Event photos in this issue were captured by Click photographer Mike Lee. Mike started in news in 1971 as a TV writer, photographer, and art director. For 20 years, his work appeared on national and international television broadcasts, and was published in print media worldwide.
Brian Anderson
Frank Chin
Various events and in this month’s issue were shot by local photographer Brian Anderson, a Memphis-based artist that started shooting professionally about six years ago and has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, Oxford American, MBQ and the St. Jude Gallery Collection, to name a few. He primarily focuses on concerts, with a focus on blues and old-fashioned Southern music, as well as the Mississippi delta and cityscapes.
When he’s not busy with his day job as a local physician, photographer Frank Chin covers some of the biggest events of the Mid-South as one of Click magazine’s most frequent contributors.
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Good Vibes
Vibe Nutrition brings delicious drinks and hearty, healthy meal replacement shakes to Desoto County Feature & photos by CASEY HILDER
Desoto County’s latest meal-on-the-go trend is a far cry from the greasy hashbrowns and sloppy breakfast burritos familiar to so many morning commutes.
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Vibe Nutrition co-owners Courtney Booker and Leslie Culver opened the doors of their health-conscious drink shop in Hernando on February 2 of this year. “Quick, easy and nutritional are the most important things for us,” says Culver. “And there was just no other option for this kind of business in Hernando, so we felt like it was a huge opportunity.” Vibe Nutrition sells a variety of meal replacement shakes and “loaded teas” blended from Herbalife solutions. Longtime friends Culver and Booker, who met through their husbands, concocted a menu of more than 30 existing flavors, with new ones added weekly. “What we’re basically going for is fast food for healthy people,” says Booker. Speed and convenience rule the day at Vibe Nutrition’s bustling pastel-and-panel interiors just off McIngvale Road. The small staff routinely preps dozens of ready-to-blend mixtures to get customers in and out in a hurry. “It’s hard to find something that’s quick and healthy for lunch or breakfast unless you spend the time on meal prepping,” says Courtney. “So, we’re that quick alternative.”
Meal replacement shakes from Vibe Nutrition come in a dozen flavors, including cheesecake, lemon ice box, salted caramel, wild berry and funfetti. Each of these shakes clocks in at 24 grams of protein and 200 to 250 calories per each low-carb and low-sugar serving. Protein can take many forms, but some comparable equivalents to the protein content of a Vibe meal replacement shake include six slices of bacon, four large eggs, a quarter pound of ground meat, or six ounces of tempeh. “They’re easily the most flavorful protein shakes I’ve ever come across,” says Booker, whose personal favorites include banana pudding and pralines n’ cream. “That’s the crazy thing – they actually taste like they sound without packing in the calories.” Another local favorite is the “Pretty in Pink” shake, a lush 32-ounce blend loaded with biotin and collagen in addition to 23 vitamins and minerals and 17 grams of protein. The other half of Vibe Nutrition’s menu is composed of “Loaded Teas,” vitamin-infused beverages with a sweet and tangy twist. Each loaded tea is a brew of green, tea, and myclickmag.com
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oolong teas, along with a shot of aloe to aid in digestion and a unique NRG blend made up of guarana, orange pekoe and lemon peel to help focus. “They’re meant to replace coffee,” says Courtney. “They’re full of vitamins, so you get that good healthy energy instead of feeling burnt out immediately afterward.” Vitamins B12 and B6 are also prevalent in each loaded tea, many of which come in colorful and whimsical blends like the popular red and blue “Captain America,” cucumber watermelon, strawberry lemonade and sweet tart. Each loaded tea blend is sugar-free and packs just 24 calories per serving. Culver and Booker attribute part of the Vibe Nutrition’s rapid growth in popularity to a devout social media following and offering one dollar off a drink for customers who tag themselves at the store. In addition, it was through social media that Culver got the initial idea to open the first-of-itskind beverage shop in Hernando. “I saw some posts on social media about similar establishments in South Jackson and I thought ‘What a neat idea it would be to have something like this in our area,’” says Culver. Plans for Vibe Nutrition to expand beyond Hernando are in the works, with Good Vibe Nutrition in Southaven and Old Towne Vibes in Olive Branch slated to open in the near future. For more information about Vibe Nutrition, follow them on social media at facebook.com/vibenutritionhernando.
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DESIGN THROUGH
Devotionals Southern Author Victoria Duerstock brings a unique faithbased approach to home design Feature by CASEY HILDER Photos by JUSTIN FOX BURKS & LINDE LOU PHOTOGRAPHY
As a wife, a mom, writer, musician and blogger, Victoria Duerstock wears many hats. A search for balance among these roles led to the Nesbit, Mississippi-based author to a unique and inspirational approach to everyday home design in her “Heart and Home,” series, the first of which released this past April. True to her multifaceted nature, Duerstock doesn’t write from the perspective of someone who’s got it all figured out. Instead, her writing focuses on the daily affirmations and simple, aesthetically pleasing concepts for making the most out of your favorite spaces.
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Click Magazine: How did you get started as an author? Victoria Duerstock: I have been writing for the last few years with a big focus on home trends. My husband is in the furniture business and I have traveled with him to various shows and markets. During that time, I started blogging. Later on, when I first started as a professional writer, I wasn’t sure what the job entailed. I had a lot to learn about publishing and tried my best to learn all about what the market was in terms of trends and anticipating the publisher’s requests. The idea of combining my faith with my writing came when I attended a Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference in May of 2016. That year, I didn’t leave with any of the goals checked off my list: no agent, no book deal, no contract. But the last day of the conference, I ran across a publisher looking for some writers to contribute to an anthology series titled “Let the Earth Rejoice.” I went ahead and submitted a sample and the subject of that first bit of writing was about how we see God in the world around us and how nature reveals itself to us. After that, I submitted a few different topics I thought I could write about and soon after, they agreed to pay me for them. CM: Briefly explain your latest book, “Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul & Living Space.” VD: The book was released on April 16 and was published by Abingdon Press, a company based out of Nashville, Tennessee. It is a full-color, hardcover gift book that combines the
ideas of design basics with photographs and short devotionals. The book takes particular passages from The Bible and incorporates the ideas into your home based around home design principles like flow, focal points and space. It’s really a merging of those two ideas for the heart and the mind. CM: You are not an interior designer by trade, but you’ve spent a lot of time designing spaces. Can you share your experience? VD: As I’ve assisted designers and worked in the furniture industry, you just develop a sense of what’s attractive or pleasing to the eye versus what just doesn’t work. The idea of incorporating that with our spiritual lives was just something that I thought would appeal to a wide range of people: from those who love HGTV and Pinterest to people who are just interested in the devotional aspect. CM: How did you get started on the Heart & Home series? VD: This is the first book that I’ve written solo, with a Christmas book to follow in September titled “Heart & Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in your Living Space.” A really neat thing that’s happened with both projects is connecting with other Instagrammers of strong faith who are also into design, DIY and décor. Nine of these individuals joined me for the first book and 15 for the second. They each submitted pictures and design tips to run alongside devotionals included in my books. myclickmag.com
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CM: How long did you spend on this project? VD: The initial proposal took about six weeks and then I was given a 30-day window to write the book. I talk about balance a lot in my book. Of course, there are times where you might find yourself “out of balance” for a season and that was definitely one of those times. It was all about the writing and the editing, all while trying to grow the social media platform and establish the website while I was writing. The first book was about 190 pages and contained 90 days of scripture and application, prayer and design tips. Each day is represented as a two-page spread. The left side contains the pictures and the prayer, the right side has the topic, the title, verse and a few design tips. All the devotionals are about 300 words or less. CM: Your book often relates various design principles with passages from The Bible. Can you give us an example of how this works? VD: One of the things I really like to talk about and relate to my audience is focal points. As a believer, I like to try to keep my focus on Christ. Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted when there’s a lot going on and during these times. So when my heart is out of sync, the rest of my home tends to be out of sync, as well. In home design, every room needs a focal point. The same thing that’s true for our homes is true for our hearts. So there’s a lot of different examples of how to achieve balance not only in a room, but in our hearts. 16
May 2019
CM: What is your social media platform of choice? VD: At the moment, I like Instagram. It’s very visual and seems to be where the most people are at the moment. CM: What are some of the subjects covered in your book? VD: I talk about the concepts of unity and harmony in the home, as well as flow, use of negative space, identifying a focal point and establishing symmetry. Those are just some of the basics, and others have to deal with acknowledging God as the creator as we try to create spaces within our home. CM: What are some ways you apply this in your own life? VD: I tend to write from places of experience, not necessarily things that I’ve figured out over the years. The reality is that I’m still in the middle of trying to achieve balance in my life and working on the flow of my home. My writing often comes from the standpoint of “Hey, here’s what I’m learning in the trenches, and maybe this can help you out, too.” CM: Who are some of your inspirations when it comes to matters of faith? VD: I’m the daughter of an evangelist, so my dad has been preaching his whole life. When you are around that kind of faith your whole time growing up, it becomes your DNA. It’s part of who you are and what you see. My faith always comes back to “What have I learned today?” and “What are my struggles?” I tend to write from the perspective of a prob-
lem I’m trying to figure out or solution I’m trying to work through. CM: What are some of your favorite ongoing home trends? VD: One of my favorite ongoing trends has to do with floral patterns, prints and textures. They were everywhere at the furniture market in Highpoint just a few weeks ago and really stood out to me. But I also like wall art, lampshades and even upholstery. I love the pop of color and it gives a really natural feel to everything around it. I also love the modern farmhouse style, although it isn’t something that I’ve incorporated into my own home right now. It’s a beautiful look that seems like it’s very accessible for people without spending a lot of money. CM: How would you define your own style? VD: Right now, I’d have to say it’s contemporary. I do like a variety of things, but I try not to be too abrupt and bring it all in at once. CM: Why did you decide on a Christmas book as an immediate follow up to your first? VD: When I submitted the proposal for the first project, I felt like there were a number of themed future projects I could pursue right afterward, Christmas being one of them. I just felt like there would be enough to carry over, though I
didn’t expect it to be picked up quite so quickly. Christmas is a fantastic time for devotional books, as well as home design, though I can say this one will contain a little less permanent design elements and a little more seasonal decorating. CM: Who are some of your inspirations when it comes to design? VD: Well, I couldn’t not mention Chip and Joanna Gaines, who have absolutely taken over the industry and are both beautiful people on top of that. Other than that, I’m right there with the rest of America, keeping track of things like Trading Spaces, Property Brothers and other HGTV shows. CM: What do you hope people get out of your writing? VD: My goal is always to encourage and to inspire. At the end of the day, I hope the few words that are there might serve as an encouragement for someone who is struggling or inspiration for someone who hasn’t done something before. “Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul & Living Space” is currently available at Amazon.com, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble and Target. Victoria Duerstock’s next book, “Heart & Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in your Living Space” will release later this year on September 17. For more information on the work of Victoria Duerstock, visit victoriaduerstock.com.
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Garden Variety Green thumb tips from Desoto Civic Garden Club President Emilie Michaels Feature and photos by CASEY HILDER 20
May 2019
DA I S I E S “Daisies absolutely love sunlight,” says Michael. “They’ll bloom now, but they won’t stick around.” A fresh batch of daisies is often the first sign that spring has arrived. These plants are known as perennials, which means they grow, bloom, die and return largely on their own as the years pass. Other perennial plants include peonies, roses, clematis, ivy, and hydrangeas. Michael suggests keeping a close eye on the average height of daisies in your garden to determine what can flowers can be placed behind or in front of a batch. She recommends coneflowers behind and yarrow in front for a perfectly balanced garden plot.
OX A L I S L I LY “This one is a great ground cover for most gardens,” says Michael. “You can use these to spread across your whole area and cover lots of space doing it.” Often called “purple cloverleafs,” the oxalis lily is a perennial herb that grows wild in large patches across the United States. This flower comes in two types: the standard type seen pictured above and a larger, self-pollinating variety. .
H O STA S “These plants definitely do best in the shade,” says Michael. “Sometimes, they tend to do better in planters if you’re trying to keep the moles at bay.” Also known as plantain lilies, this perennial plant comes in a staggering number of variations. This particular miniature hosta pictured above is known as a “Banana Puddin’” created from a cross between the “Peter Pan” and “Sun Power” varieties. Notable for its tiny size and buttery yellow leaves, this plant is a favorite snack of moles and other garden vermin.
N E L LY M O S E R C L E M AT I S “We often see these bloom early spring, but you might see them open up early summer through August,” says Michael. “This is one of those plants that you want to be very aware of where to plant it and how you should prune it.” This flowering vine bursts forth in a wide array of colors, including white, pink, deep red and purple, every April. Michael urges caution when pruning this plant, as some of the flowers tend to bloom on old vine wood rather than new. Michael also recommends placing this one in filtered sunlight if possible, though some can exist directly in the summer sun. myclickmag.com
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MAHONIA “These plants free seed very easily,” says Michael. “They drop those all over the place.” Despite their inviting appearance, those aren’t blue berries growing from this evergreen shrub. While its berries are edible and rich in vitamin C, they aren’t very tasty by many accounts. This slightly messy plant is best placed in a shade garden since overexposure to sunlight can cause the bark to turn a rusty, orange color.
HIBISCUS “This plant loves the heat, loves the sunshine,” says Michael. “They go great along with lantana, which come in so many different colors. Lantana are good low spreaders and last for longer than you might expect.” Contrary to the perennial plants on this list, this particular sunset-colored hibiscus is an annual plant that usually completes its entire life cycle within a year and will need to be replanted the next season. This plant thrives in the summer months and dies sometime around the first frost of the year after growing to a sizeable shrub. Care for these plants is easy as long as they get enough water to go along with copious amounts of sunlight. 22
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PEONIES “I love these next to my roses,” says Michael. “They come up first and die out just in time for the roses to take off.” A nice patch of fantastically fragrant peonies can serve as companions to other flowers, aesthetically speaking. These perennial plants often come up from the ground around February and die off around May or June, just in time for the newly blooming roses to take their place. Once they bloom, these plants will flower for up to three weeks unless hit with heavy seasonal rains.
IRIS “It continuously blooms, so this plant lasts a little longer compared to other ones,” says Michael. “The first one will open up, and as that one is closing, the other one will open up a few days later." Iris plants are seen as the gift that keeps on giving in the gardening world, with several buds forming and blooming at regular intervals along a single stalk. This popular perennial thrives in drier climates and can be found naturally everywhere from mountaintops to riverbanks. The irises pictured above have been going since early April and are reaching the end of their blooming cycle.
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DESOTO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI:
By theNumbers
178,751 POPULATION OVERALL
61,764
Southaven: 51,820 Olive Branch: 35,510 Hernando: 15,230 Horn Lake: 29,790
$206,626
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
2.9 Persons per household
AVERAGE SOLD PRICE OF A HOME IN DESOTO COUNTY
476.3
SQUARE MILES OF LAND
375.3 people per square mile 36.9 Median age 24.9 minutes Mean travel time to work
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$29,109 PER CAPITA INCOME
$66,440 Median household income
Sources: NW Mississippi Association of Realtors U.S. Census Report, 2017 StatisticalAtlas.com
62 AVERAGE DAYS ON THE MARKET
4.4%
700+ Active Houses on the Market in Desoto County
1-YR FORECAST
Home sales are up roughly 10% compared to this time in 2018
300+ DESOTO COUNTY HOMES WERE SOLD IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR
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The
HO M E PL AC E
Wheat & Willow brings farmhouse chic to Senatobia’s historic Main Street Feature by CASEY HILDER 28
May 2019
Before
After
When Wheat & Willow owner Lindsey Powell first saw the notepad sketch of her idea of a perfect home décor store come to life at 132 North Front Street in Senatobia, she stood barefoot, in tears, marveling at the product of her family’s hard work. “It was just happy tears,” she says. “I’d been praying for so long to make what’s inside my head real. And now it’s here.” According to her husband, Brandon, Lindsey tends to see the beauty in things most people don’t. That includes the 6,400 square feet of empty building across the street from Senatobia City Hall. The building, which would eventually come to house the versatile collection of farmhouse décor known as Wheat & Willow, lived many lives since its construction in 1901. What started as an opera house in 1903 would grow and change with the times, taking on a wide variety of roles in the Tate County community before being purchased by the Powell family in October of 2018. “At one point in time, it was the first post office in Senatobia,” says Brandon. “And also a funeral home, and then a flower shop. If the walls could talk, [the story] would be amazing.” Lindsey’s initial goal was to usher in a complete restoration of the vacant space, while still maintaining as much of the original character and historic charm as possible. “When the building came up, I thought ‘Oh my gosh, it’s perfect,’ while my husband’s first thoughts were probably ‘Oh my gosh, no,’” says Lindsey. Lindsey credits much of her business savvy to her time as a LuLaRoe sales representative, earning a coveted position within the top 100 sellers out of 90,000 consultants within just six months. This would eventually lead to the advent of Wheat & Willow’s online storefront in 2016. “Getting such a huge following online gave us the courage to do what we’d really dreamed about doing, which was to have a little place to call our own,” says Lindsey. “It’s scary to open up a brickand-mortar in a small town these days. “ Though the couple had garnered a sizable online following in the three years leading up to the opening of Wheat &
Willow’s first-ever physical location, Brandon was initially hesitant at his wife’s grand idea. “Lindsey loved it and I was trying not to cry because I was so scared looking it over,” says Brandon. Despite some initial misgivings from Brandon, the couple eventually took the plunge and purchased the space, committing to several months and thousands of dollars’ worth of renovations to bring Lindsey’s dream to reality. That was, of course, after some extensive remodeling and moving out old “guests.” “When we first bought the place, there were a few unused tombstones sitting in the back,” says Lindsey. The renovation was a family affair for the Powells, who enlisted the aid of Lindsey’s brother and father during the process. “My brother has always specialized in working on old buildings, so he was the first person we called,” says Lindsey. “I think the worst part was the ceiling, it was so wavy that it looked like the ocean.” With a little bit of clever repurposing, the family was able to incorporate wood from Brandon’s great great grandparent’s old home in Senatobia into the newly restored trim, salvaging some childhood memories and saving a few bucks to boot. Other lengthy tasks included scouring the plaster from the walls to expose the brick underneath and taking steps to restore the iron threshold, which is one of the few in the city that remains from the time the building was constructed. “Brandon and I ended up doing most of that ourselves,” says Lindsey. “I left a few little spots of plaster through the building because I think it adds a lot of character,” A few remnants of the building’s history, such as the imprint of where the staircase once led to the opera house, still remain as signifiers of the past, telling the tale of a downtown staple that has played many roles throughout its existence. “I love anything with a story,” says Lindsey. With a sense of history and place firmly established, Lindsey immediately set about stocking the store with her signature style of home décor that can be described as “modern farmhouse with a myclickmag.com
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dash of vintage.” “I’ve always been into home décor, DIY, painting and crafts and all that stuff,” she says. “We really wanted everybody to feel like this place was home when they come in and give people an opportunity to take a little away with them.” Wheat & Willow offers an array of artisanal, one-of-a-kind products from several local artists, including paintings, pottery, hand woven tobacco baskets and vintage-style hand painted signs. “We support as many local craftsmen as we can find,” says Lindsey. “But we love to travel over the U.S. looking for interesting reproductions.” Of particular interest is the large selection of pottery crafted by Oxford native Michael Satterfield, which the couple was able to see made firsthand in a visit to the artist’s studio. “We spent a whole day with him,” says Lindsey. “He’s so talented. We’re excited to have his work here in the store.” One of the biggest sellers at Wheat & Willow is their line of faux flowers with realistic tulips, preserved magnolias and boxwood leading the pack in terms of local demand. The store sold more than 500 bundles of tulips alone within just a few weeks of opening. In a small town of just over 8,000 residents, that’s no small feat. “That’s my specialty -- I love an amazing faux floral,” says Lindsey. “And it doesn’t even matter if you have a green thumb since these live forever.” Another popular item is the Park Hill Collection line of scented candles made from soy and essential oils. With an assortment of quintessentially Southern scents like citrus grove and sassafras in addition to the ever-popular sweet tea, these eco-friendly delights have quickly become a soughtafter gift item. “You can reuse these containers when you’re done, so these have become very popular,” says Lindsey. Wheat & Willow also offers a surprisingly substantial 30
May 2019
selection of clothing in the form of a collaboration with Frugal Frocks, which offers the latest in women’s fashion from denim to sundresses. “They’re a local brand that was looking for a home and we thought it was the perfect combination for them to be down here,” says Lindsey. While Lindsey says much of what’s offered at Wheat & Willow is representative of her own personal style, several mineral-based items like agate coasters and quartz cutting boards represent a slight departure from the “Southern Chic” aesthetic. “I love lots of whites and neutrals, it keeps things simple and beautiful: that’s my motto,” she says. “And while we love the farmhouse style, I thought it was important to try to stock a little something for everybody.” When the store hosted its grand opening on April 6 after more than six months of preparation, the Powells agreed the local turnout was nothing less than phenomenal. “The community is amazing and we’ve never met so many of them,” says Lindsey. “Some of them even sent our kids Christmas gifts last year.” As the newest member of the fast-growing Senatobia Main Street family, Wheat & Willow joins the likes of Penny’s Pantry, Broken Cup Café and Tate Nutrition as burgeoning small businesses thriving in the Five-Star City. “We’re so excited, and it looks like the rest of the town seems to be really excited, too,” says Lindsey. “It’s nice to see people out and about in the community and bringing back our downtown.” For more information about Wheat & Willow or to place an order from their online marketplace, visit them online at WheatandWillow.com.
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To the
&
Moon Back Southern Painter Glennray Tutor envisions miniature galaxies in everyday artifacts Feature by CASEY HILDER
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The walls of Glennray Tutor’s plywood studio in Oxford are lined with boxes, stuffed to the brim with a curious assortment of trinkets and tchotchkes. Each one contains a seemingly random array of knickknacks like glass marbles, matchsticks, toy cars and a staggering collection of old comic books, the bulk of which embody the “pulp magazine” style of the pre-1940s that ruled the market before the superhero boon. For the unassuming eye, it’s a junk drawer gone mad. Tutor, however, sees a masterpiece in the making. “A lot of it’s just invented on the spot,” says Tutor. “I may take inspiration from a girl in one comic book, change up the anatomy a bit and put her into a painting alongside something completely different.” While the comic panels often comprise the background of Tutor’s image, he often uses everyday objects as the “stars” of his work. By dropping a few glass marbles on a canvas and mimicking the enticing way they bend light through his paintbrush, Tutor captures the otherworldy side of the ordinary through deep, vibrant oil-on-canvas work. “As soon as I saw comic books, I fell in love,” he says. Tutor, now 68, recalls catching his first glimpse of a copy of Gene Fawcette’s 1952 comic ‘Robot Men of the Lost Planet’ at a local store and becoming enamored by the campy mix of
science fiction and vibrantly drawn characters. This sparked a career in the arts and led to a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from The University of Mississippi in 1976. “I’ve always been interested in art that goes beyond,” says Tutor. “In other words, I’m not interested in painting a paperweight. I like to try and incorporate commentary of metaphor in my work.” Through clever placement and subtle hidden meanings, Tutor’s multifaceted work tackles themes of containment, the concept of infinity, and interactions between the present and past. These details can often be inferred through a variety of cues in his work, and are often defined just as much by what’s not in the image. When painting a scene, Tutor often changes minute details to suit his mental image. For example, a Coca Cola machine in the real world might be painted as a Dr. Pepper machine in Tutor’s “parallel universe,” often for color and consistency’s sake; while a station wagon might morph into a sedan to offer a better view of the horizon. "In my paintings, I modify things as I see necessary to get across the idea," Tutor. “If I were to show you any of the photos that my work was based on, you probably wouldn’t believe me.” Photorealistic depictions of life in the South are nothing new to Tutor, who spent much of the early ‘80s and ‘90s
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working on a series of watercolor, oil and mixed media paintings that depict life in Mississippi. From the emblematic corner grocery stores that spread through the region like wildfire around the turn of the 19th century to hotels and truck stops that provide a short respite from endless acreage of rural land, Tutor’s art captures the feel of Mississippi in a more vibrant and surreal fashion than any photograph. “I’m not trying to reproduce a photo by any means,” says Tutor. “But I want the work to look as real as a photograph. More real, even.” A collection of more than 30 years of work from Tutor in the form of a coffee table book titled “Portals” was released this past November. “It goes from 1983 to current day and has a pretty extensive interview with me conducted by my son, Zach Tutor,” he says. The 200-page book, which is framed as an informal question-and-answer session between father and son, showcases the evolution of Tutor’s work and offers plenty of anecdotal musing about the craft, including sagely advice on how to know when a painting is finished before zeroing in on his eventual definition of art as “inventive and highly refined entertainment.” The book contains more than 235 reproductions of Tutor’s art. 36
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His work was the subject of a 2016 short film by Deborah Freeland titled “I Was A Space Refugee,” which follows his work on a commissioned painting for Nike CEO Mark Parker. “The filmmaker saw a reproduction of this painting and thought she’d like to make a movie about it,” he says. “At first, we tried to do the usual painter thing where they film an artist working on a painting, much like you might see on YouTube.” What began as a simple time-lapse project eventually grew into a 15-minute glimpse into a fantastic series of cosmic events at the artist’s studio, complete with B-Movie special effects and rife with close encounters of the first kind. While Tutor clearly had a ball during the filming process, the short serves a larger purpose of bringing many of the aspects of his work to life and offering a whimsical, albeit surreal, glimpse into the mind of a Mississippi artist. The film premiered at the 2017 Oxford Film Festival and is currently viewable in its entirety on Vimeo. For more information of the art of Glennray Tutor, visit glennraytutor.com.
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The Art of Cleanliness Sukie Nemeth’s Raven Wing Sundries brings an all-natural element to everyday hygiene
Feature by CASEY HILDER | Photos by PAUL NEMETH 38
May 2019
What began as a fun and crafty way for Southaven Arts Council founding member Sukie Nemeth to keep her three young sons clean has quickly turned into an enduring small business venture and “farmers market favorite” around DeSoto County. “I love science, but I’m always concerned about what sort of stuff goes into what they bathe with,” she says. “If it goes on your skin, it goes in your system.” Now with 33 different blends of handmade, vegan soaps in addition to an array of other bath products including beard oils, bath salts and soy candles, Nemeth’s all-natural approach to cleanliness includes an online store and frequent presence at the Hernando Farmers Market, as well as other local craft fairs. “I’m really big on DIY and always have been,” she says. “My mom was big on doing everything on her own and my grandmother had an herb farm, so I guess you could say it came about naturally over the years.” Nemeth started Raven Wing Sundries as a simple meltand-pour operation around the tail end of 2015. By mid-2016, she was cold processing large batches of textured, vividly colored soaps tailored toward all skin types.
“It’s definitely a detailed chemical process,” says Nemeth. “You have to know how exactly how much lye you need, how much water, and your ratio of oils to get that perfect amount of lather and skin moisturizing.” While an average bar of soap can contain more than two dozen ingredients, including various dyes, fragrances, acids and binding agents, Nemeth’s comparatively simple products often contain fewer than 10 ingredients and are usually comprised of a mixture of olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, lye and essential oils and natural florals for scent. “I’m experimenting a little more with scents these days because I’ve had a lot of people who like the heavier aroma,” she says. While Nemeth’s soaps and sundries don’t undergo the same processing methods as big-box brands, achieving the same feel while omitting a few questionable ingredients was paramount during the creation process. “I don’t use palm oil in anything because of the environmental impact,” she says. “I add a little castor oil instead to add a little bubbliness to each piece of soap.” Nemeth worked on perfecting her own unique blend for
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three years, honing the right combinations of essential oils and ingredient ratios for her signature soaps. As the product gained popularity, she established her branding through the bewitchingly catchy title of her eclectic line of experimental soaps, set up an Etsy site and purchased her own web domain. “I wanted something kind of funky and I’ve always been fascinated with ravens,” says “And ‘sundries’ just because I always wanted to do more than just the soaps.” Raven Wing Sundries incorporates exfoliating textures in a variety of natural ways like coffee grounds, blueberry seeds, oatmeal and powdered loofah sponge in lieu of destructive plastic microbeads. These elements, along with clever placement of flower petals embedded in a backdrop of natural colorants like safflower, indigo powder, red matter and mica, make each bar resemble miniature recreations of nature. All soaps produced by Raven Wing Sundries come wrapped in packaging made from recyclable and reusable materials. “I try to be as green and eco-friendly as I possibly can,” she says. Nemeth’s 30-plus unique lines of soaps are each tailored to conjure visions of a far-off or familiar place, as well as suit certain types of sensitive skin. “Hawaiian Sandalwood is always a good seller because it’s a little bit different from what people might think of sandalwood,” says Nemeth. Raven Wing also offers what Nemeth calls “Simple Soap,” a completely unscented, uncolored bar created for a very special purpose. “I developed that one for a friend of mine who was undergoing radiation treatment with cancer,” says Nemeth. “She eventually lost her battle, but I made that specially for her because it’s really gentle.” Nemeth vouches for the popularity of her zinc oxide soap, which is often used to sooth eczema and other dermal ailments. Other local favorites include a “Calm Balm” rub comprised of lavender and orange that is specially geared toward alleviating stress, a similar eucalyptus and peppermint blend to ease the pain of persistent sinus headaches and “Bug Off,” a citronella-based soap that helps combat fleas during the summer months. Each month, a portion of sales from Raven Wing Sundries are donated to a local cause, usually in the area of wildlife preservation or arts education. For more information on Raven Wing Sundries, visit ravenwingsundries.com or check out the Hernando Farmers Market.
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH Recipe & photo courtesy of SERENA WOLF
Coco-Berry QUINOA BOWLS - Makes 4 breakfast bowls Prep time 10 minutes
THE GOODS
METHOD
1⁄3 cup chopped walnuts
First, toast the coco-nutty topping. Heat a medium skillet (with no oil) over medium heat. When hot, add the walnuts and coconut to the pan and toast for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan regularly, until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Whisk the coconut milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the quinoa, and give it a taste. (Feel free to add a little more maple syrup, cinnamon, or vanilla here if you like.) Divide the quinoa between 4 small bowls and top with berries and the coco-nutty topping. Serve with extra coconut milk if you like.
1⁄3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 (15-oz) can light coconut milk (or 2 cups non-dairy milk of your choice) 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or to taste) 1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp pure vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt 3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked quinoa) 2 cups fresh berries (I recommend a mix of
strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.)
Notes: * If you’re starting with uncooked quinoa, remember to rinse your grains and that the ration of quinoa to cooking liquid is 1:1.5. (The package directions lie!) * This is an excellent meal prep recipe, as the quinoa keeps wonderfully in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, it will soak up most of the liquid when stored the fridge, so you’ll need to loosen it with an extra splash of milk before serving to loosen it up.
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May 2019
BEER FROM HERE WITH DERRIC CURRAN AND ALISTAIR CLARK Owners and Operators of The Mississippi Ale House
In the past three months, three Mississippi breweries have either closed their doors or stopped distribution. Mighty Miss, from Greenville, MS, is no longer brewing. Luckytown, from Mississippi's state capital, has shut down. Slowboat, from Laurel, MS, is no longer in distribution. Mississippi is ranked 50th in craft beer consumption across the U.S., which is a shame because there’s amazing beer being made in our great state. 1817, SoPro, Lazy Magnolia, Natchez, Chandeluer, Biloxi, Crookedletter, Mayhew Junction, Threefoot and Key City are all our great state has left and most are nearly impossible to get here in north Mississippi because of distribution. So look on the label: if it says "Made In Mississippi," BUY IT! The only way we will get more "beer from here" is by supporting local breweries.
BREW FACTS Breweries: 1817, SoPro, Lazy Magnolia, Natchez, Chandeluer, Biloxi, Crookedletter, Mayhew Junction, Threefoot and Key City ABV: Under 10% Where to find: Mississippi Ale House
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Sandy & Chuck Shumaker - Hernando Arts Festival
OUT&ABOUT
Joan McClatchy, Jacob & Kim Harris - Hernando Arts Festival
# Hernando Arts Festival
# MudBug Bash
# Chamber Lunch & Learn
# Byhalia Chamber Awards Banquet
# Repticon
# Horn Lake Chamber Luncheon
# Wesley Meadows Golf Tourney
# Mississippi Ale House Brewfest
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Hernando Arts Festival The Desoto Arts Council hosted its first-ever Hernando Arts Festival to kick off the spring. Billed as a springtime version of the popular “Red Door Market,� this one-day event featured a variety of vendors selling a wide selection of arts and crafts.
APRIL 6
photos by MARIANNE SCHURAWEL
Rita Ray & Billie Billyard
Sveta & Paul Osborne
Sharon Williams
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Christian Harris
Regina & Brianna Lucas
Olivia Coopwood & Bailey Parks
Claire Wright
Harison Raines & Laurie Walker
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Chamber Lunch & Learn The Southaven Chamber of Commerce hosted its fourth Chamber 101 of 2019 at their headquarters just off Stateline Road. This free event offered a chance for locals to meet the faces behind the Southaven Chamber of Commerce and catch a glimpse of the benefits of membership.
MARCH 27
photos by MIKE LEE
Blake Bostick
Erica Forman & Tiffany Adams
164th OSS, Memphis Jaci Metcalf
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Aven Brower
Samantha Holland
Lisa Woods
Tim Flesner
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Repticon Hundreds of herpers made their way to Landers Center for Repticon’s Spring Reptile Expo. The quarterly event showcases a wide array of reptiles and amphibians that Mid-South enthusiasts may not otherwise have access to. More than just live animal seminars and scintillating trivia opportunities, the exhibition allows prospective pet owners to pick out a creature of their own and pick up everything necessary for its care, all in one place.
MARCH 31
photos by MIKE LEE
Shelby & Brody Allen
Moran Armstrong & Joshua Mohundro
Miguel Pilcher & Caitlyn Stokes
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Tyler Grandjean & Jarod Dole
Tristan Taylor with Smokey
Cassie Wilson with Boa
Mandy Martin & Ryan Gauvin
Tyler Cleckley Cleckley with Tyler withGypsy Gypsy
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Wesley Meadows Golf Tourney Wesley Meadows Retirement Community hosted its 21st Annual Golf Tournament at North Creek Golf Club in Southaven. Proceeds from this event, which was sponsored by Lipscomb and Pitts Insurance, benefited the Hernando-based retirement community.
APRIL 24
photos by MIKE LEE
Jeff & Kathryn Napper
David Cox, Ted Burrall & Josh Groce
Terry Rodgers, Jim Gray & Ted Rodgers
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Collins Simpson & Jason Allen
Shane McCracken
Doug Stover
Rodney Riley
FIRST SECURITY BANK
Terry Hayes
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MudBug Bash Held annually out on the Hernando Square, the Mudbug Bash has become one of DeSoto County’s premier events. The outdoor gala is catered by local favorites and offers great drinks, better beer, and excellent company. A record number of guests turn out each year, adding to the spirit of hope and achievement Palmer Home has come to embrace. Proceeds from the event help serve countless children in need across DeSoto County.
APRIL 13
photos by WILLIAM SANDERS
Lindsey & Patty Ray
Sha & Nick Parker
Robbin Graham, Anna Johnson, Katelynn Wilson & Stacy Mueller
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Murry & Katheryn Haslip
Paige Street & Will Kinman
Buck & Nicole Gerrard
Nicole & JC Caldwell
Brett & Hannah Simmons
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Byhalia Chamber Awards Banquet The Byhalia Area Chamber Main Street hosted its annual awards banquet at The Byhalia Event Center on Chase Street. More than 120 attendees came together to honor State Representative Bill Kincaid with the “Leader of the Year� award.
APRIL 10
photos by MIKE LEE
Deborah Sykes
Shamika Watson & Alex McClarty
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Jennifer & Brandt Edwards
Justin Hall
Ken & Sheree Edwards
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Horn Lake Chamber Luncheon The Horn Lake Chamber of Commerce hosted its second quarterly luncheon at scenic Bon Terre in Nesbit. This event, which was sponsored by the University of Mississippi, featured speakers Alan Latimer, Kacy Dixon and Erin Garrett.
APRIL 11
photos by MARIANNE SCHURAWEL
Jim Robinson
David & AJ Linville
Erin Garrett, Ashley Lance, & Kacy Dixon
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Frank Fairly & Chad Engelke
Leon Martin & Amy Lay
Mississippi Ale House Brewfest Olive Branch’s Mississippi Ale House hosted an all-day festival dedicated to all things beer. Despite the rainy weather, scores of locals flocked to the expansive Mississippi Ale House digs on Old Highway 78 for food and fun.
APRIL 12
photos by CASEY HILDER
Kristi & Brian Rowan
Cleve Joyner, Ellen McClatchy & Julie Wyse
Billy England, Jessica Simpson, Nicole Brown, Jess Brown & Matthew Simpson
Kevin Meeks & Jessa Gillespie
Ed Clark
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ANIMAL OF THE MONTH
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THE CRAPPIE
Successful Fish, Unfortunate Name by RUSS THOMPSON
If someone tells you they were having a really crappie time over the past weekend make sure they aren’t talking about fishing. It could mean that the crappie were really biting. If you don’t like this fish’s name, you could call it by one of its other nicknames including the strawberry bass, peppermouth, calico bass, or my personal favorite, sauc-au-lait which literally means ‘bag of milk’. Both species of crappie (black and white) are plentiful in our Mid South lakes, rivers, and streams and are one of the most popular game fish around. They are found in forty-eight states and are especially plentiful down here in the south. In fact, the largest black crappie in the world was caught in a lake near Paint Rock Tennessee weighing in at five pounds, seven ounces and measuring nineteen inches in length. The average crappie measures between five to twelve inches and weights between one-half pound to a pound. It can be hard to tell black and white crappie apart. They both have a bronze or olive color with dark spots. The black crappie has irregular patterns of black spots, and the white crappie has vertical bands of black spots. Black crappie have deeper bodies and larger dorsal fins and mouths, making them resemble bass. They prefer lakes, streams, rivers, and sloughs with deep, clear and cool water and plentiful vegetation. White crappie can be found in more shallow, slow-moving streams, backwaters of creeks, lakes, and ponds. They change to a darker color during the breeding season, making them resemble black crappie.
A crappie buffet includes minnows, small fish, crustaceans, zooplankton, the fry of other large fish, insects, and insect larvae (or at least it might seem that way to humans if you read that sentence a certain way). They feed mostly in the morning and at dusk, tending to lay low during the day. Being social fish, crappie form schools. Spawning time is between May and June at which time the males build indented nests at the bottom of shallow water. Once the female lays her eggs, somewhere between five to sixty thousand eggs will hatch in a few days. In small bodies of water, these fish will breed prolificly and can overpopulate the area. That would be a crappie situation indeed (I could make that joke all day long). If you are an angler, you will need to seek them out in shallow waters during the spring and deeper waters in the summer. They are also active during the winter. Expect to find them around brush, weeds, fallen logs, and docks where their favorite food, minnows like to hang out. Mississippi has some of the best crappie fishing around including Grenada Lake, Sardis Lake and Arkabutla Lake right here in the Mid South. Anglers recommend using leadhead jigs that resemble minnows, surface lures or diving plugs. Their clean, flaky flesh makes them a favorite at fish fries. Let’s all tip our hats to one of the most plentiful and successful fish in our area, the popular crappie. So, the next time someone tells you they had a crappie weekend, tell them, “Good, I’m glad they were really biting for you.”
Russ Thompson was a science teacher for 14 years and has been a freelance writer since 2014 focusing mainly on science and nature writing as well as fiction. His science and teaching background has compelled him to take an interest in researching and writing about the natural world.
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