Our Community is Gathering

This will be my last article to write before October gets here. I felt like the time would never arrive. From what I can see the long range forecast is full of hope. I’m seeing 80’s and 60’s coming our way, of course they are upper 80’s and upper 60’s but I’ll take it, the spell has been broken. Fall is a time that brings relief and celebration. We have made it through another relentless, soupy summer is the relief part. The celebration part is that it is the end of one season and the beginning of another. The end of this season to gardeners and farmers is that it is harvest time, a time to put down our dukes against the constant battle that it takes to get to a bountiful harvest and a slower pace as the temperature allows us to relax while we prepare for the gradual entrance into the winter months.

There are fall festivals everywhere, we gather more outdoors for all kinds of reasons wether it is for weekend football, hunting or good ole southern socials. These southern socials come in all shapes and sizes from a gathering of neighbors down at the cul de sac, leaning on a tailgate or intimately celebrating on your patio in your own oasis with good friends. I think this year people will be more than ever eager to touch base with their fellow friends and family. Lately it’s been easier than ever to let some cracks grow even wider that divide us all. I know I am ready to reconnect with some folks that for whatever reason I have allowed the time to check in go way too long. I can say it’s because of the heat, not a good time to gather, I could say that I’m not sure where some folks are politically and I’m too scared and exhausted to find out or I could call it laziness. It is a little of all those things.

The political division has gotten exhausting to me and I hate what it’s done to some of the friendships that go way back. I will always know that no matter where folks have gone with their personal beliefs and opinions they can always call me from the side of the road needing help and I’m dropping everything to get them out of whatever it is they need help with. I do tend to avoid situations that put me in a place where political stances are going to be what a visit will be all about but I have learned to be quiet and listen and sometimes slip out the back if it becomes apparent that I am about to get bored to death listening to someone rant on about things in a negative way. These beliefs are very personal and should be treated so. I hope when the air dries out and cools down that we can give it a shot to reunite and not forget that each other is all we really have. A cool night at a gathering is a great way to start and that time is almost upon us, that excites me.

For the last 7 years we have had a celebration that is our shot at bringing our community together. This year we would like to invite you and everyone you know to our celebration of fall. We have some property at 650 highway 51 in Ridgeland where we will be welcoming our friends and neighbors to join us while we mend cracks where they need mending or just to be happy to be moving on into the next season. We have had such a great year on so many levels that we want everyone to join us for some food, dancing, cold drinks and generally slowing down and catching up for a night. On October 17th at 3:00 we will gather with free cool drinks for all ages along with one of the best bluegrass and folk bands around. Our live music that is sure to get your toes to tapping is the band we all know and love The BTJ Trio. Bill Ellison, Temperance Babcock and Jeff Perkins, with the help of their fiddle, bass and acoustic guitar will cover a spectrum from Bill Monroe to the Everly Brothers to Old Crow Medicine Show.

As they say around here if some of that doesn’t get you going “you might have a hole in

your soul.” We will offer light bites for free and some for purchase. Grumpy Dave’s Kettle Corn will be here, he’s really not so grumpy. If you haven’t had some of Grumpys kettle corn do yourself a favor, it is some of the best. Crooked Letter food truck will be set up in the middle of the party for dinner available for purchase. Check out their menu on line, they have a great menu and have been a real pleasure to work with. We will also feature Amazing Grace with Tanya Lawrence’s Charcuterie cart, We have been lucky enough to have experienced this families work at other events, incredible! For the first time ever we have decided to bring in some of our communities very best artists who will be set up at our Artisan Market. You will be able to look at and purchase pieces from some of the areas finest as you amble through our covered walkways chatting with some of Americas greatest. Everybody knows that Mississippi has produced some of the worlds finest and unique artists. We wanted to give the artisan world a nod to remind us all that we aren’t perfect in Mississippi but we have some things that we can walk tall and feel proud about.

You will meet Wyatt Waters who paints exclusively on location, Pearl Glass Studio will be representing with their stained glass work as well as fused glass stakes and jewelry, the very unique Stately Flowers by Rachelle Livingston who is a mixed media floral designer,

Mackenzie Head,a young ceramic artist showing for the first time who’s work feels organic and intentionally imperfect, Butz Bottle Trees with hand crafted art by the Fondren based artist Sam Butz, The southern narrative artist, Ellen Langford with her paintings often including children, animals and the landscape of the south. Modern Knapper, using the ancient craft of flintknapping, Joe Gilbert scrapes and shapes various stones into functional knives and arrowheads, Elizabeth Robinson with Spirithouse Glass will is a glass artisan that you have to see to believe, Little Bluestem Farms is a small family flower farm just outside of Carthage specializing in sustainability grown cut flowers, Shady Clay- hand built colorful ceramics by Leslie Partridge (one of my favorite employees from the past who wound up marrying another of one of our best employees from our past). Leslie is based in Madison but still uses her family’s kiln in Edward’s, MS to fire all her work, Donna And Phils Honey Farm- a husband and wife team of beekeepers based in Clinton where they care for 30 hives to produce thoughtful, fresh honey,Grumpy Man Foods not to be confused with Grumpy Dave’s Kettle corn, a small family owned company specializing in pepper jellies and salsas known for their quality and freshness of ingredients. I don’t know about you but I can’t imagine a better way to get most, if not all of my Christmas gift buying over with and done in one evening.

You will have Mississippis finest local artisans at your fingertips while you munch on some locally produced food and beverages while listening and toe tapping to some of the best local music we have. We want you to join us, leave you opinions at home just for one night and come and remind yourself that no matter what that we are all still good ole Mississippians who would drop everything to help anyone out of a fix. The name of this 7th annual event is Plants, Pumkins and Pinot And Artisans Market, that about sums it up. For more information check the Explore Ridgeland website and look for our E-mails each week as we will feature 2 of the participating artisans until the night of October 17th. We can’t wait to celebrate the season change, Mississippis artists and most importantly, Y’all, our community!