july 2015 - relish the red berry

JULY 2015 | 1

MADISONJULY 2015 C O U N T Y

THETHERelishRelishRelishBerryBerryRed

EXTRACTING A

STORY

stapleA SWEET

& SAVORY

2 | MADISON COUNTY MAGAZINE

John Polles(601)[email protected]

Amanda Polles(601)278-6871

[email protected]

Here to serve all your real estate needs, including Residential, Recreational Land, Commercial and Property Management.

www.pollesproperties.com

JULY 2015 | 5

FEATURES

JULY2015

13 ONE DAY DESTINATION Unforgettable Soul of the South

20 THE STORY OF THE STRAWBERRY Relishing Summer’s Sweet Red Berries

On the Cover:A bowl of fresh strawberry ice cream sits on a piece of pecky cypress pulled

dripping wet from the Mississippi River waiting at The Storied Salvage Company to be made into something

continuing its story.

MADISONJULY 2015 C O U N T Y

THETHERelishRelishRelishBerryBerryBerryRed

EXTRACTING A

STORY

stapleA SWEET

& SAVORY

Phot

o by

Pri

ce R

osso

n

Hints of strawberries sprinkled throughout the town leave clues of Madison’s alluring past full of everyone’s favorite sweet summer berry that helped bring this town into existence. Learn the history, evolution and influence strawberries have had on our home. See The Story of the Strawberry, page 20.

JULY 2015 | 7

DEPARTMENTS

LIFE’S LEISURE 8 Shopping

Don’t Melt! 17 Food

A Sweet and Savory Staple

25 Books Go Set a Watchman by

Harper Lee 26 Art

Andrew Bucci Rediscovered

33 Music Listening to Leon

SOUTH BOUND29 Extracting a Story

Jackson Repurpose Store Specializes in the Narrative

SIGHTS & SCENES 38 Fresh Faces at the

Farmer’s Markets

SOUTHERLY COMFORT 40 Play is a Child’s

Work

IN EVERY ISSUE 7 Editor’s Letter 36 Events Listing

Phot

o by

Hun

t Mer

cier

Fresh produce and friendly smiles are heating up at the Farmer’s Markets this summer. See Fresh Faces at the Farmer’s Makets page 38.


JULY 2015

PUBLISHED BY The Madison County Journal

PUBLISHERJames E. Prince III

ASSOCIATE EDITOR & PUBLISHERMichael Simmons

EDITORPrice Rosson

LAYOUT & DESIGNRachel Browning

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

David Wiggins, Elwin Williams

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSDuncan Dent

EDITORIAL INTERNMary Parker Janoush

WRITING INTERNS Jamie Logan, Emily Polson

PHOTOJOURNALIST INTERNHunt Mercier

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Bailey Bryan [email protected] • 601.853.4222

ADVERTISING DESIGNGodfrey Jones

Madison County Magazine is a monthly supplement to the Madison County Journal designed to promote Madison County in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Madison County Magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any and all advertising. Subscribe to the

magazine by subscribing to the Journal, mymcj.com, or call the office at (601) 853-4222 ©

2010 Madison County Publishing Company.

MADISONC O U N T Y

2010 Madison County Publishing Company.

JULY 2015 | 9

EDITOR’S LETTER

FRESH STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulledJuice of 1 lemon2 cups heavy whipping cream1 cup half and half1 3/4 cups of sugar Dash of salt

Chop strawberries in a blender or food processor. Add lemon juice and sugar. Process to combine. Cover and chill. Add whipping cream and half and half. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to an ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufac-turer’s directions.

This year, like most, the true Missis-sippi summer came in just one day. Like a light switch, the rain was gone

and the heat was here. No inkling of a cool day in sight, an incessant sauna from here on out, smooth until at least October, offi-cially means summer is here. I have to ad-mit, this year for some reason it has evoked a little fit of the blues.

When planning this issue, I couldn’t es-cape the tone that was set in the heart of this music lover by the passing of B.B. King. A man with so much influence in the world, raised just a few miles down the road from me. A life fully lived, a man of the blues and many mistakes, called home on his final day.

He once said, “Now I know it can never be perfect, it can never be exactly what it should be, so you got to keep going further, getting better.”

The summer heat is far from ideal, but there are things that make July special too.

Growing up in Cleveland, you always heard the names W.C. Handy, Robert Johnson, Son House and B.B. King with memories of the summer heat to the signa-ture sound of acoustic or slide guitars carry-ing the blues into the harmonica howling its sweet harmonies.

This past month, my summer intern, Mary Parker and I took a trip through this area’s blues circuit from “The Hollow”

to Malaco Records. Starting in Canton, these two Delta ladies, met Elmo James, as smooth of a radio technician as the sound of the slide he played. We continued south hitting every blues trail sight in the metro.

This month got a little more sweet as Jamie, our Tulane soon-to-be-junior, dug deep to figure out the story of the straw-berry. Strawberries sprinkle the town with names such as Strawberry Patch Park, the Strawberry Cafè and hints along the new bridge, but why? We have brushed the top of the red berries history but we would also love to hear more stories of memories and mischief, like Mr. Jacobs shares with us in this one!

Aside from the yearly battle of trying not to melt and staying hydrated, July does have its perks—numerous bowls of ice cream, popsicles and farm fresh produce. Savor the season, friends, and if you get the blues I hope its just from a local trip through its past in Madison County and the capital city.

Before his last trip down 61 B.B. said, “There are so many sounds I still want to make, so many things I haven’t done.” make, so many things I haven’t done.”

Keep on trucking. August is on the Keep on trucking. August is on the horizon.

Mississippi blues and beyond has played a tune in my life for as long as I can remember. Above: A photo-op from recent trip to visit the king. Below: At age 3 with the same head full of curls, wathcing Big Daddy’s 500 Pounds of Blues with two lifelong best friends.


SHOPPING

Shimmered Fortuna RancherShield the sun and heat in style! This is a must-have summer accessory to soak up the sun with a little sparkle. Perfect for any beach or summer day look!Anthropologie, $69

Shimmered Fortuna RancherShield the sun and heat in style! This is

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion with SPF 50Keep your skin healthy and hydrated in the summer heat with this everyday necessity! This lotion is not only a moisturizer but has built-in SPF for protection on those long July days no matter what you are doing. Ulta, $10.99Scout Signature Classic Tote

Carry all of your beach/pool necessities, keeping them shaded while looking stylish. Easy to wipe clean and not a problem if it gets wet, this Scout bag is perfect for keeping it all together! Southern Accents, $38.50

Evian Mineral SprayCool yourself off on a hot July day with this mist spray! Freshen up and rehydrate from the sweltering heat. Sephora, $12.50

JULY 2015 | 11

Pop Culture PopsWhat better way to beat the heat than with Pop Culture's ice pops? Located in front of the Capri Theatre in Fondren these fresh fruit and veggie frozen treats are delicious for all ages!Pop Culture Food Cart, $3

Seafoam Yeti RoadieBeach, Reservoir, or any summer event, the Yeti Roadie is a necessity for the summer! Its optimum size and long-lasting coolness makes it a no-melt summer must-have!Sand Dollar Lifestyles, $249.99

Cuisinart Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt MakerIn honor of National Ice Cream Month, enjoy all of your favorite treats at home made just how you like them! Nothing is better than homemade ice cream, so make everyone’s favorite flavor and “cool” sweet this summer to beat the heat.The Everyday Gourmet, $145

Helen Jon Swimsuit Shades of purple are this summer’s color! Keep “cool” and look “cool” in this amethyst bandeau swimsuit!Sportique, $168

JULY 2015 | 13

THE THRILL IS HOMEOn May 27, 2015, Riley B. King made his way home traveling from Memphis to Indianola down the historic Highway 61, the last of his many trips that will forever be remembered

by Mississippi and the world.

Phot

o by

Pai

ge D

augh

erty

JULY 2015 | 15

FEATURE

Who says a destination has to be a two-hour drive? One of the greatest links to the past here in the present is Mississippi’s Blues Trail.

Bursting with history, the blues music culture here has influenced and created some of the world’s greatest musi-cians and been the backbone to numerous genres and musical writing; as we all know the blues calls Mississippi home. If you haven’t already checked out the 14 stops along the trail in the Jackson metro area, take a morn-ing and step back in time to visit the meager beginnings of some of the greatest bluesmen and the places they’ve played, stayed and recorded. Begin in Madison County at the Hollow in Canton and meet Madison County’s most famous bluesman and master of the slide, Elmore James, and make your way to the still-standing Malaco Records famed for its southern soul blues and gospel in the heart of the capital city. Get out and get down here at home, we did!

UNFORGETTABLE SOUL OF THE SOUTH

T H E B L U E S A T H O M E I N T H E M E T R O A R E A

by Price Rosson & Mary Parker Janoush

Phot

o by

Gra

ffiti

Pho

togr

aphi

c, B

ryan

Tho

mps

on

Jackson native Cassandra Wilson, altered the music “playing field” by incorporating a variety of styles into her two-time Grammy-award winning work, including influences by country and folk music, and the hometown Mississippi’s state of blues.


H IC KORY S T R E E T ( T H E HOL L OW )Hickory Street, known locally as the Hollow, was one of several

centers of blues activity around Canton and a hub of social life, com-merce and entertainment for the African American community of Mississippi for several decades. Canton native Elmore James got his start on the famous Hickory Street collaborating with Robert Earl Holston of Robert’s Radio Service (153 Hickory Street) to amplify his guitar played with a slide.

C LU B DE S I R EOne of Mississippi’s foremost blues nightclubs on the scene from

the late 1940s to early 1960s, owner Clarence Chinn presented some of the biggest acts from Chicago to New Orleans including B.B. King, James Brown, Bobby Blue Bland and Big Joe Turner. Club Desire drew patrons from Memphis to New Orleans and was known for first-class entertainment in a celebratory but elegant atmosphere.

T H E A L A MO T H E AT R E & D OR O T H Y M O OR E

Located on Farish Street, The Alamo Theatre was home to mul-tiple jazz and blues contests featuring Nat “King” Cole, Elmore James, and the legendary Dorothy Moore. Dorothy Moore’s soul and blues career took off from this popular venue in downtown Jackson.

T RU M PE T R E C OR D SRecord shop turned blues and gospel studio, William and Lillian

McMurry founded Trumpet Records on Farish Street first record-ing and releasing the sounds of Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 and later Elmore James and Willie Love. Lillian was the creative force and known for her meticulous accounting. She fought for the label’s musical rights of reissues and redistribution, giving credit where credit was due, well after the studio was closed.

Phot

o by

Rya

n R

osso

n

A mural on the walls of a building in “The Hollow” represents Canton’s epicenter of the blues on Hickory Street where Elmore “Elmo” James got his start.

JULY 2015 | 17

S C O T T R A DIO S E RV IC E C OM PA N YIn the wake of WWII technology, social, legal and economic de-

velopments redefined the recording industry giving way to many independent recording labels that needed a place to record. Ivan M. Scott of Scott Radio Service collaborated with Trumpet Re-cords, sharing facilities with recording capabilities and engineer-ing more than seventy records for Trumpet.

E DWA R D S HO T E LConstructed in 1923 and originally named The Edwards Hotel,

this location was a favorite for lodging and deal-making by state legislators. It gained notoriety as a recording studio as the trend of “pop-up” studios in the South set up temporary facilities in hotels to lessen the travel distance to the Northern studios for Southern-based artists. In December of 1930, H.C. Speir, who previously discovered Charley Patton, organized the first Mississippi sessions at the Edwards Hotel.

AC E R E C OR D SFounded in 1955 by John Vincent, this label was the most suc-

cessful in Mississippi from the 1950s-1960s. Its wide variety of re-cordings from blues, R&B, pop, rock, and soul included legends such as King Edward, Arthur Crudup, Sam Myers, and many more. Currently relocated because of construction to the conven-tion center, look for the Ace Records Marker to be back up on the corner of Roach and Capital soon.

O T I S S PA N N & L I T T L E JOH N N I E JO N E S

These cousins who called Jackson home were two of the ac-knowledged masters of the Chicago blues piano who grew up playing in church in Jackson. Spann was a longtime member of the Muddy Waters band and played with many other greats from B.B. King and Chuck Berry to Eric Clapton and Fleetwood Mac. Little Johnnie, “a fun-loving entertainer with a flair for the ris-que,” and taught by Spann, was best known for his tenure with Elmore James.

Phot

os b

y Pr

ice

Ros

son

The Alamo Theatre on Farish Street in Jackson still presents live shows.

Still a place to lay your head, what was called the Edwards Hotel was once converted into a recording studio for post WWII sessions.


S U M M E R S HO T E L & S U BWAY L O U NG EOne of the few options for lodging for African Americans dur-

ing the era of segregation, many musicians stayed at the Summers Hotel. It was popular among musicians such as James Brown & Nat “King” Cole. In 1966 Summers opened a club in the hotel basement which was later the set for a 2003 documentary, Last of the Mississippi Jukes.

I S H MO N BR AC E YA leading bluesman from Jackson’s vital blues scene, Ishmon

Bracey is known to be one of the earliest bluesmen to have record-ings, performing with artists such as Charlie McCoy, Tommy Johnson, and Rube Lacy. After passing away in 1970, Bracey was laid to rest in the Willow Park Cemetery.

B OBBY RU S HA Jackson transplant in the early 1980s by way of Chicago and

born in Louisiana, Bobby Rush is a musician of international ac-claim known for his upbeat and often provocative live shows. He began his teen years wearing a fake mustache and playing in local juke joints alongside Madison County’s Elmore James and others. He earned his nickname “king of the chitlin circuit” in the ‘80s during his time in Jackson.

Q U E E N OF H E A R T SA primary venue for down-home blues was opened at this location

on MLK, Jr. Drive in the 1970s. Owner Chellie B. Lewis booked musicians and cooked soul food every weekend for decades, allowing the blues to thrive in Jackson into the twenty-first century.

C A S S A N DR A W I L S O NGrammy-award winning Jackson native Cassandra Wilson is

known for her broad explorations in various genres, including the blues with her versions of songs by Delta blues artists Robert Johnson, Son House and Muddy Waters.

M A L AC O R E C OR D SStill standing where is was founded in 1967, Malaco Records is one

of the premier national labels of Southern soul, blues and gospel. It was the first state-of-the-art recording facility in Mississippi and first gained national stature with the success of Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue” record in 1976.

Phot

o co

urte

sy Ja

ckso

n St

ate

Uni

vers

ity, C

ente

r for

Uni

vers

ity B

ased

Dev

elop

men

t

The Subway Lounge, a staple for nightlife and hub for the blues, was a center for soul remembered and enjoyed by many and outlasted its counterpart the Summers Hotel until demolition in 2004.

JULY 2015 | 19

LIFE’S LEISURE | FOOD

Celebrating a New Decade at Strawberry Café

August 2005, a long, hot summer neck-deep in the elbow grease of a restaurant remodel came to a climax for the new owners of

Strawberry Café as they opened the doors to their new restaurant. The excitable dynamic of a brother, sister/wife, husband trio, opened the doors in their optimistic enthusiasm for a new job and a new mis-sion to carry these walls into the latest generation under the same sweet name that has held strong and true to its people since 1987.

Ashley and Eric Bach, along with Ashley’s brother Stephen Wade, purchased the Strawberry Café and from then on out, nothing has remained the same except for the name. Celebrating ten years of serving Madison County and beyond this August, the team has suc-cessfully come a long way, but this young train of a trio has no plans of slowing the steamroller just yet.

Phot

o by

Dav

id W

iggi

ns P

hoto

grap

hy The inventive trifecta and custodians of local cuisine and culture, Eric and Ashley Bach and Stephen Wade of the Madison-staple, Strawberry Cafè.

stapleA SWEET & SAVORY

by Price Rosson

Relish in this after dinner delight, Ashley’s vanilla bean cheesecake with Oreo crust topped with straw-berries for a refreshing ending to lunch or dinner.

The replica reconstruction of the Madison Train Depot was completed in 1986 and has served as a café ever since. Two previous owners and many improvements since, Eric, Ashley and Stephen continue to inno-vate and excite guests each week.

Coining their menu “New American” cuisine one of the biggest hur-dles is making the public aware that their menu is not only salads and strawberries. The menu is way more exciting than that and ever-evolving keeping you on your toes and coming back for what is next. Of course, you do have the option for the salad and strawberries with their menu mainstay the “Strawberry Fields” salad, but there are much more hearty options as well. Tried and true po’boys and several burger options are sure to fill you up. Lunch and dinner entrées are served with delecta-bles such as Chef Eric’s Shrimp & Grits or General Tso’s chicken. Pasta and noodle dishes, as well as fare from the land and air, are served each night at dinner. Ashley’s twist on classic desserts such as the vanilla bean cheesecake with Oreo crust and the caramel pie are as sweet of an ending to a meal you can find.

The trio’s innovation does not stop with their ever-evolving menu. The events that they host on a weekly and monthly basis allows them to take their creativity to new heights, keeping themselves and the public anticipat-ing what is next, coming back for more and having a good time sharing in the bounty of a good meal. Each Tuesday in support and in conjunction with the city’s Farmer’s Market, at 4:00 when the market opens, the team scopes the seasonal produce and creates a new special for that night. Of-tentimes, it’s a dash back to the restaurant to test innovation under a time crunch as dinner guests arrive. Alternating months the team at Strawberry Café also host a 7-course meal with optional wine tasting “Chef’s Table” dinner and a 5-course “Pints and Plates” beer-pairing meal.

Loosely-themed meals, planned over a ping pong game of innovation in conversation, this trio mostly enjoys the delight in the dinner by at-tendees at each event.

“We love these events as much as our guests do,” says Ashley. “It’s fun because it’s a merging of the minds and it alternates. ‘Chef’s Table,’ Eric makes the menu and Stephen pairs the wines, and vice versa for ‘Pints and Plates,’ Stephen picks the beer and Eric pairs the meal. This past one we featured beer from breweries in between New Orleans and Jackson.”

With the new bypass and continuous growth, Strawberry Café may some-times be out of sight, out of mind, when contemplating meal time. These in-advertent custodians of local and statewide history, “the” local staple named for the sweet red berry that made Madison a city and an exciting new adven-ture of food and drink each time the table is set, is without question a reason to EAT LOCAL. Champions of the community raising families and always getting involved gives you another reason to give back by enjoying the fresh local fare.

“It’s so important for the county to continue to support their mom-and-pop shops,” all three agree.

As the first ten years comes to a close and the trio is questioned about what’s on their plate for the next ten years, they look at each other and laugh in alluring anticipation.

“We have plans, big plans, we aren’t going anywhere,” Ashley says. “We will continue to support this historic area, continuously redefining without forgetting our roots.”

VISIT THE STRAWBERRY CAFÉ AT DEPOT DRIVE AND MAIN STREET, MADISON.

Open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday Brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (601) 856-3822. | strawberrycafemadison.com

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS:

Farm to Table Night - Every Tuesday Wine Down Wednesdays - Every Wednesday

Pints & Plates - July 21st Chef’s Table - August 20th


JULY 2015 | 21

The “Strawberry Fields,” a menu mainstay, consists of fresh spinach greens, straw-berries, grilled chicken, walnuts and goat cheese and is topped with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Blackened fish topped with fresh peach, cucumber, blueberry and blackended shrimp and a side of summer pasta is a quick and innovative creation from the fresh produce sold at the Madison Farmer’s Market. Look for a new dish each Tuesday night!


StrawberryStrawberryRelishing Summer’s Sweet Red Berries

Strawberryof the

Phot

o by

Hun

t Mer

cier

FEATURE

StrawberryThe Story

by Jamie Logan

JULY 2015 | 23

A postcard of the Strawberry Patch Country Store, which was in the McKay home, given to Strawberry Cafè owners, Eric and Ashley Bach by proprietor Bob Zoercher, upon opening the cafè.

Phot

o co

urte

sy E

ric

and

Ash

ley

Bach

H.E. McKay, The Strawberry King of the South’s, home still stands in Strawberry Patch Park today.


As summer settles in the heart of the south, a whitewashed home, beau-tiful but worn, overlooks the windAtiful but worn, overlooks the windA -

ing trails and laughing children who fill Strawberry Patch Park in Madison. Hints of a history almost forgotten are scattered throughout the city from Strawberry Café to Madison Parkway, a recently constructed bridge bearing the imprint of strawberries. These historic markers remind residents of a time when ripe fields of red fruit stretched as far as the eye could see.

In the mid-1800s, Madison Station was little more than a sleepy stop on the Illinois Central Railroad. The tiny town soon de-veloped into a major shipping center through the efforts of Dr. H.E McKay, a notoriously color-ful figure who began a strawberry revolution from the house that still stands beside Strawberry Patch Park.

“Like a lot of other cities, we claimed to be the Strawberry Capital of the World,” said Hel-en “Brucie” Broockmann of Madison City Hall. “Dr. McKay claimed that very loudly.”

McKay, widely hailed as the Strawberry King of the South, began shipping the first berries to northern markets in 1872 with the advent of refrigerated railroad cars. “Before 1900, they were shipping five to ten railroad cars a day at around $12 per crate,” said Broock-around $12 per crate,” said Broock-around $12 per crate,” said Broockmann. “So you can imagine, it was pretty lucrative back then.”

Eventually, McKay’s farm stretched over 100 acres. Other farmers, seeing his success, also began to champion the cause. “They were getting more money for some other things, but the strawberries were so dramatic,” explained Broockmann, noting that part of Highway 51 was once a strawberry patch as well. “When you looked to the left, you would see noth-ing but strawberries. It really must have been quite beautiful.”

The entire crop was shipped out of the train depot where Strawberry Café, the first restaurant in Madison, still thrives. “Our building was built as a replica of the original train depot,” said owner Ashley Wade Bach.

Bach keeps an old postcard as a memen-to of the time when the McKay house was reopened as the Strawberry Patch Coun-try Store. In 1976, the very same two-sto-ry dwelling became home to the woman who inspired the first Madison-Ridgeland

Strawberry Festival. The festival, complete with strawberry- and ice cream-eating con-tests, was more than a city-wide sales pro-motion. It became an annual testament to the strawberry legacy long after the fields themselves were gone.

“A lot of people struggled to make that produce popular,” Broockmann said. It was a challenge, but local farmers tri-umphed in the end and strawberries be-came a national delight.

Alderman Ken Jacobs, a retired pharma-cist who first moved to Madison County in 1946, can recall a time when railroad cars were loaded down with fruit. “I go a long

way back,” Jacobs explained. Memories of hot summer days brought a smile to his face. “We would ride our bikes up to the coun-ty pond,” Jacobs said. He and his friends would strip down and jump in with a splash.

“A lot of times when we were up there, the train would pass by close enough that we’d all get out and wave,” Jacobs said. On the way home, the boys would bike down the side street next to the now abandoned Walgreens and fill their shirts with nice, ripe strawberries.

“Mr. Ratcliff owned that property,” Ja-cobs remembered. “One day, he came out with a shotgun and fired a few shots up into

the air.” That was a day Jacobs would never forget. “We got out of there quick,” he said.

For Kay Rigby, the sight of strawberries brings back very different memories. “I was just a little girl when all of this was going on,” she said. “I remember going to the place because the Ratcliffs were friends of ours. Of course, back then everybody knew everybody.” The sense of community was so strong that when the Baptist church suffered a fire, the congregation simply joined the Methodists down the street. “It was a good place to live,” said Rigby.

Strawberries remained popular into the late 1940s. “There was a man who would

come around and sell strawber-ries door to door,” said Kit Axtell, recalling how the salesman need-ed two hands to carry the tray full of produce. “That was the only time we had fresh strawberries.”

Slowly but surely, the strawberry sensation began to wane. Home refrigeration systems became in-creasingly common, and farm-ers realized that they could bring in strawberry crops nearly two months earlier in Louisiana. These factors combined to decrease the demand for shipped strawberries.

Today, Madison is Today, Madison is Tknown for a great many things. Strawberries, unfortunately, are no longer one of them. Large farms and small patches alike have migrated elsewhere, but those who have tasted fruit fresh from the vine will always remem-ber the sweet smell and burst of flavor from idyllic summers past.

Red, ripe, and juicy, the sinful-ly-colored berries could almost be considered a guilty pleasure were they not healthy, too. The popular treat is high in Vitamin C, low in calories, and sodium-free. Strawberries can be served dipped in chocolate, cooked

into cakes, or sprinkled onto delicious sal-ads. They can now be found seasonally at Chapel Hill Orchard in Duck Hill, Farmer Brown Southern Farms in Saucier, Lazy U Farm in Macon, and others across the state of Mississippi.

Madison will never forget the crimson catalyst that caused it to become one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Here, at least, strawberries will never go out of style.

C, low in calories, and sodium-free. Strawberries can be served dipped in chocolate, cooked

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of th

e A

rchi

ves a

nd R

ecor

ds S

ervi

ces D

ivisi

on, M

ississ

ippi

Dep

artm

ent o

f Arc

hive

s and

Hist

ory

JULY 2015 | 25

Strawberry S lus h

1 small package strawberry drink mix

1 small package lemonade drink mix

1 quart pineapple juice

2 ½ cups sugar

1 small can crushed pineapple

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 (16-ounce) bottle lemon-lime soft drink

Combine all ingredients except soft drink in gallon container, finish filling up with water. Put in freez-er until consistency of a slush. Shake well. Pour in your favorite pitcher or punch bowl and add soft drink. Keeps well in freezer.

strawberryrecipes

Strawberry- Lemon Muffins

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 well beaten egg

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

1 cup fresh (or frozen) strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated

1 Stir first three ingredients together thoroughly and add ¾ teaspoon salt. Make a well in center.

2 Combine egg, milk, and oil. Add all at once to dry mixture. Stir just till moistened. Add strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and grated lemon

peel. Stir just enough to mix.

3 Fill well-greased muffin tins or paper cup-lined muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes. While muffins are still warm, dip tops

in melted butter and then in sugar. Makes 12 muffins.

These recipes were the winners of a May 1981 Strawberry Cookoff at the Madison-Ridgeland Strawberry Festival.

JULY 2015 | 27

A storm is brewing and it’s going to hit A storm is brewing and it’s going to hit A the literary world for the first time A the literary world for the first time A since 1960.Harper Lee’s newest A since 1960.Harper Lee’s newest A “storm,” Go Set a Watchman set to release Go Set a Watchman set to release Go Set a WatchmanJuly 14 is going to shake the literary world just as her best seller To Kill A Mockingbird did. The world-renowned author is stepping out of the shadows and back into the literary spotlight to release this new novel. Another Harper Lee era is upon us, and the already-supposed impact her newest release will have on modern literature is truly astounding.

Unbeknownst to many, Go Set a Watch-man was actually written before Tman was actually written before Tman o Kill a was actually written before To Kill a was actually written before TMockingbird. Lee’s editor Tay Hohoff wantMockingbird. Lee’s editor Tay Hohoff wantMockingbird -ed her to take the minor character of Scout and create a work from her perspective. Obliging her editor’s request, Lee created To Kill A Mockingbird, which became an To Kill A Mockingbird, which became an To Kill A Mockingbirdimmense sensation in the literary world in a short time. The first of its kind to explore popular issues of the 1960s, its characters found a place in readers’ hearts. This novel opened the door for many people to discuss and publish about racism in a way that the world needed to see. To Kill A Mockingbirdbecame a staple in American Literature and has left a significant footprint.

Go Set a Watchman has become one of Go Set a Watchman has become one of Go Set a Watchmanthe most highly-anticipated novels of 2015 and readers are expecting it to have just as large of an impact on literature as its pre-decessor. With Harper Lee’s passion for important issues in our world, one can only imagine the impact this book will have on a new generation of Harper Lee readers. With it being closely guarded and no ad-

vance copies released, we are blindly await-ing the summer “storm” that Ms. Lee will release on her fans new and old.

As the excitement continues to rise, Lem-uria Books is planning its own “Harper Lee Celebration,” an evening featuring Go Set a Watchman. With the blind anticipation, a Watchman. With the blind anticipation, a Watchmanattendees will hear novelist Howard Bahr present a reading of the first chapter. They will also be selling copies “by the boatloads” for all readers excitedly awaiting the release. The event will take place on the book’s re-lease day Tuesday, July 14 at 5:30 p.m.in their adjacent Dot Com building. With

good company, good literature, and dollar beer Lemuria Books will offer an evening of celebration for one of literature’s most-acclaimed authors and her newest endeavor in the literary world.

With this “storm” approaching rapidly, readers around the world are ready to see the newest treasure from the alluringly cre-ative mind of Harper Lee. Go Set a Watch-man is sure to leave a lasting mark in literaman is sure to leave a lasting mark in literaman -ture just as To Kill a Mockingbird. Readers To Kill a Mockingbird. Readers To Kill a Mockingbird.everywhere cannot wait to see the surprise that awaits us all!

THE Return OF Harper Lee

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

Lem

uria

Boo

ks

The Literary World Eagerly Anticipates the release of Go Set a Watchman

by Mary Parker Janoush

LIFE’S LEISURE | BOOKS

July 2015 brings to a climax the highly-antic-ipated new novel by the elusive, yet captivating Harper Lee.


phot

o by

Jam

es P

atte

rson

MISSISSIPPI REDISCOVERS THE MODERN MASTER

OF VISUAL ART

Just last year, Mississippi lost one of its modern masters and most celebrated visual artists, Andrew Bucci (1922-2014). Over the course of eight decades, he produced a dazzling and timeless body of work while establishing a style that was purely his own.

He left behind a treasure trove of artwork, and art lovers around the state and country are rediscovering the legacy of Andrew Bucci.

Jack Kyle, Senior Director of Arts Development at Belhaven Univer-sity, became interested in organizing an event for Bucci after meeting the artist last year during the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson. (Bucci's painting, Figure in Green, was selected as the sig-nature image for the 2014 IBC commemorative poster and program.)

"I was surprised to discover that although his works are in per-manent collections of many major museums, he had never had an exhibition devoted exclusively to his work in Jackson," Kyle said. "That's when I conveyed to Mr. Bucci my interest in organizing an

exhibition of his art at Belhaven University, and I also invited him to curate it. He enthusiastically accepted."

Bucci had begun selecting works from his personal collection when he died on November 16, 2014 after a brief illness. Family members wanted the exhibition to proceed and continued prepara-tions with Belhaven University.

Local artists, gallery owners and many people who love Bucci’s art rallied together to make the exhibition a reality. On May 29, 2015, “Andrew Bucci: Rediscovered” opened to the public. This is the first exhibition of the artist’s work since his death and the first show exclusively presenting his work in Jackson, Mississippi.

According to Kyle, the name of the exhibit was selected because “It is a fresh introduction to his artistic talent and serves as a cata-lyst to reawaken the art world of Bucci’s importance as an artist.”

Paintings selected for this exhibition reflect a range of styles over

by David Sprayberry

Mississippi Modern Master of Visual Arts, Andrew Bucci (1922-2014)

LIFE’S LEISURE | ART

Andrew Bucci: Rediscovered runs through August 29 at Bel-haven University's Bitsy Irby Visual Arts & Dance Center on the main Jackson campus. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is closed on Sunday. Admission is free.

For more information, visit www.buccirediscovered.com or contact Jack Kyle, Senior Director of Arts Development & Chair, Arts Administration, Belhaven University, at 601.968.8937.

a prolific career — from Matisse-inspired still-lifes and rare family portraits to daz-zling modernist landscapes. The exhibition, located in Belhaven's Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center, consists of 29 oil-on-canvas paintings, one major work on paper and six needlepoints. All of the works are from Bucci's estate, and many are being dis-played to the public for the first time.

“A look at Bucci’s work indicates that the artist was quite impressionable,” observed Erika S. Olinger, owner of Cole Pratt Gal-lery in New Orleans. “Influences of Picasso, Braque, Matisse and others of the School of Paris are clearly visible.” Olinger has stud-ied the works of Bucci and has a deep ap-preciation for his art. She adds, “The figure, color and landscape defined Bucci’s artistic career. As he matured in his style, these three often converged.”

Bright, vivid colors are the first thing that immediately catches the viewer’s eye at the ex-hibit. Olinger points out, “Bucci was enthralled with color and wanted to understand what it was about through practice and repetition. He used color to expand and push out his surfaces, as well as to contract and push inwards.”

His landscape paintings are another highlight of the show. Olinger believes that one of the most significant attributes of Buc-ci’s work is the emotional effect his paintings have on the viewer. “Joyous, uplifting, hap-py, healing… these are all words that have been used to describe Bucci’s landscapes.”

Andrew Bucci: Rediscovered is part of an initiative at Belhaven University to advance and support the arts called the Marie Hull Society for the Arts. The University has a notable focus on producing top artist and is one of only 33 universities in the U.S. ac-credited in all four of the major arts. Bucci was influenced early in his career by Marie Atkinson Hull, who was a 1909 Belhaven (College) University graduate and one of Mississippi’s foremost artists of the 20th cen-tury. Around 1940, Bucci began taking art lessons from Hull in her home on Belhaven Street in Jackson. Over the course of their lifetimes, they forged a mutually influen-tial relationship that was reflected in their paintings and continues to be studied by art scholars and historians.

Dolores. Oil on canvas. Early 1950s.

Desktop Still Life. Oil on canvas. 1952.


(Cut Here)

JULY 2015 | 31

Jackson Restoration Store Specializes in the Narrative

SOUTHBOUND

Walking through the doors of The Storied Walking through the doors of The Storied WSalvage Company in Midtown Jackson is WSalvage Company in Midtown Jackson is Wlike entering a museum, salvage warehouse, Wlike entering a museum, salvage warehouse, Whardware store and antique shop all at once. The walls covered in colorful reclaimed wood hold a mosaic of vintage signs, Coca-Cola advertisements and antique mailboxes. Neighborly staff offer each visitor a Mexi-can Coca-Cola and personalized assistance, ready to hear the story of the customer’s current project, and to share the history of anything in the store.

From the 1905 sterling silver loving cup present-ed to Major Reuben Millsaps, benefactor and name-

sake of Jackson's Millsaps College, to the Sinker Cypress lumber recovered from its century-long stay at the bottom of river beds in the Mississippi Delta, everything has a story.

Co-owners Chris Hoar and Chad Schwarzauer and their staff are dedicated to sharing these stories with their customers. “We just feel that it’s impor-tant that the heritage is kept alive,” Chris says.

The company got its start back in 2014 when Chris bought and began restoring an 1839-50s era Greek revival house in Enterprise with the help of architectural salvage and construction ex-

EXTRACTING A

Jackson Restoration Store STORY

Phot

os b

y H

unt M

erci

er

by Emily Polson


pert Chad. The two hit it off when they realized their shared passion for faithful restoration.

“I hired him because he told me if I was going to cut corners, he wasn’t interested,” Chris says. When finding lumber from the appropriate time period proved diffi-cult, they decided to purchase the salvage rights to other properties and reclaim the wood themselves. At the end of the resto-ration, there was leftover lumber, so the partnership continued as the two decided to go into business.

While they would rather restore than salvage old structures, Chris notes that the property tax laws in Mississippi make it fi-nancially difficult for landowners to even maintain these buildings, so many tragi-cally resort to tearing them down. In this situation, salvaging the materials is the best way to rescue some of that heritage.

The lumber is cleaned, de-nailed, washed, cut to a nominal size, wrapped and packed on the shelves, ready for a new home. Shane Miller of Jackson, who has been with the company since they “un-loaded the first trailer” into their Midtown location, says, “We want to be able to tell the story of the wood, where it comes from, to the people that are buying it.”

For this reason, he says the salvage crew takes pictures and video of the old struc-tures before and during the process of de-construction, as well as finds out anything they can about the building. For an early deconstruction of an 1860s house in Tay-lorsville they were able to obtain a picture of the original owners standing in front of the home and superimpose it with a pic-ture taken right before they began the sal-vage. They also recently took down a barn in Canton, preserving its story through a video they shared on their Facebook page.

“Where we’re at right now, we can look at most of these boards or these beams, and we know which house they came from because we did it,” says Shane. “So we got very close with these houses and this wood before we put it all on the racks.”

In addition to the importance of histori-cal preservation, using reclaimed lumber has practical benefits. Their tight-grain Heart Pine is sturdier than its modern counterpart and has such high sap content that termites cannot live in it, says Shane. He also described the naturally rich color-ing of reclaimed lumber. “The reason they created stains was to simulate the look of old wood,” Shane says of modern wood.

Along with lumber, Chris and Chad began to sell the antique doors, windows, glass, hardware, and miscellany they

found in the properties they salvaged. There is something for everyone at the store, from working vintage 1910s pay-phones to colored planks of beadboard. Their newest venture is renting out some of their storied items for weddings, includ-ing French doors, patterned metalwork backdrops, and vintage wedding dresses. This service is fittingly titled “Something Borrowed.”

Chris, Chad, and their staff are not just dedicated to finding out from where their products come, they also want to know where they are going. They ask customers to send them pictures of their completed projects, and they share these on their Facebook page. “That’s the other part of the story,” says Shane.

Chris is a California resident original-ly from England, but his passion for the American South dates back to his first cross-country road trip in the ‘80s. “I just loved it. I mean for me it’s very differ-ent from the rest of America. It’s the most American part of America, I think,” Chris says. “The architectural style of the South is my favorite of all.”

The people of the South add to the ad-venture of being in the salvage business—Chris says they meet some great charac-ters on the road, and “they’ve all got a story to tell.”

The Storied Salvage Company official-ly opened its storefront this spring, but it is growing fast. Chris hopes that their cus-tomers won’t just buy a product, but will also take the time to learn about its history as they help it find new life.

“I think that we have a lot to learn from our ancestors and our forefathers and how they did things,” Chris says. “We need to take a second look at ideas we call outdated.”

Chris encourages his customers to take a second look at the rest of Midtown Jack-son, too. “There’s a lot to see and do in Midtown,” he says, mentioning Pearl River Glass Studio, Offbeat, and Lucky Town Brewery. Chris and Chad have had the opportunity to return to their first passion in Midtown as well, through reconstructing multiple properties in the neighborhood.

“[It’s] all about learning from the past to build a present,” says Chris. “If you don’t know where you came from, you have no idea where you’re going.”

Visit The Storied Salvage Company at 140 Wesley Ave., Jackson. Open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 601.559.4792.

With an eye-catching entry in Midtown Jackson, you cannot help but stop to step inside and see the world of wonders and storied pieces waiting for the next chapter.

JULY 2015 | 33

Phot

o by

Pri

ce R

osso

n

A marble top bar from an old malt shop sits and waits for the perfect home to continues its story.

A mosaic of signage covers the warehouse walls.

JULY 2015 | 35

LIFE’S LEISURE | MUSIC

It is hard to pinpoint just one thing for which Leon Russell is truly great. A master of the ivory keys, a distinctive

voice that oftentimes shares long winded songs that meander and blend into medleys until you forget where you started only to be jerked back to where it began, unforgettable stage presence, a writer of magnificent lyrics shared with others, and a career of produc-ing of many songs that create the memories that bind good times for both young and old. While it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing, it is the sum of the many, many parts that make Leon Russell great.

The Oklahoma native may be one of the most prolific players in Rock ‘n’ Roll. He made his bones in Los Angeles playing with the Wrecking Crew, a loose group of “first call” session musicians who played on ev-erything from film scores and radio jingles to hit pop records by such artists as Nancy

Sinatra, The Monkees and Bing Crosby.He produced Bob Dylan’s song “When I

Paint My Masterpiece” and wrote and re-corded and wrote the number one hit “This Diamond Ring” for Gary Lewis and the Playboys. He also recorded the 1979 num-ber one country hit duet with Willie Nelson, “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Perhaps the songs he made most famous for himself after he started his solo career in the 1970s were “A Song For You,” “A Hard Rains a-Gonna Fall,” and “Stranger In A Strange Land.” He built a solo career off songs like these as well as covers from his extensive list of friends and collaborators. The energy he brings to live shows, the sum of his effort and the skill of his supporting band is perhaps best captured in his 1973 live album Leon Live.

This is the center of my familiarity with the recording legend. It starts with a medley that meanders through a Dylan song, a mix of gos-pel and blues standards like a handful of chex mix and some bizarre rock and roll numbers. The album continues in that fashion and does not lose steam through some of his hits, a Roll-ing Stones cover and more folk favorites.

He has also played with such accom-

plished and varied greats as B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, George Har-rison, Ringo Starr, Joe Cocker, Barbra Stre-issand, and Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass Band. It reads like a laundry list.

And the 73-year-old piano player has not slowed down. In 2010, he recorded a T-Bone Burnett produced album The Union with Sir Elton John. It is a grand album that perfectly blends the rough and tumble, rol-licking Americana style of Russell with the grandeur and rowdy yet refined pop of John.

In 2011, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he was not done yet. In 2014, he released his album, Life Journey, which is largely a journey through covers of standards like “Georgia on My Mind” and Billy Joel’s “Fever.”

Russell described this album as “a record of my musical journey through life.”

Ardenland will welcome Russell to Jack-son’s cozy and intimate Dulling Hall for a concert on the evening of Saturday, July 18. Come out and see what makes Russell great as he unleashes more than 50 years of experi-ence behind the piano and walks the crowd through the musical journey of his life.

LISTENING TO LEONAmerican Rock n’ Roll Legend Visits the Capital City

Phot

o co

urte

sy A

rden

land

A young Leon Russell (seen above) with a life-time of Rock ‘n’ roll under his belt and a prodi-gious influence in the musical world visits Jack-son for a once-in-a-lifetime show in the intimate setting of Duling Hall.

By Duncan Dent

JULY 2015 | 37


EVENTS

FUN- RAISER’SJULY 4, 7:30 AMThe Farm Bureau Watermelon ClassicMississippi Sports Hall of Fame and MuseumMsfame.com

JULY 18, 7:00 AMBruin Burn 5kSt. Joseph Catholic Schoolmstrackclub.com

JULY 21, 7:00 PMSweetest Chefs of the SouthHosted by local pastry Chef Mitchell Moore of Campbell's Bakery, a night of sweet treats from female pastry chefs from the southern U.S! Ticket proceeds go to funding the establishing of the Mississippi Culinary Arts Guild.Mississippi Craft Centersweetestchefs.brownpapertickets.com(601) 942-7335

JULY 25, 8:00 AMHead for the Cure 5k benefitting Brain Cancer ResearchMadison Healthplexheadforthecure.org/jackson-metro

FESTIVALSJULY 2-5, VARIOUS TIMESMississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Fest Cantonballooncanton.com

JULY 4, 6:00 TO 10:00 PMCelebrate America Balloon GlowNorthpark Mallvisitridgeland.com/event/celebrate-america-balloon-glow-3/

JULY 4, 6:00 PMCanton Gospel Fest Homecoming Historic Canton Squarecantontourism.com/gospel.html

JULY 11, 10:00 AM21st Annual Ice Cream Safari Jackson Zoojacksonzoo.org/events

ARTJULY 7, 5:30 PMLook Closely and See Series: Wardlaw’s ApplesMississippi Museum of Artmsmuseumart.org

JULY 16, 5:30 PMMuseum After Hours- Mississippi Pop ArtMississippi Museum of Artmsmuseumart.org

JULY 28, 5:30 PMLook Closely and See Series: Wardlaw and MaineMississippi Museum of Artmsmuseumart.org

JULY 4, 9:00 PMMadison Family FireworksLiberty Parkmadisonthecity.com

JULY 2015 | 39

MUSICJULY 3, GATES OPEN 4:00 PM Ardenland & Livingston Community Foundation present Jason Isbell with Holly WilliamsTown of Livingstonardenland.net | (601) 292-7999

JULY 9, DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM Chris Knight Duling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999

JULY 17, DOORS OPEN 8:00 PM & MUSIC 9:00 PMWillis Alan RamseyDuling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999

JULY 18, DOORS OPEN 8:00 PM Leon RussellDuling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999

JULY 19, 2:00 PMMississippi Old Time Music SocietyMississippi Craft Center(601) 942-7335

JULY 26, DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM3 Doors Down & SeetherThalia Mara Hall (601) 960- 1537

JULY 26, DOORS OPEN 6:30Good GraeffDuling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999

JULY 31, DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM The Mulligan BrothersDuling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999

BOOK SIGNINGS & READINGSJULY 14, 5:30 PM Harper Lee Celebration: Go Set a WatchmanAn evening of Harper Lee and her newest release Go Set A Watchman with a reading from the book by Lemuria staff, cheap beer, and some giveaway goodies!Lemuria Bookslemuriabooks.com

JULY 30, 5:00 PM & 5:30 PMArmada by Ernest Cline Lemuria Bookslemuriabooks.com

AUGUST 4, 5 PM & 5:30 PMThe Story of Land and Sea by Katy Simpson Smith Lemuria Bookslemuriabooks.com

JULY 20, DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM Delta RaeDuling Hallardenland.net | (601) 299-7999


SIGHTS & SCENES

SIGHTS & SCENES

Taylor Yowell of The Gar-den Farmacy at the Farms of Livingston selling his to-matoes at the market

The Spivey family in Livingston

Phot

os b

y H

unt M

erci

er

With growing season and summer in full swing, many are eat-ing fresh and eating local! Get to know your farmers and their food shopping alongside these fresh faces and local vendors.

Fresh Faces at Madison County’s Markets

Tammy Garletts selling Mississippi Bees Honey, a natu-ral remedy for allergy season

Arthur and Rosalie Wells, Emeal, Greg, and Tyler Richards with Isaac and Oliver Adams of the Canton Farmer’s Market sell their farm fresh tomatoes.

SIGHTS & SCENESSIGHTS & SCENES

JULY 2015 | 41

Cole Simpson from Salad Days helps a customer bag her tomatoes at the Downtown Madison Farmer’s Market.

Sue Reno, Trey and Phyllis Mclean, and Barbra Kent at the Dog Trot Farm table in Madison

Andrea and John Clagg browsing candles from Blackjack Wax Co. at the Livingston Farmer’s Market

Carrie Chester sets up the market at Flora’s Two Dog Farms table.

Pop Culture’s Ice Pops offer Livingston market-goers a sweet treat to cool off while browsing.


“Believe it or not some children have never had the experi-ence of being able to swing on

a swing or slide down a slide,” Robin Mc-Crory, Madison’s Director of Business and Downtown Development, expresses with empathy. “That is changing in Madison.”

Strawberry Patch Park is now complete with Liberty Park not far behind on con-struction of two state-of-the-art, all inclu-sive playgrounds providing children and parents of all abilities access to one of the most simple foundations of childhood, play-ing on the playground.

Funded in part by a Community Devel-opment Block Grant through the Mississippi Development Authority, the Land and Water Conservations Fund Grant through Missis-sippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks as well as the city of Madison, city part-ners and various in-kind services, Madison is building a foundation for a better future for all.

“Madison is known for families, and we love our children. This is a wonderful amenity to have,” Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler comments.

“Play is a child’s work,” states Robin. Children playing with each other allows

them to engage in conversation, express themselves to others and have the opportu-nities to learn and share and to simply figure out the basics of life. At the early stages of their development, it is crucial for children to learn these skills. In this day and age, it is most important for children to put down their electronics and get outside to interact.

Why should a wheelchair or a cochlear implant inhibit this basic childhood right of passage that we often take for granted? It should not.

Liberty Park’s addition will provide wheel-chair accessibility for children and parents in a wheelchair to access the equipment.

“If there is a dad who wants to be able to push his child on a swing for the first time, but cannot access the traditional equip-ment,” Robin says, “Now he can.”

Liberty Park will also provide a special-ized rocker, called the “Sway Fun.” The Sway Fun is large enough for two wheel-chairs to roll onto the deck with roomy

seating for family and friends. The rocker moves with the push and pull movement of an accessible table in the center and gathers momentum for swaying movement like a big boat. The equipment provides a double zip line, one of which has a harness chair, al-lowing children with limited abilities to feel secure while flying through the air with sun on their faces and the wind in their hair.

Children with cochlear implants often cannot enjoy a slide due to the static electric-ity build up from the plastic. The new roller slide is specially-designed for this reason and is also wide enough for two to slide together.

This summer brings a better future for all children and families in the metro area. The renovations to these Madison Parks will allow more than just a fit of laughter, faces with pink cheeks from pure excitement, and smiles so hard they hurt. Strawberry Patch and Liberty Park will provide all children and parents the act and the ability of playing together, getting outside and developing the crucial communication skills the kids need to grow, prosper and make this world a bet-ter place.

Enjoying Their Way to a Better Future

Phot

os b

y Pr

ice

Ros

son

PLAY is a Child’s Work

by Price Rosson

SOUTHERLY COMFORT

A playground provides essential funda-mental lessons for all children such as basic conversation skills, self-expression and the opportunity to learn how to share. Strawberry Patch Park has pro-vided these life lessons for years and will continue to with the new equipment.

JULY 2015 | 43

july 2015 - relish the red berry

Documents