Issuu

November 2025

Those We Love Most

Goff Farms | Wild Life | Antiques and Memories

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sk a handful of people how they feel about their families, and you’ll undoubtedly receive a range of lengthy answers. Families are complex, their dynamics defined by countless stories dating back years, even generations. To love someone is not necessarily to feel a strong affection for them. Then again, sometimes it is. Ask those same handful of people who they consider to be their family, and you’re likely to get another myriad of answers. Mom and Dad. A spouse or kids. Friends. Pets. Community. Some of these. Maybe none. The definition of family depends on who you ask. Again, it’s complex. Stories about love and family are some of the most universal but are also often the most difficult to tell. Capturing the depth of feeling and history that comes when talking about family is a challenge for even the most seasoned storyteller. The best approach may be to tell as many of these stories as possible • to trade a sharpened pencil for a wide brush. Each story – and the pages that follow contain several – will be different, even if each bears a striking similarity to the others. Hazy around the edges, but sharp at its core.

1242 S. GREEN ST. TUPELO, MS 38804 662.842.2611

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If you have any thoughts about this issue, please email us at editor@mudandmag.com subscriptions@mudandmag.com advertising@mudandmag.com info@mudandmag.com mudandmag.com This magazine is a monthly publication of Journal Inc.

OUR STAFF SALES TEAM

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Adam Armour, Editor; Shannon Johnson, Creative Director; LaReeca Rucker, Copyediting; David Johnson, Creative Team; Janey Shimp, Creative Team; Missha Mize, Sales Coordinator CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Dennis Seid

Leslie Criss

Meredith Biesinger

Eugene Stockstill

Thomas Wells

June Phillips Teresa McDonald Rebecca Walker Molly Self Danielle Daugherty Angie Quarles Leigh Knox Paul Fullerton Tim Watson Missha Mize

Adam Robison

UNDERGROUND MISSISSIPPI

When most people think of Mississippi, their minds drift upward – toward sun-drenched porches, cotton fields stretching under endless skies, or the moss-draped oaks lining country roads. However, some of the state’s most fascinating landscapes lie beneath our feet.

BUZZ FEED

WILD LIFE

TREASURES OF THE HEART

Sweet B’s owner Tawana Basham fondly remembers those times during her childhood when her mother was in the kitchen, baking cakes or putting together a meal. Her daughter, Chelle Florence, has similar memories. It’s only natural, then, that the two run a bakery together.

New Albany’s Jenna Ward and her husband care for no fewer than 28 creatures, including four cats, two dogs, 10 goldfish, two millipedes, a jumping spider and multiple snakes.

On the cover: The Goff family – including children Collins and Know – go for a side-by-side ride through their Mooreville Farm. Cover photo by Thomas Wells. November 2025, Vol. 13, Issue 11

UP IN LIGHTS

Oxford native Camden Reed hasn’t directed his cinematic masterpiece yet, but he’s in a good place to get a running start on it – Mississippi College’s Institute for Southern Storytelling.

VISUAL HARMONY

Identical twins Tanya Reedy and Tonya Moore obviously have a lot in common. Their similarities end at the canvas, however.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

In the heart of downtown Fulton, where the sidewalks are lined with old brick and neighbors still wave from across the street, sits Main Street Vintage & Antiques. At first glance, it’s a place to hunt for treasures from the past. But step inside, and you’ll find it’s really a place where family, memory and community come together.

TAKING ROOT

TUPELO FEELS LIKE FAMILY

Mooreville’s Alisha and John Adam Goff’s story is one of family, faith, and farming – and, in many ways, it’s a story about how love takes root in unexpected places.

There’s something about the people and places of Tupelo that make it feel like more than just a city. It feels like a family.

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n I s t h g i L

Story By Eugene Stockstill Photos by Thomas Wells

Oxford native is all in at MC’s Institute for

art

Southern Storytelling

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Camden Reed is an Oxford resident and a student involved in Mississippi College’s Institute for Southern Storytelling. His dream is to direct film.

xford native Camden Reed hasn’t directed his cinematic masterpiece yet, but he seems to be in a good place to get a running start on it. Reed is one of numerous students involved in Mississippi College’s Institute for Southern Storytelling. MC doesn’t offer a degree in film. Instead, it gives interested students an extended chance to immerse themselves in the world of filmmaking. As its name suggests, the institute has a decidedly Southern kick to it. Results have been eye-catching and award-winning. The daughter of one of the institute’s founders won a Southeastern Regional Emmy for her work on a documentary about Eudora Welty; and this spring,

“Chasing Rabbits” screened at the Oxford Film Festival, a film written and directed by Mississippi writer Michael Farris Smith that students helped create. Reed was one of them. “It was really cool,” said Reed, who added that film festivals in Italy and Germany have taken an interest in the short film. “I’d been in Oxford for the majority of my life. I used to go to the film festival by myself as a kid. It was the same theater I was watching ‘Avengers’ movies in. We had a packed theater … a lot of people asking questions.” Born in Sugarland, Texas, Reed moved with his family to Oxford in 2009. He attended Regents School. The young Reed then went away to school in Georgia,

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Left Photo: Gabrielle LeBlanc, left, and Camden Reed walk through The Square in Oxford, Miss. Right Photo: Camden Reed walks past Oxford City Hall in Oxford, Miss. before returning to Mississippi and enrolling at college in Clinton. MC, and more specifically the institute, is a dream come true for Reed. He’s getting to help with an immersive exhibit for the college’s bicentennial celebration next year, and two of his own projects are in the works. The institute’s emphasis on storytelling traditions in the Deep South appeals to Reed, who first discovered the writings of William Faulkner at an old bookstore in Georgia. He bought a bunch of Faulkner’s books for $1 each and fell in love with the novel “Absolom, Absolom,” in particular. “He’s now my favorite author,” Reed said. “I’ve realized how important Southern stories are, and that’s what I’m really interested in right now. I used to be like, ‘Oh, I could never direct because I’m from the South.’” For a college student raised in a traditional church family, Reed has some rather surprising tastes. His favorite film? Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” (which he considers more unnerving than “The Shining”). Favorite book? The aforementioned “Absolom, Absolom” (so much so that he’s toying with the idea of making a film about Faulkner). TV? The first season of “True Detective,” which has a sequence so powerful that Reed still hasn’t gotten over it. It seems as though Reed found himself at the right place at the right time. “We’re not just teaching students how to use a camera,” the institute’s executive director, Amy Thaxton, said in an interview with MC’s campus magazine. “We’re instilling a thought process and an understanding of how to tell a story. If they go

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into medicine, law, ministry, writing, or virtually any career field, knowing how to tell a strong story will set them apart and help them succeed.” It may go without saying that making movies is a collaborative effort, but for the students involved, that fact makes all the difference. Filming for the short film “Chasing Rabbits” took about a week near the campus. Preparations before filming took much longer. Among other things, Reed operated a fog machine, and he appears in the movie, too. “I’m one of the people trashing the house,” he said. “I kind of got thrust into the middle of that. I got to see a lot of the call sheets, set design. I stumbled my way into it by chance.” Reed’s love of film began when he was a child, watching the movies of Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson. At first he wanted to be an actor, but the more he studied film, the more he realized he didn’t really want to be in front of the camera. He wanted to manage the filmmaking process. Directing from his own scripts would be the top of the mountain. Reed has done camera work at the Max Museum in Meridian for a show that included country music star Mac McAnally and former poet laureate Natasha Tretheway. He’s worked with actor Gary Grubbs and director Edward Worthy. All of that, plus the other work he’s doing at MC has been more than enough to whet his appetite for what’s coming after graduation. “I’m doing what I want to be doing,” he said. M

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VISUAL harmony Identical twins connect with the world through differing art styles

Story Be Leslie Criss | Photos By Thomas Wells

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anya Reedy and Tonya Moore have a lot in common. Both have brown eyes and a good sense of humor. They’re the same age. Both enjoy entertaining the crowds through karaoke. They are moms – Tanya to Savanna, 18; Tonya to 9-year-old Jaycee, 9 Ashton, 21, and Andrew, 22. And both are self-taught artists with a penchant for painting. Tanya Faye and Tonya Kaye celebrated the same birthday in October when both turned 40. They are identical twins, though Tanya claims Tonya is a bit taller. Their similarities end at the canvas, however. “We are like night and day when it comes to painting,” Tonya said. Her sister nods in agreement. “Tonya’s the Bob Ross of the two of us,” said Tanya. “She can’t paint like me, and I can’t paint like her.” Tanya covers her canvases with bright, bold colors and abstract shapes, while Tonya’s paintings are meticulously detailed and more figurative. “Tonya likes to paint critters,” Tanya said. A couple of large painted canvases in the trunk of Tonya’s car feature a sea turtle and a tiger. “She’s right,” Tonya said. “Critters. That’s mostly all I do.” It wasn’t always that way. When she was in fifth grade, Tanya was known to draw horses for people. And Tonya, who admits she’s her own harshest critic, continues to fret over the finished tiger that most would view as perfect. “It was supposed to be a tiger,” she said. “But I started backwards or something, and it suddenly looked like the lion from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I guess I finally got it to look like I wanted it too.” The sisters loved drawing as kids, their artistic abilities seemingly sprouting out of nowhere. Besides their brother – who’s

Identical twin sisters Tanya Reedy, left, and Tonya Moore are similar in many ways, but their styles of painting are nothing alike. 16

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Above: Tanya Reedy describes her way of painting as “loose” and fairly abstract in style. Left: Tonya Moore’s tiger is one example of her meticulously detailed art. also incredibly creative, albeit in a different medium – none of Tonya and Tanya’s family members are artists. “He works with metal, in welding,” Tanya said. “There’s sort of an art to that. And our sister is a tech wiz. But Tonya and I are the only painters.” The sisters now paint exclusively with acrylics that dry quickly and can be layered and textured. However, Tanya plans to give watercolor a whirl, and Tonya wants to try oil. Tanya believes in being thrifty and upcycling. It’s the process of transforming discarded or used materials, like used canvases, into new products of higher quality and/or value. “I can take a used canvas and blank it out, then start over with something new,” she said. “I’m a thrifty artist.” In October, the sisters set up a booth at the popular Robins Street Art Stroll in Tupeo. It was Tanya’s third time to take part as an artist; Tonya sat with her sister in years past, but did not sell her own paintings until October. “At one point, when she was sitting with me, I told her, ‘You should set up your work and do this with me,’” Tanya said. “Sitting with Tanya helped me know what to expect,” Tonya said. “The best part was people coming up, looking at my pieces and telling me what they really like. The positive feedback certainly gave me a whole different perspective.” Tanya understands her sister’s buoyed confidence following her first art festival.

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Top Photo: Another example of Tanya Reedy’s art. Above Photo: This colorful tuna is another of Tonya Moore’s artwork “After showing art multiple times in several different places, there are people who start to look for you,” she said. “Hearing they like your work makes you want to come back.” Tanya, of Guntown, has worked as a beautician and now at an eye clinic in Saltillo. Tonya lives in Nettleton and works at Blue Delta Jeans. The two paint together sometimes and encourage each other. “What makes me crazy about her is that it would have taken me 900 years to do that turtle,” Tanya said. “But speedy fingers over here can whip something so detailed out so quick.” The two plan to participate in more art festivals together, and they will continue to paint animals or abstracts at their individual paces.

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“Being an artist to me means freedom of expression,” Tanya said. “It’s an outlet for me. I get to take paint and a blank canvas and pour myself into each piece. I have the opportunity to paint my thoughts/feelings on a canvas and hope it might resonate with others. “If people can connect with my work, I know I’ve accomplished my goals as an artist. Art is a love language for me – a conversation piece, but also a way to connect with the world.” Sister Tonya feels similarly about being an artist. “Self-expression, the inner works of your wildest imagination, the creativity that comes to life and the joy it brings to the eye of the beholder,” she said. “That’s what I love about being an artist.” M

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travel The Magnolia State isn’t known for its caverns, and that’s what makes them special er

esing i B h t i d e r ry by Me

Sto

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Photos: Cave Spring on the Natchez Trace Parkway is one of Misissippi’s most vistied caves.

hen most people think of Mississippi, their minds drift upward – toward sun-drenched porches, cotton fields stretching under endless skies, or the mossdraped oaks lining country roads. However, some of the state’s most fascinating landscapes lie beneath our feet, hidden in remarkable, shadowy passages carved over millennia. Mississippi has caves, and stepping into one is like slipping through a portal into another world. One of the most accessible spots to experience subterranean Mississippi is Cave Spring, tucked along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tishomingo County. It’s not a cathedral-sized cavern, but its intimacy is part of its charm. Archaeologists believe Native Americans once sought shelter here, and during the Civil War, soldiers rested in the same shaded alcoves. Over time, local legends grew – travelers, outlaws, and moonshiners were all drawn to its secret hollows. Standing within its walls, listening to the occasional drip of water echoing off stone, it’s easy to feel the history of these storied hollows.

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For a glimpse of Mississippi’s scientific side, head to Cat’s Den Cave Preserve in Smith County. Caves are rare in our state, but this preserve holds more than 200 feet of mapped passages, lined with delicate stalactites, shimmering flowstone, and rimstone that glints in the flicker of a flashlight. Since 2004, researchers from the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Mississippi State University have been cataloging the area’s unique ecosystem. Bats swoop silently through the chambers, cave crickets tap along damp floors, and salamanders, frogs, skinks, and snakes all share the cool darkness. These creatures are more than curious companions – they are the heartbeat of a healthy ecosystem aboveground, a fascinating world waiting to be explored. The preserve’s slopes host rare plants that are more often found in northern forests. The faint, sweet scent of wildflowers mingles with the earthy aroma of wet leaves. Scientists carefully remove invasive species, letting native vegetation recover, a quiet act of stewardship in a secret world.

Another hidden gem is Chalk Mine Hollow in Iuka. Located near Pickwick Lake, this abandoned chalk mine is about the size of a Walmart and includes three long tunnels connected by several passageways. The hollow was formed by early chalk mining, and its tunnels glow faintly in pale mineral light, a curious combination of history and geology. Visitors should proceed with caution, though – the property isn’t always open to the public, and some passages can be unstable. What’s striking about Mississippi’s caves is that they aren’t commercial attractions. No neon signs or paved walkways lead the way. Instead, they demand curiosity, patience and respect. The walls are cool and damp, etched with time; the air heavy and scented with stone and forest. Water drips rhythmically from the ceiling, bats swoop overhead, and every sound seems magnified in the quiet. Aboveground, life rushes by in a blur, but underground, time slows, measured in centuries instead of minutes. Mississippi may not be famous for its caves, but perhaps that’s why they are so remarkable. Rare, hidden, and alive with history, science, and nature, they remind us that our state’s beauty isn’t always on the surface. Beneath our feet lies another Mississippi, quietly waiting, rich with wonder, and inviting those willing to step softly into the shadows. M

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Mother and daughter share love of baking at Sweet Honey B’s Cakery & Cafe Story by Dennis Seid Photos by Adam Robison

Mother-daughter team Tawana Basham and Chelle Florence opened Sweet Honey B’s Bakery & Cafe in Sherman earlier this year.

awana Basham fondly remembers those times during her childhood when her mother was in the kitchen, baking cakes or putting together a meal. “She always decorated cakes and cooked for everybody, and I just grew up in that atmosphere,” Basham said. Much like Basham’s mother followed in her mother’s footsteps, so too did Basham follow in hers, and to no one’s surprise, Basham’s daughter, Chelle Florence, also showed great interest in cooking. She even took several culinary classes in high school. It only made sense, then, for the mother-daughter team to open Sweet Honey B’s Cakery & Cafe. Located at 323 Third Avenue in Sherman, the store was several years in the making. When the family moved from their Indiana home to Mississippi several years ago so Basham could work at Toyota, she decorated cakes for friends and colleagues at the Toyota Mississippi plant.

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Even after retiring in 2018, Basham continued to take orders from plant workers and others in the community. “We primarily did custom cakes, highly decorated, bougie cakes you know, and we knew we wanted to open a storefront,” Basham said. In 2019, she found the perfect spot in Sherman, near the railroad tracks in a highly visible location. But the COVID pandemic slowed things down, and while they worked on the space, the store didn’t open until this year. As the pandemic eased, Basham, with Florence’s help, resumed baking and cooking from home. “I’ve always loved baking and cooking; it’s such a fun art because you’re turning food into artwork, really,” Florence said. Florence had been working at Blue Springs Metals, but decided to go full-time helping her mother, and jumped at the chance of helping open Sweet Honey B’s. With four kids, Florence said cooking and baking is essential to life at home. And even though she bakes plenty in her own kitchen, she’s been thrilled to do the same at the store, which not only offers various cakes and other baked treats, but also breakfast and lunch selections. On top of that, another popular option has been added to the menu: “The closer we got to opening, we decided to add coffee,” Florence said. Customers are no doubt happy when they peruse the baked goods case during the week, when they can find a variety of pastries – scones, cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, pies, petit fours, cake truffles, cinnamon rolls, brownies and bars, and more. Of course, at any time a customer can order a custom cake for birthdays, weddings or any other occasion. “We also have sandwiches, and we’re going to eventually add soups and salads,” Florence said. “We have breakfast (items), and sandwiches for lunch. Then the pastries, and the case will change up almost every day.” Another added bonus is the availability of Japanese breads and desserts from Koto’s Bake Stuff, which has been a popular staple at the Pontotoc Farmers Market. As for breakfast, the menu has croissants; muffins; biscuits which can come with a variety of meats as well as sausage gravy; toast; and a popular breakfast burrito that comes stuffed with sausage, egg and cheese. The sandwiches available at lunch are made with bread baked at the store. Among the most popular sandwiches are the meatball, French dip and fried bologna, but there’s also hot ham and cheese, sloppy Joe and tuna melt.

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Top photo: One of the popular lunch sandwiches is fried bologna with melted cheese, mustard and barbecue chips on toasted house-made bread. Middle photo: The French dip is tender roast beef with provolone on a toasted house-made hoagie roll, with a side of au jus is a lunchtime favorite. Bottom photo: The egg salad sandwich is creamy egg salad, lightly seasoned and served on house-made Japanese milk bread, is a popular choice for many of Sweet B’s customers.

A non-sandwich option is the Bees 3 Cheese Bake, which has layers of marinara, seasoned ground beef and egg noodles baked with a blend of three cheeses. “A lot of the items are family recipes; the sloppy Joe for example is something we’ve made in the family for years,” Basham said. The drink menu includes latte, mocha, Americano, a cold brew, a house brew, hot cocoa, chai and specials with names like the Bee Velvet, Honey Toffee Bliss, Spicy Bee Sting, and Toasty Bee. “I love the coffee world almost more as I love the baking world,” Florence said. “I’m really enjoying it. It really is the best of both worlds.” And how exactly did the store’s name develop? “My maiden name and my mom’s last name is Basham, and I had always wanted a bee farm,” Florence said. So putting it all together it became Sweet Honey B’s. “The community has been really supportive, and we’re just excited,” Basham said. “It’s a dream we’ve had for a long time to have a place like this.” Florence whole-heartedly agrees, especially being able to flex her culinary skills with her mother and sharing them at the store. “It’s all about making desserts, making people happy,” she said. “There’s nothing better than seeing kids and adults Top left photo: The bakery has a range of cookies available. happy.” M Top right photo: Chocolate chip cookie buns are among the many sweet treats available at the bakery and cafe. Above: Chelle Florence, Sweet Honey B’s co-owner, makes cups of banana pudding for the day. Tawana Basham, Sweet Honey B’s co-owner, prepares items for customers’ lunches.

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THE

ISSUE – New Albany couple lives the wild life – Antique store in Fulton sells more than vintage items – Essay: Becoming a father is nothing like in the movies – Love grows in unexpected places on Mooreville farm – Tupelo is a city that feels like a family

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New Albany woman cares for large family of exotic animals 42

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Wild Life Story By EuGENE STOCKSILL | Photos By Thomas Wells M &M

Jeana Ward and her husband, Caleb, hold two of their four cats, Maeve and Miffy, in a room that they use to house a large portion of their expansive pet collection.

eana Ward got a husband when she and her fiancé wed at Orange Beach in October. The fella she married? He got no fewer than 28 new family members. Besides the couple themselves, Ward family includes four cats, two dogs, 10 goldfish, two millipedes (a Texas gold and a giant pink foot), a ball python, a venomous but docile hognose snake, a jumping spider, a leopard gecko, a tortoise, an aquatic turtle, two prairie dogs (Biscuit and Brisket) and last, but definitely not least, Nub the bearded dragon. “These are all my babies,” Ward, 24, who lives in New Albany, said in an interview before the October wedding. “My fiancé and I care for them all together, and it’s part of our daily routine. We wake up, and the first thing we do is go outside and check on our goldfish pond.” Trust us. If you ask Ward about any crit-

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ter in the above list, she’ll have more than enough specifics to share with you. She’s something of a walking encyclopedia of the wonders of wildlife. Take the adorable Nub. If you saw a video clip of him munching on a leaf, you’d swoon, too. Nub has been with Ward since she was 15, and he was about the size of her pinky. He was the runt from a litter bred by her sister. Some of his tail and several fingers were missing because his siblings had eaten them. Hence, Nub. They went to school and church together, he ate dandelions and took sun baths, and to this day, the two of them still play fetch with worms. “It’s very cute,” she said. “I have seen other beardies, and some of them seem more spastic or less handled. But I handled mine so much from a baby, so I guess that’s why mine is more puppy-like. You can toss his food, and he will run and get it. He

loves basking and baths. He’s food-driven, and I’ve realized he likes soft things to lie on. When I lived with my parents, my dad would fall asleep with him on his chest while watching a movie, and he’d just go to sleep, too. He loves snuggles, probably for the body heat.” You get the idea why this piece could keep going and going to a heartwarming extreme. The ball python, Puddin’, is shy, loves feeding times and is so named because her morph – that’s a term that describes a python’s coloration or pattern – is a pastel banana shade and also because Ward’s mom makes fantastic banana pudding. The Texas gold millipede, Penelope, loves to be handled. Joni, the pink foot? Not so much. Both chow down on rotten wood and veggies. Two of the goldfish, who have been together for years, tend to cuddle with each other. “Goldfish can recognize each other and show affection,” Ward said. And then there’s … well, you get the idea. Here’s a sample of the care and feeding required each day: Check the goldfish pond first thing. Feed the cats and dogs, who act like they’re starving every morning.

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Left photo: ball python; Above right photo: leopard gecko; Below right photo: koi goldfish Fresh veggies for the iguanas and the tortoise. Lights go on in the reptile house. Cages get misted. And so forth. There’s a repeat in the late afternoon. That’s just the briefest of overviews; it leaves out a bunch of info. Beyond her wildlife adventures at the house, Ward has fed a camel, she swam right up to a small shark one time (then quickly swam away again), and she doesn’t care much to be up close and personal with pit vipers, FYI. “I personally would never own a viper,” she said. “My hognose can poison its prey, but it could not kill or harm me. I do plan to have a baby in the next few years and would never want any animal in my home to be a potential threat to my child. None of my snakes will ever be big enough to eat me or even my cats.”

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And with all those animals at the house right now, perhaps it will not shock you to learn that she would still like to have a Sphynx cat, a cockatoo and a pigmy marmoset. Google all of those extraordinary creatures for more details, please. “I have cared for more than 50 animals … including baby possums, and since people know I love animals and have a heart for them, I’ve been given a lot of random animals,” Ward said. “Most of the time, I rehome them after I make sure they’re healthy … They’re all individually unique. “One of my favorite things is when my friends come over and they see how my animals are, and then they go home and let their cat indoors or actually play with their dogs for once.” Home, as the poets wrote, is where the heart is. For Ward, a big part of her will always be at home with creatures great and small. M

Top photo: A tortoise munchie on a bed of greens. Bottom photo: Caleb and Jeana Ward tidy up the home of their leopard gecko. M &M 47

Treasures OF THE

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Carrying family, memory, and community forward at Main Street Vintage & Antiques

By Meredith Biesinger | Photos by Adam Robison M &M

n the heart of downtown Fulton, where the sidewalks are lined with old brick and neighbors still wave from across the street, sits Main Street Vintage & Antiques. At first glance, it’s a place to hunt for treasures from the past. But step inside, and you’ll find it’s really a place where family, memory and community come together. The store belongs to sisters-in-law Kerry and Miranda Wiygul, both retired teachers, who’ve poured their love of people and small-town life into its walls. Their journey began next door when they purchased Magnolia Soap, a shop they already knew and loved through its former owner. Owning that first business gave them the courage to take over the building that became Main Street Vintage & Antiques. Today, the two storefronts stand side by side, symbols of a family’s commitment to their town. Main Street Vintage is full of vendors with their own stories, but one of the most moving belongs to April Pounders. April spent 25 years in education before retiring to care for her daughter, Olivia. For years, Olivia struggled with seizures and was placed on medicine for epilepsy, but her health continued to decline. In 2020, doctors finally gave a name to what was happening: FENIB, a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease.

Top Photo: Sisters-in-law Kerry and Miranda Wiygul are the owners of Main Street Vintage & Antiques in Fulton. Top right photo: There are thousands of treasures at Main Street Vintage Bottom right photo: The store is located in the heart of downtown Fulton 50

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“She slowly lost all her daily living skills,” April said. “At the end, I was caring for her just like she was a baby.” Olivia passed away in February 2024, just a month shy of her 22nd birthday. April looks back on those final months with gratitude. “I was able to spend the last nine months of her life with her, and I’ll always be thankful for that time,” she said. After her daughter’s passing, April knew she needed something to keep her mind and hands busy. “My mother and I have always loved decorating,” she said. April’s mother had once been part-owner of Main Street Vintage long before Kerry and Miranda took over, and the two decided to open a booth together. They named it Livie Lou’s, after Olivia’s nickname. Inside their booth, April and her mother offer floral arrangements – graveside flowers, crafts, and keepsakes – always with a unique touch. “All of our arrangements are in different containers – vases, tins, pots,” April said. “Families can pick their colors, make it to their own taste, and we deliver.” For April, making flowers for other families is a ministry of memory. “It’s just something I want to do,” she said. “Doing flowers for other families is a way to carry on her legacy. If Olivia were here, she’d be all up in it and would love it.”

April Pounders, owner of Livie Lou’s Unique Floral Design, sorts her product inside her booth set up at Main Street Vintage and Antiques in Fulton. Pounders’ booth is named after her late daughter. M &M

A tribute to Olivia hangs in the booth, and April also started a scholarship fund in her memory. The funds, supported in part through sales from Livie Lou’s, are given to students who may not have the highest grades but still have big dreams. “Olivia really struggled in school because of her disease,” April said. “We wanted this to be start-up money to help students accomplish their goals – whether that’s tuition, housing or something else.” In a way, April’s connection to the building feels like life coming full circle. Decades earlier, the same space once housed a photography studio where she had worked as a young woman. Stories like April’s are exactly what Kerry and Miranda hoped the store would hold. “Our vendors become family, and our customers do too,” Kerry said. “That’s what we want this place to be.” Miranda agreed.

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“Antiques tell a story – they came from someone else’s home,” she said. “Many people come in and see something that reminds them of their grandmother’s house. They get so excited, and it brings that sense of nostalgia and family right back to them.” For April, for the Wiyguls, and for the many others who keep Main Street Vintage and Antiques humming, the store is more than antiques and booths. It is about memory, connection, and carrying on legacies. Among the treasures of yesterday and the hands that shape them today, family stretches beyond bloodlines, and memories live on in every corner of Main Street Vintage and Antiques. M

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HOLLYWOOD BEGINNINGS

essay

he first major revelation arrived early in my foray into parenthood. Sometime before, actually. “This is nothing like in the movies.” I’m pretty sure I said this aloud as I watched Amanda give birth to our daughter, Arlie, from a safe distance across the hospital room. I certainly thought it more than once. My years of informally studying TV shows and movies had given me some preconceived notions of what the birthing process would be like. Not for Amanda, of course. For me, the observer: Following a frantic drive to the hospital – a police officer who’d moments ago pulled us over for driving too fast leading the way – there would be lots of screaming and repetition of the word “push.” I would be draped with a blue medical tarp. Midway through the procedure, Amanda would somehow cajole me into coming close enough to grab me, pull me near her face and whisper-scream something along the lines of, “You did this to me.” At some point, I’d likely faint. There’d be cigars. None of this happened. Well, save for the repetition of the word “push.” The nurses did say that a lot. One had a way of repeating it that reminded me of calling a cat: “Puuush push push push pushpushpushpushpush …” The thing that stood out to me is how nonchalant the entire process seemed to be. Again, for me. Amanda’s experience was likely very different. She squeezed a gooey human into the world. But for me, who was raised on popular parenting comedies like “Nine Months” and “Look Who’s Talking,” it all seemed far too easygoing for what I’d mentally prepared to experience. After a brief scheduled examination at our doctor’s office, she asked if we were “ready to have a baby?” Amanda’s water hadn’t even broken. “Sure,” we said. Practically a verbal shrug. We then calmly drove to the women’s hospital. No police escort. No hollering from the back seat. No risk of a baby exploding into our world while we were on the road. After being shown to our room, there was a lot of waiting. Waiting for family to arrive. Waiting for our daughter to debut. And for me, waiting to get draped in medical accouterments like in the movies. The first two things eventually happened. The third did not. I watched my daughter enter this world while wearing chinos and a black Dungeons & Dragons shirt. The shirt featured a floating, multi-eyed monster known as a beholder on the front. Fitting, really, given my role in the process. Still, it seemed fairly informal for one of the most important days of my life. “Want to see the head?” the doctor asked hours into the birth-giving process. She motioned me over to a space

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By Adam Armour

between the stirrups, and then there I was, face-to-face with the top of my daughter’s head. At least, that’s what the doctor told me I was seeing. It didn’t really look like the top of a baby’s head as far as I could tell. Until very suddenly it did. The transition between viewing a few inches of scalp and an entire tiny human happened with shocking speed. One second: barely any baby. The next second: an entire baby. I may have sworn. I probably did. It was very shocking. Didn’t faint, though. The nurses swooped our shiny new human over to be cleaned while the doctor tended to Amanda. Arlie squeaked and squealed a bit, no doubt as surprised as I was about this sudden change in the status quo. One of the nurses motioned for me to join them. “Want to see your daughter, Dad?” Oh, yeah. I supposed I did. I think I was still in shock over the speed in which everything occurred there at the end. About how, earlier that day, I chose to wear a T-shirt and a pair of chinos for Amanda’s regular check-in with her doctor and now, a few hours later, I was still wearing those things but also I was a dad. How did this fundamental change happen so quickly? What was I going to do with a baby? After months of preparation for this very moment, how could it feel so …. surprisingly casual? Utterly terrifying? I rose from where I’d been squatting and approached the nurses at the cleaning station. And there she was, my tiny sweet potato, squirming and irritated about the whole ordeal. “You can take some pictures, if you’d like,” the nurse told me. It was less a granting of permission and more of a reminder to capture the moment for Amanda, who had yet to see the beautiful thing she’d created. My heart aches knowing that it’s usually the case that fathers get to see their children first. Arlie’s tiny fingers flexed as she reached into the air, grasping at nothing or grasping at everything. Who can know? I reached out to her and let her hand wrap around my index finger. In movies, there’s a well-worn trope during birthing scenes in which the once-reluctant father sees his newborn child for the first time. The camera pans in on his face, his eyes growing wide and wet. Maybe he takes a deep breath – a sigh of relief or a release of pent-up emotions he didn’t know he had. The corners of his mouth pull upward as the first tear rolls down his cheek. This moment is meant to convey the father’s realization that his fears of becoming a parent pale in comparison to the joy he feels at the sight of his child. So maybe real childbirth isn’t entirely dissimilar from the movies after all.

ADAM ARMOUR is the Daily Journal’s news editor and editor of Mud & Magnolias magazine.

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TAKING ROOT Love grows in unexpected places at Goff Farms in Mooreville STORY BY MEREDITH BIESINGER PHOTOS BY THOMAS WELLS

lisha and John Adam Goff ’s story is one of family, faith, and farming – and, in many ways, it’s a story about how love takes root in unexpected places. Both graduates of Mooreville High School, the couple didn’t start dating until later in college, when mutual friends introduced them. Today, they’re raising three children – Ann Hayden, 13, Collins, 10, and Knox, 6 – all of whom were adopted at birth. Each child came from different parts of the country, but all three were meant

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to find their way home to the Goffs. “We knew we always wanted multiple children,” Alisha said. “When we learned that we wouldn’t be able to have children, one month later, we started the adoption process. Adoption had always been on our hearts.” That heart for family now extends beyond their own household and reaches across their farm, where traditions are cultivated just as carefully as crops.

Legacies and new traditions John Adam grew up with farming in his blood. His grandfather owned land in Lee County, where row crops were the primary focus. When his grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the family faced decisions about how to honor both the land and his grandmother’s wish for it to remain in the family. “That’s just what we did – kept it in the family,” he said. John Adam and his brother purchased adjoining tracts, and the land became

what is now Goff Farms. Cattle and crops are still part of the operation, but in recent years, the farm has blossomed into something more – a place where the Goffs’ love of family and tradition is lived out in real time. In 2020, as much of the world shut down, the Goff family found itself at home together, searching for something meaningful to do. Their idea? Plant pumpkins. “We were all home, so we thought we’d give it a try,” Alisha said. What began as a small experiment has grown into a cherished family tradition. Every October, the Goffs host a “harvest party,” where friends and neighbors gather to pick pumpkins, share food, and enjoy an evening of fellowship on the farm. “It’s neat to see families return each year, to watch their children grow up and to know we’re part of their traditions,” Alisha said. But this tradition doesn’t just happen

in the fall. Each July, the entire extended Goff family gathers for a “planting party,” where they put pumpkin seeds in the ground before sitting down to enjoy a bountiful meal together. By autumn, the payoff arrives: pumpkin-picking day, complete with laughter, food, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Expanding the dream The success of the pumpkin patch sparked something new. In 2022, the Goffs planted Christmas trees, adding another layer of family tradition to the farm. This November, families can pick their own Christmas tree – a chance to create holiday memories that will last long after the lights and ornaments are put away. “If you had told us that we’d have a pumpkin patch, and a Christmas tree farm, I never would have believed you,” Alisha said with a laugh. “But it’s better than I could have ever dreamed.”

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The children have been part of the journey from the very beginning. “Our kids began this journey by selling pumpkins off a trailer,” John Adam said. “They’ve seen this whole thing come to life, and they’re a huge part of it. We make sure they know that our community comes out to buy pumpkins from them, with intention, and that means something to them.”

Hallmark vibes in Mooreville The Goff family home, built in 1896, stands proudly on the property as a testament to the importance of history and tradition. Once home to the Westmoreland family, it has long been a landmark in the community. Today, the Goffs are carrying that legacy forward – not just in how they farm, but in how they welcome others onto their land. “We wanted to have a Hallmark feel and create a community event where memories are made,” Alisha said. And that’s precisely what they’ve done. From pumpkins to Christmas trees, from planting parties to harvest celebrations, the Goffs have built a rhythm of life that’s rooted in faith, family and fellowship. Goff Farms isn’t just about what grows from the soil – it’s about what grows in the hearts of the people who gather there. Nestled in Mooreville, Mississippi, the farm is a reminder that sometimes the best traditions begin with a simple seed and the willingness to nurture it into something lasting. M

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Tupelo: Story by Meredith Biesinger Photos by Thomas Wells & Adam Robison There’s something about Tupelo that makes you feel like you’ve always belonged, even if you just unpacked the last moving box. It’s a warmth that you can feel all around you. It’s in the way Main Street hums with music, laughter. It’s the easy rhythm of the community moving through the day. It’s the way neighbors smile and wave and support each other. You can feel it • the “Tupelo spirit.” For generations, Tupelo has been a place where family isn’t defined by bloodlines alone; it’s built through connection, kindness, and the shared pride of calling this place home. Longtime residents remember when downtown was just a few shops and a diner or two, while newer families marvel at how those same streets buzz with small businesses, festivals, and art. What unites them is a strong sense of unity: they all care deeply about the people and the pulse of this town. Tradition lives strong here. You see

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it in the parents sitting under ballpark lights at Rob Leake Park, in the children running through Veterans Park with snow cones in hand, and in grandparents teaching little ones to clap along with the music of The King during the Elvis Festival. It’s in the way the community turns out for school plays, church fundraisers, and charity runs. Tupelo knows how to show up, and it does, again and again. Newcomers often say they’re surprised by how quickly Tupelo feels like home. It doesn’t take long before you’re running into familiar faces at the grocery store or waving to someone you met at the Farmers Market. “We can’t imagine not living here,” is the general consensus of so many families that have moved here from different parts of the country. Locals welcome new families with open arms because that’s how the All-America City works – when you’re here, you’re part of something bigger than yourself.

A city that feels like a family At its heart, Tupelo is more than a place on a map — it’s a way of living. It is community baked into casseroles, laughter that spills from the ballfield, and friendships that last long after the game ends. It’s love, tradition, and belonging rolled into a straightforward invitation that never goes out of style: Catch the Tupelo spirit. As we approach the holiday season, the “Tupelo spirit” seems to shine even brighter. People look after one another; it is truly the season of thanks and giving in homes and organizations throughout the community. The beloved Reed’s Tupelo Christmas parade winds through the heart of downtown, as families line the streets, and children’s eyes light up as each festive float passes by. “It’s a tradition,” you’ll hear people say, and they’re right. As neighborhoods sparkle with lights, and families gather to share stories and recipes that have been passed down for years, family is at the epicenter of Tupelo. Even in a fast-moving world, Tupelo reminds us to slow down – to savor the sound of laughter around the table, to check on a neighbor, and to be present for the moments that matter most. The same streets where some learned to ride bikes are now where their chil-

dren catch the bus to school. The same churches where grandparents sang hymns still echo with Sunday morning greetings. For every family with generations of Tupelo memories, there’s another just beginning to build theirs. And that blend – the old and the new, the rooted and the recent – is what makes this community feel alive. At its heart, Tupelo is more than a place on a map – it’s a way of living. It is community baked into casseroles, laughter that spills from the ballfield, and friendships that last long after the game ends. It’s love, tradition, and belonging rolled into a straightforward invitation that never goes out of style: Catch the Tupelo spirit. M MEREDITH BIESINGER is a Tupelo resident and a frequent contributor to Mud & Magnolias magazine.

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INDE X OF

advertisers Mt. Vernon Chapel ....................................... page 2

Vanelli’s Bistro .............................................. page 30

Namaste Indian Restaurant .......................page 3

Corner Gifts & Florist ................................ page 30

Brooks Grocery .............................................. page 6

Doors Of Hope ............................................. page 30

Create Foundation ........................................ page 7

Midway Marine ............................................ page 30

MLM Clothiers................................................ page 8

CaramelCorn .................................................. page 31

Staggs Interiors ............................................. page 8

Garner Millwork & Cabinets................... page 31

Community Medical Supply .................... page 9

Hall’s Furniture Wholesale ...................... page 31

The Vine Collection...................................... page 9

Ripley Tourism ............................................... page 31

Sanctuary Antiques .................................. page 13

Color My World Child Care .................... page 32

BankOkolona ................................................. page 13

Dr. L. P. Britt Optometrist ........................ page 32

Sanders Clinic For Women ..................... page 13

Baldwyn Chamber Of Commerce ...... page 32

Magnolia Brick .............................................. page 14

Unity Bank Of Mississippi ...................... page 32

Explore Pickwick ............................................ page 14

Tupelo Public School District................ page 33

Van Atkins Jewelers .....................................page 19

Adventure ATV ............................................. page 34

Crossroads Museum Event.................... page 20

City Of Booneville Tourism .................... page 34

Reed’s ............................................................... page 20

Creative Beginning .....................................page 34

Magnolia Regional Health Center ....... page 21

Coldwell Banker Southern Real Estate ... page 35

Oxford Home Furnishing ......................... page 21

New Albany Interiors .................................page 40

IM & PC ........................................................... page 22

Little’s Jewelers ............................................ page 63

Keep It Casual .............................................. page 22

Varsity Vacuums.......................................... page 64

Magnolia Drugs ........................................... page 26

Sam Steven.................................................... page 64

Elite Body Contouring .............................. page 27

Pizza Factory................................................. page 64

All Animal Hospital .................................... page 27

Wages Sheet Metal & Roofing............. page 64

Kellum Dental Clinic.................................. page 27

Bill Benson ..................................................... page 64

Brick & Spoon .............................................. page 27

The Meadows ............................................... page 64

Medical Plaza Pharmacies ..................... page 28

Pontotoc Antiques...................................... page 65

Mid South Nursery & Garden Center........ page 28

The Bead Shack .......................................... page 65

Varsity Vacuums.......................................... page 28

George’s Restaurant.................................. page 65

Tupelo Stone Co .......................................... page 28

Adair Carpet .................................................. page 65

Skin Lab........................................................... page 29

Ivy Fence Company ................................... page 65

Duke Pecan Company.............................. page 29

Tishomingo Manor ..................................... page 65

Boys & Girls Club Of North MS ........... page 29

North Mississippi Medical Center...... page 68

Tupelo Small Animal Hospital .............. page 29

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