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Advice to a graduating daughter It is hard to believe it has been six years since I first gave advice to your brother. Advice to your sister would follow three years later and now it is your turn. Honestly, there were times when I wondered if this day would come. From open heart surgery at six months to pacemakers at ages 11 and 14, we have been through a lot. I will never forget, after that first surgery, seeing your doctor in the ICU at 3 a.m. in a full tuxedo! He, along with other doctors, had been called in to save your life and it wasn’t until 10 days later, when we were bringing you home, that we would learn how close we had come to losing you. For the past 18 years you have fought through these medical conditions with an attitude that still amazes me. You could have easily gotten down and felt sorry for yourself, but you did not. You always kept a positive attitude, endured what came at you and said, “others are worse off, why should I complain?” Had it been me, I am not sure I could have handled everything with the grace and class that you have displayed. Soon you will graduate high school and be off to college. I know you are excited and ready to be “on your own.” Enjoy these college years. You will look back at them one day and discover they were some of the best times of your life. You will mature into an adult and make friendships that will last a lifetime. Now I could give you the advice that I gave your brother and sister: read your Bible, go to church, choose friends wisely, be home by 2 a.m., never go to a stranger’s room and other such things. But you already know all of this. I believe younger children mature faster because they watch and learn from their older siblings. So, my advice to you is somewhat different. It has been said that the two most important days in your life are the day

you are born and the day you realize why you were born. Go discover your why! There have been so many times these past 18 years when God could have taken you from us. From your mother’s womb until today, there have been countless miracles that have happened to keep you here on earth. For that reason, I must believe that God has a special purpose for you. I am not saying that purpose will lead to fame and fortune. God has many ambassadors that work behind the scenes in anonymity. But you must go and discover what that purpose is and why you have been put on this earth. I find it ironic that your heart, the weakest part of your body, is your biggest asset. I have watched you volunteer and mentor under privileged children, teach Vacation Bible School, keep the nursery in church and give your time so freely to others that were in need. I have often found it hard to believe that a heart so damaged could be so big and so full of love for others. That is a wonderful trait you possess, and I have admired it for many years. Lastly, I want to tell you how proud I am of you. Throughout your life you have conducted yourself in a manner that suggests a maturity far beyond your age. While I am apprehensive about you leaving, I know it has to and needs to happen. You cannot remain my little girl forever. You have too much hope, love and joy to give to a world that badly needs it. But know this, you will always be my baby and I will always love you. — Dad

by Michael Callahan Executive Vice President/CEO Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Mississippi is... I think back that, as a child, I learned quickly, how to spell my home state, Mississippi, very swiftly. My sister taught me through a song, a song she knew but was not very long. Mississippi — M I crooked letter, crooked letter I, crooked letter, crooked letter I, humpback, humpback I. Now if you have a problem with spelling Mississippi, you too can learn without a sigh. Mississippi has many fun things to enjoy, shopping, riding 4-wheelers, trips to the zoo, are just a few things that will fill your life with much joy! Especially if grandkids get you up and out for the day. The smiles, the laughter, from these escapades...no words can express what you’d like to say. There is church and church family, church socials celebrating special occasions, not just casually. Decorations galore and food to feed plenty. Most of all giving glory to their Savior, Jesus, for supplying blessings — oh so many. Thoughts often run through my mind of younger days when life was so kind. Bringing memories of days with mom and dad, when trips to a creek made my sister and I so glad. Climbing trees, playing outside in a cool breeze, even picking figs with the sun’s hot glare, are just a few things that remind me of Mississippi so rare. Mississippi — my home state, proud of her and a “10” I would rate. A place God made just for me to flourish, A place I will always love and cherish!

by Barbara Jones, a resident of Ellisville and a member of Dixie Electric

What’s Mississippi to you? What do you treasure most about life in our state? Send your brief thoughts to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop or mail to P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158

MAY 2021 | TODAY 3

in this issue

5 southern gardening Peppers can make gardens pop

7 scene around the ‘sip A look at special people and places in Mississippi

11 outdoors today It’s bream fishing time

12 local news

Vol. 74 No. 5

OFFICERS Kevin Bonds - President Eddie Howard - First Vice President Randy Carroll - Second Vice President Ron Barnes - Secretary/Treasurer Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO EDITORIAL STAFF Ron Stewart - Senior VP, Communications Steven Ward - Editor Chad Calcote - Creative Director/ Manager Elissa Fulton - Communications Specialist Rickey McMillan - Graphic Designer Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer Chris Alexander - Administrative Assistant EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING 601-605-8600

18 feature

Lightning bugs create magical summer memories

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

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Acceptance of advertising by Today in Mississippi does not imply endorsement of the advertised product or services by the publisher or Mississippi’s electric power associations. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. • National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications, 800-626-1181

Circulation of this issue: 476,015

Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year. Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional office. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300

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Lightning bugs fly at dusk in Wall Doxey State Park near Holly Springs. Photo by Jeff Davis

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How does your

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Share photos of your garden with us. Photos must be high-resolution JPG files of at least 1 MB in size. Each entry must be accompanied by photographer’s name, address and co-op. Attach digital photos to email and send to news@ecm.coop. Submission deadline: June 4. Select photos will appear in the July 2021 issue.

4 TODAY | MAY 2021

Dark leaves of make garden splash The heat and drought tolerance of Black Pearl, along with its beautiful foliage and fruit, make it a great choice for Mississippi gardens.

Some of my favorite late-summer annuals are the ornamental peppers. These tough plants have to survive the heat and humidity of our Mississippi summers before they become the stars of my summer landscape. and distinctive dark-black foliage. In the past, I’ve written about these great plants during their The plant is accented by abundant, smallish, dark-purple fruit, peak color in late summer. Their show lasts through the fall as the which mature to bright red. The contrast between the foliage and plants keep producing. the fruit is an eye-catching combination in any garden. This has created some disappointment in faithful readers of Black Pearl is one of my favorites. It has clusters of shiny black, this Southern Gardening column who want to go to the garden round fruit that mature to brilliant center and pick up a few of these red and contrast with the black plants. The problem is you should foliage as the season progresses. plant your ornamental peppers in This plant grows to about 20 inches late spring. When I brag about the tall by 12 inches wide. A great feature show these peppers are putting on, for our Mississippi gardens is Black there are no ornamental pepper Pearl’s heat and drought tolerance. plants available at the time, and I Ornamental peppers prefer to hear about it from these interested grow in consistently moist soil, but gardeners. don’t be overly generous with the This year, I’m being proactive water, as the plants don’t tolerate and encouraging home gardeners waterlogged soil. Fertilize with a to start looking now for ornamental good slow-release fertilizer early in peppers. Then, when I show off the season. Once fruit starts to set, photos of my peppers, you’ll be there is no need to add additional able to walk outside and enjoy your The contrast between dark-black foliage and purple fruit that matures to nutrition. own. It only requires a little garden bright red make the Midnight Fire ornamental pepper an eye-catching selection in any garden. If you’re unable to find ornamental planning. peppers at your local garden center this spring, you’re not out There are lots of different ornamental peppers available in the of luck. Now is a great time to start seeds for ornamental pepspring, offering fruit in all the colors of the rainbow. But some of pers. There are many varieties, like the dark-leaved selections I’ve my favorites — and I will admit I have a lot of favorite plants — discussed, that are available online at many of the popular seed are the ornamental peppers with dark leaves. Here are just a few of my dark-leaved favorites that will brighten catalog companies. any landscape. Purple Flash, which was chosen as a Mississippi Medallion winner for 2010, is an example of the versatility and value of ornamental peppers. This pepper has purple and white variegated by Dr. Gary leaves. When I look at these plants in the early morning light, Bachman I swear I’m seeing various shades of light blue. Purple Flash is one of the showiest, or should I say flashiest, Gary Bachman, Ph.D., Extension/Research Professor of Horticulture at ornamental peppers on the market. the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in A new ornamental pepper variety released in 2018 is Midnight Biloxi. He is also host of “Southern Gardening” radio and TV programs. Fire. This plant has a compact, bushy growth habit and unique He lives in Ocean Springs and is a Singing River Electric member. MAY 2021 | TODAY 5

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Mom, son love working for co-ops by Steven Ward other’s Day is on May 9 this month but it’s unclear if Tracie Russell and her son, Tate Russell, will be able to spend the day together like they have in years past. Spending the day together will depend on the weather and what’s happening in their electric co-op territories. Tracie Russell is a marketing and communications specialist with North East Power in Oxford. Tate Russell is a lineman with Northcentral Electric Cooperative based out of Olive Branch.

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Tracie, 55, has been working at North East Power for 34 years. She has worked in the “new service” department, clocked 10 years as a billing manager and became the cooperative’s communications guru two years ago. Tate, 23, became a lineman at Northcentral about two years ago. Having a parent working at a cooperative definitely had an impact on Tate. “I went to work at Northcentral because growing up I always heard how great of a place it was and I wanted to work there. I can honestly say that I’ve loved every minute of it, and the crew of guys I work with are some of the best I could ask for,” Tate said. “I always saw how much everyone loved their job and how well the co-op treated them. I just thought it was so cool to see the lineman do their jobs and see how everything worked. So, from the time I was young, I knew I wanted to work for the co-op one day.” Tracie echoed Tate’s thoughts about growing up around an electric cooperative. 10 ⁄ 3

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“He loves the outdoors and had always told me he wanted to work outside. When he was younger, he would come to my office and talk to the engineers and linemen and loved hearing their workday stories,” Tracie said. Tracie and Tate are very close and have leaned on one another for years. “Tate lost his dad when he was 14. We were close before then but grew extremely close after. He calls me regularly to tell me about his day and I love hearing about his job. He loves being a lineman,” Tracie said. Tate said he and his mother have a strong relationship. “She’s my rock. After the passing of my dad, she has been both my father and mother and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better person to do that job. She is most definitely the strongest person that I know,” Tate said. Because Tracie is an advisor to the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi’s Youth Leadership Program, she really wanted her son to participate. “In my 24th year, I was able to take Tate with me to D.C. He loved it because history was his favorite subject in school, after girls, of course!” A typical Mother’s Day for Tracie and Tate includes church, lunch or dinner and a movie. Tracie said her favorite trait in her son is his “caring heart.” “He never wants to hurt anyone’s feelings and would rather be hurt himself. He is also very respectful. I’m so proud of the man he has become,” Tracie said. Tate said his mother is “genuine and caring.” “She always puts others before herself and never thinks twice about it. She always makes sure everyone else is taken care of before herself and she just has the biggest heart,” he said. MAY 2021 | TODAY 7

VERSION #______________ RON Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested CHAD Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ELISSA Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested CHRIS Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST __________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

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Mississippi’s maverick gardener by Steven Ward Mississippi gardener and horticulturist Felder Rushing has “But his open attitude, overwhelming enthusiasm, matterlived in Jackson since 1980. of-fact style, and generous spirit gave countless people Known for his books, NPR radio show, magazine articles and confidence in their own abilities,” Rushing said. newspaper columns, Rushing likes to tell stories about his urban Rushing said maverick gardeners can be found all over neighbors and their unique takes on the home garden. Mississippi. But Rushing was actually reared in rural Mississippi — “I have visited and swapped plants and tales with maverick Indianola to be precise. gardeners — who, by the way, aren’t rebels, aren’t pushing back “I am from a small Delta town, raised by four headstrong from anything, they are simply doing their own thing and wishgardening women who had totally ing others would just understand — in every different styles. My ancestors have county; they are in every community across been in what is now Mississippi the state and worldwide,” Rushing said. since the 1700s,” Rushing told Rushing said there’s no difference Today in Mississippi recently during between maverick gardeners in rural parts an interview about his new book. of the state and city suburbs. “Maverick Gardeners: Dr. Dirt and “Folks all over love their lawns, tend their Other Determined Independent flowers, grow their vegetables and herbs, Gardeners” is about nontraditional dig in the dirt the same way. Garden style, gardeners and the bond people including accessories, is a personality thing, across race, culture, language, and not a location,” he said. other social conventions share via “However, there is less pressure outside unique plants and stories. the suburbs to ‘fit in,’ to be like others, so “But it (the book) mostly deals with in small towns and rural areas people are why passionate gardeners do what more likely to express themselves freely,” they do, what makes them tick and Rushing said. where they get their rewards (hint: it When it comes to garden tips, Rushing is is about gathering heirloom plants one of the go-to experts in the Southeast. and lore and sharing with others),” What tip is he asked about the most? Rushing said. “Other than pest control (do any of us For more information, The book features some highly really know how to keep squirrels and visit felderrushing.blog diverse people who have similar overaphids out of our gardens?), I get a lot of the-top garden spirits, including a guerilla gardener who shares questions about pruning and weed control. The most urgent food he grows on a vacant parking lot, a woman whose “grief one right now is whether or not it’s okay to prune crape myrtles garden” over a lost son is accessorized with countless birdwhich is more polarizing than politics!” houses, a colorful Jamaican immigrant and a high“By the way, whether self-appointed tastemakers like end landscape architect, all passionate individuals who love it or not, pruning crapes is perfectly fine as a style; “fist gardening and accessorizing and sharing that with others. pruning” (balls on the ends of branches) is done all over The “Dr. Dirt” in the book’s subtitle was a hardcore gardener Japan, England, even at the headquarters of the American who planted everything he could get his hands on, both flowers Horticulture Society. So, I tell people to mind their own and edibles, and container plants without a lot of horticultural business. It’s a personal decision like which way to pluck know-how or technology or sprays, Rushing said. eyebrows or roll toilet paper,” Rushing said.” He also said “Dr. Dirt” over-accessorized and spray painted everything. MAY 2021 | TODAY 9

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by Tony Kinton Tony Kinton has been an active outdoors writer for 30 years. He lives in Carthage and is a Central Electric member. Visit www.tonykinton.com for more information.

MAY 2021 | TODAY 11

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a man trip — a neighbor, his son, my dad and me. We had gathered crickets and grasshoppers and dug worms three days prior. Fishing turned out sluggish. A few were boated, but those constant collections of bull bluegills simply did not materialize. I admit to whining, exasperated at the thought that this could happen and perhaps even expecting the two dads of the quartet to fix it, to unpack some sure cure, to somehow require cooperation from the elements and the conditions and the bream. No luck. Looking back, I see the folly of my thinking. Fishing was poor, but the trip was pleasant. We fished. We had a safe drive. We talked of farming and fishing. That, I now know, was one of my earliest opportunities to deal with contentment. And that opportunity brought rich rewards, profitable even into aging years. So, May is here. The month of bream fishing. The first full moon of this month is the target some say. A new chance is open to each, a chance to hone those fine edges of decency and contentment. And the new chance to catch bream!

Revisions Requested

Bream country! Fish the shallows and cover in May. A big bluegill is good to catch and particularly good fried a golden brown.

Approved

I once wrote and have often said that all I needed to live a decent and contented life was learned on a bream lake. That conclusion is still firm. Yes, I had an abundance of lessons taught and learned otherwise, but within the parameters of decent and contented, a bream lake suffices. During my growing-up years, our family was rather pedestrian. Funds were limited; work was strenuous. A poor-dirt farm demanding. Still, we loved and laughed and had what we needed. Decency and contentment reigned. And we all bream fished — sister, parents and me. Grand were those pre-dawn trips to some oxbow in the Mississippi Delta. Leave home at 2:00 a.m., arrive before daylight, rent a wooden boat and paddles, and bream fish. One day from recall stands out as particularly valuable in lesson learning. My dad and I — sister and mama were fishing from the bank — paddled a ragged boat around a bend and came upon an aging gentleman, his boat tied to a snag and his cane pole in a perpetual bend as he dragged in plate-sized beam. The spot was small, and an additional boat would crowd. I wanted to go in and suggested as much to my dad. He began a back paddle. When I looked puzzled and perhaps even agitated, he simply said, “He was here first. You wouldn’t want somebody to do that to you.” No, I wouldn’t. A lesson in decency, respect if you will, was taught quickly and learned thoroughly. Those bi-annual trips to the Delta were monumental, requiring preparation and dedication from simple folk such as we. And I concluded, erroneously I was to learn, that we should expect and be rewarded with a bountiful catch each time. That was generally the case, a good catch and icebox full of bream. Except one I especially recall. This one was

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BRINGING THE POWER WWW.SOU THERN PIN E.COOP | P.O. BOX 60 | 1349 1 H WY. 28 | TAYLO R SVIL L E, MS 39 16 8 | 800.231 .524 0

BRINGING THE POWER IS A CONSTANT STATE OF MIND As the days get warmer, May is a time for anticipating all that is to come during the summer months. Kids are gearing up for that last day of school. Families are planning those summer vacations or even just a brief escape from work and the daily grind of life. Summer fun is just around the corner. May at Southern Pine is a time, like all others, where our focus is on one thing — providing safe, reliable and affordable electric power to you. In fulfilling our mission, many moving parts must all work together. Our team of skilled employees includes engineers, accountants, linemen, member service representatives and a gamut of other professionals all working together to bring the power. Maintaining rights-of-ways, replacing older equipment, upgrading software, revising policies, and maintaining existing lines and poles are all continuous efforts at Southern Pine, and these things never stop. Seeking out new and more innovative ways to serve you, our members, is ongoing as well. We are constantly striving to provide the most reliable and affordable electric power with the best possible service. Whether it’s our website, MyPower, our new texting for outages service, or countless other programs and services, our focus is always on you. At Southern Pine, we know that without you, we wouldn’t be

here. Formed in 1938 to serve rural Mississippians in our 11-county service area, we have grown as our communities have grown. We’ve changed with the times, added new technologies along the way, but the bottom line is that our mission is the same now as it was over 83 years ago. As we enter the days of summer, you can be assured that we will be here day in and day out to serve you. It’s just a constant state of mind for all the Southern Pine employees that drives everything we do for you. As we have experienced recently, storms will definitely come our way. Still, we’ll face and surmount them by bringing the power as safely and quickly as we can. It has been our pleasure to serve our members for the past 83 years, and we look forward to serving you for the next 80 years. It is what we do best — bringing safe, reliable, and affordable power to you with the most outstanding member service possible.

by Chris K. Rhodes President / CEO Southern Pine Electric

Texting for Outages Now Available Save 800-231-5240 in your contacts to use to report outages in the future. When you use this option, there is no waiting or busy signals. This number allows members to quickly call or text an outage — provided their mobile number is associated with their account in our system.

HOW TO REPORT AN OUTAGE To Report an Outage: Text OUT to 800-231-5240 For Status Updates: Text STATUS to 800-231-5240 To Un-enroll: Text the word STOP to 800-231-5240 12 TODAY | MAY 2021

Any member that does not want to remain enrolled should simply text STOP to 800-231-5240 to opt out.

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Lanna, Cindy, Dena (mother), Deanna and Jonette

Josh Keys and his mother, Billie

Front row, L to R, Jo Ponder (grandmother-inlaw), Kayla Ponder, Beverly Buie (mother); back row, L to R, Donna Harpole (husband’s aunt), JoAnne Ponder (mother-in-law), Brittaney Jones (friend) and Linda Mullins-Buie (Stepmother)

Josh Keys and his wife, Andrea

MAY 2021 | TODAY 13

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Mrs. Flora Moffett (deceased) with her children, Darnell, Sandra, Adrain and (not pictured) Keith

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HELPFUL MEMBER SERVICES MyPower There are not many options that offer you the ability to save money these days. However, Southern Pine’s MyPower provides you with the tools to make wise, energy-efficient decisions that will impact your power bill. MyPower gives you the opportunity to view your billing history, daily kilowatt-hour use, and past bills. In addition, MyPower makes it easy to report outages, pay your bill and sign up for paperless billing. To sign up for MyPower, visit southernpine.coop and click on the MyPower icon on the home page. You will need your Southern Pine account number and the service address. Once you enter the information and complete the process, you will receive an email with a link to continue the registration process and choose a password. Please check your spam and junk mail folders. If you do not receive an email, please contact us at 1-800-231-5240 or info@southernpine.coop.

Bank Draft Payments Southern Pine Electric’s Bank Draft program is the most convenient way to pay your power bill and it gives you the security of knowing your power bill will be paid on time. There are many benefits to the program. • No processing charges — Pay by bank draft and your account will never become past due which means no processing charges for a past-due balance. • No more stamps — Eliminate postage costs and save time by never having to mail a payment. • Keep your money longer — The bank draft program allows money to stay in your checking account until midnight on the final due date. This allows your money to work for you longer and it provides plenty of time to make those last-minute deposits. • You benefit from cost-cutting — The bank draft program reduces labor and bookkeeping costs. By using bank draft, you help Southern Pine operate at the least cost possible, thus helping maintain stable electric rates.

Levelized Payment Plan The levelized payment plan is a service for residential members that allows payments of approximately the same amount on your electric bill each month. Under this plan, the amount you pay each month is based on an average of your actual monthly consumption for a one-year period. To qualify you must meet the following criteria: • Residential member or tax-free status. • Meter must have at least 12 months of billing history at

14 TODAY | MAY 2021

current place of residence with no tampering, no disconnects, and no returned checks during that time. • The account must be current.

The levelized amounts must be paid prior to the delinquent date to avoid removal from the plan. Accounts removed from this plan may re-enroll only after 12 months of good payment history. Members are responsible for all amounts due when their participation in the program ends. To apply for levelized billing, stop by any Southern Pine Electric office and complete the short application.

MEET SOUTHERN PINE EMPLOYEE:

RUSTY BLAKENEY Rusty Blakeney will celebrate his 43rd year with Southern Pine next month. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down in his role as a serviceman at the Hattiesburg Branch. Rusty serves our members in Covington, Forrest and Jefferson Davis counties and worked in the area even before the branch was in existence. He has seen many changes over the years but said the most significant difference has been with new technology. “We used to have to do a lot of additional things that are now automated,” Rusty said. “The role of serviceman has changed a lot, but I still love my job and working with Southern Pine has been great.” One of the best things about working at the co-op has been

“The role of serviceman has changed a lot, but I still love my job, and working with Southern Pine has been great.”

fellowship with the employees and interacting with members. I’ve got some really great members,” said Rusty. “They’re just really nice people.” His co-workers love Rusty. Mandy Stanley, who has worked with him for 13 years, said he is one of the most caring and giving people she’s ever met. “He will give you the shirt off his back if you need it,” Mandy said. “I have always thoroughly enjoyed working with Rusty.” DeDee Taylor says that Rusty is a one-of-akind man. “He’s always the voice of reason during storms, and he will help anyone that needs a hand. He’s devoted his life to Southern Pine and our members, and he’s an outstanding employee and friend,” she said. “Rusty loves his family, including his beloved boxer dogs,” DeDee added. Members in his service area recognize Rusty on the spot. He’s easily identifiable in his Southern Pine shirt and his overalls, which have become his signature look. The overalls started quite innocently after a bout with cancer and surgery to remove part of his colon. The overalls were the only thing he could wear for a while as he recovered, and by the time he recovered fully, they had become his calling card. When anyone asks if Southern Pine has been out yet in Rusty’s service area, the first question someone will ask is, “Did he have on overalls?” Raised in River Flats in Smith County, Rusty and his wife of 25 years, Sandy, live in Rawls Springs. Together, they are parents to Sabrina, Stephanie, Starla, Tommy and Melissa and they have 15 grandchildren. Rusty loves to farm, fish and hunt in his time away from Southern Pine. MAY 2021 | TODAY 15

HATTIESBURG BRANCH:

MAKING LIFE BETTER BY SERVING

by Karen Moseley, Branch Manager In the early 1980s, the Hattiesburg Branch began humbly. Its first home was a small mobile office on Highway 49. Soon, a log cabin was constructed behind the mobile office and the Hattiesburg staff moved in by the mid-1980s. During the time in the log cabin, a flood occurred, and the office took on 16 inches of water.

The Hattiesburg Branch serves members from Forest, Covington and Jefferson Davis counties. Hattiesburg is home to businesses, schools and medical facilities that employ thousands of people. With many of our members commuting to Hattiesburg to work, our location is very convenient. The Hattiesburg team likes a good laugh, and with all the hardships 2020 brought for everyone, it also brought a little comic relief through an escaped goat. That’s right, a goat escaped from the Livestock Auction just north of the branch and made his home outside our office. In the reflective glass of the windows, the goat found a competitor and decided he would take him on. He shattered windows in the process, but that did not stop him. While we may take some ribbing from time to time about the goat, we take it in stride because in the end, a smile between us and our members is what serving is all about.

DeDee Taylor, Member Service Representative

In 2007, the current building was constructed a little farther north on Highway 49 and was renovated in 2018. The little log cabin still exists and is occupied today. It serves as a reminder of how far the Hattiesburg Branch has come over the years. The employees of the Hattiesburg Branch have over 68 years of service with Southern Pine. This depth of knowledge and experience ensures our members are getting the best service from people who know them and can work with them during even the most difficult times. Keeping service in mind, the Hattiesburg team set a goal for 2021 — “Making Life Better by Serving.” More than taking payments and creating service orders, serving members is all-encompassing. Sometimes it is simply listening. Often, members are not quite sure what they need, so we work hard to determine what their needs are and how we can help. Helping our members is the most rewarding part of working at Southern Pine.

Hattiesburg Branch Team

16 TODAY | MAY 2021

Mandy Stanley, Member Service Representative

Karen Moseley, Branch Manager

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

SHADY ACRES – A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

When you drive up to Shady Acres Village, you know you are in for a unique experience just by the exterior. There is so much to take in that you linger as you walk to the door looking at all the beautiful plants, funny signs and other amusing things. Once you make it inside, sensory overload kicks in, and it takes a few minutes to get acclimated to all the wonders. The smell of fresh-baked cookies, cakes and pies fills the air. The shelves are stocked with all kinds of goods — candies, honey, canned goods, boiled peanuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, and on and on. Everywhere you turn, there’s more to see. Along with all the year-round staples, each season brings new surprises like crawfish, muscadines, strawberries and pumpkins. This fantastic little village really does have it all. The restaurant serves a blue plate special from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. daily and has a full menu. “The best hamburger around” can be found at Shady Acres, said Matt Pierce, Shady Acres’ owner. Matt, and wife, Julia, have owned Shady Acres for a little over a year, but the place has become a local icon over the years. Located on Highway 49 North, just south of Seminary in Covington County, travelers from all over the country have visited the little village.

Matt and Julia have one goal for all visitors, and it’s simple. They hope every guest leaves happy and remembering a unique experience. Guests do not have to worry. Shady Acres is one of the most unique places around. This little village has a beautiful gift shop, fresh vegetables and fruits, homemade baked goods, a beautiful garden center, a full-service restaurant and much more. “We get people from all over the country, and some people tell us they plan their vacations to make sure we are open when they

come through. That really means a lot to us,” Matt said. Besides so many gift items and fantastic food, what makes Shady Acres special is the wonderful employees. “We have some really great associates,” he said. Shady Acres Village has a little bit of everything for everybody, and the Southern hospitality will ensure you remember your visit for years to come. A unique, one-of-a-kind experience for everyone who visits. MAY 2021 | TODAY 17

by Steven Ward When the light of day slips into night’s darkness during a Mississippi May, it’s time to look for the glimmer and glow of lightning bugs. The middle of the month is the unofficial kick off of lightning bug or firefly season in North America and Mississippi is one of the few locations around the country where you can watch synchronous fireflies do their thing. “As the name suggests, synchronous fireflies are 18 TODAY | MAY 2021

species that blink in unison, which can make a more impressive display. There are only a few species of synchronous fireflies, but we do have one here in Mississippi,” said Mississippi State University entomologist Blake Layton. The impact of synchronous lightning bugs — or “snappy syncs” as some call them — on Jackson resident Claire Graves has been significant.

“I grew up in Ackerman and I’ve been interested in Big dipper lightning bugs are all over the U.S. and are fireflies since I heard about the synchronous fireflies in easy to see in backyards and similar habitats. They are most the Great Smoky Mountains several years ago. When I active right around dusk and for about an hour or so after, learned from Paul and Libby Hartfield — two of the state’s which makes them easy to see, Layton said. The lights are most knowledgeable firefly a mating call. enthusiasts — that Mississippi “Males are flying low over the is home to a different type of lawn so the flightless females synchronous firefly, I was all in,” can see them and respond. I think folks, and especially children, Graves, head of the Office of That makes them easy to see are enamored with fireflies, because they and catch. Both the males and External Affairs at the Missisare some of the first insects we learn about females blink. The males have a sippi Department of Human Services, said. as kids. They are harmless, easy to capture longer lighted period, around a “After observing the snappy quarter of a second, and fly in a and observe, and that ability to produce syncs for a few seasons behind U or J pattern,” Layton said. light is just so amazing. the Mississippi Craft Center Layton said lightning bug in Ridgeland along the historic Natchez Trace Parkway, larvae are generalist predators that roam about on the I wanted to find a way to share this special local treaground seeking prey such as earthworms, slugs, snails and sure with more people,” Graves said. other invertebrates. They capture prey by using their manGraves is now hosting snappy synch lightning bug tours dibles to inject them with venom. Fireflies are partly grown at the Mississippi Craft Center. larvae in the winter and complete their development in the Although synchronous fireflies get a lot of attention, they spring and emerge as adults in late spring or summer. are not the most common lightning bugs most of us see “Firefly larvae glow also, but it is more of a continuous throughout the summer, Layton said. glow and not intermittent blinks like the adults. These are “The more common firefly, the one so many of us caught less showy and conspicuous, but if one roams about suitable in jars when we were kids, is the big dipper firefly, or the habitat at night it is possible to see these ‘glowworms’ as they common eastern firefly. When most people think of fireflies, sit still or move over the surface of the soil,” Layton said. this is the species they have in mind,” Layton said. MAY 2021 | TODAY 19

Where to see synchronous fireflies in Mississippi Wall Doxey State Park in Holly Springs Jeff Busby State Park in Choctaw County The boardwalk behind the Mississippi Craft Center in Ridgeland Turkey Creek Water Park near Decatur To see where snappy syncs have been seen in Mississippi in previous years, check out the interactive map available at www.tinyurl.com/mslightningbugs. If you spot snappy syncs this May or June, email the date, location, and a description of what you saw to mslightningbugs@gmail.com to have your sighting added to the map. The Mississippi Craft Center hosts the Snappy Sync Firefly Tours each year on the weekend between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, which is typically the peak point in the two-week snappy sync firefly display period in central Mississippi. This year, tours will be held May 14 to 16, with 32 tour times available. Each 20-minute firefly tour is led by a Mississippi Master

Snappy sync photos by Jeff Davis

Naturalist and takes guests along a section of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway to observe snappy syncs and other native firefly species.

Tickets are available at https://msfireflies.eventbrite.com.

20 TODAY | MAY 2021

Both Layton and Graves agree that lightning bugs are “miracles of nature.” “Their ability to create light without generating enough heat to injure themselves is remarkable,” Layton said. Children have long been fascinated with the magical sight of lightning bugs. “I think folks, and especially children, are enamored with fireflies, because they are some of the first insects we learn about as kids. They are harmless, easy to capture and observe, and that ability to produce light is just so amazing,” Layton said. “Witnessing the beautiful display of thousands of twinkling fireflies flashing together among the pines and hardwoods inspires incredible awe for the simple wonders that surround us every day,” Graves said.

FUN FACTS Best time to observe fireflies is in late spring and summer, beginning around dusk to about an hour after dark. Make sure you don’t use flashlights and keep away from artificial light sources. Light pollution is a primary reason people see less fireflies these days.

Lightning bugs don’t taste good. Don’t cook, bake or grill them. They are bitter and are poisonous to some animals. Sources: Mississippi State University Extension Service and EcoWatch

Fireflies are harmless to humans. Lightning bugs are neither flies nor bugs, they are beetles. They only use their hind wings for flying. Not all lightning bugs have the light. The bugs that don’t produce light are active in the day. They are known as non-bioluminescent fireflies and they use pheromones to attract mates. Lightning bugs are energy efficient: 100 percent of the energy created is emitted through the light. By comparison, an incandescent light bulb emits 10 percent of its energy as light.

MAY 2021 | TODAY 21

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MAY 2021 | TODAY 23

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Lots of folks associate a slow cook with wintertime soups and stews. I seem to use mine most often in the summer months. Setting it to work in the morning frees up time to enjoy long summer evenings and keeps the oven off and the kitchen cool. 24 TODAY | MAY 2021

These recipes come together so easily I tend to turn to them time and again for parties, picnics and potlucks. They travel well and once cooked turning the heat to warm has them ready to serve without any muss or fuss.

This slightly sweet, savory spiced pork simmers all day and smells divine as it cooks. We like it piled up in a sandwich with some crunchy pickle relish. It is also quite good on warm corn tortillas with diced onion, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Use your favorite barbeque sauce and a chunky apricot jam. INGREDIENTS ½ cup dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon hot paprika 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 (6-pound) pork Boston Butt or shoulder roast ½ cup apricot jam ½ cup classic barbeque sauce In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, cumin, garlic powder and onion powder. Coat the meat with the mixture. Place the meat in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 8 hours. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker into a 4-cup glass measuring cup and allow it to settle while shredding the meat. Remove any excess fat and bones from the meat. Return it to the slow cooker. Skim the fat from the reserved juices. Pour 1 cup of the juices over the meat. Toss the jam and barbeque sauce with the shredded meat. Cover and cook on high for 1 more hour and serve.

I keep this quick, crunchy relish in the refrigerator all summer long. It is wonderful on hot dogs and hamburgers and adds zip to pulled pork sandwiches. When cucumbers start coming in and farmers’ markets have them in abundance, I whip up batch after batch. It’s hard to go back to off-the-shelf relish once you try this fresh version. It really does send chicken salad and tuna fish to another level. INGREDIENTS ¼ teaspoon brown mustard seeds ¾ cup distilled white vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1⁄8 teaspoon dried dill or ¼ teaspoon fresh dill Pinch of red pepper flakes 2 cups seeded and diced cucumber 1⁄3 cup finely chopped red onion 1⁄3 cup finely chopped orange bell pepper 1 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 teaspoon water Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Add the vinegar, sugar, dill and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the cucumber, onion, and bell pepper. Boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and water. Boil for 1 minute. Transfer the relish to a jar and allow it to cool completely before covering and refrigerating. Relish will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.

This recipe is so ridiculously simple it seems too good to be true. INGREDIENTS 2 (15-ounce) cans of sliced peaches in heavy syrup ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend 1 (16.25-ounce) box white cake mix ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into small pieces Empty the cans of peaches with the syrup into a 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle the spice blend over the peaches. Sprinkle the cake mix over the peaches. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the cake mix. Cook on high for 2 hours or until browned.

Martha Hall Foose, the author of “Screen Doors & Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales of a Southern Cook,” won the James Beard Award for American Cooking. Her latest collaboration is “A Good Meal is Hard to Find: Storied Recipes from the Deep South” with Amy C. Evans. Martha makes her home in the Mississippi Delta with her husband and son. She is a member of Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.

MAY 2021 | TODAY 25

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Threefoot Festival. May 14 and 15. Meridian. Arts, eats and beats. Children’s Corner and Art Car Parade. Downtown Meridian. Charlie Mars, The Jake Leg Stompers and Afrissippi among others take the stage for live music. May 14 starts at 6 p.m. and May 15 kicks off at 10 a.m. Thacker Mountain Radio Hour will be live on stage at 6 p.m. May 15. Details: 601-693-2787 or threefootfestival.com. Barn Sale – Antiques and Collectibles. May 7 and 8. Oak Grove. More than 70 collectors with trailer loads of antiques and collectibles. 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday barn sale auction is at 5 p.m. Concession stand. 4799 Old Highway 11, Purvis. Details: 601-818-5886 or 601-794-7462. 19th Annual Mississippi Antique Alley Yard Sale. May 13 to May 16. Meridian. Part of the U.S. 11 Antique Alley 500-mile yard sale from Meridian to Bristol, Virginia. Roadside sales all along U.S. Highway 11. Details: msantiquealley.com or call 601-917-3727.

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Brandon’s 9th Interactive Civil War Relic Show. June 12 and 13. Brandon City Hall. Vendors, living history, antiques, reenactors, prints, weapons, World War I and II militaria, Native American artifacts, free genealogy research and Mississippi authors, artists and musicians. Admission proceeds benefit the Wounded Warriors of Mississippi. Details: 769-234-2966. timcupit@comcast.net Highway 15 Yard Sale. June 3 to June 6. Semi annual yard sale from Newton to Ackerman along Highway 15. Details: Call Timmy at 601-575-9091.

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Herbert Harper was the undisputed “Mayor of Downtown Hot Coffee.” The parameters of “Downtown” Hot Coffee run from the east side of what used to be Knight’s Store to about 50 yards west of it. That’s where the signs are at least. And Herbert Harper oversaw everything in between. There are some people you like the instant you meet them. Herbert was that way for me. He and his wife Judith ran the old Knight’s Store, renamed J&H Harper Grocery for Herbert and Judith. (Judith was the “Knight” — Herbert just married above himself.) Hot Coffee had been on my “to do” list ever since I started roaming around Mississippi with my camera — finding places that not everybody knew about but needed to. The odd name is the Covington County town’s attraction. Way back, folks traveling to where, Laurel? Ellisville? It varies with the telling. Anyway, after a few hours they were weary and wanted a break. So, the driver of the coach would tell them that they were only, “So many miles from Knight’s Store and a good cup of hot coffee.” After a while it got shortened to “We’re just so many miles away from hot coffee.” And before you knew it, hot coffee, a beverage in a cup, became Hot Coffee, a destination on a map. Harper’s store was an amazement to me. They had pretty much everything a country store should have — from “Co”-Colas to hoop cheese — and of course, a pot of hot coffee. Plus, Herbert put together a museum of old stock he had found in the warehouse room. He displayed high top, button up women’s shoes, old dresses, men’s hats, coal oil lamps and medicine bottles. Herbert even found a stuffed sturgeon someone had caught in the Leaf

River (I think it was the Leaf) and had it on display, too. The oddest thing in his mini museum was an old coffin. The old store used to sell coffins a long time ago. So, Herbert put it on a high shelf with a glove sticking out from under the lid. And when someone would look up at it, Herbert would pull on one end of a fishing line over on his side of the store which tugged on a finger of the glove in the coffin and the glove would wave at them. Needless to say, it was a conversation starter. I miss the J&H Harper Grocery. The store was one of those things that had been there forever, and you just figured it always would be. But time has its own idea about what’s permanent and what’s not. The store closed several years ago. And Herbert himself recently graduated to where things don’t change nearly as quickly as they do in this life. But knowing Herbert, I bet he is already seeing if pranks are allowed. And if they are, watch out for when we get there. No telling what he will have rigged up.

by Walt Grayson Walt Grayson is the host of “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and the author of two “Looking Around Mississippi” books and “Oh! That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories.” Walt is also a reporter and 4 p.m. news anchor at WJTV in Jackson. He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.

MAY 2021 | TODAY 27

FOR THE MEMBERS OF