I always try to arrive at Sara Wilson’s home early when she hosts the garden club just to appreciate her husband Geoff’s art. On this day, I was escorted by the artist himself, who showed new paintings just brought in from his Jackson office. Let me just say I’m motivated to use stronger colors and looser lines and will try to stop with the need to count every leaf as my teacher fusses at me about.
Our guest speaker was Emily Jo Wiggins, the branch director ll for Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Every one familiar with Enid Lake and Enid Dam may have passed by a building and wondered what the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery’s Visitor Education Center was all about. It is right there under our nose and is the most fascinating thing going on; you can ask folks from 23 countries who have come to visit. Schoolchildren arrive in busloads to tour the grounds, where they can tell you about art contests, fishing rodeos and oodles of displays. Special needs individuals have access thanks to sidewalk ramps, enabling visitors such as nursing home and veterans home residents to fish for the first time in years.
It seems to be a jewel I’ve driven by dozens of times recently but never stopped in to see. You don’t need an appointment or anything.
You can just walk in March-October, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $2.50 for adults and $2 for ages 3-17 and 60+ they are closed in December but open November to February, 7:30-3:30. Your family can experience permanent displays, such as the world record white crappie caught in 1957. There is also a tremendous antique fishing tackle collection.
I just cannot do justice to Emily Jo’s presentation, because she is a professional spokesperson and has a plus, plus, plus personality. She just tells a story like my old uncle used to do.
I admit I have nothing for fishing, mostly because of the bait, I’m not touching it. I’m not putting anything live on a hook. I’m not sitting in the hot sun, because I burn. I’ll eat fish someone else catches, so let me just say the fish hatchery at Enid isn’t all about fish.
They have a whole permanent pollinator exhibit, with credit given to the recently deceased Bob Tyler.
Emily Jo presented us with information of native Mississippi species complete with educational brochures and seeds. You can ask also. If you had a piece of land you wanted to lay aside and turn into a pollinator garden, this is where you would go for instruction. I have such a place and that’s what I think I’ll do. After all, I ain’t gonna fish.
Sara and co-hostess Jennifer Flautt served us luscious treats at a beautiful table under the most magnificent chandelier. Geoff told how it once was lit by gas, then electrified.
Ladies, pass this article on to all the men folk in your life and y’all get on out to Enid. There is something for everyone.
Lyn Gates, Libby Whitten and myself met early Thursday, May 2, with helper Pervis Hilson to plant a tree in honor of a dear friend, Carolyn Webb.
The Plantation Garden Club received an anonymous donation with a request to choose a tree and location meaningful to Carolyn. The committee managed to hit the mark of choosing a tree as unique to Sumner as its honoree.
Planting the only royal white redbud in town, its blooms will be white and easily visible on the bayou bank across from the Presbyterian church.
This church is just down the street from the home of Carolyn’s son, Jackson, and where they attend services. It will be alongside the field of daffodils Judith Mitchener planted. Many thoughtful details went into this project, reflecting just how thoughtful Carolyn was to everyone. She could make anyone feel like a special friend, probably from her military brat days traveling round the country. The military brat’s motto is “children of the world, blown to all corners of the world, we bloom anywhere!” and bloom in Sumner she did.
Deeply admired for her servant’s heart, more than a few folks received prayer shawls knitted in a group Carolyn joyfully helped host.
Almost every Sunday service at the Episcopal Church, the altar flowers were her doing. She would start on Friday with her helper, Junior, toting in supplies from home such as catsup to polish brass, and her special cutting shears.
She knew where every single item went in the flower supply drawer at the church. More than once I took a call as church secretary to go look exactly someplace for something. It was either there or I got schooled for what to look for.
One thing I will always love and remember about Carolyn is how much she loved her grandfather from Hushpuckena. He gave her his cigar band for rings just like my Paw Paw gave his to me.
