Two weeks ago, John, my sister and I made a whirlwind trip back home to the farm. It was John’s first time back in years, and if he were the type toย post comments on my blog, I knowย he would back me up on thisโhe was fully entertainedย and slightly amazed at all the things we managed to cram pack into three days.
After a delayed flight, a drive from Little Rock plagued with typical I-40 road construction and severe thunderstorms, weย picked John up at the Trolley Stop Market in Memphis (long story) and headed straight to the Riverlawn Country Club in Osceola where everyone truly knows your name. The Bat (my mother) was already entertaining people in the bar. Ahhhh, the familiarity of home. We evenย stumbled into what was left of a wine tasting.ย Bonus: Although massive storms moved through, the Bat Cave maintained power. A rarity.
Friday morning began with a trip to Newcomb’s in Osceola because what’s a trip home without a visit to Newcomb’s? Incomplete. When we were kids,ย Newcomb’s was a drugstore andย gift shop rolled into one. Although the drugstore part is gone, I canย still hear druggistย Jimmy Lynchย teasingย my sister and me, “Girls, I talked to Papa Creecyย ย today, and he said to buy whatever you want. Just charge it to him.” Bonus:ย While there, I bought a really cute shirt and saw Mrs. Byford, my Rivercrest Accounting teacher who somehow looks even younger now.
After a quick visitย inside the Mississippi County Museum in Osceola and a chatย with photographic artist Jason Stark at Osceola Printing (check out his amazing photography on Facebook), we headed to Dyess for the Johnny Cash VIP Tour (read more here if you haven’t already). Bonus: Saw old friends, met new ones including members of the Cash family, ate incredible fried chicken courtesy of Whitton Farms.
Saturday morning began with an early morning hike around the rice field, which will actually be planted in soybeans this year, crop rotation and all… After ย exploringย Wildwood Antiques in Etowahย (what an intense, amazing collection in the middle of the Delta), we headed to lunch at Wilson Cafe with high school friends.
The oyster bisque wasย extraordinary. As was the Nice Salad (I love that name) and the Donut Bread Pudding (we shared).
And check out these Billy Moore Folk Art paintings on display at theย cafe. We bought the middle one!
After a tour of our friends’ country house (yes, we invited ourselves over because it’s okay to do that back home), we managed to watch theย Dallas Mavericks game at the Bat Cave.ย (Television watching at the Bat Cave is always tricky…) Then it was over for cocktails, appetizers and an overall fun evening with my college friend Craig F. and his wife Beth who recently renovated his grandmother’s home in Osceola. Let met just say, southerners know how to pull together an impromptu spread.ย Bonus: Their home is amazing, and theyย promised usย first right of refusalย if they move back to Memphis. John may be a bit concerned about this.
Somewhere in all that we managed to go back to the country clubโFriday night I think? Bonus: When our server discovered he was out of Momma’s favorite pink wine, he drove into town to buyย more for her. That doesn’t happen in Dallas.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Musical Pairing:
Cheers Theme Song
I was dying to be back in the South, where the livin’ was easy, where the fish were jumpin’, where the cotton grew high.โ
โ Johnny Cash