In this installment of Pat Murphy's book-in-progress about historic Bay St. Louis, you're invited to go shopping and then take in a movie!

Storms wrought havoc with this third annual festival, yet didn't manage to stop everyone from having a blast.  Headliner Gregg Allman performed Saturday night after the main stage was put back together by a determined crew.  But hey, if any community can be understanding of sudden plan changes caused by a weather event, it's got to be BSL.

High resolution prints and files can be purchased from this online gallery.

One of the most beloved family festivals on the Gulf Coast - even rainstorms on Sunday couldn't dampen spirits!

This award-winning teacher considers herself a lifelong learner - and perhaps that's the most important lesson she imparts to her students: Never stop joyously reaching out to learn more.
- story by Pat Saik

For the month that marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall, a look at some of the books that document the dignity and grace that emerged from the despair. 
- by Carole McKellar

While no one likes to be reminded of hurricane season, being prepared is the first step to weathering one safely.  This month, the Chief explains the resources the city has in place to help citizens do just that.
- by BSL Fire Chief Pam San Fillippo

We also have a great (free!) service to offer all Bay St. Louis residents and business owners: the city’s Blackboard Connect Emergency Alert System.  This system is used by the fire department and other city managers to notify the public of important news or emergency information; once you are registered in the system, you decide if you want to be contacted via email, cell phone, home telephone and/or text messages.  It’s easy to sign up, and you can opt out of this free service at any time.  If you aren’t already registered, or if you need to update your contact information since you registered,just follow this link.

(If you don’t live in Bay St. Louis, check with the emergency managers in your city, parish or county to see if they offer a similar emergency alerting system, many do.)

Plan and prepare when things are calm.  Don’t delay.  I hope the links we've provided will help.  No matter where you live, if you need information or other assistance don’t hesitate to contact your local fire department, law enforcement or emergency management agency for help.

This month, a look at how one man generated a design movement in Mexico that's still going strong nearly a century later.
-by Martha Whitney Butler

That same year, he embarked on his first trip to Mexico, which became a routine summer getaway for him (and provided a lecturing gig at the University of Mexico) until he succumbed to the country's charms and relocated in 1929. He quickly fell into the Mexican equivalent of the French Quarter artist crowd where he aided famous muralist Diego Rivera in securing the first showing of Mexican art in the U.S.

Nudged by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Morrow, he visited the town of Taxco, which had been the site of silver mines for centuries, even though it was not particularly known for producing silver objects and jewelry. It was here he decided to set up his studio, Taller de las Delicias. Keep in mind that Spratling was not known for being a silversmith, but for being a designer. His business model was based on employing native silver- and goldsmiths to produce his designs which were primarily inspired by pre-Colombian motifs.

The production of these designs extended from tin and copper items to textiles and furniture as other craftsmen were employed. His growing enterprise surpassed his expectations and paved the way for many up and coming young silversmiths and artists. Taller de las Delicias gave these artisans an opportunity to develop their craft and led them to open their own shops with the support and encouragement of Spratling - thus spurring the movement we know today as the Taxco Movement.

The pieces that were born of this era proudly boast the hallmark TAXCO, as well as the maker’s hallmark, which Spratling insisted each artist develop. He said in his autobiography, "Worthwhile silver requires that it be identified with the name and reputation of its maker."

Spratling's earliest silver jewelry designs were stamped with a hallmark that replicated the brand he used for his horses. Just a few years later, around 1933, Spratling developed the structure of a hallmarking format that he followed until his untimely death in an automobile accident in 1967. He spent over thirty years developing his craft and the craft of the Mexican silver movement and his designs fetch record prices in antique shops and auctions.

You may recall the Spratling earrings I mentioned in last month’s article. When I mentioned them to a fellow collector, I was promptly asked how much I wanted for them.  Needless to say, I couldn't give them up. Sometimes a girl’s got to have nice things.

Go ahead and give a big sigh of relief:  the chic cafe in the historic building may have new owners, but that's all that's changing. 
-by Ana Balka

An urban forestry conference takes place on the coast, where re-greening efforts over the past decade are making a difference aesthetically - and economically. 
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

This month, a well-known coast writer using the pen name of Dr. Apollonios Balonios** confabulates a new theory about a syndrome that could be affecting many coast residents. 

Boiled Brain Syndrome (hereafter, BBS; and not to be confused with BBs [as in air rifles], bb.s [base on balls {as in baseball}], or bbs [bulletin board systems {as in Computer Science}, or even BBS {as in British Babes Sexting}]; and, furthermore, anyone who pronounces BBS as bee-beez or bbbzzz probably has B-B-S and should seek air-conditioning immediately) is often a precursor to life-threatening conditions like heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or dogmatic catatonia (as in Rush Limbaugh).

Remember the once-popular bumper sticker: “It’s not the Heat - It’s the Stupidity”?  The slogan was a comment on the mental machinations of politicians and bureaucrats in New Orleans and the MS Gulf Coast areas, where the highest humidity is trapped between the coastal wetlands and that long, wide ribbon of concrete known as I-10.  
    
The slogan, of course, played on the popular saying, “Its not the heat.  It’s the humidity” to explain the enervating meteorological effects on human life in our hostile natural environment.  Recently I discovered that humidity really is a catalyst for the production of human stupidity.  This may be symbolically presented in formulaic phrasing as follows:

Ht (Heat) + Hm (Humidity) = St (Stupidity). 

This month, Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke shares details about a new park project, the latest on golf cart legislation, and the Katrina+10 events that include the reopening of the Ground Zero Museum.
- by Jeremy Burke

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Audubon Mississippi's Bird Stewardship program offers volunteering opportunities year round - including protecting tiny Tern hatchlings during busy beach weekends. 
 - story by Ellis Anderson, bird photography by Charles Hubbard

Rosanna points out several of the terns dive bombing a family walking ahead of her on the beach path, one of the nesting ground “borders.”  The parents and kids are talking and don’t even notice the birds swooping above them.  Although they might soon.  One of the terns’ defensive mechanisms is pooping on intruders.

“Most people coming to this part of the beach don’t know that it’s a nesting ground,” Rosanna says.  “There are roped off areas and signs posted, but they’re having fun and not paying attention.  Lots of times they just walk right past the warnings.”

“That’s why volunteers are posted on either side of the nesting grounds.  Once people understand, they don’t mind a little detour at all.”

Least Terns likely spend the winters in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean, then return to the Mississippi Coast every April to breed.  The birds gather in small colonies along the coastline.  At first, couples court while gliding in the air.  Then males bring the females tempting morsels of fresh fish to seal the relationship.  Once the female’s been won over and they’ve mated, both birds share in parenting responsibilities.

Couples hollow out indentations in the beach sand and then announce that it’s home by laying one to three eggs.  While herons and raccoons and storm tides are all commonplace factors that can wipe out the hatchlings in a heartbeat, the threat that now requires volunteer help is the growing human population of the Mississippi Coast.

Most damage from humans is inadvertent.  Beach-goers walking along near the waterline may not notice the roped-off nesting grounds and pass the colony’s unmarked border.   They may be oblivious to the alarm they’re causing as the little adults swoop and cry overhead.  Unaware, they tromp through the nesting grounds, crushing nests and eggs and even featherless fledglings.

Sarah Pacyna, director of the Coastal Bird Stewardship Program, says that human disturbance can flush the adult terns, leaving the eggs and chicks vulnerable to high heat, sun and predators, which include other bird species.

Holiday weekends, like the Fourth of July can be especially bad.  In the first of July, the eggs are just beginning to hatch.  People crowd the beaches and fireworks must seem like bomb attacks to the nesting colonies.

Audubon’s Least Tern volunteers are trained to politely engage and educate people who are about to absently walk into a nesting area.

While the deBuys, who live between New Orleans and Bay St. Louis, are relatively new to the birding word, Waveland resident Barbara Bowen has been an avid birder for over twenty years.  She’s a veteran Audubon volunteer.

Bowen says it’s a particularly satisfying job.

“We’re protecting those little hatchlings, that are so vulnerable now,” she says.  “And we get to talk to groups of people and tell them about the terns.  They become more aware of the terns, and start appreciating other birds more too.”

Roseanna says she and her husband enjoy watching the antics of the birds and sharing information about the birds with new people.

“The kids' eyes always light up when we show them the pictures of the chicks,” she says.

“Besides, it’s a great excuse to hang out on the beach.  It’s peaceful, the scenery is gorgeous and we come away relaxed.  It’s a tough volunteer job, but somebody’s got to do it,” she says, laughing.

The nesting cycle for the Least Terns comes to a close in August, however, the local Audubon’s Coastal Bird Stewardship Program offers year-round educational and volunteer opportunities.  For more information, email Amanda Odom, Volunteer Manager
 or call (228) 285-0449.  Find out the many different ways volunteers can make a difference here!

June 13th, 2015

Tying the knot takes on new meaning in this nautical themed wedding at the Bay-Waveland Yacht Club!
- photos by Julie Holmes

Alicein, who grew up in Bay St. Louis, has traveled “far and wide,” and believes this has impacted her worldview.  And along the way, her family is gathering ideas to improve the Mockingbird. 

“We try to promote wellness on all fronts,” she says.  “That includes serving fresh foods, hosting revolving art shows, providing a home for Tree House Yoga Studio, and staging live family-friendly music events.  We have a free lending library and we’re home base for a weekly Fun Run.  It’s all about interacting with your community on a lot of different levels.”

The Mockingbird first opened in 2006, when Bay St. Louis was still digging out from the debris fields left by Hurricane Katrina.  To outsiders, it seemed an odd time to open a coffeehouse, but according to Alicein, "we saw a need for a communal gathering place that would offer love, hope, and a place for healing to begin."   The historic building quickly became known as the town’s “living room,” where volunteers and survivors shared stories, laughter and tears.

Over the past nine years, the Mockingbird has been featured in national magazines like Southern Living (repeatedly), Coastal Living and Cottage Living magazines and on NPR's Weekend Edition.  They’re known throughout the state in artistic and musical circles.  Their food is of special note too.  Recently, their burgers were named among the top ten in Mississippi.  So if visitors to Bay St. Louis were given a “Must Do” list, “hangin’” at the Mockingbird would be near the top.

Visitors can always find interesting locals willing to converse in the lively café.  On any given day, you’re likely to find college students who have stumbled on the Bay during their travels, scientists who work at Stennis Space Center, day-trippers from New Orleans and beyond, kids from the nearby schools and lots of artists and writers.  The mix of people is as irresistible as the food and beverages served up by welcoming baristas. 

The regular café menu is offered Monday through Saturday from 11- 2pm and from 5 – 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. In addition to the “world-famous Mockingburger,” fresh sandwiches, and flavorful salads offered on the menu, gourmet baker Hannah Roberts is whipping up signature muffins, cookies and specialty desserts (all available for cater-out).  Lemon/Feta cookies and the Aloha cookie (white chocolate, pecan and coconut) are the new local favorites.  Beverage-wise, patrons can order up anything from cappuccinos to locally brewed craft beers to fresh-squeezed Beatnik lemonade.  

About a year ago, the Mockingbird began offering breakfast on a daily basis (7am – 11am M – Sat., 8am – 1pm on Sunday) to resounding community applause.  Their made-from-scratch biscuits have been called the best on the coast by more than one Southern food lover (this writer among them).  Divine jams made in-house can be slathered on for the full flavor bomb effect (just DO IT!). 

Other favorites include frittatas, apple-smoked bacon, and the ever-popular José Loves Me omelet (with black beans, cheddar, avocado and made-in-house pico de gallo).  Fresh fruits, robust full-grain grits (not the anemic instant kind) and curry-seasoned home-fries round out a menu that will delight adventurous diners as well as traditional egg-and-bacon folks.

Also new in the past year is the Mr. Atticus Night Market, held on the last Friday of each month.  Offering live music, art vendors and a special tapas menu, the event has begun to establish itself as a coast favorite.   Alicein points out that the special menu gives the kitchen team a chance to stretch and try new things, while using seasonal, locally grown ingredients. 

Smith & Lens Gallery, located right next door, schedules their monthly art opening during the same time frame, so that night, Second Street takes on a festival atmosphere.  The Night Market concerts are similar to the other evening performances held throughout the month.  Adults take chairs and listen or chat with friends, while dozens of children are hula hooping and scooting and dancing their way through the crowd. That’s exactly the energy the Mockingbird crew has been cultivating.

“When you have children, you don’t stop wanting to go have a burger and a beer and watch a band,” Alicein says.  “We wanted to provide a place where that could happen.  All our events are children-friendly.  We have blocks and markers and hula-hoops and black boards to help keep kids entertained while the parents are enjoying conversation and music.” 

“Besides, you want outings like that to be a family experience and to cultivate a love of art and music in your children.  Then they’re going to grow up and want more of the same.”

“We’re all pieces of the big puzzle, working to make our town loved and successful,” says Alicein.  “Our philosophy at the Mockingbird is that kindness is the most important thing.”

Local leaders reflect on how far the community has come over the past decade - and give thanks to the undaunted survivors, volunteers and officials who refashioned a shining city from the rubble. 
-by Ana Balka

Tish Williams, director of Hancock Chamber of Commerce, says events surrounding the anniversary will focus on how far the community has come since the hurricane, and honor everyone who has been a part of rebuilding the community.

“It’s definitely going to be a celebration of the progress that Hancock County has made over the last decade,” she says.

A gathering is planned at the Waveland Civic Center at 5 p.m., August 29 to commemorate the lives of those lost to Katrina in Hancock County, and to re-open the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum. There will be music, food, and beverages into the evening.
 
“We want people to bring lawn chairs, picnics, coolers, and photos or memorabilia to share and spark memories and stories,” says Williams.

Katrina commemoration events will actually begin August 17, when volunteers will start building a playground in honor of Edgar and Carl Bane at Elwood Bourgeois Park in Waveland.

Events go through Sunday, August 30, when area churches will host faith-based events. On Friday, August 28th, "New Day in the Bay" will take place in Old Town.  Shops will stay open late and there will be music in the streets (scroll down for full list of events on a downloadable PDF).

Nikki Moon, Hancock County Tourism Board President and owner of the Bay Town Inn, speaks of all Hancock County now has to offer guests. “As visitors return to the Bay, some for the first time in a decade, they will be charmed once again.”

Galleries, shops, and restaurants welcome travelers and locals alike, she says. “It's a different Bay. We have been through a lot these past ten years, but are better, stronger and very much a community—welcoming everyone to relax, and enjoy all we have.”

All three leaders emphasized the strength of the citizens of Hancock County, and the community spirit that brought the area back to a place of vitality and prosperity.

“It's hard to look back and remember that horrible day,” says Moon.  Moon spent part of Katrina hanging onto a tree in hopes of survival. 

“Today I realize how strong these great people of the Bay are. They just kept going, kept putting one foot in front of the other. I am so proud to be a part of this community. These people are tough, and if I had a choice, I wouldn't live anywhere else but among them.”

One gift that Williams feels Katrina left in its wake is a renewed commitment from residents for volunteerism - people stepping up and being a part of the community. “One person can make a difference,” she said. “When you find your passion, you can make a difference. We’re seeing that throughout Hancock County.”

“We’ve come so far, and we know we didn’t get here on our own,” said Williams.

Mayor Fillingame agrees that the anniversary is a time to take a step back and thank our fellow survivors and citizens from across the country “who held our hands and helped us get to a better place.”

“It’s very humbling to look at the millions of man hours and the millions of dollars that went into the attempt to make us better than whole.  And it was all given with a spirit of love and generosity.”

What’s ahead for Bay St. Louis?  The mayor sees determination and creativity as the main ingredients predicting the community’s future.

“From the economic and re-population standpoints, we’re seeing growth way beyond our expectations.  A vibrant sense of success is radiating out from our waterfront and Old Town.  Our creative community is on fire.  Our creative economy is forming the backbone of our resurgence. We’re very excited about the places we’re going.”

“But the tenth anniversary is a time to stop and celebrate who we truly are,” Fillingame continues. “We stand at this milestone reflecting on the recovery of the community as a whole - and appreciating all the individual stories built into that.”

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This stunning historic home may be a Work In Progress, but that doesn't prevent the visionary and artistic owners from enjoying it to the max as they move ahead with restoration.
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

Neither Rosie or John Dumoulin have any idea why a collection of eight bowling balls were scattered around the yard of their house when they purchased it two years ago.  In fact, the gardens were so overgrown at the time of closing, it took months of slowly clearing away the weeds before they found the first ball.  As they worked their way around the property, other surprises appeared.  Beneath a mystery hump of vines, they discovered a beautiful fountain.  Brick-edged garden beds hid beneath the rampant overgrowth.

And there were, of course, more bowling balls.

The Dumoulins appreciate a good mystery.  They also know a good conversation starter when they see one.  The bowling balls are staying, at least for now.  But the house on St. Charles is still in the early stages of Work In Progress.   

Meanwhile, the couple has no intentions on delaying gratification in their home until it’s “finished.”  Children, grandchildren, and friends are already enjoying the home’s distinctive personality.

It's a house built for entertaining and easy family living.  The door to the main house opens to a wide center hall, with four rooms on either side.  In the back part of the house, the kitchen, another bedroom and a glassed-in porch give plenty of spread-out space. 

The décor of the house reflects John and Rosie’s love of antiques, treasured family memorabilia, and fun Americana collectibles. While the style of the house and the furnishings differ in both period and region, the Dumoulins have pulled the juxtaposition off with flair.  Even their primitive antiques fit seamlessly in the elegant and airy rooms.

Of course, it helps that both Dumoulins have artistic inclinations and careers.  John holds bachelor’s degrees in art and advertising.  While working in public affairs for the Air Force, he obtained a masters degree in public relations and communications.  He’s spent most of his working life in Air Force and NASA communications (including one stint working directly for the Secretary of the Air Force). 

Over the past decade, John has specialized in producing educational museum exhibits and programs for NASA and for the past two years at INFINITY Science Center.  He’s also the author of four books, including the Flatcreek Tales series. 

Rosie holds degrees in art education and crafts design.  Her thirty-year career as an art teacher has left her proficient at jewelry design, photography and pottery.  She’s already showing work locally at Gallery 220 (220 Main Street in Old Town) and at Bay-Tique (125 Main Street).  She’s commandeered a room in the house for her workshop and another glassed-in area beneath the guest cottage is slated to become a pottery studio.

So, the Dumoulins see their St. Charles house as another art project, albeit, a large one (the house is 2300 square feet, plus two out-buildings).  And like most artists, they’ll take just as much pleasure in the planning and the doing of a project as they will in the ultimate outcome. 

Of course, they’ve had plenty of practice.  Their last home, a cabin outside of Huntsville, was built of 100-year-old logs. For twenty years, they tackled project after project, shaping the house with their vision and labor.  They built studios, barns, decks, patios and gardens on the 12-acre farm.  John established a small working vineyard and made wine as a hobby. 

Their last major project at the cabin had been on the backburner for years – Rosie’s dream kitchen. But Rosie had only cooked a few meals in that new kitchen.  INFINITY Science Center offered John the job of museum manager after he retired from NASA.  He couldn’t resist.  But the couple needed to move immediately.  

While the location of INFINITY made Slidell, Mandeville, and Diamondhead all possibilities for their new home, after John took a tour of Bay St. Louis, he called Rosie. 

“You need to come see this,” he said.  “This feels right.”

Rosie joined John on the coast and the two drove around the town.  They’d both grown up on Florida’s panhandle and the Bay still possessed the “Old Florida” charm that’s now extinct.  They liked the fact that the core of town wasn’t made up of subdivisions.  They loved the front porches, and the picket fences, and the people waving from their yards.  

“I grew up in a small town, so for me, it was like coming home again,” says John.  “I can bike everywhere.  It’s like being ten years old again.”

They looked at several houses, but the one on St. Charles called their names.  Loudly.  Insistently.  It was built in 1890 - or 1895 - since records disagree.  According to the National Trust (and it’s one of only two individual houses in Bay St. Louis to be listed on the National Trust), it was the first Colonial Revival house built in Bay St. Louis – and perhaps in Mississippi. 

Since it was built on high ground, flood insurance premiums wouldn’t be an issue, yet the Dumoulins could see the beach from the mailbox.  High ceilings, transoms, floor to ceiling windows, and a big yard for gardening all beckoned.  Their new next door neighbors told them that they would be buying the most photographed house in Bay St. Louis (in fact, it's featured in Ken Murphy's book, My South Coast Home).

But the house was also crying out for help.  Due to illness, in recent years, the former owners hadn’t been able to care for the house they’d once lavished with love.  And some serious updating was required.  Old knob and tube wiring had to be replaced before the sale was even finalized. 

Afterward, the Dumoulin’s tackled the heavy structural tasks first – replacing the broken “spine” of the house underneath and leveling.  That was just the beginning.

“We painted the entire interior,” says Rosie, “and put wood floors in two bedrooms, floored the attic and added insulation.  In the guest cottage, we added a bathroom and redid the floors and insulation.  Coming up are re-dos of both main house bathrooms and the kitchen.”

Rosie, a master gardener, has approached the yard carefully over the past two years. 

“I know Zone 7 plants, not Zone 9.  I was afraid to pull things up at first.  So we grew a lot of weeds that first year," she says, laughing. 

John’s even experimenting with growing grapevines in the yard.  He planted his first muscadine vine.  It’ll take three years to see if it produces grapes.  If it does well however, John is nurturing a retirement dream.

“What about vineyards and a winery here in Bay St. Louis?” he asks.  “It could be great for locals and be a lovely visitor attraction too.  Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

Most people would agree.  Of course, it’d be another Work In Progress.  But with visionaries like the Dumoulins, it’s likely to succeed.  

Her home never looks finished. It just looks lived in. She has somehow found that perfect blend of domesticity and function that tells us living is her real vocation. I'm inspired by her and homes like hers.

May we all grow where we are planted and incorporate beauty, peace and joy around us! Cheers to a beautiful life! La bella vita!

An extraordinary art exhibit opening in Waveland on the 10th anniversary of Katrina embraces - and thanks - those from across the country who came to the aid of local artists after the monster storm.
- by Vicki Niolet

After Katrina, however, the artists of the county were literally stranded in a void with limited opportunities for creating, and no local venues for selling their art.

This month, Rheta brings her dreams of being a Little Free Librarian to Pass Christian and sets up shop on Second Street.  Stop by and check it - and a book - out! 
- by Rheta Grimsley Johnson

This month, a look at the very measurable health benefits obtained by indulging in one of life's sweetest pleasures - laughter!
- by Christina Richardson