Ann and Ryan Case's Wedding

Dianne and I have known Ann Mize for many years, along with their parents, Tom and Joan, and their brother and sisters. Our children went to rival schools-the Mize family at Brandon High School and our girls to NW Rankin.

Ann and Ryan met at orientation for Hinds Community College. Ryan and Ann met due to Ryan's roommate. Ryan asked Ann out on a date and she accepted on September 11, 2003. Their date was to see the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl". Their dating continue all thru college, Ann at Ole Miss and Ryan at Mississippi State University. Ann then worked on her master's degree at Mississippi State University.

Ann and Ryan's big test came when Ann worked for Walt Disney World college program. They came thru that long distance fine.

Ryan proposed to Ann on Halloween night in 2010 and set their wedding date for their first date anniversary, September 11, 2010, so that they would always remember the day their relationship began!

Ann and Ryan's rehearsal, wedding and reception was held at the Castle Hill Pavilion and Park, south of Jackson, MS. Their rehearsal dinner on Friday night was at Penn's Fish House, in Jackson, MS.

I had never been to Castle Hill Pavilion until this wedding. A wonderful place to have a wedding and reception. Outside the main building, that includes dressing rooms and kitchen, you walk down several steps to a wood walkway to a gazebo.

The wedding was standing room only in the gazebo that was set up for approximately 100 people.

Yes, the bride's cake and table arrangements had the Disney World theme!

The wedding location was beautiful, the bride and groom were exited about their wedding day and ceremony, I just wish there had been more clouds to reduce the heat and humidity! Oh well, it was in early September in Mississippi.

Ann and Ryan now live in the Houston, Texas area, where Ryan's work is located. Ann continues to search for a school teaching job in that area.

Tara and Jackson's Wedding

Tara is the daughter of Tom and Joan Mize. We have know this family in Brandon, MS, for many years, including church and in 2006 an Alaskian cruise to celebrate Tom and Joan's 30th wedding anniversary. Little did we know at that point Tom and Joan would move and work in Juneau, Alaska, in 2007!





We met and learned to love Jackson Cline. Jackson also lived in the Jackson, MS, area, but attend a private school instead of Brandon High School like Tara. This wasn't the only different school they attended. For their college degrees, Tara attended and graduated from Ole Miss in Oxford, MS. Jackson attended and graduated from Mississippi State University. Two big time rival schools in Mississippi.









After a brief time in Arkansas, Jackson determined he wanted to teach high school Physics. This decision took him to Hattiesburg, MS to accomplish that goal.





Tara, Jackson, family members and friends made their way to Columbus, MS, for the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception on July 2, 2010. The rehearsal, wedding and reception were held at the famous Hickory Sticks Mansion. The rehearsal dinner took place downtown Columbus, MS, at J. Broussard's.


Jackson and Tara now make their home in Hattiesburg, MS.

Barber's Museum

One of my dear friends is Retired Lt. Colonel Michael Hooten. His responsibilities now are to make sure the commercial plane he is 1st officer takes passengers from one point to the next on a safe and unevent flight.

Mike and his wife, Sarah (my twin sister from a previous lifetime!), love to ride motorcycles. They have taken several trips from Jackson, MS, to the west coast of Florida, The Blue Ridge Parkway and other spots in the United States.

In 2007, Mike mentioned to me there was a wonderful museum east of Birmingham, AL, tucked away in Leeds, AL, by the name of Barber's Museum. This museum was created by one of the Barber's Milk family in Alabama.

The main structure is five floors, which take you through generations of motorcycles, bicycles and race cars with the actual product in view. You get close enough to many of these pieces of equipment you could touch them, but are requested to leave along and view. There is a small fee to enter this incredible building, but worth the price to see this collection.

This isn't one of those you see it once and you don't ever want to go back again. No, the museum changes their collection, from time to time, so you'll see something different each trip.

There are thousands of vehicles in this collection. Some motorcycles are mounted on "trees" which display more of them in a smaller amount of space.

I mentioned there are several floors to walk thru the history of these vehicles. The only floor you aren't allowed to walk is the bottom floor which houses their mechanical and body shop activities. Yes, you can look down from the other floors and get a peek at the work process on floor one, but that's as close as you get unless you have special priviledges with the museum.
One additional aspect to this museum is behind the main structure. That is the concrete race track. During my trip to Barber's museum, there were seven silver Porsche two-door vehicles on the track during their "learning process" in handling a sports car similar to the one the drivers recently purchased. I don't know the cost for this track experience, but anticipate a large sum of money.

This track is also used for both car and motorcycle races throughout the year. There is a grand stand area to sit and enjoy the races. And you can walk around the outside of the track, at a safe distance, to take incredible shots in the turns and straightaways.

Sturgis, South Dakota enjoys being the birthplace of motorcycle events and race track activity. However, the wonderful, newer conditions found at Barber's Racetrack is growing in popularity and lapping the competition, so to speak!

In the fall of the year they have their annual racing event and have several vendors which sell different motorcycle items. Haven't made that weekend yet, but hope to in the near future.

If you are on Interstate 20 east of Birmingham, AL, and have some free time, Barber's Museum would be an excellent place to visit.

Tara and Jackson Cline Wedding

Two of our dearest friends in Jackson, MS, are Tom and Joan Mize and their extended family. We have seen our children grow up for babies to college graduates, to getting married.

In 2006, Tom and Joan celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They asked if we would travel Alaska with them on a cruise since we had been two prior times. We agreed, not knowing two years later they would move to Juneau, Alaska! I'm jealous!

On Saturday, July 3, 2010, their middle daughter, Tara, and husband-to-be, Jackson, married in Columbus, MS at the famous Hickory Sticks. This home was built in the 1820's and the first President of Mississippi Agriculture and Mechanical College (later changed to Mississippi State University) lived here.

A beautifully kept home located just north of downtown Columbus, MS. Sitting majestically at the top of a hill, on three plus acres of magnolia trees and various other trees. Being shaded and on a hill, the hot, summer day was cooler with a breeze.

Tom had two eventful days prior to the wedding he would just as soon forget. On Thursday before the wedding, one of the shutters on the front of the house fell, hitting him on the bridge of the nose. Nothing broken, just a great, red bruise.

Friday afternoon before the rehearsal and dinner, Tom had piled up a large amount of brush and tree limbs to burn. He covered the wood with gasoline and, like a good boyscout, made his fire trail. As he lit the trail, he remembered he had cleaned the paint off his legs mineral spirits. Yes, the flame flashed and Tom suffered 2nd degree burns on his right leg below the knee.

After the rehearsal dinner, Dianne and I drove Tom and Joan to the local emergency room of the hospital. The doctor cleaned out the wound, applied medicine, and finished the process with a bandage.

Pain medication had Tom sleepy and wobbly the day of the wedding. But he was prepared for the big event that afternoon.

Tom now cleans the wound twice a day with soap. His doctor in Juneau, Alaska, complimented Tom on how well he is taking this chore seriously. Hopefully, total healing will occur quickly.

Following the wedding and reception, Jackson and Tara flew on their honeymoon to Quebec, Canada.

Congratulations to both of you and enjoy Quebec and your life together as husband and wife!

50th Wedding Anniversary

Following my work with the UMMC Donors Guild event, I was asked to photograph a couple's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. So, this past Saturday, I met the extended family at a local subdivision's clubhouse.

This is a delightful couple with three sons and two daughters. Add in the grandchildren and friends and it was a marvelous group of people.

While most of the digital images were taken inside, we did venture out into the heat and humidity to take advantage of the beautiful reservoir and and trees. Since it's June, there will be heat and humidity!

With all of the conversations taking place, it was obvious that everyone had a delightful time.

I have completed my work in processing all of the images, producing a DVD video clip with background music and special effects and placed the images on my web page. All that is left is for the family members to select their prints, determine print size and place their order.

Abilene, Texas Trip

With our parents aging, it becomes even more critical to plan trips to Texas (Ft. Worth and Abilene) to visit with them and other family members.

Our trip took us from Jackson, MS, to Ft. Worth, Texas the first evening. The first mission of the trip was for our youngest daughter having her bi-annual visit with her doctor in the Dallas/Ft. Metroplex. This is two days of alergy testing to determine the correct shot mixture. After visiting with my parents and two sisters it was time to move on.


The middle of the week we left Ft. Worth for the drive to Abilene. Dianne and I attended Abilene Christian University and received our degrees there. Dianne's dad, step mother and sister's family live there.




Wednesday night we left the church building to find a wonderful rain storm and an incredible rainbow. Have camera, will shoot!






Thursday was visiting day on the ACU campus to see the most recent building - the Bob Hunter Welcome Center. Wonderful facility for recruiting students, Alumni Association and other offices.


This same day became very special for me - visiting with the Business Dept. Head when I was a student. Dr. Overton Faubus is now ninety-six years old and bed bound. But, his memory is as strong as a twenty year old! A wonderful time to visit and talk about the past and current experiences. Hopefully, there will be a return visit to Abilene that will include another conversation with Dr. Faubus.

Friday was travel day from Abilene back to Jackson, MS. As if the ten plus hour drive wasn't enough, Dianne and I had tickets with another couple to see the play "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" which is Neal Sedaka music with a story line. Fine acting and incredible music.

MCSB Final Band Concert 2009/10 Season

Saturday night, May 22nd, was our last Mississippi Community Band Concert for the 2009/10 season. We had special plans for those who attended!

Since this concert fell between to military type holidays, it was decided to invite an active military person from each branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard) to participate in the concert.

We had Sgt. Major Dusty Reynolds (30 yrs. veteran) from the U. S. Army, Chief Petty Office Christopher Zeigler form the U. S. Navy, Sergeant Curtis Jones from the Marines, Col. Glenn Taylor from the U. S. Air Force, and BM1 Shawn Sappington from the U. S. Coast Guard. Each were in dress uniform with medals and ribbons.

Our band president purchased each branch's flag and the fun began at the beginning of the concert when Captain Curtis Jones presented the U. S. Flag for the playing of the National Anthem. It was so quiet with the 600+ people attending that you actually could have a pin drop!


Having all five branches with their flags in unusual to see at one time. Only at Presidential innaugurals and funerals do you typically see all five together. So this made the event even more special. And probably some people had no idea what the branch flags looked like in person.


The second to the last song had all five hymns for the branches. The five military men came to the front of the audience section with their flag. When they hymn was played they raised their flag and did a figure "8" with it. People in the audience who either served or currently serving in that branch or have a friend or family member were asked to stand at that time.


The final number was "Stars and Stripes Forever". All five men were now on stage in front of the band. When the last strain was played and the confetti cannons were fired, all five military men saluted the audience.





Our band director is retired U. S. Air Force and he now had his military uniform on and turned to salute the audience.

There were definitely tears in many people's eyes this night for this celebration of our military people.


Next year we're considering adding the MIA/POW flag to the concert!

Following the concert, the band celebrated its 6th birthday with a reception for all band members.