Have you noticed the blue, blue skies of East Central Mississippi during the last few weeks? Of course you have! And you’ve also enjoyed the low humidity, cooler temps, and just a touch of the turning of leaves.  Although we have mainly piney woods, it’s nice to see the yellow and orange leaves of the hardwoods each fall.

    If I were to ask you a favorite month, many would answer emphatically, October. I love October, too! I mean what’s not to love?

    One BIG thing – FOOTBALL! Don’t forget Soccer — and Basketball is just around the corner. But in October and November, Football reigns. Football weekends, tailgate parties, Bulldogs, Hotty Toddy, EagleFever, and Who Dat? Oh, we love those Saints. It’s a Mississippi thing!

    There is so much joy sprinkled throughout the month of October. For example, October is National Cookie Month – who doesn’t love cookies? Pumpkins, school festivals, Jack-O’-Lanterns, dunking for apples, fresh turnip greens, a Moon that’s as big as the sky, shutting off the A/C and starting up the heat-pump all on the same day (that’s Mississippi weather), pulling on your sweats the first fall morning, soft and comfy – all are October happenings.

It Must be October

-Pearl N. Sorrels

 The harvest moon hangs round and high

It dodges clouds high in the sky

The stars wink down their love and mirth

The Autumn seasons is giving birth

Oh it must be October

The leaves of red bright gold and brown

To Mother earth come tumbling down

The breezy nights the ghostly sights

The eerie spooky far off sounds

Are signs that its October

The pumpkin yellow big and round

Are carried by costumed clumsy clowns

Its Halloween let’s celebrate

Come one come all and don’t be late

We know now its October

We’ll roast and toast some luscious food

For apples we’ll be bobbin

While tales are told around the fire

Of timely ghosts and goblins

Oh how we love October

The moon has grown pale

The stars have grown dim

Our Halloween party is over

With a hi-de-ho homeward we’ll go

What a delightful month October

 

    So what’s up in our little corner of the world? Here are a few October events that are too good to miss:

    Meridian Main Street’s Childrens Candy Crawl, Tuesday, October 18, 3:30 – 7:30 p.m.

    Hey Mom, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa – It’s time to bring the kids, twelve and under, to Dumont Plaza, downtown Meridian, for the FIRST Candy Crawl. The planning for this event includes more than just fun for kids, but fun for their parents and grandparents as well. The fun includes: Cup Cake Walk, Luminaries, DJ with great music, pizza and coke for sale, Naval Air Station ejector seat display, Meridian Fire Department fire safety display, Meridian Police Department motorcycle display, costume contest, pumpkin painting competition, scavenger hunt, “spooky” storytelling, and FREE candy given to children at eighteen participating downtown businesses:

Bambinos

Beyond Capital

Bible Bookstore

Cater’s Café

Deli on 5th

Embellish

Jen’s Place

LaBiche Jewelers

Loeb’s

Lucas Road

Meridian Museum of Art

Meridian Underground Music

Sam’s Fashions

Sparkle Boutique

Wayne Rawson Portrait Studio

Weidmann’s

Saxon’s Florist

Stifel Nicolaus

Temple Theatre

    Woo Hoo — there are prizes, too! It’s a fall festival – safe and clean, FREE admission, bathrooms available, and lots of great stuff to do. Main Street Director, John McClure, Bj Hatten, and several volunteers, plus the downtown businesses, invite families and children to enjoy this free event. For more info: 601 693-7480.

    Historic Rose Hill Costumed Cemetery Tour, Saturday, October 22, beginning at 6 p.m. (one tour).

    This event was introduced last year to an overwhelming number of attendees (an estimated 2,000). Again this year, a large number is expected. Historians and Storytellers dress in the era featured, tell the true life stories of the people buried at Rose Hill. There are amazing stories to hear — those of heroes, survivors, victims, founding fathers, babies, widows, and just plain folks buried at Rose Hill. Although Meridian’s entire history is not represented as Rose Hill, a great deal is there.

    FREE admission, plan to come early (by 5:30 p.m.), wear sturdy shoes, bring a flashlight, be patient, FREE parking at Calvary Baptist Church and The Mustard Tree Thrift Store (after 5 p.m.) both are located across from the cemetery. Also, parking available at Calvary Christian School ($2.00 per car). More info:  601 482 9752 or 601 681 8525.

    Family Fun Day, Liberty Baptist Church, Hwy 493, Kemper County, Saturday, Oct 22, 10-2 p.m.

    Old-fashioned fun, lots of games and activities for children and families, large inflatable jumping games,  hamburgers and hotdogs, face painting, magician, Christian Speaker, storytelling, music, and a time to meet and greet new friends – everything FREE. More info: 601 743 2627, 601 743 2530, 601 656 6431.

    Meridian Museum of Art & First Book of East Mississippi – Halloween Party & Spooky Storytelling, Saturday, October 30.

    A full day of activities planned for area children.  Call 601 693 1501 for more info.

     What have you noticed about these amazing activities?  Why it’s community working together – that’s what Meridian and the surrounding areas are all about. I plan to participate with all of these events. I hope to see you there.

    Anne B. McKee is an author and

storyteller. She lives in Meridian. Anne is listed on the Mississippi Artist Roster, sponsored by Mississippi Arts Commission, as a dramatic and literary artist, storyteller, and as a Teaching Artist. She is active with the arts and educational communities throughout Mississippi. Visit her web site: www.annemckee.net.