Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

(Squirrel pumpkin by Laurie G. Fisher!)

SOS - Dogs seized from puppy mill in Bay Springs, Mississippi need homes!

Dogs Seized from Bay Springs Puppy Mill

Written by Gail Brown

Wednesday, 02 September 2009 18:30

FORTY-THREE DOGS SEIZED FROM BAY SPRINGS, MS

PUPPY MILL TRANSPORTED TO OLHS

October 24, 2009 Bay Springs, Miss — The Bay Springs Sheriff's Dept. in conjunction with the ASPCA seized 43 dogs from shockingly poor conditions at a Jasper County puppy mill. Conditions were found to be so deplorable that law enforcement obtained an emergency search and seizure warrant. Forty-three of the most critical dogs were seized with 60+ remaining on site. Dogs seized displayed severe neglect including eye and skin conditions, malnourishment, and parasites. Dogs seized included Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Basset Hounds, Schnauzers, Feists, Poodles, and Bichons including Shih Tzu/Papillon mix breeds. Animals were transported to the OLHS on October 25 where staff and volunteers worked to set up and supply food, water, blankets, toys, and attend to medical issues.

Volunteers worked Monday on grooming dogs, but there are still many in need. If you can help with grooming or can sponsor a dog for grooming, please contact the OLHS at 662.236.7631. All dogs are viewable under the OLHS "Adopt A Pet" link. If you are interested in adopting one of these loving babies, please complete our online application or come by the shelter.

The Mid-Town Farmers' Market rocks on ... don't miss what might be their last of the season this Saturday ...

Fresh mustard greens, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers and Brown Family Dairy milk from the Mid-Town Farmers' Market - this Saturday's market might be their last of the season, don't forget to check it out, 7am-11am at the Mid-Town shopping center in Oxford, Mississippi - just past the square on North Lamar.

Yappy Halloween!

Yappy Hour at Parrish's was a big hit!

This pug was my favorite in his Pepé Le Pew ensemble.  Amazing!

Yappy Hour is a monthly event and proceeds benefit the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society of Oxford, Mississippi.

The latest from ravine restaurant in Oxford, MS...

First and foremost, thanks to all of you that have been supportive in different ways over the past month. Our pursuit of fair and equal treatment from the state of Mississippi in regards to resort status will continue. I will keep you informed as the developments unfold over the next few weeks and months.

The next wine tasting will be Wed, November 4th, at 6 pm. The theme of the wine and food pairing will be pinot noir, as we will taste terroir from all over the world. To enable our ability to have some better tier wine, the cost will be $35. We will pick a couple of wines from our list, but also order some special wines from the state just for this pairing. I hope you will join us for the exciting pairing, remember to call early if you are interested. The last pinot noir tasting we had sold out quite quickly.

Thanks as always, remember we have started a new brunch menu, as well as live music for Sunday Suppers!

Best,
Joel


Joel Miller
ravine
53 cr 321
oxford, ms 38655
www.oxfordravine.com 
662.234.4555

A special thanks to The Oxford Enterprise!

The Oxford Enterprise is the new Sunday paper in Oxford, MS.  The current issue features an article about me in the Arts & Entertainment section.  The paper is for sale around town for $1.00 (cash only at Kroger or 4 quarters only in the dispensers.)  It's a fantastic issue, it includes a powerful guest commentary submitted by Milly Moorehead West, "Oxford should make 'Going Green' a real plan of action, not a slogan."
Buy a paper today!  (And don't forget to recycle it!)

Haunted House at the Library Bar on the Square - ya'll it is really scary...

Visit the Haunted House at the Library Bar & Grill on the Square tomorrow night 5-10pm, and don't forget to check out Yappy Hour as well at Parrish's!  $5 per person!  Proceeds for both events go to the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society!

Oxford's first ever Haunted House on the Square - tonight and tomorrow night! - Get a free pass to Yappy Hour if you attend!

(This image is curtesy of  http://www.bluebison.net/ - might be my new favorite art site - the artist offers free original drawings in all sorts of formats for non-commercial use!!!  Check out the free pdfs to download as coloring pages!)

Tonight is the first ever Haunted House on the Square at the Library Bar & Grill!   5-10pm!  Proceeds go to the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society.  Admission is $3 for kids, $5 for adults, and you can get an unlimited pass for $10. It's going to be really fun! The OLHS staff worked really hard on it all day and night and it looks great!  This is a haunted house for kids, it is going to be a scary but it is going to be kid friendly!


Please help spread the word! It's tonight and tomorrow night from 5-10PM.
Library Bar and Grill

120 South 11th Street
Oxford, MS 38655
662-234-1411

From their website:  Haunted House - Oct 26th & 27th, 2009

The Library Bar and Grill is hosting a Haunted House October 26th and 27th with all proceeds going to the OLHS building fund! Join the spooky fun on Monday, October 26 and Tuesday, Oct 27 from 5 PM - 10 PM. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for the kids and $10 for an Unlimited Pass. The Library's Bar will be closed/no alcohol served. Those who visit the Haunted House will also receive a "Free Pass" to Yappy Hour at Parrish's for Tuesday, October 27th from 6 - 8 pm. Fun for the whole family!

Please support the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society in their efforts to raise funds and complete their new building project.  Click here to see photos I took of their current shelter.

The Midtown Farmers' Market continues through the end of October - get your fresh produce while you still can!

The remaining vendors that continue to sell at the Midtown Farmers' Market are Bost Farm, Brown Family Dairy and the Jumbo Gulf Shrimp vendor (pictured above).  I wanted to buy something from this seafood vendor, and I was so thrilled to be able to purchase some crabmeat!  (It was delish!)  They also sell boiled gulf shrimp, heads on shrimp and peeled shrimp, and shucked oysters.

I'm more of a Chesapeake Bay seafood kind of gal, but gulf crab is also delicious.

Brown Family Dairy eggs and gulf crabmeat -

There is nothing I love more than a fantastic crab cake...

I [heart] my Green Pans.  If you haven't gotten rid of all of your old pans to switch to these, I highly recommend doing so.  They are great pans, they cook fast with or without oil and are so easy to clean! 

GreenPan is a Belgian cookware manufacturer which is the first to launch PTFE free non-stick cookware. 

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is most well known by the DuPont brand name Teflon, and is used in many types of cookware pans, but it also has numerous other applications.  The EPA's scientific advisory board decided in 2005 that PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) — a chemical compound used to make Teflon—is a "likely carcinogen."  Currently this chemical is not regulated by the EPA but can be found in all of our old non-stick pots and pans.  Yikes!

Crab cake dinner - gulf crabmeat crab cake made with Brown Family Dairy eggs, soup made from Bost Farms yellow squash and sweet potatoes from the Farmers' Market grocery store, and asparagus from the Farmers' Market grocery store.

I used the Very Crabby Crabcakes recipe from this awesome book - I Love Crab Cakes!  This book is one of my favorites, it has 50 great crab cake recipes, from simple to complex! 

Bon appetit and thanks to the Midtown Farmers' Market for all of their lovely produce!  They have a new website that they are having trouble with, but they should have it running correctly by next season.  They also have a weekly e-mail updating customers about the vendors, produce and entertainment that will be at the market each week.  To get on their e-mailing list for next season (starting in April 2010), contact Errol Castens errol.castens@djournal.com.

Mark your calendars for the first Haunted House on the Square and for Halloween Yappy Hour!

First ever HAUNTED HOUSE on the square!!!!! The Library Bar & Grill is hosting a bone chilling Haunted House to benefit the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society October 26th and 27th from 5-10 PM. The cost is $3 for kids, $5 for adults, or buy an unlimited pass for $10. Get ready to be frightened by ghouls, ghosts, and goblins! The Library Bar & Grill will not serve alcohol and the bars will be closed, it is going to be open both nights as a Haunted House ONLY. You'll walk on paths through three rooms of the entire building. The walk is approximately 15 minutes depending on how fast you walk/run through the terrifying haunted house! (This will be a kid friendly event).
Don't forget Yappy Hour Tuesday, October 27th at Parrish's on the Square from 6-8 PM! Feel free to bring your furry friends if socialized and friendly. There will be food from Parrish's and Lenora's, beverages, Yappy-tizers for your pets, and LIVE music. The pet with the best Halloween costume wins a prize! Get a free pass to the haunted house when you come to Yappy Hour.

Ole Miss Health Fair October 28, 2009 - they've got flu shots!

Ole Miss Annual Student Health Fair
Wednesday October 28, 2009 in the Student Union from 10am-2pm.
Come by to receive free screenings such as HIV testing and counseling, bone density, hearing and eye exams, cholesterol, blood pressure, body composition, and even a free massage! Learn about what organizations and practices are available to you on campus and in the Oxford area while benefiting from free give-a-ways and coupons for these various practices and organizations.
Mississippi Blood Services will have their blood donation unit parked in front of the Union. Please consider stopping by to donate. Flu shots will also be available at the Health Fair!

The Midtown Farmer's Market to continue through the end of October...

The Midtown Farmer's Market in Oxford, MS will continue to sell produce through the end of October.  (The official city of Oxford website says it ends in September - confusing!)  A few vendors continue to sell produce on the regular market days: Saturday mornings 7am - 11am and Wednesdays 12 noon to 5pm.  Check it out if you're in town and get your hands on the freshest local produce!  I buy nearly all of my vegetables from Bost Farm.  The Bosts come from Water Valley, MS to sell their fresh garden vegetables at the Midtown Farmer's Market.  Their selection generally dictates my menu, so we eat a lot of squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers and onions.  The market also all most always has Brown Family Dairy milk and a big truck selling fresh seafood from the Gulf.  The milk is divine, I have yet to try any of the seafood.  For more information, visit the city of Oxford website's page about the market.  If you've never seen the big sign for the Market, it is located in the parking lot of the Midtown shopping center on North Lamar Boulevard.  It is in the same parking lot that is shared by such favorite local spots at Big Bad Breakfast and Snack Bar, and the shopping center is across the street from Volta Taverna.

I [heart] Star Package Wine & Spirits Store in Oxford, Mississippi!

Star Package - the best wine & spirits store in Oxford, Mississippi - now gives away these bottle totes when you purchase 6 bottles to a case.  How nifty is that?!  We have used our 2 Star Package tote bags twice all ready - they are majorly handy when travelling to the Grove.

It is my own opinion that Star Package is the best wine & spirits store in Oxford, although I do think they were voted best by a recent poll taken by The Local Voice.  The folks that work there are so pleasant - and they are so helpful and knowledgeable about what they are selling.  I was also so pleased/shocked to discover that this small, family-owned business also has a terrific website - so many businesses in Oxford do not have websites.  Check out Star Package's website and print their 10% off coupon!

Star Package Inc

308 Jackson Ave.
Oxford, MS 38655
Phone: 662-234-3331
Contact: jeannezinn@ms.metrocast.net

* Note of interest - When I first moved to Mississippi, I had never heard of a "Package Store."  I was driving around Oxford and saw Star Package for the first time and noticed all the alcohol bottles and liquor signs in the windows.  I went home and told my husband about the funny store that sells boxes as well as alcohol.  He explained to me how the name "Package Store" has stuck ever since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.  Apparently a political compromise between the temperance movement leaders and the government was reached whereby containers of alcoholic beverages could not legally be carried in public without being concealed in a brown bag or "package."  Thus, stores that sold alcohol wrapped or "packaged" their bottles for their customers' convenience.

The 7th Cup is Free! Bring your own to go cup to Honey Bee Bakery and get your card punched every time!

Honey Bee Bakery is saving the Earth by offering a free cup of coffee/tea for every 7 times you bring your own to go cup or mug.  Stop by Honey Bee Bakery and pick up one of these little cards to have punched for every time you bring your own cup. 

Honey Bee Bakery offers fair trade coffee, French press service with beans ground to order and ceramic mugs made by local artists. 

Honey Bee Bakery in Oxford, Mississippi

2305 W. Jackson Avenue Suite 202

Oxford, MS 38655

662.236.2490

Oxford, MS Walgreens is completely out of Flu Shots!!!

I got my flu shot last week at the Walgreens on University Avenue in Oxford.  It took about 30 minutes, and there were about 4 people waiting in line.  I'm glad I got it when I did because I just called Walgreens to confirm the information I was about to post and THEY ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF FLU SHOTS AND DO NOT KNOW IF THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET ANY MORE.   I can't believe they ran out! 
I also inquired about the H1N1 vaccine.  The Oxford Walgreens does not have this vaccine, nor are they sure they will receive it.  The pharmicist also told me over the phone that he could not tell me at this time who will be eligible for this shot. 

Chaney's Pharmacy in Oxford, MS is still offering the flu shot, but you must call in advance on the day you wish to get the shot to see if there is actually someone present to administer the shot.  Call 662.234.7221.

The Ole Miss Health Services clinic is still giving flu shots but is very close to running out.  Their hours are Monday - Thursday, 8-5pm and Fridays 9-5pm.  They were supposed to have the H1N1 vaccines by mid-October 2009, but they have not yet received the them.  Call 662.915.7275 for more information.