“I bought the Livingston property in 2006.  We came up to the historic town square and crawled through all of the debris.  I saw the 190-year-old cedar trees, beautiful cisterns and pieces of old buildings.  I started thinking, wouldn’t it be cool if we could rebuild this town?” reflects David Landrum, developer of the Town of Livingston and the Livingston Farmer’s Market.

In 1829, Livingston, Mississippi, was bustling.  It was the largest city in Madison County, and vacationers and locals alike flocked to the town for its natural springs, large plantations and enchanting town square, beautifully wrapped in cedar trees. Over time, people moved away, and the town eventually lost its charter.   But it never lost its charm.

With the hope of rebuilding this historic town, David hired Architectural Firm Historic Concepts out of Atlanta, and together they began restoring Livingston to its original glory, with a fresh, unique feel.  In an ode to the past, new streets were paved exactly where the original roads danced around the town square.   

David knew he was rebuilding a special place, but he had to get the word out.  “I wanted to bring people out and tell them we were going to rebuild this town.  People would look at me funny,” laughs David.  In order to draw a crowd, David started the Livingston Farmer’s Market. 

Every Thursday evening from 5:00-8:00pm, crowds of people starting coming to the beautiful Town of Livingston, nestled on the corner of Highway 463 and Highway 22.  David says, “Having the trees, the ambiance, and the history of the area – it’s almost like going back in time 50 years. Livingston is about art, literature, music and food.  It’s Old South meets Stainless Steel; a historic town with an edge.”

The Farmer’s Market has truly become a wonderful community event.  David laughs, “Initially, we did not know if people would come.  And we didn’t know how long they would stay.  They will literally come out, and not want to leave!”  Kellis Moore, the mastermind behind the market, adds, “People bring their families, friends and extended families.  It has been incredible really.  Now that the town is off the ground this year, people visit the restaurants and sweet shop after the market.  It’s been really fun.” 

TOMORROW marks the last Farmer’s Market of the season, and it will not disappoint. The family-friendly event will boast water slides and pony rides for children, a wine garden with live music for adults, an incredible chef demo and 35 vendors, all from Mississippi.  Buyers will find everything from fresh peaches to gourmet dog treats.  The music of the Double Shots Band will also be filling the air while patrons shop and visit with friends. 

Though this is the final Farmer’s Market this summer, Livingston will continue inviting folks out for monthly Thursday night events.  There is talk of movies on the square, street parties, and more. 

David says, “2015 and 2016 will be an exciting time for Livingston as we take it to the next level.  But at the same time, we are dedicated to keeping it unique and local.”  In the coming months, a beautiful 1907 chapel will be restored and make Livingston its new home. Also, an Italian Restaurant and an old microbrewery creating Livingston Ale will soon become a part of the Town. 

It’s an exciting time for Mississippi.  We encourage you all to visit tomorrow’s Farmer’s Market, and experience the magical Town of Livingston!

For more information on the Town of Livingston, visit their website here!  You can also view the Farmer's Market Facebook page here!

Thanks to Georgia Blue, the Cigar Bar provided by The Country Squire, Hobie’s Sports and Outdoors, and Jeff Chao of Chao Photography, we pulled off the ultimate guy’s get-together. 

Burgers, beer and cigars by the pool seem like the perfect way to celebrate summer. Hobie’s Sports and Outdoors provided apparel, tumblers and every man’s favorite accessory:  the YETI cooler.  Georgia Blue Catering set up an incredible table, complete with a beer tasting, savory sliders, red beans and rice, and spicy tacos.  The guys were also treated with a Full-Service Cigar Bar, provided by The Country Squire.  It was a relaxing, memorable event for everyone involved. 

A special thank you to all of the fantastic vendors who made this event such a great success!  We hope this inspires your next Bachelor party, groomsmen party or guy's get-together.  We are pleased to share a little more about each business here:

The Country Squire is Mississippi's oldest tobacconist and specializes in hand rolled, long-filler cigars and pipe tobaccos.   Jon David Cole says, “Since 1970, we have prided ourselves in being an outstanding resource for discriminating cigar smokers, and are proud to be Mississippi's only true pipe shop.  We offer an exclusive Full-Service Cigar Bar for weddings and special events, featuring an on-site tobacconist who will provide cigar selection assistance, clip and light service, and a fun experience for your guests. Our aim is to be an exciting and memorable feature for the guests at your event. Let us plan a custom tobacco experience for you!”  Visit The Country Squire’s website here!

Hobie’s Sports and Outdoors is locally owned and operated in Vicksburg.  They offer everything from athletics and apparel (including running shoes, equipment, jackets and more) to hunting and outdoor supplies (including guns, bows, boots and fishing gear).  Though their customer base comes from all over Mississippi and Louisiana, they are especially proud to be actively involved in the local communities of both Vicksburg and Jackson. 

Jason Martin-Nez, owner of Hobie’s Sports and Outdoors, says, “We have a wide variety of options for every type of guy – whether he’s into hunting and fishing, running and working out, or just hanging at the lake on the weekend.  Our Southern Marsh collection has been especially popular this spring and summer, as have our Drake Waterfowl fishing shirts.  The new collection of coolers and tumblers from YETI has been huge sellers; almost every guy I know uses his YETI tumbler almost daily – to either keep his beer cold or his coffee hot!  They also make great groomsmen gifts!”  He adds, “Our collection of sunglasses has grown enormously in the last year.  We now carry everything from Ray Ban to Oakley and Costa Del Mar. Guys and girls alike can come in and easily find the perfect pair of shades for summer!”  Click here to learn more about Hobie’s Sports and Outdoors!

Georgia Blue is a wildcard in the restaurant world.   They constantly exceed their customers’ expectations with an extraordinary menu, tasty sauces, live music, and remarkable service.  Their menu offers a variety of flavorful dishes, including shrimp & grits, smoked duck, fried green tomatoes, stockyard Angus filets and ribeyes. 

Are you hungry yet?  Georgia Blue provides a wonderful Catering service, and they have four convenient locations across the state:  Madison, Hattiesburg, Flowood and Brookhaven.  To learn more about Georgia Blue, please visit their website here!

Jeff Chao of Chao Photography is known for his incredibly beautiful photographs.  Jeff says, “I feel that my role as a photographer is to freeze a moment forever, so generations from now, people can still feel the love captured through my lens.  The kind of moment where a person can look at their grandparent’s or great- grandparent’s wedding photo and still experience the love that they had.”   Click here to view more of Jeff’s poignant work!

Independence Day is a time to honor and give thanks for our incredible country.  It is also the perfect excuse to gather with friends and family and celebrate summer.  The Fourth of July is a holiday thick with traditions.  Barbecues, family reunions, and glorious fireworks fill many memories each summer.

We don’t often share our personal photos on the blog, so we thought it would be fun to share the Inspiration Mississippi team’s July 4th traditions with all of you!

“I grew up in an amazing neighborhood, Millcreek, that had a wonderful 4th of July parade every summer.  So, being a horse lover, it only seemed appropriate that my horse was a part of the parade!  Aaron, our horse, would let us dress him up and he would proudly prance around the neighborhood with me riding bareback.  Some of our favorite memories are family, faith and celebrating American traditions with hot dogs, marshmallows and lightning bugs.  I sure love a MISSISSIPPI summer and God bless the USA!”  Kendall Poole Ellis, Publisher

“Our Fourth of July celebrations have always been very "Mississippi."  We go out to our family's lake house and spend the day on the water or outside.  Our menu was pretty consistent every year and still is to this day:  BBQ ribs & chicken, baked beans, corn on the cob picked fresh from our farm, some kind of salad, watermelon, pies and homemade ice cream.  At night we either shoot fireworks or all load up and go see a fireworks show.  My mom always makes sure that we have some patriotic music blaring and you're not really invited if you aren't wearing red, white or blue!” Emily Ferguson, Creative Director

“We run in the Watermelon Classic.  It’s a 4th of July race and we love to dress up.  This year we are wearing tanks with bald eagles with mullets that say, ‘Murica’ ha ha!  My mom is the mastermind behind all of our costumes.  My dad runs with us, but he doesn’t dress up like we do!”  Alexis Davis, Event Director

“My favorite memories from the 4th were made in the kitchen, covered in flour and sugar, baking cobblers and pies with my daddy.  He is an incredible cook and I have a serious sweet tooth, so it’s no surprise it’s my favorite holiday tradition.  When I was four-years-old, we created a huge cobbler and decorated it with beautiful crust in the shape of the American Flag.  Our cobbler won first prize in the 4th of July neighborhood baking contest, and I was beyond thrilled.  We have continued our tradition, and now my daughter, Marguerite, loves to bake with her Grandpapa just as much as I do!”  Mitchell Walters, Editorial Director

“Every July 4th, my father and I go down to the midtown Farmer’s Market in Jackson and buy a watermelon from Dorris Berry.”  Caitlyn Sullivan, Social Media Director

We are eager to hear what you love to do on the 4th!  Please share your stories and photos on our Facebook Page here!  We at Inspiration Mississippi wish you all a happy, healthy and memorable 4th of July!

{Blog by Mitchell Walters}

Bringing home a new baby is scary and exhilarating.  It is truly one of the most precious moment in life.  Laurel Donahoo of The Lovely Bee recently welcomed her first baby boy, Wilson, and she asked Lauren Liddell of Lauren F. Liddell Photography to capture their first sweet moments together as a family of three.  We are thrilled to share these magical photos with you today.  We also chatted with Laurel about her experience bringing home sweet baby Wilson:

How did you feel on your way to have your first baby?  Anxious? Excited?  Ready for his arrival?
“I was SO ready to meet him! Pregnancy and babies are such wonderful gifts so, even though I would get scared from time to time that things might go wrong (since we had a miscarriage with our previous pregnancy), pregnancy was a wonderful experience! I learned throughout it that every morning I'd just have to pray that God would give me JOY about everything and take away all the fear! Preparing for motherhood was a tad overwhelming, but it was mostly fun! And meeting our little dude on December 5th was just the best thing ever!”

Tell us about your birth story! 
“I thankfully had a fairly easy, uncomplicated delivery! We had our 40-week checkup at 1:00pm on December 4, and by 3:00pm we were at the hospital getting ready for little guy to make his arrival! The staff at Baptist made us feel super comfortable and at home, and at 5:55 a.m. on the 5th, Wilson entered the world! (His birth certificate actually says 5:54, but the iPhone said 5:55 so we’re going with that. According to my brother-in-law, ‘The iPhone doesn’t lie to you about time!’).”

Any unforgettable moments in the hospital?
“YES! Lots! Price and I watched Home Alone (both one and two) while I was slowly progressing, which are two of our favorite Christmas movies, so that’s a pretty fun memory and kept my mind off the un-fun contractions! And Wilson was almost ten pounds, so after he arrived but before he got weighed, I remember my doctor saying, ‘Congratulations, Laurel, you just birthed a toddler!’ And I remember getting to hold him for the first time. He ended up having to go to the NICU for about 6 hours because he had that ‘wimpy white boy’ lung condition so he had to get a little help with his breathing. Getting to really hold him after he came back was magical. I know that’s a cheesy word, but it really felt like magic! And I can’t forget the hearts that popped up in my vision when I woke up from a nap one time to see Price and Wilson chillin’ on the hospital sofa together! It was the SWEETEST thing in the world!”

How did you feel driving home with your newborn?  Did you ride in the front or in the back with the baby? ha!
“It was so weird driving home with him in the back seat! Price drove - very carefully! - and I sat up front in the passenger seat holding flowers that sweet friends and family sent us! I think I had a vase between my knees and one in my right arm. That way my left arm was free to reach back and hold the baby’s hand. I remember us being really hungry when we left, so I think we swung through the McDonald’s drive through across the street from the hospital on the way home! Little did we know, our sisters-in-law and my mama had run lots of errands for us, had plenty of groceries at home, and had our house sparkling clean. Major shout out to them for all they did to make our arrival back home just perfect!”

Tell me about your first few days at home.  How were you feeling, and how did sweet Wilson adjust to life at home
“Our first hour or so at home with Wilson was really fun because our families were there to help us get the car unloaded and get settled in. I really enjoyed watching all of our family members get to visit with Wilson for a little while! After everyone left, we were like, ‘Ummm what do we do now?’ Haha we were clueless! And then Wilson let us know he was hungry and that determined my next move! ;) The first few days were great because we were all at home together just being family. Getting breast feeding figured out, catching sleep when we could, and just staring at our little fella were all big parts of our first few days at home together.”

Thank you, Laurel, for sharing your incredible first moments with baby Wilson.  And thank you to Lauren F. Liddell Photography for these sweet and beautifully intimate photographs.