Page 30 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2016

COASTNOTES
DOG
YEARS
story by Ellis Anderson
photo courtesy of Rheta Grimsley Johnson
Local book lovers have new bragging rights; writer Rheta Grimsley Johnson now lives on the Coast. The nationally-syndicated columnist and author, beloved across the South, is spending much of the year in Pass Christian with her husband and their current crew of canines.
On April 5, 6 – 7:30 p.m., Johnson’s newest book, Dogs Buried Over the Bridge: A Memoir in Dog Years, will celebrate its
national launch at Pass
Christian Books (300
East Scenic Drive).
Johnson’s reputation has been built on
her snappy style
and well-honed story-telling skills, polished over a 40- year career. She could write about turnips and hold readers enthralled, making them laugh out
loud and fight back
tears. Her new book
won’t disappoint
the faithful and is
sure to win new
allegiances, especially since it puts a fresh spin on a favorite Southern topic — dogs.
No sentimental tearjerker, this is an unflinching look at the writer’s life, measured by the companions who witnessed love and loss. The book may even kick start a new “gal and her dog” genre. But it’s certain to spark a big uptick of activity at bookstores and animal shelters.
A MEMOIR IN
Land Trust members and Three Rivers Honor Students partner together to plant 15 trees on the school grounds celebrating 15 years of Land Trust Operations on the Gulf Coast.
LANDTRUST story by Lynn Lofton photo courtesy of Land Trust
Celebrating 15 years of protecting green places and open spaces, board members and supporters of the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain planted 15 mature trees on the grounds of Three Rivers Elementary School in Gulfport. The school’s honor students assisted with the planting.
“Our students and teachers embraced the task of learning about the importance of trees by making posters, writing poems, drawing pictures and creating bulletin boards in the hallways of the school,” said principal Tracey Sellers. “This experience not only became an educational tool for the children, it gave us all an opportunity to learn about becoming better environmental stewards.”
Land Trust Executive Director Judy Steckler said, “With these trees we not only help increase the shade canopy on the school grounds, but as the trees grow they will serve as a way that teachers may explain how trees continuously work to clean our air, provide oxygen, prevent water pollution as well as many other benefits.”
This planting is part of the Land Trust’s Replant South Mississippi project, a partnership formed with the Sun- Herald and the Mississippi Forestry Commission after the devastation of trees by Hurricane Katrina. Memorial trees may be sponsored at any time through donations.
Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain 228.435.9191 • www.LTMCP.org
30 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • April 2016
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