By Peggy Walker

It’s time for a change.  Seasons change, months change, weather changes, time changes, people change and circumstances change. And DW and I are about to make a big change.  It probably won’t come as a surprise to you, you may have even heard.  We’re moving to Jackson, Tenn.!

It’s a good change and we’re glad we can do it for our family.  We asked ourselves why stay here when our children are elsewhere?  It wasn’t a hard decision though; we thought on it for about a year and had the conversation with our children.  The answer was easy.

So, in a month we’ll be residents of Tennessee.  We’ll be closer to Laura and Mack as Nicholas had wanted us to but not much further from Zachary and his family and my family in Holly Springs than we are here in Batesville.  And we are hoping that James and his family will eventually get back to the Nashville area.

In Jackson we’ll be right in the middle of everyone! It just made good sense.  I believe the saying goes, “home is where the heart is.” And our heart is with our family.  So DW, dog Kipp, and I are packing up and getting ready to make our home a little further north.  And we can’t wait to get started making our new place our own.   (And no, we’re not giving up our Mississippi State season tickets!  Only our route will change. It’s just a drive south on Highway 45 and a right onto Highway 82 at West Point to get to Starkville.)

Nor will we ever forget our friends and sweet life in Batesville.  Those dear memories will never change either.  It’s been great to be a part of this wonderful community for 37 years.  Our boys loved it. Your concern for us over the past 2 years has been so touching and comforting.  Losing Nicholas was a change in our life circumstances we never expected but now it’s a daily factor in our lives. But, as I usually say (and mean it), we’re mostly ok…on most days.  Thank you for caring.

And most importantly…. Thanksgiving is still on!  That’s certainly not going to change. DW and I will be hosting a Mississippi Thanksgiving in Tennessee for our families.  And I think they’re all coming!  My goodness, do I ever have to get busy!  T’day is only 10 weeks away.

And the only change you’ll notice about the Panola People page on Fridays is that I will be a Panola Countian writing from Tennessee!  Thanks to technology and an understanding editor I won’t be leaving this space.  We have made sure our Tennessee house has good internet service!

I anticipate many new adventures and recipes to write about from up I-40!  Your kind words and constant comments keep me motivated and writing.  Just bear with me, I might miss a couple of weeks as we get moved in and unpacked but otherwise I’ll be right here!

See you in the newspaper!

Recipe of the Week

Banana Sour Cream Cake

Delicious and pretty to serve when the occasion calls for cake!

1 box white cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup vegetable oil

8-ounces cream cheese softened

1 16-ounce box powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

1 cup finely chopped walnut pieces

Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; set aside.  Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened.  Stop frequently to scrape down sides of bowl.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 35 minutes or until cake tests done in center.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  For icing: beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time and beating well after each addition.  Remove cake from pan; cut in half crosswise.  Place one half, top-side down on large serving plate; spread top with frosting.  Top with other cake half, top-side up.  Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Carefully press walnuts into frosting on sides of cake.  Keep leftovers in refrigerator.