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Serving the Camellia City since 1865 103 Hickory St., Greenville, AL

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INSIDE THIS EDITION

34 FATHER TIME Joe Rex Sport’s boyhood curiosity has turned into a full-fledged hobby.

8 A FAMILY AFFAIR

PLUS

The game of golf has played a pivotal role in the lives of the Normans for generations.

5 FIVE WORTH THE DRIVE Make sure you don’t miss out on some of the area’s upcoming events.

14 BURKEVILLE OKRA FESTIVAL Lowndes County comes together to celebrate with music, art, and of course, okra.

32 ZAC BROWN BAND SCORES HIT

17 TREASURE HUNT The Unclaimed Baggage Center offers a shopping experience that is more like a treasure hunt.

30 HOLIDAY BLOCKBUSTERS When we think of blockbuster movies, we always look to the summer movie lineup, but there are plenty of blockbusters set to debut this holiday season.

“Uncaged” has been sitting at the top of the country charts since its release in June, and for good reason.

 From the EDITOR

rowing up, I loved the game of golf. If given the chance, I’d spend the entire day on the course at the Greenville Country Club. I knew every bump, low hanging limb and sprinkler head on the course. If I played my cards just right, I could usually get my mom or dad drive me to the course in the early hours of the morning when the dew was still on the ground and the sun was just making its appearance to let me get a few extra holes in before it got too dark to see the ball. You’d think with all that practice, I’d have become a pretty good golfer. I really didn’t, but I loved being out there. One of things that I really enjoy about the game is the time spent on the course with family and friends. During my early morning rounds as a kid, I would often run into Mr. Joe and Mrs. Dot Norman. They’d usually be getting ready to tee off on No. 5, just about the time I was ready to tee off on No. 1. They got there very early. You have to love the game to get there at that hour of the morning. They passed that love on to their sons, who in turn passed their love of the game on to their children. In this edition of Camellia Magazine we have tried to tell the story of how the Norman’s love of golf has influenced their lives. We sincerely hope you enjoy reading their story as much as we enjoyed hearing them tell it.

PUBLISHER Tracy Salter CIRCULATION Tammy Faulk EDITORIAL Andy Brown Managing Editor Patty Vaughan Magazine Coordinator Michael Rodgers Staff Writer Fred Guarino Staff Writer Anna Schofield Contributing Photographer news@camelliamagazine.com ADVERTISING April Gregory Marketing Consultant Jessie Bell Marketing Consultant sales@camelliamagazine.com Camellia Magazine is published four times per year by Greenville Newspapers, LLC.

Andy Brown Managing Editor

 THE COVER The Hamm’s home on North College Street is decked out for fall. Cover photo by Andy Brown.

Camellia IN SIDE: H O L LY W O O D ’S HOLI DAY HI TS

issue 1 • fall 2012

Projects that won’t break the bank

A Tour of the Hamilton Home A Shopping Treasure Hunt Double J Whitetails: Where nature meets luxury

103 Hickory Street Greenville, AL 36037 www.camelliamagazine.com 334.382.31111 Advertising rates and information are available upon request. Subscriptions are available for $18 Please make checks payable to: Greenville Newspapers, LLC 103 Hickory St., Greenville, AL 36037

All photographs and copy included in Camellia Magazine are copyrighted 2012 Greenville Newspapers, LLC and cannot be republished or reproduced in any manner without the consent of Greenville Newspapers, LLC.

FIVE worth

the DRIVE 1

PATCHWORK FESTIVAL Camden l Oct. 20, 2012 Black Belt Treasures will host its annual Patchwork Festival on Oct. 20. The festival will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. It will feature demonstrations by artists and craftsmen from across the Black Belt region of Alabama. Entertainment will include music by The Grasshopper String Band from Marion, Alabama, Camden’s own Laura Grace Creswell, and Storytelling with Sister Yomi who will be sharing stories about “My Patchwork Life in the Black Belt.”

HAUNTED HISTORY TOURS Selma l Oct. 19-20, 2012 On Friday night, join the Central Alabama Paranormal Investigation (a local paranormal team) on an investigation of the Old Cahawba. The investigation will also include the Sturdivant Hall and the Old Live Oak Cemetery. It will run from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

41ST ANNUAL KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF ART PATCHWORK FESTIVAL October 20 • Camden Northport l Oct. 20-21, 2012 This art festival features artistic styles ranging from folk to contemporary. More than 300 artists will be showing of original pieces. There will also be entertainment in the form of storytelling, children’s activities, a blacksmith demonstration and more.

ALABAMA PECAN FESTIVAL Mobile l Nov. 2-4, 2012 This carnival-like event features a family-friendly atmosphere with vendors selling items like food, crafts, art and jewelry. Events also include face painting, a free grand stand event featuring a classic country and a western show, a Sunday Gospel show and more. The event will be at Tillmans’ Corner Community Center from 5 p.m.-until on Friday, 9 a.m.-until on Saturday and 11 a.m.-until on Sunday.

DRACULA AND MISLETOE Montgomery l Nov. 3-4, 2012 “Dracula and Mistletoe” is the last bite of Halloween and the first taste of Christmas. Sink your teeth into the ballet production that caused a sensation and come see Alabama Dance Theatre’s “Dracula” a ballet to die for. Performances are Saturday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 4 at 2:30 p.m. at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. A special performance of “Mistletoe” featuring “Favorite Dances” will be performed Saturday, November 3 at 2:30 p.m. for children. For information call 334241-2590 or visit alabamadancetheatre.com.

camellia magazine | 5

Bringing light and inspiration to children’s lives Have you noticed emotional and behavioral changes in your child? Has your child attempted to harm themselves or others?

Beacon Children’s hospital 6 | camellia magazine

Beacon Children’s Hospital provides crisis intervention and stabilization 24 hours a day for children and adolescents ages ten to eighteen with high risk behaviors.

334.335.5040 105 HOSPITAL DRIVE LUVERNE, AL 36049 www.beaconchildrenshospital.com

Anniversary

YEARS

1937

2012

Celebration

Looking

Grand Prize Saturday, October 13 Daybreak Farms Corn Maze 600 Dunn Road, Greenville, AL 8 a.m. - Noon Entertainment Southern Legends Opry Band 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Tethered Balloon Rides weather permitting 8 a.m.-10 a.m.

1 year FREE Electricity

for

Out You

Heat Pump Rebate Program

Must be present to win. Door Prizes Each member who is present and registers at the meeting will be eligible to win the grand prize & other drawings. Fun & More... Enjoy all the events at this year’s Corn Maze!

Pioneer Electric’s newest program pays rebates to our members for the installation of qualifying KLJK HI¿FLHQF\ heat pumps.

For more information on the Anniversary Celebration & the Heat Pump Rebate Program contact us at: 800-239-3092 or visit www.pioneerelectric.com

camellia magazine | 7

A Family Affair 4

STORY BY PATTY VAUGHAN I PHOTOS BY PATTY VAUGHAN & ANDY BROWN 8 | camellia magazine

t was 25 years ago that Steve Norman found himself standing on a golf course in Tuscaloosa with his brother Mike when he received the news. A panicky phone call from Steve’s father was passed from the clubhouse to the green that Steve’s wife was in labor 10 weeks before her due date. “One of the guys that works for the the Alabama Golf Association came out and I saw Mike talking to him and (Mike) reached over and picked his ball up,” Steve said. “I said, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ That was one of those things that you never forget. We had to drive from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery not knowing what the deal was except that I had a little, bitty baby. My youngest son was From left to right, Todd, Mike, Joby and Steve Norman have dominated the local golf born, and he weighed 1 pound scene since they took up the game as children. They learned the game from their and 14 ounces.” mother Dot, pictured in the center. (COURTESY PHOTO) More memories surround the game of golf for Mike, Joby, Steve and Todd, but each of the four knows they wouldn’t love the game if it weren’t for one person — Mrs. Dot Norman. “I had the three boys, and I never played golf until (Steve) started kindergarten,” Dot said. “I never took any lessons, but one of the ladies that took lessons showed me what to do, and I have been playing ever since. I’ve been playing 52 years.” The Greenville County Club served as host to the Norman’s antics and golfing endeavors for summers on end. “Back then there were a lot of young guys that played golf,” Mike said. “We did like everyone else. We played whatever was in season, but we played a lot of golf. We started playing competitive golf and started playing in tournaments.” THE COMPETITION Mike describes the four’s accomplishments as “modest successes,” but between the four sons, they were able to bring home five state championships during their high school careers. However, winning tournaments and championships wasn’t limited to the Norman boys. Dot won the Greenville Country Club Ladies’ Invitational in 1976 and the Greenville Country Club Championship in 1979, 1980 and 1981. “She would play four or five times a year at tournaments just like we did,” Steve said. “She was so influential because she was so competitive. Daddy started playing a couple of years after we did. He played enough to be OK at it, but he couldn’t beat Mama.” As the four have gotten older, the competition and the passion for the game has continued to grow. “Steve, Joby, Todd and I have always been very competitive,”

Joby Norman watches his tee shot during the 7th annual Camellia City Classic held in September at Cambrian Ridge. camellia magazine | 9

Mike said. “I think you would get a different answer from all of us who is the best. We have always really enjoyed playing together. For most of our lives, it was something that we could all do and enjoy together if we didn’t kill each other on the golf course.” Even past the high school and college careers, the four continue to take part in annual tournaments locally and statewide just for the thrill of the competition. Many of those tournaments now feature a new crop of Normans. THE NEXT GENERATION In May, Dot got to see her grandson, Cam, go on to win the Alabama Independent School Association State Golf Championship. “Both of my boys have worked at the Robert Trent The Normans often compete as a team in scrambles. Paul (left) Ben (center) and Steve Jones Golf Trail since they were (right) competed together in the annual Greenville Jaycees Kid’s Classic in July. old enough to work and they have a background in golf and trol. I haven’t always been very good at have met some really good that. I know that the key to it is having people,” Todd said. Cam’s play on the course earned him self-control.” The Norman name has been spreada golf scholarship to Faulkner State, ing like wildfire throughout the state but he’s not Dot’s only grandson that and people are picking up quickly that has shown talent for the game of golf. the name Norman can mean tough Steve’s youngest son, Paul, is a golf competition on the course. professional in Louisiana and his other “Wherever we go in the state, son, Ben, is a recreational golfer. someone knows us whether it be my Mike’s son, Sam, didn’t pick up the mother, father or brothers,” Todd said. game until he was 20 but plays recre“When Cam was playing, there were ationally in tournaments as well. two older gentleman who followed Joby’s son, Michael, went to the Unihim around the course and they asked, versity of Montevallo on golf scholar‘How many more Normans are coming ship and continues to play recreationout?’” ally. The game of golf has affected and “To watch Cam and to see what he’s transformed the Normans’ lives in sevdoing, we could tell early on that this eral ways and all of them are happy to kid has something special,” Steve said. see the gift continue in the family line. “He fell in love with the game just like “It has clearly aff ected all of our lives,” the rest of us did. He’s very passionate Steve said. “We’ve all benefi ted from about it.” it tremendously from having been involved in golf. We’ve met friends that WHAT IT ALL MEANS we would have never met. We’ve been Cam Norman won the 2012 Alabama places we would have never gone had “We’ve been playing golf all of our Independent School Association State we not played golf. It’s still that way. lives,” Joby said. “It helped with our Golf Championship as a senior at Fort Dale I’m still meeting people, going places business, because we get to meet Academy. and doing things that if it wasn’t for people and make friends. One thing about golf is you have to have self-con- golf, I wouldn’t be doing it.” 10 | camellia magazine

Todd Norman won the Greenville Country Club Invitational in 1995 and the Greenville Country Club Championship in 1996.

camellia magazine | 11

dining

When life gives you lemons ...

12 | camellia magazine

Make Lemon Angel Pie Recipe by Glinda Parmer INGREDIENTS Crust: 1 cup egg whites (9 large egg whites) 1 ½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring Filling: 9 egg yolks 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter softened 6 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lemon rind, grated Topping: 1 pint whipping cream 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

INSTRUCTIONS Crust: Put egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until egg whites are firm and have stiff peaks. Mix in vanilla. Spray two deep-dish pie plates with cooking spray. Divide the egg whites evenly between the two pie plates. With a spatula, push the egg white mixture across the bottom and up the side of the plates. Bake in a preheated oven for two hours. Turn oven off and allow the crusts to cook in oven before removing, even overnight if convenient.

Filling: Beat together egg yolks and sugar. Add butter, lemon juice and rind and beat again. Cook in microwave oven on high, stirring every three minutes until thickened. It usually takes about six minutes total. Cook and pour into cooled pie shells. Topping: Chill whipping cream, mixing bowl and beaters. Beat with an electric mixer until cream thickens slightly. Gradually add sugar and beat until thick. Stir in vanilla. Do not over beat because it will turn to butter. Spread whipped cream over lemon filling. Chill and serve.

Kick off your financial future in the right direction! ÎÎ{®ÊÎÇ£ £äääÊUÊÜÜÜ°LÕÌ iÀV Õ ÌÞL> °V ì«i ì ÌÊÌ }°Ê ì«i ì ÌÊL> }° camellia magazine | 13

Pickin’

Grinnin’ Burkville celebrates okra

or one day every year in late August, a dead-end residential street in northern Lowndes County transforms into one of the most lively and vibrant places in Alabama. The Okra Festival has become a tradition in Burkville over the past 12 years, and Barbara Evans, the festival’s organizer and cofounder, said the down-home atmosphere is part of the appeal. “A lot of the comments I’m getting today from first-timers is that they’ve never been to any festival like this,” Evans said. “It’s intimate because it’s on somebody’s property.” To say that the festival takes place in Evans’s backyard wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Vendors set up beneath shade trees in her yard and spill across the road into the Stewart family’s yard and adjacent lots. Visitors entering the festival from the parking area pass by a colorful metal sculpture of a rooster and a blue-bottle-covered bottle tree that adorn Evans’ front yard. This year’s festival drew people from as far away as Wisconsin and Texas, and vendors came from all over the state to sell

(TOP) King Stewart holds out a handful of okra from a garden in the neighborhood where the Okra Festival is held. (ABOVE) Amos Kennedy, owner of Kennedy Prints in Gordo, Ala., has printed the official posters for the Okra Festival for the past decade.

STORY & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL RODGERS 14 | camellia magazine

produce, arts and crafts or offer activities, such as camel rides. Live music came courtesy of Slim and the Soulful Saints, a rhythm and blues band from Montgomery that performs on the Harriott II riverboat. “Everyone loves the blues,” Evans said. While vendors and entertainers came from across the state, all of the festival’s food vendors come from Lowndes County. Okra is obviously one of the primary ingredients at the festival, with varieties including fresh, fried, pickled and okra pies made by Evans herself. Evans said she loves pickled okra, but her favorite way to eat okra is sautéed. “I really like whole baby okra pods sautéed in butter with chopped onions and a splash of wine,” she said. “It’s crisp and not at all slimy.” Some of the okra is grown locally in the neighborhood okra patch, which is tended by King Stewart, who lives across the street. “I work in it most every day, and I’ve been trying to get it cleaned up before the festival,” he said. Stewart said there was a drought this summer, and it was a drought that helped give the Okra Festival its name over a decade ago. “I had a friend across the street — Alice Stewart, who has since passed of breast cancer,” Evans said. “She was a big cook and I was painting and had just built Annie Mae’s Place. I said, ‘Well, let’s have a party,’ so we did, and that’s how it started.” Looking around the state, many towns have

(TOP) Guitar Slim of Slim and the Soulful Saints provided entertainment for the Okra Festival. (ABOVE) A variety of okra can be purchased at the Okra Festival. camellia magazine | 15

festivals named for animals, fruits or vegetables, so the search began for a name. “The only thing that was living was the okra because it was a drought year,” Evans said. “All the flowers had burned up, all the gardens had burned up, and the only thing that was still going was the okra. It’s just like us: it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” Posters for the Okra Festival proclaim okra to be “The People’s Vegetable,” and Evans said that’s because of okra’s history as a staple of people’s diet. She said that people all over the world prepare the vegetable in numerous ways, and it’s a common food, regardless of economic status. Visitors to the festival can also visit Annie Mae’s Art Place, a building beside Evans’ home that displays some of her artwork, as well as artifacts from African-American culture. In addition to providing food, arts and entertainment, one of the goals of the festival is promoting racial harmony. “It’s like a big family picnic and people are getting along,” Evans said. Amos Kennedy, a renowned artist who prints the Okra Festival posters on an old-fashioned letterpress, has been involved in the festival and attending for a decade. “I really enjoyed coming here the first time. It was unlike any other festival I’d done,” said Kennedy, who was introduced to Evans by a mutual friend. “I’ve been coming back ever since.” If the continued growth of the Okra Festival is any indication, that’s a sentiment being shared by many people across the South.

Okra Pie Ingredients 1 frozen regular pie crust 3 slices thinly sliced fresh ripe tomato ½ cup minced red bell pepper and onion 2 eggs 1 tablespoon corn starch ½ mayonnaise (I use Hellman’s) ½ sour cream 1 cup cheese (I like the 4-blend Mexican cheese) 1 tablespoon Emeril’s Essence seasoning 1 egg beaten (for the crust) 1 cup sliced okra (rounds) Instructions Let crust defrost and prick lightly with fork. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool Meanwhile, sauté bell pepper and onion in a little butter or oil until onions are translucent. Remove from sauté pan, drain, and cool. In same pan sauté okra with a little butter. Add a splash of wine. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Remove, drain and cool Beat the two eggs, add the sour cream and mayo, the cheese, the cornstarch and the Emeril’s Essence until well mixed. Place the tomato slices on the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with a little cheese. Then start layering the cheese mixture, the onions and bell pepper, ending up with the sliced okra. A few sliced okra should be showing through the cheese mixture on the top. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, or until brown on top. Serve at room temperature. — By Barbara Evans

16 | camellia magazine

leisure

MARKS THE SPOT

camellia magazine | 17

Unclaimed Baggage Center

Where your treasure hunt begins

ince 1970, Doyle Owens and his son Bryan, the owners of the Unclaimed Baggage Center, have been purchasing loads of unclaimed baggage and bringing it to their 40,000 square foot store in Scottsboro, Ala. In doing so, they have created a shopping experience that is more like a treasure hunt for the 1 million bargain hunters that pass through the store’s doors each year. Shoppers are never quite sure what they will find in the store that covers an entire block of Scottsboro’s Willow Street.

YOU FOUND WHAT?

At the Unclaimed Baggage Center, shoppers can find anything and everything that someone would pack for a trip – clothes, cameras, jewelry, golf clubs, snowboards, iPads and more. If it’s packed in a suitcase or left on the plane, it could wind up in your shopping cart. During the last 40 years everything from African masks to movie props to McDonald’s golden arches have ended up in the store’s inventory.

WHERE’S IT ALL COME FROM?

Only about half of 1 percent of checked bags fail to show up at the baggage carousel. Within five days almost 98 percent of the delayed bags have made their way home. During the next three months, through a comprehensive baggage tracing process conducted by the airlines, more than half of the remaining bags are reunited with their owners. This leaves an astonishingly small fraction of a percent of passenger bags checked each year that are ultimately lost. Yet even that small percentage results in a warehouse full of unclaimed articles.

WHERE 509 West Willow Street Scottsboro, Alabama, 35768 HOURS Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Closed on Sundays ON THE WEB www.unclaimedbaggage.com PHONE (256) 259-1525

PHOTOS BY ANDY BROWN l INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE UNCLAIMED BAGGAGE CENTER 18 | camellia magazine

Someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loss could be a blushing brideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gain. The Unclaimed Baggage Center has wedding dresses, tuxedos and even engagement rings and wedding bands.

A Russian Icon portraying Jesus Christ found its way to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in 1995. The image is painted on a wooden tile with paint made of egg yolk and colored powders.

A rare set of 13 silver spoons representing Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles has called the Unclaimed Baggage Center home since 1982. The handle of each spoon depicts one of the 13 figures. Such spoons originated in the early 15th century.

On Nov. 5, the Unclaimed Baggage Center will hold its 30th annual Winter & Ski sale when items such as snowboards, skis, boots and snow clothing will be discounted just in time for that trip to the slopes.

While the Unclaimed Baggage Center features a number of unique items, the store also has a large inventory of clothes, shoes, jewelry, and of course, luggage. camellia magazine | 19

home

projects that won’t break the bank

ftentimes, buying a home opens up a bottomless pit of opportunities for projects and improvements. While some homeowners engage in different repairs and fix-ups out of necessity, many others like to freshen-up their spaces out of personal preference instead of need. But even the most well-intentioned projects can be waylaid if budgets are tight. What many homeowners may not realize is that there are many ways to make updates and changes to a home that do not require a major overhaul or a large price tag. The following are seven projects that won’t break the bank.

1. Move around furniture. You may be able to change the look of a room without spending any money. Interior designers know how to arrange furniture for maximum appeal, but the average homeowner can do it, too. Find a focal point in the room and angle the furniture toward it. Don’t make the focal point the television, however. Try changing the placement of chairs and sofas. Simply moving a curio cabinet from one corner to another may also make a difference. 2. Add lighting. Lighting at 20 | camellia magazine

Throw pillows are accessories that can easily and inexpensively change the look of a space. different levels in the room can create a vibrant impact. Many homeowners mistakenly put in a couple of table lamps and think that will be adequate. However, properly illuminating a room means varying the lighting to create different moods at different times. Plus, more light can make a room feel more welcoming. 3. Add new pillows or drapes. Changing a few aspects of a room can give it an entirely new look. If you want to add a splash of color but don’t know what to do, think about incorporating some new throw pillows or change the curtains. An accessory here and there in a bright color also can incorporate a new hue without it being overwhelming. 4. Change knobs or small accents. Give a room a new look by focusing on the small

details. Switch out cabinet knobs for something updated and modern. Take inventory of wall outlets and light switches and think about selecting new ones that coordinate with your home decor. 5. Use plants. Empty corners or spots you’re not certain how to fill may benefit from a plant. Plants are inexpensive ways to add instant color and visual appeal to a room. Plus, having live plants can help improve indoor air by filtering out contaminants. A home with plants also feels more cozy. 6. Hang new wall art. It may be time to look at your photos and artwork and make a few adjustments. Finding new prints to hang could instantly change a room’s ambience. And you needn’t spend a lot of money on professional photography, either. Grab your camera and take a few close-

up shots of flowers or take in a landscape scenery. Many of today’s home printers can produce professional-quality prints in minutes. 7. Try a new coat of paint. After you’ve exhausted other avenues, choosing a new paint color may be the new look you desire. Painting is one of the least expensive yet most dramatic methods of changing a home’s interior. With dozens of hues to choose from, and new apps that enable you to take snapshots of things in nature or in your life and match them up to a paint color, you will have scores of opportunities to explore fresh new colors for your home. When you get inspired to make improvements to the home but fear how much it may take out of your wallet, consider inexpensive tricks that can induce a big “wow” factor.

Nature Meets Luxury Design by Vesta Taylor

ouble J Whitetails is a luxury hunting preserve that features a 7,400-square foot lodge located in Rutledge. The lodge has a full-service bar, a game room that includes a pool table and video games and four bedrooms, each with a private bath. A stay at the lodge, which served as the site of the season finale of CMT’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” also features gourmet southern cuisine. The preserve also offers fishing, bird hunting and “monster whitetail deer.” WARM AND RUSTIC: From the first floorboards to the last lamp, designer Vesta Taylor worked to create a rustic-classy look throughout the lodge. With unique lighting, rich colors and a woman’s touch, the lodge has turned into a home away from home for several hunters.

STORY & PHOTOS BY PATTY VAUGHAN camellia magazine | 21

A LADY’S TOUCH: What started out as a personal home for the Mike and Tammy Jordan eventually turned into a hunting lodge, which could have changed the design entirely for Taylor. “We started out with the feminine touch for the lady of the house and we decided to run with it because it would work no matter what.,” Taylor said. “The people that have been there love it.”

22 | camellia magazine

Creating a happy place Design by Karen Rainey

DESIGN IMITATING ART: Alabama artist, Nan Cunningham, created a painting that served as a housewarming gift from Ronnie Steadham to Stephanie Steadham, and the love of that painting became the inspiration for the décor of the home. A semi-antique Heriz rug lays beneath neutral-toned upholstery enhanced by colorful accessories. A pair of rattan wing chairs flank the fireplace and the burl wood faux-finished mantle below the Cunningham painting. Designer Karen Rainey selected copper-hued silk draperies to hang from bamboo rods, and Fortuny, chenille, and Oushak pillows to rest on the sofa and chairs.

GOING GREEN: The small family room is painted Stephanie’s favorite color — apple green. A pair of black and white slipcovered club chairs invite visitors to sit and rest their feet on the round, seagrass ottoman in the center of the room. Custom, cotton draperies trimmed with black banding allowed Rainey to use the whimsical, whitewashed wood rods finished with crackled glass finials.

STORY & PHOTOS BY MELANIE RAINEY CAIN

DON’T BE SQUARE: Rainey chose a round dining table to compliment the square dining room. The colorful, Schumacher fabric Rainey selected for the skirted table is a lively contrast to the solid draperies. The table is set with Steadham’s wedding china serving as chargers for hand-painted antique plates. Each luncheon-size plate features a different quail or pheasant and sits beside green-tinted crystal goblets. A centerpiece of locally-cut magnolia and goldenrod is the nest for a vintage pheasant mount. camellia magazine | 23

home

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The HAMILTON home BY PATTY VAUGHAN I PHOTOS BY APRIL GREGORY

camellia magazine | 25

TOP: A hand-painted corner cabinet serves as a focal point for guests and the Hamiltons to view as they exit the house. MIDDLE: A baby grand piano greets guests in the entrance hallway. “I just think it shows it off in the hallway rather than in the corner of a room,” Magoo Hamilton said. The original legs on the baby grand are unique because they were made for a player piano dating the piece to the 1920s or 1930s. BOTTOM: A comfortable setting with a Victorian flare creates an inviting sitting area. “I’m trying to stay true to the period and the architecture of the house,” Hamilton said. “It’s a1896 Queen Anne Victorian, and I wanted the room to look comfortable and inviting.”

RIGHT TOP: A set of curtains was used to soften the corners of the bay window area. The curtains were also used to add a splash of color and accent the curly pine that was milled out of Chapman, Ala., and flows throughout the home.

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TOP: With one room opening into another throughout the home, Hamilton found using similar colors and patterns helped the fluidity within the home. “I wanted it that wherever you stood in the house that any room you looked in you didn’t have colors or patterns clashing.”

BOTTOM: The curly pine stairwell leads up to a skylight that illuminates the back hallway area. A Victorian piece greets individuals walking up or down the stairs and helps reflect light throughout the stairwell. LEFT BOTTOM: Dr. William Hamilton, Jr. and Magoo Hamilton sit in a swing on their front porch.

camellia magazine | 27

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LEFT: A large entrance way serves as a middle point for the open house creating an open and airy feel throughout the home. Antiques passed down from family members and collected from shows filter throughout each room to accent a variety of areas. TOP: After returning from a trip from Italy, the Hamiltons added a touch of Italian country into the kitchen design. Hand-painted plates purchased in Italy hang above the kitchen sink and decorate the counter tops to add to the Italian feel. MIDDLE LEFT: An antique high chair collected from Hamilton’s grandmother’s home sits in the dining room as an accent piece. MIDDLE RIGHT: The guest bathroom features a footed tub that was found in the basement of Hamilton’s grandparent’s home. After a fresh coat of paint, the footed tub found a new home at the Hamiltons. BOTTOM: An antique toy horse adds another touch of character to the home. “I just like old things,” Hamilton said. “I like the memories of the old furniture, and I just like that feel. I just like something that has been there like an old shoe.”

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Holiday BY MICHAEL NIMMER

hen we think of blockbuster movies, we always look to the summer movie lineup. It might surprise most people to know that December is the biggest movie month of the year followed closely by November. Hollywood takes advantage of the holidays with great movies for all ages and tastes. This fall will see the release of Taken 2, Paranormal Activity 4, Wreck-It Ralph, Red Dawn, Les Miserables, Parental Guidance and many other big budget movies. For our review, we have narrowed the choices down to three.

JAMES BOND: SKYFALL - NOV. 9 The James Bond movie series has the distinction of being the longest running movie series ever, and the second highest grossing in history. Based on Ian Flemming’s novels and short stories about a British spy, the Bond character has been played by numerous actors over its 50 year movie history. In 2006, the decision was made to “reboot” the series with Daniel Craig as Bond while returning the character to a more grounded spy, much like the person Flemming had originally created. Out went the crazy gadgets and incessant sex and comedy, and what resulted was one of the most successful Bond films of all time in Casino Royale. After the lackluster Quantum of Solace in 2006, Craig returns for his third film as James Bond in Skyfall. This new story finds M, head of the British spy agency MI6, in damage control after Bond is presumed dead from a botched mission and the identities of every embedded agent is leaked on the Internet from a lost hard drive. The threat turns out to be a villain from M’s past and is set on destroying her and all of the MI6 agency as well. As the bodies of killed agents return to England, Bond goes into hiding to recover enough to attempt to save MI6 and M from this mysterious villain. 30 | camellia magazine

Blockbusters THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 – NOV. 16 Next up is one of the most anticipated movies of 2012 and the end to one of the most successful movie series in Hollywood history, The Twilight Saga. Not expecting much box office success, the rights moved from film company to film company before the low-budget Twilight was finally made and released in November of 2008. To say the film was a success is an understatement. Not only did it generate huge box office dollars but it created new fans that flocked to the book series and eagerly awaited each new film release. It was followed by New Moon in 2009, Eclipse in 2010 and Breaking Dawn Part 1 in 2011. The Twilight Saga follows a regular teenager, Bella, who falls in love with a vampire named Edward. Edward and his family attempt to keep Bella safe from a rival and dangerous group of vampires. Later, Jacob, a werewolf, enters the picture and the story becomes a love triangle with Jacob and Edward both protecting Bella and fighting for her love. Breaking Dawn Part 1 finds Bella marrying Edward and her subsequent pregnancy and the birth of their child, a daughter. In order to endure the difficult pregnancy, Edward turns Bella into a vampire to save her life. In Breaking Dawn Part 2, the romantic story will come to an end as the Volturi, a vampire cloven from Italy and a group that acts as a “police” for all vampires, believe that Bella and Edwards daughter, Renesmee, is an immortal child that has been turned into a vampire and will be uncontrollable. Bella and Edward must prove what Renesmee really is while protecting her from being killed.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – DEC. 14TH Our last movie is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a hugely successful fantasy film trilogy adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien novels. Directed by Peter Jackson and released each December from 2001 to 2003, the series became a holiday staple that was well received by both moviegoers and critics alike. No sooner had the trilogy ended than fans began to ask Peter Jackson for more movies from the series, possibly a sequel with the same characters set in the fantasy world of Middle Earth. In the end, Jackson decided to use The Hobbit novel as his basis for a second trilogy in The Lord of the Rings realm. The Hobbit is actually the first book of the series with the events taking place before The Lord of the Rings novels and movies. The story that will be told in the movies is somewhat of a mystery as the writers and Peter Jackson have taken elements of The Hobbit novel as well as the appendices Tolkien wrote designed to tell more of the story of Middle Earth and included in the back of The Return of the King. Regardless, the return of many of the same characters, especially Bilbo Baggins the Hobbit and central character, and actors along with the breath taking cinematography set in New Zealand will make for a successful box office hit this December. camellia magazine | 31

The southern wind sings again Zac Brown Band brings Southern Rock influences to album BY MICHAEL RODGERS

he Zac Brown Band has been one of the most popular names in country music for the last four years, and that’s set to continue with the release of their latest album, “Uncaged.” “Uncaged” has been sitting at the top of the country charts since its release in June, and for good reason — it’s fun and catchy while having several poignant moments. The overall tone is also slightly different than previous Zac Brown Band albums. They’re still very much a country band, and the band’s fiddle player doesn’t let you forget it, but many of the tracks make prominent use of a Hammond B3 organ, which lends a distinct rock and roll flavor. It could be argued that the band has wandered into Southern Rock territory with an Allman Brothers-like sound. Regardless of how you classify it, it’s fun to listen to. The first single off the album is “The Wind,” which is a toe-tapping tune that’s likely to get stuck in your head. “Natural Disaster” is another song in the same vein with an upbeat tempo and catchy melody, but this album has more to offer. Several of the Zac Brown Band’s successful songs in recent years have had a beach theme, including No. 1 hits “Toes” and “Knee Deep,” which actually featured Jimmy Buffett. The opening lyrics of the first song of “Uncaged” are “The southern wind sings again an island lullaby,” so fans know they can expect a couple of laid-back island offerings. In addition to “Jump Right In,” there is also the not-so-creatively-named “Island 32 | camellia magazine

Song,” which is an ode to relaxing at the tiki bar. The band also slows things down here and there. No country album would be complete without a song where your woman leaves you, and “Goodbye In Her Eyes” fits the bill nicely. The band also takes time to contemplate the deeper things in life, like mortality. “Lance’s Song” is about not knowing what you’ve got until it’s gone, and going to play with “the big band in the sky.” The climax of the album is “Day That I Die,” a song where Brown talks about how he hopes to be remembered: as a man who really lived and never compromised. The song features Amos Lee and also throws in some of the band’s signature acapella harmonies.

The band would be wise to make this track their next single. The only questionable track is “Overnight,” which stands out from the rest of the album like a sore thumb. The song can only be described as a ‘70s style smooth funk ode to, uh, “getting busy.” Brown channels his inner James Taylor, the horn section is velvety smooth, one guitar sounds like it belongs in the theme from “Shaft” and the instrumental solos are straight out your “Local on the 8s” weather report. Whether it’s meant ironically or not, it’s still a fun track and the band pulls it off seamlessly. Despite that one possible misstep, “Uncaged” solidifies the band’s position as one of the top acts in country music and should help draw in new fans from other genres.

GOOD

READS

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The Rise & Decline of the Redneck Riviera by Harvey H. Jackson III 2012 University of Georgia Press www.ugapress.org 334 pages (Available at the Greenville-Butler County Public Library for Checkout) Other books by this Alabama author: Lachlan McIntosh and the Politics of Revolutionary Georgia; Rivers of History: Life on the Coosa; Tallapoosa; Cahaba, and Alabama; Inside Alabama: A Personal History of My State.

n brief, from the inside cover: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera traces the development of the Florida-Alabama coast as a tourist destination from the late 1920s and early 1930s, when it was sparsely populated with small ÂżVKLQJ YLOODJHV WKURXJK WR WKH WUDJLF DQG GHYDVWDWLQJ %3 'HHSZDWHU +RUL]RQ RLO VSLOO of 2010.â&#x20AC;? 2K EXW 'U +DUYH\ -DFNVRQÂśV QHZHVW KLVtorical piece offers so, so, so much more than WKDW ,W WDNHV \RX RQ WRXU RI WKH SRSXODWHG DUHDV Âą *XOI 6KRUHV 'HVWLQ 3HQVDFROD 3DQama City â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and introduces you to the characters (â&#x20AC;&#x153;pirates and reprobates,â&#x20AC;? says author 5LFN %UDJJ LQ WKH TXRWH RQ WKH EDFN WKDW WXUQHG OLWWOH KDYHQV RI TXDLQW KXPDQLW\ LQWR WKULYLQJ FRUSRUDWH ODQGVFDSHV 'U -DFNVRQ has captured what everyone misses about the $ODEDPD DQG )ORULGD *XOI &RDVW 7KLV ERRN LV IRU HYHU\RQH ZKR KLWV WKH HQG RI +LJKZD\ 59 and says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember when this place KDG QRWKLQJ Â´ ,W WRRN 'U -DFNVRQ \HDUV WR ZULWH WKLV ERRN $SSDUHQWO\ DFFRUGLQJ WR ORFDO IULHQG $QQH )HDWKHUV HDFK WLPH KH WKRXJKW WKH ERRN FRPSOHWHG VRPH FDWDVWURSKH ZRXOG GHscend on the Gulf of Mexico. In 2005 it was +XUULFDQH .DWULQD ,Q WKH RLO VSLOO , DP ROG HQRXJK WR UHPHPEHU WKH *XOI Shores of old vs. today. A few condominiXPV )HZ UHVWDXUDQWV )HZ VKRSSLQJ FHQWHUV 7KH 3LQN 3RQ\ 3XE $QG PLOHV RI RSHQ beach. 7KHQ WKH 3KRHQL[ GURSSHG D GR]HQ HJJV and a wall of mortar rose from the sand. 0RUH UHVWDXUDQWV 0RUH QLJKWFOXEV 0RUH VKRSSLQJ FHQWHUV $QG LI \RX EXLOG LW WKH\ L H SHRSOH ZLOO come. , VXSSRVH LW LV ZLWK WKH QRVWDOJLD RI \RXWK we remember the places of our youth. Of

Come Meet the Author The Library is hosting a Lunch & Learn on Thursday Oct. 17 at 12 p.m. Dr. Harvey Jackson, Professor of History at Jacksonville State University, will be guest speaker to discuss his new work, The Rise & Decline of the Redneck Riviera, an extraordinary book that offers a fascinating look at the history of the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast, including Gulf Shores, Destin, and Panama City. Dr. Jackson will sign copies of his book and the library will also be giving away a few signed copies also. You provide your lunch, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like, and the Library will provide the drinks! Call 382-3216 for more information. Free to the public.

FRXUVH HYHU\WKLQJ FRXOGQÂśW KDYH VXLWHG XV WKH ZD\ ZH UHFDOO $QG LW GLGQÂśW :DQWLQJ to watch a movie on vacation one summer ZH KDG WR PDNH DQ RXW RI WKH ZD\ GULYH WR 3HQVDFROD , VXSSRVH ZKDW ZH ORQJ IRU LV the simple pleasures of youth. And for many of us, the Alabama Gulf remains a very dear part of that time. :D[ QRVWDOJLD WKHQ ZLWK 'U -DFNVRQÂśV ODWHVW ERRN +H ZULWHV Âł, JUHZ XS LQ VRXWK Alabama, in a little town about a three-hour drive from Gulf Shores. That beach became RXU EHDFK RXU 'LVQH\ :RUOG D IULHQG IURP childhood called it.â&#x20AC;? Now, that sentence alone should let you NQRZ WKDW \RXÂśOO EH RQ D MRXUQH\ ZLWK VRPHRQH WKDW NQRZV MXVW KRZ \RX IHHO Kevin Pearcey is Director of the Greenville-Butler County Public Library. He can be contacted at 382-3216 or by email: gbcpl@alaweb.com.

camellia magazine | 33

Father Time STORY & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL RODGERS

34 | came camellia ellia magazine

W Clocks have always interested Joe rex Sport. As a boy he would listen to the old clock atop the Crenshaw County Courthouse chime. Years later, long after the landmark clock had been removed, Sport’s love of clocks led him to help secure a new landmark for the City of Luverne — a fourfaced clock.

hen Joe Rex Sport was growing up as a child in Luverne, one of the landmarks of the city was the clock that stood atop the old courthouse building. That clock struck every hour, on the hour, and people would stop to listen. “It was sort of a landmark, and it was disappointing to me when they took it down,” Sport said. “I always wondered how it worked.” That boyhood curiosity turned into a full-fledged hobby after his retirement. Sport has long been interested in mechanical and electronic equipment. He got involved in electronics in college and later worked as a station engineer for WSFA and as a local repairman for television and radio. One day, his friend John Liles found out he was a ham radio operator. “He was always fascinated with camellia magazine | 35

it, and he would come and visit with me,” Sport said. “I was interested in clocks, so he took me under his wing and down to his shop.” From there, Sport took a clock apart and reassembled it under Liles’s supervision. Eventually, Liles handed him an internal movement that needed repair work and said, “See if you can fix that.” Not long afterwards, Sport joined the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and traveled to conventions around the country looking to buy old clocks to bring home and restore. “I’m not a master clock repairman, but I can generally get them working,” he said. Sport’s home is full of timepieces, from grandfather clocks to cuckoo clocks

Joe Rex Sport has also been able to salvage several valuable antiques, including a grandfather clock that was put out by the road by a family because it wouldn’t run.

“I’m not a master clock repairman, but I can generally get them working.” - Joe Rex Sport 36 | camellia magazine

and everything in between. One of his favorite clocks was manufactured in New England in the early 1800s. It was given to him as a gift from his family, and the clock is made completely out of wood. That style of clock was only manufactured for a few years before brass gears began to be produced. Sport has also been able to salvage several valuable antiques, including a grandfather clock that was put out by the road by a family because it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run.

Serving Butler, Coffee, Covington,

www.lbwcc.edu

Crenshaw, and Geneva Counties through university transfer courses, workplace readiness programs, short-term skills training, adult and continuing education, and training for existing business and industry.

It is the official policy of the Alabama State Board of Education and Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, a Postsecondary Institution under its control, that no person shall on the grounds of r ace, color, disability, gender, religion, creed, national origin, or age be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment.

camellia magazine | 37

out & about LBW Community College/Camellia City Classic 1. Renee LeMaire, Sabrina Cobb, Dr. Jim Krudop. Back row are Nathaniel Godwin, Preston Thomas, Ethan Hartley and Kyle Rossi 2. Dr. Jim Krudop, Wayne Bennett, Dr. Herbert Riedel 3. Suellen Autrey and Jean Thompson 4. Hyram Lambert, Ron Embry and Larry Mullen 5.

Arlene Davis, Joby Norman, Al Brannon, Mark Landers and Todd Norman

PHOTOS BY PATTY VAUGHAN

4 5

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LBW Community College/Camellia City Classic & CorStone ProLaw Am Golf Tournament 1. Mayor Dexter McLendon, Steve Brown and Mitch Thorn 2. Malcolm Thompson and Steve McGee 3. Joe Gibbons, Scott Brasher and Barry Tucker 4. Tim Jones and Glen Wood 5. Tammy Gaston, Jennifer Dunkin, Sarah Hickman and Lesa Syler PHOTOS BY PATTY VAUGHAN

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out & about

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out & about

2 Okra Festival 1. Josephine Dobbins, Simon Harris and Debra Harris 2. Kaye Bowman and Tommy Bowman 3. Chandler Paymon, Ciera Dudley and Sydney Dudley 4. Mandy Johnson, Adrian Johnson, Art Sullivan and Cindy Sullivan

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL RODGERS AND FRED GUARINO

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out & about

1 Fort Dale Academy Homecoming 1. Nedra Toulmin Crosby, Haley Williams, Laura Sellers Perdue and Mary Sellers Perdue 2. Erin Taylor, Courtney Gregory, Ryan Taylor and Alex Merry 3. Taylor Merry, John Coleman Poole, Laiken Burleson and Michael Padalino 4. Lilly Boswell and Emma Ryals

PHOTOS BY APRIL GREGORY

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2 1

Holiday Inn and Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce After Hours 1. Jackie Gunther and Joycelyn McDonald 2. Hope Langston, Francine Wasden and Charles Haigler 3. Dottie Till, Mary Simmons and Kim Jenkins PHOTOS BY TRACY SALTER

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lasting impression PHOTO BY MICHAEL RODGERS

“The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you do the work.” — Unknown

Life is better

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