Lake Martin Living March 2022

Lake Martin Living People, events and culture in the Lake Region

Garden Journal Farmer's Market News

Azaleas

March 2022

www.lakemagazine.life/lakemartinliving

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Plus, thanks to the high speed fiber optic network of Opelika (Alabama’s first Gig City), our homeowners enjoy some of the Nation’s fastest internet for any work- or learn-from-home requirements.

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From the Editor’s Desk

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loved azaleas before I ever saw one for the first time. They were difficult to grow in the Chicago area where I lived, but my mother – who has an incredible green thumb – spoke often of their exceptional beauty as I was growing up. I remember that whenever anyone mentioned azaleas, she actually blushed. She smiled with her whole face and took a long, deep breath before she clapped her hands and exclaimed, “Oh, I love the azaleas!” Anything that draws that kind of reaction from my mother is something to notice. I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, but I just knew they were special.

The azaleas that grew in our northern neck of the woods were small potted bushes with a smattering of blossoms. I did not truly appreciate their splendor until I moved to the South 35 years ago. My admiration for this magnificent beauty truly took hold when I moved to Alexander City and saw the huge gorgeous bushes covered in shades of pink growing with dogwoods and redbud trees. The azaleas are breathtaking here. I love to see them edging front porches of homes in town with brilliant color or gathered in groupings in yards. I love to walk along wooded trails and find the native varieties growing wild.

They are everything that charmed my mother and more.

In this issue of Lake Martin Living magazine, our own county Extension coordinator, Shane Harris, shares the how-tos and what-fors about this magnificent flower as we hold our breath waiting for it to bloom across the countryside and all through our communities. He has kindly included photos of some of his favorite varieties in his Garden Talk column on page 24.

Also in this issue, Waverly’s Lauren Graves returns to our pages briefly to share her experience with gardening journals and how helpful they can be in tending our beautiful Southern gardens, not only from day-to-day but also from one generation to the next. Turn to page 12 to learn how a journal might help you manage and improve your own garden for today and those of future gardeners in the years to come.

And then, flip over to page 22 to meet Alexander City’s new farmers market manager, Kelsie Miller. Lonna Upton spent some time with Kelsie, who owns a farm in Coosa County with her husband, John Burke, and is excited about the opportunity to make fresh produce and handmade goods so easily available to us all.

I am especially looking forward to this year’s growing season after so many months of the pandemic. I have stayed in far too long and am anxious to fill the baskets that hang from my screened porch with bright, happy flowers and greenery. And later this year, I hope to plant some azaleas under them.

Betsy Iler, Editor-in-Chief

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Lake Martin Living Chairman Kenneth Boone Publisher Steve Baker Editor-in-Chief Betsy Iler Contributors Kenneth Boone Dave Jennings Lacey Howell Gina Abernathy Cliff Williams Siri Hedreen Andy Anders Kaitlin Fleming Lonna Upton Shane Harris George Miranda David Ballard Lauren Graves Audience Development Director Erin Burton Creative Services Audra Spears Marketing/Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Rachel McCollough Marilyn Hawkins Cathy Parr Digital Services Elle Fuller Lake Martin Living P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281 www.lakemagazine.life/lakemartinliving

Lake Martin Living is published monthly by Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and submissions are welcome. Please address all correspondence, including story ideas, letters, pictures and requests, to: Editor, Lake Martin Living, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011 or email editor@lakemartinmagazine.com.

Advertising inquiries may be made by calling 256-234-4281. A limited number of free copies are available at local businesses and subscriptions are $25 annually.

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Lake Martin Living 5

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Encore azaleas, like the Autumn Chiffon blooms on our cover, are growing in popularity, as they bloom several times throughout the spring and summer. Learn more about the history, beauty and care of azaleas from Tallapoosa County Extension Coordinator, Shane Harris, on page 24.

Photo by Shane Harris.

FEATURES 10. HARPER GREY'S NEW LOCATION Taylor Patterson moved her sweet boutique from The Square to Cherokee Village.

12. UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS Keep a journal for your own garden, as well as those of future generations.

22. MEET THE MANAGER Kelsie Miller of Coosa Fancy Farm takes the leadership role at Alexander City's market.

24. SOUTHERN CHARMERS Azaleas have long been a favorite springtime show stopper.

50. KICK-START YOUR GARDEN Lacey Howell shares her love of herbs for cooking and cocktails.

IN EVERY ISSUE 9. AROUND THE AREA 16. FROM THE TEE 18. GOOD EATS 30. MONEY MATTERS 32. MEDICAL NEWS 34. OH SNAP! 40. LAKE REGION EVENTS

Cilantro adds a little heat to any Mexican-style dish

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10/5/21 10:38 AM

AROUND THE AREA

Jazz Fest art contest now open The Alexander City Jazz Fest Committee’s annual design contest is open for entry as the arts organization gets ready for the 31st Annual Alexander City Jazz Fest on June 10 and 11.

The winning artist receives $200 and will have their design printed on T-shirts and promotional materials for the event.

Entries must be received by Friday, April 8, 4 p.m. for consideration in the 2022 Jazz Fest contest. Designs must be original and unpublished. n Entries may be emailed as JPG or PDF document to kim.dunn@ alexandercitychamber.com, or mailed to Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Jazz Fest Contest, 175 Aliant Parkway Alexander City, AL 35010. There is no fee to enter. n Fine art and digital design are both accepted. n Art in file format should be in vector format, as an Adobe Illustrator file or Adobe Photoshop file with a high resolution of 300 dpi and type/copy (fonts provided) on layers. n Computer-generated entries must be a minimum of 65-line screen. n Entries must be vertical and no larger than 16 inches by 20 inches. n Each artist is limited to three

entries. n Designs must include the words “Alexander City Jazz Fest June 10-11, 2022” to be considered. n Artists must print their name and phone number on the back of the artwork.

By submitting a design for consideration, the artist agrees to the

following terms and conditions: n The chosen design will become property of the Alexander City Jazz Fest Committee. n Artist must design and execute a four-color maximum (four separate colors, including black as one of the colors, without blending or shading), screen-print-ready poster design, suitable for reproduction by the Alexander City Jazz Fest Committee. n The artist will be paid $200 by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. n The Alexander City Jazz Fest Committee will retain the exclusive right to use the poster, poster art and any details thereof, in color, black and white and/or any variation in promotional materials in perpetuity including, but not limited to, brochures, flyers, print advertisements, web pages and television promotions. n The Alexander City Jazz Fest Committee will retain all proceeds from the sale of T-shirts and exclusive production rights. n The artist may be required to attend promotional events prior to and during the festival. ~ Staff report

Construction to start soon on Wharf Casual Restaurant Wharf Casual Seafood plans to open a restaurant in Alexander City, its ninth location, with construction due to begin any day now in time for a grand opening in the fall.

The fast-casual chain, with restaurants in Florida, Alabama and Georgia, opened its first free-standing restaurant in Wetumpka in September. The Alexander City location on U.S. Route 280, beside Regions Bank, will be its second free-standing location.

After a few months of red tape, president and CEO Noah Griggs said the company is now waiting on its ALDOT permit, the last hurdle to clear before they can start building.

“It’s been a minute and a half,” he said. “When I get my permit, I’m going to start construction – I feel like any day, but I have been saying this for two to three months now.”

Griggs, former executive at the company behind Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., partnered with chef and Wharf co-owner Stephen Duggar seven years ago. Duggar’s parents, Early and Eva, opened the first Wharf restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1986, after two hurricanes nearly sank their seafood business.

“They were literally on the side of the road with a food truck; they had to build their business back from nothing,” Griggs said. In the years since, Early and his son, Stephen, evolved that original concept into what it is today, an order-atthe-counter restaurant chain serving shrimp and grits, po’ boys, tacos, salads and gumbo. Early continued to run the restaurant until he passed away in 2020.

Griggs, a Tallassee native, is back in his hometown where he owns another restaurant with his wife Pam, 1220 Café. The decision to bring Wharf Casual Seafood to Alexander City was helped by the connections he made catering in the area.

“Through the years, we’ve built a great relationship with people in that area,” Griggs said of Alexander City. “That really convinced us that we really need to be in that market.” ~ Siri Hedreen

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Harper Grey's New Location STORY BY & PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER

T

he entrepreneurial spirit came over Taylor Patterson after the birth of her daughter, Saige Harper, in 2017. Patterson, 28, owns Harper Grey, a pretty, relaxing boutique at the Cherokee Village shopping center on Alexander City’s Cherokee Road.

She toyed with the idea of opening a store for a couple of years; and then, shortly after her son, Colson Grey, was born in 2020, Patterson opened a 300-square-foot shop at The Square in downtown Alexander City.

“That went very well. I was there for a year, and I developed relationships with my customers. I loved it,” Patterson explained. “The only reason I moved is that I wanted to carry more inventory, but it was only 300 square feet.”

After developing a customer base and learning what her clientele likes, Patterson has stepped out on her own in a 1,500-square-foot storefront on a busy road closer to U.S. Route 280. Harper Grey, named for her children, offers a variety of women’s, children’s and even men’s clothing, as well as accessories, select food items and more. Hers is one of the few boutiques in town that offers fashion choices in small-3X. “I was doing well where I was, but now sales have picked up,” said the Alexander City native.

The personal attention she gives to her customers is key, Patterson said, whether they are shopping for themselves or looking for a gift.

“When people come in, often they just want something new. I try to give them a few different items to try on because sometimes, when you look at something on the rack, you think it’s not you.

Then, when you try it, you realize it might be. I try to be helpful and engage with everybody who comes in,” she said.

Her initial idea was to offer adorable children’s 10 Lake Martin Living

clothing like the outfits she found for her own little girl, and while those items are popular in her store, she realized women wanted pieces for themselves as well. Now, Harper Grey includes an expanded inventory of dressy casual fashions for juniors and women, in addition to children’s clothing for casual occasions, birthday or shower gifts. She also stocks a selection of attractive, comfortable shirts for men, women’s jewelry, body care Bigger and Better and sweet treats to The new store in Cherokee Village is five times larger tuck into gift bags. than Patterson's previous “I also try to offer something for space; Inset: Baby clothes sparked Patterson's interest everyone in every in opening the boutique. price range. I have a $10 sales rack with bargains on it, and the pricing in the store is what I think is reasonable for someone to pay,” she said.

In addition to naming the store for her children, Patterson, who also holds down a fulltime nursing position in Clay County, enlisted the support of her husband, Cole, to open the store.

BUSINESS MATTERS

“He put together just about everything in the store to help me get ready to open,” she explained. “And he helps out in the store if I have to be gone for a few hours. That’s a lot because he already has a fulltime job and a part time job.”

Cole is a firefighter and paramedic, as well as a part-time police officer in New Site.

“He’s so supportive of my dream,” Patterson added.

Harper Grey is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays until 2 p.m. Visit her website at shopharpergrey.com or her Facebook page at Harper Grey LLC, or drop in at the store at 2028 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City, to congratulate her on her opening.

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Unexpected blessings found in keeping a garden journal STORY & PHOTOS BY LAUREN GRAVES

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I

f you ask any longtime farmers to give you their best advice for a successful harvest, they will likely tell you to keep basic records of your growing efforts.

Basics means things like when it rained and how much, first and last frosts, what was planted and when and how it all fared.

They will tell you there is no better almanac than the one from your own back yard.

And that is exactly what you get over time as you keep basic records. It’s like magic, building a treasure-trove of data, one note at a time. That’s how I began keeping a garden journal myself – just writing down the basics. By keeping these simple records, you’re keeping an eye on your garden, what is happening in it and what needs attention.

But what developed for me as I started jotting down the basics is that I became more curious and aware of everything going on in my entire backyard world, so I began writing down more than the basics, as well as adding pictures. Pretty soon, I was noting in my garden journal, along with pictures, things like the first daffodil sighting and the day the first hummingbird appeared. I started becoming involved in the entire ecosystem of my backyard world. My garden journal became a way to give a place of prominence to simple observations in my backyard world, as well as take care of my garden.

Though I could use this article to give you tips on how to keep a garden journal according to me, I would rather tell you about a phenomenon I witnessed through many years of presenting workshops and speaking engagements while promoting my Perpetual Gardening Record Book.

There was a story I told at every event in which I was a vendor, whether it was a local community art festival or a national trade show. It was a story that resonated with everyone, even people who weren’t gardeners, but everyone knew someone who was and how much it meant to them to be in their garden.

The story was this: It was only after my grandmother passed away that we found her gardening notes, all written in her sweet handwriting. I pulled quotes from those notes and used them as The Past and The Future the inspirational The notes in your guide throughout garden journal could my product. It was benefit the gardens a threshold straight of future generations as much as they help to the heart of a your own gardening gardener. adventures.

At one of the first Lake Martin Living 13

big garden events where I was a vendor, a woman heard that story and said with tears in her eyes, “I’ll take one, and I hope someone in my family finds mine one day.” From that moment on, that story was my connection with thousands of people.

Therein lies the real treasure of keeping a garden journal. Through all these years of being out there speaking to the importance of keeping garden records and journals, so many dear people have whipped out their garden journas to show to me.

Some are using mine, many are not; they just know I will appreciate this thing that they are so very proud of, and I do. In fact, I love it. Every one of these garden journals seems like a beautiful piece of art to me. Many have dirt smudges and water stains, but all of them are in that person’s very unique handwriting, handwriting that is immediately recognizable to anyone who knows and loves that gardener.

After all these years of promoting my Perpetual Gardening Record Book, as well as having the pleasure and delight of seeing so many homemade garden journals, I can say with absolute certainty, there is no best way to keep a garden journal. Just do it! Not only will your garden respond to this level of love and attention, but also you will be amazed at what this small, simple task does for you.

And speaking from my personal experience time and time again, beginning with us finding my grandmother’s gardening notes, you cannot imagine the profound, heartfelt and tender effect your personal garden journal will have on anyone who sees it.

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My favorite thing about a garden journal is that it is so much more than a backyard almanac, and more than the gardener’s unique handwriting. It is a diary. It is that gardener’s daily, private way to give a place of prominence to all the seemingly small but miraculous events that they witness and are stewards of in their gardens and backyard worlds. I’ve heard so many times from customers that no one in their family ‘gets’ why they are so into their gardens. I usually give them a wink and a smile and say, “One day they will.”

Lauren Graves is the owner of CabinTiger Studio and grew up in the Lake Martin area. She is a an avid gardener, photographer, workshop presenter and keynote speaker at gardening events. Though she lives in Colorado, she loves making extended visits to the place of her roots. Email Lauren Graves her at lauren@ Below: A garden journal is perfect cabintiger.com. for keeping basic records about care and harvests for future reference; Facing page, clockwise from above left: Note dates and conditions for the arrival of each seaosn; Graves developed a gardening record book for her notes and photos; Keep records on the amount of rainfall your garden receives to monitor the health of the plants; Her grandmother's gardening notes had a profound impact on Graves.

Lake Martin Living 15

I

Break out the shorts

t’s here! It’s here! No, not the Sears Christmas Catalog but the month of March. One of my very favorites since – forever. It’s time to break out the shorts and short-sleeved shirts and head to the golf course.

I cannot let this time slip by without raving about my golf team. This has been a year like none other for me. I’m accustomed to having boys play for the Trojans for two years, but due to COVID-19, I had quite a few for three.

This year, I started with only one freshman, two secondyear golfers and five third-year golfers. After this year, only one of the second-year players will remain, along with the freshman. There are going to be a lot of new faces on the practice tee at Willow Point next year.

At the moment, moving on to the next level of college golf are: Hayden Carner, Tanner Guthrie and Dawson Farni. Hayden has committed to Georgia Southern University and Tanner to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dawson has received an excellent offer at one D-1 NCAA program, but he is waiting to decide between a couple others to be certain.

My other

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graduates are leaning towards attending Auburn University next year, but should the right college golf offer come along, those plans could change.

Signed with CACC for golf next year are: Blayne Armstrong, Cian Hughes, Sam Mitchell, Joseph Vineyard, Noah Small and Elad Sebag. These are six really talented, respectful and excited young men. As always, I have high hopes for the golf team and for their futures.

As we speak, our golf program is in a very enviable position. We are presently ranked second in the NJCAA, Bushnell and Golfstat national polls. Thus far, we’ve had a good year. Five wins, one runner-up and one thirdplace finish. Two of my players have individually won tournaments, and we’ve had over a dozen top-five finishes.

As I wrote this article, we were preparing to head to Tifton, Georgia, for a tournament. In mid-March, CACC will host an event in Foley, Alabama, at Glenlakes Golf Club, and we will finish our regular spring season in Decatur, Alabama, at Burningtree Country Club. Post-season kicks off in mid-April in Guntersville, with our conference championship. Two weeks later, we return to Cullman, Alabama, to play TP Country Club for the Southeastern

From the Tee

District Championship. Once again, our national championship will be hosted in Texas at Odessa Country Club. It would be a thrill to owe these boys a championship ring in mid-May. At the national championship, I have the privilege of introducing and presenting the NJCAA Golf Hall of Fame Award to my former golfer, Chase Seiffert. Chase is the first of my personal former players whom I have nominated. He played for CACC in 2009-2011; then, he transferred to Florida State. He now competes on the PGA Tour. In the past 10 years, Dave Jennings I nominated and was fortunate to induct a couple of Maxi Boles’ players in Paul Tesori and Carl Pettersson. In 2011, I was blessed to have been inducted myself as a coach.

As always, I must confess that my team and I would not be where we are without the love and support of all of you. For my many years as the head coach of the Trojan Golf Team I have looked to you for assistance. You have always been there.

Thank you and know that I will always appreciate and love you.

As I wrote this article, the television was on Fox News. I am fearful for us all, especially our youth, as to where this initial action of conflict may lead. May God watch over all of those who have been invaded and for the remainder of us on His great Earth. May He give us peace. May He open the eyes of our leaders so that they may make good judgments and impartial decisions to assure the safety of His people and our nation. God bless us all. ~ Dave Jennings is the men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.

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Pan-Seared Garlic-Butter Lamb Chops

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Garlic-Butter Lamb Chops Ingredients

GOOD EATS

4 to 6 lamb chops 1 tablespoon oil Salt/pepper to taste 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions

This process moves quickly, so have all of your ingredients Gina Abernathy ready before starting.

Remove lamb chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Salt and pepper on both sides of the chops.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat for one minute. Skillet should be very hot before adding the lamb.

Carefully add lamb chops to the skillet; you should hear a nice sizzle. Cook for three or four minutes. Flip and cook for another three minutes.

Slide the chops toward the middle of the skillet.

Quickly add butter, garlic and rosemary. As soon as the butter melts, spoon garlic butter over the top of the lamb chops and cook for one or two more minutes. Remove the lamb chops from hot skillet and allow to rest five minutes before eating.

I used 1-inch lamb chops, so they only required three minutes on each side. You will need to adjust your cooking time depending on how thick your cut of meat might be and the doneness desired.

The inside will be pink, according to the recipe above.

Garlic-Butter Lamb Chops are juicy, delicious and mouthwatering. A restaurant-quality, panseared dinner that’s made at home with just a few ingredients. They are perfect for any night of the week.

Pan-seared lamb chops are elegant but easy and sure to impress your guests. No special skills are required to deliver this fantastic dinner in minutes.

Can Lamb Chops Be Pink In The Middle?

Yes, if you cook them from rare to medium, they will be pink. Lamb that has been seared well will be fine to eat with a pink center. A lamb chop is a tender cut of meat and very simple to cook. But be aware that overcooking lamb chops may result in a dry and less than desirable taste. Lamb is best eaten pink.

Temperature Guidelines for Cooking Lamb

This is just a guide. Adjust the cooking time to best suit your taste. Lamb will continue to cook while resting. According to the doneness desired, the lamb’s internal temperature should read between 130 and160 degrees.

Medium Rare: 130 to 140 degrees Medium: 140 to 150 degrees Well Done: Over 150 to160 degrees Tips n Before cooking, bring the lamb to room temperature. n Make sure the skillet is very hot before adding the lamb. n Adjust the time, depending on the cut and thickness of the meat. n Have all ingredients ready before you begin cooking. n Use a spatula or tongs to flip the lamb. You don’t want to pierce the meat and allow the juices to escape. n Allow the lamb to rest for at least five minutes before eating. The lamb will continue to cook after you remove it from the pan.

I am obsessed with these pan-seared lamb chops, and I hope you give them a try. You could not ask for a faster or more delicious dinner. With just a few ingredients and a cast iron pan, you will have a succulent main dish ready in about 10 minutes. Perfect for Easter. ~ Gina Abernathy is the author and recipe creator behind the blog, Home at Cedar Springs Farm.

Don't Spare the Flavor

Generous amounts of garlic, butter and rosemary make this a stand-out dish for any Sunday supper.

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LOGO

APRIL 8-9

Join us as we partner Vertical Logo with local dealers for our 12TH ANNUAL Car Sale Event.

NUMEROUS LOCAL DEALERS! We will have a team onsite to assist with questions and financing. The two-day event is happening at our main office on HWY 280 - but don’t forget we can also help with your auto re-financing needs at any of our five locations from April 1-30.

Visit myhscu.com for more info!

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Meet the Manager STORY BY LONNA UPTON PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

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Kelsie Miller takes charge at the farmer's market

C

hange is in the air, and it’s not just the breezy, spring weather. The Alexander City Farmer’s Market is sprouting new growth with a new location and a new manager. Main Street Alexander City sponsors this yearly summer event, which runs from the first Saturday in June until the last Saturday in September, but this summer it will move to the old city hall parking lot. In addition to an exciting new location, Kelsie Miller will be taking over at the helm, offering her own spin to Saturdays downtown. As owners of Coosa Fancy, a 25-acre farm in Rockford, Miller and her husband have farming experience, as well as great joy in watching things grow – a perfect combination to guide the city’s farmer’s market into its new beginning.

“Main Street is very excited to have Kelsie as our new farmer’s market manager. Kelsie and her husband live, eat and breathe the farm life, and she is a breath of fresh air for the market. We are very excited about our new location this year, which will allow for better flow and hopefully increase sales for our farmers and other vendors,” said Stacey Jeffcoat, executive director of Main Street Alexander City.

Miller grew up in Auburn riding horses, and her father and grandfather were casual gardeners.

Her journey to farming did not start until she met her husband, John Burke, during a break from graduate school.

“I was working on my degree at the University of Georgia when I met John. He had just come home to Alabama from a job in California to start a farm on the land his grandparents owned in Rockford. Three years later we were married. We’ve been farming for five years now,” Miller said.

Burke grew up in Birmingham, but generations of his family have farmed in Coosa County since the 1800s. Burke and Miller began utilizing the level land where his grandmother’s house once stood and where her garden grew, for their garden.

“We have an organic market garden on about a half-acre and plan to expand to an acre. Everything we grow we sell – salad and leafy greens in the cooler months; then in the summer, we have heirloom tomatoes, squash, melons, pumpkins, peppers, pears and potatoes, just about anything we can grow,” she said.

Miller and Burke also raise heritage breed hogs, a distinction made because their heritage can be traced back to the 1900s in Europe. These Old World breeds, as they are often called, thrive on farms that allow them to forage and do not confine them to small places and pens. At Coosa Fancy, the heritage hogs roam 15 acres. The couple is transitioning from Berkshire and Mangalitsa breeds to only Mangalitsa, an Old World breed indigenous to Hungary and known for its curly hair, docile

nature and excellent meat.

“We have our pork processed at a USDA facility, and we sell it at the farmer’s market and straight from the farm. It is excellent meat, and I can’t imagine eating pork from a grocery store now.

The marbling is great, more like a steak. Of course, we sell out of bacon first; then, breakfast sausage and pork chops,” Miller said.

Other animals on the farm include free-range chickens, which produce eggs for the family’s personal use and for sale. Miller said they plan to expand the egg sale by late summer. They also have four dairy goats, which Growing Food for Market she cheerfully describes as Left: Kelsie Miller will manage pasture ornaments, and five Main Street Alexander City's Farmer's Market this summer; dogs. But the hogs took the spotlight when a comment Below: Miller works the from Burke’s grandmother land where her husband's grandmother once farmed. gave the farm its name.

“When John told her what kind of pigs we would have and described the heritage breed to her, she said, ‘Oh, y’all are gonna have those fancy pigs.’ And that was it – Coosa Fancy Farm,” Miller said.

Although she is a relatively new farmer, Miller said the best part of gardening is that anyone can do it.

Her advice is to start with a raised bed, constructed or purchased, so the soil quality can be controlled. Second, she suggests buying high quality potting mix. Third, be sure to grow something you like, so you will want to tend the garden.

And last, always read the seed packet and use resources, such as the extension office, for help if you run into a problem.

Miller is excited to move from vendor to vendor/manager and will organize the market, find licensed vendors and gather sponsorships. She is also responsible for entertainment, which provides fun for shoppers and brings more people to the market.

“We have really enjoyed the small business feel of the farmer’s market. Everyone is so nice and helpful, so into it, and they’ve been so supportive,” she said.

Miller welcomes ideas for educational spotlights and entertainment for all ages, including school or church groups, singers, bands and performers, such as magicians. Individuals and groups that would like to perform for free will be vetted and considered for timeslots. Interested performers should contact Miller at kelsiem@coosa-fancy.com.

“Our market is one of the few markets in the state that remains free for the farmers to come and set up each Saturday.

We encourage everyone to come out and meet Kelsie and support our local farmers and artisans,” said Jeffcoat.

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Sout hern Charmers Azaleas have long been a favorite springtime flower Lake Martin Living 25

W

GARDEN TALK

hen we think of spring America, more hybrid groups were developed. in Alabama, our Most varieties seen and sold today are minds instantly draw hybrids and are the results of many years of a picturesque scene of breeding and selection. The most common bees buzzing, cherry blossoms, sunny azaleas grown in Alabama are Southern Indica, days, flowering dogwoods and the grand Kurume, Glen Dale, Satsuki and the Encore kaleidoscope of azaleas. Azaleas have series. Mature size, growth habit, flower been around for more than 150 years, but color and cold hardiness can be dramatically they are still the most popular flowering different between cultivars. shrub in Alabama, as well as the most The Southern Indica azaleas may be the anticipated flower show of spring. Is there most well known group because of their anyone who doesn’t love the beauty of association with coastal cities like Charleston, azaleas? If you don’t have them growing Savannah, Mobile and New Orleans. These in your yard, you are missing out on azaleas are large plants and often reach a enjoying these legendary flowering shrubs mature height of 6 to 10 feet. The flowers are Shane Harris for the landscape. With so many varieties, large and showy at 3 inches wide. These azaleas both classics and new varieties available in are not as cold-hardy (hardy to Zone 8) as various sizes and shades of colors, there is others so are more popular in the southern at least one azalea out there you will fall in love with. half of the state. Common cultivars are George L. Tabor Azaleas have been prized possessions in most (light pink), Mrs. G.G. Gerbing (white), Formosa Southern gardens since the early 1900s. Evergreen (magenta), and Pride of Mobile (dark pink). azaleas are originally native to China and Japan. They Kurume azaleas are the most popular group and are were first introduced and developed in Europe and the first ones to bloom in the spring. These are some later sold in the northeast United States in the1830s of the oldest azaleas with many Historic Beauty as tender green houseplants. By 1848, Rhododendron brought to America in 1915 and Previous pages: indicum varieties made their way south and were 1917. They have very compact Azaleas made their planted at Magnolia Plantation near Charleston, South growth and lots of small flowers way to the American Carolina, where they flourished outdoors. Fruitland that are 1/2 to 3/4 inch but may South in the mid-1800s; Nursery (aka Berckman’s) in Augusta, Georgia, was reach 5 to 6 feet in height. They Below: Plant several instrumental in propagating and spreading the use are more cold-hardy (to Zone bushes of the same of the Southern Indian hybrids in the Southeast. As 7) and can be found growing variety together for a more varieties of evergreen azaleas reached Europe and throughout Alabama. Popular brilliant display.

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Photo by Audra Spears

cultivars include Coral Bells (salmon pink), Hinodegiri (vivid red), Hershey Red (bright red) and Snow (white).

Glen Dale hybrids grow to be about 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. More than 445 cultivars were introduced between 1940 and 1952. These azaleas are very cold-hardy; however, they are somewhat hard to find at garden centers and nurseries in Alabama.

Three cultivars commonly found for sale are Fashion (salmon), Glacier (white) and Ben Morrison (orange red).

Satsuki hybrid azaleas are quite different since they are more compact, low-growing plants. They produce an abundance of small leaves but make up for that with very large, flat flowers that often are 4 to 5 inches wide.

Uniquely, Satsuki azaleas bloom later than our typical azaleas, usually from mid-May through mid-June.

Common Cultivars are Gumpo White (white), Gumpo Pink (pink), Amagasa (red), Wakaebisu (pink) and Flame Creeper (salmon).

The Encore series azaleas were released in 1998 and Eye-catching Splendor

Clockwise from top left: Rivermist shows off its gorgeous blooms with subtle lavendar shading; Plant azaleas in a partially shaded area for best results; Coral Bells continue to be a popular variety.

are gaining in popularity and availability. They are best known for blooming two to three times a year – in the spring, mid to late summer and fall. There are currently 31 cultivars on the market ranging widely in color, shape and size. None are taller than 5 feet; however, all are supposed to re-bloom. All cultivar names begin with the word ‘Autumn’ and are sold in distinctive maroon pots.

Azaleas can be planted any time of year if proper attention is given to providing adequate water. Most people buy azaleas in the spring when the plants are blooming, so they can choose the right color combinations; however, fall is probably a better time to plant, allowing the roots to become established during cooler weather. If planted in the spring or summer months, watering two to thee times weekly is necessary for survival.

When buying azaleas, remember that you will get the most effective display of flowers by planting a mass of a single variety instead of using many varieties and colors together. Buy plants that are sturdy with good branch systems. Don’t buy plants with weak, spindling growth. This usually means the plant has a poor root system or that plants were grown too closely spaced in the nursery. The best size to buy is 12 to 16 inches tall.

Smaller plants are more likely to be injured by cold.

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Azaleas are usually sold as container-grown plants.

They are sometimes pot-bound. This means they have a mass of roots growing around the outside of the ball of soil. Take the plant out of the container before you buy it. Make sure the roots are healthy and completely fill the pot. If you notice plants are pot-bound when you take them out of the container, massage the root ball to loosen some of the roots before planting. Also, pull some of the roots at the bottom of the root ball. This action will help roots to spread out and grow away from the original ball of container potting medium.

Carefully consider planting sites for azaleas. Pick a place with light to moderate shade. Azaleas receiving some shade during the winter usually suffer less cold damage. And during hot weather, the flowers last longer on plants in filtered shade. Late-blooming varieties need to be in partial shade to prevent sunscald to the flowers.

Pine trees with moderate filtered shade give ideal protection for azaleas; however, heavy shade throughout the day may reduce the flower production and result in weak growth. Evergreen trees or tall shrubs with low branches make good windbreaks and attractive backgrounds for azalea planting. Shallow-rooted trees, such as oaks, elms and maples, may compete with azaleas for moisture and nutrients.

Soil conditions also should be considered in selecting

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a planting site. Ladies of the Southern Garden Azaleas require Clockwise from above left: The bright Sunglow blossom offers a an acid soil contrast to its surroundings; Peach pH (5.5) to graces the garden with its soft, grow properly. Blow demure color; Laura Morland stands Check the soil out with its stark white flowers; pH of your site Established azaleas will provide before buying immeasurable enjoyment as they azaleas. If the grow and bloom year after year. pH is above 6.5 you can expect to spend additional money and effort to maintain a pH in the proper range for plant growth. You may want to consider using other kinds of landscape plants for this site.

If necessary, create raised beds for azalea plantings by adding pine bark or peat moss to improve drainage and lower pH. These beds should be 10 to 12 inches deep. This depth provides an artificial environment similar to that in a large container. Additional watering is required. Building raised beds over tree roots can be stressful and potentially damaging to the trees.

When planting azaleas, remember again that you will get the most effective display of flowers by planting a mass of a single variety instead of using many varieties and color together. Plant azaleas a few inches higher

than you would with normal plants, so the top of the root ball is slightly above ground level. Remember this little rhyme: “Plant them high, and they will never die.”

Add pine bark or peat moss to the planting hole to improve drainage and lower pH. After planting, be sure to mulch azaleas heavily with pine bark or pine straw. Azaleas benefit from a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch.

They must be watered during dry periods and after initial planting. The months from August through October are critical times to supply additional water. A good mulch also helps to reduce the amount of water you will need to use as well as the number of times you have to water. If a mulch is used, a heavy watering once a week should be enough during dry periods. Two to three times a week for the first six to eight weeks after planting would be beneficial.

An established azalea collection will provide enjoyment for many years to come. Enjoy the show.

You’ll love it!

For help on other home and garden questions, contact your local county Extension office or visit us online at www.aces.edu.

Photo by Audra Spears

~ Shane Harris is the county Extension coordinator for Tallapoosa County.

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H

ousing markets across the country are still seeing record levels of activity, with price increases to match. The question going through many people’s minds has become, “Is it still a good time to buy?”

Though inventory remains low due to the continued high demand and interest rates have begun to rise, there are still opportunities to be seized. With this in mind, it’s important to remember that the keys to making a smart second-home purchase are planning and flexibility.

As a mortgage consultant with Valley Bank, I have seen how clients are benefiting from a more thoughtful approach to their secondhome purchase. I’ll walk you through some of the top considerations I discuss with my clients.

MONEY MATTERS

a higher down payment and show that you have more substantial reserves. Some lenders require proof of your ability to make at least six months’ worth of payments. Consult with your loan officer at the start to determine how the property will be classified (second home or investment) to identify all the requirements.

Consider both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages

Fixed-rate mortgages have long been a default selection by many who planned to purchase a second home and keep it for 30plus years before handing it over to their children. Adjustable-rate mortgages are David Ballard becoming a more appealing option in some cases; however, they offer lower interest rates than fixed mortgages for an initial time period, before the rate changes.

Know how you plan to use the property mortgage More recently, many homeowners are holding on If you’re buying a second home to use primarily as an to second-home properties for shorter time periods, investment property, you’ll likely have to come up with refinancing within five to 10 years of their purchases, or 30 Lake Martin Living

Is it still a buyer's market? paying off the mortgages faster using equity from their primary homes. For these owners, an ARM is appealing to keep monthly payments lower in the short-term.

Depending on your plans and financial situation, it could be a more compelling option.

Extend your timetable and budget for construction

Whether it’s a new build or an expansion of your home, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent inflation has created availability issues for supplies and manpower alike. Logistical delays due to supply chain problems have become a norm that anyone considering a construction project must face. Factor into your initial plans some additional budget and time to account for these factors from the start.

Decide if a home equity lin of credit could help

Whether building or buying your second home, you may be able to draw from a line of credit based on the

equity you have in your primary residence. In some situations, it might make sense to pay cash for a second property if your line of credit is big enough. There are lender requirements, such as having a minimum amount of equity in your primary home to get a line of credit, so connect with a home loan specialist to see what you qualify for.

Keep things simple where you can

There are a number of factors that can make buying a home more complex, so it’s helpful to simplify when you’re able. Even things such as how and where you pay your mortgage make a difference. Many homeowners have experienced their mortgage being sold to another lender (sometimes multiple times) over a few years. Some lenders continue to service mortgages even after they’re sold, ensuring that a client’s payment process and escrow accounts stay consistent. ~ David Ballard is a Birmingham-based Valley Bank residential lending consultant.

Lake Martin Living 31

Thriving not just surviving

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cancer diagnosis invades a whole family. I’ve once heard it described by a cancer survivor as akin to a grenade going off in your living room.

At the UAB Medicine-Russell Medical Cancer Center, we do a pretty darn good job of taking care of cancer patients medically. What you might not know is that we do a good job of supporting them spiritually and emotionally as well.

For instance, first cardinal rule: We never refer to patients by their tumor site, as is sometimes the case in some hospitals. Mrs. Smith is not the colon cancer in Room 5. Mrs. Smith is a grandmother who loves to make quilts, cooks a

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mean green bean casserole and happens to have a diagnosis of colon cancer (Mrs. Smith, of course, is a hypothetical patient).

Because we are all about the whole person, we recently started a monthly support group for people who are undergoing or recently completed cancer treatment. We meet at 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month in the Bill and Mary Ann Hardy Community Room at Russell Medical. The community room is on the right just inside the entrance of the professional building.

Most cancer centers have moved from calling these folks cancer patients and now call them cancer survivors. That was definitely an improvement in our thought processes, but I want to evolve that process one more step. I prefer to think of people with cancer as “cancer thrivers.” I don’t want them to simply survive cancer and its treatment. I want them to thrive, in spite of their cancer … or maybe because of it.

I don’t blame God for bad things that happen. I see God in the growth that follows those bad events.

MEDICAL NEWS

I call that “resurrection thinking.” Cancer contoured extremely tightly around a is a bad thing. But so much growth, so tumor to “vaporize” (think Star Trek) much good, can come from a cancer the tumor while doing minimal damage experience. Cancer thrivers find new to surrounding healthy tissues. The meaning in life. Their faith is deepened. beauty of SBRT is that we can complete Their priorities refocused. They no longer a radiation treatment in three to five sweat the small stuff. sessions, rather than the traditional 30 or I’ll let you in on a secret: I established 40 sessions. the Cancer Thrivers Support Group for SBRT has specific applications; it selfish reasons. The group is my spiritual can’t be used in every situation. But food. I receive so much more from our it’s perfect, for instance, for newly cancer thrivers than I ever give them. diagnosed lung cancer patients whose They are the true heroes in my life. tumors are smaller than 5 centimeters March is colon cancer awareness and who are not candidates for surgery month. If you remember Don Knotts George Miranda because of other illnesses (in many cases, as Barney Fife before he was on emphysema), which is about one in four Three’s Company, it’s time to have lung cancer patients with early disease. your colonoscopy. The United States Preventive We’ll be offering SBRT for lung cancer and Services Task Force recommends having a baseline prostate cancer, and hopefully by the end of 2022, colonoscopy at age 45. If you are of average risk and we’ll be offering a clinical trial of SBRT for breast have a negative (= good) result, you’ll not have to cancer, based on groundbreaking work being done repeat that process for 10 years. Personally, I’m high by our very own Dr. Hunter Boggs, who practices at risk, so I have to visit my friend Dr. Derek Holcombe UAB and at Russell Medical. every five years. I tell you this because it’s important So keep watching us, because great things are for you to have the family history/risk factor happening at Russell Medical. conversation with your primary care physician, in case you fall in the same camp I do. ~ George Miranda is director at UAB MedicineNobody likes to get a colonoscopy – at least Russell Medical Cancer Center. nobody who’s normal. But colon cancer is one of the easily preventable cancers if you just go get checked out. And as much as I’d like to get to know you, I don’t really want to see you in my office every three weeks for six months.

Finally, I have exciting news about new things happening at the UAB Medicine-Russell Medical Cancer Center. We are starting a new, high-tech radiation treatment program that is scheduled to go live April 1. The treatment is called Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy, or SBRT for short. Scientists come up with these names, which then require someone like me writing an article like this to explain it. A marketer would call it “Surgery without an incision.”

SBRT uses high-energy radiation beams

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MOPAR Reunion March 5, 2022 Wellborn Musclecar Museum 1. Yvonne, Brandi, Jeremy and Debbie Love 2. Phil Tullar and Charry and Tom Chaapel 3. Danny, Matt, Matthew, Russell and Erin Hammonds 4. Micheal and Sherry Travis 5. Jeremy Panell and James Pannier 6. Ed Keeter, Allen Bates and Dwight George 7. Tae Johnson, Joe Young, Stephen Williams and Chris McCann 8. Wyatt and Madelyn Smith

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Etiquette Dinner Saturday, February 19, 2022 Willow Point Country Club 1. Olivia Miller and Xan Wright 2. Ashlyn Thornton and Janson Stewart 3. Jesse Worthy and Henley Bice 4. John Gamble and Georgia Claire Dennis 5. Kylee Sanders, Corbin Richardson, Andie Lackey and Campbell Richardson

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6. Hank Hunter, Carson Spears, Cash Sassano and Will Calhoun

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Wedding & Event Expo Saturday, February 20, 2022 The Mitchell House 1. Blackberry Breeze

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2. Julie Blakenship 3. Rhonda and Skip Courtney 4. Jet and Tammy Turner and Shaylee Beck and Stephen Moore 5. Philip and Carmen Fuller 6. Maddie Rape and Grace Gokey 7. Sandy Newsam, Vivian Autry, Sandra Fuller, Sandra Carlisle and Courtney Layfield 8. David Jones 9. Staci Pemberton

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Saturday, February 26, 2022 Russell Crossroads 1. Katie Taylor and Ricky Chapman 2. Jackson and Dean Lilly

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3. Stephen Norrell 4. Barb and Dave Stever 5. George Hardy and Mollie and Bill Barrett 6. Gail Brasell, Keith Lankford and Ellen Martin 7. Landon, Noah and Jessica Wilmeth

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Lead Forward Friday, March 4, 2022 Betty Carol Graham Center 1. Kristy Mosley and Jessica Lashley

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2. Ed Collari and Randy Dawkins 3. Courtney Layfield and Sherri Carter 4. Lois Ann Murphree 5. Jenny Purvia, Che Harris, Amy Huff and Yann Hutchison 6. Kim Dunn and Lauren Welcher 7. Misti Jane Bowen, Brook Boddie, Alethea Askew and Sundra Kinman 8. Donna Vaughn, Quantera Kelley, Stephanie Tapley, Katie Denney and Colandora Jackson 9. Shasta Kromer, April Turner and Kristen Chapman 10. Kari Pike, Paden Thornton, Kim Liner, Wanda Stark, Lacy Kuenzel, Selena Phillips, Ronda Spann, Crystal Walters and Galina Durden 11. Betsy Iler, Erin Burton, Kaitlin Fleming, Elle Fuller, Angela Mullins, Tippy Hunter and Rachel McCollough

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SPACE

FOR SALE AD SPACE AVAILABLE Call the Advertising Department

256.234.4281

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Calendar

THE LAKE REGION

FEATURED EVENT

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xplore Wind Creek State Park’s Campfire Trail is beautiful any time of day, but after dark, it’s a different place. Wildlife rarely seen during the day is out and about, prowling the forest floor and on the wing through the trees. Join state park naturalist Scottie Jackson on a guided hike along the Campfire Trail and learn about the park’s nighttime residents on this twohour trek on one of the park's most popular trails.

Hikers should wear weather-appropriate clothing, as temperatures could fluctuate after the sun goes down. Sturdy shoes are a must on the uneven terrain, especially in the dark. Bring water and a flashlight, too. Meet at the Campfire Trail trailhead at 6:30 p.m. The hike will be out of the woods by 8:30 p.m. This event is free with paid park admission and for overnight guests.

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Entrance fees are $5 for ages 12 through 61; $2 for ages 4 to 11 and ages over 62. The entrance fees cover access to the beach, fishing pier, the silo, picnic grounds and clubhouse activities, as well as the trails. Annual passes are available, too. A family pass at $155 covers up to six people on a named list.

Individual annual passes are $105, and senior passes for ages 62 and up are $55.

Visit alapark.com/parks/wind-creek-state-park for more information or the Wind Creek State ParkAlabama Facebook page for upcoming events and activities.

LAKE REGION EVENTS March 17

United Way Campaign Wrap Up

Lake Martin Area United Way will wrap up the 2022 campaign, “Hometown Heroes,” at 12 p.m. in the Central Alabama Community College Betty Carol Graham Center. The campaign total will be announced, along with top businesses, donors and past board members. Lunch will be available, and attendees will meet the agencies served by LMAUW. This event is sponsored by CACC, Valley Bank and Burgess Distributing.

March 19

Creatures of the Night

Alabama’s nighttime forests are home to all manner of wild residents that crawl, slither and fly across the night sky.

Learn about our nocturnal neighbors from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wind Creek Clubhouse inside Wind Creek State Park. This event is free with paid park admission and for overnight guests.

March 19 & 26

An Invitation to Spring

Russell Lands Naturalist Marianne Hudson will offer tips about preparing your yard for springtime birds and other wildlife from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads.

She will discuss what to do and what not to do to attract or discourage your wild neighbors from visiting. She also will talk about cleaning and maintaining feeders and nest boxes and creating mini habitats.

No charge for this presentation. Everyone is welcome.

March 19

Guided Nature Tour

Meet at 2 p.m. at the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead for an education foray into a forest in transition. You will see signs of the lingering winter as well as the birth of spring. This energetic hike is appropriate for ages 5 to 105. There is a $10 fee for this program. Contact Naturalist Marianne Hudson at 256496-2710 to register. Wear seasonally appropriate clothing and shoes. Bring bottled water, sunscreen and insect repellant. Binoculars and cameras are welcome.

March 22

Landscapes in Oils

Join this three-day studio workshop at Tallapoosa School of Art on Lake Martin, where artist Perry Austin will demonstrate painting principles each morning and work individually with students to help them understand and apply them. For package options and details, visit tallapoosaworkshops.com.

March 26

Scales and Tails

Join Wind Creek State Park interpreters as they introduce some of the reptiles and amphibians that call Alabama home. Bring a camera and don’t miss this opportunity for an up-close encounter with some amazing teacher creatures between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the Wind Creek Clubhouse. This event is free with paid park admission and for overnight guests.

April 1

Lakewind Homemakers Charity Event

The Lakewind Homemakers and Community Leaders will host an inaugural event to benefit Dadeville Beautifucation from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Red Ridge United Methodist Church in Dadeville. There will be a fashion show, food and silent auction for gently used purses.

April 1-July 4 Crank 4 Bank

Registration is now open for this year’s tagged fishing tournament on Lake Martin, which includes the chance to win a $1 million cash prize, one of two new bass boats, a new truck and $1,500 per tagged bass caught. This year’s tag color is orange, and every tagged fish caught by a registered angler is a winner. Registration is $100, which also includes entry into a virtual fishing event running concurrent with Crank 4 Bank. Visit crank4bank. com for details, rules and registration or purchase your ticket from a member of your local high school fishing team to help them raise money for their clubs.

April 4-May 6

Jan Dempsey Art Center

Auburn’s Jan Dempsey Art Center will exhibit the works of Jill Holt, Laura Lewis, Cecile Morgan and Leslie Brasher.

Some works will be available for sale.

A reception with the artists will be held Thursday, April 14, from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.

April 9-May 1

Phins Fishing Classic

This inaugural virtual fishing tournament spanning eight Southern states will benefit the United Way organizations represented by the zip codes of entrants. The event will feature six fish categories for bi-weekly and tournament door prizes, including both saltwater and freshwater categories. A special high school division will be a qualifier for scholarship applications.

Entry fees start at $35. Visit fishingchaos. com for details and online registration.

April 14-17

Bunnies & Chicks

Celebrate Easter at Lake Martin with Russell Lands Naturalist Marianne Hudson and the gentle innocence of bunnies and chicks. Bring your camera to photograph children and grandchildren.

This event is appropriate for all ages at no charge. Everyone is welcome at the Naturalist Cabin from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on April 14 and 15 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 16. This event will move to the SpringHouse from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 17. Contact Hudson at 256-496-2710 or at Naturalist@ Russelllands.com.

April 16

Iron Bowl Trash Cleanup

Meet at Lake Martin Mini Mall between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to pick up bags, pickers, vests and water from Lake Martin Resource Association. You’ll be assigned an area where your help is needed to pick up trash and beautify the Lake Martin area. Bring your own gloves. There will be a tailgate cookout and live band at noon.

Dress in your best team spirit and come out to support the community to clean up Lake Martin.

April 23-24

Old 280 Boogie

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s festival of music, art, food and Southern culture in Waverly. Saturday’s lineup includes The Sheepdogs, Seratones, Robert Finley, Taylor Hunnicutt and The Pine Hill Haints. Sunday afternoon, Caleb Caudle and Larry Mitchell and Lake Martin Living 41

LAKE REGION EVENTS Band will appear. Gates open at 11 a.m. both days. Performances will be on the outdoor stage. Saturday only tickets are $60; Sunday only $25. Purchase a twoday pass for $75. Kids 14 and under are admitted free. For details and tickets, visit standdarddeluxe.com.

April 23

Young Wildlife in the Forest

Join Russell Lands Naturalist Marianne Hudson from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads for an informative display and discussion about the young wildlife in Russell Forest.

Examples will include mammals, reptiles and birds. Bring photos of your own back yard, and Hudson will make tailored recommendations so ou can attract nesting birds and young wildlife to your property. Appropriate for all ages. No charge. Everyone is welcome.

April 23

Guided Nature Tour

Join Russell Lands Naturalist Marianne Hudson at 7 a.m. for an energetic hike that will offer opportunities for learning about forest babies and what's happening in the springtime forest, as well as great exercise. Advance registration is required for this event. Charge is $10 per person.

Wear comfortable, seasonally appropriate clothing and shoes. Bring bottled water, sunscreen and insect repellan. Binoculars and cameras are welcome. The hike will conclude before 9 a.m.

April 24

Lake Watch Annual Meeting

Guest speaker Dr. Bill Deutsch will present an overview of 30 years of watching the water on Lake Martin at this year’s annual meeting at Red Ridge United Methodist Church in Dadeville.

Masking will be encouraged, and the meeting is contingent upon COVID conditions. Registration opens at 1 p.m. with the program from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit lakewatchlakemartin.org.

Season-long Events Music in the Air

Spend your Thursday evenings at Zazu’s Verandah on the beautiful Dadeville Square enjoying a variety of live music. The music begins at 6:30 p.m. indoors or outdoors under the verandah, 42 Lake Martin Living

depending on weather conditions and performers’ preferences. Come early to settle in and be sure to get a seat. Drive-by Tacos will be present at most events on a Food Truck with a Purpose mission; every taco purchase makes a meal available for a food challenged person in Alabama. Free admission but please tip the musicians. Visit Zazu’s Verandah on Facebook for the weekly scheduled programs.

Free Tax Assistance and e-Filing of Federal and State Tax Returns

IRS certified volunteers will provide free tax assistance and e-filing for senior citizens age 60 and over with no income and taxpayers under age 60 with incomes less than $57,414, as well as disabled taxpayers. Dropoff by appointment.

Call 256-234-0347 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday to make an appointment and for information about what to bring. This service is coordinated by the Volunteer Connections of Central Alabama, a United Way agency.

Artists Association of Central Alabama

AACA artists meet on the third Wednesday of the month at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex grounds. Meetings are followed by an open studio program, which also is open to the public. Club dues are $20 for the year.

Bingo Wednesdays

Come out to the alley next door to Castelluccio on Wednesday nights for bingo. Order dinner and wine from Castelluccio or your favorite downtown restaurant and have it delivered to your table. The event is limited to six people per table, and the number of tables is limited to 20, due to social distancing.

Reservations for this weekly event go quickly, so email Main Street Alexander City Executive Director Stacey Jeffcoat at sjeffcoatmainstreetac@gmail.com to reserve your table.

Wellborn Musclecar Museum

Housed in a restored vintage auto dealership in downtown Alexander City, the Wellborn Musclecar Museum collection of great American automobiles

of the 1960s and 1970s is open for public viewing Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This exemplary collection includes the famed K&K Dodge, the 1970 Grand National Champion, as well as Aero cars designed for NASCAR. You will see an example of each manufacturer’s highest horsepower cars of 1970, from Dodge, Plymouth, Chevrolet, Buick, Porsche and Oldsmobile. The inventory on display changes frequently, so every visit includes something new and exciting. Admission for adults is $11; children ages 7 to 17 admitted for $7, and children ages 6 and under are admitted for free. To arrange discounted group tour or private tours, email wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail. com or call 256-329-8474.

First Saturday Markets

Standard Deluxe in Waverly hosts the First Saturday Market on the first Saturday of each month from now through August. Pick up lunch, local artwork, T-shirts, posters and more from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit standarddeluxe. com for details.

Charity Bingo

Every Tuesday in September, stop in at Niffer’s at the Lake at 6 p.m. for eight rounds of bingo to benefit the Lake Martin Area United Way. Cards are $1 each. The first seven rounds pay Niffer’s dollars, but the last round pays a cash jackpot.

Soup to Go

Drive through the parking lot at St. James Episcopal Church at 347 S. Central Ave. between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. every Tuesday and pick up a free brown bag dinner with soup, sandwich and more. COVID-19 precautions are taken by volunteers who prepare, pack and distribute the meal, which is open to the whole community.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

Volunteers in Alexander City and Dadeville are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups every month. In Alexander City, the cleanups are held on the third Saturday of the month. Meet at Our Town Volunteer Fire Department at 8:30 a.m. to pick up supplies and area assignments and help clean up the roads within Alexander City. For more information, contact John

Thompson at 334-399-3289. In Dadeville, the monthly cleanup is held on the first Saturday of the month, and volunteers can pick up sanitized pickers and bags at 8 a.m. at Dadeville City Hall. There also will be a trash bag drop-off on site. Call Dianna Porter at 256-750-0075.

Lake Martin Creativity

This group meets every Monday at 1 p.m. in the downstairs community room at the StillWaters Residential Building.

Anyone interested in arts and crafts is encouraged to join. Bring something to work on or come see what others are doing. A monthly fee of $5 is charged to help pay for the use of the space. For more information, call Christine Glowacki at 205-535-5974 or Kay Fincher at 256-8252506.

Millerville Trade Day

Bibb Graves School on state Route 9 hosts this trade day on the third Saturday of every month from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. with free outside setup for vendors, yard sale, flea market and swap meet items (no food vendors). Donations from sales to BGHS Alumni and Friends Association would be appreciated. There will be a designated area to bring vehicles for sale with $20 donation to BGHSAFA upon sale. For information, contact Bruce Lowery at 205-522-5794.

Library Storytime in Dadeville

Storytime for children aged 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Children’s Library in Alexander City

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library holds themed storytime every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for preschool-aged and younger children. In addition, the children’s library hosts board games and puzzles every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, call Melissa Finley at 256234-4644.

Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony Exhibit

The Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony on Lake Martin exhibit is on display all year long at the Alexander City Board of Education building, located at 375 Lee St.

Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store

Located on state Route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. Call 334857-2008 for more information.

Memory Makers Quilt Guild

This group meets the second and fourth Mondays at the Senior Center at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex.

Participants come and go between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. with a business meeting at 5 p.m., followed by show-and-tell. Bring sewing projects, machines and questions.

Real Island Supper

The Real Island community hosts a covered dish supper every third Friday of the month at the Real Island Volunteer Fire Department and Community Room, 1495 Real Island Rd., Equality. Everyone is welcome. Admission is $3 per adult; bring a covered dish to share. Some nights are themed, so call ahead to find out if costumes or certain types of food are in order. Contact Dianne Perrett at 256-3298724 for more information.

Amateur Radio Club

The Lake Martin Area Amateur Radio Club meets the second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Senior Activity Center at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex in Alexander City, with dinner and fellowship following at a local area restaurant. For more information, call Michael Courtney at 256-825-7766 or call Mike Smith at 256-750-5710.

snakes and fowl, just to mention a few.

There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. Check the calendar at RussellLands.com/blog/events or the Russell Lands app for scheduled subject matter, dates and times.

Fourth Fridays at EPAC

The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts music and other events on the fourth Friday nights of each month at 6:30 p.m. on state Route 9 in Equality.

Visit the Equality Performing Arts Center Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming artists.

Trivia Night at Niffer’s on the Lake

Every Thursday, Niffer’s hosts trivia night at 7 p.m. Winners receive Niffer’s gift cards. Grab a group of friends and come out for a night of games. A bonus question is posted on the Niffer’s Facebook page at 2 p.m. Thursdays.

Tallassee Lions Club

The Tallassee Lions Club meets every Tuesday at Cozumel Restaurant, across from the football stadium in Tallassee, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to join for an hour of humor, information, civic pride and patriotism.

Email ronmcd416@gmail.com for more information.

Equality Neighborhood Watch

The Equality Neighborhood Watch Association meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the old Masonic Lodge at 6:30 p.m. During the colder months, it meets at Equality Methodist Church on state Route 259. For more information, email Richard Penton at drichardpenton@gmail.com.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne Hudson fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, Lake Martin Living 43

9

Goldville 280

Goodwater To Sylacauga

Legend

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

63

New Site

Public Boat Ramps 22

280

Churches

Camps & Parks

Timbergut Landing

9

Power lines

280

19

U.S. Highways

Alexander City

4

County Roads

14

Horsesh Nation

Jaybird Landing

Flint Hill Church

22

Camp ASCCA

Alex City Boat Ramp

Rockford

3

49

128

22

Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek 63 State Park

COOSA COUNTY

Pleasant Grove Church

28

11

9

Mt. Zion Church Russell Farms Baptist Church Friendship Church New Hope Church

259

Bethel Church

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

Smith Landing Willow Point

7

Seman

5 Camp Kiwanis

9

12 1 Children’s Harbor

Trillium

The Amp

Ko w

ali

ga

80

2

20 6

Union Landing

24

Walnut Hill

y

21 27

Stillwaters

8 Ba

25 Red Ridge United 49 Methodist Church

Church of the Living Waters

The Ridge

Church in The Pines

18

Lake Martin Baptist Church

Camp Alamisco

Kowaliga Boat Landing 55

Pleasant Ridge Church

34

10 63 17 11

Equality

231

16

57

9 24

Dadev

280

29

Liberty Church

20

Jacksons Gap

26 23

Union

90

50

Central

Red Hill

15

63

Union Church

Refuge Church 229

49

Eclectic Santuck

13 Kent Reeltown

231

14

ELMORE COUNTY

120

14

14

Lake Martin Region Wetumpka

44 Lake Martin Living

Tallassee 229

MACO COUNT

Marinas

Daviston

1 Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111 255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 2 The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300 450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

22

33. River North Marina 256-397-1500 250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 43. Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors 256-397-1700 19 Russell Marine Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 5 Real Island Marina 334-857-2741 2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026 6 Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888 7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

hoe Bend nal Park

7 Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550 486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026 8 Harbor Pointe Marina 256-825-0600 397 Marina Point Rd., Dadeville, AL 36853

CHAMBERS COUNTY

Restaurants & Venues

ville

ON TY

9 Smith's Marina - Shipwreck Sam's Froyo 256-444-8793 smithmarinaonlakemartin@yahoo.com

8 SpringHouse 10 256-215-7080 12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

50

Camp Hill

11 Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070 17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

22

12 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035 295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 13 Acapulco Mexican Grill 334-283-2725 2867 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee, AL 36078

280

Waverly

20 Aronov Realty Lake Martin 256-825-4133 6928 AL-49 S Stillwaters Hwy, Dadeville, AL 36853 21 Nail's Convenient Store 334-857-3454 8394 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 22 Off the Beaton Path 205-994-0847 21300 Hwy. 280, Dadeville, AL 36853 23 Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717 8421 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Hotels & Lodges 24 Creekside Lodge 256-307-1440 6993 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

Churches 25 Red Ridge United Methodist Church 256-825-9820 8091 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 26 Lake Pointe Baptist Church 8352 AL-50, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-373-3293

Dock Builders 27 Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc Marine Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443 180 Birmingham Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 28 Docks Unlimited LLC 256-203-8400 6400 Highway 63 S., Alex City, AL 35010

Recreation & Entertainment 29 Dixie Sailing Club 767 New Hope Church Road Alexander City, Al 35010

Business & Shopping 50

14 Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567 1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010 15 Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 334-541-2132 1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 16 Russell Building Supply 256-825-4256 350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853

LEE COUNTY

17 The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333 288 Stables Road, Alex City, AL 35010 18 Kowaliga Whole Health Pet Care & Resort 334-857-1816 8610 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

Loachapoka 14

19 Dark Insurance 256-234-5026 www.darkinsuranceagency.com 410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010

Notasulga 85 81

If you would like to advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map, for as little as $25 call 256-414-3174. Space is limited.

Lake Martin Living 45

DON'T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE! Subscribe today or visit one of our local establishments each month for a free copy.

ALEXANDER CITY Robinson Iron A & M Plumbing Carlos The Body Shop Walgreens Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. Jake's Moore Wealth Management Carlisle's Emporium Wine Cloud Nine Downtown Girl Shay Aesthetics JR'S Hillabee Towers Senior Nutrition Center Noel Boone George Hardy First Realty Dark Insurance Warren Appliance MainStreet Family Care Grace's Flowers Koon's Korner Larry's General Merchandise Daylight Donuts Alfa Valley Bank - 280 Pricare Temple Medical AllState BB&T Bank Hometown Pharmacy Lake Martin Home Health Allen's Food Mart (Exxon) Karen Channell - State Farm Insurance North Lake Condo River Bend Store River North Marina Lake Martin Building Supply Petro Sho'Nuff BBQ Hair Design

Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Longleaf Antique Mall Playhouse Cinemas Chamber of Commerce Winn Dixie Re/Max Around the Lake City Hall A&E Metal Regions Bank Marathon - 280 Renfroe's Market Russell Medical Center Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors Koon's II Tallapoosa Ford Dylan Johnson - Country Financial Holley's Home Furniture Jackson's Drugs Selling Lake Martin - Amy Clark The Sure Shot Shell - 280 Big B Bar-B-Que Russell Do It Center Russell Home Decor Holman Floor Satterfield Inc. Grain & Leaf, Bottles & Cigars Tippy Canoe Love Lake Martin Real Estate Office Wind Creek Gate Wind Creek Store Willow Point Office Willow Point Country Club Smith Marina Nails Kowaliga Marina Kowaliga Restaurant Children's Harbor Catherine's Market Russell Lands Corporate Office Russell Lands Real Estate Sales Center

Springhouse Restaurant Ridge Club Ridge Marina HACKNEYVILLE Hackneyville Water Authority NEW SITE Piggly Wiggly - New Site Foodland DADEVILLE Chamber of Commerce Raining Dogs Studio & Gallery Root 49 Salon Ellaby Boutique, LLC Alabama Power Siggers Siggers Barbershop Fusion Cafe Dadeville Library At the Beauty Shop Dadeville Courthouse Payne's Furniture PNC Bank Valley Bank McKelvey Chevrolet Renfroe's Market Foshee's Boat Doc Lakeshore Pharmacy Russell Building Supply Lakay's Tallapoosa Nutrition Sweet Pickins Century 21 - Rhonda Gaskins Farmers & Merchants Bank Jim's Pharmacy Poplar Dawgs Still Waters Country Club Still Waters Home Association Russell Lands Realty Fuller Realty Harbor Pointe Oskar's Aronov Realty Lake Martin Creekside Lodge Blue Creek Marina Lakeside Marina

Niffers Hwy 50 Eagle Millstone Japanese Maple Nursery Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Chuck's Marina Deep Water Docks Lake Martin Pizza CAMP HILL Link Gas Station EQUALITY Five Star Plantation Equality Food Mart Southern Star Parker Creek Marina Charles Borden ECLECTIC Lake Breeze Realty Offshore Marina Lake Martin Mini Mall Corner Stone Coffee Co. Lake Martin Dock Company Cotton's Alabama Barbecue Russell Do It Center Johnson Furniture WOW Catering LLC Eclectic Library Real Island Marina Anchor Bay Marina Wetumpka Wetumpka Herald Office Tallassee Marathon Tallassee Eagle Tallassee Chamber Parris Mullins Jr. O.D. Get Lake Martin Living delivered to your mailbox for just $50 per year. To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.

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Lake Martin Living 47

AD INDEX A&M Plumbing.................................................................................... 6

Kowaliga Whole Health..................................................................... 4 9

A&O Tree Service............................................................................... 3 3

Lake Martin Dock.......................................................................... 3, 49

Abernathy Farm Supply....................................................................... 5

Lake Martin Pressure Washing........................................................... 3 9

Alexander Landscaping ....................................................................... 8

National Village................................................................................... 2

Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation........................................................... 6 C&C Wood Products.......................................................................... 4 3 Childersburg Primary Care................................................................. 3 9 Coosa Valley MRI............................................................................... 4 9 DAVCO Development........................................................................ 4 9 Dentistry for Children........................................................................ 3 3 Diamond Golf Cars............................................................................ 5 1 Electronic Technology Group.............................................................. 4 9 Four Seasons..................................................................................... 4 9 George Hardy, D.M.D.......................................................................... 6

OBGYN Associates of Montgomery..................................................... 5 Precise Pressure Washing................................................................... 4 9 Prime Home Health.............................................................................. 8 Red Flag Pest Control.......................................................................... 6 River Region Dermatology.................................................................. 4 9 Russell Medical.................................................................................. 5 2 Satterfield, Inc.................................................................................... 5 Southern Sash................................................................................... 2 1 Sunrise Docks.................................................................................... 4 8

Heritage South Credit Union.............................................................. 2 1

Tallassee Health & Rehab................................................................... 2 1

Highway 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage....................................... 4 9

TowBoatUS........................................................................................ 4 6

Jack Ingram Motors............................................................................. 3

Vacation Rental Management............................................................ 4 9

Jim DeBardelaben................................................................................ 8

Will Tampling, Keller Williams............................................................ 5 1

Karen Channell, State Farm............................................................... 4 9

Lake Martin’s Marine Construction Company 6732 Highway 63 South, Alexander Cit y, AL 35010 | (256) 392-5200 | www. sunrisedock sllc.com

48 Lake Martin Living

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Lake Martin Living 49

Kick-start your garden with herbs for cooking and cocktails

L

Culture Shock

et’s talk herbs.

They are an easy way to kick-start gardening adventures.

We talk a lot about tomatoes around here, but if being an amazing home chef is your goal, plan your herb garden accordingly. Rosemary, basil, cilantro and mint are my tried and true favorites.

I always plant herbs in containers by my backdoor, Lacey Howell nearest the kitchen. My rosemary bush is in the ground and absolutely huge, aggressively taking over a neighboring come-back azalea. There is ample opportunity to snip twigs for roasting pans of vegetables or to garnish a floral arrangement.

My mint that lived several summers ago in a pot now comes up in the flower bed on its own accord around late February. It is within easy reach to pinch off leaves for summer cocktails on the way to the lake. It is also delicious on ice cream and desserts.

If you cook Mexican-inspired dishes weekly like I do, you have to plant fresh cilantro.

Cilantro can be planted with parsley, basil and tarragon. I always keep taco and enchilada essentials on hand for last 50 Lake Martin Living

minute quick meals.

If pizza and Italian nights are your jam, basil is a must to spice up sauces. Pinch off any flowers that grow on the plant.

For more variety, try Thai basil. It’s a bit stronger with a hint of licorice. And purple basil does not taste that different from green basil, but it does add a pretty dash of purple to a dish. During the summers, I keep frozen cheese pizzas on hand and dress them up with fresh herbs and veggies for those late night unplanned dinners.

Dill and chives are classic staples for us Southerners who make a lot of chicken and tuna salads, pasta and potato salads. Lord knows these dishes are the true stars of the shows with BBQ. Remember to shop local this spring as you spruce up your yards and gardens. All of our local plant shops will carry herbs and big pots to plant them in. I personally like big galvanized farm-style buckets for my herbs.

We poured a new concrete front porch on our house and are planning the landscaping. We want something that will stay green year round and is drought hardy.

My lakeside yard is east facing and gets direct sunlight all day, so plants and flowers that will not blister is vital (sadly, no hydrangeas at my house). Inspired by SpringHouse’s famous rosemary hedges, we are going with that. You cannot beat the smell either. ~ Lacey Howell is a recovering English major from Auburn who now lives on Lake Martin, sells real estate, rides horses and loves good wine. Follow her on Instagram @LaceyHowell and on her Facebook page.

Lake Martin Living 51