Lake Magazine March 2023

LAKE

Tending the Trails

It's Plug Day! Red Clay Roads

Plug Day! It’s as if we can breathe again after being stifled for so many months. I first heard the term, ‘Plug Day,’ applied to Lake Martin’s rule curve adjustment 10 years ago, but I was only a mere nine months into my tenure as editor of Lake magazine at the time. Another three or four years passed before I grasped the importance of March 1 to our lives in paradise.

The change in the rule curve –that Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dictate of Lake Martin’s water levels – happens almost imperceptibly in the quiet of the night in a control room in Birmingham. But it is the most relevant occurrence for those who live, work and play at Lake Martin, for it launches our recreational season.

Plug Day means the replenishment of our coffers. Local businesses thrive when the water level rises to 491 feet mean sea level at Martin Dam. When our gas stations, marinas, boutiques, furniture stores, restaurants and hotels are full of customers, our economy measures a considerable uptick. Lake magazine’s 2023 plugmaster, Alexander City Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jacob Meacham, discusses the financial implications of Plug Day in the article on page 20.

Of course, with all those extra people on the lake, it’s even more important to take care of our guests and each other on the water. That’s where Lake Martin’s advocacy organizations –Lake Martin Resource Association, Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association and Lake Watch step in to help. In that same Plug Day article noted above, LMRA President Jodie McGirt sings the praises of the buoy team that already is out on the lake making sure that Lake Martin’s 440-plus hazard buoys are anchored and operational for the season. And HOBO President Harry DeNegre gives us a heads up on page 60 about boat inspections and courses that soon will be scheduled.

So we need to get ready. We can start by joining the spring cleanup on March 25. This is the last big effort to keep trash out of our lake before the water level reaches full pool on April 19. Turn to page 61 for details and make plans to make a difference.

While Plug Day means so much to the area, we also give a shout-out in this issue to some who have been making a difference all along. Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association volunteers, Steve and Julia Thomas have spent their winter maintaining the footpath trails at the Overlook network north of Martin Dam. Their handiwork recently was recognized with a Tourism Superstar Award from Lake Martin Tourism. We joined them on a foray over the Chimney Rock Trail and were astounded at what they actually do. Read the article on page 30 and check out their handiwork on the trails; then, if you can, please support the work of CRATA at Lake Martin. You’ll find a donation form on page 19. Or volunteer to lend your time and talent to this outstanding organization.

Happy Plug Day, everyone!

Chairman

KENNETH BOONE editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

General Manager

TIPPY HUNTER editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Editor in Chief

BETSY ILER editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Art Director

AUDRA SPEARS audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Business & Digital Development Director

ANGELA MULLINS angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com

Audience Development Director

ERIN BURTON erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing

RENEE TRICE renee.trice@alexcityoutlook.com

MARILYN HAWKINS marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

SHERYL JENNINGS sheryl.jennings@thewetumpkaherald.com

EMILY GREGG emily.gregg@alexcityoutlook.com

HIDEY ARRINGTON hidey.arrington@alexcityoutlook.com

Staff Contributors

KENNETH BOONE

BREANNA MANLEY

AUDRA SPEARS

JULIE HUDSON

GREG VINSON

CLIFF WILLIAMS

PETE MCKENNY

STEVE ARNBERG

WILLIAM MARLOW

LIZI GWIN

HENRY ZIMMER

ABIGAIL MURPHY

JIM DENNEY

HAROLD BANKS

DAVE JENNINGS

MARK GILLILAND

HARRY DENEGRE

Betsy Iler, Editor-in-Chief

Julia and Steve Thomas prepare to head out from the Overlook trailhead to conduct regular maintenance on the network of CRATA trails above Lake Martin's Dam. These horticultur ists have a lot of tools in their backpack and tricks up their sleeves to help Mother Nature look her best for hikers who visit the trails from locations around the world.

Photo by Audra Spears

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Drug Insurance, paid vacation, 401K, company paid life insurance, Longevity Bonus up to $1000 a year, employees and their children receive priority for scholarship opportunities, shift differential, and additional weekend differential that starts on Friday

20. IT'S PLUG DAY!

Jacob Meacham dropped the plug to signify the importance of this month's rule curve change.

24. ROAD TRIP FOR ART

A Pike Road gallery catches the attention of Lake Martin art lovers.

30. TENDING THE TREASURED TRAILS

CRATA volunteers Steve and Julia Thomas enhance the natural beauty of Lake Martin's Overlook trails.

36. NOW SHOWING

Harold Banks shows us some of the wildflowers blooming this month on local hiking trails.

40. LAKE LIVING FOR THE AGES

Now retired at the lake, an aging-in-place specialist remodels a spacious cabin for now and the future.

61. REUBEN THORNTON MEMORIAL

Before the water rises to full pool, one last lake cleanup will honor a dedicated local volunteer.

58. LAKE PROPERTY

6O. HOBO

63. FAB FINDS

64. HEALTHY LIVING

66. CHEF'S TABLE

68. BIG CATCHES

71. LOVE OF THE GAME

78. PARTING SHOT

Lake’s Quick Guide to the Lake

Lake Martin Area Real Estate Indicators

Use caution when selling or buying remotely

Spring could be a very good time to buy or sell a boat, as fishing season on Lake Martin cools off and recreational season heats up, but be careful throughout the transaction to make sure you're not being scammed. According to BoatUS, here are some signs by which to judge the authenticity of a potential buyer or seller.

Be immediately concerned when any of these red flags are raised by a potential buyer:

n No concern over documentation or the title of the vessel.

n Demands use of a specific escrow, holding or shipping business of their own choice.

n They don't haggle over the boat's price.

n They offer to buy the boat without seeing it.

n They offer to have a mover or third party pick up the vessel.

n They offer to pay with a check or cashier's check made out for more than the purchase price, perhaps to reimburse some of your costs.

n Won't provide basic proof of identity, such as a driver's license or a government-issued photo ID.

Weather Outlook for March

March 2023 Forecast

n Doesn't appear to have read the listing.

n Uses a variety of phone numbers or email addresses. Compaints of fake checks also are on the rise, so take these precautions when accepting a check as payment for a boat you are selling:

n Verify the routing number on the check. It should have nine digits and should match the bank on which it is drawn.

n Verify the bank's address.

n Call the phone number of the bank listed on the check after verifying the correct phone number for the institution. It's not uncommon for a scammer to use a fake number and have an accomplice ready to answer the call as if they were a bank employee.

n Visit the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency at occ. gov to verify that the bank named on the check is not listed as the name of a recently implicated institution. Not everyone is out to scam you out of your money or your beloved boat, but it makes sense to take extra measures to be sure the deal is secure.

Last Month's Lake Levels

Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the upper 60s with average lows in the low 40s and about 5 and a half inches of precipitation in the month of March.The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will lean above average and rainfall will be normal this month.

Year-to-Date

Precipitation: minimal

Avg. high temp.: 60.7

Avg. low temp.: 38.7

Avg. temp.: 49.7

Information from the National Weather Service.

Our Normal March

Precipitation: 5.64 inches

Avg. high temp.: 68.1

Avg. low temp.: 41.5

Avg. temp.: 54.8

Summer: 491 MSL

Winter: 481 MSL

Highest: 484.61

Lowest: 483.72

Lake depth is measured in reference to mean sea level. For up-to-date water levels at the lake, visit lakes.alabamapower.com.

Lake elevations are subject to change. Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and waterrelated equipment on the lake should always stay alert to changing conditions.

The above numbers are derived from raw sales data from the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors MLS. The sales noted above are for Lake Martin waterfront residential (single-family and condominium) sales only. This information is provided courtesy of Lake Martin Realty, LLC (a Russell Lands, Inc., affiliated company).

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) A train crosses the trestle at the north end of the

(2)

marigolds and creeping jenny

to summer on

lake.

Tiffany Ingram's

take us back

the lake. (3) Joyce Reeves, Debbie Spivey, Lol Popov, Ken, Kathy McKeen and Di Riccio had a fun time at the Polar Plunge in January. (4) Few sights are as beautiful as a Lake Martin sunset. (5) Abbie Smith balances a handstand on the dock at a local marina. (6) That time between dusk and dark when the horizon glows with the last colors of the sunset is one of the best times you'll ever spend at Lake Martin.

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) Johnny Spears stands on his dock, patiently waiting on the water to come up. (2) Remington VanHouten took this photo of the Island Hop Trail islands below the Smith Mountain Fire Tower at last light. (3) Wade Moore captured the blood moon over Harbor Point on a calm night when the water was smooth as glass. (4) Lyle Nickles caught the golden last light over Kowaliga's Children's Harbor.

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) Lake magazine visited Bar Harbor, Maine, with Joe Dick and Jaxson, Jackie and Jacob Howell. (2) Bud and Martha Champion and Linda and Ken Nabors took Lake magazine to Dolly Parton's Stampede in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. (3) Greg and Jenni Mims, Chad McWhirter, Mindy O'Brien and Patrick and Stephanie Neeley took Lake magazine to Sandals Southcoast Jamaica. (4) Karen Treadwell and Beth Berutich took Lake to Red Rocks Amphitheater to see MercyMe in concert. (5) Barbara and Doug Reid took Lake to Alameda Cathedral in Lisbon, Portugal. (6) Beth Brown took this photo of her husband, Tony, and Lake magazine on a trip through Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

March 2

Gallery Exhibit & Reception

Raining Dogs Studio and Gallery and Everything’s Art! in Dadeville will host an opening night reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for featured paintings by local artist Martha McKnight. The show will hang at the gallery at 129 Tallassee St. through April 8.

March 4

Love is in the Air Mistletoe Bough in Alexander City will host this spring wedding market with Forever A*men Wedding Planning Services from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with live music, food, drinks and more than 50 wedding vendors. There will be a $5,000 bridal drawing at the end of the event. For questions and ticket information email lauren.fussell777@icloud.com.

March 4

International Fly Fishing Film Festival

Come out to Standard Deluxe to watch this year’s collection of cinematic fly fishing films and support The Mayfly Project and The OARS Foundation. These two nonprofit organizations help to teach fishing to foster kids and veterans, respectively. There will be a vendor show, activities for the kids and food prepared by Chef Ban Stewart. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the first showing of the film collection starts at noon. A ticket to watch the movies is $25. Kids’ activities are free, and other attractions are priced separately. For more information, visit the East Alabama Fly Fishing Facebook page.

March 9

Author Presentation

bluegrass supergroup. Gates and bar open at 5 p.m. with supper with Chef Rich Bright. Tickets are $25, and seating is limited to 50. See more events at standarddeluxe.com.

March 16

St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Music

The Lake Martin Dulcimer Club will perform at 5:30 p.m. at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 in advance; $15 at the door. For tickets and information, visit dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.

March 21

Celtic Angel Ireland

Alex City Arts will present a program of traditional Irish music and precision dancing with this program that has won rave reviews across the country. The performance will begin at 7 p.m. at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Celtic Angel Ireland will perform a program of traditional music and dancing March 21

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN

March 25

March 24 Comic. Speaker. Soldier.

Jody Fuller will speak at 7 p.m. at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Tickets and information available at dadevilleperformingartscenter. com.

Jackie and Reuben Thornton Memorial Cleanup

Monroeville author John Williams of the stage production of To Kill a Mockingbird will make an appearance at Dadeville Performing ARts Center, sponsored by the Dadeville Public Library. No tickets required. Information available at dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.

March 10

Songs from the Road Band Showtime is 7:30 p.m. in the Little House at Standard Deluxe in Waverly for this Asheville, North Carolina, based

Meet at Red Hill Community Center at 7 a.m. for breakfast before heading out with pickers, bags and safety vests for a spring cleanup around the lake. At noon, Lake Martin Mini Mall will provide lunch for cleanup volunteers, and Lake Martin Dock Company will sponsor music to honor volunteers who turn out for this event. Visit lmra.info for more information.

March 26

BJ Barham and Rob McDaniel at Standard Deluxe

Standard Deluxe will host BJ Barham of American Aquarium at the Little House in Waverly with supper prepared by Chef Rob McDaniel of Helen, Birmingham. Dinner

menu and price will be posted closer to the event. Visit the website at standarddeluxe.com for details.

April 1

Auburn University Singers

Alex City Arts invites Auburn University’s 36 vocalists and 10 instrumentalists, under the direction of Dr. Dale Farmer, to Central Alabama Community College’s Betty Carol Graham Technology Center stage in this presentation of traditional and contemporary music and dance. This program is open to the public and free of charge.

April 7

Favorite Songs with Larry Whitfield

Larry Whitfiled will share country music memories with old and new friends at 7 p.m. at the Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Tickets are available at dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.

April 18

Assisted Living Musical

Young and old alike will love this Alex City Arts production on the Central Alabama Community College Betty Carol Graham Technology Center stage. Laughter will come naturally as this hilarious story unfolds when an elderly couple enter heaven suspecting their son pulled the plug on them to get his hands on his dad’s vintage Corvette. Show time is 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door.

April 21

Bill King

Bro. Billy Bob Bohannon King will regale the audience with clean comedic stories about Alabama culture through humor with a message at 7 p.m. at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. King is the author of several books. For tickets, visit dadevilleperformingartscenter.com. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

April 22

The 22nd Annual Old 280 Boogie

Join this celebration of music, art, food and Southern culture in the yard at Standard Deluxe in Waverly from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., rain or shine. This year’s lineup includes Maggie Rose, Aaron Lee Tasjan, The Heavy Heavy, Billy Allen and the Pollies, and The Pine Hill Haints. Tickets are $40 in advance until April 1; $50 online after April 1 and at the gate. Kids 12 and under admitted free.

April 22

Water Cycle

Alabama Power will host the second annual Water Cycle at Martin Dam with a 60-mile bicycle race on gravel, 30- and 60-mile gravel rides and a 15-mile fun ride to raise funds that improve the lives of those in need in Guatemala and Bolivia. Join the fun after the ride for music and food at the Dam Jam. Visit aub.ie/watercycle for details and registration.

Season-long Events

Lake Martin Civitan Club

The Lake Martin Civitan Club meets at noon in the private room at JR’s Grill, 145 Alabama St., Alexander City, on the second Thursday of each month. For more information, call Audrey Moore at 256-786-0465.

Artists Association of Central Alabama

AACA artists meet on the third Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex grounds with a general meeting followed by open studio. Club dues are $20 for the year.

Dulcimer Club

All levels of mountain dulcimer and blending traditional instruments are invited to gather at Dadeville Performing Arts Center from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday to rehearse for performances at a variety of community events. Club fee is $25 annually. Performer memberships, patron memberships or quarterly memberships are $30. For mroe information, email kim.walls@dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.

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. Call 256-329-8474 or email wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail.com to arrange discounted group tours or private tours.

Rhythm-Antics

Join this music exploration course from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Thursdays at Dadeville Performing Arts Center with Kim Walls. For all levels and ages, this class will teach students to read, write, play, sing and move to music rhythms. No need to know how to read music to start. The class will use a variety of classroom instruments, such as percussion, recorders and hand bells. No materials necessary. For information, email kim.walls@dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

In Alexander City, cleanups are held on the third Saturday of the month. Meet at Broad Street Plaza 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 second 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. Contact Mickey Forbus at 334-329-0905.

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, contact Kay Fincher at 256-825-2506.

Fiber Fridays

Bring your knitting, crochet, needlepoint, embroidery and other fiber art projects to The Yarn Shop Around the Corner in Dadeville from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays to meet fellow fiber artisans, share tips and techniques and talk with others who share your interests. Call 334-444-1038 for more information.

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 ages 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.

Santuck Flea Market

The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month at 7300 Central Plank Rd., state Route 9 in Wetumpka.

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 334-857-2008 for more information.

Memory Makers Quilt Guild

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

Arrive at 9:30 a.m. and sew until 2 p.m. Bring your lunch or a snack, 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. For more information, contact Dianne Perrett at 256-329-8724.

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. Contact Michael Courtney at 256-825-7766 or Mike Smith at 256-750-5710 for more information.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, 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 for the 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 upcoming artists.

Charity Bingo at Niffer’s Place Lake Martin

Niffer’s, 7500 state Route 49 in Dadeville, hosts charity bingo every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Cards are $1 each, and funds go to participating charities.

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. For more information, call Marilyn Speake at 334-283-6864 or email her at marilyn.speake@tcschools.com.

Equality VFD Cookout and Bake Sale

On the first Saturday of each month, the Equality Volunteer Fire Department hosts a bake sale, starting at 8 a.m., and lunch is served starting at 10:30 a.m. at the old Masonic Lodge in downtown Equality. For more information, email Richard Penton at drichardpenton@gmail.com.

Lake Martin News

Girls Ranch gets national attention

B.A.S.S. Nation Championship and a shot at a berth in the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.

Beginning in 2024, both individual B.A.S.S. Nation anglers and club members from each state will be able to enter national qualifier events, with the Top 20 finishers advancing to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Additionally, club anglers will be able to qualify directly from their state tournaments to the championship. The Top 3 finishers at the championship earn a berth into the Bassmaster Classic.

A television show that highlights Alabama farmers, gardeners and rural communities recently featured the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch in a 30-minute broadcast of Simply Southern TV. The episode aired on WAKA-TV 8 in Montgomery on Jan. 22 at 10:30 a.m. and was re-broadcast at 3 p.m. on Jan. 25.

“Ranch Director Candice Gulley is an inspiration, and the work she and others accomplish at the ranch changes lives every day,” said Simply Southern TV co-host Mary Wilson. “We so appreciate her trusting us to tell their story.”

Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch is a part of Alabama Sheriffs’ Association and was opened in 1973. The property is off of Samford Drive in Camp Hill and features three ranch homes, three staff houses, a chapel, a gym, a pool and a pond.

Gulley said they are excited for this coverage, and she hopes it will inform more people about what the organization does and their mission.

“The Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches are not just providing a second chance for children in need, but for many a first chance at a successful future,” Gulley said. “Our goal is to shower them with God’s love, provide structure, healthy amounts of fun and an abundance of grace to help these young people find hope and a future despite the pain of their past.”

Gulley said they also will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this fall. Outside of that, she said, the girls will participate in high school graduations, proms, beach trips and trail rides.

“When a child comes to the ranch, we want it to feel like home, a place where they can learn and grow into productive members of our communities,” she said.

Abigail Murphy

More opportunities for grass-roots anglers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Officials have unveiled a new format for the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series beginning with the 2024 season. Under the new format, individual, grass-roots anglers — even those who are not affiliated with a local club — will have more opportunities to qualify for the

“Our goal is to give the everyday angler more chances to make it to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, whether they get in via a state-run event or a national qualifier,” said GL Compton, tournament director for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “We know that for many anglers — especially when you’re working or in college — joining a local club isn’t practical, so opening our regional qualifying events to unaffiliated individuals is a way to accommodate those competitors. But, if you’re a club angler, now you’ll have two paths to qualify for the Nation Championship. It really is an all-around win for grassroots anglers.”

Now, to qualify for the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, an angler must first qualify for a 20-member state team via state-level tournaments before competing in a B.A.S.S. Nation regional championship, where only the top boater and nonboater from each state move on.

The B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournament will feature qualifiers from the states and the four national qualifier tournaments, as well as international anglers. Not only will the Top 3 anglers from the overall standings realize a dream of competing in the Bassmaster Classic, but the Nation Champion will earn the title of “Nation’s Best,” which includes the use of a fully-rigged tournament boat for a year, an invitation to join the Bassmaster Elite Series and a cash prize. The second- and third-place finishers and nonboater champion will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites. Staff report

The work of the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch was featured on Simply Southern TV

More opportunities to participate in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship coming in 2024

It's Plug Day!

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY AUDRA SPEARS

TThe rule curve at Martin Dam changed at midnight on March 1, and after winter’s cold, overcast days, the time has come to turn our attention toward spring. In 50 days, Lake Martin’s rule curve will hit 491 mean sea level feet – 33 billion more gallons of water after three long months of maintaining the lake at winter’s 484 feet msl.

Barring a need to suspend the rule curve for flood control, the water level on Lake Martin can be expected to rise 1 foot every week between March 1 and April 19. Significant rain could require that water be held in the reservoir to prevent downstream flooding. In that case, the level would return to the rule curve measurement as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so, said a spokes person for Alabama Power, the utility company that operates the dam.

Lake magazine once again will host the social media countdown to summer pool. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the current ‘Days to Summer Pool’ and fun facts about Lake Martin from Plug Day on March 1 to full pool day on April 19.

Affectionately dubbed ‘Plug Day,’ March 1’s rule curve change signifies a rising water level, warmer temperatures and increased traffic on and off the water.

“Plug Day is a key day on Lake Martin,” said Lake Martin Resource Association president, Jodie McGirt. McGirt tied Plug Day to LMRA’s mission to preserve, protect and promote the lake and its surrounding communities.

“It is a time to ensure that we have our shorelines, docks and boats ready for the pool to rise – that’s preservation,” she said.

Plug Day also is a time to ramp up the buoy team’s spring maintenance program, making sure that more than 440 hazard, no wake and safety buoys are in place and operational.

“This day builds anticipation that another fantastic boating season on Lake Martin is just around the corner,” she said. “At LMRA, we’re looking forward to another stellar year supporting the communities of Lake Martin.”

It’s also a big day for local businesses, as owners prepare to gear up for increased summer traffic.

“It’s an exciting time for us. Plug Day is the first symbolic event that means summer is on its way,” said Alexander City Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jacob Meacham. “Of course, summer means there’s a lot of fun to be had, but for many local businesses, it represents more opportunities, too. It’s time to search the trends and see what people are looking for and to stock the shelves in local stores.

“If you’re a business owner, look at how you are marketing your business. Are you getting your promotional materials to the places where people will be staying? Whether that’s a local hotel or a lake house or the campground at Wind Creek State Park, are you networking with the places where people stay and taking advantage of those opportunities to get your name and your product in front of visitors?”

Meacham encouraged local residents to practice patience and show a little bit of grace with the influx of the summer population but also to be willing ambassadors to visitors who might be looking for fresh new boutiques or great local restaurants.

“Just be understanding. Everyone is trying hard to deliver quality products and service with these spikes in traffic,” he said.

Visitors come not only for the lake but also for sports tournaments, concerts and other events, like Strand Sessions in Alexander City’s downtown park and the annual Sun Festival celebration, followed by Alexander City Jazz Fest. These festivities draw the local audience, as well as out-of-towners.

In addition to adding more inventory to the shelves in local shops, businesses will hire more help to serve the influx of customers at restaurants, marinas, grocery stores and more. And the Alexander City chamber will be looking for volunteers to help with activities that draw visitors into town from the ball fields and the lake.

“There are always volunteer opportunities for the Sun Festival and Jazz Fest events, and it isn’t just heavy lifting. Volunteering in your community is a good way to meet people and get involved,” Meacham said.

Jacob Meacham dropped the plug to signify the importance of March 1 to the local economy

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A signature dinner with Adam Evans-Automatic Seafood and Rob McDaniel-Helen to support Children's Harbor Family Center in Birmingham

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Tucked away on the outskirts of Auburn University at the world-class Grand National Golf Course, the award winning National Village offers everything you’ll ever need for the way you want to live. The thoughtfully crafted master planned community features georgeous homes designed by national award winner Larry Garnett and built by Ab and Don Conner at Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc., a local company with more than 100 years of experience. With the Marriott at Grand National on site, residents enjoy championship golf, miles of picturesque nature trails and lakes for fishing, spa and pool. National Village is truly an unbelievable place to live – inside or out. 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.

Road Trip for Art

Pike Road Gallery catches the attention of Lake Martin art lovers

STORY & PHOTOS BY BREANNA MANLEY

TThe Pike Road Arts Center is catching the attention of several Lake Martin residents with beautiful works of art in varying shapes and sizes. With possibilities to meet artists, take classes and purchase a new piece to add to a collection, the drive could be worth it.

Located at 944 Wallahatchie Rd., the community arts center opened in June 2019 and features one-ofa-kind art pieces on nearly every spot of open wall. From watercolor to oil paintings to photography, the center has it all.

The center is run by the Pike Road Arts Council, which was created through the ENHANCE initiative. Patty Payne, the arts council coordinator, serves as a great resource for all things art, including helping people start collections, learn and create art, connect art enthusiasts with local artists, and much more.

“Our mission is to encourage art and help people learn how to do art. We want to encourage it in the communities and help people who are new to collecting art to do that,” Payne said.

Though over an hour away from the Lake Martin area, Lake Martin patrons are known to stumble upon the smalltown hidden gem and find several works of art to choose from. A wide array of styles and textures vary from painting to painting, each telling a story of its own.

Throughout the center, pieces depicting lake colors and scenes can be found, as well as pieces glorifying simple, but wholesome stories. With new art trickling in constantly, finding the perfect piece is almost a given when you walk through the door.

Over 80 artists have art hanging in the art center.

With so many talented artists come different styles and techniques.

“Right now, we represent over 80 artists. What you see on the walls, it’s all local. They’re all Alabama artists. There’s a couple here and there who aren’t from Alabama, but it’s pretty much all local artists people see when they walk around in here. Supporting the local arts is important,” Payne explained.

Along with offering artists the ability to showcase their art, the center makes a priority of bringing in guest speakers and artists for events.

“We have a lot more going on than just the classes. We bring in artists like Craig Reynolds or Barbara Davis. We bring in a lot of well-known artists in Alabama and Georgia. They come in, and they give workshops,” Payne said.

Connecting customers to the artists is also on the center’s agenda. When customers come in and gravitate towards a specific artist’s work, Payne turns them on to the artist for possible commission work for the artist and perhaps even a specific piece in mind for the customer.

“I’ve had people come in and say, ‘Well, I really

Artwork of all shapes, sizes and textures line every wall at the Pike Road Arts Center

Lake-inspired art is displayed throughout the center

A stained glass piece greets customers at the front door

like that, but I want something bigger,’ and then we turn them on to the artists themselves. They may really like the artist’s style, but just need something bigger,” Payne explained.

Pike Road resident Lisa Zanglin, who also owns a house on Lake Martin, noticed a connection between Lake Martin and the arts center when attending Art on the Lake at Russell Crossroads on Memorial Day weekend.

“Lake Martin has an outdoor art show, and I’ve noticed that some of the artists who have their art hanging here were also at that Lake Martin art show. I always go to the Lake Martin art show over at Catherine’s, and you do see some of those same artists here. I think it’s nice. I consider us kind of country out here in Pike Road, and so is Lake Martin. We

do have these eclectic art shows that you can go to,” Zanglin said.

Whether you’re looking for guidance on your art collection or to form a connection with a local Alabama artist, the Pike Road Arts Center should not be overlooked. Find the perfect lake-inspired piece hung on one of the walls or purchase a custom piece from an up-and-coming artist to set yourself apart and add uniqueness to your collection.

The Pike Road Arts Center is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Check out the growing and everchanging collection and perhaps take a piece back home to Lake Martin with you.

The Pike Road Arts Center represents more than 80 local artists

Styles and media vary from piece to piece

The Pike Road Arts Center also features a gift shop with tiny trinkets

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Tending the Treasured Trails

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS

Clearing fallen debris is among the most basic of chores performed by the trail managers

MMost people would never notice the brown duct tape that Julia Thomas used to repair an old wild grapevine on the Chimney Rock Trail at The Overlook at Martin Dam. The vine, more than 2 inches in diameter, hangs just above the footpath leading from Mossy Drip, one of Thomas’ many horticultural projects that looks entirely natural on this loop section of the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association hike. Actually, the running brook with its 12-inch waterfalls over moss covered rocks that look like they’ve been in place for hundreds of years is the result of careful placement and diligent maintenance by Thomas and her husband, Steve. The two are trail managers for CRATA’s 7.2 miles of hiking routes above the dam.

As trail managers, they hike the entirety of the network of intersecting trails often to plan their workdays, from what trails need maintenance to what treasures they could enhance by lending a hand to Mother Nature. Then, two or three days a week, they spend a morning or an afternoon at the trailhead. They use a leaf blower to clean up the parking lot and picnic area, and they load a seemingly bottomless backpack with tools. They take two loppers, a saw, a rake, a medical kit and other tools and head out to work, toting a 12-inch chainsaw when they need it for the heavy stuff as they traverse the winding trails at a brisk pace.

“A while back, the CRATA board assigned trail maintenance to different board members, and I volunteered to take the Overlook area in September 2021. The board members reminded me that it is 7.2 miles, and my response was, ‘I have a wife, and I’m pretty sure she’ll be interested in helping,’” explained Steve Thomas, who now serves as CRATA’s president. “We were watching television one day, and Julia said, ‘Hey, aren’t you in charge of those trails? Let’s go out and check them.’”

“At the time, we were so out of shape we couldn’t walk up our driveway without being winded,” Thomas added. “Now, we’re in great shape, as we hike these trails several times a week.”

Up until that day, Steve had been more of a trail builder. He joined the CRATA board in 2017 after reading an article about the organization in Lake magazine. He was involved with most of the construction work on the John B. Scott Forever Wild Trail. He’s also very

involved with the new fire tower project going up near the Overlook.

On maintenance forays, the Thomases cut away trees that have fallen across the trails and flick small branches off the paths with their walking sticks without even breaking stride. They trim overhanging branches and reroute trails that have become obstructed or have eroded away. They rake pine straw from steep inclines and erect signs to warn hikers of dangers, such as a large bee nest they found adjacent to the trail. After the Jan. 12 tornado, they cleared 28 trees from the Overlook trails and 11 from the Deadening path. As they walk, they look for something to make beautiful.

“We just want people to see the natural beauty of it. And to come back,” Steve said.

Both of the Thomases have horticulture degrees. Married 47 years, they met at a wedding in Nashville. Steve is originally from Brooklyn, New York, but Julia Thomas grew up in Opelika. They owned Greene Hill Nursery in Waverly for 27 years, growing old fashioned flowering shrubs for big city markets. They retired nine years ago and moved to a lake house about 8 miles from the Overlook trails they now care for so tenderly. They recently were named Tourism Superstars by the Lake Martin Tourism Board. At one time, they owned a business called Restoring Eden through which they repaired yards in ways that looked very natural.

“God created beautifully, but it has fallen into disrepair. We like to repair nature, but we like to do it so it isn’t obvious that it’s been worked on,” said Thomas.

So, they plant rock formations and sweep dead leaves off the boulders to help the moss grow well. They pick up litter and carry out items that hikers leave behind, like water bottles and bags of dog droppings. They clean dead branches and leaves out of the mountain laurel stands and dig out the sludge to let a creek trickle down the hillside and into the lake.

That’s what they did at Mossy Drip. Just a few yards off the lake one day, Thomas heard rushing water under her feet. She dug around a bit and discovered a place where the water went underground to the lake below. Over the next weeks and months, she revealed the tumbling creek, blocking the water in strategic places to keep it flowing above ground. With Steve’s help, she arranged rocks to edge the miniature waterfalls or to

Steve and Julia Thomas foray the trails every week to plan the maintenance work they need to do

create places where hikers could sit to rest and admire the beauty around them. She found long curtains of moss that constantly dripped groundwater and plucked away the weeds that covered them, exposing them to better growing conditions and more visibility.

“It used to be a very narrow trail with a lot of growth right up to the edges,” Steve said. “It looked snaky, but we weed-eated the trail to widen it, and now it gets enough traffic that it just stays wide on its own.”

Last year, more than 1,100 hikers signed the hiking log at the trailhead kiosk, but most people don’t sign in, Steve said.

“We’ve pulled up here, and there were so many cars that the parking lot was full and people were parked on the grass on the side of the road, but only four people signed the logbook,” he said. “So far this year, 200 people have signed in.”

The logbook helps to finance the trail development through grants from local legislature and tourism initiatives. It’s located at the trailhead kiosk, and hikers are encouraged to support the CRATA trails by signing the logbook.

“We get visitors from all around the country,” he added.

They often meet hikers along the trails, answer questions, offer directions and point out interesting details that might be easy to miss, like a sea of tiny bluets

blooming in the mossy rocks along a section of trail.

On occasion, they rescue an injured hiker, like the time an elderly woman broke her ankle on the Chimney Rock Trail. The Thomases just happened to be working about 50 yards up the trail when they heard cries for help. The woman’s husband was not strong enough to carry her out of the woods, so the trail managers called an ambulance and directed the EMTs to the road at the top of a steep hillside. Then, they helped her scoot up the hill backwards with her shattered ankle.

The Thomases just finished reblazing the Overlook trails, which are color coded. Various blazes also are marked with a numbered tag that corresponds with a GPS location on the trail map to prevent hikers from getting lost or to assist in emergencies like the one described above.

The Thomases urge Overlook hikers to spend a few extra minutes at the trailhead kiosk. Note the trail colors and read the signs, which their daughter Carrie Watts helped them create. Scan the Flowcode, which connects cellphones with the website at crata.org and the online maps of the trails. Sign the logbook, and if you’d like to volunteer with the trail maintenance team on any of the CRATA trails, fill out the form under the ‘Contact Us’ tab on the website.

“We love it,” Thomas said. “It’s good exercise, and it leaves a legacy.”

They carry a 12-inch chainsaw to cut trees that could be problematic for hikers

They encourage hikers to visit the trailhead kiosk and sign the logbook

Julia Thomas discovered this creek flowing underground and coaxed it to the surface

STORY & PHOTOS BY HAROLD BANKS

Now Showing

Wildflowers are blooming this month on a hiking trail near you

Atmasco Lily

Trout Lily

Red Maple Flower

Common Violet

Blackberry Blossom

Spring doesn’t officially begin until March 20, but around here, the most impressive master gardener begins her spring flower show mid-February. I’m talking about Mother Nature, and she has blessed Alabama with a variety of wildflowers that are perhaps unmatched in any other state.

No one knows for sure just how many native and naturalized wildflowers are in Alabama, but over 3,000 have been identified. The pageantry begins in late winter and continues through late fall. Lake area residents have many exploring options, including Wind Creek State Park, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Russell Forest and the trails maintained by the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association, to name a few. Cruise undeveloped lake shoreline by canoe or kayak, and you’ll be surprised what you can see that motor boaters never notice. Maybe you are lucky to have fields and forests to wander near your neighborhood.

Don’t forget to look up. One of our earliest bloomers is the vine, Carolina jessamine. I usually see fallen, yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers on the ground before I spot the ones climbing high in the trees. Crossvine produces its colorful trumpets later in March.

Early tree blooms include the red maple and redbud. A little later, search for Carolina silverbell. We think of dogwood as an Easter flower, but here, they start blooming before the end of March.

We have a lot of native shrubs flowering in March, too.

Red buckeye frequents dry hillsides. Chickasaw plum likes fence rows and field margins, and mountain azalea decorates well-drained riparian areas mid-March. Look for Elliott’s blueberry and huckleberry along the lakeshore and in piney woods.

Early ground-hugging wildflowers include the tiny bluet, common blue violet and rue anemone. We have several species of trillium frequently found in the woods, but I feel as if I’ve struck gold when I run across Catesby’s trillium, also called bashful wakerobin. Dewberry is an early bloomer, flowering several weeks before its cousin the blackberry. Henbit and lyreleaf sage will soon bloom in open areas and roadsides.

Finding the regal Atamasco lily is always a treat, as well. Look for it in low, moist areas. Delicate trout lilies bloom along streams and occasionally on low ground near the lake shore. The largest patches of dimpled trout lilies you will ever see start blooming mid-February on the Cherokee Bluff Dam Railroad Trail on the Forever Wild Gothard-Yates Lake property below Martin Dam. It is a spectacle eagerly anticipated by wildflower enthusiasts from miles around. To get the best photographs of low-growing wildflowers, get down on the ground and capture the roly poly point-of-view.

The annual wildflower show is under way, and I’ve only given a brief preview of Act I. Seek, and ye shall find. Look for the good and beautiful in the world and live inspired.

Above: A Rue Anenome blooms among the moss; Clockwise from Below: Lyreleaf Sage grows in a sunny meadow; Chickasaw Plum is one of the area's loveliest shrub blossoms; Mountain Azalea brightens the woods; and this Trillium popped up next to a wild Rue Anenome.

Amy and Lewis Lamberth's kitchen remodel includes a hood from Madwind Studio's John Howell

Lake Living for the Ages

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY JIM DENNEY

AAmy and Lewis Lamberth had downsizing and aging in place in mind two years ago when they moved to Lake Martin after 44 years in Nashville, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas. They bought a lot in Willow Point and were two weeks out from breaking ground when they heard that John and Libby Glass’s Windermere home was headed for the market. The Lamberths agreed they would much rather renovate toward their accessibility goals than build new, so their decision was easy.

They bought the Windermere home in June of 2021, began renovations in August and moved in January 2022.

“We loved the footprint of the home and the cottage feel,” said Amy Lamberth, a certified agingin-place specialist with the National Home Builders Association.

Lamberth had owned a healthcare home rehabilitation company in Austin but sold it before the move. Lewis retired seven years ago after a 30-year career in pastoral care and was eager to return to his hometown and hit the golf course.

While the new-home priorities included an accessible bathroom and space in the primary bedroom for a hospital bed – should that ever become necessary – the couple hoped for more. They wanted to carve out inti-

mate spaces for the memorabilia they have collected in their full, rich life together, as well as accommodate Lamberth’s great love for cooking.

Tucked into the back of a quiet slough on the Windermere peninsula, the home was built in 2005 by Derryl Thomas, who acted as general contractor on the rebuild. Tony Bishop Construction managed the remodel of the home, which is perfectly situated on a triangular lot to maximize the view.

The lake side of the house includes 1,000 square feet of open decking and screened porches, as well as a cozy flagstone fire pit. The deck is flanked by two screened rooms that offer access to a guest suite on one side and the primary suite on the other.

During the renovation, they replaced the original foundation latticework with open siding, painting it to match the new Sherwin Williams Peppercorn exterior.

To provide better handicapped access to outdoor living spaces, the Lamberths installed a series of glass doors and windows with black frames in the great room. The additional doors flood the space with natural light from the northwest-facing view. The angle offers reflections of the sunset’s spectacular colors without the heat of a full west exposure.

Inside, the couple expanded the dining area by removing a foyer wall at the front door. The added

The primary bedroom was enlarged to accommodate a hospital bed with a lake view in the future

The guestroom screened porch offers a quiet retreat for reading or conversation

The Lamberths refaced the fireplace with stone and removed an entry wall under the 30-foot vaulted ceiling

space allowed them to use a long farm table from Black Sheep Antiques in Harpersville. With a few new additions, the dining table and chairs were one of the few furniture purchases the Lamberths made throughout the home, as the renovation allowed them to plan the use of treasured family pieces while downsizing.

Reorienting the dining room furniture created space for a wheelchair or walker to pass, if and when such assistance might be needed. Chris Hutcheson of Hutche and Co. design studios in Atlanta and Dadeville found a 16-foot by 7-foot antique rug that defines the space. She arranged for custom hand blocked Belgian linen draperies and a collection of vintage wax seals from Prints Charming in Mountain Brook for the wall, setting the color palette and tone for the large, open concept room.

“That really was the jumping off place,” Lamberth said. “Then, she suggested the design on the fabric used on back of the chairs.”

Because they wanted extra space in the primary bedroom, which originally shared the living room fireplace, the couple closed off the bedroom fireplace. That change required rebuilding the doorway and wall into the bedroom, so the crew refaced the living room fireplace in stone.

“These men were true artisans,” Lamberth said.

Accentuating the living room’s 30-foot cathedral ceiling, they added 9-foot 18th-century French oak doors from Preservation Station in Nashville at the bedroom entrance.

An arrangement of contemporary sofas from Mathews Furniture in Buckhead, a source used by Lewis’ sister, lake area decorator Nan Jackson, accommodates intimate conversations as easily as quiet evenings watching television. The bold blue shades in the dining area rug are mirrored in pillows and upholstery fabric in chairs around the room.

“Robin Holcombe and Vicki Herring at The Square in downtown Alexander City were the source of the fabric used to reupholster various family pieces,” Lamberth said.

The couple repurposed a wider dining table beside the fireplace to display artwork and photos of family.

“Downsizing means you have to be creative about storage,” Lamberth said, “and we have all these wonderful memories in things we wanted to see and share.”

To that end, they converted a breakfast banquette into a cozy library space off the kitchen. Tall shelving in Sherwin Williams’ Charcoal Navy created space for a much-reduced collection of Lewis’ books, as well as display space for memorabilia. Lewis’ father’s medical bag occupies a high shelf on the bookcase, and

They added a flagstone walkway from the house to the dock

The fun wall in the primary closet displays family memorabilia

The Lamberths loved the home's cottage feel

The quiet slough is set just off the main river channel

She chose Schumacher's 'Birds and Butterflies' pattern for the guest bath walls

Amy Lamberth keeps an extensive collection of cookbooks

They added a library off the kitchen

a quaint painting that friend Jane Howell made of a bridge near the Lamberths’ former Austin home garners attention at eye level. Among the family photos on the small library table are pictures of the Lamberths’ son, Cody Kemmer, with the 5-year-old twins who will become his stepdaughters when he marries in April.

“It’s such a nice way to become grandparents,” Lamberth said, beaming.

An antique hutch with its original glass stands in the hall between the kitchen and library with a display of dishes that belonged to the couple’s grandparents.

The kitchen underwent a total renovation to customize Lamberth’s hobby career as owner of Miss P’s Cheese and Charcuterie, though the endeavor has become more hobby than career since the renovation began. When new Shaker cabinets in Crushed Ice by Sherwin Williams were installed, she added a glass door upper cupboard for displaying the blue and white dishes that are family pieces. Quartz countertops and new appliances make food preparation fun and cleanup easy. The Charcoal Navy island hides additional storage in front of the counter stools. The kitchen’s centerpiece is a spectacular hood by John Howell at Madwind Studio.

“We’re so excited to have a John Howell piece,” Lamberth said. “He is so talented.”

But the serious side of the kitchen is housed behind a new wall that once was a hallway leading to a half bath and laundry room. The couple added a large pantry with plenty of counterspace for Lamberth’s culinary creations. Opposite the sink on one side of the galley, floating bookshelves were added to hold an extensive collection of cookbooks.

“I read them like novels,” Lamberth said.

Behind the kitchen, the guest wing provides two bedrooms that share a Jack and Jill bath. Lamberth chose Schumacher’s ‘Birds and Butterflies’ wallpaper for the update but otherwise made few changes to the guest wing. Here, as throughout the home, memorabilia draw attention – a framed newspaper clipping

about Benjamin Russell High School’s first golf team, on which Lewis played, and a framed original letter a Civil War ancestor wrote.

Beyond the tall oak doors in the living room, the Lamberths carefully planned for the late stages of life. They borrowed 200 square feet from the primary’s dedicated screened porch for a spacious sitting area in front of the lakeside doors. In the future, the sitting area furniture could be moved, and the space would easily accommodate a hospital bed and any necessary medical equipment.

“And it will have the lake view, which would make it so much nicer,” Lamberth said.

Here, as in other areas of the home, Hutcheson doubled the rugs, using a larger bordered rug as a frame under a livelier, small rug that adds color and intimacy. An overstuffed linen comforter brings a calming, neutral palette to the room while above the bed, a small needlepoint stitched by Lewis’ mother draws attention to the detail.

The Lamberths reconfigured the closet and primary bath layout to fit an accessible water closet in the former shower space. Then, they added a shower with plenty of room for future needs. The new shower includes an entry lip that could be replaced with a level threshold. Bathroom tiles, as well as countertops and other materials throughout the home, were sourced through Russell Do it Center and Russell Home Décor.

On the closet side of the bath, Hutcheson arranged the Lamberths’ fun wall – an eclectic collection of paintings, drawings, photos and framed memorabilia that recall birthdays, vacations and myriad celebrations of family life.

They could not be happier with the end result.

“We love it here,” Lamberth said. “It’s a quiet neighborhood and a beautiful space where we can age in place and spend time with family and friends.”

The primary bath features marble tile

International Fly Fishing Film Festival S

Standard Deluxe in Waverly will host IF4, the International Fly Fishing Film Festival, March 4 to benefit The Mayfly Project and The Outdoor Adventure Rivers and Streams Foundation, nonprofit organizations that teach foster kids and veterans to fish.

“IF4 is an opportunity to gather a community of people who like fly fishing and love the Tallapoosa River and fishing the creeks and streams,” said Drew Morgan, owner of East Alabama Fishing guide service. “If you’ve never seen fly-fishing films before, it’s a big thing. There are a lot of great filmmakers that do high quality cinematic fishing films. They’re really about the friend -

ships, relationships and stories that happen along the way of fishing.

“The festival is designed to build the community, as well as awareness and appreciation of the wonderful resource that the Tallapoosa River is in East Alabama, but most importantly, it will benefit two local nonprofits that do great things for kids and veterans.”

The Mayfly Project teaches foster kids to fly fish, culminating every year in a trip on the river with a guide. The OARS Foundation helps veterans develop a hobby and integrate into the fly-fishing community, which can support them with struggles

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY KENNETH BOONE

unique to their situation.

“These nonprofit organizations get new people on the water, enjoying it, improving their lives,” Morgan explained.

This rain-or-shine event will offer a vendor fair, children’s activities, a raffle and food options. Local Chef Ban Stewart will prepare food for purchase inside the gates, and children’s activities are free. Tickets to watch the films are $25; for $50, the film viewing ticket price also includes a one-year subscription to Fly Fusion Magazine . Raffle tickets will be sold for $5 each.

This year’s film collection is about two hours long with a 10-minute intermission,

Morgan said. Gates will open at 11 a.m. with the first showing of the film collection at 12 p.m. A second showing of the collection will be scheduled mid-afternoon if the first showing sells out, he added.

“Come out and have some fun,” Morgan said. “Hang out with like-minded people, support foster kids and veterans and watch some cool films.”

Purchase film festival tickets online at showclix.com/event/if42023waverlyal.

Dusty red clay roads can become slick and sticky after a rain

ALABAMA RED CLAY

NATURE OF THE LAKE

BY KENNETH BOONE

TThe primary colors of Lake Martin are blue, green and red: blue sky and water; green pine needles and leaves; and red clay.

Scratch the surface around Lake Martin, and chances are high that you’ll find red. It’s the iconic color of our area, the orange-red color of roads, eroded shorelines and disturbed soil.

Some lake-dwellers don’t want to wash their cars – red-tinted tires and fenders driving through a city serves as a badge of honor, a symbol of the red dirt roads that lead to their cabins around Lake Martin.

But what is red clay? Why is it here? And what makes it red?

All clays start out as rock. Over time – lots and lots of time – rain and wind weathers the rocks, slowly dislodging particles. The tiny particles that become clay are miniscule, more than 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand, which also comes from weathered rock. In scientific terms, a soil particle that is less than .002 mm in diameter is called clay. Because the particles are so small, they have more surface area and not much interior area … so they are more reactive than a bigger chip off the old block.

Scientists call red clay soils “Ultisols,” a name that comes from the word “ultimate,” since these super-fine particles are the ultimate result of weathering in humid climates, taking hundreds of thousands of years to form.

The composition of the rock determines the color of the clay. In the case of the red clay found here, iron oxides provide the deep red hue. Iron oxide is a fancy term for rust. The more iron in the clay, the redder it is.

We do have other colored clays in Alabama, most notably yellow and white. But red is, by far, the most common in our area.

These soils are typically acidic, and if you plan to garden in red clay, you will almost certainly need to add organic material and lime to sweeten the soil.

Red clays are found mostly in humid temperate and tropical areas and account for more than 8 percent of the ice-free land around the world, such as in Africa, Asia and South America. It is the primary subsoil found in the Southeast U.S.

Lake Martin is in the Piedmont Plateau where most

of our soil comes from eroded granite, hornblende or mica schists. If you ever see bits of shiny or sparkly soil around the lake, it probably started as a larger piece of mica.

Our soil is primarily red clay or a sandy loam. The uppermost layer of dirt is likely dark brown topsoil, created from decomposing organic matter, such as leaves, pine needles and rotting wood. Often just below the topsoil is a lighter colored, orange or redtinted sandy, loamy soil. And below that is usually dense red clay.

Because clay particles are so small and reactive, they bind strongly with water, which can cause clay to double its size, or half its size depending on how much water is available. During dry periods, red clay roads contract and become dusty. But when the rains fall, those same roads can become swollen, slick and sticky with bulging ruts, as water molecules are held between the very fine clay particles. The oxides in red clay hold onto water for a long time, making the soil sticky and creating puddles that can remain long after the surrounding topsoil drains and dries.

Anybody who has walked a red clay road after a rain and then had to leave their boots at the door understands how sticky red clay can be – that’s because as water is squeezed out of the wet red clay, the very small particles form bridges that hold the clay together.

That stickiness is also why red clays can be used to make pottery, paints and dyes. As water dries out of clay, the clay particles bind to whatever theyt touch, be they Vibram soles, white T-shirts or each other in the wall of a clay pot.

By the way, if you’re curious what’s under the grass and topsoil someplace, you don’t need a shovel to find out. Just take a look at the fire ant mounds. Fire ants building nests underground bring the excavated dirt from their tunnels to the surface. So, if you see a red fire ant mound, it’s because the hard-working ants are tunneling in red clay underground.

Some information for this article came from The Alabama Cooperative Extension System, The University of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and sciencing.com.

Blue, green and red are the iconic colors of Lake Martin

Boulevardier

CHEERS

BY MARK GILLILAND

About Boulevardier

The Boulevardier, which loosely translates to a ‘man-about-town,’ was first served in Paris in the 1920s. The cocktail is a spin-off of the Negroni. Where the Boulevardier calls for bourbon/rye, the classic Negroni calls for gin.

The cocktail became popular after Harry MacElhone published the recipe in his 1927 book, Barflies and Cocktails.

Ingredients

1-1/4 ounces Russell Reserve 10

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce sweet vermouth

Garnish: orange twist

Directions

Add bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist.

Mark Gilliland is the owner of Ocie & Belle's, a spirit driven bar that crafts cocktails we would want to drink in an atmosphere we hope you will enjoy at 48 Broad St. in Alexander City.

Local businesses ramp up for spring on Lake Martin

Normally when I write for Lake magazine, I focus only on the real estate market. Those articles are based on sales data that looks backward. To get a feel for the market’s potential, I have found that talking to leaders of lake-area businesses often gives me a glimpse of what to expect. For this article, I talked to businesses that make life on the lake fun – dining and boating. Based on their comments, this will be a great year on Lake Martin.

Restaurants offer something old and something new

One of the most famous places on Lake Martin, thanks to Hank Williams’ popular single, is Kowaliga. This peninsula is visited sooner or later by almost everyone on the lake. Some come for Church in the Pines; some for the marina; and others for good food at Kowaliga Restaurant.

I asked Chris Doggett, Russell Lands’ corporate director of food and beverages, what to expect this season. He said that the historic Kowaliga Restaurant is undergoing a renovation project in the kitchen and bathroom areas.

“Most people will not see the new kitchen, but they will enjoy the result when Kowaliga Restaurant reopens for business in early April. The new kitchen will allow us to keep old favorites, as well as offer delicious new entrées,” Doggett said.

He also gave me an update on the newest addition to the dining scene at Lake Martin, Fanny Goldmine Diner.

“This beautiful new addition to Russell Crossroads will provide a new breakfast, lunch and dinner opportunity in the heart of the Russell Lands community,” he said.

Scheduled to open in mid-March, Fanny Goldmine Diner will offer a fast-casual service style. Breakfast and lunch will be served Wednesdays through Mondays, and dinner will be served Thursdays through Mondays.

The breakfast menu will include omelets, pancakes, eggs to order, biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and chicken fingers will be among the lunch and dinner offerings. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all cooked to order.

Marine business is primed and ready

Jeff Ellis, general manager for Russell Marine’s five Lake Martin locations, was my source for information about the marine business. Ellis assumed this role in January after the retirement of Dave Commander. He is very enthusiastic about the business prospects for lake marinas in 2023.

“Supply chain issues during the COVID period created a significant crimp on the supply of new boats and watercraft. The constraints began to ease late last year and have returned to near normal,” Ellis said.

Available inventory of new boats of all types at Russell Marine are at the highest level since 2019.

“For the first time, the showroom in Boating & Outdoors on U.S. Highway 280 is full of new boats,” he added.

Ellis reported that the Birmingham Boat show, the first since 2020, was held in January, and crowds were enthusiastic about the new styles. If there’s a recession, you cannot tell it from the marine business. Ellis’ team has sold 86 watercrafts so far this fiscal year, versus 83 this time last year. He is very excited

Boat sales have caught up with pre-pandemic levels

about the Russell Marine In-Water Boat Show at the end of April, as Russell Marine will unveil more than 80 new pontoon boats and 20 Nautique and tow boats at the event.

All those new boat sales have created the need for new storage, and Russell Marine is adding an additional 250 spaces at the Kowaliga location. This new capacity is scheduled to be open by Memorial Day.

Shoreline improvements continue at a frenetic pace

Bob and Hunter Harris, the father-and-son management team for Sunrise Docks, are also reporting robust orders from waterfront property owners who want to park their watercraft. Most people who need new piers or pier enhancements book in January or February for installation before summer.

When I asked Hunter Harris how business was so far this year, he gave it a thumbs up.

“January was either our best or second-best month for new pier installation orders in the history of our company,” Harris said. “Orders for pier enhancements were at the same pace. Lake property owners want to get ready for the spring and summer season.”

LAKE PROPERTY

BY STEVE ARNBERG

I was not surprised with the number of new pier installations since there are so many new lake homes under construction, but the number of pier enhancements surprised me. “Resurfacing the docks with composite material is the No. 1 request, closely followed by additions for a boat slip, boat lift or expanded dock for additional boat docking,” he explained.

Although Sunrise Docks is in the dock business, they have found that many new businesses want to lease near the lake, so they recently moved into new space on state Route 63. They also have expanded their commercial strip center to pro vide space for new tenants. Look for news from them about great new businesses in that location.

Real estate market

Normally, I would focus my article on the metrics related to the real estate market, so I have a simple summary. Average sales prices continue to rise year-over-year and are 21 percent higher than last year. Inventory is still very low with only 60 waterfront properties listed at the time of this writing. But really, given the news above, who would want to sell?

Developers and builders are busy, just barely keeping up with demand. New construction and development activity, like that in The Heritage, White Oak Landing and Magnolia Cove, are needed, as very few people are willing to part with their lake places, especially at the start of lake season. Are you ready?

Steve Arnberg is Vice President Real Estate Sales for Russell Lands.

HOBOs

IIt is that time of the year. Spring is around the corner. March is the month to join or renew your Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association membership.

I am asked very frequently, “What is a HOBO?” When I explain the mission of the HOBO, I am asked, “Why should I join?”

The mission of Lake Martin HOBOs is to conserve Lake Martin, now and forever. The HOBOs are concerned and involved with lake levels, water quality, zoning, boating safety, shoreline preservation, fishing and the surrounding wildlife. HOBOs represent individual homeowner members and boat owner members. A 100 percent volunteer-operated association, HOBOs is supported by membership dues and individual business sponsorships. We hold our board meetings every two months, and the public is invited to join our meetings.

As to joining our association, I point to our involvement in the community and taking care of the lake, as well as its value to the community. Our treasured lake is changing daily. There are businesses and outside influences that see the financial opportunity the lake offers. Many times, these influences do not have the long-term effects of their activities on the lake as their guiding principles. That is when the HOBOs can offer some assistance and influence.

our only customers. We are members of the Dadeville Chamber of Commerce. Our association monitors filings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and communicates with Alabama Power on lake regulations. Our board of directors works to keep our membership informed about what is going on around and with Lake Martin.

These are some of the issues brought to us by our membership.

We have been active with U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary to offer free boat safety inspections and Alabama Marine Police to offer free boat safety and licensing courses. We will be offering these again this year. Dates to be announced soon.

HOBO

BY HARRY DENEGRE

We will hold an annual HOBO breakfast meeting for our membership on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at the First Baptist Church of Dadeville. We will have guest speakers and an excellent breakfast. We hold our elections of our officers and our board at the meeting. Please mark your calendars.

We have some exciting changes coming up this year. Please visit our website for the announcements of these changes.

Membership and active participation are the keys to being effective. We can influence the controlling organizations around the lake to maintain standards to protect the lake and our environment.

Our association was formed in 2007 and has been on duty since then. We advocate for our members. They are

HOBOs works with other organizations and associations around the lake. We work with Lake Watch, LMRA and the chamber of commerce. We work with lake community neighborhoods to establish Neighborhood Watch groups, as well. If your neighborhood has interest in establishing a watch group, contact us and allow us to assist you.

Help us influence and guide the future of Lake Martin. Join through our website at lakemartinhobos.com. HOBOs want our membership to be informed, engaged and ready to preserve and protect our beautiful treasured Lake Martin.

Individual membership is $ 15.00 annually. Family Membership is $ 25.00 annually. Visit our Facebook page, Lake Martin HOBOs. Join us at our board meetings and become engaged.

n Lake level regulations

n Water quality and upstream pollution

n Lake shore and off lake development

n Boating safety and wake boat usage

What does the future of Lake Martin look like? The lake will continue to change. How it changes is up to us. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Harry DeNegre is president of Lake Martin HOBOs. Visit lakemartinhobos.com to learn more about HOBOs.

We have influenced the following issues in the past:

Reuben Thornton Memorial Cleanup M

Mark your calendars for March 25 and turn out for the last major cleanup on Lake Martin before the water reaches full pool. The Red Hill community spring cleanup recently was renamed to honor longtime lake area volunteer Reuben Thornton, who passed away late last year.

Thornton and his wife, Jackie, started the annual cleanup in 2015, and the event has grown in volunteer numbers, sponsorships and cleanup locations. In 2018, the couple extended the cleanup coverage to the Kowaliga community while adding two new drop-off locations for collected trash. Thornton continued his participation in the cleanup until 2020 when his health prevented it.

Along with showing his dedication to the Red Hill community through the annual cleanup, Thornton was a Lake Martin Resource Association and Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association board member. He also volunteered at Children’s Harbor and attended worship services at Church in the Pines. Thornton was active with the Red Hill Community Center for years, and the center decided the cleanup shouldn’t stop at his passing.

“Reuben was involved with the Red Hill Community Center for many years, and this year, they wanted to be involved and wanted to turn it into a memorial cleanup,” explained LMRA presi dent Jodie McGirt. “Lake Martin Dock Company, Lake Martin Mini Mall and Red Hill Community Center decided to go in together. They all wanted to come together to continue it and honor him following his passing in 2022.”

The cleanup has continued to grow, even following Thornton’s inability to continue a leadership role in the process. In 2020, Thornton and his wife continued to clean up their area and encouraged others to continue with the annual cleanup effort.

In the same year, McGirt formed a partnership with Jason Lett, owner of Lake Martin Mini Mall, to include an afterparty for volunteers. The afterparty is sponsored by Lake Martin Mini Mall and Lake Martin Dock Company and has been successful since its introduction.

Volunteer numbers have increased year after year. Members from the surrounding communities continue to show up, including Lake Martin Auburn Club members, who have helped with the cleanup since 2020.

“We’ve been doing this cleanup for years, and it just continues to expand. My feeling is, yes, we would continue that effort and continue it in his name,” McGirt said.

Growing the event is heavy on the minds of those who want to honor Thornton and his efforts to make the area a cleaner environment. Expanding the cleanup coverage is on the docket, and with an increase of volunteers each year, the cleanup could expand across the Lake Martin community extensively.

“What we’re trying to do from an LMRA perspective is increase around the lake a spring cleanup, and we’ll continue that in Reuben’s name. We’ll have multiple pickup locations for supplies and drop off locations for the bags themselves. Thornton touched a lot of people, and I think it will have an impact on those who volunteer in his honor,” McGirt explained.

Before the cleanup, volunteers are invited to have breakfast from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. at the Red Hill Community Center. The cleanup begins at 8 a.m., and the afterparty, which will include lunch and live music, starts at 12 p.m. at Lake Martin Mini Mall to close out the day.

Thornton and his wife, Jackie, started the cleanup in 2015.

WATERACCESS

Russell Cabins at The Willows, Verandas II • $1,095,000

Builder: Classic Homes • Beds: 4 Baths: 4.5 • Sq Ft: 2,396

Russell Lands

Rhonda Watson, Anna Speaks, Thomas Lamberth 256.215.7011 • RussellLands.com

82 Glynmere Park Drive, Alexander City • $699,000

Beds: 4 • Baths: 2.5 • water-access w/ dedicated slip

Lake Martin Realty India Davis 256.749.7592

LakeMartinRealty.com

1774 Pineview Drive, Alexander City • $159,000

Beds: 3 • Baths: 1 • recently updated

Lake Martin Realty

Amy Duncan 256.212.2222

LakeMartinRealty.com

3570 Weldon Road, Tallassee • $399,000

Beds: 3 • Baths: 2.5 • 2.5 acres

Lake Martin Realty

John McInnish 334.415.2149

LakeMartinRealty.com

Ridge Run, Bywater • $1,700,000

Beds: 3 • Baths: 4.5 • Sq Ft: 2,612

Russell Lands

Rhonda Watson, Anna Speaks, Thomas Lamberth 256.215.7011 • RussellLands.com

536 Russell Cabin Point, Alexander City • $3,375,000

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4.5 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty Ashley Chancellor 334.202.9017

LakeMartinRealty.com

153 Still Creek Pond Road, Dadeville • $749,900

Beds: 5 • Baths: 4.5 • Water-Access

Lake Martin Realty

Rhonda Jaye 256.749.8681

LakeMartinRealty.com

305 Church Street, Alexander City • $349,500 Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • downtown

Martin Realty Haley Fuller-Lamborne 256.750.2411

LakeMartinRealty.com

• $449,000

Beds: 3 • Baths: 3 • Water View & Access

Lake Martin Realty

Mimi Rush 334.399.7874

LakeMartinRealty.com

31

Beds: 4 • Baths: 3.5 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Damon Story 205.789.9526

LakeMartinRealty.com

34 North Cardinal Heights, Dadeville

Outboard Circle, Jackson’s Gap • $1,295,000

FFeeling a bit like the winter blues are getting the best of you, making you sluggish or ‘off’? This feeling is very real and should not be shrugged off as a seasonal funk. It is very important to keep your mood and motivation in check all through the year. In some instances, mood changes are far more serious and can affect how a person feels and thinks and handles daily activities. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is characterized by a reoccurring seasonal pattern with symptoms that can last up to four to five months related to the change in seasons. SAD usually begins and ends around the same time each year.

What is SAD?

order are at an increased risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Episodes of mania may be linked to a specific season. Spring and summer could bring on symptoms of mania, anxiety, agitation and irritability. While the fall and winter months may trigger depression.

The specific cause of SAD is unknown; however, there are several factors that play important roles:

n Circadian rhythm or your biological clock. The decrease in sunlight in the fall and winter months could cause an onset of SAD. The reduced amount of sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression.

n Serotonin levels. A decrease in serotonin, which is a brain chemical that affects mood, may play a role in SAD. A reduction in sunlight could cause a drop in serotonin, which could lead to depression.

n Melatonin levels. A change in season can interfere with the balance of the body’s melatonin levels. This plays an important role in sleep patterns and mood.

HEALTHY LIVING

BY JULIE HUDSON

In most cases, Seasonal Affective Disorder moodiness and lack of energy appear during late fall and winter and ease off during the sunnier days of spring and summer. It is far less common but still exists for people to have the opposite affect with symptoms appearing in the spring and summer. In either case, symptoms usually begin slowly and progress with the season. Every person will not experience all these symptoms, and it will depend on which season the symptoms occur.

Research shows that people who have bipolar dis-

Seasonal Affective Disorder is found more often in women than men and in younger adults than in older adults. Other factors that could increase your risk for SAD include:

n Family history. People with SAD may be more likely to have blood related relatives with SAD or another form of depression.

n Having major depression or bi-polar disease will worsen with the change in seasons.

n Living further from the equator. SAD seems to be more common for those who live far north or south of the equator. This is due to decreased sunlight during the winter and longer days during the summer months.

n Low Vitamin D levels. Some Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D helps increase serotonin levels. A decrease in sunlight and not getting enough Vitamin D from foods and other sources could result in lower Vitamin D levels in the body.

could help improve feelings of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids from freshwater fish, flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts are among them. Antioxidants such as Vitamin A (beta carotene), Vitamin C and Vitamin E help remove free radicals from the body. B vitamins, such as B-12, folate and folic acid, help protect the nervous system, including the brain.

Signs and Symptoms of SAD:

n Feeling sad, down or listless most of the day and almost every day

Zinc helps to improve the sensation of taste, gives the immune system a boost, which influences depression. Protein enables the body to grow and repair, which in turn increases serotonin levels. Foods like yogurt will boost healthy bacteria in the gut, and a heathy gut may help reduce the symptoms and risk of depression.

n Losing interest in activities you enjoy

n Feeling sluggish and having low energy

n Experiencing changes in appetite or weight

n Difficulty concentrating

n Having problems sleeping

n Feeling worthless, hopeless or guilty

n Having frequent thoughts of not wanting to live

Symptoms specific to fall and winter SAD:

n Oversleeping

n Changes in appetite, especially a craving for high carbohydrate foods

n Weight gain

It is important to take the signs and symptoms of Season Affective Disorder seriously. Just like any type of depression, SAD can worsen and lead to complications if it goes untreated. Complications could include social withdrawal; school or work problems; substance abuse; mental health disorders, such as anxiety or eating disorders; suicidal behavior; or suicidal thoughts. There is no way to prevent the development of SAD; however, early detection and management of symptoms could prevent them from getting worse.

n Feelings of being tired and having low energy

Symptoms specific to spring and summer SAD:

Some foods aggravate depression. There is a clear link between alcohol and mental health problems. Refined foods are high in sugar and fat, low in nutrients that impair brain function and may worsen depression. Caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety, stress and depression.

n Trouble sleeping

n Poor appetite

n Weight loss

n Agitation or anxiety

n Increased irritability

Predicting when these symptoms may occur is helpful to avoid big swings in mood, appetite and energy levels. Complications often can be avoided by seeking professional help to diagnose and treat the symptoms. Some people find it helpful to begin treatment before the symptoms begin; and then, continue treatment throughout the season. Others need continuous treatment to prevent symptoms from returning.

It is normal to experience days of feeling down. If you find yourself feeling down for several days in a row and not motivated to do activities you usually enjoy, it is time to see your healthcare provider. This is particularly important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed; you turn to alcohol or drugs for comfort or relaxation; or if you feel hopeless or have suicidal thoughts.

Research has shown there are certain nutrients that

Ginny Archer, a licensed professional counselor in Alexander City, reminds us of the main things that help with maintaining good mental health is moderation, balance and finding a social support network.

“We’re a whole person,” she said. “We can take very good care of ourselves physically, and if we don’t take care of ourselves emotionally, it affects us, no matter how well we eat or exercise or sleep.”

Suggested reading: A book called Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns comes highly recommended for a method to check depression status.

Julie Hudson is a certified dietician at Lake Martin Wellness Center in Dadeville.

Roasted Beet and Praline Bacon Salad with a Creamy Pecan Dressing

PPraline Bacon Ingredients

Thick cut bacon placed on a resting rack/cookie rack

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (a little more if you like a kick of spice)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (these can be omitted if too spicy)

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Directions

Bake the bacon for 15 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove tray from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool a little. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients together. Generously sprinkle the brown sugar mix on one side of the bacon. Place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove tray from oven and let it sit for another 5 minutes to cool. Carefully flip the bacon over,

so you don’t lose the crust on the first side. Generously sprinkle the other side with the praline mix and bake for another 15 minutes.

Pecan Dressing Ingredients

3-1/2 cups roasted pecans

1 pint white wine vinegar

CHEF'S TABLE

BY PETE MCKENNY

Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at four-star restaurants and Forbes fourstar resorts in Ohio,Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he began his career as chef de cuisine at Willow Point Golf & Country Club 12 years ago.

3/4 cup chopped shallots

1 generous tablespoon honey

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

3 cups canola oil

Directions

After the pecans are roasted, chop them up and add them to a blender or a food processor. Add the vinegar, shallots, honey, sour cream and sugar to the blender. Blend well until smooth. Once the mixture is smooth, slowly drizzle the oil into the mix. Make sure the blender is on a medium speed. Adjust seasoning with a little salt and pepper.

Roasted Beets Ingredients

5-10 same size beets (you can use any color, we used red)

2 cups red wine vinegar

1 cup canola oil

4-6 cloves garlic, crushed

2-3 shallots, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

Wash the beets and place in a baking pan that is deep enough for beets to be covered. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a bowl and pour over the beets. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. A toothpick should be able to be inserted easily into the beet and slide right back out. Remove from the pan and place in a large mixing bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let them steam for a good 45 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic and peel the skin off using a paper towel; a peeler also works well.

Toss beets with greens of your choice, praline bacon, shaved red onion, sliced cherry tomatoes and pecan dressing for a refreshing summer salad.

IIt’s easy to get hung up on all the latest and greatest new baits and forget about the staples that bass seemingly have always liked. One that comes to mind is a jig. The other is a spinnerbait. Over the past 15 years or so, the old spinnerbait has taken a backseat to swimbaits and vibrating jigs (chatterbait, etc.). That’s more than a lifetime for most bass, so it could be safe to say that although certain baits may seem old to us, they very well could be a surprise to a new generation of fish.

In my opinion, Lake Martin has always been a good spinnerbait lake anyway.

What does that mean? A spinnerbait lake? It’s a way of saying that year in and year out, the fish in that lake will bite a spinnerbait.

Because the water in Lake Martin is relatively clear most of the year, the fish will often feed by sight first. The bait needs to attract their attention – preferably from a distance – and that’s where the flash of the spinnerbait blades shines.

If you’ve ever witnessed a ball of shad close to the bank or the boat, you might recall the periodic flash as they sometimes roll to the side. On sunny days, the flash can be so bright that they look as if their bodies are small mirrors. For fish that have adapted to recognize that flash from a distance, it means a meal is close by.

Picture one of those TV episodes where a group is stranded on a deserted island. A random plane or boat passes by, and the stranded survivors scramble for a mirror to signal to the pilot. Perhaps the flash on the spinnerbait blades has that same effect in clear water, like it is calling the big fish to the bait’s location.

The flash of the spinnerbait blades is its greatest attribute, but the blades also serve another purpose: They generate vibrations. These vibrations are also recognizable under the water. As the blades turn, they pulse and displace water. A bass can recognize this pulse without having to see the bait first. This pulse becomes more and more important as visibility decreases (i.e., in stained or muddy water). The larger and more rounded the blades, the greater the vibration emitted from the bait.

BIG CATCHES

shape of a shad (minus the tail). Willow leaf blades also emit more subtle vibration and can be fished at a higher rate of speed. These features not only come in handy to attract fish at a distance in clear water, but also, they allow the bait to move fast enough that the fish doesn’t get a great look at it on the approach. Ideally, the fish decides to eat this bait before it even catches up to it.

BY GREG VINSON

Spinnerbaits have a variety of combinations of blades, depending on what the angler feels will be the best. This is where the art of spinnerbait fishing comes into play. The angler first has to determine what is more important to attracting the bite: Water clarity or sky conditions will be the first consideration. How well will the fish see the bait?

If the water is clear – as in 2-plus feet of visibility –willow leaf blades seem a good choice most of the time. The shape of the willow leaf blades mimics the body

If the water is stained to dirty, more rounded blades, like the Colorado or Indiana blades, could work better. As visibility decreases, the fish are likely to key on vibration as much or more as flash. The Colorado blade is the roundest blade option and will have a thump to it that the fish can sense from a distance. Fish tend to hold tight to a piece of cover like a rock or a stump when the water is dirty, and a good angler can almost pinpoint where the fish will be if it’s relating to something like that.

An accurate cast is important. As the bait approaches the likely target, it will put out strong vibrations, along with some flash. The fish in more stained water will often sit and wait until the bait gets to the cover. The vibration of the bait alerts the fish that a potential meal is on the way. As the bait gets closer, the suspicion is confirmed as the fish picks up the color of the skirt and the

Flashy spinnerbaits attract the bite by creating vibrations in the water, as well as by sight

Spin fish right around

flash of the blades. That’s when they attack. And you’re hooked up.

Most spinnerbait options have a combination of two blades. The first in line typically is smaller and can be a willow or Colorado. The back blade is the one that really makes the biggest difference. For a smaller profile and/ or a speedier retrieve, the back blade needs to be smaller. To slow the bait down, go to a larger blade. This applies to willow or rounded blades.

The weight of the spinnerbait also affects speed or running depth. A 3/4-ounce spinnerbait is considered heavy, while a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait would be light. A heavier bait can be fished deeper or faster. A lighter bait can be fished slower and/or have a smaller profile.

Last but not least is skirt color. Most often, a fish that bites a spinnerbait thinks it’s catching a minnow or group of minnows, like shad. So, the first choices should be colors that best mimic shad. In clear water, the more translucent colors – glimmer blue, smoke, salt and pepper, etc. – will be better. As water visibility decreases, a shift to solid white, white/chartreuse or solid chartreuse will produce.

To add appeal, trailers could be added. I’ve probably

caught as many or more fish on spinnerbaits without trailers over the years, but sometimes, they can help. A single or double tail grub adds action to the bait as it’s retrieved and can even slow it down. A straight twin tail trailer can add some action at the back end without slowing the bait down. It’s up to the angler to decide what fits the scenario presented on any given day.

Spinnerbait fishing is not as simple as tying on bait with a couple of blades and chunking it. Sure, that could produce a few fish, but the right combination of blades, skirt, weight and retrieve is what it takes to really see what can be accomplished.

As the fish return to the shallows to spawn, it’s a great time of year to cover water with a spinnerbait. These fish are often aggressive as they snatch a few last meals before locking down on the beds. The flash and vibration of a good spinnerbait combo could be just the ticket to triggering some quality bites.

Greg Vinson is a fulltime professional angler on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. He lives in Wetumpka and grew up fishing on Lake Martin.

Get ready for spring golf

IIn December, I hosted a three-day clinic in Foley, Alabama, for high school students. Held at Glenlakes Golf Club, this clinic went better than expected, and I plan to host three or four more of these events this year.

In January, I consulted with the men’s golf team at the University of Tampa, helping Coach Hilton’s players for three days. I am happy to say that they held the lead through the first 36 holes in their first spring tournament for the first time in years.

Also in January, I attended the annual PGA Show in Orlando, Florida. As a pro in the Atlanta area years ago, I attended the show to purchase items for my pro shop or driving range. Later, as a college golf coach, I made the trip to find the best products at the best prices for my team members. This year, I went to thank representatives and companies for the benevolence and kindness they extended to the Central Alabama Community College golf team and me over the years. I also made arrangements with select companies to endorse their products through my company, Jennings’ Golfhelp, LLC.

area that I thought might be a stye on the lower lid of my right eye. He took a quick look and told me to visit him in his office the following Wednesday. Good thing that I did. Dr. Mackey removed a small piece of skin from the area and sent it to the lab. A few days later, he phoned to let me know that the area of concern was a basal cell cancer spot. He suggested it be removed as soon as possible.

So, early last month, I found myself at the Callahan Eye Hospital in Birmingham, where a dermatologist cut out an area half the size of a quarter from my lower eyelid. Immediately following, a talented plastic surgeon performed his magic. The complete procedure was much more entailed than I expected. In the days that followed, I looked like I had gone six rounds with Mohammed Ali and didn’t block a single punch. After a few more days, the swelling went down, and I returned to being as unattractive as I was before the surgery.

LOVE

of the GAME

BY DAVE JENNINGS

I am very pleased and proud to be endorse Mizuno golf equipment; Bushnell rangefinders and launch monitors; Bridgestone golf balls; Divot’s and Byron Nelson apparel; The Net Return practice nets; Ahead headwear; and Fairway Leathers custom leather accessories. I have used each of these products for years, and it will be a pleasure to continue sharing information about these tremendous companies and their products.

Nearly all my life, I have made my living and recreated in the outdoors. I tan quite easily and have rarely been sunburnt. Many of my golfing friends regularly see dermatologists who have to cut or burn out cancerous cells. Until recently, my wounds from these visits have been few, but I recently got a wake-up call.

I ran into my friend, Dr. Steven Mackey, at a grocery store in Alexander City before the holidays. We chatted for a moment; and then, I thought to ask him about an

This ordeal got my attention.

From now on, when I am outside – on the golf course, fishing or working in the yard – I will wear sunglasses and apply sunscreen. Yes, sir, I should have been doing that for years. I highly suggest you do the same. Take care of yourself. Rather than you, let me be the example on this round. Work hard on your golf game, but also take proper precautions. Wear sunscreen, dark glasses and hydrate, so you can enjoy this game of golf for years to come. Encourage the kids to do these things as well. Tell them the cap, glasses and sunscreen make them look cool.

See you on the first tee (soon).

~ Dave Jennings retired last fall as men’s golf coach at Central Alabama Community College and is the owner of Jennings Golfhelp LLC. Email him at djenn47495@gmail.com.

Camp Hill

Lake Martin Alabama

Marinas

1. Kowaliga Marina

256-397-1210

255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

2. The Ridge Marina

256-397-1300

450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

3. River North Marina

256-397-1500

250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

2. Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors

256-397-1700

19 Russell Marine Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

2. Real Island Marina

256-397-1200

2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026

3. Blue Creek Marina

256-825-8888

7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

2. Parker Creek Marina

256-329-8550

486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026

3. Harbor Pointe Marina

256-825-0600

397 Marina Point Rd., Dadeville, AL 36853 www.harborpointe.net

2. Alex City Marine

256-215-FISH(3474)

2190 Cherokee Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Smith Marina - Shipwreck Sam's Froyo

256-444-8793 smithmarinaonlakemartin@yahoo.com

Restaurants & Venues

6. SpringHouse

256-215-7080

12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

6. Catherine’s Market

256-215-7070

17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Kowaliga Restaurant

256-215-7035

295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Lake Martin Pizza

256-373-3337

5042 Hwy 49, Dadeville, AL 36853

The Burritos Corner Mexican Grill

256-307-1887

8605 AL HWY 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Business & Shopping

Lake Martin Storm Shelters

256-794-8075

970 Hwy. 63 South, Alex City, AL 35010

4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567

1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010

4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 334-541-2132

1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

4. Russell Building Supply

256-825-4256

350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853

4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333

288 Stables Loop, Alex City, AL 35010

. Kowaliga Whole Health Pet Care & Resort

334-857-1816

8610 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

. Off the Beaton Path

205-994-0847

21322 Hwy. 280, Dadeville, AL 36853

. Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717

8421 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Churches

Lake Pointe Baptist Church

256-373-3293

8352 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Red Ridge United Methodist Church

256-825-9820

8091 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853

Dock Builders

Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc

Marine Contractor License #49146

334-857-2443

180 Birmingham Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

Advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map for as little as $25. Contact our Marketing Department at 256-234-4281 or marketing@alexcityoutlook.com for more information.

Lake Pointe Baptist Church

Red Ridge United Methodist Church

Lake Magazine Distribution

ALEXANDER

Robinson Iron

A & M Plumbing

Carlos

The Body Shop

Walgreens

CITY

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 and 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 on Lake Martin

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

KELLYTON

Five Star Plantation

EQUALITY

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 magazine delivered to your mailbox for just $50 per year. To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.

Our

n To Join, Call 256.234.4281

Parting Shot

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”

~ E.B. White

Photo by Kenneth Boone