Each spring, I surprise myself. I realize that I actually miss those hot Alabama days, when I break into a sweat just checking the weather forecast. I’m tired of the cold and rain. While the warmest days are still an entire season away, any Alabamian understands that the state really only has two seasons: summer and winter. Everything in between is just shades of being almost too cold or nearly too hot.
As the season of not-ashot summer dawns on us in March, we get closer to two big events that have previously lay dormant: taxes and gardening.
Seeing as a magazine issue dedicated to taxes would be as engaging as an instruction manual, we have dedicated this issue to stories revolving around the latter. Read on to discover helpful tips, beautiful photography and inspiring stories about gardening and those who practice it.
Farming is a love for many, but there are some stiff barriers to entry. Just ask Josh Williams, an Alexander City native who has spent his life farming. He and his wife, Bailey, had long dreamed of owning their own land, where they could grow vegetables and raise cattle. In August of 2023, they took the first big step, purchasing a 30-acre property in Eclectic. Now, they are underway in preparing their property. Turn to page 26 to read more about their hopes and dreams, how they plan to achieve them and what obstacles they’ve encountered along the way.
Dale Segrest spent a long career as a lawyer and circuit court judge in Alabama. Now, he’s retired, and he spends his days doing what he’s always loved to do: work on his garden. It calms him. Read more about it on page 12.
Deer can wreak havoc on certain plants, especially in the springtime, when bucks are growing antlers, does are nursing and young deer are growing. Luckily, Shane Harris with the County Extension office has some advice on managing invasive deer populations. Check it out on page 16.
Discover all these stories and more in this month’s Gardening Edition of Lake Martin Living magazine.
Ben Smith, Editor
Chairman
Kenneth Boone
General Manager
Tippy Hunter
Editor-in-Chief
Betsy Iler
Creative Services
Audra Spears
Business & Digital Development Director
Angela Mullins
Contributors
Kenneth Boone
Ben Smith
Lacey Howell
Shane Harris
George Miranda
Terry Mitchell
Gina Abernathy
Audra Spears
Cliff Williams
Abigail Murphy
Henry Zimmer
Melody Rathel
Lizi Arbogast Gwin
Dalton Middleton
Erin Chesnutt
Audience Development Director
Samantha Himes
Marketing/Advertising Sales
Renee Trice
Haley Ingram
Hidey Arrington
Dow Harris
Lake Martin Living
P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281
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Maren Williams has always loved being outside. Every morning, she collects eggs for breakfast, and thanks her hens. She’d much rather be exploring her yard than watching TV. Sometimes, Josh Williams has to actually convince his daughter to sit still and watch TV.
12 THE JUDGE'S GARDEN
A retired judge spends him time away from the courthouse and in his garden.
22. BAKER'S BOUNTY
An Eclectic woman opted for land and a garden over lake life and never looked back.
26. ONE STEP TOWARD A DREAM
A Benjamin Russell teacher buys a plot of land in Eclectic with the hopes that it will one day become the farm he and his wife have dreamed of owning.
IN EVERY ISSUE
9. AROUND THE AREA
10. GO LOCAL
16. GARDEN TALK
20. GOOD EATS
31. MONEY MATTERS
32. MEDICAL NEWS
34. OH SNAP!
40. LAKE REGION EVENTS
50. CULTURE SHOCK
16 County Extension Coordinator Shane Harris tells you why you may see deer in urban areas, and how you can prevent them from eating your plants, in this month’s Garden Talk column.Best Nursing Home & Assisted Living
Assisted Living & SCALF
Short Term Rehab
Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy
Long Term Skilled Nursing Care We Touch the Lives of the People You Love
Edward Bell Career Tech Center has a few things in store to better prepare the workforce of tomorrow.
This past year, the career tech center partnered with Central Alabama Community College to offer heavy equipment certification courses. Edward Bell added three courses: two skid steer training courses and one bulldozer training course.
Another addition to the Career Tech Center is the Education in Training program. Within this, students experience what it is like being an educator. Each Wednesday, the students participate in an internship with a handful of teachers from county schools to get hands-on experience.
gifted students to the sciences through its STEM trailer, which has seven different stations and involves programs such as agriculture, family consumer science, welding, robotics and business marketing.
Welding is in high demand, and Edward Bell is working on renovating the old ag shop in the hopes that it would allow more students to join the program. It also would centralize equipment, changing rooms and tools. Administrators hope to have the new welding space ready this coming fall.
Coming next year, Edward Bell is also working on starting a Fire and EMS program. The center had fire equipment recently donated to it and is working on creating a program for next fall.
The center is also working to expose eighth graders and
Central State Bank has touched down in Alexander City. The business opened up Friday, March 1, at 3105 state Highway 63 South. The bank has locations in other areas throughout the state, including three offices in Calera and offices in Hoover (Greystone), Pelham and Alabaster.
The bank will include both personal and business banking, with services such as checking, savings, credit card, personal, mortgage, business loans and other traditional banking services. Customers will have access to online banking services, including mobile deposits, treasury banking, budgeting tools, online bill payment and more.
“We do a lot of local lending,” Schroeder said. “We still trust people and do the old-school type banking. We can do it fast. Our customers will have our cell phone numbers."
~Melody Rathel ~Abigail Murphy
STORY BY ERIN CHESTNUTT PHOTOS BY BEN SMITH
The Alexander City downtown area is a great place for shoppers to explore a variety of local businesses. One of the more unique of these Main Street businesses is Scent Wizards.
Charles and Tim Hinkle opened the first Scent Wizards store in Wetumpka in 2016. The couple wanted to offer high-quality natural and organic soaps, lotions and candles. They carefully researched products and debuted them at flea markets, where the they were able to gauge the interests of potential customers. After plenty of research, they opened the store.
It wasn’t until four years later that the business really took off. HGTV’s “Hometown Takeover” highlighted downtown Wetumpka and the local businesses around Company Street, including Scent Wizards.
“The show really gave us a lot of exposure,” said Charles Hinkle. “People started coming into the town just to look around, and they loved our products. We knew it was time to expand, and Alexander City seemed to be the perfect spot for our next location.”
You know you’re in a candle shop from the moment you walk through the door. The fragrant products invite customers to explore different scents, with aromatic candles, balms, lotions and more, ranging from Tropical Palms to Farmhouse Cider. Some of the bestselling items include Lightening Hills Candles, handmade in Grady, Alabama and Michele’s County Candles.
A variety of bar soaps line the shelves, each one cut to order so the soap stays fresh, and the scent remains pure. All items come in a variety of sizes
and scents, so there is a little something for everyone.
“We specialize in quality handmade products from other small businesses,” said Hinkle. “So, we spend a lot of time hunting down our products. We want to make sure each product is good enough.”
The Naked Bee hand and body lotions have been customer favorites. Each product is organic and comes in a variety of scents. Scent Wizards now offers the full line of Naked Bee products, such as beautiful flower-shaped soaps or orange blossom-scented conditioners.
Hinkle also makes his own laundry soap, which can be added to the washing machine for fresh scented laundry. In addition, the store sells a variety of incense and bath accessories, such as handmade soap dishes, bath bombs and scented oils.
Charles is a graduate of Elmore County High School. He moved to the area from Florida when he was 12 years old.
“We want to be involved in the community and are hoping to keep people coming to the downtown even with so much of the focus being on 280 right now,” said Hinkle.
The two are coming up with creative ways to make the drive into town worth the extra mile.
“If you bring a receipt from Scent Wizards to Castelluccio Italian Restaurant down the street, they will give you a free ravioli,” said Hinkle. “Then take your dinner receipt back to Scent Wizards and enjoy 20-percent off your next purchase.”
Scent Wizards’ success allows the company to continue expanding into new cities. The Hinkles are planning to open a third location in Prattville and hope for it to be operational within the year.
In the meantime, stop by and enjoy exploring all the lotions, balms, washes and otherwise aromatic products Scent Wizards has to offer. The Alexander City store is located at 15 Main Street and is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A former judge retires from a fast-paced career to tend his garden
STORY MANLEY
Retired Circuit Court Judge Dale Segrest spends most days in his garden near the front of his Tallassee property, tending crops and sharing his harvest with the people around him. With an impressive legal career in the rear view, Segrest is content to donate his time to his garden.
Gardening has been a part of Segrest’s life for as long as he can remember, and as his family grew, he wanted to pass on the knowledge of gardening and how beneficial it can be.
“I grew up on a farm, and my parents gardened. For them, it wasn’t just a hobby; it was a way of life,” said Segrest.
After finishing law school and practicing in Montgomery, Segrest and his family moved back to his hometown of Shorter. He took it upon himself to start up
gardening again.
“I started gardening around 1970 on my own for the first time. We raised our boys there, and they liked to work in the garden with me,” Segrest said.
With the aid of his farm and gardening experience, Segrest began experimenting with different plants and learning more about gardening along the way.
Clockwise from Facing Page: Segrest shares his crop with the Shorter, Alabama community; Flowers attract pollinators to the garden; Segrest surveys his crops for daily garden maintenance.
“I’ve experimented with just about everything in my garden. Right now, I’ve got a variety of vegetables growing in there. I like to give a lot of it away to those in
the community because there’s plenty to go around,” said Segrest.
Beets, squash, cabbage, okra, cucumbers and a variety of potatoes are just a small portion of what grows along the rows of Segrest’s garden. Along with the vegetables, several flowers are scattered throughout, all of which attract bees and help with pollination.
To keep the deer away, Segrest built an 8-foot fence around his garden. Along the border is a makeshift shed containing all the tools he needs on a regular basis. He also uses an irrigation system to keep the plants sufficiently hydrated.
Though picking up the hobby may seem daunting to first-time gardeners, Segrest recommended starting out slow.
“I would say that if you’re starting your first garden, don’t start out with it being too big because you don’t want it to turn into a chore,” Segrest said.
He also recommended doing a bit of research when starting out and continuing that research when questions or concerns arise. Segrest oftentimes takes advantage of online resources when it comes to questions about different plants or pests.
“It’s a good idea to get on Facebook and look at the different groups on there. I like to visit the Lower Alabama Gardens page and the Alabama Gardens page, and they can help you find out all sorts of tips and tricks. Early on, I also used a book called Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond, and I’m pretty sure it’s still in print,” said Segrest.
Segrest also suggested using insecticides for issues with bugs wreaking havoc on plants.
“When it comes to bugs, I like to use insecticides. Whenever I decide to use products like that, I always make sure to read over the instructions thoroughly and follow them carefully,” Segrest said.
When you get in the swing of things and decide to expand your garden, try thinking of ways to give back to the community with any extra produce you may accumulate. Segrest works closely with the Society of St. Andrew, an organization fighting food waste with the help of farmers and gardeners who are willing to donate surplus harvests.
Along with organizations like this, Segrest recommended making yourself available to those in the community. To learn more about Segrest’s garden, visit his website at dalesegrest.com.
Having wildlife around residential areas can be entertaining to some homeowners but quite irritating to others. Songbirds and hummingbirds are typically welcomed, but other types of wildlife, such as snakes, mice, voles or armadillos, can be nuisances when they start to invade homes or destroy gardens. Then, there are those animals that are somewhere in the middle. Rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, Canada geese and deer tend to get a pass until they become a nuisance and cause property damage.
Being abundant throughout the state, whitetail deer can easily spark some strong responses from Alabama homeowners, gardeners and farmers. Deer are quite adaptable, and therefore can be found in all habitat areas of Alabama. Couple this with a population of just under 2 million in the state, and you have a perfect recipe for encountering deer in residential, commercial and agricultural areas.
The number one complaint people have of deer is their feeding damage. Deer are considered “browsers” that, like goats, will eat a variety of plants; however, they are very selective eaters. I like to describe deer feeding patterns like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet where one is tempted to try everything. Deer are always on the go, browsing in the woods for whatever is available, such as leaves, twigs, acorns, mushrooms, briers, etc. When they enter yards and gardens looking for food, deer may nibble up your pansies, bite the tops off your garden beans, munch on ripened fruit or rip off the leaves of a favorite shrub. On average, deer eat about 4 to 6 pounds of forage daily for each 100 pounds of body weight.
Deer have preferences, but they tend to eat almost anything when hungry. Late winter to early spring is the most crucial time of the year for deer, because that is when food sources are the most scarce. They enter home landscapes and eat prized plants, because that is what is available or may be sprouting. Unfortunately, a high deer population is often the result of starving deer entering dense residential areas in search of food.
A University of Georgia Extension publication explains: “Deer like nutrition-rich plants, especially in spring and summer when does are pregnant or nursing, when young deer are growing and
Deer are selective eaters and prefer nutritious plants.
when bucks are growing antlers. Fertilized plants, such as those in home landscapes, provide protein, energy-rich carbohydrates, minerals and salts. Deer also get about onethird of their water from the moisture in irrigated plants and young, succulent vegetation on expanding leaves, buds and green stems.”
One can minimize browsing damage by choosing landscape plants that deer normally do not eat. In general, deer do not like plants with pungent aromas or bitter tastes. They may browse new plants or established plants with tender new spring growth, but later avoid those same plants when their leaves are mature. Because some evergreen shrubs provide a food source in winter, they are highly prone to deer feeding damage.
I also stress there is no such thing as ‘deer resistant’ plants. Deer will eat anything when hungry. Compiled lists of ‘deer resistant’ plants can vary greatly from area to area and are typically only based on anecdotal observations. Many annual flowers and perennial plants, including pansies, hostas, tulips, azaleas, roses, daylilies, impatiens and blueberries are considered deer favorites. Local master gardeners report deer that feed on hydrangeas, camellias, loropetalum, hibiscus, liriope and sweet potato vine. They tend to leave alone daffodils, vinca, begonias, butterfly bush, iris, wax myrtle, nandina or lantana. Ferns and fragrant herbs are another group of plants that deer dislike.
Deer damage to landscape and garden plants is usually easy to identify. Evidence of browsing shows up on plants as ragged ends on twigs, stems and leaves, caused by an absence of upper incisors among deer. This causes deer to tear or jerk away the plant material when eating. Bucks will also damage young fruit and shade trees by rubbing them with their antlers during the rutting season.
Controlling deer and limiting their feeding damage in residential areas can be very difficult. Many homeowners and gardeners have tried commercial deer repellents with various levels of success. Home remedies of putting out soap, human hair, rotting eggs, mothballs, urine and other
strange scent repellents have proven only to work temporarily. Alabama laws and local ordinances also prevent shooting, harassing and trapping deer in residential areas.
For farmers and gardeners, exclusion is the most effective method in limiting deer activity. This is best accomplished with a type of electric fencing installed to protect valuable plants in a designated space. Wire cages are also used to protect new and young trees and shrubs from deer browse. For homeowners, putting up an electric fence around the perimeter may not be feasible, affordable or allowed by homeowners associations or ordinances. Fencing is definitely not an attractive home feature, but neither are eaten and destroyed landscape plants. One will have to weigh those considerations when deciding.
From Left: Some plants will benefit from natural "trimming" of their leaves; Fences are one of the most effective means of keeping deer out of gardens; Bucks will tend to eat more while they grow antlers.
On the bright side, your perennial plants should recover and be just fine. For those eaten up annuals, not so much. Damaged shrubs that are well established and healthy will grow back from being eaten and naturally trimmed. An application of fertilizer once in the early spring and again in the summer will help stimulate new growth. Pruning back the tattered leaves and bare stems might be necessary to encourage dormant bud break. Be sure to water well when temperatures rise in the hot summer to limit additional stress.
Your plants should be okay and will return to their former glories. That is, until Bambi decides to visit the buffet again. Oh deer!
For help on other home and garden questions, contact your local county Extension office or visit us online at aces.edu.
~Shane Harris is the County Extension Coordinator for Tallapoosa County.
• Instant potatoes will work for this recipe.
• Use brown gravy mix or a jar (1 cup) of gravy.
• Substitute lamb or venison for ground beef.
• Choose a good brand of frozen mixed vegetables.
• To save time, cook the potatoes and gravy while the ground beef cooks.
When it comes to comfort food, few dishes rival the hearty, soul-warming goodness of a well-made shepherd’s pie. St. Patrick’s Day approaches, making it the perfect time to indulge in a classic Irish dish. This beloved cuisine embodies the heart of Irish comfort cuisine and serves as an ideal addition to any weeknight meal, offering both deliciousness and convenience.
This dish is a perfect match if you’re a meat and potatoes fan. Shepherd’s pie is a rich, flavorful and bubbly ground beef stew in a savory vegetable gravy, all baked beneath a layer of creamy mashed potatoes. While the traditional recipe calls for lamb, using beef offers an equally delicious twist on this classic comfort food and is sure to satisfy.
This recipe is easy for a weeknight meal, especially with a few shortcuts. Using instant potatoes, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and a gravy mix makes this recipe come together fast and adds a layer of indulgence to your pie without any fuss. And on a busy weeknight, convenience is key.
Today, shepherd’s pie remains a beloved staple of Irish culture. So, dust off your shamrocks, roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients and indulge in a dish as timeless as it is tempting.
~ Gina Abernathy is the author and recipe creator behind the blog, Home at Cedar Springs Farm.
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 10-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup prepared brown gravy
1 4-ounce can mushrooms, drained and sliced
1 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
3 cups cooked mashed potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Make mashed potatoes and gravy. Set aside. Add onions, ground beef (or lamb) and garlic to a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any fat. Stir in soup, gravy, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Spread cooked potatoes over the top in an even layer and cover with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving, giving juices time to settle.
Beth Baker was thinking about starting a garden on her Eclectic property while contractors were still building her house. She first saw the 37-acre property while visiting her parents seven years ago, and now, she’s working on expanding her bountiful garden.
“My parents live 2 miles down the road from here," said Baker. "I was visiting them when I saw the ‘For Sale’ sign. We were already wanting to move to the lake and live on the lake; but then, I decided I would rather have land than be on the water. You can drive to the water anytime, but you can’t have all this land."
Though this garden is Baker’s first, she grew
up around the hobby and wanted to try growing her own vegetables when she settled down on her Eclectic property.
“My parents had a garden. My father was a builder, and he developed a neighborhood of about 30 houses. In that neighborhood, there was a community garden, so I grew up shelling peas and learning that way. I wanted to try to grow my own vegetables. I started out when we moved here with five raised beds,” Baker said.
With her vision, Baker asked the contractors who were working on the house to use leftover
Fruits, flowers, herbs and vegetables abound in Beth Baker's garden.
wood to build those raised beds. Since then, the garden has expanded significantly. She believes she has between 20 and 25 different plants growing in her garden.
“Growing your own food is so thrilling,” said Baker. “It’s very satisfying to know that you can put a seed in the ground and watch it grow. You harvest it; and then, you’re eating it off your table."
Eggplants, cucumbers, pinkeye purple hull peas, squash, a variety of peppers and more can be found there, along with the vegetables scattered throughout the beds. Baker has planted herbs, such as ginger and mint, that grow in numerous containers throughout the property. Different types of fruit trees were also planted around the acreage.
Baker, who lives on the property with her husband, oftentimes gives her produce away due to the overabundance she harvests.
“I can a lot, and I preserve foods,” Baker said. “That way we can eat fresh vegetables year-round. I give away a lot of what I harvest to my circle of friends around here and throughout the community. I love to make jellies and jams for gifts, and I also give away a lot of raw produce,” Baker said.
Though the garden is enclosed to keep deer at bay, she does have to deal with other pests from time to time.
“My biggest battle is fire ants. When you have fire ants, it brings aphids, and aphids are what eats on a lot of your plants. The fire ants can kill your plants, and so if you can control that you’re home free,” Baker explained.
Luckily for Baker, a little bit of research has taught her a few tips and tricks for dealing with pests like these.
“My little hack for the fire ants is that I get some recycled glass jars and I put sugar water with Borax in there. Mix it up, liquify it and punch holes in the jar lids. When ants travel into the jar, they take that back to their colony and gets rid of your problem,” Baker said.
Baker also recommended planting onions in different beds around the garden. Onions can repel and deter pests. If you’re looking for a natural repellent, Baker suggests neem oil.
“Neem oil is a natural repellent. I typically use it two or three times a year. I don’t like to use any pesticides, chemicals or fertilizers. The only fertilizer I use is chicken waste,” Baker explained.
Although taking advantage of reading material and gardening videos on YouTube is how Baker usually gathers tips, she also takes advantage of the local county extension office.
“They’re a very helpful resource for questions. Gardening is a perpetual learning process, and you’re going to make mistakes. I also recommend planting in succession, meaning continuing to plant throughout
the year,” Baker said.
Some frequent garden visitors Baker does like to see moseying around the enclosed space include honeybees and butterflies, both of which seem to be at every raised bed and pot in sight.
“I’ve begun to incorporate a lot of flowers because I wanted to focus on pollination. The more pollination you have the better your garden’s going to be. You could self-pollinate a plant; I do it with my squash from time to time. This year, with including more flowers, I’ve had more activity,” Baker explained.
If space for a garden is limited, or if you don’t have space for a garden at all, Baker suggested placing pots around your porch or wherever a free spot is available.
“Anybody can grow plants in a pot. If you don’t have
the space, you can still garden. Learn how to grow vertical. You don’t have to have rows and rows of beds; you can simply grow straight up. I’m planning on growing my cantaloupe and watermelons vertically,” Baker said.
If you do have a dedicated gardening space and want to try your hand at arts and crafts, take a page out of Baker’s book and use cattle panels to create whimsical archways between the beds, or try contacting contractors for spare materials, such as roof shingles. Baker uses them as flooring for her garden to deter pesky weeds.
“Gardening is so relaxing. I feel closer to God when I’m out there. It’s a time to relax and reflect. I love being outdoors,” Baker said.
Every morning, Josh William’s 2-year old daughter, Maren, walks out back to the chicken coop and collects eggs. She calls the hens “her girls,” and she tells her girls “thank you” after she’s collected all the eggs she can carry.
The family sits down for breakfast, and Maren asks if her favorite hen, Izzy, laid the egg on her plate. She did, Williams tells his daughter.
Williams works at Benjamin Russell High school, where he teaches and serves as an FFA advisor. He and his wife, Bailey, were both raised in agricultural lifestyles. Their upbringings helped them to understand the lessons inherent to a life of agriculture. Williams and Bailey want to raise their children in the same sort of environment they believe molded them for the better.
Williams grew up helping his father raise cattle for beef. In college, he was forced to go to the grocery store for the first time in his life to buy meat. It felt odd.
Facing Pages: The Williams family has built the first few raised garden beds; Clockwise from Top: Feeding the chickens is an important part of the daily routine; The various egg colors reflects the many different breeds of chicken.
Being raised in agriculture taught him gratitude, in knowing that food doesn’t get to the grocery store by the wave of a magic wand –that it takes weeks to raise chickens, seasons to grow plants. He wants his children
to be thankful for the asparagus or chicken breast on their plates. Collecting eggs, planting seeds, weeding a garden … it all provides firsthand experience of the many steps food takes before arriving at the dinner table.
And, more apparently, an agricultural life fosters patience. There’s little way around the six to eight weeks it takes for a chicken to grow, or the 60 days it takes before a tomato is ready to be picked. In a world where so much can be attained on demand, there’s value in knowing that some things take time. Often, having the wisdom to wait for long-term goals can pay off.
“Technology is quick, right? You get what you want immediately,” said Williams. “There’s no delayed response time to it. It is ingrained in kids that things are immediate, that you can get whatever you want, fast. And in reality, life’s not like that. Sometimes you plant a seed in the ground, and you have to wait four months.”
Williams doesn’t love agriculture just because it is good for him. He doesn’t dedicate himself to a fulltime job teaching agriculture, then go home afterward to build fenceposts, because he knows it will make him more patient, or gracious. He just enjoys it.
“That’s all we’ve wanted since we got married,” said Williams. “It was eight, seven years before we could even buy the property, and we’re still two to three years from having even the beginning of it set up. You start learning some things are going to take time. And sometimes you put a lot of work in, you do all the prep, and the plant doesn’t produce. And that’s just part of it as well.”
Clockwise from Right: Bailey sells out of all the chickens' eggs quickly; Every morning, Maren collects the eggs her "ladies" laid.
Since they married in 2016, the young couple has dreamed of owning their own land, raising their own cattle, tending their own garden and making a living selling the fruits of their labors. That dream is being realized, but it has been, and will be, a slow process. Two years from now, Williams hopes to have an on-site store selling eggs, canned and fresh vegetables, pork and freezer beef.
“Kind of like a little general farm store market,” said Williams. “But that’s really going to be a little bit down the road. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
It took seven years for the Williams family to save up for the 30-acre property, and as the prices for land rose, they often felt like they were chasing their tails. Eventually, an opportunity came to purchase a bit of land in Eclectic. It was only half the acreage the couple originally wanted, meaning that raising any more than 10 cattle would be
impossible. Plus, much of the land was unfenced and overgrown with trees. But it fit the Williams’ price point. So, in August of 2023, the couple bought the land and set to work.
The first thing they did was build a chicken coop for egg-laying hens. Currently, Williams is building raised beds for growing traditional vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, as well as some herbs. Williams is also building a fence around the property to contain whatever livestock he ends up buying.
It is work that Williams and Bailey do on the weekends and in the evenings after working full-time jobs. And adding livestock, vegetable gardens and hens will necessitate more long hours in the sun.
“In small-scale agriculture, you know you’re working 40 to 50 hours on top of whatever normal job you have,” said Williams. “So it’s just one of those things that, when we get home in the afternoons from work, that’s how we choose to spend our time.”
There’ still plenty of work to do. And just as it was with the purchasing of the land, there will likely be a few unexpected hitches along the way. But Josh and Bailey Williams are chasing a dream they’ve dreamt since they married, and they hope to instill in their children the same love of agriculture that was instilled in them.
As tax season concludes, receiving a tax refund could be an immediate financial boost. But as refunds come in, many are left asking, “What should I do with this extra money?”
It’s important to first look at your current financial situation. Can your refund improve it in any immediate way? Then, think ahead. What foreseeable expenses do you have? Are you planning for higher education or to purchase a home or vehicle? Your refund might not be a huge amount of money, but it could still help you reach your goals sooner.
I’ve put together a short list of five ways that refund work can for you.
Money
Accounts: Keeping your refund accessible in a money market account offers flexibility along with a return on your cash, maintaining liquidity for immediate needs.
Certificates of Deposit: For a commitment of just six to 12 months, CDs could offer secure and safe growth for your refund. They typically yield higher interest rates than regular savings accounts, making your money work harder for you. Plus they are offered by most financial institutions.
Savings and Emergency Funds: Consider bolstering your savings account or creating an emergency fund, if you haven’t already. The goal is to create a cushion to cover unplanned expenses, ideally enough to sustain you for three to six months. This not only provides peace of mind, but also ensures you’re prepared for life’s surprises.
Retirement Planning:
Contributing to your retirement may not provide immediate gratification, but the long-term benefits are substantial. Whether it’s an IRA or your employersponsored 401(k), increasing your retirement contributions could significantly impact your golden years.
Education: Setting aside funds for education, whether your children’s college fund or your professional development, is an investment in the future. Use your tax refund to contribute to an education fund or enroll in courses that could lead to career advancement.
Eliminating high-interest debt is a wise and strategic move to explore. Clearing out credit card balances frees up your monthly budget, allowing you to redirect funds toward savings or investment opportunities like retirement accounts. Tackling debt in a proactive manner accelerates your journey to financial freedom.
Another smart investment is your home, most often a person's biggest asset. Using your tax refund to maintain and improve it could pay dividends down the line. Fresh paint or revitalized landscaping not only enhances curb appeal, but also contributes to the overall value of the property.
If your financial essentials are covered, why not invest in quality time with your family? Treat them to experiences, such as sporting events, weekend getaways or special dinners. It’s important to savor moments together, fostering connections that material wealth alone cannot replace.
Don’t navigate these decisions alone; speak with a dedicated financial expert. Find a financial partner who’s passionate about nurturing your relationships beyond the four walls of your bank and will work with you toward your overall financial success.
While it may be tempting to splurge, view your tax refund as an opportunity for strategic financial planning. Work with a trusted advisor to identify where your refund could serve you best. By approaching your refund with a mindful plan, you could secure both immediate satisfaction and long-term success.
~ Terry Mitchell is Vice President and Market Manager at Valley Bank in Auburn, Alabama, and has been in the banking industry for over 24 years.
Iam the father of a 36-year-old man with a severe intellectual disability. His condition is called Angelman Syndrome. He is non-verbal and incapable of independent living or supported employment. We kept him at home with us as long as we could, but eventually, we had to find a residential placement for him. In other words, I am not an objective voice when speaking about society’s support (or lack thereof) for the intellectually disabled. But I am a voice who has some personal experience in the matter.
This is a medical column, and many do not consider mental disabilities medical conditions. But my son Nathaniel’s condition is the result of a genetic abnormality: When he was formed in the womb, the embryo somehow obtained two copies of my 15th chromosome and evicted the copy inherited from my wife. In that regard, Nathaniel’s condition is as medical as cystic fibrosis (an autosomal recessive genetic mutation), or Philadelphia chromosomepositive chronic myelogenous leukemia (caused by a truncated 22nd chromosome).
George Mirandaneed of services and the State’s ability (or willingness, depending on how you look at it) to provide funding.
So, Nathaniel continues to live in Atlanta, Georgia. He is very happy there, and I drive home to see him every other weekend. Atlanta will always be home to me, because that is where my son lives.
I grew up in Tuscaloosa, a few miles from Partlow State School, the historic and infamous warehouse for the intellectually disabled. It was founded in 1919 as the “Alabama Home for the Feeble-Minded,” where until 1945, Superintendent William Partlow practiced forced sterilization on the patients, who he called “inmates.” The institution did not close until 2011, long after most other facilities across the nation had been shuttered.
Insurance coverage and financial support for persons with intellectual disabilities has been historically inadequate, similar to the lack of coverage offered for mental illness or drug/alcohol rehab.
When I first moved to Alexander City, I considered moving Nathaniel from Georgia. I wanted to be closer to him; however, after a bit of research, I discovered that the nearest residential facilities were in Auburn, Montgomery and Birmingham. Moreover, the “waiting list” had more than 4,000 persons ahead of him. The absurdly-long waiting list was just one example of the disparity between the large number of Alabama citizens in
The de-institutionalization movement had its heart in the right place. Its focus was to integrate people with intellectual disabilities into the community, and to remove them from isolation in what were effectively prisons. Unfortunately, when large institutions across the country began emptying their dormitories, the infrastructure to provide community-based services was ill-prepared for the flood of new clients. In Alabama, we’re still playing catch-up, although the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities is doing yeoman’s work with the limited budget it receives.
Funding for the care of intellectually-disabled citizens is funneled through the Medicaid Waiver program. It includes both state and federal funding, the latter of which is distributed in proportion to however much state funding is available. The Medicaid Intellectual Disabilities Waiver was established in 1981 to provide necessary support for intellectually disabled individuals to move from
institutions like Partlow to true residential settings: group homes, apartments and assisted living facilities.
The goal is to provide the least restrictive, least segregated environment for these citizens, so that they can live as independently as possible. To that end, the program will fund vocational training and supported employment (jobs where the consumer has assistance and guidance in the performance of job duties). The ID Waiver program also funds day programs for consumers like Nathaniel, who aren’t capable of holding down a job.
Some individuals who would otherwise be “placed” can actually live independently with agency and family support. Because of these programs, some families are able to keep their affected family member at home. Some, like my son, can never live independently, but through programs such as these, they are able to reside in a structured home environment, in a real house, in a real neighborhood.
The ID Waiver program funds only 5,260 slots in Alabama. Every slot is filled, and will remian so for the foreseeable future.
In 2002, the Division of Developmental Disabilities added the Living at Home Waiver, which provided an additional 769 slots for persons with intellectual disabilities. The caveat is that this waiver does not fund residential placements. But otherwise, it provides most of the same services as the ID Waiver. These slots are also completely full.
To relieve some pressure from the waiting list, the State established a third program in 2021, the Community Waiver Program, a demonstration project that essentially expands access to the Living at Home Waiver program. Its enrollment is limited to 500 participants.
The needs of persons with disabilities are as varied as the number of persons with disabilities. In the case of my son, he needs a group home and a day program. The Alabama Department of Mental Health website has a useful tool for locating the services near you. I typed in “Tallapoosa County.” The only resource that popped up was the East Alabama Mental Health Center in Opelika.
There are programs in Prattville and Montgomery, but they don’t service Tallapoosa County. Opelika is closer than Atlanta, but then there’s the waiting list. How long would it take for me to get Nathaniel on an Alabama waiver? I can’t even apply until he becomes a resident of Alabama, which means I would have to pull him out of his current group home, where he is very happy, and give up his current services. Meanwhile, he would live at home with no support. I would have to quit my job to care for him until he made it to the top of the waiting list. It’s just not feasible.
The waiting list does not operate on a firstcome, first-served basis. It takes into account the intensity of needs faced by the consumer, and the level of crisis affecting the family. So, Nathaniel’s time on the waiting list would be short compared to other consumers, who may be more stable, less impacted by their disabilities and more behaviorally appropriate than my son. Nevertheless, when the waiting list is almost as long as the number of funded slots (all of which are currently filled), even the most critical situation will take a long time to address.
Mahatma Ghandi is credited with saying, “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” I wonder how our society will measure up in the coming years.
~ George Miranda is the director of the UAB Medicine – Russell Medical Cancer Center.
113th Annual Meeting
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Russell Marine and Outdoors
1. Kim and Woody Baird
2. Carli Price and Scott Peterson
3. Robert Bradford and John M. Taylor
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Main Street
1. Jerry and Mae Lynn O'Neal, Jeff LaMonica, Hugo and Anita Perez, Ed Eiswerth and Linda Steapman
2. Connie Speaks, Twila Gordon, Hallie Craft, Ruth Anne and Julie Ballard
3. Kenny Dean
4. John Austin Howard and Mollie
5. Mike Lucas, Justin Moseley, Susan McCrispen, Cindy Blake and Scott Blake
6. Brittany Johnson and Tomme Lynn Gibson
7. Mark Worthy and Chase Rich
8. Lindsey Fuller, Rachel Elliot, Lindsay Meacham and Emily Mask
Dadeville Community Chorus
Valentine's Day Concert
Wednesday, February 13, 2024
Dadeville Performing Arts Center
Friday, February 22, 2024
Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast
Sunday, February 17, 2024
Russell Forest Run Sunday, February 24, 2024
Russell Forest
1. Ashley Thorne and Rim Dewald
2. Danny and Beverly Bain and Kash and Keith Davis
3. Albert Drakeford and LeKishia Richardson
4. Erika Person and Malia Kubia
5. Nolan Walls and Jennifer Causey
6. Haley, Charlie and Jake Sparks, Jake Kolb and Allyson Simmons
7. Rob and Teri Sandlin, Campbell and Doug McNabb and Parker Smith
The Reuben Thornton Memorial Spring Cleanup goes big next month as Lake Martin Resource Association partners with county, business and nonprofit organizations. LMRA President Jodie McGirt announced the area-wide effort will take place Saturday, April 6, starting with breakfast for volunteers and ending with live music at a closing lunch.
Buscuits, sausage, bacon, doughnuts, rolls, fruit, juice and coffee will be served at the Red Hill Community Center at 7 a.m., and vests, bags and pickers will be distributed to volunteers, who will be dispersed throughout the area to clean up roadsides and shoreline. Volunteers will reconvene at noon at Lake Martin Mini Mall on Kowaliga Road in Eclectic for lunch and live music by Daniel and Derrick Jackson.
state Route 63 to U.S. Route 280.”
Steele said he hopes as many as 250 volunteers will turn out for the effort, which will clean up lake area roadsides before the recreational season begins on Lake Martin.
“We live in a beautiful place, and we need to maintain it,” Steele said.
While Steele and McGirt encourage volunteers to clean up all around the lake, McGirt said it’s appropriate that this effort originated in the Red Hill community, where the cleanup’s namesake lived and worked and began the service day back in 2014.
Bags of trash can be deposited in dumpsters at either of the above locations. If volunteers are unable to bring trash to dumpsters, the bagged trash, tires and other collected debris can be left on the side of the road, where additional volunteers will collect it for proper disposal.
“We do have a third location on Elkahatchee Road in Alexander City,” said Andy Steele, chair of LMRA’s environmental committee. “Commissioner Steve Robinson and his crew will use the dumpster at the District 2 Shop and will clean up Elkahatchee Road from
“Reuben and Jackie Thornton owned Dirt Road Gourmet, and they cleaned up around that area every day,” McGirt said. “I was talking with them at church one day and said I’d like to come out and help them; and then, more people joined in. So, Jackie fixed a whole big breakfast to start the day, and she did hot dogs for everybody at the end of the cleanup.
“It all started with that one couple, and it’s the same trash cleanup that has been expanded,” McGirt said.
No pre-registration is required to participate, Steele said.
“Just please show up. Let’s leave the lake better than we found it,” he said.
For more information, text or call Steele at 832-431-2309.
Now through April 19
TPI's Plug Day Countdown to Full Pool
Check out the Lake magazine Facebook Page every day as we count down to summer pool and “plug” summer events at Lake Martin. Update your calendar each day, so you don’t miss any of the fun at the lake this season.
March 2
Join guitarist Michael Mason and Friends at Dadeville Performing Arts Center for an evening of folk/rock acoustic favorites. Visit dadevilleprformingartscenter.com for tickets, reservations and information.
March 14
Celtic Celebration
Start your St. Patrick’s Day festivities early with Lake Martin Dulcimer Club at Dadeville Performing Arts Center, featuring acoustic versions of Scottish and Irish tunes and jigs. Visit dadevilleprformingartscenter.com for tickets, reservations and information.
March 16
The Southwind Stage 2024 Music Series Kick Off
The Destination Glamping Resort kicks off its 2024 Music Series with Chris Nathan. Nathan’s soulful singing and guitar playing will take you on a musical journey through classic originals, new creations and popular tunes. General admission tickets can be purchased for $10 at thedestinationglampingresort.com. VIP tickets, which include table seating on the viewing deck, are $15. Bring your lawn chairs and coolers. The Sum’in Dif’rent Food Truck will be on site offering food for purchase. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. For additional info, call 615-477-9813.
The Heart Behind the Music Country and contemporary Christian music legends Marty Rayburn, Cindy Morgan and Lenny LeBlanc team up for an unforgettable night of music and stories from the road. Tickets are $21 in advance online and $25 at the door. The show opens at 7 p.m. at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium. Visit the Alex City Arts Facebook Page for details.
Opelika Art Haus will host a Windhorse Studio show of artists, including Mary Catherine Lowery, Barbara Birdsong, Margaret Cunningham, Nadene Mairesse, Mary Ann Casey, Po Wiese, Debbie Folkerts and Laura and Brian Cooley. Exhibit hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Join the opening reception for a gathering with music, food and drinks from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 22.
Alabama Power will host the Third Annual Water Cycle Dam Jam century bicycle race at Martin Dam with goodie bags, T-shirts and an after-party with food and music. The event raises funds for the Auburn University chapter of Engineers Without Borders, which sends students to Bolivia and Guatemala to build fresh water systems for remote communities. E-bikes are welcome and encouraged.Visit ewb.auburn.edu for more information and registration details.
Participants may choose either day to attend this Tallapoosa County Extension class. Extension Coordinator Shane Harris will review the landscape design process from initial evaluation to sketching ideas and choosing the right plants. For registration information, visit aces.edu/go/LandscapingClass or call 256-825-1050.
Bring the children and grandchildren to the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and take photos of them with these traditional Easter symbols. This free event is appropriate for all ages. Contact Naturalist Marianne with questions at 256-496-2710.
Pennington Park, 3 Hilltop Acts and BChill Entertainment will host Dadeville’s 4th Annual Easter Egg Dash
in Pennington Park, on Saturday, March 30, at 11 a.m. This free event will feature a visit/photo with the Easter Bunny, a “Golden Egg” hunt, the Annual Easter Egg Dash and more. Free snacks and drinks will be provided. The event is designed for children 14 years old and younger. For additional information or to volunteer, call Kurt at 334-233-9852 or Bobby at 334-332-2971.
Alabama Marine Police will teach a boating safety class at The Ridge Marina from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. for all levels of boating. Prepare for the Alabama boating license test or come to review the rules and regulations before the recreation season begins. Contact Jennifer Powell for more information at 334-415-2568 or jpowell@russelllands.com.
Street legal motorcycle riders are invited to take part in this annual scholarship fund drive. Register between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Elmore County High School in Eclectic. A $5 donation per vehicle is requested. The event will include T-shirt sales, a silent auction and barbecue. Sponsorships are available with benefits on a variety of levels. For sponsorship forms and details, email jr3ss@yahoo.com with "Memorial Ride" in the subject line. All proceeds go to the scholarship fund.
April 18
Tommy G. Saxophone
Join celebrated local musician Tommy G. in a curated review of 20th century songs and styles at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 in advance at dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.
April 20
Author Kathy McCoy
Dadeville Public Library will host author Kathy McCoy at 10 a.m. at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. McCoy has written numerous books, including Monroeville: The Search for Harper Lee’s Maycomb. Visit dadevilleperformingartscenter.com for details.
Enjoy Casino Night at Lake Martin Brewing on the square in Alexander City. Every Thursday, the brewery will be filled with casino games such as blackjack, roulette and craps. All proceeds will go to benefit Main Street Alexander City. The first round begins at 5:30 p.m., the second at 6:30 p.m. and the third at 7:30 p.m. Rules will be posted in the brewery.
Every third Thursday of the month, grab your crew and meet at The Local at 41 Main in downtown Alexander City from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for games, laughs and exclusive LMYP drink specials. It’s free to play the games, like trivia and bingo and more, and the grand prize is always $50. Visit the Lake Martin Young Professionals Facebook page for more information.
Join golfers of all ages and abilities at Stillwaters Golf Club at 10 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for an open golf event. In addition to regular golf fees, players pay a small entry fee of $7 or $15, depending on the day. Call the golf shop at 256-825-1353 for details.
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.
From 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on alternate Tuesdays, children in grades three through five will learn the elements of art as they complete projects in class with Everything’s Art teachers. Enroll and complete permission forms at dadevilleperformingartscenter.com/ Classes. No fees for Tallapoosa County children. Email Delaine Hanson at delaine.hanson@gmail.com for details.
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 Thursdays to rehearse for performances at a variety of community events. Club fee is $25 annually. Performer memberships, patron memberships or quarterly memberships are $30. Email kim.walls@ dadevilleperformingartscenter.com.
AACA artists meet on the fourth 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.
The Wellborn Musclecar Museum collection of great American automobiles of the 1960s and 1970s is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission for adults is $11; children ages 7 to 17 admitted for $7, and children ages 6 and under are admitted for free. To arrange discounted group tours or private tours, call 256-329-8474 or email wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail.com.
Rehearsals will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at Dadeville Performing Arts Center for a performance in late May. For more information, email kim.walls@ dadevilleperformingartscenters.com.
Volunteers in Alexander City are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups on the second Saturday of every month. Meet at Strand Park 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 Michelle West at 256-786-0584. 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.
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.
Storytime for children ages 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Mamie’s Place Children’s Library in Alexander City holds themed storytimes every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for preschool-aged and younger children.
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. 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. For more information, call 334-857-2008.
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.
Come see Naturalist Marianne and her lively nature presentations at the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads. There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature. Check the calendar at RussellLands.com/blog/events for the scheduled subject matter, dates and times.
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.
Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111
The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300
River North Marina 256-397-1500
Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors 256-397-1700
Real Island Marina 334-857-2741
Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888
Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550
Harbor Pointe Marina 256-825-0600
Smith's Marina - Shipwreck Sam's 256-444-8793
SpringHouse 256-215-7080
Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070
Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035
Acapulco Mexican Gril 334-283-2725
Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567
Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 334-541-2132
Russell Building Supply 256-825-4256
The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333
Kowaliga Whole Health 334-857-1816
Aronov Realty Lake Martin 256-825-4133
Off the Beaton Path 205-994-0847
Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717
Creekside Lodge 256-307-1440
Red Ridge UMC 256-825-9820
Lake Pointe Baptist Church 256-373-3293
Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc 334-857-2443
Docks Unlimited LLC 256-203-8400
Dixie Sailing Club
Lakeshore Pharmacy 256-825-0063
Momentum Marine at Lake Martin 256-825-9286
Your Lake Martin Sightseeing Pass. Scan me!
Robinson Iron
Carlos Mexican Grill
The Body Shop
Walgreens
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.
Jake's
Carlisle's
Emporium Wine
Cloud Nine
Downtown Girl
Shay Aesthetics
JR'S
Hillabee Towers
Senior Nutrition Center
George Hardy
Dark Insurance
Warren Appliance
MainStreet Family Care
Grace's Flowers
Koon's Korner
Larry's General Merchandise
Valley Bank - 280
Pricare
Temple Medical
Hometown Pharmacy
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
Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture
Longleaf Antique Mall
Chamber of Commerce
Winn Dixie
Re/Max Around the Lake
City Hall
Regions Bank
Marathon - 280
Russell Medical Center
Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors
Koon's II
Jackson's Drugs
Selling Lake Martin - Amy Clark
Sure Shot Outdoors
Shell - 280
Big B Bar-B-Que
Russell Do It Center
Russell Home Decor
Satterfield Inc.
Love Lake Martin Real Estate Office
Wind Creek Gate
Wind Creek Store
Willow Point Office
Willow Point Country Club
Kowaliga Marina
Kowaliga Restaurant
Children's Harbor
Catherine's Market
Russell Lands Corporate Office
Russell Lands Real Estate
Sales Center
SpringHouse
Ridge Club
Ridge Marina
TR Group
Alex City Marine
The Square
Picket Fence
River Bank
Valley Bank - Lee Street
Super 8
Hampton Inn
Bone & Joint Specialist
Dr. Sublett
Days Inn
Comfort Inn
Sunrise Docks
Raining Dogs Studio & Gallery
Root 49 Salon
Alabama Power
Siggers
Fusion Grill
Dadeville Library
At the Beauty Shop
Dadeville Courthouse
Payne's Furniture
McKelvey Chevrolet
Renfroe's Market
Lakeshore Pharmacy
Russell Building Supply
Lakay's
Jim's Pharmacy
Poplar Dawgs
Still Waters Country Club
Still Waters Home Association
Russell Lands Realty
Fuller Realty
Harbor Pointe
Oskar's
Creekside Lodge
Blue Creek Marina
Lakeside Marina
Niffers
Hwy 50 Eagle
Millstone Japanese Maple Nursery
Lakeside Mercantile
Chuck's Marina
Lake Martin Pizza
Bay Pines Marina
City Hall
Dadeville Wellness Center
Farmer's & Merchants Bank
Store 34
Lake Martin Realty
Shell
Ivy Creek - Hwy 49
Equality Food Mart
Real Island Marina
Nail's
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
El Gran Rodeo
Piggly Wiggly
First Community Bank
TALLASSEE
Marathon
Tallassee Eagle
1220 Cafe
Mae Pops
Louie's Chicken Fingers
Cozumel Mexican Grill
Acapulco Mexican Grill
Grove Station
Community Hospital
Guardian Credit Union
Red Hill Gallery
WETUMPKA
Wetumpka Herald Office
Ivy Creek
Get Lake Martin Living delivered to your mailbox for just $50 per year. To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.
*Standard maximum of 10 acres; however parcels not exceeding 20 acres may be considered if typical for the area and supported by acceptable appraisal valuation. Lot loans are not intended for investment or speculation purposes. Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loans amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Visit usbank.com to learn more about U.S. Bank products
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Iwas driving home in the rain on a Friday and couldn’t quit giggling. There is nothing like a night out with your best friends at a comedy club. I wish I could go to one every day. If laughter is the best medicine, then the real secret to life is learning to laugh at yourself. Stand-up comedy and live audiences are the perfect recipe for a good time. My favorite part is when the comedian makes fun of people in the audience. I thrive on the improv and appreciate the nerves that it takes to be able to go off-script.
Southern humor is best served up raw and raunchy. A female Jeff Foxworthy, Danae loves to prank call and has an alter ego named Sharon who takes on a thick Southern accent. She is also breaking out into comedic music.
Heather’s recent Netflix show “Son I Never Had” is a must watch. She is a tall woman who embraces her selfproclaimed thick neck and thin ankles and the fact she is built more like her deceased dad than her mother. If you want grief humor, Heather’s new special has it. Her message is that you can cry about the hard stuff in life, or you can choose to laugh about it.
Both comedians rip on realtors, which I find both hilarious and easy to relate to. Real estate licenses are relatively easy to come by, so barriers to entry are low. Plus, hilarity is guaranteed when you deal with houses, the general public and a range of irrational to nasty behavior involving everything from appliances to animals and money.
My two favorite female comedians right now both hail from the South: Heather McMahan and Danae Hays. I have seen Heather three times, and I recently saw Danae at the Stardome Comedy Club in Birmingham. It was an intimate venue, and I was right up front. She was fantastic. I thought I was going to throw up from laughing so hard. With a VIP ticket, we even got to meet her and take a photo after the show.
One thing I’ve noticed about Southern comedians is that they are masterful storytellers. They understand Southern culture is a melting pot of material. They can rip for hours just on the things inherent to living in the South: football, Southern hospitality and the business of “knowing eveybody’s business.” Music, food, close-knit families and small towns are endless wells of inspiration for Southern comedians.
Both Heather and Danae are millennial women who hail from SEC schools. Heather is from Atlanta and went to Ole Miss while Danae is an Alabama native who played softball at the University of Alabama. They dip into topics ranging from fashion to diet, nosy HOA neighbors, fertility and love lives.
Both women’s fan bases were built on Instagram through short sketches and characters. The two have different styles but endless range. When it comes to accent and physical comedy, I often see inspiration from Saturday Night Live greats like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The social media platform allowed them to reach wider audiences that propelled them into podcasts, music and movies.
Give them a follow: @danae.hays and @heatherkmcmahan. And when you have the chance, go visit a comedy club and laugh your face off.
~ Lacey Howell is a recovering English major from Auburn who now lives on Lake Martin, sells real estate, rides horses and loves good wine. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook @LaceyHowell.
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, but it doesn’t have to be...
With early screening, it is preventable, treatable, and beatable.
If you’re 45 or older, have the guts to get screened for colorectal cancer.