August 2022 Arab by Alabama Living

Arab Electric COOPERATIVE

Life is Sweeter at SugarFest

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ARAB

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General Manager Stacey White

ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $12 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014. ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Karl Rayborn Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Law Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/Production Coordinator Brooke Echols

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 For advertising, email: advertising@areapower.com For editorial inquiries, email: contact@alabamaliving.coop NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

American MainStreet Publications 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.AMP.coop www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

Winning photos

Drew Senter’s photo of a Baldwin County sunrise was one of several reader photos taking Honorable Mention honors in our 2022 Photo Contest.

12 F E A T U R E S

Printed in America from American materials

AUGUST 2022

My boat

Summer months are perfect for getting out in our boats, as evidenced by our readers’ photos.

WWII vet honored

Primed for peppers

Romay Davis, age 102, recently received a national award at the National WWII Museum for her unique wartime service. Red, green or yellow, cooked or raw, sweet or spicy, peppers are a nutritious snack and easy to add to any meal.

D E P A R T M E N T S 11 Spotlight 25 Around Alabama 28 Outdoors 29 Fish & Game Forecast 30 Cook of the Month 38 Hardy Jackson’s Alabama ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop ON THE COVER

Look for this logo to see more content online!

VOL. 75 NO. 8

Little boy and girl watching fireworks at SugarFest

30 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

ONLINE: EMAIL: MAIL:

www.alabamaliving.coop letters@alabamaliving.coop Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

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2022 Annual Meeting Stacey White, General Manager

Board of Trustees Charles W. Whisenant President District 8

Dianne Prestridge Vice President District 3

Arab Electric Cooperative exists to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to you, our Members. As one of those members, you have a perspective that is valuable to us, and we encourage you to share it at our annual meeting. We invite you to join us at our annual membership meeting Saturday, August 27. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Arab High School Auditorium, 770 6th St NE, Arab, AL. Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. with the meeting starting at 9:00 a.m. At the annual meeting, members of the Board of Trustees and I will be on hand to share priorities and challenges of the coming year for the co-op. We’d love to meet you. Every energy bill you pay helps to ensure better reliability for you and your neighbors. Your dollars are reinvested locally into improvements that affect the service and affordability of your energy. This year’s ballot will include electing trustees for Districts 1, 4, & 9, as well as voting to update our by-laws.

Bill Stricklend Treasurer District 4

Proposed By-Law Changes—Board of Trustees Proposed By-Law Amendments On February 28, 2022, the Board of Trustees approved amending Article III, Section 2 and Article XIII of the Arab Electric Cooperative, Inc. Bylaws by inserting the unlined portion of the Articles, as follows:

Tyler Barnes Secretary District 5

ARTICLE III TRUSTEES SECTION 2 QUALIFICATIONS & TENURE. At the annual meeting of the members of the Cooperative, 1969, the trustees shall be elected by ballot for staggered four-year terms by and from the members of the Cooperative. Trustees shall be limited to three (3) consecutive terms. Trustees who have served three consecutive terms are not eligible to run for the position of trustee until he or she has been off the board for a full term. No member shall be eligible to run for the position of trustee after reaching the age of eighty years old. No member shall be eligible to become or remain a trustee or to hold any position of trust in the Cooperative who is not a bona fide resident in the area served by the Cooperative, or who is in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy or supplies to the Cooperative, or a business primarily engaged in selling electrical or plumbing appliances, fixtures or supplies to the members of the Cooperative. When a membership is held jointly by a Spouse, either one, but not both, may be elected a trustee, provided, however, that neither one shall be eligible to become or remain a trustee or to hold a position of trust in the cooperative unless both shall meet the qualifications hereinabove set forth. Nothing in this section contained shall, or shall be construed to affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the board of trustees.

Janet Bright District 1

Jordan Stewart District 2

Jeff Warren District 6

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed by the members at any regular or special meeting, provided the notice of such meeting shall have contained a copy of the proposed alteration, amendment or repeal. For any proposed by law amendment to be placed on a ballot for membership consideration, the proposed by law amendment must be approved by the Board of Trustees or supported by a petition signed by a Quorum of the membership, as defined in Article II, Section 4, above.

Do you support adopting the two proposed by-law amendments, shown above? Nathan Clark District 7

Ty Smith District 9

General Manager Stacey White

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YES NO

A complete copy of the Arab Electric Cooperative, Inc. Bylaws can be picked up at the Arab Electric Cooperative Headquarters, can be mailed to any member by request made by calling (256) 5863196, or emailed to any member by sending an email request to customerservice@arab-electric.org. If you have never attended our annual meeting, or if it has been awhile, we invite you to attend this year. Our cooperative family looks forward to hearing from our members. Keeping in mind that our electric cooperative is member-owned, we want to be sure and share updates with you in person. Every member who casts a vote will receive a $5 credit on their energy bill and we will have a drawing for one $500 cash prize, two $250 cash prizes and the opportunity to win a 2009 Ford Ranger, with 134,642 miles. The annual meeting notice and ballots will be in your mailbox soon. We look forward to hearing from you! Stacey White, General Manager www.alabamaliving.coop

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| Arab EC |

Official Notice: 2022 Annual Membership Meeting You are hereby notified, under the provisions of Section 3, Article 3, of the By-Laws of the Arab Electric Cooperative, Inc. that the Annual Meeting of the Members of the Arab Electric Cooperative, Inc. will be convened at the Arab High School Auditorium located by Arab High School on Guntersville Road, in Arab, Alabama, on August 27, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. for the following purpose: Meeting Agenda: 1.

Report on Number of Members Registered

Old Business

Read Notice of Meeting

New Business

Read Minutes of 2020 Annual Meeting

Drawing for cash prizes

Voting on By-Law changes

Drawing for 2009 Ford Ranger

Presentation of Any Reports

10.

Adjournment

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Anyone wanting to vote in person at the Annual Meeting must bring Ballot and Registration Form to the Meeting. No Ballots will be issued at the meeting. Members voting must present personal identification. No member will be allowed to vote another member’s ballot. Whether you vote by mail or in person you will receive a $5 credit on your electric bill.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Annual Membership Meeting 08.27.2022 Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. • Meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. Arab High School Auditorium • 770 6th St. NE, Arab, AL Alabama Living

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| Arab EC |

Life Is Sweeter At SugarFest It’s a crisp morning on Labor Day Weekend. You wake up to the fresh aroma of coffee and are excited for the day, because this is the day you’ve been preparing for, at least for a few weeks now. You put your bright pink “Love for Lucy” shirt on and you tie your laces, as you head out the door. You see, Lucy Grace Kelly, a local child in our community, has a rare medical condition, and she is a huge light in our community— a light we are proud to rally around and one that reminds us of our hometown support for one another and our reason to celebrate Arab, a vibrant city located in Marshall County in the Northeast part of Alabama. The thing about Arab is that while we are small in size, our love is big. Arab is family. And, just like any other family, we like to celebrate with and for each other and have a good old time. So, allow me to walk you through a day in the life of one of our biggest events of the year—SugarFest. You get to the City Park pool around 6:30 a.m. for the annual SugarFest 5k certified course run, sponsored by Citizens Bank and Trust. You see all of your friends with their bright pink shirts too, grab your number, and line up at the starting line. As soon as that gun fires at 7:00 a.m., you are off. You teasingly taunt your friends as you run by them. While you realize you are probably more out of shape than you originally thought, you remember that you are running for a beautiful cause and push through. Supporters are cheering you on through the park as you run. Then, as you weave through the streets of our city, all the neighbors wave at you as you go by. You make the loop back to the park catching glimpses along the way of children splishing and splashing in the splash pad and hear the giggles coming from the pool. You continue on and finally cross that finish line, being proud of yourself and that sweet little girl you represent.

Strolling through the crowd to hear the announcing of the winner, you notice that the craft vendors and food trucks have now started to roll in and set up. You head to the food vendors to see what’s on the menu. While you graze through the area of food trucks, you grab a big glass of sweet tea to combat that summer heat and head over to the craft vendors. Along the way, you hear the playful sounds of precious children bouncing in the inflatables and the excitement of others riding through the park on the historic Chattanooga Train. Don’t forget to stop by the pet-

Little girls in curls

As you finish up and grab your trophy, you can’t help but hear the sounds of clapping and “oohs” and “aahs.” You follow the noise to the park’s walking trail around 9:00 a.m. just in time to catch the beautiful girls adorned in their best dresses with curled ringlets and that ever so perfected princess wave. The Little Miss SugarFest title, sponsored by Maggie B’s Boutique, is highly sought after and has been ever since the event was created.

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| Arab EC | ting zoo sponsored by Gullion Farms and ride the ponies or simply pet the sweet bunnies and goats. Then, just as sweet as the tea you are drinking, you see the sweetest Nana you ever did meet, always smiling and with the kindest words. No, no, she isn’t blood related; but like we said earlier, Arab is family. She has adopted the town, just as we have adopted her. She has developed a reputation for her mouth-watering gourmet cakes and brownie jars. She will let you sample them, but beware! If you do, you better hope you brought your wallet as you will for sure be taking some baked goods home. You continue down the rows of vendors, stopping along the way to see familiar faces from around the area like Jake Walker of James Rock House and his beautifully crafted wire-wrapped semi-precious stones he hand crafts into one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. As you continue to walk, you hear the faint sound of a peaceful melodic tune—wind chimes that are crafted into stunning creations by none other than Mr. Marty Vaughn. He is a repeat yearly vendor, and we look forward to seeing him and hearing his stories of how and why he creates each piece. Once you finish purchasing all of your new treasures from the many local vendors, climb the hill and travel back in time in the historic village. Watch the blacksmith at work and visit the general store for an RC Cola and a MoonPie. The local museum is filled with vignettes of times gone by that will have you sharing memories with everyone you see. Now, it’s around lunch time, and you follow your nose back to the food area just in time to watch Dixieland BBQ pull their ribs apart. You grab yourself a plate with all the fixins and you and your friends gather around a picnic and compare all of the wonderful food choices that are splattered across the table. From roasted corn at Corn King to the juiciest of burgers and cheesesteaks at Dognation, and apple fritters at Mom & M’s to beignets at Happi Pappi, there are so many options from which to choose. Speaking of Happi Pappi, their iced coffee is the best you’ve ever tasted, and you may as well grab the largest size they have in order to gear up for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Taking your iced coffee, you make your way back over to the concert arena. As you pass by, you duck your head into the sports lounge. Whether you cheer for the Tide, the Tigers, or another team, the SugarFest committee doesn’t want you to miss opening day of college football. So, as you stay for a while and enjoy a cold beer, brought to you by Namely Claudia’s, you try out your karaoke version of “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Sweet Caroline.”

Support your local vendors

Crossing over into the concert arena, you notice several of the local businesses that are sponsoring tents offering much needed shade to beat the heat. Their booths are stocked with merchandise such as free pens, drawings to win prizes, and may be decorated to celebrate the day. These sponsors are familiar to you because they are the people who work hard to support your community day in and day out. They represent local churches, local insurance companies, local real estate agents and are people who support your kids’ sports teams and those who buy the big mums and bundt cakes year after year. They are on the signs at baseball games and take their cars to the parking lot for kids to wash every Saturday morning. And while the sun is setting, they may even come hang out and battle you in a game of cornhole while the music begins. While you would like to think you are the one that truly got

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the band started back over in the sports lounge, you hear Rippy Dippy and the Hidden Hippies start playing featuring Joseph Baude, local guy who made good. The SugarFest committee works tirelessly to get some of the best bands around to come and perform; and after listening to reviews of the previous year, they do a phenomenal job of choosing great talent. In addition, some of the other bands set to perform this year are the incredible Lamont Landers and Trotline. Lamont Landers is a soulful singer from the great state of Alabama. He was featured on “America’s Got Talent;” and you can’t help but fall in love with him, just like the AGT judges did. And, of course, Trotline is always a crowd pleaser. They are a cover band that sings plenty of country and rock & roll songs you will surely know.

Ready for a spectacular show

Just as the last band is finishing up, you settle back into your lawn chair and prepare to see one of the most talked about events of the night - the fireworks show. You watch as the children run around and play “tag” and “hide and seek.” You sit with all of your friends, thankful for a community that cares about their people. You share your favorite parts of the day: stopping to hug Mrs. Claudia’s neck when grabbing a cold beer or soft drink, high-fiving Mr. Brian who was helping direct the food trucks coming in, watching pageant director Mrs. Denise and Miss Maggie crown the next beauty queen, and beating Mayor Joslin in a round of cornhole. As you reflect back on all of your favorite parts of the day, your attention is quickly brought back to the fireworks show as the first of many fireworks explode overhead. It is truly a remarkable show concluding with an impressive finale. SugarFest was created in 2019 by a group of locals who wanted to have an event the whole community could enjoy, proudly embrace and to which they could invite their friends and family. The slogan they came up with was “Life is sweeter at SugarFest.” And, it certainly is! This is our family, and it can be your family too. Whether or not you are from Arab, we invite you to one of North Alabama’s jewels of the year. SugarFest is an all-day event for the entire family and set to take place on September 3, 2022. I hope you are able to get a small taste of how incredibly special this event is and how much we want you to come and enjoy life with us. We look forward to seeing you all there and will welcome you with open arms and a big glass of sweet tea!

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| Arab EC | Minutes of Annual Meeting Arab Electric Cooperative, Inc. Saturday, August 21, 2021 Arab High School Auditorium As required in Article II, Section 1 of the By-Laws of the Arab Electric Cooperative, the Annual Meeting of the Membership was held on August 21, 2021, the fourth Saturday in August, at the Arab High School Auditorium. The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am by the President of the Board of Trustees, Charles Whisenant. The Board President announced that, counting the mail-in ballots received, a quorum was achieved for the Annual Meeting. The Board President then called on board attorney Clint Maze to give the invocation and Board Member Bill Stricklend to lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag. Following the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, the Board President then welcomed all in attendance, thanked the employees of the Cooperative, and thanked the Board Members for their service for the previous year. After a few additional brief remarks, the Board President then turned the meeting over the Board Attorney to conduct the remainder of the Annual Meeting. Clint Maze, returned to the podium and introduced the Board of Directors, to wit: District #1 District #4 District #7 Janet Bright, Term #1 Bill Stricklend, Term #1 Nathan Clark, Term #1 Term Expires 2022 Term Expires 2022 Term Expires 2023 District #2 Chris Hemphill, Term #1 Term Expires 2023

District #5 Tyler Barnes, Term #1 Term Expires 2023

District #8 Charles W. Whisenant, Term #1 Term Expires 2021

District #3 District #6 District #9 Dianne Prestridge, Term #1 Charlie Griffin, Term #1 Ty Smith,Term #2 Term Expires 2021 Term Expires 2021 Term Expires 2022 On the Ballot for this Annual Meeting was the election of trustees for Districts 3, 6 and 8. Also on the Ballot is the Proposed Amendment of the By Laws proposed by the Board of Trustees on May 24, 2021. There were 13,263 ballots that were mailed to members. 2,631 ballots were mailed into Survey & Ballot Systems prior to the meeting and 53 ballots were received in person, for a total of 2,684 received. The Board Attorney then called for a motion to dispense with the reading of the notice of the 2020 Annual Meeting. The motion was received and duly seconded, and the motion carried by voice vote. The Board Attorney then called for a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the of the 2020 Annual Meeting. The motion was received and duly seconded, and the motion carried by voice vote. The Board Attorney then announced that there was no old/unfinished business for the membership to consider and open the floor for new business. There were no items raised as new business. The Board Attorney then called on the General Manager, Stacey White, to provide the membership with a financial update and give a report on the accomplishments of the previous year. The General Manager came to the podium and presented the financial report for the 2020-2021 fiscal year and reported on the major projects undertaken in the last fiscal year. Following the General Manager’s update, the Board Attorney then called for the introduction of the candidates by Archie Anderson, while the final vote count was being tallied and certified.

The Candidates who qualified were: District 3 Dianne Prestridge

District 6 Charlie Griffin Jeff “Preacher” Warren

District 8 David Parsons Charles W. Whisenant

Proposed By Law Amendent

Do you support adopting the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) proposed by-law amendments, which were revised and approved by the Arab Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees on May 24, 2021 to be presented to the full membership for vote? A complete copy of the NRECA proposed By Law Amendments can be picked up at the Arab Electric Cooperative Headquarters, can be mailed to any member by request made by calling (256) 586-3196, or emailed to any member by sending an email request to customerservice@arab-electric.org.

These ballot items were required to be voted on in the 2021 Annual Meeting.

Following the reading of the candidate biographies, Mr. Dick Berg of Survey & Ballot Systems presented the election results. Based on the certified vote totals, Dianne Prestridge was reelected with 2,192 votes, Jeff “Preacher” Warren was elected with 1,323 votes to 1,265 votes received by Charlie Griffin, and Charles Whisenant was reelected with 1,731 votes to 805 votes received by David Parsons. The Proposed By-Law Amendments passed with 1,318 voting to approve and 319 voting to reject. The Board Attorney then thanked Mr. Dick Berg for his services. Following the presentation of the vote totals, Mr. Dick Berg drew for the door prizes. With no other business to come before the membership, the Board Attorney called for a motion to adjourn. The motion was received and duly seconded, and the motion carried by voice vote.

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| Alabama Snapshots |

My Boat Anchored off New Bight, Cat Island, in The Bahamas. Our boat’s name: Rainbow’s End. SUBMITTED by Alfred Coombe, Foley.

Spent many hours enjoying my boat and catching fish. SUBMITTED by Dewitt Scott, Slocomb.

Graves family enjoying Lake Martin. Krystle, Brianna, Braxton, Kenedi, Kenley, Kage, Maddox and Kenneth. SUBMITTED by Kamie Graves, Opelika.

Grandkids on the pontoon boat in the Warrior River. SUBMITTED by Tammy Collins Brand, Oak Grove.

October theme: “Cotton Fields” Deadline to submit: August 31 Online: alabamaliving.coop Mail: Attn: Snapshots P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 Alabama Living

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Just my speed! SUBMITTED by Melissa Manjone, Silverhill.

SUBMIT to WIN $10! RULES: Alabama Living will pay $10 for photos that best match our

theme of the month. Photos may also be published on our website at alabamaliving.coop and on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Alabama Living is not responsible for lost or damaged photos. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to have photos returned. AUGUST 2022 9

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Spotlight | August

Find the hidden dingbat!

Co-op representatives visit with lawmakers in D.C. Directors and managers of Alabama rural electric cooperatives met with members of the state’s congressional delegation, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, in Washington, D.C., in June to discuss issues important to the electric cooperative industry.

Endangered historical sites sought for Places in Peril Each year, the Places in Peril program calls public attention to a select number of Alabama’s threatened historical and archeological sites. Places in Peril is a listing of some of these properties and seeks to raise awareness of them in an effort to create meaningful solutions and generate support for their preservation. If there’s an irreplaceable historic building or site in your area threatened by demolition or neglect, this may be your opportunity to save it. Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2022. Each submission will be evaluated for its significance and level of threat. Through a partnership, the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust have created this program to become a catalyst for preservation. Alabama Heritage magazine publishes the Places in Peril listing each year. For more information, visit ahc.alabama.gov and click on “protect and serve” and click “Places in Peril.”

A good night’s rest important for job safety Sleep deprivation can be more than a nuisance during the workday. Healthy sleep patterns ensure safe practices in all aspects of daily living. The safety staff of the Alabama Rural Electric Association notes these hazards associated with sleep deprivation: Responses are delayed; higher risk of making errors; judgment can be affected; can lead to poor communication; and can affect your mood. Some tips to increase good sleep: maintain a healthy diet; exercise regularly; and limit time on electronic devices prior to going to sleep. Whether it’s driving, operating machinery or basic interactions with co-workers and consumer-members, sleeping well increases daily success. 10 AUGUST 2022

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We probably received more phone calls and emails (and even comments on our Facebook page!) about June’s hidden dingbat than any other. Several folks accused us forgetting to hide it. But we did, and we admit, it was a hard one and not easily seen without some magnification. The airplane was “flying” on the hook of the fishing lure on Page 48. Congratulations to the 55 readers who actually found it, and to the randomly drawn winners Randy and Debbie McKinley of Atmore, members of Southern Pine EC, who said they had to use a magnifying glass to spot it. At least one reader, 9-year-old Bronner Nyberg of Wetumpka, found it quickly, reports Amanda Nyberg. But several of you wrote to us about your repeated efforts to find the plane, including David L. Ihde of Opp, who thought he spotted it in a photo on page 34 in the bushes, or on the earrings on Judy Snead on Page 23. “Finally after looking at the picture of the fishing lure about 50 times, I noticed the dingbat on the left side of the metal hook at the head of the lure. A truly excellent hide and a real challenge to find!” Don Henby of Andalusia described it as “perhaps your most devious concealment to date. I usually find it soon, but this time was hard so I decided to enter for the first time.” For the July issue, we took it easier on you readers! The hotdog was in plain view in the photo of the musicians on Page 16. Congratulations to our randomly drawn winner, Jenell Fuller of Elba, a member of Covington EC. This month, we’ve hidden a chocolate chip cookie, in recognition of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Month, so get yourself one for a snack and start looking! Remember, it won’t be in an ad and it won’t be on Pages 1-8. Sponsored by

By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.com www.alabamaliving.coop

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August | Spotlight

Take us along! We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving. coop. Be sure to include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo.We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.

Whereville, AL

The Gresham children of Loxley took their magazine on a short annual apple picking trip to Fort Mountain in north Georgia. They are members of Baldwin EMC.

Susan and John Rutledge of Ider, members of Sand Mountain EC, recently visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and took their magazine along.

Matthew & Julie Timberlake of Enterprise carried their magazine with Buc-ee’s on the cover to a real Buc-ee’s in Terrell, Texas. They are members of Covington EC.

Russ and Phyllis Porter took their magazine on a trip to Mystic, Connecticut, where they saw the statue of John J. Kelley, US National Marathon champion, Olympian, and 2002 Hall of Fame inductee. They are members of Baldwin EMC. David Butler and Sue Suggs from Lincoln, members of Coosa Valley EC, traveled to the Dry Tortugas National Park and took Alabama Living along. The park and Fort Jefferson are 70 miles west of Key West, Florida.

Alabama Living

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Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Send a photo of an interesting or unusual landmark in Alabama, which must be accessible to the public. A reader whose photo is chosen will also win $25. July’s answer: The “globe,” as it’s known, sits along Highway 11 between Fort Payne and Collinsville, in the Collbran community. It’s permanently mounted in front of Little River Outfitters, owned by Kennith Wigley and his daughter. (Note: Internet searches for Little River Outfitters will direct you to an unrelated Tennessee business.) Reached by phone at his business, Wigley gave Alabama Living the background on the interesting landmark. As many readers noted, the globe is related to the Shriners organization. Lettering on one side of the globe says, “The man with the red fez is on top of the world.” Wigley says originally there was a life-size statue of a Shriner on top, but it has not been found. The globe was originally located at the Southeastern Shrine command in Florida, and “a tornado got it and sent it across Florida,” Wigley says. A collector friend of Wigley came across the globe at some point. Wigley, himself a Shriner, bought it from the friend about 20 to 25 years ago, who had it transported in pieces to northeast Alabama. He had the pieces bolted together and bolted to a concrete pad; fortunately, no tornadoes have taken it away since. “We’ve been lucky,” Wigley says with a chuckle. He’s had the map and the lettering repainted three times so far and is getting ready to have it repainted again to battle the wear and tear from the elements. He says people stop to take photos of the landmark almost daily. The winner for the June contest (the Jesse Owens sculpture) is Mardre Williams of Central Alabama EC. The randomly drawn correct guess winner for the “globe,” the July landmark, is Leslie Gibbins of Southern Pine EC. AUGUST 2022 11

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Photo conte 2022

big thank you to all the talented Alabama Living readers who entered our sixth annual photo contest this year! More than 150 photos were entered by photographers from all parts of the state, from the mountains of north Alabama to the sun-kissed Baldwin County beaches. We asked for and accepted entries on our website from May 1-31, and you answered the call. As in past years, we asked for photos in one of four categories: Alabama Travels, Animals, People and Seasons. We limited the entries to two per category, per photographer, so each photogra-

pher could enter up to eight photos total. Each first-place winner gets $100, and many of the honorable mentions are shown in the following pages. But really, the winners are all of our readers who get to see some of the photographic talents of our state’s residents. Our judge, Julie Bennett, is an award-winning photojournalist based in central Alabama. She is on staff at the Media Production Group at Auburn University and teaches photojournalism in the College of Liberal Arts.

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ntest

First place

ANIMALS Arthur Davis, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: The composition of this photo is spectacular, with the curve of the branch and the angle of the bird. The colors are eyecatching and the detail is sharp.

Honorable mention

PEOPLE Lindsey Green, Arab EC; photo of her grandmother, Ozell Green Judge’s comment: Super nice portrait. The honesty and detail in her face make for an interesting shot and I instantly want to know more about her.

Honorable mention

ANIMALS Susan Allison, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: I love the composition of this photo. It focuses on a part of the butterfly we don’t often think about because we are usually distracted by that beautiful wingspan.

Alabama Living

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First place

SEASONS Brent Eanes, Theodore, Ala. Judge’s comment: The lighting in this photo is amazing. I love that the photographer took this photo from the shadow side, giving that caterpillar a glow and providing us with a view of spring we don’t often see.

Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Arthur Davis, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: What a great angle! Very unique take on how to enjoy one of Alabama’s lakes. Well done.

Honorable mention

SEASONS Anjana Henry, Joe Wheeler EMC Judge’s comment: I can’t help being chilly just looking at this one. The frozen pyramid framing the blue bird is a super nice touch along with the icicles. 14 AUGUST 2022

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Alabama Living

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Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Drew Senter, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: This is simply beautiful. The shadows and highlights captured here really do magic hour justice. Lovely detail.

Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Kacy Sloat, Clarke-Washington EMC Gracie Sloat, 10 Judge’s comment: I feel like I’m there, or at least wishing I was. Nice work on the exposure here … that snow white sand can be difficult to work with in the midday sun.

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First place ALABAMA TRAVELS Carlee Davis, Tallapoosa River EC Chad Greene and Sarah Grace Chapman Judge’s comment: There is so much energy and action packed into this frame. Nice work stopping all that motion and I love the natural late-afternoon light filtering in behind them.

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Alabama Living

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Alabama centenarian

nationally recognized for unique WWII service By Minnie Lamberth

o say that Romay Johnson Davis has led an interesting months,” the museum’s Silver Service Medallion description notlife would be an understatement of the century – and that ed. “Davis and her 6888th Battalion colleagues sorted, repackwouldn’t even cover the amount of time she has been on aged, and redirected an average of 5.85 million pieces of correthis earth. spondence per month. In comparison, another unit processed “I enjoyed, I guess, just about everything I’ve ever done,” the only 624,000 pieces in December 1944. The 6888th’s high pro102-year-old Montgomery resident says. “I have lots of memoductivity continued in Rouen and Paris, France.” ries, lots of special memories of special people.” Davis’ primary responsibility was still as a driver, in both EnDavis is one of six surviving members of an all-Black Women gland and France. “When an officer needed to go somewhere, one Army Corps (WAC) unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory of the drivers would take them,” she says. However, she also sortBattalion, which deployed overseas in 1945 to sort a backlog of ed mail when not on the road. “That’s what we were there for, to mail for servicemen far from home. The six are slated to receive a get the mail situated and on its way to the men.” Congressional Gold Medal, thanks to The unit was deactivated when it legislation signed by President Biden returned to the states. Yet Davis had in March 2022. many more years of accomplishments As the oldest survivor, Davis reahead of her. While in New York, ceived a Silver Service Medallion in she met and married Jerry Davis, a June from the National WWII MuseLowndes County native who was a um during a ceremony in New Orlecarpenter for the New York subway ans. According to the museum website, system. She also graduated from New the medallion is awarded to “veterans York’s Traphagen School of Fashion and those with a direct connection to and embarked on a 30-year career in World War II who have served our fashion design with Glen of Michigan, country with distinction and continue a children’s clothing manufacturer. “I to lead by example.” That’s a descriplearned a lot about fashion, how to tion that fits her well. make patterns, put them together,” she Born Oct. 29, 1919, Davis grew up in says. “I guess I had a knack for design, King George County, Virginia, as the making things. It was easy – very, very only girl among five brothers. She was interesting.” She later earned a master’s working in Washington, D.C., at the degree in education from New York U.S. Mint when World War II began, University and also worked in real esand shortly after that, all her brothers tate. had joined the military. “When I was When her husband retired in 1999, the last one left, I asked if I could go Davis moved with him back to his too,” Davis recalled. She become part home state of Alabama, and she still of the newly created Women’s Army stayed busy. She earned a TaekwonCorps, attending boot camp at Camp do black belt in her 70s, and after her Breckinridge in Kentucky. husband passed away, she went back There, she trained to become a drivto work at a Winn-Dixie grocery store er. It seemed like a better choice than when she was 80 years old and worked her other options. “I grew up in the Romay Davis, 102, was honored with the Silver Service part-time until age 101. “I enjoyed becountry, with sheep and flowers and Medallion at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans ing at the store,” she says. in June. Here she’s shown with one of the student animals and birds,” she explains. “I leadership award recipients at the ceremony. In addition to national recognitions, like the outdoors.” So when she was Davis has also been celebrated in her PHOTO COURTESY THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM asked what she wanted to do, she said, adopted hometown. For her 101st “I don’t want to clerk. I don’t want to cook. I don’t want to clean birthday in 2020, she was the honoree of a parade that culminata house unless I have to. So driving is the only thing left.” As a ed with the reading of commendations from Gov. Kay Ivey and result, she spent a lot of her military service outdoors. a proclamation from Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed declaring Davis was assigned to serve in a specialized unit made up of her birthday as “Romay Davis Day.” 855 African-American women who were given the task of sorting Southeastern Groceries, Inc., the parent company of Winn two years’ worth of backlogged mail. They started in February Dixie grocery stores, also named the Romay Davis Belonging, 1945 in Birmingham, England, and worked around the clock to Inclusion and Diversity Grant in her honor. The company will sort nearly 18 million pieces of mail in a record-breaking effort. announce grant recipients shortly before Oct. 29, when Davis will “The Army gave them six months, and they did it in only three turn 103.

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Alabama Living

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FA L L F O OT BA L L F OR E C A ST

In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr made a profound statement: “The more that things change, the more they stay the same.” Old Jean-Baptiste must have been watching the SEC Network. There have been three major changes in Southern college football in the last 55 years. In the late 60s, the recruitment and signing of African American athletes improved and changed the direction of college football forever. The other two changes happened in the last couple of years: the open transfer portal and the advent of N.I.L. (Name, Image and Likeness). This fall, Alabama will have four new offensive transfer starters who started last year at Georgia Tech, Vandy, Louisville and Georgia. Their best corner started last fall at LSU. The rich get richer when you mix these players with top-ranked recruiting classes. In a touch of irony, Auburn may start a transfer quarterback from Texas A&M who beat Bama after they lost Bo Nix to the transfer portal and Oregon. Game program sales are expected to be high just to keep up with the roster changes. N.I.L. has allowed the athletes to “cash in” on their social media popularity. Basically, the NCAA has taken the NASCAR approach: “Have at it boys!” Some players are legally earning hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, in some corners, a bidding war has ensued for players. 2021 ALABAMA Recap: Nick Saban has brought the Tide program to the point that anything EXCEPT winning the National Championship is a disappointing season. Last year, for the first time in 25 tries, one of his former assistant coaches beat the former boss when Jimbo Fisher’s A&M Aggies won in College Station. Bama went on to beat Georgia for the SEC championship only to lose the Natty to former assistant Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. Quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. His Heisman moment was the final drive against Auburn in the Iron Bowl for the win. 2021 AUBURN Recap: First year coach Bryan Harsin led the Tigers to a 6-7 record that could very easily have been a 10-win season. There were only two noncompetitive games: Georgia and Texas A&M. Failure to “finish” cost the Tigers in four of the losses. A questionable failed fade pass from the 2-yard line against Penn State. Lost 28-20. Against South Carolina, going for 4th and 1 in the 2nd quarter, leading by 7. Incomplete pass. Lost 2117. Against Alabama, sacked Bryce Young 7 times but allowed him to drive the length of the field and convert 4th downs. If Auburn makes a first down on 3rd and 1 from the 37-yard line, they are rolling Toomer’s Corner. Bama wins in 4 overtimes, 24-22. Against Houston in the Birmingham Bowl, the Tigers needed just one stop for a winning season. Lost 17-13. 20 AUGUST 2022

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SEC Prediction: In the last 15 years, the gap between the favorites in each division has never been wider. Alabama in the West and Georgia in the East have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack. In the past, you could predict that one of the divisions was going to be a tossup. Not this year. SEC East Prediction: 1. Georgia 2. Kentucky 3. Tennessee 4. Florida 5. South Carolina 6. Missouri 7. Vandy. The battle is for the runner-up position. Kentucky is solid. The Vols are on the rise but have to play Bama. How long will it take Billy Napier to get the Gators on the right path? SEC West Prediction: 1. Alabama 2. Texas A&M 3. Ole Miss 4. Arkansas 5. LSU 6. Auburn 7. Mississippi State. Bama has October 8 circled, when A&M comes to town. The Aggies have recruited great but must get more consistent. Ole Miss will be the surprise team due to all the transfers. Alabama Outlook: The Tide will enter the fall as the number 1 team in every poll. Why? They have the reigning Heisman Trophy quarterback; the most dominating defensive player in Will Anderson; the Greatest Coach of All Time in Nick Saban. The schedule is favorable with A&M in Tuscaloosa. The defense has a chance to get back to the dominating days of the past. 12-0. SEC champion. Auburn Outlook: In an unusual schedule, the Tigers play their first 5 games at home. They have to be at least 4-1 when they travel the next week to Georgia. Running back Tank Bigsby is one of the best in the SEC when he stays healthy. Owen Pappoe has to step up as the defensive leader. Auburn fans are going to get more restless if programs like A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss and LSU pass them by. 7-5 record. CFP Playoffs: Pencil in Alabama and Ohio State. The other 2 slots will be between Georgia, Clemson, Utah, and Notre Dame. Prediction: Bama beats Clemson in Peach Bowl. Ohio State beats Utah in the Fiesta Bowl. Alabama beats Ohio State for the National Championship 37-24. Rammer Jammer once again! Brad Bradford is a former football staff member at Alabama and Louisville. His wife Susan Moseley Bradford is a former Auburn cheerleader. His blogs can be found at hairinabiscuit. com. Brad is also an author and motivational speaker. Contact him at coachbradbradford@gmail.com

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Alabama Living

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| Gardens |

Watering wisely will help your lawn and garden through a hot summer Water of course is essential not just for our lawns and gardens but for all life on Earth, so it’s important to use this precious natural resource in a careful, sustainable way. Judicious water usage also saves us time and money. But developing a smart, affordable irrigation plan seemed intimidating to me until I couched it in terms of plants, soils and equipment. Water requirements vary among plant species and their locations in the landscape, which means a single yard may have a variety of different irrigation needs. For example, the bank of mop-head hydrangeas planted in a sunny, dry spot along my carport and the herbs growing in pots on my patio need frequent watering to survive. In contrast, the well-established oak-leaf Well-placed drip irrigation can deposit water directly onto hydrangeas growing in a shady the roots of plants rather than on their foliage. spot near my house, my beds PHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM of native wildflowers and even ack in June when the weather was the warm-season grasses in my lawn rareespecially hot and dry and my house ly, if ever, need watering. Knowing this, was full of grandchildren, I pulled I set up hoses and sprinklers based on out an old oscillating sprinkler thinking zones, which has made watering more I’d efficiently water my plants and my much convenient and efficient. grandkids at the same time. It was soon Soil types also impact watering choices, obvious that the sprinkler was fine enterand a single yard may include an assorttainment for the children but far from adment of different soil types and condiequate for my plants. tions. My landscape has areas of clay and The device’s arching sweep of water sand but also spots naturally rich in orcertainly cooled off the kiddos but more ganic matter. By knowing which soil types droplets wafted off into the air than landare where, I adjusted the rate and pressure ed on the lawn or surrounding plants and of my irrigation equipment so water didn’t hardly any of that moisture reached the run off or run through the soils too quickplants’ roots where it was needed most. ly. I also used mulches to increase water Imagining the summer ahead would be retention around the base of some plants hot and possibly droughty, I decided it and I plan to amend my soils with organic was time to up my irrigation game. matter this fall.

Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.

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Correction in July column: Endangered green pitcher plants are found only in five northeast Alabama counties (Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson and Marshall).

Technology, too, is important, and it has improved exponentially since I bought that old sprinkler head. These days we have access to high-tech automated systems and smart controllers that can help us time irrigation applications based on factors such as rainfall and soil moisture. And a variety of more efficient hoses and sprinklers are also available to make manual irrigation easier and more effective. I’ve been making small investments in better equipment, which I hope will provide big returns. By understanding the importance of these three factors, we can all develop wiser watering plans for the rest of this year and into the future. If you want to delve deeper into those plans, check out the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Alabama Smart Yard Landscape page at aces.edu, and click on “topics,” then “landscaping.” Also see a posting on drought tolerant landscapes. For personal advice, contact your county Extension office or Master Gardeners group or talk to someone with your local water utility office for guidance. In the meantime, here are a few simple ways to water wisely without making a huge investment of time or money. • Water in the early morning (preferably 4 to 7 a.m.). • Place irrigation hoses and sprinklers to deposit water directly onto the roots of plants rather than on their foliage. • Ensure sprinklers are watering plants (and possibly grandchildren) rather than concrete and asphalt. • Repair leaks in hoses, sprinklers and irrigation systems and around spigot connections. • Group plants with similar watering needs together whenever possible. • Replace thirsty plants, including lawn grasses, with native and drought-tolerant species. • Use natural mulches in garden beds and around newly planted trees and shrubs to retain more soil moisture.

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Alabama Living

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SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security is ready when you’re ready to retire

hen you think you’re ready to retire, we’re here to help you make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits. You should decide based on your individual and family circumstances. Would it be better for you to start getting benefits early with a smaller monthly amount over a longer period? Or perhaps wait for a larger monthly payment over less time? The answer is personal and depends on several factors, such as your current and anticipated cash needs, health, and your family history on longevity. Most importantly, you should study your future financial needs and obligations, and estimate your future Social Security benefit. The best and easiest way to estimate your future Social Security benefits is with a personal my Social Security account. You can create your free account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Use your account to see how much you might receive each month based on the age Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.

August Across 1 Barbecue sauce popular in North Alabama (3 words) 8 “___ made some beans” 10 Goes with 5 down, 2 words 12 Loudspeaker system 14 Alabama _____, cocktail 17 Indian corn 18 Banana _____ (desserts) 21 Includes in a recipe 24 ____ ____ tomatoes, 2 words 28 Added line to a letter, abbr. 30 Barbecue offering 32 Yellowhammer drink ingredient 33 Much-used greens in Alabama dishes 34 Cake featured on our May cover 35 Cooks in a way Down 1 Creates a dish quickly, 2 words 2 Cocktail addition 3 Distinct period 4 Well-known beer, in slang 5 Iconic Southern dish, goes with 10 across 6 Not tasted yet 7 Former 9 Actor Kilmer of ‘’Top Gun’’ 11 Compass direction, abbr. 13 Sushi offerings 15 Kid’s pie stuff 16 Tractor-trailer 19 Preserved, in a way (with fruit) 20 Complain to 22 Guacamole or fondue, e.g. 23 Red wine 24 Top pick, informally 25 Water bird 24 AUGUST 2022

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at which you want to start receiving benefits. We encourage you to weigh all the factors carefully before deciding when to begin receiving Social Security benefits. This decision affects the monthly benefit amount you will receive for the rest of your life and may affect benefits for your survivors.

Social Security’s online retirement resources

Whether you’re ready to learn about, apply for, or manage your retirement benefits, our online resources make it easy for you to find the information you need. How easy? You can do it from your computer, tablet, and even smartphone! On our website, you can: • Get our publications. • Estimate your benefits with one of our many calculators. • Find your Full Retirement Age. • Learn about benefits for a spouse and family members. • Apply for benefits. • Mange your benefits once you start receiving them. You and your loved ones can discover all these resources at ssa. gov/retirement.

crossword 26 Red or black beans’ partner 27 Zero

by Myles Mellor 29 Fries, salad, etc. 31 Rich cake with rum

Answers on Page 37 www.alabamaliving.coop

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Around Alabama

SEPTEMBER

2-4

Bessemer Gem and Mineral Show, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Bessemer Civic Center, 1130 Ninth Ave. SW. $5 adults, $3 teens and under 12 free. Browse through more than 100 tables of unique gem, mineral and fossil specimens from a variety of vendors. Search the event’s page on Facebook.

Arab SugarFest 2022, Arab City Park. Morning begins with Sugar Rush 5K run, which leads into the marketplace arts and crafts juried vendors show. Food trucks on site all day. Cornhole tournament, Miss SugarFest Pageant, Sweetie Pie kids’ area and more. Classic car cruise-in and live music on stage begins at 4 p.m. Night ends with fireworks show. ArabCity.org or see the event’s page on Facebook.

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival will be Aug. 19-20.

AUGUST

5-6

Cullman Rock the South, York Farms, 1872 County Road 469. Known as “The Biggest Party in the South,” this two-day concert event features country music star headliners Morgan Wallen and Alabama, as well as other music acts including Hardy, Jamey Johnson, Koe Wetzel, Jimmie Allen and Colt Ford. RockTheSouth.com

5-6

Athens 30th annual Piney Chapel American Farm Heritage Days, 20147 Elkton Road. Sponsored by the Piney Chapel Antique Engine and Tractor Association, this family event will include antique power exhibits, a tractor ride and fish fry on Friday and wheat threshing exhibits. $5 admission; 12 and under free. Free parking. Gates open at 7 a.m. Search for the public group on Facebook.

5-6

Killen Killen Founder’s Day at Killen Park. The town’s version of a block party has fun for the entire family, including music, food and a car show from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

5-14

Opelika Opelika Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s “Newsies,” Southside Center for the Arts, 1103 Glenn St. The musical is inspired by the real-life 1899 Newsboy Strike and captures the strength of young people when they join together and stand up to injustice. OpelikaTheatreCompany.com

Dothan Wiregrass Museum of Art’s Yard Party for Art. The museum’s annual art, music and tech festival on the museum grounds. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the first music act at 6:30 p.m.; music continues until 10:30-11 p.m. Enjoy the art installations at the museum as well as yard games and an energetic lineup of original music. Food and drink vendors will be onsite. Presale tickets are $20 until Aug. 10. YardPartyForArt.com Alabama Living

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Mobile USS Alabama living history crew drill, USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, 2703 Battleship Parkway. Every other month, historical re-enactors dress in WWII period uniforms to demonstrate what life aboard ship was like during wartime. Check ussalabama.com to confirm drill date or call 800-GANGWAY.

19-20

Russellville 41st annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival. This free family event in downtown includes food, vendors, a car and truck show, 5K and one-mile fun run, tractor show and kids’ area with rides and games. Live music each evening on the main stage. And of course, plenty of watermelon to eat and associated contests. 256-332-1760 or FranklinCountyChamber.org

26-27

Troy 30th annual Pike County Cattlemen Rodeo, Cattleman Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday with the rodeo at 7:30; gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday, with a family Western festival at 5 p.m. and rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $10 in advance or $12 at the door; 12 and under free with accompanying adult. PikeCountyCattlemen.org

Fyffe UFO Day, Fyffe Town Park, 9 a.m. This annual event features a full day of musical entertainment, food and craft vendors, children’s activities and inflatables, antique tractors, cars and bikes and hot air balloons. Search for the event on Facebook.

Montgomery fifth annual Hog Days of Summer BBQ and Music Festival, 2 p.m. at Union Station Train Shed, sponsored by the Druids Charity Club. Music on two stages, spanning blues, country, rock and Americana influences. Barbecue from the River Region’s best restaurants. See the event’s Facebook page.

4-5

Cullman Smith Lake Park Sweet Tater Festival. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday (Labor Day). Live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors and of course sweet taters both days. Car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. Admission $5 per person, and armband allows for entry both days. Search for Smith Lake Park or Cullman County Parks on Facebook.

9-10

Huntsville 2022 Whistlestop Festival, John Hunt Park. Festival opens at 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. Multiple barbecue competitions, tastings and live music. WhistlestopWeekend.com or call 256-564-8100.

9-10

Jasper 2022 Foothills Festival, entertainment district of downtown Jasper. 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10:30 pm. Saturday. Live music begins at 5 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday; headliner is the Drive-By Truckers at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. FoothillsJasper.com

23-25

Springville Homestead Hollow Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn about early Alabama history and pioneer living with live demonstrations about wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, tours of original cabins and more. Plenty of children’s activities and food vendors on site. HomesteadHollow.com Call or verify events before you make plans to attend. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, some events may change or be canceled after press time.

To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving.coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations. Like Alabama Living on facebook

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| Consumer Wise |

Ready, set, (your) thermostat!

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer when you are home and awake, and warmer at night or when away.

Smart thermostats are easy to program, can learn your preferences and set a schedule that automatically adjusts the temperature. PHOTOS COURTESY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY Resources

Q: A:

schedule that automatically adjusts the temperature. Some have geofencing, which adjusts the temperature based on the distance your smartphone is from home.

How do I operate my thermostat to use less energy and still be comfortable?

Heating and cooling account for about half the energy used in a typical home, so it’s a great place to use less energy. When used wisely, your thermostat can help reduce wasted energy. Here’s some information on thermostat types, common operational misconceptions and best practices you can start today.

Types of thermostats

Mechanical thermostats are easy to control by adjusting a dial or sliding switch. The downfall is you must make temperature adjustments manually, which is easy to forget. They are inefficient because they typically heat or cool the home beyond the set point. If your cooling is set to 72 degrees, a mechanical thermostat may actually cool your home to 70 degrees before it turns off, wasting energy. Then it might not come on again until the home reaches 74 degrees. That four-degree temperature change is noticeable and can lead people to adjust the thermostat setting down even more, which wastes more energy. Also, some mechanical thermostats contain mercury. You can determine that by removing the front plate and looking for small glass bulbs. If your thermostat contains mercury, replace it and find a way to properly recycle it. Digital thermostats are more accurate, efficient and some are programmable, which is a great option for people who don’t have internet or don’t want their thermostat data tracked. Smart thermostats—which require an internet connection— are Wi-Fi-enabled and can be controlled using a smartphone app. Programming is easier, and you can track and manage use and temperature data. However, that data is shared with the manufacturer. Smart thermostats can learn your preferences and set a Miranda Boutelle is the vice president of operations and customer engagement at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She also writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives.

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Misconceptions about thermostats

A common misconception is the higher you turn your thermostat up or down, the faster your home’s temperature will change. Turning your thermostat down to 55 degrees to cool your home faster is like repeatedly pushing the elevator button and expecting it to come faster. It’s likely you will forget you adjusted it and waste energy by over heating or cooling the home. Set your desired temperature for heating and cooling or program your thermostat so you don’t make extreme adjustments. Many people believe it takes more energy to heat or cool a house instead of leaving it the same temperature. The larger the temperature variance between inside and outside, the more energy your system uses. Setting your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day can save up to 10% a year on your energy bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Best practices

Use these heating and cooling tips from the DOE to add efficiency and savings to your home: • Set it to 78 degrees in the summer when you are home and awake, and warmer at night or when away. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter when you are home and awake, and cooler at night or when you are away. • Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature throughout the day and when you leave the house. • When on vacation, set your thermostat to 85 degrees in the summer and 55 degrees in the winter. • In the summer, fans allow you to set your thermostat about 4 degrees warmer without feeling it. Remember, fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave a room. Use your thermostat to optimize energy efficiency and find a balance between comfort and affordability. www.alabamaliving.coop

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Alabama Living

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| Outdoors |

Invasive aquatic plant can threaten waterways

he Mobile Area Water and Sewer System closed Big Creek ing all five Gulf Coast states. In Alabama, people first discovered Lake when it discovered giant salvinia growing in the 3,600giant salvinia growing in two ponds in Auburn in 1999. Soon after acre reservoir near Semmes. that, people identified it in the Tallapoosa and Chattahoochee watersheds as well as ponds in Lee, Montgomery, Greene, Pickens, MAWSS officials sprayed the lake with herbicide to kill the noxious plant and built a boat washing facility near the only landing Russell and Sumter counties. on the water-supply reservoir. The impoundment on the EscatawMore recently, researchers detected it in Gainesville Reservoir pa River watershed partially reopened to fishing and boating in and backwater sections of the Tombigbee River. A pond in Autauga County contained a bad infestation. Giant salvinia in the June 2022 after remaining closed for 10 months. People must wash Elk River, which flows into the Tennessee River, probably died out their boats and trailers before launching into Big Creek Lake to from cold. As a tropical plant, giant salvinia thrives in warm water, curtail the spread of the invasive plant. but a hard freeze could kill it. “We sprayed the giant salvinia with an EPA-approved product,” “The occurrence of giant salvinia is sporadic in Alabama,” says Bud McCrory, MAWSS director. “We’ll never get giant salvinia out of the lake completely, but we’re going to try to mitigate Armstrong says. “We eliminated it in certain areas and weather how it spreads. The boat washing will help reduce our risk at some took care of it in other places. We’ve had reports of it in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta in expercentage.” treme southern Alabama. Native to southeastern I would not be surprised if Brazil, this aquatic fern it’s in some backwater argrows extremely rapidly. eas with limited flow in the In ideal conditions, it can delta. It’s a freshwater plant double in size in less than a so it probably can’t handle week and quickly dominate too much salt like in Moportions of any freshwater bile Bay.” system. Once established, The plant probably came giant salvinia chokes out to the U.S. for aquariums native plants and reduces or water gardens. When dissolved oxygen levels in people no longer wanted the water. to maintain an aquarium, “Giant salvinia grows they probably dumped it at such a high rate that it into the nearest stream, shades out the bottom,” pond or lake. In addition, says Dave Armstrong, the flood conditions can overAquatic Nuisance Species flow ponds and water garCoordinator for the Alabama Division of Wildlife Giant salvinia is an aggressive, fast-growing exotic that chokes out native plants and dens, washing the plants and Freshwater Fisheries. can kill everything beneath it that depends on sunlight to survive. into nearby rivers. “It’s amazing how deep this Giant salvinia can surPHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES vive out of water for up to a stuff will grow. It grows to year. In addition, the plant clings to boat hulls and trailers. When where there’s very little sunlight. It grows in layers upon itself until someone launches a boat carrying the plant into another system, it completely fills in a small pond from top to bottom.” the invader multiples prolifically in its new home. People also theOne of the most aggressive aquatic plants, this fast-growing exotic can grow so thick that boats cannot pass. It blocks the sunorize that particles can attach to the legs and feet of wading birds light, killing everything beneath it that depends upon sunlight to like herons and egrets. Once established, the plant rapidly takes survive. over portions of that waterbody. “When giant salvinia covers the surface, it kills the plankton,” “The main way this plant spreads is by sticking to boat hulls Armstrong says. “All fish require plankton, at least when they’re and trailers,” Armstrong says. “It’s so clingy it’s almost like Velcro. young. Small fish, prey for larger fish, eat plankton. If the plant Little eggbeater-like hairs on the leaves grab onto anything. Birds reduces phytoplankton and zooplankton in a system, fish won’t ingest it and spread it that way. Once it gets into a system, spraying get enough food to it.” masses of it is the only way to control it.” To help curb the spread of giant salvinia and other noxious exThis noxious invader currently exists in at least 11 states includotic plants, always wash boats and trailers or anything else before launching into another waterbody. To report giant salvinia infesJohn N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM tations, contact Dave Armstrong at 251-331-7050 or email Dave. Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at j.felsher@ Armstrong@dcnr.alabama.gov. See giant salvinia on outdooralhotmail.com or through Facebook. abama.com and other internet sources.

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DOUG HANNON’S FISH & GAME FORECAST 2022 AUGUST

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

SEPTEMBER

Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

EXCELLENT TIMES A.M.

7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 10:54 - 12:54 11:18 - 1:18 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 A.M.

7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 9:54 - 11:54 10:06 - 12:06 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 3:42 - 5:42 4:30 - 6:30 5:18 - 7:18 6:06 - 8:06 6:54 - 8:54 7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 3:42 - 5:42 4:30 - 6:30 5:18 - 7:18 6:06 - 8:06 6:54 - 8:54 7:42 - 9:42

GOOD TIMES

MOON STAGE

8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 11:18 - 1:18 11:42 - 1:42 12:06 - 2:06 NEW MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18 PM

8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:18 - 12:18 10:30 - 12:30 12:06 - 2:06 NEW MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18 4:06 - 6:06 4:54 - 6:54 5:42 - 7:42 6:30 - 8:30 7:18 - 9:18 8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 12:06 - 2:06 FULL MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18 4:06 - 6:06 4:54 - 6:54 5:42 - 7:42 6:30 - 8:30 7:18 - 9:18 8:06 - 10:06

2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 5:21 - 6:51 5:48 - 7:18 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51

2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 5:45 - 7:15 6:11 - 7:41 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15

2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:21 - 5:51 4:33 - 6:03 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51 10:09 - 11:39 10:57 - 12:27 NA 12:33 - 2:03 1:21 - 2:51 2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51 10:09 - 11:39 10:57 - 12:27 NA 12:33 - 2:03 1:21 - 2:51 2:09 - 3:39

2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:45 - 6:15 4:57 - 6:27 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15 10:33 - 12:03 11:21 - 12:51 12:09 - 1:39 12:57 - 2:27 1:45 - 3:15 2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15 10:33 - 12:03 11:21 - 12:51 12:09 - 1:39 12:57 - 2:27 1:45 - 3:15 2:33 - 4:03

We apologize for the discrepancy in the calendar dates and the days of the week in the forecast charts in last month’s magazine. The dates were correct, although they did not correspond to the correct days of the week. Thanks to the readers who let us know!

The Moon Clock and resulting Moon Times were developed 40 years ago by Doug Hannon, one of America’s most trusted wildlife experts and a tireless inventor. The Moon Clock is produced by DataSport, Inc. of Atlanta, GA, a company specializing in wildlife activity time prediction. To order the 2022 Moon Clock, go to www.moontimes.com. Alabama Living

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| Alabama Recipes |

Primed for

Peppers

Food styling and photos: Brooke Echols

ummer and fall are the prime seasons for fresh peppers, whether you’ve grown them in your garden or picked some up at your local farmer’s market. “They are low in calories and burst in flavor,” says Sheree Taylor, Human Sciences Regional Extension Agent for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. “Peppers can be crisp, sweet or spicy.” Not to mention they come in green, red, orange or yellow colors and sometimes a bit of all four. All colors of peppers have nutritional benefits, Taylor says, but red peppers actually have higher antioxidant and phytonutrient levels, because they are riper. They also supply more potassium, Vitamin C and folate, she adds. But all peppers are nutritious and easy to add to any meal. “People can slice them, eat them raw, grilled, sauteed or roasted. When preparing foods with peppers, be mindful that boiling or cooking them may cause a loss of 50% of the nutrients,” Taylor advises. Instead of boiling or steaming, she recommends dry heat methods such as stir-frying or roasting. “Peppers can bring not only color to our plate, but flavor,” Taylor says. “They are packed with nutrients and can be incorporated in ways that can fit the desires of anyone’s tastebuds.” – Lenore Vickrey Stuffed Pepper Bowl

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7/14/22 12:03 PM

t your lon Agent en, red,

t levels,

When Instead

d in ways

r Bowl

Cook of the Month: Louis Toth, Arab EC

here are many great ways to use peppers in delicious ways. My favorite way is to make Brooke Burks a dish sweet and colorful. In the summer, I like to keep things light and delicious, so using multi-colored bell peppers in dishes is a great way to do that. As pleasing to the eye as the tummy, these peppers quickly steal the show! Enjoy! Find more easy recipes like this one from Brooke at thebutteredhome.com.

Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables 3-4 8-ounce chicken breasts or tenderloins 1 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces 1-2 bell peppers, sliced, any color 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼-½ cup crumbled feta cheese 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken on one end of a sheet pan (parchment paper optional). Dice and prep vegetables and place in a large bowl. Drizzle chicken and vegetables with a bit of olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables next to chicken on the sheet pan, making sure they are in a single layer. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, checking often to stir vegetables or turn chicken. Chicken is done when it reaches internal temperature of 160-165 degrees. Allow to rest before serving. While chicken and vegetables are baking, assemble ingredients for dressing. In a medium bowl, combine minced garlic, lemon juice, oregano and olive oil. Whisk together well. When protein and vegetables are done, arrange as desired on a serving platter. Drizzle dressing over chicken and vegetables right before serving and garnish with feta cheese. Photo by The Buttered Home

Alabama Living

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Like many of us, Louis Toth remembers watching his mother and grandmother cook meals during Louis Toth his growing-up years. “They never wrote anything down,” he says, so using his engineering background, he recreated those favorite childhood dishes and tweaked them to his liking and those of his son’s family in Arab, where Louis moved after retiring from his job in New Jersey. His grandparents emigrated from Hungary, where dishes like stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage rolls were staples in their diet. His winning “Stuffed Peppers” recipe calls for ground pork, which results in a sweeter flavor than the traditional ground beef. He also cooks his peppers on the stove, not the oven. “I enjoy the pork,” he says, and so do his granddaughters, who enjoy helping their granddad in the kitchen. “I also like to make meatballs with a mixture of ground beef and pork. It makes a difference in the taste.”

Stuffed Peppers 5½ quart Dutch oven or stock pot 7 medium-large, green bell peppers (other color peppers are also fine) 1 pound ground pork 1 cup raw, long grain, white rice 2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce 2 cups whole milk or half and half (or more for a creamier sauce) 2 cups water (to adjust sauce thickness) 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika ½ teaspoon Kosher salt Parboil rice to begin. Place rice into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Bring a large pot of water (sufficient to completely cover the raw rice and allow for its expansion during cooking) to boiling. Add rinsed rice, return to boil, then reduce heat to gently parboil the rice for 10 minutes; strain rice, rinse with cold water and let cool. Cut tops off of the peppers and carefully scoop out the seeds and membranes. In a large bowl whisk together the tomato sauce, milk and water. In another large bowl gently mix the pork, cooled rice, paprika, salt and 1/2 cup of the blended sauce together. Stuff the peppers 3/4 full with the meat mixture. (Mixture will expand slightly when cooked.) Place stuffed peppers standing up in a tall pot or Dutch oven. Gently pour the remaining sauce mixture over the peppers to cover. (If you have any leftover filling, you can form them into meatballs and add to the pot.) Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. To serve: Place a pepper in a serving bowl and ladle some sauce over the pepper. Serve with white or rye bread on the side.

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Stuffed Pepper Bowl 1 2 1 1 4 8 1

pound ground beef cups rice, cooked tablespoon olive oil onion, diced bell peppers, chopped ounces mushrooms, chopped 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain 1/2-1 cup beef broth or water 1 15-ounce can black beans (optional) 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more, to taste 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon cilantro 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper Salt and pepper, to taste Cook rice according to package instructions. Brown beef in skillet until cooked. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about five minutes. Add bell pepper and cook until almost soft, about seven minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, cooked beef, broth (or water), black beans if using, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for twenty minutes, adding more broth if it begins to run dry. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Serve immediately over rice. Note: depending on temperature of pan or other factors, you may need more or less broth.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeño Peppers 9 4 1/4 18

jalapeños ounces softened cream cheese cup raspberry preserves slices bacon

Cut the jalapeños in half, scrape the seeds and ribs from the pepper. Combine raspberry preserves and softened cream cheese. Fill each pepper boat with cream cheese and raspberry preserves. Wrap each pepper with bacon and place on a baking pan. Preheat grill to 350 degrees and place peppers on the indirect side of grill for 30 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the cheese bubbly. Kirk Vantrease Cullman EC

Peppers and Onions Skillet 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1/2 yellow green and red bell peppers, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 zucchini squash, chopped 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder Cook meat and drain, then sauté chopped vegetables for 10-15 minutes. Add in one tablespoon oil, add meat back in with seasoning and cook for 10 minutes. Lends Dodd Joe Wheeler EMC

Be creative with your peppers:

• Chop a variety of colors and add to salads with greens, pasta salad or tuna • Saute with onions as a side dish • Add to omelets, quiche or pizza

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Peppers

Kelsey Rumler Wiregrass EC

Holiday Cookie

CONTEST

Calling all bakers! Do you have a favorite holiday cookie recipe or special cookies you take to all the holiday parties and cookie exchanges? Share your favorite holiday cookie recipes with us for a chance to win! Enter online at www.alabamaliving.com. Each entry must include your name, address and phone number as well as the name of your electric cooperative. Entries may also be mailed to Alabama Living Cookie Contest, PO Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Entry deadline is September 2, 2022.

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Submit to win $50!

Recipes can be developed by you or family members. You may even adapt a recipe from another source by changing as little as the amount of one ingredient. Chosen cooks may win “Cook of the Month” only once per calendar year. To be eligible, submissions must include a name, phone number, mailing address and co-op name. Alabama Living reserves the right to reprint recipes in our other publications.

Themes and Deadlines:

November: Turkey leftovers | August 5 December: Holiday Cookie Contest | September 2 January: Kids who cook | October 7

3 ways to submit:

Online: alabamaliving.coop Email: recipes@alabamaliving.coop Mail: Attn: Recipes P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124

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Alabama Living

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34 AUGUST 2022

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| Our Sources Say |

Celebrating hard-working people during the summer heatwaves A

s temperatures continue to soar this summer, TVA and local power companies had six days with energy demand above 30,000 megawatts in June alone. To put that in perspective, one megawatt is enough energy to power 585 homes. For the first time in history, TVA had peak demands above 31,000 MW during a single week in June. Working with local power companies, we were able to ensure our power system in the Valley remained stable, reliable, and resilient at the start of this especially hot summer. Building margins into system planning helps ensure the power grid remains stable and secure during high demand periods, even with the increased load and economic growth seen in the pandemic recovery. According to Jacinda Woodward, senior vice president of TVA’s Power Operations, generating upwards of 30,000 megawatts day after day is not easy, but thanks to a diverse generation portfolio, our dedicated employees managed to maintain reliability day after day. She points out, for example, that using hydro and nuclear assets allowed us to meet the need while keeping costs low. Using simple combustion turbine gas units—which normally serve only peaking power— around the clock helped keep reliability high. According to Greg Henrich, vice president of Transmission Operations and Power Supply, keeping costs low in the face of high demand is a balancing act: “You have to balance between a margin of safety on the system, and maintain low rates by not overpreparing for an extreme event. We have 253 generating assets, so making decisions about which ones we’re going to run and when is a big part of the equation.” Heinrich also notes that the Valley’s transmission system ran efficiently with minimum congestion. He says, “We’ve been running an integrated transmission and generation model for almost 90 years and have TVA employees work to keep air conditioners humming and lights glowing throughout the experience and expertise to perform very well.” the Valley this summer. Both Henrich and Woodward agree that aside from strong asset performance, the key to TVA’s resiliency the needs, and many of us have worked 12- to 14-hour days, day is our hard-working employees. after day, to make sure we were providing optimal power to the Dylan Cornette, a system operator for TVA’s Balancing Augrid,” says Hunter Cason, a coal-hauling foreman at Gallatin Fosthority, spent the heatwave in June running on coffee and adrensil Plant outside Nashville. aline, noting that things were tight and there was a lot to consider “During the triple digit days, we knew our work was helping in dispatching the units we needed to meet the demand. provide reliable power for our friends, families, grandmothers At the plants, pressure was likewise high during the record-setand literally the 10 million people of the Valley who rely on us ting June. when it’s burning hot, freezing cold, or bad weather. We are here “We were moving 10,000 to 13,000 tons of coal a day to meet for them because we believe in the mission of TVA to make life better for people in the Valley.” As high temperatures are expected to continue throughout the Kevin Chandler is the customer relations summer, TVA and local power company teams will remain fodirector, Regional Relations South, for the Tennessee Valley Authority. cused on ensuring electricity remains reliable for the 10 million Valley residents we serve during these extreme conditions. 36 AUGUST 2022

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Illustration by Dennis Auth

| Hardy Jackson's Alabama |

Precious memories, and a few surprises S

ome folks are collectors. My mother and father were accumulators. Daddy was 93 when he claimed his 50-yard-line seat in that great Jordan-Hare Stadium in the sky. Mama was 98 when she joined him. That gave them a lot of time to collect. And they did. Once, and only once, did Daddy let me organize and cull his collection. My wife helped. In his storage shed, we found jars in which he kept balls of twine, seed catalogs, and insecticide long since banned by the EPA. We also found a bunch of empty halfpint whiskey bottles, which were full when he went hunting on a cold winter morning. As we carted off “stuff ” to the dump, I heard Daddy mourn “my treasures, my treasures.” He never let us do a clean-out again. Instead, he saved what he could and told us, with unmasked glee, that we would have to deal with it after he was gone. Harvey H. (Hardy) Jackson is Professor Emeritus at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hhjackson43@gmail.com

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Only we didn’t. We kept it where it was because Mama wanted it that way. As the years passed, she added to the collection. What a collection it was. Daddy’s mother loved stamps, and as her children traveled the world defeating our nation’s enemies and occupying their countries, they sent her letters – stamped. Daddy inherited that passion, so the stamps and envelopes and albums were crammed into a filing cabinet for me to sort through. Like her mother before her, Mama kept a diary – which was mostly a daily account of what they ate, the weather, and who visited. Thrown in were bits of local gossip, and an occasional reference to family doings, good and not-so-good. I found things I could not explain: two Japanese Pesos, currency Japan printed for use in the occupied Philippines. Daddy served in Europe. Who gave him these? A miniature photo of a young man in what appears to be a Confederate uniform. He is holding a wicked looking knife. Who was he? Mama’s senior high picture. Why had I never seen it before? Cute as a button, she was. I know why Daddy cut her out of

the herd. Not that I was surprised. She was Miss Grove Hill of 1934. I know – I found the sash she wore. Then there was the letter Mama wrote to Daddy just after she learned that the attack on Pearl Harbor had changed everything. And tax returns. The accountant told me to keep 7 years, so into the big black trash bags went a decade or more of cancelled checks, receipts, and “thank you for your donation” notes, records of two lives well lived. Among the things they kept was my grandmother’s 1953 application to begin collecting Social Security. The government sent her $26 a month. Not much, but with chickens, a garden in the back yard, family and friends nearby, she got along fine on that. The books my folks accumulated for no purpose other than they enjoyed them were donated to the public library. I also found a list directing me to give such-and-such to so-and-so, which I dutifully did. And I paid off Mama’s pledge to their church. Many precious memories. And even some surprises. www.alabamaliving.coop

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August 2022 Arab

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