Hartselle Living September/October

MAIN STREET WEST GALLERY • COACH WILLIAM BOOTH • HONEY DO FARM

HARTSELLE LIVING September/October 2021

LIFE ON THE HOMESTEAD JOHN AND SARA BETH HAMMONDS LOVE THEIR SIMPLY SOUTHERN HOME IN HARTSELLE

BACKYARD BLISS ANITA BUCKLEY’S PASSION FLOURISHES IN HER ONE-ACRE HOME GARDEN

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FROM THE EDITOR

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I’m often asked about the theme of each issue of Hartselle Living, and aside from this past year’s sesquicentennial magazine and the annual bridal issue, we generally don’t have an overall theme that ties our stories together.

I rather like it that way – but with this issue, I found it interesting that under the surface of three of the stories, there is a common thread.

The remarkable part is that the stories were not chosen based on that common thread, but it exists all the same. In three of the four feature stories in this magazine, love is what ties it all together in the end.

As I sat down with each story subject to learn more about their lives and what drives them, I saw that thread developing in each story. Because of this, I’ve made a personal challenge recently to see more love around me, even in the seemingly mundane times of life.

From the cover story about the Hammonds family and how they enjoy living simply in their farmhouse on East Byrd Road, to the art gallery on Main Street, and then to Anita Buckley’s backyard garden that has been perfectly curated as her sanctuary, this magazine is filled with pockets of peace that tell the stories of what people love in Hartselle and how they are living their best lives every day.

I enjoy writing these stories of my friends and neighbors in Hartselle and hope our readers enjoy the personal touches in each issue. Your compliments do not go unnoticed.

If you know a good story that needs to be told, my email address is below, and I am always looking for the next opportunity for a good conversation.

Thanks for reading,

ON THE COVER

John and Sara Beth Hammonds live on East Byrd Road in Hartselle. Their daughter, Ivy Mae, was born in May. Read more about their farmhouse and family on page 7.

Photo by Jodi Hyde

4 Hartselle Living

rebekah.yancey@hartselleliving.com

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HOME & STYLE

FOOD & DRINK

7 LIFE ON THE HOMESTEAD

27 HONEY DO FARM

John and Sara Beth Hammonds love their simply Southern home in Hartselle

ARTS & CULTURE 15 ART ON MAIN Friends co-found downtown art gallery during pandemic

SCHOOL & SPORTS 21 REFUSING TO QUIT Cancer can’t stop William Booth’s coaching career

Farming dream becomes reality for local family

30 DIY FLAVORING AT HOME

FEATURES 35 BACKYARD BLISS Anita Buckley’s passion flourishes in her one-acre home garden

42 CHAMBER CONNECTIONS 44 OUT & ABOUT

HARTSELLE LIVING

CONTRIBUTORS

STAFF Editorial Rebekah Yancey Alison James Contributors Constance Smith Michelle Blaylock Susan Hayes Rachel Howard

ALISON JAMES, copy editor

Alison James earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Auburn University, graduating in 2012. She began her career in community journalism in Alexander City and Dadeville, followed by a stop in Opelika before landing in north Alabama. She loves sharing the stories – and correcting the grammar of those stories – of the people and places that make north Alabama such a special place.

Russell Frye Mariann Parker Jim Meadows Jennifer Sherwood Marketing Baretta Taylor Anna Baker Terri Haston Administration

CONSTANCE SMITH, writer

Constance Smith is a lifestyle blogger and YouTuber at CosmopolitanCornbread.com.

After 25 years of Army family life, Constance has planted roots here in Hartselle. She now homesteads on her small farm, where she raises heritage breed animals and is focusing on permaculture gardening. In her spare time she enjoys photography, art, kayaking and other outdoor sports.

Beth Jackson

CLIF KNIGHT, writer CONTACT US Hartselle Newspapers, LLC 206 Cedar St. NW P.O. Box 929 Hartselle, AL 35640 Phone: 256-773-6566 info@hartselleliving.com

Clif Knight is a Lineville native and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served from 1953-57. His resume boasts various stints at newspapers and media outlets in Alabama and Mississippi. He is a former part-owner and editor of the Hartselle Enquirer as well as former mayor of the City of Hartselle, serving a four-year term from 2000-04. Knight has been married to Geanell for 63 years, and they have three adult children, three granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.

Hartselle Living is published bimonthly Hartselle Newspapers, LLC. A one-year subscription to Hartselle Living is $16.30 for 6 issues per year.

Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Hartselle area.

To advertise or to get more copies, call 773-6566.

Copyright 2021 by Hartselle Newspapers, LLC

6 Hartselle Living

RACHEL HOWARD, photographer

Rachel Howard is a Hartselle native who is proud to own and run a business in her hometown. Capturing moments on camera allows her to give the gift of memories, and that makes her soul smile. She is an avid fitness-lover and teaches spin classes as a side hobby. She enjoys singing, playing golf with her husband Nick and being a dog mom to Ralphie and Bud.

HOME&STYLE

LIFE ON THE HOMESTEAD John and Sara Beth Hammonds love their simply Southern home in Hartselle WRITTEN BY REBEKAH YANCEY PHOTOS BY RACHEL HOWARD

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John and Sara Beth Hammonds love their simple Southern life. The couple enjoys finding deals at area yard sales and thrift stores and repurposing their finds to meet their family’s needs in their three-bedroom, two-bath home on East Byrd Road.

John bought the home in 2016. The gazebo next to the catfish pond is where he would later propose to Sara Beth, and together they would remodel the house and begin their journey as a new family.

It has taken the Hammonds roughly five years to complete the renovations on their home, with John himself doing much of the work in the evenings and on weekends. “I wanted some new features, but I wanted to mix some of the old in as well,” Sara Beth said of her forever home. “We like the old way of living – living simply and slowly. I feel like that way of life takes you back to a different time, and I want our style to reflect the way we’re trying to live.”

Of her home décor and overall style, Sara Beth said she loves all things bright and airy.

“I find stuff at thrift stores and yard sales all the time,” she said. “Sometimes we’re just in the right place at the right time, and other times we miss all the good deals.

People get rid of stuff and give it to me, and we will end up using it. We just try to live within a budget; we don’t like to spend a lot of money.”

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We like the old way of living – living simply and slowly. I feel like that way of life takes you back to a different time, and I want our style to reflect the way we’re trying to live.

– Sara Beth Hammonds

Greenery graces side tables and curtain rods alike, adding life and fresh air to every room. Plants like pathos are Sara Beth’s favorites; she said the couple learned how to tend a garden by helping their parents and grandparents. This past year during the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time John and Sara Beth planted their own garden. Their kitchen now is often filled with fresh fares from their labor. Sara Beth said fried squash is one of her husband’s favorite side dishes. “My mom has a green thumb, so she has helped me a lot,” Sara Beth added.

The Hammonds celebrated four years of marriage this past month and welcomed daughter Ivy Mae in May. Hartselle Living 11

“She has brought so much joy to our lives in such a short amount of time,” Sara Beth said. “Being her mommy is my favorite thing, and I love watching John be such a good daddy to her. We can’t wait to watch her grow up in this house and play in the garden and with the chickens.”

The nursery is curated with touches of family heirlooms, including the crib that John slept in as a baby.

The rest of the house follows the same motif: a distinct absence of an overall theme but beautiful design and décor woven together seamlessly. “I’ve never really had a certain theme. If I love all of it, and it goes together, that’s all that matters.”

12 Hartselle Living

Hartselle Living 13

Photo by Jodi Hyde

14 Hartselle Living

The bedrooms were repainted all neutral colors to help open the space up, and the couple has looked for ways to add bits of character to every corner of their home. “The white really brightens it up so much, and the bead board adds so much character,” she said. “I think I got the obsession of bead board from my mom, too.”

John’s cedar furniture found a home in the master bedroom, where the baby’s bassinet, also a family heirloom, is nestled close by. Generations of babies slept in the wicker bassinet Ivy Mae now coos in beside her parents at night.

Sara Beth’s favorite room in the home is the kitchen. It features a white cast iron sink with double drain boards John installed it himself. He also cut, built and stained the custom countertops that perfectly complement the antique sink.

The sunroom features an antique church pew that was destined to be destroyed until fate intervened. “My dad got a call saying ‘Tell Sara Beth to come get this; it’s hers if she wants it,’” she said.

Formerly located at the Danville church of Christ for decades, the pew is worn down in strips across its seat. “Someone said that’s probably from folks scooting down to make room for people to sit on the end. I had never really thought of that, and I love that idea,” Sara Beth said.

The Hammonds’ homestead also features a flower, herb and vegetable garden, a potting shed and a chicken coop.

Sara Beth enjoys sharing gardening tips, information on raising chickens, recipes and décor ideas on Instagram. Keep up with the Hammonds family there by following @hammondshomestead_

ARTS & CULTURE

ART ON MAIN

Friends co-found downtown art gallery during pandemic STORY BY REBEKAH YANCEY PHOTOS BY RACHEL HOWARD

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Nearly a year has passed since friends Cynthia Kovach and Laura Ritch embarked together on a life-changing journey that brought their business to downtown Hartselle. The pair, who have been close friends for years, and whose adult children have dated for a decade, founded Main Street West.

“We are both retired by several years and just didn’t like it,” Ritch said. “We wanted to keep on having a good time.”

November will mark a year of the art gallery being open at 123 Main St. The journey to opening the doors was one fraught with challenges.

“I was not expecting anybody to say that for one thing you take down to repair, you’ll find 15 things behind it, but that’s exactly what happened,” Ritch said. She said the contractor the pair hired to renovate the space was an excellent choice for the job.

The building, which once housed both a grocery store and furniture store, was completely empty and had been vacant for decades. Among the projects the gallery owners completed was reopening the skylight, which now shows the gallery logo in addition to the second story balcony.

The COVID-19 pandemic slowed things down in March 2020, but Ritch said there was no turning back at that point. “We just had to keep on going,”

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Hartselle Living 17

she said. “I had a construction loan, and materials were triple the price. When we could get something, it was like taking a course in construction.”

“We had both had our own businesses before, but that was a long time ago. We’re still learning every day,” Kovach added. “I guess that’s what keeps your mind young.”

Main Street West is filled with art curated by both Ritch and Kovach. They fill their space with art they personally love and want to share with others.

“To me, whether it is a lamp that could make or break a room or a framed piece of realistic art, it should have an emotional impact on your life in some way,” Ritch said.

“It should make you happy or bring back memories. We want to make people happy. We want people to dig things out of their attics and have them framed so that when they see it, they feel something. I want them to feel good.”

Another goal, Kovach added, is to give local artisans a platform to share their talent with the community. “We want the gallery to show off people’s talent – and here, different types of art meet different types of talent,” she said.

Several artists from Hartselle and Morgan County display and sell their work at the gallery.

18 Hartselle Living

We want the gallery to show off people’s talent – and here, different types of art meet different types of talent.

– Cynthia Kovach

T.C. Garrett creates his artwork on repurposed wood with pencil and is totally self-taught. Kim Shelton, who paints under the name Mik, specializes in hyperrealism that is difficult to distinguish from a photograph. Michael Banks, a street artist from Guntersville, was almost completely sold out of his unique pieces when Kovach and Ritch met him for the first time.

Ritch said everything sold at Main Street West has a story, and that is done purposefully.

“Even our candles have a unique story,” she said. “We have a connection to the art here, and it’s almost like finding treasure. I would hate to find something I thought was so unique and fabulous, something I thought was just for me and had my name on it, and then find the same thing at my neighbor’s house.”

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It’s because of that the pair have decided to not restock the art they sell.

“Once we sell something that is completely unique, we are not going to restock,” Ritch said. “We don’t buy 12 of anything we sell. If someone buys something here, they will not see it in their neighbor’s house, unless their neighbor finds it from somebody else.

“I can go into any mall in any city and guarantee you there’s going to be a Chico’s, there’s going to be an Anthropologie – and I can tell you what’s going to be in those stores too, basically. So why go? Once you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all.

“The difference, I think, is what is attractive about small town, mom-and-pop businesses.”

The pair said they truly form a connection with the art they find to share with the world, and sometimes it’s hard to part with something they are particularly fond of.

“It’s like selling a puppy,” Ritch said with a laugh. “I’ll only let some of it go to a good home.”

“We got in these beautiful candlesticks. They were made by an artist out of New Orleans, and we loved them. I told Cynthia I wouldn’t sell them to just anybody,” Ritch said. Fortuitously, the right buyer came along. “Monty Vest walked in, and we agreed if she liked them, she could have them.”

“We’ve met so many interesting people and like to think we’ve made friends with everyone we’ve worked with,” Ritch said.

“That’s the neat thing about being in Hartselle: We’re making friends, not just customers.”

Kovach and Ritch have a little help running the gallery. The honorary store manager is a 20-year-old poodle named Sweetie, who Ritch says is spoiled rotten.

The friends said they have no regrets about opening a business together; they are having the time of their lives and learning new things every day.

“We work together really well; we have different talents,” Ritch said. “And we’ve learned not to drink wine when we go to the market, or we will come home with something that will never sell.”

Main Street West is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit the gallery online at www.mainstreetwestgallery.com or email the owners at 123mainstreetwest@gmail.com.

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SCHOOL & SPORTS

REFUSING TO QUIT Cancer can’t stop William Booth’s coaching career STORY BY CLIF KNIGHT PHOTOS BY MARIANN PARKER AND JIM MEADOWS

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Nothing speaks more highly of the competitive ability of Hartselle High School’s baseball program and the iconic stature of its head coach than the words of the late Vestavia head baseball coach Sammy Dunn, as written in a book celebrating his team’s 1998 national championship season.

Dunn recalled how his team rolled into Reuben Sims Field to battle Coach William Booth’s Tigers only to suffer its first loss of the season in the ninth inning. “I’ll never forget it,” he wrote. “We had just gotten word that we had moved to number one in the National Baseball Coaches Association rankings. We were third in the USA Today poll.

“They hit a grand slam to beat us. We thought we had the hitter out before the guy who hit the grand slam. The umpire called the pitch ball four and we walked him. That would have won the game for us.

“Then, their next batter (Joe Clark) hit a twoout, two-strike grand slam off our reliever to tie the game at 7-7and send it into extra innings. They beat us 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth.”

Hartselle also handed Vestavia their second loss, 14-4, in the second game of the state championship playoffs, ending the season with a 42-6 record.

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The success Booth’s teams have achieved in his 33 years as head coach is mind-boggling. His teams have claimed eight state titles and finished second three times. His record stands at 1,025 wins to 431 losses.

His tenure in the Morgan County and Hartselle school systems spans 52 years. He taught math in the Morgan County system for eight years, was a math teacher in Hartselle for four years and was a math teacher and assistant principal for five years. He held the positions of Chapter I/II coordinator math teacher for one year, Chapter I/II coordinator math teacher and baseball coach for one year then chapter I/II AP coordinator, AP calculus teacher and baseball coach for seven years.

In conjunction with his continuing math and baseball careers, he has also been transportation coordinator, director of school operations, interim superintendent and assistant superintendent.

Booth first accepted the position of baseball coach in 1987 at the request of the late Hartselle High School Principal J. P Cain.

“It was not something I wanted,” he recalled. “I was happy in the classroom teaching math, but it was an offer I didn’t feel like

I could turn down. I had coached a Little League baseball team for several years, and several of the kids were the same age as my son Mason.”

The coaching change was an immediate success. The Tigers improved their record from 23-10 to 27-4 in two years and captured their first state championship trophy in their third year with an overall record of 35-5. Booth’s teams went on to win back-to-back state titles the next two years and won their fourth in 1994 after picking up a runner-up title in 1993.

The team’s fast rise to excellence came despite of Booth’s lack of experience playing baseball in high school himself. “I was too little,” Booth said. “I was 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighed 104 pounds when I graduated from high school.

“My knowledge of the game was limited,” he added, “so I spent a lot of time picking up helpful information from my fellow coaches and friends as well as players who excelled in the sport.”

Booth said his best source of help was the late Coach Dunn, who coached at Vestavia. “He was a personal friend who possessed a Hartselle Living 23

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wealth of information about the game of baseball,” Booth said.

“I think I attended every clinic he conducted on the subject.”

The way Booth sees it, his program’s success boils down to two major factors: “Good kids and a school system that backs them up are what make our baseball program successful,” he said.

“I taught math and coached baseball the same way,” he pointed out. “Students are expected to be prepared to do their class work, and baseball players have to be motivated to work hard to improve their skills.”

The contributions made by parents and other team supporters have also made it possible for Hartselle’s baseball program to rise to the top in the state, Booth said.

“We don’t look to the school system for money,” he said. “When we have a need, it’s met through the generosity of individuals or fundraisers. One of our supporters has purchased new uniforms for eight years.”

Booth, who was inducted in the 2018 AHSAA Hall of Fame, and his wife, Peggy, have four children and six grandchildren. Four of them have benefited directly from their father and grandfather’s expertise in the classroom: Mason Booth, Andy Vest and Lori Vest Cline are practicing engineers, and Katherine Cline, a junior at Tennessee Tech University, is following their example.

What does the future hold for Booth, who is recuperating from stomach cancer at age 77? He said he wants to stay in education, coaching baseball for another five or six years.

The outlook for Hartselle baseball in 2022 is bright to say the least. Five members of the team have already made commitments to play for major college teams following their graduation.

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Developing students’ problem-solving skills

Parents and teachers are partners Can you think of a better solution? Do in developing students’ academic you have all the information you need skills, and most are well aware of to make this decision?” Questions such that when each school year begins. as these build problem-solving muscles.

Parents and schools are also With younger children, you can offer two partners in developing students’ or three possibilities and then talk those social problem-solving skills. through in much the same way.

When problems arise in the life of a child, it is tempting – and 3. Share a think-out-loud book usually most expedient – to simConsider reading books with your child ply take care of the issue at hand. that are designed to present problems It’s a better course, however, not and help parents and children together to rush to solve a child’s problems talk through solutions. “Solutions for for him.

Cold Feet” is one such book, but there are

BY SUSAN HAYES If you see your child struggling many others.

HCS FEDERAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR with something, allow your child an opportunity to figure it out before helping. Here are 4. Allow for natural consequences some considerations: When children are allowed to experience natural consequences, it can be an effective discipline strategy that 1. Model problem-solving for your child teaches problem-solving skills. This means you allow When you face an obstacle, think “out loud” about your child to make a choice and then face the negative your next steps. “Well, I wish I could ___, but that’s not consequences. Of course, make sure there are no safety possible. And I would ___ if ___, but that’s not going concerns. This can lead to a discussion about probto be possible either. With the options I have, I believe lem-solving to help him/her make a better choice next I will ___. Though it’s not exactly what I want, it’s the time. Consider these natural consequences as a teachbest outcome in the situation I am in.” Your child needs able moment to help work together on problem-solving. to see and hear you going through the steps. He/she will On paper, all of this seems wise; in practice, though, begin to emulate this behavior. it’s difficult not to step in and rescue children from the consequences of their own actions or to simply take care 2. Practice problem-solving with your child of matters and move forward through our busy days.

When your child asks you to solve something for In the end, though, we must help our children think him/her, press pause. Instead of providing an answer, for themselves and make reasonable choices. They ask more questions. “Well, if you ____, what good won’t get it just right every time – none of us does. But thing might happen? What bad thing might happen? these tools will help them grow into resilient adults.

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FOOD & DRINK

HONEY DO FARM Farming dream becomes reality for local family STORY AND PHOTOS BY CONSTANCE SMITH

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Nowadays people are taking greater and greater interest in where their food comes from. They enjoy visiting the farmers market, meeting the people who do the growing and supporting local farmers.

One of the farms here in Hartselle is owned by David and Laura Aymett. David and Laura both grew up on family farms in Tennessee and moved to Hartselle 13 years ago.

Laura’s family always had a garden, and they often had backyard chickens, even when they lived in a subdivision in town. The Aymetts always had a longing to have a farm and raise their children, Ryan and Elizabeth, with that lifestyle.

28 Hartselle Living

David and Laura said they had even thought about moving back to one of their family farms at one point, but they loved Hartselle. They loved the schools and their church, and they didn’t want to leave. This was home.

So, they searched for just the right place and found their farm right here.

David always said, even when they lived in the city, that if they ever had their own farm, it would have to be called Honey Do Farm, playing on the “honey do this, and honey do that” routine. So of course, when their dream became reality, Honey Do Farm became its name.

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A decade ago, the Aymetts began researching Community Supported Agriculture. This past year in March, a farm in Killen was selling its greenhouses. The Aymetts said they prayed about it and decided they were going to go for it.

While schools were closed down for quarantine, the Aymetts made countless trips back and forth to get the greenhouses. One by one, they brought back what felt like a million pieces. Their children would do schoolwork on their laptops as they rode in the truck on the trips, then the whole family would work together to assemble the giant 3-D jigsaw puzzles.

Laura said a CSA is the best way to get fresh, healthy produce to people in community, and in autumn 2020, the family did their first trail season. It was a success, and they launched a full spring season this year. Customers received 12 weekly packages of fresh produce.

People who join a CSA from a local farmer pay up front for an entire season of fresh produce. At Honey Do Farm, participants each get a weekly package of everything that is in season.

Packages sometimes contain surprises as well, like home-ground cornmeal from corn grown and milled right there on their farm.

People might also run into the Aymetts at the Hartselle Farmers Market. Each week they fill their commitment for their customers first, then they bring all of their extra produce to the market for the community to enjoy.

David and Laura said they love the Hartselle Farmers Market and appreciate the sense of community and support they experience there. Although everyone is trying to make a sale, everything is lighthearted and friendly.

The entire family takes part in Honey Do Farm, from planting the seeds and digging tomatoes to delivering the weekly orders or preparing the meals.

Laura said she takes joy in passing these skills along to the next generation: planting, harvesting and canning what they grow.

Having that time with multiple generations working together is priceless, creating memories and skills that money can’t buy.

Learn more about Honey Do Farm on Facebook or Instagram, @HoneyDoFarm256, or at www.localline.ca/honey-do-farm.

Hartselle Living 29

DIY FLAVORING AT HOME STORY AND PHOTOS BY CONSTANCE SMITH

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Making your own extracts is extremely easy and highly economical, and they make a great gift from the kitchen.

Simply put the extracts in some pretty little bottles and tie nice labels on them.

HOMEMADE MINT EXTRACT Many people have heard of making your own vanilla extract, but making herbal extracts like mint are just as easy. A few years ago, I planted two tiny chocolate mint plants in the corner of my flower bed, next to the front porch. Now there is so much, I have to thin it out every year, or it will suffocate all of my other plants.

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup firmly-packed fresh mint leaves, like peppermint, spearmint or chocolate mint • About 1 3/4 cup vodka SUPPLIES • pickle packer – or a wood dowel, or handle of a wooden spoon • a pint jar with lid • cheesecloth or muslin • storage bottles INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wash the fresh mint with cold water to remove any dirt.

2. Remove the leaves, discarding any dry or yellowed leaves and the stems, keeping the fresh green leaves.

You will need a packed-full cup of leaves. Pack it down like you would brown sugar.

3. Place the cup of mint into a pint jar.

4. Use a “pickle packer,” a dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon to mash the leaves. This releases the oils and helps make them more readily available to steep in the liquid. This is also called bruising or muddling the leaves. You could also simply crush the leaves in your hands a bit before adding them to the pint jar.

5. Pour in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of vodka – enough to fill the jar.

6. Close the jar and give it a shake.

7. Label the jar with the contents and date you started the extract. Place it in a cool, dark cabinet.

Now you wait. Each day, give the jar a shake. It’s OK if you forget now and again, but to help you remember, place it in a cabinet you open all the time. Wait one to two months. The longer you let it go, the more flavorful the extract will be.

After you have waited for what seems like forever, strain the contents of the jar through some cheesecloth or muslin. Discard the old leaves and keep the liquid.

Pour the mint extract into jars, preferably ones with amber glass to block light and preserve flavor. Your homemade mint extract is ready for your recipes!

Hartselle Living 31

HOMEMADE COFFEE EXTRACT Coffee extract is a flavoring used in recipes, similarly to vanilla extract. It has great flavor but unfortunately is difficult to find in most stores. So, you can just make your own.

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups vodka • 1 cup whole, good quality coffee or espresso beans INSTRUCTIONS 1. Combine the coffee beans and vodka in a glass container – a bottle or jar.

2. Close the container and set it in a cupboard for one month.

Each day, give the jar or bottle a quick shake to stir it up.

3. After the extract has brewed and the vodka has taken on the beautiful coffee flavor, strain the liquid and discard the beans.

4. Store the extract in a cool, dark place and use in recipes as you like.

Hartselle Living 33

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BACKYARD BLISS

Anita Buckley’s passion flourishes in her one-acre home garden STORY BY REBEKAH YANCEY PHOTOS BY JENNIFER SHERWOOD

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In the backyard of Anita Buckley’s home on Barclift Street, she has spent years perfectly curating, from the ground up, a peaceful sanctuary of gardening bliss.

“I love it. I never stayed long enough in one place professionally to get a garden going, so when I moved here, a friend saw the space and told me ‘You have a blank canvas. Go for it,’” Buckley said.

That was 2009, when Buckley returned to Hartselle from a stint working in Montgomery for the Alabama State Department of Education.

In the front of the garden, near the center, stands a Japanese Maple tree to which Buckley has a special connection.

“When I was leaving Hartselle and going to Montgomery, I knew I couldn’t take the tree with me, so I brought it over to Kenneth and Becky Tankersly, who built the home, and she (Becky) planted it here, so I ended up with my tree after all these years,” Buckley said.

As for planning and bringing together a garden of such grandeur, Buckley said it did not happen overnight.

“I kind of treat it like decorating a house – just a little bit at a time,” she explained. “The balance and variety and putting everything together takes times, and I knew I always wanted something blooming.”

36 Hartselle Living

Hartselle Living 37

I kind of treat it like decorating a house – just a little bit at a time. The balance and variety and putting everything together takes times, and I knew I always wanted something blooming.

– Anita Buckley

Buckley said her garden is something she enjoys for more than just a couple months out of the year. Because of the variety of flowers and plants she has chosen for her space, something is blooming year-round.

Her first step was installing rocks for a foot path. Then she outlined the rest of her serene sanctuary. The walkway leads to the patio, a place where she said she enjoys spending a good amount of her free time.

Next was her Hosta bed, filled with all different types of Hosta plants, situated around another rock pathway and a seating area. A custom-made, wrought-iron gate is poised near the entrance; a “B” is situated atop the gate, to indicate the last name of the gardener whose hands have labored for hours in the garden’s soil.

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Hartselle Living 39

The Fuji waterfall is one of Buckley’s favorite garden features.

The hydrangeas, with white and blue blooms, are among her favorite flowers. Landscaping lights add a relaxing ambience to the garden once the sun sets, and Buckley said the space transforms into an extra-special spot.

As an educator with a resume that boasts stints at Morgan County high schools and the Alabama State Department of Education and beyond, Buckley said her career nurturing young educators and solving problems aids in her life as a retiree.

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Ye a r s in Bu si

She said her love of finding connections with other people is something she cherishes from her time as a teacher and principal in Alabama and South Carolina. After she retired, she oversaw the intern program for future teachers at Athens State University until she decided it was time to take a step back and enjoy a life in the garden instead of the classroom.

That is where you can find her now, most days, soaking in the sunshine and the scents of her beautiful blooms and thinking of new ways to expand her little piece of heaven on earth.

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Library wraps summer programming as school returns for new year

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Hello from the William Bradford Huie stories and creative activities to encourLibrary! We had a fantastic Summer age the love of books and reading at Reading Program. We have had weekly a young age. She has great stories and programs for children and teens/adults fantastic activities planned for the fall this summer. The children’s programs and beyond. had a wide range of programing, from We are also expanding our hours this in-person speakers to activities like tie fall. We will be open late on Monday dying and a Harry Potter Escape Room. nights until 7 p.m. We are working hard We also had our first off-site Summer to meet the needs of our community Reading Program with Oliwia’s Shave Ice! and provide additional services and We expanded our programs this activities. summer to include painting and crafts For a schedule of activities and proMICHELLE BLAYLOCK LIBRARY MANAGER for adults and teens. We have had a grams, watch the City of Hartselle FaceWILLIAM BRADFORD HUIE great turnout, and due to the numerous book page and the Huie Library League LIBRARY OF HARTSELLE requests, we will continue those classes Facebook page. We also have printed throughout the fall. We will also be adding a Book Club calendars available at the Circulation Desk at the library. led by Library Assistant, Chrissy Tucker. Stay tuned for We hope you will take time to pop in and see what’s more details to come! new at your Library. We are looking forward to an excitFor our younger patrons, we will be continuing our ing Fall. For more information about our activities and Little Listeners’ Storytime on Wednesdays with Library programs, please stop by the library or give us a call at Assistant, Sarah Laughmiller. Sarah chooses engaging 256-773-9880. Happy reading!

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Hartselle Living 41

BECOMER A MEMBE WELCOME NEW MEMBERS (new members from May 29 through July 29)

• Red Ribbon Décor • Brookdale Cedar Springs • T-Mobile • Temple of Raw • J. T. Ray Company • Holistic Performance Group • Hospice of North Alabama

42 Hartselle Living

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COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT TASKFORCE

Our Community Enhancement Taskforce works to create a safe and satisfying destination that drives tourism, supports and grows the Hartselle area economy and improves the quality of life for residents.

Mike Tucker, with LifeWork Physical Therapy Services, serves as our board representative for this taskforce and helps committees with the following initiatives: Depot Days, Main Street/Downtown District and Non-profit Cohort. Annual events that are coordinated through this taskforce include Depot Days, City Appreciation, Fill the Bus, Serve Day, Christmas Open House, Cinderella Ball and State of Healthcare. These events provide opportunities to support and serve the community. If you are interested in serving on this taskforce, please call the HACC office at 256-773-4370.

UPCOMING EVENTS • Sept. 12: Depot Days Community Worship Service, presented by Diamond Pro • Sept. 14: Depot Days Down Memory Lane, presented by the Hartselle Historic Society • Sept. 15: Depot Days Youth Glow Night, presented by Oliwa’s Shave Ice and Hartselle First Assembly

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• Sept. 16: Depot Days Community Pep Rally, presented by Maegan Jones of MarMac Real Estate

SERVE DAY

Serve Day provides churches and organizations across Hartselle with opportunities to serve the community and share the love of God through practical acts of kindness. Our hope is that serving others becomes our focus throughout the year. Simple acts of selfless love can open hearts to Jesus, and together we can make a difference. This year’s Serve Day took place July 10, and approximately 600 volunteers served the Hartselle community. Thank you to our pep rally speakers Sen. Arthur Orr, State Rep. Scott Stadthagen, Mayor Randy Garrison and Principal Rocky Smith.

Also special thanks to Hartselle Boy Scout Troop 92 for raising our flag, Hailey Beard for singing the National Anthem and Pastor Jimmy Watson for giving our invocation. We had projects at Crestline Elementary, Barkley Bridge Elementary, F.E. Burleson Elementary, Hartselle Intermediate School, Hartselle Junior High School, Hartselle High School, Hartselle Police Department, Kids Kastle, Clothe Our Kids and numerous private homes.

Thank you to all of the organizations that served this year: East Highland Baptist Church, Hartselle First Assembly, Life Church, World Harvest Outreach Church, Daystar Church, First Christian Church of Hartselle,

Central Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Church, Fairview: The Grace Place, Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Hartselle, Habitat for Humanity of Morgan County, Thompson Homes, Morgan Baptist Association (The Caring Place and Disaster Relief teams), Magnolia River, Hartselle City Schools, Hartselle High School Kappa Delta Sigma sorority, Hartselle High School Phi O sorority, Hartselle High School Alpha Zeta Sigma sorority, LifeWork Physical Therapy, Hartselle Camp Meeting, The Diaz Family, and the Hartselle High School Football Team Our presenting sponsor was Corum’s Building and Farm Supply. T-Shirt sponsor was Hartselle Family Dentistry. Community Pep Rally sponsor was the Greater Morgan County Builders Association. Breakfast sponsor was State Rep. Scott Stadthagen Lunch sponsor was Redstone Federal Credit Union, and lunch was prepared by the Morgan Baptist Association Disaster Relief Tea. Location sponsors were First United Methodist Church Youth, Diamond Pro, Magnolia River, Hartselle First Assembly, Thompson Homes, Forever Kate, Habitat for Humanity of Morgan County and American Legion Post 52.

• Sept. 18: Depot Days Car Show, presented by Cerrowire • Sept. 18: Depot Days Antique Tractor & Gasoline Engine Show, presented by Diamond Pro • Sept. 18: Depot Days Festival, presented by Decatur Morgan Hospital • Sept. 23: Quarterly Lunch & Learn, hosted by The Venue • Oct. 6: State of the Schools, presented by Redstone Federal Credit Union • Oct. 8: Quarterly Member 101, presented by Maegan Jones of MarMac Real Estate • Oct. 21: Hartselle After Hours, hosted by Hartselle Family Dentistry • Nov. 7: Christmas Open House, presented

by Mutual of Omaha Mortgage

Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 817, Hartselle, AL 35640

256. 773.4370  admin@hartsellechamber.com Hartselle Living 43

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JOHN AND SA RA LOVE THEIR SIM BETH HAMMONDS PLY SOUTHERN HOME IN HA RTSELLE

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OUT & ABOUT MEET THE TIGERS

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Photos by Mariann Parker The community prepares for football season with a Meet the Tigers event Aug. 13 at J.P. Cain Stadium.

1. Brooke McHan, Hannah Witt, Jamie Dutton, Wendy Osteen, Jamie Haynes and Taylor Simmons 2. Kaitlyn Dolbeer, Olivia Preuitt and Macelyn Donaldson 3. David Evans and Millie Evans 4. Emma Jo Blaxton, Hannah Hatfield, Mary Hannah Boyer and Mya Winchester

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HARTSELLE DEPOT DAYS 40th Celebration

SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 8 AM - 4 PM

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Hartselle Living 45

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