The Lakeside Life - Lewis Smith Lake - Fall/Winter Issue - 2019-QTR3-4

FALL/WINTER • NOVEMBER 2019 • VOL.2 ISS.3

LEWIS SMITH LAKE

Clay McCoy

Talented wakeboarder dad enjoys life at his home on Smith Lake and teaching his young family the joy of wake sports after spending several years on the West Coast.

Fly Fishing

A first-hand experience of fly fishing for rainbow trout in the Sipsey Fork beneath the Lewis Smith Lake Dam with an expert guide from Riverside Fly Shop.

Tucker

The Tucker family works with Cornerstone Construction and designer Connie Sandlin to create a family retreat that reflects the colors of their magnificent view.

PARTNER/EDITOR IN CHIEF:

Syndi Sumner Hanna

MANAGING EDITOR/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Sandra Slate

PARTNER/MANAGING EDITOR/ SALES DIRECTOR: Scott Hanna

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: John David Palmer

MARKETING DIRECTOR: Cathy Wolfe

CREATIVE ADVISOR: Emma Doss

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Anacrusis

Lars Anderson

Mark Bailey

Jennifer Beckman (JWB Photography)

Carl Beckman

Busted Knuckles Films

Brandie Carter

Janey Carter

Shane Cook

Scott Eric Day Photography and Videography

Norma Glasscock

Happy Tails Groom & Board

Joseph Jenkins

Michael Moxley

Mark Ramirez

Nicholas Reich

John David Palmer ( @longjohnpalmer)

Audrey & Allen Peacock

Wesley Sams

Seabrook Media LLC

Terry Turner

Dave Warren (Cullman Aerial & Real Estate Photography)

Larry Watts

Winston County Arts Council

The Lewis Smith Lake Community

The Lakeside Life Team

CONTRIBUTING EDITORIALS:

Angel Coker

Benjamin Bullard

Brickyard Meats

Ellen Roberts

John David Palmer ( @longjohnpalmer)

Meredith Cummings

Nicholas Reich

Stephanie G. Lepore

The Lakeside Life Team

CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC DESIGN:

Sparta Creative (SpartaCreative.com)

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Sipsey Fork near the Dam Lewis Smith Lake

PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL MOXLEY

Smith

A Perfect Autumn Lake Day (for a man and his best friend)

Morning: Wake up exactly one hour later than usual. Tis helps with everything to follow. Make breakfast: richly spiced chai tea with a dollop of cream, poached eggs, red grapes perfectly in season, and homemade buttermilk biscuits (that you made yesterday) with pear preserves delivered last week from Betty around the slough (you can see through your living room French windows that life is stirring at her house, too). Let Eve, your dog, have a spoonful of softened butter with her kibble. You two can share this day. She understands luxury.

Walk with Eve down the patio stairs to water the herbs in raised beds. Here, in the smell of cedar mulch and rosemary, notice how the fog over the lake dances closer to the surface than during hotter months. Notice, too, that the fishing boat’s wake pushes leaves now shades of mustard, maroon, and ochre onto the sandstone beneath the dock bridge, Eve’s favorite place to paw at the fish. She will visit there momentarily. Before you sit down to read, take a shower. Only use products perfumed with vanilla.

Early Day: Read. Tat’s all. As long as you can, but no longer than you want. Some Italian tale of love and adventure

set in 1944, perhaps? Or maybe a crime thriller set in the Catskill Mountains? A story that will enrich the stillness of this Alabama lakeside life by sheer contrast.

Afternoon: Pack a peanut butter and blackberry jam sandwich and a small thermos filled with milk in your lunch pail. Eve has been pacing by the windows, looking out at the water, a rippled mirror in the southbound wind. She doesn’t understand your hours-long fascination with that book. Take her out on the pontoon as an apology. She will shake with excitement as soon as you lift the keys.

In her lifejacket and windswept ears, Eve has a way of looking both regal and silly. Steer out across the deep water to the bluffs on the other side. You may permit yourself once there to think, but not too deeply, about how this valley might have looked before the lake was dammed. Tese thoughts are harder to think when the churning waters of summer traffic make it seem like this could only ever have been a lake, only ever the magnificent playground of July. Let Eve jump out at the island close by. Tie up in the soft sand and follow her into the tress. But don’t keep too close. Once she’s lost

WRITER NICHOLAS REICH

Photographer Terry Turner

sight of you, she can play like some ancient, humanless dog in the hushed Southern woodland. Enjoy your sandwich while she runs.

Early Evening: Tis time, no shower. Instead, you will draw a bath in the clawfoot tub next to the third-floor, west-facing window. To finish watching the setting sun drift below the line of pine and hemlock across the open channel. Crack the window and listen to the silence, if you wish. Te evening electric storms have subsided to the chill. Dunk your head under the water. Eve likes to bark at the bubbles you make.

Dinner is a barley risotto with bass filet (caught two days ago by Florence, an old friend and the best fisherwoman in Cullman County, who delivers to you by boat) scampied in butter, garlic, and lemon. Taste endlessly as you cook. Tis is not cooking to survive. With dinner, open the Sémillon you were saving for a special occasion. Its window of perfection has arrived. Pass small bites of buttery fish to Eve.

Night: End this day with fewer fireflies than a month before and a quieting of the cicadas. Someone down the water, some

family, will light a fire and you will smell their hickory and hear them laughing. Tey, too, are finishing a good day. You will know, in exactly this moment, that there is no need at all for committing the details of this day to memory or recording them in your journal. Tis particular day, you’ve known all along, was always going to be a day beyond details. It is the cool calm of fall you can revisit year after year when the lake is not for sport but for living.

Now, sleep. Close yourself like moon-shy mimosa leaves over the faintest song of lapping wake and engine-purr (someone is nightriding). Autumn has settled on the lake. All is well. t

BIO on Nicholas Reich – Growing up a short truck-bed ride from Smith Lake, Nick Reich spent his younger summers (and sometimes winters) splashing in the sloughs, leaping from the bluff s, poking catfish, and skipping bodily across those waters. He still visits often. Tough most of his time is now consumed studying for a PhD and editing at NASA, he still finds time to write fun stuff about his dog, Eve, at her request.

Photographer Nicholas Reich Photographer Nicholas Reich

A QUIET PLACE TO WRITE

WRITER JOHN DAVID PALMER

Autumn is the favorite season and one of the favorite words of Lars Anderson, a New York Times bestselling author, college journalism instructor, and sports talk radio host, who enjoys spending this time of year writing and relaxing among the changing leaves at his remote and peaceful Smith Lake cabin. It also happens to be football season, which for Anderson, is always a big deal.

During the week, Anderson teaches sports writing classes at Te University of Alabama and co-hosts the Jay Barker Show, along with show producer Kerry Adams and former Crimson Tide quarterback Jay Barker. Te sports talk show, which launched in late 2018, airs weekdays from noon until 2 p.m. from its headquarter station, Tide 102.9. Regular guest hosts on the show include Cecil Hurt, Tim Brando, Antonio Langham, and Vinnie Sunseri. Te show is entertaining, with the sports talk often broken up with humorous banter and fun stories.

As an author, Anderson is widely known for his nonfiction sports narratives, which include: “Pickup Artists: Street Basketball in America;” “ Te Proving Ground: A Season on the Fringe in NFL Europe;” “ Te All Americans;” “Carlisle vs. Army: Jim Torpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football’s

Photographer John David Palmer

Greatest Battle;” “ Te First Star: Red Grange and the Barnstorming Tour that Launched the NFL;” “ Te Storm and the Tide: Tragedy, Hope, and Triumph in Tuscaloosa;” and “ Te Mannings: Te Fall and Rise of a Football Family.”

Te Nebraska native credits his father, an eloquent attorney, for initially sparking his interest in the art of storytelling.

“I would go into the courtroom and just be hypnotized by him,” Anderson said.

After high school, Anderson went on to attend St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he studied English and became the sports editor of his campus newspaper during his senior year. “On a whim,” he applied to Columbia University and was accepted and subsequently relocated to New York City with his girlfriend at the time.

“It’s crazy how the trajectory of your life can change so fast,” he said.

While attending the prestigious university, he met Joe Marshall, a professor that happened to be a top editor at Sports Illustrated, who helped him get a foot in the door with the widely-read publication.

Illustrated. In 2005, he moved to Birmingham to be closer to the hub of SEC football and NASCAR, both of which he was covering at the time. And in 2014, he was offered a full-time faculty position as an adjunct instructor at Te University of Alabama. He has also worked as a senior writer of Bleacher Report and as the speech writer for Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

But despite juggling many responsibilities, he frequently carves out time throughout the year to retreat to his rustic Smith Lake cabin to write, reflect, and relax. He says that parts of four of his books were written there. Frenchie, his beloved 13-year-old cockapoo, often accompanies him. He likes to work from a variety of places – sometimes from an old wooden writing desk overlooking the open second floor level, sometimes from the screened back porch where you can hear the running creek, or sometimes out on the quiet dock. Te cabin is secluded, just the way he likes it.

While attending the prestigious university, he met Joe Marshall, a professor that happened to be a top editor at Sports Illustrated, who helped him get a foot in the door with the widely-read publication.

“He gave me my first break,” Anderson said, “No matter how good you are, you need a break.”

Following the example of his mentor, Anderson also makes an effort as a teacher to help his students succeed to the best of his ability.

After graduating from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, he would go on to work 20 years at Sports

Even from the water, it is not easily noticed. Te inside of the cabin is open and spacious, and the walls are sparsely decorated with old maps he likes to collect.

He said he had been looking for a place in Tennessee but ended up falling in love with Smith Lake after visiting a friend’s lake home. After a period looking and negotiating, he found just what he was looking for. He purchased the house through Justin Dyar of Lake Homes Realty, who was featured in a previous issue of Te Lakeside Life (p32 of the 2018

winter issue, now in digital on our website).

“I just always wanted a quiet place to write,” Anderson said.

But besides using the lakefront cabin to work, Anderson also enjoys spending holidays like Fourth of July and Tanksgiving there with his family. He and his wife, April, have three children under the age of 5: Lincoln, Autumn, and Farrah. During the warmer months they like to go swimming in the slough.

Anderson will soon be promoting his latest book, “Chasing the Bear; How Bear Bryant and Nick Saban made Alabama the Greatest College Football Program of All Time,” a duel biography of Bear Bryant and Nick Saban, at book signings all over Alabama and the South this fall. Publishers Weekly called the book “a must read for devotees of college football, Crimson Tide fans or not.”

To keep up with the author, follow him on Twitter @LarsAnderson71. For more information about the Jay Barker Show, visit jaybarkershow.com. t

Photography Provided by Lars Anderson

Wildlife

AROUND SMITH LAKE

In and around the deepest lake in Alabama there are two new bald Eagles that recently nested, along with an alligator snapping turtle, and other unique and unusual animals. And even though there are so few he could name them, Jonathon Bartlett hasn’t.

Bartlett, a game warden with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in its Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, has seen too many species unique to Smith Lake on the brink of extinction. Such as the red-cockaded woodpeckers – which used to thrive in records – but haven’t been plentiful for more than 40 years.

Tese animals are among the stranger things living in and around the lake, that residents and officials alike watch over. Smith Lake is home to many interesting animals, including two rare aquatic species – the Black Warrior waterdog and the flattened musk turtle, which live in the wild and scenic section of the Sipsey Fork.

WATERDOGS

In August, Alabama Power Shoreline management halted development when the waterdog was found. T salamander inhabits rivers and streams in Alabama and was listed as endangered in January of 2018 under the Endangered Species Act.

Why such a fuss over a small salamander in such a big lake?

“Salamanders are really important,” said Janice Barrett, Outreach Coordinator of Wild South, a nonprofit that protects Southern public land. “Tey are just amazing animals. Tey are indicators of water quality and the Black Warrior waterdog is a really good example of that because it hasn’t always been endangered.”

Te salamanders were much more plentiful before the late 1970s when the habitat became unlivable for the small creatures. Te waterdogs cannot live in heavy sedimentation, which happens when there is a lot of development.

Tat’s the same reason the flattened musk turtle is in trouble. It’s been endangered since 1987. Te turtle, which looks Muppet-like with a barely decipherable grin, is about 4.5 inches long and is pancake flat. Tey like to live in crevices and submerged rocks and rock shelves.

“It doesn’t just live around Smith Lake,” said Charles Scribner, Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s executive director. “It needs Smith Lake.”

It’s good that these animals are celebrated for their uniqueness yet because they should be plentiful, celebration is short lived. Coal mine operations and runoff from agriculture, forestry and construction all contribute to the problem and parts of the habitat have been entirely eliminated by development.

Joseph Jenkins, a field researcher at Auburn University with the Alabama Natural Heritage Program, says the waterdog and flattened musk turtles are “gone from pretty much everywhere,” and Smith Lake is fortunate to have them. He just wishes there were more of them. Outside of Bankhead National Forest there are very few left because so much of those watersheds have been coal mined.

“Both of those species only occur in Alabama,” he said. “Tey are ours and ours alone to protect.”

“WHAT IS THAT THING?”

Salamanders and turtles aren’t the only attention seekers in the water. Freshwater jellyfish – clear, gelatinous orbs –

WRITER MEREDITH CUMMINGS

Photography Provided by Norma Glasscock

occasionally make an appearance in the lake, much to the surprise of some lake visitors, who say, “What is that thing?” to local officials.

Although the freshwater jellyfish is indigenous to the Yangtze River valley in China, they first appeared in Alabama in 1995 in Chilton and Lauderdale Counties. Tey are few and far between but the small (about 5 – 25 millimeters wide) jellyfish do exist in the lake. Te jellyfish, technically a hydrozoan, looks like a small, bell-shaped, clear dish. Tey often will attach to surfaces and can form colonies. (Don’t worry. Te stings are not strong enough to be felt by humans.)

Although not unique to Smith lake, bryozoa are another “very unusual” invertebrate to find there, Bartlett said.

“Tey kind of look like a big clump of frog eggs,” he added about the blob-like invertebrate that benefit from algae. “It does not move. It just kind of grows on these sticks and ladders.”

Tis is why they are known to be a headache for landowners, because they tend to stick to docks.

GATORS!

Let’s dispel the myth right now: Tere are no alligators in Smith Lake. Te latest round of rumors got started when one alligator temporarily took a dip in the cool water.

“We did have one caught two years ago,” Bartlett said. “It was a very

small alligator but it was believed to be a pet that someone had illegally and turned loose. Tese days you’re not allowed to possess them anymore.”

While there are no true alligators, another unusual lake dweller is the alligator snapping turtle, so rare that Bartlett has only ever seen one of them. Tey were threatened to almost extinction –people would use them to make turtle soup – but are making a slow comeback.

Adult alligator snapping turtles can reach 150-175 pounds. One will attract fish by sitting still as it wags its tongue, which has a pink worm-like lure on it. When fish investigate, it speedily snaps its mouth closed with incredible power.

“Tere are common snapping turtles, then there are alligator snapping turtles,” he said. “Alligator snapping turtles get much larger.”

LAKE CONSERVATION

Sometimes these fun animals are the product of environmental backfires and consumer-driven actions. Tough beautiful to look at, their presence is not always a good thing.

Te freshwater jellyfish, for example, does not belong in the lake. Conversely, many freshwater mussels can no longer thrive in the lake; nor can native darters, small fish which live in free flowing streams.

Photography Provided by Carl Beckman

Other species in the lake are invasive, such as blueback herring, which two commercial fishing guides were arrested for earlier this year after allegedly using them to fish. Invasive species are not native to Alabama and have potential to harm the ecosystem.

“Any time you introduce a species that’s not from the area sometimes that gives them an advantage and allows them to reproduce exponentially and can become a nuisance of sorts,” Bartlett said. “Blueback herring is not native and can have very detrimental effects on an ecosystem. Some fish they are good for and some fish they are bad for, but they compete for resources.”

He pointed to the Chinese privet as another example of invasive species.

“You used to be able to see through the woods, but with the Chinese privet now there you can’t see a view of the woods,” he explained. “At some point it became a very big problem.”

To combat the further devolution of Smith Lake, Barrett of Wild South suggested lake lovers get involved in the community and keep tabs on developments and what species are allowed.

“Te community needs to get involved and become educated about what is at risk,” she said. “People speaking out has made a lot of difference in the protection of forest and water and animals and, consequently, in our own life because we are all connected in that.”

Until the 1980s the area was being timber harvested by companies and the lake was damaged irreversibly during those years. Pollution and plastics were also dumped into the lake.

“ Tat’s something that could have been prevented,” Barrett said. “People are now watching. People speak out and changes were made on a higher level and now forest practices are different and ecological protection is at the top of their list. It’s really hard to get these species back from the brink of extinction once the damage is done.”

Te Endangered Species Act is undergoing changes now, making it more difficult to protect endangered species from the effects of the climate crisis.

What can individuals do to help these area animals thrive and survive?

Photography Provided by Norma Glasscock

Photography Provided by Joseph Jenkins

Photography Provided by Mark Bailey

Photography Provided by Joseph Jenkins

Bartlett said the most simple thing any individual can do to protect Smith Lake is to not litter. A cleanup group fans out across the lake and routinely picks up several tons of trash.

“If they could keep their cans and cups in their boat when they are going down the lake and put that stuff up at night,” Bartlett said. “It affects people and it affects wildlife.”

An offshoot of this pollution is risk to human health. A sad reality, said Black Warrior Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke, is that Smith Lake has fish consumption advisories for spotted bass, largemouth bass, striped bass, and channel catfish due to mercury levels.

“Tis is something that people need to know about. Especially pregnant mothers,” he said.

Smith Lake and some of its tributaries are also on the state list of impaired waterbodies for mercury (due to atmospheric deposition from coal-fired power plants). And two of the lake’s main tributaries have cleanup plans in place to address excessive levels of pathogens (e. coli bacteria which can make it unsafe to swim).

Jenkins suggested voting “for politicians who are going to support water resources,” as well as supporting the local riverkeeper, whether through donations or volunteer hours.

“Te riverkeepers really are really the ones on the front lines trying to battle the coal companies and the large chicken conglomerate corporations,” he said.

Scribner said through blackwarriorriver.org people can report pollution and upload pictures.

“One thing we’re eager to do is constantly educate people,” he said. “We are protecting not just the river but the whole watershed and Smith Lake is a part of that.”

THE BIG BEAUTIFUL FOREST

Te Smith Lake Dam has changed both the water and the inhabitants in and around the river after its construction in the late 1950s and early ‘60s.

“What’s there now differs from what would have been there before,” said Brooke. “It’s no longer free flowing, though the lake is a deep and cold reservoir.”

Part of that change can be seen in the endangered fern that now lives in the lake area. Te Alabama streak sorus fern occurs at the headwaters of the reservoir under rock ledges and caves, said Denise Rowell, a spokeswoman in Public Affairs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Much of it was destroyed in the 1960s when the cliffs where they grew were leveled after a new bridge was constructed, the dam was built and the area was flooded.

Factors such as logging or clear-cutting could further endanger the fern because it would change the water in the land and air. With the loss of trees would also come more light and lower humidity, which would dehydrate the habitat and make it unlivable for the fern.

Because they grow on overhangs and rocks – areas that see a lot of hikers, fishing and campers – they are subject to vandalism.

For a window to what would have been found there before the dam you need to look no farther than Sipsey Wilderness. Up there in that “big beautiful forest” you’ll see the only wild and scenic river around. Te forest, Brooke said, is a “wonderful carbon sink and producer of oxygen.”

Meanwhile, down in the lake, the fun and interesting animals struggle for survival, from tiny Black Warrior waterdogs to the flattened musk turtle. “Tey’re all important,” Barrett said.”Because they are all part of life.”

“The riverkeepers really are really the ones on the front lines trying to battle the coal companies and the large chicken conglomerate corporations.”

Photography Provided by Mark Ramirez

An ExtrAordinAry LifE –Janey C arter

WRITER ELLEN ROBERTS | PHOTOGRAPHER JENNY BECKMAN ( JWB PHOTOGRAPHY )

Want a story of faith, perseverance and hope?

Look no further than Jasper’s very own, Janey Carter. If you don’t know of her already, you should. Her story sent shock waves throughout this community and traveled thousands of miles, touching the lives of many people.

TTe daughter of Heather and Joe Carter and the youngest sibling of Joey, Jacob, and Rainie, Janey grew up in Jasper where she attended Valley Junior High and then went on to Cordova High where she was entering her senior year as Captain of the Blue Devils’ Volleyball team.

It was “Seven Eleven (07-11-2017),” and Janey was rushing to practice when her life veered off course. Running a little late and going a little too fast, she lost control and flipped her Jeep Liberty on Buttermilk Road into a field at Old Town Creek Park. In that instant, her life changed forever and her path became the road less traveled.

Te wreck dislocated her skull from her spine and left her paralyzed from the neck down. With a one percent chance of living, the neurosurgeon told Janey’s family, “We don’t know what to expect, because people with this type of injury don’t usually make it to the hospital.” Janey was different though. She was a fighter. She had a will to live and a purpose to fulfill. She was far from done with her mission on Earth.

While hospitalized, Janey’s life immediately began to have a profound impact on many others. It’s as if time stopped and the entire community came together as one in a mission of hope. Everyone wanted this fun-loving teenager to heal, and Cordova High’s mission statement hit home: “When the world says ‘Give up,’ hope whispers, ‘Try one more time.’” Prayer vigils, fundraisers and support poured in from all over. “Janey 4:13” was immediately set up on Facebook for everyone to follow Janey’s progress and rally in prayer.

Janey was not about to give up, nor was anyone giving up on her. You could not go anywhere without feeling the presence of Janey in the hearts and minds of a stunned community. “Te moment you give up is when someone else gets the blessings you have been waiting for.” Rainie read to Janey as she laid in bed at UAB. And give up she did not. Instead, she fought for her life in order to bring hope to those around her. “Tere is so much mental and physical work and growth that took place to get me to each milestone. If I had given up because it was too hard or too scary, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Although we don’t always understand God’s plan, we must always trust Him even when it doesn’t make any sense to us.”

In the face of tragedy, you have two choices. You can give up and become the victim, or you can rise up and become the victor. Janey is most definitely the latter. She has turned her tragedy into strength, hope and inspiration. She got a second chance to live an extraordinary life, and that is what she is doing.

Cordova High rallied around Janey throughout the year as she worked hard to be able to attend her graduation. Teir 2017-18 motto was “If Janey Can, I Can,” and they pushed through their senior year with Janey fueling their inspiration.

Janey’s incident strengthened her faith, “Trough my faith in God, I knew there was a bigger plan for my life and that inspired me to keep

Photography Provided by Janey Carter

pushing forward.”

Not only did Janey show up at her graduation, but she made a graduation speech that forever touched the lives of all who were there to hear. ”God put each and every one of us here to live an extraordinary life,” she said. “So go the extra mile, be extra kind, and work extra hard because those are the moments that make an extraordinary life.’’

Te uplifting message relayed in her speech inspired her company and her mission to spread the love of God. “My mission for my company is to help spread encouragement and hope, especially when times are hard. Any time people support my company, they are helping me to reach out to others and I hope it continues to grow.”

With the help of her sister, Rainie, Janey now creates and sells inspirational t-shirts and merchandise to help fund some of her expenses. “Creating has always been part of Janey’s story,” Rainie said. “Paintings she has done line the walls of her room. I wanted to find a way to help her continue to be able to create despite not being able to move. We decided to create a T-shirt company so Janey could have a business to help her continue to work on a creative outlet while giving her fulfillment that comes from working. Art and hobbies were a big part of her life before, and I thought designing merchandise may be a good opportunity to help her create in a different way.”

Her best selling t-shirt is the “Be Extraordinary” shirt, which she describes as “giving your all in everything you do.”

In all her struggles, Rainie asked her if she ever doubted God. Janey replied, “No. Because He kept me alive.” She is not letting her current

circumstances dominate her view. Instead, she is focusing on the big picture. “Despite not being able to move, fully speak, or do anything she could do before, I can honestly say Janey has never doubted God’s purpose in her life,” Rainie said. “She chooses to spend every day focused on the gifts that she still has and the life that she has left to live. She doesn’t dwell on the past, focus on mistakes, or place blame.” Instead, Janey is rising up and sharing her story through her company and blog.

“I would like to be as independent as possible in the future so I will keep working on getting better and stronger,” Janey said. “I hope my company reaches many people and encourages everyone that reads my story or wears my shirts! It has really helped to have so many people cheering me on and to know that I am an encouragement to them.”

Janey’s journey has not been easy. “She works so hard on her recovery, and she worked hard before her accident at whatever she was doing,” Janey’s mother said. “It takes so much strength to see the good in a world that often seems unfair. Her story reminds me of one of my favorite Wayne Dyer quotes: ‘Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.’” It’s a choice you make, and Janey has chosen to see the blessings and focus on her mission to spread hope and inspiration.

“A word that comes to mind when I think of all she has been through is strong,” Rainie said. “Not only is she physically strong – Janey isn’t on any daily pain medications, she rarely complains of being in pain, and even if she is in pain, she still participates in therapy! She is also mentally strong. Tere have been some pretty scary hospital

Every once in awhile you meet a soul that impacts your life fore er. al ays say f you ant to fnd the strongest humans on arth focus on the kind ones. That my friends is aney arter.

Janey models her new Smith Lake T-shirt, available now on her Instagram bio link in her online Etsy shop. Photography provided by Janey Carter.

situations but Janey has powered through them all without letting a spirit of fear or doubt consume her. She wants to learn new things and keep growing as a person.”

Determined to prevail, twice a week she does therapy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, home therapy, and water therapy. She spends down time painting, writing her blog and hanging out with friends, family and her four dogs. She hopes to make her dog Lenna, whose name means “lions strength,” into her service dog one day.

“Since July 2017 Janey has touched more lives than she will ever know. Her smile and faith have never wavered and she leaves each room brighter than when she came in,” Rainie said. “ Tere are times when she is sad, frustrated, and even angry, but she never lets those emotions consume her. I think there’s something to learn from her each and every day. She’s taught us all how to gracefully and peacefully handle what life gives us while still being a blessing to others.”

“I used to wonder why God chose to give me four kids and she would tell me she came to make me happy,” Janey’s mother said. “Now, I think that she brings happiness to everyone. She has a love for people that is hard for the average person to understand. She has a strong relationship with God and has always been that way.”

“Janey has been such a symbol of strength and perseverance in our community,” said Drew Gilbert, mayor of Cordova. “She was broken, but as she has put her pieces back together, she has molded into an even more beautiful human than before.”

Janey is a reminder of all that is good in a sometimes harsh world. She reminds us of the little blessings in life we often take for granted

or overlook. In the darkness, she is the spark of hope.

“Don’t count her out,” Cindy Robinson said. “Janey was dealt a cruel blow, but it could have been worse. Janey will be the first to tell you that her story isn’t over. God has big plans for Janey. I know sometimes it’s hard not to look at all the bad and want to give up, but that’s not who Janey is.”

Every once in awhile you meet a soul that impacts your life forever. I always say, “If you want to find the strongest humans on Earth, focus on the kind ones.” Tat, my friends, is Janey Carter.

“Although we don’t always understand God’s Plan, we must always trust Him. Even when it doesn’t make any sense to us,” Janey said with a huge smile on her face.

And with that, we’ll reference one of her favorite verses: Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you. Tey are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.” Her selflessness and spirit radiate from within illuminating the world around her. She was determined to turn her tragedy into a message from God, and that is what she continues to do.

Always remember, “If Janey Can, I Can.” t

You can find Janey’s inspirational blog and products as shown below. Log in to follow her story and support her mission.

Web, Shop & Blog: www.this-extraordinarylife.com

Company: Tis Extraordinary Shop

Facebook: Tis Extraordinary Life

Instagram: @janeyc24

Etsy: TisXtraordinaryShop

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Winston County Arts Council

IIf you’re a lifelong resident of the South, used to the clay-rich soil that marks our region, you might not realize the value of, well, dirt. But Blythe Welton, Arts Education Chairman of the Winston County Arts Council, knows exactly what it’s worth—mainly because the nonprofit she helps purchases it by the ton—and it’s not cheap.

“It’s up to $1,000 per ton,” says Blythe. “And we use a lot of it.” Tat’s no surprise, considering the number of pottery classes alone the council hosts—for students, adults, church groups, anyone who is interested in learning the multistep process that transforms dried clay into beautiful bowls, plates, vases, mugs, and more.

Let’s back up just a bit. About a decade ago, Blythe says, a group of people eager to bring art into the local schools held a brainstorming session with then-principal of Meek Elementary, Amy Hiller. “We were disappointed that there was no formal art education,” Blythe says. “Terefore one of our goals was to bring arts education into county schools.” Te Winston County Arts Council was officially formed, and is now a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Te group, operating on hope, talent, and determination, set to work to bring extracurriculars such as music, theatre, visual arts, and pottery into the surrounding schools. Te first recipient, Meek

High School in Arley, saw the efforts come together without a dime from the county. “We’re not funded at all by the school district,” says Blythe. “We rely on grants and donations for supplies and salaries for our teachers.” Tough class offerings vary based on the budget (WCAC fully funds their instructors and supplies) and teacher talent pool, in the 10 years since art was first introduced at Meek, the Council has expanded its scope to include classes ranging from music to visual arts and pottery at four elementary schools, five high schools, and two middle schools. Not all art forms are offered at all schools. Students interested in theater are drawn from middle and high schools to the Free State Teater Troupe, sponsored by WCAC. An April production of “Virgil’s Wedding…the Musical” is now in rehearsal.

One of the main goals, Blythe explains, is to integrate art into the curriculum as a way to complement textbook education. For example, fourth graders studying the symbols of Alabama might learn to paint a camellia or do block printing after observing primary artifacts from Moundville. “We aim to bring art into all subjects,” says Blythe, “to enhance what they’re learning in the classroom. Art is vital for child development—there are elements of art and principals of design in everything taught, from creative problem solving to learning to draw

WRITER STEPHANIE LEPORE | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY WINSTON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL

realistic faces. Paper quilting and origami incorporate math concepts while observation skills, so necessary in science, are sharpened by drawing what we see around us.”

Feedback from students is overwhelming, with reports that many of the children don’t want to miss school on art day—and even some who love school because of art day. “Tere are many students who are more interested in artistic activities than sports,” says Blythe. “Tese kids are running to class because they want to create art. I remember a senior at Lynn High School who wants to be an engineer, he came to art class to sharpen his illustrating skills so he could draw his own designs even better.”

But back to that clay.

Blythe is quick to point out that WCAC boasts the only complete pottery studio in the county, not in private hands. It took some effort to get there though. “We wanted to make pottery so badly,” says Blythe. “We were working in a woodshop/agriculture building on the Meek High School campus, surrounded by large saws and mowers, but Sandra Heaven managed to teach even in that environment. We didn’t know it would only be temporary.”

Several years later, the loan of an old field house on the Meek High School campus from principal Marla Murrah helped propel the pottery studio from a dream to reality.

“We were so grateful for the space and for the foresight of Ms. Murrah to offer the field house to us. She always wants to offer students as much as possible,” says Blythe. “Te school district paid for half of the necessary re-roofing, and the Council came up with the rest. Tey added AC as well.” A must in the Deep South, when a 2000° kiln is running. Eventually the old field house was bleached out and renovated/customized to work for students, as well as classes for adults and special groups.

Potter Sandra Heaven, formerly head of the Art Department at Wallace State and an entrepreneur who ran her own art shop for a while, came on-board to teach as a volunteer. Eight years ago, Sandra met fellow potter Diane Sharron at the studio’s open house. According to Diane, the two became “fast friends” before quickly joining forces to teach student classes (see more info on artists Diane and Sandra on p28).

“Volunteering my time and talent at Meek is simply my way of giving back to our community,” says Diane. Te duo, they agree, “works extremely well together” and appreciate the ability to bounce ideas off each other—especially when it comes to the major work they do for the WCAC’s Empty Bowls annual fundraiser. In addition to teaching for the WCAC, the duo individually sell personal pieces, accept commissions, and teach weekly adult classes.

Winston County held its frst Empty Bowls fundraiser in 2011, as part of an international grassroots movement to feed the hungry in local communities, in 2011. This year’s event, held October 10 at the Double Springs Municipal Building, marked the ninth local event. People in and around the community participated in making the pottery bowls, especially Diane Sharron and Sandra Heaven, as well as adult and school students and Arley Women’s Club members. The bowls symbolize those who go hungry in the community—their bowls are often empty. Guests paid $12 for all-you-can-eat soup, bread, and water––a typical meal for someone who is in need. Each guest chose a beautiful pottery bowl to take home as a souvenir—albeit a bittersweet one. Twenty amateur and professional chefs provided delicious soups and Gateway Foodland supplied the bread. Blythe estimated attendance at around 400 people. “It’s the largest indoor event in the county,” she says. “We’re feeding the hungry, one bowl at a time.” Proceeds go to Main Street Ministries, which houses the county’s food bank, and the Winston County Arts Council. “We made 450 bowls,” says Blythe, “and we started back in April. Adult classes, students, church groups— there are so many who helped us provide the bowls. Sandra alone can make almost one a minute!”

In addition, Mechelle Hodgens, the “traveling art teacher” (look for an article on Mechelle in an upcoming issue in 2020) who visits various local schools as part of the , designed the frst of a series of t shirts illustrating landmarks on Smith Lake. The Heart of Rock ree was frst seen at Empty Bowls and is also a aila le on prints and mugs (contact @three_strands_design on Instagram or Facebook about the prints & mugs).

The T-shirts depicting Heart Rock are currently available locally at Sue’s Simple Bakery and Bistro on Helicon Road in the center of Arley, or order by contacting @ winstoncountyartscouncil on Instagram or Facebook.

Mechelle Hodgens

Girl Scouts help clear tables and serve water. Thank you!

Te studio boasts a kiln room, pottery wheels, space to recycle left-over clay, room for working on slabs, a room to store chemicals for glazes (“We make our own!” Blythe notes), and a hot house where the clay is dried.

“It’s a multi-step process, from reconstituting dried clay to cranking the pugmill, sanding, loading and unloading the kilns, firing twice…,” says Blythe. “Te middle and high school students learn it all.” As Diane points out, running a pottery studio is complex and laborintensive. While students mainly work with slabs, adults are often introduced to the wheel as well. “Retirees from all over the country come to live on the lake, so we have lots of interesting people come through to take our pottery classes,” explains Blythe. “Now that they have the time, they want to do creative work with their hands.”

How You Can Help

Blythe stresses that, “Te WCAC is a community effort with supporters like Traders & Farmers Bank, Traditions Bank, Arley Women’s Club, and Walker County Area Foundation all helping to fund arts education in our schools.” Teresa Snoddy is the Council’s main grant writer, though Blythe pitches in, too. “Grants are hard to obtain,” she explains, “because grant foundations are not keen on funding salaries.” Her husband, Larry Welton, helps where needed, and he’s needed often to fix the kilns and sinks in the pottery studio, sweep the floors (art is messy!), empty the trash, and even roll out the clay slabs for students. Senator Garlan Gudger has offered financial support, and State Representative Tim Wadsworth’s donations help repair the kilns (“Tey keep breaking,” says Blythe).

Even with a slew of local help, the WCAC still has needs. In addition

to fundraising through a booth at Arley Day and various grants, the Council depends on donations to help cover costs. Currently, the WCAC is in need of theater production funds, a ceiling-mounted projector and a laptop to show art images and enhance the teacher’s demonstrations. Te PTO in the elementary schools have now begun to help provide art supplies and the Council is most grateful to them and local principals for their support and encouragement. t

DONATIONS MAY BE SENT TO:

Winston County Arts Council

PO Box 436, Arley, AL 35541

WCAC newsletters can be obtained by contacting the Council Chairman J.D. Snoddy via email: jdsnoddy@gmail.com. Visit their website: winstoncountyarts.org/ and be sure to follow WCAC on Facebook and Instagram @winstoncountyartscouncil where you’ll find out about events like the upcoming WCAC Winter Concert at Te Barn at Shady Grove (28833 Hwy 195, Double Springs, AL). Te concert features dinner catered by Chef Troy’s Talk of the Town, and dancing to live music from Nashville’s Rick Jobe and the Wonderin’ Cowboys. Te event is on December 10 beginning at 6pm and tickets are $20. Enjoy western swing, jazz, oldies and favorites with WCAC! Tis is just one of may fun events they host throughout the year.

WCAC Board in a dinner meeting at Sue’s Bakery and Bistro, Arley.

SANDRA HEAVEN and DIANE SHARRON

WRITER STEPHANIE LEPORE | PHOTOGRAPHER SCOTT ERIC DAY

In 2018, we had the pleasure of visiting the Winston County Arts Council (WCAC) pottery studio at Meek High School and meeting two of the volunteer art teachers, artists Sandra Heaven and Diane Sharron. They graciously gave us a tour of the studio with Diane educating us on techniques for hand-built pottery and Sandra demonstrating how pieces are produced from a traditional pottery wheel. If given a choice, Sandra is partial to developing pieces on the pottery wheel and she is incredi ly fast and profcient. iane prefers producing hand thrown pottery, which yields gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces; however, they both execute either method of pottery very well. You’ll learn more about them in the article on WCAC in this issue on page 24.

It’s wonderful to have such advanced skill right here in a tiny little lake town like Arley, Alabama. We enjoyed visiting them, touring the facility, watching them work, learning about the different techniques of creating pottery, and admiring the pieces they had on display in the front of the studio. We also learned how they team up to generously donate their time and labor for the WCAC and local schools. We thank them for what they are doing for our community!

We featured Sandra and Diane among other artists in a blog on our website in March 2018. We are highlighting them again here in the magazine to give you just a little more information on them individually. We hope that you’ll reach out to support them as independent artists by following them on social media, consider taking some pottery courses with them, purchasing their pieces available locally, or commissioning special custom pieces. Their efforts produce handmade heirloom gifts your family will love to collect. Contact information for both of them will be displayed below their individual short bios.

SANDRA HEAVEN

A resident of Arley and Smith Lake, Sandra Heaven is the owner of Heaven & Earth Pottery and a long-time artist and pottery enthusiast. She taught art for over 17 years at Wallace State Community College where she was the department head, but now she happily volunteers a few days each week teaching pottery at Meek High School as part of the Winston County Arts Council. Her beautiful pottery can be purchased at Smith Lake Flea Market & Vintage Mall.

To see more of her latest work, visit heavenandearthpottery.com.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT POTTERY?

I just always love playing in the mud. But seriously, it’s a wonderful creative outlet.

HOW DID YOU GET IN TO POTTERY AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT?

Forty years. I got in to it taking classes in college and when I was teaching art at Wallace State.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF LIVING ON THE LAKE?

I love the view. Occasionally, I like to go for a swim.

WHAT DO YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT ARLEY?

We have a lot of talented people who live here that I wish more people knew about. It’s a wonderful community. I love the people here. Instagram: @heavensandra | email: sandra.heaven@heavenandearthpottery.com

DIANE SHARRON

After retiring ten years ago, Diane moved with her husband from Raymond, Mississippi to Brushy Creek on Smith Lake in Houston, Alabama. She developed her interest in pottery after taking lessons from Sandra. Now, she too volunteers as an art instructor and teaches a ladies class at the Meek High School studio. Diane says pottery is mostly a hobby for her, but she does post pictures of her work to Instagram and Facebook, and she will accept offers on pieces. Her lovely and very unique artwork will soon be available at Smith Lake Flea Market & Vintage Mall.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT POTTERY?

Teaching. I love teaching–working with the middle school students this year is extremely rewarding. I also teach a ladies class, and it is what we call our “weekly therapy session”––a laid back group who thoroughly enjoy each other’s company. Pottery––to create art with your hands––is just so good for your heart and soul.

HOW DID YOU GET IN TO POTTERY AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT?

When my husband and I retired 10 years ago and moved from Mississippi to Smith Lake, I saw an ad for pottery classes in the Winston County newspaper and decided to check it out. I went to the studio’s open house at Meek and started taking lessons. I was quite surprised to find out how much I enjoyed this form of art. I immediately knew that pottery was going to become a part of my life.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF LIVING ON THE LAKE?

Te serenity here on Brushy Creek. It’s so quiet nine months out of the year, and no light pollution. We are in the Bankhead National Forest and there’s nothing like it––it feels as though you could touch the stars.

WHAT DO YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT BRUSHY CREEK?

Te beautiful wildlife; you’re right in the middle of it twenty-four-seven. It’s just a beautiful, wonderful place. Everyone needs to come visit. Instagram @brushycreekpottery | email: dplayinginthemud@gmail.com

The Tucker Home on Ryan Creek

Sometimes a Sunday afternoon drive is just the perfect excuse to run through the Starbucks drive-thru, turn up the radio, and cruise around the back roads. And sometimes, every so often, a Sunday afternoon drive paves the road to your new house along the shores of Smith Lake.

“My husband, Ken, grew up around Lake Guntersville, and we both have fond memories of family lake weekends,” says homeowner Leigh Tucker. It was only natural, then, that the couple was pulled toward the lake when looking ahead to retirement. “We knew we wanted a place on the water, and somewhere that our sons would want to visit and spend time.”

Tough the couple was familiar with Smith Lake geographically, neither had spent time here before those fateful Sunday afternoon drives, a little more than an hour south of their home in Huntsville. “We were pleasantly surprised by the beauty, clean water, and affordability of property around Smith Lake,” says Leigh. Tus began their virtual house hunt, as they poured over dozens of online listings, assuming it would be easy to check the boxes on their wish list: an open floor plan, walk-out basement, year-round water, sunset views, and easily accessible from their full-time home up I-65.

“We saw several attractive and intriguing homes, but not the ‘right’ one, so we transitioned to a property search instead,” says Leigh. After finding a lot that would work, and contacting agent Joey Carter of Joseph Carter Realty,

WRITER STEPHANIE LEPORE |

PHOTOGRAPHER DAVE WARREN

they discovered the property had just closed and was no longer available.

However, that just-missed lot led to a conversation with Joey, who told the Tuckers about a new development by Billy Williams. Curiosity piqued, the Tuckers drove down to check out the new area.

“We met Joey and drove down a mile-long logging road in a Jeep to see a point where the lots had not even been plotted or cleared,” remembers Leigh. Walking the lot and shoreline with Billy while listening to his vision for the area proved to be an a-ha! moment for the Tuckers.

“We chose our spot almost immediately,” says Leigh. “We told Joey, ‘whichever lot includes this point is the one we want.’”

Te east-west lot gave Ken and Leigh the sunset view that was high on their checklist (along with incredible sunrise and moonrise views, too). “Joey’s knowledge of the lake and surrounding areas, as well as building design and practices, was instrumental in the search for our dream location on Smith Lake,” says Leigh.

To ensure the best orientation of the house to take advantage of those views—as well as turning the Tuckers’ dreams for their home into reality—Ken and Leigh called on Kevin Noe and Cornerstone Construction. As it turned out, Kevin’s vision jibed well with theirs, down to respecting even the little details that the couple envisioned.

Project manager Matt Blocher kept the process running smoothly, serving as liaison for the Tuckers, sub-contractors, and suppliers.

And while the inside is still a work in progress – the couple moved in late May - Leigh says the house is already personalized through paint color choices, special finishes, and other accents. Working alongside Cullman designer Connie Sandlin, Ken and Leigh hope the finished house feels like a home—casual and comfortable, a place for friends and family to enjoy no matter the season.

“ Te people who enjoy this house with us don’t care. Tey’re here for the views, water, and camaraderie—and sometimes solitude!” says Leigh. “We have a sign downstairs, salvaged from an old service station, that pretty much sums up our approach to lake life: Tis Island Self Service Only. We’re glad to be here and look forward to making many more happy memories.”

Homeowner Ken is an executive with Te Boeing Company in Huntsville, and his wife Leigh is retired from the public relations field. Tey met as students at the University of Alabama, introduced by Leigh’s roommate at the Alabama-Ole Miss football game in 1981. Tey have three sons, one deceased. All are graduates of UA. Teir Smith Lake home is convenient to Montgomery, where their oldest lives, and Huntsville, where their youngest lives, and permits the family’s favorite pastimes of swimming, boating, and porch-sitting.

EXTERIOR FRONT

During the development phase of the property, Ken and Leigh began the exhaustive search for a house plan. It was Ken who happened upon the winning plan, by architect Brian Eicholz of Te Red Cottage. “Brian specializes in the bungalow style, which Ken and I both like for its simplicity and timeless design elements and appeal,” says Leigh. Te “Lake Bungalow” plan features a large, open living space that includes dining and a kitchen, plus four generous bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. Te Tuckers worked side by side with Brian to personalize the original plans.

Culled from the look of coastal Fairhope and Point Clear homes, the cream exterior and dark windows on the Tuckers’ house also include a “mountain lake element,” says Leigh, in the darker metal roof and porch skirting. “We thinned the cream color with water by half to whitewash the tongue-and-groove porch ceilings and allow the wood grain to show,” says Leigh. Te decking was sealed clear to polish and maintain the rustic, natural wood tone.

EXTERIOR WATER VIEW

Buoyed by the lifetime warranty BMS Marine offers, the Tuckers chose the local company to construct their dock, which includes two boat slips, one filled in halfway to provide shade, along with two jet ski ports and a large swim platform that feels spacious even when filled with lake-loving family and friends. “ Te dock features concrete decking for added weight and stability,” adds Leigh.

Kevin designed the sweeping curve in the sidewalk to the dock, and suggested the Tuckers use Rick Whitfield of Broken W. Farms in Guin to trim trees, lay sod, and install the rocked dry creeks on either side of the lot for storm runoff

INTERIORS — CABINETRY

Using photos and descriptions of ideas Ken and Leigh had tucked away for years to achieve a surplus of storage—and keeping it in the Cornerstone family!—Angie Noe designed the cabinetry throughout the Tuckers’ home. Te trio used various designs, colors, and hardware to achieve the different looks they wanted in each room. “We are particularly pleased with the kitchen’s cream cabinets and bronze hardware, complimented by the blue island with the live edge slab top and distressed nickel hardware,” says Leigh.

INTERIORS —LIGHTING

Danny Calvert of Danny Calvert Electric provided lighting and switch placement recs to the Tuckers, who wanted dramatic downlighting to highlight the exterior porch columns. “Danny’s crew delivered,” says Leigh. “ Te lighting is beautiful at night.” To get exactly what they wanted, Ken and Leigh shopped InLine Lighting (in Huntsville) and Costco and online sources for ceiling fans. “We’re still trying to figure out all of the light switches!” she says.

WINDOW DETAIL

“We wanted energy-efficient, low-maintenance, aluminum-clad wood windows, double-hung, with three muntins in the upper sash to divide the glass into four “lights” over an all-glass lower sash,” says Leigh. For such specific stipulations, the Tuckers called on Stephen Darby of Buettner Brothers Lumber Company in Cullman. Te result is the exact window style, in oil-rubbed bronze, the Tuckers desired.

LIVING ROOM

Like many devoted readers, Leigh years-ago clipped an article about a restored cabin from Southern Living, based on her love of the color shown in the cabin’s living room. “We fell in love with the wall color and the natural wood flooring, mantel, and beams in those pictures,” remembers Leigh.

While the Tuckers envisioned their open living/dining/kitchen area in a similar watery blue, Leigh acknowledges “that’s a lot of blue—we couldn’t afford to make a color mistake,” especially because they wanted to take the wall color onto the trim as well. “We really wanted an uninterrupted view to the outdoors,” says Leigh. At Kevin’s recommendation, the Tuckers hired designer Connie Sandlin to help them bring the outdoors in, as well as offering her eye when it came to selecting the wall color (Stardew by Sherwin-Williams, perhaps an unintentional nod to the evening views). According to Leigh, it was trial, error, and paint sample upon paint sample that helped them narrow down the color options. “It’s perfect,” she says. “ Te walls can look blue or gray depending on the time of day.”

Alabama Hardwood Floors of Pell City installed the random-

width-and-length white oak flooring throughout the house. Tey worked diligently in developing the right stain to complement the interior colors, ending up with a custom mix of 80% special walnut and 20% natural for the right balance.

To more literally bring the outdoors in, a rock fireplace surround adds texture and a visual break to all the blue. Nickel gap (commonly referred to as shiplap) crowns the wall above the fireplace, as well as the balcony wrap and support column. Like the monochromatic look of the walls and trim, the nickel gap and built-ins are painted the same shade as the ceiling. Te rough-hewn cedar mantel is from a smokehouse in Tennessee. Te beams in the main living area were fabricated by River Bottom Pine in Birmingham.

Also in the living room, a must have feature is the 12-foot folding door that opens to the screened porch to allow for additional living space, seamless indoor-outdoor entertaining, and ample seating and eating areas to relax and enjoy the views.

Connie’s color expertise also came in handy when picking a hue for the blue doors that lead down to the basement rec room and the upstairs bedrooms and bath, as well as the darker window and door trim throughout the house.

LOCAL MATERIALS SHOUT-OUT

“It was important to us to use as many local suppliers and building products as possible during construction,” says Leigh. Te natural rock accents on the exterior, lower porch columns, and fireplace were cut from a Blount County quarry. Justin O’Dell at Lamb Stone helped Ken and Leigh select rock that looks similar to the property’s shoreline. Te kitchen, kitchenette, bathrooms, and laundry room feature granite from Carroll’s Contemporary Design in Addison. “I particularly enjoyed working with Ashleigh Parker to choose pieces with the color and movement we wanted,” notes Leigh. Even better, many of the Tuckers’ selections, fabricated from on-site remnants, came at an unexpected cost savings.

KITCHEN

Te crown jewel of the Tuckers’ kitchen is a custom natural, live-edge white oak slab that serves as the island’s top. (Another custom black walnut slab serves as a floating vanity in the powder room.)

“We bought the three-inch-thick, kiln-dried white oak slabs directly from Moses Yoder of Massey Woodworks near Falkville,” says Leigh. (Ken and Leigh also bought three nine-foot black walnut slabs for a future custom table.) Te slabs were planed by Shannon Tomas of Tomas Woodworks in Vinemont, then joined and finished on-site by Scotty Morrison at Cornerstone to highlight the wood grain. “Scotty also designed and built the barn door for the storage closet in the laundry room,” says Leigh. “I didn’t want bi-fold doors taking up space.”

A nautical blue on the island’s base—which also holds a microwave drawer—bubble glass pendants, and a glass tile backsplash round out the kitchen’s pleasing, nod-to-the-lake palette. Te Tuckers turned to AllSouth in Birmingham for appliances.

BEDROOMS

“Another feature of this plan we immediately appreciated were the large size of the bedrooms.” said Leigh. “ Te master easily accommodates a king-sized rice-carved bed. We updated the traditional cherry with simple bedding in the contemporary colors of cream, gray and khaki.”

Te upstairs bedrooms mirror each other, both featuring a queensized iron bed and a mid-century modern double dresser. Te dressers were a find at Relics in Tupelo, MS, a large antique store in an old three-story textile mill. (Fame claim: Elvis’ mother worked there when expecting him.) Te bright green, turquoise and navy were inspired by shades of the lake in summer.

Custom window treatments are two-inch wooden blinds from Hunter in a dark hue matching the windows.

Te basement bedroom holds two queen-sized beds and a third mid-century modern single dresser from Relics. Each dresser was updated with paint but kept the unique, vintage hardware. Shades of blue, gray and white bring the outdoors inside.

BATHROOMS

Tile selections from Henry Tile in Huntsville include soothing grays in the master bath, soft browns in the basement bath, and a natural combo of gray, black, and cream in the upstairs bath and laundry room. At the suggestion of Ashleigh at Carroll’s, the Tuckers chose to top the shower benches with the same granite as the master and upstairs bath countertops. “We extended the same floor tile in the upstairs bathroom into the shower for a seamless transition,” says Leigh. “Half- and three-quarter walls in the showers provide privacy, while seamless glass doors provide additional light and modern lines.”

Plumbing fixtures and supplies were purchased from Park Supply in Huntsville.

BASEMENT/GAME ROOM

In the original plans, the basement included a double garage; instead, the Tuckers converted that space into a rec room and second living space with football Saturdays in mind. Extending the porches to 12-feet-deep provides extra relaxation space, too. Te bar top in the rec room, like the kitchen upstairs, is custom. “We found reclaimed knotty alder from Southern Accents Architectural Antiques in Cullman, and David Hood of Cornerstone built our countertop accent,” says Leigh.

One of Ken and Leigh’s favorite details lies in the rec room’s ceiling, where exposed floor joists and ductwork were painted dark brown. “It’s a casual, contemporary gathering space for family and friends,” Leigh says. Stained and sealed concrete floors throughout the basement level are another chic, industrial element.

PORCH

Leigh notes that Kevin’s detail attention was much appreciated by her and Ken, and they chose to move forward with several of his recommendations. One was wrapping the porch columns with the same Hardie board, painted the same color, as the rest of the house. Kevin added trim to the columns in the same color as well. “It resulted in a clean, finished, substantial, and pleasing look,” says Leigh.

Another detail: Kevin suggested the addition of a stoop over the back door to keep the Tuckers dry in inclement weather. Dry storage under one of the side porches, wet storage under the other—both hidden by the horizontal skirting and making smart use of wasted space—were also Kevin’s ideas.

Building on the idea of making the most of what you’ve got, this time with otherwise wasted materials, Kevin and the Tuckers found new use for leftover tongue-and-groove. “We had a lot of extra from the porch ceilings, and after brainstorming with Kevin, we decided to panel the powder room,” says Leigh. More tongue-and-groove found its way to the kitchen ceiling, where it was whitewashed to mimic the porch ceilings.

Despite his penchant for detail, Leigh says there was one moment when he questioned the couple’s directives. “We had seen several really nice homes at Lake Martin, and there was goat wire around the porches,” Leigh explains. “You could see right through it to the views beyond. When we told Kevin what we wanted, he was skeptical—“Like what you get at the farm supply store?” he asked. But he delivered, and it looks great. He suggested framing the goat wire inserts so no unfinished edges are visible. I think it [the goat wire] is one of his favorite features in our house.” t

Brickyard Meats takes great pride in exclusively selling locally grown grass and grain fed beef, which can be bought piece by piece or by half or quarter, as well as chicken that is always brought in fresh and frozen right in the store. No dyes or chemicals are used in their meats, and none of it is sourced from outside the United States. Teir meats are smoked with natural wood and sliced on site. T business is also well-known for their eagerness to take special requests from customers, such as recreating family recipes.

Brickyard Meats was founded by Ernie Graveman, a local butcher by trade who trained at Wallace State Community College. He worked for several different grocery stores while operating a wild game processing business on the side before opening his own meat market. Graveman’s daughter, Tamara Robinson, who now manages Brickyard Meats, said her grandfather passed when she was two-years-old, prompting her father to sell the market in order to take over the farm. But in 2004, Graveman decided to give the market another go and this time opened it under the new name of Brickyard

Meats.

“Daddy decided he wanted to do it again, and I wanted to run a business, so it worked out really well,” Robinson said.

Te spacious and clean storefront is a relatively recent addition to the market having been completed in 2015. Here, customers can choose from a vast assortment of neatly arranged meat cuts, along with an impressive selection of sausages, cheeses, jerky, seasonings, and gift baskets, among other items. Te butchers, adorned in aprons and hairnets, can be seen hard at work in the processing room through a glass panel in the back of the store.

“We used to be half the size we are now,” Robinson added. “In 2014, we added the storefront so you can come in and shop around,” Robinson said. “Dad enjoyed retail and wanted to bring it back to Cullman. At that time there were only grocery stores.”

On a weekly basis, a variety of savory creations called “Stuffed Stuff ” is freshly prepared. Te menu, which is usually posted online later in the week, often includes an array of specialty burgers, stuffed chicken breasts and thighs, as well as items like kabobs, wraps,

WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN DAVID PALMER

Located just of Alabama 278 in Cullman is Brickyard Meats, a locally owned family business that has earned a stellar reputation over the years for its quality cuts and accommodating customer service.

stuffed mushrooms, peppers, and pastas. In celebration of this year’s Oktoberfest, Brickyard Meats offered a German themed Stuffed Stuff menu featuring items such as Bavarian Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Hackbraten (German meatloaf), Beef Rouladen, Oktoberfest Chicken, and Apple and Spice Pork Tenderloin. Tey also made special beer brats using Goat Island Brewing’s very own Colonel’s Festbier, a malty German marzen. (See our article on Goat Island Brewing in the 2018 Winter issue, now on digital) t

Te market is open Mondays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is closed Sundays. It is located at 257 County Road 471 in Cullman. To keep up with weekly specials, be sure to follow Brickyard Meat Processing on Facebook and on Instagram @brickyardmeats, and check out their website at brickyardmeats.com.

McRealCoy

Lifelong watersports enthusiast Clay McCoy lives a kind of lifestyle that others could only dream about. Working as a software engineer from his scenic home near Goat Island on Lewis Smith Lake, Clay, 43, spends much of his spare time wakeboarding and wakefoiling with family and friends behind his sleek Super Air Nautique. And while his quiet, humble demeanor may not convey it, Clay isn’t your average weekend warrior because many consider his impressive water shredding skills to be close to the level of some professionals.

Growing up in Guntersville, Clay played on and in the water at his grandparents’ lake house nearly every weekend. At the age of 6, his aunt taught him how to waterski, and he was hooked. His parents would go out on the boat and pull

him for hours behind their inboard/outboard cabin cruiser while he rode on random skis purchased from yard sales. Clay would go on to attend Te University of Alabama where he received an education in computer science as well as watersports. While there, he joined the university’s waterski team and learned how to competently drive an inboard waterski boat and pull a skier.

“I had no idea what I was doing before that,” he said. “I didn’t realize that I shouldn’t do power turns to pick up a fallen skier because it ruined their water and was unsafe if they were injured.”

Clay also learned the importance of keeping straight lines and a consistent speed when pulling a skier, as well as how to ski a slalom course and do flips on a trick ski. But by the end of his time at Alabama, wakeboarding had become

WRITER JOHN DAVID PALMER | PHOTOGRAPHER SHANE COOK

“Wakeboarding was just so much more fun for me,” he said, “There is always something to progress to that is just out of reach.”

extremely popular, and he along with many of his colleagues, found themselves more interested in shredding than skiing.

“Wakeboarding was just so much more fun for me,” he said, “Tere is always something to progress to that is just out of reach.”

After graduation, Clay moved to Huntsville for a job. He had made some friends on an online wakeboarding community called “wakelist,” and Shane Cook happened to be one of those friends. Shane had graduated from Auburn and moved to Huntsville about the same time as Clay.

“We were roommates for a while,” Clay said. “I bought my first boat, and we would wakeboard all the time after work and on weekends in the Tennessee River. I met my wife by taking people out on my boat.”

Shane went on to found the Wake Factory, which organizes a lot of major wakeboarding tournaments throughout the state. Wake Factory hosts the popular Wake Battle each year at Smith Lake Park. (Check out our previous article by John David Palmer on Shane Cook & Wake Factory in the recent 2019 Summer issue, soon to be in digital on our website, or though a link in our Instagram bio.)

While living in Huntsville, a friend brought him to Smith Lake to wakeboard, and Clay was impressed by the lake’s beauty and clean waters. When Clay and his wife were dating, they would spent a lot of time in Brushy Creek on the Winston County side of the lake. He said this was during the early 2000’s when there were no houses back there

yet, just the Bankhead forest.

“We would come down for the whole weekend and wakeboard all day and then find a camping spot on the shoreline for the night,” he said. “I don’t think you could do that today. Tere were hardly any other boats around even on the weekend and it was so peaceful. I knew then that this is where I wanted to end up someday. But it didn’t really seem possible. I was always forced back to town for work and other responsibilities after the weekend was over.”

Tose responsibilities only increased, and during his thirties, work and his young children became his main focus. He no longer had time for the lake and ended up selling his boat. During this time, Clay got the opportunity to work as a software developer at Netflix and moved his family across the country. Tey lived near San Jose, California for five years.

“It was great for my career and there are amazing things to see and do out there,” he said. “Our weekends were full of taking the kids to redwood forests, beaches around Monterrey and snowboarding in Tahoe. But I missed the lakes we have here in the South and went over a decade without wakeboarding.”

By 2016, Clay finally grew tired of his commute and how busy and expensive Silicon Valley was, so he began planning a way out that involved life on a lake. He didn’t want a second home on the lake that was yet another place to maintain; he wanted to be there full time to

enjoy it to the fullest with his family. But this time there were more constraints. For the sake of his family, he had to be reasonably close to good schools, basic infrastructure, and stores. After spending hours online looking at shorelines all over the country to find a place that met those requirements, it turned out that the Cullman side of Smith Lake was just what he was looking for. It was the same lake that he had spent so much time at previously but just on the opposite side. When everything fell into place, he and his family moved back.

Clay now lives at the lake full time and works remotely, which he says is possible now that decent Internet is slowly making its way to the lake. With the lower cost of living, beautiful lake scenery, and conveniences of Cullman, he says it is an ideal location for remote workers. Finally living the lake life again, Clay resumed wakeboarding with his family and says he probably rides more now in his 40s than he did when he was in his 20s.

“Our three kids Cooper (12), Cohen (10), and Cenley (9) are having great experiences attending Cullman City Schools, and wakeboarding is one of their favorite hobbies. We go out on the boat whenever we can around other activities and everyone takes a turn. Cenley is also a competitive gymnast. Cooper and Cohen have been training Jiu Jitsu for the last three years.”

“Cohen, in particular, loves his time behind the boat,” he added. “I think he would ride all day if I let him. I don’t think he looks quite as happy or graceful doing anything else. Eventually, I have to just stop the boat, tell him it is someone else’s turn. Cohen is on the autism spectrum. He is high-functioning and doing well in school, but I worried about him getting bullied. One day we dropped by Triad Martial Arts on a whim. Te boys were interested in taking classes right away. I was impressed with the world-class instruction my boys were getting from Daniel O’Brien right here in Cullman, so I started attending the adult class and became hooked too.”

He praises Jiu Jitsu for noticeably helping Cohen develop confidence and focus and for being a great way to stay in shape, make friends and learn how to defend oneself. He says another major benefit of Jiu Jitsu is that it is something they can do year round and keeps them in shape for wakeboarding, which he says becomes more useful as he ages.

Clay is well respected among our local boarders, proudly raising a new generation of groms while becoming something of a local legend to many who seek his advice and fellowship. You’re in for a real treat if you get the chance to see Clay wakeboarding on Smith. Te skillful and powerful way he rides has a way of inspiring others, even those who don’t wakeboard. Seemingly without effort, he can land an array of tricks that many skilled wakeboarders who are in their 20s can’t land, and there’s no stopping his progression forward. As he likes to say, there’s always a new trick to learn and a new goal to obtain. t

A Misty Morning Beneath The Dam

WRITER JOHN DAVID PALMER

C

Considered by many to be both a sport and an ancient art form, fly fishing is a pastime in a league of its own. For this reason, it should come as little surprise that a massive body of diverse literature has accumulated on the subject over the centuries. As a writer and angler myself, it is almost shameful that I had never given it much time. But due to a combination of stubbornness and a lack of spare time in recent years, I clung to my spinning reels and bait casters like a simpleton, blissfully ignorant of the unique experience that only fly fishing offers. Perhaps this was wise because in the back of my mind, I knew if I learned how to do it, I would end up getting hooked for life.

My prolonged abstinence from fly fishing would come to an end, however, after I was offered an opportunity to fish for rainbow trout in the river beneath the Lewis Smith Lake dam on the Friday before Labor Day weekend with Brandon Jackson, guide and owner of the highly acclaimed Riverside Fly Shop in Bremen.

Photographer Michael Moxley

According to Outdoor Alabama, a website run by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, has been stocked with rainbow trout since 1974. Nowadays, approximately 3,000 trout between 8 to 14 inches long are stocked in it each month of the year by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF). Te trout are able to survive due to the clear and cold water that remains below 70 degrees year-round and the abundance of food sources. Tey are stocked frequently because they cannot reproduce. Te Sipsey Fork is considered a “put and take” fishery, and creel and possession limit is 5 fish. Tere is no size limit, closed season, nor trout stamp restricted angling, as long as anglers abide by legal regulations. Te best trout fishing and habitat is said to be found along the entire 12.5-mile stretch of the Sipsey Fork until it reaches Mulberry Fork.

I was told to meet Brandon at his shop that morning at 5 a.m. We had to be there early because the river was scheduled to be flooded by the Birmingham Water Works Pump Station (BWWPS) later in the morning. Te night before the trip, I could hardly sleep, partly due to sheer excitement and partly due to my fear of snoozing through my alarm, which I am unfortunately prone to do.

Te shop, located inside a rustic log cabin, was just how I imagined it might look. I was a little early, so I went to wait on the front porch. It wasn’t long before a mid to late 2000s model Toyota Sequoia pulled up. My guide had arrived. When he opened the door, the bird dog that had been riding shotgun leaped out and darted toward the porch. Brandon got out to introduce himself and let us in the shop. Once inside, we suited up in snug Simms waders and rugged rubber boots provided by the shop before setting off to Sipsey Fork. I broke it to

The best trout fshing and habitat is said to be found along the entire 12.5-mile stretch of the Sipsey Fork until it reaches Mulberry Fork.

Photographer Seabook

Media LLC

Photographs by John David Palmer

him on the short drive over that I had very little experience fly fishing and that he would probably have to coach me a bit. To my relief, he didn’t seem too worried. As we conversed, Brandon told me the story of the fly shop and how fishing the Sipsey Fork helped one of his best friends cope after going through a divorce. He calls it “river therapy.” We parked by the gated water works facility and hiked toward the river, each of us toting a fly rod.

When I approached the river, it felt like entering another realm. It was surrounded by tall trees on both sides and covered in a blanket of mist. Squawking great blue herons with wide wingspans circled the sky just above the high treeline. In this remote setting, they seemed prehistoric, like something from Jurassic Park.

We waded in the river up to our waists. Te water was colder than I expected, but in the late summer heat it was far from unpleasant. Brandon showed me how to make a basic cast. Te motion reminded me of half-swinging with a pitching iron. It felt unnatural. My mind knew what to do, but my body took its time to cooperate. We only had two hours, so I knew I had to learn fast if I wanted to catch something without assistance. But after about 10 to 15 fumbled casts, I was finally able to place the fly in the current in front of me and let it drift downstream.

“If you even think it twitches, go ahead and set the hook,” he said. “Just to be safe.”

I hawkishly watched the strike indicator for any sign of movement. If it moved, it meant one of two things: the fly bumped a submerged rock, or it was a strike. We could see trout swimming in the clear water, which to me was encouraging.

Brandon reached down to scoop something up from the surface of the cold water. “Do you see it?” he asked. I squinted to see a tiny insect larvae in his palm. “It’s a midge fly,” he said. “It’s what we’re trying to replicate with our flies.” Te goal, he said, is to imitate the local food sources that drift downstream. Unlike the kind of fishing I’m used to, the water moves the lure rather than the angler moving the lure through the water.

When I approached the river, it felt like entering another realm.

Photographer Seabook Media LLC

Photographer Michael Moxley

Photographer John David Palmer

We moved around to various spots down river, continuing to get occasional strikes, but neither of us were able to make a hook set. Since there were so many trout, I remained hopeful. But time flies when fishing, and before I knew it, our time was almost up. We still had a few minutes left before the river was scheduled to be flooded, so we made a few casts at one last spot. I had a strike but missed the hook set yet again. Meanwhile, Brandon had a strike of his own. I heard a splash as he swiftly set the hook. I watched as he gently guided a small trout to him. Its multicolored scales glistened in the morning sunlight. Just as he removed the hook from the fish, a loud and somewhat eerie siren went off. Our time was clearly up. I was able to take a few quick photos of him and the fish before we booked it back to the truck. Brandon warned that it would not be safe to stay any longer. When we reached the safe higher ground, we stopped for a minute to watch the water swiftly rise and flood where we had just hiked.

While I did not catch a fish that day, I was anything but disappointed, for I learned how to make a basic cast with a fly rod within two hours and got to spend a morning in a beautiful place that I had never been before with a friendly and expert guide who shares my passion for the outdoors. To me, catching fish is only half the fun, especially when surrounded by gorgeous scenery and good company. I certainly can’t wait to go again. In the meantime, I will be practicing my cast and hook set.

For more information about Riverside Fly Shop, visit riversideflyshop.com. Also, be sure to follow the shop on Instagram @riversidefly and like their page on Facebook. For more information, including regulations, about the Sipsey Fork rainbow trout fishery, visit outdooralabama.com. Also, those who visit the Sipsey Fork should be aware of the BWWPS generation schedule, which can be obtained by calling 1-800-LAKES-11, but do keep in mind that the schedules are subject to change without notice. t

Photographer John David Palmer

ONGS ON SMITH

This summer has been a season of songs here on Smith Lake with a multitude of concerts and musical events taking place, some of which, like the Smith Lake Concert Series, drew sizable crowds. But one group of musicians came to the lake this summer to create new songs instead of performing preexisting ones.

In July, Anacrusis, a Nashville-based publishing and licensing company that specializes in non-country songwriters, hosted a week-long songwriters retreat on Smith Lake. Te focus of the week was writing songs for synchronization – the use of music in film, television, advertising, theatrical trailers, and video games. Te 12 songwriters worked alongside six music executives from corporations including Microsoft and McDonalds to write and record 20 completed songs. Te songs that were written at the camp varied greatly in style and genre, ranging from epic and cinematic, to lighthearted acoustic, to “powerful” rock.

Anacrusis has been hosting quarterly songwriting retreats at locations across America for a number of years now in an effort to give both emerging and established songwriters opportunities to perform and connect with music supervisors. Te retreat on Smith Lake was sponsored in part by Pinnacle Bank and Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).

“We chose Smith Lake because it’s accessible to Nashville while still feeling like a remote lakefront getaway,” said Liz Rogers, Founder and Creative Director of Anacrusis. “We strive to create memorable experiences through these writing camps that both foster creativity and deep relationships. Te idea of a summer camp was perfect because what says bonding more than bunk beds and late night swims in the lake?”

WRITER JOHN DAVID PALMER | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY ANACRUSIS

“We chose Smith Lake because it’s accessible to Nashville while still feeling like a remote lakefront getaway.”

One of the songwriters who attended the retreat was a local Smith Laker who enjoys wakesurfing, Kevin Kolk, a 16-year-old pop singersongwriter who recently released a debut EP titled “Hearts.”

Look for an article on Kevin in an upcoming issue of Te Lakeside Life. His family, the Vanderkolks, have a home on Smith Lake and are the ones responsible for introducing Anacrusis to the area. Other popular artists who attended the retreat included James Droll, Jeff Carl, Trove, CAPPA, Charlotte Sands, and Alex Haddad & Brother Love (of Tem Vibes), along with producers Ben Bishop (Obeds), Chase Coy (CHSR), Scott Shirock (of KiND), and Jake Ohlbaum (of Te Foxies).

“We are so lucky,” said Alex Haddad of Tem Vibes, an established rock band that has opened for acts including Lynyrd Skynyrd and Cheap Trick. “Getting to hang and create great music with such incredible people, all while hanging by the lake every day, makes for

one unforgettable summer.”

Tem Vibes returned to the lake for the Smith Lake Concert Series that took place August 17. Te band has been on tour with country music singer Maggie Rose.

Not a single person among the group left the cabin for a trip to town for the full five days they were there, only a quick trip or two to a nearby convenience store on the rare occurrence that something was desperately needed. From morning until late afternoon, the artists collaborated and toiled at perfecting their songs. When they finished for the day, they hit the water to have some fun swimming and catching wakes until the sun set late in the evening.

“We’ve been holed up in a cabin this whole week writing songs, and I feel like I’m at summer camp, and I never want to leave,” said Charlotte Sands, another pop singer-songwriter who attended the camp.

“Getting to hang and create music with such incredible people, all while hanging by the lake every day, makes for one unforgettable summer”

- Alex Haddad

Rogers said that being in a different location and environment forces you to think and create differently, which can be very freeing for the songwriters.

“I am so proud of all the songs, which are a huge testament to the work-ethic, passion, and immense talent that I saw from the writers every single day,” she said. “Tey were focused, and eager to receive feedback and make changes based on the music supervisors’ notes,

sometimes working late into the night tracking vocals and reworking production. Te completed songs are not only poised for licensing success, but will remain as anthems of Summer 2019 forever.”

She said she hopes to bring a group of artists to Smith Lake again sometime in the near future, and we certainly look forward to covering that. Follow Anacrusis on Instagram as @anacrusissongs for photos, videos and links to songs from artists she works with. t

Follow the artists mentioned in this article on Instagram:

CAPPA @cappamusic - Jef Carl @jefcarl - Chase Coy @chsrproduction - James Droll @jamesdroll

Alex Haddad @al_slim_ - KiND @kindnashville - Kevin Kolk @kevinkolkmusic - Brother Love @brotherloverocks

Obeds @o_b_e_d_s - Jake Ohlbaum @thefoxies_jakeohlbaum - Charlotte Sands @charlottesands

Scott Shirock @scottyshy - Them Vibes @them_vibes - Trove @listentotrove

U ExtrEmE OFF-ROAD… BUT CHILL BY THE SHORE

Busted Knuckle Films’ Matt Myrick balances the outrageous motorsports life with quality time at home on the water

Walk in the front door of the showroom for Busted Knuckle Off Road, the brick-and-mortar headquarters for one of the internet’s biggest names in extreme motorsports, and you’ll see a modest presentation of some decently cool stuff : parts, gear, and an assortment of T-shirts and hats featuring the company’s unique wrench-gripping logo.

But head out the back door and into the company’s 7,500 square-foot shop, and you’re entering a world of seriously insane kit. Busted Knuckle business partners Matt Myrick and Jake Burkey have teamed together to bring high-end builds for some of the most exotic off-road rigs to life — not only for worldwide customers who’re eager to pay (Myrick just returned from a build handoff he delivered in Europe); but also for the millions of online followers who have discovered the brand through the Busted Knuckle Films YouTube channel.

Te video arm of Busted Knuckle is what got the business off the ground, and it’s Myrick’s specialty. A Jasper-area resident who’s building a new house on the lake (“We’re able to swim from our old house to our new one,” he jokes), Myrick didn’t know he was building

a niche media juggernaut when he first began shooting videos of his gnarly hobby as a shorthand way of showing people why he’s so gung-ho for motorsports.

“Basically, this all kind of started from me and my buddies just going trail riding,” he says. “None of this off-road stuff was mainstream or even close to it at the time, when I was in college. We eventually got tired of explaining to all our friends and family what it was. I had an assignment in one of my college classes where we had to do some videoing, and I was like, ‘Man, this isn’t all that difficult.’ I made my first DVD just to kind of put us out there and show us having a good time — and people started asking if they could buy videos of it.”

From there, the business grew, even as the internet evolved into the go-to destination for enthusiasts to find more of what they love. “Te more I got into the extreme side of it, I saw just how much was out there,” Myrick says. “We started doing a DVD series called ‘Rock Rides,’ and that did really good — and the business just went from there. When the internet kind of took over from DVD, we just went along with it.”

While Busted Knuckle remains a secret handshake among locals

WRITER BENJAMIN BULLARD

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY BUSTED KNUCKLE FILMS AND BENJAMIN BULLARD

Just up the road a ways from Smith Lake Dam, there’s an inconspicuous metal building out on Highway 69 that hides an extreme secret.

who know a thing or two about serious off-roading — understandable when some of their bespoke builds can cost $200,000 apiece — the brand that Myrick and Burkey have built has tons of recognition in the wider extreme motorsports community.

“The more I got into the extreme side of it, I saw just how much was out there,” Myrick says.

“We started doing a DVD series called ‘Rock Rides,’ and that did really good — and the business just went from there.”

“Tere’s a huge off-road event called King of the Hammers that we go to in Southern California,” Myrick says. “It’s kind of the Burning Man of off road festivals. Te first year that we went to that…that was the turning point. Tis year will be our tenth year going to the Hammers thing in California — and now, you can’t walk around out there for ten feet without seeing somebody with one of our T-shirts; one of our hats. It’s pretty amazing how we’ve grown, and are still growing. I grew up riding 4-wheelers and, back then, we were all just wearing Fox Racing stuff ; the stuff you see for motocross. Tere wasn’t really a brand for serious off-roaders like this, and I think that’s where we found a place that resonated with people.”

With so much off-road activity beckoning out west, where huge events draw tens of thousand of people and public lands provide a wide-open off-road

playground, what keeps Myrick — a Huntsville High School and Auburn University graduate — anchored to the Deep South?

“ We love the lake,” he admits. “I’ve always been a water guy. I grew up on Lake Guntersville and the Tennessee River, where you have to worry about traffic; about trees in the water. But the lake is different. I just like our area because we wakeboard, and the water being nice and smooth is always a plus. We’re way back off the main body, and it’s plenty deep — plus, most people on the lake don’t come back there. I have a wakeboard boat, and when it’s the summer months and we have the time, that’s where we are — we’ll all just take a break

from what we’re doing here, and we’ll get out on the lake.”

“ We’re from Huntsville originally; my wife is from Jasper, so we have some ties to this area already,” he added. “I started dating my wife in college, and eventually came up here where she’s from, and kind of fell in love with the lake. Tat’s how she talked me into moving close to Jasper. We live on Clear Creek in Winston County, and I guess we’re in it to win it, because we’re building a new house there.”

By Myrick’s own count, Busted Knuckle Films is dealing in impressive online traffic after ten short years in business. Te numbers tell the story: 344 million online video views in 2018, 2.7

million Facebook followers, 5 million views per month on YouTube (with more than 450,000 subscribers) and 264,000 followers on Instagram. And that 7,500 square-foot shop out on Highway 69? It’s about to double in size, thanks to a new expansion, and Myrick says he doesn’t really envision a stopping point.

“ We’re just a year and a half into this project with the new shop, and since then, building up the shop’s been our main focus,” he says. “We’re still growing and still learning. I can’t say that any one part in all of this is the winner; the thing that makes it go. It’s really all the moving parts coming together that make it all work. My mom works

in the shop; my family has always been super-supportive of what I do. But to be honest, if you had told me ten years ago that we’d be here in this shop, doing what we do now, I’d have said you’re crazy — but now, the sky’s the limit.” t

You can find Busted Knuckle online at bustedknucklefilms. com, and search “Busted Knuckle Video” on YouTube to check out Myrick’s films (including a peek at some of the shop’s monster builds). They’re always kicking up plenty of dirt on Instagram — just search the site for @bustedknucklefilms.

Angling for Autism

NONPROFIT CONTRIBUTOR C AROL BERRY OF COMMUNITY WITH C AROL

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY WESLEY SAMS

Held on the third Saturday of October since 2016, the popular Angling for Autism Bass Tournament on Smith Lake, has raised more than $30,000 for the Cullman Autism and Special Needs Family Support Group in its first three years.

Te tournament was founded by Wesley Sams, who after learning of his son’s autism diagnosis, wished to help raise money for the local autism and special needs support group. Since he had experience fishing tournaments, he decided to hold a bass fishing tournament and chose Lewis Smith Lake as its location. It usually begins at safe daylight and concludes at 3 p.m. Impressively, 108 boats entered the first year.

“Te organization provides an opportunity for those families affected by autism and other special needs to enjoy things they typically wouldn’t be able to enjoy,” he said.

Te fourth annual Angling for Autism Bass Tournament this year was yet another success, raising $14,000 for the Cullman Autism Special Needs and Family Group. Tis year’s tournament was the second largest to date with a total of 80 boats participating.

Te tournament was financially beneficial to the winners as well with a total of $10,800 awarded. Another $2,500 in door prizes were provided by sponsors. Boats who placed between 1st and 10th place were awarded cash prizes.

Te First Place prize of $5,000 went to Greg and Wyatt Tomlin, a father and son team who won with five spotted bass. Second Place was awarded to Craig Daniel and Ethan Flack, and Tird Place went to Chris Evans and Stevie Bennett. Frank Boren and Jonathan Barnette took the Big Fish prize of $250 with a 4 lb largemouth bass.

Sams says he is excited to continue hosting the event in the future. t

YOU MAY CONTACT ANGLING FOR AUTISM AS FOLLOWS: Wesley Sams 256-385-1825 or Roger Sams 256-595-3918. They can also connect you to the proper contacts for the Cullman Autism and Special Needs Family Support Group if you would like to help support them in additional ways.

Check for the video about this event hosted by Carol Berry of Community with Carol on our social media accounts, as well as the All About Cullman accounts, and Baker Productions Studios account. We, along with our nonprofit contributor, Carol Berry, extend our sincere appreciation to Baker Productions Studios for filming, editing and releasing this video in support of Angling for Autism.

UAB K appa Delta S orority

“Soon after fall recruitment, new members of UAB’s Kappa Delta sorority enjoy a retreat on Smith Lake in September 2019.”

UAH P i K appa Alpha Fraternity

“To celebrate the beginning of Fall Rush, new members of UAH’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity are welcomed with a weekend trip to Smith Lake in September 2019.”

HOME TOWN HOUSE PARTY

WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN DAVID PALMER

Stillwell, who is known for notable songs including “Shine,” “Sweet Sun Angel,” “Ignition,” and, “Hey Dad,” has been performing solo all over the country at various venues promoting his latest single, “Everybody’s Got a Hometown,” in partnership with his very own 723 Foundation and Evolv Heath, a vitamin and supplement company. Te Hometown House Party tour, which runs through the end of this year, made a stop at the scenic Smith Lake home of Bethany and Marty Grant on the evening of August 20.

Tose who attended the intimate performance were only asked to download the single for $0.99 on iTunes as the price of admission. Well in to the night from the tailgate of his truck, Stillwell performed many of his well-known singles, some country classics, and a few new songs to a small crowd seated in lawn chairs. Catered barbecue and refreshments were served to the guests, and Stillwell’s album and merchandise were available for guests to purchase. Te hosts, the Grants, took time to make sure the guests felt comfortable and welcomed.

Originally from Sylva, North Carolina, Stillwell first began singing in church and later went on to release two gospel albums between 1998 and 1999. Also a talented ball player, he attended Western Carolina University where he excelled on the Catamount baseball team and earned All-Southern Conference honors. However, he found that his passion for music outweighed his love of playing ball. So in pursuit of his dream, he packed up and moved to Nashville in 2000 where he learned the ins and outs of the music industry.

“I just kind of dove in,” he said. “I treated music like did baseball. I just kept practicing.”

Stillwell likes to tell stories with his music. He found his first major break when his debut single and title track to his third album released in September of 2008, “Shine” debuted at number 25 on the iTunes Country chart and peaked at 51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Te companion video to the song ranked number three on Great American Country (GAC) Video and number six on Country

Music Television (CMT). Tanks to the success of the single, Stillwell began touring the next year.

“Tat’s what allowed me to start touring,” he said.

Among the events he played that year was the famous Aquapalooza concert at Lake Martin, Alabama, where he was an opener for country music superstar Alan Jackson. Stillwell’s fourth album, Right in Time, was released in early 2014. Te album’s first single, “Ignition,” had peaked at number 52 about two years earlier. Another high-performing single, “Hey Dad,” a touching song dedicated to his late father, was viewed over 70 million times on Facebook and shared over 1 million times on the social media platform. Like most of his songs, it tells a heartfelt story. Despite Stillwell’s successes, he said he chooses to remain an independent artist for the freedom and flexibility that comes with it and that the pros outweigh the cons of signing to a major record label.

“I move at my own pace, and I think there’s a huge advantage there,” he said. “My job is to tell my story and be different, to tell the story and let it grow.”

To learn more about Stillwell, to shop for merchandise, and for a list of upcoming tour dates, visit mattstillwellmusic.net. Also, be sure to follow him on Instagram @mattstillwellmusic and Twitter @mattstillwell. t

To order Evolv products locally, contact Marty Grant at 205-300-1035 or at martysgrant@icloud.com. When asked what sets the Evolv product apart from others he replied, “Our Hemp product is called Evolv Entourage. What sets it apart from any other CBD product is it has the four entourage afect. What I mean by that is there is over 100 cannabinoids in one hemp plant. CBD is just one of those cannabinoids. With our entourage you’re getting all the cannabinoids, so you’re getting the full afect of the hemp plant. We are THC free there are no synthetics whatsoever in any of our products. We are all plant-based.”

Sitting on the tailgate of his shiny black F-150 pickup truck, independent country music singer-songwriter Matt Stillwell serenaded the sunset this summer on the banks of Smith Lake as part of his Home Town House Party tour.

C ast for Kids Smith L ake Park

Local nonprofit group Cast for Kids Smith Lake Park hosts special needs children and their guardians on Smith Lake in its first annual event in September 2019. Te event was a huge success thanks to the efforts of its dedicated organizer Taylor Cain and all the supporters, sponsors, volunteers and participants. Congratulations to Cast for Kids on this first event! Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to learn more, and check out our previous article on Cast for Kids Smith Lake Park in the 2018 Winter Issue, now in digital on our website thelakesidelife.com.

PHOTOGRAPHER BRANDIE CARTER

One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner

This is such a comforting and easy one pan chicken recipe! Everyone loves comfort food on chilly fall and winter days. This is a great option to consider for a quick family night feast during the upcoming busy holidays. It tastes fancy, but is affordable, easy, full of favor and loaded with seasonal veggies. Feel free to experiment and change it up with what ingredients you have on hand.

Ingredients

4 (6 - 7 oz) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (we also used a couple of organic smaller chicken breasts in ours for a white-meat-only teenager – they were great!)

6 Tbsp. avocado oil, divided

1½ Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp.)

1 Tbsp. each minced fresh thyme, sage and rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large sweet potatos (about 16 oz) (leave unpeeled), chopped into ¾-inch cubes

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, sliced into halves

2 medium fuji apples, cored and sliced into half moons about ¾-inch thick

2 shallot bulbs, peeled and sliced about ¼-inch thick

6 slices of Brickyard’s hickory smoked bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Pour 4 Tbsp. avocado oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and herbs into a gallon si e re seala le ag. Season hic en with salt and pepper then place in ag, seal ag and massage mi ture o er chic en

while wor ing to e enly distri ute her s. Set aside and let rest while chopping veggies. Place chopped sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, apples and shallots on an inch rimmed a ing sheet. ri le with remaining a ocado oil then toss to e enly coat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread into an e en layer. Set chic en thighs o er eggie apple layer. Separate any pieces of acon that may e stuc together then sprin le acon e enly o er the whole dish. oast in preheated o en until chic en and eggies are golden rown, a out minutes chic en should register in center . Broil during last few minutes for a more golden rown crispy s in on chic en. arnish with parsley if desired and ser e warm.

Additional Topping Option:

Balsamic Glaze

½ cup balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp. maple syrup, honey or brown sugar

dd alsamic inegar and sweetener of choice to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium low and allow to simmer until reduced y half, a out minutes. emo e from the heat and set aside to cool. ri le this yumminess o er your roasted eggies and chic en for an additional ic .

This recipe was supplied by Brickyard Meats, check out our business spotlight article on this wonderful local business in this issue on page 46.

FINALLY FALL VODKA TONIC

This drink is delicious in fall and winter, but is also great in spring and summer minus the apple/cinnamon garnish and using frozen peach slices. You can obtain fresh or frozen blackberries year-round at most grocery stores.

Pear vodka – ½ oz

Tonic water – 3-4 oz

Blackberries – 4-5 depending on size (fresh or frozen)

Apple slice

Cinnamon powder dusted on apple slice Ice cubes (frozen peach slices could also be used)

om ine frst ingredients plus a couple of ice cu es in a coc tail shaker. Shake a couple of times to combine. Pour over ice and garnish with the cinnamon dusted apple slice.

hese ingredients pro ide a delicious autumn a ored twist on a regular vodka tonic. Drink responsibly. ENJOY!

This recipe was provided by Brothers on Smith Lake. (Check out our previous article on Brothers written y ohn a id almer on p in the Summer Fall issue now in digital on our website.)

Happy Tails:

One wag says it all

WRITER ANGEL COKER | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY HAPPY TAILS GROOM & BOARD

PPage Dowdy is a woman constantly surrounded by animals.

And that’s exactly what she always wanted. In high school, Page knew she wanted a career working with animals, but after spending a day in a veterinarian’s office, she found she was better suited for grooming.

Page has been in the grooming business for 15 years now.

She got her start in a local shop and then opened her own business, Happy Tails Pet Grooming, with the support of her best friend Lisa Summerford in 2011. Page bought the fabric for the windows in her small shop from Sisters Sewing, and a year ago in September, she bought the building where Sisters Sewing was once located to expand her growing business. It’s now Happy Tails Groom & Board.

“Really fast, we outgrew that building, and as our clientele grew, I started realizing there was such a need for boarding,” Page said.

So her family bought a farm in 2015 where she has multiple dogs, an appaloosa horse, five donkeys, two sheep, three goats, seven pigs, a cat, several chickens and the farm favorite, a 17-year-old African tortoise named Hamlet. She began offering boarding at her home and continued grooming in her small shop.

But the demand quickly outgrew the space yet again, which is when she opened Happy Tails Groom & Board – a facility with over 15,000 square feet – where she offers full-service grooming, boarding for dogs and cats, and doggy daycare.

Her new facility offers more than 9,000 square feet of indoor play space so animals can play, no matter the weather, and triple the outdoor space with a no-climb fence. Te facility also boasts an indoor swimming pool for the dogs that holds over 5,000 gallons of

water and splash pools outside. It has townhouses for cats and older and smaller dogs that offer more privacy; pool view suites that sit across from the pool and have access directly outside to a play yard for medium-sized dogs; park view suites for dogs over 35 pounds; and king and queen suites for large or multi-dog families.

Grooming makes up over half the business they receive. Page says they groom an average of 40 dogs a day, sometimes more. Including her, there are five professional groomers at Happy Tails who divide the work. Tey specialize in hand scissoring, breed specific haircuts, and creative grooming.

In addition to grooming, boarding and doggy daycare, Happy Tails offers some special services and products that sets them apart from the rest. Happy Tails offers Tera-Clean Microbubble Pet Cleaning Technology, an all-natural bathing system that provides a deeper clean and also works like a deep tissue massage for older dogs. Happy Tails is one of only four places to offer the product in Alabama and one of just over 20 in the U.S. Happy Tails also offers Blueberry Facial, a face wash and body shampoo that’s aromatherapeutic, cleansing and PH balanced…and smells amazing.

Page said Happy Tails is already outgrowing the space in the new building, and she plans to soon expand the large-dog daycare area and add more rooms for larger dogs in the neighboring building which currently sits vacant.

“Te big focus for this building was to have an area where the dogs could play in a common group setting, where they weren’t just sitting in a kennel all day. Whenever you board here, you’re not getting the ‘stay in your room and only get let out three or four times a day or less.’ You’re going to pretty much spend most of the day in the daycare area

“The big focus for this building was to have an area where the dogs could play in a common group setting, where they weren’t just sitting in a kennel all day.”

playing with the group indoors or outdoors,” Page said. “Just having a space where a dog can be a dog, where they can run and play and get all that energy out. Tere’s so much room for play and so many people to spread the love.”

And that’s one thing she’s most proud of: the people on her team. Happy Tails started out as a two-woman shop. Now, Page has a staff of 14, and there are more than 100 years of combined experience working with animals among her, her managers and her groomers – one having previously worked at veterinary offices and one having previously worked in animal shelters. Happy Tails also has a staff member on-site 24 hours a day, and Page has cameras set up throughout the facility that she can access at any time when she wants to check on the animals.

While there are many things to love about Happy Tails, Page said her favorite thing is watching the relationships develop between her regulars at doggy daycare and seeing them grow. Page watched Moose, a cocker spaniel, grow for 15 years from a puppy into old age. He passed away in September. Moose’s mom, Trena Pierce, said Page was the first and last person to groom him.

“I never worried when I left Moose with Page,” Trena said. “Moose was always loved when he was there.”

Moose’s favorite service at Happy Tails was a moisturizing bath. Trena said her favorite memory of Moose at Happy Tails was when

she was on vacation and Page sent her a picture of Moose in a big pink bathtub getting a moisturizing bath.

“He just looked like he was being pampered,” she said.

Trena said Moose knew where he was when she pulled into the parking lot of Happy Tails, and he would get excited. Page said she loves how excited the dogs get when they see their daycare friends coming through the door.

“Watching the daycare dogs grow and their relationships they build with each other is so much fun,” she said. “I think if everybody knew how much fun the dogs have here, you wouldn’t be able to not bring your dog.”

Happy Tails is a proud recipient of Te Cullman Times Best of the Best award. t

Contact:

Address: 7375 Highway 157 Cullman, AL 35057

Phone: 256-727-6520

Business hours:

Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

Happy

Tails

Owner: PAGE DOWDY

Family:

HUSBAND, WILL; TWO DAUGHTERS, MADELINE, 10, AND GEORGIA, 7; AND OVER 26 ANIMALS ON THE FARM

Spirit animal:

IF I HAD TO GUESS, I’D PROBABLY SAY SOMETHING VERY HAPPY AND FRIENDLY, MAYBE A LITTLE BASHFUL LIKE A KOALA BEAR.

WHEN SHE’S NOT ON THE FARM OR AT HAPPY TAILS, YOU CAN MOST LIKELY FIND PAGE AT BROTHERS ON SMITH LAKE, A RESTAURANT HER HUSBAND OWNS AT SMITH LAKE MARINA THAT OPENED LAST SUMMER. (CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON BROTHERS BY JOHN DAVID PALMER ON P34 IN THE 2018 SUMMER/ FALL ISSUE NOW ON DIGITAL ON OUR WEBSITE.) SHE SAID SHE ENJOYS TAKING HER DAUGHTERS ON KAYAKING TRIPS AND GOING ON FAMILY MOUNTAIN BIKING TRIPS WHEN SHE AND HER HUSBAND AREN’T BUSY WORKING OR TAKING THEIR DAUGHTERS TO THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

Photography by Angel Coker

#SMITHLAKEPETS

Porter (brother to Jackson)

BREED: Golden Retriever

HOME BASE: New Orleans, LA / Rock Creek, Crane Hill, AL

HUMANS: Larry Watts

LAKE PASTIME: Swimming

FAVORITE LAKE TREAT: Eating frewood

(14 years old)

BREED: Mixed Maine Coon, she was a rescue kitty from Michigan. She lived in Jasper until about two years ago and is now a full-time lake kitty!

HOME BASE: Stoney Point, Double Springs, AL (full-time residents)

HUMANS: Audrey & Allen Peacock

LAKE PASTIME: Looking out the window at all the wildlife! She can see things her humans do not see, most of the time, and will run wildly from window to window looking at a squirrel, or fox, and sometimes deer. Her other pastime is sleeping on the couch.

FAVORITE LAKE TREAT: Friskies catnip treats

Jackson Bailey (brother to Porter)

FUN FACT: Bailey’s owner once received a fresh catnip plant from her son. Bailey is NOT an outdoor cat, but somehow she sneaked out and got into the catnip, and well, she overindulged just a bit, enough to frighten her owner. Suffce it to say, no more fresh catnip for Bailey! Her human, Audrey, uses the hashtag #baileythedivacat because Bailey “allows” her to take her photo from time to time. Most of the time, if she sees a camera (phone) in her direction, she will turn her head!

You can follow Bailey’s daily antics on Instagram on her owner’s page @audrey.peacock, and also check out Audrey’s gorgeous Plunder Design Jewelry offerings at peacocksprettys.com

BREED: Golden Retriever

HOME BASE: New Orleans, LA / Rock Creek, Crane Hill, AL

HUMANS: Larry Watts

LAKE PASTIME: Chasing rabbits

FAVORITE LAKE TREAT: Afternoon walks in the country

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