Alabama Living Cullman April 2012

Cullman EC receives prestigious community service award APRIL 2012

Cullman Electric COOPERATIVE

Let the sun shine down Cullman County farmer hopes

investment in solar power pays off

www.cullmanec.com

2  APRIL 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

VOL. 65 NO.4 APRIL 2012

LIVING

MANAGER

Grady Smith CO-OP EDITOR

Brian Lacy ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. AREA cooperative member subscriptions are $3 a year; non-member subscriptions, $6.

Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives.

Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.

POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA PRESIDENT Fred Braswell EDITOR Darryl Gates MANAGING EDITOR Melissa Henninger CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mark Stephenson ART DIRECTOR Michael Cornelison DIRECTOR, MARKETING & ADVERTISING Jay Clayton RECIPE EDITOR Mary Tyler Spivey ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 E-mail: jclayton@areapower.com www.areapower.coop NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

National Country Market 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.nationalcountrymarket.com www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

6 The New Cash Crop

Solar power in not a new concept, but is one not many people around here have tried to take advantage of. One Cullman County farmer is hoping to change that by builidng the largest solar electricity project in north Alabama.

12 Unsinkable

A Birmingham author has published a book about her relatives’ trials aboard the doomed RMS Titanic, which sank in the North Atlantic 100 years ago this month.

ON THE COVER Solar panels on Keith Williams’ farm enjoy a sunny day.

Learn more on Page 7.

PHOTO BY BRIAN LACY

18 Artsy Eggs

A Brundidge artist uses the old Ukrainian method of pysanka to create Easter artwork on eggs.

DEPARTMENTS

Spotlight 10 Power Pack 16 Motorcyle Diaries 22 Worth the Drive 23 Fish&Game Forecast 24 Alabama Gardens 26 Cook of the Month 27 Apple Recipes 38 Alabama Snapshots 9

Printed in America from American materials

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012 3

Cullman Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees Neil Rainwater

District 1

Lynda Carter

District 2

Robert Tidwell

District 3 (Chairman)

James Fields, Jr.

District 4

Lisa Weeks

District 5

Daryl Calvert

District 6

J. David Hembree

District 7

Chad Alexander

District 8

Sue Reynolds

At-Large

Headquarters: 1749 Eva Road NE Cullman, AL 35055 256-737-3200 District Office: 31132 US Hwy 278 W Addison, AL 35540 256-737-3200 Mailing Address: PO Box 1168 Cullman, AL 35056

4 APRIL 2012

Manager’s Comments

New ‘Cars’ Drive Costs Up Grady Smith

President & CEO, Cullman Electric Cooperative

A new car arrives with fresh paint, a great smell, and a hefty price tag. After a few years of regular payments the scent changes, but there’s value in owning an older car that’s still running well.

Most of America’s electric cooperatives bought a fleet of new “cars” — power plants — in the 1970s and 1980s. This ample stock of generation allowed co-ops to maintain a safe, reliable and affordable supply of power.

Current conditions may place affordability and reliability at risk.

Half of the nation’s total generating capacity — 530,000 megawatts — passed the 30-year mark by the end of 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Association (EIA). As with an older vehicle, there are costs associated with maintaining a power plant — expenses compounded by a slew of environmental regulations. In fact, these rules could result in a chunk of America’s coal-fired power plant fleet shutting down by 2018.

In addition, some co-ops need to head back to the dealership to add new generation plants to meet growing demand. However, with required environmental controls coupled with rising prices for construction materials, new power plants — as well as older ones “in for maintenance” — are going to be much, much more expensive.

All of these factors will impact our electric bills for many years to come. Our collective wallets are under pressure. More folks around the world are using power; China has surpassed the United States as the top global energy user, and in just over two decades it’s predicted to consume 68 percent more power than we do. Americans are using more energy too, despite efficiency measures. It’s easy to see why — TVs, laptops, “iGadgets,” and other electronics crowd power outlets. According to the EIA a typical home in Ala-

bama uses 1,384 kWh every month — a 150 kWh increase in just one year.

Generally, when there’s increased demand — say, for the latest model car — manufacturers open a new assembly plant to roll more models into showrooms. But at a time when electricity needs are rising, our affordable power supply is beginning to dwindle.

Today, nearly 80 percent of the power provided by electric co-ops nationwide comes from coal, compared to about half for the rest of the electric utility industry. Why the difference? The majority of co-op coal power plants were built between 1975 and 1986, when building natural gas facilities was restricted by the federal Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act due to concerns that natural gas reserves were running low. Those worries proved to be unfounded, and the law was repealed in 1987. But by then co-ops had already built a generation of coal-fired power plants — the same plants that are now being saddled with heavy regulatory costs.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not against clean and green energy. In fact, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) which supplies us with wholesale power, has invested heavily in nuclear power, hydroelectric power and green energy. But I want to make sure lawmakers in Washington, D.C., keep balance, common sense, and affordability in mind when adding layer upon layer of requirements to the way we generate power.

Working with the folks at our national service arm, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), we’re urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to consider a more balanced and common-sense approach to rules, and how increased electric power costs affect consumers like you and me. Stay informed on these issues and find out how you can help us keep the price of power affordable at www.ourenergy.coop. A www.cullmanec.com

Cullman Electric

Coming in May...

Alabama Living will take a look back at April 27, 2011, to see how Cullman County looks today and what lessons the community and Cullman EC learned after the storms passed.

New substation complete

Cullman Electric Cooperative has completed construction on its new Helicon substation in Winston County. The substation will serve members who previously had service from the Trade and Jones Chapel substations. Members will benefit from greater reliability due to the substation’s service from the TVA 161 kV transmission line.

Prior to the new substation, any disruption in service along the 30 miles of 46 kV power lines that connected Trade and Jones Chapel to the North Cullman substation could result in a power outage.

Holiday Closing

Cullman Electric Co-op will be closed on Friday, April 6, for Good Friday.

Offices will reopen on Monday, April 9, at 7:30 a.m.

Happy Easter!

Alabama Living

Tip of the Month Don’t get your electric bill caught in a spin cycle! When doing laundry, use cold water.

If your dryer has a moisture meter, use it to prevent over-drying clothes — 50 minutes often works best for a full load. And remember to check your lint filter each time before you run a load to help your dryer run more efficiently. Find more ways to save at TogetherWeSave.com.

Source: Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives

‘13 Calendar Cullman EC is looking for senic farms & country barns to photograph for the 2013 calendar. If you know of a good place to take a picture, contact Brian Lacy at 256-7373200 or email at brianl@ cullmanec.com APRIL 2012 5

Pictured, from left, are Cullman EC employees Steve Link, Johnny Mead, Keith Tankersley, Jonathan Kelly, Jeff Osborn, Kyle Baggett, Mark Bland, Mike Ugarkovich, Melissa Cartee, Billy Jones, Diane Persall, Jerry Weathersby and Kim Arndt.

Co-op honored for storm recovery effort Cullman EC employees receive Lucille Galin Public Service Award Cullman Electric Cooperative received one of the highest honors for public service in Cullman County when the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce awarded Cullman EC and the Cullman Power Board the Lucille Galin Public Service Award. The award, typically given to an individual, was presented on Feb. 23, at the chamber’s annual dinner.

The Cullman Mayor’s Association selected Cullman EC and the power board based on their response to the county-wide power outages after the tornado outbreak on April 27, 2011.

“Never have I seen Cullman County so dark,” said James Graves, chairman of the Cullman County Commission when presenting the award. “ When you talk about reaching out and touching 6 APRIL 2012

someone’s life, these two organizations did it. This is in honor of the employees who were out there for hours and hours working.”

Cullman EC employees representing every department attended the dinner, and vice president of engineering Kyle Baggett accepted the award.

“On behalf of the board of trustees and the employees, I ‘d like to thank the chamber for this honor,” Baggett said. “And thanks to all of the members of the community who came together to help us.”

In the two weeks that followed the tornado outbreak, Cullman EC’s 100-plus employees were joined by hundreds of workers from across the southeastern United States, working more than 67,000 man hours to restore service to all of Cullman EC’s members. A

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION Cullman Electric Cooperative is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866)377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

www.cullmanec.com

Cullman Electric

Harvesting the sun

Cullman County farmer Keith Williams decided to see if his green thumb works with solar energy. So far, so good.

By Brian Lacy

A

ny good farmer knows diversity is a smart business strategy. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” has real meaning with personal and professional consequences in the country.

Keith Williams know this is true. He has chicken houses and a deer processing business.

He works some cattle, but has committed more than 30 acres of his property for growing pecans.

He even has a party barn that can host dances and receptions.

And now Williams has added another element to his diversified farm portfolio — more than 640 solar panels.

While reading a pecan growers magazine back in 2010, Williams learned about farms in Georgia that were installing solar energy panels and generating electricity that could be sold back to the power company.

“We knew there was going to be no money Alabama Living

in it for years, but at my age I was hoping with a 10-year contract through TVA that it would pay for itself about the time I was ready to retire,” Williams said. “We saw it as a source of retirement income. Hopefully it won’t cost a whole lot to keep it maintained and hopefully it will provide some income into retirement.”

Williams knew he had the space available to install a solar power system, but how much would it cost, where would he find the equipment and who could install all of it?

“In one of the research projects I got into I found out TVA has a program, so Cullman EC being a member of TVA, that got me talking to someone at Cullman EC to see if they had someone who had done it before.”

That someone was electrical engineer Roli Ploge, who helped guide Williams through the process of becoming a TVA Generations Partner.

“Cullman Electric Cooperative is fortunate to have a part in a program such as TVA’s Generations Partner that offers members the opportu-

Continued on Page 8 APRIL 2012 7

Continued from Page 7 nity to sell power back to TVA at a premium price above the retail rate,” Ploge said. “When you look at the existing solar projects in north Alabama, Cullman EC members have been involved in some of the biggest, and Keith’s is currently the largest solar project TVA has in north Alabama. “

Generation Partners is a pilot program TVA introduced in 2003 to support homeowners and businesses that install smallscale renewable generation, such as solar panels or wind turbines. The program supplies renewable power to TVA’s Green Power Switch and creates a market for green power generation in the TVA region. By selling some of the green power they produce, Generation Partners participants defray the cost of their renewable systems, lower their monthly energy bills and make more green power available to consumers.

The process of becoming a TVA Generations Partner has three main steps — contact your local electric co-op, have a signed participation agreement before developing your project design and plan, and have the project inspected once the construction is complete.

Williams said the process is not quite as easy as it sounds, but he was impressed with the help he received from Cullman EC and TVA.

“If you’ve got the funds and can pay for it, it’s really not a big deal, but if you need funding and grants get ready to go through a longer process,” Williams said. “All of these things were new to me, so we ended up getting someone out of Colorado 8 APRIL 2012

to do the feasibility study. If any little bitty thing changes, you’ve got to go back to the feasibility study and change it. Solar is a constantly changing industry.

A particular panel they made six months ago they might not make anymore, so every time you make a change you have to go back to the feasibility study and make a change and take it back to the rural development agency.

“Everyone I’ve worked with has been super, but they have their requirements they have to work within.

So far, Williams has been impressed with the performance of the system since it started generating electricity in January.

“We are a little bit above what is expected of it right now,” Williams said. “The government has done studies that show what the sunlight capacity is for a given area based on the season and the hours of sunlight at different times of the year. They can calculate what you should produce for each month of the year, and so far, according to those scales, we’re a little bit above what we should be expected to do. Of course one good day of sunshine can make a big difference.”

Ploge continues to provide support for Williams as well as other existing solar projects, and anticipates helping more Cullman EC members in the future.

“It’s exciting to work for a company that is progressive and stays at the forefront of emerging technology,” Ploge said.

To learn more about becoming a TVA Generations Partner, visit the TVA website at www.tva. com/greenpowerswitch/partners/index.htm. A

Correction In Cullman Electric Cooperative’s March 2012 edition of Alabama Living magazine, a Cullman EC employee was incorrectly identified in a story about copper theft. Sandra Starnes was the dispatcher on duty who helped local law enforcement officers capture a would-be thief on Jan. 21, 2012.

Hoop Dreams Congratulations to all the area teams that qualified for the AHSAA Northwest Regional Basketball Tournament at Wallace State: Boys Cold Springs (2A) regional semifinals Cullman (5A) regional semifinals Holly Pond (3A) regional semifinals Girls Cold Springs (2A) regional semifinals Cullman (5A) regional finals Good Hope (4A) regional champions state semifinals Holly Pond (3A) regional finals

www.cullmanec.com

Spot Light

In April April 26-29

Red Door Theatre presents new comedy

The Passing of Pearl, a new Southern comedy, will be presented at the Red Door Theatre in Union Springs. Set in a Memphis diner, it tells the story of a cook and her waitress friend trying to go on after the death of Pearl, the diner’s owner. Each performance is preceded by a seated dinner. Dates are April 26-29.

Dinner is at 6 p.m. (reservations required); play is at 7:30 p.m.

Contact 334-738-8687 or visit www.reddoortheatre.org to learn more about the event.

April 14

happening In May

Ozark hosts Crawdad may 5 Art at the Barn and Music Festival The 6th Annual Ozark Crawdad & Music Festival will be scheduled for May Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Ozark. Entertainment includes Todd Allen Herendeen, The Swingin’ Harpoons Blues Band, The Fabulous Shades, Herrick and more. There will also be food vendors, arts and crafts, as well as the Ozark Crawdad 5K Run-Walk-Crawl.

For more information on the event, call 334-774-2618.

April 21 and 22

Cullman announces arts and crafts fair

Cullman’s 28th Annual Bloomin’ Festival Arts and Crafts Fair will be April 21 and 22 at St. Bernard Prep School in Cullman.

For more information, visit www.bloominfestival.com.

BBQ Festival to be featured on TV show

The most popular show to portray the world of competition barbecue, BBQ Pitmasters, is coming to the 7th annual Tri-State BBQ Festival to film an upcoming episode. Season three of BBQ Pitmasters is scheduled to begin airing Memorial Day weekend, so filming during the April 13 and 14 event in Dothan was perfect timing.

The Tri-State BBQ Festival is held at the Houston County Farm Center, and features some of the biggest names in professional competition barbecue, vying for over $10,000 in prize money.

Alabama Living

Art At The Barn will be on Saturday, May 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m on Sweet Seasons Farm in Valley Head. There will be 75-100 regional artists as well as entertainment throughout the day, including a sheep/border collie demonstration. Food will be abundant with sales from pastries going to a help a local young man in his battle with cancer. Admission is free. For more information visit sweetseasonsfarm.com or call 256-635-6791.

For more Alabama Events, visit page 29.

Event Coordinator Kerry Farrell couldn’t be happier with the news. “I’ve been a big fan of the show BBQ Pitmasters since the first season. The show really portrayed what professional barbecue was all about, and it’s helped legitimize the sport of competition barbecue.”

Filming for the show will take place all weekend on an open set. This means the public is able to come out and watch the filming of the show, as well as enjoy the other sights, sounds and smells of the Tri-State BBQ Festival.

Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Children 6 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased online at www.TriStateBBQ.com or locally at the Convention and Visitors Bureau. For questions, call 334-699-1475.

APRIL 2012 9

Power Pack

New ‘100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die’ brochure released The Alabama Tourism Department recently released a new version of its food brochure as part of The Year of Alabama Food campaign. The brochure, 100 Dishes to eat in Alabama Before You Die, lists more than 30 new dishes.

The brochure highlights dishes at award-winning restaurants, historic diners, famous BBQ joints, farmto-table, fresh Gulf seafood and home cooking. Some of the new listings include A young woman displays a savory pie at the Pie Lab in T-Bird sandwich at Rosie’s Greensboro.

Grill in Daphne, pecan chicken salad at Claunch Café in Tuscumbia and braised Meyer Ranch beef short ribs at the Cotton Row in Huntsville.

Four Alabama chefs and restaurants that are semi-finalists in this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards, the Oscars of the culinary world, have dishes listed in the brochure. They include Frank Stitt’s Highland’s baked grits at Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, James Lewis and his Neopolitan pizzas at Bettola in Birmingham, Chef Chris Hastings and his Tomato Salad at Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Nick Pihakis and his cheese biscuits at Jim N’ Nicks and Chef Wesley True and his sweetbread with braised vegetables at True in Mobile. A few other dishes that continue to be listed in the brochure include the Muffaletta at Panini Pete’s in Fairhope, peach pie at Peach Park in Clanton, orange-pineapple ice cream at Trowbridge’s in Florence, BBQ chicken & white sauce at Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur, Cheeseburger in Paradise at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, Eggs Cathedral at Spot of Tea in Mobile, BBQ Ribs at Dreamland in Tuscaloosa and the BLT Supreme at Radley’s Fountain Grille in Monroeville.

The brochure can be downloaded from the website, www. yearofalabamafood.com or visitors can pick up a copy at any of the state’s eight Welcome Centers.

For more information about the Year of Alabama Food visit www.yearofalabamafood.com. Also like Year of Alabama Food on Facebook and follow @AlabamaFood on Twitter.

10 APRIL 2012

Boiled crawfish.

Baked grits at Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham.

All photos courtesy of Alabama Bureau of Tourism

Did you know?

On May 1, 1961, Harper Lee of Monroeville won the Pulitzer Prize for To Kill A Mockingbird, her first (and only) novel. The tale, set in 1930s Alabama, became an international bestseller and was made into a major Hollywood motion picture starring Gregory Peck.

Alabama Department of Archives and History

www.alabamaliving.coop

Cooperatives are global enterprise Electric co-ops join a global celebration of member-owned businesses during the International Year of Cooperatives 2012

By Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC

The International Year of Cooperatives 2012 theme, “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World,” embodies the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s International Programs, a division of NRECA that celebrates its golden anniversary this year. Since its creation in November 1962, NRECA International Programs has assisted with electrification endeavors that have resulted in increased agricultural output, millions of new jobs, as well as an enhanced quality of life for more than 100 million people in 40-plus nations.

NRECA International Programs projects are currently under way in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Despite progress, much work remains.

“More than 2 billion people worldwide still lack electricity and millions more must depend on unreliable and unsafe power,” emphasizes Ingrid Hunsicker, manager of international program development for the NRECA International Foundation, a charitable organization that has partnered with more than 300 electric cooperatives in the United States to bring power and economic development to rural villages overseas.

“In many countries, a dismaying array of financial problems, such as a lack of investment capital and little understanding of even the most basic accounting procedures, throw up barriers.”

Because circumstances vary so widely, NRECA International

Alabama Living

Cooperatives around the world

The cooperative sector boasts nearly 1 billion members in more than 90 countries.

• The proportion of cooperative membership to population varies, but can be as high as 50 percent in Finland and Singapore, 33 percent in Canada, New Zealand, Honduras, and Norway, and one in four in America, Malaysia, and Germany • Forty-five percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product can be attributed to cooperatives • Cooperatives account for 80 percent to 99 percent of milk production in Norway, New Zealand, and the United States • Co-ops account for 71 percent of fishery production in Korea, 40 percent of agriculture in Brazil; 25 percent of savings in Bolivia; 24 percent of the health sector in Colombia; and 55 percent of the retail market in Singapore.

• Financial cooperatives serve an estimated 857 million people -13 percent of the world’s population • Approximately 49,000 credit unions serve 177 million members in 96 countries, under the umbrella of the World Council of Credit Unions • Financial cooperatives are the largest providers of microfinance services to the poor, reaching 78 million clients living below the poverty line of $2 per day • Cooperatives generate 100 million jobs globally Source: International Cooperative Alliance

Programs has adopted the slogan, “Electrifying the world, one village at a time.” Outreach relies on the time-tested electric cooperative approach—giving individuals, many for the first time, practical experience in democratic decision-making and entrepreneurship so they can launch locally driven services.

In many cases, volunteer electric co-op lineworkers from the United States head to distant lands for a few weeks to teach their peers safe construction practices. Then NRECA staff instructs local residents on how to maintain simple power grids and run their own utilities.

APRIL 2012 11

Author Julie Hedgepeth Williams of Birmingham

Unsinkable One family’s story of survival aboard the RMS Titanic, which sunk in the north Atlantic 100 years ago this month

By John Brightman Brock

W

hile boarding, Sylvia asked a baggage handler, “Is this ship really non-sinkable?” He gave the notoriously inaccurate reply, “Yes, lady – God himself could not sink this ship.”

– ­ Excerpted from the book “A Rare Titanic Family: The Caldwells’ Story of Survival.”

12 APRIL 2012

Homeward-bound missionaries Albert and Sylvia Caldwell stared back in disbelief at the RMS Titanic as they shivered in a lifeboat rowing away from the ship. Looking up at the long, high decks just after midnight on April 15, 1912, the couple could see that no one really believed the ship was sinking in the Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  13

“It was like a throng of people milling about calmly on the deck,” says Julie Hedgepeth Williams, of Birmingham. Williams, a Samford University journalism professor, recently released a book, “A Rare Titanic Family: The Caldwells’ Story of Survival,” which rehashes the sea disaster as told by Albert, her great-uncle. Williams also is the author of “Wings of Opportunity: The Wright Brothers in Montgomery, Alabama.”

“There was no water rushing in, and the floor was flat below your feet,” an aging Albert told Williams 60 years after the incident.

Not many aboard wanted to brave that dark night to leave the world’s largest and supposedly safest vessel. Albert didn’t believe it either... until they had rowed far out and looked back. With the clamor of oars slicing into the water, each splash jolted Albert and Sylvia from their dreams of a calm voyage on the much-hyped ship that should have brought them safely home.

Williams’ book, published by NewSouth Books, coincides with the April 2012 centennial of the renowned and much-documented sinking.

The book relives the sea salvation of Albert, 26, and his sickly wife, 28 at the time, who, with her 10-month-old son Alden, was “sick of the heat” of Siam. Their journey home, financed begrudgingly by the Presbyterian mission board, took them from Siam (present-day Thailand) to Europe, where they boarded the Titanic, and, finally, clinging to life on Lifeboat 13.

One irony after another

In less than three hours after an 11:40 p.m. collision with an iceberg, Titanic’s lights were no longer visible, which was documented by another ship, the SS Californian. The Californian was one of several ships that earlier had attempted to warn Titanic of icebergs The telegraphed warnings had stopped because the Titanic’s operator was too busy telegraphing personal messages for the wealthy onboard. Later, the Californian was unable to respond in time to prevent two-thirds of Titanic’s 2,224 occupants from drowning or dying of hypothermia in the 28-degree water.

The rescue ship that actually brought the Caldwells to New York harbor on April 18 was the ship they earlier rejected in favor of the Titanic, the Carpathia. Sylvia had favored the larger, smoother riding Titanic because she was prone to seasickness. Their story could just as easily have gone to the bottom had they stayed on board with the nearly 1,500 others who died in the freezing water despite wearing lifejackets.

In “A Rare Titanic Family,” Williams recalls her great-uncle’s stories when she was still a girl in pigtails. The little bit of gold left in their stateroom, he’d jest, could all be hers if the ship were resurrected.

Williams pulls back the curtain into the lives of Albert and Sylvia, who had convinced the mission board to pay the nearly $3,000 for their trip due to her claim of ill health. Albert’s story included many anecdotes, such as when after boarding the ship, they took a tour and went to the engine room. Williams recalls that Albert posed for a picture with a stoker, pretending he was “shoveling coal to the fire to keep it going.” One of those same stokers told them after the ship had struck the iceberg: “If you value your life, get off this ship.” But then added, “If the ship is still here in the morning, you can get back on.”

Albert and Sylvia soon faced the shock of moving to Lifeboat 13 as it dangled high above the freezing Atlantic, abruptly being jerked down the ship’s ropes gummed up with paint from Titanic’s send-off from Belfast. “It went bow down, then bow up, nearly throwing people out,” Williams said in an interview about her book. “It passed by the outflow of a pump, and everyone got wet. Meanwhile, the pump water (or the effort to keep away from it) put (lifeboat) 13 directly under (lifeboat) 15, 14 APRIL 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

which was coming down on top of them, and threatened to dash both boatloads into the water.”

“But 13 couldn’t release from the side of the Titanic - the release mechanism was also gummed up with paint. Finally, when the occupants of 13 were able to beat on the bottom of 15, 15 was stopped, and two crewmen cut the ropes on 13 to set it free.” It splashed to the sea.

“Oddly enough, if you count rate of loss, the highest death rate was in second-class men,” Williams says. “My great-uncle was in second class.”

‘Women and children first’

Detail of Titanic Engineer Memorial, Southampton, England. Dedicated to the engineer officers of the Titanic, all of whom were killed when the ship sank.

One reason for Titanic’s infamy is due to the many wealthy men who went down with the ship after a captain’s directive of “women and children first.” The poor onboard also were the victims of society’s protocol.

Among the notable deaths were: John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor Strauss (founder of Macy’s department store), Washington Roebling Jr. (builder of the Brooklyn Bridge) and Henry B. Harris (Broadway theater magnate).

“The ship’s first officer found that women were reluctant to get on the lifeboats without their husbands,” Williams says. “So he took women without husbands, then women with husbands, then men without women.” Then the ship’s second officer was told “women and children first,” and no men were allowed until all women were loaded. This officer was assigned to the millionaires’ side of the ship.

Maritime law at that time did not require lifeboats for all, but only for a certain percentage of passengers and crew. The Titanic carried 20 – more than required, but still not enough for all on board.

Albert was still speaking about the ironies of the Titanic years later, even after he and Sylvia divorced. He had always wanted to go back to the mission field, but she did not. Even in his late 80s, and then at 90 and living in Richmond, Va., Albert would speak about the couple’s survival.

“When I first heard about the Titanic it scared me,” Williams recalls.

“Mother said I had a relative on that ship. I was 12, so I got to hear the Titanic story a lot then, and I would beg him to tell it.” “(Albert) came and spoke to anyone we knew,” Williams says. “He always had a smile on his face. He bragged that he never charged a penny for speaking and thought of it as public service.” Albert reveled in the fact that he was among the 700 rescued.

“It was very dramatic and exciting,” Williams says. “The last time I spoke with him, in 1976, I asked him about the people in the water” who no doubt he and Silvia, and their child, could hear. Albert answered, but this time without his smile: “You just have to forget about the screams... or you go crazy.” A

“A Rare Titanic Family: The Caldwells’ Story of Survival” is available through your favorite local or online retailer, or from NewSouth Books, 334-834-3556, (www.newsouthbooks. com) for $21.95.

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012 15

Row Your Boat The Lake Guntersville Rowing Club appeals to rowers of all ages

By David Haynes

M

otorists driving along the Alabama Highway 69 causeway into Guntersville craned their necks on a recent Saturday morning to watch as two 65-foot-long rowing shells glided gracefully through the choppy waters, each manned by members of the Lake Guntersville Rowing Club.

Rowing Club President (and coach) Randy Anderson, holding an old-school, cone-shaped megaphone in a motor launch followed the sleek and lightweight craft as they navigated around bass boats in the Brown’s Creek section of the lake, south and west of the causeway. It was 7:30 a.m. and the temperature hovered around 40 degrees as the rowers practiced their rowing skills on the chilly waters.

Anderson, who rowed in college at Oregon State and has coached at Loyola Marymont University, among others, explains that the sport of rowing is all about teamwork. The delicate-looking longboats the club members were row-

David Haynes is a freelance

photographer and writer from Blount Springs. Each month he rides his motorcycle to a different Alabama location and tells us about it. Contact him at studioblsp@mindspring.com.

ing this morning had eight-person teams of rowers, plus a coxswain who steers the boat and calls out the cadence for the strokes.

At present the club, which was founded in July 2010, has about 40 members who compete in both the junior (high school age) and masters (over 21) classes. In addition to the large boats, the club also competes in shells for one, or teams of two or four rowers.

“We’ve gotten great support from the city,” Anderson says, noting that the recreation center’s gym is one of the few places in town large enough to stow a 65-foot-long rowing shell. Recently the Guntersville City Council approved plans for a more permanent home for the club, complete with a “shell house.”

Since organizing in 2010, the club has competed in several regional meets in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee and will host the “Lake Guntersville Sprints,” April 14.

Anderson says the competition will be a 2,000-meter sprint and will be held along a levy that parallels Railroad Avenue between U.S. Highway 431 and Alabama Highway 227. The levy offers many excellent and unobstructed viewing positions for spectators, he adds.

The event this year will be one day only, but he hopes it will grow into a larger competition in the future.

The club meets in the Guntersville Recreation Center, near the west end of the Highway 69 causeway. Membership is open to those

Continued on Page 20 16 APRIL 2012

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Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  17

E y s g t gs r A

A Brundidge woman uses the old Ukrainian practice of pysanka to create Easter artwork

By David Haynes

18  APRIL 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

M

ost everyone is familiar with the process of dying eggs at Easter. It’s a simple process, really: Eggs are boiled, dyes mixed with water from pre-measured packets, a piece of bent wire forms a hoop and eggs are dipped into varying colors. The brightly colored eggs become the treasures sought by children in their Sunday best in Easter egg hunts throughout the country.

Melodie Lauer also dyes eggs every year just before Easter. But she takes the process quite a bit further than her neighbors in the southeast Alabama town of Brundidge.

For the past decade or so during Lent, Melodie has practiced the art of pysanka, which is from a Ukrainian word meaning “to write.” Eggs burst with spectacularly detailed and colorful patterns, designs and iconic symbols, some of which predate Christianity.

Melodie’s eggs will not end up in a youngster’s Easter basket. They are much more likely to be proudly displayed as unique pieces of home décor.

On a recent visit to Brundidge she described the process she uses to create the pysanka eggs. Typically several colors of dyes are used to color the eggs with the lightest color – white – always being the first color that will be the background. The dye color is progressively darker for subsequent dye baths.

Each of the patterns and symbols that adorn the eggs is tediously hand-drawn on the surface of the egg using beeswax funneled through a heated stylus called a kiski. This wax relief process dyes selected parts of the egg according to designs in wax in progressive baths of dyes. In between dye dippings, more wax details are added for the next dye color. Sometimes she’ll use as many as seven colors, but most of her eggs will have four or five.

She uses three kinds of eggs. She explained that when shopping for conventional hen’s eggs she’ll open and pick through each carton to check for flaws in the surface of the eggs within. She also uses larger goose eggs and gigantic ostrich eggs, which she orders from a company in Arizona.

The eggs are not boiled.

In fact, the dyes she uses are not food-safe, so each egg is “blown out” after the dyeing process is complete. This involves boring small holes in each end of the egg and using a bulb syringe to remove the yolk and egg white within after carefully scrambling it with a piece of wire.

If she were to remove the innards before dyeing the egg, she explains, it makes the egg harder to dye because it wants to float when put into the dye bath.

At least, this makes the process go easier with hen’s eggs. The

Alabama Living

larger goose and ostrich eggs are delivered to her with the inside of the egg already removed.

Melodie told me it usually takes her about eight hours to complete a hen’s egg, 15 hours for a goose egg and about 40 hours for an ostrich egg.

After the dyeing and blowing-out process is complete, the bee’s wax is carefully melted away and dabbed off before the color is sealed using a polyurethane finish. Each year she creates between 30 to 50 eggs, no two of which are ever the same. In fact, she notes that even if she tried she couldn’t make two alike. Each of her eggs is signed and dated.

Melodie’s eggs are exclusively available thru the Brundidge Marketplace and prices range from about $25 for a hen’s egg to over $500 for a commissioned ostrich egg. For more information contact the marketplace at 334-536-5300 or visit its website at brundidgemarketplace.com. A

Brundidge

APRIL 2012 19

Continued from Page 16 in Marshall and surrounding counties, Anderson says, adding that all the club’s membership to date has been from inside Marshall County.

The club also hosts “learn to row” classes for new members or others interested in learning more about the sport.

For additional information contact either Anderson at 256-477-0378 or Doc Speir at 256-673-5827, or visit the Lake Guntersville Rowing Club’s website at guntersvillerowing.org. A

Be sure to watch the Lake Guntersville Sprints on April 14

Rowing Terms Sweep: Rowing with one oar on one side of the boat. The length of the oar is about 12 feet long.

Sculling: The opposite of sweep. Sculling is rowing with two oars (an oar on each side of the boat). The length of each oar is about 9 feet long.

Hull: The actual body of the shell. There are different boat or shell sizes, distinguished by the number of rowers in the shell (eight, four, two or one).

Gunwales: The top rail of the shell (pronounced: gunnels).

Bow: End of the boat closest to the direction of travel. Also can be used to refer to oneseat, or in conjunction with either four or pair. Bow-four refers to seats four through one.

Bow-pair refer to seats two and one.

Stern: End of the boat farthest from the direction of travel. Also can be used in conjunction with either four or pair. Stern-four refers to seats eight through five. Stern-pair refer to seats eight and seven.

Port: Side of the boat to the coxswain’s left and to the rower’s right. The oar sticks out to a port-rower’s right.

Starboard: Side of the boat to the coxswain’s right and to the rower’s left.

Skeg: Fixed plastic piece beneath boat for stabilization (keel). The rudder is some time mounted on it or next to it. Also called a fin. The skeg, including the rudder, can break off in shallow water. It can also break off by hitting the dock when putting the boat in the water or taking it out.

Rudder: A little fin on the bottom of the boat that the coxswain uses to steer the boat.

Coxswain or cox: A very important member of the crew. Their primary job is steering, but they also provide feedback during races about location on the course, relative position to other crews, and stroke rate per minute. They serve as an in-the-boat coach during races. They do not say, “Stroke, stroke, stroke.”

20 APRIL 2012

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Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  21

Worth the Drive

Our Place Café Fine dining without the fussy attitude in Elmore County

By Jennifer Kornegay

Wetumpka

Our Place Café 809 Company Street Wetumpka 334-567-8778 Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner

To help celebrate Alabama’s 2012 “Year of Food,” each month freelance writer Jennifer Kornegay will take you to an out-of-the-way restaurant worth the drive.

Jennifer Kornegay 22 APRIL 2012

“It

really is our place; it’s our personality. The music playing is music we like. The way the place looks is the feel we like, and the food we create and serve is the food we like to eat.”

As he summed up the essence of the restaurant he owns with his wife, Mona, the chef of Our Place Café in Wetumpka, David Funderburk, talked with his hands, using sweeping motions to draw attention to the sounds floating from overhead, the décor and the waitresses ferrying plates of food to waiting diners. It may be their place, but with just one visit, you’ll feel like it’s yours, too.

Open heavy wooden doors and step inside the dining room to find a cozy hamlet glowing with flickering candles atop the tables and tiny white Christmas lights twinkling on bare-branch wreaths. Exposed brick walls, rough wood beams and a second-story-high ceiling covered in old tin panels add rustic to other words that spring to mind, like homey, warm and yes, even elegant.

The environment sets the perfect tone for the food, which is also casually elegant and equally pleasing. Offering selections like Shrimp Thermodore, Eggplant Delacroix and Shrimp Diane, Our Place is fine dining without the fussy attitude. Indeed, there’s no room for any pretension when Dave’s affable laugh fills the room.

This head honcho doesn’t put on any airs.

He greets and seats guests and takes drink orders in addition to running the kitchen and then later, helping clean it.

As for what comes out of that kitchen, David’s favorite is “everything.”

“I don’t put anything on the menu I don’t love,” he says. But his eyes shine just a bit brighter when he describes the Eggplant Delacroix, two fried eggplant medallions served over angel hair pasta with a cream sauce and topped with sautéed crab and shrimp. “It’s something special,” he says. “A great blend of pasta and seafood.”

The Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel was wowed by Our Place’s crab cakes: The golden-crusted, moist rounds full

of sweet lump crabmeat fresh from the Gulf Coast earned a coveted spot on its “100 Alabama Dishes to Eat Before You Die” list.

Daily specials are driven by whatever fish Gulf fishermen are catching that week, and while seafood is Our Place’s specialty, steaks and chicken are on the menu, too.

The Lemon Herb Chicken is simple, and simply delicious.

In every dish he makes, David’s experience in the restaurant business (gained at the famous Hotel Talisi) shows. In 2001, he took the leap and opened Our Place in an old, abandoned 1920s-era brick grocery store on a less-than-busy road in Wetumpka. Ever since, Our Place has enjoyed the steady success that many restaurants dream of, but few ever achieve. The secret?

“You have to have a passion for food and for being in this business, because it’s hard work,” David says. “We’ve grown from seating 80 to 120 to meet demand. People keep coming because we are consistently good.”

And they come from miles around. Our Place has become a destination, drawing customers from Montgomery, Birmingham, Prattville and Tallassee. “It’s nice to know that people drive past plenty of other places they could get a good meal to come here,” David says. And they come back. Some regulars are so regular, waitresses bring them their standard drink when they sit down at the table.

But Our Place is not a place for everybody, something that David believes adds to the appeal for those who’ve come to love it.

“We’ve never tried to be everything to everybody,” he says. “You can’t do that and do it well. We don’t do lunch. We don’t have a kids’ menu. We are a smaller place, so when we are busy, you have to wait. But you will always get good food and good service at reasonable prices.”

Another guarantee: You will never taste better bread pudding than what Mona is whipping up at Our Place. Dense, rich and sweet (but not overly so), it alone is worth a visit to Our Place. Plus, it’s guiltfree. “There’re no calories in there,” David promises with a wink. A www.alabamaliving.coop

Tables indicate peak fish and game feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour before and an hour after.

Minor peaks, half-hour before and after. Adjusted for daylight savings time. a.m. p.m.

Minor Major Minor Major

APR 17 04:01 10:16 10:31 04:31 18 04:16 10:46 11:01 05:16 19 04:46 11:16 11:31 06:01 20 05:01 11:46 - - 06:31 21 12:01 05:16 07:01 12:16 22 12:16 05:46 07:46 12:46

23 12:46 06:01 08:16 01:16 24 01:16 06:16 09:01 01:46 25 01:46 06:46 10:01 02:31 26 02:31 07:16 11:16 03:16 27 03:46 07:46 - - 04:16 28 09:01 12:31 - - 05:16 29 11:46 01:16 - - 06:46 30 08:31 02:01 01:46 08:01 MAY 1 09:52 03:22 04:07 09:52

2 03:52 10:37 10:37 05:07

3 04:22 11:07 11:22 05:52

4 04:52 11:52 12:07 06:52

5 - - 05:22 07:37 12:37

6 12:52 06:07 08:37 01:22

7 01:37 06:37 09:22 02:07

8 02:22 07:22 10:22 02:52

9 03:22 07:52 11:22 03:37 10 04:22 08:37 12:22 04:22 11 06:07 09:52 - - 05:22 12 07:52 01:22 - - 06:37 13 08:52 02:07 02:07 07:52 14 02:52 09:37 03:52 09:07 15 03:22 10:07 09:52 04:52 16 03:52 10:37 10:37 05:37 17 04:07 11:07 11:22 06:07 18 04:37 11:37 11:52 06:52

19 - - 05:07 07:22 12:07

20 - - 05:37 07:52 12:37 21 12:52 05:52 08:37 01:22 22 01:22 06:22 09:07 01:52 23 02:07 06:52 09:52 02:22 24 02:37 07:22 10:37 02:52 25 03:37 07:52 11:22 03:37 26 04:52 08:52 12:07 04:22 27 06:22 10:22 - - 05:22 28 07:37 12:52 12:37 06:22 29 08:37 01:22 02:37 07:52 30 02:07 09:22 09:07 04:07 31 02:52 10:07 10:07 05:07 Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  23

Power Plants

Oleander Sure it’s poisonous, but this hardy plant is worth taking a look at

By Katie Jackson

Garden Tips: April Celebrate National Garden Month and Earth Day (April 22).

Plant seeds for beans, corn, squash, melons and other summer vegetable crops.

Transplant tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings into the garden.

Fertilize warm-season lawns and plant new lawns.

Plant summer annual flowers after the last predicted spring frost date.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs (spirea, flowering quince, azalea, jasmine and forsythia) after they have bloomed.

Plant strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Move house plants outside when any chance of a hard freeze has passed.

Don’t mow or cut foliage of early spring-flowering bulbs, such as narcissus and daffodils, until the foliage has turned brown. A

Katie Jackson is associate editor for the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Contact her at csmith@acesag.auburn.edu

24 APRIL 2012

Longing for something a little tropical in your yard? While palm trees can be a bit of a challenge to grow in parts of Alabama, that ubiquitous coastal shrub oleander (Nerium oleander) can do beautifully even in the northernmost regions of Alabama.

A perennial evergreen that produces fragrant, showy flowers in a variety of colors (among them white, red, pink, salmon, peach, orange and yellow) throughout the summer and into the fall, oleander is attractive, fast-growing, low maintenance and, it turns out, hardy throughout Alabama.

This plant is probably native to southwest Asia, China or the Mediterranean (there’s still some debate about that among botanists), and has typically been used in coastal landscapes, in part because it does well in salty environments. Because it is so often associated with beach landscapes, many people don’t realize that it can tolerate frosts well and even survive single-digit temperatures.

In addition to being a lovely shrub, it’s also very drought tolerant, does well in a wide range of soil types with little fertilizer and has few pests. It can serve well anywhere in a landscape, but also makes an exceptional screen along property lines and roadways.

So what are oleander’s drawbacks?

It does prefer plenty of sunlight so it’s not adapted to deeply shaded locations. And some pruning may be needed since many oleanders typically grow to 10 or 12 feet in height (and width) and can reach heights of 20 feet. However, for those who don’t like to prune, dwarf cultivars are available.

Another drawback is that, despite the fact that oleander seems so com-

mon in the state’s coastal areas, it is not a native plant so those trying to stick with all-native plants may want to avoid it. Luckily, unlike many other non-native plants, it does not seem to be invasive.

All that said, there is one really big drawback to oleander: It is considered among the most poisonous of landscape plants. Though oleander extracts have been used by herbalists for centuries and are now being explored for the treatment of cancer and heart disease, among other ailments, its sap does contain compounds that are toxic to many mammals, including humans.

Most oleander poisonings occur if the plant is ingested, though the sap may also cause skin and eye irritation as well. One story about a troop of Scouts dying after roasting hotdogs on oleander sticks is considered an urban legend, though it’s a powerful cautionary tale. Oleander wood should never be used to skewer or cook food and pruned cuttings should not be burned in case the smoke contains toxic compounds.

If, even knowing that potential for risk, oleander sounds appealing to you, just make sure it is not planted where it can be easily accessed by children or livestock, such as on playgrounds or along pasture fences, and take care in handling its cuttings. A www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  25

Alabama Recipes

Apples

Cook of the Month

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away?”

My 2-year-old daughter could eat an apple every day of her life. It sure would be nice if they kept her away from the doctor, but we still get the sniffles every now and then. However, I actually do believe the saying “as American as apple pie.” Every July, my church hosts a grand patriotic concert in the sanctuary with a band accompanying our fantastic choir.

Before the concert the dinner is called an All-American Supper: Hot Dogs with fixins’, chips, baked beans and, of course, apple pie a la mode for dessert. Fun Fact: Did you know “a la mode” means “stylish or fashionable” in French? I’ll have my apple pie with style please.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Patricia Gardner, Central Alabama EC

1 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 cup fat-free milk ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup egg substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 apples, quartered 1 can crescent rolls 1 cup orange juice

5 cups cubed day-old bread ½ cup Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped ½ cup fat-free whipped topping ½ cup fat-free caramel ice cream topping

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in bread cubes and apple. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish, coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped topping and caramel topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

Apple Dumplings

Caramel Apples 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Wrap apples in crescent rolls. Sprinkle cinnamon over crescent rolls. Place orange juice, sugar and butter in a saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over crescent rolls. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Ann Richarson, Marshall DeKalb EC

1 cup butter (no substitutes) 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup light corn syrup

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 8-10 wooden sticks 8-10 medium tart apples

Insert 1 wooden stick into each apple. In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel, cook to a few less degrees. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Holding by the stick, sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm (work quickly, the caramel sets up fast). Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool.

Cook’s note: if making a double recipe, make two recipes in two separate pots.

Jennifer Miller, Central Alabama EC

26 APRIL 2012

Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or www.alabamaliving.coop registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.

Surprise Salmon and Apple Salad

1 can salmon, drained and cleaned 1 apple, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped ¼ onion, chopped

2 boiled eggs, chopped 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Drain salmon and clean it. In a medium bowl, mix salmon onion, chopped apple, celery and boiled eggs. Add sweet pickle relish and mayonnaise, toss until mixed well. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Karen Turnquist, Cullman EC

Sour Cream Apple Pie 1 unbaked pie crust 1 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons flour ¼ teaspoon salt

teaspoon vanilla 1 flavoring 1 egg 3-4 cups chopped apples

Mix sour cream, flour, salt, vanilla, egg and apples together.

Pour into pie crust; bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

During this time prepare the topping: ½ cup brown sugar 1⁄3 cup flour

¼ cup butter or margarine ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Remove pie from oven after 25 minutes. Cover with topping and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Mary Walters, Baldwin EMC

Apple-Pumpkin Soup

2 cups tart apples, peeled and finely chopped ½ cup onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 4 cups chicken broth 3 cups canned pumpkin ¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon ginger 1 cup half and half cream ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 cup unsweetened apple juice

Heat butter in a large saucepan. Sauté apples and onion in butter 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour until blended, gradually whisk in broth. Stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes. Cool slightly. In a blender, cover and process soup in batches until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Just before serving reheat soup in saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes. Stir in the apple juice, cream, salt and pepper. Heat thoroughly.Yield: 2 quarts, 12 servings.

BeLinda Sims, Joe Wheeler EMC Alabama Living

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APRIL 2012 27

Simple Apple Cake

3 cups self-rising flour 2 cups sugar 1 ¼ cups cooking oil 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups diced Granny Smith apples 1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup coconut 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze: 1 cup brown sugar ¼ cup milk ¾ cup butter

Mix oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.Add flour and cinnamon. Stir until blended. Mixture will be slightly stiff. Fold in apples, pecans and coconut. Pour into Bundt pan that has been well sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. When cake is done, remove to a cooling rack. Mix brown sugar, milk and butter; bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes. While cake is still hot and in pan, poke holes in it with a drinking straw. Pour glaze all over cake, let stand in pan for 1 hour. Turn onto a plate and enjoy.

Brenda Pettis, Southern Pine EC

Apple French Toast 2 eggs ½ cup milk 3 tablespoons sugar (dark brown) 1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon 4 slices bread, cubed (whole wheat preferred)

2 small apples, peeled cored and diced 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 5x3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs; blend in milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon.Add the bread cubes and apples, stirring gently; let stand until bread absorbs all liquid (2-3 minutes). In a small bowl, mix together (using a fork) flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, butter or margarine and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Divide bread mixture between the loaf pans; sprinkle with the topping. Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm with maple syrup, chocolate syrup or sugarfree syrup.

Anna Clines, Sand Mountain EC

Melanie’s Apple Dip

You could win $50!

If your recipe is chosen as the cook-of-the-month recipe, we’ll send you a check for $50!

Upcoming recipe themes and deadlines are: June Seafood April 15 July Picnic Lunch May 15 August Budget Friendly June 15

Please send all submissions to: Recipe Editor

P.O. Box 244014

Montgomery, AL 36124 Or e-mail to: recipes@areapower. coop.

Be sure to include your address, phone number and the name of your cooperative.

28 APRIL 2012

1 8-ounce package cream cheese ½ cup light brown sugar ¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 1 bag Heath Toffee Bits 4-5 green or red apples Pineapple juice

Cream together 8-ounces cream cheese and ½ cup light brown sugar. Add ¼ cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring. Mix well. Add bag of Heath toffee bits and mix well.

Refrigerate overnight and stir two or three times to mix together the bits and the cream cheese. Cut 4-5 green or red apples as desired. Soak apples in pineapple juice overnight; drain. Arrange on serving dish with dip.

Carolyn Drinkard, Clarke-Washington EMC

Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.

Around Alabama April 21 • Millbrook • AWF Alabama Flora and Fauna Arts Festival

Art designed with nature in mind!

That is the focus of the Alabama Flora and Fauna Arts Festival located at Lanark in Millbrook - home of the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) State Headquarters.

Festival hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is free.

With nature as your backdrop, view the inspiring 57- piece exhibit of original paintings that depict Alabama wildlife and plant species in a variety of media.

North April 21 • Red Bay, Garden Club 5th

Annual Plant Sale Farmer’s Market Pavilion, 8 a.m.

Contact: City Hall, 256-356-4473 21 & 22 • Cullman, 28th Annual Bloomin’ Festival Arts and Crafts Fair St. Bernard Prep School www.bloominfestival.com

Contact: Janet Burton, 256-601-8902 or janetburton@mindspring.com

Central April 21 • Prattville, 7th Annual Bark in

the Park • Cooter’s Pond, 1 - 5 p.m.

Admission: Free Contact: Prattville Autauga Humane Society at autaugahumane@yahoo.com

April 21 • Ancestor Swap Meet, at the Senior Activity Center in Gadsden.

Sponsored by Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society, Inc. Admission at the door, $25 (includes hot lunch). Speakers will be Mr. Chris Meekin of the North Carolina Archives & History and Dr. Lindy Martin of Birmingham. For more information, e-mail ancestorswapmeet@bellsouth.net phone or call 256-490-4683.

21 & 22 • Guntersville, 51st Annual Art on the Lake Lake Guntersville – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days, rain or shine • Admission: $2 May 4 • Guntersville, Hospice of Marshall County 11th Annual Spring Fundraiser Guntersville Senior Center Contact: Susan Sanders, 256-891-7724 or ssanders@hospicemc.org www.hospicemc.org 4 & 5 • Somerville, 8th Annual Somerville Celebration 175th Birthday of the Historic Somerville Courthouse Admission: Free Contact: Samantha Perdue, 256-7788282 or townofsomerville@aol.com 5 • Rainsville, NAAC 2nd Annual Crossroads to the Arts – opens 10 a.m.

Rainsville City Park & the Bevil Center,

28 • Deatsville,

Lightwood V.F.D. Yard Sale Fire Department, 6250 Lightwood Road Also selling whole Boston Butts ($30) and barbeque sandwiches.

Contact: Daphne Smith, 334-569-2264 28 • Prattville, Indian Artifact Show Prattville Doster Memorial Community Center Contact: Tony Bulger, 334-365-7766 or mbulg@att.net 28 • Montgomery, Ride to the Capitol Promoting motorcycle rights, safety and motorist awareness. Riders welcome. vrumble@dixieabate.org

South April 13 & 14 • Dothan, Tri‑state BBQ

Festival • Houston County Farm Center www.tristatebbq.com

To place an event, mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; e-mail to calendar@ areapower.coop. (Subject Line: Around Alabama) or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.

This quality artwork is framed, ready to hang and available for purchase. Artists will also display more of their naturethemed works. Wildlife and floral paintings, fine art prints, wildlife photography, sculpture, woodcarvings and more! As an added bonus, AWF will have on hand a wide selection of “quality stock” plants from the Lanark gardens, including hard to find heirloom plants available for purchase.

14 • Orange Beach,

Orange Beach Nautical Flea Market 4550 Main Street – 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Admission and parking are free. 8’ tables may be rented for $50.

Contact: 941-780-0538 14 • Gulf Shores, 2nd Annual Aviation Day 3190 Airport Drive • Admission: Free Contact: 251-967-3968 or visit www.jka.us.com 14 • Stockton, Wild Game Cook Off Old Schoolyard Park, Hwy 59 N. – 4 p.m.

Tickets: $15 includes food tasting Contact: Phillip Hadley, 251-937-1248 19 - 22 • Dothan, Alabama Good Sams Spring Samboree National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds Theme: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys. Contact: Pat Smith, 256-3501037 or alabamagoodsams@aol.com www.alabamagoodsams.org 21 • Magnolia Springs, 9th Annual Magnolia Run Jesse’s Restaurant, 14770 Oak Street Registration at 6:30 a.m., start at 8 a.m.

Contact: Kristin, 251-943-3291 21 & 22 • Dothan, Gem & Mineral Club 5th Annual Show and Sale Westgate Park Recreation Center Gym Sat. 9 - 5, Sun. 10 - 4 Contact: Arnie Lambert, 334-792-7116 or arlambert@comcast.net 26 – 29 • Union Springs, The Passing of Pearl Red Door Theatre Dinner at 6 p.m. (reservations required) Play at 7:30 p.m.

Contact: 334-738-8687 or

Access the Arts Festival through the Alabama Nature Center and spend the whole day with us. While exploring one of our fabulous nature trails, the observant visitor might spot a screech owl roosting next to a tree trunk or discover that the natural surroundings inspire the artist in you. All proceeds from the Alabama Flora and Fauna Arts Festival will be utilized to support AWF’s wildlife conservation mission.

conecuhpeople@knology.net www.reddoortheatre.org 28 • Opp, DRA Downtown Yard Sale – 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Contact Emilee Gage at 334-493-3070 or egage@oppcatv.com 28 • Spanish Fort, Delta Woods & Water Expo 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center Admission: Free Contact: Spanish Fort City Hall, 251-626-4884 www. deltawoodsandwatersexpo.com 28 & 29 • Troy, TroyFest Arts & Crafts Festival Downtown Troy Contact: Rob Drinkard, 334-268-1098 or troyfest@troycable.net www.troyfest.com May 1 – 5 • Gilbertown,

6th Annual Heritage Festival Contact Gilbertown Town Hall at 251-843-2766 5 • Atmore, 39th Annual Mayfest Tom Byrne Park – 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Free Contact: Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce, 251-368-3305 www.atmorechamber.com 12 • Bay Minette, Cookies for Kid’s Cancer Bake Sale • Halliday Park 2nd annual bake sale to benefit childhood cancer research. Lots of goodies, kids activities, live music and silent auction. www.thecookiemomsters.com

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APRIL 2012 29

Market Place Miscellaneous DIVORCE MADE EASY – Uncontested, lost spouse, in prison or aliens. $179.00 our total fee.

Call 10am to 10pm. 26 years experience – (417)443-6511 METAL ROOFING $1.79/LINFT – FACTORY DIRECT! 1st quality, 40yr Warranty, Energy Star rated. (price subject to change) 706-383-8554 WALL BEDS OF ALABAMA / ALABAMA MATTRESS OUTLET – SHOWROOM Collinsville, AL – Custom Built / Factory Direct - (256)490-4025, www.wallbedsofalabama.com, www. alabamamattressoutlet.com AERMOTOR WATER PUMPING WINDMILLS – windmill parts – decorative windmills – custom built windmill towers - call Windpower (256)638-4399 or (256)638-2352 18X21 CARPORT $695 INSTALLED – (706)383-8554 CUSTOM MACHINE QUILTING BY JOYCE – Bring me your quilt top or t-shirts. Various designs offered – (256)735-1543 KEEP POND WATER CLEAN AND FISH HEALTHY with our aeration systems and pond supplies. Windmill Electric and Fountain Aerators. Windpower (256)638-4399, (256)899-3850 FREE BOOKS / DVDs – Soon government will enforce the “Mark” of the beast as church and state unite!

Let Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771 – thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com, (888)211-1715 CHURCH FURNITURE – Does your church need pews, pulpit set, baptistery, steeple or windows? Big sale on new cushioned pews and upholstery for hard pews – (800)2318360 or www.pews1.com DAYLILY GARDEN OPENS MAY 1st @ CRENSHAW FARMS in Baldwin County - Take I-65 to Exit 31(Stockton/Hwy 225) go south 1/4 mile - Hundreds blooming each day - www. crenshawfarms.com, (251)577-1235 Also Yard Sale/Flea Market/Antique Store.

PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, SLIDES OR PHOTOS on DVD – (888)609-9778 or www.transferguy. com SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North American’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings.

THE place to sell equipment.

(800)459-2148, www. sawmillexchange.com

30 APRIL 2012

NEW AND USED STAIR LIFT ELEVATORS – Car lifts, Scooters, Power Wheelchairs – Walk-In Tubs Covers State of Alabama – 23 years (800)682-0658

PANAMA CITY BEACH CONDO – Owner rental – 2BR / 2BA, just remodeled inside and outside – (334)790-0000, jamesrny@graceba. net, www.theroneycondo.com

INTERIOR WOODS: CYPRESS, CEDAR, HEART PINE, POPLAR, ASH www.howardcustomlumber.net (251)847-2334

GATLINBURG, TN – Fond memories start here in our chalet – Great vacation area for all seasons – Two queen beds, full kitchen, 1 bath, Jacuzzi, deck with grill – 3 Night Special - Call (866)316-3255, Look for us on FACEBOOK / billshideaway

Business Opportunities EARN $75,000/YR PART-TIME in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. (800)488-7570 PIANO TUNING PAYS – Learn with American Tuning School home-study course – (800)497-9793 START YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Mia Bella’s Gourmet Scented Products. Try the Best! Candles / Gifts / Beauty.

Wonderful income potential! Enter Free Candle Drawing - www. naturesbest.scent-team.com

Vacation Rentals AFFORDABLE COZY CABINS for your vacation in Pigeon Forge- (865)712-7633 CABIN IN MENTONE – 2/2, brow view, hottub – For rent $100/night or Sale $199,000 – (706)767-0177 GATLINBURG – DOWNTOWN LUXURY CREEKSIDE CONDO – 2BR / 2BA, sleeps 6 – aubie12@centurytel. net, (256)599-5552 HOUSE IN PIGEON FORGE, TN – fully furnished, sleeps 6-12, 3 baths, creek, no pets – (256)997-6771, www.riverrungetaway.org www.vacationsmithlake.com – 3BR / 2BA home w/ 2 satelite TV’s, gaslog fireplace, central H&A, covered boat dock - $75.00 night – (256)3525721, email annawisener@yahoo.com PIGEON FORGE, TN: $89 - $125, 2BR/2BA, hot tub, pool table, fireplace, swimming pool, creek – (251)3631973, www.mylittlebitofheaven.com KATHY’S ORANGE BEACH CONDO – 2BR/2BA, non-smoking. Best rates beachside! Family friendly – (205)253-4985, www.KathysCondo. eu.pn GATLINBURG TOWNHOUSE on BASKINS CREEK! GREAT RATES! 4BR/3BA, short walk downtown attractions! (205)333-9585, hhideaway401@aol.com GATLINBURG / PIGEON FORGE – 2 and 3 BEDROOM LUXURY CABINS – home theatre room, hot tub, game room – www.homeaway.com #178002, #359930, #965933 - (251)363-8576

ALABAMA RIVER LOTS / MONROE COUNTY, AL – Lease / Rent – (334)469-5604 HELEN GA CABIN FOR RENT – sleeps 2-6, 2.5 baths, fireplace, Jacuzzi, washer/dryer – www. cyberrentals.com/101769 - (251)9482918, email jmccracken@gulftel.com MENTONE, OVERNIGHT CABIN RENTAL – Hottub, King bed, Jacuzzi – (256)657-4335 – www. mentonelogcabins.com PIGEON FORGE, TN – 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath house for rent $75.00 a night – Call Bonnie at (256)338-1957 GULF SHORES / FT. MORGAN / NOT A CONDO! The original “Beach House” on Ft. Morgan peninsula – 2BR/1BA – Wi-Fi, pet friendly, non-smoking – $695/wk, (256)418-2131, www. originalbeachhouseal.com AFFORDABLE BEACHSIDE VACATION CONDOS – Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, AL. Rent Direct from Christian Family Owners. Lowest Prices on the Beach – (251)752-2366, (205)5560368, (205)752-1231 GATLINBURG: CONDOS AND CABINS AVAILABLE NOW – Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at (800)3149777 – www.funcondos.com – Non Smoking GULF SHORES - 3BR / 2BA ON BEACH – W/D, 4 queen beds, sleeps 8 - VRBO#354680 Gulf Shores East – (251)979-3604 TWO GULF SHORES PLANATION CONDOS – Excellent beach views – Owner rented (251)223-9248 WEST BEACH – 3 GREAT CONDOS – Call (404)219-3189, (404)702-9824 or email gulfshores4rent@gmail.com. www.GULFSHORES4RENT.COM DISNEY – 15 MIN: 5BR / 3BA, private pool – www. orlandovacationoasis.com – (251)504-5756 GULF SHORES / FORT MORGAN BEACH COTTAGE – 3BR / 1BA, sleeps 6, gulf side, beach access – Summer rental $900 a week – (251)540-1086

ORANGE BEACH, AL CONDO – Sleeps 4, gulf and river amenities – Great Rates – (228)369-4680 GULF SHORES 4 / 5 BEDROOM BEACH HOME – Direct Gulffront – Also for Sale – (678)409-6616, rob@ playgagolf.com FT. WALTON BEACH HOUSE – 3BR / 2BA – Best buy at the Beach – (205)566-0892, mailady96@yahoo. com PENSACOLA BEACH CONDO – Gulf front – 7th floor balcony – 3BR / 2BA, sleeps 6, pool – (850)572-6295 or (850)968-2170 ORANGE BEACH, 1BR / 1BA, GRAND CARIBBEAN - 3rd Floor - Across from Cotton Bayou State Park! Great Rates!

Call for quote. (205)965-8922, or email: suzette915@gmail.com GULF SHORES BEACHSIDE CONDO available April thru December – 2BR / 2BA, WiFi, No smoking / No pets – Call Owner (256)287-0368, Cell (205)613-3446 MAGGIE VALLEY / WAYNESVILLE, NC – 2BR / 2BA, fireplace, deck, hottub, grill, Smokey Mountain view – Close to historic Waynesville shopping, Cataloochee Ski Resort – Ask for Mountain memories (800)648-1210 GUNTERSVILLE – SMALL COTTAGE: 2BR, full kitchen, w/in 300 yds of boat ramps - $80/night - call (334)361-2459 ALWAYS THE LOWEST PRICE $65.00 – Beautiful furnished mountain cabin near Dollywood, Sevierville, TN – (865)453-7715 GULF SHORES, WEST BEACH - Gulf view, sleeps 6 - www.vrbo.com/92623, (404)641-4939, (404)641-5314 GULF SHORES – CRYSTAL TOWER CONDO - 2 bedroom/ 2 bath, Great Ocean View - www.vrbo.com #145108 - Call Owner (205)429-4886 MENTONE, AL – LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN – billiard table, Jacuzzi, spacious home, sleeps 10 – www. duskdowningheights.com, (850)7665042, (850)661-0678.

ORANGE BEACH, WINDWARD POINTE – GULF FRONT CONDO – 3/2, Owner Rate – (251)626-6566, (251)689-8328 FORT MORGAN BEACH HOUSE - 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, HDTV, WiFi – www.homeaway.com/178244, www. wardvacationproperties.com, (251)363-8576 GULF SHORES BEACH HOUSE – Nice 2 bedroom, great view – Spring $800 / week, Summer $995 – (251)666-5476 www.alabamaliving.coop

GULF SHORES CONDO ON THE BEACH! 2BR/2BA - Beautiful update at SANDPIPER - (502) 386-7130

SMOKIES - TOWNSEND, TN – 2BR/2BA, secluded log home, fully furnished.

Toll free (866)448-6203, (228)832-0713

GULF SHORES RENTAL BY OWNER – Great Rates! (256)490-4025 or www.gulfshoresrentals.us

GULF SHORES PLANTATION - Gulf view, beach side, 2 bedrooms / 2 baths, no smoking / no pets. Owner rates (205)339-3850

GULF SHORES CONDO: $75 - $110 night – 1 BR / 1BA, sleeps 4, pet friendly, pool, beach access – (251)9487140, vej264@gmail.com RENTAL BY OWNER – DESTIN, FL CONDO - Check out patsdestincondo. com - 2BR/2BA, across from beach with gated access - Call (334)244-6581 or email greenbush@knology.net for more information WEARS VALLEY MOUNTAIN CABIN NEAR PIGEON FORGE – 2 / 2, fully furnished – Brochures available – (251)649-9818 GULF SHORES / FT MORGAN BEACH HOUSE - 3/3 . A short walk to the Gulf of Mexico - WINTER rental $9OO.OO A Month, plus half of utilities – Summer rental $850.00 a week, sleeps 6 adults – Call (251)540-7078.

GULF SHORES PLANTATION - GULF FRONT - 2BR/2BA, remodeled, sleeps 6-8, Unit 1133 – YoungSuncoast.com, (800)826-1213 BEACH CONDOS: TAKING RESERVATIONS NOW IN GULF SHORES AND DAYTONA BEACH – Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at (800)314-9777 – www. funcondos.com – Non Smoking

SMOKIES – PIGEON FORGE, TN CABINS – (251)649-3344, (251)6494049, www.hideawayprop.com GATLINBURG, TN CHALET – 3BR / 3BA Baskins Creek – Pool, 10 minute walk downtown, Aquarium, National Park – (334)289-0304 ORANGE BEACH CONDO, 3BR/3BA; 2,000 SQ.FT.; beautifully decorated; gorgeous waterfront view; boat slips available; great rates - Owner rented (251)604-5226 GULF SHORES BEACH COTTAGE – Affordable, waterfront, pet friendly – http://www.vrbo. com/152418, (251)223-6114

Camping / Hunting / Fishing VALLEY HEAD, AL LODGE - 5/2, fishing - Weekly, monthly rates available for summer - Cabin available also - www.lookoutcreekfarm.com, (256)635-6420 CAMP IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS – Maggie Valley, NC – www.trailsendrv-park.com, (828)421-5295.

How To Place a Line Ad in Marketplace Closing Deadlines (in our office): June 2012 – deadline – April 25 July 2012 – deadline – May 25 August 2012 – deadline – June 25 -Ads are $1.65 per word with a 10 word minimum and are on a prepaid basis -Telephone numbers, email addresses and websites are considered 1 word each -Ads will not be taken over the phone. You may email your ad to hdutton@areapower.com or call (800)410-2737 ask for Heather for pricing.

-We accept checks, money orders and all major credit cards

ANDALUSIA AREA RV CAMPGROUND for fishing and swimming on Point ‘A’ Lake - Nightly, weekly and monthly rates - Reservations (334)388-0342, theshac@shacrvpark.com , shacrvpark.com

Real Estate Sales/Rentals GULF SHORES CONDO - $49,900, close to everything. Go to www.

PeteOnTheBeach.com, click on Colony Club – (251)948-8008 NORTHERN COOSA COUNTY – 6,000sqft home, 55 acres partially fenced, nice lake – 1,600sqft shop / barn. Great potential for horse farm. Many Extras. (256)249-9187 LAKE GUNTERSVILLE – DEEDED RV LOT WITH PORT – 30ft x 40ft, FISHERMAN’S DREAM – MLS#832472 – (256)302-1510 Lot# 51 WE PURCHASE SELLER FINANCED NOTES, Trust Deeds, Contracts for Deed, Commercial / Business Notes and more, Nationwide! Call (256)6381930 or (256)601-8146 MOUNTAIN TOP HOME – MENTONE, AL – 2BR / 2BA on 13.3 secluded acres overlooking 5 acre lake. Beautiful View - $185,000 – (256)634-8017

Travel CARIBBEAN CRUISES AT THE LOWEST PRICE – (256)974-0500 or (800)726-0954

Musical Notes PLAY GOSPEL SONGS BY EAR - 10 lessons $12.95. “LEARN GOSPEL MUSIC”.

Chording, runs, fills - $12.95 Both $24.

Davidsons, 6727AR Metcalf, Shawnee Missions, Kansas 66204 – (913)262-4982

Education FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE – write to 23600 Alabama Highway 24, Trinity, AL, 35673 FREE CREATION SCIENCE INFO – WWW.CREATIONANDSCIENCE.NET – Adults, teens – Box 508, Fairhope, AL 36533 BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 767, 6630 West Cactus B-107, Glendale, Arizona 85304. http:// www.ordination.org

Critters ADORABLE AKC YORKY PUPPIES – excellent blood lines – (334)3011120, (334)537-4242, bnorman@ mon-cre.net CHIHUAHUA PUPPIES. Tiny, registered, guaranteed healthy, raised indoors in loving home, vet records and references. (256)796-2893

Fruits / Nuts / Berries OLD TIMEY WHITE AND YELLOW self pollinating SEED corn – (334)886-2925

Support Our Troops Taxpayers can demonstrate support through the Alabama Military Support Foundation for Guardsmen and Reservists by making a contribution by using a check-off box on the bottom of the Alabama State tax form.

The mission of the foundation is to educate employers on the active role played in the defense of our nation

by Guardsmen and Reservists, and to inform them on their legal rights and responsibilities.

Funds donated to the foundation will be used to educate and recognize outstanding employers who go above and beyond to support employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.

Mail ad submission along with a check or money order made payable to ALABAMA LIVING, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124 – Attn: Classifieds.

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012 31

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www.alabamaliving.coop

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APRIL 2012  33

My

Powers Awareness

.coM

MONITOR your account.

CONTROL your usage.

SAVE money.

Cullman EC members sign up online for this FREE service at www.myusage.com, and take control of your electric bill today!

pay•as•you•go A PREPAY ENERGY SOLUTION

What if paying your electric bill was like buying gas for your vehicle? You buy it, then use it. You can “fill up,” buy half a tank or even purchase just a few dollars to keep the car running for a few more days.

Now, you can do the same with electricity. Cullman Electric Cooperative introduces pay as you go, a prepay energy solution.

•

•

•

• Choose your own payment schedule • Purchase electricity when convenient • Monitor electrical usage

• Customize the plan that is best for you • No deposits • No late fees • No monthly bills

Buy a little or a lot — the choice is yours! Cullman EC’s pay as you go program allows you to control your energy usage and spending.

•

•

•

To sign up for Cullman EC’s pay as you go program or talk with a Member Service Representative for more information, call 256-737-3200 •

34 APRIL 2012

•

•

www.cullmanec.com

Cullman Electric

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012 35

Our Sources Say

Smart Living “Smart” technology may sound like a novelty, but it is an emerging technology that will help cooperatives better serve their members.

Phillip Burgess is communications and government relations director for the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association in Chattanooga, Tenn.

36 APRIL 2012

High school reunions usually are met with a combination of excitement and dread. There’s that nagging fear that you are going to be older-looking than everyone else. And you convince yourself, however irrationally, that you are the only one in the crowd with a bald head or a mid-section approaching the size of a wash tub.

The fun part comes from the retelling of stories – some humorous, others not so much – of stuff that happened in those hallowed halls.

Our class reunion of a few weeks ago was no different.

One of my favorite recollections has to do with a test our vocational agriculture teacher gave me more than 40 years ago. As the class sat together, our teacher called on each student and directed him to retrieve a particular tool from the tool room and explain to the class how to properly use it.

Things went well until one of my classmates was asked to find a “lumber stretcher.” Disappearing up the stairs and into the tool room, my classmate was gone a long, long time before returning, red-faced, to a snickering class and realizing there was no such tool!

The moral of this story is that we’d better know our tools and what they can and can’t do!

Lately, there have been discussions among some electric cooperative customers about so-called “smart meters,” the “smart grid” and their respective capabilities. The bottom line is that there appears to be a misunderstanding about the use of this advanced metering technology.

But should we be surprised?

More than 75 years ago, electric cooperatives in Alabama electrified the rural countryside. Most folks were happy to get this new service, which their cousins in nearby cities and towns had had for a long time.

But there were some folks who

didn’t want electricity and the changes it would bring. Some were so afraid of that newfangled socket in the ceiling of the kitchen that they would remove the light bulb before going to bed.

Through education and outreach, co-op customers learned how to use this new, silent servant and became convinced they had nothing to fear.

As was electricity itself almost four decades ago, “smart meters” and the “smart grid” are tools being introduced by some cooperatives across the country. This “smart” technology provides numerous benefits to cooperatives and, because you are the owner, to you as well.

Remote reading and reconnecting of meters will save manpower. Power outages can be located and handled more quickly and precisely, and power quality can be improved by reducing the number of blinks, spikes and surges. Co-ops that have deployed this technology are using it as a tool to help their members analyze what is happening in their homes or businesses, especially in terms of higher bills.

This technology is not intended to be a threat to customer privacy.

Neither is it a scheme to get additional dollars from consumers, nor is it a potential health risk. Rather, it is an emerging technology that will help cooperatives better serve their members.

Your electric cooperative is committed to providing you with superior service, efficiency and reliability at the lowest possible cost. Time and again, it has earned your trust and that of your fellow member owners through open, honest communication.

“Smart” technology may sound like a novelty – or, perhaps, a “lumber stretcher.” But the next time you flip a switch, remember that there were those who didn’t believe in electricity itself. A

www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

APRIL 2012  37

Alabama Snapshots

2

little petals

1

1 32

4 6

3

4

5 1. Danica O’Dell submitted by Laura O’Dell of Ider 2. Nathan and Jackson Reid of Bay Minette submit ted by Napoleon and Gracie Reid of Thomasville 3. Lily Dobbins submitted by Lynda Dobbins of Boaz 38 APRIL 2012

4. “Hannah picks flowers for mommy” submitted by Miriam Patterson of Highland Home 5. “Eden’s Garden” submitted by Denise Wempe of Chancellor 6. “Hailey’s yellow flowers” submitted by Tami Ables of Hamilton

Submit Your Images! june Theme: “My

boat”

Send color photos with a large self addressed stamped envelope to:

Photos, Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL, 36124.

Rules: Alabama Living will pay $10 for photos that best match our theme of the month. Alabama Living is not responsible for lost or damaged photos.

Deadline for: April 30 www.alabamaliving.coop

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NAME: _______________________________________________________ ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ CITY: ____________________ STATE: _______ ZIP CODE: ____________ o CHECK o CREDIT CARD PHONE NUMBER: _______________ Credit Card Number: __ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __ Expiration Date: ______________________ CVV#_____________________ Signature: _____________________________________________________

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APRIL 2012 39