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Winter 2016 Vol. 9 No. 1
Table of Contents Special Features 10. News to Know Bingo For Boobies Event comes to Wedowee 14. Lake Wedowee Tournament Trail Standings 20. Wedowee Marine South: The Future for Lake Wedowee 28. Simply Southern Creative Hobbies Cure the Winter Blues 30. Simply Southern Soup du Winter
In This Issue 8. Letter from the Editor 14. Hooked on Lake Wedowee 18. Lake Map 32. Charley’s Treasure 34. Let’s Get Cooking 38. Reader’s Photos 39. Where in the World is Lake Wedowee Life? 40. Lake Wedowee on Instagram 42. Movie Review
contributors this issue Jackson Bonner, Tracy Carpenter, Charley Norton, Andy Petty, Tricia Stearns
On the Cover Wedowee Marine South hopes to open to the public in April. Barnes Construction is one of the many local companies working on the project. Matt Barnes and Crystal Walker captured the cover photo of Wedowee Marine South by using a drone. To learn more about Wedowee Marine South, check out the story on page 20.
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Lake Wedowee Life 256.357.4557 104 West Broad Street Wedowee, AL
www.LakeWedoweeLife.com Lake Wedowee Life magazine is published four times a year and available around the Lake Wedowee area which includes Randolph and Clay Counties in Alabama as well as parts of West Georgia. All content in this publication is protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published without the prior written permission of Neighborhood Publishing. Š 2008-2016 Caldwell Sales, Inc. 6 lake wedowee life
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We All Play a Role in this Great Adventure Who is excited about 2016??? This girl is. How can you not be…. So many opportunities are just waiting for us to grab them, but you have to be willing. Just look at what Randy and Kathy Morris have done with Wedowee Marine. When they bought the place, they had no idea what opportunities would present themselves in a relatively short period of time. Since I have known them (which has been about 10 years.) They have built a new ship store at the original location, added a crazy amount of boat storage and wet slips, built a new service center and in a few short months will open Wedowee Marine South… A truly fantastic addition to Lake Wedowee. When I was touring the construction site with Kathy a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but see opportunity every where I looked. There is opportunity for employment, which in this county is desperately needed and there is opportunity for community events. (Y’all seriously need to see that deck on the second floor of the ship store.) All of that opportunity, translates to revenue for this county in sales tax dollars and more. But, we have to do our part. When the restaurant opens, we have to eat there! If you need gas on the water, you need to fill up. And while you are at it… Don’t stop at just frequenting Wedowee Marine South. If we do our part in keeping the restaurants, shops and businesses in the Lake Wedowee area busy, the more likely, they will stay open and more shops, restaurants and businesses will open in our little slice of heaven. In August, we voted a sales tax increase, so the county could have a new hospital. We can’t stop with just the vote. We have to be diligent in keeping as many of our tax dollars in Randolph County as possible. And, that’s simply done by remembering to Shop Local!
Enjoy Life Kelly Caldwell
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New Event Coming to Wedowee An event coming to the Lake Wedowee Area in March promises a good time for a good cause! Bingo for Boobies is the brain child of Donna Maner, Pat Laney and Carol Ann Traylor. The March 5th event will be at the Randolph County High School Auditorium and will feature two sessions of bingo with local favorite Jerry Hall having the bingo-calling honors. “Our first round of bingo will start at 10 a.m.,” Maner said. “And there will be door prizes and of course great prizes for the winning
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cards. But, then we will do it all again at 2 p.m. So that we can have as many people play that want to participate.” Participants can play Bingo for
$5, $10 & $15 donations. “Monies raised at this event will help provide mammograms to area women who could not otherwise afford one through Tanner Medical Foundation’s Mammogram Assistance Fund,” said Carla Maner Duncan, Donor Relations Coordinator for Tanner Medical Foundation. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman's death is about 1 in 36.
However, death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1989, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. Again, according to the American Cancer Society, these decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment. “Thanks to advancements in diagnostics and treatments, early detection of breast cancer with screening mammography means that treatment can be started earlier in the course of the disease, leading to higher survival rates. Yet, for some women, a mammogram is simply not an option financially,” Duncan said. Tanner’s mobile mammogram unit will be on site for the event. “With generous community support, Tanner Medical Foundation’s Mammogram Assistance Fund helps eliminate the financial barrier for women in need who would otherwise go without an annual breast exam,” said Duncan. “We are very grateful that this community is committed to fighting breast cancer,” said Beau Bowman, Vice President-Executive Director of Tanner Medical Foundation. “Early detection and regular screenings are essential lake wedowee life 11
team. “The Birmingham News did it and what is interesting to me about it, is there are no coaches in the picture,” she said. “It’s just the team with their names listed underneath.” The team was the only undefeated and untied team in the nation for the season but were not named the 1966 National Champions and finished third in the final AP poll for the
in the fight against breast cancer,” said Bowman. “Community events like these help ensure that no woman in our community is left behind in accessing state-of-the-art mammogram screenings.” Part of the festivities for the day will also include a silent auction as well as a live auction. “We really want to raise as much money for the foundation as possible,” Maner said. “I am even donating a piece from my personal collection of memorabilia.” Maner is donating a framed photo of the 1966 Alabama Football
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season. Keith Dunnavant wrote a book about the 1966 team called “The Missing Ring.” Notable players from the team included Kenny “The Snake” Stabler, Leslie Kelley, Dennis Human and Ray Perkins. “For Alabama fans, it is a really special piece of history,” Maner said. Local businesses have donated door prizes, game prizes and items for the auctions. “We are thrilled at the community support we have already received,” Maner said. “And, we can’t wait for the event!”
Several items will be up for bid during the silent auction including this vintage Steak and Shake toy truck and the above team photo from the 1966 Alabama Football Team.
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Gearing up for Prime Fishing The past few months on Lake Wedowee have certainly been unique. With the emergence of the everelusive El Nino, the lake has undergone some major swings. As the late fall ended fishing became extremely tough. This is not unusual for Lake Wedowee but what the weather that followed was indeed out of the ordinary. Just as the water began to fall to its winter pool levels the weather turned unseasonably warm. As bass are creatures of habit, they often depend on their annual treks whether that’s from pre-spawn to spawn or from summer haunts to the backs of creeks. El Nino with its warm temperatures definitely changed these migration routes and made finding fish difficult. A few
Hooked on Lake Wedowee by Jackson Bonner patterns that held up throughout these months were shallow brush or isolated brush of any kind. The problem with catching fish around isolated brush however, is that these fish are often resident fish and do not reload. So once you catch one it could be weeks before a piece a brush holds another fish. The next unique occurrence, also a direct effect of El Nino, was the massive amount of rainfalls during the early winter months. We certainly got to see why Lake Wedowee drops some nine feet for its winter pool level. After a week of flooding around Christmas, Lake Wedowee needed all nine of those feet to keep its water from rising out of the banks. Moreover, those same rains had other effects on the lake as well. First, the entire lake became extremely muddy. This is fairly normal for this time of the year but the swift current that was present is a seldom occurrence for Lake Wedowee. While most lakes throughout Alabama have strong current in spots, Wedowee does not. What followed next were extremely cold temperatures. While seasonable, these temps were a drastic drop from the recent weeks. Needless to say all of these factors have made fishing on Lake Wedowee the first part of winter interesting. Catches and weights have been all over the place over the past few months, with one weekend solid limits being caught, to a few days later only a few fish are caught. Techniques have also been fairly diverse as 14 lake wedowee life
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well. Most fish are being caught on main lake areas whether its bluff walls or sloping points. Fish seem to be handling the everchanging elements by sticking with areas that do not fluctuate in temperature or water level as drastically as others. As this odd winter unfolds I’m sure we will continue to see ups and downs with regards to our weather. However, when it finally makes up its mind to warm up, the fishing on Lake Wedowee will explode. The Lake Wedowee Tournament Trail will wrap its 2015-2016 year in this year’s championship event to be held on February 20 and 21. This past year over 55 boats participated in our events and it marked our largest turnout yet. The championship field will host the top anglers who will compete for over a six thousand dollar purse. Next year’s season will begin March 5 out of 48 Bridge. I would personally like to invite anyone who is interested to come join us on the date. All you have to do to fish with us is sign up at the ramp.
Jackson Bonner is an avid fisherman that has fished Lake Wedowee for most of his life. He lives in Clay County. He is also a founder of the Lake Wedowee Tournament Trail.
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2015 Lake Wedowee Tournament Trail Standings # Team Name 3/14 1 Sorrells & Cox 100 2 Butler & Carpenter 93 3 Watts & Thompson 92 4 Chaffin & Chaffin 98 5 Bonner & Bonner 90 6 Young & Denney 77 7 Frye & Matthews 74 8 Shelnut & Swanson 91 9 Colburn & Robertso 70 10 Doss & Doss 73 11 Ben & Bo Williamso 98 12 Williamson & Adams 76 13 Arrington & Horton 97 14 Mason & Mason 89 15 Wallace & Coley 83 16 Rollins & Hendrick 80 17 Morris & Rowell 69 18 Mossburg & Carlson 76 19 Adamson & Knott 33 20 McCall & Hornsby 67 21 Brown & White 33 21 Beam & Mulkey 68 23 Ivey & Massey dnf 24 Poole & McCain 71 25 Thompson & Bagget 88 26 Blaylock & Welch 78 27 Key & Jennings 84 28 Freeman & Hurst 96 29 Welcher & Haynes dnf 30 Green & Noles 86 31 Tomlin & Tomlin 84 32 Adams & Adams dnf 33 Cantrell & Cantrell 85 34 Looney & Milam dnf 35 Shealy & Shealy 66 36 Hurst & Rozzell dnf 37 Shelnut & Knight dnf 38 Wright & White 87 39 McCullers & Oliver dnf 40 Mitchell & Simms dnf 41 Lumpkin & Lumpkin 82 42 Hurst & Hurst 81 43 Gardner & White 72 44 Shealy & Shealy 66 45 Stone & Stone 65 46 McFadden dnf 47 McCaig & Pickette dnf 48 Cheeks & Bailey 35 49 Shortt & Mayfield 33 49 Humphries & Cole 33 49 Burroughs & McCull 33 49 Gaines & Lett 33 **Top 15 Boats Qualify for Classic**
4/18 83 82 94 88 71 92 97 90 81 72 98 73 89 102 95 85 91 73 76 87 35 79 93 35 75 dnf 74 96 dnf 84 74 dnf 35 78 dnf dnf dnf dnf 86 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
5/16 102 93 88 92 90 77 73 81 95 91 98 85 87 dnf 37 78 89 82 37 84 76 74 80 86 75 79 37 dnf 96 dnf dnf dnf dnf 37 dnf 97 94 dnf dnf 83 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
6/27 95 88 90 95 96 98 84 91 79 39 97 94 39 85 100 83 39 82 92 39 86 39 80 81 87 89 dnf dnf 39 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf 39 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
7/25 95 98 93 96 94 89 91 43 87 92 88 99 43 100 43 43 43 86 43 43 90 43 43 43 dnf 43 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
8/22 96 91 89 90 97 98 88 85 86 94 42 92 42 42 100 42 42 dnf 97 42 93 42 87 84 dnf dnf dnf dnf 42 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
9/27 98 102 91 88 86 93 95 94 92 83 96 90 89 41 41 87 97 dnf 41 41 84 41 85 41 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf 41 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
10/31 96 97 91 83 94 86 92 95 89 93 102 98 82 90 41 87 88 84 41 41 dnf 85 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf 41 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
11/21 80 85 98 92 91 82 86 89 88 97 dnf dnf 84 94 100 81 90 93 96 97 dnf 87 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf 83 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf 40 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
12/19 94 97 93 91 92 87 80 95 85 81 84 82 90 98 83 39 39 82 89 79 100 39 98 dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf dnf
1/23
= 939 926 919 913 901 879 860 857 852 815 800 790 742 741 723 706 687 664 645 620 597 597 566 441 327 289 195 191 177 170 156 124 120 115 105 97 94 87 86 83 82 81 72 66 65 41 40 35 33 33 33 33
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The Future is now for W When Randy and Kathy Morris first bought property on Lake Wedowee, they never envisioned what 2016 would look like for them. “When we first came over here, we just enjoyed it,” Kathy said. “I had no idea at the time, we would buy a marina and do all that we have done.” The Morris’ have owned and operated Wedowee Marine for nearly 15 years and in that time have made a 20 lake wedowee life
tremendous impact on Lake Wedowee. “I will not say that the success Wedowee Marine has had has been of my own creation,” Randy Morris said. “There is no way Kathy and I could have done this by ourselves. Wedowee Marine has built its reputation on being service oriented and we have been fortunate enough to align ourselves with good products and good people. That makes the difference.”
Wedowee Marine South Since taking over what was once known as Lake Wedowee Marina, the Morris’ have renovated the original location with a new ship store and boat storage facilities; opened a service center north of Wedowee and in April hope to open the biggest undertaking to date. Wedowee Marine South, once completed, will feature a 40,000 square foot ship store/showroom/restaurant; a 10,000 square foot ser-
vice center, two tournament ramps and two additional buildings strictly for boat storage. “When we open, there will still be construction going on,” Morris said. “We have the tournament ramps done down into the water, but they will be finished later this spring.” Located on Highway 48 just past the bridge, Wedowee Marine South has been years in the making. lake wedowee life 21
“This area has always been designated for a marina by Alabama Power,” Randy said. “And we were first approached by working together almost 10 years ago, but it never happened.” Wedowee Marine was approached again in 2012 along with others that might have been interested in developing the area. “We all went to Birmingham and there were several groups that presented,” Morris said. “But ultimately Alabama Power chose us to partner with on this development.” They broke ground in November of 2014 and are very optimistic to be ready for customers as early as April. “We probably could open earlier than that,” Morris said. “But we are still working on the service
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Continued from Page 22 center and there isn’t really a point in opening until that is ready.” Wedowee Marine South will be unique in that a convenience store is right at lake level along with six gas pumps. “The store at the dock will be really cool,” Morris said. “It’s designed for the boater that’s in a hurry… You know the one that might have five or six kids in the boat and they don’t want to unload them all just to get gas and a few snacks. “Or that guy that is in a fishing tournament and he needs a new cranking battery… He can get it, replace it and be back out fishing in like 10 minutes.” The dock store will also have things like life jackets, drinks, ice and other quick necessities. It won’t, however, have packaged alcohol. “We don’t have that now and we don’t have plans to offer it at any of our locations,” Morris said. “Of course the restaurant will have it where you can sit down and have drink, but we will not be selling alcohol for offsite consumption.” 24 lake wedowee life
The ship store will feature old favorites of Wedowee Marine like The Big Green Egg and Yeti Coolers, but there will also be expanded lines like paddle boards and paddle boats as well as a few new lines. “We really are all about what the customer wants,” Morris said. “We believe in the products we sell… I believe everyone that works here has a Big Green Egg because it’s that good. I have been cooking on one for years.” The marina has also been con-
tacted by other boat brands to carry their products as well. “With 40,000 square feet, we do have room to expand on what we are currently doing,” Morris said. The ship store also has an upstairs that will be available to rent for private and community events. The second floor features a covered deck that spans 5,000 square feet. “We hope that we will have events here a lot,” Morris said. “The open deck really is awesome. Once we get it all going, its definitely go-
ing to be the place to be on Lake Wedowee.” As with any project, Morris is quick to say he hasn’t done this alone. “This is right under a $4 million investment,” he said. “I have relied heavily on numerous people to make this dream a reality.” Morris’ people are faces in the community such as Todd Hurst of Hurst Construction, Jack Burnside of
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“And that’s not counting the restaurant,” he said. “I could see an additional 18-20 employees there just to Wedowee Landscape, Kenneth and Matt Barnes of Bar- get started.” nes Construction and Andy Etheridge of Randolph Plans for the restaurant are still uncertain at this County Concrete to name a few. time, Morris would like to see another entity come in to “We know how important it is to do business lorun it, but he hasn’t found the perfect fit yet. cally,” Morris said. “We rely on the community and “We are providing the vessel,” Randy said. “I don’t when given the chance its only right to pay it back.” want to get in the restaurant business, but I know what With the new location also comes new employment I would like to see there. We have talked to a lot of peoopportunities at Wedowee Marine. ple that are showing interest but there are no definite “We haven’t even opened the doors to the new place plans there just yet.” yet and we have already hired four or five new people,” Morris said. “We have three new service techs, a girl that will write service orders at the new place and then we hired a new salesman that will be down there, too. “Chad Key, our new sales guy, has been on our proteam for a while. He knows fishing boats and isn’t afraid to get out on the water and take one up to 70 miles per hour… If you are going to sell fishing boats, that’s what you have to do.” All in all Wedowee Marine will become one of the larger employers in Wedowee between the three locations as Morris expects to have close to 40 employees when everything is complete.
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Creative Hobbies Cure the Winter Blues We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming. We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives. Gary Zukav Do you have the winter blues? Colder weather wraps a blanket around our energy level, and well, it takes a lot of mental and physical energy to go outside when we are used to warmer weather. We live in the south for a reason. Winter on the lake has a few perks. Winter brings a new set of nature scenes to the lake…the number of birds you can see, the fog first thing in the morning, the silhouette of leafless trees haunting the skyline in the winter sunset. Seeing the water in the winter, you can dream of the activities you will do once the temperature gets above 60. And no matter how cold it may be, there is nothing better than a lake view to making you relax and feel calm, especially when you can view it in the comfort of your own (warm) home. Many folks who live on the lake practically run a Bed and Breakfast in the summer, so they may like the fact that no one has become their new best friend during the winter months. But if you feel a bit dreary, a bit lonely, the need for a bit of EXCITEMENT in your lake living, and you are tired of scrolling through your Facebook feed or feeding TV binge habits, 28 lake wedowee life
Simply Southern by Tricia Stearns then here are a few ideas to get some move in your groove, some step in your Two- Step, some Getty-up in your social life. Here are a few ideas: • Exercise with your spouse. Create a new habit of taking a walk, at least, a couple of times a week. Keep your conversation subjects to…nothing, just relate as people on a walk. Not all our daily struggles have to be solved the minute you spend more than five minutes together. Turn the phones off, listen to the birds, listen to your hearts, grab your loved one’s hand and just be…for a moment each day. Just be. Or go big-- and join a gym. Maybe start a dance club with your neighbors or church group; a little foot tapping to music
can improve circulation, blood pressure, and mental energy. • Make a list of things you would like to attempt as a hobby or an old hobby you would like to improve in 2016. Do you like to cook? Try creating a new recipe each week out of all those cookbooks on your shelf. Practice some new dishes for all those folks that visit you in the summer. Maybe even create a cooking club with friends. Pick a theme and cook a meal together, or go old school and do a potluck. Often we are so busy entertaining folks that see us during the summer; we never get to socialize with our neighbors…it is the slow season so why not cook a meal together. For example, each January I always have a soup swap with a few of my foodie friends. The gathering is like a cookie swap but with soup instead. Each guest brings two quarts of soup in onequart containers, and each guest goes home with two quarts of soup from another guest. Recipes are attached to each quart for future reference. Folks love this kind of get together—it is less pressure than a dressy Christmas party and everyone leaves with a couple of meals for the next week. In February, I usually go for a dessert party with lots of hot teas and chocolate. March is Irish stew month, or dinner with a Cajun theme honoring Mardi Gras and the beginning of the Lent season. Before you know it, summer will arrive, and we all are busy entertaining lake visitors. If cooking sounds like too much work, start a cocktail club. A hostess makes a signature drink, you learn about the origin of the beverage, the preferred ingredients, and
it is a good excuse to get together with friends. Just make sure you have a designated driver, or can walk from your neighbors house. • There is nothing like reading by the fire‌so why not start a book club? Your club could read literary classics, chick- lit, creative nonfiction, political, funny, you name it, you would be surprised how many people would love to read and discuss a book. You could do
nothing more than sharing your favorite quotes that people recycle on their social media feeds. Good stories encourage us, entertain us, and connect us as a community. As we all know, the hardest part is the first step, the follow-up on the initial idea, the sending the email, picking up the phone, actually organizing an intentional gettogether. Start small, be creative,
but live like you are in a Nike commercial—just do it. Tricia Stearns is a storyteller at heart and resides on Lake Wedowee with her husband Bern and their dog, Hiker. An empty nester of five children, Tricia writes about food and family and her adventures living in the south. For more of her stories go to www.tstearnsblog.com
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Soup du Winter When the air gets chilly I think of soup. Everyone knows soup warms the soul and feeds the body. And like keeping warm on a cold winter day, the key to creating a good soup is layering. Just like you layer a shirt, then a sweater, then a jacket, to keep warm, layer your vegetables and herbs so they marry in flavor. Let’s start with some broth basics. First, lets admit that soup can be the most efficient use of leftovers; as a cook and shopper, you utilize existing groceries, and save money on future meals, thus, maximizing the food dollars. Second, don’t be afraid to make your own broths, and save even more money. After all, it is January and time to weigh in on saving money and eating healthy. Take the extra baby step and make your own broths. The added flavor completely transcends the soup from tasting like a can of soup to cup of soup with some culinary meaning. Your soup will taste like it came from a five star bistro and will literally cost you nothing that you did not already spend. Making a pot of soup is the earliest form of recycling. The most important thing to do is to remember to save trimmings from onions, carrots, celery, cutting out the bad spots and placing them in a bag in the freezer. I have one bag with the common vegetable clippings, and one with some peppers, cilantro stems, maybe some cabbage and kale, things from the strong willed side of the vegetable family. I use those vegetables for a vegetable broth where the soup may end up being a black bean soup, or tortilla or something with a little kick to it. Another item to freeze is any bones from your cooking and prep30 lake wedowee life
A soup swap is a perfect way to make the winter blues a little more bearable! Grab your friends and get cooking!
all raw bones in the oven by roasting them in a 400 degree oven first. Now that you have your baby Tricia Stearns sics for your stock choose a pot big enough for your ingredients, and fill ping other meals. I freeze all trimit with water allowing for a few mings from bones from chicken and inches to cover your bones and vegbeef, to a good ham bone. I even gies, or just veggies. My standard save shrimp peelings (double bag spice combination to add to the those in the freezer for fish stock). stock is salt, peppercorns, bay While chicken bones are fine to use leaves, thyme. If you are trying to raw when making your stock, I cook limit or eliminate salt from your
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diet, just add more herbs, like rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano. Place your stockpot on the stove and bring to a boil, then reduce and let is simmer. Give it three hours if it is a chicken stock and four to six hours if there is another kind of meat bone in the stock. This slow simmer allows all the flavor to divest from the bones to the stock. Put the stock on the back of the stove with a do not disturb sign on it. Stocks do not benefit from stirring; it makes them a little cloudy. When all the flavors have been extracted, strain the broth through a colander or a sieve. Add salt to taste and start making your soup, or cool the stock a bit before you store it in an air tight container in the refrigerator. The broth can be used for soups, sautĂŠing vegetables, cooking pasta, but it is the secret ingredient that makes your meals uniquely your own. To me, that is the magic of cooking; preparing the food and doing so with care and love. Take the extra step and make some home made broths. The result will nourish the physical presences of your guests and enhance love and gratitude as we each embrace a new year. Each time I smell the warmth of my kitchen with a broth simmering on the stove I acknowledge my gratitude for my mother who taught me how to make a good pot of soup, for the farmers, the sun, and the rain, the soil, and my family who loves a good bowl of soup. This week I am revamping my blog, so email me if you want some new soup recipes, or watch for the recipes on a new updated blog next week. Tricia Stearns is a storyteller at heart and resides on Lake Wedowee with her husband Bern and their dog, Hiker. An empty nester of five children, Tricia writes about food and family and her adventures living in the south. For more of her stories go to www.tstearnsblog.com lake wedowee life 31
Jimmy’s Tale continues So here I am, still in disbelief. Six weeks ago I had a normal life for which I had no complaints then all of a sudden, everything changed. I met a stranger who became a friend who told me an incredible story. A story that came with an old map and a gold nugget. Then my friend dies and leaves me with a pile of cash, his truck and ancestral land. I’m thinking, “I should be bouncing off the walls happy”, but there’s a knot in my stomach. Something is telling me that what I may have received is a curse and that all that glitters may not be gold. I’ve kept all of this to myself. Not even my wife knows about Jimmy Jack. The whole thing is so unbelievable that I’ve been doubting it myself. But with a deed and check in hand, there is no denying it now. I have to tell Kim and Maggie about it. I can’t imagine what their response will be. How will I even start? I’ve got to sit down somewhere and figure this out. I stopped at Lakeside grill and found a seat by the window. While sitting there looking out at the lake, I didn’t notice the man that sat down across from me but I could
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land”. Undoubtedly not what I feel his stare. I turned to find a grizshould of said, he leaned back in his zly looking character. Under his chair, “That’s all I need to know” grease and sweat stained John Deer and he turned to stand up. But I hat was a head full of matted grey couldn’t let him leave without knowing what he wanted so I asked, “Well, you know who I am. Who are you and what do you want from me?” He turned toward me with by Charley Norton contempt in his eyes and said “What do I want? You’re asking me what I want? I want what my father hair. He wore a torn flannel shirt wanted and what his grandfather with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows. There were faded tattoos on wanted. I want our land back.” Then he leaned in close to my ear and both his arms. The kind you’d get in with a quiet, whiskey soaked growl prison. He was staring at me with these hollow eyes that were impossi- said “And I want my gold. You give ble to read (more empty than any- me this and I will give you your life. thing else). He leaned toward me You do this and go back to your hole and never speak a word of this to and said “Is your name Norton?” anyone, not even God himself and Debating on whether I should just you will never see me again. My lie and say no, I blurted out “Yes, I am”.. Leaning closer and lowering name is Willard Earl Manus and you his voice, he said “Are you the one have my word. You got three days”. I watched Willard Earl that Jimmy Jack called a friend? Are you the one he told the story to? Are leave. He walked down to the water where there was a flat bottom boat. you the one that got his land, the In it were two men and a boy. He land that rightfully belongs to me?” Almost afraid to answer but too cu- said something to them and they left then he walked back to the parking rious not to, I responded “Well, I don’t know, I guess that would de- lot, got into an old truck and drove away. All I could think was this pend on what you’re calling your
Charley’s Treasures
Rob and Monteia Moore were the first finders of Jimmy Jacks Treasure in October. Be on the look out for future treasure hunts. must be some kind of dream. Maybe I’m in a coma or something because none of this could possibly be real. What I do know is that whatever this is, I have three days to figure it out and I’ll have to do it alone. The first thing I had to do is find the land, so I went to the courthouse and talked to Pam. I gave her the deed and she pulled up a map. “There’s your property,” she said, “But you have a problem. It is completely blocked by someone else’s land. It looks like you can only access it by boat or get a right-a-way permit from this guy”. I didn’t have to look because I knew who it was, Willard Earl Manus. It was getting late in the day for a boat ride but I couldn’t wait another second. I launched the jet ski and headed out. It took about 20 minutes to get there and once I was where I thought my land was, there was nothing but thick brush along the bank. After making several passes up and down the shoreline, I noticed a creek almost hidden by the brush. With my ski in tow, I
jumped off and swam up to the brush, pushing it aside and was surprised to find it opened up to a lagoon. On the other side I could see a structure. Well, it was more of a shack. but it was my shack and all I could think of was how much my wife wants lakefront property and here I am with 40 acres and I can’t tell her about it. I can’t even tell her about the money. Enough money to make us debt free and still have a nice nest egg. This will be the hardest secret that I’ve ever had to keep. Editor’s Note: The Tale of Jimmy Jack that appeared in the pages of Lake Wedowee Life in October launched a treasure hunt for our readers. The next clue will be in our events issue once the lake level returns to full pool. The tale of Jimmy Jacks is a work of fiction (at least we think it is) so please don’t stalk Charley in an effort to find his treasure! Wait for the clues to be printed. Charley Norton is the co-owner of Norton’s Flooring with his brother Tom. The company was founded by his parents more than 35 years ago.
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My mother was amazing when it came to feeding six kids. She could stretch food and money unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. We were pretty poor at times, but simple and happy. I had no sense that we were poor or struggling. We once lived in a two bedroom one bath house where you could see the ground through the floor. All six kids shared one bedroom. Daddy set three bunkbeds up on one side of the room for the three boys and two on the other side for the three girls. I had the joyful pleasure of sharing a bed with my younger sister. There was only enough room between the beds for one nightstand. It was tight but we managed and we didn’t kill each other. Getting back on track, I have very fond memories of the different things mama would concoct to feed us! Some of it I still think of, and want to cook again. Others, not so much. We ate lots of beans and cornbread, gravy and biscuits, tomato gravy and toast, cornbread and milk, fried bologna and spam. One thing I remember really well is butter and sugar sandwiches and ketchup sandwiches. Strangely, I do not remember ever hearing anyone complain though. I guess you couldn’t miss what you didn’t have. I admit that as a kid I wasn’t too fond of sandwiches unless it was a
grilled cheese sandwich. As I’v gotten older, I’ve grown to like them more. Just think for a moment at how many possible sandwich combinations there are. From the bread, meat, vegetables and condiments there are no limits to the number of ways you can combine them.
gravy mix Butter at room temperature Salt & Pepper and Garlic to taste
Separate the tops and bottoms of your rolls with a serrated knife and spread the softened butter over the cut section then sprinkle lightly with garlic powder. Place rolls, butter side down, on a hot griddle or skillet and cook until they are golden by Tracy Carpenter brown. Place in a 9x13” casserole dish or cookie sheet then lay the Sandwiches are perfect for game cheese on the bottom rolls. Do not put the tops on yet. Set aside. day, picnics, lunchtime, back to Sauté the pepper and onions in 1 school and just about every occasion tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet you can think of. There is nothing wrong with putting some meat and over medium heat until they are tencheese between a few slices of bread, der then add soy sauce and stir. Place on top of cheese. but wouldn’t you rather have a Cook the rib eye meat in the same sandwich that kicks things up? skillet over medium heat until These recipes take a sandwich to a brown but not crisp. Season with a whole new level. I know you are little salt, pepper and au jus gravy going to love these just as much as mix just before the meat is almost we do. Give ‘em a try! finished cooking. Place meat on top of onions and peppers. If you want extra cheese you can add it on top of 1 package of King's Hawaiian the meat mixture. Top with the reRolls maining rolls. 1 lb. Shaved Ribeye Steak Cut and eat immediately. (Available in meat department by Note: I slice the rolls in half but request) do not separate each roll before grill1 Green Pepper, sliced ing them. It’s quicker to grill them 1 Vidalia Onion, diced all together and cut them later. 6-12 slices Provolone cheese If you use the gravy mix go light 1 tablespoon olive oil on the salt. 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoon Au jus
Let’s Get Cookin’
Philly Steak Sliders
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Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese 1 cup cooked shredded chicken breast, warm 2 tablespoon buffalo sauce 1 small onion, sautĂŠed 1-2 tablespoons softened cream cheese 2 tablespoons ranch dressing 4 slices swiss cheese (more if slices are thin) 4 slices Texas toast butter at room temperature Mix the warm chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing and softened cream cheese in a small bowl. Butter both sides of each slice of bread, place in a skil-
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let or griddle over medium heat. Once golden brown on one side turn bread over and add a slice of cheese then add about 1/3-1/2 cup of chicken and then another slice of cheese and finally the other slice of bread. Grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-4 minutes per side. I like to dip in homemade ranch dressing.
Grilled Chicken Pitas 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups Tyson Grilled and Ready Diced Chicken Breast 2 whole pita breads lettuce 2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 2 slices Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese Cherry tomatoes In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, honey, mustard and garlic and set aside. Place chicken in microwavable bowl and warm in microwave according to directions on package. Once the chicken is warmed pour the honey mustard mixture over chicken and stir. Add bacon and tomatoes and gently combine. Cut pita bread in half, open the bread and place cheese, lettuce and chicken inside each half.
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Readers Ready for the Lake Linda Barber
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Linda Barber
Nancy Burnes
Nancy Burnes
Marla Arrington
(From Top left to right clockwise) Cliff Boren of Mississippi Miracle Clay is proud to travel with Lake Wedowee Life. Boren’s product will soon be available in the Lake Wedowee Market at Southern Holiday Shop. Jill Patterson Hicks, Shannan Platzek and Natalie Lambert brought Lake Wedowee Life on their latest adventure to Fort Castillo in St. Augustine, Fla. If you travel, be sure to take Lake Wedowee Life along with you. Take a picture at a landmark and send it back to us at news@lakewedoweelife.com. Please be sure to tell us where you are and who is with you!! Thanks and Happy Travels!
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Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. The following photos were tagged #lakewedoweelife, #Wedowee or #LakeWedowee Download the free app today & join in the fun!
@tksdancemom
@leannthomason
@sadiegraetheaussie
@bandie_d_amason
@anniehale4
@kelsieborders
@aworld4change @erin_kinzer127
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@hkrug
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Get Snowed In and Enjoy Binging on Netflix The gap between VHS and DVD seems like a lifetime to me. The video store, an American staple for a good few decades, was the only place we could get the latest hit and classic movies. There was no internet, streaming wasn't to be invented for decades later, the video cassette tape was a black box that required rewinding after viewing and it went into an even bigger black or silver box that was probably heavier than most 50 inch flat panels today. How did we ever survive through these seriously dark ages? At the dawn of the DVD generation, 2 men, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, saw into the future by offering those discs by mail. Get a disc in the mail, keep and watch at your leisure and when finished, drop it in the mailbox and you will receive another
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Entertainment by Andy Petty disc of your choosing. So simple why didn’t you think of it, right? But before they got too comfortable with that successful venture, the 2 men were once again looking into
the ever changing entertainment landscape's future, offering a streaming service where thousands of titles were available at the click of a button. Not everyone was on board though. Hollywood didn’t walk into this new landscape quietly, and neither did I. The streaming wasn’t perfect, buffering happened more often than not and high definition wasn’t offered for most titles. Rarely does something so new and groundbreaking go smoothly. Here we are today and 2016 tells a different story entirely. Not only did Hollywood embrace Netflix, for Netflix became Hollywood. Next up, why not create their own content? Again, another risky venture, but have you seen “House Of Cards!?!” So, now Netflix is as part of our lives as AOL or Block-
buster used to be, and our very own video store is available at our fingertips. Careful when browsing all their titles though, as you may get lost and never find your way out! Making A Murderer - When I was a kid a documentary was something National Geographic did that was sometimes visually entertaining, but usually was the done to satisfy an assignment in school. I don’t know when documentaries suddenly became interesting to me, but I seriously could watch a documentary on someone who invented a mop. As long as it has good graphics, maybe a fresh approach and Hollywood style editing, you can make a documentary on just about anything entertaining. So, our great friend Netflix decided to take a chance on a documentary 10 years in the making, releasing it just before Christmas 2015 called “Making A Murderer.” Crime dramas and/or documentaries have always intrigued me so I had interest already, but never had I seen Facebook and Twitter light up with in response the way this series did. If you haven’t seen this series yet, sit down and give the first episode a shot. The story of a Wisconsin family man, Steven Avery, who wasn’t an upstanding citizen in Manitowoc County by any means, but was a part of the Avery family who was poor but well known. He’s wrongfully accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 1985 and is sentenced to prison for 18 years. Meanwhile, the Manitowoc County sheriff’s department finds out they have the wrong guy years later, but refuses to proceed in convicting the right man. Years after however, with the help of the Innocence Project, they prove through the advances of DNA and science that Steven Avery is 100% innocent. Released back to a life that has passed him by, he struggles to put his simple life back together with friends and family. Two years after his release, he decides to file a lawsuit against Manitowoc County and other members involved in his case for $36 million. Days later, let me repeat, days later Steven Avery is accused of murder. That was episode 1 of 10. If the phrase binge watching was invented for one show, this is it. I couldn’t stop looking away, amazed by how the story unfolded. It twisted and turned so much that I felt not even the best storyteller could write something that comes close to it. Warning: It may take you longer than expected to watch due to erratic arguing and screaming at the screen when something so insane happens. Fixer Upper - When you think of Waco, Texas, what comes to mind? Well, I’m only 32 years old but I remember in 1993 seeing on the nightly news about David lake wedowee life 43
Koresh and the Waco Siege that resulted in 74 members of this secret religious group dying. It was an event that captured the country in its day. Then in 2013, I remember hearing about the unfortunate West Fertilizer explosion that killed 15 people and damaged neighboring buildings including a senior center and school. Last year there was a deadly incident at a local restaurant between rival bikers which killed 9 people. So again, what do you think about when you hear of Waco, Texas? Fortunately, there is something blossoming out of Waco that is capturing our attention and giving Waco some much needed good publicity. It’s a reality show that features Chip and Joanna Gaines flipping houses in and around the Waco area. The set-up is simple, show 3 homes to a family looking to buy not the newest home on the market, but that diamond in the ruff that can be restored and/or redesigned in established and sought after neighborhoods. That’s not groundbreaking, sure, but the charm and skills the Gaines have make this something unique. Did you know that some old homes have ship lap hiding in their walls? Did you know to always check under those dingy old carpets for hardwood floors? Or did you know that existing walls can be removed to give you that open concept that’s all the rage these days? You certainly might of, but Joanna definitely has a vision that even after
3 seasons I still continue to be surprised and amazed at what she comes up with. It’s the Gaines' love for family and friends, their ever growing business and a wholesome approach that jumps out more than any similar effort ever has. They are changing lives and their town one flip at a time. It’s even becoming a tourist attraction now with a bed and breakfast, gift shop and a bakery. It’s only season 3 and I can’t get enough. The Naked Gun - The late great Leslie Neilsen was a rare gift to audiences looking to truly laugh out loud. He was an actor who rarely smirked to the camera and delivered his lines like he was going for Oscar gold. A comedic character that was only found later in his long and successful career after radio, theatre and more than 50 television roles. It wasn’t until the 1980 comedy spoof of “Airplane!” that had everyone turning heads seeing a successful dramatic actor playing for laughs. A couple of years later, the creators of “Airplane!” had more to offer in the same vein with a television show called “Police Squad!” Although it was canceled in it’s first season, the show found it’s home on the big screen 6 years later with, “The Naked Gun: From the Files of the Police Squad.” Frank Drebin (Nielsen), detective, uncovers a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II on her trip to the U.S. Featuring other unlikely come-
dic talents in Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, O.J. Simpson and George Kennedy, the movie was able to have an original dialogue centered around other dramatic productions. A technique completely lost on today’s filmmakers, parodies might perhaps be the one genre of film making that is the most endangered. Mostly because of the current politically correct environment we live in, today it’s hard to poke fun at assassinating a Queen, or as seen with the sequels, a kidnapping of a scientist whom the current President, at the time, George H.W. Bush has appointed for an energy crisis plan. Or how about the 3rd installment revolving around terrorists wanting to blow up the Academy Awards? Comedy must exist, but more importantly irreverent comedy. We always have tragedies, whether accidental or strategically planned, that we can’t control. We move on and we learn from it and laughter is the best form of medicine. The Zucker Brothers and Jim Abrahams, creators of “Airplane!,” “The Naked Gun” and other greats like “Hot Shots!” and “Top Secret!,” I believe, had a firm grasp on comedy, poking fun at current events and Hollywood genres that have outstayed their welcome with audiences. No better remedy than Leslie Neilsen in “The Naked Gun” trilogy to cure the winter time blues.
Index of Advertisers Affordable Tire and Repair
33
Main Street Animal Hospital
Bank of Wedowee
23
Main Street Coffee Shop
41 26, 29
Best Brands Plus/ Randolph County Appliance 14
Main Street Food Mart
13
Bingo for Boobies
2
Norton’s Floor Covering
12
Bonner Heating and Air
9
Perryland Foods
41
Boondocks
26
RE/MAX Lakefront, Grady and Linda
35
Chad Lee, Attorney at Law
7
Russell Do It Center
10
Charles Thompson Construction
4
Dr. Shawanna Cofield Boyd for Superintendent 29
Dari Delite
19
Small Town Bank
9
Docks Plus More
16
Southern Home Comfort
27
Dr. Michael Edwards
27
Southern Union State Community College
7
EHC Pharmacy
29
Speed and Sport Marine
13
Emergency Medical Transport
14
Steele Chiropractic Life Center
44
First Bank
15
Steve Morris Attorney at Law
32
First Capital Insurance
19
Summer Rains on Main
27
GLL Marine
4
Superior Gas
39
Halls Gas
36
Superior Pest Control
42
Happy Trails Restaurant
9
Traylor Health and Rehab Center
22
TREC
43
H&M Drugs
19, 23, 41, 42
Hunter Bend Realty
7
Waste Solutions
39
Ken Seiffert, StateFarm Agent
15
Wedowee Building Supplies
43
Lake Wedowee Body Shop
13
Wedowee Lake and Lands
11
Lakeside Market and Grill
37
Wedowee Marine
47
Larry Dicharia for US Congress
27
WM Grocery
48
Lineville Clinic
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