No'Ala Huntsville May/June 2012

The PremiereIssue

SECRET GARDENS THE PERFECT HOME

MAY/JUNE 2012 $3.95

ART THERAPY ON MONTE SANO

PLUS SHOPPING, ESSAYS, EVENTS AND MORE!

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May/June 2012

ON THE COVER: It’s spring, and it’s difficult to stay inside when the garden beckons. On the cover, Dr. Steven Cowart’s garden was once a narrow drive way beside his house, which garden designer Bill Nance transformed into a place to linger. On this page, a focal point in the gardens of the Leroy Pope Mansion on Echols Hill near downtown Huntsville.

PHOTO BY DANNY MITCHELL

© D. YURMAN 2012

™

Midnight Mélange Collection

800 Airport Road Huntsville, AL 35802 256-880-1909

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inside HUN TSVILLE •••••

May/June 2012 Volume 1: Issue 1 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Managing Editor/Design Director Contributing Writers Sarah Gaede, Laura Anders Lee, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson Contributing Photographers Davis Griffin Photography, Patrick Hood, Johnny Miller, Danny Mitchell Business Manager Roy Hall Marketing Coordinator/Advertising Sales Lyndsie McClure Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan

Features 12 Art Therapy 16 The Perfect Home 38 Coming Up Roses 48 House Call 55 Living Outside the Box 62 Secret Gardens

Administrative/Editorial Assistant Claire Stewart Interns Andy Thigpen, Sara Kachelman ••• No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 800-779-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106 Web: www.noalapress.com Standard postage paid at Huntsville, AL. A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States.

Signed articles reflect only the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements.

Everything Else 8 Contributors 10 Calendar 44 Market 76 Food for Thought 78 Twenty Questions 80 Bless Their Hearts 82 Parting Shot

© 2008-2012 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence to Allen Tomlinson, Editor, at the postal address above, or by e-mail to atomlinson@atsa-usa.com.

Letters may be edited for space and style.

To advertise, contact us at: 256-766-4222, or sales@noalapress.com.

The editor will provide writer’s guidelines upon request. Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query the editor first.

No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inks on 100% recycled paper.

Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsville

PHOTO BY DANNY MITCHELL

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 7

There’s no place like No’Ala This is our premiere issue in Huntsville, but we are no strangers to publishing—or to the greater Huntsville area. David and I have been involved in design and print projects for longer than we care to admit, including the publication of a bi-monthly issue of No’Ala for the Shoals area, and print and marketing materials for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Burritt on the Mountain, and many others. We thought the time was right to create a magazine that could serve as a cheerleader for the Huntsville area, to remind our readers that this is a great place, full of fascinating people, beautiful scenery and a wide array of entertainment options.

So, No’Ala for Huntsville was born. In case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced just like it’s written—“Know-ala.” We hope you’ll learn more and more about this wonderful place with every issue!

We’re launching this magazine at the beginning of spring, when homes and gardens are at their best, and you’ll find our magazine full of beautiful places that feature design ideas you might use in your own home. We have this theory that we all have a favorite living room, dining room, bedroom and bath, but they aren't always under the same roof—so we created a feature called “The Perfect Home,” and we've pulled together some of our favorites for you to see. We'll also go in-depth to show you some fabulous homes—two renovations and one brand new—that showcase the design and decorating talents of some creative professionals here and the homeowners they work for.

As we were going to press, we learned of the untimely death of garden designer Bill Nance, whose creative works are featured in this issue. We decided to continue the article as a tribute to his genius, which will be sorely missed. You’ll also learn about Ana Byrne, a wonderfully interesting person on Monte Sano who is involved in more than you probably realize. And did you know that we have retailers here who carry items you can’t find in Birmingham, Nashville or Atlanta? Read on—you will, soon!

In the days of four dollar a gallon gas—or more—it’s great to know that you don’t have to travel out of the city limits to find some very special things!

Huntsville was saddened to learn of the recent death of garden designer Bill Nance. We were privileged to spend a spring morning with Bill this past April, touring some of his favorite gardens, and present them here as a testament to his talent...and in tribute to a creative soul we will dearly miss.

There’s more of course. We hope you’ll be reminded, through our pages, why this is the best place in the world to live. Please let us know what you like and don’t like and what you’d like to see more about. Like North Alabama, we want No’Ala to be a changing, growing, dynamic reflection of our lives. Enjoy!

Allen Tomlinson David Sims

» If you’d like to see samples of the magazines we publish in the Shoals, visit noalapress.com. You can read all of our back issues online.

Pay special attention to the locally-owned retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues we actively promote. We’re all about celebrating local talent!

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staff and contributors HUN TSVILLE •••••

N O ’A L A H U N T S V I L L E ADV IS ORY B OAR D Allen Tomlinson

David Sims

Lyndsie McClure

Jennifer Doss Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Leslie Ecklund Burritt on the Mountain Dan Halcomb Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Jeff Johnson Terramé Day Spa & Salon Elizabeth Jones Burritt on the Mountain Ginger Penney Liles Matthew Liles AIDS Action Coalition

Roy Hall

Claire Stewart

Laura Anders Lee

Patrick Robbins Alabama Pain Center Charles Vaughn Frank Vaughn Lumber Company Anna Baker Warren Anna Baker Warren Interiors

Rowan Finnegan

Patrick Hood

Danny Mitchell

About Event Photos We love to publish photos from your events— and our readers tell us they love to see them. However, in order to retain our sanity so that we can continue to bring you these pictures, we need to have a few rules.

Please make a note, and we’ll all be happy!

Event pictures are FREE. We publish them as space is available, but space is limited. We’ll try to squeeze you in, but we can’t promise.

We need at least eight (for a half page) photos, a mixture of vertical and horizontal. They must be large!

Photos that look great on Facebook aren’t large enough for print quality. High resolution, please.

We need the name of the event, the location, and the date it was held.

Sarah Gaede

Andy Thigpen

Sara Kachelman

The people in the photos MUST be identified.

This is our greatest cause of stress, because even though we know a lot of people, we don’t know everyone. If you are picturing large groups or crowd shots, this rule does not apply, but for anything else, if we don’t have names, the pictures won’t get printed.

Spelling is your responsibility, too.

You may mail a disc or thumb drive, or email the photos and the names of the people in them. Our physical address is 250 S. Poplar Street, Florence, AL 35630; our email address is dsims@atsa-usa.com.

Thanks!

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calendar

May 2 Shinedown featuring Chevelle Rock/pop concert; 7:00pm; From $37.75. 700 Monroe Street Huntsville, (256) 533-1953, vonbrauncenter.com.

May 4 Monkey Speak Open mic night; 8:00pm; $5, Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 4–5 WhistleStop Festival and Rocket City BBQ Cook off 4:00pm; $5 children/$35 weekend pass; Historic Huntsville Depot; 320 Church Street Huntsville; (256) 564-8100; thewhistlestopfestival.com.

May 5 Alabama Bands Letter 3, Guano Island and Festival Expressions 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 5 Lonestar in Concert Country music concert; 7:30pm; From $39.50; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 533-1953, vonbrauncenter.com.

May 6 Rolling Jazz Review 7:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 6 Brian Regan Comedy; 7:00pm; From $35.50; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 6, June 3 First Friday Free. 5:00pm; (256) 534-3860; HuntsvilleArtLeague.org.

May 10 Foreigner in Concert Classic rock concert; 8:30pm; From $25. 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 10 Dine and Dash Trolley tour of downtown restaurants; 6:00pm; $30; Various locations; (256) 683-0966; Homegrownhuntsville.com.

May 10 Nike Women’s Marathon Preview Party 6:00pm; Grogan Jewelers, Bridgestreet Town Centre; Join us for cocktails, desserts, & prizes!

May 12 Dragon Boat Race & Festival–Point Mallard Aquatic Center Beach To benefit the Decatur General Foundation; Visit dgfdragonboatfestival.org for more information.

May 11–13 Theatre Huntsville presents Lend Me a Tenor 7:30pm. and 2:30pm, Sunday; $18 with $3 discount for military, seniors and students; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org.

May 12 Dream Big Recital featuring children with special needs at Merrimack Hall 4:00pm; $15; 3320 Triana Boulevard, Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com.

May 16 Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw with special guest Jim Brickman Singer/songwriters in concert; 7:30pm; $30; Merrimack Hall, 3320 Triana Boulevard, Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com.

May 17 Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace 4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square; (256) 534-8376.

May 17 Art with a Twist Pensacola Museum of Art class; $35 members, $45 non-members includes materials and refreshments; 5:30pm; 300 Church Street; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org.

May 17–19 Theatre Huntsville presents Lend Me a Tenor 7:30pm; Friday and Saturday, 2:30pm. and 7:30pm, Sunday; $18 with $3 discount for military, seniors and students; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org.

May 19 Moondust Big Band dance lessons and concert 7:00pm; $10/$7 students; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 20 Opening of Red Clay Survey, 2012 Exhibition of Contemporary Southern Art $8 adults, $4 children, under six and members free; 1:00pm.; 300 Church Street; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org.

May 22 Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series 6:30pm; From $20; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

May 25 City Lights Concert Series at Burritt Mountain 7:30 p.m. $10/members; $12/in advance or $15/non-members.

3101 Burritt Drive, Huntsville. (256) 536-2882, burrittonthemountain.com.

May 25 Epic Comedy Hour 8:00pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

May 4-5 WhistleStop Festival and Rocket City BBQ Cook Off

May 26–27 Old School and Blues Festival 1:00pm; $30 day/$50 weekend; Jaycee’s Building; 2180 Airport Road, Huntsville; (256) 430-4072.

May 28 32nd Annual Mercedes-Benz Cotton Row Run and Memorial Day Celebration 7:00am; From $10; Von Braun Center at Clinton Avenue; (256) 6507063, www.huntsvilletrackclub.org.

June 1 Monkey Speak Open mic night. 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; flyingmonkeyarts.org.

June 1-2 8th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival and Folk Arts Sideshow Friday, 6:00pm–9:00pm; Saturday, 7:00pm–midnight; $15; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill, (256) 479-7863, flyingmonkeyarts.org.

June 1–3 Huntsville Community Chorus Summer Musical Showtunes Nightly 6:00pm; Dinner and show $30; Saturday matinee 2:00pm; $20; Trinity UMC Wesley Center; 607 Airport Road; (256) 533-6606; thechorus.org.

June 7–9 Huntsville Community Chorus Summer Musical Showtunes Thursday 7:00pm; Dessert and show $20; Friday and Saturday 6:00 pm; Dinner and show $30; Saturday matinee 2:00pm; $20; Trinity

UMC Wesley Center; 607 Airport Road; (256) 533-6606; thechorus.org.

June 8 Concerts on the Dock: Shovels and Rope Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net.

June 14 Dine and Dash Trolley tour of downtown restaurants; 6:00pm; $30; Various locations; (256) 683-0966; Homegrownhuntsville.com.

June 15 Artist Reception 6:00pm, Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399, lowemill.net.

June 21 Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace 4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square; (256) 534-8376.

June 22 Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series 6:30pm; From $20; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe Street Huntsville; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com.

June 29 City Lights Concert Series at Burritt Mountain 7:30pm; $10/members; $12/in advance or $15/non-members; 3101 Burritt Drive; Huntsville; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com.

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everybody’s business

TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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There’s something therapeutic about driving up Monte Sano mountain, leaving the city behind in the valley below. Past the wall of trees, budding flowers and signs for deer and hiking trails sits The Little Green Store.

Four years ago, Dr. Ana Byrne decided to open a gallery and gift shop next to her child psychology practice on Monte Sano Boulevard. With an artist friend looking to showcase her work and with a friend looking for a job, Ana thought opening a little store was the perfect solution.

“At that time, there were no stores offering eco-friendly products in Huntsville, and I wanted to offer something different,” said Ana. “We live in a very artsy community, and I wanted a place to showcase the work of local artists and also introduce recycled, eco-friendly products.”

When it opened, it literally was The Little Green Store.

“You could stand in the middle of the room and touch all four walls,” Ana laughed.

There’s no other place here in town that has the type of work I’ve seen at the Little Green Store. People from all over the country have found the store.

—Tony Horn The store has since expanded four times, and Ana now stocks more than 1,000 items, which are local, eco-friendly, recyclable, organic or fair trade goods. Most everything in the shop is from the Huntsville area, apart from a few items that Ana just fell in love with which were brought in from other areas of the country.

“Everything here is as close as I can get it,” said Ana. With soothing music playing and fresh scents burning, shoppers are encouraged to take their time to browse the colorful art and unique products. The walls are filled with acrylics, oils and mixed media representing dozens of local and regional artists. There are popular gift items from the Rocket City Glass Girls, books on green living, jars of local honey, clothes made of organic cotton and thoughtful greeting cards printed on recycled paper. There’s a bold, modern chair made from salvaged street signs, and there’s a graceful handmade wooden chair. There are handcrafted wooden bowls and serving spoons. There’s a wall of organic wine, a bookcase of yummy bath and body products, shelves of local pottery and several glass cases displaying handmade jewelry. There’s even a box of biodegradable doggie-do bags.

Facing page: Ana Byrne, owner of the Little Green Store, holds a piece of handmade glass by artist Debora Neis. Opposite: Jewelry by Rocket City Glass Girls. Above: Sculpture by Cathy Broski.

“This necklace is made of tree bark,” explained Toni Bridges, who has worked at the store for three years. “Everything in here is so unique. There really are some great gift items that

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can’t be found anywhere else and that are priced reasonably.”

Ana sees her patients three times a week in her office next door. The other days she spends tending shop, teaching herself new ways to market the store, looking for unique products to offer her customers and finding new local artists.

“We like to bring in two new artists each month,” said Ana. “We want to keep it interesting and give the community something fresh. We’re filling a niche, and the community has been very responsive.”

One such artist is Madison resident Victoria Tuggey who creates beautiful silk, tye-dye scarves in a spectrum of colors.

“The Little Green Store is like a little San Francisco on the mountain,” said Victoria. “The art and the crafts are so diverse. I feel blessed they have taken my scarves to sell. When I come in and see that someone has seen my work and liked it enough to buy it, it just warms my heart. It fuels my desire to create more and gives me a sense of value for my work.”

“There’s no other place here in town that has the type of work I’ve seen at the Little Green Store,” said Tony Horn, a Huntsville native whose natural wood art is for sale at the shop. “There’s a great clientele. People from all over the country have found the store.”

Besides her love for art, Ana is also passionate about the environment. A few years ago, Ana and several community partners started a community garden next to the store, thanks to Channel 31 which donated the land for the project. Anyone in the community can reserve a plot; however, due to its popularity, there’s a waiting list now.

“Environmental responsibility is important because it’s doing something that is bigger than yourself,” Ana said. “We can all work together and make a difference locally and globally.”

Besides having a store that is green certified, Ana holds a PhD from the University of Miami. She and her husband relocated to Alabama 27 years ago from South Florida.

“Florida was close to heaven, but Monte Sano is heaven,” said Ana. “We love it here.” N

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Facing page: The Little Green Store on Monte Sano Mountain contains a variety of mostly local artists and craftsmen. This page, top: Art glass by Orbix Hot Glass.

We like to bring in two new artists each month.

We want to keep it interesting and give the community something fresh.

We’re filling a niche, and the community has been very responsive.

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the Entry Hall If an entry hall is supposed to set the tone for the entire house, this room, designed by John Hunt Fudge, says we’re in for a treat. With guest-stopping pieces like an antique sideboard from Northgate Gallery in Nashville and a gilded mirror from New Orlean’s French Quarter, this entry makes us feel both welcome and inspired to see what’s beyond its four walls.

PHOTO BY JOHNNY MILLER

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD ADDITIONAL PHOTOS BY JOHNNY MILLER AND DANNY MITCHELL

It’s the stunning living room, the kitchen where everyone gathers, the garden that you just can’t forget. When you imagine the perfect house, it is sometimes a collection of favorite rooms from totally different homes.

In this issue, we collect a few of our personal favorite rooms to give you decorating ideas for your own. Although each of these rooms is distinctly different, every one of them is full of inspiration.

And the marvelous thing is that there are beautiful rooms like this all over the Huntsville area!

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the Perfect Home

the Living Room What makes the perfect living room?

Space to entertain. This beautiful room in a home near the historic district downtown is built to hold lots of people, and its warm colors and golden hues keep the room bright and alive. The soft color of the walls is a backdrop for beautiful works of art, and the marble oor is a work of art in itself. The architect for this home was Frank Nola, with interiors by Jean Penney.

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the Perfect Home

the Kitchen Deke and Danielle Damson’s kitchen is a chef ’s dream. Designed by Huntsville architect Frank Nola, the brick walls and large center island make it easy to prepare a snack or a five course meal, and sitting and eating areas encourage the family and friends to gather...and stay. The entire Damson home is beautiful, but why would you want to leave the kitchen?

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scene

John and Lori Chase, Eric and Katie Sanders Jerry Nutt, David Lockington, Kay Lowry, Sam Lowry, and Patrick Robbins Shannon and Martin Folgmann

Mabry Miller and Jerry Wise Carleen and Doug Bryant

Allen Yates and Ruth Yates, Sharon and James Gardepe

David Lockington, David Brown and Frances Huffman

Denis Bouriakov and Ivor Fredrickson PHOTOS COURTESY OF HSO

Above: Huntsville Symphony Orchestra After-Party M ARCH 10, 2012  HOME OF K AY AND SAM LOWRY

Below: Alabama Fashion Alliance Networking Mixer M ARCH 22, 2012  MEI WEI ASIAN BISTRO

Nancy Finnegan, Aaron Lacy, and Victoria Pennington

Aaron Lacy (center) with models Oas ‘Caen and Maryna Nancy Finnegan, LeJeune, and Victoria Pennington

Designer Lance Gilbreath

Make-up artists Candice and Kim (left) with model Cecilia 22 | NOALAPRESS . COM | M AY /J UNE 2012

Attendee signing in

Lance Gilbreath and attendees Attendees arriving PHOTOS BY ZAMZAM

the Perfect Home

the Dining Room The Leroy Pope Mansion on Echols Hill, home of Danny Wiginton and named “Poplar Grove,” contains a beautiful and luxurious formal dining room filled with antiques and embellished with Scalamandré silk drapery.

The walls are upholstered in Brunschwig and Fils silk damask. Artwork includes “At The Garden Gate,” by American artist Frances Coates Jones (above, left), and several works by Theodore Earl Butler. A humidor made of walrus tusk (far right, bottom) with sterling silver accents was found in pieces by the room’s designer, Anna Baker Warren, and reconstructed by Bill Lewis.

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PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

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the Perfect Home

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the Master Bath The entrance to this master bathroom is through a huge walk-in closet, and the expansive area features heated marble oors and a view of the back yard garden. Clear glass around the shower, to the left of the tub, is repeated to the right with frosted glass around the water closet. The room is ďŹ lled with light, and there is storage galore.

This recently remodeled bath was a project overseen by Charles Vaughn of Frank Vaughn Lumber Company.

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scene Rachel and Paul Matheny

John Gibson, Joel and Rachel Banta Chris Wesley, Mabry Miller, and Patrick Robbins Linda Akenhead

Dorrie and Jerry Nutt, and Nancy Richardson

Amelia Summerville, Debbie Overcash, Brenda Millberger and Mary Ena Heath

Vladimir Tsarkov, Jr. and Eula Battle

Jennifer and Matthew Doss

The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild’s 2012 Crescen-Dough Auction APRIL 13, 2012  THE VON BRAUN CENTERSOUTH HALL

Nadyne Churchill, Spike Field and Susan Todd

Leila Hergert, Talitha Yokley, Beth Moshier and Samantha Bentley

Randy Roper and Ken Rivenbark Thomas and Carlen Williams

Alex Smith, Cindy Sealy, Eric and Lisa Briggs 28 | NOALAPRESS . COM | M AY /J UNE 2012

Kathy and Brian Bence

Sasha and Charlie Sealy Ginney McDonald and Donna Shergy

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the Perfect Home

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the Master Bedroom Designer Anna Baker Warren created a relaxing and comfortable master bedroom for Richard and Sue Campbell using soothing, muted colors, Scalamandré silks in a Manuel Canovas print, and interesting architectural pieces, such as the headboard made of wooden screens (from Marche aux Puces, Paris). The sitting area around the fireplace is where the Campbells unwind after a long day.

Accents by The Topiary Tree Lamps from The Golden Griffin Floral displays by Andrea Vandervoort of Queen Anne’s Lace Marc Chagall prints framed

by Kirk Carlisle Galleries Construction by Charles Vaughn

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the Perfect Home

the Nursery A little girl’s room should be happy, and that’s exactly what Jean Penney created for her granddaughter, daughter of Parker and Ginger Liles. Bright colors and three dimensional pieces combine to create a room that makes visitors smile when they enter. The chandelier is a special treat, draped with beads, frogs, and jewels. Original art is by Jean Penney.

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the Perfect Home

the Great Room A great room should be a comfortable place that reflects the owners' interests and style. In this home, designer John Hunt Fudge was influenced by the owner’s love of collecting, and he combined an Empire daybed from New Orleans and an Oushak rug with leather wingback chairs and Asian accents for an established and club-like feel.

The wall above the fireplace is faux painted to evoke limestone walls.

PHOTOS BY JOHNNY MILLER

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the Perfect Home

PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

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the Garden Outdoor rooms are as important as interior rooms, and at the Chandler home the garden and pool is a gracious respite from the rest of the world. The structures were designed by architect Frank Nola, and the garden design was by Bill Nance; the garden includes a gathering area around an outdoor ďŹ replace, where guests can relax to the sounds of the spa and waterfall at the pool.

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Coming Up

TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD ADDITIONAL PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

PHOTO BY DANNY MITCHELL

“A home filled with flowers is always a happy home.” Connie Stephenson recites a favorite saying in the living room of her downtown Huntsville home, and then shows off a yellow rose, tinged with pink on the tips of the petals, that she picked from her garden that morning. Her roses, and her five grandsons, are her pride-and-joy, and the presence of both can be felt throughout the entire house.

About four years ago, Connie’s husband Rusty was retiring from AmSouth Bank.

His career had taken them to Birmingham, Tampa, Nashville, and even once before to Huntsville, and they decided Huntsville would be the perfect place to return for the second stage of their life.

Their son and his family already lived here, and their other son and his family lived nearby in Birmingham. So, the couple began looking for the perfect home for their family.

That perfect home turned out to be on Adams Street in the Twickenham district—after years of searching followed by an expansive addition and 20 months of renovation.

“We knew we wanted to be downtown,” said Connie. “We’ve had larger homes and smaller homes, but you always know when it’s the right one. We wanted a place for our grandchildren to walk and ride their bikes. Rusty and I love being able to walk to Nativity Church and to downtown restaurants.”

Before even putting a contract on the house, the Stephensons sat down with local architect Frank Nola, designers Beverly Farrington and Andrea Wilson of Accents of the South and builder Glenn Cope to make sure an expansion would be feasible, especially given the regulations of the historic district. The couple had certain requirements to fit the needs of their family, such as having a master bedroom on the main floor, open living areas, a garden and livable outdoor space.

“We ended up keeping most of the original house, with the exception of the kitchen,” said Connie. “Frank designed the new kitchen and living

The kitchen (above) has a large stained wooden island and a comfy sitting area for the boys to hang out while their mothers and grandmother cook. Left: The living room and entry. Facing page: One of five cherubs, each representing a Stephenson grandchild, takes centerstage in the rose garden.

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area so it could all be open and airy with lots of windows. We needed a place to gather the family, where everyone can be in the house, and even if in different rooms can all see each other.”

The parlor (top) faces the front of the home and is beautifully furnished with both new and antique furniture. Above: The study was designed for Rusty and features a ceiling reminiscent of a railroad track, since Rusty’s father worked for the railroad for years.

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The kitchen, or the keeping room, has a large stained wooden island and a comfy sitting area for the boys to hang out while their mothers and grandmother cook. The adjacent screened-in porch has a fireplace for roasting marshmallows and a view of the side yard, where the boys, who range in age from three to twelve, like to play baseball. In the original part of the house, which was built in 1888, the parlor, dining room and den are appointed beautifully and traditionally, both with new pieces, such as a custom painting by local artist Mark Singer, and existing pieces such as Connie’s blue and white china collection.

“We wanted to make sure it was a livable space for the grandchildren that’s both functional and beautiful,” said Andrea.

“In the downstairs rooms, we wanted

The den (right) features several pieces of Connie’s blue and white china collection.

Below: The formal dining room.

“We wanted the design to be classic and traditional, especially in the original part of the home. In the other rooms, we wanted a few more modern touches and splashes of color—Connie likes a lot of color.”

Andrea Wilson

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the design to be classic and traditional, especially in the original part of the home. In the other rooms, we wanted a few more modern touches and splashes of color—Connie likes a lot of color.”

Upstairs in the original part of the house, three bedrooms, a den and a bathroom were designed for the grandsons. “At first since the boys were younger, we designed the front room like a nursery, but now we’re getting into teenager mode,” said Connie.

“We knew we wanted to be downtown.

We’ve had larger homes and smaller homes, but you always know when it’s the right one.”

Connie Stephenson

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Downstairs in the new addition is the master bedroom suite, complete with a spacious garden tub that literally overlooks the garden. The bedroom is dressed in an elegant blue and white, Connie’s favorite. On the basement level, which ended up being a bonus space due to the sloping of the lot, is a study, the ceiling reminiscent of a rail-

“The carriage house is fun place to have the family gather for dinner or for when friends drop in for a drink.

Adams is a great street for that.”

Connie Stephenson

PHOTO BY DANNY MITCHELL

Facing page: The new master bedroom suite, complete with a spacious garden tub.

The bedroom is dressed in an elegant blue and white, Connie’s favorite. Above: The carriage house and rose pavilion.

road track. “This room was designed for Rusty—his father worked for the railroad for years and years,” said Connie. Near the study are a mudroom and a small kitchen. “This whole area could be converted into living quarters should we need a caregiver one day,” said Connie. “We’re not young, and we built this house with our future in mind.”

Leading out from downstairs is Connie’s garden, rose pavilion and carriage house. The Stephensons, who like to entertain everyone from their grandsons to church groups to large fund-raisers, consider the rose pavilion the perfect party place. The rose pavilion has a comfortable sitting area with outdoor fireplace and a table for dining alfresco. “It’s a fun place to have the family gather for dinner or for when friends drop in for a drink,” said Connie. “Adams is a great street for that.”

The upstairs of the carriage house is the quintessential guys’ hangout, complete with exercise equipment and a television. Downstairs is an open space for Rusty’s golf cart and Connie’s gardening equipment. “Rusty is teaching the boys how to drive already,” laughed Connie. The boys can be seen with their grandfather in the evenings putting around Adams Street.

“Bill Nance designed a space in the far back so I could cut flowers and bring them inside,” said Connie. “Roses are my favorite. It’s wonderful to go out in the early morning and pick flowers, no matter what season, and bring them in. My husband teases me that I spend more money on flowers than groceries.”

Connie says the best place in the house to sit is on the bench in her side yard. The view faces the rose pavilion with the carriage house to one side and the main house to the other. Anchoring both walls are a plaque and a fountain featuring five cherubs, each framed by a tendril of roses.

“Those cherubs represent each of my grandsons,” said Connie. “If you look closely, you can even see five distinct personalities.” N

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market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

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TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

H

istoric renovations are always challenging, especially when blending two styles, which is exactly what Dr. Curt Freudenberger wanted to accomplish. Being from California, and having lived in New Orleans, he’s enamored by the architecture of historic homes and especially the Craftsman styles out west. When he moved to Huntsville more than three years ago to be close to his mother, he was drawn to a Victorian farmhouse in downtown’s Twickenham district.

“I knew when it came to making an investment, the value would be retained more in a historic area, and I just loved the house,” Curt said.

After sitting vacant for several years, the home needed an extensive renovation.

Originally built in the late 1800s, it had been expanded over several decades, but the poorly-constructed addition needed to be demolished and replaced. To meet the requirements of the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission and the Twickenham Historic District, the Victorian vernacular forms had to be retained, but Curt was anxious to reno-

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vate the house with his own twist. So he called on Marc Goldmon of Matheny Goldmon Architects for help breathing new life into the Victorian while reflecting his tastes and lifestyle.

As a spine surgeon and the son of an aerospace engineer, Curt is meticulous and focused. He applied that same focus to the renovation of his home. When interviewing general contractors, one of Curt’s requirements was that the home be finished in nine months. Only one was up for the challenge: David Hasting, a local cabinet maker and the kind of talented artisan Curt was seeking. Curt worked closely with David and Marc throughout the entire project, offering his suggestions and ideas as they drew, re-drew and perfected the house plans.

The renovation began, and the new design kept most of the original Victorian farmhouse and porch, with new additions that included a two-story expansion to the side and a carriage house in the back. Curt liked the charm of the Craftsman porch elements on the original home, and he wanted them to remain as a reference for the new addition. Heavily detailed Mahogany Victorian-style arches begin in the entranceway and are repeated throughout the house, however each has a subtle decorative flair that leans more Craftsman. Brackets, panels, pilasters and columns were also designed to blend the Victorian and Craftsman elements throughout the home.

In the kitchen, Curt wanted to keep the design simple with no cabinets above the countertops. “I like clean lines and no visual obstructions,” said Curt. Those clean lines are seen on the barstools, shelves, light fixtures and the Stickley-style dining room chairs. And, the doors are limited throughout the house so the home feels open with a sense of flow.

Marc, who is careful never to make a home look flat, incorporated a cantilevered staircase to add character and form. He also designed the living room with a vaulted ceiling and plenty of windows to allow for natural light and create space, so that the room wasn’t just a box. “A flat ceiling in a large room can make it look like a cave,” said Marc. “The vaulted ceiling opens up the space. In the living room and throughout the house, we

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“When it comes to historic architecture in general, there is lots of detail required to reflect the style accurately. When blending two styles, you have to include subtle hints of both and not let one overwhelm the other.” —Marc Goldmon

The house perfectly fits the neighborhood, even though it’s much larger than the original. Careful attention was given to Historic District regulations to make this renovation and expansion an award winner.

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Above: The kitchen, when the project began.

The interior of the home is luxurious and spacious and doesn’t look anything like it did before (above).

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“I like clean lines and no visual obstructions.� —Curt Freudenberger

kept a small scale by breaking down masses so it still feels quaint and intimate.�

Curt added his own personal touches to the interiors, finding salvaged architectural materials, such as the elaborate wooden newel post on the staircase, and he challenged Marc to find a place for them. “I found hardware, the newel post, light fixtures and even turn-of-the-century doors from the New York and Chicago area,� said Curt. “I had stained glass custom made here in Huntsville, and I commissioned local artist Robert Bean on several paintings for the home. Robert’s works fit my personality.�

The backyard is equipped with a barbecue pavilion, patio, greenhouse and gardens, which Curt mostly maintains himself. And, there is plenty of room and convenient access to Curt’s cycling equipment so that he’s always ready to go on a quick jaunt downtown or a longer ride to train for his next competitive event.

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The completed project accomplished what Curt and Marc were going for, a seamless blending of Victorian and Craftsman styles with their own modern twist. Their vision was recognized with an American Institute of Architects Design Award for the North Alabama region.“When it comes to historic architecture in general, there is lots of detail required to reflect the style accurately,� said Marc. “Especially when blending two styles, you have to include subtle hints of both and not let one overwhelm the other.� “Marc did a great job and was very detailed oriented,� said Curt. “You have certain tastes, but you need someone to kick them up a notch, and that’s what Marc did for me.� The new addition has definitely kicked the old Victorian up a notch. The spacious yet cozy, traditional yet modern home successfully merged the best of both worlds, adding to the charm of Twickenham district. N

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scene

Noel and Robert Beck

Allen Tomlinson and Maggie Little

Clayton Bass and Dee Burt Holmes

Jimmy Robinson reads his poetry.

Maggie Little (right) discusses her work

Bill Matthews and Larry Long Author Sara McDaris PHOTOS COURTESY OF TVAA

Above: Opening Reception The Sanctuary Artists–The Art of Nature

Below: Hats on Parade and Burritt Nature Rangers Spring Camp

M ARCH 18, 2012  TENNESSEE VALLEY MUSEUM OF ART

M ARCH 26, 2012  BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN

Children enjoying Spring Camp at Burritt on the Mountain

Janice Turner and Mary Compton

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN

Lady Jane Vowell and Mary Siebert 54 | NOALAPRESS . COM | M AY /J UNE 2012

Peggy Simpson, Linda Spalla, and Butch Damson

TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Salters don’t like to be boxed in.

Jean is often in her yard gardening, while Bill can be found on the golf course. They love big open spaces and having plenty of room to accommodate their many house guests. Bill and Jean have been married for 45 years, and like most couples, often talked about owning their dream home one day. In 2010, they finally moved into that dream home—a uniquely designed European Victorian at the Ledges that’s far from your typical box-shape.

An electrical engineer and executive on the brink of retirement, Bill became an owner of the Ledges more than 10 years ago when the community was just being developed. Bill applied his love for golf to the project and became instrumental in the design of the clubhouse.

“I have to brag on my husband,” said Jean. “He really has a talent for architecture.”

With the clubhouse built and the community development underway, the Salters turned their attention to their dream home. They contacted Paul Matheny of Matheny Goldmon Architects in 2006.

“Marc and I had just established our firm, and the Salters were actually our first client,” said Paul. “To me, they were the ideal client because they were part of the creative process from the beginning. What I value most about my job is being invited into my clients’ world. I’m providing a backdrop into what their lives might be.”

During the planning process, the Salters and Matheny Goldmon paid attention to every detail, ensuring the house would indeed be the perfect backdrop for their lifestyle.

“We tailored everything to how we live,” Jean said.

Because Jean loves to garden, the sunroom features its own faucet and drain with large windows facing the morning sun.

Because Jean enjoys sewing, a large sewing room was built on the second floor far enough from the bedroom so she won’t wake her husband when working late at night. Because Jean cherishes her collection of delicate figurines, lighted display

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The exterior of the Salter home, with its intricate brickwork, is a showplace in The Ledges.

“When we were looking at house plans, we never gravitated toward a square or rectangular shape.

We built our home around its outdoor surroundings.” —Jean Salter

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“They were the ideal client because they were part of the creative process from the beginning.

I’m providing a backdrop into what their lives might be.” —Paul Matheny cases were built throughout the home.

Bill is an early riser, so Jean made sure he could leave the bedroom quietly through the closet so as not to wake her. Being the golfer he is, Bill enjoys that the house is right on the eighth hole. And as grandparents, Jean and Bill made sure their grandchildren had rooms of their own and even asked them to participate in the decoration.

“When we were looking at house plans, we never gravitated toward a square or rectangular shape,” said Jean. “We built our home around its outdoor surroundings and our open floor plan, and it just took on its own shape. The back of the house overlooks the bluff and Hampton Cove below. The kitchen faces the fairway, and we have a beautiful natural wetlands in the front. I like a nice open floor plan with flow for entertaining, but that still feels cozy.”

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Above: The staircase leads to an upper level which overlooks the large living room.

Built in display cases hold the Salters’ many collections.

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The Salters often open their home to local charities. Just four months after moving in, Jean hosted 500 women at the Symphony Guild Silver Tea, the main fund-raiser for the youth orchestra. The spacious kitchen and intricate bar provide the perfect gathering place for their events. The two-story living area is open to the rest of the house, allowing for warm light and a welcoming feel. The staircase is a stunning conversation piece, with its intricate iron work and elegant curves. And the outside of the home was designed with the same detail in mind as the inside.

“We literally drew every single brick,” said Paul. “We knew if the masonry wasn’t executed exactly, then the rest of the design wouldn’t work. We had quality craftsmen on the project who were devoted to their trade. You can see the skill in the slate roofing, the blend of natural stone with brick, the bracketed eves, ridge cresting on the roof and the elaborate wood trim.”

“The Salter home is really distinct,” he added. “It fits in comfortably with the community, yet it stands out. It’s a beautiful property. From the start, we knew it would be unique.”

When asked his favorite part of the house, Paul answered, “The stair tower.

It’s the first thing you see when you drive around the corner. It’s very formal and detailed to the highest degree. It became the lynchpin for the whole design and the primary point of emphasis for the entire structure.”

But Jean has a different answer. “My favorite room is the one I’m in. I’m serious—there’s something I’m enamored with in every room.”

The home truly is a dream come true.

Rich textures and deep, elegant colors were used throughout the home by designer Jana Collins of Nashville.

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N

“My favorite room is the one I’m in. I’m serious—there’s something I’m enamored with in every room.”

—Jean Salter

Above: The master bedroom with its paneled walls. Below: The master bathroom (left) and the upper floor of the stair tower.

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TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

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Above, left, and preceding pages: Poplar Grove, the Leroy Pope mansion, sits on almost seven acres on Echols Hill in the historic district. Bill’s influence can be seen throughout the property, including the plantings around the infinity pool. By the driveway, mounds of white azaleas stand near a column which has been used as an architectural element in the side garden.

Right: Bill’s talent was in creating spaces that were interesting to look at from every angle. Here, the walkway beside Rusty and Connie Stephenson’s house invites the visitor to stroll leisurely into the back yard.

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Secret Gardens

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The garden gate at the Stephenson home.

The entrance to the garden, at the side of the house, gives no clue about the wonders of the summer room and yard at the back of this house, but the gate is inviting. Visitors to this garden are treated to one beautiful surprise after another before entering a spectacular summer room, with a ďŹ replace and a view of the immaculate back yard.

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Secret Gardens

Top right: A view of the Stephenson’s back yard from the rear of the house. Left and below: The moss garden at the Dotts home is unique and peaceful, and borders an amazing rose garden which reaches its peak of color in the summer. The garden reinforces the relaxed, almost New Orleans feel of the back of the house, where a screened porch allows guests a view—and the scents—of the roses.

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We’re An Advertiser’s Best Friend We’re new to the Huntsville area, but we’re old pros when it comes to the publishing business. We’re a group of writers, designers, photographers, and business professionals who believe that people want to read interesting, informative, and entertaining journalism about their community and the people who live here. We are actively involved in the community, and we are cheerleaders for independent business owners, local talent, and the special things that make this the best spot on earth to live.

Want us to help tell your story? Get in touch!

We are looking for advertisers, partners and ideas for stories. We’d love to hear from you!

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“No’Ala readers are our audience: upscale, educated, with discretionary income.

They produce a beautiful publication that our audience reads, and what more could we want our advertising to do? It’s a great partnership.”

Dan Halcomb Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

800.779.4222 Post Office Box 2530 · Florence, Alabama 35630 lyndsie@atsa-usa.com · noalapress.com Photo by Danny Mitchell for No’Ala

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Secret Gardens

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“Every gardening mistake I’ve ever made I’ve made in my own garden,” said Bill, but you won’t find any mistakes here. It doesn't matter where you stand or sit, in Bill’s garden there are breathtaking views and splashes of color throughout the year.

Bill’s garden included one of the most elaborate bottle trees in town, which he loaded with bottles of all colors (not just the traditional blue).

The garden gate is enticing and inviting.

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Secret Gardens

Bill rarely designed gardens with berms, preferring to terrace, but the garden at Susan and Charles Morley's house is an exception.

This garden’s English style fits the house perfectly; one of the oldest wooden structures in north Alabama, the house called for a slightly less formal feel.

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(256) 464-0010 450 Production Avenue, Madison, AL 35758 M AY /J UNE 2012 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 71

72 Âť

Secret Gardens

Bill took a narrow driveway at the Cowart home and converted it to a strolling garden which opens into a larger back yard that is perfect for entertaining.

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“Bill was an artist, and his pallette was plants,” said friend Kathleen Dotts. His unique talent was the ability to envision what the garden would look like as it grew. “Gardens,” said Bill, “are all about change.”

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Some gardens are formal; some are not.

One of Bill’s favorites was this mature garden filled with color all year round, which included plenty of blooms for cutting.

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Secret Gardens

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food for thought » Sarah Gaede THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME OF YEAR FOR COCKTAILS ON THE FRONT PORCH, or on the sun porch with all the windows open and a fan circling gently overhead. It’s a southern thing, from before the days of air conditioning, when chatting with friends and watching the world go by was entertainment enough. All you need to make your happiness complete is a cooling beverage and a little something to nibble on.

My paternal grandparents lived in Darlington, South Carolina, one of the hottest places in the universe, especially during our annual August visitation. After our morning tour of the market with Grandma to pick out the vegetables for dinner (served in the middle of the day as God intended) we would sit on the front porch to receive relatives, shell peas, and swig down our daily ice-cold nickel Cokes. There were always boiled peanuts, which for some reason I eschewed until I was grown, to bridge the gap between eggs, sausage, biscuits and yellow grits at breakfast; and the full spread at noon. We gathered on the porch again after supper, to swing (in the ubiquitous Southern porch fixture) to the dulcet strains of “Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?” taught to us by our naughty first-cousin-once-removed Poke. Our goal was to swing hard enough to go flying off the porch, but we never did. (Although my father did suffer the indignity of having the chain break on Granny’s porch swing and dump him out at the same time he was being stung by a wasp. That might be why I prefer my porches to have screens.)

A Pimento Cheese Primer I’ve progressed in my tastes since those long-ago times. I grew to love boiled peanuts, although I don’t eat them very often because the salt makes me puff up. And of course the world of adult beverages has expanded my drink horizons. But I still like to keep it simple. For instance, my preferred beach libation/snack combo is rum and tonic (Schweppes only) with lime, and Crunchy Cheetos.

Recently, my friend Lynn came over after yoga for a glass of Lillet, a yummy aperitif that is worth seeking out. We needed a little something to hold us until supper and soak up the alcohol. I just happened to have some homemade pimento cheese and saltines on hand. Perfection!

Pimento cheese is something else I didn’t eat until I was grown, probably because my mother made it with Miracle Whip, which I will not let past my lips. The best pimento cheese is the simplest. My recipe springs from the one in Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, and features roasted red bell peppers.

Although Stitt makes his own mayonnaise, PC keeps better if

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Pimento cheese is something else I didn’t eat until I was grown, probably because my mother made it with Miracle Whip, which I will not let past my lips.

you use mayonnaise from a jar. I won’t stop you if you use Duke’s, but I prefer classic Hellman’s. If you don’t have the energy to grate cheese, serve Mook’s cheese straws, which are perfectly acceptable and work just fine as an alcohol sponge.

Frank Stitt-ish Pimento Cheese • 1 pound sharp yellow cheddar (I like Cracker Barrel) • 3-ounce block Philadelphia cream cheese, softened • 3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped (Google how-to) or equivalent roasted red peppers from a jar • 1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise • 1 teaspoon sugar • Freshly ground black pepper to taste • Splash of hot sauce (Tabasco, Cholula or Frank’s are good) • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Grate cheese by hand. Transfer to a bowl, add cream cheese and remaining ingredients and squish with hands until well-combined. Refrigerate, preferably overnight until flavors blend, although you probably won’t be able to wait that long. Great on saltines, celery sticks, and whole-grain bread. Or on hot dogs or hamburgers. Or straight out of the container. You will eat it up long before it reaches the expiration date.

Note: Freshly roasted red peppers are the best, but even jarred roasted red peppers are far better than those little pieces of jarred pimento.

Here are some wonderful cooling drinks, ending with the most potent. For a simple summer glass of wine, Will Rawson at The Wine Cellar recommends A-to-Z Unoaked Chardonnay. Keep a bottle chilled at all times, right next to the PC.

Peaches-on-the-Porch • 1 liter white wine—an off-dry Gewürztraminer would be nice • 4 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced • 1/4 cup sugar • 1 lemon, sliced thin and seeded At least 8 hours before serving, mix everything together in a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve over ice. Splash a little club soda in to make it go further.

Sparkling Spiked Lemonade • 1 cup gin, chilled (along the Bombay/Tanqueray line) • 1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed • 1 bottle Prosecco or other sparkling white wine, chilled Combine gin and lemonade concentrate in a pitcher; chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add sparkling wine to gin mixture; stir gently. Serve in champagne flutes or martini glasses.

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20 questions » Claire Stewart

Twenty Questions for George Bennett, Nursery Owner, and Joseph Campbell, Huntsville Master Gardener Because fruit trees require a certain ‘chill factor’, some varieties of peaches and apples may not fruit properly this year. (George)

My advice to the first time gardener is… …critically read everything, especially that which is about gardening. (Joseph)

Landscaping in relationship to home value… …has become too much a requirement for a home. Landscaping around a new home can be a very fun challenge for new home owners. (Joseph)

The most unruly plant to deal with is… …is pigweed, a plant called a weed by many, and resistant to most human control. (George) My favorite thing about gardening in Alabama… …is the shortness of the winter season. But our winters are still cold and uncomfortable enough to cause the cabin fever that is necessary to bring out the enthusiastic gardening spirit in spring. (George)

The most beautiful garden I have ever seen… …Ida Cason Calloway’s vegetable garden at Calloway gardens in Georgia, but very close would be Longwood Gardens. (Joseph)

Olive Trees

The worst gardening mistake I have witnessed was… …is probably the topping of mature trees. Trees subjected to this practice are ruined for life, and sad to look at. (George)

My least favorite thing about gardening in Alabama… …hot humid days of summer and not enough Spring and Fall. (Joseph) If I were a plant I would be a… …tomato, because everyone loves tomatoes!

(Joseph) This unnaturally warm winter has affected yards in Alabama… …in many ways. For instance, many perennials still have last year’s leaves on them. Many tulip bulbs planted in the fall are coming up with short stems and some with blooms missing, because tulips need at least 15 weeks of consistent winter chill to bloom successfully. (George) Gardens in the Tennessee Valley… …have experienced even higher winter temperatures than other areas because of the moderating factor of the river.

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Japanese Beetle

For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a Master Gardener is… …a trained, hard working gardener who is willing to help others. (Joseph)

If climate and conditions were perfect, I would love to plant… …capers and olive trees. These simple foods have nourished mankind for untold numbers of years, in good times and bad. (George)

The time I spend in the yard every week is about… …one solid hour of work in my own yard. (Joseph) Many people are trying to stray away from pesticides and fungicides and move towards organic gardening. My take on that is… …it is a very desirable goal and very difficult in any but small gardens. An effort should be made to use as few chemicals as will let your garden effort be successful.

(Joseph) The most difficult plant I have ever tried to grow was… …wasabi, commonly called Japanese horseradish. I concluded finally that it was too much a stretch to expect the pungent plant which lives along streambeds in Japanese mountains to make it through the hot Alabama summers.

(George) In my opinion, the worst insect to plague Alabama gardeners is… …Japanese beetle, followed closely by the Asian ambrosia beetle, with the imported ladybug bringing up the rear.

(George) For those who only have a small areas to grow a garden… …work with all of the space you have. Small areas are great places to grow ‘salad’ vegetables. (Joseph) Indoor gardening can be… …the best place to grow the herbs used in the kitchen.

(Joseph) When choosing colors for your garden… …personally, green vegetables are the most pleasing to my eyes, but choose the colors that make you happy that you want to wake up and look outside and see every day.

(Joseph) Gardening is not just planting pretty flowers, it’s… …also in seeing the natural beauty of and realizing the essential usefulness in all plants. It’s in knowing that plants are our only source of life-giving oxygen, and in the face of the world’s wholesale destruction of forests, each person who gardens performs a restorative service to the world. (George)

George Bennett, owner of Bennett Nurseries since 1972, can tell you everything there is to know about gardening in North Alabama. Joseph Campbell is a Huntsville Master Gardener and teaches classes at the Botanical Gardens each month for those who want to try out their own green thumb.

The perfect wedding deserves the perfect spot. It’s not too early to begin planning for your wedding at Baron Bluff, at Burritt on the Mountain. Come look us over and let us show you how we can help you have an event of a lifetime—at Burritt.

Now booking for late Fall, 2012 www.burrittonthemountain.com • 256-536-2882 You could win The Perfect Wedding - details in the July/August edition of No’Ala!

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bless their hearts » Allen Tomlinson

My name is Allen, and I’m addicted…to tools.

I know you can’t tell it by looking at me, and if you’ve spent any time around me at all it’s hard to believe I know how to use any of these tools. I don’t. Being addicted to tools and being able to use them are totally unrelated concepts.

For me, it’s all about…well, convenience.

My father was a forester, and in his spare time, late in life, he developed a love (and the skills) for woodworking. He built beautiful things, cabinets and desks and all sorts of useful things made of wood, and because he had the interest and the time, he collected all of the tools he needed.

Maybe that was the start of it, for me; if I ever needed a metric screwdriver that you could also use as a power drill, can opener and flashlight-in-one, I’m sure Dad had one.

But I don’t collect tools because I love the tools. I don’t collect them because of all of the neat things you can do with them. I collect tools because I can’t find the tools I already have, and my response, when I’m in the moment and have a need, is to go buy new ones.

Here’s an example. We recently commissioned an artist to build a king sized cherry canopy bed. Our old bed was platform style, which meant the mattress sat on a wooden platform and did not require a box spring. A new, custommade king sized bed from Appalachian cherry can be a somewhat pricey investment, and I didn’t really want to purchase box springs on top of all of that, so we decided to convert the new bed to a platform by cutting plywood to make a base.

I very smartly got the hardware store to cut the plywood sheets

for me, but I made a fairly simple measuring mistake and ended up with plywood panels that were way too long and not nearly wide enough. (I’m sure this is because I couldn’t find my tape measure and didn’t have time to go buy a new one; incidentally, two days after the mistake with the plywood, I found a stash of three tape measures hidden in a drawer in the kitchen, a place I could have sworn I looked before.)

So, what do you do when you have made a measuring mistake? Well, you certainly don’t take the plywood back to Lowe’s and ask them to cut it again; that would be too embarrassing. So instead, I figured out how I could recut the wood so that the pieces we ended up with would work.

Only I could not find my power saw to save my life. I was certain that it was in the carport closet, where I thought I had put it the last time I had to do something handy, but we actually have three carport closets, all stuffed full of tools, and I opened each door and stood there, desperately scanning the piles and piles of stuff, looking for my saw. There were seven yard rakes, from back before I conveniently developed an allergy to something in the grass, four or five shovels from the year I thought I was going to have a flower garden, about twenty paint rollers, all rusted and no longer usable, and two drills I had needed so badly a week before but couldn’t find, so I bought a new one.

(Wonder where it is?) There were also about ten boxes of stuff we had moved from the last house, seven years ago, and never unpacked—I opened the top of one of the boxes and saw that it was full of old tennis shoes, like maybe a dozen pairs. I found my favorite bucket, the one I used to use when I had time to wash my own car, and a couple of bottles of car washing detergent that had almost solidified, they were so old; the last time I had an urge to wash my car I wasn’t able to find any of this stuff.

BEING ADDICTED TO TOOLS AND BEING ABLE TO USE THEM ARE TOTALLY UNRELATED CONCEPTS. FOR ME, IT’S ALL ABOUT… WELL, CONVENIENCE. But no power saw. And that’s a shame, really, because the power saw I was looking for had seen me through many, many horrible home projects gone wrong, and I felt as if we were bonded, somehow. I had a little wave of nostalgia, standing there with my hand on the wide-open closet

door, thinking about how badly I had mangled a little coffee table we had attempted to make from scratch; it took four trips to Home Depot to buy replacement legs because I was unable to cut them properly. (When the project was finished, it looked really good, and I discovered that a ceramic tile coaster under one of the legs made the thing sit still and not rock.)

I’m an addict, as I have admitted, but I am not without remorse. Because I wasn’t able to find my power saw immediately, I decided to go to the office and see if I could find it there. I wandered through the warehouse, the likeliest place for an errant power saw, and found two or three more tape measures, an electric drill in a plastic carrying case but no drill bits, and seventeen—I’m not kidding— computer monitors, dating back to the early 1990s, that we don’t know how to throw away and hang on to because (a) we are terrified that we will further pollute the groundwater because of the horrible things inside these monitors, and (b) we are sure that the insides of these things are made of solid gold and could be sold off for a lot of money.

But no power saw. It was obviously a sign.

So—off to Lowe’s. I didn’t mind showing my face there for the second or third time that day—that’s actually normal when I’m undertaking a project, and I wasn’t bringing anything back or asking someone to undo something I had accidentally done. I was just a man, browsing through the power tools, looking for the perfect electric saw.

So, you know how this ends, don’t you? I found a hot orange model, on sale, with sexy pictures on the box of it looking so attractive, with racing stripes and everything.

I got it home and attempted to cut the plywood so we could actually use the platform bed that night—had we not had the prospect of sleeping on a mattress on the floor, I might have taken a little more time to find the four power saws that turned up within the next week, all in places I swear I looked before I bought the orange one.

Did I mention that I couldn’t get the blade to work quite right with my new power saw, and that every time I started sawing the blade just stop turning, and that I finally had to finish cutting the plywood with a very old hand saw that I happened to find in one of the carport closets?

I could probably return this newest tool, but I am sure I will need it again some day, and, honestly, I don’t remember where I put it. With all of this said, I do have some advice for anyone who might suffer from my same addiction. The very best tool I have, amongst the hundreds and hundreds of duplicate instruments I have collected through the years, is my cell phone. I have an electrician, a plumber and a handyman on speed dial; believe me, that’s a lot cheaper than having me do a project myself. N

Come experience the unique voice of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra as it presents its 58th season.

Joined by soloists and guest musicians, and showcasing not only instrumental voices but the human voice as well, the season promises to be richly entertaining.

We have designed a season that will speak to you.

Won’t you join us?

Season tickets on sale May 21.

Discounts for first-time subscribers and active military personnel.

256-539-4818 • hso.org M AY /J UNE 2012 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 81

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parting shot » Patrick Hood

Spring—Burritt on the Mountain, March 2012

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Come to In Bloom at Five Points to browse our selection of accessories, gifts and flowers. Call the In Bloom Studios for an appointment to create your special event.

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601 McCullough Avenue (by appointment) 256-519-8898