LIVE Lee - August 2023 - Lee County Life

KATE

A Woman Of Many

Titles — Page 21

CONTRIBUTORS

John Atkinson

Ann Cipperly

Sam DiChiara

Kendyl Hollingsworth

Renee Messing

Samantha Santiago

Ethan Stamper

Livi Welch

Virginia Young

DESIGN / LAYOUT

Michelle Key

Hannah Goldfinger

MARKETING

Woody Ross

Rena Smith

PHOTOGRAPHY

Matt Austin

Sam DiChiara

Hannah Goldfinger

Kendyl Hollingsworth

Robert Noles

CONTACT US

Key Media, LLC

223 S. 8th St., Opelika Phone: 334-749-8003

www.LiveLeeMagazine.com editor@opelikaobserver.com.

STAFF BIOS

Michelle Key, Publisher

Originally from Albertville, Alabama, Michelle Key and her family moved to the Opelika-Auburn area in 2011 after her husband’s retirement from the U.S. Navy. She is a graduate of Troy University, and she joined the Observer in 2014 as an office administrator before assuming ownership of the newspaper in January 2018.

Hannah Goldfinger, LIVE Lee Editor

Hannah Goldfinger is an Auburn University 2019 journalism graduate who started with The Observer in July 2020 as the associate editor for the LIVE Lee Magazine. She was named editor of LIVE Lee in July 2021. She was previously published as Hannah Lester.

Wil Crews, The Observer Sports Editor

Wil Crews is an Auburn University 2020 journalism graduate originally from Prattville, Alabama. He works as The Observer’s sports editor and assists in developing the weekly paper and LIVE Lee Magazine.

Robert Noles, Photographer

Robert Noles is an award-winning photojournalist who has been with The Observer for more than 10 years. Originally from Tallassee, he is a graduate of Alabama Christian College and Auburn University.

Letter From The Editor

August is here!

Some people, maybe up North, are considering the start of Fall. But not here. Not in Alabama where the heat is still slowly killing us all.

It is the start of something new, however — school! For all of you heading back into the classroom — teachers and students alike, good luck! We hope you enjoy this year and make the 2023-24 school year one of the best you’ve ever had.

Here at LIVE Lee, we are excited. We’re in a new groove, coming up with new content and themes to make this publication exciting for all of you. We hope that when you find it in your mailbox, you can’t wait to read it!

This is one of our non-themed issues. Meaning you can find anything and everything in here. We’ve featured a new columnist, Sam DiChiara (see page 56). We’ve picked a few recipes to get you through the craziness of the end of summer and start of school (see page 26). Of course, we showed some love to restaurants we enjoy (see page 35 and 39). And we may have even branched out a little bit and traveled to the Blue Bell Creameries in Sylacauga (see page 66).

If you flip on to the back of the magazine (see page 74), we really tried to get creative. Meaning, we want you all to be creative. We’ve featured a short story, along with some poetry in this issue. Roughly every other month, we hope to feature local art and creativity.

If you have photos, short stories, poetry, microfiction — or anything else creative — feel free to send it our way and you may find it on the pages of a magazine.

Anyways, we hope you enjoy this issue. We hope you enjoy every issue, though, haha, and we’re a little biased. Hope everyone has a great start to this new season.

Hannah Goldfinger

For The Love

Of Cartoons

Story By Hannah Goldfinger

Photos By Hannah Goldfinger And Contributed By The Medlins

Some children dream of growing up to be a firefighter, astronaut or maybe a teacher.

Leighton Medlin, who is 11 years old, wants to be a cartoonist.

“I probably started drawing comics when I was 9,” he said. “I’ve loved to draw since I was four.”

As he got older, Leighton expressed interest to his dad that he wanted a drawing table — the kind cartoonists use.

So, the two decided to build one for the budding artist.

“After that, I was just like, I’m going to start drawing comics,” he said.

After creating a strip he was proud of, Leighton said he wanted to have it published.

“Leighton has always been a high achieving kid, from impressive art drawings, love for reading, to his ability to always has a good joke on hand,” said Leighton’s dad, Alex Medlin. “Leighton is an impressive young man that sets his mind to something and he doesn’t let it go until he achieves his goals. His mom and I are so proud of the man he is becoming.”

The desire to be a cartoonist didn’t come from nowhere.

“I always loved reading comics with my dad,” he said. “I would always get these treasuries or I would collect comic strips and I would get books of them.”

Calvin and Hobbes is one of Leighton’s favorites, he said. He even

has a stuffed Hobbes.

“Pearls Before Swine” is another favorite, he said.

“One year for Christmas, I got all the Calvin and Hobbes Treasury Books,” he said. “So, on Christmas Day I just sat down and read a whole book.”

Leighton said he takes inspiration from his neighborhood, family, friends, games and more. He tends to write a comic every week. His favorite is the one titled “Elm Street” published in this story.

Being a cartoonist is not Leighton’s only dream, though. He also said he’d like to be a naval aviator.

He encouraged other children — or adults — to read comics because, “comics are a great work of art in that they are meant to be called funnies because they are funny. You can always get a laugh out of them.”

Leighton said they are good if you’re already in a good mood or if you’re in need of a laugh.

Being published for his first time is his greatest accomplishment, Leighton said.

“Ever since Leighton was a little boy, I knew he would achieve great things,” said Leighton’s mom, Heather Medlin. “He adds many great things to our family; his creativeness, wit, humor and his ability to talk to any adult he meets because he has such an old soul.”

Find two of Leighton’s comics on page 12.

Leighton Medlin’s Comic Collection

Leighton Medlin

Column By Virgina Young, ALC

“Get out of your head”

It does me no good

I swear on my life that I would if I could.

Flutters in my gut

Am I ok?

May not mean much though how could I say?

It could be important

Or do I ignore

Still uncertain though I’ve been here before Runaway train will it over-run me?

Don’t have to think if I just keep busy

Can I get off? How did I get on?

How do we even know where we are going?

Lump in my throat

Can’t process sound

Not even sure if I’m standing on ground. Is this real? How does this end?

I’m not ok. I can not pretend.

Breathe all the way out. Relax…

Breathe all the way out. Relax…

Breathe all the way out. Relax…

Rinse and repeat.

5 things I can see.

4 things I can touch.

3 things I can hear.

2 things I can smell.

1 thing I can taste. ... anxiety ...

Seems like anxiety is simply the ever-constant companion of most Americans. If you are an adult in this fast-paced, productivity-centric country, you know this “frienemy”. This sometimes-helpful looming sense that demands caution and possibly patience, but can, at times, spin out of control in a destructive manner.

But what exactly IS anxiety? Can we actually put this familiar experience into words that make sense? You see, sometimes we get so accustomed to hearing and talking about something that we no longer stop to understand. Understanding is assumed. But assuming is problematic since with mass use, words can shift and lose some of their meaning because of the layers and years of inference.

So, let’s define anxiety. The dictionary divides its meaning. Anxiety, in the typical sense, is generally defined as “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear”, according to dictionary.com. The second definition at dictionary.com is “earnest but tense desire; eagerness”. There is a hopefulness in the latter definition.

Picture someone who can’t sleep the night before camp, or pacing back and forth until whatever they are waiting on is realized. Dictionary.com offers additional words that are similar in meaning. These are “angst, apprehension, concern, doubt, dread, jitters, misery, nervousness, panic, restlessness, suffering, suspense, trouble, uncertainty, etc.”

I find anxiety most clearly defined in the American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology. Labeled as a noun, it reads, “an emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe or misfortune. The body often mobilizes itself to meet the perceived threat: Muscles become tense, breathing is faster and the heart beats more rapidly.”

Let us unpack this definition. First, it states that anxiety is an emotion. Do you consider anxiety an emotion? I have found that I think of it more as a noun, as something outside of myself, like something one can get or have. In verb form it often seems more like something that is being done to me, something out of my own control. And in a sense, emotions can be quite joined to reactions, with a level of impulse, often pre-cursor to intentional thinking. In other words, anxiety shows up as a pre-thinking emotional experience. No wonder it seems as though it is something that is being done to me.

But what in the world is “somatic symptoms of tension?” Somatic is simply physical, physiologic, something that is distinctly being experienced within the physical body (and distinctly NOT the mind). That is to say that anxiety is not necessarily a thought, though it can create a loop of thinking.

It is always experienced — in a very real way — within the body. In fact, it so happens that for those of us good at separating our thoughts from our emotions, you can reason logically out of the worry or the fear, AND your body may still operate from an active threat response. Your brain may say, “this is a completely unrealistic and unnecessary worry,” and yet your body may be stuck in fight or flight mode.

What are the above mentioned notable symptoms of anxiety that the body might express? Tense muscles, shorter, quicker breaths and faster heart rate are all listed above. Any of these sound familiar? Truthfully, at this point, I would be shocked

if most of us didn’t feel like experts on anxiety. No one came out unscathed over the last three years.

Still, working with children, I find that many adults miss signs of anxiety especially as it presents in younger individuals. This is, in part, because children do not always have an understanding of what they are experiencing and why, not to mention they often lack the words to describe it.

They are untrained to recognize or sort out what they are feeling emotionally and physically. In early development, brains can only see the world through its own lens and experience. And to fill in the gaps, people often create internal stories to attempt to understand what they are experiencing. This internal story can often create problems without a healthy adult to co-regulate and walk them past their assumptions to the truth.

This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some possible symptoms you might find in an anxious individual:

• Trouble falling asleep.

• Retelling the same story over and over.

• Seeking reassurance (asking the same questions again, just to “be sure”).

• Wanting to know all the details.

• Wanting to know the times, what to expect.

• Stomach aches especially at bed or in the morning.

• Shyness.

• Cracking jokes all the time.

• Repetitive movements such as pacing, chewing, hand movements, even sounds.

• Wearing very particular clothing (comfortable, favorites, meet sensory needs).

• Needing extra connection both physically and emotionally.

• Irritability.

• Rapid speech.

• Rapid thoughts.

• Wide eyes.

• Hypervigilance (being on alert for anything out of the ordinary, looking for the threat).

• Need for control.

• Lowered appetite.

• Using free time to do instead of be.

• Extreme organization.

• Internal jitters and flutter.

• Endless scrolling.

• Extreme research.

Primarily, anxiety is discomfort around uncertainty. This comes in varying degrees and can reach levels that make it feel impossible to “turn off”. Some people report anxiety attacks and panic attacks, terms of which are sometimes used interchangeably, but I differentiate the two in practice. An anxiety attack is a sudden onset of anxiety with a swift and intense physical threat response.

This is typically recognized for what it is, but the body is in a fight or flight response regardless of whether that response is fitting.

A panic attack distinctly brings on a fear of death as the physiological response is so intense that the individual

feels like their heart health is in jeopardy. Someone who experiences these more regularly may recognize them and be able to intervene early enough to change the outcome. Professionally, if there is a regularity in intense anxiety responses, it is best to work with a professional to sort through the triggers and work toward establishing coping skills that are effective for the individual.

Though I am not a medical professional and cannot give direction in that subject matter, I would be remiss not to add that medicine can indeed be a useful tool especially for those that struggle with frequency, consistency or intensity of anxiety. Medicine is one of MANY tools.

In fact, research has shown that intentional, healthy sleep habits are the building block for all health and that is true for anxiety as well. If you have the mental space and energy, there is paper after paper showing that care of sleep, regular exercise, a balanced diet and sun exposure are highly effective for reducing anxiety.

Added to those are social supports, meditation and connection to some type of faith. Additionally, there is not enough space in this article to address the effects of our devices on our anxiety levels, but suffice it to say that the

research is out there and blue light is a real concern, BUT additionally having to process the amount of information that we are now exposed to on a daily basis is quite simply too much and overwhelming.

Consider setting time limits for your devices and go analog especially first thing in the morning and in the evenings before bed.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some resources to begin your search:

• Talk to your general practitioner

• Find a therapist: www.psychologytoday.com

www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/Pages/tip-99-coping-skills.aspx

• Somatic experiencing

• Vagus nerve exercises on Youtube

• Binaural Beats on Youtube (best with headphones)

• Water in various forms

• Earthing (time outside barefoot)

• Level 2 cardio

Though anxiety seems common, it is best not to leave it untreated. Untreated anxiety can shift into depression from

a sense of hopelessness regarding relief or change. Reach out and pay attention to these signs in others. There is no reason to walk this alone.

Virginia Young, ALC works under the supervision of Dr. Misty Smith. She has a bachelor’s degree in music — voice performance, a master’s degree in arts in worship ministries and a Master of Science degree in clinical mental health counseling. She will be featured as a regular columnist in LIVE Lee nonthemed issues from here on out.

featuring

The Rainbow Fish

Sunday, October 22

3 p.m.

B – The Underwater Bubble Show

Sunday, October 29

3 p.m.

123 Andrés

Sunday, March 24

3 p.m. Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live

A W o m a n o f M a n y T i t l e s

Story By Hannah Goldfinger

Photos By Simply Media / Hollie Autrey

Kate Asbury Larkin in downtown Opelika

Auburn University and Opelika High School Alumni, Bow Fairy, Retired Auburn Employee — Kate Asbury Larkin goes by many names.

Larkin just recently spent her last day in the Auburn Alumni Office after 15 years.

“[Retirement] is very exciting, it’s also very sad because I’ve absolutely loved this job,” she said. “… I’ve loved it. Not just my coworkers but the alumni that I’ve met and the things that I’ve gotten to do in this job, the things that I have been able to start from scratch.”

Larkin’s alumni stories are varied. She’s reunited class rings to alumni, or former roommates or old war buddies.

“Those kinds of things are really, really special to me because I’m such a people person,” she said.

Before she worked for the alumni office, Larkin worked for Opelika City Schools for 14 years and after that with the Alabama Primary Healthcare Association.

Larkin applied for a job with the alumni center in 2008 and received a call back for the job.

“I came in as a manager,” she said. “I was not a good manager.”

Larkin said that having to be over other people was not her forte. So the job switched into an outreach position.

“That’s when I really started building relationships with athletics, and ROTC and the Veterans Resource Center,” she said.

Larkin then transitioned into working for the alumni magazine — writing and managing social media.

So, her career has been varied. After graduating from Opelika High School, Larkin first attended Montevallo before transferring to Ole Miss.

Her first post-grad job was with Ole Miss as an admissions

counselor. She then worked for a different university — Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas — as the sports information director for women’s athletics.

But after a while, home called, Larkin said. She took a job in sports information at Auburn.

“I only stayed in Texas a year, not because I didn’t like the job, but because my brother and his wife — who he’d been dating since I was in the seventh grade, and she was in the eighth grade— were expecting their first child,” she said. “And I thought, ‘I’m not going to be 13 hours from my first niece or nephew.’”

In this new job, Larkin worked on Bo Jackson’s Heisman campaign before switching into women’s basketball.

“Back then, they were called the Lady Tigers, not just Tigers,” she said. “In addition to my job, I also did the radio broadcast as the color commentator.”

Larkin typed play-by-play for men’s basketball and football as well. Following this job, she worked for Ellis-Harper Advertising for two years.

In 1990, Larkin became a mom for the first time, followed by her second child in 1992. For five years, she stayed home with her children.

In the spring of 1994, Larkin was hired as the first public relations coordinator for Opelika City Schools where she worked until December 2007.

After 13 years with Opelika City Schools, it was time for a change. After one year at Alabama Primary Health Care in Montgomery, she took her job with Auburn University — where she has been for the last 15 years.

“It’s been a fun ride,” she said. “… I’ll miss it terribly. I’m one of

The Azalea mural is located on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue A in downtown Opelika.

the veterans, there are only a few other people, in alumni anyway, that have been here as long, or longer than I have ... so I’ve seen a lot of people come and go, but I’ve kept up with just about every single one of them. And I will miss them.

“I really will miss them. I miss the ones who have already left and I’ll miss not being here. I’ll miss the camaraderie. They’ll miss my crazy antics because I’m always doing or saying something stupid.”

A Long History In Lee County:

Larkin, who grew up in the area, has been able to watch Opelika and Auburn grow and change.

“[Opelika’s] grown a lot and I think it’s grown in good ways,” she said. “I think Opelika’s done a good job preserving old homes and buildings.”

Larkin attended Opelika High School. Her children attended Opelika High School. Her mother and father attended Opelika High School and even her grandfather attended.

“Opelika has a bulldog brick project and I was adding up how many bricks it would take to cover my family and it would be 13,” she said.

All of these family members also attended Auburn University, Larkin said, minus her parents.

Her family’s history in Opelika is rich as well. Her grandmother began a business in downtown Opelika in 1946, Alabama Office Supply.

Years later, Larkin is still loving on and supporting Opelika. She joined the ranks of Auburn Alumni in 2021.

“I had always kiddingly said, I want to get a degree [from Auburn]

before I retire,” Larkin said. “... I put so much of my career into this university, I want a degree from here.”

But, there were barriers, she said. One, Larkin said she was nervous having been out of school for so long. Too, the GRE was required and Larkin didn’t want to take the test.

“When COVID hit, they waived the GRE ... and so I jumped in, along with several other people. And I did it very secretively,” she said.

Three people in total knew about Larkin’s endeavors: one of her supervisors and two people who wrote letters of recommendation.

Larkin would warn her classmates at the beginning of every class not to tell her children or family.

“I told everyone when I handed out my announcements,” she said. “It was so cool. My kids were blown away. My best friend was blown away.”

Although Larkin was the one surprising everyone, she ended up being a bit surprised herself by the amount of support she received.

“I was so overwhelmed at the response to that,” she said. “I thought it was going to be a fun Facebook post and that was going to be the end of it. I had surprise parties, I had people taking me to dinner, I had people coming into town to go to my graduation. I mean, it was amazing, the response that [it] got. And it really made me realize how much that degree really means to me, you know. I kind of did it on a fluke. ... I was so unprepared and overwhelmed by the response to it. And it was just so fun.”

The same year that Larkin received her degree from Auburn University, she also received the Spirit of Opelika award from the

Larkin at Alabama Office Supply in Opelika. Her grandmother started the business in 1946.

Opelika Chamber of Commerce. It was a big year. What’s Next:

Now that she is retiring, Larkin has to figure out what to do with her time.

First, she’ll go on tour with ‘We’ll Meet Again’ the play about Henry Stern.

“On a whim, I got [Coach Bruce Pearl] to come see it when it was in Opelika and he loved it and he asked where it was going next. And I said, ‘it’s not going anywhere next, that was a one-night thing.’ And he said, ‘This show needs to be seen.’”

So, Pearl and and his wife are sponsoring the show to go on tour in September in Alabama, with a show in Georgia as well.

On Aug. 30 and 31, the show will be at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, but then it will head out on tour — and Larkin will go with it as the company tour manager.

“I’m learning every day what that means,” she said.

Afterward, Larkin said that besides loving on grandchildren, she doesn’t know what her plans will entail.

Of course, she does have an interesting hobby. She’s the local Bow

Fairy.

“That wouldn’t be my choice of names,” she said. “I always said I would really prefer the bow bandit because I like to do it at night when nobody sees them.”

Sometimes, Larkin is out running around town hanging bows on mailboxes from 9 p.m. to as late as 1 a.m.

“Baby bows I have done for decades,” she said. “Because, when my daughter was born, I didn’t know what I was having so I made a pink bow and a blue bow, so I know I’ve been doing it at least that long, and those weren’t the first bows I made.”

She’ll hang bows for newborns and for graduating seniors in Opelika, Auburn, county schools and more.

“In 2008, Anna [her daughter] was a senior at Opelika and she had a really good class of kids. She wanted to do something for probably 45 or 50 of them,” Larkin said. “So, we came up with the idea of red and black bows — school colors — for that class of seniors.”

Now, Larkin does graduation bows each year.

Now that retirement is here, the sky’s the limit for Larkin. Who knows what she’ll get up to next?

Larkin and Aubie The Tiger during her 2021 graduation.

B O L D B E R R I E S

Story By Ann Cipperly

Long days of summer are ideal for entertaining at home or the lake. Create an easy menu featuring a succulent entrée and garden fresh bounty of the southland, with a fresh fruit confection providing a sweet ending to the evening. Select side dishes and dessert that can be prepared ahead to accompany a simple grilled or baked entree. With dishes made ahead, gathering family and friends around your table can be stress-free and enjoyable, as you relax with guests instead of being in the kitchen.

Overlooking a lake, stream or pool provides cooling ambiance as guests sip chilled beverages while sampling delectable appetizers. Situate a dining table to take advantage of the best views. For outdoor tables, keep the décor simple with lanterns displaying flickering candles. Fern fronds and fresh herbs blend with nature’s setting.

Whether you are dining at the lake or home, keep floral arrangements low on the table. Hurricane shades with candles create a festive arrangement. If you just have one hurricane shade, place it on a tray with a rim filled with water. Then surround the base with fresh flowers, such as hydrangeas.

Among the grilled recipe choices are two enhanced with robust flavors. Grilled Marinated Chicken Breasts are embellished with zesty southwestern seasonings, while the flavorful Steak Fajitas are topped with freshly made Pico de Gallo.

The Fish Tacos can be grilled or cooked on the stove top. Select a white, flakey fish for making this dish. Serve with chipotle lime sauce.

If you prefer not to grill, try the Roasted Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin that bakes quickly in the oven. The leftovers are great for making sliders the next day.

Prepare the sides and dessert a day ahead and have them ready to serve in the refrigerator. Instead of heavy mayonnaise or sour cream, the potato salad is dressed in an olive oil vinaigrette with Dijon mustard. Serve it on a lettuce lined platter and garnish with cherry tomatoes.

The Tomato and Corn Salad can also be prepared the day ahead and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The salad combines fresh tomatoes and corn in a tangy dressing.

Plan to cap the entertaining evening with a sublime fresh fruit dessert as fireflies light up the landscape. As dusk falls, light candles and linger a moment longer to savor a summer evening with good food and friendship.

Caprese Skewers: Martha Hicks

Grape tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella pearls or larger balls cut into fourths

Italian herb seasoning

Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh basil

Balsamic vinegar reduction

Long toothpicks or metal skewers

Toss tomatoes and mozzarella in Italian seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.

Thread a mozzarella piece or pearl on a 4 or 5-inch skewer. Then thread a small or a torn piece of fresh basil next, then a grape tomato. Repeat.

In a small saucepan, heat desired amount of balsamic vinegar with a small amount of sugar until thickened. Drizzle over top of skewers just before serving.

Bake Ahead Pesto Cheese Spread: Gina Fromhold

Crust:

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Filling:

Two 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 cup ricotta

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

3 eggs

½ cup pesto (recipe follows or purchase already prepared)

Garnishes:

¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts (pignoli), optional

Fresh basil

Hearty crackers

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub butter over bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Mix breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Coat pan, bottom and sides, with crumb mixture. Beat cream cheese, ricotta and ½ cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer half of mixture into another bowl. Mix pesto in cheese mixture remaining in bowl. Pour pesto cheese mixture into prepared pan, spread evenly. Add plain mixture, sprinkle with pignoli, if desired.

Bake about 45 minutes. Cool. Cover with plastic wrap; place in refrigerator overnight. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve with crackers or in wedges.

Basil Pesto (or used purchased):

1 cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic

¼ cup nuts

¼ cup salt

½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

¼ cup olive oil.

Process all ingredients except olive oil in food processor. While processor is running, slowly add ¼ cup olive oil in top of processor and blend until homogeneous.

Photo By Ann Cipperly

5 to 6 Roma tomatoes

1/2 purple onion, diced fine

Fresh basil

Salt, pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

French or sour dough bread

Extra olive oil

Fresh Parmesan cheese

Dice tomatoes, onions and basil. Then mix in a bowl with salt and pepper; add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and let flavors blend.

Cut bread into rounds and brush with olive oil, top with cheese and toast until cheese is melted; add tomato topping.

Grilled Marinated Chicken Breasts: Danny Tankersley

8 large boneless chicken breasts, cut in half to make 16 thin chicken filets

Double recipe of Southwestern Marinade

Marinate chicken for 4 to 8 hours in a sealed container prior to grilling. Grill over medium coals until done, but still juicy.

Southwestern Marinade:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a press

1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine all. Make ahead, if possible. Use for chicken or beef.

1 (8-oz.) bottle zesty Italian dressing

3 Tbsp. fajita seasoning

2 (1-lb.) flank steaks

12 (6-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Shredded Cheddar cheese

Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

Garnishes: Lime wedges, chopped fresh cilantro sprigs

Combine Italian dressing and fajita seasoning in a shallow dish or zip-top plastic bag; add steak. Cover or seal, and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally. Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade.

Preheat grill to 350 to 400 degrees (medium-high) heat. Grill steaks covered with grill lid, for 8 minutes, turn and grill 5 more minutes (medium-rare) or to desired degree of doneness.

Remove steaks, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steaks diagonally across the grain into very thin slices, and serve with tortillas, cheese and Pico de Gallo. Makes 6 servings.

Pico de Gallo:

1 pt. grape tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1/2 medium-size red onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove, pressed

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. lime rind zest

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Stir together all ingredients; cover and chill 1 hour. Makes 3 cups.

Bruschetta: Dianne Wages

Steak Fajitas with Pico de Gallo: Dianne Wages

Grilled or Skillet Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Sauce: Bobby Samford

1 lb. of your favorite white, flaky fish (We use tilapia filets since they come in large quantities and can stay readily available in the freezer and thaw quickly).

Tortillas

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil or canola

1 lime (juiced)

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. Old Bay Blackened seasoning

¼ cup fresh cilantro

Pour marinade over fish and let sit for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, heat grill or skillet to mediumhigh. Cook fish 3 to 4 minutes on one side; flip for only a couple minutes more. Use your spatula and give fish a ‘rough chop.’ Set aside to build your tacos.

You can get creative at this point. Put your tortillas on skillet/griddle for 1 to 2 minutes per side. When ready to serve, put fish in the taco shell and add salsa, Asian slaw, or whatever you like in your tacos. We top with a Chipotle-Lime Sauce.

Chipotle-Lime Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro

1 lime (juiced)

Place all ingredients in food processor and puree. Note: Fat free mayonnaise would make this sauce lower in calories.

It is so easy to make extra fish and keep in Ziplock bags for warm-up and quick meal.

Roasted Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloins:

Ann Renfro Smith

2 pork tenderloins

Montreal Steak Seasoning

Dale’s marinade

Garlic powder

Bacon

Remove skin from tenderloins, leaving a thin layer of fat covering the pork. Place pork in casserole dish to marinate in Dale’s, garlic powder and steak seasoning. Just use enough Dale’s to coat sides of pork, then sprinkle with garlic powder and steak seasoning. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Then wrap the tenderloins in bacon from end to end, overlapping so the tenderloins are completely covered.

Place the tenderloins in an aluminum foil lined roasting pan on a wire rack. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Meat thermometer should read 155 degrees when done. Broil the tenderloins for 3 to 5 minutes until bacon is crisp. Remove from oven, place in dish and cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Pork Sliders for leftovers: Slice Hawaiian rolls and fill with slices of leftover pork. Great for lunch.

New Potato Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

2 lb. new potatoes, washed and quartered

¼ to 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. or more Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes for lining platter for serving

Cook potatoes in salted water until just tender; drain. Combine green onions, olive oil, white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard; blend well and pour over potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in refrigerator. When ready to serve, line a platter with leaf lettuce and place potato salad in the center. Garnish around the edges with cherry tomatoes.

Tomato Corn Salad: Susan Ballard

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil

1 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

4 cups fresh corn (about 9 ears)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. In a large skillet, sauté corn and garlic in oil until tender; stir in mustard. Add to vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Serve with slotted spoon. Serves 8.

Watermelon Salad: Jo Ellen James

1 (5 lb.) watermelon

1 Vidalia onion

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper

6 whole mint sprigs

Cut melon into bite-size pieces, removing seeds and set aside. Peel and slice the onion into rings.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, and whisk until salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in olive oil, a few drops at a time. Add chopped mint.

In a large bowl, combine the melon, onion, and feta. Pour dressing over melon mixture and toss. Garnish with mint sprigs.

French Fruit Tart or Pie

You can use just one fruit for the topping or a variety. Use a baked pie crust or make the cookie crust.

Cookie Crust: 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar

Fresh Fruit Tart

Photo By Ann Cipperly

2 egg yolks

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar; add egg yolks. Slowly mix in flour. Pat dough into the bottom of a tart pan or pie plate that has been coated with nonstick spray. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Crust can be made a day ahead.

Filling:

2 cups whipping cream

½ cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

Whip cream; add sugar. Fold in sour cream. Spread over cooled crust. Chill. Cookie crust can be prepared two days ahead.

Topping:

Select just one of your favorite fruits such as peaches, blueberries or raspberries or decorate the top with a variety of fresh fruits. Arrange fresh fruit over filling. Serve as is or brush on glaze. The glaze adds sweetness and a glossy look to the fruit.

Fruit Glaze: (optional)

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

3/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool. Brush over fruit.

Summer Fruit Trifle

1 pound cake, homemade or purchased

6 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

2 cups whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 1/3 to ½ cup sugar or medium-sized container whipped topping

One or more fresh fruit of choice sweetened to taste: peaches, blueberries, figs, strawberries or others

Prepare vanilla pudding mix as directed on package. Chill until ready to assemble trifle.

In a trifle bowl or large bowl, place a layer of pound cake slices, top with half of the pudding and peaches. Then spread whipped cream over fruit. Repeat layers. Garnish top with additional fresh fruit, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Turn to page 30 for a recipe for Bruschetta

Taco ‘Bout Mama

Story By Wil Crews

Photos Contributed By Taco Mama

If you're searching for a place that effortlessly combines a warm and welcoming atmosphere with a nostalgic touch of college charm, look no further than Taco Mama in Auburn, Alabama.

Nestled in the heart of this vibrant college town, Taco Mama offers a dining experience that not only satisfies your taste buds but also transports you somewhere between Mexico and college.

As you step inside Taco Mama, you're greeted by a lively and energetic ambiance. With the lights down low, the restaurant's decor strikes the perfect balance between modern flair and nods to college nostalgia. Walls adorned with vibrant murals depicting Auburn University's iconic landmarks and spirited moments from past football games instantly evoke a sense of pride and fond memories. The comfortable seating arrangements, including large, communal

tables, provide ample space for both intimate conversations and gatherings with friends.

Now, let's talk about the star of the show: the food. Taco Mama's menu boasts a tantalizing array of Mexican-inspired delights that are sure to please even the most discerning palates.

Whether you're craving traditional tacos, burritos, quesadillas or exploring the innovative specialties, Taco Mama has something to satisfy every craving. The freshness of the ingredients shines through in every bite, and the flavors are carefully crafted to deliver a burst of deliciousness with each mouthful. The menu is vegan-inclusive and the margaritas are freshly made.

One must-try item on the menu is the signature Jorge’s Nachos. These loaded nachos are practically the size of a basketball, and are a true indulgence, featuring a mountain of tortilla chips generously

topped with melted cheese and whatever toppings you want. That could be black beans, pico de gallo, cilantro-lime rice, grilled veggies, slaw, queso, your choice of protein and more. Every bite is a harmonious blend of textures and fresh flavors, guaranteed to make your taste buds dance with joy.

The staff at Taco Mama further enhances the dining experience with their warm hospitality and attentive service. From the moment you enter, you'll be greeted with genuine smiles and a genuine desire to ensure your dining experience is nothing short of exceptional. They are more than happy to guide you through the menu, offer recommendations and accommodate any dietary preferences or restrictions you may have.

As a popular hangout spot for students and locals alike, Taco Mama tends to get busy, especially during peak hours. However, the energetic buzz of conversations and laughter in the air only adds to the vibrant atmosphere. Whether you're catching up with old friends, celebrating a milestone or simply craving a delicious meal, Taco Mama's welcoming environment will make you feel right at home. With its spirited decor, delectable Mexican-inspired dishes and attentive service, Taco Mama in Auburn is the perfect place to indulge in a satisfying meal — and maybe relive those cherished memories of your college days. So, gather your friends, head over to Taco Mama and let the flavors and ambiance transport you to a place that is so good … it makes you want to call your Mom and tell her about it.

Story By Wil Crews

Photos By Kendyl Hollingsworth and Michelle Key

Chicken Fajitas from Los Amigos, inside USA Town Center, Opelika

Los Amigos: Where Friends Become Family

Opelika’s newest Mexican restaurant, Los Amigos, opened in USA Town Center this past June.

Los Amigos joins a number of thriving businesses located at USA Town Center. From hair styling, a dance studio, a church, mini golf, shopping and even the driver’s license office, the addition of Los Amigos to the area means customers can fulfill many needs or desire they have with just one park of the car.

The owner of USA Town Center, Victor Vance, said he was glad to add another business to the strip.

“We needed a good place to eat,” Vance said. “And we needed one we felt comfortable that would add to the atmosphere.”

One of the restaurants owners, Samuel “Sammy” Barajas, has been engrained in the Opelika since 2015. As has much of his staff. In fact, many of the faces you will see at Los Amigos may look familiar from their time at the old Durangos Mexican restaurant. This lends to the family atmosphere that Los Amigos exudes, Vance said.

“It’s family,” he said. “The gentleman who is the head waiter here, Andreas, has an excellent following with his customers who have become accustomed to eating with him for years at the old Durangos. Because of the service they received over there, customers were already friendly and familiar with who they were. No one had to get acquainted with them.”

According to Barajas and Vance, Los Amigos is off to a good start. Although the restaurant didn’t have its fully-stocked bar

installed upon its grand opening, it’s there now, and the crowds are flooding in.

“They are starting to [know that we are out here],” he said. “The first week we opened, we opened dry. We didn’t put [the opening] on Facebook or anything because we didn’t want the people to walk in and ask for a drink. Once we put [our information] on Google and Facebook, people started to know.”

Los Amigos offers customers all the traditional Mexican dishes. Barajas said that everything is delicious, of course, but recommended the fajitas or the crowd-pleasing quesadillas. Los Amigos is stocked with multiple TV’s that make it great for spectating live programs, and seats up to 140 people. Vance said the restaurant is still looking to upgrade the interior décor a little, but that process in ongoing.

Ultimately, Vance and the Los Amigos team encouraged the community to visit the restaurant to see first-hand what separates it from other Mexican restaurants — the people, food and atmosphere.

“It’s a place you can go where you are known,” Vance said. “It’s like going over and eating with your family except nobody argues. To be honest, I expected it to start off really challenged. But it [hasn’t]; it’s because the atmosphere and the people.”

Los Amigos is located at 1220 Fox Run Ave. in Opelika’s USA Town Center. Its hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.

Chimichanga from Los Amigos, inside USA Town Center, Opelika

AROUND

TOWN

Photo By Hannah Goldfinger

Meet David Hedges

AUBURNBANK PRESIDENT & CEO

Leadership succession in any business is essential to its sustainability, especially one that has been strong and viable for 116 years. Since our founding in 1907, AuburnBank has had eight presidents—and now David Hedges succeeds Bob Dumas as our ninth. Joining the bank in 2006, David has demonstrated his commitment to AuburnBank and its shareholders. He and his wife, Jill, are members of First Baptist Church of Opelika, and they enjoy raising their three children who attend Auburn City Schools. David is excited to lead AuburnBank into the future, while upholding a tradition of service to our customers and our communities.

Member FDIC | AuburnBank.com

Auburn Gets Moving With Zebra Stripes

William and Keely Culpepper opened a Lee County franchise of Pink Zebra.

Story By Kendyl Hollingsworth

Photos Contributed By Pink Zebra Moving

When you think of “fun,” packing up and moving is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But one zebra-striped business is working to change that.

“It‘s just fun making people smile,” said Ron Holt, founder and owner of the Birmingham-based company, Pink Zebra Moving. “At the end of the day, that’s our tagline: We make moving fun. We challenged ourselves with that tagline because no one really thinks moving is fun. We challenged ourselves to make it a fun experience for our customers.”

Holt is no stranger to the entrepreneurial bug. Two decades ago, he founded the successful Two Maids & A Mop cleaning company, which he took from a tiny 250-square-foot office to more than 90 locations nationwide.

So, when that entrepreneurial bug came crawling back a couple years ago, he was ready to jump back in the game.

Holt launched Pink Zebra Moving in Vestavia Hills in 2021 and is already up to nine franchises. Auburn residents William and Keely Culpepper partnered with Pink Zebra to open one of the brand’s first franchises right here in Lee County in February 2023.

“I’ve had the entrepreneurial bug for a long time, and I’ve looked at other franchise opportunities along the way …

but when I saw the story of Pink Zebra, for some reason it captured my attention,” William said. “… I believed in it, and I thought, this is it. This is the opportunity I’ve been looking for to be part of something different and special.”

It’s apparent in the name that Pink Zebra Moving is different from most other moving companies, but it isn’t just the vibrant décor that helps Pink Zebra stand out from the herd. As Holt said, the company aims to make the moving experience memorable for customers (and employees) — in all the right ways.

“We’re a moving company, clearly,” Holt said. “We load stuff, we unload stuff. And we’re good at that. At the end of the day, we’re a really good moving company. But what we really want to be known for is the experience we provide our customers — how we make customers feel after it’s all over.”

The idea to start up Pink Zebra came about because of an experience Holt’s mother-in-law had that was quite the opposite. Not only was the final bill more than 300% the original quote, but there were plenty of other issues that left her feeling like the company didn’t really value her or her belongings.

“That $900 quote became an almost $3,000 bill, and there was damages and all sorts of unprofessionalism,” Holt

recalled. “They even laughed at her. It was a mess. That experience made me just sort of put on my entrepreneurial hat and say, ‘Well, is this just a one-off? Did we just have a bad experience?’”

So, Holt did what many others do: He went to Yelp.

But rather than leave a negative review and move on, Holt decided instead to do some research. He “didn’t use a ton of science,” he said, but after looking at moving reviews in Seattle, Omaha and Miami, he found that the bad experience wasn’t just a one-off after all.

“In each one of those three markets, which were completely different from one another in terms of culture, and size, even — my motherin-law’s experience was happening all over the place in each of those three markets,” he said. “It made me go, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s a huge problem here.’”

Holt couldn’t change his mother-in-law’s experience, but he

could make sure others had a better one.

Thus, he decided to combine his perspective as a consumer with his experience as a business owner to start his own moving company — one that would “cause disruption” and set a new standard in the industry. But ultimately, Holt knew it was his future employees that held the key to that success.

According to Pink Zebra’s website, the company utilizes a “Pay Enhancement Plan” for its employees, something that has proved successful with Two Maids & a Mop for the last 20-plus years.

“After we complete the move, we’re going to ask you to rate your level of satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5,” the website reads. “That number — and that number by itself — will directly determine the exact wage that we pay our team of movers. The happier we make you, the more money our employees make with us.”

Achieving that drive in the employees comes from educating them on the mission of the business and empowering them to come up with their own ideas help pull it off, William said. But it also entails making sure the employees are having fun, too.

“That’s part of what we’re trying to do is get everyone that works for us to buy into that and believe in it,” William explained. “When you look at some of the companies with great corporate cultures ... what makes those companies great is they empower their employees to make customers happy and to make things right. If we’re going to do some audacious things, you want to get these movers involved in that and have them take some ownership and come up with some of the ways in which they’re going to make this a fun experience.”

For example, William said most customers will comment on the movers being “good at Tetris” as they strategically pack up the truck. So, when movers hear the codeword “Tetris,” they might stop what they’re doing and do 10 jumping jacks for kicks and giggles.

“It’s just a way to create kind of a fun little moment that’s memorable,” he said.

But beyond those fun quirks, William and Holt said the real goal is to build a positive, personal relationship with customers.

“When I look back at my mother-in-law’s experience and all the negative reviews I’ve read, oftentimes I think that that anger and frustration comes because there’s no actual relationship with their customer,” Holt said. “It’s more or less just a transaction. Transactions are fine for some businesses, but for our business, these are $1,000-plus moves oftentimes, and so when you spend $1,000 or more with a moving company and don’t even know who you’re working with … that makes those small mistakes really amplify. So, we try to do these fun things to bring people closer to us, and so if we were to make a mistake, now we’ve got an open line of communication and we can resolve issues, if they occur, easier.”

The Pink Zebra team reaches out to the customer leading

up to the move to check in and go over logistics. Care and kindness are key, but the team may also have a couple surprises up its sleeves to make the experience less stressful and more — dare say — enjoyable.

“It’s really fun being able to make someone say, ‘I can’t believe they did that,’” Holt said. “… It’s a small gesture, but it kind of goes a long way to starting a good relationship with our customers.”

And being different — in the best way — is what it’s all about for Holt, he said. In fact, the name “Pink Zebra” is a spin on the concept of the “purple cow” that he learned from the Seth Godin book “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.”

Holt counts the book as a major influence in his entrepreneurial career, he said, learning from it that there’s more to success than just working hard. Learning how to stand out from the crowd is a big part of it, too, because that’s what makes a business memorable, he said.

And in a more literal sense, the pink-striped moving trucks are hard to miss driving down the road. The company’s zebra mascot, Zeke, is also a fun and memorable character.

William said Holt’s passion and vision are what drew him and his wife to open their own Pink Zebra franchise in Auburn. Though he has some entrepreneurial knowledge of

his own, William noted that the help from Holt and his team has been a huge blessing throughout the whole process.

“There’s so many little things, and they just helped us every step along the way,” William said. “That’s one of the benefits of being one of the early adopters here is we had so much attention from Ron and his team. They’re really committed to making this right. And now that we’re open, we still have weekly check-in calls, then we have a separate call that’s only focused on customer experience.”

Now, it’s safe to say William has caught the entrepreneurial bug and is just as excited for the future of Pink Zebra as Holt is. The Auburn franchise started with about 12 employees with plans to keep growing.

“It’s a hard job, but that’s what’s really exciting is to be able to create jobs and opportunities for all these team members,” he said. “We want to have a great customer experience, but we also want to have a great employee experience. … I just believe so much in this model and this business and the market that we’re in that I just know we’re going to be successful.”

Auburn’s Pink Zebra Moving office is located at 1625 E. University Drive, Suite 106. Lake Martin is also included in Auburn’s service area. Call 334-833-1338 or visit www. pinkzebramoving.com for more information.

Pink Zebra mascot Zeke

Brewing Up A Good Time

Photos from last year’s Oktoberfest in Auburn, Alabama

Photos from last year’s Oktoberfest in Auburn, Alabama

Story By Livi Welch

Photos By Matt Austin

There’s still plenty of summer sun and relaxing by the pool to go around, but fall will be here quicker than you can say, “BOO!” And what screams fall more than Auburn’s very own Oktoberfest.

This tradition began back in 2008 and has exploded in popularity since. Now, it has become one of the largest beer festivals in the South, with hundreds flocking to Auburn University’s Ag Heritage Park to enjoy all of the beer, food, games, contests and live music imaginable. And, after a two year hiatus, the festival is back.

Boasting some of the greatest breweries in the country, Oktoberfest is a hub for local talent, including Avondale Brewing, Folklore Brewing & Meadery, Good People Brewing Company, Red Clay Brewing Company and more. Check out all of the breweries that will be attending the festival at www.auoktoberfest.com/breweries.

Swing by the main stage where Kidd Blue will be rocking the house down. Additionally, the War Damn Polka Band will provide entertainment throughout the evening.

Those who are interested in the science behind it all won’t want to miss a presentation by the graduate team from AU Brew. The Graduate Certificate program, concerned with preparing students for achievement in the malting, brewing and distilling industries, will be shown alongside the Master of Science program, which includes further study of the craft brewing industry.

And what is an ice cold beer without food to go with it? Grab some grub from one of the many food trucks at the festival, including Amsterdam Café, Franky Junes Weeny Wagon, The Boar’s Breath, The Yard Milkshake Bar and more.

Feeling competitive? Enter one of the many contests and compete against other attendees. There will be weiner dog racing contests, Mr. and Mrs. Oktoberfest, chicken dances and the ever-famous Sam Adams stein hoisting competition.

Other games have yet to be announced.

This year’s Oktoberfest is Saturday, Sept. 23, but folks can head over to Hey Day Market a day early for an Oktoberfest feast, complete with a family-style dinner and music from the War Damn Polka Band.

Come out to Ag Heritage Park from 4 to 8 p.m. for some fall fun. Tickets went on sale July 1 and can be purchased at www. auoktoberfest.com/tickets.

Destruction in Creation’s Service

Column And Photos By Sam DiChiara

Town Creek Park, Auburn, Alabama

As I write this, it’s late on a July afternoon in Auburn and I’ve gone from searching for a good photo in Town Creek Park to wandering through the adjacent cemetery, to sitting on a stone bench by a family mausoleum and wondering why we all agree that cemeteries are morbid. I’ll be the first to admit that they are essentially just rolling fields of headstones inscribed with the names of countless dead people, but hear me out; cemeteries are

where life begins.

For thousands of years, people have debated whether an afterlife follows the ones we live on Earth. While I will leave that debate to the theologians and the mystics, one fact isn’t up for debate: When you die, every single cell in your body will be physically integrated into other living beings.

When we say a body “disintegrates” in the ground, what we mean is that each cell in that body gets unintegrated from the

whole organism it used to be a part of (i.e., you) so it can then be reintegrated into the soil, the plants, the animals and the whole ecosystem of a world yet to exist.

According to what physicists call the Law of Conservation of Mass, matter is never created or destroyed, only ever rearranged in space. For example, fire does not technically destroy any of the matter it burns — it just converts it into smoke and ash. Similarly, death doesn’t destroy a human body. It just converts it into biomatter that is then reconfigured into other organisms.

In her essay, “Destruction as the Cause of Coming into Being,” Sabina Spielrein writes, “During reproduction, a union of female and male cells occurs. The unity of each cell thus is destroyed and, from the product of this destruction, new life originates. Following production of a new generation, many lower creatures, e.g., the Mayfly, forfeit their lives, dying off. Creation for this organism is undertaken for survival and is simultaneously destructive for the adult. The individual must strongly hunger for this new creation in order to place its own destruction in creation’s service.”

The idea of looking down at one’s children from heaven is, no doubt, a beautiful one. Many people of faith take comfort in that hope. But here’s what every last one of us is guaranteed:

To contribute 37.2 trillion cells, freed from a lifetime of holding together a fragile body that could only ever exist under the most precarious conditions, to the birth of the next generation of the world. To, in the act of visceral release and reabsorption into the Earth that will nourish our children and constitute the very ground they walk on, say to them, “This is my body, given for you.”

This side of death is easier to see while the sun is still up — before it shoots its last oblique amber ray across the graveyard landscape blanketed in names and dates. It’s the darkness in death that scares us. The unknown, the fear of oblivion. But here in the light, it’s clear to see that, whereas phoenixes may rise reborn from the ashes, humans do something even more spectacular and become the soil from which every future generation springs forth.

Sam DiChiara is the operations manager at MAK Media Team and a host of The Lee County Listener. He has a master’s degree in English Creative Writing from Auburn University. He writes about philosophy, technology and ethics. He can reach him at sdichiara13@gmail.com.

To tune in to The Lee County Listener, visit www. opelikaobserver.com.

Bill Trant, Coley Trant, Gene Ward, Allison Owens, Ginger Gray-Busby, Paul Kemp, David Phillips, Roger Hughes, Lee Smith, Linda Stewart, John McCollum, Bobby McBurney

Preserving History at the Jones Store Museum

Story and Photos By Ethan Stamper

Jones Store Museum, Smiths Station, Alabama

“JONES” in bright red lettering backed on a white sign is the first thing that catches the eye as you approach the Historic Jones Store Museum.

Under your feet lies a path with names dedicated to those who have provided an unforgettable service to Smiths Station, memorialized forever in stone. An American flag waves proudly on a white column post that gives support to the red roof overhead.

Two white rocking chairs wait in rest on either side of the red brick staircase that leads up to the door. The scene from outside already makes you feel like you’ve traveled back to the early 1900s, and you then realize that you haven’t even stepped a foot in the door of the Jones Store.

George Wyatt Jones built the Jones Store around 1910. He and his wife, Maggie Huguley Jones, operated the store in the Smiths Station area for decades. The couple settled in the area in the late 1800s and opened their store on Old Opelika Road on the present-day site of Smiths Station High School. They sold a large variety of general goods to the public, some of which have been recreated and are on display inside the museum.

The museum tells the story of George and Maggie and houses many of the items they used to operate their store, such as business ledgers and the original cash register from the 1900s. A hand-stitched quilted

blanket hangs on the wall by the table George and Maggie would eat at every morning to prepare themselves for the coming day. Many of George’s original tools are on display as well, along with his keys. While the museum tells the story of the Jones Store and how it operated during its time, it also places a large focus on preserving and educating people about all of Smiths Station’s rich history.

In 2017, the structure was gifted to the city and relocated to the Smiths Station Government Center Campus the same year. Following restoration, the structure reopened as the Historic Jones Store Museum at a ceremony held on July 12, 2019.

The Jones family offered the Jones Store to the city and former Smiths Station Mayor LaFaye Dellinger accepted the building before the end of her final term. It was officially adopted by the city shortly after current Smiths Station Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland came into office, so the oversight of what exactly to do with the Jones Store fell to him.

“I became mayor, and I had a building, and I really didn’t have any idea what to do with this building,” Copeland said. “Once the building was on site, it became a vision of mine to have a museum to preserve some of our town’s history.”

The city of Smiths Station’s Historical Commission was then established in 2018 and was tasked with the preservation of the town’s

history and oversight of the Jones Store Museum, but the current layout for the museum came from Copeland himself.

“What I wanted to do was make half of it like the original grocery store it was, and on the other half, we made a museum,” Copeland said. “In the middle, we built a display case of the people that were influential in making Smiths Station what it is today.”

The displays and the people they feature act as a guide through Smiths Station’s history as each story builds another important piece of the mythos of the town. Some of these impactful individuals and their stories are found on description plaques throughout the museum as follows:

Smiths Station was first settled in 1738. The Central of Georgia Railroad was extended through the community from Columbus, Georgia, to Opelika, Alabama, in 1845. The depot was named for Broadus Smith, a prominent early settler who lived near the city’s current location.

Everett L. Debrow Sr. was the first Black principal in Lee County, Alabama, serving as the “leader of the tribe” at Wacoochee High School from September 1956 to May 1974.

Malinda Coker was a midwife who delivered hundreds of babies for several decades in the Smiths Station area. There wasn’t a doctor in the area, so the local veterinarian, Dr. Sam Jones assisted her during many deliveries.

After watching his neighbor’s home burn to the ground, A.C. Simmons, along with the help of other members of the community,

converted a gas truck into a fire truck and raised money to establish Smiths Station’s first fire department. He was later the second chief to serve the department.

Tennis Clinton Briton was the first head coach in the history of Smiths Station High School’s football program. From 1956 to 1968, he helped mold the Panthers into a dominant force and compiled a 9923 record in 13 seasons. In 1991, he was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.

LaFaye Dellinger led the effort for incorporating Smiths Station and on June 22, 2001, the city was founded. Dellinger ran in a special election the following month and was elected mayor. From 2001 to 2016, she served in that position, working alongside city council members to lay a lasting foundation for Smiths Station.

Another important piece of history for the town was the March 3, 2019, tornado that caused over $600 million in damage to the town and put multitudes in the hospital. The museum houses a display that shows various objects from the wreckage that was found, and photos of people participating in the recovery efforts as a community.

For anyone interested in becoming a part of Smiths Station history, you can buy a commemorative brick for $50 and have it placed along the walkway to the museum. Purchases can be made in the City Hall and proceeds go to upkeep and maintenance of the museum.

The museum is open for tours every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and private tours can be scheduled by calling Smiths Station City Hall at 334-297-8771.

There are several historical items located in the Jones Store that tell the history of Smiths Staiton, Alabama.

A Sweet Dream in Sylacauga

Story And Photos By Kendyl Hollingsworth

Blue Bell Creamery, Sylacauga, Alabama

A scoop of Krazy Kookie Dough ice cream

Life is like a bowl of ice cream — as sweet as you make it.

If you’re like me, you’d probably eat ice cream breakfast. I would eat ice cream in December. In fact, I would eat ice cream in a blizzard in the middle of the North Pole.

And while I believe all ice cream is good ice cream, there is one particular brand that has always been a cut above the rest in my book: Blue Bell Ice Cream. There’s just something about the richness and creaminess of Blue Bell that makes even its most vanilla flavors stand out from the crowd. The Brenham, churning since 1907. According to Blue Bell’s website, what was originally called the Brenham Creamery Company

started out making butter from excess cream that local farmers brought in, but a few years later the company began making ice cream, as well and delivering it to neighbors. It wasn’t until 1930 that the company changed its name to Blue Bell, named after the Texas bluebell wildflower. In 1958, Blue Bell officially shifted its focus to making ice cream full

Today, Blue Bell has expanded to include another production facility, dozens of distribution branches and retailers in nearly half of the United States. In fact, my good friend in Arizona also swears by Blue Bell — her favorite flavor is Cookie Two Step — and claims all other ice cream is a disappointment in comparison. back that Blue Bell

creamery in operation, my Sweet Home Alabama got a whole lot sweeter.

Back in June, I hopped on U. S. Highway 280 from Auburn, and drove about an hour northwest to Sylacauga, then took a turn into town before I reached the colossal creamery on North Norton Avenue, just a few blocks from the local high school.

There wasn’t a ton of parking space that I could see, but I was able to snag a space out front, right near the front doors.

My solo field trip was a welcome break in the workweek, as the creamery is closed on weekends.

Upon entering through the grand front doors, you’ll find there are two levels of the creamery. The bottom floor is where the magic literally happens — the production floor where the workers flit about like busy bees to keep the ice cream coming. But for the rest of us, as visitors to this magical land, the second floor is where we can get a taste of that magic.

Unfortunately, the Sylacauga creamery does not offer guided tours at the moment. But the second floor does provide a fantastic view of the production floor, so you can observe the process from start to finish. There is also an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and country store.

When I reached the top of the steps, the room was bustling with about as much activity as the production floor. There were families, friends and a small army of summer campers — a particularly busy day for the small-town facility.

But as I waited for the campers to finish up at the ice cream parlor, that gave me a chance to learn more about how my favorite ice cream goes from farm to factory to store to belly.

The walls are lined with illustrations of each step in the process — 13 in total. It came as no surprise to me that Blue Bell has stuck to its roots in using the freshest cream available.

I felt much like a queen surveying her kingdom as I looked out over the production floor. There are three huge windows to look through, ensuring everyone has a chance to see the magic being made. I could see about 50 employees down below among all kinds of factory contraptions.

As it goes with factories, it was clear that everything has a process. The front end of the factory focused on production of gallon-sized containers of creamy goodness, while the back end cranked out pint-sized containers. From what I could tell, an employee pours hordes of ice cream lids into a giant bin, which has a belt that picks up a few at a time and takes them straight up to a pathway where they can

travel single-file to their next point in the process. The whole thing reminded me of a miniature roller coaster, or a Rube Goldberg machine.

There were also machines that rotated to place the containers and pump the perfect amount of ice cream into each. In the end, employees gather the full containers and pack them into boxes to be shipped off to their next destination.

As the last of the summer campers cleared out of the parlor, I observed the “Official TasteTester” photo-op and a small statue of the iconic young girl leading a cow that became part of the Blue Bell logo. The campers had a great time being “tastetesters” and running around with their little Blue Bell hats, much like the ones you can get at Krispy Kreme.

I tried to hide my excitement as I took my place in line at the parlor. There were 24 flavors available, including all the classic favorites and even one of Blue Bell’s newest creations: Dr Pepper Float ice cream (Sadly, they weren’t offering my favorite seasonal flavor: Bride’s Cake.).

This may come as a shock, but I am not a fan of chocolate. I never have been (Believe me, I wish I liked it!). Therefore, I was thrilled to find that the parlor was offering the Krazy Kookie Dough flavor. It’s a bright, yellow cake batter ice cream filled with colorful bits of sugar cookie dough.

Imagine that — a cookie dough ice cream sans chocolate chips. Another reason for me to love Blue Bell. As if I needed another reason to rejoice, a huge scoop of the stuff costs

exactly $1 — no more, no less. I sat upon a wooden stool at the counter in the back and savored my scoop.

I finished out my visit to the creamery with a necessary trip inside the country store. There was all kinds of Blue Bell merchandise available, from T-shirts and bags to ice cream scoops, lip balm and keychains. Of course, I picked up a Cookie Two Step keychain for my Arizona friend and a Strawberry one for my pink-obsessed friend. I also got a pint-sized ice cream koozie for those nights when I just need to down a whole pint in bed while I binge-watch a show on Netflix.

Although the store is small, I like to take my time looking around and could easily have spent up to an hour in there. I realize that more reasonable people may only need to spend five to 10 minutes browsing. I definitely plan to come back and bring a friend next time.

I wouldn’t count on spending a whole day at the creamery, but overall, I have no regrets from my first visit to this magical place. For ice cream fanatics and Blue Bell fanboys, I’d say this is a must-try experience — it may just leave you screaming for more.

The Blue Bell Creamery is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed on weekends, so if you work during the week, you may need to plan a special trip on a day off, but it is worth it.

For more information about Blue Bell and its creameries, visit www.bluebell.com.

Visitors can pose for a photo as Blue Bell taste testers during their visit.

Creating Art, Joy, Creativity

We encourage all of you to submit your works of photography, art, poetry, short stories and more. We are looking to publish creative work by our community in each of our non-themed issues. If you have something you’d like to share, please email us at editor@opelikaobserver.com

Poetry

The Glass Half

By Livi Welch

Maybe I could blame it on the gauche gamble of genetics like most people do. Or the hatred of Life’s cruel hammer honing on the highmost part of my brain, the part where the black-tongued sprites of might lie in wait for every internal debate that skates across the clouded chaotic rink of my human psyche.

Maybe the soft soothing of a calm voice as my hand clutches cold plastic in a café booth could make my rubber band mind less elastic, like most people do.

But I can no longer offer a scoff-hidden smile while you dig into my “inner child” to fix fix fix the broken pieces and snip snip snip the bad feelings free because I will always be the chick that tumbled from the nest too soon, the kid with eyes rimmed red who cries when the dog dies in the film and pushes the half-empty glass onto the floor.

Now it is shattered and splintered and serene, unshackled from its man-made contortion.

I dare you: Look.

Poetry

The Daughter You Placed On The Shelf

By Livi Welch

You will not reach for my hand, for this chore, this gray shuffle down the grocery. Labels entomb us. They tell us what we must have — false promises of which you graze, place in our life-cart. I stumble; I try to keep you close, color in your lines. Will you check me off, nestled between cabbage and carrots on the list you thumb, what tasks life designates? Or will you brush past my aisle, just as you will not reach for my hand. You did not know this moment we clutch now a decade back, cradling that pink stick, your marriage Messiah. Now you trudge through duty. You cross off the meetings and melons; You pair golf bets and grapefruit but shy from your flesh, your blood, never the one you reach for.

Time

By Samantha Santiago

Sitting, waiting and breathing life. Time.

Ticking, passing, ceasing life. Time.

Energy, excitement and dismay. Time is how to control the day. Freedom, passion and drifting dreams. Time is the hope that let’s us breathe. Too fast, too slow or not enough. Time is what makes each passing tough. So in the sitting, waiting and breathing... Your life is ticking, passing and fading. If memories will never cease their minds In the moments of air, remember time.

Creativity

By John Atkinson

Idrove to a wedding in Birmingham yesterday and stayed in the slow lane the whole way. Why? To follow the guidelines for the best fuel economy, of course. No, not really. Actually, it was to be reminded of life before and during the 1980s. Back when a sizable portion of Highway 280 was only two lanes, and passing a car was harder than passing a stone.

Remaining in the slow lane yesterday, I became somewhat intimate with a couple of trucks. One Chevy was hauling a trailer with a sofa. I wondered how many times it would have to be re-positioned in the den before mama was happy. And boy was I glad when Frank Wilson in the gray Dodge Turtle, with the 61 tag, exited in Sylacauga. He was probably glad, too.

At this slower pace, you can learn a lot. Such as there are 31 churches between The Bottle and Chelsea, and another 244 signs directing you to churches no more than ¾ mile off the road. And all of them invite you to bring your young-uns to VBS this summer.

If you live along this 91.2 mile stretch of asphalt and cannot find a farm supply store, a Dollar General, a sketchy motel, a used car lot, an auto repair shop run by the cousin of the owner of the used car lot, or an auto junkyard run by the second cousin of the owner of the auto repair shop, you need to visit an optometrist. Didn’t see one of those.

There’s also an un-Godly number of 1970s metal pre-fab buildings on 280. Some of ‘em, ironically, try to sell the look of being a manufacturer of pre-fab metal. But they could just as well be a repair shop for semis or dump trucks. Or Chinese spy balloons.

I wasn’t convinced of their use, so I peaked inside one. And there, after years of looking, I finally found the poker-playing dogs who have been immortalized on velvet and canvas. Maybe even burlap. Anyway, there was a “Dog Days of Summer Poker Classic” tourney taking place. I didn’t disturb, but through the smoke, I could faintly see a Pug at one table. He had the most chips, by far. Good boy, Webby.

The 280 corridor has its fair share of adult toy stores as well. Come on, get your mind out of the kudzu-covered ditch; I’m referring to boats, 4-wheelers, campers, tractors and portable buildings. I’m also referring to yard sales, one of which you can get to by following the directions on a 5-gallon bucket. Resourceful bunch there in Coosa County.

What “Birmingham Highway” is missing though are three throwbacks to yesteryear, including the aforementioned Bottle where I worked for Ken Story in the ‘80s. An historic marker fills the void there now where once I dodged cars racing around the curve as I pumped full-service gas.

Farther up the road, Robin’s, “Home of the Grouchy Burger,” is now one of those used car lots in Childersburg. And it deserves a historic marker of its own! Prior to becoming Robin’s, it was the oldest Dairy Queen in Alabama at 55-plus years. Then, the corporate DQ stiffs disqualified (DQed) the local franchisee for not sticking to the exact DQ menu. Maybe the grouchy burger gave them a complex.

Lastly, there’s the Twilight 280 Drive-In in Harpersville. The twin-cinema didn’t opened until 2006, but the nostalgic charm of a mom-n-pop drive-in instantly attracted mom and pop from their recliners. They had a nice 10-year run. Alas, it closed. And re-opened. Both in 2016. It closed for good in 2017. A roofing company in a pre-fab building (shocker) sits in the parking lot now.

One landmark still standing is Gravity Hill Road in Oak Grove. Don’t look for a sign cause ne’er-do-wells took it so many times, city officials decided to make the road a speakeasy. Only way to find it is to know someone who knows someone who is related to the local used car lot guy. I tested it today on my return flight to Opelika. It’s still uphill both ways. That’s a good thing.

Perhaps my fondest memory of Highway 280 is when I joined the family of J.D. McGill in early 1989 for the opening of the 4-lane portion this side of Dadeville. Sadly, J.D. was only there in spirit when the bridge opened in his memory.

J.D. was the division engineer for the Alabama Highway Department office in Alex City. For the final 15 of his 32 years with the AHD, he drove about 43 miles one way in 2-lane traffic to reach his office. He knew firsthand how badly the widening of 280 was needed. However, life took a left turn for J.D. in December 1987 when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain tumor). He would die a year later, just months before seeing his hard work pay off.

With these kinds of memories, you can understand why I decided to stay in the slow lane again today. And you know what, I think I got better gas mileage. Maybe I should get one of those Dodge Turtles like Mr. Wilson.

Short Stories

Things My Mother Taught Me

By Renee Messing

Growing up in a home with a schizophrenic* parent taught me a thing or two about life. Of course, at the time those lessons were hard; and they were beautiful. Back then, in the ‘60s, the state of our mental health system was atrocious. As a child, I did not know that. As a child, I only knew that my mother was not like other mothers, and by the time I was a young teen, my goal in life was to get as far away from her as possible. And I did. At the tender age of 17, I moved across the country from New York to Iowa. The memory of that day is forever etched in my mind, it was the first time I ever remember my mother saying “I Love You”.

I began my — new life — with nothing. A suitcase that contained about two weeks’ worth of clothing, an extra pair of shoes and a few precious items that would remind me over the years that I had a family even if I could not be a part of it. I was a strong willed, very young girl who had all the answers to all the questions. And I was wrong.

The relationship between my mother and I was strained to say the least. As mental health care improved and medications evolved, she got better; never quite normal but as close to normal as she could be. I wasn’t there to see it, just like she wasn’t there to see that I too, had grown, became more than a bull-headed know-it-all. Over the years we tried so hard to find common ground, most times failing but never giving up. And then one day, after I’d been married with children of my own, much to

my surprise, mom came to live with us. Her health had declined, and she asked to move in with me. Me! We did not know each other, in fact we didn’t even like each other much, but that’s how God works. He makes the impossible, possible. For seven years we grew our relationship. It was not easy, especially in her final year. But when she died, with me by her side, we knew each other, we loved each other. She was my best friend.

Though I didn’t know it then, during those seven years, she taught me all the things that she couldn’t when I was a child, lessons that now serve me well as I enter my own season of aging. A season when my own memories are sometimes hard to reach and my body no longer cooperates as it once did.

Compassion — The decision to take my estranged mother in, when my own children were at the age I was when I had decided to make it on my own, was to this day, the most difficult decision of my life. What if she was crazy again? What if she affected my children the way she affected me? What if we just could not get along? But I wanted to love her, I mean really love her. The way a daughter ought to love her mother. I understood mental illness, not to the degree she did, but one does not grow up with a schizophrenic parent and not come away with their own baggage. Mom taught me compassion. The ability to see far beyond who someone seems to be, and see them as they are. A human being, deserving of all the wonderful gifts and pleasures, understand and care that every human deserves.

“M om taught me compassion. The ability to see far beyond who someone seems to be, and see them as they are. A human being, deserving of all the wonderful gifts and pleasures, understand and care that every human deserves.”

Forgiveness — True childhood memories for me begin at around age 13. I don’t know which of my memories are true and which are not because as a young child I remember with the maturity of a young child. Mom taught me that forgiveness comes without strings, even though the memory might still be painful, even if an apology never comes or isn’t the kind of apology we think we deserve. To forgive but leave strings attached to the hurt is not forgiveness, it is a wound waiting to fester. She taught me to forgive myself as well, an area I struggle with, but we are all works in progress. She was a text book example of how a person can grow and do better when they know better. She taught me to never hold someone’s past over their head, maybe we were a part of that past, but we only think we know what it was like for them, and we are probably wrong.

Unconditional Love — In her own way, she loved me from the moment I was born. Her mental illness prevented her from being able to express it in a way I could understand. I was angry the day I left, I believed had I remembered her saying “I Love You” just once growing up, I would have stayed. That is a lie I told myself for to many years, a means to justify my bullheadedness. The truth is, there are many more good memories than bad. Memories are funny that way, it seems easy to remember the bad times and forget the good, for me, the good did indeed outweigh the bad. She taught me sometimes love is so very hard to see; to feel, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. That love is not a feeling that we can take on and off like a coat. It is work. It is a commitment. And it is only ever gone if we allow it to be.

Joy — I have always accredited my humor to my dad, he was an incredibly funny man. No matter the circumstance he found joy in it, but he died when I was 16, and for most of his adult

life, he was an over the road trucker**. Though no doubt he did help nurture the humor I have been known to muster, it was my mom who through it all, found ways to take a bad situation and live joyfully. Daily she found reasons to smile even during the times when there was little to smile about, to find passion in the art of painting, to embrace who she was in spite of the cards she was dealt. She taught me that like love, joy is a choice. Because of her, finding the humor, the joy in a particular situation is a one of the greatest blessing I have ever received. Perseverance — We have all heard the sayings “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” and “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Both are rather silly, albeit effective ways, to remind us to persevere. When I was young, I saw my mom as weak; she was anything but. It was her will to move forward that in the end proved to be her greatest strength. She taught me that no matter the trials in this life, the uncertainties, get up every day and work to be better than you were the day before. There will be failures, some massive, some insignificant; but standing still is not an option.

In this season of my life, when sometimes my memory fails me and my body does not cooperate, standing still is like saying I have no purpose left, my usefulness is done. It’s not. I have stories to tell and laughs to share, I’ve not yet learned all that I want to learn. I will forever be grateful to my mom for creating in me the desire to live fully until I take my last breath.

*I am not 100% certain about my mothers diagnosis, she never revealed it, but was told such by a close family member.

**I am not 100% certain of my fathers employment history, though I do know before he became ill, he drove tractor trailers.

All-Pro Septic, 82

AuburnBank, 46

Ballard Pest Management, 25

Beauregard Drugs, 61

Boar’s Breath, 81

Budget Blinds, 43

Butcher Paper BBQ, 59

Closet’s By Design, 3

Day’s Hair Salon, 82

Edward Jones, 25

Frederick Dean Funeral Home, 81

Glynn Smith Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, 84

Good Karma, 60

Goree’s Furniture Express, 80

Harvest Thrift, 61

Hilyer & Associates, CPAs, 20

Huddle House, 61

Jay & Susie Gouge Performing Arts, 18, 19

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home, 59

Key Media LLC, 83

Market St. Paint Shop, 25

Meals Chiropractic, 7

Oline Price, Lee Co. Revenue Commissioner, 52

Orthopedic Clinic, 2

Perception Therapy, 6

Price Small Engine, 42

Sheriff Jay Jones, 43

Simply Media, 38

Stitch Therapy, 59

Summer Village, 7

Sweet Gee’s Restaurant and Catering, 60

Trinity Christian, 7

Tripp Walton Law, 20

Ursula’s Catering, 60

Wadkin’s Metal, 6

Whitt’s Auto, 20