38 minute read
This and That
This & tHAT i
UAB's Alys Stephens Center Presents Chris Bottis
Sunday, March 6, 7:00PM, Jemison Concert Hall, UAB's Alys Stephens Center. For over two decades, Grammy Awardwinning master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti has amassed a spectacular variety of honors, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, to become the nation’s largest selling instrumental artist. His mesmerizing performances with a stunning array of legends such as Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli have cemented his place as one of the most brilliant and inspiring forces of the contemporary music scene. Whether he’s performing with illustrious symphonies or at renowned venues around the globe, his unparalleled crystalline and poetic sound transcends musical boundaries. www.alysstephens.org
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Help Feed the Elderly-Senior Nutritional Program
The Montgomery Area Food Bank needs volunteers on an ongoing basis to pack food boxes for our elderly neighbors living in poverty. The boxes are filled with nutritious food for low-income people age 60 or older as part of the food bank's Commodity Supplemental Nutrition Program. Anyone age 16 or older can participate! If you have an available morning or afternoon, please consider joining this organization and their efforts to end area hunger. To register to help or for further information, please contact Shannon Sears at 334-245-7287 or visit www.handsonriverregion.org
On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from noon to 1:30 p.m., Susan Moore of Moore Wealth Management, Inc. (MWM) will conduct a complimentary and without obligation “Maximizing Social Security” webinar. The workshop will review how Social Security works and will include a discussion on President Biden’s proposals to reform Social Security. There will be both a live and recorded version. If you would like to be included in the webinar, please call the Moore Wealth Management office for further information or reservations at 334.270.1672, or email sarah@moorewealthmanagement.com. If you miss the webinar, we also offer free Susan Clayton Moore, J.D. consultations that are without obligation. The workshop will cover how the Social Security system works in general. Specifically, the workshop will discuss different techniques to maximize Social Security including when and how to file, how to lessen taxes on Social Security, and special rules that impact widows and widowers, divorcees and spousal benefits.
Local Financial Advisor Offers “Maximizing Social Security” webinar
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BOOM! starts conversations and shares stories. Share your business with BOOM! readers. For more information call/text 334.324.3472 or visit www.riverregionboom.com
A New Experience: Shen Yun at the BJCC
Don’t miss the chance to be inspired by art that connects heaven and earth–full of beauty, humor, drama, and wisdom. It’s a theatrical experience your family will never forget. Purchase tickets here. The culture of ancient China was divinely inspired. Shen Yun invites you to travel back to the magical world of ancient China. Experience a lost culture through the incredible art of classical Chinese dance, and see legends come to life. Shen Yun makes this possible by pushing the boundaries of the performing arts, with a unique blend of stunning costuming, high-tech backdrops, and an orchestra like no other. “Exquisitely beautiful. An extraordinary experience for us and the children. ” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress, “The spirit of hope, beauty and the blessing is a fabulous gift to us. I Want to go again! ” — Sine McKenna, award-winning Celtic singer, “Shen Yun brought something most needed in this world—hope: hope for a better world, hope for a better future, hope for a better life.” —Jesse Miranda, producer.
www.shenyun.com/Birmingham
Alabama Dance Theatre Presents Beauty and the Beast
Alabama Dance Theatre is proud to bring back this sumptuous fairytale choreographed by its very own Sara Sanford. Beauty & the Beast remains one of ADT’s most extravagant performances to date, with stunning costumes, lighting, and scenery. Inspired by the original French fairy tale, La Belle et la Bête, our story begins in the halls of a palace deep within the French countryside. A prince, cold and aloof by nature, pays no mind to the suffering of others. One night an Enchantress visits him disguised as an old beggar woman. When he turns her away, she reveals herself to the prince -- and in his horror he throws himself upon her mercy. She transforms him into a hideous beast, and binds the spell with an enchanted rose. Each petal that falls brings him closer to death, only true love can break the spell, yet who could ever love a Beast? Performances are Friday, March 4th at 7:00 pm, Saturday, March 5th at 2:00 pm* and Sunday, March 5th at 2:00 pm at Troy University’s Davis Theatre. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, February 1st and range in price from $15-$30. Tickets can be purchased online at www.alabamadancetheatre.com.
Capital City Master Gardeners Association Lunch & Learn @ The Armory,
Capital City Master Gardener
Association presents Lunch & Learn, the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They will meet at Armory Learning
Arts Building, 1018 Madison
Ave., Montgomery 36104. Mark your calendars, February 2, “Small Space Gardening”, Glenn Huovinen, Elmore County Advanced Master Gardener, will be presenting the program, “Small Space Gardening”, if you have a tiny back yard or limited areas for gardening, this program is for you. Discover some new ideas for growing flowers, fruits and vegetables, etc. all around your house. Also, March 2, "Butterflies of Alabama", Soyna Moore, Autauga County Master Gardener, will be presenting the program, “Butterflies of Alabama”. You have seen butterflies in your own backyard. Can you identify them? Do you know how to attract them? What are their feeding habits? Join us for this Lunch and Learn program and find out! This will be fun! Plan to wear your mask and socially distance, as mandated by the City of Montgomery. BRING A SACK LUNCH, FREE PROGRAM, WATER PROVIDED, For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org.
This & tHAT i
Prattville’s 18th Annual Mardi Gras Parade and Celebration will be held on February 12th.
Get ready for fun for the entire family, with fun activities, shopping, and food. The celebration will begin at 11:00 a.m., with arts and crafts vendors, food vendors and other specialty vendors, as well as children’s activities located at Heritage Park on Court Street by the Autauga Creek Dam and another vendor area in the Partners in Pediatrics parking lot off Main Street. The Mardi Gras Parade will roll out at 2:00 p.m. from the corner of 4th and Court Streets by the Autauga County Courthouse, with floats, music, dancers, cars and lots of Moon Pies, beads, candy and trinkets! For more information or to get a parade or vendor application, visit the City of Prattville website at www.prattvilleal.gov or contact the Special Events office at 334-595-0850.
Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre Presents “Anatomy of Gray” a play by Jim Leonard, Jr., based in the little town of Gray, Indiana, filled with heartache, death, and mystery, brought to life on stage for your entertainment. The play will open Thursday, February 10, at 7:30, and will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30, and Sundays at 2:00 through February 27. For more information or to purchase tickets call the Prattville Cultural Arts office at (334)-595-0852.
Luncheon Volunteers Needed
The Montgomery Kidney Walk & Celebration is the Alabama Kidney Foundation's premier fundraising event. Proceeds assist Alabama's kidney patients who need financial assistance in order to receive vital, lifesaving treatment. A celebratory lunch is scheduled to kick off the event, and volunteers are needed to assist with a number of tasks including: • Man the Registration Table • Hand Out Masks to Attendees • Assist with Set Up and Cleanup. Click HEREto register today! Need more information? Contact Shannon Morrell at (334) 430-8716 or shannon@alkidney.org or http://volunteer.handsonriverregion.org/need/detail/?need_id=655406
Dr. Linda Holloway wins New York Big City Book Awards
Dr. Linda J. M. Holloway is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at Alabama State University. She has over 27 years of teaching experience. She is a poet, story activist, and multi-award winning children’s book author who has published 5 children books. 1) I love My Happy Hair 2021-New York Big City Book Distinguished Award (4-Star Review From Readers Favorite-2021), (2) Little Miss Linda Goes To Counseling 2021 New York Big Book Award (Five-Star Review From Readers’ Favorite-2021), (3) Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Dr. Linda Holloway Sickle Cell Disease 2020 Moonbeam Children’s Award (Five-Star Review From Readers’ Favorite-2021), (4) Little Miss Linda Speaks About Rape and (5) Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Diversity (Five-Star Review From Readers’ Favorite-2021).
Dr. Holloway is a true servant leader who lives by her life motto, “Always willing to serve.” She retired from the United States Army Reserves as Colonel after serving over 27 years. She completed four combat tours during her time: (1) Operation Desert Shield Desert Storm Farewell, (2) Two Tours to Iraq- Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and (3) Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan.
She is a native of Mound Bayou, Mississippi where she grew up on a farm with both of her parents, Mr. Eugene and Willie Lue B. Holloway along with her six sisters and two brothers. Dr. Holloway said this is where she learned many pearls of life.
Dr. Holloway attended I.T. Montgomery Elementary and John F. Kennedy High School in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. She later went to complete her undergraduate studies at Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, obtaining a B.S. in Psychology. She received her Master’s in Sociology, with an emphasis in Alcohol and Drug Studies at Jackson State University, in Jackson, Mississippi. Finally, she received her Ed.D. in Counselor Education, with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, from Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. During Dr. Holloway's spare time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, read, travel, go to the movies, and exercise. Her philosophy on life is "Dream Your Own Dreams." She is building her legacy through her own personal ministry- Women Without Limitations, where she educates, elevates, and empowers women and girls by teaching them there are no limits to what God almighty can do with your life. Linda's books can be purchased on www.amazon.com. If you would like to speak with Linda please email her at lindahollowayspeak@gmail.com
Field Trip! New Features at Exploreum Science Center Backyard Wilderness
Backyard Wilderness will surprise and entertain viewers with the unexpected wonders of nature that are right under our noses - in our own backyards. Spanning a seasonal year around a suburban home, the film displays a stunning array of unique wildlife images and behavior - all captured by cameras mounted inside dens and nests, and moving along the forest floor and pond bottom, to reveal its inhabitants in rare and breathtaking intimacy. We follow Katie, a young girl, and her modern family living next to the woods who are blind to the real-life spectacle around them, absorbed by an array of electronic devices in their busy lives. Katie gradually discovers the intricate secrets that nature has hidden so close to her front door and we experience the joy she finds in her interactions with this new world. The film reminds us that Wi-Fi is not the only connection that matters and that sometimes in ordinary places, you can uncover extraordinary things that can transform you forever - you just need to step outside. www.exploreum.com
The Science of Archimedes
The Exploreum Science Center is proud to announce its upcoming international exhibition, The Science of Archimedes. Journey back in time more than 2,000 years to discover the incredible inventions of Archimedes, the father of modern science. Handcrafted by the Artisans of Florence, Archimedes contains more than 60 exhibits and inventions, many of which are hands-on, allowing visitors the opportunity to use them in an epic, interactive environment. Guests will be encouraged to explore the innovative machines that continue to influence the technologies of today (many of which are powered by sustainable energy sources).
www.exploreum.com/exhibits/special/
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Photo - Snowy cabin at Cheaha State Park by Ashley Dennis
The first snowfall of 2022 turned a few of our parks into Winter Wonderlands. With over 700 lodging rooms, 2600 campsites and 200 cabins, the Alabama State Parks provides overnight accommodations for just about anyone. Make your plans!
www.alapark.com
Sylvia has been with Home Care
Assistance of Montgomery since
September 2020. Over the last few months Ms. Sylvia has “SHOWED
UP AND SHOWED OUT”. Sylvia is reliable, efficient, encouraging, valuable, respectful, soft spoken, and compassionate. She is loved by both the clients and family members alike. Sylvia is always there when we need her, willing to give a helping hand.
Caregiver of the Month Spotlight: SYLVIA COMER
“Kindness transforms someone’s dark moments with a bolt of LIGHT. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!” HCA SALUTES YOU
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE Margaret & Terry
"Like Dory Says, Just Keep Swimming"
This month’s cover profile is a couple who has made Montgomery their home since 1999. Margaret and Terry Barber, both engage with the River Region in unique ways. Margaret is a ceramic artist and serves as the Arts Program Coordinator at the Montgomery Cultural Arts Center (formerly the Armory Learning Arts Center) where they offer an extensive variety of art classes to our community. A great way for you to tap into your creativity! Terry is a radio man. He owns 2 radio stations, 95.5 WRBZ and Praise 96.5 WMGY, Montgomery’s Local Black Gospel station. The Barbers raised their children in Montgomery and have made a commitment to invest their time and energy into making the quality of life here in the River Region better for all of us. Oh, by the way, Terry is also the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Alabama National Fair, which has been operated by the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery for 69 years, raising millions of dollars for local charities. If you need to know something about hiking, Margaret has experiences that will inspire, can you say, Camino de Santiago in Spain. We recently sat down with Margaret and Terry for a closer look at their life’s story, they are a true pleasure to know. We think you’ll enjoy getting to know them too, especially Terry’s secret to marriage and Margaret’s hiking adventures.
BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, family, etc?
Margaret and Terry: We are both from Mississippi. We met in college after our freshman year while living on campus at Hinds Jr College. Terry later graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in marketing and Margaret graduated from Mississippi University for Women with a degree in graphics arts. The schools were about 30 miles apart which helped us in the decision to marry our junior year of college. After graduation we moved to Orlando Fl. We returned to Mississippi about a year later for Terry to manage a radio station. Several radio stations and several stops later took us to Tupelo, MS where all three of our sons were born. In 1999, Terry was offered an opportunity to move to Montgomery and manage some radio stations. Absent a brief period of Terry making a daily commute to Birmingham, all of Terry's professional work has been in Montgomery since 1999. We made a decision before being blessed with children that Margaret would pause her career and be at home with the kids. BOOM!: Margaret, you’re an artist who makes beautiful pottery, how does someone become a ceramic artist? What makes your handmade pottery distinct? Where can readers purchase your pottery? Does your husband Terry ever make pottery with you?
Margaret:
Being a ceramic artist takes a LOT of practice, and I've made LOTS of ugly thick pots! My first ceramics class was in college. After working in graphic design, I just kept going back to clay. I work in stoneware clay, and I have gravitated toward an Alabama clay from Brent, Alabama, that Eric Miller still digs and processes near his home. I incorporate my own handmade stamps, and I use a good bit of slip trailing...kind of like cake decorating with clay slip. Currently, someone could contact me directly to
The Wedding
The Dance
purchase work. Terry likes to go to festivals and SELL my work. Years ago, Terry would sit in the studio with me for hours! 36 years later, he's been asleep for hours when I come in from the studio. Terry has always been my biggest cheerleader! He contributes with pricing suggestions, is good-natured with the heavy lifting, and always has solid marketing ideas. BOOM!: We understand the city of Montgomery has renamed The Armory Learning Arts Center to the Montgomery Cultural Arts Center, and you are the Arts Program Coordinator. Could you tell us more about what’s going on with the center, including what type of classes will be offered for adults? How can our readers learn more? Margaret: The Montgomery Cultural Arts Center (previously the Armory Learning Arts Center) along with the Montgomery City-County Libraries, MMFA, and Montgomery City Events exist under the recently created Department of Cultural Affairs. The MCAC is home to art classes, but also houses the Arts Council of Montgomery, and the Anita P. Folmar Gallery. The arts center offers over fifty classes (yes, 50) including painting, stained glass, papermaking and pottery, tango, zumba, sewing, doll-making, and knitting. We offer an art of film class, cooking classes, journal making, piano, voice, and art therapy, all taught by local professionals. I'd say we have a pretty full line-up. We offer some classes that you and your grandchild could take together! MCAC is home to the Arts Council of Montgomery which boasts
some long-running programs such as Artistic Competition for Exceptional Students (ACES) and Doing Our Own Thing (DOOT) open to River Region students. We partner with AARP, and during the pandemic, created virtual "art classes" for folks who couldn't meet in person. The gallery hosts a dozen exhibits a year. I'm including a link to the City of Montgomery's website where folks can peruse the spring class schedule.
www.funinmontgomery.com/home/ document/15639/637743911185370000
BOOM!: Terry, you call yourself the Conductor of your company, Little Engine Broadcasting, which operates two local radio stations. Could you please share how you got involved in the radio business? What is the format for your stations? Terry: I began working at my small hometown radio station in the Spring after I turned 14. It was pretty cool for a young teenager. After a short while, I knew I had stumbled into what would become a lifelong vocation. After spending my early years as a disc jockey, I moved to the business side and began managing various radio stations in my early 20s. I have worked for the largest of radio companies and without doubt, I have worked for the smallest ones as well. In 2015, my path brought me to owning my own radio stations. My company is Little Engine Broadcasting, and our stations are 95.5 WRBZ- playing songs from the 70s and 80s and Praise 96.5 WMGY which is Montgomery's Local Black Gospel station. I named our company Little Engine after the train in the children's book. It takes a lot of confidence and courage to stand around the bigger guys and say that "I think I can". I call myself "The Conductor" because after 40 years I still have trouble with the word’s "boss" and "manager". BOOM!: Terry, you’re also the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Alabama National Fair, can you share what your responsibilities are with one of the River Region’s largest annual events and fundraiser? What does the future look like for the Alabama National Fair?
The Grands
Terry: As everyone was still trying to navigate and understand Covid, my longtime friend and Executive Director of the Alabama National Fair, Randy Stephenson, asked me if I would come on board in the newly created position of Director of Sales and Marketing. I have loved a fair since I was a kid. When we moved here in 1999, I fell in love
Terry and his Mama
Terry and Margaret with sons, Michael, David, and Peden Christmas with our grandkid bakers!
with the Alabama National Fair. I always tried to work deep partnerships into the fair with the radio stations I was involved with here in Montgomery. Not only is the fair a wonderful family experience, but because of the uniqueness that
Terry celebrating his 50th at Vieques, Puerto Rico
it is owned by the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery, we are also making money that goes back into our community. Over the years, millions of dollars have gone to support children's charities here as a result of the fair. Last year was a tremendous year for the fair. Not only were people anxious for something safe and fun for their families, but the weather was spectacular. We are planning the 69th annual Alabama National Fair for this October and are looking forward to seeing all of our friends and meeting some new ones. BOOM!: Since Valentine’s Day is around the corner would you share with our readers your love story, how you met Terry launches Little Engine Broadcasting and some of the secrets to your marriage success? Margaret: I have to admit I'm not a very romantic 'valentine'...but somehow, we have managed to keep it out of the ditch for 36 years! :) As Terry mentioned, we met in Junior College. What he didn't share was it was summer school. I was trying not to fail algebra, but I was much more interested in making pottery and playing volleyball at the lake. He was on the other side of the net Doing Our Own Thing with Danae Morgan, Tara and had nice legs. Sartorius and Margaret When I asked a friend about him, she said he worked for a local radio station. In the '80s, there were no websites or social media on which to "stalk" people. I decided to find out if he really worked there, and I called the station. I NEVER DREAMED he would answer the phone! After a few minutes of awkward and embarrassing conversation, that I was sure he had NO IDEA who I was, he invited me to a cook-out. I always tease him, saying he just needed a date for that cook-out! The rest is history. Secrets to marital success?? Marriage is the hardest thing I've ever been part of. It's being a team when sometimes you feel like you are actually enemies. I believe you need to have things in common. You have to have common goals, a spiritual roadmap and humility...LOTS of humility! BOOM!: With a busy life, how do you like to spend time with family and friends? Margaret and Terry: Well, we are blessed to have family here. The last time you interviewed me, we had ONE grandchild. Our son Peden and his wife Savannah live in Montgomery, and now have three kids, 9, 6 and 3. We spend most of our time with family. The grands love to come spend the night, play in the studio, chase the chickens, and have Pop-Pop pancakes the next morning. Our son David married Ivy this fall, and they live in Mississippi, while our youngest, Michael, graduated from college in MN and moved home to start his career in Montgomery. We like card games and extended games of Catan. Terry enjoys playing poker. I enjoy morning runs, walks, and hiking with friends. BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or other activities? Margaret: I wish there were more hours in the day! As my work has changed, my focus has narrowed a bit, and the activities have become much more intentional. I help with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at our church, while Terry is involved enough in community and civic organizations for the both of us. Terry: I learned at an early age that taking part in your community is important to your family and business life. I have been a member of the Rotary Club (currently Montgomery Sunrise Rotary) for over 30 years and because of my involvement with the fair, I am also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery. I have the privilege of serving on the board of directors of the Montgomery Chamber and I am a cabinet member of the River Region United Way. BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned? Margaret and Terry: Hiking on the Appalachian Trail and walking the Camino de Santiago still rank in my top five. Ogunquit, Maine...well, any place in Maine, is a favorite of ours. Terry jokes that if he disappears, don't look for him in Maine! wink wink! I love the peacefulness and recharging available just two and a half hours down the road on the Gulf. I would like to visit Ireland and walk the pilgrimage routes there.
They are different, and not near as long as the Camino de Santiago in Spain, but strung together, these routes look like a trip of a lifetime.
BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?
Margaret: We have a small flock of laying hens. We both like to garden and of course teach kids about planting, harvesting, and cooking what you grow.
Terry: I don't know if it's because my parents grew up in the Depression with very little or because I like to eat fresh vegetables, but I have always enjoyed gardening. The satisfaction of being able to eat and share what you have grown is very rewarding. There are various pots and spots all around our home that are always sprouting something. About 10 years ago, we began raising chickens for fresh eggs. I think there is a lot of truth to the adage that you can't always take the country out of the boy.
BOOM!: Many people over 50 experience a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, or maybe new careers, especially if they’ve experienced the empty nest syndrome of their kids moving on. How would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal? How do you view the idea of retirement?
Margaret: My purpose and career have changed drastically. For 20+ years, as a ceramic artist owning my own business, I had the flexibility to volunteer and to take on projects at my leisure. When Terry started his own business, we needed healthcare! Healthcare is a primary concern for most people in our age range. Working in a city arts center as Arts Program Coordinator has been a blessing from the healthcare perspective. I have a more structured workday, but have gained valuable experience in planning and collaboration, a real renewal! My purpose has shifted from full-time mom to full-time partner and grandparent. I love having grandchildren. I want to spend as much time with them
as possible. Balancing family time and work obligations has contributed to that renewal. I don't know if either of us will ever "retire" in the typical sense. I think we may collaborate more in our businesses. With Terry's ideas and my energy, I'm not sure there's much we couldn't accomplish.
Terry: I think we kind of eased into the empty nest. Although our youngest son graduated college last year, he was in Minnesota for those four years. The change of just the two of us at home is starting to grow on me. I have to admit, it's a lot harder to blame someone for making a mess or eating the last cookie. We both know who did it. During this time, it has allowed me to spend some time thinking about what I want out of the next season of my life. Certainly, starting a business of my own has been rewarding, but maybe in the not-sodistant future, it might mean working less hours or working remotely through technology while in a different place. When the traditional retirement age was 30 years away, I think I had a better idea of what I think I wanted, but now that it's only a few years away if I wanted, it's not clear at all. The only thing that I clearly want out of retirement is to control my time as best I can and not let it control me as it has at times in the past. My mom has always told me to make sure to stop and smell the roses. I plan on smelling lots of roses in the future.
BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed? How would you describe what it means to “age well”?
Margaret: My priorities have shifted from providing for my children to living a life that my children and grands will benefit from. For me, aging well means I'm much more choosey about how I spend my time. Instead of saying "Yes!" to everything, I say yes to things I really believe in. I try to get more sleep and am more focused on how I can be what our creator intended. Eating clean and exercise are important to ward off age related health issues. Aging well means I hope to live virtuously, and for my family to benefit from that living.
Terry: Aging well? I wish I would be as diligent with that as Margaret. She exercises regularly, eats right, and makes time to read and pray. Me? Not so much.
BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a full day’s activities?
Margaret with her hiking buddies, sons, Peden and Michael on the Appalachian Trail in Southern Virginia Wedding of son David and Ivy
Camino de Santiago, Village marks the way Camino de Santiago, friend Ali, farmer, Margaret Margaret holds Certificate of Pilgrimage Completion
Margaret: I enjoy cooking or getting a bite out, and a walk in the fresh air is always relaxing!
BOOM!: Margaret, we understand you have done some serious hiking, especially the Camino de Santiago in Spain for your 50th birthday, would you share some of your hiking experiences?
Margaret: For those unfamiliar with the Camino de Santiago, it is a five-hundred-mile spiritual pilgrimage across Spain to the resting place of St. James, the apostle’s cathedral. There are several good guidebooks out there- the Brierly guide being one. There are many points of origin, and for me the pilgrimage began in a town at the base of the French Pyrenees, St. Jean Pied de Port. The hiker or pilgrim, peregrino, as we were referred to, walks each day at their own pace and stops each night at a resting place-I chose albergues, kind of like bunk houses or hostels, but in most villages, there are basic local hotels or inns. I walked between 8 and 20 miles each day, depending on my weariness. I ate local food, and most times drank from the town fountain and filled my water bottle, as pilgrims since the eighth century had done. Pilgrims carry EVERYTHING on their back (backpack) so I made sure contents were vital, but that was something that took a week or so and leaving a bunch of unnecessary stuff at an albergue, in order for that lesson to sink in!
The Camino de Santiago was an amazing and, for me, probably, a once in a lifetime trip. It WAS some serious walking, and
it allowed for some of the most concentrated contemplation and prayer time I’ve ever experienced. It also afforded me the opportunity to experience the good in God’s human creation, on a very basic level-daily life. I met some quite colorful, wise people on “the Way”. As well as viewing stunning art and architecture, enjoying Gallego soup, pulpo and chocolate croissants (that I’ve craved since coming home), I wandered through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the French Pyrenees and in Spain.
I went alone-all you ladies are going to freak out! My parents and my mom-inlaw were convinced I would be abducted, or worse. It took a while to convince Terry that the crime rate in Alabama is much higher than in Europe. It was more challenging for me, coordinating the plane, trains, hotel, and bus to get to my starting point (without knowing Spanish) than all the hiking combined. I quickly realized that one is not alone on Camino for very long! I walked mostly with a woman from England but had plenty of solitude.
Experiences are so numerous, I’m sure I’ll be uncovering memories to share for years. One of several I’ll share was experiencing the deep respect and love of Camino by the Spanish. After a fiasco of finding a church and being tardy to mass one Sunday, a tiny elderly Spaniard approached me and the woman I was walking with. He told us (she had to translate for me) how proud he was of us for walking the Camino,
Camino de Santiago, beautiful field on the Meseta A little bird lit on my shoes while stopped for a break at Roncesvalles, Northern Spain
how special a journey it was and how we would be blessed for the sacrifices we make along the way. He then struggled to lift my heavy pack and place it on my shoulders, then turned and placed my friend’s pack as well. His sincerity and reverence for our journey, brought tears to my eyes. He proceeded to escort us to his favorite cafe and would have bought us breakfast if we had allowed. Another time, I experienced the love of neighbor. There were several of us walking together in a remote area and had struggled for 20 minutes to reach the top of a large hill. At the top, the owner of the house near the crest was tending to his car. He called to us-again, no Spanish-and motioned for us to wait. He went inside and returned with four beautiful peaches from his yard-the best I’ll ever have! He must have seen how hot and tired we were. There are many more examples of love and amazing people, but another was meeting and trying to understand the life of a tiny 91-year-old woman who had lived and worked her whole life in this particular village. She shared about working fields since she was a girl, marrying and having a child, of the loss of the young daughter, and the loneliness of old age as her husband had passed and extended family moved out of the village for better jobs in the city-all while we stood beside her church, listening, clouds and sun racing across the sky. The church behind us had been her support, her salvation; her family and now only a handful were left to finish out their lives. It is about life lived, with no regrets.
Experiences included shopping for and cooking meals in the albergues with other pilgrims, and a couple times at a parish albergue all the pilgrims participated in making, cleaning up and prayer service at mealtime, another was a concert by a sweet group of nuns, always after masses there would be a pilgrim’s blessing.
The Camino’s accommodations and situations are not for everyone. I have to admit, being a modest southerner, I was initially shocked by big hairy (Speedo wearing) men wandering to and from the unisex shower facilities. But, when in Spain, right?! Sometimes the sleeping arrangements were less than “five stars”! Your sleeping area usually consisted of a bunk-(bottom if you were lucky that
day)-in a room with 20-40 others, who when the lights went out turned into freight trains with their snoring. There were aching feet and bodies, blisters, stinky clothes that had to be washed daily (usually by hand) and hung to dry-hopefully dry before morning...I would always recommend the Camino de Santiago for anyone wanting soulsearching time well spent. It was forty days of solitude, friendship, food, and spiritual growth I hope to revisit one day.
Michael, our youngest, and I have hiked sections of the AT (Appalachian Trail) for years now. North Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina are beautiful with waterfalls, rhododendron tunnels, and the occasional black bear! It seems souls seeking solitude gravitate toward these paths. There are always colorful characters on the trail, too. We have met a scientist who helped invent Kevlar, a beekeeper who had a ministry, a veteran who wanted us to ferry his dog across the Smokey Mountains, and various souls who were just wandering. One fond memory was backpacking back to Damascus, VA, where Michael and I had left our car. We were tired, and after a long day we decided, we would divert to the Virginia Creeper Trail (a bike path into Damascus) and cut off some time. We must have walked over 20 miles that day and decided our "short cut" was a poor choice. Around a curve we stumbled upon a church group winding down their hot dog and ice cream sale.
They were trail angels! That was the best hot dog and ice cream ever.
Assurance we were close to town and that our car would be in sight soon was nice too! We have hiked the AT northbound to Troutdale,
Virginia, about 700+ miles from
Springer Mountain, GA. We are at a point that it's getting difficult to drive the distance and still have enough time to do a decent hike before having to return to work.
Most recently, Michael and I hiked some of the Pinhoti Trail here in
Alabama. It has really gotten some traction, and Flagg Mountain up near Weogufka is the Pinhoti's southern terminus where you'll meet another colorful character named Sunny Eberhart (Nimblewill Nomad).
BOOM!: According to Terry’s radio bio you have “two of the most beautiful grandchildren that have ever roamed the earth”, would you describe your relationship with your grandchildren? What do your grandchildren call you?
Margaret: Our grandkids call me Grandma (or when Bek was learning to write "Granmar") which isn't glamorous or cute, but it's precious to hear those little voices call me.
Terry: I need to update my bio- it's three. And the third is just as beautiful as the first two. When my first grandchild was born, I literally stood at the glass of the hospital nursery and cried my eyes out. How could something so perfect come into my world? I have to admit that I
Grandson Jude leading Pop Pop
missed a lot with my kids. Thankfully, they had Margaret. But now that I am older and don't have to focus so much energy on making a household, I can devote it on them. We are fortunate that these three live here and we see them often. We have two other sons, and maybe- just maybe- there could be more down the road. My grandkids call me Pop Pop. I had never heard that spoken before, but now it's like magic when it rolls off their little lips.
BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/River Region area that you like? What do we need more of?
Margaret: We have so much to appreciate and enjoy in the River Region. We have quaint vibrant towns surrounding the capital city. We are central to so many things... close to the beach, lakes, rivers, the mountains, major airports and cities, even good shopping (I'm not a shopper). Montgomery is steeped in history. Our city is coming into its own with tourism blossoming. I'm personally excited about the whitewater park as well as the 50+ miles of trails that are being built here. We need more respect for one another. We don't have to agree or buy in to every perspective, but to try to listen with compassion. We need to teach our children respect for others, for others' property, for public property. I notice a servant's heart in so many of our citizens. Our children and grandchildren need to learn service to others with no expectation of something in return. Our generation needs to speak truth to our kids.
Terry: Montgomery kind of just happened for us. We never planned to live here. We even tried to leave once. But I am glad it's been our home for over twenty years. Our kids have all grown up here. We have pets buried in the yard. I will say I had to acquire a taste for Montgomery. The conflict and differences can be a little much at times. However, I have learned to just roll up my sleeves and dive into the melee. I have met- and continue to meet- lots of interesting people here. Many don't look or think like me. But, if I will stop and shut my mouth and open my ears, I have found that we all have something of value to add to the conversation. What does this town need more of? Jesus. We need Jesus. I didn't say churches- we have more than enough of those. We need the walking, talking, loving arms of Jesus in our community to remind us that whatever we do for the least, we do for Him.
BOOM!: Terry and Margaret, give us three words that describe you? Your marriage? Margaret: Reliable, hardworking, loving. Marriage? Work in progress. Terry's don't quit attitude reinforces the Finding Nemo character, Dory's line..."Just keep swimming!"
Terry: Three words that describe me??? Three words that describe our marriage? Like the fish Dory says, "Just keep swimming". Marriages end when someone gives up and stops. Our marriage has been a roller coaster- we scream, we yell, we cry, and sometimes it's hard to catch your breath. But, luckily no one has fallen out- so far.
We want to thank Margaret and Terry for sharing some of their unique story with us this month. Thanks also to DiAnna Paulk for her quality cover photo of Margaret and Terry, taken in the Montgomery Cultural Arts Center. If you have comments or would like to reach out to Margaret you can contact her through her website at www.margaretbarberpottery.com, or by calling the Cultural Arts Center at 334.625.2787. Terry can be reached at www.littleenginebroadcasting.com or terrylbarber@gmail.com If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to Jim Watson at jim@riverregionboom.com.
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