department
CONTENTS SENSE GOES MULTI-MEDIA
6
THEY SPEAK Contributors
7
SPOTLIGHT
9
IN THE LOOP
13
THE SENSE OF IT ALL
14
MARKETPLACE Discover the benefits of eating hydroponically grown food
17
TRAVELOGUE Magnitude of inspiration in minature
22
DESIGN Nature and its many working parts
33
GREENSENSE Renewable Energy
34
MUSIC No Bones About It
42
WELLNESS Flawless skin
44
VERBATIM Q & A with Paul Arthur
47
LITERATI On A Bus Bereft
22
Celebrating 50 years of community support
Must-sees and have-to-dos throughout the South
COUSIN LEROY SPEAKS
20 34 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 10 / MAY 2014
Issues-oriented Sense magazine gives voice to diver se political opinions but does not endor se the opinions or reflect the views e x p r e s s e d h e r e i n . Yo u a r e w e l c o m e t o s u b m i t y o u r O p - E d p i e c e v i a e m a i l t o e d i t o r @ t h e s e n s e o f i t a l l . c o m . Front Cover Image: Easter n Indigo Snake courtesy of Joel Sartore/joelsar tore.com 2 | MAY 2014
feature 20
Growing Green ALGAE TREATMENT PLANT GOING GLOBAL
views 14 44
AND NEWS
39
THE WHY OF WRITING
40
BETWEEN THE LINES
41
WHAT THE AUTHORS ARE READING
Beth Hoffman talks about how a near death experience changed everything
Recommended Reading from Page & Palette
Popular authors talk about their latest reads
SENSE MAGAZINE | 3
ENSE
ECLECTIC INTELLECT FOR THE SOUL
PUBLISHER Jamie Seelye Leatherbury VIEWS AND NEWS EDITOR
Stephanie Emrich
ART DIRECTOR Ronda Gibney-Burns COPY EDITOR Emily Hill CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Briana Collins Emily Hill Lynn Oldshue Ginger Wade Maggie Weir CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Glenn Bingham Bobby Bishop Matt Gates Dave McClister Billy Pope Joel Sartore/joelsartore.com
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4 | MAY 2014
Sense is published and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Eco-Urban Media, a division of Eco-Urbaneering Corporation. Creative Commons defines the spectrum of possibilities between full copyright and the public domain. For more information go to http://www.creativecommons.org and http://creativecommons.org/about/ licenses/ and http://www.theSenseofitAll.com. All content of Sense is copyrighted. However, Sense also works under Creative Commons licensing guidelines for works published in Sense by contributing writers, artists and photographers. All rights to works submitted to and published by Sense will revert in their entirety to the respective contributing authors, artists and photographers 120 days after publication. At Sense, we believe this policy promotes journalistic independence and fosters mutual goodwill between the publisher and the contributing writers, artists and photographers..
SENSE MAGAZINE | 5
THEY SPEAK
CONTRIBUTORS
What is the “greenest” issue you feel strongly about?
“An increase in use of reusable materials would be great to see. Growing up, I always brought my lunch to school in a reusable lunchbox instead of a paper bag, and my sandwiches were in reusable containers instead of plastic wrap. I guess that’s just something that stuck with me. I sometimes have a lapse but I try to drink out of reusable cups and carry around an aluminum water bottle instead of purchasing individual plastic water bottles.”
- Briana Collins, Writer
“Conservation would be probably the largest issue that I feel strongly about. Not particularly because I hunt or fish but the conservation of forests and natural habitats are important for the survival of our planet. ”
- Matt Gates, Photographer
“I have strong feelings about proper trash disposal. So many people litter, when it’s very easy to throw trash in the proper disposal bin. Littering largely harms the environment and the animals in it, yet there’s such an easy solution. I’ve taken part in numerous clean-up initiatives, and it’s astonishing how much littering takes place in our beautiful area.”
- Emily Hill, Writer
“We don’t have recycling service in the county so we have to do it ourselves. I am obsessive about recycling every box, can, and carton but procrastinate on taking them to the recycle bins in Fairhope until they become an unavoidable mountain in the corner.”
- Lynn Oldshue, Writer
“The greenest issue I feel most strongly about is buying local. Not only does buying local encourage economic growth and reduce environmental impact but its good for you! A win-win for all I say.”
“I believe there are small changes that everyone can do. Two simple changes I’ve made are using reusable shopping bags rather than plastic and purchasing water bottles for my family rather than using bottled water.”
- Ginger Wade, Writer
- Maggie Weir, Writer
WANT TO BECOME A SENSE CONTRIBUTOR? Sense is always looking for new talent. If you are interested in becoming part of the Sense team, e-mail us at editor@thesenseofitall.com.
6 | MAY 2014
SPOT L I G H T
RE-BRAND, RE-VAMP, RE-NEW Mobile Museum of Art celebrates milestone anniversary by giving museum a new look TEXT BY BRIANA COLLINS PHOTO BY GLENN BINGHAM
T
he Mobile Museum of Art is in the midst of celebrating 50 years as a staple in the community. But according to Museum Director Deborah Velders, the museum is actually celebrating 50 years of support from the community. In the spirit of celebration, the museum is undergoing considerable changes and the staff is excited to share the renovations with the community that has supported the museum since its opening in 1964. From the installation of new exhibits, down to minute details, the museum treated itself to a birthday makeover. “This being an anniversary, the very first thing was to give the museum a lift; get it back on track,” Velders said. “We started with re-branding.” The museum re-branded by creating a new green logo that can be found sprinkled throughout the museum. Velders said the mix of traditional and contemporary design reflected in the logo is the theme they’re attempting to create with exhibits. In addition to re-branding, the museum has a new gift shop, new furniture, fresh coats of paint and signage throughout the galleries. While aesthetics were important, the accomplishment Velders is most proud of is the re-installation of every gallery in the museum. One of the changes primed specifically for the anniversary was the re-organization of the pieces in every gallery according to theme or chronological order, spearheaded by Velders herself. Velders chronologically organized the museum’s gallery of American art, which is its most extensive collection. Currently, the art on display dates from 1790 to1945. But the museum has much more; after a year they will display American art from 1945 to the present. Most of the art work in this gallery was donated as gifts to the museum by collectors. Velders says these donations are vital to the livelihood of the museum.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 7
SPOT L I G H T
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
John Henry Twatchman (American, 1853-1902) Avondale, Suburb of Cincinnati, 1882, oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Huffman, Sr. Unknown Maker (American, 19th c.) Eastlake Style Woman’s Writing Desk, ca. 1890, ebonized wood, metal hardware and a mirror. Gift from the Estate of Mrs. Carrie Lee Malkin Silas Jerome Uhl (American, 1842-1916) Portrait of President (Stephen) Grover Cleveland, 1889, oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Sonneborn Unknown Maker (American, 19th c.) Three Footed Eastlake Side Table, ca. 1800s, ebonized wood. Gift of Graham T. King for the Estate of Claudine T. Blakely Unknown Maker (American, 19th c.) Gothic Style Chair, ca. 1880, ebonized walnut. Gift of Jane H. Mealy Unknown Maker (American, active early 20th c.) Newcomb Girls, ca. 1900, silver gelatin print. Gift of G. B. Kahn
Collectors, along with the help of community volunteers, have driven the museum for the past 50 years. Currently, collectors have donated half of the exhibit showcasing AfricanAmerican art and many other pieces throughout the MMOA. The museum also received a grant from Deepwater Horizon Claims which enabled them to afford the face lift. The 50th anniversary committee, made up completely of volunteers, doubled that grant. In anticipation of the anniversary, MMOA also procured the traveling show Masterworks and revitalized their African, Asian, and European galleries. All of these upgrades are for the betterment of the museum and to improve visitors’ experiences. Velders is proud of the improvements and believes they just take the museum to the next level. “I’m very proud of our staff. They’ve gone to great lengths to make these exhibitions of the collection look their best,” she says. “There’s no reason Mobile shouldn’t have the best.” The museum also has plans to transform their African-American art gallery into a regional art gallery. Velders calls regional art very important for residents of the Port City. “The future is to be able to show good contemporary art,” she says. “It’s a chance for living artists to show what they’re doing.” The new paint job and re-installations are just the beginning of the celebration. Velders says she’s most excited about one
8 | MAY 2014
7.
Unknown Artist (American, 19th c.) Memory Keepsake of Family Member’s Hair (Hair Scrapbook), collage of hair and silk on paper. Gift of Charles G. Schoenknect and Ward A. Paul 8. John Rogers (American, 1829-1904) “Ha, I Like That Not” (from Shakespeare’s Othello), painted plaster. Gift of Helen H. Rossano 9. Howard Chandler Christy (American, 1873-1952) Portrait of Mrs. Hoyt Colgate, 1923, oil on canvas. Gift from Mrs. John T. Cochrane, Sr. (Katharine Crampton)
exhibit in particular: The Art and Design of Mardi Gras. This exhibit, slated to open in November, will span the entire top floor of the museum which will be closed until the exhibit’s opening. In the spirit of community involvement, MMOA will collaborate with the History Museum of Mobile and the Mobile Carnival Museum for this project. According to Velders these partners will provide expertise, history and objects for the exhibit. “We’ll be giving people a glimpse of the creators who make stuff for Mardi Gras,” says Velders. “It’ll be a chance for people to see Mardi Gras in a different light; as an art form.” The exhibit, which is expected to run through May 2015, will encapsulate historic and contemporary elements of the holiday. Nineteenth century prints, drawings of floats and costume designs will be on display. Contemporary photographers work will also be on display, as well as artists who were asked to make pieces out of recycled Mardi Gras material. Velders and museum staff say they’re all excited about the Art and Design of Mardi Gras. “I think sometimes people take for granted what’s in their own backyard,” says Velders. “It’s a spectacle…I think the people from here and the makers should be very proud of it.” The culmination of this exhibit is not just to celebrate Mardi Gras, “Really we’re celebrating 50 years of support that this community’s given,” says Velders.
IN THE LOOP
M AY E V E N T S
WAVES OF WINE
MAY 10 | ORANGE BEACH, AL The Orange Beach Wine Fest is one of the most cherished tickets on the island. Over 150 wines, three live music acts, food from distinguished local restaurants, boat tours of the bay, custom wine glass, custom wine bag, and even craft beer for the un-winies ...... all for only $35 if you buy before the event. $55 to purchase at the gate. For more information, visit www.wavesofwine.com
L.A. GUMBO FESTIVAL MAY 9-11 | ORANGE BEACH, AL
Join us to witness the fierce competition as Alabamians and Louisianans vie to win the “Best Gumbo” award. Alabama restaurateur Bob Baumhower and Louisiana Chef John Folse will orchestrate the competition among other Gumbo Masters in a gumbo cook-off and help build the World’s Largest Bowl of Gumbo at over 6 ft. tall. The festival will feature live stage music and street music throughout the day and evening. The best artists from all over the Southeast will be selling their art. For more information visit gumboforlife.com
10 TOP
HOG WILD BACKYARD BBQ MAY 17 - 18 | MOBILE, AL
Located in downtown Mobile at Royal and Church Streets, United Cerebral Palsy’s Hog Wild Backyard BBQ hosts over 40 amateur barbecue teams from Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. Teams compete in chicken, pork, ribs and sauce categories. On Saturday, festival-goers have the opportunity to taste free barbecue samples (while supplies last) from these teams during the People’s Choice Contest in the City of Mobile Backyard.There will be a lot of fun activities for kids and adults! With your paid admission to the festival, you will have access to see the sights at the Museum of Mobile and Fort Conde! In addition, there will be live music at the City of Mobile Music Stage. Proceeds from the Hog Wild Festival benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile.
SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS MAY 22 | FAIRHOPE, AL
Haley Dermatology is offering a free Skin Cancer Screening from 4-6 p.m. at the office located at 202 Rock Creek Pkwy in Fairhope. This is to promote awareness and provide an opportunity for people in our community without insurance to have suspicious spots and moles checked. No appointment is necessary. Call 251.928.3844 for more information.
MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT MAY 11 | MOBILE, AL
TOAST TO LIFE
Bellingrath Gardens and Home is happy to welcome The Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra and their conductor, Rob Seebacher for the annual Mother’s Day Concert Orchestra on Sunday, May 11th at 5:30 p.m. This year’s concert will be held on Live Oak Plaza between the Bellingrath Home and the Boehm Gallery. Enjoy the Gardens and Home throughout the afternoon and then gather at 5:30 for the late afternoon concert. Visit bellingrath.org for more information.
HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL MAY 16-18 | GULF SHORES, AL
The 5th annual Hangout Music Festival features over 70 bands including The Black Keys, The Killers, Outkast, Jack Johnson, Queens of the Stone Age, Pretty Lights, The Avett Brothers, Modest Mouse, and The Flaming Lips performing just steps from the Gulf of Mexico. Visit hangoutmusicfest. com for more information.
MAY 21 | NEW ORLEANS, LA Celebrate the senses with the New Orleans Hotel Collection. Offering paired wines with special chef-selected menus at their featured restaurants. For more information, www.neworleanshotelcollection.com
FOREIGNER, STYX AND DON FELDER 99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE LAWN MAY 9 - 10 | DAPHNE, AL
Southern Napa, Daphne’s fine wine house announces the second annual 99 Bottles of Beer on the Lawn craft beer festival. The festival will be held May 9-10 on the lawn at Southern Napa, 2304 Main St. in Olde Towne Daphne.There will be 99 craft beers available to sample from local, regional and national brewers. The weekend also features a 5K Beer Run and live music. Friday night concert by the local supergroup Willie Sugarcapps and local musicians Brett LaGrave and Sarah Percy will perform live during the beer festival Saturday afternoon. The event is a fundraiser for the Baldwin County Humane Society who will have a pet adoption onsite. For tickets and more information, visit southernnapa.com
MAY 25 | ORANGE BEACH, AL
The Amphitheater at the Wharf today has a more retro highpowered show, as veteran rock groups Styx and Foreigner are set to perform at the venue on May 25, with special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist of The Eagles. The performance is part of the “Soundtrack of Summer Tour.” For tickets and more information, visit www.amphitheateratthewharf.com
Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the Top 10 information, you should always call ahead to conf irm dates, times, location, and other information. Submit events to events@thesenseof itall.com SENSE MAGAZINE | 9
10 | MAY 2014
HERE’S WHERE TO FIND US...
MOBILE A & M Yacht Sales Alabama Coastal Foundation Apricot Lane Ashland Gallery Ashland Pub Atchison Imports Atlanta Bread Company Azalea City Physicians for Women Ballin’s Limited Renaissance Battle House Hotel Bay Area Physicians for Women Bebo’s Springhill Market Bicycle Shop Bliss Salon & Day Spa Blue Rents Bradley’s Café 615 Callaghan’s Irish Social Club Camille’s Grill Candlewood Suites Carpe Diem Coffee & Tea Company Carter & Co Cathedral Square Art Gallery Chat A Way Café Center for Living Arts Center for Dermatology Claude Moore Jeweler Cold Snap @ Old Shell Road Debra’s Delish’s Desserts & Eatery Downtown Mobile Alliance Dragonfly Boutique Estetica Coiffure Exploreum Science Center Fort Conde Inn Fort Conde Welcome Center Fuego Coastal Mexican Eatery Goldstein’s Hampton Inn Downtown Hemline Holiday, Inc Iberia Bank Legacy Bar & Grill
FAIRHOPE/POINT CLEAR LLB&B Realty Martha Rutledge Catering McCoy Outdoor Company Mercedes Benz of Mobile Mobile Arts Council, Inc. Mobile Bay Bears Mobile Infirmary Office Tower Mobile Museum of Art Mobile Regional Airport Mobile Symphony Orchestra Red Or White Satori Coffee House Serda’s @ Royal Street Shoe Fly Something New Bridal Springhill Family Pharmacy Spoke ‘N Trail The Bull The Ivy Cottage The Union Steak House Thompson Engineering Tmac’s Hair Studio Twists Cupcakes @ Legacy USA Mitchell Cancer Institute Wintzell’s Airport Wintzell’s Downtown Zoe’s Kitchen Zundel’s Jewelry DAPHNE Advance America Allegri Farmers Market Baldwin Bone & Joint Baumhower’s Wings Comfort Inn Daphne Library East Shore Café Glamour Nails Guido’s Hampton Inn Hilton Garden Inn Homewood Suites of Daphne
Infirmary West Lake Forest Shell Market by the Bay Moe’s Barbeque Publix Rosie’s Grill The UPS Store Thomas Hospital Thomas Medical Plaza SPANISH FORT Barnes And Noble Bayside Chiropractic Don Carlos Eastern Shore Toyota Malbis Parkway Pediatric Dentistry McMurphy Orthodontics Magestic Nails Mellow Mushroom Private Gallery @ Spanish Fort Tom Bierster Fine Homebuilding & Restoration Twist @ ESC Wintzell’s SOUTH BALDWIN COUNTY Beach Club Bimini Bob’s Cobalt Cosmo’s Restaurant and Bar Jesse’s Kaiser Realty Lulu’s Meyer Realty M II the Wharf Prickett Real Estate The Hangout Turquoise Tin Top Restaurant Villaggio Grille
Agave Mexican Battles Wharf Market Bayside Orthopedics Bean & Bistro Belle Shain Boxwood Bouche’s Cigars Brown & McCool Gynecology Chasing Fresh Coffee Loft Cold Snap Dragonfly Restaurant Eastbay Clothiers Eastern Shore Art Center Eastern Shore Heart Center Estate Jewelers Fairhope Inn Fairhope Library Fairhope Music Fairhope Physical Therapy Gigi & Jays Hair Designs by Ann Rabin Hampton Flooring & Design Hampton Inn Happy Olive Iberia Bank Leatherbury Real Estate Lyon’s Share Gallery Market by the Bay Master Joe’s Page & Palette Panini Pete’s Papa’s Pizza Private Gallery Project Mouvement in Art Publix Red or White Sadie’s of Fairhope Shanghai Cottage Southern Edge Dance Center Southern Veranda Marriott’s Grand Hotel
Sense is distributed to over 100 locations throughout Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Because we are in the business of promoting the economy and design in Gulf Coast communities, we distribute through our advertisers and local businesses. We feel that this brings the opportunity to exchange ideas, encourage conversation, and support the local economy. It will also move us forward by furthering thought for our future and how we wish to design it, resulting in participation by each of us in weaving the fabric that is our Sense of Community.
| IN THE LOOP
BOOK IT 1
Greg Iles
MAY 4 | CENTENNIAL HALL
An American writer at the height of his creative powers, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist Greg Iles returns with his most eagerly anticipated book yet, and his first in five years — Natchez Burning, the first installment in an epic trilogy that weaves crimes, lies, and secrets past and present into a mesmerizing thriller featuring southern mayor and former prosecutor Penn Cage. Join us at 2 pm at Centennial Hall as Greg signs and discusses his new book. Tickets are $5 and may be used as a coupon toward the book purchase.
2
Read It & Eat with Cassandra King MAY 5 | THE VENUE
Written with a blend of humor and practical wisdom, The Same Sweet Girls’ Guide to Life offers inspiration and solid advice to new graduates that can sustain them through life’s inevitable ups and downs. In this small book you will find advice that will only grow in meaning throughout the years. It can — and should — be read again and again, by thoughtful people of all ages. Join us as we host Cassandra to sign and discuss her new book over lunch beginning at 12 pm. Tickets to the event are $15 and include a coupon for $5 off the purchase of the book.
3
Read It & Eat with Corban Addison MAY 8 | PAGE & PALETTE
Combining his three great passions—storytelling, human rights, and exotic locales—Corban Addison, the bestselling author of A Walk Across the Sun, returns with The Garden of Burning Sand, a powerful and poignant novel that takes the reader from the red light areas of Lusaka, Zambia, to the gilded chambers of the Washington, D.C. elite, to the splendor of Victoria Falls and Cape Town. Join us at 1 pm as we host Corban to sign and discuss his new book. Free and open to the public. Call the bookstore to reserve lunch for $10.
4
Read It & Eat with Sarah Pekkanen MAY 14 | PAGE & PALETTE
From the internationally bestselling author of four books, including The Opposite of Me, a vibrant, compulsively readable novel about two married couples who pursue a dream to open a bed-and-breakfast in small-town Vermont. Join us at 1 pm as we host Sarah Pekkanen to sign and discuss her new book Catching Air. Free and open to the public. Call the bookstore to reserve lunch for $10.
5
Read It & Eat with Beth Hoffman MAY 15 | WINTZELL’S
Beth Hoffman’s bestselling debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, won admirers and acclaim with its heartwarming story and cast of unforgettable characters. Now her unique flair for evocative settings and richly drawn Southern personalities shines in her compelling new novel, Looking for Me. Beth will sign and discuss her new book over lunch beginning at 12 pm. Tickets are $15 and include a $5 coupon toward the purchase of the book.
12 | MAY 2014
THE SENSE OF IT ALL
TH E
BOX.
C O U S I N
L E ROY
S P E A K S :
Eclectic as it is,
O U T S I DE
Sense is constantly evolving in discovery of how best to serve our community....
Are we Engaging?
T H I N K
CL I MB
Do we Entertain?
I N S I D E T HE
Are you Informed?
Let us know, we want to hear from you.
B OX .
Yours in Community,
cousinleroy@thesenseofitall.com
T HERE
IS
A
SOLU T I O N . SENSE MAGAZINE | 13
MARKETPLACE
Lucky Lettuce The Benefits of Hydroponic Growing TEXT BY BRIANA COLLINS PHOTOS BY MATT GATES
14 | MAY 2014
MARKETPLACE
A
few years ago, Micah Craine was wearing a little bit different attire to work. He was working in Memphis, Tenn. with a real estate investment trust. After working long, rewardless hours, he realized it wasn’t the job for him. As Craine would say, luck led his mom to mention hydroponic growing to him. Craine did market research and after realizing it could potentially be profitable, he couldn’t say no. So he made a strategic career switch, traded his ties for t-shirts, and started growing hydroponic lettuce. Craine makes his success seem so easy, “I just read a couple of books and got lucky I guess,” he says nonchalantly. “It worked out.” Craine’s decision worked out in more ways than one. Not only is Craine Creek Farm, located in Loxley, successful in growing hydroponic lettuce, they’re successful in passing along its benefits to the community. The lettuce is environmentally friendly and efficient. It’s locally grown and locally sold. It’s better for you, it’s safer to eat and it’s tastier. Why would you not choose hydroponic lettuce? Craine believes it’s a no brainer. “Lettuce likes being grown hydroponically,” he says. “You get a different product when you grow it hydroponically versus in a field. When you grow hydroponically you can really target your nutrients straight to the plant. It’s basically one gigantic tank and I make sure the EC [fertilizer level] and pH are set so the plants are getting optimal amounts of nutrition.” But what exactly is hydroponic lettuce? According to the Craine Creek Farm website, it means growing plants using mineral rich solutions in water, sans soil. The total process takes 40 days to produce fully mature lettuce. It starts with a small device that resembles a tray filled with foam material precut into small squares. The seed is buried into it, instead of soil, and put in an “ebb and flow” nursery according to Craine himself. After 14 days the plant is ready to be transferred into a nutrient film technique (NFT) system. The NFT system gently flows nutrient rich water over the still tender crop. After 28 days, you have a mature plant. It’s fully mature at 40 days. “The thing with lettuce,” says Craine,“If we let it grow anymore, it would bolt…you’d get a really bitter milk that develops in the leaf.” The lettuce is grown in what’s known as a “swamp cooler.” It resembles a large tent and it regulates optimal growing temperature. Craine is currently working on a system to cool down the water in the tank to lower the roof temperature, especially in the summer. “It’s humidity controlled, climate controlled completely in every way,” says Craine. “Every place a bug could get in, there’s a slip screen.” Eliminating the threat of bugs leads to producing safer lettuce for consuming. So do other various environmentally friendly growing practices Craine Creek Farm uses.
Find Craine Creek Farm’s hydroponic lettuce at these locations: Rouses Fishers-Orange Beach Marina La Pizzeria-1455 Monroe St, Mobile The Bull-downtown Mobile Culinary Dreams Coastal Alabama Farmer’s and Fisherman’s Market Loxley Farm Market Chasing Fresh-Fairhope LuLu’s Marina-Gulf Shores Burris Farm Market-Loxley Moe’s BBQ Daphne and Mobile Flora-Bama Farms-Pensacola For a full list and more information on growing hydroponically, visit their website at: www.crainecreekfarm.com
Craine uses no pesticides or herbicides to grow his lettuce hydroponically, making his product safer. “We just plant it and grow it,” he says. Growing hydroponically also allows the growers to use one-fifteenth the amount of water compared to traditional growing methods. Hydroponic growing allows for a year-long growing season instead of being pigeonholed into seasons like with traditional growing methods. “We can grow a lot faster,” says Craine. “This is one-sixth of an acre but we can grow 130,000 plants a year which is magnitudes above what you can grow in a few hundred acres. It’s way more productive.” These current growing methods allow for Craine Creek Farm to produce a wide variety of lettuce, something their competitors can’t do. The farm is currently growing 50 varieties of lettuce but has the capability to grow 100 different varieties. This is not only good for consumers, but it’s a good business practice for Craine. Bib lettuce is the farm’s most popular variety, but Craine says they do grow other things as well. “We like to diversify and grow some weird stuff.” Diversifying varieties of lettuce sets Craine apart and allows for him to be profitable. “For instance our shelf life is up to 21 days,” explains Craine. “But lettuce coming out of California is really ridiculously cheap but it’s already bad when you get it. You have to use it very quickly.” Craine has to diversify in order to stay in the game. “I couldn’t ever make a living selling romaine because it comes out of California and the market price is up and down so much and I have uniform costs so I can ignore the market but sometimes romaine is 30 cents a head and that’s no good for me.” Craine Creek Farm is enjoying lucrative success. They only sell their goods locally and are at capacity with their numbers of buyers, although the number can fluctuate based on the market. “We were selling to Belle Foods, but they went bankrupt. We went from a really healthy margin to making by. Then we had to develop a whole new marketing strategy to target more locally. Now we have Rouses.” Craine plans to expand the number of sellers, in turn expanding the business. For now, he’s enjoying success with his lucky lettuce. “You can sell 100,000 heads of lettuce a year pretty easily,” he says. “You can usually sell a head of lettuce for an upwards of 2 to 3 dollars. Especially hydroponic lettuce.”
“Lettuce likes being grown hydroponically… When you grow hydroponically you can really target your nutrients straight to the plant.”
SENSE MAGAZINE | 15
TRAVELOGUE
Magnitude of Inspiration Northern Alabama’s Abbey holds a grotto aimed to awe TEXT BY EMILY HILL PHOTOS BY BOBBY BISHOP
A
labamians are more commonly known for their hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and other sporting activities. However, Cullman, Ala. holds a secret of sorts that displays skillful creativity and devotion to God -- traits that are sometimes buried below the surface of the definition of an Alabamian. The St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman is Alabama’s first and only Benedictine Abbey. Benedictine monks inhabit the Abbey and live in a community seeking God and assisting outsiders. However, the Abbey is also home to a masterpiece that attracts visitors from around the world. The Ave Maria Grotto at the Abbey is a 4-acre park with nearly 150 miniatures of historic buildings and shrines from around the world. Brother Joseph Zoettl was the original craftsman who was asked to build the grotto after his work constructing churches and other buildings. Born in Landshut, Bavaria in 1878, Zoettl came to the St. Bernard Abbey in 1892 and became a Brother in the Benedictine Order. He was then appointed to the power plant for the Abbey, where he practiced his hobby of building miniature shrines. According to the St. Bernard Abbey website, when considering the creation of a large grotto, Zoettl pondered what material to use for the miniatures. In 1933 a train derailment near Vinemont, Ala. left a freight car full of marble overturned, and the marble crushed.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 17
| CUISINE
18 | APRIL MAY 2014 2014
TRAVELOGUE
The marble was donated to the Abbey, and Zoettl had his material. Zoettl also worked with material individuals donated, such as colored glass, marbles, costume jewelry, and much more. Zoettl’s hobby grew into a spectacle, with a large number of visitors coming to see the replicas. The first replicas were on the monastery recreation grounds, however in May of 1934 the Ave Maria Grotto was dedicated. Zoettl continued his work for more than 40 years and built his last model, the Basilica in Lourdes, at the age of 80 in 1958. Two years after the death of Zoettl, Leo Schwaiger Jr. took over the grotto maintenance, which included continuing Zoettl’s miniature collection. Schwaiger worked as a stone mason, working on the Abbey church beginning in 1960. In 1963, he said a tornado came through the area and a tree fell on Zoettl’s work in the grotto. Schwaiger was called to rebuild the damaged miniatures, and has created additions to the grotto ever since. The very humble Schwaiger says he’s just a common working man, not looking for the glory. However, the Ave Maria Grotto continues to attract crowds due to the detailed, inspiring miniature replicas. “It’s one of a kind, nothing else like it in the world,” said Schwaiger of the Ave Maria Grotto. “We’ve had groups from Germany, France, Australia, China, Even a bus load from Nigeria. People come from all over the world to see it,” Schwaiger said. Our very own Ronda Gibney-Burns, Sense Magazine art director, has visited the Ave Maria Grotto a couple of times, last visiting during the summer of 2013. “The grotto to me is quite a hidden treasure. It is a very quaint and peaceful place to visit. There is really no way to describe to anyone the calm you feel and the appreciation for the time and effort it took to create all those beautiful sculptures,” Burns explained. “It is really like a tiny, tiny world built out of pieces and parts to make a whole. It’s just an amazing piece of art.” Schwaiger simply hopes visitors will be inspired by the grotto. “If Brother Joseph and my work combined can inspire one person to seek God, it’s all worth it.”
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FEATURE
I
n 2005 Daphne Utilities was struggling to handle the overwhelming sewage overflow issues the city faced. They never dreamed that the solution to this issue would put the city on the map, and lead to working on an algae project with major backing from a Japanese engineering firm.
GROWING GREEN How Daphne Sewage Spills Lead to An Algae Treatment Process with Backing from Japan TEXT BY EMILY HILL
20 | APRIL 2014 MAY 2014
General Manager of Daphne Utilities Rob McElroy said the sewage overflow was a result of the public not recycling things such as cooking oil, and other pipe-clogging materials. “If every home was only responsible for a single teaspoon of fats, oils or grease getting into the sewer system a day, it would be the same as if once a month somebody opened up a manhole and poured seven 55 gallon drums of oil into the sewers,” McElroy said. So to combat the problem, Daphne Utilities initiated a cooking oil recycling program in 2005, where jugs were made available for city residents to properly dispose of the oil. The city started receiving so much oil, they wanted to make good use of it. Daphne Utilities began work with Kevin Jones of Earth Clean Technologies and built a biodiesel plant to convert the oil to biodiesel, and could do this for about 96 cents a gallon. “Every gallon of this stuff we’re making, we’re saving our customers about three or four dollars a gallon over diesel we had to buy,” McElroy said.
The city saw a reduction of sewer spills of more than 70 percent, but McElroy also said this project put the area “on the radar screen nationally” because nobody else was doing this. So how did a sewage overflow solution and biodiesel plant development lead to the city’s work with algae? It all stemmed from a tweet. According to McElroy, Jones came across a tweet on Twitter from a man at Algae Systems saying they were developing a process to convert algae into fuel. “He thought that was kind of cool so he reached out and contacted them, and they said they developed this stuff in a lab but were looking for a place to scale it up and do a pilot plan. Kevin told them to come to Daphne, Alabama,” McElroy explained. About two years ago Daphne Utilities met with Algae Systems, the two partnered up, and began the pilot test. “All of this came about by trying to stop sewer spills in Daphne. The next thing you know, we’re on the leading edge of technology trying to convert algae into both clean water and alternative fuels,” McElroy said. According to McElroy, the process occurring in Mobile Bay, which can be seen from Bayfront Park pier in Daphne, generally involves manufacturing large “rafts” from clear plastic, filling the baffles with natural freshwater algae from the local area, feeding that algae nutrients from disinfected wastewater and floating the bags in the bay for about 4 days until the algae have their fill, reproduced all they can and are ready for harvest. “At the end of that time, the algae, having been stirred naturally using the wave action of the Bay, will have eaten all the nutrients in the wastewater,” McElroy said. The solution is then pumped back to the shore, separated into a concentrated algae solution and clean water of at least adequate quality for irrigation purposes and can be further filtered or refined into drinking water. The algae solution, according to McElroy, is further processed into “bio-crude oil” which can be further refined into any desired fuel such as jet fuel.
sewer waste water a day, it might take you two or three years to build that plant. This type of facility has a much smaller footprint. It doesn’t take up any land area, so it’s something that literally could be flown in, dropped in, set up much quicker than coming in and building hard infrastructure on the ground, and a lot cheaper,” McElroy said. “The other scenario would be as an emergency treatment technology that could ramp up very quickly with very little hard infrastructure construction. Such as New Orleans after Katrina, when the entire waste water treatment system is dead and it’s going to take months if not years before they are going to get it up and running back on the line,” McElroy said. The algae water treatment set-up would have a fast response time and would fill the gap while a permanent infrastructure is being built. The Japanese engineering firm is looking for a site to scale the project up to the next step, which McElroy says would be a full commercial scale where they would be producing both water and fuels that would be intended for sale. The Tokyo investors are pursuing two alternative means of processing algae into fuels. “I don’t think there’s direct competition between the two, I think there’s just two variable ways to do it that they’re looking into,” McElroy said. McElroy says he personally doesn’t believe there’s enough area where the process is currently taking place to create a large scale. However, he says the Japanese company is looking at other sites in the area, even other sites in Mobile Bay, to build the large scale project. The Japanese engineering company is expected to issue a press release regarding the project before the end of May.
Although McElroy can’t release the name of the Japanese company investing in this project, he said Tokyo investors visited the Daphne area in late April through early May to get a “face-to-face update” to see exactly what the status is on the project. McElroy says Japan originally got word of the project because one of the suburbs of Tokyo is a sister city to Mobile. Since the pilot test is being done by Algae Systems with backing from the Japanese engineering company, it’s not costing Daphne Utilities or the city of Daphne any money. However, McElroy says investors have put a little more than 4 million dollars into this one plant. McElroy says there are two scenarios that this type of technology could be used for. One scenario involves taking the project to poverty-stricken countries. “If you wanted to build a plant capable of treating probably a million gallons of
Algae Systems President John Perry Barlow (left) and Rob McElroy with algae system they hope to use to turn “sewage energy” into fuel.
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DESIGN
22 22 | | MAY MAY2014 2014
DESIGN
bi•o•phil•i•a
the extent to which humans are hard-wired to need connection with nature and other forms of life
N
amed after renowned scientist, Dr. Edward O. Wilson, the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center with its eco-friendly design features, is located on 53,000 acres of the Nokuse (pronounced “nō-gō-see”) Plantation in Freeport, Florida. The Center’s extensive hands-on curriculum is educating young children and adults to love and take care of nature. The mission of the center is for visitors to ignite their own biophilia, a term coined by Dr. Wilson himself, and encourage conservation, preservation and the restoration of our ecosystems. The mastermind behind the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, conservationist M.C. Davis, believes that “for nature to have a reasonable chance of continuing to function as the source of all wealth and life for man and all other species, then our conservation planning and execution, when possible, must be on the landscape and ecosystem level.” As humans we must realize that we are just a small part of the beautiful and intricately woven design called life. The key to our survival begins by changing the way we live, treat and protect nature and the environment. And by presenting a very small sampling of nature and how it works together in the environment, we hope you have your own awakening of biophilia and realize that we are all important inter-working elements that make up the earth.
TEXT BY PAUL ARTHUR AND RONDA GIBNEY-BURNS PHOTOS BY BILLY POPE
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DESIGN
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”
– John Muir
24 | MAY 2014
DESIGN
LongLeaf Pine
TREE
T
he longleaf pine tree is the basis of the entire ecosystem that used to dominate the southeastern United States. Due to logging and mismanagement, we only have 2 percent still in existence. These are slow growing pine trees. They can live up to 500 years and aren’t considered “mature” until they reach 100 years, or so. The longleaf pine can withstand fires and they actually need fire for their nutrients. Prescribed fires burn off undergrowth, which allow the longleaf to thrive and survive. With this whole system of fire, growth and so on, this ecosystem has become one of the most biodiverse in the world, comparable to that of a rain forest.
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DESIGN
“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium... If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.”
– E.O. Wilson
26 | MAY 2014
Red Harvester
ANT
O
ne way that the Florida red harvester ant helps in the longleaf pine ecosystem is that they are an animal that feeds on seeds; therefore they are great dispensers of seeds from one place to another, including the longleaf pine seed. When harvesting their meals, they are unknowingly spreading the seeds in proximity to their nests. They also are natures tiller when it comes to building their nests. Harvester ants naturally dig tunnels and pods for their homes. These nests can sometimes go as deep as the water table. When digging these nests, they are churning the dirt/soil as a tiller would. And of course, they are part of the food chain that is imperative to keep linked.
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Gopher
TORTOISE T
he gopher tortoise is such a special and needed animal that it is actually called a “keystone species,� which means that many other species rely on the gopher tortoise for their existence. Over 300 different species rely on the burrow that the tortoise digs for safety; safety from predators and from fires, natural and prescribed. Without this burrow, these animals have no chance of survival.
28 | MAY 2014
DESIGN
“I will argue that every scrap of biological diversity is priceless, to be learned and cherished, and never to be surrendered without a struggle.”
– E.O. Wilson
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“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
– Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
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DESIGN
Eastern Indigo
SNAKE
O
ne animal that relies on the gopher tortoise burrow is the eastern indigo snake. One of the common names of this snake is the gopher snake. The reason being is that it spends a good part of its life in the gopher tortoise’s burrow. It uses the burrow for heat on the winter and cool in the summer. It also uses it to hide from predators and fire, as mentioned earlier. The indigo snake is the longest indigenous snake in North America. It can get to 8 feet and beyond. The snake’s importance is that of its role in the food chain. People don’t realize that indigo snakes eat venomous snakes along with rats, mice, frogs, and pretty much anything it can put its mouth around. It is an absolutely beautiful and needed snake. In Florida it is a threatened species.
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ALABAMA COASTAL FOUNDATION Since 1993, the Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) has worked to improve and protect the quality of Alabama's coastal resources by identifying and solving problems through education, cooperation and participation. Our activities provide for citizen participation through issue resolution forums, student and community leader education initiatives, habitat restoration projects and through direct participation in governmental planning. We believe that education is the key to improving the quality of our natural resources and that all citizens have the ability and the responsibility to preserve our coastal way of life.
BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. JOIN ACF. Visit www.joinacf.org or call us at 251-990-6002 and become a member today.
G R EE N S E N S E
Through Renewable Energy, Local Restaurant Runs Like The Wind
S
TEXT BY GINGER WADE
per hour or greater. The power generated offsets energy costs while lighting up the restaurant’s playground, holiday lights and outdoor areas. Surplus energy is distributed back on the grid. Harris describes the wind turbine as a power plant that creates electricity. “It is the inverse of a fan which needs electricity and creates wind. A wind turbine needs wind to create electricity. Effective wind turbines require unobstructed wind flow, must have clear land and be taller than any trees around them,” claimed Harris. He added that due to lower wind speeds, the Gulf Coast area might not be the best location for wind turbines, but that winter, spring and fall are the best seasons for optimum efficiency.
erving up fresh salad-bar and turnip greens is not the only way a local restaurant pleases its customers. In the past five years, the Original Oyster House has been serving its customers by utilizing green energy from ecological sources including cooking oil, sun and wind. Sometimes referred to as sustainable or renewable energy, green energy relies on natural resources that replenish through the passage of time, either by biological reproduction or other naturally recurring processes. Energy sources like biofuels (cooking oil), sun and wind are in no short supply at the Original Oyster House restaurants. So what better way to make use of its natural surroundings than by renewing them as energy sources and reducing the restaurants’ ecological footprint.
Wind turbines can be costly. Harris said that the costs have varied over the years, but are currently a $15,000 investment. Fortunately, to help offset the cost, the federal government provides a 30% dollar for dollar tax credit rebate. He put their performance into perspective, saying that the Original Oyster House turbine has produced up to 400 kilowatts of electricity in one month. This represents 35% to 50% of the electricity required for a 2,000 square foot home but added that it might take up to 15 years to recoup the initial investment.
Original Oyster House co-owners David Dekle and Joe Roszkowski were introduced to biodiesel fuel about five years ago by Kevin Jones, a friend who recently lost his battle with cancer. “Kevin was a mentor, knowledgeable in chemistry with an understanding of the molecular changes needed to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel. Kevin was the one who promoted the City of Daphne’s award-winning oil recycling program,” recounted Dekle.
Harris has installed wind turbines at several Baldwin County businesses. When asked what motivates business owners to invest money in renewable energy sources, he said, “Those who invest in clean energy do so for a greater reason than just return on investment. They do it to improve our community and the United States. These good Americans look to reduce, reuse and recycle and thus reduce our dependence on foreign oil and coal,” explained Harris.
Biodiesel fuel is organic, biodegradable and can be made from renewable resources such as vegetable cooking oil, something the restaurants have in plentiful supply. Dekle converts the waste vegetable oil (WVO) produced at his restaurants into biodiesel to fuel five vehicles used in restaurant transport. “To convert cooking oil into biodiesel fuel, you must change the structure by separating and removing the glycerine from the WVO. Necessary components include a holding tank for WVO, a pump, a heating mechanism and another tank for the finished product,” explained Dekle. The restaurant’s initial investment was around $14,000 that they recouped in about a year. Their investment of time and money is paying off. Today it costs roughly 50 cents per gallon to fuel the Original Oyster House trucks. When asked what motivated the Original Oyster House to pursue biodiesel fuel, Dekle said environmental benefits are at the root. “Biodiesel fuel is clean burning. It produces significantly less air pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions, is biodegradable, non-toxic and safer to handle. We use no petroleum in our biodiesel fuel, making the cost completely invulnerable to fluctuating gas prices,” explained Dekle. In 2012, the Original Oyster House invested in a wind turbine at the Mobile Causeway location. Robert Harris, owner of Gulf Coast Green Power, installed the wind turbine that sits on a 55-foot-high tower and runs 24 hours a day generating power whenever winds reaches even two miles
The Original Oyster House has two locations, Mobile: 3733 Battleship Parkway, on the Causeway and Gulf Shores: 701 Hwy 59 on the Original Oyster House Boardwalk. Both locations offer spectacular waterfront views, private party rooms and have been celebrated as the area’s finest family restaurants for the past 30 years. For more information about Original Oyster House, visit www.originaloysterhouse.com or call 251-928-2620. If you are inspired to make environmental changes, a good place to start is contacting Robert Harris at sales@ gulfcoastgreenpower.com. He can perform an energy audit of your home or business, identify areas where energy efficiency can be maximized, and install products that will be environmentally beneficial.
In 2013, Harris installed solar waters heaters at both restaurant locations adding to the company’s environmental good practices as well as some monetary savings. “The solar water heater works similarly to a summer garden hose that contains water that is too hot to touch. The hose holds water heated solely through the sun. Solar water heaters, however, are made from much higher quality materials than garden hoses. Installation requires no electrical wires, but is basically a plumbing installation. The return on the investment is pretty good for solar water heaters. Installation costs are about $1500. On average a return can be realized in about three years,” stated Harris. The Original Oyster House co-owners exemplify how change can begin in our own back yards, and while the ripples may start small, there is no telling how far reaching they will become. In March of 2014, the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce officially honored the Original Oyster House (OOH) as its 2013 environmental award winner by planting a 15-foot Nuttal Oak at Christ the King Catholic School in Daphne, Ala. SENSE MAGAZINE | 33
MUSIC
No Bones About It TEXT BY LYNN OLDSHUE PHOTO BY DAVE MCCLISTER
A
year ago St. Paul and the Broken Bones was an unknown band from Birmingham, Alabama booked at the last minute to play a pre-concert for the Hangout Music Fest. Excitement about the band ignited when Paul Janeway stepped up to the microphone in his thick glasses, red pants, blue blazer, and bow tie. He looked at the crowd, raised his hands and slammed down the first note with a soulful, powerful voice that sounded like it should have come from someone else. Janeway, once groomed to become a Pentecostal pastor, brought down fire and brimstone. As he spun and slid across the stage, the horns, drums and guitars matched him note-for-note in songs that knocked you down and lifted you up. St. Paul and the Broken Bones returns to the 2014 Hangout Music Fest as one of the bands to watch, closing out the festival Sunday night on the BMI stage and playing at the same time as the Avett Brothers. “We are excited to be on one of the main stages at the Hangout Festival,” says guitar player Browan Lollar. “That will be one of the events that we can look back on and see growth and the forward momentum with the band and it will be one of the biggest crowds that we have played for.”
Destiny 34 | MAY 2014
MUSIC
The name St. Paul is because Paul doesn’t drink or smoke and broken bones came from the alliteration of the two B’s and the idea of fragmented parts. It also sounded like the name of an old-school soul band.
MUSIC
I know that I’ve been cold/ Baby, I ain’t got no soul/ I have had those sweet sugar thoughts/ They have been taken away from me/ They can’t melt me no more/ I just have to be unhappy/ We put on our Sunday best/ We live our quiet mess/ But we’ll never be married “The Grass Is Greener”
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MUSIC
The southern soul band exploded earlier this year with the release of their debut album Half the City in February. It has been reviewed and recommended by music critics across the country, including many from National Public Radio. The band recently performed on “CBS This Morning” and the “Late, Late Show” with Craig Ferguson and will be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this summer. Only fifteen months ago the seven musicians were working day jobs at music stores and restaurants and painting houses. Two were graduating from college and Janeway was working as a bank teller and taking accounting classes (he is two semesters away from an accounting degree). St. Paul and the Broken Bones started from a friendship with Janeway and bass player Jesse Phillips. They occasionally played together at parties and coffee shops in Birmingham and Les Nuby of Ol’ Elegante Studios in Birmingham encouraged them to record their music. They recorded four songs that became the Greetings from St. Paul and the Broken Bones EP. Lollar and drummer Andrew Lee came in at the end of the recording to help fill out the songs and formed the band. Alan Branstetter and Ben Griner were added as the horn section and Al Gamble joined this year on the keyboard. The name St. Paul and the Broken Bones was an inside joke when Janeway and Phillips started playing around with music. St. Paul is because Paul doesn’t drink or smoke and broken bones came from the alliteration of the two B’s and the idea of fragmented parts. It also sounded like the name of an old-school soul band.
The last few months have been a blur,” says Lollar. “We have been so busy and so much has happened that it is hard to focus and take it in. We have been on our first tour of the West Coast and we have sold out 20 shows in a row and most of them are in places we have never been. It is humbling to think about how much it has grown over the past few months. One of the most surreal days was playing a sold out show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and taping the ‘Late, Late Show’ with Craig Ferguson on the same day. We stood on the set and looked around realizing that life is really weird sometimes. Our manager tells us not to get used to this.” The crowds and stages are bigger, but the band’s music and performance remains the same. “The shows haven’t changed much, maybe a little less sweaty from playing at a place like Callaghan’s” laughs Lollar. “It is challenging in bigger venues because engaging people is a big part of our show. We have to work a little harder to get people closer to the music, but Paul is good at making people listen and pay attention no matter where we play.” From the beginning there have been predictions of big things for St. Paul and the Broken Bones and those predictions are coming true. “People keep telling us to strap in because it is going to take off, but our approach to success is wait and see,” says Lollar. “If it happens, great, but we are realistic about it. We enjoy writing and playing songs and it is more fun when people are there to listen. As long as we are making a living playing music, we are happy.”
The band played together in weekend gigs for five months when Ben Tanner of the Alabama Shakes asked them to record a full-length album on his Single Lock Record Label. Janeway was still learning how use to his voice and safely screech and howl and says that he tried to hit everything he could during those recording sessions, even notes he shouldn’t have tried. Songs about lost love and the wrong love feel raw and real coming from the singer with a voice that sounds like a mix of Otis Redding. Wilson Pickett, and Steven Tyler. “We sat on the album for a year so it is a blast now that the people know the songs and sing along with us,” says Lollar. “The songwriting process is addicting--lay it out, record it, release it, then see how it is liked by other people. I am looking forward to doing it again for the second album.” People who saw St. Paul and the Broken Bones play at favorite local venues like Callaghan’s in Mobile and Bottletree Café in Birmingham knew the band would quickly outgrow the local clubs. The band is now filling venues that seat 400-500 such as the historic Troubadour in Los Angeles that helped launch Elton John, James Taylor, The Eagles, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Browne. “
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38 | MAY 2014
VIEWS AND NEWS
THE WHY OF WRITING BY BETH HOFFMAN
Writing was just a dream — a fragile, private thing. Late at night my thoughts often drifted to a place where scenes unfolded, characters revealed themselves, and stories took shape. But I already had a career. As co-owner of an interior design studio, every ounce of my creative and physical energy was consumed. There was no way to meet the demands of my clients, run a business, and craft a novel, too. So I kept brushing my dream aside. I brushed it aside for years.
READ IT & EAT WITH
BETH HOFFMAN Author of
Looking For Me THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 12:00 P.M. WINTZELL’S FAIRHOPE Tickets are $15 and include a $5 coupon toward the book purchase. Portion of the proceeds to benefit The Haven.
One evening I arrived home feeling exhausted and went straight to bed. The next morning I was so sick that I couldn’t walk. Hours later I was in ICU where I nearly died of the same infection that took puppeteer Jim Henson’s life (streptococcus pneumonia that cascaded into septicemia). As cliché as it sounds, that near-death experience changed everything. During the long months of recovery I reevaluated my life, and my dream of writing resurfaced. That’s when I decided it was better to write something, anything, than to write nothing at all. So I came up with the idea of creating “story ads” for the newspaper. I’d select a piece of furniture on display in the design showroom and compose a silly story about it: who made it, who stole it, or who fought for it in a bitter divorce. The story ads were a hit and people started collecting them. Then, on a snowy January morning, a stranger called to tell me how much he and his wife loved the ads. He said they cut their favorites from the newspaper and taped them to the refrigerator. “Have you ever thought of writing a book?” he asked. My answer was, “Maybe someday.”
Some people thought I’d gone mad when I sold my portion of the business and cleaned out my office. Oh, the shocked expressions and dire warnings of failure. There was even some eye rolling. But I refused to waste time defending my decision. I had a new job on my mind and I couldn’t wait to begin. Four years later I finished writing Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, and three years after that Looking for Me was published. Both novels became New York Times bestsellers. Leaving my design career was the gutsiest thing I’ve ever done, and, as it turns out, it was also the wisest. This wonderful, frustrating, and rewarding thing called writing is where I belong. As for the naysayers? Well, that’s interesting. They’ve all drifted away. Some folks just can’t stand being proven wrong. I wish them well, wherever they are, and maybe a few of them secretly wish me well, too. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Beth Hoffman is the internationally bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and Looking for Me. Before beginning her writing career, she was president and co-owner of an interior design studio. Beth lives, along with her husband and their fourlegged fur-kids, in a historic home in Kentucky. Her interests include the rescue of abandoned and abused animals, nature conservancy, birding, historic preservation, and antiquing. You can visit Beth’s website at www.BethHoffman.net.
When the call ended, I walked to the front window of the showroom and watched the snowfall. I thought about the slim odds of getting published, and I thought about how the odds for survival had been against me when I developed septicemia. Yet I had survived. Did I live so I could continue to worry about scratched armoires, flawed fabrics, and shipping delays? Or had I been given the gift of a second rite of passage? It was at that moment that I made up my mind — it was time to go after my dream.
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VIEWS AND NEWS
B E T W E E N
T H E
L I N E S
REVIEWS OF BOOKS AVAILABLE AT PAGE & PALETTE BOOKSTORE
NATCHEZ BURNING BY GREG ILES
#1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles returns with his most eagerly anticipated novel yet and his first in five years — Natchez Burning — the first installment in an epic trilogy that interweaves crimes, lies, and secrets past and present in a mesmerizing thriller featuring Southern lawyer and former prosecutor Penn Cage. Growing up in the rural Southern hamlet of Natchez, Miss., Penn Cage learned everything he knows about honor and duty from his father, Tom Cage. But now the beloved family doctor and pillar of the community is accused of murdering Viola Turner, the beautiful nurse with whom he worked in the dark days of the early 1960s. A fighter who has always stood for justice, Penn is determined to save his father, even though Tom, stubbornly evoking doctor-patient privilege, refuses to speak up in his own defense. The quest for answers sends Penn deep into the past — into the heart of a conspiracy of greed and murder involving the Double Eagles, a vicious KKK crew headed by one of the wealthiest and most
40 | MAY 2014
powerful men in the state. With the aid of a local friend and reporter privy to some of Natchez’s deadliest secrets, Penn follows a bloody trail that stretches back 40 years, to a shocking truth that will forever alter his perception of both his father and himself. With everything on the line, including his own life, Penn must decide how far he will go to protect those he loves . . . and judge whether justice is worth the cost. Rich in Southern atmosphere and electrifying plot turns, Natchez Burning marks the brilliant return of a genuine American master of suspense. Tense and disturbing, it is the most explosive, exciting, sexy, and ambitious story Greg Iles has ever written. ($27.99, HarperCollins, On Sale Now)
the devastation of World War II. Built on an intricate, labyrinthine structure, the novel assembles the graduallyintersecting stories of all those within it and the relationships that hold them together. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, All the Light We Cannot See is Doerr’s most elaborate and dazzling work yet. ($27.00, Simon & Schuster, Pub Date 5/6/14)
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, a stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about a blind French girl, Maurie-Laure, and a German boy, Werner, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive
BY KIMBERLY FREEMAN
BY ADAM PELZMAN
BY CASSANDRA KING
BY ANTHONY DOERR
EMBER ISLAND
TROIKA
THE SAME SWEET GIRLS’ GUIDE TO LIFE
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
be read again and again, by thoughtful people of all ages. King’s true gift is in her ability to present readers with the sort of hard-earned wisdom that will help both young and old find sustenance and renewed meaning in their lives. ($15.00, Maiden Lane Press, On Sale Now)
Just in time for Graduation and Mother’s Day — or as a perfect gift for anyone moving on to a new stage in life — inspiration and advice, Southern style. Written with a blend of humor and practical wisdom, The Same Sweet Girls’ Guide to Life: Advice from a Failed Southern Belle offers inspiration and solid advice to new graduates that can sustain them through life’s inevitable ups and downs. In this small book you will find advice that will only grow in meaning throughout the years. It can — and should —
Perla is a beautiful young Cuban-American woman who lives with her mother in a modest house in Miami’s Little Havana. After her father’s death, she finds herself leading a secret life. Julian is from Russia. His father was a legendary Siberian hunter who fell victim to his own bravery. When Julian is forced into an orphanage, he discovers that he has more in common with his father than he originally thought. Taken under the wing of a gruff, elderly businessman, Julian makes his way to New York City . . . and, years later, into the club where Perla is dancing. Soon after they meet, Perla is on a plane to Manhattan at the mysterious request of Julian’s friend — a journey that will change the course of her life. ($25.95, Penguin, On Sale Now)
In 1891, Tilly Kirkland is reeling with shock and guilt after her tempestuous marriage ends in horrific circumstances. Fleeing to the farthest place she knows, Tilly takes a job on Ember Island in Moreton Bay, Australia, where she becomes the governess to the prison superintendent’s precocious young daughter, Nell. Tilly knows she must keep the past hidden in order to start a new life, but she doesn’t know that Nell is watching her every move and writing it all down, hiding tiny journals all over their rambling manor home. More than one hundred years later, bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling to complete her next book. A reporter asking questions about her great-grandmother sends Nina retreating to her family’s home on Ember Island, where she hopes to find her lost inspiration somewhere in the crumbling walls. Though they are separated by years, both Tilly and Nina must learn that some secrets never stay buried, but what matters most is learning to trust your heart. ($16.00, Simon & Schuster, On Sale Now)
VIEWS AND NEWS
WHAT THE AUTHORS ARE READING PAGE & PALETTE BOOKSTORE’S MOST POPULAR AUTHORS TALK ABOUT THEIR LATEST READS
MICHAEL THOMPSON
BEATRIZ WILLIAMS
AUTHOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHRISTIAN SUSPENSE THRILLER THE PARCHMAN PREACHER
INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF OVERSEAS AND A HUNDRED SUMMERS
I’ve recently read Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love, which I loved. Beautifully written suspense. The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn is a must read if you like ancient mysteries that tie in to modern day prophecies. Life of Pi by Yann Martel is one of my favorite books of all time. (The movie was only half as good as the book.) Others I’ve enjoyed are Code Blue by Richard Mabry, Distortion by Terri Blackstock, and Smarty Bones by one of my favorite authors, Carolyn Haines. ROBIN O’BRYANT BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF KETCHUP IS A VEGETABLE: AND OTHER LIES MOMS TELL THEMSELVES
I’m currently reading The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman and I’m in love with it. Historically significant events, beautiful storytelling and a glimpse into Jewish culture after the destruction of the temple and massacre by the Romans. The story is captivating. Night Film by Marisha Pessl is dark and gritty. Fans of Stephen King and Gillian Flynn will love this book. I’d recommend buying a hard copy vs an e-version as the layout of the book is just as interesting as the story itself. While the main character, an investigative journalist, begins digging into a suicide, the reader is given full police reports, autopsy reports and pages of “screenshots” of his online research. You’re going to want to be able to flip back to these forms to easily follow the thread of the story. Unlike any other book in its genre — I LOVED it. I adore nontraditional romances which is why I highly recommend What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple. I love the quirkiness of these books and the not so perfect relationships and characters represented. I couldn’t pick one — you should read all three.
When it comes to reading, I’ve always had promiscuous tastes. I prowl restlessly across genres, looking for mates, and I don’t care if it’s fiction or nonfiction, romance or mystery, contemporary or historical: I crave good writing married to good storytelling. Here’s a condensed list of my most recent loves: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway. I defy you to put this spectacular book in any particular category. There’s adventure, there’s time travel, there’s romance, there’s breathtaking plot and rich, galloping prose that holds you devoted to every page. This book didn’t get nearly enough coverage in hardcover last year; it’s now out in paperback with a gorgeous new cover, so you still have the chance to tell your friends you read it first. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I just picked this up on the recommendation of Karin Wilson at Page & Palette bookstore. I’m halfway through, and I had to tear myself away to write this post. It’s about a cranky bookstore owner on a remote Massachusetts island, and a publisher sales rep, and a surprise gift from the outside world. I won’t say more, but if you love books and bookstores and redemption, and the whole dazzling range of stories brought into this lucky world every year, you’ll eat this up.
ERIKA ROBUCK AUTHOR OF HEMINGWAY’S GIRL AND CALL ME ZELDA
I have read so many excellent books lately, I don’t know where to begin. The first that comes to mind is Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings. It is a sweeping tale of courage and redemption, set during the shameful past of slavery in this country. I also loved Orphan Train, set in Depression-era Minnesota, and was moved by the determination and tenacity of the protagonist. I am currently reading and loving Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, in advance of the film release. I can’t get enough history in fiction and nonfiction.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 41
WELLNESS
Skin Cancer Awareness Month How to keep your skin flawless TEXT BY EMILY HILL
W
ith summer approaching, many are itching to hit the beach and soak up the sun. However, there are some precautions you should take before getting under those UV rays. May is skin cancer awareness month, so Sense reached out to local specialists who provided plenty of information on how to enjoy the weather while preserving your skin. Heather Haley of Haley Dermatology in Fairhope, Ala. says to keep your skin safe you don’t have to change your activities, just be smarter about it. “Adjust the time of day, wear sunscreen every day, and find a hat that protects the face and ears,” said Haley.
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WELLNESS
She says she hears her patients too often say they went outside for just a few minutes, then the next thing they knew they had been out for 2 hours and were sunburned. “To prevent that, I recommend that everyone, men and women, put sunscreen on right after they brush their teeth. Every day, rain or sun.” Haley Dermatology provides a variety of skin care products, and can help you find the best sunscreen for your skin type. All sunscreens are 20 percent off in the month of May. Haley also says getting yearly checks by a dermatologist are important. “This is how early detection is possible. It is certainly good to have a spot checked that is changing but I recommend full body or skin checks as opposed to checking a few spots,” Haley says. She added that if you have a family history of skin cancer your risk of skin cancer is increased. “You can’t change this genetic risk but you can lower your risk with good sun protection,” says Haley. Susan Crutchfield, the manager of community and physician outreach for the University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute, also gave some advice for keeping your skin healthy during the summer months. Crutchfield suggests avoiding the prime sunlight hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and applying plenty of sunscreen, preferably 30 SPF or greater. She described how the SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, works. “If you normally burn in 5 minutes and you put on 15 SPF, you’d have 75 minutes before you burn,” Crutchfield explained. However, since there’s no exact scale to measure the amount of time it will take you to burn on any given day, Crutchfield recommends using at least 30 SPF. She also advises to keep an eye on skin markings and moles. “If a mole develops in your adulthood, moles tend to not be something that normally develops in adulthood so you definitely want to check that. If you have something larger than a pencil eraser, that’s a serious sign,” Crutchfield said. As you can tell, skin cancer is a very serious issue. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, on average, one American dies from melanoma every hour. The major risk factor for melanoma of the skin is exposure to ultraviolet light. Avoiding this risk factor alone could prevent more than 3 million cases of skin cancer every year. If you have questions or would like to get your skin checked, you can reach the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute in Mobile, Ala. at 251-665-8000. Haley Dermatology in Fairhope can be contacted at 251-928-3844.
The ABCDE’s of Skin Cancer provided by Susan Crutchfield with the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute
If you have any of the signs included in the ABCDE’s of skin cancer, you should visit a dermatologist. A: Asymmetry The mark on your skin is not round. B: Border The mark on your skin has an irregular border. C: Color There are several different colors in one mole. D: Diameter The diameter of the mark is larger than a pencil eraser. E: Evolution. There’s been a change in the skin mark.
Aiken Design & Construction Designs for Inspired Living
251-928-6321 | info@aikendesignbuild.com SENSE MAGAZINE | 43
V ER B AT I M
Q &A
Paul Arthur: Changing Views On The World We Live In TEXT BY MAGGIE WEIR
The E.O Wilson Biophilia Center is an environmental education center nestled in the Longleaf Pine ecosystem at Nokuse Plantation. The center serves as an interactive learning facility for 4th and 7th grade students, teachers and professional audiences. CEO and Director, Paul Arthur, gives SENSE an inside look into his role at the center and the center’s role in changing his views on life
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Q: How has your role as director of the E.O. Wilson Center changed the way you view the world we live in?
Q: What are some of the major issue we face today in protecting our environment for tomorrow?
I want to tell you, my views changed the first time I visited the center over five years ago before I even worked here. I will never forget walking into the exhibit hall and finding myself standing in awe at how much I didn’t know or understand about our environment and how we (as people) affect it in such a negative way. Instantly, I decided to change my ways, which in turn, started my path of becoming a naturalist.
I would say that one of the most pressing issues that Dr. Wilson has right now is the fact that our ignorance could be our downfall. I have taken this issue to heart and have made it my mission to educate as many students as possible with the Biophilia Center. The Center was created to hopefully create naturalists for future generations. So, like Dr. Wilson says, “this MUST be the “green” generation for this world to have any hope.” We are doing our part!
Q: Tell our readers about your background and how you became the Center’s CEO and director.
Q: What changes at the center have you made that you are most proud of?
Before I moved to Florida five years ago, I was a business owner and entrepreneur in Birmingham, Alabama. I always enjoyed being outdoors but it wasn’t until my wife and kids spent a summer here at the beach that we realized this was our home. The current director saw me interacting with my kids at the Center on a visit and offered me a job as a part time educator. I fell in love with the Center and my position eventually evolved into the CEO and director. As I challenge students everyday I realize I too am constantly learning. Q: What is the most valuable principle that you have you learned from E.O. Wilson, the center’s namesake? Knowledge is power. The first thing is to look around and understand what is happening around you. We just celebrated Earth Day, and we all know that we should celebrate Earth day every day, not just once a year! There are naturalist groups, colleges, trail folks and so much more that are easy to find and get involved. Q: In what ways can our readers make positive changes in their life to improve the environment in their community? What is great about today and today’s technology is the fact that we can support so many different and diverse causes, people, movements, etc. by the push of a button on our computers. What I want your readers to understand is that the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is making an impact for the future of our environment. When students leave the Center after four full days of immersed, hands-on, outdoor teachings about how they can make a difference with their world, they are taking with them knowledge that will stay with them a lifetime. Knowledge that will go with them all over the state, country and world, wherever they may travel. So, we would love for your readers to take a look at our website, see that we offer different ways to help monetarily, volunteering and even corporate sponsorships. They can call us or we encourage them to maybe take a visit to our Center when we are open to the public and see first hand what we are doing.
I am most proud of our team. I work with extremely creative, passionate and hard working people. As a group, we work together every day to improve our product. You hear this a lot with businesses, but with us, it couldn’t be more true. Almost every day we are bouncing new ideas off of each other on how we can be more effective; or what is needed to accomplish our goals. What I am most proud of is watching the team do what they do best. It is exciting.
“Knowledge is power. The first thing is to look and understand what is happening around you.”
Q: What are your long-term goals as director of the center? Are there plans to add more locations? The future of the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is limitless. With the right partnerships and passionate people, we would love to have more locations throughout the country. We have in place a great infrastructure, but with any new endeavor, funding becomes paramount. That’s why I appreciate people like Sense Magazine writing articles about what we are doing in the Florida Panhandle. I would like to think that someone is going to read this article and it will strike a chord with that reader who might pursue a relationship with us for expansion. Potential is everywhere.
The E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is located in Freeport, Florida. Visit them online at www.eowilsoncenter.org for hours and to learn how you can become a patron for biodiversity.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 45
46 | MAY 2014
LITERATI
Dear Jenny, I called but couldn’t get you before leaving town. Things happened so fast. Now I think it’s best if I just write. We’ve both had enough pain lately. Granny died on Tuesday. I’m sorry you weren’t there for the service. I know she was your favorite in my family, and she really adored you and looked forward to seeing you whenever we visited her at the nursing home. I drove a rental car to the funeral in Minden. Afterwards I was too tired to drive so I dropped the car off and am taking the bus back to Biloxi. I’m writing this on the bus, so I’ll just describe things and let the words come as they will. Maybe what I want to say will make its way out somehow. I wasn’t going to write till later, but thoughts are bombarding me and it seems all I can do is notice and take in everything--the images, colors, sounds, smells--as if my senses are newly awakened and I can’t turn them off. Guess it’s a rebound effect after being so numb. Maybe this will be one of the experiences that makes it into that novel I talk about trying my hand at one day. From shipyard worker to novelist--as if, huh? I’d forgotten how cramped and uncompromising buses are. The vinyl-covered seats squeak when you slide on them. An emergency escape hatch is located behind the driver’s seat. A clear plastic panel, scarred with wear, separates the driver from the first seat directly in back of him. I’ll probably read the five placards posted above the driver’s bay a hundred times during the trip: FEDERAL LAW--NO SMOKING EXCEPT IN DESIGNATED AREA IN REAR OF COACH. NO DRINKING OF INTOXICANTS OR TAKING DRUGS. FEDERAL LAW--DON’T STEP PAST THIS LINE. DON’T TALK TO DRIVER WHILE BUS IS IN MOTION. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE THIS BUS EQUIPPED WITH RESTROOM IN REAR. The cab was late picking me up this morning and I barely made it to the bus station by my 2:30 a.m. departure time. Hurriedly tipped the cabbie a buck and some change and told him I was short on cash, which was true. It had been so long since I’d taken a bus that I wasn’t prepared for the price of the ticket to Biloxi. I’m on the Atlanta-bound bus and will switch buses in Jackson after an hour layover. Most of the passengers look like down-and-outers. When I started to board, the lanky bus driver, standing to one side, said in a not-so-friendly tone, “Hold it right there, neighbor.” He punched my ticket and let me get on. He told a young black guy boarding behind me that if he heard one word from him, he’d be off the bus. Must have thought the guy was drunk or on drugs. Seemed to me he had some kind of spastic muscular condition, the way he walked. He sat in the rear of the bus and never made a sound. Granny wore a gold, jeweled stickpin and her favorite flowered dress for the casket viewing. That gallant lady who was once so vigorous and active had become gaunt and worn. She’d lived 94 years, the last 15 in the dreary halls and rooms of the nursing home. Her mind had held up remarkably well until the last three or four of those years. After the burial, the family gathered at Sis’s house in Minden. Promises were exchanged all around to get together again, but you know it’s an empty ritual. A family has to establish a habit of being close-knit. You can’t just start being that way after so long a time of drifting apart. It has to be nurtured from the beginning.
ON A BUS BEREFT BY RICHARD HARKNESS
I returned to the cemetery to spend a few minutes alone there. It had been so long since I’d been to this place before today. My mother lay there also. I walked past the gravestones of other parents and grandparents lined side by side--Freeman, Andrews, Long, Ratcliffe--strong stock all. My maternal grandfather was buried beside Granny. I never knew him; he drowned in 1949. They came from Arkansas. How I wish I had listened more closely when Granny talked of earlier times--what struggles they encountered and conquered, which struggles conquered them. Now the final link in that heritage is gone. Mom lay next to Granny on the other side. She died the month before President Kennedy was assassinated. She and my dad divorced when I was twelve, and he’d moved out-ofstate somewhere. (Considering my sisters’ and brothers’ situations, seems like divorce runs in my family?). I cleaned around my mom’s weathered flat gravestone. Pulled back the wild grass, scraped embedded earth from the etched characters SEPTEMBER 9 1912 -- OCTOBER 25 1963. By fixing up her burial site I could at least feel I had been there because I made it different than I had found it. The nearby Azaleas have already opened up splashes of pink blossoms, as if they were hurrying spring along. The wind whispered through the grass and I wished that somehow she could know I was there. Mom, we didn’t have enough time together. Why can’t I remember the pitch of your voice? It was still dark when the bus pulled into Jackson. In the depot cafeteria I forced down scrambled eggs, grits, sausages, and biscuits from a cellophane package heated in a microwave oven. Imagine the taste of cardboard dipped in monosodium glutamate. Ugh. The coffee was brackish, colored water. Restive kids evoked unearthly electronic sounds from a bank of video games lining the wall. A smattering of formaldehyde faces occupied other tables, the faces laid bare by the stark glare of overhead fluorescents. The tables, adorned with bright red vinyl tablecloths and vases of red and white plastic roses, stood out as window dressing stripped away by this cheerless place. It struck me as a purgatory place, a way station. You had to pass through here to get to where you need to be. I boarded a bus called EXPRESS for the remainder of the trip. It’s raining outside and nippy. Darkness is giving way to a foggy dawn. New strangers board and the bus belches and inches forward back onto the highway. I find myself wondering about the young black guy on the other bus, where he might be heading, whether there might be a story there. Everyone has a story worth telling, I think, if you can bore deep enough to discern the signal from the noise, bottle the flitting mayfly moments of truth. I imagine a life defined by first impressions. The new bus driver is friendly and chats with a passenger sitting nearby. The lady in the seat across from me pops open a can of soda. She reaches into a small canvas bag and pulls out a tank top, which she puts on over her head, covering most of her body. Next comes a plain red bonnet with a broad brim and stitching. Then a plaid warmer that goes over her legs to just above the knees. She curls into a bundled cocoon and the only thing sticking out is a hand clutching a can of Pepsi Free. Seems like a magician’s legerdemain that a tiny bag could produce such a volume of clothing. Experienced bus travelers must know all the tricks of the trade. After my parents separated, Mom and I shuttled between the homes of my siblings--I was the youngest. The memories seem fresh as yesterday--the confusion of new schools, the stinging sadness of losing best friends, the bitter void of not having a dad to come SENSE MAGAZINE | 47
LITERATI
ON A BUS BEREFT CONTINUED
watch me play ball. We wound up back at Granny’s, where we had lived for much of my early childhood, so I could start and finish high school in one place. Mom held down menial jobs and I loved her deeply. The day my brother appeared at the dorm door--my freshman year in college--I knew we had lost her to cancer. In the car going home, his voice finally broke the highway hum. “She lost the battle, Billy.” Some battle, I remember thinking cynically. Mom looked cold and pasty in the casket. I struggled, but could not banish the budding tears. The Baptist minister consoled me, and I asked him to pray for me. I’d intended that the prayer be in my behalf for Mom, but the pastor, misunderstanding, began intoning a prayer for me instead. I could not bring myself to interrupt the earnest but misdirected petition, having been struck by the notion that, apparently, men of God were ordinary people with no special insight or dispensation from any Almighty. Sometimes I wonder if my dad is still alive and where he might be. My overriding memory of him is the day I stood trembling in the hallway, looking up at his angry face. I was maybe five. The tape of my life always pauses here on rewinding. I’ll take my belt off and wear your butt out if you ever do anything filthy like that again. I had been caught playing doctor with other neighborhood kids. My cheeks were afire with choking feelings of guilt and humiliation that burned into me like a deep tattoo. He had virtually ignored me except when I got in trouble, and I can’t recall ever hearing him utter that he loved me. The bundled lady stirs, breaking my reverie. The bus’s lurch and shake has ceased. We sit stationary, diesel idling, before an isolated railroad crossing. The tracks converge away on either side until they meet a shroud of haze. The driver looks both ways. Words from a long-past poem return uninvited and with new import: We come from where we get the wound. The iambic rhythm echoes in my skull. Well, this is an unscheduled stop at a scary place. The door opens with a hydraulic hiss, then closes. Some sort of safety regulation, I suppose. The gears grind and we bump across the track onto smoother road. It’s just now sinking in how much alike we must be, my dad and me. That he too must have feared the risk of exposing an emotional underbelly. Maybe he also had been bereft of a model to pattern the give and take expression of feelings as a man. Maybe it was in the genes. So, like me, he had either postured strength or run in neutral, afraid of missteps, of showing a vulnerability that could lead to hurt. It occurs to me that I’ve been bundled up in my own cocoon. My way has been to bury old sores like clams in the sand. Maybe I’m finally getting an inkling of what you meant about the importance of resolving things. Reckon this is where I need to drop anchor and throw out the breadcrumbs. The early morning fog is lifting and I’m pausing for a spell to take in the passing scenery. The bus
has made all the little stops--Mendenhall, Magee, Mount Olive, Collins--then Hattiesburg, Gulfport, and now Biloxi. We’re cruising along Highway 90 and the beach is a picture post card, brimming gold in the rising sun. Before leaving Minden I drove by Granny’s old wood-frame house, where I spent those joyful/painful days of my youth. The days that yield more treasure the farther away we drift from them. Some other family lives there now. A little boy in dirt-smeared short pants, eating a sandwich, sat on the porch. I became that boy who dropped his peanut butter sandwich in the dirt and tried to wash it off in the front yard faucet (was I a dumb kid or what?). The vein, once struck, gave up its lode of memories in things I took for granted: Granny’s savory homemade cookies (I’ve not found that taste again to this day); the tiny furry monkeys she made from wire and material; the parakeets she loved; her rocking chair going a mile a minute when the villains on TV made her fume; the excuses I found to put off mowing the yard. It seems we take for granted the people we love the most. That’s not so bad, I think--it helps us feel secure. But it’s important to show the other person how significant they are to us, express it from time to time in the way they need to hear. I’m used to letting inertia rule, and opening up doesn’t come easy, but I want to get better at it. Our separation has turned into a revelation for me. God, Jenny, yesterday comes so suddenly. Next time it comes, I don’t want to be facing it alone. I need you. I want “us” to try again. Could we? Love (unconditional), Bill END
LITERATI SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Sense invites you to submit edgy, eclectic pieces. We welcome short fiction, essays, humor, and poetry submissions. Rights to the material submitted remain those of its author, who is protected under Creative Commons licenses. We reserve the right to choose all materials that appear in the publication. For more detailed submission information, email editor@thesenseofitall.com.
48 | MAY 2014