Lake Magazine September 2023

Treasures in the Trash

John Thompson wins state's highest honor

Restoring a 1951 Feather Craft

Hilary

Ragsdale, M.D. Internal Medicine

BOARD

• American Board of Internal Medicine

MEDICAL SCHOOL

• University of Alabama at Birmingham RESIDENCY

Just as we were sending this issue of Lake magazine to the printer, I saw my first yellow butterfly of the season. According to lore cited in Greg Vinson’s Big Catches column this month, that could mean cooler temperatures are on the way. And how welcome they will be for anglers and lake lovers alike, as the approach of autumn also ushers in glassy water, football season and TPI’s annual art and photography contest.

The deadline for art entries in the Lake Martin Living magazine contest is early this year, as we prepare for the return of the contest as an exhibit and awards event. Turn in those photographs and works of art at our Alexander City office at 548 Cherokee Rd. by Sept. 8. Then, buy tickets to the exhibit reception for just $15 to benefit the Dadeville Performing Arts Center. You’ll find details on page 21.

Waiting for fall at Lake Martin is like restoring a vintage water vessel. It takes patience and vision, both of which Braxton Ewing drew upon as he diligently restored a 1951 Feather Craft runabout that he discovered at Lake Martin. Along with his family, Braxton spent the better part of a year rebuilding the unique watercraft. Ben Smith brings you that engaging story on page 34.

A recent graduate of the University of Alabama with a master’s in journalism, Ben joined the TPI writing staff last month, and I’m delighted to introduce him in this issue. Originally from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, he’s bright and sharp and loves telling stories. Share yours with him at ben.smith@alexcityoutlook.com or stop by the TPI office in Alexander City in person to welcome him to Lake Martin.

In this issue, we also celebrate John Thompson, who last month received the state’s highest conservation award as the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Governor’s Water Conservationist of the Year. It is most deserved, as John’s passion for a clean Lake Martin has benefitted us all. Join us in our accolades on page 22.

Before we learned that John would have his own two pages in this issue of Lake, we’d planned the Treasures in the Trash article on page 30, a shout-out to adopters in Lake Martin’s Treasured Mile program. Read about how picking up trash fosters education of the next generation, unveils some odd finds and renews the community of friends and neighbors at the lake.

The temperatures may be cooling, but the water’s still warm. There is a little more time to make memories at Lake Martin before the water is drawn down for the winter, and we’d love to hear your stories.

Betsy Iler, Editor-in-Chief

Chairman

KENNETH BOONE

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

General Manager

TIPPY HUNTER editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Editor in Chief

BETSY ILER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Art Director

AUDRA SPEARS audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Business & Digital Development Director

ANGELA MULLINS angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing RENEE TRICE renee.trice@alexcityoutlook.com

SHERYL JENNINGS sheryl.jennings@thewetumpkaherald.com

HIDEY ARRINGTON hidey.arrington@alexcityoutlook.com

Staff Contributors

KENNETH BOONE

BREANNA MANLEY

JULIE HUDSON

GREG VINSON

CLIFF WILLIAMS

PETE MCKENNY

WILLIAM MARLOW

LIZI GWIN

HENRY ZIMMER

ABIGAIL MURPHY

LONNA UPTON

DAVE JENNINGS

BEN SMITH

STEVE ARNBERG

WALLACE JONES

The cover of this month's Lake magazine features a restored Feather Craft "Deluxe Runabout" that Braxton Ewing discovered in the weeds on a Lake Martin shoreline. For almost a year, Braxton and his young son, Parker, labored to give new life to the worn out vessel. Today, it glides again over the pristine waters as a new treasure on our Treasured Lake.

Photo by Kenneth Boone

21. ENTER NOW! ART & PHOTO CONTEST

The deadline draws near for entries in this year's Lake Martin Living magazine Art & Photo Contest.

22. AWF WATER CONSERVATIONIST

Lake Martin's John Thompson receives the state's highest environmental honor.

26. LABOR DAY MUSIC FEST

Russell Crossroads concert series is a fitting farewell to a Lake Martin summer.

30. TREASURES IN THE TRASH

Treasured Mile program fosters friends, fun and a future for Alabama's only Treasured Lake.

34. RUNABOUT RE-DO

Braxton Ewing and his young son spent almost a year restoring a 1951 Feather Craft runabout.

42. A TRADITIONAL UPDATE

Longtime lake residents keep what they love in a recent renovation.

60. LAKE PROPERTY

62. HOBO

66. HEALTHY LIVING

68. CHEF'S TABLE

70. CHEERS!

72. BIG CATCHES

75. LOVE OF THE GAME

82. PARTING SHOT

Lake’s Quick Guide to the Lake

Lake Martin Area Real Estate Indicators

Weather Outlook for Month

September 2023 Forecast

Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the 80s with average lows in the mid 60s and slightly 4 inches of precipitation in the month of September.The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will lean above average and rainfall will be average this month.

Year-to-Date

Precipitation: 38.12

Avg. high temp.: 72.0

Avg. low temp.: 48.1

Avg. temp.: 60.0

Information from the National Weather Service.

Our Normal September

Precipitation: 4.00 inches

Avg. high temp.: 85.9

Avg. low temp.: 65.3

Avg. temp.: 75.6

Last Month's Lake Levels

Summer: 491 MSL

Winter: 481 MSL

Highest: 490.40

Lowest: 490.05

Lake depth is measured in reference to mean sea level. For up-to-date water levels at the lake, visit lakes.alabamapower.com.

Lake elevations are subject to change. Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and waterrelated equipment on the lake should always stay alert to changing conditions.

The above numbers are derived from raw sales data from the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors MLS. The sales noted above are for Lake Martin waterfront residential (single-family and condominium) sales only. This information is provided courtesy of Lake Martin Realty, LLC (a Russell Lands, Inc., affiliated company).

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) Walt Haywood caught a photo of the June 9 red ball sunset. (2) Ozzy and Emmett enjoy the view from the boat. (3) Amber Cleveland sent this photo of the fireworks across the lake from her parents' place at Lake Hill Estates. (4) Dallas, Abby, Norah, Memphis and Cayenne Caviness spent a great day at Lake Martin at their grandmother's house at Johnson Creek. (5) Little Miss Charlotte Harris sports the latest in patriotic apparell at her grandparents house on Tallasse Slough. (6) Alayna Taylor and Camila Sanchez relax at the lake on July 4. (7) Cheryl Gainer McCall shared this year's azalea photos with us.

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) Elizabeth Whatley's Remi loves hanging out on the dock at the lake. (2) Nadia Freeman took this photo of fireworks at Lake Martin Amphitheater on July 4. (3) Nora Clark is excited to talk about her adventures on Lake Martin near Camp Kiwanis. (4) Caroline Hicks of Charlotte, North Carolina, gives Lake Martin her highest rating. (5) Randy McClendon begins another beautiful day at Lake Martin with a Kowaliga sunrise. (6) Darla is ready for a ride with Addy and Will. (7) Raj enjoys a boat ride with Tony and Nina Johnson.

READER SUBMISSIONS

(1) Lake magazine thrilled to the roar of the Monaco Formula One race with David and Maury Miller and Dennis and Lynne Madison. (2) Mark and Susan Hinson took Lake magazine to Kauai, Hawaii, for a great vacation. (3) Niagra Falls once was a favorite destination for Lake magazine, but that was interrupted by COVID-19. So, Lake was thrilled to visit recently with Si and Christy Sexton.

(4) Lake magazine celebrated Nick and Patti Peters' 50th anniversary in London with Nicholas, Amanda, Grayson and Addison. (5) Kyle Thornton took Lake magazine to the sunflower field in Autaugaville. (6) Pat and Debbie Patterson took Lake magazine to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, on their two-week trip to Great Britain.

Now through Oct. 5

Dulcimer for Kids

From 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursdays, children in grades one through seven who have mountain dulcimers will learn to play and sing traditional music and will perform at Dadeville Fall Festival with Lake Martin Dulcimer Club. Email Kim Walls at kkcwalls@gmail.com or text her at 256-825-4958 for details. Visit dadevilleperformingartscenter.com/Classes to enroll and complete permission forms. No fees are charged for Tallapoosa County children.

Sept. 1 & 2

Labor Day

at Crossroads

Russell Lands will host a free, two-day Labor Day weekend concert series at Russell Crossroads at 6:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets, blankets and coolers or pick up dinner and your favorite beverage at Catherine’s Market or Fanny Goldmine Diner. Pups on a leash are welcome, too. For details, visit russelllands.com/ blog/events.

Sept. 7, 15 & 21

Art Journaling Workshop

Join local artist Kay Fincher at the Dadeville Public Library from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to learn about art journaling and how it can help you feel better emotionally and physically. Fee is $35 on the 7th and $10 on the 15th and 21st to cover supplies. Class is limited to 10 people, and a reservation is essential. Email Fincher at vkfincher@aol.com or call her at 256-8252506.

Sept. 8

Blackbird Pickers at Central Park

Sept. 8-9

TasteMasters

Enjoy a culinary weekend at Pursell Farms, complete with a meet-and-greet reception, a chef-inspired freestyle open-fire lunch and live music. Prepare for an unforgettable evening dining experience culminating in a wine-paired TasteMasters dinner at Hamilton Place. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind culinary weekend. Contact Joseph Holmes at 256-208-2040 or email jholmes@pursellfarms.com for more information.

Sept. 9

Creek Run Festival

Head out to Kings Bridge in Rockford for the return of this can’t-miss event. Snacks, lunch, local entertainment and more are on the docket for this all-day festival. Shuttle service for vehicle drivers from take-out site back to launch site is available. Call 256-307-7495 or 256-377-4713 for registration information or visit the Coosa Chamber of Commerce website.

Sept. 13

Dadeville

Community Chorus

Dadeville

Community Chorus will begin rehearsals at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Dadeville Performing Arts Center. All ages are welcome to join, and there’s a $30 quarterly patreon/performer membership fee. Enroll at dadevilleperformingartscenter.com. For more information email office@dadevilleperformingartscenter.com. Concerts will be held on Nov. 26 and Dec. 5.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN

Head to Central Park located across from Blue Bell in Sylacauga for a performance by the Blackbird Pickers. The show starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. and features a variety of cover songs and original music with a unique American/ rock ‘n’ roll sound.

Sept. 8

Ignite Business Summit

This inaugural event features topics of interest to strengthen the organizations and business leaders of the region. The halfday event will begin with engaging speakers, a luncheon and a keynote speaker. The event will last from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be held at the J. Craig Smith Community Center.

Sept. 14

Taste & See the Marble City

Join the fun of seeing and tasting what the Marble City has to offer. Head out to the J. Craig Smith Community Center to enjoy samples of restaurants, caterers and bakeries along with the community business expo. Admission is $25, and the event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sept. 14-17

Taking the Old Man HomeTour

Dadeville Performing Arts Center will host a readers theatre presentation of Taking the Old Man Home Tour. Tickets are $10 and are shceduled for 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visit dadevilleperformingartscenter.com for tickets.

Play golf for fun and charity Sept. 27 in the Annual Dadeville Kiwanis Golf Tournament at Lakewinds

Sept. 18-26

Throw Away Days

Tallapoosa County Commission will provide access to dumpsters at no charge for residents to discard furniture, mattresses and other trash items. Sept. 18-19, dumpsters will be at Union Community Center and Reeltown Fire Department; Sept. 20-21, they will be at the intersection of Youngs Ferry and Mullican roads; Sept. 22-24 at the Alexander City Annex at 395 Lee St; and Sept. 25-26, Hackneyville Community Center. No paint, paint thinner, pesticides or other liquids; no appliances with compressors, including air conditioners, refrigerators or freezers; and no tires, batteries, light bulbs, TVs, computers, propane tanks or hazardous or medical waste will be accepted.

Sept. 19-21

Creating Magical Bird Paintings in Oils

Award-winning painter Michelle Held will lead this threeday studio workshop at Tallapoosa School of Art. Class is limited to 10 students. Email dorothylittleton@gmail.com for information and book online at tallapoosaworkshops.com.

Sept. 22-24

Pinhoti Fest

Kick off hiking season at Noble Park in Sylacauga at 9 a.m. Friday. Check out the wide variety of outdoor vendors, listen to live music, talk with representatives from the towns along the Pinhoti trail. Attend workshops and meet other outdoor enthusiasts. This year’s speaker will be Dale “Grey Beard” Sanders. The event ends at noon on Sunday. Visit Pinhoti Forest on Facebook for details.

Sept. 27

Dadeville Kiwanis Golf Tournament

Support local youth programs and scholarships and enter this year’s golf tournament at Lakewinds Golf Course. Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. and a bag lunch at the turn. This tournament is a team best ball with low gross and low net teams winning $400. Par-3 closest to the hole prizes will be announced, and a hole-in-one wins $50,000. For questions, call Jim Cahoon at 602-290-3520 or Peggy Bullard at 256-675-0107. For registration and sponsorship, visit the Dadeville Kiwanis Facebook page.

Sept. 28

Lake Martin Living Magazine

Art & Photography Contest

Artist Reception

Tallapoosa Publishers will host an artist’s reception in conjunction with the annual Lake Martin Living magazine Art & Photo Contest at Dadeville Performing Arts Center from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the reception are $15 and are available at TPI, 548 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City. Entries are $20 each and are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept 8. Each entry includes one ticket to the reception.

Sept. 30 - Oct. 1

Lake Martin Multi-Hull Rendezvous

Dixie Sailing Club will host an open multi-hull regatta for catamarans and trimarans to invite multi-hull sailors to DSC for races and general hospitality. Email jsimons944@aol.com for more information.

Oct. 3-5

The Classical Landscape in Oils

Join artist Chris Groves for a three-day studio workshop covering a variety of drawing techniques, color studies, mixing colors, monochromatic under-painting and more. Find details and booking information at tallapoosaworkshops.com.

Oct. 6-8

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop

Registration is now open for this fall workshop hosted by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resoures and sponsored by the Alabama Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The workshop will take place at the 4-H Center near Columbiana, Alabama.

Participants may choose four courses from more than 50 offerings, including shooting sports, fishing, nature photography, bird watching, mountain biking and more. Registration fee is $275, which includes meals, dormitory-style lodging, program materials and instruction. Enrollment is limited, so register soon at outdooralabama.com/bow.

Oct. 7

Book Sale

Dadeville Public Library will host a book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hardbacks are $1, and paperbacks are 50 cents; fill a grocery bag with books for only $5 or buy a DPL cloth bag and fill for $8. Proceeds go toward the support of the children’s and community programs of the library.

Oct. 7

Dadeville Fall Festival

Dadeville Fall Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. near the Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville. There will be arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, activities for the kids and more. Visit dadevillechamber.com for details.

Oct. 7

Dink for DPAC Pickleball Tournament

Dadeville Performing Arts Center will host a “Luck of the Draw” pickleball tournament from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sign-in begins at 7:30 a.m. in two categories: Fun/Recreational play for beginners to intermediate players and Still Fun But More Competitive for intermediate to advanced players. Players will draw partners and will have a different partner for every game. Entry fee is $65, and proceeds will help DPAC offer children’s fine arts programs and summer camps, as well as additional community arts programs throughout the year. Register before Sept. 29 at simpletix.com.

Season-long Events

Friday On The Green

There’s free music on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads every Friday night through Sept. 29. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, pups on the leash and coolers. There will be food trucks and lawn games. Friday On The Green is a great way to kickstart your weekend at the lake. For more information, click the events tab at russelllands.com

LMYP Game Night

Every third Thursday of the month, grab your crew and meet at The Local at 41 Main in downtown Alexander City from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for games, laughs and exclusive LMYP drink specials. It’s free to play the games, like trivia and bingo and more, and the grand prize is always $50. Visit the Lake Martin Young Professionals Facebook page for information.

The Waverly Local Music

The Waverly Local features live music every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as Saturday in the courtyard from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and for Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For details and the weekly lineup, visit The Waverly Local on Facebook.

Yoga on the Green

Russell Lands will host yoga on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings from Memorial Day weekend to the end of September. Bring a mat, water bottle and towel and start your weekend at Lake Martin with yoga in the open air.

Alexander City Lions Club

Serving 27 local charities in Tallapoosa County, the Alexander City Lions Club meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month at Lake Martin Area United Way office on Main Street. A meal is provided at the second meeting of the month, which features an engaging speaker. For more information, contact Mae Lynn O’Neil at 256-750-7404.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

Volunteers in Alexander City and Dadeville are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups every month. In Alexander City, the cleanups are held on the second Saturday of the month. Meet at Broad Street Plaza at 8:30 a.m. to pick up supplies and area assignments and help clean up the roads within Alexander City. For more information, contact John Thompson at 334-399-3289 or Michelle West at 256-786-0584. In Dadeville, the monthly cleanup is held on the second Saturday of the month, and volunteers can pick up sanitized pickers and bags at 8 a.m. at Dadeville City Hall. There also will be a trash bag drop-off on site. Contact Mickey Forbus at 334-329-0905.

Fiber Fridays

Bring your knitting, crochet, needlepoint, embroidery and other fiber art projects to The Yarn Shop Around the Corner in Dadeville from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays to meet fellow fiber artisans, share tips and techniques and talk with others who share your interests. Call 334-444-1038 for information.

Library Storytime in Dadeville

Storytime for children ages 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Hey! I Know You!

Teachers, nurses, business owners, government officials and other leaders in the community read to children at Mamie’s Place Children’s Library on Wednesdays at 10 a.m.

Real Island Supper

The Real Island community hosts a covered dish supper every third Friday of the month at the Real Island Volunteer Fire Department and Community Room, 1495 Real Island Rd., Equality. Everyone is welcome. Admission is $3 per adult; bring a covered dish to share. Some nights are themed, so call ahead to find out if costumes or certain types of food are in order. For more information, contact Dianne Perrett at 256329-8724.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, snakes and fowl, just to mention a few. There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. Check the calendar at RussellLands.com/blog/events for the scheduled subject matter, dates and times.

Fourth Fridays at EPAC

The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts music and other events on the fourth Friday nights of each month at 6:30 p.m. on State Route 9 in Equality. Visit the Equality Performing Arts Center Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming artists.

Tallassee Lions Club

The Tallassee Lions Club meets every Tuesday at Cozumel Restaurant, across from the football stadium in Tallassee, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to join for an hour of humor, information, civic pride and patriotism. For more information, call Marilyn Speake at 334-283-6864 or email her at marilyn.speake@tcschools.com.

Equality VFD Cookout and Bake Sale

On the first Saturday of each month, the Equality Volunteer Fire Department hosts a bake sale, starting at 8 a.m. Lunch is served starting at 10:30 a.m. at the old Masonic Lodge in downtown Equality. Email drichardpenton@gmail.com for information.

Main Street Farmers Market

Main Street Alexander City will open the Farmers Market from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday through September. Pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, jellies, jams, breads, baked goods, handmade items and more at the market’s location in the old City Hall parking lot on Main Street.

Lake Martin News

Russell Forest Run makes biggest donation yet

The preliminary investigation also revealed that severe weather, including lightning, was present in the area prior to the incident. A determination had not yet been made at Lake magazine's presstime as to whether weather conditions played a part in the tragedy.

The investigation was assisted by members of the Union Fire Department, Tallapoosa EMS, Alexander City Rescue Squad and Tallapoosa County Coroner.

Staff report

Storm damages slip access at The Ridge

Straight-line winds Aug. 3 sank half of a walkway to wetslips at The Ridge Marina, but crews were in place to begin repairs as soon as the storm had moved past the area.

Last month, Russell Forest Run Race Director Robert Gunn presented a $12,000 check to the Alexander City Schools Education Foundation for the February 2023 race. Because of the support of thousands of runners over the past 14 years and the support from sponsors and volunteers, the Russell Forest Run has donated close to $122,000 to the foundation.

The race is run on the last Saturday in February each year, and runners travel from across the nation to participate. Runner in the 5K and 10K races meet at Russell Crossroads for a machine gun start and finish near The Stables for the awards ceremony and a popular grits bar at the post-race party. Each year, the event benefits students who are enrolled in Alexander City schools.

The Russell Forest Run 10K course is one of the more challenging courses in this part of Alabama, but the breathtaking view from atop Heaven Hill (yes, another Alabama hill) as runners make the turn and head toward the finish line makes it almost worth it. And that final mile is almost completely downhill.

The 15th Annual Russell Forest Run will be held on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. Mark the calendar now. Staff report

Man drowns at Lake Martin

The body of David Byron Carter, 22, of Monroeville, Alabama, was recovered from Lake Martin near Whiskey Ridge the evening of Aug. 3. The Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office later confirmed Carter had drowned.

“Half of it is in the water,” The Ridge Manager Chase Maynard said. “We all got back to the marina by about 6 o’clock, and Lake Martin Dock Company was already out there putting out temporary anchors just to stabilize everything.”

Crews were out again the next morning as divers from TowBoat Lake Martin attached massive floats to the walkway in an attempt to pull it out of the water.

Power to the wetslips also was interrupted, and Maynard said he had electricians come out first thing the next day to assess the damage.

“A lot of the boats out there are cabin cruisers, so they are hooked up to shore power with air conditioning and the refrigerators running constantly, so all that is off,” Maynard said. “Most of them have generators, so they can still run, but one of our top priorities is to get the power back as soon as possible for those boat owners.”

The walkway connects the marina to four large covered wet slip strips that house at least 100 boats. Luckily, Maynard said, no boats were damaged.

Russell Lands Director of Events and Marketing Robert Gunn (center) presents ACSEF Director Lisa Harris (Left) and ACSEF President Leanne Calhoun (Right) with the proceeds check from this year's February event.

A crew from TowBoat Lake Martin inflated large air bags under and around the gangplank at The Ridge Marina to restore access to boats under the covered docks.

“To my knowledge none of the boats were damaged, and our guys did a really thorough check,” Maynard said. “We had boats on the docks and just the regular courtesy boats, and it’s just amazing none were damaged really.”

Maynard said there was not a timeframe for the walkway to be fixed but the marina was offering a courtesy shuttle boat to all boats stored in one of the wet slips. He also said all owners had been notified.

Lizi Gwin

30 Years of Oskar’s

Along the Blue Creek area of Lake Martin, Oskar’s Cafe has been a staple since 1993.

Brothers Kent and Mark Albertson, along with their wives Oskar and Julie, bought the cafe together. Mark Albertson explained Oskar’s was a family business before them, and they bought the property when the family put it up for sale.

“I lived in Auburn and had my boat in storage at Blue Creek,” Albertson said. “I would come up, and this was actually a family business for about a year – an older couple and their two daughters started it.”

Before making the jump to restaurant co-owner, Albertson worked for 15 years in the hospitality business with a company that oversaw Hardee’s and Quincy’s Family Steakhouse.

While that gave him a foundation, he said owning a restaurant is a whole different ball game. To put it simply, you are in the people business.

Albertson said the main challenge is ensuring you have a strong staff because great service is key. The other side is great food.

Over the years, Oskar’s has evolved their menu, but they stick with crowd favorites. Albertson said their cheese balls especially have been a mainstay and are world-renowned.

Albertson said hitting 30 years is quite a feat. According to a study by Walden University, 65 percent of restaurants remain in business after the first three years.

“It means there’s divine intervention,” he said, thinking over the past 30 years. “It’s a very tough business.”

In the next 30 years, Albertson said, he would like to see Oskar’s Cafe continue to serve great food and provide excellent service.

Oskar’s Cafe is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Abigail Murphy

Lake home destroyed in fire

A fire in the River Oaks area in late July resulted in thea total loss of one house and an injury, according to the Alexander City Fire Department.

Fire chief Reese McAlister said his department

responded to a large fire at approximately 6 p.m. July 30 on River Oaks Drive. Eighteen of the department’s personnel, as well as four responders from Our Town/ Willow Point Volunteer Fire Department, assisted in combating the fire.

“We got a tanker from Our Town for the water supply,” McAlister said. “It was an unoccupied house; it was like a weekend house. The cause of the fire is still undetermined. We figured it’s probably lightning, but there’s no way to tell because of severe damage to the house.”

According to McAlister, one of the department’s firefighters also suffered a minor injury during the fire but received treatment at Baptist Medical Center South following the incident and was discharged.

A tanker truck was requested, as it’s a special type of fire fighting vehicle that holds thousands of gallons of water. The incident remains under investigation.

William Marlow

An Alexander City firefighter was treated and later released at Baptist Medical Center South after he sustained injuries while fighting a house fire last month on River Oaks Drive.

EEntries will be accepted through Sept. 8 for the Lake Martin Living magazine Art & Photo Contest, highlighting the nature, beauty and lifestyle of the great state of Alabama. Every entering artist will be celebrated inside the magazine with one of the first place winners featured on the cover of the October issue. In addition, the entries will be exhibited at a wineand-hors d’oeuvres reception at Dadeville Performing Arts Center from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 28.

“We’re excited to support Dadeville Performing Arts Center with our annual art show and awards reception this year,” said TPI Magazine Editor-inChief Betsy Iler. “We’ve watched the Dadeville arts scene grow in recent years and are looking forward to supporting and being a part of it.”

Dadeville Performing Arts Center on the courthouse square in Dadeville, Alabama, builds the community through music and the performing arts, bringing all ages and art forms together to make music, learn and inspire creativity.

“Dadeville Performing Arts Center is thrilled to host the annual Lake Martin Living magazine Art and Photo Contest exhibit. The Center is extremely appreciative for the opportunity to bring artists together from across Alabama and beyond to celebrate and share their art with our community. This event supports our mission of enjoying artistic endeavors together and encouraging everyone to advance their creative interests. We are honored that Tallapoosa Publishers would consider The Center and our community project as worthy of support,” said DPAC Executive Director Kim Walls.

Entry fees in this year’s contest are $20 for each work submitted, and each

entry includes one ticket to the exhibit and reception, as well as one vote for the People’s Choice Award. Event-only tickets (no artwork entered) will be available for $15 and include a People’s Choice vote. The event will include catered hors d’oeuvres, and each ticketholder will receive two drink tickets. The reception also will feature live music by Suzanne Scholz. Ticketholders are eligible for door prizes, which will be drawn throughout the reception.

Tickets are available through Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., at 548 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City or call Linda Ewing at 256234-4281.

First place winners in each category (art or photography) will receive $200; $150 will be awarded to second place winners; and third place in each category will receive $100. The People’s Choice winner also will receive $100. All submitting artists will be featured inside the October issue of Lake Martin Living magazine, with one of the first place works featured on the cover. Artists and event sponsors also will be recognized in the Alex City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, The Wetumpka Herald and The Tallassee Tribune and on TPI websites and social media.

Deadline for entries will be 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8. All entries must be ready to hang and clearly identified on the back with the artist’s name, mailing address, email and phone number. Entries must be submitted to 548 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City. Each artist will be limited to three entries. Only original works that have not previously been submitted in the contest are eligible for entry. Entries must reflect the nature, beauty or lifestyle of Alabama. For more information, email Iler at editor@lakemagazine.life.

AWF Water Conservationist John Thompson

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & COURTESY OF ALABAMA WILDLIFE FEDERATION

John Thompson won the most prestigious of his many lake cleanup awards last month when he was presented with the 2023 Alabama Wildlife Federation Governor’s Water Conservationist of the Year Award at AWF’s annual banquet in Prattville. The AWF GCA Award is the highest conversation honor in the state of Alabama. For 50 years, the award has been presented to individuals and organizations that make great contributions to the conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources.

“It is quite touching for me to have friends who would put on a suit and see me get an award,” said Thompson, who has led the charge against littered waterways in Alabama for more than 30 years.

“Back in the ’90s, I got involved with Sierra Club in Montgomery and later became president. I was in charge of programs, and we had Alabama Water Watch’s Bill Deutsch come down and make a presentation. He had as much of an impact on me as anybody,” Thompson said.

At the time, Alabama Department of Environmental Management was launching a program to clean up polluted creeks across the state. Thompson took a kayak ride down Catoma Creek to see what they were up against.

“Catoma Creek was a real challenge,” he said. “I paddled my kayak down and saw what had been dumped into the creek for many, many years. It had a profound effect on me.”

Thompson became a champion of clean water. When he moved to Lake Martin a few years later, he spent countless hours picking up roadside trash to prevent it from flowing into the lake.

A short time later, he joined Lake Martin Resource Association and soon found himself on the board of directors. He’d risen to the office of vice president in 2006 when Alabama Power developed the Renew Our Rivers program, and Thompson carried the banner for the annual fall cleanup that now attracts several hundred volunteers each year.

“It seemed like the thing to do. It just grew from that,” he said.

“When the tornado hit in 2011, we expanded our efforts up the creeks and cleaned up in areas where the Corps of Engineers didn’t completely clean up the lake. When we’d completed as much as we could see, I went up to River North and borrowed one of their boats and rode the shoreline in the upper lake. I saw what had been coming down the lake for years backed up in the sloughs, and I realized we weren’t even close to having the lake cleaned up. We had a lot more work to do,” he explained.

Thompson’s passion caught on with volunteers like Ken and Tanya Holland, Tammy McVickers, Bill Barrett, Bill Thompson, Jodie McGirt and others, including the rolls of LMRA board members.

Since then, more than 160 tons of trash have been removed from the lake and area roadsides through the annual ROR cleanup. And Thompson has been honored with a proclamation from the State Legislature, received

the Alabama People Against a Littered State Governor’s Volunteer of the Year award and was named TPI Plugmaster at the changing of the Martin Dam rule curve, among other honors.

What made this particular award that much more special is that LMRA Legal Counsel Steve Forehand, who has supported Thompson’s cleanup efforts for many years, is president of AWF.

“As the current president of Alabama Wildlife Federation, it’s always an honor to present those awards to folks who have done outstanding things. With John, it was especially pleasing since he is a good friend, and we have served together since 2008,” Forehand said. “To be able to witness all the good things he has done as president of LMRA and the amount of trash that has been picked up, it has been a real source of pride for me. It was very gratifying to see that John was selected as AWF Water Conservationist of the Year.”

But now that Thompson has won the state’s highest conservation honor, he will by no means hang up his litter-picker stick.

“It has reinvigorated me,” Thompson said. “Now, the big challenge is to educate young folks and the people coming out on the lake. There are still some who come and expect someone else to do it. It’s going to take more than we’re doing already. It’s a big challenge, but it’s an important one. It reaches beyond the environment. If we didn’t have the lake, what kind of economy would we have here?”

Presenting sponsors for the event were Alabama Power Company and PowerSouth Energy with additional support from the National Wildlife Federation, Russell Lands, Central Alabama Electric Co-op and others.

AWF formed in 1935 and is the state’s oldest and largest citizens’ conservation organization. Learn more at alabamawildlife.org.

Presenting the awards were (Left to Right) Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship; Steve Forehand, AWF President; Thompson, Susan Comensky with Alabama Power; and Horace Horn of PowerSouth Energy.

Labor Day Music Fest

STORY BY BREANNA MANLEY

SSoak up those last few days of summer at the Labor Day Music Fest, Sept. 2 and 3 at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. This year’s two-day event will feature four bands at 6:30 p.m. each evening.

Kicking off the festivities on Friday, Sept. 1, The Bank Walkers will take to the stage at 6:30 p.m. The Bank Walkers, a favorite local band made up of area musicians with professional 9-to5 jobs, are known for getting those toes tapping.

Closing out the night, Funky Lampshades will start their performance around 7:45 p.m. Hailing from Orange Beach, this band channels spirits of funk, soul, R&B, jazz, psychedelic music and more. This multi-dimensional band plays cover songs from a variety of favorite artists. You won’t want to miss the upbeat and infectious vibe the group brings.

Head back to the Town Green on the following night at 6:30 p.m. to catch Connor Kelly & The Time Warp grace the stage. This collection of musicians thrives on pushing boundaries when it comes to their gigs. The group draws

inspiration from artists like Pink Floyd, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead while simultaneously implementing their own twist into their performances.

Through the popularity of their latest album release, Distant Forest, the band has hit over 5 million streams, leading them to join acts like The Backseat Lovers, Vista Kicks and Moon Taxi on the road. With growing support from fans, this group is rising in popularity. Don’t miss the oppor tunity to see them live.

To close out the free event, Virginia Man will follow Connor Kelly & The Time Warp at 7:45 p.m. Virginia Man is recently coming off the release of their debut LP, Sad but True, and have been on the road playing their music for growing crowds. This emotional folkand-roll band combines poetic lyrics with crisp sounds of middle Appalachia. Pairing their storytelling lyrics with unique melodies, they’ll bring an unfor gettable summer to a grand close on Labor Day weekend.

This is the second year Russell Lands will host the event at Russell Crossroads. Previously, the festival was held at Lake Martin Amphitheater. Moving locations has allowed Russell Lands to expand the

event and help it grow.

Food trucks are typically set up for events on the Town Green, so make sure to stop by and grab a quick dinner before settling down on the lush grass to enjoy some music. Dogs are also welcome to attend the event as long as they’re on a leash. Mark your calendars, this annual event is the perfect way to make even more summer memories

Clockwise from Above: Connor Kelly & The Time Warp; Funky Lampshades; and Virginia Man will play at this year's Russell Crossroads event.

Treasures in the Trash

Trash program fosters friends, fun and a future at Alabama's Treasured Lake

STORY BY BETSY ILER

FFrom teaching grandkids and uniting a community to supporting the local economy, Lake Martin’s Treasured Mile program has evolved into more than just another anti-litter campaign. It’s a memory maker, a family bonder and a source of some pretty good stories. It’s also such a great success that there’s a waiting list for island and mile segment assignments.

“I had no idea this was going to take off the way it has,” said John Thompson, past-president of Lake Martin Resource Association and the father of a brainchild partnership between Alabama Power and LMRA.

On Dec. 17, 2015, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published its order issuing a new license to Alabama Power for the operation of Martin Dam and the management of the Lake Martin reservoir, Item 167 in Section J – Public Education and Outreach – included Alabama Power’s proposal to provide an “Adopt an Island” program to address litter control on project lands.

As the program originally was proposed by LMRA’s John Thompson during pre-license stakeholder conversations, Alabama Power turned to LMRA for help in its implementation. The two entities formed a partnership through which LMRA agreed

to draw up and administer the adoption program. In Thompson’s hands, “Adopt an Island” was expanded to include 78 shoreline segments, as well as 26 islands. Russell Lands signed on as the program sponsor.

Program details are available online at lmra.info, including an outline of the concept, procedures for adoption designations and duties of the adopters, who basically agree to regularly patrol their assigned sections and remove trash from the shorelines for two years. After two years, the adopters have the option of renewing their commitments. Signs bearing the names of the adopters are posted in each program section.

Adopters get a T-shirt, recognition on the LMRA website and the pride of knowing they’ve had a positive impact on the Lake Martin community. Invariably, Thompson said, adopters have chosen to renew their commitments every time their two-year stints conclude.

For Park McGehee, one of the Green Mountain Fishing Light Cleanup Guys that adopted Island R off the north shore of Blue Creek, checking on the island is now a ritual.

“It’s a family activity to drive to Island R and check the shoreline and pick up the litter if it’s present, which is rare now,” said McGehee, who works alongside Catherine McGehee and Garrett and Katherine Dagostin to fulfill the program commitment. “We leave a litter sack at the campsite, and it’s usually used.”

Ellis Pilgreen uses the adoption program as a teaching tool for his children, Wyatt and Sienna. Through National Land Realty, Pilgreen has adopted Island J in the lower Kowaliga Creek Segment B.

“‘Our Island’ is the first place we visit when we come to the lake, and it really is a family affair. We have found every piece of trash you can think of, but mostly cans and Styrofoam,” said Pilgreen, whose family has been on Lake Martin since 1966.

Their excursions to Island J have provided wildlife teaching moments for the children, who’ve watched eagles munch on a fresh catch during a visit. They’ve seen nesting geese and ducks, snakes and even deer.

“We take great pride in teaching another generation to love Lake Martin and keep it clean. We love the Treasured Mile program,” Pilgreen said.

Thompson said Pilgreen was one of the very first volunteers to step up when the program started.

After three years on the waiting list, Jamie Burnett recently signed up the Lake Martin Boaters community as adopters of the 70-acre Goat Island above Martin Dam.

“There would seem no better place to make use of our nearly 34K members than to help preserve the pristine shores of this landmark,” Burnett wrote to her followers. “We ask those who utilize the many sandy beaches of Goat Island to take their trash with them and to leave the shores better than you found them.”

Top: Wyatt Pilgreen proudly displays bags of trash he helped to collect at Kowaliga Creek; Above: Litter like this is a rarer sight at Lake Martin's adopted islands and shoreline now.

Lake Martin Cabinetry’s Mike and Vivian Autrey adopted Blue Creek sections B and C at Moon Branch and Stillwaters. Five years ago, they formulated a plan to teach their grandchildren the importance of picking up litter by pairing it with earning money.

“If they see trash while we are out having fun on the lake, they get a dollar if they pick it up,” Vivian Autrey said. “That means if we are running wide open on our way somewhere, and one of the kids sees some trash, we have to turn around and go get it. But we don’t want them to think ‘Somebody else will pick it up.’ Somebody else won’t.

“They’ve earned a lot of money over the years, and so has this whole area. This lake is our economy. It would be a very different economic picture here if we didn’t have Lake Martin.”

The Autreys picked up their island section assignment five years ago. It was the only one available at the time.

“We usually go after a holiday weekend because that’s when it’s the worst. We keep pickers and big trash bags in the boat,” she said.

“When we started doing it five years ago, we met others who were doing it. We call them our trash friends,” Autrey said. “Others see us; and then, they help pick up trash, too.”

Meeting others on the cleanup trail is something John Alsobrook thinks more about since the day he found a pair of men’s boxers on the Island Hop Trail below Smith Mountain Firetower.

“I keep up the trails there, so I take care of the trash at the same time,” said Alsobrook. “On this day, I had my chainsaw and a macheté because I was working

the trail, and I found this pair of underwear. I guessed somebody went swimming and lost them, but I didn’t want to put them in my backpack, so I put them over the end of my chainsaw. I got to walking up the trail, and I thought, ‘This doesn’t look too good – walking alone through the woods with a macheté and a pair of boxers on the end of my chainsaw.’ It’s a good thing I didn’t meet anybody on the trail.”

The weirdest thing he ever found, Alsobrook said, was a partial set of teeth.

“Who loses that and doesn’t know it?” he asked.

“I also found an angry-girlfriend stash,” he added. “Game controllers and that kind of stuff. I figured somebody’s girlfriend got mad and threw out all of his stuff.”

Alsobrook is relatively new to the adoption family, as he only returned to Alexander City one year ago after working out of the area with Fruit of the Loom for eight years.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from being out there is that the more we take care of it, the better others seem to take care of it, too. It frustrates me sometimes to hear people say, ‘I love Lake Martin.’ Well, if you love it so much, why are you defacing it?” he said.

“The thing is,” Thompson said, “these aren’t just ‘somebody else’ out here picking up trash. These volunteers have faces and names, and they’re your neighbors. It takes all of them and all of us to help make this program work. I’d love to put them all out of the trash cleanup business and never find another piece of trash at Lake Martin.”

Above: John Alsobrook found this weathered life jacket, along with a few even odder items, on the Island Hop Trail; Right: Vivian Autrey (back row, right) teaches her grandchildren economics through responsible care for the lake.

Runabout

Re-do

STORY BY BEN SMITH & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

The glistening aluminum hull of Braxton Ewing’s 1951 Feather Craft “Deluxe Runabout” reflects the sunlight and the ripples in the water, its metallic sheen looking more like chrome than aluminum. An American flag is planted right in the middle of the hood, and to its right, a pair of train horns with a booming sound that echoes across the lake and shocks the body like an alarm clock after a poor night’s sleep.

Smooth, dark mahogany flames across the boat’s seats, floorboards and dash. Anyone lucky enough to be a passenger would notice that a metallic squeak in the cable-powered steering cries every time Ewing turns sharply. One look at the boat’s modest size raises questions about its capability of traversing Lake Martin in once piece.

The exterior details of this 72-year-old aluminum open boat are head-turning and eye-popping.

It is truly a novelty, one constructed of parts from all around the U.S. and as far as Canada, sourced on the internet. Its painstakingly polished body shimmers on the lake, and it sits low in the water. The smooth ride at high speeds feels like the craft flies just an inch above the water. But the boat’s greatest value lies beneath its varnish and sealant.

“It’s really become a family boat,” said Teresa Moulton, Ewing’s mother-in-law who lives in a lake house in Jacksons Gap. “Between the grandkids and my own children, the family loves it. The 3-year-old will sit in the back and just let her hands run through the water.”

The boat’s restoration began as Ewing’s pet project. He had worked at a body shop in college, but this was his first attempt to restore a boat on his own. Vintage Feather Crafts he found scrolling through the internet inspired him to build one

Clockwise from Left: The Feather Craft looked ready for the scrap heap when Ewing first saw it; The aluminum finish was dull from exposure to the elements; Parker cleaned out some of the hard-to-reach places in the boat; Ewing and Parker took a ride to celebrate the completion of their project; The Feather Craft sat in the garage from October to June.

himself, completely from scratch. But that plan changed when Ewing noticed a small, dilapidated boat sitting on the front lawn of a cabin off Sturdivant Road. Its interior brimmed with garbage and debris: plastic soda bottles, white buoys blackened by age. An armful of two-by-fours and branches collected in the boat over the years it had sat outside uncovered. The compact, lightweight body had two large dents on either side of the hull, and it was covered in vegetation. It looked like scrap metal.

But Ewing had been researching boats of this exact make and model, and he knew it was a rarity.

He left a note on the front door asking the owner if he would consider selling it. Shortly thereafter, he took the beleaguered boat home.

From the moment it fell into his possession, Ewing got to work. He and his 13-year-old son, Parker, removed the trash, dead leaves and brush and vacuumed out the scum and dirt from under the seats. Ewing popped the dents out on either side of the hull and welded together the more damaged areas. He scoured online marketplaces like eBay for parts, finding an assortment of discontinued vintage parts, including a speedometer from the ’70s that arrived in its original packaging.

“I didn’t have a garage,” said Ewing’s wife, Brittny, with a chuckle, “because he was always in there, working on the boat.”

Ewing’s motivations for restoring the boat began to shift as he spent more time working with Parker. What began as a hobby transformed into an opportunity for quality time with his son. Many weekends, the two could be found in the garage cleaning the boat, routing its floorboards, and pol-

Left: Ewing found a vintage price list for the original boat; Above: The restored Feather Craft flies over the lake.

Clockwise from Above: The American flag on the Feather Craft's hood waves in the breeze; Ewing surveys the lake from behind the wheel; The Feather Craft's dash was rebuilt with vintage parts, including the steering wheel and its speedometer; The Feather Craft's mahogany finish and aluminum body shine in the sun; The horns' blast will definitely garner attention of boaters in the area; Ewing laser-engraved the Feather Craft logo on a mahogany block; Facing Page: Brittny and Ewing recreate a photo they found on a vintage Feather Craft ad.

ishing its body.

“I stopped keeping track of my hours after a while,” Ewing said with a smirk.

He estimated it took anywhere from 300 to 400 total hours to refurbish the boat to its current condition. The hardest part of the entire process, he said, was buffing the aluminum body. It took weeks for him and Parker to remove the dirt and grime from the aluminum hull, a buildup that had accumulated over years of being exposed to the Alabama elements. It was a process that required elbow grease, and more importantly, a willingness to get dirty.

“He would come out of the garage looking like a coal miner,” said Brittny “His whole face, his ears, his eyes – just black.”

Slowly, the aluminum body that was once stained, faded and moldy began to twinkle under the fluorescent lights of Ewing’s garage. After about eight months of him and his son spending their weekends buffing the boat, installing floorboards, seats and wind visors and making sure the vessel was otherwise lake-worthy, the skiff was ready for her first voyage.

Ewing had hoped to be finished by the fourth of July, but with the help of his son, the two had completed the project nearly a month ahead of schedule. The boat remained in the family’s garage for nearly two weeks, waiting on her maiden voyage. Ewing and Parker agreed to set off on June 21 – Father’s Day. It was a decision representative of how the boat

had become more than a pet project for Ewing. It became a way for him to bond with his son, and a way to teach Parker some of what he had learned in his own life.

Ewing and Brittny enjoy taking the boat out in the early mornings and at sunset, when the wakes are few and the lake is still. The boat turns heads at gas stations whenever Ewing hauls it to and from Birmingham, and his coworkers constantly ask about the boat after having kept up with the restoration process for nearly a year.

Ewing is proud of owning a piece of history, and the family enjoys taking the boat out at Lake Martin on weekends. Brittny said she’s glad to have her garage back.

“Don’t tell my wife,” Ewing said with a low voice and a grin. “But I’m already looking at doing another one.”

AllCallingArtists

We’re Having An Exhibit-And-Reception Event & You’re invited!

Submission Details

All submitting artists will be featured inside the October issue of Lake Martin Living, with one of the first place works featured on the cover.

Submissions accepted in acrylics, oil, watercolor, pastels, pencil, photography and mixed media. 3D works are accepted as long as they can be hung on the wall. No free-standing sculptures. Entries must reflect the nature, beauty or lifestyle of Alabama. All entries must be ready to hang. Entry fee is $20 for each piece.

Clearly mark each entry with the artist’s name, address and telephone number and deliver entries to the office of Lake Martin Living magazine on or before 5 p.m. September 8. The office is located at 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, across from Benjamin Russell High School.

First place winners in each category will receive $200; $150 will be awarded to second place winners; and third place in each category will receive $100. The People’s Choice winner also receives $100.

Please call magazine editor-in-chief Betsy Iler at 256-509-6641 with questions or email editor@lakemartinmagazine.com.

The reception will be held on September 28 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Look for more details about the exhibit and reception in the August issue of Lake magazine and in TPI newspapers, websites and social media.

A Traditional Update

STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

DDr. John and Diane James moved into their custom home in Willow Point on Lake Martin in 1993 after an 18-month building process. The 7,000-square-foot home, with five bedrooms, 5-1/2 baths, two living areas, an office – and even an upstairs den with a fire pole –was designed by Keith Norman. The home is tucked back near the water on a deeply wooded parcel that includes the lot next door, which the couple purchased to add more privacy. The house is separated from a four-car garage with a portico.

“Keith listened to us when we said we were tired of living in square houses, and I don’t think there is one room in the house with a 90-degree angle. Through the years, Daryl Thomas and Lock Hunter have done some renovating for us. Five years ago, Tish Fuller designed the new kitchen, and that began this phase of renovation. We have tackled some places inside, and we are working on the outside as well,” Diane James said.

The house is stucco, which requires no painting or maintenance. Since pigment is added at the time the finish is mixed, the stuc-

co ages beautifully and develops the charming look of European homes, said Phil Spraggins of Phil Interior Design, who assisted the Jameses with their most recent projects. To complement the stucco, Spraggins chose a new color for the exterior trim, matching the copper gutters. Columns around the exterior of the home are Pennsylvania bluestone.

“John and Diane’s home is classic Willow Point – great bones – solid wood interior doors and molding that we do not often see anymore. Since they have years of collections, art and furniture, I knew there were things they wanted to keep, so I worked with that and spent time updating pillows, lamps and accessories for a fresh new look. Many of those accessories are from Jes and Gray Living in downtown Alexander City,” Spraggins said.

The Jameses have collected art and sculptures throughout their years together, and the pieces are on display in the home. James loves the beach, and after selling their home at the shore, she brought many of the things she loved about the beach house into the lake house – sculptures of whales and porpoises,

Facing Page: An elegant curved staircase welcomes guests in the two-story foyer; Above: The home sits on a beautiful wooded lot overlooking the lake.

drawings of sea birds, paintings and fabrics in the colors of the sea are now a part of everyday life at Lake Martin.

A curved staircase in the two-story foyer welcomes guests to the home. Purchased at Danny’s Antiques in Pell City, a carved German hunt board adds character and texture to the space.

Spraggins recreated the dining room around designer wallpaper that James found and loved. The blues and greens in the paper led Spraggins to create a custom paint color for the walls and a muted Oushak rug.

“The dining room suite belonged to John’s grandparents, very classic, so we kept it but updated the chairs with a blue and white leop-

ard print fabric on the seat covers. We painted the original stained cabinets white but painted the inside of the cabinets the same blue as the walls. We also added drapes to the bay window,” Spraggins said.

James placed a favorite bronze statue, “Synchronicity” by Wyland, on a table near the window. On the opposite wall sits a French wine cabinet with an alabaster top, also from Danny’s Antiques.

Between the dining room and kitchen, a butler’s pantry was built into a wide hallway. Cabinets below have a marble countertop, and the cabinets above have glass doors on the display space. The renovation of the kitchen included new cabinets by Curtis Welborn with

Previous Pages: The kitchen and morning room have been renovated and updated with creams, blues and grays; Clockwise from Left: Mature trees shade the lawn from terrace to dock; A fire pole offers quick passage from upstairs to the morning room; Bedrooms mix antiques with new accessories; A velvet sofa from the 1970s makes a statement in the upstairs den.

Facing Page: A two-story bluestone fireplace is the focal point of the living room; Clockwise from Right: Asian lotus paddles are displayed in a downstairs hallway; The master sitting area is a peaceful retreat; An upstairs bedroom offers a beautiful lake view; The traditional home is stucco and stone; An Italian alabaster statue of a young woman with grapes graces an upstairs niche.

marble countertops and GE Monogram appliances that include a drawer microwave in the island and two ovens with French doors. A large Catie Radney abstract in James’ favorite blues is a focal point in the kitchen. The center of the room features a large island with a convection stove. A wood-and-iron chandelier hangs above the island. A breakfast table with four chairs sits near the kitchen, overlooking the terrace. A long counter separates the kitchen from the morning room, which is where the couple relaxes, not just in the morning but at any time of day.

The morning room has a sofa, a large ottoman coffee table and two chairs. Two favorite lamps that were brought to the lake from the couples’ beach house are on a sofa table. A television is mounted on the back of the kitchen/morning room dividing counter. Windows

surround the morning room and kitchen, offering a view of the shade trees and the lake. The drapes were kept in place to soften the windows.

The terrace just outside was constructed with bluestone. Recently, the floor was regrouted, and a high-maintenance koi pond was filled in and leveled to enlarge the terrace. A sofa and two chairs sit near the house, under cover of the second-story balcony. Four wicker chairs around a stone table are shaded by a square umbrella, and four Adirondack chairs offer seating near the edge for a perfect lake view. Two iron herons, originally part of the koi pond and fountain, stand on each end of the row of chairs. Robinson Iron fabricated the balcony support columns, the spiral staircase and the wrought iron railing on the balcony above the terrace. An outdoor kitchen

Clockwise from Left: The master bedroom features a fireplace near the four-poster bed; The bluestone terrace, original to the home, was recently updated with new grout and furnishings; The island and countertops are marble; Natural light flood the morning room.

provides a great deal of space for entertaining family and friends.

“I just asked for a way to serve people outside, and it became much more. Mark Matthews built the counter for four barstools, then added an area for our Big Green Egg to be built-in, more counterspace and a refrigerator. We really enjoy it,” she said.

The living room has a two-story bluestone fireplace with a sunburst mirror above the mantel. The blue, distressed console television table works beautifully with the antique cabinet in the room and a new sofa from Kings Furniture in Alexander City.

Spraggins enjoys moving furniture from one room to another to change the look and feel of the home. In this case, a cypress coffee table, originally in the morning room, became the perfect piece for the living room. Another Wyland statue, “First Breath,” is on a table near the arched entrance from the kitchen.

The large master bedroom includes a fourposter bed, a seating area and access to the terrace level. The marble-and-tile master bath has a separate tub and shower, as well as two spacious walk-in closets. Cabinetry is stained a rich, dark color, providing warmth in the

spacious room.

Four guestrooms in the home, three upstairs and one downstairs, are furnished with neutrals and blues with plump throw pillows that add texture and color. The rooms in the front of the house are finished with plantation shutters for a consistent look, while the back rooms have drapes. Spraggins used painter’s cloth and blackout fabric for the custom drapes in one of the bedrooms.

An upstairs den features a retro sofa from the 1970s, making a statement with its gold and orange velvet patchwork upholstery. Spraggins pulled it out of storage, adding the perfect touch to the landing. In the same area, a brass fire pole can take guests straight to the morning room.

Throughout the years, the Jameses have talked about moving, but they cannot think of a place they would rather be than on the lake in Willow Point. Now that they have decided to stay, they can take it one step at a time, one renovation at a time, making the old new again.

Above Left: A second-story balcony provides cover for a terrace seating area.

Above Right: The master bath features a large shower and a soaker tub.

Spurred Butterfly Pea

NATURE OF THE LAKE

BY KENNETH BOONE

TThis time of year, when everything in the forest seems to be different shades of green, it’s likely you’ll come up on an area dotted with beautiful spots of pale purple. And if you do, you’ve probably run across a Spurred Butterfly Pea vine in bloom.

If you take a close look, the Spurred Butterfly Pea bloom is easy to identify by its color and its unusual “upside-down” flower. The reason it’s called upside-down or inverted is that, in many similar flowers – think bean and pea flowers –the enlarged petal called the “standard” or “banner” is positioned above nectar-bearing flower parts. In the Spurred Butterfly Pea, the banner is to the side and below the flower structure that contains nectar.

That 1-1/2- inch wide lower banner petal makes an inviting landing platform for bees, and it’s good advertising for pollinators flying over a sea of summer greens scanning for flowers.

The flower can be a variety of colors, from pink to purple or blue with a white patch on the throat of the banner; however, most in the Lake Martin area seem to be a pale purple best described as amethyst or lavender.

The common name, Spurred Butterfly Pea, refers to the five thin, green, finger-like spurs that emerge at the base of the petals. One spur usually reaches over the top of the bloom.

These beautiful, delicate blooms are very short-lived. Each one lasts about half a day –and the day after blooming, they look rough, often torn or partially eaten or hanging from the vine by a thread.

The leaves are divided into three green leaflets, each lance-shaped with broader bases and a pointed tip. The leaves are arranged alternately along the vine.

The vine itself is green, long, thin and delicate. Spurred Butterfly Pea vines do not have any tendrils to hold onto other plants. Instead, this vine climbs toward the sun by corkscrewing itself around upright structures and plants or sometimes just stretching out across the forest floor when there’s nothing to climb.

This vine produces thin, flat pea pods that reach up to 5 inches long and contain many peas that are distributed when the pod dries and bursts open.

Spurred Butterfly Pea has an extensive root system, which makes it good at preventing ero -

Previous Pages: The spur peeks over the top of a Spurred Butterfly Pea flower, a spot of color in late summer around Lake Martin; Left Top: The leaves are divided into three lance-shaped leaflets; Center: These delicate blossoms last only one day; Bottom: The flower is named for the five finger-like spurs at the base of the petal.

sion. It has been planted as a groundcover in rubber tree and coconut tree plantations farther south.

Like many other peas and beans, The Spurred Butterfly Pea is a legume that has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria that fix nitrogen from the air into nodules on its roots. The nitrogen – a primary component of commercial fertilizer – is used by the vine as it grows, but it also enriches the soil and benefits nearby plants.

Spurred Butterfly Pea is native to the Eastern United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Around Lake Martin, it is likely to appear twining around the shrubs and small plants in pine forest undergrowth, as it likes acidic, well-drained or sandy soils and partly sunny to shaded areas.

This vine goes by the scientific name Centrosema virginianum . Other names associated with this plant

The vine wraps itself around upright structures and plants to climb toward the sun.

include Butterfly Pea, Wild Blue Vine, Wild Pea, Blue Bell and Bradburya virginiana.

Despite its name, Butterfly Pea is primarily pollinated by bees; however, two butterflies, the Long-Tailed Skipper and Northern Cloudywing, are host species for this plant.

Like many peas, this plant has a high protein and mineral content, which makes it a good food source for woodland foragers and livestock.

Some information for this article came from the University of North Florida Botanical Garden, North Carolina State Extension, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Gardenia.com.

312 Magnolia Way, Dadeville • $1,102,900

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Jeff Cochran 256.786.0099

LakeMartinRealty.com

1147 Willow Way N, Alexander City • $8,590,000

Beds: 11 • Baths: 12 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

India Davis 256.749.7592

LakeMartinRealty.com

127 Hideaway Loop, Dadeville • $657,500

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4 • Water View & Water Access

Lake Martin Realty

Judith Jager 205.789.0698

LakeMartinRealty.com

224 Lakeview Drive, Alexander City • $2,950,000

Beds: 5 • Baths: 5 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Hugh Neighbors 256.750.5071

LakeMartinRealty.com

Ridge Run, Bywater • $1,700,000

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4.5 • Sq Ft: 2,612

Russell Lands

Rhonda Watson, Anna Speaks, Thomas Lamberth 256.215.7011 • RussellLands.com

45 Lakeview Court, Equality • $689,000

Beds: 3 • Baths: 3 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Ashley Chancellor 334.202.9017

LakeMartinRealty.com

1137 North Ridge, Alexander City • $5,950,000

Beds: 6 • Baths: 7 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Jan Hall 256.329.6313

LakeMartinRealty.com

40 Windy Point, Alexander City • $1,840,000

Beds: 4 • Baths: 3.5 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Becky Haynie 334.312.0928

LakeMartinRealty.com

78

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Cindy Scroggins 256.794.3372

LakeMartinRealty.com

162 Village Circle, Dadeville • $379,000

Beds: 2 • Baths: 2 • Water-Access

Lake Martin Realty

Amy Duncan 256.212.2222

LakeMartinRealty.com

43

Beds: 5 • Baths: 4.5 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Adam Yager 205.914.0830

LakeMartinRealty.com

1559

Beds: 4 • Baths: 3 • Waterfront

Lake Martin Realty

Mimi Rush 334.399.7874

LakeMartinRealty.com

Old Tree Drive, Dadeville • $1,175,000

Lynwood Path, Dadeville • $1,975,000

Sturdivant Road, Jackson’s Gap • $1,449,000

Lake Martin Classified

MMy wife is from Alexander City. She was raised here and has lots of family in the area. Her parents were David and Faye McCollough, who, like many thousands of others, worked at Russell Mills and/or Avondale Mills. David, known around these parts as “Dago” (for reasons unclear to us), was well known for his prowess on the baseball diamond, playing for the local mill teams.

Dago was a natural athlete – he had speed, stamina, good hands and a strong throwing arm and could hit a baseball a country mile. In the 1950s, a golden era for Major League Baseball, he was offered a contract to play for the New York Yankees. They were interested in signing another left-handed power hitter to play in Yankee Stadium, which favored left-handed batters.

Dago, who also was a legendary fisherman, turned them down. This was a team that was managed by Casey Stengel and was filled with Hall of Famers like Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Phil Rizzuto. When asked by family why he turned down the contract and a chance to move to New York, he replied, “This is the most beautiful place in the country. Why would I ever want to leave here?!”

Dago was onto something, and more people are figuring it out. Lake Martin, and the communities that surround it, has become more popular over the last five years, reaching the “big leagues” for recreational areas in the South. That popularity has resulted in higher property values and a more diverse product mix. This diverse mix has created opportunities

for property owners who want to sell and prospective purchasers who are drawn to this area and have fallen in love with the Lake Martin region.

This growing interest has increased values and broadened the spectrum of properties that are under consideration for people moving to the area. Below I have listed, by proximity to the lake, the different property types that experienced a significant impact due to this recent re-discovery of the Lake Martin region. In some cases, like the water-access classification, new market segments have developed. The segments are:

n Waterfront – single-family

n Waterfront – building lots

n Waterfront – condominiums and townhomes

n Water-access – single-family

n Water-view – single-family

n Lake community – amenitized

n Lake community – un-amenitized

n Suburban – in town

Most of the listed classifications are straightforward enough, but a couple might require some unpacking. Suburban – In town would be neighborhoods in and adjoining the major towns around the lake. Those would be Alexander City, Dadeville and to a lesser degree, Eclectic. Residential home sales in these areas have accelerated lately for a variety of reasons, but that acceleration is largely due to the improved economy driven by lake activity. Russell Lands, for instance, employs roughly 1,000 people during summer months. Those employees live mostly

in the three communities listed above.

The lake community classifications are those homes and/or neighborhoods that are part of or adjacent to lakefront properties. Most of StillWaters would be a good example of this type of classification. These homes are in a community that has amenities, like tennis and pickleball, and are well managed with privately owned recreational businesses within the community, like marinas and golf clubs. These neighborhoods provide residential homes in the lake environment, but they do not provide deeded access to piers and/or waterfront amenities. Water-view properties usually fit nicely with lake community properties and have slightly higher values due to their views of Lake Martin.

The water-access classification is narrowly defined by real estate practitioners in our local MLS. For a property to be classified as water-access, no ownership of land would exist at the high-water mark of Lake Martin; instead, it would have either a deeded

access to a pier or access to a pier and/or waterfront via a homeowner association amenity.

Glynmere in Willow Point is a great example of this classification, as is Magnolia Cove on State Route 49, south of Dadeville. Both of these neighborhoods have traditional waterfront homes, as well as homes off the lakefront. Both communities offer HOA-owned-and-maintained piers, with assigned slips to every property owner, as well as neighborhood amenities.

While all classifications listed above have enjoyed significant improvement in property values over the last five years, the water-access classification is gaining a great deal of interest. That interest is so great that, over the last 12-month period, this classification has passed the condominium/townhome classification in gross sales volume ($30,811,617 to $24,103,200) and in total unit sales (70 units to 48 units).

Since waterfront homes sell on average for close to $1.3 million and water-access homes for an average of about $440,000, this segment provides a financially feasible way for more people to come to the Lake Martin area to vacation or live full time. That is great news for people who, like my father-in-law Dago, think this is the most beautiful place in the country.

Steve Arnberg is Vice President Real Estate Sales for Russell Lands.

LAKE PROPERTY BY STEVE ARNBERG

HOBOs forms new Advocacy Committee

D

Do you feel as though there is no one you can talk to that understands your concerns? Do you feel like you need someone to talk for you, or that someone might have other ideas you can use to address your concerns?

An advocate is a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. When the Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners, Inc., began the new year with a board of directors meeting on July 10, several issues were brought to the board members’ attention.

Some Lake Martin residents, particularly in the Sandy Creek area, expressed concerns over developments that were planned for that area. These developments were not in keeping with the existing single-family residential neighborhood that has existed there for several years. A couple of multi-family and commercial developments have been planned for the area, and the residents were very concerned about the effect these might have on the existing neighborhood.

This issue also concerned the HOBO Board of Directors, so a new committee was formed at that board meeting: The Advocacy Committee includes the HOBO president, three board members and another concerned member. The objective of this committee is to determine the issues facing stakeholders of Lake Martin and the paths to take to an advocate for each issue. The Advocacy Committee will formulate ideas, strategies and direction for the HOBOs to accomplish its objectives.

These may include town hall meetings; use of Facebook and other social media sources; neighborhood meetings; attendance at county commission meetings for Elmore, Tallapoosa and Coosa counties; letters to Alabama Power Company and/or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and any other means deemed necessary to keep the members of HOBOs and residents of Lake Martin informed and to proceed with appropriate advocacy.

Transparency with the HOBOs Board of Directors will be of utmost importance to keep them apprised of actions being undertaken by the committee to advocate on behalf

of HOBOs and nonmembers that request assistance.

We are accepting invitations to groups to come speak about our advocacy activities. If you have a social neighborhood group, a Neighborhood Watch group or an HOA that would like to have one of our board of directors come and talk to you, we would very much appreciate the opportunity to come and discuss our Advocacy Committee with you. We recently attended a neighborhood meeting to discuss this, and it was well received. That group was trying to get a Neighborhood Watch started but wanted us to also discuss the issues we were currently working on.

One of the main areas on which we are focusing our attention is the update of the Alabama Power Company’s Shoreline Management Plan, which must be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by December of this year. Alabama Power held a public forum on July 18 in Alexander City at the Central Alabama Community College, and many concerned citizens were in attendance. Since that meeting, the HOBOs and Lake Watch have requested and received permission to hold another workshop with Alabama Power regarding the SMP. This workshop was held Aug. 17.

HOBOs were in attendance to address issues that have already been made known to Alabama Power in a letter dated Aug. 3, 2023. This letter requested that HOBOs be included as a stakeholder in two additional areas of the SMP. HOBOs is already considered a stakeholder when an issue relates to anyone requesting to build a bridge on

HOBO BY WALLACE JONES

The Advocacy Committee will help homeowners to protect and preserve the lake.

Lake Martin. We would like to be included in any permit requests made to Alabama Power for multi-family and commercial developments that are being considered for Lake Martin.

We have also requested that HOBOs be considered a stakeholder when any change is made to designated project lands – those lands that are within the FERCdesignated project boundaries for Lake Martin. We understand change to project lands would require prior approval by FERC, but HOBOs would like to be notified prior to Alabama Power’s submittal of proposed changes to FERC, so we could also have an opportunity to review and give feedback.

HOBOs are also working with State Rep. Ed Oliver to develop a bill that would limit boat wakes within 200 feet of docks, other vessels and people in the water. Similar bills have been introduced the last few years, but they have not been passed by the Alabama Legislature. Since similar bills have passed for other Alabama lakes, this might be the year for Lake Martin.

In conjunction with Lake Watch, we are also monitoring the new graphite plant in the area. The processed liquids will flow into the Alexander City sewage filtration plant and then into the Tallapoosa River and Lake Martin. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management oversees this discharge; however, Lake Watch and HOBOs will watch the effects it might have on these bodies of water.

We may not be able to address every concern of Lake Martin residents, but we will listen to your concerns, and more specifically, your ideas on what needs to be done to keep Lake Martin a Treasured Lake for many years to come. Please consider joining us at HOBOs. Visit our website at lakemartinhobos.com for more information on what we are about, our mission, our passion and our goals.

Wallace Jones is president of Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners. Learn more at lakemartinhobos.com.

SSelf-care has become quite the buzz word, but it’s more than a marketing program and social media trend. September is Self-care Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to look at this national effort that encourages healthy ‘self-ishness.’

The national Self-care Awareness campaign strives to bring awareness to the importance of consistent selfcare. The goal is to encourage putting an individual’s own physical and mental health needs in front of others. Self-care is a lifestyle, prioritizing choices to maintain health in mind and body. Don’t confuse self-care with over-the-top indulging or buying products. Setting healthy boundaries, making healthy choices and preventing negative consequences of stress and self-neglect are what self-care encompasses.

Many organizations and researchers take a health-oriented approach to define self-care. The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals and families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”

tions have changed to mean more general wellbeing and the tendency to focus on and meet one’s needs.

It can mean anything you do to take care of yourself that feels good. It can be relaxing, calming, intellectual or spiritual, physical or practical. There are categories of self-care, but they don’t look the same for everyone. They can include anything that makes you feel cared for, even though you are caring for yourself.

n Emotional: Giving yourself permission to pause; setting up a weekly date with a friend; saying “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress.

n Physical: Prioritizing sleep; adopting an exercise routine you can stick with; choosing healthy and nourishing foods over highly processed ones.

n Spiritual: Attending a religious service; spending time in nature; meditating; incorporating regular acts of kindness into your day; keeping a gratitude journal.

HEALTHY LIVING

BY JULIE HUDSON

According to this definition, self-care includes everything involved in staying physically healthy, from hygiene, to nutrition and seeking medical care when needed. It is a step-by-step approach to managing stress, health and well-being.

Other researchers have said self-care is the set of activities in which one engages daily throughout life to focus on promoting health, preventing illness and managing issues. More recent research established the framework of self-care to include the activities individuals do on their own to promote physical and emotional health, including how they interact with clinicians and healthcare systems to tend to physical and emotional health. More directly put, self-care includes getting vaccines, scheduling cancer screenings and taking prescription medications as directed.

The benefit of practicing self-care is the promotion of positive health outcomes. Self-care fosters resilience, longevity and becoming better equipped to manage stress. As self-care has become mainstream, its defini-

Many self-care practices have been linked to longer lives and other positive health outcomes. Research results shows that exercise, yoga and mindfulness make a positive impact on mental and physical health. Longevity in the 21st century has been studied and is directly related to healthy habits that include exercising, not smoking, following a healthy diet and embracing a positive lifestyle, as well as paying attention to what brings you joy and contentment.

The following are self-care practices that have been well-researched and linked to longevity:

n Exercising two to eight hours per week throughout one’s life reduces the risk of early death by 29 to 36 percent.

n Finding purpose in one’s life is associated with decreased mortality rates.

n Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables each day is associated with lower mortality, particularly from heartrelated issues.

n Sleeping fewer than seven hours per night is associated with higher mortality rates. Too much sleep is not healthy either.

n Spending time outside is associated with lower mortality rates.

Ready to begin a selfcare routine? Ask yourself what activities bring you joy or restore your energy and bal-

ance. Start by choosing one behavior you would like to add to your routine in the next week. Build up practicing this behavior every day for one week. Reflect on how you are feeling. Add more practices when you feel ready. Find support by sharing your practices with your family, friends, a coach, a licensed professional, coworkers or another community.

Find inspiration in Diane Griesel’s message below and allow yourself to be a little ‘self-ish.’

Self-ish

Getting a bit ‘self-ish’ isn’t such a bad idea. Have you ever noticed and really listened to what your ‘self’ is telling you? Does your ‘self’ need more relaxation, peace, self-love, exercise, fun – or something else it is not getting?

Although you might not realize it yet, getting a bit self-ish is good not only for you, but others around you will benefit as well. If you are not sure how to practice a little self-ishness, try these ideas:

Speak up! People do not read your mind. You need to tell others what you need. Don’t be a martyr expecting those with whom you interact to know your wants. You have to tell them.

Start doing what you want to do! Yes, you may have to work, but that is only 40 hours out of 168 in a week. What could you do that would be more fulfilling during the other 128 hours and ultimately equate to more energy?

Notice your micro achievements! Sometimes we ignore the small steps we’re making because we live in a world where everything done by others seems so stupendous (Don’t believe it). Give yourself credit for every step moving forward.

As per above, do something every day that feels really good. Why? This will increase your energy.

Accept (that) you are the manager of your life! You’re the boss! Own it! Make some decisions that are invigorating! Are you charged up? Envision how you can harness your energy!

~ Diane Griesel Silver Disobedience – Inspirations for Living and Loving Agelessly

Julie Hudson is a dietician at Lake Martin Wellness Center in Dadeville.

This exclusive enclave of new homes is made up of 39 lots on a scenic 14 acres, offering waterfront, water view, and hilltop homes by Slate Barganier Building. Dedicated boat slips available on a first come first served basis! Come home to the beauty and planning you already know in The Village at Lake Martin in this brand new development.

Blue Crab Claws with Garlic Pepper Vinegar

Ingredients

Blue crabs (fresh/alive or already steamed)

6-12 cloves of garlic

2 cups distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Course-ground black pepper (fresh ground)

Lemon wedges

Directions

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Let this stand for about an hour. Sugar should be dissolved.

If cooking fresh Blue Crabs

Ingredients

1 liter 7 Up lemon-lime soda

4-6 cloves of garlic

1-2 tablespoon black peppercorns (whole, dropped right in the liquid) 2 lemons, squeezed and dropped in the liquid

Directions

Bring all ingredients to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully add blue crabs and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off stove and let the crabs sit for another 10 minutes. Remove and eat hot or cold.

Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at four-star restaurants and Forbes four-star resorts in Ohio,Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he began his career as chef de cuisine at Willow Point Golf & Country Club.

CHEF'S TABLE BY PETE MCKENNY

Meg's Bramble

The head bartender at The Local at 41 Main created this gin-kissed blackberry beauty with just the right amount of sweetness and floral highlights.

Ingredients

1.5 ounces Hugh Wesley Gin

2 to 3 blackberries, muddled

.75 ounce Monin Blackberry syrup

1/4 lemon, juiced

Directions

Shake together all ingredients. Add pellet ice to a rocks glass and strain shaken ingredients into the glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with two blackberries.

SUMMERTIME IS A SPECIAL TIME, IS YOUR HEART HEALTHY?

Summertime means time on the water, time away from work, and more time with family and friends.

Make sure your heart is healthy and ready for the season with an appointment at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic at Russell Medical.

Kevin Sublett, MD, is board-certified in cardiovascular care and offers the latest in prevention, testing, and treatment for keeping your heart healthy.

Our clinic is backed by the knowledge and expertise of UAB Medicine, including:

• Advanced ultrasound testing

• Nuclear medicine imaging in fully accredited labs

• Management of cardiac rhythm disorders

• Interventional cardiology care

Our expanded clinical team is ready to serve you. Schedule a visit today by calling 256-234-2644.

'Tis the second season T

The month of September is a time of transition at Lake Martin. The lake is still full pool, and the water’s still warm; however, there is a sense of change. Days are getting shorter; the kids are back in school; and football season is cranking up. After Labor Day, the lake begins to calm down from the hustle and bustle of summertime vacationing. It’s still hot, but the occasional morning dawns in the low 60s. Drier air signals fall is just around the corner. Some say that yellow butterflies are confirmation it’s about to cool off, so I’m always on the lookout for them. For those of us who are passionate about fishing Lake Martin, September marks a second peak season of fishing, one that for many argue is the best season.

to patrol. In most cases, there’s a sweet spot that I call “ground zero.” It could be a subtle change in bottom contour, a stump, a brush pile or just a minor irregularity along the bank. Often, the first time I see a school breaking the surface, they reveal ground zero. Once I catch a fish or two and/or the boat gets too close, they reposition or follow the bait that gets displaced by all the activity.

Forward facing sonar, like Garmin Livescope, has taught us a lot about how the fish move and hunt as they look for the next unsuspecting school of bait to ambush. Sometimes, they patrol a range of 200 yards or more looking for bait, but most importantly, it seems they frequently return to their favorite ambush point. This leaves the angler with a couple of potential approaches that could be productive.

BIG CATCHES

BY GREG VINSON

Most of the summer fishing has been at night for tournament anglers. The heavy boat traffic and sweltering heat of August’s dog days make day-fishing a challenge. But a few nights in the 60s are like a light switch for the bite around the lake. A small drop in water temperature signals fish that it’s time to start filling up their tanks. Tiny young shad are plentiful by this point in the summer. There are lots of small bluegill, as well, since the bream have had multiple spawns throughout the summer. These are easy pickings for the bass that start gorging themselves in preparation for winter.

When the water surface begins to cool, the fish and baitfish use this zone more, not only in the shallows around the banks but also on the surface near offshore structure. This is a great time for bank beaters to be out there. The bass will use the shoreline to herd up their prey. Likewise, offshore schools of fish will force schools of bait to the surface where they are easier to target in open water. I don’t know a bass angler out there that doesn’t get a rush from seeing fish busting the surface.

As exciting as chasing schooling fish can be, it also can be frustrating. The fish primarily relateg to the baitfish. Wherever the shad go, so go the bass. They can be in one spot one minute and pop up 100 yards away the next. So once again, we’re faced with the age-old challenge in fishing: “Should I stay, or should I go?”

It seems that schools of fish have a range they like

The first is more of a run-and-gun approach. This is a high energy activity involving a lot of gas and getting up and down. The run-and-gun is an attempt to land on fish while they are schooling and get a bait to them before they go down below. Using the outboard motor, an angler could idle or run on a slow plane while looking for the splashes of white water being thrown up as the bass annihilate their prey. An angler could either shut down well away and try to sneak up on the school or shut the engine down within casting distance and jump up to make a cast before they disappear. I’ve seen both work. The boat sitting down that close to an active school could send them packing, but if they stay up, they’re in range to be caught immediately.

With fish in shallow water, it’s more important to use the trolling motor to do the running. Schooling fish in the shallows prefer calmer areas to do their work. Along with the safety risk of running close to the bank, shallow schoolers are hard to see unless an angler is standing up. And the washing action from the boat’s wake could stir up the bottom in the shallows, making it a muddy mess. When dealing with shallow schoolers, don’t get too discouraged if a boat does happen to come by. With time, the area will usually settle down, and the fish will eventually get back to business. If the area is continuously pummeled with boat traffic,

it’s best to leave and return some other time when it’s calmer.

The other tactic is a sit-and-wait game. Despite what many people think, most anglers lack the patience required to be successful in this case. Because their fish senses tell them to chase when they see schoolers, it’s hard for anglers to hold their ground as fish break the surface out of casting range. With the sit-and-wait approach, it’s important to locate ground zero; that’s where the school is likely to return. Remaining patiently in that zone means less boat noise and disturbance, allowing anglers to blend into the environment. If and when the school returns, they’ll be easier to trick into biting when they’re unaware of anglers’ presence.

I’m convinced that, despite ultra-quiet trolling motors these days, fish can tell. In addition, boat movement displaces water, and I think the fish can feel its presence sometimes.

I have had success with both tactics, so it becomes more of a feel or preference for the angler. Like any technique, it’s important to try them both and see which one provides the best results for the time.

The best technique in bass fishing for schooling fish is a topwater. There are a lot of options these days, and most of them could be effective. For open water schooling fish, the best topwater is something that can be cast accurately at long distances. Using a bait that extends the range could greatly increase catch numbers

for a couple of reasons. The first is being able to reach more fish, but also the farther the fish are from the boat, the less likely they are to be spooked.

With topwaters, there are three styles of colors to consider. The first is flash, meaning a bait with a lot of chrome or gold. The reflection coming off the bait can attract fish to its presence, and they strike out of reaction. The second is a bone or white color. This is highly visible to the fish, even in low light, and the baitfish often take on a pale white color when distressed, like when they’re being chased by bass. The final is a natural color. Translucent shad patterns are good when the fish have been pressured. The splash and sound of the bait will help get their attention. As they get close to study the bait, the light natural color looks real and could trigger the strike.

As the second peak season of bass fishing on Lake Martin kicks off, keep an eye out for active fish on the surface. It can be an exciting time to be an angler here.

Greg Vinson is a full-time professional angler on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. He lives in Wetumpka and grew up fishing on Lake Martin.

Sorting out the Pro Tours A

As a young man, I wanted to play on the PGA Tour more than anything. Reserving a position on the Tour was a simple, clean and understandable process back then. Golfers registered their names for the PGA Tour Q-School, sent in their entry fee check and tried to play their way onto the Tour through three levels of qualifying. There were local, regional and national qualifiers, none of which were easy; however, for those who did play well enough – tada! They were in. Every PGA Tour regulation event had a Monday qualifier, where any golf pro or upper-level amateur could attempt to qualify for one of four open spots. Tournament sponsors also had a fixed number of exemptions they could offer to other invitees.

Each year, Tour players had to finish the fiscal year within the Top-125 in annual earnings to maintain their PGA Tour cards. This is still true today. Aside from that, I am very confused on what else they are doing to get on and maintain PGA Tour cards. It is all very confusing with the PGA Tour playoffs, LIV merger, Korn Ferry Tour exemptions and the new “PGA Tour University.” All the while, sponsor exemptions are still available for regular Tour events. With all that has transpired over recent months, where the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour with its Saudi financing are forming a partnership, I feel confident that the road to PGA Tour membership will soon change drastically yet again.

Sadly, it’s all about the money. The commissioner of the PGA Tour, Jay Monahan, blindsided the Tour members a few weeks back with the announcement of a future merger between the PGA Tour, DP Tour (formerly the European Tour) and LIV Tour. This announcement comes on the heels of nearly two years of baring PGA membership to Tour players who joined or participated in LIV sponsored events.

This change of heart has created quite a stir. Commissioner Monahan told the media that the PGA Tour could not effectively compete with the LIV Tour, due to the deep pocket money the Saudis are throwing at the LIV Tour. He said that this merger was necessary to stay viable and remain the best professional golf tour. What all is involved in this merger is still nothing more than pie-in-the-sky concepts. No agreements have yet been made in where they are going, what they are trying to achieve or how to make this equitable for everyone involved.

LOVE of the GAME

BY DAVE JENNINGS

Sadly, many of the present PGA Tour sponsors may be left out. The Saudi money could take their places. Many of the present-day sponsors may choose not to pony up for heavy expenditures to sponsor a PGA Tour event. For many years, one of the greatest public opinions about the PGA Tour has been in its charitable benevolence. Today, every tournament creates a monumental contribution to various local charities. Will that remain the case with a Saudi-backed Tour? It would be a crying shame if hospitals like St. Jude in Memphis lost their annual funding.

Personally, I wish that Commissioner Monahan had more faith in his organization and had never started negotiations with the LIV Tour and its owners. I believe the PGA Tour would have outlasted the LIV Tour.

There are many things to sort out in professional golf. I hope that they never lose the concepts of what has made the game of golf great. This is a gentleman’s game, and the PGA Tour has always acted as the showcase.

I have high hopes that nobody, especially the charities, are ill-affected. I can only join you in watching from the sidelines.

Fall is on the way and more comfortable temperatures are, too. I look forward to balancing my golf time with college football viewing.

See you on the tee.

Dave Jennings is the owner of Jennings Golfhelp LLC. Email him at djenn47495@gmail.com or visit Jenningsgolfhelp.com.

Lake Martin

Kowaliga Marina 334-397-1210

The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300

River North Marina 256-397-1500

Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors 256-397-1700

Real Island Marina 256-397-1200

Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888

Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550

Harbor Pointe Marina 256-825-0600

Alex City Marine 256-215-FISH

Smith's Marina - Shipwreck Sam's 256-444-8793

SpringHouse 256-215-7080

Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070

Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035

Lake Martin Pizza 256-373-3337

The Burritos Corner Mexican Grill 256-307-1887

Lake Martin Storm Shelters 256-794-8075

Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567

Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 334-541-2132

Russell Building Supply 256-825-4256

The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333

Kowaliga Whole Health 334-857-1816

Off the Beaton Path 205-994-0847

Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717

Lake Pointe Baptist Church 256-373-3293

Red Ridge UMC 256-825-9820

Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc 334-857-2443

First Baptist Church Dadeville 256-825-6232

Lakeshore Pharmacy 256-825-0063

Lake Magazine Distribution

ALEXANDER CITY

Robinson Iron

A & M Plumbing

Carlos

The Body Shop

Walgreens

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.

Jake's

Moore Wealth Management

Carlisle's

Emporium Wine

Cloud Nine

Downtown Girl

Shay Aesthetics

JR'S

Hillabee Towers

Senior Nutrition Center

Noel Boone

George Hardy

First Realty

Dark Insurance

Warren Appliance

MainStreet Family Care

Grace's Flowers

Koon's Korner

Larry's General Merchandise

Daylight Donuts

Alfa

Valley Bank - 280

Pricare

Temple Medical

AllState

BB&T Bank

Hometown Pharmacy

Lake Martin Home Health

Allen's Food Mart (Exxon)

Karen Channell - State Farm

Insurance

North Lake Condo

River Bend Store

River North Marina

Lake Martin Building Supply

Petro

Sho'Nuff BBQ

Hair Design

Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture

Longleaf Antique Mall

Playhouse Cinemas

Chamber of Commerce

Winn Dixie

Re/Max Around the Lake

City Hall

A&E Metal

Regions Bank

Marathon - 280

Renfroe's Market

Russell Medical Center

Russell Marine Boating and Outdoors

Koon's II

Tallapoosa Ford

Dylan Johnson - Country Financial

Holley's Home Furniture

Jackson's Drugs

Selling Lake Martin - Amy Clark

The Sure Shot

Shell - 280

Big B Bar-B-Que

Russell Do It Center

Russell Home Decor

Holman Floor

Satterfield Inc.

Grain & Leaf, Bottles & Cigars

Tippy Canoe

Love Lake Martin Real Estate Office

Wind Creek Gate

Wind Creek Store

Willow Point Office

Willow Point Country Club

Smith Marina on Lake Martin

Nails

Kowaliga Marina

Kowaliga Restaurant

Children's Harbor

Catherine's Market

Russell Lands Corporate Office

Russell Lands Real Estate Sales Center

SpringHouse Restaurant

Ridge Club

Ridge Marina

HACKNEYVILLE

Hackneyville Water Authority

NEW SITE

Piggly Wiggly - New Site Foodland

DADEVILLE

Chamber of Commerce

Raining Dogs Studio & Gallery

Root 49 Salon

Ellaby Boutique, LLC

Alabama Power

Siggers

Siggers Barbershop

Fusion Cafe

Dadeville Library

At the Beauty Shop

Dadeville Courthouse

Payne's Furniture

PNC Bank

Valley Bank

McKelvey Chevrolet

Renfroe's Market

Foshee's Boat Doc

Lakeshore Pharmacy

Russell Building Supply

Lakay's

Tallapoosa Nutrition

Sweet Pickins

Century 21 - Rhonda Gaskins

Farmers & Merchants Bank

Jim's Pharmacy

Poplar Dawgs

Still Waters Country Club

Still Waters Home Association

Russell Lands Realty

Fuller Realty

Harbor Pointe

Oskar's

Aronov Realty Lake Martin

Creekside Lodge

Blue Creek Marina

Lakeside Marina

Niffers

Hwy 50 Eagle

Millstone Japanese Maple Nursery

Lakeside Mercantile

Walnut Hill

Chuck's Marina

Deep Water Docks

Lake Martin Pizza

CAMP HILL

Link Gas Station

KELLYTON

Five Star Plantation

EQUALITY

Equality Food Mart

Southern Star

Parker Creek Marina

Charles Borden

ECLECTIC

Lake Breeze Realty

Offshore Marina

Lake Martin Mini Mall

Corner Stone Coffee Co.

Lake Martin Dock Company

Cotton's Alabama Barbecue

Russell Do It Center

Johnson Furniture

WOW Catering LLC

Eclectic Library

Real Island Marina

Anchor Bay Marina

Wetumpka

Wetumpka Herald Office

Tallassee

Marathon

Tallassee Eagle

Tallassee Chamber

Parris Mullins Jr. O.D.

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*Standard maximum of 10 acres; however parcels not exceeding 20 acres may be considered if typical for the area and supported by acceptable appraisal valuation. Lot loans are not intended for investment or speculation purposes. Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loans amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Visit usbank.com to learn more about U.S. Bank products

From vacant lot to your future home, find help along the way.

You’ve found the perfect lot to build your next home. We’ll help you explore financing options that may fit your needs. Enjoy competitive rates, experienced support and step-by-step guidance that may make your dream of homeownership a reality.

Loan options for those approved:

Lot loans*

Purchase a lot to build now or in the near future and get financing with no prepayment penalties.

Construction loans

Get financing that includes your construction loan and your mortgage – all in one. That’s one closing and one set of fees. Plus, make interest only payments during the construction of your home. Choose from fixed- or adjustable-rate construction loan options. and services. Mortgage, Home Equity and Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC. ©2019

U.S. Bank 257701c 10/19

Parting Shot

"To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall."

Photo by Kenneth Boone

~ Ann Patchett