JUNE 2015
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JUNE 2015
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Letter from the Editor
Staff
F
rom north to south and east to west, it looks like a great summer is unfolding at Lake Martin. For starters, we’re glad to see that real estate is bouncing back. Just a glance at the MLS figures on page 9 paints that picture. In fact, a recent article from the Alabama Center for Real Estate indicated area residential sales around Lake Martin for March this year improved by 30 percent over the same month last year. If you’ve been holding back on finding that lake house, now might be a good time to think about it more seriously. Last month, we talked with two families who found bargains in Jackson’s Gap – and are featured this spring on HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt at Lake Martin. Lacey and John Howell and Holly and John Parker recorded the popular television shows last November. Their stories start on page 50 and illustrate that where there’s a will to find the right cabin at Lake Martin, there’s a way. Then Cara Clark invites readers to come in off the boat this summer and take a different kind of sightseeing ride around the lake, this one from the back of a horse. In the article on page 42, Cara explains the options available for riding horses at the lake, from a test-the-waters guided trail ride for first-timers to camping out with horses at Wind Creek or taking up residence at a Russell cabin close to The Stables. In the lake’s northwestern most reaches, there’s a new restaurant opening this month. In addition to fast-casual food, The Landing at Parker Creek will offer lawn games, music and an open-air bar. Turn to page 24 for details. Another change in the business community around the lake is taking place at StillWaters. Auburn residents Keith and Debbie Hiett last month executed a lease/purchase agreement to obtain the golf course and restaurant there. No stranger to the business of golf, the first order of business, Keith said, is to improve the health of the grass. Read the story on page 34 to learn what else is in store on the emerald southeastern shores of the lake. And Bay Pines Marina also will be open this summer on the upper-east side of the lake. You'll find those details on page 16. It’s a wonderful time to be at Lake Martin, and we’re so glad to be sharing great days with you on the water – and off.
editor@lakemartinmagazine.com
Managing Editor BETSY ILER
editor@lakemartinmagazine.com
Assistant Magazine Editor CARA D. CLARK
editor@lakemartinmagazine.com
Marketing/Advertising Director TIPPY HUNTER
tippy.hunter@alexcityoutlook.com
Marketing Coordinators SCOTT HARDY
scott.hardy@alexcityoutlook.com
MISSY FONTE
missy.fonte@alexcityoutlook.com
KIM MORSE
kim.morse@alexcityoutlook.com
HEATHER GLENN
heather.glenn@alexcityoutlook.com
Circulation Manager DAVID KENDRICK
david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com
Creative Services AUDRA SPEARS
audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com
DARLENE JOHNSON
darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com
HALLIE HOLLOWAY
hallie.holloway@alexcityoutlook.com
Contributors KENNETH BOONE JOHN COLEY HENRY FOY JULIE HUDSON ROB MCDANIEL GREG VINSON CLIFF WILLIAMS
LEE WILLIAMS MITCH SNEED DAVID GRANGER SAWYER DAVIS CANDIS BIRCHFIELD JIM DENNEY
All content, including all stories and photos are copyright of:
Betsy Iler, Managing Editor
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Editor & Publisher KENNETH BOONE
256-234-4281 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011
JUNE 2015
On the Cover Cover: Kathi Odom joined a guided horseback ride from The Stables through Russell Forest along the lake. Riding at Lake Martin has grown so quickly that Russell Lands recently built a second stable - this one at The Ridge. Photo by Kenneth Boone
JUNE 2015
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JUNE 2015
Contents 19. WATER WARS UPDATE Gov. Bentley files suit against the Army Corps of Engineers 20. LAKE'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE Landmarks and famous lake places in a review of Geography 101 24. THE LANDING AT PARKER CREEK New restaurant to offer food, games and fun in Equality on the lake 28. STRONG JAVA AND HOT TOPICS Locals meet for morning conversation at the Real White House 34. STILLWATERS CHANGES COURSE New owners plan golf course improvements and amenities for members
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42. HORSING AROUND THE LAKE Get out of the boat and onto shore for a ride from a different perspective at the lake 50. HGTV VISITS LAKE MARTIN Lakefront Bargain Hunt showcases two cabins at Lake Martin 60. 'TIS THE SEASON FOR FISH HABITAT DCNR and Alabama Power plant cover in the lake to attract fish
LAKE MAGAZINE’S MONTHLY FEATURES:
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9. LAKE’S QUICK GUIDE TO THE LAKE 10. LAKE SCENES 11. WHERE IS LAKE? 12. LAKE EVENTS 16. LAKE MARTIN NEWS 38. NATURE OF THE LAKE 66. Q&A: NICKI DOZIER 69. FAB FINDS
70. LAKE PROPERTY 73. BEHIND THE BOAT 76. BIG CATCHES 78 CHEF'S TABLE 79. HEALTHY LIVING 80. FROM THE CELLAR 83. PRO TIPS & ANOTHER GOOD LIE
Lake magazine also features an online, digital edition, available 24 hours a day, free of charge. This edition is perfect to share with friends and family and provides you complete access to stories, photos and advertisements from anywhere in the world with Internet access. View our digital edition today by visiting www.lakemartinmagazine.com.
JUNE 2015
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Lake’s Quick Guide to the Lake Lake Martin Area Real Estate Indicators Sales Month
Number of sales
Average selling price
Median selling price
Days on the market
Total houses for sale
Inventory/ sales ratio
25 14 9
$474,800 $367,390 $535,167
$392,000 $352,500 $377,500
211 246 163
377 384 542
15.18 22.26 47.13
April 2015 April 2012 April 2009
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 informtion is provided courtesy Lake Martin Realty, LLC. (A Russell Lands, Inc. affiliated company.)
Summer Hours Update
Did You Know? Alabama Power Company restrictions for piers on Lake Martin allow no more than 50 feet in length. Useable platform structures are limited to 420 square feet, and piers that are 4 feet and less in width are considered walkways that are included in the length but not the square footage guideline. Floating docks cannot exceed 12 feet beyond the stationary pier and cannot be more than 290 square feet.
Catherine’s Market Tues.-Sat.: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (Café closes at 6 p.m. Tues.Fri.)
Fishing Forecast for June on the Lake Now that we’re on the threshold of summer, fishing will slow down at Lake Martin, said Randy Baker of Fish Tales Bait & Tackle in Alexander City. “Morning fishing, late afternoon and mostly at night will be the times to catch fish,” Baker noted. “Around pier lights at night, you should be able to catch just about any of the species in the lake, but as the day heats up, the fish will move out to deeper water.” He also suggested fishing for crappie near ledges at night where the water would be about 30 feet deep. In early morning, from daybreak until about 8 a.m., topwater baits will be the most productive, he noted. “Catfish will be up shallow in the morning,
and by drift fishing across points in 25 to 30 feet of water with live bait, you should be able to catch them anywhere from a pound to 5 or 6 pounds. That’s pretty popular this time of year,” Baker said. With summer’s heat setting in, stripers are moving back out into the deep water of the lake, he said. “You can catch them on humps during the day, but as the month goes on, fishing at night will be the time to catch them. They will be less active during the day and more active at night. “It takes good electronics to find the humps; and then, live bait over those humps in 30 to 45 feet of water is what you’ll need to do to catch them.”
Kowaliga Restaurant Lunch: Wed.-Sun.: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.-Sun.: 2-5 p.m. (Limited mid-day menu) Dinner: Wed.-Sun.: 5-9 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sun.: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. SpringHouse Restaurant Dinner: Wed.-Sat.: 5:30–10 p.m. Sun. Brunch: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Russell Crossroads Landing Shuttle Call 256-329-0209 Mon.-Thurs.: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri. & Sat.: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Weather Report
Lake Levels
Year to Date
Summer: 491 MSL Winter: 481 MSL Highest: 489.59 Lowest: 489.40 Lake elevations are subject to change. Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and water-related equipment on the lake should always stay alert to changing conditions.
Precipitation: 20.78 inches Avg. high temp.: 64.8 Avg. low temp.: 40.6 Average temp.: 52.7
Our Normal June Precipitation: 4.05 inches Avg. high temp.: 96 Avg. low temp.: 58 Average temp.: 77.4
June 2015 Forecast
Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the mid 90s with lows in the upper 50s and about 4 inches of precipitation in the month of June. The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will remain at average levels, but rainfall is expected to be higher than average for this month. Information from the National Weather Service
JUNE 2015
For up-to-date lake levels, log on to https://lakes. alabamapower.com.
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LAKE SCENE
Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com
PEOPLE AND PLACES
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Reader Submissions (1) With water still too cold for swimming, James Henry Gibson and Lilly Crawford enjoyed toe-dipping at Bop and Bebop Daughtry's house, near Real Island. (2) Russell Lands Security Officer Wendell Elliott turned 85 years young April 29 and still qualifies as a certified sharpshooter! (3) Donna Crawley sent this photo of sunset on Lake Martin that was taken in her front yard at Parker Creek. (4) Tony Blanco snapped this late afternoon photo on Lake Martin while canoeing with friends. (5) Will Schroeder loves to play at the beach while the sun sets on Lake Martin in front his family's Willow Point condominium.
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS LAKE?
Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com
PEOPLE AND PLACES
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Reader Submissions (1) Lake went to Abaca Island, Treasure Cay, Bahamas, with Chase Clanton, Jennifer Haynes, Wes Young, Janet Price and Whitney Clanton. (2) Lake magazine took a Danube River cruise through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary with Dick and Judy Garrett. (3) Lake had a great time in Thailand and Singapore with Larry and Judy Harper. (4) Lake visited the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, with Jan Fitzgerald and Ellen Brooks.
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June 3-July 15 Brainiac Boot Camp
Join the free summer reading program every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stephens Elementary School in Alexander City. Lunch provided for campers. Register at school office. Campers must be accompanied by an adult.
June 6 12th Annual Lil’ Calypso Art Fest
Visit Chuck’s Marina on the shores of beautiful Lake Martin from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for this year’s Lil’ Calypso Art Fest, a celebration of local artisans and craftsmen. Union Volunteer Fire Department is the gate beneficiary.
June 6 Miss Lake Martin Pageant
June 3 Wake & Surf Clinic
The annual Miss Lake Martin Pageant will be held at the Dadeville High School Auditorium at noon and 6 p.m. Learn from Team Russell Marine in a small group at Young ladies from infants to 20 The Ridge Marina. Limited years will compete in slots available. Bring CALENDAR OF EVENTS nine age divisions. The your gear. Call Scott registration fees range Goslin at 334-857from $110 to $120. New 2111 or email him at WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN this year, the winner of sgoslin@russelllands. the Miss Lake Martin com. title will take home a cash scholarship. Visit June 6 the Miss Lake Martin Wine Dinner 2015 Facebook event SpringHouse page or email prettyRestaurant will host productionpageants@ Alpha & Omega gmail.com or call 334Winery for a din332-4701 or 256-307ner featuring bou9310 for details. tique luxury wines from Napa. Call June 8 – July 31 SpringHouse at 256215-7080 for time, Boys & Girls Club costs and details. Summer Camp Sign the kids up now for a summer of swimJune 6 ming, reading, team Possum Day building, skating, arts The Town of and crafts, bowling, Franklin will host movies and more with a fundraiser for the the Boys & Girls Club Franklin Volunteer of the Lake Martin Fire & Rescue Area in Dadeville. Department from 10 The Dadeville Public Library Registration is $20; a.m. to 4 p.m. at the June 26 will host their annual cost of the program is volunteer fire depart$5 benefit, Wine With Words $40 per week for one ment on Hwy. 49. child; $30 each for two Arts and crafts, live or more children per music, activities for the family. Program includes breakfast, snack, daily activities kids. No admission for activities, but proceeds from barfrom 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and occasional field trips. Call 256becue sales benefit the department. To reserve a vendor 234-4757 for information. booth or for more information call 334-339-8478.
June 6 Color Me Downtown 5K Fun Run
June 12-13 Jazz Fest
Register at Active.com for the second Color Me Downtown Fun Run, sponsored by Alexander City Parks and Recreation. Entry fee is $25 in advance and $30 the day of the race. Call 256-329-6736, ext. 27, for information. Early registration includes free T-shirt. Not a timed event. Late registration at 7 a.m. on race day, and race starts at 8. Proceeds benefit BRHS wrestling program.
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The annual Jazz Fest music-in-the-park event turns 25 this year! This free two-day event will feature three great bands at Strand Park in downtown Alexander City on Friday night and another three at the Lake Martin Amphitheater on Saturday. This year’s Friday night lineup includes The Bank Walkers, Big Sam’s Funky Nation and classic rockers Lowrider. Chad Fisher will return to the amphitheater stage to open the Saturday night band series, followed by Hotel Oscar and The Revivalists.
JUNE 2015
June 13 Kowaliga VFD Raffle
Come for food, fun and prizes at Kowaliga Marina from 12 to 3 p.m. and help the Kowaliga FD purchase needed equipment. Raffle tickets are $5. Prizes include a paddleboard, Big Green Egg, smoker, Yeti cooler and more. Sign up for the Yellow Dot Program, too (helps crash victims communicate with first responders). You don't have to be present to win. Call Sue at 334-717-1714 for information.
June 18 Day of Action
Spruce up our schools for the Lake Martin Area United Way Day of Action. Volunteers will be working at Stephens Elementary School in Alexander City, Central High School in Coosa County and Dadeville High School and Horseshoe Bend to clean, landscape, wash windows, paint and more. Register before June 12 at 256-329-0110 or email uw211@unitedwaylakemartin.org.
June 18 Book Signing
June 26-27 Lake Martin Slalom Championship
Competition at Kowaliga Marina is open to novice slalom skiers. U.S. Senior World Team Member and Alabama State record holder, Bob Schouten, and state champions and nationally ranked competitors, Joseph Schouten and Payton Phillips will teach a clinic Friday. Participants will be designated a time to be present for individual instruction. Limited to 30 participants. Saturday tournament will begin at 9 a.m. Spectators welcome. For registration or information, contact Roxanne Kelley at roxlake@gmail.com; Bob Schouten at alabamawaterski@gmail.com; or Doug Hamrick at dhamrick@russelllands.com.
June 26 Wine With Words
The Dadeville Public Library will host a wine sampling and book buying event at Chuck’s Marina at 5 p.m., allowing oenophiles to sample wines while perusing a selection of books for all ages. The cost for vouchers is $5, and book sales benefit the library. The event also includes pizza and entertainment. For details, call 256-825-7820.
June 27 Horseshoe Bend Militia Day
Chad Gibbs, author of God & Football (2010) and Love Thy Rival (2014), will introduce his latest book, Jesus Without Borders, at the Dadeville Public Library(205 N. West St.) at 2:30 p.m. Gibbs, a native of Alabama, will discuss what it is like to be Christian anywhere else in the world. The event will be sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Call 256-825-7820 for information.
A Tennessee Militia Living History Drill will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wind Creek State Park. Demonstrators will show how militiamen trained before taking up arms in the Creek War of 1813-1814. For details, call 256-234-7111.
June 20 Intro to Sailing
July 3 Alexander City Celebrates Freedom
Dixie Sailing Club will offer a free introduction to sailing class from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their 767 New Hope Church Road location. Participants could learn to sail a Sunfish, take a tour of the boatyard and go sailing on a member’s boat. Lunch will be provided. Class is limited to 60 people, so reserve your space early by calling event coordinator Keith Bennett at 334-324-9383 or email him at cat221@msn.com.
The annual celebration of America’s independence will be held at Benjamin Russell High School from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The family-oriented event will include fun for all ages. Musical artists include The Spirituals and The Martins. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/alexcityscelebratefreedom.
June 23-July 21 Dadeville Library Summer Reading
This annual juried art show on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads has expanded to two days this year, starting at noon on Friday until 8:30 p.m. and open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Come visit with friends, browse the tents and take home some great conversational art pieces from this year’s Arti Gras.
The afternoon program will be held on Tuesdays in June and July beginning at 3:30 p.m. After weeks of fun exploring books, the program will wind up with a Hero Party, encouraging young readers to come dressed in their favorite superhero or community hero costume. For details, call 256-825-7820.
June 25 Republican Party Social
The Tallapoosa County Republican Party will host a social and meeting at StillWaters Clubhouse at 6:30 p.m. Speakers will be John Klenke, former state representative from Wisconsin who will speak about Scott Walker; Alabama Republican Party Chair, Terry Lathan, also will speak. For information, call 256-749-0715.
July 3-4 Arti Gras
July 4 Boat Parade
Bring a lawn chair and watch the decorated boats parade from Kowaliga Marina to Children’s Harbor and back at this year’s boat parade, sponsored by Russell Lands On Lake Martin. Or better yet, join the the fun and drive your boat in the parade. Entry is free, but participants must register at the marina. Prizes will be awarded for largest flag, tallest flag, most patriotic decorations and most creative. The parade will begin at 10 a.m.
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July 4 Concert & Fireworks
Nationwide Coverage returns this year for the pre-fireworks concert at The AMP. Bring lawn chairs, coolers and kids. Spread a blanket on the hillside and then settle back for some great music at 6 p.m. and the most spectacular fireworks show in the Southeast at 9.
July 4 Crossroads Garden Pancake Breakfast
The Community Garden Club will host a pancake breakfast benefit in the Arts Cabin at Russell Crossroads from 8 to 10 a.m. Pancakes, juice and coffee will be served. The cost is $5 and should be paid with cash or check.
Season-Long Events MainStreet Farmers Market
Shop the produce of local growers every Saturday morning at the Broad Street Plaza in downtown Alexander City to pick up fresh, seasonal, fruits, honey, jams, jellies and relishes, eggs, herb plants, lotions, creams, shampoo and conditioner, soaps made from goats’ milk and beeswax byproducts. Local growers will offer their products from 7 to 11:30 a.m.
Catherine’s Market Wine Tastings
Gather around a table with friends at Catherine’s Market from 5 to 7 p.m. every Friday from May 22 to Sept. 4 to taste a selection of wines. Your $5 tasting fee will be applied to the purchase of any featured wines for the evening.
Yoga on the Green
Bring a mat and a bottle of water to the Russell Crossroads Town Green at 7 a.m. Saturdays from May 23 to Sept. 5 to start the day with yoga.
Fridays on the Green
What could be better than bands, lawn games and beautiful sunsets on the Town Green all summer long? The music starts at 6:30 p.m. every Friday, just in time to drop your luggage at the lakehouse and meet your friends at Russell Crossroads.
Catholic Mass at Church in the Pines
Every Saturday at 6 p.m. from May 23 through September 5. For information, contact the Rev. Msgr. F. Charles Troncale at 334-283-2169.
Library Storytime
Storytime for children ages 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Electronics Recycling
The City of Alexander City Public Works Department will host an electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in conjunction with the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership. Electronics contain a number of harmful chemicals. The events give citizens a chance to get rid of old and outdated 14 LAKE JUNE
electronics without risking the water supply by sending them to a landfill. Items accepted include desktop or laptop computers, computer mouse, keyboards, modems or routers, CDs and DVDs, power supplies, PC Mix Systems, home or cell phones, printers or copiers, mainframe servers, TVs, audio/video adapters, laptop chargers, cable boxes and nickel cadmium or lithium ion batteries. There is a $10 fee per television. For more information, call Sabrina Wood at 334-429-8832 or Amanda Thomas at 256-409-2020.
Santuck Flea Market
The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month except January and February. The Santuck Flea Market is located at 73300 Central Plank Road, Highway 9 in Wetumpka.
Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony Exhibit
The Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony on Lake Martin exhibit is on display at the Alexander City Board of Education building all year long. The BOE is located at 375 Lee Street.
$20 on the 20th
The Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce is asking our community to "Spend $20 on the 20th" of each month to help our local economy.
Children’s Harbor Thrift Store
Located at Children’s Harbor at Lake Martin on Highway 63, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children's Hospital. Call 334857-2008 for more information.
Memory Makers Quilt Guild
Meets the second and fourth Mondays at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Jr. Sportplex campus. Participants come and go between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. with a business meeting at 5 p.m., followed by show-and-tell. Bring sewing projects, machines and questions.
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 Road, Equality. We have a lot of fun, and 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 256-329-8724.
Art Association of Central Alabama
Meet at 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at Wine Emporium, 128 Calhoun Street, Alexander City. Artistic technique in painting, drawing and other arts taught at each meeting. For information, call Martha McKnight 256-825-6503 or Jerri Halmark 256-825-0595. 2015
W O ! N PEN O
Used Boat Super Center NOW OPEN! Singleton Marine has been serving Lake Martin families since 1988. We’re excited to announce that we’ve opened a dedicated Used Boat Super Center on Highway 49 South in Dadeville. Stop by and see our wide selection of tow boats, pontoons, sport boats, and more. Or, check out our entire New and Used inventory online at SingletonMarine.com. Singleton Marine Used Boat Super Center 5792 Highway 49 South Dadeville, AL 36853 888-606-3535
Selling Your Boat? We want it! Get a buy bid at SellUsYourBoat.com.
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JUNE 2015
888-606-3535 LAKE 15 SingletonMarine.com
Lake Martin News Bay Pines Marina opens for summer Bay Pines Marina will reopen this summer, after all. Donnie McDaniel of Lakeside Marina at Blue Creek is stepping up to bring boat rental and food services back to the marina stop at Bay Pines. “We will have some boat rentals here in the next few weeks,” Lakeside Marina at Bay Pines general manager Tami Williams said. In the past, sewage has been an issue for previous owners of the property. “Sewage is a huge obstacle,” Williams said. “We are putting in a new system. We are going to pump it one and a quarter miles up the road. We should have that up and running in about a month.” Currently, the marina still has a portable toilet. With the completion of the sewage improvements, Williams sees a lot of possibilities with the marina. “When we get sewage, we can offer the apartment (above the ship store) for a rental,” Williams said. Williams said they are still working on weekday hours to service customer needs and will add food services later in the season “We will definitely be open Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” Williams said. “We will also be able to offer pizza and hotdogs, too. We have popsicles from the Overall Company.” Williams said that, in addition to snacks and sodas, the store will carry
some boating supplies. “We will have some commonly needed products, sparkplugs and batteries,” Williams said. ~ Cliff Williams
Bay Pines Marina will reopen this month
Alexander City man shoots gator Terrell Ransaw of Hickory Hill Lane last month killed a 3-foot-long alligator that came at him from some bushes in his yard. Ransaw was standing outside his fam-
334-857-2934
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2190 Cherokee Road , Alex City, AL
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JUNE 2015
ily’s home, talking on the phone, when he heard the rustling coming from the nearby bushes. “I heard it and didn’t think anything about it at first,” Ransaw said, standing outside a pickup truck in The Outlook parking lot, dead gator in his hands. “When I heard it again, I turned around and looked and that joker was coming at me. He wasn’t creeping either – he was coming at me fast – almost like he was running.” Ransaw said he thought about running but realized he was just steps away from his car where a .45 caliber pistol was inside. “I wasn’t taking no chances,” Ransaw said. “I just got the gun and shot him. I wasn’t fixing to wait around and see what he wanted with me.” Ransaw said the home off Robinson Road has a small stream adjacent and a swampy area nearby. While seeing snakes and other critters are a regular occurrence, he said seeing a gator here is a first. Conservation Enforcement Officer Michael East said that alligators are protected and are extremely rare here. “What happens often times is you have people who catch them in South Alabama or Louisiana and think it’s a cool idea to bring them home and put them in a fish pond or something,” East said. “You can’t ever tell what happened in this case. If he had been used to being fed, he may have thought this human was going to feed him.” ~ Mitch Sneed The 3-foot gator came out of the bushes in Terrell Ransaw's yard
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We Believe in Quality Products
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334.857.3900 www.LakeMartinMiniMall.com
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Water Wars Update Gov. Bentley files suit against Corps of Engineers STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY KELLY HUFF, MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL
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said LMRA Legal Consultant, Steve Forehand. “The water hen Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley last month filed control manual appears to have several potential adverse cona lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sequences for Lake Martin if it is upheld. Hopefully, the circuit (COE), Lake Martin stakeholders were happy to court in Washington, D.C., will fashion a remedy that undoes see him challenge the most recent development in the state’s some of the more burdensome provisions of the water control ‘Water Wars’ with Georgia. manual.” The COE this spring released a water control manual reviPresident of Lake Watch of Lake Martin, Kathryn Braund sion for operations in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) said she was pleased to learn of the governor’s action. River Basin that favors the withholding of water flows into “Lake Watch of Lake Martin is very concerned by the Alabama to an extent that could be harmful to recreational and Corps of Engineers’ new water environmental interests on Lake control guidelines for the Martin, the governor’s claim Shortages at Georgia's Lake Allatoona could Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa states. be detrimental to Lake Martin, governor says River Basin. We support Gov. The manual stipulates federal Bentley’s challenge to this very operations of dams on several serious threat to water flow rivers that flow from Georgia and water quality in Alabama,” into Alabama, including the Braund noted in a statement to Tallapoosa River, which feeds The Alexander City Outlook. Lake Martin. The revised While Alabama Power manual mandates or endorses Company earlier this year filed some water retention policies public comments opposing the that favor waterways associated manual revision, a spokesperson with Georgia’s Lake Allatoona for the company deferred comto the detriment of Alabama, ment in the matter, citing ongothe suit contends. ing litigation. “I filed this challenge Bentley’s suit notes that because we believe the manual the statutory purposes of the is illegal and unfair. This manAllatoona Project include flood ual will decrease the quality control, navigation and power of water in our state, which development only, but COE will hurt citizens. It will also officials have stated in public adversely impact the flow of that certain actions adopted in water into our state,” Bentley the manual revision are solely for the purpose of recreation noted in a press release dated May 7, 2015. “It prioritizes at Lake Allatoona, Bentley contends. These actions include water recreation on lakes in Georgia at the expense of hydroelectric power generation in Alabama, which will hurt jobs and a modified drawdown policy at Lake Allatoona that could adversely affect water availability and quality on Lake Martin. the economy.” Moreover, Bentley’s complaint indicates the operational Bentley’s lawsuit challenges the manual on three issues, changes in the revised manual were implemented without claiming the manual allows diminishment of the state’s water quality; advocates unlawful retention of water for Georgia rec- the COE addressing expressed concerns filed by the State reation; and fails to accurately disclose the substantial potential of Alabama, its Office of Water Resources, Department of Environmental Management and the Department of of the COE’s actions on Alabama’s environment. Conservation and Natural Resources, though these agencies The suit is good news at Lake Martin, where Federal had submitted comments during the allowable time to do so. Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staffers just last The suit also claims that COE’s cumulative-effects analysis month recommended higher water provisions in the Alabama for the FEIS is erroneous, having failed to consider a number Power Company Martin Dam relicensing project. of current and proposed withdrawals from Allatoona and a Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA) is among the refusal to use up-to-date data in assessing potential environstakeholders who met the news of the lawsuit with a smile. “We are happy to see that the state is pursuing this in court,” mental impacts. JUNE 2015
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Landmarks and Famous Lake Places Geography 101 features help visitors find their way around Lake Martin
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ince Lake magazine was first published 10 years ago, we’ve featured more than 70 sites in our occasional Geography 101 sections. With these features, we hope to help our readers learn their way around Lake Martin. At more than 44,000 acres, this is a big lake with countless fingers and sloughs. It’s easy – even for experienced boaters – to lose track of where they are on the map. Lake Martin also offers a lot of great recreational areas, places to see and things to do, and these articles have helped us to let our readers know about sites like Graveyard Island, Hank Williams’ cabin, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail, The Real Chimney Rock, Church in the Pines and Creem at the Creek, just to name a few. We thought we’d revisit them for our 10th anniversary celebration Geography 101 tour. In June of 2007, three markers remained on Graveyard Island in the Bay Pines area. Ray Cemetery, as the burial ground is formally known, contains 21 gravesites, though even eight years ago, few could be actually located. All of the burials occurred before the dam was built and the lake formed. GPS coordinates for this island, which is situated just east of Dennis Island, are: N 32 50.890, W 085 51.756. Hank Williams’ cabin was featured in the September issue of that same year. Located on the opposite side of the lake on the Children’s Harbor campus, the 1945 cabin built 20 LAKE
63
Timbergut Landing
22
280
Horseshoe Bend National Park
Jaybird Landing
Alexander City
Camp ASCCA
9 Flint Hill Church 280
49 22
Jacksons Gap 280
Piney Woods Landing
Wind Creek State Park
Pleasant Grove Church
11
Alex City Boat Ramp
Mt. Zion Church
259 9
Dadeville
Bethel Church
128
63
D.A.R.E. Park Landing
Friendship Church
57
280 New Hope Church
20
Liberty Church
Camp Hill
Smith Landing Willow Point
Pleasant Ridge Church
24
34
63 Camp Alamisco
Equality
Lake Martin Baptist Church
Kowaliga Boat Landing
49 Church of the Living Waters
The Ridge
55
Seman
Church in The Pines Camp Kiwanis
Trillium
Stillwaters
Union Landing
Children’s Harbor The Amp Ko
waali ligga a Ba y
Walnut Hill 50
80
9
90
Central
50
Union
Union Church
Red Hill 63
49 229
Eclectic
Tallassee
GEOGRAPHY 101 Kent
Reeltown
STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
JUNE 2015
by automobile dealer Darwin Dobbs offered country music legend Hank Williams a place to get away from Nashville. While at the lake, Williams wrote some of his biggest hits, including “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and the local favorite, “Kaw-liga,” about the wooden Indian named after a creek that flows into Lake Martin. The historic Horseshoe Bend National Military Park isn’t really a landmark on the lake, but it’s a beautiful place that played a pivotal role in the formation of our country – and it’s just up the Tallapoosa River a little way and is accessible by land. Just follow Highway 49 North off of U.S. Highway 280 between Alexander City and Dadeville. School children come from all across the state to visit the park and learn about the famous battle that took place there on a cold morning in March of 1814. On that day, Gen. Andrew Jackson and company defeated the Creek “Red Stick” Indians and paved the way for westward expansion of the frontier. Along the east and south shores of Lake Martin, the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail system has grown since we featured the hiking paths in the April 2008 issue of Lake magazine. At that time, Carl Holcomb wrote about the Deadening Alpine Trail and the Scenic Overlook system. These days, the most popular trails probably are those around the Smith Mountain Fire Tower, which the trail organization restored just a few years ago. The fire tower is a great landmark, as it can be seen for miles high on
the eastern horizon of the lake. And now is the perfect time to visit, as the mountainside will be bathed in pretty pink mountain laurel blossoms. There is a boat landing at the base of the mountain, and visitors can follow a trail up to the fire tower. By car, take U.S. Highway 280 to Broadnax in Dadeville. Take a right and take another right onto Lafayette Street. Then, just follow the signs. The next month, Lake magazine offered readers a tour of the real Chimney Rock, which is not the famous jumping off spot to which the adventurous and curious alike flock when they visit Lake Martin. Acapulco Rock, commonly referred to as “Chimney Rock,” is the island that attracts all the attention while the true bearer of the name stands straight and tall on an island just to the south. Acapulco Rock is easy to find on the lake. Just head south, and when you see more boats than you can count assembled beneath a rocky ledge, you’re there! One of the lake’s most popular wedding sites lies just north of the Kowaliga Bridge on the western shore. Church in the Pines was
built in 1965 with 12 gigantic hardwood beams that support an A-frame roof under which the outdoor church comfortably seats 500 worshippers. Services are held there every weekend through Labor Day, and the facility, which recently was updated with a concrete floor and large ceiling fan, is often booked a year in advance for weddings at the lake. At the end of your tour around Lake Martin, stop at Wind Creek State Park’s Creem at the Creek, a
lakeside snack shop on the shores of the state’s largest state-operated campground. This food venue at the lake is open seven days a week through Labor Day and is close to a swimming beach that recently earned a perfect 100-rating from theswimguide.org, a website that tracks the health standards of swimming beaches around the country. Of course, there’s a lot more to see and do at Lake Martin, but we hope this “anniversary review” will be a nice introduction to get you started.
Mountain laurel is in bloom now along the Cherokee Ridge trails
The view from Acapulco Rock a.k.a. Chimney Rock
JUNE 2015
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The Landing to open at Parker Creek this month STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY DAVID GRANGER The Landing will offer lakeside pavilion dining from container stations
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new restaurant will open at Parker Creek Marina this month, said partner and coordinator of the effort, Herb Winches of Birmingham. “It’s going to be uniquely different and a lot of fun,” Winches said. For more than two years, Winches and Singleton Marine Group CEO Austin Singleton have been working through the maze of paperwork and permits to open The Landing at Parker Creek on June 5. The restaurant will offer fast-casual pavilion dining, Winches said, with salads, burgers, kids’ meals and breakfast. “There are very few places on the lake where you can get breakfast, so we wanted to fill that need,” he explained. “People can park the boat and come right up and have breakfast by the lake.” To accommodate the restaurant traffic, the marina has added 21 new boat slips. “Working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to do this was much more complicated than we expected, but the folks at Alabama Power Company were very helpful in getting it through,” Winches noted. “We are classified as a recreational area, and this part of the lake needs more for people to do.” The service areas of the restaurant – a kitchen and bar – are made from shipping containers, and patrons will be able to sit under 700 square feet of pavilions to dine. “The pavilions will have fans in them to keep people cool, and gutters, so when it rains, they won’t have water 24 LAKE
running in,” he said. “There will be decking all around the containers, and we’ll have games – corn hole, ladder toss, ring toss. We wanted to create an atmosphere of fun.” Winches said the bar container will be open air, and the partners are installing good quality speakers for music at the site. “On special occasions, like the Fourth of July, we’ll have music. In the fall, we’ll add video, so people can come out and watch the football games, and we’re also putting in a beach,” he said. “There will be lots of lights, coming up from the boat slips to the decking and the trees, beautiful lights.” Winches, who lives half time near the marina, said The Landing at Parker Creek has retained Chef Rob Teel as a consultant, and the menu and staff are ready for the opening. The bar, he said, will offer craft beers, such as Good People IPA, and a variety of good quality liquors. “Our pricing will be competitive with anybody else on the lake,” he added. “And we will be working on getting Sunday bar service, as well.” The Landing at Parker Creek will be open weekends only, Winches said. The restaurant will open at 11 a.m. on Fridays and will remain open throughout the evening. It also will open for breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, closing at midnight on Saturdays. Sundays’ closing time will be determined by the traffic, he noted. The marina area can be accessed by land via Highway 9 and Coosa County Road 2.
JUNE 2015
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Ron Lamb
Randy Adair
John Dark
Billy Oliver
Strong java and hot topics at the ‘real’ White House
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STORY BY CARA CLARK & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
ong before coffee confections served by baristas came into vogue at ever-growing chains of specialty shops, a good, strong cup of Joe united a group of true aficionados. For more than a decade, the Our Town Coffee Club, a diverse group of friends, has come together in the early morning hours for a cup of strong coffee, a review of memorable stories and a dose of witty remarks. Johnny Dark of Dark Insurance Agency calls the regulars a group of “good old boys,” who began meeting at the grocery store in Our Town to start the day with a wit-matching bout that stimulated minds even more than the caffeine in the group’s drink of choice. “The store had an old coffee machine in the back, and it was the best coffee there was,” Dark said. “We had a group of guys in a 5-mile-radius who would come in, sit back in the corner in some old chairs and gossip, talk about sports, bull jive and tell jokes. We got to be a tight-knit group.” Everyone took turns paying for the coffee, made from fresh ground beans in an all-in-one outfit with the grinder and coffee maker built together. But when the grocery store closed last fall, the group found itself in a dilemma. “We had to face the decision to find somewhere else to meet,” Dark said. “We had about 10 guys in our fra-
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ternity. It was such a good thing for me, personally, to spend time with the group. Meeting was something we enjoyed.” To find a new location, the clubbers didn’t have to move far, but they did have to contribute a significant amount of elbow grease to make their space habitable. “Bobby Speaks had an old building he was kind enough to let us use,” Dark said. “It was unoccupied and in pretty rough shape. We started, and within a week, we had the place cleaned out.” With a group comprised of fellows from all walks of life – carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, lawn maintenance workers – the expertise was readily available, and the space was shipshape and open for coffee with barely a hiccup. Now the java is flowing again from that same miraculous grinder and maker, which made the move from the grocery store across the street to the new clubhouse. “That coffee machine is a very important part of our club,” Dark said. “The grinder hasn’t been washed in 25 years, and I think that’s the secret to this coffee. It’s powerful stuff.” The first member of the club to arrive at the little white building, usually around 5 a.m., opens the door, grinds the coffee and starts the first pot. The last one to leave, usually just after 7:30 a.m., rinses the pot and
JUNE 2015
Jim Thomas
Jeff Smith
Bobby Grubbs
locks up. The club assesses an occasional fee to order the coffee beans. It’s a simple system for a low-maintenance group in a clubhouse sporting a high-profile name. “We made up a sign for our little white house that says, ‘The Real White House, Our Town USA,” Dark said. “This building dates back to the late ’50s or ’60s. It was the community house for this area where people voted, and ladies would gather to make homemade quilts. It’s pretty fitting that it ends up being a community building of sorts now, quite by accident.” It’s a motley mix of people at The Real White House, sharing common interests of fresh coffee and lively converAn old coffee grinder is sation. at the center of activities “We laugh and at The Real White House talk about sports,” in Our Town Dark said. “It gets your brain working and ready to face the day. You don’t go in there looking for pity. You have to have a sharp wit.” The group’s assessment for coffee usually includes enough padding for a quarterly social. Members meet in the evening for a longer-than-usual set-to over hamburgers or a fish fry, but that early morning jumpstart is the heart of the club. “It’s a good way to start things off in the mornings,” Dark said. “We have several famous members. One is
Terry Faulk
Coach Bill Oliver, retired Auburn and Alabama football coach who is the proud owner of (multiple national and conference) championship rings. He brings them up here and lets us shine them for him, so we elected him president.” That’s the sort of ribbing that draws together the diverse group, which has grown since its Real White House occupation. Now up to 25 members – some days fewer, some days more – gather in the 900-squarefoot building to run each other over the coals. Every day is a sort of roast, and it’s not the coffee that’s feeling the heat. Another celebrity member, Wade Jones, captured the title of Redneck Extraordinaire when he won Country Music Television’s Redneck Island and took home the cash prize of $100,000. “This club wasn’t a planned thing,” Dark said. “For one reason or another, people in the neighborhood just stopped in for coffee. There’s always a story going on. It just grew and grew to the point it is today. The people of Willow Point are fascinated by this club. They drive by and always ask us what’s going on.” At the Our Town Coffee Club in The Real White House, there’s always something on the burner.
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The local gentlemen gather every morning for coffee and conversation
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32 LAKE
JUNE 2015
State honors Farrington’s historic service to the lake
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STORY BY CANDIS BIRCHFIELD & PHOTO BY JIM DENNEY
letcher Farrington is said to have been nearly 7 feet tall with a shoe size so big, he had to amputate the little toe on each foot just to find shoes that fit. His extra-large stature, it’s been said, was matched with an enormous dedication to the community, and while Farrington may not have a household name, everyone who visits Lake Martin is a recipient of his contributions here. In recognition of his work at Lake Martin – and how, through the lake, he affected erosion control around the state – the Alabama Department of Archives and History recently issued a historic marker in his honor. The marker in downtown Dadeville in front of the Community Action Building will be dedicated this month. Born in Blount County, Alabama, in 1902, Farrington attended what was then Alabama Polytechnic University (now Auburn University) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1930. While a student in Auburn, he studied under Mark Nichols, whose primary area of research was in soil dynamics. It was Nichols who created a new technique for erosion control known as the “Nichols Terrace,” which involves moving the earth into terraces that follow the natural contour of the land. In 1932, when Farrington accepted a position as Tallapoosa County extension agent, one of the first problems he faced in the community was loss of farmland due to erosion around Lake
advocating contoured grating around the lake,” said Ponder. “He was a great county agent, a civic leader and very involved in 4-H. He was always concerned about the young people in the community and always encouraged them to make a business out of farming.” Ponder grew up side-by-side with Farrington’s children, and he recalled admiring Farrington’s leadership from a distance as a child. For example, in addition to serving as a Tallapoosa County extension agent from 1932-1962, Farrington organized the Dadeville Kiwanis Club, became its first president and was eventually elected Alabama District Governor of Kiwanis International in 1943. In 1950, he served as a member of Kiwanis International’s Agricultural and Conservation Committee, and in this capacity, he was instrumental in creating the first Farm-City Week in 1955. Farm-City Week provides a forum for agricultural and business leaders to share ideas and promote mutual interests, and it continues to this day. Farrington organized the first FarmCity Week in Tallapoosa County in 1955. The event was held in Dadeville at the recreation center. Farrington died in 1968 and is buried in the Dadeville City Cemetery. The dedication ceremony for the historic marker will take place on June 12 at 11 a.m. in front of the Community Action Building in Dadeville on South Broadnax Street.
Dadeville's Will Ponder prepares Farrington's marker for dedication
Martin. The erosion was so extreme that officials worried the lake would be filled with mud in some areas, such as Sandy Creek. As a first order of business, Farrington convinced the county commission to purchase several tractors that would be large enough to shift big swaths of land, and he used the Nichols Terrace technique to solve the erosion problem. The erosion control technique was so successful that city, state and international leaders traveled to Tallapoosa County to learn more about the Nichols Terrace technique, and remnants of the terraces can still be seen in some areas of Lake Martin. Dadeville native, Will Ponder, who is active with the Alabama National Trust and the Tallapoosa County Historical Museum, is the driving force behind the historic marker erected in Farrington’s honor. “He made a big difference in preserving the clarity of the lake by JUNE 2015
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StillWaters changes course
STORY & PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER
Debbie and Keith Hiett last month took over the golf course management at StillWaters
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The Hietts plan to reopen the clubhouse restaurant and make the facilities available to members
I
mprovements are on their way at the StillWaters Golf Course and restaurant. Last month, Auburn residents Keith and Debbie Hiett executed a lease/purchase agreement that will lead to their ownership of clubhouse and course within the year. “The top priority will be to improve the golf course and get the grass healthy,” said Keith Hiett, who knows something about golf course grass. He’s owned Premium Turf, LLC, a course maintenance company, since 2008 when he bought the business from his uncle. “I worked for my uncle from the time I was a kid,” Hiett explained, “and I think it will be fairly easy to get the dwarf Bermuda greens in good shape. It’s been a few years since they were fertilized. “Other than that, we’re going to take it slowly and not make any big changes all at once; instead, we’ll make small changes as we go along. We’re treating it like a marathon, not a sprint. We’ll measure our success in the play on the course and our memberships.” While the course will remain available for public play, Hiett said, it would be semi-private in that members will have priority on tee times and also will have access to the facilities for additional benefits. Membership packages will be available to StillWaters residents who live at least half time at the lake and others who live within 50 miles of the course, and pricing will be competitive with greens fees at most municipal courses, Hiett noted. “Right now, we are working on bringing in a golf pro,
and we will be opening the restaurant later,” he said. Initially, the restaurant will serve sandwiches and other lunch items to the golf traffic, but the menu and amenities will grow as the new owners make improvements. “If the response is good, we’ll get the restaurant opened up sooner,” he said. “We will have a fitness center and hope to have events for members and families, too,” Debbie added. They also expect to eventually reopen the second 18-hole course at StillWaters that has been closed for some 12 years due to the financial woes of a previous owner. “The residents here are excited about it,” Hiett said. “At first, we thought most of our memberships and play would come from football traffic to Auburn and vacationers, but we attended a homeowners association meeting last month, and I answered questions for an hour. I think they are ready to see it turn around and be something they can really enjoy again. “We live here, too. We bought a house here three years ago, and now that our children are out of the house, we are looking forward to spending more time here. We want to change it into something the community can be proud of.” The course is now open from 7 a.m. to dark seven days a week, and those hours will continue through football season, Hiett said. Call the clubhouse at 256825-1353 for tee times and information.
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Dewberries grow close to the ground
NATURE OF THE LAKE
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STORY & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
ne of the great pleasures of summer at Lake Martin is picking, eating and cooking with wild dewberries. Dewberries are closely related to blackberries. Both produce sweet, dark purple-blue-black aggregate berries that taste like summer in the South. In fact, the taste of dewberries and blackberries is indistinguishable; however, experienced berry pickers can tell the two plants apart since dewberries usually ripen first, and they tend to grow on floppy vines that stay relatively low to the ground, usually below waist level. Blackberries tend to grow on straighter, upright vines that can get head-high. Both dewberries and blackberries are apt to grow into thick brambles that can be a formidable obstacle for those who like to walk through the countryside in a straight line – the wise woods-walker not clothed in stiff, heavy armor finds a way around both brambles, though high-stepping can often get you through a dewberry patch. Dewberry stems, especially new growth, are more rounded and are covered with dense, prickly bristles, as opposed to the square stems and larger thorns found on blackberries. Dewberry vines grow up to 15 feet long, though most are shorter. The leaves on a dewberry vine are green and form rough ovals with “teeth” on their edges. There are many species of Rubus – which includes dewberries and blackberries – around the world, and they’ve been around for millions of years, according to scientists. In the U.S., there are 26 species. The Southern Dewberry, Rubus trivialis, is an evergreen plant while some other vines go brown in the winter months. “Rubus” means red, a reference to the color of young bristles, while “trivialis” means three ways or crossroads. That’s appropriate since this plant tends to grown on disturbed ground like the sides of roads, railroad tracks and the edges of fields. That’s where you’re most likely to find them around Lake Martin. Dewberries are found growing west to Colorado, north to Pennsylvania and south to Florida. We’re in the heart of dewberry country. This plant is an important food source for lots of creatures, in addition to Southern foragers. Mammals from rabbits and chipmunks to raccoons, mice and deer eat the berries. Deer and cottontails eat the leaves and stems as well, though it’s hard to imagine how they do so without getting a mouth full of “stickers.” Many birds eat dewberry fruit, from bluebirds to wild turkeys and
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Dewberries and Blackberries taste exactly the same
Delicious Dewberry
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LAKE 39
Dewberry vines have plenty of prickly bristles
songbirds. Dewberries have small white flowers that attract many species of bees. People have been picking and eating dewberries for ages. The berries are good straight off the vine. They make terrific jam and jellies; however, arguably their highest use is the filling for that most Southern of desserts, the cobbler. For thousands of years, people have found many other uses for this plant. The berries can be Dewberry flowers dried and used as a winter food are small and white source. The leaves and juice can be made into a tea that has been a home treatment for rheumatism, diarrhea and dysentery. Dewberry roots have been boiled to make a home remedy for coughs and fevers. Native Americans used the juice from dewberries to make purple or dark blue dyes. And of course, fermented dewberry juice has long been used to make country wine. Those who would like to go a little wild and try their hand at picking and cooking with dewberries should be armed with a little knowledge. First, protective clothing and gloves are helpful at warding off the vine’s “stickers,” though every dewberry gatherer will tell you to expect to get stuck while you’re picking. If you don’t wear gloves, there’s a good chance you’ll come home with purple-stained fingers. A walking stick is helpful to hold down or pull vines toward you. Dewberries and are often found in weedy areas that are thick with redbugs and mosquitoes, so a thorough spraying of insect repellent before you begin is also a good idea. And while you’re at it, apply some sunscreen since most dewberry vines grow in sunny areas. It’s smart to pick early in the morning before it gets too hot. 40 LAKE
Finally, most people find dewberries along roadsides that may have been treated with herbicides not approved for human consumption. It’s a good idea to pick your berries on private roadsides and clearings instead of along public roadways where a highway crew may have sprayed. Dewberries bruise easily, so wash and handle them gently. In case you don’t have your grandmother’s cobbler recipe handy, here’s one from Southern Living that is sure to make your berry picking worthwhile.
Blackberry Cobbler
4 cups fresh berries (dewberries or blackberries) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 large egg 1 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons butter, melted Whipped cream (optional) Sprig of fresh mint as garnish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place berries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar and flour in a bowl until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over the topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with mint and serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Some information for this article came from www.eattheweeds.com by Green Deane, Alabama plant expert and writer Bill Finch, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Southern Living.
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Horsing around the lake STORY BY CARA CLARK PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & JIM DENNEY
Paula Arnberg and Kathi Odom meander across a lakeside meadow on a summer afternoon
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Teresa Stratford leads Key PR through a refreshing stream
Horseback riding takes you places you never see otherwise and adds a new dimension to recreation at the lake
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dd horse riding to the growing list of fun activities at Lake Martin; Wind Creek State Park and Russell Lands make it easy and affordable to bring your own horse for a ride along the park’s ruggedly scenic trails, or you can rent a mount for a leisurely jaunt through the open shade of Russell Forest. Manager and event coordinator at The Stables at Russell Crossroads Linda Ingram said the forest trails amble through creeks, over hills and among the trees in an hour-long ride that includes the view of nature’s summer scenery. “It’s a different experience – riding on horseback,” Ingram said. “You can really see the lay of the land and nature at its best. We have beautiful trails. Even people who start out feeling challenged by being on a horse’s back start looking at the scenery and almost forget there’s a horse under them.”
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Patty Lucas of Birmingham and Tallassee’s Katy McCall share a love for Tennessee Walkers and meet frequently under Lake Martin’s periwinkle blue skies for leisurely rides from The Stables, one of two working barns in the Russell developments. Lucas keeps her buckskin-colored horse, Honey Bun, at The Stables when she visits a leased Russell cabin at the lake with her husband, who plays golf at Willow Point. “We chose Lake Martin, because it has horse trails and golf,” Lucas said. “When I met Linda (Ingram) and found out they would allow your horse to come and stay for a week or a weekend, I was so excited, I brought the horses for 10 days.” That first extended stay took place before the Lucas family moved any furniture – not even a bed – into their lakeside abode, a measure of Lucas’ devotion to her equines, the Honey
Guided rides travel more than 80 miles of Russell Forest trails
Bun and Georgia, an energetic mare. Lucas and McCall met in the grocery aisles at Catherine’s Market, recognizing that they were kindred spirits by their familiar riding attire. During the spontaneous conversation that ensued, they discovered a shared affection for Walkers; a breed renowned for the comfortable seat the rolling gait affords a rider. It’s the perfect perch from which to view the beauty of Russell Lands’ 80 miles of multi-use trails, Lucas said. “It’s great to ride there, because you can ride a short time or you can ride for hours,” she explained. “If you have a problem on the trails, whether it’s a nest of bees or a tree down, Linda is great about sending people to take care of those issues. “It's so pristine and beautiful here. I can go riding in the morning, and then enjoy the lake in the afternoon. The trail around the lake is one of
Western tack makes a rdie comfortable
my favorites. One thing that’s really nice about the trails is that when it’s really hot in the summer, you can ride until 12 or 1, and it really stays shady and cool. There’s a fair amount of water on the trail, so you can let the horses drink or stand in the stream. I have another favorite, Heaven Hill, near the Adamson trailhead. When I bring people with me, I either take them to Heaven or the lake trail.” Lucas, who participates in timed competitions with the National Association of Trail Riders Conference (NATRC) with Georgia, finds the trails are a great way to keep the horses in condition. While Russell Crossroads doesn’t accommodate overnight human guests, they do offer boarding for the equines that visit for weekend and midweek rides, though many riders opt to camp at nearby Wind Creek State Park, which has 16 sites where
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owners can camp with their horses. Each site can accommodate up to four people, who usually bring portable fencing for their horses or tether them overnight. “Our trails are multiuse and are pretty rugged,” said Bruce Adams of Wind Creek State Park. “People love to come here to ride, because the park is on beautiful Lake Martin with woods and scenery and serenity. It’s a relaxing place, especially for horseback riding.” Volunteers often work to clear and mark Wind Creek State Park’s 20 miles of trails. Back at Russell Lands, the atmosphere at The Stables is something to soak in with its picturesque barn, the site of many weddings, receptions and rehearsal dinner parties. Riders with their own horses can fill out a membership application, which allows them to affordably ride the ochre-hued trails there.
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A stress-free guided ride can be a fun way to spend an off-water day at the lake
“We have four different trailheads as part of the Russell Forest Trail Association,” Ingram said. The Stables houses horses for all skill levels of riding, and horses are matched to riders from age 6 to 100 for guided trail rides. Riders who bring their own horses must complete and return a day pass user agreement and liability release form, as well as a become a trail association member for a nominal annual fee. Both forms are available for download from the website at www.russellcrossroads.com/stables. Ingram said she’s often asked which of the horses is her favorite, but she finds it difficult to choose just one. “Every time I start telling somebody my favorite, it seems like I get really attached to another one,” Ingram said. She’s partial to the gray horse, Grey; a black percheron, Lila; and Taco, a sorrel paint horse with a terrific personality. That charisma and his flashy coloring make Taco a favorite of the kids. “If you feel challenged by the idea of riding horseback or want something more leisurely, we have carriage rides or wagon rides for two to 12 people,” she added. For those who prefer to keep their feet on terra firma, Ingram said many enjoy just petting the placid horses and fainting goats that live at the 8,000-square foot equestrian center. For information or to make a reservation at Wind Creek, call 256-3290845 or visit www.alapark.com/horsecamping-areaday-riding. To arrange boarding or guided trail rides through The Stables at Russell Crossroads, call Ingram at 205-794-1333. 46 LAKE
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N e w H o m e s & H o m e s i t e s AvA i l A b l e RUsselllANDsoNlAKemARtiN.Com | 256.215.7011 | lAKe mARti N, AlAbAmA JUNE 2015
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HGTV visits Lake Martin Lakefront Bargain Hunt showcases two local cabins STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
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wo Lake Martin families will be featured this month in episodes of HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt with local Realtors Amy Clark and Linda Shaffer. The shows were recorded last November when a 12-member crew spent four 12-hour days capturing video with each family. Holly and John Parker and their two children will be featured at their Manoy Cove hideaway, and Lacey and John Howell of Jackson’s Gap will turn the spotlight on their choice lot with its 630 feet of lakefront.
The gathering place at the point of their lot was the selling point for John and Lacey Howell
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Holly, John Dickson, Anna Louise and John Parker love their Lake Martin retreat
Season 2, Episode 7: Home Sweet Home Lake Martin The adventure began last fall when Amy Clark of Amy Clark Real Estate, Inc., at Lake Martin was attending a real estate convention. An email inquiry came in from a production company asking if she was interested in taking part in the HGTV production. “I thought it was a joke, a prank,” Clark laughed. “But as soon as I responded to the email, my phone rang, and we were making arrangements for the show. It wasn’t like work at all – total, exciting fun. We began work each day at 6 a.m. “And the crew from the entertainment company were very courteous and kind, really top-notch professionals. They only chuckled a little bit at our Southern accents.” Clark’s clients, the Parker family of Auburn, Alabama, said they felt honored that she asked them to join her on the program. Holly and John Parker had spent 10 years dreaming of owning a place on Lake Martin, but they almost chose the beach instead. “We actually had a deal worked out for a place at the beach,” John explained. “We went down there for weekends all that summer to kind of test the idea, but we realized it was too hard to keep making that trip.” “Four hours in the car each way was just too long for the kids,” Holly added. So they decided to look at Lake Martin one more time, and that’s when they found the perfect family retreat. “What we liked about this house is that it has a simple floor plan. It’s not choppy, and there are lots of windows,” Holly said. A long, winding drive behind a gate offers the quiet pri52 LAKE
vacy the couple craved. “We have turkey, deer, fox, coyotes,” John said. “We’re across from natural and undeveloped land for Alabama Power Company.” At 1,800 square feet, the three-bedroom cabin offers open concept living with a view at the front of their slough. The vaulted ceiling magnifies the abundant natural light from a wall of lakeside windows. But the decks on this house may well have been the deciding feature. The spacious split-level wrap-around outdoor space is a favorite spot for the whole family. Holly likes to settle in at the lake with a glass of rosé in an Adirondack chair. Additional decking leads to the dock where, John said, the new winter water level will allow him to keep a boat in the water year round. Since they purchased the home, the Parkers have painted and replaced most of the light fixtures. John made the dining area light from one of the skis Holly grew up using on the lake. Holly was raised in Sylacauga. John grew up in Brewton, and both visited Lake Martin frequently throughout their childhoods. Another plus for the house, Holly said, is that most of the changes it needed were cosmetic – painting walls and updating the finishes. Future improvements may include a screened porch and enlarging a bathroom. “We could tell the home had been well-cared for. It was in good condition,” she said. “And it’s just perfect for our family. We have a lot of people here, especially in the summer. Lots of kids.” Married 16 years, the Parkers love to hike at the Smith Mountain fire tower, swim and kayak in their slough. The Parkers’ episode of Lakefront Bargain Hunt aired last month on HGTV and is scheduled to air again at 1:30 p.m. on June 6.
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Clockwise from left: John Parker made the light fixture over the dining area from one of his wife's Lake Martin childhood skis; the three-bedroom cabin includes plenty of space for visiting relatives throughout the summer; the gorgeous view from the spacious split-level wrap-around deck just might have been the deciding factor in the Parkers family's choice of lake home.
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Clockwise from right: The cabin's weekend kitchen includes all of the necessities that make life easy at the lake, as once Holly arrives at the cabin, she likes to spend her time relaxing; the Parkers will enjoy winter water at the lake, now that winter drawdown is 7 feet; the Parker children love to curl up on the couches in the great room and hang out with Mom and Dad.
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John and Lacey Howell are happy to be back home at Lake Martin
Season 2, Episode 12: All in the Family in Lake Martin When Alexander City natives Lacey and John Howell married five years ago, they made their first home in Birmingham, but it didn’t take long for them to miss home, family and their beloved Lake Martin. Like the Parkers, the Howells had grown up on the lake and didn’t realize how much they would long for home when they moved away. For their re-entry, John took a project management position with Robinson Iron, and Lacey – now the marketing director at Wickles Pickles – moved into an advertising sales position at Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. They are the perfect example of how a young couple just starting out can make lake home dreams come true. Finances were tough for the newlyweds, who had their Birmingham house on the market during the recession. While John worked a construction project at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Lacey temporarily moved in with her parents at Indian Hills. Once their house in the city sold, they saved all the money they could for a down payment on a lake cabin. With a budget of about $350,000, they knew their search was limited to the lowest end of homes available on the lake, but that didn’t discourage them. Lacey’s mother, Linda Shaffer at ReMax Around the Lake, helped them determine what they really wanted in a lake house. “We quickly realized that we prioritized the view over the house,” Lacey said. “We looked at nicer homes than the one we bought, but they were in the back of the slough. As we talked about it, we knew that wasn’t what we wanted.”
They chose a flat, 1-acre lot with 630 feet of shoreline, as the property includes a long peninsula with a fire pit and a number of shady trees at the point. Previous owners had dropped electrical supply to the end of the peninsula, so the Howells could string lights at the lakeside gathering place. The property also includes a beach, a dock and a boat garage, which currently houses their laundry facilities. Just a few weeks ago, they put in a vegetable garden. Their cabin is a three-bedroom, two-bath open-concept cinderblock with a 180-degree view of Lake Martin from a glassed-in porch area. “It was just a summer place for the previous owners,” Lacey explained. That translated into a labor of love to make the home really livable year round. The Howells are in the process of insulating and adding siding to the cabin. They have painted all of the rooms, as well as the fireplace, and have refurbished half of the 1,100-square foot cabin’s concrete slab floors with a marble-finish epoxy. “Our style is sort of an industrial-chic with ‘70s vintage,” Lacey said. The key to making it all work, she noted, is a mindset toward repurposing and making the most of what they have. For example, John spent a weekend renovating the small, narrow master bath, which was so tight when they bought the cabin that they had to squeeze past the sink to get into the room. John covered the cinderblock walls with rough shiplap and installed a slim-line trough sink that he’d made himself. Lacey and John love the exposed pipes and industrial flair of the room today. In the main bath, John built a wall at the shower entrance to create a bathtub.
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Clockwise from top left: The cabin windows afford the Howells a 180-degree lake view; industrial-vintage and re-purposed family pieces make life at the lake comfortable; with just the two of them in the house, the couple converted one of the three bedrooms to a closet and another as a sitting room/office; John spent a weekend remodeling the masterbath in industrial fashion; the flat, 1-acre lot gives the Howells 630 feet of shoreline, including a beach, fire pit on the point and fishing area; their Great Dane Mona finds a shady spot at the back door; John and Lacey like to start and finish their days at the lake on the dock.
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Entertaining in the enclosed porch is another feature they loved about the cabin
They have furnished the home with found pieces, favorite new purchases and beloved items from family, including a bar and buffet from Lacey’s grandmother. “When we moved back to the lake and sold our house in Birmingham, we really downsized our material possessions,” Lacey said. “It was a stretch for me, but it’s so much nicer.” Future plans for the house include a tin roof and kitchen redo, along with the notion of an addition as their family grows, but for now, the converted cabin meets their needs. The couple’s can-do, repurpose lifestyle extends to their time on the lake, as well. They found a 1984 Mastercraft ski boat that had been sitting in a field for 15 years. It was overgrown with weeds and had a number of mechanical issues; the boat’s owner gave it to them with his best wishes. John cleaned it up and got the motor running, so the two used the vessel to launch the first-ever Point Windy Christmas boat parade last year. For additional leisure at the lake, the couple enjoys skiing, fishing, canoeing and sailing on a Hobie Cat that Lacey’s family gave them. But their favorite place to start and end each day, they agreed, is at the dock. Morning coffee and their evening glass of wine are enjoyed from hanging canvas chairs that are positioned to take in the view of home at Lake Martin that they both love so well. HGTV featured John and Lacey Howell’s home last month, as well, and the episode will run again at 5:30 p.m. on June 6. 58 LAKE
The vegetable garden was planted this spring
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’Tis the season to create fish habitat
DCNR, Alabama Power plant cover in lake to attract fish
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STORY & PHOTOS BY CARA CLARK
he scent of holiday pines permeated the air last month when Alabama Power Company, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and several volunteers donned gloves to wrestle the dried firs and pines boats and dropped them into Lake Martin. “When we sink the trees, insects, microorganisms and algae colonize around them,” said Mike Clelland with Alabama Power Company. “The bait fish gather to feed, and then big predator fish come in to eat the newly hatched bait fish.” The GPS coordinates of the drop sites are posted to Alabama Power’s website at www.apcshorelines.com/ recreation/fishing/. Anglers can hone in on the drops to try to reel in those big predators, including largemouth and spotted bass. “Alabama Power Company has been involved in recycling trees like this for many years,” Clelland said. “It’s important to us to be involved in the community, and we often work with bass clubs in the state of Alabama. Because this lake is a reservoir, it doesn’t have aquatic vegetation. Adding the trees takes the place of the vegetation.” The trees are collected from a variety of sources; some were unsold inventory from tree lots in Montgomery or from recycling efforts, and others were collected at a local grocery store after the holidays. Power company and DCNR personnel joined volunteers
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Bundles of last year's Christmas trees and concrete blocks are dropped in Lake Martin to create cover for baitfish
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DCNR representatives, Alabama Power personnel loaded the trees onto barges
at Wind Creek State Park early morning on April 21 to tie the trees into bundles of four. Each bundle of trees was then secured to three concrete blocks before a small, square float was added. The trees were loaded onto three barges for deployment in the lake, and most were dropped in areas 20 feet deep or more. These discarded Christmas trees are at the center of an effort to give fish places to spawn and grow in the lake. Over the years, some 60,000 trees have been repurposed in this manner. Each bundle is expected to last three to five years. Occasionally, Alabama Power returns to older drop sites to refurbish areas, as the trees decompose naturally in the water. “When they settle on the bottom, the top tree will float vertically, creating even better habitat for fish,” Clelland said. “Building stages of habitat on lakes gives the public a chance to help out. It’s an educational tool that helps anglers learn about the environment, and it helps fish populations grow,” explained DCNR’s Kyle Bolton. Wind Creek State Park Acting Superintendent
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Bruce Adams lashed trees together to prepare them for a watery end, enjoying the opportunity to give fish a new place to converge. Alabama Power has been sinking the repurposed trees on Lake Martin since 1993. “Part of our mission here is preserving habitat – that’s important to Wind Creek,” said Adams, who has been with the park for 16 years. “Lake Martin is the most pristine lake in the state. It’s a large reservoir with good recreational opportunities and beautiful shorelines. This is a great project, because it also allows us to work with volunteers. It would be hard for us to function without them.” The park hosts numerous fishing tournaments throughout the year and next year will be the site of an Alabama Bass Trail tourney in 2016. Also participating in this year’s habitat project were Wes Anderson, Mark Flower and Patrick Graham of Alabama Power; Kevin Rass of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and volunteers Ivey Queen, Tommy Lacey and Eddie Ingram.
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Lake Q&A
Nicki Dozier
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Where did you grow up? And how did that area differ from central Alabama? I was born and raised in Nebraska but have had the opportunity to live in five states, all of which differed greatly. Each area of the country is unique, and I have learned and grown from that. Nebraska is very ‘Midwest,’ friendly and homey feeling. Colorado was beautiful. Alaska is amazingly powerful and majestic – imagine Sea World on steroids right outside of your front door. It’s almost indescribable. Where we lived in Florida was very hot and humid, and the people seemed very disconnected to one another. And then there is Alabama, home sweet Alabama. There is never a shortage of fried chicken, sweet tea and yes ma’ams. How did you get to live in all of these different places? I love to travel and am not afraid to take chances. The first time I moved to Colorado I was only 17, but growing up with a single mother with a disability taught me to be very independent at a young age. It also taught me to appreciate life, take chances and do what makes you happy. After a year of living in Colorado, I moved back to Nebraska to go to college. Fast-forward four years; I graduated and moved back to the mountains of Colorado. While working at a natural food store, I answered an ad to wait tables at a crabbing lodge in Alaska and jumped at the opportunity when offered the position. Seeing a bear catch salmon in the wild was on my bucket list, so I figured it was as good of time as any to see if I could check that off. I packed up my Subaru and hit the road. I met Jackson, my husband, that summer. He was one of the boat captains at the crabbing lodge. It was a seasonal position and after the summer ended, we decided to put our relationship to the test and backpack Europe for a month. We traveled by train from Amsterdam to Romania and back. We figured at the end of our trip we would either want to kill each other or would fall in love. Luckily, we did not kill each other! After getting home from Europe, we eventually took jobs back in Alaska at a tour company, but after our first daughter, Morgan, came along, we realized how important it was to us that she grows up around her family. How did you become acquainted with Lake Martin? I married into it; my husband is from Alexander City. We would come for visits, and I loved the Southern charm. What was your first impression of the lake? I thought it was huge! I grew up spending my summers going to the local ‘sand pit’ in Nebraska, and Lake Martin is that times a thousand. How do you relax at the lake? I love to have my morning coffee on my porch before the kids wake up. It is the most peaceful time of the day before I hear that first “Mommy!” In what area of the lake do you live, and why did you choose that location? We bought our house on the water in 2013 and could not be happier. We live in a great slough near the 280 River
Bridge. We choose this location for the school district and for the year round deep water for our TowBoats. Your work is lake-related. Please tell us what you do and what it is like to work at the lake? My husband and I own a marine towing and salvage business that we started when we moved here four years ago. We recently opened a second towing company on Smith Lake. I do have my captain’s license, but I stick to all of the ‘off water’ work. I do everything it takes to run the business on a daily basis. I always feel like the Wizard of Oz or the person behind the curtain. Jackson is out on the water in a big red flashy boat saving the day, and I’m behind the scenes making sure we get paid, submitting invoices, doing all of our marketing and advertising, signing up members and doing all of the business side of things. I’m just happy I can do it in my running clothes with a view of the lake! Congratulations on the recent birth of your second daughter! How do you balance the demands of your job with parenting? It is definitely a balancing act. I’m fortunate that I can bring her to the office with me and that I do not have set hours, so I work when I can fit it in. You can often find me feeding her with one hand while signing up members on my iphone with the other. And I try not to waste a naptime. If she is sleeping, I’m more than likely getting an invoice in, ordering brochures or answering email. Well, that or doing laundry! Do you ever get any time for yourself? Yes, I have a very hands-on partner, and he knows the importance of Mommy having me-time. “Happy wife, happy life!” My number one go-to activity is running. Getting a run in is a game-changer for the day. It is my stress release and just makes me happy. I ran my first marathon last year and plan on running the Mercedes in February 2016. I also love to paddleboard and do boot camp with Tatum at Anytime Fitness twice a week. What is the craziest thing you ever did? Hands down, moving to Alaska, which also ended up being the best decision of my life. Goes to show that you have to take chances in life and trust your intuition. Without Alaska, I would not have met the love of my life, and I would not have my two beautiful girls. What charity/community service in the Lake Martin area is close to your heart and why? There are two that I am fond of locally. LMRA, because their purpose is to preserve the beauty and safety of Lake Martin, which directly impacts and benefits my children’s present and future. Also, Kiwanis, because their goal is to benefit and enrich the lives of children in need. If you were going to write a book, what would it be about? Mine would be a story of adventure, forgiveness, growing from your mistakes, moving forward and taking chances.
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FROM OUR REAL ESTATE ADVERTISERS
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1005 Smith Mountain • $399,900 Four bedroom, four bath brick 3072 Sq. Ft. with boathouse, boat slip and seawall 135 Ft WF. Priced to sell! First Realty Call Bill Whatley 256-234-5163 • 1-800-471-LAKE www.LakeMartinHomes.net
South Ridge Harbor Ridge Redux! Russell Cabins The Verandas The Ridge Phase 2, Ella Belle (rendering attached) The best got better. We are proud to introduce this Announcing New Phase of Russell Cabins- Paddock New Lake Beauty! Legacy New Homes, a first-class new design for South Ridge Harbor by Krumdieck Point This Bill Farshee design is a perfect plan to builder, is now crafting a superb new lake home. Architects. This upscale lake home design features consider at Paddock Point. With four bedrooms, each Top-notch design that features an open floor plan, carefully crafted indoor family spaces and expansive with a private bath and a spacious living-dining2 master suites on main level, 2 additional guest suites outdoor living. You will love the private owner’s retreat kitchen open layout with a handsomely crafted stone & 2nd greatroom on terrace level, ample boat toy storage, offering a master den with fireplace, sleeping suite and fireplace, it is great for entertaining and offers wonder- & even more fine benefits. Generous outdoor living spaces expansive bath. This ultra-cool design is sure to redefine ful water views. Two expansive screened porches for inspire fun family gatherings and therapeutic sunsets. Oflake homes on Lake Martin. Call one of our sales execu- outdoor living and an open covered porch as well. At fered at $1,500,000. Call for more detailed information. Russell Lands On Lake Martin tives at 256.215.7011 today to discover the details. We are $925,000, It will be perfect for next summer enjoyment. Call Rhonda or Emily today. Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 breaking ground soon so stay tuned! www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com
179 Beach Drive, Eclectic • $339,000 This is your chance! Lake cute, with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, move in ready and one big killer view of Big Kowaliga Bay. Major remodel less than two years ago with new Hardie board, roof, windows, plumbing, electrical, kitchen granite, stainless steel appliances, new flooring, bathrooms, gas fireplace etc. Screened porch with lots of outdoor space. Owners motivated to sell fast and priced accordingly. Hurry today !! David Mitchell • 256.212.3511 Lake Martin Realty www.LakeMartinRealty.com
52 Northshore Circle, Dadeville • $199,900 Beautiful Waterfront lot w/water views on 3 sides! Beautiful interior, stainless steel appliances, tank-less water heater, tinted windows, 20x20 covered deck and covered porch w/composite lumber. PWC lift. Floating dock. Great park for full-time or part-time living. Beach and visitor boat slips close by. Leroy Sellers • 256.496.2141 Lake Martin Realty www.LakeMartinRealty.com
1400 Morrison Road, Equality • $875,000 Flat, beautiful point lot with huge views! Close to Marinas and Kowaliga area. This one level, updated home has 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, 2 family rooms, stone fireplaces. There are several outdoor entertaining areas, 2 car garage, boat ramp and stone seawall. You must see this fabulous home to believe it. Judy Ward • 256.794.0779 Lake Martin Realty www.LakeMartinRealty.com
180 Glynmere Drive, Alexander City • $799,000 Glynmere at Willow Point-Premier Lakefront Neighborhood that is maintenance free! Stroll to the sandy beach, pool & clubhouse, or your own boat slip. Gorgeous big water views from this exquisite, 3 story, 6 bedroom home, which features all premium finishes & upgrades. In addition there is an in-ground propane tank for grilling and home generic generator. Judy Ward • 256.794.0779 Lake Martin Realty www.LakeMartinRealty.com
127 Hilltop Drive, Tallassee • $499,000 See the beautiful sunsets from the deck of this cozy 3 BR/ 2 BA Home with a great view. Sloping lot with numerous hardwood trees. Deep water, sun room and a lot of deck space. Very private and only 35 minutes to Montgomery and Auburn. 90 minutes to Birmingham. John ‘Frog’ McInnish • 334.415.2149 Lake Martin Realty www.LakeMartinRealty.com
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Listing with Moby-Dick I
Move away from the it-only-takes-one-buyer mindset
Since the buyers’ first requirement was localove to read classic fiction, though I must confess that when I was ‘forced’ to read the clastion, I further limited the search by geography. sics in school, I did so mostly to score well on Of all those sales, 112 were in Coosa and Elmore tests, not to absorb or appreciate the art. As I age, I Counties, which basically constitutes everything find myself drawn back to these gems, now able to west of Martin Dam and south of Windermere. better empathize with the likes of Jack Burden or That represents about 30 percent of the market. Robert Jordan. That little tidbit was interesting to me. While This month, Moby-Dick lies on my nightstand. Elmore and Coosa Counties made up only 30 The basic plot involves an obsessive Nantucket percent of sales since January 1, 2014, the numwhaling captain who drives boat and crew all the LAKE PROPERTY bers went down considerably when I tightened way to the Pacific, forsaking the mission of harBY JOHN COLEY the sieve with additional parameters. vesting many whales for profit, as he instead tries Next, I limited the search to show to murder one white beast for revenge. In American waterfront sales under $320,000. culture, the cliché “white whale” That dropped the total to 23, only 6 has come to mean something that percent of the overall market. When people seek in vain, a needle in a I constrained to three bedrooms, the haystack, or at least something that number of sales went to nine, less people seek regardless of the odds than 3 percent; actually, it was 2.7 of finding it. percent. As a full time real estate agent That’s why I advised the buyers here on Lake Martin, I sometimes that this particular home was pretty see people fall into this attitude with rare. It represented only about 2.7 lake homes. Buyers tend to look for percent of the market; furthermore, “that perfect cabin, we’ll know it considering that the Elmore and when we see it.” Coosa County areas are poplar Sellers sometimes say, “It only with buyers and compoundtakes one buyer. We just need to find ing matters with the fact that that one perfect person that can appre$300,000 is a popular price point, ciate it.” this was an extremely competitive All this is fine and good, but I think segment of the market. it’s healthy to appreciate where you For a seller, this calculation are as a buyer or seller in terms of the could be run in reverse. A seller market as a whole. Are you whaling in must ask, of the homes that sold fertile waters, or are you chasing one in my area, with my view, my elusive animal? privacy and number of bedRecently, I had the same talk with a rooms, what was their price few different buyers. All three of them range? And if I price my home were looking at a three-bedroom home at ‘X’ dollars, where does that in Little Kowaliga that was priced under put me on the scale? How $320,000. Naturally, all of them wanted many sales occurred above or to know what other homes were available below that price? These kinds of questions in that same area, for the same price. In can help a seller get an idea of the relative demand for the other words, they wanted to comparison shop. They also wanthome. ed to get an appreciation for how often homes like this come I am not saying everyone should try and catch as many trigon the market, essentially asking, “If we pass on this one, what gerfish as possible. It’s okay to chase one white whale. Just are the odds that another one like it will come along?” know what your odds are before you round Cape Horn. To help them put it into perspective, I searched the Lake Martin Multiple Listing Service and found that, at the time, John Coley is a broker and owner of Lake Martin Voice 369 waterfront homes and condos had sold on the lake since Realty. He also is the author of the blog, Lake Martin Voice, at January 1, 2014. Those 369 sales over 16 months represented all agents and all brokers on the entire lake. LakeMartinVoice.com.
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Martin is a big lake
We can afford to be neighborly
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We have to work to share and respect areas, ’ve never taken requests for this column, so we don’t bother the people that have homes though many times people have said, here. “Write about this,” or “ Write about Another problem that I have discussed that.” On the other hand, numerous readers with some of the drivers on the lake regards have asked me to rewrite a particular topic – personal watercraft (PWC) riders who jump boating etiquette – and I think that might be a the waves put out by wakeboats. The PWC good idea. BEHIND THE BOAT riders go into sloughs away from homes where A common problem on the lake is big wakeboats are trying to tow riders. wakes and their impact on docks. Admittedly, BY SAWYER DAVIS The PWC riders often don’t leave, so the wakeboard boats have hulls designed to create wakeboats do, as they try to find sanctuary. They end up back large wakes. Wakesurfing is the fastest growing sport in the industry, and it requires a large wave to push the rider; howev- where homes are. The PWC riders would be courteous if they could back off er, large or small boats, wakeboard style or not, that are driven and stay away from the wakeboats. I assure you that when I above idle and not planed off also produce huge wakes. am towing a wakeboarder or surfer, the last thing I want anyWakeboats have ballast and surf systems to accommodate where around me is someone on a PWC. watersports, which is fun for the entire family, but it is the PWC drivers often do not see the boat’s rider in the water. responsibility of all boat drivers to watch their wakes. The long and short of it is that PWC riders need to stay out It is not ok to wakesurf or wakeboard in a small, tight of sloughs where boats are towing riders, and by no means, slough that is lined with homes and docks with boats. It is not ok to run these small, home-lined sloughs and then turn a fully should they follow them. In addition, I’ve been a driver, a passenger and a rider in loaded wakeboard around at speed. uninhabited sloughs when a boat has driven in at speed going This is a problem for lots of reasons: The wake rocks the nowhere. I have seen the driver of the incoming craft show no docks as a boat comes in; then again, as it comes out of the respect for a rider up or one waiting in the water. slough. When the boat begins to turn and slow, it cranks out When the lake gets crowded, drivers try to find places away another huge roller perpendicular to the long ones that then are from the crowds. Two boats sharing a slough make a less-thanbreaking from center to shore. ideal situation, but if the lake is busy, we all have to work with Practicing double ups falls into the “Don’t Do It” category. each other. It is courteous to let slough guests get a few sets in; Seawalls that protect shore from erosion could compound then, they could let your party make a few runs. the wave problem by sending the wake back out to the dock It’s even more courteous to stop and talk with your fellow and, subsequently, to the boat into the slough. A wave of that riders, even make friends. Maybe you can ride together somesize, from either surf or wakeboard, could do a lot of damage time, but for now, take the time to acknowledge that you’re to docks and to the boats tied to those docks. I’ve even heard going to let them ride, and make arrangements for you or your of people actually being thrown off the dock by a wave. crew to take another set while their riders rest. Alternate. I put in a call to the Alabama Marine Police and asked I try not to harp on the tubers. I understand it’s fun for kids, about safe distances for driving and towing riders from piers, but tubing is a recreational activity that can be enjoyed in any because there is no rule or law that states a minimum distance water condition. Waterskiing/slalom skiing, wakeboarding and from a dock for recreational drivers or when towing a rider. I wakesurfing cannot really be done in choppy water. had a great conversation with an officer on this topic. So drivers should understand that it’s rude to come barreling He said a good starting point is to stay 100 feet or more into a slough with a tuber in tow when a boat already there is from a dock. Think about it in terms of a standard wakepulling a rider or is about to start doing so. board rope being 75 feet and add 25 feet to that for safety. In Unfortunately, I have seen this happen when I’ve been Alabama every year, accidents occur on our lakes when riders coaching or riding. Please let drivers and riders take advantage crash into docks or piers. Obviously, those drivers came in of calm water by keeping the tubing away from them. much closer to the docks than they should have. We all need to try to be considerate of the other people who So some boating etiquette certainly seems to be in order. are out on the water and trying to have fun on the lake. First, don’t ride around homes unless there is no other Let’s all remember that there’s room for everyone. option; and then, maintain a considerable distance from them. See you on the water. This lake is 44,000 acres of water, and with more than 750 miles of shoreline, of which a very large percentage is undeSawyer Davis is a wakesurfer for Victoria skimboards and veloped, there are places where wakeboarders and surfers can grew up on Lake Martin. ride and not cause rocking dock problems for homeowners. JUNE 2015
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National Village is unveiling the newest model home and plan in Quail Ridge. So we’re inviting you to come see this beautifully crafted home. You’ll appreciate the outstanding custom features, newest color palettes and trends in new homes. A flowing home plan with great entertaining areas, large master suites plus two guest bedrooms. Enjoy miles of trails, private lakes, RTJ golf, pickle ball, tennis and the great resort pool. Only 2 homes remain in our award-winning Stonelake neighborhood! All lawn care included in HOA. HOST TO BARBASOL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015
Priced from the $300’s MONDAY - THURSDAY: 10 AM - 6 PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 10 AM - 5 PM SUNDAY: 1 PM - 5 PM From Hwy 280, take Grand National Parkway. Right on Robert Trent Jones Trail. Go to third round about and turn right on Lake Lodge Blvd. Left on National Village Parkway. Sales Gallery on the left.
(334) 749-8165
nationalvillage.com JUNE 2015
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Six little things that make a
BIG DIFFERENCE
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n 1995, I graduated from Benjamin Russell High School. That’s 20 years ago, just to save you some quick math. Time has gone by very quickly and seems to speed up with each and every year that passes. I used to grin when adults told me about their high school or college days. I thought, “That was 20 years ago. They act like it was yesterday.” I understand now that there are moments and experiences that freeze time. Life may go on, but the significant things remain so etched in memory that they are, without a doubt, like yesterday. So now, being an adult myself 20 years removed
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from high school, I will tell you about a past experience and how it has shaped the present. I played football at BRHS. I was a tight end my freshman year and a quarterback the next three years. Those practice days were some of the most miserable days I can remember. Hot, sweaty, getting beat up, getting yelled at ... all for the good, I might add. I only kept going, because my teammates did. I also trusted that my coaches knew what was best for our success. One of the things etched in memory is the constant focus on what the coaches called “the little things.”
JUNE 2015
I also consider how far away I need to be when They would say, “It’s the little things that make I make a cast. I want to be close enough to keep a difference.” my accuracy at a premium, but far enough that the The little things were stuff like finishing a fish doesn’t know I’m there. block, even though it was to the weak side of the play; completing a play action, even after the ball had been handed off; using proper technique every Landing Fish time; running hard, even when the coach wasn’t This is one of the most overlooked topics in looking; watching a little extra film; doing a few bass fishing, and I think it plays a critical role all more reps in the weight room; and on and on. too often. Number one is the right hookset. That The moral is that I learned it was the little doesn’t always mean swinging like you’re in a things that often determined success. Sure, we home run contest. Consider how much force you could beat lesser competition by just showing up, need to get the hook to penetrate, yet maintain BIG CATCHES but if we really wanted to experience success, it control and fluidness as the rod loads up. BY GREG VINSON was the attention to the little things that would get Then, you likely are more prepared to adjust us there. tension on the fish, according to how it’s fighting Twenty years ago, I learned that the little things matter, and relative to what you’ve got it hooked on. 20 years later, I am fishing. In bass fishing, there are so many The way I play a fish on a 5/0 flipping hook and 60-pound things that have to go right to catch one; finding fish; using a braid is different than the way I fight a fish on a topwater with good bait; presenting it correctly; hooking the fish; then, landNo. 6 trebles. ing the fish. One thing that has helped me land more fish is limiting how It sounds simple, and in a lot of ways, it is. It’s the little much I have to “roll” the fish over. By that, I mean I want to things that make bass fishing more complex. To experience real have my rod tip in front of the fish as long as possible during success, the little things matter. Here are just six little things the fight, so I am able to lead it where I want. If I want the fish that I think make a big difference: to change direction, I use a figure-eight motion with my rod, rather than lifting and doubling the fish over. When the time is right, I can make a grab at the boat. Hooks Experiment with technique while fun fishing, and you’ll find I could probably write three more articles about hooks and what I think makes a difference. Most importantly, they need to what works best for you to keep hooked up. be sharp. If they are trebles, the point of each and every hook needs to be sharp, because you don’t know which one you will Pre-planning depend on when a fish strikes. Consider whether the hook is big Being prepared can cover a lot of different topics from enough to handle the technique you are using but small enough equipment to weather, location, time of year, etc. Success often that it doesn’t overpower the action of the bait. Keep in mind a is greatly improved by first visualizing the possible scenarios bigger hook takes more force to get the hook set. In open water, that might be encountered during the day; and then, preparing or deep water, a smaller hook sometimes is easier to set and ahead of time. less likely to get thrown when the fish jumps. For example, you might not be fishing a schooling fish pattern, but if you know the time is right and the potential is there, you could save the day by having a rod rigged and ready for Line schoolers. If you have to sit down and rig something up while Fishing line is, by far, the weakest link in the connection to fish are blowing up around the boat, you will undoubtedly miss a fish. High quality line makes a difference in getting the fish out on some fish catches that day. through cover. A good fluorocarbon, like Seaguar Invis-X, is virtually invisible and will help get more bites. It’s also very strong and abrasion resistant. Just like hooks, consider whether Eyes and Ears Wide Open the line is heavy enough for the technique you are using but I can’t count the number of times I’ve been keyed on a fish small enough to let the bait do its work. Monofilament works catch, pattern or area just because I caught something out of well for topwaters, because it doesn’t sink, and the added the corner of my eye or heard something unusual. A shad skipstretch can act as a cushion when a fish is hooked up on fragile ping out of the water or a bird diving in the distance can put treble hooks. Braid works well for fishing vegetation, because it an angler on a whole school of fish. A splash under a dock or has very little stretch and low diameter. overhanging bush can give away the presence of active fish feeding. Fish spitting up a particular prey like crawfish, bream or shad will indicate what they are really feeding on. These Casting subtle clues can reveal some of the best fishing imaginable. Casting accuracy and stealth can make a difference in By covering the basics, you can catch a lot of fish and have whether a fish is interested in the bait or just runs for cover some great days on the water; however, if you really want to when something plops into the water. Before making a cast at catch the most and the biggest fish you can possibly catch, pay an object, consider where the fish is most likely to be; how it attention to the little things. Sometimes the little things can might be facing (yes, this can matter); and how close do you make the biggest difference. want the bait to fall to the fish. Ideally, in clear water, I want the bait to fall in front of the Greg Vinson is a full-time professional angler on the fish by a couple of feet. If I put the bait right on its head, the Bassmaster Elite Series and PAA tours. He lives in Wetumpka fish is more likely to spook. If I drop behind it, the fish may or and grew up fishing on Lake Martin. may not recognize my bait. JUNE 2015
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English Pea
and Mint Crostini Ingredients 1 cup blanched English Peas (Be sure to use nice, sweet peas; too starchy will not have the same flavor) 2 tablespoons olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon red chili flake 1 slice good rye bread, toasted 1 tablespoon mint, cut as thin as you can get it Salt and pepper to taste
CHEF’S TABLE
BY ROB MCDANIEL
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Place peas in small mixing bowl and start mashing them with a fork. Add a drizzle of olive oil and lemon zest. Continue mashing and adding oil until it has all been incorporated. Then, mix in chili, lemon juice, zest and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. The pea mixture should be a little chunky. While the bread is still warm, spread the pea mixture over the toast and sprinkle with mint.
Rob McDaniel, executive chef and general manager at SpringHouse Restaurant, earned a bachelor's degree in restaurant and hotel management from Auburn University and is a graduate of the New England culinary Institute.
JUNE 2015
Keep eating wildly T
white, because yellow is he Eating on the more nutritious. Frozen Wild Side series yellow corn has the same continues this nutrient value as fresh month, as we learn to corn, and steaming frozen maximize the nutrients in corn will help retain most vegetables by purchasing, of its nutrients. storing and cooking them Potatoes are considered in appropriate ways. This to be the most popular vegmonth, the discussion etable and are consumed focuses on two very popuin the form of French fries, lar starchy vegetables. cheese fries, potato chips, If I had to put money on HEALTHY LIVING hash browns, mashed it, I would say that most BY JULIE HUDSON potatoes, potato salad and households consume baked potatoes. On avereither corn or potatoes age, each of us consumes 130 pounds in some form several times a week. of potatoes a year. This is twice as Nothing speaks more American than much as in 1960; the rise in consumpcorn and potatoes! tion can probably be attributed to the After thousands of years of transblooming “fast food� business. formation, our modern day corn looks Potatoes have declined in food value nothing like that of its wild ancestor. We have produced a vegetable so tasty for hundreds of years. The other unfortunate characteristic of our modern-day and productive that it supplies 25 perpotatoes is that they are high on the glycent of the calories consumed by the cemic index. The human body digests world population. In our attempt to the sugars so quickly that it rapidly create bigger, sweeter, softer, juicier elevates blood sugar level. People who corn, we have created varieties that consume a high glycemic index diet contain up to 40 percent more sugar and a lot fewer phytonutrients than the over a long period of time have a higher risk for pre-diabetes, which leads to original varieties. type 2 diabetes. It is very important to choose ears The typical supermarket contains with dark yellow kernels. These dark several varieties of potatoes, the most varieties contain as much as five to common of which are the russet eight times the nutrients of the lighter Burbank, red or French fingerling, red varieties, and they reduce macular and white new potatoes and the Yukon degeneration and cataracts. gold potatoes. It is imperative to stay away from The most popular, russet Burbank boiling corn in a large pot of water, as potato also is the most nutritious; this method of preparation destroys however, it tops the list as having the nutrients. As a rule of thumb, rememhighest glycemic index. New potatoes ber that boiling vegetables typically and fingerlings raise blood sugar more dissolves their water-soluble nutrients. Steaming corn on the stovetop or in the slowly than mature potatoes, especially if the thin skin is consumed, as well. microwave in its husk is the way to go. Fingerlings and new potatoes should It may come as a surprise that be stored in the refrigerator and concanned corn is even higher in antisumed within a week. Their thin skins oxidants than fresh corn. Of course, do not protect them against moisture we would probably agree that canned loss, mold or disease. Other, more corn does not taste as good as fresh mature potatoes can be stored in a cool corn; however, when time is a constraint, canned is a perfect substitution. dark, well-ventilated place for several months without losing nutritional value. Choose the yellow variety over the JUNE 2015
There are some tricks to decreasing the sugar rush of the high-glycemic potato. Start by cooking the potato; and then, chill it for 24 hours before eating. The cool temperature converts the rapidly digested starch into a more resistant starch that the body breaks down much more slowly. By following this little trick, blood sugar will respond 25 percent less. Cooking potatoes in fat or adding fat to them also slows the digestion process, as does the addition of vinegar to the potato. This is the reason French fries produce less of an increase in blood sugar than baked or steamed potatoes. Julie Hudson is a dietician at the Lake Martin Wellness Center in Dadeville.
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Summer Red Pinot Noir is the perfect
B
comparison. efore we plunge headfirst into the great So let’s try this, which is what I was going pool of summer whites, let’s take one to suggest you do on your own anyway: Let’s more quick look at a light, fruity red put some distance between the vineyards we’re that might easily become a go-to summer wine. comparing. Surely, there will be noticeable difSome people – probably five out of 10 – prefer ferences between Oregon, the Acrobat, which I red wine, regardless of the season. really liked, La Crema from California and Mt. And if you haven’t noticed, some people Beautiful from New Zealand. These are also in will drink red wine with fish, poultry, pasta and the same price range of $20 to $26. cheese. Horrors! Starting with the appearance, the colors are A natural first reaction might be to lock up all vibrant and clean. Hold a clear wine glass the children or at least cover their eyes. A better against a white background to see how striking idea might be to just have a bottle or six of Pinot these reds are. Noir on hand. Your red-wine drinking guests FROM THE CELLAR Next, evaluate the aromas. I found all of the will appreciate your thoughtfulness. The lake, BY HENRY FOY wines mentioned to be very delicate and honSouthern hospitality, wine; it’s all sort of the estly difficult to discern. A faint bouquet can same thing. often be enhanced by holding your palm against the rim of Pinot Noir is the name for both the grape variety and the the glass as you swirl the wine. The swirling aerates the wine wine that is made from that grape, which is widely regarded and releases the aromas. After a swirl or two, put the glass as producing some of the finest red wines in the world. The to your nose and inhale. It also helps to eliminate competing grape is an ancient variety that develops into very tight clussmells like perfume, citronella, dead fish or cigar smoke. ters of black fruit resembling pinecones; thus, the French Then, sip, taking in just enough liquid to coat the inside of word for pine, pinot, and black, noir. The most likely origin the mouth. Since taste buds are in the mouths, this is obviof Pinot Noir is the Burgundy region of France, where it is ously where wine is actually tasted. The weight of the wine the primary grape in Burgundy wines. It is a good choice as a summer red, because it is light and and how it feels in the mouth is called mouthfeel and is a measure of body. fruity with a nice acidity that goes well with a wide range of Acrobat and Mt. Beautiful are very light-bodied; La foods and cooking methods. The tannins that give heavier red Crema is slightly heavier. The La Crema is nicely balanced, wines their dryness and astringency are low to nonexistent smooth and not too acidic. As stated, the Acrobat showed a in Pinot Noir. Young Pinots are the most fruity, with aromas light acidity with a pleasant dry finish. The Mt. Beautiful is of cherries, raspberries and strawberries and the potential to a fruit-driven finish with a big flavor indicative of a much develop more complex flavors of chocolate, mushrooms and bigger, bolder, more complex wine. I like this wine a lot for game. its flavor, despite a very light appearance and feel. You just For this report, our tasting panel started with three popuwouldn’t think it possible for such a light-looking wine to lar Pinots, including Acrobat, Talbott Sleepy Hollow and deliver such big flavor. Montinore Estate, ranging in price from $20 to $30. The next step is for you to try these wines on your own First in the glass was Acrobat, which was a beautiful or share them with your wine-loving friends. The results bright crimson with a very delicate nose, a slight acidity on and impressions may be the same, or they may be different. the palate and a fruity flavor with a dry finish. This was a Wine can be tricky. If you really want to impress your wine very nice afternoon-on-the-deck Oregon Pinot that paired well with cheese and crackers and the grilled salmon that fol- group, try this line up. From Santa Barbara, California, Belle Glos “Clark and Telephone,” from Oregon’s Dundee Hills, lowed. Next up, we added both the Santa Lucia Highlands Talbott Domaine Drouhin “Laurene,” and from the highly acclaimed Gevrey-Chambertin AC in Burgundy, France, Domaine and Willamette Valley Montinore to the line up. The plan Francois Le Clerc. These outstanding wines range in price was to compare the California and two Oregon wines, one from $45 to $70. You may want to use your good stemware. from the prestgious Willamette Valley and the other not. The similarity of these three wines was both surprising and disapHenry Foy is the owner of Emporium Wine, Café 128, pointing. Gallery 128 and the recently enlarged Cigar Shop at Based on previous tastings, I expected the Talbott to be Emporium Wine located in downtown Alexander City at 128 bigger and the Montinore to be much more earthy. The Calhoun Street. He can be reached at 256.212.WINE, on Montinore was a slightly deeper crimson, but acidity and flavor in this grouping would have made blind tasting a chal- Facebook and at emporium128@bellsouth.net. lenge for even the best sommelier. Good wine, but not a good JUNE 2015
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JUNE 2015
Keep It Moving
Pro Tips From Lee Williams Have you ever heard someone say your pivot stalled out? I’ve heard it many times. The problem with this saying is that most golfers really have no idea what that means. The pivot in the golf swing is a term used to identify the chest turning. While your legs are your base and provide an extremely important part in the swing, the chest is the swing’s engine. If your chest stops working, the engine cuts off. A very common fault of amateurs – and believe it or not, pros, as well – is that the chest stops rotating through the ball. This can happen in full swing, chipping and putting. The sole purpose of the hands in golf is to hold the club. That’s it! The rotation of the body (pivot) is what should square up the clubface and deliver the power into the ball. This is the modern swing. It allows you to hit, chip and putt with your big muscles. Under pressure, it will hold up better than a swing that uses smaller muscles, like the hands and arms. This is universal throughout golf. Your chest should lead the way in your swing, chipping and putting. One way to think about keeping your chest turning through the shot (your pivot) is to think about a rod coming out of your sternum and at impact feel like that rod is pointing at your target, not at the ball. This is a simple swing thought that works for all aspects of the game. When you watch the best players in the world, this is one thing they all have in common. They have mastered the ability to hit the ball with their big muscles, which allows them to come through in the big moments and, week after week, perform consistently. Whether your big event is your club championship, city championship or member guest, the better you get at using the big muscles, the more likely you are to come through when the pressure is the greatest.
Good Luck! Lee Williams, a professional golfer on the PGA Tour, grew up playing golf at Willow Point Country Club. As an amateur, Williams was a member of the 2003 and 2005 Walker Cup teams, as well as the 2004 World Amateur Team. He is sponsored by Russell Lands, King Honda, Nowlin and Associates, P.F. Chang’s, Tempus Jet, Hyatt, Adams Golf, Russell Athletic, Titleist, Ameritas Financial Corp. and Southwest Airlines.
STORY & PHOTO BY ROBERT HUDSON
As Willow Point Cody O'Toole Golf and Country Club has a fondness and Central Alabama for Willow Community College Point's back nine (CACC) played host to eight junior college golf teams from across the Southeast, one golfer was finding the ins and outs of the course. CACC’s Cody O’Toole was one of dozens of golfers competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I District IV Tournament hosted at Willow Point April 27 and 28. O’Toole said Willow Point presents a good challenge for golfers who compete at the venue. “It’s a longer course, and you’ve got the wind off of the lake, which really just makes you grind every day you’re out there,” O’Toole said. “Ain’t nothing easy on the back nine. It’s a good, tough test.” O’Toole said his best hole of the day was No. 4, which he birdied after a rough outing at the previous hole. “My best hole was a long par 3. I didn’t hit a great shot, but I ended up chipping it in from a pretty tough spot for my first birdie to kind of get me back on track and get the day going. My worst hole was actually probably No. 3, right before my birdie. I made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes, and it just kind of jumped up and bit me.” That birdie at the fourth hole offered O’Toole a springboard onto the District All-Tournament team and helped cement Central Alabama Community College as the runnerup in the District Tournament, securing the local Trojans a spot in the NJCAA National Tournament last month May. O’Toole said his favorite thing about the course at Willow Point is the beauty of the back nine. “I love the back nine,” O’Toole said. “You can see the lake on pretty much every hole. We’re lucky to be out here, that’s for sure.” JUNE 2015
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Legend
63
7
19
23
To Sylacauga
18
11
Public Boat Ramps
22
280
Alexander City
14
Churches 9
Camps & Parks
Camp ASCCA
Flint Hill Church
Power lines
12
U.S. Highways
3
280
22
County Roads
Piney Woods Landing
Wind Creek State Park
Pleasant Grove Church
11
COOSA COUNTY
Alex City Boat Ramp
Mt. Zion Church
259 9
128
63
21 20
D.A.R.E. Park Landing
Friendship Church New Hope Church
Liberty Church
Willow Point
24
34
5
8
Equality
Kowaliga Boat Landing
55
4
Seman
Camp Alamisco
9 17 The Ridge
1 10
Church in The Pines Camp Kiwanis
63
Trillium
Union Landing
Children’s Harbor
20
2
The Amp Ko w
ali
ga
Ba
y
80
9
Central
24
90
Union Church
Red Hill 63
229
15
Eclectic
Tallassee
13 Kent
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Union
ELMORE COUNTY
JUNE 2015
Timbergut Landing
Horseshoe Bend National Park
Jaybird Landing
Lake Martin Alabama Marinas 11. Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111 255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
22. The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300 450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 33. River North Marina 256-397-1500 250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
49
42. Real Island Marina 334-857-2741 270 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026
Jacksons Gap 280
53. Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550 8300 Parker Creek Marina Rd, Equality, AL 36026
Bethel Church
16
Dadeville
57
280
Camp Hill
Smith Landing Pleasant Ridge Church
Church of the Living Waters
4. Dark Insurance 18 256-234-5026 410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 www.darkinsuranceagency.com
. Kowaliga Whole Health Pet Care & Resort 20 334-857-1816 8610 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic, AL 36024
7 Teresa’s Catering & Wedding Cakes 256-249-2021 www.teresacatering.com 4890 County Rd. 41, Sylacauga, Al 35150 86. SpringHouse 256-215-7080 12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
4 Tallapoosa Ford 11 256-234-3432 1551 Hwy. 280, Alex City, Al 35010
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4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 17 256-794-1333 111 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
Restaurants
10 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035 295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
22
4. Russell Building Supply 16 256-825-4256 350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853
. McDaniels Storage Center 19 256-234-4583 1040 Highway 280, Alex City, AL 35010
Business & Shopping Stillwaters
4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 15 334-541-2132 1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024
62. Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888 7280 Highway 49 South, Dadeville, AL 36853
96. Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070 17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
Lake Martin Baptist Church 49
4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 14 256-234-2567 1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010
21 Lake Martin Storm Shelters 256-794-8075 8246 County Rd 34, Dadeville, AL 36024
Hotels & Lodging 2. Creekside Lodge & Conference and Event Center 22 256-307-1440 6993 Hwy.49 S, Dadeville, AL 36853 23 Cherokee Bend Bed & Breakfast 877-760-7854 5833 Highway 22 East, Alex City 35010
Dock Builders 2. Lake Martin Dock Compnay, Inc 24 Marine Construction Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443 180 Birmingham Rd, Eclectic, AL 36024
5. Karen Channell State Farm Financial Services 12 256-234-3481 5030 Hwy. 280, Alex City, Al 35010
Walnut Hill 50 50
5. Eclectic Emporium & Antique Gifts 13 334-541-5060 124 Claude Rd, Eclectic, Al 36024
49
Advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map for as little as $25. Contact us today for more information. Call 256-234-4281 or marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Reeltown
JUNE 2015
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Lake Magazine Distribution ALEXANDER CITY Alex City Marine Aliant Bank American Inn Anytime Fitness Baymont Inn BB&T Big B Bar-B-Q Campus of CACC Carlos Mexican Grill Catherine’s Market Chamber Of Commerce Cherokee Quick stop Citgo Cloud Nine Collegiate Deli Comfort Inn Dark Insurance Darwin Dobbs Days Inn Discount Food Mart El Rancho Grande Emporium Wine Grace’s Flowers Hampton Inn Holley’s Home Furnishings Hometown Pharmacy
Jackson Drugs Jake’s JR’s Sports Bar & Grill Koon’s Korner Koon’s Korner II Lake Martin Building Supply Lakewinds Golf Club Larry’s General Store Little Black Dress Longleaf Antiques Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Mistletoe Bough Bed & Breakfast Queen’s Attic Regions Bank Ridge - Clubhouse Ridge - Marina River North Marina Riverbend Store Russell Home Décor Russell Medical Center Russell Lands Russell Retail Store Satterfield, Inc Senior Nutrition~50+ Center Sho’ Nuff Restaurant Springhouse Restaurant
T.C. Russell Airport Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc The Medicine Shoppe The Sure Shot Warren's Appliance Parts Willow Point Country Club Wind Creek - entrance Wind Creek - store Winn Dixie 280 BP 280 Exxon
DADEVILLE American Motorsports Aliant Bank Bay Pine Marina City Hall Chamber of Commerce Chuck's Marina Dadeville Wellness Center Foodland Foshee Boat Dock Homeplate Restaurant Harbor Pointe Marina Lakay’s Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Community
Hospital Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy Lakeside Marina Niffer's At The Lake Oskar's Cafe Payne Furniture Pearson’s Furniture Poplar Dawgs Public Library Pug's Place PNC Bank Russell Building Supply Shell Station Sigger’s Stillwaters Country Club Store 34
ECLECTIC Children’s Harbor Cotton’s BBQ Eclectic Do-It Center Johnson’s Furniture Kowaliga Marina Lake Martin Dock Lake Martin Mini Mall Nail’s Convenience Store Peoples Bank
EQUALITY Equality Food Mart Real Island Marina Southern Star
KELLYTON Five Star Plantation
RED HILL Citgo
TALLASSEE Community Hospital Chamber of Commerce The Tallassee Tribune
WALNUT HILL Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Grocery
WETUMPKA The Wetumpka Herald A limited number of magazines are available at these locations. To start your subscription, call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281.
Lake Martin Business and Service Directory
Templeton Plantation
Pet Hotel & Grooming Spa
Where your pets have a room instead of a cage! By Appointment Only
256-794-0401 Handrails • Guardrails Welded Fence • Custom Art Stairs • Gates Stainless Steel Cable Railing I-Beams • Steel Posts • Stairs On-Site Welding/Cutting
334-332-3435 Since 2008
86 LAKE
JUNE 2015
Lake Martin Business and Service Directory
H
OLMAN
“WE’RE
F
LOOR
C
As seen on HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt – “Home Sweet Home, Lake Martin, AL”
dB
OMPANY
THE PROFESSIONALS”
Lawn Care Darrell Brooks, Owner
Hardwood Floors Ceramic Tile Carpet & Vinyl
Cutting •Edging Weed Eating •Mulch Weed Control
Visit our showroom for samples and a free estimate! Locally Owned for Over 45 Years
256-234-6071
1945 Hwy 280 • Alexander City
256.267.0518
www. Selling Lake Martin .com R ealto
r of the Year!
Amy Clark Real Estate, Inc. @ LAKE MARTIN 256/749-3333 256/749-2102 ဣ ¡¥ ¬ ¡¥£ဤ
It feels good to be
Kneaded NOEL J. BOONE, lmt #588 239 Church Street • Alexander City, AL 256.749.0318
njboone1@ gmail.com
residential. commercial. interior. exterior.
Your Bridge between City & Lake
Paige Patterson
334-651-0033AL/706-225-8070 GA
columbus-auburn.certapro.com
PERFORMANCE! www.paigepatterson.com
205-616-8046
LAKE
1550OpelikaRoadSuite6Box294,Auburn,AL36830
Relax. Enjoy. Lake Martin. Call to order your subscription 256-234-4281
MAGAZINE
JUNE 2015
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Our Advertisers n To Join, Call 256.234.4281 A&M Plumbing....................................................... 79 Above & Beyond Cleaning & Concierge........... 6 Advanced Cardiovascular.................................... 26 Advanced Heating & Air...................................... 71 Alabama Power...................................................... 89 Alex City Guide Service...................................... 71 Alex City Marine..................................................... 6 Alex City Taxi & Shuttle...................................... 87 Amanda Scroggins, RE/MAX Around the Lake.........63 Amy Clark Real Estate....................................................87 Auburn Dental Spa..........................................................37 Black Sheep.......................................................................27 Blue Creek Iron Works..................................................86 Brown Nursing Home......................................... 26 C&T Electric.......................................................... 26 Carlisle Gifts & Soda Fountain........................... 22 CertaPro Painters................................................. 87 Chuck's Marina ..................................................... 32 Coach Kraft Upholstery...................................... 86 Com-Link, Inc........................................................... 6 Custom Docks....................................................... 22 DAVCO Development......................................... 86 DB Lawn Care....................................................... 87 Designs by Trish....................................................... 5 Docks Unlimited..................................................... 5 First Baptist Church Alexander City.................. 8 First Realty............................................................... 6 George Hardy D.M.D............................................. 8
88 LAKE
Harbor Pointe Marina.......................................... 41 Henderson and Coker......................................... 74 Hilltop Landscaping............................................... 63 Holley’s Home Furnishings................................. 92 Holman Floor......................................................... 91 Interscapes.............................................................. 32 James & Co............................................................. 18 Kenneth Ingram, JR............................................... 26 Kent Norris D.M.D............................................... 71 Kowaliga Whole Health....................................... 86 Lake Martin Building Supply............................... 72 Lake Martin Community Hospital..................... 25 Lake Martin Dock................................................. 37 Lake Martin Mini Mall.......................................... 18 Lake Martin Realty................................................ 65 Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy............................ 8 Lakeside Concierge.............................................. 87 Lakeside Marina..................................................... 64 Langley Funeral Home......................................... 22 Lex Wedgeworth Pest Control......................... 20 Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture............ 23, 32 Mitchell's Upholstery........................................... 72 Music Depot........................................................... 87 Nail's Convenience Store.................................... 72 National Village...................................................... 75 Noel Boone............................................................ 87 Paige Patterson...................................................... 87 Painting By Allen.................................................... 86
JUNE 2015
Plastic Surgery Associates................................... 71 Poor House Branch Marina................................ 36 Radney Funeral Home......................................... 22 Rambo Marine....................................................... 74 Renaissance Electronics......................................... 8 Russell Lands.......................................................... 49 Russell Marine........................................................ 91 Russell Medical Center.......................................... 2 Saint James Episcopal Church........................... 48 Satterfield................................................................ 37 Security Pest Control............................................ 8 Singleton Marine............................................. 15, 27 SportzBlitz.............................................................. 82 State Farm Insurance/ Harold Cochran..........86 State Farm Insurance/ Karen Channell..........87 Tallapoosa Ford..................................................... 64 Tallassee Community Hospital........................... 88 Temple Medical Center......................................... 8 Templeton Plantation........................................... 86 Tiffany Interiors..................................................... 26 TowBoatU.S.............................................................. 5 United Rentals....................................................... 71 Walmart.................................................................. 87 Walton Law............................................................ 72 Ware Jewelers......................................................... 3 Wedowee Marine................................................. 17 Williams Plumbing Heating & Air........................ 8 WSC Distinctive Builders, LLC......................... 59
ATTENTION, LAKE LOVERS:
YOUR APP IS HERE. The new Shorelines app will tell you everything you want to know about your favorite Alabama lakes. If you love life on the lake, you’ll love the new Alabama Power Shorelines app. It covers all 14 Alabama Power lakes and gives you the power to stay informed and get the most out of your favorite lake. From the hottest fishing spots to lake levels to generator schedules, you’ll be smarter and safer every time you visit. So download the Shorelines app today or visit the new APCShorelines.com. Then go jump in a lake. JUST SOME OF THE FEATURES: • Current conditions and water levels • Generation schedules • Fishing hotspots and hunting information • Interactive maps • Information about day-use parks and lake access
apcshorelines.com © 2015 Alabama Power Company
JUNE 2015
LAKE 89
Parting Shot Photo by Kenneth Boone
“It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.” ~ Dave Barry
90 LAKE
JUNE 2015
JUNE 2015
LAKE 91
Right at Home
Enjoy your life without worrying about the inevitable messes. Make living room kid friendly. Let the pets sit on the furniture. Sip a glass of red wine on the white sofa. Designed in the USA from inspiration around the world, today’s Sunbrella fabrics help create incredibly beautiful living spaces. Beautiful. Durable. UV Resistant. Bleach Cleanable. Worry Free.
You’re right at home.
HOLLEY’S Home Furnishings 92 LAKE
JUNE 2015