Good Life Magazine Cullman County Spring 2023

CULLMAN COUNTY

Times may change, but somehow the

The Drake Manor opens up its doors, and shows off its new look

Laci Shuman shares recipes that make your mouth water, your stomach happy

Corbin Homestead never does

Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

Featuring: Porcelain Veneers, Dental Implants, Crowns, Bridges, Zoom Whitening, and Full Smile Rehabilitations.

Featuring: Porcelain Veneers, Dental Implants, Crowns, Bridges, Zoom Whitening, and Full Smile Rehabilitations.

Using the Art of Cutting Edge Technology

Using the Art of Cutting Edge Technology

At Dental Arts we have invested in cutting edge dental technology including 3D cone beam x-rays for precise implant placement, scanning and milling our own crowns in house allowing for faster case completion, and 3D printers for night guards and clear aligners. This investment in the latest dental technology and digital workflow gives us the ability to provide quicker service to our patients, while not sacrificing the quality you are used to from our office.

At Dental Arts we have invested in cutting edge dental technology including 3D cone beam x-rays for precise implant placement, scanning and milling our own crowns in house allowing for faster case completion, and 3D printers for night guards and clear aligners. This investment in the latest dental technology and digital workflow gives us the ability to provide quicker service to our patients, while not sacrificing the quality you are used to from our office.

At Dental Arts we are striving daily to help our patients SMILE MORE!

At Dental Arts we are striving daily to help our patients SMILE MORE!

Dr. Kari L. Bartlett, owner Dr. Kaitlin Byerly

Dr. Kari L. Bartlett, owner Dr. Kaitlin Byerly

Good Life Magazine found its way into my life completely by chance. And I’m glad it did. After cruising thousands of miles across Cullman and Marshall Counties for the last several months I am sure my beaten down Altima would disagree, but I would, and will, do it all over again. Through this magazine, I have already seen so many beautiful things and heard stories I would never have imagined hearing before. I have met people from all walks of life, and have learned that the way one person defines ‘Good Life’ can be completely different from the way another does.

When the former publisher of the magazine, David Moore, was showing me the ropes and formally introducing me to many of our advertisers, he mentioned

that most everybody that I will meet is ‘Good People.’ So far, I have found that to be unequivocally true. Although it may be old school, I have accumulated a stack of business cards from advertisers and story contacts alike that I keep on top of my desk. Each card represents a hard-working, local business owner or a fascinating story to tell that adds to the beauty of this county. I hope to double and then triple the size of this stack in the months to come.

My hope is to bring you all along as I continue to meet and learn about the people, businesses, history and traditions that make this county so unique. As I get up and running, I am always open to story suggestions and nudges in the right direction to find what readers are most interested in.

If you have a dish at a restaurant that you just cannot get off your mind, or know of a hidden gem of a home off the beaten path, lets share it! You will notice some familiar faces below, and some new ones too, that will continue on the GLM journey, and for them I am grateful.

If you see a guy walking around town with a cowlick and a camera hanging off his neck, odds are it’s me. If you feel so inclined, say hello and lets chat for a bit! I am beyond excited to start this new adventure and share the good eating, living, people, and stories of Cullman County. Here’s to the ‘Good Life!’

Hudson Shelton Publisher

Liz Smith

Liz has had an eventful start to 2023. She is a new grandmother of twins, Cody and Elsie, who are home after a stay in the hospital and looking forward to warmer weather! This is Alabama after all, right?

Steve

Steve is looking forward to coming out of hibernation over the next couple of weeks. He usually hunkers down until “the air warms up, the grass greens up, and the vegetable gardens bloom up.” He goes back in time and reminisces on high school graduation and the life lessons to be learned.

Rishon Hanners

After recently moving from Birmingham to the Guntersville area, Rishon is ready for spring on the lake! She is a connoisseur of good cuisine and is quite handy with a camera as well. Check out what she covered for her first GLM feature inside.

David

David stuck around to continue doing restaurant features. Bring on the sun glasses and short sleeve weather because he prefers to do his work outside!

Deb Laslie

Deb is a bookworm in every sense of the imagination. Over a recent cup of coffee, she told me she reads 2-3 books per week! The only thing she might go through more than books are cups of coffee…

Hudson

All of this winter rain has been a good thing. That is unless you have a dent in the side of your car and it’s raining cats and dogs. I guess that’s how I ended up with a cat from Guntersville, Gunter…

Maze

Myers

Shelton

Inside

11 | Good Fun

From a trip to see the “Million Dollar Quartet,” to an Irish festival in Hanceville

16 | Good People

Helen Cary of Two Shoes Ministry is the gift that keeps on giving

22 | Good Reads

Two new novels written by esteemed writers are sure to be at the top of your list

25 | Good Cooking

Laci Shuman shares the recipes that keep the people coming back for more

34 | Good Getaway

A quick stay in a treehouse is exactly what the doctor ordered

38 | Good Living

Jimmy Drake opens up his newly renovated home to the masses

44 | Good Eats

Puckett’s serves up Tennessee cookin’ right here in Cullman!

46 | The Graduate

Steve Maze is back to retell a story from his graduation days, and hopefully teach a lesson

50 | The Corbin Homestead

Randy Humphries continues his family’s legacy on the homestead

56 | Streight’s Raid

Cullman County’s legendary slice of Civil War history

58 | Out and About

Pictures from around the county

On the cover | A tractor rides off into the sun in this shot by Liz Smith.

This page | Spring has sprung at the Corbin Homestead as flowers bloom. Photo by Liz Smith

Cullman is …

"Between local events like Oktoberfest and the city's recent growth, community is always at the heart. It is what makes Cullman such special place to live and raise your family."

First

Rachel McPhillips, director of public relations at

Community Bank, with daughters

Addison and Claire

... where community matters ... the home of southern hospitality

"Being principal of Cullman High School, I get to watch first-hand all of the faculty and staff work together to create a school that prepares students for success. Our goal is to see our students grow and come back to Cullman to keep the community strong."

Allison Tuggle, CHS principal

...where opportunity thrives

Did you know?

From 2010 to 2020, we recorded one of Alabama’s highest growth rates. According to the Census, the population of Cullman city grew 23 9 percent, while the county increased 9 percent

Cullman County Events

• February 20th -Empty Bowls of Cullman County

After a two-year hiatus, Empty Bowls of Cullman is back at First United Methodist Church from 4 p.m.-6:30p.m. Chili and grilled cheese sandwiches will be provided by Three Guys and live gospel music will be performed by local singers. Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased at Cullman Caring for Kids or First United Methodist Church in Cullman. Proceeds benefit the Cullman Caring for Kids Food Bank. Donations can also be made securely through their website: https://www. cullmancaringforkids.com/

• March 6th-9th – Cullman Chamber’s Washington Fly-In

The Cullman Chamber of Commerce and its sponsors, have organized a trip to Washington, DC in early March to see our nation’s capital and, if the timing is right, get a glimpse of the gorgeous, pink cherry blossoms blooming. The registration fee of $495 per person includes three meals, a hospitality suite, a reception and a three-day Metro card. A block of rooms have been reserved at the Homewood Suites in Navy Yard, but lodging and airfare are not included in the registration fee. Register no later than February 17th by sending a completed registration form to measterwood@cullmanchamber.com

• May 9th - Cullman Women Sing Spring Concert “Under the direction of Laura Doss, the Cullman Women Sing club spring concert will be held Tuesday, May 9th at 7:00 p.m. at Seventh Street Baptist Church

• March 17th – First Annual Gospel Music Jubilee

The Cullman County Bosom Buddies Foundation’s first annual gospel music jubilee will be held at Northbrook Church and will feature the Living Faith Quartet gospel singers. Tickets can be bought in advance for $15, or $20 at the door. They can be purchased at Options, at 2201 2nd Avenue, or the Christian Book Store, at 1650 2nd Avenue in Cullman. All proceeds benefit the Cullman County Bosom Buddies Foundation. www. CullmanBosomBuddies.com

• March 18th – The Hanceville Irish Festival

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Hanceville Friends of the Festival and Downtown Merchants is presenting this year’s Irish festival on Commercial Street in downtown Hanceville. The event features live Irish music, Irish-themed food and vendors selling their arts and crafts. Be sure to come out and enjoy this event in Hanceville’s rejuvenated downtown area. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/ hancevilleirishfest

• March 23rd - Dance Showcase

Choreographer Brooke Desnoës is one of the most gifted teaching artists of her generation. She has developed a dance program at WSCC built upon strong classical roots, which is committed to exploring and redefining where the art form is headed. Her Allegro Dance Theatre group will perform at the Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre and show off their new routine. Admission is a recommended $10 donation. For more information: call Melissa Lawler at 256-352-8277 or melissa. lawler@wallacestate.edu

• March 20th-24th – WSCC Alumni

Trip to Golden Isles of Georgia

This five-day, four-night trip will showcase the serene, natural beauty of Georgia’s coastline. The itinerary includes tours of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island via ferry, and more. The trip includes motorcoach transportation, admission to attractions on the itinerary, baggage service, tour manager and most gratuities and taxes. Costs range from $1,029 to $1,812 based on occupancy and Alumni Association membership status. Limited spots available. Visit www.wsccalumni.org/isles23 for more information or to make a reservation.

• April 18th – “Million Dollar Quartet”

Make your reservation now for a Wallace State Alumni Association motorcoach daytrip to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s production of a day in December 1956 when Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley were brought on stage together by the “Father of Rock n’ Roll” Sam Phillips. Hear the classics from premium seating and; dine at the Plantation House Restaurant. All for $142 per person. Visit: www.wsccalumni.org/ quartet23

• April 21st - Big Band Dance

The annual performance by the Wallace State Jazz Band starts at 7 p.m. in the Burrow Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Admission is $15. For more information: contact Melissa Lawler at 256352-8277 or melissa.lawler@ wallacestate.edu

• April 22nd-23rd – Bloomin’ Festival

Bloomin’ Festival is a two-day juried arts festival attracting more than 25,000 visitors to the beautiful campus of St. Bernard Abbey and Preparatory School and is sure to be a huge hit again this year. More than 150 booths are filled with artists demonstrating and exhibiting their

beer taps are ready to flow this spring

recalls when the employees at Goat Island came to the grill shortly after it opened. She said they laughed over the headaches involved in opening a business and the hurdles to clear to get up and running in the beer-selling industry. There are 2-5 Goat Island beers on tap at Augusta’s at any given time throughout the year. The most popular option is their famous Blood Orange, but Deb says the Richter’s Pils, the Sipsey River Red, and the Hippieweizen are all fan favorites. “People can’t get enough of the Blood Orange.”

sell them on the new novelty. The idea was so crazy at the time that he was quickly brushed aside. Deb kept the can, and to her amazement, the beer can craze took off from there. Because of this, Deb is always sure to give every new beer she hears about a chance. “If somebody tells me, ‘you should try this,’ we’ll test it out, see if people enjoy it, and go from there,’ she says, “and if its popular, we’ll add it to our permanent rotation of beers.”

Blood Orange from the tap for an excited customer

up and running in the beer-selling industry. There are 2-5 Goat Island beers on tap at Augusta’s at any given time throughout the year. The most popular option is their famous Blood Orange, but Deb says the Richter’s Pils, the Sipsey River Red, and the Hippieweizen are all fan favorites. “People can’t get enough of the Blood Orange.”

Augusta’s beer taps are ready to flow this spring

Deb does not consider herself much of a beer drinker. She leaves the beer pouring to her lead bartenders, McKenna Denney and Summer Harkness, and they take it from there. If beer isn’t your thing, Augusta’s has a list of wine choices that includes chardonnay, cabernet, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc, and a full selection of liquor to choose from to match any vibe. As for Deb, she makes sure everything is in tip-top shape at the grill and everybody gets home safely then, “I prop up my feet up at home and make myself a scotch and water!”

Augusta’s has a lineup of 16 beer taps at the bar that hold everything from regulars like Miller Lite and Coors, to more local brews such as Goat Island’s beers that are brewed right here in Cullman. Twisted Tea is also a new addition to the lineup and, to Deb’s amazement, she says it’s a crowd-pleaser.

Because they opened within a couple months of each other, Augusta’s and Goat Island Brewery have always had a special relationship. Deb fondly

Deb Veres remembers the first time she ever saw Bud Light in a can. She was working at a restaurant in the early 80’s when a salesman walked in with the product in his hand trying to sell them on the new novelty. The idea was so crazy at the time that he was quickly brushed aside. Deb kept the can, and to her amazement, the beer can craze took off from there. Because of this, Deb is always sure to give every

much of a beer drinker. She leaves the beer pouring to her lead bartenders, McKenna Denney and Summer Harkness, and they take it from there. If beer isn’t your thing, Augusta’s has a list of wine choices that includes chardonnay, cabernet, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc, and a full selection of liquor to choose from to match any vibe. As for Deb, she makes sure everything is in tip-top shape at the grill and everybody gets home safely then, “I prop up my feet up at home and make myself a scotch and water!”

recalls when the employees at Goat Island came to the grill shortly after it opened. She said they laughed over the headaches involved in opening a business and the hurdles to clear to get up and running in the beer-selling industry. There are 2-5 Goat Island beers on tap at Augusta’s at any given time throughout the year. The most popular option is their famous Blood Orange, but Deb says the Richter’s Pils, the

Augusta's selection of beers is enough to make

Denney Orange from customer

Lead bartender McKenna Denney pours

handcrafted work, and the festival is the largest fundraiser annually for the operation and maintenance of the school. Admission is $10 and kids five and under get in free. Special reduced admission rates are offered to festival attendees all weekend to visit Ave Maria Grotto. More information can be found at www. bloominfestival.com, or by calling 256-739-6682

• April 27 – Spring Under the Stars

The Wallace State Concert Choir and Concert Band will perform on campus at 6:30 p.m. outside the Burrow Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, etc. Admission is free. For more information contact Melissa Lawler at 256-352-8277 or email her at melissa.lawler@wallacestate.edu

• April-October – Farmer’s Market

Festhalle Farmers Market is located adjacent to the warehouse district and across the street from Depot Park and the Cullman County Museum. Between April and October

its regular hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Farmers looking to sell their produce can rent a booth at the largest timber-framed building in the state. Stop by for the freshest food around. For information on booth rentals for the market or other information, contact the main office at info@cullmanrecreation.org. Additional information can be found at www.cullmanrecreation.org

• May 6th – Strawberry Festival at Depot Park

Celebrate Cullman County’s agricultural history at the 84th anniversary of the state’s oldest Strawberry festival, featuring arts and crafts, food trucks, live music, strawberries and more. The event is organized by the Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism Department at the Festhalle and Depot Park. Enjoy the Miss Strawberry Festival Pageant and, of course, be sure to catch the Doggy “Paw”-geant to follow. This is an allday event. For more information on

the pageant: visit Cullman Strawberry Festival on Facebook or at www.cullmanstrawberryfest.com

• May 16th – Showboat at Opryland

Mark your calendar for the daytrip to Nashville and the General Jackson Showboat at Opryland. Departs from Wallace State at 7:15 a.m. and returns at 6 p.m. Includes a three-course lunch and riverboat cruise. The trip costs $177, which includes motorcoach transportation and admission to the General Jackson Showboat. Visit: www.wsccalumni.org/showboat23 to make a reservation.

Good People

Helen Cary The gift that keeps on giving 5questions

Story and photos

by Hudson Shelton

Whenyou are invited to Helen Cary’s home, you are certain to not leave empty handed, or with an empty stomach, for that matter. Helen’s love language is, and always has been, gift giving. She also loves to receive them, but giving them is her forte. She says the gift of giving is what motivates her to wake up every morning and gives her the energy to get out and about around town. At 82 years old, it is impossible to quantify how many gifts she has given and exactly how many people have been on the receiving end. One thing is for sure, it is a lot. During my time at Helen’s house one afternoon, I was gifted a pen because, “you can never have too many,” and a flashlight for my car because, “what happens if the power goes out?” Both actually came in handy within the week. I was offered a piece of chocolate and asked what my favorite drink of choice was after politely declining a cup of tea. A minute later, a glass of ice cold, freshly poured Dr. Pepper was placed on the table in front of me.

Helen’s fondness for giving, and a well-timed epiphany from God while watching the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007, are precisely what led her to create Two Shoes Ministry in Cullman, a nonprofit that provides shoes for needy children and adults across Cullman County, northern Alabama, and even as far away as Kentucky. Along with the help of friends and volunteers in the Cullman area, Helen and Two Shoes Ministry have provided close to 10,000 pair of shoes since the ministry was first started in 2007.

Perhaps it was Helen’s humble beginnings that propelled her to live her life in this way. Born in 1941 in Selma, Alabama as the youngest of seven children, she was used to the hand-medown life that is familiar to any last child.

Although she had loving parents, Ruth and Paul Joseph Musante, she credits for instilling in her her work ethic and her appreciation for life, they seldom had enough money to divvy out presents to their seven children. She still remembers the first present she ever received, a ‘Me Doll’ that she got in 1944. It is still displayed on her wall to this day (more on that in a bit).

Shortly after her birth, Helen’s parents moved her with her siblings to Louisiana. She was enrolled in a Catholic school and slowly began to develop the Cajun twanged accent she says people have a hard time understanding in Alabama. In 1961, Helen’s mother, Ruth, was offered a job in the office of Judge K.J. Griffith in Cullman that was too good to pass up. Again, the family loaded up their car and were now off to make a new life in Cullman. Helen met a man and nearly decided to drop out of school to get married. That is, until her father offered her a ’62 Chevy to stay in school and ditch the guy. She chose the Chevrolet, and got a degree in business from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Helen ended up marrying a man from Decatur named Tommy Cary and had two children, Thomas Wayne, who lives in Alaska, and Paul Marshall, who lives in Huntsville and has two children of his own. After the marriage ended, Helen found herself moving around from state to state working different managerial roles for Walmart. After 17 years at Walmart and stints in several different states across the southeast, Helen was finally sent back to Cullman in 1994. She retired three months later and decided to buy a home to settle in after a lifetime of moving from place to place. Cullman got a good one.

On my way out the front door of Helen’s house, flashlight and pen in hand, she asked me to stop while she went to the freezer to grab something. With a

sweet smile on her face, she handed over a popsicle and said, “This is my last one, don’t let it melt on your drive home!”

1. How did Two Shoes Ministry come about? Were you getting restless in your retirement?

“I would not say restless, but I was looking for something new to do. I have always tried to be active in the community, and one day I was watching The Oprah Winfrey Show and saw a woman giving away pajamas to people in need. I knew I wanted to do something like that. I prayed to the Lord that evening and He put the idea of shoes in my head. I went through twelve years of nothing but saddle oxfords while in Catholic school so when I got to college, I got a job to pay for new shoes. I talked to attorney Dan Willingham the next day to help me set up the ministry, and he is one of our board members. He advised me that the original name I had come up with for the ministry sounded like a junk yard, so I changed it to Two Shoes and it was started from there.”

2. Who were some other people who were instrumental in getting the ministry started?

“Everybody on the board has helped somewhere along the way and has had a hand in creating Two Shoes (Doug Doggett, Dr. Bruce Lee, Dan Willingham, Dr. Paula Robinson and Dr. Joshua Robinson sit on the board). I have gotten older and things really slowed down because of the pandemic, but there are still people who continue to ask me if I need any help or if they can run to the store to buy pairs of shoes for some children I may know who need a pair. The only time somebody has not been good was the man who built the roof on the new shoe shed. I had to have it completely redone.”

3. You are not just known for Two Shoes, are you? What’s with the Barbie Dolls?

“I got my first doll as a gift in 1944 and have taken care of her ever since.

How many ladies can say they still have their first doll? And that’s old! A friend of mine told me about the holiday collectors Barbies in 1988 and I have one from every year. I have the first black Barbie from 1990, a Ken

doll, Jacqueline Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth, and the entire set from The Wizard of Oz collection. I will give them to my granddaughter when I die, but they will be in this house until then.”

4. What is something that people might not know about Helen Cary?

“When I was growing up in Louisiana, my family went to Mardi Gras every year. It was our favorite thing to do together and we would drive there with a car full and eat king cake and grab as many beads as we could. I am going to Mardi Gras in Covington, Louisiana this year because my nephew has a house there and we are going to celebrate with

the family. I will sure miss New Orleans. I try to bring back a different masquerade mask every time I come home, and have almost filled up half my wall! I will be sure to have Mardi Gras beads for you the next time I see you.”

5. What is it about Cullman that made you decide to spread your roots here?

“Ever since I moved here for a time with my parents in the early 60’s, I have

had a special place for Cullman in my heart. There is no trash, and it is the cleanest town I have ever lived in. The people are friendly, and I love my church community at Sacred Heart. I have made friends here that like to give me stuff just as much as I like to give them stuff. It’s just a wonderful community of hardworking people.”

Anyone interested in donating to Two Shoes Ministry can call Helen at (256)345-2968.

G ood Life Magazine

Good Reads

Never by Ken Follett

Eternal by Lisa Scottoline

Ken Follett’s first best-seller was Eye of the Needle (yes, you should read it) published in 1976. In 1989 he published Pillars of the Earth (this remains on my top 10 book list – you haven’t read it yet?). Now he’s back with another thriller (a doozy!) with his publication of Never (2021). If I’ve heard friends, neighbors and pundits say it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times (as have you): “It could never happen here.” Spoiler alert: Yes, it can. “Every catastrophe begins with a little problem that doesn’t get fixed.” This happens in our personal lives as well as with world events. This book has everything: good guys, really, really bad guys, false prophets and true warriors. Told in a dramatic, chronological narrative, it involves a stolen drone, an uninhabited Japanese island and a stash of deadly chemical weapons. It is the story of “fixing” a problem that may or may never be fixed. Sacrifices are made, lives are lost, lifelong friendships destroyed and other formerly unknown alliances firmly entrenched. It is frighteningly real. It is an addictive read, and “it could never happen here.” A must-read.

Communism is a sacred mission. It comes above everything else, including our family ties and our own personal safety.” Jianjun had been raised to see the capitalistimperialists as lifelong enemies. China had changed, the world had changed, but the old men were stuck in the past.

Deb Laslie

–

Lisa Scottoline, best-selling and Edgar Award-winning author of over 33 novels has penned her first true historical in Eternal. 1937. Rome, Italy. Eternal is the story of three teenagers and their families: Allesandro, the handsome Jewish mathematician in love with Elizabetta, a budding novelist who is Catholic, and Marco, (also in love with Elizabetta) a cycling prodigy and proud fascist whose family are staunch supporters of Mussolini. Though their backgrounds are different, the three form unbreakable bonds as they grow up together in nearby neighborhoods. Their families are close; religious and political differences are inconsequential to their strong friendships. Then war comes to Europe, “and turned Italy topsyturvy,” Good became bad and bad became powerful. An unspeakable historical event shapes the outcome of their friendships, forcing horrific choices upon them. As one Italian matron notes, “War welcomed and concealed the most heinous of crimes.” Powerful writing about a time of emotion and passion in a city as old as time. If you love sweeping historical sagas, this is another “must read” to add to your nightstand collection. I loved every word.

Marco prayed this was the last war, but he knew it wouldn’t be. Men were fallible, and they would always believe in the wrong things. He sensed that he had just learned something that his father had already known, but neither of them spoke.

– Deb Laslie

A Family Tradition Since 1976

Good

Food, Family and Caring for the Community

Laci Schuman of Southern EatsMeals To Go

Story and photos by Rishon Hanners

“It wasn’t until I came to Cullman that I ever even heard of Strawberry Pretzel Salad.”

Laci Schuman says she still has to introduce the community staple, Strawberry Pretzel Salad, to people that live as close as Birmingham. It was not a dish that she grew up around, and yet it played a leading role in the early days of her now thriving business, Southern EatsMeals To Go.

“On Facebook, I would literally just put out there that I was going to make one, if anybody wanted one,” says Schuman.

She would text her friends and ask if anyone wanted her to make an extra Strawberry Pretzel Salad for them. It grew from there. Between the Strawberry Pretzel Salad and her Homemade Apple Dip, people couldn’t get enough. That’s when she started thinking about what other dishes she could make that people would love as much as the Strawberry Pretzel Salad.

“A friend of mine and I got together and started talking about it, and there was just a need for good, decent food for families. We were all very busy with kids.”

Schuman’s daughters, Bailey and Logan, are now 19 and 15, but Schuman remembers struggling with a busy life, trying to feed her kids, attending school and sports functions, and avoiding the lure of the drive-thru.

The idea for Southern Eats came about from Schuman’s experience in catering, having a knack for cooking for friends and family, and taking inspiration from other prepared meals businesses, like Ashley Mac’s of Birmingham. With Southern Eats,

Schuman knew she could make a difference in her community and fill a need that hit close to home.

“We cooked out of my friend’s home for a year and we would meet in the St. John’s parking lot for pick up once a week. So we built our client base. We watched it go from a few friends to random people to a true client base before we ever even opened the doors here [Southern Eats].”

Schuman reached her customers through Facebook and by word

Laci Schuman is sandwiched by her daughters Bailey (19) and Logan (15) in front of the entrance to her catering store Southern Eats.

of mouth. It only took a year of organizing meal pickups in the church parking lot for Southern Eats to find its permanent home in downtown Cullman.

Schuman remembers the hectic, but exciting opening week of Southern Eats. “It was 2014 when we started and it was the following March, actually the week of Easter in 2015 when we

2-15 oz cans Blackeye Peas (drained)

1-15 oz can Whole Kernel Corn

2- small cans Ro-Tel tomatoes

1 cup diced green bell pepper

1 cup diced yellow or white onion

½ cup diced jalapeno

Garlic, Pepper, crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Italian Dressing (we make our ownchoose your favorite Zesty Italian)

Combine all ingredients and let chill in the refrigerator! Serve with scoops or tortilla chips.

CULLMAN CAVIAR

opened, and that was unnerving. We literally rolled out an Easter menu and sold a bunch of food. I remember on Easter Sunday thinking, a lot of people are eating my food and I really hope it’s good.”

Schuman continues to be humbled by preparing holiday meals for a great number of families in the community. She creates special holiday catering menus for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The catering is in addition to the Meals

To Go portion of the business, in which Schuman and her team keep a fully stocked 3-door freezer with casseroles, dips, rolls, sausage balls, soups and family meals year round. Plus a refrigerator where you can find six different chicken salads, pimento cheese, pasta salad, and “Cullman Caviar.” Schuman knows it is a big responsibility, but enjoys the challenge in creating meals and memories for families in her community.

POPPY SEED CHICKEN RECIPE

4 cups cooked/chopped (or shredded) chicken

**boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned slow cooked on the stove.But you can cheat with rotisserie from the grocery deli**

2 (22.4 ounce) cans of Cambell’s Cream of Chicken condensed soup

16 oz container of sour cream Poppy seeds and pepper to taste (optional)

Crushed Ritz Crackers

¼ cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

Mix the soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, and pepper in a bowl until well blended. Stir in cooked chicken. In a separate bowl, mix the crushed crackers with butter. Pour mixture into a greased 9x11 pan and topped with buttered crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

“It’s still a little bit unnerving whenever we do the volume that we do for holidays just knowing that [our food] is what they are having. There’s no backup plan, and there is a lot to be said about the trust that we have built there.”

Schuman didn’t always have her sights set on opening a food business. She grew up in Vestavia Hills and went to Auburn University, where she met her husband Justin through mutual friends. She later became a mortgage officer and then a stay-athome mom with little side jobs like renting bounce houses. But Schumann also grew up surrounded by a family of cooks and cooking. Great cooking came naturally to her. “I’ve always known how to cook. I was never someone that would say, ‘Oh, I can’t cook,’ or ‘I don’t know if I can do that.’” Schuman has always been the one in the kitchen cooking for friends and family. Once the idea of Southern Eats came along, Schuman never looked back.

“I kind of backed into it. Honestly, I really did, and now it’s second nature. I never really would have

thought I would be working with food. I do think it’s important that everyone should work with the public and food at some point in their lives. I think it makes you a better human.”

Food and hardworking people were all around her growing up. She remembers her grandfather, Joe Dellaccio, making his “red gravy” or marinara sauce; a meal passed down through their Italian heritage, and grandmother, Katie, waitressing and cooking classic Southern food.

Schuman remembers her grandmother Vida Blackwell living just four blocks from where Vida

1 lb breakfast sausage

(prefer Dean’s mild)

1 lb lean ground beef

BAKED ZITI

(My recipe I developed in college)

1 lb Ziti noodles (prefer Barilla)

1 green bell pepper

1 zuchini

2 carrots (average size)

Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

Equal (1:1 ratio) Spaghetti and Marinara sauces (your favorites)

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Oregano to taste

Dice veggies (pretty fine- can hide from picky eaters), saute in pan with butter in this order: carrots (4 minutes), add bell pepper (2 minutes), add zucchini till cooked. Set aside veggies, brown both meats in same pan, while cooking noodles according to package. Drain browned meat well. Combine veggies, meat, and both sauces in a large bowl. Sir in cooked/ drained noodles and cheeses (as much or as little cheese as you like). Pour the mixture in a greased 9x11 pan. Top with more cheese, bake in 350* oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly!

worked as a caterer with a Women’s League. Schuman can still recall the smell of the honeysuckle bushes in her grandmother Vida’s front yard, and Vida, “just cooking all the time.”

“I don’t know who she was cooking for. There was always just tons of food. That’s how that whole generation was. You would walk in and there was a hot meal somehow. You wouldn’t even tell them you were coming.”

THE BEST SAUSAGE BALLS (yields approximately 3 dozen)

Super simple 1-2-(almost)3 recipe

1 lb breakfast sausage (prefer Dean’s Mild)

2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 ¾ cups Bisquick mix

Just enough water to bind- start with 2-3 tbs

Mix all ingredients well. Preferably by hand, it just seems to turn out better than with a mixer. Roll into balls to desired size, just be consistent so that cooktime is the same.

Place balls on a greased sheet pan, bake at 375* 16-20 minutes or until desired doneness.

Compassionate Care: Cancer Care As It Should Be

When you have a health problem, we’re here to care for you and your family. For over 20 years, Dr. Vincent Karolewics has been committed to providing the Cullman community with universitylevel care using leading-edge technology in a compassionate, caring environment. We are a compassionate cancer care center, and we make a personal commitment to care for the whole person, your mind, body, and spirit.

Our Services:

• (VMAT) Rapid Arc

• PET/CT/MRI Fusion

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• 4-Dimensional Radiotherapy

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• (IGRT) Image Guided Radiation Therapy

• GE Lightspeed Wide Bore CT/RT Scanner

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Lifefirst Imaging & Oncology Care Group 1811 Park Way Circle Cullman, AL 35058

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am – 4:30 pm, Closed Saturday & Sunday 256-737-2285

Mind. Body. Spirit.

Schuman particularly remembers Vida’s cheesecake minis, cheese straws, and her chicken salad, which is a classic Southern recipe made with sweet relish and hard boiled eggs. You can find Schuman’s version in the refrigerator at Southern Eats labeled as “Baba’s Chicken Salad.”

“Baba’s chicken salad was actually Vida’s chicken salad; it’s just always been Baba’s to me.”

Baba is Schuman’s mother, Kathleen Dellaccio, who the chicken salad is so fondly named for. She passed in November 2020 after a month-long battle with COVID.

Schuman and family were not allowed to visit her during that time. It is still a raw loss that Schuman is reminded of daily, which makes Baba’s chicken salad, and sharing the memory of her mom, just that much more precious.

“She had nine grandkids, but about 900 other kids called her Baba. She was good. It only hurts when they’re that good. I was blessed.”

She honors her mother within her business and her dedication. Serving dishes that are a hark to food Baba was known for, like her Unstuffed Bell Pepper Casserole and of course Baba’s Chicken Salad. The family honors

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

Mini Twist Pretzels (chopped in food processor)

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter- melted

1 cup white granulated sugar

16 oz Container Cool Whip (or whipped topping)

2- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened to room temperature

2 cups white granulated sugar

4 cups chopped frozen strawberries

6 oz package Strawberry Jell-O

**prepared according to package with hot water.Use chopped frozen strawberries substituting for the cold water**

Combine pretzels, melted butter and sugar, stir until all pretzels are covered and shiny. Pour into a 9x11 pan (clear or Pyrex dish is ideal), press to form a crust. Bake crust at 350* for 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese till smooth, add sugar, mix till smooth, and stir in Cool Whip. Using the hand mixer, combine till smooth.

Layer the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust, then top with the strawberry Jell-O mixture.

Baba as well, by showing up for each other just as Baba would have.

“She was our number one and we were her number one, no matter what happened. Her family was number one.”

Schuman carries on Baba’s legacy by making her family, her team at Southern Eats, and her community her number one priority. With every dish made at Southern Eats, Schuman shows her commitment to her family and customers by cooking them wholesome and hearty southern food, made with lots of love.

Good Life Magazine

Back row: Lana Self – NMLS #1759334, Kenneth Chambers – NMLS #1242184, Matt Townson – NMLS #411686, Andrew Manning – NMLS #411684, Raymond Williams – NMLS #543359, Tania Albarran – NMLS #1826083 Front row: Laurie Ewing – NMLS #1077826, Sondra Lawrence – NMLS #438174,

Angie Lanier – NMLS #543355, LaRue Brock – NMLS #543346, Ellen Burns – NMLS #655836

Back row: Lana Self – NMLS #1759334, Kenneth Chambers – NMLS #1242184, Matt Townson – NMLS #411686, Andrew Manning – NMLS #411684, Raymond Williams – NMLS #543359, Tania Albarran – NMLS #1826083 Front row: Laurie Ewing – NMLS #1077826, Sondra Lawrence – NMLS #438174, T’aira Ugarkovich – NMLS #175475, Angie Lanier – NMLS #543355, LaRue Brock – NMLS #543346, Ellen Burns – NMLS #655836

ReTreet An adventure amongst the trees

Story and photos

by Hudson Shelton

It’slate December, the sun is setting on the coldest day of the coldest cold front in recent memory, and the mercury continues to plunge into single digits. The wind howls from every direction through the surrounding trees, whipping giant branches around like twigs high above. In between gusts, the woods are eerily quiet as the creatures of the forest take shelter from the brutal freeze.

Under most circumstances this might sound like a horror story, but not when you find yourself in the heated comfort of a luxury treehouse.

Just under 50 miles from downtown Cullman and fifteen minutes north of Guntersville, ReTreet’s resort-style treehouses serve as a perfect weekend getaway, no matter the reading on the thermostat. Using the winding shores of Lake Guntersville as your guide up Highway 79, six cabins suddenly appear, appropriately named Oak, Maple, Magnolia, Birch, Willow and Pine, descending deeper and deeper into the trees.

Completed in spring 2022, ReTreet’s six identical two-story treehouses are decked out with a kingsized bed, a pull-out sofa, a coffee and tea station and the largest shower you

Good Getaways

would ever expect to be in a treehouse. There is WiFi in each and a TV on both levels in case you need to get cozy during rainy or chilly weather. A microwave and a refrigerator, stocked with eggs from ReTreet’s founder and developer, Troy Hopkins, property across the road, are there for those who pack food and beverages for the trip. A large common area with a grill and fire pit are perfect for gatherings with friends and family. The property also includes a 9-hole disc golf course and a gated dog park large enough for any size dog to get up to some serious speed. You can’t beat your pup being able to have their own adventure too.

I took my girlfriend, Emily, her sister, Rachel, and their parents’ 11-year-old black pug named Jack, along for the ride. At the start, the girls were not as excited about the trip as Jack was, even though I had explained to them the best way I knew how that this was not going to be a “roughin it in the woods” type of weekend. When our own personal, gas-powered golf cart was waiting for us upon arrival, and the

girls got their first look at the treehouses, I could see their concerns beginning to fade from their faces. “I really thought you had been lying to us! This is nice!”

After getting settled, we decided that we would treat ourselves to a beer in town. We made the drive into Guntersville and did not have to go far to find what we were looking for. The bright lights of City Harbor, Guntersville’s new entertainment venue, appear as we cross over the bridge into town. Bingo! The first stop was The Brewer’s Co-Op, where we tasted from a flight of some local beers, from

“City Harbor was our host for dinner and drinks, and then for coffee and pancakes at breakfast the next morning. The view of the lake is tough to beat.”

On the Lake, where we looked out over the water and listened to live music underneath a giant space heater. Back to the treehouse we went to reunite with the pug and get cozy under a thick blanket. Movie time. We loaded onto the couch and were in for the night.

an abundance of choices, and debated which ones we liked the best. We had to get a second flight, of course, to ensure we were being scientifically accurate with our decision making.

We picked the Mexican eatery La Esquina Cocina as our dinner destination, which was convenient because it was across the parking lot from the Co-Op. The taco dinner and margaritas were just what the doctor ordered, and helped to warm us up as much as they possibly could. Considering the unusual Alabama Arctic temperature, our nightcap was at Levi’s

As an early riser, sunrises are the first treat of my day, and watching the sun rise through the large window of the treehouse was nothing short of spectacular. We woke up, drank some coffee, and were back on our way over the bridge for breakfast. This time we chose Another Broken Egg, also at City Harbor. The steamy stack of pancakes and crispy bacon ensured us the drive home would not be on an empty stomach.

This getaway was full of pleasant surprises, new restaurants, and several layers of wool clothing, and it was exactly what we all needed. I can recommend this getaway for anybody that has a sense of adventure and likes to live life on the edge. Not too far on the edge, though, you might fall out of the golf cart!

The Drake Manor

A Renovation to Fit Today’s Modern Living

Story and photos

by Hudson Shelton

Drake Manor, the family home of Jimmy Drake and four of his five children, has been around to see its fair share of Cullman’s history through the years. Sitting on a plot of land that was once deeded by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to Colonel John C. Cullman in the 1880’s, the home was constructed in

the early 1890’s by S.A Felter and has been a staple in the community ever since. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Georgian home has 6,000 square feet of living space and features 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 2 half baths. After undergoing an extensive renovation shortly after the Drake’s purchased the manor in 2019, Jimmy says the home as it is today has been “redesigned to fit today’s modern living.”

Jimmy Drake, who was born and raised in the Vinemont area, has owned J. Drake Salon in downtown Cullman for the last 35 years. He had his eyes on the home, now known as Drake Manor, and it had always been his dream to buy it one day. In fact, he and his late wife, Amy, looked at the house shortly after they married more than 20 years ago, but decided at the time they were not ready to take on the burden of carrying out

“A wooden stairway leads up to the childrens’ bedrooms on the second floor. The main dining room table is set and ready for the next party. “We’re always ready to entertain,” Jimmy says with a smirk.

the structural renovations needed, and decided to focus on their young family instead. Fast forward 20 years, Jimmy found out the manor was back on the market while on a cruise with his family. “I bought it on the spot. I had a friend go down to the courthouse and put my name down,” Jimmy smiles, “Amy was not thrilled because it was technically a downsize.”

After some back and forth, the Drake’s made the move to 801 3rd Avenue and were set to start the adventure of renovating the historic home. Sadly, Amy passed away just a few months after she and

“A porcelain Capodimonte piece rests on the table when you walk in the entrance. The whimsical style of Amy is present in this colorful piece done by Mary Rose Young of England. Evelyn Burrows chandelier hangs above the marble statue placed by Ray DeMonia.”

Jimmy purchased the home. In that short time, though, Amy was able to make sure that her unique style and touch were carefully dotted throughout the décor, and ensured that her family would feel right at home. Maintaining a home with four teenagers running around can be

a difficult task. “There is always a party going on. Putting up with these thugs can be a lot,” Jimmy jokes as his daughter, Siddalee, walks by with a group of friends and asks Jimmy for food money. Jimmy shares the house with his four youngest children Dawson, Isaac, Siddalee and Asher.

His oldest, Casey, is married and in her own home now. Jimmy excitedly mentions that Dawson will soon be out too.

As you approach the front of the manor, the first thing that you notice are the four imposing white columns. The original home lacked the columns, and Jimmy proudly points out that they were one of Amy’s ideas. As I walk between them and into the entrance of the manor, classical piano music plays over the speakers, setting the mood for the type of home I am about to see. The first rooms you see when entering the home feel perfectly preserved in time, with their original hardwood flooring and two fireplaces, whose chimneys can be seen rising even higher than the columns outside.

The renovated kids’ rooms upstairs can only be described as the ultimate crash pad for the constant flow of guests. A TV room in the middle is surrounded by four bedrooms, one for each member of the clan, and each with its own bathroom. An 8-seat media room in the basement, a 6-bed bunk room, and a pub area also serve as ideal places for a teenager to lounge. Jimmy’s master bedroom can be found on the main floor and has

a window that is adorned with a cornice specifically made for the house by a company out of South Carolina. Two more cornices can be found over the original windows on the front of the house. “The house lends itself to being formal, so I had those custom made to try to bring it back to the period style at the time it was built,” Jimmy says.

A fire roars in the fireplace in the newly renovated portion on the right side of the house. The renovations included updates to the kitchen, bathrooms and a large living-area for the children to spend time in together. Amy had a love for all things whimsical, and her taste is evident in many of the items in the house. After falling in love with the work of an artist named Mary Rose Young from England, Jimmy and Amy began collecting more of her pieces to decorate their home. Mary Rose has made them a tea set, a set of black and white dishes and several other colorful trinkets that can be found around the interior of the home. Jimmy hopes to continue collecting her artwork.

The center hall includes a wooden table from the late 1800’s with a marble statue placed on top of it that Cullman antique dealer Ray DeMonia helped Jimmy install shortly before Ray passed away in 2021. The chandelier that hangs above the wooden table was once in the home of Evelyn Burrow, whom the museum at Wallace State is named after, and was known for her extensive collection of porcelain and glassware. When it comes to collecting things, Jimmy explains that he tries to acquire things from people or places who have touched his life in one way or another. For instance, the chandeliers in the front room of the house were brought back with them from a trip to Europe they remembered fondly.

Porcelain Capodimonte pieces rest on top of several of the tables in the manor and help to remind you of Amy’s whimsical style. On a trip to the Biltmore Estate, Siddalee observed that “the Vanderbilts have the same Capodimonte as the Drake’s from Cullman!”

Jimmy says he has always had a love for old homes. He and Amy spent most of their married life touring old houses in places like New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia, and talked about one day owning one in Cullman’s Historic District. “It was

our passion and something we loved doing together,” Jimmy says, “I have loved every bit of this home… except the heating and power bills, of course!”

G ood L ife M agazine

“The newly renovated kitchen is built for a feast. A colorful table set sits on the dining table in the new family room extension to the house.”

Puckett’s has come to us!

We’d tried to find our way to Puckett’s Restaurant the last couple of times we went to Nashville. In both cases we ran out of time and drove home saying “next time.” That ‘next time’ happened for us this week, but we didn’t have to drive to Tennessee. Here’s big news for Cullman County. Puckett’s has come to us! The Tennessee-based company already has six locations across the Volunteer state. Now they’ve set up shop in good ole Alabama.

We knew about where the new Cullman Puckett’s was located. As we approached the intersection of Highway

157 and I-65 we kept our eyes peeled. Rose, who has an intuition for finding good eateries, spotted it. There was easy parking and a pleasant environment surrounding the place. Greeted right away, as we were led to our table I admired the ambience and took a double-take. Were we in Nashville? We just as well could have been. We were seated next to a small stage that, we were told, provides live entertainment on weekends. Our server, Liberty, took great care of us.

I admit that I’d had a starter recommended to me before we went. We were hungry and we put in our order for Bubba’s Bones right away. This was a nice plate of baby back ribs with

Good Eats

Puckett’s own glazy sauce. It turned out to be a perfect start to a splendid dinner. Of course, we shared. The ribs were meaty, tender and delicious. Tip: get a few extra napkins.

At some point another starter showed up on the table. It was a plate of smoked andouille with cheese, pickles and crackers. We turned it into a Tennessee charcuterie. We both refused to admit ordering the second ‘starter’ but I think it was Rose. I’m sure glad she did.

Be sure and look at the awardwinning Tennessee Favorites portion of the menu. Steaks, fried chicken, catfish, pulled pork and more made my mouth water. We moved on to the ‘Sandwiches’ section and each of us

Story by David Myers

Photos provided by Puckett’s

A vintage pickup truck with “Puckett’s” painted on the side is one way to spot one of Cullman’s newest eateries.

found a true love. I decided on a burger and took advantage of Puckett’s “Make It Your Own” opportunity. I added a fried egg and bacon. Other options included pimento, slaw, jalapenos, mushrooms, a variety of cheeses and others. I ordered mine cooked medium and I found it to be perfect.

Rose took a different route. She ordered the legendary Music City Hot Chicken Sandwich. We always share so I got to give it a try. Battered and fried Nashville style, I found it to be tender and juicy with just the right touch of spicy flavoring. I don’t recall ever eating a chicken sandwich on Texas Toast so this was intriguing. It was an outstanding dish.

There’s an impressive list of sides available. We ordered the Skillet Mac n’ Cheese and it was great. Tip: Don’t ignore the dessert section of the menu. We shared Jan’s Chocolate Cobbler and I had to force myself to stop eating.

Speaking of sides, if you roll in for lunch, between 11 and 3, you can cop a meat & 1, meat & 2, meat & 3 or a vegetable plate.

Don’t forget, my friends. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and Puckett’s is dishing breakfast skillets, omelets, platters, biscuits and pancakes from 7 - 11 a.m. daily. Shhh… If you have the notion, ask about their Mimosa’s and Bloody Marys.

Now, let’s talk about the entertainment. Can’t make it to Music City? You don’t have to. She’s come to you!

Since October 2022, a Nashville atmosphere of fun, good food, good

Puckett’s offers a fine selection of craft beers, popular domestics, cocktails and wine. The bar provides a varied selection of whiskey, bourbons and even moonshine.

Operating hours: Breakfast 7 – 11; lunch specials 11 – 3; Puckett’s is open Sun.-Thurs. until 9 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m.

music and libations has been thriving in Cullman. For one, happy hour takes place Monday through Friday from 3 – 6. Music on weekends run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

According to Assistant General Manager Nick Butterfly, the weekend shows have attracted good business. His recommendation, come early to get a table. Puckett’s does accept reservations.

The Graduate

Story by Steve A. Maze Photos from the author’s collection

Mywife and I attended our granddaughter’s graduation ceremony on a spring night at Arab High School. Like many people in attendance, I watched with mixed emotions.

My wife and I beamed with pride as our granddaughter, Katelin, and her classmates walked to the fifty yard line of the football field to receive their diplomas. Many of the graduates were not only classmates, but Katelin’s closest friends.

It was hard not to drift back in time to my graduation ceremony 48 years earlier in the new gymnasium a couple of hundred yards away. Yes the “new” gym is now 48-years-old as well.

I recalled the future dreams my classmates and I had that night. No doubt, we would continue to share our dreams together just like we always had. Why would anything change?

Unfortunately, old age and the wear of time have taught me many things over the past half-century ... things I am not so anxious to share with my granddaughter and her friends.

What they do not realize is that their graduation ceremony will probably be the last time they see many of their classmates.

Many will quickly move out of the area for various reasons. Some leave to attend college. Others go to work, but relocate to other cities or states to enhance their careers.

Sadly, two or three of my classmates passed away within a few years of graduating.

Oh, they will still see or hear from those closest to them. They will run into others at various times over the years ... or maybe even work together for a while. But it will never be the same as the days they spent together dreaming away their future in a classroom.

It isn’t those I was closest to that I always think about. I can’t help but wonder what happened to those shy classmates who mostly stayed to themselves. They didn’t participate in the typical immature hi-jinks most teenagers delight in. Never grabbed a pom-pom and led a pep rally ... just sat in the back of the classroom and didn’t say much.

Even though my classmates and I shared many years of our lives with those bashful types, we didn’t really know that much about them ... and know even less now.

One of those graduates was a guy I will refer to as Paul, although that is not his real name. He did not graduate in my class, but three decades earlier.

Paul didn’t really have a chance in life when a doctor spanked him into this world on a frigid winter night.

He was doomed to a life of poverty and hand-me-down living. His dream of a better life wouldn’t come anytime soon. Even his smallest dreams never seemed to come true. He would have to pull himself up by the bootstraps more than once, but that’s hard to do when you have no boots.

Paul’s face was ruggedly homely with a shock of red, wiry hair combed over to one side. He was also tall and raw boned, his body made muscular from swinging a double bit ax and throwing square bales of hay into a barn loft while standing flatfooted on the ground.

Paul got his physical traits from his father - a man whose body and

“A ragtag crew of pupils poses for a school-wide photo. Each student has their own story and their own set of dreams.”

personality were both harder than the bark on a tree. His father was a drunk. Not an alcoholic. He was a drunk. There is a difference.

His dad had a hair-trigger temper, especially when he was drinking. He liked to fight, and would often arrive home with the coppery smell of blood on his shirt. That was the only thing he

brought home, however. His paycheck that was supposed to buy groceries, and maybe a few clothes, would always be gone.

Paul’s dad seemed to be in a race with the devil to see who would be the first to cross death’s finish line. The devil let him win. His dad died when Paul was in the sixth grade.

From that point forward it was just Paul and his mother. Of course, it really had always just been them anyway.

Now Paul was the man of the house, and he intended to give his mother the type life she deserved. She would suffer no more beatings from the hands of a drunk, or go hungry so her son could eat.

The local church Paul and his mother attended helped them as much as possible. Religious women with buns of hair stacked high atop their heads like a double-dip ice cream cone brought them blue mason jars full of fresh vegetables from their gardens, hand-stitched quilts and other household items they needed to survive.

But survive is all they did. There were times if it hadn’t been for the milk cow, they both would have probably starved. Others may have been worse off, but they didn’t make it.

Paul’s massive physique allowed him to hire out to neighbors and do labor intensive work, yet he was forced to become a man way too early in life. The gentle giant may have been six feet tall and weighed 185 pounds, but he was only 12 years old.

His mother only requested one thing from her son. She wanted him to be the first person in their family - on either side - to finish high school.

Paul wanted to please his mother, so he attended school while doing chores for the neighbors in the evenings and on Saturdays.

School work wasn’t easy for Paul, but a persistent mother and a dedicated

“A group of school boys clad in overalls grin for a picture”

teacher enabled him to barely scrape by on his grades. It wasn’t that Paul was lazy or dumb - he was simply in an almost impossible situation for someone who had yet to reach their teens.

Still, he never complained ... just sat stone-faced in his desk on the back row of a classroom.

Another thing his classmates did not know was what Paul did before he made it to school each morning. He milked the cow, fed the chickens, gathered eggs and chopped wood so his mother could cook and stay warm during the long days of the bitter cold Alabama winter.

Paul may have had his father’s physique, but he inherited his mother’s mild demeanor, even though some said her demeanor was more submissive than mild.

That turned out to be a good thing for some of the boys in his class since a few of them would often pick on the quiet and timid Paul. The fact that the overgrown boy didn’t fight back made him an easy target.

His classmates made fun of his shyness. They made fun of his clothes. The elbows of every shirt and the knees in every pair of overalls had patches on them.

They were given to him by others, mostly men in his community who had outgrown them. There were only two sizes in Paul’s wardrobe - too large and too small.

Not that any of the boys in his class necessarily dressed any better than Paul, but a few delighted in the fact that

someone was actually worse off than themselves. Paul had long ago grown accustomed to the torment those three or four righteous-thinking classmates bestowed on him.

Other classmates would have delighted in seeing the Paul Bunyan look-alike pick his tormentors up in his massive paws and throw them across the room like a bale of hay. And he could have, but he didn’t.

As always, Paul sat quietly as the high school principal called each graduates name in the auditorium that beautiful spring night. The students walked to the front of the stage and received their diploma as proud parents and grandparents stood and eagerly clapped their hands red in delight.

The audience grew quiet, however, when Paul’s name was called. It seemed as if no one had come to see him on this night that was to have been so special.

That was okay with Paul. He never expected to be bathed in a spotlight like movie stars.

Paul just wanted to get his diploma and go back to the hard scrabble farm on which he lived.

Then a frail, hollow-eyed woman slowly stood near the back of the auditorium and began slapping two limp hands together, her long bony fingers worn thin from sewing up holes in her son’s shirts and scrubbing the dirt and sweat out of his frayed overalls in a black wash pot.

Paul’s classmates may not have known much about him, but many

audience members seemed to be familiar with Paul and his mother.

Groups of people suddenly began to stand in a wave-like fashion to applaud as the overgrown young man shook hands with the principal and moved the tassel on his cap from the right side to the left.

Paul had a smile on his face the night he received his diploma. It was the first time anyone had ever seen him smile. And he had a right to smile.

It was the first time something had been given to him that wasn’t secondhand. It hadn’t belonged to someone else before being discarded to him. He had earned it himself.

Shortly after, the audience watched as his mother walked toward her son wearing a feed sack dress and the perpetual stoop in her back from hoeing too many years in a dusty field.

A twinkle could be seen coming from her dead eyes as she rubbed Paul’s diploma with her fingers like it was a bejeweled watch.

As is often the case, Paul’s classmates lost track of him shortly after graduation.

Paul moved away a couple of years later when his mother died. Some heard he joined the U.S. Army, but no one knew for sure.

I hope all of this year’s graduates are able to stay in touch with their classmates in the coming years. Believe it or not, you will appreciate your relationship more in the future than you do today.

But most of all ... don’t lose track of the Paul’s in your class.

CORBIN HOMESTEAD

The homestead that has endured the test of time

Story by Hudson Shelton

Photos by Liz Smith

Spend an afternoon perusing the museum-quality displays above Randy Humphries’ office, and you will discover a myriad of worlds colliding simultaneously. At one moment, it’s 1941 and you are on the USS Nevada reliving the horrors of Battleship Row during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The next, you are on a buggy with TM Corbin in 1915 riding through rural Alabama to provide veterinary care for somebody’s feeble livestock. If it were not for Randy leading the way, you might be overwhelmed by the rows of artifacts from extended

branches of his family tree. Fear not, however, because Randy has a method to his madness and a reason and place for every piece in his sprawling collection. He points with a grin to a carefully placed quote on the ground attributed to General George Patton that reads, “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way!”

Randy, fourth-generation steward of the Corbin Homestead, and his wife Susie, live on and work the same land that Randy’s

great grandparents, Thomas Monroe and Ella Corbin, settled on 1894 after moving their young family from the Albertville vicinity of Sand Mountain. With ambitions of becoming self-sufficient farmers and the confidence that Joppa’s sandy loam soil would make excellent farmland, T.M. went about the painstakingly arduous task of clearing the land. The family raised cotton, peanuts, peas, corn and sorghum cane while also maintaining a healthy

number of yard chickens, hogs, milk cows and mules. T.M. and Ella surely had their hands full with daily tasks around the homestead, so following the birth of their first daughter, Myrtie, in 1891, they added nine more children over the next 25 years to help delegate the tasks.

Surveying the original pioneer architecture of the homestead from the porch of Randy’s office next door, it does not require much imagination to picture

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the bustling scenes of its early days. The homestead as it looks today is exactly as it was in 1925. Originally a three-bedroom, double-pen farmhouse with a rear ell and a barn on 80-acres of land, the homestead grew over time to 120 acres with the addition of a corncrib, smokehouse, buggy and cotton house that were built, for the most part, using rocks and materials sourced from the land.

Randy still farms the land three generations before him cultivated, and heads a successful tractor parts supply business located a baseball’s throw down the road. Susie was a longtime chemistry teacher at Snead State Community College, where she developed a love for teaching students about the natural world and nurtured an interest in the diverse geological, ecological, and botanical phenomena that can be found by simply stepping out her back door. It is because of their backgrounds in education and farming that the Humphries’ felt the need to preserve their homestead and declare, “the mission of the Humphries family is to care for, develop, preserve and maintain the homestead’s attractiveness, and to stimulate interest in its historical significance for future generations.”

An old piano sits in the corner of the room waiting for somebody to sit down and play it. The items above Randy Humphries’ office tell the story of his family, his homestead and history of Joppa and Cullman County.

The Corbin White Oak

Perhaps the perfect metaphor to help guide the aimless visitor through the history of the Corbin Homestead and its complicated family tree, is the one of the Corbin White Oak that towered above the rolling hills and ranging cattle below. Estimated to have grown out of the ground from a seedling in 1864 (based on the number of rings it had when it was cut down by Randy’s father in 1962), the white oak would have witnessed every generation of Corbins to have shared its land. It would have witnessed Randy’s great-great uncle, Clyde Edmond Corbin, hugging his family goodbye before being shipped overseas to fight in Europe during the first World War. It would have also seen him return home as a hero at the end of the war, only to be stricken with tuberculosis from his time in the trenches and pass away in 1921.

A couple decades later, the tree still stood to see another of Randy’s uncles, Leon John Corbin, leave to join the Navy during the buildup of Japanese forces in the Pacific in the late 1930’s. Only this time, it did not see this Corbin boy’s return. Leon died while defending the USS Nevada during the Japanese onslaught on Pearl Harbor and was awarded the Purple Heart, which is a centerpiece of Randy’s collection. In 1941, the giant tree would have witnessed the homestead illuminated by electricity for the first time

An old Singer sewing machine, an original Home Comfort stove oven, and framed veterinary licenses rest preserved in time.

following the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority. It would have seen the fortunes of tens of thousands in the area rise from nothing with the introduction of this new energy source.

When the white oak was chopped down into fire wood after succumbing to a lightning strike, Randy felt a void from the loss of the tree. He filled this void with a sugar maple he planted in 1985 that he hopes will be around for as long, and witness as much history, as the white oak that came before it.

Inside the Homestead

The homestead’s wooden porch creeks beneath your feet as you enter through the door. Bookshelves are filled with what would have been popular reads from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An old piano rests in the corner, and you can imagine a large family sitting beside the double-sided sandstone fireplace, listening to their favorite tunes and anxiously awaiting the feast being cooked up in the

kitchen on the other side. T.M.’s veterinary saddlebag and tools still sit where they would have been dropped upon his return home from tending to an animal. An original Home Comfort oven sits in the kitchen, adorned with heavy pots and pans that would have been used at the time.

In another room, trench coats that would have been worn by Clyde in WWI and Leon in WWII hang almost perfectly intact to remind the everyday passerby of the ultimate sacrifice made by these two men. T.M. was a self-taught man in the veterinary field who took great care of the books he would use to teach himself. His veterinary licenses he earned through the years are still on display on the wall, a sign that he was proud of where he came from and proud of the family he was nurturing.

The second floor of the homestead would have been where the children slept. Several twin beds line the walls and an old Singer sewing machine has been placed in the middle of the room to show the

process of making clothes on a rural farm. An original Teddy Bear that was given to Randy’s mother, Anne, in the 1930s is perched behind a display glass with a description of its story and how much his mother enjoyed the stuffed animal.

Randy and Susie’s time owning the homestead has been one of many changes. Not modern renovations, but rather changes to restore the past. Restorations and small exhibits that help the viewer go back in time. To help them understand why people lived the way they did and why our relatives had to do the things they did in order to survive a cold winter’s night, as well as a scorching summer heat herding cattle outside. Almost 130 years after T.M. and Ella made their home on this plot of land, Randy and Susie continue to do many of the same things they did to keep the place afloat. Without children to inherit it, Randy says his dream would be for the land to one day belong to Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust or the Alabama 4-H Club. Both are groups that would preserve the land and continue to use it as a teaching tool for future generations.

In the meantime, Randy will keep hopping on his tractor every day to make his daily loop to check on his herd of cows. When I asked him how he still keeps it all running and if he ever gets tired, he replied, “How does that Tom Petty song go again? Oh, yeah! If you never slow down, you’ll never grow old!” G

The Lightning Mule Brigade:

Cullman County’s slice of Civil War history

Story by Hudson Shelton

In the spring of 1863, the Civil War had persisted for much longer than either side had anticipated, and soldiers and civilians in both North and South alike were becoming numb to the endless columns of battlefield casualties. General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia were experiencing some recent success against Union forces at Fredericksburg, but neither side felt assured of victory or even had plans drawn up for the conclusion of the war. Combatants were restless and began getting agitated as it was becoming clearer

every day that there was no realistic end in sight. Something had to be done to help shift the tides of the war, and fast.

When Union Colonel Abel D. Streight asked for permission from his superiors to carry out a raid he had devised through north Alabama, he was sure it would give the Union forces the momentum it needed to put a swift end to the war. His plan was to move his forces from their position in Tennessee, through north Alabama, and across the border into Rome, Georgia to destroy a railroad line between Atlanta and Chattanooga that was supplying Confederate armies in several theatres across the south. Streight was confident in his plan and the ability of his men, and

believed that it was his destiny to lead men into battle. “These men were prepared to take boundless risks. Their hopes and not their fears were their guides.”

Streight, who was a successful 33-year-old publisher from Indianapolis, led the raid using two armies, the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Tennessee, and went about organizing the provisions and transportation for the raid. His first move, which was due to the seasonably rainy weather, was to travel with a band of mules rather than horses, given the commonly accepted knowledge that mules could move more efficiently through rainy, muddy weather than a horse could. After procuring the necessary

Union Colonel Abel D. Streight

number of mules, Streight and his force of around 1,700 men set off on their mission. There are reports that several people they passed on the early stages of their journey were taken aback by the sight of soldiers on mules, calling them the “Jackass Brigade.”

Prepared to meet the advancing Union force was Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry Division and General Philip Roddey’s independent cavalry command made up of around 500 men, all in General Bragg’s Army of Tennessee. Forrest, a legendary cavalry commander from Memphis who became infamous after the war for his association with the Ku Klux Klan, had made a name for himself since the beginning of the war as a fierce commander who struck fear into the eyes of his opposing generals. If Streight was looking for a fight, a bitter one would be waiting on him once he entered Cullman County.

After crossing the Tennessee River on their way south on April 29th, 1863, Streight and his men were led to believe that their movements would be unmolested by Confederate forces. Little did they know, Forrest and his men were right on their trail and prepared to flank them on both sides the next morning. Forrest got the opportunity to do just that when he caught up to Streight in the northwest corner of Cullman County in what is now known as Battleground at the Battle of Day’s Gap, which saw the Confederates losses at 50 to 75 killed or wounded, to the Union’s 30. The Union also was successful in capturing two of Forrest’s prized canons. Streight continued to advance southeast towards what is now the city of Cullman, and was engaged again

by Forrest at Hog Mountain. There, he repelled several more assaults by Forrest, but Forrest regained the two guns lost earlier in the day.

Both armies continued rumbling across the hill country of Alabama towards Blount County, with Forrest hot in pursuit of Streight’s mule brigade. By now, Streight and his men were seriously lacking in sleep from their endless chase through Cullman County. Still believing that Forrest had a larger force than his own, Streight made the decision to surrender his troops at Cedar Bluff, Alabama, just a couple miles from his target, Rome.

Perhaps the most fabled part of Streight’s mule brigade and Forrest’s relentless pursuit, are the details surrounding the events of the official surrender at Cedar Bluff on May 3rd. For the entire length of the raid, Streight was under the impression that Forrest was leading a much larger force. Numbers differ from place to place, but at three times the size of the Confederates, the Union force was vastly superior in numbers. What Forrest and his men lacked in numbers, they made up for in familiarity with the land and cunning bravery. Streight

had his men lay down their arms, only to then realize that he had been duped. When he requested the opportunity to retake up their arms, Forrest laughed and replied, “Ah, colonel, all’s fair in love and war you know!”

Although spanning only one day, the portion of Streight’s raid in Cullman County was significant in that it greatly reduced the Union raider’s capacity to keep moving. With morale quickly diminishing, Streight was forced to pick up his pace, and the never-ending assaults by Forrest’s cavalry made it so that sleep was unobtainable for the Union side. Streight’s raid was ultimately thwarted, but he did gain notoriety a couple months later for escaping his imprisonment in Richmond and rejoining the fight. One of his men told him later the day of surrendering, “Cheer up, colonel, this is not the first time a bluff has beat a straight.”

The Cullman County Museum has a fantastic display dedicated to Streight’s Raid, and a drive along the ForrestStreight Route from Battleground, through West Point, and onto Blountsville gives you a great perspective on the terrain these armies covered, and the short amount of time it took them to do it.

General Nathan Bedford Forrest

THE POWER OF CIRCULATION 10,000

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The working grist mill at the Clarkson Covered Bridge is exposed by the falling leaves.

Colonel Cullmann looks out over Die Deutsche Kolonie Von Nord Alabama.

These horses live the life with this view of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament everyday.

A multi-colored train contrasts with the sky.

Lights illuminate the Warehouse District in downtown Cullman.

The Battle of Hog Mountain was an epic skirmish in northwest Cullman County.

A statue of Jesus watches over Saint Bernard Abbey.