Good Life Magazine Cullman County Summer 2023

CULLMAN COUNTY

Jimmy and Jackie Walker found their perfect Cullman “dream house”

Bankhead National Forest: Shangri-la in our very own backyard

Halene Semadeni has a lifetime of recipes she always keeps close by

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!

Left to right: Dr. Kaitlin Byerly, Dr. Kari Bartlett

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

We’ll meet you there.

On-the-go banking is a snap with the Citizens Bank & Trust mobile app.

A concert, school ball games, shopping with friends…wherever life takes you, our mobile app* means banking convenience is right there, too. Need to check your balance? Check. Deposit that birthday check you just found in your wallet? Snap, click, done. With the mobile app from Citizens Bank & Trust there’s no need to miss anything. From the latest technology to friendly bankers, you can count on Citizens to be there in a big way.

Time flies when you are having fun, and there has been plenty of fun to be had across the county this summer. Following several months of winter hibernation, Cullman County emerged from its shell and showed off its true array of colors. As you’ll see in the pages of this issue, I took this as an opportunity to explore many places I had never been before, and even found some hidden gems far off the beaten path.

If you’re looking for some good summer fun, you need not look far to find it around our area. A quick trip to Hurricane Creek in Vinemont showed me that a mere hundred yards from a modern highway, an oasis can be found tucked away that provides hours of entertainment for all ages. Bankhead National Forest, and its thousands of acres of sprawling expanse, is a wilderness wonderland for any adventurer looking to be taken back in time. A bike ride on the Duck River Trail had me drenched in sweat that required a dip in the pond afterwards for a much needed cool down. And speaking of

cooling down, the creeks and springs that carve their way through the county are perfect places to adventure and discover your own outdoor paradise.

I find myself, like so many others nowadays with cell phones, wasting hours away glued to a screen. I rarely ever feel fulfilled by this screentime, and find that more often than not it leaves me feeling sloppy and worthless. After every outdoor adventure, however, I come away with a sense of pride and appreciation for the natural world around us that is seldom felt from inside the comfort of my home. Instead of blasting your air conditioning into oblivion to try to fight this heat, pack a picnic and take a stroll into the nearest forest as an escape. After all, what did people do prior to the invention of AC…?

I keep a poem folded up in my wallet that was penned by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, titled “A Psalm of Life.” I have condensed it here from its full version, but the lines below reflect his message:

Contributors

“Tell me not, in mournful numbers, life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers, and things are not what they seem.

Life is real, life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow find us farther than today.

In the world’s broad field of battle, in the bivouac of life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!

Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.”

After reading this issue of GLM, I hope you can find some inspiration to put your phones down, even for just a few hours, and leave behind your own footprints “on the sands of time.”

Hudson Shelton Publisher

Rishon enjoys when the season changes to summer because that means the produce from her garden is fresh and ready for the picking! “I get all the tomatoes, okra, watermelon, strawberries, and peaches I can get my hands on!”

Summer time in Cullman County is heaven for foodies.

David is back and this time he is covering a hometown favorite for the first time. Look for his ‘Good Eats’ feature to see what dishes he gobbled down this summer and how it reminded him of a recent trip abroad.

Deb escapes the heat by opening up a book on her back porch and enjoying the natural breeze. She might even get a breeze from turning the pages, which is why she devours so many titles!

Hudson B. Shelton

Publisher/editor | 256-345-2968

Steve tells a story of a man he remembers fondly, whose voice over the radio waves had a major impact on local listeners. Country Boy Eddy; the man, the myth, the legend.

Catch me riding down the street with the windows down and the sunroof open, because my black Altima is not acclimating to this heat wave very well…

Hudson.goodlifemagazine@gmail.com

Rishon Hanners

Deb Laslie

Steve Maze

David Myers

Hudson Shelton

10 | Good Fun

Plenty of fun is to be had during the dog days of summer in Cullman County

16 | Good People

Ashley Wilson turned her dream into a reality and Cullman couldn’t be more thankful

22 | Good Reads

Deb Laslie reviews two books that she found were perfect reads for summertime

25 | Good Cooking

Rishon visits the home of Halene Semadeni to hear about her collection of recipes. And to taste, of course!

34 | Good Getaway

A trip to Bankhead National Forest for a day can take your mind off anything that is bothering you

38 | Good Living

Jackie and Jimmy Walker found their forever home after a lifetime of “flipping”

44 | Good Eats

Carlton’s serves up the finest summer dishes the area can offer, and we’re here for it

46 | Country Boy Eddy

Steve Maze writes about Country Boy Eddy and what made him so unique as a person

50 | The Traveling Stones

A retired Cullman County teacher finds purpose and learns a little bit about herself on a cross-country trek

55 | Cullman County prior to 1873

Who were the people that roamed these lands before the arrival of Colonel Cullmann and his German-speaking settlers?

58 | Out and About

Photos show the beauty of Cullman County during the spring and summer months

On the cover | The chilly water at Hurricane Creek Park provides a perfect escape from the summer heat waves

This page | A crop duster zips overhead outside of Holly Pond as it carries out its fertilizing duties for the day

Cullman is …

... where community takes care of community

“As home to growers and producers of all shapes and sizes, Cullman County’s agricultural diversity is second to none. Embracing our farmers keeps delicious food on our tables!”

- Rachel Dawsey, executive director of the North Alabama Agriplex, and Kira Sims, Cullman County Extension Coordinator

…where the heart is

“After moving away for college, we decided that there was no other place we would consider raising our children. The schools, safety and family values are what pulled us back.”

-

Emily and Jake Johnson, pharmacist and principal of CMS

...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.

Good Fun

Summer heats up at these local events

• August 11th

Little Farmers Farmer’s Market

The North Alabama Agriplex is holding a class for its smallest farmers. This program is for children ages 3-5 with an adult. Each month children will explore a different topic in the exciting world of agriculture through hands-on activities. For the month of August, a farmer’s market will be held where children can manage their own farm stand and use tokens to shop with other farmers. Programs are from 10-11am. Class fees are $5 per child. $10 max per

family and registration is required. Please visit agriplex.org for more information.

• August 11th

2nd Friday Cullman

The 2nd Friday summer series will wrap up Friday, August 11th in Cullman’s Warehouse District. The celebration includes live music, a car show, local retailers, arts and crafts, an assemblage of local food trucks and much , much more. Fun for all ages and one of the best ways Cullman showcases its vibrant Warehouse District and other local vendors. The event

runs from 5 pm-10 pm and more information can be found at 2nd Fridays Cullman’s FB page.

• August 10th

Cullman Library Crafternoon

The Cullman County Public Library is continuing its Crafternoon series on Thursday, August 10th at 1 pm to craft rope baskets for many everyday uses. Put your creative caps on and see what you can make with your own hands! The event is held at 1 pm and more information can be found at the Cullman Library Public Library System website; ccpls.com; or by calling 256-734-1068.

• Mondays in August Pickle-Ball Crash Course

Want to learn about the game that seems to have taken over the world in a matter of months? Every Monday night in August, the Cullman County Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism office is holding a crash course on the sport from 4:45-5:45 pm with instructor Olivia Sharpton at the Active Adult Center gym. The crash course is for all ages and the fee of $20 pays for all four sessions. “I dink, therefore I am.” Additional registration information can be found at cullmanrecreation.org.

• August 16th

Fungus Among Us

The North Alabama Agriplex is hosting a Lunch and Learn event as part of its program series for adults which teaches a variety of different skills. This event is hosted by Bill Fortenberry and is titled Fungus Among Us: Growing and Using Mushrooms. Please call ahead to reserve your seat and lunch at least 24 hours in advance. Additional information can be found at agriplex. org, or by calling (256) 297-1044 or by emailing cullmanag@gmail.com.

• September 1st

Apples, apples, apples

Put on by the North Alabama Agriplex, this program is for children ages 3-5 with an adult. Each month children will explore a different topic in the exciting world of agriculture through hands-on activities and the month of October

is all things apples. Programs are from 10-11am. Class fees are $5 per child. $10 max per family and registration is required. Participants will be picking and tasting the apples and learning the ends and outs of why apples are so fantastic. Visit apgriplex.org for more information.

•

September 3-4th Sweet Tater Festival

The 27th annual Sweet Tater Festival returns to Smith Lake Park to extend Labor Day weekend for thousands of your closest friends. Hours are 9 am-6 pm Sunday; 9 am-4 pm Monday. Admission is $5 for the weekend. Vendors will be selling arts, crafts, and food. There will be music both days, fun for the kids and the pool will be open for its last splash of the season. Need more information? Call: Smith Lake Park, 256-739-2916; or visit: www. cullmancountyparks.com; or Smith Lake Park and Sweet Tater Festival on FB.

September 9-10th Bernard Blues and BBQ

•

The 7th annual Bernard Blues and BBQ will be held at St. Bernard

Prep School Sep. 9-10th. The event features handmade art from some of the best artisans in the southeast. While shopping, enjoy live music and the best pulled pork along with ribs, hamburgers, brats and chicken. Hours are 9 am-4 pm each day and admission is a

$10 requested donation. Children under 12 are free, but no pets please! Festival guests can also tour the Ave Maria Grotto for $5 all weekend. For additional information contact festival director Joyce Nix at 256-255-5860, or by email at jnixstbernardprep.com.

Escape the summer heat at Augusta's

Escape the summer heat at Augusta's

Escape the summer heat at Augusta's

As we all know, the muggy summertime in Cullman can be unbearable at times, which is why you can find a place like Augusta’s Sports Grill serving as a quasi-watering hole for local visitors looking to beat the heat. Augusta’s owner, Deb Veres, seemed to recognize the need to open her doors during the hottest times of the day, so starting in March, Augusta’s has been serving lunch on Thursdays.

Before, Augusta’s was known for dinner-only service and opened its doors at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, but now Deb says she has an interest in possibly creating a lunchtime service all five days out of the week they are open. You might want to add Augusta’s to your list of work lunch time spots!

As we all know, the muggy summertime in Cullman can be unbearable at times, which is why you can find a place like Augusta’s Sports Grill serving as a quasi-watering hole for local visitors looking to beat the heat. Augusta’s owner, Deb Veres, seemed to recognize the need to open her doors during the hottest times of the day, so starting in March, Augusta’s has been serving lunch on Thursdays.

Before, Augusta’s was known for dinner-only service and opened its doors at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, but now Deb says she has an interest in possibly creating a lunchtime service all five days out of the week they are open. You might want to add Augusta’s to your list of work lunch time spots!

As we all know, the muggy summertime in Cullman can be unbearable at times, which is why you can find a place like Augusta’s Sports Grill serving as a quasi-watering hole for local visitors looking to beat the heat. Augusta’s owner, Deb Veres, seemed to recognize the need to open her doors during the hottest times of the day, so starting in March, Augusta’s has been serving lunch on Thursdays.

Deb excited are the seasonal cheese cakes served using fruits sourced specifically from Alabama. “My favorite is the strawberry, but the salted caramel pecan cheesecake in the fall is a close 2nd” Deb says with a smile. She has found that the cheesecakes have generated a sort of cult following amongst Augusta’s patrons.

Deb excited are the seasonal cheese cakes served using fruits sourced specifically from Alabama. “My favorite is the strawberry, but the salted caramel pecan cheesecake in the fall is a close 2nd” Deb says with a smile. She has found that the cheesecakes have generated a sort of cult following amongst Augusta’s patrons.

Before, Augusta’s was known for dinner-only service and opened its doors at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, but now Deb says she has an interest in possibly creating a lunchtime service all five days out of the week they are open. You might want to add Augusta’s to your list of work lunch time spots!

Something else that gets

Something else that gets

Something else that gets

Deb excited are the seasonal cheese cakes served using fruits sourced specifically from Alabama. “My favorite is the strawberry, but the salted caramel pecan cheesecake in the fall is a close 2nd” Deb says with a smile. She has found that the cheesecakes have generated a sort of cult following amongst Augusta’s patrons. With football right around the corner, Augusta’s is gearing up for gamedays and getting in the team spirit. With TV’s scattered throughout the grill, you are sure to find one with whichever game you prefer to watch, and a steady stream of cold beer.

With football right around the corner, Augusta’s is gearing up for gamedays and getting in the team spirit. With TV’s scattered throughout the grill, you are sure to find one with whichever game you prefer to watch, and a steady stream of cold beer.

While the brutal heat is still here to stay, drop in and enjoy a nice refreshment at Augusta’s. Deb and Team are always ready to serve you!

While the brutal heat is still here to stay, drop in and enjoy a nice refreshment at Augusta’s. Deb and Team are always ready to serve you!

With football right around the corner, Augusta’s is gearing up for gamedays and getting in the team spirit. With TV’s scattered throughout the grill, you are sure to find one with whichever game you prefer to watch, and a steady stream of cold beer.

While the brutal heat is still here to stay, drop in and enjoy a nice refreshment at Augusta’s. Deb and Team are always ready to serve you!

Thursday lunches are back at Augusta’s and the lunch crowd is taking notice!

Thursday lunches are back at Augusta’s

Thursday lunches are back at Augusta’s and the lunch crowd is taking notice!

An abundance of TV’s and beer choices make Augusta’s the perfect place to catch your preferred sporting event!

• September 20th It’s Hopping Amongst Us

Put on by the North Alabama Agriplex, this event is part of the agriplex’s program series Lunch and Learn. This event is for all adults who would like to attend a lesson on frogs and amphibians in Alabama and the role they play in our ecosystem. The lecture is hosted by Dr. Craig Guyer of Auburn University. Please call ahead to reserve your seat and lunch at least 24 hours in advance. Additional information can be found at agriplex.org, or by calling (256) 2971044 or by emailing cullmanag@ gmail.com.

• September 28th Sacred Heart German Dinner

The annual Oktoberfest German Dinner will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church’s Family Life Center from 4-7 pm on Wednesday the 28th. The meal consists of bratwurst and German-style kraut, German potato salad, green beans, applesauce, bread and dessert for

$15. Sponsored by the Women’s Altar Society. Follow signs at the church.

• September 28-30

Oktoberfest

Celebrate Cullman’s German heritage at this annual event. Enjoy a pint of locally brewed beer, have a traditional German brat, and enjoy both modern and German music throughout the festival. Register now to run the 5k/10k, or enter

your dachshund in the popular wiener dog races. Oktoberfest is a great place for the family, and the four-legged family members are always invited as well. The event takes place in and around Festhalle Farmer’s Market and the Warehouse/ Entertainment District. For a complete schedule, updates on entertainment and registration, visit Cullman, Parks and Recs Tourism office or website: cullmanrecreation. org; or Cullman Octoberfest on FB.

Ashley Wilson Curt’s Closet –From dream to reality 5questions

Story and photos

by Hudson Shelton

Asa single mother of three boys, Ashley Wilson is all too familiar with the everyday strains and pressures that go into ensuring your children are fed, clothed and well-provided for. Though always able to make ends meet as a full-time painter, bussing her boys between school, the baseball fields and every golf course within driving range of Cullman, she always kept an eye out for others who might not be as lucky. “Often times, somebody who needs a helping hand can be right in front of you and you do not even recognize it.” That’s where the idea to start Curt’s Closet originated.

It had always been a dream of hers to establish a non-profit organization that alleviated some of these struggles for families; providing clothing, shoes and other basic needs during tough times. A drunk-driving accident in May of 2017 tragically took the life of her youngest son, Curtis James Wilson, and led to what Ashley described as the darkest time in her life. With her two oldest boys away at school, Ashley prayed to God to give her direction, which is when she says the lightbulb went off in her head and she immediately got to work. Using her memory of Curt as inspiration, Ashley acted on her idea and opened the doors to Curt’s Closet’s original location in March of 2018, less than a year after the accident.

What started as a part-time adventure in 2018, has now blossomed into a fulltime, full-team effort five years on. The community’s need for the services that Curt’s Closet provides exponentially increased over the first several years, leading Ashley to recognize that more space was needed to accommodate the growing demands. In 2021, the Closet moved to its current location at 1101 3rd Avenue, in Cullman.

The mission of Curt’s Closet is to provide children ages 19 and younger with

basic necessities to help instill a sense of confidence and worthiness. The statement goes on to say, “We believe that providing children in need with clean, in-style clothing is a great start to provide confidence they need. With confidence we all can succeed at our goals, strive to better our situation and break the cycle of poverty within our community.” The non-profit also assists low income families that are experiencing emergency situations, whatever those may be.

Walking into Curt’s Closet, you are met with row after row of clothing racks holding every style imaginable. As if in a retail store, the racks are organized by color, gender, and sizes for children of all ages, easily accessible and convenient to “shop” through. The site of large trucks dropping off donations at the back door is a regular occurrence, and the team of employees and volunteers scurry back and forth inside to get everything organized and in its proper place. Alongside Ashley, Lauren Roden, Brittany Tucker, Allison Kirk, Abigail Curtis and Helen Lewis are who make the entire operation run smoothly.

Curt’s Closet accepts appointments for those who qualify, and typically tries to open up its doors to one family every hour, in order to guarantee their privacy. On average, around 350 children visit every month, with most families coming from Cullman County, but have also helped others who have visited from as far away as Gulf Shores. Each child is given a list of items they can choose off the shelves, which includes accessories and toys, and it is off to the races. Think “kid in a candy shop.”

On my visit to meet Ashley and to check out Curt’s Closet, a family was there shopping. It was a mother and her three children; a boy around 10 years old, and two little girls, who were probably 7 and 5. The boy immediately took off to look at the shoe wall, while the young girls stayed close to their mother and shot nervous glances at one another. In an instant, both

had grins on their faces, and the excitement in their eyes was palpable as they too started strategically navigating the rows of racks to find their favorites. For privacy’s sake I did not consider taking a picture in that moment, but if I had captured one of the smiles on the girls’ or their mother’s faces, I believe it would have perfectly summed up the mission of Curt’s Closet.

Ashley would be the first to tell you she could not have done this alone. Without her determination to turn her dream into a reality though, thousands of children each year across Cullman County would lose access to a vital source of basic necessities, and almost more importantly, a vital source of JOY.

1. What makes you most proud of Curt’s Closet and the impact it has made over the last five years?

“I get really excited when I see our donation and fundraising numbers increase each year. That shows that we are making a difference and people around the community are noticing. Our busiest times of the year are back-to-school and Christmas, and it is amazing to see how many items are dropped off at our loading dock, and how many people keep us in mind during these times. I also am so proud of our staff. This team of ladies consistently stays positive no matter how busy of a day we may have or how many truck loads are dropped off. Every donor, person on our board (Helen Lewis, Misti Easter, Stacy Johnson, Mallory Hall, Cathy Gray, Cindy McSwain) and member of the community who lends a helping hand, is a part of Curt’s Closet.””

2. Do you think that raising three boys as a single mother has given you a different perspective doing this type of work?

“I know firsthand how hard it can be to live pay check to pay check while trying to provide for three children. It is definitely

not easy, and was definitely a reason for why I always had this dream of starting this. Sometimes you don’t know when somebody needs a little extra hand, and I wanted to do something to provide that for those families who may be in need and don’t always feel comfortable asking.”

3. What is next for Curt’s Closet?

“It has always been dream of mine to have sports equipment and accessories as part of our warehouse. My sons are very

passionate about sports, and I know how important sports are for young children, socially and physically. But I also know how expensive sports can be and how much of a burden it can be on low income families. If a little boy wants to play baseball but doesn’t have a mitt, I want him to be able to come to Curt’s Closet to find what he needs. Our existing warehouse is filling up, so we will eventually need to add another to store all of our Christmas items. Hopefully we will have enough space then to add

4. Every donation is important, but what are some items you all prefer that most families need?

“Shoes are our biggest thing. Since we started we have probably provided over 30,000 pairs of shoes to those in need. No matter what, it is so important for children to have a pair of shoes on their feet that they can be proud of. Boxers and socks are also very important to us and are always accepted.

sports equipment.”

The shelves in Curt’s Closet’s warehouse are constantly stocked with the latest toys and accessories at the top of every child’s wish list. Rest assured, there is a method to the madness!

Left to right: Dr. Jonathan Echols D.M.D., P.C.

Dr. Ashley Holladay D.M.D., Dr. James Porter D.M.D. Dr. Perron Tucker D.M.D.

5.

What is it about Cullman that makes a place like Curt’s Closet to succeed and achieve its goals?

“The people and the sense of community. People are always asking what they can bring and how they can volunteer. Born and raised in Cullman, I always knew how tight knit the community was, but the journey of getting Curt’s Closet to where it is today has shown that to be true.”

The address for Curt’s Closet is 1101 3rd Ave S.E. They can be reached at 256735-4557, and Wish List links, drop off locations, and upcoming drives/events can be found on its website, by searching Curt’s Closet Cullman.

Our Captain Underpants elementary school boxer drive this year contributed 20,000 airs of new underwear.”

Abigail Curtis unloads a new delivery of goods, while school lunches are ready to be dropped off for summer schools.

A M O D E R N A M O D E R N

T W I S T O N

T W I S T O N

CLASSIC STYLE CLASSIC STYLE

Wardrobe Curation

Personal Stylists

Shop from Home Box Offerings In House Seamstress

Good Reads

All the Stars in the Heavens

by Adriana Trigiani

Bonhoeffer

by Eric Metaxas

Just as a blank page is eventually filled with letters in blue ink, those letters become words, which become sentences, which become the scene, which becomes the story that carries the truth.” When was the last time you saw a great movie? If you’re like me, that movie was likely black and white. Adriana Trigiani brings the golden age of Hollywood alive in All the Stars in the Heavens. The story begins with Alda, a young girl assisting other young girls “in trouble” at a convent near San Francisco. When the time comes for her to take her vows, the Mother Superior decides that Alda’s future lies not within walls, but in the greater world. Securing her a position as secretary to Loretta Young (yup, that Loretta Young), Alda is whisked into the frenetic world of moving pictures and everything surrounding that surreal world. Everything is true in the eyes of the camera. Through Alda’s eyes, however, we see not only behind the scenes but into the lives and hearts of some very familiar personalities: Spencer Tracy, David Niven,

For a girl like Alda who had been in the convent, who was trained to look within for all gratification and understanding, Hollywood with its devotion to the veneer was practically a sin.

Myrna Loy and yes, Clark Gable. As you would expect, there is high drama, great acting (and not only by the paid actors) and perfect scenes. I know you’ll enjoy this book as much as I have. Get your jammies on and settle in for a real treat.

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretense; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open. . . Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough and our honesty with ourselves remorseless enough, for us to find our way back to simplicity and straightforwardness?”

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich by Eric Metaxas. At over 500 pages this is not a quick read, but it is most thought provoking and timely. We are never too old to learn and we are never too young to learn from the past, so this biography is highly recommended for all ages who are fascinated by the back stories and events surrounding pivotal moments in history. Bonhoeffer is not merely a biography of the famed pastor, this is an exposé of the political and religious world just prior to and through World War II. Masterfully written, I was captivated at the first page. Bonhoeffer’s thoughtful insights are brought to life. His views on the church, the Christian community, and the larger more political world that he inhabited are on display via his own words and the words and actions of his friends, his colleagues, his family, and, of course, his enemies. Eric Metaxas has made Dietrich Bonhoeffer a real person to me – not just an historical figure.

I am deeply humbled by this man and am a better, certainly more educated, person for having read this book.

Good Cooking

Halene Semadeni calls Cullman home for after a lifetime accumulating recipes

Story and photos by Rishon Hanners

“Iremember saying I can take any kid they give me and give it love and good food and they will be a good kid and a happy kid. Well, that wasn’t true,” she laughs. “ If anything, I showed them there was a different way of life than what they were used to.” Halene Semadeni and husband, Paul, have lived in Cullman since 2014, choosing to move to the area from Arizona where they lived for 23 years to be closer to their oldest child, Elena.

“We were getting to the point where we felt like we needed to relocate closer to one of our kids. We started to go to Fort Worth, TX. Thank God we drove through there at rush hour one night.” She laughs, “I could not have handled it.”

Halene and Paul have 9 children, 5 biological and 4 adopted out of foster care. “People will say, ‘Now which one of these are yours?’, and I will say, ‘Well they are all mine, thank you anyway.’”

Halene and Paul participated in foster care for over 30 years during their time living in Colorado and Arizona. She says, “It doesn’t sound like much, but I think I have counted over 65 kids that we helped raise.”

Halene Semadeni poses in front of the home where all of her delicious creations come to life.

COLORFUL VEGETABLE SALAD

3 cups canned, frozen, or fresh corn

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

3 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped sweet red pepper

Dressing:

¼ cup olive and/or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 garlic clove , minced teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

In a jar combine dressing ingredients. Shake well. Pour over vegetables. Toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

“I remember how guilty I felt when I started using mixes,” Halene says, referring to boxed cake mixes, puddings, pie crusts, etc. which she never used at home until the mid-90s. “When we were doing foster care we would have as many as 9 or 10 kids in the house and you took a few shortcuts when you were feeding that many.”

Halene grew up in Nebraska. Her family led a simple life raising their own beef, chickens, and other crops. She remembers gardening and canning their own food, which she still loves, except for having to weed the garden. “It was the only thing I ever knew, so it was fine. Snow, cold winters, lots of wind and blizzards. Summers were beautiful. You didn’t even need air conditioning or anything where we were.”

Cooking was a natural and normal part of daily life, with her earliest memory being around 11 or 12-yearsold, but her true interest was in baking. “I don’t remember helping momma necessarily, I remember just cooking,” she says. “Baking is what I really started out with.”

“Donuts are one of my first memories. We lived way out in the middle of nowhere, but for some reason there was a milk service,

and the milkman would come and of course he bragged on me, so of course, I would be sure I had something baked for him, but I remember making donuts the most.”

She admits to making cake donuts topped with powdered sugar, but more fondly remembers raised, yeasted donuts topped with cinnamon and sugar or a sugar glaze. “I usually did the raised donuts so it was a long day process, letting it raise, punching it down, letting it raise. It was therapeutic, I guess. I know I did a lot of real cooking after that.”

After her dad died of a heart attack when she was 10, she and her siblings stepped up to help their mom take

care of everything. She had three older siblings (two boys and a girl) and two younger ones (a girl and a boy). She is the middle girl. She and her siblings keep in touch today and have a conference call every two weeks or so.

The girls did the house work and boys went to work and did the outside chores, but all the responsibilities fell on their mom. They wanted to help their mom however they could. “I think we girls took on the responsibility that if she was going to be outside helping with the chores then dinner needed to be ready when she came in.”

“Momma did very well, she made all of our clothes, gardening, and canning. That was just what everybody did. We never wanted for anything. I was raised on beef and potatoes, but Momma raised chickens and we butchered them ourselves. So if you wanted a steak for supper, you went to the deep freeze and got out a steak, cause we had our own beef. I can remember them separating the milk and the cream and taking the cream to town to sell and stuff like that. Back in the old days,” she reminisces.

“I don’t remember it being tough financially, Momma handled all that stuff and kids weren’t supposed to

know about it. I can remember my grandpa coming over more, and that always kind of irritated me because I thought, ‘Momma can do it. We don’t need help.’ And I still have a hard time asking for help. My grandfather told me, ‘You’re going to have to get over that Halene,” she laughs. “It was very nicely said and very lovingly said, but it didn’t work.”

She realizes looking back, how much help her mom had from the other adults in their small community and how grateful they were for it. Her mother stayed home with her youngest sibling until he was at the age to go into kindergarten, which meant when it was time for her to find employment

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 thap oil

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

1 small can diced green chiles

1-2 cups cooked and cubed chicken

1 dozen corn tortillas

1 lb grated cheese

Saute onions in oil. Then mix the first 6 ingredients and heat. Cut or tear the tortillas and stir in the mixture. Pour half the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.Cover with ½ of the shredded cheese. Pour remainder in and top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 350ºF until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted and slightly brown, about 30-40 mins.

Top with Sour cream, salsa, black olives, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions or cilantro.

the community was ready and knew what she needed.

“For some mysterious reason, the superintendent called her right before school started that year and told her that they needed a cook and if she would be interested. You know, I think that was a God thing.”

Halene remembers that their mother would ride the bus to the school with them in the mornings and then ride it back home again at the end of the day. “She always would sit at the front seat of the bus and she always had a paper sack on the way home. At that time they would let the women take home the leftovers, and it wasn’t the premade stuff that they have nowadays. It was good home-fried chicken. Momma made all of the bread rolls that the school served. She made bread till right before she died.”

Halene met her husband Paul through church. Paul and his family lived in Colorado but would take trips visiting nearby churches and one of those visits happened to be in Halene’s small town.

“He and his brother were in the Boulder area so they came up to

3 eggs

1 ½ cups clear Karo syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cup pecans

4 tbsp butter

Unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs; add the rest of the ingredients. Heat in a sauce pan until sugar melts. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 325ºF for 1 ½ hours.

our church in western Nebraska one weekend. I did not like him, but Momma invited them to stay with us, and then she invited them both to come back for Thanksgiving. She made me give up a date I had scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend because we were having company. And here we are 54 years later. I think that was a God thing too.”

Paul’s family ate pinto beans every day of the week and sometimes three times a day. He grew up in Dove Creek, CO which is the selfproclaimed Pinto Bean Capital of the World. These are the same pinto beans they use in the Semadeni household to this day. They are dry land pinto

beans, and the family swears there is a definite difference. The family still takes trips to stock up on their pinto beans each year, picking up hundreds of pounds at a time.

“Paul’s aunt gave me a recipe when we got married. She said, ‘You have to have this,’ and it was pinto bean sandwich filling. Mix it with mustard and pickle relish and he would take that to work for his lunch. I like to have a little beef in mine.” Halene jokes. Pinto beans to Paul is like beef to Halene. She attributes the difference to growing up in Colorado versus Nebraska.

“The first time I was going to show my culinary skills to my new husband,

DAILY FARE PINTO BEANS (Paul’s Mom’s recipe circa 1960)

Pick over and wash 3 cups of pinto beans. Place in a pressure cooker with 1 large clove garlic or ½ teaspoon powdered garlic, teaspoon salt, ½ cup salad oil and 3 quarts water. (Halene adds Ham bones here). Process 1 hour at 5 pounds pressure. Remove cover and simmer 1 hour over medium heat. Serve hot.

he loved rice, and so I made rice. I just made it like Momma always made it. He sat down and put rice on his plate and passed the gravy, and he put the gravy on the rice. I thought, ‘Oh!’, and when he took the first bite, he went, ‘What did you do with the rice?’ We always cooked it with sugar in it,” she grins. “So we had to come to the understanding that if I was going to do rice my way I needed to tell him ahead of time.” She chuckles. “Sweet rice was a vegetable. You had meat, potatoes, and other sides and also the sweet rice.”

Daughter Elena started the tradition of making Halene and Paul an anniversary supper which more or less stayed with them throughout the years, taking various forms with the different children.

“I think the first time she did it she was 12 or 13-years-old. She decorated, sent invitations to us, we couldn’t be in the house till it was ready. So every year we got an invitation to ‘Ye Olde Semadeni Cafeteria’, and it was in our dining room but we had to leave so she could make the meal.”

“I remember one time she had to call her grandma. The chicken was not cut up but it was dead and dressed,” she laughs, “and grandma told her on the phone, ‘cut between these two bones,’ and so she cut the chicken up and fried it.”

For their 50th anniversary in 2019, their children threw Halene and Paul a party, including their 14 grandchildren, and gifted them with a painting, done by one of their

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grandchildren, to honor the years of the “Ye Olde Semadeni Cafe”. Nowadays they make reservations and eat out to celebrate which everyone enjoys.

When the kids were still school age they would request meals like enchilada casserole and Navajo tacos; recipes and flavors that reflected their years living in Colorado and Arizona.

“When we were living in Colorado, we were close to Navajo country. I don’t know that it’s actually a Navajo recipe but we call it Navajo Tacos. We make [Indian] fry bread with chili on top of it and all of the taco toppings. That’s one of the kid’s favorites. They would ask for that a lot.”

Each year for their birthdays they would get a different cake. Halene never made the same cake for any two kids. “We went all the way from football to frogs to pizza. It was more fun for me, I think, than it was for them.”

Baking has always been important and enjoyable for Halene, and she has made sure to carry that throughout her life, and in turn has made special memories within their family.

“I like to make pies especially when we have Christmas or Thanksgiving. Our daughter, Sarah, was dating this guy,” she remembers, “and he asked what kind of food will you have at Thanksgiving so she named the usual stuff. Then she told him we’re going to have pie. Well he asked, ‘Do I get my own?’” She mentions a running joke from an old sitcom where everyone got their own pie. “So Sarah told me that and I told her to find out what he likes. It was cherry pie. I made two cherry pies; I always make two of everything. So when we got ready to eat, I took his in first and I just sat the whole pie in front of him. It was priceless. I usually make between 9-13 pies, and of course there’s a lot of us, and if they all come home we need a lot.”

Since moving to Alabama, one of the things that has made a big impression on her and her cooking are fresh Pecans, which she now exclusively uses in her pecan pie.

“To go out and pick your own pecans and crack them and put them in a pie. I had pecan pie, but

this is really pecan pie. It’s very understandable why pecans are 8 dollars a pack, but it’s worth it. I love it.”

Cullman and Alabama have grown on Halene and Paul in their years here and they have definitely made themselves at home and well-loved in their local and church communities. In retirement, Paul does wood working and Halene sews and stitches, which is a minor explanation of their talents. They also have chickens, goats, and a couple ponies, which keep them busy but are mostly for the grandkids,

Halene admits. They of course stay busy keeping up with their family, and Halene still cooks and bakes when she has more to feed than just herself and Paul.

“The green in the trees and the grass still fascinate me here. For a long time we would not walk on the grass. In Arizona you don’t have water to have grass, so if there is anything green you don’t walk on it. I really like it here, but a lot of that is due to having Elena so close.” She pauses and chuckles, “We can walk on the grass now.”

Good Life Magazine

Halene feeds one of the horses in her backyard by hand. I bet he wishes it was a slice from one of her pies.

Bankhead National Forest

Our

by Hudson Shelton

There are not many places in the United States where you can hop in your car, drive less than 45 minutes, and find yourself in a scene that feels like a land before time. For residents of Cullman County and the surrounding area, the William B. Bankhead National Forest is just that. During the dog days of summer when the heat is almost inescapable, 180,000 acres of cold springs, shaded canyons, and cascading waterfalls is music to all ears.

Situated in northwestern Alabama and encompassing parts of Lawrence, Winston, and Franklin Counties, Bankhead National Forest is one of four national forests in the state of Alabama. The forest was established in 1918 with an initial acreage of 66,000, but throughout the last century has grown in size and gained additional legal protections. Of its now 180,000 acres, the crown jewel of the forest is the Sipsey Wilderness, a 25,000 acre oasis situated almost perfectly in the center of the forest.

Becoming the first designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi River in 1975, Sipsey Wilderness is the largest and most visited wilderness area in Alabama. And for good reason. Also known as the ‘land of 1,000 waterfalls,” breathtaking scenery can be found at every turn. It was

because of this, and the temperature on the thermometer approaching triple digits, that during one of those dog days of summer, we darted for Bankhead.

My twin brother, William, and I made the decision to enter Bankhead from the northern part of the forest,

Photos and Story

in Moulton, and head south from there. We had been to the forest as young kids, but over time had forgotten many of the main landmarks and place names that we had once visited. This was an opportunity for a brand new adventure, and with over 90 miles of recreational trails designated for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATVs, and six recreational areas designated for camping, fishing, and swimming, the adventures are endless.

We took a slight detour off State Route 33 to visit our first waterfall of the day, Kinlock Falls. Not far from the road, Kinlock Falls is a 25-footwide, 20-foot-tall cascade that can be viewed from several different

perspectives. One from high on top of a bluff that has been weathered over time by the falls’ consistent flow, and another from the trailhead at the base of the waterfall. We went with a third option and took in the first-hand views going over the actual falls themselves. After the short trip down nature’s waterslide, you’re dumped in a chilly pool of water. Given the fact that at this point it was the hottest part of the day, this was a much-needed respite from the heat.

We followed a promising looking trail that led away from the base of the falls that was quickly surrounded on both sides by tall limestone canyons. Waterfall after waterfall, too many to count and ranging in

all different sizes, poured over the edges of the bluffs until their streams met that of the larger creek below. After a swim and a hike, it was time to eat. We hopped in the car and made our way to the Sipsey River Picnic Area.

The Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River is Alabama’s only Wild and Scenic River, meaning it has outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values and is in a freeflowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. From the picnic area, there are several paths to access the river. Many people like to float or canoe the river, but the current was strong enough after the rain from the day

before that we could just wade in, lean back, and go with the flow.

All it took was a short time in Bankhead for me and William to feel a sense of appreciation for the natural world that sits right on our back doorstep. As our adventure winded to a close, we found ourselves inside the imposing walls of Kinlock Shelter, a site that had been used for thousands of years by Native American tribes for solstice and sunrise rituals. The last rays of sun were hitting the top of the towering edges of the shelter and I could not help but to feel small

in that moment. After some time of introspection and quiet solace, William turned to me and said, “this is our very own Shangri-La!”

Bankhead National Forest is a fantastic getaway for nearly any age, and every adventure seeker can find something to fill their appetite within the boundaries of the forest. Please be sure to practice the principles of “Leave No Trace” by respecting the wildlife and properly disposing of any waste brought into the wilderness area. What are you waiting for? Carpe diem!

Good Life Magazine

ALL FUN ALL SUMMER

Good

Living The Cottingham-Walker House

Story and photos

by Hudson Shelton

Jimmy and Jackie Walker know what it takes to completely renovate and restore houses. Several times throughout the years they have bought and restored homes with the hope of flipping them a couple years later. As a lifelong resident of Cullman, Jackie had her eyes set on one home in particular that had been around long before she was born. Jimmy, another lifelong resident of Cullman, knew that the older the house, the tougher the remodel.

In 2020, Jackie would win after placing a phone call to the previous owner of the property. It was not on the market at the time, so Jimmy and Jackie were told to make an offer, were then met with a counter, and the very next day they were owners of the home. They were now off on their next, and final, remodeling adventure.

The Walkers were the new owners of The Cottingham-Walker House at 605 5th Street S.E. The home had been added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1978,having been built in 1904 by a man named George Bauer. Interestingly enough, George Bauer was the son of William and Minnie Bauer, who were one of the first five German families to settle in Cullman in 1873. George was born in 1874, meaning he would have been one of the first settlers born in the new city. Bauer then sold to Dr. Walter Cunningham, a dentist in Cullman who occupied the house with his wife for 40 years. It then passed from Dr. Robert Gross to Arthur Reid. William (Bill) Drinkard owned it for a short time after that and then sold it to Windfield (Bully) Moon, then to J.H. McLeroy and finally to George Benson Jr. Mr. Benson lived in the home for 40 years before selling their “dream house” to the Walkers in 2020.

Like so many other homes in and around Cullman, the 2011 tornadoes drastically altered the appearance of the property the Cottingham-Walker home sits on. According to Jackie, Mr. Benson told her at the time of their purchase that there had been approximately 28 more trees in the surrounding yards. Luckily the home had avoided any

Jimmy and Jackie Walker pose in front of the original fireplace of the home. It was left untouched during the renovation.

An antique dining table provides room for every family member during the holidays. The newly remodeled kitchen is where the feasts come together.

major tornado damage. The home sits atop the highest part of the property and rises above the streets on either side. The front porch, with its Tuscan columns and railings, offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area. “You have seen our favorite part of the house without even walking in,” Jackie says as she motions towards the front porch sitting area. “We sit out here all the time, and our friends will even come and join us.” The home also has two adjacent buildings, one of which was used as a servant’s quarters during the early 1900s and is now the garage. The other, a smaller apartment closest to the home, was used as a laundry facility due to its proximity to the well. That apartment has since been converted into Jackie’s she-shed. The well is no longer operable.

As lifelong residents of Cullman who have continued to spread their roots in the city, Jackie and Jimmy pride themselves on their knowledge of the area and its cultural heritage. “I would say that 90 percent of the artwork in this home was done by Cullman artists,” Jackie said as she rattled off a list of names including Dot Graff, Irene Abt, sketches by the previous owner, Mr. Benson, and even her own, as her work also adorns the walls. During the restoration, if the two were not able to make something work with an

existing piece of the home, they would source wood or other materials locally to keep the Cullman touch. They even brought on John and Steve Schwaiger, local carpenters with the know-how to help ensure the authenticity.

A large sunroom invites you in uwhen entering the home from the front door. All the original windows, stained glass windows, and hardwood floors of the home are still entact, along with the original fireplace and two original brass cornices over the windows.

“The previous owners of the place took care of it the right way,” Jimmy says, “of course, there are things we would have done differently if given the choice back then, but the bones of the place were very good when we got our hands on it.” Jimmy’s personal touch in the sunroom is his collection of arrowheads and Civil War artifacts which, you guessed it, were all found in Cullman and the surrounding areas.

The next room on the tour of the home is the large dining room. “One of my main requirements for buying a house was that

the dining table was large enough to fit our entire family for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter,” Jackie said, and that is exactly what they found. A farm table with a pull out children’s table underneath adds an extra six feet, if needed, when pulled out. The table dates to the late 1800s, and when the Walkers have a packed house, every seat is filled.

From the dining area back, almost every room in the house has been redone in some way or another. The two bedrooms on the bottom floor include a guest bedroom and the master bedroom that Jimmy and Jackie occupy. An old piece from the Ford building downtown serves as the backboard to their bed, and other unique collectibles such as old luggage carry-ons from Carl Stiefelmeyer and the Ira A. Watson Co. lie on top of the dresser. “Ask how many times that bathtub has been used,” Jimmy smirks as Jackie describes

an old-timey bathtub in the remodeled bathroom. “Oh hush, I love it!” Jackie snipes back.

Rounding out the downstairs is a gorgeous modern kitchen with new marble tops to match the bathrooms. The second floor of the home can be reached via the original wooden stairs, and creaks and cracks exactly the way one would expect them to. “That’s how we catch them sneaking out,” Jackie says of her grandkids. That’s because the upstairs is a kid’s paradise, and where all of the grandkids stay if a parent wants a weekend away.

If the upstairs is the kid’s paradise, the she shed is where Jackie finds her solace. “I’ve got all of my art supplies and spill over paintings that I have in here to get reframed. This is where I spend a lot of time getting organized, and when I want to get away from him, this is where I go,” she smiles. Fittingly, a fat, happy cat sits outside waiting to be let in for naptime.

Finally, the garage, which once served as the servants’ quarters, is now storage for any other antiques they couldn’t find room for in the home. Jimmy’s red Corvette has a reserved parking spot, of course, but he leaves plenty of room to allow for any spontaneous fixer-upper project he might undertake. License plates from every state and country the pair has visited through the years wrap around the top of the walls of the garage to serve as memories of good times.

Jimmy and Jackie Walker take pride in the work they have done on the Cottingham-Walker home, and know it is a never-ending process when it comes to taking care of a historic home. With a little tender love and care, the two have created a quasi-museum inside its walls to show off their love of Cullman, its history and culture. I would be surprised if there is a home more “Cullman” than the Cottingham-Walker house.

Jackie has room for all of her things in her she shed, but Jimmy might have a tough time fitting his red Corvette in there…

Carlton’s Italian Restaurant and Catering –A Cullman Staple

Cullman is well-known for its German heritage, celebrated with an Oktoberfest every fall. So it was with a raised eyebrow that Rose and I strolled into an Italian restaurant located right in the heart of this Deutsch community. And we did this fresh upon a return from Tuscany, Italia.

We quickly learned that Carlton’s Italian has a history of its own in Cullman. Carlton Stafford opened it in 1972 as the Pizza Palace, dishing up lasagna, spaghetti, sandwiches and the thin crust, heavily topped pizzas that remain Carlton’s signature pie today.

Renamed Carlton’s in 1990, the restaurant made the first of several location and ownership changes. The final one in 2009 when Dr. Harry Blaylock, a retired veterinarian, and his wife, Leslie, took ownership and recreated the eatery on Third Avenue

Good Eats

A family-friendly environment at Carlton’s is prepared for whatever may come their way.

into a historic space outfitted with furnishings salvaged from old buildings all over the country - even from Cullman’s original train depot.

We were welcomed by the unmistakable aroma of garlic, pizza and heavenly tomato sauce cooking away. Since it was our first visit, we

Story by David Myers

Photos by Hudson Shelton

decided to try all three of the fan favorites recommended by our server, Victoria. My wife’s go-to is always lasagna. She quite literally ate her way across Tuscana earlier this year one bite of lasagna at a time. A very meaty homemade tomato sauce with just the right seasoning made this dish shine. I was lucky to get a taste before it was gone.

I turned my attention to the Shrimp and Conecuh Sausage Pasta and was bowled over by the delicious combination. I could eat my weight in shrimp, but I’ve never had it mingled with Alabama’s own spicy Conecuh sausage. Penne pasta and spinach emerge in the Chardonnay reduction sauce to make a spectacular dish. I experimented a little while savoring this dish. I first scooped up a mouthful of pasta, shrimp, sauce and seasonings. Then

The restaurant offers daily lunch specials on Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The specials are dine-in only.

Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Dark on Sunday.

Blaylock’s favorite, a supreme 10-topping pizza. As if that is not enough, you can create your own calzone, including a choice of cauliflower crust.

I did the same with the sausage instead of the shrimp. Note the delicious flavor of each combination. Then go in full bore with an all-in-one. Magnificent!

The Tuscan Pasta was a close rival. Loaded with bits of chicken, mushrooms, bacon and butter, the added touch of tomato bruschetta added a subtle crunch. Mediterranean seasoning elevated the Alfredo sauce and fettucine to an overwhelming successful creation.

With individual loaves of warm, buttery garlic bread to round out the pasta, we were stuffed before the server got to tell us about the desserts. It was hard to resist homemade cheesecake as well as Cannoli – a Sicilian pastry of fried dough with a creamy filling of ricotta.

Authentic Italian fare like this is a rare find in small Southern towns, and a treat to be valued by those close enough to be regulars.

Entrees include Maine Crab Ravioli, Cheese Manicotti, Fettucine Carbonara, Chicken Parmesan, Cajun Pasta and, of course, Spaghetti. The sandwich list featured meatballs drenched in marinara sauce with Swiss cheese on a hoagie roll, a Chicken Parmesan sandwich and an Italian Sub.

It was a crying shame to miss out on the legendary thin crust pizzas sliding on to tables all around us but a belly will only hold so much. Available in three sizes, Carlton’s offers Tuscan, Mediterranean, Buffalo chicken, Hawaiian and Dr.

Carlton’s offers a nice selection of red and white wines as well as beer. We had a glass of the house cabernet. It was one I’d had before and always consider it a nice ‘house’ selection. We also ordered a glass of cabernet from “Dr. Blaylock’s Private Stock,” a Napa Valley favorite. Excellent choice, Doctor!

The beer listing includes a number of domestic, imported and craft brews.

Reservations are not taken and the restaurant does a brisk business. If dining during the traditionally busy hours, there’s the opportunity to call on your way in to get on the list for a table. Don’t forget to use charm in doing so.

Carlton’s also offers catering services. Call the restaurant to discuss.

G

COUNTRY BOY EDDY

Story by Steve Maze Photos from author’s collection

Thethree most well-known people in Alabama during the last half of the 20th century were Bear Bryant, George Wallace and Gordon Edward Burns … better known as “Country Boy” Eddy.

Instead of waking up to a crowing rooster, most television viewers in Alabama and neighboring states woke up each morning to the sound of a braying mule and a cow bell.

For 38 years, Country Boy Eddy entertained his television audiences with a song and a smile as a wakeup call at 5 am.

shows would now be ecstatic to receive a 15-percent share.

Why was he so successful? There was not a fake bone in Eddy’s body. What you saw on television was what you got. He gave local people the ability to show off their talent, or lack of it, for several decades.

He also knew his audience.

“Just remember this,” Eddy once told me, “there’s a lot more regular people out there than rich people.”

“The only time I was ever nervous on my own show was when Marilyn came on,” Eddy once told me. “She was a superstar and had a lot of people with her. She was also prettier than a speckled pup with a pearl necklace, but she was very nice and thanked me several times for having her on.”

A forerunner to “The Tonight Show’ and “American Idol”, the Country Boy Eddy Show entertained viewers with a down-home style of music supplied by local singers and musicians.

So just how successful was the Country Boy Eddy Show? At one point, his show was drawing a 72-percent share of the ratings. In other words, 72-percent of the people who owned a television were watching his show when it aired. Most current television

In other words, he knew the average blue-collar person who got up and watched his show would enjoy it more than others. And they did … and there were a lot more of them than the “rich” people.

He was genuinely surprised when people wanted his autograph or to have their picture taken with him. And even though Eddy never thought of himself as a star, stars wanted to be on his show.

Starlets such as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield visited Eddy’s show to promote their movies.

Other actors who made appearances on the show included western stars Sunset Carson, Lash Larue, Smiley Burnette, Pat Buttram and Eric Fleming – trial boss Gil Favor from the television series “Rawhide.”

Of course, many professional singers and musicians such as Chet Atkins, Roger Miller, Boxcar Willie, Emmy Lou Harris and Charlie Louvin made appearances on the show.

Even baseball great Dizzy Dean stopped in one morning, and he and Eddy sang the “Wabash Cannonball.”

As much as Eddy enjoyed his association with celebrities who were

Country Boy Eddy stands on stage with a band ensemble ahead of one of his televised shows in the late 60’s.

on his show, nothing brought a smile to his face more than the live shows he and his Country Cousins band performed while perched atop the back of a flatbed trailer throughout various cities.

“I spent half of my life on the back of a flat bed,” Eddy laughed during one of our many conversations.

Not all the stars on the show came from Nashville. In fact, Eddy was responsible for sending several of his local performers to “Music City.”

One of those was a local hairdresser who became a regular on his show in the early ‘60s. With Eddy’s help, Tammy Wynette used the show as a stepping stone to Nashville where she became a country music legend.

“Tammy was complaining how cold it was one day when we were doing a show on the back of a trailer,” Eddy told me. “I looked at her and said, ‘Tammy, you’ll never get off that flatbed as long as you stay in country music.’”

Tammy passed away in 1998.

“I had already gone to bed when the phone rang,” Eddy told me. “A newspaper reporter told me she had just passed away and wanted my reaction to her death. I was half asleep and told him to call me back in five

minutes. He was very cordial when he called back, but I was so upset I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

“I was very sad and shocked to hear of her death. I knew she had been sick, but didn’t know her condition was so serious. I felt like I had lost a close friend. My wife, Edwina, and I attended a memorial service for her at the Ryman Auditorium.”

Another energetic young lady also began her music career on Eddy’s show. She was a pigtailed banjo player from Alabaster by the name of Wendy Holcombe. Wendy performed on the show for several years and later went on to appear on “Hee Haw” and the Grand Ole Opry. Unfortunately, Holcombe’s career was cut short when she passed away from a heart condition.

“She was wonderful,” Eddy said with sadness in his voice. “Wendy was one of the greatest talents I ever saw. She was very personable and everyone loved her. It was a sad day when my wife and I attended her funeral. I thought of Wendy as my own daughter.”

Eddy also had television shows in other cities. Most people were not aware of that since they could not pick up the stations, which were out of state.

Eddy would drive up to Nashville in the early 60s and tape five shows in one day to air the following week. A young lady trying to break into country music made one of her earliest appearances on his Nashville show. Her name was Dolly Parton. Needless to say, Dolly became not just a music icon, but has gone on to numerous television and movie roles.

Eddy got up at 2:30 am to do his show that began each day at 5 am. He only missed one day in 38 years because he got iced-in at his home.

Music legend George once asked Eddy if he didn’t need a vacation. Eddy told George he was on vacation every day. The show wasn’t work to him. He loved it.

Still, Eddy decided to retire in 1995.

“My old mule, Fodder Fossil, had gotten too old to work, so I thought I better quit myself,” Eddy laughed.

Eddy still made personal appearances, but mostly worked around his 200-acre farm raising cattle and bush hogging.

The Country Boy “Eddie” set used on his show was constructed by the same gentleman who made the set for “Hee Haw.” The maker misspelled Eddy’s name as Eddie, but the set was already installed, so the misspelling remained. After Eddy’s retirement, the set was moved to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia where it is on permanent display.

On February 9, 2016, an event happened that would be life altering for Eddy. His wife, Edwina, dropped dead in front of him of a massive heart attack inside their home.

“He was lost without her,” says their son, Doyle Burns. “He never took care of himself.

My mother had always taken care of him, handled his prescription medicine, and that sort of thing.”

Eddy passed away the first part of this year. To be exact, it was on January 13. That day also happened to be Edwina’s birthday.

“Edwina was the backbone of my career,” Eddy told me after he retired. “She supported and encouraged me throughout the years, but I know she

Steve Maze is pictured here with Country Boy Eddy after a day full of adventures and stories.

went through a lot since I was gone a lot. She was not only a great wife, but a great mother.”

Eddy knew he was dying the last time we spoke a month before he passed. But he didn’t tell me, I suspect, because he didn’t want me to worry about him. Eddy never mentioned he was sick, just that he was feeling as good as he could for being 92 years old. I was shocked and broken hearted when I heard he had passed away.

“Dad wanted to go on be with my mother and the Lord,” says Doyle. “He would say, ‘I’m ready to go’, but he kept hanging on. Maybe it was because he had a great-grandson on the way.”

One thing more important to Eddy than his show was his family. He always bragged to me about his only child, Doyle, and his grandson and two granddaughters.

My dad was a self-made man,” Doyle says. “Everything he accomplished, he did on his own with no help. He only went to the third grade and my mother taught him to do math. But dad was smart business wise. He had a lot of motivation and was self-driven.”

I got to know Eddy Burns well before he passed. I have interviewed many “stars” over the years – television and movie stars, professional athletes, musicians and singers. But the biggest “star” I ever met was Country Boy Eddy.

Eddy was the most genuine and down-to-earth I have ever met. He was

also a happy person and always in a good mood whenever I spoke with him. And I was always happier and in a better mood when we finished talking.

Eddy would have loved his funeral. Several of his guest and regular performers from his show strummed guitars, tickled the ivories of a keyboard, and plucked fiddles and banjos as they sang beautiful songs in his memory.

The testimonials of his friends and acquaintances, most of whom I had never met, spoke about the same Eddy Burns I had come to know over the years. How he would gladly help anyone in need, whether in the entertainment business or not. Eddy was quick-witted, unassuming,

modest of his success, and proud to be a Christian. Like many said, he was just a regular ole country boy.

I could feel Eddy’s spirit when I attended his funeral. It may seem strange to some, but I think Eddy had a great time at his own funeral. The people he knew and loved were there for him. I know he was singing along with the performers as they played and sang. He probably gave them four rings on his cowbell … the highest rating one could earn on his show.

Eddy Burns will always hold a special place in my heart, and I was fortunate to have known him … and so was anyone else who met or knew him.

THE TRAVELING STONES

Retired Cullman

County school teacher embraces her biggest challenge

Story By Hudson Shelton

Celeste Weaver and her friend from her time at Auburn University, Linda, are not a tandem you would typically imagine seeing walking across wide open fields, or traversing makeshift paths dotting the English countryside. That’s

because both are retired school teachers, but even at their age, a lifelong dream to make the cross-country trek across England was something they could not shake from their minds. Understanding their physical limitations and realizing the need to knock this off their bucket list as soon as possible, Celeste and Linda sprang into action and got to work making their dream come true.

Born and raised in Cullman, Celeste never strayed far from her roots, as she started teaching in the Cullman County School system and found herself in the classrooms of West Point Elementary, Hanceville Elementary and Good Hope Elementary, where she concluded her final years of teaching, retiring in 2016. It was during her time as a little girl in Cullman that her wanderlust originated.

Photos from Celeste Weaver’s collection

She had just finished the book “Heidi” in class, and dreamed of visiting the Swiss Alps and other locations mentioned in the children’s book. Sitting atop a boulder on Smokes Mountain, in 1970, Celeste’s “adventure seed” was planted. “I remember it well because it was my birthday.

This was the day I promised myself I would travel to new, faraway places. I didn’t care how much it costs. I didn’t care how long I had to wait. I didn’t care what anyone said. I. Would. Do. It.” Celeste carried this seed with her through life, and it was never far away from the top of her mind.

Now retired, Celeste and Linda began laying out the itinerary and realistic expectations for their trek across England. The coast-to-coast trek would start on the western coast of England at a spot called St. Bees, and end on the eastern coast of England at a spot called Robin Hood’s Bay. In total, the trek would be 210-miles in all, with a mix of wet coastal terrain and high, mountainous terrain. With a bum shoulder and a chronic autoimmune disease, Celeste was realistic when she considered a flare up of either could lead to a premature end to their journey. With worries abound, Celeste and Linda booked their tickets, packed their bags, and set off on their adventure. “Ain’t nothin a failure ‘cept a try. And we are definitely going to try,” Linda was fond of saying.

Another quote that captures the essence of their attitude toward the journey came from the cab in Edinburgh as Linda explained to the local Scottish man what they were up to. “I think it was Helen Keller who said, ‘life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.’ Our plan is to spend whatever time we have left in this world in a daring adventure – either going into one, coming out of one, or right in the middle of one. Young man, we are going out in a blaze of glory!”

It was never Celeste’s intentions to write a book about the pair’s travels, but after compiling her thoughts and taking extensive notes during their daily treks, Celeste, with the nudge of her family and friends, decided to give it a go. Thank goodness she did. Using anecdotes from her time growing up as a girl in Cullman and also from her time teaching, Celeste’s book “The Traveling Stones: A Memoir of an Aging Hiker’s Walk Across England, from a Rural Alabama Perspective” is a pleasure for anybody from the area with a similar sense of wanderlust to read. Through Celeste’s perspective, the reader is taken to far away places with names such as Ennerdale Bridge,

Celeste Weaver smiles from ear to ear as the miles of her journey tick by.

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Weaver stands in front of the sign marking the beginning of her hike at St. Bees, on the western coast of England. There were times throughout her trek when she had self-doubt, but she reassured herself by just taking it one step at a time.

Rothswaite, Ingleby Arncliffe, Great Broughton and Blakey Ridge, and made to feel like you are actually there on the trek alongside these two women.

Celeste also extensively logged the people the pair met, and the lively conversations they had with the locals that resonated with her. She says, “I enjoyed this trip because it is one where you are able to slow down. We were never in any rush, and were always sure to strike up conversations with anybody and everybody along the way.” The two created friendships they could have never imagined before taking their leap of faith.

At the end of the novel Celeste shares a simple list of some of the lessons she learned from her journey and how the coast-to-coast adventure changed her life. It includes tidbits such as “you can get by with less than you think,” and, “when you are at the end of your rope, you can always go a little further.” These are lessons Celeste still carries with her today as she splits time between her new home in Texas with her husband, Lucas,

and visiting her three grandchildren, who still live in Cullman.

When asked if she would still consider doing the trek a couple years later, she does not hesitate in saying yes, and even mentions that she has plans to tackle similar treks in the future. She concludes, “Whatever it is that brings you joy, go do it now. Don’t put it off. Don’t let fear keep you from stepping out of your comfort zone. Sometimes

A map illustrated by Celeste lists some of the place names and resting points they visited on their month-long journey.

Signs led the way along the 210-mile hike, but oftentimes the pair found themselves winging it to get from one stopping point to another. The C2C trek will be designated as a national trail by 2025.

fear doesn’t go away, and you just have to do it scared. The consolation is that it only takes one small step at a time.”

“The Traveling Stones: A Memoir of an Aging Hiker’s Walk Across England, from a Rural Alabama Perspective” by Celeste Weaver, is now available on the Amazon storefront in paperback, hard cover and ebook: https://www.amazon. com/Traveling-Stones-Memoir-CelesteWeaver-ebook/dp/B0BTJBFCFT. The Cullman County library also has several copies on hand.

Cullman County prior to 1873

A map of Cullman County from the year 1902 provided by the Alabama Department of Archives and History shows the present day borders of the county following the annexation of Hanceville on its southern border. Cullman County is the second youngest county in the state of Alabama.

Story by Hudson Shelton

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of the town of Cullman by Colonel Johann Gottfried Cullmann in the year 1873. The story of Colonel Cullmann, and that of the first group of German speaking families he recruited from Cincinnati in April of that year to settle his newly purchased plot of 349,000 acres, is well-documented. The newfound settlement was so successful in its first couple of years that it was necessary to establish a new county, which also took the name Cullman, in 1877. In a short matter of time, Cullman County had risen into an economic and agricultural force to be reckoned with in north Alabama, and across the rest of the state.

A feature story on the history of Cullman since 1873, and a celebration of its 150 years will run in the fall issue of GLM. This issue, however, will focus on the people and places that made up the land that became Cullman County prior to the German settlement and its influx of settlers. Who called this place home? Where did the occupants gather to worship, go to school, and buy the materials needed for their homes and farms? The boom time of the 1870s followed on the heels of decades of hardships faced by previous settlers while tilling and taming the land.

Exact numbers of inhabitants and exact locations of post offices, farms, markets, etc. prior to the German settlement of modern Cullman County,

are tough to pinpoint due to the loss of land deeds and other important records over time. In fact, many of the records needed to verify crucial details were never handed over when a majority of the county was carved out of Blount County in 1877. Because of this, modern historians have differed on how they give credit to settlers prior to the German colony, and what, if any, impact they might have had on the make-up and culture of present day Cullman County.

Native Americans

Long before any white settlers called Cullman County home, Indians from tribes such as the Creeks, Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws frequented and inhabited the land consistently for thousands of years. Ask any artifact hunter about arrowheads in the area, and they will tell you one will not take long to find along the county’s many creek beds. Indian artifacts dating back nearly 14,000 years have been found in areas along the Sipsey and Mulberry Forks of the black Warrior River and in the Ryan’s Creek watershed, along with several other locations. In his book “Before the German Settlement of 1873: The Land and People that Became Cullman County” Cullman County historian Gaylon Johnson says, “In this area there was a plentiful water supply which sustained life and provided fish for food. As the Indian developed farming and a resulting partial dependency thereon, the fertile bottoms along these streams furnished the fields for which he needed for farming.”

After Andrew Jackson defeated the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend in

Native American artifacts found in the area are on display at the Cullman County Museum. Creek beds like the one below would have been perfect fishing and hunting grounds for Native Americans.

1812, 3/4ths of the modern boundary of Alabama was opened up for settlement. By 1816, the Remaining part of the state, including modern day Cullman County had been bought by the United States government from the remaining tribes and was now part of the public domain. As the Indians began moving their possessions from their ancestral lands following the signing of the treaties, white settlers jumped at the opportunity to claim the fresh, fertile river bottom lands.

Cullman County Pre-Civil War

The time period following the removal of the Indians and preceding the start of the Civil War, like so many other areas across the United States, was marked by periods of booms and busts, peace and then turmoil. The hill country of north Alabama was not known for its large plantations, and was more suited to the growing of foodstuffs such as corn, beans, potatoes and stock.. Besides a couple large agricultural plantations within the present borders of Cullman County, the land was divvied up amongst many smaller, scattered farms. As a result, according to the censuses of 1850 and 1860 the slave population of Blount, Walker, and Winston Counties (from which Cullman County was carved) was never higher than 6% of the population. Because of these factors slavery as an aid to agriculture did not take on in this area like it did in counties across the southern half of the state and the Tennessee Valley to the north.

A juvenile network of roads began to pop up to try to connect the many isolated farms and communities. These roads were vital to the early development of the area as Johnson describes, “Turnpikes pierced the wilderness and led the small farmer to markets where he could sell his crops and cattle. The road system gave the area access to the outside and assisted in the development of the area’s economy.” Throughout the years, settlers were able to utilize these newfound means of transportation to organize community gatherings, establish new postal routes to facilitate commerce, and increase access to educational opportunities and religious groups like never before.

Cullman during the Civil War

The commonly held belief that Cullman County was a barren land with few settlers and economic activity prior to the arrival of the Germans came about due to the effects the Civil War had on the land and its people. Due to the few number of slaves in the area, citizens of the counties in the hill country were deeply divided on whether they were going to secede from the Union or join their fellow Alabamians in declaring war against the north. In fact there were serious discussions held amongst the nonslave owning population in the area to combine with others in southeast Tennessee and northeast Georgia to create a new state by the name “Nickajack.” Of course this never came to fruition, and Cullman County found itself in a war for its survival.

Present day Cullman County saw limited combat action during the war, but raids and pillaging forces from both the north and the south wreaked havoc on the land. Cattle and draft animals were almost nonexistent by spring of 1965, and the social and religious life that had taken hold over the previous four decades in the area was essentially wiped out. Deeply rooted animosities took hold following the war based on the loyalties different groups showed to the separate governments during the war. The area licked its wounds until the Germans arrived nearly a decade later.

Something to consider is that one out of three men who fought in the Civil War from the area were dead by the end of it, and of the ones who survived, many had packed up their families and their belongings and headed out west in search of a better life. The early settlers in the area made due with what they had and were in the process of creating a solid social structure before the onset of the Civil War saw everything that was built, come crashing down. Since the earliest inhabitants nearly 14,000 years ago, the area that is now Cullman County has been constantly evolving and adapting to meet the times. Even now, a certain level of grit and determination is needed to work the land we call home, and Cullman County has a reputation for doing just that.

This cabin in the woods would have looked like ones constructed in the earliest days of settlement in the area. Pioneers were in search of more productive land to grow their crops.

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CULLMAN COUNTY

The bloom of a mountain laurel rests on top of a partially submerged stone in Hurricane Creek Park after what must have been a white-water journey.

A man-made stack of rocks is dwarfed by the towering canopy of trees in Hurricane Creek Park in Vinemont.

The shade from the Clarkson Covered Bridge and a

cool water of Crooked Creek below could be of use in this summer heat.

Did you know, Colonel Cullmann bestowed money upon his death to lower the L&N tracks through the center of town in order to reduce noise and pollution?

California received all the coverage for its wildflower super bloom earlier this year, but did anybody else see the burst of color in Cullman County?

dip in the