no'ala shoals september/october 2013

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Eat Like a Man/Live Like a Man | Game Day Gear | Soles4Souls: Changing Lives from the Ground Up

2 | NOALAPRESS.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013

Member FDIC, Any payments made between the date your fi rst auto debit payment is made on a qualifying loan and December 31st of that same year will be included in calculating the initial February 28th annual payout. If there are insuffi cient funds in your checking account to make any payment when scheduled, you will be ineligible for the cash back program during that program year. Any late payments or events of default (as defi ned in your Promissory Note and/or other loan documentation) during the year disqualify you for that year’s bonus. Your checking account must be open and your

auto debit active on February 28th to receive the cash back credit into your checking account. The cash back incentive applies to all new or existing, checking accounts and any consumer or commercial installment loan with a maturity date of at least one year that is opened on or after 6/22/2012. There is no minimum balance requirement to obtain the cash back incentive. Maximum cash back amount per individual is $500. Please see a Personal Banker for minimum balance requirements on Bank Independent’s checking accounts. Interest rates and APY’s** for checking accounts vary. Please see a Personal Banker for details. There is no minimum balance to earn the APY. All rates are effective as of date quoted. Fees may reduce earnings on the account. Any non-interest bearing checking

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 | NOALAPRESS.COM | 3

8 » September/October 2013

60FASHION TO DIE FORChillingly beautiful fashion in some of the Shoals’s mosthaunted locations.

PHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMANPRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWART

Am

and

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apm

an

42CALLING THE SHOTS WITH RECE DAVISFrom Muscle Shoals toESPN, Rece Davis gives us the play-by-play ofhis journey as one of America’s favorite sportscommentators.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE

92MAKING A DIFFERENCE,FROM THE GROUND UPAbraham and Susan Rowetraveled to Guatemala with Melissa Bain andSoles4Souls and came back with some inspirational photographs and a new perspective.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEEPHOTOS BY ABRAHAM AND SUSAN ROWE

33EVOLUTION OF THE MAN CAVEThree unique spaces thatany man would love to callhome.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEEPHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

© ESP

N IM

AG

ES

82AMANDA IN WONDERLANDAmanda Chapman is a girlwho loves Halloween—andit shows.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSONPHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMANAND EVAN TIDWELL

20BE A MAN (OR AT LEAST EAT LIKE ONE)We’ve grilled up some of thebest tailgating recipes anycarnivore would be proud tosink their teeth into.

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

YOU LOOKLIKE YOUJUST SAW A GHOST

ON THE COVERThe Bernauer farm (andtruck) in St. Florian providedthe idyllic setting for our fall picnic. Accessories were furnished by The FrenchBasket.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 | NOAL APRESS.COM | 9

September/October 2013Volume 6: Issue 5

• • •C. Allen Tomlinson

Editor-In-Chief

David SimsCreative Director

Contributing WritersAmy Collins, Sarah Gaede, Debra Glass,

Laura Anders Lee, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson,Molly Tomlinson, Will Whaley

Contributing PhotographersAmanda Chapman, Patrick Hood, Ian McCalister,

Danny Mitchell, Abraham Rowe, Susan Rowe, Evan Tidwell

Marketing Coordinators/Advertising SalesHeidi King, Myra Sawyer

Features ManagerClaire Stewart

Business ManagerRoy Hall

Graphic DesignerRowan Finnegan

InternWill Whaley

• • •No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press

PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 256-766-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106

Toll-free: 800-779-4222 Web: www.noalapress.com

Standard postage paid at Florence, AL.A one-year subscription is $19.95for delivery in the United States.

Signed articles reflect only the views of the authorsand do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible forthe content of their advertisements.

© 2008-2013 ATSA, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence toAllen Tomlinson, Editor,

at the postal address above, or by e-mail [email protected].

Letters may be edited for space and style.

To advertise, contact us at:256-766-4222, or [email protected].

The editor will provide writer’s guidelines uponrequest. Prospective authors should not

submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query theeditor first.

No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inkson 100% recycled paper.

Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Mag

10 » contents

S H O A L S• • • • •

14 CalendarEvents for September-October 2013

54 Check It OutBook ReviewsBY FLORENCE-LAUDERDALE LIBRARY

72 MarketGame Day GearBY CLAIRE STEWART

90 KudosBY LAURA ANDERS LEE

102 The VineArgentine WinesBY AMY COLLINS

104 Food for Thought“Trick or Treat—Old-School Style”Baking up some meringue ghostsBY SARAH GAEDE

108 Back Talk“Do You Have Any Superstitions?”BY CLAIRE STEWART

112 Bless Their Hearts“You Can Go Home Again”BY MOLLY TOMLINSON

114 Parting ShotBY DANNY MITCHELL

82 Evan Tid

well

Autumn in North Alabama is marked by a kick-off at oneend and holidays at the other, and is pretty much about threethings: football, outdoor activities in cooler weather, and foot-ball. Wait, have I mentioned that one already?

Whether you like football or not—or even understand it—youcan’t help but notice that it is sort of an obsession in Alabama.For those of you who can’t wait to see how your college teamwill do, there’s a lot for you in this issue: you’ll meet Rece Davis,from Muscle Shoals, a man you probably already think you know because you seehim on ESPN. We’ll show you some “Man Caves,” where other lucky men gathertheir friends to watch the games, and we’ve put together some recipes that will giveyou something to chew on while you’re cheering on your team. (With a borrowedPrimo Grill from The Grilling Room, we personally prepared everything you’ll seein this issue, and then ate it to make sure it was good. I can’t tell you it was healthy,but it was insanely delicious.)

For those of you who are football-challenged, there are plenty of other things to readabout—and do—this fall. We’ll tell you a few ghost stories and show you some beau-tiful fashion. We’ll introduce you to Amanda Chapman, who loves Halloween somuch she transforms herself (and others). You’ll even take a trip with Abraham andSusan Rowe as they work with Soles4Souls, a wonderful organization that’s makinga lot of difference. There’s a lot of variety this time!

Muscle Shoals has long been known as the “Hit Recording Capital of the World.”We are also becoming known as the fashion design center of the world, as more andmore attention is brought to our community because of the work of designers suchas Billy Reid and Natalie Chanin. On September 28, music and fashion will merge ina special presentation called “Red Rhythm Runway,” at the Marriott Conference Cen-ter in Florence. It’s a fundraiser, but it’s so much more than that—an evening ofcelebration of the talent here in our area, a fusion of fashion runway and a concertof Muscle Shoals hits, sung by Muscle Shoals musicians. Yeah, yeah, Alabama playsOle Miss that night, but if you want an alternative to the gridiron, cook up thatbacon-wrapped sausage thing and leave it for the guys in the man cave. Join us at theRunway for an evening you won’t forget.

Enjoy the shorter days, the beautiful colors of fall, and War Tide. Or however thatgoes. I hope your team wins!

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 11

Now Through September 13Art Works 2013Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-3:00pm; $5 adults, $3 students, and free on Sundays; Tennessee Valley Museum of Art;511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0533; ttvaa.org

Now Through September 20Nancy Bartmess: A JourneyMon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for theArts, (256) 760-6379; florenceal.org

September 2 Labor Day Coon Dog Cemetery10:00am-4:00pm; Free; (256) 383-0783; facebook.com/coon-dogcemetery or colbertcountytourism.org

Labor Day Celebration9:00am-5:00pm; Free; Spring Park; (256) 383-2758; colbertcountytourism.org

September 6First Friday5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com

September 7First Saturday3:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; (256) 247-9449; visitflorenceal.com

September 6-8 Mars Hill Celebration Show Choir7:00pm Friday and Saturday; 2:00pm Sunday; $10 available at theMars Hill Bookstore or at the door; Norton Auditorium at UNA;(256) 762-1785

September 8Miss Tennessee Valley4:00pm; Admission charged; Guillot University Center at UNA;(256) 381-6143; misstennesseevalley.org

September 13-14Oka Kapassa Native American Indian FestivalFri 9:00am-2:00pm; Sat 10:00am-9:00pm; Free; Spring Park; (256) 383-0783; okakapassa.org

September 14Second Saturday at Jack-o-Lantern Farm9:00am-2:00pm; Free; Garage Road at TVA in Muscle Shoals; (256) 386-2335; jackolanternfarm.com

September 17-22North Alabama State FairTues-Fri 5:00pm-midnight; Sat-Sun noon-midnight; Admissioncharged; (256) 383-3247; northalabamastatefair.org

September 20CASA Golf Tournament1:00pm; Admission charged; Twin Pines Golf Course, Russellville;(256) 765-0041; lauderdalecasa.org

September 21-22Trail of Tears Motorcycle RideThroughout the weekend; Free; Florence and Waterloo; (256) 740-4141; visitflorenceal.com

September 25UNA Writers’ Series with Sherri Graves Smith11:00am; Free; Guillot University Center at UNA; (256) 765-4238;una.edu

September 26-October 4The Ritz Presents Fox Fire7:35pm; Admission charged or season tickets for $60; 11 W. 3rd St.; Sheffield; (256) 381-8370; ttvaa.org

September 28Red Rhythm Runway6:30pm; $65 reserved/$50 general admission; All-star band featur-ing Jimmy Hall and Shawna P, with fashions by Alabama Chanin,Billy Reid, and Marianna Barksdale; Marriott Shoals ConferenceCenter; (256) 536-4700; rrrunway.com

September 29 Through OctoberSusan Weil & Jose Betancourt: BlueprintsMon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-3:00pm; $5 adults, $3 students, and free on Sundays; Tennessee Valley Museum of Art;511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0533; ttvaa.org

October 2-31Art Expressions: Shoals Artists Guild Exhibition Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for theArts; (256) 760-6379

October 3-6Shoals Theatre Presents Night of the Living Dead Thurs-Sat 7:00pm; Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Shoals Theatre; 123 N. Seminary St.; (256) 764-1700; shoalstheatre.org

October 3-19Arx Mortis Haunted AttractionThurs-Sat 7:00pm; Admission charged; Old Graystone Manor Siteat 4051 Hwy 72, Killen; arxmortis.com

October 4First Friday5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com

October 5Deadwood Hollow Zombie 5K and Undeadly Dash10:00am; From $35; Mobile St and Wilson Park in Downtown Florence; deadwoodhollow.com

October 5First Saturday3:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; (256) 247-9449; visitflorenceal.com

October 12Littleville Fun Fest8:00am; Free; Bluegrass music, fireworks, and arts-n-crafts; Littleville City Hall, 1810 George Wallace Hwy; (256) 332-3567

October 11-13UNA Homecoming Weekend

October 11UNA’s Jack Karnes Memorial Golf Tournament8:00am and 1:00pm; Admission charged; Blackberry Trail GolfCourse; 112 Club House Dr; (256) 765-4201; una.edu

UNA Homecoming Pep Rally9:00am; Free; Athletic Field by Flowers Hall at UNA; (256) 765-4201;una.edu

October 12UNA Homecoming Parade11:00am; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (256) 765-4201;una.edu

October 12UNA Homecoming Game6:00pm; Admission charged; Braly Stadium; N. Royal Ave in Florence; (256) 765-4201; una.edu

14 » calendar

Continued page 16

16 » calendarUNA’s Old Skool Homecoming Bash10:00pm; $10 in advance and $15 at the door; the Mane Room at310 N. Pine St.; (256) 765-4201; una.edu

Second Saturday at Jack-o-Lantern Farm9:00am-2:00pm; Free; Garage Road at TVA in Muscle Shoals; (256) 386-2335; jackolanternfarm.com

October 13Reflections of Time and Place2:00pm; Admission charged; von Suppe’s Light Cavalry Overture,Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1, withguest artist Scott Holshouser; Norton Auditorium at UNA; (256) 765-5122; una.edu

An Afternoon with Author Skip Tucker2:00pm; Free; Discuss Civil War espionage thriller Pale Blue Light;Florence-Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. Wood Ave.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org

October 15Connect with the Past: Exploring Family Genealogyin the Civil War2:00pm-4:00pm; Free; Florence-Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. Wood Ave.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org

October 19Downtown Rogersville Fall Festival10:00am; Free; Heritage Park; Chili cook-off, antique cars, live music, and children’s activities; (256) 247-9449; rogersvillealabama.com

Alabama Renaissance Feast7:00pm; Admission charged; Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum; (256) 740-4141; alarenfaire.org

October 20Spies, Scouts, Partisans, and Guerillas with Joel Mize2:00pm; Free; Florence Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. WoodAve.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org

October 21-31Arx Mortis Haunted AttractionDaily at 7:00pm; Admission charged; Old Graystone Manor Site at4051 Hwy 72, Killen; arxmortis.com

October 22UNA STEP Show7:00pm; $9 in advance and $10 at the door; Norton Auditorium at UNA; (256) 765-4948; una.edu

October 24Downtown Tuscumbia’s Fall Festival 5:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Main and Sixth streets; (256) 383-0783; colbertcountytourism.org

October 26History and Haunts Trolley TourSat 4:00pm and 6:30pm; Admission charged; Cold Water Books;(256) 383-0783; colbertcountytourism.org

October 26-27Alabama Renaissance FaireSat 10:00am-6:00pm; Sun 1:00pm-5:00pm; Free; Wilson Park,Downtown Florence; (256) 740-4141; visitflorenceal.com

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

18 » scene

First Southern Bank W.C. Handy Festival Kick-Off PartyJULY 19, 2013 FLORENCE

Brandi and Billy Hammock

Will Calhoun, Acker Rogers, and Jim Bishop

Jason Simmons, Anna Simmons,and Doris Montgomery

Chip and Teresa Rasch

Doris Montgomery andJoseph Niedergeses

Evan Woods and Carson Richey

Judy Rogers and Debbie Rogers

Liza Beadle and Henri Hill

Jane and Roger Haddock

Heather Hammond, Robin Lomenick, and Martha Aldridge

MaryJustice Lucas

Ann Marie Russ, Tim Russ, and Jack Johnson

Billy Darby and Charles Young

Susan Attencio andDewanna Grace

Nikki Snipes, Kristy Clopton, James Noland, and James Snipes

Sydney Templet and Ava Grace Jones

Photos by Claire Stewart

20 | NOAL APRESS.COM |SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013


PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD » TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON AND WILL WHALEY

(or just eat like one)Fall in Alabama is a social time. We tailgate, we grill, we picnic; we invite friends over to share.

No’Ala gathered recipes for easy-to-prepare items that can be easily grilled and can feed acrowd. No claims are made about health benefits (for example, just about everything here

requires a healthy dose of bacon), but we can personally attest to the taste. These are delicious!

22 | NOAL APRESS.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013

(or just eat like one)

CHEW ON THISThe world’s most expensivedrink is the HenriIV Dudognon Heritage CognacGrande Cham-pagne, costingabout $1.9 milliona bottle.


Ingredients

• 15-20 jalapeño peppers• 1 lb sausage• 1 block cream cheese• 1 package of thick cut bacon• Honey BBQ sauce (optional)• Toothpicks

Instructions

Brown sausage & drain. While sausage isstill warm, mix with cream cheese. Place mixture in 1 gallon Ziploc bag.

Wash jalapeño peppers & cut in half (top to bottom), remove membrane and seed.

Cut a bottom corner out of Ziploc bag andsqueeze sausage/cream cheese mixture into pepper halves.

Wrap each pepper with half a slice ofbacon secured with toothpick.

Cook on grill at 350 degrees, indirect heat(Shane prefers apple or cherry wood forsmoke). Poppers are done when bacon iscrisp. You can finish these with a sweet orhoney BBQ sauce the last 5-10 minutes ofcooking.

STUFFED JALAPEÑOPEPPERSBY SHANE TERRY

GRILLED FLANK STEAKAND BLACK BEAN TACOS

WITH QUESO FRESCO, PICKLEDONIONS, AND JALAPEÑOS

BY CHEF JEFF EUBANKS, CITY HARDWARE, FLORENCE



Cuban-Style Black Beans• 3 cans black beans, strained• 1/2 yellow onion, quartered• 2 cloves garlic• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped• 1 tomato, quartered• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

Spice Mix (for Black Beans)• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar• 3 tbsp chili powder• 2 tbsp ground cumin• 1 tbsp black pepper• 1tsp white pepper• 2 tsp onion powder• 2 tsp granulated garlic• 1 tbsp oregano• 2 tbsp paprika• 4 cups chicken stock

In a food processor or blender, puree yellow onion, garlic cloves,cilantro, tomato, chipotle pepper, and red wine vinegar.

Add puree, black beans and spice mix to a 2 quart sauce pan overmedium high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmerand reduce liquid by 1/3.

Pickled Onions and Jalapeños• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced• 1/2 cup orange juice• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar• Juice of 1 lime• Juice of 1 lemon• 2 tbsp sugar• 1 tbsp kosher salt

Put the sliced jalapeño and a red onion in a 1 pt jar with thejalapeños on the bottom.

In a sauce pan, bring the remaining ingredients to a rolling boilthen remove from heat. Pour boiling pickling liquid over onionsand jalapeños to fill the jar. Let it cool to room temperature, thenput the lid on and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferablyovernight.

Flank Steak Marinade• 1.5-2 lbs flank steak• 1 cup lime juice• 1/2 cup olive oil• 1/2 cup chopped fresh garlic

Add all ingredients to a Ziploc bag and refrigerate/marinate for 3hours. After 3 hours, remove from Ziploc bag and pat dry.

Flank Steak Seasoning• 2 tbsp kosher salt• 1 tbsp granulated garlic• 2 tbsp chili powder

Season flank steaks with seasoning and grill on each side 2 minutes on a hot grill for medium rare.

Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly on an angle, against the grain.

While steak is grilling, heat up corn tortillas on top rack of grill until warm and pliable.

To assemble tacos:Spoon on black beans, lay strips of flank steak over beans, crumble queso fresco, pickled onions, and jalapeños and top with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

26 | NOAL APRESS.COM |


CHEW ON THISAt this year’sannual 4th of Julyhotdog eatingcontest in SanJose, California,Joey Chestnutbeat his ownrecord by eating69 hotdogs, con-suming more than20,000 calories injust 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sausage• 2 lbs thick cut bacon• 1 lb cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese• 1 bottle BBQ sauce • 1 jar BBQ rub

Instructions

Make a 5x5 or 6x6 bacon weave, season with BBQ rub.

Fry remainder of bacon and crumble.

Pat out two pounds of sausage over bacon weave, cover with cheese and crumbled bacon. Top with BBQ sauce.

Roll the piece into a log and secure roll with toothpicks.

Smoke on indirect grill or smoker at 225 degrees until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

Baste log with BBQ sauce the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

BACON EXPLOSIONOR “THE FATTY”BY SHANE TERRY



TEXAS TACO DIPBY JT AND ALYSON RAY

Assemble, Bottom to TopLayer 1: 2 cans of refried beans.Layer 2: 1 cup of mayo, one cup of sour cream, and one package of taco soup mixLayer 3: 1 jar of guacamole dip (or fresh avocados, mashed)Layer 4: 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheeseLayer 5: 1 can of chopped tomatoesLayer 6: A layer of green onionsLayer 7: A layer of black olives, sliced

Serve with dipping chips or tortilla chips. Garnish with cilantro(optional).


CHEW ON THISDenny McNurlenholds the recordfor eating theworld’s biggeststeak—or at least most it. He finished 155ounces out of the205-ounce “BigKahuna,” served atAJ’s Steakhouse inGrinnell, Iowa.

GOUDA AND BACONSTUFFED PORK TENDERLOINBY SHANE TERRY

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1-1/4 lbs)• 5-6 pieces thick cut bacon

(cooked and chopped)• 3 oz. of smoked Gouda (grated)• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley• 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper• 1 tsp olive oil• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Set up grill for direct/indirect heat, 350 degrees (you can do this by puttingcharcoal on only one side or using one side of gas grill).

Butterfly the pork tenderloin and pound itslightly to thin it out. Top with the gouda,bacon, parsley, and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Roll the pork tenderloin up and tie withtwine or toothpicks.

Rub tenderloin with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Place over direct heat 2-3 minutes eachside until brown, move tenderloin to indirect side of grill and cook until internaltemp reaches 145-150 degrees (about 35-45 minutes). Remove tenderloin and letit rest 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.


GRILL TO THERESCUETHE PRIMO KAMADO GRILL just might be the perfect outdoor kitchenappliance. Its dual chambers allow precise control and make even the outdoor novice look like a chef.

($795) The Grilling Room, Florence


Your BizHub Watchdog

(256) 464-0010

If you’re interested in controlling costs withoffice equipment solutions for almost anybusiness challenge, call me. We’re the specialists, because we’re the watchdogs.—J.T. Ray

450 Production Avenue, Madison, AL 35758


EVOLUTION OFTHE MAN CAVE

Guys used to sneak away to a basement or garage with a comfy recliner andremote control for voluntary solitary confinement. But today’s man cave hasevolved into a multi-purpose room for a guy to share with his friends and fam-ily and express what he loves in life. Whether it’s hunting, rolling the dice, relivinga vacation, or just watching some good old-fashioned football, today’s man caveis the ultimate way to escape. We peeked inside some of the area’s coolest spacesto share a few ideas with you—just in time for kick off. (Continued)

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD » TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEE AND WILL WHALEY

PHARMACY OWNER KEVIN ARNOLD’S MAN CAVE IN SPRING VALLEY is old-fashioned,Southern, and classic—”it never goes out of style,” he says. When Kevin and his wife Leahwere building their Southern Living Idea House in 2007, they wanted a home for enter-taining their family and friends. Set in the countryside among rolling hills and pastures,the grand home features a man cave that reflects the Arnold’s lifestyle of entertaining,hunting, and watching Alabama football.

Kevin and his wife Leah, who are originally from Cullman, have a love for history and fam-ily heritage. Honoring his late grandmother Bernice Bailey, Kevin displays an antique pianoand pew from Evergreen Methodist Church in Danville, where his grandmother attendedas a child. Kevin brings more historic flair with a pressed tin ceiling and an antique bar fromReclaimed Wood in Hartselle, which they had to lower into the basement with a cranebefore the rest of the house was built. “You could say the house was literally built aroundthe bar,” Kevin laughs. He also proudly showcases Nick Saban-signed Sports Illustrated cov-ers and old pharmaceutical bottles, which his customers have shared with him from VillageDiscount Drugs and West Point Pharmacy. The Arnold’s man cave includes a pool table,guest bedroom, and bathroom, which come in handy during storms, and there’s even aseparate shower for their two-year-old lab Moses. But perhaps the best of all are the tro-phies from each of the Arnold’s hunting trips, which include an African deer, Yukon elk, anda Canadian caribou. But don’t give Kevin all the credit. His wife Leah is a sharp-shooter, too.

A HUNTER’S DENKEVIN ARNOLD, SPRING VALLEY



CHANGES IN LATITUDEDENNY WINTERS, FLORENCE


IT’S ALWAYS SUMMER INSIDE DENNY WINTERS’ MAN CAVE. Denny and his wife Mercylove entertaining, whether it’s hosting a carefully-planned fund-raiser or an impromptuneighborhood gathering. When the couple isn’t at their Indian River home, they lovevacationing at the beach. So that’s why they’ve recreated a little tropical vacation inDenny’s man cave, and they’ve extended an open invitation to friends and family who areknown to drop by almost every night of the week. “You know, they come over, rehash theday, have a drink, and try to solve the world’s problems,” Mercy says. Their guests also liketo participate in Triathlons, which consist of pool, foosball, and darts.

Do-It-Yourselfers, Denny and Mercy transformed the basement themselves. Walls are asbright and warm as the couple’s personality. Mercy painted most of the art, and Dennyis responsible for all the handiwork, and for discovering some unique pieces like an oldRC Cola sign. While Denny tiled the floors himself and installed the ceiling, his mostimpressive work is perhaps the bar, which he made himself with wood and old tin andthen topped with 2,800 bottle caps, collected from various parties and brought back fromfriends during their world travels. Of course every good host also provides cold beer andgreat food, so there is always beer on tap in the kegerator and oftentimes a friendly com-petition like a rib cook-off. Denny’s next project is building a kitchen. “He makes gumboand makes the biggest mess so I want him out of the upstairs,” Mercy laughs.


FOR RUSTY ALEXANDER’S MAN CAVE, IT IS VIVA LAS VEGAS! As a builder and owner ofAlexander Modern Homes, Rusty loves thinking outside of the box and says his “lake-modern” house on Wilson Lake in Muscle Shoals was his most challenging project to date.The property is special to Rusty because it’s where he grew up. “I’ve lived here my wholelife, literally on this spot,” he says. Rusty and his wife Lisa bulldozed two older homes tobuild their dream home—built with three containers of stone—which has since won aBALA award, a national recognition from the homebuilders association.

With five grown kids, Rusty and Lisa love taking semi-annual trips to Vegas, but whenthey’re home, they still want plenty of quality family time. That’s why the couple is re-creating a casino, complete with gaming tables, contemporary furniture, and modern artlike a Murano glass sculpture that seems to drip from the ceiling. To further set the mood,the couple has installed chic lighting like George Nelson saucer lamps and a sophisti-cated sound system that plays the Wynn Las Vegas’s soundtrack. The Alexander house isdivided when it comes to college football (Lisa is an Auburn fan, and Rusty pulls for Ala-bama), but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying the Iron Bowl on their 144-inchprojector screen TV. Perfect for watching multiple games, three more televisions aremounted above their bar.


HIGH ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVERRUSTY ALEXANDER, MUSCLE SHOALS


TEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESPN


© ESP

N Im

ages


Rece Davis is the envy of every sports fan. He gets paidto watch football and basketball and then talk about it for hours on end. And what’s more enviable aboutRece is that he’s just a good ol’ regular guy. He’s a loyal son and husband, and he’s a dedicated father of two,attending his daughter’s dance recitals and his son’s baseball games. (In fact, he took a break from his son’stournament in Peachtree City, Georgia to give No’Ala a call for this interview.)

While Rece has climbed the ranks at ESPN to become one of America’s favorite sports commentators, heremains grounded by his Southern roots. He grew up with what many might consider to be Alabama’s holytrinity: church, family, and college football.

“I was the kid who not only played every season, I was the kid who loved watching everything,” Recerecalls. “When I was a kid in elementary school, a college athlete would be on TV maybe five times overthe course of two years. Fans now would think that was unthinkable. I would hit the radio dial just rightso I could listen to the Braves each summer. It created a romanticized version of sports. You have to lis-ten to the broadcast and paint the picture. You have to imagine what the field looks like. I had such apassion for it. It clicked something within me.”

Rece played basketball and football for Muscle Shoals High School, where he graduated in 1984, and heeven tried walking on to the University of Alabama’s basketball team, but when that didn’t pan out, hedecided to go into sports broadcasting.

Above: Davis on set at ESPN’s head-quarters in Bristol,Connecticut


“I loved college football and college bas-ketball and wanted to be part of it,” saysRece. “While I might not have beengood enough to be on the field, it’s greatI found another avenue where I could bethere.”

In college, when Rece spoke of being abroadcaster on ESPN or another bignetwork to peers and professors, manyreacted with skepticism, and as Recesays, “they were trying to save me fromwhat they thought was an unrealisticdream.” But his parents were different.

“He (my father) and my mother alwayssupported me and told me to dream big,to not let people tell me I can’t dothings,” he says. “That was instrumentalin my career.”

Rece’s mother Janice passed away 11years ago, but his father, Jerry, still livesin Tuscumbia and is retired from TVA.

After college, Rece landed a job as asportscaster for WRBL in Columbus,Georgia, where his soon-to-be wifeLeigh was working in sales. A Georgianative, she had attended Auburn andthen Troy, so the two bet on the IronBowl game in 1990. Alabama beatAuburn 16-7 in Gene Stallings’ debutseason for the Crimson Tide.

“The loser had to buy or provide the other with a steak dinner,”Rece recalls. “I was very grateful to Gene Stallings that the hotshot ad exec picked up the tab for the poor broadcaster.”

The pair later married and moved to Connecticut, by way ofDetroit, to ESPN’s headquarters, where Rece is a college bas-ketball and football studio host and SportsCenter anchor. Butfame hasn’t gotten to Rece. The couple has instilled theirSouthern values, their faith, and their sense of family in theirchildren.

“My kids have Connecticut on their birth certificate but they’reSouthern by blood,” Rece says. “Our kids were sort of greetedwith raised eyebrows because of the ‘yes sir, no sir’ thing.”

Besides their Southern manners, Rece’s children have inher-ited a love for sweet tea, Dreamland Bar-B-Que, andChick-fil-A, which Rece says they hit as soon as they land inAtlanta. And like their parents, the Davis children have grown

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As a senior at MuscleShoals High Schoolin 1984, Rece Daviswas a schoolreporter and varsitybasketball player.


up loving sports. Rece’s son has fol-lowed his mother’s allegiance toAuburn, while his daughter remains aloyal Alabama fan. “My wife and sonwent with me to the Auburn/Oregonnational championship; my daughter isan Alabama fan and wanted no part ofthe trip. I’ve taken my daughter to watchAlabama play in the NIT in basketball.”

But these days, Rece is rarely allowed tobe a fan. You probably won’t find him ina No. 15 cap cheering “Roll Tide.” As asports broadcaster for ESPN, he mustput his job above his allegiance to hisalma mater, something that many die-hard fans—whether Alabama orAuburn—cannot fathom.

“A fan never has to look at it through aprism of objectivity, but we are asked tolook through a prism of fairness,” saysRece. “I don’t think it’s as hard as peoplethink because you do it for a living. Youdevelop relationships and friendshipswith people from other schools. Ilearned this when I worked in Colum-bus. It’s not a bunch of guys in orangeand blue…they are good people. StanWhite is a good guy. You develop rela-tionships with them. You humanizethem.”

“Will Friend, the offensive line coach atGeorgia, played at Alabama, but his jobat the SEC championship last year wasto beat them. You have a great affinityfor Alabama, but you have a job to do.There is no person alive who does thisjob and doesn’t care about their team,but you want to do the job first.”

Of course being married to an Auburn fan has probably helped prepare Rece to befair on game days (if he wants a place to sleep at night), and Rece also credits hisfather for always being a level-headed, practical fan.

“Dad enjoys the games for what they are—he keeps it in really good perspective,”says Rece. “If all of the sports fans were like my dad, there would not be any messageboards, and there would just be games. But of course, having a deep-rooted passionkeeps it fun, as long as fans don’t go overboard. That’s why we can put 100,000 peo-ple in stadiums across the country.”

As Rece was growing up in the 70s and 80s, watching a game on television was arare treat, while today’s sports fans have 24/7 access through dozens of sports chan-nels and social media outlets. Rece, who has almost 150,000 followers on Twitter,finds this challenging.

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Above: Davis covering the 2010 Rose Bowl, BCS ChampionshipGame—The Univer-sity of Texas vs Alabama.


“It’s always nice when people tweet, especially when it’s com-plimentary,” he says. “But anonymity comes with thatkeyboard, and it’s not always nice. When those momentscome, it’s challenging not to fire back. I pause before I hit send,good or bad.”

“One tweet I found wildly amusing was after the Olympicswhen Bolt won the gold medal for the 100 meter,” he adds. “Itweeted, ‘but could he really get behind an SEC defensive back?’You would not believe the avalanche of people who thought Iwas serious. My son and I really got a kick out of that.”

Rece and his son may joke around together, but they are seri-ous when it comes to his future.

“My son’s an aspiring baseball player—he’s a high school player,and he’s really good,” Rece says. “I’ve told him ‘I don’t know ifyou can play in college or in the major leagues, but if you don’tbelieve you can do it, then you definitely can’t do it.’”

It is this drive, this confidence that has set Rece Davis apartfrom other regular guys…well, that and his pocket squares.

“I will say this about pocket squares,” Rece laughs. “My friend’sgrandfather had a quote that I like to say. ‘Nine out of 10 mendon’t wear pocket squares, and you don’t want to dress likenine out of 10.’”

I loved college football and college basketball and wanted to be part of it.While I might not have been good enough to be on the field,

it’s great I found another avenue where I could be there. —Rece Davis

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48 » scene

Above: Chapeaux Black Tie BallMARCH 16, 2013 TURTLE POINT YACHT & COUNTRY CLUB

Below: Rogers & Rogers Gallery Grand OpeningJUNE 28, 2013 ROGERS & ROGERS, FLORENCE

David Thomas and Rod Slusher

The Chapeaux Board Bob and Gina Bailey

Terry and Susanna Wylie

Jo Ann Thomas and Glenda Oldham

Marcy Olberholzer and Sandra Scarborough

Haley and Ryan Rogers

Tariq Mix, Ryan Rogers, and Ford SmithTiffany Franks, Asheton Winborn,

and Haley Rogers

Whitney Tomlin, Christi Smith, Ford Smith,Catron Williams, Tariq Mix, and Jeremy Rogers

Jeremy Rogers

Ronnie Gilchrest, Vickie and Mike Dotson,and Elise Gilchrest

Deborah Darby and Dina Ba'albaki

Tommy Mathis, Gene Brown, and Shan Jefferys

The gallery

Ford Smith, Haley Rogers,and Jeremy Rogers


50 » scene

Coaches vs Cancer Champagne and Diamonds Ball 2013AUGUST 10, 2013 MARRIOTT SHOALS CONFERENCE CENTER

Alyson Ray and Jeannie Rogers

Barry and Denida Cox withMelissa and Peter Sorrentino

Chuck Gaputis, Libby Jordan,and Kelli Gaputis

Evon King and Layven Cofley

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Ken Shepski

Todd and Didi VardamanDeb and Bill Atchleyand Pat Slusher

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Derek and Bethany Gober

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Candie Bell and Jerry James

Photos by Patrick Hood


© Patrick H

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CONGRATULATIONSGLENDA BUTLER

BEST DRESSED, COACHES VS CANCERCHAMPAGNE AND DIAMONDS BALL

Chris, Glenda, and Ira ButlerPhoto by Danny Mitchell

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Witch Childby Celia ReesJuvenile FictionCall Number: JF-REE(In Juvenile Fiction Section)

This time of year calls for at least one goodscare, and Celia Rees delivers a new twiston the old witch hunt tales, with a starkrealism that’s sure to chill readers to thebone. In 1659, 14-year-old Mary is forcedto flee from her home in England to thepromising but unfamiliar land of America.After the public execution of her grand-mother, Mary takes an agonizing tripacross the Atlantic Ocean in the companyof Puritans seeking religious refuge. Thebook follows Mary’s voyage, as sheattempts to survive in this unfamiliarworld that always seems to misunderstandher intentions. Despite the fact that thenew colonists have abandoned their for-mer homes in England in search ofreligious freedom, religious intoleranceand paranoia are still rampant in the NewWorld.

Mary’s secret diary entries lend this haunt-ing tale a feeling of authenticity that willgive readers a fresh look at this particularlyhaunting time in the colonial history ofAmerica. With only scant mention of thesupernatural, Witch Child employs thevery real fear and widespread paranoiathat began the practice of witchhunting, and it examines theshocking effects of religiousintolerance. (Hali Black)

The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley’s Masterpiece by Roseanne MontilloAdult NonfictionCall Number: 823.7 MON (In New Arrivals Section)

In the introduction to the 1831 edition ofFrankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus,Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley referencesconversations between her husband PercyBysshe Shelley and Lord Byron: “variousphilosophical doctrines were discussed,and among others, the nature of the princi-ple of life, and whether there was anyprobability of its ever being discovered andcommunicated…Perhaps a corpse could bere-animated…perhaps the componentparts of a creature might be manufactured,brought together, and imbued with vitalwarmth.”

In The Lady and Her Monsters, RoseanneMontillo provides sketches of Shelley’s lifeand European travels with Percy Shelley,Lord Byron, and Byron’s physician JohnPolidori. She brings to life the macabre andbizarre world of late 18th and early 19thcentury galvanism, resurrection men(body-snatchers), and the attempts by sci-entists of the day to reanimate corpses. Allof this stands as the backdrop to the1817 writing competition in Switzer-

land that resulted in Shelley’s anonymouslypublished Frankenstein.

Along the way, this well-written, fascinat-ing book treats us to a delightfully ghoulishexamination of real-life “mad” scientistssuch as Alessandro Volta, Luigi Galvani,and Giovanni Aldini, and body-snatcherssuch as William Burke and William Hare.A fun read! (Lee Freeman)

A House Divided by Kimberla Lawson Roby Adult FictionCall Number: F-ROB (In New ArrivalsSection)BCD-ROB (In Books on CD Section)

Fans of the Reverend Curtis Black Serieswon’t be disappointed in this latest install-ment. Curtis and his wife Charlotte’s happylives are turned upside down when theirson Matthew’s longtime girlfriend, Rac-quel, becomes pregnant. Now, Matthewmust focus on fatherhood instead of hisstudies at Harvard. While Charlotte isexcited about becoming a grandmother,tension builds between her and Racquel’smother, Vanessa.

Charlotte pretends to put thesedifferences with Vanessa aside

for Matthew. In actuality, sheengages in deceitful tactics to

play a more vital role in hergrandson’s life. For

instance, she manipu-lates Vanessa’s

husband, who hasfallen in love with

54 » check it out » Florence-Lauderdale Public Library

Fall Picks Ian McCalister


Charlotte. Meanwhile, Pastor Curtis Black receives anonymousmessages vowing to punish Curtis for his secular past. He is left toponder who could want to undo everything he’s worked for andwhat part of his past has finally caught up with him.

This power-packed book has all the elements of a murder-mysteryand includes most of the seven deadly sins. Just when you thinkthe Black family has gone too far, they continue to push the enve-lope. They truly find themselves in a house divided, but will faithbe enough to see them through? (Debra Gore)

The Ocean at the End of the Laneby Neil GaimanAdult FictionF-GAI (In New Arrivals Section)

The best kind of magic is the kind that doesn’t seem like magic atall—more like something you almost believe you could do, too, ifyou knew how, or like something you used to know how to do along time ago before you found out it wasn’t possible. The Oceanat the End of the Lane is about that kind of magic. It’s also aboutcats, the powerlessness of being seven years old, monsters, and thethings monsters are scared of, days that can be snipped apart andsewn back together differently, memories you never completelyforgot, and an ocean the size of a pond that can also fit in a bucket.

In the simplest terms, it’s about a man who remembers being aboy and defeating the thing pretending to be his nanny with thehelp of a girl named Lettie Hempstock from the farm at the end ofthe lane; but like Lettie’s ocean, it’s much bigger beneath the sur-face. (Falon Yates)

Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, and Gerry AlanguilanAdult FictionF-WAI (In Adult Fiction Section)

Superman: Birthright tells the well-known origin story of how aKryptonian is sent to Earth, develops powers, and becomes asuperhero. We all know the basics of the story, but Birthright pro-vides fresh outlooks on these familiar characters. For instance, thebook’s funniest surprise is that Martha Kent has become an alienconspiracy theorist (her chat username is “Area 52”). This detaildeviates from tradition, but it makes perfect sense for a womanwho pulled her baby out of a spaceship.

Birthright’s Clark Kent is a young man you can both identify withand admire. He enjoys his powers but also feels their burden, andhe has a core of decency that leads him to help people however hecan—whether it’s through his powers or his role as a journalist.His conflicts with Lex Luthor, whose intellect makes him feel asalien as Clark, highlighting the idea that goodness is a choice. Sim-ilarly, Lois serves as the moral center for the story’s journalisticethical conflicts.

This modern, character-driven take on Superman’s origin was amajor influence for the film Man of Steel. Keep an eye out for linesand images that were directly lifted from Birthright. (Jennifer Butler Keeton)

56 » scene

Above: Edsel Holden Presents: “In the Mood”JUNE 9, 2013 SHOALS THEATRE, FLORENCE

Below: The Healing Place Charity ChampionshipJUNE 23, 2013 TURTLE POINT YACHT & COUNTRY CLUB


Betty Burdine, Mary Garner, Robert andJudith Rausch, and Barbara Mabry

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PHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMAN » TEXT BY DEBRA GLASS » PRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWARTHAIR AND MAKEUP BY KAYLA MITCHELL


Pickett Place

“One of Florence’s oldest houses,now known as Pickett Place, on Seminary Street, was built in 1833,by Thomas J. Crow as a weddingpresent for his new bride. Rumorsabounded that one of the Crow slaveswas beaten to death on the stairs.The Pickett family purchased thehome in 1886. Of their nine children,only three daughters survived untilmaturity. One married Charles Pat-ton, son of Alabama GovernorPatton. A February 22, 1907 article inThe Leighton News titled “FLO-RENCE HAS SPOOKS” told ofwitnesses who saw three spirits in thehouse, including a soldier in gray, awell-dressed man, and a slave. Othersdescribed seeing a woman dressed inblack gliding through the rooms. TheL. D. Buchanan family, who ownedPickett Place at the time, was so trou-bled by the spirits, they sold thehouse and moved out. The PickettPlace ghosts are much quieter now.Perhaps they enjoy the activity fromthe many elegant receptions whichare now held in the historic home.”

—Debra Glass

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Winston Home

“The Winston home, on the campus of Deshler High School inTuscumbia, was built by Judith andWilliam Winston in 1824. OnNovember 22, 1874, Judith Winstonclimbed up onto the widow’s walkatop the house to discover a violenttornado headed for Tuscumbia andher beloved home. The tornadostruck before she was able to escapeto safety, and she died hours later inthe front bedroom. In 1948, thehouse was converted to be used asthe campus for Deshler School, andsince that time, students and staffalike have experienced encounterswith the spirit of Mrs. Winston. Sheseems friendly for the most part, butis very particular whenever the houseis booked for a wedding and isknown to be quite active until shereceives a personal invitation.”

—Debra Glass

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Wesleyan Hall

“Mr. Noel Glasscock asserts that Shermanoccupied Wesleyan Hall during a period oftime in 1863. Florence natives offered Sher-man the use of Wesleyan in return for nodamage to the city. While Sherman washere, the weather was hot, so the Uniondrummer boy, young Jeremiah Wilson,decided to take a swim in Cypress Creek nearwhere the Wildwood Park Road bridge isnow, about one mile west of the city. He doveinto the shallow water and either broke hisneck or drowned. When his body was found,it was brought back to Wesleyan Hall whereit lay in state until it could be shipped back toOhio by train. Dr. Gary Green claimed thaton some nights, the stairs would creak andmoan as if unseen footsteps were ascendingthem. Sometimes, wet footprints could beseen leading from the door to the stairs. Oth-ers have seen the ghostly image of a youngboy clad in wet clothes, wandering the dark-ened halls of Wesleyan at night.”

—Debra Glass

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Trowbridge’s

“The Trowbridge’s restaurant hasbeen a downtown Florence institu-tion for nearly a century, but theghost story stems from the housethat was there long before the 1918restaurant was established. An ante-bellum home stood on the site whichbelonged to the Stewart family. Aftersuffering a wound at the Battle ofBull Run, young Charles Daniel Stew-art, who’d served as color bearer forthe Lauderdale Volunteers, wasbrought home where he soon passedaway. He was buried in the Stewartplot at the Florence Cemetery, but nostone was laid to mark his grave.Employees at Trowbridge’s beganseeing the spirit of a young man inthe restaurant, so in 2001, theDaughters of the Confederacyacquired a grave stone for Stewart,and a full military honors funeral washeld for him in the Florence Ceme-tery. It seems everyone attended thefuneral except Charles, for his spiritis still very active at Trowbridge’s.Perhaps he enjoys the orange pineap-ple ice cream far too much to leavethe historic café.”

—Debra Glass

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About Debra Glass

Debra Glass is theauthor of more thanthirty-five books ofhistorical and paranormal romance,non-fiction, youngadult romance, andfolklore. She holds a

M.A.Ed. with emphasis in history from theUniversity of North Alabama.

She lives in Alabama with her real-life hero, acouple of smart-aleck ghosts, and a diabolicalblack cat.

For information about the Skeletons in the

Closet series or Debra’s Haunted History ofthe Shoals Ghost Walk tour, visit www.DiscoverTheShoals.com


Wakefield

“Wakefield, a historic house in downtownFlorence, was built for Parthenia McVaySamples by her new husband James. Parthe-nia was the daughter of Alabama GovernorHugh McVay and her brother owned theadjoining property to the north on CourtStreet. In 1828, Parthenia died in childbirthwith the Samples’ second child and wasburied in the McVay cemetery located inwhat is now the Florence Industrial Park.Within a few months, James Sample remar-ried Susan McVay, Parthenia’s younger sister.From that time on odd things began to hap-pen at Wakefield that were generallyattributed to Parthenia. James and SusanSamples left Florence for Verona, Mississippiin the 1830s, and every subsequent owner ofthe house has reported the presence ofParthenia. A previous owner, Mrs. BillieGlenn, said she enjoyed tea with Partheniaoften. The descendants of Parthenia andJames Samples, Margaret Robbins andDorothy Shawn, confirm the facts surround-ing this story and have visited Wakefield.Both women claim to have felt the presenceof their relative while there.”

—Wakefield Owner

72 » market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

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74 » market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

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76 » scene

Above: Grogan Jewelers VIP Grand Opening NightJUNE 6, 2013 GROGAN JEWELERS

Below: Dale’s Steakhouse Grand Opening PartyJULY 8, 2013 DALE’S STEAKHOUSE, FLORENCE

Tina and Alan Neil

Ryan and Haley Rogers and Tommy Mathis

Katie Cockrell as Marilyn Monroe

Tina and Jeff Johnson

Michael and Sharon Brummitt

Lisa and Jeff Schneider, and Jay Klos

Cynthia and HaroldHughston

Willie Thompson and Carrel Daniel

Kay and Judge Pride Thompkins

Al Thomas, Buddy Brooks, and Marie Lewey

Sheila and Steve Pierce

Barksdale Klos, Anna Peck, and Jay Klos

Laura and JoelHamner

Sydney Brooks and Sharon Brooks

Karen Gruber, Candy Parkhurst, and Marvin Gruber

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80 » scene

Above: Handy Meet & Greet With Rocco Prestiafrom Tower of Power

JULY 26, 2013 COUNTS BROTHERS MUSIC, MUSCLE SHOALS

Below: Bohemian Bop Pop Up ShopJUNE 28, 2013 INDIE SPACES, FLORENCE

Rocco Prestia and Will McFarlane

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I’m Dr. Lee Nichols. As an orthopedic surgeon, total hip and knee replacements are a primary focus of my practice. Having completedmy residency at the world-renowned Campbell Clinic, I have the training and expertise to perform state-of-the-art joint replacement

surgery locally. Many people are under the impression that they have to go to Huntsville or Birmingham for these surgeries. That is notthe case! In addition, joint replacement surgery requires multiple doctor visits, which require travel time which is not always convenient.

This is a great place to live - that’s why you, your primary care physician, and I all chose to live here. This is also agreat place for your total joint replacement surgery. If you are a candidate for a total hip or knee replacement, you

have a choice. Make it local — make it Shoals Orthopedics. Our quality care is available to you, night and day,right here at home!

Dr. Lee Nichols, Shoals Orthopedics & Sports MedicineTwo convenient Shoals locations to serve you:

• 426 West College Street, Florence • 203 West Avalon Avenue, Suite 230, Muscle Shoals

256-718-4041


Amanda Chapman(left) transformsBrandi McGuyer intothe Queen of Hearts.



OR HOW A SHOALS PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTIVATEDA COMMUNITY WITH HER MAKEUP MAGIC

TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY EVAN TIDWELL AND AMANDA CHAPMAN

Photo by Evan Tidwell


Amanda Chapman is modest.“I’m not a professional makeup artist,” shesays. “I’m just a girl who loves Halloween. Alot.” A photographer and stylist, Amanda hasa keen eye for detail, so when she designs herHalloween costume, it becomes a labor oflove—and it is exquisite.

Sometimes, it’s hard to decide what to be.Last year, Amanda decided to create a differ-ent look every day in October, and shephotographed herself after each makeup ses-sion and posted the results on Facebook. Theresults varied between fantasy—charactersfrom Alice in Wonderland or other works offiction—and macabre. The most amazingpart was her total transformation; sheseemed to melt away and become her subject.

Amanda’s 1,600+ Facebook followers weredelighted. Every day, Amanda disappearedand what took her place was delightful, cre-ative—and sometimes scary. “I had morethan one person tell me they decided on theirHalloween costume based on somethingthey saw me do,” she says.

Because of her skill, No’Ala magazine askedAmanda to take a family of three and trans-form them for the holiday. The McGuyerfamily, Carter, Brandi, and daughter Zoie,were willing volunteers. Amanda decided totransform them into characters from Alice inWonderland, using costumes and foundobjects from her own closet and from thewardrobe rooms of several local theatergroups. It took a lot of basic white pancakefoundation to provide the backdrop for thepainted faces, but “all three McGuyers werepatient and willing subjects,” says Amanda.The McGuyer family disappeared, and whatreappeared was a cast of characters directlyfrom a Tim Burton movie, complete in everydetail from Brandi’s heart-shaped lips,Carter’s tall top hat, to Zoie’s mouse. If thisfamily appears at your door this Halloween,you might be too fascinated to offer themtreats; instead, you might decide to invitethem inside for a tea party.

Amanda’s owns Amanda Chapman Photog-raphy and has a growing wedding photobusiness. It’s obvious that she has an artist’seye for detail, and it’s very clear that she’s agirl that just loves Halloween. A lot.

AMANDA CHAPMAN’S“31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN”In October of 2012 Amanda created one makeup look eachday and photographed the results. She posted these por-traits on her Facebook page. Here are a few of her favorites.Above, clockwise from top left: An interpretation of a “SugarSkull” (Calaveras de Azúcar) from the Mexican celebration,“Day of the Dead,” or All Souls Day; a classic zombie; theMad Hatter from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; a Na'vicharacter from the film Avatar. The real Amanda Chapman ispictured at left.

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Because You’ve Always Cared...

...and Still Do.Since 1992, families in the Shoals have turned to Hospice of the

Shoals when a loved one requires hospice care. We were thefirst hospice in the area, and remain the only not-for-profit.

Turn to us because you care...and so do we.

256-767-6699www.hospiceoftheshoals.org



Right: The McGuyer family, after theirtransformation into the characters fromTim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Above:The McGuyers: Carter, Zoie, and Brandi.

THE MCGUYERFAMILY GETSTHE CHAPMANTOUCH


“I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUPARTIST. I'M JUST A GIRL WHO LOVESHALLOWEEN. A LOT.” —AMANDA CHAPMAN

PAYING IT FORWARD

Bank Independent’s 27 North Alabama branches and NucorSteel Decatur teamed to create the Oklahoma Tornado ReliefFund, raising more than $23,000 in gift cards for victims of theMoore, Oklahoma tornado. Nucor Steel employees personallydelivered the gift cards to Moore’s city hall. Bank Independ-ent President Macke Mauldin said, “two of our own employeesrecently shared their personal stories of loss and rebuildingfrom the April 2011 tornadoes here in our area, so we under-stand that both the tragedy of losing your home and thegenerosity of folks who pitched in to help are things not easilyforgotten.”

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Marsha Carter of Florence High School was named the 2013National Teacher of the Year by the American Association ofFamily & Consumer Sciences at its 104th annual conferencein Houston. Carter was recognized for her family and con-sumer sciences program at FHS, which includes the seniorpathways project, culinary classes, and travel and tourism

classes. In just five years,she has grown the programfrom 13 students to morethan 100, helping to expandtheir career options anddevelop their job-readyskills. Joann Wissinger,president of Alabama’sAAFCS affiliate said Carterwas deserving of the awardbecause of her creativeteaching methods, hands-on activities, enthusiasm,and motivating personality.

If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor, or colleague—or even toot your own horn—send your kudos to [email protected].

BEARER OF GOOD NEWS

Marie Waxel of WAFF-TV Channel 48received a 2013 Alabama APME Journal-ism Excellence Award. The AlabamaAssociated Press Managing Editorsawards honor superior journalism andinnovation among newspapers, radio, tel-evision, and online media. Waxel washonored for Best Hard-News Feature for“Kyle Camp Kept Warm By Puppies.” HerOctober broadcast told the compellingstory of a 10-year-old boy with Down Syndrome from Hack-leburg, Alabama who had been lost in the woods for more than18 hours and survived from the body heat of four puppies. Theheart-warming story received national attention.

ACCOUNTABLE PARTNERS

Abroms & Associates has electedHeather Kilpatrick and Kayla Hoof-man as shareholders of theFlorence-based accounting firm. Kil-patrick, who joined the firm in 2002,earned her CPA certification in 2007and specializes in multi-state corpo-rate, partnership, and individualtaxation as well as accounting and tax-ation of investment partnerships. Sheholds an associate’s degree from Kil-gore College in Texas and a bachelor’sdegree from UNA. Kayla Hoofmanjoined the firm in 2006 and passed theCPA exam in 2007. Her areas ofexpertise include individual taxationand governmental audits, sub-chapterS corporation and partnership taxa-tion, multi-state corporate andindividual taxation, and compilations.

She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Mur-ray State University in Kentucky.

Florence High School graduate Rohit Borah received $2,500from the National Merit Scholarship Program, the highest ofany of the 32 scholars from Alabama thisyear. A pianist, community volunteer,class favorite, and AP student, Rohit wasranked 8th in his class with a 4.31 GPAand an SAT score of 1450. Other nationalmerit finalists from the Shoals wereZachary Foust, Maria Oswalt, AdamSchoenbachler, Roman Sherrod, andThomas Swinea, who all received $1,000.

90 »

Heather Kilpatrick

Marie Waxel

Nucor Steel team members presenting a gift card to victims of theOklahoma tornadoes in Moore. (Left to right) James Swindle, KristyRiggs, Caster Green, Greg Greene, Cheryl Hicks, Michael Kassay,Tamara Lunsford, Deborah Vess

Marsha Carter (center)

Kayla Hoofman

Rohit Borah

Laura Anders Lee

Making a difference,



from the ground upTEXT BY LAURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY ABRAHAM AND SUSAN ROWE


Making a difference, from the ground up

Chiquimula, Guatemala, a group of villagers lives in a dump. They have nothing, except for what they can find inthe garbage. Children go without shoes, through the horrible filth, the broken glass, and jagged concrete, search-ing for bits of food and clothing to help them survive.

Florence resident Melissa Bain (pictured above, at far left) has made it her career to better the lives of kids like these—starting with apair of shoes. Melissa is the Travel4Souls coordinator for Nashville-based nonprofit Soles4Souls, which provides 3 million shoes eachyear to impoverished people in developing nations. So far this year Melissa has taken volunteer teams to Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica,and Africa, where she spent her 30th birthday.

“One thing I will say is poverty looks different in each country,” says Melissa. “Some come in with malformed feet. For others,hook worms and parasites are a problem. In Guatemala we saw a lot of barefoot children, especially at the dump. If you do seeshoes, they are completely worn out. The little boys will be wearing their mother’s shoes, and she will be barefoot. And othershave had the ends of their shoes cut off so they can continue to wear them with their toes sticking out.”

For the Guatemala trip, Melissa partnered with Shoals natives Josh and Jessica Byrd, who now live there as missionaries. Dur-ing the five-day visit, more than two dozen volunteers, including Florence photographers Abraham and Susan Rowe, met thevillagers, washed their feet, and then individually fit 600 people with a pair of shoes.

“Our participants are so willing,” says Melissa. “Nobody has even asked for gloves. When you’re looking down at a four year oldwho’s looking back at you, there’s no way you’re not going to touch his feet.”


541 W. College Street, Suite 2400

Florence AL 35630

523-D Gandy StreetRussellville AL 35653

Angela Eady, CRNP

Serving women of everygeneration...from two different locations.

Dr. Daphne Jones

For more information and to make an appointment, please call

256-767-0081Dr. Mary Robbins


“One thing I will say is poverty looks different in each country.” —Melissa Bain

Besides shoes, Soles4Souls has provided people with everything from clothing and medicine to even a roof for a dilapidatedhouse. In the future, Melissa hopes to organize groups of doctors and nurses to accompany her on trips.

“There’s a medical component, but there’s also an educational component as well,” says Melissa. “The children have to haveshoes to go to school, which is ironic, because they can’t better themselves if they can’t even afford the uniforms. But once theyget accepted into the schools, the families are so excited.”

While it might start with a pair of shoes, Soles4Souls doesn’t lose sight of the big picture. One of their missions is to end povertyby setting up micro-enterprises run by locals. Micro-enterprises provide sustainable jobs to indigent people, allowing them tobe successful. So far, Soles4Souls has supplied shoes to 127 countries.

“We have partners in Haiti, for instance, who find women who want to run a small business by selling shoes on the streets atmarkets,” Melissa explains. “Our partners teach them basic finance and business principles, then we supply them with the prod-uct—in this case, shoes—for them to run their own business.”

Marieange from Haiti was one of the women selected for a micro-enterprise. Before the Soles4Souls program, she didn’t havea house, her husband had left, and she was raising a teenage daughter on her own. She had no steady job and no reliable income.

The On Stage Season, 2013-2014

Alabama Symphony Orchestra

An Evening with Pikelny, Sutton, Bulla, Bales & Cobb

The 5 Browns

Quartetto Gelato

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“It’s very humbling. You leave feeling blessed by the ones whose feet you have washed.” —Melissa Bain

“Thanks to the program, she has developed a life for herself,” says Melissa. “The micro-enterprise program is something I def-initely believe in. That’s where change happens.”

For those wanting to help propel this change, there are many ways to get involved. Locals who want to support Melissa andSoles4Souls can host shoe drives to gather gently used and new shoes for the micro-enterprise program. You can donate orraise money to cover operational and shipping costs (it costs about $1 per shoe for an overseas shipment, but one thousand shoesadds up quickly.). You can join Melissa on one of her next trips, or you can simply buy a pair of BOBS this fall, and SKETCH-ERS will donate one pair of shoes to Soles4Souls.

Melissa says something as little as a pair of shoes makes a tremendous impact in the life of a child—for their health, their edu-cation, and their future.

“Obviously there is a Biblical component, at least for me,” says Melissa, when asked about the act of washing feet and provid-ing shoes. “There is something so cool about kneeling down at a kid’s feet. You are so different from one another. Many timesyou don’t speak the same language. But you smile at each other. It’s very humbling. You are a blessing to them, but you leave feel-ing blessed by the ones whose feet you have washed.”

That’s what Soles4Souls is all about.


100 » scene

Above: Derby Day at the University of North AlabamaMAY 4, 2013 GUILLOT UNIVERSITY CENTER

Below: Opening Night After Party for Hank Williams: Lost Highway

JUNE 12, 2013 FLOBAMA

Bill and B.J. Cale

Danita Lune, Dan Hendricks, and Andrew Luna Dixie Carter and Bob Hill

Hunter Fielder and Noelle Ingle

Derby Hat Contest Contestants

Barb and Dan Hendricks, Ann and John Battcher

Peter Oyloe and Haley Prestridge

Payton Ayers and Adam St. JohnShiloh Shelton and

Summer Akers

Dean Baughmann and Denise James

Spencer Cantrell and Abby Lee Hood

Katherine Anderson, Stephanie Mullins,Kaitlin Chappell, and Martha Truitt

Col Mike and Marianthe Snyder

Carole and Chris Maynard

Mississippi Charles Bevel and Drew Perkins

Charlton James and Myk Watford

Riverhill School provides a Blue Ribbon Experience

Riverhill School has been named an ASA Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Our overall SAT average is 84, and our low student to teacher ratio, our

emphasis on arts education, and even our National Elementary Honor

Society Chapter set us apart. If academic excellence means something to

you, rest assured it means something to us, too.

Come visit and see what we mean!

We’re registering now for our Pre-K2 through sixth grade classes. Call 256-764-8200 or visit riverhillschool.org for more information.

Congratulations to RohitBorah, Riverhill graduate andthe only recipient of a $2,500National Merit ScholarshipAward in the Shoals this year!



ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING ABROAD IN A WINE-PRODUCING COUNTRYis the opportunity to taste great bottles at a fraction of the imported cost. When I firstmoved to Buenos Aires, where most of the wines sold are made in Argentina (imports arefew and very expensive), shopping the supermarket aisles provided a sound education. I rec-ognized many labels from the Manhattan stores I had left behind, though I’d never tried anyof them. For three or four dollars you could get a bottle of Malbec that easily cost 14 or 15stateside. It didn’t take long to find a few bottles I loved (though I desperately missed thehigh acid, earthy, rustic French wines that course through my veins).

The next great thing about living abroad in a wine-producing country is pairing the nativewines with the nation’s celebrated foods. In Argentina, this combination means Malbecand asados. Asado basically translates as “grilled meat,” primarily Argentine grass-fed beef,though lamb and pork are also common. Sundays are family days, the streets of BuenosAires eerily quiet while citizens travel to the countryside for an estancia asado—a back-yard grill fest at a ranch estate, often with horses and a pool. The less affluent gather on theirhigh-rise apartment terraces or rooftops or backyards to grill an array of cuts, often start-ing with chori-pan—sandwiches of grilled pork sausage on a hoagie-style roll. One doesn’thave to wait until Sunday, or an invitation from a local, to experience the essence of theasado. Restaurants called parillas occupy every corner of the city, serving up lomo (ten-derloin), entraña (skirt steak), bife de chorizo (sirloin, or New York strip steak), anddelicacies like morcilla. Morcilla is Spanish for blood sausage, which is exactly as it sounds:cooked until coagulated porcine blood stuffed into a sausage casing, with a rich, feral taste,and not for the faint of heart. My favorite parillas always had terrible atmospheres, withhigh ceilings, bright, unflattering overhead lights, and sparse artwork on the walls. Theservers were always men, dressed in black pants and white button-down shirts. Raw meathung above the open grill while a cloud of cigarette smoke hovered over the heads ofpatrons. It was not the ideal setting for a hangover, but the Malbec always helped, and thelomo was always superb.

Malbec is a red wine grape traditionally cultivated in Bordeaux, France, where it is blendedwith Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has fallen out of favor there, though still plays theprimary role in Cahors, and smaller roles in some red wines from the Loire Valley (Anjou,Coteaux de Loire) where it’s known as Cot. Malbec produces a wine deep in color, almostblack, and is capable of producing high alcohol, fruity wines in Mendoza, Argentina, which

102 » the vine » Amy Collins

Asados and Argentina

A vineyard at the foot of the Andes, in Mendoza, Argentina

Beginner’s Sipper (under $15)Parados Cabernet Sauvignon 2012—a beautiful, easydrinking Cabernet indicative of Mendoza.

Knows Just Enough to Make Trouble ($15-$35)

Lamadrid Bonarda 2008—From famed winemaker Hec-tor Durigutti, the Bonarda is neither fined nor filtered,showing rich aromatics and soft tannins.

High Roller’s Cuveé ($50+)Don Manuel Villafane Gran Reserva 2007—A Malbecand Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Mendoza, withincredible structure and quality. This is your pasture-raised, hormone-free ribeye wine.


Follow Amy at www.pigandvine.com for more stories andwine suggestions.

has become the premier region for quality Malbec. Some Mal-becs have enough structure for aging, especially when blendedwith the Bordeaux varieties. The wines are a perfect accom-paniment to grilled red meat.

Argentina has several wine producing regions. Mendoza is byfar the most recognizable and the largest. The land here lies atthe base of the Andes Mountains and provides optimum grow-ing conditions for vines. Malbec is king, though plantings ofBonarda, a red wine grape originating in Italy, Cabernet Sauvi-gnon and Merlot are also common. Torrontés, the country’spredominate white wine grape, makes some delicious and verydistinctly aromatic wines.

La Rioja and San Juan are less famous regions abutting Men-doza to the north. Both are considerably hotter than Mendoza,and winemaking is a marginal pursuit, though a few qualityproducers are worth checking out. Patagonia, in the south,where ski enthusiasts flock in winter, produces elegant Malbecsand Pinot Noir wines (look for producers Nemesio and Fin delMundo). Salta, in the north, might be the most interestingregion. Almost desert like, the land is wide and dusty and thewineries remote. The best Torrontés comes from here, withcooler nights allowing for brighter acidity and more refreshingwines. Salta boasts the highest elevation vineyards in the world(the Hess Family’s Bodega Colomé vineyards sit at 10,200 feetabove sea level). Some visitors suffer from altitude sickness, forwhich locals recommend chewing a coca leaf.

Of course, the ideal is to visit a country in order to fullyenvelop oneself in the culture and the wines. But, fortunately,there are several Argentine wines available in Alabama, andthough the asado experience is unmatched, we Americans arequite adept at grilling up our own. A few recommendationsfor grilling out below.

MY CHILDHOOD WAS A QUINTESSENTIALLY BABY BOOMER ONE. When I wasfive, in 1956, my family moved to a brand-new house that cost $14,900, and wasmaybe 1,200 square feet with the finished basement. It was located in a subdivisionwhere all the houses were exactly alike, except some were turned a different way onthe lot. Kids of every age were everywhere, so there was always someone to playwith. Our mothers would not have even entertained the thought of driving us some-where for a “play date.” They shooed us out of the house after breakfast. We wereallowed in for a quick lunch before being sent out again until suppertime. We rodebikes and skated and played hopscotch on the sidewalk. We rambled along the creekthat ran behind my house. In the winter, we sledded in the icy streets—even at night,when we were older. We walked to school, or rode the bus, without any parentalsupervision. With all that freedom, you can imagine what Halloween was like.

Trick or Treat was one of the highlights of our year. We began the celebration atschool in our decorated classroom with songs, stories, and cupcakes supplied by ourroom mother. This was back in the days before the evil expansion of daylight savingtime, so it was always dark when we ventured out with our brown paper bags, with-out our parents. That’s what older siblings were for, although they were not alwaysenthusiastic about their supervisory roles. The parents’ job was to sit on the porch,hand out candy, and admire costumes. Sometimes we could wheedle our mothersinto buying a costume from Woolworths (probably not flameproof, and with a maskwith tiny eyeholes, which no one worried about), but most of them were homemade.I can’t remember any of my costumes, but I’ll never forget my sister Susan’s triumphwhen she was ten. “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” by Jan and Dean was big that year,and Susan and her friend decided to go as little old ladies, with gray hair, canes, lipsstretched over teeth to simulate toothlessness, and old lady voices. They had a wholeroutine put together and were invited into many homes to perform. It took them for-ever to make their rounds. The neighbors talked about their triumph for weeks after.

After covering the entire subdivision, which seemed to take hours, we would dumpall our candy out on the newspaper-covered floor to inspect our loot, not for nee-dles or poison, which no one worried about, but for quantity and quality. There werehomemade popcorn balls and cookies, Tootsie Rolls, lots of lollipops (my favoritewere cherry Saf-T Pops, with the looped handles), and rare and precious candy bars.

In honor of those simpler times, I’m offering a homemade treat for Halloween that’sinexpensive, easy to make, and wildly impressive. Hang your ghosts from a deadbranch as a centerpiece, line them up along the table, or pop them on top of cup-cakes. (I’d go with the chocolate ones from Dish.)

Trick or Treat—Old-School Style

104 » food for thought » Sarah Gaede

Meringue Ghosts

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature(save the yolks for custard)

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar• 1 cup superfine or granulated sugar whirred

in food processor• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

extract, if you don’t mind a slight tan-ish tinge)• Candy eyes (Hobby Lobby) or mini chocolate chips• String licorice or Twizzlers (optional)

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed in anelectric mixer, using the whisk attachment, until softpeaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at atime, until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Beat inthe almond extract.

Preheat oven to 200°. Line a heavy baking sheet withparchment, glued down on each corner with a dab ofmeringue. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tipwith meringue. Proceed with desired ghost formation.

Flat ghosts—Pipe 4 to 5-inch long ghostly shapes. Flat-ten out any bubbles or unwanted curls with a fingerdipped in cold water. Carefully place candy eyes orchocolate chips on ghosts. If desired, cut licorice into2-inch pieces. Firmly pinch ends together, and insert intop of each ghost as a hanger.

Puffy ghosts—Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to thebaking sheet and pipe 2-inch-high mounds ofmeringue, leaving curls on top if desired. Carefullyplace candy eyes or chocolate chips on ghosts.

Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until ghosts are dry andcrisp to the touch. Turn oven off and leave in oven tofinish drying several hours or overnight. Store in an air-tight container. Will keep for 3 or 4 days.

Note: Unbaked meringue doesn’t hold up, so bake twosheets at once if needed, on racks close to the middle ofthe oven. Rotate top to bottom and bottom to top after1 hour. Once you master these, it will be a snap to makemeringue mushrooms to decorate your Bûche de Noëlat Christmas time. There are lots of recipes online.


We’re having a cake contest. Send us your very bestcake recipe—for a layer cake, pound cake, sheet cake, or Bundtcake—and the best three will be featured in the 2013 Holidayissue of No’Ala. The overall winner will get dinner on us, andthe fame that comes from being acknowledged as the bestcake-baker anywhere! Share your favorite cake recipe with ourreaders, and give other families something delicious to bake forthe holidays. It will be fun! DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONis October 1, 2013, 5:00pm.

Submit recipes to [email protected].

No’Ala needs your help.But it’s a piece of cake.

Every two years, we ask our readers to tell us about the people in our area whoquietly work behind the scenes to make this an even better place to live. We’reinterested in the unsung heroes, the role models, and the inspirational figureswho make a difference in your life and the life of our community. It’s time onceagain to begin gathering our nominees for the 2014 award.

Our categories are: Science, Education, Service & Spirituality, Business & Leadership, and Arts & Culture.We will convene a panel of prior award winners and nominees to help uschoose the five category winners, and from that group we’ll select a Renaissance Person of the Year. These special people will be featured in our2014 March/April issue.

Let us know by writing us and mailing your nominations to No’Ala Press,P.O. Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630; or email your nominations [email protected]. Help us bring recognition to the unsung people whomake a difference in our lives.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?Make your nominations for the 2014 No’Ala Renaissance Awards


Want the best deals on flights?Join the Silver Circle

at gosilver.com


Kevin

“Before every show, I have to drink threeRed Bulls. Two are

definitely not enough.”—Kevin Jones

Austin

“At the fire station,we all think the song

‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ by theBlack Eyed Peas is a badomen. Whenever it plays

we get a call.”—Austin Knox

108 » back talk » Claire Stewart

Do you have any superstitions?

Christopher

“My dad always toldme that when it is

raining and the sun isshining, the devil is

beating his wife.”—Christopher Ray

Lori

“I knock on wood after I say somethingI don’t want to jinx!”

—Lori Mitchell

Cole

“You can’t say Macbeth in a theater or the show will be

compromised.”—Cole Bryant

Jamie

“I have a part in a traveling act called the

‘Alabama Blues Brothers.’ For 15 years, I have worn the same suit, and I refuse

to get a new one.”—Jamie Crisler

Justin

“Before every Alabamagame, my brother and

I have to text eachother our predictions.”

—Justin Crisler


Michael

“Though I am not asuperstitious person, I know my dad will

always knock on wood.”—Michael Haymer

Holly

“My family is full of superstitions: My sister hasto wear Auburn game day

socks for every footballgame, and my brother

refuses to talk about any-thing he is excited about

until it happens.”—Holly Dunlap

Linda

“You can’t eat icecream and seafood in the same meal”

—Linda Bryant

David

“I don’t ever walkunder a ladder—

a paint can could fallon your head!”

—David Dison

Karen

“When my family eats poultry, two of us hold either side of thewishbone and make a

wish. Whoever gets thelarger piece supposedly has

their wish come true.”—Karen Claunch

110 » back talk » Do you have any superstitions?

All respondents were interviewed atRivertown Coffee Co. in Florence.Tim

“Every day I carry arounda bandana that was givento me by a child in Iraqas a good luck charm.”

—Tim Greer

Ivra

“Before a big trackmeet, I could only eattwo biscuits and an

orange juice. It was agood luck ritual.”

—Ivra Warren

Laura

“Since I was a little girl,I was told that you

should never let peoplesweep under your feetor you will live to be

an old maid.”—Laura Delfino


88.7 FM Muscle Shoals • 100.7 FM Huntsvillewww.apr.org

News, classicalmusic and more

112 » bless their hearts » Molly Tomlinson

YEARS AGO, MY BROTHER AND I WERE WITH MY DAD AT THE GROCERY STOREwhere we, not surprisingly, ran into somebody we knew. Much to my dad’s horror,my wise-cracking brother began humming “It’s a Small World After All.” It’s not anuncommon scene around the South, whether you’ve grown up there or not—every-body seems to know everybody. They speak to you in the grocery store and atrestaurants; they wave when they pass in the car.

The plan was to get away as fast aspossible, to make it to a big city—anybig city, really—miles up the EastCoast. I wanted to walk around withgeneral anonymity. I wanted to formmy own identity, separate from my“momma and them.”

And I did. For almost five years now,I have lived in Washington, D.C. Thiscity is a fascinating place—a meltingpot that pales only in comparison toNew York City. It’s a young city,home to some of the most ambitiousand interesting people you’ll evermeet, and full of endless things to do,see, and learn.

In a lot of ways, D.C. lives up to its stereotype. It has more than its fair share of peo-ple looking to advance their own agenda, on the Hill and off it. You learn how tonetwork quickly, and you actually use the business cards your first job gives you. Thecity is also more transient than I think anybody realizes. People come and go throughhere pretty quickly.

But like any city where you make a home, you find a niche that suits you and therest falls by the wayside. I have loved my time here.

I’ve gone home plenty of times since I moved and been to plenty of other Southerncities, but a trip last year to North Carolina put a dream in my head that would make

“Like D.C., the South also lives up to a lot of its stereotypes. Everything moves a

little bit slower there, lasts a bit longer—syllables and humid summers included.”

You Can Go Home Again

Ph

oto

by R

on

Kelly


my high school self cringe, and laugh: I want to move back tothe South.

In a stationery store in Durham that I wandered into withfriends, we were promptly greeted by the owner. We beganchatting, and she answered every silly question we had abouther business and the bright and airy building she had reno-vated to house it. She reciprocated; she was equally curiousabout us. It sounds insignificant, but it was the longest, andmost genuine, conversation I’d had with a stranger in a longtime. And it wasn’t the only one; the entire weekend lived upto that experience.

It dawned on me as we left the store that I would’ve found herquestions suspicious or annoying—the whole conversationtaxing or unpleasant—back in D.C. That’s a tough realization—that the city might have hardened you in a way, or that youmay have unconsciously fallen in line with a pace that oftenkeeps people from extending much beyond basic commoncourtesy. I felt simultaneously guilty and nostalgic.

I’ve been shown in the most obvious and painful ways in thelast few years that life is short. I struggle, as we all do, toremember the day you are blessed to wake up to is not justsomething to get through. These are precious hours of yourlife, not to be hurried. It’s hard to remember that when you arecrammed in a metro car for 30 minutes to go a mere two milesto work, or when you lower your head and hasten your step toavoid the homeless person on the corner or the young manwith a clipboard who wants your money for the cause de jour.

Like D.C., the South also lives up to a lot of its stereotypes. Every-thing moves a little bit slower there, lasts a bit longer—syllablesand humid summers included. I never feel hurried there—some-thing I took for granted when I was growing up, and somethingI’m willing to bet a lot of you take for granted now.

The South still lives up to a lot of bad stereotypes, too, but Ihave never felt more optimistic about its future. When I readthis magazine, when I talk to friends who are starting busi-nesses, or politickin’ there, I realize there are just as manyambitious people there as there are in D.C. My grandfatherused to talk about what a great and vast network the Southwas, and my, was he right. We’re not even close to six degreesof separation from a stranger, and I don’t have to give away mybusiness cards to find that out.

Maybe it was the bowl of grits resting comfortably in my stom-ach, or maybe it was that the nice shop owner was a fluke. Ormaybe it was that I felt at home in Durham. Whatever it was,I want more of it. I’ll be back real soon now, ya hear?

114 » parting shot » Danny Mitchell


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