No'Ala Huntsville March/April 2014

march/april | noalapress.com | noalapress.com

Big, Bold Prints | Courageous Photography’s Loving Lens | Bringing Live Theatre to Deserving Kids

OUR RECIPE FOR SPRING

| noalapress.com | march/april

march/april | noalapress.com | Huntsville • Decatur | 201 Governors Drive • Huntsville, AL 35801 Toll Free: 1-888-736-1762 • 256-533-1600 • www.spineandneuro.com

Reflecting half a century of excellence in neurosurgery.A lot has changed since we started in 1964, but our commitment as the regional leader is stronger than ever. From the latest minimally-invasive neck and back treatments to 24/7 trauma care, Spine & Neuro Center combines confident care with a convenient, patient-focused facility. Fifty years is more than a nice round number — it’s experience you can feel good about.

Jason T. Banks, M.D., F.A.C.S. Cheng W. Tao, M.D., F.A.C.S. Bryan A. Gaspard, M.D.

Rhett B. Murray, M.D., F.A.C.S. Joel D. Pickett, M.D., F.A.C.S. John D. Johnson, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

NeuroSpine Surgeons:

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation:

Keith C. Anderson, D.O. Hayley Campbell, M.D. Ryan C. Aaron, M.D.

4 » March/April

14SIX DAYS OF HEALTHY MEALSFrom soup to nuts, every-

thing you need for a week’s

worth of budget-friendly,

healthy eating.

BY AMY COLLINS AND SARAH GAEDEPHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

76MIX IT UPBig and bold or small and

soft, you can’t go wrong

with prints this spring.

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODPRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWART

56WORDS & PICTURES 2No’Ala’s second installment

of the Valley’s best photogra-

phy, poetry, and prose.

28OLD ROLES, NEW RULESSix Valley residents

choose careers that

make new “rules.”

BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

38THEIR LOVING LENSPhotographers document

lives in an emotional and

moving way.

BY AMY COLLINS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

& COURAGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHY

44IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT“Is it still safe for Mom to

drive?” Karen can tell you.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSONPHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

50NOT JUST CHILD’S PLAYBroadway Theatre League

brings live performance to

kids in the Valley.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY AMY JONES

AND PATRICK HOOD

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson

After the winter we just had—polar vortexes and double-barrel snow-

storms and all the rest—it’s time to put all of that behind us and do what we Ala-

bamians do best: cook. Problem is, we don’t really have time for that, since we are

entering the season when the weather gently urges us outside and away from the

stove. We have a solution! Our own food and wine divas Sarah Gaede and Amy

Collins have put together a week’s (well actually six days) worth of menus that are

easy to prepare and delicious to eat—and they’ve even included a shopping list for

you. As it gets warmer outside, remember that a lot of the ingredients in these reci-

pes could be planted in your back yard and delivered as fresh as possible to

the table. A garden could be a great project for the spring!

We have quite a few people to introduce you to in this issue. Karen Hislop

helps your family determine whether Mom or Dad is still able to drive—a

seemingly simple question with tons of implications and life-changing re-

sults. Courageous Photography started photographing patients several

years ago, and their lives have been changed in the process; and the Broad-

way Th eatre League’s Children’s Outreach program gives young students

their fi rst taste of live performance, which can be life-changing as well. Th ese

people have been inspiring to us; we hope they will be to you, too. And pay

special attention to the writing, poetry, photography, and artwork from some

very talented North Alabama residents. While some of us were suff ering from cabin

fever as we watched the snow pile up outside, these folks were creating things of

beauty.

One of the things we’re passionate about, as a North Alabama publication, is shop-

ping locally. Th e local business owners in the upper region of this state have an

amazing selection of products, foods, and services, and when we travel we are con-

stantly told that we are the envy of the rest of the region because of our thriving

retail shops and restaurants. It must have made an impression on outsiders, too,

judging from the new industries coming to town! A dear friend of ours used to

compare shopping locally to watering your garden—the more you do it, the better

things you’ll get from it. Th e best way to make sure that our local shops continue to

provide us with everything we want and need is to patronize them. Th e next time

you need something, take a minute and ask yourself if it can be purchased locally.

Shop North Alabama, y’all—and the “Retail Renaissance” will continue!, y

PS: For those of you who complain that

there’s nothing to do around here, take

a look at this issue’s calendar. It’s full of

even more things to keep us out of the

kitchen—and the garden. Have fun, and

enjoy the spring!

50

everything else

6 » contents

no’ala huntsvilleadvisory board

Jennifer DossHuntsville Symphony Orchestra

Leslie EcklundBurritt on the Mountain

Dan HalcombHuntsville Symphony Orchestra

Ginger Penney Liles

Matthew LilesAIDS Action Coalition

Patrick RobbinsAlabama Pain Center

Charles Vaughn Vaughn Lumber Company

Anna Baker WarrenAnna Baker Warren Interiors

8 Calendar Events for March-April 2014

84 Market BY SARAH GAEDE

88 Lowe Down “What Piece of Literature Has

Had the Most Impact On You?”

BY CLAIRE STEWART

92 The Vine “Chill Your Reds”

BY AMY COLLINS

94 Food for Thought “My Favorite Kitchen Tools”

BY SARAH GAEDE

96 Bless Their Hearts “The Do-Little Life”

BY ROY HALL

98 Parting Shot BY PATRICK HOOD

March/April 2014Volume 3: Issue 2

• • •

C. Allen TomlinsonEditor-In-Chief

David SimsCreative Director

Contributing WritersPeggy Brosious East, Tracy Cobbs, Amy Collins,

Sarah Gaede, Roy Hall, Marilyn Lewis-Alim,Carey Link, Harry Moore, Ginger K. Nelson,

Jimmy Robinson, Cheryl Robinson-Stewart,Monita Soni, Claire Stewart, Leslie Nicole Thomas,

Allen Tomlinson, Margaret J. Vann

Contributing PhotographersLeslie Adair, Sarah Brewer, Kerry Brooks,

Amanda Chapman, Patrick Hood, Luke Johnson,Amy Jones, Danny Mitchell,

Abraham Rowe, Lauren Tomasella

Advertising DirectorHeidi King

Advertising SalesMyra Sawyer, Heidi King

Features ManagerClaire Stewart

Business ManagerRoy Hall

Graphic DesignerRowan Finnegan

InternChandler Richey

• • •

No’Ala Huntsville is published six times annuallyby No’Ala Press

PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 800-779-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106

Web: www.noalapress.com

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

Signed articles refl ect only the views of the authors and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible forthe content of their advertisements.

© 2008-2014 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence toAllen Tomlinson, Editor, at the postal address above,

or by e-mail to [email protected] 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 upon request.Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited

manuscripts; please query the editor fi rst.

No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inks.Please recycle.

Connect with us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsvilleand Twitter: @NoAla_Magazine

march/april | noalapress.com |

8 » calendarNow – Monday, March 31

Wade Wharton Exhibit Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun noon-5:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue; 256-830-4447; hsvbg.org

Now - Sunday, April 20

Icons in Transformation Tues – Fri 11:00am-3:00pm, Sat 1:00pm-3:00pm; Free; Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Street; 256-533-2455; www.nativity.dioala.org

Now – Wednesday, April 30

Harmony Park Animal Preserve10:00am-sundown; Admission charged; Harmony Park Safari, 431 Cloud’s Cove Road; (877) 726-4625

Now – Sunday, May 4

Adrian Villeta Romantic PortraitistTues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; $10 adults, $8 military, students, and teachers, and $5 children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Encounters: Cal BreedTues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; $10 adults, $8 military, students, and teachers, and $5 children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Now – Sunday, May 18

Encounters: Rocío RodríguezTues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; $10 adults, $8 military, students, and teachers, and $5 children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Now – Sunday, August 3

Huntsville Photographic Society 2014 Members’ ShowcaseTues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; $10 adults, $8 military, students, and teachers, and $5 children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Saturday, March 1 - Sunday, March 2

HSO and Painted Violin Society presents Peter and the WolfSaturday: 11:00am; Free; Davidson Center for Space Exploration, US Space and Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 539-4818; hso.org; 5:00pm; Free; Asbury Methodist Church, 980 Hughes Rd, Madison; (256) 539-4818; hso.org. Sunday: 2:00pm; Free; First United Methodist Church Beasley Center, 208 Hobbs St. W., Athens; (256) 539-4818; hso.org

Saturday, March 1

Huntsville Museum of Art Gala Cocktail Party & Art Auction7:00pm; $150; Huntsville Museum of Art, Church St.; (256) 535-4359 x214; hsvmuseum.org

Meet the Author: Tim Dorsey2:00pm; Free; Main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-2362; hmcpl.org

Ricky Nelson Remembered2:00pm and 7:30pm; Admission charged; Merrimack Hall Perform-ing Arts Center, 3320 Triana Boulevard; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Thursday, March 6

Noon Time Concert Series12:10pm–12:50pm; Free; United Methodist Church, 607 Governors Drive; (256) 348-5236

Friday, March 7 – Saturday, March 8

Trinity Market PlaceFri 9:00am–6:00pm, Sat 9:00am–4:00pm; Free; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road; (256) 883-3200

Friday, March 7 – Sunday March 9

Building Home and Remodeling ShowFri noon–8:00pm, Sat 9:00am–7:00pm, and Sun 11:00am–5:00pm; Admission Charged; Von Braun Center South Hall, 700 Monroe Street; (256) 533-1953; buildersassn.org

Friday, March 7

Pianist Emanuel Ax in concert7:30pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road; (256) 489-7415

Thursday, March 13


Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 16

Twelve Angry MenFri–Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:00pm; $18 students, $15 students, seniors, active military; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe Street; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org

Saturday, March 15

St. Patrick’s Day Parade11:30am; Free; Downtown Huntsville; (256) 468-5612

Symphony Classical Series: Mozart’s Requiem7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-4818; hso.org

Author Event: Lutishia Lovely 2:00pm; $10; Main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St.; (256) 851-7492; hmcpl.org

Drop-in and CREATE Saturday11:00am-1:00pm; Free; Stender Family Interactive Education Gal-leries, Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Sunday, March 16

Disney Live1:00pm and 5:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com

March/April | noalapress.com |

Tuesday, March 18

Alabama Kidney Association’s painting class fundraiser6:00pm; $35; Cyn Shea’s, 415 Church Street NW #5; (256) 882-2837

Wednesday, March 19 – Sunday, March 23

Jersey BoysWed 7:30pm, Thurs and Sun 2:00pm and 7:30pm, Fri 8:00pm, and Sat 2:00pm and 8:00pm; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 518-6155; broadwaytheatreleague.org

Thursday, March 20 – Saturday, March 22

Twelve Angry MenThurs-Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:00pm; $18 students, $15 students, seniors, active military; Van Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org

Thursday, March 20


Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23

NEACA Spring Crafts ShowFri-Sat 9:00am–7:00pm, Sun noon-5:00pm; Free; Von Braun Center South Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; neaca.org

Saturday, March 22 – Saturday, March 29

SAND-Tastic Work of Wonder1:00pm-3:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Saturday, March 22

Spring Into Summer Activities Fair9:00am-3:00pm; Free; US Space and Rocket Center’s Davidson Center for Space Exploration, One Tranquility Base; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org

Sunday, March 23

Hertha Heller Forum: Max Rosenthal and The Amazing Hubble Telescope2:00-4:30pm; Free; Main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5986; hmcpl.org

Thursday, March 27


Saturday, March 29

Heirloom Plant Sale9:00am-2:00pm; Free; Pond Spring, the General Joe Wheeler Home,12280 Alabama Highway 20, Hillsboro; (256) 637-8513; preserveala.org

Sunday, March 30

Casual Classics Series: Bach in Tahiti3:30pm; Admission charged; Flying Monkey Theatre, Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 539-4818; hso.org

The Ten Tenors3:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 518-6155; broadwaytheatreleague.org

Tuesday, April 1 – Wednesday, April 30

Wade Wharton Exhibit Mon–Wed and Fri 9:00am–6:00pm, Thurs 9:00am–8:00pm, and Sun noon-6:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue; 256-830-4447; hsvbg.org

Spring Festival of FlowersMon-Sat 9:00am–6:00pm and Sun noon-6:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Wednesday, April 2 – Sunday, April 6

Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey CircusWed 7:00pm, Thurs-Fri 10:45am and 7:00pm, Sat-Sun 11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Arena, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com

Wednesday, April 2

Dino Light! A Glow in the Dark Adventure7:30pm; Admission charged; Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center, 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Thursday, April 3


April 15 San Jose Taiko

Photos provided by San Jose Taiko

Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 6

Snow White BalletFri 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm and 7:30pm, Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 881-5930; aybtheatre.org

2014 Crescen-Dough Auction presents The Magic of Music6:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center North Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 665-5337; crescendoughauction.org

Saturday, April 5

Art 4 Paws10:00am-3:00pm; Free; Downtown Madison; artsmadison.org

Free Walking Tour of Historic Huntsville10:00am; Free; Depart from Alabama Constitution Village on Gates Ave.; (256) 533-5723

Huntsville Symphony Classical Series: Two Fifths on the Fifth7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-4818; hso.org

Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw7:30pm; Admission charged; Merrimack Hall, 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Monday, April 7 – Wednesday, April 9

Men are from Mars – Women are from VenusMon-Wed 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com

Thursday, April 10 – Sunday, April 13

Spring Plant SaleThurs-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, Sun noon-5:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Thursday, April 10


Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April 12

California DreamingFri 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm and 7:30pm; Admission charged; Merri-mack Hall, 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Friday, April 11

Center City Brass Quintet7:30pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 489-7415

Jim Parker’s Songwriters Showcase6:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbraun.com

Saturday, April 12

Drop-in and CREATE Saturday11:00am-1:00pm; Free; Stender Family Interactive Education Gal-

leries, Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Free Walking Tour of Historic Huntsville10:00am; Free; Depart from Alabama Constitution Village on Gates Ave.; (256) 533-5723

Fourth Annual Walk-A-Thon8:00am; Richard Showers Center, 4600 Blue Spring Road; (256) 851-7492; hmcpl.org

Cinderella1:45pm and 7:15pm; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-0961; ticketmaster.com

Superheroes 5k/1M & Fun Run8:00am-noon; Admission charged; Marshall Space Flight Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 533-5437; nationalcac.org

Thursday, April 17

American Idiot7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 518-6155; broadwaytheatreleague.com


The Three Fairy GodmothersFri 7:00pm, Sat and Sun 1:30 and 5:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-6829; letthemagicbegin.org

Saturday, April 19

Madison Walking Tour10:00am; Free; Depot Roundhouse, Madison; (256) 533-5723

Tuesday, April 22

Alabama Kidney Foundation presents: Kidney Fundraising Art painting class6:00pm; $35; Cyn Shea’s, 415 Church Street NW #5; (256) 882-2837


Panoply Arts FestivalFri 5:00-9:00pm, Sat 10:00am–9:00pm, Sun noon-8:00pm; Admission charged; Big Spring Park, Downtown; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org The Three Fairy GodmothersFri 7:00pm, Sat and Sun 1:30 and 5:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-6829; letthemagicbegin.org

Saturday, April 26

Greengate School’s Spring Swing Fundraiser7:00pm; $75; Outdoor Courtyard at Lincoln Mill, 1300 Meridian St.; (256) 551-4439; greengateschool.org

Madison Walking Tour10:00am; Free; Depot Roundhouse, Madison; (256) 533-5723

An Evening with Roger McGuinn7:30pm; Admission charged; Merrimack Hall, 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

King David7:30pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 533-6606

10 » calendar


12 » scene

Above: Cyn Shea’s Wedding Showcasefebruary , · cyn shea’s, huntsville

Below: Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild

Silver Teadecember , · home of michael and melissa timberlake

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

Allen Noble and Andre Terry

Wesley Henderson and Heather Lloyd

Cynthia Hart and Leslie Bruton

Dave, Amanda, and Karen Cunefare

Jim, Lois, and Elenor Harper, and Chip Patterson

Calandra Terry, Marjorie Campbell, and Demeka Campbell

Rachel Quinn,Steve Metz, and Liss Stertiny

Ashley Ramirez, Kris Clark, and Erica Thimsen

Dianne Reynolds, and Marie Newberry

Jean Marie Chappell, Jeanne McGehee, and Linda Akenhead

Suzanne O’Connor, Carol Booher, and Lee Ann Smith

Louise Heidish, Margaret Vann, and Ruth von Saurma

Gabriel Abrantes, Dane Rich, Anna Taylor, and Anna South

Dana Town and Joyce Griffi n

Leeann Satterfi eld, Donna Miller, Dawn Perry, and Cynthia Shepard

Melissa Timberlake, Brenda Milberger, Donna Rush, Deborah Brown, and Joe Lee



6 DAYS OF HEALTHY MEALS

photos by danny mitchell » text by amy collins & sarah gaede

1


Th ree Bean Vegetarian Chili

Not just vegetarian, but vegan! If chili is on your menu, why not make a lot? It’s comforting and conve-nient to have meals stashed in the freezer. Tip: If you don’t like your chili spicy, replace Ro-tel with plain diced tomatoes.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped• 1 green bell pepper, chopped• 2 large cloves garlic, minced• 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar• 1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder• 1 teaspoon ground cumin• 1 teaspoon dried oregano• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper• 3 (10-ounce) cans Ro-tel original mild, undrained• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add remaining in-gredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Garnish as you please. Some of our favorite toppers are thinly sliced radishes, chopped red or green on-ions, toasted pumpkin seeds, pickled jalapeños, cubed avocado, grated pepper Jack or cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Arugula, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad• 1 red grapefruit• 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 1/2 tablespoon honey• Salt and pepper to taste• 2 big handfuls baby arugula• 1 avocado, sliced

Peel and segment grapefruit. Squeeze juice from remaining pulp, reserve 1 tablespoon juice. Whisk together juice, vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pep-per. Toss grapefruit segments in dressing; let stand for 5 min-utes. Lay arugula out on salad plates, top with sliced avocado, and spoon on grapefruit and dressing.

MO

ND

AY Vegan vs. Veggie vs. Paleo

Vegan: One who does not eat or use any animal products—for many, this rules out certain types of clothing, cosmetics, and even honey.

Vegetarian: One who does not eat animal meat. Variations of vegetarianism exist, like pescatarians (who will not eat meat, but will eat fi sh) and ovo-vegetarians (who will not eat meat, but will eat eggs).

Paleo: A diet based on the principle that, for optimal health, humans should go back to eating whole, unprocessed foods—ba-sically, anything our caveman ancestors could have hunted or gathered for them-selves.


2


Beef Eye Round Roast

Th is healthy and delicious take on a usual roast will be well received by the whole family--and you can prob-ably get the kids to eat these Brussels sprouts!

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed • Kosher salt • Ground black pepper • 3-4 pounds Beef eye round

Combine the fi rst fi ve ingredients in a plastic zipper bag, seal, and shake to mix well. Add beef roast and marinate for one hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove roast from mari-nade, pat dry, and salt and pepper all over. Place in roasting pan. Cook for 20 minutes and check in several spots with a meat thermometer. When roast is 130⁰ in a couple of the spots, it will be a nice medium-rare. Remove the roast and let sit for fi ve minutes. Slice thin and serve.

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts • 2 tablespoons olive oil• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese• Kosher salt • Ground black pepper

Prepare Brussels sprouts by slicing off the ends and remov-ing any brown spots or loose leaves. Slicing top to bottom, quarter the sprouts. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet. Once hot, add sprouts and toss until well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss sprouts periodically until browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan.

TUESD

AY

Sprout-o-pedia

Though early versions of this vegetable are said to date back to ancient Rome, Brussels sprouts were widely cultivated, named, and accepted into common palates in 16th century Belgium, as their name suggests.

Despite their longevity, Brussels sprouts are still disliked by many. According to a 2008 survey, Brussels sprouts are the most-hated vegetable in America.

Some ascribe the Brussels sprouts’ unpopularity to the sulfuric smell they emanate while they are being cooked. But, this smell should only arise when they are overcooked. So, never boil Brussels sprouts—save your home and your family members from the smelly consequences.


3


Oven-fried Dijon-Buttermilk Chicken

Only one baking pan to clean up! Tip: Publix will skin bone-in chicken thighs for you if you don’t want to do it yourself.

• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)• 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard• 1 tablespoon honey• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary• 1/4 cup dry plain breadcrumbs • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

Combine the fi rst 6 ingredients in a small microwave-safe bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a shallow bowl or pie plate; reserve remaining mixture. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a separate pie plate, or on a sheet of wax paper. Dip chicken in liquid; dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Chill at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425⁰. Lightly coat a large baking sheet (with sides) with cooking spray and place in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Toss the potatoes (ingredients below) with oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken on one side of the baking sheet and the potatoes on the other. Bake for 25 minutes, turning chicken and stirring potatoes after 12 minutes. Microwave reserved sauce mixture on high for 20 seconds, or until warm. Drizzle over chicken. Add a little green to your plate and heat up a bag of frozen green beans for a nice complement.

Roasted Potatoes

• 10 ounces small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in quarters• 1 tablespoon olive oil• Salt and pepper to taste

WED

NESD


4


Linguine with White Clam Sauce

A great “pantry” recipe—one in which all the ingredients are commonly on hand.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (preferably Italian)• 4 garlic cloves, chopped• 2 (6-1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained, juice reserved• 1/4 cup whipping cream• 2 tablespoons dry white wine or vermouth • 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper fl akes• 6 ounces dried linguine, freshly cooked al dente in salted water

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add parsley and garlic and sauté until garlic just begins to color, about 45 seconds. Add reserved clam juice, whipping cream, dry white wine, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and red pepper fl akes. Simmer until mixture is reduced to thin sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Add chopped clams and freshly cooked linguine to pot and toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta thickly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If doubling the recipe, use no more than 3 cans of clam juice.

Easy Side Salad

• Baby arugula or salad greens• Grape or cherry Tomatoes (halved) • Sliced radishes• Peeled sliced cucumber• 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar• 1/2 tablespoon good olive oil• Salt and pepper to taste

Place tomatoes, radishes, and cucumber in a salad bowl. Add 2 cups (1 big handful) arugula per person. Toss with vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

THU

RSD

AY

Love Oysters? Dig Clams?

Ever wonder about the origin of the old adage, “Only eat shellfi sh in months with an ‘r’?” Turns out, that was pretty sound advice, back in the day. Prior to the electric ice box, the warmest months of the year (the “r-less” May through August) were the ones most likely to turn Oysters Rockefeller into a terrible night of stomach sickness. And it was that threat of food poisoning, along with high levels of red tide and algae blooms during warm months, that caused folks to question whether or not they should crack open a clam or an oyster on a warm sum-mer’s day. Thankfully, these days, you can enjoy shellfi sh anytime during the year.


5


Leftover Beef Roast Sautéed with Mushrooms and Rice

Take the roast from Tuesday and create a completely new, delicious dish—we bet they will never know its leftovers.

• Medium-rare roast beef round, sliced thin and cut in single-bite pieces. • 1 pound white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced or pressed • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped • 1/4 cup chicken stock • 1 cup cooked rice • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese• Kosher salt

Heat a cast iron or other skillet on medium heat on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add mushrooms and a sprinkle of Kosher salt, and cook for 5 minutes. Add sliced beef, chicken stock, cooked rice, and parsley. Sauté for about 10 minutes or until the stock cooks out but the pan is not dry. Add more stock or water if needed. Th e mushrooms should be tender and the meat moist. Salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

How Long to Keep Leftovers:

» Meats, cooked seafood, vegetables, pizza, soups, and casseroles should be eaten within three to four days.

» Potatoes or pasta salads should be eaten within three to fi ve days.

» Rice, pasta, and hard-cooked eggs should be eaten within seven days.

» For desserts: Cream pies and fruit pies should be eaten within three to four days; cake and cheesecake should stay safe for up to seven days. Note: Desserts should be refrigerated.

Source: homefoodsafety.org

FR

IDAY


6

SHOPPING LIST

On Hand Items

Onions (white and yellow)

Garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Balsamic vinegar

Cider vinegar

Dijon mustard

Dry white wine or vermouth

Brown sugar

Honey

Worcestershire sauce

Chili powder

Cumin

Oregano

Crushed rosemary

Red pepper fl akes

Kosher Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Chicken Stock

Brown Rice

Th yme

To Buy

Grape tomatoes

Green bell pepper

10 ounces small new potatoes,

red or Yukon Gold

Red grapefruit

Avocado

Baby arugula

2 6-1/2-ounce cans

chopped clams

3 10-ounce cans Ro-tel

original mild

2 cans black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

4 bone-in chicken thighs

1 package green beans

1 pound linguine

Bread crumbs

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

Buttermilk or plain yogurt

Parmesan cheese (not the stuff

in the green can)

3-4 lb. Beef eye round roast

2 Bunches fresh parsley

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1 lb. Mushrooms, baby bellas

or shiitakes

1 lb. Baby carrots

Fresh spinach

32 oz. chicken stock or broth

Did you know food portions have almost tripled in the last 20 years?

es

9”1960DINNER PLATE

atoes,

s

es,

11.5”TODAY’SDINNER PLATE

SA

TUR

DAY

Roasted Carrot Soup with Cumin and Balsamic

If you have an enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven, or something like it, this can be a one-pot meal. Otherwise, roast carrots and garlic on a baking sheet and transfer to soup pot afterward.

• 1 pound baby carrots• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 3 cups chicken stock • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • Kosher salt • Black pepper

Heat oven to 425⁰. Toss carrots and garlic with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered for about 25 minutes, tossing once or twice during cook-ing, until carrots are browned and tender.

If using a Dutch oven, move pot to stove top on medium-low heat and add chicken stock. Using an immersion blender, purée vegetables until no solids remain. Alternately, transfer in batches to blender and purée very carefully, allowing steam to escape every 30 seconds. Transfer back to soup pot. Add cumin and balsamic vinegar. Blend well and taste. Add more vinegar one teaspoon at a time if the soup is too tart.

Oil and Vinegar Spinach Salad

• 2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves (per person)• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt • 1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk salt into vinegar until dissolved. Whisk mustard into vinegar until fully blended. Whisk in olive oil and mix until fully blended. Dressing will keep one week or so in the fridge.



TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.NORTON AUDITORIUM

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA CAMPUSFLORENCE, ALABAMA

Sallie Independence Foster was 12 years old and living in what is now Rogers Hall on the UNA campus when the War Between the States began. She kept a journal at the time, which continues through the war and for another 22 years, as Sallie grows to be a young woman and begins a family of her own. Storyteller Dolores Hydock and nationally known music historian and musician Bobby Horton interweave Sallie’s journals, letters, historical photographs, and music of the time to create a uniquely personal glimpse at a radically changing world.

Bobby Horton and Dolores Hydock

FEATURING Storyteller and Actress Dolores Hydock and Musician Bobby Horton

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC NO TICKETS REQUIRED

For more information, call 256.765.4208, or visit our website at www.una.edu/d i s t ingu ished-events

A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart:

The World of Sallie Independence Foster, 1861-1887

��

text by claire stewart » photos by patrick hood


Thirty years ago, the idea of a woman doing a “man’s” job, or vice versa, was

pretty novel, and an indicator of how progressive we were becoming in breaking

down gender barriers. Today, we hardly blink when we hear about female engineers

or male nurses, but there are still a few occupations where the majority of partici-

pants are predominately male or female. We took a look at a few occupations in

North Alabama where new rules apply to old roles, and found one thing in common:

these are dedicated people who love what they do. You might want to keep this

issue as a reference—thirty years from now, who knows what the new rules will be?



LOU GALIPEAUMary Kay Consultant

Less than 1% of Mary Kay consultants are men.

What has been your biggest obstacle in your job thus far?

“My biggest obstacle was working with women who knew more about make up than I did. Heck, I didn’t even know what went on fi rst, mas-cara or eye liner! I had to learn to tell women how to apply their makeup when I didn’t even know how to put it on myself. I was like Mel Gibson in the movie What Women Want—I had to try it on myself, under my director’s supervision and instructions. It was very uncomfortable for this football-crazed, athletic male to do…put on makeup like a girl. But, I learned.”

JAN DAVISFormer Astronaut Mission Special-ist at NASA, Current Vice President, Deputy General Manager at Jacobs Technology

In the technology fi eld, women are outnumbered by eight men to every two women. When Jan was in school for engineering, it was 97 men to every two women.

Did you have a mentor in this fi eld that encouraged you along the way?

“I have had many mentors along the way in my career but my all-time best mentor was my mother. She always said, “Aim high and you will never hit low.” She made me believe that with enough hard work and education, I could do anything I wanted to. She inspired me by her own actions—ad-vancing her degree while working and raising a family.”



ANA FRANKLINMorgan County Sheriff

In the U.S., there are currently 40 female sheriff s out of a total 3,700—around 1% women.

What would you say to other women interested in pursuing a job as a sheriff ? “This job is extremely diffi cult, no matter if you’re a man or a woman. Someone must be at a point in their life in which their personal life can be put on hold and they can almost solely devote themselves to the job in order to succeed. Be prepared for scrutiny, hatefulness, challenges to your authority, and resistance to change. Be very thick skinned, be confi dent in your ability, make sure that you are doing this for the right reasons, and remember—this job is not self-serving, but for the service of others. Be committed to doing what is right and not wavering in that, but also be willing to adapt and be fl ex-ible in the right situations. Know your limitations and your weaknesses and be willing to accept help.”

BETH BAHARRabbi, Temple B’nai Sholom

16% of Rabbis in all denominations are female, but tides seem to be turn-ing. Currently, between 40% and 68% of the rabbinic students at the major non-Orthodox rabbinical seminaries are women.

What have been your biggest obstacles thus far in your job? “The biggest obstacle I have faced is something that I believe every professional woman faces—the question of work/life balance. I want to be the perfect mother and the perfect wife, while at the same time being the perfect rabbi. I have come to learn to stop expecting perfection, but instead focus on the best I can do and fi nd enjoyment with what I do have.”



SARA BETH O’STEENAssistant Project Manager at Brasfi eld and Gorrie

Only 9% of those in the construction industry are females.

What made you want to pursue this job?

“Beginning at a young age, I was inter-ested in construction and architecture. I originally went to Auburn University to pursue a degree in Architecture. I was cut from the program the summer after my fi rst year and my architecture professors suggested interior design, which at the time was not appealing to me. I spoke with my uncle who had previously taught Building Science at Auburn and tried it out starting fall of my sophomore year. I immediately knew I had found my niche. It was so interesting to me to learn how a building came together—I loved the process.”

PATRICK HOODStay-at-Home Dad

Just 3.5% of “stay-at-home” parentsare fathers

The decision to work inside the home has many benefi ts and compromises. What compromis-es and benefi ts have you found in your situation?

“The benefi ts are obvious. I can set my own schedule. We can go on va-cation during the uncrowded times and I get to spend as much time with my children as I want, which is a lot. The compromises are that I have to plan around my wife’s schedule, I am not a very good cook, and it’s very hard to get work done when I’m un-der the gun. Too many unexpected coff ee breaks and personal errands get in the way sometimes.”


36 » scene

Above: Sponsorship Drive for

Life Ministries and One Lovefebruary , · cyn shea’s

Below: Th e Painted Violin Society Unveilingfebruary , · servisfirst bank

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

© David Coker

Will Heaps, DeLynn Gower, and Paula Renfroe

Nancy Van Valkenburgh, and Pat Ammons

Dan Halcomb, and Dianne Reynolds

Mabry Miller and Janet Phillips

Nancy Colin, John Malone, and Donna Rush

Jennifer Doss, andFrances Huff man Andy Kattos, Foster McDonald,

and Richard Van Valkenburgh

Dr. Ben Washburn, Debbie Washburn, and Ginney McDonald

LeAnn Newsom, Vonda Truitt, and Carolyn Jackson

LeAnn Newsom and Claudia Coker

Kerry Coker, Vonda Truitt, Jordan Smith, LeAnn Newsom, Kendra Krell, JoAnn Pegues, Fran Fluhler, and Cynthia Hart

Rachel Jackson

Scott Newsom

Tina Edwards

Cynthia HartDavid Coker and Kerry Coker


To us, intense client focus starts with the notion that we’re in the relationship business. Yes, it’s personal. Let us get to know you and you’ll experience a difference that works to your advantage. Count on independence – advisors operating free from quotas, fund restrictions and proprietary products. Count on discipline – a data-driven approach with in-depth research. Count on a better return on relationships – advisors whose passionate commitment to your success matches your own. Let’s thrive together.

Keith Rogers: 256.713.2662 | Kelly Clary: 256.713.2669801 Clinton Avenue, Huntsville, AL | www.WAasset.com

Alabama l Florida

TAKE CARE OF SOMETHINGREALLY IMPORTANT

INTENSE CLIENT FOCUS

Warren Averett Asset Management MembersKeith Rogers and Kelly Clary


Amy McMullen and Charles BallardPhoto by Patrick Hood


Looking at Life Th rough Th eir Loving Lenstext by amy collins » photos by patrick hood and courageous photography


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When Amy McMullen generously off ered to photograph a

stranger’s family, whose husband had been diagnosed with

stage four mantle cell lymphoma, she had no idea she’d soon

be running a non-profi t organization that would touch the

lives of so many families fi ghting life-threatening illnesses, or

that the majority of the diagnosed would be young children.

Th at was June, 2012, and McMullen’s empathy for the family

cut deep. Her own husband died suddenly when she was only

28 years old, leaving her with two daughters under the age of

10, a mortgage, and a car payment. “I wish I’d had that for my

girls,” McMullen said. “I wish there were

more photographs of them with their

father before he died.” Th e gentleman

she photographed that June is a survivor,

though the sentiment remains present

with every family she helps.

It was McMullen’s fi ancé Charles

Ballard’s idea to organize Amy’s

generosity into a foundation. Th ey work

as a team on Courageous Photography;

every decision they make, and all travel

and photo shoots are a combined

eff ort. Th ey donate their time, driving

as far as North Carolina and Florida

from their Madison, Alabama,

studio to meet and photograph their

subjects. All expenses are covered

by donations, and many of the

contributors sponsor a family they

know. It was happenstance that

Courageous Photography began to

make portraits of young children with a cancer

diagnosis. “Our second family was a child associated with St.

Jude, and the word spread,” Charles Ballard said.

Th e foundation has operated largely by word of mouth, though

McMullen and Ballard were on an episode of the “Today”

show, along with one of their families, which brought welcome

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What Courageous Photography does for these families is more than capture intimate moments in lasting images. They help people escape for a day and forget about the disease for a few hours.

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attention to their work. McMullen and Ballard refer to every

Courageous family as their family. Th e connections made are

far more lasting than an afternoon of snapping photos.

“It’s not a regular photo shoot,” McMullen said. She also runs

her two independent businesses, Amy’s Custom Photography,

a professional portrait, commercial, and fashion studio, and

D’Arte, her fi ne art photography enterprise. “We love on

them as soon as we arrive,” McMullen said. “We take them to

dinner, to talk with them, let them vent and talk about what’s

going on so they know they have friends, that someone cares.

We want it to be a happy experience. We want to celebrate

the child.”

Images of the children and teenagers fi ll the online gallery of

the foundation’s website and Facebook page. Many of them

have lost their hair after chemotherapy treatments. One boy

shows us his distended belly and tubes attached to his torso,

and they each wear a broad, easy smile for McMullen’s camera.

McMullen says her camera never stops, that many of the

images she takes on the day-long photo sessions are seemingly

benign moments between parent and child, but become

comforting keepsakes for all who might be left behind. Staples

offi ce supply in Madison, Alabama, donated a 16 by 20 inch

canvas portrait to each family, until late 2013, when the store

learned they would no longer be carrying that product.

Courageous Photography also collects funds for care

packages for every member of the family, each one tailored

to the interests of the individual. Five-year-old Jonathon

loved Spiderman, 14-year-old Autumn received nail polish

and jewelry, eight-year-old Ryan, nicknamed “Bama,” adored

quarterback AJ McCarron and received a package of all things

Crimson Tide. Th ree-year-old Kayden loved bubbles. “It was

the only way Charles could get him to look up for the camera,”

McMullen said. “But everyone loves bubbles, so everyone gets

bubbles.”

Parents receive sundries like lotion, shampoo, bubble bath, and

coff ee packets in their care packages; a mix of indulgent articles

and items needed when one spends signifi cant time in and out of

the hospital with a sick child. Many of these families are pushed

into cash-strapped situations as medical bills pile up and jobs are

sacrifi ced for time for doctor visits and hospital stays. McMullen

and Ballard hope to grow the foundation and accept grant money

and private donations to help families pay utilities, mortgages,

and to buy food when resources are stretched thin. Hospice

organizations in Huntsville and the Shoals area have begun

working with Courageous Photography, and the foundation is

currently undergoing the process of becoming a 501(c)3 Non-

Profi t organization.

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What McMullen and Ballard do for

these families is more than capture

intimate moments in lasting images.

Th ey help people escape for a day and

forget about the disease for a few hours.

Th ey become friends, confi dants,

and extended family. “We’ve been

invited to and attended three funerals,”

McMullen said. “I’ve watched three

mothers fi x their baby’s shoe or suit

in the casket. But when they see us

arrive, their faces light up.”

Ballard also lost loved ones early in life.

His father, a brother, and a best friend

passed before he was 20. Still, he says,

the experience of befriending an ailing

child is life changing. “I’ve learned more

about life and how to live from these kids,” Ballard said. “It makes me ask, how am

I growing as a person?” It seems Ballard and McMullen, who had her own brush

with mortality, surviving intracerebral blood clots after her third child was born, are

uniquely equipped to empathize with the Courageous families. “I feel called to do this.

It’s bigger than us,” McMullen said. “Cancer hits everybody, the poor, the rich, the

middle class. And it’ll take everything from you.” McMullen and Ballard fi nd peace

and comfort in the time they spend with these families, and deliver in exchange, peace

and comfort to them.

McMullen and Ballard hope to grow the foundation and accept grant money and private donations to help families pay utilities, mortgages, and to buy food when resources are stretched thin.

© Courageous Photography


In the Driver’s Seattext by allen tomlinson » photos by danny mitchell

Karen Hislop understands what a loaded question that can be. If you ask Mom (or

Dad), chances are they are hanging on to their ability to drive because it represents

independence. If you ask the adult children, sometimes the answers aren’t as cut

and dried. So how do you know whether it really is safe for Mom to drive?

“It’s even more complicated than that, sometimes,” said Karen. “Many times, we see

patients who have had some type of medical incident or diagnosis, like a stroke or

possibly the loss of a limb. We realized several years ago that there was a need to

provide an objective analysis of that person’s ability to drive, so we could make a

determination about whether or not it’s safe.”

Karen is an occupational therapist and the owner of Th erapy Achievements

in Huntsville, and she is accustomed to seeing people who are recovering from

strokes, brain or spinal cord injuries, or diseases such as Parkinson’s or Multiple

Sclerosis. “Our entire focus is helping people regain or retain their independence,”

she said, “and we saw a real need to help people evaluate their driving skills. Many

times, these patients have suff ered loss because of their illness, and they don’t want

to give up their last hold on independence. My goal is to see if there is a way they

can continue to drive.”

Karen has undergone extensive training and certifi cation, and has off ered a driving

evaluation program since 2008. Th e tests start with a medical referral—families

who are simply arguing over whether or not to take away the keys can’t use Th erapy

Achievements as a moderator, but once a doctor makes the referral, the program

can begin. Th e fi rst step is an offi ce visit, where Karen uses computer programs and

special hand and foot pads to evaluate the patient’s memory skills, vision, range of

motion, and reaction times. “We want to see if your brain is able to react quickly

to what you see,” she said. On the screen, the patient reacts to fi rst one object and

then two or more, because, as Karen notes, “when you are behind the wheel of a

car, there are multiple things happening at the same time.” Computer literacy is not

required, and the tests are simple to do.

Once the patient has satisfactorily completed this series of tests, it’s time to move

outside and behind the wheel of the car. Karen has a specially equipped Mercury

that she can adapt to the patient’s condition; it even has hand and foot controls for

those patients who have lost a limb and are learning how to drive using a diff erent

set of controls. “We start by going to the parking lot at the stadium,” she said, “and

then we progress until we move into traffi c. While we are undergoing all of these


Is it safe for Mom to continue to drive?



tests, I am asking questions to determine the goals for the patient. It might be that

she only wants to drive to church or the beauty parlor, and we discuss ways that she

might do that without using high-speed and high-traffi c routes.”

When the tests are fi nished, the evaluation is completed and Karen is able to make

recommendations about the patient’s ability to drive. A report is sent to the patient

and to the patient’s physician.

“It’s important that people know that I do not have the authority to take away a

person’s driver’s license,” said Karen. “And this is not a pass/fail test; many times we

can structure a program for the patient that allows them to continue to drive, with

adaptive equipment or with carefully planned routes. My goal is to fi nd a way they

can continue to drive, if that’s possible.”

Karen’s advice to the patient and to the family is to get tested sooner, rather than

later. “Some families have long-standing arguments about whether or not a parent

is able to continue to drive,” she said, “and rather than fi ght about it, there is a way

to get evidence and fi nd out.”

Th at Mercury isn’t just used to determine whether a patient is still able to drive; it

is also equipped to help teach people who need to learn to drive diff erently. “We’ve

done a lot of work with veterans who have lost a limb and need to learn how to drive

with hand controls or with other special equipment,” Karen said. It requires prac-

tice, too, especially if you have learned to drive using your feet and you now have to

apply the brake or use the accelerator with hand controls.

“It’s important that people know that I do not have the authority to take away a person’s

driver’s license. Many times we can structure a program for the patient that allows them to

continue to drive, with adaptive equipment or with carefully planned routes. My goal is to

fi nd a way they can continue to drive, if that’s possible.” —KAREN HISLOP

(Opposite): The testing process begins with a vision screening to determine if the patient is able to see well enough to drive. (Above): Karen teaches people how to drive using hand control and left-foot accelerator pedals, depending upon their needs.


“One of our patients had neuropathy, and had lost the feeling in her feet,” Karen said. “She had an accident

and completely stopped driving, but that became very inconvenient for her. She decided to try it again,

with hand controls, and we trained her to use them. Now she’s able to get herself where she needs to go.”

Th e car is equipped with hand controls, a left-foot gas pedal, steering knobs, and other adaptive equip-

ment. Karen helps the patient select the correct equipment, trains in its use, and then generates a report

that states that the patient is competent to use it. She can also work with vendors who install adaptive

equipment to discuss the patients’ particular needs.

Is it ever scary to ride with someone in the training car? “If a patient passes the offi ce tests and I am sure

that their reaction skills are good, I don’t get too nervous,” she says with a smile, and starting the training

or evaluation in the stadium parking lot helps as well.

Th e rewards are worth any nervousness. After all, Karen started Th erapy Achievements as a way to help

people who were suff ering from debilitating accidents or illness, to restore as much quality of life as pos-

sible. Helping them retain independence by restoring their ability to drive, or bringing peace of mind to a

family by providing an objective evaluation of driving skills, are all just part of a day’s work. Is it still safe

for Mom or Dad to drive? Karen will let you know.

“Our entire focus is helping

people regain or retain their in-

dependence, and we saw a real

need to help people evaluate

their driving skills. Many times,

these patients have suffered

loss because of their illness, and

they don’t want to give up their

last hold on independence. My

goal is to see if there is a way

they can continue to drive.”

—KAREN HISLOP

(Above): Before getting behind the wheel of the specially-equipped car, Karen tests reaction times to see how quickly the patient processes information.


Extraordinary relationships change lives.Are you ready for a change? Contact [email protected], 256-799-6103.

randolphschool.net/applyRandolph School does not discriminate in violation of the law on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, age, physical challenge, nation of origin, gender, or any other characteristic.

“One of the reasons that we all love Randolph so much—even decades later—is because it did not just teach us to be good students. It taught us to be good people.”- Brandon Robinson ’98,

“Our teachers are like superheroes. I think that supporting kids so they

strength is fantastic.” - Sydney, 11th grade



text by allen tomlinson

photos by patrick hood and amy jones

© Amy Jones


© Patrick Hood

march/april | noalapress.com | arch/april | noalapress.com |

ou can feel the excitement as the children get ready to board

the big yellow school buses for their trip to Huntsville. Th ey are

trying so hard to restrain themselves, but this is a big adventure;

they are going to the Von Braun Center to attend a Broadway Th e-

atre League special show, just for them.

“Broadway Th eatre League has been around since 1959,” said Andrew Willmon, the

Executive Director, “but we started the children’s educational program in 2005. In

the beginning, we had to charge a small admission, but today, thanks to corporate

sponsorships, over 7,000 school kids every year will get to see a show at absolutely

no cost to them.”

Exactly the mission of the BTL program. For most in the audience, it will be their

fi rst exposure to live performance, and the show has been specifi cally designed

with them in mind. Th e majority of students who attend go to Title I schools, and

the hope is that the lives of these children will be enriched by a whole new world of

possibilities and an appreciation for arts and culture.

For many, it’s much more profound. Like Jake. (Jake’s name has been changed for

this story.) Jake is a student at Walter Jackson School in Decatur and is being raised

by his grandmother. He’d been on a bus before, but even though he lived in Decatur

he had never seen the Tennessee River. “As they were crossing the river on that big

bridge from Decatur to the causeway, Jake asked his teacher if that was the ocean,”

said Andrew. “Th at alone let us know that this experience was likely to be life-

changing for this young man.”

Th e experience actually begins a month or so before the kids board the bus for the

Von Braun Center. BTL Education Director Pennie Wood travels to the schools to

talk to the students and teach them about what to expect. Th ey discuss the story

line and take time to talk about theater manners; Pennie takes time to tell them

about all of the details, including what it means when the lights dim and the show

begins, how large the auditorium really is, how to keep from kicking the seat in

front of you, and when to applaud and when to remain quiet.

Th e shows themselves are wonderful, aimed perfectly at this age group. Velveteen

Rabbit, Arthur, Peking Acrobats, and Th e Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stu-

pid Tales are just a few of the titles of performances that BTL has presented for this

program. Th is past November, Dinosaur Train, a life-sized puppet show, was the

featured event. “We aim for two shows every year, one in the spring and one in the

fall,” said Andrew.

“ As they were crossing the river on that big bridge from Decatur to the causeway, Jake asked his teacher if that was the ocean. That alone let us know that this experience was likely to be life-changing for this young man.” —Andrew Willmon, BTL Executive Director


On April 15, BTL brings San Jose Taiko, an exploration of Japanese-American heri-

tage told through the powerful, spellbinding and propulsive sounds of the Taiko

drums. Inspired by traditional Japanese drumming and founded in 1973, San Jose

Taiko became one of the fi rst American Taiko ensembles invited to tour Japan. Au-

dience members will be drawn to the empowering sounds of the Taiko and inspired

by the continued possibilities, renewal, and transformation that the rhythm and

beat invokes. BTL’s Student Outreach Program is sponsored by Lockheed Martin

(Title Sponsor) with grant support from Th e Alabama State Council on the Arts,

Arts & Cultural Grant Program from the City of Huntsville and Th e Arts Council,

Aerojet Rocketdyne, and many BTL individual contributors.

Th e theater experience doesn’t end when the curtain closes. “When the show is

over, the class that presents the best class project based on what they learned at the

show gets a pizza party and celebration,” he said. It’s a way to continue the experi-

ence and make it fun, long after the actual event is over.

Area schools, pre-schools, and home-schooled students are invited to attend.

School slots are still available for San Jose Taiko on April 15th at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30

p.m.; for information, please contact Pennie Wood at 256-518-6155 or pennie@

broadwaytheatreleague.org.

“Thanks to corporate sponsorships, over 7,000 school kids every yearwill get to see a show at absolutely no cost to them.”

© Amy Jones

© Patrick Hood


Works byLeslie AdairSarah BrewerKerry BrooksPeggy Brosious EastTracy CobbsPatrick HoodLuke JohnsonMarilyn Lewis-AlimCarey LinkDanny MitchellHarry MooreGinger K. NelsonJimmy RobinsonCheryl Robinson-StewartAbraham RoweMonita SoniLeslie Nicole Th omasLauren TomasellaMargaret J. Vann

Th e Geology of MeTracy Cobbs

IFault lines crack the crust of my life.

Tectonic plates of confl icting interests, values, desiresslide and smashcrash and slip

send temblors through my soul.

I can feel Th e Big One coming.

IIUnder the stony surface

fi ery magma surgesbursts forth occasionally

from volcanic ventsbeneath the oceans of my eyes

sending the salty waterin hot rivers

across the terrain of my face.

IIII drill and drill

but the core remainsout of reach.


Photo by Kerry Brooks Photography march/april | noalapress.com |

EssenceMargaret J. Vann

Spring always raises the sensesfi lls the world with urges to procreatetrees posture themselvespine & oak hickory & mapleshower the earth with pollengolden pollen

drifting past the street lightscasting a golden glow rising on warm spring currentshazing the air in gilded tones

So the trees conspire with the breezesrelease their essenceto drift, fl oat, fl y over usin a rapture of leavingclouds of pollen

drifting past the street lightscasting a golden glowrising on warm spring currentshazing the air in gilded tones

We are all breathing in,making our ownthe essence of trees

Does the pollen create in mea germ of thoughtan embryo of versean acorn of heart?

Photo by Sarah Brewer




Photo by Lauren Tomasella

Registering, 1963Jimmy Robinson

At the top of the broad steps

At all six entrances of East Clinton School

Th ey stood at attention. Th e curbs

Of East Clinton Avenue and White street

Were lined with state trooper cars.

Not understanding what was going on,

A few neighborhood classmates and I

Climbed past the stone-still troopers

Who stood as fi xed as Buckingham guards

And never fl inched while we

Slipped in to register for sixth grade

As cameramen, reporters, and a curious crowd

Witnessed history refusing to take place.


Photo by Danny Mitchell


Microwave ArtHarry Moore

Laying pre-cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel, I punch in nine seconds each at power nine, a narrow window for crisp but not scorched.

We shot hogs on our farm, with a .22 between the eyes, then slit their throats to bleed them dry, hoisted the weighty carcass by its heelsto a high black walnut limb, plunging the bodyinto a barrel of scalding water, once, twice,three times, like some baptismal rite, till wirelike hair was soft for scraping.

With knives honed to sharpest edge, we shaved each surface clean, leaving smooth the white and fl abby skin.From throat to scrotum, we sliced the carcass open, catching organsin a tub: liver, lights, and heart for haslet stew, intestines to be washedfor chitlins or for curing peppered sausage.

On the cutting table, the head came off ,jowl for seasoning turnip greens, the restfor souse. Hooves and feet were tossed,shoulders, hams, loins, and middlings packed in salt inside a wooden box, to be sliced and fried on winter mornings.

Slabs of fat were diced and dumped into a blackened iron pot above a popping fi re, chunks melting into their own hot grease till they fl oated stiff and brown, scooped by strainers onto fl attened paper bags to drain: porkskins and cracklings fi lling the cold November air with their warm fragrance. Hot grease cooled in silver cans, whitening slowly into lard for baking and for frying in the coming year.

No one knew cholesterol, since chopping wood and plowing kept us lean, and no one thought it cruel that these creatures we had penned and fed corn, watermelons,overripe tomatoes from the garden, table scrapsand broth from the slopping can should nowbecome our food. As we sat to a supper of thick fried tenderloin, a jar of peas from summer’s garden, biscuits, rice, and thickened gravy, it was as if a tree had shed its fruit onto our table.

On my plate, beside a butteredEnglish muffi n and some grapes, lietwo strips of bacon, crisp, brown,thin as wafers for communion.

My Alabama HomeCarey Link

I left a monotonous cacophony of honked horns, ringing phones,suburban town homes with sound proof barriers for backyards,55 Mph speed limits,smoke rising from fuel plants to turn air brownfor the seeds of furrowed fi eldsthat grow beneath open sky.Long trips down back roads.To climb into the hollowof a high tree.To feel warm breeze on my cheeks.To sit at Sunday suppers of fried chicken,potatoes, collard greens, black-eyed peas,peach pie, and sweet tea.To dry clothes on a line.To fi nd and keep treasurescool, dark, deep.To watch a yellow and black spiderweave the initials of her last breath--a geometric code of where she has beenand will goon my window.To listen to stories of the past and presentwhispered on the porch swingas sun melts behind cloudsin the shadow of evergreen.


“Truck and Tree” by Abraham Rowe



One Day When I Was TenGinger K. Nelson

Daddy wasn’t a big man except in my eyes. I admired him for teach-ing himself to play the piano. I rejoiced when he played the organ in church. I bragged that he ice skated in Madison Square Garden. My hero worship accompanied his accomplishments until I was ten years old.

On that spring day, Daddy tumbled from a ladder while removing our second story storm windows. On that day, he fell from his place as my idol when I discovered the cause for his slip was his excessive drinking. He plummeted to the still-sleeping earth of my mother’s fl ower garden, its brick border etching his bald head with a pattern of blood like rusty clouds.

Earlier that morning I slid the pink nylon bedspread with daisies winking at the wrinkled fl oral sheets over my single bed, then ma-neuvered the blinds to allow stripes of light to creep into my room. Th e open window allowed scents of forsythia and lilacs to wrinkle my nose.

As I struggled to cover my pencil-thin hips with ill-fi tting dungarees, I listened to the Electrolux herald spring cleaning. With one last peek at my halfway-neat room, I ambled toward soggy cereal and a day of waxing fl oors and dislodging dust bunnies.

Scurrying to fetch lemony polish, I heard Daddy’s muffl ed hum-ming as he dragged a ladder across the freshly-swept earth which surrounded the rock garden under the ammonia-streaked window.

“Don’t climb that rickety old thing.” Mom‘s worry sliced through the air. “Th e storm windows can wait until I buy a sturdier ladder.”

“I’d better get them off now; it’s supposed to rain the rest of the week.”

I didn’t detect the sound of his feet sliding from the rungs; I did hear my mother’s screams strident following the thud which shattered my peaceful fi fth grade world.

With a fi erceness borne of fear, I continued brushing furniture with the whisk broom until no evidence of winter woolies remained un-til I heard sirens drowning out my father’s moans and my mother’s piercing howls.

As the ambulance drove away, I watched my aunt rake up bloody dirt, dislodge overturned bricks and drag the off ensive ladder away. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she covered up signs of the accident. Tears streamed down mine as I struggled with unanswered questions.

What happened to the man with the Daddy Warbucks’ voice—my father whose large blue-veined hand encompassed my small one when we crossed streets, my Daddy who insisted on removing win-ter windows so that gentle spring breezes could blow through our compact rooms? I only knew that white vehicle with its blinking red lights whisked him from my home with its rolled-up straw rugs lining the unpolished fl oor of the living room and out of my safe, unblemished life.

When he returned, life resumed at its normal pace for a few months until Daddy tumbled once more as a result of a major stroke. Gone were the visits to his big city company with its clickety-clacking type-writers and ponderous adding machines. Now he lay in a white hos-pital bed, wore a white gown and stared at empty white walls of the county hospital.

Calendar pages fl ipped to Christmas. I tied a red satin bow on his un-familiar wheelchair. Th e solarium at the end of the sterile hall bore

meager holiday decorations. As patients sat alone or with family mem-bers, the longing to return to their former selves blazed like gaudy billboards across their blank faces. While my aunt led the caroling of “O Holy Night,” some of us reached across dreariness and pain to the heavens with off -key voices; others cowered in joyless silence.

One day my father arrived home. But not my Daddy. Like Humpty Dumpty, he never again was that jovial man perched on the wall of my memories. He never picked Mom a bouquet of fragrant lilies of the valley from the garden. He never sang “di dee di” as he picked out


melodies on our Wurlitzer. And he never did Daddy things like tell-ing fairy tales or playing Parcheesi with me anymore.

Even our home changed its appearance. An adjustable hospital bed occupied a corner of the dining room where we no longer ate rare roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and creamed carrots.

Th e stroke paralyzed my father’s left side and left him dependent on a cane to guide him around the fi rst fl oor. His once soulful blue eyes fi lled with tears of frustration at all he could no longer do. Only a few

of my friends dropped by on Saturdays to pop corn or make fudge.In July he left us. His death didn’t bring relief from the guilt cas-cading down the crenulated tunnels of my mind. I buried myself in memories of unkind words I wished I could stuff in the shredder, moments of pleasant times and gentle touches I wished I could re-visit. And I was only ten when it began and ended with a tipsy lad-der and a tipsy father and sharp bricks that still pierce my heart.

Photo by Patrick Hood


NowMarilyn Lewis-Alim

Let me get my soul up off this fl oor. I know this pain’s been carried. Somebody has cried this grief before.

Let me be with the power of now. I’ve got nothing but now. Not yesterday nor tomorrow, just now.

My spirit moves with the sun and it never sets. Smiles at stars, has no regrets. Rolls past nebulae; dances through black holes. Pulls at constellations colliding and just grows.

Strong is my spirit now.

My soul feels the powerful power of now.

Dragonfl y on a Rosebush in Florida in the Fall Leslie Nicole Th omas

Tricked into shape shifting into an insect— a dragon that could not then change back, sent to earth by Satan on indefatigable wings, he sings in chaos to cause confusion. Cacophonous swirl of silence— the adder’s servant slips in stitching shut the mouths of bad children in their sleep. Th e master of illusion, iridescent wings, body of neon yellow racing stripes, the devil’s sewing needle moves and sees in six directions, traveling between dimensions like breath—the master of mutability—except for the changing back part. He clutches the stem of the rosebush right next to the thorn. Fearful symmetry of its stripes marks it a harbinger of death to some, or something slightly less, serendipitously more harmonious—the end of one’s self created illusions, the mind’s vision uninhibited as its wings, transparent as lace and as frail.


Photo by Amanda Chapman

Women’s History MonthCheryl Robinson-Stewart

We are the warriors of prayerOh, daughters, sisters, wives, friends everywhereMothers, mentors, ministers of truthEnthusiastically trying to encourage our youthNurturers of the seeds that we plantSurvivors of abuse, cancer, rape, war, and I can’t

Humanitarians of numerous worthy causesInspirers, inventors deserving applausesServants serving everyoneTireless teachers, our work is never done Oratorical griots of our historyRevolutionary women, so it is not a mysteryYes, we have come a long, long way

Making history every single dayObstacles, hurdles, trials, tribulations and fi ghtsNothing has kept us from our liberties and rightsThe contributions are immeasurable that women have madeHonor can be given, but we can never be repaid

So it is quite evident and very clearWomen’s history month is every day of the year!!!

Not of the Same FeatherMonita Soni

Th ey don’t get meMost women married to their men

When they look at meTh ey seem to fl inch in their guts…Perhaps they don’t like what they seeDid I overdo my henna rinse?Or did I come to the wrong house?Or is it just my inimitable audacity?

I shrug off their cool receptionand walk into the roomTh ey eyeball me…Some overtly others covertlyTh eir vacant minds spinningOh no! If they like my ensembleWhat must their men be thinking?One or two nod tightly and then pointedly turn their backs and engage aggressivelyinto mindless banterA few preen and unfurl on their escorts’ arms It’s comedicTh eir lack of bonhomieTo my detached air of stabilityI am content and at peace in my wholenessWhether alone or in a gathering I never miss Lack of male or female company

I shirk senseless social soirees Where unhappy people gather to make plansFor another unhappy aff air So that they can talk to other unhappy peopleAbout their unhappy lives

But I don’t judge them…I leave them be with or without their married men

Give me any day a walk in the woodsA play-date with a child or colorsA welcome evening with a friendA phone call with parentsA good book that invites contemplationAlways time spent in gratitude and prayer

I don’t conformI am perhaps of diff erent feathersI am the bluebirdMy resolve is to fl y higher!


Photo by Leslie Adair

Stylin

g: K

ate Co

le; Mak

eup

: Bab

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edd



Th e Other ShoePeggy Brosious East

Th e Cinderella summer was decked out in banquet fi neryan insect orchestra playedthe long days and hot nights.Grandiose watermelonsperfumed cantaloupesluminous honeydewsvoluptuous peacheskept company while lush tomatoes and cucumbers too cool to carelounged around the dance fl oor.But they have left the ball;gone south for the winter.Summer has turned into a pumpkin.

Photo by Luke Johnson

Maxi Skirt ($45)Black Top ($20)Clutch ($27)Shoefl y

Pierre Dumas Naomi Shoe ($34.95)Austin’s Shoes

Background fabric by Thread



photos by patrick hood » produced by claire stewarthair and makeup by nancy finnegan

For some, prints can be intimidating—we aren’t sure if they are too loud, we don’t know if they are fl attering, or we don’t know what to pair them with.

But this spring, prints are the way to go for everyone. In the next few pages, fi nd some daring fashion choices from local retailers that are sure to shake up your closet.

Th row your inhibitions out the window because when it comes to prints, go big and go bold.

Bell-Sleeved Dress($49.95)

Earrings ($15)Market House




www.hsvbg.org • 256.830.4447

Welcome at Huntsville Botanical Garden.

March 22 – 29 It’s Spring Break and the Garden’s 2014 exhibit, Alice’s Garden of Wonders, will begin to take shape on a grand scale at the hands of sand sculptor Ted Siebert of the Sand Sculpting Company. Also happening Spring Break week - fun activities for the kids each day between 1 & 3 pm.

www.hsvbg.org • 256.830.4447

The Garden’s Spring Festival of Flowers has blossomed into a celebration of all things spring and has evolved

into Huntsville Blooms.Visit the Garden and witness the explosion of color all month long.

MGaWgrgrTeTeTeAlAAlaccac1 1

Plant SaleApril 11-13

Friday & Saturday 9am - 6pmSunday Noon - 5pm

Open daily beginning 22, 2014.

Peach Dress ($46)Green Purse ($29)J. Whitener

Pierre Dumas Wedges($34.95)

Austin’s Shoes




Striped Dress ($44)Clutch ($38)Francesca’s


Paisley Pants ($69.50)Navy Top ($10)Bracelet Set ($24)Altar’d State

Pierre Dumas Wedges($34.95)

Austin’s Shoes




Four convenient locations: Decatur, Athens, Madison, & Huntsville Convenient appointment times from 7am - 7pm & on Saturdays

Watch your mouth!Many oral health issues show no symptoms

friendly staff at Complete Dental today to schedule a check-up. Mention this ad for FREE bleach trays for new patients with Xrays & exam. Some restrictions may apply.

84 » market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

“Wave Pacifi c”Glass Sculpture ($250)Th e Little Green Store

(256) 539-9699

Grey-Free Hair Colors($14 each)

Neo Mode Salon(256) 881-2364

M. Axelrod Coastal Village Scene ($300)

Th e Willowbrook Shoppe(256) 270-7181

OPI Polishes ($9 each)Neo Mode Salon(256) 881-2364

Perfect root color between hair

appointments!

Spring Things


Easy Gardens for the Southby Harvey Cotton,Pamela Crawford,

& Barbara Pleasant ($29.95)and Fresh From the Garden

by Sarah Raven ($47)Shoppe at the Garden

at Huntsville Botanical Gardens(256) 830-4447

Ananda Khalsa Tanzanite and Green Sapphire Earrings ($1,900)

Th e Little Green Store(256) 539-9699

Th irty One Bits Purse ($159)Huntsville Museum of Art

(256) 535-4350

Old Try Alabama Prints($40 each)

Huntsville Museum of Art(256) 535-4350

86 » market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

Annabelle ShelleyFragrance Collection($37-$40 per item)

Shoppe at the Gardenat Huntsville Botanical Gardens

(256) 830-4447

Fairy Garden Accessories($9-36 per piece)

Shoppe at the Gardenat Huntsville Botanical Gardens

(256) 830-4447

Artisanal Soaps ($8.99 each)Josie’s at Burritton the Mountain(256) 536-2882

Farm Animal Plates($10.99 each)

Josie’s at Burritton the Mountain(256) 536-2882

Ludvig Jacobsen Oil Painting($220)

Th e Willowbrook Shoppe(256) 270-7181


Th omas Mann Ladybug Pin($180)

Th e Little Green Store(256) 539-9699

1 lb. Fresh Fudge ($13)Whistle Stop Sweet Shop

(256) 325-8838

Norma Ishak Handmade Cardigan in Vintage Cotton and Rabbit Wool ($510)

Finery(256) 429-3429

“Graters Gonna Grate” Hand Towel by Green Pea Press

($15)Huntsville Museum of Art

(256) 535-4350

Lemon, tiger butter, chocolate, andred velvet!

88 » lowe down » Claire Stewart

“Sofi e’s World by Jostein Gaarder. It al-lowed me to challenge my thinking and not just accept what others told me.” —Shannon Kish

“What piece of literature has had the most impact on you, and why?”

“I think I liked To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee so much because of Atticus Finch. He is such a hero in the story and someone you want to root for.” —Justin Norris

“The Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. It is a great story of a runaway travel-ing from England to America.” —Jessica Staton

“The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg will challenge your imagina-tion every time you read it.” —Jordan Staton

Jessica Staton

Justin Norris

Jordan Staton

Shannon Kish


“Beau Geste by P.C. Wren. It is an awesome adventure story of military loyalty and justice.” —Bradley Fitzsimons

“The Books of 5 Rings by Miyamoto Musashi entertained the idea of living a multifaceted life as a poet, warrior, schol-ar, and teacher.” —Geoff McElroy

“Anything by Nicholas Sparks. His books give me hope!” —Jessica Kline

Lisa Church

Jessica Kline

Geoff McElroy

Courtney Harper

Bradley Fitzsimons

“‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost helped me make many decisions in my life” —Lisa Church

“I love Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice! I read it at least once a year. Her style of writing is something you don’t see any-more.” —Courtney Harper


90 » lowe down » “What piece of literature has had the most impact on you, and why?”

“As a piece of art, the lyrics and music to “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones were life-changing for me. It introduced a new sound, that to me, made everyone stop and listen.” —Chris Gray

“I am always challenged in my thinking when I read anything by Ayn Rand.” —Joanne Grashot

“The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell re-ally opened my eyes to the relationship between God and pain and how they can eff ect one’s faith. —Beth Allen

Richard Grashot

Beth Allen

Joanne Grashot

Lizzie Allen

Chris Gray

“The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn really opened my eyes to the terrible side of communism. It was a very heavy book.” —Richard Grashot

“The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis ex-plained to me why bad things happen to good people.” —Lizzie Allen


“Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins. I read it in high school and am about to reread it this month.” —Bridges Crawford

“‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost. Some times in our lives we need to take the road less traveled. This was a good read I was able to share with my nieces.” —Bethany Oliver

“Battlefi eld of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. It changed my thinking patterns by helping me to think positively.” —Adrienne James

“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba. The teen in this story created a windmill out of scraps to get money. It reminds us to make the best of what we have. “ —Christina Dorough

Adrienne James

Bethany Oliver

Christina Dorough

Bridges Crawford


92 » the vine » Amy Collins

This is the time of year when the weather in North Alabama gets

extra crazy. We might expect snow fl urries one day and 80 degrees with full

sun two days later. Figuring out how to dress for these fl uctuations is pain enough,

there is also the dire concern about what to drink. Th e new vintage rosés will not

arrive for another four to six weeks, and it’s not yet hot enough to indulge in a cold

white. But when the weather gods shower us with perfect 72 degree love, the big

structured reds that kept us warm against the bitter cold all winter (and didn’t we

have plenty of that this year?) are way too heavy. My solution: keep some lighter

reds on hand, serve them near room temperature on the cooler days, and chill them

when it gets warm enough to move the party outside.

Most of us have a general idea that white wines should be served cold and red

wines at room temperature. Th at’s a very broad and simplifi ed standard, and if

you want to get into the science of aromatics, you’ll discover the particulars are

indeed a bit more particular. Th e serving temperature of a wine is probably the most

important factor in how it tastes. Th e colder it is, the more subtle, often hidden,

the fl avors. Th e warmer a wine, the more showy the aromas, alcohol, and fl aws, if

any. When a red wine is cooled, tannins become more obvious, dry and bitter, the

acidity accentuated. Lighter reds that aren’t super dry can benefi t from a cooler

temperature without becoming overly astringent.

One of my favorite red wines to chill is Beaujolais. Made from the

Gamay grape, these wines are typically light bodied without a lot of

tannin, often bursting with ripe strawberry and even bubblegum

fl avors, especially the Beaujolais Nouveau. When the wine is

chilled down to around 64 degrees, the super fruity fl avors

calm down and the acidity becomes more apparent,

making the wine more refreshing. Th ey also tend to

be versatile food pairing wines, from grilled meats to

pasta to burgers to sipping on the back deck in the

fi rst days of spring.

Another great red to chill is from the Bierzo region

in Spain. Th e grape here is Mencía and is mostly

planted in red clay soils on low rolling hills. Th e

wines tend to be lighter bodied with soft tannins,

though in recent years, a few producers are

making more concentrated, structured wines.

Still, cooling this one in the refrigerator for 20

minutes will make it more approachable and

enjoyable in warm weather. It’s a good picnic

wine, matches with a variety of foods and, like

Beaujolais, is often an inexpensive buy.

Austria’s most popular red wine grape, the

Zweigelt, is also a good candidate for a chill.

CHILL YOUR REDS

THE SERVING TEMPERATURE OF A WINE IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN HOW IT TASTES. THE COLDER IT IS, THE MORE SUBTLE, OFTEN HIDDEN, THE FLAVORS. THE WARMER A WINE, THE MORE SHOWY THE AROMAS, ALCOHOL, AND FLAWS, IF ANY.


Widely planted throughout the country, most Zweigelts are

simple, easy drinking reds meant to be drunk young. It’s

common to see them bottled in the customary Austrian

liter instead of the 750ml bottle, making them all the more

shareable.

A red wine that should always be served cold is Italy’s sparkling

Lambrusco from the Emilio-Romagna region, which stretches

across Northern Central Italy. Many Lambruscos are off -dry

or sweet, and match well with high-fat cured meats, like dry

salami, prosciutto, olives, and fi rm salty cheese like Parmesan,

and tangy fi rm goat or sheep milk cheese. It’s quite festive

with a dark chocolate dessert, too. Th ere are also dry versions

of the wine which can be intensely interesting and unusual.

Th e traditional cuisine of the region is hearty, with lots of

egg pastas topped with rich meat sauces (think bolognese).

Th e bubbles in the sparkling Lambrusco complement the

heaviness of the food and, traditionally speaking, are believed

to aid digestion.

In general, any light red wine that’s not too dry and has decent

acidity will benefi t from a cooler temperature. Big, tannic red

wines are not the best choice, as a too cool temperature will

make them even drier and chewier while masking the more

developed and nuanced fl avors. Try one of the wines below

with a slight chill, all of which are available in North Alabama.

Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais 2011, France

Sweet cherry and strawberry fruit, elegant, almost

closer in structure and fruit to a Pinot Noir than a

Gamay, with a hint of black pepper and nice long

fi nish. $15.99

J. Palacios Bierzo 2011, Spain

Red berry fruit, sour cherry, a little wild and more

concentrated than a lot of Bierzos but still drinks

well with a chill. $24.99

Berger Zweiglet 2011, Austria

Dark berry fruits, super soft tannins, light and easy

drinking. Good producer of classic Zweigelt. 1

liter bottle $14.99

Bertolani Lambrusco Rosso All’Attica

Asciutto & Corposo, Italy

Don’t let the long name dissuade you. Very dry,

sparkling with raspberry fruit, black pepper and

earth notes. Perfect match for bolognese sauce.

$14.99

Follow Amy at www.pigandvine.com for more stories and wine suggestions. 88.7 FM Muscle Shoals • 100.7 FM Huntsville

www.apr.org

News, classicalmusic and more


94 » food for thought » Sarah Gaede

I am fond of strudel and noodles and kittens, bewhiskered and

otherwise, but I would not trade my sturdy oven mitts for the warmest woolen

mittens. While I’ve been cooking seriously for almost 40 years, my quest for the

perfect kitchen equipment is ongoing. I’m always open to being surprised by

something new. I was an early adopter of the Cuisinart food processor, back in

the 70s, when they weren’t loaded with safety features and were much easier to

use. Although I never cut the tip of my fi nger off , my fi rst one had to go back to

the factory twice due to my unfortunate habit of fusing the steel blade onto the

driveshaft while making dough. I don’t use it much any more, except for pizza

dough, because I have discovered immersion blenders and mini-preps. Just stick

the blender stick in a pot of soup or sauce and watch the magic happen. No more

ladling hot liquid into the blender or food processor. A deal at under $40. Th e mini-

MY FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS

“PERHAPS EVEN MORE THAN MY ALLCLAD, I LOVE MY BIG LE CREUSET ENAMELED CAST IRON POT. IT WEIGHS A TON,

AND COST A LOT. BUT ONE WILL LAST A LIFETIME.”


prep is far more useful on a day to day basis than a big food

processor. It makes bread crumbs, grinds nuts, chops herbs,

and emulsifi es salad dressing in a snap. You can fi nd them for

under $50.

My friend Zac’s highest expression of aff ection is, “Love you

more than my luggage.” Mine is, “Love you more than my

All-Clad.” My fi rst pan, pictured, was a promotional item

at Bloomingdale’s, and cost a mere $15. Just like heroin, the

fi rst one is (almost) free. Th irteen years later, I think I’m done

collecting. Nothing cooks better, it cleans like a dream, and

lasts forever. I’m up to three saucepans, one regular and one

non-stick 12-inch skillet, a sauté pan, and an odd pot that

Henry’s boss gave us for Christmas last year. Th is is a gracious

plenty, considering that a 3-quart saucepan with lid will run

you around $170, although I’ve found lower prices on eBay

and at TJMaxx. I would forego the copper-bottomed ones,

unless you like to polish. Which I don’t.

Perhaps even more than my All-Clad, I love my big Le Creuset

enameled cast iron pot. It weighs a ton, and cost a lot. But one

will last a lifetime. You can get by with a smaller one—they

are often found at TJ Maxx at a good price. Lodge makes a

perfectly good version for a lot less.

I loved my $45 Henckels 8” stainless chef ’s knife for 39 years,

until I was seduced by a trophy knife—the Miyabi 5000S by

Zwilling J.A. Henkels, which my daughter, who received one

for Christmas, describes as thrillingly sharp. Now my poor

old knife is relegated to smashing garlic cloves. Th ree basic

knives—chef ’s, paring, and serrated—are really all you need,

and two of them are inexpensive. A good plastic-handled

paring knife is less than $10, and the highly rated Victorinox

serrated knife, which you can also use to slice tomatoes, runs

around $30. Do not put any knives in the dishwasher, ever.

And keep them sharpened—my husband does this for me,

bless his heart.

My current favorite kitchen gadgets are a Microplane for

zesting citrus and grating Parmigiano Reggiano (the only

kind to use), a little OXO whisk with a cushioned handle, and

stainless steel measuring spoons that fi t in jars of spices and

run the gamut from 1/8 teaspoon to one tablespoon. But I’m

also very fond of my well-seasoned wooden spoons. And my

vintage T.G. Green Ltd. pudding bowls. And—well, you see

where in my home my heart is.

96 » bless their hearts » Roy Hall

Last year’s “Heart and Soul” issue was a special time in our publishing cal-

endar here at No’Ala Huntsville. From the time we called for nominations until the

deadline for submissions, we were inundated with the names and accomplishments

of people who make the Tennessee Valley the best place in the world to live. People

who have asked themselves not what the Valley can do for them, but what they can

do for the Valley.

And that kind of leadership is a wonderful thing, to be sure. Th e world turns on

the axis of inspired, forward-thinking leadership. So it’s an honor and a privilege

to recognize their hard work—a civic necessity, really—because where would our

community be without these people?

But while the inspired and inspiring work of our leaders is well worth our praise

and attention, there is another group of people without whom the ideas, hard work,

and vision of our leaders couldn’t fl ourish; that’s the volunteer, of course. People

for whom, perhaps, public speaking doesn’t come naturally. Folks who are tempera-

mentally more inclined to help implement a plan or program rather than to devise

one. But when there’s a fundraiser, there they are, addressing the invitations or gath-

ering tickets at the door. Or when the needy line up at a soup kitchen for a hot meal

on a cold day, the volunteers are there, at dawn, ladle in hand, ready to serve without

pomp, circumstance or fanfare.

Leaders and volunteers: the yen and yang of community-building. But there’s still

one more group out there, a sub-section of the population, one whose contribu-

tions we don’t hear nearly enough about: the underachievers.

People like me!

You don’t hear a lot about us under-achievers. We’re not a proud, strutting lot.

We don’t go around trumpeting how much we haven’t accomplished (mostly be-

cause trumpeting and strutting require eff ort, something we’ve mostly foresworn).

If there’s a magazine or an awards gala that features our lack of work or our willing-

ness to avail ourselves of other people’s ingenuity, I haven’t come across it. Which is

not to say that those magazines and galas don’t exist; they may. But actively seeking

them out violates the integrity of doing nothing.

And while I’m hardly deaf to the usual objections to the do-little lifestyle—that sloth

and torpor corrupt the soul and turn the mind into a barren wasteland—I’d point

out that without the do-littles of the world, the leaders would have no opportunity

And while I’m hardly deaf to the usual objections to the do-little lifestyle—I’d point out that without the do-littles of the world, the leaders would have no opportunity to exercise their leadership skills.

THE DOLITTLE LIFE


to exercise their leadership skills. It’s the ideas the do-littles

haven’t thought that the leaders of the world are free to think.

It’s the soup the do-littles will never, ever get up off their futons

to serve that sits steaming in pots off ering volunteers the op-

portunity to rightly feel noble. (You’re all welcome, by the way.)

Some might point to the spiritual atrophy of doing nothing.

I’d counter that objection by noting that adherents of doing

nothing appear in some of the world’s most respected faiths.

Why, the Buddha himself advocated the state of nothing-ness

as a prerequisite for attaining Nirvana. At least that’s my im-

pression. I haven’t actually studied Buddhism. Studying Bud-

dhism requires, well, studying, which is pretty obviously a

violation of the very principle of doing nothing, or so it seems

to me. But once, years ago, before dozing off , I managed to

watch half a Tom Cruise movie called Th e Last Samurai, a

fi lm I’m almost certain had Buddhists in it, and that was my

take away.

But don’t quote me.

And it’s not that studying is a violation all do-littles hold dear.

I’m a do-little, and I’m also a proud graduate of the University

of Alabama. I earned my degree in theatre, by acting, which

is as close to doing nothing as a sentient human could possi-

bly hope for, as well as providing ample practice for a lifetime

of doing nothing for a living. Even collecting the degree re-

quired no eff ort on my part. After four and a half of the best,

nothing-doing years of my life, I came home to my Tuscaloosa

apartment to fi nd a FedEx letter waiting for me. Inside: one

red leather-bound diploma! I had accumulated, it seemed,

all the necessary credit hours in my major—a major which I

could have sworn I’d declared some years earlier as English.

But apparently not, as Th e University of Alabama had con-

ferred upon me a Bachelors of Arts in Th eatre, and I saw no

reason to object. Nor did I see a reason to continue to attend

any more classes that semester, a fact I can’t help but imagine

did nothing to improve my GPA, which, let’s be honest, was

probably not all that stratospheric anyway.

But, sadly, the realities of post-collegiate life intervened and in

the years following my accidental matriculation, I’ve learned

that the do-little lifestyle isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Rewards

for doing little aren’t exactly overfl owing. Th e under-achiev-

er’s life isn’t fabled in story and song. Our granite heads will

never peer down earnestly and wisely (and groggily) from

Mount Rushmore. We don’t get a lot of keys to cities—not

even Detroit. And despite the ample opportunity our lack of

initiative off ers the leaders of the world, there are no banquets

to acknowledge all we under-achievers haven’t achieved.

But perhaps the most unfortunate consequence of society’s

refusal to acknowledge the non-work of do-littles is this: up-

and-coming do-littles have so few mentors, so few people to

model themselves after.

Well, besides Congress, of course.


98 » parting shot » Patrick Hood

A Chance of Snow

• Mozart’s RequiemSaturday, March 15, 2014, 7:30 p.m.Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, VBC

• Bach in TahitiSunday, March 30, 2014, 3:30 p.m.Flying Monkey Theatre Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment

• Two Fifths on the FifthSaturday, April 5, 2014, 7:30 p.m.Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, VBC

The HSO season ends with three powerful performances!

For tickets or information, visit hso.org or call 256-539-4818


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