No’Ala Shoals, July/August 2016

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Serving the Shoals for 60 years! 801030

| noalastudios.com | july/august

10 July/August

contents 32LABOR OF LOVEBY ROY HALL PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODZac Abramson and Norbert and Sheryl Putnam share the trials and tribulations of bringing a century-plus-year-old home into the modern age while maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the original.

50GREEN WITH ENVYBY ROY HALL PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

AND DANNY MITCHELL

Four lush gardens serve four distinct purposesquiet contemplation, al fresco entertaining, wild ower sanctuary, and loving memorialthrough the versatility and inspiration of nature.

ON THE COVER: Paige and Blair Thorntons renovated Killen farmhouse was a labor of love and a leap of faith.

Patrick Hood

A J U R I E D F I N E A R T F E S T I V A L

I N H I S T O R I C D O W N T O W N D E C A T U R

S E P T E M B E R 24 25

Details at See you there!RIVERCLAY

CER AMICS, DR AWING, FIBER ART, GL ASS, JE WELRY,

ME TALWORK, MIXED MEDIA, PAINTING, PHOTOGR APHY,

PRINTMAKING, SCULPTURE, WOODWORK & MORE!

'&"563*/(

72SPACES IN THE HEARTBY JENNIFER CROSSLEY HOWARD PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODInterior designer Paige Th orntons farmhouse renovation provides a chic and comfortable home base for family and friends.

84EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAINBY JENNIFER CROSSLEY HOWARD PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODKathy Pace, with the help of RiverWorks Design Studio, transforms her grandparents 1940s Tennessee River homestead into a contemporary showplace.

96FRUITS OF LABORBY SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODTh e sustenance and fellowship of the North Alabama community garden movement both nourishes and nurtures its users.

104MIDCENTURY MODERN FAMILYBY ROY HALL PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOODCarter and Brandi McGuyers lakefront home marries the couples aesthetic sensibilities and design know-how.

16CALENDARSELECTED EVENTS FOR JULY/AUGUST 2016

18CRYIN OUT LOUDBY SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

22KUDOSBY ROY HALL

24MARKETBY TARA BULLINGTON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

30ROOTSBY NANCY SANFORD

44FOLKS OF FLORENCEBY ABRAHAM ROWE

94BLESS THEIR HEARTSBY DAVID SIMS

110A FAVOR FOR ELEANORBY SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROWAN FINNEGAN

116FOOD FOR THOUGHTBY SARAH GAEDE

118PARTING SHOTBY PATRICK HOOD

12 contents

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noala advisory board

Jeremy Britten

Anne Bernauer

Vicki Goldston

Leslie Keys

Tera Wages

Ashley Winkle

13 editors letter Roy Hall

Th e More Th ings Change...If you believe the adage that change only makes things more the same, NoAla should be more like itself than ever before. And despite all the ux around here lately, oddly enough, we are. Just in case our big news some-how passed you by, Allen Tomlinson, NoAla editor and co-founder, and the nimblest thinker this side of the Mississippi, began making the case for in-creased cancer research from the other side of Portlands Willamette River back in May, as marketing director for the Knight Cancer Institute. Mean-while, your humble new editor moved in the opposite direction, eastward approximately 50 feet, to the former o ce of our creative director, David Sims, who still makes NoAla beautiful, only these days virtually. Matt Liles, our president, still steers the ship, now from Allens old o ce.

Th e rest of the NoAla familyJamie, Patrick, Justin, Rowan, Carole, Kathleen, and Tara, and our small army of brilliant freelance photographers, writers, and artistshave all stayed right where they were before. And thank goodness for that! Change may make things more the same, but its still nice to have a xed, familiar point in the center of our hectic lives. Th ats also about as good a de nition of home as there is.

Making homes beautiful is another story, and three Shoals designers share theirs for our annual Home and Garden issue.

Paige Th ornton has been proving for years that chic and inviting can peacefully co-exist with her Darby Drive interiors boutique, Th e French Basket. Paiges home re ects that aesthetic, with the re ned, airy elegance of the converted farmhouse she shares with her family. Industrial designer and boutique owner, Carter and Brandi McGuyer, combine the art of visual merchandising and the re ned simplicity of form and function in their stylish, comfortable lakefront redo, just like in their careers. Another perfect unionel-egant and casualhas never been more beautifully realized than in the work of River-Works Design Studio, for client Kathy Pace.

Th e beauty and bounty of the great outdoors are represented here as wellin lush public and private landscapes and in the nourishing harvests of community gardens, whose missions to nourish bodies and souls feels a lot like home, too.

Zac Abramson and Norbert and Sheryl Putnam have taken on the challenges of his-toric renovation, changing homes to make them more the same, and in the process re-minding us of the rich architectural heritage of this place we all call home.

July/August 2016VOLUME 9: ISSUE 4

Allen TomlinsonPUBLISHER

Roy HallEDITORINCHIEF

Matthew LilesPRESIDENT

David SimsCREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jamie NolesADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Rowan FinneganGRAPHIC DESIGNER

Justin HallWEB DESIGNER

Tara BullingtonEDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Carole MaynardPROOFREADER

Kathleen BoboDISTRIBUTION

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSara Wright Covington, Sarah Gaede, Roy Hall,

Jennifer Crossley Howard, Nancy Sanford, David Sims

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSPatrick Hood, Danny Mitchell, Abraham Rowe

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORSRowan Finnegan, David Sims

NoAla is published six times annually by NoAla Studios PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630

Phone: (256) 766-4222 (800) 779-4222noalastudios.com

Standard postage paid at Florence, AL. A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States. Signed articles re ect only the viewsof the authors and do not necessarily re ect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements.

2008-2016 NoAla Studios, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence to Roy Hall, Editor, at the postal address above,or by email to [email protected].

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

Th e editor will provide writers guidelines upon request. Prospective authorsshould not submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query the editor rst.

NoAla is printed with vegetable-based inks. Please recycle.

Connect with us on Facebook: NoAla StudiosInstagram: noalastudios, Pinterest: NoAlaStudios,

and Twitter: @NoAla_Magazine

14 contents


A critical decision

Fiscal responsibility

Accountable city government

I want your vote

A Fresh Perspective on Governing Our City

Th is years Mayoral election marks a critical point for the City of Florence. Instead of settling for the way its always been, we have an opportunity to work together and build a future for Florence - a future that enriches the lives of all our citizens, and provides the jobs and quality of life that will allow our children to call this wonderful community their home. It will take energy, commitment, and ability.

I am not a politician. I am a successful businessperson, energetic community advocate, and life-long resident of our area. Ensuring that Florence thrives requires scal responsibility, the ability to make sound business decisions, and more empowerment of all our citizens.

As Mayor, I will build a government that is accountable and transparent to its people, and one that is innovative in solving problems and establishing priorities.

Join me. Vote Goode for Florence on August 23. Lets work together to build our citys future!

Paid for by Susan Romine Goode for Mayor PO Box 354 Florence, Alabama 35631

Be part of our conversation at GoodeforFlorence.com and Facebook.com/goodefor orence

16 calendar

Friday, July 1 and Friday, August 5Florence First Fridays

Th e exciting monthly event gathers artists of all kindsmusicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, hand-crafted jewelry creators, and morefor a community-wide celebration. 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence; rstfridays orence.org

Monday, July 4Shoals Spirit of Freedom Celebration

Th e Independence Day celebration features performances by nationally-known musicians, food vendors, and activities for the entire family, and culminates with one of the largest reworks shows in the Southeast. All day; Free; McFarland Park, 200 Jim Spain Dr; (256) 383-2525

Tuesday, July 12 Friday, July 29Mostly Blues exhibit

To set the mood for the W.C. Handy Music Festival, area artists create paintings, drawings, and sculptures with a musical air. Weekdays 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E Tuscaloosa St; (256) 760-6379

Th ursday, July 21 Saturday, July 23Carousel

Th e Ritz Th eatre presents the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. 7:30pm; Admission charged; Ritz Th eatre, 111 W 3rd St, She eld; (256) 383-0533; ritztheatre.ticketleap.com

Friday, July 22 Sunday, July 31W.C. Handy Music Festival

A week-long tribute to the Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy. Great Jazz and Blues music can be heard throughout the Shoals at restaurants, theatres, malls, parks, and other locations. Th e week will include over 100 events perfect for the jazz and blues enthusiast as well as great family entertainment. For a full schedule, including dates, times, and venues, visit wchandymusicfestival.org.

Saturday, July 23 Sunday, July 31Ill Take You Th ere: Th e Music of Muscle Shoals

UNA Summer Th eatres original musical revue tells the inspiring story of the songs that revolutionized popular music worldwide. Th e production will include songs produced at local studios by such varied artists as Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Bob Seger, Th e Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan, and Th e Staple Singers. Starring George Wendt (Norm from the hit TV series Cheers) and Felicia Fields (Tony nominated for her portrayal of So a in Th e Color Purple), Myk Watford, Jason Petty, Mississippi Charles Bevel, Dan Wheetman, David Keenan, Will Barrow, and more. July 23 and 28-31; Th urs-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm; Admission charged; Th e Mane Room, 310 N Pine St; (256) 765-4342; summertheatre.una.edu

Tuesday, July 26Th e Florence Camerata presents America Sings

Th e Florence Camerata performs spirituals, sacred music, gospel standards, and other works. 7:30pm; Admission charged; First Presbyterian Church, 224 E Mobile St; (256) 765-4515; the orencecamerata.com

18 cryin out loud Sara Wright Covington

If you are familiar with this column, youve likely gured out that on more than one occasion, these lists make it to print here, which makes me a little bit like a literary Taylor Swift, who has become known for penning her serial break-up sagas by song.

My editors have been warned that I dont have much of a filter these days, so each time a new issue makes it to print and I see my

column there, I take it as a sign they havent red me yet. Consider yourself warned as well, and just know that Ive been a little irritable lately. Pregnancy

can do that to a girl. As a writer and a devoted note-taker of irony, I tend to keep lists of things people say that strike me as particularly audacious or, in some

cases, incredibly asinine. If you are familiar with this column, youve likely gured out that on more than one occasion, these lists make it to print here, which makes

me a little bit like a literary Taylor Swift, who has become known for penning her serial break-up sagas by song.

Before I launch into my tirade, let me state this: pregnancy is a gift. For a woman, I rmly believe that one of lifes greatest experiences is growing a tiny pod in your belly,

and feeling that little thing kick, and move, and even hiccup as it grows over the months. But for every bit of pregnancys beauty, sacredness, and mysticism, its also uncomfortable, ugly, and awkward. Entire blogs, websites, essays, and social media sites have been devoted to pregnancy, and most every one of them

feature some type of dont say this or that to a pregnant woman if you want to live type advice at some point. And I freely admit, I have even said/asked a few

of these myself. But this is my third baby, and I feel Ive built up a stockpile of things people ask and say that just dont cotton to us ladies with child

very well. Disclaimer before you go any farther: please remember, my hypothetical responses to the below statements/questions are

mostly/probably in jest. And IF you happen to be a close associate, friend, family member, or spouse of mine who has said any of these things, I DO still love you, but no one is exempt from the wrath of a pregnant lady. And really, you should know better.

Heres my list:

Wow! You look like you are about to pop! Im not actually! I have another two months to go. But thanks for

noticing that these extra 20 pounds Im carrying around arent stopping tra c or anything!

WORDS TO THE WISE


So have you heard of the Zika virus? I saw on the news that pregnant women should completely avoid mosquito infested areas.

Zika virus? Ive never heard of that! Its a good thing I live in Alabama and am due in the middle of July so theres, like, zero chance of being around any mosquitos! No, seriously, Ive ordered a full-body mosquito suit o amazon.com that Im planning to wear on the one occasion I leave my house this summer to venture into the outdoors so I can get in the car to go to the hospital to give birth.

So you are having another girl? Are you super disappointed?

Yes. We will probably just leave her at the hospital. Ha, thats funny, Sara. But really, doesnt your husband want a boy to carry on his name? Yes, its di cult to accept here in Communist China circa 1985 that we are going to be two over our household child limit, with no boys to even make it worthwhile. Still, dont yall want to try for a boy? Ok, were done here.

So when do you think you will go into labor?Seriously?

Little girls are just so high-maintenance. So are a lot of adults I know.

Bless your heart. You look absolutely miserable. And you are de nitely starting to waddle.

Um, thank you?

You really should try to work out in pregnancy. It will make delivery easier and you will lose weight faster after pregnancy.

Th anks. I have two other kids under the age of four, so thats my cardio. Im also planning to breastfeed, which is also none of your business, and that burns an additional 500 calories a day postpartum. So, when you are jogging in place at home before bed, staring at your FitBit and attempting to hit your daily step goal, I will likely be eating ice cream while hooked up to a breast pump, milking the calorie burn for all its worth. Pun intended. Oh, Im sorry, that grosses you out? Well, you brought it up.

Even though Im a total stranger, can I touch your stomach? Oh, wait, Im already reaching in before you even have a chance to answer me.

Dont you already have two kids? Did you do this on purpose?

Yes! I guess my husband and I are just crazy irresponsible like that!

So will you call me when you are in labor so I can sit in the waiting room and periodically stick my head in your room to check on your progress?

No.

Are you having a gender reveal party?! No.

I stopped at two kids because I didnt want to have to deal with the middle-child syndrome that happens with three.

Yeah, I dont know what we are thinking. Th ose middle children are the real dregs of society.

How in the world are you going to take care of three small children?

No idea. I guess we will just lock them all in a padded room with no light sockets or sharp edges and hope for the best.

Didnt you tell me that you are building a house right now? How are you going to move with a newborn baby? Are you insane?

Have we met? Havent we already established that Im completely bat-bleeping crazy? Ha Ha, really, Im just not going to move. Th e new owners of our house are going to let me live with them until the baby is a year old and I can resume a normal functioning lifestyle that would allow me to physically relocate.

I cant believe you are having another baby at 36. Yeah, when you get pregnant at 36, they automatically stamp your forehead with the letters AMA, which stand for Advanced Maternal Age. Im required to graze in a separate pasture from the rest of the pregnant cattle.

I mean, the risks go way up once you hit 35 though, dont they? Arent you worried about that? So worried that I actually chose to do this on purpose.

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

20 scene

Bryan, Alex, Andrea, and Annabelle Rachal

Jennifer Frith Knapp and Matthew Mayes

Bruce Dillard, Cellie Morgan, Jennifer Frith Knapp,and Jane Frith (front)

Andy Frith, Andrew Sutherland, and Keely Law

Jim and Kitty Darnell

Christi Britten

Vickie Pewitt

Above: Art Under the Starsmay , kennedy-douglass center for the arts,

florence

Below: Pillar and Peacock Grand Openingapril , pillar and peacock, florence

Nancy and Meghan Muse Abraham Rowe, Martha Beadle, and Michelle Eubanks

Jimmy Weaver andMichael Snyder

Adrianne Bugg, Brandeis Short, Anita Whitaker, and Kaitlin Wallace

Brandeis Short and Adrianne Bugg greet guests

Barry Auchly, Brandeis Short,and Adrianne Bugg

Brandeis Short, Marshall and Donna Williams

Will Trapp, Brandeis Short, Roy Hall,and Kaitlin Wallace

Brandeis Short and Adrianne Bugg

Jill Wallace and Adrianne Bugg

Tripp and Adrianne Bugg, Brandeis and Shawn Short, and Kaitlin Wallace

American Seafood Cook-o , Quick says. It feels great to be a pioneering force in bringing more recognition and exposure to the Shoals area and the food being served here.

Chef Quick heads toNawlinzin August for the Great American Seafood Cook-o .

Junior League of the Shoals Gives BackTh e Junior Leagueof the Shoalspresented$51,000in donationsto 20 community organizationsinApril. Th e grant money is raisedprimarilythrough two annual fundraisers, Apple Annie Day and Sugarplum Marketplace.

Many thanks to the Junior League for supporting these worthy organizations:

Attention Homes of Northwest Alabama;Big Brothers Big Sisters; Colbert County Sheri ;FAME Girls Ranch;Community Action Agencyof NW Alabama: Meals on Wheels; Cramer Childrens Center; Easter Seals; Hatton Elementary School; Th e Healing Place; Lauderdale County Special Programming Achievement Network;NAMI Shoals;One Place of the ShoalsRapeResponse/Shoals Crisis Center; Safeplace; Th readgill Elementary School; Shoals Community Clinic; Society of St. Vincent de Paul; Tennessee Valley Art Association; United Way: Success by 6; YMCA of the Shoals

National ChampionsCongratulations to the University of North Alabama softball team for their 2016 NCAA Division II National Championship title win over the Humboldt State Lumberjacks and to pitcherHillary Carpenter, who was named thetournaments most outstanding player.

Carpenter, from Hatton, Alabama, nishedthe Series with a perfect 5-0 record, tying the NCAA record for most wins in the nals.

Th is is the universitys very rst softball national title.

Wasted Away Again in GRAMMYvilleTh e National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences announced in May that producer and Florence resident Norbert Putnam will be inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame for his contribution to the 1977 Jimmy Bu ett hit Margaritaville.

Jimmy Bu ett and I were nominated for the GRAMMY back then, but lost. We waited a long time for this great honor, Putnam says.

Th e studio engineer and songwriter Bu ett will also be honored along with Putnam. Margaritaville has sold between 30 and 40 million copies in various compilations over the last 39 years, making it one of the best-selling recordings of all time.

Th e Quick and the RedOdette chef Josh Quicks red snapper won the Alabama Seafood Cook-o held in Orange Beach in May. I am very excited to be able to represent Alabama in the Great


If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor, or colleagueor even toot your own hornsend your kudos to [email protected]@n

Joseph Romans

The University of North Alabama Softball Team

kudos22 by roy hall

The Junior League of the Shoals

Norbert Putnam

Josh Quick

24 market By Tara Bullington Photos by Patrick Hood[E] GREEN CHAIR ($250) INGRAMS INC. (256) 764-9142

[F] PILLOW ($200) PILLAR & PEACOCK (256) 349-5202

[G] FISH MOBILE ($57)[H] BLUE POT ($9) COLDWATER SEED & SUPPLY INC. (256) 383-2038

ALLDECKEDOUT

[A] OUTDOOR FABRIC ($20/YD) THREAD (256) 275-7112

[B] LIGHTED DECK CABLE RAILING ($100/FT) RIVERWORKS (256) 314-2444

[C] BROMELIAD ($23)[D] YELLOW POT ($55) COLDWATER NURSERY (256) 249-2353

[E]

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26 market ALA

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[A] ICE CREAM MAKER ($260) COLDWATER SEED & SUPPLY INC. (256) 383-2038

[B] BOWLS ($13.99/EA) THE TREASURE HOUSE (256) 381-2270

[C] KITCHEN PAPERS OUTDOOR DISPOSABLE PLACEMATS ($25) PRINTERS & STATIONERS, INC. (256)764-8061

[D] STONE BOTTLE OPENER ($24)[E] STONE WINE DISPENSER ($120) CLOTH AND STONE (256) 767-0133

[F] PETRIFIED WOOD FISH ($560) RIVERWORKS (256) 314-2444

[G] FLOWER CANDLE HOLDER & WINE CORK ($24) SWEET BASIL CAF (256) 764-5991

[H] BIRCH FLOWER POT ($59) COLDWATER SEED & SUPPLY INC. (256) 383-2038

[G]

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28 market

[A] HERB GARDEN CRATE ($30)[B] BEE HOUSE ($17)[C] WATERING CAN ($33) COLDWATER SEED & SUPPLY INC. (256) 383-2038

[D] SPADE GALVANIZED DOUBLE POTS ($26) THE SURPRISE STORE (256) 766-6810

[E] BLUE BIRD BATH ($45)[F] BOXWOOD TOPIARY ($130)[G] HERBS ($4)[H] ROSE GLOVES ($30) COLDWATER NURSERY (256) 249-2353

[I] CERAMIC MUSHROOM STAKES ($25/EA)[J] GARDEN STONES ($10/EA)[K] VINTAGE CLAY POT ($20) THE YELLOW DOOR (256) 766-6950

GREENWITHENVY

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PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT BY THE MICHELLE EUBANKS FOR FLORENCE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE1642 DECATUR AVE., FLORENCE, AL 35630FLORENCE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 4

Coffee High School and University of North Alabama graduate Veteran journalist, having won statewide, regional, and national awards Marketing Director for Shoals Hospital Downtown Florence Unlimited board member and vice president First Fridays publicity chairwoman Arts Alive co-chairwoman with husband, Jeff Eubanks University of North Alabama National Alumni Association rst vice-president First Baptist Church member and communications committee member City of Florence Bicentennial Committee member Coffee High School Alumni Scholarship Board member

MICHELLEEUBANKS

VOTEAUGUST23

Michelle and husband Jeff Eubanks have two daughters, Maeve, 14, an 9th-grader at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts; and Ally, 9, who is in 5th grade at Kilby.

30 roots Nancy Sanford, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library

This summer, the bricks and mortar of Co ee High School will come down, but the memories of those who attended school there will always remain.

This summer, a beloved part of our commu-nity will be razed, forever changing the land-scape of Florence.As we prepare to bid a warm, nal farewell to Co ee High School, we look back on 65-years-worth of precious memories the school leaves behind for its thousands of former students and teachers.

Th e building many of us have come to love wasnt the rst to house Co ee High. Florences original Co ee High School opened in 1917 and was lo-cated just blocks away on what is now Hermitage Drive, where the UNA womens dormitories are currently located. Mrs. Camilla Madding Co ee donated the land for that building to the school board and requested that the school bear the name of her late husband, Alexander Donelson Co ee, the son of Gen-eral John Co ee.

Th e journey toward the new Co ee High began in 1940, with the school systems purchase of a 25-acre tract of land to be used as a football stadium, along with other needs the school system might encounter over time.Th e school board demonstrated its appreciation for forward thinking by hiring famed New York landscape architectural rm the Olmstead Brothers to design the property. Th e sites rst project, Cof-fee Stadium (later renamed Tom Braly Municipal Stadium, in memory of a beloved principal), was built in 1941.

Th e economic demands of World War II put the commu-nitys dreams of a new high school on hold for nearly a de-cade, until 1949, when construction began on the new build-ing designed by Birmingham architect Charles McCauley. Built in the International Moderne style of architecture, the construction price tag for the school was a whopping $1,100,000over $10,000,000 adjusted for in ation. (When the new Co ee High School opened, the old high school was renamed F. T. Appleby School.)

By August of 1951, the building was ready for the rst stu-dents to attend. Th e campus consisted of three units, con-

nected by breezeways. Th e academic building included 28 classrooms, a library of 5,000 books and seating for 60, a cafeteria that accommodated 300 students, and a 1,576-per-son capacityauditorium. Th e ground oor of the academic building was longer than a football eld at 360 feet, with faculty lounges bookending the main oor. Much to the appreciation of students and teachers alike, the school was air-conditioned. Newspaper articles tell of other modern conveniences featured in the building, such as an intercom-munication system linking all rooms and departments with the principals o ce.

Th e building was designed to accommodate additions as needs arose. And many needs did arise over the years. Th e rst addition arrived in 1960 with the addition of 14 new classrooms. A new gymnasium was constructed on the front lawn of the campus in the mid-1990s.

Th is summer, the bricks and mortar of Co ee High School will come down, but the memories of those who attended school there will always remain. In her 1964 valedictory ad-dress, Elizabeth Lancaster nished her speech by saying,...may the sense of sincere thankfulness that we hold as we leave Coffee High School remain with us always. Farewell, old friend.

SAYING GOODBYE TO A DEAR FRIEND


SHORT-STAY REHABILITATION

COTTAGE OF THE SHOALSCYPRESS COVE CENTER

GLENWOOD CENTERKELLER LANDING

(866) 745-CARE www.GENESISHCC.com


Zac Abramson


The mortgage papers are signed. The boxes are la-beled. The movers are booked. But before a single stick of furniture crosses the threshold of your brand new, very old home, be sure your to-do list includes these errands:

First, drive to the courthouse, search through the archives, and locate your homes original plans. If you cant track down the house plans, ask the archivist for a 19th century insur-ance appraisers map of your neighborhood. Using that map as your guide, verify the threshold is original to the home and not part of a later addition. If it isnt original, keep look-ingthats the door youll want to use.

Next, leave the family photos, the art, the mirrors, the shelves, the sconces, and the curtain rods in their boxes until youve tested the brick for sturdiness. You dont want grandmas portrait smashing into those heart of pine oors. Besides, the contractors havent started the excavation pro-cess; you cant be sure that wall will still be there next week.

You cant even be certain the room youre standing in will be there next month.

Th en theres the century-old wiring to consider, the integrity (and color) of the mortar, whether or not the walls are plaster (probably) and how messy any repair work will be (very), and all that before you even think about the bathrooms (sigh).

text by roy hall photos by patrick hoodmap illustration by david sims

And then theres the kitchen wallpaper. Four layers down, and youve only just arrived at an avocado cornucopia; that can only mean one thing: 1975. Forty years worth down. One hundred and fty to go.

Th ere are easier ways to make yourself at home. But for interior designer Zac Abramson, a veteran of four exacting, exhausting, ultimately exhilarating residential rehabilita-tions, none is more satisfying than the restoration of a his-toric residence.

Restoration vs. Renovation

Th ats restoration, Abramson clari es, not renovation. Th e di erence between the two is signi cant, Abramson says, and before we dig any deeper behind those kiln- red, clay bricks, the designer explains why.

If you remove the siding or the windows and replace them with energy e cient alternatives, thats a renovation. If the tiny kitchen isnt practical, the adjoiningbutlerspantry isnt necessary, and you decide to make the two rooms one, thats areno.

If you alter a house in a signi cant way to make it useful for a modern family, Abramson says, thats renovation.

LABOR OF LOVEThe Risks and Rewards of Historic Preservation


Above: The Connor Home, 458 North Court Street | Below: The Edward ONeal Home, 468 North Court Street

LABOR OF LOVE: The Risks and Rewards of Historic Preservation


Restoration, on the other hand, is the much more arduous, budget-stretching process of preserving as much of the orig-inal structure as possible. If the siding ispoplar, Abramson says, you replace it with the same material. A few conces-sions are allowed for safety and comfortability, such as add-ing insulation, or re-wiring or re-plumbing, when necessary. You are, after all, buying a house, not a museum, Abramson concedes. But for the puristand restoration can sometimes be an exercise in absolutismcreative alterations are out.

Ultimately, the goal is to restore the house to its most rea-sonable incarnation for modern use, Abramson says.

Th e key to the whole process is research, Abramson says, and back in the early 1980s when he took on his rst proj-ect, a 1930s cottage in Birmingham, resources were more abundant. Th e Alabama Historical Commission was well funded and sta ed in those days, Abramson says. Th eyd recommend architects, plasterers, brick masons. Th e AHC remains, but budget cuts mean the agency is no longer able to o er homeowners the same attention or resources it once did. Th e stretched-thin Historical Trust doesnt make the process of residential restoration impossible, of course; it just makes it a bit more of a treasure hunt.

With one 20th century restoration under his belt, Abramson came home to the Shoals in the early 90s and purchased what is commonly held to be the oldest brick home in Lau-derdale CountyWake eld, an 1825 Federal cottage-style home built by James Sample of Sample Brick House and Dry Goods. In addition to owning the Shoals only brick yard, Sample was also a spec builder, and Abramsons home served double duty as Samples residence and a show house.

Sample had a design book with pro les for windows, door construction and design, how to do paneling under win-dows, Abramson says. Residential construction all along the east coast had been largely standardized by that time, and Wake elds early Federal style is what youd expect to nd in a house of that period. But things were already starting to move toward big columns and elaborate plaster work.

And intricate masonry. Abramson identi es Wake elds com-plicated brick pattern as Flemish bond and traces the brick to Samples yard, located on what is todays UNA campus.

Bricks werent consistent colors in those days either, Abramson says, of the variability we in the modern age take


for granted, but which 19th century homeowners found dis-pleasing. Dark red, light red, tan; they really didnt like that.

To solve the problem of the multi-colored brick, a cottage in-dustry, as it were, developed. Itinerant workers would come by and paint the whole house red, then paint the mortar joints white, Abramson says. Th e paint wasnt permanentit succumbed to the elementsso every few years, the work-ers would make another circuit, touching up whatever the elements had worn away since their last visit.

Next came the faux grainers. Th eyd make your cheap wood look like mahogany. Unlike today, when faux nishes are often an economical compromise for those of us who cant a ord the real thing, some of 19th centurys most a uent homeowners preferred the substitute to the original. Even George Washington, Abramson says, had his own on-site faux grainer.

The Sample house was by far the biggest

restoration project of all.

At least three families, two businesses, and one incarnation as a boarding house separated the Wake eld Abramson dis-covered in 1994 from its unaltered, original state. Immedi-ately after the Samples, organ builder J. Hurd Walker made the residence his home and workplaceAbramson has pipes discovered in the basement to prove it. Walker augmented his pipe organ-building income by renting apartments carved piecemeal from the homes oorplan. Four units to-tal, each complete with tiny kitchens and bathrooms carved out of existing rooms, divided the house.

Following the Walkers, the Glen family took up residence in the Sample home, keeping its rabbitwarren of boarding rooms intact for nearly half a century. Abramson purchased the home from them.

To guide the renovation, Abramson tracked down 19th cen-tury insurance adjusters maps in the courthouse archives. Published by the Sanborn company, these mapsAbramson refers to them as the Google maps of the 19th centuryplotted the size and location of residences and commercial buildings, which the insurance company used as a reference for determining insurance rates.

Abramson located theSandbornmap of upper Court Street in a Birmingham archive. He also discovered that Wake-

elds original footprint included a carriage house and two outbuildings. Worthwhile for their historical insight, these kinds of revelations also provide homeowners with an op-portunity for a historically accurate expansion. Th e discov-ery of a long-gone free-standing kitchen, shed, or carriage house, for example, introduces the possibility of a guest house, pool house, or outside o ce, if the structure is recre-ated as closely as possible to the original.

We gutted it.

We took out all the additions, and the extra rooms, Abramson says of the process that returned the 19th century dwelling to its original oorplan, right down to the wood-work. Or, in this case, the plaster-covered brick walls. Just try hanging a picture, Abramson laughs.

Once you start taking it apart, you can see the footprint of the original, Abramson says. Th e Samples built thefrontand oldest section of the house in 1825. In 1855, an additional wing was added. You can tell the di erence between hand-hewn and saw mills, Abramson says of the tell-tale evolution in construction methods that had become commonplace be-tween the early and middle of the century.

Th e century-old roof was in terri c shape; all it needed was a scrubbing. Four men divided the roof into sections, Abramson says, and hand cleaned it using natural bristle brushes. Abramson reckons he wont have to replace the metal interlocking shingle roof unless something falls through it.

A few years back, that very scenario played out over Abramsons parents heads, when a tree pierced their centu-ry-old roof. (Old houses run in the Abramson family; Zacs parents home was his third restoration.) When they went to purchase a new roof to match, the insurance company opted for a copper roof, Abramson says. Th ats how expen-sive the original one would have been to replicate.

Was a copper roof acceptable, historically? Yes, Abramson says. Th e damaged roof wasnt original.

Th e brickwork also proved sturdy, with a few exceptions. Two hundred years ago, brick makers like the Samples were unable to regulate the temperatures of their kilns. Th at meant bricks nearest the heat source were harder, while the ones farther way were softer. Some of those softer bricks



Norbert and Sheryl Putnam


Above: The Karsner-Kennedy House, 301 North Pine Street | Below: Home of Bill and Janice Carson, 640 North Wood Avenue



needed replacing. Not surprisingly, soft brick isnt a com-mon category at construction supply stores. Ever resource-ful, Abramson managed to track down a guy with a stockpile of 19th century brick.

As it happens, the hard brick is as conductive as it is sturdy. After the restoration was complete, and Id moved in, I was lying in bed reading one night, when the whole house started to shake. Nothing in the next days paper explained the rat-tlingno factory explosion, no tornado, no train wreck. Th ere was, however, an earthquake just outside Memphis. Th e eight-feet-deep, all-brick foundation sent the tremors up the stairs, and right up Abramsons spine. Now I have earthquake insur-ance, Abramson says. Fifteen dollars a year.

As for the stu between the bricks, even that doesnt es-cape the attention of the dedicated restorer. When I bought the house, that mix had washed out of the brick joints, Abramson says. I hired somebody to make new mortar, us-ing local sand to avoid a color change. Filling in the lines of mortar was possibly the most time-consuming part of the entire restoration. Th ey take a really thin trowel, Abramson explains, hold the board next to the joint, and slough the stu in. Th en it has to be cut in.

Th e mortar man stayed in my house for three months.

Restoration is not a process for the faint of heart or the eas-ily frustrated; weekend warriors would fall on the battle eld, day one. But for someone with the heart and the fortitude, the result is worth the time, research, and expense. Th ere was a brilliance to it, Abramson says of the artisanship that went into our architectural heritage.

A few blocks north and west of Abramson, one block o Pine, stands the regal Second Empire home of Norbert and Sheryl Putnam. (Th e Putnams were kind enough to invite NoAla into their home for our 2016 May/June issue. We were so impressed by the grandeur of the rooms, we decided to take advantage of their hospitality, and invite ourselves back for this issue.)

Th e Putnams home is among the oldest in Florence; its original portion, a single room in the rear of the existing structure, was built in or around 1820 and served as a tailors workshop. Subsequent owners added the remainder of the home in 1826 and honored their predecessors profession by naming the home Th imbleton.


Th imbleton, with its soaring 20-foot-high ceilings and oor-to-ceiling windows, is the sort of house that often passes through multiple owners for decades, its luster diminished with each successive sale, or is revitalized by new tenants with an appreciation for the richness and integrity of the past. Th e Putnams belong to that second category.

Th e couple has been rescuing dilapidated treasures as long as theyve been together; so many, when asked for the total num-ber of renovations, Sheryl Putnam pauses, cocks her head, and counts silently. Th imbleton is the eighth, she declares.

Along the way, the Putnams found the time to do three com-mercial renovations, too.

Th e Putnams are busy folks, even in the midst of their sup-posed retirement, and full-scale restoration work of the sort Abramson undertakes is not in the cards. Th e Putnams are renovators. We modernize the baths and kitchen, Norbert Putnam says, but we leave the rest.

Th e couple have a template they duplicate with each new renovation. We open up the windows. So many of these old homes have heavy draperies on the wall. We believe in let-ting in the light, Norbert says. Doors and trims are painted creamy white and the walls Irish linen. Th e couple deviated a bit from their standard color scheme with Th imbleton, painting the living room a rich navy blue. A lighter color would have made the huge spaces look like an auditorium, Norbert says.

Th imbleton is the oldest house the Putnams have renovated. Th eir rst, in Grenada, Mississippi, was built in 1870. Anoth-er Grenada house, an Italianate from 1880, followed. Th ey refer to a Jackson, Tennessee, home from a few renos back, built in 1920, as the new house. Too new for the Putnams taste, it turns out.

Along the way, Sheryl Putnam rescued a Masonic Temple in Grenada from certain ruin, converting it into an antique mall and event spaceand making several dozen pigeons home-less along the way. Of the dusty demolition, Sheryl says only half-jokingly, If I get TB, thats why.

Music producer Norbert Putnam, meanwhile, never spied a space he didnt think could function just as well or better as a recording studio. And so it went with his renovation of an abandoned bank in Memphis, where he designed and oversaw the conversion of the cavernous, marble-columned lobby into a recording studio, and the tellers booths into iso-lation chambers.

Th e Putnams residential renovations arent nearly as protract-ed or intense as Abramsons, which means the couple shares their homes with the electricians, painters, and plumbers who do the heavy duty work. Th ey have also had the occasion to share a home with its previous, invisible owner.

I have a favorite hymn I used to play on Sunday mornings, Sheryl says. Norbert loved it, too. Apparently Norbert wasnt the only fan of the hymn. One afternoon, Sheryl went out to visit her parents, leaving Norbert in the bath upstairs. I hear what I assume is Sheryl playing the piano, Norbert says. I come downstairs a few minutes later to discover a completely empty house, and a message on the answering machine from Sheryl telling me shes gone out.

Neither Putnams seems the least bit o -put by their spec-tral house guests; maybe because they think of themselves as guests in a sense, too. We dont see ourselves as the perma-nent owners of these beauties, Norbert says. Sheryl agreesWere caretakers.

If the siding is poplar, you replace it with the same material. A few concessions are allowed for safety and comfortability, such as adding insulation, or re-wiring or re-plumbing, when necessary. You are, after all, buying a house, not a museum.

Zac Abramson


See page 42 for an illustrated map of some of Florences oldest structures.


Above: Rogers Hall on the UNA campus | Below: Coby Hall on the UNA campus


E TENNESS

EE ST

E MOBILE

ST

E TOMBIG

BEE ST

E TUSCAL

OOSA ST

E IRVINE A

VE

E IRVINE A

VE

LILLIAN S

T

BARNES

ST

W TUSCAL

OOSA ST

W TOMBIG

BEE ST

W MOBIL

E ST

W IRVINE

AVE

N SEMINARY ST

N WOOD AVE

N COURT ST

N PINE ST

N WALNUT ST

N CEDAR ST

N POPLAR ST

N WOOD AVE

N SEMINARY STHE

RMITA

GE DR

WILSON PARK

THE UNIVERSITYOF NORTH ALABAMA

W TOMBIG

BEE ST

DORMITO

RY DR

HERM

ITAGE

DR

N PINE ST 12

3

8

7

6 4

5

FLORENCES OLDEST STRUCTURES

We dont see ourselves as the permanent owners of these beauties. Were caretakers.Norbert and Sheryl Putnam



The homes here represent a small sample of the Shoals architectural heritage. To hear more about the grand old homes of Florence, NoAla recommends a walking tour by master storyteller and Florence City Historian, Billy Ray Warren, who pointed us toward the ones pictured hereall of which date prior to 1850.

Warrens walking tours of downtown Florence take place ev-ery year in April, or anytime by appointment. He is available at (256) 718-5020.

1450 North Court Street

Built in 1825, Wake eld, home of Zac Abramson and Barry Baker, is presumed to be the oldest, extant brick home in Lauderdale County. Multiple sources relying on substantial, if anecdotal, evidence report that builder James Sample modeled the home on George Washing-tons ancestral home.


Another James Sample spec house, the Connor home predates its next-door neighbor Wake eld by several years.


Circa 1840, the Edward ONeal residence was home to father-son Alabama governors, Edward and Emmet ONeal.

4301 North Pine Street

Built in the late 1820s, the Karsner House was restored to its origi-nal condition in 1970 when the Florence Housing Authority pur-chased and refurbished the home. Th e Karsner House is currently home to Florence Main Street.

5640 North Wood Avenue

Among the oldest structures in north Florence, the builder of this North Wood Street home lent his name to Wood Avenue, previously known as Merchant Avenue, in reference to the streets primary use as a link between country farms and downtown markets.

6221 Tuscaloosa Street

Once the home of two of Florences most prominent families, the Kirkmans and ONeals, Norbert and Sheryl Putnams Th imbleton is a prime example of Second Empire architecture.

7Coby Hall on the University of North Alabama Campus

Built by prominent Florence merchant John Simpson in 1843, the stately mansion was donated to UNA by David Brubaker, in memory of his wife, Coby. Th e structure features the intricate bricklaying pattern known as Flemish bond, also seen in the Abramson home, Wake eld.

8Rogers Hall on the University of North Alabama Campus

Perhaps the most austere and pedigreed of Florence residences, Rog-ers Hall, as it is now known, dates to 1855 and has been the home of Gov. Emmet ONeal and the Rogers department store family, who donated the home to UNA in 1948.


Everybody has a story.

A rite of passage, a Sweet Home memory,

and a bittersweet homecoming, in this edition of photographer

Abraham Rowes Folks of Florence series.

For more stories like these, visit Rowes Folks of Florence

photo-documentary archive on Facebook.

Very special thanks to Abraham Rowe for sharing his work,

and to his subjects, for sharing their stories.

FOLKS OF FLORENCE

photo essay by abraham rowe intro by roy hall

I just started

working here

in Florence in

January. I used

to work down

in Auburn, and

I came back to

take care of my

mother until she

passed away. She

didnt want to

go to a nursing

home, and I didnt

want to put her in

a nursing home.

I was working

in construction,

but the guy I was

working with

moved back to

Georgia and it left

me unemployed.

At rst it was

slow going and

stuff, but I put my

head back on my

shoulders and got

back into it.


I was sitting

next to my

friend during

the ceremony,

and I think she

summarized it

perfectly. She said,

It feels like its

taken both forever

and one day, all

at the same time.

The person I was

as a freshman

isnt the same, so

that helps make it

feel like its been

so much longer.

I want to go to

med school, so

its not the end

for me, but it feels

good to nish

something.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE



Pick up a pint or quart of our famous chicken saladfor a quick delicious summer picnic.

Plus, discover our other delicious to-go mealsready todayfor your summer gatherings!

1627 Darby Drive in English Village Florence

CALL 256.764.5991 TO PLACE YOUR DELIVERY ORDEROR VISIT FACEBOOK.COM/SWEETBASILCAFE

FOR MORE INFO.

SUMMER TO GO


The very rst

thing I did as a real

job in the music

business was pro-

mote a show. We

rented an of ce

upstairs at Pega-

sus to run the pro-

duction company

out of. We booked

Lynyrd Skynyrd,

The Outlaws, and

Jimmy Buffett at

the Florence-Lau-

derdale Coliseum.

April 22, 1974.

I heard Sweet

Home Alabama

before it was re-

leased and booked

them on the

strength of that

one song. At that

point Buffetts

music was living

and dying in 3/4

time. It worked

ne as long as you

could hear the

other acts setting

up backstage, but

when the noise

behind the curtain

stopped, the

crowd got rest-

less and started

yelling Rock and

Roll and basically

drowned Buffett

out. It was still

great; we sold out

the coliseum. But

Buffett got booed

off stage.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE

gREENWITHENVY

by roy hall photos by patrick hood and danny mitchell


Th e well-tended garden, situated between the untamed wild and the comfort of civilization, o ers the bounty and inspiration of nature alongside the serenity of home.

Th e gardens in the pages aheadbounteous, vibrant, re ned, and peacefulremind us of one writers observation that no two gardens are the same;

no two days are the same in one garden.


ToMSSHADYSPOTphotos by danny mitchell



Tom Pebworth was the Shoals go-to guy for tomato-growing expertise. Each spring, students gathered at the library or at Master Gardener events to hear Toms take on how to grow the perfect, well, tom. His PowerPoint presentation, with slide after slide of instructions about how to make Empires and Romas thrive, concluded with a confession that always drew laughs: And I dont even like tomatoes

But he loved to grow them, Claire Pebworth says, and I loved to eat them. So it worked out.

About six years ago, Toms love of tomato planting was supplanted, if you will, by a new love: hostas. In short order, Toms hosta garden numbered 50 species, most all sourced locally. Tom bought most of his hostas from family friend Peggy Daviss Lotsa Hosta. (If theres ever been a better name for a business, anywhere, please let us know.)

Claire admits she cant tell the di erence between most of Toms hostas, but she does love one called the drinking gourd, with its cup-like leaf. Th e three-feet diameter tortilla chip is a favorite, too.

Tom built beds out of stone and rocks, and with the help of several Shoals Master Gardeners , he put together a lath, for shade. Hostas require lots of shade and water, but thats about itexcept when theyre planted under a hackberry tree, as Toms are; then they also require vigilant weeding to clear the seedlings before they take root. After Tom got sick with cancer, one of the few things he could still do was lie on the ground and pull weeds. He loved it, Claire says.

Tom understood he was the gardener in the family, and so he insisted that Claire not feel required to maintain his hostas. Claire says Tom was righthe was the gardener in the family. But shes seen to the renegade seedling here and there and kept the garden watered. Its a lovely remembrance of Tom for her and their children.

T

BUT HE LOVED TO GROW THEM, AND I LOVED TO EAT THEM. SO IT WORKED OUT.CLAIRE PEBWORTH


One of Toms hand-drawn sketches of plant placement.


Th ough hostas are thought to have originated in China, the modern plants were

introduced from Japan to Europe in the mid-1800s. Popular varieties include Francee

(green leaves with white edges), Gold Standard (yellow leaves with green edges,

Undulata (green leaves with white centers), June (blue-green leaves with creamy

centers), and Sum and Substance (a huge plant with chartreuse-yellow leaves).

Right: In addition to the wide variety of hostas, Toms garden includes ferns,

Lenten roses, lilies, and Gerbera daisies.

WILdWOMANphotos by patrick hood


| noalastudios.com | july/august | noalastudios.com | july/august


Margie Andertons three blissful acres of wildflowers, hydrangeas, and native aza-leas are the result of a decades worth of careful planning and daily tending. Ten years is a long time, of course, but for such a thoughtfully planned garden, it might just as well be a month. And for most of us, it would be, but for Master Gardener Anderton, president of the Shoals Wild ower Society and Treasurer of the Alabama Wild ower Society, planning and planting beauti-ful things has been a part of her life since childhood.

A childhood, it just so happens, Anderton spent in the Killen house she again calls home.

After her mom passed away, Anderton returned to her childhood home, where she began the process of converting the prop-erty shed known all her life into the beautiful garden we had the pleasure of photographing in May.

Andertons garden isnt the sort of project you walk away from after its nished; a gardeners work is never donethats part of the fun. Anderton reckons that upkeep requires as much as three hours every day. And even though Andertons thumb may be colored indelibly green, she insists no one should feel intimidated by the prospect of planting their own garden.

Ive killed more plants than anyone, she says, laughing. Its a learning process, growing things, and Anderton encourages anyonebeginners and lifelong gardeners alikewho would like to learn more about the Shoals and Alabama chapters of the Wild ower Society to visit alwild owers.org.

Shoals Master Gardeners are online at shoalsmastergardeners.org.

M

Below, right: Anderton admired the unusually shaped rock in a dry creek bed years ago while on a wild ower trip. She hoisted the rock from the dry creek bed, lugged it home, plopped it in a ower bed, and promptly forgot about it. Th en, about a year after her beloved Springer Spaniel Barney had to be put down, Anderton spied the rock again and noticed for the rst time its remarkable resemblance to Barney. It made the hairs on my arm stand up, she says.

Below, left: Th ats my husband and I, Anderton says of the shed-side photo. My son made us dress up like that years ago. He had it mounted on metal and gave it to me for Christmas last year.

Left: Th e gold sh pond and water features serve double duty as lovely focal points for the garden and an animal oasis. After the drought two years ago, Anderton decided to provide her goats and horses, all of which have access to the garden, with a reliable source of water. Uninvited guests, like armadillos, raccoons, and skunks, enjoy the watering hole, too.



IVE KILLED MORE PLANTS THAN ANYONE.MARGIE ANDERTON

SECRETgARDENphotos by patrick hood



Ba c k ya r d seems like an understate-ment for the artfully de-signed green

space behind Mac and Kim Mauld-ins North Florence home. And discovering the lawn, hidden from view by the homes L-shaped footprint, feels a bit like being let in on a wonderful secret. Lush, verdant, and thoughtfully planned, the space is laid out geometri-cally, divided by shrubs into distinct ar-eas that subtly reference interior spaces.

A checkerboard of cement pavers de- nes a living room; hedges create a great room out of an open lawn; theres even a kitchen in the form of a gas grill, tucked unobtrusively behind cypress trees.

Th e notion of bringing the outside in is as commonplace these days as the open oor plan, but both come to life here quite literally, and to superb ef-fect. Th is is a backyard to host a family reunion, a formal reception, or to sit alone and read, blocks from down-town, but miles away.

B

SACREDSPaCEphotos by danny mitchell



Trinity Episcopals garden and columbarium offer parishioners a quiet, meditative place for reflection mere steps from busy Pine Street. Th e meditative space the garden of-fers isnt restricted to church members, though. Trinity welcomes the community to enjoy the seren-ity. In fact, Betty Prichard, a Trinity member and volunteer who helps maintain the garden, thinks of the green space as a kind of outreach project, available to everyone, regardless of their faith, who would like to sit quietly for a while and commune with nature.

T


SPACES IN THE HEARTby jennifer crossley howard photos by patrick hood


hen Paige Thornton and her husband moved last winter from their s home on Wilson Lake to a renovated farmhouse in Killen, the only new decor she added was a light xture. Th ornton, owner of Th e French Basket, a design and interiors store in Florence, incorporated the item from her stores inventory with existing decor, in keeping with advice she gives her clients, to personalize their abodes around treasured items.

Your things are adaptable to any new application, she says. Its just about arranging and layer-ing the pieces. When I go in and work with a client, I love to see where their life came from, their journey to now.

She describes the style of her new home as re ned rustic. Th e comfortable 3,500-square-foot house on 10 acres has plateglass windows with panoramic views. Th e small barn serves the care-

taking needs of a rather modest farm boasting of a garden, two horses, four cats, and a dog. Th ornton and her husband, who share the home with their high school and college age children, considered renovating a year before they took the leap of faith. Th ey had overseen previous renovations, but this time they were intent on getting their hands dirty. Th e eight-month renova-tion began last May, and they began their move in December.

I dont think there was a square inch of the house that we didnt touch, Th ornton says.

Th e couple tore up old oors and carpet, knocked down walls, and removed a toilet. Th ey relied on workers for construction during the eight-month renovation. Th ey added 15 feet to the back of the house that allowed for a larger family room with a

SPACES IN THE HEART


Paige Th ornton, owner of Th e French Basket in Florence, relocated from a lake house to a small farm in Killen last year. Th e home is a social anchor for Th ornton, her husband, and her children, who are in high school and college. Th e 10-acre farm hosts a barn, two horses, four cats, and a dog.


SPACES IN THE HEART


replace, an upstairs den, an extra bed-room, bathrooms, and Th orntons fa-vorite room, a screened-in back porch. Th eir westward facing front porch draws them to watch the sunset after work, wine glasses in hand.

I didnt think we would be front-porch people, Th ornton says with a laugh.

She designed everything from the board and baton exterior to the painted white plank walls in the kitchen and living room. She whitewashed natural white oak oors to subdue their yellow tinge. Th e white kitchen is the center of the home, pulling together the open oor plan with its exposed cabinets and quartz and concrete countertops. She accented her neutral canvas with wood furniture, linen, and color from art and plants. A tall ddle leaf g tree accentu-ates a sloping roof in the upstairs den. A bleached deer skull and antlers hang in an outdoor bathroom made of tobacco farm wood that Th orntons grandfather salvaged 20 years ago.

Artisans from around the region uni- ed a quiet, calming aesthetic.

Southern Accents Architectural An-tiques in Cullman milled wood and glass doors for the front of the house similar to the ones on its storefront. El-gin artist Lucas Stokes designed iron-work around the opening of a repur-

Th ornton worked primarily with dark and light colors throughout the home including the back porch, master bedroom, and living room. Th e look of the home, which she brands re ned rustic, includes plenty of texture, including wicker, plank board walls, and cement in the back porch (facing). Th e master bedroom utilizes the contrast of light and dark that ows throughout the home, and a single painting adds a punch of color (facing, bottom left). Th e upstairs sitting area uses leather, linen, glass, and bamboo to create a comfortable yet elegant place to hang out (facing, bottom right). Th e kitchen (left) has the same white plank wood walls as the back porch. Its white background allows colors of everyday itemspottery, baskets, and fruitto display in their simple beauty.


SPACES IN THE HEART


Th e home integrates mementos and decor that Th orntons family has collected through the years, including an iron replace opening in the living room by Elgin artist Lucas Stokes (facing, bottom left). Th orntons interior design philosophy embraces using what you have and adapting it to a new environment. Th e living room (above) includes pieces from Th orntons previous home, a modern lake house.

I LOVE MIXING STYLES AND MATERIALS AND DIFFERENT PERIODS. I SORT OF LIKE TAKING MY STYLE ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE. I DEFINITELY LIKE KEEPING UP WITH TRENDS, BUT YOU WONT FIND EVERY TREND IN MY HOUSE. PAIGE THORNTON


posed wood replace. An Amish family in Etheridge, Tennessee, milled barn wood out of poplar. A leftover piece contained a hole. Never ones to waste, Th ornton and her husband smoothed it for use as a countertop.

I love mixing styles and materials and di erent periods, Th ornton says. I sort of like taking my style all the way to the edge. I de nitely like keeping up with trends, but you wont nd every trend in my house.

She documents the homes renovation and interior design through her Insta-gram page@thefrenchbasketand its natural light snapshots garner doz-ens of admiring comments.

Th orntons mission with the farm-house was to simplify life, which she muses friends do not understand.But the tranquility and support proved re-warding. So did her relentlessness.

I was so determined that we were going to be here for Christmas that I was liter-ally putting up the Christmas tree while workers were still here, she says.

SPACES IN THE HEART


Th e laundry room (facing) displays art, some of which relates to a central theme in Th orntons life: her faith. Th e upstairs landing (this page) has built-in bookshelves that display small family photos. Th e landing marries a myriad of styles, including antique, modern, and rustic with a grid mirror, urns, and a mix of light xtures.


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by jennifer crossley howard photos by patrick hood

Kathy Pace took a family heirloom and rebuilt it from the ground up. As a child, she toddled around her grandparents property on the Tennessee River in Muscle Shoals, back when most of the homes served as spare, almost rustic camp houses reserved for summer weekends. Pace moved into the home in 1980 and commenced the rst of three remodels, attempting to modernize the 1947 home. Pace added board and baton siding and a deck, but it was a small house, Pace says.

She contacted RiverWorks Design Studio in Muscle Shoals, a whole home de-sign rm that builds, designs, and furnishes. She wanted a Tuscan style home and worked with Jordan Faerber, interior designer at RiverWorks, to achieve that. Th e two-story home was designed by architect Phil Kean of Winter Park, Florida.

I like to entertain and have the space to entertain, Pace says.

Kean marries the sleek, e cient lines of Frank Lloyd Wright with materials such as stone, wood, and tile.


EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN


Designer Jordan Faerber

carried stacked stone

throughout the home from an

accent wall to a replace in the

lanai. Retractable screens cover

all sides of the lanai and cable

railing leaves the river view

unobscured. A generous wave

of driftwood suggests a mantle

for this lanai replace.


Faerber carried the same ooring throughout the home and out onto the lanai. Phantom retractable screens cover all sides of the lanai and cable railing leaves the river view unobscured.

It helps blur the line between interior and exterior, Faerber says.

Lexington furniture artist Robin Wade made Paces mantels, bar, and counters in her wine room. Faerber recommended quartz countertops in the kitchen for dura-bility and stain resistance. She combined wood, linen, and metal and worked with a gray paint palette to create a modern but warm and timeless aesthetic. Most wood was reclaimed and whitewashed, and Paces sleek sofa is one that Faerber is con dent will endure decades of trend changes and wear.

Metalchandeliers, one spherical and another curvy, add a Tuscan touch and cast a soft glow over the home.

She likes modern design, but she kept it feminine, Faerber says.

Warm neutrals get a lift from

lavender accents by way of crisp

linens and lush velvets in the

sitting room across from the

kitchen (facing), and again in the

living room (above).


The wine room proves antiques

can shine among modern

surroundings. Linen, wood, and

Paces grandmothers chandelier

all complement each other

(facing). The kitchens sleek, dark

wood cabinets and white quartz

countertops create contrast and

add harmony to the home.



Alexander Modern Homes out of RiverWorks built the home. Owner Rusty Alex-ander says open oor plans like Paces are a trend in new homes and those being remodeled.

Th ough most of the home is brand new, Pace salvaged the original cabinets from the camp, and used her grandmothers antique table and chandelier, which hangs in the wine room.

Pace, a metal salesperson, works out of her home, and a day at the o ce is a good day indeed.Hickories, dogwoods, oaks, and Japanese maples cover Paces land, giving her privacy and beauty.

Im not actually looking at someones house right outside the window, she says.

Pacemoved in in May, a year and a half after she sought out RiverWorks, and she plans on celebrating with a housewarming party.

I wanted to keep the property so my friends and family could enjoy it, she says.

The master bath incorporates

the same quartz and wood as the

kitchen, and a large standalone

soaking tub adds modern glamor.


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Have you ever heard of the American Institute of Stress? What about the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory? Well the former compiles the latter, which is a 43-some-thing list of some of lifes most stressful events that assigns a point value to each. If you re-ceive 300 points or more, they say you have an 80 percent chance of a stress-induced major health breakdown. If you receive 150-300 points you have a 50/50 chance of losing it, and so forthon down to those with a relatively low amount of life change, which I can only assume applies to cats, who really dont feel stress. Or anything for that matter.

I scored a 149, but the list doesnt include cross-country trips with a geriatric dogthrough some of the most uninhabitable, WIFI-free parts of the United Statesso Im rounding my tally up to 150, which certainly quali es me for some cupcakes, chicken soup, or even a few bless your hearts.

So, why would I move across country with an old dog?

Well, bad segues aside, most of you already know that answer. A few years ago we visited a dear friend in Portland, Oregon, and fell madly in love (with Portland, not our dear friend). We made a pact to retire there in ve years, and put into motion a very detailed plan to do so. Sell our house in the Shoals and rent a cool place downtown. Check. Bring on a younger, smarter partner. Check. Teach him all facets of the business and work with him for the next three years to prepare him for our departure. (Insert sound of needle dragging across a vinyl record here.)

Th is is where Allen decidedon a whimto apply for a major position with the Knight Cancer Institute, part of Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). Well, he got it, bless his heart. And suddenly our ve-year plan became a three-and-a-half-year plan. Or something like that.

Fast-forward to April of this year, when Allen leaves for Portland and his new life while I nish up the May/June issue of the magazine, pack up 20 years of my (old) life in the Shoals, and prepare for a four-day, cross-country trip to our new home.

Im not a fan of road trips. Rather, Im not enamored with the idea of seeing the countryslowly, leisurely, or otherwisevia a carunless that car is an airplane cabin, chugging along at 500 miles

per hour. As an aside, I am eagerly awaiting the further testing of that newfangled invention that shoots you cross-country via a vacuum tubejust like a bank deposit.

If it werent for our precious, aforementioned old dog, we would have just sold the car and own. But our sweet, little love nugget is a tad too substantial of stature to cram (place) under the seat in front of me, so we had to drive.

Th e Trip

Wednesday, May 25Th e packers arrived and packed everything but the bed, so I could sleep in the apartment one last time. Th ey even left me with an empty box and a roll of tape so I could pack the sheets the next morn-ing. Matthew the Min Pin knew something was up, and he took this opportunity to punish me with an evening of him staring at me with disdain and contempt.

OLD DOGS. NEW TRICKS.

94 bless their hearts David Sims

There are parts of this trip that are both stunning and surreal. Mountains so high they take your breath away. Spooky rock formations that look as if they were salvaged from a Martian movie set.

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Th ursday, May 26Th e movers arrived, loaded the boxes, wrapped the fur-niture in blankets, packed the large May ower truck, and drove away into the sunset. I was to pick up Allen at the Huntsville airport at around 7:30 p.m. and then we were supposed to make our way to Nashville, have a nice dinner, and begin our big adventure early Friday morning. Th en everything went South, when everything was supposed to go West.

Ultimately, ights were delayed many hours and I got to spend an extra evening in the Shoals. I could have called some friends to keep me company, but I had said so many good-byesso many timesthat most people kept thinking I was back for a visit when, in reality, I had never left.

Friday, May 27 (Florence to Hunts-ville to pick up Allen at airport hotel; Huntsville to Kansas City, Missouri)

Th is was the last day I drove. Its not that I didnt o er; in fact, I had spent weeks mentally preparing myself for driving at least the rst portion of the day, but Al-len had been away from his car for two months and they missed each other. Yes, Im sticking to this version of the story. Stop rolling your eyes.

Its at this point in the story where I should tell you that I probably wont be eating another McDonalds sausage and egg burrito, despite it being a very car-friendly food, ever again. If you can call it food.

Nashville to Kansas City was not that bad, re-ally. We were still o cially in the South, and the surroundings were very familiar to me. My older brother and his family live just out-side Kansas City, and we thought it would be a great spot to stop for the night. You know, see some fa-miliar faces. But my brother had previous plans, so we decided to drive past Missouri into Kansas. To Topeka. (If youre a proud res-ident of Kansas, you should skip on to Sunday, May 29.)

Topeka is full of black and white silent movie sadness. Dorothy Gale certainly had the right idea. I too would have summoned a tornado just to get a little color back in my life.

Saturday, May 28 (Topeka to Laramie, Wyoming)Folks, Kansas never ends. And its at. And there are no people to speak of. Its as if the highway is an airport mov-ing sidewalk and youre rushing to catch a ight in Colo-rado. Th e countryside, however, is beautiful, and it is at this point when the term big sky starts to mean some-

thing special. And, when you cant go out to eat because hotel regulations prohibit you from leaving your dog alone in the room, that grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, and steamed broccoli takeout from Applebees becomes some-thing special as well.

Sunday, May 29 (Laramie to Boise, Idaho)Th ere are parts of this trip that are both stunning and surreal. Mountains so high they take your breath away. Spooky rock formations that look as if they were salvaged from a Martian movie set. And skies that envelop you in a dome of deep blue, dotted with hundreds of pu y clouds. Utah had some of the most awe-inspiring scenery I have

even seen. And there was an Applebees di-rectly across the street from our Hampton Inn. What a great country we live in.

Monday, May 30 (Laramie to Portland, Oregon)On our way out of Idaho, and just before Oregon, the terrain shifted to a desolate desert. Mix in the fact that we had no cell service (again), and I began to imagine drag-ging my blistering body across hot asphalt during the day and sheltering myself from the blistering cold of night, all while a hun-

gry Min Pin eyed my u y dad bod from across our makeshift encampment.

But things change quickly in these parts, and as we crossed a mountain range into Pendleton, Oregon (should have bought some blankets!), our world turned lush and green. Soon, we were following the Columbia River into the area called the Gorge,

and we instantly knew we had made the right decision. Th is was truly as beauti-ful as it is sold. And I was excited to be in this paradise.

Today, as I continue to unearth myself from a sea of cardboard boxes, I look forward to the last chapter of our livesknowing that I have left one truly special place for another. Im lucky I get

to keep designing this special magazine. Im even luckier that I get to keep one hand in the Tennessee River while I test the waters out here. And now, after driving across country for the rst time in my adult life, I have realized something momentous. Maybe you really can teach an old dog some new tricks.

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by sara wright covington photos by patrick hood


As long as youve got a little land, you can feed yourself, says Heidi Tilenious, Lauderdale County Coordinator for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), whose community garden located on Veterans Drive is on its way to full bloom as this issue goes to print.

In a world where food is readily available through grocery stores, drive-through windows, and even delivery to our doorsteps, its easy to forget there was a time when everyone lived o the land. Our ancestors used weathered hands to dig in the dirt, sow the soil, and collect their crops. Th ose same ancestors valued staying physically active, being able to provide for themselves, and understanding what it meant to nurture something from its very inception to its end.

Th e concept of community gardenscommon pieces of land gardened by many individuals in a communityhas been around since the late 1800s when economic recession made it necessary to use vacant areas of land for gardens to assist the poor and unemployed. Th e popularity of community gardens has ebbed and owed over the years, through periods of war and peace and economic ups and downs. Th e last few years have seen a resurgence in community gardens as people turn to group gardening as a means of producing food as well as teaching work ethic, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and gardening education.

North Alabamas community gardens are thriving as citizens of all ages and abilities are showing up to share the fruits of their labor. Th e ACES garden on Florences Veterans Drive is just one of those North Alabama gardens. NoAla took some time to tour a few others who are growing something

As long as youve got a little


much bigger than their harvest and o ering it up for the greater good.

Taylor Vandiver, Regional Extension Agent for Lauderdale Countys Extension System, knew when she graduated from Auburn University with both an undergraduate and masters degree in horticulture that she wanted to use her education to teach and work with others for a worthy cause. Vandivers predecessor, Chris Becker, was the driving force behind Lauderdale Countys garden and spent two years securing funds, developing rules and criteria, and researching the project before it came to fruition. Th is garden is a vehicle to what we do here at Extension, says Vandiver. We are here for education and to help the community with health, nutrition, money management, and improving their quality of life.

To qualify for one of ACES 40 individual raised beds, an individual must be a veteran, disabled, a senior citizen, of

GARDEN HARMONY

For some, the draw of community gardens is primarily about fellowship. Lowe Mills community garden, located just south of its iconic water tower, doesnt include the formalities of many of the larger community gardens. Th e atmosphere here, apropos of an artists facility, is more laid back, providing artists and patrons with a natural, serene space to relax during breaks, or with friends and family in the breezy, evening shade of the gardens shed.

Greg Israel and Mike Burgiel help maintain the garden, which is now thriving in its seventh year. We really just wandered into it, says Israel. We were interested in plants, and there was already a small ower garden there. We just came down and started helping.

Over the years, they have done much experimenting to see what grows best and what doesnt. Crop decisions are made collectively, but tomatoes, okra, and peppers are mainstays. Chef Will, whose popular food truck is based at Lowe Mill, gets a lot of their produce, while much of it is harvested and then placed on a table inside Lowe Mill and distributed using the honor system. Th ey also take excess produce to the Greene Street Market in downtown Huntsville.

Over the years in the garden, various artifacts from the mills past have surfaced, including old shoe molds, railroad spikes, and old pieces of glass and pottery from Lowe Mills manufacturing days. Mikes wife Brenna, who helps with the garden, says although they would eventually like to expand, you dont need very much space to grow a whole lot of food. And while the food is an awesome bene t of the communal space, the ultimate purpose is staying connected to each other.

Th is is the living room of Lowe Mill, she says. Th e artists come here to decompress, and this is where we spend time together as an informal family. Its a nature preserve out here. We see all kinds of wildlife and at the end of the day, we bring out blankets and our dogs and our kids and just enjoy it. Its our little oasis in the middle of the city.

low income, or a person whose residence provides limited or no growing space.

Master Gardener John Norton, who helps oversee the project, says the gardens designers kept their users in mind as they planned the space, raising beds to avoid unnecessary bending and incorporating adequate space between rows to accommodate wheelchairs or crutches. Th e older segment of our clients probably havent gardened for many years, Norton says. But they like being able to stay independent and active.

Orientations, held at the beginning of each planting season, explain garden rules and policies. Herbicides are not allowed; neither are some crops, such as corn, sweet potatoes, and squash, which take up too much space or grow to heights that can block sunlight from other beds. No one is allowed to adjust the irrigation system, and gardeners are required to tend to their beds at least once a week.

Th e majority of the crops produced are tomatoes, peas, beans, eggplant, okra, peppers, radishes, melons, as well as many varieties of owers and herbs. Each year, di erent groups donate seeds and fertilizer. Its rst year alone, the garden yielded over 2,100 pounds of produce during the summer growing season, which would translate to thousands of dollars worth of food in retail.

Cooperation from clients was amazing the rst year, says Norton. We put a weigh station out there to weigh and record the produce, and we didnt know if it would be used or not. But the biggest surprise with the garden is that we never considered there would be so much food there would be waste.

About a third of the surplus is donated, with the majority going to the local homeless shelter and Th e Help Center, which is run by several community churches. In addition to donating surplus food, ACES also provides nutrition education and o ers cooking demonstrations at Th e Help Center.

It just speaks to the real mission of what we do, says Tinenious. No food is left to rot. Its all harvested and donated. Th ere is so much cooperation, and we have people who sponsor rehabilitation. Gardening is therapeutic. If you are angry about something, you can get out there and pull weeds.

Documents

No’Ala Shoals, July/August 2016