No’Ala Shoals, September/October 2015

noalastudios.com

DESIGNING HISTORY | EDUCATIONAL OUTDOORS | TEST OF ENDURANCE | BIKE CULTURE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER $4.95

RAISING THE BARFOR FITNESS

What’s reallygoing on in your neighbor’s backyard?

A No’Ala investigation

How Healthy Is Your Business Banking?Let the Bank Independent Business Banking team help you achieve fi nancial fi tness with:

Chip card-capable* and contactless Bluetooth and wireless terminals

Mobile card readers

Custom point of sale software

Gift card and loyalty card programs

Online & Mobile Banking with Bill Pay

ACH debit/credit and wire transfer services

Remote deposit capture

BusinessManager cash fl ow solution

Member FDIC | 877-865-5050 | bibank.com

*Is your business ready for the October 1, 2015 EMV liability shift? We can help!

CALL US FOR A FREE CHECK-UP TODAY!(256) 386-5000 or (877) 865-5050

september/october | noalastudios.com |

| noalastudios.com | september/october

JONES VALLEY HUNTSVILLE

119 North Court StDowntown florence

(256) 764-1809

AVAILABLE AT

Frosty Tipped Pullover



september/october | noalastudios.com | september/october | noalastudios.com |

DO YOU SUFFER FROM:• Shortness of breath • Numbness • Chest pain or tightness

• Burning or tingling in your legs

• Weakness or coldness in your legs or arms

• Pain in the neck • Headaches

• Heart burn, indigestion, or burping

If so, these could be signs of cardiovascular disease. If you are suff ering from any of these

symptoms, Dr. Ajit Naidu and Dr. Brian Cole,

Board Certifi ed Cardiologists at the

Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals can help

determine if these are serious.

We give second opinions, too!

Please call 256-766-2310

for an appointment.

2415 Helton Drive, Suite A,

Florence , AL 35630 • Phone 256-766-2310

• • • PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCALLY OWNED INDEPENDENT RETAILERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND NONPROFITS! • • •

8 » September/October

features

30

Chicken Confi dential

No’Ala investigates a huge chicken conspiracy that might just be taking place in your neighborhood.

by allen tomlinsonphotos by abraham roweand patrick hood

54Bike Life

Bicycles are not just for children—they’re for life!

by allen tomlinsonphotos by danny mitchell

Photo by Abraham Rowe

108Making Training Personal

Sarah Gillis’s commitment to her clients’ physical and emotional well-being puts the “personal” in personal trainer.

by roy hallphotos by patrick hood, abraham rowe, and susan rowe

20Lights, Action, Renovate!

Two interior designers, the project of a lifetime, and the TV show that captured it all.

by roy hall with lu ellen reddingphotos by bruce nelson and patrick hood

84Th e Educational Outdoors

UNA gives students and faculty a way to de-stress.

by allen tomlinsonphotos by patrick hoodand michael redding

ON THE COVER: Sarah Gillis pumps a little iron with some very special “weights”—her son Lyle (left) and niece Kylia. Photo by Patrick Hood

9 » editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson

no’ala advisory board

Jeremy Britten

Anne Bernauer

Vicki Goldston

Leslie Keys

Tera Wages

Ashley Winkle

CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

In this issue, we take a stab at investigative journalism and explore the seedy un-

derworld of chickens living inside the city limits. Th ese seemingly innocent birds

are quietly roosting in your neighbor’s backyards, laying their delicious eggs, rid-

ding their yards of pesky mosquitoes and housefl ies, and generally just looking

adorable. But it’s illegal—harboring chickens inside the city limits is not allowed,

although, to our city’s credit, it’s not high on the Crimestoppers list. We took our

lives into our own hands and visited several families who just might have a few

hens in the yard and who just might bribe the neighbors with eggs to help keep

their secrets. We learned a lot about the ins and outs of chicken coopery, and

hope our elected offi cials will take another look at whether this activity should be

decriminalized. It was fun; we hope you enjoy it, too.

It’s fall, and that means it’s harvest time. For that reason, much of this issue

is devoted to food and exercise. Bike culture is gaining a foothold in our

area, and UNA has developed a program that helps students and faculty

de-stress by lending them outdoor gear. Th e Renaissance Man Triathlon

was a huge success again this year, and is becoming a tourist event by at-

tracting people to our area from all over the region. And Pillar and Pea-

cock, a design fi rm based here and in Virginia, has just fi nished a project

that’s being featured on DIY television—we’ll give you photos and details

of that project in this issue as well.

Please remember that it’s time to nominate people in the area who are quietly work-

ing behind the scenes to make this a great place to live. Our bi-annual Renaissance

Awards are coming up in early 2016, and we need those names by December 1. Do

you have someone you’d like to honor or remember because of their work in this

area? Send me an email at [email protected]. It doesn’t have to be long and

it doesn’t have to be fancy—just tell me about the people you want to honor and let

us consider them.

Football, beautiful weather, and the smell of good cooking are all in the air. Before

you run off to the Big Game, make sure you stop by a local retailer to get every-

thing you need. After all, if we support our local retailers, we’ll continue to have

a wonderful selection of great things here in the Shoals. Th at’s a secret we don’t

need to keep!

108

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Volume 8: Issue 5

• • •

Editor-in-Chief C. Allen Tomlinson

Chief Operating Offi cer Matthew Liles

Creative Director David Sims

Advertising Director Heidi King

Features Manager Roy Hall

Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan

Web Designer Justin Hall

Editorial Assistant Tara Bullington

Videographer Justin Argo

Proofreader Carole Maynard

• • •

Contributing Writers

Amy C. Collins, Sara Wright Covington,

Michelle Rupe Eubanks, Sarah Gaede, Roy Hall,

Guy McClure, Jr., LuEllen Redding,

Allen Tomlinson

• • •

Contributing Photographers

Bruce Nelson Photography, Cliff Billingsley,

Patrick Hood, Danny Mitchell, Michael Redding,

Abraham Rowe, Susan Rowe

• • •

Contributing Illustrators

Rowan Finnegan

• • •

No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Studios PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630

Phone: (256) 766-4222 | Fax: (256) 766-4106Toll-free: (800) 779-4222 Web: noalastudios.com

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

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

Advertisers are solely responsible forthe content of their advertisements.

© 2008-2015 No’Ala Studios, 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 MagTwitter: @NoAla_Magazine and Pinterest: NoAlaStudios

everything else

12 Calendar Selected Events for September/October 2015

14 Cryin’ Out Loud “Sense Memory”

by sara wright covington

46 Bless Th eir Hearts “Sail On”

by guy mcclure, jr.

76 A Favor for Eleanor Chapter Two: Lily Herbert

michelle rupe eubanks

94 Food for Th ought “Soul Food” by sarah gaede

100 Market by tara bullington

photos by danny mitchell

114 Kudosby roy hall

116 Th e Vine “Oyster Wines” by amy c. collins

118 Parting Shot by cliff billingsley

10 » contents

© Patrick Hood

Conquering Life in the Shoals

64Endurance Test

A grueling test of endurance requires participants to demand more of themselves, on and off the course.

by roy hallphotos by danny mitchell

© Danny Mitchell

2015 Renaissance Man

champion, Chris Borden


12 » calendar

Friday, September 4 and Friday, October 2Florence First Fridays

Th e exciting monthly event gathers artists of all kinds–musicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, hand-crafted jewelry creators, and more–for a community-wide celebration. 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence; fi rstfridaysfl orence.org

Saturday, September 121st Annual Downtown Bacon Crawl

Florence Main Street presents the First Annual Bacon Crawl! Participating merchants will off er all types of bacon for ticket holders to enjoy while they visit downtown businesses. 10:00am-7:00pm; Admission charged; (256) 760-9648; fl orencemainstreet.org.

Friday, September 11 – Saturday, September 12Oka Kapassa Native American Festival

Th e Oka Kapassa Festival celebrates the culture and traditions of American Indians, who once thrived in North Alabama. Events include hoop dancing, storytelling, drum, stone carving, fl ute making, fl int knapping, basket making, pottery, a concert, and authentic Native American food. Fri 8:00am-2:30pm and Sat 8:00am-6:00pm; Free; Spring Park, Tuscumbia; okakapassa.org

Friday, September 18Lions Under the Lights Dinner with Celebrity Chef Jack White

Th e University of North Alabama Alumni Association hosts a farm-to-table dinner featuring celebrity chef and UNA alum Jack White. Th e event is a fundraiser for the “Lions Den” area of the newly constructed Science and Technology Building. 6:00pm; $100; (256) 765-4201; alumni.una.edu/lights

Saturday, September 19 – Sunday, September 20Th e Geek Gathering

Celebrating all things comic, fantasy, horror, sci-fi , anime, and pop culture. Proceeds from various portions of the event donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sat 10:00am-5:00pm and Sun 12:00pm-5:00pm; Admission charged; Sheffi eld Rec. Center, 2901 E 19th Ave; thegeekgathering.net

Th ursday, October 1Shoals Symphony at UNA: Tales from ViennaTh e Shoals Symphony at UNA, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Stevens, will present a concert featuring musical works of Strauss and von Suppe’. 7:30 pm; Admission charged; Guillot University Center Ballroom, UNA; una.edu/shoals-symphony

Th ursday, October 22 – Sunday, October 25Th e Gingerbread Players present Monster in the Closet

Emily is a young girl with a very big problem: she has a timid, video game-playing monster living in her closet! Showtimes TBA; Admission charged; 123 N Seminary St; (256) 764-1700; shoalstheatre.org

Saturday, October 24 – Sunday, October 25Th e 29th Annual Alabama Renaissance Faire

Named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourist Society, the Alabama Renaissance Faire features musical programs, public lectures, dramatic performances, art exhibits, and dance programs. Sat 10:00am-6:00pm and Sunday Noon-6:00pm; Free; Wilson Park; alarenfaire.org


14 » cryin’ out loud » Sara Wright Covington

SENSE MEMORY

Eventually my sense of smell returned. It was gradually at fi rst, and so slight that I often wondered if the faint aromas I began to notice were real or just manifestations of my imagination.

When I was three, my doting, stay-at-home mother attempted to socialize me by enrolling

me in a one morning a week mother’s morning out program at Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscumbia.

Aside from the stories I’ve been told over the years of the traumatization—it was traumatic for my

mother, not me—I can’t say I remember much about it. I was the typical introverted child—hyper

aware of any change in my environment, hysterical at the thought of being thrust into situations where

I might be forced to interact with people I didn’t know, and super clingy to my parents. And all except

for the later (I eventually willingly moved out of my parents’ house) I can’t really say that I’ve changed all

that much since then. Many years after my fi rst classroom experience, I went back to that same church

to pick up my nephew who was enrolled in the exact same daycare program. As soon

as I walked through the glass doors of the building and that warm rush of daycare-air

engulfed my lungs, it all came fl ooding back to me: the peach cobbler and paste, the

soggy toast squares and juice, and the chilly stale air wafting in from a giant, dark room

fi lled with cots for napping. All at once, I remembered what it was to be three years

old again, sitting in the director’s offi ce while she called my mother to remind

her she had forgotten my swimsuit for the wading pool on that particularly

hot summer day. Instead of a suit, I made do with some spare shorts and

a T-shirt they scrounged up for me and I waded happily into the

pool, splashing until my fi ngers and toes were prune-ish and my

cheeks were stinging from the sun—I’m pretty sure sunscreen

had not become all the rage yet in 1983. I remembered the

details of it all so vividly, although I had not thought back on

that day since then—nor was I even consciously aware it had

ever happened—before the smell of it rushed back into my

lungs again many, many years later. I remembered that it was

a good day, and I called my mother immediately to tell her that

she needn’t have worried about me.

If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you have likely caught

on that my family creeps in pretty much every time, and I’ve been known

to whine about things I don’t appreciate until they are gone. Th is one is no

diff erent, as I am recalling my temporary loss of smell last summer when I had

surgery to correct a deviated septum. Th e loss of the sense of smell post nasal surgery

is common and usually temporary, but during those two months of this surgery side

eff ect, I can’t tell you how many times I inhaled deeply to no avail, causing me panic when I

realized what I was missing. I stood outside in my yard in inches of freshly fallen snow in

February and vainly attempted to fully experience the cold. I sniff ed my sweet newborn’s

little head for hints of that sweet, fl eeting new human smell and came up with noth-

ing, immediately questioning the bargain I had made in exchange for a future free of

chronic sinus infections.


Th e human brain is truly a majestic bit of machinery, and my

predominantly creative, right-brained personality doesn’t

typically dwell on the specifi cs of the mind’s intricate me-

chanics, as my eyes tend to glaze over at the mere mention

of science. But even I found it interesting that according to

scientists, our sense of smell is most powerfully linked to our

memories. Incoming smells are processed by the olfactory

bulb that connects to the brain’s limbic system, which is di-

rectly responsible for our emotions. Th e fi rst time we smell

something, our brain links it with the physical details of the

time and place. When we smell that thing again, the link is

already there, thus conjuring the past memory. So the smell

of a place or thing can evoke memories that would have been

otherwise buried beneath layers of time and space.

In my post-surgery panic, I grasped for these smell mem-

ories. And as much as this completely made sense to me,

when I started trying to actually recall what other scents

have evoked long-lost memories for me, it was diffi cult for

me to do. According to my research, this is likely because

smells connect with the emotional part of our brain, unlike

the memories of sight, touch, or sound which are more cog-

nitive memories.

I asked a few people to tell me what scents they linked with

what memories throughout their lives, and I got everything

from “summer tomatoes remind me of my neighbor’s gar-

den,” to “salt water taff y reminds me of a trip to the Smokies

when I was little.” My husband remembers the muddy smell

of the river and summers spent at Joe Wheeler. And a dear

friend of mine associates the sweet, grapey smell of a par-

ticular children’s boutique to a newborn gown she bought

for her daughter.

If you ask my mother what smells bring back memories for

her, she will tell you without hesitation, “Geraniums. I’ve

spent my whole life trying to grow them because they re-

mind me of sleeping outside on my grandmother’s screened

in porch in the summers I spent with her in Missouri as a lit-

tle girl. I was so happy there, and I always just grieved when

I had to leave her. Th e geraniums make me remember her.”

Eventually my sense of smell returned. It was gradually at

fi rst, and so slight that I often wondered if the faint aro-

mas I began to notice were real or just manifestations of my

imagination. But to my relief, I began noticing the scents

around me again more and more, once again unconsciously

preserving little slivers of time I wouldn’t realize were sig-

nifi cant till likely many years later, which is usually how the

best stuff is.

d e t t eL I K E O U R

B U N S ?check out our tailgating &

catering menus atwww.odettealabama.com/

catering

120 north court street • downtown florence

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

16 » scene

Jean Gay and David Mussleman

Brian and Amy Montgomery, and Susan and Don Maxwell

Midge Akers and Mary Lynn Jackson

Liz and Gene Autry

Jean Batson, Sara and Bobby Irons, and Adin Batson

Aiesha McBurrows and Donnie Fritts

Brett Mitchell and Billy Ray Roberson

Dale Alexander, Kim Lolley, Angela Pennington, and Kier Vickery

Taneshia Hannon

Dorothy King and Felice Green

Mickey Haddock and Deborah Paseur

Gwen Patrick, Rose Broadfoot,Teresa Harrison, and Crystal Ingle

Lauren and Samuel BentleyNancy Woodruff and Sandra Ells

© Photos courtesy of Edsel Holden

Kimberly Mann, Kristin Husaivy, and Ginger Willingham

© Photos by Melissa Chaney

Megan Glasgow, Debra Glasgow, John Conn,and Anita Whitaker

Above: Edsel Holden presents “My Shining Hour”june , · shoals theatre, florence

Below: Safeplace’s 6th Annual Liberty Luncheon june , · marriott shoals conference center,

florence


T H E F O R T Y - N I N T H A N N U A L T E N N E S S E E V A L L E Y O L D T I M E

FIDDLERS CONVENTION O C T O B E R 2 A N D 3 , 2 0 1 5

AT H E N S , A L A B A M A W W W . A T H E N S . E D U / F I D D L E R S

O N T H E C A M P U S O F H I S T O R I C





Interior designers Adrianne Bugg

and Brandeis Short are no strang-

ers to stepping nimbly around the

obstacles in their paths. In the four

years since joining forces as the de-

sign fi rm Pillar & Peacock, the duo has

guided homeowners from Alabama to

Virginia along the thorny trail of bud-

gets, installations, contractors, build-

ing codes, and all the other snares

that mar the way to a beautiful home.

It’s a handy trait to have, agility; never

more so than when measuring the di-

mensions of an 18th Century fl oor,

while ankles deep in plaster dust, and

surrounded by television cameras.

Th at unlikely environment is where the Shoals and Irvington, Virginia-based de-

sign team found themselves last June, as they began work on their most ambitious

project to date: the renovation of Warsaw, Virginia’s 18th Century Mount Airy

estate, for the DIY network series American Rehab: Virginia.

On a recent afternoon, Florence-based Short and Bugg, in town from Virginia,

took a moment out of their hectic schedules to lead us a on a slightly less fraught

trip down memory lane, recounting what brought them to Mount Airy, and the

adventure of a lifetime.

Mount Airy’s bright, cheerful second kitchen is home base for event prep. Opposite: Adrianne Bugg (left) and Brandeis Short of Pillar & Peacock.

text by roy hall with lu ellen redding

photos by bruce nelson photographyportrait by patrick hood


Nothing about the clear sky or the hint of warmth in

the air suggested anything other than an ordinary

spring day, last June, when a friend phoned Bugg

with news that would alter the course of her and Short’s life

for the next year. According to Bugg’s in-the-know friend, a

TV producer was in Irvington on the lookout for local de-

signers interested in interviewing for “some kind of renova-

tion show.” Bugg suspected, and correctly, that for an out-of-

town producer, “local” would mean every interior designer

from Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. Bugg dis-

agreed, insisting to the producers, whom she wasted no time

contacting, that local meant Irvington, and Irvington meant

Pillar & Peacock. On the strength of their impressive portfo-

lio, the producers agreed, and Short and Bugg were one of a

select group of eight fi rms invited to interview for the posi-

tion of designer for a still-unnamed design show document-

ing the refurbishment of the Mount Airy estate.

Meanwhile, back in Florence, Short dropped everything

and jumped on the next plane out of Huntsville to join her

partner in Virginia to prepare for the interview. Th e team

approached the project aggressively, providing producers

with an exhaustive checklist detailing just how they felt the

project—which can only be described as massive—should be

tackled. Within a day, they had the job.

A tumultuous, ultimately triumphant 10 months followed, as

Bugg and Short balanced the demands of a production com-

pany’s budget with the needs of Mount Airy’s homeowners,

the Tayloe family, all the while remaining faithful stewards of

one of America’s most historically signifi cant homes.

And all of that the result of an unexpected phone call from a

friend—quite the unlikely detour for Bugg and Short. Unlikely,

but not altogether unfamiliar: a friend’s unexpected phone call

is exactly how Pillar & Peacock itself came into being.

Adrianne Bugg didn’t set out to be an interior de-

signer. Th e Virginia native studied fi nance at New

Orleans’ Tulane University, working as a fi nancial

analyst after college. Deep down, though, she harbored a se-

cret ambition. “My fi rst love was fashion, then architecture.

I had sketchbooks for days,” Bugg says of her favorite child-

hood past time.

Like her partner, Short has always had an affi nity for beautiful

things, “a kind of knack for art and design.” Th e Jacksonville,

A balanced budget: Pillar & Peacock stretched the tight kitchen budget by refurbishing an antique fridge and painting the existing cabinets and wood fl oors, freeing up dollars for high-end lighting, luxe hardware, and custom cabinetry.


Florida, native graduated from Virginia Commonwealth

University with an interior design degree. Post-graduation,

she and husband Shawn remained in nearby Irvington,

where Shawn worked as a fi nancial planner alongside Bugg.

Confi dent Bugg and his wife would get along famously,

Shawn insisted they meet; a phone call later, they were fast

friends. A year or so later, and with the encouragement of

her new best friend, Bugg left her career in fi nance to pursue

her lifelong love of design. Th e two joined forces as Pillar &

Peacock a short time later.

Short and Bugg established their fi rm in Irvington, where Pil-

lar & Peacock’s original offi ce remains, along with Bugg, her

husband Tripp, and their two children. Meanwhile, Short,

her husband, and their two children have moved several

times in the intervening years, settling in Florence, where

Short maintains the fi rm’s second offi ce. Th e miracle of

modern technology and a slew of frequent fl yer miles allow

the team to work together, apart, on projects from Mount

Airy to the Alabama coast and many points in between.

This page: Antiques and upholstered pieces, grounded by the luxurious and television-friendly color scheme, give the master bedroom a sense of restful elegance.


“We have a weekly

call,” Bugg says of

the long-distance

arrangement that

keeps their busi-

ness and friend-

ship thriving.

“We dedicate the

fi rst 15 minutes

to personal stuff ;

then we talk about

business.” And ev-

ery three months,

minimum, the duo

get together. Th ey

alternate between

Virginia—where

Pillar & Peacock

was named Virginia Living magazine’s 2015 “Best Interior

Design Firm”—and the Shoals, where the team have found

early success with residential and commercial projects.

It’s Pillar & Peacock’s slightly unorthodox, utterly modern

method to the madness of design that served them well

when they set their sights on television production, a whirl-

wind schedule, and the modernization of a 200-plus-year-

old estate.

From its majestic perch on the banks of the Rappahan-

nock River in Virginia’s Northern Neck region, Mount

Airy is every bit as imposing as its formidable exterior

implies. Built in 1764 by Colonel John Tayloe, II, the home

has an illustrious history, playing host to Revolutionary pe-

riod personages, and serving as the fi nal resting place of

Francis Lightfoot Lee, Col. Tayloe’s son-in-law, a signer of

the Declaration of Independence.

In 2010, Tayloe and Catherine Emery and their two sons

became the 10th generation of Emerys to occupy Mount

Airy. Th e family brought with them all the expectations of a

21st century family: a modern kitchen, dependable plumb-

ing, safe wiring, up-to-date facilities, functional closets. In a

word, livability. It’s a list familiar to anyone who’s ever fallen

in love with an older home’s character, but been less smitten

with its limitations. To help them in this gargantuan task, the

Emerys reached out to the DIY network, whose renovation-

based series, American Rehab: Virginia, provided the perfect

The family room, with its soothing palette and inviting furnish-ings, respects the homes stature without sacrifi cing comfort.

Schumacher wallpaper, custom-made wainscoting, and a walk-in closet turned the existing master bath into a retreat.


fi t. In turn, DIY sought the services of Pillar & Peacock, who

renovated a total of 13 primarily residential spaces: four in

Mount Airy’s main house (master bedroom, master bath,

family room, and main house kitchen), and nine personal-

and business-use spaces in Mount Airy’s west wing.

Bugg and Short’s previous experience renovating historical

residences provided a road map, but nothing could have pre-

pared them for the demands of a 10-month construction and

TV production schedule, an arduous task made possible by,

in Short’s words, “Homeowners we’ve come to love as fam-

ily, an amazing production team, and a construction crew

capable of miracles.”

While the spectacular results may not have been supernatu-

ral, there were more than a few prayers said along the way.

“Th e time line and the budget were constant challenges,

from day one,” Short says. A challenge, but also an opportu-

nity, according to Bugg: “Overcoming those challenges, with

amazing results, was what made the job so rewarding for

us.” A less exacting commitment to the historical integrity of

Mount Airy would have made for a simpler—and cheaper—

The smokehouse-turned-lounge off ers Mount Airy hunters a relaxed place to begin and end their day.

Historic photo of Mount Airy, Warsaw, VirginiaA simple mantle stays true to the room’s rustic simplicity.


process. But Bugg and Short take great pride in what they

call “being true to the house.” In the case of an 18th century

estate, “being true” is an expensive proposition.

“Th e budget was very tight,” Short says, “which is fi ne. We’re

accustomed to working within budget parameters.” But

some of the numbers were a bit unrealistic. “In some cases,”

according to Short, “the total budget for a room would usu-

ally cover just the contractor’s fees.”

Complicating matters further, what makes for good televi-

sion—camera-friendly color palettes and drama-fi lled, last

minute installations—is not always in the best interests of

the home, or the homeowners. Short cites the fi rst instance

in what became a neverending tug-of-war between the art of

interior design and the commerce of television production.

Pillar & Peacock chose a simple, spare, historically-appropri-

ate fi replace mantle for the lounge. Th e producers countered

that the mantle wasn’t quite “enough” for the camera, prefer-

ring a larger, more ornate version. Th e designers held their

ground; the mantle they recommended was installed.

Color choices weren’t safe from the demands of television,

either. Initially, Bugg and Short recommended painting the

master bedroom a deep rich purple. Producers intervened,

explaining that the dark, saturated hue would “play” as black

on camera, necessitating a compromise with the homeown-

ers. Fortunately, the Emerys were ever-willing clients, and

the TV-friendly palette Bugg and Short recommended man-

ages to make a statement on camera, without sacrifi cing re-

fi nement.

“Th e cameras go away, but the Emerys live there,” Short

says, summarizing their top priority. “So we wanted them

to be happy.”

While the demands of a television camera are thankfully not

a factor in most design jobs, the primary hurdle Bugg and

Short encountered over and over again during their Mount

Airy adventure is common to every project: the budget.

Like most home renovations, one of Mount Airy’s most ex-

pensive rooms was its kitchen. And not just any kitchen, a

curved kitchen. According to Short, custom curved cabine-

try alone could have easily consumed the full budget. “So

we decided to add a few custom cabinets for function, but

keep the lower cabinets.” Th e salvaged cabinets were painted

and Anthropoligie hardware added to freshen their look.

A repurposed vintage fridge found in the storage room got

a fresh paint job, along with the fl oors. “Th e fl oor gave us

The hexagonal pergola’s fi re pit, dining table, and conversation area provide the perfect spot for al fresco entertaining.


an opportunity to incorporate pattern into the room, and

helped us save more money on refi nishing.” Th e savings were

spent, at Pillar & Peacock’s suggestion, on high-end light fi x-

tures. “Lighting is so important,” Short explains. “When you

walk into a space with beautiful lighting, it’s a game-changer.”

Sort of like having your work featured on a national televi-

sion show. “Being a part of a TV project was great,” Short

says, summarizing their experience, “but our top priority

as designers is to always be true to the client and house.

We were fortunate to have the support of the homeowners

throughout.”

A collaborative relationship built on trust and communica-

tion between homeowner and designer is critical for any

successful design project, regardless of the scope. As for

their own likes and dislikes, Bugg and Short have their fair

share, but the designers’ individual styles don’t impact the

choices they make for their clients. “Pillar & Peacock is not in

the business of creating a signature look,” Short says. Instead,

their goal is to create beautiful, functional spaces that refl ect

the lives of their clients, not to impose their own aesthetic.

“A fi nished space should be beautiful, well-appointed, and

ultimately refl ect the family that lives in the space, not us,”

according to Short.

Spaces that embody the ideals of structure and beauty. Like,

say, a pillar and a peacock. “A pillar is an architectural ele-

ment, and a peacock exudes beauty,” Bugg says, explaining

their choice of names. “Besides,” Bugg admits with a laugh,

“we knew ‘Bugg+Short’ would never work.” Still, the provoc-

ative name does prompt the occasional question: “Who is

the pillar, and who is the peacock?” Bugg and Short laugh: “It

just depends on the day!”

Pillar & Peacock’s Mount Airy adventure premiered on DIY Network’s American Rehab: Virginia in July and is available through Amazon’s streaming service. Ex-panded versions of AR:V are planned for a future run on DIY’s sister network, HGTV.

For behind-the-scenes anecdotes and before-and-after pictures of the Mount Airy project, visit pillarandpeacock.com.

Brick pavers, a dropped ceiling to accommodate plumbing, lantern fi xtures, and cabinets-turned-dog beds converted an old storage space into a warm, workable mud room.


W I T H J E S T M Y S T E R I E S P R E S E N T S

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

All gents & dolls: Come dressed in your

An evening of interactive fun to raise


Your BizHub Watchdog

(256) 464-0010

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

450 Production Avenue, Madison, AL 35758



text by allen tomlinson » photos by abraham rowe and patrick hood

september/october | noalastudios.com | seseseseeepepppseepseepepsesepppps ps tttttemtetemtemtememmmmmmmmmmmmemmemmttteeemmttememt mteeemmmt meeme bberberrrrrb rrb rbb rr/oc/o/oc/ococ/o/oc/oc/ tottobtobobtotobber er er er | || || |||| nononnonononononnononnoononoalaaaalaalaalaalaalaalaal stustus ustuudiodiodioos.cs.com om om m o | | |

©Abraham Rowe



IT’S A SUNNY DAY IN RIVER CITY. Too sunny. It’s not the

temperature I mind; my borrowed car is air conditioned, and the windows are

sealed tight. No, it’s the heat I can’t take. Th is particular errand calls for shadows—

just enough light to get you there, but plenty of shade to cover your tracks.

I adjust my sunglasses on the bridge of my nose and pull the ball cap a little lower

on my head. I disappear as far into my Corinthian leather seat as it will allow. Th e

voice on my phone tells me to bear left, and I do what I’m told. Squinting behind

the sunglasses that protect my identity as well as my retinas, my sedan slinks on

to a tree-lined street. My heart is racing; my palms are sweating. I tell myself a

little white lie: “It’s going to be OK,” I whisper to myself. “Th ese people don’t want

trouble, and neither do I. Just get the facts—and get out.”

Th e houses on this street are large, brick, and mostly two stories. Th e lawns are

manicured, and probably not by the people who live here. Seems an unlikely spot

for such clandestine operations, but at this point, nothing will surprise me. I want

to get to know these lawbreakers and fi nd out what motivates them, what led them

down the (very nicely paved) road to the dark side. Who knows what evil lurks in

the hearts of men? I have a feeling I’m ‘bout to.

“You have arrived at your destination,” says my phone, and I stop the car and peer

at the house in front of me. It’s relatively new, with a wide front porch and rock-

ing chairs; the fl owers in the beds are pretty spectacular, and the grass is perfectly

manicured. I note that there is a tall wooden fence at the back, probably built

specially to hide all of the illegal activity that takes place back there. Hardly what

I would expect, but maybe that’s the point? Make it look like a perfectly ordinary

home in the middle of suburbia, and throw the offi cials off your tracks.

I take a deep breath, turn off the engine, and open my door. I’ve hardly stepped

outside the car when I hear a man say, “Welcome! Any trouble fi nding us?” It’s the

homeowner, whom we will call “John” (all of the names in this story have been

changed, to protect the lawbreakers and their neighbors). He’s surprisingly young,

nicely dressed, and not shady looking at all. He walks toward me, hand extended;

we shake hands.

©Abraham Rowe


“Of course, I do it for the eggs, but it’s more than that. Th ese chickens are beautiful—they are like works of art,

and I add them to my garden the way I’d add fl owers.” —“Brent”

©Abraham Rowe


Behind him, in the doorway, is his wife, whom we will call

“Mary.” She’s beautiful, nicely dressed, with a broad smile.

Th e children are at the community swimming pool for a

couple of hours, so we have plenty of time to talk, she ex-

plains. Th en, they welcome me in. I take a deep breath and

step inside.

Once the door has fi rmly shut behind me, I get right to busi-

ness. “Ok, folks, I have to know. Where do you keep—” my

voice drops to a whisper. “—the chickens?”

“Th e what?” says John. For a moment I panic, thinking I have

come to the wrong house. Will they think I am crazy? Will

they get mad if they think I am accusing them of harboring

illegal fowl? If I am at the wrong house, will I give away the

real John and Mary’s secret and expose them to the entire

neighborhood? Barely fi ve minutes into my assignment, and

I may have messed everything up. I feel familiar red heat

creeping up my neck, a sign that I am in trouble. We’re walk-

ing toward the back of the house, to the kitchen, where Mary

pulls out a chair and off ers me a seat.

“Ummm…the chickens?” I squawk. Th en, out of the corner of

my eye, I see what I have come to see. Th rough the kitchen

window, I catch a glimpse of a dark grey bird with a top knot

and beautiful golden fl ecks of color in her feathers. It’s the

magnifi cent Merc, a Golden Lace Wyandotte breed, and she’s

beautiful. I can’t help but stare. It’s a fl ood of relief, seeing this

small clucking animal; I have found what I was looking for.

I turn back to John and Mary. “Why do you do this?” I ask.

“What made you decide to break the law and harbor chick-

ens inside the city limits?”

Th e couple smiles at each other and then at me. I get the feel-

ing they have been asked this question before. Mary speaks

fi rst. “We do it for the eggs,” she says. “Store bought eggs

have no taste, and the yolks we get from our chickens are

deep orange and beautiful. We do it for the eggs.”

And then, it’s as if the fl oodgates have opened. John and

Mary pour out their hearts to me.

©Abraham Rowe

CHICKEN [CONFIDENTIAL]


IT STARTED OUT innocently enough. “We had a

friend who raised chicks,” says John, “and I have always loved

eggs. Our friend hatched some chicks, so he gave me a cou-

ple and I brought them home.”

“Th e children loved them, but we weren’t certain we were

going to keep them. Our son was supposed to be studying

for a science test the next day, and we got the defi nite feeling

that he hadn’t prepared, so, in a classic parenting fail move,

we off ered a bribe. Make a hundred on your science test, and

we can keep the chickens. If you don’t, they go back.”

“He made a hundred and ten,” says Mary, “and we had our-

selves some chickens.”

Th e family read and researched online and learned all they

could learn about raising chickens. And it was interest-

ing, the things they learned. Chickens eat bugs and worms,

among other things, and help keep them under control; hens

don’t make a lot of noise, unlike roosters, who are very dif-

fi cult to keep in the city; if properly cared for, chicken coops

don’t smell, and the poop makes amazing fertilizer. (Th at

might explain the abundance of profusely blooming fl owers

in containers and fl ower beds all around this home; this fam-

ily doesn’t just get eggs, they get fertilizer, too.)

For the family, it was more than just raising chickens; it was

about considering where their food comes from in general.

Th e process of having chickens has made them much more

conscious of what they eat, and they look for natural and

unprocessed foods in general, preferring the farmer’s market

to the nearby mega-store for food. Th ey learned that eggs,

when they are freshly laid, are covered in something called

“bloom,” which preserves the egg and makes it last for weeks

and even months. Th ey even planned a recent family vaca-

tion as “chicken tourists,” visiting farms that raise hens on

a much larger scale. Th e more they learned, the more they

loved the idea of having hens, even though they were plagued

with the guilt of knowing that it was illegal inside the city.

“Did you ever check with the city to see if it would be OK?”

I ask. Th e answer is “no”—neither John nor Mary wanted a

record of their having asked, in case the dreaded day came

when they were forced to disband the fl ock. Th ey operate

strictly on the “better to ask forgiveness than ask permission”

theory, and as far as they are concerned, they have never offi -

cially been told that this is wrong. Offi cially. Th ey have some


©Abraham Rowe




nagging suspicions, but they also have these wonderful eggs,

and that eases the pain.

What about the neighbors? Surely they know what’s going

on. Don’t they tell? Th e short answer is “no,” again. Th e fi ve

hens are prolifi c enough to provide for the family and have

eggs to spare, and the family is both generous and smart.

I don’t want to call it bribery, this method for keeping the

neighbors happy with their regular supply of fresh eggs, but

it certainly keeps them quiet—and happy. Co-conspirators,

as it were.

John and Mary are so nice and so enthusiastic about this ille-

gal activity of theirs, I begin to relax. So, I think at one point,

this is how it happens; you are an upright citizen, and pretty

soon you’re lured into this dark underworld and you become

a part of it. Only in this case, the underworld isn’t really that

dark; it’s more like just shady, since the backyard has so many

trees, and it’s not really an underworld but more like an up-

scale neighborhood…but whatever. It’s still illegal.

“So, these hens must be pretty good fried up,” I say, half jok-

ing, but I am stopped dead in my tracks by a horrifi ed look

from Mary.

John rushes in to fi ll the uncomfortable silence. “Th ese are

more than just hens in the backyard,” he says. “Th ese are

pets. Two of the fi ve are going through ‘henopause,’ because

they have gotten old, so their egg production has signifi cant-

ly slowed. But we couldn’t think of getting rid of them, or

even ‘frying them up,’ as you say. We love them.”

“And now,” he says, standing up, “it’s time for you to meet

them.”

Th e moment of truth. I follow John and Mary to the back

door, and out onto the deck. Merc, the Golden Laced Wyan-

dotte, comes rushing forward to greet us, and the other four

are hanging back, watching, gauging whether or not I am

going to be friendly.

Th ey have Marley, a Dominique; Rosabelle; Pez; and Roo-

sevelt. As we amble through the back yard, moving slowly

toward the chicken house, Mary tells me about Rizzo, a very

social hen who had apparently wandered off with a fox or a

raccoon and met an untimely end. “Th at’s one of the most

interesting things about these animals,” she says; “Th ey are

not stupid. Th ey’re really very smart, and extremely social.

©Abraham Rowe



©Patrick Hood



When Rizzo disappeared, Pez went into a depression. Th at’s

how we ended up with the other four; we brought them into

the fold to help cheer Pez up. She was missing her friend.”

Th e chickens are moving in to study me, and I am a little

nervous, but Mary reassures me that they won’t hurt me.

She takes some feed and lets them eat it out of her hands;

they cluck softly and move about the yard, although Marley

is eyeing me a little suspiciously. John and Mary steer me to

the corner of the yard where the henhouse is located.

Th e henhouse is actually quite nice. It’s a small wooden struc-

ture in the corner, by the fence, under a shade tree. A small

part of the yard has been enclosed with a wire fence, mostly

to protect the hens from predators and not so much to keep

them from escaping. Part of the henhouse is the laying area,

and John opens the trapdoor to show me the nest. Th ere’s a

golf ball in the nest—an incentive, I think, or a marker to let

the hens know where to lay. John tells me some people use

plastic Easter eggs, but it’s just to make the hens comfortable.

Th ere’s absolutely no smell, and the hens are clucking so

softly I’m sure the neighbors can’t hear them. It all seems so

innocent; I wonder why in the world the city doesn’t want

this inside their limits?

THE NEXT DAY, I’m in another neighborhood on

the other side of town. I’m not quite as nervous this time,

since I wasn’t attacked by killer chickens, arrested by city

offi cials, or even bothered by suspicious neighbors during

my last visit. Th e chickens at John and Mary’s house were

so, well, cute—and the eggs were beautiful, a nice, rich, light

brown color. Harmless, actually, I think, and then quickly re-

minded myself that this is illegal activity.

Today, I’m visiting with a much younger couple, fairly re-

cently married with a young baby. Th eir house is also in a

nice neighborhood, and their backyard sits beside a fairly

busy street. Once again, I’m struck by the fact that they do

not seem guilty or ashamed about their illegal fowl, and re-

ally get into having chickens in their backyard.

“I grew up on a farm and we raised chickens,” says the wom-

en we’ll call “Sue.” “When we got married and got a house of

our own, I didn’t think it was a big deal at all to have them

here. We really didn’t know it wasn’t allowed, but we didn’t

ask, and so far no one has complained.” Her husband, whom

we will call “Jim,” nods in agreement. Once again, better to

ask forgiveness than permission.

I ask them why they think it’s against the law to have chick-

ens in the city limits. “I’m not sure,” says Jim, “but it probably

has something to do with livestock in general. People in nice

neighborhoods don’t want to live next to smelly farms, but

raising chickens isn’t like that at all. In fact, we’ve seen dogs

in backyards who smell worse and make more noise than

chickens, and dogs are legal.”

We move to the backyard to see their fl ock, three chickens

who are relatively young and haven’t really started laying yet.

Jim has constructed an ingenious henhouse out of an old

wooden chest of drawers, on its back; the hens have a ramp

to walk up and into the house, just like the old-time cartoons

I grew up watching where hens go to work every day on an

egg-laying production line.

“One of the reasons we want chickens, aside from the eggs,

is that we want our daughter to grow up around animals,”

says Sue. “She’s too young for a cat or a dog, but she loves to

watch the chickens, and we want her to love animals the way

we do.” As if on cue, one of their hens moves closer to me to

inspect me; I’m not as nervous around her as I was before,

and let her scope me out. I must pass, because she goes back

to hunting for bugs; I breathe a little sigh of relief and move

on to my next family.

“One of the reasons we want chickens, aside from the eggs, is that we want our daughter

to grow up around animals. She’s too young for a cat or a dog, but she loves to watch the chickens, and

we want her to love animals the way we do.” —“Sue”

| noalastudios.com | september/october | noalastudios.com | september/october

AN ARTIST FRIEND OF OURS has been

raising chickens in the city for more than 20 years, and I talk

to him about it.

“Of course, I do it for the eggs,” says my friend, whom we

will call “Brent.” “But it’s more than that. Th ese chickens are

beautiful—they are like works of art, and I add them to my

garden the way I’d add fl owers.”

I have never thought of chickens in this way, but it is true.

Th e subtle colors and patterns of some of the chickens I

have seen were stunningly beautiful, and when the sunlight

catches the feathers, some of them almost glow. Th e idea of

these beautiful and colorful animals amongst the fl owers in

the backyard gives a whole new perspective to having them,

and it is especially appropriate for this artist friend to point

that out. Th is isn’t a farming project: this is an art project.

Brent also points out that dogs could be smellier and noisier

than his chickens, and the city’s only restriction on dogs is

about the number you are allowed to have. Why couldn’t

the same be true of chickens? Keep roosters out of the equa-

tion—that introduces an entirely diff erent noise level to rais-

ing fowl, and when you have roosters, you get fertilized eggs,

which leads to more chickens. Th at could be a recipe for

trouble; if the objection to chickens within the city limits is

to prevent corporate farming in nice neighborhoods, maybe

an acceptable compromise is to limit the number and pro-

hibit the roosters.

ANOTHER ARTIST FRIEND, an animal

lover from way back, goes the extra mile to make her hens

comfortable. In fact, her layers, who are an exotic variety

of chicken that appears more furry than feathery, live in a

chicken house decorated with art. Each hen has a portrait

of herself on the walls of the coop, so she can contemplate

the meaning of life while she goes about the business of egg

production—or, perhaps, the art is inspiration for the hen

to produce more eggs, in hopes that the she can show the

family portraits to her off spring and teach them about their

proud heritage.

One striking similarity in all of these stories is how un-

ashamed the owners are—and how accepting the neighbors

have become. With the exception of one story of a renegade

chicken gone wild, who fl ew over a fence and ate all of the

neighbor’s fl owers, there really haven’t been any problems.

(Th e off ending chicken got her wings clipped and hasn’t es-

caped since, and the neighbors cheerfully accept the egg of-

ferings and inquire about the chickens, so peace has been

restored.)

My last visit is with a young couple who have raised chickens

for about three years. Last week, they had four hens—Hazel,

Etta, Rosie, and Lena—but one was carried away by a hawk,

so they are down to three. We stand in the backyard and talk

about the ins and outs of clandestine chicken raising, and

as we talk the most aggressive chicken comes up to check

me out. I can’t remember the chicken’s original name, but a

neighbor nicknamed her “Blondie” because of her white tail,

and her owners, whom we will call “Anna” and “Justin,” laugh

about how personable she is. “She’ll even sit in my lap when

I’m having my morning coff ee on the deck,” says Anna.

But that’s not all—she also loves being inside the house. Not

that she’s allowed in there, but Blondie is a little sneaky and

fi nds her way in there anyway. “It’s common to walk into

the kitchen and see Blondie and our cat both eating food

out of the cat dish,” says Justin. “She’d live inside with us, if

we’d let her.”

All three chickens are beautiful, and I can’t help but notice

what great bone structure and what good muscular devel-

opment they have. I tentatively broach the subject again—

would you ever consider eating these chickens?

Th e couple laughs. “We have this discussion all the time,”

says Anna. “Justin says he could eat them, but I could not. If

I hadn’t gotten to know them, maybe we could—we’re cer-

tainly not opposed to eating chicken! Even though consum-

ing chickens is part of the natural order of things, these are

our pets.”

Justin reluctantly agrees. “Someday we hope to move to the

country where we can have a little more space,” he says. “Our

dream would be to have more chickens—chickens we have to

lay eggs, and chickens we have to eat. We probably won’t get

to know the chickens we eat, the way we know our layers.”

All of this talk about eating chicken must have angered

Blondie, because all of a sudden she walks right up to me

and pecks at my leg. I jump, mostly because it surprised me;

I am pretty sure she couldn’t really hurt me, but I did sort of

move a little to put some space between us.


©Abraham Rowe



©Patrick Hood



Th e chicken house in this couple’s backyard is beautiful,

made by Justin from leftover wood he had when he built the

deck on the back of the house. Th ere’s the ramp up to the

laying area, and the chicken wire to protect them from night

predators. Other than hawks, this family hasn’t had much

trouble from visiting raccoons or possums, and they let their

chickens roam the yard during the day. (Th ey put themselves

to bed in the coop at night.)

Ashley laughs when she tells me about what happened when

they fi rst got their brood. “Our backyard is fenced, and we

thought that was enough,” she says. “But we found out later

that when we would leave the house to go to work in the

mornings, our chickens would go visit the neighbors. All of

the neighbors. We found out one time when we came home

early and couldn’t fi nd them—they were next door, visiting.

Th ankfully, none of the neighbors minded; in fact, they really

enjoyed it, except for the fl ower-eating incident. We clipped

their wings, eventually, to keep them in our yard, but the

neighbors still hang over the fence and talk to them or check

on them.”

Some chicken owners keep their chickens cooped up all day

long, but that’s not the healthiest thing for the chicken, and it

aff ects the egg. “Cooped-up chickens produce eggs like you’d

fi nd at the grocery store, and our eggs have a richer taste; our

chickens lay eggs that are bold, with thicker shells, and more

integrity in the white.”

What was the biggest surprise, once they became chicken

ranchers? Th e pecking order, says Anna. “Th ere’s really

something to it,” she says. “Blondie is very much in charge

of this brood. She even eats fi rst, and then lets the others

know when it’s OK for them to come eat. She’s the undis-

puted boss, and you’d better not forget it!”

AFTER VISITING THE LAST FAMILY

who harbors chickens, I realize I can’t really think of them

as criminals any more. In fact, I wonder if we might con-

vince our cities to rethink their policy against having hens

on private property within the city limits. I can understand

limiting the number, and making sure roosters aren’t in the

mix, but the chickens I saw—all with names, all beautiful

works of art, all productive egg-producing citizens—seem

to be peaceful, happy, and loaded with personality. As more

than one chicken owner pointed out, dogs can be a bigger

nuisance if they aren’t cared for properly.

But until that day comes, these chicken owners will contin-

ue to quietly let their chickens roam in the confi nes of their

backyards. Th ey’ll continue the cycle of bribing the neigh-

bors with gifts of fresh eggs, and they will get a little nervous

when a city vehicle turns down their street.

And you might not ever know that there are chickens in your

neighborhood, unless there are tell-tale signs. Are the neigh-

bors’ fl ower beds prolifi c because, perhaps, they are being

fertilized with chicken poop? Have you ever awakened and

walked outside only to fi nd a basket of bribery eggs on your

stoop? Who knows if that cute couple next door is secretly

harboring illegal hens within the fenced-in backyard of their

neat-as-a-pin home? Don’t ask too many questions. Just en-

joy the eggs.

“It’s common to walk into the kitchen and see Blondie and our cat both eating food

out of the cat dish. She’d live inside with us, if we’d let her.” —“Anna”

46 » bless their hearts » Guy McClure, Jr.

I started college too young. Because of a Septem-

ber birthday, I was only 17 when I left my tiny home-

town of Athens in a fully packed MG and drove to

Florence to start my freshman year at the University

of North Alabama. I was brutally shy and immature,

but I knew I had to leave the proverbial nest. Petri-

fi ed, I drove west on Highway 72 and crossed the Elk

River Bridge. I became determined to make the best

of things in the manner of Candide, which thankfully

had been required reading just a few months before.

Athens had not really been that kind to me growing up, but it was

all I knew. It did serve as my home base, a place to answer when I would get the in-

evitable question, “Where are you from?” It was nice enough, I guess, but it wasn’t a good fi t. Our family

had moved there from Huntsville when I was six and we never felt as if it was home, or at least I didn’t.

I was lucky enough to have experienced a somewhat well-traveled life to that point, but it was al-

ways traveling with a crowd, and this journey was solo. I had purposely chosen UNA because

none of the friends in my class were going there. I liked the thought of a fresh start, and unbe-

knownst to me, I would have these solo journeys into new towns six more times in my life—so far.

I crossed the Shoals Creek Bridge white knuckled. Back then it was a skinny, two lane passage and the

traffi c had already picked up. Th ings were starting to move faster. I didn’t know if I was ready for that.

As I entered Florence I tuned the radio to WQLT, the local top 40 station. Th is was 1979 at

the end of the disco era, so it was a time of ballads. Good, heartfelt ones that seemed to tell sto-

ries of new starts, metamorphoses, and fi nding oneself. I had listened to this Florence station

at night in Athens. Th e signal grew stronger as night when other AM stations left the air at dusk.

I liked listening to what was happening 45 miles to the west. It was foreign and exotic to me.

Th e airwaves at 107.3 on the dial were fi lled with jingles from places I didn’t know and a re-

play show of 50s music on Saturday night. It also included commentaries by local evangelists

Haskell Sparks and David Sain. Th is always puzzled me as they seemed to always follow Don-

na Summer in their rotation, strategically placed, I’m thinking, to counteract her lusty lyrics.

Traveling further west on Florence Boulevard, “Sail On” by the Commodores came on the radio as

I pulled into the Krystal parking lot. Th e song was about leaving one life and starting a new one. It

was actually about Lionel Ritchie leaving a relationship, but I let the ballad play to fi t my needs. As

I sat in that overloaded sports car and listened to that amazing song, I started to cry. I didn’t know

why, but what I did know was that I couldn’t go back and I didn’t want to go forward. What I wanted

was to go away; I wanted to go north or south instead of east or west and become lost in the world.

I couldn’t go back and I didn’t want to go forward. What I wanted was to go away; I wanted to go north or south instead of east or west and become lost in the world.

I s

be

to

F

o

b

Athens h

all I knew. It did serve as m

it bl ti “Wh f ?” It

SAIL ON


Th ree tiny hamburgers later, I composed myself, took a

deep breath, and continued the few miles towards the

college. I can still remember the feeling of pulling into

the Rivers Hall loading zone and seeing others, just like

me, who were arriving at a new place for the fi rst time.

After checking in on the ground fl oor, I traveled to the

seventh fl oor to fi nd my dorm room. I unloaded the

car, and started the normal process of settling in, which

was completely abnormal for me. I guess that meant I

was a college student from that moment on, and it re-

ally didn’t take long until everything fell into place.

About an hour in to the unpacking process, a crackly

voice came out of an up-until-then-unnoticed speaker

in the wall of my dorm room. “You have a call on phone

three.” I tried to answer the phantom voice back with

“What’s a phone three?” but to no avail. I walked into the

hall and noticed a bank of dial-less phones near the el-

evator. I picked up the third one and heard my mother’s

voice, checking to make sure I had made it and that I had

everything I needed. Yep, now I was a college student.

Both Florence and UNA have given me many happy memo-

ries and good friends. After returning to Athens after years of

wanderlust, I enjoy taking that same path and crossing over

the Elk River and Shoals Creek bridges whenever I can. Each

time, as I come into Florence and pass that familiar spot on

the Boulevard, I remember that August day 36 years ago, and

I especially remember that song—that wonderful, slow, pull-

at-your-hearstrings song by the Commodores about new

beginnings that petrifi ed and excited me at the same time.

On a recent trip I pulled into that familiar Krystal parking

lot. Th e building had not changed; it had not been remod-

eled as usually happens to these type of places. My mem-

ory was so vivid that I actually remembered where I had

parked that day and pulled into the same spot. I reached

for my phone and searched iTunes and found it—“Sail On”

by the Commodores for 99 cents. After a quick download

it started to play those familiar opening staccato notes

and then Lionel’s voice took me back to an uncertain time.

It was as if I was sitting in that little green car—that little

green ship that I sailed from one point of my life to another.

After a few minutes of deep thought, I started to cry. I

thought about each time I had set sail on those types of jour-

neys and what the outcomes had been. Th en I composed

myself, ordered three tiny hamburgers, and drove west.


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

News, classicalmusic and more

You could win $5,000 on November 19th!Do you have an idea for a new business? You could win some money at the Shoals Idea Audition. Part Shark Tank, part American Idol, this contest allows you to present your idea in front of a panel of business leaders and experts — and if your presentation is the best, you win! We’ll even teach you how to pitch your idea. We promise it will be fun, and it could be very profitable!

The Idea Audition is a joint venture of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce and the University of North Alabama. Even if you don’t win, you’ll be presenting to a group of business mentors and supporters who might be able to help you get your business started. You have nothing to lose — and you could win:

FIRST PLACE: $5,000SECOND PLACE: $2,500

THIRD PLACE: $1,000Want more information? Contact Mary Marshall VanSant at [email protected]. Rules and schedule can also be found at shoalsideaaudition.com. Reserve your spot today!

SPONSORS: PLATINUM: Bank Independent, University of North Alabama, Shoals Chamber of Commerce

GOLD: Party Pros USA, Lyons HR SILVER: FreightCar America, Armosa Studios, City of Florence, NO’ALA Magazine, TVA

BRONZE: CB&S Bank, nSide Inc., PartCycle, Progress Bank, Singing River Dentistry, Yates & Spry Law Firm, Alabama

Technology Network, Shoals Entrepreneurial Center




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

50 » scene

Jim and Michelle Sibley

Jenny, McKenzie, and Wiley Mitchell

Di Tyree, Harriett Edwards,and Joyce Hallmark

John and Susan Thornton

Nadine, Leroy, and Billy Darby

Lynn and Greg Sharp

John and Wanda Nesmith

Karen Ligon, Brad Buttermore, Bill Lyons, Amber Lyons, Jeanny Williams, Brenda McCreary, Don Irwin, Brittany Fannin, Tonja Keith, and Alan Ridgeway

Mitch Hamm and Gov. Bob Riley

Kim Preece, Jan Coff man, Mike Roby

Henri Hill and Liza Beadle

Alan Ridgeway, Bill Lyons, and Bruce Cornutt

Former Gov. Bob Riley and Marty Abroms

Gov. Bob Riley, Bill and Connor Lyons

© Photos by Isaac Ray and Heidi King

Joan Barnes, Danny Warren, Jeanny Williams, Alan Ridgeway, Bill Lyons, Juanita Williams, Bruce Cornutt, Paula Watkins, Scott McAlister, and Ginger Bateman

© Photos by Danny Mitchell

Bill and Amber Lyons, Bill Lyons, Sr., Tillie Lyons, Connor Lyons, Donna Lyons Tomaszewski

Above: First Southern Bank

presents “Friday Night Live”july , · the mane room, florence

Below: Lyons HR Corporate Headquarters

Ribbon Cutting and Open House may , · florence



HealthyChocolate

Cacao is nature’s supreme source for antioxidents. Xoçai is processed to gain the

maximum benefi ts from chocolate, to help you look good and feel great!

Want power-packed nutrition that’s also delicious? Visit our website and learn more!

LEARN MORE AT www.myhealthy-chocolate.com




I’m Dr. Ty Ashley, and family is very important to me. So is caring for my patients, whether they are infants, older people, or anyone in between. My approach is to treat each patient as

a whole person, paying attention to all of the factors that go in to your good health.

I recently joined Family Practice Associates in Florence. If you’re looking for a family doctor for the whole family, with an approach that manages the whole person, please give me a call.

I’d like to be your doctor . . . for life.

Ty Ashley, MDFamily Practice Associates727 Cox Creek Parkway

Florence, AL 35630

For more information or to make an appointment, please call (256) 764-9613

I want to be your doctor for life.


text by allen tomlinson » photos by danny mitchell

FORGET WHAAAAATTTTT YYYYYOOOOOUUUUU TTTTTHHINK YOU KNOW ABOUUUUTTTTT BBBBBIIIIICCCCCYYYYYCCCCCLLLLLES. THEY ARE NOT JUST FFFFFOOOOORRRRR CCCCCHHHHHILDREN—AND THEY ARE NOT JJUST FOR ATHLETES.

In fact, according to bike enthusiast Timothy Wakefi fi llllelddddd, ttthhhhhe e tntntntntiririririreeee e ShShShShShoaoaoaoaoalslslslsls aaaaarerererereaaaa a isisisisis

becoming more bike friendly. Bike racks have been purchased for downtown Flor-

ence and are soon to be installed; when Wood Avenue gets its long-awaited re-

surfacing, there will be bike lanes included. More and more people are using their

bicycles to travel to work, instead of getting out the car; more and more people of

eveveveveverererereryyyyy agagagagage are rediscovering the great exercise that biking provides, at just about

every stttttagagagggeeeee ofofofofof lllllifififififeeeee.



“My biggest surprise about the people

who purchase bicycles is that so many

of them are buying bikes for their en-

tire families,” Wakefi eld said. His busi-

ness, Th e Spinning Spoke, is located in

downtown Florence and has a variety

of bicycles for every interest. “We have

parents who are buying bikes for their

children and then buying for them-

selves, and the whole family bikes to-

gether for great family time,” he said.

“When we opened, we assumed our

target demographic would be the 20-

to 30-year-olds, but we sell more to a

50- to 60-year-old Baby Boomer who

wants to start riding again.”

Biking is much diff erent from running,

as an exercise. “Th ere are a handful of

people in town who are serious bikers,

in that they are training for triathlons

and riding in races. To do that, you have to ride many, many miles a week,” Wake-

fi eld said. “Instead, regular people are remembering what fun they had on a bike

when they were young, and they are going back to it as a good form of exercise.”

Th e rediscovery of the bicycle is not just a Shoals-area trend; it’s nationwide. Huff -

ington Post even has a Bike Culture blog, with articles about the most bikeable cit-

ies of 2015 (spoiler alert: Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon, lead

the pack, and the Shoals does not yet make this list); essays from people who really

love their bikes and their biking style of life; and even an article titled “How to

Above: A biker at Wildwood Park; Facing page: Bikes come in all shapes and sizes.


Ride a Bike in a Dress Without Flashing

Your Underwear.” It’s obvious that the

hipster generation has re-adopted the

bicycle in a large way, but in the Shoals

you are as likely to see someone with

grey hair on a bike as you are to see

someone with a man bun and a beard.

“We are very fortunate in the Shoals

because our streets are so wide,” said

Wakefi eld. “Th at makes riding easier,

and gives plenty of room for a bike and

a car to co-exist.” A biker’s biggest con-

cern is a distracted driver, and although

it is the biker’s responsibility to obey

the rules of the road, it’s also the au-

tomobile driver’s responsibility to put

down the phone and be aware of the

two wheelers moving alongside.

According to Florence City Council-

man Dick Jordan, the city has purchased eleven bike racks and will begin install-

ing them up and down Court Street soon. Each bike rack is designed to hold two

bicycles, and will be placed on sidewalks outside the fl ow of pedestrian traffi c but

near the shops and restaurants that bring bicyclers downtown. If bicycling con-

tinues to be a growing trend, there are plans to purchase more racks in the future.

Th e City of Sheffi eld has been bike friendly for a number of years, according to

Mayor Ian Sanford, and its wide streets make it a very bike-friendly town. Th e best

known biking trail, though, is on the TVA Reservation, where the walking and

Above: A bike event during this year’s Helen Keller Festival.



featuring

the magic of

comes to life

Nov. 20, 2015 - Jan. 2, 2016 • More than 2 million lights and 9 acres of stunning décor

• ICE! featuring The Nutcracker - 2 million pounds of colorful,

hand-carved ice sculptures and slides

• NEW - Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

• NEW - Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Christmas Dinner Show

• NEW - The Elf on the Shelf® Scavenger Hunt

• Gingerbread Decorating Corner sponsored by PEEPS®

• Carriage rides, snow tubing, outdoor ice skating and more

ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com | (888) 677-9872

ICE! PRESENTED BY

The Holiday Tradition

NASHVILLE, TN

Pepsi and Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. TM & © 1957, 2015 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. The Elf on the Shelf® and © 2015 CCA and B, LLC. All Rights Reserved. PEEPS ® trademark Just Born, Inc. © 2015. All rights reserved.

biking trail wanders along the river and

includes a jag onto the Old Railroad

Bridge. Th e continued development of

the River Heritage trail along the riv-

erbanks give bicyclists even more op-

portunities to ride.

“For a more serious biker, the mountain

trails at Wildwood Park are excellent,”

said Timothy Wakefi eld, “and they are

almost entirely maintained by area bike

clubs.” During Daylight Savings Time

months, every Th ursday fi nds trail rid-

ers at Wildwood for lengthy and chal-

lenging rides. Th ere are also Saturday

morning road rides in the country, cov-

ering a lot of mileage, but always with a

new area to explore. “Th at’s the fun of

a bike,” said Wakefi eld. “It’s great exer-

cise, it’s an outdoor activity, and bikers

are a welcoming group.”

So, when is the last time you climbed on a bicycle and took it for a spin? “Th e cool

thing is that biking is for pretty much everyone, even though the bike you ride

might be diff erent for everyone,” said Wakefi eld. “But it’s not something you grow

out of. Bikes are not just for kids—it’s a lifetime sport.”


Above: Riders pose for selfi es before the family bike ride held during the Helen Keller Festival.






Plotting a course toward achievement, right through the heart of the Shoals.by roy hall » photos by danny mitchell



journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,”

according to an ancient Chinese proverb. Th e considerably shorter, though still

grueling, Renaissance Man Triathlon began with a single step, too, on a city street

in Huntsville, in the summer of 2007. Th at’s the year Bradley Dean, founder of

what would become the Renaissance Man Triathlon, participated in his very fi rst

triathlon—a hobby that turned into a habit, that led to a calling, for the then-

Florence resident.

“I’d go to other cities—Chattanooga, Nashville, Guntersville—for their triathlons

and feel frustrated that the Shoals didn’t have one, too.” To Dean’s mind, the Shoals

off ered the ideal setting for a land and water endurance test: a picturesque down-

town leading to winding, hilly country roads provide the perfect route for runners

and bicyclists. And, as luck would have it, a river runs through it.

Dean shared his vision for a Shoals triathlon with his wife, Jordyn. Together, they

resolved to make it a reality. “Jordyn is an organized, detail-oriented person. Th e

Yin to my Yang. I could never have put it together without her help,” Dean says

about his wife’s contributions to a project with a scope every bit as demanding as

the race it aimed to create.

Th at was all back in 2011. Th ree years of brainstorming, route planning, research,

and meetings with various municipal authorities followed; closing a city center

and a working river is no small task. “We had to work with the Coast Guard and

the marine police, because it has to be written into law to close the river for swim-

mers.” Organizers also met with the mayor, city police, the fi re chief, and the ambu-

lance service. “Everybody was pretty open to it from the beginning,“ Dean says. “It

was just a matter of educating everyone about the requirements and necessities.”


New Orleans’ David Baker makes his fi nal turn of the cycling portion of the race.

ENDURANCE TEST


Th e good news for race organizers, as

well as city and emergency services, is

that once the route is established, that

work is done, and the course stays the

same, year in and year out. Th e remain-

der of the work—coordinating, direct-

ing, herding, and hydrating hundreds

of race participants—falls to a team of

50-100 volunteers, a mammoth task in

and of itself. Dean uses virtual technol-

ogy to direct his legions of helpers to

their assigned spots. “Our volunteers

sign up at volunteerspot.com, where

they select the diff erent areas they want

to work in.” Volunteer jobs include the

Course Marshals who point partici-

pants in the right direction, water sta-

tion attendants, and the folks in charge

of labeling every participant with body

marking, identifying age and number.

Th e race itself consists of three legs: a

1.5k (.09 mile) swim, a 40km (25 miles)

bike ride, and a 10km (6.2 miles) run,

each leg of which is precisely the same

distance as their Olympic counter-

parts. To ensure adequately warm wa-

ter temperatures, triathlon season is

summer, and yes, Dean acknowledges,

it is “painfully hot.” But the race isn’t in-

tended to be easy. “It’s a test of the will,”

Dean says.

And a stringent test at that. To endure

the demands of the race, Dean recom-

mends, at minimum, the “basic ability

to run a 10k strongly, and a training pe-

riod of at least four months to be able

to do it safely.”

Sanctioned by triathlon’s offi cial gov-

erning body, the USA Triathlon, Re-

naissance Man is offi ciated locally by a

USAT referee sent to the Shoals by the

national governing body. Th e offi ciant

certifi es race results, and the top 33

percent of competitors advance to the


Athletes gather for the start of the race.

ENDURANCE TEST


Scott Foland of Franklin, Tennessee, makes the transition between the swim and the cycling portions of the race.


national championships, held this year

in Milwaukee, in August.

Th is year’s triathlon showcased the

Shoals to participants from throughout

the Southeast—from Georgia to Loui-

siana to Kentucky, and beyond—nearly

230 total, up signifi cantly from 2014’s

inaugural event. In a two-for-two

sweep, Haleyville dentist Christopher

Borden fi nished overall fi rst again this

year, and Birmingham’s Lori William-

son fi nished fi rst among women.

On the subject of women racers, orga-

nizer Dean is quick to point out that

the word “Man” in Renaissance Man

should be understood to refer to man-

kind, and not be misinterpreted as di-

minishing the contribution of female

participants. “Some awesome women

participate in Renaissance Man ev-

ery year,” Dean says, “and many of the

women do as well or better than many

of the men.” Regardless of their gender,

Renaissance Man tests the mettle of

all its participants in some pretty pro-

found ways.

Ultimately, though, Renaissance Man

aims to test more than just athletic

prowess. Th e benefi ts of such a dogged

training regimen and the persistence

necessary to compete under such dif-

fi cult conditions pay dividends off the

race course, as well. Benefi ts Dean ar-

ticulates in Renaissance Man’s slogan,

and its mission: “Give. Do. Be more.”

Renaissance Man Triathlon gives back

to the Shoals, by highlighting the natu-

ral beauty of our unique corner of the

world. It gives back to its participants,

too, by encouraging them to demand

more from themselves—to do and to

be more—every day of the year.

ENDURANCE TEST

This page, clockwise from left: Mi-chael Probst of Montgomery fi n-ishing, Ken Brown of Alpharetta, GA, Robert Rausch of Tuscumbia, and Tina Eakin of Huntsville.


THE RENAISSANCE MAN TRIATHLON IN PHOTOS

This page, clockwise from left: Lori Williamson of Birmingham (fi rst female fi nisher and fourth overall), Glen Rudolph of Muscle Shoals, Chris Borden of Haleyville (overall winner), Renaissance Man founder Bradley Dean.


ENDURANCE TEST





Lily Herbert Peach was sitting in the courtroom, listening to the attorneys drone

on and on about this right and that law. It was enough to make her crave the one

cigarette a day she allowed herself.

Smoking was one of the few luxuries in which she indulged, and she relished the

time, late in the day, in the hour or so after watching her television crime dramas

and before retiring for the night, when she’d step out onto the side porch, light the

end of her Virginia Slims with Warren’s engraved silver lighter, and inhale her fi rst

lungful of tobacco.

Now, it was as though that cigarette was mocking her from the silver case in which

it was tucked inside her vintage Chanel clutch. Choosing just the right pantsuit

for a day spent in the courtroom had posed more of a challenge than Lily Herbert

had expected, but she was a Peach, after all, and appearances had to be kept up, no

matter the circumstance.

With age, she’d lost interest in bridge and lunch at the club with friends. She de-

voted her time to her garden, her snowball bushes and knock-out roses, and on a

warm sunny day, it was where she preferred to be.

Instead, here she sat, waiting her turn in the trial of the State of Alabama v. Elea-

nor Harrison, her neighbor and reluctant friend. Eleanor was on trial for capital

murder, among other things, in a small town in north Alabama. It was a crime that

Chapter Two: Lily Herbertby michelle rupe eubanks » illustrations by rowan finnegan

a Favor for Eleanor

In our last issue, No’Ala began a serial story with an introduction to Eleanor, the mild-mannered mur-

deress who invited her hairdresser and his partner over for dinner to help her bury her fi fth husband’s

body in the backyard. Th rough the words of 12 diff erent Shoals-area writers, our intent is to tell this

story completely, one chapter per magazine. If you missed the fi rst chapter, it can be found online at

www.noalastudios.com; take a look at the July/August issue, beginning on page 64.

Not only did Randy and Tommy not help Eleanor with her burial plans, they snitched on her, notifying

the authorities about her dirty deed. Realizing what they had done, Eleanor shot herself in the stomach,

but managed to miss all of her vital organs and her bones; when the authorities arrived, she was sitting

in her bed, remote control in her hand, watching “Wheel of Fortune” and waiting to die. Instead, she

was taken away to serve some serious time.

In this chapter, writer Michelle Eubanks gives us a deeper look into these Southern characters as a dear

neighbor is called to Eleanor’s trial, to testify about her character and state of mind. Please remember

that this is a work of fi ction and does not represent actual people living or dead (although truth can

be stranger than fi ction). But enough introduction: go ahead and dig in, before we say too much….


“Th e state calls Lily Herbert Peach to the witness stand,” said

the court clerk.

Lily Herbert knew this man, a Wayne Frasier.

“Upstart,” she said under her breath. He was such a climber,

the worst kind, Lily Herbert thought, someone who would

sell his own mother down the river if it benefi tted him.

“What was that, Mizz Peach?” Wayne asked.

“Nothing at all, Mr. Frasier,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“Lovely to see you, but so sad under these circumstances.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, motioning her into the witness box. “If

you’ll please place your right hand on the Bible, we can get

this part done and get you on your way.”

“Of course,” she said.

Th anks to the crime dramas she watched, she knew all too

well the next part, and with some amount of ceremony,

she swore her oath to tell the truth, and nothing but, in the

courtroom today.

“Now, Miss Lily, can you please recount for us the events

of that evening last May that took place near your home on

Walnut Street.”

Th is was Joe Don Merritt, the defense attorney. Lily Herbert

knew him well, having watched him grow up just one block

over. Now, as he hitched his pants up over his gut and ad-

justed his necktie, she thought it nothing short of a miracle

that he fi nished law school. What she wouldn’t give to see his

transcript. She’d bet that his grades were abysmal.

Lily Herbert Peach considered him and his question. Yes.

She could tell him about that night and more, much more,

but for what? To send a crazy old lady to jail for the rest of

her life? She decided right then that her testimony would be

the truth, with a twist, as Warren used to say. No real harm,

after all.

“Well, Joe Don, I mean Mr. Merritt, that was an eventful

night, as you can imagine,” she said. “I heard the commotion

long before I ever saw it. I had to come around the corner of

my porch, and, when I did, well, it was worth it. One man

A Favor for Eleanor Chapter Two: Lily Herbert

had the town abuzz with gossip, and it was the fi rst time Lily

Herbert could remember anything of note happening on the

sleepy street she’d called home since she and Warren moved

in as newlyweds more than 50 years ago.

Sitting still for so long and breathing the stale air of the room

made her drowsy, and she closed her eyes and dreamed of her

cigarette and contemplated her dead husband.

Warren Peach had been the town pediatrician—the only

one for a time—delivering the small crop of babies born

each year at the hospital that was just down the street and

on the corner. If time and appointments allowed, he’d walk

home for lunch and one of Lily Herbert’s fi ne pimento

cheese sandwiches.

I should make some of that and take it over to Eleanor, she

thought, until she was pulled back into the moment and the

realization that Eleanor had absolutely no use for pimento

cheese, fi ne or otherwise.


was running down the street, screaming about a dead body,

while another was fending a gun-wielding Eleanor off , physi-

cally man-handling her, as it were.”

Lily Herbert conveniently omitted the part about almost

dropping her cigarette, as the lit end would have surely

scorched the front porch that she’d just had painted—light

blue for the ceiling and bright white for the fl oor, columns

and walls—for summer. She allowed a moment to refl ect on

Warren’s insistence on the color choice.

“Th e light blue will keep the bugs away, Lily Herbert,” he

would tell her as he rolled the paint on in long stripes. “Don’t

forget that.”

And she never had. Th e paint chip stayed with her always,

but even the painter, who’d been on the job for several years

now, knew the exact shade—Benjamin Moore frosty blue—

by memory.

She gave up a silent bit of thanks that the company hadn’t

discontinued the color. With the way young people these

days were painting their houses, she never could tell. Trends

mattered so little at her age. To her way of thinking, it was

just one more thing to worry about.

“Mrs. Peach? Can you elaborate any further?” Joe Don asked,

interrupting her thoughts and brining her back, once again,

to the present and the wood-paneled courtroom.

“Of course. Yes,” she said. “I just lost my thought for a mo-

ment. I suppose, thinking back, that what drew me to the

front was the sound of screaming. I’d assumed it was a wom-

an, but, as I came to see, it was a man, the one named Randy,

whom I recognized as an infrequent visitor to the Harrison

home. I believe he would drop in every now and again to do

Eleanor’s hair.”

“Had you noticed anything unusual about that night?” asked

Joe Don.

“Not one thing in particular, no, but things had gotten un-

usual long before then,” Lily Herbert off ered. “But, perhaps,

I’ve said too much.”

Eleanor’s behavior, although never what one might consider

normal, had certainly taken a turn of late, and no one on the

block had seen her husband, Jimmy, in several weeks. No

one had made much of a fuss looking for him; Jimmy was El-

eanor’s fi fth husband, so it was generally assumed she’d just

sent him packing as she had with those that came before.

“No, no, Mrs. Peach,” Joe Don said. “Please. Continue.”

“I wouldn’t want to speak out of turn, but Jimmy was, how

would you say, diff erent from Eleanor’s other four husbands,

younger and from, well, a diff erent class of people, you know.

He just never fi t in with us in the neighborhood, so we kind

of forgot about him,” Lily Herbert reported. “I guess we

should feel something—guilt or remorse—since he was lay-

ing there festering in the back bedroom all that time, but we

just never gave it a second thought.”

“Objection,” shouted the prosecutor. “Speculation!”

“See, and there I go,” Lily Herbert said. “I’ve said too much.”

She noted as well that this prosecutor was an out-of-towner,

probably from the big city—Birmingham or Montgomery,

even. Th ere was no way he called little River City home, what

with his shiny suit and stiff hair. Lily Herbert had never pur-

chased, much less used, hair gel, but she fi gured that is what

it did to hair, ruined it.

“Not at all, Mrs. Peach,” said Judge Arthur Randall. “You go

right ahead. And, you. You’re overruled.”

“As I was saying, I’d noticed Eleanor venturing out into the

neighborhood more than in recent years, more than I’d seen

her since Warren passed,” Lily Herbert said. “She’d often fi nd

her way to my yard, and we’d get to talking about roses and

the other fl owers growing in my beds. She’d tell me things,

about her other husbands and about Jimmy, things he did

that made her think he might not have been such a good

choice in a husband after all. And that’s so sad. She deserved

a little happiness, don’t you think?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could just make out some

members of the jury nodding to her words. No one disputed

that Eleanor Harrison was tetched in the head, as it were, but

no one wanted to see her rot away in jail for a character like

Jimmy. Letting him fester in the bed was probably as good a

way to go as he should get, Lily Herbert thought.

She also knew all about having a little happiness in life. Being

married to the local pediatrician, everyone thought they’d

have a houseful of children. And, for a time, it was one of

her great sorrows—that no tiny child feet would run up and

down the hallway, that no teenaged girl would sweep down

the stairs in her gown, ready for the debutante ball.

It just wasn’t meant to be for the Peaches, so Lily Herbert

came to accept it. Warren, though, was less than agreeable.

He’d broach the topic of adoption now and again, but noth-

ing ever came of it, so the couple remained childless, and,

with them the Peach name would come to its end.

“Mrs. Peach, is there anything else you can tell us about

your relationship with Mrs. Harrison?” Joe Don asked.

“Anything she might have shared about why Jimmy wasn’t

a good husband?”

“Only that he’d go out at night and come home half drunk

from wherever it was that he’d been,” Lily Herbert said. “Th at

he’d yell at her and raise his hand as if to hit her when she’d

confront him. Is that any way to treat a wife? But, there, I’ve

done it again. I’ve said too much.”

“Are you sure about this, Mrs. Peach? Th ere are no police

records to indicate any violence toward Mrs. Harrison,” Joe

Don said.

“Oh, quite. Yes,” Lily Herbert replied. “She would never have

called the police and fi led any kind of report. Th at would

have been rather unlike Eleanor.”

“Your Honor, I have to object,” said the prosecutor whose

name Lily Herbert had decided not to learn. “We don’t know

any of this to be true. We can’t take this woman’s word for it.

We’re going to need time to look into this and see if there’s

even a nugget of truth here.”

No mind, Lily Herbert thought. Th e deed had been done.

Th ose jurors, many of whom her dear Warren had brought

into this world, would remember her words. Th e idea of an

abusive husband, especially one who was younger, stronger,

and as shiftless and no count as Jimmy Harrison would linger

for them, soaking in with each subsequent witness. Eleanor

was the real victim here; they’d see that.

“I apologize, Judge Randall,” she said. “I know. I’ve said too

much. It is a fault of mine. But I would like to add one more

thing, please.”

“Yes. Go on,” he allowed.

“Well, while we might not have missed Jimmy, I did, in fact

miss my roses,” Lily Herbert said. “Th ere were a few mornings

I’d notice entire bushes had been picked clean of open buds.

Th ere the day before and gone the next. I knew Eleanor had

taken a shine to them, so I asked one day if she needed them.

I was happy to give her any she wanted, I might have even

planted some in her yard, if she’d asked, but I was just curious

if she was the one coming over in the night to get them.”

Lily Herbert remembered the conversation vividly. Eleanor

couldn’t hide the lie; her face told the tale. She’d, indeed,

been the one snatching up bunches of roses at night, shuf-

fl ing them home, and draping them over Jimmy’s ever-swell-

ing corpse.

And, just like that, she confessed everything.

“Oh, Lily Herbert, I should have told you, I know, but I

couldn’t. I didn’t want to burden you with this horrible

news,” Eleanor choked out in a gush of tears. “I’ve been hold-





ing on to it, hoping that it would get better, but the smell, my

God, it just gets worse, and his body just keeps swelling. I

have to think that’s all the alcohol he drank and his meanness

just gushing out of him in fi ts and bursts. It is horrible, and

your roses, your dear, beautiful, wonderful roses are the only

things that would even begin to touch the smell and make it

go away so I could go back to my insignifi cant life of peace

and quiet.”

Lily Herbert off ered tissues and whispers of comfort. She

was certain that no one could know about this horrible se-

cret, if Eleanor could stay strong enough to hold it close. But,

of course, that wouldn’t be the case. Th e fateful night that

had brought them all to the courtroom was just days away at

the time of the impromptu confession, and the secret would

be exposed.

“And was she taking the roses, Mrs. Peach?” asked Joe Don.

“Well, of course not, Mr. Merritt,” Lily Herbert said. “Of

course not. Eleanor was far too gone to have the presence of

mind to come out of her home in the middle of the night and

cut roses. It was silly of me to think she was. I have to believe

it some other neighbor, looking for a lovely way to decorate

a table or to remember a friend.”

“Well, all right, then, Mrs. Peach,” Joe Don said. “I do thank

you for your testimony.”

Th e shiny-suited big-city lawyer had nothing to ask of Lily

Herbert and, with a wave, she was excused from the stand and

her time in the spotlight of a very public trial was at an end.

Some weeks later, just as the heat of a southern summer was

digging in, Joe Don stopped by Lily Herbert’s house with an

update on the trial and the sentencing.

“I thought you should know, Mrs. Peach, that Mrs. Harrison

was remanded to a state-run mental institution,” he report-

ed. “Maybe she should have gone to prison for what she did,

but, as her attorney, I can tell you that what you said prob-

ably helped keep her from that.”

Lily Herbert noted with some satisfaction that Joe Don might

have shed a few pounds in the time since she’d last seen him,

and, while the stress of the trial might have been bad for his

blood pressure, it was certainly good for his waistline.

“Well, that is good news, Joe Don, but you didn’t have to stop

by,” Lily Herbert said. “I could have read it in the papers.”

“Th at’s true, that’s true, but I thought you might fi nd it inter-

esting that, when Jimmy Harrison’s body was recovered, there

were hundreds of rose petals on it and in the bedroom. You

wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Not at all,” she said. “Now, could I invite you in for some of

my fi ne pimento cheese? You know it was Warren’s favorite.”

Coming in November: writer David Sims introduces us to

young Douglas. He’s large, but he’s not in charge; he also has

a special hiding place where sometimes he’s able to hear what

goes on in a neighbor’s house.


Out of the corner of her eye, she could just make out

some members of the jury nodding to her words.

No one disputed that Eleanor Harrison was tetched

in the head, as it were, but no one wanted to see her rot away

in jail for a character like Jimmy. Letting him fester in the

bed was probably as good a way to go as he should get,

Lily Herbert thought.


®

www.genesishcc.com

The road to recoverynow has a fast lane.

EQUAL HOUSING O P P O R T U N I T Y

E E O / A A

Cottage of Shoals Tuscumbia, AL | 256-383-4541

Keller Landing Tuscumbia, AL | 256-383-1535

Cypress Cove Center Muscle Shoals, AL | 256-381-4330

Glenwood Center Florence, AL | 256-766-8963

Hilltop at Glenwood I and II Senior Living Facility

Florence, AL | 256-767-2510

We know you’re eager to get back home

to the daily activities and routines you

enjoy. Our ShortStay services focus on your

speedy recovery. They will identify and

meet your unique needs to get you back

home as quickly as possible.

TRUSTOur Reputation, Our Promise, Our Name.

1131 Wills Avenue, Florence • (256) 766.6300 • peoplestrustbk.com

Chip Hibbett, City PresidentRyan Moore, First Vice President


To say that education has changed in the past 30 years is an understatement. But

at the University of North Alabama, one change, recently implemented, addresses

student retention in a unique and challenging way.

It makes fi nancial sense. If you can keep the students you have, from the day they

step foot on the campus until the day they graduate, you have a stronger univer-

sity. You have happier students, your institution is fi nancially stronger, and you

don’t have to scramble to replace those who drop by the wayside.

“Th at was the idea behind the UNA Outdoor Adventure Center,” said its direc-

tor, Patrick Shremshock. “We wanted to provide assistance as a student made the

transition from high school to college, and give an outlet for stress relief, as well as

the ability to meet new friends. We also wanted to give opportunities to connect

to the community at large.”

Th e underlying assumption was simple. Students who come to UNA for the fi rst

time often don’t know anyone here, and the stress of learning how to study, as

text by allen tomlinson » photos by patrick hoodadditional photos by michael redding/timesdaily


THE EDUCATIONAL OUTDOORS


The opportunity for faculty and staff to interact

outside the classroom is just one benefi t of UNA’s Outdoor Adventure Center. Here (and

facing page), a group takes an obstacle course challenge.

well as the stress of learning to live

on your own, can sometimes be over-

whelming. To help combat that stress,

the university decided to off er physical

activities, such as canoeing, disc golf,

camping, kayaking, bicycling, caving,

and more, and provide equipment for

many of those activities for lending, at

no charge. It’s an opportunity for stu-

dents, UNA faculty, and UNA staff to

escape the stresses of academia and

spend some time away from it, meet-

ing new people and learning new skills.

Th e program began small, but grew

quickly. “Students pay an activity fee

each semester, and those are the funds

used to develop this program,” said

Patrick. Th ose funds have enabled the

Center to purchase equipment that

is then lent to students with a Mane

card, at no charge. “Kayaks are very

popular,” he said, “and we lend those

one per person per day. Bicycles can

be checked out for four days at a time.

But the equipment we have is varied;

we have tents, backpacks, life jackets,

camping gear, coolers, fi shing poles,

hammocks, and lots more.”

Physical activity provides stress relief,

and many participants come to the

Outdoor Adventure Center looking

for a few hours away from the books,

enjoying the outdoors. But many come

to meet new people, and the OAC or-

ganizes a variety of fun activities that

teach new skills and provide the chance

to make new friends.

“We have a huge presence at the SOAR

programs,” said Patrick. (SOAR is a

program for incoming students to in-

troduce them to UNA, usually held in

the summer before fall semester be-

gins.) “We also use social media and

the campus newspaper to spread the

word about our activities. One fun




Some of the OAC’s activities involve skills such as rock

climbing, and others teach teamwork; ropes courses require trust and confi dence in the other

members of the team.

project is called ‘Camping on Campus,’

where we have 20 to 30 people camping

out at the amphitheater, in the middle

of campus. We partner with Alabama

Outdoor, Eagles Nest Outfi tters, and

Rivertown Coff ee for this event, and it’s

a great icebreaker and fun for everyone

who participates. It gives a little taste of

some of the activities to come.”

Th ose activities could be everything

from kayaking Cypress Creek to caving

trips, from disc golf teams to St. Patrick

bicycle rides.

“Much of this has a community as-

pect,” said Patrick. “We want to foster

a sense of stewardship for the envi-

ronment and for the community, and

our programs allow participants to

get to know this place. Along with

safety, which is a primary concern,

we teach recycling, rain barrel water

collection, and even community gar-

dening in our backyard.”

Th e Center, which is located in an old-

er house on Irvine Street, just a block

from Norton Auditorium, serves as

a recycling collection point. It’s also a

great gathering place, with room in the

backyard for grilling and hanging out

with like-minded friends. From time to

time, Patrick will hang a sheet on the

side of the house and show movies, to

insure that the OAC continues to be a

preferred hangout place.

One of the benefi ts of the OAC is the

opportunity for students and faculty

to interact with each other outside

the classroom. Many faculty and staff

members take advantage of the orga-

nized activities through the OAC, and

“seeing a professor in a kayak is totally

diff erent from seeing him at a podium,”

said Patrick.



Patrick’s life has always revolved around the outdoors, and the OAC is a natural

place for him to be. After earning an undergraduate degree at Ohio State Uni-

versity, a love of amateur ornithology—the study of birds—led him to a career in

Natural Resources at the Bear Creek Lakes Learning and Education Center. Fund-

ing cuts eventually claimed that job, so he returned to school, fi nishing a master’s

degree in kinesiology at UNA. At the OAC, he is assisted by student workers,

including Sarah Beth Simpson (who loves Kayak Polo and slacklining, horseback

riding and “anything intense—get it? ‘In Tents’”); Christian Walker (who loves

slacklining, outdoor rock climbing, and mountain bike riding); and David Atkins,

a Boy Scout Troop Leader (and Eagle Scout himself who loves climbing, caving,

and hammocking).

Th e OAC’s future is bright. “Last year, we had almost 700 students, faculty, and

staff participate in our programs,” said Patrick, “and that’s about ten percent of the

© Michael Redding/TimesDaily


The OAC organizes activitiesfor children as well, such as

this day on the water to teach kayaking skills.


© Michael Redding/TimesDaily


student body. We’re here for everyone; we’re free; and we

don’t expect you to come here already an expert in whatever

activity we are promoting. Just come with an open mind,

ready to learn the safety and social aspects of the activity,

and then relax and have fun. It’s a great way to relieve stress,

meet people, and learn new skills.” Th at’s probably the best

part of the entire program: it puts “Adventure” into the uni-

versity experience.


If it happens outdoors, the OAC can help organize it;

here, students get practice at a shooting range.


SOUL FOOD

94 » food for thought » Sarah Gaede » Photos by Patrick Hood and Danny Mitchell

John Cartwright

Kierkegaard observed that life is lived forward but understood backwards, or words

to that eff ect. Th e divine intelligence, serendipity, karma, whatever you call it, often has a vision for us

that we only fully understand when we look back over the seemingly random events of our lives and

recognize how they brought us to where we are now. Conversations I had recently with two citizens of

the Shoals bear witness to this truth.

John Cartwright, the proprietor of Rivertown Coff ee in downtown Florence, has always loved coff ee

shop culture, but more as a diversion than a career path. While majoring in Christian Studies and

Philosophy at Mississippi College in Jackson, with the goal of doing mission work in Uganda after

graduation, John was unwittingly preparing for his future. He worked at a drive-through coff ee shop.

He also worked a stint as a busboy at Julep, a southern-chic restaurant in Jackson, which he took on just

to have some experience of the food business, about which he knew nothing.

Upon graduation, the acquisition of a serious girlfriend made a move to Uganda less appealing, so John

headed home to Corinth, where he worked at KC’s Espresso. It wasn’t what he envisioned as the ideal

coff ee shop, but it was good experience. If nothing else, it taught him what he would do diff erently

should he ever open his own place.

In time, John started looking around for a small college town with little competition for the coff ee shop

of his dreams. His friends directed him to Florence. On his fi rst visit here, he found a recently closed

place on Seminary Street that was perfect—or at least good enough. Much to his banker father’s horror,

John embarked on his business venture with no clear plan. Although John is well aware that today’s

model for success calls for a clear-cut business plan, a strictly defi ned market, and strict adherence to

the plan, he was inspired by a vision—a coff ee shop for everybody.

John considers himself lucky that he knew nothing about building a business. His approach allows him

to reinvent constantly, looking for his own twist on things, always being authentic to his vision. He

knows there are people with more coff ee and food experience, and better technique than he has. He has

given himself permission to move from defensiveness to curiosity; to acknowledge that he doesn’t know

everything, to be open to learning from others, and to hire people more talented than he is.

Rivertown has become much bigger than John’s original dream, but he still remains committed to his

goal of a coff ee shop for everyone. Everyone includes Larry, a Florence fi xture. Not only is Larry welcome

to make Rivertown the place to park his backpack, he helps John by taking out the trash, dusting, and

running errands for pocket money to fuel his Diet Coke habit. Larry returns John’s trust and kindness,



John has given himself permission to move from defensiveness to curiosity; to acknowledge that he doesn’t know everything, to be open to learning from others, and to hire people more talented than he is.

©Patrick Hood


The innovations of Fresh Café are expanding beyond the SJS lunchroom. Alan made mayonnaise from scratch in science class to demonstrate colloidal suspension. The fi fth graders baked three kinds of cookies for the residents of Mitchell-Hollingsworth. The dream at SJS is to have a parish/school garden to grow produce for the Fresh Café, with extra to share with those in need.

©Danny Mitchell


Alan Phillips

Chef Alan Phillips did not wake up one day and decide he

was going to be the fresh food apostle to the kids at St. Joseph

Regional Catholic School in Florence. A Shoals native, he

had been cooking for years in Los Angeles when he decided

to come back home in 2012.

At the time, St. Joseph was having problems with their school

lunch program; the revenues were declining because of low

participation by the students. Th e PTO knew they could

take the easy way out and feed the kids chicken fi ngers and

fries or pizza every day to get the numbers back up. But they

wanted more than that. Th ey wanted to educate the entire

child, and part of that education is teaching children to eat

and enjoy healthy food. It was the right thing to do, but they

needed help to do it.

Although Alan had never worked with kids before—in fact,

he says they weren’t even on his radar—he was recruited in

the fall of 2013 by some SJS parents who knew him from Jack-

o-Lantern Farms to help prepare the school Th anksgiving

dinner. He and hordes of parents, grandparents and children

turned out a meal for 300 people, including 175 students,

from fresh local ingredients. Th e meal was such a success

that the school decided to start off ering one of Alan’s meals

twice a week. Before his involvement, student participation

in the lunch program ranged from 30-40 per day. Th e days

he cooked lunch, it soared to the 130-140 range. Th e test

run was in December, and in January of 2014 it expanded

to three days a week. Th e response was so positive that in

February of 2014, Alan’s lunch program, now renamed Fresh

Café, became a full-time operation.

Th e school decided to take a risk and to opt out of the Child

Nutrition Program, which mandates the use of certain

processed foods. Th e increase in students eating lunch

at school has helped make up for the lack of government

subsidies. Th e PTO also sponsors fund-raisers to supplement

the food budget.

Drawing on the skills learned from his years in the food

mecca of Los Angeles, Alan uses only the freshest, fi nest,

least processed ingredients possible. Because he is a snout-

to-tail sort of cook, he has very little food waste. Th e day I

dined at St. Joseph, the menu was quesadillas with chicken,

queso fresco, white cheddar, and mozzarella, served on

including camping out in front of the shop overnight when

someone forgot to lock the door.

John is involved with Room at the Inn, the cold-weather

night shelter for the homeless based at First Presbyterian,

right across the street from Rivertown. Many of their clients

are frequent visitors, and are always welcome. As it turns

out, John has been able to reach and interact with many

more people than he could have in the mission fi eld, while

still following his core value of inclusion for everyone. All

you have to do is hang out at Rivertown for ten minutes, and

you will see John’s vision in action, as people from every walk

of life enter and are welcomed.

John Cartwright’s Alabama Caviarfor Shindig

• 1 pound fresh purple hull peas, cooked until tender

in salted water and drained well

• 1/2 cup chopped pickled red onions (see below)

• 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers—jarred is fi ne

• 2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Mix everything together and chill several hours

before serving.

John Cartwright’s Quick Pickled Red Onions

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 medium red onion, sliced thin

Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium

bowl. Whisk together until sugar and salt are fully

dissolved. Place onion in a non-reactive container

with a lid; pour vinegar mixture over onions, cover,

and place in refrigerator for at least one day. Will last

several weeks stored in the refrigerator.


whole-wheat tortillas. (I passed on the tomatillo-cilantro

sauce, since I regard cilantro as Satan’s herb.) Th e stock from

the free-range chickens was used to cook the rice. Dried

pinto beans (about the cheapest source of protein around)

were cooked with lemon zest and garlic. A sautéed veggie

mix of red and green bell peppers, red onions, zucchini

and yellow squash rounded out the meal. Dessert was fresh

pineapple. I gobbled it up, and would gladly have eaten more.

For a minimal fee, Alan plans the menus, coordinates the

purchasing, using as many local sources as possible, and

works with the cooks, who are thrilled to be preparing

such creative and tasty food. As the process has been

refined over the past year, Alan has become more skilled

at finding sources and ordering in advance—as in buying

half a cow at a time. He also has a better understanding of

the kids’ likes and dislikes. After a year of being introduced

to unfamiliar but tasty foods, the kids trust Chef Alan not

to steer them wrong.

I talked with the mother of an SJS graduate who, inspired by

Alan, has signed up for intro to culinary arts at the Florence

Freshman Center. A mother of a fi ve-year-old says her son,

who was a picky eater, now loves lasagna, salad, and Greek

Green Beans, which she has to prepare for him every night.

Other student favorites are mushroom ragu on polenta, and

curried caulifl ower soup. Th e one drawback, if you could

call it that, to the Fresh Café is that kids are becoming food

snobs, and are forcing their parents to change their own

eating habits.

Th e innovations of Fresh Café are expanding beyond the SJS

lunchroom. Alan made mayonnaise from scratch in science

class to demonstrate colloidal suspension. Th e fi fth graders

baked three kinds of cookies for the residents of Mitchell-

Hollingsworth. Th e dream at SJS, which is on its way to

reality, is to have a multi-generational parish/school garden

to grow produce for the Fresh Café, with extra to share with

those in need.

If you would like to experience Fresh Café for yourself, just

show up at the SJS offi ce at lunchtime to get a pass (call

ahead fi rst). Lunch for adults is $6.00. It’s the best lunch deal

in town.

Alan Phillips’ Greek Green Beans

• 1 pound thin green beans, tipped and tailed

• 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (Publix)

• 2 shallots, fi nely chopped

• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey

• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for

3-5 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Place

in a bowl of ice water to cool. Th is can be done a day

ahead—wrap in a clean dish towel and refrigerate.

Combine the remaining ingredients, season to taste,

and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large

skillet. Sauté green beans until hot. Turn heat to low,

add yogurt mixture, and toss gently to coat. Do not

allow to boil, as it might curdle. Or toss beans with

yogurt mixture, transfer to an ovenproof dish, and

heat at 300 degrees until hot.

Alan Phillips’ Roasted Caulifl ower Soup

• 2 pounds (1 head) caulifl ower,

broken into small pieces

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1 large or 2 small Vidalia or

other sweet onions, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 cups (2 quarts) chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 cup heavy cream

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss caulifl ower in 2

tablespoons olive oil, curry powder, and salt and

pepper to taste. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and

bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tips start to

brown.

In a large pot, sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon olive

oil until soft and translucent, then add garlic and

cook 2 more minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, and

simmer for 10 minutes. Add roasted caulifl ower,

return to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 30-45

minutes, until caulifl ower is very soft. Add coriander

and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat

and cool for a few minutes. Using an immersion

blender, purée until smooth. You can also use a

regular blender or a food processor, but be careful

with the hot liquid. Add cream, combine thoroughly,

and heat through. Taste for seasonings before

serving. Garnish with cilantro if desired.


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

26-27Preview party & event details at

RIVERCLAY

Call For Entries No’Ala Renaissance Awards

Now accepting nominations for Shoals area individuals who havemade remarkable contributionsin the following areas:

Arts & CultureBusiness & LeadershipEducationService & SpiritualityScience & MedicineSubmit your detailed nominationvia email by December 1, 2015to: [email protected]

Award winners will be featured in the March/April, 2016, issue of No’Ala.

Who Inspires You?

Th e Renaissance Award was created by No’Ala Studios and is presented to fi ve Shoals area individuals, couples, or groups every two years.


100 » market » By Tara Bullington » Photos by Danny Mitchell

[A] ICE/DOVE GREY 7” WOODEN BOWL ($59.00) ODETTE (256) 349-5219

[B] ROSEBUD ETCHED SHALLOW SALAD BOWL BY HEATH CERAMICS ($325) ALABAMA CHANIN (256) 760-1090

[C] HORN AND STERLING 5” BOWL ($22.00)[D] HORN 8” BOWL ($36.00) FIRENZE GIFTS & INTERIORS (256) 760-1963

[A]

[B]

[C]

[D]


| noalastudios.com | september/october | noalastudios.com | september/october

102 » market

[A] HORN (SQUARE HANDLED) SET ($34.00) FIRENZE GIFTS & INTERIORS (256) 760-1963

[B] MATTE-SHINY STAINLESS-STEEL PASTA SPOON ($9.95)[C] MATTE-SHINY STAINLESS-STEEL SPOON ($9.95) CARTER MCGUYER FOR CRATE & BARREL CRATEANDBARREL.COM

[D] VARIEGATED HORN SALAD SET ($63.00) THE FRENCH BASKET (256) 764-1237

[A]

[D]

[B] [C]



104 » market

[A] HORN (CYLINDER) SHAKERS ($18.00)[B] SHELL (SQUARE PYRAMID) SHAKERS ($28.00) FIRENZE GIFTS & INTERIORS (256) 760-1963

[C] SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS BY HEATH CERAMICS ($46.00) ALABAMA CHANIN (256) 760-1090

[D] CERAMIC BIRD SHAKERS ($12.00) THE YELLOW DOOR (256) 766-6950

[E] ROSEWOOD MINI BOWLS ($9.00 EA.) ODETTE (256) 349-5219

[A]

[C]

[B]

[D]

[E]


106 » market

[A] DIAMOND ETCHED GLASS ($12.00)[B] MAGDALENA ETCHED GLASS ($12.00) ALABAMA CHANIN (256) 760-1090

[C] GREEN PARTY GLASS ($7.50)[D] YELLOW PARTY GLASS ($7.50) ODETTE (256) 349-5219

[E] TALL BUBBLE GLASS ($10.00)[F] GREEN “HOBNAIL” GLASS ($16.00) THE FRENCH BASKET (256) 764-1237

[A]

[B]

[C]

[D]

[E]

[F]


An easy-to-managevoice solution

Contact us today for more details!

Technology for Your Life

Business Freedomwith Cloud Hosted Voice Systems

Achieve

TEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


by roy hall » photos by patrick hood, abraham rowe, and susan rowe

MAKING TRAININGPERSONAL

©Patrick Hood


IN the space of a few generations, women’s roles in society have expand-

ed to include every fi eld and endeavor once denied them. Borders that rigidly

defi ned our grandmothers’—even our mothers’—“places ” have shifted, blurred, or

been erased altogether. With so much positive change, and the altered expecta-

tions that accompany them, is it any wonder the answer to the question What do

I want? is sometimes more obscure today than ever?

From her earliest memories, personal trainer and life coach Sarah Gillis took note

of those shifting changes and expectations, and how they sometimes confounded

the women closest to her. “My mom was my muse,” Gillis says of the source of her

inspiration, the woman who helped Gillis defi ne what it means to be a woman.

“She was a strong, powerful person.” But one who, like so many women of her

generation, was discouraged from exploring the fullness of her personal power.

“Still, what she managed to overcome in her lifetime is extraordinary,” Gillis says

of a woman whose mettle was tested throughout young Sarah’s life.

As the oldest child, with an assertive personality by nature, it often fell to young

Sarah to take emotional responsibility for others in her family during those chal-

lenging times. It was a role Gillis gravitated toward naturally, even when per-

forming that role entailed a bit of a role reversal, as she occasionally nurtured her

mother. “My mother was the quintessential Southern woman,” Gillis says. A nur-

turer, giving, loving; but, like many women, particularly of her generation, some-

times shy about asserting herself.

Gillis and her mom share many traits, but the occasional lack of assertiveness is

not one of them. Th at apple fell far from the tree, rolled down a hill, and kept on

rolling, all the way to Florence, Alabama, where Gillis found the orchard in which

she would bloom, in a way she never could have predicted.

Sarah Gillis’s post-childhood biography continues typically enough. She went to

college and studied fi tness management. She fell in love and got married. She be-

came a mother to two sons, whom she loves with an exuberance that outshines

the considerable wattage she casts on everything she holds dear. Gillis is a diligent,

thoughtful mother, and one of the lessons she imparts to her children, as well as

her clients and herself, is that the best way to take care of other people is to be sure

you’re taking care of yourself.

With young ones at home and feeling a bit antsy for professional challenge, Gil-

lis transformed her home’s mother-in-law’s suite into a gym, putting her fi tness

management education to work as a Certifi ed Personal Trainer. Within six months,

Facing page: Sarah Gillis (center, in purple) is surround-ed by some of her friends and clients. From left: Brandeis Short, Rachel Bolton, Melissa Dan-iel, Katie Clement, Tracy Burdine, and LeAnne Roach.


and with only word-of-mouth as advertisement, Gillis had 20

regular clients in her burgeoning home gym.

And then a funny thing happened on the way to the tread-

mill: Gillis’s clients started to talk about more than just carbs

and crunches.

“I ask a lot of questions,” Gillis says about her process as a

trainer. It’s a standard list you’d expect from a personal train-

er: What does the client hope to accomplish in terms of fi t-

ness goals, weight loss, and nutrition? But something about

the experience of exercising—maybe it’s the distraction of

keeping up with the moving belt beneath their feet; maybe

it’s the endorphins—motivated Gillis’s clients to open up.

“Women would come to exercise, and that would turn into a

conversation,” Gillis says. “We’d start off talking about health

and diet, but move into more personal areas.” Th e phenom-

enon reminded Gillis of something she’d come across while

researching parenting techniques. “Talk to your kids about

deep things while you’re playing with them,” Gillis read. “Th e

distraction helps them open up.” Th e distraction of playtime

puts a child’s conscious mind on hold, allowing room to ex-

press what they’re really feeling. “While I’m helping my sons

build a sand castle on the beach, I’ll ask them, ‘What do you

like about our family?’” And out comes pouring the truth.

What’s true for children at play apparently also holds true

for exercising adults. “By the second, 20-minute workout,

there would be more conversation, a slow build.” Th rough-

out which, Gillis began to realize that fi tness and nutrition

concerns were merely starting points for the changes many

of her clients wanted to eff ect in their lives. As a result, Gillis

quickly saw her role as personal trainer transform into some-

thing much more broad and holistic than just weight loss

or healthy eating. “I listen, and I affi rm,” Gillis says. “Clients

opened up about their insecurities, fear, guilt.” In return, Gil-

lis provided what she refers to as a “space with no judgment.”

Th e programs that resulted evolved intuitively, as Gillis’s role

broadened from personal trainer to life coach, with Gillis of-

fering her clients more than just her knowledge of the body

and how it functions, but also the personal gifts of affi rma-

tion and the fortitude she’d developed from childhood on. “I

Sarah and her family—husband Brandon and sons Vann and Lyle.

©Abraham Rowe


don’t judge where people have been. I relate. Because what

I’ve been through, I can always say, ‘Me too.’”

A common me too moment for many of Gillis’s clients is

the sense of guilt over spending too much time in service to

themselves, instead of others. “Women are nurturers by na-

ture. We love it. But sometimes it’s tough to know what you

want versus what you think you should want.”

Gillis’s clients wants ran the gamut. “I ask my clients, ‘If

you could do anything, what would it be?’ Th en, we adapt

a plan that is realistic. If you want to be a business owner,

start small. Make tea towels and put them on Etsy. Just put

yourself out there. You may never be a billionaire, but you

teach yourself the lesson that you’re capable of more than

you thought you were.”

No goal is too modest, and no life-change too great for Gillis,

whose contributions to her clients’ lives include everything

from helping them devise business plans to providing a tem-

porary home to women in crisis. Regardless of the support

the form takes, ultimately, what Gillis provides is a sense of

belonging; a kindred spirit whose enthusiasm for her clients’

lives is as strong as her enthusiasm for her own.

One of Gillis’s clients relates her experience, and the per-

sonal transformation that resulted from her work with Gillis:

“I came to Sarah for training. I didn’t expect to fi nd friend-

ship and to be empowered,” says one of Gillis’s clients. “Th ere

has always been an element missing with my fi tness goals

and a sense of disappointment within myself if I didn’t mea-

sure up. I never realized what exactly it was until I had my

fi rst session with her. She has a passion inside her that just

radiates. She is passionate for the well-being of her clients

and wants us to be the best versions of ourselves.”

“I’VE LEARNED TO SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ME

AND UPLIFT MY TRUTH, AND I’VE LEARNED TO LET GO OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T.”SARAH GILLIS

Conquering Life co-founders Tera Wages, Bethany Green, Jessica Mangum, Gillis, and Ashley Anderson

©Susan Rowe


Another relates her own ex-

traordinary transformation:

“Because of Sarah, I had the

courage to leave an abusive re-

lationship and without her I

would have never known my

self-worth. I was told I would

never by anything and now I be-

lieve the world has endless pos-

sibilities. When my amazing son

starts Riverhill this fall, I’m going

back to college. Sarah is the most

inspiring person I’ve ever had the

pleasure of being around. I used

to weigh 280 lbs, and I’m now down to 160. I love her more

than words could ever explain.”

Gillis’s enthusiasm—which can include everything from

high-fi ves to brutal honesty—continued to attract momen-

tum as more and more of her clients rallied around each

other for support and encouragement. Emboldened by the

changes Gillis saw around her, she felt empowered to make

one of her own lifelong dreams

come true: a women’s confer-

ence.

Held in June of this year, Con-

quering Life Retreat brought

together women from around

the Shoals, for two informa-

tion- and inspiration-fi lled days

of speakers, workout sessions,

prayerful contemplation, yoga,

and sharing. A monumen-

tal undertaking, Conquering

Life came together by utiliz-

ing the very principles it sought

to encourage: individual women contributing their

best eff orts, with encouragement from their friends.

“Bethany Oliver [Green] impulsively said yes,” Gillis says, re-

lating those fi rst, heady moments as Conquering Life began

to take shape. “Th en Tera [Wages], Ashley [Anderson], and

Jessica [Mangum] all followed enthusiastically.”

Gillis toasts attendees at the kick-off reception for Conquering Life and speaks during one of its breakout sessions (inset).

©Susan Rowe

©Susan Rowe


“All have wonderful, loving qualities,” Gillis says of her Con-

quering Life colleagues. “But they were all diff erent, and so

they could all take on diff erent roles. Together, they fostered

a sense of community, and a celebration of who they are,

with no shame.”

Th e Conquering Life website defi nes its mission: “Women

everywhere feel the weight of trying to keep up with pres-

sures of modern life. We work incredibly hard to keep our

lives in motion. We are often quick to sacrifi ce ourselves and

place our identity into our roles as a mother, a wife, a daugh-

ter or a business woman. We have forgotten what defi nes us

and who we are without the infl uence of those around us.”

Th e seminar was a huge success, attracting women of all age

groups and demographics, backgrounds and religions, in an

atmosphere of support and encouragement. Various speak-

ers conveyed their own messages, but a common theme ran

throughout: the reassurance that, despite constant claims

to the contrary from the media and society, perfection is

a myth. Th at’s one of the truths Sarah Gillis wants to help

women believe, along with the simple acknowledgement

that striving for perfection is an exhausting journey with no

end. But there is a worthwhile adventure, and it’s entirely

accomplishable: the steady, incremental pilgrimage toward

your own truth.

What lessons has Sarah Gillis learned on her accidental

journey from personal trainer to life coach? “I’ve learned to

surround myself with people who support me and uplift my

truth, and I’ve learned to let go of people who don’t.”

Gillis is fortunate to be surrounded by friends and clients

who share her vision of empowering women with the confi -

dence to be who they are, and the permission to make them-

selves a priority in their own lives. She’s doubly fortunate to

be supported in her work by the three men she shares her

life with—her husband and sons—who recognize, along with

Sarah, the value of strong, powerful women, and the truth

that the myth of perfection isn’t necessary for a happy, bal-

anced life.

For more information about Sarah Gillis’s services, visit her

website at GentleMovements.com.

To learn more about Conquering Life, look for it on

Facebook at Conquering Life Retreat.

Worn Wear Wagon at Alabama Chanin

Come visit the Worn Wear Wagon at Alabama Chanin for free repairs on your busted zippers,

rips, tears, buttons, snaps and pulls. We’ll also be teaching you how to fix your gear and

celebrating the stories we wear with local food, drink and music.

DATE/TIMES

Saturday, September 19th10:00AM - 4:00PM

Alabama Chanin @ The Factory462 Lane Drive

Florence, AL 35630

LOCATION

Follow us at patagonia.com/wornwear

#WORNWEAR

© A

IA/R

ay

the

on

Front row: Mark Keaton (coach), Chelsea Suddith, Katie Burns, Cady Studdard. Back row: Tracy Burns (mentor), Evan Swinney, Andrew Heath, Niles Butts, Cristian Ruiz, Joseph Cole (coach).

kudos114 » If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor,

or colleague—or even toot your own horn—send your kudos to

[email protected].

by roy hall

Blast Off

A rocket, designed by a team of seven students from Rus-

sellville City Schools, fl ew higher, faster and returned to

earth safer than every other rocket at the International

Rocketry Challenge in Paris last month. Russellville’s elite

team of student scientists participated in the annual compe-

tition alongside fellow student groups from France and the

United Kingdom. Th e challenge: build a rocket capable of

reaching 800 feet in 46-48 seconds, separating into at least

two sections, with one section returning to earth intact.

Th e Russellville team’s rocket surpassed the altitude and

velocity of its challengers, and returned its cargo—a single

egg—unbroken.

Hook, Line, and Sinker

For the second year in a row, the University of North

Alabama Bass Fishing team is Cabela’s School of the Year.

Th e title recognizes more than a single victory, requiring

Real Men Wear Pink

Twelve Shoals-area residents have been chosen by Th e

American Cancer Society Shoals Leadership Board to rep-

resent the Shoals in a state-wide fundraising campaign for

the American Cancer Society’s fi ght against breast cancer.

If you’d like to donate to your favorite “Real Man,” visit the

organization’s website at makingstrideswalk.org/realmen-

theshoalsal.

Curb Appeal

Forty-three businesses were

recognized with First Place cer-

tifi cates by the Florence Beautifi -

cation Board during their annual

awards banquet, held at Trinity

Episcopal Church, on July 8. Two

of the honorees—Bank Indepen-

dent’s South Pine St location, and

Residence Inn by Marriott—were

further distinguished by receiving

Honor Roll status, in recognition

of fi ve consecutive years of First

Place honors.

Left top: Stephanie Springer (Bank Indepen-dent, South Pine St) with Mayor Mickey Had-dock; Left, bottom: Kayla Ingham (Residence Inn) with Haddock

© M

elissa

Be

vis

Front Row: Bud Ward, Dr. Bob Bailey, Dr. Hemant Patel, Barry Morris, Russell Pigg; Back Row: Mayor Ian Sanford, Larry Bowser, Dr. Eric Kirkman, Dr. Anthony Kalliath, Bishop Alexander, Chris Burgreen, Mayor Mickey Haddock

© Jim

Ke

nd

all


Score!

Florence High School’s broadcast and production team

took top honors at the National Federation of High School

Sports Networks conference in Atlanta on July 18. Head-

quartered in Florence Academy of Fine Arts state-of-the-art

production center, the team produces content for both the

school and community. Th eir current roster of stream-

ing content includes FHS’s in-house news show, Falcon

Five News, Jimmy Nutt’s Nutthouse Live, UNA’S Big Idea

program UNA, and the SkillsUSA awards ceremony for the

Alabama State Department.

Left to right: Brodrick Linder, Cody Lewis, Chase Holcombe, and Quinn Raymond; Students not pictured: Jackson Sneed, Brandon Rieff , Lucas Ragan, Tyler Pollard, Chance Snider, Mathew Shewell

© Je

rry F

oste

r

leaderboard primacy throughout an entire year of tour-

naments. Cabela’s is the most prestigious in the world of

collegiate fi shing.

Team members include: Hunter Haney, Tom Catania, Nathan Martin, Kenny Elkins, Andrew Cannon, Austin Griggs, Evan Horne, Will Horton, Brett Webster, Reed Elkins, Michael Gullette, Ryan Cole, Andrew Tate, Clint Frederick, Colby Harville, Drew Herold, Ryan Darracott, Jake White, John Maner, Makenzie Hen-son, Brad Vice, Blake Burtram, Hunter Kelley, Zach Darracott, Ryan Thompson, Blake Thomas, Joe Nakai, Austin Mize, Daniel Leiner, Cody Harrison, Ryan Hayse, Austin Jones, Evan Bernas, Ryan Williams, Colt Kelso, Justin Lynch, Dawson Lenz, and Jimmy Swindle

116 » the vine » Amy C. Collins

OYSTER WINES

Though the old rule of oyster eating strictly in the months that end in R is archaic, this is the ideal season for dining al fresco; both our bodies and the wine glass can relax sweat-free.

My appreciation for the oyster reaches back to childhood, when my father would host

family gatherings on our Florida patio. Th e sack of Apalachicola harvest seemed a tower of exotic

creatures to me, and I remember watching him hold each bivalve in one rubber-gloved hand, while

working the fl at knife between the top and bottom shell with the other. But I wouldn’t eat them, the taste

too pungent for my young palate. True desire came late. Th rough my 20s and early 30s, I coveted the

elation my dining partners expressed when washing down the raw mollusks with a delicate Champagne

or sea-hinted Muscadet, two wines I’d fallen for long before the sweet brine of the oyster. Th en, fi nally,

one day I tried again, and was hooked. For those of us who love them, we love them immensely, for the

exquisite luxury as much for the cold beverage that follows.

Th ough the old rule of oyster eating strictly in the months that end in R is archaic, this is the ideal

season for dining al fresco; both our bodies and the wine glass can relax sweat-free. We can take our

time on each one without worry the ice bed will melt or the wine turn tepid. Hemingway captured the

essence of such a moment in his Paris memoir, A Moveable Feast. “As I ate the oysters with their strong

taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea

taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with

the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”

Which brings us to the essential question, Which white wine should we plan to drink with oysters? As

with all food and wine pairings, we’re looking for balance and compliments. Crisp light-bodied whites

won’t compete with the meaty texture of the oyster, where, for example, a big buttery chardonnay will

fi ght it. Wines with a little salinity, like Muscadet or Vinho Verde will echo the salty fl avors and smooth

out the metallic fi nish. Another steadfast trick to use is to look at the regions of the world that make

white wine and harvest seafood. Th e Atlantic coast in northern France, Basque country in northern

Spain, and just across the border, Portugal. Champagne and

Chablis are further inland, but their vines grow on

ancient bedrock of fossilized sea creatures,

and their stainless steel production

without malolactic fermentation

make them perfect mates for the

beloved mollusks.

Below are some of my current

favorites. You can fi nd them

in North Alabama at your

favorite retailer store (and if

not these, certainly cousins

from the same regions) and at

go-to oyster joints, Th e Bottle


and Mezza Luna in Huntsville and, on Th ursday nights,

Odette in downtown Florence.

Muscadet is the area in France that sits just south of Nantes,

at the mouth of the Loire river where the Atlantic Ocean

infl uence dominates the weather. Muscadet is made from 100

percent melon de bourgogne, the native white wine grape

there. Many of them are bottled with a little zip of carbon

dioxide alongside a bright tang and sometimes slightly saline

fl avors. Drunk very cold, it is a star for oyster pairing.

Try producers Chateau Ragotiere and Chateau la Bourdiniere.

Chablis is another favorite for late afternoons and shellfi sh.

Made from 100 percent chardonnay (which many drinkers

don’t realize) north of Burgundy in stainless steel, which

allows the grape to reveal it

s true, unadulterated self. What better match for the naked

bivalve?

Try producers Simmonet-Febvre, everything from the

smaller appellation Petit-Chablis to their lovely Grand

Crus, and Domaine du Chantemerle Boudin.

Back to the Loire Valley, Cheverny is a small appellation

just outside of Touraine proper, where they grow primarily

sauvignon blanc, and off er great values compared to Sancerre

further east. Chardonnay and chenin blanc are also grown to

some extent for the white wines.

Try Domaine du Salvard Cheverny.

If Europe isn’t your bag or you’re looking for more aromatic

fruit and less saline-mineral notes, look to New Zealand for

super crisp sauvignon blancs that off er passionfruit and ripe

grapefruit aromas that fi nish dry. They love shellfi sh.

Try Dog Point in Marlborough and Mt. Beautiful sauvignon blanc in North

Canterbury.

Follow Amy at pigandvine.com for morestories and wine suggestions.


118 » parting shot » Cliff Billingsley

HIGH OVER HANDY


Money for a Home.

Money from a Home.

Five convenient locations to service you. Visit www.fi rstsouthern.com

MEMBER FDIC


Milner-Rushing has a complete line of pharmaceutical-grade wellness products that

will help you look better, feel better . . . and live better! Allergy relief, help with sleep

or aching joints, RX Skin Therapy, and so much more — all from the people you know

and trust. Familiar Faces, Expert Care — from Milner-Rushing!

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

869 Florence Blvd. , Florence: (256) 764-4700

202 West Avalon Ave., Muscle Shoals: (256) 386-5220

2602 Hough Road , Florence: (256) 740-5515

www.mrdrugs.com

How to Eat for Life

Recipes and Tipsfor Feeling Better by Eating Better!

Want to feel better?Start with the way you eat.People in the Shoals—and people all across Amer-ica—battle their weight, complain of a lack of energy, and suff er from chronic illnesses that can actually be traced to the way we eat. Fast food, processed groceries, and an increasingly seden-tary lifestyle mean we get larger, feel worse, and don’t understand why. In fact, the Florence metro area was recently cited as being one of the fattest cities in Alabama—and Alabama is one of the fat-test states in the country.

That’s why, earlier this year, a group of nutrition-ists, medical personnel, educators, and No’Ala came together to create Shoals Happy Heart. This non-profi t group uses a Facebook page and social media to give readers tips for how to make small changes to their eating habits that will even-tually lead to huge changes in their lives.

Local restaurants have agreed to help, designat-ing items on their menus that are the healthiest as “Shoals Happy Heart” items. Shoals Happy Heart social media posts include healthy tips about food, but also exercise ideas that will help with health, as well as helping improve a general feel-ing of well-being. If we are what we eat, as the saying goes, maybe we need to eat just a little bit better!

How lucky that we live in this corner of Alabama! You don’t have to look far to fi nd farm-raised vegetables, fresh fruits (like blueberries, straw-

berries, peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe, and more!), and organically fed livestock. We have a variety of farmers’ markets and produce stands that sell healthy foods, and our restaurants are headed by chefs who are very aware of the link between good food and good health. Add to that the fact that our four distinct seasons allow plenty of opportunity to get outside and get active, and we have no excuse in the world to not be healthy, extend our lives, and feel better for every living moment.

Sorry, Mom…In reality, many times we cook the way our moth-ers cooked for us. That makes it frustrating when it’s obviously time to make changes, because we have no idea what to do!

For this reason, Shoals Happy Heart is collaborat-ing with the Culinary Arts and Nutrition faculty of the University of North Alabama, Department of Human Environmental Sciences, to present a series of cooking classes this fall, to teach you how to make a few changes to what you’re already doing…and change your life. Through six weekly classes, you will learn how to read labels, what to look for and what to stay away from, which aisles to avoid at the grocery store, and how to cook some delicious, basic meals.

The classes are open to the public and cost $15 per class. (If you pay for all six classes in advance, there is a $10 discount.) But if you are really bat-tling weight or health issues that are diet related, if your doctor writes a prescription for you to attend the classes, there is absolutely no charge. It’s much more important to us that you come to each class, pay attention to the tips and advice that will help you change your life, and make a commitment to good health.

Sounds too good to be true? There’s only one catch. If your doctor writes a prescription for this series of classes, we expect to see you at each and every one of them. We promise it will be fun, you’ll begin to look at food and nutrition in a diff erent way, and you’ll feel better. Come join us!

Class Scheduleand DetailsHere is some information about the classes com-

ing up this fall, to teach you how to eat better and

feel better.

The classes will be taught at the UNA East Cam-

pus, at the Culinary Center. Class size is limited

to 40 students. Preference is given to those who

attend with a doctor’s prescription; other com-

munity members who want to pay to attend will

be allowed on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis, as

space allows.

If your doctor writes a prescription for you

to attend the classes, there is absolutely no

charge. If you do not have a doctor’s prescription,

the cost is $15 per class, or $90 for the series. If

you pay in advance, there is a $10 discount and

your total charge will be $80.

The classes will focus on ways to change your

eating habits to lose weight and feel better. You’ll

learn how to read labels and which aisles to avoid

at the grocery store, and you’ll watch cooking

demonstrations designed to teach you to prepare

easy and healthy meals.

Two class times off ered: 2:00-3:00 p.m.

or 5:30-6:30 p.m.

CLASS ONE: Tuesday, October 6

GETTING STARTED

• Journaling into awareness—understanding

the importance and benefi ts of keeping a

lifestyle journal

• Healthy diet guidelines

• Portion sizes

• Committing to health

CLASS TWO: Tuesday, October 13

WHERE’S THE FAT?

• Learn to recognize which foods are

considered fat

• Identify healthy fats

• Cooking with healthier fats

CLASS THREE: Tuesday, October 20

COOL CARBS

• How carbohydrates lead to weight gain and

clogged pipes (a.k.a. arteries)

• Which carbohydrates are your friend (limiting

simple carbohydrates and focusing on complex

carbohydrates)

• Incorporating whole grains and vegetables into

your meal plans

CLASS FOUR: Tuesday, October 27

SALT: TO SHAKE OR NOT TO SHAKE?

• Where’s the salt?

• Flavorful ways to cook without the salt shaker

CLASS FIVE: Tuesday, November 3

A GROCERY STORE ADVENTURE

• Reading the food treasure map (a.k.a. food label)

• Grocery shopping made easy

CLASS SIX: Tuesday, November 10

DINING OUT MADE FUN

• Interpreting the menu description

• Planning before you go

• Asking for what you want

Now what? Time to face facts: you don’t always eat in a way

that’s best for you. You may eat the way your

mother cooked for you, or you fell into bad habits

years ago and don’t know how to change. In most

cases, people know they need to change their eat-

ing habits, but they just don’t know how.

Here are some tips and tricks to make your favor-

ite recipes just a little bit healthier.

Tips and Tricks

to Making Recipes HealthierJill Goode Englett MS, RDN, RN

University of North Alabama

Do most of you have recipes that you have en-

joyed for years and are family staples? Today the

doctor told you that you have to make changes

like reducing the salt, sugar, and/or fat intake in

your diet. Panic sets in: What will you cook? How

will you feed your family? How will they accept

the new foods? You think you have to give up all

the old recipes. Not true. With a few tweaks you

can continue to use those recipes you and your

family have enjoyed for years.

Lower the fat in recipes and when cooking:

Substitute whole fat dairy products with low fat or

fat free versions.

Example: Substituting reduced fat (2%) milk for

whole milk will lower the fat content of the recipe

by 3 grams of fat per cup of milk, while substituting

skim milk can lower the fat content of the recipe by 8

grams of fat per cup of milk.

Cut back the amount of cheese in a recipe by half.

Cut the fat in half when baking and use unsweet-

ened applesauce, mashed bananas, or pureed

prunes for the other half.

Example: The Cinnamon Raisin Muffi n recipe calls

for 1/2 cup of butter: substitute 1/4 cup of butter and

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, reducing the fat

content of the recipe from 92 grams to 46 grams. Of

course, there are 12 servings in that recipe, so you

lower the grams of fat per muffi n from 8 grams to 4

grams.

Use nonstick cooking spray when sautéing and

greasing baking pans.

Use one to two tablespoons of broth or water to

sauté instead of oils.

Lower the salt in recipes and when cooking:

Cut salt in half in most recipes without aff ecting

the overall recipe.

Reduce salt in half in baked non-yeast leavened

baked goods.

Example: The Cinnamon Raisin Muffi n recipe calls

for 1/2 teaspoon of salt. In this recipe decrease

the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. The Dietary Guideline for

Americans recommends 1500 mg of sodium per

day for those with chronic health conditions. Half a

teaspoon of salt contains about 1000 mg of sodium.

By lowering to 1/4 teaspoon, the sodium content per

The Doctor says to change the way you eat.

Uh-oh.

References:Nutrition Center: American Heart Association website

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Nutrition-Center_UCM_001188_SubHomePage.jsp

Nutrition and healthy eating: Mayo Clinic website

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/nutrition-basics/hlv-20049477

Offi ce of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: health.gov website

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015.asp#resources

muffi n is lowered from 83 grams per muffi n to 42

grams.

Substitute fresh or frozen vegetables for canned

vegetables or dried beans for canned beans.

This may take a little extra preparation and add to

the cooking time; however, the savings in sodium

is huge.

Example: Half a cup of canned green beans has 420

mg of sodium (remember The Dietary Guideline for

Americans recommends 1500 mg of sodium per day

for those with chronic health conditions) while fresh

or frozen green beans have 0 mg of sodium.

Use lower sodium versions of soups and broths in

recipes.

Experiment by substituting herbs, spices, citrus

juices, and fl avored vinegars for salt in recipes.

Lower the sugar in recipes and when cooking:

Decrease the sugar in a recipe by 1/3 to 1/2 and

add other ingredients to enhance the sweet fl avor

such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla

extract, or almond extract.

Increase the fi ber in recipes and when cooking:

Substitute enriched bread with whole-grain pasta.

Example: One cup of cooked enriched spaghetti has

3 grams of fi ber, while a cup of cooked whole-wheat

spaghetti has 6 grams of fi ber.

Substitute half of the white fl our with

whole-grain fl our.

When experimenting with recipes, only make

one change at a time. That way you will fi gure

out what works for you and your family and what

doesn’t. For example, use low sodium soup in that

casserole recipe instead of regular soup fi rst, and

if that works well, next time use the low sodium

soup and use frozen vegetables. Note that you

may need to steam the vegetables fi rst or extend

the cook time slightly.

Let’s start cooking!We know the idea of changing your diet can be intimidating. That’s why we asked some knowledge-able friends to put together some healthy recipes that you can use to get started on a healthy diet. These are simple and easy to follow—and you’re going to love them!

Unless otherwise noted, these recipes come to us from Chef Johnson Ogun, Chef Prema Montiero, and Chef Lewis Yuille, Culinary Arts, University of North Alabama, Department of Human Environmental Sci-ence. So assemble your ingredients and let’s get started. It’s time to eat!

Roasted Tomatoesand Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Canapés

Recipe Yield: 4 servingsPortion Size: 1 oz

Ingredients:

• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded• 1 tsp olive oil• 1/4 lb fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 inch strips• 12 each fresh basil leaves• A dash of salt to taste• A dash of pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 250° F. • Halve and seed the tomatoes then wash and pat dry.• Gently coat the tomatoes with oil in a bowl. • Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes; remove and set aside to cool. • Season with salt and pepper to taste. • On individual basil leaves, arrange cheese and roasted tomato in layers. • Serve.

Brown Rice Pilaf

Recipe Yield: 4 servingsPortion Size: 4 oz Ingredients:

• 2 cups low sodium or sodium free chicken broth• 1 onion, diced • 4 carrots, peeled and diced • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced • 1 cup long grain brown rice • 1½ tbsp. olive oil • 1 tsp thyme • 1 tsp ginger • 1 tsp nutmeg Directions:

• Place the chicken stock in a medium pot.• Add rice and simmer.• Sweat the onion, carrots, and bell pepper.• Add to cooked rice.• Add spice blend.• Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes.• Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Recipe Yield: 4 servingsPortion Size: 6 oz Ingredients: • 1 tsp fresh thyme • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tsp minced ginger • 4 (6 oz) chicken breasts• 1 tsp sriracha sauce• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar• 1/2 cup apricot jam/jelly • Salt and pepper to taste

Spicy Apricot ChickenDirections:

• Combine thyme, garlic, and ginger. • Wash and pat dry chicken breast and rub with spice blend.• In a blender combine sriracha sauce, apple cider, and apricot. • Grill chicken halfway then baste with spicy mixture and fi nish in oven. • Baste again before serving.

Tilapia Esco


Ingredients: • 4 (6 oz) Tilapia fi llets • 1/2 cup fl our seasoned with a dash of black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided • 1 tbsp minced garlic • 1 tbsp minced ginger • 1 onion cut into strips • 1/3 red bell pepper cut into strips• 1/3 yellow bell pepper cut into strips• 1/3 green bell pepper cut into strips • 2 carrots cut into small strips • 1 sprig thyme • 1/2 cup sherry cooking wine

Directions:

• Lightly bread tilapia in seasoned fl our, and arrange on a sheet pan. • In a skillet heat 1 tbsp oil to smoking point and sauté tilapia to golden brown• In another skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and sauté garlic and ginger to translucent. • Add bell pepper, carrot, and onion, and cook for 2 minutes. • Add sherry cooking wine. • Top each tilapia with mixture and fi nish cooking in the oven for 10 minutes• Serve hot.

Spicy Remoulade Dip with Vegetable Sticks


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lite mayo• 1/2 tbsp stone ground mustard• 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce• Salt to taste• Pepper to taste• 3 carrots (18 sticks)• 3 celery ribs (18 sticks)

Directions:

• Combine the fi rst fi ve ingredients in a bowl. • Mix well and adjust to preferred taste (add more sriracha, salt or pepper to taste as needed).• Put in a small serving bowl and chill.• Wash and pat dry carrots and celery. • Cut carrots and celery into sticks• On a serving platter, place dip in the center and arrange vegetable around it. • Serve cold.

Baked Sweet Potato FriesRecipe Yield: 4 servings Portion Size: 4 oz

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into strips• 1 tbsp olive oil• 1 egg beaten• 1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs• 1 tbsp sugar• 1 tsp cinnamon• 1/2 tsp garlic powder• 1/8 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400° F and spray baking sheet and set aside. • Cut the potatoes into fry shapes (thick or thin) then soak them in water for around 15 minutes. This is the important step to make them crispy! • Drain and pat dry. • Mix the other ingredients except oil, sugar, and cinnamon in a separate bowl and mix well. • Drop the potato sticks in beaten egg and toss to fully coat the potatoes• Shake excess liquid off the potatoes and drop them into panko mixture• Remove potatoes and toss in the bowl with the oil. • Spread the fries evenly on a baking sheet. • Bake 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through. • For even crispier fries, feel free to leave them in longer or broil for the last 1-2 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes

Recipe Yield: 4 servingsPortion Size: 1/2 cup Ingredients: • 1 lb potatoes (red or russet), peeled and quartered • 1 cup low sodium or sodium free chicken broth • 2 cups skim milk • 4 tbsp light sour cream • 1 tbsp butter Directions:

• Put potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with chicken broth. • Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. • Drain 1/2 of liquid in potatoes; return to saucepan. • Mash potatoes with electric mixer on low speed or use potato masher. • Add sour cream, milk and butter. • Beat until light and fl uff y.

Skirt Steak with Soy Ginger Sauce


• 3 oz pineapple juice • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce • 1 tsp sherry wine • 1 tsp olive oil • 4 (6oz) skirt steak• 1 tbsp minced ginger• 1 garlic clove, minced • 1 tsp olive oil for sautéing • 1 tsp red cooking wine• 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tsp chili powder Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the fi rst four ingredients. • Add steak and marinate for 2 hours.• In the broiler (oven) broil steak to medium rare (pink) or desired doneness, set aside to rest.• In a sauce pan sauté ginger and garlic in oil.• Combine the rest of the ingredients. • Bring to simmer over a medium heat. • Ladle sauce over steak and serve.

Spinach Pinwheel


• 1 oz cream cheese, softened • Salt & pepper to taste• 2 spinach fl our tortillas • 1/4 red pepper diced • 1/4 yellow pepper diced • 1/4 green pepper diced • 2 tsp olive oil • 12 baby spinach leaves, washed and pat dry • 2 oz feta cheese (crumbled) • 2 oz craisins, soaked in water for 2 hours, drain, and pat dry • 2 oz walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Season cream cheese with salt and pepper and spread on fl our tortillas. • Sauté diced peppers in olive oil for 1 minute.• Layer 1/3 surface of tortillas with baby spinach, sautéed peppers, feta cheese, craisins, and walnuts• Roll tortillas tight into a wheel.• Slice one inch thick.• Arrange on a serving tray.• Serve cold.

Haricots Verts


Ingredients: • 1 lb haricots verts (fresh green beans) • 1 cup low sodium or sodium free chicken stock • 1 tsp olive oil • 1/2 onion, cut into strips • 1 cup yellow bell pepper cut into strips• 1 cup red bell pepper cut into strips • 2 cloves fresh garlic • 1 tsp thyme • 1 tsp ginger • 1 tsp nutmeg • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Blanch the haricots verts in simmering stock until tender. • Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. • Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. • Add onion, peppers, and garlic. • Sauté until translucent. • Combine the haricot verts with sautéed products.• Toss to coat, add spices, and serve.

Glazed Carrots


Ingredients:

• 1 lb carrots, oblique-cut • 1 oz honey • 2 tbsp yellow onion, minced and sautéed • 6 tbsp green onion, chopped and sautéed• 3 oz. pecans, toasted and chopped • 1 tsp thyme • 1 tsp ginger • 1 tsp nutmeg • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Cook the carrots in simmering water until just tender. Drain the carrots (save 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid) and place in bowl. • Combine the carrots with the honey, sautéed green and yellow onions, pecans, and spice blend in large pan over medium- high heat. • Add enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth light glaze. • Toss carrots and coat evenly.

Tropical Fruit Salad with Berries VinaigretteRecipe Yield: 4 servingsPortion Size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into large cubes• 1/2 papaya, peeled and cut into large cubes• 1 mango or peach, peeled and cut into large cubes• 1/4 pineapple, peeled and cut into large cubes• 2 kiwi or 2 cups watermelon, peeled and cubed• 1 tbsp olive oil• 1/4 cup apple cider or balsamic vinegar• 1 garlic clove, minced• 1/4 cup honey• 1/2 cup strawberries and raspberries • 1 tbsp shredded sweetened coconut

Directions:

• Cut and combine fi rst fi ve ingredients in a large bowl. • In a blender, combine the next fi ve ingredients.• Blend until very smooth. • Drizzle vinaigrette over fruits. • Sprinkle with coconut.• Serve cold.

This spring, Shoals Happy Heart issued a challenge to its online readers. Send us your best recipes, we said, and we’ll send the winner on a seven-day Caribbean cruise. David Auston Johnson, a well-known cook who has contributed to No’Ala in the past, sent this favorite of his. It’s low in fat, contains no sugar, and is easy to prepare. We hope he enjoys the food on his cruise this winter—and that you enjoy this delicious entree tonight!

Lemony-Basil Grilled ChickenDavid Auston Johnson

Directions:

In a large bowl combine mayo, Dijon, lemon juice, herbs, and seasoning. Mix well until fully incor-porated. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of wax or parchment paper and pound with a meat mallet until breasts are at equal thickness (1/2–1 inch). Transfer chicken breasts to bowl and coat well with mixture, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (overnight is better).

Preheat charcoal or gas grill.

Remove chicken and mixture from the refrigerator. Brush grill surface with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place breasts on the hottest part of your grill. Cook 2-4 minutes, then turn the chicken 45 degrees. This step will give impressive grill marks! Cook 2-4 more minutes, then fl ip chicken and repeat the steps. When you have completed the last 2-4 minutes, check chicken with an instant read thermometer. (165 degrees is the safe and ideal temperature.) Transfer chicken breasts to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest about 10 minutes. This resting period allows the chicken to reabsorb their natural juices!

Serves 4-6Prep time: 10 minutesInactive: 1 hourCook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup reduced fat mayo • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • Juice of 1 large lemon • 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped • 1/2 onion powder• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper fl akes• 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts • Olive oil for grill

www.shoalshappyheart.com

Documents

No’Ala Shoals, September/October 2015