Prime Magazine Aug. 2013

Celebrating Midlife and Beyond

FREEAugust 2013Prime

Tips for agood night’s rest

Sleepless in

Montgomery

• Herbs • Medicare ABC’s (& D’s) • A Pair of Pear Recipes • Jar Candles •• TCM’s Robert Osborne • Investment Advisors • Back-to-School Shots •

August 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com

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www.primemontgomery.com | August 2013 33

Prime/August 2013

on the coverCelebrating Midlife and Beyond

FREEAugust 2013Prime

Tips for agood night’s rest

Sleepless in

Montgomery


We’ve all had trouble sleeping, but research indi-cates the problem is wide-spread and approaching chronic status. Our 24/7 connectivity and shifting work demands both play a role in turning us into a nation of Zombies (figura-tively speaking, of course). Try the tips on page 18 and see if they help. It’s no easy solution, but you just might rest a little easier.

Pears will soon be with us (Gracious Plenty pg 8), it’s time to understand the basics of Medicare (pg 23), herbs are good for cooking and what ails you (pg 16), and a few sips of warm green tea just might help you sleep better (pg 18). Read on...

EDITOR’S NOTES

SHORT TAKES

A GRACIOUS PLENTYA pear of Pear desserts

YARD ‘n GARDENA city Botanical Gardens?

MUST-SEE FESTIVALS Peanuts, okra, beer and more!

IN EVERY LIFE School immunizations.

PRIME VINTAGE “Traveling’ with wine.

TINSELTOWN TALKS Mr. Movies, Robert Osborne

SMALL BUT IMPORTANTHerbs in your pantry

GIVE IT A RESTSleep better, feel better

CRAFTER’S CORNERA glowing creation

MONEY WI$E Advisors are NOT fortune tellers

MEDICARE Q&A What vaccines are covered?

MEDICARE FORUM Learn your (Medicare) ABC’s

SOCIAL SECURITY Q&A Disability: Who decides?

FINANCIAL TRAPS for SENIORS Oil, gas, gold, foreign currency.

BABY TALK Infants understand each other

SLEEP & WEIGHT GAIN

ALTERNATE WORKOUTS

PRIME DIVERSIONS August’s DVD releases

OFF THE BEATEN PATHTying memories

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August 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com44

Karen Flanagan, DOSpecializing in Family Medicine

Dr. Karen Flanagan is board-certified in family practice

and osteopathic manipulative treatment. She is a

graduate of Northeast Missouri State University and

earned her Doctor of Osteopathy degree from The Kirksville

College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, MO.

Dr. Flanagan accepts new patients, including

Medicare patients. She has a special interest in

geriatrics and offers complete care to her patients,

including continuing care in the hospital.

Dr. Flanagan is located at 1801 Pine Street,

Suite 301 on the Jackson Hospital campus. To

schedule an appointment call 334-265-5577.

Another great reason to choose

www.jackson.org/clinic


Editor’s NotE

If you’re on Facebook, become a fan of PRIME Montgomery!

PrimeMoNtgoMEry

August 2013 Vol. 4, Issue 5

PUBLISHERBob Corley, [email protected]

EDITORSandra Polizos, [email protected]

ART DIRECTORCallie Corley, [email protected]

WRITERSJanet Adams

CONTRIBUTORS

Joe Borg, Tina Calligas, Betsy Coley,Callie Corley, Niko Corley, Mark Glass,

Kylle’ McKinney, Bob Moos, Arlene Morris,Nick Thomas, Alan Wallace, David White

PHOTOGRAPHERBob Corley

SALESBob Corley • 334-202-0114,

[email protected] McFarland, • [email protected]

Prime Montgomery7956 Vaughn Road, #144

Montgomery, AL 36116 • 334-202-0114www.primemontgomery.com

ISSN 2152-9035

Prime Montgomery is a publication of The Polizos/Cor-ley Group, LLC. Original content is copyright 2013 by The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC., all rights reserved, with replication of any portion prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed are those of contribut-ing writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC.Prime Montgomery is published monthly except for the combined issue of December/January. Information in articles, departments, columns, and other content areas, as well as advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Prime Montgom-ery magazine. Items relating to health, finances, and legal issues are not offered as substitutes for the advice and consultation of health, financial, and legal professionals. Consult properly degreed and licensed professionals when dealing with financial, medical, emotional, or legal matters. We accept no liability for errors or omissions, and are not responsible for advertiser claims.

As a child, we had patches of mint growing wild in the flower beds around our house. I thought everyone did. The same was true for basil, fennel, parsley, and dill. Aromatic herbs, they add a unique, unmistakeable taste to a variety of dishes, from stuffed tomatoes to rice pilaf. One, in particular, made my grand-mother’s meatballs legendary.Ask any of her nine grandchildren what

dish they most remember from “Yiay-ia’s” kitchen and it’s a good bet each will answer “kef-teh’-thes,” otherwise known as meatballs. From the time I was tall enough to peer over my grandmother’s shoulder (she was barely five feet) I remember watching as she prepared this flavorful dish.Though similar in size, these were different from the meatballs of spaghetti

fame. Rolled in flour and pan-fried to a golden brown, these biscuit-sized balls of ground beef were served as an entrée, without pasta or even a sauce. Deli-cious at dinner, they were just as wonderful as leftovers, cold from the refrig-erator. As the oldest granddaughter and the one always underfoot, I delighted in watching Yiayia’s precisioned process.Placing a large bowl in one side of the sink, she added ground beef, a raw egg,

and a grated onion, always in the same order. Mesmerized, I watched as my grandmother cut the ends off two slices of white bread, dampened what was left with water, and tore the bread remnants into pieces, dropping them into the bowl. Next came salt, pepper, ground garlic, and a little water. After knead-ing the mixture with her hands to assure everything was well-blended, Yiayia added the piéce de resistance: fresh, chopped mint from the garden. I didn’t realize the significance of that last, simple ingredient until many years

later, as an adult in my own kitchen. Attempting to duplicate my grandmother’s success, I dutifully followed all the steps from memory – unintentionally forget-ting the last one – and was dismayed at the lackluster results. Definitely not the meatballs of my childhood.A lightbulb went off when I finally remembered the mint. Dashing quickly to

to the grocery I purchased packaged, fresh mint clippings and carefully added them to the mixture. Eureka, what a difference! Thrilled, I realized mint was my Rosetta Stone. It unlocked the zesty secret of the “keftethes” and at least a half-dozen other dishes I loved, but had never cooked to my liking.I still prepare my grandmother’s meatballs, but no longer rush to the grocery

for packages of mint. Though it took a while, mint now grows wild in my yard too – along with a tasty treasure trove of other herbs, secret ingredients for the dishes my family seems to love the most.Don’t miss this month’s story by Janet Adams on the “The Lure and Love of

Herbs” (page 16). If you’re an herb fan, or even if you’ve yet to be bitten by the herb bug, Janet offers engaging details on the value and significance of these unheralded household heroes.Have a great month!

Sandra PolizosEditor


Quick rEadsHands-Free Not Risk Free

Contrary to what many people think, using hands-free devices to talk, text or send e-mail while driving is distracting and risky (University of Utah study,

issued by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety).Researchers found that the new, speech-based technologies in the car

can overload the driver’s attention and impair their ability to drive safely.

The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows, brain

function is compromised, and drivers scan the road less and miss visual cues, potentially

resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them, including stop signs

and pedestrians.

Walking Improves Health in Older Men

The more an older man walks, the better his physical and mental health and his qual-ity of life (American Journal of Health Promotion).

Although walking ranks among the favorite forms of physical activity for older adults, few studies have con-sidered the specific impact of walking – as opposed to over-all physical activity – on health in older people. The research-ers divided the men into four groups based on the number of steps taken daily, ranging from lowest to highest.

The men averaged 8,539 steps per day.

“Older men who aver-aged the greatest number of steps per day reported more optimal quality of life profiles, in terms of both physical and mental health, than older men averaging fewer steps per day.”

Fish Oil May Lower Heart StressThe omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have long been thought to protect

against cardiovascular disease - so much so that the American Heart Asso-ciation currently recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly fatty varieties rich in omega 3’s.

However, the mechanism behind this protective effect still remains a mystery. In a new study, scientists of Michigan Technological University shed light on this phenomenon by providing evidence that fish oil might specifically counteract the detrimental effects of mental stress on the heart.

Findings show that volunteers who took fish oil supplements for several weeks had a blunted response to mental stress in several measurements of cardiovascular health, including heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (part of the “fight or flight” response) compared to volun-teers who took olive oil instead.

The results may explain why taking fish oil could be beneficial to the heart and might eventually help doctors prevent heart disease in select populations.


Assessing Pain in Older Adults

Several types of pain assessment tools are available to help clinicians evaluate pain in older people. However, too often the initial emphasis is to gauge pain intensity instead of determine how the pain affects function and the need for treatment (research presented at the American Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting).

Researchers from the University of Iowa School of Nursing said persistent pain af-fects 50% of individuals 65 and older, and decisions regarding appropriate pain manage-ment strategies should rely on patient responses about how pain impacts daily life and activities, instead of simply asking ‘how much does it hurt?’

Hypoglycemia and Dementia Linked A study of older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) suggests an

association between hypoglycemic events (low blood glucose) and dementia (research conducted by University of California, San Fran-cisco; published online by JAMA Internal Medicine).

There is a growing body of evidence that DM may increase the risk for developing cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer dis-ease and vascular dementia.

When blood glucose declines to low levels, cognitive function is impaired and severe hypoglycemia may cause neuronal damage. Patients who experienced a hypoglycemic event had a two-fold in-creased risk for developing dementia compared with those who did not have a hypoglycemic event.


a gracious PlENty

For the more than 25 million Americans with diabetes, food choices are critical to maintaining their health. Chef Sam Talbot, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at

12 years old, understands those challenges. Talbot was also runner-up in Season 2 of Bravo’s hit TV show “Top Chef,” and his new cookbook proves diabetics don’t have to sacrifice flavor to follow a healthy eating plan.

“Pears are one of my favorite fruits to use in recipes,” says Talbot. “They are a low GI fruit (glycemic index; see sidebar), they’re high in fiber, and the flavor of a ripe pear is just out of this world. They are incredibly versatile in sweet and savory recipes in all types of world cuisines. They can be part of any meal of the day.”

The two recipes here are from Talbot’s book, and showcase the fresh, sweet flavor of pears. For more information, visit www.SamTalbot.com, and for additional pear recipes visit www.usapears.org.

Ripeness is the key to enjoying pears at their sweetest and juiciest. To judge ripeness, pear growers advise you to “check the neck.” Press the neck, or stem end, of the pear. If it yields to gentle pressure, it’s ripe, sweet and juicy. If it feels firm, leave the pear at room temperature to ripen within a few days. Refrigerate pears if you want to slow their ripening.

Recipes excerpted from the book, “The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries,” by Sam Talbot. Published by Rodale. Copyright © 2011.

Perfection

Yogurt with Pear and Coconut (4 servings)

l Juice of 1 lemon

l 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

l 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

l 1/2 cup Grape-Nuts or granola cereal

l 1 tablespoon granulated stevia extract, or to

tastel 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

l 2 ripe pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, slightly

firm to the touch

l 3 cups 2% plain Greek yogurt

In medium bowl, combine lemon juice, coconut,

graham cracker crumbs, cereal, sweetener and

cinnamon.Peel, core and finely chop pears.

Spoon yogurt into 4 bowls and top with fruit

and coconut mixture, or sprinkle directly onto

each individual container of yogurt

Note: This recipe can do double duty as a des-

sert if you serve it up parfait style. Spoon 1/8 of

the pears into the bottom of each of 4 bowls or

parfait glasses. Add 1/8 of the cereal mixture, then

1/2 cup of yogurt. Repeat with the remaining pears,

cereal mixture, and yogurt.

Per Serving: 265 calories, 15 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates,

8 g total fat (6 g saturated), 8 mg cholesterol,

6 g fiber, 157 mg sodium

Lavender Poached Pears (4 servings)l 2 large ripe pears, such as Bosc or Anjou, slightly firm to the touchl 3 tablespoons granulated stevia extract, or to tastel 1 tablespoon dried lavenderl 2 blossoms dried hibiscusl 1 chamomile tea bagl 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

Peel, halve and core pears using a melon baller to scoop out seeds.In large pot, combine 3 cups water, sweetener, lavender, hi-biscus, chamomile tea and mint. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Add pears and simmer until you can easily pierce pears with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes.

To serve, transfer pear halves to 4 individual bowls and ladle some of the cooking liquid over the top.

Per Serving: 72 calories, 1 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 2 mg sodium

the Glycemic iNdex : The glycemic index (GI) rates carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100 based on how rapidly a food item raises blood sugar levels after eating. Foods high on the glycemic index are digested rapidly, which produces marked fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods low on the index are digested slowly and raise blood sugar and insulin levels gradually.

(Univ. of Sydney Glycemic Index Group, Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular Biosciences)

Pear


yard ‘N gardEN

If tourists from out of state stopped you on the street for directions to the Montgomery Botanical Garden, where would you send them? Blount Cultural Park? The Shake-

speare Garden at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival? Or perhaps one of our city parks with their majestic old trees? If you’re downtown you might suggest the Urban Farm by the river with its vegetable beds. The correct answer, however, is that Montgomery doesn’t have a botanical garden. The closest one is in Birmingham, 90 miles north.

Each of these Montgomery locations has some aspect of gardening, yet none can be classified as a botanical garden. According to the Botanic Garden Conservation Interna-tional (www.bgci.org), "Botanic gardens are institutions hold-ing documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education." Dream with me, if you will, of visiting the future Montgomery Botanical Garden.

You’re walking down a sunlit path admiring a variety of flowering shrubs. You turn off into a woodland setting with shade trees, wildflowers, and a bench where you can sit and relax. You might join me as I stroll with my young granddaugh-ter and point out the brightly colored flowers. Our next stop might be at the interactive children's garden she’s heard about from her cousins who have been to the Botanical Garden on school field trips and learned about healthy eating in the vege-table garden. Perhaps they watched a local chef cooking fresh vegetables during a demonstration in the outdoor kitchen.

If you are a serious gardener, you no doubt will notice labels on the plants and photograph those you want to add to your home garden. Perhaps you'll meet a friend at the garden café for lunch, browse through the gift shop, or attend a workshop on planting bulbs. Then there are the research labs, out of sight yet a vital part of any botanical garden, since conserva-tion is part of the mission. Serious horticultural science is going on there.

A Botanical Garden adds to the quality of life in a city, pro-viding its citizens a wonderful place to enjoy and learn about the world of plants. It’s also an important element for attract-ing new economic development and expanding tourism.

Heather Coleman, a representative from the city of Mont-gomery, spoke in June at the first public meeting to announce the proposal to possibly develop Oak Park into a botanical garden. She urged interested citizens to sign up to participate on one of several committees that will be formed to research and develop this project. No funding is available from the city, so all funds must be raised by the private sector and/or grants.

For information, or to get involved, e-mail [email protected], or visit http://montgomerybotanical-gardens.blogspot.com or the Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park Facebook page.

Betsy Coley is a member of the Capital City Master Gardener Association. For more information about the association, visit their website, www.capcitymga.org/, or e-mail [email protected].

The City’s GardensBy Betsy Coley

Alabama’s Botanical Gardensn Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 67.5 acres, 25 unique gardens, 12,000 types of plants, largest public horticulture library in the US, www.bbgardens.orgn Mobile Botanical Gardens, 100 acres, cultivated areas, natural habitats, classes, guided tours, www.mobilebotanicalgardens.orgn Huntsville Botanical Garden, 112 acres, nature trail, vegetable garden, aquatic garden, www.hsvbg.orgn Dothan Area Botanical Gardens, 50 acres, out-door classroom, wedding garden, Southern Heirloom Garden, www.dabg.org

Pear


Alabama Restaurant Week, StatewideAug. 16–25

Enjoy the cuisine of your favorite Alabama restaurants during Alabama Restaurant Week. Various eateries around the state – including some of those featured in the “100 Dishes To Eat in Alabama Before You Die” brochure – offer special prices and menus throughout the week for diners who want to experience the flavors of Alabama.www.alabamarestaurantweek.com/

Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, EutawAug. 24-25

Held in the historic Greene County Courthouse Square, this festival is organized by The Society of Folk Arts & Cul-ture. The event celebrates age-old traditions of West Alabama through music, dance, storytelling and food.www.eutawonline.com/festival.htm

World’s Largest Peanut Boil, LuverneAug. 31

Recognized as the largest peanut boil in the world for more than 30 years, this festival will have more than 17 tons of peanuts in the boil. Along with peanuts, enjoy a 5K run, car show, beauty pageant, activities for children and music.www.crenshawcochamber.com/peanutboil/

Okra Festival, BurkvilleAug. 31

The Okra Festival started as a small community event celebrating the only

crop that survived an unusually hot sum-mer in 2000. More than a decade later, it is

one of the highlights of the summer season, featuring local food, music and cultural arts.

www.okrafestival.org/

Dauphin Street Beer Festival, MobileAug. 31

Dauphin Street Beer FestivalGuests can explore downtown

Mobile and more than 30 venues at this unique beer festival.

Sample more than 100 craft and specialty brews while visiting different local hot spots.

Fort Mims Massacre 200th Anniversary, TensawAug. 30-Sept. 1

Event be-gins on the anniversary date of the

attack on Fort Mims,

where more than 500 pioneer

settlers were killed by Creek Indians in 1813. www.fortmims.org

Dragon Boat FestivalMontgomery, Aug. 24 Riverfront Park. Competing teams raise money for local charities, Bridge Build-ers Alabama and Rebuilding Together Central Alabama. First race starts at 8:30 a.m. Food, entertainment. www.montgomerydrag-onboat.org/

AlAbAmA’s August Festivals

www.primemontgomery.com | August 2013

A road trip to Mobile’s Battle House Renaissance Hotel & Spa is the perfect romantic getaway. In this legendary AAA Four Diamond Hotel, you can celebrate The Year of Alabama Food with a gourmet supper at the award-winning Trellis Room. Or relax at The Spa at The Battle House, a spectacular 10,000-square-foot Zen-like oasis. When you’re ready to explore Alabama’s 300-year-old port city, you’re just steps away from the entertainment district, the Carnival Museum and the History Museum of Mobile. Be sure to take time to savor the scented blooms at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, one of the South’s most storied estates. Whether you pack jeans or jewelry, your romantic memories will linger long after Mobile disappears in the rearview mirror.

N U M B E R 3N U M B E R 3N U M B E R 3


Arlene Morris

iN EvEry lifE

As families prepare for the coming school year, back to school “shots” may be on the to-do list. Grandpar-

ents often have influential roles in decisions made by family members. Grandparents can bring up discussions of diseases and en-courage parents to carefully consider the risks of non-vaccination vs. benefits of vaccination at suggested ages. Parents can collaborate with healthcare providers to consider

the individual needs of children, while addressing ways to prevent risks to the family and their community.

“I remember when...” included in con-versations, reveals a bit of reminiscence. However, references to lived experi-ences also provide perspective from another time in history and deci-sions made during those life events. Memories from parents or grandparents can involve experi-ences of contagious “usual child-hood diseases”. These included chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza. Other dreaded, although not “usual,” contagious infections included diph-theria, typhus, typhoid, whooping cough (pertus-sis), scarlet or rheumatic fever, pneumonia, tetanus, smallpox, and fear of the paralyzing effects of polio.

Most families had members or friends who suffered or perhaps died from one of these diseases. Younger generations do not have a sense of the potential serious effects from these diseases because vaccination efforts during the past six decades have resulted in near eradication in the U.S. and many other countries. However, photos and descriptions of the suffering involved are available on the internet. Other diseases that continue to pose a threat, yet have available vaccinations, include hepatitis (A&B), meningitis, rotavirus, human papillovirus, pneumonia, influ-enza, and shingles.

Recommendations for vaccinations accord-ing to three age groups are available from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC; see sidebar). They include descriptions of the diseases, how the diseases spread, symptoms and possible complications.

Alternate forms for some vaccinations may be available, including inhaled or liquid forms. Asking if children and

care providers at in-home care, daycare facilities or

church nurseries have been vac-cinated helps to assess potential

risks to children, adults, family, and communities. Additionally, actions can

speak louder than words. Adults who follow vaccination schedules can moti-vate by example.Updates for influenza, tetanus, pneumo-

nia, pertussis, or a zoster vaccination to protect against severe shingles effects can benefit adults and limit potential spread to family members.

A recent study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine (online July 10, 2013) indi-cated pneumonia vaccine used in the U.S. beginning in 2000 prevented 168,000 hospitalizations each year since, while the pneumonia vaccine for people age 85 or older prevented 73,000 hospitalizations annually. Also, hospitalizations for children under age two were reduced 43 percent, preventing an estimated 47,000 pneumonia hospitalizations per year. Ad-

ditional benefits include decreases in ear infec-tions, outpatient visits, and deaths. The reduction in hospitalization rates for older ages occurred even though children were the group routinely vaccinated against pneumonia, showing that a vaccine for children can also serve to protect adults by decreasing risk of spread.

Arlene H. Morris, EdD, RN, CNE is Professor of Nurs-ing, Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing. Reach her at [email protected].

Back-to-School Shots

Recommended immunizations:Birth throuGh 6 years

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/child.html

7-to-18 years

at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/who/teens/downloads/parent-version-schedule-7-

18yrs.pdf

adults

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/down-loads/adult/adult-schedule-easy-read.pdf


PriME viNtagE

Independence Day is behind us, and though summer may appear to be winding down, it remains full of barbe-cues, hikes, and lazy days at the pool, lake or beach. Many of us are itching to leave town, eager to spend time away from work and escape from it all. Wine enthusiasts are fortunate in that we get to go somewhere virtually

every night. Food, wine, and spirits expert Anthony Dias Blue put it this way: “Wine is a passport to the world.”Consider Muscadet, a French white wine produced around the city of Nantes, where the Loire River flows into

the Atlantic Ocean. Made from a grape called “Melon de Bourgogne,” the wines are marked by subtle-yet-precise aromas of apples, limes, and seawater. Thanks to extended contact with the dead yeast cells left over after fermen-tation, Muscadet is also known for exhibiting a creamy mouthfeel.

Nantes’ local cuisine takes full advantage of the Loire River and the Atlantic, so unsurprisingly, these wines are perfect with shellfish and seafood dishes.

I’ve never been to Nantes, but every time I open a bottle of Muscadet, I’m taken to the coast of western France – and find myself craving mussels and fries.

Similarly, whenever I sip Australian Shiraz, I picture myself at a campfire in the Outback with a giant slab of beef. The list goes on. Rioja inspires visions of a tapas crawl in the Spanish city of Logroño. When I drink Fiano -- a

crisp, Italian white -- I find myself in southern Italy enjoying a fresh caprese salad. Beer might be the most popular pairing for bratwurst, but when I drink Riesling, I envision myself in Germany enjoying pan-fried sausage over sau-erkraut with spicy mustard. Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc takes me back to those perfect evenings I’ve had in wine country dining al fresco with friends.

Wine is also a connection to the past. I’ll never forget the evening some friends and I opened a perfectly cellared bottle of Bordeaux from 1919. For starters, the wine still had life in it – savory, dark fruit was backed by notes of roasted nuts, eucalyptus, and

cedar. More importantly, though, the wine inspired a conversation about the lives of those who made it. The Treaty

of Versailles was signed in 1919, officially ending World War I. So that wine was made while cleaning up from the wreckage of the first global war and hoping for a brighter future.

That experience can easily be replicated. Many fortified wines – think Port and Madeira – can literally age for centuries. Opening one is like opening a time capsule.

This romanticism – the understanding that wine is a window to other places and cultures – isn’t unique. A few years ago, I interviewed David Denton, a wine educator and sommelier in Washington, D.C. In explaining how he developed his passion for wine, Denton eloquently summarized this very concept.

"Wine is like travel in a bottle," he explained. "For the cost of a bottle of wine, you can escape to somewhere exotic. You can get lost in the label, thinking about where the wine came from and who made it."

Vacation season may be winding down for many, but if you’re into wine, there’s no need to wait for a particular time of year to have an adventure.

David White is the founder and editor of Terroirist.com, which was named “Best Overall Wine Blog” at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards. His columns are housed at Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine (www.PalatePress.com).

Travel in a BottleBy David White


tiNsEltowN talks

Over the last 60 years, long-time Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne has interviewed just about every Hollywood star imaginable – a dream job any classic movie fan would envy. He dabbled briefly in acting, including the

1962 pilot episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, but became a journalist for the Hol-lywood Reporter. After accepting an offer as temporary host for an entertain-ment segment on CBS in New York, he fell in love with the city and TV, and

has remained in both ever since. Osborne’s movie knowledge and relaxed interview style has made him the “rock star” of classic film audiences.

“I like to think they are more ‘conversations’,” he said of his approach to interviewing. “I do my research before an interview, and will have one or two questions to get started. Then I let it flow from there. For example, when I

interviewed Peter O’Toole for a TCM Film Festival, he really led the conver-sation with his interesting stories and even talked about his time in the navy, which he said he had never spoken about before.”

Osborne is not surprised with the continued popularity of classic films.“The world seems so full of chaos these days and we’re con-

stantly bombarded with depressing news,” he said. “TCM has come to be an oasis for its viewers because many of the movies are from an era where films left you with a positive feeling. Even in dramas, the good guy would usu-ally win.”

Good guys and villains, Osborne has known most. But there are a handful he wishes he’d interviewed.

“I’d love to have interviewed the Robert Taylors and Tyrone Powers of the world,” he said. “I never met Greta Garbo, and am actually glad because I was afraid if I did the illusion about her would have been lost.”

Without hesitation, he lists his most difficult interview as Robert Mitchum.

“We had him do a Private Screenings inter-view,” said Osborne, “and at lunchtime he was quite chatty – a great raconteur and talker. But as soon as we went on camera, he’d clam up! I asked him ‘When you first met Jane Russell, what was your impression of her?’ He said, ‘Don’t remember.’ I asked ‘Which of your movies would

be the best representative of your work?’ He answered, ‘You decide.’ He was deliberately being a

scoundrel!”Anyone who watches Osborne’s TCM film introduc-

tions has probably heard him say a hundred times “this is one of my favorite films….” But if stranded on a desert island with just one film to watch over and over, which

Robert OsborneBy Nick Thomas

A Definite Classic:


would he choose? “Probably ‘Singin’

in the Rain,’” he said after a brief pause. “Because the music would cheer me up, with one great number after another. It’s funny, and wonderfully entertaining.”

Not surprisingly, with his connection to film, Osborne is also a bit of a col-lector.

“I collect movie posters, but now really have pretty much everything I want,” along with other interesting memorabilia. “I also have an Oscar! I can’t say which one, but it was pre-1949 and was awarded to an art director.”

His numerous celebrity encounters almost beg for an auto-biography.

“I’m not thinking about a book,” he said, “and the main rea-son is because I’m still writing so much for TCM. If I had any

free time, spending it behind a com-puter would not be very appealing right now. However, I did write ‘80 Years of the Oscar’ in 2008 and I’ve been think-ing it’s about time to do an update.”

Meeting Osborne confirmed what his fans have long suspected: he really seems to be that genuine, soft-spo-ken, modest host we see on screen each week.

“I’m flattered that people enjoy what I do and it’s amazing how many people

are so passionate about the classics.”

Nick Thomas teaches at AUM. His features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of “Raised by the Stars,” published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com.

6268 Atlanta HighwayMontgomery AL334-356-4662

Mr. Gus’ RistoranteM o n t g o m e r y ’ s F i n e s t

I t a l i a n & G r e e k C u i s i n e

Tuesday-Friday 11 am - 2:30 pm

4:30 - 9 pm

Saturday *6 am - 2 pm4:30 - 9 pm

* W h e r e M o n t g o m e r y m e e t s f o r S a t u r d a y b r e a k f a s t .

W i n a $ 2 5 G i f t C e r t i f i c a t e !

What ’s your favor i te meal at Mr. Gus’?Fi l l out an entry form at the register

and you could win a $25 Gi f t Cer t i f icate!


fEaturE

For those of us who grew up in the years between the Great Depres-sion and WWII, our minor childhood discomforts were often allevi-ated by homely teas and salves concocted from fresh or dried herbs

gathered from yard and garden. And when faced with a fussy or feverish child, our mothers were more likely to call Grandma than summon the fam-ily doctor. Tummy-aches were soothed with steaming cups of peppermint or chamomile tea, and many a headache disappeared with the application of a cold cloth steeped in fragrant lavender. Bee stings and bug bites were instantly eased with crushed plantain leaves or a smashed clove of garlic. (Garlic oil capsules are a convenient way to keep this effective remedy in your first aid kit. Simply puncture the capsule and apply the oil directly to the sting or bite, being careful not to get the oil in your eyes.)

Our mothers’ and grandmothers’ kitchens, redolent with scents of sage, rosemary, basil and thyme, reflected a long-standing tradition of using herbs for medicinal purposes as well as incorporating these familiar culinary ingre-dients in nourishing soups, delicious sauces and fragrant gravies. A plethora of fresh herbs – cilantro, parsley, tender beet leaves and a host of others gleaned from sheltered kitchen gardens – It wasn’t until many years later, as an adult in my own kitchen, that augmented springtime salads of fresh, tender dandelion greens and fern tendrils.

Montgomerians are fortunate to have an active Herb Society whose mem-bers are dedicated to promoting medicinal and culinary usage of local herbs.

TheLure Loveof Herbs&

By Janet Adams


Each year the Society holds an Herb Day cel-ebration in Old Alabama Town in downtown Montgomery. (Visit them on Facebook at Old Alabama Town Herb Society.)

Starting your own herb garden can be as simple as picking up a few plants at a local nursery or supermarket. Plant them in a suitable container placed in a sunny spot on a deck, balcony or entryway. Growing herbs from seeds – pref-erably organic – may take a little longer, but assures a steady supply of tender, young leaves such as basil and cilantro for kitchen use. Visit www.safeguardseeds.com and check out their extensive listing of organic seeds. Within each herb family there are distinct varietals, so do some online research to determine the ones best suited to your culinary or medici-nal needs.

I like to plant two or more va-rieties of basil and oregano, for example, and several friends told me one of the mints they grow is chocolate-flavored! I recently ran across a recipe for strawberry basil ice cream in the April/May 2012 issue of Herb Com-panion magazine. Just as soon as my newly-planted basil is ready to pick, I intend to try it!

One of the most in-formative websites on herb gathering and growing is that of The Southern Herbalist, Darryl Patton, who was among the speakers during Herb Day at Old Alabama Town this past May (www.thesouthernherbalist.com). Darryl offers publications on recogni-tion and use of herbs found in the wild as

well as information on cultivating herbs. You can also sign up for weekend courses on herbs and survival in the wild conducted by Patton at various locations near Gadsden, AL.

Among the numerous reference books available on herbs, Rosemary Gladstar’s

Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health published by Storey Books, 2008, is a

straightforward, easily understood, comprehensive

guide for neophyte or advanced herb enthusiast. Gladstar, an internationally recognized author, speaker and master herbalist, au-thored another book I treasure:

Medicinal Herbs for Beginners (Storey, 2012),Newcomers to the world of herbs may

not realize many herbal plants make colorful, fragrant bouquets. Anise, a member of the mint family, has an intriguing licorice scent

and lovely lavender flowers. Bergamot, another mint family mem-ber, has bright, shaggy flowers growing in whorls around the stem. Calen-

dula’s tall stems of yellow or orange flowers are a

cheerful contrast to the pebbly, grey-green leaves of

Salvia (sage). For more info on flowering herbs see The Flower

Farmer, written and published by Lynn Byczynski, 2008, who loves to fill her home with unusual groupings of

fragrant herbals.Perhaps these brief paragraphs will serve

as an introduction to the fascinating world of herbs and will encourage readers to explore the many ways homegrown and wildcrafted herbs can enhance their daily lives.


fEaturE

“When one person has a chronic sleep disorder, the whole family suffers.”

Dog-tired?Try these tips.


More than 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, resulting in $18 billion lost to employers due to sleep loss

issues. The long hours of summer can also contrib-ute to trouble falling asleep.

"The inability to get a good night's sleep can be a complex issue, and is not as simple to cure as tell-ing people to count sheep," says John Wilson, MD, neurologist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital (Loyola University Health System).

Wilson regularly works with the sleep lab to diagnose patients with chronic sleep issues. His colleague, Omar Hussain, DO, is a pulmonologist at Gottlieb and board certified in sleep medicine.

"Many societal trends such as working from home or swing shift workers,” says Hussain, “have economic-based lifestyles that prevent regular sleep patterns."

Obesity, recently declared a disease by the American Medical Association, has a direct link to poor sleep, says Ashley Barrient, RD, who counsels patients at the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care. Wilson, Hussain and Barrient of-fer some healthful tips on how to get a better night's sleep.

Relax - Start quieting down and relaxing at least one hour before bedtime, and don't exercise or engage in vigorous activities.

Darken the room - Close the curtains or blinds; darkness is conducive to sleep.

Diminish noise - Use a sound machine to create white noise or experiment with soothing noises such as rain or the lap of waves.

Turn off the handheld devices - The need to text and email is a real problem for many when it comes

to sleep. Turn the electronic device off and put it in another room. That way, if you wake up in the middle of the night, you don't automatically reach for the phone but instead turn over and fall back asleep.

Create a comfortable environment - A consis-tent room temperature, bedding, mattress and even sleepwear should all be appropriate to the season and comfortable.

Go to the bathroom - Waking up to use the bathroom is a complaint of many. Don’t eat or drink several hours before bed to avoid sleep interrup-tions from toileting.

Check medications - Some people who take medi-cations before bed may do better to take them in the morning when they wake up or vice versa. Talk to your physician about changing your pill dosing schedule.

Write it down - Jot down worries, future er-rands or simply what is on your mind before bed. This helps to allay anxieties, organize thoughts and prepare for sleep.

Read a magazine - Lighter content and shorter articles are ideal. Many like entertainment and celebrity-focused magazines as quick bedtime reads.

Have a regular routine - Try and go to bed at the same time every night to build routine and consistency.

Limit animals - Pets may be comforting and com-panionable, but if they move in the night and make noise, they disturb sleep.

Partner with your partner - Talk to those you live with and share your strategies. You need to get the cooperation of those in the entire household to be successful.

Reserve the bedroom - Train the body and mind to associate the bedroom with relaxation and sleep, not watching TV, playing games or exercising.

Stick with the new routine - You may not change sleeping patterns overnight, so give it a few weeks to acclimate your mind and body and establish the new habits.

Don’t eat, drink alcohol, watch TV or play electronic games before bedtime. If you have to have something, try a small cup of hot chamomile or other decaffeinated tea. Alcohol does induce sleep but it is not restorative sleep. If you awaken in the middle of the night, do NOT turn on the TV.

Many people with sleep-ing disorders undergo sleep studies and are diagnosed with chronic sleep apnea, a condition treatable with a variety of medical devices.

"Often it is the partner of the person with sleep-ing troubles who cannot stand the snoring or the irritability and issues an ultimatum for the person to get help," says Wilson. "When one person has a chronic sleep disorder, the whole family suffers."

Reprinted from material provided by Loyola University Health System as reported by ScienceDaily, July, 2013

(http://www.sciencedaily.com).


4255 Carmichael Court N.Montgomery • 334-277-9111

8007 U. S. Highway 231Wetumpka • 334-567-9111

Roy T. Hager, M.D., F.A.C.S. | James D. Izer, M.D.Jeffrey M. Healey, M.D. | Richard M. Murphy, O.D.

*For a free copy of ITEC’s Viewpoint newsletter call 334-277-9111.

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Digital Age E Y EF A C T S

• Sit 25” from the screen.• Position the screen so your gaze is slightly downward.• Practice 20/20: shift your eyes to an object 20 ft. away every 20 min.• Use artificial tears when your eyes feel dry.• BLINK! When working at a computer, we blink 1/2 as much as normally.• Light the area properly (not too much contrast); use a screen filter.

Tips to help minimizeeyestrain caused by long

hours at the computer.

craftEr’s corNEr

I think you’ll agree with me – there’s nothing quite like a

Southern summer. The warm breeze, the flick-er of a thousand fire-flies, and the constant hum of the cicadas, the sound track to many a peaceful summer night.

Although we have to contend with the heat

(which, unlike the rest of the country, doesn’t seem to be that bad this year), there’s nothing like having a get-together with friends and family in the back yard.

If you’re thinking about having folks over for a back-yard party, or possibly an evening wedding reception outside, decorations are key. Nothing too fancy, because we all know the food will draw all the attention. No, you want some-thing that will accent the simplicity – and beauty – of the Southern summer. That’s where this month’s craft comes in.

Mason Jar Candle Glasses are the perfect addition to any table or center-piece (not to mention SUPER easy to put together).

materials Needed: Mason Jar, floating candle, water, string or ribbon, scissors.

You can get the jars and candles at a craft store. If you’re doing a significant quantity for a wedding or big party, con-sider ordering from a wholesale crafting supplier online. Also, unless your candles are small, the larger jars are easier to use. (I meant what I wrote regarding simplicity.)

Tie colorful ribbon or string around the lip of the jar. If the jar is big enough, add rocks or pebbles - from a craft store or creek shore - to the bottom. Colored marbles also work well.

Fill the jar one-third to one-half with water, depending on how big it is. And, TA

Mason Jar

Candles

DA! – you’re done.The jars provide an accent of color,

and the soft glow of the candle flame will add a definite sparkle to your eve-ning party.

Callie Corley began crafting when she was old enough to hold a pencil, squeeze a glue bottle, and use a pair of scissors. If you have craft ideas to share, send instructions and photos to [email protected].

Callie Corley


MoNEywisE

In recent months you have probably seen advertisements

by certain investment houses suggesting that they have the ability to uniquely protect their clients from losses when the market declines. The inference is that these advisors have some special

insight about the direction markets will take in the short-term, enabling them to move into and out of asset classes at the optimal time. Although research has consistently shown that the skill to ef-fectively time the market exists mainly in the imagination, some people continue to chase the possibility.

Hollywood has made much, through the years, about the advantage of know-ing the future (for instance the TV series Early Edition and the film Back to the Fu-ture II). The reality is that no one knows what will happen an hour from now, let alone days or weeks hence. As much as investment advisors wish they could anticipate what the market or some segment of it will do in the near future, no system has yet been devised to make consistently accurate predictions about the short-term.

This fact raises the question: What should you expect from an investment advisor? What can an advisor actually do for you? A few observations come to mind, and while this list is only a sample, it may help you to form realistic expecta-tions and find an advisor who acknowl-edges his limitations. After all, it can be dangerous to rely on someone who believes he can do something he cannot.

Investment advisors cannot control the direction of the market. An advisor cannot make your account go up in value when the markets you are invested in go down. To get growth in your portfolio, you must own assets offering growth po-tential. These same assets will necessarily expose you to the risk of unexpected declines in value. No investment offers above-average returns with below-aver-

age risk. Investment advisors cannot

accurately predict short-term market moves. While the long-term trend of stocks over time has consis-tently been toward higher values, the market has declined (often suddenly) over many shorter periods that are part of the long-term trend. No one has demonstrated that they are able to accu-rately predict what the market will do from one day to the next. Many interesting stories have been written about people who have tried, showing that the results of their efforts underperform the market.

Investment advisors can help you control risk by adding less risky assets to your portfolio. Including lower-volatility assets in your account, known as diver-sification, provides a buffer against the larger value swings of assets with greater growth potential. An advisor can help you evaluate your objectives and risk toler-ance as a backdrop for building a port-folio that achieves your goals without causing you to lie awake at night.

Investment advisors cannot always protect clients against their own choices. Clients make their own decisions, some-times ignoring the counsel they receive. If a client insists that he will only be satisfied with higher returns and is com-fortable with more risk, an advisor will probably rely on what the client says. If a client is enamored of a stock or other pet asset and insists that it be included in his account, an advisor may acquiesce, even if it not something that he would recommend or be comfortable with aside from the client pressing the issue.

Investment advisors can help clients stick with an appropriate plan when

the market passes through a temporary storm. A well-designed portfolio will tend to recover from temporary drops when the market turns up again. Clients often benefit from professional hand-holding when markets turn ugly.

Investment advice is offered on a best-efforts basis. Unfortunately, advisors cannot guarantee their clients a favorable outcome or a particular result. Some-times the best decisions are undermined by circumstances beyond human control, at least for a period of time. More often than not, however, a disciplined approach to investment management over multiple market cycles should result in investment objectives being reached.

As I have said in a prior column, relying on honest advisors is critical. An honest advisor will understand what he can and cannot do. Beware of advisors offering assurances or promises that are unrealis-tic. Some of the best advice you can ever follow is: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Run, don’t walk, away.

Alan Wallace, CFA, ChFC, CLU is a Senior Fi-nancial Advisor for Ronald Blue & Co.’s Mont-gomery office, www.ronblue.com/location-al. He can be reached at 334-270-5960, or by e-mail at [email protected].

“No investment offersabove-average returns with below-average risk.”

Great Expectations

Alan Wallace


Marci’s Medicare Answers august 2013

Dear Marci,Does Medicare cover shots and vaccines? — JobDear Job,

Yes, Medicare covers some shots and vaccines. However, the way Medicare covers them depends on which shot or vaccine you need.

Medicare Part D, also known as the Medicare prescrip-tion drug benefit, covers most shots and vaccines that you get. However, Medicare Part B, the medical insurance part of Medicare, may cover certain shots and vaccines in some situations. Specifically, Part B covers vaccines to prevent the flu, pneumonia and hepatitis B. Keep in mind that Part B will cover your hepatitis B shot only if you are at medium-to-high risk for hepatitis B. If you are at low risk for hepatitis B, your shot will be covered under Part D.

Medicare Part B also covers shots, after you have been exposed to a dangerous virus or disease. For example, if you step on a rusty nail, Medicare Part B will cover your tetanus shot to treat the spread of the tetanus bacteria.

All other shots or vaccines, other than the ones mentioned above, are generally covered under Part D. Medicare Part D plans must include all commercially available vaccines on their formulary, or list of covered drugs, including the vaccine for shingles. Before you get a shot or vaccine, check with your Part D plan to see where you should get your shot at the lowest cost.

Dear Marci, I am signing up for Medicare for the first time. What is the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit? — Carrie

Dear Carrie,The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is a one-time, preventive

visit with a doctor or health care provider that occurs within the first 12 months of your enrollment into Medicare Part B, the medical insurance part of Medicare. The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is not a routine, head-to-toe physical exam. Rather, it is a preventive visit designed to map out your health care needs and create a preventive plan to keep you healthy.

During your “Welcome to Medicare” visit, your doctor or health care provider may:n Review your medical and social historyn Check your height, weight and blood pressuren Create a personalized plan to prevent disease based on

your current health and risk factorsn Counsel you on potential risk factors and educate you

on other preventive services covered by Medicare

If you have Original Medicare, the traditional Medicare pro-gram administered directly through the federal government, then you may pay nothing for the visit as long as you see a doctor who accepts Medicare and takes assignment. A doctor who takes assignment accepts the Medicare-approved amount for a service as full payment. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare private health plan, you should contact your plan to see what rules and costs apply. All Medi-care Advantage plans must cover the same preventive services that Original Medicare does and will generally do so as long as you follow the plan’s rules.

Keep in mind that costs may apply if you receive additional services or screenings during the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. It may be helpful to ask your doctor whether you have only received the Medicare-covered preventive visit or if any additional services were provided..Marci's Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center, the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for Medicare recipients. Visit www.medicarerights.org to subscribe to “Dear Marci’s” free educational newsletter.


MEdicarE

Every day about 8,000 Baby Boomers turn 65, qualify for Medicare, but don’t understand their health care options.

Remember the first time Paul McCartney sang “When I’m 64?” Hard as it may be for some to realize, the first wave of Beatle fans have reached that once-un-imaginable milestone and stand on the threshold of qualifying for Medicare on their 65th birthday.

True to form, the generation that has gone through life believing it’s invincible hasn’t given much thought to Medicare. Indeed, research from the National Asso-ciation of Insurance Commissioners has found that about two-thirds of boom-ers aren’t familiar with the program’s options. That’s cause for concern. If you don’t understand the fundamentals of Medicare, you can’t make informed decisions about your health care. So here’s the short course – call it Medicare 101. Medicare comes in four parts.

Part A: covers hospital stays, skilled-nursing care, home health services and hospice care. You won’t pay a monthly premium for Part A if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes during your working years.

Part B: covers doctor visits, preventive services, outpatient hospital care and medical equip-ment. You’ll pay a monthly premium for Part B -- $104.90 for new enrollees this year. If your income is higher than $85,000 as an individual or $170,000 as a couple, you’ll pay a higher premium.

Because Original Medicare usually pays for most, but not all, of a patient’s health care costs, you may consider shopping for additional coverage or for help with the out-of-pocket expenses that Medicare doesn’t pay for.

Part C: the option to join a Medicare Advantage health plan sold by private insurers. In addition to the services that Original Medicare covers, Medi-care Advantage plans usually offer extra benefits, like dental, hearing and vision care. Most include drug coverage. The plans may also charge a separate monthly premium on top of the Part B premium.

Part D: to cover your prescriptions, you’ll need to buy a Part D drug plan from one of the private insurance companies in the business. The monthly premium, annual deductible and

other out-of-pocket costs will vary according to the particular plan you choose.

As an alternative to a Medicare Advantage plan, you can supplement your Medicare coverage by buying

“Medigap” insurance. In return for a monthly or quarterly premium, the private policies fill many of the “gaps” for deductibles, co-

payments, co-insurance and other charges not picked up by Medicare.

Besides mastering the ABC’s and D’s of Medicare, you’ll need to know what to do to get your benefits. That’ll depend on whether you’re already collecting Social Security.

If you’re on Social Security, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Medicare’s Part A and Part B. About three months before your 65th birthday, you’ll get a Medicare card and letter in the mail explaining that your monthly Part B premium will be

deducted from your Social Security check.You’ll have the option of declining Part B

coverage. But unless you have health care coverage through your or your spouse’s current employer, delaying enrollment in Part B could result in a penalty – in the form of a higher monthly premium -- when you do sign up later.

There’s also a penalty for joining a Part D drug plan later.

If you’re not on Social Security when you turn 65, you’ll need to sign up for Medicare yourself. The Social Security Administration, which is responsible for enrolling most people in the health insurance program, says you can start the process about three months before your 65th birthday.

Don’t fret. It’s not hard. There’s a new online application that takes less than

10 minutes to complete. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov and click on “Re-tirement/Medicare.” Or, if you don’t

want to apply online, you can make an appoint-ment by calling 1-800-772-1213.

This was just the short course. For more detailed infor-mation about Medicare, get a free copy of the “Medicare & You” handbook. You can download it at www.medicare.gov or request a copy by calling Medicare’s toll-free help line at 1-800-633-4227.

Bob Moos is Southwest public affairs officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Medicare ABC’s (and D’s)


social sEcurity

Kylle’ McKinney

Your Questions, AnsweredThese are a few of the nu-

merous questions received at the Social Security office.

Question: What are the limits on what I can own to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? Can I have money in the bank, a car, and a furnished house?

Answer: We count real estate, bank accounts, cash, stocks, and bonds toward the resource

limits on what you can own. You may be able to get SSI if your resources are worth no more than $2,000. A couple may be able to get SSI if they have resources worth no more than $3,000. Keep in mind that we usually don’t count the house you live in, personal items such as furniture and clothing, or the car you drive. If you own valuable property you are trying to sell, you may be able to get SSI while trying to sell it. You can find out more about SSI by going to www.socialsecurity.gov and selecting the “SSI” tab at the top of the page.

Q: How do I apply for Social Security disability benefits?

A: There are two ways that you can apply for disability benefits. You can:

1. Apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov; or2. Call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), to make an ap-pointment to file a disability claim at your local Social Security office or to set up an appointment for someone to take your claim over the telephone.

If you schedule an appointment, we will mail a Disability Starter Kit to you. The kit will help you get ready for your disability claim interview. If you are applying online or want to get started on the kit right away, it is available online at www.socialse-curity.gov/disability.

Q: My doctor said he thinks I’m disabled. Who decides if I meet the requirements for Social Security disability benefits?

A: We first will review your application to make sure you meet some basic requirements for

Social Security disability benefits, such as whether you worked enough years to qualify. Then we will send your application to the disability determi-nation services office in your state, often called the “DDS” or “state agency.” Your state agency completes the disability decision for us. Doctors and disability specialists in the state agency ask your doctors for information about your condi-tion. They consider all the facts in your case. They use the medical evidence from your doctors and hospitals, clinics, or institutions where you have been treated and all other information.

The state agency staff may need more medi-cal information before they can decide if you are disabled. If more information is not available from your current medical sources, the state agency may ask you to go for a special examination. We prefer to ask your own doctor, but sometimes the exam may have to be done by someone else. Social Security will pay for the exam and for some of the related travel costs. Learn more about dis-ability benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability.

Q: Who can get Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug coverage?

A: If you receive Medicare and have limited income and resources, you may be eligible for Extra Help — Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage — to pay for the costs (monthly premi-ums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-pay-ments) related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. To qualify for Extra Help, you must reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Your resources must be limited to $13,300 for an individual or $26,580 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources. Your annual in-come must be limited to $17,235 for an individual or $23,265 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.

Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Part II


65th Annual Labor Day BBQ & Greek Pastry SaleMonday, September 2nd • 9 a.m. until Sold Out

$10 Chicken or Pork Plate$10 Camp Stew Quarts

$12 Lamb PlatePlates include Camp Stew,

Slaw, Bread

• Drive-Thru• Eat In

• Take Out

Call 334-263-1366 for tickets/info

Greek Orthodox ChurchCorner of Mt. Meigs & Capitol Parkway________

________

________

________________


fiNaNcial

Many Alabamians are seeking to rebuild nest eggs damaged by the recession or frustrated with low

interest rates on savings. Our senior citizens are particularly

susceptible to speculative investments that can often turn a promise for profit into thin air. Knowledge, attention to detail and a healthy sense of skepticism are all weapons to fight investment fraud.

Here is a list of common invest-ment traps:n Oil & Gas Schemes. Fraud-

ulent energy promoters continue to capitalize both on interest in the commodity and on oil and gas as investment alternatives to the stock market. Oil and gas investments tend to be highly risky and unsuit-able for traditional, smaller investors who cannot afford the risk. Securities investments offering profit participation in oil and gas ventures can be legitimate, but even when the underlying project is genuine, any revenues realized can be absorbed by high sales commissions and dubious “expenses” skimmed off by the managing partner.

n Green Schemes. Investment opportunities tied to the development of new energy-efficient “green” technolo-gies are increasingly popular with investors and scam-mers alike. Scammers also exploit headlines to cash in on unsuspecting investors, whether from investments related to the clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or the ris-ing national interest in environmental innovations tied to “clean” energy.

n Gold and Precious Metals. High gold prices have trapped some investors in gold bullion scams in which a seller offers to retain “purchased” gold in a “secure vault” and promises to sell the gold for the investor when it gains in value. In many instances the gold does not exist.

n Foreign Exchange Trading Schemes. Currency trading and foreign exchange (forex) trading schemes can be particu-larly harmful to unsuspecting investors. Trading in foreign currencies requires resources far beyond the capacity of most individual investors. Promoters profit by charging

high commissions or selling investment strategies assum-ing that trades are actually made. Too often, there are no trades; the money is simply stolen.

n Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). While ETFs resemble mutual funds in many respects, some, such as leveraged and inverse ETFs, may contain hidden traps and com-plexities, and may consist of highly leveraged bundles of exotic financial instruments, including options and other derivatives. These types of ETFs are primarily designed for short-term trading (such as day-trading), and not for buy-and-hold strategies.

Contact the ASC at 1-800-222-1253 with inquiries concerning securities broker-dealers, agents, invest-

ment advisers, investment adviser representa-tives, financial planners, registration status of

securities or debt management programs, to report suspected fraud or to obtain consumer information.

The ASC offers free investor educa-tion and fraud prevention materials in print, online and through educational

presentations, upon request.

Joseph Borg is Director of the Alabama Securities Commission. This article is provided by a generous

grant from the Investor Protection Trust:, www.investorprotection.org.

Hidden Investment Traps

Joseph Borg,

www.primemontgomery.com | August 2013

It may seem difficult for adults to understand what an infant is feeling, but a new study finds it’s so easy, a

baby could do it. Psychology Professor Ross Flom, Brigham Young University, published a study in the academic journal Infancy showing that infants can recognize each other’s emotions by five months of age. This comes on the heels of other research by Flom on infants’ ability to understand the moods of dogs, monkeys and classical music.

“Newborns can’t verbalize to their mom or dad that they are hungry or tired, so the first way they communi-cate is through affect or emotion,” says Flom. “Thus it is not surprising that in early development, infants learn to discriminate changes in affect.”

Infants can match emotion in adults at seven months and familiar adults at six months. In order to test infant’s perception of their peer’s emotions,

Flom and his team of researchers tested a baby’s ability to match emo-tional infant vocalizations with a similar infant facial expression.

“We found that 5 month old in-fants can match their peer’s positive and negative vocalizations with the appropriate facial expression,” says Flom. “This is the first study to show a matching ability with an infant this young. They are exposed to affect in a peer’s voice and face which is likely more familiar to them because it’s how they themselves convey or communi-cate positive and negative emotions.”

In the study, infants were seated in front of two monitors. One of the monitors displayed video of a happy, smiling baby while the other moni-tor displayed video of a second sad, frowning baby. When audio was played of a third happy baby, the infant par-ticipating in the study looked longer to the video of the baby with positive facial expressions. The infant also was able to match negative vocalizations with video of the sad frowning baby. The audio recordings were from a third baby and not in sync with the lip movements of the babies in either

video.“These findings add to our under-

standing of early infant development by reiterating the fact that babies are highly sensitive to and comprehend some level of emotion,” says Flom. “Babies learn more in their first two-and-a-half years of life than they do the rest of their lifespan, making it critical to examine how and what young infants learn and how this helps them learn other things.”

Flom’s next step in studying infant perception is to run the experiments with a twist: test whether babies could do this at even younger ages if, instead, they were watching and hearing clips of themselves. And while the talking twin babies in this popular YouTube clip are older, it’s still a lot of fun to watch them babble at each other: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY.

Reprinted from material provided by Brigham Young University as reported by ScienceDaily, July, 2013 (http://www.sci-encedaily.com). The study was co-authored with Professor Lorraine Bahrick, Florida International University.

27

graNdParENts

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Infants & EmotIons

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fEaturE

A new study suggests healthy adults with late bedtimes and chronic sleep issues may be more susceptible to weight gain for a simple

reason: eating late. The study showed sleep-re-stricted subjects who spent only four hours in bed for five consecutive nights (typically 4-8 a.m.) gained more weight than subjects who were in bed for 10 hours each night (typically 10 p.m.-8 a.m.).

There was an overall increase in calorie intake during sleep restriction due to more meals being consumed late at night. In addition, the proportion of calories consumed from fat was higher during late-night hours than at other times of day. Previous studies have suggested an association between short sleep duration and weight gain/obesity, but this new study observed significant weight gain in controlled laboratory conditions.

The study was conducted in the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the Hospital of the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania, and appeared in the July issue

of the journal SLEEP. The study involved 225 healthy, non-obese individuals, 22 to 50 years old.

Meals were served at scheduled times, with food available to eat in the labo-

ratory kitchen at other times of day. Subjects could move around, were not allowed to exercise, but were permitted to watch TV, read, play video games or per-form other sedentary activities.

Among sleep-restricted subjects, there were also significant gender and race differences in weight gain. Afri-can Americans, at greater risk

for obesity and more likely to be habitual short sleepers, may

be more susceptible to weight gain in response to sleep restric-

tion.The American Academy of Sleep

Medicine reports that weight gain is a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea

(OSA), a common sleep illness that has a severe impact on health and quality of life.

The risk of OSA increases as the degree of additional weight increases, with an extremely high prevalence of OSA in people with morbid obesity.

Anyone who has experienced recent weight gain and has symptoms of OSA, such as loud and frequent snoring, should be evaluated by a board certified sleep medicine physician.

Reprinted from material provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine as reported by ScienceDaily, July, 2013 (http://www.sciencedaily.com).

Sleepless = Weight Gain


gaMEsACROSS1 Composes, as a telegram8 Render harmless, in a way14 Warranty contract fig.15 Hold 'em challenge16 Sniveled, "But I don't

wanna!"18 Flagrant felonies19 Moxie20 Puffin kin21 Damon and others22 Like runts23 River in a 1957 film title24 What much may follow25 Indigo Girls song, e.g.26 Fetches flies27 Common starting word28 Male mallards29 Treated like royalty33 Symbolic trees of Leba-

non34 Days in Durango35 Loosely arrange36 Like a souffle37 Scrapple meat41 Prefix with byte42 Pantry lineup43 Broadcast network44 Like the Opry?45 Brand of syrup

46 Beatles nonsense syl-lables

47 Take care of every last detail

50 Tennis great Goolagong51 Traces52 Puts new prices on53 He voiced curmudgeonly

Carl in "Up"

DOWN1 Azadi Tower city2 Barry Manilow's longtime

label3 Some Cote-d'Or reds4 Composer Saint-__5 Auto industry pioneer6 __-ball pens7 Flooring joint8 Unsportsmanlike9 Piccadilly Circus statue10 Critter to 8-Across,

perhaps11 Stare at the ceiling,

maybe12 Eased13 Sloppy greeting from a

puppy14 Guru17 Give up the ball

22 Tawny predator23 Kublai __25 A&W competitor26 Hindu titles27 __ mortals28 Time for action29 TV roving reporter's opening30 Words of reluctance31 County with grapes on its seal32 Finds cool, man33 Storage for jewel cases36 British peer37 Offer to a bunch of hitchhikers38 Valencia, for one39 Not as well-done40 __ Kringle42 Makes fun of43 Picks the locks for, perhaps45 "__ Fu Panda": 2008 animated film46 Greek high point48 It was Genentech's stock ticker symbol,

aptly49 20-volume ref.

© 2013 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Crossword answers on page 28.

Sudoku answers on page 26.


If your exercise routine is getting a little stale, it’s time for some interval training workouts. These interval training work-

outs combine periods of lighter exercise with bursts of more intense exercise. You get faster results without knocking your-self out. It’s a great way to jump-start your body again and keep your exercise program fresh.

You can apply the same interval workout routine in the water as well as on land.

Here’s a simple interval-walking, jogging or swimming pro-gram that will help you get and stay in shape. You will need a watch (waterproof if used in the water).

Start walking, or swimming, at a slow pace for the first 5 minutes to warm-up, help elevate your core body tempera-ture and increase blood flow to your working muscles.

Pick up the pace for the next three minutes so you start to feel more effort but can still carry on a conversation com-fortably. Then pick up more speed for a one-minute interval; either faster walking, a light jog or faster swim. Return to your comfortable conversation pace for three minutes. Alter-nate between three and one minute intervals of faster walking or swimming un-til you are able to sustain about 30-40 minutes 4-5 days a week.

I like to mix up my own interval training workouts alternating the days to get the most variety and training. For instance, do the walking /jog-ging interval workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then do the swimming interval workout on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Either way, you’ll find yourself enjoying your inter-val workouts more, increasing your fitness level, and looking forward to your next interval training workout.

Have fun, and remember, you can be Fabulous Forever!

Mirabai Holland M.F.A., a leading authority in the Health & Fitness industry and a public health activist, specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work (www.mirabaiholland.com).

Interval Training

Workouts

MoviNg frEE® with Mirabai

Mirabai Holland

The River Region’s Professional Ballet Company

MONTGOMERY

Darren McIntyre,Artistic Director

The Montgomery Ballet

Tickets:etix.com or 1-800-514-3849Information:334-409-0522

montgomeryballet.org

Ballet and the Beasts, Sept 27Montgomery Zoo

The Phantom of the Opera, Oct. 11-13Davis Theatre

Masquerade Ball, Sept. 20Location TBA

Performance on the Green, Oct. 18Maxwell AFB

Military Appreciation Gala

Monster Mash, Oct 25The Courtyard

Christmas Spectacular, Dec. 7, 8Davis Theatre

The Nutcracker, Dec. 13-15Davis Theatre

Sugar Plum Fairy Party, Dec. 14, 15Davis Theatre

(Following the performances)


PriME divErsioNs

Oz the Great and Powerful, The Place Beyond the Pines & Jack the Giant Slayer

Recent dvd releases

Mark Glass

Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) This overlong prequel to the classic

Wizard of Oz offers much to admire, but more to regret. Its new screenplay gives us the backstory on how the Wizard wound up there before Dorothy blew into town for her famous adventure.

With the resources of the Disney empire and Sam Raimi at the helm, one might expect another fantasy for the ages. One would be severely disappointed.

James Franco stars as Oz, a cheesy magician in a seedy little traveling carnival in 1905 Kansas. He has no scruples about conning the rubes, or trying to seduce the local lovelies. While fleeing from an irate husband in a hot air balloon, a tornado swoops him up to the not-so-merry old land of Oz, where he’s believed to be the wizard of prophesy to free the kingdom from the clutches of an evil witch. As in the original, the Kansas setup is filmed in black & white, creating a stunning contrast when he reaches the colorful splendor of the main action.

The place is up for grabs among three witchy sisters (Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams) who are variably good or wicked. One kilt their pa, the kindly king who is mourned by the nice folk of the land. This “wizard” is actually more cowardly than Bert Lahr's lion; and whatever heart he may have beyond Jack Haley’s Tin Man is dwarfed by his avarice.

The visuals are truly spectacular - especially in the climactic confrontation sequence. But there’s not enough meat in the script for well over two hours of running time. Besides that, Franco mugs his way through the worst performance of his ca-reer, other than last year’s dreadful job of co-hosting The Oscars.

Parents should be aware that this is a darker, scarier adven-ture than Judy Garland’s journey, with less offsetting cuteness and music. It could easily have been rated PG-13. Keep that in mind, along with relative attention-spans, when deciding which kids to invite to watch this move.

Where were Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter when they were needed?

The Place Beyond the Pines (R) This ambitious, lengthy drama tries for

essentially a trilogy of overlapping tales, as the action shifts from one principal and time to another. Ryan Gosling opens as a motorcycle stunt rider on the carnival circuit. On one stop he sees a local lass he boinked (Eva Mendes) on last year’s visit, and learns a son resulted. He tries to do the right thing, even though she has another man in her life. He quits the carny and scrambles for whatever work he can find. Unfortunately, crime becomes his only apparent way

to make enough to convince Mendes he deserves to be part of their lives.That runs him afoul of the police - especially one ambitious young officer (Bradley Cooper).

The action shifts to Cooper’s problems within his own de-partment, embodied by Ray Liotta’s role, which adds yet another dirty cop to his cinematic resume of bad guys. Cooper has a young son, too. That sets up Act Three, focusing on the boys 15 years later.

The first two segments are suspenseful and intriguing, with fine writing and acting behind the tale’s moral ambiguities. That’s what makes the next-generation story such a letdown. It’s founded on unlikely coincidence, and meanders from there. After such a strong pair of setup episodes, the script should have been more plausible, or at least more coherent. Meatloaf famously sang years ago that two out of three ain’t bad. But it’s not always good enough, either.

Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Here’s yet another fairy tale

stretched into a somewhat more adult action-adventure flick follow-ing what Hollywood has done lately to Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, and perhaps a couple of others. These stem from a couple of irresistible temptations - the ease of cre-ating fanciful worlds and creatures with today’s computer graph-ics, and the perceived box-office advantage of offering something based on the familiar. The latter also explains the proliferation of sequels in horror, action, sci-fi, animation and comedies. The for-mer unfortunately has led to spending too much of the budget on the sizzle, at the expense of the steak...meaning the script.

So we get a rather tedious tale of intrepid Jack (Nicholas Hoult, who looks like Richard Thomas’ John Boy in the early years of The Waltons) and a spunky princess (Eleanor Tomlinson, who looks like every post-feminist, not-just-pretty-but-smart-and-brave heiress to a mythical throne) climbing that beanstalk to encounter a whole ragtag army of nasty giants who ravaged the earthlings below many generations ago, who’ve been seeth-ing about their prison-in-the-sky existence ever since. Don’t even try to make sense of the premise. The producers didn’t.

Admittedly, the f/x make for some exciting moments, including a spectacular climactic battle. If these revisionist sagas continue to be profitable, how long will it be before Mother Hubbard’s poor doggie goes all Cujo for want of a bone, or Little Miss Muffet replaces John Goodman’s hilarious exterminator in a retooled remake of Arachnophobia?

Mark Glass is an officer & director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.


Armory Learning Arts Center - Montgomery Parks & Recreation1018 Madison Avenue, Montgomery (334-241-2787)

Alabama Dance Theatre (ADT) Fall ClassesClassical ballet, pointe, pre-ballet (beginning at age 3), modern, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary and tap.

Starts August 19th. Company Auditions for ADT Sunday, August 25th. Classes held at the Armory Learning Arts Center. For registration or more information

call 334-241-2590 or visit the website at www.alabamadancetheatre.com.Fencing Club. Ages 10 & up. Thurs. 7-9 pm. $40/month.

Learn to fence with Foil, Epee and Saber. Wear loose, comfortable clothes and tennis/sports shoes.

Call Wilbur Hill at 324-0731 for more information. Open Art Studio. Available for private use. $5 per hour.

Open Clay Studio. Available for private use. $8/hour.Reservations required, call 241-2787.

“Fossils of Time.” New works by Wetumpka artist P. Hope Brannon.Through Aug. 30. Anita P. Folmar Gallery.

National Senior Citizens DayAugust 21, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., CaraVita Village

4000 Fieldcrest Dr, MontgomeryFree Health screening, bingo, healthy snacks, senior aerobics,

eye glass adjustments, hearing-aid checks, door prizes and more.Free and open to the public.

Call 334-284-0370 for information.

thiNgs to do

To advertise contact:Bob Corley (334-202-0114) or Wendy McFarland (334-652-9080)[email protected]


FREEMay 2013Prime

• Adult Immunizations • Protecting Seniors • Fired? Don’t Panic •

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Baby Boomers & Seniors• control 70% of the disposable income• will be 45% of the population by 2015• read Prime Montgomery

• spend more per capita on groceries/over-the-counter products• commissioned 27% of the past year’s landscaping• account for 64% of the retail gardening market• account for 89% of all dollars spent on travel• account for 60% of all health care spending• purchase 74% of all prescription drugs• eat in restaurants an average of 3X/week• purchase 52% of all new cars

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good night’s rest

Sleepless inMontgomery



Armory Learning Arts Center - Montgomery Parks & Recreation1018 Madison Avenue, Montgomery (334-241-2787)

Alabama Dance Theatre (ADT) Fall ClassesClassical ballet, pointe, pre-ballet (beginning at age 3), modern, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary and tap.

Starts August 19th. Company Auditions for ADT Sunday, August 25th. Classes held at the Armory Learning Arts Center. For registration or more information

call 334-241-2590 or visit the website at www.alabamadancetheatre.com.Fencing Club. Ages 10 & up. Thurs. 7-9 pm. $40/month.

Learn to fence with Foil, Epee and Saber. Wear loose, comfortable clothes and tennis/sports shoes.

Call Wilbur Hill at 324-0731 for more information. Open Art Studio. Available for private use. $5 per hour.

Open Clay Studio. Available for private use. $8/hour.Reservations required, call 241-2787.

“Fossils of Time.” New works by Wetumpka artist P. Hope Brannon.Through Aug. 30. Anita P. Folmar Gallery.

National Senior Citizens DayAugust 21, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., CaraVita Village

4000 Fieldcrest Dr, MontgomeryFree Health screening, bingo, healthy snacks, senior aerobics,

eye glass adjustments, hearing-aid checks, door prizes and more.Free and open to the public.

Call 334-284-0370 for information.

AL Retired St. Employ-ees’ Assn.Taylor Vaughn Chap. Thurs. Aug. 8, 10 am, Alabama Public Library Service, 6030 Monti-cello Drive.Central Montgomery Chap. Tues. Aug. 27, 1:30 pm, Clo-verdale Baptist Church, 608 E. Fairview Ave.

Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). Meets 2nd Thurs, 6-7pm, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Atlanta Highway. For information e-mail [email protected]. On Facebook at GIGMontgom-ery.

Live Maine Lobsters delivered to the Montgomery Area Coun-cil On Aging downtown, Fri. Aug. 16. Lobsters weigh approximately 1½ lbs. Must be ordered by Aug. 9 and paid in advance. $25 per lobster, $15 is tax deductible. Call 263-0532.

Giant indoor yard sale. Fri, Sat. Aug. 9-10, 7-11am. Montgomery Area Square Dance Association, 2201 Chestnut Street, Montgom-ery (off of Ryan between Spruce and Highland)

Military Open House, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Thurs. Aug. 15, 5:30-7:30pm. Free for all active, reserve and retired military personnel and families. Art-making activities, buffet dinner, live entertain-ment. For more information, 334-240-4333, or visit www.mmfa.org.

Way Off Broadway Theater, Prattville. Pulitzer Prize-nominated play “Collected Stories.”Aug. 15-Sept. 1. 7:30pm (except Sunday matinees at 2pm). For tickets/information call 334-358-0297, or visit www.prattvilleal.gov/depart-ments/ticket-information.html. On Facebook www.facebook.com/prattvillewobt.

Grand Ole Gospel Time, Aug. 31, 2-5 pm. Hank Williams Museum. Show will be recorded for TV. $10 admission includes museum tour.

Public Relations Pro-fessional Development Conf. for PR practitio-ners. Workshops, seminars, presented by the Public Relations Council of Alabama Montgomery Chap. Sept. 10. MAX Credit Union, 400 Eastdale Circle, Montgomery. Four exceptional speak-ers, panel discussion. Early bird deadline Aug. 10. Final deadline Sept. 3. For informa-tion contact Janice Wood, [email protected].

Jasmine Hill GardensSaturdays 9a-5p. Admission. For info visit www.jasminehill.org, e-mail [email protected], or call 334-263-5713. Groups, school and tour packages available.


off thE bEatEN Path

Niko Corley

I tied my first fly at 10 years old. Covered in red chenille from eye to point, the hook shank disappeared underneath green marabou

that peeked out from under a wad of gray rab-bit fur. Coiled loosely around this was an entire package of top grade peacock hackle, all materials courtesy of my father’s fly-tying kit.

That fly had everything: rubber spinnerbait-skirt legs, a long feathery tail, a worm rattle buried somewhere under all that rabbit fur, and for some reason, two sets of eyes, one behind the other. It was likely the two sets of beady eyes, but my little sister couldn't be left alone with that fly. It resembled more a hairy Jolly Rancher than any aquatic prey species. I don't think you could have cast it double-handed with a marlin rod, and Dad's best attempts with his 9-weight likely contributed to his carpal tunnel many years later.

“That’s a fish-killer right there,” my father said, stretching the truth to the breaking point. “Will you tie me one?” He obviously didn’t realize half his tying kit's materials had gone into that one fly.

I obliged, and fished another long shank hook from the package, eager to begin mass produc-tion of what was sure to be the next big thing in the angling world. Sadly, sales could not keep pace with manufacturing costs, and the "Hairy Jolly Rancher" never moved from R&D to the assembly line.

As my skills at the fly bench improved, Dad's attitude toward my feather-and-thread creations turned from fatherly support to genuine interest. I could knock out several different patterns in a sit-ting, and would throw different versions of stream-ers, woolly worms or willow flies his way. Then, we'd move to the most enjoyable stage, product testing.

Some of those flies actually caught fish, while others just spooked them. We kept the good ones and tossed the spookers in the "Hairy Jolly Rancher" pile. Thankfully, we had access to test-ing grounds close to the “plant”. Down the street from our house were several ponds with bass,

bream and carp, eager but unknowing test subjects for my feather-and-thread creations.

Dad and I would meet after work or school at the

same spot and devise a strategy for the afternoon, splitting the pond and

walking its perimeter, never out of sight – or shouting distance – when one of use would lay into a big one. We’d meet afterward and com-pare notes. May and early June were our favorite times. The weather was still comfortable, and the yellow mayfly hatch on one pond in particular provided the kind of fabled cast-and-catch ac-tion regaled in fishermen's tall tales. Except ours were all true. To this day, Dad and I would put that yellow mayfly pattern we devised up against anyone's.

But we weren't just fashioning feathers and fur to fishhooks hoping for a bite, we were threading together a mutual and lifelong passion for fishing home-tied flies. Two decades after my first fly, I laugh thinking about that “Hairy Jolly Rancher,” and venture a guess Dad's wrist still hurts from trying his best to fish it for me.

Niko Corley spends his free time hunting, fishing, boating, enjoying the outdoors and tying flys. He can be contacted at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter@cootfoot-outfitters.

With Feather and Thread


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