Alabama Living Cullman November 2011

Alabama Living | NOVEMBER 2011 | 9

In November

Timely Tips for Refinancing Your HomeIf you own your home and are paying a mortgage, one way you may be able to save money is through refinancing - particularly if you closed on your home many years ago. Only you can de-cide whether refinancing is a smart move, but here are some things to consider:

• Refinancing will cost you money. There’s no way around this. You’re either going to be charged closing costs to refinance, or you may be offered a “no-closing cost” deal. But don’t be fooled. One way or another, you will pay for it, since no-cost transac-tions usually mean you’ll be charged a higher interest rate (than if you had paid your closing costs out of pocket).

• How long do you expect to stay in your current home? If you’re thinking about moving within the next two years or so, the costs involved may not justify refinancing.

• Think carefully before “cashing out.” It’s a popular move for people who refinance to take cash out of their home when they refinance. But your home is not an ATM - that money will have to be repaid sooner or later. And if home prices drop after you refinance, you could find yourself owing more on your mort-gage than your house is worth.

• Check with your current lender before you commit to any refinancing deal. Chances are, you may be able to save yourself quite a bit of money on closing costs, while taking advantage of a lower interest rate.

“Calculate” your move carefully!

NOVEMBER 5

Cane Syrup Making Day

Take the family to watch a 20th-century mule-driven cane mill and furnace make syrup the old-fashioned way at Rikard’s Mill Historical Park in Beatrice. Stone ground grits and cornmeal will be available. The syrup will be ready by 1 p.m. with a limit of one jar per person. Monroe Sau-sage will be available for lunch.

Call 251-575-7433 for more in-formation, or visit www.tokil-lamockinbird.com. Admission charged.

Did you know?In December 1919, the

boll weevil monument is dedicated in Enterprise. The monument honors

the insect that killed cotton plants and forced local farmers to diversify by

planting more profitable crops such as peanuts. Even though the monument was in appreciation

of the boll weevil, the weevil statue was not added to the monument until 30 years later.

NOVEMBER 10-13

Dog DelightThe Decatur Kennel Club

and the Huntsville Kennel Club come together each No-vember for one of the largest area dog shows licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC),

the Cotton Cluster Dog Show. Ranging from novice to expe-rienced, more than 1,200 dogs will compete for the best in breed. The event is held at Cel-ebration Arena in Priceville.

For more information, call (800) 524-6181. Fee for partici-pants only.

DEcEMBER 1-4

‘Letters’ for ChristmasUnion Springs’s Red Door Theatre concludes its ninth year with its Dec. 1-4 production of “The Christmas Letters.” Next year, the theatre plans to perform four Southern plays, including “The Passing of Pearl.” For more information, call 334-738-8687 or visit www.reddoortheatre.org.

For more Alabama Events, visit page 29.

http://www.tokil-lamockinbird.com



http://www.reddoortheatre.org


10 | NOVEMBER 2011 | www.alabamaliving.coop

The path of power to your home is guarded by silent sentinels – utility poles – that are under constant

attack by Mother Nature and, sometimes, by people. “Nearly 70,000 miles of line, supported by

utility poles, keeps power flowing to electric cooperatives across Alabama,” says Mike Temple, director of training and loss control for the Alabama Rural Electric Association (AREA).

Nationwide, electric cooperatives own and maintain 2.5 million miles of line stretching across three-quarters of the U.S. landmass. Some lines are buried, but more than 2 million miles of lines are above ground. Since there are generally 18 wood poles for every mile of distribution line, electric co-ops rely on more than 37 million poles to safely and reliably deliver affordable power to your home.

Silent SentinelsElectric Co-op Poles Remain the Key to Safe, Reliable, Affordable Power

By Megan McKoy-Noe, NRECA


http://www.alabamaliving.coop


Pole PatternsUtility poles take several forms: concrete, steel,

ductile iron, composite fiberglass and overwhelmingly, wood. Why do utilities prefer treated timber?

Tried-and-true wood poles are more affordable. Steel and composite fiberglass poles often cost at least twice as much, although these alternatives claim a longer lifespan (most have not been in service long enough to verify the claims). Combined with a proven service life than can span several decades, treated wood poles provide the most affordable choice for most cooperatives.

“Generally, utilities turn to alternative poles when nothing else will work,” says Temple. “If you’ve got a woodpecker problem, wood simply won’t cut it. Utilities in storm-saturated parts of the country may turn to underground lines, but more often than not these utilities opt to ‘harden’ their lines by installing larger wood poles and shortening the span between poles to help the system weather storms more successfully.”

For utilities battling copper crime, ductile iron poles offer an interesting option. They eliminate the need for copper grounding wires running up the side of a pole. But these poles aren’t as easy to climb in a pinch, and could pose a problem if not easily accessible by bucket truck.

“Co-ops expect poles are going to last at least 40 years in the field, barring unpreventable storm damage and other accidents,” says Jim Carter, executive vice president for Wood Quality Control (WQC), a subsidiary of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. WQC estimates cooperatives are responsible for between a quarter to a third of the nation’s annual wood pole production.

Each year, electric co-ops spend roughly $300 million to purchase close to 1 million wood poles and 2 million crossarms, amounting to a whopping 20 to 33 percent of a co-op’s annual materials budget. WQC, created in 1982, works closely with both manufacturers and co-ops to monitor pole construction conditions and make sure co-ops invest in high-quality poles that meet strict federal Rural Utilities Service (RUS) standards.

Double DutyNot only do poles support the nation’s power

system; telecommunication companies often rent space on poles to attach telephone and cable wires.

Each pole, averaging a height of 40 feet, breaks down into three zones. The supply space, which shuttles electricity from generation plants and substations to homes and businesses, can be found at the top of every pole. In most cases, a crossarm – a beam fixed horizontally across the top of the pole – divides the supply space from the middle neutral space, called a safe zone. The safe zone forms a barrier between lines carrying high-voltage electricity and the area rented to other utilities, known as the

communications space.

Hazardous MissionAffordable wood poles

stand the test of time – each pole’s lifespan ranges from 30 to 50 years, and in the right conditions, a wood pole can last much longer. To lengthen a pole’s life, wood is pressure-treated with preservatives. But no matter how strong a pole may be, both nature and people threaten a pole’s ability to serve.

Wood poles battle a wide array of adversaries: acidic soil in the Midwest, heavy moisture in the South and woodpeckers in the Mid-Atlantic. Utilities generally inspect poles on a 10- to 12-year cycle to identify potential problems.

Poles age differently depending on region, so RUS divided the nation into five decay zones. Coastal Alabama

falls in Zone 5, where poles sustain the highest risk. Utilities generally replace 2 to 3 percent of aging and decaying poles every year.

Natural decay, storm damage, and bird and bug attacks aren’t the only concerns. People shorten a pole’s lifespan, too.

The National American Wood Council estimates 5 percent of poles replaced annually were broken by car accidents. Attaching signs, basketball hoops, clotheslines, birdhouses, satellite dishes, or other items to wood poles with staples or nails also can shorten a pole’s lifespan. Not only do these items create safety hazards when lineworkers need to climb a pole; the small incursions speed a pole’s decay.d

A lineman rebuilds a storm-damaged pole in Alabama


The United States in April 1917 entered that era’s ultimate game changer – devastating World War I. Entire continents were pitted

against one other. The way battles were fought changed rapidly, and horse and rider gave way to mechanized combat and trench warfare.

Less than two years later the war ended on Nov. 11, 1918, Armistice Day, which was later renamed Veterans Day in the United States. With Europe’s landscape now a wasteland, it meant an end to the killing that claimed 13 million soldiers, an entire generation.

The ensuing celebrations around the world soon sparked an outpouring of memories. In Alabama handwritten letters attached to government response forms, and family and U.S. military photos, were compiled for a commemorative book publication. But that never happened.

Today, however, these tributes to personal sacrifice are still legible, and tell the story of the sons of Alabama who gave all to win “the war to end all wars.” They’ve been compiled by the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) into an exhibit titled Gold Star Photographs, and are on display at its Montgomery facility as well as online at Gold Star database. (See box.)

While looking through the exhibit recently, Debbie Pendleton, assistant ADAH director for public services, was overcome with emotion as she read the letters aloud. Herself a mother, her pauses

the state Department of Archives and History is reviving an effort to commemorate Alabamians who served in World War i

“It’s one thing to read that of the 95,000 Alabama servicemen in World

War I, 643 were killed in action and 2,500 died as a result of wounds,

accidents or disease. But when you read their stories, they become real. It’s not military history. It is the history of

people. The people of Alabama.”– Debbie Pendleton

Assistant director for public servicesAlabama Department Archives and History

By John Brightman Brock

Alabamian Kelly Ingram was the first enlisted man in World War I to win the Congressional Medal of Honor



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came with the realization that these words many times were penned against the backdrop of battlefields in France, and had been read by grieving mothers back home. Conveying this history, Pendleton shared several entries in the exhibit, chosen as a representative sample of the nearly 1,000 men named in the ADAH exhibit she calls “my boys.”

The rural Farmer

“One I’m particularly taken by was a rural farmer (1894-1918),” Pendleton says. “He died Nov. 7, four days before the armistice was signed.” He was William Jesse Gunnell from Blount County. His photo shows him in uniform surrounded by pennants and flags from the era, with “U.S.” and “Old Glory” prominent.

His mother, Viola Gunnell of Altoona, when asked her son’s occupation, wrote: “He was a farmer – though weakly, a grade A hand on the farm at any hard work.” She related that her son had served in a machine gun company, and “went over the top three times (in heavy battle). ‘The corporal wrote that our boy Jessie was wounded ... from which he died soon after.’” She quotes his lieutenant: ‘He was a model soldier, always on the spot when needed.’” Pendleton couldn’t escape the irony “when you view the photo of the skinny little guy in uniform standing tall and proud.”

Gunnell died in France.

a lOving sOn“Part of what makes

history so amazing is that we have a picture, biography and a letter he sent his mother,” Pendleton says, speaking of Birmingham resident

Leon McGavock. His story was particularly gut-wrenching because he survived many battles only to die from illness. His mother, Belle McGavock of Birmingham, donated her son’s last letter home, written Oct. 6, 1918, to Alabama’s archives.

“I suppose the part that gets me every time is this...” Pendleton says, quoting McGavock’s letter, “... my next birthday I will spend at home and we will have one grand time too.”

In the fall of 1918, the Great Influenza Epidemic was everywhere. Two days after his break from action he took a bath, and on Oct. 15, 1918, McGavock got the flu and pneumonia, and died in France. His letter finally arrived.

sOn OF a slaveWilliam Dumas, an African

American from Wilcox County, was a farmer born in 1886. He eventually went to Mobile and worked as a boilermaker. He was not drafted in 1917 because of his

employment status. But eventually he couldn’t escape the draft.

“In August, he’s drafted to Camp McClellan (later Fort McClellan) and goes there to get training,” Pendleton says. “He gets the flu at camp, dies at Camp McClellan and never even leaves the state. Of the 12 men featured in the Gold Star exhibit, he’s the only one that had a child.”

His photo was taken in a portrait studio prior to his military service. “It’s an amazing thing that when his family sent it in, they also sent in a photograph of him when he was a toddler, at 2 years old,” Pendleton says. It’s taken about 1888 in a field in Wilcox County with five generations of women from his family, one of them his mother, Savannah Campbell Dumas, whose husband was a slave as a child. “Three of those ladies were probably born in slavery,” Pendleton says.

Dearest of Mothers: I guess you think I am dead but I am far from it though I haven’t written you in weeks but I just couldn’t for 4 weeks have been on the move. Well Mother dear I have been through a living hell & came out without a scratch I know that it was your prayers that did it.I was eight days in the trenches & went over the top. ... I got your letters & trench mirror & will do as you say ... you didn’t say why I never got your 4 letters & Freddie’s (his girl)... Gee, but I want to hear from her. I keep waiting & waiting but no letter. Tell her to write for I need a letter from her so bad. Oh! but if I could only see you & her. I would just squeeze her to death. We are back in rest billets & I am glad too. Just think I took my first bath yesterday in 4 weeks and I know I’ll get a cold getting all that dirt off me.By the way tomorrow I am 25 yrs. old and my next birthday I will spend at home and we will have one grand time too.” Your loving son Leon

Leon McGavock



medal OF hOnOr herOThe most easily recognized

name in the Gold Star exhibit is that of Osmond Kelly Ingram of Birmingham. Ingram, for whom Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham is named, was recognized as the first enlisted man from the United States killed in action in WWI.

“He tried to intercept a torpedo coming to his ship from a German submarine,” Pendleton says. He

was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in the sea battle of Oct. 15, 1917. It was his second enlistment, his mother Naomi Elizabeth Lea Ingram wrote, after he first “enlisted at the age of sixteen years on Nov. 24th 1903.”

Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels wrote Ingram’s mother, praising his selflessness:

“Ingram sighted the torpedo coming, and realizing that it might strike the ship aft in the vicinity of the depth charges he ran aft with the intention of releasing the depth charges before the torpedo could reach the (USS) Cassin.”

a Time OF sacriFice

You can’t help but get emotionally attached to these boys, these mothers and this time of sacrifice for Alabamians, according to Pendleton, who has worked with ADAH for 26 years.

“WWI is a forgotten war,” Pendleton says. “Most people don’t think about it. My son is 18, and one reason I got emotional when looking at this. He is a big fan of English soccer, and they

always wear a red poppy on their suits. I told him it’s an Armistice poppy. When I was young, people in November would sell these commemorative poppies going back to WWI... and the poppy fields in France.”

The idea for a Gold Star Book commemorating Alabama’s World War I dead dates back to 1921 and Archive Director Marie Bankhead Owen

“Even today, you’ll see a little star (on houses designating a son in the military),” Pendleton says. “It was started in WWI to have in windows to show a son in the service. And when they died, the gold star replaced the blue.”d

To access the Archive’s Gold Star database, log on to:http://www.archives.alabama.gov/goldstar/search.cfm

Dumas at age 2, with other family members in Wilcox County, circa 1888

Kelly Ingram

William Dumas

http://www.archives.alabama.gov/


Harvest season is here, but what does the year and the future look like for Alabama farmers?

A mixed bag, says Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner John McMillan, who took office this past January and immediately faced some big challenges, both internally and externally. Luckily, challenges are McMillan’s forte.

A Baldwin County native, McMillan’s family has lived and worked the land in

Alabama for six generations. His own career has been spent

working in the agricultural and natural resource sectors, and he ran for the commissioner’s office on a platform that included safe food and water, rural and economic development and renewable energy.

All of those and many more issues are

still the focus of McMillan’s efforts, but his first task as commissioner was dealing with drastic budget cuts in his office.

“It’s been difficult primarily because of the fiscal situation and cutbacks

we have had in personnel, particularly in light of the fact that we had to do that almost immediately upon taking office and did not have time to analyze our needs and services,” he says.

But he and his staff members did deal with those budget issues and have developed what he believes is a leaner, but still effective organization that is working to fulfill the department’s mission.

Supporting farmers and consumersThe Department of Ag and Industries

is charged with supporting farmers and consumers in the state by providing programs and services that keep Alabama’s food supply safe and abundant, helping to protect human and farm animal health and helping to promote Alabama’s agricultural, natural resource and economic interests.

Needless to say, internal budget cuts make achieving that mission more difficult, but that was not the only challenge McMillan faced during the past 11 months. His office also dealt with tornado damage from last April’s storms, this summer’s drought and, more recently, the impact of Alabama’s new immigration law on farmers and agribusiness, to name a few.

McMillan and his staff helped clean up much of the agricultural damage wrought by the tornadoes, including helping dispose of 3.2 million chickens that were killed in the storms. They also helped coordinate other cleanup and assistance programs for storm-ravaged communities.

And then there is the drought, which McMillan says has devastated the corn crop in the lower part of Alabama, and other agricultural commodities across the state.

“Co-ops are vital partners in promoting economic development projects, marketing rural Alabama and keeping agribusiness interests up to date on current legislative affairs.”

– John McMillan

Ag and Industries Commissioner John McMillan likes a good challenge

By Katie Jackson


Tough Times,Bright Future



Topping it all off is the new immigration law. “I’ve got some real concerns about the potential

impact of the new immigration law on farm labor, and we have already seen it,” says McMillan. “We do not support illegal immigrants, but we want to educate policy makers and legislators that migrant workers are highly important to agriculture.”

He cited the impact this law is having on poultry and plant nursery businesses as well as on cotton gins, peanut producers and producers of fruit and vegetable crops, noting that he is a strong proponent of developing an agricultural guest worker program for the state.

Despite all those challenges, however, McMillan is optimistic about the future of his organization and Alabama agriculture, noting that some of Alabama’s farm sectors are doing well despite difficult economic and weather conditions.

“It depends on what sector we are talking about at any given time,” he says. “Poultry is strong and growing, the green industry (forestry, sod and related crops) is doing well and it’s been a good year for most row crops.”

For those areas where rain did fall, McMillan said cotton, soybeans and peanuts look good and, with prices currently at record highs for corn and soybeans, those farmers who are making crops may have a good year.

What’s more, he said, Cullman and Baldwin counties are doing well with their sweet potato crops and the fresh produce market seems to be growing for smaller farmers, especially with the use of (greenhouse) hoop houses that allow farmers in colder areas of the state to lengthen their growing season.

Export market looks brightAccording to McMillan, the export market is

another bright spot for Alabama that has great growth potential, particularly for the poultry, forestry and beef cattle industries.

Still, there is a lot of room for improvement. “We need more irrigation in Alabama,” he says. “This year is a perfect example because the only people who had really good corn crops had irrigation.”

“The No.1 question mark is what the weather is going to do, so finding ways to irrigate would be huge,” he continues. To that end, McMillan’s office is working with universities across the state and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to come up with answers and push for legislation that could help farmers add more irrigation to their operations.

“Alabama could be a stronger state if we can make some strides with irrigation, but we also need to help smaller growers,” McMillan says. Smaller farms, says McMillan, are appealing to young people and retirees, and he is dedicated to encouraging and supporting those potential farmers through a mentoring program and other activities.

Among those activities is promotion of Alabama grown and made products through his department’s collaboration with the Buy Alabama’s Best campaign, a program run in conjunction with the Alabama Grocer’s Association aimed at increasing awareness and sales of Alabama food products.

“There are close to 50 companies participating in this campaign,” notes McMillan. The program includes everything from Milo’s tea to Wickles Pickles.

Co-ops are importantMcMillan also believes that cooperatives are

important to the future of the state. “Co-ops are vital partners in promoting economic development projects, marketing rural Alabama and keeping agribusiness interests up to date on current legislative affairs,” he says.

And there is a special niche in agriculture and rural Alabama for electric cooperatives. “From their creation, electric cooperatives have provided the energy to make agriculture Alabama’s largest industry,” he says, noting that the industry generates some $5 billion annually for Alabama’s economy.

Internally, McMillan thinks his department has room to grow and expand and he is advocating a possible name change for the department to better reflect its impact on the state’s consumers.

“With our limited resources, it’s hard for us to build awareness but I would like to see the general public realize the importance of this agency,” he says.

“I see the glass as half full,” he adds. “There are challenges and opportunities, and one of the reasons I ran for this office is that I enjoy working to solve problems.”d




Outdoors

Turkey calling is an art. Creating the various true sounds of wild turkeys can take a lifetime to master. Although turkey-calling contests may not be as common as they once were, plenty of opportunity for competition still exists throughout Alabama.

The World Championship of Turkey Calling will return to Mobile on March 10 and 11, 2012, at the Mobile Convention Center in conjunction with the annual Mobile Boat Show. One expert caller will walk away with the title of world champion.

Past winners of this contest have appeared on national television shows, launched successful careers in call manufacturing and marketing, have been hired by outdoor gear companies like Pro Staff, and are sought after as speakers at turkey-hunting events throughout the United States.

Five experts judge the contest, and most of the judges are past champions themselves. The contestants are hidden from view of the judges and only the sounds they make are judged. Most of the best callers in the country will compete at this event but anyone who wants to compete, should pay the entry fee of $250 and join the contest. The entry fee goes up to $300 after Dec. 1.

Alabama has produced many world champions in the past. These include Eddie Salter, Ben Rogers Lee, Hannis Williams, Larry Norton and others. Eddie Salter, a resident of Evergreen and member of the Hunter Specialties Pro Staff, appears on television, radio shows and in magazines regularly. He is considered to be one of America’s top experts in the hunting industry.

Turkey calling while hunting the wild turkey involves many more skills than being able to make

the correct sounds. You must know when to call, how often to call, how loud to call, when to shut up, where to call from, when to move, when to be still as well as woodmanship skills in finding the roosting locations and scouting the regular travel paths of certain gobblers. Competing in the wild and trying to outwit a mature, wild tom turkey in Alabama is a whole different category than just calling.

The difficulty in hunting wild turkey is the one reason that some of us love it so much. But beware: Wild turkeys are the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter what genetic match may have occurred in your ancestral line or how much money you have in the bank, the wild turkey will put you back in your proper place when it comes to your status in the natural world. In fact, he will sometimes shame and embarrass even the most skilled hunter.

If you’d like to compete in the World Champion Turkey Calling Contest or would like more details, call Dan Miller at 251-377-7045. Let’s support this national event and keep it at home in Alabama. We hope to see you there.d

Calling Tomchampionship turkey calling returns to mobile next march

By Alan White

Alan White ispublisher of

Great Days Outdoorsmagazine. To learn more,

www.greatdaysoutdoors.comor call 800-597-6828.

Champion turkey caller Eddie Salter of Alabama


http://www.greatdaysoutdoors.com


Tables indicate peak fish and game feeding and migration times . Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour before and an hour after . Minor peaks, half-hour before and after . Adjusted for daylight savings time .

minor major minor majora .m . p .m .

NOV 17 - 04:01 10:01 12:01 18 - 05:16 07:46 12:46 19 12:46 06:31 08:16 01:31 20 02:31 07:46 02:01 09:01 21 08:46 03:46 02:31 09:46 22 09:46 04:46 03:16 10:31 23 10:31 05:31 03:46 11:01 24 11:16 06:31 04:31 11:46 25 - 07:16 12:01 05:01 26 08:01 12:31 12:46 05:46 27 08:46 01:16 01:31 06:16 28 09:31 02:01 02:31 07:01 29 10:31 02:31 03:46 07:46 30 11:16 03:16 05:16 09:01

DEC. 1 - 04:01 06:46 12:01 2 - 05:01 07:46 12:31 3 01:46 06:16 01:16 08:31 4 07:46 03:16 01:46 09:01 5 08:46 04:16 02:16 09:31 6 09:31 05:01 02:46 10:01 7 10:16 05:31 03:16 10:46 8 10:46 06:01 03:46 11:16 9 11:31 06:31 04:16 11:46 10 - 07:16 12:01 04:46 11 07:46 12:16 12:31 05:16 12 08:16 12:46 01:16 06:01 13 09:01 01:31 02:01 06:31 14 09:31 02:01 03:01 07:31 15 10:01 02:46 04:01 08:31 16 10:46 03:31 10:31 05:31 17 04:16 11:31 - 06:46 18 12:46 05:31 12:01 07:46 19 07:01 02:46 01:01 08:46 20 08:31 04:16 01:46 09:31 21 09:31 05:01 02:31 10:16 22 10:31 05:46 03:16 11:01 23 11:16 06:31 04:16 11:46 24 - 07:16 12:01 05:01 25 07:46 12:16 12:46 05:46 26 08:16 01:01 01:31 06:16 27 08:46 01:31 02:16 07:01 28 09:16 02:01 03:01 07:46 29 09:46 02:31 08:46 04:01 30 10:16 03:01 10:16 05:01 31 03:31 10:46 - 06:16


If fall leaves are piling up in your yard, try not to think of them as a bother. Think of them as a gift. They are, after all, quite valuable in the garden, landscape and even in the home.

For example, leaves can provide free nutrients to your yard if you run over them with a mulching mower and let them decompose into the lawn as an organic fertilizer. If your leaf supply is too large to make that a feasible option, use a bagging mower to collect them or run raked leaves through a chipper or shredder, then use them for mulch in garden beds, add them to the compost pile or turn them into leaf mold.

What is leaf mold? It’s a form of a “cold” compost that uses natural fungi, earthworms and other microorganisms, rather than heat, to decompose leaves into a fabulous soil amendment or mulch. And it is incredibly easy to make. Simply put moistened leaves in black garbage bags, poke holes in the bags for a little aeration, then seal the bags and let them sit. You can make leaf mold on a larger scale by building a wire or wooden enclosure, filling it with wet leaves and covering them with a tarp, plastic or even old carpet pieces.

Be aware that cold composting takes longer than the usual “hot” method and you may need to wet the leaves occasionally as the year progresses, but little other maintenance is needed to make high-quality organic matter that can

be used within a year or so as mulch or tilled into garden beds to build soil and help retain moisture.

If you want to leave leaves behind and dig in the dirt this month, now is a great time to plant garlic and

shallots, trees, shrubs, vines, hardy annuals and spring-blooming bulbs. It’s also a wonderful time to plant lettuce, other leafy greens and cabbage in cold frames.

Speaking of greens, I received a note from a reader asking why I did not mention collards in my September column on fall crops. That was a huge oversight on my part and, though it’s a bit late to plant collards now, put them on your list for early spring planting.d

LEAFYCOMPOSTAutumn leaves are a gardener’s giftof abundant organic fertilizer and mulchBy Katie Jackson

3 Clean and oil all yard tools and drain oil and gas from lawn mowers and other garden power tools before storing them for the winter.3 Mulch strawberries and blackberries as well as tender perennials.3 Begin transplanting dormant shrubs and trees.3 Plant seeds for spring-blooming annuals such as poppies, sweet peas, larkspurs, pansies and bachelor buttons. 3 Fertilize shade trees.3 Store pesticides in a frost-free location and make sure they are in sealed containers. Label all containers so you know exactly what chemical you are storing! 3 Soil test and start adding amendments to improve your soil quality.3 Pot spring blooming bulbs for winter forcing.d

Garden tips for

November

Katie Jackson is associate editor for the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Contact her at [email protected]

Alabama Gardens


mailto:[email protected]


Almost everyone who has visited Alabama’s beaches or their next-door neighbor Perdido Key, Fla., has at least

heard of (if not visited) the Flora-Bama, the Gulf Coast’s most iconic dive bar. This conglomeration of shacks, decks and tents set right on the sugar sand straddles the Florida/Alabama state line and is famous for its Bushwhackers, demographically diverse patrons

and the musicians that grace its stages.

So when a group of area residents decided to give a name to their fledgling music fest, it seemed appropriate to look to a Flora-Bama legend, Frank Brown, for the honor.

Brown was the unassuming, but extremely effective, night watchman at the Flora-Bama for 28 years. He wore two revolvers slung low on his waist, but never needed to use them. Often his gentle question, “What would your mamma say?” was enough to calm any brewing strife. His great joy in life was listening to and meeting the many musicians who came to the Flora-Bama to play. He finally retired at age 91 and died in 1988 at 93. The festival took his name after he passed.

This year, thousands will venture to the coast well after “beach season” is over for the 27th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival Nov. 10-20 to hear more than 200 songwriters – some already famous, some soon-to-be – perform over 11 days in a variety of venues scattered around Pensacola, Perdido Key, Fla., Orange Beach and Gulf Shores,

including LuLu’s, and, of course, the Flora-Bama.

Coordinator of the Festival Lori Crace explains the impetus of the event. “Locals started it as a celebration of the end of the tourist season,” she says. “But after a few years, it became evident that the festival could draw some visitors back during the slow time.”

Mickey Newbury was one of the festival founders, and may be best know for writing “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” which was recorded by Kenny Rogers. He recently passed away and a tribute to his long, successful songwriting career will be one of the highlights of this year’s events.

The purpose of the event is to showcase all the songwriters in attendance, not just those that have already made it big. And even that group may not include names you instantly recognize – but you will recognize their songs. Many have written hit after hit for other musicians to record. Hearing those who actually wrote these tunes perform them is part of what makes this festival unique.

“We have so many incredible

SongwriterCelebrationFollow the crowd to Alabama’s Gulf Coast in November for the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival

By Jennifer Kornegay

Songwriter Sonny Throckmorton



songwriters here,” Crace says. “Often, you have heard their songs on radio, and it’s interesting to learn that they were not written by the person singing them.”

She gives an example: “You might think when Rodney Atkins is singing his popular country song ‘Cleaning This Gun,’ he is singing about his daughter, but it was actually written by Casey Beathard and Marla Cannon-Goodman, and it was about Marla’s dad, so it was neat to see the other side of that.”

Crace believes people feel a special affinity for the Frank Brown fest thanks to the way it is carried out. “I’ve been producing music festivals for almost 10 years, but this one is much different,” she says. “It is held in more intimate venues and there is more connection between the artists and the audience.”

John Edd Thompson is a songwriter in Mobile who has been involved with the festival for more than 25 years, and he echoes Crace. “It’s just good fun,” he says. “After the shows are done, sometimes a bunch of the songwriters all end up hanging out and writing songs, so

some songs that end up getting recorded were written down at our beach.”

Approximately 18,000 visitors attended the festival last year from 304 ZIP codes in 32 states and four foreign countries, and it has been named one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeastern Tourism Society. The songwriters too come from all across the country, although many hail from Nashville, ground zero for American songwriters. “The festival brings the real cream of the crop of songwriters,” Thompson says. “They are the best in the country.” Guys like Wayne Carson, who wrote “You are Always on My Mind,” for Willie Nelson and “The Letter,” recorded by The Box Tops (and many more), are usually at the event, as is Jim McBride, who has written for Waylon Jennings and Conway Twitty and penned several of Alan Jackson’s No.1 songs including “Chattahoochee.”

While attendees obviously

enjoy their experience, so do the musicians. “Among the songwriters that come, there is a feeling like family reunion,” Crace says. “No other place brings this many songwriters together at once; it is the premier event of its kind. There’s such a sense of camaraderie that’s unlike anything at any other music event.”

For the up-and-coming songwriters, the event can prove quite valuable. “The Nashville Songwriters Association is holding a songwriters’ workshop on the second weekend that shares some wisdom on the business side of songwriting,” Crace says. “It’s really great for aspiring and new writers, and it is great to see how welcoming and encouraging the professional songwriters are with the newcomers.”

It’s easy to imagine Mr. Frank (as he was known to most) smiling down on the coast each November and tapping his foot to the music he so loved to hear.d

For tickets and more information, visit

www .frankbrownsongwriters .com

Songwriters Cass Gove and Sam at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores

http://www.frankbrownsongwriters.com



26 | NOVEMBER 2011 | www.alabamaliving.coop Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers . They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician . If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe .

Cook of the MonthAlabama RecipesCasseroles

Chili Cornbread Bake carol Kelley, central Alabama Ec

Chili: 1 pound ground beef 1 cup onions, chopped ½ cup green bell pepper,

chopped 1 garlic clove, minced

1 15.5-ounce can Light Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 packet taco seasoning mix

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, onions, pepper and garlic until meat is browned, drain. Stir in beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning, mix. Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. In a small bowl, combine corn, milk and egg; beat well. Add to dry ingredients; stir until just moistened. Spoon half of cornbread mixture into greased casserole dish; sprinkle with half the cheese. Spoon chili over cheese; sprinkle with remaining half of the cheese. Spoon remaining corn bread mixture evenly over cheese, spreading gently to cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

Please send all submissions to: Recipe Editor P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124or e-mail to: recipes@areapower. coop.Be sure to include your address, phone number and the name of your cooperative.

You could win $50!If your recipe is chosen as the cook-of-the-month recipe, we’ll send you a check for $50!

Upcoming recipe themes and deadlines are: January Vegetarian November 15 February Hot Beverages December 15 March Hot off the grill January 15

Cornbread: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons baking

powder ½ teaspoon salt

1 8.5-ounce can cream style sweet corn

½ cup milk 1 egg 1 cup shredded cheddar

cheese

I was born and raised in the South, so I’ve always known the dish most people refer to as a “casserole.” I associate it with family reunions, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and any kind of get together where a side dish is needed. However, sitting down to write my column this month, I started to wonder if there was a standard definition of the dish. In doing some simple research I have come to the following conclusion: A casserole can be the food itself or the vessel in which the food is cooked. It can also

be referred to as a “bake” like the title of our Cook of the Month recipe. Ingredients usually consist of pieces of meat, chopped veggies, a starchy binder and a crunchy topping. The oven magically transforms these ingredients into a dish tastier than the sum of its parts. Pretty simple, right? Cranberry Casserole

2 or 3 red apples 1 package fresh

cranberries 1 cup sugar

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1½ cups oats 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup pecans, chopped

Chop apples into small pieces, leave peeling on. Add cranberries and sugar, mix well. Put into a buttered 8x8-inch baking dish. In another bowl add melted butter, oats, brown sugar and pecans, stir well. Spread mixture on top of cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Makes a great substitute for cranberry sauce.

Elaine Wagoner, Central Alabama EC



Fresh Squash Casserole

3 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion,

chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 pounds zucchini

squash, sliced 2 pounds yellow squash,

sliced 3 eggs

½ cup half and half 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon fresh

thyme leaves ¼ cup Panko

breadcrumbs ¼ cup Parmigiano

Reggiano cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, cook 2 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash. Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Combine eggs, half and half, salt, pepper and thyme. Pour over squash and mix well. Bake 35 minutes. Remove from oven and top with Panko and cheese. Place under broiler and broil until brown, 3 minutes.

Louis Gallups, Central Alabama EC

Apple/Sausage/Sweet Potato Casserole

1 pound pork sausage ¼ cup water 1 23-ounce can sweet

potatoes, drained and thickly sliced

¼-½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup butter 3 medium apples (red

cooking variety), cored

Form sausage into patties, brown in skillet; drain. Place patties in bottom of ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Add water. Layer potatoes over patties. Sprinkle with sugar, dot with ½ the butter. Cut unpeeled apples into ½-inch slices; layer over all. Dot with remaining butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake an additional 15 minutes.

Mary Nell Roberts, Joe Wheeler EMC

Seafood and Artichoke Casserole

1 14-ounce can artichokes, drained

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails removed

1 pound white backfin crabmeat, picked over for shell bits

4½ tablespoons butter 4½ tablespoons all-

purpose flour

1½ cups half and half 1 tablespoon

Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup dry sherry Juice of ½ lemon Salt and white pepper, to

taste 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne

pepper¼ cup Parmesan cheese,

freshly grated1 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. To cook the shrimp, bring a pot of water to boil. Drop in shrimp and cook until they turn pink. About 3 minutes. Drain well. Arrange the artichokes in a baking dish. Spread the shrimp and crabmeat over the artichokes. In a large heavy sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Slowly add the half and half, cooking and stirring constantly until thickened and smooth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, sherry, lemon juice, salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper. Pour over ingredients in the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Bake for 20 minutes, serve hot with rice.

Betty Green, Baldwin EMC

Herbed Vegetable Casserole

5 new potatoes, washed and cut in ¼-inch slices

¼ cup margarine 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried

tarragon 3 sweet bell peppers,

diced

1 onion, thinly sliced ½ cup uncooked long

grain rice 3 medium zucchini, thinly

sliced 4 medium tomatoes,

sliced 1 cup Swiss cheese,

shredded

Lightly coat a 2 ½ quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange half the potato slices in overlapping rows. Dot with half the margarine. Sprinkle with half the sage, tarragon, peppers, onion, rice and zucchini. Dot with remaining margarine and repeat layering. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender. Remove cover and top with tomatoes and cheese. Bake 10 minutes until tomatoes are warm and cheese is melted. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Sara Sallas, Central Alabama EC

Carrot Casserole

8 cups sliced carrots 2 medium onions, sliced 5 tablespoons margarine,

divided 1 cup cream of celery

soup

1 cup shredded cheese 1 cup seasoned croutons ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper

Boil carrots until tender crisp. Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons margarine. Stir in soup, salt, pepper and cheese. Drain carrots and add to the onion mixture. Pour into 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons and drizzle with remaining margarine. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Brandon Henderson, Southern Pine EC


Mrs. Dye’s Cajun Casserole

1 pound raw hamburger meat4-6 tablespoons Tony

Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

1 pound Conecuh baby link sausage, sliced

1 large onion, chopped1 cup uncooked rice1 head cabbage, finely

chopped1 can Rotel, original

In an iron Dutch oven, layer all ingredients in order given. Sprinkle the Creole seasoning all over the hamburger meat. Cook at 300 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven. Stir. Return to oven and cook for an additional hour. Kim Johns, Covington EC

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

6 cup crumbled cornbread

½ stick melted margarine 3 cups cooked chicken,

chopped 6 pieces broken loaf

bread 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 6 eggs, beaten slightly

1 can chicken soup, undiluted

1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted

3 10 ¾-ounce cans chicken broth

Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon sage 4 tablespoons poultry

seasoning

Sauté celery and onion in margarine. Mix with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly brown, about 40 minutes. (Can omit chicken and serve sliced chicken on top of dressing.) Serve with hot giblet gravy.

Giblet Gravy ½ pound cooked chicken

gizzards, chopped ½ pound cooked chicken

livers, chopped 1 egg

3 tablespoons flour 3 cups chicken broth ½ cup milk Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine livers and gizzards in chicken broth. In a small bowl, beat together raw egg, flour and milk with a wire whisk. When well beaten, pour slowly into boiling broth. Let cook, stirring carefully, until well combined. If too thick, add more broth. Serve over dressing or hot rolls.

Dorris Chitwood, Joe Wheeler EMC

Zucchini Casserole

1 package Stove Top Stuffing mix (dry, not prepared)

1 stick butter 3 cups zucchini (or other

summer squash), cubed

1 pint sour cream

1 can cheddar cheese soup (or ½ pound Velveeta melted in ½ cup milk; cheddar cheese soup is preferred)

1 cup onion, chopped Pinch of garlic salt Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter and mix all ingredients together. Put in 9x13 (or 2-quart round) baking dish & bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Serves: 8.

Sharron Howard, North Central MO Electric Cooperative (out-of-state reader)

Chicken Noodle Casserole

6 ounces uncooked pasta, recommended: egg noodles

¼-½ small onion, finely chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 large can chunk chicken, drained

1 cup milk Monterey Jack cheese Bread crumbs Butter

Cook pasta. Sauté onions in butter until tender. Combine all ingredients except cheese and bread crumbs in pasta pan. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Top with cheese and buttered bread crumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Linda Altman, Pea River EC

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Kodiak Casserole

2 pounds ground beef 4 cups onions, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 medium green peppers,

diced 4 cups celery, diced 1 5 ¾-ounce jar stuffed

green olives 1 4-ounce can

mushroom pieces 1 10 ¾-ounce can

condensed tomato soup, undiluted

1 8-ounce jar picante sauce

1 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3-4 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, onions and garlic; drain. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Mix well and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving. Serves 16-20, great for large groups.

Dorothy Sapp, Arab EC

Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers . They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician . If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe .


Alabama Living | NOVEMBER 2011 | 29Follow Alabama Living on facebook ®

North

DeKaLb CouNTY – NOV. 7

Baskets of Blessings

We will be delivering baskets with a complete Thanksgiving meal for families of DeKalb County. We are accepting donations toward the baskets as well as family information who need this meal.Contact Kelli Gardner at 256-572-3980 or Katie Patterson at 256-996-2608Donations are needed by Nov. 7.

aRab – NOV. 14

41st Annual Arab Mothers’ Club #1 Holiday Bazaar

Arab Rec. Center 8 a.m.-3 p.m.All proceeds benefit the Arab City Schools.Contact: Natalie Burke, 256-498-7435 or [email protected]

CuLLMaN – NOV. 18 & 19

Vinemont Band Booster Arts & Crafts Fair

Cullman Civic CenterFri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.Contact: Brandi Brown, [email protected]

aRab – NOV. 26

Christmas in the Park 5K and Fun Run

Arab City Park, 224 City Park Dr NWRegistration - 8 a.m. , 5K - 9 a.m., 1 Mile Fun Run - 10 a.m., Awards - 10:30 a.m.Registration Fee: $20Course Certification Code: AL11037JDFor information call (256)586-6074 or e-mail [email protected]

WeiSS LaKe – DEC. 4

25th Annual Christmas Tour of Homes

Women’s Club of Weiss Lake1 - 4:30 p.m.Admission: ChargedContact: Chris Dendy, 256-779-2252

CeNtralFReDoNia – NOV. 19

Fredonia Heritage Day

Fredonia Community ClubhouseFredonia Freedom Foods will have breakfast foods and lunchesVendor spaces and information: 706-207-2396 or 334-499-2380

WeTuMpKa - NOV. 11 & 12

13th Annual “Home for the Holidays” Craft Show & Tasting Fair

Wetumpka Civic CenterFri. 9 a.m-7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-2 p.m.Tickets: $5, available in advance or at the doorContact: Patricia McCullers, 334-567-5785

MoNTgoMeRY – DEC. 2-4

41st Annual Montgomery Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show

Garrett Coliseum, 1555 Federal DriveFri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.Admission: FreeContact: Jane Barkley, 334-277-2722www.montgomerygemand-mineralsociety.org

DaDeviLLe – DEC. 10

Tallapoosee Historical Society Annual Home Tour

10 homes, Tallapoosee Historical Society Museum and First Baptist Church9 a.m.-3 p.m.Tickets: $15 advance, $10 at the doorContact: Will Ponder (home) 256-825-4492 or (cell) 334-201-0905

peLL CiTY – DEC. 15

Magic City Choral Society Community Holiday concert

Pell City Center, 25 Williamson Drive – 7:30 p.m.Free AdmissionContact: 205-338-1974 or visit www.pellcitycenter.com.

SoutheNTeRpRiSe – NOV. 6

Voices of the South Spirited, Moving Choral Music

First Baptist Church – 2 p.m.

Ticket Information: 334-406-2787www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com

poiNT CLeaR – NOV. 19

Fall Festival

St. Francis at the Point – 9 a.m.-3 p.m.Christmas decorations, bake sale, rummage sale and more

CReoLa – NOV. 19

Turkey 10 Miler & 5K Run/Walk

Dead Lake Marina – 8:30 a.m.Contact: Port City Pacers, 251-473-7223

piNe appLe – NOV. 26

16th Annual Hunter Appreciation Day Festival

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., 7 p.m. Big Buck Contest awardsAdmission: Free Information contact: 251-746-2660 or 251-746-2293www.pineapplealabama.com

eLba – NOV. 29

The International Tenors’ “A Three Tenor Christmas”

Elba High School – 7 p.m.Ticket information: 334-406-2787www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com

uNioN SpRiNgS – DEC. 1-3

Christmas Letters

Red Door TheatreDinner at 6 p.m. (reservations required); play is at 7:30Contact: Tourism Council of Bullock County, 334-738-8687 or [email protected]

DoTHaN – DEC. 3

Downtown Christmas Festival

Downtown Dothan from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.www.thedowntowngroup.comFor information call The Main event at (334) 699-1475

DapHNe – DEC. 3

Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 5K Run/Walk

Old Towne – 8 a.m.Contact: LRH Productions, 251-401-8039

TRoY – DEC. 9

Shelia Jackson & Company

Enjoy the incredible voice of Troy’s own Sheila Fayson Jackson as she joins with a host of other local vocalists, dancers, and musicians to present her annual Holiday Spectacular.Contact John Jinright at 334-670-3593 or e-mail [email protected].

aNDaLuSia – DEC. 9-11

The Nutcracker

Dixon Center for the Performing ArtsFri. 7:30 p.m., tickets: $25Sat. 7:30 p.m., tickets: $12Sun. 2: 30 p.m., tickets: $12Contact: Alicia Morgan, 334-222-6620 or [email protected]

poiNT CLeaR – DEC. 10

Holiday Half Marathon & 8K Run/Walk

Mullet Point Park – 8:30 a.m.Contact: Port City Pacers, 251-473-7223

FRiSCo CiTY – DEC. 16 & 17

2nd Annual “Christmas Comes Alive in Frisco City” Live Nativity Drive-ThroughFrisco City High School practice ball field6 - 8 p.m., both nightsHospitality tent and prayer tent, free bibles offered to all visitorsAdmission: FreeContact: Dell Walston 251-564-6427 or [email protected]

Alabama events

To place an event, mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; e-mail to [email protected]. (Subject Line: Alabama Events) or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.



http://www.montgomerygemand-mineralsociety.org



http://www.pellcitycenter.com

http://www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com

http://www.pineapplealabama.com

http://www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com



http://www.thedowntowngroup.com







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http://www.funcondos.com

http://www.funcondos.com


January Issue – Nov. 25February Issue – Dec. 25March Issue – Jan. 25

ADVERTISING DEADLINES:

$1.65 per word

For Advertising, contact Heather:1-800-410-2737 or

hdutton@areapower .com - Subject Line: Classifieds

GulF sHoREs conDo – 2BR / 1.5BA, sleeps 6, pool, beach access – (334)790-9545

smoKiEs - toWnsEnD, tn – 2BR/2BA, secluded log home, fully furnished. Toll free (866)448-6203, (228)832-0713

oRAnGE bEAcH 3/3 – Water front view, beach access - $1,100 monthly – 3 months or more $1,000 – (225)753-0492, (225)933-6906

PEnsAcolA bEAcH conDo - Gulf front - 7th floor balcony – 3BR/2BA, sleeps 6, pool – (850)572-6295 or (850)968-2170GulF sHoREs PlAntAtion - Gulf view, beach side, 2 bedrooms / 2 baths, no smoking / no pets. Owner rates (205)339-3850

www.hideawayprop.com - cAbins in PEAcEFul, conVEniEnt sEttinG – Pigeon Forge, TN – (251)649-3344 or (251)649-4049

GAtlinbuRG, tn cHAlEt – 3BR / 3BA Baskins Creek – Pool, 10 minute walk downtown, Aquarium, National Park – (334)289-0304

oRAnGE bEAcH conDo, 3BR/3BA; 2,000 SQ.FT.; beautifully decorated; gorgeous waterfront view; boat slips available; great rates - Owner rented (251)604-5226

touRist cAbins 4 REnt bY oWnER – Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg – Call for holiday quotes (865)712-7633

cAbin in mEntonE – 2/2, brow view, hottub – For rent $100/night or Sale $239,000 – (706)767-0177

GAtlinbuRG – DoWntoWn luXuRY cREEKsiDE conDo – 2BR / 2BA, sleeps 6 – [email protected], (256)599-5552

HousE in PiGEon FoRGE, tn – fully furnished, sleeps 6-12, 3 baths, creek, no pets – (256)997-6771, www.riverrungetaway.org

AnDAlusiA AREA RV cAmPGRounD FoR HuntERs/FisHERmEn - on Point ‘A’ Lake - Nightly, weekly & monthly rates - Reservations (334)388-0342, [email protected], www.shacrvpark.com

cAmP in tHE GREAt smoKY mountAins – Maggie Valley, NC – www.trailsendrv-park.com, (828)421-5295.

FoR sAlE: GoRGEous FuRnisHED mountAin cAbin on 2 AcREs in mEntonE, Al - Call Lee Eidson at RE/MAX of Rome GA (706)346-1673, (706)232-1112

GAtlinbuRG tEnnEssEE – 3 weeks deeded property – WESTGATE - $10,000 – phone (334)855-9344

2bR / 2 .5bA in PAnAmA citY bEAcH, Fl – Located approximately 1,150ft from the Gulf with beach access – Price $189,900.00 – (251)490-7062 or email [email protected]

bEAutiFul soutHERn liVinG HomE on 8 acres “with 68 more available”. Retire in scenic Northwest , AL near Red Bay in this 14 year old home complete with mother-in-law wing and huge front porch in the shade - forsalebyowner.com ID # 22890092 – (256)668-5671

mountAin toP REtREAt – mEntonE, Al – 2BR / 2BA home on 13.3 acres overlooking 5 acre lake – Beautiful view - $185,000 – (256)634-8017

nEAR oRAnGE bEAcH, near deep water, high elevation wooded homesites, big trees, restricted – Owner financing - $1500dn / $19,900, 5% - www.pinesofperdido.com

mountAin ViEW HomE sitEs atop Sand Mountain. Protective restrictions, www.pellsgap.com

cARibbEAn cRuisEs At tHE loWEst PRicE – (256)974-0500 or (800)726-0954

PlAY GosPEl sonGs bY EAR - 10 lessons $12.95. “LEARN GOSPEL MUSIC”. Chording, runs, fills - $12.95 Both $24. Davidsons, 6727AR Metcalf, Shawnee Missions, Kansas 66204 – (913)262-4982

PiAnos tunED, repaired, refinished. Box 171, Coy, AL 36435. 334-337-4503

FREE biblE coRREsPonDEncE couRsE – write to 23600 Alabama Highway 24, Trinity, AL, 35673

bEcomE An oRDAinED ministER correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7549 West Cactus #104-207 Peoria, Arizona 85381. http://www.ordination.org

cHiHuAHuA PuPPiEs. Tiny, registered, guaranteed healthy, raised indoors in loving home, vet records and references. (256)796-2893

ADoRAblE AKc YoRKY PuPPiEs – excellent blood lines – (334)301-1120, (334)537-4242, [email protected]

www .walkersdogcollars .com – FREE nAmEPlAtE WitH EAcH collAR – Printed and attached.

GRoW muscADinEs AnD blAcKbERRiEs , half dollar size – We offer over 200 varieties of Fruit and Nut Trees plus Vines and Berry Plants. Free color catalog. 1-800-733-0324. Ison’s Nursery, P.O. Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205 Since 1934 www.isons.com

caMping, Fishing & hunting

traVel

real estate

Fruits, Berries, nuts & trees

education

critters

Musical notes


http://www.hideawayprop.com


http://www.riverrungetaway.org


http://www.shacrvpark.com

http://www.trailsendrv-park.com


http://www.pinesofperdido.com

http://www.pellsgap.com

http://www.ordination.org


http://www.walkersdogcollars.com

http://www.isons.com


Marketplace

Solid Cedar Personalized WoodenCommemorative Football

Hand-made • Add your favorite photo• You decide the wording Three lines of personalization free • Regulation size football$99.95 + tax • Production for Fall 2011–500 units

Call Nu Image Engraving & Awards256-355-3205 • Decatur, AL • Fax 256-355-3512

E-mail: [email protected]




Our Sources Say

In March, TVA completed an Integrated Resource Plan to help evaluate how to meet the future power needs of the Tennessee Valley. It’s a big job – think about every power outlet in every home in the Tennessee Valley.

TVA and your cooperative must to plan to have enough energy available so that every outlet in every home and business has energy available should you need it. TVA and your cooperative work hard to make sure that the electricity needed to run your home or business is there at the very instant you need it.

Whether you are manufacturing auto parts, cooking for your family, or downloading an app for your smartphone, TVA and your local cooperative are quietly working behind the scenes so that you can live, work, and play without worrying about whether there is enough energy to go around.

However, the wide availability of electricity in our region is no accident. TVA and your cooperative work together to make sure that the supply of electricity is available where it is needed. We spend a lot of time thinking about how and where to make energy available

when it’s needed.While the future is uncertain,

we are sure that our economy will continue to rely upon the availability of low-cost energy. We also recognize the importance of being environmentally responsible so that future generations can enjoy Alabama’s communities as much – if not more – than we do today.

As the future becomes the present, TVA is determined to be one of the nation’s leading providers of low cost and cleaner energy by 2020. This vision means TVA plans to rely less on coal-generated electricity and more on nuclear power and energy

efficiency. The Integrated Resource Plan mentioned earlier is TVA’s roadmap to accomplish these objectives. I encourage you to review this document at www.tva.gov/irp.

Your home or business can take advantage of energy efficiency offers available from TVA and your cooperative by visiting our website at energyright.com.

As fall approaches and we tend to use less energy, compliments of milder weather, I hope that you also will appreciate the steady, reliable effort your Alabama cooperative makes to ensure that the energy you use is there when you need it.d

MEETINGENERGY NEEDSTVA works with your co-op to planthe future electricity needs of the Valley

Waymon Pace is general manager, customer service of the Tennessee Valley Authority in Alabama.

http://www.tva


Submit Your images!JANuARy THeMe:

“gRaNDKiDS paRT ii”SeND CoLoR PHoToS WITH A LARGe SeLF ADDReSSeD STAMPeD eNVeLoPe To: Photos, Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL, 36124.RuLeS: Alabama Living will pay $10 for photos that best match our theme of the month. Alabama Living is not responsible for lost or damaged photos.DeADLINe FoR: January 31

grandkids

1. Kinsley Parker and “Papa” Wendell Sullivan submitted by “Nana” Linda Sullivan, Milly

2. Holton Smith, Nathan Lee, Mikayla Smith, Madelyn Lewis, Jordan Lee and Jenny Lee submitted by “Grammie” Cindy Culpepper, Chelsea

3. Lauren Bailey and “Paw Paw” submitted by Elaine Bailey, Opp

4. Logan, Dusty, Payton, Kael, James, Kacyn, Markus and Haylee submitted by Tammy Turner, Jackson

5. Diane and Stan Aaron with grandson Grayson of Bay Minette submitted by Beth Aaron, Bay Minette

6. Rian and Quin Foote submitted by Sharon Johnson, Brantley

Alabama Snapshots

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Alabama Living Cullman November 2011

Documents

Transcript of Alabama Living Cullman November 2011