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Serendipity is one of life’s great experiences.
It happened here at Lakeside Living not long ago, as we were moving into our new offices at 124 Court Square East in Talladega, while marketing consultant Chelsy Glisson was unpacking some boxes that contained our advertising files.
“Do you have a copy of this?” she asked, approaching my desk and holding out a 60-page glossy magazine with four sailboats on its cover.
“I do not,” I replied. “I didn’t know one still existed.”
What Chelsy had found was the April, 2007 issue of Lakeside Living, its first in magazine format. The publication was launched in 1994 on quarterfold newsprint (which is right at half the size of a tabloid newspaper supplement). It was described in those early days as A Daily Home Guide to Celebrating Life on Logan Martin Lake, published five times a year as a seasonal product.
Copies of those issues are as rare as blue lobsters. I’ve only seen two: one at Woods Surfside Marina (Jerry kept it in his desk drawer -- a copy of Lakeside Living, that is, not a blue lobster) and one in our archive. But our magazine archive only went back as far as June, 2007, until Chelsy made her grand discovery. We both stopped what we had been doing to examine it.
“Sailing the Coosa,” the cover said in black-outlined red lettering. “Birmingham Sailing Club at home on Logan Martin Lake.” The cover story, which spread over nine pages, outlined the history of the club, depicted its weekly regattas, and described the club as it existed almost 20 years ago.
Other features in that first magazine issue included “Every Room in the House” (a visit to a lakeside couple’s waterfront kitchen), “If You Build It” (about the development of Lincoln Harbor), “Lakeside Living in Style” (a tour of a lake home on Rabbit Branch), and “Logan Martin Homes” (a real estate property guide). There were also articles about the LMLPA, landscape designer Andy Overstreet, the growing popularity of pontoon boats and personal watercraft, and what the implications of a lawsuit seeking to restrict houseboats and other large vessels on Alabama waterways might be for Logan Martin Lake.
Here we are 19 years later with the April, 2026 issue of Lakeside Living. It is your loyal and regular readership that has allowed this publication to exist in two different formats for a total of 32 years. It is also thanks to our loyal and regular advertisers, some of whom were with us for that first magazine issue back in
2007 support and have worked with us in the years since. Their support makes it possible for us to make each issue available to you.
Please consider this issue our anniversary gift to you. On behalf of Consolidated Publishing and our entire staff, thank you for allowing Lakeside Living – Logan Martin Lake’s original and premier lifestyle publication – to be a part of your lives for more than three decades. Here’s to many more years of seeing you around the lake.
Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and temperatures are warming. That means it’s spring again, and big bass and crappie are returning to the shallows.
April is a very exciting month to be on the water chasing elusive largemouth and spotted bass. Known for their hardfighting nature and huge bucket-mouth appearance, the largemouth bass is arguably the most sought-after game fish in North America. The Coosa River spotted bass is a little different – stocky and very aggressive. April is the best month to seek out spawning bass for both species.
Crappie, like bass, will spawn in similar habitats. These speckled tastyeating fish will often group up in large numbers and spawn with similarities of bream. There will often times be many beds in a small area. This is why sight fishing for spawning crappie can be very fun. If you find these small hot spots, use a good pair of
glasses to mark out the beds. A very small light jig will allow you to pluck crappie off the beds. It’s not uncommon to see between 30 and 50 beds in a small area. So find that magic spot, and you’ll strike checkered gold. Largemouth bass will tend to seek spawning areas in bays, small cuts, pockets, and anywhere where the water is stable and warm. You’ll often find them in creek pockets where the sun is hitting banks for a majority of the day. I love to target isolated back bay areas, places where the sun will radiate the shallow waters and be unaffected by wind. Once you target a largemouth bass spawning, you’ll have to see how the fish is acting on the bed. Some largemouth are easier to catch than others, as each individual fish has its own mood. My bait of choice for largemouth on the beds are craws and lizards. These two baits can usually get a spawning bass to bite. I always opt for a white-colored bait, and if the fish will not strike it, I’ll try again with a natural colored-craw.
bedding in the same habitats at largemouth bass. My favorite targets for spawning bass on the Coosa River are sea walls. Logan Martin is home to thousands of sea walls, and these big spawning spots will use the hard bottom sea walls to spawn. Carolina Rigs and Shakey Heads are my favorite lures this time of year. I pair them with natural-colored worms or craws. Since the spots are typically more aggressive than their relatives, catching/targeting them is often easier. Focus on sea walls and hard bottom structures in main river pockets and bays. Spots like to stay close to current year around. They will even spawn in small slack water spots in the current on the main river.
The Coosa River spotted bass is different in its spawning nature. They can be found on hard rocks, underwater roadbeds, shell rock shelves, sea walls, and gravel humps/ points. I have even seen spots
As always contact me at csk0010@ auburn.edu for all of your fishing related needs and questions.
Tight Lines & Strong Hooksets,
C.J. KNIGHT
Written by MADELINE KLINE
Photography by TUCKER WEBB
Every year, when half the world has accepted the cold and dreary reality of winter, the world sends us small signs of change. It might be a lone bee buzzing too close to your ear. It might be the bed of clover by your front door blooming out of nowhere, or the daffodils pushing up in places you forgot they were planted.
Baseball season and pollen allergies give you this predetermined mix of excitement and nuisance that are unmatched in the natural world. The world is sending us mixed signals on whether or not we should be outside at all.
The first signs of spring show themselves to a gray and cold world, and then we rejoice. Even though we know two or three (or more) cold snaps remain, the friendly bugs and eager flora remind us that there is a pleasant and warm version of the outdoors.
On the lake, the false or premature spring is a blessing sprinkled into the cursed late freezing rains. Finally, a day on the boat, kayak, or paddleboard that gives you a moment in a warm and forgiving sun. Finally, the kids are occupied with frisbees or ball games. These 75° days before the equinox even come reminds us, “Better things are coming. Days on the water are ahead.” A lakeside Alabama spring invites us to look ahead to the pleasantries of summer to come, without the degree of heat that we’ll be complaining about a few weeks later.
The valleys and hills of Alabama have allowed Logan Martin Lake to garner a rich culture of outdoors activity and community. The views from the water are unmatched. Personally, I love slowly paddleboarding out too far when I know the trek back is going to make my arms burn. That is when I look out and above me. I see a never ending hill of trees and beautiful homes that compliment the cloud scattered sky; and I feel at home. I even love watching the waterbugs find their place in the midst of the lake, as they search for something to do on the calm waters.
At home in the sense of spring, the sense of Easter and
rebirth; springtime in the south means watching the entire world come alive again. I love seeing my neighbors grass seeds springing through the lawn, and I may even love the pesky carpenter bees wondering what is in my ear. I’ll even appreciate hot days when I must dress for the cool evening ahead. It is this mercurial nature of spring that brings a certain joy and hope to the season.
There is a certain feeling of dread that I feel with these eager flowers. The south Sees daffodils and violets wither away before true spring arrives. Can I cut these flowers and preserve them forever in my vase? Either way, I can appreciate this weird warm weather as it comes. I will go on to my front porch and tan as much as I can, and I will jump into the lake even as I am chattering my teeth.
Written by CHERITH FLUKER GLOVER
Photos from Lakeside Living’s file
Spring brings more than warm weather to the area lakes of the Coosa River. It brings hundreds of volunteers with garbage bags in hand, ready to haul away what winter left behind. This month, Alabama Power’s annual Renew Our Rivers cleanup program returns to both Logan Martin Lake and Lay
Lake, giving residents along both shores a chance to make a visible difference in the waterways they call home.
Renew Our Rivers began in 2000 when some Alabama Power employees, concerned about litter along the shores of Lake Neely Henry, organized what would become one of the largest river cleanup programs in the Southeast. Twenty-six years later, the effort has engaged more than 122,000 volunteers and removed as
many as 13.7 million pounds of debris from Alabama waterways.
For 18 years, Alabama Power Environmental Affairs Specialist Mike Clelland has coordinated the program statewide, arriving before volunteers at each event to map trouble spots and make sure cleanups run smoothly. He shows no signs of slowing down. “After 26 years, our volunteers are still excited about Renew Our Rivers,” Clelland said. “They understand
the value, seeing the big improvement afterwards. They’re ready to get out there.”
So is he. Approximately 27 cleanups are planned statewide for the 2026 season.
The Logan Martin Lake Protection Association has been part of that tradition for over 20 years, serving as what board member Danny Norman calls the local face of the effort. “We are the local ambassadors,” he said, “selecting dates annually, managing the collection sites and receptacles, recruiting the volunteers and advertising.” Alabama Power supplies the equipment — t-shirts, gloves, trash bags and signage — while the LMLPA handles the community legwork.
For Norman, the value of the cleanup goes beyond the bags of trash collected. “It is important to raise community awareness and develop a feel of ownership among the volunteers for the importance of keeping our lake and river clean,” he said. “It
promotes the recreational and communal value of Logan Martin Lake and the Coosa River for residents and visitors.”
The Logan Martin cleanup runs from April 11 through April 18, with volunteers working throughout the week and returning collected trash to one of six staffed collection points. Volunteers will staff those sites on both Saturday, April 11, and Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to noon.
Volunteers are asked to come to any of the six staffed collection sites around the lake to sign up and pick up supplies. Those locations are Lakeside Park in Cropwell, Clear Creek Marina in Talladega, Riverside Landing in Riverside, Wood’s Surfside Marina in Cropwell, the former Caribe Club in Lincoln, and Coosa Island Marina in Cropwell.
“Just come between 8 and noon,” Norman said. “We provide most of what you will need. Volunteers probably want
to wear work clothes and tennis shoes or boots.”
As for what to expect along the shoreline, Norman said plastic is the most common culprit, along with bottles, cans, old floats, chairs, lounges, and foam mats. Such organic material as logs and stumps is left in place. “The idea is to get bottles, cans, sacks, old floats, trash that tends to float to the banks along our shores,” he said.
Last year’s effort was one for the record books. Nearly 500 volunteers turned out and recovered more than 21 tons of trash. That doesn’t include a portion of a floating dock that Alabama Power retrieved separately using their work barge, acting on information provided by volunteers on the water.
This year, two cleanup events are planned for Lay Lake: April 25 and April 29. The first is a community-wide effort,
organized by the Lay Lake Home Owners & Boat Owners Association (HOBO) and scheduled for Saturday, April 25. Rather than dropping off trash at fixed sites, HOBO is asking volunteers to form teams, collect trash in their own area, estimate its weight, and place it in their personal trash cans — then share a “trashy” team photo on the organization’s Facebook page. HOBO President Karen Jensen said, “We are currently forming teams, getting t-shirt orders, and asking participating teams to gather trash in their area. Once teams are formed, you can request team t-shirts by emailing laylakehoboinc@gmail.com.”
The day wraps up with a free volunteer picnic at 11:30 a.m. at Beeswax Park, sponsored by Powered by Luke, a traveling boat mechanic who has become a fixture
event. “He is
boat mechanic, and we are so happy to have his support,” Jensen said.
The results from last year show just how wide the net is cast. Jensen said 51 teams, local marinas, and the Sylacauga Fire Department combined to collect trash across the lake — and she’s quick to note the impact is likely larger than any single figure can capture.
A second Lay Lake cleanup is set for April 29 at the E.C. Gaston Plant on the Coosa River, coordinated through Alabama Power’s environmental team. Those interested in participating can contact Chad Rohrbach at crohbac@southernco.com.
Renew Our Rivers volunteers include members of homeowner and boat owner associations, civic organizations, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, and other groups — all are welcome. No prior experience is needed. Organizers at each site will provide basic equipment and a friendly welcome on the day of the event.
For more about the program statewide, visit alabamapower.com/ROR.
Written and Photographed by
BUDDY ROBERTS
Ahost of titles could be used to describe Nikki Stiles Baker. Author. Designer. Brand strategist. Coach. Entrepreneur.
An alumna of the University of Miami and Talladega College, she’s worked in the entertainment, government, nonprofit, media, and technology sectors. She’s led projects for the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Club and currently serves as the organization’s Southeast district governor. As the founder and CEO of Superflyers, her goal is to empower small businesses and nonprofits through purpose-driven design. Her book, “Side Hustle Glow Up: How to Turn Your Creativity into a Bankable Design Business,” is available on Amazon and Audible.
But the titles and the accomplishments aren’t in themselves indicative of the engaging, unpretentious personality behind them, which was on display during a conversation on a recent morning at the Armstrong-Osborne Public Library in Talladega.
LL: How did you develop the idea for your book?
BAKER: I started taking some classes in social media, and the first thing they taught us was to produce a book. And I was like, ‘Well, what am I going to write about?’ So I decided to write about what I would tell the me of 20 years ago, which is to stay a little bit adventurous. The pioneers going out west, they had to be adventurous, right? In any age, it’s those who went and got the goal that led the age. Right now, those who lead in information will lead in this age by staying adventurous and on the trend, not way behind the trend. The book is pretty short and simple, but it’s basically lessons about how to get out of your way creatively, how to connect with current information age tools and applications, and how to jump in.
LL: And social media is an example of information age tools?
Baker: Exactly. Just like any tool, it can be used inappropriately. A gun, for example. You want a gun if you’re in the woods with a bear or you’re hunting for food, right? But you don’t want it around while you’re nurturing a baby. Tools serve a purpose, and that’s to make life easier or more efficient for humans. But we can abuse them, and if there should someone around to say, ‘This is the proper way or the most efficient way to use this tool for this
purpose.’ I want to teach people what I’ve found to be the most efficient way to use these tools for business, especially for artists and designers.
LL: As a creative individual, what inspires you?
BAKER: I think there’s something about water too that fosters creativity. When you’re at the water – whether it’s the ocean or the lake – it’s nature, right? It’s bigger than you. And water is constantly moving. Movement stimulates right brain activity. So sometimes when you feel a creative block or something, you can take a walk or even take a shower, and often you’ll having all these bubbling thoughts. If you feel a block, put yourself in motion. Don’t worry about feeling blocked. The seed grows underground before it sprouts. The yeast rises in the oven before you bake. The baby develops in the womb before it’s born. Sometimes even when you feel like you’re not being creative, you are. You’re just in that part of the process where you don’t see it. So don’t worry much about it. Journaling can also help. You can do what are called morning pages. You make a pledge that you will do journal every morning instead of at the end of the day. When you journal at the end of the day, you tend to just list what happened, but when you journal in the morning, it’s really more like your outlook and your attitude. It makes a difference.
Written by FAITH DORN
Christy and Shannon Ginn co-own The Parlor Pizza and Ice Cream Co. in Pell City with their friends Chad and Breanna Chandler.
“We had been talking about business opportunities with them for a while,” Christy said. “They were already familiar with The Parlor because they have younger kids than ours, so they had been frequent customers. The previous owner had mentioned to Chad that she was interested in selling about a year ago.”
The Ginns and the Chandlers sat down and discussed the possibility of purchasing it together, and they agreed that it would be a good idea, even though neither couple had a background in the restaurant industry.
Christy is a retired educator, and Shannon is the coordinator of testing and assessment at Jefferson State Community College and serves as a funeral director at Usrey Funeral Home. The Chandlers own Small Town Blanks, a custom apparel store.
The couples want The Parlor Pizza and Ice Cream Co. to be a place where adults and children enjoy the warm atmosphere and family-friendly environment. “Our slogan is ‘We serve happiness’,” said Christy.
Happiness at The Parlor frequently comes in the form of pizza, wings, muffuletas, and ice cream. One of its popular specialties is ice cream nachos.
“The chips are made of the same ingredients as waffle cones, but they are thicker. You can pick any one of our 36 flavors of Hershey ice cream and add hot fudge, caramel, hot peanut butter and marshmallows,” Christy said.
Her current favorite Parlor specialty is the cheeseburger pizza. “It has pizza sauce, mozzarella, cheddar, hamburger crumbles, dill pickles, more mozzarella and cheddar, and when it comes out, we drizzle it with our special sauce. It is really good.”
She says The Parlor uses high quality ingredients and receives them from the same supplier who supplies Pasquale’s, adding that The Parlor has something for everybody including shaved ice, a gluten-free option, a dairy-free option and a sugar-free option.
The Parlor is available to host birthday parties and private events on Sunday afternoons and Mondays. If you would like to book your event there, call the store at 205-813-0354 or visit theparlorpc.com.
The Parlor Pizza and Ice Cream Co. is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays at 1917 Cogswell Avenue (Suite 5) in Pell City.
Written by MADELINE KLINE
Illustrations provided by SPIDER DOCKTOR OF LOGAN MARTIN LAKE
Spring is here again on Logan Martin Lake. We’re out of the chilly winter and back in our yards, on our porches, and on our docks enjoying the warmth of lakeside living.
The return of enjoyable weather, however, also means the start of battles with the pests that come alive at this time of year.
I don’t know about everyone else, but nothing ruins my days
outdoors like mosquitoes, wasps, and spiders.
Protecting our outdoor spaces from the creepy, crawly nuisances can be difficult. So many products can harm kids, pets, and the environment we are trying to enjoy, or stain and leave residues on our boathouses and docks. Luckily there is the local franchise of Spider Docktor, owned by Kari Harris. Early spring is an especially important time to protect our homes before the insect invasion is in full swing. Spider Docktor is a different kind of pest control solution. With help from professionals that
understand local needs and wants, your home and waterfront can be pest free at the push of a remote button.
The system installs misters, connected to barrels, which spray a gentle, plant-based pesticide where you need it to target most. Part of the guaranteed service is refilling these barrels as needed, so you are never without. The unique system lets you be in control of how much protection your home receives. Along with timers built into the misters, you also have a remote so when your little one comes running and screaming about wasps and spiders, you can respond without having to exterminate the bug
or arachnid yourself.
Some people like creepy crawlies. I have a friend who will pick up millipedes and spiders like they are house pets. But bugs aren’t generally welcome in or around our homes. More often, they are mostly a nuisance or even a danger to our families. It was interesting to speak to Kari about bugs. Neither of us are particularly fans of any kind of the creatures. So what motivates a person to start a pest control company?
In her own lake home, about two years ago, a spider bit her neck. Within 24 hours, she was in dire need of hospitalization and
her family feared losing her to the bite. Her research led her to find Spider Docktor and bring the service to local communities. Already an established local business owner, Kari’s new goal was to keep the folks around Logan Martin as bug-free as possible. Now is the time to reach out to Spider Docktor, to have this easy-to-use system before your home or dock is overtaken with too-many-legged pests. Spider Docktor doesn’t just target spiders. Mosquitoes, no-see-ums, mud daubers, flies, and gnats are all repelled and killed by the plant-based mist. It’s important while we try to enjoy our outdoor spaces that we are reaching for the kind of protection that keeps our nature green and healthy.
Something also important to Kari about this franchise and her other businesses in the Pell City and Logan Martin Lake area is that she plans to stay and grow here. Her children are learning about the business, and she wants to build up the local community that so enjoys its outdoor spaces. Part of lake culture is spending time on piers and docks, so being able to enjoy it without fear of being eaten alive by mosquitoes or painfully stung by wasps is dear to her heart.
Just as it is to mine and, I’m sure, yours too.
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Written by DR. SARAH ELIZABETH MOREMAN
Photographed by TUCKER WEBB
I“need to get flowers,” my father says to my mother. She nods as he slowly rises from his chair. He looks at me, telling me that he needs to run some errands. I wave him away as he leaves the room. My mother then sits in the chair that my father has vacated, explaining that the flowers are for the nurses and the doctor who helped save my father’s life after a GI bleed.
I nod and look out past the glass windows of the sunroom, studying the glorious pink azaleas in full bloom When I was growing up, I associated my childhood home with these azaleas, along with hydrangeas, bamboo, and magnolias. Every Easter, we would pose beside them in our new Sunday best for pictures. The best ones are from when all four Moreman siblings were still living under the same roof, moments I now revisit with a sense of blissful ignorance, when we looked to our parents for answers to everything and nothing.
When my parents talk about about bringing flowers to the hospital, they
are expressing gratitude in a tangible, wonderful fragrant way. Mom picks up her phone when it rings. I listen as she talks, my eyes resting on the vase at the center of the dining table, holding purple hyacinths accompanied by spring snowflakes. The sight of these flowers brings a sense of peace, reassuring me
that things will be okay and that my father will heal in time once he makes adjustments to his diet.
How poignantly fitting. Flowers uplift us; they are portraits of resilience and rebirth, symbols of hope. When someone surprises another with flowers, the message beneath the gesture is one of
hope: a willingness to look up from whatever ensnares our joy, such as the darkness of work and the grip of technology.
We are meant to relish the outdoors, to be entranced by vivid pinks, purples, and yellows as we step into the sunlight, now lingering longer each day since Daylight Saving Time passed. The feeling of exhilaration in leaving our offices at the end of each workday, still basking in that daylight, whether driving or walking home, savoring the light that is no longer stolen from us.
Certain flowers, like yellow forsythias and blush pink sakura, also known as cherry blossoms, bloom before the leaves appear, reminding us that we can dare to hope, to
expand the possibilities of living life to its fullest. Yoshino cherry blossom trees, swaying heavy under the abundance of the soft, papery petals in shades of blush pinks and whites, transform a landscape of wintry grays and dark blues into a dazzling brilliance of fluffy clouds of blooms, opening our hearts to rejoice in the glory of the Creation.
Like the sakura with their timeless message of spring’s arrival, the bright daffodils that suddenly appear sharpen my awareness of what living life means. They invite us to savor lightness in our steps, in our breathing, and in our thoughts, as we set aside screens and distractions to embrace the simple, natural joys that surround us.
Daffodils frame my childhood innocence. In the early years of my former marriage when I lived on the Coosa River, I missed those yellow blooms. I did not know, nor did I consider, I could plant them myself until one day I walked through Lowe’s and noticed an enormous mesh bag filled with daffodil bulbs. I did not plant them right away, as it was not the proper season. The bag sat, forgotten for a few years, until I finally remembered at the right time, which was late fall, brushing up against the first gasp of frost. I planted most bulbs in the brick flowerbox, placing the overflow in strategic spots throughout the yard where I could catch the sight of their cheerful yellow blooms. To my delight, in the years that followed, the daffodils
grew three or four feet tall above the flowerbox…so tall, their petals so full and heavy, that they leaned into one another and spilled over the bricks.
This abundance makes it easier to snip a few and place them in vases of water, so I can enjoy them indoors when I am not outside. To me, daffodils are joy. The quiet brilliance of their soft velvety petals brings a smile not only to my face, but deep
within my heart.
I look back at my mother, thinking of the daffodils. Perhaps this coming fall, I will quietly plant bulbs in their yard and wait to see the joy on their faces come spring. With flowers, hope shines, and we are reminded that joy itself is a kind of medicine for healing, along with being a fragrant means of expressing gratitude and love.
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This third annual event – involving 10,000 eggs – begins at 10 a.m. at Lakeside Park. Participants are asked to bring their own baskets. Activities will include Easter Bunny meet and greet, arts and crafts, face painting, bubble activities, displays from Pell City’s fire and police departments, and chalk art. A designated area for children with special needs will be available. Kona Ice, popcorn, drinks, and prize eggs will be available. The Community Easter Egg Hunt is a collaborative effort between the City of Pell City and the St. Clair County Ministerial Association.
Talladega’s Historic Ritz Theatre hosts this tribute show offering what has been described as “the most complete and authentic reproduction of Sir Elton John’s live concert performance in the world.” The iconic performer’s music from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond will be featured. Showtime is 7 p.m. For ticket information, visit ritztalladega.com.
Presented by AmFirst and hosted by the City of Oxford, the watercraft expo returns to Quintard Mall. Admission and parking are free. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. April 10 and 11 and noon-5 p.m. April 12. Pontoon boats, bass boats, wakeboard boats, and personal watercraft will be on display.
Presented by Drs. Igor and Tatiana Bidikov, the timeless beauty of Swan Lake will be brought to life by the World Ballet Company at 7 p.m. at the Oxford Performing Arts Center. The acclaimed production features professional dancers from more than 10 countries performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. The performance showcases the dual roles of Odette and Odile. Audiences will be captivated by the lavish production, offering a fresh interpretation of this classic tale. Whether you’re a seasoned ballet enthusiast or a first-time attendee, this enchanting performance promises an unforgettable cultural experience. For ticket information, visit oxfordpac.org.
Drivers will battle it out at speeds of up to 200 mph when the Jack Links 500 begins at the Talladega Superspeedway. For a full list of race weekend activities and ticket information, visit talladegasuperspeedway.com.
“That Little Ol’ Band From Texas” takes the stage at the Oxford Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. to deliver its signature brand of rock, blues and boogie for local fans. With iconography as distinctive as their sound, ZZ Top is virtually synonymous with beards, hotrod cars, and spinning guitars. For ticket information, visit oxfordpac.org.
Kymulga Grist Mill and Park (7346 Grist Mill Road, Childersburg) hosts this beloved annual event from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. A host of activities is planned for the rain-or-shine events. Leashed pets are welcome. For more information or to ask about vendor and sponsor applications, email kymulga@yahoo.com.
The buttery-smooth, unmistakable sound of the 1970s soft-rock era to life at Talladega’s Ritz Theatre, presented by some of the finest musicians Birmingham has to offer. Yacht Rock Spectacular delivers pitch-perfect renditions of the satin harmonies, the clean grooves, the chords that made you think you were a little cooler (and a little richer) than you actually were. Steely Dan, Toto, Hall & Oates, Ambrosia, and Christopher Cross are among the artists whose signatures sounds will be recreated during the show. For ticket information, visit ritztalladega.com.
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A Lakeside Living guide to
1 – Poor House Branch Marina
2 – Aztecas Mexican
3 – Jade East
4 – Triple G’s
5 – Jimmy’s Country Store
6 – Pell City Steak House
7 – Oishi Asian Restaurant
8 – Coosa Cafe & Creamery
9 – Daylight Donuts
A – Logan Martin Dam
B – Lakeside Park
C – Stemley Bridge
D – St. Clair Airport
E – Mays Bend
F – Choccolocco Creek
G – Dye Creek
H – Blue Eye Creek
Pell City North of I-20
3
2
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Levellot offering agreat view of aprivate lake,with scattered maturetrees and excellentprivacy.Peaceful setting ideal foracustomhome,yet conveniently locatedneara golf course and just minutes from Logan Martin Lake.Arareblend of seclusion, scener y, andrecreation. approximate 1/2 acre MLS 21440722
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Ilove getting on an airplane. I love stepping into cities where no one knows my name. I also love the energy of a skyline, the city sounds late into the night, and the feeling of discovery that comes from navigating somewhere new. Visiting other places stretches me creatively, spiritually, and personally.
And yet, I also love pulling back into town and being in a familiar space.
I grew up in Winterboro. I went to college at Auburn. And not the new Auburn, the one that would be unrecognizable to the students there now. I’ve lived in Pell City for more than two decades. Small towns are a part of me in every way. They’ve shaped who I am and who I aspire to be.
People often assume you must choose. Either you’re the girl who leaves, or you’re the one who stays. Either you crave the big world, or you’re content with the familiar.
But I’ve learned something over the years: two things can be true. You can love exploring new cities and still love coming home to the place that knows you.
There’s something grounding about small-town living. I love catching up with folks in the grocery store. Asking them about their people and them asking me about mine. I love the memories that streets and buildings hold for my family. In a small town, your life is layered into the landscape.
That kind of rootedness is a gift.
But so is curiosity.
Traveling has expanded my view of the world. It has shown me different cultures, different ways of living, and different ways of thinking. It has reminded me that there is beauty far beyond my zip code. Getting out into the big world hasn’t made me love my small town less. If anything, it has deepened my appreciation for it.
Because when I return from the airports and the hotel rooms and the fast pace, I return with new eyes. I notice the quiet. I appreciate the slower mornings. I feel grateful for conversations that don’t require introductions.
Small towns may not always offer endless novelty. But they offer steadiness. Familiarity. Belonging.
And in a world that constantly pushes us toward more, I’m happy that I’ve remained rooted in a small town, while giving myself permission to roam.
I don’t believe loving where you’re from means you lack imagination. And I don’t believe chasing adventure means you’ve outgrown your beginnings.
I believe two things can be true. You can board the plane. And you can treasure the porch light waiting when you get back.
Small towns will always have my heart. They anchor me. And I’ve learned that anchors are not the opposite of adventure.
They make the adventure possible.
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