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A community connection

Ashville Library celebrating five decades of service

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Richard Rybka

When you consider what a public library has to offer residents, the most obvious answer is books.

If, however, you ask Paula Ballard and Gail Walker what the library in Ashville offers their community, they give a completely different answer. The most vital gift it provides, they say, is connection.

The McCain Memorial Public Library in Ashville, formerly known as the Ashville Public Library, turned 50 last month, and Ballard and Walker were among the many who celebrated its five decades of connecting patrons to information, book lovers to adventure and people to people.

“The town of Ashville is surrounded by rural communities, and people do come here to make connections,” said Walker, who lives in Shoal Creek Valley and is on the library’s board of directors.

Ballard, who has served as the library’s director for nine years and is only the ninth librarian in its 50-year history, said it’s not unusual for older residents to spend time in the library visiting with each other. “For some, it may be the only time they see other people that day,” she said. Ballard loves watching young mothers connect with each other while their children become friends during story time and other activities.

The library, one of seven in St. Clair County, moved to a new and larger location last year and offers nearly 18,000 items for circulation. In addition to books, there are DVDs, magazines, audiobooks, board games and learning tablets for children. They offer programming for adults as well as children, and many residents who don’t have access to a computer or who have spotty Internet service make use of the facility’s computer stations.

“We fill a lot of needs, so we’re more than just books,” Ballard said, adding that she provides computer assistance every day. “You can’t walk in and apply for a job on paper anymore; you’ve got to do it online. We scan, make copies and fax so people don’t have to drive to Gadsden or Birmingham. We have DVDs because not everyone has reliable streaming. We have people who sit in the parking lot to use Wi-Fi even when we’re closed.”

The first chapter

Although those who worked so hard to make the town’s library a reality in 1973 couldn’t have known the many ways the library would change lives in 2023, chances are good they would be pleased with the impact it makes. After all, their goal from the very beginning was to “improve the environment of our town.”

Members of the Ashville Garden Club got the ball rolling in the summer of 1972, according to a narrative written by Mattie Lou Teague Crow, who served as the Garden Club’s Environmental Improvement Program chair at the time and later became the first librarian. Ballard discovered the narrative in an old scrapbook during last year’s move.

Until then, the “library” consisted of several shelves of books provided by the Alabama Public Library Services, and they were housed in the Town Hall. One employee worked one afternoon a week, checking out books and writing overdue notices. The town clerk was responsible for the books the rest of the time.

“The collection had grown and was crowding the town’s office space,” Crow wrote. “The Garden Club had enjoyed a rewarding experience with our House Pilgrimage in 1972. Our bank account reached an all time high, and we were searching for a worthwhile activity.”

After meeting with the mayor and Town Council, it was eventually determined that the library could be housed in the previous Town Hall building, which had been empty for several years. Before it was over with, members of the community joined forces to make the project a success, and in a bit of foreshadowing, they built connections while they worked together.

According to Crow’s narrative, the town purchased two library tables, a desk, typewriter and filing cabinet, and the Garden Club members “reworked an old desk and chairs given by one of the schools.” They also provided new shelving, magazine racks and a card catalog cabinet. Local civic clubs bought sets of encyclopedias, and the mother of a soldier (James Robert Heard, Jr.) who was killed in Vietnam, donated the flag that was draped on his casket. In addition, local artists displayed their works at the library.

“By the time we were ready for our Open House, the entire town had become involved in our project,” Crow wrote.

Move-in day was Sept. 1, 1973. “The place had been made lovely with soft green walls, wall to wall carpet, new lighting and year-round air conditioning,” Crow added. “In a few days, all was in apple-pie order and the public began using the new library.”

Happily ever after

While that first library served Ashville well for decades, history has a way of repeating itself. In recent years, the library had begun to outgrow its space, parking was limited on the downtown square, and the city owned a building on US 231 that had been empty for a few years.

In addition to city funding, a generous donation from David and Louisa McCain, made in honor of the four generations of McCains who have called Ashville home since 1878, helped bring the project to fruition. The McCain Memorial Public Library opened in April 2022.

In addition to an ever-growing collection of books for adults, teens and children, there are study rooms and a computer lab. A grant from the Alabama Public Library Service, made possible by the Library Services and Technology Act, will allow the library to soon have six new computers for public use, a new staff computer, catalog station, and an iPad station for the children’s area.

Programming has grown, as well, with the library’s multi-purpose room. Larger events, like the annual Father-Daughter Dance fundraiser, are held offsite but having a dedicated space for programs has opened up a world of possibilities, Ballard said.

For adults, there’s a Book Club and weekly exercise classes. A group meets to crochet together twice a month, and adults and teens have enjoyed events like Harry Potter Trivia Night, ceramics classes, a beekeeping program, henna tattoo class and a hair tinsel tutorial.

In addition to weekly story time on Tuesdays at 10:30, children enjoy the summer reading program, which continues to grow in popularity. During the summer, kids enjoyed a variety of activities, including science demonstrations offered by the McWane Center, a visit from a llama, a rock painting activity and reading to dogs as part of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society’s Reading Buddies program. A monthly Lego Club is a big hit, and students’ creations are displayed each month between meetings.

“We’re proud of our new facility and what it enables us to do,” Ballard said. “We wanted this space to be inviting and cozy but look new and fresh. You want people to leave happy and wanting to come back.

Walker and Ballard, both avid readers, hope that children visiting the library today develop the same love for books they’ve enjoyed.

“I’ve always loved books,” Walker said. “My sister and I would each check out the maximum number of books, and then we’d share. It always opened up our imaginations. I think a love of reading is the single most important thing a child can have to be successful. If you can read, you can do anything.”

Ballard’s mother, Susan Kell, was the librarian at Ashville Elementary School for years, so reading has always been a part of her life. “I remember coming to the library all the time in the summers,” she said, adding that she feels fortunate that reading a wide variety of genres is now part of her job. “I read everything from young adult fantasy to psychological thrillers to romantic comedies.”

Knowing that Ballard is now guiding a new generation of readers would likely make Crow – Ballard’s great-aunt – proud. In fact, the words Crow wrote in 1973 still reflect the impact the library continues to have on the community she loved so much.

“Without a doubt, the library has improved the environment of this whole community,” Crow penned. “First it has furnished reading materials for inspiration and information and entertainment to people in every walk of life. It has brought civic groups together in greater harmony and cooperation. It has become one of the leading institutions for our small town, and our citizens are appreciative of the services.”

Bonsai Master

Pell City man creates living art

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free

Blame it on Valentine’s Day. That’s when Boomer Meason received a gift from his wife, Melody, that would end up changing his life. The gift was a “bonsai growing kit,” which, he admits was a challenge for a man with the “brownest thumb ever.”

Thinking it would be fun, but not expecting them to survive, he dutifully planted the seeds. A couple of weeks later, after returning from a trip out of town to their home in Pell City, the couple was surprised to see the seeds thriving in their growing pots.

“At that point, I had no idea what to do with them,” Boomer confesses. “So, I got on YouTube and figured it out. I watched tons of videos and learned a lot. I learned that it’s not just what you can create, but that what you can do is limitless.”

Bonsai is not a type of tree, but rather, the cultivation of a plant and its aesthetics to fall within a specific set of conditions. Bonsai is considered both a horticultural practice and an art form. The goal is for the grower to cultivate a plant or a tree to be a healthy version of itself, but small enough to be grown in a shallow dish. In fact, the word, bonsai, literally means “tree in a dish.”

Melody wins award for her serissa bonsai

There is so much more than that, however, to understand bonsai. It involves learning as much as you can about each of the species that you are working with. It involves clipping, wiring, and weighing down the branches that need manipulation.

A bonsai artist must first see a vision for the plant. Then he sets about figuring out how to make the plant fulfill that vision.

Most of all, bonsai requires patience. Each of the phases of growing and training the plant requires grooming, then waiting for the plant to recover, waiting for changes to take effect, rewiring, pruning again, then waiting for the right season to make the next change.

A centuries-old art form made popular in Japan, bonsai evolved from the ancient Chinese art of “penjing,” which includes landscapes or scenes in a pot. The Japanese art put more emphasis on the tree itself.

Traditionally, bonsai are trees or bushes that are pruned to create a smaller version over several years. The mission of the bonsai artist is to create a tree that looks like a tiny version of a mature tree, but without obvious evidence of human intervention in the process.

A typical tree in nature can live to be hundreds, sometimes thousands of years old. In contrast, a well-cared for bonsai can live indefinitely due to the constant care and promotion of new growth given by the artist.

Boomer received those first seeds in 2020, shortly before the pandemic changed so much in the world. “I always ask people if they have a COVID hobby,” he laughs. “My wife’s is kayaking. Mine is bonsai. We couldn’t do a lot of the things we normally did, but we spent a lot of time working on these. I spent the whole first year trying to not kill the trees.”

He took to the hobby like a duck to water. His “brown thumb” now a thing of the past, he has close to 300 plants in various “pre-bonsai” stages. It has taken more than three years to accumulate that many plants to work with to create bonsai. He has more than two dozen that are in shape to be considered officially show-ready bonsai.

Pencil drawing by Boomer’s grandmother, artist Evelyn Whatley, included with the display at the bonsai show

Although both his mother, Leah Whatley Meason, and his grandmother, Evelyn Whatley, were artists, he has never had an outlet to develop his artistic talents. He admits that his career in manufacturing does not always engage his artistic side. It does, however, make it possible for him to fuel his passion financially.

Buying that many plants at nurseries to work with can be costly, but Boomer gets about 20% of his plants from the wild, a practice known as “yamadori.”

Typically done in the spring, just before the plant’s growing season, a bonsai artist digs up plants from the wild, along with dirt from around the plant, brings it home and nurtures it to help it recover from the shock of transplanting. When the plant is ready, the pruning and training begins.

Another technique involves creating new plants from established ones from cuttings and air layering. A propagation technique similar to grafting, air layering is the practice of cutting a branch and wrapping the “wound” with special moss to encourage the growth of a new plant.

“You do everything in bonsai according to what the species needs and what the tree is telling you to do,” says Boomer. “Bonsai people probably know more about roots than most botanists do. The texture and nutritional details of the root systems are so important. When you do serious work on a tree, and you reduce the root system, you must reduce the canopy to make sure it can still survive.”

The deeper Boomer dug into his new hobby, the more information he craved. He began messaging questions to some of the YouTube video creators. He read all he could find on the subject.

World-renowned bonsai master Peter Chan’s book Bonsai Beginner’s Bible became his go-to guide. He spent countless hours watching channels like Chan’s Herons Bonsai. “His videos are geared toward people who want to get into it, but not spend a lot of money,” Boomer explains. “The way he works on his trees really helps you. And he speaks to you in a way that’s easy to understand.” Another bonsai expert, Ben Kirkland of Appalachian Bonsai, strongly suggested that Boomer get in contact with his local bonsai society.

At first, Boomer wasn’t ready to share his artistic efforts with anyone else. After picking his way along the path for three years with only the internet as his teacher, he finally reached out to the Alabama Bonsai Society (ABS).

The group meets for monthly workshops and to encourage each other and share the progress of the plants they’re working with. They also hold an annual show at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Boomer can’t say enough about how the group has helped him. “I’ve never worked with a more positive group of people,” he adds. “Their support and advice were so helpful in building my confidence.”

Through the Alabama Bonsai Society, Boomer met John Walker, who curates the Meyers Bonsai Terrace at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover and is one of the best trained bonsai artists in the state. Boomer buys some of his plants through Walker’s company, Walking Tree Bonsai, which sells mature bonsai and plants ready to transform into bonsai. He also admits to “hanging out at Hazelwood’s” (nursery) at least twice a month scouting for plants to transform.

Sometimes treasures can literally be found in your back yard, like the Chinese privet Boomer dug up from his yard in 2021. The plant was still healthy, but not thriving, so he put it in a container and began working with it. Over two years later, he entered it in the ABS annual bonsai show and won his intermediate level in the broadleaf evergreen category.

“I have a lot of American Elm trees, wisteria, flowering plants, red maples and azaleas that have come out of my yard and from my mom’s yard.” says Boomer. He says the easiest to work with is the Chinese privet but added that he’s had the most fun with ficus trees because one of his mentors, Nigel Saunders, works with them and has given him a lot of inspiration.

A bonsai can be created using almost any plant with woody stems. Generally, one can expect to spend a minimum of two years pruning and cultivating a tree to get it small enough to thrive in a shallow dish (a requirement of bonsai).

ABS’s bonsai show director Anika Paperd explains. “Some species like a trident maple that grows quickly, you could do it in as little as two years. You’re going to begin refining it to develop the branches and shape. We use wiring and pruning techniques to cause the branches to split to make them spread and form a canopy on the tree.”

One of the most fascinating aspects of bonsai art is that it is never finished. That’s because the tree continues to grow and react to its environment. The artist must continue to maintain it and adapt it as conditions change. “It’s much like being a sculptor where your sculpture is breathing and continues to grow,” Paperd emphasizes. “It’s a constant progression.”

From start to that continued progression, a bonsai is all about the vision in the mind of the artist. It is nature inspired and human coerced. “Every time you work on it, you’ll either find a new inspiration or another aspect of it that changes it. Or you just keep working on the original plan you had envisioned,” says Boomer.

“You are trying to create the aesthetic of a really old tree in something you can pick up and carry around,” Boomer concludes, holding up a tiny juniper bonsai that is springing from a crater in a softball-sized rock. “My wife found this rock while kayaking. We both thought it would make a great container for a bonsai. So, I planted a Chinese juniper in the hole, and it’s pretty cool.”

Melody has now joined her husband in his hobby. She has developed her skills to the point that she, too, brought home an award at the spring bonsai show for her serissa plant, a deciduous evergreen.

Boomer’s quite a few years shy of retirement, but he says bonsai will be important in his future plans. He looks forward to the additional hours to devote to his art. As to whether he will ever be able to see a profit from his work, Boomer admits that he’s not sure if he’ll ever be able to part with his creations. “There’s a little bit of me in each of them.”

And those Valentine’s Day seeds? One of the black spruce seeds lives today as a beautiful bonsai on Boomer’s back deck. Not bad for a guy with a brown thumb.

Editor’s note: Next year will be Alabama Bonsai Society’s 50^th Anniversary. Their mission is to bring awareness to the community and to share the art form of bonsai. For more information about bonsai and the Alabama Bonsai Society, check out alabamabonsai.org.

Features

Nature preserved

Big Canoe Creek park is set to open soon

Story Scottie Vickery
Photos by Mackenzie Free
Submitted photos

Not long after watching eight turkeys disappear into the forest, Doug Morrison stood on a wooded trail overlooking a stream that flows into Big Canoe Creek. The only sound was the deep whistle of a great crested flycatcher, and Morrison felt pure serenity.

“This is God’s museum,” he said of the surroundings. “There are so many forms of life out here – plants, animals, fish. When you get out in nature and just stop for a moment and take it all in, it’s incredible.”

Raetta Young and horse, Fancy Rae, along the trail

Soon, many others will be able to experience Morrison’s joy when the “museum,” otherwise known as Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville, opens to the public. The project has been a long time coming, but after 14 years of study, planning, roadblocks and hard work, the opening date is nearing, hopefully late October or early November. Morrison, manager of the preserve, couldn’t be more thrilled.

“This is going to be huge,” he said. The preserve – 422 acres of unspoiled terrain – will provide hikers (experienced or beginners), mountain bikers, horse owners, and birding and flora and fauna enthusiasts the chance to unwind, learn and enjoy the great outdoors.

“Being outside in nature can soothe the soul,” Morrison said, and the timing of the fall opening is perfect. “This place shines when the leaves turn. It’s beautiful in the fall.”

Big Canoe Creek, which is part of the Coosa River and flows on the northern boundary of the property, is a vital part of the preserve and a major contributor to the beauty. The main section of the creek, which has been described as “a jewel in the crown of Alabama’s biodiversity,” is more than 50 miles long and flows into Neely Henry Lake. According to The Friends of Big Canoe Creek website, the creek has four major tributaries flowing into it: Gulf Creek, Muckleroy Creek, and two “Little Canoe” Creeks.

The creek is home to more than 50 species of fish, including the rare Trispot Darter, which is listed as “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act. Salamanders, snails, crayfish, turtles and mussels – including eight federally listed freshwater species – can also be found in the waters. Just recently, in 2022 the Canoe Creek Clubshell (Pleurobema Athearni), a freshwater mussel found only in the Big Canoe Creek watershed, was listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.

“Alabama is fourth in the nation in biodiversity, but we’re first in the nation for biodiversity for aquatic species,” Morrison said. “That’s because of all of our rivers and waterways. That’s the kind of thing we want to teach our kids. Our vision is to get kids aways from their electronic devices, get them outside, and teach them about our biodiversity.”

With a motto of “explore and discover,” Morrison said the goal is to soon add outdoor classrooms and bring in experts from agencies like U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the Geological Survey of Alabama to teach students more about the world around them.

Until then, the preserve itself – the creek and 10 miles of hiking, biking and horse trails – is already the ultimate classroom and the perfect background for solace.

“This is really going to be something special,” Morrison said. “This preserve is going to be an asset to every individual who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle.”

Partners in preservation

Morrison knows the importance of that firsthand. After all, a search for a more peaceful life is what prompted him and his wife, Joannie, to move to Springville – just across the creek from the preserve – 24 years ago. “She was looking at the house, and I was looking at the creek,” he said.

A friend introduced him to kayaking, and after a short time of paddling, “I started learning about the critters in our watershed, and I started seeing issues from bad development,” Morrison said. “Sedimentation is a huge issue in our waterways – it’s the number one pollutant.”

Not long after Morrison fell in love with the area that’s now home to the preserve, he learned that he and his community was in danger of losing it. “In 2007, they were planning to develop this, and then in 2008, the economy went south, and the plans were scrapped,” he said. The scare stirred up an interest in preserving and protecting the land.

Fast-forward to 2008, and the effort started gaining traction. The Friends of Big Canoe Creek, a grassroots organization, which Morrison served as president from 2008-2020, learned about Forever Wild Land Trust, which focuses on securing land for public use.

They nominated the land for designation as a Forever Wild site, and after nine years of numerous delays and roadblocks, the first 382 acres were purchased by Forever Wild in 2018, and 40 more acres were added the next year.

St. Clair County and City of Springville leaders – both former and current – embraced the project and have provided tremendous financial support, along with the St. Clair County Economic Development Council.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Freshwater Land Trust, The Friends of Big Canoe Creek, Greater Birmingham Community Foundation and The Nature Conservancy have been vital partners, as well, Morrison said. Additionally, Dean Goforth who owns nearby Homestead Hollow, was a key player in making the acquisition a reality. “I don’t think this would have happened without Dean,” Morrison said.

Springville Mayor Dave Thomas pushed for the formation of the Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, a nonprofit organization that helps provide sustainable funding of the preserve. As a result, individual and corporate partners have come on board, including Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, EBSCO Industries, Norris Paving & Excavating, Schoel Engineering, Amerex, Lovejoy Realty, KEBCO, BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, All American Ford, United Way of Central Alabama and Lawley Resource Management.

There is one key donor for the Preserve Partners who wishes to remain anonymous. “This fella just continually steps up with generous donations at critical times when needed. I wish I could tell you his name, but again, just another one of those good folks in our community that steps up. This community is all in!,” Morrison said.

“It’s been amazing to be a part of this,” Morrison said. “I’m just so proud of and grateful for this community and how hard people have worked to preserve, protect and support this place. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.”

Discover and explore

Although there were a few old logging trails, the land offered a blank slate. Plans were made, and Granger Waid of Norris Paving & Excavating and Joey Breighner of Schoel Engineering, helped ensure the best design came to fruition. In addition to their companies donating tens of thousands of dollars in in-kind work, they provided invaluable input for the project.

“Granger’s vision has everything to do with what this is going to be,” Morrison said. “He brought changes to the original concept that made a tremendous difference, and Schoel Engineering took his concept and did the drawings. Those guys working together was just a godsend.”

For Waid, helping with the project was a no-brainer. “This is something I believe in and I’m passionate about it,” he said. “I’ve been playing in this creek since I was 2 feet tall. People need a place to be able to go and get outdoors.”

Breighner agreed. A 20-year resident himself, “I’m excited about the preserve and what it means to our community.” In addition to the recreational aspect, he pointed to the educational value it holds and looks forward to people being able to “see what the preserve has to offer.”

Through his work on the Springville Planning Commission, he developed a friendship with Morrison, who discussed plans for the preserve as they were building it. “I could see Doug’s passion for the project and when I toured it, I saw some needs.” As executive vice president of Schoel Engineering, he put his and his company’s knowledge and expertise to work for the preserve, donating land surveying and engineering work.

Pointing to all the partnerships and community support involved, Springville Mayor Dave Thomas said, “One of the things Springville and St. Clair County as a whole have earned as a reputation is the level of cooperation rarely seen elsewhere. Everybody appreciates the potential of the preserve that will outlive and outlast us all. It’s generational.”

He talked of the educational component with outdoor classrooms and the ability to bring in experts in the field to teach teachers from around the state who will go back to their schools and teach. Field trips will bring their lessons to life, giving them so much more than a textbook can.

“We have set the bar high to be an example for others that here is what we can do if we work together,” Thomas said. “This is a prime example of people bringing energy that translates into synergy.”

Focusing on details

The attention to preservation will be evident as soon as visitors drive into the parking lot. The top lot has room for cars, trucks and horse trailers, while the bottom lot has plenty of additional spots for cars. The two lots will be separated by a bioretention area with special landscaping designed to filter rainwater and runoff through gravel, sand and topsoil. “We’ll use plants that filter the pollutants from cars and clean the water,” Morrison said, adding that the area will eventually feature a seating area at one end.

Since a major goal of the preserve will be education, there will be a sign with a QR code to connect visitors to videos and photos that explain the concept of bioretention and document the building process. “This is something we hope to promote for any kind of development so that we can trap sediment and clean the water that’s going into our waterways,” Morrison said.

Leaving riparian buffers intact is a vital part of the preserve, as well. “The forest is a riparian buffer for the stream,” Morrison said. “It’s basically leaving the natural vegetation near a stream bank alone” so the trees, plants and shrubs act as buffers to pollutants and help control erosion. That’s why the trails offer a view of the creeks and streams in most areas rather than meandering alongside them.

“You can see the water and you can get down to it if you want, but we left all the vegetation near the streams alone,” Morrison said. “People come out here and say, ‘Look how clear this water is.’ Just look around. You have nothing but trees. The natural vegetation filters everything.

There are a variety of species doing the work. The woods are filled with mountain laurel, native azaleas and oak leaf hydrangeas. There are Bottlebrush buckeye shrubs, red and sugar maple trees, pines and beech trees.

“I call this area Beech Tree Hollow because there are beech trees all over the place,” Morrison said during a recent walk through the woods. “Beech trees keep their leaves longer than other trees, and you don’t really know how many are in here until wintertime.”

Ferns are everywhere, as well. “We’ve got so many different ferns out here, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I brought a horticulturist from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens out here, and I couldn’t keep him on the trail. He kept wandering off and saying, ‘Look at this, look at this.’”

Morrison gets most excited about the preserve’s aquatic diversity. The Trispot Darter, for example, had not been spotted in Alabama in nearly 50 years before it was discovered in one of Big Canoe’s tributaries in 2008. The removal of Goodwin’s Mill Dam in 2013 brought even more species. The dam was built in the 1880s for a grist mill but hadn’t been in use since the mill closed in the 1940s

Restoring the creek’s flow has provided a larger and more suitable habitat for fish, mussels and other mollusks. Since the dam was removed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service returned just a couple of months ago and was delighted to find the Canoe Creek Clubshell near the site. In 2013, prior to the dam removal, these were not present. “The fish passage returned after the dam removal. Fish serve as host for the mussels, so the fish passage returning was definitely a good thing for these mussels”, Morrison said.

“In a stream in the middle of the Nature Preserve, the Geological Survey of Alabama found a Western Blacknose Dace, a small fish that hasn’t been documented in the Big Canoe Creek Watershed since the ‘80s, so that was a great find, and we will continue to explore,” Morrison said.

News like that is what keeps Morrison motivated and excited about the preserve’s future and impact. He recently stopped at one of his favorite spots on the southern side of the woods to reflect on the opportunity he’ll soon have to share this piece of paradise with the rest of the world. Chances are, he knows the terrain better than anyone else, and he feels a special connection to the land.

“I call this section Slab Creek,” Morris said, pointing to the giant slabs of rock that line the stream’s bed. “They just keep going and going. It’s like a stack of dominoes that got toppled over.” Later, he pointed out two neighboring trees that meet as if in an embrace. “These are the kissing trees,” he said, shortly before telling of another huge tree that was lost in a storm. “I felt like I knew it personally.”

Morrison’s greatest hope is that visitors will love the preserve as much as he does, treat it with the respect it deserves, and treasure it for generations to come.

“It was a struggle getting this thing going,” he acknowledged. “There have been so many trials and tribulations, ups and downs, ebbs and flows. Right now, there’s just good things happening, and I sometimes feel like it’s just destiny. I am very grateful for our Mayor, Dave Thomas, and his leadership through this, the City Council, St. Clair County Commission and Forever Wild. They are seeing what this can become, the educational opportunities, the outdoor recreation and the economic value of greenspace.

For more information about Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, or to make a donation to Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, visit bigcanoecreekpreserve.org.

Features

Bear Claw Treehouse

Off the grid in a childhood dream

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Richard Rybka

Whether it’s the spirit of adventure we remember from Swiss Family Robinson or the memories of reading the Magic Treehouse children’s books, thoughts of treehouses often elicit smiles and fond memories.

That sense of wonder and freedom, of resilience and self-reliance often makes us remember times long gone. A treehouse is pure childhood magic.

Now imagine that treehouse on the edge of a creek saturated in history, a place steeped in the natural beauty of woods and wildlife. Sitting on a small rustic overlook, you watch the water for movement. It could be fish, turtles, beaver or otter. Beyond the creek, you hear a noise and barely catch a glimpse of a doe and her fawn slipping back into the woods. It is transformative, experiencing the wonders of nature all around.

There is such a treehouse, and as a guest here, you’ll be immersed in nature throughout your stay. Even though it’s called Bear Claw Treehouse, you most likely won’t see a bear. You will see plenty of other wildlife, if you’re quiet enough, including turkey, beaver and eagles.

The last sign of a bear, though, was over 10 years ago. They say he did leave a distinct bear paw print in the mud at the edge of the creek. And, so, Bear Claw Treehouse began.

Situated in Springville between Barker Mountain and Washington Valley, this unique rental property is owned by Jim and Melany Harrelson. Featuring a translucent roof for stargazing and firefly viewing, this one-bedroom treehouse is simple, but outfitted with all the absolute necessities.

There’s a queen-sized bed and a kitchenette with an air fryer, microwave and coffee press. Guests can catch a hot shower in the 40-gallon oval tank from Tractor Supply with water provided by a Zodi shower pump.

The toilet facilities are two-fold. More delicate matters are dispersed by a pit latrine style leach system. There’s a freshly serviced port-a-potty for the more serious matters.

While they currently use a generator to power the lights and air conditioning for up to 10 hours a day, Jim Harrelson says things are about to be upgraded. “We have gotten clearance to get electricity hooked up at the treehouse,” says Harrelson. “I put in the order last week, so it’s coming soon.” Since there is no refrigerator and no running water, Harrelson keeps visitors stocked with both water and ice in coolers on the porch.

Dining alfresco is the order of the day here. Just 50 yards away, there is a grilling and eating platform near the creek. A sign nearby reminds visitors of the history that was made on the ground beneath their feet nearly five centuries before. One could almost imagine encampments of explorers and, later, soldiers eating their rations on these very banks.

Hernando DeSoto’s team of explorers is believed to have entered Alabama near Piedmont and traveled down the Coosa River on their quest for gold. DeSoto and his band of nearly 700 followed the Coosa through the state for several months before heading west to Mississippi. Bear Claw Treehouse sits on the edge of Big Canoe Creek, a tributary to the Coosa.

Because of its abundance of available natural resources, including food and water, historians believe those conquistadors would have fished and camped nearby.

Less than three centuries later, General Andrew Jackson’s forces likely fished and camped in the same area as they headed to the nearby Creek village of Littafatchee to battle the Red Sticks in the Creek War of 1813-1814.

“There is really a great spirit on this land. There’s just so much history here,” says Harrelson. It’s something he wishes he had known more about in 2013 when he tried to get the Animal Planet series, Treehouse Masters, to design and build it. The premise of the former reality TV show was that people who wanted to have treehouses built would submit applications and if the situations were interesting enough, they might be chosen to be one featured as an on-air build.

In 2012, the Harrelsons purchased seven acres and divided it into two plots. They built their own home on five acres and saved the adjacent two acres to build an income property later. As they contemplated what type of structure to build on the two-acre plot, they received the unwelcome news that they wouldn’t be able to have a septic system. Still believing the property was perfect to support the activities of outdoor enthusiasts, the idea for a treehouse was born.

Being a fan of Pete Nelson and his Treehouse Masters show already, Harrelson submitted his application with pictures of the land. The producer interviewed them on Zoom and got back to them later with the news that they did not make the cut, ending up 26^th on the list that only needed 18 for the show’s broadcast season. “Had I known the full history of the land, I believe I would have done a better job of pitching it to them,” says Harrelson.

In 2019, with his own vision in mind, Harrelson framed and built the treehouse on weekends as he had time and money. Subcontractors came in to help with specialties he couldn’t do. In October of 2021, the Harrelsons hosted their first guests, a couple from Illinois who were coming to visit relatives.

Since then, the Harrelsons have listed the property on Airbnb, VRBO and Hipcamp and have had a steady stream of guests. Guests are encouraged to bring fishing gear and fish in the creek or take the available canoe for a long explore in the water.

Apparently, guests are taking that advice to heart, as evidenced by a recent guestbook entry that reads, “We enjoyed sunset on the nightfall porch, swimming and fishing in the creek and lazing in the hammock chair while the boys fished. We loved watching daybreak through the ceiling each morning!”

Sitting on that nightfall porch, Harrelson fights back tears as he recounts the difficult journey that brought him to this peaceful place. It was another story of lives changed by the string of tornadoes that tore through the state on April 27, 2011.

The same system that brought tornadoes to Cullman and Hackleburg and devastated parts of Tuscaloosa obliterated most of the Harrelson’s neighborhood in Pleasant Grove.

Thankful to be alive and eager to leave that chapter behind, the couple found a property off Highway 23 in Springville. That’s where they are today, on a beautiful little property in the same valley that, at first sight, took away the breath of one 17-year-old Jim Harrelson, as he made his way on Highway 59 on his senior trip from Long Beach, Mississippi, to Niagara Falls, Canada.

“I was so moved when I saw the beauty of this valley, I said I’d live here one day,” says Harrelson. And he does. He offers you the chance to do the same, two nights at a time, in the magical whimsy of a treehouse.

Features

Quilts: Mosaics of history, heart, soul

I sometimes wonder the secrets these old quilts keep or the stories they would tell if they could speak …

What hand-me-down wisdom would they impart?
Would they speak to us of love?
Of heartbreak?
Of loss?
Would they tell us their truths and testimonies?
Or wrap us in words of encouragement and hope on hard days?

It’s hard for an artist to separate their heart from hand. Feelings naturally find their way to fingertips.
Emotions inevitably sewn into stitches and pieced together into a patchwork of patterns bound together to cover and comfort future generations. And perhaps that’s the real beauty of them …
Quilts do more than keep us warm. They hold history. They keep us connected. They are a bridge between the past and the present.
A patchwork of patterns and colors pieced together by day or under lamplight glow by hands future generations would never know.

In the photo: Colt Swindall, son of Dylan and Amber Swindall

– Mackenzie Free –

Wife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama

Prescription for progress

Dr. Rock Helms continues focus
on moving health care forward

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free

He’s written plenty of prescriptions in his 24 years as a physician. Perhaps none has been quite as wide-reaching as the plan Dr. Rock Helms wrote for Pell City residents outlining how he would alleviate the pain of having to drive to Birmingham to see a medical specialist.

Two years after beginning his family medical practice with Baptist Health Systems, Dr. Helms, along with Dr. Bill McClanahan and Dr. Carl Frosina, opened a new medical clinic they named Northside Medical Associates. Since their opening in 2001, the facility has grown from those three doctors to 25 primary care providers.

While the increased number of primary care providers has been helpful in keeping up with the city’s growth, what has made the clinic most impactful is their partnership with subspecialties and the access to advanced care imaging available right in Pell City. No longer does a patient have to see a doctor here, then be referred to a Birmingham doctor for further treatment by a specialist.

Formerly Northside, Complete Health is a major medical facility in Pell City

The expanded care has made a huge difference for those needing medical care in the area. “There were times as administrator for Northside that I had to stop seeing patients because there just wasn’t time to run the clinic and to see patients,” said Helms. “It was a very busy time.” The partnership sold Northside to Complete Health in 2020, allowing Helms to return to his patients.

Long-time patient and Pell City attorney John Rea appreciates Helms’ dedication and the vision he had in expanding the community’s healthcare options. “His vision has been transformative for the Pell City area,” says Rea. “He and the others grew a medical operation from a small primary care practice to now becoming a partner with other specialties. Now we can just go down the road to see a cardiologist or other specialist. It’s remarkable.”

Helms has been a part of the community since his parents, Ron and Joanne Helms, moved the family to Pell City when Rock was in second grade.

He graduated from Pell City High School in 1988 and graduated from the University of Alabama. He earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama. After a residency at the University of Alabama, Dr. Helms returned to Pell City to his extended family. “If I hadn’t,” he jokes, “they probably would have disowned me.”

Helms and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of seven children, four of whom are adopted. They also have two grandchildren. Family is very important to him, so he makes a point to take time off to spend with them. He is very close to his parents, who still live in Pell City, and to his mother-in-law, Sarah Rhodes, also from Pell City.

While his parents inspired him in many ways, Helms’ inspiration in the medical field was and continues to be Dr. Bill McClanahan. “He inspired me to become a doctor and remains my mentor to this day,” says Helms.

Helms describes himself as a “country doctor.” Living in a smaller town affords him the opportunity to really get to know his patients and to serve the community where he grew up. “The people in Pell City are the people who made me who I am today. I enjoy knowing my patients as completely as I can,” says Helms. “It’s a more personal relationship.”

“I know him as my doctor and as a client,” says Rea. “But I also consider him a friend. I think his strongest attribute as my physician is his willingness to take the time to listen to me.”

“Listening,” Helms agrees, “is an important part of the job, if you do it right.” Recently, he listened as a terminally ill patient confided that she did not have family to guide her through her end-of-life decision-making. “I was able to help guide her through parts of that process,” he said. “Being able to help people through life-altering events is a gift.”

Helms’ patients include many of the people he grew up with, including former teachers and classmates. “One patient I see I went to college with,” Helms says with a smile. “I still aggravate him about cheating us out of money at poker in college!”

“I think practicing medicine in your community makes you do a better job as a physician,” admits Helms. “When you’re serving the community you grew up in, and are still a part of, you know you’re going to give everything. You go the extra mile for people you are close to. I think it conditions you to try harder and makes you a better doctor.”

Dr. Rock Helms and local attorney John Rea

Lizzie Jones is one of those patients Helms credits with making him a better doctor. He looks forward to catching up with her during her appointment. “She comes with Fred, her husband of 63 years. She was a dedicated professional cook for 30 years at the nursing home in Cook Springs. She comes to her appointments dressed for church, complete with a fancy hat,” Helms says. “The whole office staff looks forward to her visits and her beautiful, warm smile. She always has a wonderful attitude, no matter what adversity she has faced.”

It’s a very gratifying job, Helms says, unlike some other jobs he has had. “I’ve worked in the corporate world, where you don’t always get that,” he says. He recalls being on call one night and receiving a call while eating dinner with his family. “An emergency room doctor calls me about help with a patient. I started to have him transfer her to Birmingham, but instead, I went in to see her. She had had a heart attack. I sent her by helicopter to Birmingham and she made it through. I got to see her for her six-month checkup, and she established me as her primary doctor. She’s been my patient ever since.”

When he’s not working at the clinic or hanging out with family in Pell City, he can be found on his bulldozer or tractor or hunting on his land in Lowndes County in South Alabama. “It’s where I go to de-stress. It’s definitely in the country,” Helms says. “You have to drive 17 miles for a bag of ice!”

Rea sums up Helms’ success as a combination of personality and commitment to both community and patient care. “He could have gone anywhere to practice medicine and probably had an easier path than the one he chose. But at his core is that commitment to community.” Pell City has benefited from that commitment to expanding the medical options locally.

Helms says his second-choice career was meteorology. Fortunately for the St. Clair County area, his first choice seems to be working out just fine.