My writing

Love story

Once upon a time, a beautiful princess dreamed of finding her Prince Charming. After many years of bravely battling the ups and downs of life, she looked to her best friend and found the man of her dreams.

Troy Frye and Amy Brown have been a couple for almost 10 years. When the two of them met through mutual friends, they clicked immediately. Amy's mother, Wilton Brown, remembers her teenage daughter coming home after meeting Troy and announcing that she had met 'the one' she would marry.

Their relationship began as a close friendship and blossomed into a love that's going to last a lifetime.

Amy says their friends and families didn't expect them to date for very long. To them, their relationship seemed like a futile mixing of oil and water. She's high-spirited and had never dated anyone for more than a couple of months, and he is reserved and had never taken a girlfriend home to meet his family.

In a poem Wilton wrote for the back of the couple's wedding brochure, she describes the unexpected longevity of their relationship like this, "As time went by, there were others, all cute and charming, too. But, they could only hold Amy's attention for a month or two."

It's Nov. 12, 2005. There's less than two hours before Amy Brown will say, 'I do' and become Mrs. Troy Frye. Months ago, when the couple chose their wedding date, they hoped for beautiful weather, and there's no way they could have ordered a more perfect day.

The late fall day is unseasonably warm, and the sky is an especially brilliant blue. The bright afternoon sun seems to be a positive omen for the life Troy and Amy are about to begin.

Not only is the day a celebration of the couple's love, it's also an occasion to celebrate Amy's brother, Allen, who died in a car accident four years ago. The yellow flower in the center of her bouquet is in honor of him.

Amy says before the ceremony she prayed that her brother would make his presence known at her wedding and show his approval of her union with Troy. The beautiful day let her know Allen was watching over her and is happy for her.

With about an hour and half left before time for the ceremony to begin, family and friends are hugging and greeting one another as Amy, Troy and the wedding party have photos taken.

(Amy's a practical sort of girl, so she has arranged to have all photos taken before the ceremony.)

She's the life of the pre-wedding party. She's waving to people across the Faith Tabernacle sanctuary, frequently blowing kisses to well-wishers. She holds a hand to her heart while watching her young cousins practicing a special song they will sing in honor of the loved ones Troy and Amy have lost.

As Amy's parents watch their daughter pose for photos with her future in-laws, her mother says, "She lives life to the fullest. There's never a dull moment when Amy is around."

Not only is Amy completely in love with Troy, she's in love with her family and with life. Her happiness is apparent and is infectious.

She's a true Southern belle, in all the positive and cherished sort of traditional ways. She's gracious, and although it's her wedding day, she doesn't seem nervous or overly stressed. Instead, she is having the time of her life, and is the great antithesis to a bridezilla.

Amy's modern gown is perfect, fitting her personality as well as her small frame. She moves about with grace and confidence, light as air. It's difficult to believe she once weighed more than 250 lbs.

Troy and Amy's love story wouldn't be complete without a brief mention of Amy's weight-loss success. In less than two years, she has lost more than 125 lbs. All in all, 2004 and 2005 have been the best years of her life, so far, anyway.

It's 10 minutes before the ceremony, and Troy and Amy take the stage to have their photo made one more time before everything is made official. It's difficult to believe there has ever been a couple more in love. The two look longingly into each other's eyes, making the heart skip a beat.

With minutes to spare, Amy makes her way out of the auditorium to the waiting area, she announces with excitement, "I'm getting married."

In sharp contrast to some stoic weddings, the large crowd of well-wishers are quick to chuckle at the preacher's jokes, fawn over the cute children and comment favorably when the bride makes her grand entrance.

Moments later, the newlyweds seal their union with a kiss, and they lead the way to an elaborate reception at Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club.

As their perfect day comes to an end, the happy couple literally ride into the sunset, looking forward to living a fairy tale of their own making.

Hope

Many victims attempt to leave an abusive situation seven times before they finally leave for good.

Those who knew Alma 20 years ago saw a woman with a well-respected husband, two all-American children and a successful career as a registered nurse.

They didn't see the woman who lived in fear for herself and her children.

They didn't see the woman who was overwhelmed by a controlling and violent husband.

Her friends at work and church didn't see the woman who worried about what to wear and what to cook for supper.

No one knew she walked on eggshells around her husband because she never knew what would set him off.

Alma is an intelligent woman, but just when she thought she had her husband figured out, he would change the rules, and the abuse would begin.

"What was acceptable for me and the children to say and do one day, might not be acceptable a week later," Alma explains.

To others, Alma seemed strong and focused, but she was different the minute she went home. She stopped being Alma and started being a victim.

When she was home, she was always on her guard. She was never able to relax enough to get a good night's sleep.

In retrospect, she finds it amazing that she functioned out in the world at all. She knew she wasn't living; she was just existing day-to-day.

"Fear is the most paralyzing emotion. I was afraid to do something about my situation, but I was afraid to not do something it," Alma says.

One of the most difficult and emotional parts of the abusive relationship for Alma was the false hope the family's good times brought her.

"It wasn't all bad. There were good times intermingled with the bad times," Alma recalls.

Because of the good times, she would allow herself to think her husband was going to change and everything was going to be fine. She would believe in her heart that the abuse was going to end.

The registered nurse in Alma urged her to mend what was wrong with her husband. She realizes now that she felt pressure from society to fix things with her home life, too.

Her husband contributed to her confused emotional state by telling her the abuse was her fault. Furthermore, there was a part of Alma that couldn't believe she was allowing the abuse to happen.

"I'm an only child, and I've always been very independent. He took me and made me into a puppet. It would make me so mad. I had no control over anything," Alma says.

As the violence escalated, Alma emerged from years of denial and accepted that she wasn't going to change her husband. She discussed the possibility of divorce with her pastor.

Initially, her pastor encouraged her to stay in the relationship. Once she discussed her situation in detail with him, he let her know it was acceptable for her to leave for safety's sake.

"Between my commitment to a serving profession (nursing), and my religious beliefs, I had major barriers to leaving my husband for good," says Alma.

She knew her situation was becoming more dangerous, however, and thought about telling others the truth, but she didn't think anyone would believe her.

"My husband was well-known in the community. He coached Little League. He was fine when we were around other people because he worried about what they thought of him," Alma says.

"He was two different people. The children would ask me why their daddy couldn't act like he did at the ball field all the time."

Although the abuse was frequent and often severe, Alma didn't call the police the entire time she was married.

"He knew everyone at the police station. Who was going to listen to me?" Alma says.

"Once my daughter and I ended up in the hospital, and the truth was known, people in the community were amazed by what we had lived with. People were angry, too," says Alma.

After an accident at work, Alma's husband was placed on leave from his job and an already horrific home situation got worse.

He became more unstable, and her husband's employer forced the family into counseling. Alma remembers feeling relieved and thinking, 'this is it.' She thought the truth would come out during counseling and she and her children would finally be safe.

Each family member did receive private counseling and the Department of Human Resources got involved.

Alma says, "That's when it all blew up."

Alma's husband was ordered to stay away for three days as a sort of cooling off period. Alma decided to make arrangements for her family to leave while he was away.

She and her daughter were attempting to pack items at their home when he showed up.

"He threw us both all over the house. We were determined to leave, and he was determined that we were staying," recalls Alma.

The last crisis sent both Alma and her daughter to the hospital with injuries. That was the night Alma decided to end the violence she and her children had endured for so many years.

While she and her daughter were in the hospital recovering, Alma called the Safeplace crisis line that a friend at church had told her about.

Arrangements were made, and Alma and her two children went from the hospital to Safeplace.

Alma knew there was no turning back, if she returned home, her husband would kill her; there was no doubt in her mind. He had repeatedly threatened to kill her and she knew he was capable of carrying out the threats.

Before calling the Safeplace crisis line, Alma considered many other options; just as she had been doing for years.

This time was different, because she knew in her heart that time was running out.

One of her options was to go to her parents' house, but she didn't want to place them in danger. (Not only had her husband threatened to kill her, he told Alma he would kill her parents, too.)

Alma says, "The words, 'Just get out,' sound so simple coming from someone who's not in an abusive situation. It's never easy when you�re the one faced with the choice."

It took about three years, but the threats of violence and harassment from Alma�s husband finally stopped.

It took her an even longer time to feel like herself again. She remembers how great it felt to have Alma back.

"It's not an easy road from being a victim to being a survivor. There's a grieving process. The relationship has died. Grieve for what you've lost, but appreciate what you do have," she says.

"There is life after abuse. There's happiness after abuse," says Alma.

In many ways, the day Alma, now Alma Bomprezzi, left her husband seems like it was yesterday.

Conversely, in many ways, it's as if it happened to someone else.

"I couldn�t live that way again. I made the decision to get out at all costs, and I will never go back. It was so dangerous," she says.

Because of what she and her family went through, Alma thought it wasn't possible to be happily married.

"I was content to be alone for the rest of my life, but in 1987, I married Harold Bomprezzi. It still blows my mind at how happy we are. Our marriage is an equal partnership. The fact that I can disagree with him and have a conversation is wonderful. He can accept responsibility when he's wrong and so can I," she says.

Not long after Safeplace helped Alma and her children escape an abusive home, she volunteered to help with the crisis line. After many years of serving as a Safeplace volunteer, Alma is now employed as the Colbert County court advocate.

"I want everyone to know there's help available. Too many people are hesitant to take advantage of the available resources, but that's what they're there for," she says.

Safeplace's crisis line - (256) 767-6210 or toll free (800) 550-9215 - is available to anyone dealing with domestic violence.

"Abusers are irrational and it's mentally exhausting for those dealing with it. It really does zap your energy. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to and that's okay. Other times, callers need advice about how to get out," Alma explains.

The first time Alma met Safeplace Director Arneda Heath was in the hospital the night of her last crisis 25 years ago.

Arneda praises Alma for sharing her story so many times since that night in an effort to help others.

"She's got as much get up and go as anyone I've ever met. She's one who asks, 'What can we do about a situation?'" says Arneda.

Arneda also describes Alma as a strong woman with a tender and gentle way.

"She's never lost her compassion. When she works with women, she understands why some can't leave right away. She is very sensitive and warm."

Arneda says Safeplace is better because of Alma, and Alma says she's better because of Safeplace.

Safeplace provides free services to victims of domestic violence and their families. Not only does Safeplace offer a place to stay that's free from violence, other victim assistance programs include court advocacy, referrals to other agencies, school-based prevention programs, community awareness and training for professionals. Safeplace is a nonprofit organization serving Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion and Winston counties in Northwest Alabama. Safeplace has 31 full-time employees and more than 100 volunteers. Funding by United Way, grants and community efforts supports programs for all ages.

Safeplace is the only comprehensive domestic violence project in Northwest Alabama, and only one of 18 such programs in the state. This year, Safeplace is celebrating 25 years of serving North Alabama. Arneda Heath has been with the agency since its inception as executive director.

Safeplace's Transitional Advisory Council is a volunteer group comprised of former residents. TAC has 20 to 25 members and offers feedback about Safeplace and suggests ways the agency can better serve the community.

"Changes have been made because of the group," Arneda says.

TAC members also serve as mentors, helping new residents adjust by talking to them about their own Safeplace experiences.

The council talks to residents about life after domestic violence. They are proud of their achievements and want to help others.

TAC created a quilt as a way to remember those in the six counties who died because of domestic violence.

"They wanted to do something to remember those who didn't make it. They developed the quilt design and each member made a piece. Love went into making the quilt," says Arneda.

The quilt features a 36-flower bouquet, with each flower representing someone who died because of domestic violence during the past 24 years.

Those who see the quilt notice the initials around the base of the bouquet. These are initials of victims who were killed.

They were daughters, sisters and mothers. They dreamed of a white picket fence and wished for happiness.

Holidays bring on stress and whereas stress doesn't cause domestic violence, it can be a facilitator.

Those living with abuse don't know what will happen this year.

"They've thought about leaving, but just can't seem to do it. Many of them may not even know how to enjoy the holidays," Arneda says.

"Those who come to Safeplace are overwhelmed by the good will. They are grateful for the help. Safeplace is a place of safety and peace and celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas," Arneda says.

Speaking as a survivor, Alma Bomprezzi says being free from the violence during the holidays is a great opportunity to make new traditions.

"Nine times out of 10, the holidays are a nightmare for those in an abusive situation. There's help out there for victims and they can get control over their lives and the lives of their children," Alma says.
Be a survivor
When Alma left her husband and her home, she didn't think she would live three months, but she did.
She's no longer a victim, she's a survivor.
Stop being a victim.
Published October, 2005, ShoalsWoman Magazine

ShoalsWoman of the Year: Sherry Fowler

Shoals native Sherry Fowler sees the silver lining in every cloud.

No matter the circumstances, she believes life is a precious gift from God, and faith is the guiding force in her life.

"You can't make it without God," Fowler says. While it's easy to see the blessings in good times, Fowler has a wonderful ability to see blessings in times if trouble as well.

In 1986, at the age of 19, Fowler's daughter, Mary Darlene, was struck by an intoxicated driver and sustained a severe head injury.

Instead, Darlene's mother chose to seek the necessary training and devote her life to caring for her daughter.

Being primary caregiver for her daughter for 19 years is something Fowler considers to have been a blessing, and she's embraced caregiving as her calling in life.

In addition to caring for her daughter, Fowler has also cared for her husband, aunt and mother-in-law in times of debilitating and terminal health.

"I get peace from knowing I have done my best to care for them," she says.

When thinking of his father's bout with a brain tumor and consequent severe dementia, Fowler's son, Tony (Fowler) of Florence, says his mother's "smiling nature and easy laugh remained constant through the grueling stress of his condition." (Both Darlene and C.L. died recently.)

Even though her position as primary caregiver to her loved ones has been time-consuming, she always finds time to participate in several support and help organizations. She has worked diligently with Debi Dean of the North Alabama Head Injury Foundation, to increase awareness about head injuries and the resources available to family members.

Dean and Fowler worked together to secure funds to build the Shoals' first fully handicapped accessible apartment complex. The facility opened in 2002 and provides housing for those living with severe head trauma.

In a nomination letter from a member of the Alabama Head Injury Foundation, Fowler is called "an inspiration to all who know her" and "a supporting force in the lives of Alabama families, both locally and across the state, who have sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or are the family members and friends of those who have sustained TBI."

Fowler's standing in the community is partly based on her ability and willingness to be a mentor to those around her. Not only is Fowler known in the Shoals for her joyful and caring nature, she's known around the southeast and has a reputation for getting things done.

People she has met and shared her story with feel comfortable calling her for precious advice about their own situations.

"People call me all the time, and I tell them about the resources I use. I don�t know everything, but what I do know, I want to share," she says.

Fowler's daughter, Rene Grigsby, said in a recent interview that people often ask her mom, "how do you do it?"

Not only has Fowler learned about being a caregiver, she has learned about life through her caregiving experiences.

As a way to help others, Fowler plans to write a book about her life. She will begin writing this fall. Her book will include where she as been, starting in the beginning with the life-altering phone call she received in October 1986, and bring readers to the present time; adjusting to life after being a caregiver. She says her experience can help others. Whatever path she takes from here, she knows it will involve helping others.

"There are so many people out there hurting," she says.

Fowler knows traumatic experiences can destroy families, however, it made her own family grow closer. She believes drawing closer and drawing strength from each other is very important.

"I never regretted bringing Darlene home, it was a sacrifice I would make for any one of my family. Everything happens for a reason. You have to be positive; if you're negative, everybody goes down with you."

3 artistic women: Jan Roblin (profile)

Jan Roblin is the artist in residence at Spanish Oaks on Nellie Avenue in Florence.

She attributes her love of art to a life-threatening bout with rheumatic fever when she was 10 years old. "For three months, I was flat on my back and extremely limited in what I could do. I spent my time reading and painting by numbers."

"I think that was a blessing. Everything that happens has a blessing in it," she says.

As a proud Florence native, some of her best known works are of people and places in the Shoals. Her paintings of W.C. Handy, Helen Keller, Trowbridges and Coffee High School are representative of our diverse local history. She loves local history and especially enjoys looking back and seeing the good that happened. Some other of Jan's works include A Smoky Mountain Baptizin', her Renaissance series and her award-winning Bambi and friend; a watercolor portrait of her mother and dog.

She appreciates a wide range of art, but her preferred subject matter is people. "I love still life, but I love people more. I don't want to paint a flower, I want to paint a baby smelling a flower," she says.

She describes herself as a writer expressing herself with art. "All of my paintings tell a story. A picture is worth a thousand words."

She's humble when it comes to discussing her talent, and would rather be known as a teacher than an artist.

Jan studied art at the University of North Alabama and in Europe. She says one of her greatest joys in life comes from teaching children at her Spanish Oaks School of Art. Her annual art camp is very successful.

For jan, Spanish Oaks is not just a place to teach children to paint or draw, it's where children learn to express themselves and be individuals.

"Art reflects life, and life reflects art," she says. "Art is a building block to communication and getting along with others."

Southern hospitality with a Shoals twist

The Alabama Bed and Breakfast Association boasts, "The best in Southern hospitality can be found at each of the state's B&Bs."

Of the 39 association member bed and breakfasts, three are in Florence.

Florence innkeeper, Alvern Greeley, has been president of the association for two years, and the next state convention will be held at our new Shoals Hotel Conference Center and Spa.

Alvern met 13-year-old gene Greeley when she was a girl of 9 living in Riverside, Calif.

The two grew up together and married while still teenagers; that was three children and more than 50 years ago.

There came a time in the late 1980s when the Greeleys formulated a five-year plan to retire. "We always wanted to travel, but our children didn't want to, so our original retirement plan included seeing the world. We also knew we wanted to leave California," Alvern said.

After their youngest child graduated from college, the time seemed right to put their plan into action and move on.

"I was looking in the back of a country sampler-type magazine and couldn't believe the price of real estate in the South," Alvern recalled.

She decided she needed to know more and contacted her cousin who lives in the Shoals. He sent her the TimesDaily newspaper.

Alvern called Sharon Peters, a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker, and talked to her about what she and Gene were interested in.

Sharon listened intently to Alvern and told her about an available home, the Crossland-Karsner mansion, across from the University of North Alabama in Florence.

The local realtor went one step further; she made a video of the historic home and sent it to the Greeleys. "We had never been to the South before. On our first visit, we drove into Florence from Birmingham. It was the dead of winter, but we found the area so beautiful," Alvern said.

The couple drove around the Shoals and made inquiries at the city offices about whether they could establish a bed and breakfast in Florence.

That was January of 1990, well before the resurgence of inns and bed and breakfast establishments in the United States.

"The people here didn't even know what we were talking about, but they were so nice and seemed interested," Alvern said.

Within days of arriving, the Greeleys put their earnest money down on the historic home on Wood Avenue and headed back to California.

Local historian Bill McDonald sent them some very interesting papers about the home they had purchased and Barbara Broach, director of arts and museums in Florence, wrote them a nice letter.

(Keep in mind, at this point, the Greeleys were thinking about a five-year plan for retirement.)

Then, the unexpected happened. Someone walked into Gene Greeley's successful automotive shop in California wanting to buy it.

"He told us to name our price. We did, and he agreed. The, Gene and I looked at each other and said, 'What are we going to do?' " explained Alvern.

The Greeleys bought a U-Haul and started moving south.

Their 115-year-old new home was due some intensive renovations before it would be ready to open as a bed and breakfast. Work began immediately.

The Greeleys had only been in Florence six months when a travel magazine writer called them. "She had heard through the grapevine we were opening a B&B. I told her, 'Yes, that's our planned, but we're not finished with the renovation, yet' ," said Alvern. Alvern completed one of the guest rooms just so the writer could visit.

"Nothing was finished. She wrote her story based on what we were planning to do," Alvern said.

Wood Avenue Inn had its first wedding couple soon thereafter. Their success has been beyond their wildest dreams.

Wood Avenue Inn was the first B&B in the Shoals and has been in operation for 15 years. the Greeleys have had guests from 47 different countries.

Both Alvern and Gene believe in providing hospitality to visitors.

In many ways, they consider themselves to be hosts of the city.

Carolyn Waterman grew up in upstate New York.

One of the first big chances in her life came when she married her husband, Dan, who was just returning from the Peace Corps.

The newlywed couple moved to Pakistan, then to Ethiopia, where their daughter was born.

During the course of 25 years, the Watermans added Tanzania, India, Fiji and Kenya to the list of countries they have called home and welcomed three more children to their family.

Carolyn has a nursing degree and helped begin several medical facilities around the world. She even worked with Mother Theresa while in India.

Her worldly experience is vast, and she quickly learned that people and values are basically the same anywhere you go.

The Watermans' first link to the Shoals came in 1997 when Dan became a Washington representative for the International Fertilizer Development Center.

The two had moved so much during their years together that they started to think about settling down.

First they thought about moving overseas, but then they thought about Muscle Shoals.

"We had been to the area a couple of times, and we liked it," Carolyn said.

Memorial Day weekend, 2002, the Watermans were looking at houses in Florence.

"Dan wanted a house on the lake, so we could have a boat. I wanted a house in the city, so we could have friends," Carolyn said.

It was their mutual love for older homes that led them to Florence's Wood Avenue historic district.

On one of their trips to the area, the Watermans wanted to stay at Limestone Manor Bed and Breakfast, but a room wasn't available. The couple stayed at Wood Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast instead.

The Watermans had never thought about starting a business after settling in the Shoals, but that's just what they did after purchasing Limestone Manor.

The odd twist of events fueled by Carolyn's love to cook and her love of people.

After moving to Limestone Manor, which the Watermans now call Limestone House, they were amazed at how quickly their house became a home.

Cherished items from 25-plus years of living a multitude of places around the world just seemed to find a place in their new home.

The Watermans also found it easy to call the Shoals home.

"Alabama is my family's home. It's nice to live where people say hello," Carolyn said.

The Watermans' children are scattered around the globe - son Eric is at Columbia University in New York, daughter Sarah is in Hawaii, daughter Amy is in graduate school in Wisconsin and daughter Carrie just returned from South African and is off to Honduras.

The Watermans' children enjoy visiting their parents at Limestone House and have embraced the Shoals.

Like many owners of historic homes, the Watermans feel a sense of stewardship and responsibility. As innkeepers, they look for every opportunity to promote Florence.

Carolyn likens opening a bed and breakfast to entertaining friends of the family. "When a guest walks in our door, they are no longer a stranger," she explained.

Carolyn keeps a journal in each guest room with hopes of receiving honest remarks from visitors. Several guests have made specific 'thank yous' to the Watermans for being especially accommodating, and the majority of the remarks mention their impeccable Southern hospitality.

"That's the highest compliment someone can give a Yankee," Carolyn said.

They're pleased with the success of their bed and breakfast. Last year, Carolyn cooked a total of 175 breakfasts for guests.

Carolyn is enjoying the business side of being an innkeeper, too, and she recently joined Downtown Florence Unlimited.

Carolyn is proud of all Florence has to offer residents and visitors. From the public library, university and NCAA championship to concerts, plays at the Zodiac and many festivals, she thinks it's a wonderful place to visit and to live.

In all the traveling they've done, the Watermans became adept at making their home wherever they were. Now, when they travel, they like knowing home is where they're returning - Florence.

The Watermans aren't just passing through the Shoals. Actually, they don't travel as much as they used to.

Carolyn likes being part of a caring neighborhood. Even if a day or two passes and she doesn't see her neighbors, she likes knowing they're there for her. Not long ago, she had a bad asthma attack and drove herself to the hospital. "When my neighbors found out what happened, they couldn't understand why I didn't call them. That's a nice feeling," Carolyn said.

"We're happy the area found us," she said.

Unlike Alvern and Carolyn, Doris Ross is a native Alabamian, originally from Lawrence County. She has two brothers and a sister who still live in North Alabama.

Doris met her husband, Ron, at Larimore Business College in 1964. They were married three months later and celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in November.

Both their children, Mandy and Chris, graduated from the University of North Alabama. They have one grandchild, Chandler.

On any given day, The Veranda on Walnut is filled with life.

Mondays are especially lively. That's when Chandler visits.

The sounds of laughter and singing echo in the large home as Ron and Doris spend the day with their grandson.

The 2-year-old and his Meme enjoy art lessons and tea parties.

Doris admits Chandler's dad, her son Chris, doesn't like it much that the two of them have tea parties on the veranda.

"I just tell him that I did the same thing with him," Doris said.

"We go upstairs to the sunroom if it's cold or rainy. If it's nice, we go out on the veranda. We have blueberry muffins and grapes and drink water in our tea cups."

When she's not conducting art lessons and having tea parties, Doris is busy with her other interests. In addition to being the innkeeper of The Veranda on Walnut, she's also a successful real estate agent.

In this high-tech world, she counts herself fortunate to be able to do a large portion of her real estate work from her home office with the aid of her cell phone and laptop computer.

About a year ago, the once very active woman was forced to slow her pace because of back surgery. Although she is on the road to recovery, several things she once loved to do are still too painful. She has been forced to enlist help doing some of the housekeeping duties related to operating the B&B.

The Rosses have lived in their Walnut Street home for seven years and have been operating The Veranda on Walnut for four years this August.

Before deciding to open their own bed and breakfast, the couple had stayed at a bed and breakfast in Natchez and had attended luncheons at Wood Avenue Inn.

They agreed operating a bed and breakfast seemed like a great way to meet people and make a little extra money.

The two enjoy it more than they ever thought they would.

Ron loves talking with and getting to know guests. "They are guests in our home. We give them a key to the front door, and they come and go as they please," Doris said.

The Rosses are a team when it comes to running their B&B.

Ron is retired from the railroad and cooks breakfast for guests. His specialty is strawberry waffles.

Doris strives to make each guest's stay special. She has worked with several grooms to make their wedding night extra romantic. She remembers one groom who made arrangements to have a particular song playing when they arrived.

She made a rose petal trail leading from the front door to the bedroom for another couple.

Whether searching for a romantic getaway, or a good night's rest, several of the Rosses' guests have made a stay at The Veranda on Walnut an annual tradition.

Imagine a jeopardy game show situation. The host says, "Webster defines this as the use of skill and imagination in the production of things of beauty."

The contestant answers in the form of a question, "What is art?"

Art, to me, is Sandi Stevens. In everything she does, she is artistic. From the way she moves and the way she talks, to the way she listens and the way she engulfs herself into her work. She's an artist with every bit of her being.

She represents the art world well with her adamant belief that art has intrinsic value, "Art is subjective, it's different for everyone. It's valuable to us both as a whole and as individuals. I think that's the reasons art and music are used in therapy. Art is a way of release and expression. Even quiet people have something to say with their art."

Speaking from her heart, she said, "We have to encourage children at an early age to try things. There's so much talent that's untapped. It's important for us to not be so judgmental and critical. As members of society, we should do everything we can to support children in their art. I think the saddest thing is that the greatest artists are never known."

Her entire family has encouraged her artistic nature since early childhood. Art is valued in the Stevens household. Sandi explained, "My family is very artistic. They're more creative than I am. I always knew art was just as valid for me as a career choice as any other field."

"I'm sure it wouldn't have been as easy for me as it has been if I didn't have such a creative and talented family," Sandi said.

Her face lights up when she talks about her family and an even brighter glow appears in her eyes as she talks about her mother, Martha Stevens.

"Not many people know she's an artist. The smell of oil paints makes me think of my mother. Even as a child, when she helped me with school projects, I realized her talent."

It wasn't until after Sandi started college that she found her love for sculpting and casting. Her father is an industrial technologist who moved to the area about 40 years ago.

"My father, Mitchell Stevens, has a background in casting. My mom has always helped me in any way she could and my dad really helped me with the technical part of casting," Sandi said.

While a student at the University of North Alabama, Sandi was fortunate to have excellent teachers and peers. Ron Shady, for example, was a very important part of her art degree.

"He had this unique way to ask questions. He made me think, and didn't lead me to an answer. It was a good sense of freedom. It was a gentle push to make decisions about yourself."

Assigned values of art and the importance of artists differs by area. Sandi saw these regional differences firsthand as a student in the Northeastern United States.

"When I was studying art in Maine, I was shocked by the number of art galleries in the tiny island. Art is a livelihood for many of those local residents. It can be, when a community chooses to invest in art. People must believe in the value of art and treasure having an original," Sandi said.

In reference to the Shoals, Sandi said, "I know if that tiny Maine community invests in art, then we can, too."

Just as art has been important to Sandi her entire life, so has gymnastics.

"I started gymnastics when I was four. I don't remember a time when I wasn't in gymnastics. Without my gymnastics family, I wouldn't be who I am. Deb Walls and Shoals School of Gymnastics has been part of my life for over 25 years," she said.

Sandi has assumed there would come a point when she gave up gymnastics, but her love for the sport keeps her involved.

Sandi grew up in Deb's program and now she's helping children just like Deb helped her.

"I was painfully shy. I want to thank my parents for putting me into the program."

The self-confidence and self-assurance she gained from gymnastics has helped Sandi in many ways. "It's my feeling that when you try something new, you take a chance of failing. At the gym, I learned how to deal with failure and how to turn it into something positive. I truly believe you have to fail to succeed."

"Gymnastics is the best sport! It's humbling to fall in front of a lot of people. One of my favorite stories is when I won first on beam in a competition, but I fell off the victory stand once I got my medal. That's humbling," she said.

Teaching preschool age children gymnastics helps Sandi with her art.

"It reminds me to keep in that honest mindset. Children are fresh thinkers, so honest, so creative."

Whereas most children go through phases, wanting to be many different things when they grow up, Sandi has always wanted to be an artist and a gymnast.

"Now here I am, 30 years old and still involved in both. When I was in school, art, PE, and lunch were my favorite things, and they still are."

Sometimes it's hard for her to believe she is living her childhood dream. A year ago, Sandi took her role as an artist to another level by opening a gallery and frame shop with her family. Cassetta Gallery, located in Tuscumbia, includes the work of local artists and the display is varied.

"I like to keep it mixed up as much as possible. It's a small gallery space, but I'd like to bring something to the area that people haven't seen before. I want to include art from different countries," Sandi said.

When commenting about her own unique vision as an artist, Sandi speaks with an apologetic tone, "I haven't worked in a while. It's my own fault, I've just got to make a decision to do it again."

It's lack of time that hinders Sandi, not lack of passion.

As an artist, Sandi is perhaps best know in our community for the 2003 Helen Keller Festival 25th anniversary portrait. However, it's her practice of the lost wax method of casting that sets her apart from other artists.

"I hope I can sit down this summer and make time for art. This is my vision of art. I have something to say, something to create. My goal is to cast metal in the fall."

"Next, I want to explore glass casting. I'm researching and reading, but there's just so long you can just think about it, and I know that," she said.

"You have to be honest with yourself. For example, I might do seven different paintings and only one of them please me. It's all about potential. People of all ages have potential and ability. But, we'll never know what the majority of them can do because they're afraid to try. Someone has crippled them along the way and that's a huge loss to society."

"It's our responsibility to not cripple children and destroy potential with words," Sandi said.

"I thank God for my family and for positive childhood experiences," she said.

Monica Collier, Home