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Finding My Christmas Spirit at the Whacky Tacky Christmas Light Tour

December 21, 2015 By Kara Kennedy

It is truly unbelievable that the end of 2015 is almost here. My mam’maw used to say that “Time passes so quickly the older you get”. I never wanted to believe it, but she was right. I have struggled this year to get into the Christmas spirit, I guess it is because it arrived so quickly. So I decided to volunteer to host the Whacky Tacky Christmas Light Tour.

This is a fundraiser for Fresh Air Family. The money raised from this event is used to send children to their “Gross Out Camp” which is a math and science camp held during the summer. Anyone who knows me, knows that I like to give back to the sommunity. When I was asked to be a bus host for the tour, I didn’t hesitate. The event started at the Avondale Brewery. We met to there for dinner and then boarded our bus to begin our tour through Birmingham, Homewood and Crestline. Volunteers were to wear the whackiest, tackiest Christmas attire that we could find. So not to disappoint I wore my merriest Christmas sweater with my Santa leggings.

I was in charge of reading the script on the bus to point the various sites. It was fun and at times I had to ad lib. One particular part of the tour the bus driver made a wrong turn and we somehow managed to get through a tight narrow road without damaging the bus or the parked cars. I had to divert the passengers attention so I really had to think on the spot and explain some of the unexpected sites. We saw some of the most decorated homes in the Birmingham area. We took a break in Crestline at the La Paz restaurant.

As the passengers were leaving the bus and heading over to the restaurant was where I found the reason I was meant to volunteer for the event. One of the riders on the bus was having difficulty dealing with a personal issue and needed someone to listen. It only took a moment in the scheme of things. Even though this person was a stranger I opened my heart and listened. Standing in the cold parking lot the spirit of Christmas came over me as I listened. This stranger only needed to be heard and validated and I was there.

Happy Thanksgiving! My Southern Corn Casserole Recipe

November 26, 2015 By Kara Kennedy

It’s Thanksgiving again, and most southerners, including me, love to serve casseroles at holiday dinners. Whether it’s the famous green bean casserole my sister makes or the sweet potato casserole, topped with marshmallows, my mom makes, casseroles are a quick and easy addition to any meal. I found a corn casserole recipe last year that I love, and have cooked it again for this year’s Thanksgiving feast. Once I find a recipe I like, I typically add it to my book and use it over and over. This casserole is quick and easy to cook! Enjoy!

Here’s the recipe:

Corn Casserole

(6 – 8 Servings)

1 pkg of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 can (8-3/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (8-1/4 oz.) cream style corn
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.

Pour margarine or butter and corn into dish. Blend in sour cream. In separate bowl, beat eggs and stir into casserole. Add muffin mix. Blend thoroughly. Bake 35 – 40 minutes or until center is firm.

Road Trip: A Day in Mentone, Alabama

October 22, 2015 By Kara Kennedy

Many people do not realize how beautiful the State of Alabama is. The State’s beauty can be summed up and seen in the many natural resources and natural beauty, so when I describe the state to people who are not familiar with it, I like to say that we have mountains in the north, beautiful lakes and rivers scattered throughout and the beach in the south. Fall happens to be my favorite time of year. I love the changing leaves and there are many arts and crafts festivals that can be found in towns small and large across Alabama. When I was with Governor Hunt’s office I had the rare opportunity to travel with the campaign across the state and, so I got to see the beauty and wonder it has to offer. However, we never had the time to stop long enough to enjoy the uniqueness of each town or see the natural beauty that surrounded them. I am embarrassed to say that I have fallen into the trap of not enjoying what the state has to offer by constantly saying to myself “oh I will get around to visiting this place or that. What it amounts to is that I have not taken time to re-explore some of the areas I got to visit on the campaign trail.

Last weekend my friend Dorothy and I decided to take a day trip to Mentone. Mentone is a quaint, mountain village located in Northeast Alabama in Dekalb County that sits, according the city’s website, in the west brow of Lookout Mountain. I have only been to Mentone once before to visit the Mentone Springs Hotel, a lovely Victorian-style Bed & Breakfast that was built in 1884. Unfortunately, the town lost this beautiful landmark to a fire a year ago. That trip was brief and I didn’t really get to walk around the town or eat in any of the restaurants.

This trip to Mentone was to primarily attend the Colorfest arts and crafts festival, which was set up along the mountain-top alongside rental cabins and homes that overlooked the picturesque valley. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful fall day for the trip the air was crisp and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. After walking through the festival, we walked downtown where there are a number of shops and restaurants. There were so many people in town for the festival so eating was challenging. There was festival food, but we decided to eat at the Moonlight Bistro right in the heart of Mentone. It was a charming bistro with a variety of options on the menu. I chose the bison burger (sidebar: I love bison).

One of the highlights of the day for me was a visit to DeSoto Falls State Park. The 104ft falls and park are located just outside of Mentone. When you arrive to the park, you immediately see the beautiful falls. To get a better view you have to walk down stairs to the overlook, however, once you are there you can walk along the top of the falls. With the changing leaves as a backdrop, they were absolutely gorgeous. It also was so peaceful and relaxing. Since the visit I have done a little research on the history of the falls; according the Explore Southern History website, the falls have been a landmark for thousands of years and were frequently used by Native Americans long before Europeans landed in America. They were a special place for the Cherokee Indians who once inhabited the area. The website goes on to say that the recreation area near the falls was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp during the Great Depression. This was my first visit to the falls, but it won’t be my last. One of the things I regret and what I have discovered since the weekend, is that we failed to take the scenic drive in Little River Canyon. That definitely has to be one of the top must do’s on my next trip to the area.

Most people and native Alabamians alike probably don’t notice what’s on the signs when you cross the state line into Alabama…. for as long as I can remember, those signs have had the slogan: Alabama the Beautiful. Those words remind me that I need to make it a habit to take the time to enjoy all the beauty it has to offer on a more regular basis.

How speaking at a conference in Orange Beach, Alabama laid the foundation for my love of the Muscle Shoals Sound

October 17, 2015 By Kara Kennedy

Alabama is filled with rich music history that is rooted in almost in every corner of the state. The town Muscle Shoals is known for its the rich musical history to most of the local people in the area, but few people across the state or nation knew about or fully understood how the area impacted the industry until the documentary Muscle Shoals was released. Now people are flocking to the area to see for themselves what the buzz is about. The film tells the story of the music industry in the quad city area of Northwest Alabama; if you haven’t seen it, rent it. It’s really, really good. There are so many great musicians from that area. In fact, some of my good friends are musicians who live and perform there. I have a strong appreciation for the music and sound of the Shoals area. My appreciation came about accidentally really and happened because of my being asked to speak on public relations at a State conference in Orange Beach, Alabama in 1994.

That was the year I met my friend Eddie Martin. Eddie was tasked with introducing me at this conference. After the session, he and I were cleaning up the room, and I asked him “so what is it that you really do?” He laughed, and finally said to me “I am a singer-songwriter from the Shoals area.” You will have to ask him about how he got into the music industry, however, since meeting at that conference, I have worked with Eddie on the promotion of several music projects. Those projects have included his solo projects as well as projects with musicians he produced. A few years ago Eddie formed the band The Wildwood Ruminators, a group I would classify as Americana and a group who writes, produces and sings original songs. I have followed the progress of the Ruminators as they are called and I would highly recommend your listening to their music and catching them in concert. All of the members of the band are multi-talented musicians and songwriters.

Through my work with Eddie I also have had the opportunity to meet a number of wonderful musicians and attend musical events and performances that I never in my wildest dreams I thought I would, if you had asked me before 1994.

I am not going to drop names at this point because, for me, that’s not who I am or what this piece is about. What this is about is my appreciation for the musical talent in this state and how excited I am to talk about it with anyone who will listen.

With that in mind, last night, I had the opportunity to hear another one of Alabama’s talented musicians, Jason Isbell (even though I realize he now lives in Nashville). Jason is from Green Hill, Alabama a small town in the Shoals area. I have learned through articles and news segments about Jason that he has had to overcome addiction to get where he is today. In fact, in the recent CBS Sunday Morning segment that featured him he talks about being fired from the Drive By Truckers because of his addiction.

Last night’s concert did not disappoint. One of the best moments of the concert in my opinion was when Jason sang the song Cover Me Up, which he wrote for his now wife, Amanda Shires. Amanda plays fiddle with band. I thought the performance was very special because the song specifically talks about how he overcame his addiction because of his love for her, and you could see their love for each other in the performance. I have listened to it over and over on Spotify. It is probably my favorite song of Jason’s so far, and now that I know the story behind the song, I appreciate the lyrics even more. Jason is a true Alabama- born talent. He writes songs from his heart that tell the story and the truth about his life as a musician.

So if you get the opportunity to see him perform by all means take it.

Football Is More than the Southern Way of Life for Me

October 6, 2015 By Kara Kennedy

Watching football, SEC football, seems to be a way of life for most southern women I know, especially the ones growing up in Alabama. In the state of Alabama, you are born to wear either the Auburn orange and blue or the Alabama red and white. There are no other choices. Most people in my immediate family were born into the orange and blue side, and fall Saturdays were always spent in stadiums. I learned cheers at an early age and my grandmother on my dad’s side was a huge fan because her sons went to Auburn. There is no question that SEC football is a way of life in the South.

My dad is a former coach. He’s always loved sports, in fact, he played baseball at Auburn University. He spent 30 plus years coaching in the public school system of Alabama. My sisters and I were exposed to sports early on, so my love of football comes honestly. I grew up going to the football fields on Friday nights for games and to the gym on Tuesdays and Fridays for basketball games. My dad began his coaching career in 1963 coaching B-Team football and B-Team track at Phillips High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He eventually coached baseball and basketball at Phillips. When I was in second grade, we moved to Opelika, Alabama where he coached basketball, tennis and golf at the high school there. He then moved to Minor High School in Birmingham after a few years, where he coached basketball and football. While at Minor he started the Magic City Classic basketball tournament with Coach Willie Scoggins that was held at Christmas. He also started the ‘Top 20 Ranking of Teams and Players in Basketball.’ My dad had 47 players that went to college. My dad has been a great influence on a number of the players he coached, and I remember specifically the love and compassion my dad had for his players, and the help he and my mom gave to some of those players who were in need.

I really didn’t realize how big of a fan I was of football until I moved out of Alabama to Washington, D.C. Most people in other parts of the country cannot relate to the fandom of the South and the SEC. Pro football is a mainstay in most parts of the country and I get their fan base, but for me adjusting and trying to enjoy the game at the pro level was not easy at all. Luckily for me, Washington D.C. had a metro Auburn Club, so I joined and watched the game with fellow Auburn alums at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. Just for those few hours I got to spend time with fellow fans who had the same love of Auburn football as I did. It was a welcome venture for one who was trying to adjust to living outside of the Deep South. Many argue that because Washington is below the Mason Dixon Line it is the south; it’s nothing like Alabama, but then again, nothing is, is it?

Once I moved home back to Alabama in 2006 I decided I was going to purchase Auburn season tickets because with the tickets so many childhood memories of my grandmother’s love of Auburn and my dad coaching and going to games as I child. I had not purchased tickets in many, many years. There are a number of people who complain that college sports and football have gone the way of big business now, however, I view sports differently. I personally lived and witnessed how sports changed the lives of those athletes my dad coached and helped. It means a lot when you care enough for your students to help them grow and prosper. He did and does. The sole purpose of buying season tickets is to take my dad to the games. We go together to most all of the home games. This has been our tradition about nine years. So for me football is not only a southern tradition, it’s a family tradition, and one I can enjoy with my dad.

Corn Casserole

(6 – 8 Servings)

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