I knew from the moment I met the Beltran family that their photo would be the cover image for this issue of Hartselle Living. The sweet family of six welcomed me into their gorgeous home on Green Acres Drive in Hartselle on a chilly day in January, and I got to hear from Nora, Andy and all the children about their life story and their favorite rooms in their new home. I was even treated to a grand tour and learned about all the work it takes to build a house from the ground up. Their story, with the beautiful photos, is one you won’t want to miss.

Also in this issue, we feature Terry Easterly. The Hartselle man specializes in a Japanese-style of pottery called kintsugi – the art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. The pieces he makes also represent his life in a meaningful way. You can read more about his story and see photos of his pottery in our Arts & Culture section.

In School & Sports, contributor Russell Frye brings us a story on Brody Peebles. The Hartselle High School senior recently scored his 3,000th point and is now the most decorated player in the school’s history.

Constance Smith shares the story of All Sports BBQ and, as usual, brings us her detectable recipes from the homestead. I’m a faithful follower of Cosmopolitan Cornbread, and my husband is thankful for it!

There’s something for everyone in this issue of Hartselle Living. I think that’s one thing I loved about working on this magazine – and I hope you love it too.

Thanks for reading,

Rebekah Yancey