McFee's Wodshop is the creation of Bryan and Carol McFee in Crane Hill, AL. They are both wood turners.  Carol is a "spindle" turner.  She makes bud vases, handles for bottle openers, ice cream scoops, pizza cutters, back scratchers, and similar items. The vases are all sizes, and we recently did a giveaway for a matched pair that were hard to let go.  They were small, dainty and so beautifully detailed.  We fell in love.  Bryan primarily turns bowls.  GORGEOUS bowls with veins of surprising colors in the wood grain, each one unique and precariously turned and polished to perfection.  He also makes coffee tables and end tables.  He takes special orders if it is something that he feels he can "do justice to."

They use only local hardwoods that they harvest themselves. Most of the trees that they use are dead, dying, or already on the ground. Occasionally they will remove a tree when asked to.  As the trees die, decay sets in.  In wood turner parlance this is called spalting.  It creates the beautiful colors and lines that are so prominent in their work. Bryan jokes "We throw the wood out in the front yard until it starts to grow mushrooms, then we know that the wood is ready!" This does sometimes create problems if the decay goes too far.  Then it gets "punky". This means that it is too rotten to work with.  It is always a fine line between "just right" and "too far gone."  

​They love for people to drop by and visit them in their shop.  In true southern fashion, they have a lot of extra chairs for company.  They are a beautiful couple, you will love every second of time you get with them.  Check them out on Facebook today:  @McFees Woodshop and you may contact Bryan by email:  bryanmcfee0425@gmail.com or phone:  205-541-0658.  

​DIRECTIONS

• Crack eggs and put contents in a microwave safe bowl.
• Mix with a fork then add milk.
• Continue to mix all together.
• Place bowl and contents in microwave and cook for about 3 and a half minutes (depending on your microwave setting) or until no longer runny.
• Place eggs in a tortilla.
• Top with shredded cheese mix and spinach leaves.

Add your choice of bacon, deli meat, or breakfast sausage for a little more protein. A couple of slices of avocado, to top it off, makes this burrito fast, wholesome and packs enough energy to get you through a hectic morning.

ENJOY  ...and see ya Lakeside!  

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​
​Updated 04/2020

There are quite a few holiday traditions in our household, some that are purposely done and others, like this one...just happen year after year. When the luscious Thanksgiving leftovers have lost their luster,  we find another way to continue enjoying the turkey! This recipe is sure to hit the spot! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of smoked turkey, coarsely chopped
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, chopped
• 2 (16 oz) cans of navy beans, drained & washed
• 1 tablespoon of canola oil
• 16 oz of Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup of 2% milk
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 bundle of fresh cilantro

Steps:
1. Chop the turkey, onion, and peppers. Drain beans. Preheat a large stockpot on medium high for 2-3 minutes. Place oil in pot, then add peppers and onions, cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. 

2. Reduce heat to medium. Remove casing from sausage and add sausage to the pot. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring to crumble or until sausage has browned.

3. Stir in cumin, chili powder, oregano, pepper, beans, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cook and stir for another 10-15 minutes or until thickened. 

4. Stir in turkey and milk; cook 2-3 minutes to blend flavors. 

5. Top with shredded cheddar, cilantro and serve! 

This Apple Cider Margarita is perfectly festive for a fall night. It has a wonderful taste, and is a great way to savor the last few days of fall! 

Apple Cider Margarita Recipe:

• 1 ounce Grand Marnier
• 1 1/2 ounces gold tequila
• 5 ounces sweet apple cider
• orange or apple slices
• cinnamon, cane sugar and coarse white sugar for rimming the glass
• cinnamon sticks for garnish

Combine the Grand Marnier, tequila and apple cider in a shaker. Next, in a small bowl, prepare the rim mixture by combining the cinnamon and sugars together. Dip the rim of each glass in a bowl of water, then press the rims into the sugar mixture to cling. Carefully place ice into the glasses, and pour the combined beverage, from the shaker, into the glasses over the ice.  Garnish with an apple slice and/or cinnamon stick. Enjoy lakeside by a warm fire! 

You asked and we listened! Subscriptions are now available to The Lakeside Life. Since our publication is free, your cost is essentially paying for convenience, shipping and handling - the magazines are thick and heavy, so they cost more to ship and handle than most. 

The Lakeside Life is presently published tri-annually - Spring, Summer and Fall/Winter.  We had previously (pre-COVID19) released traditional quarterly style - in Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter. We hope to return to a 4-times-a-year conventional quarterly magazine, but honestly we've enjoyed the larger 3 issues a year, so who knows?  3 does kind of fit our brand after all.  Anyway, to subscribe, simply click here. 

See you lakeside,
The Lakeside Life Team 

Article originally dated 11/6/2017, updated 4/6/2021.

If you've been ready to get your hands on a copy of The Lakeside Life, but haven't been successful ... you are in LUCK! 

Our digital versions are now live! You can access digital magazines in the future by using the link below. Enjoy! 
  
The Lakeside Life 

Recently on social media, the team has shared memories on beautiful Smith Lake.  This week, Partner & EIC, Syndi Hanna, shares a favorite memory on Smith.