The Alabama Lifestyles Expo was held at the Caribe in Orange Beach on Thursday, February 9th, 2012.  Over 3,000 individuals browsed the booths at the Expo and participated in drawings for merchandise, products and services.  Tidbits of Baldwin County awarded food and merchandise gift certificates to 10 lucky winners.

Events and Items of Interest in Baldwin County

• February 13 – 28 the City of Gulf Shores Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department will hold registration for all T-Ball, Baseball and Softball Leagues.  Registration will be held at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center or online at www.gulfshoresal.gov. All players must present birth certificates at the time of registration.  Registration fee is $70.00 per player (For Rec Center Members) and $80.00 per player for (non-members). Please contact the Bodenhamer Rec Center at 968-1420 for more information.
• February 16^th at the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, 8:00 am – Maximize Your Marketing at the Chamber Conference Room.  Sponsored by Four Seasons Resort Management and Island Technologies.
• Mystical Order of Mirams Parade, February 17^th at 6:30 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Perdido Dunes Condominiums in Orange Beach.  Join the fun and free to the public.
• Mystic Order of Persephone Parade, February 17^th at 6:45 pm.  Parade is on the streets of Olde Town Daphne.  Admission is free to the public.
• Maids of Jubilee Mardi Gras Parade February, 17^th at 7:00 pm.  Parade is held in Downtown Fairhope and is free to the public.
• February 18^th , 2012 (Saturday before Mardi Gras) MARDI GRAS FEST 3 in Bay Minette at Halliday Park, 300 McMeans Avenue (Highway 59). 10am-6pm. Entertainment TBA. Vendors, Demonstrations, Kids Zone. LIFESouth Blood Drive. Moon Pie Eating Contest sponsored by Toomey’s Mardi Gras. 7th Annual Mystic Revelers Mardi Gras Parade 12pm, MARDI GRAS FEST is on parade route. Free admission and parking. Presented by Bay Minette Civic Club, benefits Charity Fund. Sponsors and Vendors needed. www.bmcivicclub.com 251-463-1909.
• Mystics of Pleasure Mardi Gras Parade, February 18^th at 5:30 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Perdido Dunes Condominiums in Orange Beach.  Admission is free and see the Mystics of Pleasure after the parade.
• Shadow of Barons Mardi Gras Parade, February 18^th at 6:45 pm.  Parade is on the streets of Olde Town Daphne.  Free to the public.
•  The Wharf Kids Mardi Gras Parade on Main Street at the Wharf, February 20^th at 2:00 pm.   Watch and enjoy as revelers throw sweets, trinkets, beads and toys.  Admission is free!
• The Wharf Mardi Gras Parade, February 20^th at 5:00 pm on Main Street at the Wharf. Admission is free.
• Order of Mystic Magnolias Mardi Gras Parade, February 20^th at 7:00 pm.  Parade is held in Downtown Fairhope and is free to the public.
• Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade, February 21^st at 10:00 am.  Parade begins at Hwy. 59 from bottom of Intracoastal Canal Bridge and ends at Main Beach Gulf Shores.  Let the good times roll!  Free to the public.
• LuLu’s 8^th Anniversary Celebration and Boat Parade, February 21^st , doors open at 10:00 am. Parade leaves the Wharf at 3:00 pm and ends at LuLu’s.  Live music and the best Fat Tuesday party in town!
• Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade, February 21^st at 2:00 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Hwy. 161 in Orange Beach.  Free to the public.
• Underwoods Consignment, located at 311 N. McKenzie St. in Foley will have their official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, February 22^nd at 4:00 pm.  Store owners are Brande Kinsey and Tammy Ford.
• We are excited to announce that Mitzi Gaynor has been added to the 2012 Entertainment Series lineup. Her show,Razzle Dazzle! My Life Behind the Sequins has toured across the nation and will join us at the Erie Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores on March 5th. If you would like more information please call 251-968-1170.
• REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH will serve its traditional German Sausage Dinners from 11:00am to 2:20pm on  March 16, 17, and 18 during the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival.  Cost of the dinner, which features German sausage, German potato salad, baked beans sauerkraut, bread, and drink is $7.95.  German sausage sandwich plates include sauerkraut, potato chips and drinks and sell for $5.95.  Homemade pies are just $3.00 per slice.  Eat in or take out at the church which is located at 200 S. Section St. (the corner of Fels Ave. & Section St).  Proceeds from this year’s dinner will help provide financial aid to two seminary students and three Redeemer students at Lutheran colleges.  Matching funds will be provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
• Come ride in style down to the ever growing St Patrick’s day parade and pub crawl in Gulf Shores this March 17th. The O’alley Bar is offering 50 seats on its chartered bus that will deliver you to a tradition that has grown to a group of over 500 “Irish for the day” crawlers.
• We are offering an all inclusive 2 meals, beverages, bus ride to and from the parade and live music for only $60. If you would like to be part of our Celtic pub crawl this St Patrick’s day please call or come by the Alley Bar and I will put you on the list. We are down to 42 seats left, so hurry!
• Gulf Shores High School is partnering with community agencies for an upcoming car crash reenactment – “Operation Scared Safe” – to be held during prom week on the school’s campus. The purpose of this safety event is to teach possible consequences of driving under the influence. It will consist of local emergency service vehicles responding to a crash scene with student actors portraying injured passengers. Emergency services will be coordinated by John Heronime with Gulf Shores Fire Rescue and Craig Stephenson with Orange Beach Fire Department. On campus, the event is being coordinated by the Drivers Education and Peer Helper classes led by Marcus Early and Amy McKenzie. Early stated “This event is intended to make an impact with our students and, hopefully, save lives. We are so thankful for the support that we are receiving from our local emergency services and businesses who have come together to make this life-saving event a reality on our campus.”

Do you have an upcoming event you’d like to share in Coffee Break?  Please email submissions, at least two weeks in advance to editor@tidbitsbc.com

This week’s stopping in is more of a “stopping out” of sorts.  I spotted landscaper, Terry Morgan owner of All Time Cutters, working hard maintaining the lawn at my condominium complex.  I was most impressed that he was able to manipulate large amounts of pine straw into nice, neat piles around the pine trees so I stopped and chatted with him a few minutes.

Terry Morgan is originally from the Birmingham, Alabama area and, years ago, he fell in love with  Baldwin County and decided to relocate.  He has been in the commercial and residential lawn and landscaping business for 18 years and offers an array of services.  His lawn care services include weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and year around maintenance.  Terry also specializes in sodding, seeding, fertilizing and aerating in addition to building and maintaining flower beds.  His larger projects include landscape design, tree work, land clearing and the ability to build ponds – from small, lined Koi ponds to larger, full size ponds.

For your lawn and landscaping needs, you can reach Terry Morgan of All Time Cutters at (251) 223-3267.  You are sure to receive professional, quality work at affordable prices with All Time Cutters.

Garland’s Auto Body is an easy find located directly on Highway 59 in Robertsdale.  Shop owners, Garland and Machelle Kahl, operate the business that specializes in collision repair and classic car restoration.  They have been in business for two years and at their current location for one year.

Garland’s is a family owned and operated business and both of the Kahl’s sons, Johnathan and Joe, are actively involved in the business.  The family strives for service and quality in all of their repairs and restorations.  At Garland’s, customers often comment that they feel as if they get more for their money while receiving quality work.

You can reach Garland’s Auto Body at 23701 US Hwy. 59 in Robertsdale or at (251) 978-3197 and, in case of collision repair, most types of insurance are accepted.  At Garland’s, quality work and integrity are guaranteed.

Sweet Tea and Jesus
by Steven Sawyer

Folks who live outside the Deep South don’t understand sweet tea. If you go to most restaurants or truck stops north of Kentucky and ask if they have sweet tea, they’ll say, “Sure! Sugar’s on the table.” (That means, “No, we don’t have sweet tea. Just add a few packs of sugar.”)

When you make real sweet tea, first you dump two cups of sugar into a pitcher. Bring a half gallon of water to a boil. When it boils put in three family-sized tea bags. Leave it alone for five or six minutes. Remove the tea bags and bring the tea to a boil. Pour the tea into the pitcher and stir it until the sugar melts. Fill the pitcher half way with ice and stir until the ice melts. Then fill the pitcher with cold water. Stir until blended. Add ice to the glass you serve it in and pour the tea over the ice.

Something scientific happens when you make sweet tea. When you dissolve the sugar in the tea, you no longer have sugar and tea, you have sweet tea. It is a different mixture. Scientists call this new mixture a compound – when two separate ingredients mix together to form a new substance. It’s no longer sugar, and it’s no longer tea. It’s sweet tea. The sugar won’t settle on the bottom of the pitcher, because it’s not sugar any more. The liquid will always be sweet tea to the last sweet drop in the pitcher.

The Bible teaches us it’s the same thing that happens when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and invite Him into our hearts. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man (water) be in Christ, (sugar) he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”(Sweet Tea).

As born again believers we are now spiritually in Christ, and will be forever. God has already guaranteed our position in Christ for eternity. Ephesians 2:5-6 proclaims, “even when we were dead in our transgressions (God) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” NIV

As a new creation in Christ, He wants to live His life in us, through us and as us to bring glory to God. As part of our true identity we are in Christ and Christ is in us. We’re new creations. We’re not the same person we used to be. We’re not changed. We’re “exchanged”. We’re blended with Christ to become someone brand new. Galatians 2:20 puts it this way, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I; but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Being “in Christ” and “Christ in us” is a difficult concept for many Christians, especially those who don’t understand their true identity in Christ. “How can I be in Christ if He died 2,000 years ago on a cross halfway across the world?” they ask. In the natural world of course that’s impossible. But in the spiritual world, it’s a blessed reality. Things in the natural world will all pass away, they are temporal. But things in the Spiritual world will last forever. They are eternal.

Just like Sweet Tea, when we accepted Christ we became someone entirely new– a mixture of our earthly bodies and the Eternal Son of God.

The next time you drink a big glass of sweet tea, think about being a new creation with Christ living in you and you in Christ. Talk about refreshing. For all you Yankees, I sure hope y’all get to visit us down South one day and savor a tall cold glass of this delicious nectar us Southern folks call sweet tea. Y’all will just love it.

PetSmart’s National Adoption Weekend is Friday, February 10^th and Saturday February 11^th from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at Eastern Shore Center in Fairhope.

Apollo’s Mystic Ladies Mardi Gras Parade on February 10^th at 6:45 pm.  Line up on the streets in Olde Town Daphne to watch and enjoy revelers throw sweets, trinkets, beads and toys.  Free to the public!

Knights of Ecor Rouge (KOER) Mardi Gras Parade on February 11^th at 7:00 pm.  Join us in Downtown Fairhope for the parade.  Free to the public!

North Baldwin Community Concerts presents Tribute to Hank Williams, Sr. starring Las Vegas Impersonator as Hank.  Concert will be on February 14^th at 7:00 pm at Faulkner Community College Performing Arts Center in Bay Minette.  Tickets are $20.00 and will be available for sale at the door prior to concert.  Don’t miss this wonderful country music show!

February 16^th at the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, 8:00 am – Maximize Your Marketing at the Chamber Conference Room.  Sponsored by Four Seasons Resort Management and Island Technologies.

Mystical Order of Mirams Parade, February 17^th at 6:30 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Perdido Dunes Comdominiums in Orange Beach.  Join the fun and free to the public.

Mystic Order of Persephone Parade, February 17^th at 6:45 pm.  Parade is on the streets of Olde Town Daphne.  Admission is free to the public.

Maids of Jubilee Mardi Gras Parade February, 17^th at 7:00 pm.  Parade is held in Downtown Fairhope and is free to the public.

Mystics of Pleasure Mardi Gras Parade, February 18^th at 5:30 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Perdido Dunes Condominiums in Orange Beach.  Admission is free and see the Mystics of Pleasure after the parade.

Shadow of Barons Mardi Gras Parade, February 18^th at 6:45 pm.  Parade is on the streets of Olde Town Daphne.  Free to the public.

The Wharf Kids Mardi Gras Parade on Main Street at the Wharf, February 20^th at 2:00 pm.   Watch and enjoy as revelers throw sweets, trinkets, beads and toys.  Admission is free!

The Wharf Mardi Gras Parade, February 20^th at 5:00 pm on Main Street at the Wharf. Admission is free.

Order of Mystic Magnolias Mardi Gras Parade, February 20^th at 7:00 pm.  Parade is held in Downtown Fairhope and is free to the public.

Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade, February 21^st at 10:00 am.  Parade begins at Hwy. 59 from bottom of Intracoastal Canal Bridge and ends at Main Beach Gulf Shores.  Let the good times roll!  Free to the public.

LuLu’s 8^th Anniversary Celebration and Boat Parade, February 21^st , doors open at 10:00 am. Parade leaves the Wharf at 3:00 pm and ends at LuLu’s.  Live music and the best Fat Tuesday party in town!

Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade, February 21^st at 2:00 pm.  Parade begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Hwy. 161 in Orange Beach.  Free to the public.

Underwoods Consignment, located at 311 N. Mckenzie St. in Foley will have their official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, February 22^nd at 4:00 pm.  Store owners are Brande Kinsey and Tammy Ford.

February 18^th , 2012 (Saturday before Mardi Gras) MARDI GRAS FEST 3 in Bay Minette at Halliday Park, 300 McMeans Avenue (Highway 59). 10am-6pm. Entertainment TBA. Vendors, Demonstrations, Kids Zone. LIFESouth Blood Drive. Moon Pie Eating Contest sponsored by Toomey’s Mardi Gras. 7th Annual Mystic Revelers Mardi Gras Parade 12pm, MARDI GRAS FEST is on parade route. Free admission and parking. Presented by Bay Minette Civic Club, benefits Charity Fund. Sponsors and Vendors needed. www.bmcivicclub.com 251-463-1909.

While running distribution in Gulf Shores, my husband ran into the Michigan Club Snowbirds enjoying breakfast.  (They are pictured below in our Caught Reading Tidbits photo.)  They were very complimentary in regard to the new look and content of Tidbits and, at the end of the day, we found ourselves realizing our hard work has materialized into a truly positive publication.

We’d like to thank all of the friendly faces and warm smiles out there this week.  We’d also like to recognize our distributors who buckle in, do the leg work and get the job done every week.  We are grateful for your commitment to delivering our uplifting publication.

Should you have distribution questions or needs, please feel free to contact us at 251-229-4519.

“Caught Reading Tidbits”

On our visit to Unleashed Dog Park in Orange Beach, the Lab (and Lab mix) was king.  There were five energetic furry friends frolicking about and I’m certain two of the five believed they were competing in an Olympic track meet racing for the gold.  The dogs played and their people laughed, socialized and wished the energy in the park could be bottled and sold.

Unleashed offers two separate fenced in areas for large and small dogs.  There is plenty of seating for humans and the trees and decorative fire hydrants encourage potty breaks away from the human seating.  There’s a water hose and bowls available for pet hydration and doggie waste bags are inside the fence for convenient waste pick up and disposal.

There are a few simple rules to be followed while at Unleashed Dog Park and they are as follows:  Dogs must be current on vaccinations.  Dogs must be leashed while entering and exiting the park.  Dogs must be under visual control at all times.  No more than two dogs allowed, per handler.

You can find the list of rules, in its entirety, posted near the front gate of the park and at the web link listed below .  Unleashed Dog Park is located at 27920 Canal Road in Orange Beach and is open from sunrise to sunset.  There is a donation box located just inside the front gate where donations for park upkeep can be made.  For more information about Unleashed Dog Park, please visit www.obparksandrec.com/parkstrails/dogpark.html

You are sure to find three things “great” about Pirate’s Cove in Elberta – great food, a great atmosphere and great entertainment.  Whether you arrive by boat or car, you’ll find Pirate’s Cove nestled into a quiet, peaceful spot on Wolf Bay with plenty of water and lots of sand.  The cheeseburgers are phenomenal and the beautiful view simply improves the overall experience.

Pirate’s Cove is kid and pet friendly.  There’s a big shade tree with a rope swing and a nice open spot for the kids to swim and play in the sand.  You will always find a happy group of dogs on the premise and, if you’re willing to share a few fries, you may meet a new best friend.  You’ll find it tough sharing a bite of burger, though, as Pirate’s Cove is committed to ingredients like high quality ground beef, local fresh produce, yummy wings and hot pizza made with homemade dough.

Pirate’s Cove hosts a number of great events and local entertainers throughout the year and has been doing so for the past 55 years.  The Mueller family is always glad to have you and be sure to check their events calendar on the web at www.piratescoveriffraff.com.  In celebration of Mardi Gras, Pirate’s Cove will host a parade Sunday, February 19^th at 3:00 pm.  Their daily hours of operation are Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Friday – Sunday 8:00 am – until and be sure to check out their coupons in our Local Bits section.