Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/510657
3 Shor e l i n e S | 2015 Vol :1 Now that spring has sprung and the weather and water are warming, who's not thinking of splashing and grilling and relaxing and all the fun things we do at the lake? Still, we (OK, I) can't help but look back to late February and the snowfall that blanketed the top third of the state, including Alabama Power's northernmost lakes: Smith, Logan Martin, Neely Henry and Weiss. Some of us (OK, me) just can't get enough of a sublime snowfall. That's what we got Feb. 25, at least by my definition: It's pretty, it's wet enough for snowball fights and the power stays on. Some places in Alabama saw close to a foot of the white stuff. As you can see from the picture of Smith Lake at the left, the result truly was a winter wonderland befitting a Currier & Ives Christmas card. Speaking of snow, we all know about Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil and his annual Groundhog Day predictions about when winter will be over. Now meet Smith Lake Jake, a groundhog rescued as a baby near Smith Lake seven years ago who is gaining acclaim of his own. Jake is in demand every Feb. 2 for a winter-ending prediction, but he's also social media friends with a growing list of celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Reese Witherspoon, Bradley Cooper and more. Even in death, one of Alabama's biggest celebrities is Hank Williams. The hard-living country music star's death before the age of 30 and a catalogue of classic songs cemented his iconic status. More than six decades after Hank slipped away from us in the back seat of a Cadillac, the mythology continues to attract Hank Williams pilgrims, including to the Hank Williams Cabin on the shores of Lake Martin. This issue of Shorelines also features stories about this year's Renew Our Rivers cleanups, what you need to do to ready your boat for the summer season, and energy-efficiency tips you can use to save money on your lake home's power bill. Enjoy! — BOB BLALOCK WATER WHYS Left: Photo by Billy Brow n — A view of Smith Lake after a winter snowfall. 3