This time of year, I think a lot about my dad. He loved coming to our lake place and this time of year, you’d find him parked squarely on a chair on the pier, fishing for bream and crappie and whatever else might come his way.
I used to joke that the fish had to be fast to keep up with his hook. He was a bit on the impatient side. But he was patient enough to teach me how to put a worm or a minnow on a hook, despite my reluctant squeals. And he taught me how to slow down and savor the tranquility of the water.
One of his greatest legacies to me was a passion for the water. A Greek immigrant who came over at age 13, he never forgot his roots – a village called Kastoria in northern Greece – built on a lake.
It seemed my fate that I, too, would wind up here on a lake myself. Paradise found … at last.
I think that’s what I love best about producing this magazine – being able to share the stories and photographs of paradise. Whether it’s Logan Martin or Neely Henry, it’s paradise just the same when you love the water.
Take the Beals, for instance. This Neely Henry couple loves their corner of paradise so much, they share it with those from near and far, opening their home as an Airbnb.
Of course, they enjoy it themselves, too, with Saturday Night Supper Clubs featuring cooking by Pam Beals and sister Misty Thomas.
Or Zeke Gossett, who’s been fishing since he could hold a rod. A national collegiate champion in fishing, he now is making a name for himself on the BASS pro circuit. In his spare time, he is a fishing guide and offers tips on where, when and with what to fish on Logan Martin and Neely Henry in each issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®.
In Riverside, they love their little paradise so much, they want all who pass by to know they’re welcome. Artist Penny Arnold has added her colorful, masterful touch to create a mural on the exterior wall of the town’s post office.
Meanwhile in Lincoln, plans are continuing for Dovetail Landing, where they are building a paradise for veterans to help them transition from battlefield to home front. It is a transitioning and wellness community for returning veterans, giving them the resources they need to adjust to life after the military.
There’s plenty more examples of paradises found in this issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®. Turn the page and discover them all with us.
Carol Pappas
Editor and Publisher
