400 Edition February/March 2009 by 400 Edition goodnews

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FEB/MAR 2009

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Interior Design

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February/March 2009 Volume 5, Issue 12

Contents

The New Old, page 9

Interior Design

Columns

6 Spring Redecorating in Tough Times

13 To Your Health

9 The New Old

14 Mind & Heart

12 For the Love of Decorating

continued

15 Through a Woman’s Eyes 16 Comma Momma

Columns

5 Historic Forsyth

16 Fun by 400 20 Reflections 22 Good Eating—Yahoola Creek Grill

10 Getting Informed

22 Knowing Wine

11 Lumpkin Gold

23 Real Men Cook—Potato & Cottage Cheese Au Gratin

A list of major distribution points in North Georgia can be found online at www.400edition.com.

February/March 2009 Carole Lee, Founder/Creative Design Linda Merritt, Founder/Sales/Executive Editor Beth Snider, Founder/Sales/Creative Design Rhonda Bailey, Associate Editor/Sales Will Dunne, Sales/Distribution Sarah Mansfield, Sales/Distribution Bob Merritt, Sales/Distribution Brooke Morris, Creative Design Cindy Proctor, Sales/Distribution Sharon Waldrop, Sales/Distribution Nancy Wright, Proofing

Contributing Writers: Anne Amerson

Steven Leibel

Charles Cook

Dr. Joyce Nations

Clay Cunningham

Donald Pruitt

Dr. Mark Feinsilber

John Roberts

Nancy Forrest

O’Connell & Sanders

Robin Toms Grier

Linda Ragland

Bill Hutcheson

Dawn Rowley

Martha Hynson

Patrick Snider

Sharon Keating

Staff Writers: Rhonda Bailey

Bob Merritt

Carole Lee

Linda Merritt

Jim Leeds

Beth Snider

Nancy Wright

400 Edition is published monthly in Dahlonega, Georgia, with distribution in thirteen counties. Viewpoints expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of the publishers, staff or advertisers. 400 Edition is not liable for inaccurate or erroneous information posted in advertising or event submissions. Ads must be submitted by the 28th of every month, unless arrangements have been made in advance. Content and presentation of advertisements is subject to editorial review and modification. Ad dimensions and pricing may be obtained by calling 706-867-6455 or 866-867-7557. These specs may also be viewed at www.400edition.com. Writers may submit material to editor@400edition.com. Submissions are subject to approval by the editor and may be edited for space, requirements, and style. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month. Contents of this publication become the property of 400 Edition and the original author and cannot be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. This publication is printed by Walton Press in Monroe, GA.

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From the Editor...

he housing market has come to a virtual standstill in most of the state of Georgia and is much the same all across our country. Many homeowners have decided to stay where they are and redecorate their existing home. We have several articles on that subject in this issue you will want to read. If you are fortunate enough to have the money to completely revamp and refurnish your home—go for it. But if your bank account is not what it used to be, consider using our decorators’ suggestions to change your home into a warm inviting place to be. On February 16 we will celebrate Presidents Day. For most of us this took the place of Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays. It is a federal holiday so the banks, post offices, and some businesses will be closed. Presidents Day is a good chance to learn more about American history, civic responsibility, and even U.S. geography. Make a note on your calendar to turn your clocks forward an hour before you go to bed on March 7; Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 8, at 2:00am. You may have noticed that the days are already getting longer. I personally wish we would stay on Daylight Saving Time. Of course, I

don’t have small children that need to go to bed early. We will stay on this time until Sunday, November 1, when we go back on Standard time. We have experienced our coldest weather during the past month. I’m ready for the warm days of spring. Per the news media, the groundhog saw his shadow and we’re in for a few more weeks of cold weather. It is going to be a treat to see leaves on the trees again and watch the beautiful spring flowers start to bloom. If you haven’t looked at our web site lately, please do so. Go to www.400edition.com and see all we have to offer. One of our new features is the previous month’s issue online. You can also find out all you need to know about ad pricing, entering events, distribution points, past issues, and upcoming issues. Until next month…stay happy.

On the Cover

If you are looking for a way to pick up your spirits and get into the swing of spring, the decorating tips we have included in this month’s issue will bring a breath of fresh air into your home. Don’t worry if you’re pinching pennies. Some of these ideas require more elbow grease than cash, or a fresh eye for old things you may already own. Our decorators all profess a common goal—helping their clients display their own style, while at the same time creating a truly functional space. In our web-based poll, most of the respondents selected Country French or Cottage styles as their favorites, with 35% and 29% respectively. A far-off third place, Contemporary style is appealing to 11% of those polled. Regardless of your personal taste, a professional decorator can help you make everything old new again. At 400 Edition, we believe our society might need a little personal-outlook redecorating—a spring cleaning for the soul at a time when life may be getting pretty tough. If you’re trimming your budget, spend less on entertainment and play games with your family. Rather than eating out, make dinner with your children and use mealtime to remind them how to set a table, or learn proper manners while dining. If your business is slowing down, maybe you should take a friend for a walk, or help an elderly friend in your neighborhood with chores. Sometimes God has to use a powerful club to remind us of our priorities. Don’t hold back; tell us how you really feel about 400 Edition. We love receiving feedback from our readers and advertisers. Call us at 706-867-6455, toll free at 866-867-7557, or send an email to info@400edition.com.

Historic Forsyth ’50-’51 Cumming Football Bulldogs

o far in our travels back into the earliest days of CHS/FCHS football, we have said very little about the 1950-51 editions of the gridiron Bulldogs. As pointed out in the two previous articles, the first year results for the Cumming High School would have suggested that a bright future lay ahead. Several factors would prove counter to this hypothesis. First, several of the key players in the ’49 season were seniors. I had actually forgotten about the conversion of Georgia high schools to twelve grades during this era, which undoubtedly proved detrimental to a fledgling program. Further, as mentioned before, many star basketball and baseball athletes did not participate in football. Too, the absence of suitable facilities must have had a negative influence. Thus, the 1950 football season began with the Bulldogs minus key offensive and defensive stalwarts from the 1949 team. The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) records suggest that an eight-game schedule had been drawn up, with possibly two home games at Cumming or Buford. Interestingly, the first game at Bremen resulted in a forfeit win for Cumming although the score was Bremen 32, Cumming 13. Research suggests that Bremen had used some ineligible players against Cumming and Villa Rica; hence, they had forfeited both these games. After that, CHS lost seven straight games by an average score of 38-3 in games against elite high school programs from north and west Georgia including Buford, Royston, South Habersham, Georgia School for the Deaf, Jonesboro, Rabun County, and North Habersham. Similar to what we did at Forsyth County HS in 1955-56, the Cumming Bulldogs played two “B” team games with Chamblee and Milton High. Oddly enough, both are shown in the records as being 0-0 ties. Hershel Fuller has related a memory of his about that second season in a game with Georgia School for the Deaf. Whether this game was played in Cumming or not is still not clear to me. Homer Summerour had been treated roughly by these larger and faster specimens of manhood. He had been knocked

down on almost every play. Finally, he had to be carried off the field, appearing to be unconscious. The coaches and trainers (one of whom was probably Fuller) gathered around Homer and started applying “smelling salts” to arouse him; however, when he opened his eyes and heard his dad exhorting him to go back into the fray, along with Coach Wood and many of the local fans, he simply closed his eyes and “passed out” again. He obviously had had enough punishment for one game. While it has been very difficult to determine just who was on the 1950 team, I was able to determine that the following were members: Homer Summerour, Charles Farr, Vic Farr, Allan Farr, Charles Martin, Horace Whitmire, Glenn Bolton, Ralph White, Joe Vernon, Rex Martin, Frank Martin, Frank Poole, George Ingram, Ken Norwood, Lynn Holbrook, Robert Teems, Harold Poole, and Nathan Poole. Unfortunately, the 1951 Bulldog football season was even more disastrous than the 1951 edition. Coaches and administrators had not made things any easier, as a full tengame schedule had been prepared, all against developed programs. Again, records suggest that only one game was a home game and that was, indeed, questionable. For the school year of 1951-52, no annual exists, as Cumming was in the midst of adding a twelfth grade. It does seem that as many as seven or eight players from the ’50 team were not in the ’51 ensemble, as they had already graduated. Nevertheless, those young men did—just as we did in 1955—the best they could. They took long bus trips to meet Winder, Bremen, Pepperell, Roswell, Hogansville, Georgia School for the Deaf, Fayette County, Trion, and Milton. A home game with Acworth was also shown on the schedule. Cumming High School lost all ten games by an average score of 47-2. By now, it was not a difficult decision to discontinue the football program at Cumming High School until after the construction of the new Forsyth County High School was complete. Even when this happened in 1955, it was another four years before the

by Donald Pruitt county school administration provided adequate practice and game facilities. Donald (Don) Pruitt is a 1958 graduate of FCHS and a 1963 UGA graduate. While Don and his wife, Sula Echols Pruitt, have lived outside of Forsyth County since 1963, he has a love of Forsyth County history and genealogy. He still has family here and tries to return “home” from North Carolina, where he has lived for 39 years. Donald is a long-time member of the Historical Society of Forsyth County. He can be contacted by email at sazabylex@ctc.net.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

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Spring Redecorating in Tough Times T

he economic climate in our country is scary. Locally (in Georgia) we have all been touched in some way by the downturn in the economy. But spring is just around the corner and it’s that time of year when a young man’s fancy turns to love, and a woman’s fancy turns to—what else?— DECORATING. It’s tough when you know you can’t just run out and replace things, so here are some thoughts on spring redecorating in tough times. First, keep a positive attitude about your home. We live like kings compared to most people in the world, so start your day thanking God for the things you have, and your spirit will Fresh greener be renewed and refocused y and house plants are es fo r the environ sentia on the blessings of the mentally frie ndly look of to l home and the possessions day When you already enjoy. Then, get you rearrange the energized and start rearranging. furniture, be sure to place chairs There is nothing more exciting and sofas as if they are talking than “shopping in your own store” to each other. A coffee table is a and moving your furniture around simple way to center the room to create a fresh, new look. While arrangement. When rearranging, you are moving things, do a keep in mind that every room serious spring cleaning of floors, needs a focal wall or a center of baseboards, and all your furniture. visual interest. In most family For centuries this was a common rooms/dens, that is usually the practice in our country. Except fireplace. If you don’t have a for a fresh coat of paint, a deep fireplace you can create that focal cleaning can freshen up a room wall look with a tall piece of faster than most anything. Start furniture; maybe you should go the whole process by carefully into the dining room or bedroom removing all the accessories and lamps from the room.

other” are “talking to each ey th gh ou th as rs ai Turn sofas and ch

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and bring in a piece from there, such as an armoire or bookcase. As you work in your room, remove any items that are adding to a cluttered feeling. Clutter is out and simplicity is in. Feel free to “edit” your look by getting rid of upholstered or wood pieces that make the room feel overcrowded or dated. The end result should be a light, airy feel that will take you into spring and summer. Now, all of this may sound a bit physical and challenging to the back (depending on how many heavy pieces you have). You may need to invest in a set of “sliders” that go under the furniture and make it much easier to move around. Or you might want to ask a friend to help you in exchange for helping her with rearranging at her house. You can always ask your husband (if you have a really sweet one) but generally speaking, husbands like everything “just the way it is” and you will likely get a good argument going by merely bringing up the subject. Finish rearranging one room before you start on the next one, and keep fooling around with the room arrangement until you get it right. Your fresh spring look should say “comfortable and inviting” to you and your family. Once all the big furniture is in its new place, you are ready to bring back the accessories. Accessorize with a good mix of the past and the present; your room will be more interesting if you take an eclectic approach with the accessories. You don’t want the look that everything was bought from the same place at the same time. The best rooms have that wonderful feel that you have been collecting for years, but that you are not out of date or “overcooked.” Again, keep it simple. Three

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

by Avis Everett

details that will always add that decorator touch: fresh greenery (bigger plants rather than small ones), clear glass pieces, and architectural elements. Make sure the lighting in your “new” room is right. Several years ago I took a lighting course; the teacher was a wonderful decorator who was convinced that lighting was the key element in the finished room. Don’t dampen your spirits with darkness. Light makes us feel cozy and it is vital to show off all the color, fabrics, art, and accessories in your newly created space. Every room needs at least five light sources; don’t forget floor lamps for a dark corner if there is no room for a table. Add mirrors for extra light and reflection. Oh, and one more thing—you’re not going to like this, but—wash your windows. Natural light is the best light of all, and included in spring cleaning is window washing, so that God can bless us with his wonderful creation right through our clean windows every morning. Your decorating changes should reflect your personality and the lifestyle of your family. We want our home to be a place of comfort and refuge. Perhaps one of the best things that will come from these tough economic times will be that families will spend more quality time together in their homes rather than running around “in pursuit of happiness.” Have fun with your spring project. Trust yourself, be yourself, and remember that furniture placement is never set in stone. Since “change” is the political buzzword for this year, you might as well roll up your sleeves and get involved in some changes at your house. Avis Everett is an Interior Decorating Consultant. She is the owner of Avis Everett Interiors, specializing in room updates and remodeling. She began her decorating career as a stenciler and is the author and creator of the “Stiffy Bow” craft concept. She and her husband Ed live in Chestatee on Lanier.

For decades, laparoscopic surgery has offered patients a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open surgery. Now, the introduction of robotic surgery has given surgeons even better tools to perform the most intricate of minimally invasive procedures and achieve better outcomes for their patients in a growing range of specialties, including many thoracic, urologic, gynecologic, and other laparoscopic procedures.

Innovative and State-of-the-art Technology

Northside Hospital was one of the first hospitals in Atlanta to obtain robotic technology and now leads the state in the number of robotic surgeries performed each year. So how does it work? This minimally invasive technique involves making just a few small incisions for instruments, and for a small camera that allows the surgeon to view a full-color, magnified, 3-D image of the surgical site. Robotic arms mimic the surgeon’s motions to perform the most intricate of tasks. The superior quality of the HD video enhances the surgeon’s skills by improving depth perception, contrast, and magnification. The flexibility of the robotic instruments provides greater range of motion than possible with traditional laparoscopic instruments. Patients thereby benefit from: • Smaller incisions • Less pain and scarring • Reduced blood loss and need for transfusions • Shorter hospital stay • Quicker recovery • Reduced risk of infection

Better patient outcomes in a growing range of specialties

Antiques

North Georgia 3

Fred’s Beds & Furniture With a great mix of new, used, and consignment furniture, Fred’s Beds & Furniture offers bargain hunters amazing deals on just about anything you can think of! Fred’s also offers many choices of Simmons, Golden and RestMaster bed sets at well below suggested retail prices and backs up its claim to have “The Best Mattress Prices!” It’s worth the trip! Open Monday thru Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays 10:00am to 5:00pm. Closed Sundays. Located in the Old Matt Schoolhouse at Hwy 369 & Bannister Road in North Forsyth County – 5 miles West of Hwy 400. 5710 Namon Wallace Road, Cumming, GA 30040 Phone – 678-455-1190 FAX – 678-455-1191 www.freds-beds.com *See our ad on page 11.

Cottonwood Village Antiques 10,000 square feet of merchandise: collectible firearms and militaria, fine art, period estate furniture, glassware, china, tools, pottery and linens. Visit the Country Store for handmade herbal soaps and lotions, soy candles, homemade jams, jellies and vegetables, Nora Mill whole grains and fresh local produce. Buy-Sell-Trade. 4300 Dawsonville Highway

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(Highway 53) 770-205-7800 www.cottonwoodvillage.net *See our ad on page 5. Fran-Tiques Located less than 2 hours from Atlanta, in scenic Union County. Something for everyone—fabulous, unique finds in every nook and cranny. True antiques to collectibles, including furniture, glassware, silver, china, books, vintage clothing, jewelry, linens, and lace. Open 7 days a week. 505 Cleveland Street, Blairsville, GA 1/2 mile from the Square on Highway 129. 706-745-1705 *See our ad on page 10.

Yonah Mountain Treasures One of North Georgia’s most unique stores, Yonah Mountain Treasures features the work of more than 75 area artists, potters, woodworkers, and others. This store is a museum, art gallery, book nook, and country store all in one. In addition, Yonah Mountain Treasures has wonderfully unique items that will add to the décor of any mountain home or cabin. Here, you’ll find original paintings by Judy Bynum George, Susan Hage, Cornbread, Jack DeLoney, and John Kollock. They have wooden

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

creations, custom picture framing, imported jewelry, and even old photo restoration. And at Yonah Mountain Treasures, candy is always “A Dollar A Dip!” Highway 75, two miles north of Cleveland, GA, next to the Yonah Burger. 706-348-8236. *See our ad on this page. Iron Accents Owner Valerie Kirves & designer Terri Winans (previously of Endless Treasures) have merged the worlds of iron, architecturals, antiques & design to create a wonderfully eclectic mix of old and new. Shoppers are sure to enjoy browsing the various vignettes throughout the store that feature unique handcrafted pieces including new & vintage furniture, home décor, garden accessories, architecturals, seasonal florals, and gift items. Located in Clermont, Georgia, on the corner of highway 129 and Oxford Road just 8 miles south of Cleveland and north of Gainesville. 6415 Cleveland Highway Open Monday - Saturday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm. 770-539-9093 www.ironaccents.com *See our ad on next page.

The “New Old”

by Terri Winans photos by Jack Kirves

fter the hustle, bustle, and glitz of the holidays, your home can take on an empty feeling, and the thought of putting it in order can be a bit overwhelming. But as we get off to a fresh start in the New Year, you are presented with the perfect time to give your home a fresh new look. You are no doubt familiar with the saying, “Out with the old and in with the new.” Well, this year I would like for you to consider “In with the old.” Decorating is the process of adding new life to an old room, creating a comfortable and personal living space for your family, friends, and pets. And as we strive to balance our stressful lives with peaceful retreats, a decorating style I have long loved is growing in recognition. The eclectic look that I refer to as re-mixing, or the “New Old,” is all about decorating in a way that pulls old and new together, using family heirlooms to combine the past and present for your home’s future. Most of us have inherited something we treasure, whether it is an antique wicker chair, Grandmother’s pie safe, or a cherished family painting. But many of us wonder how these pieces can be used in a custom decorated room. Decorating with your own individual taste is what the “New Old” style is all about. If you love a piece and want it around you, use it. Vintage and timeworn objects have a certain individuality, a historical presence, and placing them among newer belongings can give your room added charm, interest, and personality. No matter what your style—Country French, Tuscany, Traditional, or even Transitional—mixing old and new can create a stunning effect. The key is to layer the old and new with architectural features, furnishings, and accessories. It’s all about balance and not necessarily matching; there should be a balance rather than a divide between the old and the new. Don’t aim for all-out perfection—objects with patina give spaces an aged livedin appearance that new items and even mint condition antiques don’t establish. Combining family heirlooms, primitives, newly handcrafted furniture, and original art can create a unique

and personal style instead of a carbon copy of the latest trend. Timeless pieces not only work into many decorating schemes; they can also move from room to room and can be repurposed even as design tastes change. (Who says Grandpa’s worktable in the barn can’t make a great kitchen island?) Furnishings are not the only items that can be reused from the past; don’t ignore architectural salvage in your decorating scheme. Architectural elements, repurposed in creative, distinct ways, fit in perfectly with the “New Old” style. From iron gates and corbels to French shutters and doors, adding architectural objects to your decorating theme can truly enhance the entire room.

When it comes to home decorating, it’s key to find ways to express your individuality and to save money without sacrificing style. Layering older pieces into your decorating scheme means there’s no need to throw away your treasured belongings, and allows you to pull together a wonderful space with a little cash and a lot of imagination.

Adding an element of distinction, “New Old” combines the best of the past and the present to give your home warmth, style, and personality. Terri Winans, the former owner of Endless Treasures in Dawsonville, has merged her antiques and primitive collection with Iron Accents in Clermont and is working as a decorator in the North Georgia area.

Here are some suggestions for adding a timeworn touch of character to your home’s décor. •

Consider adding a fireplace mantel where there isn’t one, to create an intimate sitting area or even a totally unique headboard.

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Old columns, depending on height, can make great display pedestals, plant stands, or dramatic conversation pieces when used alone.

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Brackets and corbels can serve as beautiful focal points, but are also practical and functional. Some can be used in load-bearing applications, such as for support of kitchen countertops. Others are purely decorative, and take on a new purpose when used as bookends.

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Decorative medallions and salvaged tin transform into instant art when hung on blank walls.

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Wrought iron gates aren’t just for the garden; they can be used as headboards, hung on the wall, or even displayed in a flower bed.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

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Getting Informed —Making Millions on the Internet, Part III by Beth Snider

ver the last two months, I’ve reviewed some basic points about starting a site that can earn you money. If you’ve missed them, go to www.400edition.com/index. php/Current-Issue, where you can read them online. Now that we have a great idea, understand our market, have organized our information, have made our site appealing, have built it right, and are tracking our traffic— we’re ready to start making money. That was the easy part, so take a deep breath—phew! There are many ways to make money from a site, but we’re going to talk about three: selling products, selling space, and selling information. Whichever option is chosen, bringing value is critical. We’re moving pretty fast from here on out, so hang on!

Selling Products

If you’re going to be successful selling your products or someone else’s, you must start with items that people really want to buy. Although that might happen to be something in your attic or garage, it is most likely going to be something new. To be sellable, it will also likely need to be either unique or purchased in such great quantities that there is room in the marketplace. Whatever it is, it better be something about which you have expertise. To sell products you will need, at a minimum: • a shopping cart • a PCI DSS-compliant payment gateway • clear, well-lit images of the products • a pricing strategy • detailed information about the products • a method and supplies for packaging and shipping (unless drop-shipped from another party) • an understanding of shipping costs • a return policy • terms of use • an understanding of shipping regulations • resources to handle orders and support customers

Selling Space

If you have valuable traffic on your site, you can probably sell advertising on your site. What is valuable? It depends upon the advertiser. Sometimes it is a large volume of a general audience (5,000 or more visitors—not “hits”— per month), while other times the number of visitors is not as important as the market segment they represent. For example, if you offer a site to a hobby club with 1,500 members,

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product suppliers of that hobby would generally benefit from advertising on your site as long as you offer content that brings members back on a regular basis. Advertising usually exists as a link, or a banner with a link, to the advertiser’s site. It generally comes in two flavors—impressions and per click. Impressions are generally a set fee for a period of time (basically paying for the opportunity for viewers to see the ad), while per click generates revenue only when a viewer clicks on the ad. To provide advertising on your site, you will need, at a minimum: • a tool for displaying ads and/or links on your site • a method for collecting payment • statistical data to validate activity to the advertiser • resources to support advertisers • a source for developing effective banner ads

Selling Information

Selling information is more a case of selling access to information. This is the basis of a “member” site, where the viewer pays a fee to gain access to protected articles on your site. To pull this configuration off, you really need to be at the top of the field in the selected topic, or have a host of others (at the top of their field) who are willing to provide content for you. Proven expertise is important to showing value in the information for which the viewer is paying. Alternatively, the information can be provided by a tool that you develop or pay to have developed, such as a weight loss tracker, a résumé generator, etc. Unless you have an extremely targeted market to which you are promoting membership, this can be one of the hardest online “sells.” In order to sell information online, you should have, at a minimum: • a mechanism for creating and managing user accounts • a mechanism for protecting nonpublic information • a method of online payment • resources to support members Next month, we’ll discuss the final aspect of Making Millions on the Internet—promoting your site. Beth Snider is a founder of 3by400, a North Georgia-based business consulting company that specializes in marketing and automating organizations. Visit her company’s website at www.3by400. com. Send your IT questions to beth@3by400.com.

Lumpkin Gold

by Anne Dismukes Amerson

Driving To Atlanta Before GA 400 Was Built

etting to Atlanta from Dahlonega back in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s was a far different experience than driving GA 400/US 19 today. In those days Highway 19 meandered its way through many sharp curves on its way to Dawsonville. After passing the Dawson County Court House, the road straightened out a bit as it headed for Cumming, then Alpharetta and Roswell. The speed limit dropped as the road went through the middle of all the towns, affording travelers the opportunity to see all the public squares, courthouses, stores, and churches. M. L. Ivey has vivid memories of traveling this road when he was a student at North Georgia College 1940-42. “Much of the road was still unpaved in those days,” he recalls, “and what pavement there was, was only one lane wide. When you met somebody, both vehicles had to pull off the asphalt so they could pass.” One would naturally think that it must have taken much longer to get to Atlanta on these winding roads that slowed down for all the towns along the way. However, some who drove the road claim that was not the case because there was very little traffic back then. One old-timer who prefers to remain anonymous recalls leaving the Fox Theatre one night at 10 o’clock and pulling up in his driveway in Dahlonega at 10:58! There was no center line in the highway, so one simply “straightened out” the road by driving in the middle. If one happened to see car lights up ahead, there was plenty of time to slow down and move to the right. Usually the only vehicles on the road at night were driven by moonshiners making deliveries.

Except for farmers taking their produce to sell in the big city, many if not most people in Lumpkin County had little occasion to travel to Atlanta, and not everybody had an automobile. In 1923 Fred C. Jones, Sr., started a bus line with two long cars, and that was the only way many folks had to get to doctor and dentist appointments in Gainesville and Atlanta. If the drivers saw someone standing at a mailbox, they knew to stop and pick up prescriptions, which they took care of getting filled in the big city. The obliging drivers delivered the medications on the return trip back to Dahlonega. A new state route called 9E became available in the late 1950s, enabling travelers to go through the former gold-mining boom town called Auraria and thus avoid the winding curves between Dahlonega and Dawsonville. This shortcut, which ran into Highway 19 near the community of Coal Mountain, was hailed as a great boon by those whose destination was Atlanta. Planning for GA 400 began in 1954, and the initial section north of I-285 was officially dedicated on May 24, 1971. Subsequent additions to the north opened in stages through 1981. Those of us who drove the original Highway 19 in those days can remember crossing sections of Highway 400 under construction and having to stop and wait while bulldozers and dirt haulers lumbered across the road in front of us. When GA 400 was first completed to SR 60 five miles from Dahlonega, the road was so little used that it was common to drive for miles without seeing another car!

Driver Steve Free at the wheel of the Dahlonega-Atlanta bus. The building in the background is the historic Eagle Hotel, built in the early 1840s and in use as a college dormitory called Moore Hall when it was destroyed by fire on January 9, 1943. Photo courtesy of Jimmy Anderson.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

400 Edition

For the Love of Decorating by Tracey Smith

think my love of decorating started one cold morning before Christmas, lying on the floor of our family room trying to warm up next to the woodstove. During winters growing up in New York, I was either curled up reading under my featherbed, or as close as I could get to the fire, reading. This particular morning I was flipping through the Sears Wish Book because I was going to choose my own bedding and décor. I specifically remember turning a page and then I saw it, the most beautiful bedding, It was a romantic ruffled canopy, a thick cozy comforter, and pillow shams and pillow cases and a layered, ruffled, can-can-like bed skirt, and it was my favorite color…CHARTREUSE. As usual my mother and father rolled their eyes at my unique color choice. Before it came in the mail, I had to start making over my room so it would be ready for the psychedelic princess’ bedding ensemble. I painted my walls the limiest green I could find. When picking the carpet color, I wanted them all. My parents were able to get old carpet samples and we made a patchwork carpet. My artwork consisted of a wallpaper of Andes Mints wrappers; I loved the metallic green! On the wall facing the bed was a massive collage of one Ziggy cartoon after another. Above my headboard was my poster of Oscar the Grouch. Loved it because he had a way of telling it like it was, and he was green. Thank God that over the years my tastes have evolved, but my love of decorating bedrooms still exists. The best bedroom design comes from a mix of inspiration and function. Inspiration can come from a photograph in a magazine, a beautiful fabric, or possibly an oil painting picked up at a flea market. When I design a bedroom for a client, the first question I ask is usually about the role that bedroom will play in the client’s life. For some it is a refuge, for others it is strictly a place to sleep. Bedrooms should be calming and inviting and a path to peace. Even if it is full of memories and collectibles, it should be free of clutter and the stress of the day. Choose a bed that makes you feel at home with who you are. Are you a princess, a hunter, the King of the Hill? Your bed and furniture is an extension of that. It would be hard to imagine a little girl in a massive log bed, just as it would be a stretch to think of a 6’3” football player in a diminutive rickety iron bed or a caned light blue French daybed. Do you love piles of lingerie? Then you need to plan accordingly with an extra chest of drawers. Think looks, and think function, when

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choosing the case goods for your retreat. I love beds with layers of natural fibers and textures. Directly on the mattress, place a featherbed or foamy pad. Start with the best sheets you can afford. Wash them several times before putting them on the bed. The next layer is a soft blanket of flannel or cotton, like a loose woven. Follow that with a matelassé coverlet or quilt that complements the color scheme. For cold nights add a down comforter with a coordinating duvet, or roll it up at the end of the bed to complete the ensemble. For a high headboard, Euro shams line the back row, followed by two to four standard pillows and decorative pillows in the front. That is where the personality can come in. Grandma’s embroidered lace pillows or monogrammed squares have a personal touch. Needlepoint and velvet pheasant pillows will accessorize a cabin room, with a pheasant oil above the headboard. It will extend the gaming feel of the rest of a cabin without having a huge moose head staring at the owners when they try to drift off. Accessorizing is the key to a completed space. A wall of family portraits in black and white or sepia can be appropriate for a room with a sense of family and history. Bedrooms can be great areas for collections. I love silver. I keep all loose ends in silver trays, line the tub with silver candelabras, and use silver mint julep cups for toothbrushes, makeup pencils and brushes, cotton balls and Q-tips. It makes it personal; but in addition, repetition is one of the basics of good design. If you do not know where to start in accessorizing or building your room, think of something that makes you happy or that you love to see every day. Artwork is a good source of inspiration for a color palette; the mood of the artwork can influence the “feel” of the room as well. Window treatments can cozy up a room, giving it a cocoon-like experience, while simple blinds will bring the outside in. Lastly, it must smell wonderful. Whether it’s clean linen or a romantic rosy-amber candle, an aromatic surrounding enhances the comfort. Lavender and vanilla have a calming, soothing effect. Drawer sheets, candles, bed linen spritzes, and powders are all available. Check out Benjamin Moore’s latest paint offerings. Deodorizers and pleasing scents may be added to their new line. Inspiration and ideas abound at White Interiors. Stop by for a free consultation on making your bedroom fit for a king or a rock star princess. We do both.

Northside Hospital

To Your Health

by Vicki Barnett, RN, MSN, CNOR, director of surgical services, Northside Hospital

Robotic Surgery—Changing The Experience Of Minimally Invasive Surgery

or decades, laparoscopic surgery has offered patients a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open surgery. Now, the introduction of robotic surgery has given surgeons even better tools to perform the most intricate of minimally invasive procedures and achieve better outcomes for their patients in a growing range of specialties, including many thoracic, urologic, gynecologic, and other laparoscopic procedures.

Innovative and State-of-the-art Technology

• Smaller incisions • Less pain and scarring • Reduced blood loss and need for transfusions • Shorter hospital stay • Quicker recovery • Reduced risk of infection

Better patient outcomes in a growing range of specialties

For thoracic surgeries, robotic-assisted technology has had a profound impact on procedures for the lungs and esophagus, allowing for minimal trauma to the chest wall and ribs. Northside Hospital is one of only four hospitals in Georgia to offer roboticassisted thoracic surgery. Northside also ranks in the top 10 percent of all robotic prostatectomy programs in the United States. More than 4,700 men in Georgia will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and more newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer will be treated at Northside than anywhere else in Georgia. Men who undergo a robotic prostatectomy have a lower risk of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, enabling them to continue having active, productive lives. For women, robotic surgery is used most often for treating endometriosis, uterine or vaginal vault prolapse, fibroid tumors, or cancer, and for women requiring hysterectomy. Northside was the first hospital in Georgia to perform a radical

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hysterectomy using robotic technology, and ranks in the top 5 percent of all robotic GYN programs in the nation. For surgeons treating urinary problems— ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction and bladder cancer, among others—robotic surgery maintains the advantages of the traditional open technique, but without the discomfort of a large incision and a permanent, disfiguring scar. Surgeons at Northside performed Georgia’s first robotic-assisted bladder removal.

Unparalleled Skill and Experience

This state-of-the-art technology, combined with the skill and experience of a highly trained team of surgeons, operating room nurses, and surgical technologists, is critical in giving patients excellent outcomes after treatment and quicker recoveries following robotic surgery. Many surgeons on staff at Northside are pioneers in laparoscopic surgery and are nationally and internationally recognized for their expertise in minimally invasive techniques, like robotic surgery. Northside Hospital offers robotic-assisted surgery at its Atlanta, Cherokee, and Forsyth campuses. For more information, call 404-851-8200 or visit www.northside.com for a free physician referral.

400 Edition 13

The Economy, Employment, and Job Satisfaction

Mind and heart mind & heart

ecently, I have been comparing notes with colleagues in my field about the rise in unemployment rates and its corresponding emotional effects upon workers and their families. There seems to be little question, as I have referenced in a previous article, that individuals are presenting themselves in increasing numbers to both public mental health centers and private sector clinicians with emotional symptoms that can be directly connected to changes in their employment status. While increases in symptoms of anxiety and depression are intuitively expected to occur within the unemployed population for obvious reasons, those occurring among the still employed present a somewhat more complicated situation. From what I have heard and observed from my own clients, there appears to be a subtle and insidious anxiety and insecurity that build over time as workers bear witness to successive cutbacks and layoffs affecting their fellow workers. It seems that each time a worker survives one of these layoffs with his/her job still intact, a growing dread of “when will my time come?” results. This uncertainty and ambiguity about when and whether this event will ultimately happen makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for an employee to function on a daily basis in a normal, balanced mental and emotional state. One of my clients, who happens to be an ex-Marine who had seen active duty in the first Gulf War, likened the situation to what surviving soldiers often feel as they witness comrades falling around them in battle: a disturbing admixture of sadness, survival gratitude (and sometimes guilt), and the aforementioned dread of an inevitably similar fate befalling them. Unfortunately, one of the byproducts of this heightened sense of job insecurity for the employee is the realization that presently his

Mark P. Feinsilber, Ph.D.

employer has, at least for the foreseeable future, become empowered into a position of operating within an “employer’s market,” wherein any number of qualified, unemployed workers could only too gladly step into job vacancies created by those let go for job performance issues rather than economic reasons. For the worker, this sobering awareness seems to lead not only to a heightened sense of how drastic the implications of an upcoming, possibly sub-par, work evaluation might be, but also to an increased tolerance of whatever aspects of his/her own job role are normally unsatisfying or problematic. This “disinclination to complain” seems to be directly correlated with a growing sense of one’s own dispensability in the workforce and that, unlike in better times, the “squeaky wheel” may not in fact “get the grease,” but may instead be removed and/or replaced by a quieter one. For those who have in fact been job dissatisfied for some time, the above dynamics create a disturbing and conflicting set of realizations and feelings. On the one hand, there may be resentment over the fact that for some time one’s skills and perhaps heavy workload have not been adequately valued or acknowledged (financially or otherwise) by the organization, while on the other is the harsh reality that leaving a position in today’s job market might lead to a protracted period of unemployment of truly uncertain duration. What seems to result is an increased tendency to internalize these feelings of dissatisfaction, driven by a practical notion that it is probably better to be unhappily employed than to seek satisfaction elsewhere and risk the greater unhappiness of protracted unemployment and financial insecurity for self and family. Given the above considerations, it is not surprising, then, that today’s “surviving” workers

are experiencing an assortment of conflicting feelings and realizations about their employment situations. One of the goals of counseling in this situation is to help individuals learn more effective cognitive coping strategies to help them reconcile the conflicting feelings about their jobs that have been at least partially created by today’s uncertain and worsening economy. Being able to patch into a feeling of “universality” seems to be very helpful in this regard; i.e., the ability to mentally connect with the millions of others who may be experiencing similarly distressing, alarming, and confusing emotions about their jobs. In effect, job performance has become at least temporarily more loaded on survival variables than upon satisfaction variables, and this is a psychological change of reference frame of considerable proportion.

Mark P. Feinsilber, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years’ experience treating adults, children, adolescents, couples, and families; and is a founding member of the Behavioral Health Association of Forsyth (BHAF). His practice is located at 6030 Bethelview Road, Suite 401, in Cumming. Appointments or other consultations can be arranged by calling the administrative office at 770-205-5760, and more detailed information can be found at www.APSDoc.com.

Food Network Culinary Sensation Releases

Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow S

hortly after finishing third in the Next Food Network Star television series in 2005, one of Jasper, Georgia’s, favorite sons, culinary sensation Hans Rueffert, was diagnosed with Stage III stomach cancer. He lost most of his stomach and esophagus to the disease, but gained more than he could have imagined—a perspective that has heightened his childlike appreciation for the finer things in life: family, friends, colors, and flavors. You will be educated, entertained, and inspired as Hans,

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the personable and gracious host of Hans Cooks the South, reveals his story through a beautifully written and illustrated cookbook, Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow. The original photographs, magical moments harvested and preserved, will stimulate your appetite, and the narratives will delight and satisfy you. Who knew growing your own tomatoes, searching for wild ramps, or breakfasting on a shrimp boat could be such an adventure? And though there’s plenty of sustenance here to satisfy, you

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may not be quite ready to leave the table. You will likely crave a second helping of Hans’ tales, “restaurant boy” revelations, and quiet, cancer- wizened perspectives gleaned from living authentically and deliberately. This 200-page soft-cover book is available from local gourmet shops and bookstores and from Amazon.com, as well as from Hans’ web site, www.hanscooks.com.

Through a Woman’s Eyes

by Martha Hynson

A Loving Legacy

ne of my earliest memories is of my daddy leaving for work one day. I didn’t want him to go. He never left without kissing me, so I refused to kiss him, reasoning in my three-year-old mind that, without a kiss, he wouldn’t leave. He had to go anyway, of course, and I realize now how hard it must have been for him to leave. Happily, it wasn’t long before we were together again. On December 16, 2008, I kissed my daddy and said goodbye for the last time. It was hard to let him go, but I know that we’ll be together again, one day. In the meantime, I plan to focus on some lessons I learned from his life. 1. Be an encourager. When my dad died, I lost my biggest fan. So did everyone else in my family. My dad believed in us. No matter what we did, he thought it was absolutely incredible. Everyone needs someone in their life who sincerely believes in them to the point of being plumb silly. My dad was that person for me. One night we were at an event that featured Irish dancing. My dad turned to the person next to him, who happened to be a total stranger, and said, “My daughter can do that.” He based that statement on the fact that I had danced the Irish Jig at my kindergarten graduation. When he made that statement, I was 40 years old! Sometimes, in life, we need people around us who will be totally objective about our talents and abilities, but we also need people, like my dad, who believe the best about us, no matter what. I hope to be that kind of person. 2. Remember that people are more important than things. When I was about 10 years old, my family was home one night, everyone going about their business, when, suddenly, we heard a loud crash from the dining room. My 8-year-old sister and her friend had discovered that,

when they spun the chandelier, all the little crystals made pretty patterns on the wall. They were having a wonderful time spinning it around and around until it finally twisted right out of the ceiling. On this and many other occasions, I observed a value that my father later expressed in writing. “I’ve learned not to sweat the small stuff,” he wrote. “If it gets dirty, it can be cleaned. If it gets broken, it can be fixed or replaced. I would much rather kids remember me as someone to have fun with rather than one who fussed at them.” It is my sincere desire to be remembered that way, as well. 3. Practice hospitality. My dad grew up in an era when people took time to sit and visit with one another. He often talked about how, when he was a young boy, his mother’s sisters would come for a visit. “Mother never had prior notice, like people want now,” he said. “My aunts just rode the bus to Carrollton and then walked to the house.” He valued spending time with people. If you showed up at my parents’ house, you could expect to sit at their table and do two things—eat and play games. Whatever else they might have been doing could wait, for they were much more interested in visiting. Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” My dad always made people feel special. I hope to do the same. Martha Hynson is a wife, mom, teacher, and freelance writer from Watkinsville, Georgia.

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400 Edition 15

Fun 400 by

Courtesy of ActivityConnection.com. Answers on page 21.

Presidents and Their Wives Match the U.S. president with the first name of the woman he married.

1. Dwight Eisenhower 2. George Washington 3. Bill Clinton 4. George Bush 5. Abraham Lincoln 6. Ulysses Grant 7. William Harding 8. Franklin Roosevelt 9. Harry Truman 10. John F. Kennedy 11. Lyndon Johnson 12. Richard Nixon 13. Gerald Ford 14. Jimmy Carter 15. Ronald Reagan 16. James Madison 17. Woodrow Wilson

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Hillary Mary Florence Jackie Lady Bird Mamie Betty Nancy Pat Martha Barbara Bess Julia Eleanor Dolley Rosalyn Edith

Comma Momma Filling In The Gaps by Nancy Wright

rowing up, I must have

heard the story of the Prodigal Son a hundred times. I don’t recall any of my Sunday school teachers ever telling us what the word prodigal actually meant, or if they did, it didn’t register. My 5-year-old brain decided that, based on the context, the definition of prodigal was “someone who left home but eventually came back.” I was well into adulthood before I finally heard the word used in a context other than the Bible story, and—for crying out loud, it means spendthrift? Who knew? I didn’t. Seriously. A college intern I worked with a few years back pronounced paradigm “PAIR-uh-diggum.” And he thought mousse rhymed with house. Those of us in the cube farm at work were quick to disabuse him of both those notions. My husband once employed an older worker who pronounced conspicuous “kun-SPISH-us.” A high school student in a televised academic competition had the right answer to the question about the creator of a popular thesaurus. Unfortunately, he pronounced the man’s name “ROE-git.” The show’s host, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face, said, “We’ll accept that. It’s actually pronounced ‘roe-ZHAY.’” It’s worth noting that these examples are neither mondegreens (misheard song or poem lyrics: “Don’t cry for me, Marge and Tina,” for example) nor eggcorns (misheard but sorta logical variants of phrases: “a posable thumb,” for example). Mondegreens and eggcorns are reasonably explicable. No, the intern and the old man and the high school student and I were just plain wrong about paradigm and conspicuous and Roget and prodigal. I found out I was wrong by listening. The intern found out he was wrong because someone went to the trouble of explicitly correcting him. The high school student found out he was wrong on a television broadcast seen by thousands. The old man never (the last I heard) found out he was wrong. How do we go about identifying and then closing gaps like that in our formal language education? Clearly the dedication of all the teachers in the world is not sufficient to dependably head off

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all misperceptions of meaning, or correct all mispronunciations, or teach us in twelve or sixteen years all the language we need to know: every word, every figure of speech, every famous author’s name, every aphorism, every bit of cultural context that as adults we’re expected to know. Our teachers can only make a game attempt to provide us with a broad, solid base, and encourage in us a desire to learn more. After that, how do we, individually, go about learning the language things we haven’t yet learned? Especially—and this of course is the crux of the matter—especially if we don’t know that we don’t know it? Why would I look up a word in a dictionary if I didn’t know the meaning I was giving it was wrong? Why would I look up the pronunciation of a word if I didn’t know I was pronouncing it wrong? One obvious but quite unsatisfactory answer: “Live a long time.” Life is indeed quite educational. But when you’re twentysomething, you want answers more immediately useful than that. Another answer, equally unsatisfactory as a practical matter: “Care about language.” Care about not sounding like an illiterate bozo. Beyond that, there’s no magic. Ask others for advice on this how-to question, and you’ll probably hear practical, non-magical suggestions like this: Read everything you can lay your hands on. Listen to literate speakers and pay attention to the words they use. Ask for help from people whose judgment and experience you respect. Work crossword puzzles. Buy word-a-day calendars or sign up for word-a-day e-mails. And recognize that continuing to learn on your own is hard work—but the effort may one day keep you from embarrassing yourself on television. Nancy Wright does occasional editing and proofreading, and formats technical books for a specialty publishing house in California. She and her husband live in White County; you can contact her at adairmill@windstream.net. Or you can visit the forums at www.400edition.com and share your thoughts with Comma Momma and other readers.

Events!

Tip: Keep in mind that 400 Edition is released on or about the 15th of each month. That means your event needs to be submitted via our web site 30-45 days prior to your event date, and no later than the 1st of the month. We have to have all the information requested on the submission form, so be sure your form is complete. Just go to 400edition.com and click “Submit an Event” on the home page.

Alpharetta

Mammogram Screenings

February 17 at Kroger, 10945 State Bridge Road. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 404-851-6070.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

First Saturday of every month, beginning at 10:00am at 138 Canton Street. This is the Friends principal source of income to support library programs and purchase books and capital improvements. Call 770-475-9214 or email statham@mindspring.com for information.

Blue Ridge

Marrying Walt

Through March 1 at 7:00pm at Blue Ridge Community Theater. A true comedy written by James Danek, about an elderly couple living in a retirement community in Florida that are keeping the secret.that they aren’t married. For more information, contact Pat Webb at 706-632-9223 or go to BlueRidgeCommunityTheater.com.

Canton

Give The Gift of Blood

February 19 from 1:00pm-6:00pm at Northside Hospital-Cherokee, Education Building, 201 Hospital Rd. As long as you are healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds and are 17 or older, you can give blood every 56 days. For more information, call Tracy Posey, 770-720-5117 or email tracy.posey@northside.com.

Drop-in Breast Cancer Support Group

First Thursday of each month from 10:00am-Noon at Northside Hospital, Diabetes Classroom, Educational Center. Meet with other people who have or have had breast cancer and together examine the emotional and psychological effects and changes, in addition to sharing ideas and information. There is no charge. Call 404-843-1880 for information.

Cornelia

Sing Celebration

February 22 at 3:00pm at United Methodist Church. Program formats vary from local choirs sharing African American gospel music to artists from around the state. For more information, please call Dr. Vanessa Burns, 706-778-5081, or Terry Stone, 706-776-7740

Cumming

“Steel Magnolias”

Through February 22 at The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School Street. Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm. For tickets call 770-781-9178 or go to playhousecumming.com.

Mammogram Screenings

February 16 at Kroger, 2655 Freedom Pkwy and Hwy 306. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 404-851-6070.

Radiation 101 for Cancer Survivors

February 17 from 2:00pm-3:00pm at Northside Hospital, 1400 Medical Office Building, Suite 180. Tracy McElveen, MD will lead this free educational program. Please call 404-843-1880 to RSVP.

Joy of Connecting

February 17 at 7:00pm at home of Phyllys Ransom. A relaxed dinner/ networking gathering for women business owners, entrepreneurs, and other professionals. Reservations and pre-payment required. For more information, call Annette Walden or Phyllys Ransom at 770-887-6792 or 770-844-1050, email Annette@ PaintedLadyEnterprises or Phyllys. Ransom@gmail.com, or visit TheJoyofConnecting-CummingGA.com.

John Hutchinson, Organ Concert

February 21 at 8:00pm at First Methodist Church. One of the leading organists in the Atlanta area performing a concert of major works for the organ. For more information, contact Marilyn McKinnon at 706-864-1423 or mamckinnon@ngcsu.edu.

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400 Edition 17

Events,

7th Annual Senior Expo

February 21 from 10:00am-1:00pm at the Forsyth County Central Park Recreation Center, 2300 Keith Bridge Road, Hwy 306. Exhibitions will include health care, housing, finance, safety and security, recreation and travel, end-of-life, non-profit institutions and local, state and national agencies. Free health screenings for blood pressure and vision will be available. Admission is free. For additional information call 770-781-2178 or email smcamarillo@forsythco.com.

Church Choir Festival

February 22 at 3:00pm at Cumming First Baptist Church. Three NGCSU choral ensembles will join forces with church choirs from the Cumming area in an afternoon of inspirational sacred music. For more information, contact Marilyn McKinnon at 706-864-1423 or mamckinnon@ngcsu.edu.

Mammogram Screenings

February 25 at Kroger, 2325 Bethelview Road at Hwy 20. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 404-851-6070.

The Journey to the Cross Begins

February 25 at Noon and 7:00pm at Cumming First United Methodist Church, 770 Canton Highway. Join us for services of prayer and reflection. Lenten worship services on Sundays, 8:45am and 11:00am. Call 770-887-2900 or go to cfumcga.com for information.

Mammogram Screenings

February 27 at Kroger, 1595 Peachtree Pkwy at Sharon Road. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 404-851-6070.

“A Company of Wayward Saints”

March 6-21 at The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School Street. Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm. A story about a group of weary actors that have been traveling for a long time and want to go home. For tickets call 770-781-9178 or go to playhousecumming.com.

Spring-Summer Kids Consignment Sale

March 12 from 8:30am-1:00pm and 5:00pm-8:00pm; March 13 from

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8:30am-1:00pm; March 14 from 8:30am-1:00pm at which time many items will be half price. First United Methodist Church, 770 Canton Highway. Call 770-887-2900 or go to cfumcconsignment.com.

“The Music of Ireland”

March 17 at 8:00pm, located at The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School Street. Presented by the Cumming Playhouse Singers and the Forsyth Wind Quintet. For tickets call 770-781-9178 or go to playhousecumming.com.

Newcomer Club Luncheon

March 19 at 11:15am at Windermere Golf Club, 5000 Davis Love Drive for a program on gardening presented by a Master Gardener from the County Extension Service. RSVP by March 9. Cost is $20.00. For more information and where to mail your check, visit forsythcountynewcomersclub.org, call Carolyn Glaza at 770-205-9703 or email crglaza@comcast. net.

Take An Alaskan Cruise

Forsyth County Senior Services is planning a trip from May 15-25. For more information call Sonya Camarillo at 770-781-2178.

Dahlonega

NGCSU Faculty Cooperative Recital February 19 at 8:00pm at Gloria Shott Performance Hall, NGCSU Campus. The talented music faculty of NGCSU presents an evening of solos, duets, trios and jazz ensemble music. For more information, contact Marilyn McKinnon at 706-864-1423 or mamckinnon@ngcsu.edu.

NGCSU Golden Eagle Band

March 3 at 8:00pm at Lumpkin County High School. Debuting its production of The 80s, before embarking on a southeastern tour. For more information, contact Marilyn McKinnon at 706-864-1423 or email mamckinnon@ngcsu.edu.

Book Discussion

March 10 at 1:00pm at the Lumpkin County Senior Center. The “Summer of Light” by W. Dale Cramer is available from the library. Email rhonda@3By400.com for information or call 706-864-2358 for directions to the center.

Events, Events! Dawsonville

Find Your Balance

February 26 at 7:00pm at White Interiors; 278 Highway 400, #1100. Join us for an evening of conversation about Bioidentical Hormonal Replacement Therapy with Dr. Amber French. Please register at findyourbalancedawsonville.com. For more information, contact Paula Pride at 706-461-9029 or email info@FindYourBalanceDawsonville.com.

Backpacking Clinic and Appalachian Trail Celebration

March 7-8 beginning at 9:00am at Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge. This annual program is a “must-attend” for anyone planning to hike the trail, or anyone who has ever dreamed on hiking the AT. Programs are free, but a $3.00 parking fee is required. For more information, contact Lauretta Dean at 706-265-1969 or email lauretta.dean@dnr.state.ga.us.

Ellijay

Health Fair

February 21 from 7:00am-11:00am at the Gilmer County Conference Center, 824 Industrial Boulevard. The following health screenings will be offered: Special Blood Chemistry for $25.00; optional PSA Prostatic test available for men for $10.00; Bone Densitometry. Discount certificates are available for women for mammography screenings. Do not eat or drink anything but water for 12 hours prior to the tests. For more information, please call 706-692-2441 or visit piedmontmountainsidehospital.org.

Gainesville

American Business Women’s Association February 24 at 6:00pm at Ryan’s Family Steak House, 2415 Browns Bridge Road. Regular meeting for the Lake Lanier Chapter, dinner, and speaker. $12.00 for first time guests. For more information, contact Susan Rettig at 770-654-8870 or email susanrettig@yahoo.com.

Large Dog Adoption

March 7 from 10:00am-4:00pm at PetSmart/5873 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch. For information, call Kelley Uber at 770-532-6617 or email kelleyuber@humanesocietyhallcounty. com.

Q&A Forum

March 10 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at Featherbone Communiversity, 999 Chestnut Street. Chamber Presidents, Kit Dunlap with the Greater Hall Chamber and Linda Williams from Dawson County, will address challenges and opportunities they have faced as business leaders. $35.00 (boxed dinner included). For more information and to register go to gainesvillesbdc.org, call 770-531-5681, or email dgossage@georgiasbdc.org.

March 11 at 10:00am for family and 2:00pm for preschool at Pickens County Library. Family story-time is for all ages with a participating care-giver. For more information, call 706-692-5411 or go to sequoyahregionallibrary.org.

Spring Into Spring

February 16-March16 at Barrington Hall. Six 30 minute talks to get you into the mood for preparing your garden. Bring your own lunch and join us for a fun and informative break from the office. Each session begins at 12:15pm and ends at 12:45pm to give

Marble Hill

Wildwood Christian Academy Open House

February 19 at 10:00am or 1:00pm and February 21 at 10:00am located at 695 Whitley Road South. Open House for Preschool 3’s through 8th Grade for “Excellence in Education in a Christian Environment..” For more information, call 770-893-3300 or go to wildwoodchristianacademy.com.

Diary of A Wimpy Kid

February 16 at 2:00pm at Pickens County Library. Children ages 9 through 12 are invited to participate in this fun celebration of Jeff Kinney’s books. Please register for this program. For more information, call 706-692-5411 or go to sequoyahregionallibrary.org.

Kindermusik Program

The Great American “Rock and Roll”

Friends of the Library

March 7 at 7:30pm at Ellijay Elementary School auditorium. Revival featuring the music of Butch and the Buckheads, Diamond Hendrix as the one and only Elvis and the Sock Hops. For more information, contact Tammy Bravo at 706-635-5605 or email gaha@ellijay.com.

Everything’s Ducky

Roswell

Jasper

Coffee House

February 21 at 7:00pm at GAHA. Hot coffee, cool desserts and great live music! No charge, donations accepted. For more information, call 706-635-5605 or gaha@ellijay.com.

Fundraiser for Prevent Child Abuse Pickens. Get ready for the Wearing of the Green. Music by Keltic Kudzo. Traditional Irish Fare. Call for ticket information, at 770-737-6484 or email firstfamily@tds.net.

February 18 at 2:00pm at Pickens County Library. Special guest, Bonnie Bost. For ages birth to 7 years old. Please register for this program. For more information, call 706-692-5411 or go to sequoyahregionallibrary.org. February 19 at 6:30pm at Pickens County Library. Author and quilter, Donna Lackey, will speak about her children’s story books and quilt patterns. For more information, call 706-692-5411 or go to sequoyahregionallibrary.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Party

March 6 at 7:00pm at Pickens County Chamber of Commerce.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

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Bringing Up The Past

by Bob Merritt

Life is a mirror. We look forward, that’s the future. We look back, remember and learn—that’s a reflection.

am about to date myself, but in light of recent events I find it necessary to remind seniors sixty-five years and older of a part of history conveniently forgotten but that now needs to be remembered. There was a time in my generation when credit flourished in the grocery stores. That’s right, the neighborhood grocery would give its customers credit. It may not seem like a big deal to many of you, but it was a big thing to those adults sixty-five and older. I do not recall having big grocery stores at that time in history like we have today. There was no Kroger, Publix, Big Lots, Ingles, or Safeway. We had our Piggly Wiggly and Associated Grocers and that was it except for the small community grocery. Many of them were so small they carried no meats. Many a living room became a storehouse for canned and dried goods plus bread and milk. Remember those stores referred to as feed and seed stores? They were born in the country but found their way to the city. They added grocery items to accommodate clothing and day-today items used by the rural families. They ended up carrying almost everything you needed, from candy to tractor parts, clothes for the family, and seeds for the ground. You may not recall using the corner grocery but your parents can probably enlighten you on their importance. We would all have to agree that the store owners were different then. They were the unsung heroes of our time because they would extend credit to local families and they did it on a handshake and a spoken promise to pay. Friday’s paycheck was almost gone come next Tuesday. With days to go and hungry mouths to feed, a family member went shopping for the items needed. The shopper filled a box or more with groceries and signed for them. It was important that the tab be paid on Friday, and certainly no later than Saturday. If you were late, you could expect a knock on your door on Saturday night. They needed their money to pay for Monday’s deliveries, and for the most part the people paid.

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In many cases these store owners were the only thing that stood between eating and starving. I can remember one such grocery that I used. I was caught short and the cabinets were bare. With a wife and two small children, I swallowed any pride I had standing in the way and approached the store owner about “charging some groceries.” After a brief questioning, he allowed me to get what I needed. He was the first one I paid on Friday. Sometime the next week I would be back to repeat the process until it became a way of life. I had never given it much thought, but I knew it was all too good to be true and would someday come to a end. On one of those necessary shopping days I noticed a new sign behind the counter “GOD GETS CREDIT, OTHERS PAY CASH.” It was a sign of the times. As I enquired about the sign, the owner said, “That doesn’t apply to you.” I knew I had ridden that horse long enough, so I paid up and paid cash. I will always have a warm spot for that bunch of Americans with big hearts and a healthy trust in people They are part of our history as a nation; but more importantly they are a reminder to many of us that life wasn’t always kind, but our corner grocery-man was. A long overdue “thank you.” My grandpa was a man who would have never used credit from the feed and seed store. He was an immigrant with old ways. He paid his way and was never caught on the short side. Grandpa’s day was spent as a farmer. From daybreak until dark he labored in the field behind a plow horse or caring for his growing crops. What he and Grandma didn’t grow, they bought with the “egg money.” Their life was simple and they did all right. Before he went to the fields, he fed the stock, which consisted of chickens, cows, hogs, and two horses. He milked the cows and slopped the hogs and at day’s end it had to be done again. Grandma collected

the eggs, fruit, and berries, and made the jellies. While Gus plowed across the dirt road, Grandma rocked on the front porch, sewing and singing those old church hymns she loved so well. They were married when he was thirteen and she was twelve, as was often done in those days. As best I can recall, they had sixteen girls and one boy. Until Gus had a heart attack and was carried to the hospital, they had never spent a night apart. Gus died in the hospital and Grandma grieved herself to death. Without knowing it, I have retained a lot of the lessons Grandpa passed on, and if the economy keeps going the way it is, I may have it fall upon me to teach my clan how to make and grow a garden. Rather than a horse, I’ll be using a tractor; but the back-breaking work will still have to be done the old way. We can all learn from the past, and from past family members, while learning and hearing tried and true things along the way. My daughter Becky in Arkansas is reminded of me when the geese fly overhead in the fall and spring. The language of rural people and hillbillies is not so different; it’s just the way it’s expressed. Another daughter, Judy in Houston, Texas, sent me this email that sometimes sounds like me and sometimes like the way I use to verbalize. For your amusement and understanding, I pass it on to you. The author is unknown but that’s all right since they probably aren’t originally his.

An Old Farmer’s Advice:

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong. Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance and avoid politicians completely. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor. Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight. Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. You cannot unsay a cruel word. Every path has a few puddles. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty. The best sermons are lived, not preached. Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway. Don’t judge folks by their relatives. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time. Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t botherin’ you none. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’. Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got. The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’. Always drink upstream from the herd. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment. Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in. If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. Author Unknown Submitted by Judy Kurtz

Events!

you plenty of time for travel. Free to the public. For more information, call 770-640-3855.

Exploration Stations

March 3, March 13 and March 25 from 1:30pm-3:00pm at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road. Visit the Classification, Conservation, Observation, Sensation, and Pollination Stations. Ages 4-12. General admission: $5.00 adults, $4.00 seniors, $2.00 children 3-12, free for members and children 2 and under. Go to chattnaturecenter.org for more information.

“Providence” Book Signing

March 5 at 7:30pm at Roswell Presbyterian Historic Sanctuary, 755 Mimosa Blvd. Book signing by Connie Cox and Darlene Walsh. Free and open to public. For more information, contact Amy Blaylock at 404-993-9308 or email rhspublicrelations@yahoo.com.

Bear Scout Overnight

March 7-8 from 6:45pm-10:00am at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road. Ages 3-5. Bear Cub Scouts can earn their Space Elective and their Astronomy Belt Loop in an overnight adventure at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Contact Nikki Parker with questions, or to register at 770-992-2055, ext.249. $32.00 per scout. Go to chattnaturecenter.org for more information

“The Homestead”

access. Monday–Friday 9:30am– 3:30pm, Thursday 9:30am–8:00pm, Saturday 9:30am–5 pm and Sunday 1:30pm–5:30pm. For tour information or sponsorship opportunities go to roswellwomansclub.org or call 770-715-2700.

Turtle Treats

March 11 from 9:45am-11:00am at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road. Ages 3-5. Create your own turtle shell to wear, play turtle games, and see what our turtles and tortoises eat. $25.00 non-members, $15.00 members. Please register by e-mail at scheduling@chattnaturecenter.com. or by phone at 770-992-2055 ext. 237.

Sautee

Contra Dance

February 21 at 6:30pm at the historic gym at the Sautee Nacoochee Center located off Hwy 17 on 283 N 255 Hwy. Come move to the music. Cost is adults $7.00 and students $4.00. For more information go to snca.org or call 706-878-3300.

Playwrights Showcase

February 28 at 8:00pm. Original one act plays, submitted by local playwrights, staged before a live audience with feedback and professional insight following each performance. Watch the winner in the theatre of Sautee Nacoochee Center located off of Hwy.17 on 283 N.255. Cost is adults $5.00 and kids free. For more information go to snca.org or call 706-878-3300.

March 8-29. Newly constructed 10K farmhouse, 1900 renovated caretakers cottage, 7 car garage, pool, tennis courts and horses in Milton. Tickets are $20.00 for members, $25.00 at door and on line and $30.00 unlimited

Fun 400 Answers from page 16.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Mamie Martha Hillary Barbara Mary Julia

Presidents and Their Wives 7. Florence 8. Eleanor 9. Bess 10. Jackie 11. Lady Bird 12. Pat

13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Betty Rosalyn Nancy Dolley Edith

Courtesy of ActivityConnection.com.

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

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400 Edition Wining & Dining

by Rhonda Bailey

Restaurant Reviews for the GA 400 Corridor Yahoola Creek Grill

1810 South Chestatee Street | Dahlonega, GA 30533 (On Hwy 60, 1 mile from the Dahlonega square and 3.7 miles from Ga400) 706-482-2200 | www.yahoolacreekgrill.com Fare: Southern-inspired cooking | Price: Moderate | Atmosphere: Casual Lodge Yahoola Creek Grill is a unique and welcomed addition to the Dahlonega eating experience. It serves an assortment of dishes prepared with a southern twang. For appetizers, you have the choice of fried okra, homemade sweet potato chips sprinkled with brown sugar, jerk chicken wings, chili, fried green tomatoes, hummus, barbecued pork on a griddle cake, or crab cake. We started off with the fried green tomatoes served over goat cheese grits, with the house sauce. Yahoola Creek Grill participated in No One Alone’s chili cook-off in 2008. I ordered the chili recently as my meal. The chef came to our table to warn me that it was very spicy; but, being from Texas, I didn’t think it would affect me. It was very good, but I must say, it did cause me to perspire a bit! For those watching their waistlines, there are delicious salads: tomato and cucumber,

Caesar (with or without your choice of shrimp or chicken), spinach, and of course, the house. Most are available in either a small or a large version. My friend Lynn was pleasantly surprised at the size of the large bowl. To be honest, with an appetizer the small salad is plenty. The entrees include sirloin tips with mushrooms, fried shrimp, chicken fingers, chicken pot pie, shrimp and grits (which I hear is very popular and is the waitress’s favorite dish), New York strip, flounder, and low country boil made up of shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, and new potatoes. Yahoola Creek Grill carries an assortment of sandwiches, such as homemade pimento cheese (very good), beef brisket Reuben, the club (our mom’s favorite), a garden burger, and grilled chicken, as well as a sandwich of the day. The hamburgers are hearty, and all

are served with a choice of sides. There is a kids’ menu for children 12 and under. Other Yahoola Creek Grill features include outdoor dining, free wi-fi, a 60-inch TV, beer, and wine. They also offer a cozy upstairs area for special occasions and meetings. Call 706-482-2200 to make reservations. All major credit cards are accepted. Try Yahoola Creek Grill for lunch or dinner, or for brunch after church on Sunday. You’ll be glad you did! Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00am2:00pm & 5:00pm-9:00pm; Friday-Saturday 11:00am-10:00pm; and Sunday brunch 11:00am-4:00pm

Knowing Wine by Nancy Forrest

Bottle Shock: The Movie Bottle-shock (bottle-sickness) is a temporary condition of wine caused by the introduction if excessive oxygen during late stages of the winemaking process, which results in disjointed fruit flavors. These flavors make the wine less fruity. Bottle-shock usually occurs shortly after the wine is bottled, or sometimes when wines are shaken or vibrated during traveling. The condition typically disappears within a couple of weeks or months. Fragile wines that may lose their aromas and flavors quickly are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. The movie “Bottle Shock” is a pleasant, light-hearted film, based loosely on a true story about a 1976 blind wine tasting in France. The event shocked French wine judges when they discovered that they had selected California vintages for recognition as the top quality wines. This single incident changed the view of California wines worldwide overnight, and lost France its reputation as the only place on Earth where good wine could be produced. The story begins in Paris where Steven Spurrier, an Englishman and wine snob, runs a small wine shop. With business slow and his shop virtually unnoticed in that city, Steven and one of his American friends come up with the idea of pitting French wines against

other international wines, in hopes that a marketing stunt involving blind tasting might boost his shop’s sales. Spurrier travels to the Napa Valley to sample its vintages. One of his stops is Chateau Montelena. The owner of the Chateau, Jim Barrett, is heavily in debt, with two mortgages. His son Bo, a young rebellious hippy who constantly mooches from his father, is not really interested in his father’s winery. Ultimately, however, Bo Barrett’s persistence makes the success of the blind wine tasting possible. When Steven attempts to return to France with the California wines, airport officials won’t let him on the plane. The regulations restrict transport of alcoholic beverages to one bottle per person. Bo, who arrives at the airport with his father’s wine to give to Steven, convinces other passengers on the plane to help them circumvent the rule by carrying on the wine. Upon Steven’s return, he entices wellknown wine critics to serve as judges. Thus the “1976 Judgment of Paris” culminates in Chateau Montelena’s chardonnay triumphing over some of the best whites of France.

Wine of the Month

Tilia, Malbec, Argentina, 2007 - $9.99 Black fruit aromas, black currant fruit flavors, chocolate, and spice. Full mouth feel.

Available at: The Wine Store

8455 Holcomb Bridge Road Alpharetta, GA 30022 (770) 641-1900 http://www.thewinestoreinc.com Visit BIN 75, The Wine Store’s own tasting room next door. Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm

“Wine is earth’s answer to the sun.” Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

Potato and Cottage Cheese Au Gratin

Real Men Cook—Potato and Cottage Cheese Au Gratin 5 cups cottage cheese 2 cups heavy cream 5 pounds potatoes, sliced thin 1 cup bread crumbs Salt and pepper, to taste 2 teaspoons paprika 1/4 cup chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray the inside of an 13x9 inch baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups cottage cheese with the heavy cream. Form a thin layer of potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Cover potatoes with 2 cups

of the cottage cheese/heavy cream mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs, along with salt and pepper to taste, over the potatoes. Continue to form 2 more layers in the same manner. Finish the top layer by spreading evenly the remaining 1 cup of cottage cheese

February/March 2009 • www.400edition.com

by Patrick Snider

from end to end of the pan. Top this with remaining bread crumbs and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated to the center. Garnish with fresh chives. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

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