Newnan-Coweta Magazine, May/June 2007

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A SCULPTOR’S HISTORIC INSPIRATION

Vacations COWETANS SHARE TRAVEL MEMORIES

SPRING HOME & GARDEN TILE • PAINTING • GARDENING ONE FAMILY SHARES THE

OLDEST HOME IN NEWNAN


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Have You Visited Us Lately ?

A New Day for Healthcare in Coweta County is Here! Healthcare is a vital component of the infrastructure of any community. As your local hospital, we are dedicated to meeting your growing healthcare needs. Piedmont Newnan Hospital recognizes that your health relies heavily on the strength of the services we deliver.

Successes of 2006 An agreement reached and executed with Piedmont Healthcare, Inc. for the acquisition of the majority of Newnan Hospital’s assets and the building of a state-of-the-art replacement hospital as soon as necessary processes will allow.

A re-directed focus on customer service in every aspect of our operations, resulting in significant positive responses from patients and visitors.

The installation of two hyperbaric chambers enhancing the services of our Wound Treatment Center. New state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in operation seven days a week. The addition of twenty two physicians to our medical staff, either adding to or bringing new specialties to the community, including neurology, infectious disease, oncology, pediatric orthopedic surgery, and hyperbaric medicine.

Expanded cardiac services with the installation of an in-house, state-of-the-art diagnostic cardiac catheterization lab. The renovation of labor and delivery suites in our Center for Women & Children. The opening of a new Sleep Center with four patient rooms and private baths. A new visitor friendly waiting room for the Surgical Services Department. The creation of a new hospital department dedicated solely to quality and performance improvement in all of our activities. Employees identifying a community benefit project and subsequently raising funds to provide medical testing equipment (pulse oximetry) to every school in the Coweta County School System.

With all of our changes and improvements, if you have not utilized Piedmont Newnan Hospital for your recent medical care, please give us a try the next time the need arises.

60 Hospital Road, Newnan, GA 30263, 770-253-1912, www.newnanhospital.org


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ON OUR COVER MAGAZINE Established 1995 A publication of The Times-Herald President

Vice President

William W. Thomasson

Marianne C. Thomasson Publisher Sam Jones Editor Angela McRae Art Director Deberah Williams Contributing Writers

LaTina Emerson, Janet Flanigan, Cameron Johnson, Leigh Knight, Holly Jones, Alex McRae, Elizabeth Richardson, W. Winston Skinner, Martha A. Woodham Contributing Designer Jonathan Melville Photography

In our Spring Home & Garden section, Mike Cunningham of Country Gardens in Newnan tells which new plants should grow well in Coweta.

John Beck, LaTina Emerson, Bob Fraley, Cameron Johnson, Tara Shellabarger Circulation Director Naomi Jackson Sales and Marketing Director

ON OUR WEBSITE

Colleen D. Mitchell

www.newnancowetamagazine.com

Advertising Manager Lamar Truitt Advertising Consultants

Special Features

Doug Cantrell, Stefanie Dowda, Candy Johnson, Nancy Kory, Jeanette Kirby, RoseMary Reid, Christine Swentor

Web Web extras you’ll find extras only online. Look for the computer icon throughout every issue to lead you to the special content at newnancowetamagazine.com.

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Subscriptions: Newnan-Coweta Magazine is distributed in home-delivery copies of The Times-Herald and at businesses and offices throughout Coweta County. Individual mailed subscriptions are also available for $23.75 in Coweta County, $30.00 outside Coweta County. To subscribe, call 770.304.3373.

On the Web: www.newnancowetamagazine.com

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© 2007 by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

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FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, call 770.683.6397 or e-mail colleen@newnan.com.

Submissions: We welcome submissions. Query letters and published clips may be addressed to the Editor, Newnan-Coweta Magazine at P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, Georgia 30264.

Guest Book

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Sandy Hiser, Leah Leidner, Jonathan Melville, Sonya Studt

Newnan-Coweta Magazine is published bi-monthly by The Times-Herald, Inc., 16 Jefferson St., Newnan, GA 30263.

In this issue:

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Advertising Design Debby Dye, Art Manager

MAGAZINE

WINNER OF FIVE 2005 GAMMA AWARDS Gold Award for Best Single Issue, Gold Award for Best Design, Gold Award for Best Photography, Silver Award for Best Single Cover, Bronze Award for Best Feature


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contents F May/June

eatures

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BELLA ITALIA From the glorious sights of ancient Rome to the lush landscape of Tuscany, follow Jonathan Melville on a trip into the heart of cultural Europe.

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COWETA ON VACATION

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ALLIGATORS!

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HIKING GEORGIA Some Coweta hiking enthusiasts enjoy visiting an eco-friendly inn in the north Georgia mountains.

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THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

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Riding a camel to watch the sun rise on Mt. Sinai was a highlight of Brenda and David Jessel’s March 2006 trip to Israel and Egypt.

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SPRING HOME AND GARDEN

Congratulations to Martha Ann Parks of Newnan, who took top prize in our first annual Newnan-Coweta Magazine Writing Contest.

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FABULOUS FABRICS Want to know the latest colors and textures for decorating? We find out what some local design professionals have to say about today’s fabric offerings.

PASSION SET IN STONE

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Internationally known golf course builder Rocky Roquemore of Newnan takes pride in knowing golfers are enjoying the results of his work.

TRENDS IN TILE From glass tiles in the kitchen to mosaics and subway tiles, local stylemakers reveal the latest looks in tile.

HOLLYWOOD DREAMS At just 22, actor Hugh Farmer IV of Newnan already has impressive film, TV and theatre roles under his belt — and he’s just getting started.

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A MIDNIGHT RIDE UP MT. SINAI

DAYTIME WISHES AND NIGHTTIME PRAYERS

Sculptor Robert Jarrell loves to take a piece of stone and discover the “bump” that tells him what the piece wants to be.

Photographer Bob Fraley loves to take pictures during his travels, and he shares a sampling in this photo essay.

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Newnan’s Keegan Flanigan wrote an essay about the Cochran Mill Nature Center that won him a National Geographic-sponsored trip to the Galapagos.

A little boy’s love of alligators prompted this Coweta family to explore Folkston and the Okefenokee.

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EXPLORING NATURE IN THE GALAPAGOS

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PLANT SOMETHING NEW Mike Cunningham of Country Gardens tells how the experts select the best new plants each year and gives us a few recommendations of his own.


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SELECTING THE PERFECT PAINT Did you know that when selecting yellow paint for walls, you should go one shade lighter in order to get the effect you want? Read these and other tips for paint selection.

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TERRIFIC TWEEN ROOMS Too old for a little kid’s decor and not yet teenagers, tweens want a look that’s all their own.

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KEEPING UP APPEARANCES Newnan’s Beautification Department shares some of its tips you can use to keep your own landscape looking good.

Departments 42

COWETA COOKS Linda Oesterle stays busy with dual careers and a full family life, but she still enjoys turning out delicious, nutritious meals.

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MEET A READER Meet Cowetan Kirby Arnall, husband, father, insurance businessman — and iTunes fan.

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SADDLE UP Come with us to Great Oaks Morgans on Mt. Carmel Road in Newnan, home of Morgan horse lovers Tom and Charlene Hilgenberg.

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LOCAL HERITAGE The oldest house in Newnan, that pretty white house on LaGrange Street, is home of the Hobbs family.

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In every issue

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FROM THE EDITOR’S PEN

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THE BOOKSHELF

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OUT AND ABOUT

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

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10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED MAY/JUNE

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> FROM THE EDITOR’S PEN

Vacation time means memories of

W

e focus on Cowetans and their vacations in this issue of Newnan-Coweta Magazine, and one of our articles highlights Folkston and the Okefenokee Swamp. “Okefenokee” also makes me think of the ride at Six Flags, and did you know our beloved Georgia amusement park is celebrating a big birthday this year? I didn’t until a few weeks ago when “Six Flags Over Georgia,” a wonderful book by Tim Hollis, arrived in the mail. The park opened in 1967, when I was 3, and my family must have been some of its earliest customers. Remember riding the tram up to the front of the park? I used to love to do my muffled impression of the guys on the walkie-talkies bantering away as they led us up to this magical world of fun rides, great shows, tasty refreshments and plentiful souvenirs. The Okefenokee, the Log Jamboree and the buckets of the Sky Lift were my favorites, and I can get hungry right now thinking of those Cherry Berry popsicles. When we got hot, it was always fun to pop into the Crystal Pistol and watch

Six Flags

those talented folks put on a show that, to a little girl, was pure glamour. As a teen, of course, I was all about the rides. When the Scream Machine debuted, I was scared to death but knew I had to ride it to prove I wasn’t chicken. Not bad, not bad. Amy Grant was giving a concert at the park back in the eighties when Amy — occasionally backed up by the screams of roller coaster riders — suggested we all wait ’til they got near and scream at them for a change. It was a favorite Amy Grant moment and a favorite Six Flags moment. A few weeks ago, Six Flags was in the news again because of a radio station promotion that was a bit too successful. So the radio station was surprised thousands of teens showed up for free admission? Shoot, if I’d known, this Baby Boomer would’ve been there, too. I’m happy to hear the lines are still forming today, and I hope that dear, dear park continues to create happy memories for kids of all ages for decades to come. Fondly,

Angela McRae

Want to win a copy of “Six Flags Over Georgia” by Tim Hollis?

Web Extra

Go to www.newnancowetamagazine.com to register. Only one entry per person will be accepted, and we will accept entries until June 12. The winner will be announced on our website on June 15, 2007.

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Bi g He a r t s S e r v i n g Ti ny Teet h

it’s a small world C H I L D R E N ’ S D E N T I S T R Y Dr. Lori Paschal, DDS

770-502-9733 2700 E. Highway 34 Suite 100 | Newnan, GA 30265 10

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on n o i t Vaca MAY/JUNE

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Story and photos by Jonathan Melville

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The country that gave birth to Roman civilization and the Renaissance continues to delight travelers from around the world. Some get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the large cities or trying to stick to an itinerary, but Italy is best experienced on its own terms, when you totally surrender to the Italian culture. It seems life in Italy passes in slow motion. Two- to three-hour lunch and afternoon-nap breaks are common, and no one ever gets in a hurry to do anything. The organized chaos of the larger cities like Rome and Naples is perhaps the closest you come to an American style of existence. We wonder how other cultures manage to live life free of the daily grind, but perhaps a better question is, “How do 58 million Italians seem to do just fine without it?� Every Spring, the population of the Italian peninsula swells as travelers come to experience the rich history of Rome, Florence and Venice and enjoy the stunning vistas and culinary wonders of Tuscany. From top to toe, Italy is a country to be savored, and last September, I was fortunate enough to do just that.

My journey began in the eternal city. Rome is extraordinary and overwhelming at the same time. Serving as both the political capital of 14

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Among the sights Jonathan Melville saw in Italy were, from top, the ruins at the Roman Forum, viewed from its original street level; the Coliseum; and Florence.


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The Roman Forum

Trevi fountain

Italy and capital of the Roman Catholic Church, Rome is a large, sprawling city. Attractions are spread out along both banks of the Tiber River, usually just a 15-20 minute taxi ride from anything you want to see. Taxis and the metro (subway) are the best ways to get around. If you value your life, avoid renting a car in Rome. In addition to such attractions as the Vatican and the Coliseum, the ruins of the Roman Forum are fascinating. The forum was the “Times Square” of the ancient world, where Romans came to conduct business and governmental affairs. In every direction you come face to face with wonders of the ancient world, such as Julius Caesar’s palace and the Roman senate. Visiting the forum is free (unlike other historic sites, such as the Coliseum) and you can walk down among the ruins, “down” because the original street level of antiquity is quite a bit lower than the street level of today’s Rome. Walking the same cobblestone streets traveled by ancient Romans is an experience not to be missed. Taking an afternoon break in your hotel is essential, especially in the hotter summer months. Rome can be grueling, but not if you pace yourself and allow time for rest. After recovering from a day of sight-seeing, stroll the vibrant piazzas and quiet

back alleys. The famous Trevi fountain can be seen any time but seems more magnificent in the evening. If you are unfamiliar with gelato, this is the perfect time to become acquainted with one of the “gelaterias” serving up the famous Italian ice cream. Peoplewatching from a shady café in the Roman evening, you understand what “the sweet life” is truly about.

Ceiling of the Pantheon in Rome

If Italy is the country for art lovers, then Florence is their city. The Italian Renaissance began here, with most art historians crediting it to one single event: the competition in 1402 for the creation of a set of baptistry doors. The winner, sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti, created one of the most beautiful, significant pieces of art in all of western civilization. Completed in 1452, the 10 bronze relief panels depict various scenes from the Old Testament. Michelangelo is said to have declared the doors grand enough to adorn the entrance of paradise itself, and to this day they’re often referred to as “The Gates Of Paradise.” I began my Florentine sightseeing at the Galleria dell’Accademia. If you don’t recognize the name, you’ll certainly be familiar with the gallery’s masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s David. The sculpture was a fitting MAY/JUNE

2007

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symbol for a town surrounded by larger, intimidating city-states. The portrayal of David as a nude was unusual for the time and suggested a return to the classical humanism of Greek society. After experiencing the grandeur of David, you’re only a short walk from Piazza del Duomo. Here are two masterworks of the Renaissance, Brunelleschi’s dome and the “Gates of Paradise.” I’ve saved the best for last. No stop in Florence is complete without touring the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most important art collections in Europe. You’ll be astounded as you pass by master Renaissance paintings from such artists as Michelangelo, Rubens, Giotto and Caravaggio. My favorite was Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” a commission from the ruling Medici family, in which the goddess of love and beauty is born of the sea foam and blown ashore on a clamshell by Zephyrus, the west wind. After touring Florence, head into the Tuscan countryside. Dotted with quaint hill-towns and family-run farms and vineyards, Tuscany exceeds all expectations. At a winery in the Chianti region we had a wine tasting and one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had. Food in Tuscany is made from the freshest ingredients, often harvested the day the meal is prepared. The air is rich with Jasmine, the climate is mild, and the landscape is breathtaking. You begin thinking of returning home, selling your car, your house and all your belongings, and living out the rest of your days in complete bliss in this tiny corner of the Italian countryside.

Journeying north, we arrived in the city on water, Venice. The city consists of 100 island communities joined by more than 400 bridges. Entirely car-free, Venice is accessible


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Facade of the Piazza del Duomo in Florence

The famous “Gates of Paradise” in Florence

Farmhouse in Tuscany

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Grand Canal in Venice

A canal in Venice St. Mark’s Square

only by train, private water-taxi or public transportation (or Vaporetto). Established as a refuge from invading barbarians, Venice rose to prominence as a powerful broker for east-west trade and acquired religious significance after obtaining what many believe are the remains of St. Mark. Venice is ideal to explore on foot. You’re on an island, so don’t worry about getting lost. Invest in a good 18

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map and head out through the vast back alleys, neighborhoods and canals. St. Mark’s Square, one of the most astonishing public spaces in Europe, is the perfect launching point. The Basilica San Marco and the Doge’s Palace are highlights, but the true appeal is the square itself. People, pigeons and live string orchestras combine to form the quintessential Venetian experience.


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To escape the touristy San Marco district, head across the Grand Canal to the fresh seafood and vegetable market and mingle with the locals. For an experience outside the main city, side-trip to the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon. Burano is a fishing village of brightly painted houses, shops and restaurants serving up fresh meals to hungry travelers. Burano is accessible via the Vaporetto and provides a much-needed escape from the throngs of tourists in the city. End your stay in Venice by returning to the place where you began. Spend the evening in St. Mark’s Square, sipping a glass of wine, people-watching, and enjoying one of the many live orchestras. One of the most magical cities in the world, Venice was a fitting end to an amazing Italian getaway. While the cities and countryside of Italy may be charming, the true beauty of the country lies in the Italian people, a people who live life to the fullest. Upon returning, you will likely find yourself starting to plan your return trip. NCM St. Mark’s Square

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Exploring nature in the

Galapagos By Janet and Keegan Flanigan, Photos courtesy of Annie Griffiths Belt for National Geographic Magazine

Newnan-Coweta Magazine writer Janet Flanigan got to visit the Galapagos Islands when her son Keegan won an essay contest in National Geographic for Kids Magazine. Here they share memories of the remarkable trip.

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JANET FLANIGAN: There are many magical places in the world that people would love to visit one day, if only they had the chance. Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail in Peru. Arizona’s Grand Canyon. The blue whale migration in Baja, Mexico. Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Fuji. Ecuador’s famed Galapagos Islands. For the vast majority of us, the closest we get to visit these alluring spots is seeing them in the pages of National Geographic Magazine. Both of our sons, Keegan and Sean, have always had a passion for the outdoors and studying geography, and Keegan especially has exhibited a strong desire to know the world around him. In 2005, he told me he wanted to enter a National Geographic for Kids Magazine essay contest that had the topic


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“Exploring Nature in Your Community.” The prize — for 15 kids (age 9-14) and one parent chaperone each — was a 10-day trip on Lindblad Cruise Lines to the Galapagos Islands. His father and I were impressed that he took the initiative to enter, and Keegan wrote about a place he

had visited and supported many times — the Cochran Mill Nature Center in Tyrone. After several weeks, we received the unbelievable news that out of many thousands of entries, Keegan would be going to the Galapagos and had to choose a parent chaperone to go with him. He said it was a tough choice, but

dad had just started with a new company, and the clincher for me was when he said, “Mama, you were the one who always took me out to Cochran Mill so it’s only fair that you go.” Yes! We wouldn’t be visiting these islands on the pages of the magazine any more.

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Galapagos Giant Tortoise

Photo courtesy of the Flanigans

The famous bluefooted boobies

Keegan and Janet Flanigan

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Another day in the Galapagos

Marine iguanas

Galapagos sea lion

I had three mantras every day on the trip: 1) We must come back as a family because Pat, my husband, and Sean, our other son, HAVE to see the Galapagos. Especially because I made the decision to allow only Keegan to enter the contest since it was his idea. 2) Each day in the islands could not get better than the previous one, I thought, but seemingly they did. 3) You become a “changeling” after a trip to the Galapagos. Words and photos cannot capture the experience of each day dawning new … inside you.

* * * * * * KEEGAN FLANIGAN: My dreams of the Galapagos Islands were about giant tortoises, iguanas, sea lions and volcanoes, but my first encounter with nature was a lava lizard climbing on a sign at the airport! However, from then on, it was all nature in its most beautiful form. Our first night on the ship, Lindblad’s Islander, we got to do a deep sea swim and then take a Zodiac ride which gave us a quick introduction to the wide variety of animals and sea life that we would see during the coming week. Each day was filled completely

with incredible activities and adventures that anyone, no matter whether they’ve traveled the world over or just seen their backyard, would find absolutely breathtaking. At dawn on morning one, we climbed 370 wooden steps to what seemed like the top of the moon but was really a volcanic island, or ‘cone,’ named Bartolome. The view is one seen in most guidebooks and science books on the Galapagos. Mama and I had our picture taken up here and it was cool! The next day we saw one of the Crown Jewels of the Galapagos Islands — the Giant Tortoises of MAY/JUNE

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With friends, Keegan Flanigan is at back, second from left.

Being local. It’s more than just our address.

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Santa Cruz/North Seymour Islands. I was able to get within six inches of a 500-pound, approximately 200year-old male who allowed me to take his photo. It was a life changing experience for me — especially with Annie Griffiths Belt, the National Geographic photographer, right behind me giving me some photography tips! Isabela and Fernandina Islands were among the most physically beautiful of the islands with towering 200-foot cliffs plummeting into the aqua, teal and navy sea waters below. Some of the wildlife we saw that day included Galapagos penguins swimming, rare MolaMola fish swimming, flightless cormorant birds and the famous blue-footed boobies. We were also able to take our Zodiac raft deep into a lava tube (cave), which was a rare treat. For me, snorkeling with baby sea lions was the highlight of the trip. On Champion Island, we were surrounded by playful sea lions and their babies who blew bubbles in our masks and swam in and out of our


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legs, sometimes three at a time. We just couldn’t believe it was actually happening! We played with them all morning. As someone who is fascinated by the earth and geology, it was a special treat to see the vast caldera of the Sierra Negra volcano which had erupted only months before. We paid an afternoon visit to Southern Isabela Island and the Darwin Tortoise Breeding Center. Here, native Galapagueùos are working hard to preserve the giant tortoises and their habitat. We saw tiny babies the size of ping-pong balls and giant, mature adults the size of an overstuffed chair. On Floreana Island, we visited the Old Post Office barrel which has been around since the whaling days. Postcards are left and picked up in an old wine cask with the promise that they will only be handdelivered — no stamps allowed. We picked up two — one from Cumming, Ga. and one Albany. We have successfully delivered the Albany one and will deliver the other when we can. We have also received one we left, delivered by a friend from church who had a friend who visited the Old Post Office. Who says the postal system is unreliable?! Each island had its own unique aspects, and the animals had specific adaptations to their environment on that island. The waters and sands were different depending on the volcanoes and where they are in relation to the currents. It was an experience that has forever made a mark in my memory. NCM

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MAY/JUNE

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A Midnight Ride to Mt. Sinai By Angela McRae, Photos courtesy of David and Brenda Jessel

I

t was about 3:30 on a cold, March morning at the base of Mt. Sinai in Egypt. Brenda Jessel of Newnan had just completed a midnight trip into the country from Israel when a camel boy brusquely said “Come with me.” Having already experienced the pleasure of riding a camel, Jessel had no fear of riding the animal until she saw the muzzle on him. David and Brenda Jessel of Newnan atop Mt. Sinai

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“Oh, great, I have a biter,” she thought. But momentarily separated from husband and “favorite traveling companion” David, Jessel soon had other things on her mind, like getting up the 7,500-foot Mt. Sinai all in one piece. Or not freezing to death along the way. The camel boy was supposed to lead the camel throughout the trip, but instead he took the reigns and slipped them over the camel’s neck. Suddenly, Jessel and the camel were off. “I begin praying out loud,” she said, recalling that she quoted scripture, telling the camel he was fearfully and wonderfully made. They were on a narrow path which sometimes had no barrier keeping them from falling off a cliff. Why would someone take a camel ride in Egypt in the pitch black night? “Because you want to see the sun

rise on Mt. Sinai,” Jessel said. Despite the bitterly cold temperatures, Jessel and her husband, whom she managed to reunite with along the way, made it to the top in time to see the breathtaking sight of sunrise on a spot considered a sacred pilgrimage for many Christians and Jews. She loved being there “and just realizing that this is where God met Moses, this is where God met Elijah,” she said. And the trip to Egypt wasn’t even part of the original itinerary. For years Jessel had longed to visit Israel, at one time so obsessed with the idea she was “very covetous” of anyone who went. “Oh, it was awful,” she said with a laugh. “It was terrible.” Finally, she told God if she never got to make the trip that was fine, and she let it go. Then, she read a book by Christian author Martha Kilpatrick


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that greatly spoke to her. Jessel suggested her as a retreat speaker for her church, First Baptist of Newnan, which was sponsoring a prayer conference at Callaway Gardens. Kilpatrick agreed to speak at the conference, where one day she said, “The last time we were in Israel …” Jessel perked up. “That little flame in my heart for Israel was fanned,” she said. When a Kilpatrick associate coordinating a trip to Israel in March 2006 called to see if she’d be interested in going, Jessel said she’d talk it over with her husband. He told her to find out more and asked if she feared traveling to the Middle East. “No, I’m not afraid,” she said. “Hey, if I die in Israel, great. If that’s the place God has chosen for me (to die), all right.” Jessel’s mother had died the year before, and when Jessel got an inheritance from her estate she had simply put it in the bank. She remembered her mother saying she hoped her daughter would get to Israel one day, and now she would. Kilpatrick’s ministry, Shulamite Ministries, would have a tour guide who was a Messianic Jew. That was “very, very important,” said Jessel, who wanted to learn about both the Christian and Jewish perspectives. The Jessels flew from Atlanta to Frankfurt and then on to Tel Aviv. From Tel Aviv they journeyed to Beer Sheva, spending the night at a hotel. Because they’d stayed awake all night and eaten mainly protein and fruits, they were able to sleep well on arrival. A highlight of the trip was their visit to a camel ranch where the Jessels got acquainted with the fine art of camel riding. The two-person saddle requires the heavier person ride in back. The camel gets up on its hind legs first, so the saddle’s handle helps the rider hold on while the rest of the camel rises.

Getting on a camel isn’t easy, Jessel said. They’re wider than a horse, so “you have to really boost yourself up.” Though she’d been told to wear throwaway clothes because of the

was taking a break by working on the camel ranch. Jessel loves flowers and photographed many beautiful specimens in Israel, from a wildflower growing in a rocky, desert

nasty animal she’d be riding, Jessel was pleasantly surprised at how agreeable the camel was. “None of these camels spit once, on any of our group,” she said. Their camel guide had been a member of the Israeli Special Forces, then a physical therapist, and now

Clockwise from upper left: Purim celebrants in costume at the Western Wall; Brenda Jessel before the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem; David and Brenda Jessel at a camel ranch; Golgotha; baptism in the Jordan River; the Coliseum in Caesarea; a donkey carrying gasoline (jokingly referred to as “an Israeli tanker truck”); a pediment in the ruins of Capernaum. MAY/JUNE

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place (“This is what Israel is in the world”) to bougainvillea, bottlebrush trees, orchids, olive trees and an abundance of rosemary. Their group got to compare old Nazareth with new by visiting Nazareth Village, “a Christian endeavor” which is undeveloped, in stark contrast to the developed area of the city right behind it. A display there gave a timeline of Christ’s life and spoke of the need for Christ. It

was there David Jessel talked sports with an Ohio man who was spending a few months there with his family, living the life of a shepherd. The Jessels saw many places they’d only read about in the Bible, from the old coliseum in Caesarea to a lonely pediment in Capernaum, an orchard in Galilee, the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall in Jerusalem, olive trees in the Garden

of Gethsemane and even Golgotha, the hill on which Christ was crucified. But it was near the end of the trip Jessel — who says she went as “a seeker,” not “a tourist” — learned she would also visit Egypt. Their leader told the Jessels and their group there was an optional trip to Mt. Sinai. She then suggested everyone get some rest, since they’d be traveling so late. “You’re gonna

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go to Mt. Sinai, now go take a nap!” Jessel joked. They were told to bring water and a snack, and Jessel is grateful her husband loaded up his backpack with water, cheese crackers and trail mix, because they managed to get separated from the group and, mistakenly, went to the top of Mt. Sinai on their own. The mistake cost the group several hours of travel time, and Jessel personally asked

everyone’s forgiveness for the mishap. The trip made a difference in her life “definitely in praying for Israel,” she said. What advice does she have for other would-be pilgrims, those who, like her, dream of making a sojourn to the Holy Land? “Release it, surrender it, trust in the Lord,” she said. “If He wants you to go, you’ll go.” NCM

From left: A McDonald’s sign in Hebrew; the Church of All Nations in Jerusalem; David Jessel chats with an Ohio man at Nazareth Village; a woman leads the group through Nazareth Village; a cross on a monastery near Mt. Sinai; Solomon’s Pillars; and a wildflower growing in a desert place.

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By Leigh Knight, Photos courtesy of the Knight family and of Sallie Gentry, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH GATORS IN OKEFENOKEE & FOLKSTON 30

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W

hen my husband Bobby told me he had an idea for our spring break trip last year, I was thrilled. “Great! Are you thinking the beach again?” I asked. “I’m thinking … the swamp,” he said with a grin. My vision of lounging in the sun with a fruity drink in my hand vanished. “The dirty, smelly swamp?” I thought. “Cool!”said our son, Carson, excitedly. “Are we going to see some gators?”

So, I did what any mom of a cute five-year-old boy infatuated with alligators would do. I planted a grin on my face and said, “Yes, son, and I can’t wait!” Little did I know it would be one of our best and most memorable family vacations. Bobby handled all of the planning, including making — or in our case, not making — reservations. How was he to know Tifton was the hot spot on I-75 the Friday before spring break or that Waycross was hosting a Swampfest and a hot rod car show? Fortunately,

My husband attempted to scare the gator away. The

gator rose to the challenge, getting up on all fours facing him, ready to square off. I screamed, “Run, kids, run!”

“This is better than Disney World!” my son panted.

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Bobby Knight with children Ansley and Carson

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around 1 a.m. we found a nice Days Inn only 20 miles (or so) off our beaten path. The next morning, our spirits unhampered by the late night, we headed for our destination — the Okefenokee Swamp. Bobby had made arrangements for us to stay in an old college buddy’s cabin on the St. Marys River just outside of the small town of Folkston. This friendly town, which is known as the Gateway to the Okefenokee, reminded me of Newnan with its quaint town square, interesting shops, restaurants and old homes. It is also the home of the Folkston Funnel, a double track which serves as the main artery for railroad traffic into and out of Florida. At the Funnel’s viewing platform, visitors young and old, from all over the country according to the guest book, were enjoying the breeze from the ceiling fans, listening to radio traffic on the scanner and waiting for trains to pass by. They didn’t have to wait long — a variety of trains, including Amtrak, pass through approximately every 15 minutes carrying cargo such as coal, automobiles, gravel and even orange juice. My initial reaction was confusion. “All of these people are here to watch trains?” I thought. I would soon learn there is nothing better after a hard day at the swamp than to sit at one of the platform’s picnic tables, contentedly train watching, while indulging in a banana split from the Folkston DQ. Upon reaching the east entrance of the swamp, we listened to a volunteer’s lecture on American alligators. She advised us that the Okefenokee is the gator’s home, not ours. My son (and I) grew increasingly nervous as the volunteer

repeatedly warned parents to keep children by their sides and to stay at least 15 feet away from the gators. She went on to describe encounters that didn’t end very well. After the speech, the volunteer pointed out several male and female gators. (Did I mention it was mating season?) We made our way to the tour boat where a young, active gator crawled around near the dock. My son planted his feet firmly into the ground and refused to budge. There was no amount of persuasion that would get him in a boat that was in the water with a bunch of gators swimming around. We decided to take what we thought would be a safer method, hiking. With our picnic lunch in tow, we headed down the trail for the Chesser Island Homestead, the restored home of the Chesser Family, to see how swampers really lived. The further we went, the muckier the trail got. The Seminoles didn’t call it the land of the trembling earth for nothing. We also began to see more tell-tale animal signs. Did you know the Okefenokee is home to the black bear? Finally, as we rounded a bend, our destination came into view and so did an 8-9 foot alligator. She was sprawled across the trail, which was surrounded on both sides by water. My husband, torn between wrestling a gator or walking a mile and a half back to the road with tired, hungry kids and a slightly cranky wife, attempted to scare the gator away. The gator rose to the challenge, getting up on all fours facing him, ready to square off. Having learned in our lecture that gators can run short distances faster than humans, I screamed, “Run, kids, run!” “This is better than Disney World!” my son panted.


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We made it out in record time. As we caught our breath, a volunteer park ranger came by and picked us up. We soon discovered he had a sister in Newnan. He was also familiar with our gator, Marilyn. “She is very territorial,” he said. “That trail was completely underwater last week, by the way.” I learned a lot about the swamp during our trip. First of all, it’s beautiful. It doesn’t smell, and it’s not dirty. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; the swamp actually consists of fresh water. Tannic acid produced by decaying vegetation gives the water its black or tea color. Sailors used to collect the water (swamp tea) to take with them to sea because it kept longer. We spent the rest of the afternoon hiking on the miles of elevated boardwalk conveniently laid out for visitors to view the awe-inspiring sights and sounds of the swamp from a safe distance. We became, as conservationist Okefenokee Joe would say, “Swampwise.” NCM

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By Cameron Johnson, Photos courtesy of Len Foote Hike Inn and Robbie Hinely

Mary Hinely of Newnan

I

Imagine turning your cell phone off and feeling good about it. Imagine allowing yourself the luxury of breaking free of your braying world for a couple of days, getting lost in the camaraderie of strangers in nature near the entrance of the “Green Tunnel” that each year takes adventurers north, the length of the Appalachian Mountains. Meet the Len Foote Hike Inn, named for Georgia conservationist, biologist and nature photographer Leonard E. Foote. It’s an inn within the Chattahoochee National Forest

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and Amicalola Falls State Park that doesn’t allow cell phones, must be hiked to, and puts strangers at the same dinner table. While you’re there, the staff educates you on how to be more “eco-friendly.” Craig Fowler, founder of the Newnan Hiking Club and a “friend of the Hike Inn,” goes twice a year, at least. It’s an annual trek for the club, and he’s also had opportunities to volunteer there, which means you stay for free. Staying at the inn allows hikers to get back to nature without

carrying their home on their backs. The inn is five miles from the top of Amicalola Falls, and the elevation change to the inn is about 400 feet. “There are some ups and downs, steep sections, but (it’s) generally pretty easy to do. It takes from twoand-a-half to four hours,” says Fowler. The trail is described as moderate, he said, but it’s not as bad as the typical layout of Appalachian trails in the Southeast. The trail, says Fowler, has nice views, places with thick rhododendron patches, and


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sometimes there’s some “really nice plant life.” There are a few stream crossings, which most can step across. “I wouldn’t call it particularly scenic, but there are some nice views,” he said. “It’s pretty easy, which makes it accessible to a wide variety of people. Some of the people who go with the club are in their seventies, and they make it without any trouble.” Don’t let that minuscule elevation gain fool you, says Robbie Hinely of Newnan, a Hike Inn veteran. “Mary and I went up there Labor Day last year. We packed day packs with water, toiletries, and clothing for two nights,” said Hinely. “Being in the hiking business, I was prepared that way. But I assumed that the trail was going to be a (simple) path through the woods because kids do this, grandmas and grandpas do this. Five miles. We started hiking... It was hot. I broke a sweat. There was a lot of uphill. It was rocky. It goes through some creeks. “Basically it was a real trail and it took me by surprise. We got up there, but we took some trail breaks. Mary got stung by yellow jackets on the way up.” Any trail can be rough, but the advantage of hiking to an inn, says Fowler, is having a dry, comfortable place to sleep. You get a hot meal, modern bathroom facilities with running hot and cold water, and showers. “But I like the absolute peace and quiet. They’ll ask you not to bring a cell phone. Enjoy the mountain experience,” says Fowler. “You meet new people. That’s the advantage of it. You’re engaging with people. There’s no phone to your ear, no laptop to distract you.” During your stay in the minimalist inn, you’re free to take long hikes, and you still don’t have to

efforts they undertake. It’s really cool.” Spring and Fall are the busiest times of year at the inn, says Fowler. “If you really want a pretty peaceful experience, you have a lot better chance getting a reservation during the week,” says Fowler. Friends of the Hike Inn get discounts. Fowler likes to go when the leaves are changing, but a lot of people go when snow is forecast. “It’s a good family outing. You spend a lot of time engaging with people, which is not like what we see in everyday life,” says Fowler. “The inn is set up for people interaction. There is a ‘sofa thing’ around the room. Games. It’s the perfect place to sit and read, ringed by a porch with rocking chairs. Sit outside and enjoy the peace and quiet of the mountain.” NCM

carry your life on your back. The staff is very focused on operating in an environmentally friendly way, with a low impact. The toilets are composting toilets, with no water use. There’s ventilation in the chamber under the inn where the waste is, says Fowler, and the smell usually associated with latrines is not there. Dinner is a hearty, family-style affair. At the end of the meal, the staff weighs the scraps left behind, challenging them to have less waste than the preceding groups. The scraps go to the worm bed, to help create mulch used in the garden. “It’s all you can eat, but you have to eat every scrap,” says Hinely. “The whole point is zero waste.” “They spend a lot of time educating,” says Fowler. “They give a tour to show you the environmental

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The Places You’ll Go Photographer Bob Fraley shares some of his favorite scenes from recent vacations

A view of the Grand Canyon from the river at the west rim

View from Fairfield Inn & Suites, Las Vegas

Hualapai Rim, Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

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Fisherman’s Wharf Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fremont Street in Las Vegas Aerial view of the strip in Las Vegas

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Nukolii Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

Wailua Falls, Kauai, Hawaii

Luau in Kauai

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Wailua River State Park, Kauai, Hawaii; below, Wailua Falls vendor, Kauai birds


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Haleakala Crater, “House of the Sun,” Maui, Hawaii

Maalaea Bay, Maui, Hawaii

Olowalu Beach, Maui, Hawaii

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

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A work of fiction by Martha Ann Parks

Web Extra

The winners of the first annual NewnanCoweta Magazine Writing Contest are Martha Ann Parks, first place, Carolyn Walz Kramlich, second place, and Carolyn Young, third place. To read the second and third place entries, please visit newnancowetamagazine.com.

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he rainbow colors lit up the small room and fell across my worktable. I delighted in how it made my hands pink and purple and yellow as I moved them in little circles in the reflected light. I turned in my seat, looking for where the magical light began and traced it back to the prism hanging in the window. The light made a small arch, and I could see dust particles dancing like fairies in the bands of color. I felt special and happy because the rainbow started just there, at the window, but it fell on me, just on me. No one else seemed to notice. They were too busy repeating the lesson as Miss Hasting placed big letters on the board up front and the class sang out “apple, A is for apple, B, b is for ball.” But I sat silent and still. I did not care for the letters or the sounds they made. Music I loved, color was great, but words and letters? They left me feeling lost and confused. I just didn’t like letters. The little room at Maggie Brown School smelled of chalk dust and tempera paint and another smell I couldn’t quite identify. It was an oily smell, not bad, but different, like my Poppa’s barn, where he kept oily rags and rusting tools and where his old red tractor waited for the spring plowing. I liked coming to school because it made me feel grown up like my brother. He was in second grade and could read and spell anything the teacher threw his way. He was smart, everyone said so, and I was beautiful,

everyone said that, too. “Oh, she is such a doll. Look at those blue eyes and that dark curly hair.” I knew about beauty. I knew that the big green leafy trees were my Memaw’s favorite and that a blue sky was better than a gray one. I loved the soft green grass and the purple flowers that looked pretty and smelled good, too. I loved to color in my coloring books and dip my paintbrush into the thick creamy paint that filled the little jars that lined the tray at our worktable. That part of school was where Miss Hasting said I “excelled,” followed by, “Don’t you worry about her now, she’ll be fine. She’s so pretty and such a sweet little thing.” I was proud of my paintings and that my Mama put them on our refrigerator along with my brother’s spelling papers. I was happy that everyone made over me and called me pretty. I knew that my Poppa thought I was the most special little girl in all of Newnan. But I wanted to be smart, too. I was certain there must be magic in that. Being able to read and write and spell — it came so easy for my brother. Why, it seemed he could always read, and I figured he must have some magic trick that he hadn’t shared with me. I wanted to read, too, mainly because I wanted to be like him. But I couldn’t get those darn letters and their sounds figured out. They just didn’t sound any particular way to me, and I couldn’t remember what Miss Hasting said they rhymed with either. The cat wore the


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hat and sat on the mat. Cat, hat, mat, I didn’t get it. My brother teased me when I said things wrong, but what was wrong with the way I said things? What was wrong with singing “all around the brown?” I just didn’t get it. But he did, and I wanted to, too. Miss Hasting was saying something about washing our hands to get ready for lunch as my thoughts returned to the class. Janet and Sue Ann were getting their lunch boxes out of the cubbies under their seats, and I watched to see if anyone noticed the colored lights. Maybe I was the only one who could see them. After all, the rainbow started at the window and ended at me. Suddenly I knew. This was the magic that my brother had kept from me. If I could capture that rainbow and put it in my snack bag, I could take it home and it would be mine forever. Then I could read, too, and those dumb letters wouldn’t confuse me anymore. But how was I going to get that special light? “Okay class, get in line and let’s go wash our hands,” Miss Hasting sang out. “We’ll start with table one.” As we stood to go I hung back a little, waiting for my chance. I dawdled and spent extra time getting my snack bag out from my cubbie. I slipped to the back of the room on the pretense of putting up a book, and positioned myself by the window, toying with the books on the low shelf. When I was certain no one was looking, I reached up and grabbed that prism and gave it a yank. I threw it into my snack bag along with my apple and peanut butter crackers and then ran to the back of the line that was almost out the door. My heart was beating hard against my ribs, and my breath came in catchy little gasps. But I had done it. I had captured the

magic rainbow that no one had seen or noticed except me. It would be mine now forever. When the bell rang to end the day I threw my work folder into my backpack and carefully arranged my snack bag just right so as not to damage my secret treasure. I was giddy with excitement and couldn’t wait to get home. “What’s up with you?” my brother asked when I met him at the bus stop. “You’re acting kinda weird.” I just smiled. “You just wait,” I thought. “I’ll be able to read just like you in no time at all.” The rest of the day lasted forever. When it was finally bedtime I had Mama read my favorite book, “Miss Suzy,” a book about a squirrel that had been my Daddy’s book when he was a little boy. I looked hard at the words instead of the pictures while she read, thinking maybe I could figure out what they meant, but I couldn’t yet. Maybe once I let the light out of my snack bag the magic will work, I reasoned. I couldn’t wait to see. I snuggled down in the bed and Mama pulled the covers up tight under my chin. “Good night sweetie, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite,” she said, just like she always did. “Sweet dreams.” I waited until I heard her steps going down the stairs and saw the light go out. I jumped from bed and

made my way to my backpack in the dark. I took out my snack bag and felt around for the prism. I squeezed it tight in my hand for a minute and then held it up high. But something was wrong. There were no colors, no bright light, nothing. I sat on the floor cross-legged and thought and thought about what could have happened to my magic rainbow. And then I remembered something my Sunday school teacher had said: “Thou shall not steal.” That was it. That had to be it. Because I had stolen the beautiful rainbow I was being punished, and now I would never be able to read. Sadly, I placed the prism back in my backpack and crawled back into bed. “Jesus,” I prayed out loud like Mama had taught me. “Please forgive me for stealing the rainbow. I promise I’ll return it and never steal again.” Then I quickly added, “But Jesus, can you help me learn to read?” NCM MAY/JUNE

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> COWETA COOKS

QOFUEEN THE KITCHEN By Janet Flanigan, Photos by Bob Fraley

S

ince she’s supremely ladylike, the term “Jack of all trades” won’t work, so we’ll call Linda Oesterle a “Queen of all trades,” and she’s a master of many skills, too. A flight attendant for Delta for 27 years, she’s recently added a second career in real estate with Keller Williams while raising children Allison, 15, and Luke, 11, with husband Tom. But Linda’s hectic schedule has never interfered with her exacting standards of preparing beautiful and healthy food. “I grew up in Wisconsin and when I was 10, my grandmother

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moved in with us,” Linda says. “When she cooked, she only used fresh herbs and ingredients and I really paid attention. That was novel at the time, when canned and packaged ingredients were becoming the novel way to prepare meals.” Her Grandmother Keyes’ culinary heritage runs deep in Linda today, and the German Sauerbraten, Braised Red Cabbage and stews of her girlhood remain some of the Oesterles’ most beloved meals. “My favorite cookbook is a Wisconsin standard called ‘The Settlement Cookbook’ that many Midwesterners are familiar with,” Oesterle said. “I also love ‘The Silver Palate Cookbook’ and ‘Southern Born and Bread’ from the LaGrange Women’s League.” It wasn’t until she was a flight attendant and living in an apartment with some other attendants that she really began cooking. “I loved cooking for the other women when they returned home from trips. I was like the mother in the house!” she laughed. Nowadays, Oesterle’s passion is preparing special meals for friends and family. Recently, she invited over some friends who love Greek food and created an entire Greek menu: Greek seasoned chicken with rice, traditional Greek salad with feta and olives, moussaka and baklava for dessert. Oesterle flies for Delta, sells homes, shuttles Allison to cheering and golf for East Coweta, Luke to soccer games, and keeps track of husband Tom’s work schedule. She still finds time to make sure her family eats healthy, fresh ingredients by preparing meals ahead of time just like she did back in the days when she was taking care of her Delta roommates. Grandma taught her well.

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CHICKEN MARBELLA 4 chickens, cut into pieces 1 head of garlic, peeled and pureed 1/4 cup dried oregano Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup pitted prunes, cut in half 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives 1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice 6 bay leaves 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white wine 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Combine first 10 ingredients, cover and marinate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pour white wine on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 10.

KEY LIME PIE One graham cracker pie shell 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 3 egg yolks 1/2 cup Key Lime juice Heavy whipping cream (or canned if you prefer)

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Meet a Newnan-Coweta Magazine READER

...

Photo by Bob Fraley

Kirby Arnall

Kirby Arnall is a third generation Newnan insurance businessman. He and wife Sara have two sons, Kirby, 8, and Henry, 6. Co-owner with Otis Jones of Matrix Insurance in downtown Newnan, he is head of the Planning and Benefits Department.

Were you an athletic kid? What was your sport?

I played most sports like baseball, soccer and tennis. In college, I played tennis (4 years) and soccer (1-1/2 years) until I got injured. What was your favorite childhood pet? Does your family have pets now?

We had a Scottish Terrier named Frisky when I was growing up. Now we have Otter the Boston Terrier. He’s really more Sara’s dog than mine. When you were little and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what did you say?

A professional athlete, like most boys dream of being. Where did you go to college? Did you move back to Newnan right after school?

I went to Hampden-Sydney College, in Hampden-Sydney, Va. I lived in Richmond for a year and then in Atlanta for two years before coming back home. Did any of your grandparents ever have a favorite saying that carried over in the family?

To remember who you are and to strive to never disgrace the family name. To try to always behave in a way that would be a positive for me and my family. What is your biggest weakness as a parent?

Patience! What word do you think friends would use to describe you?

Outgoing, friendly What is the best thing about being a father?

I love being able to share the same things with my sons Kirby and Henry that I enjoyed with my father. It’s great watching them grow and helping them with things like their sports and other activities. What is your greatest extravagance?

Downloading music from iTunes! In one sentence, what do you “wish” for your boys?

That they would first be blessed with a healthy life, then happiness and success. Who was your most influential coach in sports?

My dad is the first one that comes to mind. Picture that it’s summertime and you’re in a convertible. What three songs do you want to play on your CD?

That’s too hard! I have too many favorites and people who know me will wonder why I chose these – it’s too hard to pick three but just off the top of my head right now … “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison, “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Jimmy Buffet and “Superman” by R.E.M. 46

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give the bride a wedding bouquet that’s sure to create a spark!

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Kirby’s friends say he is known for calling up friends’ children the night before a big performance or athletic event to wish them good luck. It’s a kindness he learned from his father. Kirby’s grandfather was the first cousin of Ellis Gibbs Arnall. Ellis Arnall was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from 1933-37, was Georgia’s State Attorney General from 193943 and was Governor of Georgia from 1943-1947. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. Kirby is one of the most hilarious people in town but also believes in public service and serves as Chairman of the Board of the Heritage School and coaches his boys’ soccer and baseball teams. NCM

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assion PSet in Stone By Janet Flanigan, Photos by Bob Fraley

obert Jarrell’s passion for a life steeped in art, nature and the classics pours from him in a stream of consciousness. With seemingly illimitable energy, he gives a tour of his parents’ historic property and his personal art studio. “This is really the reason I am here in Newnan,” Jarrell says, gesturing with almost parental pride at the circa 1835 Federal-style brick cottage behind him. His parents, Frank and Marion (Sissy) Jarrell, were part of the Newnan Trust that found this house in complete disrepair in 1992. “They were convinced by members of the Trust to move to Senoia from Atlanta and to take on this massive rebuilding project.” Fateful winds were blowing in 1992 since the Jarrells’ youngest had just received his Master of Fine Art in Sculpture from Tulane University after working independently as a sculptor since 1986. He was ready to come to Newnan and help his parents with the painstaking process of rebuilding Stonewood and regaining its rightful claim as “the oldest brick dwelling in Coweta County.”

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Frank Jarrell is a recognized dealer and collector of rare books and prints on wildlife, natural history, sport hunting and fishing. Marion Jarrell is an accomplished painter, and several of her religious icons are at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan. Jarrell’s sister, Anne Jarrell Berry, is accomplished in many artistic endeavors but focuses on photography. The artistic vein stretches back to both of Jarrell’s grandmothers, who were also talented painters. Once they occupied Stonewood as their home place, Jarrell’s parents offered him the guest “barn” that was their quarters during the renovation and suggested he use the property as his fulltime studio. A sculptor whose primary medium is stone, Jarrell also works in bronze, fabricated metal and wood. During graduate study days, he produced works of a more modern neoclassical bent, meaning they would often feature a graceful torso, but it would be lacking a head, arms or legs. “As an artist, you can pursue the decorative arts and keep making the same pretty things over


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“As an artist you can pursue the decorative arts and keep making the same pretty things over and over again, but I needed to make a departure.

— Sculptor Robert Jarrell

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and over again (such as neoclassical sculptures), but I needed to make a departure,” Jarrell said. For him, that meant seeing nature as a whole, in her pure form, in its entirety. So he started including whole human bodies, religious icons and animal forms and began finding his niche. He particularly enjoys creating birds and fish. “My mentor was a great man named Horace Farlowe. He was a world-renowned abstract sculptor, and I learned so much from him,” Jarrell said. When Farlowe died last year, a scholarship in sculpture was established in his name at the University of Georgia, from which Jarrell received his B.S. in Art Education. Mid-interview, Jarrell suddenly jumps up. “Did you know sculpture is physics?” “Venus de Milo … Venus de Willendorf … physics! Michelangelo’s David is the greatest example of physics — whatever goes out must come back — or it will fall off!” Jarrell mentions Michelangelo

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frequently, as if discussing a friend. “He’s my most solid reference point,” he says. Once he has selected his stone of choice, Jarrell uses tools that aren’t much different from those of his old friend Michelangelo. He’ll chip away until a “bump” appears, and that will be the point of reference. That may be a beak, elbow, head, arm — whatever speaks to him. Then Jarrell sets to work. He says emotions can affect your work, so “be careful if you’re in a mood or you can

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end up with a 1,000-pound pile of chips and no sculpture!” Many Cowetans are familiar with his work either directly or indirectly since he has been commissioned to do several fine pieces for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Roscoe Road in Newnan. He carved the Altar in 2003, the Ambo (pulpit) in 2003 and a granite Celtic cross for the courtyard in 2005. He is currently fashioning a large wood and metal Celtic cross to hang for the Reredos, the wall behind the altar. His work with religious icons and symbols dates back to graduate school, and he finds it particularly satisfying he was asked to create pieces for his own church. Jarrell’s pieces are owned by collectors in Newnan, Atlanta and around the country. His work is in collections at the Brenau University Museum, Gainesville, Ga.; Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir, N.C.; Columbus Museum of Art; and Sawnee Community Center, Cumming, Ga. A current commissioned piece Jarrell is particularly


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proud of is a beautiful carved wooden altar for an Atlanta church. It has inlaid panels and a special sculpted stone “tablet” to be inlaid in the top. When he’s not working, Jarrell enjoys being outdoors around a campfire, embracing the splendors of nature’s glory and looking for new inspiration. When camping, he wears true traditional buckskin clothing he learned to make himself from folk artist friend Peggy Patrick, an instructor from the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. This one-time Eagle Scout enjoys spending time with nature so

much, he teaches wilderness survival to other young scouts. Like all true artists, Jarrell is never more at home than when he’s hard at work, tools in hand, chipping, chiseling and smoothing away on his latest creation, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits playing in the background, trying to find that “bump” in the rock to tell him where he’s going next. NCM MAY/JUNE

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Hollywood

Dreams By LaTina Emerson, Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of the Farmer family

N

ewnan actor Hugh Farmer IV has a resume which includes film, television and theatre roles, and several acting awards — and he’s just getting started. This 22-year-old performer is taking bold steps towards Hollywood dreams, and already he has worked as an extra or held small roles in well-known film and television projects such as “We Are Marshall,” “October Road,” “One Missed Call,” “Angels from Montgomery,” “Broken Bridges” and “Revenge of the Nerds.” Hugh recently participated in a NASCAR commercial and can also add “rapper” to his list of accomplishments after landing a spot in the music video “Errybody.” Other projects within the past year include appearing as an extra on “Yo Momma,” the cable television show known for swapping witty remarks. The Newnan native has secured an agent in Los Angeles, and after appearing at the L.A. premiere of Fox Studios’ “Mr. Blue Sky” in early March, he is beginning to gain attention. Hugh’s talents were discovered under unconventional circumstances. He was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4, and prior to this, he had tubes in his ears which affected his hearing. “His ears were blocked, so he couldn’t talk at a younger age,” said his mother, Carol Farmer. For several years, Hugh was unable to play with other children because of his illness, so TV became his world. “He became kind of animated and an entertainer. He was very expressive, so I think he used that as an outlet,” she said. While still struggling with leukemia, Hugh had yet one more challenge thrown in his path — he was diagnosed with Mosaic Down Syndrome. But Hugh has never let his obstacles halt his dreams.

Opposite left, Hugh Farmer IV with actor Kevin Kilner, and at right, parents Hugh Farmer III and Carol Farmer. MAY/JUNE

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“He said, ‘I’m just going to throw this in the bushes,’” Carol said. “I don’t know where he got that saying from, but he did.” Years later, Hugh conquered his illness. Hugh officially caught the acting bug at Newnan High School when he landed a role in his senior musical, “Hello, Dolly!” “It was a feeling. I just always wanted to do it,” Hugh said of acting. “The only way I can describe it is passion. Even if I stop acting, I still want to be in the field doing something else.” At the taping of the NASCAR commercial, an actor was so impressed by Hugh’s professionalism that he approached Hugh to help him get his Screen Actors Guild (SAG) certification. He also offered to help connect Hugh with an Atlanta casting director. “Some of the directors see how hard he works and recognize that you’re there 12 and 14 hours a day, dependable and non-complaining. They recognize that after a while,” said Carol. Carol serves a dual role as Hugh’s manager. She got the job “because I’m free, number one,” she said jokingly. “We’re like an old married couple. We start bantering back and forth, but we get over it … It’s been a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of time and energy to make these connections.” Hugh’s father, Hugh Farmer III, admires his wife’s tenacity. “She’s knocking on doors trying to find the right people and avenues to get as much exposure as possible,” he said. Hugh’s talents have won him numerous International Presentation of Performance (IPOP) awards. IPOP features a showcase of mainstream talent in Los Angeles and New York from actors across the country. In a competition of more than 1,200 actors, Hugh landed awards for first runner-up for Best Soap and Best Commercial, second and third runner-up for Best Actor, and three Top 10 awards for comedy, monologue and singing. “It was really incredible to me that out of mainstream actors, he took away all these awards and got standing ovations. I think the reason he hasn’t gone a little further is because he’s so unique. There’s almost got to be a part written in for him,” said Carol. During their trip to L.A. for the premiere of “Mr. Blue Sky,” the Farmers attended several seminars by Media Access. “Mr. Blue Sky” is an unconventional love story that explores the relationship between a woman with Down Syndrome and a “normal” male. The speakers explained that actors with disabilities are often not hired because many in the industry are


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uncomfortable with people with disabilities. Carol said the speakers gave responsibility to individuals with the disability to make others feel comfortable. “I think that’s why Hugh is going to be good, because you’re comfortable around him as an actor,” she said. Hugh has been offered a role in the film “Redeeming Season” to be directed by Randall Kleiser, director of the original “Grease.” The movie will include stars such as Kelly

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Preston. “It’s been in the works for a couple of years,” Carol said. “In our minds, this is already a success story,” she said. “We haven’t hit it big, but this is a success story because he is acting. He is pursuing his dream, and the journey is fun.” Hugh wouldn’t mind if he had to move to California. “My family has been so supportive. They cheer me on,” he said. “I’m just not saying no to anything,” said Carol. “I don’t know what’s going to unfold for him. I’m not putting any limits on it.” NCM

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Coweta’s Roquemore likes knowing golfers enjoy playing his courses By Alex McRae, Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of RMG Photography s one of the world’s leading golf course architects, Newnan’s Rocky Roquemore has earned every honor the sport can bestow. But it’s not unusual for his morning coffee to come complete with a cussing. Roquemore’s home sits just across the lake from the 4th and 5th holes of the SummerGrove Golf Club, which he designed. When a golfer misses a putt or slaps a tee shot into the lake, Roquemore knows it. “Yeah, I hear them fuss,” he says. “But I hear them cheer, too. That means I’ve done my job.” Roquemore grew up in the golf business, spending summers and school holidays “painting golf courses

A

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green” with turf grass developed by his family’s Patten Seed Company. In 1964, Patten Seed decided to build a golf course of its own in north Coweta. What became the first Canongate Golf Club was designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee. As Roquemore watched the two work, he started asking questions. Not just about how they did something, but why. In the late ’60s, while toiling on what would become Canongate-onLanier, Roquemore realized a golf course was more than an 18-hole escape. “I saw the opportunity to build something that might last a couple of

centuries,” he says. “Not many people get that chance.” In 1969 the Canongate empire and Joe Lee’s design business were booming. Lee asked Roquemore to quit college and join his firm. “He told me it was now or never,” Roquemore says. “So I went to work.” In 1972 Lee moved Roquemore from Georgia to his office in Boynton Beach, Fla. He also let Roquemore start designing courses. Most people would have been intimidated with the legendary Lee looking over their shoulder. Not Roquemore. “I knew if I made a mistake, Joe would show me how to fix it,” he


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I saw the opportunity to build something that might last a couple of centuries. Not many people get that chance.

— Rocky Roquemore

Here Rocky Roquemore visits the Canongate on White Oak Golf Course, of which he was principal architect. Other courses he’s designed include Chapel Hills in Douglasville, opposite left, and Pine Meadow Golf Course in Chicago, at right. MAY/JUNE

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says. “That made it easy.” While in Boynton Beach, Roquemore met his wife, Pam. They were married in 1974 and moved to Atlanta to raise their children, Bill and Jolie, and to be closer to a host of Lee design projects, including the expansion of the Canongate Golf empire. Roquemore says his greatest challenge is deciding how to transform a mountain, forest or field into a golfer’s paradise. “You look for the best features of the land,” he says. “It might be trees, it might be topography, it might even be long views of another piece of

land. A great view can help take the sting out of a double bogey.” Some architects beat the dirt to death in an effort to be creative. Roquemore prefers a kinder, gentler method. “I look for the holes God put there,” he says. “Then I try to bring them to life and let nature show off.” A golfer’s temperament must also be taken into consideration. One hole of the White Oak course adjoins a church. When laying out the hole, Roquemore raised both eyebrows when his father, the late W.A. “Bill” Roquemore, located a green right at the church’s back door.


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“I told him somebody was gonna miss a putt on Sunday morning and start cussing, and I didn’t think that would be very good,” Roquemore says. The green was moved to less holy ground. Roquemore was a good enough golfer to consider going pro, but decided time with family was more important than a lucrative life on the road. He says playing with average golfers over the years gave him a better feel for his job. “Not everybody hits it like Tiger Woods,” he says. “Most people hit bad shots. Really bad. You have to know every good thing that can happen on a hole and every bad thing and design it so every golfer has a chance to score well. I want average golfers as well as pros to be able to enjoy our courses every day.” Roquemore’s courses currently on the pro tour — many done in conjunction with Lee — include La Costa in California, Canada’s Royal Montreal, Warwick Hills in Flint, Mich. and Chicago’s Cog Hill. He is especially proud of the three Disney World courses he designed with Lee. “People have no idea how hard it was to drain that swamp,” he says. For all his success, Roquemore admits to being nervous when asked to create a course in Scotland, considered the cradle of golf. “I told those folks I felt like I’d be bringing the Bible to Jerusalem,” he says. “But it worked out pretty well.” Roquemore says he wouldn’t trade places with anyone, but is quick to credit others for his success. “I’ve been blessed to have worked with so many great people, like Joe Lee,” he says. “Because of them I meet people every day who say they enjoyed playing one of my courses. When I hear that, it’s like ‘mission accomplished.’” NCM

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> SADDLE UP

Magnificent

Morgans

Coweta farm is home of outstanding competitors By Martha A. Woodham, Photos by Bob Fraley

A

t 71, Tom Hilgenberg says his competitive driving days are behind him. Once you’ve been at the top, it’s hard to compete just for fun. Despite his years, his drive to win still burns. The silver international medal displayed in his dining room proves it. In 1998, Hilgenberg and his Morgan gelding, Who’s Zoomin Who, represented the United States at the first World Singles Driving Championship in Austria. The U.S. team placed second, besting 29 other countries. Only Switzerland and its team of three women drivers performed better. Hilgenberg and “Gus” also placed seventh individually out of 63 horses competing, making Tom the highest scoring American driver. The drivers picked straws to determine order of go, and Tom

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pulled the longest straw. “He was the first man in the world to drive in the first international world singles class,” Tom’s wife, Charlene, says proudly. Tom’s contributions to the United States team were honored with the 1998 Morgan International Competition Award, and in 2000, he was named to the American Morgan Horse Association’s Hall of Fame. The Hilgenbergs’ trip to Austria actually began 30 years earlier, when the Delta pilot from Wisconsin became smitten with an attractive flight attendant from Macon. “Stewardess” in those days, says Tom. “She was flying back in the days when all the stewardesses were goodlooking girls.” Their first date was an omen of what their lives together would become: They went to a horse show near Carrollton. Charlene, who had grown up riding five-gaited saddle horses, introduced Tom to a new world, and he became as taken with horses as he was with her. After marrying in 1964, the Hilgenbergs settled in Coweta County. They bought two Morgan horses from a breeder (who happened to be Bing Crosby’s sister-in-law) so they could ride together on their 10acre Roscoe Road farm. The Morgan breed can be traced to an American stallion born in 1789. Owned by Justin Morgan, the stallion was named “Figure.” Every registered Morgan today traces back to Figure through one of his three sons, Sherman, Bulrush and Woodbury. The Morgan horse, with his proud carriage and upright, graceful neck, makes an especially good carriage horse. His compact, wellmuscled body and sloping shoulder fits well into a harness, and he also has a spirited, pleasant disposition and a great desire to please. Morgans MAY/JUNE

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are very trainable and look elegant pulling a carriage. In the early 1970s, the Hilgenbergs’ horse breeding and showing operations needed more space. They moved Great Oaks Morgans to a 100-acre farm on Mt. Carmel Road. Although they had long competed their horses under saddle and in carriage classes, in the mid-1970s, they were introduced to combined driving, which tests the condition, obedience and versatility of horses and ponies through a


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Patricia A. Recklet, DVM, LLC three-phase contest. These competitions, popular in Europe and the northern United States, are held for teams of one, two or four horses or ponies. (The fourhorse level, called a four-in-hand, is a favorite sport of Prince Phillip of Great Britain.) In combined driving, phase one is the dressage competition, a memorized test of compulsory figures where the teams are also judged on how elegant they look. Phase two is the cross-country marathon, a 10- to 20-mile race against time as driver and team careen through creeks and gates, around trees and fences, up and down steep hills without missing an obstacle or turning over the carriage. “It’s not a Sunday outing,” says Tom with a smile. “The horses have to be fit. They are really top athletes.” Phase three is the heart-stopping cones competition, where drivers negotiate a twisting-andturning course of narrowly spaced pairs of traffic cones with tennis balls on top. The cones are just inches from the spinning carriage wheels and flashing hooves. Any slight miscalculation will dislodge a ball, incurring penalties. Tom originally competed in pairs classes with a team of two Morgans. Eventually, he determined Gus was the best horse of the pair and switched to singles. As in most international sports, teams must qualify to compete at that level, so Tom and his Morgans have competed from Florida to Pennsylvania. He, Charlene and their horses have become very well-known in the rarified world of carriage driving and Morgan horse breeding. Tom is a former president of the American Driving Society, and the couple have organized Morgan horse shows and hosted 13 driving events at Great Oaks. They are also founding members of the Georgia Morgan Horse Club. Beside Gus, the Hilgenbergs have raised and trained some outstanding Morgans. Ashley DeBoyd, one of the best known, was Georgia Champion in 1970, 1971 and 1972. Neighknob Heather, obtained in 1972, had an excellent early show career and went on to numerous victories in harness with Tom driving and under saddle with the Hilgenbergs’ daughter, Heidi, riding. In 1984, the couple discovered 16-year-old Fairmead Damien at a sale of Morgan horses. Damien, bred by another Coweta family, had had an illustrious career as a show horse. Charlene did not approve of the person trying to buy Damien, so she joined the bidding. Her quick action brought the senior citizen to Great Oaks.

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“He was very talented,” she recalls. “We used to say he could think and count.” In 1986, the Dixie Cup, a regional Morgan competition held in Georgia, offered a carriage driving division, and Damien entered a new career at 18. Shown by Tom and on occasion by Charlene, the 14.2-hand gelding won carriage classes as well as combined driving events. At age 20, Damien won his singles division in his first marathon, held at Gladstone, N.J., home of the U.S. Olympic Team. Damien also won several Morgan world championships as well as many other national carriage competitions such as the famous Walnut Hill show in New York. Life is quieter now at Great Oaks. The horses share the farm with an amazing number and variety of dogs. The Hilgenbergs have about 10 horses of their own and several

boarders, most of them Morgans. Tom drives Great Oaks Yorwick, and Heidi has several prospects she is bringing along. Now 20, Gus is still hale and hearty — Morgans are long-lived horses, often reaching their mid-30s — but like Tom, the chestnut gelding has slowed down. His muzzle is tinged with gray. The two often take pleasure drives, but the thrills of the marathon are over for Gus. Sometimes Tom and Gus give lessons to students eager to learn the skills of handling a horse at the end of long reins. Gus’ students appreciate their talented teachers, both two- and four-legged. They know they are learning from the best. “Unlike riding, you can’t just get on and go,” says Tom. “You’ve got to have a horse that will accept the carriage. If the horse is going to get scared of that four-wheeled creature

back behind him, you are in trouble.” Gus and Tom ... still a special partnership. NCM

Want to know more about Morgan horses? Contact the Hilgenbergs at www.greatoaksmorgans.com or 770-253-1201 The annual Dixie Cup Spring Classic will be held May 10-12 at the Georgia International Horse Park. Admission is free. This horse show showcases Morgan, Saddlebred, roadster, pony and academy divisions. Event promoter: Barbara Goda, 770-475-1244.

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Spring Home Garden

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FABULOUS Local pros can stitch up your favorite home fashions — or teach you to do it yourself

Ella Thompson works on some draperies for a client.

By Janet Flanigan, Photos by Bob Fraley

H

ome economics classes fell out of vogue in the 1970s and, unlike generations of women before, modern women found that suddenly, sewing was out. It wasn’t cool. Wouldn’t you know? Just as fashions from decades past are reappearing on the runways of Paris, Milan and New York, those Singer and Bernina sewing machines are becoming hot properties once more. Mothers are again teaching daughters to sew, but what about the women who missed out on sewing back in the day? There is a craze surrounding “sewing lounges” that is sweeping the nation from coast to coast to help those of us who don’t know a “dart” from a “don’t.”

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This window treatment and the one below were stitched by longtime Newnan stylemaker Ella Thompson.

A sewing lounge is the modern day equivalent of the sewing circle of the past. Women (and men, if they desire) get together and learn the fine art of sewing, drapery making, upholstery and other decorative arts. Sewing lounges are popping up from San Francisco to Minneapolis to New York and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and other national publications. In fact, 35 million people across the United States are home sewing enthusiasts, up from 30 million in 2000, according to the Home Sewing Association. “I had so many friends begging me to teach them how to sew that I finally decided it was time,” says Cindy Roberson, owner of 34 Madison Design Studio, a sewing lounge located off the square in downtown Newnan. Upstairs, 34 Madison features individual sewing tables with machines, a large cutting table and a separate area for upholstery. “We teach custom drapery, woodworking (cornice boards), upholstery and lampshade classes in the evenings. We have lots of fun while learning,” Roberson said. While many people competently match complimentary fabrics for sofas, chairs, draperies and other coordinating room furnishings, other MAY/JUNE

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people find textile selection a daunting task. There are so many choices: chintz, silk, cotton, linen, patterns, stripes, panels, pinch pleats … Yikes! If you just aren’t up to the task, 34 Madison will be happy to take over your project and make it for you. “One interesting trend in draperies is our customers really want to ‘let the sun shine in,’ so to speak,” Roberson said, “so they are creating a

single panel of drapes to hang in between a set of windows in a dining or living room. Patterned silk lined with flannel is especially popular, then puddling a little on the floor. The flannel gives the silk more substance and protects from sun damage. It’s beautiful.” The stumbling block for many people is how to get from “there to here.” They say “I know what I like

when I see it” but have difficulty getting an independent start. In fact, most designers ask clients to start tearing photos they like out of favorite magazines to give the designer a good idea of the client’s tastes. For anyone who wants to redecorate, keeping a “tickler file” of favorite design ideas will help you immeasurably when selecting paint, textiles, furniture, wallpaper and more because you can hone in on your tastes. Ella Thompson of Fabrics and Draperies by Ella admits it can seem daunting to try and pull together patterned fabrics at first, but she believes color is key to bringing

Jan Black and a dress she made

Jan Black, above, works on curtains during a session at 34 Madison

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Eltanlia Phillips and Cindy Roberson work on a day bed cover.


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Cindy Roberson and Jan Basset at work at 34 Madison Design Studio.

together a room. “Find the colors to coordinate – pick the color in the room that you want to work with and then make sure that color runs through all the other fabrics,” she suggests. Ella is a design “fixture” in Newnan, in business for almost 30 years, first in downtown Newnan and then, three years ago, moving to

Spence Street. Although the name of her business says “fabrics and draperies,” she and her staff reupholster furniture, design padded headboards and offer myriad design capabilities. Her untold numbers of fabric book samples and coordinating trims are like “eye candy” to the redecorating minded customer. Ella echoes Cindy Roberson’s observation that silk remains a popular choice for draperies, and both say there are also excellent faux silks available as well. Patterns stitched in the silk, slubs (lines running through the fabric) and plaids are all favorites. Other textiles

that are top sellers are linens, chenille, and even leather is making a small comeback. Dark brown and light blue is a gorgeous color combination that many people are selecting for furniture. “Often you will see home colors mirror fashion trends, but fortunately home styles stick around a little longer,” Ella smiles. Cindy concurs. “I love what I call the ‘new’ ’70s colors which are the colors from my youth, only more updated and vibrant. The teens will use them in their rooms, but parents aren’t ready to take the risk. We see those colors in chic New York or Miami homes but not here so much yet.” If you find yourself looking around your home and thinking it’s time for a fresh look, begin by tearing out those magazine pages of designs you like. It’s “sew” easy to get started! NCM

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Trends inTile by LaTina Emerson, Photos by Bob Fraley

T

ired of the look of your bathroom? Getting ready to decorate your new home? There are many things to consider when selecting tile, so before you make an investment, check out some of the latest trends. Lisa and Dan Staffieri, owners of Fayette Ceramic Tile Inc. in

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Newnan, have seen many styles come and go, and they work hard to keep customers informed about what’s new. “Natural stone or travertine is really big right now,” said Staffieri. “The colors and sizes it’s available in now are incredible.” Available in practically all sizes, it can be found in

shapes such as a diamond. “It’s just so fun to play with. You can create so many different categories. It comes on a mesh already in a pattern, or you can put different colors together with different designs. The design possibilities are endless,” she said.


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Natural stone tile can be used on floors, walls and countertops. There are also porcelain tiles that have the appearance of travertine. Staffieri raved about a new color selection called scabos. “They came across a real neat vein in the mountain there (in Turkey), and it’s so colorful with the golds and reds. The variety it has within itself is incredible.” Another tile trend is mixing glass tile accents with stone tiles. Glass tiles, found in iridescents and a rainbow of colors, are often used for higher-end designs. “The metals are pretty popular right now, too,” Staffieri said. Metal tile comes in a variety of colors such as copper, bronze, rust and pewter, and the designs include braids, suns and harlequins. Subway tile is also “in” these days. The tile measures 3 x 6 inches. “A lot of the tiles and stones come in that shape. It’s more the shape than the type of tile,” said Staffieri. It is used mostly on walls and backsplashes, with the kitchen area being the most

Lisa Staffieri of Fayette Ceramic Tile Inc. in Newnan says natural stone or travertine is a popular style with customers right now. Opposite, some mosaic and glass styles from her showroom.

Caryn Gaffney, Jack Haynes, Sherry Thompson and Adrienne Hicks of Traditions in Tile and Stone in Sharpsburg.

In this display at Traditions in Tile and Stone, tile dresses up both floor and walls of a bathroom. MAY/JUNE

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Cowhide tile, shown here, and the glass tile at left are some of the new tile styles, according to Traditions in Tile and Stone.

popular. Mosaics have also emerged as a decorating trend. “A mosaic is broken or cut pieces of various stones put together as a design on a mesh,” Staffieri said. Some also contain glass or tile. And it’s not just the tile giving homeowners more options today. Grout can also give a room a different

appearance and comes in all colors of the spectrum. Design professionals with Traditions in Tile and Stone in Sharpsburg are also taking note of the latest styles. “We’re seeing a really strong market for glass tile in smaller mosaic formats in kitchens and bath use,” said Adrienne Hicks, product development director. “One thing that’s really popular is using glass in the shower.” Cool colors can give the

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shower a spa-like feel, she said. “One trend that we’re seeing with stone floors is patterns in larger sizes,” Hicks said. “This is for two reasons: new home construction or average square footage is getting so much larger that it really calls for a larger sized tile to be used, and in small areas using a larger tile makes it feel bigger.” The minimum size tile, according to Hicks, is getting bigger and bigger. “A 12x12 used to be a standard size, but now it’s 18s and 20s that are becoming more popular,” she said. Stone floor tiles are now as large as 24x36. “A couple of years ago, this would have been unheard of,” said Hicks. “We’re also seeing that rather than what used to be a standard size such as the 3x6 tile, it’s a little more

modern to use a 4x8 or 4x12. The plank-style look is a really big trend and we’re seeing it nationally and in European design.” In marble tile, rather than a high or mirror polished finish, matte finishes are becoming the norm. Tile with the appearance of fabric or carpeting is also emerging, making it possible to have a flat surface with a textural look. Carpet tiles can be used in an office or rooms that wouldn’t normally have carpet, such as the laundry room. Hicks said the tile “warms up a room.” “Darker colored stones are definitely emerging. The neutral colored beige travertine has been the most popular, but people are looking toward deeper, richer colors,” said Hicks. Darker browns, and most

recently, gray, are popular choices. “We’re seeing the southeast become a bigger market for grays, charcoal colors, soft grays. Gray is a cooler, sleeker and more modern look,” said Hicks. One of the most important trends is that tile is becoming more affordable, according to Hicks. “Color trends come and go,” said Hicks. “You can always make changes with the fabric and the furnishings, but when you get a really beautiful tile or stone, it can last forever.” NCM

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New Trends By LaTina Emerson, Photos by Bob Fraley and Angela McRae

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S

tep aside plants of old — there’s some new plants in town. While we would never really abandon our old plants, it’s fun to consider the new possibilities now on the market. Mike Cunningham, owner of Country Gardens Farm & Nursery in Newnan, has more than 25 years of experience in the gardening industry and shares some of his favorites among the latest additions to the plant world. “Everybody comes in during the springtime and asks, ‘What’s new this year?’” said Cunningham. “That’s what’s driving the market right now. New plants are keeping people excited. They don’t want to use the same thing they used last year and they want something different.” New plants originate from three different sources. Some of it is done by breeding when plants cross pollinate. Other new plants are those which might have “fallen out of favor” for one reason or another or might have had viruses in the past. Plants infected with a virus undergo a process called “virus indexing” where they are cleaned up and reintroduced to the market, Cunningham said. Still other plants are introductions from other countries. Many are brought to the U.S. from New Zealand and other areas of the world. The University of Georgia Trial Garden is the first to receive many of these new breeds. “They trial a lot of new varieties there and evaluate them,” said Cunningham. This testing location is Coweta’s best source for plant ratings because the university is located nearby, he said. Plants are scored every two weeks to see how they fare under our Echinacea or coneflower Opposite: Mike and Judy Cunningham of Country Gardens. MAY/JUNE

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summer sun. Dr. Allen Armitage, UGA professor of horticulture, runs the trial garden. “He’s got a selection of plants that over the years he has introduced as the Athens Select,” said Cunningham. The plants are heat and humidity tested and considered to be the “cream of the crop.” “That’s where we take a lot of our

cues from,” said Cunningham. “That’s what we look to when we see a new variety.” Cunningham lists 34 plants as newcomers to the industry. His favorite choice among the new plants is the Echinacea, a coneflower which comes in the Sunrise, Sunset and Harvest Moon varieties. The perennial is an American native.

“That is one that was crosspollinated,” said Cunningham. “They were actually bred and developed here in Georgia at Saul’s Nursery in Dahlonega.” The Echinacea varieties come in several new colors. The flowers of the Echinacea Sunrise are citrus yellow. The Echinacea Sunset has vibrant orange daisy flowers with rose scented

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blooms, and the Coneflower Harvest Moon has deep golden-yellow petals with an orange cone and heavily branched and overlapping petals. They all range from 24 to 36 inches tall, depending on the type. The Sunrise and Sunset flowers can survive in full sun and are known to attract butterflies. A close second favorite for

Cunningham is the Euphorbia Diamond Frost. The annual plant is a Proven Winner Selection, a brand name selected nationwide. “We first saw it over at the university a few years ago. We’re growing it now. It kind of looks like baby’s breath. It’s hard to grow baby’s breath here,” he said. Baby’s breath is commonly used in floral

arrangements. For the full list of new plant recommendations, see our link at newnancowetamagazine.com. For more information about the University of Georgia Trial Garden, visit www.ugatrial.hort.uga.edu. To find out more about Athens Select plants, visit www.athensselect.com. NCM

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Jeff and Kelly Goolsby have transformed the look of their Newnan home with paint. Opposite, the striking difference it made when their all-white kitchen was painted a fresh, new color.

SELECTING THE

PAINT by Leigh Knight, Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of the Goolsbys

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A

re you looking for the most bang for your decorating buck? Try a fresh coat of paint. A splash of color is one of the least expensive but most dramatic changes you can make to your home. Choosing the right color, however, can also be one of the most frustrating. We hope these easy steps will take the mystery out of picking the perfect paint.

Before you begin Design House owner and interior designer Kelly Goolsby of Newnan recommends first choosing a rug, favorite fabric or piece of artwork. Next choose a paint color from that item. For a formal look, the walls could be the same color as the item’s background or use a dominant color. For a less formal room, simply use a less noticeable color from the selected item. Take into account any architectural details such as molding, trim, columns and brackets. Remember, paint can accentuate a room’s features or hide them. For example, Goolsby recently painted the baseboards in her new home’s master bedroom chocolate brown. “The walls are a smoky blue, which is a color trend for this year,” says Goolsby. “We painted all the trim in the house an antique white, lighter than the wall. So many people have asked, ‘Did you have all this trim before?’ It just didn’t show up.”

Before

After

Selecting interior paint Consider your room. Is it in a high or low traffic area? Flat paint, for instance, is best suited for ceilings, walls and surface imperfections. Use lo-lustre, satin and eggshell paint in areas where sheen is desired. These paints are easier to clean than flat paint, hold up better under repeated washings, and are good for high traffic areas such as hallways, woodwork, kitchens, baths, children’s rooms and playrooms. Semigloss and high-gloss paint and enamel are best suited for banisters, railings, shelves, kitchen cabinets, furniture, doorjambs, windowsills and any other surface you wish to accentuate. Be careful — the higher the gloss, the more it emphasizes any surface imperfections.

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After The Goolsby home was transformed both inside and out with new paint schemes.

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Don’t be afraid to paint bold and bright. If your room is unfurnished, a vibrant color can fill it until you can, but beware of yellow. “Yellow is probably the most difficult color to select. It has a tendency to appear darker on the walls than it is on the sample,” says Christi Estes, senior designer at Panoply Interior Design and Consulting in Newnan. “With yellow paint, I always recommend selecting the perfect yellow and then buying one shade lighter to use in your home. It will end up looking like your original perfect choice once applied vertically to the wall.” Don’t purchase low quality paint. Highquality paint performs better for a longer period of time. It’s less prone to yellow as it ages, goes on smoother, and won’t leave brush marks. It is also easier to wash and is dirt resistant. “The quality of paint makes such big difference in the final appearance,” says Kathryn Jenkins of Newnan, who has painted every room in her house. “My choice for paint has always been Benjamin Moore, but I have also used


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The Commonwealth Sherwin Williams and Duron.” “Try it out,” says Estes. “Many paint companies offer small sample sized portions of their paint colors for little to no cost. Purchase these and try them out on the walls of the room that you will be painting. Try not to put them too close to each other when testing them, however, as this will confuse the situation.” Newnan resident Mary Howard suggests painting a foam board. “It’s thicker than poster board, and you can move it around from room to room,” says Howard, who recently painted the ceiling in her dining room. NCM

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Photo courtesy of Panoply

0506_80_89

Tween Rooms

by Leigh Knight

Photos courtesy of Design House

It seems like yesterday you were putting the finishing touches on the nursery. Now your darling no longer wants to have a Barbie princess comforter, and your son has become too cool for his Spider-Man room. What’s a parent to do? Tweens, children ages 8-12, are often caught between the toys of childhood and the bigger life decisions of teenagers. For them, change is a constant, and when it comes to your child’s room, change can be good! “It is important for a pre-teen to feel that they have some input in the design of their room,” says Christi Estes, senior designer at Panoply Interior Design and Consulting in Newnan. “Color choices and furniture pieces that serve the needs of the pre-teen are specific items on which a preteen might contribute his or her ideas …. However, this being said, this is not the time to let

your pre-teen go wild with a design scheme that causes you to cringe every time you walk past his or her door. For this reason, it is wise to take your pre-teen’s ideas and find several options (three works well) that are appealing to both you and your child. Limiting choices allows you to retain control of the design while still allowing your child’s personal taste and personality to come through.” Ally Thomas, 11, recently approached her mom, Dawn, armed with catalogs and ideas for her room. “She has decided she wants to move to more of a teenager look. She ordered catalogs from Pottery Barn Teen, Pier I Kids and Ikea. She is very involved. We have similar tastes, and I am pretty open to her ideas. She has kind of a small room, so we decided on a day bed,” says Dawn. “It looks like a sofa, so her room will be like a little apartment. The day bed will give her friends

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FUNctional ideas for changing your child’s room from toddler to tween (without blowing your budget) a place to sit and hang out.” Redecorating your tween’s room provides a perfect opportunity to help him or her get organized, a vital skill for tweens, according to Lisa Shaak, owner of Functional by Design in Newnan.

“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to teach our children that less is more! Their rooms should be

peaceful and not chaotic. The less they have, the easier it is to keep everything categorized and contained,” says Shaak, who recommends keeping items in clear containers and on open shelving instead of closed cabinetry.

Budget-friendly tips for transforming your tween’s room: PAINT covers most things. Let them have fun with their walls, from multi-colored horizontal stripes to polka dots. Chalkboard paint is great for instant personalization.

with friends. For example, an old sofa can be recovered with inexpensive fabric and topped with pillows for a more girly look.

Allow your child to create ARTWORK for his or her room. Purchase the frame for the art in order to guide the size. As the artist matures, have him or her update the artwork or simply replace it with ready matted prints. Cool vintage and recent posters may be framed.

FABRIC depends on your tween. Some can handle more delicate silks while other tweens need the indestructible contract fabrics. Stick to washable fabrics for the main bed covers. Something textured or somewhat patterned is best for upholstery. These fabrics hide the inevitable stains.

Use EXISTING FURNITURE whenever possible. Create a seating area for reading or hanging out

Remember to have FUN. Redecorating can be a great bonding time for parents and tweens.

– Tips courtesy of Angie Thompson of Pineapple House Interior Design and Kelly Goolsby of Design House MAY/JUNE

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KEEPING APPEARANCES By Alex McRae, Photos by Bob Fraley

Newnan’s beautification department gives tips on keeping up your landscape

T

The bride was beside herself. After months of planning, the perfect day was in danger of becoming a nightmare. The problem wasn’t a skittish groom, but something worse ... the arrival of several uninvited lovers. The bride didn’t call a grief counselor. She dialed Mike Furbush, the City of Newnan’s Landscape Architect and Arborist. He isn’t a licensed marriage

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counselor, but as director of the city’s Beautification Department, Furbush is charged with keeping all the public spaces in Newnan neat, clean and inviting to residents, visitors and blushing brides. He knew just how to get rid of the “lovers,” the nickname for the yellow and black grasshoppers which had swarmed Newnan’s Temple Avenue Park and threatened to take over the picturesque gazebo where the


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vows were scheduled to be said. Furbush dispatched a squad of workers and, faster than you can say “I do,” the creepy critters were gone. The wedding went off without a hitch. “We always keep the park nice,” Furbush says, “but we try and make it extra nice for weddings. We were happy to help out.” Most property owners work themselves to the bone trying to keep an acre or less looking showroom sweet. Furbush and his crew have to keep a whole city shining. To get the job done they don’t go to work, they go to war. Every day is a blur of blood, sweat and blisters that would bruise the greenest thumb. In blazing sun and numbing cold, 12 staffers and crew chief Mike Olmstead stalk the

city like vegetation vigilantes, looking for any sign of weeds, worms or trash that might mar a beauty spot like the new First Avenue Park, which opened in late 2006. “We’re all dedicated to what we do,” Furbush says. “We take pride in trying to make the city as pretty as we can.” In addition to keeping the city’s six public parks spotless, the beautification team also pulls the weeds, plants the flowers and cuts the grass at the Farmer Street Cemetery, public safety complex on Jefferson Street, the Lower Fayetteville Road fire station, Newnan City Hall, city parking lots and part of the Court Square. Although the crews are trained to tackle any kind of problem, public places have a way of delivering

Mike Furbush, at right, is Landscape Architect and Arborist for the City of Newnan. Staff members who help keep the city beautiful include, above, Nick Greene and Carl Coalson. MAY/JUNE

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Keeping up appearances in Newnan is the task of the city’s Beautification Department. Working here are, from top, Sean West, Renee Guiton and Mike Olmstead, Terry Singleton (on mower) and Wesley Byce (blowing debris).

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unexpected surprises. One crew member wasn’t terribly surprised when he was chased up a tree by a cranky canine, but coming across a discarded prosthetic leg in the Temple Avenue Park was a shock to everyone. “We see lots of trash,” Furbush says, “but this is one of those things you just aren’t prepared for. The strangest thing was, nobody ever claimed it.” Furbush’s team also maintains the right of way on the Newnan Crossing Bypass, Newnan Crossing Boulevard East and the biggest, baddest and most discussed stretch of asphalt in Coweta County: Bullsboro Drive, which the city maintains all the way to Shenandoah Boulevard. “We can keep it cut,” Furbush says, “but it takes almost as long to pick up the trash as it does to cut the grass. But if we don’t, the place would look like confetti after the mowers go through.” Furbush says the key to keeping a yard — and a city — beautiful, is careful planning. The beautification department’s calendar is their Holy Bible of horticulture. The calendar shows exactly when to plant, when to pluck and when to apply pesticide and herbicide. “You have to stay ahead of things,” Furbush says. “That’s the key.” Crews also pray for rain. Not to water the plants, but to have time to maintain the city’s fleet of mowers, trucks, trailers, loaders, grinders, water tanks and an aerial lift truck for cutting high-reaching branches. The truck also comes in handy when beautification crews help put up and remove Christmas decorations. Some of the chores define “dirty job,” especially handling the sticky, stinky mulch which covers the city’s planting beds. But there is at least one job everyone looks forward to. “Mass plantings are fun,” Furbush says. “Everybody likes to plant flowers. That’s one job where you can look and see instant results.” With new parks in the pipeline and growing streetscape projects to tend, the job continues to grow, but Furbush and crews like it that way. They even manage to shrug off the occasional complaint. “With a job this big you expect some complaints,” Furbush says. “But most people are really nice and we get lots of compliments, too. That’s one of the things that keep us going.” Furbush says no matter how big or small the job, the keys to success are the same. “You have to have a plan, and you have to stay ahead of things,” he says. “But most of all, you need to have fun. If you view yard work as drudgery, it never gets done right.” NCM


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Newnan’s Oldest House For the Hobbs family, this is home

By W. Winston Skinner, Photos by John Beck

W

When Chris and Jodie Hobbs first peeped through the windows of the white house on LaGrange Street, they knew they were looking at something special – a treasure from Newnan’s past. What they did not know was that

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the Terrell-Redwine-Jones house was Newnan’s oldest standing residence. They later learned much about the frame structure, which dates to 1828. The house had been moved twice, had gained and lost an upper floor and had once been complemented by

what may have been Coweta’s grandest antebellum garden. More than two decades have passed since the couple, then engaged, looked through the windows and saw what the old house had been — and could be. They


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bought the house, and Jodie lived there while they were engaged. After the wedding, the newlyweds lived in a couple of rooms as work progressed. They have done extensive work, removing layers of paint from floors and from an intricately carved

mantel featuring a classic federal design. The beauty of the historic dwelling today is accented by the fact that much of the work has been done by the Hobbses themselves with help from members of their family.

Several surprises have also made the work interesting. The Hobbses discovered that Chris’s grandfather lived on the site of their home, in a structure that later burned, as a boy. A brick-lined well crafted by Chris’s great-grandfather is underneath a portion of the house. The Hobbses have been given some pieces of furniture that were in the house when it was the home of the Jones family and purchased some others. The central window upstairs was found at a dump and incorporated into the plans for the upper floor. The Hobbses’ home originally stood on what is now Jefferson Street, where the headquarters of ValuTeachers is located. When the house was built, Newnan was a new city. The first frame house, no longer standing, had been built by Mrs. Jane Posey down the street on the lot where Dr. William Shockley’s office is today. The builder of the Hobbs home was Dr. Joel Wingfield Terrell, a native of Wilkes County. A biographical sketch of Terrell, written in 1987 by Terrell researcher Dan Brinson, called Terrell “the first resident physician” in Newnan. Terrell’s interests were farreaching. He represented Coweta County in the state legislature and served as city treasurer. He also was a director of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. William U. Anderson, who penned Coweta’s first published history, wrote Terrell was “a prominent railroad contractor on our road from Atlanta to Newnan.” Terrell sold the home to Andrew J. Berry, who founded one of the community’s first banks. In 1858, the house again became the home of a physician when Berry sold the property to Columbus L. Redwine. MAY/JUNE

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It was Redwine who contracted with Berkman’s, an Augusta firm, to design an elegant garden at the home, then known as Rosemary. The garden at Rosemary remained essentially in place until the late 1980s. One of the few failed ventures in the Hobbses’ efforts to celebrate their home’s history occurred when shrubs rescued from the Rosemary garden didn’t survive transplanting. Dr. Redwine sold the house to Emily Kendrick, widow of a Confederate officer, in 1866. She 92

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gained a bit of notoriety when she refused to pass beneath the flag displayed by the American soldiers occupying Newnan. For her Rebel patriotism, Mrs. Kendrick was taken before a Union captain. She successfully pleaded her case, and one of the U.S. soldiers at the hearing said years later the spirited widow was his “ideal of the patriotic Southern woman.” In 1867, Mrs. Kendrick married Dr. James Stacy, pastor of her church, Newnan Presbyterian. Stacy had come to Newnan in 1857 and stayed

until 1900 “when he reluctantly gave up on account of failing health and infirmities of age,” Sarah S. Parrott wrote in her history of the church. Stacy descended from several prominent families in coastal Georgia. He wrote “The History and Published Records of Midway Congregational Church” more than 100 years ago. The book is still in print today. Not only did James Stacy serve faithfully as a pastor and write a book with a long shelf life, he went to the house at Rosemary as bridegroom and remained there until his death in 1912, having survived Emily Stacy by three years. After the Stacys died, the property was sold to Dr. T. J. Jones. The Hobbses have been told Dr. Jones practiced medicine in a front room of their house. Later he built the large brick house that now stands on the lot for his second wife, Mary Gibson Jones, one of the authors of “Coweta Chronicles,” a history published in 1928. The brick dwelling later became


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a chiropractors’ office and then for years was home to Newnan Federal Savings and Loan and the banks that succeeded it. The original house at Rosemary was moved to Madison Street, facing what is now the Arnall Parking Lot. An upper floor — added during the Redwines’ ownership — was destroyed by fire. In 1981, Arnold Wright bought the house and moved it to the current site. Jodie Hobbs said the historical significance of her home does occasionally cross her mind as she goes about the daily tasks involved in being a wife, mother and teacher. Chris Hobbs said he used to think about it, but seldom does now. After all, Chris and Jodie Hobbs — and their children, Candler and Anna — are busy living the latest chapter in the history of Newnan’s oldest house. NCM

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THE BOOKSHELF The Phony Marine By Jim Lehrer Random House, $23.95 Reviewed by Holly Jones

the way the colorful pin looks against his coat. When the owner of the restaurant notices the pin, Hugo is given a free sandwich. He is a hero, after all. Hugo starts wearing the pin to other Hugo Marder is a Clark Kent who restaurants, to work, to jury duty. People dreams of being Superman. see him wearing the military honor and Actually, in Jim Lehrer’s The Phony treat him differently. He is looked at with Marine, Hugo Marder is a 54-year-old respect — looked at, not overlooked. sales clerk in an upscale men’s clothing Meeting other former Marines poses a bit of a problem. The Marines are a tight brotherhood with their own language, mannerisms and way of looking at life. But Hugo is determined to become a part of this brotherhood, even if he has to fake his way through the door. He studies manuals and videos, puts himself on a diet and through his own boot camp. He learns a new way of walking, talking and carrying himself. Soon, he is even dodging bullets in a courtroom. But the bullets Hugo is really dodging are guilt and fear. If his secret is discovered, he could lose his reputation, his job, his friends and his newfound respect. store in Washington D.C. Divorced, overThe Phony Marine is a character study weight and balding, he is a snappy dresser and story of a man trying to find himself and an eBay fanatic. by putting on a mask, and then realizing Those are all the things Hugo is. he didn’t need it at all. He’s a Clark Kent What he wants to be is a Marine. who doesn’t have to become Superman When Hugo accidentally stumbles because, to his friends, he already is. across an eBay auction for a military Silver Star, he not only bids on it, he wins. Once The Crossroads Cafe the medal arrives, Hugo decides to wear it, By Deborah Smith and that’s when things start happening. Belle Books, $16.95 Hugo could have joined the Marines Reviewed by Holly Jones in college and gone to Vietnam. Instead, he panicked and stayed in college to “There are people nobody become a graphic artist or cartoonist — notices, but the world revolves neither of which he is. around them. They’re the quiet Not becoming a Marine is one of ones, the strong, peaceful ones, Hugo’s greatest regrets. who form the unbreakable hub The first time Hugo puts the Silver for a bunch of fragile spokes. True Star lapel pin on his jacket, it is rather families aren’t bred, they’re spun innocently. He is just going to walk down together. And at their center, at the street to grab some dinner and likes the center of the infinite wheel of 94

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every family of every kind, blood or otherwise, there is a hub, that person, those people, who hold the wheel together and keep it turning.” At the beginning of Deborah Smith’s novel The Crossroads Cafe, Cathryn Deen sees herself as a hub. She is, after all, a movie star and “the most beautiful woman in the world” according to all the magazines. That is, until the accident. While driving down Ventura Highway, Cathryn finds herself chased by paparazzi. Seconds later she is flying over the guardrail, her car on its side, trapping her. Cathryn smells smoke. She escapes but lands in gasoline-created mud. Seconds later, she hears “a soft, sinister whoosh.” The right half of Cathryn’s body goes up in flames while the paparazzi videotapes it. Suddenly, Cathryn is not who she thought she was. Her husband divorces her, her agent, hair and makeup people can’t get far enough away, and the rest of the world wants to make money off her tragedy. She is lost, alone and suicidal. But one thought keeps popping into Cathryn’s head — biscuits. Before Cathryn became a mega-wattpageant-winning-superstar, she was a southern girl whose grandmother lived on Wild Woman Ridge in North Carolina. Cathryn still has family there, but she hasn’t spoken to them in 20 years. Lucky for Cathy — as Cathryn’s cousin Delta calls her — biscuits are the family specialty. And Delta insists biscuits and family are all Cathy needs to heal. Only a threat to her grandmother’s farm finally


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gets Cathy to Wild Woman Ridge. Unfortunately, the person making the threat is as emotionally scarred as Cathy. Thomas Mitternich lost his wife and son in the North Tower on Sept. 11, 2001 and blames himself for their deaths. He ran away to the mountains to hide from the world, but Delta has other plans for Thomas and her cousin. Cathy thought when she was beautiful, the world revolved around her. But it is her scars, emotional and physical, as well as Delta and the Crossroads Cafe, that truly teach Cathy about strength, families and keeping the wheel turning. Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ Simon & Schuster, $25 By Paula Deen with Sherry Suib Cohen Reviewed by Angela McRae In the world of old-fashioned southern cooking, Paula Deen is royalty. She’s got five cookbooks, two Food Network shows, two restaurants, a cooking magazine, and countless fans who like butter and potatoes just as much as she does. What Deen has not had is a memoir, and she remedies that with Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’. Deen grew up in Albany, Ga., with a childhood of roller skating and swimming at her grandparents’ hotel and living at her family’s gas station and souvenir shop. Deen was a cheerleader at Albany High School, falling for the handsome Jimmy Deen and marrying at 18. The marriage was a difficult one because of her husband’s drinking and inability to keep a job. When Deen lost her parents at young ages, she developed severe agoraphobia that took her years to overcome. Her husband’s parade of jobs led them to Savannah, a move for which Deen is grateful. There she started The Bag Lady, a business in which she and sons Jamie and Bobby took sandwiches to local offices at lunchtime. Then came a

stint with a hotel restaurant and finally a now-famous restaurant of her own, The Lady & Sons. Anyone who’s ever watched her show won’t be surprised by some of the stories she tells. She wants fans to know her flaws, such as her smoking habit and post-divorce affair with a married man. Deen is also candid about the “fairytale” TV wedding of her and Michael Groover that was almost upstaged by her stormy relationship with his daughter. (They’re friends today, and Deen gives her stepdaughter space to tell her side of the story.) Deen’s sons figure prominently in the book. Sometimes home life was not good, and early in the business the Deen boys weren’t happy to be there. The reward, of course, is that Deen’s perseverance has provided what is today a great life for both her and her sons. Although Deen has lots to say about working with family, she believes her son Bobby summed it up well when he said,

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS These are the people who make Newnan-Coweta Magazine possible. Please let them know you appreciate their support!

3 4

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Advantage Realty of Georgia . . . . . . . 56 Aesthetic Laser Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 All Stars Academy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 AMSI Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Angie’s Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Animal Medical Clinic of Newnan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Ansley’s Attic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Atlanta Vascular Specialists . . . . . . . . 66 The Auction Way Company . . . . . . . . . 53 Au Pair USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Bank of Coweta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Baptist Retirement Communities of Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 BB&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Jay S. Berger, M.D., P.C.. . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Blackhawk Foundation Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Boscoe’s Pools/Aqua Enterprises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Brown’s Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Buffalo Rock/Pepsi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Campanile’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Center for Allergy and Asthma . . . . . . . 5 Classic World Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Commonwealth/ Susie Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Connie’s Antiques & Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . 64 The Cotton Pickin’ Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Coweta Dentistry Associates . . . . . . . 57 Coweta Pool & Fireplace . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Crescent Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . 35 Law Offices of Stephen E. Fanning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Fayette Ceramic Tile, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 75 Flint Gallery of Panoply. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Formals & More. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Glamour Pooch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Gotcha Covered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Heritage Retirement Homes of Peachtree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 The Heritage School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Hit the Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Hollberg’s Fine Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . 61

It’s A Small World Children’s Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Jefferson Street BBQ and Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 J&R Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Kimble’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Lee-King Pharmacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Legacy Too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Lindsey’s Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Main Street Newnan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Meiller Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Milli Sanders Gifts & Decor. . . . . . . . . 16 Morgan Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Newnan Academy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Parks & Mottola Realtors. . . . . . . . . . . 61 Patricia Recklett, DVM, LLC. . . . . . . . . 65 Peachtree HematologyOncology Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Piedmont Newnan Hospital. . . . . . . . . . 2 Radiation Oncology Services . . . . . . . . 3 Red Door Consignment Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Rocky’s Barber Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Scott’s Book Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 The Shops of Beard & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Southern Crescent Equine Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Southern Regional Health System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Superior Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 The Southern Federal Credit Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The Times-Herald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Traditions in Tile & Stone . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Uniglobe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 University of West Georgia . . . . . . . . . 17 Watts Furniture Galleries . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Woodland Parks at Summerlin/Keller Williams . . . . . . . 79 The Wynn House on Spring/ Bob Shapiro Photography/ The Major Long House . . . . . . . . . . 51 1-800-Got Junk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

July/August Advertising Deadlines Contract Ads: May 16, 2007, New Ads: May 25, 2007 Call 770.683.6397 for details and advertising information. MAY/JUNE

2007

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10

things I’ve learned ...

as the Operator of Wishbone Fried Chicken As told to Elizabeth Richardson

Most days Beth Barnett, 36, smells like fried chicken, and she’s okay with that. Barnett’s father, John Thomas, bought Wishbone in 1985. Barnett was the least involved of four daughters, only occasionally working at the business. She married in 1993 and graduated with a secondary education degree from Auburn that she never aggressively pursued. John suffered a massive stroke in 1998 and Barnett took over the business.

(1) There’s never enough hours in a day to do it all. With it being a small business, a lot of it falls on me to do versus having someone to delegate to. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type person, like my father, but we seem to always land on our feet. (2) It’s never the same day twice. I have to understand that something is going to go wrong. If you go into it with that mindset versus ‘I hope today is a perfect day,’ I think you do better — it’s all in the expectations. (3) Just about everybody likes fried chicken. I think of it as a comfort food, and we have a real diverse clientele. (4) We have a lot of loyal customers. Since Dad’s been incapacitated, for every five customers you wait on, you’ve got one asking about him. (5) We’re very old-fashioned. We have the same menu, the same food and the same people preparing it — that may be a part of its longevity. It’s a more competitive environment now, but we’ve held on to our little piece of the pie. (6) It’s hard to teach someone the business. My husband worked with me for six months and it was hard for me to delegate to him. When his former employer approached him about coming back and he told me, I was like ‘Go back — go immediately.’ But, it was a good trial — we would have never known unless we tried. (7) It’s hard being a female and trying to juggle it all. A lot of this is a man’s world. Dealing with repairmen was intimidating at first, but you build those relationships and the experiences make you more comfortable. My dad was better at that. (8) I feel like I should be a counselor sometimes. Customers will open up to you — people you don’t even know. It’s kind of like being a bartender. We’ve had some colorful customers over the years. (9) Wishbone has become a great learning environment for my sons. I look forward to when they’re both able to help more. That’s what my dad loved — having his girls around as all of us would work toward the common goal. I miss that with my Dad. (10) I could probably eat chicken every day — I don’t tire of it. I love bringing it home after I’ve worked. It’s kind of my reward at the end of the day. It’s funny because my husband and children are not big chicken eaters. I can’t imagine someone not liking chicken — that is just un-American. NCM 98

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NEWNAN-COWETA

MAGAZINE


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