Newnan-Coweta Magazine, November/December 2008

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MAGAZINE

A Times-Herald Publication

• Decorating • A Thanksgiving Feast • Holidays in Coweta November/December 2008 | $3.95

12

Days of Christmas Projects

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At Piedmont Newnan Hospital, there’s one person who’s respected more than the doctor. The patient. Our doctors and medical staff are truly exceptional. They’ve earned their reputation by combining years of expertise with true empathy. The fact is, everyone at Piedmont is committed to making hospital seem more

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ON OUR WEBSITE www.newnancowetamagazine.com

Special Features Web extras you’ll find only online. Look for the computer icon throughout every issue to lead you to the special content at newnancowetamagazine.com. Book giveaways Online Surveys Guest Book Recipe Box

MAGAZINE Established 1995 A publication of The Times-Herald President

Vice President

William W. Thomasson

Marianne C. Thomasson Publisher

Podcasts Blogs Links of local interest

Sam Jones Editor Angela McRae Art Director Deberah Williams Contributing Writers Megan Almon, Carolyn Barnard, Jeff Bishop, Janet Flanigan, Nichole Golden, Holly Jones, Meredith Leigh Knight, Katherine McCall, Tina Neely, Elizabeth Richardson, W. Winston Skinner, Martha A. Woodham Photography Bob Fraley, Jeffrey Leo, Tara Shellabarger Circulation Director Naomi Jackson Sales and Marketing Director Colleen D. Mitchell Advertising Manager Lamar Truitt Advertising Consultants Doug Cantrell, Stefanie Dowda, Candy Johnson,

Congratulations to Susan Coggin of Newnan, winner of our iPod giveaway! Sign up for our latest giveaways at newnancowetamagazine.com.

Jeanette Kirby, RoseMary Reid, Christine Swentor Advertising Design Debby Dye, Graphics Manager Sandy Hiser, Jonathan Melville, Sonya Studt

ON OUR COVER

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, call 770.683.6397 or e-mail colleen@newnan.com. Newnan-Coweta Magazine is published bi-monthly by The Times-Herald, Inc., 16 Jefferson St., Newnan, GA 30263. 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. 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. On the Web: www.newnancowetamagazine.com © 2008 by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Member:

Enjoy the simple pleasure of making handcrafted decorations such as our festive wreath fashioned by Art Director Deberah Williams. Can you guess what it’s made of? – Cover photo by Bob Fraley 4

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MAGS MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHEAST

WINNER OF FOUR 2008 GAMMA AWARDS (for issues published in 2007) Gold Award for General Excellence, Gold Award for Best Single Issue, Gold Award for Best Profile, Bronze Award for Best Photography

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contents Features November/December 2008

14 A WITCHER FAMILY THANKSGIVING If you think your Thanksgiving meal is a big deal, just talk to Eleanor Witcher Bridges of Newnan, who hosts 50 to 100-plus family members at Thanksgiving each year. (And don’t miss her dressing recipe. This woman knows how to feed a crowd!)

22 IT’S A SMALL WORLD For Heidi Nieuwenhuis of Newnan, it really is a small world since she started handcrafting Christmas scenes in miniature. From a log cabin with a chimney that really smokes to precious penguins parading around the Christmas tree, this tiny world is a delight.

48 HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 20 THE GEORGIAGEORGIA TECH GAME The Saturday after Thanksgiving means it’s time once more for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to take on the Georgia Bulldogs. A Yellow Jacket and a Bulldog share some thoughts surrounding the big event.

36 HAVE A BALL THIS CHRISTMAS! Here at the magazine, we’ve been busy swapping ideas for handmade Christmas crafts. We share some of our own do-it-yourself ideas as well as an exclusive project from someone who knows a thing or two about good design at the holidays – and all through the year. 6

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There are plenty of holiday activities to enjoy right here in Coweta County this year. Consult our list for some of the most popular holiday happenings and mark your calendar.

50 A TASTE OF FLORIDA IN ROSCOE At John and Carolyn Ellison’s home in Roscoe, the relaxing Florida lifestyle is always on display, right down to the Tiki Hut that’s ready for a party at the drop of a hat.

56 FILMMAKING IN GEORGIA Filmmaker Terry Chenowith, who works from his home in Newnan as well as in Hollywood, says new tax incentives mean the filmmaking business in Georgia is on the upswing.

28 A LADIES CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON For years now, women in Coweta County have joined in the tradition of decorating a holiday-themed table for their church Christmas dinner or tea. Never ones to be outdone, the Coweta ladies have pulled out all the stops with fresh new ideas for this year’s table decor.

60 LETTING HER LIGHT SHINE Well-known radio personality Sheila Richards Harper gives an update on what’s going on in her life these days and discusses her fight against cancer.

74 THE CENTRE STRINGS Thanks to Dr. Lyn Schenbeck, the four-year-old Centre Strings orchestral group at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts is providing a performance outlet for amateur and experienced players alike.

80 HOMECOMING QUILTS It was a homecoming for people as well as quilts when members of Macedonia Baptist Church decided to mount a display of heirloom quilts at this year’s Homecoming celebration.

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Departments 45 COWETA COOKS

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Vicki Hunter knows that teenagers can be hard to please. If entertaining teens is on your holiday schedule, check out her recipes for crowd-pleasing holiday buffet foods.

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64 SADDLE UP Although India is known as the birthplace of polo and has a history of horse racing, eventing is practically unknown there. That’s why Imtiaz Anees now trains horses and teaches students at his Springtown Stables in Moreland.

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70 LOCAL HERITAGE Minutes can be fascinating for what they tell – and what they don’t. The Newnan Reading Circle is celebrating a century this year, and the history of these thinking ladies is told – in various degrees of descriptiveness – in the minutes kept by the secretary.

86 THE THOUGHTFUL GARDENER Ever thought of keeping a garden journal? Our Thoughtful Gardener offers tips for compiling such a journal of your own, one that is uniquely suited to your gardening style.

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92 FAMILY FUN

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All aboard! The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is a great day trip option for local families, and it offers trips on the Santa Train just in time for Christmas.

94 MEET A READER

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Meet Allison Wienand, a local businesswoman who explains why her idea of perfect bliss includes Marlin fishing off the coast of Australia.

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In every issue 10 EDITOR’S LETTER 95 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 96 THE BOOKSHELF 98 10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED 8

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> FROM THE EDITOR

Coming Soon: Our ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ hen I was growing up in Buchanan, way back before “Martha” meant Martha, the local 4-H office was THE place for holiday decorating inspiration. I eagerly awaited the cooking and crafts booklets they compiled each Christmas, and it was through them I learned to make my first yarn doll. You know that trick, don’t you? You wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard a bunch of times, tie off the top, cut the bottom, and then tie other bits of yarn depending on whether you want a boy doll or girl doll. Thus began my addiction. First it was yarn dolls, then it was on to yarn poodles and crocheted flowers, doilies and afghans. (Give a kid a little glitter and macaroni in first grade and you never know where she might end up.) Every year, I come up with a most unrealistic list of craft projects I hope to complete between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In a perfect world, I’d make an afghan or quilt for everyone on my list, and I would also upgrade my knitting skills in order to make cableknit sweaters for my husband and other family members. Eventually, reality sets in and long about

Dec. 20 I’m power knitting (or crocheting) simple scarves for everyone. But when I give something handmade, I’m giving the recipient the gift of my time, and that’s really the most “expensive” thing I have to give. With the economy the way it is this year, and with several new friends I hope to surprise with Christmas gifts, I really need to crank up my crafting skills, and pronto. Of course we get to celebrate Thanksgiving first. This year, my family will be coming to Newnan to have Thanksgiving with Alex and me. I’m already thinking about place settings and favors and where I stashed that great recipe for super easy homemade cranberry sauce. Fortunately, I have a nice library of holiday decorating and baking books, and I’ve begun pulling them all out. But you can always seem to use one more good idea, right? Art Director Deberah Williams and I always seem to come up with more ideas than we can possibly squeeze into this Thanksgiving/ Christmas issue of the magazine, so we’ve decided to extend the fun. Beginning Dec. 1, we’ll host an online “Twelve Days of Christmas” celebration. And if you want to start now, you can make your own ornament (like the one I made at left) after reading the story on page 36. Like to create? Like to bake? Then come along as we share more ideas at newnancowetamagazine.com.

Fondly,

Angela McRae, Editor angela@newnan.com

P.S. Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for the wreath on our cover! Can you guess what we used to make it? See page 41 for the surprising answer.

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Herb Bridges slices the turkey when wife Eleanor Witcher Bridges plays host to her large family at Thanksgiving.

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Witcher family By Elizabeth Richardson | Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of Eleanor Bridges

F

or most, Thanksgiving means family converging on a dinner table for food, fellowship and fun. This American tradition is no different for Eleanor Witcher Bridges’ family – only when relatives bear down on her Newnan home, she plays host to some 50 people, and that’s the “small” crowd. Bridges, 75, and her husband, Herb, have three children and five grandchildren. Family is of utmost importance. Eleanor Bridges, daughter of William Brewer Witcher and Amelia Crawford Witcher, was the youngest of nine children. Her family always came home for the holidays and

often for big Sunday dinners. “I grew up with a lot of family, then I married an only child,” jokes Bridges. Bridges’ mother died in 1974. The following Thanksgiving, her siblings all did their own thing “and I didn’t like it at all,” Bridges decided. In 1976, Bridges had her family over to her home for Thanksgiving. “Everybody said, ‘Hey, this is fun. Why don’t we do this every year?’ And from then on that’s what we’ve done.” The first Thanksgiving, 36 people attended – followed by 46 the next year and 56 after that. Bridges attributes the increase to “youngsters getting married,” babies being born,

and word of mouth whetting more appetites. Now, every other year, the young couples visit with the other side of their family. The “small” crowd ranges from 45 to 60 people. The large crowd can be 80 people up to 128 – if everyone in the Witcher family were to come. Perhaps most impressive of all, her family travels from all over the country to continue the tradition – including as far as Utah, Connecticut and California. “It amazes me they’ll pay that money and come that far for a day here,” said Bridges. Preparation starts a month in advance with the headcount for tables

Eleanor Witcher Bridges is the youngest of nine children in a family that always came home for the holidays. And although husband Herb Bridges was an only child, he and Eleanor still play host to her family at Thanksgiving, sometimes with more than 100 attending the family feast.

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Eleanor Witcher Bridges’ family gathers for a Thanksgiving photo at a past celebration in Newnan.

and chairs. Bridges used to set up card tables throughout her house. She knows that her den seats 32 people, her dining room holds 20, her kitchen five, and four in the study. Now, they rent a tent and tables for the big crowd, and sometimes a Porta-Potty. They even have outdoor heaters on standby in case of cold weather. “The first year I cooked everything and used my china and silver, but I learned right quick that when we had more than 16 people coming we would go to paper plates

Thanks to Georgia’s mild temperatures and portable tents, Eleanor Bridges’ family can eat outdoors on Thanksgiving day.

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and paper napkins.” Bridges annually makes the turkey, the biggest she can find, and her mother’s dressing recipe. Then she makes a lot of tea and coffee. The family pitches in by bringing traditional fixings. “After a while, you know what the older generation is bringing, i.e. Aunt Jenelle’s beans,” said Bridges. People usually start arriving at her house around 10:30 that morning, and “everybody congregates in the kitchen” as she scrambles to finish cooking. Not surprisingly, the crowd is too much for Herb, who usually does his job by slicing the turkey. Then he eats and leaves the party for a bit. “He’s just not used to all this, and everybody accepts it. He does well to put up with a big family,” said Bridges. Lunchtime is 1 p.m., but they always “go slow” until one

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notoriously late relative arrives. Every year they kick off lunch by forming a prayer ring to make family announcements, remember deceased loved ones and say a blessing. After lunch, the men play football while the rest of the family cheers them on. Everyone enjoys each other’s company until dinner when whatever food was put away is retrieved. In the evening, everyone sits around and talks until “people start dribbling out.” Some stay until 10

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Dressing Recipe of Eleanor Bridges Post-meal football games are part of the traditional celebration when members of the Witcher family gather for Thanksgiving in Newnan.

Cook turkey in time to let broth cool and the fat rise to the top. Mince 4 medium onions and 2 stalks of celery and cook in 6-7 cups of broth until onions are transparent. Prepare your cornbread using 4 cups of meal. (Cornbread is made by mixing self-rising cornmeal with about 4 cups of buttermilk and about 1/2 cup melted Crisco. Cook in hot oven until slightly brown on top.) Mix this with 15 slices of dry (loaf) bread. Tear bread and cornbread into bits and mix with 6-7 cups of broth, 1 egg, 1/2 stick butter, onion and celery you’ve cooked, and a good bit of black pepper. Before cooking dressing, mix 1/2 teaspoon baking powder into 1/2 cup sweet milk. Stir and mix well into bread mixture. Pour into greased pans to about 1 inch thick. Cook at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes or until brown on top. Serves 16.

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p.m., savoring the moment. One relative e-mailed her to say he couldn’t make it this year and added, “We sure have lots of loving memories – some of the football games, some of the table but mostly of the faces, laughter, tears and hugs.� A few years, Bridges said, they almost didn’t have Thanksgiving and the family revolted. In 2004, Bridges had shoulder surgery and wasn’t feeling up to it. The younger generation jumped in and offered to do all the work to pull it off. Another year, Herb got the family tickets to go to Disney World during the holiday, and their children demanded they go another time. Even Mother Nature tried to interfere when a tornado brought down 13 trees on the Bridges’ property and knocked out power until 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. The effort was chaotic, but Thanksgiving was a success. Bridges is grateful for the 30 years she’s had and looks forward to more time with family. She says it’s the perfect holiday for a family reunion since most people have time off work and the weather is mild. Her advice to anyone considering starting a similar tradition is to start a year in advance by feeling people out. Next, choose a place to have the event – preferably wherever “home� is – keeping in mind parking, bathrooms, tables and chairs, a refrigerator and safe areas for children to play. Don’t forget to delegate because it saves time and allows others to feel helpful, Bridges said. “We do it because we’ve always gotten together with family,� said Bridges. “Once a year we pick right back up and it’s good. I am thankful we are a loving family. I don’t know how people manage their lives if they don’t have family.� Bridges plans to continue the tradition as long as she’s able. After that, she’s hopeful she’s instilled that same sense of family in her own children. NCM

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The Georgia

Herschel, The Voice and my nephew By Holly Jones The Arch, the steps of the old Academic Building, Uga’s graves, the coliseum, the practice field, Sanford Stadium – not just landmarks of a university, but snapshots of my childhood. No, literally, my camera-happy parents have pictures of my brother and sister and me at all of these sites. These pictures are my past, one reason there’s no place like the University of Georgia. My first memory of UGA is when I was three, running around in nothing but my oversized #19 UGA T-shirt. In one photo, I’m wearing this shirt sitting by my Georgia jersey clad brother – chubby-cheeked cherubs all in red. My first UGA football game is not accompanied by a photograph, because I wasn’t in Athens. Six years old, sitting at home, I was glued to a radio in the kitchen. My dad had been pacing the floors all day; mom had been to the grocery store, buying special treats. And I didn’t really understand all the excitement until I heard The Voice. That strange, graveled, but hypnotizing voice shouting, “He ran right through two men! Herschel ran right over two men!” Baby, I was hooked. We listened to a lot of Larry 20

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Munson that year, and the next year my parents started getting season tickets. The first few years, only my mom, dad and grandpa went to the games. My grandma would watch us kids during the game, and we’d still get to tailgate and learn the traditions of the Bulldog Nation. My first game – actually in the stadium – well, that was in Auburn. But hey, if it was good enough for Coach Dooley, it’s good enough for me. Besides, I saw Herschel Walker vs. Bo Jackson – not a bad debut. Since then, well, I’ve only gotten worse. There are pictures of me in red suspenders, silver britches and Coach Dooley’s hat. I’ve been on the radio with Loran Smith. UGA is the only school I applied for, I didn’t want to leave when my four years were up, and I’d go back tomorrow. These days, you can still find my mom, dad, sister and me at home games. We’ve had season tickets since the Davids Era (Greene and Pollack, for the uninformed). There are almost as many pictures, but the dynamic has shifted slightly. While my dad still likes UGA tradition, he’d prefer a championship – 1980 was a long time ago. My mom likes our family traditions – tailgating, dressing up and cheering a win. My sister’s the die-hard, sports-talk-radio fan who’ll buy anything with a “G” on it. Then there’s me, the emotional one. Uga’s statue – next to the gravesite – must be patted before each game and kissed after each win. I squeal when I see former players ’tween the Hedges, and I’m usually falling over the same Hedges to get an autograph. I cry when we lose, and when we win.

I can’t help it. UGA is who I am. Now it’s time to train the next generation. My brother and his wife had a baby boy, Dylan, in July. He’s already got UGA booties, onesies and a stuffed Uga. There’s a slight problem with Dylan’s Dawg development though. His mom’s a Tech grad. We love her and overlook this, but there’s some concern about future UGA/Tech games. I’m even worried about what Dylan will be wearing Nov. 29. But I know my nephew will back a winning football team, so I’m not worrying much. Mostly, I’m looking forward to taking him to Athens, showing him my favorite campus, and teaching him to scream, “Goooooooooo Dawgs! Sic ’em! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!” NCM

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G e o r g i a Te c h G a m e Fond memories of Marshmallow Man By Carolyn Barnard Most people I know claim autumn as their favorite time of year. The leaves are changing to those beautiful, warm hues, the air is crisp, and our favorite holidays are just around the corner. In our family, the week of Thanksgiving is full of tradition. We always decorate our house for Christmas. We trim the tree, hang the stockings, eat an obscene amount of food and just enjoy spending time together. Then there are the two most important traditions: shopping with the rest of the insane masses the day after Thanksgiving (more commonly referred to as “Black Friday”) and attending the football game that means more than any other of the entire season: the Tech/Georgia game. All my life, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been dedicated to this sacred rivalry. Whether the game took place in Athens or Atlanta, my family was there barring some catastrophic circumstance. My dad is your quintessential, uberdedicated Tech fan. No matter who was coaching, who was attempting to fulfill the position of quarterback or how disgraceful our season record, Dad was going to be there cheering for the Jackets. Having graduated as an Industrial Engineer, Dad took Ramblin’ Wreck loyalty to a new level. Growing up, my siblings and I were always decked out in Junior Jacket paraphernalia, usually because if it was a home game, there were free things given to anyone in those T-shirts. Mortified 16-year-olds were forced into their Junior Jacket gear even though the cutoff age is around 10. Like an engineer can ever pass up anything free.

Our season tickets usually put us somewhere in the vicinity of the Tech bench so that Dad’s advice could be heard by the coaching staff when belted at the top of his lungs. (I have yet to see any of the coaches stop their sideline berating, turn to the crowd and say, “What was that, sir? What should we change for the next route? Speak up so I can write that down!”) The game that sticks out most in my mind took place in Athens one year when I was in high school and most easily embarrassed. As luck would have it, my dad was scheduled to leave that evening for an international business trip. Now, this meant several things for us kids. First, we were going to be parking a solid eight miles away from the stadium to ensure we would have the quickest exit after the game (or “impending loss,” as I’ve begun to call the Tech/Georgia game) because Dad’s greatest fear was that we would get stuck in Athens and he would miss his flight. This was an even more special experience for us since there was a freezing rain in the air. This rain, in turn, sparked what has become known in our family as The Marshmallow Man story. The combination of rain, cold and international business trip (added to the fact that my dad is your classic Tech grad without the slightest worry or concern over his fashion statements) led to one of the most tragic-looking outfits ever worn to a football game. Let me explain. First, there was the perfectly normal outfit to be worn on the plane: jeans and a Tech polo. I had, foolishly, thought Dad was planning on wearing this to the game with a jacket over it. Where the rest of the clothes came from, or how he managed to sneak them into

the car without us noticing, I still don’t know. Once we were parked and gathering our things, the clothes situation took a turn for the worse. First there were the banana-yellow sweatpants which were, naturally, pulled on over jeans to keep the cold out. Then, to fight the freezing rain, there was a pair of black and blue windsuit pants over the jeans and sweats. (At this point my sister and I began the cries of “No, Dad! No!”) Over the Tech polo was a Tech sweatshirt which was obviously tucked into the pants. To top it all off was the enormous Tech “Starter” jacket which clashed remarkably with the pants. And, out of his determination not to get sick before he left for another distant land, there were ski gloves and a bright yellow toboggan. (He stayed perfectly healthy overseas, rest assured.) And layered just so, he waddled to the stadium not thinking a thing about it. My only regret from this experience is that there is no photographic evidence. I can also assure you that nothing resembling this outfit has ever been repeated, as we have given Dad such grief over it all these years! And with my own little Junior Jacket due in just a few weeks, I am confident that I will, inevitably, be an embarrassing parent one day myself. There sure is nothing better than football and family traditions around the holidays. Go Jackets! NCM

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It's a

Small World for miniaturist Heidi Nieuwenhuis of Newnan By Janet Flanigan | Photos by Bob Fraley

rtists can sometimes be moody, flighty, temperamental, passionate – but all in the name of art, right? Spend one moment in the company of Heidi Nieuwenhuis and these sweeping generalizations are thrown out the window, for she couldn’t be more grounded in the here and now. Indeed, Heidi is enthusiastic about her work but is much more passionate 22

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Heidi Nieuwenhuis at work in her studio

about her family. Her husband Dave is a pilot for ASA, and the northern California natives relocated to Newnan after stops in other locales along the way. Heidi homeschools their three youngest boys – Gerrit, 12, J.J., 10, and Harrison, 7 – with the help of eldest son Darren, 20. “It was my and Dave’s choice to have four children, so it’s my responsibility to find and nurture NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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charitable organizations, and ladies decorate tables with different themes and sell tickets to the event. “I used to do two or three tables but my kids said that they didn’t like me getting so stressed out about preparing the decorations, so this year I am only doing one table and I’m just enjoying it so much. The theme for my table this year is ‘Woodland Christmas,’ and I’m hand creating all the forest and sea creatures out of clay. The boys are my best critics because they are honest. They told me the penguin’s face looked too mature compared to the rest of the animals and his head set wasn’t right – most These miniature scenes are some of the recent creations of Heidi Nieuwenhuis. people wouldn’t be so honest.� Each guest at her table will receive their own including for her church’s annual their talents first before mine. There individual Christmas Bear holding his Truly Christmas celebration at will be time for me to pursue my art own joyful banner to take home. Peachtree City Seventh Day full-time later,� she says. In years past, Heidi created an Adventist. The event is used as a Yet Heidi still finds time to incredible log cabin that lit up and fundraiser for different community create some custom work each year,

&

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NOVEMBER 9TH 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Start early on your Christmas list while enjoying refreshments, entertainment, and in-store specials.

NOVEMBER 28TH 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Children of all ages are invited to come downtown to welcome Santa to Historic Newnan. Children, bring your wish list; and parents, bring your cameras.

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ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE

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“I really strive for authenticity and fun in my miniatures, and if I don’t have the object I will create it,� blew smoke out the chimney. Her table guests received a handmade Christmas chair to take home as their favor for that year. The chairs were made from sticks from the Nieuwenhuis’ backyard. Another year each person received an ornament that had little Christmas trees inside

the clear glass balls, and inside the balls the trees were surrounded by tiny penguins. On the outside of the ornaments was written “Untangle the Season and Enjoy the Reason.� “I really strive for authenticity and fun in my miniatures, and if I don’t have the object I will create it,�

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

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their mother and her favorite living room. Heidi replicated it in a small, glass-encased shadowbox that included photos on the walls; a tiny lighted curio cabinet that showcased her beloved bird collection; playing cards; her favorite recliner (handmade by Heidi) and much more. Another project was an office scene for a lady who was retiring, and it featured the office exactly as it had been during her years working at the company. A mini calendar on the wall showed the circled retirement date; the trashcan showed a photo of a horse and rider doing Dressage, a particular hobby of the woman; and the view out the window was the exact view the lady saw every day in her place of employment. Such attention to detail is what brings joy to Heidi. “I create the miniatures but I also switch artistic mediums to keep my interest and talents growing,” Heidi says. She paints murals, faux painting, doll houses and other

The painting above is another Heidi Nieuwenhuis creation, but she is perhaps best known for the miniature pieces she has handcrafted of clay, below.

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specialty items and individual paintings. She tries to “hide� something in many of her murals and paintings and sometimes in her miniatures. “At Christmas, hiding a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree is a German tradition and I hide a tiny one on my miniature Christmas trees,� she says. This hiding of creatures and things is just a fun nod to her family heritage. Heidi creates her work under the professional name Hi-d, and her art website is originalsbyhi-d.com. “I’ve always signed my work with the name Hi-d since high school and it has stayed with me,� she says. For the holidays, Heidi doesn’t create all of her own decorations, although she does use some past creations she’s made for Truly Christmas. “I’ve tried to really just simplify at the holidays,� she says. “I got rid of all the plastic junk a few years back. I love to cook and to me, Christmas is about cooking smells!� The family has collected special ornaments over the years that remain important treasures, but Heidi says the most cherished tradition of all is just being together, telling stories and passing down their memories. NCM

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You are invited to … A Ladies Christmas Luncheon

By Tina Neely | Photos by Costel Emeott

It’s almost that time of year ... Christmas time, a time for fun fellowship with family and friends as we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift ever given. What better way to start the holiday season than by attending a Christmas luncheon! Come experience the festive decorations, table settings and holiday fun through the ideas of some very imaginative ladies. I have gathered some of my most creative friends to show how they decorate for their

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church Christmas luncheons and teas. From Fancy and Fabulous to Country Chic, there are lots of ideas to make your Christmas table a grand sensation. You don’t have to have expensive Christmas china to achieve the look you’re going for. Use what you have, add a little new here and there, or just grab some great paper plates. The joy you put into it will surely be seen. So sit down at the table with us and enjoy yourself!

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Sweet & Sassy by Tina Neely & Melissa Greene Polka dots and candy. What could be more fun? Christmas dish towels sewn into a runner inspired this sassy little table. To match the peppermint candy, polka dots and stripes on the runner, we stacked candy apple red chargers, white dinner plates, and polka dotted dessert plates and tied them with a bow of green satin ribbon to give our setting a “gift effect.” For the place cards, we layered cards on dotted paper placed at just the right spot on the ribbon as the “gift tag.” Wrapped boxes in colorful paper adorned with various wired ribbons and bows made a fun centerpiece. Just to make it a little sweeter, peppermints showered the table to further emphasize the colors and patterns. Balls and ornaments of red, green and white tied with darling dotted and satin ribbons danced above the table. And the gift for our special guests: monogrammed linen towels topped with a red dotted bow, the perfect way to invite our guests to take a trip to our “Candyland.”

Country Chic by Leanne Willoughby “Simplify” is a word we hear a lot and take to heart at our church. Leanne has exemplified this idea in a beautiful way by her table design. White linen cloth is topped with a natural burlap runner frayed perfectly at the ends. Wooden chargers are topped by her lovely British Castle dishes, woodsy silverware sits upon burgundy linen napkins, and mason jars delicately tied with raffia are the glasses. Antique spools she has collected over the years are topped with smokeless candles. For place cards she used small ferns in clay pots with note cards placed ever so perfectly. These could also double as the perfect gift for guests. Simply beautiful. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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Birthday Party for Jesus by Ericka Morgan Bright and beautiful colors are perfect through the eyes of a child. I love it when she does this table and have always said it looks like a “Birthday Party for Jesus.” A colorful plaid tablecloth topped with a dotted tree runner gets the party started. Santa and snowman adorned felt wine boxes filled with bunches of color tissue paper make a fantastically fun centerpiece. Multi-colored raffia, curled with a curling iron, dances around the table. Precious Christmas china tops those great candy apple red chargers, and beside them matching mugs that eagerly await hot chocolate. Glasses she painted herself hold the cutest napkins you’ve ever seen, ric rac added for flair. Vibrant tree place card holders let the kids know just where their special spot is. Santa and snowman cookie jars adorn the table with bowls of colorful M&M’s that eagerly await little hands.

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Pretty & Personalized by Robin Baker Taking from what she does best — making and embroidering personalized gifts — Robin decorated this table that anyone would love to have their name on. Centered on the table is a mirror adorned in blue with her family name, topped with stacked “Let it Snow� glass cubes she made herself. Gorgeous silver chargers, a wedding gift from her Daddy, are topped with personalized white china. Gorham silver ornaments and balls hang from the chandelier, fill glass containers and top the table. For a touch of old with the new, she mixed various antique silverware patterns. To mark the place setting and as a most special gift for guests: a personalized Christmas ornament with each friend’s initials.

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Fancy & Fabulous by Wendy Creel and Ada Cornwell For a formal presentation of royal proportions, these ladies went all out. Using a mosaic tree as the focal point of the table, they used fantastic place settings and decorations that were chosen to play off the mosaic. Red chargers, formal china and golden flatware along with lovely mosaic ornaments adorned the table. Their idea was to use the jewel tones found in the tree, place settings and decorations to give that “sparkle” effect to the table. No detail left undone, place cards were made by Ada to accent the burgundy napkins, ruby glasses and red mosaic candle holders. The pineapples were their most exciting “find” for this table, complementing the colors and theme and adding a unique touch that would be a welcome gift for each lady.

Beautiful on a Budget by Mary Beth Muzio What kind of table can you do for under $40? A fabulous one, and you don’t even have to wash the dishes! Mary Beth had a great idea when she found the wavy shaped paper plates in a local stationery store and topped them with the glittery present ornaments. Under the 32

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Southern Elegance by Ladonna Miller This table is like a beautiful southern belle – just like the gal who decorated it. The main focus that gives this table its southern flair is its centerpiece, a pewter platter and bowl filled with magnolias, cedar, white pine, hydrangeas and crepe myrtle berries from her yard and topped with pheasants, red berries and sugared grapes. The blues in the china are well set off by the brown placemats and brown napkins, and it all sits elegantly atop her beautiful brown fabric topper she made from leftover kitchen curtain fabric. This is a traditional table that the family can look forward to for years to come.

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Simple Treasures So, the stage is set for the excitement and joy of the coming holiday season. Are you ready to decorate? Enjoy yourself, your friends and family, and have fun making it a great tradition, one in which they can’t wait to see what kind of table you’ll come up with next year! Christmas luncheons and teas are a great time of fellowship where friends and family feel cherished and enjoy the love put into the displays. Following are some of the lunches, dinners and teas planned locally this Christmas season. Be sure to call to check for ticket information and reservations.

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By Angela McRae | Photos by Bob Fraley If you’re looking for a Christmas craft to make on cozy nights in front of the television, take a cue from a local professional and create your own one-of-a-kind Christmas Balls. For about 10 years now, Martha Ann Parks of Newnan has been making these handcrafted fabric balls using a pattern she got from her sister, Nancy Smith of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Parks, who owns Panoply Interior Design and Consulting in Newnan, is never lacking for fabric. In her business she receives lots of wonderful fabric samples, and she uses these pieces to make the unique ornaments she always seems to end up giving away to friends. Smith, who like her sister in 36

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Newnan is a designer, “calls them her therapy balls,” Parks said, laughing. “You lose yourself in them, and

they’re very relaxing” to make. The Christmas Balls even caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey’s people when Smith was invited to Pennsylvania, along with quite a few others, to be interviewed for Oprah’s QVC/Next Big Idea contest. In the end Smith wasn’t selected but still said the experience was “a hoot,” Parks said. The template is a simple leaf shape, traced onto fabric six times, and then the six pieces are stitched together with a quarter-inch seam. A pre-purchased 4-inch Smoothfoam ball (or, if that’s not available, a Styrofoam ball) is then tucked inside before the last seam is stitched. Parks said she has made these balls from upholstery fabrics, silks,

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Martha Ann Parks of Newnan, at right, and her sister, Nancy Smith of New York, have been making these elegant Christmas balls for years now. Parks said she usually ends up giving away all of the ones she makes each year. Both women are designers and have acquired huge stashes of fabric from which to draw inspiration.

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satins, and just whatever she’s had on hand. Sewing them by hand, she can make about two of them in an evening while watching TV. Her 96-year-old mother, meanwhile, stitched some up on the sewing machine and whipped them out much faster. Once the stitching is complete, the fun part begins. Along the seams, Parks pins ribbon, gimp, strands of sequin or whatever catches her fancy. (She prefers the Smoothfoam white balls because they hold the pins better, but she said the Styrofoam balls can be substituted if necessary.) She’s made her own “tassels” from strands of beading and ribbon. Some balls she decorated by pinning tiny ribbons all over the piece. And what colors will fashionable ornaments be wearing this year? Parks, who recently returned from market in High Point, N.C., said chartreuse and peacock blue are two “in” colors. “Brown, of course, has been in for a while and still is,” she said, adding that grays and blacks with a “pop” of color are popular as well. And, of course, “red never goes out of style.”

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How to Make a Christmas Ball SUPPLIES: 4-inch Smoothfoam or Styrofoam balls Assorted fabrics Short straight pins (such as quilters’ pins) Needle and thread Ribbons and trims Embellishments such as beads, buttons and sequins

Trace leaf template onto fabric and cut out six panels. Parks likes to use two different fabrics, cutting out three pieces of each and alternating them on her balls. Place two of the pieces together, right sides facing, and sew with a 1/4-inch seam. Repeat until all fabric is joined and one seam remains. Turn right-side out. Insert the ball, tuck the fabric under, and whipstitch the fabrics closed. Using pins, add ribbon, trim or embellishments of your choice along each seam. If desired, top with a bow hanger and add fringe or tassel to the bottom of the ornament. NCM

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Christmas Ball pattern

Cut 6 With right sides facing, stitch together with 1/4" seam

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Join us online for our

Days of Christmas Event

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Inspiring success Creating Beth Trammell, M.Ed., ’91 opportunities Eighth-Grade Science Teacher Carrollton Junior High School Building relationships Helping Georgia Be sure to visit newnancowetamagazine.com beginning Dec. 1, when we’ll host a “Twelve Days of Christmas” online event celebrating seasonal crafts and cooking. You’ll learn to make our cover wreath, which is actually made from strips of newspaper from The TimesHerald. (We do, ahem, recommend that only The Times-Herald be used in order to obtain the highest quality wreath!) We’ll share some favorite recipes, our ideas for making “cone” Christmas trees in a variety of styles, and there just might be a surprise giveaway or two as well. Be sure to pay us a visit!

“Teachers are a special lot and, as the cliché goes, it really is a calling. Teaching 13-year-olds, even on good days, can be very tough, and having a tremendous resource like UWG available goes a long way in helping me realize my passion for education. The College of Education’s outstanding reputation is well-earned. I learned from excellent professors in a small-classroom environment at an institution that’s practically in my back yard. My career is challenging, yet rewarding, and the university helped me to be the best and most effective teacher I could be.”

Your success is our story

NEWNAN CENTER 770-254-7280 • www.nc.westga.edu

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Christmas

in LaGrange UNIQUE SHOPPING, JOYOUS CELEBRATIONS Photos courtesy of Adam Richards Calendar of events for the LaGrange – Troup County Area November/December November 17th Advent Workshop, "Christmas in the Gospels" at the Explorations in Antiquity Center – for info please call 706/885-0363 website www.biblicalresources.net

SEAFOOD BUFFET EXTRAVAGANZA FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fresh Seafood Grouper Halibut Snapper Mahi Mahi Tilapia Catfish Crab Legs Steamed Shrimp Half Shell Oysters Fried Shrimp Fried Oysters Frog Legs Deviled Crabs Chicken Tenders Chicken Livers Green Beans Breaded Okra

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CAJUN SPECIALTIES: Crawfish Jambalaya Gumbo Shrimp Alfredo Red Beans & Rice

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Large Group Reservation or TAKE OUT...Please call 706.884.4186

November 22- 2:30 p.m. & November 23rd – 4:30 p.m. The play "Eleemosynary" presented at Price Theater, LaGrange College – for more info call 706/880-8266 (Continued on page 44)

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY s NOVEMBER 23 1:00-5:00 P.M.

NEW LOCATION :: EXPANDED SELECTION 105 Broad Street :: LaGrange :: 706-884-3134 :: Mon.-Sat. 10-6 42

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Framed Prints :: Dishes :: Kitchen & Dining Linens :: Rugs :: Christmas Decor Bar Accessories & Party Accessories

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December 7th thru December 14th – "Nativity Festival" Five LaGrange Churches will host a Nativity scene tour in their sanctuaries - View religious art from around the world. – All of these Nativity scenes are on loan to the churches for this special event. For more info, please call 706/883/ 3955. December 4th 6:00 p.m. – LaGrange Annual Christmas Parade in Downtown LaGrange – for info call 706/884-8671 December 4th & December 6th – 7:30 p.m. the Sons of Lafayette will present a Christmas concert at 6 pm the First Methodist Church – Website www.sonsoflafayette.org

December 19th 20th 21st – Christmas Drama – "Long Road to Bethlehem" – Explorations in Antiquity Center – for info please contact 706/885-0363 website: ww.biblicalresourses.net

December 7th – West Georgia Hospice Tour of Homes at 2 p.m. – Tour starts at Hills & Dales Estate – Tickets are $25.00 – for info contact Joyce Wood at 706/845-3905

December 5th, 6th, & 7th – "The Nutcracker" presented by the Lafayette Ballet company at the Troup High Arts Center - for info call 706/882-9909 – Web address – www.lspaarts.com December 5th thru 14th – Follow the Shepherds Walks" – Explorations in Antiquity Center – for info, please call 706/885-0363 – website www.biblicalresources.net

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1 Block South of LaFayette Pkwy. on Morgan St. LaGrange, GA A quaint downtown shopping village and restaurant.

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COWETA COOKS >

CROWD-PLEASING FOOD FOR TEENS By Janet Flanigan | Photos by Bob Fraley

ost people recognize it takes a special breed of person to be a kindergarten teacher, and White Oak Elementary’s Vicki Hunter is in a class unto herself. Yet if there is anything more important to Vicki than her classroom family, it’s her family at home. However, she makes everyone who visits feel like a part of the Hunter household. The junior high and high school youth from Newnan Presbyterian Church are often invited over by Vicki and her son Derek, an eighth grader at Evans Middle School, for parties and gatherings. Vicki often turns to old family recipes to feed the throngs of hungry teens. “I just love having the kids over and Derek does too,” she says. She smiles as if it’s no work at all, but busy people know entertaining teens takes effort, even if it is enjoyable. Even with her busy teaching schedule, the Hunters often host these get-togethers at their house. Often when kids hit the teen years, they discourage their parents from any relationship with their friends, but Derek is right there with his mom as a co-host. Their strong mother-son bond is a refreshing reminder of relationships that can be reinforced through simple, mutually satisfying activities – such as preparing spreads of food! Kitty Lambert often partners with Vicki to help plan fun activities for the kids. Kitty is a fourth grade teacher at Northside, and her son Andrew is at Evans with Derek, so it works out great, Vicki says. Several recipes for the party come from a family cookbook Vicki’s maternal side of the family compiled to honor their culinary traditions. The Cheese Strata is a traditional Christmas breakfast dish and something Vicki says “feeds hungry teens nicely as well.” The biscuits are quick, easy to prepare, and can be served with ham or a choice of filling. The chicken salad is delicious, light and easy to serve with bread or crackers. One last word about the chicken salad from Vicki: “Most people add way too much mayo to chicken salad and it’s too greasy. If you do it this way, it will be a favorite for years to come!” NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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BISCUITS 2 cups self-rising flour 1/3 cup Crisco 2/3 cup milk Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put flour in a pastry blender (or large bowl if you don’t have a pastry blender). Quickly cut in Crisco with 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and mix just until blended. Do not overmix. Roll out on pastry cloth to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out biscuits with a 2-inch floured biscuit cutter. If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, a jelly jar will work too. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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CHEESE STRATA 12 slices bread 2-2/3 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs Tabasco (to taste) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 pound sharp cheese, grated Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 11 x 18inch baking dish. Remove crusts from bread. Mix milk, salt, eggs, Tabasco and garlic powder together. Layer six slices of bread in bottom of pan. Layer cheese over bread, and then add in remaining six slices. Pour milk mixture over all and refrigerate overnight. Bake for 30 minutes until puffy, slightly brown and cooked through.

When chicken is cool, cut meat from skin and bones. Pull into bite-size pieces. Add chopped celery stalks, grapes, almonds, salt and pepper and Tabasco to taste. Mix slowly with hands and add a spoonful of Miracle Whip, just enough to coat the chicken mixture and get it to stick together but not greasy. Serve with crackers, bread or toast points as desired. NCM

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here’s “no place like home for the holidays,” as the old song goes. If you’ll be home for Christmas, take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season to enjoy the sights and sounds of a uniquely hometown season. The 10th annual Coweta Christmas will be Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Coweta County Fairgrounds on Pine Road in Newnan. The Chi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an organization of educators, sponsors this annual event with a bazaar feel. Jena Martin of Alpha Delta Kappa said the vendors will have items ranging from kettle corn to hairbows and home remedies. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up those small gifts that can make someone’s Christmas. Coweta Christmas funds the organization’s scholarships for high school students, the Ferst Foundation and the Community Welcome House. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and food will be available for purchase. Martin said nearly 30 vendors are expected along with a Secret Santa shop and activities for children. Sand artist Bill Busser will be set up near the children’s activities. “It’s just phenomenal what he does,” said Martin. The holiday season means goodies, and the Coweta Christmas silent auction will include treats as well as items donated by the vendors. “We will have our home baked cakes,” she said. Shoppers will enjoy the voices of local school children with elementary and middle school groups performing holiday favorites. Two dancing groups will also provide entertainment. Coweta Christmas is free and open to the public. There is a minimal charge for children’s crafts, a secret Santa shop and photos. For more information, call Jena Martin at 770-328-8489.

Home for the

HOLIDAYS By Nichole Golden

Other holiday events for 2008 in Coweta County include: • The 40th Annual Newnan-Coweta Art Association Christmas Artist Market will be Friday, Nov. 7, from noon to 7 p.m. at The History Center at 60 East Broad St. in Newnan. NCAA artists will display their arts and crafts, giving shoppers an opportunity to purchase unique and one-of-a-kind merchandise including fine art, crafts, jewelry and other gift items.

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• The charming town of Senoia will have a merchants’ holiday open house, a tour of homes and the Light Up Senoia celebration, which includes a parade. Suzanne Helfman of the Senoia Downtown Development Authority says the famous Clydesdale horses will make an appearance Saturday, Dec. 13 from 68 p.m. Holiday activities are planned, and the town’s shops will have open houses the same day. The Candlelight Tour of Homes is Sunday, Dec. 14. Light Up Senoia festivities get underway at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. For more information, call Helfman at 770-599-8182 or Gail Downs at 770599-9155.

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• Grantville’s Calico Christmas event will include a parade, concert and banquet. The Calico Christmas Parade, including visits with Santa Claus, will be Saturday, Dec. 13. The parade will be on LaGrange Street in Grantville, and the time is to be announced. The Christmas Concert will also be Dec. 13 at the Sarah H. O’Kelly Auditorium with school choral groups and the Masterworks Chorale tentatively scheduled. For details on these events and the banquet, including times, visit www.grantville.net, or call or e-mail Kim Sasso at 770-583-2518 or kim@grantville.net. • “New Old Town Sharpsburg” will have several Christmas events this year. The Christmas Open House will be Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shoppers can bring their cameras since Santa will arrive at 4 p.m. for visits with the children and photographs. Then at 6 p.m., Mr. Claus will light the hamlet’s Christmas tree as carolers sing in the streets. The town’s merchants will have Customer Appreciation Day Saturday, Dec. 13 throughout the day. • Newnan Community Theatre Company will present its comedy version of the holiday classic A Christmas Carol on Nov. 28-30, Dec. 5-7 and Dec. 12-14. The Theatre is located at 24 First Ave. in Newnan. Curtain times and ticket information can be found online at www.newnantheatre.com or by calling 770-683-6282.

• Main Street Newnan has plenty of holiday events beginning with the Holiday Open House on Sunday, Nov. 9 from noon to 5 p.m. Early birds can get a start on shopping with downtown merchants offering refreshments and in-store specials. Santa arrives Friday, Nov. 28 and will be on hand from 6-8 p.m. Children should bring wish lists and parents should bring cameras. Santa will return for an appearance in the Newnan Christmas parade Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. This year’s parade theme is “Downtown: The Heartbeat of the Holidays.” For parade applications and rules, visit online at www.mainstreetnewnan.com. Linda Bridges-Kee of Main Street definitely has a favorite Christmas event. “The Festival of Lights, by far,” she says. “It was so much fun.” This year the Festival of Lights will be Dec. 19 and 20 with caroling groups performing and a non-profit bake sale held on Friday night. Participating residents open their doors to carolers with refreshments served. A lights parade will be held Saturday evening. “We also will be having horse and buggy rides,” says Bridges-Kee. “And, they’re free.” For more information on any Main Street Newnan holiday event, call 770-253-8283. NCM

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The Tiki Hut Lounge is always ready for a party at John and Carolyn Ellison’s Roscoe home. At right is their sunny, tropical-themed living room.

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By Janet Flanigan Photos by Bob Fraley

isitors to John and Carolyn Ellison’s home receive their first clue this is no ordinary place when they see the sign posted on the treelined drive: “Ahoy Mates – Leave Your Trouble at the Gates.” This funloving, world-traveling couple means every word of it too. They are all about good times. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Ellisons. They were enjoying an idyllic life in Big Pine Key, Fla. when Hurricane Georges hit in 1998 and submerged their home under eight feet of water. John rebuilt their home himself, but they eventually decided to try a more inland approach to life. The couple had originally met in Marietta, so Georgia seemed a logical destination and they selected Newnan four years ago. With daughter Jennifer and son Mike both in the Atlanta area, the added bonus of getting to see NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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and throughout their marriage. Each symbolizes a time or place. In the upstairs loft is a 1947 Soap Box Derby Racer John refurbished. He selected this model because it was during 1947 that he decided to always be self-employed. “I sold popcorn for a penny a box at the race that day,” John says, “and I sold 50 boxes — 50 cents for a hard day’s work. My dad said ‘Well, I would have given you the 50 cents!’ I decided no, I wanted to earn

grandchildren made the decision easier. Because John grew up on the water scuba diving, boating and swimming, the pull of the Keys was still great. Carolyn was a farm girl from the piedmont of the Carolinas, so the move was easier on her but she would miss Florida as well. The Ellisons decided to recreate a bit of their island paradise here. With his own hands John built the Ellison Cabin, including such details as palm tree cutouts for the deck rails, vaulted ceilings for natural lighting, and the requisite Tiki hut. “I didn’t even see the house until it was well under construction,” says Carolyn, “but I trusted him.” John had built several homes before and says he’s learned by trial and error. 52

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Surf’s up, Santa! This doll humorously echoes the Ellisons’ fondness for the Florida lifestyle.

The real tale of this house is the variety of exciting artifacts the couple has found on their travels

that money myself. I also made a very important decision that day that I would always be self-employed, and I always was.” John owned his own company and throughout his life has been able to take his family on many adventures throughout the world. There is a replica of a pearl diving boat from Bora Bora in the living room, fashioned from half an old hull of a Hobie catamaran. John’s love of water is everywhere throughout the

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John and Carolyn Ellison may miss Florida, but the tropical flavor is on display at their home in Newnan.

house, and replicas of old diving apparatus are evident throughout the decor. “I got crazy about the water when I was a boy when I saw a movie called South of Pago Pago,” recalls John. “It was about pearl diving, and I thought ‘I have got to try that’ and we have.” Carolyn isn’t as enthusiastic about swimming and diving, but she’s a great sport about her husband’s passions. “I grew up on a farm with a

cautious mother who was always warning us of the dangers of water, that I would drown,” she says with a little chuckle. “So it took me a long time to acclimate to swimming and then skiing in winter.” Their favorite spots have included Barbados, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Italy, but they’ve been to many lovely spots around the globe. These travels are reflected in

their home and in the collections. Any favorites? John thinks a moment and answers, “It’s hard to pick but the crossbow from Honduras is very special, and the blow spear for hunting monkeys is also quite interesting.” He adds, “It’s for eating the monkeys, of course.” Going down the stairs visitors see an incredible 1950 authentic spear fishing gun, framed on either side by

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two replicas, then it’s into the “Indian Room� which houses unique Native American artifacts, including a grand collection of handguns and a rare Chippewa musket. The basement is a repository of more modern memories, testimony to a life lived in full. There are photos of

fun times and a few sad ones too, including pictures of the hurricaneravaged home in Big Pine Key. The outdoor Tiki Hut is the frequent site of parties and also holds its share of mementoes. A retropainted submersible says “The Reef Room Restaurant,� and cutout surfers

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adorn the ceiling while a stuffed gorilla swings jauntily from a trapeze. In full groove on a lovely evening, the Tiki Hut parties with pond view offer a perfect “tropical getaway.� Does he miss living in Florida? John gets a faraway look in his eye. He does, but coastal insurance is so

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expensive, he just doesn’t know if it works anymore. Carolyn, on the other hand, is pretty happy here and says they are fortunate as they have a mountain getaway, so she’s content simply traveling to warmer waters once in awhile. In the meantime, the Ellisons

have created an oasis of warmth and comfort here in Newnan where another sign advises, “May your life be filled with relaxing sunsets, cool drinks and sand between your toes.” Life’s pretty good at the Ellison Cabin, so … when’s the next Tiki Hut party? NCM

We’re Here. We’ve Been Here. We’ll Be Here For You.

John Ellison, opposite left, studies some of the photographs that remind him of life back in Florida, a lifestyle now enjoyed at his home in Roscoe. Ellison made the deck railing with palm tree cutouts, above, himself.

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Georgia filmmaking set to take off – and Newnan’s Terry Chenowith can’t wait By Janet Flanigan | Photos by Bob Fraley

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or Newnan’s award-winning filmmaker Terry Chase Chenowith, it was a high school prank that helped set the stage for his successful career. “When I was a teenager, my friends and I always filmed our adventures,” Chenowith says. “We took a huge old hollowed-out television console, popular in the ’70s, and one of us would climb inside it and ‘do’ the news.” One day they were filming while Chenowith read the news inside an old TV console. A friend lit gunpowder outside the television and blew it up with him inside. Fortunately Chenowith wasn’t hurt, but

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he earned the nickname “the smoking guy” which followed him to The University of Indiana. “It was scary – I was on fire!” he recalls. “But the camera never stopped rolling, so I knew we were serious about it.” While he outgrew his “smoking guy” reputation, Chenowith’s passion for filmmaking was burning brighter than ever. Before he made films, Chenowith thought he’d be a teacher and a coach. He worked his way up

Georgia’s credit incentives for filmmakers have created one of the most attractive deals for production companies in North America. from cameraman to video producer to major Hollywood film producer, finally achieving success on a large scale with The Devil and Daniel Webster starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. After the success of that film, Chenowith and wife Robyn, whose parents live in Atlanta, decided in 2002 to move to Georgia to raise their children Cole and Ally. “For the first six years of living in Sharpsburg, I couldn’t conceive of making a film here,” Chenowith admits. “But Senator Mitch Seabaugh has worked hard to make it both possible and affordable to bring

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independent film projects to Georgia. Scott Tigchelaar and Paul Lombardi of Riverwood Studios have worked tirelessly as well.” In May of 2008, Governor Purdue signed new legislation that boosts state incentives by as much as 30 percent for the entertainment industry. Chenowith says Georgia’s credit incentives for filmmakers have created one of the most attractive deals for production companies in North America. “This includes New Orleans, North Carolina and even Canada,” he says. “It is called ‘show business’ with ‘business’ being, unfortunately, the ultimate deciding factor in many deals.” Chenowith says he is taking major strides to bring outside financiers and productions to Georgia, Coweta County and Riverwood Studios. “I want to show Hollywood that we can make great movies in ‘Mayberry,’” he says. Chenowith says he always has 10–12 development deals going at any one time, in various stages of production. He lives in Coweta County but still works in Los Angeles. “The film business demands that I work in Los Angeles and keep an office there, so I travel to the West Coast frequently,” he says. With the new tax incentive program and the possibility that he will be able to get films made here, his hope is that “I’ll be able to come home to sleep when we’re filming once in awhile!” This busy Hollywood/Newnan producer, writer and director has come a long way from the days of the “smoking guy,” but his passion for filmmaking has never waned, and now filmmaking in Georgia is ready to take off. Chenowith is buzzing with excitement and on the lookout for films that we can’t wait to see made here in our home state.

Chenowith’s current projects in the production pipeline – several of which may be filmed all or in part in Georgia – include: Driver Ed – A highbrow concept comedy co-written by screenwriter Michael Cunningham and Chenowith. An ex-NASCAR driver brings his experience from the track to the classroom to teach teens and seniors the “rules” of the road. Negotiations are underway with several “A” list directors and actors. Terry Chase Chenowith and Jack Robinson, producers. The First 500 – Screen writer of Hoosiers and Rudy Angelo Pizzo turns his talents to the track to tell the story of the very first Indianapolis 500 race. Terry Chase Chenowith and Jack Robinson, producers. Dog & Pony – Screenplay by Terry Chase Chenowith. Age old romantic comedy rekindles the notion that men and women can’t live with each other and hilarity ensues because they certainly can’t live without each other. Terry Chase Chenowith and Jack Robinson, producers. One of Our Own – Director Abe Levy’s twisting tale of the pursuit of the perfect nuclear family gone wrong as two families struggle over the surrogacy of a baby. Film is awaiting distribution. Robert F. Sprowls, David Shoshan, Jack Robinson, Terry Chase Chenowith, producers. Men of Honor – Local filmmaker Mike Jones’ documentary series about the

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men and women who served their country with valor and distinction during WWII and ultimately received the Congressional Medal of Honor, many posthumously. Series is to be produced at Riverwood Studios. Terry Chase Chenowith, executive producer. Black Warrior’s Curse – Chenowith has secured the film rights and will write the screenplay for Black Warrior’s Curse by Newnan writer Joe H. Harless. This tale is the fictionalized account of the violence of the civil rights movement in the Deep South in the ’50s and ’60s from the perspective of both a young black man and a young white man coming of age in Alabama. Terry Chase Chenowith, producer. Beautiful Dreamer – Directed by Teri Farley-Teruel, Chenowith’s award-winning WWII love story features Joe (Colin Eggleson of All My Children), a bomber pilot who was shot down during action and suffers amnesia. His girlfriend Brooke (Claire Langton of The Replacements) believes he was killed in action until she runs into him in a small town. But he doesn’t recognize her ... and will he? Other wellknown stars of this movie include James Denton and Barry Corbin. Beautiful Dreamer has won seven national and international awards and is awaiting national release. Terry Chase Chenowith and Jack Robinson, producers. NCM

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Letting her light shine Former DJ Sheila Richards Harper touching lives in Coweta and beyond By Meredith Leigh Knight | Photos by Bob Fraley

At the Summit YMCA are, from left, Wellness Director Debi Bonecutter and Wellness Coaches Shelia Richards Harper and Susan Waryold.

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heila Richards Harper speaks, and folks do a double-take. Could it be? Yes, radio fans, it really is. Harper is, indeed, the same award-winning DJ and morning talk show host from WVFJ-FM (J93.3) whose voice awakened many Cowetans from 1999 to 2002. Harper’s fun personality and unforgettable laugh have brightened the day of Christian and country music fans for years. Many will also recognize her voice as Kelli Roberts, Rhubarb Jones’ sidekick on Y106-Y104 from the early ’90s, and Kelli Richards at other radio stations in Louisiana and Savannah. Harper’s daily signoff then and now is “Let your light shine,” a motto she exemplifies. Harper has been involved with radio since her early twenties. Just two weeks shy of starting law school in her hometown of Louisville, Ky., she accepted a job at a radio station, a better fit for her love of drama and music. Today, Harper continues to touch lives in Coweta and beyond. After J93.3 went through some changes, Harper found herself looking for a job. “I thought I might go back to country

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music,” says Harper. “When doors were not opening, then I thought maybe God wants me to do something besides radio.” Harper soon connected with the nonprofit organization Summit Family YMCA and became a wellness coach. “I wanted to help people who are plus size believe in themselves and believe they can do it because that’s where I am,” said Harper, who has struggled with weight for years. “I love being a coach. Through radio and coaching, I have learned to listen and to help people.” In addition to coaching, Harper is also the active older adults coordinator for the

“

Through radio and coaching, I have learned to listen and to help people.

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YMCA. She organizes events for the group, called Club 55, and is currently involved in compiling and editing a cookbook as a fundraiser for them. And if that’s not enough, Harper’s love of radio prompted her to take a job as airpersonality (also known as DJ) on the radio station KLOVE, a Christian station heard in 44 states. Although it’s not picked up locally, Cowetans can listen to it online at www.klove.com. After years on the night shift, Harper is now working weekends at KLOVE in order to spend more time with her husband, Jimmy, 10-year-old stepdaughter, Jessie, who calls her SMOM (short for step-mom), and their three dogs. These days, Harper focuses on savoring the little moments in life. Three years ago, during a fundraiser in California for KLOVE, she ate some sushi. Afterward she felt bloated, full after eating only a few bites, and had some difficulty breathing. Thinking she had contracted a parasite from the sushi,

Now working at the Summit Family YMCA, Sheila Richards Harper of Newnan has a familiar voice to Christian radio fans who used to hear her as a DJ on J93.3 FM. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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she was adamant with her doctors that they continue to test her. The diagnosis: stage IIIC ovarian cancer. “God used sushi to save my life,” said Harper, who encourages women to be proactive with their doctors and to listen to their bodies. “I went for a Pap smear every year, but a Pap smear does not check for ovarian cancer. It’s so important to get checked if you have any of these symptoms.” “God takes something yucky like cancer and makes good come of it,” said Harper, now in remission, who helps others on their cancer journey through friendship and by raising awareness in her speeches. “I want people to know that and believe God does miracles today. I don’t know why some live and some die from this dreaded disease, but I know He sees the big picture—I don’t.” During her illness, Harper received messages of encouragement from family and friends, including her co-workers and listeners from J93.3 and KLOVE as well as other stations around the country. “I’ve learned there is life after radio,” says Harper, who was one of the few women to receive the Country Music Association Personality of the Year Award (1995), the equivalent of an actor winning an Oscar. “I’ve learned a whole new career, and I have more depth in my life. Rather than radio being everything, it is a part of my life.” Music continues to uplift Harper, however. In Contemporary Christian Music, Harper says, “The songs aren’t just background music, each song has a message of hope, of love, of comfort, of joy.” Two of her theme songs when

Shelia Richards Harper shows the CMA Award she received as Personality of the Year in 1995.

she had cancer were “Show Me Your Glory” by Third Day and “If You Want Me To” by Ginnie Owens. She also notes there are some great Christian songs in country music, which Harper loves. Favorite artists include Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride. Harper continues to use her God-given talent doing voiceovers and can be heard in movie theatre commercials regionally, including Great Escapes theaters in Henry County and the Dacula area. She has also started her own company called Sunshine Girl Voiceovers. In addition, Harper leads a Bible study called Thin Within, a Christian weight loss program. Her future

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plans – or “bucket list,� as she calls it – include doing more writing, developing her idea for a children’s book series, going to Amicalola Falls and visiting Greece. “I loved working at J93.3. I loved my listeners and miss being there with them each morning,� says Harper. “When I was looking for a job a while back, my pastor told me that I’m not gifted for radio; I’m gifted to be a communicator, whether it is coaching at the Y or leading a Bible study. And as far as radio goes, mornings or not, if the right door opens, I’m there.� NCM

Editor’s Note: Since our interview, Shelia learned her cancer has returned. Says Shelia: “I have many friends and family praying for me, so I go forward like Verizon, with my ‘network’ with me. However, when it comes time to go into surgery, to take chemo into my body, it’s only me and God. My mom gave me this verse that has helped me so much recently, since discovering the recurrence, Psalm 118:17, ‘I will not die, but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.’â€? Shelia urges women to learn more about ovarian cancer and also to have a sense of humor. “I told friends that in honor of September being ovarian cancer awareness month, I was having a recurrence, to create awareness! I encourage everyone to realize how short and precious life really is. And that God put a dream in each of our hearts, has a purpose for each of us ‌ don’t wait for someday, do it now. Make memories. Love everyone. Breathe in each sunrise, sunset, each moment.â€? Friends and fans may check on her progress at www.caringbridge.org/ga/sheila.

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>SADDLE UP

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Imtiaz Anees:

Aiming for the top By Martha A. Woodham | Photos by Bob Fraley

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Imtiaz Anees at his Springtown Stables near Moreland

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ost athletes who represent their country at an Olympic Games have the help of an army of coaches and trainers and the luxury of weeks to prepare. When event rider Imtiaz Anees found out he might be able to represent his native India in the 2000 Olympics, he had less than 24 hours to get his horse, Spring Invader, to the competition venue. After weeks of waiting to find out if he would be allowed to compete, Anees was finally given the official OK the day before the competition began. The first time Spring Invader saw the Olympic dressage arena, where the other international riders had had ample opportunity to practice, was when the somewhat inexperienced horse had to perform in front of 80,000 spectators, a daunting prospect for even the most seasoned equine athlete. The story of Anees’s journey to the games reveals his tremendous drive to reach the top of his sport, eventing – the triathlon of horse sports with competition in dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping – and how his methodical planning has helped him overcome daunting obstacles that might have stopped others. Although India is known as the birthplace of polo and has a history of horse racing, eventing is practically unknown there. The country does not even support an Olympic equestrian team. Growing up in Bombay (Mumbai), Anees, who has made Coweta County his home since 2001, was blessed with the opportunity to ride. “At age five, I won my first competition,� he says. “My mother and grandfather, both being horse enthusiasts, were pleased that I had embraced riding – until riding began to take over my life.� Passionate about eventing, Anees moved to Australia in 1992 to ride and earn a degree in equine management. While in college, Anees won his first major three-day event on a borrowed horse. He then won bronze medals at the 1995 Asia Pacific Championships and 1998 Asian Games. In November 1999, he and Spring Invader qualified to represent India at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. They were 18th on the wait list with little chance of competing, but he continued to train, hoping by some miracle that not all of the qualified horses would travel to Australia. He gambled and put Spring Invader,

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Barn Manager Edi Arangies and Imtiaz Anees work with one of the horses at Springtown Stables near Moreland.

nicknamed “Kevin,” into quarantine like the other equine competitors. His eventing coach, Diana Wilson, flew in from England to train Anees and the Australian Thoroughbred, who had never competed at this advanced level. Anees’s wife Masume, who knew nothing about horses before the two met, led a small army of friends who volunteered as grooms. “Kevin was a bit nervous, but then he relaxed and did a good test,” Anees says. They finished 23rd in their first four-star event. “I was the 68

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only Asian rider to complete the event (including the team event) and the first Indian rider to ever complete an Olympic three-day event.” Anees came to Coweta County in 2001 to train horses for the Haralsons, whose Smokey Road farm has been profiled in Saddle Up. Eventually he began training horses and teaching students throughout metro Atlanta. His career with Kevin crested when they represented India at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain. Kevin was then sold and today enjoys an international career

in Europe. Kevin’s legacy as the horse to jumpstart Anees’s career continues. Anees used his purchase price to buy a 30-acre farm near Moreland where he now has a training operation. The business is named Springtown Stables, in honor of Kevin/Spring Invader and another advanced horse who did well for Anees, Freetown. Now Anees’s mornings are spent working the 10 horses he has in training. Most belong to clients, but he has an up-and-coming advanced horse, Extravagance, an Australian Thoroughbred known as “Extra.” Levi, a 9-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred, is another promising prospect. “Extra is one of the nicest horses I’ve owned, with the sweetest disposition,” says Anees, who gives his 2-year-old son, Zameer, rides on Extra. “I get on Extra in the mornings when it’s quiet, and it’s the best feeling – just me and my horse. I’m very fortunate to have him.” Afternoons are spent in his barn office, where photos of Anees jumping Freetown hang. When he is not teaching students, this is his time to concentrate on planning – each horse has a lesson and nutrition plan – and on strategic marketing for the three equine companies he represents: F-R-M Feed, Equilite horse care products and Kentucky Performance Products. Planning is key to his success, he says. “It’s not about spending 24 hours a day riding the horses,” he says. “Having a marketing and business background helps my mind and my business. You have to have goals.” He is also open to new opportunities. For example, this past summer, when most Americans were glued to their TV sets watching the Olympics, Anees was staring at a small computer monitor in a

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Connecticut studio and typing like mad. NBC Sports hired him as a commentator for its live streaming video service on the Internet during the 2008 Games in China. He was one of a group of about 100 athletes from a variety of sports who described the live competition taking place on the other side of the world. Weekends are filled with competitions, clinics and appearances for his sponsors. “I have lost a lot of students because I don’t teach on the weekends,� Anees says. “I also have to have time with the family. My wife has found consolation in the fact that with the feeding, grooming and rugging [blanketing] routine that I practice with my horses, I am well trained to handle a baby.� Although Masume, a graphic artist, doesn’t ride, she has gamely supported Anees, acting as his groom at competitions. When the two first met, she did not know his goal was to become a professional rider. When he competed in an event just days before their wedding, she worried that he would fall off and miss the ceremony. “Now that my business has grown, Masume has resigned from that high-paying job,� Anees jokes. “But she is always there for me on cross-country day.� Each winter, Anees closes his barn and moves horses and students to Florida, where they spend two months showing and training. It’s an opportunity for him to train with some of the top event riders in the United States – Olympic medalists David and Karen O’Connor and Buck Davidson. His new goal? The 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. “I’m always striving to improve,� he says. “The minute you stop learning, you might as well hang your boots up.� NCM

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Minutes tell story of Reading Circle’s first century by W. Winston Skinner

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inutes can be fascinating for what they tell – and what they don’t. As a newspaper reporter and a history buff, I have looked through my share of minutes. The minutes kept by government bodies tend to be spare and, particularly in modern times, pretty boring. I suspect that attorneys have advised their clients to stick to the bare essentials to avoid any tangled legal issues. I have pored through church minutes for more than one project. The older ones tend to be flowery. In dealing with controversy, church minutes often are masterfully incomprehensible. My wife, Lynn, keeps the minutes for our church conferences and often includes a direct quote or some other device to share the flavor as well as the substance of a meeting. The Newnan Reading Circle is celebrating a century this year, and

the history of that august group of thinking ladies is told – in various degrees of descriptiveness – in the minutes kept by the secretary. Obviously, during the past 100 years, the Reading Circle has had a number of secretaries. Some have had flowing pens that rolled on with details about programs, refreshments and the tenor of the gathering. Others have been acerbic to the point of leaving the modern reader with questions about what actually occurred. An early secretary was Miss Corinne Simril, whose minutes have their own literary flair. At times, they drift in the direction of poetry – not a bad way to record history for those who have that gift. A much later secretary – one I knew personally – was Miss Maryella Camp – an educator in Newnan for years with sharp, often expressed opinions. I was

a bit amused to find that Miss Maryella’s comments in the minutes tended to reveal her wit but not the barb that was likely to be part of a conversation. The shortest entry ever was in 1941: “Due to providential hindrances, there was no meeting of the Reading Circle on March 27.” What occurred that late March among the literary group’s members is left a mystery to us. Those “providential hindrances” must have been rough indeed, as I have known the Reading Circle to proceed with a planned meeting in spite of weather that closed local schools, business and industry. Corinne Simril’s observations on the weather at a particular meeting are worth sharing: “Our calendars have said good-bye to summer almost two moons ago, but still she lingered graciously among us, enhancing the loveliness of autumnal glory.” Miss

Memorabilia from the Newnan Reading Circle includes pictures of the club members in 1934 and 1950, above, and some of the historic minutes of the meetings, at left.

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Newnan Reading Circle members in 1969 included, front row, Julia Bowen, Virginia St. John, Mary Brown, Rosalyn McKoy and Ysabel Odom, and at back, guest Rachel McElroy, Carrie May McElroy, Marjorie Hatchett, Evelyn Banks, Marian Sewell, Eleanor Blalock, Maryella Camp, Catherine Glass, Virginia Dillard, Pat Glover, Mary Nixon, Ada Smith, Eleanor Hubbard, Edith Cole and Genet Barron. 72

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Simril went on to add the name of the member at whose home the meeting was held and acknowledgement of the fact that another member “leaves soon to make her home in a neighboring city.� Mrs. Ada Smith used similarly colorful language to describe a meeting at the elegant home of Mrs. Evelyn Banks in 1966. “Following the program, a picnic supper was served on the terrace overlooking the beautiful greensward with the lake in the distance on which swans swam back and forth for our delight,� she wrote. “Peacocks on the green entertained us by spreading their beautiful fan tails of color.� The social aspect of the organization often peeks through the formal verbiage. At one meeting, it was noted that the presenter wisely abbreviated her comments because the program was getting to be a bit long. Yet the minutes reflect the interest of the Reading Circle members in the hometown of Newnan – and the great, wide world beyond. Programs on scientific, social and literary topics are explained in some detail in the minutes. At the very first Reading Circle meeting, the fledgling group was invited to gather “for conversation about things other than daily chores.� The members of the Reading Circle have always been – and continue to be – women who think, read and converse about art, music, history and current events. Enjoying a tasty crumpet or tea from a china cup is the accent, not the focus. The role of women in the world has often been a topic for Reading Circle meetings, as the minutes reflect. A 1942 meeting on “Women of Today� included segments on women in the armed services, Hollywood women in support of the war effort, writer Ellen Glasgow, singer Kate Smith and photo-journalist Margaret BourkeWhite. I would love to know if there was any mention of Erskine Caldwell, the novelist born down the road near Moreland. His marriage to Bourke-White was unraveling in October 1942 as Newnan’s literary group met. Alas, the minutes are silent on this subject. The minutes record that in 1972, Lavinia Barron “gave a very clear explanation of how the Woman’s Liberation Movement came into being, how it has its good points and to what foolish extremes some have carried it.� The minutes quote Mrs. Barron as concluding that women’s liberation “is, as of now, an unchartered course.� The same could be said of the Reading Circle itself, as its members gather to meet once more on the cusp of its second century. The charting of that course will, no doubt, be revealed – meeting by meeting – in the minutes. NCM

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By Megan Almon | Photos by Jeffrey Leo

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With each sweep of their bows, the Centre Strings orchestral players create individual strains of vibrating sound, charging the air in the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts auditorium. If those

strains were visible, they might be traced — like sparkling trails of pixie dust — to the tip of Conductor Lyn Schenbeck’s baton, her own magician’s wand.

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Harrison Brown

Since its conception in the fall of 2004, Centre Strings has developed into something altogether other, a reflection of its creator. While many community orchestras are known for their cutthroat competitiveness over seating positions, Centre Strings players willingly “mix it up” so that amateur players are able to sit next to those more experienced. Surprisingly, the all-inclusive arrangement is mutually beneficial. “I believe competition destroys an ensemble,” Schenbeck said. “It can get wicked.” Centre Strings members vary in age almost as much as they vary in skill-level. True to Schenbeck’s philosophy, 10-year-old Tyler Nigro, a talented young violinist, teaches as much as he learns from players who are nearly 80. “There are so many [string instrument] players in Coweta County,” said Centre Strings manager and longtime violin teacher Laini Benefield. “We want to make 76

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Dr. Lyn Schenbeck says members of the Centre Strings play “anything from Bach to rock.”

Tyler Nigro

Allison Vessell

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sure that people who want the opportunity have it.” When it comes to what’s played, it’s no surprise that Schenbeck’s musical tastes are, as she put it, “eclectic.” “We play anything from Bach to rock,” Schenbeck laughed. Schenbeck has never known a life without music. A quiet child who grew up near Manhattan, she was content to sit beneath the piano and listen to her mother’s skilled fingers caress the ivory keys. Her mother, now 89 and living just up the street from Schenbeck’s Newnan home, was “a wonderful concert pianist” who made her debut at New York’s Steinway Hall, met Schenbeck’s father, fell in love and devoted her life to teaching children with cerebral palsy. Though Schenbeck’s first musical instrument was by and large her voice – she could sing “high in the sky” and with the same proficiency “belt out Broadway tunes” – she received a violin at the age of 6. But her love of music was “merely a byproduct.” “I think I was born to teach,” she said. Schenbeck majored in music education at the State University of New York at Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. At 21, she kicked off her teaching career in Canton, N.Y., where she also taught voice lessons at nearby St. Lawrence University. It was the first of many opportunities for Schenbeck. The Centre Strings’ conductor has taught kindergartners and college students, the brightest talents and the severely disabled with the same fervor, all while dabbling in “side jobs” including recital performances, commercial spots and background recordings. In the mid ’70s, Schenbeck spent three years developing a music therapy program for more than 80

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Dr. Lyn Schenbeck leads a rehearsal of the Centre Strings.

residents – most of whom were blind, deaf-blind, multi-handicapped or retarded – at Selinsgrove State School and Hospital in Pennsylvania. The program attracted attention state-wide when Schenbeck proved music therapy could be substituted for heavy tranquilizers. When she isn’t grasping a conductor’s baton, Schenbeck is 78

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immersed in research for what she calls her “life project.” Schenbeck’s academic account of the 1921 all-black production “Shuffle Along” will be included in an edition of Music in the United States of America. Also, Schenbeck was contacted by New York City’s Encores!, a program dedicated to performing the full scores of great

American musicals in concert. In 2004, Schenbeck was working at LaGrange College when CPVA Director Don Nixon contacted her and said, “You’re the person I need to start an orchestra.” Schenbeck launched The Centre Strings with 12 players. This year, the number is hovering around 40. The orchestra may soon grow at a steady rate thanks in large part to a second phone call from Nixon in 2006. “We have an opening for a strings teacher in one of our middle schools,” Nixon told her. Her response: “I don’t think so.” Kaitlyn Adams

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But the more she thought about it she realized, “That’s where I need to get the children – when they’re young.” “As you get older you begin to really think, ‘Where can I make a difference?’” Schenbeck said. So she took a job at Smokey Road Middle School. She began the strings program in 2006 with around 12 students, no classroom, no budget, no supplies and virtually no instruments. There are currently 122 “strings” students at Smokey Road, learning to play the guitar, electric guitar, violin, cello, bass and viola. Schenbeck is “awed” by her colleagues, and enjoys coordinating with the school’s band and choral teachers. “We all just want the kids to be in music,” she said. Next fall will bring yet another opportunity for Schenbeck, who has accepted a teaching position at Central Educational Center where she will teach classes in the arts, including strings and voice. “My passion is coming full circle,” she said. “This is an opportunity to bridge the gap between youth and college/adults. I feel really lucky.” NCM

The Centre Strings’ fall concert will be Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. at Coweta’s Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. The orchestra will play works by Beethoven, Corelli, Mozart and Leroy Anderson, in addition to several selections from musical theatre.

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Heirloom

Members of Macedonia Baptist Church in Newnan held their annual Homecoming Celebration in August, and as part of the celebration they mounted a display of heirloom quilts. Organizers said, “In a very real way, the quilts on display are a record of God’s faithfulness to His people. Each quilt is the tale of a family’s heritage, of the legacy left by those who came before. Each stitch holds a story of God’s love and symbolizes the faith that binds the family of God together. Just like these beautiful quilts, may the patchwork of our lives continue to tell the story of God’s grace and mercy so that those who follow us may praise the Lord, too.” — Photos and text courtesy of Macedonia Baptist Church

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This quilt was given to Janet Cortner by her mother, although there is no record of the maker. It is the Evening Star pattern and is more than 50 years old. The quilt was made in New York. This quilt was loaned by Verna Hayes. There isn’t much known about the history of this quilt, but it was made in Georgia by Lonie Chambers, Verna’s mother, well over 50 years ago.

This quilt was loaned by Helen M. Camp. It was made by Helen’s mother, Gene Rutland Moore, for her family’s everyday use sometime between 1928 and 1940, in Alabama.

This Wedding Ring quilt was on loan from Mary George Potts. Sara Marlow, her sisters and friends in Carrollton made it for Mary’s mother, “Maudia,” at the time of her wedding to George Potts. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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On loan from Martha Hendrix, this quilt is made in the Diamond Primitive pattern and was stitched by Martha Walker (18421924), the great-greatgrandmother of Mrs. Hendrix. It is estimated that the quilt is over 100 years old, having been made between 1895 and 1905. The quilt was passed to Greatgrandmother Dora Walker Mitchell, Grandmother Jimmie Mitchell Hardegree, Mother Faye Hardegree Tarleton and then to Mrs. Hendrix. According to Mrs. Hardegree, the backing of the quilt is coffee dyed. The quilt has been kept in a cedar chest since 1940.

On loan from Melvin Hendrix, this lovely old patchwork was made in Georgia more than 60 years ago by Hendrix’s grandmother, Carrie Ricks Dingler (1878-1961). Grandmother always lived with the Hendrix family and was a special person to them. She made a quilt for each of the children.

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This quilt was loaned by Andy Gosnell. It was made by Fannie Louise Gettys (18961942) in North Carolina and is about 80 years old. It was called a summer quilt and served as a cover and a spread.

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This Churn Dash quilt was on loan from Jessie Johns. Another Churn Dash pattern quilt was made by Lucy Johns in Georgia, sometime prior to her marriage in 1937. She pieced it together, then paid an aunt $5 to do the quilting. It is approximately 73 years old.

This quilt was on loan from Linda Scogin. She said, “Made by my mother, Lourine Hullinger, in Illinois, more than 70 years ago, this quilt is done in the NinePatch Kaleidoscope pattern. Mama hand stitched the top in the 1930s, got busy, and stored it in the cedar chest. We discovered it about 50 years later when she moved in with us. At that time we hired it to be machine quilted to the backing.”

This quilt was on loan from Andy Gosnell. This quilt’s age is unknown, but it is known that it was made by Mildred Hendron, in Georgia.

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This quilt was on loan from Pam Zirkle Kuehl. “From beautiful Forestville, Shenandoah County, Virginia, comes this very old Crazy Quilt design with crow foot stitching. It was made by Great-grandmother Elizabeth Pence Zirkle in 1860-61, making it 118 years old.”

This quilt was on loan from Judy K. Moore. Her maternal grandmother, Grace D. Stubbs, and the Ladies Aid of the Clifton Methodist Church in Atlanta made this butterfly quilt some 80 years ago.

This quilt, on loan from David and Beth Blevins, was made by Grandmother Ida Blevins in Alabama. The pattern was Flower Basket Applique, and the quilt was given to David’s parents as a wedding gift.

This quilt was on loan from Janice Miller. She said, “This Orange Appliqued Poppy quilt was made by my mother, Viola Weightman, in Pennsylvania. My mother made this quilt for me before Jim and I were married. She was an avid quilter; every winter the quilting frames went up in the dining room and every spare minute was spent poking away at the quilt with those tiny little ‘between’ needles.”

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e arden r

The Th

f u t h lG g u o

The Ultimate Garden Book:

Your Garden Journal Story and artwork by Katherine McCall

I

Winter

n 1835, when she returned from her honeymoon on the Continent, Martha Turnbull was filled with a dream inspired by the gardens of England, Italy and France. She and her husband built Rosedown, a Federal-Greek Revival style home, on their 3,455-acre cotton and sugar plantation in St. Francisville, La. For 60 years, Martha and her slaves labored to build one of the South’s finest and most extensive ornamental gardens. The home is approached by a 660-foot-long oak avenue and is surrounded by 18 acres of formal and informal gardens with an extensive collection of imported plants. James R. Cothran notes in Gardens and Historic Plants of the Antebellum South, “In time, the gardens at Rosedown overshadowed the plantation house, an anomaly that seldom occurred during

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the antebellum period.” Inspiring as her gardens are, equally inspiring is There are a variety of ways to record her diary detailing the planting and management of the gardens for 60 information from the garden. years. The Sixty Year Garden Diary of Martha Turnbull, Mistress of Rosedown Plantation, 1836-1896 The biggest task is actually doing it. provides us with valuable information on plants and gardening practices of the time along with a glimpse of plantation life. Likewise we can keep records as we till and tend our plot of land, although they probably won’t be as large and far-reaching as Mrs. Turnbull’s. Keeping a garden journal or diary is one of the most organized ways to keep a record of your garden. Some gardeners use the “shoebox” method of keeping records – all papers, receipts and plant tags go into a box which, hopefully, gets Spring labeled with the dates of its contents. While this is easy and inexpensive, a more organized approach will reward you with a garden record that is attractive, easily referenced and inspiring. A garden journal is a good idea for many reasons; it can provide valuable information for planning and planting your garden, remind you of what worked and what didn’t, track sowing and harvesting dates, and record pests encountered – good and bad. Keeping track of your micro-climate and soil conditions can help you figure out why your neighbor’s azaleas are blooming and yours are not. Like Martha Turnbull, we might be inspired by visits to public and private gardens or by leafing through a magazine. Your journal is a great place to keep track of these inspirations to guide your planning. There are a variety of ways to record information from the garden. The biggest task is actually doing it. Developing the discipline of sitting down for just a few minutes each day and recording what

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These are some pages from the Garden Journal kept by the author. In the entry near right, she took note of what was in the Driftwood Garden Club’s hanging baskets downtown.

you have observed can reap large benefits in the planning and enjoyment of your garden. As motivational coach Jim Rohn has stated, “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” One of the easiest and quickest ways is using a wall calendar or day planner. On any particular day, just jot down the info you’re

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interested in. My grandmother, who summered in Highlands, N.C. for many years, faithfully recorded the daily weather conditions there for at least five years, and we still have her stack of 1970s calendars. Be sure to save your calendars in a place you can find them next year so you can reference them monthly.

If you want something more flexible and with more room to store information, a three-ring binder is inexpensive and has great versatility. It has lots of room for adding pages and can be customized to your needs. Use page dividers to delineate areas such as your calendar, plants, maps (landscape plan) of yard and beds, inspiration, photos and sketches,

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sowing and harvesting dates, and record pests encountered — good and bad. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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garden pests, companion planting and crop rotation, etc. There are several web sites where you can download free garden journal pages for your binder or create your own to meet your needs. Thomas Jefferson, another great record keeper, developed his own garden “Kalender.” He used a bound

Another option is bound journals that are usually bought at bookstores or gift stores. ledger-type journal and made columns with the headings of “(plant), where, sowed, transplanted, come to table (harvested), gone, seed gathered, and observations” across the top of the page. He kept records of his gardens at Monticello and Shadwell from 1766 to 1801. Another option is bound journals that

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are usually bought at bookstores or gift stores. These contain various planning pages along with inspiring photos. In the end, no matter how you choose to record your observations, write what you are interested in and what will serve you in the future. Seasonal landmarks, such as the first forsythia spotted in spring, the first frost, or the return of the yellow warblers in the fall, will be helpful to some. Others may opt for a more detailed accounting of temperatures and weather conditions. Maybe all you need are photographs or sketches. It is perhaps the ultimate garden book—one specifically planned and designed with you and your garden in mind. Most of all, it gives you a way to more fully enjoy your garden by leaving you with tangible evidence of your fleeting creation to enjoy all year round. NCM

Just in time for Christmas, Katherine McCall is giving away a binder containing “A Record of the Garden,� the beautiful new garden journal she has designed. Register to win at newnancowetamagazine.com. For more information, visit Katherine’s blog at thethoughtfulgardener.blogspot.com.

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> FAMILY FUN

The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway By Meredith Leigh Knight | Photos courtesy of Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

“All aboard!” yelled the conductor, as the whistle blew four times. No need to worry about missing the train. My family and I were already seated in our assigned vintage open air car, excitedly awaiting our ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.

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We departed from an historic 100-year-old depot, located in downtown Blue Ridge, Ga., an easy two-hour ride from Newnan. Blue

Ridge is a quaint town that offers antique shops, art galleries, specialty shops and restaurants. Prior to departing, we visited the depot’s gift shop for a postcard and Girl Scout patch, exploring the town on our return trip. For those who are spending the

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night in one of the area’s cabins or bed-and-breakfasts, be sure to check out “The Swan,” one of Georgia’s last remaining drive-in theaters. The train sets out on a leisurely pace through historic Murphy Junction, along the beautiful Toccoa River. This railroad was built over 100 years ago and is the only mainline railroad excursion service based in Georgia. The line was threatened with being removed in the early 1990s but was saved thanks to local investors. Since operation began in 1998, the train has been staffed entirely with trained volunteers, who are quick to point out sights along the way. For the best viewing, my family enjoyed the open air car, which featured foot heaters, but air conditioned/heated coach cars are available, including a special assist car that is handicapped equipped. Each car has a unique history. Be sure to purchase a trip guide to find out more about them. Perhaps the most adventurous part of our train ride was navigating between cars, as the train clipped along the track, to the concession stand. The kids also liked it when the conductor punched their tickets, just like the Polar Express. The train follows a 26-mile round trip route and, during our ride, included a two-hour stop in the twin border cities of McCaysville, Ga., and Copperhill, Tenn. Much to their delight, the children were able to “walk the line” between Georgia and Tennessee. We crossed into Tennessee, walked a block, and then crossed the river back into Georgia, causing my seven-year-old son Carson to say, “I never knew Tennessee was such a small state!”

Ready to ride? Each season brings its own fun to the railroad. Mother Nature provides the entertainment for the fall foliage trip, serving up a healthy dose of color. The November schedule varies, but as the colors grow more spectacular, tickets become harder to find, so make reservations early. Beginning Nov. 28, Santa Claus comes to town – by train. The Santa train ride lasts two and a half hours with no layover. The children are sure to love singing Christmas carols, sipping hot chocolate and sitting on Santa’s knee while riding the train. Just not all at the same time! It’s too cold to think about, but when the weather warms, try the railand-ride adventure, which combines a relaxing train ride to McCaysville with a wild tube river ride down the Ocoee River or a carefree tubing adventure down the Toccoa River (one of the few rivers that flows north). The railway handles the ride, and then the Rolling Thunder River Company takes care of the transportation back. My son was chomping at the bit to give it a try and made me promise that we would make a return trip this summer. Ticket prices vary by season; group and senior discounts are available. Box lunches are available upon request. Children under two ride free if sitting on a parent’s lap. For more information or to reserve your tickets online, visit www.brscenic.com or call 1-800-934-1898 or 1-706-632-9833.

Words to the wise • Be sure to give yourself plenty of time so you don’t miss your train. Boarding begins 30 minutes before departure. • A few younger children were startled by the train’s loud noises but were allowed to move farther back from the engine en route. • Dress comfortably and wear good shoes. • One smart mom a few cars up brought blow bubbles that she waved out the open air car, entertaining many sleepy children on the way back. • Restrooms and changing stations are available on the train.

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Meet a Newnan-Coweta Magazine

READER ...

ALLISON WIENAND Allison Wienand first “dipped her toe” into business in the way that many mothers do: by starting a homebased business. She has been very successful with Homemade Gourmet, a company that sells meal planning products that help people prepare delicious meals at home in 30 minutes or less. After her husband Bernie retired as Vice President of Operations of Foley Products, Allison decided she herself might like to take on an additional work challenge, but she knew it had to be on her own terms. Their ninth grade son, John, has an active schedule at The Heritage School and they are involved parents. She didn’t need to work but wanted to challenge herself in a new way. A few years back Allison had been a devoted member of Curves, a women’s-only fitness center, but she dropped out in 2001 when she underwent breast cancer treatment. She now calls herself a “breast cancer thriver,” and when she heard that Curves had a location near Target for sale, she was interested. She encouraged friends Hope Haydon, who also serves as Business Manager at Carolyn Barron Montessori School, and Homemade Gourmet Team Member Melodie Wilson to partner together. They purchased Curves this summer, and the challenge and excitement is just what Allison was looking for. Allison is a Savannah native but after living in Newnan for 16 years wouldn’t consider anyplace else home. 94

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What is your idea of perfect bliss?

Perfect bliss? Gosh … I guess that would be a family vacation with Bernie and John with absolutely no worries! And it would have to include Marlin fishing because we love to do that as a family. I would love to go to Australia because my sister lives there. The perfect solution would be Marlin fishing off the coast of Australia and seeing my sister on the same trip. That would be bliss.

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

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Surgery Center, P.C. ..............89 An Affair to Remember..................43

Pharmacies ............................47 Legacy Too Furniture/

Archadeck ......................................69

Accessories/Antiques ..........27

Artisan Jewelry Company............26

Long Orthodontics, LLC ................27

Ashley Park ..............................12, 13

Main Street Newnan ....................24

Bank of Coweta ............................100

McIntosh Commercial Bank ........33

Okay, now what do you think of as “misery”?

BB&T ................................................25

Morgan Jewelers/

Misery is when things are unbalanced at home – when I’m worrying about my child, the future, things like that.

Bennett’s Antiques ........................79 Jay S. Berger, M.D., P.C.................31

Downtown ..............................63 Newnan Academy

Bradley’s Antiques and More ......44

Preschool & Child Care ........90

Brian’s Paint and Body Shop........69

NuLink ................................................7

What are the traits you most value in a friend?

Brown’s Pools & Spas Inc. ..........90

Outpatient Imaging ........................33

Dependability is extremely important; friendship is not a one-way street. Someone who’s fun, has a willingness to listen and is available to lean on is a good friend and I offer the same things back.

Cardiovascular Consultants

Panoply Interior Design ................25

of Georgia, P.C. ......................85

Parks & Mottola Realtors..............39

Center For Allergy & Asthma ........5

Phillips Dental ................................77

Chin Chin Newnan Chinese

Piedmont Newnan Hospital............2

Restaurant ..............................47

Plum Southern ................................42

What are three things we might find on your nightstand right now?

Clemens Book Store ......................97

Radiation Oncology Services ........3

Connie’s Antiques ..........................44

Roscoe Jenkins

The remote control, alarm clock and Max Lucado’s “Moment in Time.” Missy Ballantyne gave it to me when I finished chemotherapy and I referred to it a lot back at that time.

Coweta-Fayette EMC ....................99

Funeral Home ........................59

Coweta Pool & Fireplace................73

Savannah Court of Newnan ........63

Crescent Veterinary Hospital ......59

Scott's Book Store ........................85

Crossroads Podiatry ......................39

Simple Treasures Children’s

Delta Community Credit Union......9

What’s your favorite hobby?

I am so into stitchery! Right now I’m doing an afghan and doing some potholders to give as door prizes for our Curves Breast Cancer Awareness Girl’s Night In and we’re very excited about it. How did having breast cancer affect you?

Initially, when I was diagnosed, it was very scary. But I came to realize that most people who are diagnosed with breast cancer are survivors and the medicines are getting better every day. And believe it or not, in some ways cancer may have changed my life for the better. I truly realized how important everything is and I try to live my life like that. I try not to let the little things bother me anymore – it’s just not worth it. I have a favorite verse of scripture quoted in my Max Lucado book from Proverbs 4. It says to be careful what you think because your thoughts are your life. “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

Downtown Church of Christ ........17 Edibile Arrangements ....................49 Farm Bureau Insurance ................69 FoxHall/Forestar

Boutique & Gifts ......................35 Southern Crescent Equine Services ....................67 The Southern Federal Credit Union ............................55

Real Estate Group..................11

The Centre for Performing

Fresh-N-Fit Cuisine ........................62

Arts ..........................................24

Grantville Package Store ..............67

The Heritage School ......................77

Griffin Dental Specialties ..............53

The Lazy Daisy ................................43

Heritage Quilts & Fabrics..............85

The Lemon Tree ..............................44

Heritage Retirement Homes

The Times-Herald.com ..................79

of Peachtree ..........................73

Traditions in Tile & Stone ..............62

Hollberg's Fine Furniture ..............55

Uniglobe McIntosh Travel ............91

Hoofers Restaurant ........................42

University of West Georgia ..........41

Stephen H. Kahler, M.D. ................17

Von Salon ........................................35

Keep Newnan Beautiful ................54

Watts Furniture Galleries ..............43

Kemp’s Dalton West

W. Daly Salon Spa..........................19

Carpets, Inc. ..........................90

Wedowee Marine ..........................54

Kimble's Events by Design............44

West Georgia Hospice ..................43

January/February 2009 Advertising Deadlines Published: January 2, 2009; Contract Ads: November 19, 2009; New Ads: December 3, 2009 Call 770.683.6397 for details and advertising information. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

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THE BOOKSHELF

Off Season By Anne Rivers Siddons Grand Central Publishing, $24.99 Reviewed by Holly Jones Lilly Constable McCall is convinced her house is haunted. She’s not scared of her ghost; it’s just her dead husband, Cam. And the house he’s haunting is the summer cottage in Maine where her family came when she was young, where she married Cam, and where their family spent summers after that. When Anne Rivers Siddons’s latest novel, Off Season, begins, Lilly has returned to Edgewater, Maine to scatter Cam’s ashes. Summer is almost over, temperatures are dropping, storms are coming in, and no one among Lilly’s family and friends wants her to stay in the Edgewater cabin alone. No one has ever stayed in the cabin after summer; it’s never been winterized. And a fat, yellow-eyed cat named Silas and a potential ghost are not the best company for a grieving widow. Lilly is insistent, though. She’s staying in the cabin until Cam’s ashes are spread and she can’t hear his voice anymore. After all, Cam died in the cabin, so it’s only logical Lilly would hear him there. 96

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Besides, she grew up in that cabin. Edgewater is the only place where Lilly truly feels she can breathe, and right now she needs help remembering how. Edgewater holds so many memories for Lilly. In true Anne Rivers Siddons fashion, readers are taken back through Lilly’s memories, reading not only her current heartbreak but also what shaped her life. The story of how Lilly and Cam met is part of the history, and how they fell quickly and madly in love and married. Before that it’s the story of how Lilly lost her mother to cancer and nearly lost her father to his grief. But that is not all of Lilly’s past, and not what shaped her most. The summer Lilly is 14 she meets Jon, a golden boy desperate to escape his father’s domination. From the moment they meet, Lilly and Jon are inseparable – biking, sailing, watching osprey – it doesn’t matter to Lilly what they do as long as they are together. But together is exactly what Peaches Davenport, Lilly’s nemesis, does not want. She wants Jon for herself, and it is an argument that Peaches starts that ultimately drives Jon onto a boat in the middle of a storm – never to be seen again. Off Season is a story of love and loss, and how true love is never really lost – a tale told best by Anne Rivers Siddons.

with a letter detailing your instructions for an activity meant to teach you the true meaning and gifts of Christmas. Once you have emptied your Christmas box, set it back on the front porch behind the bench. “It is my sincere hope that you enjoy these holiday offerings before allowing too many of life’s treasures to pass you by.” The letter is signed “Loving always, Santa.” Actually, all of the letters are signed that way, because in Stacy GoochAnderson’s The Santa Letters, the Jensen family receives 12 such notes. The first delivery arrives on the Jensens’ front porch one afternoon just before the kids get home from school. At first, mom Emma doesn’t know

The Santa Letters By Stacy Gooch-Anderson Sweetwater Books, $16.99 Reviewed by Holly Jones “Dear Jensens,” the letter begins, “I know that this year has been a difficult one for you. You have dealt with numerous challenges and faced many of your biggest fears, and, yet, in light of it all, whether you know it or not, you have managed to become stronger as you’ve focused on what’s really important.” Several paragraphs later, near the end of the letter, the writer says, “Every day I will deliver a few items in a box along

what to make of the mysterious envelope and accompanying package. She’s got enough to worry about without having to solve a Santa mystery. Her beloved husband died less than a year ago, and she’s trying to make ends meet and survive a broken heart. Though she tries to hide it, her kids know she cries herself to sleep every night, and she hopes they’ll forgive her when there’s not much of a Christmas this year. The boys, Jesse, Michael and Jaden,

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seem to understand. Emma’s youngest, her daughter McKenna, has other ideas though. McKenna knows that God, Santa and Daddy will take care of Christmas; they all just have to believe. That’s when the letters start arriving. Each day’s message has a theme and a task for the Jensens – sometimes they are told to decorate a tree and make s’mores, other nights they are given tickets to a Christmas concert and told to savor the music. Over 12 days, they learn about family, forgiveness and faith. And although she is nervous about the letters at first, Emma is soon as excited as her children about Santa’s secret deliveries. Because with each day, Santa gives Emma back her family as well as the true joy of Christmas.

The Hero With a Thousand Faces By Joseph Campbell New World Library, $21.95 Reviewed by Jeff Bishop Growing up in the 1970s as I did, Star Wars was firmly at the center of my mental universe. I begged my mom to take me to see Star Wars from the summer of 1977 until my ninth birthday, in January of 1978, when she relented. The walls of my room were decorated with Darth Vader and Chewbacca posters collected from the Newnan Burger Chef. I would save my allowance and beg my mom to take me to Kmart so I could snag the latest Hammerhead or Snaggletooth action figure. Ten years later, when I got my first apartment in Athens, I bumped my foot against something while I was mangling “Smoke on the Water” on my faux Strat. I reached under the bed and pulled out a book, The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell. Luckily, it had pictures, or I might have tossed it aside. Who cares about myths? Isn’t that something we’re forced to learn about in middle school? But flipping through, in addition to the expected pictures of Zeus and Mt. Olympus, I also came across pictures of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. This was an approach to mythology I hadn’t thought about before. Originally published in 1949, The Hero With a Thousand Faces has influenced not only George Lucas but also millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology.

Now comes a brand-new edition with expanded notes and 60 new illustrations; it is by far the best edition of this seminal work. People are now worrying about their 401(k)s and job security. But ultimately, as

Campbell points out, “if you follow your bliss you’ll have your bliss, whether you have money or not. If you follow the money, you may lose the money, and then you don’t even have that.” If you doubt that people still need myths, look at box office receipts of this summer’s Dark Knight. See young people dressed as their favorite characters at the midnight premiere at the local cinema or at mammoth events like Atlanta’s DragonCon. I see it in my fouryear-old son’s eyes when he plays Star Wars Lego or Batman Lego on the PS3. Despite all our modern sophistication, our need for these myths – especially among the young or young-at-heart – has not abated one jot. And if you want to understand the underpinnings of that universal human need, there is no better place to start than Campbell’s Hero With a Thousand Faces. As George Lucas said, “As a book, it is wonderful to read; as illumination into the human condition, it is a revelation.” NCM

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things I’ve learned ...

as an Antiques Collector As told to Elizabeth Richardson Barbara Tumperi was born in Louisville, Ky., and is a proud graduate of the University of Kentucky. She and her late husband, Bob, have three children who live across the Southeast. The Tumperis moved to Newnan in 1979 – the move was the 15th for them since Bob traveled first with the Army, then for various jobs. It was while living in Philadelphia that Tumperi developed an interest in antiques. One need only look to her Princess Anne Victorian home in Newnan’s Greenville-LaGrange historic district to see her appreciation for the past. Her antiques collection ranges from inherited period pieces – including her great grandmother’s clothing — to silhouettes, salesman sample furniture and old sheet music from as far back as the 1920s. In addition to antiquing, Tumperi keeps busy as a volunteer with Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s Auxiliary, where she’s served for 28 years.

(1) If you’re looking for something, set a price in your mind. Then, if you find something you really love and it’s maybe $50 more than you want to pay, the biggest mistake is saying, “I’m not going to pay that – I’ll get it down the road cheaper,” because you won’t. (2) When people are buying things, they should buy from a reputable dealer, and get as much about the provenance as possible. Make sure it’s not being manufactured down the street. (3) Some people buy antiques as an investment, and others acquire items they really like. I buy something because I like it. It won’t be put away in a box. I think you need to put them out and use them. (4) Antiques are to be enjoyed. They were once a part of someone’s home. That’s what I like – it’s not just about buying, it’s about reflecting on what people and that period in time were like when they used the item. (5) To me, antiques are a reflection of the past that create a sense of nostalgia – a yearning for a past that was or wasn’t there, or perhaps an escape from today’s complex, busy and sometimes superficial world. People once took pride in making their own furniture, clothing and food. Antiques remind me of the way I grew up. (6) There are things you may want to collect that you won’t be able to. You can’t spend time, money or effort looking for something that nine times out of 10 isn’t available – like, for me, Kate Greenaway and Tasha Tudor illustrations. (7) Sometimes you’ve got to travel to find the unusual pieces – and there are a lot in the New England area. You eventually come to learn that some places are more likely to carry certain things than others. The search is part of the fun, especially when you go looking for one item and find something else in the process. (8) You can do research on collectibles and antiques on the Internet, though, admittedly, I don’t know how. But, I would not buy antiques over the Internet. I would want to see it, examine it and turn it upside down. (9) It’s a good idea to get to know a dealer and let them know what you’re looking for. A dealer once called me with an unusual silhouette. I took the item to Chicago to an authority on antique papers who advised me to take it to a conservator. What are the chances I would have come across something where the dealer knew who the subject was, and the artist had written the background on a note still glued to the back of the piece? (10) I appreciate things that are well made and have a history, even if it’s a picture of my grandmother or thimbles that belonged to my family. I think of how many times I’ve moved, and I’m amazed that they’re still in pretty good condition. NCM 98

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Deck the Halls with Safety in Mind If you put up a live tree, buy one with fresh, green needles. If the greenery isn’t fresh, it can lead to a greater fire risk. Keep the tree’s base holder filled with water at all times – even if you have to water it more than once a day. Choose a spot for your tree that’s at least three feet clear of fireplaces and other heat sources. String lights that have the Underwriters Laboratory mark. It means that engineers have tested samples of lights for risk of fire, electric shock and other hazards. Plug no more than three strands of lights together or into the same outlet.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using electrical decorations.

Before you plug in last year's lights, inspect them for cracked sockets, frayed, loose or bare wires and loose connections. If you have to replace a light bulb or fuse on a strand of lights, unplug it first. Replace faulty light strands and electrical decorations rather than trying to repair them. Keep lights and electrical decorations out of the reach of children and pets. They can cause a shock or fire if misused. Some lights are designed for indoor use only. Check yours before hanging them outdoors. Turn off decorations and lights before leaving the house or going to bed.

Warmest Wishes for a Safe and Wonderful Holiday Season

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