Laurel of Northeast Georgia April 22

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Welcome

laurel of April 2022 • Volume Nineteen • Issue Four

Northeast Georgia

from the Publisher

As Easter approaches I am reminded of the sacrifice that Christ made for us and I am humbled by His grace and mercy. Spring is such a time of renewal and new beginnings. As I write to you the trees are budding and the grass is greening up. I love it! April is a beautiful month in our part of the world and Heaven knows we are ready to get outside and enjoy it. I am grateful that in the chaos that is life today, I can watch the birds or feel the grass under my feet and know that God is in charge.

There are some events scheduled around north Georgia and western North Carolina and we have compiled a calendar for you. For the first time in twenty plus years we will not have a Celebrate Clayton festival. The event is being restructured and will be all new for 2023, more to come on that. If you #Believe you will want to plan to be at the upcoming Bigfoot Festival at the Rabun County Civic Center. There’ll be car shows and concerts and the month will end with a Toast of Toccoa so plan to enjoy these events.

We appreciate our advertisers and encourage you to support local businesses. They are the reason that the Laurel continues, we could not do what we do without them. Our readers are equally important, so to you, I say thank you as well. Your continued support means the world to us. I write to you each month, but the sentiments are shared by every one of us. I would be remiss not to take a moment to recognize the importance of each person who works alongside me. Special thanks to Dianne VanderHorst, Cindi Freeman, Michael Detrick, D’Anna Coleman, and my son, Lucas McCoy. We make a great team and each one of them and the writers who contribute each month make the Laurel a great magazine.

Happy Easter!

Tracy

Laurel of Northeast Georgia Mailing: PO Box 2218 - Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 2511 Highway 441 Mountain City, Georgia 30562 706-782-1600 • www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com Contributing Writers: Emory Jones; Jan Timms; Lorie Thompson; Jamie Smoot Speed; Dick Cinquina; Sean Dietrich; Mark Holloway; Tricia Moore; Tori Carver; Rev. Joey Thompson; Tracy Dasher, LPC

STAFF Publisher/Editor - Marketing - Tracy McCoy Art Director - Dianne VanderHorst Graphics - Lucas McCoy Marketing & Office Manager - Cindi Freeman Assistant Office Manager - D’Anna Coleman Sales Associate / Writer - Michael Detrick Writer - John Shivers Photographer / Writer - Peter McIntosh

Copyright 2022 by Rabun’s Laurel Inc. All rights reserved. The Laurel of Northeast Georgia Magazine is published twelve times per year. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publishers and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to the Laurel of Northeast Georgia magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs and drawings. Every effort has been made to assure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Laurel magazine or any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. The Laurel of Northeast Gorgia maintains a Christian focus throughout their magazine. Rabun’s Laurel, Inc. reserves the right to refuse content or advertising for any reason without explanation.

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Contents

IN THIS ISSUE Arts & Entertainment 12 14 18 20

Cover Artist – Brittany Ragsdale NGAG - Teresa Weiser Strike While the Iron is Hot - Shane Brown With Pencil in Hand - Tony Saunders

Southern Cuisine

18

26 28

Bon Appétit Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories

Outdoorsy 32 34

Adventure Out Firmly Rooted

Just Thinking

32

38 42 44

Local Characters Lovin’ the Journey By the Way

Faith in Christ 48 52 53

Rabun for the Gospel Sean of the South His Last Days

Live Healthy and Be Well 56 60 62

53

Autism Awareness Mental Health - Gratitude Pet Health

Mountain Homes 66 68

The Door to this Home Beckons The “Neatest House” at the End of the Road

Around Town 74 78 80 82

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Michael on the Map – Clarkesville Explore Rabun Mountain Happenings Bigfoot Conference

Looking Back 84 88

Foxfire Rabun County Historical Society

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The Arts

Cover Artist – Brittany Ragsdale

By Tracy McCoy

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his story is as much about the art of living well as it is about the beautiful artistic soul behind the lens, the brush, the crochet hook, the cookies and the big smile! As corny as this sounds, if sunshine had legs, its name would be Brittany Ragsdale. She is not a professional photographer, rather she is a mom and wife so in love with her family that she captures every moment she can. When I tell you that this crew is living life to the fullest, I seriously mean it. I share her art with you, but I also offer a glimpse at the joy that is so evident through her photos.

The first time I met her, she said “It’s my pleasure.” through the drive-thru window at Chick-fil-A. All of their employees are top-notch. They are trained well to be courteous and respectful, but this felt genuine and heartfelt. “I loved working the drive-thru, I saw my regulars each day and I got to know them.” Today, Brittany works at HOMESTAR Financial Company in their Cornelia, Georgia branch.

After graduating from Rabun County High School, she went on to earn an Associates degree in Accounting from North Georgia Technical College.

Nine times out of ten, people who love numbers don’t love artsy things and visa versa. Not the case here, Brittany loves her job as much as she loves the artistic side of life.

Brittany’s husband, Derick Ragsdale and their two kiddos, Jordan age 14 and Amanda age 12 love adventures.

I think I’ve figured it out. I believe that Brittany is a student of life and is interested in learning everything she can while she has the chance. Never wasting a day, she takes her family with her. She loves nature and all of the things that God has created. Her digital photo album has trips to Dollywood, the Aquarium, The World of Coke, the river, family hikes, firework shows, beach vacations and parties of all kinds! They celebrate every holiday with family time and smiles for miles!

“I love to crochet and make animals and blankets. One of my favorites is a temperature blanket. Colors of yarn are assigned to the temperature outside, therefore the colors are all mixed up and it makes a really pretty blanket.” Brittany told me during our visit, “Recently I’ve been making cookies and decorating them. I really enjoy the creativity and they taste delicious too! I just love anything to do with art.”

Her crocheting is unique in this day and time, some might say a lost art, yet Brittany enjoys it so much and is very good at it. She is 100% self-taught through YouTube videos. “I am a lot like an old lady who sits on her front porch with a cup of coffee listening to the birds. You could also catch me crocheting an afghan for a friend or 12 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - April 2022

gardening,” she said.

Her photography took on new life when the pandemic began.

Brittany found herself spending a lot of time at home and so to keep herself busy she would explore the outdoors with the kids.

Her curious mind getting up close and personal with lizards, butterflies, ants, bees and the rare Cicada. She filled her days with artistic endeavors, joy, prayer and family. She made jewelry, painted, baked all shapes of cookies and decorated them with a mix of icing colors.

We didn’t talk about specific stitches or what camera she used or art mediums, we talked about how she finds peace through art and finds the joy in every day. We talked about her family and her

work. We chatted like old friends because she is comfortable and friendly. If you don’t know the Ragsdales I hope you get to meet them some day.

Her digital photo collection contains upwards of 10,000 photos so when I asked for 6 or 8 of her favorites she found that a challenge and I understand why. If there is a photo that interests you here or you’d like to commission Brittany to make a Snuggle blanket or a batch of her beautiful cookies it would, no doubt, truly be her pleasure!

If anyone would like to contact Brittany, her e-mail is henderson_145@yahoo.com. She also has a Facebook page for her creations called Britt Berry Designs where you can message her.

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The Arts

The North Georgia Arts Guild

Art From the Heart With Teresa Weiser

A

By Tricia Moore

s with most artists, Teresa Weiser has had a life-long love affair with art. However, it has taken many twists and turns along the way, and Teresa did not have an opportunity to fully experience the creative art experience her heart has always longed for until the last two

years.

Teresa was born in Atlanta, Georgia where she lived with her parents until she was seven. During her seventh year, tragedy struck with the death of both of her parents, and she and her two younger sisters became orphans. After her parents’ death, Teresa and her sisters went to live with relatives in Missouri.

Teresa stated that she always loved to learn and has spent a good part of her life in the pursuit of learning. Even though she worked in the field of Cosmetology for over 40 years, she also continued her education, eventually earning a BA in Clinical Psychology and Art with a concentration in Art Therapy, an MAT in Emotional Behavior Disorders and an Ed.D in Leadership for Curriculum and Instruction.

Returning to Georgia, Teresa has called Clayton her home for the past 36 years. But it wasn’t until 2020 that she began fulfilling a life-long dream of learning to work in the style of the Old Masters when she started an on-line art class with Charles Miano. Miano is founder and director of Miano Academy of Fine Art in Sarasota, Florida and conducts on-line art classes for art students around the world. Teresa’s first work of art as a student of Miano’s was a beautifully rendered portrait of a woman done in red chalk.

The love for the work of the Old Masters began at an early age for Teresa. After the death of her parents, she had little to remember them by except for a large Catholic bible from which she has fond memories of her mother reading to her. Even though she could not really understand the passages in the Bible when she tried to read them for herself, she loved to look at the many photographs of the artwork done by the Old Masters that were in the bible.

These works of art spoke to her heart in a special way and created a lifelong love of them for her.

Teresa did not have a great deal of time for creating art due to her career in cosmetology and working on her educational goals, but she was always interested and skilled in drawing. She also had the opportunity to experiment and create art in other mediums in the pursuit of her BA in Clinical Psychology and Art. It was during this time that she created her copper sculpture depicting a heart with heartstrings. She refers to Proverbs 4:23 as the basis of her belief that the heart is integral to all things; “Above all, guard your heart, for from here flows all you do and the issues of life.” Her preferred mediums currently are oils, red chalk and charcoal. And

even though her work in these mediums does not literally depict a heart, as does her copper sculpture, one can easily see the heart connection in her work.

There is also a definite link between her career in Cosmetology and her artistic ability and skills, Teresa noted. It has been said that drawing is seeing. As a cosmetologist, she was always viewing and working on faces. This experience provided the opportunity to closely study facial features and learn bone structure. She has been able to use this experience in accurately drawing and painting portraits.

Teresa is the loving mother of two grown sons, Todd and Trent, and three beautiful grandchildren. Her current artistic goal is to capture her grandchildren in oil portraits that truly come from the heart. Whether it is a work in progress or a finished piece, Teresa’s art has the ability to touch you in a very special way.

If you are interested in contacting Teresa about her work, she can be reached at the following email address: Weiserexpressions@gmail. com. She also has some of her work on display at Gallery 441 in Dillard, Georgia.

Tricia Moore is a retired teacher, having taught both English and Art in public and private school settings.

She is currently an active member of the NGAG and has held several positions on the board. With her background in both art and writing, she feels that writing the NGAG featured artist article in the Laurel of Northeast Georgia is a good fit and something that she will greatly enjoy doing.

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The Arts

Strike While the Iron Is Hot Blacksmithing with Shane Brown

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abun native, Shane Brown won’t call himself a blacksmith, but he is blacksmithing. “I think that’s a title you earn, and I still have a lot to learn,” Shane told me during an interview.

“This is a hobby for me. It’s a lot of fun and I am just piddlin’ with it. I am working in a traditional way. I use a hammer and anvil and a forge that I fabricated. I knew what I wanted so I designed it on a piece of paper, cut it out and took it to a friend to weld, and my forge works right well.” He continued, “I make one thing and another, for my wife Lisa.” It was something he made for Lisa that got my attention. A single rose for Valentine’s Day. “I knew he was working on something for a few days, but I didn’t know what it was,” Lisa said, “not until he walked in and gave it to me. I love it!”

Many people today are teaching themselves through YouTube and that is where Shane is learning blacksmithing techniques. Blacksmithing was a common practice before the industrial revolution when most towns had their own town blacksmith shop. In the late 1800s, factories and mass-production reduced the demand for smithed tools and hardware. It is regaining popularity, changing from a necessary skill to an artisanal craft. Today’s blacksmiths create works of art with hammer and fire, and men like Shane are keeping traditional techniques alive.

The fundamentals of blacksmithing have remained greatly unchanged in the last 200 years. Of course today there are gas powered and electric tools but Shane prefers the original way. When you forge metal, you heat it in the forge to hammer and bend it into your desired shape. Forging temperature and hammering processes depend on the type of material you are working with and the object you plan to create. “Depending on what I am making I adjust the way I do it to move the metal. There is a different process for making hinges than making a knife. I made a knife just because I had an interest in it. I showed it to my mom, Mary Brown, and she examined it and said ‘thank you son’ and that was that.” he said with a chuckle.

When Shane is not working at his job or around the house he tries to find time to spend in the shop “piddling”. He and Lisa have two daughters, Zöe and Caroline and two sons Levi and R.C.. Both of the boys are married and the Browns have five grandchildren. A couple of the kids like to “hang out” with Papaw in the shop and seem to exhibit some interest. Shane’s oldest daughter Zöe is very artistic as well. As life slows down and the kids grow up, we find time to explore hobbies and things we want to do. That’s exactly what is happening and even though Shane says it is often trial and error, he sure is enjoying it.

Shane is available to chat about a project or idea you might have and is willing to tackle commissioned pieces. He continues to learn and develop his techniques. I think great blacksmiths would agree that you never stop learning. If you’d like to speak with Shane please call 706-982-0202.

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The Arts

With Pencil in Hand, Tony Saunders Leaves an Impression

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ometimes art is learned and sometimes I think you are born with it. Perhaps we are all born with the ability to create, but sadly some never find it. That is not the case with our featured artist, Tony Saunders. “I always had a pencil or a crayon in my hand. As long as I can remember I have always loved to draw,” this Rabun native told me in a recent interview. Tony’s art came to my attention when his sister, Bonnie Wallace began posting his prints on her social media page. The detail in his pencil drawings was incredible. Barns, farms and old fences by flowing water all spoke to me, a reminder of simpler times.

As I scrolled through Bonnie’s page I saw acrylic paintings much the same.

She posted to her brother that she had found them in her mother, Thelma Saunders’ things. “I gave my mom paintings for her birthday or for Mother’s Day,” Tony told me when we spoke. “She always encouraged me to paint and draw. I had some friends on Lake Burton that I had worked for who did the same. They helped me get some lessons and bought supplies for me. It means a lot when people believe in you.” Tony spoke of one woman, an art teacher

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named Aspasia Voulis, who taught him a valuable skill, a lady who changed things for him. “She taught me how to see the world as an artist,” he shared and he still puts that gift to use today.

Tony has severe diabetes and lost a leg to it. It is a horrible disease, often robbing people of their eyesight or their limbs. Today Tony lives in Providence, North Carolina. He’s still drawing and when I asked what he likes to do when he isn’t drawing he said, “Well,

I’ve been learning to play the guitar for forty years.” Tony told me that many of his family members are also artistic and that maybe it runs in the family. He left his portfolio with sister Bonnie when he moved to North Carolina and she hopes to sell some of his prints and paintings to help him supplement his very limited income. If you see something here that you like or if you have something you’d like for him to draw for you please give Bonnie a call at 706970-8259.

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Clayton, Georgia - Downtown

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Southern Fare

Bon Appétit - Goodbye Winter and Hello Spring

By Scarlett Cook

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armer weather has arrived and with it all the glorious blossoms of the season. These recipes make a lovely Easter lunch or dinner. So gather your family and friends and enjoy your time together. Don’t forget to hide the Easter eggs.

Herb Chicken Bake Serves 4 1/2 Cup Panko 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 Teaspoon dried basil 1 Teaspoon oregano 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder 4 Boneless chicken breasts 1/2 Cup butter, melted 1/2 Cup dry white wine (or apple juice) 1/2 Cup chopped green onion 1/2 Cup dried parsley Preheat oven to 375°. Spray 8” pan with cooking spray.

Combine Panko, cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Dip chicken in butter; then dredge in Panko mixture.

Combine wine (or juice), onion, parsley and remaining melted butter.

Place in prepared pan.

Pour over chicken and bake 20 minutes more until chicken is done.

Squash Bake Serves 4 2 Small yellow squash, sliced 1 Medium zucchini, sliced 1 Large tomato, peeled and chopped 1 Small onion, sliced and separated into rings 1 Teaspoon basil 3/4 Cup Mozzarella 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350°. Spray baking dish with baking spray.

Combine vegetables, basil and Mozzarella in casserole dish; toss lightly.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

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Easiest Biscuits Ever Makes 12 1 8-Ounce container sour cream 1 Egg 2 Cups Bisquick Poppy seeds Preheat oven to 375°.

Grease a cookie sheet.

Combine sour cream and egg in a large mixing bowl; beat until well blended.

Add Bisquick and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased sheet. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake 10 – 15 minutes or until golden.

Fresh Strawberry Mousse Serves 8 – 10

1 Pint strawberries 1 Small box strawberry Jello 1/4 Cup sugar Cool Whip Mash strawberries; drain reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to make 1 1/2 cups liquid and add the sugar.

Bring mixture to a boil. Add gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Chill until the consistency of unbeaten egg white. Cool.

Add mixture to Cool Whip. Pour into serving bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.

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A Taste of the Mountains

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Southern Fare

Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories A Tribute to Phil Schmidt

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ometimes old friends cross your mind. Those moments bring a smile and you remember them for the things they loved or did. In 2011 I met a fellow who won my heart the minute he walked through my door. He had a story about losing his wife and planting a memorial garden in her honor. A sucker for a love story my heart was moved by the tears that edged over the rim of his sad eyes. He spoke of her with such love. I could see that the garden was his tribute, his amends for all of his regrets, and what was keeping him going. He talked of planting hundreds of rose bushes, tulips, blooming shrubs. He had decorated the garden with sculptures and heart shaped rocks. A path led through the garden to the pond with a gazebo sitting beside it. I shared his story and we ran an update a couple years later as he continued to plant in her honor. Phil Schmidt was one of the finest fellows I’ve ever met.

He joined a prayer group and made some really good friends. He came to know Jesus through these connections and at 87 years old he came to my office to tell me, again with tears that he had been saved. I loved him even more that day because I know

I’ll see him in paradise one day. One of my favorite memories of Phil was when his friends threw a birthday party for him. The party was on the porch at Cupboard Cafe in Dillard. Billy Johnson was a friend of Phil’s and he went all out preparing his favorite food in a plethora of tasty ways. How many ways can you fix bacon?

Well just ask Billy. We had cupcakes with bacon, chocolate dipped

bacon and a dozen or more dishes in celebration of Phil.

No one had a better laugh than Phil did. When he laughed his whole face laughed and tears usually surfaced. That day we had such a nice time and loved being with him. This bacon lovers tribute to my friend doesn’t celebrate anything more than a friendship I’ll never forget. So without further adeu… let’s try some new bacon recipes!

Cheesy Bacon and Egg Hash … Not just a breakfast recipe! This delicious dish can be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!

A skillet full of golden potatoes, fried in a small amount of oil OR baked (your choice), followed closely with more crispy-ness in the form of bacon, with scallions coming in third to add another layer of flavor, and THEN as if that wasn’t enough, melted mozzarella cheese!

24 oz potatoes, (about 4 medium-sized), scrubbed clean and peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil, (or coconut oil) 7 oz diced bacon 2 scallions or spring onions trimmed and finely sliced 4 large eggs 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar) Cracked pepper to season Dice potatoes into small 3/4-inch cubes.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat.

Fry the potatoes in the hot oil and cook while stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy (about 20 minutes). To speed up cooking time, cover pan with a lid, checking the potatoes every 4-5 minutes or so to stir them (this takes about 15 minutes).

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for 10 minutes, until crisp. The potatoes will be golden with crisp edges, while soft on the inside. Add the spring onions; stir them through and season with pepper (optional).

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, make four wells in the hash, crack an egg into each well and arrange the mozzarella around each egg. Fry until the whites are set and the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Serve immediately.

Kickin’ Chocolate Bacon Bark (Say that ten times!)

Line pan with parchment or wax paper with a one-inch overhang on each side. Recipe makes an 8 x 8 pan.

16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate 4 cups of mini marshmallows 1/4 cup whiskey (RM Rose Straight Bourbon is an excellent choice) 1 cup caramel (recipe follows) 1 cup of spiced bacon crumble (recipe follows) Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl above simmering water. Heat on low until chocolate is melted. Pour half of melted chocolate into parchment-lined pan. Then using a spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until melted chocolate becomes solid.

Place marshmallows in a large saucepan and heat until they start to melt and form web-like strands when stirred. Remove from heat and add in 5 tablespoons of whiskey; stir to combine. Spread the marshmallow mixture over solid chocolate layer. (To easily spread the marshmallow to an even layer, spray spatula with non-stick spray.)

Pour caramel on top of marshmallow layer. Then, using an offset spatula, spread caramel until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until caramel becomes slightly hardened. Pour remaining half of chocolate over caramel layer and, using a spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Sprinkle and gently press bacon crumble into chocolate, Return fully assembled bark to refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes or until bark becomes solid. Bring bark to almost room temperature before cutting.

Bacon Crumble 16 oz bacon 1/4 cup sugar 4 tablespoon water 1 egg white 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne Cook bacon and set aside to cool completely.

Once cooled, coarsely crumble bacon with hand; set aside and heat oven to 300 degrees F. Place sugar and water in a pot and heat until sugar is dissolved. Toss crumbled bacon in

sugar syrup to coat. Pass coated bacon through a strainer to drain excess sugar syrup.

Add egg white to a bowl and beat until fluffy and foamy. Add in black pepper and cayenne. Whisk to combine. Add in crumbled bacon and toss to coat.

wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Set aside to cool completely.

Continued on page 30

Spread coated, crumbled bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then crumble bacon one last time.

Caramel Filling 1 cup sugar 4 tablespoons water 4 tablespoon butter 7 tablespoon heavy cream Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle, give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly.

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Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories

Twisted Bacon!

I have discovered Tic Tok! You can learn to do almost anything and recipes are as abundant as life hacks. Twisted Bacon is the rage. It is a perfect mix of soft and crispy, sweet and savory! With this recipe and method, you get incredibly juicy and flavorful bacon in a super-easy way every single time!

The only ingredient you need to make Twisted Bacon is a pound of thick sliced bacon! Chances are you have bacon in the line-up for a big Saturday breakfast so you might as well go the extra mile and make it twisted! It’s super easy to make, clean up and it’s incredible!

To add a sweet but spicy kick to your breakfast, mix together some brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Then just sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the bacon before baking, it’s SO good!

If a bit of spice scares you, try candied bacon for a sweet and savory take on this Twisted Bacon! Simply sprinkle brown sugar over the bacon before baking or even drizzle maple syrup over it!

WARNING! This perfectly caramelized bacon is addictive!

For another sweet meets salty treat dip the cooked and cooled bacon in melted chocolate. Then top it with flakes of sea salt! It sounds crazy but it’s absolutely worth trying!

In the slim chance that you have leftover bacon, you can store it the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in aluminum foil. Enjoy it within 4 to 5 days.This Twisted Bacon would be delicious added into all of your favorite bacon recipes like casseroles, salads, and even soups!

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Outdoors

Adventure Out

Waterfalls and Wildflowers

by Peter McIntosh

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n this adventure we’re heading over to South Carolina to a pair of charming little cascades called Cedar Creek Falls and Blue Hole Falls. Cedar Creek Falls is accessed via an easy walk, 1/2 mile each way, partly on a gently descending gravel road and partly on a trail that follows an old road bed. Blue Hole is a little tougher since getting to the base of the falls involves a steam crossing, (feet will get wet) and a steep scramble down the side of Cedar Creek.

From the trailhead at the intersection of Forest Service Road 744C and FS 2658, we walk past a gate and around an easily negotiated blow down and descend gently for 1/4 mile. You can see the remnants of a controlled burn here from a few years back. Soon you’ll come to some granite boulders, (vehicle stoppers) and here you take a right, still descending gently. The sound of falling water is now within earshot. There are several side trails on the left, which I’m sure lead down to Cedar Creek, but we continue on along the primary trail. Just before the

Astor

Peter McIntosh is an accomplished professional photographer. His photography is displayed in collections across the country. His passion for nature and the outdoors is what fuels his column. His work is available as fine art prints. Peter offers one on one and small group instruction on camera operation and photography. To see more of Peter’s photos, or if you have a question or comment, visit Peter’s website: www.mcintoshmountains.com

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Cinqfoil trail dead ends at Cedar Creek, look for a trail that drops down to the base of Cedar Creek Falls. It looks tougher than it is since there are lots of sturdy Rhododendrons to hold on to. Or if you have trekking poles, even easier. There in front of you is Cedar Creek Falls, not a grand cascade by any means but beautiful just the same.

Flox

Now to get to the base of Blue Hole, you’ll need to cross the creek.

There are a couple of safe places to do this but don’t try and be tricky, hoping to keep you feet dry by crossing to close where the water drops off. And if you’re alone, don’t try it at all. Blue Hole is a sluice of water plunging into a nice swimming hole at the base. Since it’s not much of a hike to get to these two water features, you can bet they’re popular during the warmer months, especially on weekends.

Now one thing that impressed me on my visit was the abundance of wildflowers. There were Astors, Bloodroot, Cinquefoil, Flox, Violets and Wild Iris. I love Wild Iris. Bring a wildflower book and see how many flowers you and identify. It’s a great way to spend a spring afternoon. Happy hiking!

And here on display is my poem for May: Spring is here so don’t be a whiner, Let’s go for a hike in South Caroliner.

We’ll see whitewater, o’re the rocks it will zoom, And be greeted by colorful wildflowers in bloom.

Getting there: From Hwy 441 and Hwy 76 E in Clayton, go east on Hwy 76 for 10 miles. Turn left on Chattooga Ridge Road and go 5 miles to the intersection with Whetstone Road. Turn right and go 4.1 miles to Cassidy Bridge Road on the right. (Pay close attention from here!) Go 1 mile to graveled Rich Mountain Road on left (Forest Service Road 744 - not well marked, only a small 744 visible). Turn left and drive 3.5 miles to Cedar Creek Road (FS 744C) on right. Turn right and drive 2.5 miles to FS 2658. Park here without blocking road.

To see more of Peter’s photos or if you have a question or comment, please visit his website at: www.mcintoshmountains.com

Wild Iris

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Outdoors

Tulips

By Tori Carver

L

ong before I started flower farming, tulips were my favorite flower. I absolutely adore the artistic look of tulips splayed in a vase with the arching stems reaching up and over the edges. Their colorful petals and perfect cup-shaped blooms are a much-welcomed sign of Spring and new beginnings.

Tulips originated in Asia. They were introduced into Europe and became a frenzied commodity during the Dutch Golden Age. Around 1637, at the peak of Tulip Mania, some tulips bulbs sold for more than 10 times the annual income of skilled craftsman and, often times, tulip bulbs were used as money. The Semper Augustus, which was the most expensive tulip in the world, sold for the sum of 5000 florins which is approximately $2,500.00 current US Dollars.

Little did I know back in my home gardening days, (thanks to the very bland box stores that sell bulbs in Autumn), but there are over 100 species of tulips that include over 3,000 varieties. In addition to the single tulips most of us are familiar with, there are also fringed, double, triumph, French, and parrot tulips just to name a few. Parrot tulips have large, showy, ruffled petals; double tulips are also called peony blooming tulips because of their double petals which resemble peonies; and fringed Tulips have little fringed edges on each petal as if someone painstakingly cut each petal with pinking shears. Each one is unique and each one is as equally stunning as the next.

As a flower farmer, I plant bulbs differently than I would as a gardener. Tulips are planted in trenches and when harvested, are pulled up bulb and all. The bulbs are then cut off and thrown in the compost pile. I know.... it’s brutal and

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it was very hard for me to stomach my first year but it’s the best way to get the longest stems and as a bonus, I can re-use the growing area for annual flowers.

As with many flowers, tulips are a “one and done” wonder. Unlike flowers grown from seed, like sunflowers, zinnias, or snapdragons, that can be replanted, tulip bulbs only produce once. In our area, they begin blooming in mid to late March and are normally done by mid-April. So, if you are in the market for fresh grown tulips, don’t delay. Once they are gone, they are gone for the season.

We are currently offering bouquets of fresh tulips for sale at our Porch Pick Up so be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Firmly Rooted Flower Farm for all the up-todate notifications. The Porch is located at 245 North Church Street, in Clayton at the little gray building at the beginning of the paved drive. If you need a bouquet on a specific day, just reach out and I’ll do my best to make that happen. You can reach me at tori@ firmlyrootedflowerfarm. com April 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 35

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Berkshire - Tambria

Just Thinking

Local Character(s) Aunt Albie

By Lorie Thompson

O

ne of the things I want to do each month is share stories about local people who may not be famous but should be.

One of my favorite local characters was Mountain Man’s Great Aunt, Albie Eller.

Not too long after Mountain Man began courting me, he invited me to go with him to visit his Aunt Albie and Uncle Isaac. They lived just over the mountain in Towns County on Upper Hightower Creek.

When we arrived, there was a car in the carport, but no one was home. We decided to enjoy the porch swing and the view and wait a bit to see if anyone would return. In just a few minutes, Mountain Man pointed up the valley, and I could see Albie coming our way.

She was tall and slim with an easy gait as she worked her way through the edge of the woods, skirting through the brambles.

She was wearing a hunting coat, carrying a shotgun under her arm, and had a game bag across her back. Aunt Albie had been up the mountain hunting and had a sack full of squirrels. Mountain Man helped her clean them. She started them cooking in preparation for a pan of squirrel and gravy for their supper.

She showed me around her home. She had beautiful flower gardens and a vast vegetable garden with her Fall greens still growing. The highlight of my visit was a trip to her root cellar to pick out anything I wanted from her shelves of home-canned goods. I was mesmerized. There were floor-to-ceiling shelves in a walledoff room in the root cellar. Each shelf had neatly arranged jars full of colorful vegetables, soup mixes, jellies, jams, canned meat, fermented pickled beans and corn, sweet pickles, dill pickles, and tomatoes! It was glorious!

Aunt Albie and I became firm and fast friends. Mountain Man was rising in my estimation. A man with such great women to raise him had to be a keeper!

By that time, I had started getting to know Mountain Man’s Mother and Grandmother. I loved them and will tell you more about them another time. Both were genuine mountain women. They were born and raised on Upper Hightower, and their travel outside of

the area was minimal. I just assumed the same was true of guntoting, fish-catching, Albie.

My next visit to Aunt Albie’s was similar to the first. Mountain Man and I dropped by her home one afternoon to pop in and say hello.

(The truth is, I had run out of the divine pickles she had given me and wanted a second jar.)

Uncle Isaac was at home, but Aunt Albie was not. He invited us to sit on the porch with him and wait on Albie to return. He didn’t volunteer any information as to where she was, but we were enjoying our visit with him.

While looking across the valley, I saw Albie pop up over the creek bank. She had a fly rod under her arm and a creel full of trout across her back. In my eyes, Albie was the epitome of a true mountain woman. She could hunt and fish and was a fantastic gardener and cook. She was quiet and self-possessed and always laughing.

We often visited with Albie and Isaac. She hosted family lunches, and by that time, Mountain Man and I were always together. Her home was small but always in perfect order. I enjoyed some of the best food I have ever had sitting at her Formica kitchen table.

Their home was built in the late 1950s and decorated in the typical style of area homes. I noticed there was a substantial amount of oriental art in her home. It was inconsistent with the rest of the

Lorie Thompson is a REALTOR at Poss Realty in Clayton, Georgia. Her expertise in her industry is second only to her culinary talents. Lorie is a dynamo in the kitchen. Honestly if she prepares it, it will likely be the best you’ve ever had! Lorie and her husband, Anthony (Peanut), make their home in the Persimmon Community. She is the proud mother of Joe Thompson and Kendall Thompson.

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furnishings. When I asked Aunt Albie about the Oriental pieces, she told me she had lived in Occupied Japan just after WWII. This hunting, fishing, gardening, canning, mountain woman had traveled all over the World! Japan! No wonder she was so confident and self-possessed!

Aunt Albie and Uncle Isaac had lived an exciting life. Isaac was a Warrant Officer in the US Air Force and served in Tokyo just after World War II. Albie lived there with him during his deployment.

Just making the trip alone to Tokyo was an adventure. She flew Delta Airlines for one stint of the travel and then was transported via ship for 13 days to reach Tokyo. She loved the Japanese people she came into contact with, and there are photos of her with Japanese families she encountered.

Albie lived in Japan as the wife of an officer of an occupying force during a period of unrest. It had to be quite an experience! Her albums include photographs of the Bloody May Day riots in Tokyo that happened just outside her door. I am sure this was a scary time for her.

Albie and Isaac lived and traveled all over the World, but when Isaac retired, they could not wait to get home to the mountains.

Their little brick bungalow, with the big garden and the view of the green valley, seemed like Heaven to them.

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Just Thinking Isaac passed away not long after Mountain Man and I married. Albie adored him, and she took his loss hard. They had lived a remarkable life together!

Albie shared many of her canning skills with me. My Mother had always preserved food, but hers was more mundane—lots of green beans, tomatoes, and jelly. Albie and my Mother in law, Carrie, were bold! Their hot banana peppers, green tomatoes, and onions pickled in sugar and vinegar are still one of my Summer canning staples.

Albie was a unique person. She was a mix of her remote mountain upbringing, paired with the confidence learned while living and traveling around the World. Above all, she was always having fun. I can hear in my mind her laughter and see her sparkling eyes. I surely do miss her.

She should have been famous.

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“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”

Muhammad Ali

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Just Thinking

Lovin’ The Journey

By Mark Holloway

S

pring is my favorite season. To be clear, I don’t have a least favorite season. I simply have a favorite season. I don’t hate any season. That wouldn’t be wise. Complaining about the weather doesn’t make sense.

If you’ll just be patient, it’ll change soon enough.

Weather fascinates me. There’s a mountain range along one of our northbound highways where the clouds pour over and down the hillside like frothy whipped cream spilling over the sides of a good cup of coffee. I’m told that local phenomenon is because of the continental divide located along Bald Mountain Road. I’ve run from Hale Ridge to Mountain City and from Betty’s Creek to Tiger and enjoyed the ‘pouring’ clouds both times. (I was training for an-all-down-hill marathon and those routes offer great descents.)

Our mountains offer inches and inches of snow...not feet of snow. I’m thankful for just inches. Winter is fun but naked trees aren’t quite as beautiful.

So spring is my favorite. There’s an aroma and freshness which only happens in spring. Of course it helps to be outside a lot to capture the nuance of new life flowing and sap running.

Summers here are not hot. Locals like to use the word ‘hot’. But South Georgia is hot. Florida is hot. Our beloved Northeast Georgia can be ‘mountain warm’ but never hot.

We’ve been here since 2007. Not once have temperatures been in the triples.

Jus’ sayin’.

Last summer we had lows in the upper 50s. Carol and I love telling newbs: Rabun County, where spring spends the summer. And what can be better than boating and playing in our lakes in summer? I’ll tell ya. Hiking our trails in spring.

Springtime is like reconnecting with an old friend. There’s a peacefulness to winter. But buds, blossoms and branches flowing with new hope are simply exhilarating.

Autumn in these parts is like our varsity football program...clearly the big event. But Coach Dee Dee Dillard’s Lady Cats, now that’s the real show. Fall gets the headlines, but springtime is like our girls varsity basketball team. Ain’t nuthin’ better.

Hmm...I didn’t set out to compare weather and high school sports. Verdant is a fine word. It captures what I really feel about this season.

When the killer tornado ripped through here a few years ago, a few springtimes eventually erased the pain and destruction.

Spring reminds me of the second chance. In Christ I’m a new creation. I once was a hedonist, living simply for myself. But my worldview changed.

Spring is my favorite for that reason and many others. Let’s go hike, y’all.

See you on the trail.

Mark and Carol Holloway own PropertyStewards.com and are passionate about delivering excellent care to the homes and property of their clients. They are outdoor adventurers and love the thrills of rock climbing and hikes to waterfalls and exploring all of God’s creation. Mark can be reached by calling 706-490-7060.

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Just Thinking

By the Way The weighty thoughts of a pig

By Emory Jones

I

Clapping is another human activity Cunningham questions. And it is a strange business. “Hey, you up there on stage. I like what you just did. Let me bang my hands together to express my delight.”

Pigs don’t clap, and that’s one of the things I like best about them.

Anyway, since Cunningham’s return—and at Judy’s insistence—the pig and I have been spending a lot of time on the porch. I think Judy recognized the pig and I needed some bonding time. And that’s fine because it gives us time to ponder some of the deeper aspects of life itself.

Cunningham doesn’t get the idea behind Christmas trees. When he asked me why people, for one month every year, chop down a perfectly healthy tree, drag it into the house, and put things on it to make it look like it’s still alive. And, oh, while we’re at it, let’s wrap some boxes in brightly colored paper and stick them under it, too.

You can see how that would seem strange to a pig.

The only problem is that Cunningham constantly asks me questions I find hard to answer. For example: if the tomato is really a fruit, is ketchup really a jam?

Cunningham also ponders why we cook bacon and bake cookies. That makes no sense, yet people do it routinely.

Yesterday, Cunningham asked me about balloons. What’s their reason for being and things like that. I mean, what purpose do they serve? He made me realize that the balloon is the weirdest thing mankind ever devised. Even taking one to a birthday party is strange when you think about it. I mean, “Happy birthday! Here’s a plastic sack of my breath. Sorry about the onions.”

The pig even questions living rooms. What are we supposed to do in the other rooms?

And if a person dies in a living room, well, isn’t that a bit ironic?

Party balloons are even worse for a pig. The breath thing, I mean.

And if time is money, is an ATM a time machine?

t’s been nice having my pet pig, Cunningham, home from Hollywood. At least for me. My wife, Judy, isn’t as happy about it as I am, though. I think she just liked telling her friends she had a Hollywood connection. I suppose she regarded it as a status symbol.

And eyebrows. I mean, they’re nice and all, but what purpose do they serve? Pigs don’t have eyebrows, and everybody’s okay with that. But when you see a person without eyebrows, we all think that’s strange. That seems weird to Cunningham. Especially after spending time in Hollywood.

Next, he brought up people’s names. I guess it’s different with pigs, but with us, here are two people you just met a few minutes earlier, and they get to pick out a word or two that will identify you for the rest of your days. Something’s not right about that. I mean, I would never pick Emory for a name. I’d have gone with Bob or Joe— nothing over three letters.

Just think of all the time it would save signing stuff. That adds up over a lifetime.

And what about, “The early bird gets the worm?” Every pig knows the best time to catch worms is after dark, so why wouldn’t a late bird get more worms than an early one?

I didn’t even try to answer that one.

Emory Jones grew up in Northeast Georgia’s White County. After a stint in the Air Force, he joined Gold Kist as publications manager. He was the Southeastern editor for Farm Journal Magazine and executive vice president at Freebarin & Company, an Atlanta-based advertising agency. He has written seven books. Emory is known for his humor, love of history and all things Southern. He and his wife, Judy, live on Yonah Mountain near Cleveland, Georgia.

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Nancy Thorpe Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

H

ighly motivated, passionate and client-focused, Nancy Thorpe is a leading professional REALTOR®, offering her ardent services at Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. With over a decade of experience, and growing up within a family of real estate agents and developers, Nancy has cultivated a deep understanding of the buying and selling processes and knows exactly how to make transactions a positive journey for each client.

Before becoming a real estate agent, Nancy was a mortgage lender with SunTrust, and later with Supreme Lending. She was a lender for almost six years and was a top producing LO on the number 1 team nationwide. Nancy is a native Atlantan and spent her Summers growing up on Lake Burton, eating ice cream at Anchorage, and camping on family land.

Considering herself a true treasure hunter, nothing makes Nancy happier than being able to help people find their dream homes. She genuinely loves her career in real estate and always puts her clients first. Adventurous in spirit, you can find her soaking up the outdoors, Nancy enjoys horseback riding, white water rafting, and spending time with her husband, John. She lives in Dillard, where she loves caring for her animals and tending to her garden.

You can reach Nancy at 404.488.5870 or 404.237.5000.

“Why do they call it rush hour, when nothing moves?”

Robin Williams

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Faith

How to Overcome Evil With Good

By Rev. Joey Thompson of Clayton Baptist Church

E

ver call a family meeting? We have to do this in our family from time to time. When our kids were little, they really thought it was a big deal. Perhaps, there were some changes that will affect our family in a major way. I believe that is where we find ourselves as the Body of Christ today. So, time for a family meeting! Everyone into the living room!

The world is becoming an increasing hostile place. From algorithms that pit different groups against one another online, to online bullying, increasing rates of depression, divorce rates skyrocketing, abuse, to war in Ukraine; the world has become a hostile place. Of course, this began when man first sinned back in the garden. One day sin and the hostility it creates will be done away with forever (Revelation 20:14). People seem to be more on edge than ever. Where do we turn so that we know how to respond to evil when it comes our way? Paul gives 5 Ways to Overcome Evil with Good in Romans 12:14-21.

Be Gracious. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” We are always tempted to hit back if someone attacks us.

Don’t. Stop and count to ten. Paul said to bless them. He even repeats himself: bless and do not curse! Instead, return with grace which requires something supernatural, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Meekness is saying that I could return like with like, but I choose not to. Meekness is strength under control. “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” Matthew 5:5. Jesus could have cursed everyone who was cursing Him while He was on the cross. What did He decide to do? He chose to bless those foolish mockers: “Father, forgive them…”.

Choose Humility. “do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.” Our culture gravitates to those who have a higher profile. We stay away from those who are down there.

We value those who are famous and successful. God says to find the overlooked people. We seek out relationships based on the wrong criteria. Jesus could have come to us as a rich person.

But, He arrived into a carpenter’s family and hung out with the tax collectors, prostitutes, and the lame. In a world concerned with everyone’s profile, find people with character. Hang out with them.

Respect Everyone. “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.

Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” Even those who are evil toward you. Respect means to show the proper place of someone. We recognize that even those who are evil toward us are made in the image of God. We just forget when someone is mean or evil toward us because we get mad. What do I need to do when someone is mean-spirited toward me? Don’t look at them. Look to God in prayer. In a world where everyone is angry, look to God asking Him what to do. Take responsibility for your heart.

Leave Room for God. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.“ If we do not look to God, we may get even more angry which leads to bitterness. I heard a great definition of bitterness recently: Bitterness is unfulfilled revenge. Bitterness is like a terrible cancer or gangrene. Instead, understand God will do a much better job dealing with the injustice done to you than you will. Either, God will deal with it by dealing with the issue in this life, in eternity in a place called hell, or hopefully by saving the person forever in heaven! God will deal with every sin. The same God that dealt with you will deal with them in one of two ways: save them or execute His wrath.

Kill them with Kindness. BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” When we are kind to those who hurt or slander us, we minimize the threat that they pose because they will not have a reason to come back at you. Treat them the way that God treats you. When we were hostile toward God, He chose to be kind to us. He sent His son Jesus to sacrifice His life for our sins.

Family Meeting Over!

Will you trust Him today?

We are here to help at claytonbaptistchurch.com.

Joey Thompson is Senior Pastor at Clayton Baptist Church located at 87 South Church Street in Downtown Clayton, Georgia. Known for preaching the Word and loving God, he is crazy about his wife and family. Pastor Thompson is an avid Bulldog fan and is also a fan of Star Wars. For more information about CBC visit www. claytonbaptistchurch.com or call 706-782-4588.

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Faith

Lloyd Hunter August 14, 1928 - March 23, 2022

Farewell Lloyd Hunter

H

ow can we ever thank you enough? You made kindness your mantra. With a genuine smile and your gentle way you walked alongside us through some of our darkest days.

We knew this day would come, it does for all of us but as we say goodbye to you, it’s harder than we imagined.

You were a good and faithful servant if there ever was one.

You served our country in the US Military, thank you. You loved and cared for your wife and your girls, Peggy and Patty. You became like a father to so many of us, advising us and caring for families for decades. You were a gentleman always dressed in a suit with your hat, you gave the best you had every day.

You were a true man of God. Your dedication to your church did not go unnoticed. Your walk with Jesus was a beacon in an often cruel world. His light shined so lovingly through you. To know how many people you cared for in your time at Hunter Funeral Home would be astounding. You held our hands, you wiped our tears and you cared for our loved ones with such integrity. Many of them you buried, knowing families could not or would not be able to bear the expense.

You were always on call, up in the middle of the night and often into the morning you answered that call with grace. You took death and gave it honor. We all lost family members, and I remember you were like family to us. What immeasurable love you gave to the families of the mountains.

What a true servant you were. The life you built and the legacy you leave will forever live in the hearts of all who loved you. Lloyd you were loved by all who knew you. We wish we had come to sit beside you as you faced death. We wanted to be there to hold your hand, if anyone knows how hard those last days are it was you. In the same respect if anyone knew what awaits when the last breath is taken, it was you. I know that the welcome you received by your Savior as you entered into eternity was amazing. I can hardly imagine.

We know that if you could you would thank the men who stood beside you in your darkest hours, so we will say it for you. Thank you Kenneth Moore for being like a son to him.

Thank you Anthony for caring for him. Thank you Chad for your love and hard work. Thank you to D’Anna Freeman for being with him until the end and the care you gave him was such a blessing. Your girls were no doubt a bright spot for him in his days. Thank you Katy Littrell for the care you gave him it was a blessing to have you as his hospice nurse.

Thanks to all who came and spent time with him. He truly loved you all.

Farewell Lloyd and we will see you in Heaven.

We all loved you.

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Faith

Hello!

By Sean Dietrich – Sean of the South

H

i there. This is that Little Voice inside your head speaking.

Yeah, I know. It’s been a while. But how are you? How’s life? How’s the fam? You still doing keto?

Listen, I know we haven’t talked in a long time, but technically, that’s not my fault. You probably don’t remember this, but you quit listening to your inner voice just as soon as you hit the fourth stage of puberty.

The moment you developed armpit hair, you became a lot more concerned with getting a driver’s license, French kissing, and eradicating zits.

So over time that voice inside you got quieter. Oh, sure, every now and then you’d hear me droning in the background like Charlie Brown’s teacher. But you never actually listened.

Although there were a few times...

Remember that rude waiter a few weeks ago? When the meal was over, you almost stiffed him with the tip. But then, you dug into your wallet and gave him a ridiculously generous gratuity.

Did you ever stop to wonder why you did this? Well, I’ll tell you why.

Because the teeny, tiny voice reminded you that being generous was not just kind, it was right. That Little Voice was me.

There was that other time, when you gave a ride to two Mexican young women who didn’t speak English. Their car broke down in the Walmart parking lot, and they were crying. You helped them out because that faint voice would not shut up.

Also me.

And let’s not forget about the time you almost got into that fatal car wreck.

No, wait. You never knew about that one. You never did know how close you came to the end. Because the Little Voice told you to pull off the interstate immediately before the disaster happened.

And you actually listened. In a few seconds there was a ten-car pile up on I-65, and four people were killed.

Still, most of the time you keep me turned off. Sometimes you sense me reminding you to use your turn signal, not to play on your phone too much, and not to cuss during third down situations. But most of the time you never even hear me talking.

The thing is, if you’d listen to me once in a while, you would discover that I know stuff. Big stuff. Important stuff. I am a very smart Little Voice. I don’t have time to run through my whole résumé, but I’ll hit the highlights.

For starters, I’m older than you. Way, WAY older. In fact, I’m ancient enough to remember when the Dead Sea was just getting sick.

The Grand Canyon was still a teenager when I was celebrating my 2,000000000 kajillionth infinity.

Secondly, I love you. I’m part of you. I’m part of your soul. So in a way, you and I are like peanut butter and jelly. We go together. We are inseparable. Think of me as electricity that makes an appliance work.

Your body is like a GE washing machine, only with more adipose tissue. Without electricity, a washing machine is just a big metal box.

I am the amperage running through the circuit breaker, the plug, the electronics. I am the voltage that makes the agitator spin inside the drum. I am the most important part of the machine. I’m not asking for any credit here, I’m just telling you how it is.

In fact, that is why I am writing this letter. Because I’ve been watching you recently. I saw you crying this morning when your wife was in the hospital; I saw you weeping when hospice administered your mother’s final meds; I watched you crumble on your bathroom floor and bawl because the doctor gave you bad news; I saw you shut down when they told you your son committed suicide.

I was with you. I was right there. I was speaking to you, but you were too upset to hear me. Hey, that’s okay. Believe me, I get it.

This is the darkest period you will ever go through.

I’m here to tell you that you’re going to make it through this mess.

The problem is, your brain is turning against you. Your brain keeps telling you this is the end, that your life is over. Your brain is telling you to quit. To stop trying.

Don’t trust your brain. Your brain knows nothing. Your brain is full of a plentiful substance commonly found in barnyards and hog pens.

I am telling you, without the slightest hue of doubt, you will survive this. You will be okay. One day, by and by, this will all be over, and

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, novelist, and podcast host, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Garden and Gun, The Tallahassee Democrat, Good Grit, South Magazine, Alabama Living, the Birmingham News, Thom Magazine, The Mobile Press Register, Laurel of Northeast Georgia and he has authored thirteen books, and is the creator of the Sean of the South Podcast.

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you’ll understand it better. But for now, just know that this is not the end.

And here’s the thing: Deep inside yourself, you know I’m right.

You don’t need a heavenly sign for proof of this. You don’t need anything to convince you. Because within the innermost, most profound layer of your soul, you just know. You know what I’m saying is true.

Because I am your Little Voice.

Or you can always call me by my other name.

A VISION GROWS

I KNOW HIM: Jesus Last Days The Easter Passion Story At The Smoky Center For The Performing Arts 7:30pm April 8th and 9th

T

he Smoky Mountain Center For The Performing Arts in Franklin, North Carolina has again invited the people of our area Christian Drama Ministry, HIS LAST DAYS, to present the passion play there during this year’s Easter season.

We have revised our presentation for the stage to be a Christian musical to celebrate the Easter Story. This onstage version is an outgrowth of our larger outdoor passion drama presented each Labor Day weekend in Tallulah Falls, Georgia.

Since it first began in 1984, hundreds of area folks have taken part in HIS LAST DAYS. Yet, HIS LAST DAYS is truly no more about drama than the Bible is just a book about ancient history. This grassroots, all-volunteer ministry is about sharing creative ways to coaching whoever would like to help - tell the Gospel Story.

The musical drama - I KNOW HIM: Jesus’ Last Days - will be presented on Friday and Saturday April 8th and 9th at 7:30 pm, telling the Easter Passion story of Jesus Last Days . Now adapted for the stage, this version of the passion drama is based on a cantata by Dallas Holm. I KNOW HIM is now in the form of a Christian musical. Tickets for I KNOW HIM will be available at The Smoky Mountain Center For The Performing Arts - 828-524-1598 or 866-273-4615524-1598 or 866-273-4615.

Come join us and let’s really celebrate Easter together this year.

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Health & Wellness

Celebrate Differences April is Autism Acceptance Month

By Tracy McCoy

I

write about many things that I know little to nothing about. I research, interview, dig and give it 100% because there are some topics that I think are that important. I am not a medical professional and am not attempting to offer any recommendations or medical advice. If you suspect that you or someone you love could be affected by autism my only recommendation is to talk with your doctor about your concerns.

The word autism was first used in 1908 to describe patients who were especially withdrawn and self-adsorbed. These patients were thought to exhibit schizophrenic behavior and were therefore diagnosed as such. Largely ignored for 35 years, a child psychiatrist Leo Kanner, M.D. published a paper describing a group of children as being highly intelligent but displaying “a powerful desire for aloneness” and “an obsessive insistence on persistent sameness.” He gave it the diagnosis of “early infantile autism”. A year later scientist Hans Asperger described a milder form of autism now known as Asperger’s syndrome.

The cases he was reporting on were all male and were considered highly intelligent, having difficulty with social interactions and specific obsessive interests. Sadly many children were institutionalized because their condition was so grossly misunderstood.

In the late 70s research indicated that autism was largely caused by genetics and biological differences in brain development.

It wasn’t until 1980 that “infantile autism” was listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for the first time. It was also officially separated from childhood schizophrenia. By the end of that decade it was defined as “autism disorder” and included a checklist of diagnostic criteria. In 1988 the movie Rainman was released starring Dustin Hoffman as an autistic savant with photographic memory and an incredible ability to calculate huge numbers in his head. While the movie was important because it raised awareness of the disorder, it was critical to note that not every child on the autism spectrum possessed these skills.

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In the early 90s the federal government made autism a special education category, identifying children on the spectrum and offering special services to them. In the 90s, the notion that autism could be caused by vaccines, specifically the MMR vaccine, was widely spread.

Vaccine manufacturers removed thimerosal, a preservative from vaccines due to public fears.

Many believe that the vaccine-autism link has been debunked. Meanwhile throughout the 2000s there appears to be more autism diagnosed or recognized by health professionals. In 2009 the CDC estimated that 1 in 110 children have autism spectrum disorders up from 1 in 150 just two years earlier. They attributed the increase to improved screening and diagnostic techniques.

Eventually the DSM places all subcategories of the condition under one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This meant that Asperger’s Syndrome was no longer considered a separate condition. ASD was then defined by two categories: 1 – Impaired social communication and/or interaction. 2 – Restricted and/or repetitive behaviors. All of this to say that it took 105 years to get from giving it a name to trying to understand it. I realize that one of the challenges of ASD is that it is as individualized as the people who have it. Why is it that we can send a photo across the world through a telephone in 10 seconds and put a pig valve in a human heart but I in 110 children are so misunderstood and their parents are left to try to figure out how to help their little ones.

When parents or teachers recognize that a child is not following what is considered “a typical developmental course”, they turn to the experts like psychologists and medical professionals for a diagnosis. Often these children appear to have an intellectual disability, sensory processing issues or problems with hearing or vision. This makes autism even more challenging to diagnose. Conditions such as these can also occur with Autism and it can be confusing to families when they are given

multiple diagnoses. An accurate and early autism diagnosis is key and can provide for better educational and home-based support.

Once autism is diagnosed the next step is to evaluate educational needs. School professionals and parents then hopefully can work together to determine where their child is best served. Often schools are not equipped to handle the needs of autistic children, therefore they are placed in special education classes. There are many rights given to all children with developmental disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In many schools teachers are discouraged from talking with parents about the behaviors they notice in the classroom. If a teacher recommends testing, the school is obligated to pay for that testing. So many times the student does not get the diagnosis, their behaviors lead to bullying, which exacerbates the condition. There are reported cases of children in middle school with self destructive behaviors such as cutting because of their distress. This puts teachers, other students and the autistic person in a bad situation. The systemic problem needs to be addressed, but how? The topic of autism in our educational system could be a topic for an entirely different article.

There is no single test or evaluation that can diagnose Autism, rather a series of evaluations and a close look at family history, the mother’s pregnancy, early childhood illnesses, assessment of language skills and finally an autism-specific observational test.

As we learn more about the similarities between Autism patients, more effective tests and evaluations are now available or on the horizon.

Medical research suggests that nearly 50 percent of adults who experience autism and 45 percent of children with the diagnosis experience gastrointestinal symptoms. Sleep problems, hearing and vision impairment, low muscle tone, insensitivity to pain, and sensory issues are all co-occurring with autism. Some autistic patients are non-verbal or have atypical speech patterns, difficulty with communication and social skills. Repetition in behavior patterns, sounds or phrases, repetitive movements, difficulty with transitions, preference for sameness, extreme sensitivity to or significantly lower sensitivity to sensory stimuli.

Autism impacts the individual throughout their lifespan, but an early diagnosis can lead to improved quality of life. While the disorder can be apparent in infancy, typically behaviors develop during early childhood. Pediatricians typically screen children ages 18 – 24 months. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both have developed a list of signs and symptoms which can be found on their websites to help parents know what to watch for.

There is no known single cause for autism, rather it appears to be caused by differences in brain structure or function. The structure of the brain in autistic patients is different than neurotypical development. Researchers are devoting more time and effort to investigation theories including heredity, genetics, and associated medical problems. Things such as parenting styles, vaccines or nutrition have all been blamed for the disorder but these theories

Nothing to Cure

by John Roedel Me: Hey God. God: Hey John.

Me: Cure autism.

God: No. Me: Why? God: There is nothing to cure.

Me: Huh? God: Autistic people aren’t broken. They aren’t sick. They are just people singing a beautiful song with lyrics that are foreign to you.

Me: But sometimes I don’t understand what song my son is singing….

God: That’s okay. Forget the lyrics and just sit back and enjoy the melody.

Me: I don’t like to see him struggle.

God: All flowers struggle just before they bloom.

Me: If you won’t cure autism, what will you do?

God: I’ll have you help me cure something else.

Me: What’s that?

God: Ignorance.

Taken from John Roedel’s book Hey God. Hey John.

Available through www.johnroedel.com

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Health & Wellness

have been disproven by the scientific medical community. No one gene has been identified as causing it but they are looking at segments of genetic code that people with autism may have inherited. It also appears there is a possibility that some people are born with a susceptibility to autism but researchers have not yet identified a single trigger that causes is to develop.

with autism and children who live to the best of their abilities and that is enough. Making their life as great as it can be may be the best we can do until we know more. We should speak about it more, support research and the efforts for effective treatments. We must support families and offer the best possible opportunities for those with autism.

In a nutshell, they just don’t know, but thankfully more awareness has brought more research and hopefully better treatments to come. According to the Autism Society, “Just decades ago, many people with autism were placed in institutions. Professionals were less educated about autism than they are today, and specific service and support were largely non-existent. The picture is much clearer now. With appropriate service and support, training and information, children who experience autism will grow, learn, and flourish, even if at a different developmental rate than others.”

While there is no known cure, there are educational and treatment approaches that can address the challenges associated with autism. These approaches can lessen the disruptive behaviors and education can in some instances teach self-help skills for greater independence. No single treatment will work for every patient because every individual is different with different symptoms.

Treatment must be started early and should focus on each individuals unique strengths, needs and weaknesses. We all have this set of traits and could all benefit from identifying what we are great at and where we need some work to make our lives easier and to help us reach our goals. Our needs surround what it might take to shift the focus from weaknesses to strengths. I in no way claim to understand the challenges patients and families face when living with autism. The autism spectrum ranges from mild symptoms to severe and the difference from one to the other is as far as the east is from the west. Families of autistic individuals are equally affected by the disorder and finding a balance is never easy. Support from medical professionals, educators, psychologists, neurologists and counselors are needed for parents as well as patients.

Some therapies have proven effective in increasing communication skills, helping to develop social interaction and a sense of accomplishment in a safe environment. Art and music are particularly useful in sensory, tactile, visual and auditory stimulation.

It is helpful for speech development and language comprehension.

Art therapy provides a nonverbal means of self-expression and can help develop fine motor skills. Animal therapy can include working with dogs, horseback riding or swimming with dolphins and has shown benefit. Dolphin therapy was first used in the 1970s. Again this is never a one size fits all type of situation. What works for one might not benefit another. I do believe we owe it to the child to work with them to find a complementary therapy.

April is Autism Acceptance Month and that seems to make the most sense to me. A prayer written by the father of a young boy with Autism will be shared here. I think our most positive step to understanding autism must be to celebrate our differences. Find the positives and use them to counter balance the negatives. We all have both in our bodies and minds. Perhaps we have more to learn from the patients than the professionals. There are adults

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Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates in Clayton offers Equine Therapy at their farm. They also offer counseling for parents and the autistic individual. For more information about these opportunities please visit www.gamtnpsych.org or call 706968-9060

“Equine therapy has been very productive and helpful for my daughter. She loves going to Dr. Pileski’s farm and working with the animals. It is helping with communication issues that she struggles with. Art and the horses allow her to express herself in ways that she ordinarily would not be able to.” Maggie B.

HCMC

Health & Wellness

Gratitude

By Tracy Dasher, LPC Clinician at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates

“Happiness comes when we stop complaining about the troubles we have and offer thanks for all the troubles we don’t have” - Thomas S. Monson

C

an Gratitude be the Key to Happiness? How often have you caught yourself saying, “This is the worst day ever,” “That person is the meanest guy/girl I know,” or maybe even, “I hate my life?” This probably happens every now and then to most of us. Many of us are easily disheartened when things don’t quite go our way, or someone doesn’t react the way we would like them too, and we quickly engage in these irrational thoughts.

Sure, doing so is only human… but it’s also very harmful. The brain believes what it hears. So, how can we knock these harmful thoughts down and adopt more positive thinking patterns? One word: Gratitude.

Practicing gratitude is simply being mindful about recognizing all you have to be thankful for. Yes, your car might have broken down or you had a flat tire, but at least you have a car. And sure, spilling that Starbucks coffee you just bought all over your outfit wasn’t exactly what you had planned, but at least you didn’t burn your skin. Granted, that person may not have given you the answer you had hoped for at the moment, but are they really the worst person in the world? Getting the gist? There’s a lot of value in looking on the bright side of things rather than going straight to the negatives. And there’s always a bright side because we all have something to be grateful for.

So, why should we be incorporating this self-care strategy into our daily routine? Other than the fact that it helps to keep us in a positive state of mind, practicing gratitude is scientifically proven to: • Improve the quality of your relationships • Enrich physical health • Improve your psychological health • Enhance empathy • Reduce aggression • Help you sleep better • Raise your self-esteem • Improve overall well being Now, on to the part where you find the best approach to this selfcare technique for you……. One thing that is very important to understand when discussing self-care is that it can look extremely different for all of us. It’s about taking the core concepts and turning it into a practice that works for you. For example, all of the research around gratitude and having a regular practice around being thankful is highly beneficial, but what that looks like and how it is implemented can look vastly different from one person to the next, and that is alright. I have one client who wakes up and simply starts speaking or thinking out loud,

Tracy Dasher moved to the north Georgia mountains at the end of July from Florida to be closer to her family. She is a nationally certified counselor and has her own private practice seeing clients via Telehealth in addition to her work with Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates. Working in the mental health field is her second career, Tracy spent 20+ years in Public Education (in Florida) as a Teacher, Administrator, Behavior Specialist and School Counselor. She says that she enjoys working with people of all ages. Her diverse background. when it comes to Mental Health includes being trained in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, ACT, and Mindfulness Therapy and many other types of therapies. She has been a wonderful addition to the GMPA practice.

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listing the things she is thankful for from the time she wakes up to when she starts to drink her coffee. I have another client who makes it a point each day to say a few kind words to someone he comes in contact with, whether it’s someone he sees at the grocery store, someone he speaks to on the phone, or someone he comes in contact with at work. Both are self-care habits centered around gratitude, just different forms. So, what’s the best approach for you? Here are some examples, see which ones may resonate with you and try them out: 1. Keep a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a journal to keep record of all your gratitudes or things you are thankful for. You can write in it each morning, each night, or simply whenever you feel inspired too.

Whenever you feel life is handing you lemons…pull this out to remind yourself that things really aren’t all that bad!

2. Make a list. If you don’t want to commit to a whole journal of gratitudes, you don’t have to. Consider keeping a list instead.

You can tape a piece of paper to the fridge, keep one on your desk, or even keep one handy in your purse. And then any time you think of something you’re thankful for, add it to this list. Keep it simple to start with …..aren’t you thankful for things like your pets? Your family members? A roof over your head?

3. Create a collage. Words and Writing not your thing? In that case, try making a gratitude collage instead. Collect up pictures of your favorite things—maybe they are pictures you have taken or ones you have found in a magazine or online—and then stick them on a piece of paper. Now, there’s one place where all the things you love live. And anytime you need a reminder of how fortunate you are, you can simply look here.

4. Cherish your relationships. Another simple way to practice gratitude is to cherish your relationships. Show your loved ones just how much you care about them—you can outright tell them they mean the world to you, sure, but actions do speak louder than words. Be there for your friends and family in times of need, do little things to remind them that they matter, and be the best person you can be for them. Hold space for them when they need you.

5. Give back. You can also practice and show your gratitude by giving back to your community. Make it your goal to perform acts of kindness at random when you have the opportunity. This can be as simple as paying it forward in the drive through lane, inviting a new coworker out to lunch, or volunteering some of your time or talents at the local shelter or church.

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Health & Wellness

The Pandemics effect on Veterinary Medicine

By Jaime Smoot Speed

W

e have all lived through a unique period in history. It has shaped many aspects of our lives in both obvious and subtle ways. When you look around, just about every city landscape has changed. Businesses once thought to be solid are no longer visible. Shelves in the store are rarely full, and rural towns seem to be more popular than ever before. Similarly, the face of Veterinary medicine has changed. The changes have forced us to think outside the box in order to continue to provide excellent care despite worker and supply shortages, increases in mental health suffering, and logistical nightmares.

In March, veterinary practices across the country adopted curbside practices, where staff came to meet clients and their pets at their car, take histories outside in the rain, snow or wind, and re-tell these to the doctor. The doctor examined, came up with a plan, and then either came out to the parking lot or called the owners on their cell phones while they waited in their vehicle. Parking lots were full, staff was overworked and overwhelmed, and pets were experiencing a new routine. Scheduling staff was a nightmare – who was going to call in sick, who was going to report an exposure or quarantine, and then figuring out how can we pay these staff members while they are in quarantine. Many team members decided they could no longer work full time as they needed to support their families in this uncertain time and some had to home school their children. Furthermore, many veterinary professionals and support staff actually chose to leave the profession during this formidable time.

For those that continued to work in this essential business, the processes that we had in place to serve out pet community had to be adapted. Positions within the team had to be adjusted. Extra time was spent in trying to make sure we were communicating effectively with owners and their families. As a result,more time was allotted for each appointment and efficiency suffered. Then, once we felt more comfortable, we had to decide if we continue curbside (which many practices still use), employ a hybrid system where some appointments are seen as curbside and some are seen in exam rooms, or whether we go back to seeing appointments in rooms. Some practices had an easier time transitioning to in-

person visits than others, largely due to the physical space each building has to offer and the ability to clean these areas.

Although it is debatable whether more animals were obtained throughout the pandemic, what is not debatable is that more people spent more time with their pets, resulting in deepening bonds and an increase in noticing subtle signs of discomfort or illness. The type of care we provided during this period became more inundated with illness visits, particularly in the beginning when we postponed all non-essential visits (such as wellness visits) and filled our schedules with only the sickest animals. All of this among the stresses of balancing everyone’s feelings about the pandemic. Some days we had clients yelling at us for believing in such a hoax, clients who didn’t trust us to take care of their pets without their presence, people who were afraid to touch animals that lived in a home where covid might be present, and clients who were frustrated with the long visits. All of these problems weighed heavily on us. In addition, certain areas have been experiencing a shortage of qualified Veterinarians, along with Veterinary technicians and trained or experienced assistants. This with an increase demand in either pet wellness visits or pet sick visits has caused long waits to get appointments for their pets. We try to schedule accordingly, but we must also balance our ability to practice quality medicine with our ability to see an increased number of appointments.

Finally, the foundations of our business models changed. Less people traveled, and therefore affected many veterinary clinics with boarding facilities. These clinics lost incredible amounts of revenue, therefore having to lay off staff. Medications once dispensed in local veterinary clinics were now being bought online. Many people don’t realize that small veterinary clinics were economically supported by their in-clinic pharmacy. Even though this shift has slowly occurred over the last decade, a large shift happened throughout the last two years. Despite all of these challenges, we are doing our best to adapt and serve your pets.

Please be kind to each other and our staff. We will do our very best to see everyone we can and give you and your pet the time and attention you deserve. We love you and your pets and we hope to see you soon.

Jaime Smoot Speed was born in West Virginia, went to James Madison University with a BS in molecular biology, then worked at Johns Hopkins doing research until attending UGA for Vet School. She graduated 2010 and moved to Clayton with her husband who is a native five years ago. She works part time at Rabun Animal Hospital.

She opened Claws & Paws in December 2020. You can reach Claws & Paws at 706-212-7322 or visit their website: claytonpawsandclaws.com or on facebook and instagram: @claytonclawsandpaws

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Mountain Homes

The Door to This Home Beckons…

By John Shivers

S

ometimes doors crack open to opportunities that lead to wonderful things. Like the home at 335 Bobcat Lane in Lakemont, where a custom front door catches your eye, then draws you in. Literally. Then it gets better!

Community Dock and Recreation Area

Located in Lake Rabun Estates, this four bedroom, two bath home was designed for comfortable family living AND entertaining. With 2,992± square feet on three levels, you have the ability to spread out or to gather around the real wood-burning, mountain stone fireplace for cozy evenings at home. Just imagine how much living can happen in this log cabin open floor plan.

But the term “log cabin” doesn’t do justice to this home that was built in 2010. In addition to being pristinely maintained, there’s a fully-finished detached garage for two or three vehicles. A handicapped ramp connects via the laundry / mudroom, and there’s also an adjacent building parcel that can be utilized for a second dwelling, or as a privacy buffer.

From where the home crowns the hill on 1.180± acres, curb appeal is a real show-stopper, especially that unique front door. A rocking chair porch extends across the front, and an oversized screened porch spans the rear, and looks down on an outdoor fire pit. Check out the small tree house like structure that the younger kids – and probably a few of the “older” ones as well – will naturally gravitate to. At the bottom of the hill, on the edge of Lake Rabun, is a party

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space, and the shared, two-stall boat house and mooring area for additional watercraft. With part of the space under cover, and the rest open to the wonders of the south Rabun County skies, the options are limitless, and ramp the livability factor from fantastic to phenomenal.

The vaulted great room includes an oversize dining area and adjacent kitchen featuring the naturally-finished logs accented by drywall. Rustic window and door trim promote the simple design elements. Hardwood floors predominate throughout the upper two levels. On the lower level, floored in durable slate in earth tones, a second living/playing area includes a gas log fireplace, an abundance of seating, wet bar, ping pong and pool tables. This level opens to a covered deck running the length of the house, providing easy access to the many outdoor activities that await.

On the main level, the master suite makes for convenient daily living just off the kitchen, and also affords a large measure of privacy from the remaining three oversized bedrooms found on the third floor. The large master bathroom and adjacent walk-in closet complete the suite, and offer the owners a comfortable retreat. Thanks to generous-size dormers, the upper level sleeping areas give the impression that you’re hovering above the treetops, ensconced in your own little sanctuary.

The kitchen opens to both the massive great room and the adjacent dining area that can easily accommodate 10-12 hungry eaters, not counting the adjacent breakfast bar. An abundance of real wood cabinets for both hard surface countertop work space and storage cabinets, make meal prep a snap. It’s a kitchen designed for serious culinary pursuits, and includes a kitchen desk and a full complement of stainless appliances. The floor plan not only delivers flexibility, but its layout allows more than one cook in the kitchen at the same time.

Three fireplaces, along with a 220 volt back-up power generator, and zoned H/AC make this a most versatile, livable home.

Ready to check out this door to opportunity? Listing agent for GAMLS #20022226, is Sarah Gillespie, with Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain. Contact her at (cell) 404-735-6157, or (office) 706-212-0228.

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Mountain Homes

The “Neatest House” at the End of the Road

By John Shivers

U

sually, when you come to the end of the road, that’s not such a good thing. But in the case of the mid-century modern home currently under construction at the highest point in Black Rock Mountain Estates, the end of the road is the absolutely best place you could ever hope to be.

And when the style of the home is tweaked to include elements of that quintessential Rabun County design style – think VIEWS, and ways to accommodate and showcase those views – this home with southern exposure takes on a personality all its own.

Construction is under the oversight of Patsios Homes, a veteran Atlanta contractor who succumbed to the lure of the mountains, and brought generations of home construction experience to Rabun County. This is a chance for someone to own a superior quality home of distinction.

“Neatest house, neatest views,” has been one label tied to this two-level, 2,100± square foot home that crowns the mountain, surrounded by some three wooded acres that ensure the beauty and assure

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the privacy factor. And from every perspective, the fourseason views that include Clayton nearby and Currahee Mountain in the distance make this a marriage of city convenience with mountain ambience. It don’t get much better than this. Three bedrooms and four baths make this a most functional home.

From the slate gray outside, accented in black, with gently sloping hip rooflines and a massive number of high-end aluminum-clad casement windows by Jeld-Wen®, this home proclaims its presence with an air of anticipation.

In addition to a covered front entryway, the rear of the home features a large, partially-covered deck overlooking some of the prettiest long distance landscapes around.

An oversize two-car garage that opens to the front of the house, just steps away from the front door, adds even more convenience for both owners and guests.

And if the exterior whets your appetite, you’re not going to be disappointed once you see the open floor plan interior that was expressly designed for family comfort and entertaining convenience. The great room with the polished concrete fireplace surround and hearth is a natural gathering place and is graced with an abundance of glass to unite the outdoors with the inside. High ceilings crown this area that includes an oversize dining area, immediately adjacent to the open concept kitchen. Floors throughout are a low-maintenance luxury vinyl plank in light wood tones. Inside and out, low-maintenance is the watchword, and energy efficiency is the name of the game, thanks to generous size overhangs outside and spray-in foam insulation in the wall and ceiling cavities that provides the highest R-factor. This means cool summers, warm winters, and comfortable, economical living year-round.

In the kitchen, where top-of-the-line appliances are staged against custom cabinets and tops. The kitchen includes floating shelves, a large pantry and an island that will serve a multitude of purposes whether you’re serving breakfast to the family, or hosting a holiday buffet for friends.

Also on the main level is the private master bedroom with an en suite bath behind custom barn doors that has views to the outside and the bedroom also opens onto the rear porch. The conveniently placed office is accessed by a second set of barn doors. Throughout the home are interior walls of whitewashed plank and drywall in light colors. Upstairs, are two more bedrooms with en suite baths, a storage space as large as a small bedroom, and a fantastic loft that adds livability and yet another unique view of the outdoors.

For a chance at life almost at the top of the world, contact Poss Realty agents Roger Glenn at 770-312-7940 or Laura Glenn at 404-312-8658 or at the office at 706-782-2121.

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Around Town

Michael on the Map

By Michael Detrick

I

n this series I will be traveling to the towns of northeastern Georgia and western North and South Carolina, sharing my adventures and discoveries as I meet the locals who make up the area. Hop in my Jeep and let’s hit the road!

Take 4: Clarkesville This past month in our pocket of the country, according to the highly valuable “Georgia’s 12 Seasons” table (which a Google search can provide for you), we found ourselves somewhere in the midst of “Spring of Deception” and “Third Winter”. Mother Nature – per typical temperament of the first quarter of the year – found herself confused, indecisive, unsettled.

It was 75 degrees in mid-March, and then snowed later that week. Calm, blue, sunny skies again turned white and so windy our tin roof served as an overhead gong. This deposit of snow was far from enough to fashion Frosty, and the weather again leveled out to a more comfortable climate as your weekend nomad set out on my travels.

I had some places in mind as I jumped in the Jeep with Echo and the Bunnymen (these are not friends of mine – unfortunately – but another one of my favorite bands) and headed the 38 miles south to the town of Clarkesville.

With a population of 1,800 residents, the seat of Habersham County was founded in 1823 and named in honor of former Governor of Georgia General John C. Clarke, who was the son of former Revolutionary War general Elijah Clarke.

Located on the south side of the Soque River (known for its outstanding fly-fishing), Clarkesville was originally the first of the major resort towns of Northeast Georgia, and today boasts one of the most charmingly picturesque Main Street downtown squares found anywhere.

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Right off this square sits the Mauldin House and gardens and cottages, which also serves as the Welcome Center.

Dating to the late 19th century, this large Victorian cottage and grounds were originally owned by A. M. Mauldin, an accomplished hatmaker, and his wife. Adjacent to the house can be found the millinery shop featuring an extensive exhibit of antique hats, clothes, gloves, and the like. Another structure, the Big Holly Cabin offers a preserved peak into primitive living of times past.

Beginning from this point of interest, The Downtown Clarkesville Historic Walking Tour features an impressive collection of 18 additional other homes, churches, antique commercial buildings, and the Old Clarkesville Cemetery. Take a stroll back in time.

Clarkesville is truly a rare gem.

Another historic excursion less than a mile from the square is something you would not likely expect to find in such a small town. Located in the Old Clarkesville Mill (a former textile mill which also houses a huge antique mall and a bowling alley), Miles Through Time Automotive Museum boasts a collection of 60 cars – meticulously maintained – dating back to pre-1900s buggy days.

Moving forward into the following century and spread across some 20,000 square feet, one will find everything from Ford Model Ts to both German and American WWII vehicles, vintage Plymouths, Chevies, muscle and exotic cars, Cannonball Run crosscountry roadsters, a Ford concept car, as well as vintage motorcycles and bicycles – most of which are pristinely preserved – including the 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille inherited by Founder Sean Mathis in 2015.

On starting the venture, which operates as a non-profit co-op, Mathis said, “After a while, car shows got a little old, and instead of just storing (the 59 Cadillac) in a warehouse, I opened the museum with just one car in 2017.” When asked how he got other sets of wheels literally rolling into his then one-off museum, Mathis April 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 75

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Michael on the Map chuckled, “It’s funny. The guy who installed my internet had a classic car, and I took it in.” A modern convention breeds a vintage collection.

As donated pieces are the only permanent displays, most of the contents of the museum are constantly changing, keeping each visit to Miles Through Time fresh, fun, and exciting.

Executive Director Truitt Phillips is responsible for the vision and construction of the near life-size old town main street storefronts found inside, as well as all exhibits. Vintage Garage Antiques market serves as the gateway to the automotive museum.

My tour guide Gabe Jones was an absolute ace, knowing everything about every car. For instance, the user manual of the German Type 181 from WWII is dated June 6, 1944, D-Day. The Shelby Mustang on file was owned by Mrs. Shelby herself. Things like that.

Open 7 days a week, check out more at www.milesthroughtime. com.

After the day’s multiple history lessons, I was starving and only one thing would do. Pizza and beer.

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location in Clayton), I set out for Copperpot. Opened by owner Jeff Morris in 2007, Copperpot is described as a “buzzy pub featuring wood-fired pizza, seasonal entrees, craft beers and specialty cocktails, and dog-friendly outdoor seating.

“On Fridays and Saturdays, we offer an entrée and specialty cocktail combo. And all our simple syrups are made in house using all-natural ingredients,” co-manager Stephanie Henslee shared.

The seasonal libations menu is created by staff bartenders, one of which – Kasey (who was awesome) – served me one of many specialty pizzas as well as my go-to favorite of pepperoni and mushroom, and a flight of four mini draft beers for my inquisitive palette. Everything was delicious. All pizzas, whether personal or full-size, are two-for-one on Sunday. Holy bonus!

So once again, I left a town educated and full. My favorite combination.

The Clarkesville area offers a total of 167 galleries, shops, and restaurants, and the artsy vibe found here will really take you by surprise if you have never been. I went, I took in, I came home and wrote this article, and I’ll be going back. But first I’ll leave you with some Bunnymen as I head to bed: “Under blue moon I saw you, so soon you’ll take me”

“Unless you are a pizza, the answer is yes, I can live without you.”

- Bill Murray

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Around Town

When you Explore Rabun, you’ll discover

Our Mountain Treasure!

by CJ Thompson

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ometimes the treasure you’ll find in our mountains, actually is treasure! In the past, people came to the mountains to look for gold. Just about 200 years ago, gold was discovered in North Georgia and the second greatest gold rush of the country began in these mountains. People flocked to the area in search of “mountain treasure.” It is estimated the Georgia Gold Rush netted over 870,000 ounces of some of the prettiest gold ever mined. When the gold yields started to play out in the mid 1800’s, commercial gold mining in the north Georgia mountains came to an end, as any remaining gold would have cost more to get out than it was worth. Many of the Georgia miners moved on to the next great gold rush in the west. However, those that remained developed an appreciation for a different sort of “mountain treasure” they found here. It is this legacy that we value most today. Our “Mountain Treasure” is a little less tangible than a nugget of gold. It’s found in the beauty of a stunning sunrise over the mountain tops, the crashing thunder of a waterfall, the crisp fall air and the sparkling stars in a clear night sky, and in the laughter and good company you’ll find in the people of our community.

Another type of treasure you can find in our mountains is the local art that is produced here. We have a wealth of truly talented artists and craftsmen that reach back to the heritage of mountains for the inspiration for their work. Sometimes known as Traditional Folk Art, crafts in the mountains began as functional skills for making necessary items. Skills such as weaving, carving, soap making, pottery making, blacksmithing and many more, were handed down through generations. Over the years, the talent people had for creating their wares was refined into an art form. Today, the art forms and the pride the craftsmen and women have in their work is still thriving, especially here in Rabun County. Just stop in at the Foxfire Museum and Gift Shop to see the stunning

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Self-taught artist Charlie Lucas’ work can be found at Main Street Gallery in Clayton

beauty of the woven goods and enjoy the show at the blacksmith’s shop. All the artisans love to share the history and meaning of their crafts.

Another form of art that thrives in the mountains today is Contemporary Southern Folk Art. The selftaught rural artists of the south have become a part of larger and popular genre of art known as Outsider Art. These artists create from personal inspiration without input from the outside world and express themselves and their culture in their work. They use it to tell their stories, share their faith and record their lives. This art has a very intimate meaning to people who create it and the people who purchase it, it is so much more than just a pretty picture that goes well with your living room décor. And every piece is absolutely unique, making it something special both for artist and owner, a true treasure. Many of our local galleries exhibit well known outsider artists’ work. To learn more and see some of these spectacular creations, visit Jeanne Kronsnoble, owner of the Main Street Gallery in Clayton.

So, from Dwayne’s custom-made furniture at Timpson Creek Gallery to Michelle and Broderick’s Crawford Art Gallery in Clayton, to the Lakemont Gallery and to Gallery 441 in Dillard, these mountains hold so much more than just amazing views, although they are very good for that too.

From their natural environment, to their history and culture, to the people who are inspired by them, there are so many things that truly make this place “Our Mountain Treasure,” and something to be cherished. Come see for yourself and take a piece of treasure back home with you!

Handcrafted furniture, jewelry and so much more can be found at Timpson Creek Gallery

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

- Thomas Merton

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Around Town

Mountain Happenings April & May Northeast Georgia & Western North Carolina

at the Rabun County Civic Center and Pavillions 201 W Savannah St. - Clayton, GA 30525 706-982-9432 April 16 Georgia Bigfoot Conference georgiabigfooconference.org May 14 Spring Marketplace ofthesemountains.com Coming in May Real Deal Fridays Community Market

April 30 Toast of Toccoa Historic Downtown Toccoa, GA The 5th Annual Toast of Toccoa will feature more than 50 artisans from the Currahee Artists Guild and other regional arts organizations who will display their artwork in separate booths in addition to live music, craft beer, regional wine tastings and local food.

From 12pm - 6pm, admission to the event itself is free. More Information at mainstreettoccoa.com April 20-24, 27-30; May 1 The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Habersham Community Theater 1370 Washingston St. Clarkesville, GA 30523 habershamcommunitytheater.com May 21 Mountain Laurel Festival Downtown Clarkesville Northeast Georgia’s Oldest Outdoor Festival - Parade, Arts & Crafts, Music, Cars, Food Information: 706-754-2220 www.clarkesvillega.com

April 2 and each Saturday morning through October, 9am - 1pm Clayton Farmers’ Market at the Covered Bridge Shopping Center, next to the NEGA Foodbank in Clayton.

Facebook - claytonfarmersmarketclaytonga See a Show at the Planetarium O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium Young Harris College Campus 1 College St. - Young Harris, GA 30582 Information: yhs.edu April 22, 29 Led Zeppelin Cosmic Concert May 20, June 10 & 17 Wildest Weather in the Solar System at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds 1311 Music Hall Rd. Hiawassee, GA 30546 georgiamountainfairgrounds.com 706-896-4191 April 9: Justin Moore Concert April 16 Chris Janson: Halfway To Crazy Tour April 22 - 23: Mile Long Yard Sale April 22 - May 22 (Friday - Sunday) Rhododendron Festival Fridays & Saturdays 10-5, Sundays 12-4 April 29 - 30 Memory Lane Classic Car Show 8am-4pm, Classic Car Show featuring music, food trucks, arts & crafts, Swap Meet, and really cool cars!

April 30: Josh Turner Concert May 7 Hiawassee Highlands Wine Festival May 14: Scotty McCreery Concert May 27 - 29 Hiawassee Pro Rodeo Enjoy the best bucking horses, bulls, world class contestants from all over the US and Canada, and the top of the line specialty acts! Starts a 8pm.

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See a performance at the Peacock Peacock Performing Arts Center 301 Church St. - Hayesville, NC 28904 April 2 - An Evening of One Act Plays

April 9 - Rebekah Todd & The Odyssey May 7 - Song Writers Showcase

May 20-23 and May 27-29 “No Sex Please, We’re British” Fridays and Saturdays 7pm, Sunday Matinee 2pm www.thepeacocknc.org 828-389-2787 May 6 and the First Friday of each month through October Hiawassee Night Market 5pm-9pm, a family-friendly, open-air night artist & artisan market featuring fresh produce, food trucks, games, and live music. Night Market is the monthly destination for outdoor dining, shopping, and entertainment.

On the Town Square at 19 S. Main Street - Hiawassee, GA Information: hiawasseega.gov May 28 and each Saturday evening May through September Hiawassee Music on the Square 2022 Concerts on the Square in Hiawassee are held each Saturday evening at the corner of River & Main Streets. There is no admission charge, but the hat will be passed for donations to thank the performers.

Information: 706-896-2202 May 28 - 29 Mountain Fling at The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge, 3499 US-76 - Young Harris, GA 30546 Saturday, 9-4 and Sunday, 10-4 Presented by the Mountain Regional Arts and Crafts Guild. www.mountainartscrafts.org for details and vendor information. 706-896-0932

May 27 Friday Night Summer Concert - Wyatt Espalin & Friends Downtown Hayesville, North Carolina on the Historic Courthouse Square.

25 Herbert Street - Hayesville, NC 28904 No admission fee, but the bucket will be passed for donations to support the conert series.

Information: cccra-nc-org, 828-389-1181

May 28 - Mid October PICKIN’ ON THE SQUARE Downtown Franklin, NC at the Gazebo A free event Saturday evenings at 7:00pm (weather permitting) featuring live entertainment. Bring your lawn chair for a great evening of family entertainment, come early and enjoy one of our great restaurants. Food vendors also available.

PLEASE NOTE: Subject to COVID-19 Restrictions.

Information: franklinnc.com 828-524-2516

May 14 Meander in May 11am-4pm Saturday, May 14 throughout downtown Highlands. This free, self-guided event brings live musical performances, artists, craftspeople, and fun demonstrations to locations across the town. The day is capped by a concert at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park at 6pm.

Information: highlandschamber.org

May 13 and each Friday evening Friday Night Live Concert Series 341 Main St. - Highlands, NC 6pm - 8:30pm Free Concert Information: highlandschamber.org May 13 - Johnny Webb Band May 20 - McIntosh and the Lionhearts May 27 - Sycamore Flats

May 14 and each Saturday evening Saturdays on Pine Concert Series 411 Pine St. - Highlands, NC 6pm - 8:30pm, Free at Kelsey-hutchinson Founders Park Information: highlandschamber.org May 14 - The Breakfast Club May 21 - Caribbean Cowboys May 28 - Continental Divide April 29 - May 1 Bear Shadow Highlands, NC Bear Shadow is an annual spring time music festival and celebration. As a sister festival of the enviable Highlands Food & Wine produced by Highlands Festivals, Inc., Bear Shadow brings highly anticipated, world-class music acts and day time experiences to the HighlandsCashiers Plateau. This weekend of music in the mountains celebrates the best of the new season as we all emerge from hibernation with hope and anticipation for the future. For festival information, please visit BearShadowNC.com.

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Around Town

GEORGIA

BIGFOOT CONFERENCE

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BIGFOOT CONFERENCE RETURNS TO RABUN

By Michael Detrick

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asquatch. Yeti. Skunk Ape. And most often known as Bigfoot.

In the canon of Cryptozoology, there is nary another creature that elicits such widespread fascination as does this one.

Cryptozoology – defined as “a pseudoscience and subculture that searches for and studies unknown, legendary, or extinct animals whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated’ – has its equitable share of firm believers, many of whom are bringing their fascination to our little slice of Appalachia in Clayton, Georgia.

The large, furry hominid has been spotted right here among our hemlocks and hardwoods, folks.

The mystery of Bigfoot has been causing a stir for hundreds of years. With reported North American sightings dating back to 1792 as recorded in Noticias de Nutka: An Account of Nootka Sound, the journal of natural scientist, theologian, and author Jose Mariano Morizo, the idea of Bigfoot is ever-alluring. Nootka Sound, belonging to the rugged Pacific Northwest coast of Vancouver Island, marked the original of Canada’s sightings, with another famed recounting occurring in Alberta in 1811.

Since then, Bigfoot has been spotted due south of Canada here in the US in all 50 states, with Washington leading the pack and California taking second place. Ohio, Oregon, and Florida round out the top 5 habitats for this celebrated beast. Bigfoot is least fond of Delaware and Rhode Island, respectively.

Thought to stand between 7 and 11+ feet tall with a markedly sturdy and hulking build, alleged footprints have been discovered, casted at up to 18 inches in length and 9 inches in width. Let’s hope he’s a gentle giant. (The 80s kid in this guy harkens fond memories of watching the movie Harry and the Hendersons on HBO.) Fast forward to the present, and on April 16, the Rabun County Civic Center plays host to the 4th annual Georgia Bigfoot Conference.

Organized by Bigfoot enthusiast and expert, and author of Introduction to Hominology and Bigfoot Field Study and Research Guide, Executive Director Dr. John Stamey has put together an impressive roster of Bigfoot experiencers from all over the country.

Holland, and Royce Beggs will also serve as special guests for you to meet.

Dr. John himself is an experienced event creator, having organized several Comic-Cons before transferring over from the celebration of entities made of pen and marker and computer to those built of fur and wilderness mystique. Bigfoots, who purportedly travel along power lines when navigating from one area to another, “are all around”, says Stamey, who has had 15 sightings altogether.

Of those 15, one occurred right here in Clayton just two years ago in 2020, and $15 is all you will need to attend this awesome event, celebrating one of North America’s greatest icons of legend and lore.

As much as Stamey knows that Bigfoot is real, he knows beyond that so is the humanity and kindness of the people of Clayton: “The reason I keep doing this is because I meet the best people in the world. I cannot express my thanks to Annie Williams and Linda Scofield of the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce, who have been nothing short of incredible in getting this venture off the ground. And we are keeping it going.”

Whether you have seen Bigfoot, would like to see Bigfoot, or would just like to meet some really cool people who are doing some very interesting things, the Georgia Bigfoot Conference may be just what you didn’t know you were looking for.

Vendors will be on hand with Bigfoot merchandise, artwork, photos, and books. For tickets and more information, check out www.georgiabigfootconference.org.

Georgia Bigfoot Conference Rabun County Civic Center Saturday, April 16, 2022 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

As experiencers, these people have witnessed the phenomenon firsthand, and are excited to share their stories and observations with all who take an interest, however causal or devoted. Heading the group of those on hand who have spotted the storied beast are Robin and Pat McCray, international speakers on Bigfoot and cohosts of Stamey’s podcast ScaryCast. (An image of VanGogh’s “The Scream” will greet you on Spotify as you cross into the unknown.)

Rounding out the group are several other researchers, podcast hosts, filmmakers, authors, and Bigfoot experiencers. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, cast members Sonya Thompson, Kevin April 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 83

Our History

Dyeing with Wild Plants Adapted from Foxfire, Summer-Fall 1972 Original article by Karen Cox

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efore clothing was readily available in vibrant colors at the local boutique or even Walmart, folks in the mountains—and many rural areas—had to depend on local plants to color their handmade cloth. Certain plants contain chemicals that act as dyes when they react to heat and other matter. To dye wool, people would prepare the fibers by setting them with a mordant such as vinegar and salt or alum. This helps “fix” the dye and keep it from fading. Once the wool was prepared, it was then set in hot water baths in which plant matter had already been steeped. The following information, collected from a series of eleven interviews by Foxfire students in the late 1960s and early 1970s, provide some of the local materials used to dye fibers: Black walnut hulls, root, and bark were commonly used as a natural dye to produce shades of brown and black. Anyone who has picked up a fallen black walnut and used their bare hands to extract the nutshell knows just how potent the dye from the hull can be!

Edith Darnell told students that when the hulls are added to the boiling water, “they’re damp and when they get wet, that makes the prettiest brown. Now they might put the hulls in some kind of a bag in the bottom while it boiled. ‘Cause I know Mommy used to dye

Foxfire’s Village Weaver, Sharon Grist, removing wool skeins dyed with indigo.

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A family ties up their tshirts to create designs before putting them in the indigo dye pot.

A dye pot with cosmos flowers steeping in hot water.

quilt linings and all with it. I don’t guess it’d take too long. I guess she’d boil ‘em ‘til the dyes got in ‘em.”

Yellows come from many different materials, from onion skins to moss. Margaret Norton told students about the coreopsis flower, which she often used to make yellow dye, but also about extracting yellow dye from bark: “The outside of black hickory bark was made for yellows. Just go out and beat it off the trees.

Boil it up and it makes beautiful yellows. We put the bark in flour bags. They hold quite a bit. There’s no way of measuring your time. The bark has to be boiled until you get the desired color.

People used to do a lot of things by the moon. They thought by getting it on a certain time of the moon, they made more coloring or juice.”

Margaret Norton also shared with Foxfire students how to use indigo to color things blue: “I know that when my grandmother was making her indigo, she had what they called a ‘dye pot.’ They had to let this indigo set so long. I used a kind of lye to make my indigo. They used some kind of a brand and mixed it up and let it ferment several days before they used it. I understood that they had to put it in barrels of water and let it sit so long and ferment.

The settling to the bottom of the barrel was what they used for the dye. Now I bought it in the powdered form. I had a chemical to go

Mordant-soaked skeins of wool yarn ready for the dye pot.

with a powder. You don’t boil it; you just dip it in the hot dye until you get the indigo.”

What Margaret doesn’t mention is the magic of indigo—while in the dye pot, it is a deep green, but as soon as the dye hits the air, oxygen causes it to turn dark blue.

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Our History

Straining the cosmos flowers before adding yarn.

Come experience the chemistry and art of dyeing yourself this spring and summer at the Foxfire Museum! On Saturday, April

23rd, May 21st, and June 25th, Foxfire will host Community Dye Days, included with general admission to the museum. Bring a plain white article that is 100% cotton such as a t-shirt, bandana, or tote bag. Drop it off in an indigo pot at the beginning of your self-guided tour. When you are done walking through the museum, you’ll be able to pick up your dyed piece! Make sure to bring a bag to take it home in—it will still be damp!

Yarn dyed with cosmos hanging up to dry.

Looking for more hands-on opportunities to learn mountain crafts? This year, Foxfire will be offering classes in needle felting, wood stove cooking, wood working, flintknapping, and more. Check out our full event calendar at www.foxfire.org/events/

Finished dyed items, hanging up to dry.

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Foxfire is a not-for-profit, educational and literary organization based in Rabun County, Georgia. Founded in 1966, Foxfire’s learner-centered, community-based educational approach is advocated through both a regional demonstration site (The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center) grounded in the Southern Appalachian culture that gave rise to Foxfire, and a national program of teacher training and support (The Foxfire Approach to Teaching and Learning) that promotes a sense of place and appreciation of local people, community, and culture as essential educational tools. For information about Foxfire, foxfire.org, or call 706-746-5828.

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From The Rabun County Historical Society

Gold Fever in Rabun County and Northeast Georgia Muddy Creeks, 18 Pennyweights and Meager (or no) Profits

By Dick Cinquina

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t one time, Rabun County was dotted with nearly 30 gold mines as prospectors hoped to strike it rich with the yellow metal. Unfortunately for the Rabun miners with dollar signs dancing in their heads, more money was put into the ground than ever taken out. However, that was not the case elsewhere in north Georgia.

The largest quantity of gold in the eastern U.S. was found in the Southeastern Gold Belt, stretching along the Appalachians from Virginia to eastern Alabama. The belt widens in the Georgia mountains, which proved to hold the most gold. The richest deposits were discovered in Lumpkin, White, and Cherokee counties. Regardless of where it was mined, most Georgia gold was nearly 100 percent pure at close to 24 carats.

As early as the mid-1500s, French explorers observed the Indians of Appalachia panning for gold in rivers and streams. Evidence exists that the Cherokee panned for gold along the Tallulah River in Rabun County. However, the indigenous population did not lavish the metal with the same fervor as their European trading partners and, years later, white settlers.

Gold Discovered in 1829 Legend has it that Benjamin Parks tripped over a small rock while deer hunting in 1829 and compared its color to that of an egg yolk. It was a gold nugget. More were unearthed on this piece of land, which was near present-day Dahlonega.

Word spread like wildfire about Parks’ find, unleashing the nation’s first gold rush, the Georgia Gold Rush of 1829. “They came afoot, on horseback and in wagons, acting more like crazy men than anything else,” Parks later recalled. Within

Top left: Carl Smith, a goldminer on Dick’s Creek before Burton Dam Bottom Left: A map of gold mining operations along the Tallulah River in the Burton area 88 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - April 2022

a few months of finding that first gold nugget, 10,000 to 15,000 miners, the so-called ’29ers, swarmed the area to stake claims. Auraria was established at the center of this manic activity, quickly becoming a gold rush boomtown.

Derived from the Latin word for gold, Auraria also was known as Scuffle Town and Knucklesville, courtesy of its saloons, brothels and conflicting claims.

Gold deposits soon were discovered several miles north of Auraria at a spot the Cherokee called Dalanigei, which roughly translates into gold. The Cherokee name soon was Anglicized to Dahlonega, which became the nation’s second roaring boomtown. Auraria, whose population and importance rapidly declined with the rise of Dahlonega, eventually disappeared into history as a ghost town.

U.S. Mint Opened Dahlonega Branch So much gold was mined in this region that the U.S. mint opened a branch in Dahlonega in 1838. More than $100,000 of gold coins was minted in the branch’s first year of operation. By the time the branch closed in 1861 with the outbreak of the Civil War, nearly 1.5 million gold coins valued at more than $6 million had been minted.

There was a dark side to the Dahlonega gold rush. The Cherokee Nation owned much of the gold-bearing land in north Georgia. Gold whetted the appetite of white settlers for the remaining Cherokee land that had not been ceded to Georgia. Tensions between settlers and the Cherokee escalated, ultimately leading to the forced expulsion of the Cherokee from north Georgia during the winter of 1838-39 on the infamous Trail of Tears.

If gold was a contributing factor to the Trail of Tears, that reason was short-lived. The get-rich-quick gold fever started cooling in 1849 when many of Dahlonega’s ‘29ers” became “49ers” in the California gold rush. Moreover, the Dahlonega gold deposits were gradually mined out.

Above: Visitors observe gold mining by the placer method Below: Thomas Nichols laid out a shaft to dig a gold mine, circa 1910

Rabun County Gold Found in 1830s Gold fervor was not limited to the area around Dahlonega.

It spread in a northeasterly direction to Rabun County, but a distance of only 40 miles made a world of difference.

John Morris is believed to have made the first discovery of gold in Rabun County in the 1830s on a parcel of his land along Dick’s Creek, west of the town of Burton, which now is submerged under Lake Burton. Mining operations in this area ceased during the Civil War, but later resumed for another 25 years. The county’s other primary gold field was on land owned by James Stonecypher along Moccasin and Wildcat creeks, also on what is now the western shore of Lake Burton. Mining here, too, ended with the Civil War but continued sporadically for many years after the war.

The mining operations in this area kept creek waters muddy due to the placer method of prospecting for gold. Unlike Continued on page 90 April 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 89

Our History

Rabun County Historical Society - Gold Fever the Dahlonega area, Rabun County did not offer miners rich veins of gold. Rather particles of gold were embedded in quartz rock formations. Once the gold-bearing quartz was mined, stamping machinery crushed the rocks. The resulting gravel was dumped into wooden troughs called sluice boxes through which creek water flowed. The sluice box contained a series of wooden strips.

The gold dust, which could be as fine as flour, dropped out of the water and accumulated against these strips, since gold is heavier than sand and gravel. In this way, gold was captured while the waste material spilled out of the end of the sluice box into the creek, causing the muddy creek water downstream.

18 Pennyweights Per Ounce of Gold

Ohio Mining Company Finds Little Gold Mining companies located outside Rabun County also got into the act. An 1899 article in the Clayton Tribune reported, “Mr. Chas.

F. Renner of the Eureka Mining Co., Canton, Ohio, has returned to the Moore mine…Mr. Renner will have the tunnel cut further in the hill (to mine quartz ore)…and it is thought the real vein will be reached soon. They anticipate putting up an expensive (rock crushing) plant somewhere near here, if they find indications (of significant gold).” Eureka never found any rich gold deposits.

Gold mining all but ceased in Rabun County by the 1930s as prospectors finally realized the amount of gold in this area did not justify the expense and backbreaking labor to mine it. Gold was not the only mineral that has attracted attention of Rabun miners.

Rubies, citrines, opals and amethysts have been found. As late as 1963, Harley Ledbetter was mining amethysts near Mountain City. He claimed his amethyst mine was the largest in the nation.

A 75-carat amethyst discovered near Tate City in neighboring Towns County is displayed in the museum of Georgia’s state capitol. However, gem mining, like that for gold, failed to make prospectors wealthy.

The meager profitability of Rabun County gold mining is evident by the fact that gold valued at only about $150,000 to $250,000 was mined from all of the operations along Dick’s, Moccasin and Wildcat creeks. The same was true of a few other mines in other parts of the county. An 1897 edition of the Tallulah Falls Spray newspaper reported, “In the Persimmon district is the Moore mine that has been worked at for years and has always paid expenses and a small margin over.” In other words, minimal profitability was Gold fever burned brightly in the minds of generations of Rabun a hallmark of the Moore mine.

County prospectors. But the hope never matched the reality; there The Spray went on to report that an average of 18 pennyweights, or simply was not that much gold in them thar hills. Gold fever that less than one ounce of gold, was being extracted per ton of quartz started with a bang ended with a whimper. from the Moore mining operation. By current standards, that level of output is not considered economically feasible. Neither was it Learn more about our history by becoming a member of the then.

Rabun County Historical Society. Membership and complete These paltry profits and amounts of gold did not dampen the information about the Society’s museum are available at www.

Clayton Tribune’s enthusiasm for mining. A 1920 newspaper article rabunhistory.org. The newly renovated museum at 81 N. Church exclaimed, “The Rabun Mineral and Development Co. is moving St. in downtown Clayton, which houses the Southeast’s largest right along…The yellow metal is showing grand promise upon collection of Tallulah Falls Railroad artifacts, is open Thursdayapproach of the famous McClain vein (on the western side of Lake Saturday from 11 to 3. The Society is a not-for-profit organization Burton) which has produced millions in years gone by…We think under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, making we are on the inside of information concerning this mine (and) membership dues and donations tax deductible. before many moons, we can give something exciting to the lovers Visit us on Facebook of gold and that means all of us, of course.” This was sheer fantasy, based upon wishful thinking not hard facts.

.

Dick Cinquina holds graduate degrees in history and journalism, making his work for the Rabun County Historical Society a natural fit for his interests. He is the retired president of Equity Market Partners, a national financial consulting firm he founded in 1981. In addition to writing monthly articles for the Georgia Mountain Laurel, Dick helped produce the Society’s new web site and is involved with the renovation of the group’s museum. After vacationing in this area for many years, he and his wife Anne moved to Rabun County in 2018 form Amelia Island, Florida.

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POSS 4

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