The Laurel of Northeast Georgia

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WELCOME

Georgia Mountain Laurel December 2021 • Volume Eighteen • Issue Twelve

from the Publisher

Oh the sights and sounds of Christmas! I don’t care how Scroogish you are, the right combination of holiday music, the warm scent of pine, oranges and cinnamon and the twinkling lights of the tree are enough to make you celebrate. The holidays are a time for families to gather and smile at the wonder in a child’s eyes when they get a glimpse of Santa or open that toy they’ve dreamed of.

Our wish for you is one of joy and contentment. Jump into the season with both feet, decorate the house and yard, hum those songs you grew up singing, make this Christmas special for someone else, adopt a family, prepare a meal for someone in need and make this a special holiday!

Share the story of Jesus with those you love, a friend or a stranger on the street. He is the one we celebrate.

Georgia Mountain Laurel Mailing: PO Box 2218 - Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 2511 Highway 441 Mountain City, Georgia 30562 706-782-1600 • www.gmlaurel.com Contributing Writers: Emory Jones; Jan Timms; Lorie Thompson; Dick Cinquina; Amanda Howard Pileski, PhD; Doris Richardson; Tricia Moore; Mark Holloway; Liz Alley; Cliff Lewis; Jamie Ledford; Jennifer Thompson; Brad Speed, DVM

Merry Christmas!

Tracy

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 2021 by Rabun’s Laurel Inc. All rights reserved. The Georgia Mountain Laurel 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 GML 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 Georgia Mountain Laurel 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

Arts & Entertainment 8 12 14 16

Cover Artist – Kortnie Phillips NGAG – Joey’s Artistic Journey Storyteller – Emory Jones Pink – A Must Read

Southern Cuisine 18 20 22

Bon Appétit Siste Kage Bread The Family Table

Just Thinking 28 32 34

Lovin’ The Journey Shannon – Tribute

By The Way

Outdoorsy 38

Adventure Out

Faith in Christ 40 41 42 44

R4G – Rabun For the Gospel River Garden Reason for the Season When I Don’t Know What to Do...

Around Town 48 49

A Northern Cook in a Southern Kitchen The General Store

Live Healthy and Be Well 50 54 58

Benefits of Therapy Mental Health Pet Health

Laurel Homes 62 66

On The Double Trendy, Cool House

Looking Back 70 72

Foxfire – A Look Back on Christmas Past Rabun County Historical Society – Rabun County Singing Conventions December 2021 - www.gmlaurel.com - 7

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THE ARTS

Cover Artist – Kortnie Phillips Vision Combined with Creativity

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t was middle school when cover artist Kortnie Phillips took an interest in art. She spoke of encouragement that ignited her passion from teacher Amy Jarrard and others along the way.

After graduating from Rabun County High School in 2017, Kortnie was accepted to Piedmont College where she began to study Graphic Design. In her fourth and final year, she is working and going to school. Both keep her extremely busy but she can see the light at the end of the tunnel. She has definitely worked hard to get to this point.

After classes Kortnie drives from Demorest to Commerce to work at the Nike™ Outlet there. I ask myself, did I have that much energy at that age? If I did I don’t remember it.

Kortnie is an artist as well as a graphic designer and even dabbles in photography. She opened a business of her own, Kortnie’s Kicks. She paints shoes with profits going towards paying off her student loans. Painted shoes? Yes and they are adorable! Some of the best brands of sneakers and casual shoes with sunflowers, Bulldogs, Wildcats, even Alabama’s elephants painted on them. Bright colors, and about as custom as custom gets, these shoes are another artistic outlet for this young artist. You can follow Kortnie’s Kicks on Facebook and Instagram. The shoes are in demand among her college classmates and friends, for good reason!

Kortnie is a gifted young lady with a vision of some day owning her own marketing firm. She enjoys graphic design and looks forward to working with her own clients.

She will finish college and earn her degree by the time this magazine is printed.

Kortnie will be looking for an opportunity in the Graphic Design field, but says she will remain at Nike™ until that happens.

When I asked what she loved most in her creative field, her response was branding. Branding can include establishing a logo, a tagline, colors and fonts that represent your brand, combining these elements to convey a message and to keep continuity throughout a client’s marketing. The marketing pieces offered by a professional graphic designer can impact the business’s success. This includes web design, motion graphics, and package design. We all know those golden arches or the little green geico, don’t we?

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She continues to be fascinated by art and realizes the value of the creative process. Most artists agree that art is great therapy. It is an outlet where time and space stands still while the brush strokes the canvas or the camera shutter is released. Art unleashes the mind and that is true in graphic design projects as well.

Kortnie’s future is bright and filled with promise. As we all watch, cheering her on from here, this gal will make a name for herself. If you are interested in painted shoes, artwork or graphic design you may reach out to Kortnie on social media @Kortnieskicks.

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THE ARTS

from The North Georgia Arts Guild Joey’s Artistic Journey

By Tricia Moore

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ords alone cannot convey the passion and enthusiasm for life and art that emanates from Joanne Aldrich Burel, better known as Joey. However, her artwork and the stories of how it came about do communicate some of that passion.

Creativity flows from her like water from a spigot someone forgot to turn off. She is an artist, an idea person, and an encourager.

Her artistic journey begins in childhood, as it does with many artists. But instead of copying cartoons or the work of other artists, Joey said she began her artistic journey by copying cigarette ads in magazines, recalling how she found them fascinating.

One of the biggest influences on her artwork occurred when she was quite young. Her family made auto trips to Miami, and she would see African American artists selling their work along the roadside. She loved their work and begged her mother to stop so she could see them more closely. This group of landscape artists had their own unique style and way of depicting the tropical landscapes of Florida. They were called the Highwaymen by Gary Monroe, a professor of fine arts and photography at Daytona State College, in his book “The Highwaymen: Florida’s African American Landscape Painters. Their influence is unmistakable in Joey’s landscapes, but she adds her own personal style.

of Central Florida. There she studied art and elementary education, obtaining certification in several areas.

Joey was fortunate to be able to attend a high school that had, as she expressed it, “an incredible art department.” She states that the school art curriculum consisted of increasingly advanced classes in several specific subjects, such as painting, printmaking, and photography. She was able to spend her senior year taking mostly advanced art classes. She won the Pen Women’s 1972 Fine Arts Best in Show award with an acrylic painting of a boy sawing wood, using the $500 award as a down payment on her first car. She also won an award in high school for the best art student.

In 2002, Joey and Charles moved to Tybee Island. There she found a job for him in a frame shop, where he learned the skill of making frames. He has used this skill in making the frames for Joey’s artwork. Six years later, in 2008, Joey retired from teaching and immediately started back painting with Denise Eliot Vernon, a SCAD alumna. Around this time, she joined and became active in the Tybee Island Art Association.

She “dabbled in pastels,” she said, after seeing the work of Blanche Nettles in a Tybee art gallery. “Her [use of] color intrigued me,” Joey stated.

Joey attended the University of South Florida for two years taking every art course she could. She then transferred to Florida Technological University, which is now the University

Joey joined NGAG in 2013, even though she and Charles did not move permanently to North Georgia until 2018. In 2019, Joey, again following up on her interest in pastels, took a workshop with a nationally known artist. Joey was disillusioned by the attitude of this instructor, causing her to re-evaluate

After college, Joey moved to La Grange, Georgia, then to Gainesville and later to the Savannah area. She taught middle school math in Georgia for 32 years. During this time she took a hiatus from involvement with art with one exception.

She taught drawing at Firespark Art Camp held at Brenau University for two summers. Here she met her husband Charles, an engineer who worked at Brenau. She did incorporate art into her math classes however, in the form of tessellations and mobile making.

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 Georgia Mountain Laurel is a good fit and something that she will greatly enjoy doing.

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her artistic path. Influenced and motivated by the Georgia artist Steve Penley, who does beautiful patriotic paintings, she decided to focus on color and started painting flags. Other influences on her desire to paint flags, she states, is her love for her country and patriotism.

Joey has painted many flags with themes ranging from purely patriotic to Back the Blue, 2nd Amendment, and She’s a Rainbow.

Many of her flags have messages imbedded in them through the use of words and phrases. Joey’s love of country and

patriotism clearly shows in her beautifully designed paintings and makes a statement about her passion for these. Her flag paintings are done in acrylic on canvas finished off with a clear polymer based coating with a wood or chipboard backing.

Joey loves painting flags, but wants to also get back into landscape painting as well. The beautiful mountain landscapes of North Georgia provide a perfect subject and reason for doing this. Joey can be reached through NGAG if you are interested in her work.

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THE ARTS

Storyteller Preserves, Presents Northeast Georgia

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By John Shivers

mory Jones has been writing since he was a school boy. Stories. Books.

Plays. Documentaries. But when he recently took part in a gathering of professional writers, they felt he was too diverse. To use a current popular buzzword, they believed his “brand” was murky and clouded, because he didn’t restrict himself to a specific niche. For Emory, who classifies himself as a storyteller first, it just didn’t ring true. However, he ran it

by Cunningham, his pet pig, who’s well known for his business acumen and savvy perspective on life and other thorny issues.

“That’s a full bucket of slop,” the porcine pronounced. “Pay those hoity toity writers no mind.” (However, Cunningham didn’t point out that he could be slightly biased, since he, himself, owes his very existence to the uniquely turned mind that lives between Emory’s ears.)

But for this author of the highly popular “The Valley Where They Danced” book set in the historic Sautee-Nacoochee Valley, and a laundry list of other accomplishments, that diversity of brand is exactly the reason for Emory’s success.

It’s what has kept his labors infused with creativity and audience appeal, and allows Cunningham to travel farther and wider than the average hawg. Emory’s position was: for it to be wrong, it sure has worked well. He appreciated his colleagues’ input, even if he didn’t agree.

As far as Emory’s concerned, it’s definitely not broke, and he has no plans to “fix” it. Instead, he’s forging ahead with even more ambitious plans for the next couple of years, that will take him and his fan base in several different directions.

Cunningham’s already squealing, “Road trip!”

Another nice dividend that has accrued from the diversity of his work has been the thousands of people whose paths have

crossed with his along the way. “Friends,” Emory calls them.

For this northeast Georgia writer headquartered in the shadow of Yonah Mountain in the Helen / Cleveland area, the very land he calls home has also been the inspiration for the vast majority of those publications and productions that have flowed out of his keyboard. Sometimes, his efforts have been mis-categorized, however, through absolutely no efforts on his part.

In addition to the many years of writing as an employee or contract writer for various publications, since Emory has been working for Emory, and occasionally for Cunningham, this mountain storyteller has written eight books, four plays, and two documentaries. Not too long ago a publication in which one of his articles appeared, included a blurb “about the author” that said Emory was the author of sex books.

They intended to say that he had authored six books, but as Emory the wordsmith well knows, just one errant alpha character can change the entire meaning of a sentence. Adding hilarity to this intriguing typo was the group of ladies where Emory was speaking, who asked him for additional details on his books with the titillating subject matter.

In his saga “The Valley Where They Danced,” which has drawn rave reviews, Emory recounts the post World War I timeless romance of a country doctor and his lady love set in a mountain enclave, where passions and jealousies were the recipe for violent encounters. With the Nacoochee Valley Indian Mound and the Tallulah Gorge woven into the story, his graphic passages create an accurate, painfully realistic account of that era, and the people who populated it. Emory’s depiction of this love story has captured the hearts of readers, and has spawned an upcoming project.

Coming in 2022, “Valley Voices,” an outdoor drama at the Hardman Farm State Historic Site, where the Indian Mound is a familiar landmark, will tell the story of the Nacoochee Valley from ancient

John Shivers began writing for his hometown newspaper when he was only fourteen years old. As a lifelong wordsmith his byline has appeared in over forty Christian and secular publications, winning him seventeen professional awards. He has written 22 books. John is a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church. John and his wife, Elizabeth, divide their time between Calhoun, Georgia and Magee, Mississippi.

When their schedule permits, John loves to slip away to the northeast Georgia mountains.

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times until today, through the eyes of such notables as Daniel Brown, Captain James Nichols, and Dr. Lamartine Hardman. Earlier this year, Emory and David Greear screened a 63-minute film entitled, “Distant Voices,” that featured the art, voices and in some cases, on-camera images of more than 30 Northeast Georgians, accompanied by original music composed by nationally known DeDe Vogt.

And then there’s Cunningham’s story found in the pages of “Cunningham and Other Pigs I Have Known.” Emory’s life-long fascination with pigs merges with his unique sense of humor in more than 30 stories about Cunningham and his peers in the oink and squeal society. Whether Emory is chauffeuring Cunningham to his art lessons or is driving him to Washington D.C., to give the politicians inspiration for more pork barrel legislation, you’ll never be able to forget these little piggies.

For additional information on all of Emory’s books and other undertakings, check out his web site www. emoryjones.com. You can purchase books and videos from this site, and register for notifications on his upcoming projects.

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THE ARTS

Pink – A Christian Romantic Suspense Novel and a MUST read!

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By Cindi Freeman

harlotte Rose needed a new life and a fresh start. The grief of losing her husband was too much. His death was not accidental, and the details surrounding the tragedy would leave scars that may never heal. Her dream of leaving behind her job as a mechanical engineer to own a stationery boutique would lead her from the hills of Franklin, North Carolina, to New York City. It didn’t hurt that her best friend Rachael from college lived there; she could scope out the perfect location for her boutique and visit with a dear friend.

Ethan Cooper, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and a hotshot New York lawyer, lost his wife five years earlier. He was obsessed with seeing her killer brought to justice. Christmas was his least favorite time of the year because it was his wife Stephanie’s favorite. The sweet memories they made were now a source of sorrow for Ethan. Her death had turned him into someone he didn’t even recognize. Shutting out family and friends was his defense mechanism leaving him lonelier than ever.

Bourbon and bacon, a strange combination, would bring these two together, along with the location of the new boutique, the college friend, and the loss of loved ones.

Charlotte Rose is delightfully intriguing, and Ethan is amazed by her. Appearing to be another beautiful face, Charlotte was much more than that. Together they find themselves tangled up in an investigation to bring Stephanie’s murderer to justice.

Edge of your seat suspense and romance that renews your belief in true love collide as this story unfolds. The plot will leave you breathless, turning pages well into the night!

The suspense will find you hiding in the closet with “Pink,” the code name Captain Caroline Blaine, with the U.S. Navy’s ARES team, part of the Defense Intelligence Agency, gave her because of her passion for the color pink. Charlotte was hiding from terrorists and the cartel, who would end her life if she were found. Will she be safe? Will this nightmare ever end? Will the healing she and Ethan desperately need ever come?

This book was excellent and would be a great movie! I loved it and could not put it down! Typically, I am not a romance novel reader, but this book may be my turning point. I do, however, love a good mystery/suspense novel, and I found it in Pink, the 2021 NYC Big Book Award winner for Christian Fiction.

Pink, the newest novel by Franklin, North Carolina author Monica Collier is just what you need in your stocking this year and will make a great gift! The book is available at Franklin Office Supply, owned by Ms. Collier. You could even get it signed by the author! You may also purchase it online through her website www.monicacollier.com or at www.amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite independent bookseller.

Once you devour this storyline, you’ll want to read more of Monica’s books also available wherever books are sold.

Cindi Freeman is an integral part of the Laurel of Northeast Georgia’s team. She juggles many titles at the Laurel. Cindi loves spending time with her family, especially her four grandchildren: Canci, Calli, Chloe and Mac Dean. She always loves to read, is a gifted crafter and owner of Sunshine and Sawdust, a local DIY studio located beside the Laurel office in Mountain City, Georgia. She is now a fan of Monica Collier’s work!

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9 SOUTHERN CUISINE

Bon Appétit

Holiday Open House

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By Scarlett Cook

hese recipes will work for a drop-in party whether you have it during the holidays or a way to say goodbye to 2021. I have found in catering that you need a meat, a seafood, a cheese, a veggie, an “unexpected” and a sweet dish no matter what time of day you have your event. You can change these dishes according to your taste. By making them ahead of time, you don’t spend your day in the kitchen. Enjoy.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Hot Cheese Toasts Yields 36 servings These are do ahead. Can be frozen for up to 1 month before serving.

1 8-Ounce package cream cheese at room temperature 1 1/2 Teaspoons minced red onion 1/2 Cup mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons chopped chives 1/4 Teaspoon red pepper (or to taste) 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Loaf white, wheat or rye party bread (such as Pepperidge Farms) In food processor (or bowl) combine all ingredients except bread. This mixture can be made several days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Cut each bread slice in half. Spread with cheese mixture. At this stage these can be frozen on baking sheet and baked directly from freezer without thawing.

When ready to serve preheat oven to 350° and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Shrimp Souffle Yields 8 cups 3 8-Ounce Packages cream cheese at room temperature 1 16-Ounce container small curd cottage cheese 2 7-Ounce cans shrimp 2 1/2 - 3 Pounds shrimp, cooked and cut into chunks 1 Large tomato, finely chopped 1 Large red onion, finely minced 2 – 3 Jalapenos, finely minced (ribs and seeds removed) 1 1/2 Teaspoons salt Tabasco to taste Chips or crackers Combine cream cheese and cottage cheese; blend until smooth.

Add shrimp, tomato, onion, jalapenos, salt and Tabasco.

Serve in chafing dish with chips or crackers.

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Pita Pizzas Yields 72 These are do ahead. Can be frozen for up to 1 month before serving.

1 Pound Italian sausage, mild or hot 1 Package (6 rounds) Pita bread 1 Cup butter or margarin, softened 1 Jar pizza sauce 1 6-Ounce can sliced mushrooms, well drained & finely minced 1 Pound Mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 2-Ounce package thinly sliced pepperoni Preheat oven to 350°.

Crumble sausage in skillet and brown. Drain well Using kitchen shears cut each Pita open to form two circles.

Spread inner side of each round with butter.

Spread pizza sauce over butter.

Cut each circle into 6 triangles.

Cover each triangle with sausage, mushrooms and cheese.

Top with a slice of pepperoni.

Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Pizzas may be frozen after assembled and baked when ready to serve.

Spicy Carrots Serves 15 – 20 These can be prepared up to one week ahead.

1 Pound carrots, washed and peeled 1 Cup white vinegar 1/2 Cup sugar 1/4 Cup chopped onion 1 Teaspoon pickling spices 1/2 Teaspoon salt 1/4 Teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 Cloves garlic, minced 1/2 Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Cut into 3” julienne slices.

Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add carrots. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Cool in saucepan.

Place in covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Drain and remove pickling spices before serving.

Sparkling Cranberry Punch 25 Servings

2 Quarts cranberry juice, chilled 1 Can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 Bottle chilled pick champagne Combine cranberry juice and lemonade concentrate. Chill When ready to serve, add champagne.

Place a few whole cranberries into individual wine glasses before pouring.

Amaretto Brownies Yields 32 Brownies: 1 Box Duncan Hines brownie mix 1/4 Cup vegetable oil 3 Eggs 1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans 6 Tablespoons Amaretto Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9” x 13” baking dish.

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions using vegetable oil and eggs and omitting water. Stir in nuts.

Spread on bottom of prepared dish.

Bake 25 – 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with Amaretto.

Cool completely.

Filling: 1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened 2 Cups powdered sugar 3 Tablespoons Amaretto Combine filling ingredients.

Spread over baked cool brownies.

Topping: 6 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 4 Tablespoons butter or margarine

Celebrate the Season!

Melt topping ingredients in saucepan.

Spread topping over filling. Chill.

Cut into squares when ready to serve.

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9 SOUTHERN CUISINE

Siste Kage and The Universal Bread Maker

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Submitted by Doris Richardson

ne of my favorite memories and family traditions is that of making Siste Kage (Søsterkake) during the Christmas holidays. Actually it’s my mom that makes it every year without fail and I help. She’s the expert, not really needing to follow the recipe exactly, and only checking to make sure she’s remembering the quantities correctly. Scalded milk, flour, black and golden raisins, eggs, and the very important spice, cardamom. My mom learned to make Siste Kage from my grandmother, Sigrid, who learned from my great-grandmother, Nicoline.

My great-grandparents, Severin and Nicoline Asbjornsen emigrated from Arendal, Norway with their children in 1902, settling in Jersey City and bringing with them many of their food traditions. If only I had a cookbook that belonged to Nicoline!

The cake is considered a specialty in southern Norway, and it’s believed that it got its name from a small town in The Netherlands called “Soester” which had many house-maids from Norway in the 1800’s. So when the young girls returned to their homes in southern Norway, they brought with them their own version which became known as “Søsterkake.”

Nicoline Asbjornsen

Sigrid Asbjornsen

An interesting side note to the family’s history of making Siste Kage is the story of the Universal Bread Maker which we still use today. Once again, passed down from Nicoline. Basically the bread maker is a pail with a cover and a hand crank.

Simple, but it works amazingly well. The ingredients are hand blended using the crank and left in the pail to rise. The batter is divided among bread pans, allowed to rise again and baked. The scent of cardamom fills the room. No need for candles here!

The bread maker’s official name is the Number 4 Universal Bread Maker by Landers, Frary & Clark of New Britain, Connecticut. It won a gold medal in the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair. Winning a gold medal at the World’s

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SISTE KAGE (Søsterkake) A NORWEGIAN RAISIN BREAD 1-15 oz box black raisins 1-15 oz box golden raisins 3 packages yeast 4 cups milk 1 lb butter, softened 2 3/4 cups sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp cardamon powder (Only buy whole pods.

Remove seeds from pods and grind) 9 cups all-purpose flour (a 5 lb bag contains 10 cups) Place raisins in a large bowl and coat with a heaping tablespoon flour. This will keep the raisins from sinking during baking. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water and set aside. Scald milk then add to bread maker. Add softened butter and sugar while hot. Stir until butter and sugar are melted. Allow to cool before adding eggs and yeast/water mixture. Add cardamom powder and salt to milk mixture. Gradually add flour, stirring each time. Use a wooden spoon to insure all flour is blended. After adding about 8 cups flour spoon test by placing wooden spoon, spoon side first into batter.

If it doesn’t stand up and if the batter looks sticky and soupy, continue adding flour, testing again with each small addition.

Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down and let rise again.

Fill five regular size loaf pans that have been lightly greased and powdered with flour. Rise again. Bake 350° 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and knife comes out clean. If top turns golden before it’s cooked cover with foil. Brush beaten egg yolk on top of each loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven. Remove bread from loaf pan and cool on a rack, top side up.

Fair was a big deal --- Landers & Frary actually put it on the front of the bread maker itself. The bread maker was considered quite a revolutionary household product for its time. Another gold medal winner at the same world’s fair -- Gold Medal Flour. And yes, my mom still uses it.

I can only imagine Nicoline’s excitement having purchased this new invention knowing it would make her life just a bit easier, but little did she know her family would still be using it six generations later! I’d like to think she looks down on us with pride, and that she smiles knowing we think of her each time we turn that squeaky crank! We smile as the bread is baking, knowing that exact aroma filled her kitchen so many years ago.

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9 SOUTHERN CUISINE

The Family Table

By Lorie Thompson

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ecember! Already! Each year, I look forward to this month and dread it at the same time.

It is a busy month for me at work, full of deadlines, and it is a hectic time for me at home, preparing for the Christmas holiday. Mountain Man gets a lot of quickly prepared meals in the early part of the month, but he knows the holiday feasts are soon to come.

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas celebration is the parties. I love being a guest, and I love hosting. The holiday parties allow me to make some of my favorite appetizers; I have shared recipes for Millionaire Bacon, Brie in Phyllo, and Sausage, Peppers, and Pineapple in past articles.

Let me add to that favorites list Spinach and Artichoke Dip and a festive cream cheese Christmas Wreath. Then let’s add an easy-to-make “Bundt Cake” that your guest will love and an old-fashioned Orange Slice Cake that you could take to any party.

Holiday parties, here we come!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip is a highly requested appetizer at my house. Bake it in a great piece of handmade pottery for a rustic look and serve it with Mexican crema, salsa, and chips. Here is the recipe for a great version of Spinach and Artichoke Dip: Preheat oven to 375°. In a food processor, pulse 1 cup parmesan cheese with one garlic clove. Add 1 C of mayo, (Blue Plate, of course!) a 6 oz tub of garlic and cheese spread, such as Rondele or Allouette, and pulse for 2-3 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and add 10 ounces of frozen spinach that is thawed and squeezed dry. (It is essential to get all of the water you can out of the spinach.) Add 10 ounces of marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped. Add 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Fold all together and bake in an ovenproof dish for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and starting to brown. Serve hot with crema, salsa, and tortilla chips.

The Holiday Wreath is an adaptation of Kraft’s Antipasto Wreath. The original recipe calls for roasted red peppers and olives. Mountain Man doesn’t love peppers or olives, so I changed it to sundried tomatoes and diced green onions. Make it using the ingredients your family will enjoy!

Soften to room temperature, two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese. With a mixer, blend 1 tsp of granulated garlic powder with 1/2 cup of Three Cheese Blend (parmesan, romano, and asiago). Add 1 C of chopped pepperoni, 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh

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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parsley, 3-4 Tbsp of finely chopped green onion, 1/2 C of chopped sundried tomatoes. Shape into a 16-inch log and roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Form the log roll into a wreath on your prettiest Christmas platter and top with chopped sundried tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Serve with butter crackers or Crostini.

I love vintage recipes. When you think of vintage recipes, Jello salads and Fondue come to mind, but one of my favorite vintage foods is the Bundt Cake.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake made in a Bundt pan is easy to make and fabulous to eat!

For the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, bring 3 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter and six eggs to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch Bundt pan with shortening and dust with cocoa powder.

Combine 2 1/4 C of cake flour and 3/4 C of cocoa and set aside. (Hershey’s Cocoa makes a great cake!)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 3/4 C of sugar until light and fluffy. (Don't quit beating too soon! This step is essential!) Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 C of confectioners sugar and mix thoroughly.

Stir in the flour and cocoa mixture by hand until well blended. The batter will be very thick. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until the top is set and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Do not overbake, or you will have a chocolate cake but not a Tunnel of Fudge. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 1/2 hours to allow fudge to set. Invert onto a serving plate and completely cool before glazing.

For the glaze, combine 3/4 C confectioners sugar with 1/4 C cocoa. Add 2 Tbsp of milk. Spoon the glaze over top of the cooled cake. Serve with homemade whipped cream.

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9 SOUTHERN CUISINE

The Family Table My second cake for the holidays is an orange slice cake. My friend Jewel Murray told me in Church last Sunday that she was visiting The Tomato House, near Dahlonega, in the next few days to get her orange slice candy for her holiday cake. I asked Jewel to pick me up a couple of boxes of candy.

Let me share the recipe with you: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

Chop 1 pound of orange slice candy, 1 pound of dates, and 2 C of pecans or walnuts. Mix fruit, nuts, and candy with 6 ounces of shredded coconut and set aside.

Sift 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 C unsalted butter. Gradually add 2 C of sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add four eggs, beating each one into the butter and sugar.

Combine 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 C buttermilk. Add buttermilk and flour mixture to butter and sugar, alternating and blending well after each addition.

Fold candy mixture in by hand, mixing well.

Pour into prepared Bundt pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1.30-1.45 hours.

Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack in the pan. Combine 1/2 C orange juice and 2 C powdered sugar and mix well. Pour over cake. Leave cake in the pan overnight. This cake gets better with a couple of days. Try to make it one to two days before serving.

December equates to being busy. Cooking, cleaning, decorating, gift shopping, making lists, wrapping gifts, etc. Some years I am so wrapped up in the preparations for Christmas that I forget to celebrate the true meaning of the season; The birth of Christ! Christmas is a celebration of God's love for me! His gift to me!

Wishing you a season of peace, full of family, fun, and great food. Wishing for you the comfort of knowing God and his gift to us, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

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9 JUST THINKING

Lovin’ the Journey -The Canoe

By Mark Holloway

T

he bright yellow Jofa helmet perched inside the Old Town ‘Guide’, a handcrafted wooden canoe from Maine. This vintage headgear captured my attention like a stately boulder anchored in the rapids at Sock-em-Dog in the legendary Chattooga River.

bunch of places that I thought would look great in their movie.”

The helmet is what drew me in.

He began to tell me about the early days of the film’s production.

Bill is a good friend. He’s 88. In the 1960s, he built his own home on a rugged mountainside of Rabun County’s Lake Burton.

As a Georgia Power engineer, he had the skills and fraternity brothers to get it done. He also was one of the early whitewater adrenaline junkies, coming up from Atlanta to challenge the rapids.

There is a famous scene where Jon Voight and Ronny Cox crash through the rapids, destroying their boat, sending it down river in splinters. Today, the Chattooga’s Deliverance Rock is where Jon Voight’s character claws his way to safety.

Maybe Bill Dunlap wanted a second home to escape city life in Atlanta. Maybe it was the lure of Appalachia.

“Are you talking about ‘the’ movie, Deliverance?” My jaw must have dropped.

“Yes, that movie.”

The scene was actually filmed in Tallulah Gorge where the special effects crew designed a location where Georgia Power could control dam gates and water flow for the intense and dangerous scene.

His home has a lodge feel with a high living room ceiling and exposed beams hewn from timber off his land.

It’s up in these beams where my connection to this famed canoe begins. The handcrafted ribs and gunnels faced downward into the living room like a king on his throne. The helmet rested on top of the upside down stern seat, begging for attention.

“Bill, can I climb up and take a look at your helmet? It looks like a first generation.”

“Sure. Take it down and have a look,” Bill said. I told him, “It looks nothing like my modern kayak helmet.”

“But Mark, you’re missing the real story. It’s the boat resting on the rafters above you.”

At that moment I traveled back in time.

For the next 30 minutes we paddled the currents of a most fascinating story, traveling back in time fifty years.

Climb in the boat and I’ll take you on the trip with us down the Tallulah River, through the Gorge, and to the Chattooga River.

As I gazed up at this hand crafted wonder, Bill began to unpack his story.

“I’d been put out on loan from Georgia Power to Warner Bros because I knew the area, and I lived up here. I could coordinate water flow through the Gorge and as an avid whitewater paddler, I was familiar with both rivers. The film crew asked me to show them around too. Together, we paddled a Photo Submitted by Wander

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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The script calls for the Old Town wooden canoe to be violently broken apart sending Ed Gentry (Jon Voight) and Drew Ballinger (Ronny Cox) into the rapids.

Bill explains, “The crew knew well in advance they’d need a bunch of boats for this scene because they’d have to intentionally destroy a lot of them during filming. So they ordered ten Old Town Guides. As production began, they were afraid ten wouldn’t be enough and they ordered an eleventh.

Once things got underway, they ordered a twelfth.”

Wallace Worsley was the Warner Bros unit production manager.

He would be the man who received the shipments of boats from Old Town, Maine to Clayton’s Heart of Rabun Motel.

Bill would endear himself to the producers because of his contributions, expertise, and labor of love. When the film wrapped and the crew was about to leave the area, they offered Bill either the Grumman aluminum canoe Reynolds paddled or the wooden boat skippered by Voight. Bill chose the wooden model named the Guide.

“Yep, since 1898,” Jonathan proudly tells me.

“I’ve got a canoe you may want to know about that’s been hiding in the mountains of Appalachia.” I told him about the canoe and it’s connection to the movie. He was immediately impressed and bewildered.

“That’s the most iconic whitewater film ever made. And you say you have the only surviving canoe?”

“I believe so because I trust my friend who gave it to me.” This is where my story gets really exciting.

Jonathan begs, “Please tell me you’re looking at a serial number.”

“Is it the number pressed into a strip of wood on the floor of the boat?”

Bill would often host the film’s producers at his Lake Burton home and take them on his ski boat when they needed a break from filming.

Eventually Bill and Sandy would sell their home on ‘the Big Water’ of Lake Burton. My wife Carol and I had taken care of their home for years (through our company Property Stewards). In September of 2020, we were asked to empty the home because the new buyer planned to bulldoze it to make way for a new house.

Sandy said, “There’s no room at all for any of this at our home on St. Simons Island. Since you showed interest in the canoe a few years ago, we’d like you to have the boat.”

The wooden beauty had captured my eye years earlier but now it was my turn to thoughtfully steward this iconic piece of Rabun film history.

The Plot Thickens I transported the boat to my garage and began to examine it up close for the first time. I noticed the varnished Old Town label on the deck. It was weathered but in relatively great condition since it had been hiding in plain sight in the Dunlap living room for so many years.

I searched the internet on my cellular phone as I stood over the antique. Sure enough, I found a phone number. Jonathan Ballesteros answered the phone.

“Well, you’ve answered my first question.

Y’all are still in business.”

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“Yes. We can only research our watercraft based on that number. Build orders for all our boats began in 1900 and we can only look them up on computer with that number.”

I began to read off the number to him and I could hear him typing on his computer.

Then the call went silent.

“Oh wow. I’ve found your build order. It details everything you’ve told me. It even includes the words Warner Bros and Wallace Worsely’s name and the Rabun address.”

We both just marveled for a moment.

In July of 2021, Carol and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary for two weeks in Maine. Ryan Lilly hosted us for half a day at the Old Town factory. He’s the Brand boss and showed us around. We were the first people allowed in since Covid.

Ryan connected me with Jerry Stelmok who is in his 70s and still makes these very boats exclusively for Old Town. He apprenticed under George Cook who most likely made my boat. Getting to visit with Jerry was a privilege. Needless to say, my phone conversation was like talking to Leonardo Da Vinci while holding the Mona Lisa.

Jerry would connect me to a fascinating group, the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association. I reckon I just might need to join.

I’ve paddled and rafted the Chattooga many times. I’ve hiked and swam in Tallulah Gorge. Just last week, I decided to dip my canoe into the legendary waters of Bull Sluice after a 50 year respite.

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My boat was actually paddled by the actors, yet the only one (of the twelve boats shipped) to have survived undamaged.

And now I’ve returned it to the very place which now makes it famous.

A close friend and local, Tony Whitener wisely suggested I get in touch with another friend of mine, Billy Redden. Billy agreed it might be sentimental to join me as I carefully floated the boat for a brief moment in our Wild and Scenic Chattooga River.

The casting director found Billy at 13 years old in his classroom at school on Betty’s Creek. He would become the banjo boy.

The seats are pristine but fragile so the boat’s only passenger that day was the vintage wooden and plastic paddle which Old Town shipped to Rabun in 1971.

I’ll always be grateful for our friends Bill and Sandy Dunlap.

I’ll always be thankful for the canoe. But mostly I’ll be forever overwhelmed by the Chattooga River whose beauty even surpasses the grandeur of my wooden boat.

Carol and I will one day build a home whose living room will host the Old Town craftsmanship. But for now it is on tour. It’s first stop is at Wander North Georgia’s flagship store in historic Clayton, Georgia, less than a mile from the original Heart of Rabun Motel which welcomed it to our community. I’m hoping for it to shine on display under Georgia’s Gold Dome in Atlanta at our State Capital.

Maybe y’all can come see it.

May you rejoice in the Savior this Christmas season.

See you on the trail!

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9 JUST THINKING

Shannon

By Liz Alley

I

’m standing in the kitchen, jiggling my first baby, 15 months old, on my hip. We are looking out the window together, waiting for my mom’s car to pull into the drive. Softly, I’m singing, “She’ll be coming from the mountains when she comes.” Finally, her car pulls in, loaded, I know, with all the things she thinks she’ll need like her cake pans and ten pairs of pressed pants. Both my daughter and I squeal with delight. It wasn’t just the help Mom would provide, though there would be plenty of that. It was the comfort of being with the one person in the world with whom I felt completely known, the one person who saw me for the fullness of who I was and loved me unconditionally. This is what I’m missing most about my mother on this Monday after her funeral, and this is what I’ll miss in all the days ahead of me. But what a tragedy it would be to my mother’s legacy if I left it at that. I will take the love she fortified me with and do my best to pass it on to my children and grandchildren. Mom, you are missed. These are the words I shared at her funeral, and these are the words that describe her best to me.

She is cinnamon toast in the morning and potato soup when sick.

She is our security system at night with a chair in front of the door upstairs and pick ax, hoe and shovel by the door downstairs.

She is mayonnaise on her houseplant leaves to ensure they shine and lemon oil on furniture.

She is “Don’t wear white after Labor Day or before Easter” and “It’s never too soon to send a thank-you note.”

She is beautiful penmanship on creamy paper with black ink. She is notes written in the margins of her Bible.

She is the tear sliding down her face at the sight of a crooked old tree, and she is the pencil drawing of her son’s shoe that fell off the night he died.

She is goodie bags for the grandkids for their trip home, and she is giving Hannah her passies long after she was supposed to be done with them.

She is blue hydrangeas by the creek bank and tiger lilies in her flower garden.

She is crisp sheets hanging on the line so we can sleep on sunshine.

She is ironed clothes with razor-sharp creases, including Daddy’s garden clothes and Waylon’s blue jeans.

She is getting five kids ready and going to church every Sunday and every Wednesday by herself.

She is Tiger Baptist Church with her soft soprano in the choir and her open soul in the pew.

She is WMU and Vacation Bible School.

She is lemon poppyseed chicken in her white casserole dish.

She is footsteps in the snow as she walked to check on Aunt Ellie next door.

She is learning how to swim in her fifties with Janie P. Taylor.

She is sweet tea and folded napkins.

She is a believer that women should not have to pump their own gas and you should dress up even to go grocery shopping.

She is beautiful Hallmark cards with important words underlined, and she is elegantly wrapped gifts.

She is library books stacked on the table and adamant they never be returned late.

She is the peck, peck, peck in the basement as she types on the word processer her poems and articles.

She is the concession stand at bingo for The American Legion and Saturday mornings at Dianne’s Beauty Shop.

She is dancing in the driveway for the grandkids as we pull out to go home.

She is check and recheck that the stove is off and that the coffee pot is unplugged.

Liz Alley was born and raised in Rabun County in the city of Tiger. She loves to write. She is an interior designer specializing in repurposing the broken, tarnished, chipped, faded, worn and weathered into pieces that are precious again. She is the mother of two daughters and has two grandchildren. She divides her time between her home in Newnan and Rabun County.

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She is “call me when you get home” and three squeezes of her hand for “I. Love. You.” She is a purse the size of a Buick and a rain hat instead of an umbrella.

She is French Vanilla Cream in her coffee and the slowest eater on earth.

She is the one who knew something was wrong with us just by the way we said “hello.”

She is the wooden chicken with five chicks on top of the kitchen cabinets. She is always trying to keep her “ducks in a row.”

She is late nights with a Cadbury Fruit and Nut Bar. She is Shadowline night gowns, Oil of Olay and Jergens Cherry Almond Lotion.

She is early morning on the back porch with the view of the Keason place and the bells from the Methodist church.

She is beautiful cakes cooked to perfection and Carnation milk in coffee for the grandkids.

She is the phone answerer when we call home, assuring us that time stood still in Tiger.

She is P.O. Box 45 and 782-4651 and 30576.

She is in her red housecoat on the patio of Cannonwood, waiting for one of her kids to pull up.

She is the recording on our voicemail that says “this is your mama, and I love you.”

She is the light in the window.

She is a writer.

She is poetry in motion, a walking, breathing, lovely poem.

She is the lady of all our homes.

She is Nora Shannon Garland Alley.

She is our hero.

She is our mother.

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9 JUST THINKING

By The Way Ole Burrell

O

By Emory Jones

ne of the smartest things I’ve done in my life (and there aren’t a lot of those to choose from) was to record my aunts and uncles about their lives before they passed on. Most of the stories they told are captivating because they give us a window into our past.

By chance, I recently found a recording of an interview I did with my uncle, Ray Meaders, on his 85th birthday a few years back. Since I can’t improve on his story, I’ll let Uncle Ray, who’s been gone six years now, tell it himself.

“In April of 1936, my daddy, Wiley Meaders, had a big problem. You see, our old mule had died over the winter, and without a mule, we couldn’t put in a crop. But money wasn’t just scarce back then; it was non-existent. Still, it was put in a crop or starve, so we had to find a way to get a mule.

“Daddy had heard that a mule trader named Bagwell had lost all his hired hands to betterpaying jobs cleaning up after that tornado that hit Gainesville that year, and he thought Mr. Bagwell might be willing to do some trading on a mule.

“About the only thing we had to trade was the old milk cow and her new calf. Daddy made the trade, though it meant that we had to go without milk and butter for the summer.

But we didn’t have any choice.

“Daddy’s plan was to get the crop in and then start turning ware up at the pottery shop to make enough money to buy a new cow that fall. That’s what he did too. And I remember that new cow cost twenty-five dollars; five dollars down and five dollars a month for five months.

“Daddy led that mule all the way from Gainesville. He’d already named him by the time he got home. I never did like that name myself, but he was ‘Ole Burrell’ the whole time we had him.

“Daddy couldn’t ride him because the mule wasn’t used to being ridden, and he didn’t want to risk getting him excited and maybe running off.

“When he got the mule home, it was about dark. My brother and I put Ole Burrell in the barn and fed him good because we knew

that, starting in the morning, Daddy was going to be working him hard. And that’s what happened.

“We got the cotton crop in by the first of May, which was always his goal. And like I said, that fall, we were able to get a new cow. But, Lord, how we missed having milk that summer.

Those were some hard times.

“We worked that mule hard for the next 15 years. A lot of that was pulling a wagon that we got mail-order from Sears and Roebuck. It was a good ole wagon, but we couldn’t afford one with brakes, so that was a problem as long as we had it.

“I was a grown man, back from the army in 1951 when Daddy had quit making pottery and growing cotton and had started raising chickens instead. And he didn’t need Ole Burrell anymore. I remember the day Daddy sold that mule to a Mr. Hulsey.

“I watched Ole Burrell and that wagon with no brakes going up the road, and I remember thinking I’d give anything in the world if I had enough money to buy that old mule back and let him just rest out his days over in the pasture. Lord knows, he’d done enough hard work to deserve that.

“But I didn’t have the money, so I just had to watch Ole Burrell go on down the road.”

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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Butler’s

Clayton, Georgia

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9

OUTDOORSY

Adventure Out

Chattahoochee Headwaters and Horse Trough Falls

By Peter McIntosh

O

n this adventure we’re taking a nice easy road trip along the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River with a visit to Horse Trough Falls thrown in for good measure. This is one of my favorite forest service roads to explore. I first wrote about it in the summer of 2014, but since then the road has been washed out in several places and closed to the public. I’m happy to report the road is repaired and ready for visitors.

We begin at Forest Service Road 44 which runs parallel to the river just north of Robertstown. And Robertstown, if you don’t know, is the little town one mile north of Helen. For the first couple of miles, this road is bordered by private property so please be respectful and drive slowly. You’ll come to a sign giving the distances to the many campgrounds along this road. These are nice, well maintained camping spots for tents or pull behind campers. And there are lots of spots for trout fishermen with nice stairways giving easy access to the riverside. Take your time, get out and explore, there’s a lot to see along this road as well as lots of spots to stop and enjoy a picnic. Also, if you’re going slow and exploring, be prepared to pull over and let the traffic behind you pass by.

Horse Trough Falls is located in the Upper Chattahoochee Campground, about 9.5 miles from the junction of FS 44 and GA Alt 75.

The campground entrance is at a sharp turn in the road and very hard to miss. There is a sign there that indicates this is a fee area but that’s just for overnight campers. The parking area for the waterfall is at the far end of the campground. The trail is short, level and very easy, maybe a 1/4 mile at most. Hopefully the plentiful rains will continue because at the time of this writing, this cascade is stunning. From the observation platform, you’ll have a great view of this waterfall, 60 feet high and framed by a cathedral of Birch trees. And since I used the word “cathedral,” a quote by the German theologian, Martin Luther, comes to mind: “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” Makes sense to me.

Now we continue on FS 44 for 4.7 miles out to GA Hwy 75 at Unicoi Gap. Turn right on Hwy 75, head downhill, and you’re back in Robertstown in no time. Or continue on to Helen, which at this time of year is a Christmas wonderland.

Ho ho ho and happy hiking!

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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As we put another year up on the shelve, here’s my poem for month number twelve: Let’s head up the road to take a look, Where the Chattahoochee River is barely a brook.

To see falling water, playing in the sun, And then down to Helen for some holiday fun.

Getting there: From the intersection of GA Hwy 356 and GA Hwy 75 in Robertstown, go north 1 mile and turn left on the bridge over Chattahoochee onto GA Hwy Alt 75. Just after the bridge, turn right on FS 44 and follow signs to Horse Trough Falls. Look for the sign that reads “Upper Chattahoochee Campground.”

And it never hurts to have a Chattahoochee National Forest map. (available at the Forest Service headquarters on US 441 near Tallulah Gorge)

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9 FAITH IN CHRIST

We Hate Peace

By Cliff Lewis, Associate Pastor of Worship and Music, Clayton Baptist Church

I

am 44 years old as I am writing this article, and I have lived during a time in American history of relative peace with most nations. I remember the Gulf War mainly because of the videos that were shown on the news of buildings being bombed with amazing accuracy guided by lasers and video signals. Even though this was surely a war that we were involved in, it did seem very removed from the day to day life of most Americans.

That war also felt short-lived.

The other war that comes to mind for many who are my age is the war on terrorism. September 11, 2001 was certainly a fear-filled day for most Americans. My wife and I were living in northern Virginia at the time of the attacks, and many in our area were tethered to the federal government. The immediate concern for family and friends working in Washington D.C. rose to the top of the list of worries. After that initial shock and horror, much of the discussion and activity around the war on terrorism centered in far-away lands like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. Even though this war has been ongoing for many years, if you do not have family or friends who are being injured or dying in battle, it can seem like a peace-keeping mission of little importance.

Peace can be taken for granted.

In the midst of relative peace with other nations, Americans have found ways to fight with each other about anything and everything. We fight about politics. We fight about culture. We fight on social media. We love to fight. We hate peace. Peace doesn’t get people’s attention. Peace doesn’t sell.

Peace only becomes important when you feel the immediate pain and desperation of war. When the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields of Judea they said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Why did the angels need to bring news of peace to those shepherds? Were the shepherds in a war with another group? The book of Luke simply describes them as “keeping watch over their flock by night.” They weren’t in battle.

They weren’t soldiers at all. So, why did they need peace?

The shepherds needed peace for the same reason we need peace today. They had made themselves enemies with another. They had been at war for their entire lives, and they probably didn’t even know it. In fact, they were involved in a war that began

thousands of years before they were born. Every generation that had come before them had been fighting the same war. Their ancestors, our ancestors, had declared war on the God of the universe. Shortly after the dawn of creation, Adam and Eve had decided to align themselves with the Enemy. They bought into his lies that they could be like God. They believed that God was actually the one deceiving them, not the Liar himself, and decided to take and eat something that was not theirs to take. In essence, they had committed treason by becoming an ally with the serpent.

This serpent that deceived Adam and Eve in the garden is the same being that is described in Ezekiel chapter 28. Ezekiel explains how this amazing, created cherub that was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” became enamored with his own splendor and sinned against God through his prideful attempt to make himself as high as God. In response to this assault on God’s unique glory, God threw Lucifer (Satan’s name before he sinned) out of His presence. However, this history only explains why Satan is an enemy with God. How were the shepherds, and now every human being, also enemies with God? It is easy to see the effects of Adam and Eve’s sin against God and how they became His enemy. Soon after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God came walking through the garden. When they heard Him, they became afraid and hid themselves. Until that point, God’s presence brought joy and satisfaction to the couple. Now when God came they were struck with fear. They had joined Satan in rebellion against the Holy God. Fast forward to today. Every human that is born is now born into a generational war against God and His glory. Every human is now in desperate need of peace with the Sovereign Ruler of Creation.

Only someone close to both parties at war can present a peace agreement. The Messiah was prophesied in Isaiah to bring that peace. His name would be called, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” For those who trust in Jesus for salvation, Paul would later write, “He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” You may have not understood that you have been at war with God himself, but let this Christmas be the time that you accept the terms of peace and surrender your heart and life to the Prince of Peace this day.

Cliff Lewis is the Associate Pastor of Worship & Music at Clayton Baptist Church in downtown Clayton, Georgia. Each Sunday Cliff leads God-centered music. He loves his wife and kids and enjoys spending time with family. Cliff is a Crimson Tide and Narnia fan.

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9 FAITH IN CHRIST

Reason for the Season

By Jamey Ledford, Director of Children’s Ministry at Clayton Baptist Church “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

– Luke 2:10

I

just love December! I love it so much I think I will follow the great Baptist tradition and start a committee to welcome its arrival.

Though December comes at the same time every year, for me it always seems to come at just the right time.

I remember stories as a child about how November in the northeast Georgia mountains used to be “hog-killing” time because it was so frigid. (In my young life however, I have seen incredibly warm days in November and some Thanksgiving afternoons where a coat was the last thing you wanted.)

The cold seems to finally be setting in more-or-less in December and as we head indoors, the boxes of bright red and green decorations will make their annual trek to be welcomed back upstairs! With a deep chill in the air, music playing softly in the background, and a mug full of hot chocolate, Christmas at our house will officially begin.

My wife and I love everything about Christmas. Not just the music and the decorating, but everything that comes with it: the chance of snow, quiet evenings at home together staring at the twinkling lights of our tree after we put our two little boys to bed, trying to come up with and hide surprise gifts that neither one of us actually requested from one another, enjoying chicken stew and a Nativity movie on Christmas Eve, opening presents the next day with a crackling fire going, all of it!

I get it. You’ve heard the catch-phrase enough. We all know that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” While that is true, the overuse of Christian clichés often become noise as white as the winter snow and cause us to miss the significant theology behind them. This Christmas I challenge you to filter your worship not just through the singular lens of the historical fact that our Savior was born, but also through the deep and abiding truth that He – our King – is coming back again one day!

Consider these comparisons: He was born as a humble Savior, in Israel. He is returning as a glorious King, to Israel.

When He was born, there was a star in the

sky. When He returns, He will appear in the sky.

When He was born, He was visited by wise men. His return is scoffed at by the “wisest” of men today.

When He was born, only a few people bowed to Him. Everyone will bow to Him when He returns.

When He would be born was written by Daniel. No one knows exactly when He will return.

His birth was declared by angels. Next time, He will return with them.

After His birth, He had to escape to Egypt. Next time, He is not going anywhere!

The first time, He wore a crown of thorns. Next time, He will wear a crown of kingship.

The first time, He was rejected by His own. Next time, He will save a remnant of His own.

The first time, He was called the “lamb of God.” Next time, He will separate “the sheep from the goats.”

The old covenant ended with His first coming. Prophecies will end with His second.

He created a new people with His first coming. He will create a new, eternal state with His second.

He came to give us peace with God. He is returning to deal with those that still reject God. He came to defeat the enemy the first time. He is returning to defeat those who still stand against Him. He came to deal with sin the first time. He is returning for those who are waiting for Him. What about you? Are you waiting for Him? Do you trust that you are truly ready? Have you fully repented of your sins and submitted to Him as the LORD of your life? Celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus should perpetually remind us that we must all be born again. Just as “Mary treasured up all these things in her heart” from that holy night in Bethlehem, we too must remember the moment that Christ entered our hearts and changed us. That is the real reason for the season and the only way that we can have the full faith that we will be on His welcoming committee when that great and glorious day comes!

About the author: Jamey Ledford, his wife Courtney, and their two little boys live in Lakemont, Georgia.

He is the Director of Children’s Ministry at Clayton Baptist Church and has a passion for seeing lives, families, and careers radically changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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9 FAITH IN CHRIST

When I Don’t Know What To Do I Will Lay It Down

By Jennifer Thompson

T

o my friend who feels overwhelmed by all of the happenings in the world right now – I am with you. And to my friend whose heart is breaking from the division and the anger and the animosity that seems to be all around – I am with you.

It has felt like so much lately.

The division in our country. The surge of the Delta variant around the world. The horrendous things taking place in Afghanistan. The earthquake in Haiti.

I have found myself at times feeling a bit anxious. Is this our world now? Will this anger and hostility and division just be a part of our lives moving forward? Will things that are not political continue to become political? Will screaming at each other because we think differently, and dismissing those who don’t hold the same views as us, just become a part of how we interact?

Is this going to be the world my children grow old in?

I think these things and feel a heaviness inside my heart.

And then I remember that while it all feels overwhelming and unsettling to me, God knows. There is nothing that takes Him by surprise. And He can use all things for His glory. Even those things that feel so broken.

In this world we were meant to have trouble. There is no question about that. It just seems the trouble has been coming from so many angles lately, and we aren’t catching a break.

But friends, we cannot lose hope.

Just like I believe in the goodness of God, I believe we can rise above the circumstances. I believe we can find a way to think differently and still be kind. We have to. This anger and this hostility have to end.

There are times when I feel like I have to give a disclaimer to my faith. I am a Christian, but……

I’m not against those who don’t think like me and look like me and act like me.

I strive to love my God and my brother and sister above all else

and know that everyone I encounter is a child of God. Everyone.

Sometimes, I worry that when people hear the word Christianity, it is becoming synonymous with anger and hatred and condemnation – which is the opposite of the life Christ lived. The One we are trying to model our lives after.

I have had to limit my news intake over the past months because of the anxiety it was causing my heart. There is a lot happening in the world, our country, our states, our cities and in our communities.

The images of the atrocities in Afghanistan are gut wrenching.

To know people are praying and anticipating their lives may be taken and to know of the persecution and what is happening to families, and to women, is beyond heartbreaking.

To hear the rising death toll in Haiti and to think of the destruction and the devastation in light of the most recent report about our climate and to wonder, how much more will these headlines become commonplace?

And to watch our school board meeting from last week make national coverage because of the anger and hostility that were demonstrated, breaks my heart and makes me wonder how we can preach the importance of kindness to our children, when we are modeling the opposite in a public forum as grown-ups.

And as these things swirl in my mind, I remember God is in control. The world at times may feel chaotic and the headlines may be hard to read, but God is still there. He is in the mess. And I trust in His goodness and I remember that there is nothing too big for Him. So I will lay it down. At His feet.

I may struggle and try to pick it up again, but He knows that, too. And He is gentle and patient. There is so much in this world I cannot change, but I can take responsibility for myself. For my words and my actions. For how I choose to respond, or not to respond, to the things happening around me.

The choices we make, both big and small, do matter, friends.

So let’s choose kindness. Let’s choose support. And encouragement. Let’s not make these hard situations worse with our anger.

Jennifer Thompson is a freelance writer and mother of four with a heart for Jesus. Her work can be found on a number of blogs and parenting publications. Recently relocated from Indianapolis to Nashville, Tennessee.

She is a passionate storyteller and believes every person has an important story to tell. We grow when we share. And even more when we listen. Follow Jennifer on social media @trulyyoursjen and visit her website www.trulyyoursjen.com/

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And if you don’t feel like you can get there on your own, that’s okay, because God can. And He is with you. And He is for you.

So give it to Him. And watch how He can transform your heart.

It’s easy to love those who are like us, but can you imagine if we linked arms with those who aren’t? Can you imagine how powerful that would be?

That is where transformation will take place.

That is when people will say, “Look at how they love each other.

I want that in my life.” More than being right, or proving my point, that’s what I want to strive for, friends.

That’s what I want my life to look like.

Please God, take what is broken and make it new. Please God, let them know we are Christians by our love.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36

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9 AROUND TOWN Your Favorite Cookbook is Here

A Northern Cook in a Southern Kitchen!

By Tracy McCoy

M

y job as a publisher has brought many honors and blessings since 2006. I’ve had my hand in the publishing of several local books for authors and poets. Thirteen to be exact. So when I was asked to help with Bonnie Edmonds’ cookbook, I was excited for a new challenge. I’d never helped create a cookbook before. The first thing I realized is this project is way more than a cookbook. A Northern Cook in a Southern Kitchen, as it is titled, is a biography combined with a trip into Bonnie’s kitchen. Writer and Bonnie’s friend, Tom Edwards, is a great storyteller and this lady has some great stories. Most of the recipes include a bit about who shared the recipe or how she adds her own spin to it. You honestly feel as if you are standing next to her as she prepares them. As I worked on placing the recipes I could literally see her smile and that twinkle in her eye as she shares little tricks and secrets she’d learned along the way. It has been an incredible journey for Bonnie, culminating in the realization of her dream of having her own restaurant, the Clayton Cafe. Her next dream was to produce a cookbook… dreams do come true!

Many recipes were prepared for a photo session, in the cafe, with professional photographer Tammi Nowack.

Tammi’s business is none other than Tammi Nowack Photography and if you have not had the pleasure of seeing her work, just wait!

With great writing, exceptional recipes and outstanding photography, how could I go wrong? When I met with Bonnie to get this thing cookin’, (forgive me, I couldn’t miss that opportunity), the one thing that was made clear was this cookbook would be printed in the U.S. or she wouldn’t have it. Cooked local, photographed here, published in Rabun and printed in America by a family owned printer… can you say support small businesses?

The Clayton Cafe has been chosen by Clayton Tribune readers as the best restaurant, as having the best fried chicken, the best lunch, best deserts, best french fries, best sandwich, and not surprising… the best home cooking. With all of that fame, why would Bonnie Edmonds not share? She is, she is sharing with the world her best recipes. From the Fried Chicken recipes to her famous Chicken Salad the recipes are ones you will use again and again.

The dessert section had me drooling on my keyboard with images of Red Velvet cake and cobblers. This is a beautiful cookbook but trust me, it won’t stay on the shelf looking pretty you will use it. The first thing you’ll do is read it, the stories had me in tears, laughing. This is a treasure you’ll want to buy yourself for Christmas as well as everyone on your list.

I am honored to have been chosen by Bonnie to help make her dream of publishing a cookbook a reality. It was a pleasure to work with her, Monica Fortson and Teka Earnhardt to get this done and to the printer. If you hope to get your hands on one you better act quickly. There will be a reprint no doubt but you’ll want to grab one as soon as possible. You can order on their website or stop in the Clayton Cafe. Bonnie will be signing books on December 5th from 4 pm – 7 pm. That’s a great time to pick up the book and get it signed by Bonnie.

Now as Bonnie says in the book “So, what are you waiting for?

Go out to the kitchen and shake it all about. After all, that’s what it’s all about.”

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The General Store Where 1960 meets 2021 in Tallulah Falls

By Tracy McCoy

W

hen you take the turn off of US Highway 441 onto Main Street in Tallulah Falls by Main Street Grill and Tallulah 1882, you will feel a big nostalgic. Definitely Rabun’s smallest small town, downtown Tallulah Falls has a tea room, local grill, Post Office and the General Store. Approaching Mary Beth Hughes’ General Store (formerly located at Tallulah Point overlooking the Tallulah Gorge) you’ll see the large wooden sculpture of an ice cream cone. The fresh dipped cones are a real draw during the summer months when folks gather to listen to Bluegrass music on Saturday evenings across from the store at the “Opry”. But truthfully who doesn’t love ice cream year-round?

When you step up on the wooden front porch and gaze at the line of brightly colored rocking chairs that line it your mind will travel back to simpler days. Without a doubt when you grab the handle on the old door of this historic building and step inside your senses are flooded with memories of times gone by. As your eyes work their way from left to right, you’ll immediately see your favorite sodas in glass bottles, packages of moon pies and old-fashioned candy. A friendly face will greet you from behind the counter if you can look past the fresh fudge and truffles in the glass case. Looking to the right you will see an inviting path through locally handmade soaps, jams, jellies, artwork and crafts.

The wooden floor will creak beneath your feet as you make your way through the store. There are also true souvenirs from postcards and t-shirts to bumper stickers and local books. There is pottery and paintings for the art enthusiast on your Christmas list or jewelry, also handmade.

Be sure to see the retro jadeite dishes sitting on the wood cookstove near the back of the store and the antique china in the corner cabinet. There is a nice collection of stuffed animals, even a stuffed Possum near the wooden guns and slingshots.

My favorite part about Mary Beth’s store is the vintage toy collection on the back wall. I choose the word vintage over antique because I recognize them as some of my favorites when I was a little one. Didn’t you have a Jack in the Box or a vintage Fisher Price Chatter phone? I did. What about a coonskin cap or Jacks and a ball in a bag? I can see a good game of Jacks taking place on that old porch! The selection of reproduction tin toys is a win as well! In this age of electronics real child’s play seems lost.

Perhaps this is the year to put something nostalgic and different under the tree that doesn’t require batteries or electricity!

As cliché as it sounds, the truth is that no matter who is on your gift-buying list, The General Store in Tallulah Falls has something perfect. It is the place where 1960 meets 2021. If you have sweet memories of your parents or grandparents taking you to the store for a special treat, bring your kids or grandkids so they too will have those memories. For locals or campers, they can grab a gallon of local milk & eggs, a bag of sugar, or something quick to make for dinner because remember after all, this is The General Store.

If Mary Beth is familiar or the experience I’ve described rings a bell, it could be because not too long ago this store and its owner sat on the rim of the Tallulah Gorge at the overlook on the Scenic loop. Back then the store was called Tallulah Point Overlook. Today you’ll find her at 100 Main Street in “downtown” Tallulah Falls. Stop in today (they are open 7 days a week) and let me know what you find!

Follow The General Store on Facebook, Instagram (@ general_store_tallulah_falls) and visit their website (www. tallulahgeneralstore.com) or reach out the old fashion way at 706-754-4318!

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9 LIVE HEALTHY & BE WELL Ten Questions with La Bella Aesthetics and IV Therapy

Marilyn McDaniel, DNP, CRNA

N

ew to Clayton and the Savannah Place Shoppes is La Bella Aesthetics and IV Therapy. A small boutique skincare and wellness center founded by Marilyn McDaniel, DNP, CRNA and associate Terri Ryles, RN who has spent most of her career in the operating room, eight years of that in Aesthetics and Reconstructive Surgery. Bri Fulbright, Esthetician has joined the spa as well. The spa will offer many skincare/aesthetic services and we will explore that part of their business in the coming months.

This issue we are asking ten questions about IV Therapy. When I think of needing IV fluids, I like the thought of working one on one to find a formula that offers optimal health and taking my treatment in a private setting. They are a wonderful addition to Rabun County and look forward to offering wellness care and working with your healthcare provider to provide excellent care for you. Thank you to the ladies of La Bella for taking time to answer our questions. They are located at 90 Savannah Street (Savannah Place Shoppes) in Clayton. Call 706-949-1089. today to schedule a consultation or to set up an appointment.

Q. What is IV Hydration Therapy?

A. Hydration therapy is a simple treatment that delivers fluids

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Terri Ryles, RN

Bri Fulbright, Esthetician

directly into your blood stream through a small IV inserted into your arm. Staying hydrated is critical for the body to survive.

While drinking 8 glasses of water daily, sometimes the body needs extra hydration for optimal health.

Q. How does IV Therapy work?

A. IV Hydration therapy is a type of treatment that can quickly reverse dehydration. IV hydration can add certain vitamins and minerals directly into the body. It can also replenish electrolytes that are essential for the body to properly function and regulates the body temperature.

• Immediate hydration

• Easy on the digestive system

• Increases energy

• Boosts the immune system

• Improves brain power Q. What is the difference between IV push therapy and IV drip therapy?

A. Each require venous access, with the push IV, the vitamin or minerals is placed in a syringe and given directly into the vein via

a small IV tubing. Depending on the type of vitamin or mineral given, on the rate at which it is given.

IV drip contains 500 to 1000mls of fluid in an IV bag that is given at a rate dependent on type of vitamins or minerals you are given.

We customize each according to what you may need for your body.

Q. How long does an IV therapy take?

A. A typical treatment is completed within an hour. Nutrients are absorbed directly in the body and the body processes them immediately.

Q. How often should you receive IV hydration therapy?

A. Depending on the person, different vitamins and minerals may need to be replenished.

Every person is unique, and their behavior also varies. Ex. Athletes need more vitamins and minerals depending on their activity. Before IV therapy we will assess the type of nutrients needed and how often you may need them.

Q. What is your most popular drip and why?

A. Our most popular drip is called plumb tuckered out (Meyers Cocktail). This drip was developed by John Meyers, M.D. Dr. Meyers gave this drip to his patients to help them with chronic fatigue and numerous other ailments. This IV hydration drip contains Vitamin C, B12, B6, B5, and B Complex 100, Calcium and Magnesium. With this IV, at the end we recommend that you add on a Glutathione push, which consist of Amino Acids.

Q. Can anyone receive IV hydration therapy?

A. All ages can receive IV hydration therapy, but we do not treat anyone under the age of eighteen years old. We assess and take a medical history, check your vitals signs and do an evaluation of your health status. Depending on your health status, you may or may not be a candidate for IV therapy. Ex. Those with severe respiratory, renal or cardiac disease may not be a candidate.

Q. Does IV hydration therapy hurt?

A. We do start an IV and typically there is no pain is involved.

Everyone’s perception of pain or level of pain is different. During the IV therapy, you do not feel any pain.

Q. Does IV therapy work as a preventative?

A. IV therapy doesn’t prevent anything. For many people who suffer from digestive issues, IV therapy can bypass the stomach. Through the IV you will receive adequate amounts of nutrients without causing intestinal issues.

Without proper balance of nutrients and hydration, many people feel lethargic, anxious and even depressed. Since IV hydration therapy administers nutrients directly into the body, it can increase energy levels.

Athletes need hydration to replenish their electrolytes. During exercise athletes’ loose electrolytes from excessive sweating. IV therapy can replenish these electrolytes before or after a workout or a competition.

The immune system is extremely important when fighting a variety of viruses. The immune system is responsible for protecting us from colds and other infection. IV therapy can boost the immune system when a specific blend of nutrients is directly administered into the blood stream.

When hydration is an issue, the brain struggles. It may be difficult to concentrate and process information. IV hydration can quickly improve cognitive abilities. Without proper hydration memory and complex decision making can become impaired.

Hydration often helps the detoxification process. It helps flush toxins from the body, helping the liver and kidneys. If dehydration is an ongoing problem, toxins can build up in both the liver and kidneys. IV hydration provides fluid to all essential organs.

Lastly, IV hydration therapy has great physical health benefits. Proper nutrients can create a much healthier appearance. Proper hydration improves elasticity for skin rejuvenation.

Hydration can cause a softer glow to the skins surface creating a more youthful and energized look.

Q. Which IV hydration therapy is right for me?

A. We assess your individual needs. Are you an athlete? Are you getting over an illness?

Are you feeling fatigued? Many questions are asked and then a customized drip from our IV menu can be given.

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9 LIVE HEALTHY & BE WELL First Episode Psychosis…

It could happen to any of us

By Amanda Howard Pileski, PhD

P

sychosis usually first appears in a person’s teens or early 20s, but it can occur at any point during an individual’s life. Psychosis is treatable, and many people recover from a first episode of psychosis and never experience another psychotic episode. Psychosis occurs much more commonly than we realize, but families do not discuss it because of stigma associated with the condition. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2015), approximately 3 out of 100 people will experience an episode of psychosis in their lifetime and about 100,000 adolescents and young adults in the US experience first episode psychosis each year. Psychosis can include hallucinations (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or feeling something that is not real), paranoia, or delusions (believing in something that is not real even when presented with facts). It can also include disordered thoughts and speech.

Our society seems to have compassion for individuals with Parkinson’s and other “medical” conditions, which result in psychosis…but stigma continues to prevent individuals from getting the care they need when psychosis is a mental health condition falling outside of other “medical” conditions. In both cases, these are brain illnesses where dopamine levels impact what an individual is perceiving, so why is the stigma so much more profound with mental illness alone? Why do family members discuss openly with others how a parent with Parkinson’s struggles with hallucinations and delusions, but seldom discuss an episode of psychosis in an otherwise healthy individual? We have heard for years about individuals having “nervous breakdowns,” but does the general public even know what that means? It is commonly a psychotic break from reality where delusions revolve around two common themes: religion and paranoia (e.g. belief that people or groups, like the government, intend to harm them). As a psychologist, I predict one of the main barriers to individuals recovering from psychosis is the self-judgment and family embarrassment that surround this condition. If we are going to change this and truly help our loved ones, we must change the dialogue surrounding the topic of psychosis.

The Individual Suffering with a Psychotic Episode I want to first highlight how most individuals experiencing psychosis are NOT a threat to others. They are scared, confused, and in a great deal of distress. If anything, their lives are most at risk in these situations due to the general public not understanding the condition. Consider a situation where an individual (your son, daughter, or spouse) experiences a change in mental status functioning due to chemical changes in their brain, and they become agitated in a grocery store or other public place. Their lives could be taken in a split second by a civilian perceiving them as a threat. When individuals have been hospitalized, they can also grow so fearful of returning to the hospital (due to shame and perceived personal fault) that they take their lives in an effort to protect their families and end their suffering. Please take a moment and really think about how devastating this experience could be for your family. I can speak from personal experience; it is a trauma and loss that cuts extremely deep…especially when you know it was 100% preventable.

The Family’s Experience Family members often do not know what is happening until a psychotic episode has spiraled out of control. I often say, psychosis is essentially a sleep disorder in my opinion because family members start to notice their loved one is lacking sleep for days and growing more obsessive and preoccupied with beliefs that may at first seem plausible and less extreme. The next thing you know, your loved one is twisting various things that are said, read, or observed to suggest connections that are clearly not based in reality. You may grow concerned because of their agitation and decompensation and call the police for help, but you are told they can do nothing unless the individual voluntarily elects to leave with them. The officers encourage

Dr. Amanda Howard Pileski is originally from Rabun County and moved back three years ago to raise her three children (ages 9, 6, and 5) and provide affordable psychotherapy to the underserved communities of Northeast Georgia. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in Psychology, a master’s degree in School Counseling from Georgia State University, and a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has worked in various college counseling centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and in private practice. Dr. Pileski is the co-founder of the Mental Health Task Force of Rabun County and the Director of Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates, Inc (GMPA). For an appointment, contact GMPA @ 706.782.1237. You can visit the GMPA website at gamtnpsych.org

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“We have heard for years about individuals having “nervous breakdowns,” but does the general public even know what that means?” you to petition a judge to involuntarily hospitalize your loved one (which requires signatures from two family members), but you are told nothing can be done unless the person explicitly states they are going to harm themselves or another person.

Anyone experienced in mental health treatment knows how an individual could impulsively make a poor decision in this state without informing anyone of their intent in advance, so you are left feeling helpless and fearful.

In the state of Georgia, only a licensed physician, licensed psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or psychiatric clinical nurse specialist would be able to complete a 1013 form for involuntary hospitalization for your loved one at this point.

My suggestions would be to do one of the following:

What to do: Contact the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 1-800715-4225 for a mobile unit assessment. GCAL can assist with the following: telephone crisis intervention, dispatching a mobile crisis team, assisting with finding open crisis or detox beds across the state, or linking individuals with urgent appointment services.

If the individual will voluntarily seek medical treatment, take them to your local ER where a physician can provide a 1013 and transport to a psychiatric facility Take your loved one to Ridgeview psychiatric assessment and treatment center at 3995 S Cobb Dr SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 as a walk-in. While the wait can be frustrating (5-6 hours), after they are placed, the treatment is far better than most other psychiatric hospitals that accept insurance in the state of Georgia (in my personal opinion). Although I filed complaints about the admissions process in the past, the treatment is solid and beneficial. You can avoid a transport by ambulance bill and this can be a much less traumatizing experience for your loved one who is already fearful and confused. ***This is my preferable choice*** If you are uncertain of whether your loved one needs to be hospitalized, you can contact our non-profit, Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates. Please know, however, we do not have an administrative assistant, and WE ARE NOT A CRISIS SERVICE. Due to lack of funding and a shortage of providers, we do the best we can, but usually carry a waitlist of 30-40 people. My day is generally booked 8-5, so I do not have time to return calls during the day. I also have three children at home, so I do not spend my evening/weekends returning calls.

If you perceive this to be frustrating, please contact your county commissioners and other officials to advocate for mental health funding in our county. With all this being said, if it is a TRUE EMERGENCY where your loved one is ACTIVELY PSYCHOTIC or expressing plan or intent to harm themselves or others, feel free to ATTEMPT to reach us at 706-782-1237 or call me at 404291-4018. If unable to reach us, I recommend you select one of the options above.

Final Thoughts: Rabun County had a community mental health clinic until the year of 2000 where around 300 individuals were receiving outpatient services. We also previously had a psychiatric facility for substance abuse treatment called Woodridge, which was located at the base of Germany Mountain. The absence of these facilities and growing mental health needs have left Rabun County without any publicly funded mental healthcare. Avita has a clubhouse for after school group support for individuals, but no therapy is offered at the campus in Rabun as far as I know.

I started this non-profit to increase affordability and accessibility to individuals needing mental healthcare in Rabun, but it has been an incredibly frustrating, exhausting, and overwhelming endeavor. GMPA accepts basically every insurance, and we provide services as low as $5 for indigent services. Currently, we have an adolescent equine therapy group, children’s equine therapy group, and women’s group in efforts to free up more time for clinicians to see more clients. This has been far more of a personal financial sacrifice than I ever anticipated and the sacrifice of time away from my three young children is not sustainable. Our county mental health safety net should not fall on the shoulders of a few people.

I moved back to this area after viewing a newspaper article regarding the lack of mental healthcare in Rabun, but the funding to back up the complaints about the need for mental healthcare is almost non-existent except for contributions from the Lake Rabun Association, Lake Burton Civic Association, and a few generous community members. I am trying desperately to bring a psychiatrist to this area and to have an administrative assistant to help us be responsive in a timely manner to the overwhelming phone calls/emails/and physician referrals, but we cannot do this without help.

We need dedicated community members to join our board and lead this organization forward because I cannot continue to run this clinic and the board. We served 180 individuals in our first year at GMPA, and the need is growing exponentially.

We are open to any and all suggestions and leadership, and we want to express appreciation for Tammy Whitmire’s willingness to recently step in as an advisor to our board.

Starting a non-profit during the year of COVID was difficult considering fundraisers were non-existent and we could not receive independent permission to conduct a planned raffle because it is against Georgia State Law for a non-profit to do so if not in existence for a minimum of two years. If you would like to make a donation to GMPA to support children and families, please send a check to Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates, Inc., 851 Hwy 441 South, Suite 105 - Clayton, GA 30525 or electronically contribute via our website at gamtnpsych.org. GMPA is a 501c(3) non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible within the legal limits of the law. Tax ID: (85-1244258)

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9 LIVE HEALTHY & BE WELL Managing Pets Through the Holidays

By Brad Speed, DVM

W

ell, here we are. Another year is coming to a close, and everyone is getting into the holiday spirit.

Thanksgiving and Christmas bring us together as family and friends, and today’s pets are an integral part of those gatherings. Adhering to traditions of family gatherings leads to fun times, and in a lot of cases, a lot of extra stress. As I thought about how the holidays can be a mixed blessing for some when it comes to family fun versus stress, I felt it prudent to consider the situation of our pets during these times. Over the past decade, I have noticed certain trends with pet health that occur around Thanksgiving and Christmas that you can pretty much bet will happen every year. So, in preparation for this year’s festivities, I would like to share some thoughts about how holidays affect our pets, for better or worse.

Digestive Issues By far, the most common problem we deal with during the holidays is gastrointestinal issues related to pets eating things they shouldn’t have. We see more cases of pancreatitis around Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner than any other time of the year. When you are gathered up at the dinner table, try to hold back from giving too much table food to your pets.

We tend to want them to celebrate with us, and it is hard not to give in to those cute faces when fluffy is begging for food, but try to be cognizant of what you are feeding. Oftentimes, the richness and ingredients of meals we eat are too much for our pets’ systems. Make sure not to overfeed your pets, or give them anything too exotic during these events, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Stress and Anxiety The next big factor we deal with during the holidays is stress and anxiety. Oftentimes, we are traveling for the holidays, and that is not always easy on our pets. Older animals in particular can have difficulty with traveling, and oftentimes that stress can exacerbate heart conditions, behavioral issues, and GI upset.

These older pets may need a break throughout the day to keep them from using up too much energy. Another big stressor for pets is having a house full of people show up. Like people, not all pets are highly social. Family gatherings are particularly stressful on cats, as they tend to be more territorial and standoffish than dogs as a general rule. If you have a fearful dog, they may do better shut away in a quiet bedroom during social

events rather than being forced into interactions with lots of people. Animals are creatures of habit, and when we change things up in their routine, they can get just as upset as people.

Keep these thoughts in mind when planning your holiday gatherings.

Financial Dilemmas One of the hardest things Vets go through during the holidays is dealing with pets whose owners are financially strapped. The holidays place financial burdens on all of us, and when pets get unexpectedly sick, people can get really upset. The best I can ask for here is to please be nice and understanding to your veterinary staff when these problems arise. Several times in my career I have heard the statement, “you are taking away my child’s Christmas,” when discussing payment for a pet with unexpected medical issues. Try to remember, we are here to help you and your pet, and we can’t help those emergencies come up at unexpected times. Remember the holiday spirit and be kind and gracious to one another.

Euthanasia Inevitably, we see more Euthanasias during the holiday season.

This one is tough for everyone. I believe it happens for two main reasons. One is when older kids come back home to visit the parents and notice how much the pets health has deteriorated, and the other is when an owner knows a pet has a severe problem but just wants to “get them through the

Brad is an associate Veterinarian at Rabun Animal Hospital. He graduated Rabun County High School in 2002, earned his bachelor degree in Animal and Dairy Science (2005) and then his DVM in Veterinary Medicine, both at the University of Georgia (2010). He lives in Clayton with his wife, daughter, son, and many 2, 3, and 4 legged animals.

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holidays.” To the older kids and parents out there, I encourage you to try to understand each other. The college kid that comes home for Christmas can see differences in Fluffy that mom can’t because mom sees Fluffy on a daily basis. Those observations your kids make are usually real, even if they hurt to hear. To those adult kids coming up to see your retired parents for Thanksgiving, recognize that Fido has become your retired mother’s main source of emotional support in her older age, and that relationship is far more meaningful to her than you may perceive. Parents, it is important to listen to your children and friends when they talk to you about your pets declining health.

Kids, be easy with your elder’s emotions, as this is hurting them terribly.

To those who just want to get their pets through the holidays, I say this: Is that the right thing to do for your pet? So many people fall into the habit of holding on to a pet because they don’t want to be alone for Christmas, or because to lose a pet at this time packs too much of an emotional punch. As a society we place a lot of emotional stock into Thanksgiving and December, and I feel people tend to make decisions about their pets based more on emotion than logic during these times. My advice here would be to listen CAREFULLY to what your Vet is telling you.

If we feel you pet is suffering, we are making that judgement based on scientific fact. If Fluffy is dying of kidney failure and can barely move, is it really in her best interest to hold on for another month because you want her around for Christmas?

There is never a good time to let go, and it is important not to fall into the trap of holding on for the wrong reasons. Listen to your Vet and make decisions that are best for you pet.

Personally, I sometimes feel like the holidays are a double-edged sword. We get to spend time with the people we love most. We make memories that last a lifetime. But we often push ourselves physically and emotionally to do those things. Pets are a part of these interactions, and it is just as important to seek balance for them as it is for ourselves. So, this holiday season, remember to love one another as well as your pets. If you need some toys for those lovable beasts, shop your local pet boutique like Clayton Claws and Paws, and if that Thanksgiving dinner hits Rover just a little too hard, see your Veterinarian!

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9 LAUREL HOMES

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Remarkable Architecture meets Eccentric Design

“A

By John Shivers

rare and breathtaking opportunity,” is how the listing information describes the home at 168 Morning Glory in Lakemont.

Yes, it is quite the opportunity. In many more ways than one. But perhaps it’s the unsolicited reaction of someone who glimpsed the listing that truly captures this home’s essence.

“This is a trendy, cool house!”

Cool and trendy, indeed. What’s more, the many interesting angles of this 3,959± square foot three-level home in the southern end of Rabun County, provide a totally different perspective, depending on how you look at it. It all depends on the sight angle.

And what an angle it is! This inspired mountaintop creation showcases an incomparable design married with craftsmanship, and seamlessly blends beauty and creativity with form and function.

It’s just a cool house! Trendy, too!

There used to be an axiom in real estate that to qualify as a home, a property must include a bed, a head, and a place to get fed.

This home, with three bedrooms provides ample sleeping room, two and one-half bathrooms, and a kitchen that would make a serious chef green with envy, answers those three basic requirements, along with much, much more. Tongue and groove interior walls and ceilings echo the wooded roots of the property, and you absolutely must see the circular staircase inside the glasswindowed turret just inside the main foyer.

From its perch on nine-plus acres atop Long Mountain with a 360-degree view, this home, with its generous expanses of glass, delivers a best-of-all-worlds standard of living. Designed by the renowned architect Robert J. Denson, this unique one-of-a-kind contemporary home delivers the ultimate living experience. Thanks to the wide expanse of windows, even when you’re comfortably inside in front of the fire on a cold Rabun winter night, you’re never far from nature that lives literally on the other side of the wall.

Native plantings that burst into bloom seasonally and a circular drive that connects with the public road assure easy, convenient access while still protecting the privacy that the site delivers.

Different porch areas on two levels, some covered and some open to nature with an outdoor cooking area, expand the livability footprint of this remarkable place you’ll love to call home, if you’re as cool as the home itself.

While the house includes all the requisites for a family to be comfortable, it’s more the layout that really makes the difference.

The intelligent floor plan accommodates everything from the flow of daily life to entertaining on a grand scale. And with finishes that include Italian tile floors, large expanses of floor to ceiling windows, custom cabinetry throughout, backed up by new heating and air equipment, there’s so much to enjoy about this home.

On the top level, in a room that’s window-lined, you’ll find the indoor hot tub, and plenty of space to exercise or just kick back and relax, because that’s the watchword of this fantastic home: Relax and enjoy life.

Inside the development of Spruce Creek where this family home is located, you’ll find a stocked lake, hiking trails, camping cabins, tennis, pickleball courts, horse stables, a 30 acre green-belt, bonfire area, and a historic town hall. Road maintenance is also provided, and there are both public and private schools nearby for those families with school-age children.

This is indeed a rare and breathtaking opportunity that you’ll not find anywhere else. It’s also clearly a cool house. If your angle is to find a home that delivers a totally different perspective, you have to see MLS #9012220. Contact Kevin Croom at 706-982-1371, or at the office at 706-782-2121.

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9 LAUREL HOMES

On the Double

Check this house out

By John Shivers

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estled among an oasis of native mountain foliage, the home at 449 Dicks Creek Road on Lake Burton, Clarkesville, is a house that delivers double everything you might be expecting. Literally. And it does so most comfortably. Located on a level, lakeside seven-tenths ± acre tract, this custom home and its highly-sought after fee-simple lot offer numerous lifestyle possibilities.

The current owner has called this Shangri-La home for 39 years. Peace, she says, thanks in large part to its location, has been one of the biggest positives to living here. But time passes, and sometimes change is necessary. She looks forward to a new owner who will not only appreciate this unique property, but will love the ferns, rhododendron, red cardinal flowers, blueberries, the Paw Paw and fig trees, the forget-me-nots and peonies, that Mother Nature tends with just a little human help. In years past, she even had a vegetable garden.

With over 5,000± square feet on three levels, this sprawling lakeside home with 75± feet of open deck space overlooking the view is obviously ideal for a large family, or for families with a lot of friends. Bookend arbors further enhance this open space, and a screened lower porch begs for a ping-pong table or a game of cornhole, and offers a sitting area where you can gaze in

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comfort on the outdoors. Due to the level landscape, there’s generous outdoor living space, but just wait until you see inside! This home’s flow for entertaining works beautifully to accommodate the crowds. But this is more than simply a large house. Specifically, it’s a home designed for two families. And thanks to the creative layout, those two families can have as much togetherness AND as much privacy as they desire. Or one family can simply spread out to enjoy… enjoy… enjoy.

Outside, the home appears anchored to the heavily wooded lot, as if it’s always been there. Many windows on all levels marry the indoors with the landscape, bring the lake indoors, and form an exciting backdrop for life at water’s edge, part-time or full-time. Through the full glass front door you find yourself in the oversize foyer that it is the gateway to the two living areas. Either way you go, soaring ceilings, abundant natural light, built in bookcases, Corian® countertops, custom cabinetry, lots of tongue and groove, massive stone fireplaces, and oversize kitchens with a full complement of high end appliances define this lake house that truly is a custom design. Each side of the home is accessed by the foyer, and through a connecting doorway on the lower level.

One side of the home has three bedrooms, with two on the other side and five bathrooms scattered throughout, including two en suite baths and two master suites that offer spa-like experiences plus generous closet space.

Generous full-time storage is yet another attribute the new owner will get with the deal. Walk-in kitchen pantries, laundry rooms, an office, media room and several comfortable nooks and niches expand this home’s livability factor. A double garage on the lower level provides secure auto parking out of the weather.

But all the living doesn’t happen inside. Just a few steps away down a level pathway is a two-story, two-stall boathouse with views down Dick’s Creek Cove. On the second level, screened and covered space with ceiling fans plus open deck space make this your versatile entertaining and enjoyment location.

Here’s your chance for double the pleasure, double your living. To see MLS#9044470 contact Julie Barnett at Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain at 404-697-3860 or at the office, 706-212-0228.

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9

LOOKING BACK

Inside the Warwoman Cabin at Christmasa 70 - www.gmlaurel.com - December 2021

A Foxfire Christmas: A Look Back on Christmas Past Adapted from A Foxfire Christmas, pages 112-114

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n 1989, local students, with the help of their teachers, published A Foxfire Christmas: Appalachian Memories and Traditions. They conducted over 100 interviews in preparation for this volume, exploring different crafts, recipes, traditions, stories, games, and more that made up holiday celebrations in this region of the mountains. We’ve pulled just one story from this special volume to share with you—there are plenty more to be found in A Foxfire Christmas!

This excerpt was adapted from Chuck Clay’s chapter on “Other Traditions”: Ethel Corn greeted us at the door of her house with a big friendly smile and began telling us about her Christmases as a child almost before we could get the tape recorder plugged in!

From Ethel’s living-room window, we could also see the old, two-story log cabin that she was born in about 80 years ago.

“I can’t hardly tell you my favorite part of Christmas. I loved every minute because that was the day our Savior was borned on,” she begins to tell us.

“We’d decorate the house with cedar and holly, and my daddy would generally get the Christmas tree. We’ve had trees here that would touch the ceiling. We would make decorations with different colored paper—link chains—and with popcorn and pine cones. Back then, there was no electrical power and we used candles wit clamps on the bottom [to light our tree].

One time, one of those candles got too hot and them needles caught on fire, and I never did put another up on a tree.

We would get these sycamore balls and paint them all different colors. They made pretty decorations. For snow, I’d take wash powders and add some water and beat them with an egg beater. Just beat a foam out of it and put that all over the Christmas tree like snow. It would stay there for three or four days.

into the candy and get all that stuff and go to eatin’. That was generally the rule at Christmas when we was little. There was always a lot of devilment goin’ on.

When it snowed, we’d go out and play in the snow and we’d get a whippin’! We’d just get anything that we could slide on and made sleds, ride on that sled. Oh, I can remember that there used to be a barn set up yonder on the hill, and there was a slope from up there to down to the back of Lucy’s place over there. Me and my brother would get up there and sit on boards about six inches wide and come way down here—just wear the seat out of our clothes! Mama would warn us about getting’ out, and she’d tell us to stay in on account of making us sick, but quick as her back was turned, we would slip out! Somehow or another, we just couldn’t resist that.

People buy toys every week nearly nowadays. Every time they go to the store, a young’un gets a toy, but they don’t enjoy it.

They just play with it for a few weeks and then it’s tore up. But when Christmas came, if they didn’t get toys all year ‘round, they’d like it a whole lot better. They get so many, they don’t hardly enjoy it. Christmastime was the only time we got toys and all things like that. There’s a lot of difference in the way it was then and the way it is now.”

Want to experience some of these traditions in person? Stop by the Foxfire Museum on Saturday, December 11th from 10 am until 3 pm for a celebration of Christmas in Appalachia.

“A Foxfire Christmas” will feature special demonstrations and celebrations as you make your way through our outdoor museum, with over 20 historic log structures to explore! Learn more at www.foxfire.org/events

Ethel Corn

On Christmas Eve night, they’d have a Bible play at the church, and we’d go caroling and sing and have fun.

Then we’d have candy drawings. Someone would buy stick candy and break it up, mix it all up, all different colors, and we young people would choose up partners.

If you and your partner didn’t draw the same color of candy, you’d put it back. If we did draw the same color, we’d keep it. we’d do that until all the candy was gone.

I never knowed Dad to work on Christmas Day. He’d just take that one day off from the farm. The family was always together at Christmas.

For Christmas dinner, we’d have turkey and ham and vegetables to go with it, and every kind of cake that could be imagined nearly. My mother always baked gingerbread, and we had cookies and candies and oranges and apples, and all kinds of nuts. We’d get

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Singing Convention - Powel Gap School LOOKING BACK Burton Community 1907

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Over 100 Years of Rabun County Singing Conventions

Seven-Shape Notation, 100-Foot-Long Dinner Tables, and a Courthouse That Talked

By Dick Cinquina

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inging conventions with large, enthusiastic crowds were Rabun County’s rock concerts back in the day. Think hymnals instead of the Rolling Stones.

In reporting on the three-day Rabun County Singing Convention in 1931, the Clayton Tribune wrote, “The attendance on Friday was rather small but on Saturday the crowd had grown almost to the capacity of the court house…Sunday morning early, the great crowds began coming from three states and by the noon hour, there were enough folks here to have filled the auditorium several times and standing room was a premium all day.”

Starting in the 1800s, gospel-singing conventions were an important pastime for Georgians. In addition to the spiritual uplift provided from full-throated gospel singing, the conventions afforded isolated country folks a chance to socialize, get together with old friends and have some fun. For many, the social aspect of singing conventions was as important as the spiritual.

Singing conventions were an offshoot of singing schools. Many Rabun County churches held singing schools that often were conducted by itinerant preachers, who had learned their craft at similar schools. These preachers traveled from community to community and boarded with local families. The singing schools lasted from two to four weeks.

Singing by Seven-Shape Notation To make it easier for singers who could not read music, the schools taught a system called seven-shape notation. In this system, geometric shapes were used to symbolize the notes of the scale. An equilateral triangle with a horizontal slash running through it signaled the sound of “do;” a semicircle stood for “re;” a diamond for “mi;” a right triangle for “fa;” an oval for “so;” a rectangle for “la;” a quarter circle for “ti;” and an equilateral triangle for “do.” This system enabled pupils of all ages to sight-read songs by the geometric shapes of the notes.

As church congregations became musically literate to a certain

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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degree, the enthusiasm grew for singing. Due to its immense popularity, the sevenshape notation system became a defining characteristic of southern gospel music.

Singing conventions evolved from the multitude of county singing schools. The conventions were attended by delegates from singing schools as well as ministers and professors of music. The first documented singing convention in Georgia was held in 1875 in Irwin County. The success of that convention soon was emulated by other counties. The first Rabun County Singing Convention convened in 1882 at a church in the Persimmon community. Rabun’s conventions continued on an annual basis for more than one hundred years.

Clayton’s Largest Annual Event Featuring all-day singing as well as lunches and dinners, Rabun County’s singing conventions were three-day affairs, running from Friday through Sunday. The gatherings initially were held at community churches, but as participation swelled and became too large for small churches, the conventions were moved to the courthouse auditorium and surrounding grounds in Clayton.

People traveled by horse and wagon from miles around to attend Rabun’s singing conventions. In addition to local residents, participants came from other parts of Georgia as well as North and South Carolina. By the early 1900s, the annual singing conventions brought the largest crowds of the year to Clayton.

In writing about the 1902 convention that was held at the Baptist Church in the Chechero community, the Clayton Tribune reported “there are no more poplar (sic) gatherings in the county than the singing conventions and not one more enjoyed by the young as well as the old, and a vile wretch it is who is not moved to nobler thought under the sound of the verses that wafted from the beautiful little church of lower Chechero. The people of the community stood by it nobly and no one, we think, left hungry.”

Culinary Delights of 1926 The newspaper extolled the singing at the 1926 convention. “As to who led the best singing, suffice it to say that it would take the authority of the most eminent musicians to render an accurate decision. The bass was deep and strong; the soprano grand; the tenor superior and the alto most excellent.”

Convention-goers apparently worked up ravenous appetites after singing all day at the 1926 convention. The Clayton Tribune reported, “The court house lawn dinners spread all the way from the tribunal of justice (the courthouse) to Sheriff Rickman’s residence (the county jail just east of the courthouse)…from this bounteful (sic) spread of inexhaustible viands laden with unsurpassed good things unuterably (sic) satisfying the hungry appetites.” In short, the food was in abundant supply…and good.

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Singing Convention at Camp Creek 1906

Singing Convention at Old Tiger Baptist Church 1925

Bringing Tuning Forks and Fandangles The Tribune was a major booster of Rabun County’s 1927 singing convention. In a burst of exuberance, the newspaper wrote, “Come along, bring your song book, shake hands with everybody, pat them on the back, and tell them how much you love them, even if you have to act the part of a hypocrite just a little bit, you will feel better, and feel more like singing, and after all, that is the main purpose of the convention is to sing, and then sing some more, and then, sing some more.”

The newspaper went on to urge people to “Get out your tune fork, song books, rudiments and other fandangles that go to make up a big singing…There will be singers and lovers of good music from all over North Georgia, North and South Carolina together with agents and publishers of various books, to say nothing of the visitors, sweethearts and candidates.” Of course, the Tribune added a word about food. “And be sure not to forget to bring along a lunch for dinner and for fear that there might be some one here that did forget, better bring a generous helping for someone else.”

Singing Convention at Liberty Baptist Church in Tiger 1915

Singing conventions in Rabun County are still held, but changes in society, driven by technology, television, movies and wars, have resulted in gatherings that are a shadow of their former The 1931 Rabun County Singing Convention was another great selves. success, according to the Clayton Tribune. The newspaper reported, “Many prominent authors and singers were on hand In place of singing conventions as a form of entertainment, we and each had their turn at leading and singing duets, quartets now have at our fingertips all things digital, which has brought and class singing…Handshaking was a feature of the day when the world, for better or worse, into our homes. But a “bountiful old friends met and renewed their fellowship and swapped spread” of fried chicken and other southern culinary delights is stories of the years gone by…and from all appearances, it was a not included in your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. good time to be in Clayton.” As for food at the 1931 convention, the Tribune wrote, “The little mist at the noon hour (on Sunday) did not hinder a bountiful table being spread, semi-encircling Learn more about our history by becoming a member of the the Court House lawn over 100 feet.”

Rabun County Historical Society. Membership and complete The fifty-first Rabun County Singing Convention was held in information about the Society’s museum are available at www. rabunhistory.org. The newly renovated museum at 81 N. 1933. In reporting the event, the Clayton Tribune suggested Church St. in downtown Clayton, which houses the Southeast’s what the courthouse would have said if it could talk. “The Court largest collection of Tallulah Falls Railroad artifacts, is open House, wasn’t it full? If the building could have groaned under Thursday-Saturday from 11 to 3. The Society is a not-forthe great burden of avoirdupois weight, it doubtless would profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal have said, ‘My capacity is complete, my burden is bearable, the singing is melodious, the music appears as from angelic chords, Revenue Code, making membership dues and donations tax deductible. it has the tenor of smoothness.’ The newspaper concluded that 100-Foot-Long Dinner Table

the 1933 convention was “one to go down in history as the best.”

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