Georgia Mountain Laurel - February 15 by The Laurel of Northeast Georgia

Julie Barnett

Leigh Barnett

Cell 404-697-3860

Cell 404-931-3636

REALTOR速

141 S. Main St. Clayton, GA

706-212-0228

www.lakeburtonhome.com for VIRTUAL TOURS FEATURED HOMES

Nestled In on Lake Burton $4,695,000

Romancing the Stone on Lake Rabun $4,500,000

Narnia on Lake Burton $4,599,000

Windrush on Lake Burton $4,300,000

Rustic Elegance on Lake Burton $3,300,000

Bobcat Lodge on Lake Rabun $2,900,000

Lake Burton Farmhouse $2,895,000

Four Bear Lodge on Lake Burton $2,775,000

Memory Maker on Lake Burton $2,725,000

Nature's Serenade on Lake Burton $2,595,000

Somerset Cove on Lake Burton $2,495,000

The above information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted.

Lake Burton Adirondack Lodge $1,995,000

Summerside on Lake Burton $1,995,000

The Boathouse on Lake Burton $2,495,000

2+ Ac. with Log Cabin on Lake Burton $1,650,000

The Treehouse on Lake Burton $1,750,000

Highview over Burton at Waterfall Club $1,995,000

The High Life on Lake Burton $1,500,000

Sunstone Cottage on Lake Burton $1,575,000

The Lake Burton Magic $1,499,950

Vintage Summer Cottage on Lake Burton $1,095,000

Back to Basics on Lake Burton $1,295,000

Sunset Skies on Lake Burton $1,375,000

Trout Haven on Lake Burton $830,000

The Hawk's Nest over Lake Burton $895,000

Over the Water on Lake Burton $1,050,000

www.lakeburtonhome.com

for a complete listing of properties and VIRTUAL TOURS Office - 706-212-0228 • Julie - 404-697-3860 • Leigh - 404-931-3636 The above information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted.

141 S. Main St. • Clayton, GA • 706-212-0228

Rainy Day Workshop - Jar Lamps

Materials: Mason Jar (at least pint size) Light Bulb (40w or less) Portfolio Lamp Power Cord Hammer Nail A quarter Sharpie

Main Street

Franklin, North Carolina

February 2015

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February 2015

Bon Appétit

In February it is all About the Chocolate! by Scarlett Cook

hat would February be without chocolate? It would be almost like an Easter without eggs! Or Halloween without candy corn. Just not thinkable! Microwave Chocolate Pie Yields 1 9” pie

Chocolate Crust 1/3 Cup margarine 1 1/2 Cups chocolate wafer crumbs Place butter in a small mixing bowl. Microwave on High for 1 minute. Add crumbs and mix well. Press crumb mixture into a 9” pie plate. Microwave on High for 1 minute. Cool. Pie 2 Cups miniature marshmallows 1 Cup milk semisweet chocolate chips 1 Cup whole milk 1 (1-ounce) Square unsweetened chocolate 1 Cup whipping cream, whipped Combine marshmallows, chips, milk and unsweetened chocolate in a 2 quart glass mixing bowl. Microwave on High for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once. Cool.

Chocolate Coconut Bars Yields 4 dozen 1 1/2 Cups Graham cracker crumbs 1/2 Cup margarine, melted 1 (14-ounce) Can sweetened condensed milk 1 (12-ounce) Package semisweet chocolate chips 2 Tablespoons chunky peanut butter

bowl. Press mixture into an ungreased 13” x 9” pan. Bake 10 minutes. Combine milk and coconut, mixing well. Spread over baked crust. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Combine chips and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts; spread over coconut layer.

February 2015

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Special Brownies Yields 4 dozen

Chocolate Chip Brownies Yields 6 dozen 1 (23.7 ounce) Package brownie mix 2 Eggs 1/3 Cup vegetable oil 1 (6-ounce) Package semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 Cup margarine, softened 1 Cup sugar 4 Eggs

Combine brownie mix, eggs and oil; beat by hand about 50 strokes. Stir in chips and pecans. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool about 2 minutes on cookies sheets. Remove to wire racks and cool completely.

1/4 Teaspoon salt 1 (16-ounce) Can chocolate syrup 1 Cup chopped pecans 1/2 Teaspoon almond extract 1/4 Cup margarine, softened 2 Cups shifted powdered sugar 2 1/2 Tablespoons crĂ¨me de menthe 1 (6-ounce) Package semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 Cup margarine In mixing bowl cream 1/2 cup butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Deluxe Hot Chocolate Yields 5 cups 1/4 Cup boiling water 1/3 Cup chocolate syrup 4 Cups milk Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings Combine water and chocolate syrup in medium saucepan; add milk and stir until blended. Cook over medium heat until hot (DO NO Boil). Stir in liqueur and garnish.

mixture. Stir in pecans and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let brownies cool in pan. Combine 1/4 cup margarine, powdered sugar and crĂ¨me de menthe; beat at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Combine chocolate chips and 1/4 cup margarine in top of double boiler and place over boiling water. Reduce heat to low and cook until chocolate melts. Spread over frosted brownies. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

for the love of chocolate

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February 2015

Notes de Vin

Sparkling Wines by Van Hudson Casual Connoisseur

ith spring right around the corner, you may envision thoughts of beautiful weddings and delicious wines served if you are one of the privileged guests. One tends to think of the toast that the father of the bride makes with the servers buzzing around to ensure everyone has a glass in hand. It seems the popular drink of choice is typically a sparkling wine. Many people know that for a sparkling wine to be called Champagne, it must come from Champagne, France. I’d like to discuss a few of the differences between Champagne and another sparkling wine that is gaining popularity and being sold locally: Prosecco. Let’s start with Champagne and Champagne styled sparkling wines. You observe the effervescence by the bubbles and it is typically dry. What you may not know is that Champagne was developed by monks in the Champagne region of France. One monk rumored to be involved with an early Champagne vintage, is none other than Dom Perignon which is probably the most well know Champagne. Even though Brother Perignon was involved in making an early recorded vintage of sparkling wine came from Benedictine monks in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire. The vintage was Blanquette de Limoux in 1531. The monks achieved this by bottling the wine before the initial fermentation had ended. Over a century later, the English scientist and physician Christopher Merret documented the adcreate a second fermentation. This was about 40 years before the famed monk, Dom Perignon, came onto the scene. Why the Champagne region of France you might ask? Because it is cold there. These cold tempera-

tures, coupled with deep cellars and lack of insulation, made for a good problem: fermentations would begin but would soon shut down due to the cold. Without knowing exactly what was happening, the wines would be bottled. The following spring, as the temperature in the cellars began to rise, fermentation would start up again. With nowhere for the CO2 to escape, it returned to the wine, eventually building up and proceeding to blow the corks out from the bottles. It was here, as one legend goes, that brother Perignon caught the wine in his glass and proclaimed “Come quickly! I am tasting starts!” One way to look at classifying sparkling wines is not so much by style, but as a geographical region such as Champagne. All Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. Champagne is made from three grapes: chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. The chardonnay grape is a green skinned grape used to make white wine. It originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown where ever wine is produced. Chardonnay is a main ingredient of sparkling wines including Champagne. The pinot noir’s home is also the Burgundy region. However this red wine grape is also grown around the world in cooler climates. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black, with the pine referring to the shape of the grape clusters being similar to a pine cone. The pinot meunier grape is dark like pinot noir but the lesser known of the three grapes. It has been called the silent work horse in Champagne. The word meunier is French white appearance of the leaves on the grapevines. Pinot meunier ripens much quicker than pinot noir making it ideal to soften non-vintage Champagne wines in their youth.

February 2015

Wine is labor intensive, but Champagne is especially labor and time intensive on the fermentation process. The wine’s secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, and yields all those bubbles from CO2 in that bottle. Champagne is typically dry and has a more complex taste due to the extended time in the bottle for the secondary fermentation. Prosecco is another type of sparkling wine from the Veneto region in Northeast Italy. It is made from the glerra grape also called the Prosecco grape. In Italy, Prosecco is a wine for every occasion. Outside of Italy Prosecco is consumed as an aperitif, much like Champagne. In the early days Prosecco was very similar to Asti Spumante which can be describing duction and viniculture techniques have improved over the years, Prosecco has improved and some now call it the poor man’s Champagne. In Italy, rules and regulations cover three types: still Prosecco, lightly sparkling Prosecco Frizzante and foaming Prosecco Spumante. The still form of Prosecco is rarely seen outside of Italy. We mainly see the latter two which are mostly distinguished by the different amount of pressure in the bottles. All forms of Prosecco must contain 85% of the Prosecco or glerra grape. The other 15% can be made up of chardonnay, pinot bianco, pinot noir, or pinot grigio. There are 4 sweetness levels that apply to Prosecco from sweetest to

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driest: Demi-Sec, Dry, Extra Dry and Brut. One main difference versus Champagne is in the secondary fermentation process. This is called the Charmat method which takes place in a stainless steel tank and then the wine is bottled. As a result, this makes Prosecco less expensive to make, and typically less expensive to the wine drinker. Prosecco does not have the complex taste from being in the bottle as long as Champagne. If you have ever tasted a Bellini cocktail then chances are it had a Prosecco wine in it. yards. I encourage you to visit North Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local wineries and ask the winemakers about fermentation processes and how it affects the wines you like to drink. There are encourage you to think globally and drink locally. Cheers -

12 Spies Vineyards is honored to be a part of the Georgia Mountain Laurel magazine. Having a small business in Rabun county and advertising with the Laurel is a perfect match! Generations of families have been spending their vacations here. People come into our tasting room often and tell us some wonderful stories and so many of them include receiving their Laurel magazine. When Tracy, the publisher of the magazine, asked us to contribute some wine articles, we were thrilled, but a little apprehensive because of the time involved. In taking with others about this opportunity, we found a very close friend Van Hudson who has always wanted to write and learn more about the North Georgia Wineries. He has agreed to write for us. Van and his wife Darlene love to travel around and visit all of the wineries in our area. Almost every weekend they are exploring another winery or return-

Love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less. Rabbi Julius Gordon

and we all think that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting!!! If you see Van and Darlene around the area let them know what you think about the articles. Van welcomes ideas for future articles. Your ideas can be e-mailed to us by visiting www.12spiesvineyards.com/ contact-us. Thank you for your support of our winery. We are very blessed! Mike & Lisa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Owners of 12 Spies Vineyard - 550 Black Branch Road, Rabun Gap, GA 30568

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February 2015

Hiawassee is a Cherokee word meaning â&#x20AC;&#x153;meadowâ&#x20AC;?. Chatuge Lake is located in the northern part of the county and reaches into North Carolina. It is a storage facility for the Tennessee Valley Authority, and is also a public preserve. When visiting Towns County you can choose from water sports and tennis. Enjoy arts, crafts, antiquing, concerts, fairs and festivals. From charming cabins to full service conference resorts, this mountaintop is designed to make your getaways always memorable. If you would like more information about the Hiawassee and Young Harris area, please contact the Towns County Chamber of Commerce at 706.896.4966 or toll free 1.800.984.1543, www.mountaintopga.com

February 2015

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Towns County - Hiawassee, Georgia

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February 2015

Foxfire – Charlie Ross Hartley part 2 adapted by Lee Carpenter

ontinuing last month’s story, Charlie Ross Hartley had just named the construction project that he is most proud of supervising, the Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove, one of the last Works Progress Administration projects completed in Watauga County, North Carolina. Charlie was the supervisor over 106 men for most of the two years [1939–1941] the building was under construction. The walls of the building are twelve inches thick. The inside studding is all two-by-six by-twelve hemlock. There are wood concrete pieces were precast at the site. The Federal Government paid for the major labor except for three rock men who were paid by Watauga County. The county also paid for the materials. The massive During World War II, I was riding to town with two men. Driver slapped the Still standing and in active use today, the rock and hemlock structure ceased fellow in the middle [on the leg]. Said, operation as a school in 1995, grew its own preservation organization almost “I’ve got something lined up here I want immediately and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. to show you.” Well, I was wondering what he was going to show that man. He said, “Look over never convinced him. He said, “I want you to tell me how in the world are you there. You see that rock building?” carrying this job if you never went to college?” “Why sure.” I said, “I got mine the hard way.” And I did—I got mine He reached over and slapped me on that old wooden leg, says, “Mister, don’t you think that’s a nice building over there?” I said, “Naturally I’d think it was a nice building. I’m the man that built it.” That was a great surprise to them that I was the little old peg-legged fellow that built it. I wonder lots of times, “Did I do this?”—but there’s the building to show. I guess I could So I didn’t have much education, but I fooled a lot

had the white collars coming to me asking me, “How we gonna work this? What we gonna do?” That’s the way I’ve come up [professionally]. At this point in the interview, Charlie’s wife Etta interjected, “You’re bragging now, Charlie.” Charlie responds, “That’s what I told you, I was going to brag some!” with Etta and Charlie Ross Hartley, includes chapters on

fellow who was the checker—that’s the [government] man watching to see that nothing was stolen. He worked with the engineers and he knew well and good that I was buying [ordering] all that material, which was the engineers’ job,

wooden sleds, bark berry buckets and more. For information on

I said, “Good God, man, I ain’t never been inside of a college.” And he turned around and said, “Don’t be telling me a darn lie.” I said, “I am telling you the truth,” and I like to have

www. or call 706.746.5828.

arranging a guided tour of the

in Mountain City, GA.

February 2015

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February 2015

Echoes from the Hills “Wintertime on a farm” by Bob N. Justus forehand. With each trap set,

ebruary can provide all kind of weather, sometimes on the same day. I was thinking of an article for the Georgia Mountain Laurel and memories arose of the different aspects of winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains some sixty or so years ago. At that time our valley had no electricity. Wood heat was the means of keeping the home warm. Work indoors or out was all by hand or horsepower. At various times I’ve written about trapping muskrats and mink along the valley creek. It was interesting and fun to scout for muskrat signs on the banks and sandbars, holes leading to their dens and slick slides off the banks where the water rats went back and forth to get food. I would select the sites and set my traps, which I had oiled and gotten ready be-

Michelle Bramblett - Mary Kay

sand, and the chain anchored by a stake in a pool deep enough to drown the animal, I was in business. The hard part came when ran the trap line before good daylight because I had to catch a school bus. Now and then there would be snow or ice to add to the chill of the cold creek as I used bare hands to remove my catch and reset the traps. Once, if not more often, I recall giving up and going to reset the trap that afternoon after school. That was when I also skinned and processed the pelts, having hung the carcasses under the smokehouse eaves until I got home. Another aspect of winter in February could be an easterly storm bringing not snow but a week of rain that would snowed more in the Blue Ridge Mountains each year than it does now. The traps had to take their chances until the water went down. Great-grandfather James N. Justus had a dam at the lower end of his land. In winter he would dam up the water and any soil brought down by heavy rains settled on A cold sport in winter was rabbit hunting. A fresh snow provided the best time to hunt rabbits. Sometimes we used Dad’s two beagles and tramped up and down the valley most of the day. We climbed over fences or went through gates, with Dad every now and then reminding us boys to lay down our guns in crossing the fences. Rabbits were plentiful due to the variety of crops farmers grew in those days. We thought rabbit and gravy with biscuits made a wonderful meal! As I got older I often hunted alone, just poking around slow and easy with shotgun held ready when one leaped from where it sat in weeds, brush pile or against some tree. Now I pine for that speed and ability I enjoyed long ago. I’ve written about the two giant rabbits – a rare Appalachian Mountain species – that I shot close together while hunting around the lower edge of Big Face Mountain. Now and then

Before I began to hunt with a gun Dad helped me build a rabbit box and I built more myself. I would bait the box with part of an apple, raise the trap door and set the trigger. Once I trapped an unwelcome animal, a skunk! I liked hunting with a gun better but it was always satisfying to carry a rabbit home to show Mother. She would say, “You clean it and I’ll cook it and make some gravy too.”

February 2015

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February 2015

WHEELS

Jeff and Debra Butler’s 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley …Memories of a teen angel

by Larry and Gail Allgood

Remember Jeff and Debra Butler’s stunning red 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville showcased in the May, 2014 issue of the Georgia Mountain Laurel? Well, they also own a 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley, which comes with a unique ownership pedigree. Its original owner was singer, Mark Dinning, who had a #1 hit in February of 1960 with “Teen Angel”… a sad story of a teenaged boy’s loss of his girlfriend, who died in his car which was stalled on the railroad tracks. I have personal memories of this song from my childhood and remember it as sad and scary. Songs from this era are special for me as a well-loved aunt, Eleanor Elizabeth “Liz” Keener-Powell, was a teenager at the time and with kindness to a wide-eyed and adoring niece, hauled me around in the backseat of her car while she and her best friend Jane sang along with these songs. “Teen Angel” was one of those. This particular Sun Valley was purchased at a classic car auction in Toccoa, Georgia, but had spent much of its time, after Dinning’s ownership, in a “Cars of the Stars”

museum in Nashville, Tennessee, followed by thirty years in a private collection in Denver, Colorado. The bubble-topped Sun Valley, with its conditioning was only in production

February 2015

in 1954 and 1955. Sun Valleys were discontinued after 1955 due to complaints that the Plexiglas roof allowed for excessive heating of the interior. The Butlers plan to do a full, frame-off restoration on the car in the future.

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The Butlers live in Lakemont, Georgia. Jeff is a homebuilder and Debra is a local realtor. They both enjoy automobile restoration and devote much of their free time to this pursuit. STATISTICS 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley 256 cu in V-8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 162 HP Merc-O-Matic Transmission Power: Steering, Brakes, Seats & Windows Weight: 3,535 lbs. Production: 9,761 1954 MSRP: $2,582.00

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February 2015

Bless Your Heart Crazy Love by Lisa Harris Rolling her eyes to the back of her head as she had just glanced at the calendar for the month of February and glaring th back at her was the 14 the LOVE day. Groaning she threw herself backwards onto the bed reliving the other three previous months of pure agony. Thanksgiving…no date to the family dinner, Christmas…no date to the family dinner, New Year’s Eve…no date to her friend’s party and now apparently no date, no candy, her cell phone for the time, 7:00 PM so she would give herself ten minutes for a pity party then get ready for the 8:00 PM youth party she was in charge of. Annie laid on her bed with a trickle of tears totally messing up her mascara. Both her sisters were happily married, and every phone call or lunch date was the continual question, “Have you met anyone lately?” Annie groaned again reliving her same answer each time… No. “Really,” she thought, “how do you meet men when your life revolves around youth?” Annie looked at her cell phone again and realized more than ten minutes were up and she needed to get ready. Grabbing her leggings, boots and a fabulous sweater that her sister, Amanda bought her for Christmas she headed to the bathroom for a quick shower and make-up redo. Forty minutes later she was headed to the church fellowship hall for a meeting with the parents while the youth played basketball. She loved being the youth pastor for now. She loved kids. This was, however, just a part-time job until her Masters was completed in three more months. She actually wanted to teach Bible in a Christian school; that way she got to be with kids as she taught the book she loved. A win-win career, but for now she needed to stay focused on the kids she loved and the parents who loved them. Annie entered the church looking fresh and lively. Her sandy-colored hair was pulled over to the side almost touch-

ing her shoulder. Her big-brown eyes were always highlighted with mascara and she loved wearing coral lip gloss. She never considered herself a beauty, but more in the cute category. Waving to the parents as she walked towards them, she pulled out her clipboard for them to sign and update any information before the meeting started. Annie looked around, chatting with the different moms and dads when she noticed a new, ruggedly handsome man sitting alone. Annie went over and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Annie, the youth pastor and you are?” Sam stood up and replied, “I’m Sam Arnold, we moved here from Kentucky recently and I wanted my brother Hutch to be involved with a group of good kids.” Annie’s heart lurched, apparently he was taking care of his kid brother? What a great guy to do that. “Tell me about your brother Sam,” Annie said. “Well,” Sam grinned, “He’s your typical teen; Hutch is a junior in high school, does well in his studies, is a great athlete and of course, likes the girls. He is a bit overwhelmed though right now. Our Dad raising me and when she died six months brother. Although, ‘raising’ is really not the correct term, maybe more ‘overseeing’ his choices,” Sam grinned. Annie grinned back, telling him she enjoyed speaking with him and that she’d make sure Hutch met everyone. Just a bit rattled, Annie went over the rest of the spring schedule with the parents, answered questions, told a couple of ‘youth’ stories about their kids, keeping the parents laughing and then dismissed with prayer. Sam walked back over to her, “You are a great story-teller Annie I was quite impressed.” “Oh don’t be, I just love making whatever situation goes on come alive…I guess that’s why I’m going into teaching.” “What will you teach?” Sam inquired. Annie grinned, “High School Bible is what I hope to teach, but I’ll be

February 2015

Sam grinned, “Well, it was really nice meeting you Annie, I hope to see you again soon.” Annie smiled back as she shook his hand thinking, “I hope so too, Sam.” Sam walked away totally ‘smitten’ as his mom would say. She was his heart and not quite sure why he knew that…he just did. He opened his car door when Hutch appeared from the church gym, “Ready Sam?” he asked. “Sure, get in.” he replied. Sam turned to his brother and asked, “How do you like Annie?” “She’s great…kind of like having a “You mean the kind you take home to meet your mom kind of girl?” Sam said. “Yep, that’s the kind; why do you ask?” Hutch grinned as he looked at his brother. Sam ignored that question. At twenty-nine Sam was a neat guy, at least to his brother. Very responsible, a go-getter in his career choice of construction. He could build anything, and his goal was to open his own company. Sam majored in business and knew at some point he would combine his love for building with his knowledge of opening his own company. Hutch always looked up to his brother and envied his strong build that the women seemed to like. But, his brother never seemed to notice completion of whatever project he was on. Hutch however, was a bit scrawny, not so wide in the shoulders. He was tall, thin and fun, he loved making people laugh and was always the life of a party. They were a great compliment to each other, both had always made their mama proud. Annie gathered her papers and locked up the church. Heading home she opened her sunroof and let the night air soothe her thoughts. It was a great night with the parents, all were wonderful and supportive. But, her thoughts kept wandering back to Sam Arnold. She she would not see him often so she just better put him out of her mind. Better said than done she mused. The next day Sam arrived at work at 6:00 AM to look at the plans for the new home he was in charge of. This was his biggest one yet and he wanted to do well.

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“Hello Mr. Taylor, how are you doing this morning?” Sam inquired as he shook the owner’s hand. “Great Sam, and please call me Thomas.” “Alright Thomas, are you ready for us to break ground?” “Ready.” The day was long but extremely productive. The home was underway and Sam couldn’t have been more pleased with that day’s work. Arriving home late that night, he couldn’t help but think of Annie and wondering how her day went. He also wished he could get her number, out for Hutch. Sam pulled his jeans off the chair and checked his back pocket and there was her name Annie Carroll with her address and cell number. He quickly looked at the clock noting the time and thought he’d go for it. “Hello.” “Annie, this is Sam Arnold we met last night, I’m Hutch’s brother.” Annie smiled as she talked, “Of course I remember you Sam, so glad to hear from you.” “Well, I’ll be frank Annie, I would love to take you to dinner and get to know you better.” “I’d like that Sam,” Annie replied. “Do you have plans for Friday night? Maybe dinner at the new Italian restaurant in town.” “Friday would be great,” Annie said. “I’ll pick you up at 6:00 PM,” Sam said. “But you don’t know where I live.” “Oh but I do, I have your address and my GPS…we’re good.” Annie hung up and squealed. He felt it too, she thought. She quickly ran to the closet looking for something to wear. It was Wednesday, so she only had two dirty and needed washing, some on the chair next to the bed, some thrown in the closet. Oh, she needed to get organized but that just wasn’t her best quality. Annie groaned at all she had to do in 48 hours…well at least this motivated her. Friday came quickly, and Annie had washed, hunted down and put away all her clothes. Her small bungalow that she inherited from her grandmother was spotless. She kept her thick hair down this time, it was naturally curly and bounced

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as she walked. She chose a coral top that she loved, very chic with a little lace to go along with her leggings and boots. and fro in front of her full length mirror she thought, “Well, it’s as good as it’s going to get.” The doorbell rang and Annie tried to walk slowly to answer it, “Hi Sam, come on in,” she said. Sam walked in looking quite handsome in his jeans, boots and solid blue shirt. But, he was the one that sucked in his breath, she was lovely and he said so. “Wow Annie, you look amazing.” Blushing, Annie didn’t quite know what to say, but “Thank you Sam.” “Ready?” “Let me grab my wrap and purse,” she said. The ride was wonderful, there was ily and in thirty minutes they both felt quite at ease. Jumping out of his truck, Sam ran around to her side and opened her door. Annie gave him another bonus point for that. The other was for picking her up and not asking her to meet him somewhere. She had grown weary of other men asking her to do that. She knew it was probably safer but where was the chivalry? It didn’t seem to exist anymore. Once seated she had Sam talking about his life, his aspirations, dreams and goals. He talked twenty minutes before he realized he was doing all the talking. “How do you do that?” he asked. “Do what?” she grinned. “Get me to talk so much,” Sam laughed. “It comes with the territory of working with youth, and besides your life is much more interesting than mine.” Sam laughed, “My life is the same, work then more work at home to prepare for the next day, then bed. I’m actually pretty boring.” Annie’s gaze fell on his eyes, “Not to me you’re not.” Sam reached over and picked up her hand and stroked it ever so lightly. Her heart skipped a beat. Could you possibly fall in love within three hours? Was that possible? If it were possible, then that was exactly what she had done. “God,” she said, “I know you’re in control so please let me know if I’ve gone

February 2015

crazy…or if I’m just falling crazy in love.” Sam never let go of her hand except to pay for the dinner. Even when she offered to pay half, he just gave her ‘the look’ of absolutely not and they left. Driving home, Sam kept his arm on top of hers and it felt as natural as if they had done this all their lives. He had no doubt, she was the girl for him. Now, to see how she felt. Coming to a stop at her driveway, Annie asked him to come in and Sam happily agreed. It was two in the morning before he left, they had covered every subject, every scenario, swapped family stories and laughed continuously. Anwas the beginning of a lifetime. Hutch had come in from his high school football game and party afterwards about midnight and Sam wasn’t home. Not too concerned, Hutch grabbed a Coke and watched some TV waiting up for Sam. The key turned in the door causing a couple of clicks and Hutch sat up waiting for his brother to come in. “Hey bro, where have you been?” Hutch asked. “Been out on a date,” Sam responded. “Date…you?” “Really Sam, you had a date?” “Yes, I had a date.” “But you never date.” “I do now,” Sam stated with a grin. “Who with?” Hutch asked. “Your Youth Pastor, Annie.” Hutch leaned back on the sofa and plastered a big ole’ grin on his face. approved’ girl,” Hutch winked. Sam threw a pillow at his little brother thinking he sure was glad he had Hutch around…otherwise, the nights would probably be a bit long. Annie called her sister Amanda to share that she had found her soul-mate at least, that was how she felt at the moment. Amanda screamed into the phone, “That’s wonderful Annie…tell me everything.” Annie told her everything except she forgot to tell her his last name. “So sis, is he just Sam or does he have a last name?” she giggled. “Oh sorry, his name is Arnold, Sam Arnold.” continued

Bless Your Heart - Crazy Love continued Amanda sat in silence. “Why so quiet Amanda?” Annie asked. “Was his mom and dad’s name Sarah and Steven Arnold?” “Yes, why?” “Well the Arnolds were known for their generosity in Kentucky, they were quite wealthy and loved helping people. But, Mr. Arnold’s generosity also extended itself to young, pretty women. He had an ongoing affair that ended their 25 years of marriage. In Sarah’s grief she became very ill and died a year later leaving her boys alone. Their father, I understand tried but never fully reclaimed his relationship with his sons. However Steven Arnold surfaced later on the arm of my husband’s aunt Lily Canter. She is now a part of our family Annie. Annie sat stunned. Absolutely speechless. What would she say to Sam? “Why didn’t you tell me Amanda?” “Annie, I’ve probably mentioned Aunt Lily before, but there was no reason to mention him.” “You’re right, does his dad live near here?” “Yes, about ten minutes down the road from you actually, in the country club’s private homes.” Annie just sat on her bed and tried to absorb all the details. What would she do? Or rather, what could she possibly say to Sam, especially since they had no relationship and now his dad was practically in her family? Just breathe she told herself. This was going to take a lot of prayer and wisdom to handle. That night Sam came over for dinner. Annie cooked his favorite meal of rib-eye steak, and of course ended it with fudge cake. Sam practically rolled from the table to the sofa. “Annie, if I ate like this every night, you would have a hefty fella to deal with,” he said laughingly. Annie grinned, “I think I could live with that.” After a time of catching up and watching the news together, Annie thought she would venture the subject of his dad. “Sam, why don’t you ever mention

your dad?” She could tell he was rolling his thoughts around in his head. “Well, after he left my mom for another woman, I decided that I would leave him. He tried to contact me some, but I never returned his calls or texts. I’ve forgiven him, I just have no desire to see him.” Annie sat for a while mulling over his words then asked, “Do you know where your father lives?” “I suppose he still lives in Kentucky, why?” “Well, I was telling my sister Amanda about you. She asked if you were Steven and Sara Arnold’s son from Kentucky, and I said yes. Amanda got real quiet after she told what she knew about your family and then shocked me when she shared the news that your dad lives here, just ten minutes away in the country club with Amanda’s husband’s cousin, Lily Canter” Annie let that absorb for just a minute. Sam just sat there quite dumbfounded. “Sam, are you okay?” He shook his head yes. “Well, I suppose it was inevitable that I would see him at some point, God doesn’t let you go too long without facing your issues. But, right now, the issue at hand is Valentine’s Day not my father,” he said as he kissed her. “So dress up, everything is a surprise.” February 14th couldn’t come soon enough. She had spent the entire day having a mani-pedi, then her hair swooped up with tendrils hanging down. Her dress was black with a high neck but lower in the back. Annie practically glowed the entire day. Sam arrived with two dozen coral roses; he remembered her absolute favorite color. She was thrilled. Sam loved and appreciated her response by leaning in with a kiss. Annie quickly put them in water and looked back at Sam dressed so handsomely in a black suit. “You look for memories.” Annie grabbed her cell phone and took a picture of them. Sam just laughed at how women loved to take pictures.

February 2015

At the restaurant, Sam had planned a quiet but romantic dinner for them both. He was able to get an out of the way table that overlooked the city lights. A candle was lit on the table and the night was perfect. Sam knew without a doubt this was his girl for life. He fell in love with Annie the minute he saw her and his heart grew deeper in love. It had only been six weeks, which was crazy he knew but wasn’t crazy love the best kind? Sam pulled out a beautiful oval diamond ring set in platinum and surrounded by smaller diamonds and proposed at dinner. Annie gasped at the ring, and said yes. It was a surreal moment she would treasure always. She knew he was her forever, she just didn’t know it would be tonight. After a few minutes of staring ancé and discussing their future together, she saw a man and woman coming towards them. Sam couldn’t see but when he heard the voice he quickly turned around. “Dad?” Sam said. “Hi son, how are you doing?” Not wanting to make a scene, he replied “Really well,” as he stood up to look him squarely in the face. His dad turned to Lily and introduced her to his son, then he looked at Annie. nie, we just got engaged.” Annie shook his hand warmly and also Lily’s who of course looked very familiar to her. Lily started to speak but thought better of it. “Congratulations to you both.” “Thank you.” “Sam, do you think we could meet this week and talk, I would really like to share some things with you in private.” Sam struggled for a second, then said, “Yes, Dad that would be good.” They shook hands; Steven also leaned in and hugged Annie saying, “I’m glad he has you.” Annie teared up for several reasons but the one that made her so proud was that Sam was willing to try and repair his relationship with his dad. Sam pulled her close, he and Hutch now had a family. And Annie? Well, she had a dinner date for every Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s. All was well in her crazy love soul.

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February 2015

Life is a Blessing – Sincerely Thankful

oesn’t everyone want to be liked, to feel special, to hear they are doing a good job? Sure, we all want exactly that. On January 19th the Georgia Mountain Laurel heard loud and clear that our efforts are appreciated; that we are valued and believe me we felt special! You see we were named Business of the Year at the 4th Annual Rabun County Awards Banquet. This is an event hosted by the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce and The Clayton Tribune. When Chamber Board President Carl Butler began to talk about the Laurel magazine, I could not have been prouder, not of myself or even the Laurel, the pride I felt was for my community. Pride in Rabun County and the counties that surround us. We didn’t do this by ourselves, you helped! When it was time for me to go forward and accept the award I walked on stage, shook Carl’s hand, held my award in hand and smiled for a photo. He asked if I had anything I wanted to say and true to character, I did. I stepped to the podium and I began with how honored I felt and how incredible to receive such an outstanding award on behalf of our community. I asked for those in the room who had either written an article, submitted a photo or poem, those who had purchased advertising or just enjoyed reading our magazine each month to raise their hand. I was in awe that most of the room raised their hands and with that I held the award up and declared that it was for all of them and led the room in a round of applause. The Georgia Mountain Laurel is your magazine too. We couldn’t do what we do without our advertisers, our writers, our photographer friends, people who show pride in their town and are glad to share it with us. Our readers, if no one read the magazine it would simply not exist. Laurel readers prove that they still enjoy print magazines and they like good news and they love our mountains. We are pleased to work with advertisers to showcase their businesses and when we hear their success stories it fuels

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by Tracy McCoy

Rabun County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President Carl Butler presents Georgia Mountain Laurel Publisher Tracy McCoy with the Business of the Year award at the Rabun County Awards Banquet sponsored by the Chamber and The Clayton Tribune. Photo by Megan Studdard - Compliments of The Clayton Tribune us to work even harder. Late nights don’t bother us and when the coffee pot starts some of us are up making ads and planning how we can improve our magazine. We aren’t perfect but we are always willing to do more to make the magazine work better for you. We do our homework and we learn what is effective and what isn’t. For several years we have experimented with direct mailing of a thousand or more of our magazines. We have tested different regions and demographics and we have found that it is effective in both raising awareness of our area but has proven effective for our advertisers. Because of this we will direct mail each month April – October 2015. Each month we will reach different cities with our message of the mountain lifestyle. This is done with no additional charge to advertisers; it is just another example of “taking your message farther”. “Find us on Facebook” and the little blue Twitter bird are icons that many advertisers want to include in their ad and we also have a strong presence on Facebook and Twitter. As of this writing we have 11,850 fans, likes or followers. I would have to say that neither have ever resulted in direct revenue but they have helped raise awareness of our

February 2015

product. We reach an average of 8,000 to 11,000 weekly with our advertisers’ message and our digital issue. Again, these are “perks” of having friends in the publishing business. In print our footprint is an average of 10,000 magazines printed monthly Northeast Georgia and two in Western North Carolina. We have an archive of log cabin at 633 Highway 441 South in Clayton. Throughout the year we send boxes of back issues out the door. That means that the ad you ran for instance in June 2008 could very well still be seen, trust me when I say you can’t buy that anywhere else. We are thankful that people enjoy the magazine that much. It is no secret that faith in God is at the core of everything we do. Honoring Christ is key to our mission and that includes helping our community, loving our neighbors and sharing these beautiful mountains we call home. This is our 12th year in business and we are grateful to be here, honored to have received the Business of the Year award and send our sincere thanks to the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce and The Clayton Tribune.

Live Healthy and Be Well! “Love your heart, so it can love” by Stephen Jarrard, MD, FACS lifetime of 75 to 80 years….and, well; you can see how much your heart is doing for you (over 3 trillion beats). My question to you, then, is…what are you doing for your heart?? Some very basic maintenance and prevention will ensure continued good function of the heart – which is always better than playing “catch up” after damage has occurred.

remember two or three years ago my friend Janie P. Taylor made the very valid suggestion that, in the “month of romance”, I should write about the heart. I am going to leave the more romantic issues of the heart to those with important. But, we must do the right things to make the heart available for those pursuits – and your overall health, well being and happiness. The heart is a muscle. It is a special muscle called “cardiac” muscle, or myocardium ing muscle). Another type of muscle is skeletal, such as your biceps – these muscles move you, and allow you to be an active part of the world around you. Smooth muscle, tive tract and helps it to function. Cardiac muscle has one vital function – to pump blood – which brings oxygen, nutrients and healing to your entire system – and is truly your life force. If your heart stopped, or even missed a long beat, you would notice it immediately, and within a few seconds would be unconscious. Cardiac muscle is only found in the heart and is truly a unique creation of our Maker. A single cardiac muscle cell will contract or “beat,” if you put several together – they will quickly synchronize and beat in a regular rhythm. When they are all together in your heart, they beat in a very coordinated and perfect fashion to take the blood back from your body’s vein system, push it to the lungs where it loses waste products and is replenished with oxygen and then back to the heart to be pumped out to your body by means of your arteries. Your heart works very hard for you ALL the time, never resting (except between beats) and most of the time you don’t even notice it. Assuming a heart rate of 80 beats per minute, your heart will contract and relax over 115 thousand times per day, and thus over 42 million times in a year. Assume a

Although the heart is the muscle responsible for pumping blood all over – it, like all your other muscles, needs blood itself to survive, thrive and do the job. It is arteries, is interrupted – that heart damage occurs. This damage can result from myocardial ischemia, which is when the blood supply is not enough to keep up – and you may feel angina (chest pain) during times of high demand, work load or stress. Angina is a dangerous warning sign of impending permanent damage should more severe blockage or interruption occur. If this condition is taken to the extreme, and actual cardiac muscle death occurs because of the lack of perfusion to the heart muscle, this is known as myocardial infarction, commonly known as MI or heart attack. In this case, the heart is now permanently changed and will not function as well as before. It may, with the help of medicines and lifestyle changes, be able to remodel itself and adapt – but never as well as before the damage. So, in order for your heart to be available for romance, love and to share your “heart” and soul with the world and make it a better place….please take care of your heart! Basic things to do – you already know most of them – A ber will help prevent the high cholesterol which will plug your arteries and cause the heart to have a blockage or to work harder to pump the blood to your body. Regular exercise is essential to good heart health, especially in the form of cardio exercise which will get your heart rate up and strengthen the muscle. If you are a smoker, you already know this is highly associated with heart and other vascular disease. If you are diabetic, keep your blood sugar under the tightest control possible – as high sugar hurts your heart, blood vessels and other organs. If you have high blood pressure, see your doctor regularly to keep this controlled, as it can increase your risk of both heart attack

February 2015

continued

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February 2015

Live Healthy and Be Well! - “Love your heart, so it can love” and stroke. As far as any supplements beyond a good, nutritious diet, don’t get carried away by what you see on TV or in advertising – but, Omega-3 fatty tective, after it was noticed that Scandinavians have less heart disease in their population. Be aware of all your heart does for you, and take care of it so that you can extend out the number of total beats in your life to be the highest number possible! Then, you can truly “get to the heart” of all other matters where your heart may lead! We really do enjoy hearing from you with any questions, concerns, or ideas for future columns and/or health and wellness related issues for the Georgia Mountain Laurel. Please send an email to rabundoctor@gmail.com, or call us at 706.782.3572, and we will be sure to consider your input. This and previous articles can be now be found on the web at www.rabundoctor. com in an archived format. If you use Twitter, then follow us for health tips and wellness advice @rabundoctor. Until next month, live healthy and be well!

Health & Wellness

February 2015

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February 2015

Making Them Beautiful, One Bride at a Time by Irene Bynum - Director of The Amara Center

If I had a nickel for every time a bride came to me and wished she could instantly melt away unwanted fat or inches, get rid of a little belly fat, or just make it easier to zip up the old wedding dress, I would be a rich woman. Now when I am approached, I am happy to have a solution that really works! I know that exercise and nutrition can’t be cast aside as the TRUE EFFECTIVE WAY to lose weight, but let’s face it.....we all procrastinate and the festivities leading up to a wedding can be tempting. That is why we are offering VASER SHAPE treatments to brides (or grooms). So what is VASER Shape? Let me explain quoting from a recently published article by Christine Lennon and the Kate Somerville Skin Clinic in West Hollywood, “It is a diathermic ultrasound apparatus that emits high frequency sound waves warming the body’s connective tissue so that fat cells release their contents, which are then absorbed into the body and eliminated through the lymph system. Aside from the fairly intense heat, and the occasional electric tingle that lets you know something admittedly weird and extraordinary is happening, it’s trauma-free. An area about the size of a sheet of paper can be covered during for best results. There’s no recovery period. And it works. Really.” Most of our clients have likened the feeling to getting a hot stone massage in the treated area with results of losing is safe, FDA approved and affordable. There is no down time and is virtually painless. The procedure is performed by and health screening. The beauty of VASER shape is that it not only eliminates unwanted fat, but tightens skin as well. Which brings us to the next question, can it be

A happy bride with her bridal party. used on the face or neck? VASER Shape treatments can only be performed on areas from the neck down. But don’t stress because The Amara Center has many other types of services and treatments we can pull out of our magic bag of tricks for skin tightening! We offer all injections such as BOTOX, Juvederm and the newest Belotero which is services carefully planned, can do wonders for skin with Of course on your magical day, we can surely help make it fun and relaxing by offering an array of services from

February 2015

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A bride with her bridesmaids and their newly coiffed hair ready to put on their beautiful dresses.

A bridesmaid receiving her manicure. manicures/pedicures, professional make-up application, eye lash extensions or tinting, waxing and massage all within a beautiful space provided for your bridal party to get ready and perhaps sip on a mimosa or two! We boast the most number of treatment rooms and available staff in the area, so all size parties are welcome. Consultations for all of our services are recommended. For more information on what The Amara Center offers, go to our website: www. theamaracenter.com or check out our Facebook page at Facebook.com/amaracenter and click on photos of bridal parties we have done. Call us anytime at 706.782.4009 with any questions as we are here to serve. If we can’t provide the services you want, we can usually steer you in the direction of other professionals who can! Remember, every bride wants to look perfect on her special day. Her imagined vision of how she wants to look can cause extreme anxiety in just knowing that all eyes will be on “her” during one of the most important occasions of her life. What most brides don’t understand now, but will later in life, is that the beauty shines from within and when they walk down the aisle, because of their happiness, she will outshine any girl in the room!

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February 2015

Mountain Happenings February and March, 2015 Babyland General Hospital Cleveland Info: 706.865.2171 www.cabbagepatchkids.com

March 21st - 22nd, 28th - 29th Spring Wine Highway Weekends Georgia Wine Country Info: 706.878.9463 www.georgiawine.com

February 21st - 22nd 40th Annual Fireside Arts & Crafts Show Unicoi State Park, Helen Info: 706.878.2201

February 26th - 28th Helenblitz Mini Cooper Car Show Helen Info: 706.878.2271

March 14th St. Patrick’s Celebration

STEPHENS COUNTY

February 28th The Help at Hardman Hardman Farm, Sautee Info: 706.878.1077; 706.878.3087

March 6th - 8th Folk to Fine Art Festival Commerce Info: 706.335.2954

February 14th Dinner & Dance (Fundraiser for the Toccoa Symphony Orchestra) North Georgia Technical College Currahee Campus, Toccoa Info: www.toccoasymphony.org February 26th, March 26th April 23rd, May 21st Power House for Kids Training Darkness to Light Power House for Kids, Toccoa Info: 706.886.2290 March 19th Northeast Georgia Community Concerts - The Celtic Tenors The Schaefer Center, Toccoa Info: www.negaconcerts.com HABERSHAM COUNTY

Clarkesville Info: 706.754.2220

RABUN COUNTY February 3rd / March 5th - 6th Full Moon Suspension Bridge Hike Tallulah Gorge State Park Tallulah Falls Info: 706.754.7981 February 14th The Sweetheart Ball Rabun County Civic Center Clayton Info: 706.782.1003

Helen Arts & Heritage Center Helen Info: 706.878.3933 www.helenarts.org

February 19th & the third Thursday of each month through November Rabun Trout Unlimited Meeting The TU/Scout Hut, Clayton Info: rabuntu.org

February 22nd 2015 Student Art Competition Awards Presentation & Reception

March 28th “Spring Fever” Fashion Show and Luncheon

March 14th

March 28th Magical Easter Eggstravaganza

March 28th 26th Annual Trout Tournament Chattahoochee River, Helen Info: 706.878.2908

February 24th History Program: Civil War History in the North Georgia Mountains

February 7th Clarkesville Mardi Gras Clarkesville Event Center Clarkesville Info: 706.754.2220

March 6th - 8th, 13th - 15th “The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes” North Georgia Community Players Dillard Playhouse, Dillard Info: www.ngcommunityplayers.com Hambidge Center Rabun Gap Info: www.hambidge.org February 7th / March 7th First Saturday Gristmil Visit

Habersham Community Theatre Clarkesville Info: www.habershamtheater.org

North Georgia Zoo Cleveland Info: 706.348.7279

February 14th / March 14th Artists’ Talks

February 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th Winter Wonderland Tours

February 21st / March 21st Nature Hikes

February 20th - 22nd, 26th - March 1st “Driving Miss Daisy”

February 15th, March 15th Behind the Scenes Tour

February 28th Weave Shed Gallery Art Show Opening

March 12th - 15th “Our Town”

February 21st, 28th Sneak Preview

TOWNS COUNTY

March 7th - 8th Bouncing Babies

WHITE COUNTY February 7th Faschingsverein Tubing Parade and Fasching Party Helen Info: 800.858.8027; 706.878.2181 February 14th Fasching (German Mardi Gras) Festhalle, Helen Info: 706.878.1908

March 21st - 22nd, 28th - 29th Swinging in the Vines Music Series Sautee-Nacoochee Vineyards Sautee Info: 706.878.1056

February 14th Valentine’s Celebration

Smithgall Woods Helen Info: 706.878.3087 February 7th, March 7th First Visit Tours March 28th Women in the Shadow of Yonah

February 2015

February 14th Big Dance Young Harris College Young Harris Info: 706.379.5173 UNION COUNTY February 2nd and Alzheimer’s Support Group Cadence Bank Blairsville Info: 770.789.2044

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February 2nd and each Monday through Thursday and Saturday Knitter’s Knitch / Crochet Classes Blairsville Info: 706.835.1078

Peacock Performing Arts Center Hayesville Info: 828.389.2787

February 4th and each Wednesday through April 1st National Alliance on Mental Illness Education Program Union General Hospital Blairsville Info: 706.835.6649

March 14th Songwriters’ Showcase

February 5th and each Thursday Trivia at the View Union County Community Center Blairsville Info: 706.439.6092

February 21st Mac Arnold’s Plate Full o’ Blues

MACON COUNTY, NC March 14th Highlands Annual Chili Cook-Off Community Building Highlands Info: 828.526.2112

February 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th Karaoke Copperhead Lodge, Blairsville Info: 706.835.7433

March 26th Richter-Uzur Guitar & Cello Duo presented by the Arts Council of Macon County Location TBA Info: 828.524.7683

February 7th and each Saturday through March Fireside Music Saturdays Paradise Hills, Blairsville Info: 706.745.7483

Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center Highlands Info: 828.526.9047

CLAY COUNTY, NC

February 14th MET Opera: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle (Bartok) & Lolanta (Tchaikovsky)

February 6th and each Friday Night Live Music Eagle Fork Vineyards, Hayesville Info: 828.389.8466

February 19th - March 1st Mystery Dinner Theater “Murder Not Prohibited”

February 15th 2015 Miss Clay County Pageant Ridges of Mountain Harbor Hayesville Info: 828.389.3704

March 14th MET: La Donnadel Lago

John C. Campbell Folk School Brasstown Info: 828.837.2775; 800.FOLKSCH February 7th, 21st March 7th, 21st Contra & Square Dance

March 8th Bolshoi Ballet: Romeo and Juliet

Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts Franklin Info: 866.273.4615; 828.524.1598 www.GreatMountainMusic.com February 13th Frankie Avalon

February 13th Lorinda Jones

February 28th Mark Willis

February 20th Brad Kolodner

March 6th Mark Lowry and the Martins

February 22nd Brasstown Concert Association presents “Heavenly Harmony” Info: 828.837.1863; 828.389.4210

March 7th Wade Hayes

March 6th Barker Brothers March 13th Barralon Brothers March 14th Empty Bowl 2015

March 14th Natural Bodybuilding & Physique Federation Competition March 21st March 27th-28th Disney’s Aristocats Kids A Puuuurfectly Fantastical Musical

March 19th Jim Lloyd March 29th Brasstown Concert Association presents Paul Neebe Info: 828.837.1863; 828.389.4210

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February 2015

Sweetheart of a Deal, Sweetheart of a Cause F.A.I.T.H.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sweetheart Ball By John Shivers

omeone not from this area who happened to drop in at the Rabun County Civic Center on Saturday evening, February 14th, might not fully understand what all was going on. Folks in fancy dress, plenty of tasty food, music for dining and dancing, and a spirited auction would be what that person would see. But for those who have attended the Sweetheart Ball hosted every year by F.A.I.T.H. (Fight Abuse in The Home), and for those victims whose lives have been re-invented by the efforts of F.A.I.T.H. and PowerHouse for Kids in Toccoa, appearances can be deceiving. Behind all the fancy trappings of a gala evening, is the mindset of those in attendance to support the mission of these This is year seventeen for the ball, whose proceeds in years smorgasbord of good cooking as only the Dillard House can stage, and with the music unique to the Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kaysions who are back again by popular demand, ball-goers can dine and dance. Then at that magic portion of the evening, Auctioneer Greg Peters from Golden Memories Auction in Mountain City, Georgia will begin offering for bid the many unique items donated by people who care.

February 2015

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Ticket prices this year are unchanged, still $65.00 per person. Table sponsorships at various levels are also price, you and your best guy or gal can enjoy what has become a mainstay on the Clayton February calendar, and go home content that you’ve made a difference for an abuse victim who cannot help herself or himself. The doors open at 6:00 PM on that Saturday evening, and the ball ends at 11:00 PM. In between, well… you’d have to see to believe. And the best way to see is to be there! Local artist Blake Gardner, known for his most distinctive and unique style, has provided a winter snow scene complete with a bear that is drawing many ooohs and aaahs from all who’ve seen it. Works of other local artists will also be for sale. Two different condos, one on Tybee Island and a second on St. Simons Island will give two lucky bidders a week’s taste of coastal living. This is dinner for eight at a lakeside setting promises to be another time “surprise” items will be on the auction block as well. For more information on the ball, to sponsor a table, to offer an auction item or simply to purchase tickets, call Tammy at 706.782.1003. And remember, you’ve got to be Now’s the time to call!

DOWNTOWN Clayton, Georgia

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February 2015

Folk to Fine Art Festival in Commerce, Georgia

wo years ago, my family and I had a dream of moving to the country and getting a farm. Well, we didn’t get the farm, but we did move to the country; and this is how it happened. We have been driving up to Comtend family reunions. The small-town charm has always appealed to us, so when we heard about the Folk to Fine Arts Festival in the midst of house hunting, we made a trip up to check it out. As an artist, I was hoping to see what the art community looked like. Driving into Commerce is a little like going back in time and it is that slower pace that has always made us enjoy our visits. When you pull off the interstate there’s a beautiful, rusty, old water tower across from a quaint country church. A little further on, the railroad track begins to parallel the main road which opens up into a traditional Main Street with shops on either side. Most of the architecture is original and has that unmistakable aura of a small community and historic charm. The Civic Center, which hosts the festival, is in an old denim factory that has undergone minimum renovations and retains much of its original charm – and it is a sight to be seen. The fes-

tival has grown by leaps and bounds each of its 4 years, and, with over 70 regional artists it has a little bit of everything for everyone. My experience at the festival itself was quite different than I had expected. I am used to the Atlanta art scene, so the friendly atmosphere and vibrant personalities of the artists were unexpected. The majority of people here are just nice. They want to know about you and where you come from. If you pass muster, they want to know what makes you tick. Suddenly, you’re a part of the ‘community family’ and folks are helping you out. Many of the vendors know one another from the festival circuit and they come in shouting hellos and sharing stories. There’s a sense of belonging and community spirit here. This atmosphere also extends beyond the festival into the community of Commerce itself. Upon entering, I found myself surrounded by brightly painted gourds (chickens of course, that I wanted to buy up and take home), eclectic jewelry, face jugs, story quilts, metal art and ings. I suddenly felt a sense of belonging I had never felt in the Atlanta art community. Perhaps, as my husband often says, I need more whimsy – and I found it at the annual Folk to Fine Art Festival in Commerce, Georgia.

Friday, March 6th Meet the Artists Reception - From 6:00 – 9:00 PM admission cost is $15.00 and includes complimentary drink tickets and weekend re-admission to the festival. Saturday, March 7th Festival is Open 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM - $7.00 admission; Children 10 & under are free Sunday, March 8th Festival is Open 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM – $7.00 admission; Children 10 & under are free

February 2015

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dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. Robert H. Goddard

February 2015

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Clarkesville, Georgia A lively and friendly small town nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains; Clarkesville is a thriving small town like the ones you remember from your childhood. Clarkesville is a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle and become part of a friendly community. Come for a visit and you may never want to leave!

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February 2015

Adventure Out

Whiteside Mountain, North Carolina

by Peter McIntosh

t’s February once again and time for another Valentine’s hike to a beautiful mountain overlook. And you don’t have to hike on Valentine’s

you could give that special someone a note, promising to take them on a hike to a special place. And the special place we’re going to is Whiteside Mountain in North Carolina. And Whiteside features not just one overlook but many, with stunning views in several directions. This is a two mile, well maintained, moderate loop trail. The trail begins at a parking area about 6 miles east of Highlands. This is a fee area where you pay $2.00 and hang a parking permit on your rear view mirror. There are restrooms available there and a couple of information boards with begins by ascending some wide steps before joining an old roadbed. And just up this old road is where the loop begins, one trail leading up some steps on the right; the other continuing along the road. I suggest staying on the road and climbing gently up the backside of the mountain. This is a nice wide trail so you and your Valentine can walk side by side a good part of the way. This part of the trail terminates at a large turnaround on the eastern end of the mountain. From here are splendid views to the northeast and the numerous granite domes of the Sapphire Valley. Take a break and enjoy the distant mountains but the best is yet to come. Now the trail becomes a single track footpath as you ascend along the top of the cliff face which gives Whiteside Mountain its name. Almost right away there is a viewing platform that offers a panoramic look at the cliffs of Whiteside as well as The Devil’s Courthouse and many mountains

and foothills to the south. Continuing up the trail there are many more “view spots” so take your time and enjoy them all. At the highest point on the mountain, 4,930 feet above sea level, is a nice rocky knob to stop and have a snack or some hot cocoa or share some Valentine’s candy. And from this high point you can see the upper portion the Chattooga River watershed below you with South Carolina’s Table Rock Mountain in the distance. To the west is Georgia’s second highest mountain Rabun Bald and far off on the horizon is Tray Mountain, just north of Helen, Georgia. And just past this high point is a split in the rocks that leads out to a pointed little spot that’s somewhat similar to the prow of a ship. It’s a bit scary to go out there but it is fenced and safe. And from this overhanging rock you can look at earlier. Now the trail begins descending with a couple more vistas along the way. Then the treadway enters the forest and descends, more steeply now, along the northwest side of the mountain. There are several stairs, some steel grate walkways and switchbacks and a few muddy spots on your way back to the parking area so please be careful. And like many of the mountains in the southern Appalachians, the high point of Whiteside Mountain is also a great spot to watch a sunset. Just be sure to have a light of some kind, preferably a headlamp, to hike out safely. Happy hiking. And now here’s a rhyme for this Valentime: Trek high up a mountain for views you’ll adore, A great place to share with your paramour. Such beautiful scenery, you don’t want to miss, And perhaps you’ll be rewarded with a Valentine’s kiss. Getting there: From downtown Highlands, NC, go east on U.S. 64 for 5.5 miles and look for a Whiteside Mountain sign on the right. Turn right and go 1/2 mile to the parking area on the left. To see more of Peter’s photos or if you have a question or comment: www.mcintoshmountains.com

February 2015

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February 2015

Mountain Nature Love Birds by Jean Hyatt

t’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. This is especially true for area bluebirds. February is when the male bluebird starts inspecting nest boxes to show to Mrs. Bluebird when she is ready to begin building a nest. Bluebirds generally form months, but along about March will start pairing off and claiming the territory where they want to In February and March, the male inspects several houses and might drop a single stem of grass or a stick inside to “save” it to show his mate. When they are ready to begin nesting, he will take the female bluebird to show her all the ones he has picked out, and she will decide which one is the right one for her babies.

We often see the male cardinal feeding the female when it is their courting time. Other birds do dances in the air to attract a mate – the ruby throated hummingbird with all seen the male peacock and the tom turkey spread their tail feathers to impress the ladies. But did you know that there is an entire genus of lovebirds? There are nine species in the genus Agapornis (taken from the Greek agape “love” and ornis “bird,” literally lovebird). The true lovebird is a small, seemingly affectionate parrot, about 5 to 6 inches long. They are indigenous to Africa, mostly the countries of east and south Africa, as well as Madagascar. They are green in color, with multicolored faces, and necks. Some have a prominent eye ring. They are so named because of their strong pair relationship and

monogamy, and because of the large amount of time the male and female spend sitting close together. Because of their bright colors and affectionate personalities, lovebirds have been domesticated and sold as a cage bird in the US and throughout the world. They will sing and preen while caged, and have even been known to preen their humans. Care must be taken to give them the right foods and habitats however, as they need a certain specialized diet in captivity, as well as rough perches and “chew toys” to keep their toenails and beaks in check.

US. Phoenix, Arizona has a population, as does San Diego, California. We used to see small parrots near Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida also, but I cannot vouch that they were lovebirds. Like the lovebird, there are a few birds that are believed to keep the same mate for life: the bald eagle, black vultures, albatrosses, Canada geese and swans. Some animals, such as wolves, do as well.

Jean and her husband Richard own and operate Mountain Nature in downtown Clayton. They can be reached at 706.782.0838. **Don’t forget to turn off your outside lights at night. Use motion detector lighting, shields and IDA approved lighting so you don’t impose your light on those who want to see the stars. I believe God made night dark for a reason. Please help keep it that way.

February 2015

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February 2015

The Escapades of Racky and Dil There Ain’t No Cupid Like the Real Cupid by John Shivers

Illustration by Terry Sells

t was enough to make you bust your buttons, Racky and Dil told themselves. The high point of 2015. So far.

The boys’ lofty status had come near the end of an especially snowy, icy January, when they discovered a stranger lodged in the snow-laden branches of a hemlock tree. Dressed in red, wearing a quiver of arrows on his back, he said his name was Cupid and that he’d crash-landed. What’s more, he insisted that Valentine’s Day was about to be a no-show, because one of his wings was hanging at an awkward angle. “Broken,” the doctor said. “That corks it,” the little red man declared. “I’m not going to be a bit of good to all the lovers who depend on me at Valentine’s.” “If only there was something we could do,” Racky commiserated.

“You could take my place,” the little red guy suggested. “Get me out of a real bind. This country will suffer economically if nobody falls in love at Valentine’s, and then doesn’t get married in June.” Racky said, “We don’t know anything about weddings or economics. And how do we know you’re who you say you are?” He eyed the stranger suspiciously. “Well, here,” Cupid said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. He produced a photo ID that showed he was a dues-paying Amid much misgiving, Racky and Dil agreed to become Cupid-substitutes to help protect the national economy. The money they were promised would help their own personal

February 2015

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economies as well. Then it was February 14th and what promised to be a long and exhausting day. That ten dollars each for every time they delivered Cupid’s surprise would make them rich in no time. Racky would shoot the arrow since he had better aim and while the lovebirds were still under Cupid’s spell; Dil would swoop in and leave a special gift. structions directed Dil to present the woman with a huge, gold-wrapped package of candy, and a card that read, “Please forgive me,” while Racky planted one of Dil had to duck to keep from being skewered, then he dropped the box of candy and proceeded to trample it. The woman bolted and the man was last seen stuffing slightly smashed candies into his pockets, tending to favor hard centers. Not to worry they told themselves. Their next love match proved to be a senior-age couple about to eners with chicken noodle soup with red pasta hearts, he wasn’t prepared for the hot china. Soup went into both laps and all over the table. Racky, knowing he had to with a love charm right below the clasp. Disgusted, the woman clutched her now amorous handbag to her chest and cut a trail. Mumbling under his breath, Dil tried to regroup. On their next assignment, he was to present a very expensive bottle of French fragrance to an extremely shy young lady. Racky was to work his magic on her equally-timid gift, his big feet betrayed him. Again. The bottle dashed pieces. The smell was overwhelming. Both the woman and the man had tears pouring down their faces, and neither would look at the other. “You know what?” Racky said. “This Cupid business is a lot more complicated than it looks.” “Ahem!” It was Cupid and his body language literally screamed discontent! “Boys,” he said, with no kindness in his voice, owes me!” Racky and Dil didn’t argue but stepped instead through the broken glass and made their way home. “Don’t guess we’ll put this job on our resumes, huh?” Dil said at last. “Probably not. So who wants busted buttons anyway?”

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February 2015

own home cooking. I’m not sure there’s anything better. Stack a steaming hot meatloaf and chicken livers up against a perfectly

trophy every time - at least in my buffet loving world. Lynn’s Buffet & Henry’s Restaurant is just one such.

and a turkey shoot every Sunday, it just doesn’t get any better than that. And for ten all-you-can-eat dollars, the best seat in the house is any seat you’re not sitting in, yet. The Good Cup in Franklin, Tennessee was home to my favorite coffee house seat. I was looking for an enough to me. I contributed to the cost of the Cup’s

drink coffee, and the best seat in the house was often the last one left, since Wi-Fi became a great customer freebie. It’s also where I met Gary Talley of the Boxtops and Felix Cavaliere of the Young Rascals - proving that caffeine and classic rock make for great But in my Shot In the Dark, double espresso opinion, its words appeared on royal purple trusses. Relax. Enjoy. Savor. Imagine. Dream. Themes on beams, above you – which is a pretty good place for themes on beams to be. Every upward gazing patron’s day began that way. Underneath the golden worded purple paint were roughsawn timbers that displayed the easy-to-see marks of a good carpenter’s saw. Just like us. In the making and better to be when, in the Carpenter’s hands, we willing wood are. Another best seat is side-by-side the one you love, sharing wonder dreams and curious days, glory hopes and blessed ways, with hands well held together - upward gazing to beams of Light - and where else would one prefer on a good day be? In Ephesians 4:23, 24, a good morning attitude was clearly encouraged: “And be renewed in the attitude of your mind”. And so the day begins. So grab the hand of Someone, take a seat by His side, and say goodbye to whomever, why ever and whatever over-coated those good coffee cup words. Relax. Enjoy. Savor. Imagine. And Dream. A new day just dawned. The coffee is hot. The Carpenter is near. And while you’re at it, claim these far greater good words. “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 Now how about another meatloaf plate?

February 2015

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Services

for your Home and Property

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February 2015

Services

for your Home and Property

February 2015

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February 2015

Lovin’ the Journey More’s Gotta Be Better by Mark Holloway

used to wonder what eating a stick of butter would be like. After all, butter makes everything better. So why wouldn’t a whole stick of butter be just... awesome. But I just don’t have the guts to try it. This is typical of my personality; if a little bit is good, then tons more can only be crazy-better. We all have comfort foods. In the winter, I also have my comfort spot. Our local gym. There’s just something cozy about getting in a long run on a treadmill while peering out the window as snow blan-

So now they’ve quadrupled in workout space. They’ve traded small for big, old for new and rent for ownership. They used to have just one classroom and played musical chairs, sorta. They’d

kets a cold night. A hot shower after is my reward. Perfect. Our friends Dolly and Lester are in transition. They used to own a gym named Genesis. Now their booming cardio and training world is called Your Time Fitness. New place. New location. New name.

and out of one single space. Now the CrossFit crowd can own their own insanity in a dedicated zone. The spinners can whirl and sweat and not have to corral the machines like a Texas cattle drive to make room for the Silver Sneaker crowd. The Zumba and Yoga folks can bounce and stretch in their own space too. The buff’d and rip’d will have enough room to Indian leg wrestle all at the same time. And us cardio folks? Well, take a guess. There’s now more ways and equipment to sweat and PR than ever before. And new sauna and shower space for everybody. Carol and I sat down with these enthusiastic entrepreneurs in their new facility to get some answers. With their grand opening coming like a freight train, they carved out a few minutes for us. There were so many contractors and workers buzzing around us, you’d think they were all working out. I’d tell you Lester is a gadget geek, but he’d punish me in his spin class. But he’s like a proud papa showing off all the security, automatic lightning, sound and earth-friendly features of the new place. They recently called a meeting

from downtown Clayton to the Northside. That sounds kinda metropolitan.

folks were there. “Dang, there’s a lot of people here,” says Lester. The eco-

February 2015

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nomic impact of their expanding dream only promises to be greater and more far reaching across the region. And don’t think for a minute memberships are going to cost more. They’ll actually be lowering rates. Dolly Ramey bought the business in 2008. But the 57 year old earned her street cred’ decades earlier. She rememand leg warmers were more important than the workout. While in her 20s, she quickly transitioned from student to teacher when one night the owner tossed her to the sharks when the regular teacher couldn’t make it. The students got more than they bargained for. She pushed them hard. She remembers there being about 16 students. Dolly was hooked. I tried really hard to get them to brag on their success. It didn’t work. I had to ‘lead the jury’ with questions like: “Dolly, do you think there are fewer heart attacks in the area because of you? She didn’t bite. She just said, “I’ve never thought about it.” I tried again. “Dolly, are people healthier here because you’re here?” Nothing. “So why do you y’all to this?” Dolly says, “I enjoy the heart pumping rush. People motivate me. It makes she knows eyes are watching so she has to live it real. “I just want to help people. Even those who can’t pay.”

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Lester and Dolly are mountain grown. Simple. But they understand business and they understand people. Well, the kind who like to sweat. She married Lester while still a junior at Rabun County High. Kids would grandparents are setting their sights on room to grow on their 3.3 acres. Parking is a past problem. Space is mountainous. I ride the roads and trails a lot with their banker. The Rameys say Greg is happy about the new place...and the project is on budget. Lester and Dolly also own a security company. Lester is also the brainchild and elbow grease behind some famous mountain bike trails he shepherded with the U.S. Forest Service called Stonewall and White Twister. Call us and we’ll take you for a ride. I put the question to Lester, “Why do you have your heart in this gym?” “We don’t know any better. And we have no plans to retire. The Bible doesn’t say anything about retiring.” Lester and Dolly are great people. They’ve made this a better place for us all. I’ve biked with them. Raced alongside them. I encourage you to do the same. If I ever do eat that stick up butter, I know the place to burn it off. See you on the trail. Mark is the owner of Fresh Start and he can be reached by calling 706.490.7060.

February 2015

photos by Kevin Croom of KCC Photography

Turned Funny

More time passed. The beautiful, loving face greeted me every morning with nonsensical little ditties that she composed herself. I came to expect those little motivations that got me up and going. That and the bacon and eggs that always followed.

To My Valentine With Love by John Shivers

t’s Cupid’s month, so in keeping with the theme of hearts and candy, this is a love story. But while this is a girl loves boy, boy loves girl,

Years passed faster than I could count. Her hair began to sport naturally-gray highlights, and the face I’d loved so much had added a pair of glasses, the better to see me with, she said. It was through those same lenses that she watched me drive away from home three days after high school graduation. I was headed out of town for a summer job, and was heady with new-found freedom and independence. The only downer was the unexpected sight of tears in the brown eyes behind those lenses. I didn’t understand.

loses girl saga, still it’s not what you think. Why would you ever expect something predictable from someone who pens a column called “Turned Funny”? It all began sometime around mid-March 1950, as basically as all life does. I have no memories, because I wasn’t there. Exactly. In the beginning, I saw her only from afar, even then, only for short periods. One minute she was there. The next time I managed to focus my immature eyes, she was gone. But there was something special about her that I couldn’t understand. Sometime later, because babies can’t tell time, you know, all those many faces that had populated my world for so long disappeared, without so much as a “May we change ally get to know each other, to become comfortable and design our relationship. Exactly what had happened and, more importantly, why it happened, I couldn’t quite determine. The entire world as I knew it revolved around me; a realization that came on gradually. If I cried, she came. If I gurgled, there she was, which, given my arrival at only 28 weeks cooking time, was really exceptionally small. But I had her hooked good, and she didn’t seem to care that she’d sold her soul to me for payments yet to be received. Time passed. Teeth emerged and I became longer in discovery, was able to explore the far reaches of my kingdom, leaving total havoc in my wake. No matter how dastardly my room slippers down the toilet, there was the friendly face I’d come to depend on; that I knew I could rely on.

School, marriage, parenthood, career moves, glasses of my own, followed closely by my own gray hair and the years piled one on top of another. Then grandparenthood came my way, and her face glowed with excitement. My encounters with that face were spasmodic. Sometimes I’d see it almost daily. Other times, those glimpses came along with Santa’s annual visit. While the eyes never lost their look of love, it was with a shock one day that I happened across a picture made several years before. She had aged, and not too gracefully. Then came the day that the face I’d loved was distorted with pain, exhaustion and eventually, defeat. That’s when I sat and looked down on her, much as she had once looked through my heart why the tears had been there on that Sunday afternoon forty years before. Only this time, they were in my brown eyes, because I understood that nothing would ever be the same again. Sometimes you simply have to let go. But letting go doesn’t mean forgetting, even though it been more than six years. During this Valentine’s month, I’d like to say “It’s me, Mama. Your baby boy. Will you be my Valentine?”

February 2015

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At Last

Marc and Melissa Williams Thomas - October 18, 2014

February 2015