Georgia Mountain Laurel August 20 by The Laurel of Northeast Georgia

from the Publisher

I have never lived in more uncertain times. Divisiveness and suspicions are rampant. Is this true, is that false, sickness, hate and benevolence. All that I know to do is what I feel is best for me and my family and I hope you’ll do the same. What I know works is prayer. I will pray for you, our nation, our world and myself. Stay safe and find time for rest and seek peace. Show kindness and have patience as we struggle to figure it all out and make it through this crazy year. In this issue we are celebrating fresh, local, farm to table and good food! Nothing comforts more than freshly prepared meals. We did our research and have included as complete a list as we could on farmer’s markets. We all know real food is what is best for us and we all know southerners like to eat! We’ve featured three lovely houses from three of our top real estate companies. You’ll find a great article from the Rabun County Historical Society and Peter will take us on yet another adventure. August will be hot, if July is an indication, so keep cool, find happy moments, pray hard and love one another. Tracy

August 2020 • Volume Seventeen • Issue Eight Georgia Mountain Laurel Mailing: PO Box 2218, Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 2511 Highway 441, Mountain City, Georgia 30562 706-782-1600 • www.gmlaurel.com Publisher/Editor - Tracy McCoy Assistant Editor - D’Anna Coleman Art Director - Dianne VanderHorst Graphic Designer - Lucas McCoy Office Manager/ Account Executive - Cindi Freeman Account Executive - Melynda Hensley Photographer/Writer - Peter McIntosh Contributing Writers: Lesley Weiss, Dr. Stephen Jarrard MD FACS, Dr. Mandy Plieski PHD, John Shivers, Jan Timms, Lori Thompson, Emory Jones, Kennedy Cutshall, Dr. Kevin E. Hurt, Dick Cinquina, Hollybeth Anderson Copyright 2016 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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In This Issue A Taste 10 16 20

Farm to Table A Directory of Fresh Food and Farmers Bon Appetit The Family Table

Arts & Entertainment 26 30

Cover Artist - Anthony Kane North Georgia Arts Guild

Mountain Nature 34 36 40

Adventure Out PAWS For Life Summer Frizzies

Faith in Christ 42 44 48 50

Being Leaders of Compassion and Purpose Life is a Blessing River Garden Rabun For The Gospel

Mountain Homes 54 58 62

If Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Fishing for the Good Life... This Home Can Be Your Castle, Details and All Grab This Opportunity for In-Town Living

Life & Leisure 60

By the Way

Health & Wellness 66 68

Live Healthy & Be Well Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates, Inc.

Yesterdays 78

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Rabun County Historical Society The Blue Ridge Railroad

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Farm to Table

A Directory of Fresh Food & Farmers

ever before has it been so important to know where your food comes from. So much of the food we buy at the grocery store is in boxes and cans and full of fat, carbs and preservatives. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean meat is the key to good health. I grew up with a dad who planted a garden. Coming from a big family, my dad planted not one row of potatoes, or two, no he planted 8 rows! Working in the garden was not my favorite thing to do and my dad was very particular about how we did it. My older sister ended up doing a lot of the work along side Daddy, I toted water and sang hymns to them while they worked. My sister would cut her eyes over at me and glare… I guess she didn’t like my singing voice. Today there are thankfully many farmers who grow fields full of good food and sell it in roadside markets, local grocers and sometimes straight from the field. Many orchards sell their apples, pears, peaches, and berries the same way, either they pick them and sell them from the roadside or offer U-Pick options. Longcreek, South Carolina has always been a mecca for apples but many of those family owned orchards have closed. There remain enough to make it worth the drive. Tiger, Georgia is also known for apples, pears, persimmons, and berries. They’ve also made a name for themselves for growing grapes and making award-winning wines. The north end of the county is also in the wine industry and if you’ve ever driven through Rabun Gap you know that there are fields that provide much of the produce sold at Rabun’s largest produce market. Where’s the beef? Sorry I couldn’t resist, in 1984, fast food chain Wendy’s asked that question and it stuck. Today many are no longer satisfied with fat laden preformed patties. They want great beef and so where is it, you ask? Well I did my

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research and can tell you that my family prefers field to fork beef. An animal raised in the field, grass-fed and minimally processed is better than beef that has never seen grass. Animals, whether it is cattle, poultry or pigs, that are raised humanely are a healthier option for families. Fresh eggs are richer and again chickens who are truly freerange produce healthier eggs with richer yolks. As you can tell by the many stores selling chicken coops, raising your own chickens is not only trendy, it’s smart. You then control what your chickens are fed and how they are treated, these variables produce eggs that are better all the way around. While we may not have found information on every farm or market we tried to compile an accurate and valuable list for you to find good food for your family. We recommend that you call ahead to gain more information before you load the kids in the car and head out to visit the markets. In light of Covid-19 many things have changed.

HABERSHAM COUNTY, GA North Georgia Farmers’ Market – A non-profit organization made up of local chemical free growers and artisans, our farmers’ market operates Saturday mornings in the heart of Downtown Clarkesville, Georgia from May through September. Due to the restrictions at this time farmers’ market vendors are happy to announce that they will be selling veggies and wares to the community using no/low contact pick-up options to help everyone feel safe, comfortable, and well fed during COVID-19. The mission of our market is to connect farmers and artisans with community members in a way that

promotes the health of citizens, the local economy, and the environment. For more information call Cliff at 706-244-4105 or E-mail: Jarheadtoccoa@gmail.com or visit them online, www.clarkesvillefarmersmarket.com Soque River Farmers’ Market - This uncovered outdoor market offers a wide variety of seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, preserves, jams, jellies, crafts, artistic products, etc. There are restrooms and a picnic area. They are located at 410 Highway 197 North, Clarkesville, Georgia 30523. Phone: 706-947-3474. Alternate Phone: 706-9688769. Email: abbyj@windstream.net. Open: Saturdays 8am to 2pm. Anderson Beef – The Anderson family raises and sells 100% grass-fed beef. Matt and Michelle use rotational grazing on irrigated pastures to grow delicious and healthy beef. Anderson cattle are mostly Red Angus and Senepol. They offer their beef by the 1/4 or by the cut and also offer 20 lb family packs. They are located at 1002 Mack Eller Rd., Clarkesville, Georgia 30523. Phone: 706-982-1373 or E-mail: 5andersonsinhw@ gmail.com

RABUN COUNTY, GA Blalock Meats – Family owned, this meat market and processing plant offers: grass-fed beef, lamb and pork, free-range chicken and an assortment of rubs and sauces. Blalock meat is known throughout the region with a family of farmers behind the name with rich farming history. Their processing services are utilized by many of the local meat growers. Their online market means that you have a butcher on hand 24/7. You may shop in person at 193 Ponderosa Rd, Rabun Gap, Georgia or online at www.blalockmeat.com The store hours are 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday, Saturday - 8:00am - 12:00pm. For more information call 706-746-2822. Clayton Farmer’s Market – A seasonal market open Saturdays, 9am - 12:30pm, the last Saturday in April thru the end of October. You’ll find locally produced fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, mushrooms, plants, baked goods, grains, flowers, specialty products, flowers, crafts and more! Located outside

the Northeast Georgia Food Bank teaching kitchen. 46 Plaza Way, Clayton Georgia. Chuck Mashburn – Director Cell: 706490-3837 Hillside Orchard Farms, Inc - A true family farm and enterprise! Apples, blackberries, pumpkins, honey from hives on the farm, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours, events. They are located at 18 Sorghum Mill Drive, Lakemont, Georgia 30552. Phone: 706-782-2776. Alternate Phone: 706782-4995. Fax: 706-782-7848. Email: patsy@hillsideorchard. com. Open: Monday to Saturday 9:00am to 5:30pm, Sunday 10:30am to 5:30pm. Osage Farm – Fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, breads. The market is open everyday May through October 9:00am – 6pm. They have seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables grown by farmers Ricky James and Clint James. On the property you will find Tomlin’s BBQ. Osage is known for it’s spring strawberries, some of the largest and sweetest to be found! After the produce season ends the James family begins cutting Christmas Trees which are sold out of the market beginning the day after Thanksgiving. Families can visit the James’ Tree Farm in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina to choose and cut their own tree. For more info visit www.osagefarm.com or call 706-7467262. Visit at 5030 U.S. Hwy 441 North, Rabun Gap, Georgia 30568. Community Market of Rabun – In it’s first year, the Community Market of Rabun is located in the new Rabun County Pavilions behind the Rabun County Civic Center and the Rabun County Library. The market includes vendors with produce and other food products, crafters and artisans. Live music is often enjoyed. The market is open 9am – 5pm on Saturdays. It is located at 201 W. Savannah Street, Clayton, Georgia. Contact Annie Berryman, 706-782-5271. Dixon Cattle Company - Dixon Cattle Company provides locally raised and processed beef that is both antibiotic and hormone free and USDA inspected. Cattle are raised on a grass and grain diet in a stress-free environment in Clayton, Georgia. Meat is processed locally and undergoes their quality assessment to insure their customers receive the best and highest August 2020 - GML

Farm to Table

quality. Cuts and sizes can be customized to meet customer’s needs. Products include steaks, roasts, ground, and ribs. For more information please call Jordan Dixon at 706-490-0690 or Samantha Dixon at 706-490-0382 Mill Gap Farm - A small family vegetable farm in Tiger, Georgia; producing a wide variety of healthy, chemical free vegetables. Along with all that you would expect you will find some unusual vegetables not typically found in the area. They also offer artisan foods, fruits and berries, herbs and walnuts. Owner Chuck Mashburn is available by calling 706-490-3837 or visit their website for all the opportunities there. www. northeastgeorgia.locallygrown.net Shadow B Farms - Shadow B Farms strives to provide healthy food with a strong emphasis on pork and beef retail cuts of meat, along with summer produce. DJ Bradshaw, owner of the farm, sells his pork, beef, honey, and local summer produce at the Clayton Farmer’s Market on Saturdays but you may also call him for information on beef and pork at 478-957-5208.

TOWNS COUNTY, GA Towns County Farmers’ Market – Coined an agricultural coop, the Towns County Farmers’ Market is like many others. Local vendors bring their wares and fresh garden grown produce to town to sell it. You’ll find vegetables, fruits, crafts and homemade products. The market is sponsored by the University of Georgia’s Towns County Extension Leadership group and Towns County. The market is located at 908 Hwy 76 West, Hiawassee, Georgia. They have a Facebook page that offers market information or you may E-Mail: townscountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com. They are open Saturdays from 9:00am – 12:00pm. UNION COUNTY, GA Union County Farmer’s Market – In 2007 the market was established to give their growers, big and small, a place to sell their goods. It was decided that artisans, beekeepers to bakers and potters to painters, could also sell their handmade goods. This market offers: baked goods, arts & crafts, flowers, vegetables, honey, jams and jellies and plants. Their hours are: Tue: 2:00pm - 5:00pm or Sat:7:00am - 1:00pm. They have a website, www.ucfarmersmarket.com or you may contact them by calling 706-439-6043. You’ll find the market located at 148 Old Smokey Rd., Blairsville, Georgia 30512.

Blue Ridge Honey Co. - We know of no other operation dedicated to one product of this scale and magnitude. Blue Ridge Honey’s founder Bob Binnie not only sells quality pure, natural raw honey, his operation encourages others to start bee colonies. You can purchase honey, honey related products from candles to body care products and bee supplies but you can buy bees. It is well documented that our bee population is vital to the survival of mankind and Blue Ridge Honey Company is doing their part to ensure the survival of bees. Their retail location is located at 6306 Highway 441 South in Lakemont, GA. Their website is www.blueridgehoneycompany.com and for more info you may call 706-782-6722. Hours are Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, and Saturday 9:30 am - 5:00 pm

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WHITE COUNTY, GA C&M Beef - Mitch and Courtney Attaway have established a reputation for offering quality premium all-natural beef. They take very seriously the health of their herd. Steers start out on a grass based diet and then are moved to a corn-based diet to achieve the full flavor and tenderness that you will come to appreciate from C&M Beef. The Attaway family brings years of experience and a passion to provide the very best to their customers through elite Angus genetics. They have a facebook page where they post about availability and specials. You may also contact them by phone at 678-617-5715 or E-mail: candmbeef@gmail.com

White County Farmers’ Market – This market offers fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, herbs, jams, jellies, bread, etc, and nursery items, also farm and garden related supplies. All vendors must grow and produce the goods they sell at the market. The White County Farmers’ Market is located at 66 East Kytle St., Cleveland, Georgia. For more info call 706-865-2832

30 vendors, this market is made up of local farmers and food artisans. They are open 8:00am – 12:00pm May – October. You may contact Christy by calling 828-349-2049 or E-mail: clbreden@ncsu.edu. There is a facebook page for this market and you’ll find it by searching franklinncfarmersmarket. Shearl Produce – Located at 9830 Georgia Rd in Otto, Shearl produce is open year-round. Local and regional produce, food products and plants are available for purchase. The market is well stocked with great parking and is easily accessible. They do have a facebook page that offers a lot of good information and you can search shearl.produce. For more info call 828369-0541. Shearl Produce is open daily from 9am – 6pm. Tallent’s Produce – Located at 836 E Main St, Franklin, North Carolina, Tallent’s Produce offers a wide array of fresh vegetables and fruits, jams and jellies, gourds and more. The family owned market has been in this location for many years. They are open Monday – Friday 8 am – 6 pm, Saturday 8 am – 5 pm and Sunday 10am – 3pm. For more information call 828369-2112

MACON COUNTY, NC Bateman’s Produce & Applehouse – Located at 5869 Georgia Rd, Franklin, North Carolina 28734, Bateman’s has been selling fresh produce, fruit, jams, jellies, plants and food product for decades! The family is now selling beef. They also sell concrete products for your yard and garden, and metal buildings. You can get more info by calling 828-369-2444. You’ll find them on facebook by searching @batemansapplehouse. Brasstown Beef – Their Black Angus and Braunvieh cattle are pasture raised, grass-fed and given a forage-based supplement. The Whitmire family farm, Ridgefield Farm, is based in Brasstown, North Carolina and their retail Brasstown Beef meat market is located at 211 W Palmer St., Franklin, North Carolina 28734. Their hours are Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm. Their website is a great resource, www.brasstownbeef.com Dutchmen’s Farms - is a growing, family-owned and operated farm in Franklin, North Carolina, offering grass-fed beef and pork. Their cattle and pigs are raised in open pastures and their primary feed source is grass and hay for the Charolais cattle and pasture and light grain for the Hereford pigs. Located at 3590 Georgia Road, Franklin, North Carolina. Call ahead at 828-349-0099 to find out what is in stock. Sampler packs of 30# and 50# offer the best value and are labeled with quantities and weights so you know exactly what you’re getting. Their website offers an abundance of info, www.dutchmenfarms.com. Franklin Farmers’ Tailgate Market – Across from Drake Software in Franklin, North Carolina, you’ll find a true tailgate market with fresh veggies, fruits, cheese, plants, eggs, trout, preserves, honey and artisan breads. With an average of 25-

Yonder Farmers’ Market - Alan and Hannah Edwards fulfilled a dream when they opened the doors of Yonder, a locally and sustainably sourced farm to table restaurant in Franklin, North Carolina. The couple forged wonderful relationships with local farmers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. These relationships led to the Edwards looking for ways to bring healthy and organic foods to the community, helping the farmers and folks in the community successfully improve their lives through good food. All offerings are thoughtfully selected with a focus on nourishment. Online ordering at their website, eatrealfoodinc.com, is available beginning each Friday at 8pm through Sunday at 8pm. Orders received during this time will be available for pickup at the Yonder location,151 Hillcrest Avenue, Franklin, North Carolina, on Thursday evenings between 4pm and 6pm or Friday mornings between 10am and 12pm (noon). Curbside pickup is available. August 2020 - GML

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Bon Appétit Do You Hear the Bells? By Scarlett Cook

s I am writing this, nothing is set in concrete about when (or if) school will start this month. I know that you feel like you have been a short order cook / waitress for months. I know that I function much better when there is a schedule and possibly you do also. We have been involved in a situation that only occurs once a century or so history says. Hopefully these recipes will be new to your house and can save what is left of your sanity. Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin 6 Servings 1 Package w / two pork tenderloins 2 Teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning* 6 Slices of bacon, cut in half crosswise Preheat oven to 425˚. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray. Place rack on baking pan. Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Sprinkle each tenderloin with seasoning. Wrap each tenderloin with bacon slices, using toothpicks to secure bacon. Place pork on wire rack. Bake for 25 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 155˚. Increase oven temperature to broil and broil 3 – 5 minutes until bacon is crispy. Remove pork from oven and cover with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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Buttermilk Garlic Mashed Potatoes 4 Servings 2 Tablespoons butter 3 Garlic cloves, minced 2 Cups buttermilk 2/3 Cup milk 1/2 Teaspoon each salt & pepper 1 22-Ounce package frozen mashed potatoes or leftover mashed potatoes Melt butter in Dutch oven (or other large pan) over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add buttermilk, milk and salt & pepper. Cook stirring constantly 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in potatoes until hot and smooth.

Tomato Salad 8 Servings 1/2 Cup olive oil 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 Teaspoon sugar 1 Teaspoon salt 1/2 Teaspoon pepper 1 Large tomato sliced 2 Plum tomatoes cut into wedges 1 Pint grape tomatoes cut in half Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, seasoning, salt & pepper. Place tomatoes in a 2 quart dish and pour oil mixture over tomatoes. Serve using a slotted spoon. Blackberry Cobbler 6 Servings Preheat oven to 375˚. Lightly grease an 8’ pan. 4 Cups fresh blackberries 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 Large egg 1 Cup sugar 1 Cup plain flour 6 Tablespoons melted butter Place blackberries in an 8” prepared dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar and flour until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle butter over mixture. Bake 35 minutes or until pie is lightly browned and bubbly.

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A Taste of the Mountains

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The Family Table

By Lorie Thompson

he end of July and early August bring what my parents called “Dog Days.” This is the time of Summer when every day is hot, and the heat and humidity build to a daily afternoon storm. Dog Days held a lot of negative ideas associated with them. Supposedly, snakes shed their skin in Dog Days and get particularly mean. The theory behind this is that the covering over their eyes dropped and regenerated. During this time, they are blind and will strike at anything. Rabid dogs were more prevalent in the Dog Days, and wounds were more prone to infection. Despite the ills of Dog Days, August holds a lot of precious memories for me. August, in my childhood, brought long days of mowing grass and helping Mama in the garden and canning. The rows of green beans seemed endless, as did the buckets of tomatoes. About 1970, there came a gift of epic proportions; My Dad installed a window A/C unit in Mama’s kitchen! He added an accordion door between the living room and the kitchen area to hold out the heat and hold in the cold. It was a small glimpse of Heaven to walk into that kitchen in August. After we got that air conditioner, I begged to get to help her do the canning instead of the outside chores. Stringing beans, sitting at the kitchen table, was a pleasure. Every other room in the house had a box fan sitting in front

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of the screen door blowing around the stagnant August air, while that air-conditioned kitchen was cool and comfortable. That window unit air conditioner is responsible for my love of cooking and food preservation. It still brings such vibrant feelings to mind; the cold room after being in the heat — the talk and laughter surrounding me with that AC humming in the background and always, good food to eat. Sweet memories. Cooking and preparing food in my own kitchen brings back the nostalgia of those long-ago August days. An excellent meal to make in your air conditioned kitchen during the Dog Days of Summer is my Basil and Mascarpone Risotto with Pan-seared Shrimp and Braised Greens. This company-worthy meal will have your family and guest thinking you sneaked off to chef school while only you know how easy-made it is. First, bring 2 C of water and 2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Immerse the fresh basil in the boiling water for 1 minute to blanch and set the color. Immediately remove the basil from the hot water and immerse in a bowl of ice water. Empty the boiling water from the saucepan and add the basil and 1 C of chicken stock back into it. Using an immersion blender, finely chop the basil in the broth or use a regular blender or food processor. Add 6 cups of chicken stock to the pot with the basil and keep it on simmer to use in the Risotto. To cook the Risotto, melt 1/2 stick butter (unsalted) and 2 T of olive oil in a large skillet. To this, add two finely diced shallots, two minced cloves of garlic, 2 tsp of Kosher salt, and a shake of red pepper flakes. Sweat the garlic and shallots for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 C of Arborio rice to the pan and stir the rice around for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to “toast” and

absorb the oils. Add a cup of warm stock to the rice and stir. Allow the rice to cook almost dry and add stock one cup at a time until nearly all of the stock is used. This should take 25-30 minutes. The rice should be tender but still have some texture (bite). Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overcook it. Turn the heat off and hold while you braise the kale and prepare the shrimp. You can use any green of your choice. Kale, chard, or spinach would be good. Wash and chop your greens. To a sauteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pan, add 2 T of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1-2 tsp of salt, and a small shallot. Add the greens and toss until they wilt down. Continue to add greens until you have them all in the pan. Cover the greens with stock and allow to cook over medium heat until they are almost dry. August 2020 - GML

To cook the shrimp (or scallops), heat a cast iron pan to smoke point — Season shrimp with garlic salt. Add 2 tsp of Avocado oil (or any high heat oil) into the cast iron. Layer the shrimp on the smoking hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and squeeze a lemon wedge over the shrimp. Finish the rice, bringing it back to temperature, and add chicken stock to thin if you need it. Add 4 oz of mascarpone cheese, 1/3 C of half and half. Stir until cheese is melted and incorporated. Add 1/2 C of grated parmesan and stir. Risotto should be creamy. Add more stock if necessary. Serve the Risotto with a side of the greens. Add a layer of the shrimp and a sprinkle of lemon zest on top. Follow this sumptuous meal with a small dish of Lemon Sorbet. In a saucepan, heat 1 1/2 C of sugar with 1 1/2 C of water. Heat until the sugar is melted and refrigerate until it is cold. Zest and squeeze the juice from 5-6 large lemons adding to the chilled sugar water. Optional: Adding 1 T of vodka will keep the sorbet from freezing solid. Pour the mixture into an ice cream freezer and churn until it is frozen. Serve in a beautiful glass with ginger or lemon cookie. Enjoy the “Dog Days” of Summer. Your air conditioned kitchen offers refuge from the afternoon showers. Come inside and make this wonderful meal for those you love. Enjoy the time together around your family table. May God bless you and yours and keep you safe in the Dog Days. 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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On Our Cover - Anthony Kane

n our cover this month is a photograph taken by Anthony (Tony) Kane, a junior at Rabun County High School. His interest in photography began in 2016 when he picked up his first camera. Anthony is also a guitarist and while he isn’t sure what his future holds he does know that both his camera and guitar will always be close by. Anthony’s dad Jim Kane is also a photographer and has been featured on our cover. I mention Jim because he is the one who made the apple pie in the photo that Anthony took. This father/son team is cruising through life side by side both seeing the world through the camera lens. We are pleased to share more of Anthony’s photography here. As you can see he has quite the eye for capturing a great photo. I feel sure we’ll all see more of Anthony’s photography. If you have an interest in any of his images please visit www.mountainimagry.com or E-mail mountainimagry76@yahoo.com

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North Georgia Arts Guild

Brilliance of the Outdoors and the Art of Lesley Weiss North Georgia Arts Guild member, Lesley Weiss, shares her paintings, her personal story, and the way she sees the impact of COVID-19 and the coronavirus unfolding in these stressful times. My view of this global event

grew up in the 60’s, about five miles from the edge of Detroit. My Catholic school education taught me the global need for harmony and empathy among people of all origins, and yet my community experienced one of the worst uprisings in modern American history. Terror and confusion reverberated through Wayne County, Michigan and beyond, that summer of ‘67. I remember the fear and the isolation as government officials imposed a curfew. “Stay close to home, and do not go out of doors after dark.” As chaos crept further and further into our lives each night, we prayed the violence would not reach our backyard.

to choose how we want to live, and to see the recovered world as one community, as we learn “we are not in this alone”. Like Detroit, our recovery will take time. But as we pull together, we will remember souls departed, and how profoundly our actions can affect one another around the world. Our planet will grow healthy again in every way. And there will be toilet paper!

We prayed for peace. We prayed for the lives lost and lives ruined. The church, our families, our friends, (and, ahem, the National Guard, too) held life together, but it was many years before the city of Detroit would recover. We certainly never forgot those days. I learned first-hand the importance of civil rights and equal opportunity, and what a world without them is like. The curfew and unrest in Detroit was not unlike what is happening on a global scale today. Thankfully, the COVID epidemic is not caused by how we treat each other, but by an act of nature. Quarantine calls us to appreciate, perhaps as never before, our ability

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Effect on my art and creativity Feeling a bit stunned like most people I know, I’ve only picked up my paint brush twice in one month. I have no festivals in which to participate, no local restaurants to patronize, including those who have so generously allowed me to display and offer for sale, my indoor/outdoor “Porch, Patio, and Boathouse Art” (see NacoocheeLakeArt.com). Alternately, I find myself on my porch every afternoon (thank you, Porch Living), reveling in wonder at what all of a sudden must be the most beautiful spring weather we’ve had in two decades! God is good! He has given us sun, warmth, forsythia, daffodils, cherry blossoms, tulips, and dogwoods to lift our spirits. Boy-oh-boy, it works! And, good Lord, I love to cook! Every two weeks I visit Ingles and offer my sincere appreciation to the stalwart

staff and management. I couldn’t make quiche, rosemary bread, salmon noodle bowls, and fresh spinach salads without them! Social distancing Zoom, baby! If there ever was a time to reach out – this is it. Some of you may remember my husband, Doug Weiss, taking the stage to perform at Celebrate Clayton in 2019. I am SO BLESSED to have a musician in the house! We recently gathered our family together via the ‘interwebs’, for a “Beatles” themed evening of laughter, song, and yes, a glass of wine (or two). Social media allowed us to connect five sisters, a brother, nieces, nephews, cousins, kids, and grandkids, from California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Michigan. The only problem was, we all wanted to talk and laugh at once! We gave Zoom growing pains – all from the North Georgia Mountains. Kind of a miracle, don’t you think? Another reason to give thanks, and do it again soon! Here’s to peace and love! (Told you I grew up in the 60’s!) Lesley Weiss Website: NacoocheeLakeArt.com (And thank you for all you do, Susan and Tracy! We love our Mountain Laurel!)

The North Georgia Arts Guild is a growing collective of 100+ members who seek to celebrate the art and artists of our community. For more information – northgeorgiaartsguild.com

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Adventure Out A Riverside Hike from Earl’s Ford to Sandy Ford By Peter McIntosh n this adventure we’re exploring the Chattooga River between Earl’s Ford and Sandy Ford. It’s a three mile hike on the Bartram Trail / Chattooga River Trail (From here on out I’m just going to call it the Bartram Trail because of the easy to follow yellow blazes.) Difficulty wise, this is a moderate hike without any extreme changes in elevation so if you’re up for a six mile hike, go for it. I’m treating this as a three mile hike with a car at each end with both trailheads accessed from Warwoman Road. And to be a little less confusing we’re going to start from Earl’s Ford because you’ll have a nice reward near the Sandy Ford end, which is the side trail down to Dick’s Creek Falls. And there’s lots of calm water along the route

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should you be inclined to beat the August heat by taking a dip in the cool waters of the Chattooga river. Let’s get started. The trailhead is just before the spot where Earl’s Ford Road crosses Warwoman Creek. You’ll pass through a few well used campsites before continuing along side Warwoman Creek, winding through the forest for less than 1/2 mile before ascending gently away from the creek. After cresting the ridge, the footpath descends down to the Chattooga River. This section of the river is slow and gentle, with lots of spots to take a dip or just cool your toes. There are lots of primitive campsites along this part of the trail if you’re thinking about an overnight adventure.

After rounding a picturesque bend in the river, the trail ascends and moves away from the river. (Make sure to follow the blazes as there are some horse/ATV trails that intersect our footpath.) Reaching the top of the hill, we now descend gently, crossing a footbridge, before coming to the Dick’s Creek Falls on the left. (Look for the bright green blaze on a footbridge on your left.) Near the base of the falls there’s a little hole in the Rhododendrons that takes you out to where the waterfall meets the river and offers a spectacular view of the Chattooga pouring Dick’s Creek Ledge. Now back up to the main trail, we go left, following the yellow blazes, over another footbridge before gently ascending to Sandy Ford Road. Stay to the right, on the Bartram Trail, when the Chattooga River Trail bears off to the left. Just a little further and there you are at Sandy Ford Road. You can drive down to the end and the sandy beach at the river but be warned, this is a popular spot in the summertime. Happy hiking.

No need to wait, here’s my poem for month eight: As summer winds down, why don’t we give it a whirl, And go on a hike from a ford named Earl. Along a cool river and cascades that’s just dandy, Then finish our hike at a ford named Sandy. Getting there: Sandy Ford From US 441 in Clayton, go east on Warwoman Road for 5.9 miles to Sandy Ford Road on right. Bear right on Sandy Ford and go 1/2 mile and turn left over bridge, this is still Sandy Ford Road. Continue 3.4 miles to where the road fords Dick’s Creek. (Folks cross this stream in cars all the time) After crossing the creek, it’s a ¼ mile further to a parking area on the left near where the Bartram crosses the road.

Earl’s Ford – From US 441 in Clayton, go east on Warwoman Road for 7.8 miles to Earl’s Ford Road on right. Continue on this, bumpy but not too bad, road for 3 miles to where it crosses Warwoman Creek. The Bartram Trail crosses here, indicated by a marker stone. There’s plenty of places to pull off to park and please don’t block the road.

To see more of Peter’s photos or if you have a question or comment, visit: www.mcintoshmountains.com August 2020 - GML

- 5 Tips for Bringing a New Pet Home

ringing a pet home for the first time – even if you already have other pets – can be an exciting moment. However, it's important to involve the whole family in discussing whether your family will foster or adopt, and what each family member's responsibilities with the new pet will be. It also takes preparation and patience to ensure a smooth transition. Regardless of the type of companion you’re welcoming into your home, adjusting to a new environment can be overwhelming and could lead to anxiety. Because dogs and cats do not communicate like humans, they often express anxiety by misbehaving, which makes it important to be willing to spend the first several days bonding with your pet and forming good habits.

Rabun Paws 4 Life has a Wish List Paws 4 Life says that adoptions are up and they are very thankful. The process has adapted to the global pandemic. Those interested in adopting are encouraged to look at the shelter’s website www.rabunpaws4life.com before you call to make an appointment to meet the pet. Please consider adoption and if you can donate either monetarily or by picking up one of the items on this list in August. When you donate leave your name and phone number and you’ll be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to dine at Iron & Oak in Clayton, Georgia. Donations may be dropped at The Sunday Diner in Clayton, Georgia. If you call ahead they will come out and get it from your car. Be sure to to be entered to win. Many thanks!! Immediate Needs List Dry and wet adult and puppy food Dry and wet adult and kitten food Wood pellets (for kitty litter) Leashes, harnesses and collars Ziploc bags Disinfectant wipes HE Laundry soap Dawn dish soap Paper towels Toilet paper Trash bags and Contractor bags

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Visit your local shelter or animal welfare organization to complete necessary forms and background check, and consider this advice from the experts at PetSmart to help set you and your new furry friend up for a successful homecoming. Introduce Your Pets When bringing a new pet into the family, set up a proper introduction with any current pets to help make the transition easier. For dogs, schedule the initial meeting at a neutral environment outside of your home. Cats typically need a more gradual introduction to get comfortable. Start by keeping your felines in separate rooms with their own litter boxes, but let them see each other periodically through a glass window to get used to sharing the space. Allowing your pets to play with each other’s toys can also create familiarity with their new housemate’s scent. Pet-Proof Your Home Because new pets can be especially curious and jump onto high surfaces or squeeze into small spaces, ensure clothes, cleaning supplies, electrical wires or cords and other potential hazards are out of reach. Other measures you can take to pet-proof your home include keeping toilet lids closed, covering vents and latching trash can lids. Also create a pet-friendly space with a bed or another way to divert attention, such as a scratching post for cats. Prepare the Necessities Decrease stress before bringing your new companion home by getting as many of the necessities ahead of time as possible. Ensuring your pet comes home to his or her own crate or bed, food and water bowls, a collar with identification, leash, food, necessary pest treatments and a variety of toys can make the adjustment to new surroundings easier. Create a Schedule Creating a routine for your companion’s mealtimes, bathroom breaks and playtime can help make the transition easier on both you and your pet. When building out the schedule, keep in mind that younger pets typically need to relieve themselves more often, and puppies and kittens also often require more exercise than older pets. Plan time for daily walks, solo playtime and trips to the park or backyard to play fetch. Keep Your Pet Happy and Healthy While a proper diet and plenty of exercise can go a long way toward keeping your pet feeling his or her best, ensure your furry friend looks the part by regularly bathing him or her and maintaining a healthy coat by brushing often with at-home grooming tools. It is also important to find a veterinarian who’s equipped to handle breed-specific needs and schedule routine checkups to stay on top of vaccines and any potential health concerns. Speak with your foster coordinator to find out about foster-specific requirements. Find more tips for welcoming a new pet into your household at petsmart.com. – Family Features - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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August 2020 - GML

Summer Frizzies by Hollybeth Anderson

ummertime is in full swing. School is out, the pool is open, and a week at the beach may be in your near future. Life has officially moved outdoors into the sun and by the water. While the season of fun in the sun does wonders for the mind and spirit, it can also do one heck of a number on your hair. Humidity, chlorine, and sun exposure can wreak havoc on your locks, stripping away moisture and leaving behind a major case of the frizzies. In preparation for the hot months ahead, I asked organic skin care guru HollyBeth Anderson for some tips on how to ensure good hair days all summer long. HollyBeth’s Tips for Great Summer Hair: 1 – Just as you protect your skin from UV damage, do so for your hair! My favorite summer accessory is a lightweight scarf that I can use as a head wrap when I’m out in the sun. A scarf or a hat not only protects your hair from sun damage, but also the drying, tangling effects of the wind. Not a hat person? Get a spray bottle and mix a few teaspoons of sunscreen with a cup of water to create a light SPF hair mist. 2 – Be prepared for your activity. Going to the pool to take a swim? Remember to rinse your hair before going in the water. This will help reduce the effects of chlorine on your strands. And as soon as you get out of the pool, wash and condition your hair. The quicker you get the chlorine out, the better. Going to the pool to soak up the sun rather than swim? 3 – Consider a more laid back approach to styling your hair in the summer months. Less is definitely more! Cut down the number of times you wash your hair and go for gentle shampoos that don’t

leave behind buildup. Less time in a hot shower with heavy shampoo will give your hair time to regulate its natural oil production, which actually leads to less grease and more time between washes. Are you a heat styling addict? Give you hair a chance to air dry and cut back on the blow dryer and flat iron. I know that is way easier said than done, so I recommend protecting your mane with HollyBeth Organics’ Hair & Body Silk. This nourishing blend of camellia and argan oil locks in moisture and fortifies the hair, prepping the hair for heat styling and protecting it from the drying effects of the sun. When the frizz starts and your hair is in desperate need of hydration, a few drops of Hair & Body Silk tames fly aways and quenches thirsty, brittle hair. You can also use it as a deep conditioning treatment! 4 – Take care of yourself, on the inside and out. Make sure you are getting the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy. Your mom was right – eat your veggies! What you put in your body affects your skin and your hair. The same applies to what you put on your skin and hair. Go organic! Keep it simple, keep it clean, and keep it natural. I guarantee you will feel (and see) a difference.

HollyBeth Organics is a USDA Organic Certified small batch company based in Clayton, GA. Our skincare products are for everyone. From dry to oily, young to mature, sensitive or acne-prone, we can help you find the perfect solution for your skin’s needs. www.HollyBethOrganics.com - 706-490-1059 54 N Church St – Clayton, GA.

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August 2020 - GML

Being Leaders of Compassion and Purpose by Kennedy Cutshall

oing into my senior year of high school, I read a book called Kisses from Katie, written by Katie Davis Majors. It is about a young girl, right out of high school, moving to Uganda and eventually adopting 14 little girls. Each page taught me about the importance of serving others and loving them well, one person at a time. While I read the book, and still today, the Lord continues to reveal to me that we are loved beyond our imagination and that love received isn’t just for us. It’s for the brokenhearted, the needy, the weak, the orphaned, and everything in between. He has taught me that a lot of times, answers to prayer come in the form of people, and I believe my trips to Uganda are testament to that. When I found out I was going to go to Uganda, I knew it would be both challenging and heart-breaking, but I knew it would be even better than I could dream. As I prepared for the two weeks I would spend in Lira, Uganda, I prayed that the Lord would provide a trip where the team could experience the depths of our God’s goodness and joy like never before. As we got to know the current and former street children we would be working with, spoke in a Ugandan prison, and made plans for new land given to us by the government, I reflected on the way the Lord has blessed us with opportunities and grace that we are not worthy of. We spoke to the kids about being chosen, loved more than they could ever imagine, created in Christ’s image, necessary, and unstoppable because of our God. Housed at Saving Grace in Uganda Children’s Village are dozens of kids who were formerly unseen, beaten, discounted, and even sometimes literally thrown away. But, because of the SGU ministry, they now get to live in homes where they are fed regularly, have their own beds, are loved beyond belief, get a quality education, and can just be what every kid dreams of. Getting to know each one of them was incredible. Whether it was during the big birthday party as they performed gymnastics routines for us, sang in fellowship, saved us from a chicken attack, or made bracelets, they never failed to amaze me. To look into eyes that have seen more than any person ever should have and then look down at their huge smile seems like an impossible feat, but that’s exactly what they gave

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us… plus quite a bit of dancing. The enemy telling them they are unwanted, unlovable, and useless is not the end of their story. It is really only the beginning of a victorious one. To quote the head teacher of the secondary school, SGU has “wiped the tears from their eyes” and given them new life in Christ. They are overcomers, learners, servants, and disciples. The Lord is doing big things in their lives and He is not nearly finished with them yet. The rejection and pain they have felt in the past are replaced by knowing they are precious and valued. Their lights cannot be hidden. These kids are world changers and I am so honored to know them and to have them as eternal friends! One of my favorite parts of the trips was giving the street children new shirts. They were able to pick them out and leave feeling confident and encouraged. It was like they were totally new people and they were so excited about sharing their new clothes with the world. I have never seen a group of kids so excited and appreciative! On the first trip, the same day I witnessed this, we were able to take six new kids off of the street, which was just insane. I could not believe what I was able to be a part of it all! There aren’t really words to describe the feeling of watching Jesus give someone new life, but it sure was amazing. Of course, amongst all of the incredible moments on the trip, there were moments where I couldn’t help but feel crushed, defeated, and upset. I would look at the children as they shoveled down food at the feedings and then head back to the streets and ask myself, “If these people are God’s people August 2020 - GML

Life is a Blessing – Speak Life & Love by Tracy McCoy

very word we utter either speaks life or death. It may be in our marriage or relationships, our finances, our health or our children. That’s powerful talk isn’t it? Well let me explain what the Bible says about your words and mine. Words connect us to God and to each other. If you’ve ever had a disconnect with someone words were involved. Want a good marriage? Make it better with your words. You can build up or tear down, the choice is yours. It might be negative words or your tone that make the impact, either way scripture tells us that our words matter! “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21-22. That child that loves you hangs on your every word. That wife or husband who just needs kindness from you but gets just the opposite, don’t they deserve to be treated like you want to be treated? Once words come out they can not be taken back, the wound is already inflicted and sometimes they cut really deep and leave scars! Jesus said... “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” Matthew 12:36-37. He also said “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34. The words we speak are a reflection of what’s going on in our heart and soul. If you are feeling guilty, so am I. Our words either align with God’s plan or Satan’s plan. God’s plan for you is to become like Christ, to be a light for others, to show love to everyone, YES everyone! Satan hopes you’ll

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gossip about your neighbors and your friends. He hopes to cause divisiveness among your family, cause problems in your home and spread hate across our nation and he will use our mouths to do it. BUT, remember, the same mouth that damaged that relationship has the power to heal it. There are seven divine words that lead to healing, they are... “I was wrong, will you forgive me?” It’s never too late to mend a relationship with God or anyone else. Lift each other up and quit tearing each other down. You can speak good over someone before they even deserve it. Your words of grace can change people. It can plant seeds of love that are like a vine, they will spread! Speak life to your family, your friends, your co-workers, the man who changes your oil, the lady who rings up your grocery order, the stranger on the street. Who sticks out in your daily grind as someone who speaks life? Aren’t there times that someone can turn your day around with the right words? In the same way they can destroy it! Quit being hateful, unkind, self-righteous and bitter. Today, make your mouth “a fountain of life” - Proverbs 10:11. Be “slow to speak” in general - James 1:19. Encourage more than you critique. Seek opportunities to speak tenderhearted words Ephesians 4:32. Say something affectionate to a loved one at an unexpected time. Seek to only speak words that are “good for building up,” that “give grace to those who hear” - Ephesians 4:29. Be a person whose mouth is full of life. There’s no better time than to start than today!

Compassion Continued too, then why were they given this life and I was given mine?” As I learned more about the way the street children were arrested, abused, and abandoned, what has been said about this ministry being “more than something to just talk about” rang even more true. But I have learned that it is not our job to fix everything, nor can we, but God calls us to be a part of His plan to make earth as it is in Heaven. And I firmly believe we have to stop limiting God to what we can think of to get to that place. During both trips, the Lord kept telling me that, although I may not understand what He is doing, He never once has stopped thinking about, loving, and caring for His children. Not even for a second! He is exceedingly good and His plans are always better. I continue to pray that the Lord sweeps the nations with His presence and that there are people willing to make His name known. He is so evident in Lira—in the faces of the kids and the staff—but also in the way that they love and serve others wholeheartedly. They worship the Lord the way He should be worshipped and rely on Him the way He has always intended for us to. SGU is a beautiful picture of the way the Lord rescues us from the hold of the enemy, calls us His own, and gives us the keys to Heaven so we can share Him with the world. I could go on and on about what the Lord has taught me on these trips, but I just want to include a little more about what God has taught me in my opportunities to share the Gospel, both here in the States and abroad! First, he taught me that we are exactly who God says we are—on our worst days and on our best days. The Creator of the Universe is literally obsessed with us. Second, don’t ever worry about being ready to serve. I truly don’t think we ever can be, because there are things the Lord is going to do that we have no idea about and will far surpass anything we can imagine-- so how could we be ready for that? If we were going to prepare, I think what that looks like is to spend time in the Word, getting to know His heart, His voice, and how Jesus loved. Getting to know God’s people is getting to know God’s heart, and vice versa. The more we spend time with Him and get to know Him, the more we will be able to value His work and recognize how He is moving, because He always is. We have this portion from God that we get to have close fellowship with Him and His people in our backyards or across the world. Sometimes it’s easier to look so far beyond the people in front of us and just focus on the world beyond -- I know that was my problem. But He has placed people in front of us for a reason and it’s our choice whether we are

obedient. We all possess something that can make life better for someone else, and we have so much more power than we think we do but it’s because of God in us. We might not be able to heal people, but we can help take care of their needs. And thankfully, we have the Ultimate Healer (it’s literally the meaning of His name, Jehovah Raffa) who meets our needs, and in abundance. So do not fear, because the King of Kings believes in us and is walking beside us. Third, we are called to be more than to do. I think this means a lot of things, but to me this means being obedient, loved, trustworthy, gracious, and from those we can DO good works and DO the will of God. Fourth, something that I have learned from both current and former street children, and from people of all walks of life, is that storytelling changes the world. Storytelling, especially in the form of a testimony, is a way to praise our Heavenly Father. And the best part is, we all have one! We all have restoration stories, regardless of our background or experiences. All in all, the world doesn’t need our guilt, it needs our action. There is no time for passiveness. In saying that, I will leave you with this quote by Gary Haugen, the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission: “When our grandchildren ask us where we were when the voiceless and the vulnerable in our era needed leaders of compassion and purpose, I hope we can say that we showed up and showed up on time.”

Kennedy Cutshall is a rising senior at Clemson University where she studies Health Science and Nonprofit Leadership. She works part-time at her family’s shop, The Belle & Barn Company, located in Clayton, Georgia. Kennedy is passionate about missions work and has an incredible love for Jesus. She hopes one day to work for a church or nonprofit and continue her missions work all around the world.

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Franklin, North Carolina

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August 2020 - GML

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August 2020 - GML

How Do We Respond to What’s Going on in Our World? By Dr. Kevin E. Hurt, Associate Pastor of Grace Bible Church

here is not a human being alive on this planet who is not aware of the troubles we are facing in our world. Every day, and almost all day long, the news reports, papers, and social media platforms keep the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice, riots, and political uncertainty before us. There is so much craziness around us from all different sources, right? The political sphere, social unrest, injustice, and social media seems to stir the pot and make it even worse in some cases. It seems obvious that when the Bible says, “They will call good evil and evil good,” that is what is happening today. As we look around at all of this, it’s easy to get discouraged and overwhelmed by all these things that we’re seeing. For the Christian — the person who has repented of his/her sin and turned in faith to Jesus Christ as Savior — this should not be a surprise to us. Jesus told us in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Tribulation is a word that means to experience pressure in your life that causes you to feel hemmed in, confined, and like there is no way of escape.

Though Jesus has told us that we would experience this, it is also important to remember that in the same verse He said, “but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Jesus did not say, “Take courage, I know you can do it.” No! He said, “Take courage, I have overcome the world.” Those words “take courage,” could literally be rendered, “take heart.” It is interesting that courage is like faith. When it comes to our faith, the key issue is the object of our faith. In other words, our faith is only strong when it is placed in the right object — God and His Word. The same is true when it comes to having courage. The object of our courage must be God and His Word, so Jesus says to them and us, take courage because “I have overcome the world.” As Christians, how do we respond to the turmoil and evil that we see in our world? If we understand what Jesus said, we respond with courage and confidence in Christ as we trust Him to help us navigate our way through these discouraging times. For the Christian who has courage and confidence in Christ through the Word of God, are there some practical steps that demonstrate that we really are trusting Christ? Are there things that we should do, and maybe should not do, that reflect what real courage looks like? For those who personally know me, you realize that there is not enough paper and ink in this article for me to elaborate on those questions, but let me in this brief article at least give you some bullet points to consider. Don’t Thoughtlessly React — That would be a good starting point, right? When we see these troubling issues, it should affect us. If it doesn’t bother you, then something is wrong with you. But when we simply react emotionally that usually leads to us saying and doing things that deny our belief and trust in Christ. Let me suggest two wrong reactions that people often have. Fear — It is when we hear about COVID-19, an injustice, or some political issue, our reaction can be one of fear. We get upset and we feel that we have to fix the issue. We tell ourselves, “I’ve got to do something,” and we worry that if we do not, something worse will probably happen. Indifference — This is the opposite reaction. This is the thought that says, “You know what? It’s fine. I am just going to go with the flow. Times are changing and we just need to adapt.” Others who are indifferent may withdraw and ignore the issue all together, and refuse to engage at all. Do Thoughtfully Respond — When we choose not to emotionally react, but to thoughtfully respond, this means we take time to stop and think so we can allow the Bible, God’s Word, to shape what we are about to say and do. Whatever you are hearing on the news or through social media, before you start spouting off or take some action, make sure you have filtered it though God’s Word. Here are some things that we should reflect on from God’s Word to shape our response. Remember an Important Truth — God is in control. If you do not start with this, you will have no foundation on which to build the rest of your thoughts. The Bible is clear that nothing, absolutely nothing, ever happens without it being under God’s control. There has never been an “uh-oh” in God’s vocabulary. He has not been caught off guard. He is not just learning about the

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troubles we are facing in the world, and He certainly is not wringing His hands wondering what to do. If we respond with this kind of thinking, we will be governed by the truth that He is in control and that He truly knows what He is doing. Return to the Only Answer— Consider this ... Both Christians and non-Christians alike long for a world where there is peace, unity, and justice, but humans can never make that happen. No matter what plan, program, funding or defunding we come up with, we can never make this world right. Why? Because of sin. Because we are corrupt at our core. God’s answer is for us to turn from ourselves and our sin and look to God who sent His only Son to be the Savior of sinners by dying on the Cross in our place and for our sin. Therefore, trusting in God, realizing that He is in control, that His purposes are never going to be overrun, or destroyed, or put down, and that He cannot lose, and that this God has provided the way of salvation in Christ should free us from feeling like it is all on us to come up with a solution to a problem that is so much bigger than us. Raise your Voice — In the midst of so many voices and uprisings today, we as God’s people need to speak up as well. Obviously, we should not do this in the same ways as the world does, but nevertheless we should not be silent. We should look for ways to engage and for ways to make a difference. If someone asks you what you think about something, or if you are given the opportunity to voice your thoughts, be a gentle voice for the Truth. Say what you know to be true from God’s Word and do it in love. In so doing, you might show them a different way — a right way — to respond to what’s going on in our world. And you might influence and win them over rather than push them further away. Were it not for grace, Pastor Kevin Associate Pastor of Grace Bible Church

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If You’re Fishing for the Good Life… by John Shivers

or some folks, delicious mountain trout for breakfast is a delicacy. Imagine catching your own entrée and enjoying it, too. At 183 Winding Soque outside Clarkesville, you can do just that. But that’s just where the good life begins!

This lodge style home is located in a picturesque bend of the Soque River, on 5± acres surrounded by a twenty year-old garden of native North Georgia Hemlocks, rhododendrons, azaleas, ferns and dogwoods. Some have described it as probably the most beautiful property on the Soque River. Indeed, the river bank is only a few short feet from the home’s rear deck, easily accessed by a stone walkway and steps. Along with the property’s 4,450± feet of community fishing access, the property has over 300± feet of river frontage. The Soque River is well known for its trophy size rainbow and brown trout. As visitors approach the front of the home, they’re immediately captivated by the three massive gables that greet them and bid them welcome. Inside, the majesty of the gables is revealed as the warmth and spaciousness of the large rooms makes them feel right at home, where you want to sit right down and settle in. Put your feet up. Enjoy a favorite beverage.

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The great room is indeed a great room in which to live, relax, and entertain. The vaulted and beamed ceiling crowns a living area anchored by a massive stone fireplace, and offers many options for furniture placement and conversation. Adjacent is the large dining area that is part of the oversize kitchen, which makes meal preparation for the many family and friends who’ll want to visit as easy as catching those mountain trout you’ll roll in pecan crumbs and prepare. These rooms have gorgeous views of the river, vaulted ceilings, and are clad in tongue and groove hardwood paneling. The kitchen is a cook’s dream: plenty of cabinets, ample work space, an island/breakfast bar, hard surface counter tops, and top of the line stainless appliances. A kitchen desk area, complete with glass-front cabinets, gives the resident chef a place to plan menus. The oversize master suite with its spa-like bath that includes a jetted tub and custom shower, is paneled identically to the great room, and includes a spacious sitting area, built-in bookcases, and the same fantastic view and easy access to the river. When it becomes necessary to mix pleasure with business, the home’s office is both spacious and comfortable, making it easy to handle those details and quickly get back to the good life. A laundry/mudroom with ample storage simplifies everyday living, and floors throughout are beautiful, durable tile or hardwood for easy housekeeping. The beauty of the home’s setting, the spacious rooms and the open floor plan make it a popular space for hosting friends and family. A separate, fully-contained guest house atop a three-car garage, provides flexibility and privacy for the visitors who are eager to catch award-winning trout or just enjoy an award-winning visit. With both Atlanta and Greenville only 90 minutes away, paradise is at your fingertips. This home is within a gated community of friendly neighbors situated on the most ideal section of the river, and both the garden and the property as a whole have been tended with loving care. Renovations have employed only the best quality materials for low-cost maintenance going forward. The large rear deck is constructed with high-end Brazilian IPE wood, and a 100 year-old roof was recently installed. The home is in a conservation easement program, and additional acreage is available. If this bend in the river is your definition of paradise, contact Shield Realty agent Ruth Camp at 706-499-4702 or ruth@ruthcamp.com or Marty Simmons at 770-597-4219 about MLS #8672812.

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August 2020 - GML

701 - Harry Norman Featured Home

This Home Can Be Your Castle, Details and All By John Shivers

etails often serve to distinguish the ordinary from the extraordinary. Nowhere is this more evident than with the craftsmanship you’ll find throughout the home at 3702 Meeting House Mountain Road west of Clayton. Through the expertise of the designer and the builder, this 10,789± square foot home contains many special accents from the daylight level recreation space to the rooms under the eaves with the sloping ceilings and intriguing angles. Reclaimed oak flooring and beams. Custom Venetian plaster. Brick, exposed just so to enhance and complement. Hand-distressed cabinetry, the custom moldings and finish treatments. You just have to see to appreciate the degree of design employed in this home. Whether you approach this house by way of the front entrance, or by boat on the waters of Lake Burton, you’re immediately struck by the old world appearance that reaches out to welcome you. A carefully composed symphony of brick and stone and wood clad the outside of this four-season Craftsmaninspired home, and ever so subtly usher you inside, where many more of the same qualities await. With four gracious size bedrooms, plus a recreation space with bunk beds, six full baths and one half bath, this home can be lived in and enjoyed full-time, or it can be the welcome reward after a full and hectic week in the city. The main level master suite is designed for comfort and convenience. Where better to celebrate the holidays? This home is perfect for entertaining!

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If you’re seeking a place that will take you away from the daily grind, look no further. From the covered shelter of the lakeside four season porch with remote control screens, you can relax and get away. And if you’re ready for some more strenuous enjoyment, the two-story boathouse with breathtaking lake and mountain views down Timpson Cove is only steps away from the house. On those days when you’d rather be indoors, there’s the completely equipped potting solarium that brings the outdoors in, where the resident green thumb can plant and prune and graft. There’s also a crafts and hobby room, for those artistic endeavors, and the home gym on the terrace level, complete with workout area, sauna and steam shower, is sure to be a popular place. There’s also a workshop on this level, along with two additional garages, in addition to the home’s threecar garage easily accessed from the kitchen. Two separate offices make it more convenient to work from home, if you must. This grand and gracious home was designed to please the eye. But it delivers so much more. The spacious European-inspired custom chef’s kitchen with great work space, including an oversize island, contains solid surface countertops, a walkin pantry, dishwasher, ice maker, microwave, a commercial range and oven, and oversize refrigerator and freezer, all contained in top-of-the line furniture style cabinetry. Dining space overlooking the lake view is immediately off the kitchen. Bathrooms in this home are a story within themselves. With minute attention to details, spacious, spa-like design and layout, and large walk-in showers and adjacent celebrity style walk-in closets, the amenities of this home are phenomenal. And don’t overlook the heated floors in some areas, an elevator that makes life so much easier, custom bookcases, and interesting niches. It’s quality… artistry… old world charm with space age accommodations and systems, and details, endless details that set this remarkable residence on .93 acres± down on Timpson Creek apart from all the rest. Contact Agent Julie Barnett at Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain at 404-697-3860 or at the office, 706-212-0228, for an opportunity to tour this oh, so livable work of art. Reference MLS 8797481. August 2020 - GML

By The Way

out on 115, and after passing by several times, Dr. Percy finally pulled in.

A Comedy of Errors

“Welcome to “The Read Between the Wines Book and Play Society,” I said. “Care for a shot of merlot?”

By Emory Jones

“Is that a pig?” asked Dr. Percy, giving away the fact that he’s a city slicker.

After being kicked out of numerous North Georgia book clubs, my pet pig, Cunningham, and I started our own— “The Read Between the Wines Book and Play Society.”

“Yes. That’s my pet pig, Cunningham. He’s excited about discussing Hamlet. You can understand why. I mean, with him being a pig and all.”

It was just the pig and me in those early days. It might have stayed that way if Cunningham hadn’t insisted on making The Three Little Pigs our book selection two months in a row. Sure, it’s a classic, but all that huffing and puffing gets old after a while.

Being quick-witted, I said, “Oh, our secretary inadvertently put the wrong date in the newsletter, and everybody thinks you’re coming tomorrow. I would have called, but I didn’t have your number.”

So, I talked my cousin, Wayne, and his girlfriend, Viola Mae, into joining. I suspect Viola Mae comes more for the wine than the reading, but as Wayne says, just because she’s bad to get drunk and shoot guns in the air doesn’t make her any less a lady.

“Everybody but the pig,” I white-lied.

“Where is everyone?” Dr. Percy asked when he saw Wayne and Viola Mae, were the only others in the back room.

Dr. Percy sighed and asked if we’d read this Hamlet by William Shakespeare. “Well, what’s your impression?”

Our book club had its first guest speaker last month, renowned reader and writer, Dr. Niles Percy of Smyrna.

Wayne and Viola Mae stared into their wine cups, so I spoke first. “It was good,” I said.

Sure, I may have inflated the club’s numbers in my invitation, but in my defense, we had a membership drive planned, and I honestly thought we’d be up to 150 by then. Anyway, it would give him a chance to promote his new book, A Fellow Called Othello.

“Yes,” said Dr. Percy. “ I think it’s Shakespeare’s best work. That’s why I featured it in my A Fellow Called Othello book.

Dr. Percy sent us a piece called Hamlet as a pre-meeting reading project, although none of us had time to read it. Our club meets in the back room of Wayne’s muffler repair shop

Trying to sound interested, I asked, “Has this Shakespeare fellow written anything else?” That seemed to irritate Dr. Percy. “Have you never heard of Macbeth?” I thought for a minute. “There was a McBeth family over on Shoal Creek one time. They moved to Buford, though.” Dr. Percy took off his glasses. “The play, Macbeth, is staged somewhere in the world every four hours.” “Wow,” I said. “That must be hard on the cast.” Dr. Percy muttered something about this being like a midsummer night’s dream. That caused me to remember my 10th-grade teacher talking about some old-fashioned English fellow who wrote stuff like this, so I decided to ask a pertinent question. “Didn’t Mack Beth stab some guy named Romeo?” “No. Romeo killed himself.” Why?” Because he thought Juliet died.” “Had she been sick?” Dr. Percy suddenly remembered another meeting in Smyrna, which was probably good because Viola Mae had drunk just enough box wine to reach for her twelve-gauge. Almost stumbling into the repair pit on the way out, he mumbled something about this being much ado about nothing. The man drove off so fast; I don’t think he even heard Viola Mae’s two-blast sendoff. Anyway, a good time was had by all.

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Grab This Opportunity for Fantastic In-Town Living By John Shivers

n addition to its location mere minutes from the heart of downtown Clayton, the circa 1940 home at 4 Rose Circle offers its owners the added perks of pristine and spacious grounds. Informal walking trails and beautiful, seasonal flowering bushes and trees, in a garden setting far removed from the hustle and bustle, allow you to enjoy the best of both worlds, when you call this traditional style house in the garden your home. With its covered, arched porches, you can enjoy breakfast as you watch the eastern Rabun sky light up the day, or relax over dinner, as the last saffron rays depart over the western horizon, and feel the contentment these outdoor living spaces provide. It just doesn’t get much better than this. There’s equally as much livability and comfort indoors as well. From the dedicated foyer so typical of homes in that era, this has always been a family home designed for gracious living but in a laid-back atmosphere. Down through the years enhancements and renovations have created a home with today’s needs foremost in mind, but without sacrificing the original bones and charm. Nowhere is this more evident than in the moldings, the window and door facings, and the interior doors themselves. The large and spacious living room currently holds a grand piano, with generous space remaining for living, entertaining, or just kicking back in front of the original masonry fireplace on a nippy Rabun winter’s night. Multiple windows bring in the natural light

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from several different directions, making for a bright and happy space well deserving of its title “living” room. Adjacent is the formal dining room, which opens into the kitchen. Triple windows in the dining room not only bring in additional light, but look out on one of the home’s views of the garden. Hardwood floors finished in deep honey hues in these two rooms, as well as in the main floor master, continue the home’s heritage of gracious living married to elegance. The spacious updated kitchen has tile flooring for easy care, and includes stainless steel appliances, including a convection oven. With much more than average cabinet space and countertop work space, there’s room for multiple chefs to work comfortably. What’s more, while the amenities of this kitchen might be in keeping with 2020 expectations, care has been taken to preserve the style of the home. It’s truly the best of both worlds. At one end of the modified galley is a breakfast area overlooking yet another of those fantastic outdoor garden views. There’s a large bedroom on the main level with outdoor access that’s perfect for the master bedroom. Adjacent to it, is a large bathroom with tub and shower, floored in a harlequin patterned tile, and a convenient laundry room. Or, if you’re setting your sights a little higher, there are two more bedrooms on the second level. A staircase that opens off the foyer transports you to the upper floor where, in addition to the two bedrooms with interesting angles and dormers, a second roomy full bath and pinepaneled bonus room, give you a birds-eye view of the gardens. This is a rare and extraordinary property for the very discerning buyer, set on three acres close to the convenience and the action of downtown. If you’re a walker, you’ll find yourself on Main Street in only a matter of minutes. Imagine yourself living in the beauty and tranquility of your own private garden paradise. Check out MLS 8787741. Contact Poss Realty Agent Gail Hopper at 706-490-2152 or Agent Rodney Hopper at 706-4900701 or at the office at 706-746-5962.

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MS: Multiple Sclerosis

Live Healthy and Be Well

Stephen Jarrard, MD, FACS

uring this Coronavirus Pandemic – it has given me some time to study about other things that I do not encounter every day, and our goal is always to share knowledge. Over the years, I have had friends and acquaintances that have developed various neurologic symptoms and eventually been diagnosed with the topic of this month’s column – Multiple Sclerosis. This is a disease, that although there is no definite “cure,” if found early and current therapies employed, can be very well managed to enable one to still have quality, as well as quantity, of life. MS, or Multiple Sclerosis is classified as an “autoimmune condition.” This means that the body’s immune system can turn on itself and attack the host organs or systems, resulting in symptoms and reduced function. In the case of MS, the immune system is directed against the Central Nervous System (CNS - brain and spinal cord) of an individual. This results in inflammation and damage to the myelin sheaths that surround these CNS neurons. The myelin sheaths serve the purpose of protecting and facilitating nerve conduction of information along the pathways of the brain and spinal cord. Once damaged (permanent condition), this information flow is slowed or disrupted resulting in a myriad of neurologic symptoms. The damage that occurs in the neural network can, in time, form lesions or “plaques” in areas of the brain. This is much along the lines of “scar tissue,” and can often be seen on imaging studies like a MRI. These “sclerotic (scar) plaques” are throughout the CNS, and thus are multiple in number. Discovered and named by French Neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868, he gave it a name which roughly translates to “sclerosing plaques.” It has since come to be known as Multiple Sclerosis. The symptoms of MS are many and can sometimes begin in a very subtle way that is hard to diagnose until it progresses to a more recognizable pattern. They all have something in common in that they are always

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neurological in origin. The disease is about three times more common in women, and most often presents between the ages of 20 and 50. Common symptoms may include vision disturbances or loss, muscular stiffness or spasms, unusual loss of coordination, numbness and tingling in the extremities, headaches, mental confusion, depression, sexual dysfunction, memory loss, speech changes (slurring or pronunciation changes), chronic fatigue, weakness, and chronic pain. Although the diagnosis is often difficult to obtain early on, it is usually made over time by a combination of symptom progression, medical imaging of the CNS (MRI), and a nerve conduction study performed by a Neurologist. If a person is experiencing several of these symptoms, has sclerotic plaques visible in the brain on a MRI scan, and has impairment of nerve conduction – this is diagnostic of MS. The cause is not exactly known, but there is thought to be a genetic pre-disposition, some viral infections when younger may serve as triggers, and smoking has also been linked as a risk factor. An interesting fact proving that it is not all genetic is that an identical twin of an MS patient only has a 25% chance of also getting the condition. Initially blamed, vaccinations have been shown by most well conducted scientific studies to have no significant association with the development of MS. There are four main types of MS, but which exact type a person has is more related to whether it is intermittent in nature, or steadily progressive. In most cases, the symptoms are not constant. They may wax and wane or be somewhat intermittent in nature. hey will often be “quiet” or in remission much of the time, with occasional flares or “exacerbations.” Stress or a general illness may trigger such a flare. The goal of treatment is to manage these exacerbations by limiting them in both frequency and severity. During remission, many people are on no meds at all, or very minimal. When an exacerbation occurs, high dose steroids can often be used to calm down the CNS inflammation that is likely the cause of the flare – then returning the patient to the remission state. As MS is an immune system disease, the most common drug therapies are immune modulators or suppressant drugs. As these medicines do work to “calm down” the “self-attacking” immune system, one can imagine that some of the side effects will have to do with making one more susceptible to other illnesses or infections. They do, in most cases, limit the severity of flares and their frequency. Many patients in earlier stages of the disease may only experience one or two flares a year. The prognosis is particularly good if found and treated early, one is an otherwise healthy patient, and also if one has the relapsing type (versus progressive). Alternative therapies may include nutritional supplements, Yoga, increased mindfulness/ relaxation, and medical cannabis. In the State of Georgia, severe MS is one of the indications for low THC (< 5%) CBD Oil.

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” – Glenn Close

If you have been having some issues, and relate to the symptoms above, do not necessarily assume the worst at first. But, as always, see your physician or provider with any of your health and wellness concerns. More good information can be obtained from the National MS Society website, including this useful brochure you may download for free: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/ media/MSNationalFiles/Brochures/Brochure-What-Is-MS.pdf 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. If you use Twitter, then follow us for health tips and wellness advice @rabundoctor, and on Facebook see the page rabundoctor. Until next month, live healthy and be well! August 2020 - GML

Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates, Inc. By Dr. Amanda Pileski, PHD

he Mental Health Task Force of Rabun was making progress toward the establishment of a mental health non-profit center / training site for clinicians until the global pandemic interfered in March. The pandemic, however, was not our only challenge. We proposed a model of a non-profit to offset the cost of therapy, benevolent participation of therapists willing to accept reduced fees and provide free supervision to clinicians in training, and the contribution of public space at the Health Department as a means to address the shortage of mental health services in Rabun. In my mind, this was a creative solution by the Mental Health Task Force to incentivize therapists to practice in Rabun and provide affordable and accessible services to the community. Some county commissioners, however, thought it would be upsetting to the community for therapists to be paid for their services while using public space. Establishing GMPA and Recruiting Interns

I finally realized this was something I needed to personally pursue if I wanted to see it happen, and COVID-19 only seemed to increase the urgent need for services. As a result, I incorporated Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates and was awarded 501(c)(3) tax code status at the beginning of June. I rented three offices in town, furnished them, and began training two interns to begin the expansion of services. Lauren Shuman is the new counselor at Rabun County Primary School, and she is a doctoral student practicing under my supervision 10-12 hours per week. She holds a masters (M.Ed.) and Specialist degree (Ed.S.) in Counselor Education. Mandy Kuntz will also be joining us in late August as an internship requirement for her bachelor’s degree in Counseling specializing in Addiction Recovery. Ms. Kuntz plans to graduate May 2021 and gain supervised hours to become a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC II). I have another early career clinician in mind for a part-time or fulltime position (20-40 hrs), but we are still in talks about her career future. Interns will be under their supervising clinician’s license and individual practice, and all Rabun County clinicians are invited to participate with the non-profit. As of now, Sunny Volano, LPC is another participating licensed clinician, and Suzanne Scott is a Spiritual/Christian counselor for those seeking religious based counseling. Although Ms. Scott is not a licensed counselor, she is pursuing chaplain certification training. GMPA – Replication of an Existing Non-profit Counseling Model GMPA replicates the model of a counseling center in Highlands, North Carolina that allows all practitioners to remain independent. The model is composed of licensed practitioners providing benevolence of accepting ½ their fee composed of a copay (if applicable) and funds subsidized by the non-profit. Insurance is also accepted by most clinicians. *No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay, and the discounted/ sliding fee schedule is

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provided by the National Health Service Corp. This provision should also provide the opportunity for student loan reimbursement of clinicians based on Rabun County’s Health Professional Shortage Area status. *Although individuals are not turned away due to inability to pay, availability is based on clinician caseload openings and appointments are scheduled in advance. This is not a crisis clinic. If you or someone you know is in crisis and cannot wait for an appointment, please go to your nearest emergency room or call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at 800-715-4225. Progress to Date We are waiting to hear back about a 75k initiation grant we applied for with Georgia State University in May. Additionally, we received three charitable donations from individual citizens and the Lake Rabun Association. Compared to the total lack of a community mental health clinic prior to this project, I think we are on the right track. However, this growth is going to be a slow process based on the limited number of clinicians and interns I have office space for at 281 Highway 441 South. Also, this initial period will require training of clinicians. Ms. Shuman is currently accepting clients, and her schedule is quickly filling. Ms. Kuntz as a bachelors level clinician, however, will require training before she is ready to independently conduct sessions and carry a caseload with continued supervision. Essentially, I am asking the community to remain patient with us during this time. Increased publicity of our services has led to an influx of requests for services, and we are diligently trying to meet the growing need. However, please keep in mind this is a start-up non-profit with limited funding, limited providers, and limited space to provide services. Our current board is composed of Jessica Ward (President/Rabun County Middle School Counselor), Jessica Robinson (Treasurer/Rabun County Sheriff’s Dept.), and Shayna Cheek (Secretary/Rabun County Department of Family and Children Services). We will continue to build a professional board and seek guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and non-profit executives. If you feel you have expertise to offer in areas of fundraising, grant writing, or other non-profit knowledge, please contact me at admin@gamtnpsych.org. If you are interested in learning more about our services or providing a tax deductible, charitable contribution, please see our website at gamtnpsych.org.

Dr. Amanda Howard Pileski received a bachelors 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, and in private practice. In addition to her private practice in Rabun, she also provides geriatric psychological services to several Pruitt Health locations in North Georgia. Dr. Pileski is a strong generalist, but also specializes in treating eating disorders and bariatric surgery patients. She strives to help others know the joy and empowerment of living mindfully and appreciatively with food and their bodies. For an appointment, contact Dr. Pileski @ 404-291-4018

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4 Ways to Help Nurses During the Coronavirus Pandemic

merica’s nurses are on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus, providing safe, quality, compassionate and nondiscriminatory care to those they serve, many of whom are doing so at significant risk to their own well-being. The American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, created the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses to provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and databased information to nurses serving on the front lines. “Nurses always answer the call to serve their patients, communities and country during times of crisis,” said American Nurses Foundation Chair Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EdD, ScD (h), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS. “As we confront the new and emerging challenges of this pandemic, nurses are and will continue serving on the front lines in extraordinary ways.” To show your support during this uncertain time, consider taking part in these four key actions: 1. Text THANKS to 20222 to donate $10. One of the easiest ways to directly support nurses is to donate $10 to the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses, spread the word to others using the hashtag #ThanksNurses, and visit ThanksNurses.org. 2. Stay home. Only leave home for essentials and maintain a safe distance from other people. 3. Wash your hands. Frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing. It is also important to wash your hands after going out in public and touching items that others may have come in contact with such as doors, shopping carts or credit card readers. 4. Follow local guidelines. Seek guidance from local public health officials, such as those at your county health department. Nurses are reliable and proven responders during infectious disease emergencies, providing essential care where it is needed most. Following simple steps like these can go a long way toward keeping people healthy. Donations will help provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and data-based information to benefit nurses. Visit ThanksNurses.org to learn more. About the Support Fund The American Nurses Foundation’s Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses is a nationwide effort to provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and data-based resources to benefit nurses. The Johnson & Johnson company and its TYLENOL brand made a $1.5 million commitment to launch this fund. A portion of the donations will help support Nurses House, Inc., a national fund for registered nurses in need. The American Nurses Foundation is partnering with this organization to help nurses affected by COVID-19. Nurses who are unable to work due to COVID-19 infection, are caring for a family member with COVID-19 or are under mandatory quarantine can submit an application for assistance. Photo courtesy of Getty Images - (Family

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Features)

“The ingredients of health and long life are great temperance, open-air, easy labor, and little care.” — Philip Sydney

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The Blue Ridge Railroad Or How John C. Calhoun Almost Transformed Rabun County By Dick Cinquina

1903 Excursion Train in Tiger

t was a grand vision of economic development cut short by the Civil War. That is the story of the Blue Ridge Railroad.

No freight cars ever ran through its roadbed and long tunnels, the remnants of which are still visible in Rabun County and South Carolina. The Blue Ridge was never completed, making Rabun County wait another half century before a railroad opened it to the rest of the world. Promoted by South Carolina Firebrand The Blue Ridge was promoted by former U.S. Vice President and South Carolina firebrand John C. Calhoun in the 1830s. He wanted a railroad to connect Charleston with the Tennessee River at Knoxville and then run to the Ohio River at Cincinnati. This route over the Appalachians to the Ohio Valley would funnel lucrative western trade to Charleston’s docks and warehouses.

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Rail lines already connected Charleston with Anderson, S.C. and Knoxville with Cincinnati. What was missing was a 195mile link between Anderson and Knoxville. Completing that link would create the Blue Ridge Railroad. Battling Over Planned Route Wrangling over the route of this link delayed the start of construction for over a decade. Calhoun wanted the route to pass through a mountain gap in Rabun County called Rabun Gap. Welcoming this plan were Rabunites Henry T. Mozeley and James Bleckley. Mozeley was one of the incorporators in the Blue Ridge Railroad’s Georgia Charter of 1838. Bleckley was a director of the group. Calhoun’s fellow South Carolina Senator, Robert Y. Hayne, who was president of the corporation in charge of the state’s share of the railroad, wanted the Blue Ridge to pass through

Carolina before arriving in Knoxville. Tunnels and Stone Culverts The Blue Ridge was built on the premise that the added expense of a first-class roadbed would be offset by lower track maintenance and train operating costs. Instead of using flimsy, high-maintenance wooden trestles, creeks and chasms would be crossed by using enormous stone masonry culverts covered with massive earthen fills. Rather than curving around mountains, the Blue Ridge would tunnel straight through them. In Rabun County, there were to be only two bridges. All other streams were to flow through the stone culverts. More than 2,000 laborers, including many Irish immigrants, took part in this monumental undertaking. The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel northwest of Walhalla, S.C., was planned to be 5,863-feet long, making it the longest tunnel in the world at that time. Workers manually chiseling and blasting with black powder (dynamite was not yet invented) from opposite ends of the tunnel came within 12 feet of meeting when work was halted in 1859 due to the onset of the Civil War.

Map of proposed Blue Ridge Railroad route

Dick’s Creek and Warwoman Tunnels The Dick’s Creek Tunnel through Wall Mountain in Rabun County was to be 2,421 feet long. Roughly 60% of the tunnel was completed by 1858 when its contractor went bankrupt. The entrance to the east end of the tunnel is in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The west end is not accessible to the public.

Asheville along the French Broad River and then proceed to Knoxville. Rabun County Route Selected Calhoun eventually won the battle to run the Blue Ridge through Rabun County, it being a more direct and less expensive route. Nearly $5 million was raised, primarily from South Carolina investors, to finance construction of the route from Anderson to Rabun Gap. Work began in 1854, four years after Calhoun’s death. It was scheduled for completion in 1859.

Only 545 feet of the Warwoman Tunnel’s 1,954-foot total length was completed by 1859 when work on it was halted. Legend has it that a cave-in killed 40 Irish immigrant workers

Clayton Railroad Station The planned route from Anderson passed through three tunnels in South Carolina before crossing the Chattooga River near Sandy Ford. The tracks would continue through two more tunnels in Rabun County: the Dick’s Creek Tunnel near present day Warwoman and Saddle Gap roads and Warwoman Tunnel near Warwoman Dell. A railroad station was planned for Clayton. The tracks would then head north through Rabun Gap, where it would follow the Little Tennessee River into the western North

Northwest entrance of Dick’s Creek Tunnel August 2020 - GML

If the Blue Ridge Railroad had been completed, Rabun County would have been transformed dramatically long before the Tallulah Falls Railroad came to town. Instead, the county had to wait another 50 years for the benefits of a railroad. Ironically, this half-century wait resulted from the secessionist and pro-slavery stances advocated by the Blue Ridge’s greatest promoter, John C. Calhoun.

Blue Ridge Railroad bridge pier along Warwoman Creek who remain buried in the tunnel. No physical evidence remains of this tunnel.

Learn more about our history by becoming a member of the Rabun County Historical Society. Membership and complete information about the Society are available at www.rabunhistory.org. Our museum at 81 N. Church St. in Clayton is open 10-2 every Monday and Friday and admission is free. You also can visit us on Facebook. The Society is a not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, making your membership dues and donations fully tax deductible.

In addition to the two tunnels, 23 stone culverts and one bridge abutment have been found in Rabun County. The fact that these structures are standing after nearly 170 years is testimony to the quality of their construction. Stones were meticulously cut and fit so tightly that no mortar was required. Civil War Halts Construction The growing threat of the Civil War brought all work on the Blue Ridge Railroad to a halt in 1859. By that time, approximately 80% of the roadbed, culverts and tunnels had been completed. Since the contractors believed work would resume after the war, construction tools were stored for safekeeping in the unfinished tunnels. A number of plans were hatched after the war to resurrect the Blue Ridge. Most notably, in the 1890s, Albert E. Boone, a railroad promoter, advocated building the Black Diamond Railroad from the Ohio Valley through Rabun Gap to the Atlantic Coast. His line would incorporate portions of the Blue Ridge roadbed. Nothing came of Boone’s plan or any of the other schemes to finish the Blue Ridge. Tallulah Falls Railroad The rail line that did come to Rabun County was the Tallulah Falls Railroad. Starting in Cornelia, Ga., the TF came to Tallulah Falls in 1882 and was later extended through the county in the early 1900s before reaching its terminus in Franklin, N.C. The TF was built on portions of the defunct Blue Ridge Railroad’s right-of-way through Rabun County.

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Stumphouse Tunnel

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Farm to Table