LAUREL of Northeast Georgia - January 23

LAUREL of Northeast Georgia

Sharing the Mountains

Welcome laurel of Northeast Georgia

Hey,

Celebrating a New Year is worldwide tradition with the first recorded celebration occurring in 2000 BC in Mesopotamia. So for at least 4022 years people have had a reason to celebrate the hope of a new year and a fresh start. Do you think they made resolutions to eat better (they didn’t have the temptation that Oreos brings), exercise more (they walked a lot more than we do), be more mindful (no electronics and television to distract) or to get organized (bet they didn’t have a storage unit or cluttered closet)? I am betting they were just happy to have survived the past year and had hope for they might make it another one. Makes you realize how thankful we should be. This is the first issue of our 20th year. When two women decided they would create a magazine that could offer their advertisers so much more than they were getting from the current media sources, the Laurel was born. Our magazine which started as Rabun’s Laurel has evolved over twenty years to include our neighboring counties. This has allowed us to carry your message further and let you know about what each town has to offer. It has been a win-win. Twenty years of making you laugh, cry, think and support local businesses and we’ve enjoyed doing it. This year you’ll notice a celebratory logo representing this milestone and you’ll find a “flashback” article in each issue. It may be something from our ol’ friend Tony Wheeler, who we miss so much or Janie P. who left such a mark on all of our lives. We might share an article from Jean Emhart who went into the homes of locals to garner great recipes to share with you or we might resurrect Racky the Raccoon. It’ll be fun to revisit these old articles and great memories. We are like the Mesopotamians, happy to have survived another year and looking forward with renewed hope for a happy and thriving 2023. We hope the same for you. We’ll eat the best we can, squeezing in an Oreo here and there. We’ll vow to walk more and sit less, to make time for the things that are important and do good every chance we get. You are all a blessing to us and we thank you for your continued support.

Happy New Year! ` Tracy

A worthy New Year’s resolution, perhaps, is to take no hatred into the New Year without requiring it to restate its purpose.

Robert Brault

Finding Art

On Our Cover - Pamela Martin & Casablanca Photography

Iam continually amazed at the people I meet. People who have these incredible stories and who have lived interesting lives. Even people who have saved or improved lives, like our cover artist Pamela Martin.

Today, Pam is the owner of Casablanca Photography and she has the perfect photography studio above Gallery 441 in the Heart of Dillard. She has a heart of gold and provides affordable photos for everyone, of their family, children, and pets. “I am in a really good place,” Pam told me when I visited, sharing her studio sofa for an hour or so. “The world is chaotic but life is good for me.”

I was interested to know more about this talented photographer, so I started at the beginning. Her father, a Navy Aerial Photographer, from Atlanta, Georgia met her mother, a school teacher, from North Carolina. The family moved where her father’s job took them, but there were always cameras aplenty, and often a basement darkroom. Landing back in Atlanta, Pam set her sights on an education in medical laboratory science. She attended the University of Georgia, DeKalb College, and Georgia State University, earning degrees in laboratory science, ultimately attaining a Clinical Laboratory Scientist degree, with a Specialty in Hematology. She was offered a job managing the lab at a cancer clinic, the beginning of a medical laboratory career that would span 32 years.

Pam, herself is a two time cancer survivor. Studying leukemias and performing clinical labs is important work and she dedicated many years to it. She worked with large laboratories like LabCorp and Quest. She worked for small doctor’s offices. She even was trained as an exotic species specialist so she could “read the blood” of elephants, tigers, and bears. Oh My! So you see why I said you never know someone’s story and how they have impacted the world.

How did this lady end up an artist and photographer? Let’s tie this all together. Knowing day after day that behind these slides were human beings with husbands and wives, children and grandchildren is hard. The stress of knowing that based on her findings, a leukemia diagnosis would be delivered to someone, left her needing a release. She turned to art. Late at night, Pam would paint, sometimes all night. It was good for her heart and mind. She showed some to her patients when they came for their chemotherapy appointments. She would bring her camera to work and take photos of them before they lost their hair (or sometimes after). She had learned much from her father and she was gifted with her camera. Her photos led to her being asked to photograph a wedding for a couple, which led to more wedding photography, which led to portraits, you get the picture.

“Soon I had a side-gig going and I really enjoyed it. I could take my teenagers with me and they could act as a second shooter and help me in many ways. It put a little money in their pockets too.”

Pam had been following a professional photographer on social media, Doug Gordon. He is one of the top wedding and portrait photographers in the world. Pam entered an essay contest to win a free class with Doug.

40 essays were chosen, and Pam’s name was on the list! Soon she travelled to New York, and studied alongside photographers from Aruba, France, and Canada! At PPI conventions, she has taken classes from the best photographers in the fields of wedding photography, portrait posing and lighting, boudoir photography. “My time with other professional photographers, like Doug Gordon, Jerry Ghionis, Sue Brice, Bambi Cantrell, has shaped who I am as a photographer. It transformed my photos into an art form all its own,” she stated. Having retired from her medical career, she dedicated her time to learning photography and putting into practice what she learned. Eventually finding her way to Rabun County brought love again and the joy of having the freedom to do life her way. Pam says, “All I want now is to live in the mountains. I live simply, keeping my life uncluttered, and it feels good.” The smile and glow affirm that what she is saying is true. “I charge $10 to take a basic portrait. Not long after moving to Rabun I met a homeless woman who was living in her car with her child. She had never had photos made of her child, she couldn’t afford professional photos. I took photos of her child at the Community Market for $10, and she was so overjoyed! I think every mother should have good photos of her kids. So I decided that I would have a $10 photo option, accessible for everyone.”

Pam has become very proficient at turning her photography into digital art. Enhancing an already great photograph can truly take it to the next level. One of her digital masterpieces, “Oyster Bar, Grand Central Station”, is exhibited in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Pam’s art on canvas reflects life around her, so lately much is based on the beauty of our mountains. “I try to make every image a work of art. When I’m not working on photos of people, I’m joyfully capturing the beauty of God’s world. It’s all around us, if we only have eyes that see. I hope you see the beauty of God’s handiwork in my art.”

Her art is available for viewing or purchase at Gallery 441 in The Heart of Dillard located at 6795 US Highway 441, Dillard, Georgia. Call to schedule studio time with Pam or to talk about your photo or art needs, 770-843-8898. You can view her work on Facebook @CasablancaPhotographyGeorgia

Michael on the Map - 2022 Year in Review

Greetings and Happy New Year, my friends! To those of you who followed my adventures throughout Southern Appalachia in 2022, I want to thank you for coming along for the ride. I ended up having more fun than I could have imagined at the onset of Michael on the Map, chronicling my travels each month as the serendipitous informant in me emerged in palpable form in hopes that our readers may follow in my footsteps and experience somewhere or something new. Or revisit places you may have already been, as to create new memories to coexist alongside those of times past.

And so, in 2022 I put a lot of miles on my (mostly) trusty green Jeep, ambling the countryside to my sweeping songbook of music that has made the soundtrack of my life; immersing my self in the small cities and hamlets of North Georgia and western North and South Carolina, meeting the locals who make up these unique areas.

I met the most colorful cast of characters who provided never ending entertainment as I visited an endless array of places spread across a 7-county radius, but let’s begin this recap in the forests of these areas, where I met fewer people and instead took in the beauty of nature’s wild. And let’s start with waterfalls.

I have been infatuated with waterfalls since I was a child. I was also infatuated with skyscrapers, so clearly, I identified with both the City Mouse and the Country Mouse (remember that childhood book anyone?). After many hikes with my parents and brother to these unspoiled splendors in my youth, when I was at last a teenager and able to drive – for our annual summer trip to North Carolina – I made myself a map of waterfalls I had not yet visited and got in the car took to the road. A premonition of things to come?

As there were no cell phone map apps or GPS systems yet, I remember this worrying my parents, but I could not be stopped. I needed to see. And so, for this series, I saw many more. I took short hikes to smaller falls and longer hikes to larger ones. There is something about the energy of these natural wonders that stirs me. Bring it, negative ions!

Beyond my treks to crashing cascades, I also scrambled to the summit of a painted craggy mountaintop, which offered what was once dubbed “the grandest view in America”. I enjoyed other mountain vistas and their accompanying valleys from sce-

tower). I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail. I visited “the Crown Jewel of the Southeast”. I saw the landscape and penned my journeys right here in The Laurel of Northeast Georgia.

As for the characters that I came upon and who shared their stories and spoke of local myths and legends, I met my cast in the most eccentric grouping of settings. Working farms, retro campgrounds, historic boarding schools turned whitewater outfitters, history museums, antique car museums, antique malls, art studios, breweries, distilleries, former speakeasies, historic cemeteries… These places turned the ghosts of the past into the telltales of today.

Some highlights for me were exploring an abandoned railroad tunnel (which maintains a constant internal temperature), traversing to the base of “the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi’ (1200 steps to the bottom), and riding in a vintage wood boat, imagining myself in 1940’s Jantzen swim trunks; Sammy Kaye or Dinah Shore singing on the portable RCA.

Speaking of portability, after forging all these adventures and creating all these new experiences, where can I take myself next? And what can I do and see to add to my ongoing story? I hope you’ll join me this year to find out as Michael on the Map plays Pin the Tail on the Donkey to find out for myself.

Until next month, fellow travelers, I hope your New Year is off to a great start, that you discover new music (or a new hobby), and that you are ready for your next adventure. With that, I will leave you – for our first meeting in 2023 – with The Beatles: “Roll up, roll up for the Mystery Tour… The Magical Mystery Tour is coming to take you away.”

Bethel and Co., LLC – Where Experience Counts!

It was 1970 when Graham Bethel graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Accounting and married Penny Sutton. He went on to work for the Auditor General of the State of Florida. While serving as a lieutenant in the US Army, Graham worked as an internal auditor in Internal Review Dept. at Fort Gordon, and upon completion of service went on to work with George C Baird & Co – a local CPA firm in Augusta, Georgia.

In early 1975, he went on to become a Certified Public Accountant and in June of that same year opened his own accounting practice in the mountain town of Clayton, Georgia. His wife Penny Sutton Bethel joined with him in the practice in 1978 and became a CPA in 1988. They had four daughters who have all at one time or another worked at Bethel & Co and are still working in the accounting profession in one way or another. Penny passed away from breast cancer in the fall of 1996. Their daughter Elizabeth joined Bethel & Company after graduating from Valdosta State University in 2003 with a BBA in Accounting. She currently serves as Tax and Accounting Manager in the firm.

January kicks off the busiest time of year for Bethel and Company which offers services in income tax preparation and other accounting services for individuals as well as businesses. When not working, Graham and his wife Janine Patterson Bethel (retired from teaching at UGA) enjoy church, family activities and volunteering in the community at First Impressions clothing ministry. Graham also plays trombone with a local group known as the Pinnacle Brass but has stepped back from playing with the Toccoa Orchestra in which he played for over 30 years. When not running numbers, Elizabeth can be found supporting local and foreign church missions, serving as treasurer and volunteering for Clayton Merchants & Business Association, Inc. and traveling and spending time with her family.

The Bethels could not have thought of a better place to raise a family and start a business than Rabun County. The people of Rabun make this location wonderful and the view just adds to it. They thank the people of Rabun County for the business, friendship and support that have had since 1975.

Ghost Apothecary

Ghost Apothecary – the newest addition to Main Street Clayton – is located just across from Universal Joint. Dedicated to restorative rituals and remedies., don’t let the shop name or motto spook you! The goal of this space is to provide a beautifully curated selection of products that can quell life’s stresses and lift your spirits.

You’ll find teas that lull you to sleep, candles whose fragrances can change the landscape of the room, or even just a humorous sticker that makes you smile. With a special focus on small businesses. merchandise is sourced from places as local as Tiger, Georgia to those as exotic as Kyoto, Japan. For many visitors, some products may seem unfamiliar. However, this unique shop is outfitted with a team of docents; an attentive staff that effortlessly guides you to the perfect gift for yourself or others.

The concept for Ghost Apothecary began in 2020 during the isolation of the early pandemic when owner Dave Ranney stepped away from the world of corporate advertising and decided to chase his dream. As a human living in these stressful times, Dave wanted to create a place where kindred spirits could find both non-medicinal aids as well as openly discuss what so many of us live with every day. And with plans of expanding into their second story in mid-2023, there is much more in store for Ghost!

Keep up to date with all of their products, events, and more; follow them on Instagram @ghost.apothecary

112 N Main Clayton, GA 30525

OPEN THURS-MON

Bon Appétit -

BRRRR – It’s Winter Scarlett Cook

I write this the weather report is for really, really cold temperatures and maybe some snow. These recipes use items you have in your cabinets and will warm you up, even if the thermometer says it’s cold. So check your cabinets and stock up on any staples that you need and start that new book that you received as a gift and stay warm.

As

Cornmeal Waffles with Spicy Pinto Beans Serves 6

1 1/2 Cups self rising cornmeal

1 1/2 Cups self rising flour

1/4 Cup sugar

3 Large eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 Cups milk

1/4 Cup melted margarine

Spicy pinto beans – recipe below

Garnishes: chopped green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream or salsa

Spray with no-stick cooking spray and preheat waffle iron.

Combine cornmeal, flour and sugar.

Combine eggs, milk and margarine.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients just until moistened.

Bake in preheated waffle iron and top with drained spicy pintos and your choice of garnishes.

Spicy Pinto Beans Serves

6

1 Pound dried pinto beans

5 Cups water

6 Slices of finely chopped bacon

1 Large onion

1/2 Green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons salt

1 Teaspoon black pepper

Sort and rinse beans. Place in a Dutch oven (or large saucepan) and cover with enough water that reaches at least 2” over top of the beans.

Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat; cover and let stand for at least one hour.

Drain beans and return to pot with 5 cups of water and remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

1/2 Cup sour cream

1/3 Cup salsa

4 Large eggs

Mexican Omelet Serves

2

2 Teaspoons margarine

1 Tablespoon milk, divided

1/4 Cup cooked and crumbled bacon, divided 1/4 Cup chopped tomato

1/4 Cup chopped green chilies, drained 1/4 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Combine sour cream and salsa in a small pan and heat over low heat.

Beat 2 eggs and half of milk and set aside. Heat a 6” skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter and swirl pan to coat.

Add egg mixture to skillet; when mixture starts to cook, lift edges of omelet and tilt pan to that uncooked portion flows underneath.

Sprinkle with half of the bacon, tomato, chilies and cheese. Fold in half and place on serving plate. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients. Serve with sour cream/salsa mixture.

Peanut Butter Pie Serves

6

1 – 8 Ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 Cup shifted powdered sugar

1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 Cup milk

1 – 8 Ounce carton, frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 Chocolate flavored pie crust

1/4 Cup finely chopped peanuts

Beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth; add sugar and peanut butter and beat well. Add milk and beat until smooth.

Fold in whipped topping and spoon into crust. Sprinkle with peanuts and freeze until firm.

Greenway

Adventure Out

Tallulah Gorge State Park

By Peter McIntosh

Well 2023 is finally here with an eye to the future and a better year ahead. Many of us resolve to get out and get more exercise and with that in mind we’re going to revisit one of my favorite places to restart a walking/hiking regimen, Tallulah Gorge State Park. At this beautiful natural resource where you can hike as much or as little as you see fit...or unfit as the case may be.

There’s a lot to see and do here. If you’re not familiar with the park, I suggest you talk with the friendly rangers at the information desk and pick up a free map. There’s also a nice gift shop here should you want to pick up a souvenir after your adventure.

From the visitors center we start out on the North Rim Trail, and what a trail it is, it’s made of shredded recycled tires, soft, spongy and a delight to walk on. I take a left at Overlook #3 which provides a spectacular view of L’Eau d’Or (Water of Gold) Falls hundreds of

feet below. Soon the entrance to the stairway, which leads down into the gorge, comes into view. There are two signs at the top of the stairs warning of the strenuous journey ahead. 310, that’s the number of steps required to reach the remarkable suspension bridge which spans the gorge high above Hurricane Falls. From platform to platform, the stairway twists and turns through a beautiful forest, taking you lower and lower into the gorge, and before you know it, the suspension bridge appears through the trees. From the bridge you can look down upon the top of Hurricane Falls, 80 feet below. To see the base of the falls, you need to cross the gently bouncing bridge and take another set of stairs, 222 in all, down to a viewing platform. The view from here is beautiful but do keep in mind that for every step you take down, you’ll have to take another back up. To explore the gorge further from this point you need a permit, which are issued by the rangers at the interpretive center. Now we climb out of the

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

Elijah

gorge via a third set of steps, this one seemed endless, that leads to the South Rim Trail. This stairway is tough to be sure with 347 steps, but there are several benches, conveniently spaced, to stop and catch your breath. If you hike from the North Rim down to the bridge, then down to the lower platform, and then back up to the South Rim, you’ve taken 1,097 steps. Take a load off, you’ve earned it. Continuing along the south rim there are several more overlooks providing even more scenic splendor. These viewing spots are especially fun because now you can see where you’ve been, including a look at Hurricane Falls from above. If you’d rather hike up than down, look on the map for Inspiration Point, the views from this high overlook are spectacular.

Kaiya Harris

Peter McIntosh teaching. (Photo by Carson Sprinkle)

Skyler Bruce

Ashley McClellon

Macey Willis

Kassidy Smith

Sydney Roberts

And this article is also a chance to show off the gifted work of the students at the North Georgia Technical College School of Photography. Every fall semester, I have the privilege of speaking to the students about the fundamentals of backcountry photography and I assign them a location to practice these tips and tricks. I’d like to say I’m a really good teacher but I think it’s more that the NGTC Photo School is a great program and these students are very talented. And an added plus is their caring and knowledgeable

instructors, lead Melissa Henderson. Congratulations to both the students and teachers on a job well done! Enjoy their work and happy hiking!

Hear ye, hear ye, my first poem of 2023: Let’s get those hiking shoes out of storage, And set out on an adventure to Tallulah Gorge. From high overlooks where the birds may be singing, Or down into the gorge where the suspension bridge is swinging.

Getting there: Tallulah Gorge State Park is located about 12 miles south of Clayton and is accessed via Jane Hurt Yarn Road off of US Hwy 441, just north of the Tallulah Gorge bridge.

Tallulah Gorge State Park: https://gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge Phone: 705-754-7981

North Georgia Technical College Photography Program: https://northgatech.edu/programs-of-study/photography

To see more of Peter’s photos of if you have a question or comment: www.mcintoshmountains.com

Kailey Chitwood

Anayeli

Ramirez

Nikki Bladowski

Caitlin Flowers

Firmly Rooted Flower Farming Lessons

By Tori Carver

As we enter a new year, I am sure many of us are reflecting on the past year as we make plans for the next. I’m of the opinion that we must analyze what went right, what went wrong, and what we want to completely forget so we can continually learn and improve.

The flower farmer side of me uses this time to analyze flower crops and growing practices. What I’ve learned, what I NEED to learn, and what I WANT to learn. I also consider which crops were successes, which ones needed improvement, and which ones were complete failures and should be removed from our planting program. Were they failures because they don’t grow well in our climate or were they failures because of mistakes I made?

Mistakes in flower farming are an odd thing. Unlike mistakes that can be remedied quickly like taking a wrong turn while driving, or mistakes that can be corrected “next” time, like a recipe gone amiss, mistakes in gardening or farming generally take an entire year to correct. For instance, if I make a mistake planting tulips, I have to wait an entire year to try again because tulip bulbs can only be planted in the Fall. If I plant all my peonies too deep, I have to wait a year (or more) to realize my mistake and remedy it.

My first season, I planted sweet peas in early spring. By the time they started to bloom, the warm temperatures arrived and they fizzled out in a matter of days. (If anyone’s grandmother grew sweet peas, they may recall sweet peas do not fare well in hot temperatures). The next year I

Victoria (Tori) Carver is a flower farmer. From the thousand bulbs and plants that she puts in the ground each year she creates lovely bouquets. Many enjoy her flowers in their home each week. She has established a subscription program for her customers or a honor-system bouquet sales for random purchases. Tori and her husband and children make their home in Clayton, where they are a treasured part of the community. If you are interested in Firmly Rooted Flower Farm please reach out by email to firmlyrootedflowerfarm@gmail.com or phone 706-490-0041.

You will also enjoy their website at www.firmlyrootedflowerfarm.com

planted them in the Fall and the following spring they took off like gangbusters.

While it may seem like getting my sweet peas right was a happy ending, it is not that simple. I agonized and stressed over the time and money I spent on a crop that failed before I could reap the harvest. You see, my personality does not lend itself to readily accept mistakes. I am a perfectionist and a rule follower to my core. If the seed packet says plant in spring and it’s ninety days to maturity, then I plant my seeds in spring and fully expect there to be a bloom on every single plant in ninety days. Period. Oh my, the many lessons I have learned in the past three years.

First and foremost, I am learning not to be so hard on myself. I am not perfect and never will be. Only Jesus was perfect, and I’m not Him. I am learning that I have limitations and it is perfectly okay. I am learning to relax a little and enjoy the experience. I am learning to give myself a little grace when I mess something up or I don’t get everything on my to-do list completed. Truth be told, I generally put more on the list than I could accomplish in a month’s time anyways, so I count the completed items as a victory!

So as a recovering perfectionist, I would like to encourage each of you to look ahead to the new year with hope and joy and a little optimism. Mistakes will happen and things won’t always go as planned, but there is so much beauty in the learning. Let’s give more grace and kindness to ourselves and to others, and above all, let’s enjoy this one beautiful and precious life.

Our Hidden Gem

Even folks who have lived here all their lives may not know a whole lot about one of our most treasured assets and a vital part of our cultural heritage… The Hambidge Center. Tucked away, back off the beaten path, and intentionally kept private for the sake of the artist residents’ creative integrity, The Hambidge Center is a wonderful, inspirational place that Rabun Countians should be proud to have in their community, even if it is a bit of a mystery. And with the upcoming addition of The Antinori Village to the Hambidge property, designed to bring the “Hambidge experience” to a wider audience, this amazing retreat will have even more to offer, and we are so glad to be a part of it! But for those who may be unaware of who they are and what they bring to our neighborhood, I hope this article will help you see what a fantastic place the Hambidge Center is and how much its history and mission means to the current culture and success of art and artists in the Southern Appalachians.

One of the first artist communities in the U.S., the Hambidge Center was created in 1934 by Mary Hambidge, who established the artist enclave and sustainable farm in memory of her artist partner, Jay Hambidge. A talented weaver herself, in the early days Mary employed local women to create exceptional weavings that would one day be featured in many exhibits, including the Smithsonian and MoMA. Mary believed unreservedly in the power and beauty of nature to inspire and sustain the creative spirit, and she later broadened the scope of the Center by inviting artists for extended stays. After her death in 1973, the Center evolved into a formal and competitive residency program open to creative individuals from all walks of life. The residency program is self-directed, honors the creative process, and trusts individuals to know what they need to cultivate their talent, whether it’s to work and produce, to think, to experiment or to rejuvenate.

The Rock House at the Hambidge Center

Mary & Jay Hambidge (Hambidge Center archive)

The Hambidge Center offers a potent recipe for the inspiration of creativity: intense creative focus, natural beauty, solitude, conversation, and radical freedom. Residents - and future workshop attendees - are given time and space to focus on their creative pursuits while being nurtured by the beauty of 600 forested acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. They are allowed to experiment and given the latitude to fail, while being part of a small community of fellow creatives with whom they can discuss ideas, challenges and successes.

In the next step of their evolution, the Hambidge Center has begun construction of a workshop facility, the Antinori Village, in order to offer immersive creative learning to a wider audience. Creative

workshops will be offered at the Antinori Village beginning in 2023. Presenting on a wide variety of topics, these classes will be small - 8-10 people - and will facilitate deep learning, community building, and nurturing the creative spirit.

There are plenty of things going on at The Hambidge Center, even for the general public. They offer a variety of public events including grist mill demonstrations and nature hikes. On the 1st Saturday of every month, 1-4pm, the millers at Hambidge’s Barker’s Creek Mill give demonstrations of the water-powered grist mill, stone-grinding corn into grits and cornmeal. And, educational nature hikes led by a variety of experts along Hambidge trails are hosted almost monthly. There is also a gallery where the resident artists display their amazing and original work for sale to the public. For more information on its fascinating history and all that the Hambidge Center has to offer, visit www.hambidge.org

Barkers Creek Mill at the Hambidge Center (by Peter McIntosh)

Antinori Village Under Construction (by Amanda Greene)

Rendering of the Upcoming Antinori Village

Artist and Hambidge Fellow, Lonnie Holley (by Amanda Greene)

The Significance of Our Words

By John Hutcheson Pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church

How many times have you said something to someone and then, either almost immediately or a short time later, you followed up with, “I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean that”? We have all been there for sure.

Sometimes we find it hard to believe or we are embarrassed that it came out of our mouth in the first place. Thus, we quickly try to retract it or excuse it away by saying we didn’t mean it. But the simple truth is, Jesus doesn’t let us off the hook so easily. In fact, He doesn’t let us off the hook at all.

In Matthew 12:34 Jesus says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Did you catch that? Our words, according to Jesus, come from our heart. So when we say something and then quickly try to retract it with, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” We really should be saying, according to the words of Jesus, “I’m sorry for saying what I was really thinking—what I really meant.” If it wasn’t in your heart in the first place, it wouldn’t have come out of your mouth, or through your fingers on the keyboard as the case may be.

Here’s another passage that drives this truth home even further. “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:43-45)

Once again, these are the words of Jesus, and here is the same phrase given by Jesus on a separate occasion to emphasize the reality that our words are a direct reflection of our heart. We cannot legitimately try to shirk the responsibility and accountability of our words by saying we didn’t mean them. We must own them. We must seek God’s forgiveness and that of the person we spoke to and/or against.

The analogy of a fruit tree that Jesus uses here in Luke 6 is stunningly clear. Just as there is a direct correlation between the roots of the tree (it’s DNA) and its overall health (good tree vs. bad tree) and the

type of fruit it produces, so there is a direct correlation between the heart of a person (ones spiritual DNA) and the spiritual health (good person vs. evil person) and type of fruit he or she produces.

We often try to blame our wrong words or actions on our circumstances or the people around us by saying, “If she hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have said that” or “If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have done that.” This is nothing more than our inner lawyer coming quickly to our defense to rationalize in our mind, and in the minds of others we hope, why we were justified in saying what we said or doing what we did.

But once again, Jesus isn’t buying it. He knows our hearts infinitely better than we do. In fact, this is precisely why He allowed this situation to occur in the first place—so our heart could be revealed through our response of our words and actions. You see, it is only through these moments that we get a glimpse of how bad our hearts can be. If these situations didn’t occur, we may not have these kinds of responses, and thus, we wouldn’t know the evil that is still lurking in our hearts that make us capable of saying or doing almost anything—even things we never imagined we could do. Hence the warning of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”

So these moments, painful, frustrating, embarrassing though they may be, are actually moments of grace—even when we speak or act/react wrongfully. Because in these moments, God in His mercy is allowing us to see where there is still evil in our hearts that needs to be repented of and growth needs to take place.

When you realize that you have acted wrongly or spoken inappropriately, humble yourself by asking God’s forgiveness and that of whomever was the object or observer of your wrong behavior. But then, thank God for allowing the moment to occur so you could get a glimpse of your heart and the work that still needs to be done.

Our words are significant because we use them every day, all throughout the day, and thus, we are constantly revealing our hearts. What are your words revealing about your heart?

John Hutcheson is the pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church. He grew up at Tabernacle while his dad, John Hutcheson, Sr., pastored it from 1977-2000. After high school, John moved away to prepare for ministry. This preparation included meeting and marrying Sarah, his helper in ministry, and completing a BA in Bible, an MS in Counseling, and an MA in Pastoral Studies. Prior to coming to Tabernacle in the Fall of 2015, he pastored in Ohio and served on church staffs in South Carolina and Missouri. John and Sarah have three girls: Hailey, McKenzie and Macy. His desire is to see people become God-exalting, Christ-loving, disciple-making believers.

A NEW YEAR AND A NEW YOU!

By Irene Bynum-Faith

nce again, Solasta Spa at Valhalla will host a collection of some of the best and most sought after holistic and alternative health and wellness practitioners and vendors in our area and the best thing is……. they will all be under one roof. Having been in the spa and wellness industry for 25 years, I have been fortunate to form alliances, learn and collaborate with some of the best in the wellness industry. It was my dream to bring together, giving North Georgia communities access to alternative health and wellness choices.

Last year, I proposed this idea to my owners at Valhalla and was pleasantly surprised that they also shared this vision, and they gave me the green light to move forward. We started planning our first Expo with hopes that we would have “some interest” and we were quickly overwhelmed with responses of those wanting to participate. Our first Expo hosted 23 vendors and practitioners with modalities ranging from yoga and movement, energy healing, sound therapies, functional medicine, naturopathy, organic foods, CBD, herbology, skincare, massage and lymphatic therapies, healthy smoothies, food and more. This year’s format will expand on that and we expect double the number. We have increased space for 35 vendors, and we are filling up fast.

I have been asked what to expect at the Expo? Last year we carefully planned how we thought the day would flow and we found it took on its own life. Attendees came and stayed on average for 2 – 3 hours as there was so much to experience. Some attendees stayed all day so that they could catch all the practitioners scheduled to lecture. We were pleasantly surprised at how guests wanted to take it all in. Carrying over from last year, we will have another lecture and break out schedule that will run for the day and this year we are honored to have Dr. Krishna Doniparthi of Functional Medicine of Georgia of Alpharetta, Georgia as our keynote speaker. Dr. Doniparthi is

Oboard certified in family medicine, obesity medicine and functional and regenerative medicine. He lectures nationally on various topics ranging from thyroid disorders, autism, vaccinations, regenerative medicine and more.

Some of our repeat vendors will be Holistic Mountain Market and their amazing smoothie machines, Cherica Voyles crystal accessories, Dosha Welch Energy Healer, Appalachian Growers, Susan Hill and The Angel Bridge, Darlene Green and Sound Therapy Healing, Societe’ Clinical Skin Care, Rejuvenate Therapies, LLC, Leanna Brewer, Reiki practitioner and LMT. A complete list of vendors and practitioners will be on our website so you can keep up with added vendors. Vendor applications are still available and can be obtained by contacting Solasta Spa spa@valhallaresorthotel.com or by calling 706/878-2200 ext. 503.

For more information on the 2nd Annual Holistic and Wellness Expo, visit our website at www.valhallaresorthotel.com and follow the prompts. Advance tickets to attend may also be purchased thru website and are available at $15 each. Groups of 6 or more $12 each. Tickets will be $20 at the door. Free tote bags to attendees while supplies last. The Expo hours are 10am – 5pm on Saturday February 4th at The Great Hall at Valhalla Resort in Helen. If you wish to make it a weekend, we are offering special overnight rates at the resort for guests and for vendors. Come visit, experience, taste and be energized!

Irene Bynum-Faith s a retired CND Master nail technician and is experienced in spa consulting and spa management with an emphasis on medical spas. Irene is a native of Rabun County, Georgia and served on the Rabun County School Board, Board of Directors for Rabun County Chamber where she was Board Chairman for two terms and Marketing Committee for the Tourism and Development Authority among other things. She is currently Spa Director at Solasta Spa at Valhalla where she plans to retire.

February 4th, 2023, plan to attend our 2nd Annual Holistic and Wellness Expo at Valhalla Resort in White County, Georgia

“You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis

Flashback to January 2004

The Storyteller - The Waddling Bear

By Janie P. Taylor

Afew years ago, we folks here in Rabun endured a most severe winter. Not only were there inches of snowfall, but with subfreezing temperatures, the snow changed to ice. Glacier like conditions resulted! Many of us were without electricity or water and we were truly homebound.

At last, the highway was scraped and traffic began slowly moving. When I saw the rural mail carrier delivering my mail, I became very determined to overcome the weather conditions and get over to the mailbox. After all, the weekly local newspaper had just arrived and I was anxious to read the news on that cold Thursday.

So, I commenced to get dressed to brave the elements. As the north wind was howling off Tiger Mountains. I put on my long black fleece jacket, black warm up pants, a gray vest, a heavy dark scarf and my white woolen gloves.

Off I went! I gingerly made my way down the front steps and slowly moved down the hill. Using my walking stick, I gradually made my way along the driveway. Then I arrived at the wooden bridge. Much to my dismay, it was a solid sheet of ice! My only choice was to get down on my hands and knees and crawl to the other side. This I did and then walked upright to the mailbox for the desired letters and paper.

Then I realized that to return back to the house, I would once again have to get down on all fours and slowly maneuver myself across the slick surfaces of the frozen planks. After completing this feat, I carefully regained my balance and completed my journey to the house. Shedding my dark wraps, I settled down by the warm fire to read the mail.

Soon thereafter, a truck, with blinking yellow lights flashing, drove across the bridge. Behind the “government” vehicle was a cage-like contraption, a mobile bear trap!

Hearing the noise, Melvin went to the door to investigate. The uniformed man yelled, “Where’s the bear?”

To this, Melvin responded, “What bear?” The state employee, with tranquilizer gun in hand, stated, “our office just received an emergency call from a motorist who was traveling by here and reported that there was a large black bear ‘waddling’ across your bridge!”

Melvin was speechless. Then it dawned on him and he replied, “Oh that was my wife crawling across the bridge to the mailbox!” Seeing the bear cage on hand, Melvin was inspired and asked, “Could you guys go ahead and load up Janie P. and take her with you? During this cold spell we have been like two old boar cats - when one moves the other growls!”

Hastily, the men replied that no such action was in their job description and off they went, with an empty bear trap dragging behind.

By now, I am totally devastated! The very idea of using the descriptive word “waddling” to describe my crossing of the icy bridge! Anyone of those other terms - creeping along, or moving cautiously or clumsily rocking from side to side, would have been more suitable.

Within days, a warm rain fell and the snow and ice disappeared. The spring thaw had arrived! Melvin and the John Deere tractor began moving about and life returned to normal.

Janie P. Taylor was a writer from the Laurel from the beginning until her passing in 2014. She was an icon in this county. She taught school and was a Principal for many years. We miss her very much, she was truly a friend of the Laurel and all of us. She was the best storyteller of all time. I once asked her Janie P. are all of your tales true? She smiled and said with eyebrow raised “It’s how I remember it.”

Home Remedies

from The Foxfire Book and Foxfire 9

By Kami Ahrens

January brings with it the fresh start of a new year, but also pesky colds and coughs. In the Appalachian Mountains, people did – and still do – turn to home remedies to soothe their ailments. These remedies grew out of exchanges between the Cherokee and mountain settlers centuries ago. The Foxfire Book captures many of these healing traditions passed from generation to generation in this area.

Please note that several of these remedies have gone out of fashion, and you should always consult a doctor before including

these in your care plan. The following remedies are presented purely for their historical and cultural interest.

To ease chest congestion, folks would heat mutton tallow and apply it directly to the chest. Others would put a large quantity of rock candy in a little bit of white whiskey to make a thick syrup. This was taken by the spoonful a few times a day. For those with less sensitive noses, they would make onion poultices by roasting onions, then wrapping them in wool rags and beating the juice out of the onions. Once the rags were soaked, they could be applied

Adapted

Healer Nora Garland tends to her plants

Harv Reid shows Foxfire students a ginseng plant, found locally in the mountains

Buck Carver shows Foxfire students how to identify medicinal plants

to the chest. Someone severely afflicted with congestion might wear a flannel shirt with turpentine and lard on it all winter long.

For colds, teas brewed from natural materials were the best way to treat symptoms. People with knowledge of local plants would add medicinal herbs to their teas. Similar to the modern hot toddy, many would make a tea with powdered ginger or ginger root and add honey and whiskey. Dorothy Beck suggested that folks “mix one cup liquor to one half cup of honey and the juice of one lemon,” to help with cold symptoms. Other common teas were made with red pepper, whiskey, or pine. One remedy recommends drinking the brine from sauerkraut, as it makes you thirsty and helps you drink lots of water.

Coughs were often treated in a similar way to congestion and colds. Mixtures of honey, vinegar, or whiskey were recommended to soothe the throat. Samantha Speed recommended that you “drink ginger tea. Make it by mixing one tablespoon whiskey and one teaspoon honey and a dash of ginger mixed in one fourth cup hot water.” Homemade cough syrups were also popular. Bob Mashburn shared his special recipe with Foxfire: “Wrap an onion in wet paper and bury it in hot ashes. Let it roast about thirty minutes and then squeeze out the juice. Add an equal amount of honey to the juice, mix well and take by the teaspoon as you would any cough syrup. Or, take the fat from a skinned possum, cook the grease out of it, and keep it in a jar. As needed, take the grease and rub it on your chest to loosen your cough.”

Treating headaches, however, was a little more involved. Folks interviewed by Foxfire remember tying different items around their heads to alleviate aches, such as wilted beet leaves, flour sacks, ginseng roots, beef tallow, crushed onions, wilted mustard leaves, or poultices of horseradish leaves. Flora Youngblood believed that a headache was “an inner fever in the stomach. You’ve got a fever in your stomach and it don’t show up anywhere else but up here in your head. You take something for the stomach, like a wee dose of Epsom salt. You take a teaspoonful to a half glass of water. Stir it up real good and drink it down. That cures the headache.” To prevent problems in the future, save the clippings from your next haircut and bury them under a rock. According to folk healers, this will keep you from ever getting a headache again!

To read more about folk healing in Appalachia, pick up a copy of The Foxfire Book or Foxfire 9. You can also listen to interviews with some of these healers on the Foxfire podcast “It Still Lives,” available at foxfire. org/category/podcast/

Follow Foxfire on social media @foxfireorg or visit the Museum at 98 Foxfire Lane, Mountain City, Georgia. And be sure to check out our upcoming book, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women, hitting shelves on March 7th.

Flora Youngblood during a Foxfire interview

You’ll Love Hanging Out in Murray Cove

By John Shivers

There’s a house in Murray Cove on Lake Burton that could be your next home. Whether you’re looking for “a place in the mountains” for a getaway experience, or you’re planning to live there 24/7/365, the farmhouse inspired home at 378 Mindy Mountain in Rabun County must be a prime contender.

From the rough-sawn siding-clad exterior to the shiplap interior walls and wide plank dark-stained wood floors, this home is just waiting for you and your family to make it yours. And since all the contents, inside and outside, plus the water toys, including a 20-foot deck boat, are included in this turnkey deal, to take up residence here, you’ll need nothing more than your toothbrush, a swim suit, and sense of anticipation and adventure.

And when you do begin to make your own memories in this 2,913± square foot family-friendly home, you’ll really appreciate the halfacre± FEE-SIMPLE lake side setting. There’s even a two-story boat house, with a covered deck up top. The better to enjoy those Lake Burton sunrises and sunsets.

This home was built by Barry Woods in 1999, and recently had a complete renovation. From top to bottom, the entire house has been meticulously furnished and decorated with an air of comfortable, spacious yet casual elegance. All you have to do is start living your storybook lake lifestyle.

When you step into the house from the covered porch, the first thing that registers is the bright and open floor plan. Thanks to the painted crisp white walls accented by earthy tones, generous expanses of glass including three sets of French doors that open onto a spacious screened porch, a massive stacked-stone fireplace, ceilings that soar heavenward past exposed dark-stained beams, it’s light and cheery, even on days when the sun takes a break.

“Livability” is the password for life on all three levels of this ruralinspired home. And since good living equates with good eating, the gourmet kitchen that shares the main floor great room space answers that need in fine fashion. A full complement of top of the

line stainless steel appliances, including a six-burner pro-series Viking range with griddle and double ovens should speak loudly to every chef and chef-wannabe. A generous size island includes a prep sink, and bar seating.

The expansive screened porch that runs the length of the lake side of the house offers additional living and dining possibilities. Just think of the good times that await you in this outdoor living area. Stairs lead from this level down to the lake and the boathouse.

Two spacious bedrooms and a main-floor bath complete the main floor layout. Upstairs, the bulk of the square footage is contained in the master suite and the en suite bath. The spacious landing at the top of the stairs offers a space for a library or casual seating area, and a nook just around the corner could function in many different ways – nursery, home office, home gym, or just a place of quiet retreat. The finished daylight lower level, which has a covered porch on the lake side, contains a bonus/flex room and full bath, second living area, laundry room, and indoor recreation area. Just think about it… what better place can you find to chill out, drop a hook in the water, or host friends on the covered party deck. You’ll find R E T R E A T on the south side of Murray Cove.

Scott Poss, Broker at Poss Realty, is ready to show this fantastic property. Contact him by cell phone at 706-490-2305 or at the office at 706-782-2121.

Enjoy Mature Retirement Living Here

By John Shivers

As you approach the cottage at 59 Smoky Mountain Village in Clayton, it’s almost like something unseen is leading you, encouraging you to come closer. Perhaps it’s the color palette that screams warmth and welcome. Maybe it’s the cheerful red glass and wood front door that proudly announces something extra special awaits inside. Whatever it is, this custom built home, literally within walking distance of downtown, not only promises but delivers on quality, comfort, style and finishes.

Smoky Mountain Village is a great place to call home, in large part because of the sense of neighborhood that exists. Residency is limited to individuals age 55 and up, and the monthly socials, holiday celebrations, and special events like chili cook-off competitions and low-country boils only sweeten the proverbial pot.

Step across the inviting rocking chair porch, through the front door, and immediately you’re struck by the degree of detail that delivers a sense of comfortable elegance. From the use of moldings, generous room sizes, cedar-lined closets, the Pioneer surround sound system, and bathroom enhancements for those with disabilities, you know immediately this isn’t a cookie-cutter home. Instead, it’s a harbinger of things to come for the new owner.

With 2,066± square feet, this single level, 2-car garage home built in 2014, allows so much versatility. Designed as a three bedroom, two bath home, one of the bedrooms has custom bookcases and is currently in use as a den / office. However, it could easily be used as a third bedroom. Storage space abounds, and the entire house is finished in a neutral color scheme.

The gourmet kitchen complete with granite countertops, a breakfast bar and a walk-in pantry opens into the great room and adjacent dining area. Stainless appliances, including a highly sought-after gas range, make meal preparation a pleasure. The

home’s heat and water are also natural gas powered, and a second large storage area opens off the main foyer.

In the great room, the focal point is a classic natural gas burning fireplace framed with marble and featuring a hidden TV cabinet. Immediately off the great room a porch contains a wood-burning fireplace. Constructed using the EZ Breeze screening system, you’ll definitely get to enjoy the private backyard from Spring through Autumn. Lay a fire in the fireplace, and chances are you’ll even be able to enjoy the enclosure when Old Man Winter visits in Rabun County.

This floor plan features a split bedroom arrangement. The oversize master suite easily accommodates a king size bed. The adjacent bathroom includes granite countertops and double sinks, a custom-built tiled shower, private toilet enclosure, and a spacious closet with custom executed hanging space and storage drawers. Both baths feature radiant in-floor heating, and hardwood floors run throughout the house, except in the master suite and one bedroom that have deep pile carpet.

This home sits on a .35± acre lot, and the beautifully manicured lawn has its own sprinkler system. Inside the spacious two-car garage, you’ll find not only easy access to the insulated attic storage space above, but an electric lift makes getting items into and out of the attic as simple as pushing a button.

Talk about the best of both worlds. In Smoky Mountain Village, you’ll find the quiet and privacy of a rural location. Yet you’re mere minutes from the many fine dining opportunities, art galleries and boutiques that define Clayton and Rabun County. If this home is for you, contact Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain agent Julie Barnett. For additional information on GAMLS #20084475, you can reach her at (cell) 404-697-3860 or (office) 706-212-0228.

“A Lazy Slice of Heaven… “Autumn

Beauty”

By John Shivers

If ever there was a home built with family and friends as the inspiration, it’s the 5,000± square feet of living and porch entertaining space at 29 Stone Ridge Lane in the Moccasin Creek area on prestigious Lake Burton. At first glance, this six bedroom, five bath home is reminiscent of the old resorts that once made Rabun County a much sought-after destination location.

You understand why the owners named the home “Autumn Beauty,” inspired by the words of Irish poet WB Yeats in “The Wild Swans at Coole,” which references woodland paths in their autumn splendor. The owners became engaged at Coole Park, and were struck by the similar beauty of the private, protected lake cove. In addition to the property’s autumn beauty, four seasons of nature simply gild the lily. What’s more, this home that has been the catalyst for some fantastic mountain lake living is looking for its next owners.

Could that fortunate family be yours?

Whether it’s the main house itself, the recently constructed two-level boathouse, the grandfathered stone lakefront patio with fire pit, or the waterside curb appeal, you’ll feel an immediate emotional connection with this idyllic home designed for both entertaining and year-round living. An added plus is the close proximity to the main lake and its waters ports and fishing, Moccasin Creek Park’s and its many activities, boat church Sundays, and other outdoor adventures. Waterfall Club and Clayton’s award-winning dining and fabulous boutique shopping are a quick and convenient drive away.

Thanks to a 21-foot wide Nanawall movable glass wall system between the great room and the expansive screened porch, the living and entertaining potential of this home is doubled. With the panorama of one of the best views on Lake Burton, whether you’re serving dinner in the waning glow of a Burton sunset, or waking to the first rays of a new day, the oversize table that seats fourteen or more guest is a huge plus.

The great room includes built-in cabinetry flanking the massive stone-faced fireplace and the antique beam that is the mantle. A well-designed kitchen with top-of-the-line stainless appliances make cooking for all those hungry crews a piece of cake. An abundance of furniture style cabinets with hard surface tops enhance the meal prep experience. An oversize island that holds the cook top and a breakfast bar simplify entertaining. A separate dining area is only a few steps away.

The spacious bedrooms offer relaxation and rejuvenation with on-trend recently renovated, marble-tiled bathrooms. The expansive primary bedroom with its oversize window that overlooks a breathtaking lake view includes a sectional and chaise lounge. The better to revel in and enjoy the mountain views. The en suite bathroom features double vanity sinks, a soaking tub, separate tiled steam shower, and luxury smart toilet. The remaining five bedrooms and four baths are similarly appointed and deliver the same degree of comfort. What a place to call home.

Other notable features include an attached garage that opens into the mud/laundry room; a sizeable driveway-turnedpickle ball court that easily parks six cars; a roomy playroom to contain all of the toys; indoor/outdoor surround sound speakers; and, almost no light pollution to delight in lakeside stargazing galore! Talk about owning a slice of heaven and a tranquil haven for family and friends!

If you’re ready for the views and the glory of some lazy lake days in this jaw-dropping property, contact Evelyn Heald at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Georgia Properties with offices in Clayton and Clarkesville. Her cell phone number is 404-372-5698 and the office number is 706-960-1941 in Clayton. Her email address is evelyn.heald@bhhsgeorgia. com. This property is MLS 10111985. For inquiries, please contact Andrea Sorgeloos at 404-729-9223

Oscar

by Sean Dietrich – www.seanofthesouth.com

Mobile, Alabama. Morningtime. I was meeting someone important.

I pulled into the parking lot of Toomey’s Beads & Bulk Mardi Gras Supply on Macrae Avenue. Which is the kind of store you will not find in any city but Mobile.

Toomey’s is a 70,000 square-foot warehouse that represents one of the largest Mardi Gras supply inventories in the nation. Which is only fitting because Mobile is the official birthplace of American Mardi Gras.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Mobile, Alabama’s Mardi Gras bash is the oldest official Carnival celebration in the United States, started in 1703, shortly after the birth of Dick Clark.

But I wasn’t at Toomey’s to buy supplies for Fat Tuesday. I was here to meet Oscar.

At 11:30 a.m. Oscar arrived. The SUV pulled in. Oscar was accompanied by his handler, Andi.

Andi stepped out of her vehicle and opened the back door. Oscar was on a leash. His tail wagged. His entire backside was gyrating. The easygoing bluetick hound came stepping out of the backseat. All legs.

He was your quintessential bluetick. White, with salt-and-pepper ticking. Velvet black ears long enough to qualify as safety hazards. A nose the size of a regulation tennis ball.

A collar around his neck was labeled, BLIND DOG.

“Oscar can’t see,” said his handler. “He has no eyes.”

Oscar’s face is beautiful. Classic hound. Except there are no twinkling brown eyes looking at you. They were surgically removed because of congenital glaucoma.

This is why he walks with a unique gait. He lifts his front paws carefully. Gingerly. Every move he makes is with extreme care. He uses his nose to guide himself.

I could see him taking in his surroundings, using only his sense of smell. Muzzle aimed upward in the air. Testing each scent in the wind.

“His nose is how he sees,” said Jenn Greene, his mother and rescuer. “He can see everything with his nose.”

I squatted low. I called his name in a high-pitched voice.

I am a dog guy. My best friends have always had fleas.

Oscar followed the sound of my voice. Then he barreled into me lovingly. Head to my chest. And he smelled me, just to get a better sense of who I was.

When he determined I was okay, Oscar plopped onto the pavement to let me conduct a thorough massage of his tummy region.

Customers coming and going from Toomey’s paused to snap photographs of him. Because it’s not every day you see a dog like Oscar.

Somehow, Oscar seemed to know whenever someone was taking his photo. He would sit upright and aim his head right at the camera.

“How does he know I’m taking his picture?” asked one passerby. “Oscar knows everything,” said Jenn.

A few years ago, Jenn adopted Oscar from the Monroe County Animal Shelter. Oscar was 11 weeks old, and in bad shape. He had been dropped off by a breeder. He had a lot of problems. Namely, his sight was going. The surgeon tried to save his eyes to no avail. They removed Oscar’s eyes, then sewed his eyelids shut. “It was pitiful,” said Jenn. “I remember hearing him cry in his kennel when he was recovering from surgery. His little puppy voice just howled. He didn’t understand why he had stitches in his eyes.” Today, two red eyebrows hover on a midnight face, just above his two ocular scars. It gives his face the look of a hound who is perpetually sleeping.

“I knew I’d be taking on a dog with lots of health issues,” said Jenn. “But it’s okay, because this is my baby. He is my whole life.

“The vet gives me an automatic fifty-percent discount because we live half the year in the waiting room.”

I petted him, and Oscar shed his silken coat all over me. I wore his hair with pride. And when he pressed his cold nose against me to “see” me better, I was honored that he would care enough about me to want to see me at all.

He ran his nose along my feet, up my thigh, around my midsection, upon my hands, my arms, and my neck. I sat cross-legged on the pavement as he rested his nine-pound head on my shoulder. We were soon entangled in what could only be called a hug.

And I found myself wishing I could be half the man Oscar is. A woman walking into the store paused to look at Oscar. It took the woman a moment to realize that Oscar was blind. The woman seemed surprised by this.

She came in for a closer look. “This dog has no eyes,” the woman remarked. “He doesn’t need eyes,” Oscar’s mother said. “He sees with his heart.”

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

Just Thinking Of These Mountains Here’s to 23!

By Kendall R. Rumsey

Well, another year down, another year of broken resolutions. Why do we even bother? We bother because each year we look at as an opportunity to do better, make small adjustments in life and conquer challenges that we haven’t done in previous years.

Over the years I have made resolutions to write more, find a new hobby, get in shape, volunteer more, spend more time with family and friends, eat right and every other challenge known to man. I bet many of you have made the same resolutions, sometimes we succeed, but usually life will get in the way and those resolutions quickly become regrets.

I’m going to go ahead and say it, I’m sure most of us have pretty good lives. Sure, we have the stumbles that crop up from time to time, but overall, our lives are fulfilled. So why the challenge to make it better? Well, as I get older, I am reminded there is more to life than just the day to day, but sometimes getting outside of that rut is easier said than done. Hence the tendency to create resolutions that will probably never happen.

As 2023 begins, I’ve decided to abandon resolutions. What I want to do is just be more present with life. In our society today, it seems as though it doesn’t happen if it isn’t shared on our social media feed, but what if we just live life.

Without the pressures of making each day worthy of an Instagram post maybe we can just appreciate the small little treasures that we skip over without thought: seeing a friend that has been absent

from our lives, a really good meal, a belly laugh with friends for no apparent reason. Let’s choose to be more present in 2023 and maybe those feelings that we seek from resolutions will become part of our everyday lives.

For this year, my goal is to be more present, enjoy the little things, be kind, be tuned in and just see where life takes me. I think that may be the best way to go, let the year show me all the amazing moments it has to offer.

I’m sure there will be disappointment, heartbreak, and moments I want to give up, but I’m also sure there will be more moments that will touch my heart, make me realize just how fortunate I am and moments that will blow my mind with how amazing they are.

Bring it on 2023, I’m ready for you, show me how awesome you can be, I’m ready to receive you!

Kendall Rumsey is a resident of Clayton, Georgia. He is owner of the lifestyle brand Of These Mountains. www.ofthesemountains.com

Just Thinking By The Way

Don’t Let the Past Make You Tense

(Get it? Past-tense? Sometimes I crack myself up!)

By Emory Jones

Call me old-fashioned, but I like the past. So does my pet pig, Cunningham.

My wife hates for me to admit this, but the pig and my favorite TV show is Green Acres. I watch because Eb, Mr. Douglas’ farm hand, is the greatest actor of all time. Cunningham, on the other hand, thinks the greatest actor of all time is Arnold the pig. He’s good, alright, but in my opinion, he hams it up too much. Plus, he’s always stepping on Eb’s lines.

That pig and I enjoy the past so much that we even built a real, fully-workable time machine so I could visit it more often. I even wrote a book about our historical travels. My wife doesn’t want me to admit that either, but it’s the truth—just google “Emory Jones Time Machine” if you don’t believe me.

My time machine is a goat-powered model that uses the Fleeblish-7 operating system, in case you are interested in the technical aspects, and many people do. I named it the USS Fred MacMurray, the only actor who can come close to Eb.

Anyway, while tooling around the past lately, we’ve noticed that, back then, people said and did some mighty fine things that we, here in what I call the future, don’t say or do much anymore—take using the term mighty fine, for example.

And also take humming. I can’t recall the last time I heard somebody humming, can you? If I could accomplish one thing in this life, it would be to get people humming again. My grandmother hummed a lot, especially while she washed the dishes. I reckon it’s just hard to out-hum a dishwasher.

Remember when auto mechanics would hum from underneath the car while they worked on it, lying on one of those little padded wheelie boards they all had? I haven’t heard a mechanic hum in years, at least not here in the future. And the last one of those wheelie boards I saw was on the Antiques Road Show.

But—and I hate to admit this—some of the so-called wise old sayings they used back then don’t make sense. Here are a few I don’t get. And neither does the pig.

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” What’s the point of having a cake if you can’t eat it? Besides, make two cakes if you want one cake to eat and another for looks.

How about, “A penny saved is a penny earned?” What if you found that penny? And say you did earn your pennies and saved one every day except Sunday for the rest of your life. Economists tell us that over an average lifespan, you’ll have saved roughly $83. And since most stores won’t take that many pennies, you’ll just make things hard on your heirs.

And what about “The early bird gets the worm?” That one really confuses Cunningham because, as every country boy knows, the best time to catch worms is at night, so in all probability, the wise old owl–who sleeps all morning–gets the most worms.

Folks used to say, “Be nice to everyone you meet on the way up because you meet the same people on the way down.” I agree you should be polite to everybody on the way up, but common sense says you’ll probably meet an entirely different crowd on the back way back down.

The silliest one may be, “All roads lead to Rome?” The only road I’ve found that leads to Rome is I-75.

And even then, you have to go through Cartersville.

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