2 - June 2019
4 - June 2019
June 2019 - 5
T
his is by far our yummiest issue of the year. Our veggies are planted and poking through the soil. Fresh produce is abundant in local markets and roadside stands and it is a great time to eat! Fresh is always best. Summer is a great time to enjoy the lakes and streams, to cook on your grill and to enjoy the late evenings outdoors when it cools off a bit. Of course you could visit our merchants who offer shoppers a reprieve from the heat and guarantee you’ll find something you can’t live without. Our event calendar is still full as well with upcoming events across Northeast Georgia and Western North Carolina.
There are a lot of great recipes to try in this issue for your plate and in your glasses. Celebrate your friendships and the blessings your family enjoys. It’s June people, can you believe it? Thank you for making the Laurel part of your day. We hope you enjoy reading it and sharing it with friends.
Publisher/Editor - Tracy McCoy Assistant Editor - D’Anna Coleman Art Director - Dianne VanderHorst Graphic Artist - Nikki Dunbar Graphic Artist - Luke McCoy Account Executive - Cindi Freeman Account Executive - Melynda Hensley Photographer/Writer - Peter McIntosh Office Manager - Cindi Freeman Contributing Writers: Beth Frierberg, Joel Hitt, Mark Holloway, Susan Brewer Jan Timms, Steve Jarrard, MD, Lisa Harris, John Shivers Emory Jones, Lorie Thompson, Kendall Rumsey, Rebecca Peterson, Carlton ;)
8 - June 2019
Be a blessing and stay cool,
Tracy Georgia Mountain Laurel Mailing: PO Box 2218, Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 2511 Highway 441, Mountain City, Georgia 30562 706-782-1600 • www.gmlaurel.com
June 2019 • Volume Sixteen • Issue Six Copyright 2019 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.
June 2019 - 9
In This Issue A Taste 12 16 20 22 24 25 26 27
Creative Cocktailing - Carlton Chamblin Bon Appetit The Family Table Grow! Cook! Eat! Brasstown Gathering Two on Main Smitty’s Spirits Universal Joint
Arts & Entertainment 30 34
North Georgia Arts Guild Book Event at Sky Valley
Affairs to Remember 38 40 44 48
Rhapsody in Rabun Mountain Happenings Event Calendar St. James 13th Aunual Lithurgical Arts Festival 2019 N. GA Arts Tour
Faith in Christ 50 52 54 55 56
Bless Your Heart River Garden Tasty Summer Traditions Life is a Blessing R4G - Persimmon Baptist Church
Mountain Homes 60 64
Poss Realty Featured Home Harry Norman REALTORS Featured Home
Outdoors 70 72 74 76 78
Adventure Out D-Day Memorials Paws 4 Life Hitt the Outdoors Our of the Blue Ridge
Health & Wellness 80
Live Healthy & Be Well
Life in these Mountains 84 86 87 88 90 92 10 - June 2019
Life Looks Good on You Notes from a Southern Kitchen Sheriff Nichols Lovin’ the Journey Let’s Make a Deal By the Way
CREATIVE COCKTAILING The Art of Mixology By John Shivers
C
arlton Chamblin is a lot like the mixture of ingredients he marries to create his Farm2Cocktail mixers – diverse, creative, distinctive, a little sweet, very passionate and equally personable. Which is why, when he steps into a role with the North Georgia Community Players (one of his myriad passions), and makes you believe he is indeed that character, you can better understand how this renaissance man has evolved. If he believes it, he can do it. Just call him a mixologist, which is another name for a bartender. But Carlton, being who he is, takes the mixing and serving of drinks to a higher level. For him, combining those ingredients is an experience, and his goal is to serve his customers both their desired cocktail and their own unique experience.
Carlton Chamblin above at his finest. Below with his fellow performers with North Georgia Community Players
His mixers are known as shrubs. Shrubs are syrups that were popular during America’s colonial era. A shrub is concocted by blending sweetened fruit with vinegar - when added to spirits it makes a shrub cocktail. Carlton’s unique flavor combinations include cucumber mint, strawberry peppercorn and vanilla pear. For those who prefer to go without the alcohol, it’s equally good mixed with water or carbonated water, thus termed, a “Mocktail”. Marketed under the name “Farm2Cocktail - Tending Nature’s Bar”, the syrups are proving to be very popular. The presentation is very attractive and inviting, in keeping with the farmhouse style that is prevalent these days. Carlton’s shrubs have found their place on shelves in local shops and in the glasses of his fans across the North Georgia region. They are bottled by Ryan Cochran and his wife Renee Padgett of New Moon Kettle LLC, a company that packages products for various clients, based in the commercial kitchen of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Clayton. Shrubs aren’t unique to Carlton. Bartenders have long incorporated different ingredients to make the base mixture from which various cocktails are fashioned. He has simply taken the old tried and true approach and kicked it up a notch or two - perhaps even three. The drinker of the finished product could be the best judge of that, and the reviews are positive indeed. The backstory helps to set the stage. Carlton hasn’t always lived in Rabun County. He hasn’t always mixed drinks. As a native of Birmingham, Alabama, Carlton grew up in a comfortable home with parents who encouraged him to be the winner he is today. Following college, where he obtained a degree in art history, Carlton entered the business world. Working in customer service in the areas of product management, collections and even hiring and training others, Carlton always felt that he had not yet discovered his true calling. Always in the back of his mind was that little thought, a tiny doubt that slowly grew, that “this isn’t it.” So he took a chance and went to work in
12 - June 2019
Carlton at the North Georgia Teaching Kitchen with the three Chef finalists at the 2017 Chef Throw Down L-R: Chef Mark Wilkins, Chef Vincent Scafiti and Chef Lyndsey Clark a restaurant; talk about playing a different role. Serving at the always popular Red Lobster, he was happy and focused on the guest experience. “I loved it!” he says, and his face lights up, further confirming his assessment. He recalls how much he loved going in to work every day. Meeting the people. “If I’m around,” he says, “there’s going to be a good time.” Three years ago, he came to another fork in the road, one that led him north from Gwinnett County to the hills of Rabun County. He explains it like this: Former co- worker and friend John Keener had come home to Clayton to work with Fortify Kitchen & Bar. His rave reviews of the Rabun experience piqued Carlton’s interest, but he never made time to accept his friend’s invitation for lunch, and a chance to see the town firsthand. Then Fortify needed a bartender, John called Carlton, he came, he saw (he conquered), he fell in love, and three years later, he’s still on the local scene. But now he’s playing yet another different role. His ability to wear multiple hats and wear all of them well is one of the traits that endears this personable young man to those with whom he comes in contact. Carlton explains that he has always loved making cocktails. When he arrived in Rabun County, he discovered a new element for his bag of skills. Rabun County is officially Georgia’s Farm to Table capital. Fortify Kitchen & Bar’s menu is dedicated to the incorporation of local, farm-fresh products in the dishes they serve. The newcomer on the scene watched and thought and said, “Why not?” That was the impetus, the inspiration for the incorporation of local veggies and fruits into a shrub mixer he’s now marketing under the Farm2Cocktail label, complete with a martini glass topped by a rooster weathervane as his logo. To date, he has three shrub mixtures with plans to launch a line of aromatic bitters, and fruit spreads. (Continued on next page...)
Ryan Padgett of New Moon Kettle, LLC June 2019 - 13
CREATIVE MIXOLOGY continued. Carlton still works at Fortify, where he and his customers have a relationship which almost always becomes a friendship. He likes to visit and engage with the folks he’s mixing drinks for, it’s just like him to ask questions, to get their opinions of the drink he’s mixed for them. Out of those exchanges, come enhancements and refinements. He’s also venturing into the county. He works with and is passionate about the Northeast Georgia Teaching Kitchen through the Food Bank, and has even taught courses on how to combine the fresh ingredients with the sugars and vinegars to create the finished shrub. He’s also available for events, weddings, corporate parties and personal bartending. When he came to Clayton to work at Fortify, none of what has transpired since was even in the back of his mind. But then Carlton never met a new role he didn’t embrace. To learn more about Carlton and Farm2Cocktail - Tending Nature’s Bar, check out his website www.farm2cocktail.com. Cheers! The image on our cover this month is the work of Clayton Baggett. Clay, 21, is a young photographic creative working out of Rabun County, Georgia. Check out @Clayfromga on Instagram to follow his photography. You will see more of his work in upcoming issues.
14 - June 2019
June 2019 - 15
Bon Appétit Let’s Honor Dear Ole Dad! J by Scarlett Cook
une has arrived and with it graduation, brides, vacations and, of course, Father’s Day. You know that one day out of the year that we give dad his due for all that he does for us. Remember how, when you were little, he looked under the bed and assured you that no monsters had moved in or when the drain backed up because you didn’t get the hair out of it or how about the time….. You see he does play an important part in your life. And don’t forget the time he got that humongous spider out of the car. Happy Father’s Day to all dads.
Glazed Pork Loins 8 – 10 Servings
Marinated Shrimp 10 -12 Servings 1 Cup vegetable oil 1/2 Cup olive oil 1 Cup white vinegar 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper 1 Tablespoon salt 1 1/2 Teaspoons garlic powder 1 Tablespoon paprika 1 Medium onion sliced 2 -3 Pounds cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley Combine oils, vinegar, pepper, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Add onion and shrimp; stir to mix well. Refrigerate 24 hours. Drain before serving and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
16 - June 2019
3 1-Pound boneless pork tenderloins 2 Tablespoons dried mustard 2 Teaspoons thyme 2 Cloves garlic, finely minced 1 Teaspoon ginger 1/2 Cup cider vinegar 1/2 Cup reduced sodium soy sauce Place tenderloins in sealable plastic bag. Combine mustard, thyme, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and soy sauce; mix well. Pour marinade over pork and refrigerate overnight. Place meat in shallow pan. Bake uncovered at 350˚ about 45 minutes basting often with marinade. When done, place meat on serving platter and pour warm glaze over it. Glaze 1 10-ounce jar apricot preserves 1 Tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat slowly until preserves are melted.
Stuffed Tomatoes 8 Servings 8 Medium tomatoes 2 Cups cooked wild rice 1 Medium opinion, chopped 1 Cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese 4 – 5 Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Sour Cream Potato Salad 10 – 12 Servings 4 Pounds red potatoes, peeled or not 1 Cup mayonnaise 1 Cup sour cream 1 1/2 Teaspoons horseradish or to taste 1 Teaspoon celery flakes 1 Teaspoon salt 1 Large onion, finely chopped Boil potatoes until tender; slice into rounds. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, celery flakes and salt. Layer half of the potatoes in serving dish. Cover potatoes with half of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with onion. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Squash Fritters 6 Servings 2 Cups cubed yellow squash 1 Cup chopped onion 1 Cup chopped green pepper 1 Teaspoon salt 1/2 Teaspoon pepper 1 Egg, beaten 1 Cup sour cream 1 Cup plain flour 1/2 Cup vegetable oil Combine, squash, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper. Add egg, sour cream and flour; blend well. Shape into patties. Fry in hot oil until browned on both sides. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350˚. Cut tops off of tomatoes and core. Remove pulp and save. Invert tomatoes to drain. Chop half the pulp (discard remaining pulp). Combine remaining pulp with onion and rice. Spoon mixture into tomatoes top with cheese and bacon. Bake uncovered for 15 – 20 minutes. These can be served warm or at room temperature.
Pineapple Pie 10 -12 Servings 1 8-Ounce can crushed pineapple 1/2 Cup frozen coconut, thawed 1/2 Cup margarine, melted 2 Teaspoons cornmeal 2 Teaspoons plain flour 2 Teaspoons vanilla 2 Cups sugar 4 Eggs, beaten 2 9” Pie crusts, unbaked Preheat oven to 350˚. Combine pineapple, coconut, butter cornmeal, flour, vanilla, sugar and eggs; mix well Pour into pie crusts Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until pies are set. Wonderful with a scoop of orange sherbet!
June 2019 - 17
A Taste of the Mountains “If you want something sweet order the pound cake. Anybody who puts sugar in the cornbread is a heathen who doesn’t love the Lord, not to mention Southeastern Conference Football.” LEWIS GRIZZARD
18 - June 2019
June 2019 - 19
The Family Table W
hen editor, Tracy McCoy told me the June issue of the Georgia Mountain Laurel was dedicated to the “Farm to Table” movement, it started me thinking about what that really means. I hear that phrase commonly now, used in the latest and greatest restaurant advertisements. Rabun County is “Georgia’s Farm to Table Capitol.” That is a great honor but really, nothing new except the title. The iconic Dillard House was this area’s original Farm to Table restaurant. The land surrounding the Dillard House was utilized for growing the fresh vegetables that were served there. The Dillard family raised their own pigs, and a Dillard House Country Ham was the best you could buy. I am fortunate to be friends with Dillard family members, and I have enjoyed hearing stories of their Grandmother, Carrie Dillard, as she would butcher a beef or pig, load them into a horse-drawn wagon and deliver the fresh meat to her neighbors. Her restaurant started as a natural progression of her large and prosperous farm. Locals will remember The Green Shutters Restaurant. The locally grown vegetables were cooked on a wood cookstove and the food was terrific! Mrs. Effie Lord of Lord’s Cafe on Main Street was a character! Her vegetables and pan-fried chicken were marvelous. You served yourself from the top of the stove in the kitchen, and if you hung around for very long, she would have you washing dishes. Lynn Phillips at Henrys Restaurant has grown a garden for years and incorporates her homegrown vegetables into the Sunday buffet. Summertime eating at Henry’s is extra tasty! Rabun County has always been a Farm to Table community and blessed with great cooks serving great food for many generations. Our newest Rabun Restauranteurs are carrying on a great tradition and doing a great job in promoting our provenance.
20 - June 2019
I grew up in a “Farm to Table” family. We grew a huge vegetable garden and raised cattle and pigs. Although, I don’t recall a large variety of vegetables. We ate a LOT of green beans. We grew them by the acre, picked them by the bushel, strung them for days and my Mama canned several hundred quarts a year. We grew potatoes, okra, cucumbers, cabbage, corn, squash, and tomatoes. Summer days were spent preserving and canning the garden’s bounty. In the 1960s, almost every evening meal featured green beans or cabbage. The green beans always had a little fat added for seasoning. Served alongside a ripe tomato, a chunk of onion and a thick slice of crunchy cornbread, they are still one of my favorite foods. I cook them a little differently than my Mama, but I can them as she taught me. Try cooking your green beans in chicken stock. Add an onion, cut into quarters, a clove of garlic, a pod of dried cayenne pepper (or some crushed red pepper flakes), a little salt and cook until the bean is tender and the liquid is almost cooked dry. No fat needed! You will love the taste of the green bean! If you are using canned green beans, drain them and then rinse in cold water before you cook them. Eating locally grown food is the way we should eat and this time of year, it is easy. Thanks to my husband, Peanut’s gardening skills, I can pick fresh lettuces, spinach, and tender kale. I have spring onions, radishes, baby carrots, and broccoli. He is not much of a salad eater. He grows a lot of greens for me, but he is more of a “meat and potatoes” man. He loves fresh lettuce picked from the garden, but usually on top of crisp bacon, sliced tomato and lots of mayo on white bread. He will on occasion, humor me and eat a salad for supper, but it requires a little more than lettuce and dressing to satisfy him.
A salad for supper starts with mixed lettuces, spinach, and baby kale. Haricot Verts (a fancy name for skinny green beans), radishes, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, and pickled carrots, black olives, boiled red and purple potatoes, softboiled eggs, anchovies, tuna fish and freshly shaved parmesan. Serve it with big pieces of buttered garlic toast and a homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing. My mountain man will “suffer” eating a salad for supper if it has potatoes and meat on it. To make this salad, wash and dry the greens. A Salad-Spinner is a useful tool and will significantly speed up drying your greens. Cut the tips off of the green beans and place in boiling water with 1 T of salt. Blanch them for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and submerge in an ice-water bath. Drain and allow to dry on a towel. Boil and peel eggs. An Insta-Pot makes this task so easy. If you have one, place a rack in the bottom of the pot. Add 1 C of water. Place eggs on top of the rack. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes for large eggs. Release pressure as soon as the timer goes off and cover the eggs in cold water. The peelings will almost fall off. Eggs will be a perfect texture. (I still have the pressure cooker that I received as a wedding gift in 1980, and I still use it, but the Insta-pot has come near to replacing my old faithful PC. I love Insta-pot!)
Pickled Carrots are just as easy. Peel the carrots and slice into sticks, keeping them as uniform in size as possible. Place into a quart jar with 1 clove garlic, I - 2 slices of hot pepper, 1 head of fresh dill or 1/2 tsp of dried dill. Combine 2 C of white vinegar and 2 T of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and pour over carrots. Allow to cool and refrigerate. Making homemade vinaigrette will ruin you for all other salad dressings. A simple lemon dressing is one of my favorites and can be the base of many other dressings. To make Lemon Vinaigrette, zest, and juice a large lemon. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1/3 C of good olive oil or vegetable oil. Mix in a pint mason jar with a lid and shake it until it is emulsified. Try adding a finely chopped shallot or a small amount of fresh garlic and 1 tsp of anchovy paste. A dash of Cayenne or Oregano is a beautiful addition to the simple dressing. Experiment and make it your own. Putting the salad together is so much fun. Layer on the boiled potatoes, green beans, eggs, spring onions, pickles, sliced radishes, cucumbers, and any other fresh veggies you have. Use the vegetables that are in season and available. A can of tuna and some anchovies are great additions. Try it with skewers of spicy grilled shrimp or blackened chicken.
This is my take on a traditional Salad Nicoise. Classic French cooking focuses on using simple ingredients that are grown loWash and scrub the small potatoes and boil in salted water until cally and utilized at the peak of perfection. That is the same way they are fork tender. Drain and allow to cool and dry. we Rabun Countians cook! Those French food gourmands have I keep pickled carrots and pickled red onions in my refrigerator nothing on us! all the time. The carrots are a great low-calorie snack, and the onions add a big hit of flavor to sandwiches and salads. To make Happy June to you. Enjoy the beautiful weather. Go swimming. the Pickled Red Onions, heat 1 C white vinegar, 1 T Kosher Salt, 1 Put your toes in the creek. Eat a salad with greens that were picked tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or black peppercorns. that day. That’s the good stuff! Slice red onions and pack into a pint glass jar. Pour the hot vin- May God bless you with many excellent meals at your own Famegar over onions. Allow to cool and refrigerate. ily Table.
Experience Grow! Cook! Eat! By Carlton Chamblin and Jerilyn Oquendo
T
he “Grow, Cook, Eat Tour” through Rabun County has evolved over the past few years. Starting off as just an idea to highlight our beautiful Rabun County as the farm-to-table capitol of Georgia, this tour originated as a sampling exploration. “Grow, Cook, Eat” is now an all-inclusive and immersive day-long experience, and as a participant, you’ll get your hands dirty and your palette satisfied. Upon arrival, you’ll step onto a shuttle provided by Bennett Shuttle Service, owned and operated by Stevelyn and Joe Bennett. The Bennett’s have provided several years of shuttle service throughout Rabun County for everything from weddings to company outings and have been with “Grow, Cook, Eat” from the start. Among one of the first stops, you will be visiting Chef Eric Pitts at Mill Gap Farm. Mill Gap Farm owners Chuck and Amy Mashburn have practiced chemical-free, sustainable farming methods for 12 years, growing a wide variety of mostly open-pollinating and heirloom vegetables. Here, Chef Eric will take you through the farm, where you’ll have a hands-on adventure, foraging and picking your own vegetables and ingredients that will later be used to cook delicious meals at Beechwood Inn. The Darughs, Gayle and her husband David, own and maintain the Beechwood Inn, a bed and breakfast in Clayton. Both were raised among the vineyards of California; Gayle in the Napa Valley and David in Sonoma County. With deep ties in a family-owned and operated restaurant growing up, David and Gayle’s affection for farm-to-table has developed over a lifetime of success and dedication to creating enjoyable meals, wines and comfortable atmospheres. At the Inn, you will prepare, cook and eat meals with only the freshest ingredients chosen at Mill Gap Farm. Mid-day will bring you to one of our favorite experiences, making cocktails! Carlton Chamblin with Farm2Cocktail will bring along everything you’ll need to mix, taste and enjoy cocktails with more local farm fresh produce and ingredients found at Beechwood Inn’s very own garden. Carlton Chamblin is the founder and operator of Farm2Cocktail, an online platform and company dedicated to bringing farm fresh ingredients to your bartending experience, where you can play mixologist at home or attend Farm2Cocktail events. Carlton produces cocktail mixers that make your creations easy, flavorful, and most importantly, utilizes local ingredients of Rabun County. Following the afternoon cocktails, the next stop on the Grow, Cook, Eat excursion will be Stonewall Creek Vineyards. Providing “fine Georgia wines from ancient mountain soil”. At Stonewall Creek, you will get hands-on experience with grapes grown in a beautiful, lush Rabun County valley. With 15 years in the making, Stonewall Creek Vineyard, now owned and operated by Sandi and Mark Diehl, provides Rabun County’s community with organic and fresh products. The final stop of the tour will bring you to Hillside Orchard, owned and operated by the Mitcham family. Hillside Orchard prides themselves in helping neighboring farmers by finding uses for fruits and vegetables that need a little TLC. At the orchard, you’ll pick your very own blackberries and apples to take home. With three generations of farm, cannery and agritourism operations at Hillside, you’ll be sure to take home some of Rabun County’s finest locally grown produce. We’d like to thank Bennett Shuttle Service for making this endeavor possible as well as all the participants throughout Georgia’s farm-to-table capital. “Grow, Cook, Eat” is a unique and intimate one-of-a-kind experience that has been created to capture the true farm-totable essence of Rabun County. It will leave you educated, satisfied and wanting more of what our beautiful county has to offer. “Grow, Cook, Eat” tickets are limited and available for the following dates: June 27th, July 25th and September 26th. We so look forward to Growing, Cooking and Eating with you!
22 - June 2019
June 2019 - 23
Brasstown Gathering Place - A Family Owned BBQ Restaurant by Tracy McCoy
W
hat if each one of us gave 100% each day to make a positive impact on the world? What would that look like? I can tell you that I talked with one such person recently and I want to share her story with you. Some of you may know Katie Hembree Moore, raised on Warwoman Road several miles outside of Clayton. Katie married her husband Charles, a native of Long Creek, South Carolina. She went on to become a nurse. Her true passion is caring for others and being a nurse allowed her to do that. Katie and Charles raised a son, Ted and a daughter, Dottie and were blessed with three wonderful grandchildren. The couple made their home in the Long Creek, SC community on Brasstown Road. Once the kids were grown, Katie decided she’d like to build a restaurant in the pasture near their home. A place where neighbors and visitors to the area could gather and eat. It would be a side gig, hobby if you will. They’d open on the weekends and keep it small. Well, the food was excellent. The neighbors and visitors filled the log building that Charles built for Katie and it quickly turned into a full-time job! Still opening on Fridays and Saturdays for dinner from 4 – 9 PM, the tables are always full. Katie is a great cook and she does all of the cooking and always has. She prepares the food the same as she would for her own family, it’s fresh and delicious! The restaurant specializes in barbecue and has made a name for itself as one of the area’s top spots for great BBQ. In the kitchen you’ll find pork, beef, and chicken chopped or pulled, enhanced with a variety of premium lip-smacking sauces. The ribs are tender, meaty and seriously “finger-licking good”. A favorite of many guests is the Nachos, available with your choice of meat and all of the delicious toppings you would expect. The sides are homemade potato salad, Brunswick stew, beans and slaw. Is your mouth watering yet? You can also get a baked sweet potato or corn on the cob (summer only!) or you may opt for potato chips, fries or applesauce. You won’t believe the desserts, also made from scratch by Katie. To whet your whistle, they serve soft drinks, really great sweet tea, beer and wine. While she enjoys the restaurant and the people who come from all over the southeast and beyond to eat with her, Katie missed nursing and she was in demand. So she dedicates two days a week to nursing. After losing her husband Charles, Katie became the owner of his grading business. Today her son Ted runs the grading operation, carrying on the tradition of quality that his father began. When Katie isn’t cooking, serving food or caring for patients, she is helping others. It is just her nature. After opening the restaurant in 2005, she decided she wanted to start a scholarship program to help local kids continue their education after graduation. So if a young boy or girl comes to work and commits to work for two years they will receive a $1,000 annual scholarship for up to four years of schooling at a college or technical school. Katie also helps these young people in their quest for other scholarships. She has 11 of “her kids” currently in school. Great reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp coupled with local advertising and word of mouth have brought folks in the
24 - June 2019
door but Katie, her staff and the food are what keeps them coming back. Whitewater enthusiasts and local Long Creek residents are really glad that the restaurant is there and would tell you that the food is as incredible as the lady in the kitchen. If you’ve never been to Brasstown Creek Gathering Place, you should plan a trip this weekend! You’ll be so glad you did. I also recommend you follow the restaurant on Facebook (@BBQ.Nana) for specials, upcoming events and more. Their annual Independence Day celebration is coming up and who can beat BBQ and fireworks! Put 275 Brasstown Road, Westminister, South Carolina 29693 in your GPS, come hungry and leave happy! For info call 864.647.2458. Here are a couple of reviews… “The best BBQ I’ve ever had in my life! Great atmosphere and the friendliest staff! Set in a valley and by a creek, this restaurant is not to be missed!!!” Geoff B – Washington, DC – Yelp review “I love the food at this restaurant! The ribs with Carolina Mustard sauce is my favorite. Get there early to make sure you get your choice of their delicious meats, they sell fast.” Sarah F – Westminster, SC – Trip Advisor review
Two On Main Street!
F
rom the Cupboard Café to the White Hall Inn to the Ranch House, Billy Johnson has brought his love for a variety of different cuisines to our beautiful mountain region. Offering the finest Southern food, fine dining and outstanding steaks over the years, Billy is known for his expertise in the kitchen. Now, he brings a real Deli to Main Street in Clayton with the finest Italian cold cuts and healthier choices like glutenfree breads, fresh greens, unique sandwiches, and a custom “build your dream sandwich” at 52 Main Street Deli. The deli is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm.
52 Main Street Deli
Peasants Italian Restaurant
If that’s not enough, Billy is preparing to open another exciting eatery, Peasants Italian Restaurant right next door to the deli. His approach here will be to focus on Italian comfort food from the twenty regions of Italy. Old World rustic recipes will be the cornerstone of this restaurant. Peasants and 52 Main Street Deli will offer wines from Italy and California along with premium beer selections. This is an exciting time for Billy, his staff and our community, so you are invited to come and experience the Deli and Peasants! You’ll find the two restaurants side by side at 52 Main Street in Clayton, Georgia. For information call 706.212.0052.
June 2019 - 25
Smitty’s Spirits in Clayton – Forget the wallet, what’s in your glass?
S
“I cook wIth wIne, sometImes I even add It to the food.” - w.c. fIelds, cIrca 1930’s
usan Smith moved to Rabun County when she was only 5 years old. She attended grades 1-12 in the Rabun County School System and remembers being scared to death of then Principal Frank Smith, who would have ever guessed he would later become her father-in-law. Susan had known Greg Smith for years, all of the girls talked about those cute Smith twins, but it wasn’t until after college that she began dating and later married the cutest one, Greg. Susan spent a lifetime teaching in public education and has been a Professor at Piedmont College for many years. She plans to retire from teaching this year and is looking forward to traveling for her other job. In 1991 Greg and Susan opened Smitty’s Spirits, a local purveyor of adult beverages. Stocking their store with the finest wines, beer and liquor they could find, then located in the Village Shopping Center in Clayton just down from the Winn Dixie, if you can remember that. They then moved on the other side of the shopping center before purchasing their current
location in 1998 at 681 Highway 441 South in Clayton, Georgia. Greg ran the store while Susan taught and their two sons were off in college and starting their own lives. In 1999 all of their lives were forever changed when Greg lost his life in a traffic accident. Susan Smith found herself the sole owner of Smitty’s Spirits and she jokes that she didn’t know the difference in a pint and a fifth or rum from tequila. She knew she had to take the helm, their lives had been poured into the business and thankfully the task before her kept her busy while she worked through the grief of losing her husband. She has learned and taken the store to the next level bringing in new products like local wine and locally distilled liquors. She imports many items and special orders whatever her customers are looking for. She has traveled in recent years, visiting wineries in Europe and whiskey distillers in Ireland. Both trips resulted in new items available to her customers. On a recent trip to Iceland she discovered an Icelandic vodka and beer that she has now made available and invites you to come try. Catering for special events is one of the services she has added to Smitty’s. She will work with brides or event organizers to put together a signature drink for that special day. She is now very knowledgable about pairing wine with a menu and selecting the perfect beverages for any event. This is actually a large part of her business as more and more people turn to a more custom affair. Susan strives to ensure that everyone enjoys the celebration or event and remembers it fondly. Susan has worked very hard to take Smitty’s in the direction of Greg’s vision for the store. It is bright and cheerful with product tastefully displayed. She credits her staff who she says are friendly and welcoming and her amazingly loyal customers for the store’s success. “If you walk in our door without a smile, you will certainly not leave that way. You will walk away with a smile on your face.” Susan says about the Smitty’s experience. She plans to spend a lot more time there after she retires IF she isn’t off galavanting the globe looking for new and exciting libations for you. A trip is planned to the South of France to sample the Bordeauxs.
For information on catering, special orders or the store please call 706.782.7593 or swing by the store. They do have a drive through for customer convenience and be sure to pick up a Georgia Mountain Laurel while you are there.
26 - June 2019
Universal Joint
I
f you were to Google Rabun County, one of the first things you would see is Tallulah Gorge, Black Rock Mountain, Lake Burton and the downtown streets of the county seat, Clayton. Tucked in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is a picturesque setting of shops, dining and lodging. The small town has become delightfully trendy with a lot of new additions in the past 10 years, one of those being Universal Joint. Originally, it was Roy Jones’ Texaco Station from the 1950s until the 1980s. Now, lovingly known as “The UJ” to the locals, the Universal Joint has been a Clayton staple since July 16, 2011 and is part of a privately-owned chain with six locations in Georgia, Tennessee, and both North & South Carolina. that is lit nightly. Inside, you will find a unique bar, lots of seating, and large garage doors that open on those beautiful days for that open-air feel. The menu is fun and creative in every way, and has a great variety of vegetarian and gluten-free items, salads for the healthier you. They were voted “best burger in town” by the locals, but also, serve tacos, tater tots, BBQ nachos, and so much more! The daily food and drink specials are sure to please. My grandma used to say “if you leave hungry, it’s your own fault,”and UJ is no exception. From early spring to late fall, the patio is a buzz with live music on the ‘Gas Money Stage” every weekend, games for the whole family and hungry patrons, both family and pet-friendly. So bring the little ones and the dog as there is something for everyone, furry alike! Keep your kids on a leash and your woofers.... wait, that’s not right… keep your well behaved pet on a leash and make sure the little ones play well with others. When you hear “Universal Joint”, one might imagine automobile parts, or for the creative mind, some kind amusement, but for either thought, you might not be that would be far off the mark. Sitting proudly on the corner of Hiawassee and Main Street, this “hidden gem” in an old gas station garage is The Universal Joint restaurant, serving up food and drinks for tourists and locals alike. UJ was just what Clayton needed, a gastro pub with a lineup of American fare, offering an array of craft beer and handmade cocktails, their slogan “drinks well with others” takes on a meaning of its own. The congenial and tireless staff make for a favorable experience. The immediate fanfavorite is the outdoor patio, which features a covered seating area known as the wedge, that was once where the pumps sat; a stage for live entertainment; and a fire pit
The UJ hosts many special events throughout the year, participating in local events like Celebrate Clayton and the Clayton Crawl as well as collecting donations for Toys for Tots and Rabun’s Paws for Life. The annual parties are something of their own: pajamas on New Year’s Day; costumes on Halloween; everything green for St. Patty’s Day. A fun spin on the holidays will leave you wanting to attend the next event. Giving back to the community in the best possible ways, The UJ is a welcomed and loved addition! There is always something for everyone! Whether you’re out for a weekend ride, hiking in these beautiful hills, or a hungry local, add UJ to your list of stops because it will not disappoint! Check them out on Facebook for regular events, or visit them online at www.ujclayton.com
June 2019 - 27
Stunning Southern Living Design on FEE SIMPLE with Lake Access 5 BR/4 BA Indescribable Views of Lake Burton, the Appalachian Ridge Line & the Waterfall Club Live like you’re in a 5 Star Resort MLS # 8461633 $675,000
2562 Burton Dam - Best Lake Access on Burton 4 BR/3.5 BA Over 4400 sq. ft of Tongue & Groove Pine Interior Perfect for Large Family & Guests Don’t Miss this FEE SIMPLE home MLS # 8384345 $485,000
418 Finch - Gorgeous Sunsets Over Burton AND Lake Access 2 BR/ 3 BA + Large Loft Beautiful All White & Bright Interior Boat Storage at Nearby Marina - Must See! MLS # 8527911 - $435,000
Your Journey Starts Here! This home is a one of kind, HIDDEN GEM! This spacious home is brimming with Old World Charm & Character and is nestled amongst 1+ Acres of Exquisite Gardens! Over 300 ft of deep water to enjoy year round lake life! Offered at $1,349,000
CUTE, CUTE, CUTE, FEE SIMPLE Recently renovated cabin, sits very close to the water with views of the waterfall. 2 BR/2BA with Sleeping Cabana at water’s edge Won’t last long! Only $819,000
North Georgia Arts Guild
Words and Photographs of Danny Young By Susan Brewer Danny Young gave a moving talk to the North Georgia Arts Guild in March which is partially presented here. The topics are the lizard picture, on seeing, selling tips, why do art, and the “I Love You” win. do nature photography as art, and I had no idea I was doing that. He had been a photographer for thirty years. That was his job. His tool was his camera and I thought . . . what in the world do I tell him? I started thinking about it. It helped me understand what I was doing. Originally, I wouldn’t like a shot that was blurry or wasn’t real sharp, like the encyclopedia images that I started out wanting to do. For instance, this shot I made late in the afternoon wasn’t like those, but I liked this one, and I didn’t know why. Then I began to see that I was seeing things differently. Art Wolfe advertised his seminar by saying, “designed to change the way you see everything.” He’s the guru of nature photography today. He believes it’s possible to look at things one way, and then change how you see it, to see it another way. SELLING TIPS: I want to share with you very quickly five ways of selling pictures. First thing is, when I get ready for a show, there’s tension—it’s almost like a quiz. Every time you start thinking about different ways of doing things . . . how am I going to present this? A setup for a show is a type of art, of how people see your stuff. And so, it’s always been good for me even though there’s tension getting ready, but it ends up being good. THE LIZARD PICTURE: I made this picture on my front porch while looking for hummingbirds in a bee-bomb plant. The plant was in the background and I see movement. I don’t know what it is but focus and take a picture. Then I went inside disappointed because I didn’t get my hummingbird shot. A few days later I’m looking through the photographs and see this shape of a perfect circle. I put it on Facebook. I get hundreds of likes which is way beyond normal. I put in on North American Nature and get over a thousand likes which is way beyond normal, and I’m thinking, I’m going to take this as far as it will go. So, I go online and see National Geographic has a contest every day. Photographers from one hundred and ninety-five countries send in pictures; the editors pick twelve, and then the photographers vote on those twelve to be the shot-of-theday. On this day, there were eight thousand pictures sent in. The editors picked twelve. Mine was one picked—that’s a big honor right there. Then the photographers voted. There were about two thousand votes. This little critter won – and I was just there. I aimed and clicked. There was no great technology. It happened. Now that’s something special. I share that with you to tell you that’s a part of my history. I appreciate photography takes work, but sometimes it just happens. It could happen to anybody, anytime. ON SEEING: I had a question from a photojournalist who came to my booth. He said, would you teach me how to
30 - June 2019
Looking at my work through the eyes of others has stimulated my creativity. A lady at my first show came from Hilton Head with a big purse and she starts looking through my pictures. She picks out one (a flamingo). I made it standing on a concrete step at a zoo. There was no up-the-mountain, cross-the-river anything, and I heard her tell her friend, “I like this because I need something pink in my bathroom.” That began a new trend in my thinking—I’m gonna have to think like a woman! It’s not as easy as it sounds. Ninety percent of all the sales I have are from women. Most of them come in and know they want to put something on the wall. This improved me tremendously. When I’m making pictures I’m thinking, who in the world wants to hang this on the wall? It directed me to start seeing things through their eyes. Giving each image a title is a thought-provoking exercise and it strengthens the emotional connection to the image. People like to know this one is called “Holy Night.” Here’s “Help!” People get a connection just through the humor in “I’ve got your back.” and “Kissing in the meadow.” Finally, people like to be amused and inspired with quotes, verses and my middle school humor. “Somehow it just seems easier to solve a problem when I’m on my horse.” “Come unto me all who are heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest.” “Men go fishing all of their lives not knowing it is not fish they are after.” People buy that for their friends. “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” That was a good one for me.
WHY DO ART? Ansel Adams said a great photograph is an expression of what one feels about what is being photographed. In the deepest sense, it must be a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. I’m a Christian. I was raised with a Christian world-view. I believe God created everything, though you can believe whatever you like. When I go out, I have a reverence . . . a reverence when I’m in nature. I have this mystery. There’s stuff I don’t understand. There’s something behind all this I don’t fully comprehend. And so I’m still a little boy on Christmas morning when I take my camera out. And I’m learning to try to get out from behind bars—meaning a jail—that I’ve imposed upon myself growing up, restrictions that limit me from becoming a free artist. I want to let my soul see what it really wants to see, capture it and then present that. We don’t want to be imitators. There’s a difference between imitators, between imitation and creation even though we can learn by imitating. But what we really want is to be ourselves. We really, really want to represent who we are in what our hands are making. THE “I LOVE YOU” WIN: I did another little deal with National Geographic. They have a competition called “Story.” One of the editors comes up with a story then photographers from around the world send in a picture they think connects with that title. The title of the story was “I Love You.” I thought, I don’t know if I have any pictures like that. Then I remembered a picture of my mother I had made a couple of years before she passed. And I sent it in and put this caption on it: “Alzheimer’s came and Mother slowly faded away, little by little and day by day. But on her good days, her soul would shine through her Pelham blue eyes.” And the picture that I had overexposed, that I thought wasn’t any good – I began to realize it was exactly the way it should have been. National Geographic used it out of thirty-two they picked out of eight thousand. So, to me, I’m on a journey. Further down the road, what is it going to be in a few years? I have no idea. That’s the mystery of it. And whatever art you’re in, I hope you haven’t plateaued. Find a way to make it new again. Be that brand new crayon out of the box. You know what I’m talking about—build a brand new canvas. Let inspiration come and enjoy it. We all do when we are truly ourselves, presenting the art that we want to present. -- The end Note: Thanks to the publisher for allowing an increased size for this article and to Danny Young for permission to publish his words. His website is dannyyoungphotography.com. His phone number is 706-499-9901. Susan Brewer has been writing articles featuring North Georgia Arts Guild members since April, 2017. Email your comments/questions to her at sbrewer991@gmail.com.
June 2019 - 31
32 - June 2019
June 2019 - 33
A House Divided A Lincoln & Speed Mystery Mark your calendars – Meet the Author event in Georgia’s Highest City July 10: Sky Valley Country Club, Sky Valley, GA, 10:30 am
J
onathan F. Putnam is a writer and attorney. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he is a nationally renowned trial lawyer and recognized Lincoln scholar. A House Divided is his fourth Lincoln and Speed
mystery. He will be speaking at the Sky Valley Country Club on July 10th at 10:30 am. His book will be available for purchase at the event. One of a series of appearances the author will make after the release of the book. In the winter of 1840, a sensational disappearance rocks Springfield, Illinois, as headlines announce a local man has accused his two brothers of murder. Not one to pass up an opportunity, the young Abraham Lincoln takes up the case of the accused with the assistance of his best friend Joshua Speed to search for evidence of innocence. But just as soon as they begin, Lincoln and Speed find their friendship at grave risk of rupture as they vie for the hand of a beautiful, new arrival in town: an ambitious, outspoken, young woman named Mary Todd. At the same time, a mysterious foreign banker arrives in town, promising a trunk full of gold coins to solve the state’s economic woes. As the trial arrives, can Lincoln and Speed put aside their differences to work together for justice once more? An innocent man’s life may be in the balance—and nothing is as it seems.
34 - June 2019
Re-imagining one of the greatest unsolved murder mysteries from Abraham Lincoln’s real-life trial cases, A House Divided is the most captivating Lincoln and Speed mystery yet from expert Lincoln scholar, Jonathan F. Putnam. Publisher’s note: I share a keen interest in the friendship that Joshua Speed shared with President Abraham Lincoln. You see, Joshua is part of my Speed lineage. I am excited to meet Mr. Putnam and purchase a copy of his book.
June 2019 - 35
36 - June 2019
Rhapsody Delivers the Fun – And the Money
S
by Pete Cleaveland
ince its founding in 1991, Rhapsody has delivered on its promise of a fun-filled evening, while, at the same time, raising substantial sums for its deserving recipients. This year’s Rhapsody in Rabun “Taste of The Mountains” event will be held on Saturday, August 10th from 5:00 to 11 PM. It will benefit Habitat for Humanity® of Rabun County, a critical organization which has been supporting Rabun County for 30 years. So, why do you want to attend this elegant, black-tie optional event? For a plethora of fun reasons: You will be able to dance like no one is watching to the delightful tunes of Back in Time, a dance band returning for their third Rhapsody. You will be able to eat like no one is watching as you taste the delicious food provided by every significant restaurant in the county. You can sample wares from every restaurant or just have an entire meal from one. The reason you can eat like no one is watching is that they aren’t…they are too busy eating to look! Rhapsody has long been known for the size and quality of its auctions. The evening begins with the county’s largest and finest silent auction. Your fun begins as you peruse the items and experiences and select those that fancy your taste. Perhaps you can walk away with the perfect piece for your great room or a gift certificate from The Clayton Café, Fortify Pi or The Country Cupboard or an opportunity to zipline! And then comes the highlight of the evening, the Live Auction. First introduced into local charitable events by Rhapsody in 2002, the Live Auction has become a part of Rhapsody that many consider a reason to attend…in addition to the food, of course. Some of the best auction items are held aside for the Live Auction and get deserved attention with spirited bidding and friendly competition. Private dinners with local chefs, evenings spent with local celebrities, special events and places to stay, maybe a vacation spot are some of the adventures you might win in this lively auction. And, after the Live Auction, Back in Time returns, and you can dance the night away. Figuratively, of course, since the gala ends at 11 PM. Oh, did I mention the cash bar?!! Opens at 5 PM and closes at 11 PM. So, you can imagine how much fun this event brings to its participants. What about the main focus of this fund-raising event, the money? Here are some highlights of the fundraising (for a full list, go to: Rhapsodyinrabun.com): Since its inception, Rhapsody has raised a total of $1,315,215.20 for 28 worthwhile projects. That is an average of almost $47,000 per event. The range for these 28 events is from the inaugural event’s $10,000 for Habitat for Humanity® of Rabun County to the peak of $93,000 in 2005 for the Boggs Mountain Animal Shelter.
38 - June 2019
Four events have raised more than $70,000 with two of them exceeding $80,000. All four of the over $70,000 events have occurred in the “modern era” of Rhapsody – since the event was moved to the Rabun County Civic Center in 2002. Some organizations have been honored as the recipient more than once: Rabun Hospice, The Foxfire Fund, FAITH, Rabun Youth, North Georgia Community Players, Sid Weber
Memorial Cancer Fund, Rabun County High School Band Boosters and the only three-time winner is Community Partnership of Rabun County. One of the exciting things about this year’s event is that it will be the second time Habitat for Humanity® of Rabun County will be the recipient. The first time Habitat was the recipient was at the inaugural Rhapsody event in 1991, 28 years ago. And, to top that, this is Habitat’s 30th anniversary in Rabun County. The Habitat people are so excited about this event, you better watch out… they may break out their tool pouches and build a house out of the auction items right in the middle of the dance floor! So, do not miss this year’s Rhapsody in Rabun event on Saturday, August 10th. Come and be a force in: Building the Future, One Family at a Time!
June 2019 - 39
Mountain Happenings June 7th - 9th Northeast Georgia Arts Tour Art Galleries in Habersham, Rabun, White, Towns & Union Counties in Georgia and Clay County in North Carolina Info: www.ArtsTour.org STEPHENS COUNTY June 13th North GA Technical College Program Preview Currahee Campus, Toccoa Info: 706.779.8102 Ida Cox Music Series Historic Downtown Toccoa Info: idacoxmusicseries.com June 1st - Toccoa Jazz June 8th - ThunderGypsy
June 21st / July 19th Friday Night Live Downtown Clarkesville Info: 706.754.2220 WHITE COUNTY May 30th - June 1st Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race Helen Info: 706.878.2271 June 1st and each Saturday Saturday Evening Music Concert Series Unicoi State Park & Lodge Helen Info: 706.865.5356 July 19th - 21st Christmas in July Helen Arts & Heritage Center Helen Info: 706.878.3933
June 15th - Roadhouse Jukebox June 22nd - Split Shot June 29th - Hunter Callahan July 6th - Radford Windham July 13th - Royal Johnson July 20th - Edgar Loudermilk July 27th - Canyon Ladies The Ritz Theater Toccoa Info: www.ritztheatretoccoa.com
June 1st and the first Saturday of each month Blacksmithing Demonstration June 10th - 14th, 17th - 21st Summer Theatre Arts Camp June 14th - 16th SNIFF - Sautee Nacoochee Infinitesimal Film Fest
June 6th and each Thursday Summer Movies at the Ritz
June 22nd Cheri Luhn in Concert
June 14th Southern Gospel Music - Isaac’s Well
July 13th Auntie Q & Her Wayward Girls
July 12th Southern Gospel Music - Carl Kesler
July 28th Doris Davenport
HABERSHAM COUNTY May 30th - June 2nd, 6th - 9th “I Do, I Do” Habersham Community Theater Clarkesville 706.839.1315 habershamtheater.org June 1st and each Saturday through September Clarkesville Market Place Old Courthouse Parking Lot Clarkesville Info: 706.754.2220
40 - June 2019
SNCA Sautee Nacoochee Info: 706.878.3300 www.snca.org
Hardman Farm Historic Site Sautee Nacoochee Info: 706.878.1077 June 8th; July 13th Emory Jones Book Signing June 15th - Dairy Day June 23rd - Farm Camp July 9th - Anna Ruby Tuesday July 27th - Farm to Table
RABUN COUNTY June 1st and each Saturday Bluegrass on the Square Tallulah Falls Opera House Tallulah Falls Info: 706.212.0241 June 1st and each Saturday through October July 27th - Garlic Fest Clayton Farmers’ Market Food Bank of NE Georgia Clayton Info: 706.782.0780 June 1st 7th Annual Fur Ball Rabun County Civic Center Clayton Info: www.rabunpaws4life.com June 1st Mountain Ivy Garden Club Sidewalk Sale Rock House, Clayton Info: 706-202-3184 June 1st and each Saturday June 22nd - Grand Opening Celebration Community Market Old School Park, Clayton Info: 706.782.5271 June 17th; July 16th Full Moon Suspension Bridge Hike Tallulah Gorge State Park Tallulah Falls Info: 706.754.7981 June 22nd Heritage Day Foxfire Museum & Heritage Center Mountain City Info: 706.746.5828 www.foxfire.com June 29th Blackberries and Bluegrass Festival Hillside Orchard Farms Lakemont Info: 706.782.2776 July 5th Fireworks at Lake Rabun Lake Rabun Dam Lakemont Info: www.LakeRabun.org July 6th Lake Rabun Ramble Road Race Lake Rabun Pavillion Lakemont Info: www.RabunRamble.com
July 6th Lake Burton Fun Run Begin Moccasin Creek State Park Clayton Info: www.lakeburtonfunrun.com
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds Hiawassee Info: 706.896.4191 georgiamountainfairgrounds.com
July 6th Fireworks on Lake Burton South End of Billy Goat Island Clayton Info: LakeBurtonFireworks.com
June 6th Gail Bliss & the Nashville Barn Dance
July 13th - 14th Painted Fern Festival of Art Rabun County Civic Center Clayton Info: northgeorgiaartsguild.com
June 1st Gene Watson and John Conlee
June 8th Happy Together Tour July 4th Georgia Mountain Fair Fireworks July 11th - 13th Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruzin
July 20th Mountain City Buck Dance and Square Dance Party City Hall Mountain City Info: 706.746.3513
July 13th Tommy James & the Shondells & Vintage Vixens
TOWNS COUNTY
UNION COUNTY
May 31st - June 2nd North Georgia Highlands Seafood Festival Mayors Park, Young Harris Info: 706.897.6179 June 7th and each Friday Friday Evening Tapas & Acoustic Crane Creek Vineyards Young Harris Info: 706.379.1236
July 19th - 27th Georgia Mountain Fair
June 1st and each Saturday Live Music Paradise Hills Resort and Spa Blairsville Info: 706.745.7483 June 8th - 9th 16th Annual Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games Meeks Park, Blairsville Info: 706.745.2161
June 8th - 9th Home & Garden Show 2019 Towns County Recreation & Conference Center, Young Harris Info: 828.321.2111
June 13th Job Fair North Georgia Technical College Conference Center, Blairsville Info: 706.896.4966
June 29th - 30th Made in Georgia Festival Towns County Rec Center Young Harris Info: 706.896.4966
June 15th Waymore’s Outlaws Runnin’ with Ol’ Waylon Tour UCS Fine Arts Center Blairsville Info: 706.745.5789
July 4th July 4th Fireworks Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa Young Harris Info: 800.201.3205 Rollins Planetarium Young Harris College Young Harris Info: 706.379.4307 June 14th, 21st / July 12th, 19th “Planet Nine” July 19th Apollo 11 - One Giant Leap
June 15th and the third Saturday of the month Cruise-In On The Square Downtown Blairsville Info: 863.414.5276 June 21st - 22nd Blairsville Pro Rodeo Union County Saddle Club Arena Blairsville Info: 706.435.8298 June 22nd - 23rd 13th Annual Mountain Fling North GA Technical College Blairsville Info: 706.896.0932
June 2019 - 41
Mountain Happenings June 29th Lake Nottely Boat Parade US Hwy 19/129 Blairsville Info: 706.745.3638
July 13th - 14th Festival on the Square Downtown on the Square Hayesville Info: 828.389.3704
June 20th - 23rd, 27th Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story Highlands Playhouse Highlands Info: 828.526.2695
July 4th Independence Day Celebration Vogel State Park Blairsville Info: 706.745.2628
Brasstown Community Civic Center Concert Series Brasstown Info: 828.361.3040
June 20th Bark, Beer & Barbeque Benefitting Cashiers Highlands Humane Society The Farm at Old Edwards Highlands Info: 828.526.2112
July 4th - 6th Alpaca Farm Independence Day Celebration Lasso the Moon Alpaca Farm Blairsville Info: 706.897.2379
June 8th - Lone Mountain Band
July 4th Independence Day Fireworks Meeks Park Blairsville Info: 706.745.5789
John C. Campbell Folk School Brasstown Info: 828.837.2775
July 6th and each Saturday Union County Farmers’ Market Old Smokey Road Blairsville Info: 706.439.6043
June 8th / July 6th Contra & Square Dance
July 13th Outdoor Movie Night Historic Downtown Square Blairsville Info: 706.347.3503 July 20th - 21st Butternut Creek Festival Meeks Park Blairsville Info: butternutcreekfestival.com
June 22nd - Just Us July 13th - Run Mountain July 27th - Blue Ridge Grass Band
June 4th and each Tuesday Contra and Square Dance
June 14th Lorraine & Bennett Hammond June 21st Steve Hickman & John Devine July 4th - Lee Knight
July 20th Appalachian Heritage Festival Downtown Franklin Info: townoffranklinnc.com
MACON COUNTY, NC
June 7th and each Friday Night during the Summer months Friday Night Summer Concert Series Historic Courthouse Square Downtown Hayesville Info: 828.389.1181
July 4th 4th of July Fireworks in the Park Macon County Veteran’s Memorial Park Franklin Info: 828.349.2090
May 31st - June 2nd “The Music Man”
Chattahoochee National Forrest Fish Hatchery, Suches Info: 706.838.4723
CLAY COUNTY, NC
July 4th All American 4th of July Downtown Franklin Info: 828.524.2516
July 4th July 4th Celebration Downtown Highlands Info: 828.526.2112
June 8th; July 13th Songwriter’s Showcase
June 8th Fishing Rodeo for Kids 16 & under
June 30th Starstruck Highlands Country Club Highlands Info: 828.526.2695
Peacock Performing Arts Center Hayesville Info: 828.389.2787 thepeacocknc.org
July 20th Cruise-In on the Square Downtown Courthouse Square Blairsville Info: 863.414.5276
June 7th Fishing Rodeo for Seniors
June 29th - 30th Highlands Village Square Art & Craft Show Kelsey-Hutchinson Park Info: 828.787.2021
June 22nd - 23rd A Cinderella Story
Saturdays on Pine Concert Series Kelsey Hutchinson Park Highlands Info: 828.526.2112
June 15th Author’s Tea - Diane McPhail Highlands United Methodist Church Highlands Info: 828.526.2112
June 1st - Train
June 15th Friends of Founders Park Low Country Shrimp Boil Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park Highlands Info: foundersparkhighlands.org
June 22nd - Troy Underwood
June 13th - 16th Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival Downtown Franklin Info: tasteofscotlandfestival.org
July 20th Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats
June 8th - Colby Deitz Band June 15th - Andalyn
June 29th - Arnold Hill July 6th - Get Right Band July 13th - Gold Rose
July 27th - Charles Walker Band
Friday Night Live Concerts Town Square, Highlands Info: 828.526.2112
Cowee School - Arts & Heritage Ctr. Franklin Info: 828.349.1945
June 7th - Tallulah River Band
June 15th SEBA Jam Concert - David Grier
June 14th - Silly Ridge Roundup June 21st - Ben & Marce June 28th - Southern Highlands July 5th - Foxfire Boys July 12th - Johnny Webb Band July 19th - Ben & Marce
June 29th Contra Dance July 20th SEBA Jam Concert - Danny Paisley
July 26th - Sycamore Flats
Highlands Performing Arts Center Highlands Info: highlandspac.net
Pickin’ on the Square Downtown, Franklin Info: 828.524.2516
May 30th - June 2nd “Calendar Girls” Highlands Cashiers Players
June 1st - The J.W. Band
June 1st National Theatre Live - All My Sons
June 8th - The Upbeats Band June 22nd - Hurrican Creek June 29th - Darren Nicholson July 6th - Remenants Band July 13th - Frogtown July 20th - Tugalo Holler July 27th - Tom Floyd Band Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts Franklin Info: 866.273.4615; 828.524.1598 GreatMountainMusic.com June 1st Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives June 13th - Mountain Voices June 14th - Billy Ray Cyrus June 28th Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone July 3rd Grains of Sand Band Free Outdoor Concert & 10th Birthday Bash July 4th The Isaacs Independance Day Concert & Fan Jam BBQ July 5th - 6th The Isaacs Musication Nation
June 7th Great Art on Screen Series June 16th Concert - Mark O’Conner featuring the O’Conner Band June 21st - 22nd Travis LeDoyt June 29th Broadway’s Next Hit Musical Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival Fridays and Sundays at the Highlands Performing Arts Center, Highlands Saturdays and Mondays at the Albert Carlton Library, Cashiers Info: h-cmusicfestival.org July 5th - 6th By George! Chamber Music of George Gershwin July 7th - 8th Mozart in the Mountains July 12th - 13th Armida - Debut! July 14th - 15th Armida Plus July 19th - 20th Concerto Night July 21st - 22nd Quint - Essential
July 12th - The Sock Hops
July 26th -27th Jazz Meets Classics: Impressions and Reflections
July 26th - 27th August 2nd - 3rd Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, The Musical
July 28th - 29th Beethoven and Brahms
June 2019 - 43
13th Annual Flower, Garden & Liturgical Arts Festival submitted by St. James Episcopal Church
T
his year we are celebrating Women of Faith. This became quite the challenge when narrowing our selection to just a few. We discovered so many deserving women. We are excited about the Women of Faith our group will be honoring. Come share with us, our journey into the lives of these special women. The first woman, Eve, fell from God’s grace in the Garden of Eden. She was the mother of Cain and Abel. Saint Cecilia, the patroness of musicians, born in Rome. Miriam, best known as the sister of Moses. She was a leader among the Hebrew women and musically gifted. Mother Teresa, a Catholic Nun born in Albania. She dedicated her life to serving the poor. Maya Angelou an American poet, singer, and civil rights activist. Florence Nightingale, Mary Crow Dog, a Lakota woman, and Saint Margaret of England, just to mention a few.
Friday at 10:30: Bev Mannes will be presenting Feminine Celebration Flowers. Saturday at 10:30: Linda Fraser will be presenting Growing Wild Things in a Polite Neighborhood. She is a botanical artist who specializes in native plants. Her work has been showcased at numerous exhibits including the Southeastern Flower Show, Callaway Gardens, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the South Carolina Botanical Garden. Needlework by parishioners, works of art, music and vestments specific to seasons in the church year will be on display. The Gardens of Saint James will be on tour. They are planned and cared for by volunteers and considered sacred. We are excited to share with our community, through the use of flowers and stories, the remarkable lives of these women. Join us Friday, June 14th and Saturday, June 15th from 9:30 until 4:00. Saint James Episcopal Church, 260 Warwoman Road, Clayton, GA 30525
44 - June 2019
My father taught me not to overthink things, that nothing will ever be perfect, so just keep moving and do your best. Scott Eastwood
46 - June 2019
June 2019 - 47
T
he Northeast Georgia Arts Tour is your chance to visit more than 30 art galleries and studios in a self-guided tour that traverses Habersham, Rabun, White, Union and Towns counties in North Georgia and Clay County, N.C. Scheduled for June 7, 8 and 9, the tour features live demonstrating artists and includes specialty handcrafted work from painters, potters, folk art, jewelry, mixed media, metal, photography, furniture, fiber, wood and more! Pick up a map brochure or see www.ArtsTour.org for a list of participating artists as well as associated dining and lodging suggestions. The map and the iconic yellow Arts Tour signs will lead you down picturesque mountain roads, and along
sparkling rivers where you will fall in love with the many creative and handcrafted discoveries. Hours for the tour are Friday: 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday: 1 to 4 p.m. Brochures are available at local chambers of commerce, welcome centers and arts tour stops. The Arts Tour is overseen by the Northeast Georgia Arts Tour, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting arts in the region. Don’t miss this chance to talk with artists in person about their work – the next tour won’t be until Nov. 8, 9 and 10, 2019.
The North Georgia Arts Guild Presents Painted Fern Festival oF art – July 13 & 14
N
orth Georgia Art Guild’s signature summer arts and fine crafts is now in its 12th year. After 7 years in the Lake Rabun Pavillion, we’ve gone uptown! Always the second weekend in July, the Painted Fern Festival of Art will be at the Rabun County Civic Center in downtown Clayton on July 13 & 14. NGAG members, fine artists and artisans will present their work, in a broad range of mediums. Their art is as diverse as the creative talents of the 40+ exhibitors at the Painted Fern Festival of Art. You’ll find paintings in oil and watercolor, traditional and contemporary, portraits, landscapes, realism and expressionism. For pottery enthusiasts, our clay artists offer both functional and whimsical creations. Fiber artists show off their unique, one-of-a kind art, for fun, color and function. Looking for bling? Our
jewelers hand craft wearable art of silver, copper, glass, and gemstones. Nature and wildlife photographers offer prints and giclee. Glass artists present a variety of art crafted from fused glass and lamp work beads. The Rabun County Civic Center is conveniently located in downtown Clayton with abundant free parking, and airconditioned comfort. Admission is free. The concession stand will provide lunch and snacks. Mark your calendar! For the second weekend in July! We invite you to come back to Clayton, experience our exceptional and popular members’ art show in a gallery-like setting. Meet the artists and artisans of the North Georgia Arts Guild; learn how their creations came to be. Then, at the end of the day, take home a unique piece of artwork and a story.
Painted Fern Festival of Art begins Saturday, July 13 from 10AM until 5PM and continues Sunday, July 14, 11AM to 4PM at the Rabun County Civic Center, 201 West Savannah Street, Clayton. NorthGeorgiaArtsGuild.com.
48 - June 2019
June 2019 - 49
Ble! Your Heart You Cannot Keep Life Off Your Face
Dear Mary Kay Consultant, This morning I did my daily MK routine...cleanser, toner, make-up, the whole bit. I even had a good hair day! On my way to work I stopped at the local McDonald’s and my bill for coffee was $2.10. The young girl took my money and then gave me back too much change. I knocked on the window and said, “I think there’s been a mistake, I was given back too much change.” She looked at me kind of funny and said, “Oh no mistake ma’am, I gave you the Senior Citizen discount.”
EVERYTHING in life requires discipline.
I know I looked rather bewildered when I answered, “You mean to tell me you looked at me through the camera and even with big sunglasses on you assumed that I was a Senior?” “Yes ma’am, have a good day,” she said laughingly as she shut the window.
My story is not so different from other women. Many have been single moms, fought cancer multiple times, lost their only daughter, and much, much more.
Really? Have a good day? So if you will, please Ms. Consultant, upgrade my MK products and send the bill to my husband. I’m too young to be this old. True story. God keeps me humble. All. The. Time. At the age of 42 I gave birth to my last child. He was only a couple of months old when I went to a craft show with my sister, Lori who is two years younger. I was carrying Luke when we ran into one of my sister’s friends. She took one look at me and said, “I’m so glad to finally meet your mother.” I died. Yes...God keeps me humble. I’ve always struggled with my weight - like so many other women. It’s just hard. I had one family member to say one time, “just don’t keep bread in the house.” Seriously? I wish it were just that simple.
50 - June 2019
What am I weak in? Discipline. It takes constant prayer, constant lists, constant pleas to God to help me. From the time I wake up until I go to bed, it’s daily discipline to accomplish it all. Beginning with my quiet time to ending the night with quiet time. Sometimes I miss the mark. I thank God for His grace.
So, when I see the wrinkles and the aging catching up faster than I can apply Mary Kay, it’s okay. I’m good. If I carry a few extra pounds - it’s okay. (although, I must confess I can take the aging better than the pounds.) Aging gracefully is a lot of work. I laugh when I go away for the weekend because my lotions and potions bag is three times bigger than my make-up bag. It was opposite that in my younger years. But for me, the true “aging gracefully” is not on the outside but on the inside. It’s keeping my relationship with God growing, being a mentor to young moms, and living fully each day. My aunt’s granddaughter told her one day as she drove up in a new SUV that her face did NOT match the car! Meaning she had only seen young moms drive SUVs not an old MeMom! It’s okay that our outside doesn’t match our inside. God is ONLY looking at our hearts. I think God expects that of us too... Let’s look only at the hearts of others, and become a blessing. You Bless Mine.
Lisa
June 2019 - 51
A place where new life springs forth out of despair, failure and death. A place where God brings physical, emotional and spiritual healing to you.
HARVEST YOUR PROSPERITY The Bible is packed full of what our God tells us about prosperity! The good news is that Almighty God wants His people to prosper in all things that we do. It is not His will to have His people in bondage because of debt or bad choices on our part. He has opened a path for us to follow in our lives, and the good news is that He wants us to prosper and to make good choices in all that we do. We must call out to the LORD in prayer for the teaching that only He can give to us: “Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teaches you to profit, which leads you by the way that you should go”. Isaiah 48:17. Your path to prosperity is opened unto you in the pages of the Holy Bible. The following Bible verses become yours when you come to the LORD in prayer, thanking Him for His blessings and mercy conveyed to you through the Word of God that cannot lie. Quote His word back to Him, thanking Him for His gracious promises for prosperity for family, friends, others who need prayer and for yourself. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper”. Psalm 1:1 “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea let them say continually: Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant”. Psalm 35:27.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” III John:1 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD”. Isaiah 54:17 “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper”. 2 Chronicles 26:5 “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand”. Genesis 39:2-4 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”. Isaiah 55:11 Speak God’s word over all that you do, and it will accomplish great things for the LORD.
“Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces”. Psalm 122:7.
“So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off”. Isaiah 55:11-13
“He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy”. Proverbs 28:13.
RIVER GARDEN P.O. BOX 112 LAKEMONT, GA. 30552
“Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD I beseech thee, send now prosperity”. Psalm 118:25. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee”. Psalm 122:6.
52 - June 2019
706.782.5435
706.490.3063
June 2019 - 53
S
ome of my favorite childhood memories involve summer days at my grandmothers’ houses helping them put up food from their gardens. Neither of them had much money, so each summer they would plant and tend a garden, as they had their whole lives, and put up the bounty in quart and pint size Mason jars to eat throughout the winter. Canning food isn’t that hard, but it can be time consuming to cut and prepare the vegetables for the jars before processing them in a big canner on the stove. Usually, we put up quart jars of vegetable soup when I was visiting, cooking and canning for a whole day. I was proud of the jars I took home at the end of the week when my mom and dad came back to get me. I don’t have the time or gardening skills to grow my own food, but I do still enjoying canning farmers market finds in the summertime. It has become a tradition for my kids to help me pickle cucumbers and green beans to enjoy in their lunchboxes during the school year. Last year, as summer was winding down, we decided on old-fashioned bread and butter cucumber pickles and spicy zydeco green beans, and because the okra at the farm stand looked particularly good that morning, pickled okra was on the agenda as well. As I was weighing the six pounds of pickling cucumbers I needed, a lady poking through the okra bin next to me asked if I was making pickles. When I told her it was a summer tradition for my kids, she remarked that in today’s cultural climate knowing how to preserve food was an important skill to have. That initially struck me as a bit of a paranoid stance to take on pickled foods — we’re certainly not preppers by any definition — but she did make me pause and think about why I started this tradition with my kids in the first place.
Tasty Summer Traditions Tie Us Back To the Land by Karla Jacobs
54 - June 2019
What I wanted was for my city-raised kids to feel the same tie to the land that I did when putting up food from the garden with my grandmothers. It is important for kids to have an understanding of where food comes from and the preparation it needs to be safely stored for later consumption, whether by their own hands or a large food company. But most importantly, food needs to be more than something that shows up on their plate at mealtimes. They need to appreciate the work that goes into growing and preparing it and not take it for granted. A similar sentiment drives the Local Food Movement that has been gaining ground in recent years. It seems as we get farther away from our agrarian roots, there is this call back to the land. There is something comforting in the never-ending rhythms of the seasons — berry picking on a warm spring day, fresh produce co-ops through the hot summer months, apple picking as the weather begins to cool again. There’s nothing better than a homegrown, ripe tomato so big you only need one slice for a tomato and cheese sandwich, and tomato season, which is pretty much the entire summer, is my favorite season. That’s why every summer we answer the call to return to the traditions of my childhood and in our small way participate in preparing the foods that will spice up our winter meals and remind us that warmer days are ahead. Karla Jacobs is a freelance writer, a soccer mom, and a community volunteer with deep family roots in the North Georgia Mountains. When not writing about pop culture, policy, and politics, she can often be found hiking back country trails with her family. She lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband and their two teenage children.
LIFE IS A BLESSING
-
Finding a Blessing in Hot Berries - by Tracy McCoy
T
o compare the love of God for us to my joy over the first run of Strawberry Preserves I’ve ever made may seem to some a travesty but it is in the simplest things that God reveals truths.
The need to create is born in us placed there by God. So it is that I decided to make some preserves, not much better to top a butter biscuit with is there? I bought a gallon of berries at our local produce market and made plans to leave work an hour or so early to get started on my project. My plan was to get the strawberries done, cleaned up and out of the way before cooking supper. Well one thing after another kept me late at the office and I didn’t get home until after 6 PM. I cooked supper and convinced myself to postpone the canning until the next day. I sat down and it hit me, just do it! Just get it done! With that I began the process of making preserves. Hot berries, hot jars, hot lids and rings... everything was going well. The time was right to put my sticky sweet mixture in the jars. The color was so nice and the chunks of berry looked delectable! I filled them up fast putting lids on and tightening the rings. The mess was minimal and before I knew it I had 10 half pints of rich red strawberry preserves. With all of my jars lined up I evaluated how they looked, dreaming of how good they would taste, imagining a pan of hot biscuits. Much the same way when God planned for our birth He crafted us in our mother’s womb, paying close attention to every detail. He imagined our lives and all that we would do. He equipped us to do great things and live outstanding lives. Thinking back to my preserves, one jar may have a few more berries than the next or be a bit fuller than the other but I take pride in each one. I think they are all beautiful and I see the goodness in each jar. Just as God does with each life He creates. I must tell you how exciting it was to make these preserves for my family, I imagined who I might give a jar to or who could I share a jar with. God knows the lives we’ll touch long before we make contact and He knows the joy we will bring into them. It wasn’t long before my jars began to seal and with each lid that popped I couldn’t help but smile. How many times has God looked into our lives and took delight in our “pops”? As excited as I was, it came to my mind that God in Heaven is so proud of us, and He loves us so much. We are His greatest creation and nothing pleases Him more than to see us living for Him, bringing richness and blessings into the lives of all we meet. I can’t wait to taste my preserves and even more to share them with my family. I praise God for simple truths in every day life. It is such, that makes life a blessing!
The Characteristics of a Great Father Pastor Avery Lawrence - Persimmon Baptist Church - Clayton, Georgia
W
e grew up poor but nobody bothered to tell us. Everybody we knew was like us. I don’t remember ever going without anything to eat but I am sure there were times that the cupboards were bare. I do not recall Mama or Daddy ever discussing bills or money but I know that times were hard. Daddy was always a good man. He’d give you the shirt off of his back without any hesitation. He didn’t worry too much about himself or his own needs. He was always more concerned with others. I remember he would go to work in the early hours of morning and during the summer, he would cut timber in the evenings, after he’d already been at work all day operating heavy machinery. There were days where his callouses would have callouses, and his hands would bleed. He worked hard to provide for his family, and he was a friend to everyone he met. But something was missing. Inside, he knew that his life was supposed to have meaning and that being a good man wasn’t “good” enough. I remember going to a little Baptist church with my grandmother. The pastor encouraged my sister and me to pray for my daddy, that he would repent of his sins and surrender his life to Jesus Christ. We did, and we saw things start to change in our daddy. He always believed in God, but Sunday was his only day of rest. That did not deter the determination of a little boy and girl who loved their daddy and knew that he needed to meet a man named Jesus. Soon, his intermittent church attendance became a total commitment. We witnessed a spiritual transformation. He confessed his sins and asked Jesus to save his soul. The rough, hardworking, good ol’ boy had become a born-again man of God. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since the day my daddy got saved. He has grown and matured in Christ and I have as well. His love is deep and he has a genuine concern for others’ eternal well-being. He finds opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone he meets. My “good” daddy became a GREAT father when Jesus turned his life around. The characteristics of a great father are demonstrated throughout the Word of God. In the book of Genesis, we see that Noah’s commitment to God would save his family. Even when the world around him rejected him and laughed him to scorn, Noah obeyed God. God had promised Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) a son in their old age. Abraham was a great man of faith and we find the love that Abraham had for his son Isaac would help plot the course for generations still yet to come. In the new testament, we meet Joseph, a simple man; a carpenter, who would demonstrate what true love really is. He was chosen to raise the Son of God. It was likely a daunting task, but Joseph was obedient to his call. These men are just a few fathers that we can learn from in the Bible. God Almighty designed a father to lead his family; to be there in all circumstances. God has equipped man with the ability to labor to provide for his family. He gave us His Word as a guide on how to live our lives and as a resource for strength and assurance. God shows us in His Word examples of how to love, how to forgive, how to prepare for the future, embrace the past, how to treat our children, how to honor our spouse, and how to serve Him…just to start! A good father is one who realizes the potential that God has laid before him, one who loves God with all his heart, and serves him with integrity. This month, we celebrate Father’s Day. Not everyone has a good father. Actually, not everyone has a father. But God is asking us to come to Him. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” In case you didn’t know, God loves you. In fact, He loves you so much that He sent his son Jesus, to pay for your sins. He further says in Romans 10:13 that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Where do you stand with God? What does your relationship look like? May I encourage you to seek Him with all your heart. If you need a church to attend, there are churches across the county who are part of Rabun for the Gospel. Each of these churches is a Bible believing, Gospel of Jesus Christ preaching church. Avery Lawrence is the Pastor of the Persimmon Baptist Church 2032 Persimmon Rd, Clayton, GA 30525 - 706.212.7914
56 - June 2019
June 2019 - 57
Clayton, Georgia
58 - June 2019
June 2019 - 59
Home Came Second, But It’ll be First on Your List by John Shivers
T
here are homes that force you to ask, “Which came first, the house or its surroundings?” In the case of this cedar shake-sided home east of Clayton, overlooking Timpson Creek on the banks of Lake Burton, it’s an honest question. A curving paved drive leads down from Rainwater Trail, -- look for 488 on the fence post -- to this Bill Harrison custom-built home, on more than two acres. So, which did come first, the house or the heavily-wooded lot, where nature embraces the three bedroom Craftsman-inspired home, and its breathtaking waterfront views? It’s hard to tell. The marriage of material and style, layout and finishes, inside and out, accented by vivid earth tones, make it seem like it’s always been there. Low maintenance landscape elements reinforce the partnership. The Cherokee fieldstone-clad entry, capped with a vaulted roofline and massive timbers, leads to the glass and wooden front door, and that’s where you first understand how well
60 - June 2019
incorporated the two worlds are. From the foyer, you can see all the way through the house to the wooded panorama across the lake. The home’s three bedrooms all enjoy this same view, as do most rooms in the house. A carport for two outside, adjacent to the main entry and the mudroom entry, and a large parking area, make access a snap. Inside, some 3,700 square feet of finished living space translates into a versatile home that’ll answer varied family needs. There’s no wasted space here. Attention to detail includes such extras as appliance garages in the kitchen, where Brazilian granite countertops crown custom, furniturestyle Gillespie cabinets, including an oversize island, and sets the stage for some serious cooking. The six-burner Thermador® gas range with griddle and double ovens, and a farmhouse sink make meal prep a snap. The focal point of this kitchen with the vaulted ceiling is backed up in its task by a sub-zero refrigerator, warming drawer, dishwasher and microwave. In the great room, a massive random-stack stone fireplace with an antique timber mantle beckons, encouraging you to sit a while and put your feet up. A fireplace with gas logs on the lower level issues a similar invitation. An office or media room with more Gillespie cabinetry is also found on this level, along with a workout/storage room with a separate entrance.
and throughout the lower level. Elsewhere, distressed hickory hardwood floors run throughout the house. The master bedroom features two separate walk-through dressing areas, vanities and toilets, leading to a large shower and air jet tub room. There are two more bedrooms and bathrooms, and a powder room with a copper sink is located just off the main entrance. The vaulted ceilings allow for soaring wall heights and eightfoot tall, distinctively styled wooden doors throughout. Marvin® windows and sliding doors open onto various open decks and covered, screened porches. Provisions exist for a future outside fireplace and/or kitchen. A dual fuel HVAC system keeps the home comfortable year-round. There’s a whole house water filter system and a whole house Bose speaker system. Even the family pet will benefit from the “invisible” dog fence that surrounds the property, and there’s a freestanding garden tool shed. This home is only five minutes from Anchorage Marina, and enjoys easy access to Highway 76 west and Clayton. Drive it now to find the house that will top your list. Listing agent for this property is Scott Poss at Poss Realty, who can be reached at 706-490-2305 or at the office by calling 706-782-2121 and by email at scottposs@windstream.net. Reference MLS #8540214.
Slate floors are on the main floor mudroom and laundry room,
June 2019 - 61
62 - June 2019
June 2019 - 63
Check Out the Angles of this Property by John Shivers
I
t’s the angles that grab you when you first glimpse this seasoned, waterfront lodge on Lake Rabun. The arms of the house beckon, encouraging you to take a gander inside, where even more of the distinctive aspects of this home located at 80 Gander Lane in Lakemont await.
The secret to perfect lake living is the versatility of the property, allowing for quality enjoyment both inside and out. From that angle, this property checks all the boxes. And then some. The big water views in the central part of the lake would do a picture postcard justice. Mere yards from the generous covered porches of the lodge, water sport activities are based around the two-story, two-stall boathouse. This is a great party space above that’s partially covered for protection from the elements, making it a great place to get away for some alone time with a good book, or even a nap. From the outside angle, a great lifestyle awaits. It’s also great inside. The two-story great room with a beamed, vaulted ceiling and interesting angled walls focused around a massive stone fireplace leads you into the other half of life on the lake. Your eyes can’t help but be drawn upward as you enter the front door, where you’re immediately taken with the sprawling multi-sided room that lends itself to multiple activities. From the rustic grand staircase to the angled balcony that connects to the two bedroom wings, you’re repeatedly struck with the subliminal message “this house isn’t like anything else I’ve seen.” That’s the angle… Whether you have a large family needing a year-round home, your family is far-flung and needs a holiday base, or you’re just generous, outgoing folks, who love to host house parties, this is the place for you. A generous size kitchen adjacent to the great room is close enough for the cook to remain involved in the life of the party. Meanwhile, meal preparation is an easy matter in this kitchen with a center island, breakfast bar and breakfast area, spacious pantry, refrigerator, range and double ovens. The laundry area is located convenient to the kitchen and the main level master suite.
64 - June 2019
The home’s six lake-view bedrooms enable this home to live up to its lodge designation. Each of the bedrooms has its own private bath. Four of the bedrooms are on the second level, while the main level master offers privacy along with a private bath and huge walk-in closet. The main floor has a convenient half-bath, and the sixth bedroom is in the finished basement clad with authentic pine paneling, along with a second generous size family room and a large office / media room. Porches on the main and lower levels with 180 degree views are on the lake side of the home, and make it possible to enjoy the outdoors with all the comfort of the indoors. Built-in bookcases, a wet bar in the great room, hardwood floors, and a second rear staircase add to the livability of this rustic contemporary home built in 1983. There’s a workshop and generous storage and paved roads within yards of this house situated on two-thirds of an acre, ensuring easy year-round accessibility. There’s parking for several cars, convenient to the kitchen for easy grocery unloading. If the many angles of this property speak to you, take a look. This is about as far from a cookie-cutter home as you’ll find. That’s the angle! Additional information on this piece of distinctive lake property can be had by contacting Mary Cobb Stone with Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain at 404-226-0942, or call the office at 706-212-0228. Reference GAMLS #8565692.
June 2019 - 65
CALL A PRO 66 - June 2019
June 2019 - 67
68 - June 2019
June 2019 - 69
Adventure Out Currahee Mountain: A D-Day Memorial
T
his June 6th marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and in honor of that pivotal moment in world history, we’re hiking up Currahee, a mountain that was the training ground for many of the brave men that took part in that invasion. The mountain was made famous in the 2001 HBO production, “Band of Brothers,” which chronicled the exploits of Easy Company, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, who parachuted behind enemy lines in the early hours of D-Day in support of the landings at Utah beach. And if you saw that miniseries, you know these men trained at Camp Toccoa, and trudged up and down Currahee often, and with full packs and a rifle no less. But before setting off on your trek, I want you to get a little background on these American heroes by visiting the nearby Currahee Military Museum in Toccoa. The museum is located in the old Railroad Depot, which was the starting out point for all the arriving recruits. There is an $10 fee to visit the museum and well worth it for anyone interested in military history. (Seniors, Veterans and Students get a discount.) The numerous displays, maps and artifacts really bring this story to life. And the nice volunteers working there will give you directions to the Currahee Trail, about 6 miles away, and answer any other questions you may have. There’s also a gift shop offering books, tee shirts and other various military items. Now in “Band of Brothers,” the soldiers often referred to
70 - June 2019
by Peter McIntosh
Currahee Mountain saying “three miles up, three miles down,” but technically the trail is 2.7 miles each way. It’s called the Colonel Robert Sink Memorial Trail, named after the unit’s commanding officer. And the trail is also a forest service road, FS 62, which means you could drive to the top if so inclined. But if you hike it, I think you’ll get a better feel about what it was like for the brave young men preparing to go to war. The first two miles of the trail are easy with a few gentle ascents and descents. But it’s the last 1/2 mile where you pay your dues, climbing steadily to the top. You come to a spot with some exposed rock that’s been spray painted by folks, over and over. This is the best view although it’s not the very top of the mountain. The top of Currahee is covered with a cluster of cell towers, radio antennas and microwave repeaters, not much to look at. But from the overlook near the painted rocks is a splendid view to the north and to the east. On a clear day you can see many of Rabun County’s mountains, Glassy, Black Rock, Screamer and Rabun Bald. Now I suggest you return to Clayton, visit one of our fine restaurants, and raise a glass to these heroes who put their lives on the line for all of us, 75 years ago this month. Happy hiking!
My June salute to those heroic recruits: This month’s hike is a special occasion, Where we salute the participants of the D-Day invasion. We follow in the footsteps of these very brave men, Who went up and down Currahee Mountain, again and again. P.S. In the summer of 2016, I had the privilege of visiting Normandy, France and walked the hallowed grounds of Juno Beach, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. You can see photos from my visit on page 72.
Getting there: From Clayton, go south on Hwy 441 for 19 miles to the Hollywood intersection. There’s an Exxon and a Kangaroo here. Turn left on Hwy 17A and go 10 miles to Toccoa. Entering the town, Hwy 17A bears off to the right but we continue straight on N. Alexander Street for 1/4 mile until it dead ends at train depot and Currahee Military Museum. If you cross over railroad tracks, you’ve gone too far. For more information: http://www.toccoahistory.com or call: 706-282-5055 To see more of Peter’s photos of if you have a question or comment: www.mcintoshmountains.com
June 2019 - 71
The Normandy Coast - D-Day Memorials
S
ince this is the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion, I’m sharing some images from my visit there back in 2016. The people in Normandy love Americans and go to great efforts caring for these memorials, especially the American Cemetery. It’s well worth a visit. Peter McIntosh
The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves
72 - June 2019
D-Day Normandy - orders of the day
Normandy – Nazi Gun
Unknown Soldier
June 2019 - 73
The “Cat-Man” by Brenda Nash
A
s k B o b
Tharrington about Rabun Paws 4 Life and he’ll tell you that in the Fall of 2012, he heard about the opening of a new animal shelter in need of community support. He answered that call for help and has been instrumental in the continued success of Paws. Bob describes everyone he met in those early days at the shelter as “top-notch” and he thinks the same thing today of the staff, volunteers, and board of directors. Then, as now, he believes that Paws is “doing work for a great cause,” which is one of the reasons he wanted to be involved. About the animals, Bob feels that “every animal is a living, feeling being and we strive to give them all our love and the best of care.” Known as the “cat-man,” Bob would spend hours everyday improving the lives of the cats and kittens in the shelter’s care. Proper socialization, which is exposing cats to the world of people and things around them, is critical in improving how quickly cats are adopted and Bob not only took on this responsibility but he excelled at it. One of his projects was a kitten named Bubbles. She was born with a neurological condition which made her unsteady on her feet. Bob patiently worked with her to improve her strength and socialization and because of him, she found her forever home. He also has fostered many mama cats and their newborns. Another way that Bob improved the quality of life of the cats was by suggesting and implementing a cage-free area for the cats to live in. Paws dedicated an entire room just for the cats, complete with scratching posts, beds, hiding places, and
objects to climb on. Bob’s mother taught him to not be afraid to tackle anything - if it’s worth doing. Our cats appreciate this philosophy. With a background in sales, service, and management, Bob has been an important resource when major changes have been made at Paws. Dr. Stephen Arbitter, the shelter veterinarian, describes Bob as an observer who looks for ways to be of help. He further adds, “Several years ago, Bob noticed that if we used natural gas instead of propane, we could save thousands of dollars annually. Further, he negotiated the installation of the necessary mechanical changes needed. At that time, Paws was literally day-to-day with funding. Without his help and many others, Paws would not be a success today.” Bob’s latest accomplishment is in acquiring a new, modern telephone system, complete with a pager system for communication between the kennel staff and front staff. Known as “Bulldog Bob” by Becca Neff, our new director and staff member since Paws opened, describes Bob as a “get it done kind of man.” She further states that Bob “has a huge heart and a never ending love for animals. Over the last 6 years, he has helped make tremendous progress for the shelter possible. His devotion has never wavered. Sometimes situations arise when it’s who you know that helps you get back on track. Bob is the man you need to know.” Originally from Kansas City, Kansas, Bob has been a full-time resident of Rabun County since 1995. He spends his days keeping up with his 10 rescued cats and his roommates two dogs. He stops by Paws to see what he can do to help and to visit with his friends there. Volunteering came at a time in Bob’s life when he needed to put his time into a worthy cause. He had just lost his mother and wife within six months of each other and Paws needed help. It was a perfect fit. Dr. Aribitter first met Bob in 2002, when, according to Dr. Arbitter, “Paws, as it exists today, was still deep woods.” He
Sponsored By
74 - June 2019
further explains that Bob “had compassion for the stray cats in north Rabun County and saw to it that dozens were fed, neutered, and medicated. All out of his own pocket. Over the years I have seen his philanthropy segue to one of service. As health permits, he spends countless hours with homeless cats, socializing and comforting.” When asked what Paws contributes to the community, Bob says, “It brings a safe haven for animals and is a true no-kill shelter. Paws puts Rabun County on the map as a place that has true heart.” He is excited about the future and continued success of the shelter. He believes Becca is doing a “fantastic job” and that Dr. Arbitter has been a blessing to the shelter and all the animals in Paw’s care over the last many years. Bob is proud of the help he has given Paws and considers his contributions some of his greatest accomplishments Please drop by Paws and see the great cat room that Bob’s inspiration helped build. There are always adoptable dogs and cats at Paws looking for their forever home. Check out the vaccine clinics, spay/neuter options, and adoption events. Paws is a fun place to visit. WE WELCOME VOLUNTEERS! Visit our shelter at 261 Boen Creek Road, Tiger, GA 30576. Call us for information, or to report lost/missing/found animals in Rabun County 706.782.5422 Donations for the care of our animals are always appreciated. Mail to PAWS 4 Life – PO Box 216, Clayton, GA 30525
June 2019 - 75
“Where There’s a Will....” by Joel Hitt
T
his month I share with our readers another event in nature, complete with a couple of images to illustrate the events. It has to do with the tenacity and persistence that a tree can have in overcoming obstacles to living out their lives.
up the lower trailhead and parking area of the Tennessee Rock Trail. As one hikes away from the parking area, eventually on the left there is an excellent example of a tree with “prop-roots.”
Each of these photos tells an entire story. Each story is of an imperiled life at its early stage, but one that ends up surviving and thriving.
Prop-roots are a survival response beginning with a seed falling onto a log or other structure that leaves the seed off the ground. Of course seeds are dependent on soil to complete the self-planting process. Unless they fall onto nutrient-rich conditions, they will die. Winds often will give them more chances to find the right setting, but in this case the seed became fixed on top of a log, or perhaps a dead stump, even a boulder.
Our first tree is a white oak that I estimate at 70-90 years of age. It is located on the Appalachian Trail, a little less than a mile north of the US76 crossing. I first saw this oak about 9 years ago when I hiked the AT in Georgia, one segment at a time over the summer. I’ve been back to see it several times, including the day of this writing. This oak apparently suffered a blow-down of another tree that fell across the oak early in life, or some other event that caused the young plant to be bent near to its cracking point. But the original tree base survived with an intact root system, as did the developing trunk. The injured trunk continued to grow about 8 feet until it finally was able to turn upward again. The trunk today is still tilted at about a 75-degree angle, never having made it back to the vertical. But it’s healthy! For high in its canopy, the crown is filled this Spring with a new season of young leaflets. This oak has saved itself and still thrives today. The second tree I’m featuring occurs near the summit of Black Rock Mountain, in northern Rabun County. It is found a short hike
Whatever the condition, some 30ish years ago, the seed sent out one or more feeler roots, that were able to work their way downward, eventually scaling the distance between the captive seed and the ground. There are three essential events required for a seed to thrive. These feeler roots are able to begin transport of nutrients from the soil, while the seed can absorb water from the surface it rests upon, as well as take in the sunlight from its perch, just as it would were it on the ground. Those are the essential events that have to occur. But over time the mid-air surface began to degenerate. Our young plant sensed the disturbance, and the roots began the extra effort of becoming firm and supportive props for the young tree. Thus the root system becomes a buttress for the tree, which may be several feet tall by this time. If all goes well, this tree will persist through this second urgency of its life, and thus mature into quite a sturdy, if oddly-shaped, structure at its lower end. So I have pointed out two survival efforts trees can make to save themselves: recovery from being bent to the ground, and allowing a captive airborne seedling to have a thriving life. It’s the “urge to emerge,” shall we say, that makes this process possible. Plants can do remarkable things to keep on flourishing, despite events that otherwise would foreshorten their time. Or in our own human-speak, “Where there’s a will...there’s a way!
76 - June 2019
Out of the Blue Ridge
“Bella View Farm Animal Sanctuary – Paradise Found” by Beth Fierberg
P
aradise on Earth does exist and it is nestled in the foothills of Franklin, North Carolina at a place called Bella View Farm Animal Sanctuary (“the Farm”). The Farm is a very special haven as it is the forever home for special needs farm animals that would otherwise be forsaken. The disabled and “throw aways” are welcomed at the Farm with kindness and compassion to live out the rest of their days without ever knowing fear or hurt again. I know of no other place like it. The Farm is the vision of Rhonda and Greg Farrell who up until twelve years ago, lived in New York. Greg sold real estate and Rhonda was a hair salon owner in the Hamptons, but both had enough of the big city cost of living, traffic, attitude and everything else. Twelve years ago they packed up their pets, and having spent time vacationing in this area, ended up purchasing twenty-five acres of cattle pasture in Franklin. There they saw they could make their vision a reality where there is privacy, a beautiful mountain view, and enough land for the animals.
probably have close to a hundred. Eighty percent of them have special needs. Their two young goats, Thor and Gelly, use specialty wheel chairs made for canines and converted for use by the goats. How does one afford such an undertaking? “It’s still out of pocket. Once we became a nonprofit last year it made life a little easier for us being able to accept donations. We are not self-run through donations yet. My husband still has to work full time and puts money in. Hopefully one day it will run itself because I don’t want to be limited. I don’t want to have to say no because of money. I just take them and worry about cost later.” The Farm is open to visitors by appointment for a nominal donation. This helps to supplement this costly venture. The visit will include an introduction to many of the animals and learning about how they came to the Farm. Interaction with some of the animals makes it an extra special experience.
From the moment you enter the long driveway leading up to the Farm you feel tranquility. All the barns you see on the property were hand built by the Farrell’s. I met Rhonda at the house where I was warmly greeted. In the living area were two dogs, a cat and a couple of goats; Thor, a one-year old, born with an abnormal cerebellum and unable to move on his own (who Rhonda refers to as her “baby”), and Gelly who is in the process of getting a prosthetic leg and braces. The animals here are more then just living in this sanctuary, they are family members. Rhonda always had a love for animals; especially those with disabilities or injuries. She dreamed of having a farm so when they got this land everything just fell into place. The Farrells started by getting a couple of disabled horses and then came the disabled chickens, then two old goats (“but not me and my husband (laughs)). It just grew from there.” I was treated to a tour of the Farm which is currently home to around thirty farm animals; add in the chickens and you Gelly
78 - June 2019
It is the Farrell’s dream to build a rehabilitation barn for the many animals with neurological and genetic problems like Lilly and are trying to come up with ways to make that happen. “To me this Farm is a place for healing. Since we don’t have any children, after we are no longer here, we want the Farm to remain a Sanctuary.” Rhonda added, “We have been a Non-profit for a year and slowly more people are learning that we are here and what we do. I’m just going to keep doing what I do. This is where my heart is. Nothing at the end of the driveway has anything better to offer me then what I have right here. This was my dream, and now it’s my life. I always wanted to be surrounded by animals…my heaven on Earth.” The Farm is always looking for volunteers. If you would like to visit the Farm, volunteer or make a donation, their website is www.bellaviewfarmanimalsanctuary.com. Please also like them on Facebook and Instagram to see some amazing videos and photographs as this family grows and heals in paradise found. Beth Fierberg enjoys the peaceful mountain life with her husband and three rescue dogs. She is an avid nature lover, photographer and writer, but her primary passion lies with saving abandoned animals and participating in many shelter and rescue projects. Beth can be contacted by email at bethegg@yahoo.com. Lily I was introduced to many of the Farm family members including a horse named Phoenix, who came here two years ago and 200 lbs underweight. He was not expected to live but don’t tell Rhonda that. Reese, a two-week old baby goat with a crooked neck and four-week old Noah, whom I fell in love with, and has been recovering from a condition called “joint ill”. He fell asleep in my arms. “There’s something about baby goats. They are so forgiving and resilient.” I was dazzled by Magic, an India Blue Pied Peacock. He showed up to the Farm as a stray. Ziggy, a chicken, has been at the Farm since she was a baby. Ziggy developed neurological problems and cannot stand on her own. She just turned two years old. On the way up to the goat barn, we were escorted by a turkey named Jive. What a character. I understand he’s quite the lady’s man. Maggie the donkey is chief security officer, but she’s spoiled rotten and doesn’t understand personal space which was okay with me. Then there is sweet Lilly, such a lovebug who came to them last December. Rhonda told me when she first came here she couldn’t get up at all so she rigged something up for her so she doesn’t lay in an incumbent position all day. “We do physical therapy exercises. We put her in the chair and she is starting to move her back legs.”
Noah
June 2019 - 79
“Live Healthy and Be Well!” Medical Cannabis in Georgia by Stephen Jarrard, MD, FACS
T
here is much in the news these days about the medical benefits of cannabis, or more commonly referred to by the press as “medical marijuana” – which is somewhat of a misnomer. The Georgia General Assembly, in this past session, approved and the Governor has recently signed into law, a bill allowing cultivation and production of cannabis derived treatments in our State. Georgia is now one of 33 States of the Union (and also DC) to allow some form of this therapy to be legal. This is actually a very good thing and will allow easier yet controlled access to some very deserving patients who benefit greatly from this product. The buds and leaves of the marijuana plant, cannabis sativa spontanea, can be processed to produce 113 identified (so far) substances, but there are two major products more well-known – one which is psychoactive, and the other not. The principal chemical that causes the “high” from smoking marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Cannabis receptors in the brain are stimulated by this drug to produce a form of intoxication or extreme relaxation. In this manner, it is a psychoactive substance like alcohol or other legal/illegal drugs. Street marijuana sold illegally (for now) is high in THC content, and the higher it is, the better the grade (and price). There is another substance that appears to “satisfy” the cannabis receptors in the brain without causing the intoxicating effects of THC. This substance, and the part of marijuana in the recent news, is Cannabidiol, better known as CBD. It accounts for up to 40% of the mature plant’s extract. Preliminary research of this substance indicates that the low THC version of this drug (< 5% THC) has positive therapeutic effects in many medical conditions – to include anxiety, cognitive decline, movement disorders, and pain. And, used properly, it does not make one “high.” It can be administered in several ways, to include smoking or aerosol vapor, as an aerosol spray into the mouth, or as an oil that can be dropped under the tongue.
Georgia law, even before this recent legislation was passed, allowed for the possession and use of up to 20 ounces of low THC CBD Oil by patients who had one of the following 17 disorders. To obtain the product legally, these diagnoses must be certified by a physician who is registered with the Georgia State Department of Public Health (DPH): Terminal Cancer ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Seizure Disorders Multiple Sclerosis (advanced or end stage) Crohn’s Disease Mitochondrial Disease Parkinson’s Disease (advanced) Sickle Cell Disease (advanced) Tourette’s Syndrome (advanced) Autism (severe) Epidermolysis Bullosa Alzheimer’s Disease (advanced) AIDS (end stage) Peripheral Neuropathy (severe) Hospice Patient (terminal) Intractable Pain PTSD (severe and > 18 yrs old)
Until now, with the new law just passed, it was not hard for a person with one of these conditions to see a certified physician and receive a CBD Oil card. But, getting the product was tricky and often involved having to “know a guy,” or some backchannel avenue to obtain and possess CBD Oil once you were legally allowed. Being able to have it was the easy part, getting it was difficult and time consuming. The reason is that it was not produced in Georgia – there was no source in this State. So, it had to come from an out of State source – which runs afoul of federal law as it is still considered an illegal substance by the DEA.
80 - June 2019
Thanks to our State lawmakers and the Governor, controlled and regulated cultivation and production in Georgia will allow deserving patients to obtain this helpful product much quicker and easier in the future. And, I do believe that it is a substance that can truly help people with these medical conditions to have a better quality of life in spite of their condition. I hope more diagnoses will be added in the future to allow more access to something that seems truly helpful with very little downside when managed and controlled properly. If you, or a loved one, have a condition that meets the above criteria, ask your Doctor about obtaining a “Georgia Low THC Oil Card” from the DPH. If he or she has registered with the State, they may affirm your diagnosis through an online process, and if criteria are met, you can have the card within a couple of weeks. Soon, it will then be possible to more easily obtain CBD Oil for use as an additional therapy to help better the human condition for qualified patients. And, more importantly, in the case of PTSD (especially in our Veteran population) – save lives. We really do enjoy hearing from you with any questions, concerns, or ideas for future columns and/or health and wellness related issues for the Georgia Mountain Laurel. Please send an email to rabundoctor@gmail.com, or call us at 706-782-3572, and we will be sure to consider your input. This and previous articles can be found on the web at www.rabundoctor.com in an archived format. If you use Twitter, then follow us for health tips and wellness advice @rabundoctor, and on Facebook see the page rabundoctor. Until next month, live healthy and be well!
June 2019 - 81
82 - June 2019
Farm Life Looks Beautiful on You by Tracy McCoy
R
aising Dahlias is yet another incredible talent my friend Jennifer Howard Schmitt possesses. Often thought of as your “Granny’s flowers” the Dahlias do have a rich history. I won’t delve deep into it with you but the flower came from Spain by way of Mexico. It grows well and they are easy to keep. Sun-lovers, the more sun they get the better they grow. There are many types of Dahlias and they all make excellent cut flowers for arrangements. A true favorite of gardeners! She remembers the first one she planted was the Aloha, purple with white tips, she still has it. Jennifer grows some of the most beautiful Dahlias and has inspired me to plant some in my own garden this year. I think of her every day when I check them to see how they are growing and I can not wait to see them bloom! Her flowers and the amazing floral masterpieces she makes with them are indeed inspiring but let me tell you that this is just the beginning. Perhaps overused these days is a term, “live your best life”. This is her mantra, she seeks and finds joy in each day and shares it with others. Her joy may come from time in the field with some of her furry and feathered friends. She is especially fond of her dog Carl, her constant companion and best bud. He is usually by her side. Joy always comes from time with her children, Samuel Cole, Bailey and Julia May. Jennifer’s true passion has been being a mother, something she was quite possibly made for. Raised in the Persimmon community, Jennifer remembers her parents making her work in the garden, something she hated at the time, but a life lesson she has used again and again. A skill she puts into practice daily in her flower gardening and raising vegetables for her family. She remembers when the kids were small she became concerned with what they were consuming. She wanted to feed them the healthiest food she could. She had come to realize that their lives were so busy that she was feeding them boxed and bagged processed food at 8 PM. This is not the mom she wanted to be. That was the beginning of her own farm life, returning to the things she learned growing up and educating herself along the way. Jennifer started with chickens, pigs, milking goats and then decided to purchase a milk cow. Her first cow was named Jersey Girl. So she milked the goats and cows and gathered eggs from the chickens. She raised rabbits for food because it’s healthy. Her children have learned how to do most of these things as well. While she isn’t
84 - June 2019
still milking cows she has several and knows each one by name. Usually named after characters in whatever book she is reading at the time they are born. There is not much she loves more than seeing a new calf come into the world. Whether it’s a seed in the soil or growing flowers she loves to see things created and to be a part of that. When she read an article about how much Americans spend on lawn care, she planted the yard in flowers. Another article she read talked about the nutritional value of milk from Water Buffalos so she acquired four of them. Water Buffalo are extremely intelligent and kept finding ways to escape the pasture visiting the neighbors so she had to find them a new home. About five years ago she bought bees and harvests the honey they make to use and sell. Raising her children and tending the farm has been her greatest joy. She loves her kids more than her own life and like every family they have had ups and downs. She has been on her knees praying for their safety and like most moms she has raised her voice out of anger and fear. But at the end of the day Samuel, Julia, and Bailey are her life. When Jennifer decided to build a log cabin on a piece of property she owned in Rabun Gap she hired local contractor Britton Beck owner of Hand for Hire, LLC. She sat down with him and shared her ideas and with no house plans, he captured her vision and made it happen. She was there on the sidelines as she watched and helped her ideas come to life. “Britton Beck is an incredible builder and his attention to detail was astounding. He put up with me being there and had such patience with me. I love my cabin! Building it has been one of the best experiences of my life” she said with excitement brimming and a smile from ear to ear. “You only live one life and it could end any day. You should not spend one minute saying ‘I wish I could’ or ‘I knew I should. Just do it! It became apparent that I thought this interview and article idea was mine and for her, but as she continues I realize God is using her to speak to me. “If you want to make changes, make them! Want to eat healthier and exercise then find a plan that works and stick to it. Whatever makes you happy, whether it is painting or gardening spend time everyday doing it. Spend time with the ones you love and tell them how much you love them. Change your attitude. Don’t worry about every little thing, don’t stress over what you can’t change. People are run to death, tired and sick. Their pace is frantic and there is more to life than that. We are made for more than working, paying bills and dying. We are made to live life and be happy.” she has no idea that she was sent to share this message with me and I bet some of you. My beautiful friend was a messenger that day and I was thanking God for these reminders. The Schmitt house is not perfect and life has not always been kind but they live genuinely. They love for real and they are a sweet family. Jen is stronger than most, saucy and sweet, and more beautiful than she knows. I love her and her flowers are a direct reflection of her life. Stand tall, be different, bloom where you are planted and bring as much joy as you possibly can. If you have an upcoming event or just are interested in her flowers give her a call 828.200.0188. Her bouquets are available at Osage Farm in their market from June through October so stop by and pick up one to brighten your home.
June 2019 - 85
Notes From A Southern Kitchen Chicken Ain’t Nothing But a Bird by Kendall R. Rumsey NotesFromASouthernKitchen.com
M
y father had more sayings than I can r e m e m b e r. Women were “darlin’”, “sugar” or “honey.” Boys and men were “so ugly only their mama could love them.” He told us to “stick ‘em”, be a “tush hog” and to “get after it.” He told everyone he met to “have a good day,” and for most of us, it was followed by, “Ray loves you.” It seemed as though he had a catch-phrase for most any situation, but the one I heard more than any other was, “chicken ain’t nothing but a bird.” I heard the saying literally thousands of times growing up and into adulthood; and when people tell me stories of my father, they usually include some time when he said those words to them. Chicken ain’t nothing but a bird, well yeah, we all know that Ray, but why on earth are you telling me that? The phrase seems benign, but if you think about it, the simplistic message is genius. When I was in college, I had a group of friends visiting the mountains and we were all laughing and enjoying time with my parents one evening when my friend started talking about something he had going on and how he had to decide. My friend didn’t know which direction to take, he could either go the safe route or do what he really wanted, a choice that would require much more time, effort and patience than the easy choice. Without missing a beat, my father said, “chicken ain’t nothing but a bird,” and walked out of the room. My friend looked at me, started laughing, which then passed over the rest of us until we were all roaring with laughter just thinking about what my dad had said, “chicken ain’t nothing but a bird.” After daddy died, my friend reached out to me, he told me that as he thought about my dad’s words, they brought him to a resolve as to what he needed to do. He chose the more difficult path, the one that he knew would be harder, but the one that he knew would bring him more satisfaction. Years later, after following his heart, he had a successful business doing exactly what he loved, all because he realized,
86 - June 2019
a chicken ain’t nothing but a bird. Sometimes we must take the road less traveled, and have faith, not to be a chicken, but to understand the potential that lies ahead. My friend realized that indeed, a chicken ain’t nothing but a bird. Life is too short to live in fear or in the more simplistic terms, being a chicken. My dad often used the catch phrase with me, in times when I had decisions to make that were big or small. In times that my fear could have kept me from pursuing my dreams, but he would just tell me “chicken ain’t nothing but a bird,” and I got it. He used the phrase with me from childhood through my adult life, in its simplicity the words “chicken ain’t nothing but a bird” are powerful and full of promise. I knew that I had the potential to do whatever I dreamed if I didn’t let my fears take over, if I wasn’t chicken. Recently I have had some decisions to make regarding my future, I have a path I want to pursue, I have an easy path I could pursue and I have a path that I am already on that isn’t giving me the joy I crave in life. As I weigh my options, I keep hearing my father’s words over and over in my head, “a chicken ain’t nothing but a bird,” grammatically not the best, but for a life lesson I can’t think of anything that fits more. I know what decision I will eventually come to; I am today and have always been a dreamer, I crave the excitement of new challenges and opportunities yet to come. I learned long ago that a chicken ain’t nothing but a bird, and for the most part I have let those words dictate most decisions in my life. Imagine if we could all just let go, strive for the dreams we have and realize a chicken ain’t nothing but a bird, just imagine how we could soar. My dad was a simple man, he loved hard, he lived a thankful life and he shared his compassion with others, he never let his chicken rule the day, because in his heart, he knew it was nothing more than a bird. Kendall Rumsey is a resident of Clayton, Ga. He is owner of imPRESSed, a custom imprint company, and the creator of the mountain lifestyle brand Of These Mountains he also publishes the blog, Notes from a Southern Kitchen. www.impressedstyle.come www.ofthesemountains.com www.notesfromasouthernkitchen.com
Sheriff Nichols is Dedicated to Service & Education by John Shivers
R
abun County Sheriff, Chad Nichols, took office in January of 2017 with an emphasis on direct, visible service to the community. Through a variety of community outreach activities, such as firearms training, active shooter training, and educator training on how to handle crisis situations, he has sought to inform Rabun Countians on how the sheriff’s office operates. His other goal has been to provide information and instruction that better equips people to help themselves. There are dedicated, trained men and women behind everything that the sheriff’s office accomplishes. Many of their efforts are behind the scenes, invisible, and often unrecognized. To more expertly deliver these services, personnel completed 6,250 hours of training in 2017 and 5,352 hours in 2018. One of the most visible signs that the sheriff’s office is on the job 24/7, every day of the year, are the patrol vehicles. The personnel behind the wheel assure the community that they’re on the job. In 2017, officers responded to 7,812 calls. In 2018, those responses increased by more than 400, to 8,244. As a result, deputies logged 226,261 patrol miles in 2017 and 235,854 miles in 2018. Incident reports numbered 1,383 in 2017 as compared to 1,326 in 2018. Accident reports, on the other hand, were almost static, with 294 logged in 2017, and 289 in 2018. Resulting citations were issued to 646 individuals in 2018, up from 443 in 2017. Warning citations almost doubled from 575 to 1,050. With a daily average inmate population of 95, the Detention Center housed 1,553 individuals in 2017. The next year that number jumped to 1,611. Many of those individuals were offered rehabilitation possibilities through the department’s “incarceration, education, and rehabilitation” goal. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Department understands that they serve the people of the local community. Courtesy vehicle unlocks numbered 443 in 2017, and 449 in 2018. In each of these two years, business checks numbered 1,058 and 803. In 2017, there were 545 responses to home/business alarms, and 398 in 2018. To combat illegal drug use in conjunction with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, arrests jumped from 176 in 2017 to 180 the next year, when the reactivated K-9 dog service was dispatched 97 times. One of those arrests was for a five-pound meth seizure, the largest ever in Rabun County. There were 259 criminal investigations in 2017 and 239 in 2018, with a 73 percent resolution each year. In addition to manning the security checkpoints at the courthouse, since May 2017 when record-keeping began, 20,392 individuals visited to attend court or transact business. In 2018 there were 44,337 visitors. They also provided security for 214 sessions of court in 2017 as opposed to 256 sessions in 2018, and for 18
county commission and other county meetings in 2017, up to 23 in 2018. Again, since May 2017, 420 prisoners were escorted to court as were 505 in 2018. Escorts to mental health facilities numbered 40 in the last eight months of 2017, and 63 in 2018. Civil papers served numbered 1,143 in 2017 and 1,043 in 2018. Under Sheriff Nichols’ direction, Rabun County deputies and noncertified personnel are dedicated to keeping the county safe, and its people armed with information and resources.
Lovin’ the Journey Short Treks by Mark Holloway
I
’ve been heard to say, “My favorite part of Atlanta is my rear view mirror.” Just the other day my attorney friend Austin Perry was creeping through traffic with his heart set on his mountain home. He told me he was grateful for the phone call to break up the rush hour monotony. If you forced me into a corner, I’d probably admit, the Gotham of the South has lots to offer. But I’ll never misquote John Muir and say, “The City is calling and I must go.” Truth be known, when my father was a junior military officer, we lived in Atlanta during my first and half of second grades. I watched Hank Aaron play ball the year the Braves migrated south. Deep down, I love Atlanta. But my Short Trek this time is about a new and fun experience you’ll wanna check out. Sum it up in a four letter word. Jump! In big cities there’s somewhat of a craze happening. You can rent an electric bicycle or scooter and take off on a joy ride. Some folks even commute to work or school on them. We were in town for a Braves game at SunTrust Park. I’d put home opener tickets in the Holloway’s Christmas stockings. Carol’s sister , Sissie, and our niece, Ashton, from West Texas joined us. The Braves beat the Cubs 8-0!! The next day, the four girls took in the spring beauty of Atlanta’s Botanical Gardens at Piedmont Park which mirrors New York’s Central Park. I opted to wander the park and quickly came up on an Uber Jump bike. It’s odd to see them all over Atlanta in random places. They’re legal to ride almost anywhere. You simply download the Jump app and point your phone’s camera lens at the bike’s code. And just like that, the bike gets unlocked and tracks the distance you travel and bills to the app. When you’re done, you fasten the Jump’s built-in cable to whatever is available. Or you just lock it up freestanding. This ends your ride and stops the billing. You can even report mechanical trouble with the app. You can see on your phone where all the Jumps are located throughout town. You can even reserve one. You pay by distance traveled. It’s super cheap. As an avid road cyclist and mountain biker, I felt odd not riding with a helmet at speeds up to 20 mph. I stayed on the sidewalks when I was cruising beyond Piedmont Park. I’d slow to a crawl when I approached families pushing strollers and folks walking dogs. It seemed the courteous thing to do. The Jump is quite uncomplicated. You get on the bike and as
88 - June 2019
soon as you begin to pedal, the silent electric motor kicks in and you’re off to adventure. You can select three speeds. Unlike other scooter companies, Uber has real humans roaming around on Jumps assisting riders, fixing flats, and answering questions. I had no problems. If you do experience a problem, you use the app to tell someone and then just walk away... or hop on another nearby and keep the good times rolling. My daughter lives, works and plays in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Victoria told me all about this revolution. Next time I Jump, it’ll be on a Daddy Daughter date. Roll on, my friends... See you on the trail. Mark and his wife Carol are the owners of Fresh Start, a company dedicated to stewarding the property and homes of their clients. They aspire to be your eyes, ears, and hands while you are away, and your resource for anything you need, whether you are a full or part time resident of the area. Mark can be reached by calling 706.490.7060
Franklin, North Carolina
My Father Gave Me The Greatest Gift Anyone Could Give Another Person: He Believed In Me. Jim Valvano June 2019 - 89
The Rabun County Historical Society
Let’s Make a Deal by Rebecca Peterson
W
ell, really, it’s Roosevelt’s New Deal. In July of 1936, during the Great Depression, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) representative met with a number of Rabun County citizens to discuss a $55,000 grant to Clayton for construction of a municipal golf course, swimming pool and club house. The “deal” was, if the city would provide the land, the grant would provide the labor and some materials to construct the golf course, swimming pool and club house. The attendees at the meeting knew the impact these new recreational facilities could have on the area.
swimming pool and club house
The Clayton Tribune, as early as 1928, had declared that Rabun County should have a golf course; visitors often asked if there was a golf course. The paper was still clamoring in 1936, when the WPA came to visit, that the city was not providing “entertainment and diversion that other modern resorts are providing.” With the rising popularity of the modern automobile and the ability to travel farther than before, concern was that tourism in Rabun County would suffer if it could not provide the amenities that tourists of that era desired. The leaders in the city and county knew a good deal when they saw it. After meeting with the WPA representative, a committee was formed to look for suitable land to be purchased. Three properties (the Derrick property, the Rickman farm, and the Hurley property) were considered for purchase. In the summer of 1937, Sheriff Rickman’s farm was selected. The farm was a mile and a half south of Clayton and consisted of nearly 115 acres. The cost of the farm was $10,000. It was the Great Depression. How could the city afford to purchase the land? They could not, but twenty leaders in the county stepped up and pledged five hundred dollars each to purchase the Rickman farm. Five hundred dollars at that time is equivalent to over $9000 today. Additionally, other citizens made donations toward the cost of materials. The Clayton Tribune, in September 1937, wrote, “for a long time we have been wanting something modern and attractive for this section, and now it looks like our fondest dreams are to be realized by reason of the fine spirit our cooperation manifested.” The Rickman farm was deeded to the city in 1938 for five dollars. Work on the recreational project could now begin. A nine-hole golf course, cement swimming pool, club house and three tennis courts opened July of 1940 as the Rabun Country Club (later changed to Rabun County Golf Club).
rear of club house
90 - June 2019
It seemed no sooner had the golf course opened that it found itself in the rough. WWII came along and the golf course appears to have not been in use during the last part of the war. It was reopened in 1949 when a group of local men incorporated the Rabun Recreational Company; the purpose was to operate and maintain the Rabun Country Club. In 1955, the golf course was characterized as being in a deplorable condition. Because of neglect, young pines were growing throughout the golf course. The Rabun County Grand Jury, which is charged with reviewing and making recommendations concerning various issues in the county, in 1956 recommended that the county and city furnish labor to reconstruct the golf course. That fall, the city and county both supplied three workers to clear the young pine trees, underbrush and redo two holes. The course reopened the next year. Today the swimming pool, tennis courts and clubhouse are gone. The county currently maintains the nearly eightyyear-old golf course and is building a new clubhouse. Our 1940 WPA golf course has weathered many challenges and still provides fun for golfers of all ages and abilities. The twenty men who each pledged five hundred dollars and others who made donations are our heroes. They rose to the occasion during a very difficult time in our county. They saw the opportunity before them and seized it. We do not know what disagreements and discord that may have been involved; it does not matter. They worked together. They achieved. They manifested something for the greater good.
I would be remiss not to name the men who bought the Rickman Farm and deeded it to the city. There are actually 24 names on the deed to the city. The names are: Frank A. Smith, Clyde Ramey, B. T. Dockins, Frank A. Bleckley, L. M. Bleckley, R. E. Cannon, H. E. Cannon, C. L. Derrick, F. B. Derrick, M. W. Hunnicutt, Jable Hunnicutt, J. C. Dover, C. L. Tomlin, Clyde Holden, Harry C. Fisher, W. S. Bearden, Louis M. Young, Lamar Smith, Ed Holden, V. C. Dickerson, L. F. Reeves, Carlton Jones, Joseph T. Davis and S. F. Wood.
teeing off on golf course
June 2019 - 91
By The Way... Old Burrell by Emory Jones
I
n April 1936, my granddaddy, Wiley Meaders, had a problem. His beloved mule, Old Burrell, had died over the winter, and without a mule, he couldn’t put in a cotton crop, or corn, or even a garden, for that matter, just to feed his wife and five children. He had to have a new mule fast, but money wasn’t just scarce, it was nearly non-existent. But it was get a mule or let his family starve, so he found a way. That big tornado had just hit Gainesville a few days earlier, leaving hundreds dead or devastated. Daddy had heard that a mule trader named Bagwell had lost all his hired hands to better-paying jobs cleaning up that mess. And he thought Mr. Bagwell might be in a bind and willing to do some mule trading. About the only thing Granddaddy had to trade was the old milk cow and her new calf. That wouldn’t be enough to buy a
mule already broke to harness, but it might be enough for an unbroken two-year-old mule. The strategy worked. Granddaddy made the trade, although it meant the family went without milk and butter that year, but it couldn’t be helped. He planned to get the mule trained as best he could, put the crop in and work in that until late summer. Then, he’d turn pottery at his ware shop to make enough money to buy a new cow come fall. That’s what he did too. And as one of his sons—my Uncle Ray— told me, that new cow he finally bought cost twenty-five dollars—five dollars down and five dollars a month for five months. Since the mule wasn’t broke to ride either, Granddaddy had to lead him the twenty miles home. He must have looked tired by the time he got to Clermont because a man in a truck let him sit on the tailgate and lead the mule. He drove as slow as he could for a couple of miles so Granddaddy could rest his feet. Buying a mule back then was like buying a new car or truck today, and even though Granddaddy was tired, he couldn’t resist taking his new mule by his own daddy’s place to show everybody. By then he’d already named his new mule Burrell in hopes he’d be as good as the Burrell that had died. Granddaddy worked that mule hard for the next fifteen years; a lot of that involved pulling a wagon he’d gotten mail-order from Sears and Roebuck. It was a good wagon, but he couldn’t afford one with brakes. That was a problem as long as he had it, but he worked around it. When my Uncle Ray was a grown man and back from WWII, Granddaddy had quit making pottery and putting in cotton crops. He’d started raising chickens instead, so he didn’t need Old Burrell anymore. Uncle Ray remembered the day Granddaddy sold that old mule and his wagon to a man named Hulsey. Nobody in the family can remember Mr. Hulsey’s first name. The day they sold that mule, Uncle Ray and Granddaddy watched Old Burrell pull that wagon with no brakes up the road to a new home and more work. My uncle said he would have given anything in the world if he’d had enough money to buy that old mule back and let him just rest out his day in the pasture. Lord knows, he’d earned that. But, of course, he didn’t have the money, so they just watch Old Burrell plod on down the road with his new owner.
92 - June 2019
96 - June 2019