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Welcome
laurel of May 2022 • Volume Nineteen • Issue Five
Northeast Georgia
from the Publisher Happy May!
I spoke once about living on a lake. You can’t be from Michigan without a connection to a lake, you’ve heard they have some great ones! The lake was Cranberry Lake and our single wide trailer was just a hop, skip and a jump from its shores. I lived there for a short time and it was much different in almost every way from living on the mountain lakes in Northeast Georgia. The water lends itself to a more carefree, fun lifestyle. It’s a treat daily to look out at the water and know that if you so choose you can jump in! No matter whether it’s a mobile home or luxury home, you are still enjoying lake living. This month Michael takes us to Lake Rabun and the nearby village of Lakemont. Deena explored all three lakes and the businesses within their communities. We want to congratulate Rabun County for being named Wooden Boat Capital of Georgia. There are several events on our lakes this summer that you’ll want to be a part of, so mark your calendars. Congrats to Lake Rabun Hotel for their 100th Anniversary. Stay tuned as Michael makes his way to Lake Burton next month. Check out our Calendar of Events for May/June and ohhhh, the recipes are good in this issue. As always we thank you and we hope you find some quiet time to enjoy this issue. Thank you for choosing the Laurel, we appreciate being part of your month. Please shop local and support our artists and makers. Celebrate your community, there are so many who would love to be where you are. The remarkable beauty of spring is bursting out everywhere and I am reminded how much I love green and just how many shades there are! To all of you moms out there - Happy Mothers’ Day! Join us this Memorial Day as we remember the servicemen and women (and their families) who lost their lives while protecting our freedoms. Blessings to you! Tracy
Laurel of Northeast Georgia Mailing: PO Box 2218 - Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 2511 Highway 441 Mountain City, Georgia 30562 706-782-1600 • www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com Contributing Writers: Emory Jones; Jan Timms; Lorie Thompson; Brad Speed DVM; Dick Cinquina; Sean Dietrich; Tori Carver; Dr. Sue Aery; Kendall R. Rumsey; Liz Alley; Boyd Bailey; Deena C. Boaknight
STAFF Publisher/Editor - Marketing - Tracy McCoy Art Director - Dianne VanderHorst Graphics - Lucas McCoy Marketing & Office Manager - Cindi Freeman Assistant Office Manager - D’Anna Coleman Sales Associate / Writer - Michael Detrick Writer - John Shivers Photographer / Writer - Peter McIntosh
Copyright 2022 by Rabun’s Laurel Inc. All rights reserved. The Laurel of Northeast Georgia 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 the Laurel of Northeast Georgia 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 Laurel of Northeast Gorgia maintains a Christian focus throughout their magazine. Rabun’s Laurel, Inc. reserves the right to refuse content or advertising for any reason without explanation.
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Contents
IN THIS ISSUE Around Town 12 18 27 30
Michael on the Lake Living Large on the Lake Made in Georgia Festival Mountain Happenings
Arts & Entertainment 24 26 28
Poané Gallery Art & Candles Now Open 2022 Northeast Georgia Arts Tour Spring Fling at Gallery 441
Southern Cuisine 34 38
Bon Appétit Easy Bites
Outdoorsy 42 48 50
Adventure Out Firmly Rooted Explore Rabun
Mountain Homes 52 54 56 62
Take to the Mountains ... Home on the Mantle Unforgettable Home... Wanted: New Owners to Carry the Torch
Just Thinking 64 68 70
Local Characters Of These Mountains By the Way
Faith in Christ 72 74 76
Wisdom Hunters Sean of the South Remembering Tiger Baptist
Live Healthy and Be Well 78 82 84
Elevation Chiropractic Opens Mental Health - Meet Patricia Coyle Pet Health
Looking Back 86 88
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Foxfire Rabun County Historical Society
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Michael on the Map presents
Michael at theLake
In this series I will be traveling to the towns of northeastern Georgia and western North and South Carolina, sharing my adventures and discoveries as I meet the locals who make up the area. Hop in my Jeep and let’s hit the road!
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Take 5: Lake Rabun and Lakemont
earing up for this month’s lake escapades, Spring continued to provide its ever-exciting series of weather manifestations, larking us once again. On what was to be my day of travel, suddenly, we were set upon with big, fluffy snowflakes. The following day was to reach the 70s, so it didn’t require much of a thinking cap to decide to wait a sleep to take it to the lake. Oh, the dichotomy. It was already warm enough for a pleasantly brisk boat ride by the time I left the cabin that morning and set out for another day of adventure, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in tow (more New Wave from my exceedingly 1980s catalogue of music). Also, I have basically stopped washing the Jeep at this point, living in the woods as I do. Cars are a bit shinier at the lake. Oh well. There are a total of six lakes that today follow the original course of the Tallulah River basin through northeast Georgia, all originally created by Georgia Power to generate hydroelectricity for Atlanta. Three of those are found here in Rabun County; Lake Burton reaching the furthest north, followed by Seed Lake in the middle, and Lake Rabun the most southern of the set. A serpentine 835-acre reservoir, Lake Rabun twists itself through the splendor of the north Georgia mountains, appearing from above like a snake at full slither. This lake has a lot to boast about,
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and thanks to Yetty and Charlie Arp – who have had a house on the lake for 46 years – I got the inside story on the history of the lake, all from Arp’s 1938 Gar Wood Split Cabin Streamliner, “Garbeau”. And wow. After a tour of the lake from this floating vintage jewel, I sat with Charlie in his Gar Wood and listened to the story of Lake Rabun and Hall’s Boat House. Gently rocking as the water lapped against the dock, I couldn’t help but feel transported back in time. I envisioned men in belted swim trunks, women donning Jantzens and
“Burton has the views, Seed has the fishing, Rabun has the community,” Charlie began as we shared the back seat of his double cockpit cruiser. “The dam was completed in 1915, the lake was filled in 1917. In 1919, the marina was established.” Burton showcases some dramatic mountain scenery, but do not count Rabun out. Hall’s Boat House, which Charlie has co-owned since 1982, began as a small operation with a dock, a gas pump, and a convenience store, but grew to become much more with the addition of a pavilion that once hosted bingo for the kids and country music bands for family buck dancing. “The marina was really the hub of the goings on and center of social activity on the lake,” Charlie said. The heartbeat. This is a tradition that has passed down and is hosted today by the Lake Rabun Association at The Pavilion at Lake Rabun, completed in 2006. Here, heritage runs as deep as the lake water. Many Lake Rabun locals add to legend and lore, bragging that they have the largest collection of wooden boats per capita in the country. “We have about 80,” Charlie shared, “And why? Because before we had fiberglass, if someone sold a house, the boat came with it. And we have the craftsmen here today to repair and maintain them.” What we know for sure is that Rabun County is the wooden boat capital of Georgia.
sporting swim caps (some flowered), and kids who would spend their weekends growing up on this lake, jumping off docks on the hottest days of summers gone by. I half-expected an Orange Dreamsicle to manifest itself before me.
Getting off the water itself, one can also not help but be enchanted by the old-fashioned allure of the quiet little hamlet of Lakemont Village, which along with the adjacent lake, creates a captivating, forested hideout that is happy, quirky, artsy, and truly one-of-a-kind. May 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 13
Created in the early 1900s to service the influx of families building summer homes on Lake Rabun, Lakemont is unlike anything else I’ve seen in Georgia. Its buildings are fanciful but not themey. It doesn’t have the room to, nor need to be. Imagine a woodsy, off-the beaten-path, almost storybook village and you have the right idea. It’s shopkeepers, artisans, tradesmen, and other professionals and residents are proud, but do not boast. They simply know that they live in a very special place. Kelly Blount, owner of Ladybug Landing, has this to say about her gift shop, “It seeks to inspire you to fall more in love with the magic of Lakemont. Come visit our fairy garden. We believe life truly is about the little things and that looking back they will be the big things!” After all, Kelly came upon her current location in Lakemont like this, “I had just buried my golden retriever named Ladybug. When I went to see the building, a ladybug landed on my cheek on the porch going in. It came back and landed on the paperwork when I walked out.” Storybook. Upon visiting her store, she treated me to lunch just one building over at The Open Door at Alley’s. I don’t know the last time somewhere has smelled so good. Awesome things come from small places – specifically hidden forest enclaves – and I was introduced to two such items in the form of The Open Door’s meatloaf sandwich and tuna melt. Both were incredible. I met owner Carolyn Brown who, like everyone else in the area, gushes about it, “We love our community and our building. Lake Rabun/Lakemont is a cool place to work and live!” Her building dates back to 1925.
Alley’s is the headquarters of The Lake Rabun Association, of which Charlie Arp has been a longtime member and once served as President, helping orchestrate the saving and renovation of a then eyesore Hall’s Boat House. Lakemont is clustered with several other local businesses worth checking out including: Lakemont Cycle, Mind and Body Haven, The Studio on Tiger Creek, The Lake House, Harvest Moon Antiques and Garden, Lakemont Gallery, The Barn at Lake Rabun, and The Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant. There is something for everyone in this rustic-whimsical haven. Outside of having the largest collection of wooden boats (which famously create the Wooden Boat Parade held on the Fourth of July each summer before a spectacular fireworks show is displayed directly above the lake), the collection of century-old buildings that create the Art Village, Lakemont also lays claim to the largest 14 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
collection of dome houses in the country. Yes. Space-age futuristic-looking dome houses. (If this strikes your interest, Earthling, I’ve seen them on AirBnb.) Traveling back in time (or perhaps into the future), awaits in abundance at Lake Rabun and in Lakemont, Georgia. If you can manage to snag a ride on a vintage wooden cruiser, you’ll be all the cooler for doing so, though I don’t imagine I need to convince you of that. To really unwind, sometimes taking a step into the past is taking a step in the right direction. (I do this musically every day.) If you didn’t know about this bewitching little enclave, or if you needed a reminder, you’re welcome. Until next month’s travels to Lake Burton, my friends, signing off with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark… “I’ve got a secret and I can’t complain. All the time I’ve waited for this day.”
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Imagine a woodsy, off-the beaten-path, almost storybook village and you have the town that is Lakemont.
Historic Lakemont Village
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Living Large on the Lake By Deena C. Bouknight
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ost everyone who lives in or visits Rabun County is familiar with one or all of the three lakes: Lake Rabun, Lake Burton, and Seed Lake. It was in July of 1925 that construction began on the Nacoochee development (often referred to as Seed) that was built between Burton Dam and the headwaters of Lake Rabun to take advantage of a 60-foot drop in the Tallulah River between the two lakes. Seed Lake consists of 240-acres, compared to the 2,775 acre reservoir with 62 miles of shoreline that makes up Lake Burton and the 835-acre reservoir with 25 miles of shoreline that is Lake Rabun. For generations, the three lakes have drawn countless people for short-to-lifetime stays. And catering to both permanent residents and part-timers are businesses and services galore. Hidden gems to local icons to trendy spots pique interests. Accommodating Spirit Anne Pledger has lived full-time on Lake Rabun for 20 years, but she has been visiting and vacationing in the area every summer since she was a little girl. Longevity and involvement with her husband, Bob, as members and sometimes leaders with Lake Rabun Association has solidified her place in the community. “Lake Rabun is very established … multi generations are here,” she said. This is a very close and active community.” And one of the places where people congregate is historic Lake Rabun Hotel, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Perched with a view of Lake Rabun, the hotel’s rustic sophistication, farm-to-table dining, and spa services attract patrons annually. “It’s definitely the destination place,” said Pledger. “If people don’t go anywhere else, they usually make it to the hotel at least
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one night to eat at the restaurant.” In fact, Lake Rabun Hotel kicked off its year-long anniversary celebration April 30th with music by the Foxfire Boys, dancing, and barbecue. However, Bonnie East, centennial project manager for the hotel, explained that on the first Sunday of each month from May through December, celebratory offerings include special events, demonstrations, culinary specials, and more. For more information visit www.lakerabunhotel.com. Also accommodating is The Barn at Lake Rabun, a restored and updated 100-plus-year-old barn in the style of a European hunting lodge that has seven bedrooms and a commercial-grade kitchen as well as a fire-pit, large deck, and spacious landscaped grounds. The Barn, with a view of Lake Rabun, is often rented for family reunions, corporate retreats, or multi-couple/family vacations. Nearby Clayton has such destination stays as White Birch Inn and The Parker Ranch, while a little farther away in Dillard is Rabun Manor Resort and the famous Dillard House, for example. Also, numerous short-term vacation rentals exist through Airbnb and VRBO for overflow guests and vacationers desiring playtime at all three lakes. Plus, for camping enthusiasts, a few private campgrounds exist in Lakemont and in nearby Clayton and Clarksville, and then there is Moccasin Creek State Park and Tallulah Gorge State Park. The newest luxury campground, Willow Valley RV Resort is located in Rabun Gap north of Clayton. Culinary and Shopping Options Aplenty “Downtown Clayton has changed dramatically in recent years,” said Pledger. “The town appeals not only to tourists, but definitely to those of us who live here.”
She pointed out that Clayton’s downtown merchants host First Fridays, which is an evening of live music, art exhibitions, networking opportunities, culinary showcases, and more.
gems. Timpson Creek Gallery, Black Bear Creek Antiques, The Farmhouse Market, and Lake Burton Café, are some main spots you won’t want to miss.
“Lots of people on the lake go to that,” noted Pledger. “Often there is attention focused on different nonprofits each month. For instance, Foxfire [Museum and Heritage Center] will be spotlighted the first Friday in June.”
The Farmhouse Market is operated by Chef Vince Scafiti. Selections are freshly prepared grab-and-go offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Farmhouse Market also caters. Lake residents are grateful to have this treasure so conveniently located.
Pledger pointed out that for such a small town, Clayton provides stellar dining opportunities. Fromage’s chef, Jenny Wilson, is a “Best Chefs America Award Recipient.” Other casual spots include Fortify Pi, Dillard House, Grapes and Beans, Rusty Bike Café, Universal Joint, Mama G’s, and several more. Plus, Currahee Brewing Company, which started in Franklin, N.C., has a wide selection of craft beers. Ledger explained that events and community fundraisers sometimes take place at the brewery.
Lake Burton Café (touted as the “last of the dives”) is known for its signature burgers, pizza, wings, etc., its wine and beer selection, and also opportunities to listen to a jukebox and challenge someone to a game of pool.
And fine dining opportunities in and around Clayton involve Beechwood Inn, Fortify Kitchen and Bar, and Julep Farms – to name a few. Rabun Manor in Dillard must also be added to that list. Though not as large as Clayton, Lakemont delivers for quaintness, quality, and tradition when it comes to dining and shopping options. Kip Ramey is a local folk artist who completed renderings of the main buildings in Lakemont; the art appears in a brochure, “Welcome to Historic Lakemont Village at Lake Rabun” available at the Rabun County Welcome Center. For more on Lakemont be sure to read “Micheal on the Lake” in this issue (page 12), Michael Detrick is new to the Laurel team and featured Lake Rabun and Lakemont in his column for this issue. His column titled Michael on the Map takes Laurel readers to new destinations each month to learn about the vibe and local businesses. The main private club for the lake region is The Waterfall Club overlooking Lake Burton. Members and guests can use the Athletic Center with its full-service spa, fitness center, junior Olympic indoor swimming pool, and indoor and outdoor tennis; play the 18-hole golf course; and, enjoy upscale dining as well as dockside to-go food options. While all the docks and marinas at the lakes do not serve food, Rabun Boathouse (locally and affectionally known as Hall’s), right across the street, from Lake Rabun Hotel, has a concession shop equipped with some to-go packaged foods. And LaPrade’s Marina at Lake Burton has multiple food options, including The Chophouse, Hawg Wild, Milton Park Pizza, MPQ BBQ, and The Shak, which offers hand-dipped gourmet ice cream. LaPrade’s celebrated its centennial in 2020. According to C.J. Thompson, manager of marketing and tourism at Explore Rabun, the north end of Lake Burton has many hidden
And places that officially have a Clarksville address, but are nearest to Lake Burton or Seed Lake, are worth checking out. For instance Bleu Canoe is not only a Cajun American restaurant, but the property boasts 23 acres of rental cabins, a tiny home campground, and communal fire pits, trails, and yard games such as bocce, corn hole, and badminton. Out and About Outdoor recreation is definitely a major draw to visitors to the mountains and lake communities. Explore Rabun is an excellent resource for planning a stay. On the lakes, Bear Gap Outfitters offers a variety of rentals which include pontoons, canoes, kayaks and paddle-boards. They have offerings on all three lakes and can even help you plan your trip. They service Air BNBs and VRBOs and offer delivery to the dock. Bear Gap Outfitters sister company, Big Mountain Transportation Shuttles and Event Planning are valuable for reunions, weddings, and events hosted on or near the lakes. For more info visit www.beargapoutfitters.com. “Hiking is huge,” added Pledger, who listed many hikes to smallto-large waterfalls, including Minnehaha Falls, Angel Falls, and Panther Creek Falls. Explore Rabun also lists in its “Waterfall in the Northeast Georgia Mountains” Horse Trough, Mill Creek, High Shoals, Raven Cliff, Martin Creek, Holcomb Creek, Mud Creek, Becky Branch, Dicks Creek, and Hemlock. The Bartram and Appalachian trails have stretches in the North Georgia area, while Black Mountain State Park is dubbed “Georgia’s highest state park,” with an altitude of 3,640 feet and 80-mile vistas. Concerning outdoor pursuits, local forest rangers and first responders encourage safety measures: life jackets when on the lakes, respect for wildlife – especially snakes and bears, and discernment when it comes to streams and waterfalls. Regarding the latter, Forward Rabun shares: “Do not try to climb the rocks around waterfall. They are covered with lichens and mosses that are slippery and can make you lose your grip. Many waterfalls are posted
Deena C. Bouknight has been a writer for local, regional, national, and international publications for more than 30 years. She has written a children’s book, Our Wintry Day Walk (Trafford), and contributed to several other books. She taught writing workshops to adults and children and senior thesis and literature to high schoolers. Currently she works as a freelance writer and editor out of her cottage in Western North Carolina where her view is the Appalachian Mountains. May 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 19
with warning signs; please read them for your safety.” Anchorage Marina, Rabun Boathouse and LaPrade’s Marina each offer boat rentals and watercraft rentals and repair. Each has a store on-site with those last minute items you may need. ‘Tis the Season Starting in May, hordes of people converge on the area to celebrate such holidays as Memorial Day, Independence Day (i.e. July 4th), and Labor Day – as well as all the summer days in between. Anne Pledger pointed to July 4th weekend as a busy one, with official 5K and 10K races starting on Saturday, July 2 at 7:30 a.m. “[Ramble Run] is a serious race, not just a fun run, with a lot of the runners using the results of the race to gain entry into other races,” said Pledger. (Anyone can register at www.rabunramble.com.) Lake Burton’s two-mile Fun Run is also on Saturday, July 2, from 1-3 p.m. Interested individuals can sign up on the www.runsignup. com site. This event is very family oriented and benefits local fire departments and rescue services. Firework displays follow the races in the evening of July 2. And on July 3 is a Ski Patriots Salute to America Show at Lake Burton. Since 1980 the Wooden Boat Parade on Lake Rabun has been part of the Independence Day celebration. The summertime tradition takes place July 3, beginning at 10 a.m. “People dress up their boats with flags and banners to celebrate the holiday,” said Ben McCracken, a wooden boat restorer at Custom Wood Boats located at Hall’s. “About 30-40 boat owners participate each year, but there are 75-80 wooden boat owners on Lake Rabun,” he said. McCracken, who has lived on Lake Rabun for 45 years added, “It used to be called a regatta because it was judged, but now it is a parade. We parade the boats along the lower part of the lake.” He owns two wooden boats, Cris-Crafts.
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Lake Burton Civic Association’s Wooden Boat Parade, which always falls on the Sunday before Memorial Day, is May 29 this year. One of the organizers, Andrew Harris, said, “We will line up and depart as in past years at 11 a.m. in Timpson Cove and then cruise over to LaPrade’s Marina, where we will have refreshments and allow our vessels to be on display.” The Lake Burton Wooden Boat Parade began in 2020, the year of Lake Burton’s Centennial. The impetus for the parade came from Harris, who became a board member of the Lake Burton Civic Association. The Wooden Boat Parade at Lake Burton involves approximately 30 vintage wooden boats, some of which are 75-plus years old and have been in families for generations. Harris, who has owned wooden boats for the last 10 years, said that although the parade involves around 30 showcases boats, “it is estimated that there are close to 100 vintage wooden boats on Lake Burton alone.” He added, “I’ve made it a passion of mine to learn about wooden boats and where they came from. I’ve even been to Clayton, N.Y, which is like a mecca for wooden boats. There are some real beauties in the parade, like Cris-Crafts – which there are probably more of than any other brand. Cris-Craft just celebrated its 100 year anniversary. Hacker Crafts and Lymans are other wooden boats on the lake. People will sometimes restore the boats themselves, but in most cases the restoration process is accomplished by professionals.” Because wooden boats garner such appeal on the lakes, both the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate have adopted resolutions designating Rabun County as the “Wooden Boat Capital Of Georgia.” Harris commented, “Many thanks to Representative Stan Gunter and Senator Bo Hatchett for their efforts in getting these resolutions passed.” For both boat parades, spectators either watch from the boats or from the shoreline.
Pitching In and Giving Back Living and vacationing in Rabun County’s communities is about more than fun and memories. Local associations, businesses, and individuals are serious about support for nonprofits. For example, Steve Raeber, president of the Lake Rabun Foundation explained that The Lake Rabun Foundation Scholarship Program “thrives.” What began in 1987 as an effort to assist one student with a $1,000 scholarship for each of four years of education has become a busy Foundation that assists more than 200 Rabun County students with multi-year college scholarships. In fact, at least 45 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. are impacted, with scholarship fund monies exceeding $1,380,000.
Lake Burton’s 2022 event calendar is packed, with a schedule available at www.lbca.net/calendar. A Summer Vibes Concert series presents live music monthly, starting with the Border Collies band on May 28 and ending with Banks and Shane on September 4. Pledger remembers fun times at Mountain City Playhouse, which recently reopened – after a quiet season – and gives lake visitors and full-time residents alike a chance to participate in old-fashioned fun, like square dancing. “When I was a teenager in the late 1950s and ‘60s, I went to Mountain City to square dance,” she said. Mountain City Playhouse’s Facebook site has updates regarding activities offered this summer. “Foxfire has a whole lot going on,” said Pledger, who urges anyone interested to visit www.foxfire.org for a listing of upcoming activities. Besides being an authentic Appalachian village made up of over 20 historic log structures, the outdoor, living museum has regular hands-on opportunities, such as spoon carving, woodstove cooking, and flintknapping classes in May. Foxfire ends the season in the fall with its Foxfire Mountaineer Festival, a full day of arts, crafts, music, and demonstrations. Further, Thompson reminds that the Rabun County Civic Center is replete with opportunities: Of These Mountains Spring Marketplace, with more than 80 local artists and makers; The North Georgia Sings, two days of concerts; a Big E Elvis Festival; and, much more. Finally, families and friends can load up on boats every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day and seek boat church, offered by First United Methodist Church in Clayton, on Lake Rabun at the Rabun Boat House, Hall’s, at 9 a.m. Rabun County’s lake community provides a multitude of additional options and opportunities for the spring-through-fall that cannot possibly fit within these pages. For additional information, The Rabun County Welcome Center at 10 Seed Tick Road has a plethora of maps, calendars, travel and accommodation guides and brochures, and more. A free, magazine-quality Welcome to Rabun County Travel Guide is also thorough regarding what is available in the area. Or, visit www.explorerabun.com.
“We continue to grow,” said Raeber. “The scholarship award is currently $14,000 – $3,500/year for four years. We have approximately 45 Rabun County students receiving our scholarships each year beginning in their freshman year and ending upon graduation.” He added that since 2012, several grants from the Lake Rabun Foundation have been made to the North Georgia Technical College Foundation, which allow financial assistance for Rabun County students attending North Georgia Technical College. “Many students choose this route to prepare for technical careers or to complete their first two years of college and then transfer to other colleges to complete their degrees. Currently, students may receive direct scholarship assistance from the Lake Rabun Foundation for both their technical school degrees as well as their bachelor’s degrees.” In early 2021, the Foundation was recognized for having contributed more than $2 million in scholarships and grants in Rabun County. In addition to other efforts the Foundation oversees community outreach. During the worst of the pandemic, Raeber pointed out that the Foundation supported a Covid Relief Fund. Members provided funds that helped Rabun County families with necessities such as food, rent, utilities, and medical needs during that economically challenging time. Lake Burton Civic Association members are also very involved in supporting and giving back to the communities at large. Besides fundraisers, such as the annual Tour of Homes and LBCA Golf Tournament at Waterfall Country Club, both of which raise money for various charities and scholarship opportunities, the Association oversees such efforts as lake cleanup days to rid the lake and the shoreline of trash that could impact the lake water’s viability. Seed Lake Association also offers local students scholarship opportunities. All three lake associations have given generously not only to Rabun County students but to local charities. Their efforts are greatly appreciated by all. May 2022 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - 21
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Poané Gallery Art & Candles Now Open
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ucked behind Cowee Mountain Clay located on Hwy. 64, Franklin, North Carolina you’ll find Poané Gallery Art & Candles. The gallery features the art of an incredible artist known only as Poané. The gallery also showcases handmade candles and soaps by Jennifer, his special lady. Poané has quite an impressive background and is well known from New York to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Once featured on the cover of our magazine, Poané is as dynamic as he is talented. You will enjoy stopping in for a visit. He paints on canvas and wood using different mediums and does outstanding work on rich natural woods and makes charcuterie boards that are sure to impress. The address for the gallery’s location is 52 Sanderstown Road, Franklin, North Carolina. Visit Cowee Mountain Clay while you are there.
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The Arts
2022 Northeast Georgia Arts Tour
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hat is more captivating than driving through the mountains of North Georgia and into North Carolina? Combining this beautiful drive through two states and six counties with the 2022 Northeast Georgia Arts Tour will be the most exciting experience of a lifetime. While following the winding picturesque trail not only will you find the beauty of this area but you will be introduced to some of the most talented crafters in the area! The Arts Tour will bring you to painters, pottery, folk art, jewelry, glass, handcrafted furniture, fiber, wood, photography and so much more that you will feel the weekend is not enough time. Go online to www. ArtsTour.org, to download our map or call your local Chamber of Commerce for more information. The Art Tour will begin June 10th continuing on the 11th and 12th for the Summer Season kickoff. Come celebrate and experience a wide variety of arts & crafts at the Northeast Georgia Arts Tour. This year the participants are located in Habersham, Rabun, Towns, Union and White Counties in Georgia & Clay County in North Carolina. Each County will showcase anywhere from two to eight incredible galleries or studios that will feature live demonstrating artists the weekend of the tour. Restaurants, lodging establishments and wineries will be prominently featured in our year-round “Where To Go” Arts Guide brochure and on our website.
Grab your friends, jump in your cars and take the tour of Art Galleries & Studios while stopping at our participating restaurants for incredible eats. You can even take the time to stay at some of the lodges listed so you don’t have to end the day until you have seen all the art galleries in the most beautiful, tranquil mountains of Georgia and North Carolina!
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Made in Georgia Festival
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he Made in Georgia Festival will be held on Saturday, June 25 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, June 26 from 11am-4pm at the Towns County Recreation & Conference Center, 150 Foster Park Road, Young Harris, Georgia 30582. Shop over 75 vendors offering a wide variety of product made, grown, crafted, sewn, canned, etc. in Georgia. This year’s events will once again offer demonstrations and classes throughout the weekend, including Buster Brown and his birds of prey with Georgia Mountain Falconry. Other classes will feature cooking with a Georgia Grown chef, growing tips from the UGA Extension Agency and much more. Vendors represented will display pottery, honey, soaps, woodwork, leather, jewelry, clothing, shrubs, pecans, pickles... all made in Georgia. This is a family event and a very popular annual attraction. Admission is $5 per day, $7 for a weekend pass, kids 14 and under are admitted free. Please - no animals will be allowed in the building other than service dogs. For more information, 706-896-4966.
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Finding
Art
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Spring Fling at the Gallery 441 Gallery 441 is having a Spring Fling on May 7th from 11-4. Bring anything from home and fling paint on it canvas, wood, etc. There will be local artists, live music, fantastic food - fun for the whole family.
Metal Art Guild The Athen’s Metal Art Guild will be holding a month long exhibition in Gallery 441 north in the Heart of Dillard. Opening reception will be held on June 10th from 5:00-7:00. Come and support these wonderful artists specializing, mostly in foraging jewelry, and enjoy music, local wines and whiskey, and light hor d’oeuvres. RSVP for the reception, 770-634-2379, or come throughout June to view and buy! Exhibition and sale concludes July 10th. Gallery 441 is located at 6795 Hwy. 441, Dillard, Georgia. For more information about these and future events and classes call 706-634-2379 or visit heartofdillard.com.
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Mountain Happenings May & June Northeast Georgia & Western North Carolina
May 7 and each Saturday Night Tallulah Falls Saturday Night Bluegrass 6:30 - 9pm, Free Event Downtown Tallulah Falls See a Show at The Historic Ritz Theatre 139 Doyle Street - Toccoa, GA 30577 Info: ritztheatretoccoa.com May 6 - Bobby Horton’s Long Street Rail in America May 7 - Lightwire Theater May 12 - Local at the Ritz
May 13 - The 3 Redneck Tennors
May 14 - Southern Gospel Music: Burning BUSH Family & Crystal River May 20 - Cash Jennings: A Johnny Cash/ Waylon Jennings Tribute May 28 - Sylvia June 2 and each Thursday thru August Summer Movie June 10 - Southern Gospel Music: The Bridgemans & Clark Kesler June 17 - Silver, Blue, and Gold: Bad Company Tribute Band June 24 - John Berry The 2022 Ida Cox Music Series takes place every Saturday June through August, beginning at 7pm in Downtown Toccoa, Georgia on Doyle Street. Each Saturday features a different artist, beer, wine, and food served on the street, and much more. Come early, beginning at 3pm, to enjoy Cruzin’ Down Doyle, a classic vehicle cruise-in! Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair! Info: idacoxmusicseries.com June 4 - Toccoa Jazz June 11 - ThunderGypsy June 18 - Frankie’s Blues Mission June 25 - Steelin’ The Show
May 21 Mountain Laurel Festival Downtown Clarkesville Northeast Georgia’s Oldest Outdoor Festival - Parade, Arts & Crafts, Music, Cars, Food Information: 706-754-2220 www.clarkesvillega.com May 1, 6-8 North Georgia Community Players present “Four Old Broads” 892 Franklin Street - Dillard, GA 30537 Info: ngcommunityplayers.com June 2 - 5, 9-12 “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” Habersham Community Theater 1370 Washingston St. Clarkesville, GA 30523 habershamcommunitytheater.com at the Rabun County Civic Center and Pavillions 201 W Savannah St. - Clayton, GA 30525 706-982-9432 May 6, 27; June 3, 17 Real Deal Fridays May 7, 28; June 4, 11, 18 Community Market May 14 Spring Marketplace ofthesemountains.com June 3 - 4 The North Georgia Sing northgeorgiasings.com May 7 and each Saturday morning through October, 9am - 1pm Clayton Farmers’ Market at the Covered Bridge Shopping Center, next to the NEGA Foodbank in Clayton. Facebook - claytonfarmersmarketclaytonga
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May 6 and the First Friday of each month through October Hiawassee Night Market 5pm-9pm, a family-friendly, open-air night artist & artisan market featuring fresh produce, food trucks, games, and live music. Night Market is the monthly destination for outdoor dining, shopping, and entertainment. On the Town Square at 19 S. Main Street - Hiawassee, GA Information: hiawasseega.gov See a Show at the Planetarium O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium Young Harris College Campus 1 College St. - Young Harris, GA 30582 Information: yhs.edu May 20, June 10 & 17 Wildest Weather in the Solar System at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds 1311 Music Hall Rd. Hiawassee, GA 30546 georgiamountainfairgrounds.com 706-896-4191 April 22 - May 22 (Friday - Sunday) Rhododendron Festival Fridays & Saturdays 10-5, Sundays 12-4 May 7 Hiawassee Highlands Wine Festival May 14: Scotty McCreery Concert May 27 - 29 Hiawassee Pro Rodeo Enjoy the best bucking horses, bulls, world class contestants from all over the US and Canada, and the top of the line specialty acts! Starts a 8pm. June 4 Happy Together Tour 2022 The Turtles, Gary Puckett & Union Gap, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Vogues, and The Cowsills
May 28 and each Saturday evening May through September Hiawassee Music on the Square 2022 Concerts on the Square in Hiawassee are held each Saturday evening at the corner of River & Main Streets. There is no admission charge, but the hat will be passed for donations to thank the performers. Information: 706-896-2202
May 13-15 Mother’s Day Gemboree at Robert C. Carpenter Community Building 1288 Georgia Road - Franklin NC 28734 Free and open to the public retail show, The Mothers Day Gemboree has occurred in Franklin for many years. Sponsored by the Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin. For information, 838-634-0350
May 14 Meander in May 11am-4pm Saturday, May 14 throughout downtown Highlands. This free, self-guided event brings live musical performances, artists, craftspeople, and fun demonstrations to locations across the town. The day is capped by a concert at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park at 6pm. Information: highlandschamber.org
May 28 - 29 Mountain Fling at The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge, 3499 US-76 - Young Harris, GA 30546 Saturday, 9-4 and Sunday, 10-4 Presented by the Mountain Regional Arts and Crafts Guild. www.mountainartscrafts.org for details and vendor information. 706-896-0932
Summer Concert Series Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center 51 Cowee School Drive Franklin, NC 28734 from 5-7pm on the lawn for information - coweeschool.org May 21 - Mountain Heart June 18 - Slocan Ramblers
Saturdays on Pine Concert Series 411 Pine St. - Highlands, NC 6pm - 8:30pm, Free at Kelsey-hutchinson Founders Park Information: highlandschamber.org May 14 - The Breakfast Club May 21 - Caribbean Cowboys May 28 - Continental Divide June 4 - HI 5 June 11 - Rocksteady@8 June 18 - Firecracker Jazz Band
See a performance at the Peacock Peacock Performing Arts Center 301 Church St. - Hayesville, NC 28904 www.thepeacocknc.org 828-389-2787 May 7 - Song Writers Showcase May 20-23 and May 27-29 “No Sex Please, We’re British” Fridays and Saturdays 7pm, Sunday Matinee 2pm June 4 TRIBUTE - A Celebration of the Allman Brothers June 11 - Song Writers Showcase June 25 - Karla Harris and the Joe Alterman Trio
May 28 - Mid October PICKIN’ ON THE SQUARE Downtown Franklin, NC at the Gazebo A free event Saturday evenings at 7:00pm (weather permitting) featuring live entertainment. Bring your lawn chair for a great evening of family entertainment, come early and enjoy one of our great restaurants. Food vendors also available. PLEASE NOTE: Subject to COVID-19 Restrictions. Information: franklinnc.com 828-524-2516 See a show at the Smoky Mountain Performing Arts 1028 Georgia Road - Franklin, NC 28734 smokymountainarts.com May 6 Ballet Magnificat: The Hiding Place
Friday Night Summer Concert Downtown Hayesville, North Carolina on the Historic Courthouse Square. 25 Herbert Street - Hayesville, NC 28904 No admission fee, but the bucket will be passed for donations to support the conert series. Information: cccra-nc-org, 828-389-1181
May 7 Ballet Magnificat: Student Workshop
May 27- Wyatt Espalin & Friends
June 11 Jimmy Fortune & Connie Smith
June 10 - Begamot Band June 24 - The Murphs
May 13 An Evening with Marty Stewart May 22 - Danny Gokey May 27 - HighRoad June 3 & 4 - Inspire Dance Recital
June 24 & 25 Footloose! The Musical!
Friday Night Live Concert Series 341 Main St. - Highlands, NC 6pm - 8:30pm Free Concert Information: highlandschamber.org May 13 - Johnny Webb Band May 20 - McIntosh and the Lionhearts May 27 - Sycamore Flats June 3 - Will and Lindsey Thompson June 10 - Ol’ Dirty Bathtub June 17 - Curtis Blackwell Band June 24 - Southern Highland Band June 9 -12 Highlands Motoring Festival Held in the beautiful town of Highlands, Highlands Motoring Festival is a four day and evening car show festival, one of the South’s most popular automotive events and voted Best Concours by Classic Motorsports Magazine in 2019. June 25 - 26 Highlands Mountaintop Arts and Crafts Festival Two days of art, folk art, crafts, rustic furniture, demonstrations, live music, food and fun. Held in beautiful Kelsey-Hutchinson “Founders” Park on Pine Street, a short walk from Main Street in Highlands, NC
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Downtown
Clayton
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Southern Fare 34 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
Bon Appétit
Love to All Mothers
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By Scarlett Cook
hether you were raised by your own mother or grandmother or auntie there is a strong female in your past. These women imparted knowledge, values, discipline and love to you that makes you the person you are today. So take a minute and thank her if she is still in your life and if not send a prayer to her and say thank you. So honor these females and remember what they taught you. Broiled Shrimp Serves 4
1 3/4 – 2 Pounds fresh shrimp, unpeeled 2 Stalks celery, chopped 1 Clove garlic, chopped 2 Lemons, cut in half 3/4 Cup butter, cut into cubes 2 Tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire 2 Teaspoons salt 1 Teaspoon hot sauce Wash shrimp thoroughly and place in a large shallow pan. Add celery and garlic. Squeeze the juice from both lemons over top. Dot shrimp with butter and sprinkle with pepper, Worcestershire, salt and hot sauce. Place shrimp under broiler until butter melts and shrimp start to turn pink; stir once or twice. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and cook until shrimp are done 10 – 15 minutes; do not overcook. This dish tastes even better cooked and reheated but don’t overcook. Crunchy Cauliflower Salad Serves 4 – 6 1 Medium head cauliflower 1/2 Cup sliced radishes 1/2 Cup chopped green onions 1 Small can sliced water chestnuts, well drained 3/4 Cup sour cream 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons caraway seeds 1 Package ranch salad dressing mix Wash cauliflower and break into flowerets. Combine cauliflower, radishes, green onions and water chestnuts in a medium mixing bowl. Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, seeds and dressing mix. Pour over vegetables and stir well. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
Parmesan Herb Bread Serves 6 – 8 1 1/2 Cups Bisquick 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 Tablespoon minced onion 1 Egg, beaten 1/4 Cup milk 1/4 Cup white wine or apple juice 1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 400°. Grease 8” round cake pan. Combine Bisquick, sugar, onion, egg, milk, wine (or juice) and oregano. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle cheese over dough and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into wedges to serve. Chocolate Pecan Pie Serves 6 3/4 Cup chopped pecans 4 Teaspoons bourbon 3 Eggs, well beaten 1 Cup sugar 3/4 Cup light corn syrup 1/4 Cup butter, melted 1/4 Teaspoon salt 1 Teaspoon vanilla 1/2 Cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 unbaked 9” pie shell Preheat oven to 375°. Combine pecans and bourbon and set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and vanilla. Stir in chips and pecans. Pour into pie shell and bake 55 – 60 minutes.
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Southern Fare
Easy Bites Spicy Mexican Corn Salad 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 square (8 or 10 ounce) box of frozen corn kernels (can substitute fresh corn or canned) 1 diced red pepper 1 diced onion 1 fresh lime salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 to 3/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce, depending on preferences 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Corn does not need to be defrosted before adding in (as long as you’re making this salad an hour or two before the party.) Adjust the hot sauce and cilantro proportions to fit your guests’ taste preferences. Decorate with a sprig of cilantro on top of the finished salad, if you’re feeling fancy.
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Prosciutto, Plum and Burrata Flatbread 2 Original Stonefire Naan bread Olive oil for brushing 1 garlic clove thinly sliced 3 ounces of thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma 2 plums or pluots sliced Burrata cheese Fresh basil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tops of the naan bread with the olive oil and sprinkle a few slices of garlic. Place pieces of prosciutto on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until crispy. Remove and set aside Toast the Stonefire whole grain naan in the oven for 5-6 minutes until warm and slightly toasted. Remove from the oven. Top with a few spoonfuls of burrata cheese. Let the burrata melt from the residual heat from the oven for a few minutes. Add pieces of the crispy prosciutto and plums and basil. Slice on angels and serve.
BBQ and Mango Fish Tacos Ingredient Checklist 1 fresh mango, seeded, peeled and diced ½ cup barbecue sauce ¼ cup light mayonnaise 1 teaspoon lime zest 3 cups packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage with carrot) 4 green onions, thinly sliced 12 ounces fresh or frozen skinless red snapper, sea bass or cod, tahwed if frozen and patted dry 8 6-inch corn tortillas ½ cup purchased guacamole ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Place half the diced mango in a blender or food processor. Add barbecue sauce; puree until smooth. In a large bowl combine 2/3 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture, the light mayonnaise and lime zest. (Reserve the remaining 1/3 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture.) Add remaining diced mango, the coleslaw mix and green onions. Toss to coat. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Grill fish on the greased rack of a covered charcoal or gas grill directly over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2inch thickness or until fish flakes when tested with a fork, brushing generously with the reserved 1/3 cup barbecue sauce mixture during the last 2 minutes of grilling. Wrap tortillas in foil and place on grill rack over heat while fish is grilling to warm, turning once halfway through warming. To serve, fill warm tortillas with coarsely flaked fish, coleslaw, guacamole and cilantro. If you like, squeeze with lime juice.
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Outdoors
Adventure Out
Glen Falls, North Carolina By Peter McIntosh
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or our adventure for May we’re visiting a North Carolina waterfall called Glen Falls just outside of Highlands, North Carolina. It’s technically one waterfall but it’s such a big cascade, plunging hundreds and hundreds of feet down with many varied view points, that it’s like four waterfalls in one. From the parking area there are two trails, one to the waterfall, one to a trail up Chinquapin Mountain. We go to the left along a level footpath that comes to an opening with views of the Blue Valley. The trail then cuts back to the right and descends. Right away you’ll come to the first viewing area overlooking a stream with an iron rail to keep you safe. The stream is the east fork of Overflow Creek, which eventually runs into the Chattooga River. These swift moving shoals are just a taste of things to come. Onward we go on this well worn footpath. Soon there is another side trail on the right leading to a spot atop one of the bigger cascades. There’s an iron rail here as well so please stay behind it. This spot not only offers a
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stunning view of Glen Falls but off in the distance the majestic Rabun Bald. Now back to the main trail and again we descend. The trail leads away from the falls for a short bit before switching back to another view spot, this one is at the base of the big cascade. No railings here so be extremely careful. There are more spots further down; it’s 1.4 miles before the trail terminates at Blue Valley Road. Keep in mind that as you go down this steep trail, you’ll need to trudge back up. Happy hiking. And without further delay, here’s my poem for May: A multi-level cascade is our next stop, An awesome waterfall where we start at the top. You’ll see far mountain vistas and feel the cool water’s mist, Just be sure that you’re careful, on that I insist! Getting there: From US 441 and GA 246 in Dillard, follow GA 246 12 miles, this highway changes to NC 106 at the state line, and look for a sign on the right indicating Glen Falls. If you get to Highlands you’ve gone 1.7 miles too far. Trail head is at the parking area at the end of the gravel road. To see more of Peter’s photos, or if you have a question or comment, visit: www. mcintoshmountains.com
Peter McIntosh is an accomplished professional photographer. His photography is displayed in collections across the country. His passion for nature and the outdoors is what fuels his column. His work is available as fine art prints. Peter offers one on one and small group instruction on camera operation and photography. To see more of Peter’s photos, or if you have a question or comment, visit Peter’s website: www.mcintoshmountains. com
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Outdoors
Firmly Rooted Peonies By Victoria Carver
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erhaps you recall as a child when a favorite relative visited for a short time and the moment they left you would start counting the days until you would see them again. Maybe a grandparent, an admired aunt or uncle, or maybe a special cousin. Their visits were never long enough, but you remember them with deep affection because of the bond you shared with your loved one. Peonies are like that favorite relative and their absence only makes the heart grow fonder. Their heady fragrance, enchanting colors, and overall charm has bewitched many a gardener and because of their longevity, many Peonies plants have been passed on from generation to generation. I can’t tell you how many people have told me that Peonies are their favorite flower because they remember their grandmother growing them in her garden. In my opinion, no other flower can evoke such memories and emotion. The most common type of peony is the herbaceous form which is also called the bush peony. Members of this group grow each year to the size of a small shrub, bloom, and then die to the ground for the winter. There are also tree peonies (which are shrubs with thick woody stems that last for many years) and Itoh/intersectional peonies (which are hybrids between the bush and tree peonies). Peonies grow best in colder climates, but certain varieties do well in the Southern states. The secret is planting them very shallow
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with the eyes only an inch or so from the surface of the soil. Peony roots are shaped like large tuberous carrots and have eyes buds where the stems will emerge each spring and bring forth amazing blooms. When planting Peonies, it is important to think long term because they prefer not to be moved and need around six hours of sun. Peony plants can live for decades when planted in the right conditions. In fact, there are documented cases of Peonies living for over a century in the same spot they were originally planted! I find that truly amazing! Peonies require the least amount of maintenance of any of the flowers I grow on my farm. The downside is that it can take 3 to 5 years (or longer) for a Peony to fully develop and produce usable stems. In fact, it’s important not to cut from them the first couple of years while the plant focuses on growing a strong root system. I invested in 50 Peony plants in 2000 and another 150 in 2021. Hopefully, I can invest in more this Fall because my goal is to have at least 500 Peonies growing on my farm.
If you’d like to follow along with my flower farming journey, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram at Firmly Rooted Flower Farm. I also have a new website https://www.firmlyrootedflowerfarm.com where I am currently taking orders for Dahlia tubers. This summer you can find my fresh flower bouquets at Porch Pick Ups and the occasional Community Market. Hope to see you soon!
Victoria (Tori) Carver is a flower farmer. From the thousand bulbs and plants that she puts in the ground each year she creates lovely bouquets. Many enjoy her flowers in their home each week. She has established a subscription program for her customers or a honor-system bouquet sales for random purchases. Tori and her husband and children make their home in Clayton, where they are a treasured part of the community. If you are interested in Firmly Rooted Flower Farm please reach out by email to firmlyrootedflowerfarm@gmail.com or phone 706-490-0041. You will also enjoy their website at www.firmlyrootedflowerfarm.com
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When you Explore Rabun, you’ll discover Our Mountain Treasure!
iking through history is as real as it gets in Rabun County. Most people know that our area is rich with trails and hiking opportunities of all sorts. Whether you prefer an easy hike to a spectacular waterfall, a challenging hike to an amazing mountain-top view, or anything in-between, we have a trail to suit your heart’s desire. Nature and the great outdoors are right on our front porch. That much is easy to see. What may not be quite as well known is how steeped in history hiking in our area actually is. Taking a walk on one of our trails is like stepping back in time, and not just because you’re disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of everyday, but because you are literally walking the same paths that were carved through the woods by the original explorers of our area.
The Bartram Trail on Rabun Bald One trail in particular worth mentioning for its historic significance is the Bartram Trail. The trail is named for the 18th-century American naturalist, William Bartram, who traveled southeastern colonial America between the years of 1773 and 1777, documenting and illustrating species Historic Marker along The Bartram Trail of plants and animals previously unknown to western civilization. William was the son of John Bartram, Royal Botanist to King George the 3rd, and grew up loving travel, exploring, adventure, in Rabun County art and nature. Bartram was also an astute ethnographer, providing us with some of the only descriptions from that era of Native American villages and customs, all of which culminated in his collection of journal entries into his 1791 publication, Travels, which is still in print today (and available at your local library!). As a result of this documentation, we have a detailed account of the areas he visited. The most established section of the Bartram Trail winds about 115 miles from the North Georgia mountains into North Carolina. It has been designated as a National Recreation Trail by the National Trails System Act of 1968. In Rabun County, the Bartram trail covers 36.5 miles and is well marked with historic markers. It follows the mountain ridge line to its highest point in Georgia at Rabun Bald. From there it passes a number of waterfalls before dropping to its lowest elevation along a stretch of the Chattooga River. As you hike any or all of this amazing trail, it’s easy to imagine yourself back in Bartram’s time, recording new species of plants and animals, most of which can still be found along the trail today. For more about the history of The Bartram Trail and efforts to preserve its heritage, visit the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy’s website at blueridgebartram.org. 50 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
In addition to its historic importance, the Bartram Trail offers a great deal of scenic beauty. From the top of Rabun Bald at 4,969 feet, you can see for countless miles in all directions. The more challenging trail to the summit is the Rabun Bald Trail from Hale Ridge Road, which climbs over 2300 feet in less than three miles. But there is an easier option with the Rabun Bald via Beegum Gap Trail for those a little less ambitious (like me!). Although lower in elevation, the section of the trail that skirts the Chattooga River is no less stunning. The rugged beauty of the National Wild and Scenic River will fill your heart with the same sights and sounds that have been alive in these woods for centuries. Most popular hiking websites have detailed Map of The Bartram Trail in Rabun County information about the trails and how to access them. Try hikethesouth.com or alltrails.com for starters… So, get out there and see for yourself why the Bartram Trail is just one more example of these mountains holding so much more than just amazing views. From their natural environment, to
Rabun Bald Observation Platform on The Bartram Trail by Peter McIntosh their history and culture, to the people who are inspired by them, there are so many things that truly make this place “Our Mountain Treasure.”
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Mountain Homes
Take to the Mountains in This Stunning Lodge By John Shivers
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ountains and log cabins go together like apple pie and ice cream. Rabun County’s heritage is dotted with cabins of every description. However the three-level Adirondack inspired, 4,723± square foot log home now nearing completion at 886 Sonya Road outside Clayton brings a totally new definition to the term “log cabin.” However, this home is a marked departure from the quintessential mountain home. Look closer at this virtual tree house. You’ll discover architectural elements and materials inherent to the country’s western mountains, and parts of the American northeast, all tied up in a breathtaking Rabun County package overlooking arguably the best view of all Lake Burton. What’s more, in this exclusive gated community, you’re only about 10 minutes away from shopping and dining. And for all the visible attributes of this three bedroom, five bath home, the great news here is that construction has reached the point where you can clearly see what the home is, AND its potential. Purchase now, and you can put your own stamp on the finished house when you select kitchen and bath particulars, finishes and furnishings. 52 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
Stunning! Is just one of many descriptive words that characterize this home constructed of 12-inch Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir logs. However, this is where the definition of log and cabin part company. Never mind the panoramic views and the deeded access to a community lakefront dock and pavilion, this home has all the markings of an upscale mountain estate. And those markings begin outside, where the slate and copper roofs and 12-inch facias and rakes of pure copper, exterior walls clad in Vermont slate, and custom windows and doors set the tone for what you’ll find inside. One of the more distinctive exterior features is the massive chimney that serves five different fireplaces. Clad in masonry stucco on the exterior, all five fireplaces have the most gorgeous stone work seen on Lake Burton. The home itself is built to commercial standards with structural steel and 12-inch poured concrete walls. Banks of windows and doors unite the house with its lake view setting. To allow for maximum enjoyment of that setting, the home has six exterior decks totaling 1,130± square feet of concrete floors, (two with stone floors and pure copper ceilings); four of the home’s five fireplaces are complete with firewood boxes.
Inside, soaring ceilings, massive artisan designed stone fireplaces, the patina of massive logs and timbered beams and posts, and tongue and groove ceilings set the stage for a state-of-the-art lodge-like atmosphere. Everything is tempered with warmth and comfort that translates into gracious, distinctive living. And check out the loft, that delivers a great view from upstairs, the full bath, and play area for children and grandchildren. There’s plenty of accessible lighted storage area. In terms of livability, this home offers three full levels of opportunity. The master suite is on the main level, complete with en suite bath and its own fireplace and exterior deck. The great room is just that – a great space, great views, a massive mountain stone fireplace wall, and great opportunities for daily living and memorable entertaining. While the kitchen at this point is but an empty space, what an empty space it is. Indulge your dreams and needs; let them meet and marry, and create the chef’s space of your own choosing. But whatever styles and finishes you select, no matter your preference on appliances, the blank canvas you’ll have to work with lends itself to many different high end results. The terrace level offers more bedroom space, another great room with a Montana style fireplace, bath and second kitchen, storage and garage space. There’s also a 100± square foot tree house with electricity and working windows and doors. This is a unique opportunity that puts you, the owner, literally months ahead in the custom log cabin building process. In just mere months from closing, you could be living in your new home. Don’t let this chance to customize your own piece of mountain architecture pass you by. To see GA MLS #20030260 contact Scott Poss at Poss Realty at 706-490-2305 or Nic Poss at 706-982-0872 to check it out. You can reach either agent at the office at 706-782-2121.
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HOME ON THE MANTLE Terri Goethe, Angel Oak Design
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than the things that can be seen.
here is no magic in transforming a house into a home. While it comes easier for some than others, just like any worthy goal, it is achievable by collaborating with someone who understands the components. Creating a home, however, is about much more than beauty. Almost every homeowner wants the style, function, and comfort level of their home to be pleasing to everyone who walks through their doors. However, creating that feeling of home requires careful attention to much more
My husband, Chris and I were married in 2006 and I relocated from my home to his home in the Atlanta area. We began the process of blending our homes and families. Let me back up a bit and share some of our history. My marriage of more than 25 years ended in divorce. I had two sons, 10 and 15 years of age. After selling our home during the divorce, I found a smaller house to share with my sons. There was a lot of work to do in creating a sense of home for the three of us and the remodeling allowed us to work through the pain. Chris’ wonderful marriage of 23 years ended, sadly, with the loss of his wife to cancer. His sons were 14 and 16 years of age. At the end of each day, they returned from work and school to deal with their grief in the home filled with memories of his wife and their mother. A couple of years passed when they realized it was time for a change. Chris was offered a new job in Atlanta, so they relocated and bought a new house. They wanted to have their new house feel more like home, a task that seemed monumental for 3 bachelors. Chris bought magazines to get ideas and found pictures of decorated mantles he thought could be easily duplicated. Kudos Chris, for caring and making the effort. It was around the same time of their move when Chris and I met and started dating. We spent fourteen months getting to know each other, our sons and extended family. He proposed, I accepted, and we began our new adventure together. Reading books about blending families seemed like a good idea, but also proved to be quite daunting. Unrealistic expectations would create difficult challenges for us all. Were we truly ready to tackle the process of blending our families? The greatest thing we had in common was our faith. We also had similar goals in life and were quite compatible. However, moving into the same house with sons who were trying to navigate having stepparents and stepbrothers was not going to be easy. We both prayed for God’s wisdom and understanding. Among the challenges was finding ways to blend our stuff. We agreed to hold onto items that would remind our sons of home.
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We painted and bought some new furnishings to pull it all together but changing the color on the walls and blending new and old furnishings was not going to be enough. We wanted our new home to express our uniqueness and commonality. The goal was to make each of our individual spaces reflect those individual personalities, without making things feel disjointed. It was important to keep a harmonious feel to our home. The living areas needed to reflect our family personality, which we would discover over time. One afternoon, I noticed the mantle looked a bit bland with items that were rather generic (sorry Chris, but you cannot be great at everything). I had a moment of inspiration that I am convinced came directly from our Heavenly Father because blending our families remained a mystery to me. There were pictures scattered throughout the house of our two separate families, but we needed to have a visual display of our past and present – and our union. I selected a few photos of our two families from throughout the house and brought them into the kitchen. The rest was easy. I made a run to a nearby store to pick up the needed frames. While the pictures told different stories, the frames would be the same to remind us of what we had in common. I began with the left side and placed pictures of Chris’ family throughout the years. I then proceeded to fill the right side of the mantle with pictures of my family during the same time frame. The middle was a picture of us all at our wedding reception. This simple visual in a place we all gathered several times every day, gave us reminders of our past, present, and somehow, helped create hope for our future together. It did not seem like a big deal when I put the mantle together, but it became a reminder that while blending a family would require hard work, the outcome could be something beautiful. Things certainly don’t always work out as planned. A few years after we were married, Chris had a conversation with a friend whose wife had died. After a year or so, he had met someone new. The two of them decided to marry and blend their families. The older children, along with many of their friends were concerned that it was not a good decision and asked him to call and talk with Chris since he had “been there”. This friend shared with Chris that they were to be married in a few days, but he sensed a problem. His future bride had insisted that he remove all the pictures of his late wife from his home. Red flag. He had teenagers at home who wanted those reminders of happy memories with their mom. Chris advised his friend to wait and seek counseling with his future bride. Instead, they moved forward with the wedding, and separated in less than six months. I share these stories to illustrate the importance of making sure your home reflects the personality of your family. Whether it is a fireplace mantle or another focal point in your home, create visual stories that remind you, your family, and friends of the past and gives hope for the future. After all, our home should be a place where we enjoy time with our family and friends, a place we long to return to when we’re away, and a place where visitors feel “at home” the moment they walk through the door.
Mountain Homes
Unforgettable Home, Unforgettable Opportunity By John Shivers
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erched on a prominent point overlooking Lake Burton, you’ll find a two-story new construction cottage that borrows its inspiration from the past, while incorporating every aspect of modern, contemporary living anyone could desire. For the owner of this home at 714 Sonya Road, Clayton, Georgia, the location in Goat Cliff Estates makes it outstanding in so many different ways. Do the first rays of morning sun speak to you? This 1,848± square foot home near Acorn Creek Cove offers a million dollar view of every new day. And if the mellow, colorful skies at the end of day are more your speed, just turn and look in the other direction. Between two screened porches, one of them off the second floor master suite, and many windows, there’s no way you’ll ever miss that Rabun County vista. Spread out beneath your two± acres of prime lake access land is some of the prettiest landscape you’ll find anywhere.
with friends and neighbors on the lake, you can adjourn to this unforgettable home that’s as long on livability as it is on charm. The first thing you’ll notice is the tons of luxury finishes and the attention to detail that abounds. There are so many design aspects, you’re overwhelmed at the same time you just yearn to make yourself at home. The welcome begins the moment you walk through the door, where polished concrete floors, shiplap walls and high ceilings bid you an initial welcome, and it gets better from there.
But in addition to beauty, privacy and tranquility, you’ll also find yourself less than ten minutes from Waterfall Club, Anchorage Marina, and all the amenities – shopping, dining, and the arts – that Downtown Clayton has to offer.
Inside against a painted white backdrop, repurposed barn wood is found in accent walls, ceilings and sliding barn doors, and the remainder of the interior takes its palette of inspiration from the various tones found in the wood. The kitchen and wet bar areas include stainless steel appliances, solid surface countertops, a tile backsplash and custom cabinetry. A new dining area is also currently being constructed off the main living area.
In addition to the house itself, you’ll enjoy a common lakeside “clubhouse” complete with a kitchen and half-bath. The lakefront area offers enough mooring space for up to six watercraft on a first-come, first-served basis. And when you’re through playing
On the main floor, two bedrooms (one currently under construction) and shared guest bathroom with tiled walk-in shower and contemporary fixtures make this property versatile enough to use it as a weekend get-away or a permanent home. What’s more, you
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can use the home as it is, or enjoy it while you enlarge the footprint. Architectural drawings are available upon request for this potential expansion. When you see the magnificent owners’ suite upstairs, get ready to be wowed. As you reach the second level, a western-facing view overlooking Lake Burton greets you. From the vaulted ceilings clad with barn wood and a stacked-stone gas log fireplace with a custom built wood mantle, everything screams “retreat.” A king size bed is positioned to wake with the sunrise, and the en suite bath offers a spa-like atmosphere with a large, two-person soaking tub, walk-in tiled shower, custom cabinetry, separate water closet and double vanities. And when you think it can’t get any better, you discover the “secret” loft space and the private covered porch. This home offers an unforgettable opportunity. To see GAMLS #20030586 for yourself, contact agent Sarah Gillespie at Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain at 404-735-6157 or at the office, 706-212-0228.
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Wanted: New Owners to Carry the Torch By John Shivers
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ucked away on a majestic rise above a winding paved road in Lakemont, in the southern end of Rabun County, sits a new listing on the local real estate market. If ever there was a property you’ll have to have, this home at 1540 Ramey Road is that house.
But it’s inside, after you enter the full glass main door, that you begin to appreciate the love and family that has made this house a home. It was lived in to the fullest by the original owners until just recently, when they opened a new chapter in their lives, and moved closer to their children.
It’s a log cabin home, but this 2,866± square foot home takes that concept to whole ’nother level. The mature, terraced plantings offer visible testimony to the hands that have tended the grounds for the past 25 years, including organic vegetable gardening. Now a new gardener is needed to continue the love. And there’s even an unobtrusive but effective perimeter fence, including gated access, that protects plants from the deer.
Which gives some savvy buyer a great opportunity to open a new chapter in their own life, and a chance to continue the heritage of home and hearth that’s so entrenched in this three bedroom, four bath home. It’s a fantastic value for your money, and a virtual sanctuary for your heart.
Rise to the top of the sweeping front steps, stand on the wraparound covered porch, and look out over the four acres, more or less, that include an additional lot that will be yours when you get mail at this address. The peace and tranquility that floods over you is something mere money can’t buy. And check out the secluded hot tub on the back porch.
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While this home appears to be your run-of-the-mill log home, this “cabin” is built using laminated timbers instead of individual logs. It offers the look and the feel of today’s traditional log home, but without the hassles that go along with seasonal shrinking. But the practicality doesn’t end there. The great room off of the staircase foyer takes up about half of the square footage on the main level, where a wood stove adds to the eye appeal and the comfort factor. A spacious kitchen with hard surface countertops
plus generous work space and cabinet storage is adjacent to the great room, partially separated, but still in conversational proximity. The resident chef can easily cook and visit with family and guests. A laundry room, several closets and a pantry are right off the kitchen, and an office and an en suite master bedroom with direct access to the porch completes this level. The upper level features two spacious guest bedrooms with window alcoves that share a large bathroom with double sinks and a separate shower and tub. The terrace level features an additional family room with a gas log fireplace, a huge workshop just waiting for the next woodworker to move his equipment in, and a greenhouse! Storage space in this three-level home abounds. Be sure to check out the bottom cabinet in the master bath that opens to the laundry room closet. No more carrying your laundry through the house. Plus, there’s an all new metal roof and skylights! This home has been loved, and it shows! Access is via all paved roads and driveways, it’s close to schools, and offers value, style, and quality, all in a fantastic location. Are you ready for a quality built home and an unbelievable value? Check out MLS #20033166, then contact Poss Realty Agent Lorie Thompson at 706-490-1820 or at the office at 706-782-2121.
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Just Thinking
Local Character(s)
He Means A lot to Many, Including Me by Lorie R. Thompson
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racy McCoy, publisher and editor of the Laurel of Northeast Georgia, told me she had a quick change on the cover artist for May. She needed a lake photograph and called on Scott Poss to help her. Scott deserves to be a “cover artist’ for the Laurel and I hear that’s coming later this year. He is a very talented landscape photographer with photos worthy of gallery showings. Of course, Scott offered a gorgeous picture for her to use. Tracy told me about it and said, “you know how humble Scott is, and he did not want a thing in return.” I agreed on how humble Scott always is and how much daily help he gives to many different people. He is undoubtedly a man of character. Scott visited my family’s home on Ramey Road sometime in the early 1960s. His parents, Ed and Mary George Poss, came over to discuss with my dad the construction of a new home on the backside of Lake Rabun. Scott says he can remember climbing to the top of the big grassy hill behind our house and barrel-rolling down it so many times that he was motion sick when they left our Wiley home. Rolling down that hill was a regular pastime for us as children, and we loved to initiate “city” kids! Scott’s family moved permanently to Lake Rabun in 1969. Brandon Mill Road was a dirt track back in those days,
and there was no school bus service, so Scott drove a boat across the lake to Hall’s Boat House and caught the school bus. I am sure that was a significant change from attending school in Athens! He told me he recently saw Mrs. Sarah Singleton, who worked at South Rabun Elementary. Mrs. Singleton recalled that she worried about him coming across the lake to meet the school bus every morning. Scott has always been an adventurer, and everything he did, he did well. He was a dirt bike enthusiast and water skiing pro, and in our teenage years, I watched him jump off the top of Glassy Mountain strapped to a hang glider. Scott’s children look at his old photos and breathe a prayer of thanks that they are here today since reaching maturity was questionable based on his high-risk sports profile. I started my real estate career in the early 1980s with Scott as my Broker at Century 21 North Country. Scott and his Dad, Edwin Poss, bought the Century 21 office to see how a well-managed franchise company would work in Rabun County. Scott, myself, my sister-inlaw, Ruth Ramey, Don Arbiter, and Mike Hunter set the woods on fire, selling homes and land out of that little office. We were producing more sales than the big Poss office, which had many more agents. The two offices merged, and Century 21 Poss Realty was born. Continued...
Lorie Thompson is a REALTOR at Poss Realty in Clayton, Georgia. Her expertise in her industry is second only to her culinary talents. Lorie is a dynamo in the kitchen. Honestly if she prepares it, it will likely be the best you’ve ever had! Lorie and her husband, Anthony (Peanut), make their home in the Persimmon Community. She is the proud mother of Joe Thompson and Kendall Thompson. 64 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
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Just Thinking Scott has been successful in all facets of the real estate business. He had an appraisal business for many years before transitioning back into sales and eventually becoming the Broker-in-charge for the real estate sales company. He has excelled in all areas of his career. I work with Scott every day, and when you sell real estate, it is quite literally every day! It is a high-energy, demanding, and high-stress career. Scott makes it look easy! (I believe there is a correlation between high-risk sports and picking real estate as a career.) His calm demeanor and logical thinking are what agents need when the pressure is on! Scott told me a long time ago that his goal was to provide a platform for success for all of his agents. He was not
interested in just the brokerage doing well; he wanted all of his agents to succeed for themselves and their clients. Talk about getting it right! He has provided an excellent work atmosphere for agents and a welcoming business for our clients. When you walk in the door at Poss Realty, you will see smiling faces, a clean and welcoming office, a cup of coffee, or an afternoon bag of fresh popcorn. I know firsthand how precious time is, and I often see Scott providing training for new agents or working face to face with someone who needs help with a deal. He is an outstanding Broker, and I am thankful for the opportunity to work for him. All of that business stuff is good but look at his Facebook page to know what is most important to Scott. I scrolled through his photos today, and they are all about his family. I am blessed to call Scott my family since he married my first cousin, Pat McKay Poss. He and Pat have three children; Jordan, Nicolas, and Meredith. I don’t know how many grandchildren they have, but there are a lot of them! There are a couple of grandkids (or twelve) in most of his photographs. Scott is a Christian and serves as a Deacon at Tabernacle Baptist Church. I know they count on him at Church. He doesn’t shout out his beliefs, but he lives them daily. He leads by example. I am so glad that Tracy reminded me of how much character Scott has. She and I decided to surprise him with this tribute showcasing him as a Local (loaded with) Character. If you see Scott this month, tell him what a good guy he is and how much he is appreciated!
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Just Thinking
Of These Mountains
Y Camp By Kendall R. Rumsey
When I was seven years old, my parents sent me to two weeks of sleep-away Summer Camp. Athens Y Camp was only about twenty miles from our house and both of my older brothers had attended for years. Tom and Sam started out as campers and both advanced over the years until they were counselors. My older brothers loved Y-Camp, me, not so much. Two weeks sleeping in a cabin, on bunk beds, waking up at 7am for exercises, traipsing across the yard to go to the bathroom and shower, and swimming in an ice-cold lake wasn’t my idea of a good time. But in the summer of 1971, there I was. It didn’t take me long to start enjoying myself. I never got used to waking up for morning exercise (an issue I still have 50 years later) and that cold lake was never my idea of a good time, but I soon made friends and got the swing of overnight camp. I learned archery and trampoline and took arts and crafts classes and canoeing and played volleyball and especially enjoyed vespers in the old chapel alongside the lake. In that old chapel, there were signs from ground level to the towering ceiling, signs with the names of young men who had attended camp there over the years. Both of my brothers had signs and when I went back for year two, the following summer, I had one too. Those nameplate signs still hang in the Chapel today. By far, my favorite part of summer camp was the field trips we took that took us off camp property. During our two weeks at camp, we took three field trips. My favorite was to “Frontier Land,” a mini version of Six Flags with rides, games, and food that wasn’t served in the dining hall at Athens Y-Camp. Another “highlight” trip was camping. Early in the day, we would all hike for what seemed like hundreds of miles to a seven-year-old but was more likely a couple of miles. Our hike would end at our campground, a series of wall less shelters built of plywood with tin
roofs. Upon arrival, we laid out our sleeping bags and claimed our space for the night. At the overnight camping trip, we cooked out over the campfire, sang songs, and then just before the night’s end, one of the counselors would begin to tell us the story of the “Vandiver Man.” The Vandiver Man was a ghost who haunted the woods that we would be staying in that night. A disfigured man who took out his revenge on children, the perfect story to tell a bunch of little boys right before bedtime. But the story of the Vandiver Man was a staple of camping out at Athens Y-Camp, most certainly still told today to campers in those very same woods. Our final trip of camp was a hike to the bottom of Tallulah Gorge. By hike, I don’t mean down a series of steps like you do today, no we walked down a well-worn path, from top to bottom, holding on to trees as we made our way down and back up. Once we got to the bottom of the gorge, we all stripped down butt naked and spent the afternoon sliding down the slippery rock and into the pool at the base of the gorge. For hours, the sounds of laughter and cheers echoed through the gorge as little boys and their counselors from around the country enjoyed an afternoon in the sun and fun in Tallulah Gorge. Before I knew it, my two weeks at Athens Y-Camp were over. I never got used to morning workouts or that cold lake, but I went back the following year. I guess the good outweighed the bad. I never took to Summer Camp like Tom and Sam did. Sam still stays in touch with some of the kids he met during his years at Athens Y Camp and no doubt, if Tom were still with us, he would have to. I didn’t make those strong bonds. I wish I had. I wish I had gone back more years, but I didn’t. In those days it just wasn’t for me. But the memories are still with me and for hundreds of young boys those special memories are made each year, still, at Athens Y-Camp.
Kendall Rumsey is a resident of Clayton, Georgia. He is owner of the lifestyle brand Of These Mountains and author of the blog, Notes from a Southern Kitchen. www.ofthesemountains.com www.notesfromasouthernkitchen.com
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Just Thinking
By The Way Pig Denied Role of Horse in Upcoming Play By Emory Jones
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y pet pig, Cunningham, recently read an item in “Pigs ’n Theatre” magazine that made him squeal with delight. I wasn’t surprised because that’s what pigs do when they become delighted. In fact, a pen full of delighted pigs sounds about like a 747 on takeoff. When I said Cunningham “read” it, I may have exaggerated a little. The pig actually just saw the picture and brought the magazine over for me to read to him. He asked my wife, Judy, first, but she was busy reading to the cat. The article said the casting director for this summer’s upcoming outdoor drama at the Hardman Farm near Helen was auditioning horses for two critical horse roles. As you may or may not recall, Cunningham recently spent time in Hollywood, where he secured the coveted character of “dead pig number three” in five different movies. So, he figured that if the play people needed horses, they’d also need a pig. And even if they didn’t, Cunningham has the acting skills to play a horse. I mean, the pig is that good. He once beat out a chicken for the role of a rooster. So, when audition day came, Cunningham—wearing the saddle I’d bought him for effect—and I hopped in the truck and headed for the pasture outside Helen, where the horse actors were lining up for the casting call. Cunningham got a bit nervous when he saw a grey horse named Harry Trotter. That’s probably just his stage name, but Trotter is the one who gave a winning performance in that wonderful drama, “A Tale of Whoa.” We’d only been in line a few minutes when what I assumed was the assistant casting director walked up holding a clipboard. “What’s the horses’ name?” he asked after I rolled down the window.
“What horse?” I asked back. “The horse you’re bringing to the ‘Valley Voices’ tryouts.” “I’m not bringing a horse to the ‘Valley Voices’ tryout. I’m bringing a pig. His name is Cunningham.” Then, thinking we might need leverage, I added, “The pig knows Kevin Costner.” “I don’t care if he knows Jimmy Dean,” said the assistant casting director. “This audition is for horses.” “That’s okay,” I said. “Cunningham can play a horse. He’s wearing a saddle. See? Want to hear him neigh?” I guess he didn’t because that man started yelling. “This script has two people riding two horses. It would look silly if one rode up on a pig.” “Not if that pig wears a saddle,” I countered. “And knows how to act. You really should hear him neigh.” I guess Cunningham must have thought that was his cue because he did his best to whinny. Unfortunately, he hadn’t practiced his whinnying as much as he should have because the pig-like equine sound that came from deep in his throat startled the man so bad he dropped his clipboard. It also startled Harry Trotter, who galloped off toward Helen in a run. Another horse named Nightmare did the same thing. Thinking this was part of the audition, Cunningham naturally jumped out the window and ran after them, his little western-style stirrups flapping in the wind. Assuming a parade had started, tourists began lining up on both sides of the street. As two saddleless horses, and a pig wearing one, passed the liquor store, three customers went back inside and returned their purchases. Regrettably, Cunningham didn’t get the horse part. That may have been because I brought up Kevin Costner. I hear he can be difficult.
Emory Jones grew up in Northeast Georgia’s White County. After a stint in the Air Force, he joined Gold Kist as publications manager. He was the Southeastern editor for Farm Journal Magazine and executive vice president at Freebarin & Company, an Atlanta-based advertising agency. He has written seven books. Emory is known for his humor, love of history and all things Southern. He and his wife, Judy, live on Yonah Mountain near Cleveland, Georgia.
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“May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free.” - Sgt. Major Bill Paxton
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Faith
ELEVATE JESUS By Boyd Bailey - Wisdom Hunters
“Jesus practiced a relational pace: never hurried, but focused on loving well in the moment.” He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
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ne reason John the Baptist was chosen by God was his humble boldness. He was the warm up band—the forerunner—for the main attraction—the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! His unconventional words, and some would say uncouth appearance, yet with humility and clarity the true prophet warmed up the cold culture by pointing them back to God. Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand! God had come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to redeem their vanquished love, save the lost, forgive, heal, teach and make Satan shudder! Divinely, John the Baptist modeled humility by decreasing his status and increasing Jesus as worthy of worship. Humility elevates Christ, so His followers are faithful to Him—not enamored by the messenger. John and Jesus, were celebrated together by Mary and Elizabeth. As cousins, they anticipated in wonder their boys’ births. In our family, our two youngest daughters, experienced simultaneous pregnancies within two weeks of one another with their last child. What a gift of praying, laughing and encouraging one another. On sick, exhausting days they lifted each other up, and reminded each other of the Lord’s love and His grace to get them through difficult days. On happier, healthier days they celebrated God’s gift of life growing in their bodies. No doubt, John and Jesus had a special friendship like their moms did, on mission for God to live out His will. Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting, “Make a road for the Lord through the wilderness; make him a straight, smooth road through the desert. Fill the valleys; level the hills; straighten out the crooked paths, and smooth off the rough spots in the road. The glory of the Lord will be seen by all mankind together” (Isaiah 40:35, TLB). Humility understands the responsibility to help prepare the way for those who need help from the Lord. Do you see yourself as one who prepares the way for another to find God’s way? Like John the Baptist, you can be yourself and your unique love is just what the Holy Spirit will use to show someone the path to meet and know
Jesus. You may dress different, your words may sound strange to some, but your humble boldness will disarm skeptical voices and infuse hope into needy hearts. Be who God created you to be by pointing people to Jesus in your life and words. When people know you care, they will care about what you say—even when you call them out! Make Jesus the hero. You make Jesus the hero when you love like Jesus, which means you are always learning to defer rather than prefer. Just like Jesus elevated following the will of His heavenly Father, so you elevate following Jesus by loving and serving others, especially sinners. Decrease pride and increase humility by submitting to others and preferring what they want. For example, when you are with a child or grandchild make sure not to hurry the experience. If you calendared an hour to be together, consider three hours for richer conversations and meaningful memories. Submit to her agenda by allowing for time so she doesn’t feel rushed. You elevate Jesus as you practice a relational pace: never hurried, but focused on loving well in the moment. “If you are confused, consider this: the groom is the one with the bride. The best man takes his place close by and listens for him. When he hears the voice of the groom, he is swept up in the joy of the moment. So hear me. My joy could not be more complete. He, the groom, must take center stage; and I, the best man, must step to His side” (John 3:29-30, VOICE). Prayer Heavenly Father, show me ways to decrease and for opportunities to elevate Jesus and others, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen Related Reading Ezra 10:11; Proverbs 14:31; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 3 John 1:6 © 2022 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved. Wisdom Hunters Resources / A registered 501 c3 ministry info@wisdomhuntersdevotional.com / www.wisdomhunters.com
By God’s grace, Boyd has impacted wisdom hunters in over 86 countries across the globe through the Wisdom Hunters daily devotion, wisdomhunters.com and devotional books. For more resources and writings from Boyd, visit Wisdom Hunters’ bookstore or sign up for Wisdom Hunters’ free daily devotional email at www.Wisdom Hunters.com
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There may be some sins of which a man cannot speak, but there is no sin which the blood of Christ cannot wash away. - Charles Spurgeon
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Faith
Sean of the South
Mama by Sean Dietrich
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he interstate is quiet this time of morning. A cattle truck just passed me.
“You Are My Sunshine” is on the radio. Johnny Cash is singing it. I cannot listen to this song without thinking of my mother— who used to sing it to me while I made mud pies in the backyard.
One night, I made an all-night drive to Georgia. I arrived at my aunt’s at three in the morning. In the driveway: a frail woman in a nightgown stood in my headlights, waiting. I hardly recognized her. We hugged and I almost broke her. “Are you hungry?” was the first thing Mama asked. “No ma’am.” She made a full breakfast anyway.
My daddy ended his life in September. By October Mama was so lonely you could hear her cry herself to sleep through the walls.
A plastic implanted port poked from her collarbone. Her face was gaunt. Her hair was short. She’d been spending weeks going to treatments, sitting in recliners at hospitals.
I’d knock on her bedroom door around suppertime. There would be no answer.
There, she’d crochet stocking caps, scarves, and mittens for her son. She sent them all with me when I left Atlanta.
Thus, I would fire up the kitchen to prepare my world-famous culinary masterpiece: tres bowls de vanilla ice cream.
On my drive home, I pulled over in a Shell gas station. I put on a stocking cap. It smelled like her, and it made me cry.
My mother was a shell. Once upon a time, she’d crocheted, quilted, gardened, she even fished. After Daddy, all she had left were overgrown flower beds and two kids.
A policewoman knocked on my window. She was a small wiry woman. She asked if I was okay. I told her I was.
She worked. Like a dog. To make ends meet, she cleaned condos, ran the deep-fryer at Chick-Fil-A, mopped floors, she threw the newspaper, volunteered at church. She raised kids.
I had not.
When she got sick, the world fell apart. Doctors didn’t know what was wrong. Whatever it was, it was killing her. She moved in with my aunt and uncle in Atlanta. They took care of her. I visited when I could—which wasn’t enough.
She asked if I’d been drinking. I ended up telling her the same story I just told you. A story about a woman who raised me. Who once sang “You Are My Sunshine” to a homely redhead baby. The policewoman listened to me talk. I will never forget that officer, nor the sweet way she said, “I’ll be praying for your mama.” It’s been a long time since that night. I’ve gotten longer in the tooth, and my work keeps me busy. But I’m grateful. Because today, the five-foot-two woman who brought me into this world is still here. And she looks good. She spends her days in the sun, piddlin’. She grows things in her backyard dirt. And when we hug, I feel like I’m going to break her. She makes me proud. I just hope I still make her happy when skies are gray. Happy Mother’s Day, Mama.
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, novelist, and podcast host, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Garden and Gun, The Tallahassee Democrat, Good Grit, South Magazine, Alabama Living, the Birmingham News, Thom Magazine, The Mobile Press Register, Laurel of Northeast Georgia and he has authored thirteen books, and is the creator of the Sean of the South Podcast. 74 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
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Faith
Remembering Tiger Baptist By Liz Alley
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can see them now, Brother Woodrow and Brother Hugh, standing on the front stoop of Tiger Baptist. This would be the old Tiger Baptist, the original one with white clapboard siding and a tin roof. The one that paved the way for the current brick church. I love them both. I have life invested in both, but it is the tiny white church that chases my dreams. These dreams bring me back to a time when deacons held their cigarettes tucked discreetly backwards between their fingers and palm while greeting congregants on the front porch stoop of the church. It was the time when smoking was not considered a “Thou Shalt Not”. I can see my beautiful mother in a coral dress, a belt sinched tightly around her small waist. I feel a warm sunny day in my dream where my mother dressed her five children by herself. On Sunday however, we were dressed in our finest. Our shirts tucked, hair combed, socks matched, a miracle in itself before we’d even darkened the doors of the church. These are the dreams of Cheryl
Worley playing the piano, or more like bringing that piano into submission, under the direction of her talented fingers. Dreams where I can hear clearly Mr. Frank holding out with gusto the last four notes of “How Great Thou Art.” These are the dreams of responsive reading where the sound of our voices in unison was a rhythmic cadence. Where the turning of the pages sounded like the rustling of Angel wings. These dreams are where women have names like Mary, Maybelle and Gertrude. Women who are dressed in polyester skirts and silk blouses with brooches at their necks. It is a time when men wore suits every Sunday and would never consider wearing a cap into the church which is a holy place. But what I remember most, is the fellowship hall. The room between the sanctuary and the back door. The room outfitted with a long table and cane chairs. Chairs that pricked the legs of little girls and ruined many a pair of Legg pantyhose that had been cracked open from their plastic egg container in shades called ‘Suntan” and “Coffee.” The place where fried chicken lay nestled together like puzzle pieces on platters. Chicken that was fried that very morning in nearby kitchens on avocado-colored stoves, way before someone in a grocery store had the notion of frying it for you. A place of fried okra and mashed potatoes. A time when green beans came from local gardens, were snapped on front porches and cooked with a piece of fatback and then cooked some more. The fellowship hall where tea was so dark and sweet it would turn to syrup if the preaching went on too long. A place where plates were balanced on laps with stacks of “Home Life” magazines and extra hymnals. The place were stomachs growled and children squirmed when the Preacher’s prayer not only included the food, but the sick, the dying, the lost, the poor children in Africa, the President, the heathens and the weather. A place where the prayer got so detailed as to include the one who turned on the stove, picked the fruit for the pies, those who shucked the corn and snapped the beans until finally the magic words of “bless it all Lord for the nourishment of our bodies“ was pronounced with a hearty “Amen!” (Church language for “Let’s Eat!”) My dreams are filled with the Fellowship Hall where wedding
Liz Alley was born and raised in Rabun County in the city of Tiger. She loves to write. She is an interior designer specializing in repurposing the broken, tarnished, chipped, faded, worn and weathered into pieces that are precious again. She is the mother of two daughters and has two grandchildren. She divides her time between her home in Newnan and Rabun County.
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receptions and baby showers took place before such things became fashionable at “venues.” When fancy was punch made with Ginger ale over a frozen block of green sherbet served in a glass punch bowl. When sandwiches made with homemade pimento cheese, cut into triangles and stacked on a platter were considered a must. When potato chips were served with a new kind of dip called “French Onion” made from a dried packet of soup with little brown onions. When no shower would be complete without a can of mixed nuts and pastel colored butter mints both served in cut crystal bowls. I’m dreaming of those days and those places where I felt safe and loved. The church where I grew up, an imperfect place with imperfect people but a place that anchored a mountain town called Tiger. I had no idea back then that the pricking of a cane chair and the rustling of angel wings that belonged to the people that inhabited that church were being woven into the fabric of my life. I had no idea such details would follow me down the corridors of a life lived in another town, far away from Tiger, but I’m sure glad they did.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” - John Muir
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Health & Wellness
Elevation Chiropractic & Wellness Opens in Clayton!
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levation Chiropractic & Wellness has opened in Clayton! Dr. Sue Aery and Dr. April Kerr-Roscher have joined forces with the goal of “bringing a better model of health and alternative care to the area” so that even more people can attain better health and quality of life. The practice offers diversified technique Chiropractic, Clinical Kinesiology, Tissue Regeneration Therapy (TRT Soft Wave)/Stem Cell Activation, Nutrition (including weight programs and blood analysis), Massage Therapy and Reflexology. The doctors and the experienced group of practitioners offer an individualized level of care to help patients achieve and maintain their own highest potential of health. Dr. Sue has been practicing in Highlands and the surrounding areas since 2005. Many of you already know her and her wonderful reputation as a caring, compassionate physician. After a 20-year career teaching and playing tennis and platform tennis and gaining 10 national titles, she gained a much deeper understanding of pain and healing processes. She retired from these sports in order to study chiropractic and acupuncture, receiving her doctorate in 2005. Always a student, Dr. Sue also achieved her Master of Human Nutrition and is working on her degree in Functional Medicine. Dr. April began her career as a Registered Nurse but realized that she wanted to get out of allopathic medicine and learn about the root causes of dysfunction and disease in the body. Strengthening her philosophy to heal the body naturally, she studied Chiropractic, gaining her doctorate in 2014 with a concentration in Clinical Kinesiology. She works to bring the body into balance by addressing different chemical, emotional and physical stressors to the body. Using muscle testing as feedback, she is able to get to the root cause of problems and “help people heal and prevent illness and injury”. Both Dr. Aery and Dr. Kerr-Roscher are known for encouraging patients to support their own healing process and to become their own health care advocates. Surrounded by old growth cherry trees, their new space at 232 Highway 441 North in Clayton is welcoming, peaceful and is already known as a place of wellness and care. One of the therapies they both embrace as a highly effective diagnostic tool for healing is TRT. Tissue Regeneration Therapy is also known as Stem Cell Activation or Soft Wave therapy and provides a noninvasive approach to pain management, pain reduction and healing. Utilizing acoustic waves, Stem Cell Activation triggers the body’s own healing system. Dr. Sue discovered TRT two years ago as a solution for her own back pain and immediately brought it into her own practice as another means to help patients. For Dr. April Kerr-Roscher and Dr. Sue Aery, their techniques, skills and compassion are employed in pursuit of a singular goal, as Dr. Aery said - “to help our patients feel great and to stay great.” For details and to book an appointment call 828-200-4476 or visit www.elevation-chiropractic.com.
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Shoulder (non) Motion by Dr. Sue Aery
Aery Chiropractic & Acupuncture | Elevation Chiropractic & Wellness
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each up, over, down, under; push, pull, eat, drink; brush your teeth; shake someone else’s hand … your hands make all these moves every day, all thanks to your shoulders! The glenohumeral joint and rotator cuff complex, better known as the shoulder, is the MOST complex joint in the human body. We tend to take it for granted given the amount of movement that it provides, especially being responsible for moving the hand anywhere we desire. That is, until it doesn’t work so well anymore! We put amazing demands on the “shoulder complex” which is comprised of about 8 muscles, three joints and 10 movements! This is all miraculous and is that much more painful when it doesn’t move the way it’s designed. We see patients with many types of shoulder injuries in our offices, including frozen shoulder, rotator cuff syndrome, adhesive capsulitis, bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis and many more. They are ALL very painful and debilitating, mainly because of the shoulder’s importance in how we move and use our hands. One of the most important aspects of shoulder health is to keep it moving in ALL directions, especially as we age. I can’t stress enough how important it is to stretch in the basic planes of movement on a daily basis. Think of the simple moves of the shoulder- how easy it was when we were younger. My recommendation is to mimic all of these movements every day, as a routine, so that the shoulder continues to serve us well in our later years. This will not only keep you out of major pain, but also keep you functioning and doing the things that you love to do. There is nothing worse than losing shoulder function. It can lead to neck and back pain, headaches, loss of sleep and experiencing pain every day. Getting the shoulder back to a healthy state can be a long process. Beyond that, if the dysfunction is not addressed in time, the final solution may be surgery, which can take months of further pain and rehabilitation. There are many alternative and very effective treatments to bring your shoulder back to full function, including chiropractic care, massage therapy, Tissue Regeneration Therapy (TRT), acupuncture and a combination of all of these. Make sure that you seek a professional sooner than later and take care of the amazing anatomical gift of the shoulder!
Health & Wellness
Interview with Patricia Coyle, MSW
Clinical Social Worker at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates
What brought you to Rabun County? A: I recently moved from the west coast of Florida to Northern Georgia. My goal is to be certified in equine mental health assisted therapy. After speaking with Dr. Mandy Pileski I knew I was meant to join the team at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates. Tell me about your background/training/work experience? A: I graduated from Saint Leo, with both my BSW and my master’s degree in advanced Standing Clinical Practice of Social Work with a concentration in trauma. I have experience as a medical social worker in dialysis. My work encompassed a patient-centered approach. I enjoyed supporting the patients through their dialysis journey. The job was rewarding, assisting patients with their lifestyle adjustments; which included emotional, financial, career decisions, and relationships. Life on dialysis can be a difficult transition for many patients-it was an honor to support and advocate for them. What populations do you primarily work with in your current practice (age? diagnoses?)? A: I work across multiple populations and demographics. I like to apply an eclectic approach using various techniques, such as: Solution Focused, Cognitive Behavioral, Active Listening and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive methods. The benefits to using a blended approach assists with engagement and the therapeutic environment. Various approaches and methodologies provide a treatment plan suited to the individual’s unique needs. What do you like most about your chosen career path? A: I love the human connection and empowering people through a strength-based perspective. I love seeing when a person has an “aha” moment. A moment of unforeseen insight. It’s powerful. When this unexpected realization occurs, change happens. The story changes, from victim to survivor to warrior. The client becomes the author and illustrator of their life’s next chapter. What are your ambitions for the future? A: My goal is to advance my education in trauma informed therapy. Also, to be certified in equine mental health assisted therapy and wilderness therapy. A personal goal is to hike the AT. What were the major influences in your life that made you want to become a helping professional/therapist/counselor? A: Life experiences and the excellent teachers I met during my education. What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t working? A: I enjoy animals, gardening, hiking, and spending time outdoors. There’s always room in my garden for another plant. I look forward to exploring the many hiking trails of this area. I plan to visit the quaint charming towns nearby.
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Health & Wellness
Pet Health Tips and Tricks for a Fun and Safe Lake Trip By Brad Speed, DVM
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t’s that time of year! The sun’s out, the lake water is just right, and we are all chomping at the bit to get out and enjoy all the beauty and splendor of these beautiful mountains and lakes. Pets are a big part of this summer revelry. Whether you’re getting the ski boat ready over at Lake Rabun, or hanging out on a pontoon boat up at the head of Burton, odds are your pets are going to be along for the ride. Given how popular our lakes become this time of year I felt it would be prudent to discuss some situations that come up specific to our furry lake visitors. The more you know about possible problems that can come up on your lake stay, the more likely you are to avoid them.
Heat exhaustion/heat stroke is a concern this time of year. It gets hot out on the lake, and on the docks and houses around them. Make sure your pets have access to plenty of drinking water during these times. It’s also important to make sure your ball fetchers get a break from the action occasionally. It’s hard to resist the urge to continually throw the ball to your six year old lab when he’s constantly bringing it to you, but after jumping and swimming excessively for an hour, he’s going to need a break. Dogs do not sweat, and therefore do not stay cooled off just by swimming. Make sure to have your athletes take a break from time to time, and make sure everyone stays hydrated.
Dietary indiscretion is a big problem for pets on vacation. When everyone gets together to grill on the dock, dogs love to beg and beg for scraps of the good stuff. They usually end up getting what they want. Bear in mind that some pets and some breeds can have exceptionally sensitive stomachs, and it doesn’t take too much to set them off. It may feel gratifying to feed Fluffy the second half of your burger, but you may end up paying for it when you’re dealing with vomiting and diarrhea in the middle of the night. This is by far the most common thing we see from pets coming in from the lake.
Injuries are very common for pets on lake trips. You know the old expression; it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Pets need to be watched just as closely as kids during these trips. They end up jumping from heights they are not used to, playing on some very steep slopes, and running hard on hot, rough surfaces. We’ve treated cuts, pad abrasions, fractures, and a multitude of other problems. Keep a good eye on your pets, and don’t let them get too wild.
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One of the scariest problems we see off the lakes are snakebites and bee stings. These happen often around the lakes and woods. Our two biggest concerns in this area are yellow jackets and copperheads. For snakes in particular, the lakeshore environment is hard to resist, they’ve got access to food, shelter and direct sunlight for heat all within a 100 foot spread of land. Yellow jackets make their nests in the ground, and are very hard to identify if you don’t visualize them flying. Bottom line: there are going to be snakes and bees at the lake. If a dog is exploring that overgrown wooded shoreline next to the house, there’s a decent chance of them stumbling across trouble. It is best to know where your pet is at all times, and monitor their activities when they have that nose to the ground off in the bushes. There’s nothing more fun and relaxing than a weekend on the lake, and our pets play a major role in that. Being aware of some basic hazards and problems will make sure your trip stays that way. If your pet does happen to get in trouble, have a plan. If you spend a lot of the summer in Rabun, do you have an established relationship with a local vet? Most clinics in the area do their best to help with problems that arise with visiting animals, but if you do need to rush in, it helps to have an established doctor relationship. Also be aware that emergency vet care after hours is not readily available in this area. If something bad happens in the middle of the night, you need to be prepared to drive to a 24 hour facility in either Gainesville, Georgia, Blue Ridge Georgia, or Asheville North Carolina. Some base level knowledge and planning will get you a long way in the event of trouble. During the day, we’ll do our best to help you at Clayton Veterinary Hospital. So that’s it! Get out there, have fun, and be careful, and don’t forget to run by and stock up on all your pet’s lake needs at Clayton Claws and Paws! Brad Speed, DVM is the owner of Clayton Veterinary Hospital. He graduated Rabun County High School in 2002, earned his bachelor degree in Animal and Dairy Science (2005) and then his DVM in Veterinary Medicine, both at the University of Georgia (2010). He lives in Clayton with his wife, daughter, son, and many 2, 3, and 4 legged animals.
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Our History Foxfire students record Buck Carver building a still
Close up of a still
Visitors to the Foxfire Museum look at the moonshine display
Foxfire is a not-for-profit, educational and literary organization based in Rabun County, Georgia. Founded in 1966, Foxfire’s learner-centered, community-based educational approach is advocated through both a regional demonstration site (The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center) grounded in the Southern Appalachian culture that gave rise to Foxfire, and a national program of teacher training and support (The Foxfire Approach to Teaching and Learning) that promotes a sense of place and appreciation of local people, community, and culture as essential educational tools. For information about Foxfire, foxfire.org, or call 706-746-5828.
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Moonshining in Rabun County Adapted from “The End of Moonshining as a Fine Art,” Foxfire Fall/Winter 1968 Original article by Mickey Justice and Linda Garland
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n 1968, Foxfire students published “The End of Moonshining as a Fine Art,” a comprehensive look at the history of moonshining in Rabun County and the changes that occurred in the twentieth century. For this article, they interviewed nearly 100 people in six months, from sheriffs, federal men, lawyers, distributors, and, of course, moonshiners—known locally as “blockaders.” While you can go to just about any distillery today and learn about how corn liquor is made, what the Foxfire article captures is the complicated relationship between makers and officers, and just why they did what they did. Their research reveals a more accurate and complex portrait of a moonshiner than what popular media would have us believe. Appalachia is renowned for its moonshine–that clear, high-proof liquor illegally distilled deep in the woods. The distilling process originally came over with Ulster-Scots who settled in the region and adapted their whiskey distilling techniques to a New World grain: corn. For centuries, distilling was a specialized craft, but after the 1950s, manufacturers focused on increasing quantity, which decreased the quality of the product. In Rabun County, moonshiners prided themselves on producing high-quality, smallbatch moonshine. The geography of the mountains were naturally secluded and an ideal place to brew liquor, but revenuers often made their way into the region and busted stills. Most enforcement, though, was left to local sheriffs. This put many of them in a peculiar position, for the blockaders they were told to arrest were, in many cases, people they had known all their lives. Most distillers, though, reserved their hostility for the “Revenue Dogs”—federal agents and volunteers who helped them. They recognized that local sheriffs were just doing their jobs. One blockader said, “I never gave an officer trouble except catching me.” The same man told Foxfire students about a time he was caught by a local officer who treated him with respect, as a “man making a living for a large family,” not just a criminal. Sheriffs seemed to understand the economic drive for locals to brew liquor. For many, making moonshine was the only reliable way to generate an income to feed their families; only a few makers that Foxfire interviewed actually drank moonshine themselves. One local sheriff told students: “When I was sheriff, we was on a fee basis. If we didn’t make any arrests or do anything, we didn’t get paid. Had to furnish my own car, pay my own deputy. And there was a lot of moonshinin’ goin’ on then. We’d have to get out of a night with the federal and state law and raid moonshine stills. We had a lot of races out of liquor cars. We’d get a certain percent out of ‘em when they was going to the lot to be sold. And we’d get so much for cuttin’ a moonshinin’ still. I’ve cut as high as
twenty in one month. That’s when there wasn’t no industries in here much and people had to make a living. Well, when Rabun Mills and the rest of them come in here, why, people could get a job. And the biggest part of them just quit that moonshine business and went to work. They’d much rather work than to make whiskey. They didn’t mean any harm by making whiskey. They was just tryin’ to feed their family.” In some cases, moonshining became a family affair. Foxfire interviewed or heard of women who supported their husbands by making stills, driving loads of moonshine, or selling the liquor. The wife of a well-known local blockader told Foxfire students that she would “work for eight hours [during the day], then come home, fix some supper, then we’d work on the stills.” She did it because he asked her to and she wanted to help support him and their family. Not all law enforcement was friendly with moonshiners, though, and when reports came in, each officer did their job and tracked down the stills. They had a much harder time actually catching the operators, who often had complex warning systems to afford them enough time to make their escape. If caught, moonshiners were expected to show up at the jail the next day. To these men, not doing so would have shown a lack of honor and integrity, and they would have ultimately lost their reputation in the community and with their customers. Prohibition drastically altered these relationships as more and more federal agents became involved, and production shifted from quality to quantity. Older blockaders were put out of business or they retired from production as other jobs became available. For decades, moonshine continued as an illicit practice until in recent years, craft distilleries began opening up in the region and brought quality moonshine onto the market. You can learn more about the history of moonshining in Rabun County in The Foxfire Book or by visiting the Foxfire museum, where there is a small exhibit on moonshine and a model of an old-fashioned still. You’ll also find a full-size still from the Foxfire collection on display at the Rabun County Historical Society. And, for your next trivia night, here are some alternative names for moonshine in the mountains: Conversation Fluid, Corn Squeezin’s, White Lightenin’, Cove Juice, Thump Whiskey, and Headache Whiskey. Check out Rabun County’s local distilleries, RM Rose in Dillard and Moonrise in Clayton. And as always, please respect our community and enjoy responsibly.
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Our History
Taxes and Elections Over the Years Chain Gangs, Free Water and Absentee Ballots By Dick Cinquina
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lthough some politicians equate paying taxes with patriotic duty, few people celebrate their payments into the government till. That proved to be the case in 1907 when Rabun County’s Ordinary, the county’s chief executive responsible for everything from taxation to roads and bridges, ordered the imposition of a special tax to finance the construction of a new courthouse in Clayton. The courthouse was built, but the Ordinary was not present at the opening ceremony in 1908. He already had been voted out of office over the unpopularity of his tax. Reduced Taxes Courtesy of Chain Gangs Taxes don’t always increase. On rare occasions, taxes actually go down as they did in Rabun County in 1931 courtesy of convict labor on chain gangs. Due to the free labor provided by convicts, the county had amassed a road fund surplus of $128,000. Since the state was paying for much of the county’s roadwork, Georgia assumed this surplus as a state debt under recently enacted legislation. The state also was obligated to pay Rabun County 10 percent of this outstanding debt every year until the entire amount was extinguished. This infusion of chain gang cash enabled the county to lower its tax rate.
Rabun County Courthouse-1908
In reporting this welcome development, the Clayton Tribune cheerfully predicted that chain gang labor “will someday enable the county to levy so small a tax that it will hardly be noticeable… Don’t get the idea that we favor keeping the convicts longer (than required)…However, we do say that the chain gang has served a good purpose...”
back taxes.” How successful this appeal was in a time of “money shortage” is not recorded.
Amid the depths of the Great Depression, unpaid county taxes had become a significant problem, prompting Rabun’s tax collector to pen “An Appeal To Tax Payers” in a December, 1931 edition of the Clayton Tribune. He wrote, “You will find me in the Tax Collector’s office during the rest of the year, and I am expecting you to help me in getting in the taxes…The taxes are due, and they are needed to finance county affairs and to pay county teacher salaries.” His appeal ended on an understanding note. “I am in sympathy with you during this period of money shortage, and I am willing to do anything I can to help you.” But sympathy and understanding aside, he still wanted the money. “I earnestly ask you to pay
A prisoner on Rabun County’s chain gang
Free Water Without Mud The Clayton Tribune urged residents to vote in favor of a new water system in 1931. “Up to the present time,” the newspaper wrote, “we have been drinking branch water,” meaning water drawn from streams. “The plan now is to go to the springs…to get the water right out of the rocks and into the reservoir in such a way as to keep it clean and pure. We would then be over with the trouble and embarrassment of having muddy water on our tables...The result of the new system would be to put a mountain spring into every house in town.” The editorial also stressed that mountain spring water would be a major selling point for Clayton’s hotels and boarding houses.
Dick Cinquina holds graduate degrees in history and journalism, making his work for the Rabun County Historical Society a natural fit for his interests. He is the retired president of Equity Market Partners, a national financial consulting firm he founded in 1981. In addition to writing monthly articles for the Georgia Mountain Laurel, Dick helped produce the Society’s new web site and is involved with the renovation of the group’s museum. After vacationing in this area for many years, he and his wife Anne moved to Rabun County in 2018 form Amelia Island, Florida. 88 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - May 2022
Best of all, the new water system would be free. “The beauty of the new plan,” extolled the Tribune, “is that it would not cost a cent to operate. Once it is put in, it will work itself and require no operating cost.” Apparently, the system would be a type of perpetual motion machine. Water Rents or User Fees Well, the system was not actually free. Toward the end of the Tribune editorial, it was disclosed the water system would be financed through a bond issuance. Interest on the bonds, as well as the system’s operating costs, would be financed by “water rents,” Pure mountain spring water in otherwise known as user Mountain City, circa 1933 fees payable by everyone hooked up to the system. The old adage still proved to be true; there is no such thing as a free lunch…or drinking water free of mud. The water bonds were sold to investors, and the new system was installed at a cost of $3,500, an enormous sum for a depression-era town in northeast Georgia. Seven springs on Black Rock Mountain were encased in concrete to prevent the water from becoming contaminated before it was piped into homes and businesses. It was proudly reported that the state certified the spring water as 100 percent pure. Case of the Inebriated Voter Voting is a sacred right in our democracy, but elections are sometimes won or lost by interventions somewhat less than divine. A case in point was the 1907 referendum to determine if the county seat should be relocated from Clayton to more centrally located Tiger. At the time, some said that a Tiger voter riding to his voting location fell from his horse drunk and missed the critical vote. That missing vote, so the story goes, enabled Clayton to win the election narrowly and remain the county seat. However, some Tiger supporters claimed a darker reason for the outcome of the referendum: Clayton partisans had plied that Tiger voter with locally brewed moonshine to keep him from voting. That was not altogether implausible, since the Tiger railroad depot was then known as Fruit Jar Station because of the delivery of thousands of Mason jars used by local moonshiners to bottle their whiskey. Absentee Ballot Controversy
Frank Smith, County Ordinary 1937-1952
Bob Vickers, County Ordinary 1953-1970
Hanging chads on Florida’s paper ballots during the 2004 presidential election plunged the nation into a bitter controversy. Absentee ballots resulted in chaos during Rabun County’s 1952 election for Judge of the Court of Ordinary between 14-year incumbent Frank A. Smith and challenger Robert H. Vickers. An unusually large number of absentee ballots were cast in Rabun’s 1952 Ordinary election. Protests were lodged, claiming that the number of absentee ballots was out of proportion to the number of in-person votes. Accusations were rife of election fraud and ballot box stuffing. Had big city machine politics made their way to Rabun County? For several days, election officials debated what to do. According to a report in the Clayton Tribune, it ultimately was decided to reject any absentee ballot that was not accompanied by a certificate of voter description, giving the voter’s age, eye and hair color, race and approximate weight. After a significant number of absentee ballots were disqualified, Vickers was declared the winner of the election by 300 votes. Smith’s supporters filed a protest with Governor Herman Talmadge. They demanded a new election, but the governor refused to get involved in a local squabble in a remote corner of the state. Another possible reason for Talmadge’s lack of concern laid in the fact that Vickers and Smith, like the governor, were Democrats. The governor told the protesters to accept defeat, which, in those less litigious times, they did, albeit sullenly. Learn more about our history by becoming a member of the Rabun County Historical Society. Membership and complete information about the Society’s museum are available at www.rabunhistory.org. The newly renovated museum at 81 N. Church St. in downtown Clayton, which houses the Southeast’s largest collection of Tallulah Falls Railroad artifacts, is open Thursday-Saturday from 11 to 3. The Society is a not-forprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, making membership dues and donations tax deductible. Visit us on Facebook.
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