Cherokee Life March 2014

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The Canton Main Street Program invites you to

MidCity Pharmacy 196 E. Main Street

GA 770-479-5533 Canton, Billy Cagle, Pharmacy Owner

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W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

Cherokee Life

features

March/April 2014 Volume 9, Issue 2 E D I T O R I A L S TA F F

10 PAGE TURNERS The story of FoxTales bookstore

DIRECTOR OF MAGAZINES

Mark Wallace Maguire

14 HOMES IN HARMONY Feng Shui designer enlightens on ancient art 22 BRUNCH BUNCH Three restaurants with superb offerings 30 GETTING INTENSE CrossFit fans get pumped

LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Stacey L. Evans, Mark Wallace Maguire CONTRIBUTORS

Carla Barnes, Jennifer Carter, Chris Collett, Rebecca Johnston, Joan Durbin, Stacey L. Evans, Therra C. Gwyn, Meredith Pruden

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PHOTOGRAPHER

Sam Bennett

34 INTO THE WILD Bigfoot sightings in Cherokee draws expert in field

in every issue FROM THE DIRECTOR 05 FEEDBACK

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jennifer Carter PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT

34

Marti Sacks PROOFREADER

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Whitney Betts

NEWS & NOTEWORTHY 06 REFLECTIONS

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HIGHLIGHTS

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SCENE

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REFLECTIONS

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ON THE COVER

A D V E R T I S I N G S TA F F

Ham biscuits coated in syrup from Winchester Wood Grill in Canton

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Kim Fowler ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tara Guest, Candace Hallford Paula Milton, Becky Opitz, Liz Ridley GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Beth Poirier, Jennifer Hall

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Acworth Art Fest Aqua Guard Basements Atlanta Lyric Theatre Bedoe's Bar & Grille Big Canoe Tour of Homes Canton Tire and Wheel Cherokee Charter Academy Cherokee County Arts Council Cherokee County Farm Bureau City of Canton City of Woodstock Parks & Recreation Corner Café Darby Funeral Home Decorating Den Dixie Speedway Eden's Keepers Edward Jones Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University Fields Chapel Fowler Electric Free Home Tradition Fresh n Fit Frosty Frog Creamery & Café Superior

38 40 40 26 16 37 21 41 28 6 37 26 8 19 32 17 13 5 8 18 16 25 24 39

Main Street Canton North Atlanta Fencing Center North Cobb Spine & Nerve Northside Cherokee Pediatrics Northside Hospital - Cherokee Northside Hospital Sleep Disorders Center Pinnacle Orthopaedics Plastic Surgery Center of The South Salon • Spa Venessa Sosebee Funeral Home Sundance Pressure & Seal Superior Plumbing The Cherokee Chorale The Funk Hereitage Center of Reinhardt University Three Sisters Gifts & Home Accents Towne Lake Primary Care Family Medicine Wellstar Willows Gift Shoppe Woodstock Funeral Home Woodstock Market

PRODUCTION

3 18 9 27 43

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Leigh Hall CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Dave Gossett EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

12 33

Otis Brumby III GENERAL MANAGER

Lee B. Garrett 20 36 44 38 7 41 36 24 29 2 28 6 17

V.P. ADVERTISING Wade Stephens ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Jay Whorton I N F O R M AT I O N

Cherokee Life magazine is published six times a year by the Cherokee Tribune and distributed to more than 20,000 homes.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

To request a copy or to subscribe to Cherokee Life, contact 770.795.5001 ADVERTISING

To advertise, contact Kim Fowler at 770.795.3068 SUBMISSIONS

Please send all editorial correspondence to mmaguire@cherokeelifemagazine.com Follow us on facebook

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FROM THE DIRECTOR

Weather or not, here the names come…. rose is a rose by any other name the bard said, but at the same time, there is something to be said about the connotation of certain names, isn’t there?

I really got to thinking on this after The Weather Channel began naming winter storms this year. After I got over my incredulity over naming winter storms (I mean really, people?), I became impressed by their selection of monikers: Ion, Kronos, Hercules! Wow! Very strong and power-inducing names culled from mythology. I was impressed. Then, they introduced “Leon.” Leon? Really? I know it stems from “lion,” but when I hear it, I don’t exactly group it in the same arena as the other Greco-Roman storm names. I once knew a Leon. Easy going. Cool. Tough?

Yes, but not in a Clash of the Titansbeastly-winter-storm way. In other words, not a guy I could see having a drink with Kronos.

Of course, they are doing better than the Hurricane folks have been for the last several decades. They tend to use the blandest, non-offensive names: Hazel, Camille, Katrina and such. It sounds like a gaggle of old spinsters sitting around playing bridge. And the male names aren’t much better. Hugo and Floyd, for example. The only that comes close to me is Andrew, but that is only because my youngest son is named Andrew and I have witnessed his mayhem and destruction up close and personal.

Then there were the winter storms and subsequent stranding we experienced this year that epitomized blandness. It was dubbed ‘Snowpacolypse.’ That was fine, I guess, but when the area was hit with a similar storm a few years ago, we called it ‘Snowpacolypse’ then, too. I was really disappointed in that. The Atlanta media couldn’t come up with someting more creative the second time

A

around? If not a mythological name, perhaps something that sounds like a professional wrestler like Stone Cold Slap Down, The Great White Out, Snowstruck Strike Out or The White Dragon.

What’s next in the weather naming world? High pollen counts called, “Return of Old Yeller” or “Sinus Saffron Saturday.” Maybe they will start naming thunderstorms – that would be easy at least.

Heat waves could be fun, but could border on offensive to get the right connotation with

names like “Sultry Susan,” “Jezebel,” “Swimsuit Cindy” or simply, “Kate Upton.”

Oh well, in the end, a rose is a rose and I do enjoy language, but the more we name things, the less evocative power names have. That said, it would do my ego good this summer to tell my out-of-state friends I was experiencing a case of the vapors from spending too much time outside with “‘Kate Upton.”

Best, Mark Wallace Maguire

March/April 2014 Cherokee Life

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[corrections & amplifications] The complete story on Canyons

We identified our cover shot on page 4 of last issue, but neglected to put in the detailed information for Canyons which won Best Of Burger in the Jan/Feb. issue. We regret the error. The information is below.

Canyons 335 Chambers Street, Woodstock 678-494-8868 www.canyonsburgercompany.com Since opening six years ago in downtown Woodstock, the locallyowned Canyons Burger Company has made quite a name for itself when it comes to delivering the beefy goods. Although they also make some mean chicken tenders and a good salad, their burgers are what keep people lining up out the door each day at lunchtime.

Manager Jeremy Clendenin insists that the appeal of Canyons burgers start with the quality of their ingredients. “The beef is always fresh and never frozen,” he said. Customers can also “custom-build” their selection to their personal tastes with a variety of condiments and toppings, including the addictive “Canyons Sauce.”

Clendenin touts the 180 and 360 Burgers as the best-selling with customers, but chose to build their double-decker Grand Canyon cheeseburger (shown here) to represent what Canyons is truly capable of. This two-handed burger is loaded down with all the fixings, including a double stack of juicy patties, crisp bacon slices, melted American cheddar, fresh lettuce and tomato slices, all atop a toasted bun.

Prepare to be amazed by this burger, and don’t forget to grab a couple of extra napkins before you sit down.

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[letters] Tasting the Best BBQ through your words

Dear Cherokee Life: First of all thank you for the delightfully evocative review [by Joan Durbin] in the new issue of Cherokee Life magazine. Several people stopped by Sunday and said they thought they had already tasted the BBQ by reading your piece.

Thanks again and best wishes.

Russell "Pops" Scott Scott Boys BBQ

Remembering a life well-lived...

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Cherokee Life March/April 2014

[arts and culture] Yawn’s newest author enjoys success The youngest author Yawn’s Publishing has worked with is enjoying her success.

Eleven-year-old Sophie Abbott has authored “Dawn of the Wolves,” the first in what she hopes will be a series she is calling the “War of the Wolves” books.

“She came to us with the book almost done, and she wanted to get it out there,” said Farris Yawn, one of the owners of the family-run publishing business.

“It’s really refreshing to see someone her age interested in writing and who loves the written word. And someone her age who doesn’t just talk about, but actually does it.”

Abbott, who is the daughter of Jacqueline and Jeff Abbott and attends the Kings Academy, said the idea came to her when she was “little” and really loved animals.

“My cousin and I are best friends and when we were little, we pretended we were wolves, and then we added dialogue and started acting the story out, and it was so amazing. I knew I just had to write to down,” the author said.

Abbott said she first started writing when she was 6 and undertook the book at age 9.

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Attention Sciatica and Low Back Pain Sufferers...

Could One Hour With Our Doctors Give You The Answer To Your Disc Pain?

Now, in Acworth, GA, Dr. Erin Arnold, D.C. & Dr. Amy Valente, D.C. have what may be the most important breakthrough in non-surgical back pain treatment.

Before and after MRI studies have shown disc bulges shrink in size - even with the most painful cases of L4-L5 & L5-S1 herniations.

If you've had disc problems for years, recently injured your back, or you're suffering with sciatica, you must hear about these new studies. Scientific studies tell us that spinal discs are responsible for most of the aches and pains people suffer from. Discs act like a cushion between our backbones and allow for a space at each level so the nerves can exit the spinal column.

When these discs get injured or wear out from bad posture, they begin to degenerate and cause pain.

Bulging and herniations begin to form, pressing on the nerve roots. If the herniations occur at L4-L5, they can severely compromise the large sciatic nerve, causing muscle weakness, tingling, and severe pain.

The most common invasive treatment for disc herniations is surgery.This costs quite a bit of money. Even with health insurance the patient is left with their own portion of the bill, in excess of $10,000-$15,000, and sometimes more. The recovery time and missed work can be anywhere from 3 to 6 months, not to mention the obvious severe risks associated with all surgery.

But here's the biggest problem… there is a high failure rate of back surgery. One medical study found that on average, 53% of L5-S1 back surgeries fail to produce relief of symptoms (International Orthop 1987.)

Before You Go Under The Knife And Opt For Spinal Surgery…

You should seriously consider a less invasive approach called spinal decompression. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a new technology that has been proven to reverse disc herniations. It creates a vacuum effect on the disc, which pulls the disc back into its normal position and brings in a fresh blood supply to promote healing.

Do You Have A Disc Problem?

If you experience any of the following in your back or neck, chances are your pain is due to a disc bulge, herniation or degeneration: • A vice-like squeezing feeling in your back • Sitting causes back or leg pain • Stabbing pain at the belt line or in your neck • Can't turn over in bed without hurting • Numbness in your toes or fingers • Fire down your legs • Searing pain radiates into your arm • Prickling in your leg or toes Finally, Some Good News……

If you've been suffering with back pain or arm/leg pain caused by a disc bulge, disc herniation or squashed or compressed discs. Until recently, the only advice for many of you suffering in pain was to try what you've been told: • Try exercising • Try physical therapy • Try pain medications • Try muscle relaxers • Try pain shots • Try dangerous back surgery • Just live with it If you're like most, none of these have worked for you or you are afraid of what could happen if you do try some of these. Exercising makes you hurt more, pain medications and muscle relaxers cover up the problem and give you side effects.Pain shots can cause more pain, don't work or don't last very long or FIX the problem, back surgery didn't work, or made you worse.

Or maybe you were one of the lucky ones that back surgery actually helped, but now the problem is back with a vengeance.

Whatever your situation, you owe it to yourself to check into a Breakthrough Computerized Non-Surgical Treatment for back pain and sciatic or leg pain caused by a bulging, herniated or squashed disc or discs. It has

helped hundreds of people who were suffering just like you. This new treatment machine we are calling "the squashed disc machine."

How "Good" Discs become "Bad" Discs Over time the discs in your back tend to get squashed or compressed, especially if you've played certain sports when younger or have a job that requires lots of sitting or standing in one place for long periods of time.Car accidents, lifting things, very physical jobs just to name a few. It's kind of like a cookie with cream filling, and the cream filling will start to ooze out from between the sides of the cookie if pressure is applied on top of the cookie (like gravity on our spines).

Eventually this happens to a lot of us. Statistics show over 80% of Americans will suffer with back pain some time in their life.

Spinal decompression treatments are very gentle.In fact, every once in a while I even catch a patient sleeping during treatment!

How Does This Machine Work?

Haven't you ever had the thought…"Gosh, if somebody could just pull me apart…I would feel a whole lot better." Yeah, we know you have. And it kind of makes a bit of sense. Well someone else, actually a medical manufacturer, back pain specialists, neurosurgeons and engineers have come up with just that. A machine that gently pulls you apart, stretches the disc to a certain point that causes a drop in pressure inside the disc (like a little vacuum in the middle of the cream filling) causing the cream filling to suck back in! You'll simply lie on your stomach or back, whichever is comfortable, and then a specialized belt is gently put around your waist. We'll set the machine to focus on your problem area - then the advanced decompression computer system will do the rest. Most patients feel better with just a few treatments, and best of all there will be no dangerous drugs, no invasive procedures, and no painful exercises.

Does Decompression really work?

Absolutely! When you come in we will provide you with studies that show why decompression is a preferred method of treatment. But what provides the best "proof" on how well decompression works is what patients say about it: Just Listen to What Our Patients Had to Say: I started at North Cobb Spine & Nerve Institute for pain in my low back that traveled down my right leg.

The pain felt like a burning sensation down my leg and numbness into my toes. I was unable to walk my normal 5 miles. Since starting the spinal decompression therapy I am now able to walk again without any pain. The pain and numbness down my right leg is completely alleviated. I was surprised to find that I am even sleeping better at night and that the tension in my upper back has also been relieved. The staff here has treated my great and is very caring!

Thanks - Bill Norman Before I started getting spinal decompression therapy I was having severe pain in my low back and numbness down my leg constantly. I had been suffering with this for 3 years. I had two nerve abrasions, multiple steroid shots in my back, pain killers, PT and water therapy and nothing worked. After the first spinal decompression treatment I could stand up straight with very little pain. I can now sleep through the night and exercise again. I am 90-100% better and I am so thankful I found this office.

Thanks, John Ratledge As you can see, spinal decompression has a high success rate with helping disc herniations, sciatica, and back pain. In just a matter of weeks you could be playing golf, enjoying your love life, or traveling again.

PA I D A DV E RT I S I N G

Dr. Erin Arnold Feel the Improvement - and Say "Yes" to Life Again With my "Decompression Evaluation" we'll be able to find the problem and then get to work on it. Think of how you'll feel in just a few short weeks. See and feel your life change for the better. Start your body on the way to pain-free, normal living, feel tight joints rest, relax, free up, muscles tied in knots will become more supple and strength in your muscles may increase.

You're able to live life like a normal person again, without back pain - able to play with your kids, enjoy time with friends, and finally get a good night's rest.

The Single Most Important Solution To Your Sciatica and Back Pain It's time for you to find out if spinal decompression will be your sciatic and back pain solution.For 15 days only, we're running a very special offer where you can find out if you are a candidate for spinal decompression.

What Does This Offer Include?

Everything we normally do in our new patient evaluation. Just call before April 15th, and here's what you'll get…

• An in-depth consultation about your health and well-being where the doctor will listen…really listen…to the details of your case.

• A complete neuromuscular examination.

• A full set of specialized x-rays to determine if a spinal problem is contributing to your pain or symptoms.

• A thorough analysis of your exam and x-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free.

• An extensive review of your MRI. • You'll get to see everything first hand and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, like is has been for so many other patients.

Until April 15th, you can get everything listed here for $20. The normal price for this type of evaluation including x-rays is $250, so you're saving a considerable amount by taking us up on this offer.

Here's What To Do Now: Due to the expected demand for this treatment, we suggest calling our office at once at 678-574-5678.

CALL TODAY!

678-574-5678 North Cobb Spine & Nerve Institute 3451 Cobb Pkwy Ste. 4 Acworth, GA 30101

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BY MICHAEL PALLERINO PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT

Ladies of

letters Meet the team behind this Woodstock bookstore’s intriguing tale of success

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From left, FoxTale Book Shoppe owners Ellen Ward of Waleska, Jackie Tanase of Marietta, and Karen Schwettman of Kennesaw have put the shop on the literary map as a destination for new and established authors.

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Ellen Ward still remembers that first author visit.

Renowned novelist and Georgia Writers Hall of Famer Terry Kay, a personal friend, had agreed to premiere his latest work shortly after the FoxTale Book Shoppe opened its doors in Woodstock in 2007. It couldn’t have been a happier time for Ward, who, along with co-owners Karen Schwettman and Jackie Tanase, had dreamt of a day like this ever since the trio met in a creative writing class at Kennesaw State University in 2000. Their love of the written word and a passion for the “indies” led to scores of bookstore visits around the country. It also inspired them to create a place where people could not only meet their favorite authors, but network in a place of commonality.

So, when Kay signed on to speak, they were ecstatic. Trouble is, as Ward recalls, they had no email list to speak of. They hadn’t been open that long. And then panic ensued. What if nobody showed up?

“We invited everybody we knew,” Ward says. “All of our friends. The entire business community. Everybody.”

And it worked. This is the “and the rest is history” part of the story. Kay took Ward, Schwettman and Tanase under his wing.

He invited them to do off-site events. He encouraged them to go after other authors. He gave FoxTale the swagger it needed to become one of the best book stores in metro Atlanta and beyond.

If their goal was to be an “events-driven” bookstore, it worked. That email list which once barely had any names now has more than 8,000 on it. And the authors, well, they keep coming. Rick Bragg came in the early days, followed by Buddy the Cake Boss, Jamie Deen, Mary Kay Andrews, Ricky Skaggs,

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Cherokee Life March/April 2014

Joel Osteen, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Dorothea Benton Frank, Vince Dooley and Iris Johansen, just to name a few.

Take a quick glance of what’s on tap for 2014, and you’ll see that FoxTale just keeps getting bigger and better. To date, authors such as Kim Harrison, Tim Dorsey, Beth Hoffman and Erika Robuck are on the schedule – 20 in all for the first quarter. “Most of our authors come time after time because they have found a welcoming crowd of readers and a bookseller that pulls out all the stops creatively to draw people in,” Ward says.

“It is not uncommon for customers to drive in from Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and all parts of Georgia.”

The secret to their success lies in that personal connection that Ward, Schwettman and Tanase believe has somehow slipped off the radar in today’s ever-increasing digital world.

“We believe in the power of the written word and the human connection that will never be replaced by e-readers,” Ward says. “We believe in the community, and in the families who want their children to fall in love with books and be able to meet the authors who write them. We love being the gathering place for readers and thinkers and authors.”

To be a book lover is to be one who loves to learn as much as she loves to read. That’s why FoxTale offers a number of educational classes, including writing workshops taught by New York Times bestselling authors, and American Sign Language and Opera Appreciation Classes, led by people from the community. It holds book clubs for adults and children. And it also is introducing a new series called, Fox Talks, which will enable customers to tell their unique stories, among scores of other offerings.

As fate would have it, there may not be a more interesting story than that of its founders. On a trip to Denver to visit The

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From left, authors Karen White of Milton, Susanna Kearsley of Canada, Kim Brock of Atlanta, and Ariel Lawhon of Nashville show off copies of their newest books after speaking to an eager crowd of fans at FoxTale Book Shoppe.

Tattered Cover Bookstore in 2007, Ward and Schwettman happened upon a fox, of which Indian folklore says is a female “totem” that begins the creative phase of its life at age 50 (Ward and Schwettman just happened to be 50 at the time). Fate for sure, they thought. Convening with Tanase upon their return, the Foxes, as they jokingly refer to themselves, devised a business plan, secured financing and picked a location. To note, the name FoxTale came from the fox in Denver and a variation of the word “tail,” which is the symbol for strength.

“When you visit FoxTale, you never know what kind of conversation you might be drawn into, but it’s never boring,” Ward says. “The store is truly part of the community it serves, the kind of place that customers like to bring visiting friends to see.”

I N F O R M AT I O N FoxTale Book Shoppe 105 East Main Street, #138 Woodstock, GA 30188 www.foxtalebookshoppe. com/ 770-516-9989 Hours: 10 a.m. – Dark Thirty Monday – Saturday (and sometimes Sunday)

Bret Bond Canton, Riverstone Pkwy 770-720-7835

Ned Castleberry, CFP®, AAMS® Downtown Canton 770-720-6245

Kelly Geiken, CFP®, AAMS® Hickory Flat 678-297-0154

Rob Means, Jr. Woodstock 770-926-0909

Charles Simon BridgeMill 678-493-9520

Steve Tuck Woodstock 770-926-5503

Tawanna Wesson Prominence Point/Canton 770-479-4758

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Jennifer Hunt of Woodstock finds a comfortable spot in her home to meditate.

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HARMONY + BALANCE Who couldn’t use a bit more serenity, happiness, focus, passion, luck or well-being in life? With Feng Shui, it’s possible to attract more of what you crave by altering energy flows in your surroundings.

by Meredith Pruden + Photography by Sam Bennett

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+

Practiced for thousands of years, Feng Shui originated as a way to select the safest locations for agrarian dwellings. Today, the ancient Chinese art brings harmony and balance to your life through the placement of objects in your home or office.

“Feng Shui is design with intention,” said Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, Harmony Designs founder and Towne Lake wife and mother of two Jennifer Hunt.

“Changing a space can fundamentally impact its energy, which can open up possibilities in your life.”

Altering the energy of a space doesn’t necessarily mean completely redesigning a home’s interior decor, according to Hunt. Nor do you have to include Asian decor.

“When I go in, I tell people to shop their own homes,” she said. “I don’t tell them to go buy a new couch because the smallest changes can make the biggest impact when you do something with intention.”

The results are often astonishing, according to Hunt who practices the more Westernized Black Hat Sect (or BTB) Feng Shui.

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Incorporating Feng Shui principles into an environment nurtures and supports the occupants, allowing them to experience their greatest potential for a harmonious life. (www.harmonydesignsfs.com)

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Feng Shui can be used to enhance or adjust any life aspect.

“I still get amazed every time,” she said. “Just because you may be skeptical, you can still enjoy the benefits. I recently moved some things into a person’s wealth area and they got a huge, unexpected check two weeks later. It’s also great for selling a house. The first home I did went under contract in one day. These sorts of things happen all the time.”

Unlike other schools of Feng Shui, BTB focuses on energy entering the home through the front door and doesn’t relate to compass directions. Instead, it uses a bagua map laid over a floor plan (hand drawn floor plans will do) to show which life aspects relate to which areas of the home.

“Everyone has been in a space that makes them feel good and a space that doesn’t,” Hunt said. “Feng Shui principles understand why that is. It’s a scientific fact that energy is all around us. If your home is in balance, you feel better.”

A more harmonious and balanced life with increased serenity, happiness, focus, passion, luck, wellbeing and more awaits with Feng Shui. Talk about things that make you say, “Ohm!”

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Did You Know?

Shui translates to “wind and + Feng water,” symbolizing harmony and balance.

+ The bagua is an octagonal Feng Shui energy map with nine sections.

Shui doesn’t ask people to + Feng believe in any religion or conflict with any religion. In fact, it can help make space for greater depth in your own religion if that’s your intention.

TIP: Write your hopes for each room under new flooring or on the walls before painting to declare your intention for the space.

H a r m o ny D e s i g n s Fe n g S h u i 67 8 . 6 6 2 . 2 3 4 3 h a r m o ny d e s i g n s f s @ g m a i l . c o m w w w. h a r m o ny d e s i g n s f s . c o m Get 25% off a full home consultation (reg. $199) through March 31, 2014 when you mention Cherokee Life.

March/April 2014 Cherokee Life

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Hot stuff

Grow your own tea from your garden

By Sarah Wolfe, Associated Press

When temperatures fall, there’s nothing better than a piping hot cup of tea.

And as craft and organic tea seeps into the mainstream, tea gardens are becoming a popular way for brew lovers to bypass the store and enjoy the benefits of herbal tea without additives or preservatives.

“It just tastes and smells better,” says chef Kimmy Tang, who snips mint, lavender and lemongrass from her garden for herbal teas at her 9021PHO restaurants in Los Angeles.

“I also know that it’s 100 percent organic. I don’t use any chemicals to help them grow, and I can taste the difference.”

It may sound daunting, but British gardener and author Cassie Liversidge says many tea garden staples may already be at your fingertips.

“Honeysuckle, mint, rosemary. They’re all quite common plants, but can be turned into tea,” says Liversidge, author of the forthcoming book “Homegrown Tea: An Illustrated Guide to Planting, Harvesting and Blending Teas and Tisanes” (St. Martin’s Griffin, March 2014).

She and other tea gardeners offer the following tips to get your feet wet: First and foremost, no sprawling English estate is required here.

Tea gardens come in many forms, and don’t even need to be in the ground. Tang grows her herbs in a vertical garden hanging on a wall behind her restaurants, while other city dwellers cramped for space use pots and other containers.

All you need is dirt, water and some seeds.

“A great way to get started is to buy a plastic indoor sun garden at Lowe’s or Home Depot, along with the seeds and pieces of dirt that expand with water,” says McCollonough Ceili, a 26-year-old author who grows lavender, sage, mint and other herbs outside her kitchen window in Tennessee.

Liversidge recommends easy-to-grow plants like mint, lavender or chamomile for beginners.

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REFLECTIONS

By Chris Collett

Let’s use safety to enjoy the lake With spring only a few days away, there are many that are dusting off their boats in preparation for warmer weather.

Cherokee County residents can be grateful that we have Lake Allatoona for use as a summer time playground.

This column is being written in hopes that some novice boater will heed a warning as to the dangers of being on the water. It seems that every year someone loses their life on the water when basic precautionary measures could have prevented the disaster.

I have owned a boat. Well, it was a pontoon but it still floated on the water although it didn’t go very fast. But it didn’t take me long to realize that there is far more to boating than knowing your boat. You must also have knowledge of what lies underneath the water.

A good friend of mine, Vic West, is just such the fellow. He not only knows about boats, but he has a great understanding of Lake Allatoona and the dangers that lie beneath. I guess this comes from years

spent on the water as a fisherman in addition to patrolling the waters as part of his law enforcement history.

Vic agreed to take me fishing several years ago when the crappie were biting. We put the boat in the water early one Saturday morning at Little River Marina. It was a very foggy morning. You couldn’t see five feet in front of the boat.

And the temperature was still a bit nippy as it was spring.

Vic put the boat in drive and pushed the throttle down until it wouldn’t go any further. It didn’t take long for the front of the boat to lower and we were skipping water as we headed across the lake. Did I mention you couldn’t see five feet in front of the boat?

In my bravery, I curled up in the fetal position and pulled my cap down over my eyes.

I heard Vic’s voice over the hum of the engine. He said, “Collett, are you cold?”

At this point I might have actually been sweating a little. I simply said, “Nope.”

But my old buddy Vic couldn’t let it go.

So he said, “Then why are you curled up with your eyes covered?” I said, “Well, since we can’t see five feet in front of the boat, if we run up on something we’re dead. And I’d just as soon not know it’s coming.”

He laughed and assured me that he knew the lake. And he does.

When I bought a pontoon, I planned on meeting Vic one Saturday morning while he fished with a friend. I was coming across the water at about 25 miles an hour and Vic saw me from a distance. He called me on my cell phone and asked if that was me flying across the water. When I said yes, he told me I had better slow down before I hit a sand bar just ahead.

He was right.

So unless you know the physical makeup of Lake Allatoona like Vic does, be careful out there. It’s not just the danger of the other boaters you have to worry about; it’s also about what lies beneath.

I hope at the end of summer 2014, there will have been no reports of boating accidents on the lake. It is preventable. It’s up to you!

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Brunch

is served

BY JOAN DURBIN Celebrity chef and multi-restaurant owner Bobby Flay is a notorious brunch hater. It’s his contention that the last thing a chef wants to do on the morning after a busy Saturday night feeding the masses is to get up early and start cooking eggs.

Fortunately for brunch lovers everywhere, Flay appears to hold a minority opinion. There are many talented culinarians out there who have made brunch one of their specialties. So whether it’s for a special occasion, a holiday treat or simply a regular weekend indulgence, here are some restaurants in Cherokee to check out for a pleasurable brunch experience.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT AND JENNIFER CARTER

Featherstone’s Grille at BridgeMill Chef Elliott WIlson of Holly Springs displays the fried chicken and waffles, pictured above.

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Right, Chef Elliott Wilson of Holly Springs. Above, fingerling roasted potatoes with peppers and onions.

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Featherstone’s Grille at BridgeMill Athletic Club in Canton is a very open, bright and cheerful venue, perfect for a companionable brunch.

Tables are sensibly spaced so no one feels crowded.

Don’t look for a buffet here. Instead, Executive Chef Elliott Wilson has put together a well-thought-out selection of made-to-order brunch dishes that has something for all appetites.

Our table ordered the Three Pigs omelet and a shrimp omelet, something I hadn’t encountered before. Some very addictive and complimentary blueberry scones began our meal.

The shrimp omelet with cheddar jack cheese was delicately seasoned, light and fresh, while the Three Pigs with its bacon, sausage and ham filling was hearty and flavorful.

Accompanying the dishes was a mound of fresh fruit and some of the best breakfast potatoes ever. Wilson had sliced up some fingerlings, seasoned them with spices like garlic and mild chile powder and roasted them with bell peppers and onions, and the result was so good I would love to try replicating this at home.

What really got our attention, however, was a dish we tried the following week. As a Yankee transplant I have to admit I never saw the appeal of chicken and waffles. That is, until I tried Wilson’s.

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Buttermilk-soaked chicken breasts dredged in a bit of garlicseasoned flour are fried just to the point of ideal crunchiness yet the meat remains moist. The Belgian waffles, with a batter mixed with two kinds of flour, were puffy and tender with a slightly crisp exterior.

Three Pigs Drizzle on some omelet with bacon, ham, maple syrup or and cheddar sausage gravy and cheese, you have a plate of served with an sheer heaven. assortment of Wilson, a culifresh fruit. nary grad of the Art Institute of Atlanta, was a sous chef at Featherstone’s for a couple of years before decamping to the kitchen at Indian Hills Country Club in east Cobb. The Holly Springs resident was asked to take the executive chef’s position at Featherstone’s in December of last year, and has since infused new life into the all aspects of the club’s food service.

Look for more brunch specials as well as the regular menu.

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F E AT H E R S TO N E ’ S G R I L L E AT B R I D G E M I L L 1190 Bridge Mill Ave, Canton; (770) 345-5500 www.bridgemillathleticclub.com/dining www.facebook.com/FeatherstonesGrilleatBridgeMill

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Left: General Manager Matthew Henry of Woodstock. Middle: Pancakes and bacon from the Buffet Bar. Right: Bloody Mary with olive, lime, and pickle garnish.

Opposite page: Biscuits with Canadian bacon and honey.

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For a crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly brunch buffet, head to Winchester Woodfire Grill in Canton. New owners Debbie and Mike Ghavamian took over 18 months ago and gave this attractive venue a much-needed shot in the arm. Attuning the menu to their customer base, Mike, a longtime district manager for Shoney’s, instituted a Sunday brunch buffet with both traditional breakfast items and hot entrees.

On the day we stopped by, my eye was caught by lamb shanks braised with carrots, thick chicken and barley stew, garlic whipped potatoes and mac ‘n’ cheese as well as bacon, sausage, Canadian bacon, biscuits, scrambled eggs and cheesy jalapeno grits. The entrees change from week to week, with items such as brisket, honey ham and lemon pepper chicken wings making appearances.

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WINCHESTER WOODFIRE GRILL 110 Mountain Vista Blvd. Canton (770) 345-4745 www.winchesterwoodfiregrill.com

Debbie does a terrific job of ensuring that all the chafing dishes are kept full of hot, fresh food.

Off to the side there is a bowl of salad greens and plates of bite-size cheesecakes, brownies and cinnamon rolls.

Customers of all ages are drawn here. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, with plenty of wood, a fireplace and a long outdoor terrace with a sensational view. The buffet is $10 for adults and $5 for children, while kids under age 3 eat for free.

There are $5 mimosas and Bloody Marys after 12:30 p.m., and bar and operations manager Matt Henry makes one of the best Bloodys I’ve ever had.

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Waffles with strawberries, powdered sugar, and hot maple syrup at Magnolia Thomas. Right, Manager John Stockdale and Chef Neal Herbert.

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No brunch exploration would be complete without a stop in Woodstock at Magnolia Thomas. This wellrespected restaurant housed in charming vintage residence has always been known for excellent food, and Sunday brunch is no exception.

There is a buffet complete with a carving station, with roasts Chef Neal Herbert will vary from week to week.

On the day we were there it was a rosemary and garlic pork loin, so ten-

der and moist that I didn’t need the accompanying cranberry chutney, although it too was quite tasty.

Atlantic-caught salmon in white wine beurre blanc was fresh fish of the day, sharing table space with strips of the kitchen’s signature fried chicken, accented with black-eyed pea salsa. Another protein, an excellent mélange of bits of crab, shrimp and scallops fried into cocktailsize balls and served with lemon

AGRICULTURE EXPO Friday, March 28, 2014 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sponsored by the Cherokee County Farm Bureau, Cherokee County Extension Office, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Woodstock.

The Agriculture Expo is part of the National and Georgia Agriculture Month Promotion March 2014. There will be Agriculture Display Booths and refreshments and a Petting Zoo for the children.

The Expo will be held at the Woodstock Recreation Center, 7545 Main Street, Woodstock, GA 30188.

Everyone is invited to attend to find out more about agriculture in Cherokee County. To make a reservation please call the Cherokee County Farm Bureau at 770-479-1481 ext. 0.

You can visit over 20 Agriculture booths to learn about the Agriculture in Cherokee County and the how Agriculture plays an important part in your everyday life. We will have local Farmers Market Booths and Teacher/Student Friendly Booths.

If you would like to have a booth please call the Farm Bureau at

770-479-1481 ext. o

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THE MAGNOLIA THOMAS R E S TA U R A N T 108 Arnold Mill Rd. Woodstock (678) 445-5789 www.magnoliathomas.com butter, was also an instant hit with our group.

Rounding out the lunch selections are tomato basil bisque, salad greens with three different house made dressings, sautéed fresh veggies and fresh fruit.

A few of the dishes will change depending on the season and the chef’s whim, said John Stockdale, Magnolia’s general manager. “Sometimes we’ll have things like honey glazed carrots, roasted red potatoes with rosemary, mashed potatoes or sweet potato soufflé.”

For breakfast lovers, Magnolia’s homemade biscuits

and sausage gravy vie for attention with eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese and bacon and cheddar grits, bacon and sausage.

Though not on the buffet table, waffles, eggs Benedict and omelets can be prepared to order included as part of the buffet price, which is $15.99 for adults and $7.99 for ages 12 and under and free for children up to age 3.

Also included in the price are luscious desserts — mixed berry bread pudding, chocolate mousse and peach cobbler a la mode — as well as bottomless mimosas after 12:30 p.m.

Eggs Benedict with a mimosa.

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Above, Woodstock Crossfit co-owner Andy McCann is enthusiastic about the new trend that is sweeping Cherokee and the nation.

Left, a recent session of the class.

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by Meredith Pruden Photos courtesy of Andy McCann

FITNESS GETS

INTENSE CROSSFIT IN CHEROKEE

Firebreathers are most likely reading this while jogging to their local box for a WOD. They’ll probably arrive early and finish first. For everyone else, be sure not to get dubbed “Pukie the Clown” after too many burpees.

Say what?

Established in 2000 by Greg Glassman, CrossFit is known as much for its colorful lingo and competitive-yet-familial atmosphere as it is for its unapologetically intense workouts combining gymnastics, weightlifting, sprinting and more. Since its inception, the worldwide phenomenon has gained cult-like status among fitness fanatics looking to break free from the routine of big box, or what CrossFitters call “Globo," gyms.

“The secret sauce is intensity, but everyone can do it because it’s scalable,” said local CrossFit Garage co-owner Andy McCann, a Woodstock resident. “It’s coach led, and the coach imparts knowledge to help you excel. Plus, you start competing with the people around you, and there’s no better way to improve than to compete. CrossFit is not for crazy people. It’s for people who want to be fit.”

At CrossFit, gone are the standard workout machines (which isolate muscle groups and don’t use fine twitch muscles, according to McCann). In their place are a variety of short workouts (between two and 40 minutes) designed to help participants achieve general fitness rather than specific athletic expertise. “We’re building complete fitness,” McCann said.

“There are 10 fitness tenets, and we hit all of them.”

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CrossFit

Those 10 tenets include endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy—all physical characteristics anyone can perform and improve upon based on their starting level.

Enter Canton resident, wife and mother of two Kelley Rhinehart. “We went to this little gym where the owner was CrossFit certified,” she said. “We’d never heard of it, but we tried it and fell in love. I was in this stagnant fitness routine, and CrossFit was completely different.”

Now a two-year veteran who can often be found at CrossFit 140 in Canton, Rhinehart enjoys CrossFit with her husband, Mike, and three-year-old son. In fact, she didn’t stop heading to the box until two days before her newest addition was born. “I did a lot of research and listened to my body, but I did CrossFit the whole time I was pregnant,” she said. “It’s so motivating and uplifting because everyone cheers you on. It’s the love of the game and competition, but it’s a second family, so it’s friendly and fun. We already bought my son his first WOD toys he keeps at the gym.”

From toddlers to expectant moms or any average Joe, CrossFit offers an unparalleled network of friends, fun and fitness sure to have you in the best shape of your life. Now, get out there and tackle the filthy fifty in time for The Games!

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Lingo

101

Firebreather: Athletes who finish first and then cheer on everyone else—even on the toughest workouts.

Box: A barebones gym with all the CrossFit equipment you could ever need.

WOD: Workout of the day.

Pukie the Clown: An unofficial mascot who needs no explanation.

Burpee: Starting from standing, bend down, move into plank position and do a push-up before jumping back up and clapping hands over head.

Filthy Fifty: 50 box jumps, jumping pull-ups, Kettlebell swings, walking lunges, knees to elbows, push presses, back extensions, wallballs, burpees and double unders. Yep, 50 of each!

The CrossFit Games: Each summer, the best of the best compete for the title of World’s Fittest Man and Woman. (www.crossfitgarage.com)

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BY KEVIN HAZZARD

A

ccording to data by the

Bigfoot Research Organization,

Georgians have reported

111 Bigfoot sightings more are in Cherokee than nearly any other county.

and of those,

Does that surprise you?

Get ready for this.

The head of the organization just moved here.

And he’s on the hunt for the creature.

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Photos of a simulation of Bigfoot in the wilderness by Sam Bennett

Go big or go home. Sightings of the mythical animal are reported in Cherokee County on a regular basis.

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I’ve seen Bigfoot.

This is said, of course, in confidence, anonymous. The voice sheepish, the words a whisper. It is the admission that instantly becomes a secret.

Because there are no believers. Not in Bigfoot and certainly not in the people who say they’ve seen one. It must’ve been a monkey, escaped from some distant zoo. A dog maybe or a long and hairy shadow. Those who believe, truly, secretly, need someone to tell. Someone with insight, empathy. Someone discreet. Like Matt Pruitt.

“There’s no proof these things exist,” says Pruitt, “but…”

And that’s where it all lies—in the infinite yet intangible space of a single, contradictory word. Evidence but not proof. Reason but not logic. Real but…

Pruitt, who recently moved to Cherokee County, is a field

coordinator and group leader for the Bigfoot Research Organization, a collective of believers who’ve tasked themselves with the unique job of investigating Bigfoot sightings nationwide. Pruitt investigates many of the sightings himself and posts his findings on the group’s website, BFRO.net.

According to that site, Georgians have reported 111 Bigfoot sightings and of those, more are in Cherokee than nearly any other county. Is Lake Allatoona, one of the region’s best known lakes and largest water supplies, a hotbed for Bigfoot activity? Pruitt thinks so.

Consider the evidence.

Two park rangers are sitting around a campfire when they hear rustling in the woods. They turn and find a large, hairy creature at the flickering edge of darkness. The creature— standing upright on two legs—freezes. The rangers hardly breathe. Then, it turns and disappears into the night.

There are others, too. The Cherokee woman who claims to have seen a Bigfoot standing outside of an abandoned trailer, digging through the trash. Witnesses, always anonymous, who have reported strange encounters—howling, rockthrowing, strong odors, a distinct but unintelligible chatter in the distance. All consistent with Bigfoot sightings.

By now, Pruitt knows you’re rolling your eyes. It’s okay.

He’s rolling his too.

Pruitt, a lifelong outdoorsman, is a native of Helen—not exactly a haven for quirky pursuits. His mother and father, a nurse and doctor, respectively, imparted on their son a rational, scientific outlook on life. So how to explain his decidedly irrational calling?

“I had an encounter in 1999,” he says. “That piqued my interest.”

Pruitt and a group of friends went to a supposedly haunted cabin in North Georgia. They were armed with audio equipment and a heavy dose of skepticism. Pruitt, who doesn’t believe in ghosts, was prepared to debunk the whole thing.

What he got was a terrifying night of screams and howls and a close but unseen menace.

“We were encouraged to leave the area,” he says.

The boys complied. Ever the skeptic but certain he’d heard something, Pruitt began an amateur investigation that turned up volumes of Bigfoot-related material. And it all sounded eerily familiar.

What Pruitt wants is hard evidence—evidence of your credibility, evidence that you live in an area a sasquatch would prowl, evidence you’ve seen what you think you saw.

Determining if someone has actually seen a creature none of us can say, empirically, exists, is easier than it sounds.

It’s simply a matter of sifting through the details to see if they match the profile as created by the hundreds of other witnesses. In short, is what you’re saying consistent with

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what everyone else has said?

So, the credible encounter: Sightings, of course, are sightings but generally Bigfoot is described as a large, bipedal ape-like creature with reddish hair.

Generally, though, people don’t see a Bigfoot, they hear one. What they hear is either a howl—long and sustained, ascending, then descending like an air raid siren— or what’s known as samurai chatter. While the howl is considered more of a ‘hey, who’s out there’ type of communication, the chatter is widely believed to be actual conversation.

Audio recordings of both abound and I can

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tell you, having listened, they’re both spooky and distinct and if you were alone in the woods you likely wouldn’t remain there long.

As for what people find, it’s either hair—reddish and course— or footprints. Hair can be analyzed, though such procedures are expensive, but Pruitt says a footprint can be ruled out as another large mammal, or even as a hoax, on-site.

“You’re looking for dynamic movement,” he says. “The flex of the foot on the track, are the toes spread, then curled? Are there dermal ridges? These are all things that would be incredibly hard to fake.”

As for how an expert might determine how audio recordings or hair samples or tracks belong to an unconfirmed species, it gets a little technical but Pruitt summed it up nicely—not only have forensic experts analyzed hair, audio and track samples and found no matches among known North

American mammals, but the samples all share commonalities.

In other words, they seemingly belong to an as-yet unidentified creature.

“In a legal sense,” Pruitt says, “you’d be convicted on that much evidence.”

Pruitt’s scientific approach and years of dogged research have earned him nationwide status as a bona fide Bigfoot expert—aside from his role within BFRO, he’s been featured on the Discovery channel’s reality series Finding Bigfoot.

Still he faces doubters who wonder why a genuine Bigfoot, dead or alive, has never been found. His answer? They lead reclusive lives, in places humans don’t go. It’s quite likely, he says, that’s how they die. Besides, seeing isn’t always believing.

“Bear carcasses are very rare,” he says. “I’ve never seen one. But I believe in bears.”

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ig h lights

THE BLOOD RED DAHLIA MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE>>> Fun fundraiser for the Cherokee Theatre Company. Margaret Dale, host character for the event, welcomes guests to the “Cherokee Botanical Society” party celebrating her new strain of dahlia. Dale meets with a dastardly fate and the hunt to find her killer is on. Ticket price includes dinner. When and where: March 8, 8 to 10:30 p.m. St. Michael’s Parish Hall, 490 Arnold Mill Rd., Woodstock. Tickets: $25 per person; $135 for table for six people.

More information: 770.591.0282 Online: www.cherokeetheatre.org JENNIFER STRUMM>>> Award-winning violinist hailed by the Washington Post for the energy and beauty of her playing. As a soloist Strumm recently performed the Walton Viola Concerto with the New Haven Symphony and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Dupage, Ill., and Bangor, Maine, Symphonies. When and where: March 13, 7:30 p.m. Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University, Waleska. Tickets: $25 adults; $20 for seniors (55 years and older) and students; $10 for children 12 and younger.

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Cherokee Life March/April 2014

A closer look at events and activities throughout Cherokee this season

More information: 770.720.9167 or boxoffice@reinhardt.edu Online: www.reinhardt.edu/FPAC/performing_arts.html TREASURE ISLAND OR WHO’S GOT THE MAP?>>> Comical take on the Robert Louis Stevenson tale of adventure and pirates. Family friendly. When and where: March 14 and 21, 7:30 p.m. March 15, 16, 22, 23 at 2 p.m. City Center Auditorium, 8534 Main St., Woodstock. Tickets: $10 in advance online (ages 2 and up) $12 at the door.

More information: 678.494.4251 Box office hours: Monday through Friday 1 to 6 p.m. and 30 minutes prior to show times. Online: www.elmstreetarts.org ROMANTIC MASTERWORKS>>> The Cherokee Chorale present music by Shubert, Faure and Mendelssohn, conducted by J. Andrew Bowers. When and where: March 16, 3 p.m., Canton First United Methodist Church, 930 Lower Scott Mill Road. Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children. Ticket sales at door 45 minutes before performance, buy online or at local businesses (listed on website).

More information: 678.439.8625. Online: http://cherokeechorale.org

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MALLORY LEWIS AND LAMB CHOP>>> Lamb Chop the sassy sock puppet lives on, thanks to Mallory Lewis, daughter of the late Shari Lewis. Mom Lewis was Lamb Chop’s puppeteer and comedy partner for decades, starting in the 1950s. This show is a blast from the past, updated. Will also please younger audiences. Family-friendly fun.

When and where: March 16 at 3 p.m. Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University, Waleska. Tickets: $25 adults; $20 for seniors (55 years and older) and students; $10 for children 12 and younger.

More information: 770.720.9167 or boxoffice@reinhardt.edu Online: www.reinhardt.edu/ FPAC/performing_arts.html DSB-AMERICA’S FAVORITE TRIBUTE TO JOURNEY>>> You know what “DSB” stands for: Don’t Stop Believin’. This tribute band stages a night of nostalgia for all who want to re-visit the power ballads and lush sound of rock band Journey in their prime.

When and where: March 20, 7:30 p.m., Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University, Waleska. Tickets: $35 adults; $25 for seniors (55 years and older) and students; $20 for children 12 and younger.

More information: 770.720.9167 or boxoffice@ reinhardt.edu Online: www.reinhardt.edu/ FPAC/performing_arts.html AN EVENING OF MAGIC>>> Presented by the Woodstock High Marching Band and featuring Arthur Atsma of Atsmagic. A fundraiser for a good cause:

benefits the music program at Woodstock High School.

When and where: March 20, 7 p.m. 2010 Towne Lake Hills S. Dr., Woodstock Tickets: $5 More information: wwbbtreasurer@comcast.net WHITE GHOST SHIVERS>>> Kicky, hip upbeat eight-piece musical ensemble that promises a mixture of the absurd and sublime, plus a musical potion of Hokum Blues, Hillbilly Swing, Country and hot jazz. Simultaneously paying respects to their varied musical influences whilst destroying any notion of musical purism the group is advertised as “a smorgasbord of Cab Calloway, circus sideshow, KISS, cabaret, Hee Haw and Robert Johnson served up at Andy Kaufman's bar-mitzvah.”

When and where: March 23 at 3 p.m., Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University, Waleska. Tickets: $35 adults; $30 for seniors (55 years and older) and students; $20 for children 12 and younger.

More information: 770.720.9167 or boxoffice@ reinhardt.edu Online: www.reinhardt.edu/ FPAC/performing_arts.html BRASS EXTRAVAGANZA>>> Chamber music ensembles, under the direction of Harry Maddox, in concert presenting selections for smaller brass groups.

When and where: March 25, 7:30 p.m., Falany Performing Arts Center at Reinhardt University, Waleska. Tickets: Free. More information: 770.720.9167 Online: www.reinhardt.edu/

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Cherokee History Museum

In January, The Cherokee History Museum in Canton held a reception for the exhibit, ‘Unearthing the Past: Archaeology in Cherokee County.’ The exhibit runs to April 12. 1. From left, Bill Grant of Canton, Megan Griffin of Canton, Jeff Brown of Canton and Skip Spears of Ball Ground. 2. From left, Helen Spears of Ball Ground, Kathy Day of Ball Ground, Jennifer Bagwell of Canton and Karen Smithwick of Canton. 3. Wanda Roach and Candace Walker-Bunda, both of Canton. 4. Cory Wilson and Sandy McGrew, both of Canton. 5. John Wallace of Town Lake, and Jeff Rusbridge of Canton. 6. Rick and Patti Whiteside of Waleska. 7. Jerry Hillhouse and Lisa Tressler, both of Sixes.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM BENNETT

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Cherokee Life March/April 2014

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Cherokee History Museum

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The Cherokee Chorale • Spring Concert

featuring music of Schubert, Faure & Mendelssohn

S UNDAY , M ARCH 16 TH • 3:00 PM CANTON FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 930 LOWER SCOTT MILL ROAD

MARCH AND APRIL CLASSES Kim Bates "Digital Photography" Kathryn Collins RYT 200 "Svaroopa® Yoga" Patty Cure "Acrylic Painting" Elly Hobgood’s "Paint Group" John Horne’s "Drawing Classes" Photo courtesy of PhotoJack

Heather Lyon’s "Creative Movement & Dance"

Linda Maphet’s "Oil and Acrylic Painting" Jim Rivera’s "C.A.C.I. Cherokee Arts Center Improv" "Needles & Hooks" -- Call for Reservation!

All Classes and Workshops must be registered for at least one week in advance!

conducted by J. Andrew Bowers TICKETS: $10 ADULT / $5 STUDENT

678-439-8625 WWW.CHEROKEECHORALE.ORG Tickets are available at the door and also from members of the Chorale, The Arts Council, Chamberhouse, Three Sisters, Foxtale Books, Ball Ground Pharmacy, and Jasper Drug.

To sign up for classes call 770-704-6244 or e-mail info@cherokeearts.org. Include name and phone number.

Check our website for dates, times and fees.

94 North Street | Canton, GA 30114

WWW.CHEROKEEARTS.ORG

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REFLECTIONS

Going the distance Last year the world said goodbye mirror, but it still strikes me that possibly to Nelson Mandela. I think we can all the speaker has not suffered the unimaginagree that this Nobel Peace Prize winable. ner and former president of South I was recently sitting in my office when Africa packed about as much as a perI realized I was no longer in mourning son could into 95 years of life. Since over my own losses. I was answering then social media has been filled with emails and it hit me as a complete surprise tributes and quotes including “A good not to feel pitiful. With this novel feeling I head and good heart are always a forof course had to calculate how long I had midable combination.” This modern felt awful – the kind of awful when you day wise man certainly knew somefeel like your limbs are sunk in cement. thing about the heart.

These times of extraordinary effort just to Recently my pastor as part of a paste a smile on my face had gone on for sermon series pointed out that the four years. The virtual weights had only head and the heart are 18 inches apart gotten heavier with time, but true to – a factoid I had never heard before. myself I plodded on stubbornly and optiI put it to the test one evening with mistic that faith overcomes all.

BY CARLA BARNES the assistance of my husband, Doug, Somehow I had come through a very and some measuring tape. Measuring sad time and didn’t even realize it when from my forehead to my heart we my head and heart had caught up to each came up with about 14 inches for my total distance. On other. My pastor was not surprised at all by my revelation his turn he measured an exact 18 inches. pointing me to an old Jewish proverb: “as a man thinks in A curious connection between the head and the heart – his heart, so is he.” the two operate so differently and yet each depends on the One of my favorite songs, “Happy,” by Pharrell other for survival, because any separation ultimately Williams offers up the ultimate anthem for a soul that means death. Psychotherapist Michael J. Formica in chooses to live – to bask in the sunshine. “Come along if “Psychology Today” refers to this distance as the longest you feel like a room without a roof,” he sings. Sadness distance in the world. I would certainly agree when you can put a roof on anyone attempting to make a move out consider what it takes to heal a fractured relationship or from under it. overcome the negative messages we play in our heads I think Facebook needs to adopt a “condolences” butthat were spoken to us by someone who loves us. ton in addition to its “like” button. Every day my newsFor eight years you have read almost every detail feed is filled with the raw, emotional posts made by peoabout my life that I could share without getting censored ple in desperate need of encouragement. I always struggle by my husband who has the final say on everything you with what to say amongst all the messages of “praying” read. I have exposed my foibles, follies and then those and “hang in there.” One time I remember writing “this things that break the heart into a million pieces. hurts my heart.” Quite frankly I should have included my Brokenness is something I understand, and its source I head too because of the psychic energy I spent afterwards often find is associated with the loss of something – a on how I could ease their pain. child, health, your youth, financial independence or the Florence and the Machine’s song “Shake It Out” offers betrayal by a loved one. It is felt deeply and the head and the pep talk most every head and heart needs to hear heart often do not operate in alignment for a long time while in the midst of a struggle. The lyrics share, “And after it hits you. it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back. So shake him Recently I heard someone say the words, “They just off.” need to get over it.” I know they meant well because we Sometimes it takes a long time to “shake him off” and all know you cannot operate the vehicle of life driving on this subject you’ll receive no judgment from me, but forward while keeping your eyes looking out the rearview perhaps a little advice. Keep dancing.

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Est. May 16, 1940 Celebrating 73 YEARS of Excellence 191 Jarvis Street • Canton, Ga 30114 770-479-2131 www.SosebeeFuneralHome.com Family Owned and Operated by Casey L. Guyton