Atlanta Senior Life - February 2022

Photo

By Mark Woolsey

Ever have an Allman Brothers poster tacked up on your wall? Keep your prized vinyl in Peaches Records and Tape crates? Belt out a cheer when your favorite Southern Rock band took the stage?

Well then, you must visit Macon in middle Georgia to both relive those days and perhaps get acquainted with more recent tunes. So, pull on that fringed leather jacket or peasant blouse, grab the ZigZag papers, and head about 90 minutes south of Atlanta to Macon, a town that has been home to rockers as varied as the original Allman Brothers Band, Chuck Leavell, Little Richard and Otis Redding.

Macon’s musical attractions are small and understated-nothing like say, the glass pyramid-like Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland--but highly entertaining just the same.

“Welcome to 1972,“ said Rob Evans as he lead a visitor into a small connecting room adjacent to historic Studio A at the reborn Capricorn Studios, where a generation or two ago, the Allmans, Charlie Daniels, Sea Level, The Marshall Tucker Band and a host of other Southern rockers recorded what amounted to 70s anthems. And the studio captured the sound of more than just Southern Rock. Musicians James Taylor and Joni Mitchell recorded there back in the day. Even Paul McCartney is reputed to have stood in the room.

Now known as Mercer Music at Capricorn, the studio displays an amazing selection of guitars on its walls: Gibson, Fenders, Les Pauls. There’s a custom-built amplifier and other audio gear. “This is all a part of the experience when you come here,” said Evans, the chief engineer at the studio and a master architect of recorded sound.

Stepping into the control room, he gestured toward the impressive array of slide volume controls and VU meters. “This is an API console,” he said

MACON MUSIC

said. “You don’t get slap back and flutter echoes off the walls. Drums sound particularly good in here.”

And very little has been altered from the control room’s original incarnation from the late 60s to the late 70s.

“When we had the grand re-opening in December of 2019,” said Larry Brumley, a spokesman for the studio’s owner Mercer University, “we had some Capricorn alumni come in here and fall to their knees. They said the room looks the same, has the same sounds, that even the carpet was the same.”

As Evans pus it, “we try to keep the studio ready so that if someone on the fly says, for example, they want to add some organ to this (recording), we’re ready.”

The nearby Studio B control room takes you straight into the 21st century. The adjacent studio is more suitable for larger performances such as a live show with an audience that’s being captured, as well as ensembles and choirs.

Since reopening, Capricorn has been a hotbed of recording activity with the likes of Blackberry Smoke coming to lay down tracks, and the folks who operate the studio hope more bands will make their way to Macon to record once COVID subsides.

There’s more to see: the building includes music practice rooms for rent and a 1,200-foot museum. You can see posters for folks like Otis Redding (a native) or a vintage Volunteer Jam poster with Charlie Daniels listed as the headliner.

“It has the same preamps and EQs as the original board that was in here.”

The 40-channel array looks like looks like something from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, and it blends analog and digital technology to recreate the punchy feel of many of the Southern Rock

classics recorded at Capricorn.

Even more of an original is the adjacent studio A. It’s acoustic perfection, with rock and shingles hung on the wall to create a pure-reverb-free environment for recording songs.

“It’s as clean and untouched a signal as possible,” Evans

You’ll also find similar vintage posters at the Big House Allman Brothers Museum, a tidy home with an arched entryway and Tudor accents just a 10-minute drive away. To wit: a concert poster advertising the Allman Brothers Band (ABB), the Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Grinderswitch, at Atlanta Braves Stadium for $7-and tagged with the phrase “Summer Campaign, 74.”

The Allman Brothers Band, photographed in Macon in 1991 (Courtesy Kirk West)

The Big House is crammed, but well-organized, as it displays a variety of artifacts from the period when the band lived there in the early 70s.

Richard Brent heads the museum and foundation. The Virginia native is in his late 40s, so he missed the first incarnation of the Allmans, but has followed them closely since the band got back together in the late 1980s. “We put a book out last year and I wrote a paragraph for it and the title was ‘The luckiest man on Earth’ and that’s truly the way I feel.”

He gets the appeal of the band that went from Macon to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “You hear Duane Allman play the guitar, it kind of changes your life,” he says with a grin.

Duane Allman’s “Layla” guitar can be found here (although it wasn’t in residence in December), along with Butch Trucks’ drum set, a wealth of

including an 18-string bass called “Thor,” clothing that band members donned for performances, even a pool table

road in 2010. “It was the ride of my life,” he says today. “A remarkable thing.”

West, a music photographer, bought and lived in the Big House from 1993 to around 2007. The place was dilapidated, and extensive renovation work had to be done.

were these four drunk Polish guys who showed up at the door about midnight on a Saturday night. They were on their way to a World Cup Soccer Match in Chicago, and they wanted to come check out the Brothers’ place.”

come through the door,

West says he and his wife bought the home with the idea of doing a rock and roll bed and breakfast, but the city wouldn’t allow it. So, they settled for setting aside a couple of rooms with an Allman Brothers theme.

That earned them some knocks at the door over the years-sometimes at odd hours.

“I remember one night there

They were politely turned away, says West. He says he and his wife had a policy that anybody could knock anytime, as long as they could take no for an answer.

While the Allman Brothers lived at the Big House as young adults, contrast that to the nearby Little Richard House. That’s where Richard Penniman lived as a child before his

Continued on page 6

Photos by Donna P. Williams

The Big House

A mural honors H+H Soul Food, a restaurant founded by Inez Hill and Louise Hudson that became a favorite place for Gregg Allman and other members of the Allman Brothers Band

Continued from page

frenetic piano pounding, flamboyant costumes, and solid backbeat helped guide the birth of rock and roll.

Like the other two spots (Capricorn was actually in danger of partial collapse before Mercer University took it over) Little Richard’s 800-square-foot home needed some attention. The building was falling apart until Penniman himself asked that it be saved. The community responded. The modest wooden home with brick features was moved to its current location in

Tour Today

2017 and brought back up to snuff.

Administrator of the home Robert Banks is quick and enthusiastic as he spells out what artifacts they have: a piano that Penniman played, an on-stage jacket, a microphone, a book he used while evangelizing in later years. He’s on a mission to preserve Penniman’s legacy, which he describes as one of “love and compassion and caring for one another.”

Penniman, who died in 2020, wanted to give back. That’s why the bulk of the house is a community resource center for

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Macon residents to seek help in getting a job, buying a home or getting food, clothing and shelter.

Banks thinks in coming years another building could be put up to house the resource center, with the original house becoming strictly a museum. “We are working to get more of his things,” he said, adding that some of what they’d like to lay hands on is tied up with estates, attorneys and legal issues. “We are working hard to upgrade every year.”

“Upgrade” could describe the progress of the overall Macon music scene, including venues

such as the Douglass Theater, the Capitol Theater and Grant’s Lounge.

Or maybe explosion is a better word.

“It’s really coming back,” Brent said. “It’s all about people being comfortable” in the face of COVID, which led to closures of Big House and other attractions, as well as some eateries and nightspots. All are taking precautions. At the Allman Brothers museum, for example, visitors are asked to wear a mask if they’re not double-vaccinated.

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Volunteer Mark Prigatano works at the Allman Brothers’ Museum at the Big House (photo by Donna P. Williams)

Southern rock band Wet Willie, photographed in 2014 (Courtesy Kirk West)

Visiting Macon’s musical past

Here are some places to visit in Macon that tell stories from the city’s musical history.

The Allman Brothers Museum at the Big House 2321 Vineville Ave., 31204

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays

Ticket prices: $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 aged 10-18, free for patrons younger than 10. 478-741-5551; https://thebighousemuseum.com, mask required for visitors not fully vaccinate

Mercer Music at Capricorn 540 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 31201

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays’ 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays

Tickets: $7 for museum, $5 for studio tour

Groups limited to 10 visitors at a

time, masks encouraged 478-257-5327; https://capricorn. mercer.edu

Historic Douglass Theatre 355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 31201

Hours and ticket prices: prices based on event or film; masks required 478-742-2000; www.douglasstheatre.org

Gallery West 447 Third St., 31211

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays or by appointment 478-972-1598; www.kirkwestphotography.com

Little Richard House Resource Center 416 Craft Street, 31201

Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays 478-305-7055; lrhouse416.com

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from rock music to farming trees, pianist Chuck Leavell never lost sight of his roots

Through an amazing and multi-faceted career, Chuck Leavell never lost sight of his Southern roots.

The Alabama native learned piano and keyboards (mainly self-taught) as a youngster. started a band by the time he was 13, played on several records at the Muscle Shoals studios, and moved to Macon in 1970, attracted by the music scene sprouting around Capricorn Records. In the years since, Leavell has played with the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, George Harrison and many other rock headliners.

When Leavell was barely 20, he was asked to join the Allman Brothers Band following the death of guitarist Duane Allman. After the group disbanded for a time, he founded the rock-jazzblues fusion outfit Sea Level, which recorded for Capricorn. He toured with the Rolling Stones in 1982 and eventually became their musical director. He finished his latest tour with them just this past fall.

Leavell is also a passionate tree farmer and environmentalist who has written and spoken extensively on both subjects. He lives on a woody spread just outside Macon where he farms trees. Recently, he answered questions via email from Atlanta Senior Life contributor Mark Woolsey. Answers have been edited for length.

Q. What got you interested in music, particularly the keyboard?

A. My mom played piano, not professionally nor was she a teacher, but she played for family enjoyment. I loved hearing her play, I was fascinated watching her hands go up and down the keys and loved the melodies and harmonies I heard. I eventually started figuring some things out and even took lessons for a

short time, but I mainly I just experimented on my own and started learning the ropes on the instrument.

Q. What was it like at Capricorn in the early 1970s and what led to your joining the Allmans?

A. I had worked previously with some artists on the Capricorn label both in the studio and on tour. The sessions were going quite well and sometimes in the evenings the rest of the ABB would come in and jam. After a couple of weeks of those jam sessions, I got a call from Phil Walden, the band’s manager, to come see him. I wondered if I had done something wrong. When I went in for the meeting, the rest of the ABB was there. A few pleasantries were exchanged and then the shoe dropped. “The guys feel like things are sounding really good playing with you and would like to know if you would like to join as a member?” It was quite a surprise, certainly a welcome one.

Q. How different is being on tour today compared with decades ago?

A. The technology has played a bigger role on every tour. Everything from the audio and production have become more and more sophisticated and played a bigger and bigger role every time we embark on a new tour. Musically, the band [the Rolling Stones] has become much more consistent over the years. The more we do it, the better we get as a unit. So much is just instinctive now when we play together.

Q. What’s your take on today’s popular music?

A. There are so many bands and artists on the charts and being streamed and downloaded these days that I have no idea who they are. It’s not something I tend to focus on very much. Some of the ones I can relate to, like

Chuck Leavell

my friends in Tedeschi Trucks, Government Mule, Blackberry Smoke, Randall Bramlett and the like, I do keep up with.

Q. How has COVID affected the music business?

A. It has changed quite a lot. All of us involved in any way on this [Stones] tour have been doubleor triple-vaxxed. We have a staff of doctors, nurses, a COVID compliance person. We are all -- band, staff and crew -- tested 2-3 times a week and kept in a very tight bubble. We are discouraged from going out much and are

always masked when we do.

Q. What does your tree farm and environmental work spring from?

A. I joke that it’s “all my wife’s fault.” Her family has been involved in farming, cattle, the outdoors, and forestry for generations. We knew the importance of keeping the land in the family and doing right by the land.

After several months of study and research, we decided to focus primarily on long-term, sustainable forestry. There was

a personal connection for me. Where does that thig that has given me so much joy and such a great career come from? Wood of course, as does most musical instruments. So, I began a journey of learning about forestry.

Q. Do you have a favorite variety of tree that speaks to you?

A, Well the dominant tree from Virginia down the eastern seaboard over to East Texas was the longleaf pine. Most of all these forests were converted over time primarily to loblolly pine. We have joined efforts to reintroduce

longleaf to that landscape.

Q. What do you do when you’re not working in the tree or musical spaces

A. Well, I maintain a pretty healthy physical regime and I enjoy riding our horses, working with our hunting dogs and spending time with our two daughters and their families whenever possible. There is also the occasional speech or presentation I give, and probably another book or two on the horizon.

To be sure, we’re proud of our more than 30 years of experience in senior living. But, to us, what really matters is your experience at our communities. We do everything with that idea clearly in mind. So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining every day. And feel assured that assisted living services are always available if needed. We invite you to experience The Piedmont at our upcoming event.

Notes from a fan: Gregg Allman’s music touches a bluesy soul

from the crates

Kelly McCoy is a veteran Atlanta broadcaster who writes about the days popular music only came on vinyl records, which often were stored in crates.

Macon has a rich heritage in Georgia music. Otis Redding, and Little Richard are a couple of artists who come to mind. Then there are the Brothers Allman. There’s no way I’d attempt to write a huge piece about the

Allman Brothers. What hasn’t been already said? I’m still a major fan, of course. If you weren’t in Atlanta or the south in those days, you may have a little difficulty understanding the love for the Brothers and the impact they had on the lives of we Suthunuhs.

The first time I heard the Allman Brothers was 1970, playing on a tape in a friend’s Chevelle SS 454, I think…or maybe it was a SS 396. In those days the sweetsounding 8-track player allowed one to cruise with great sound.

Through the years we learned that these weren’t just a bunch of guys doin’ the southern rock thing. They were so much deeper than that. The Brothers reincarnations were many over time. If you know any of their history, the deaths of Duane Allman and cofounding member-bass player Berry Oakley

Memory Care Communities in Cobb County

as they were just beginning their rapid ascent created a disastrous scenario for this young group.

But truth be known, I’m a

bigger fan of Gregg’s solo efforts. His voice, numerous backing bands and songs can touch any bluesy soul with his bluesy soul.

Duane’s baby brother Gregg outlived and outlasted the core group for the most part. After being involved in a reincarnation or three, his musical callings were telling him to try something different. He evolved into the present, but that deep down bluessoul inside defined him. Yes, he also knew how to rock it when necessary and could “country fry” you in a quick step. His music was diverse.

I’ve never been a rocker type. A little blues, funk, and soulful horns will always get my ear. Some of Gregg’s magic formula with these flavors still astonishes me to this day.

I started playing the piano by

Gregg Allman with then-wife Cher

(Photo Wikipedia)

ear when I was four years old, so naturally Gregg’s keyboard prowess had me hooked when I first heard him with the group. His signature chords lasted for decades along with his other compositions and compilations. He could weave together masterpieces of musical art. Vocally, there’s no chart to measure the richness of his interpretation of a song he’d written, or a cover of one of his favorite artists’ songs.

Then there’s the personal life. Along with the booze and drugs, Gregg’s propensity to be involved with the ladies allowed him the pleasure of being married seven times…seven times! We all know the Cher story. I actually saw Cher in the Omni [a long-time Atlanta music venue], and their offspring Elijah Blue played in her band.

When the lifestyle of years of abuse caught up with Gregg, in 2010, he moved to Richmond Hill, Ga., to be close to the Jacksonville Mayo Clinic where he had a successful liver transplant.

One evening at a gathering I met a gentleman and his wife from Richmond Hill. When I made a reference to Gregg’s residence there, the gentleman said, “Yes, he’s my neighbor, I was in his kitchen yesterday.” Gregg was offering to give him a case of shampoo he was displeased with and didn’t want to trash. Such a

neighborly thing, right? I told him I was a huge fan of Gregg’s, and he suggested I I drop over sometime and said we could visit Gregg.

Part of the fun in the music biz is meeting artists. I’ve met and hung with some of the biggest names on the planet. They’re just people with different lines of work. I do have to say the thought of meeting Gregg Allman at his house kind of wowed me for a minute. In my world he was bigger than most.

I wish I could finish this article by saying we went to Gregg’s house, he was a nice, humble gentleman and we enjoyed a few hours together. That didn’t happen. I’ve heard stories over the years about how “real” he was from friends who did know him.

Gregg recorded his final album, “Southern Blood,” in 2016 at the world-renowned Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals Alabama. He died in 2017. Former news legend, Dan Rather has a series on various stars called The Big Interview. His piece on Gregg is truly rewarding for any fan.

I encourage you to take a trip to Macon and, for starters, visit the Big House, where the Allmans lived, and Capricorn Records. It will be informative and fun. If you’ve never checked out Gregg’s solo work, I encourage you to do that, too!

Gregg Allman

(Courtesy Kirk West)

Two-step verification is here to stay, so embrace it

PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY

Gene Rubel the Digital Device Doctor, cures digital anxiety for seniors and home/ home-office users. A graduate of Harvard Business School, “Doctor Gene” spent more than 30 years in international business. He can be reached at generubel@gmail.com.

As you bounce around the internet on any device –computer, phone, tablet – or if you’ve started using a new device, you may notice you’re being asked to verify it’s you who wants to access a website

or your email.

It’s known as the two-step verification process. It’s here to stay (until something better comes along), and it’s to your advantage to use it wherever possible.

Two-step verification is needed because most of us have bad passwords and don’t always take precautions to protect our online security. We have weak passwords, and when a website is breached, our information winds up on the dark web for sale to cyber criminals. Thus, the industry has added this second layer of protection for our benefit.

In most cases, two-step verification works like this: When you sign into a website, you’ll be required to enter your password (that’s the first step).

You will then be asked to enter a code of some sort that you get from your email or another device (that’s the second step).

■ In most cases, you’ll need to get a verification code, and you’ll be asked if you want to receive it as a text message to your cellphone or an email to your computer. Make sure they have your correct cellphone number or email address. If one or both is incorrect, it could mean a hacker has your password or you’ve been lax in updating your information.

■ You’ll be asked to enter the code you just received.

■ In most cases, the verification is for a specific device, and once you indicate that you want that device recognized, you won’t need to go through the process again.

For the most part, the whole process is straightforward and not that difficult.

Keep in mind, the advantage of any two-step verification process is that as long as

hackers don’t have your computer or device, they won’t see the required code. And without the code, they can’t log in as you – unless they’ve hijacked your email, which is another problem. We like using a text message to your cellphone as the primary method for two-step verification because it’s most likely that you will have the device with you.

It’s no secret that a majority of the tech industry believes too few people don’t take good enough care of their online security. Tech companies know it will be an “unliked” inconvenience for many of their customers, but they believe they need to take matters into their own hands by requiring new verification routines.

We find this a welcome requirement, but beyond that, we strongly urge all to take advantage of two-step verification when it’s offered.

Take cover. These ‘kissing bridges’ stand as relics of roads once traveled

Travels with Charlie

Veteran Georgia journalist Charles Seabrook has covered native wildlife and environmental issues for decades.

For “Travels with Charlie,” he visits and photographs communities throughout the state.

Before 1900, Georgia was dotted with more than 250 covered bridges that spanned rivers and streams and sometimes deep ravines. Today, fewer than 20 of the aging, historic structures remain — all picturesque. Several are listed on the National Register of Historic places.

Preservationists have made heroic efforts to save the remaining covered bridges, refurbishing, repairing, and shoring them up, but retaining their historic features. Some bridges still accommodate highway traffic — like the Concord Covered Bridge (c. 1872) in Cobb County that supports a steady flow of vehicles on busy Concord Road over Nickajack Creek.

Cars also still ply Georgia’s longest covered bridge, the Watson Mill Bridge spanning the Broad River between Madison and Oglethorpe counties.

Built In 1885, the 229-foot-long bridge was restored by the state Department of Transportation using antique tools — and is now the central attraction of Watson Bridge State Park.

Most of Georgia’s remaining covered bridges still stand at their original locations, but

1 | Auchumpkee Creek

Covered Bridge, Upson County

2 | Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, Early County

3 | Poole’s Covered Bridge, Forsyth County

4 | Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, Early County

5 | Watson Mill Covered Bridge, Madison County

6 | Elder Mill Covered Bridge, Oconee County

7 | Elder Mill Covered Bridge, Oconee County 1

Continued from page 13

a few have been moved to new sites to save them. Stone Mountain State Park’s Covered Bridge (c. 1891) in DeKalb County originally stretched over the North Oconee River in Athens, but was moved to the park in 1963.

Steeped in mystique and rural character, Georgia’s covered bridges remind of us days gone by, the days of buggies and “horseless carriages.” Perhaps that’s why today they draw legions of photographers and visitors who have fond memories of the bridges during their childhoods.

More than a century ago, many covered bridges were the venues for community dances, swimming, fishing, and family picnics. Lovers also found the bridges to be excellent places for hiding from the eyes of kin and neighbors to snatch a quick kiss or two. Hence, covered bridges also were called “kissing bridges.”

Several explanations have been offered as to why these bridges were covered — to keep horses from shying when crossing a stream; to provide shelter for travelers caught in sudden downpours; or to keep a bridge from icing over in winter.

The real reasons, though, were more practical — covering the wooden structures protected

8 | Stone Mtn. State Park

Covered Bridge, DeKalb County

9 | Euharlee Covered Bridge, Bartow County

10 | Hurricane Shoals

Covered Bridge, Jackson County

11 | Stovall Mill Covered Bridge, White County

12 | Hurricane Shoals Covered Bridge, Jackson County

13 | Concord Covered Bridge, Cobb County

14 | Poole’s Covered Bridge, Forsyth County

15 | Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge, Meriwether County

16 | George L. Smith State Park, Emanuel County

17 | Howard Covered Bridge, Oglethorpe County

18 | Horace King Mural, Atlanta

Article and photos by Charles Seabrook

them from the weather and extended their lifetimes by many years. Also, a roof added structural strength and stability. Whatever the reasons, each bridge has its own set of stories, folk legends, and distinctions. Tales are still told about villains and highwaymen hiding in the

rafters of some bridges and springing down on unwary travelers. Several bridges are said to be haunted.

The Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge (c. 1840s) in Meriwether County has the distinction of being built by Georgia’s most notable covered bridge builder,

Horace King, a freed slave who erected several bridges in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. The Red Oak Creek bridge is the only one of his works still standing in Georgia. His son, Washington W. King, later built several more bridges, including the Watson Mill

Bridge and the Euharlee Covered Bridge (c. 1886) in Bartow County.

For a list of Georgia’s extant covered bridges, visit https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ covered_bridges_in_Georgia_ (U.S._state)

For two Latina sisters in a gentrifying neighborhood, is cashing in always selling out?

By ELIANA PIPES

By LYDIA R. DIAMOND

Winner of the 2021/22 Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition

Directed by LAURIE WOOLERY

JAN 28–FEB 13 on the HERTZ STAGE

FEB 10–27 on the COCA-COLA STAGE

Thank you for living with a friend

RIGHTSIZING

Will Johnston, executive director of the MicroLife Institute in Atlanta, writes about downsizing as you age. His new column, Rightsizing, will appear every other month in Atlanta Senior Life.

Betty White taught us all so much over the course of her 99- year life. But for me, it was her role in the hilarious 1980s’ sitcom, “The Golden Girls,’’ that has stuck with me all these years.

It wasn’t just the comical adventures and zany plots that made me love Rose, Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia. It was the subtle thread that tied the show together - the idea that roommates are a blessing and that there is a better way to live if we’re open to it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the “Golden Girls Effect.” Like any good sitcom that has premiered since the dawn of television, there’s a treasure trove of life lessons and kernels of wisdom sprinkled throughout the show - far too many to list in a short bi-monthly column -- but since this was inspired by Betty White and her character Rose, here are three housing lessons learned from the Golden Girls.

1. Redefining Family (and who lives with you).

Season 7, Episode 4: That’s For Me to Know

Midway through the seventh season, Blanche decides she wants to install a hot tub, and like many other DIY homeowners out there, she decides to skip the permitting process and avoid all those extra costs (not recommended). Rose the rule follower goes behind Blanche’s back and calls a city inspector to the house, where she later lets slip that there are three renters living under one roof.

The permit officer has an

issue and says that this is illegal under the current zoning rules and the have two choices: pay $10,000 in renovation fees or one person needs to move out within 48 hours. In the end, Blanche allows Dorothy, Sophia and Rose to buy equal shares of the home, allowing everyone to remain.

Roommates and the idea of cohabitation come up time and time again in cities and counties across the United States. In the vast majority of communities, the local zoning laws define “family” as blood relatives, but

could allow more housing options to open up to create great roommate opportunities across the metro city and perhaps inspire the next hit sitcom!

2. Subsidizing Income.

Throughout much of The Golden Girls, Blanche owns the house and all the other women pay rent to live there, and there are countless instances where this gives Blanche the cushion she needs to pay for other things, like a Mercedes, a face lift, or to put in that aforementioned hot tub. The point is not what she chooses to spend her money on, it’s that she has the ability to do so without fear of missing her mortgage payment or not being able to pay her property taxes.

as our society has evolved so has our understanding of what true family is. Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia weren’t family in the conventional sense, by something as accidental as blood, but because of something much stronger -–– choice.

The instance of having roommates comes up often throughout the United States. The definition of “family” and who is allowed to live with you has been disputed in many Home Owner Associations as well as cities across the metro area. Rethinking what “family” means and who lives with you

Across the country, thousands of longtime homeowners and legacy residents are being priced out of their homes because of rapidly rising home values and development pressures. Cohabitation, whether by allowing someone to rent a room, or by allowing more homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in their backyard, is a simple and effective way to allow homeowners the income flexibility they need to adapt and stay in their homes.

3. Combating Loneliness.

Time and time again at the end of almost every episode there was a moment that the Golden Girls recommit to their friendship and that they are so happy they have found each other to share their lives with.

I would like to think many of us have those friends we could get along with and live together -- not necessarily to take care

of each other physically, but mentally. It is amazing what loneliness does to a person. The Loneliness Epidemic is reducing the lifespan of the average American. The effects of loneliness have even been compared to smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

We are mistaking isolation for privacy and it is killing us. Even though we’re meant to laugh with every episode of “The Golden Girls,” we are reminded how important and wonderful friends and human interaction are good for the soul.

What would it be like if you lived with one or maybe two individuals that allowed you to laugh and go through life together while thanking each other for being friends? I invite you to reimagine the possibilities of what having roommates can look like, and how you can foster your own Golden Girl memories in your life.

Note: I did my darndest to remember the plot of the episodes mentioned. If you feel you need to correct me or even add your own Golden Girl moment please email me at thoughts@microlifeinstitute. org Have a topic you’d like us to discuss for the next article? Send an idea!

Rethinking what “family” means and who lives with you could allow more housing options to open up to create great roommate opportunities across the metro city and perhaps inspire the next hit sitcom!

Betty White

To avoid being a crime victim, stop and think about what you’re doing

STAY SAFE

Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police Captain, veteran Fulton County police officer and freelance writer. He is the author the book “Why Do My Mystic Journeys Always Lead to the Waffle House?” and the column “View from a Cop.”

In my mind, I hoped that I’d wake up and realize 2021 with all its dysfunctional mess was nothing but a dream.

I’d look up to find Uncle Henry and Aunt Em bedside with The Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and maybe Christie Brinkley in the background.

Instead, I woke to the sound of my dog snoring and my bladder screaming for me to get up before it was too late to do so.

I stumbled to the kitchen, placed the pod in the Keurig and hit the start button. I walked to the back of the house and opened the sunroom’s door to make sure the world had not blown up. I made a mental note to cut back on movies about the Apocalypse, then raced back to the kitchen after remembering I had failed to put a cup under the Keurig.

Minutes later with a half-cup of coffee in hand, I watched the local morning news, delivering the same script as the day before and the day before that. Overnight shooting in southwest Atlanta, Covid test site lines, test kit shortages, the new mayor’s pledge of 400 new city cops to replace the 600 who left. I made another note to gid rid of local TV and never go to southwest Atlanta at night—or any other time.

With this information firmly in mind, I made the pledge, as I do every morning, to be productive. First, find my glasses. As I looked, I made a mental note to invent a GPS chip for glasses—and remotes. Next, my phone. Within minutes I had both in hand as I made my way to the bedroom to change into my workout clothes for the morning walk.

I stopped to make the bed, then brush my teeth, then showered. Afterwards, I fixed another cup and sat down—which prompted my memory, telling me that I’d done all this before and it wasn’t the least bit productive.

Up again, I changed and headed out the door, then back for my wallet and the correct car keys. I walked along a rural road near my home and talked to myself. Don’t act surprised, we all do it.

What I told myself was that as we get older, we begin to lose our edge a bit. We don’t see through things as easily as we once did. We tend to struggle with applying common sense in everyday matters. Little things, but things that we once sailed through, we have to analyze longer for the same result.

Unfortunately, we become targets for crime, specific crime based on our vulnerabilities, described above.

The most common opportunity is though online sources. Phishing emails seem to be more common that before. Even though protection software prevents most from getting through, some still do.

I recently received one that claimed to be from Venmo. A charge of $400 was made on my account. I responded to the phone number on the e-mail before I realized I did not have a Venmo account. My first instinct, driven by the thought of financial loss, was to take the bait even though I had received a similar email on a Pay Pal account some months earlier.

There’s a thing called “Situational Crime Prevention.” For years, I’ve written about it under the title “Risk v Opportunity,” the basic formula

for all crime. For you, whether you apply it to your online usage, or a trip to the store, employing the formula, regardless of what you call it, will put you in a small circle of those who seem undesirable as a victim. First and foremost, stop and think about where you are going, what you are doing.

Don’t provide opportunities. Do your running around in the daytime if possible. At night, take safety in numbers. If you stop for gas, use stores where there are others around and lock the car when you fill up.

At home, lock up. Don’t allow solicitors to come in. Call 911 when you see suspicious activity. The list is long, but the fundamentals are the same. Think about how to make a crime more difficult to commit when you do whatever it is you’re doing. At home, on the road, at home, on the computer, it all can be opportunity to commit a crime or your opportunity to discourage it.

Just stop and think through the situation beforehand. You may never know you’ve discouraged a crime targeting you, but consistency in those little things to discourage it is vitally important. It is one less thing to worry about, allowing time to find the remote.

How to plant a tree, and not just on GEORGIA Arbor Day

THE ENVIRONMENTAL GARDENER

It’s February and the cold weather makes for tough gardening. But getting out there is half the battle. To celebrate Georgia Arbor Day on Feb. 18, consider finding time to plant a tree.

There are many canopy trees that can be planted in deep shade, such as beech, northern red oak, and some hickories. These trees can be your garden’s next generation canopy.

There are some flowering trees, such as redbud, buckeye, and the south’s favorite tree, the dogwood, that tolerate a lot of shade, but like most any flowering plant they prefer just a bit of sun.

I have planted a lot of trees and have made my share of mistakes, so I am going to share two important details to remember

about preparing the root ball, a crucial part of the planting process.

Number 1: Find the root flare so that you can plant the tree at the right depth. The root flare

for Seniors

is the point where the trunk transitions into the roots and it should be level with the top of the hole. When in doubt, erring on the higher side is less risky for the tree’s survival.

With a containerized tree, you may have to remove some root mass that grows around the trunk of a tree or shrub, if it was planted too deep in the pot. It is better to remove or pull away those roots than plant too deep. I have seen trees planted more than 3 inches too deep in a pot and it is a sure way to slowly kill your tree if you plant it without finding that root flare first.

Number 2. Cut or unwind a circling root system. Roots of containerized trees often end up winding around the inside of the pot, and sometimes they even encircle the trunk. You end up with either a mass of roots that don’t expand beyond the root ball once it’s planted, or the circling roots actually choke the trunk and shorten its life.

If your new baby is rootbound, try one of two following solutions.

Unravel and unwind those roots. When you plant the tree, spread them out like rays (roots) leaving the sun (the trunk). When I plant trees for my own garden, I wash off the soil or soak in a tub of water to get all the soil off the ball to make roots easier to fan out. I have white oaks planted 20 years ago that are over 40 feet tall, and I am sure it is the result of this planting method.

Another easier and faster method is to make four vertical cuts (every 90°) from top to bottom of the root ball with a saw. The depth of the cuts depends on the size of the ball; 2 inches into a 15-gallon is about right. Make a crosscut at the bottom of the root ball and, if the bottom of the ball is solid roots, cut a 1/2” pancake off the bottom of the ball.

Find that tree you have been looking for and get to planting. Happy Arbor Day!

Greg Levine, co-executive director of Trees Atlanta, describes himself as happiest when his hands are in the dirt.

Tree planted too deep

Tree with loosened roots

What to plant

The secret of a green thumb is simply planting plants the right way in the right location.

◄Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) There is always room for another tree! If you think you have too much shade, this oak is the most shade tolerant. It is one of the best for a red to maroon fall color and remember the oak leaves feed over 500 species of caterpillar.

to pink flowers are edible, which can help make a pretty salad while adding a mild refreshing flavor. The tree can grow in deep shade but does best on the edge of a woodland or part shade with average, well-drained soil. Like all legumes, it fixes nitrogen in the soil, adding nutrients for the rest of your garden. There are many cultivars selected for leaf and flower color, weeping form, and even heat tolerance.

Its bark has a light striping on a darker gray background that reminds many of ski slopes running down the tree. This unique pattern is both beautiful and a great way to identify the tree in any season. ►Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) This is our first native tree to bloom in the year. It is in the legume or bean family and the white

◄Native pachysandra (Pachysandra procumbens) I love this native groundcover, perfect for deep to light shade. There are none more beautiful. It is evergreen with a larger leaf and a more fragrant flower than its Asian cousin, but it is a slower grower. Soil with average moisture, drainage, and nutrients will work as long as it gets enough shade, which means it is a great plant for the tree lover. The biggest challenge is simply finding it in the nursery trade, but I promise it is worth the time.

PRESENTED BY:

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution is committed to facilitating conversations on the topics important to aging well in Atlanta and providing you resources to live your best senior life — especially in today’s challenging environment.

You’ll find plenty of 55+ focused content there as well as links to our previously published sections and events.

Aging in Atlanta will return this spring with new monthly print sections featuring more local content than ever.

JEWISH FILM

In cold weather, comfort food can warm your heart and fill your belly

By Isadora Pennington

It’s cold, it’s dreary, it’s month 2,139,095 of a global pandemic. I don’t know about you, but I think what I need is a little more comfort in my life. That means melted cheese, potatoes, soups, and decadent, rich flavors.

Going out to eat is something I have sorely missed during the isolation and seclusion of the past two years, so when I was presented with the opportunity to visit some of my favorite restaurants I jumped at the chance.

This month, I am presenting four of the tastiest dishes that will fill your belly and warm your heart. These local eateries are staples of the local restaurant scene, and offer a casual, comfortable vibe. You can come as you are to share a meal with friends, a loved one, gather with family, catch a soccer or football game, and enjoy delectable dishes and cocktails to match.

▲The Bookhouse Pub 736 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE. (404) 254-1176

Grilled cheese sandwich with havarti and gouda on a bakeshop white bread, served with spicy tomato dipping sauce. Shown here paired with a bowl of creamy tomato soup, offered on special on the night that I visited. I also ordered some of their delicious fries because dipping fries in tomato soup is one of the greatest joys in life.

►Hampton + Hudson 299 N. Highland Ave. NE hamptonandhudson.com (404) 948-2123

Baked hash scramble, featuring a delectable concoction of scrambled eggs, mixed cheeses, red potatoes, roasted peppers and onions, and topped with bacon. Served in a

mini cast-iron pot, this dish is heavenly and rich. Gooey hot cheese is infused throughout the scramble, providing a dreamy unity.

125 E. Court Square, Decatur

Brickstorepub.com

(404) 687-0990

Chicken pot pie with locally sourced, all natural chicken breast, carrots, and crimini mushrooms. Available after 5 p.m. only, this dish is definitely worth waiting for. The crumbly, flaky crust is not only delicious but also fun to break with a spoon, and inside the chicken and vegetables are nestled in a creamy, rich sauce.

537 W. Howard Ave., Decatur thinkingmantavern.com

(404) 370-1717

Mound of rounds, you say? A giant pile of potatoes smothered in hot, gooey cheese, you say? Why, yes, it’s exactly as delicious as it sounds. Add on some fresh pico and sour cream, and definitely add bacon, for one of the most indulgent savory dishes I’ve had recently. I paired the dish with a cup of tomato soup which is garnished with a dollop of goat cheese and comes with grilled bread slices. This is one of those flavor combinations that keeps me coming back again and again, I just can’t bring myself to order anything else on the menu because it’s just that good!

▲Brick Store Pub

▲Thinking Man Tavern

chattahoochee recreation area working on trail plan

By Amy Wenk

Under a new leader, one of the country’s most visited national parks is working on a plan to revamp its trail system.

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) spans 48 miles along the Chattahoochee and includes 15 land units. In 2020, it saw 3.5 million visitors, making it the country’s 16th most visited national park. It also contains about 20% of metro Atlanta’s greenspace and is home to hundreds of bird species.

“It is beloved by many,” said Sandy Springs resident Ann Honious, who in August 2021 was named superintendent of the CRNRA, which has its park headquarters in Sandy Springs. “This is a special place in the entire country.”

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Honious came to

CRNRA after serving as the deputy superintendent at the National Capital Parks – East, a series of parks in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. She also previously worked at Gateway

Arch National Park in Missouri, where she oversaw a $380 million rehabilitation project. Now, she will help lead CRNRA through its first comprehensive trails

management plan, which will provide direction for improving trail conditions within the park’s more than 5,200 acres (or about 7,000 acres if you count submerged areas).

“I see taking this great, beloved park and elevating it for the future,” Honious said. “That is through strategic planning for projects, dealing with deferred maintenance, as well as creating awareness so that the community supports and appreciates what they have.”

Today, there are about 64 miles of trails that run through the park. Most are legacy social trails established before President Jimmy Carter signed the national park into law in 1978.

CRNRA has a long, interesting history. It was the culmination of years of advocacy work by a group that called themselves the River Rats. “In the 1970s, they were watching the development starting to occur in this area and worked very hard to protect the river and the land along its sides,” Honious said. But the park has yet to have a cohesive trail plan. As a result, the myriad of user-created social trails lacks connectivity and is prone to erosion, among other issues.

Now, the hope is to create a better experience and grow

A scene from the Chattahoochee River. (Special/Tom Wilson) Ann Honious. (Special/Melissa Lyttle)

the trail network to almost 90 miles over the next 20 years. The National Park Service had started the trail plan in 2018. A draft could be ready in March 2022.

The trail plan also considers the Chattahoochee RiverLands project, a proposal to build a 125-mile multimodal trail running from Buford Dam to Chattahoochee Bend State Park. That would include a “Greenway” that follows the river, connecting 19 cities across seven counties. The Greenway is being proposed by the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Trust for Public Land, Cobb County, and the City of Atlanta.

“Our trail management plan is our plan and framework to then work with communities that want to build part of that Greenway and have it touch or

go through the national park,” Honious said, adding they are supportive of the effort.

As for CRNRA’s trail plan, a key group called the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC) will help raise money for projects once it’s finalized. The Conservancy was established in 2012 as the official “friends group” of the national park. In 2021, the nonprofit spent $180,000 on park improvements, including rebuilding three river outlooks

in the Cochran Shoals unit. It has a big fundraiser planned for March 15 at SweetWater Brewing Co.

A scene from the Chattahoochee River. (Special/Tom Wilson)