The time my aunt punched SATAN right in the nose South of Calhoun there is an old farmhouse that is in the process of falling apart, or at least it was last time I was by there. It was here many years ago that I met Satan. No, not the Prince of Darkness but a pony that was not truly deserving of the name. He just had very firm ideas of what was acceptable and what was not acceptable when it came to his use. For a time my grandfather rented the old house, along with my aunt and uncle and their children, and it became a gathering place for the family. Sometimes there would be over half a dozen adults and numerous children rambling about. My grandfather - we called him Papa - was a lifelong farmer and as such was a lifelong gardener.
By TED SMITH
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All real education is the architecture of the soul. - William Bennett
far-removed from the Rockwell image as New England is from a galaxy far, far away. Jane had many attributes, but she also had a maidof-all-chores, and plenty of buttons to push to fulfill her family responsibilities. Then you have Marjorie Bailey Anderson of Ellijay, Georgia. Known to her family, friends and colleagues as Maggie, this woman isn’t a clone of Rockwell’s artistic character, and she isn’t Jane Jetson. Instead, this mother is a good mixture of both Rockwell’s turkey cooker and Hanna-Barbera’s button-pushing, spaceage mama, with a lot of other traits and accomplishments mixed in. Webster’s Dictionary says a mother is one who nurtures and cares for those around her, whether those individuals might be biological children, stepchildren, or even persons in her charge. If she’s responsible for their welfare and protection, then she’s entitled to call herself “Mother.” Looking back over Maggie’s 81 years of life experiences, it’s not hard to find the many
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times and the many ways in which she has filled that maternal role. For validation, look no farther than her daughter, Janice Anderson Kirchmayer. “She’s always been there anytime I needed her. No questions asked. Not just for me, but for anyone who asks. Her response is always, ‘What, when and where?’.” She has come full-circle. Maggie was born at home in East Ellijay, Georgia in 1936 and graduated from Gilmer County High School in 1954. Her mother, Margaret, was the East Ellijay postmaster for 32 years, and Arnold, her father, was a carpenter and mason and built many of the local structures still standing today. He was also foreman of the CCC crew that built the stone tower on nearby Fort Mountain, where he carved a heart-shaped stone in tribute to his wife. Maggie remembers being baptized in the Cartecay River behind East Ellijay Baptist Church, when she was 12 years old. Her genealogical roots run deep, but so does her heritage of giving and doing for others, without
even the expectation of a thank you, never mind repayment. Even during the years when she was working in the corporate world, Maggie would faithfully prepare food for elderly family members each week, transport that food, visit and eat with them, and clean their homes. The next week she’d do it all over again. Sixteen years ago, she came back to the Ellijay area and bought a log cabin high on a ridge in the Walnut Mountain gated community. While she has been anything but idle since her return, it’s what happened in those 47 years in between that define and showcase Maggie Anderson, aka “Mother.” Maggie finished her public school education and exchanged the mountains for the big city of Atlanta. Following two years at Marsh Business College, she again found herself graduated. When asked what degree she obtained, she responds with a laugh so typically Maggie. “I haven’t seen my diploma in many years, and don’t remember what the degree was actually
God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas, but for scars. - Elbert Hubbard
When she was 34, Maggie began to commute two hours each way, each day, into Manhattan. She had been hired to work for J. Walter Thompson, a major advertising agency of world-wide proportions. For her first eight years, she worked as the executive secretary to the president of the public relations subsidiary, Brouillard Communications. Over the next four years, she was the executive assistant to the chief of JWT’s worldwide finance office. In all, she spent 20 years with the company and saw much change in her life. For this second installment of “the making of Maggie,” she juggled the responsibility of career, home and family. She was there for teenagers Janice and Thurston, who were quickly becoming adults in their own right. She was hostess to husband Thurston in his professional capacity. And she was front and center for JWT, known for handling such recognizable clients as Avon, Kimberly-Clark, Shell Oil, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, and Ford Motor Company, to name just a few. Maggie was a long way from East Ellijay,
Georgia. And while she didn’t have the luxury of all the buttons that made Jane Jetson’s household function with little effort, Maggie managed it without the buttons or the technology. “I really don’t know how she did it all,” her daughter says. “She made my first communion dress and later, my graduation gown.” Janice recalls that as a family, they behaved as a family, renting cabins, camping and fishing. They rode horses, skied and enjoyed snow sports. Janice explains that she’d always had an interest in medicine, and remembers a time when she was about 12 and would catch fish in the pond across from their home. “I would dissect them to learn the anatomy. Mom used to get sick when she saw what I was doing, but she knew that’s who I was, and she let me do it. She always encouraged me to learn, to be strong and independent.” In 1984 Thurston was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease and ultimately took full retirement. Maggie had decided it was time to move closer to family. She resigned her job
and began to make preparations to move to Marietta, Georgia, across the street from her daughter. “Then God intervened again,” Maggie says. She was offered the opportunity to stay with JWT, working out of their office in Buckhead. She didn’t hesitate, and within a few weeks, was commuting from their Marietta home to the office where she spent the next eight years working as a financial manager, reporting to the senior vice president of finance. In the meantime, she continued to care for her husband, whose illness lasted 10 years. The last year of Thurston’s life, Maggie had no choice but to seek help outside the family. She admitted him to a nursing home, continued working, and spent as much time as required to care for him until his death. She was at the nursing home every day, except for four days when she went to Florida for their son’s wedding. She got her sister to come and stay until she returned. Her parents, her sister, and two brothers were still living back home in Gilmer County,
One half who graduate from college never read another book. - G. M. Trevelyan
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Robb, tell us about your burger. “My wife is so bossy! Robb, do this… Robb, do that…. My burger was fantastic! It was HUGE. I tried to pick it up and eat it but couldn’t do it; I had to cut it down to size with a knife and fork. And it was delicious. The wings were really good too, big and meaty, loved the sauce, and the jalapeño poppers were “To Die For!” I absolutely hate that phrase, but it fits. Fresh, not out of a frozen box. Big, fresh jalapeños hollowed out, stuffed with cream chess and what a fantastic spicy/ sweet dipping sauce it comes with. Together it’s like biting into, well, it’s like biting into the most incredible jalapeño poppers you have ever had. The band was great. Rocco’s always features the best bands in the area and from outside the area. Rocco’s isn’t a place to go hear music… it is THE place for music in our area. Check their Facebook page for the upcoming schedule and events. OK Thia? I’m going to take out the garbage now….” My chili dog hit the spot. I hadn't had one in a very long time, and this one was a top quality dog, with meat chili and chopped up fresh onions. It was perfection! Big enough to eat with a fork and a knife if you don't want to get too sloppy, along with some crispy fries.
This would go perfectly with a nice cold mug of beer if you like that sort of thing. That's another great thing at Rocco’s; besides having fantastic food, they also have a full bar where you can order a mug of beer or a cocktail. Rocco’s is the best of everything right on 515 in Jasper. After eating about half of all the delicious food we ordered, we thought we better take some home for later because we could never fit it all in our stomachs. Our waitress made a fantastic dessert suggestion of a root beer float. It sounded so good, I will definitely save room for it on our next visit. Everything about our experience at Rocco’s; the atmosphere, the music, the food, the prices, the service, was just wonderful. We had a perfect Sunday afternoon, but any day would be a good day to visit Rocco’s Pub! Two forks up! Call or check their Facebook for live music schedule. 47 Mountainside Village Pkwy. Suite 107 Jasper, Georgia 30143 (706) 253-1900
The progress of the world depends almost entirely upon education. - George Eastman
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Poems from the chalkboard at Mercier’s When she’s not writing poetry, Debbie and her husband enjoy time on the Appalachian Trail.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Debbie Stein, an employee at Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, entertains customers with poems on the chalkboard at the store. We decided to share them with you.) Mercier's In Blue Ridge, GA – where apple trees grow One day Bill said “Adele, did you know”… “If we plant them, they will come” So they did – and then came some. They named the farm after themselves Soon they were filling up the shelves. With salsa's and jellies and apple butter And baked goods to make your little heart flutter. My Child
There were apple dumplings and donuts galore Plus those amazing fried pies that people adore They made caramel and candied apples on a stick Then they opened the orchard for fruit U-pick. It began with Bill and Adele way back in 1943 We’ve grown a lot – as you can plainly see Because it spread far and wide, by word of mouth That Mercier’s is simply the best orchard in the south -Debbie Stein
I cooked for you You colored for me I washed your face You covered mine with kisses I watched you grow You went from pre-k to college I taught you to write Yet you never do
-Debbie Stein
A Man's Folly His dream is one I cannot share, To hike the AT from here to there. He marches up the hillside tall, I breathlessly sit upon a stone wall. He crests the knoll, disappearing from sight, Wonders ahead of him, walking day and night. Worry - I will - at what's in store for him, The AT is brutal but he didn't start on a whim. A huge love of history and the great outdoors, He's not meant for a desk and polished floors. I'll see him in Maine when I drive up the Atlantic Unfortunately for him - he married an asthmatic. -Debbie Stein
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The great aim of education is not knowledge but action. - Herbert Spencer
I do not claim to be cured because I do still struggle and some days are harder than others, but now I have the tools I need to help me find the peace and centeredness when things do arise in my life. Stress is a growing issue in today’s world, and it affects every one of every age. I see it every day in life but most especially with my daughter who is in college and working many hours while getting her education. Oftentimes I talk to her and she is so overwhelmed and stressed that you can tell she doesn’t know which way to turn. I suggested to her through my own experiences to give yoga a try to help her through her busy lifestyle. She took my advice and began doing yoga and has found great release in it. She is able to get everything in her schedule done with less stress and less feelings of being overwhelmed. She lives near the beach and can go out onto the sand and do some yoga and recharge from her day. She has even taken a few of her friends along and made it into a fun girls day relaxing and letting the yoga help them to let go of everything they have weighing on them as students. Yoga is a great way to deal with everyday stress from work, school, and many other life stressors. The last thing I want to tell you about is how yoga has been a wonderful way for addicts to heal and move forward from their addictions. My friend Christi battled with alcoholism and didn’t know where to turn. She was unhappy and unhealthy. She found yoga and slowly on her own started trying new poses. Yoga soon took the place of alcohol in
her life. When she realized that drinking had taken over her life she was determined to get it back for herself and her family. She not only learned yoga for her own health but became determined to help others do the same. She worked hard and got her yoga teacher certification and became a facilitator for an addiction program she found help in. She now uses this program in combination with yoga to help others who are struggling as she once did to get clean and become healthy again. She is a true inspiration to myself and many others in her life. I hope this article helps many people out there who are struggling in one of these areas or the many others that yoga can help with. When you are healthy you are happier. I am not promising you that if you do yoga, all the problems in your life will disappear because we all know that will never happen. What I am telling you is that yoga is a wonderful way for you to be able to deal with the things that happen in life. It is great exercise for your body and teaches you through breathing and movement how to relax and let go of the everyday stressors that can affect our mental and physical health. When you are more relaxed there are less of the stress hormones released and you are more able to lose weight, sleep longer, and laugh more. All of these things are very important on the road to a healthy life. Find a yoga studio and begin your journey today to heal yourself - mind, body, and soul. Namaste.
Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education. - Mark Twain
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a rag doll. The other boys saw the blow and ran to James’ side. One announced, “I think you killed him!” I was in shock. To make matters worse, James’ entire body began to shake. At the time it reminded me of a chicken with its head cut off. The first thing that ran through my mind was: How am I going to tell Daddy I killed James? Luckily, I never had to confess to corncob murder. James woke up, and he didn’t even cry. All he said was, “Don’t you go telling my mother!” I stood there in a daze.
I tried to relax and think about what my dad would say or do. That was easy. He said the same thing every time I did something stupid: “Son, did you learn anything from this?” My answer was always, “Yes, sir.” In most cases I was glad he didn’t ask me what I had learned because I didn’t know. In this case the obvious answer to Daddy’s question was, “Don’t hit your friend in the head with a wet corn cob.” What I learned in a broader sense is that my first solution to a problem is not always the right one.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! The Best of the North Georgia Mountains is looking for out-of-the-ordinary residents for us to interview and share their stories with our readers. If you know of someone who qualifies, or if YOU are that someone, give Mitch a call at 678-882-6741!
When a subject becomes totally obsolete we make it a required course. - Peter Drucker
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