Best of the North Georgia Mountains Issue 46 1-22-2020

ISSUE #46

Food, Music, Art, Events, Things To Do, Places To Go, Adventures, Local Writers, Humor...And Much More!

t a e r G d o Flo of

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Twin Cities bounced back from the devastating waters 30 years ago

Publisher: Mitch Talley Publisher’s Boss: Cindy Talley Founder: Robb Newman Founder’s Boss: Thia Newman Distribution: Eddie Ash, O. Myback Issue Graphic Design: Mitch Jan. 22, 2020 Talley, Cray Ola Writers: Mitch Talley, (c) 2020 The Best of Robb Newman, Thia the North Georgia Mountains, Inc. Newman, Lora Bunch, Raland Patterson, Kathi Editorial submissions Hill, Kathi Chastain, encouraged; send to bestofnorthgamountains@ John Shivers, Patricia Kovsky-Dotson, Ted yahoo.com or mail to 312 Smith, Rebecca Strobl, Double Tree Drive SE, Calhoun, GA 30701.

Joe Cobb Crawford.

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To advertise or suggest a story idea, call Mitch Talley at 678-882-6741.

Memories come pouring back about the Great Flood of 1990

UNDER WATER 30 years later, the devastation, chaos, and loss of Feb. 16, 1990, remain in the memory of Copper Basin residents.

Those who experienced this tragic time will always remember the disasters beyond number, the unbelievable clean up, along with the almost unbearable losses and memories which last a lifetime.

Early in the morning our peaceful Toccoa River began to rise to an alarming height.

In just a short time it rose 12 feet above flood level, causing the streets of McCaysville, Ga., and Copperhill, Tenn., and surrounding areas to become a turbulent rushing river themselves.

Our local paper, The News Observer, had the following headlines in the next issue: :”ALMOST 100% OF THE BUSINESSES WIPED OUT” - “WALL OF WATER SUBMERGES DOWNTOWN McCAYSVILLE AND COPPERHILL” - “GOVERNORS OF BOTH STATES DECLARE FANNIN AND POLK COUNTIES DISASTER AREAS.” Another statement was, “Copperhill has an estimate of a one half million dollar loss, and McCaysville estimates one and onehalf million dollars.” None of these figures include businesses, houses and churches.

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By Patricia Kovsky-Dotson

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

It had rained most of the week prior to the flood, and the night before, the area got five more inches. This made the creeks and streams upstream to be overflowing. Everyone had an opinion as to the cause. Some said a small dam broke upstream, and some said it was the TVA discharging water from the lake at this flooding time. The TVA gave proof that this was not the case.

Whatever the cause, the result was devastation everywhere you looked.

You would have to have been there to believe what people witnessed as words cannot describe it. Rushing, muddy water came up to the rooftops of businesses and houses, and over everything in its path below this level.

Inside all structures the water rose eight feet or more, leaving its dirty mark almost to the ceiling. Inside all structures there was muddy water, sand, dirt and trash, along with loss and devastation of everything.

One of the first time experiences to see was muddy water coming down every street. In its rushing path came gas and oil tanks, trees, shrubs, cars, dog houses, porch and yard furniture, and many personal belongings. Have you ever seen a rooftop float? What about a restaurant's outside freezer rushing all the way down the river along Highway 64?

Inside of all the businesses in the twin-cities, merchandise was completely destroyed. Plate glass windows were broken by the mighty

force; signs and awnings were down. Not much could be salvaged because of it becoming muddy and wet or broken or destroyed in some way. Food items in stores were contaminated. The first estimate was a $10 million loss.

Some residents were stranded in their homes and had no way of escape. The Fire and Rescue units of both cities and counties, along with volunteers, came to their rescue in boats, and it was estimated that 300 were rescued in the areas.

As quickly as the rushing water rose, it began to recede during this seven-hour period. Every home in its path, which was quite a number, also had to deal with muddy water and sand.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.� - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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The entire interior structure of homes had to be gutted and replaced.

These people lost personal items, a place to live, and numbers of other things. Personal losses were irreplaceable, and the psychological damage had to be unbearable.

How could these cities manage with their water and sewage plants damaged? These are things we usually take for granted.

Bottled water was brought in by the truckloads. Tanks of water were provided for take out in jugs. Those involved in the mess needed to take tetanus shots.

The counties had extensive damage with trees and power poles down, bridges, roads and culverts washed out, only to name a few disasters. Many farms were damaged also. In Polk County, Tenn., beyond Copperhill, Highway 64 suffered damage from this rushing torrent, along with some rafting facilities.

This was a major and devastating event with millions of dollars in losses.

The governors from both Georgia and Tennessee visited the area as well as other dignitaries to assess the damages and declared the area a complete disaster.

During this time emergency disaster centers were set up in various locations for food and clean-up supplies to be picked up. The Red Cross was one of the agencies and FEMA and EMA from both states came to the aid of the devastated people.

From the very beginning all units in both counties and cities were working 24/7 with the devastation.

When the water receded and clean-up began, it was heartbreaking to see all streets with dumps of store merchandise piled high for disposal. These huge piles of merchandise represented, not only investment, life's work, present, future, and retirement, but heartbreak happening only in a matter of minutes.

After the clean-up and gutting the buildings of losses, businessmen had to decide what avenue to take. Few restocked and reopened after a long period of time. The majority chose to close, retire, move on, be-

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cause of the heavy losses and extreme expense to reopen. The towns will never seem the same.

Usually my stories are about personal history of family and things I remembered growing up, but this event is a remembrance in two places, so here is my story. First, our convenience store on the corner in McCaysville was completely destroyed inside.

Someone else was managing the store at the time, so I did not have much responsibility in recovery. My experience was in seeing the horrible devastation. My first view was to see the ice cream freezer over-

“A year from now, you're gonna weigh more or less than what you do right now.� - Phil McGraw

turned and ice cream melted and running all over the floor.

Another strange sight was to see dried beans, rice and pasta swelled and bursting out of their packages, and seeing the frozen food open chests standing full of water.

None of this could compare to the overall loss of not only merchandise, with some of it delivered the day before and of thousands of things in the floor and equipment all ruined.

Not only was this sheer horror and heartbreak but it represented investment and years of hard work, a phenomenal price to undertake for replacement at retirement age, plus income for the present and retirement. So, like many others, we lost the store, letting it go with gratitude of the past and heartbreak of the present. Certainly, we were not alone for this was done throughout the town.

Along with every other structure, the First Baptist Church which is located on the banks of the river certainly was a disaster. I was on the staff of the church and again had to deal with devastation. I wrote weekly for our newsletter about reconstruction of our interior. I began to realize that I was writing history and in the end compiled it into material which could fill a book. I was so involved here I hardly realized the devastation in town.

Our greatest loss was in the sanctuary. Losses included the pipe organ, grand piano, pews, carpet and pulpit furniture. Everything in our educational building was damaged or lost, including library books, irreplaceable history in pictures and documents. The office suite was in ruins, stopping progress at the hub of the church. Words can never describe the situation.

My first responsibility was to get the office in a reasonably usable condition. Every piece of equipment sat in the mud, and most had to be replaced. All the office and desk furniture was soggy. The water even went into our vault and destroyed years of records.

As time went on with temporary offices upstairs, things were cleaned, discarded, borrowed or replaced. This was a heartrending responsibility as to save or discard. I will not repeat all of the stories of water, mud and cleanup, for the whole town was involved in the same situation.

After the initial clean-up, and after our kitchen appliances were repaired and the sand cleaned out of the dishes and cabinets and everything sanitized, a most helpful thing took place. Our ladies decided to cook and bring food each day to feed our staff and church people who were working, as well as anyone working on businesses and homes in town. This was a marvelous ministry and met a most urgent need, as all stores and restaurants were ruined. People and food came from everywhere it seemed.

People also came from all around to help and bring supplies. Several churches bought replacement items for different departments, and some even came to do work. It was a blessing to go eat with muddy clothes and sit by a person from another church who, too, was covered in mud.

We were able to take gifts, memorials and donations, along with some insurance and recovered debt free! There was a great homecoming celebration when we dedicated our recovered church building and celebrated our 90th anniversary as a church.

I looked up and the seasons had changed, the building had changed, lives had changed, and we were truly ready to be a normal church again!

After nine months, it was over! These events are told to show to some extent how clean-up had to be done at every location in the area.

Many hundreds of pictures and videos were taken throughout the town. The one that impressed me most was a picture of the front of our church with men clearing out water and mud.

At the time of the picture being made the church chimes were playing a hymn of peace, hope and encouragement, ringing out all over the inundated towns.

The chimes were located high above the building, safe out of the water, and were accustomed to playing hymns from the spire of the church situated on the banks of a peaceful river. This time, the sound rang out across the area covered with river water and devastation, bringing hope out of the mire of such a catastrophic event.

During all these 30 years, the towns have recovered.

This former mining town area is filled with historic sites.

This was a part of our towns before the great flood, and because of our great people, progress is continuing. They say that you can't keep a good man down, and also it can be said that you can't keep down the people who work together in catastrophic conditions as well as when our river is running peacefully!

Come, visit us now!

By Ted Smith Marion T. "Ted" Smith is the author of two books: The Wilderness in My Backyard containing 258 photos of wildlife and wildflowers with commentary; and Life in the Park, A Novel about life in a fictional North Georgia town. Both are available on Amazon.

Don't be fooled by the diminutive size of the gray squirrel

A MASTER OF DECEPTION

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"The farmers in the Western wilds regard them with sensations which may be compared to the anxious apprehensions of the Eastern nations at the sight of the devouring locust."

John James Audubon, 1846 Native Americans apparently didn't have a problem with the millions of Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis, or shadow tail of the Carolinas ) that shared with them the oak hickory forests covering the eastern half of America.

At least they never said anything. But when European settlers entered the Midwest, cut down the trees and planted crops, they were an immediate problem in the form of massive migrations of gray squirrels - and I mean massive.

Hordes numbering in the millions advanced along wide fronts and like locusts destroyed gardens and grain crops. The larg-

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.� - Benjamin Franklin

est occurred in 1842 when an estimated half billion Eastern gray squirrels trooped from Iowa to Wisconsin on a front that was up to 130 miles wide.

Beyond that, the Eastern gray squirrel is one of the most intelligent, and in some ways human like, animals among us. In terms of the standard measure of animal intelligence - brain size relative to body weight (called animal Encephalization Quotient or EQ) - they rank right above cats and just below elephants.

Consider the following: 1. Gray squirrels can learn new, non-instinctive behaviors by watching other squirrels, and in one study humans themselves, especially when it comes to how to obtain food. They are incredibly persistent, can use objects to help them overcome obstacles a la chimps and gorillas, and can sometimes learn new tasks remarkably quickly. There is also some evidence that groups of squirrels in cities can act cooperatively and strategically to obtain the most food they can.

2. They bury food in thousands of places each season and can remember their locations by making a mental map based on the terrain.

They hoard food with efficiency, storing it in temporary larders close by when it is abundant, then moving it to a more secure location later.

3. Squirrels are great deceivers. If a gray squirrel thinks it is being watched while it hides food, it will fake it, going through all the motions while keeping the food safely in its mouth. And if it is simply checking its hoard, it will only visit its empty larders to create confusion. Researchers at Georgia Tech were so impressed they once used squirrel behavior to help train robots how to be deceptive, although do we really want them to learn that?

4. They communicate vocally and visually. They make a variety of sounds used in mating, to ward off predators, and apparently just for fun, and can vary those sounds depending on the noise level of their environment in order for them to be heard over distance. They also communicate over distance by flicking their tails and using hand gestures.

5. They are solitary animals who spend most of their life on their own except for the two days each season the females are available for mating, but males and females are known to share a nest on cold days.

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6. Gray squirrels seem to enjoy playing chase and, with young ones of another species such as rabbits, have even been observed creating games. In one account, a young squirrel spontaneously ran up a fence and flipped off the top, falling on its back, then got up and did it again, all the while chattering as if in glee.

Soon all the young ones were doing it. In another case, a squirrel got away from its new owner and returned several miles to its old one just like a dog.

7. Gray squirrels are omnivores. While they prefer seeds and nuts, they will also eat insects, frogs, other rodents including other squirrels, and birds and their eggs. They are also preyed on by a large number of animals ranging from hawks to cats to humans. Native Americans and country folk hunted them for food; they are quite tasty fried with a flavor a lot like red meat chicken.

8. Female gray squirrels are very promiscuous. The day prior to their going into heat they will go around their neighborhood to put all the local males on alert, and on the big day take on all comers. The behavior, normally not considered adaptive because of the problems of incest, achieves the same effect in a different way: The female’s body recognizes sperm that is too close in kinship and kills it. In the process the species gains a greater diversity of genetic traits.

9. Gray squirrels combine their intelligence with great alertness, eyesight, agility, speed, and leaping and climbing ability. They are one of a very few mammals that can climb down trees head first, turning their rear feet backwards to grip the bark. They also store body fat better than other squirrels, all of which makes them among the fittest of the fittest.

When they have been imported into other nations, they usually drive other squirrels out. In England, they have so overwhelmed the native red squirrel that it is illegal to release a captured gray squirrel back into the wild; it must be humanely destroyed.

10. In 2007, Iranian authorities arrested 14 squirrels for spying. They were equipped with espionage equipment, including GPS. The species was not mentioned.

Now if they can just learn that running back and forth like a mad hatter works for owls and hawks, but not for Buicks.

�If you asked me for my New Year Resolution, it would be to find out who I am.� - Cyril Cusack

A music interview with...

BLANE HOWARD 'With my music, I try to find a middle road between the modern country music you hear on the radio today, and the more traditional sounds of the ‘90s. I write some songs that sound more traditional, some that sound more modern, but mostly I’m just trying to write the best song I can, with a melody that stands out and lyrics that tell a story the listener can relate to.'

-BLANE HOWARD

Blane Howard is a rising country music talent who is reaching people across the U.S. with his heartfelt songs and authentic country sound.

I came across Blane while scrolling Facebook, and his song “She’s a Mess” had been shared by a friend on their page. It caught my attention so I had to give it a listen. It didn’t take very long into the song for me to recognize his talent and want to know and hear more.

I began searching more of his songs on YouTube and soon knew I wanted to reach out to him. I found his Facebook page and messaged him and asked for an interview.

He and his staff have been great to work with, and I know you will enjoy knowing more about him as well.

How old were you when you started playing/singing/ writing music?

I have always been a singer.

When I was around 4 years old, I would stand in front of the TV, playing a blue and green, plastic guitar, and sing

By LORA BUNCH

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.' ”- Alfred Lord Tennyson

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along to Alan Jackson.

I didn’t pick up a guitar till I was 16, but never actually had time to take lessons in high school due to football, basketball, and track practices. I taught myself to play chords/rhythm guitar in college by looking at a chord chart poster I had on my dorm room wall. To this day, I’ve still never had a lesson.

I wrote my first full song in college when I was 20 years old, but it wasn’t until my senior year (22) that I finally wrote something I was willing to play in public.

How would you describe your music?

With my music, I try to find a middle road between the modern country music you hear on the radio today, and the more traditional sounds of the ‘90s. I write some songs that sound more traditional, some that sound more modern, but mostly I’m just trying to write the best song I can, with a melody that stands out and lyrics that tell a story the listener can relate to.

Though I fall into the country genre, I’ve been influenced by every genre out there. I grew up listening to everything, from the standards of Sinatra and Tony Bennett, to Motown or The Temptations, to classic rock like Queen and AC/DC, and the pop hits of Elton John and Prince.

Is your family musical?

My family is somewhat musical, in the sense that they have musical ability, but no one ever pursued it as a career, until me. On my mom’s side of the family, we have a lot of musical ability and would always sit around the dinner table or card table during holidays singing whatever songs would pop into our heads. We like to joke that we can sing a song based on just about any word that comes into the conversation. Also, my grandfather was a great piano player and would often pull out the hymnal and play songs for us all to sing when I was young. He played guitar at the local square dances when he was younger, too.

Do you get nervous before a competition or performance?

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I used to on rare occasions, but not much anymore. I would usually get more nervous in smaller, more intimate settings than in front of a large group.

If anything, now I get an adrenaline rush. I get excited to get out on stage and perform and sing for an audience.There’s nothing wrong with being nervous, and every performer has been nervous at some point, but at the end of the day, the show must go on and you still have to get out there and perform. If you can’t fight through it and get out there, someone else will Where would you like to perform one day?

There’s a lot of places I’d like to perform. I could say “every arena on a major tour,” but that is a no-brainer. It would also be cool to play a show at a football stadium, like Garth and Kenny Chesney are doing nowadays. Specifically, I would have to say these places, in no particular order: Grand Ole Opry Ryman Auditorium Red Rocks Amphitheater The Kennedy Center Carnegie Hall

“What is there more kindly than the feeling between host and guest?” - Aeschylus

Madison Square Garden Reynolds Razorback Stadium Who is your biggest musical inspiration?

My inspiration comes from all over. Like I said before, I’ve been influenced by so many artists and acts throughout my life, but my greatest influence is probably Alan Jackson.

I try and write songs the same way he does, although for a more contemporary audience.

Songs that whether they are happy or sad, serious or funny, can find a way to touch people and make them feel a certain way.

At the end of the day, the music isn’t for me, it’s for the audience, and if they can’t relate to it, then what’s the point?

Where can we find your music?

You can always find my music at all of your online retailers, and all the streaming sites. Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon, iTunes, etc., etc. Physical copies of CDs and other merch can be purchased on my website, www.blanehoward.com as well as at all of my live shows.

Tell me why you love music.

Plain and simple, because it makes me happy. Listening to it, singing to it, writing it, performing it. All of it just makes me happy.

What do you see in the future for your music?

I hope to have my music on major radio soon and hope to be on tour, performing my songs across the country. Whether it’s through a record label or not, I’ll still be out there performing for my fans.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Hot Springs, Ark., and have lived in Nashville, Tenn., for 12 years.

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What is your favorite song you have written and why?

“Promise To Love Her” for sure.

Not because it is my most successful song and has 45 million streams and a video on CMT, but because it’s personal to my wife and I wrote it as a wedding gift for her, and I never imagined it would touch so many people out there.

What is your overall favorite musician or song?

Alan Jackson “Chasing That Neon Rainbow.” Who knew one day I would grow up to live it.

Do you have another job?

Singer/Songwriter. That’s it.

What are three things you cannot live without?

My wife Megan, my family, and singing.

What are the top songs on your playlist right now?

Anything Brothers Osborne, Eric Church, or Dan + Shay If you could open for anyone who would it be?

Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Brothers Osborne What big name artist if any have you worked with?

I have opened for: Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner, Hunter Hayes, Cody Johnson, Travis Tritt, and Charlie Daniels Band, just to name a few, haha.

I hope you all will go to the social media, website, and/or YouTube to listen and find out even more about this artist. I am sure he will be playing shows all over in 2020 so maybe you can even catch a live performance as well. I know I will be watching for announcements of a Georgia show so I can do the same.

You can find his music at www. blanehoward.com, Facebook.com/ blanehoward, Instagram: @blanehoward, and Twitter: @blanehoward.

“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” - Brad Paisley

When life ain't funny

A bit more than a decade ago, I happened to see a photo in the local paper, advertising the pet of the week, where the shelter tried to get folks to adopt pets.

Since we had a cat, and an old, sick cat at that, I was not interested in any more pets.

Until I saw the photo.

Even though it was just a small, ordinary photograph, it jumped out at me as though it had neon all around it. I told Husband about it, and the next week we adopted the cat.

He was almost 2 years old, and the owners had to give him up because they’d both lost their jobs and couldn’t afford to buy cat food.

He was a white American Shorthair, which is a fancy way of saying alley cat. His name was Frosty, which we shortened to Frost because he was a macho, somewhat ill-tempered cat, and Frosty seemed way too sweet. They told us if he got over stimulated he would bite, that his front paws were declawed,

and he preferred the company of men.

All were true. If you gave him more than three strokes of petting, he would bite you.

And he absolutely worshiped Husband.

Our other white cat, Angel, who was part Angora, basically ignored him. At first he tried to engage her in play, but quickly gave up. She died two months later, which saddened us, but she had not been well for a long time, and she passed easily.

Frost was obsessed with food. He checked his food dish frequently, even awakening from a deep slumber to rush to it, making sure there was food there.

He gradually became a little chubby, and as we once again

became a multiple cat family and couldn’t monitor his food intake, he went from chubby to plain old fat.

Although he was not the alpha cat, he was the patriarch of the feline and canine family. If a tail got stepped on, or the other cats got in a fight, he came running to see whom he needed to protect. If the dog was close enough, she got knocked up side of the head, just in case she was the guilty party.

Frost loved sitting in Husband’s lap, with his legs stretched out on Husband’s chest, so Frost could gaze up lovingly into Husband’s face.

If he wasn’t in Husband’s lap, he was close to him in some way. When Husband went out at night to walk the dog, Frost would hop up on the sewing machine, open the blinds with his paw, and cry pitifully, watching them outside.

We called him our Great White Hunter, because he had a stuffed frog that he captured frequently. He would take it to the foyer and leave it for Husband so that he’d see it as soon as he came back inside. Frost usually would jump in the chair by the front door and wait, so he could be praised for his catch.

He often brought it to somebody – Husband, Daughter, me, or even the dog, and you could hear him coming with it in his mouth as he made a “BrrrRING, BrrrrRing” noise deep in his throat.

Often times he’d take the frog to his food dish and drop it in, and many times we had to fish the poor frog out of the water dish, whether it be the cat’s or the dog’s. We had to wring him out and place him on a sunny window sill to dry.

He loved running in to the coat closet if you opened it when he was around. Sometimes he could be cajoled out; sometimes the door had to be left open a crack for him to come out in his own sweet time.

If he noticed you were changing the sheets on the bed, watch out! He would leap up on the bed, and one would have to put the fitted sheet on with him under it, as he growled and threatened to kill. It was a real chore getting him out, and then keeping him off the bed.

He played “slaps” with Daughter. She’d hold her hand out, palm up, and he’d slap it with his paw, unless she could move it fast enough. If it went on too long, he’d try (and often succeed) to bite her. Sometimes he’d hit her so hard, you could hear it, and then see him shake his foot because it stung.

At Christmas he would get so excited when we brought the tree in to get ready to decorate. We kept a spray bottle full of water handy, because he’d immediately begin to chew on the lower branches. The tree was artificial, but try explaining that to a cat.

He was terrified of going to the vet, because he was afraid we were going to leave him there. After being left at the shelter, I guess he was terrified he would be abandoned again.

This is why, more than a decade later, when he got horribly ill, it was so hard to leave him there. They ran tests and concluded he had something wrong with his pancreas and liver, some sort of inflammation, and

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hoped it would get better in a day or two.

It did not.

The vet suggested putting him down - because he’d not eaten in days and was getting “the look”- sunken eyes, crouching all the time - and didn’t want him to suffer needlessly.

But because of Frost’s history of abandonment, we just couldn’t leave him there. So I asked if we could bring him home for a few days, and the vet said no more than two. He could see Frost was in a bad way and didn’t want him to linger.

We brought him home and arranged for a vet to come out on Friday afternoon, so he could be put down at home.

But miraculously, just a few hours before the vet was to arrive, Frost started to eat. After 14 days. If you’ve ever loved anyone or anything and witnessed a comeback like that, you know the absolute joy that filled our house.

For six days, he was well. He ate well, he slept well, he delivered the frog on schedule, he played slaps, he tried to bite and even chewed on the Christmas tree when we brought it in. Everything was back to normal.

On the evening of day six of his recovery, he started sneezing. The next morning you could hear a whistling noise in his nose; he was stuffed up. He had gotten sick like this the year before, as had one of our other cats.

I felt ice around my heart – they had both been very, very sick, but because of being in excellent health otherwise, had pulled through.

Frost had not been in excellent health this year. He had lost more than half his body weight.

We took him to the vet who gave him a vitamin shot and some fluid. He was having a hard time eating dry food, so we fed him wet food with gravy, which he loved.

He held his own, but couldn’t seem to get well again. He slept a lot, mostly wanting in Husband’s lap. He’d come downstairs with us in the morning and go up at night to sleep between Husband and me.

But he kept getting weaker, sleeping more. Then one night, instead of trying to jump on the bed, he got in the dog crate with the dog. Bonnie looked nervous at first, as this had never, ever happened with any cat, but I guess Frost needed the body heat, and Bonnie acquiesced.

He wasn’t in pain, just getting weaker, so we decided to just take care of him and let nature take its course.

Almost a month after his miraculous healing, he died.

Not from the horrible diagnosis, but from something more like the common cold.

Frost Ambush Hill was almost 13 years old.

We cried.

I am still sad, Daughter is incredibly sad, and know I’m pretty clueless about how much Husband misses his buddy, because he keeps it to himself, mostly.

If you are not an animal person you may say we need to get over it.

Just a cat, you say? Well, you obviously never met Frost.

“Much like life, you don't complete a puzzle by throwing away the pieces.” - Craig D. Lounsbrough

A

R E I H T L A E H

YOU

in 2020 BROUGHT TO YOU BY...

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nTapestry Hospice nCNA Nursing School of Calhoun nAOSM

A HEALTHIER YOU IN 2020

Resolve to be a better you FAMILY FEATURES

While traveling more, losing weight and quitting bad habits are annually among some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, the turn of the calendar does represent a perfect opportunity to better yourself in multiple ways.

The impact of taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle – from committing to eating well, sleeping better, drinking cleaner water or boosting your nutrient intake – can be far-reaching, but also overwhelming. Gradually incorporating the health-focused habits you hope to make permanent fixtures in your life can help ensure the process isn’t overly taxing, and some products can help ease the transition as well.

Find more tips to help keep you on the right path toward reaching your wellness goals at eLivingtoday.com.

New Year, Cleaner Water When adopting health-focused resolutions like staying hydrated, it’s also an opportunity to commit to drinking cleaner water. The easy-to-install PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System makes it simple to wash fruits and vegetables, fill reusable water bottles before work or a fitness class and meal-prep with healthier and great-tasting water.

The filtration system is certified to reduce more than 70 contaminants, including 99percent of lead – more than any other brand, according to NSF. Learn more at PUR.com.

A Healthy Snacking Resolution Strive to snack better in the new year with an option like Stryve Sliced Beef Biltong, which is a tasty meat snack with zero sugar and no artificial ingredients. Packed with protein, it is made with only air-dried beef and spices, meaning you don’t have to give up goodness to stick to your clean eating resolutions. Paleo and keto-friendly, the beef biltong is available in seven flavors and comes in resealable packs so you can satisfy cravings wherever they strike. Learn more at Styrve.com.

Download Wellness this Year To help achieve your health goals in the new year, consider downloading the free Nature’s Pharmacy app. It cross-tabulates 57 health priorities, such as increasing good cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular disease and easing insomnia, along with desired outcomes like improving energy levels or reducing wrinkles with 74 fruits and vegetables.

By selecting a concern or desired outcome, the app, which is available

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on iOS and Android devices, generates a selection of produce that can aid in reaching those goals. For more information, visit limoneira.com.

A Simple Vitamin Solution If you’re tired of swallowing multivitamins, consider an option like Vitamin Booster+ to help make your morning ritual more enjoyable. Simply dissolve one drink stick in water to get 100% of your daily essential vitamins along with 610 mg of electrolytes.

Containing real fruit juice and only 15 calories per serving, this vitamindense drink is ideal for the whole family and is available in single-serve lemon-lime flavor sticks for an on-the-go boost. Find more information at drinknutrient.com.

A Sleep Apnea Solution For those who suffer from sleep apnea, one of the best ways to get the sleep you need is the DreamPort Sleep Solution, which is small, lightweight, headgear-free and easy-to-use. You can say goodbye to bulky headgear and uncomfortable straps as nothing constricts your movement or gets in the way. Plus, it fits the shape of your nose for zero leaks to provide a better night’s sleep and more energetic days. Visit bleepsleep.com for more details.

A HEALTHIER YOU IN 2020

5 tips to prevent a stroke FAMILY FEATURES

Stroke is often thought of as something that happens to older people, but more people under 50 are having strokes due to increased risky behaviors, such as smoking and untreated high blood pressure.

Strokes don’t discriminate, according to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular disease and stroke. They can happen to anyone, at any age. About 1 in 4 people worldwide will have a stroke in their lifetime. However, up to 80 percent of first strokes may be prevented.

“Healthy habits can protect and improve brain function and lower your stroke risk,” said Dr. Lee Schwamm, MD, American Stroke Association volunteer chairman and executive vice chairman, department of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In recognition of World Stroke Day, the American Stroke Association offers these five tips to help reduce your risk of stroke and maintain mental sharpness as you age: Keep blood pressure in mind and under control. High blood pressure is the No. 1 controllable risk factor for stroke.

Work with your doctor to manage your blood pressure and get it into a healthy range (under 120 over 80).

Eat colorful fruits and veggies. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure over time, which may help reduce your stroke risk. Some fruits and vegetables, such as mangos, avocados and blueberries, are especially rich in vitamins and minerals that improve brain function and heart health.

Rest up. Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night can improve brain function both today and long-term. A soothing bedtime routine and avoiding screen time before bed can increase the quality of sleep you’re able to get. Sleep-related breathing issues may also increase stroke risk, so seek treatment right away if you suspect sleep apnea or similar problems.

Meditate. Emerging science shows practicing mindfulness and being aware of your breathing may reduce blood pressure. A quick way to be

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mindful anytime is to pause, notice your breath and observe details in your surroundings.

Take a hike. Getting active activates brain cells, encouraging them to grow and connect more efficiently. Aerobic exercise, like going for a walk, also gives your arteries a workout and makes your brain more resilient to reductions in blood flow that can cause strokes. To maximize health benefits, the American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or a combination) and two days per week of moderate- to high-intensity muscle strengthening activity.

“These simple suggestions are great for everyone to follow, even if you don’t think you’re likely to have a stroke,” Schwamm said. “While many adults don’t think they are at risk for stroke or reduced brain function, the reality is that nearly half of all adults in America have high blood pressure, and untreated high blood pressure is one of the most common causes of stroke and also causes up to 60% of dementia.”

A HEALTHIER YOU IN 2020

Planning long-term care FAMILY FEATURES

You may not want to consider a time when you might not be able to fully take care of yourself, but the reality is there is almost a 70% chance someone turning 65 today will need some type of long-term care service and support in his or her lifetime, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Even if you’ve worked hard to save for retirement and create the financial security you want in the future, the need for long-term care could throw a wrench into even the most well-thought-out plans and impact you and your loved ones’ finances.

Consider these questions as you begin the longterm care planning process.

What is long-term care?

Different from traditional medical care that treats illnesses and injuries, long-term care includes services designed to help you maintain your quality of life and perform everyday activities even if age, illness, injury or a severe cognitive impairment make it a challenge to take care of yourself for an extended period of time.

Long-term care services help with common daily functions including dressing, bathing and eating, and even skilled nursing services such as giving medication.

When should you start thinking about long-term care planning?

Because you never know when a need for care may arise, planning for care when you are younger and healthier can provide additional options as you’re more likely to qualify for coverage. Plus, cost is based on your age when you apply, so waiting can end up costing you more. Some people are beginning to plan as early as in their 40s.

How much does long-term care cost?

Long-term care costs vary depending on where you live, the type of care provided and the setting. Homecare services average $24-$135 per hour, according to the New York Life Cost of Care Survey, while private rooms in nursing homes can cost more than $100,000 a year.

Long-term care is generally not covered by health insurance, and government programs like Medicare or Medicaid have limitations, which often isn’t discovered until care is needed. However, New York Life offers

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long-term care options to AARP members and provides specially trained agents who can provide guidance. The agents can work with you and your family to create a customized plan based on your financial goals, helping protect your assets should you ever require long-term care.

Where is care provided?

Long-term care can be provided in a variety of settings, including at home, in an assisted-living facility or in a nursing home depending on the amount and type of care needed.

In fact, some insurance plans cover care on a part-time basis by a family member or home health worker. Planning ahead can allow for more control over how and where you receive care.

How much coverage do you need?

The amount of coverage you need typically varies based on several considerations including budget, age, the type of care expected and how much of your assets and income you may be willing to use to offset the care costs. You don’t have to cover your entire risk – choosing a modest amount of coverage can still provide benefits and help protect other assets.

While planning for long-term care can seem daunting, you can find more benefits and information to make the process easier at aarp.org/benefits.

A HEALTHIER YOU IN 2020

Make weight loss reality FAMILY FEATURES

Losing weight is a highly personal journey as a wide range of factors can affect a person’s ability to do so. There’s no one approach to weight loss; rather, the best approach is the one that fits your life and body best.

Get motivated to reach your weight loss goals with these expert tips.

Set realistic goals. Most experts agree you shouldn’t lose more than 1-2 pounds per week. More rapid loss may shock your system, and chances are you’re depriving your body of important nutrients. More aggressive loss is also less likely to be permanent or sustainable; long-term results generally come with steady loss over a period of time.

Eat well. Regardless what eating plan you choose, recognize the importance of nutrition in your weight loss program. Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume, so build your menu around nutrient-rich foods that fill you up. Strive for a well-balanced diet that encompasses all the food groups and, if necessary, discuss your goals with a doctor or nutritionist who can help you identify the best foods to enjoy and those to avoid.

Consider a supplement. If managing cravings or your appetite hinders your weight loss, a supplement may be a good solution. For example, RiduZone is a patented supplement that gives your body more of a substance it already creates called Oleoylethanolamide (OEA). In essence, OEA tells your brain you are full and it’s time to stop eating. Developed and endorsed by Dr. Jay Yepuri, a board-certified gastroenterologist, the supplement is a non-stimulant that may help you feel full faster to reduce caloric intake and boost metabolism to burn stored fat.

Get active. Creating a calorie deficit is necessary to lose weight, and increasing your physical activity helps ensure you’re burning calories. However, getting active isn’t just about playing the numbers game. Physical activity also promotes overall wellness with numerous physical and mental health benefits, including improving circulation and stimulating feel-good endorphins.

Stay committed. It’s easy to fall off your weight loss plan when unexpected circumstances arise. Give yourself a little grace and permission for occasional misses so you stay motivated to get back to your program. That may mean waiting for a cold to pass and doing less strenuous workouts at home or making extra healthy choices at mealtime in advance of an indulgent event. To help make keeping your commitments easier, consider an option like RiduZone to boost your body’s natural appetitecurbing power.

Find more information to help jump-start your weight management program at TryRiduZone.com.

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Are you tending to your garden, brightening up your light, are you following the gifts you have, with a little, or all your might.

I recently have realized, that all I’m meant to be, is better than the day before, a newer version of pure me.

A total work in progress, as long as I progress, laziness is not a choice,

although sometimes we need a rest.

POETRY

Don’t think that nothing’s changing, that all just seems the same, know that it’s not possible, a flower blooms in rain.

CORNER

It’s true no one is perfect, impossible to try, But it’s also true that effort, will help you to get by.

Pick up where you left off, or stop and start again, regardless how you do it, do it now, my soulful friends.

The path you’re on hasn’t disappeared, it can’t be blown away by wind, all you need to trust right now is Love, It Always Wins.

-SARA HERRINGTON

This Day Proud does not describe, How I feel about you brother.

You’re such an amazing man, I hold you high above all others.

She sees this world…

Through a slightly cracked…

Pair of smudged rose colored glasses…

That her exquisite petite hands…

Have carried safely in her journey In a worn pocket…

Of her favorite jacket…

Rarely does she now…

Wear them anymore…

Only when she sees a kaleidoscope…

Of wondrous colors Enabling her beautiful eyes…

To see the stunning…

Yet simplistic aura…

Of light and unwavering love…

Of others…

-CHELLE LANCE

You have taken on this role, Dad is what they say.

You have given everything, Your heart the price to pay.

I look at you now, But remember you so small.

You have found the perfect family, That helps you stand so tall.

I love you baby brother, You are perfect in my eyes.

You have grown into a man, So amazing and so wise.

-SHANNA PAGE

As I drove a bustling yet lonely highway my thoughts drifted anywhere but to the lanes of traffic around me.

I thought of work and all that needs to be done there in the coming week and my gratitude to have a job I enjoy.

Home ran through my mind with the faces of the people and puppies I love who would be eagerly waiting to see me upon my return to them.

Visions of my art not yet brought forth that sits brewing in my mind from colors that will emerge on a canvas to words that will flow off of a page in the shape of poetry.

Most of all my soul danced as I thought of your smile and the feel of your still warm touch embracing me. An involuntary smile appears and I hold you in my heart until next time I’m in your arms.

-LORA BUNCH

Popular North Georgia band Slickfoot wants to know:

Are you ready to

If you’re like the 1980s band Poison and “don’t need nothin’ but a good time,” look no further than the North Georgia band, Slickfoot.

Based in Ellijay, the band stays busy throughout the area at clubs like Rocco’s in Jasper and at corporate events and weddings. The Best of the North Georgia Mountains Publisher MItch Talley recently spent a few minutes with John Cianfaglione, who plays bass and trumpet and sings vocals for the band.

Other members of the six-piece band are founder Steve Woodall, drums and percussion; Frankie Chastain, lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Bruce Marion, lead guitar; Craig Wilson, keyboards, guitar, and vocals; and Nathaniel Roberts, sound and fiddle.

Here’s a transcript of our interview with John, who pointed out that the band just posted a documentary-style video on Facebook a few days ago. Be sure to check it out and see why Slickfoot is one of the most popular bands in the area.

Here’s a transcript of our recent interview.

How long have you been together?

The band was formed in 2008.

Wow. Are you all based around At-

PARTY?!

“Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.” - Oscar Wilde

33

lanta?

Yeah, actually, we say that we're based out of Ellijay because that's where the founder started the band.

And then he actually lives in Ellijay. But the members of the band live all over the place.

How did y’all meet up to form the band?

Steve just started with players from the local area, from up in the Ellijay, Jasper, Blue Ridge area, and it started out as more of a Southern rock / blues band. Then myself and the keyboard player, Craig Wilson, joined in 2015.

We're originally from the Northeast, and we played in a lot of dance bands, party bands, so we kind of helped morph the band into more of a party band, a band covering not only ’80s but ’90s and 2000s as well. And that's actually led to more popularity, more success, if you will.

When you say a party band, how would you describe that?

We do ’80s, ’90s, 2000s. But we've got our soundman also plays fiddle so we do some country, too. We will do anything from Charlie Daniels to Cameo, the Commodores back to Ozzy Osborne, to Bon Jovi, to KC and the Sunshine Band and then even Michael Jackson. So that's really what a party band is. We will play anything upbeat, danceable, that's popular. Everything that we play is sing along or dance music. We don't play anything obscure.

It's all upbeat, danceable material.

If you're not dancing, you’re singing along. That's really what a party band is, our opinion.

Since y’all play such a variety of music, I guess y’all are a very experienced band?

Oh, yeah, everybody is very experienced. Everyone's been doing this at least 30 years and longer. Except of course our youngest member who is 29, but he’s got a lot of experience from playing on cruise ships.

Is music a full-time gig for y’all?

No, it's part time. It's Fridays and Saturdays, occasional Thursdays here and there, but it's pretty much just straight weekends.

So what do y'all do during the week?

Steve Woodall owns an auto glass company. Craig Wilson, keyboard player, actually just recently retired.

I'm a project manager for a retail design firm. The guitar player, Bruce Marion, is a full-time musician. And the lead singer, Frankie Chastain, is a facilities manager.

How did you decide to get into music originally?

How far back does this go for you?

Oh, originally I started playing with my uncle’s dance band when I was in eighth grade. And before that, I played at churches on weekends, but I was a trumpet player originally. This was the mid-1970s, and back then there really weren't keyboard players in a band. If there was, it was mostly like a piano or organ; synthesizers and stuff were still in their infancy stage. So most bands

back then had horn sections. I was a pretty good trumpet player - been playing trumpets since I was six years old. By the time I was

14, I had the chops enough to play in the horn section of my uncle’s dance band so he would pick me up on Fridays after school and I'd spend the weekends playing with him all over New England. So I pretty much started playing professionally when I was 14 years old. And Steve was the same way; he started playing clubs at a very young age. Craig, the same thing. I'm not sure about Bruce.

He's our newest member and he's from Brazil and I’m not real sure when he turned pro. He's just come off the past few years playing on Carnival cruise ships.

And Frankie started playing and singing in clubs in the mid-to-late ’80s as well.

How did Steve come up with the cool name for the band?

Oh, because he worked with a guy that used to drag his foot years ago, had big, big, big, long feet. And he dragged his foot. So they kind of called him Slickfoot – that was the guy’s nickname at work. And then Steve thought that would be a great name for our band so that's how he came up with the name.

When did Bruce join the band?

November.

Where all do y’all play?

We play Paul’s Steak House in Helen, and of course, we play for Danny at Rocco's in Jasper. We play in Blue Ridge, the Blue Coyote. We play for the Wild Wings in Cumming and Gainesville. Canton Icehouse is also one of our favs. But those are just some of our regular venues. We began a nice relationship with Elevated Events at the end of this past year for Festival Shows and 2020 promises to add a great deal more Festivals than we’ve ever done, so be on the lookout for those.

What’s a typical show like?

We can play a different set every night. We'll play a different show Saturday than we did Friday because our song list is about 150 songs long.

So we can pretty much play different shows for four nights a week if we wanted to, but that's neither here nor there. Because of what we play, we have been very successful. However, this year we’re kind of gearing towards more festivals, corporate and wedding work while keeping a handful of club venues like Rocco’s.

Tell us more about the corporate work.

Large companies will have not just Christmas parties, sometimes they’ll rent a hotel or ballroom and hire a band like us, anything from

corpo-

rate anniversary events to corporate outings where they'll just get their employees together for an evening of dinner and dancing. Party planners organize corporate parties all over the place that bands like us play, because we play such a variety.

Like I said, we can play anything from Commodores to Ozzy Osborne to Charlie Daniels with a fiddle, not keyboard fiddle, with a real fiddle.

Because our soundman is an accomplished violinist, we started adding him on fiddle and it’s gone over huge. So we’re pretty much a sixpiece band. We just posted a new video about the group on our Facebook page and our website slickfootband.com, and we think that will be one of the things that helps propel us more into the corporate world, more so than just a club band.

You say y’all have a catalog of 150 songs.

That kind of amazes me. How do you remember them all? Do you practice those or is it like a natural ability to be able to do that many?

Oh, everybody’s been doing it for so long.

And these songs are so iconic. Everybody except the guitar player because he's only 29. But the rest of us have been playing a lot of these songs since we were young. It's not that big a deal. What we do is everybody does their homework. You learn your part; we play everything like the record. So when you come to hear us, everything will be pretty much “close your eyes and you think you're listening to the radio” because we don't do anything our own style because people want to hear what they want to hear. They want to hear songs they grew up to. They want to dance to the songs they grew up to or remembered from high school.

So everything we do, we try to do exactly like the record. Everybody learns their part, then we come together at the gig and we'll run it in soundcheck and as long as everybody does their homework, it works.

The only times we have any kind of issues is working out an ending if the ending on the record fades. It’s hard to practice because we all live so far away from each other, like the drummer lives in Ellijay, the keyboard player lives in Cumming, I live in Marietta, the singer lives in Acworth and the guitar player lives in Druid Hills. So for us to get together and rehearse, especially during the week, it's pretty much impossible.

But we are all accomplished enough where everybody does their homework, learns their part like the record, we put it together in sound-

check and boom, we got the song. So we don’t really rehearse that much. Some of the older songs on our playlist, if we pull those out, we get - like say we have a corporate event and they chose some of the songs we haven't played in forever, some of the older stuff - everybody just brushes up on it and it's not that big a deal to pull it out.

Our singer Frankie will do the song list every week. He'll usually e-mail it out Wednesday so everybody has what we're playing for the week. If there's anything you haven’t played in a while, you brush up on it. So that’s how we're able to keep a catalog of about 150 songs at this point. And then we add to it, too. I mean, we add to it almost every week, one or two songs.

A typical show, how many songs would you play?

Typical shows, about 50 songs, 55 songs or so. And a lot of times we won’t take a break - like at Rocco’s, we’ll start usually about 8 o'clock and we'll play right till 11:30. Same thing with the Wild Wings because those are only three-hour dates, start at 10, end at 1 so we don't take a break. We just play straight through. There's been some four-hour venues where we've played straight through ‘cause we find if you don’t take a break, people don't leave. So we've got to be there any way, we might as well play. When you do that, you're talking 60, maybe 65 songs.

What do you think about playing at Rocco’s?

Oh, we love playing at Rocco's. I think Slickfoot’s been playing at Rocco’s for years, even back when it was a Southern rock band. We enjoy it.

We enjoy the fact there’s house sound; we don’t have to drag equipment in and out of there. He treats us fairly, the food is great, so we have no issues, no issues whatsoever working with Danny. And he’s always good at promoting us.

He’s good at putting our posters up. Some clubs you send them posters, three, four weeks out, and then you get to the venue and you don’t see one of the posters up so you think, why do I even send them to you. Or they put it on their Facebook page and they just say “Live Music” instead of listing the band name. So some clubs do that, but Danny doesn’t. He’s always good about promoting the bands he has in there, so it’s been a pleasure to work with him.

What makes y’all want to keep performing at this stage of your lives? What’s the motivation?

Well, first of all, we’ve all been playing for a long time so playing has been in our blood since we were kids, even the guitar player who’s only 29. I mean, he’s been playing since he was 6, 7 years old. So there’s one motivation. We’re musicians at heart and why we like to play the covers is because we like to see people having a good time, and when you’re doing something that provides happiness to someone else, you can’t help but feel good about it.

Strictly speaking for myself, I've done the original thing, I’ve toured, I’ve done all that, and at this point in my life I have more fun playing cover songs like this for crowds like this. People singing and the dance floor is full from the time you start till the time you stop. And even if the dance floor is a little light, everybody that's sitting in a chair is singing along.

For us it’s about bringing happiness to others, that’s our motivation.

And so I guess this is something you'd want to do the rest of your life?

Yeah, I mean, I'm going to do it till I can't do it like I like to. You know, when I get too old to jump around, as you'll see, we're pretty active.

When you get to see the video, we are pretty active on stage. We're not

just stand there and play. I mean, we engage the crowd. We move around quite a bit. We're all wireless.

So we're usually out in the crowd as well. But when I can't play like I like to play, when I'm so old that I got to just stand there and play, then that's no fun to me. That's probably when I'll give it up.

Since y’all have been playing so long, do you have any goals left?

Nah. Nah, you know, like I say, most of us have delved into the original thing. Craig, our keyboard player, has delved into the original thing. Steve's delved into the original thing, and I did. I actually signed a recording contract in 2012. And then, you know, when that thing kind of played out is when I gave up on the whole original thing. And that's when I joined Slickfoot in 2015. So right now, for goals, nah, everybody just wants to keep playing and having a good time like we are now.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Nah, it's like, you know, the ship’s kind of sailed for most of us. You know, maybe Bruce, the guitar player, is so young that he might do something different. But right now he's enjoying doing what he's doing because it's different from the cruise ships. Even though he’s playing the same type of stuff, it’s a little more satisfactory because, you know, cruise ships, your crowds are very transient. They watch you for a few minutes at a time. They're very rarely there for the whole show. So for him to put on an entire show and have people kind of dancing and singing along – you know, we're talking a few hundred people at a show - it's something new for him.

So how did he come about joining the band?

Well, our former guitar player got an offer to go to Nashville, so of course he clearly couldn’t give us much notice, just two weeks. Our keyboard player put an ad out, and Bruce was the first person to apply. It's usually very difficult finding a replacement, if you don’t already

know somebody. It’s very difficult to find someone that has the ability that you're looking for from just a blind ad, but we just happened to get lucky. He was the first guy to answer.

He went over and played for Craig, our keyboard player. And Craig calls us up and says, hey, man, this kid is awesome.

He's 29, but he’s a phenomenal player. Bruce learned the material for that week's show and came in and played spot on. He’s been back-learning the other songs, so when Frankie sends out the week’s song list, if there’s anything on there he doesn’t know, he just learns it for that week. So eventually he’ll get caught up and learn them all.

There’s actually only a handful he doesn’t already know because on a cruise ship, you’ve got to play all kinds of variety.

What makes Slickfoot stand out from the crowd?

We’re kind of unique. I’m not just saying that because I’m in it, but we’re different than all the other bands that play our circuit – they’re more Southern rock / country / classic rock kind of stuff. The variety that we do makes us different. I mean, we’ll do country – Frankie is a real good country singer. You know, we'll play some old George Jones, some George Strait, Charlie Daniels and Garth Brooks. What sets us apart is the variety and of course, the fact that most shows we won't take a break either so we don't really lose people.

Of course, it’s not like we go out and scout the competition because we’re not like that. We don’t really believe in that because we’re all mostly playing covers, we’re all there to make the people have a good time. So it’s not about that. It comes from the clubs that we play, the owners, and Danny included, they all tell us, “you guys are not like anybody that plays here, you guys are different, no one plays such variety.”

That’s a good thing, right?

Quotable licks from the band The following comments come from Slickfoot’s new video posted on the band’s Facebook page and website (slickfootband.com) in January. Be sure to take a look and see just how exciting and talented this band is.

Steve Woodall: “I’ve been in any kind and every kind of band you can think of, and let me tell you, these guys are like a three-ring circus going on on stage, in the crowd dancing with the crowd and having a good time. It’s a unique experience you just don’t get with every group you play with. It’s a blast – I love it!”

Frankie Chastain: “The thing I like most about being on a stage with these guys is watching the crowd, getting them involved with the songs we do. These songs are so iconic that we do, we love playing them every single night.”

John Cianfaglione: “I love to entertain; I’ve been entertaining since I was a little kid. You do get a thrill even though you’re playing covers, but you’re playing songs that people want to hear and people want to dance to. And I just love to have a good time and I love to entertain. I like to see the look on people’s faces when they’re having a great time off of what we’re doing.”

Craig Wilson: “I mean there’s so much negativity at times in the world, when people pack that dance floor and they’re just having a good time, you get a little vacation … a musical vacation.”

Bruce Marion: “I’m from Brazil. I feel great being on this band, having such great material to work with like Bryan Adams, Van Halen, Prince. I love playing those solos. I feel blessed of having this opportunity to work with Slickfoot.”

Nathaniel Roberts: “One of the main reasons that I wanted to join this band was the chemistry that I saw on stage and how they worked up a crowd and the sheer repertoire that they have on tap. Performing in this type of setting is truly unique, and getting to see the looks on people’s faces when you pull out a violin in front of ‘em, it’s just second to none. I love doing it.”

Steve Woodall: “I formed this band in 2008. In its original state, it was more of a deep Southern rock and blues type band. We’ve morphed into a dance band. We’ve got fiddles, we’ve got horns, and you’ll hear anything from Charlie Daniels to REO Speedwagon to KC and the Sunshine Band.

These guys are great to work with. We all have a ball doing this. It’s just our passion.”

FANNIN: Then and Now English poet Thomas Hardy once wrote, “Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.” A lot has changed in Fannin County since Mom nestled Brownie in that goose feather pillow.

“Are we almost there, Carl? How much farther is it?” Nona Cobb Crawford, eight months pregnant with her first child, might have asked. Their mule-drawn wagon lumbered along a muddy mountain path from Culberson, N.C. The young couple’s destination: Sugar Creek, Ga., in Fannin County.

Time marched on.

Twenty years ago Gene Crawford, the seventh of Carl and Nona’s nine children, recorded a conversation he had with our then 93-year-old mother. Mom’s talk was sincere, concise and matter of fact. Her dreams as a young woman and happenings from days-of-old were discussed. She spoke fondly about her first child, Brownie. But Gene’s recorded dialog revealed harsh realities were part of yesteryear Fannin County. Transplants to Fannin and natives alike could never imagine the county’s grim and toilsome past.

It was early 1930 when Mom and Dad made their move.

They were typical mountain farm folks—poor and plenty proud of their callused hands. Their total assets were a wagon load of corn, a fattening hog, second-hand Sears & Roebuck furniture, and a Guernsey milk cow, also pregnant. The mule and wagon were borrowed from Carl’s dad.

Recently wed, what they wanted most was independence. They left her parents’ working farm and moved to his parents’ abandoned farm. Dad’s parents had stopped farming and relocated to McCaysville, Ga., near the Tennessee line. My grandfather carpentered for the Tennessee Copper Company.

Times were lean.

The Great Depression brought endless personal hardships. Some went hungry. But Mom and Dad would prevail. Dad had a strong back and a sharp mind and was determined to make a better life for his wife and nine children they would raise. He would work two jobs: restore the old Sugar Creek Crawford Farm, making 10 cents an hour, and also pull duty as a train brakeman with a railroad company, making $1.96 per day.

Our mother Nona worked even harder. On the birth day of her first child she cooked breakfast, dinner and supper on a woodstove, fed and milked the cow, led the cow to creek-side grass, caught two geese,

By JOE COBB CRAWFORD

40

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” - Albert Einstein

plucked their feathers, hand-sewed a goose feather pillow on which she placed Brownie the night of his birth. On that cold winter’s night, Dr. Thomas Jogarthy Hicks made a house call to deliver Brownie. Nearly 20 years later, Dr. Hicks made another house call. On the Crawford Dairy Farm he delivered their ninth child, me.

The dairy farm was located between Epworth and McCaysville. Land bordering Fightingtown Creek was cleared by all family members. Hay, silage and corn fields were cultivated. One hundred milk cows came to depend on the family for food, water and shelter. Working seven days a week, every child developed a keen sense of responsibility and a sound mountain work ethic.

Leisure time was limited. A trip to town, except to deliver bottled milk before sunup, was a rare occasion.

Time marched on.

Each tough-loved kid thrived and later moved from the farm. Like Mom and Dad, we struck out to make lives of our own.

Mom’s first born, Brownie, and his younger brother, Jack, were first to go.

They formed a poultry company that flourished. Many found a job with their fledgling business during the 1950s and ’60s. But mountain times and its economy changed by the early ‘70s. My two brothers and their families moved far from Fannin—to Water Valley, Miss. My brothers are both buried there. A city park bearing their name recognizes the positive change they brought to their new hometown.

English poet Thomas Hardy once wrote, “Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.” A lot has changed in Fannin County since Mom nestled Brownie in that goose feather pillow.

Ninety years later, the economy, mountain culture, and the lifestyle of Fannin folks are all different. Affluence and modern-day amenities abound. On paved parkways they cruise to shop and dine in this once hardscrabble county. In the year 2020, I wonder if Mom would be surprised by the change.

FRIED CHICKEN MASSACRE

His screaming was heard as I gently closed the car door. In the dark I slinked toward his house. Shocked by Larry’s embittered tone, second thoughts registered in my head. Was this really a good idea … Should I go back to my car and drive away? Maybe I could telephone him, lie to him, tell him something came up and I’ve been called away.

He’d invited me over for dinner that evening. I’d said I’d be there and was actually looking forward to chatting with him; maybe share what was going on with our latest writings and commiserate about the 200-year-old collapsing book business.

Larry was an adept writer, a quiet professional type who spoke little.

But I knew hardly anything about his life outside of work. He’d mentioned that he’d been married almost his entire life. The children were grown and had flown the nest. Now his 93-year-old mother-in-law lived with them. “I think she may have dementia,” he’d once glibly said.

Slipping past the hedges along the walkway, a lurid wall shadow stalked. I could hear muffled mumbling: “Wha…wha…wha. Wha…wha.” Then it was Larry again at a denouncing 103 decibels: “Where have you been with them?”

He bellowed louder, “You hid them, didn’t you? You’ve got to tell me where you hid them!”

SEE FRIED CHICKEN MASSACRE, PAGE 46

By JOE COBB CRAWFORD

We were having a thunderstorm one night in the late ‘70s. It had gotten pretty bad when I got a call from the sheriff about midnight. He said, “Buddy, I don’t want you to do anything about it now, but I do want you to check into something tomorrow and see what you can find.”

He’d received a call from a man and woman who lived in a trailer between Resaca and Nickelsville. The man was lying on the couch taking a nap before he had to get to work on his midnight shift. He’d fallen asleep watching his television that was located under the window across the room.

He said he was awakened by a noise—a noise like he’d never heard before—and all of a sudden it went over the trailer and shook the trailer. Then he could see the object: Fire was coming out from the bottom of it as it traveled about 100, maybe 200, feet out in front of his house and set itself down on the ground.

It sat there just a few seconds and then zoom! It took off again and went straight back over his house.

The sheriff wanted me to go out there and check into it.

So I did.

I went over to the office and got my Geiger counter—my radiation detector. And I took one of my volunteers who had just gotten out of the

A UFO LANDS IN GORDON COUNTY

By BUDDY AUTRY

"Dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn't teach me everything he knows.” - Al Unser

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Air Force, Al Long. I was thinking, OK, if there were anything in the air that was ours, he would know about it.

So we headed out there and went straight to the spot where it had landed. There was a circle on the ground—about 30 feet across—just a perfect circle. And there were two or three piles of fresh pine limbs laying out there.

You can cut a pine limb off a tree, and it takes a mighty hot fire to get that green sap in there to burn. The parts that were inside the circle were decimated. There were also three triangular indentions in the ground, each about 18 inches across, that looked to be three or four inches deep.

I took a radiation reading where I was standing: It was .5. I stepped inside the circle and it went up to 54. I walked around each burnt pile where the limbs were and got a 54 reading on each one of them; even in the spots where something had sat down I got a 54. Something— something very big—had left indentions there in the circle and left radiation to boot.

I didn’t have any idea what it was. We checked with the Space Center over in Huntsville. They assured us they did not have any of their vehicles or manpower up: They don’t want them to get damaged in a storm, so they don’t put them up in that type of weather.

Since that time, there have been many similar Unidentified Flying Objects sighted all over the world.

I still don’t know what it was. I know where it was and what it left.

Other than that, I have no earthly idea....

Now enjoying his retirement, Buddy Autry was Civil Defense director in Gordon County in the 1970s.

A SPECIAL REWARD!

People often ask me what I mean when I say the good Lord takes care of country boys. I’ll give you some examples of what happened to me while in Vietnam.

When I got to Nam, I learned a new helicopter pilot was called a Peter Pilot. He was assigned to a seasoned crew until he became an expert and lost the title. Luckily, I was assigned to the best crew that C Company 229th Aviation Company had. I flew with them from July until the middle of September.

Then the Battalion Commander chose me to become the Maintenance Officer of the weakest Company in his Battalion, B Company 229th.

I was worried. In fact, I didn’t sleep for the first couple of days I was there. When I finally fell asleep, the clock woke me at 0400 and I felt better than I’d felt in months.

I got dressed for my usual routine of meeting the Maintenance

Sergeant to watch the pilots preflight their aircraft for missions. I noticed he looked horrible, and when I questioned him, he told me we’d had a mortar and rocket attack at midnight that lasted more than an hour. I was astonished – I hadn’t heard a thing. I guess country boys need a little noise to sleep.

Having grown up on a 100-acre farm, my Daddy taught me when you see something that needs fixing, you just fixed it, right then. I applied that to B Company’s maintenance program. The problem in B Company was they didn’t have but one flyable bird (helicopter).

When I assembled them and pointed out they hadn’t been able to supply a single support mission to the soldiers in the field in more than four months, they immediately recognized that wasn’t acceptable, and they became unstoppable.

Within two weeks, B Company 229th was fixed and flying support

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” -Thomas Edison

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missions. They managed to take it from one flyable bird to having 16 aircraft mission ready in a one-month period. The majority of these extraordinary men were under 21 years of age.

The third week at Quan Loi I was walking the list of our available aircraft to the Operations Officer so he could assign the next day’s missions and he mentioned C Company had a midair collision a couple of days before.

When he gave me the names, I recognized three of them were my old crew. In fact, a Captain Sullivan had replaced me on their flight. That’s a major example of how I’ve been blessed.

In the middle of October, B Company relocated from Quan Loi to Bear Cat Base and was able to fly all 18 of their helicopters to the new location. This amazing feat didn’t go unnoticed by the powers to be.

When the Brigade Commander was briefed on what those soldiers had done, he and the Battalion Commander flew to our Bear Cat maintenance area and awarded each and every one of my mechanics an Army Accommodation Medal for meritorious services. Seeing the smiles on their faces as the Colonel pinned medals on their chests gave me the warmest feeling in my heart.

In the military, about everyone has a nickname. Our Operations Officer’s was Dancing Bear. I was giving my normal list to him when the Commander asked me to come into his office.

He confirmed I was a Southerner and from Blue Ridge, Ga., and then he explained one of our Southern Congressmen had arranged for some of our soldiers to fly home for Christmas and that I had been selected for that honor.

I thanked him and went back to work. It wasn’t until years later that I learned I’d been selected because of the hard work of my maintenance section. In the 1st Cav at that time, aviation companies were averaging 85 hours per bird per month. B Company was averaging 135 hours per bird per month.

They had set the example for the rest of the battalion and made B Company the star of all the other companies.

Because of their hard work and dedication, I was able to spend that Christmas in North Georgia with my family. It was a joyful flight from Vietnam to Travis Air Force Base in California. When we moved up to the gate, the pilot instructed us to remain in our seats. We all got quiet, fearful we were headed back to Nam. Then a voice came over the intercom saying, “Pardon me soldiers, I asked the pilot to hold you on the plane so I could thank you personally.”

No one on the flight had any trouble recognizing the voice of Jimmy Stewart. He walked the aisle of the plane and autographed whatever we wanted him to sign. It was one of the most exciting and unexpected rewards I could have received.

If you know his history, he was a pilot in WWII and he knew the war was not a popular one and wanted us to know he supported us. The entire flight was paid for by that Congressman. I have no idea who he was and wish I could thank him for my special reward.

As many of you know, I tell my stories through my books. If you’re interested "Bear Cat" is the story of my time in Vietnam. I hope each of you remembers what a blessing it is to live in this beautiful area and thank God for taking care of us country boys.

FRIED CHICKEN MASSACRE Continued From Page 42 I heard more muffled mumbling.

He’d never struck me as the violent type.

Larry was a poet and a man of letters. But, I recalled an irony of the trade: Not all poets were like Mr. Rogers. Many had their demons.

Both Byron and Shelly and a host of others had been mad, bad, dangerous literary fellows. I now wondered—is Larry one, too?

Stalling at the front door and eavesdropping, I wrestled with whether to ring the doorbell.

Last thing I wanted was to walk in on a family spat. A police officer had once told me that responding to a domestic dispute was his most dangerous call. I couldn’t shake the feeling of imminent violence. But, my pride told me, you’re not a coward. If someone’s in harm’s way, you get yourself in there. My jittery finger rang the doorbell. Then I managed three sharp raps on the door.

Wiping her hands on an apron, Larry’s wife

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opened the door. Instantly I smelled fried chicken. She stood calmly in the doorway and greeted me with a smile and, “Hi. I’m Mary.

Please come in. We’ve been expecting you.” I did not enter.

Instead, I stared past her into the house.

There, in a well-lit living room, I saw a frazzledlooking Larry. He peered dubiously, but not perniciously, at a bespectacled white-haired

lady. She stood dazed and near tears. Her feeble hands held tightly to a slanted, wobbly walking cane.

Meekly she’d cut her eyes at Larry and appeared more addled and contrite than afraid.

Mary spun her head toward the background standoff I witnessed. She watched for what felt like two lifetimes. Then, eyebrows raised and half-smiling she cool and calmly faced me and explained, “It’s not what you think. Mom can’t hear well.

She’s misplaced her hearing aids again. Larry’s trying to help her find them. Please come on in. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions!” - Joey Adams

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