Big Canoe`s firefighters to participate in Fight for Air

Transcription

MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
Bald Eagle
sightings in
Big Canoe
1A
BY LAURA LINK
[email protected]
T
he eagle has landed and this time
the mighty bird has come to Big
Canoe and been seen on Lake
Petit’s island and on Petit Ridge
Drive.
Here is the eye witness account from
Cox Mountain residents and nature
enthusiasts Bert and Bunny Loftman:
For the past few weeks, a bald eagle has
been reported around Lake Petit. There
was also a spotting on Petit Ridge Drive. My wife, Bunny, and I began going to the
lake from time to time for about a week and
spotted the eagle on most occasions. We
usually went to the Marina where the eagle
would be spotted on the island or on the
points to the right of the island. We also
spotted the bird from the dam on the far
reaches of the lake.
n EAGLE | Page 11
PHOTO BY BERT AND BUNNY LOFTMAN
Smoke Signals
MARCH 2016 | News and views from Big Canoe and around North Georgia | VOL XXVIII NO. 3
Berg will
not seek
re-election
BY MEGAN JACQUES
[email protected]
D
awson County Commission
Chairman Mike Berg has
announced he will not seek a
fourth term in 2016.
Berg has completed three terms as
chairman and 12 years on the planning
commission in Dawson County.
“Half of my life has been public
service, and I think it is time to spend
more time with my family,” Berg said.
Throughout his terms, Berg said
the most memorable moments for
him were the citizens electing him
to represent them for three terms
and the day he was elected President
of the State Association of County
Commissioners.
Berg first ran for office 13 years
ago and presented a vision and goals
he wanted to achieve. His vision was
that “Dawson would be a place where
you could work, play, enjoy the rural
tapestry and have urban benefits.”
His goals included planned growth,
balanced tax base, spend wisely, model
government and communication.
When asked what were some of his
greatest accomplishments as chairman,
Berg responded, “Probably not having
any county debt, especially during the
down turn in the economy. We have
very good financial stability.”
More of his greatest
accomplishments included not raising
n BERG | Page 4
The 2016 American Lung Assn. calendar features firefighters from the Greater Atlanta fire departments in various activities and
poses. The Big Canoe Fire Dept. was chosen for the month of August. L-R Lt. Chip Rice and Firefighter J.T. Thomas pose beside one of
the engines at Station 3 in the village.
Big Canoe’s firefighters to
participate in Fight for Air Climb
BY LAURA LINK
[email protected]
B
Dawson County Board of
Commissioner’s Chairman Mike Berg
ig Canoe’s firefighters are
again participating in the 10th
American Lung Association’s
Fight for Air Climb and this
year they are bringing their only female
member, Maggie Hosmer, to competition;
confident she can beat some of the men
in this vertical marathon race.
The event, held each year at the
51-story One Ninety One Peachtree
Tower, is a timed race to the top – 1,172
steps climbing with full gear. Firemen
from the Greater Atlanta area fire
departments begin their climb at 8:30 a.m.
April 16. Awards are given to individuals
and teams with the best times.
The competition is a unique challenge,
an adventure and accomplishment.
Big Canoe’s team captain, Lt. Chip
Rice, would like to have Big Canoe
residents support the firefighters from
this community. All donations to
support the American Lung Assn. are
tax deductible. This year Rice’s team
has set a goal to raise $1,400 which they
would like to surpass. Big Canoe fans
and supporters can donate to the team
or support individual climb members
with a donation to the lung association’s
Climb for Life. To support the Big Canoe
firefighters and make a donation search
under Fight for Air Climb - Atlanta, GA:
Big Canoe Fire Department - Fight For
Air Climb - American Lung Association.
Climbing for Big Canoe, in addition to
n FIREFIGHTERS | Page 4
Pickens County School Board
pursuing tax exemption for seniors
BY RAY BOWYER
P
ickens County and school board officials are pursuing the possibility of
a tax exemption for senior homeowners on their school or county taxes,
according to information obtained from the officials involved.
A meeting was held on February 15, involving county commission
chairperson Rob Jones, school board chairperson Mike Cowart, and state
representative Rick Jasperse. The conclusion of the meeting was that the subject
should be pursued by establishing a working group to analyze the subject, and
n TAX EXEMPTION | Page 4
News
Arts & Entertainment
Living
Sports & Outdoors
Ball Ground ‘foodie’ destination.............. 2, 3
Big Canoe Climate......................................4
Ten Years Ago..............................................4
Wellness Collaborative................................7
Med Center.................................................8
Drone regulations considered....................14
POA President’s Report..............................16
Ronald McDonald House...........................23
Crossword Puzzle......................................25
Books................................................. 28, 29
Letters To The Editor..................................30
Big Canoe Law School...............................31
Opinion.....................................................31
American Craft Council Show
features top craft artists • 4B
Talk Of The Table:
Umami equals yummy • 12C
Hiking Your Backyard:
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge • 27C
2 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Smoke Signals
News & Views From Big Canoe
A publication for Big Canoe and
surrounding communities.
PUBLISHED BY
Smoke Signals Community Services, Inc.
Board Of Directors
Carl Deane, Jim Braley, Gay Abbott,
Dudley DeVore, George Thurman,
David Howe, Barbara Schneider
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Carl Deane
[email protected]
706-579-1462
•
MANAGING EDITOR
Barbara Schneider
[email protected]
404-626-5385
•
NEWS SECTION
Megan Jacques
[email protected]
770-286-7369
•
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
•
LIVING SECTION
Anita Rosen
[email protected]
706-429-7775
•
SPORTS & OUTDOORS SECTION
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
Anita Rosen
[email protected]
706-429-7775
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Diane Smith
[email protected]
706-579-1233
•••
BOOKS EDITOR
Ken Reynolds
[email protected]
770-894-2664
REPORTING STAFF
Scott Armentrout, Ray Bowyer, Laura Link,
Megan Jacques, Bennett Whipple
COLUMNISTS
Kat Alikhan, Bob Anderson,
Wayne Crawford, Debbie Dickson,
Doris Dressler, Donna Dulfer, George Fox,
Dr. Ray Habermann, Cynthia Hendry,
Fran Holman, Judy Kaufman, Ann Pike,
Ken Reynolds, Jim Rice, Don Wells
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jim Francis, Paul Powers, Steve Papke,
Robert Smith, Jim Tanner
CONTRIBUTING CARTOONIST
Bob Glover
•••
PRINT & ONLINE ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Judy Harvey
[email protected]
678-925-8511
SALES REPRESENTATIVES
Sarah Mansfield
[email protected]
770-402-3839
•
Steve Melching
[email protected]
678-360-3712
•
PRINT & ONLINE
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
[email protected]
•••
CIRCULATION
Mike Zblewski
[email protected]
770-893-1594
SUBSCRIPTIONS
[email protected]
FIND US ON
FACEBOOK
Smoke Signals
Mailing Address:
11293 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143
Office: Brownstone Centre, Marble Hill, GA 30148
Office Phone: 770-893-1594
Email: [email protected]
Printed and mailed by the
Jasper, GA 30143
© Copyright 2009 Smoke Signals All editorial and
advertising material is the property of Smoke Signals and
may not be used in any other publication or media without
the express written consent of Smoke Signals.
Advertiser is solely responsible for the content of all
advertising published at their request or their agent and
shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the publisher
from any claim or lawsuit arising out of any advertisement.
The opinions expressed by our op-ed writers are
not necessarily endorsed by Smoke Signals Community
Services, Inc.
Chef Rosario’s Italian Kitchen cooks up real Italian food for take-out.
PHOTOS BY WAYNE TIDWELL
Ball Ground main street
becoming a ‘foodie’ destination
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
The traffic in Ball Ground seems to be
busier these days. Perhaps it is the result
of some unique restaurants that have
popped up on the main street of this small
town straddling Highway 372 in Cherokee
County.
The Burger Bus is the newest addition
to Main Street (officially Gilmer Ferry
Road). Open only two months, it’s
thriving, especially on the weekends as
more people learn about the novel venue
that serves burgers on demand in a 1948
Atlanta city bus that has been restored to
its original luster.
The bus, number 1386, had its last run
on September 27, 1963 after the Atlanta
Transit Company decided to phase out
electric trolleys and replace them with
diesel powered buses. Except for the
added tables, every effort has been made
to maintain as many original pieces of
#1386, according to the bus’ story on the
back of the restaurant’s menu.
Owner Dylan Brown (aka Burger
Doc) said his father, T.Y. Brown, saw
the rusted bus in a field near the Harris
Lumber Yard where it had sat for 50
years. The City of Ball Ground purchased
the Harris property and in 2015 the
Downtown Development Authority
agreed to sell the trolley to the Browns.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, the
Burger Bus was packed, with a line of
customers waiting patiently as their
burgers were made from scratch in the
kitchen that’s visible from the order
window inside the newly built structure
adjoining the bus.
The most ordered burger that day was
the “Fried Green Jacket,” consisting of a
burger patty, two fried green tomatoes,
pimento cheese and wasabi ranch at $6.55.
“We grind our meat fresh daily, mix
it with brisket and bacon,” Brown said.
“We use Black Angus beef grown locally
and make our own sauces. We try to get
everything locally.”
Beer and wine are served as well
as desserts made from Dylan and his
mother’s recipes.
There are 26 seats in the bus and two
patio tables outside that seat eight each.
Dylan said if the business goes well they
will expand the building and maybe down
the road add another bus.
More about Ball Ground Burger Bus
(678-454-2422) can be found on Facebook.
Frankfurt Doner and Meats
Frankfurt Doner and Meats has
become a destination butchery on Ball
Ground’s Main Street. Detleb Werner,
a master butcher trained in Germany,
founded the store five years ago and has
passed it on to his daughter Annette
Lucov and her husband Tim. People come
from all over to get their favorite German
style sausages and meats. The place gets
consistent five-star ratings on Yelp.
Doner (pronounced “durna”) is
a sandwich similar to a Greek gyro.
Franfurt Doner’s sandwich is made from
Black Angus beef that has been ground
with seasonings, baked and placed on
a vertical rotisserie behind the order
counter. The bread is a custom made nan
type bread that is extra thick so that a
pocket can be made to put the meat in.
It is popular with Doner customers as is
the smoked pork chops and an array of
sausages.
Spring starts the busiest time at
Frankfurt Doner.
“When people start using their grills
in the spring we get really busy,” Lucov
said. “You can hardly get in the door.”
More about Franfurt Doner and Meats
(678-454-0784) can be found on Facebook.
Authentic Louisiana food is served at Les Bon Temps including crawfish flown in from
Louisiana.
Italian Kitchen is four months old
Chef Rosario’s Italian Kitchen is only
four months old and is getting some good
reviews. It’s take-out only, serving Sicilian
style pizza, Paninis, subs, pasta entrees
and pollame (chicken) dishes in a hole-inthe-wall store much like what you would
find in New York City.
Owner Rosario Cammarata came to
the U.S. from Palermo, Italy when he was
10 years old. He has been cooking all of
his life. He owned an Italian restaurant in
New York City for 16 years then moved
to Ft. Lauderdale where he continued in
the restaurant business until he sold it
and moved to Ball Ground to be near his
kids who live in Canton and Cumming.
“Pizza was 20 cents a slice when I
started in the business,” Cammarata said.
Cammarata and his wife of 50 years,
Serafina, run the restaurant. Rosario
cooks everything, including all of the
Italian dishes, breads and desserts.
“I’m retired but wanted to work,”
Rosario said. “I applied for a restaurant
job. The owner showed me his menu and
I told him I did that when I was 12 years
old.”
He said he got no response from the
restaurant owner and that “made me
mad,” so he opened his own restaurant
n Continued on next page
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
3A
Second Front
“Owner Adam Kimball, a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, says he gets his bread from a New Orleans bakery
and has the crawfish flown in to Atlanta where they pick them up and bring directly to the restaurant.”
The Burger Bus is housed in a 1948 restored Atlanta city
bus.
(L to R) Co-owner Annette Lucov, Becky Clark and
Kristan Norris serving up sausages and doner sandwiches
at Frankfurt Doner and Meats.
Franfurt Doner is a destination butchery that draws from
all over the area.
A full Burger Bus on a Sunday afternoon.
n Continued from previous page
again. He says business is good and the
people are nice.
“The people are so good,” Rosario
said. “This has never happened to me. I
am so thankful to be here.”
More about Chef Rosario’s (770-7351853) can be found on Facebook.
Les Bon Temps
Les Bon Temps (pronounced “lay
bon tomp”) Louisiana Kitchen serves
real Cajun style food including French
Quarter pasta, gumbo, Jambalaya,
crawfish etouffee, shrimp and grits, red
beans and rice and more. Their Mardi
Gras menu included gator bites, frog legs
and BBQ shrimp.
Waitress Kayleigh Osbourn has been
with the restaurant since its opening
almost three years ago when it changed
ownership and its name from Tadpole to
Les Bon Temps.
The shrimp and grits is probably the
most popular dish according to Osbourn.
“It’s made from cheese grits with
blackened shrimp, a brown butter sauce,
and andouille sausage,” she said. “It is
definitely a dish everyone should try at
least once.”
She added that beignets are made
fresh at the restaurant.
Owner Adam Kimball, a Le Cordon
Bleu trained chef, says he gets his bread
from a New Orleans bakery and has the
crawfish flown in to Atlanta where they
pick them up and bring directly to the
restaurant. They are alive when they
come into the restaurant. He gets his
andouille, smoked sausage and boudin
next door at Frankfurt Doner. They crossmarket their establishments.
“The biggest compliment I get is
that the gumbo is spicy but not too hot,”
Kimball said. “Some restaurants serve
gumbo that is too hot.”
The restaurant can serve 50
customers inside with five tables on a
deck at the rear and offers take-out orders
and catering.
More about Les Bon Temps (678-4540073) can be found on Facebook.
Other businesses in Ball Ground
Other businesses in the historic
area include a general store, gift shop,
consignment antique store, and more.
“We are very excited about our
city and our Historic Downtown,” Ball
Ground’s Main Street Manager Karla
Weaver said. “Our downtown businesses
Chef Rosario cooks pasta, pizza, Panini, subs and sweet pastries in his kitchen.
are thriving. Two more buildings are
under renovation that will house three
more businesses by this time next
year (or sooner if construction goes
well). Each week we field calls and visit
with potential businesses looking for
space in our city.”
Incorporated in 1882, Ball Ground
is named for the location of a large
Cherokee Indian ball field used to play a
form of Lacrosse. According to a historic
marker on the main street, two and onehalf miles to the east, near the confluence
of Long-Swamp Creek and the Etowah
River, is the traditional site of Taliwa,
scene of the fiercest and most decisive
territorial battle in the long war of the
1740’s and 50’s between the Cherokee and
Creek Indians.
Historic Downtown Ball Ground was
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 2009.
Sausages are grilled on the main street sidewalk outside Franfurt Doner and Meats
every Saturday and Sunday starting at noon.
4 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
Berg
Tax exemption
n continued from page 1
the mileage rate in his years in office, his participation in bringing business growth to
Dawson for a balanced tax base, new government construction such as the government
building, 53 Annex and a jail addition, and a business approach to meetings and the
chairman’s office.
Though Berg’s reign came with many achievements, he faced tough battles
throughout his terms. “My biggest battle was keeping our tax base static during a
recession. We lost 36 percent of our tax base during a period of five years, but we still
kept all our essential services to citizens,” said Berg.
His greatest disappointment as commission chairman was the inability to protect
Dawson Forest for future generations.
“The grand scheme was and should be to connect Dawson Forest to the
Appalachian Trail and get the federal government to declare Dawson Forest a Federal
Park,” Berg said.
“I was able to get a conservation group to buy 400+ acres of connectable property
but there are still two small pieces missing and a lack of interest both from the last two
mayors of Atlanta and the Feds.”
“Under Berg’s leadership and vision we were able to build a much needed jail, and
Government Complex with splost dollars that will serve Dawson County for years to
come. I wish him the best as he enjoys his retirement,” said District 4 Commissioner
Julie Hughes-Nix, who began her first term as commissioner the same year as Berg’s
first term as Chairman in 2005.
Berg’s term will end Dec. 31, 2016, along with District 2 Commissioner James
Swafford and District 4 Commissioner Nix.
Swafford who began his first term in 2009 has announced he will not seek reelection, while Nix has decided to run for District 4 Commissioner again.
“Let me start by saying thank you and what a privilege it has been to serve you as
your District 4 Commissioner,” said Nix.
“After consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided to ask Dawson
Countians for your support in re-electing me to this position again.”
Firefighters
Lt. Rice and Hosmer, will be Greg Dunlap, J.T. Thomas, Mike Twiss, Thomas (Cory)
West and John Fitzgerald.
“My team will be one of hundreds competing to make it to the top of the One
Ninety One Peachtree Tower in this vertical marathon,” Rice said. “If you can’t climb
with me, please make a tax-deductible donation to my Fight for Air Climb team. Thank
you for your support.”
Ten years ago in
Smoke Signals
MARCH 2016
make a recommendation for further action. Cowart is preparing a letter to
the “Pickens County Progress”, which would spell out some of the actions
being considered. Both Cowart and Jones said the process would take a long
time.
According to Jones, the action has to start with the school board, not
with the county. He said the school system chief financial officer has begun
gathering information from other counties on what they have done in this
area, to form a base for considering what Pickens County might do.
According to Cowart, the working group has not been identified, but he
expects it to include the following: one or two board of education members,
Pickens County business leaders, a representative of the county government,
and Amy Smith, director of finance for the school board. He said there is
no firm time frame for naming the members of the working group, but he
expects it to happen by the end of this school year. He said he does not
oppose the idea, but before he could support it he would have to be assured
that there would be no negative impact on the school system.
Delane Lewis, vice-chairperson of the school board, provided additional
information. She said any senior exemption would have to be approved by
the Georgia legislature, which makes the role of Rick Jasperse key to making
any change. She said consideration of the subject is made complicated by the
role of the state in funding the schools, which varies year to year, and is not
known for the coming school year because the legislature hasn’t established
the state budget yet. Lewis, a resident of Big Canoe, is personally an
advocate for the change, because she is concerned about the ability of some
senior citizens to continue to live in the county with the burden of high taxes.
Jasperse said the issue is totally a school board issue. He said the school
board needs to set up the committee that has been discussed, and the
committee needs to study carefully the impact on the schools, including
looking at what other school districts in the region have done. Once the
committee completes its work, the board, county government, and he
[Jasperse] need to review it in preparation for submitting the subject to a
vote by citizens of the county. If all this is done, and the vote is favorable,
Jasperse would write a local bill to be submitted to the legislature for
approval. He declined to estimate how long such a process might take.
It was reported by the “Atlanta Journal Constitution” that the city of
Decatur is currently seeking homestead exemption for seniors with a fiveyear sunset provision. At press time, it wasn’t known whether the legislature
would act on the request this year.
• Big Canoe Company’s Bill Byrne shares plans to develop Potts
Mountain with Leadership Big Canoe.
• The amenity package vote squeaks by, but continuing controversy
results in POA President Bob Crouch calling for a Town Hall to air disparate
views.
• Bill Bates, veteran Alpharetta fire chief, joins the staff as Big Canoe’s
first public safety director
• Smoke Signals introduces a modernized masthead and design under the
new leadership of Executive Editor Chuck Gordon.
• Construction of a new cell phone tower in plans to substantially enhance
coverage, Dawson commissioner Bill Saling announces.
• Barbara Kelly’s Who’s New in Big Canoe features Phyllis & Harry
Charnley, former owner/operators of a Dahlonega bed & breakfast, The
Blueberry Inn & Gardens.
— Edited by Bennett Whipple
Bill Byrne
shares Potts
Mountain
plans
TEN YEARS AGO
MARCH 2016
Know
your
neighbor?
Mosquito Problems?
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
Monthly and Annual Contracts, One Time Special Events
Organic Options Available
Give us a call at 678-549-5487
I’M THERE
Licensed and Insured, Locally owned and operated
TM
Parish Lowrie, Agent
360 W. Church Street, Jasper, GA 30143
706-692-6920 • www.parishlowrie.com
24 Alicia Lane, Suite 1, Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-867-1442 • www.northgeorgiainsurance.org
Big Canoe Resident
Charming
Mountain Cabin!
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Retreat
Soaring Pine Ceilings
Sunroom, Stone Fireplace
2 Decks, Rocking Chair Porch
Mountain Views
P087075 11/08
StateFarm—Bloomington, IL
statefarm.com®
229 TEA BERRY LANE
$225,000 FMLS #5645493
Kay Born REALTOR®
Cell: 404-408-8077
Office: 770-475-1130 Ext. 9029
[email protected]
Nick Born
Cell: 404-964-5885
Office: 770-475-1130
Ext. 9956
[email protected]
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
N E W S
|
5A
m
Listing
and
Selling
the Best
of Big
Canoe
... has earned its reputation for
QUALITY LISTINGS & SUPERIOR SERVICE
m
Featured Listings ...
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
70 CRAFTSMAN TRAIL
5 BR, 4BA ~ $399,000
Turnkey Home Sold Fully Furnished!
FMLS #5645509
190 WILLOW DRIVE
4BR 4.5 BA ~ $369,900
Great Family Home w/Mountain View,
FMLS #5640735
101 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE
$399,000 ~ 3BR, 4BA
Fabulous Atlanta Skyline View
FMLS #5620295
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
52 NASHOBA TRAIL
4BR, 3.5 BA ~ $539,000
Privacy, View, Location
FMLS #5361892
51 INDIGO BUNTING TRAIL
5BR, 4.5 BA ~ $725,000
Unique and Extraordinary Updated Home with
Seasonal Lake Views, FMLS #5607134
203 WILD AZALEA CIRCLE
$239,000 ~ 3BR, 3BA + Sun Room & Loft
Year Around Mountain Views and Sounds of
Rushing Stream and Falls
First Time Offered ...
0028 Petit Ridge ~ $145,000
Spectacular 3.86 acre estate lot on highly desirable Petit Ridge with 180 degree views
Other Fine Home Listings ...
Atlanta Magazine
Mtn Dream Home
516 SKYLINE DRIVE
6 BR, 6 Full
2 Half BA’s ~ $2,995,000
FMLS #4247437
Fabulous Lakefront
& Fully Furnished
126 CANADA GEESE
6BR, 5.5 BA
$1,150,000
FMLS #5153425
Spectacular Views,
Top of Line Finishes,
Perfect Location
1010 COX
MOUNTAIN DRIVE
5BR, 5 Full BA,
3 Half Baths ~
$1,995,000
FMLS #5337538
Lake, Golf Views
& Fully Furnished
340 WILLOW DRIVE
6BR, 5BA ~ $829,000
FMLS #5153258
Fabulous Home
w/ Lake View
448 BUCKSKULL
RIDGE
5BR, 5 Full,
2 Half Baths
$1,350,000
FMLS #5116816
Dramatic Architecture/
Quality Construction
549 PETIT RIDGE
5 BR, 4 BA, 2 Half Baths
$1,275,000
FMLS #5522066
Timberframe
Masterpiece
w/BIG Views!
654 RIDGEVIEW
DRIVE
5BR, 5Full-2Half BA’s
$1,195,000
REDUCED NEW PRICE
FMLS #5594723
Magnificant North
View to Amicalola
154 WILD TURKEY
BLUFF
4BR, 4.5 BA
$799,000
FMLS #5029231
Like New with One
of Big Canoe’s
Finest Interior Views
930 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE
4BR, 3.5 BA
$549,900
FMLS #5355642
Beautifully maintained
with great Northern View
808 WILD
TURKEY BLUFF
3BR, 2.5 BA
$415,000
FMLS #5290782
Best Value on Cox Mtn
100 COX
MOUNTAIN LANE
4 BR, 3.5 BA ~ $549,000
FMLS #5556255
NEW PRICE
DBL Lot, Big Views
& Mostly Furnished
511 HICKORY TRAIL
4BR, 3.5 BA ~ $399,000
FMLS #5530783
D
SOL
Like New with
Beautiful View
1316 VALLEY
VIEW DRIVE
4BR 4.5 BA ~ $499,000
FMLS #5275556
Sq Footage/Big View
1976 RIDGEVIEW
DRIVE 4BR, 3.5 BA ~
$399,000
FMLS #5161797
Ultimate
Mountain Retreat
210 DOGWOOD LANE
3BR, 3BA
$259,000
FMLS #5313655
D
SOL
Updated Artist’s Retreat
1263 QUAIL COVE DR.
3 BR, 3BA ~ $250,000
FMLS #5614962
Hearthstone Log Home
w/ 2 car garage
122 WILLOW DRIVE
3BR, 2.5BA
$249,000
FMLS #5315280
D
SOL
Updated Cabin
w/Private Setting
196 CRAZY
BEAR RIDGE
2BR, 2BA
$174,500
FMLS #5191005
D
SOL
Pristine Mtn
Cottage w/View
1150 QUAIL
COVE DR.
3BR, 2BA
$239,000
FMLS #5599559
Totally updated Lake
Front Home on
fabulous Point Lot
190 SWALLOW POINT
5 BR, 3.5 BA ~ $729,000
FMLS #5606270
Custom Plan w/views to
Amicalola Falls
711 WILDCAT DRIVE
5BR, 4.5 BA
$479,000
FMLS #5526344
Beautifully updated/
Lovely Setting
211 FALLEN DEER
PATH
4BR, 3.5 BA ~ $319,000
FMLS #5395483
Custom Home
w/Beautiful View
179 SUMMIT DRIVE
4 BR, 3.5 BA
$649,000
FMLS #5511311
Soft Contemporary
w/View
56 HUCKLEBERRY
TRAIL
3BR, 3.5BA ~ $450,000
FMLS #5527919
Golf Course & Mtn View
183 CHESTNUT
KNOLL
4 BR, 3.5BA
$299,000
FMLS #5289187
Charming,
Immaculate w/Stream
62 CARDINAL COVE
3BR, 3 BA
$190,000
FMLS #5527336
Golf Course
and Mountain Views
720 WEDGEWOOD
DRIVE
5BR, 4.5BA ~ $589,000
FMLS #5518844
Location, Style, Value
54 INDIGO
BUNTING TRAIL
3 BR, 3 BA
$419,900
FMLS #5547330
NEW PRICE
Rustic Charmer
121 BUCKSKULL
HOLLOW
3BR 2.5 BA
$189,000
FMLS #5250647
180 degree view
and waterfall!
820 WAKE ROBIN
DRIVE ~ 3BR, 3BA
$270,000
FMLS #5220435
Great Family
Neighborhood off 400
19 HIGHLAND
POINTE
CIRCLE WEST
3BR, 2.5 BA
$179,900
FMLS #5584420
NEW PRICE
Fully Furnished/
Great Cabin/Great Value
602 BELLFLOWER
DRIVE
3BR, 2BA
$159,900
FMLS #5522160
D
SOL
Fabulous Lake Petit
and Atlanta
Skyline View
PREMIUM
HOMESITE
413 FALCON HEIGHTS
for only $125,000
Best Deal in
Big Canoe
414 SCONTI
RIDGE
3BR, 2BA Condo
$115,000
FMLS #5011008
Call about our Beautiful Homesites starting at only $12,500
LEADING EDGE AND PRESIDENT’S
CIRCLE AWARD RECIPIENT
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
LIFETIME MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
#1 LISTING AGENT IN BIG CANOE
Cell: (770) 856-9725
Big Canoe: (706) 579-2675
Berkshire Hathaway Home
Services Georgia Properties
Jack Camprini
(678) 513-2023
BIG CANOE RESIDENT
925 Sanders Road, Cumming, GA 30041
2014 400 North
Board of Realtors
Accredited Buyer’s Representative and Circle of Excellence
Certified Fine Home Specialist
Please visit my
NO REGISTRATION
WEBSITE for ALL Big Canoe
listings & community info.
www.CampriniandCompany.com
WHY LIST WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY
HOME SERVICES GEORGIA REALTY?
✔ #1 Broker on Google
✔ #1 in Transactions, Listing Sales, & Agent Productivity for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014!
✔ Our Listings placed on MORE WEBSITES than ANY OTHER COMPANY
EXPOSURE IS EVERYTHING! Make the “RIGHT CHOICE!”
✔ Free Home Warranty for our Listings
Information provided is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
6 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
“By December 2015, the Ellijay MOPH chapter had its charter,
19 members and Mike Pilvinsky as Commander.”
Military Order of the Purple Heart
launches new chapter in Ellijay
BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER
[email protected]
At a ceremony to honor Vietnam
veterans last year, Mike Pilvinsky, US
Army (ret.) sat on the stage beside Navy
veteran John Hannah and USMC veteran
Bill Glick. Each man wore the uniform
of his branch of service. Later, as they
ate lunch together Pilvinsky noticed each
wore the Purple Heart.
Pilvinsky had been a member of
the Military Order of the Purple Heart
(MOPH) for more than 15 years but
had moved to Ellijay and missed his
Zephyrhills, Fla. chapter.
Chartered by Congress in 1958, The
Military Order of the Purple Heart is
composed of military men and women
who were awarded the Purple Heart
Medal for wounds suffered in combat,
according to the purpleheart.org website.
When Pilvinsky asked Hannah and
Click if they were members of MOPH,
they said no but both added they would
join if there was a local chapter. It didn’t
take long for Pilvinsky to become a
MOPH designated organizer for a new
chapter. By December 2015, the Ellijaybased North Georgia MOPH chapter had
its charter with 19 members and Mike
Pilvinsky as commander.
“Although we have not yet formalized
our specific goals, projects, and
objectives, we all agree that we will focus
on two things: Our first priority is helping
veterans. Second, we will not be tied to
the Ellijay area, but hope to hold meetings
GEM SCREENS
All year round enjoyment with ...
EZE-BREEZE Enclosure Systems
®
• Keep pollen off your porch • Let in cool breezes
• Keep out bad weather • Keep out insects and debris
• Block sun and increase privacy
Specializing in Big Canoe
and surrounding areas!
and activities in various communities
where our members live throughout
North Georgia,” said Pilvinsky.
Ellijay chapter welcomes members
The North Georgia Chapter 826 of the
Military Order of the Purple Heart invites
all North Georgia veterans who were
awarded the Purple Heart to learn more
about its organization. The 19-member
Ellijay chapter meets the third Thursday
of every month at 7 p.m. at American
Legion Post 82 at 297 Legion Road in
Ellijay.
“I read articles about the North
Georgia Veterans in the Smoke
Signals and was impressed with their
membership and programs,” he said.
Pilvinsky encourages members of the
North Georgia Veterans to learn about
MOPH and welcomes those who have
been awarded the Purple Heart to attend
meetings and become members.
“We are still recruiting members
and associate members and we are still
getting organized,” he said. “Joining us
now is a perfect opportunity to be able to
influence this great organization from the
ground floor.”
He is particularly proud that about
one-fourth of the North Georgia MOPH
chapter members are Desert Storm, Iraq
and Afghanistan veterans. “We also have
one Army active duty officer on our rolls.
Although our membership is restricted to
the combat wounded, MOPH supports all
veterans and their families with a myriad
of nation-wide programs by chapters and
National Service Officers, he said. For
information about MOPH and the Ellijay
chapter, call Pilvinsky at 706-889-5254 or
email to [email protected]
More about MOPH
Membership is based on the award
of the Purple Heart Medal for wounds
received as a result of hostile action by
an enemy force. The Purple Heart, the
oldest United States military decoration
still awarded, is for those wounded or
killed, while serving, on or after April 5,
1917, with the U.S. military. The Purple
Heart has its roots in the Revolutionary
War and the Badge of Military Merit, a
heart-shaped military decoration made
of purple cloth that President George
Washington first awarded. (Read the
history of the Purple Heart at http://
purpleheart.org/HistoryMedal1.aspx )
MOPH only offers life memberships
for a one-time fee of $50.00. Proof of
membership is a properly annotated
DD Form 214 or 215. Since associate
members may not have the military
records of their ancestors, other evidence
may be submitted as proof of the award.
Descendants and parents of Purple
Heart recipients may become associate
members. The Ellijay chapter is currently
an associate member. There is also a
Ladies MOPH (LMOPH), although the
Ellijay chapter is not complemented by a
LMOPH yet.
A Pro Working on
Your High Points!
WINDOW CLEANING
35 YEARS EXPERIENCE • 21 YEARS IN BIG CANOE
Residential • Commercial • Hi-Rise
Rappeling Work • Pressure Washing Deck Restoration
Any High Work • Painting Interior & Exterior
Rotted Wood Repair • Gutter Cleaning
MOUNTAIN
NORTH
SERVICES
Bruce Johnson, Owner
Now offering roller shades large selection and installation
GEM SCREENS
MAKING YOUR LIFE A LITTLE BREEZIER!
(770) 479-5299 • [email protected]
141 Railroad St., Suite 109, Canton, GA 30114
www.GemScreens.com
Jim, Joe and Ben Malik ... Enclosing beautiful porches and patios in Northwest GA
and surrounding areas for over 20 years. We welcome working with homeowners,
New Construction, Remodelers and Builders
404-572-8632 • 678-316-0587
Eric S. Pryor, DMD
F A M I LY D E N T I S T R Y
New Patients Always Welcome!
127 South Main St., Jasper, GA 30143
706-253-3567
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
7A
Wellness Collaborative sets 2016 goals
BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER
[email protected]
Big Canoe’s Wellness Collaborative
greeted 2016 with an ambitious list of goals
and plans to expand its current offerings
announced at its regular board meeting at
the Canoe Lodge on Feb. 18.
The Wellness Collaborative launched its
first three programs in Nov. 2015 and had
received 21 client requests for service by
the end of January, most including multiple
requests for meals and rides. By February
2016, the Collaborative had more than 200
volunteers—including 32 for BC Info, 35 for
BC Meals and 33 for BC Rides who have
been trained and certified—to implement
its programs.
“But, we can’t help people we don’t
know about,” said Rhonda Stock, Wellness
Collaborative president. “We continue
to urge residents to contact us by calling
706-268-3334 or sending an email to info@
bcwell.org if they or someone they know
are in need.” The phone, located in the
Fitness Center, will be answered by a
designated Fitness Center employee who
will take a confidential message and deliver
it to the Wellness Collaborative volunteer.
The initial programs—providing nonemergency assistance on a temporary
basis to aid homebound residents—are
BC Info, a comprehensive directory of
services and resources, including medical
and support service providers; BC Meals,
delivery of one main meal a day for two
weeks for homebound residents recovering
from surgery or an illness; and BC Rides,
transportation for homebound residents to
medical appointments and other treatments
within 60 miles of Big Canoe.
Volunteer Forum on Feb. 27
The Wellness Collaborative will host
its first quarterly Volunteer Forum in the
Mountains Grille room at the Clubhouse
from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb.
27. The program includes an overview of
the new BC Visits program (to provide
companion services to shut-ins or respite to
caregivers), discussions of the experiences
of volunteers who have delivered services
and an open session for questions or ideas.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the
Collaborative should email [email protected]
or call 706-268-3334.
2016 goals announced
Board and Steering Committee members
Shiraz Alikhan and Ken Nichols will
look at ways to expand the Community
Support Meals and Rides programs as well
as ensuring information in the Services
directory is regularly updated. They will
also work with the Steering Committee to
insure the successful implementation of BC
Visits.
Jim Braley and Lamar Helms will
manage implementation of the Healthy
Living Series, a project being developed by
a current LBC project team. Ideas under
consideration by the team include a lecture
series, classes and exercise programs to be
adopted by the Fitness Center, and healthy
diet support at the Clubhouse.
Via a newly expanded sub-committee,
Fitness staff members Margaret Smith (left) and Tina Moran handle an incoming call
on the Wellness Collaborative hotline. “We continue to urge residents to contact us by
calling 706-268-3334 or sending an email to [email protected] if they or someone they
know are in need,” said Rhonda Stock, president of the Wellness Collaborative board.
The phone, located in the Fitness Center, will be answered by a designated Fitness
Center employee who will take a confidential message and deliver it to the Wellness
Collaborative volunteer.
Ken Nichols and Jim Braley will continue
to explore options for a multi-generational
activity center, including both near and
long term solutions, as well as investigating
onsite/near-site medical support options.
For information about the Wellness
Collaborative’s volunteer opportunities and
resident services, go to www.bcwell.org.
Residents, who may need assistance
from the Wellness Collaborative, should
send an email to [email protected] or call
706-268-3334 to connect with a Wellness
Collaborative volunteer to discuss specific
needs and services.
Former Georgia Governor Barnes
presents at Learning Academy
Learning Academy presentation on Constitutional Law led
by Big Canoe resident Lee Raudonis and his guest, former
Georgia Governor Roy Barnes on on Feb. 8 at Pickens County Middle School. Gov. Barnes talked about the powers that
a governor has as well as the limitations on those powers. He
also addressed his administration’s emphasis on education,
the debate over changing the Georgia flag, and, in response
to a student’s question, how the attacks on 9/11/2001 affected
him and the state. The Learning Academy is part of the Pickens County Youth Enrichment Program begun by Big Canoe
resident Richard Hauenstein. The Learning Academy, now
in its 22nd year is providing advanced special sessions by
dedicated community volunteers for gifted students in Pickens County at the request of the principals of both middle
schools.
NOW OPEN
SERVICES PROVIDED
BY ELITE PRIMARY
CARE ARE ...
• Physicals
• Drug Screening
• Flu Shots
• Weight loss
programs
• Rx refills
• Immunizations
Most Insurance
plans accepted
Call for an
Appointment today
(470) 695-7264
(470) 695-7264
1230 Bald Ridge
Marina Rd., Suite 550
Cumming, Ga 30041
(Across from Costco!)
(Next to North Georgia
Vein Institute, Suite 500)
www.elite-primarycare.com
8 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
SMOKE SIGNALS
For the convenience of our readers, this month’s medical
advertisers are listed in a directory format.
For more information see their complete ads on the pages
indicated or get in touch with them
using the contact information below.
AUDIOLOGY
n Johns Creek Audiology & Hearing Aid Center
770-814-1260 • johnscreekaudiology.com
4045 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite B, Johns Creek • Ad Page 8B
n North Georgia Audiology & Hearing Aid Center
770-726-8948 • northgeorgiahearing.com
203 Woodpark Place, Suite B-100, Woodstock • Ad Page 8B
DENTAL
n Dawsonville Distinctive Dentistry • 706-265-2505
754 Highway 53 West, Dawsonville, GA 30534 • Ad Page 9B
n Eric S. Pryor, DMD • 706-253-3567
127 S. Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143 • Ad Page 6A
n Foothills Dental Associates • 770-893-2340 foothillsdentalassociates.com, 25 Foothills Parkway, Suite 101,
Marble Hill, GA 30148 • Ad Page 19C
Dream it. Do it.
Winter weather can’t beach The Spirit! Set sail for adventure on Thursday, March
17 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Mountains Grille. Imagine racing across the Atlantic,
competing against a fleet of sleek sailing yachts as you track the trade winds and
head for the Caribbean. “We all have our dreams but most end up as just dreams,”
says Dick Hammill, who at age 70, made his dream come true. Dick and sailing
buddy David Howe invite you to experience the adventure—from building the yacht
to crossing the finish line in St. Lucia. Join them for a spirited hour or so—experience
the transatlantic adventure. Enjoy an inside look at racing across the Atlantic in
a 58-foot sailing yacht through a fast-paced multimedia presentation peppered
with personal reflections. Choose your favorite “grog” at the Sconti cash bar. Those
attending are eligible to win a wine and cheese gift basket, half-day gift certificate
for the Marina, a wine duo and Spirit caps. No reservations required. If you can
Dream it, you can Do it. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DICK HAMMILL
HOSPITAL
n Piedmont Mountainside Hospital
706-692-2441 • piedmontmountainsidehospital.org
1266 Highway 515 South, Jasper, GA 30143 • Ad Page 14A
n Northside Hospital Cherokee, northside.com • Ad Page 14B
MEDICAL – SPECIALTY SERVICES
n Anderson Family Medicine
706-265-1335 • andersonfamilymedicine.com
81 Northside Dawson Drive, Suite 205,
Dawsonville, GA 30534 • Ad Page 9C
n Elite Primary Care • 470-695-7264
1230 Bald Ridge Marina Rd., Suite 550, Cumming, GA 30041
www.elite-primarycare.com • Ad Page 7A
n Northside Cherokee Orthopedic & Sports Medicine
770-517-6636 • northsidecherokeeortho.com, 900 Towne Lake Parkway, Suite 320, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Ad Page 28C
n Northeast Georgia Physicians Group
108 Prominence Court, Dawsonville, GA 30534 706-344-6952 • nghs.com/400 • Ad Page 17A
n Ellijay Women’s Specialists
(706) 698-6400 • EllijayWomensSpecialists.com
433 Highland Parkway,
Suite 203 East Ellijay, GA 30540 • Ad Page 20C
EXPERIENCE
... your place in the mountains
131 WATERFORD WAY
$447,750
4BR, 4BA - Beautiful home in
prestigious Waterford neighborhood.
Great curb appeal with extensive
landscaping on a 1.88 acre private,
protected lot that has over 600 ft. of
street frontage. One year
homeowner’s warranty included.
385 McELROY MOUNTAIN DRIVE
$579,000
4BR, 3.5BA - awesome view of Lake
Petit and mountain beyond! Most
all rooms look out to view. Central
location convenient to north gate.
Wonderful finishes throughout.
HOMESITES
3008 Wild Turkey Bluff • $149,000
Lot with great potential views
available for discerning buyer. Meet
with agent to discuss possibilities.
5550 Black Bear Trail • $165,000
Great easy build lot in High Gap
area of Big Canoe. Nice view looking
north. Million dollar home in
neighborhood.
861 SUMMIT DRIVE
$769,000
3BR, 3.5BA - Spacious Craftsman
style home on Big Canoe’s signature
hole Cherokee #2. Spectacular long
range mountain and golf course
views. Large vaulted great room
with beams and floor to ceiling
stack stone fireplace. Sun room
adjoins kitchen with stainless
steel appliances. Beautiful master
suite. Terrace level is designed for
entertaining. Desirable Audubon
Ridge neighborhood.
1524 QUAIL COVE DRIVE
$295,000
3BR, 2.5 BA - Like new Craftsman
style beauty! Open floor plan, large
kitchen with granite counter tops.
Inviting master suite. Terrace level
includes family room, two guest
bedrooms and full bath, lots of
storage space, and walk out to
patio. Very private setting with
long driveway to the house. Most
furnishings available on separate bill
of sale.
Donna M. Torres, Mortgage Banker
NMLS # 1204791
[email protected]
www.donnatorres-renasant.com
C: 678.895.7599 O: 678.454.2559
Don Naughtin
Custom Woodwork, Inc.
678-640-3414
[email protected]
Specializing in premium
custom cabinetry and
furniture for over 20 years
in Big Canoe
Carolyn Littell
2
706-268-2354 • 404-630-4185 cell
I am a 15-year resident of Big Canoe® and
passionate about this place that I call home.
Residential &
Commercial
Select furniture
repair and
refinishing
Call now for your
free consultation
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
9A
The luxury of
choice for 2016.
Experience Canoe Life™ firsthand in your Big Canoe neighborhood…
®
Surrounded by the golf course, this is an
active, community-oriented neighborhood
with intimate parks. Navigable by cobble
stone walks and nature trails, many of
Big Canoe’s resort-style amenities are just
minutes away. These mountain homes
inspired by styles from the early 1900s,
are priced from the low $400s.
Nearly half of this 700-acre neighborhood
has been set aside for usable greenspace,
including 12 miles of walking paths and
trails. Homes here share spectacular views
of the neighboring mountains, wildflower
meadows, and lush forests,
and are priced from the $450s.
A “Southern Living Cottage Neighborhood,”
Twin Creeks features just 14 homes, a
pavilion, and a hiking trail that connects to
the Meditation Park trail system. This great
location offers a selection of golf, mountain,
or creek views. These charming cottages
start from the low $300s.
The Bluffs
At Ridgeview
At Ridgeview: With an elevation of 2,200 feet,
this neighborhood boasts gorgeous long
range views, including the Atlanta skyline!
Realistic architecture captures the historic
look of Adirondack and Appalachian styles.
Heavily wooded, 1.5-acre home sites start
in the low $100s. Stunning mountain homes
begin in the low $500s.
High Gap has some of the most beautiful
northern views in Big Canoe. The home sites,
ranging from 1 to 3 acres, feature peaceful
settings and offer plenty of privacy. High
Gap overlooks the Amicalola National Forest
with breathtaking views of Amicalola Falls.
Beautiful homes here
start from the upper $500s.
For more information contact Big Canoe Realty
770-893-2733 or 866-244-2266 • www.bigcanoe.com
Connect with Big Canoe Community on these networks:
10 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
The birds of Big Canoe don winter coats to ward off the cold
From left, pine siskin, goldfinch, pine warbler, junco and wren (below) puff out their feathers to conserve heat following the February 23 snowstorm. PHOTOS BY JIM TANNER
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
Eagle
The eagle is fairly easy to spot because
of its white head. It is from this white
head that it gets its name but they are not
really bald. It just has white feathers on
its head and tail making it an unmistakable
identification in an adult. The juveniles are
mainly brown all over. The bird that we
see is a full grown adult and this means it
is at least four years old. It could well be a
breeding bird with a nest, mate, and eggs at
this time of year.
S I G N A L S
They can live to over 30 years so we
may see this bird for quite a while. At one
time eagles were endangered and placed
on the endangered species list in 1978. This
and the banning of DDT have brought a
comeback of the bird. They were removed
from the endangered species list in 2007.
For those interested, Berry College in
Rome, Ga. has three cameras on an eagle
nest. The birds are sitting on eggs at the
time of this writing. The eggs are expected
to hatch about Valentine’s Day. To view, go
to http://www.berry.edu/eaglecam/. Bunny
and I have travelled there on two occasions
but have not seen live eagles even though
|
N E W S
11 A
there has been a bird on the nest.
Back at Big Canoe, we spotted the eagle
and took a rental boat to where it was
roosting. This is where I got the pictures
with my Canon 7D Mark II with a Tameron
150/600 lens using a tripod on the deck of
the boat. To approach the bird we went
very slowly and took care not to go directly
towards the bird. In spite of this, it flew off
when we were still quite a way off. I took
about 100 pictures on the approach and
what you see are some of the best pictures.
We did not follow the bird as we want
him (or her) to remain in our area. If you
see the eagle, please keep your distance. If
it flies off, do not follow. Happy birding. Bert and Bunny Loftman
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS
Mardi Gras in the
Mountains raises $55,000
One of Jasper’s largest fundraisers of the year, Mardi Gras in the
Mountains, raised $55,000 for Georgia Mountains Hospice Saturday, Feb. 6.
The event, attended by 460 revelers, had king and queen candidates
representing counties served by Georgia Mountains Hospice. Dawson
County’s candidates were Big Canoe’s own Bill Saling and Katharine
Armentrout. Crowned king and queen, based on the amount of money raised
by each participant, was Jack Dunn of Pickens County and Sidney Mahan of
Gilmer County.
Appalachian campus of Chattahoochee Technical College’s large assembly
room was glittering with the colors of Mardi Gras – purple, green and gold dancing, and food provided by Coast 2 Coast featuring Cajun fare.
This annual event helps fund special needs and wishes for people served
in their last days of life. Georgia Mountains Hospice is the only hospice
serving children.
PHOTOS BY BERT AND BUNNY LOFTMAN
Bathroom Renovation Specialist
• Garden tub
removal/enlarged shower
• Custom tile
work/kitchen backsplash
• Updated fixtures
• Granite counter tops
• Glass enclosures
• Remove mirrors/drywall repair
COMPLETE BATH MAKEOVER
Photos at arnoldhomeservices.com
Dawson County’s candidates for Mardi Gras king and queen Bill Saling and
Katharine Armentrout. PHOTO BY MARI [email protected]
JAY ARNOLD • 770-894-1544
Enjoy Fabulous Furniture At Fabulous Prices
GOPENING
rand
Our buyers have travelled the globe, finding the finest craftsmanship and unusual designs for our retail store. Now, these same
PREMIUM PRODUCTS are being offered for THE FIRST TIME AT OUTLET PRICES! This new showroom is stocked with
irresistible deals on tables, chairs, sofas, case goods, mirrors, art, rugs, chandeliers, lamps and of course, home accessories!
400
19
DAWSONVILLE
FURNITURE
OUTLET
WORLDWIDE
DRIVE
Applebee’s
DAWSONVILLE
FURNITURE OUTLET
Furniture • Accessories • Lighting • Art & Design
706-300-0746 • HOURS: WED & THURS 10-5, FRI & SAT 10-6, SUN 11-6
DIRECTIONS: North on US 19/400 (toward N GA Premium Outlets). Applebees on right,
turn right onto Carlisle Rd, 2nd street on the left is Worldwide Dr, turn left and go to the end of the road.
CARLISLE ROAD
94 WORLDWIDE DRIVE, DAWSONVILLE, GA 30534
12 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
CHECK
OUT OUR
FEATURED
HOMES
The scenery sells the community ...
Let Big Canoe Realty sell your home
®
209 White Aster Lane
5BR/4.5BA • $875,000
If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market in 2016, the signature broker of Big Canoe can help.
T
here’s no denying Big Canoe is a
beautiful place to live, but when it
comes time to sell your home, look for a
broker with a proven track record and strong
marketing credentials. Turn to Big Canoe
Realty.
196 Cox Mountain Lane
5BR/4.5BA • $700,000
1364 Deer Run Ridge
3BD/3BA • $495,000
n PERFORMANCE
Big Canoe Realty again continues to be the
#1 sales Company in Big Canoe, period!!!!
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe
homesites sold
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe
homes sold
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe total
listings sold
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe lots sold
(both developer & resales)
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe homes
sold (both developer & resales)
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe
total properties sold
n LARGEST MARKETING BUDGET
Big Canoe Realty has the largest marketing
and sales budget of any real estate brokerage
company selling Big Canoe property. Give
Big Canoe Realty an opportunity to design a
specialized marketing plan specific to your
property!
132 Ahaluna Place
4BR/3.5BA • $469,900
n INSIDE THE GATES
Big Canoe Realty is the only real estate
office inside the gates of Big Canoe. And now
to better serve you, we also have a new office
located on Hwy 53 at Steve Tate.
n BIG CANOE EXCLUSIVITY
Big Canoe Realty sells Big Canoe
exclusively. Your property is only shown with
other Big Canoe properties. We do not sell
other communities or neighborhoods, many
with less expensive construction costs.
n COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE
Big Canoe Realty lists all Company & Resale
properties currently for sale in Big Canoe on
our website, updated weekly, regardless of
whether they are listed with Big Canoe Realty
or another agency.
n HUGE BUYER DATA BASE
Big Canoe Realty has, over the years,
gathered more than 63,000 potential
purchasers for our data base, each of which
receives promotional material from Big Canoe
on a regular basis.
n COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Big Canoe Realty sponsors events within
Big Canoe that support community activities
that attract potential customers.
n MORE AGENTS
Big Canoe Realty has the largest number of
experienced professional real estate agents.
n LONGEVITY
Big Canoe Realty has been in business for
over 25 years!!!
n MLS LISTING
Big Canoe Realty is a member of the First
Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) that serves
more than 36,000 real estate agents giving Big
Canoe listings maximum exposure.
n AGGRESSIVE ADVERTISING
Big Canoe Realty advertises regularly
and extensively via online, social networks,
magazines, newspapers, billboards, and
various other mediums.
770-893-2733 or 866-244-2266 • www.bigcanoe.com
13 A
14 A
S M O K E
P R E
S E N T
S
Dream it.
Do it.
Life is a journey, find your Spirit.
JOIN US AT THE CLUBHOUSE
FOR AN HOUR OF SPIRIT
THURSDAY, MARCH 17 • 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Experience a fast paced multi-media presentation
about acting on a dream, building a yacht,
cruising the Mediterranean and participating in a
major yacht race across the Atlantic.
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Regulations considered
for drones in
Big Canoe and Georgia BY LAURA LINK | [email protected]
The introduction of drones into our society and their popularity and use have
caused law and rule makers to study and pen some guidelines and laws for using the
flying objects. The community of Big Canoe and the Georgia Legislature are two of the
many groups considering rules and regulations for drones in 2016.
At the January 20 Big Canoe POA meeting the first of two readings of rules
and regulations for drone use on property was read. A second reading at the POA
board meeting in February will then be voted on. The proposed regulation states a
drone must be less than the FAA requirement of 0.55 pounds; in compliance with no
attachments (such as cameras or guns); operated by a hobbyist under the FAA model
airplane regulation and operator be responsible for any damage incurred by the drone.
It further states drones can only be operated in daylight hours and not violate privacy
of homeowners or create disturbing noise.
Home inspectors, realty sales people and commercial users for weddings and events
in Big Canoe must first have authorization from the general manager before flying a
drone on property.
Down at the State Capitol, Dawsonville Representative for the 9th House District,
Kevin Tanner, was selected to chair a study committee on drones during 2015. After
meeting with industry leaders, the FAA, the universities that are researching the
potential use of drones, law enforcement and concerned citizens on the various
aspects of the drone industry, a report was published. This report contained a list of
recommendations to the general assembly addressing the growth of the drone industry
as well as protection to public safety and the private property of citizens.
From this study, both Tanner in the house of representatives and Sen. Judson Hill
from the 32nd district will introduce companion bills this session that would create an
Unmanned Vehicle Commission with the purpose of promoting this growth industry
in our state.
The latest in drone news is a private company is training eagles with their excellent
eyesight and sharp talons to take down unwanted flying drones. “Home inspectors,
realty sales people and
commercial users for
weddings and events
in Big Canoe must first
have authorization
from the general
manager before flying
a drone on property.”
Become part of Spirit’s crew joining Big Canoe’s Dick Hammill (owner)
and David Howe (crew member) as they share their journey and
experiences in an inspirational hour of photos, videos and reflections.
It just might get you to think about your dreams.
You might call this a ‘Spirited’ happy hour with cash bar.
Those attending are eligible to win a wine and cheese gift basket.
After this event consider sailing into the Black Bear Pub for dinner.
Same day sick
appointments.
For real.
Call 706.416.4284 for a same-day
appointment with one of
Piedmont’s primary care providers.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
15 A
GrandOpening
NEW LOCATION
Come experience Southeast’s Premier Luxury Furniture Gallery
FEATURING OUR NEWEST BRANDS
Baker • Marge Carson • Smith Brothers • Simply Amish • Stickley
325 Brannon Road • Cumming, Georgia
Located at the intersection of 400 and Exit 13 off Peachtree Parkway
FURNITURE • RUGS • ACCESSORIES • IN HOME DESIGN
AU T H O R I Z E D
D E A L E R
With over 30 years’ experience in the
home furnishings industry,
Ariana Home Furnishings is family
owned and operated. We pride
ourselves on providing quality value
and service in a relaxed, warm and
friendly environment.
o
FEATURING MANY
BRAND NAMES SUCH AS:
UP TO 50% OFF
ALL RUGS
TRADITIONAL, CONTEMPORARY,
TRANSITIONAL & ANTIQUE
AICO | Bernhardt | Bradington Young
Baker | Century | CR Laine | Drexel
Heritage | Fairfield | Habersham
Henredon | Highland House | Hooker
Hunter Douglas | John Richards
Lexington | Nourison | Maitland Smith
Marge Carson | Motion Craft
Simply Amish | Smith Brothers | Sherrill
Sligh Stanley | Stickley
Theodore Alexander
Indoor & Outdoor Tommy Bahama
and many more.
LARGE SELECTION OF FURNITURE, RUGS AND ACCESSORIES.
Complimentary In-Home Design Services with purchase.
325 BRANNON RD
CUMMING, GA 30041
Located at the intersection of 400
and Exit 13 at Peachtree Parkway
Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am. - 7pm.
Sunday 1pm. - 6pm.
678-807-7422 | www.arianafurniture.com
16 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
“Dr. Lucktenberg was on the front edge of the Historical Performance Practice
movement and was renowned for bringing historical keyboard performances
to the Southeastern United States in the 1960’s.”
Reinhart needs help to purchase ‘Toscanini Steinway’
Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga.
has a rare opportunity to purchase the
“Toscanini Steinway” and The John Lyon
harpsichord that have been used and
cared for in the Falany Performing Arts
Center.
The Steinway was on the stage of the
NBC Symphony Orchestra from 1942 to
1959 and was used by many great pianists
and conductors of the day including
Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski,
Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz
and Leonard Bernstein. Dr. George
Lucktenberg acquired the piano in 1987.
He joined Reinhardt University’s faculty
in 1995, bringing the grand piano and the
harpsichord, a faithful reproduction of
a 17th century instrument, to Reinhardt
where they have resided and been
enjoyed on stage of the acoustically
acclaimed performance hall.
Lucktenberg retired from world
performances in 1983 with his last
performance being at Reinhardt. He died
at the age of 83 in 2013.
Dr. Lucktenberg served on the faculty
at Converse College for 30 years and 52
summers on the faculty at the Interlochen
Arts Camp. He joined Reinhardt
University in 1995, bringing with him an
extraordinary collection of instruments,
from original historical keyboards to
the ‘Toscanini Steinway,’ featured in
performances with the NBC Symphony
Orchestra. Dr. Lucktenberg retired at
the age of 83 in 2013. His last public
performance was February 17 of that year
at Reinhardt’s Falany Performing Arts
Center. - See more at: http://www.legacy.
com/obituaries/spartanburg/obituary.
aspx?pid=172983127#sthash.46bykaHi.dpuf
Dr. Lucktenberg was on the front
edge of the Historical Performance
Practice movement and was renowned
for bringing historical keyboard
performances to the Southeastern
United States in the 1960’s. He was a
recitalist with his wife Jerrie Cadek
Lucktenberg, carting a remarkable
collection of historical instruments to
each venue to the delight of his audiences
- See more at: http://www.legacy.
com/obituaries/spartanburg/obituary.
aspx?pid=172983127#sthash.46bykaHi.dpuf
Reinhardt has the opportunity to
keep these instruments by purchasing
them from the Lucktenberg family.
With a donation of $1,000 or more, a
donor will be joining the Lucktenberg
Patrons and receive VIP amenities for
Ronald Reemsnyder
A
T
T
O
R
N
E
Y
selected concerts and recitals. All gifts,
tax deductable, small and large or gifts of
stocks should be made soon, according to
Dr. Fredrick Tarrant, dean of the School
of Performing Arts, in order not to lose
the opportunity for their purchase.
Contributions should be sent
to Reinhardt University School of
Performing Arts Waleska, Ga., 301832981. For more information about this
special fund, contact Dr. Tarrant at fkt@
reinhardt.edu or by phone, 770-720-9221.
Three-day planning sessions
helps POA board set,
update 2016 goals
POA President’s
Report
SANDI SMALLEY
F
ebruary just
like January
has been
extremely
busy for your POA
Board. Besides
the four town
hall meetings and
the community
coffee relating to
SANDI SMALLEY
the proposed land
acquisition, we held our annual three
-day planning session on Feb. 16, 17 and
18.
During this session we reviewed the
Mission, Vision and Values statement
along with the Strategic Plan that was
adopted during last year’s planning
session to make sure that nothing has
changed. These documents can be
found on the bigcanoepoa.org website.
We then worked on assigning a board
member to each of the four pillars of
the Strategic Plan.
The Mission, Vision and Values
statements help define this Board and
how we conduct our business:
• VISION – To be the preeminent
private mountain community in the
Southeast recognized for providing an
extraordinary, friendly and enriching
lifestyle
• MISSION – To be responsible
stewards of our unique mountain
community
• VALUES – We act with
honesty and integrity, openness
and transparency, environmental
sensitivity, financial responsibility,
welcoming hospitality and respect
for property owners, staff, guests and
neighbors
For those who are not familiar with
the Strategic Plan, here are the four
pillars along with the board members
assigned:
• FINANCIAL – Be Prudent
Stewards of POA Assets (Tony Galioto
and Jim Farinholt)
• CUSTOMER – Strengthen and
Promote Big Canoe’s Image (Jim Braley,
Carolyn Littell and Mike Rhodes)
• INTERNAL – Maintain the
Character of Big Canoe (Sandi Smalley
and Phil Anderson)
• STAFF – Become an Employer of
Choice ( Steve Wilson)
We then worked on the action
items/goals associated with each pillar
that will be our major areas of focus
over the next year. They are:
n FINANCIAL
• Improve the budget development
process
• Update the capital reserve study
• Provide direction and oversight to
assure attainment of all financial goals
• Conduct risk management review
of insurance policies
• Study potential new sources of
income
n CUSTOMER
• Pursue high speed internet
solution
• Conduct customer satisfaction
survey
• Establish and monitor operational
metrics for desired levels of customer
service
• Develop a complementary
marketing plan
• Host state and local educational
political forums
• Survey the level of interest and
financial support for Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA)
n INTERNAL
• If the proposed land acquisition is
successful, develop plan for best use of
the acquired properties
• For major projects, establish
generic milestones that require board
review and approval
• Establish an advocacy plan
for important local stakeholders to
include governmental organizations,
neighboring property owners and local
business interests
• Investigate needed changes to the
covenants
• Complete new fire station in
Wolfscratch Village on time and on
budget
• Complete renovation of golf
driving range on time and on budget
n STAFF
• Consider establishing an HR Policy
and Procedure Advisory Committee
• Update Employee Policies
handbook
• Conduct employee satisfaction
survey
• Hire and transition a new
clubhouse manager
• Attract, hire and retain skilled
clubhouse employees
• Develop viable intern program
As you can see, your board’s goals
for the next year can be summarized
as making sure we meet our financial
goals, managing the major projects,
enhancing customer and property
owner satisfaction and ensuring that
Big Canoe remains the preeminent
mountain community that it is!
If you have any questions regarding
our Mission, Vision, Values, Strategic
Plan or our Action Items/Goals, please
do not hesitate contacting any member
of your board.
22 Year Resident of Big Canoe
Being
there
is why
I’m here.
I have been selected by my peers as a
“Super Lawyer” and also serve, when needed,
as the Judge for the City of Dawsonville.
My practive includes:
LIVING WILLS
POWERS OF ATTORNEY
WILLS
LITIGATION
Carla Boutin, Agent
Bus: 706-268-1500
Bus: 706-216-6392
[email protected]
BIG CANOE RESIDENT
Whether you need a question
answered a problem solved,
or a claim reported, my job
is to make it happen.
Like a good neighbor,
State Farm is there.®
CALL ME TODAY.
Call for Free Initial
Home Consultation
(706) 216-1272
www.ronreemsnyder.com
P097193.1
State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
17 A
Dawsonville’s Chase Elliott crashes early in Daytona 500
BY MEGAN JACQUES
[email protected]
Though he gave his fans high hopes by becoming the
youngest Daytona 500 pole winner on Feb. 14, Chase Elliott
of Dawsonville wrecked during lap 19 of 200 and ended
up scoring in 37th place at the Daytona 500 race on Feb.
21. Denny Hamlin took home the trophy after crossing the
finish line .01 seconds before Martin Truex Jr., in what was
dubbed the closest Daytona 500 finish ever.
The week before the race, 20-year-old Elliot drove faster
than any other driver in the final round of Daytona 500
qualifying, securing the pole position for the Daytona 500.
He also won the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at
Daytona International Speedway the day before Daytona
500.
Though he started in first place, after three laps Elliott
fell back in line and ended up crashing his No. 24 Napa
Auto Parts Chevrolet SS just under 20 laps in. In lap 19 of
the race Elliott lost control and slid off the raceway and
into the grass, severely damaging the front end of his car.
His car was towed off for repairs.
Elliott was uninjured and eventually got back in the race
on lap 59, though he was still 40 laps behind the lead car.
Elliot is the the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott
of Dawsonville. With his love for racing clearly genetic,
Elliott has become the one of the prominent faces in
NASCAR.
Elliott became a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
driver for Hendrick Motorsports in the beginning of
2016, after becoming the youngest champion in NASCAR
national series history in 2014.
Chase Elliott at the NASCAR Boyd Gaming 300 Xfinity race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV on
March 07, 2015. DANIEL HUERLIMANN-BEELDE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
“The commission set a condition that all events must terminate by 11:00 p.m.,
and approved the conditional use.”
Tatum Acres issue resolved
BY RAY BOWYER
The subject of a conditional use permit for the Tatum property west of Big Canoe
on Cove Road has been a hot issue for several months and is now settled.
The requested conditional use was to use the property, which is zoned agricultural,
for wedding receptions and other similar events. The Board of Commissioners of
Pickens County finally resolved the issue at their regular meeting on Jan. 21. The
planning commission had recommended approval of the permit, with several
conditions, which the commissioners ignored. The commission set a condition that all
events must terminate by 11:00 p.m., and approved the conditional use.
In other business at the meeting, county Chief Financial Officer Faye Harvey
reviewed finances for calendar year 2015. The county took in $21,738,000, and spent
$21, 391,000. All departments had kept their expenditures below budget. Overall,
expenditures were 94 percent of budget, and 98 percent of revenue.
Becky Denney was elected vice-chairperson of the Board of Commissioners.
Committee Chairperson Rob Jones reported that county administrator Norman
Pope had resigned. In partial replacement for his duties, Richard Osborne was
appointed county legislative coordinator.
PHOTO BY WAYNE TIDWELL
®
Neurology
Carol Hurst, GA Reverse Lady
Because Trust Matters
770-314-0027
REVERSE
MORTGAGE
FINANCIALLY
SET FOR
RETIREMENT?
YES, No,
MAYBE?
Let me simplify the NEW Reverse Mortgage for YOU
and answer YOUR questions – I make House Calls
Access the Asset that’s hiding in Plain Sight – Your Home’s Equity
LEARN THE TRUE FACTS
OPEN MORTGAGE, LLC #2975
5828 Wembley Drive, Douglasville, GA 30135
NMLS 187214 - 1243710 | GA #28678
Now Seeing Patients
in Dawsonville
Dr. Somayajula received her medical
degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed her
neurology residency at University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She
also completed a movement disorders fellowship and a deep brain
stimulation clinical fellowship at the
University of Minnesota. Dr.
Somayajula is a member of the
American Academy of Neurology.
NGPG Neurology
Medical Plaza 400
108 Prominence Ct.
Suite 200
Dawsonville, GA 30534
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Monday – Friday
Suv
North archala Som
east G
eorgia ayajula, MD
Ph
Neuro ysicians G
Treatin
logy
roup
gaw
770-219-6520
ngpg.org/neurology
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee
www.gareverselady.com
Improving the health of our
community in all we do
ide
conditio range of neurol
ogical
ns inclu
d
i
n
g
:
• Epileps
y
• Stroke
• Migra
ine
• Movem headaches
ent di
• Neurop sorders
ath
• Demen y
• Multip tia
le sc
• Sleep d lerosis
isorders
18 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Keeping you informed.
SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION • POA PROPERTY PURCHASE • PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 16, 2016
Smoke Signals
TM
News And Views From Big Canoe and around North Georgia
www.bigcanoenews.com
To connect to POA Property Purchase Special Digital Edition, CLICK HERE.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
19 A
Vietnam POW Ron Martin shares
his story at NGV luncheon meeting
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
When Captain Ron Mastin’s parachute opened after
he was forced to eject from his RF-4C that had been
hit by enemy fire and was in an uncontrolled turn over
North Vietnam, he thought to himself “wow this is really
neat, what a beautiful day and a beautiful country” as
he glided toward the ground and into a not-so-beautiful
long stay at the “Hanoi Hilton.”
“Then I realized no it wasn’t quite so neat,” Mastin
said.
Mastin shared his prisoner of war experience at a
packed luncheon meeting of the North Georgia Veterans
at the Big Canoe Clubhouse Mountains Grille on Feb. 18.
“It happened on Jan. 16, 1967, the day of the first Super
Bowl game,” Mastin, a Kansas City Chiefs fan, recalled.
“It took many, many months before I found out who won
that ballgame.”
He landed on a butte overlooking a town where
people were congregating and ringing a gong to alert
others to come to see what had fallen out of the sky.
At daybreak the next morning he was surrounded by
peasants and eventually captured by soldiers and put on
public display as he was taken to Hanoi.
Captured American pilots, most of who had been
trained near Las Vegas, named North Vietnam camps
and prisons after familiar places in Las Vegas, thus the
name Hanoi Hilton, Mastin told the crowd.
He was tortured along with other captives by various
means including a painful “rope trick” method that
would make the recipient feel as if he was being split
open at the chest, according to Mastin.
“I finally gave in and told them I was married,”
Mastin said. “Real military information,” he said as the
crowd laughed. “I didn’t have any secret information to
give them in the first place.”
Mastin was moved from place to place during his
2,239 days in captivity. The food was rather meager with
servings of rice, “vegetable of the season” and something
he called “sewer greens.”
“ I was never a meat and potatoes guy and I was one
of the strange prisoners that actually kinda liked the
food,” Mastin said.
Communication was very important to prisoners
of war. They want to know what to expect and what’s
going on beyond their cell but they were not allowed to
speak to anyone outside their cell, Mastin told the crowd.
So, they developed ways to communicate nonverbally.
Directions for use of a “tap code’ were passed
among the prisoners that they would memorize and
then destroy the written instructions to keep it from the
North Vietnamese.
Words were spelled using taps that coincided with a
grid of the alphabet.
Mastin was moved to a large cell in Hanoi they called
“Unity” after being in a remote camp that was raided by
Captain Ron Mastin’s sharing at the North Georgia
Veterans Luncheon meeting. PHOTO BY PAUL GOLDSTEIN
special forces four months after they left it. That scared
the Vietnamese so they moved all the prisoners to Hanoi.
“There were 50 prisoners in one large 20 X 60 foot
cell,” Mastin said. “It was like Christmas Day when
everyone comes down to see their presents when we
saw all those people. We talked and talked and talked.”
Mastin said torture was administered sporadically.
“If you heard the guard’s keys jangling you hoped
they were not coming for you because you knew it
meant you would be tortured,” Mastin said. “Sometimes
your interrogation was merely to talk with a Vietnamese
who was learning English.”
Van was a North Vietnamese guard that Mastin said
was just a “nice little guy” who had been a schoolteacher
and was not interested in mistreating prisoners.
“If there was ever a guard who I would want to bring
home it was Van,” Mastin said. “He was just the sweetest
little guy.”
After some peace talks things got better in the
North Vietnam prisons, Mastin said. We had classes
65 LAUREL RIDGE TRAIL • $229,000
Charming Craftsman Cottage in Laurel Ridge neighborhood
of Big Canoe. This well maintained 3BR/2.5BA open
floorplan home is close to all amenities, including swim club,
beach, fitness center, hiking trails and tennis center. Enjoy
the views from the expansive decks and screen porch. The
lower deck has the “dry below” system with ceiling fans.
This home has great vacation rental potential. Furniture is
negotiable under separate bill of sale.
104 TWIN CREEKS • $399,000
Like new “Southern Living Cottage” in desirable Twin Creeks
neighborhood of Big Canoe. Main level with open floorplan,
vaulted great room, kitchen with granite, stainless steel
appliances, large dining area, sun room with SS stone
fireplace and master suite. Flat driveway with 2 car detached
garage, private wooded back yard, fenced area for your pet.
Terrace level with 3 additional guest bedrooms, 2 baths and
family room. Great location!
by prisoners who had expertise in a particular subject,
“spoke” movies and even a stage play.
Mastin eventually received the Silver Star for
“gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with
military operations against an opposing armed force
while a prisoner of war in North Vietnam on 21 January,
1967.” His Silver Star Citation reads:
“Ignoring international agreements on treatment
of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and
physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions
and propaganda materials. This American resisted their
demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in
a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great
credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
Capt Mastin was released during Operation
Homecoming on March 4, 1973. He was loaded onto a
C-141 at the Hanoi airport with other skeptical prisoners.
“As soon as the doors closed and we broke ground,
that airplane came alive because we knew we were on
our way home,” Mastin said.
Mastin said of his ordeal as a prisoner: “They
tortured us, they took away our freedoms but they
couldn’t take away our hearts, our souls and our minds
of being an American, and our ingenuity kept us going
throughout the ordeal,” Mastin said.
“When I talk to young people I tell them there are
three things that are important that I learned about in
that situation,” Mastin said. “Communication, strength of
character, and setting goals. My strength of character is
what kept me going the entire time.”
Mastin continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve
and the Alabama National Guard, was a pilot for Eastern
Airlines and flew for Fedex until his retirement in 2007.
Meeting notes
Bill Saling announced that the Mountains Mardi Gras
event raised $55,000 for hospice care for veterans.
Max Martinez, NGV member, who was severely
injured by an IED in the Iraq war, will lose his foot after
a long battle with his wounds, including 11 surgeries over
nine years. He will spend two weeks in the VA hospital
in Decatur and will receive a prosthesis after two months
of recovery. The DAR had presented Martinez with a
Quilt of Valor last month in appreciation for his service.
Vets and others are encouraged to send Martinez a note
of encouragement.
North Georgia Veterans hold luncheon meetings at
the Mountains Grille at the Big Canoe Clubhouse at Lake
Sconti the second Wednesday of each month as well as
field trips and other events throughout the year. Those
who have served in the armed forces of the United
States and received an honorable discharge are invited to
join NGV.
Meetings start at 11:30 a.m. and usually end by 1:30
p.m. Cost is $17 per person and includes a buffet lunch. Dress is informal.
More information and an application can be found at
www.ngvets.org.
861 SUMMIT DRIVE • $769,000
Spacious Craftsman style home on Big Canoe’s signature
hole Cherokee #2. Spectacular long range mountain and
golf course views from most rooms! Large vaulted great
room with beams and floor to ceiling stack stone fireplace.
Sun room adjoins large chef’s kitchen with stainless steel
appliances. Beautiful master suite with his and hers walk-in
closets. Terrace level is designed for entertaining with 650
bottle custom wine room, large wet bar, media room and
large family room. Desirable Audubon Ridge neighborhood
with easy access to the gates and amenities.
186 CLIFF FERN POINT • $879,000
One of the best panoramic long range views of Amicalola
Falls & Lodge. This elegant craftsman style home has been
completely remodeled. Main level features include: custom
kitchen w/ high-end cabinets & appliances, walk-in pantry,
vaulted great room w/ floor to ceiling ss fp, tng & grv ceiling,
lrg dr w/ ss fp, upper & lower scrn porches, large master
suite w/ library, 2nd guest br/office on main w/ ba, 2 laundry
rooms. Terrace level includes 3 addl guest br’s, fam rm w/
ss fp, billiard room, wine room, bar & craft room. Circular
drive, oversized 2 car garage w/ private office suite w/ ba.
1524 QUAIL COVE DR. • $295,000
Like new Craftsman style beauty! Shows like a model.
Open floor plan with large dining area, great room with ss
fireplace, large kitchen with granite counter tops. Relax on
huge vaulted screen porch and adjacent grill deck. Inviting
master suite with double vanity, large walk-in closet, and
great door less shower. Terrace level includes family room,
two guest bedrooms and full bath, lots of storage space, and
walk out to patio. Very private setting with long driveway to
the house. Most furnishing available on separate bill of sale.
190 FALCON HEIGHTS • $469,000
Spectacular NE views from almost every room of this well
maintained home. Main level has large mstr ste, vaulted
grt rm w/ tongue & groove ceiling, fireplace, and floor to
ceiling high-end windows/doors. Spacious kitchen w/ lots
of counter space, storage and casual dining area, pantry
w/ connections for washer and dryer. Separate dr opens to
grt rm. Hardwood floors throughout main level. Watch the
sun rise from sun rm/screen porch. Lower level has 3 guest
br’s, family room, office, laundry rm & storage areas. Hard
to find views like this, in this price range!
HOMESITES
385 McELROY MTN DRIVE • $579,000
Awesome view of Lake Petit and mountain beyond! Most
all rooms look out to view. Central location convenient to
North Gate. Wonderful finishes throughout. Terrace level is
perfect place to entertain with media room and bar/kitchen
opening out to outdoor kitchen.
Tom Petrigliano
706-268-2316 • 678-428-9293 cell
www.bigcanoe.com
• 3286 Wood Poppy View - $89,500 - This 1.2 Acre home
site in desirable Wildcat neighborhood is surrounded by
green space. Easy access to paved trails and walk to dog
parks. Great value for this easy build lot.
• 2619 Highland Trail $65,000 - 4 Plus acre homesite
in desirable Audubon Ridge neighborhood. Beautiful
hardwoods, mountain views! Great value!
• 2186 Wildcat Dr. $49,900 - Great value, McElroy
Mountain area.
• 3506 Bear Creek Dr. $89,000 - Easy build lot on
desirable street in Big Canoe’s Wildcat neighborhood. Close
to North Gate, Wildcat recreation center, and easy access to
paved trails. Great value and priced below market.
• 2154 Royal Fern Trail $59,000 - Build your mountain
dream home on this 2.46 Acre estate size home site. Very private and gentle slope for easy build. Listen to the
stream that borders rear boundary. Beautiful hardwoods. Outstanding value!
• 3023 Wild Turkey Bluff $139,000 - Outstanding long
range northerly views! Prestigious high priced homes on
both sides. Large lot loaded with hardwoods. Check out
the view from neighboring properties to get a feel for your
amazing view potential. High Gap area just minutes to north
gate!!!! Great value!
234 YANEGWA KNOLL • $539,000
This 5 BR/4.5 BA home is one of the best values in Big
Canoe. Main level boasts rich Brazilian walnut floors thruout. Large master suite on main includes sitting room &
vaulted ceiling in master bath. 2 Story great room w/ ss
masonry fp. Spacious chef’s ktchn w/ top of line appliances,
prep area w/ 2nd sink/ice maker & w/in pantry. Formal DR,
1/2 BA, and screen porch completes main level. Upper level
incl 2 bd/2 ba and lrg bonus over 3-car grg. Terrace level
has 2 BR/1 BA, fam rm w/ dbl sided ss masonry fp and rec
area w/ full kitchen. 2 Ponds/water feature!
20 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
The Knowledge Series features
Brooke USA’s Cindy Rullman
BY CALVERT JOHNSON
“Donkeys: The Cinderella of the
Developing World” is the topic of the March
program on the Knowledge Series featuring
Cindy Rullman, of Brooke USA: Healthy
Working Animals for the World’s Poorest
Communities.
The presentation begins at 4:30 p.m.
on Sunday, March 20, in the Mountains
Grille Room of the Clubhouse, preceded by
beverages and conversation at 4 p.m.
There are approximately 112 million
working equines (horses, donkeys and
mules) in developing countries, supporting
600 million of the world’s poorest people.
The majority of these working animals are
owned by individuals who use them as their
sole means of income to sustain often large
and extended families – the very same roles
that they have played since Biblical times.
In developing nations, where 95 percent
of all donkeys and 60 percent of horses
are found, the money earned by each
working horse, donkey or mule supports
between five and 20 family members. For
these people, working animal power has
substantial benefits.
They are:
• Affordable to use, they can be
sustained in rural areas with little external
input (motorized vehicles require parts that
need to be imported)
• Animal transport enables small farmers
to establish wider contacts with traders,
improving access to markets and allowing
them to increase production and profits
• Equine animal-drawn carts can bring
major social and economic benefits to areas
where they are the main means of transport
• Animals are a clean, renewable energy
resource that is particularly suited to
smallholder farming (which produces the
bulk of food in poorer nations) and local
transport
• The organic manure produced by
working animals improves soil fertility
and structure and encourages sustainable
farming practices
• Unlike motor vehicles or oxen, working
equine animals can be used easily by
virtually all ages, including women and
children, maximizing families’ earning
potential
Yet, despite their crucial contribution to
the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of
the world’s poorest people, equine animals
carry out their duties often in chronic states
Cindy Rullman (right) along with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
of dehydration, malnutrition, with crippling
injuries, suffering disease and misuse –
nearly all of which can be prevented when
owners learn better welfare practices.
Also despite their value to entire nations,
working equines often remain largely
invisible in the eyes of their owners, their
communities, decision and policy makers,
and civil society.
The lack of recognition of their
importance and their chronic neglect by
institutions and governments also means
depriving people, communities, and nations
of the very benefits that can be obtained by
them.
The Brooke is the world’s largest
international equine welfare charity,
dedicated to improving the welfare of these
important animals, which in turn benefits
the people whose lives are inextricably tied
to theirs. By providing free veterinary care
for the animals, training for their owners,
and by influencing policy makers, the
Brooke’s vision is for a world in which these
animals are free from suffering and better
able to provide for the people who depend
on them.
The Brooke was founded more than 80
years ago and is headquartered in London,
England. The Brooke’s American affiliate,
Brooke USA, is a 501(c)(3), established in
the United States to support the overseas
work of the Brooke through fundraising.
The British royal patron is Camilla, Duchess
of Cornwall.
Cindy Rullman has been a lifelong
advocate for animal protection and
welfare. She has served on the boards
of several animal charities including the
Lexington Humane Society for animals of
all species, the Kentucky Equine Humane
Center, an all-breed equine shelter, and
Bethlehem Farm, a Christian ministry to
thoroughbreds and the women who care for
them, as well as serving on several Christian
mission committees.
She worked in the thoroughbred
industry for a number of years, and in public
relations for the Kentucky Horse Park - a
1,200-acre equestrian competition facility,
during its bid to win and host – the World
Equestrian Games (the first time they were
held outside of Europe). After that she
joined the staff of the Brooke, the world’s
largest international equine welfare charity.
In her role for the Brooke, which is
headquartered in London, England, she
opened the 83-year-old charity’s first
office in North America, Brooke USA, in
Kentucky. Last year the Brooke’s president,
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of
Cornwall, wife of Prince Charles, came
to Kentucky and officially launched
Brooke USA as a fundraising arm of the
international charity. Reservations are required to ensure
a seat at the presentation by registering
online on the www.bigcanoepoa.org website
listing of upcoming events, or by emailing
[email protected]. Alternatively,
one may register by filling out a sheet found
in the alpha box for Knowledge Series at the
Big Canoe Postal Facility.
Attendance is limited to the first 110
reservations. The cost to attend the
presentation is $5 cash per person to cover
expenses. Those wishing to have dinner at
the Clubhouse following the presentation
should make reservations directly with the
Black Bear Pub at 706-268-1253.
Sponsored by the Big Canoe POA,
The Knowledge Series offers compelling
presentations by dynamic speakers on
literary, artistic, international, national and
regional topics of interest and significance.
Future programs of The Knowledge Series
this season will be:
April 10: Lyn Leo, Registered Dietician,
Certified Diabetes Educator, DeKalb
Medical Center, “Healthy Nutrition for
Seniors.”
May 16: Paul Reid, biographer of Winston
Churchill
June 12: Dr. Tracey Laird, Associate
Professor of Music, Agnes Scott College,
“Austin City Limits”
July 24: Dr. Deepika Bahri, director,
South Asia Studies Program, Emory
University. With Destination: India dinner.
Members of the Advisory Council of
The Knowledge Series are Calvert (Cal)
Johnson, Chair; Gay Abbott, Bob Anderson,
Ken Dutter, Linda Fierman, Sue Hanson,
Bob Littell, and Margo Vallone. For
further information, please contact Cal at
[email protected].
JAMES
H.
BROWN,
LLC
Attorney At Law
Baumgartner Pest Control
770-853-8326
LAST WILL & TESTAMENT...
ADVANCE DIRECTIVE FOR HEALTH CARE...
FINANCIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY...
PROBATE OF ESTATES...
Jim Baumgartner
Big Canoe Resident
➤ Upon the death of a spouse, do not neglect having all
your REAL ESTATE TAXES FORGIVEN FOR AN
ENTIRE YEAR...
➤ Less than 1% of the population has an Advance
Directive for Health Care...
➤ Very few people even have a less than
adequate Living Will...
➤ Please do not end up at the mercy of existing
State law or hospital policy...
MOST DO NOT WANT TO
TALK ABOUT THE BAD STUFF...
DEATH and HOSPITALIZATION!
ONE MAY NOT HAPPEN,
BUT THE OTHER WILL!
PLEASE DO NOT WORRY...
JUST BE PREPARED.
Big Canoe Special $75
In and Outside Treatment
770-853-8326
[email protected]
Licensed & Insured
3/2016
BISON CONTRACTING LLC
Build
Design
Renovate
WILLS • ESTATES
CORPORATIONS • HOUSE CALLS
[email protected]
770.355.9714 • 706.268.1150
33 Years Of Service Quality - Custom Built Craftmanship
Additions • Arbors • Decks • Doors • Basements • Fireplaces
Flooring • Paint/Stain • Screened-In Porch • Windows • Etc.
Licensed - Insured • RICHARD BROWN • 404.310.4169
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
21 A
Army veteran to
speak on presidential
honor guard,
addiction,
veteran suicide
BY BARBARA BALDUCCI
U.S. Army veteran SPC Benjamin A.
Nelms will speak to the North Georgia
Veterans at the March meeting/luncheon
Wednesday, March 9, at 11:30 a.m. in the
Mountains Grille, Big Canoe Clubhouse.
Nelms will discuss his time as a member
of the Presidential Honor Guard, as well
as soldiers facing addiction and veteran
suicide.
Nelms was born in Birmingham, Ala. He enlisted in the Army in 2007, and
attended Basic and Advanced Individual
Training at Fort Benning, Ga. He served as
a rifleman for Bravo Company, 1st Battalion,
3d US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard),
and conducted firing party elements for
military funerals in Arlington National
Cemetery.
While assigned to Old Guard, Nelms
also served on the wheel team for the
Caisson Platoon, Headquarters Company,
1st Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment. In
addition to his duties in military funerals,
Nelms participated in numerous historic
pageants performed by the Old Guard,
among these are “Spirit of America,” and
“Twilight Tattoo.” The Caisson Platoon has been honored
by inclusion in presidential inaugural
parades, and has participated in various
other historic events in the greater Military
District of Washington, D.C.
The North Georgia Veterans
organization is open to all veterans, anyone
who has served in any branch of service,
in any capacity, for any period of time. All
that is required is an honorable discharge.
To attend our meetings/luncheon register
on our [email protected].
U.S. Army Veteran SPC Benjamin A.
Nelms’ assigned unit.
Postal Service Improvement Committee
“These improvements include changes from upgrading services within the
postal facility to the possibility of home delivery services.”
LBC class projects progressing
BY ROBERT ACKERMANN
The five Leadership Big Canoe
(LBC) team projects are well under
way. This month we will review the
Post Office Improvement Project.
The team has initially approached
this project from a very broad
perspective, considering all types
of service improvements that can
potentially be made.
These improvements include
changes from upgrading services
within the postal facility to the
possibility of home delivery services.
The recent survey gave the team
excellent feedback concerning resident
Education Planning is most important to you,
your children and grandchildren.
INVEST IN THE
MINDS OF TOMORROW
Investment Management*
IRA Rollovers*
Legacy Planning • Business Planning
Retirement Planning • Estate Planning
Tax Planning • Special Situation Planning
Contact me directly about Tax Preparation,
more than 30 years of professional experience.
David G. Fussell, EA, CFS, CSEP
opinions on some of the improvement
possibilities. The team’s next step is
meeting with a regional postal manager
to discuss these opportunities.
The project is being led by co-chairs
Jeff Stanley and Richard Stephenson.
Other committee members are
Buddy Williams, Fred Grewen, Gay
Ackermann, and Jeannie Korn.
On Friday, Feb. 12, the LBC class
held its fifth session. The session dealt
with the operations of Big Canoe.
General Manager John Thompson gave
a presentation concerning the current
structure and challenges facing Big
Canoe.
Thompson brought his management
team to discuss current operations,
financial status, capital projects, safety/
security and POA amenities. The class
not only got a better understanding of
current operations, but also became
informed of the future plans and
challenges facing each operation and
amenity.
On April 8, the LBC class hosts
its annual Volunteer Fair. The Fair,
open to all in Big Canoers, will give
residents the opportunity to learn more
about organizations and volunteer
opportunities in the Big Canoe area.
More will follow on this event.
Honoring the
Greatness of Jesus Christ!
JOIN US EACH SUNDAY ...
9:00-10:00 • Early Worship Service
10:00-10:50 • Bible Classes for All Ages
11:00-12:00 • Late Worship Service (Children’s Church)
JOIN US
• March 24th
• March 27th
Easter Week
Maundy Thursday Service • 7 PM
EASTER SERVICES
Sunrise Service • 7:30 AM
Early Worship Service • 9AM
Late Worship Service • 11AM
Enrolled Agent • Licensed to practice before IRS
Certified Fund Specialist
Certified Specialist in Estate Planning
Working with Individuals and
Small Business Owners for over 20 years
706-766-1432
* David G. Fussell is a Registered Representative, Securities offered through H.D. Vest Investment Services
SM, Member SIPC, Advisory Services offered through H.D. Vest Advisory Services SM.
6333 North State Highway 161, 4th Floor, Irving, TX 75038, 972-870-6000
North Georgia Tax Solutions and Fussell Financial Services are not a
registered broker/dealer or independent investment advisory firms.
CHURCH
2685 Steve Tate Highway, Marble Hill, GA 30148
Phone 770-893-2682 • www.trinityonthenet.org
22 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
CALL STEVE TO MARKET
AND SELL YOUR HOME
• Average # days on market is
67 days vs 246 day Big Canoe average.*
• Average sale to list is 95% vs 91% Big Canoe average.*
Ask For Steve
LOOKING FOR NEW LISTINGS:
• Lakefront homes • Homes under $300k
UNDER CONTRACT
1371 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE
$289,000 Firm, As Is • 4BR/3BR
Long range views towards Atlanta/
Great Wall of Windows
154 CRAZY BEAR
$379,900 • 3BR/2.5 BA
Beautiful Craftsman style home on
private setting with stream.
484 HUNTERS TRACE
$379,900 • 3BR/3BA/2car garage
Mtn views, private setting on 1.4 acres
that backs up to green space
291 TROUT LILLY
$199,000 Rock Bottom Firm • 5BR/5.5BA
Very Spacious home/
Terrific price-value
UNDER CONTRACT
394 INDIAN PIPE DRIVE
$475,000 • 4BR/4.5(2)BA
Two homes for one price - Includes
separate, complete living quarters
UNDER CONTRACT
173 HILLSIDE
$439,900 • 4BR/4.5BA
Gorgeous home full of upgrades,
beautiful neighborhood
1635 RIDGEVIEW
$329,000 • 3BR/3BA
Long range mountain views/
Recently refurbished
161 ROBINS NEST
$329,000 • 4BR/3BA
Spacious home, great for kids/
Great rental potential
T E S T I M O N I A L S
‘An invaluable
resource.’
We really appreciated the
fact that once he knew
what we were looking
for, he didn’t waste our
time looking at things
that wouldn’t meet our
requirements. H Steve
has been an invaluable
resource for virtually
everything we need to
know about Big Canoe,
from getting started
with all the local utility
companies, to finding
contractors to help with
anything and everything.
He helped make our
closing virtually painless.
— Richard
‘You are
the best!’
Awesome!!!!! AND Then
some. We love it and can’t
wait to get to Big Canoe.
The slide show with the
best music is a big hit with
us. Thank you so very
much for everything most
especially for finding us
a place to live. We are
incredibly grateful more
than words can express
right now my friend. You
are the best! See you soon.
— Mike & Irene
‘This guy is
fantastic.’
This guy is fantastic. I’ve
moved many times in my
life and this is the best RE
agent I’ve ever had. Steve
is very quick at picking
up on what you want in a
house and then showing
you what is available. We
closed on the house a
month ago and he is still
providing me assistance
with finding people to help
me get things done at my
house. You absolutely
cannot go wrong with
Steve.
— Charles S.
‘A fountain of
information.’
My wife and I have
used Steve Yambor
(Big Canoe Realty)
three times. On the
purchasing end, Steve
listened to us and
never wasted our time
showing properties
that failed to meet our
criteria. On our sale,
Steve (a) offered good
advice, (b) flexibly
worked with us for
our showings, and (c)
calmed us throughout
our successful
negotiation process.
— Mark & Anne
PRICE REDUCED
2036 VALLEY VIEW
$429,900 • 3BR/2.5BA
On Nature Valley Trail with private,
level, “park like” setting. Beautiful
custom home with office and library.
20 WINDSONG
$398,000 • 4BR/3.5BA
Near North Gate and walking trails,
Shows like a model
‘professionalism
and knowledge.’
I wanted to take this time
to thank you for all your
professional advice and work
in the closing of our purchase
in Big Canoe. Having been
involved in the industry since
1975 as a California and
Florida Real Estate Broker
and Certified Appraiser I have
known hundreds of agents. I
can honestly say I have never
met or dealt with a more
competent and involved
Realtor. Your professionalism
and knowledge (and love) of
Big Canoe turned a potential
buyer into a believer of the
Big Canoe lifestyle.
— Murray & Linda
UNDER CONTRACT
30 CHESTNUT KNOLL POINT
$289,900 • 4BR/3BA/2HB
Great Views of golf course/
high rental potential. Open floor plan.
Close to all Amenities.
656 WEDGEWOOD
$469,500 • 4BR/3.5BA
Mountain and Golf Course views.
Dramatic great room with wall of
windows. Sunroom, office, bar, sauna
PRICE REDUCED
223 WILD AZALEA
$299,000 • 4BR/3BA/2HBA
Striking craftsman style home.
Granite countertops and Wolfe gas
range in kitchen, hardwoods on
main. Mountain views from private
setting, with green space at end of
cul de sac and creek running through
property. Shows like a model.
146 SCONTI RIDGE
$149,000 • 3BR/2BA
Condo with views of lake and golf
course. Top floor, corner unit.
Very private.
132 AHALUNA PLACE
$469,900 • 4BR/3.5BA
Terrific Long Range Mountain Views
from this 4bed/3.5bath spacious
rustic/craftsman home,
with 2 bedrooms on main, level lot,
and near the North Gate.
181 SYCAMORE TRAIL
$499,500 • 4BR/3.5BA
Beautiful 4bd, 3.5ba home built in
2006 in Blackwell Creek neighborhood.
Many upgrades, 3 fireplaces, large
screened porch, private setting. Easy
access to Main Gate. Very good value.
HOMESITES
• 2642 Sconti Point - $239,900, One of last direct lake and golf access homesites in Big Canoe.
In desirable Audubon neighborhood. Easy build at end of cul de sac. Year round panoramic views.
• 2745 Turnbury Lane - $125,000, Golf course frontage overlooking Signature Cherokee #2 fairway.
Easy build at end of cul de sac in beautiful neighborhood.
• 870 Nashoba Trail at $99,000 - Choctaw Village-Near Clubhouse
• 2107 McElroy Mountain Drive at $160,000 - Big Views NE - 1.5 acres
• 7207 Ridgeview at $99,000. Long range views. Steve Yambor
706-268-2332 office • 678-848-3630 cell
Website: www.bigcanoe.com
* Average over five recent listings of mine that sold.
News
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
23 A
SMOKE SIGNALS | MARCH 2016 | 23A
Record pop-tab collection for
Ronald McDonald House
BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
Big Canoe got off to a good start in January on the
community’s collection of pop tabs for the Ronald
McDonald House, delivering a record-breaking 27 pounds
of the aluminum can openers.
Beth Howell, president and CEO of the Atlanta Ronald
McDonald Houses, was on hand to receive them at the
new house on Peachtree Dunwoody Road from Nona
Whipple who has handled the collections in Big Canoe for
a number of years.
Howell says they don’t keep up with the weight total,
but the sale of the tiny openers contributed $10,000 to
the bottom line in the
year 2015 and $100,000
“No family is
since 2010. They’re
turned away if
small, but they add up
to something big and
they can’t afford
meaningful.
the $20 per night
The homes, two
in the Atlanta area,
charge and many
provide a place to live
are there for weeks
for families to be near
children undergoing
and sometimes
extensive medical care
months ...”
in nearby hospitals. An
information brochure on
the homes sums it up well: “When a child is hospitalized
the love and support of family is as powerful as the
strongest medicine prescribed.”
No family is turned away if they can’t afford the
$20 per night charge and many are there for weeks
Beth Howell, president and CEO of the Ronald McDonald Houses, was on hand with Ronald receiving a lap full of pop
and sometimes months during the child’s stay, so the
tabs from Nona Whipple, standing on the left, with House Manager Joe Camacho on the bench. PHOTO BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
generosity of donors and volunteers make it all possible.
There are many corporate sponsors involved in the
support.
The Peachtree- Dunwoody Ronald McDonald House is
located in the Sandy Springs hospital area near Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. It replaces the
former 11-bedroom house at the same location. The new
52,636 sq. ft. house has 31 family-sized bedrooms with
private baths, a cafeteria and several day rooms for
recreational activities.
Big Canoe pop-tab contributors include Dr. Sam
Horner, a property owner and resident of nearby Duck
Thurmond Road in Dawson County, and former resident
John Thurman, who have been responsible for collecting
the major portion of the openers over the years. There
are many other regular contributors to the collection
efforts including Mary Tanner and Art and Ginny
Bendelius.
Big Canoe residents are invited to join the pop-tab
collection efforts by leaving them for Nona Whipple in
her WHI alpha box in the Postal Facility.
The Peachtree-Dunwoody entrance to the new 31-bedroom Ronald McDonald House. PHOTO BY ED WOLKIS PHOTOGRAPHY, WWW.WOLKIS.COM
Call for all your
Heating & Cooling Needs.
Family Owned & Operated
HEATING & COOLING
SPECIALISTS
SALES & SERVICE
We Service &
Replace all Brands.
Also Offer Service Contracts
which makes You a
Priority Customer.
Call us Today to Request
Your Service Contract,
or Visit Our Website:
www.CheshireHVAC.com
CELEBRATING 50 PLUS YEARS
OF EFFICIENT &
QUALITY SERVICE
Ball Ground • 770.735.2724
Jasper • 706.692.4359
Celebrating 50 Plus Years Of Business
24 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
North Gate
restaurants close
due to slowed
winter business
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
Reverend Billy’s and Forks restaurants at the North
Gate Station have closed as of Monday, Feb. 1 according to
Manager/Owner Kimberly Kitchens.
Kitchens told Smoke Signals that the restaurants will
hopefully re-open in April with a new menu.
The employees have been laid off and will be offered
re-employment when the restaurants resume business,
according to Kitchens. The restaurants’ food inventory
went on sale Monday with heavily discounted prices.
”Things are too slow for us to stay open,” Kitchens said.
The restaurants are owned by Bud Hochberg, Brad
Geisen and Kitchens. Kitchens said the decision to close
was made by “the other two owners.”
That makes three local restaurants that have closed in
the past few months with the Wild Onion inside Big Canoe
closing late last year.
This message appeared on the
door to Reverend Billy’s restaurant at
the North Gate Station.
“Though the calculations were less rigorous after replacement,
an estimate is that we did clear the expense of replacement within three years.”
Why we purchased our propane tank
BY CHARLES POLLARD
For the first three years we lived in Big Canoe,
we rented our propane tank, according to a
commitment we made innocently with a supplier
at the time of closing on our house. This was a
common arrangement at that time (around 2002).
The implications of this arrangement were not so
obvious to us at the time, but when we discovered
the Propane Consortium, we became educated. The
owner of the tank is the only supplier who can fill
the tank, and that supplier has the freedom to charge
whatever he chooses for fill-ups.
In November of 2005, the Propane Consortium
negotiated a process by which the consortium
supplier at that time would arrange to dig up and
95 HYSSOP COURT • $699,000
This 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath custom home
is rustic elegance at its best! This parklike setting is adjacent to several miles of
paved walking trails and 2 creeks!
FMLS #5583060
replace old tanks with new tanks purchased from
the supplier for an attractive price.
Luckily, I had kept a spreadsheet record of
propane costs up until that time, and I was able to
calculate that, if we had belonged to the consortium
from the beginning, we would have paid off the
purchase price of the tank in about two and a half
years.
The original supplier refused to sell us the
old tank, so we had to go through the process of
replacing our tank. We also determined that the
old tank could be replaced without destroying any
landscaping.
Once we replaced the old tank (which sat in
the ditch in front of our house for several days
before the original supplier removed it), it became
68 SCONTI KNOLL DRIVE • $474,500
Custom built home in Audubon
Neighborhood. Beautiful hardwood floors,
multiple exterior french doors, butler’s
pantry and updated kitchen set this home
apart! FMLS #5581491
difficult to determine what the original supplier was
charging to fill tanks he rented to other owners, but
I pestered friends who had not replaced their tanks
for prices.
Though the calculations were less rigorous after
replacement, an estimate is that we did clear the
expense of replacement within three years.
Thus, we are delighted to report that the
purchase of a tank has paid off for us, because the
differential between the consortium price and the
“spot” price of propane has been off the chart for
part of the period which made the math work for us.
The real reason to own is to be part of the
consortium where the owner gains the leverage of
the volume purchasing. 131 HUCKLEBERRY TRAIL • $559,900
Beautiful craftsman style custom home!
Great attention to detail with extensive
rock, marble, granite and wood accents
throughout. FMLS #5620646
NEW LISTING
240 HUCKLEBERRY TRAIL • $339,000
Beautiful mountain setting with
professionally landscaped yard. Open
floorplan with solid wood doors, antique
door knobs, hardwood floors, granite
countertops and plantation shutters.
FMLS #5626258
92 COTTONWOOD CIRCLE • $189,900
Open, ranch style floor plan with Master
and two additional bedrooms on main!
FMLS #5569671
HOMESITES
Ashton Wilson
Cell: 404-323-1747
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: ashton.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
Frank Wilson
Cell: 770-757-2515
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: frank.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
www.bigcanoe.com
Joan Wilson
Cell: 770-757-2518
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: joan.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
• 7078 Wild Azalea Circle - $59,000
• 6069 Teaberry Lane - $74,500
• 3515 Bear Creek Point - $89,900
• 3461 Wild Pansy Ridge - $99,900
• 2741 Turnbury Lane - $119,000
• 3023 Wild Turkey Bluff - $139,000
• 2099 McElroy Mtn Drive $139,500
• 850 Sinti Trail - $148,900
• 871 Nashoba Trail - $149,000
• 3553 Bobcat Ridge Drive $149,900
• 3406 Wildcat Trail - $158,000
• UNDER CONTRACT, 2605 Summit
Dr. West - $164,900
• UNDER CONTRACT, 5535 Red
Fox Court - $149,900
282 INDIAN PIPE DR • $288,900
Located in the center of Big Canoe, just
steps away from the Nature Valley. With
over $30,000 in upgrades since 2012 this
4 bed, 3 bath is an opportunity not to be
missed! FMLS #5640790
SOLD
JUST REDUCED
176 WILD GINGER • $199,900 Beautiful fully renovated home, located
on the Nature-Valley. With 4 bedrooms, 3
baths and 2 living rooms there is enough
space for everyone to be comfortable!
FMLS #5565294
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
25 A
Crossword Puzzle
CROSSWORD BY MYLES MELLOR
Pretty to look at ... treacherous to drive on
A graceful coating of snow dressed Big Canoe in its winter finest
following a mid-February storm. Traffic was halted for nearly two days
before higher temperatures came to the rescue. PHOTO BY DIANE SMITH
ACROSS
1. 60s rock group, with
Corner
5. Slight
9. Partition
14. Lion’s beard?
15. Type of insurance for
owners
16. Pointed arch
17. Nose out
18. Tapi endings
19. Rich tapestry
20. Place for pessimists
23. Virgo mo.
24. Cries at a circus
25. Keen
28. Swimmer’s gear
30. Banned pesticide, for
short
32. “Star-Spangled Banner”
preposition
33. Tongue
35. Conundrum
37. Invest in a risky fashion
40. Witch
41. Bean
42. Greyhound, e.g.
43. Magazine revenue
source
44. Come back again
48. Go up and down
51. Supporting
52. Grassy area
53. Investing term that
came from poker
57. Salad oil holder
59. Old audio system
60. Horse course
61. Where to get a fast
buck?
62. Fall locale
63. Anatomical network
64. Experiments
65. Used to be
66. Four’s inferior
DOWN
1. Cells in the sea?
2. Improvised
3. Captivate
4. At no point in time,
contraction
5. Native American people
6. Scottish water areas
7. Mosque V.I.P.
8. City in Arizona
9. Drenches
10. Wading bird
11. Great musicians
12. “Desperate
Housewives” actress, first
name
13. Court matter
21. A chemical salt
22. Deserter
26. Romeo or Juliet
27. Blunder
29. Distinctive flair
30. Beach sights
31. Angry outburst
34. Investor’s alternative
35. Inquisitive people
36. Look at flirtatiously
37. Constant
38. Flower starts
39. Belladonna poison
40. ABC’s rival
43. Amazement
45. Plant
46. Fertility goddess
47. American sharpshooter
49. Driving hazard
50. Common carriers
51. Flute player
54. Consider, with on
55. Cover up
56. Legal wrong
57. PC component, for
short
58. Delicacy
Answers on page 11A.
Your town
is my town.
Proudly serving Big Canoe.
I live and work here just like you. So I’m right around the corner when you
need me. I can help protect the things you own and the people you love.
Call or stop by today for a free quote.
Steve Moranos
706-268-1268
88 North Gate Station Dr., Ste. 102
Marble Hill, GA 30148
[email protected]
© 2014 Allstate Insurance Co.
117494
Big Canoe Homeowner since 2001.
26 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Dr. Pereira covers
‘Heart Health’ at Squires’ meeting
BY TARBY BRYANT
(Left to right) Tarby Bryant, program host for Squires & Stags February
meeting, welcomes the speaker, Dr. Roberto Pereira, Jasper cardiologist, to the
meeting. PHOTO BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
Dr. Roberto Pereira, Jasper cardiologist with
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, brought his
message of “Heart Health” to Squires & Stags
at the club’s Feb. 5 meeting.
He used a PowerPoint presentation
demonstrating alarming statistics about heart
attacks and strokes as the number one killer
in the United States. He noted, too, that heart
attacks, not breast cancer, are the number one
killer of women.
He reminded the group of the bad habits
of many Southerners, like tobacco use,
eating fried foods and the lack of exercise,
which contribute to cardio vascular disease.
He covered the Lyon Heart Study and the
Mediterranean Diet, and how we would all
benefit by its implementation into our life
style.
Dr. Pereira expressed his genuine
appreciation for the gifts of major donors in
the Atlanta area to improve the quality of heart
care for all Georgians. He was well received
and had clear answers to all questions from the
Squires and Stags audience.
A native of southern Brazil, Dr. Pereira
attended medical school in Rio and internship
and residency at Long Island College in
Brooklyn ,NY.
The next meeting of Squires and Stags is
Friday March 4 at 7:45 a.m. at the clubhouse.
Reservations may be made on the Big
Canoe POA website. Our speaker is David
Selski, executive producer of Georgia Public
Broadcasting’s Georgia Traveler.
Agriculture Commissioner
to address Squires & Stags
BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black will address Squires & Stags
at its March 4 breakfast meeting on the subject of the state’s $72 billion agribusiness.
From apples to watermelons with chickens in between, Georgia’s agriculture makes
a huge contribution to the state’s economy with a significant portion of it coming from
exported products.
Serving his second term,
“From apples to
Commissioner Black is the sixteenth
Georgian to hold the office since the
watermelons with chickens
department’s inception in 1874, the oldest
in between, Georgia’s
such in the United States.
agriculture makes a huge
The agriculture department’s
responsibilities include animal industry,
contribution to the state’s
food safety, fuel and measures,
economy with a significant
laboratories, plant industry, and
marketing.
portion of it coming from
Black earned a degree in agricultural
exported products.”
education from the University of Georgia
College of Agriculture & Environmental
Sciences.
He and his wife Lydia raise commercial beef cattle on their farm in Commerce, Ga.
Chuck Gordon will serve as program host for the meeting. Black will be introduced
by Louis Alderman, a long-time friend of the Blacks.
Squires & Stags meets in the Mountains Grille at the Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. New members and guests are welcome to attend the meeting. Coffee is ready at 7:45
a.m. followed by a buffet breakfast served at 8:00 a.m. The price of breakfast is $13
payable on your POA account or by cash at the door.
Reservations are required and must be received by noon on Thursday before the
Friday morning meeting. For reservation links, watch for the POA “Happenings &
Events” e-blast and the Smoke Signals e-blast, both issued weekly.
Use of the online reservation system is encouraged, but if it’s not available you may
call Tim Moran at (706) 268-3375 to make reservations.
ATTENTION SECOND
HOMEOWNERS…
Every single year these things
happen in Big Canoe...
Gary W. Black
Easter
At King of Kings Lutheran Church
He has risen, risen indeed!
OUR SERVICES:
FIRE
FALLEN TREES
MOLD
PESTS
LIGHTNING STRIKES
STORMS
WATER LEAKS
• Lenton Services – Wednesday 2nd, 9th and 16th
6:30 Light Meal (all are welcome) Service 7:30 PM
• Palm Sunday – 20th – 10:30 AM
• Maunday Thursday 24th and Good Friday 25th - 7:30 PM
• Sunrise Easter Service, Sunday 27th – 7:15 AM
Engelheim Vineyards in Ellijay
• Easter Service, Sunday 27th – 10:30 AM
57 Kingdom Drive, Jasper, GA 30143
706-301-9191
www.kingofkingslcmsga.org
Why Hire Someone From Outside The Gates?
SPECIALIZING IN
CUSTOM RENOVATIONS
FROZEN PIPES
• Kitchens • Bathrooms • Window Replacement
• Screen Porches • Decks • Rot & Repairs
• Hardi Plank Siding
Licensed,
bonded and
insured
Absentee
homeowner
services
Your Eyes And Ears When You Are Away
678-773-7905
www.GAHomeWatch.com
Bretherton
Construction
Call for FREE Estimates ...
706-579-3369 home • 770-715-3927 cell
JOHN BRETHERTON - BIG CANOE RESIDENT
30 Years Experience
Working in Big Canoe for More than 10 Years
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
Randall Dowling named
Dawson County Manager
BY MEGAN JACQUES | [email protected]
Randall Dowling was named the new County Manager of Dawson County at
the Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 4.
Dowling thanked the commissioners for their confidence in him and said,
“All I can promise is I’ll do a great job and give you 100 percent.”
Dowling and his wife Sandy currently reside in Hoschton, Ga., but have
immediate plans to relocate to Dawsonville.
“I have almost 30 years of experience managing local governments, about
21 years managing several Georgia counties. Most of those counties were
high growth suburban counties similar to Dawson. I also have experience in
local government financial management, implementing capital improvement
programs, and deep knowledge of how Georgia counties operate.”
He holds a Bachelor
of Science in Public
Administration from the
University of Arkansas
and a Master of Public
Administration from the
University of North Texas.
“As the new county
manager for Dawson
County, an exciting
part is dealing with the
current growth and future
growth potential of both
commercial and residential
developments and being able
to productively manage that
growth for the benefits of the
citizens,” said Dowling.
Dowling began work on
Monday, Feb. 8.
|
N E W S
27 A
Smoke Signals’ Melching
named 2016 Chamber of
Commerce Chairman
BY MEGAN JACQUES | [email protected]
Steve Melching, part of the Smoke Signals advertising team, was inducted as
Dawson County Chamber of Commerce Chairman for 2016 at the 25th annual Chamber
of Commerce Gala held at Atlanta Motorsports Park on Sunday, Jan. 24.
Joey Homans, Dawson County Attorney, swore in Melching along with other
Chamber Board officers at the Gala.
Carla Boutin, the 2015 chairman, gave her address that focused on the
accomplishments of the chamber during 2015 and President Christie Haynes presented
the State of the Chamber.
Melching concluded the program with his 2016 Chairman’s Address.
“I’m truly honored and privileged to be standing here this evening as the 2016
Chairman of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.
“As we look forward to the new year and beyond, I am tremendously optimistic
about all of the new business growth and the new economic and tourism opportunities
that are before us. The challenge for all of us is to keep our focus on what is truly best
by harnessing our intelligence, energy and efforts to work together and lead our county
forward.”
New Dawson County
Manager Randall Dowling
Big Canoe to host four candidates
running for Dawson County Sheriff
Big Canoe property owners are invited to attend a special political forum on
Sunday, April 3, at 5 p.m. The four candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot for the Dawson
County Sheriff’s Office, are Frank Sosebee, Jeff Johnson, Tony Wooten and Jeff Perry.
They will be available to answer residents’ questions and champion their personal
platforms.
The current Dawson County Sheriff, Billy Carlisle, will retire at the end of 2016 after
an 18-year career as the head of the department.
This political forum will be held at the Clubhouse at Lake Sconti, in the Mountains
Grille room. Ham Gadd, a Big Canoe resident, will moderate the forum. There will be a
complimentary wine and cheese social at 4 p.m. with the candidates.
For more information regarding the event, contact Kim Cooper, 706-268-3346 or
[email protected].
Submitted by Kim Cooper for the POA
Melching delivering the Chairman’s Address. PHOTO BY MEGAN JACQUES
LEAVE THE cleaning TO US!
www.squeakywindows.com
SERVICE
of your choice
706-692-9013
when booking
TWO or MORE
services
Window Cleaning - How Water Pressure Washing
Deck Staining - Epoxy Garage Flooring - Gutter Cleaning
Spring calendars fill up fast. Call today, and get your date booked!
28 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Books
“Artist uses creativity to help his local library.”
Unbinding the book
BY KEN REYNOLDS
W
hen he learned his public library needed help, artist J. Scott Wilson
stepped up and used his talents to create and produce an art show to
benefit the library.
Wilson is a book lover, published writer and well-known artist
and gallery owner in Manzanita on the Oregon coast. A presentation needs a title,
especially one about books. He chose, “The Book Unbound, A Sculptural Installation
and Art Show.”
The art Wilson created for the
show included paintings, sculptures
and installations. Each piece featured
books as the subject, or used books as
components of the art.
In addition to his paintings, he
included origami made from unwanted
books destined for discard. The works
evoke bowls, birds, vases and other
objects. There were mobiles, wall art,
simple surface sculpture, a cityscape,
wreaths and furniture.
His inspiration for “The Book
Unbound” came from the title of the
2002 book, “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking
the Way We Make Things,” by Michael
Braungart and William McDonough.
Wilson says the design model in Cradle
to Cradle emphasizes up-cycling as an
approach to recycling.
Wilson found creative way to benefit
his local library. He imagined a way
‘The Book Unbound,’ by J Scott Wilson on
to make art, reusing books otherwise
destined for a landfill. He also produced display at Polaris Gallery.
a limited edition book of the same title
as the show. Proceeds from the book
sales also benefitted the library.
Artist J. Scott Wilson owns and operates Polaris Gallery in Manzanita, Oregon.
www.polarisgallery.com
Artist J. Scott Wilson at Polaris Gallery in Manzanita, Oregon. PHOTOS COURTESY J. SCOTT
WILSON
Humor as dark as dried blood
Turned
Pages
KEN REYNOLDS
S
atire is biting and sometimes
draws blood. But good satire is
funny. Of course, some people take
life so seriously they do not find
humor anywhere; especially in powerful
institutions like churches and government.
If, by any chance, you happen to be one
those unfortunates, there is no reason to
read by this point.
Christopher Buckley is a novelist and
political satirist. Poking intelligent fun at
politicians led him to conclude “. . . that
American politics were sufficiently selfsatirizing.” In his new novel, “The Relic
Master,” Buckley steps backward “to a
more innocent, less cynical time and place
. . . the 16th century Holy Roman Empire.”
Buckley says he “found splendid material
and characters, some of whom actually
existed.”
Imagine Albrecht Dürer, one of the
world’s finest and most famous artists,
pretending to be a German count. Not just
an ordinary count, but one Dürer knows to
be the godson of the soon-to-be Emperor
of the Holy Roman Empire. The painter
also knows the count is very recently dead.
Imagine a time when zealous traders
bought and sold Christian relics at well
attended relic fairs. The relic market was
brisk immediately prior to Martin Luther’s
world changing protest against the sale of
indulgences.
“The Relic Master,” opens at a relic fair
in Basel with over 300 exhibitors. The relic
master, Dismas, examines a boat, alleged
to have been the property of St. Peter,
before he became an apostle. Dismas is
Albert of Mainz, Cardinal of Brandenburg,
painted as St. Jerome, by Lucas Cranach
the Elder.
known internationally for his ability to
discern the authenticity of a straw from
the holy manger in Bethlehem, a stone
from the steps of Pilate’s palace, even the
finger bone of the Apostle Thomas.
Novels set amid historical events and
peopled with historical characters can
be wonderfully interesting and terribly
misleading. It is a mistake to read such
novels as history. Novelists have license
to invent characters and cause them to
interact with historical figures. They
can do so without concern for historical
accuracy. Most readers, including this
reviewer, cannot vouch for the historical
accuracy of a tale set in the 16th century.
If it is well-written and the tale
flows easily, forget historical nitpicking;
relax and enjoy the trip back in time.
Remember, we are talking about fiction. In
“The Relic Master” Buckley easily writes
his characters into, and out of, improbable
situations. And the tale does flow, over
ample bumps and through multiple
dangers, but it flows and floats its readers
along for the ride. Some may refer to
books like Buckley’s as truthy.
It is likely impossible to write about
the history of 15th and 16th century Europe
without including the importance of
the Roman Catholic Church. Buckley
focuses on the sale of indulgences and
the veneration of holy relics. He is not
kind to the church leaders. Martin Luther
plays only a background role, and Buckley
implies he was one of few not driven by
greed and ambition.
Dismas is renowned in the relic trade,
so highly regarded that he has only two
customers: Frederick III, Elector of Saxony
and Albert of Mainz, soon to be Cardinal
of Brandenburg. Both men collect relics,
Frederick may have more than 15,000
and Albert over 8,000. Dismas is loyal to
both customers, but he is not happy with
the increasing display of, and market for,
obviously fraudulent relics.
Martin Luther is openly challenging
the sale of indulgences and Dismas fears
the market will collapse. Although he is
a former monk, he is not religious. He
also is a former Swiss mercenary. The
combination makes him trusting and
dangerous.
Dismas is good and he wants to retire
while the market is strong. Through no
fault of his own, his finances suddenly
go awry and he makes a drastic decision.
He will use his knowledge, his sterling
reputation and his connections to make
one last relic transaction that will generate
enough money for him to retire. But he
must involve his dear friend, Albrecht
Dürer. Who else has the talent to make a
burial cloth for Christ?
Simon & Schuster is marketing “The
Relic Master” as a comic novel. It is
rife with hilarious scenes of absurd and
often bawdy circumstances. Buckley’s
characters speak with the earthy bluntness
of 16th Century mercenaries. Their
language is similar to, but more colorful
and less repetitive than the language used
by similar characters set in modern times.
In spite of the dead bodies, the humor
is there but much of it is as dark as dried
blood. The bodies, many generated with
astounding dispatch considering the
available weaponry, pile up as the story
progresses.
Buckley’s writing is smooth and
intelligent; his tale is rollicking and
improbable. And, if you trust the author, it
may be informative.
KEN REYNOLDS
Ken Reynolds is
addicted to books and
inquiry. He writes
about subjects that
stir his passions, and
he enjoys finding out
why things are the way
they are. He welcomes
readers’ comments and
suggestions. Write to
Ken at kreynolds@
bigcanoenews.com.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
29 A
Books
Art in the Blood
BY KEN REYNOLDS
I
n 1974, when Nicholas Meyer
published “The Seven-Per-Cent
Solution” I swore off modern
adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. I
promised to read nothing more about
Holmes except the true adventures of the
great detective, as recorded by the good
Doctor Watson and faithfully presented
by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle.
n
Of course, I
would continue
BOOK
to watch Basil
REVIEW
Rathbone as
Sherlock.
Art in the Blood:
In the early
A Sherlock Holmes
1950’s I had
Adventure
seen and heard
Collins Crime
Rathbone, in
Club 2015
person. He
became Sherlock
forever (at the time I knew little of
Hollywood chicanery.)
Fortunately, I made the promise
silently and only to myself.
Not much time passed before I came
to regard my promise as ill-advised. I
admitted to being a Sherlock Holmes
junkie. Not a fanatic, not a memorizer of
the details of his adventures, but I simply
cannot stay away. Although occasionally,
I do get temporarily sated.
cocaine use. He
Did I mention I no longer quibble
makes no progress
about authenticity? It does not matter if
until a new case
I know the story, or have seen the
reenergizes the
movie or the TV show. I don’t
detective.
search for Sherlock, but when
A doubly encoded
our paths cross, I read. I also
letter leads the
stop, look, or listen.
pair to a beautiful
“Art in the Blood” by
French woman,
Bonnie MacBird, published last
and to Holmes’
fall by the Collins Crime Club,
treacherous French
is the latest reimagining
rival. The woman
of cocaine’s effect
fears someone
on the legendary
has kidnapped her
explainer of the
illegitimate son by a
obvious. I say latest.
famous art collector
That is only as far
and humanitarian
as I know. Someone
who is also an
may have snuck one
by me in the last five Silhouette of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock English earl.
Holmes. PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA CREATIVE COMMONS
Is the famous
months.
member of the
Watson, although
nobility behind the world’s largest
newly married, tries to help Holmes back
art theft? Is he responsible for the
from his depression driven lapse into
BY DIXON BRADSHAW
A
re you one of those people
who like to read the latest titles? No “old” books for you.
Smoke Signals had an opportunity see information about books
scheduled for release in the upcoming
weeks. Except for a new graphic novel
about Alan Turing, the titles on our list
are fiction. We intend to remedy that
in future issues.
The Imitation Game: Alan
Turing Decoded is billed as
a historically accurate novelized biography. Jim Ottaviani
and Leland Purvis present the mathematician/scientist’s story in graphic
novel form. Available March 22
disappearance of several other young
boys? As we might expect, Mycroft
Holmes has a keen interest in his
brother’s case. His interest makes
Sherlock forego his singularly methodical
investigative approach
Throughout the investigation, Holmes
makes one blunder after another. Is he
slipping? Is it because of the cocaine?
Watson, loyal Watson, worries about his
friend’s health and does his best to help.
Neither Holmes nor Watson foresees the
dangers awaiting them.
In her acknowledgements, the author
pays tribute, among many others, to
actors Jeremy Brett, Robert Downey, Jr.
and Benedict Cumberbatch. Right for her
to do, I have enjoyed each of them, but
on the screen I still prefer Rathbone. On
the page, no Sherlock beats Arthur Conan
Doyle’s.
He emphasized the art in detecting,
not in the blood.
“Two of his best are Benediction and Plainsong.”
Kent Haruf: A Refreshing Change
BY DAVID HOLTY
A
intimacy and familiarity of Haruf’s style
draws the reader directly into his story.
“Benediction” is an enriching story of
life and death, but it is never maudlin. “Dad”
Lewis has terminal cancer and he and his
beloved wife are committed to making
Dad’s last days comfortable and rewarding.
The absence of their estranged son, who
refuses to come be with his father at the
end, hangs over their heads. Their daughter
takes a leave of absence from her job in
cclaimed American novelist Kent
Haruf died in 2014 at 71 years of
age. He left several very good
novels. Probably his best known
is “Plainsong” which received a number
of prizes and was a finalist for the 1999
National Book Award. There surely would
have been many more Haruf novels, but he
didn’t start writing seriously until rather
late in life.
The son of a Methodist
minister, his family moved
often and moving is one of the
recurrent themes in his stories.
Haruf worked in construction
and in ranching, volunteered
abroad and was also a teacher
before turning to writing fulltime.
His first novel, “The Tie
That Binds,” published in
1984, won several awards and
citations. It and all his following
novels take place in the fictional
high country town of “Holt”
in rural Colorado, a couple of
hours drive from Denver.
In 1990, he published his
second book, “Where You
Once Belonged.” Then, after
“Plainsong” in 1999 and its
sequel “Eventide” in 2004, there Kent Haruf
was a nine year period before
he published” Benediction” in 2013.
Denver and comes to stay with them. There
In my opinion “Benediction” is his best,
are loving neighbors, a new minister and his
but I have not yet read his last book, “Our
family who try to help, and the two assistant
Souls at Night,” published after his death.
managers at Dad’s hardware store who have
His wife, Cathy, helped proof and edit the
to deal with Dad’s mortality.
final draft in 2015.
What a refreshing read “Benediction”
Kent Haruf’s style is unique, but it does
was! No violence, no immorality —to quote
not take long for the reader to get used to
the book jacket, “Haruf gives us this portrait
it. He does not use quotation marks and
of a small town and reveals with grace and
within a few minutes of reading you won’t
insight the compassion, the suffering, and
miss them. In fact, I found the storytelling
above all the humanity of its inhabitants.” I’d
smoother and more comfortable without
call it a love story in the very best meaning
the quotation marks. Haruf is such a skillful
of the words.
writer one is never in doubt which of
The mutual love Dad Lewis and his wife
his characters is saying something. The
Mary have for each other is the underlying
Books coming
soon to your
favorite
bookseller
theme upon which the whole story is based.
After a steady diet of spy novels, thrillers
and mysteries, I found “Benediction” a
welcome change of pace. “I couldn’t put it
down” has become a cliché for describing a
favorite novel, but here it is absolutely true.
I couldn’t believe the bedside clock when
I finally finished the book. And yes, I was
sorry to see it end.
I read “Plainsong” several years ago,
but it is still very fresh in my mind. Haruf
is really skilled at creating
likeable, believable characters,
and he keeps several narratives
going concurrently without any
confusion whatsoever.
Two of Haruf’s most
memorable characters
are the elderly McPheron
brothers, who live together
in an old farmhouse outside
of town. Kindhearted high
school teacher Maggie Jones
is trying to help Victoria, a
pregnant teenager whose
mother has kicked her out
of the house. Maggie hits
upon the extraordinary idea
of persuading the crusty old
McPheron brothers to let
Victoria live with them out on
the farm.
And it works! It is
fascinating to follow how Haruf
spins the story. The taciturn
brothers learn the art of conversation,
and Victoria thrives and matures in
the atmosphere of mutual love and
responsibility. The transformations in the
brothers and the girl make a wonderful,
heartwarming tale. Never sappy, just warm
and rewarding.
When “Plainsong” was nominated for the
National Book Award, the citation included
these words: “From simple elements, Haruf
achieves a novel of wisdom and grace-- a
narrative that builds in strength and feeling
until, as in a choral chant, the voices in the
book surround, transport and lift the reader
off the ground.”
In Jeffrey Deaver’s The Steel
Kiss, Amelia Sachs is chasing
a killer when an escalator collapses, and a man is mangled.
Her quarry escapes as she tries to help
the victim. Sachs and forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme learn the incident
may have been the first in a series of
intentional attacks by a brilliant killer
who turns common products into murder weapons. Available March 8
C J Box has a new Joe Pickett novel, Off the Grid. Are
the members of the team
of elite professional special
operators what they seem to be? They
want Nate Romanowski, who is off the
grid, recuperating from wounds and
trying to deal with past crimes, to help
them destroy a domestic terror cell in
Wyoming’s Red Desert. Fortunately,
Nate has a friend, Joe Pickett. Available
March 8
A 96-page epistolary novella,
Forest of Memory, by Mary
Robinette Kowal, is set in
a future Pacific Northwest.
Technology records everything and
has rendered both natural memory and
storytelling superfluous. The narrator
has been kidnapped and left alone.
Her only technology is an ancient
typewriter. She tries to describe what
is happening to her. Unlike recorded
memories, Katya’s typing errors have
been preserved, standing as testament
to the very human source of the recollection. Available March 8
Will “Memory Man” Amos
Decker forgive you if you
forget to preorder his latest
case? In The Last Mile, David Baldacci brings Decker back as a
member of special FBI task force. A
man convicted of killing his parents
is down to his last hours before execution when another man confesses.
The circumstances of the case are
disturbingly similar to Decker’s own
life: murdered parents and years later
an unexpected confession. Who wants
Mars out of prison? And why now? But
there is more. A member of the team
disappears. Available April 19
Harlan Coben’s page turning
thrillers have been New York
Times #1 bestsellers eight
consecutive times. In Fool
Me Once, Captain Maya Burkett, a
former special ops pilot, sees an unthinkable image on a nanny cam: her
two-year-old daughter playing with
Maya’s husband, Joe. The problem is
Joe had been murdered two weeks before. Available March 22
Con Lehane starts a new
series with a Murder at the
42nd Street Library. The
curator of the library’s crime
fiction collection, Ray Ambler, joins
with NYPD homicide detective Mike
Cosgrove. Ambler discovers A famous
mystery writer who has donated his
papers to the library’s crime fiction
collection, the writer’s missing daughter, a New York society woman with
a hidden past, and one of Ambler’s
colleagues at the world-famous library
have hidden connections. Available
April 26
30 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
BIG CANOE PROGRAMS & EVENTS
MARCH
PROGRAMS
4
MARCH • SQUIRES & STAGS
Friday, March 4 • 7:45 am • Clubhouse at Lake Sconti
• Gary W. Black, Commissioner of Agriculture,
Subject: Georgia’s Dynamic $72 Billion Agribusiness. Coffee is
ready at 7:45 a.m., followed by a buffet breakfast served at 8:00 a.m.
Big Canoe residents are invited to attend the meeting. The price of
breakfast is $13 payable on your POA account or cash at the door.
18
MARCH • RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
Friday, March 18 • 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM at Big Canoe
Chapel, McCormick Hall Downstairs. By appointment
only. Please contact Joyce Chura at 706-268-3838.
20
MARCH • KNOWLEDGE SERIES
Sunday, March 20 • $5 per guest, cash or POA
Account Charge • 4:00 pm social hour, 4:30 pm
presentation • Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. • Presentation by Cindy
Rullman, of The Brooke USA: Healthy Working Animals for the
World’s Poorest Communities • Topic: Donkeys: The Cinderellas
of the Developing World • Reservations are required to ensure
a place at the program by registering online at bigcanoepoa.org,
sign in with your POA username and password. Go to Big Canoe
POA Calendar and list names of all registrants. Alternatively, one
may e-mail Kim Cooper at [email protected]. Attendance
is limited to the first 110 reservations. The Knowledge Series
offers compelling presentations by dynamic speakers on literary,
artistic, international, national and regional topics of interest and
significance.
24
MARCH • BIG CANOE TRAVEL CLUB
Thursday, March 24 • 6:00 PM at The Clubhouse at
Lake Sconti – Mountains Grille Room • Presented
by Oceania Cruises District Sales Manager, Joe Eastep, Topic:
Cruising Your World, Your Way! • Free membership for all
BC owners! • Mix and Mingle and Share with Other Travelers •
Complimentary wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. • Door
Prize Drawings
26
MARCH •
ANNUAL EASTER
EGG HUNT
Friday, March 26 • 10:00 AM –
1:00 PM • Wildcat Recreation Area •
Petting Zoo • Face Painters • Games
• Easter Bunny! Egg hunts will be
divided into age groups beginning at
11:00 a.m. • Please bring your own
basket. For more information, contact
Kim Cooper at kcooper@bigcanoepoa.
org or 706-268-3346.
UPCOMING APRIL PROGRAMS
3
APRIL • DAWSON COUNTY
SHERIFF’S RACE POLITICAL FORUM
Sunday, April 3 • 4:00 PM • Clubhouse at Lake Sconti • Meet
the four candidates running for Dawson County Sheriff’s Position
and educate yourself on their biographies, experience and their
individual platforms. Ham Gadd will moderate the Q&A session for
residents. For more information, contact Kim Cooper, 706-268-3346
or [email protected].
30
APRIL • AARP SAFE DRIVING
COURSE
Saturday, April 30 • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at Broyles
Center, Lower level. A lunch period is scheduled for 30 minutes
so please bring a sack lunch and drink. Coffee and cookies will
be available during the morning session. There will be no written
or driving test. If you have not had a driving violation in the past
three years, you will be eligible to receive a minimum of a 10%
reduction in your auto insurance for completing the course. The only
requirement for taking the course is that you have a valid driver’s
license. REGISTRATION: To register for the November course,
you must make out a check to AARP for either $15.00 (AARP
Members) or $20.00 (non-AARP Members). For registration contact
Paul Galanek at 770-591-9347 or [email protected].
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Letters To The Editor
Snow removal
TO THE EDITOR:
It was the policy of the prior
management team to have roads cleared
for at least one lane for emergency
purposes [after snow and/or ice storms].
On the weekend of January 22, 2016, we
had a snow and ice storm. On Saturday,
the morning status went out and said
that the roads were icy and emergency
vehicles may not be able to get to homes
in case of need.
This is a concern!
We have a lot of money invested in
sanding equipment, plows, chains and
even tracks for our vehicles. We should
have been able to sand and plow to at
least clear one lane on our roads for
safety and medical emergencies. In fact, if
we had plowed Saturday morning, the sun
would have even dried the roads before
dark and avoided the refreezing that
happened.
Sunday morning at almost 11 a.m. I
left my home and upon reaching Petit
Ridge was shocked that it was dangerous
driving on it and of most concern was
that there was not any sand on the road. It
had been left untouched.
As I crested the top of the hill I saw a
Dawsonville EMS vehicle trying to come
up the hill from the other direction.
To me, this is unacceptable! We had
the equipment and the manpower to at
least sand and plow our major roads but
the decision was made to not do it. The
property owners in Big Canoe need to
communicate to the present management
and POA directors that this policy needs
to be reviewed and hopefully changed.
It is not good policy to just wait for
the warmer temperatures to clear up
everything. As of Monday morning there
was still ice and dangerous areas on
Wilderness Parkway.
Vince Flynn
Huckleberry Trail
Viking River
Cruise problems
TO THE EDITOR:
There was a great deal of positive
response to my opinion article about
Viking’s poor behavior following our
unfortunate experience during the
river cruise. The intent of the article
was to inform property owners of
problems so they can make informed
decisions. This letter is to expand on
the recommendations I make if you are
considering a river cruise:
1. Use a travel agent. In all likelihood
the cruise agent can offer a better package
than going direct to the cruise line and
can assist should you encounter problems
before, during or after your cruise.
2. Use a credit card. You can dispute a
charge if there is good reason.
3. Ask the agent/cruise line if there is
a possibility of any serious situation that
could negatively impact your experience.
4. Do independent research on
potential issues. Fodors.com, BBB.org and
complaintsboard.com can provide insight
into customer feedback.
5. Consider options other than Viking.
There may be other reputable cruise lines
some of which have ships that require
lower river levels than Viking and are
more customer friendly.
Bob Crouch
Smoke Signals policies for
letters to the editor
Smoke Signals welcomes letters written
to the editor. Letters should address
issues and ideas, not personalities, and
must include the writer’s name, address
and phone number for submission
verification.
Smoke Signals reserves the right to
accept or reject submissions and edit
grammar and spelling. Personal attacks
and obscenity are prohibited, and writers
can be asked for necessary revisions.
Letters about political candidates will not
be accepted after qualification ends.
Maximum length is 450 words, and
letters should be single-spaced with
indented paragraphs. To make room for
more opinions, writers can submit letters
as often as every other month. Letters
may be deposited in the Smoke Signals
box at the Big Canoe Postal Facility or
emailed to [email protected]
as body text or a Word attachment. The
deadline is the 12th day each month.
Dawson’s Kevin Tanner authors
Georgia Pastor Protection Act
Kevin Tanner of Dawsonville and house representative of the 9th District of
Georgia authored the Pastor Protection Act (House Bill 757). The bill, one of several
Tanner has authored this session of the legislature, saw both sides of the aisle come
together and pass the bill by a unanimous vote.
The Pastor Protection Act, modeled after similar legislation in place in several
states, reaffirms the separation of church and state in Georgia. HB 757 assures members
of the clergy that they will not be required to perform any marriage which violates
their faith. The bill further protects churches, synagogues and other places of worship
as well as religious organizations from being required by state or local government to
host an event which violates their religious doctrine. The Pastor Protection Act also
protects businesses from any ordinance which might require them to be open on a day
of rest (Saturday or Sunday).
Passion Sunday
observed at Holy Family
Episcopal Church
The Holy Family Schola Cantorum will present Choral Evensong on
Sunday, March 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Schola is an ensemble of the parish choir and will sing Henry Purcell’s
“Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary” during the service of Choral
Evensong, offered in observance of Passion Sunday, the beginning of Holy
Week. All are cordially invited.
Choral Evensong is a service of scripture readings, prayers, and
intercessions, and has remained virtually unchanged for over 350 years. It is
the crown jewel of English choral music.
Upcoming free concerts will be:
• April 17 Organ recital played by Calvert Johnson
• May 15 A Pentecost Celebration with the Chancel Choir of the Decatur
(Georgia) Presbyterian Church.
Holy Family is located at 202 Griffith Road, near the intersection of
Griffith Road and Cove Road, across from Grandview Road in Jasper. For
more information, please call the church at 770-893-4525 or see www.
holyfamilyepiscopalchurch.net.
Watch for E-blasts and look for
posters in the Big Canoe postal
facility for information on
POA programs events.
For more information visit
insidethegates.org.
www.insidethegates.org
Holy Family Episcopal Church. PHOTO BY ROBERT SMITH
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
31 A
OPINION
“We the people, of the United States are not monolithic.
Since the beginning we have been, and continue to be,
of different ancestry, different cultures,
different religions and different opinions.”
A personal sense of loss for a man I never met
BY KEN REYNOLDS
I
t was pleasant, but February cold late Saturday
afternoon. Our dog was enjoying his after-walk
treat, and my wife and I were anticipating a pleasant
evening at a neighborhood gathering.
As smartphones do, mine signaled an alert: “Justice
Antonin Scalia has died.”
My knowledge of the man is limited to the news
media and having read some of his opinions and dissents.
No personal connection with him, even twice removed.
Thinking of Justice Scalia in a personal way had not once
crossed my mind, but a sense of loss settled on me.
Whenever a case came before the Supreme Court, the
nation knew we could count on Justice Scalia to be true
to his principles. We knew where he stood.
But my feeling was not of political loss, it was
personal and disturbing.
We the people, of the United States are not
monolithic. Since the beginning we have been, and
continue to be, of different ancestry, different cultures,
different religions and different opinions. We might
ignore history and look only so far as the Middle East
to see the consequences of attempting to impose a
monolithic government on a diverse population.
We would be better off to know the history, and to
know we the people are about protecting a union that
is striving to be more perfect. We are about justice,
domestic tranquility, our common defense, promoting
the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity.
Justice Scalia approached public service with a
deep understanding of why we have a government.
He understood because of his knowledge, not his gut
feelings. He also understood that no one has all the
correct answers to every issue. How else could he have
had so many friends who disagreed with him?
And that is why I felt a personal loss. Justice Scalia
represented the reality of living under a government like
ours. It has to be for all the people, including those of
different desires and opinions. Justice Scalia expressed
his views with eloquence. And he listened.
Because he listened, he had friends of different
persuasions. As long as we can do what Justice Scalia
did, we have a chance of securing the blessings of liberty.
And that is personal.
“So when someone dies, if there are PODs and TODs with stacks of TICs, because of words
from lots of Slicks, you’ll take some licks from the hidden tricks.”
Dr. Seuss, PODs, TODs and Tenants in Common
Big Canoe
Law School
GEORGE FOX
S
hades of Dr. Seuss: why would
someone want to have a TIC stack
for stock?
“TIC” is the abbreviation for “Tenants-in-Common.”
Holding stock or any other kind
of investment in the name of
“Tenants in Common” is usually
not a good idea. Same for accounts
with “POD” or “TOD” in the title.
So when someone dies, if there
are PODs and TODs with stacks
of TICs, because of words from
lots of Slicks, you’ll take some
licks from the hidden tricks.
And now’s a very good time to
take a look at your accounts and
real estate titles, to see if any of
these abbreviations appear.
Why the sudden proliferation
of naming investment accounts
with initials? Most likely, some
customer service type in a financial institution is reading a script
written by the legal department.
You’re told that these TICs and
PODs and TODs (along with the
un-pronounceable --and therefore, unrhymable -- JTWROS) are
a way that you can avoid (shudder
here) probate.
They’ll tell you to make your account
into a POD or TOD account which stands
for Pay on Death or Transfer on Death.
Then the account won’t have to go through
probate.
Why are financial institutions pushing
POD and TOD accounts lately? It makes
their tasks easier when the account holder dies. Whatever’s in the account goes
straight to the person named in the POD
or TOD account title.
No institutional involvement, no lawyer things, no lawsuits, no forms, no court
things, no probate things, no delays. Listen
close and you’ll hear whoosh as your assets
accelerate like particles through a cyclotron into the named person’s hands.
But this ignores the simple truth about
probate in Georgia: if the will contains the
right stuff, probate in Georgia takes 15 minutes of your time. It may cost $100-$150 in
filing fees, depending on the number of
pages in the will. And you can do it yourself; no lawyer needs to stand at your side.
So why do you want to beat this fast,
inexpensive process with these lettered
avoidance schemes?
And there are often complications, such
as if you really don’t want investments going to that one named person. Example:
if the person named on a POD account is
one child, and there are two others, the
POD skips those two.
“Oh sure,” you say. “But my child can
divide up the assets among the other two
siblings, right?”
Wrong. Assuming the benefitting child
wants to share the wealth – and that’s not
an automatic “given” these days – this
child will be making taxable gifts, if she’s
writing more than $14,000 to each of her
sibs.
That “doing what Mama wanted any-
way” generosity is considered a gift by
IRS, which requires filing a Gift Tax
Return. And the penalties for not filing this
return on time are enormous. (You ask:
“But how will IRS ever find out?” They will.
Big investments have basis and don’t just
evaporate.)
And what about that “Tenants-inCommon” thing?” Sometimes TICs are
okay in sophisticated investments between unrelated parties, but not in a family setting.
Why? Because tenancies-in-common
don’t avoid probate. If two people own
an investment account as Tenants In
Common, and one of the two owners dies,
the surviving owner does not automatically get the whole account.
Au contraire, the dead person’s estate
now owns the dead person’s share, and –
guess what? – that person’s will now dictates where that T-I-C interest goes. And
so that will is going to have to be
probated.
There are more “beat probate” workarounds. A common
one: “Joint Tenants with Right of
Survivorship.” It works fine when
the first person dies . . . but not
when the second person dies; at
that point, the second person isn’t
“joint” with anybody. So you’re
back to a probate situation.
So caution when someone suggests alphabetic account names.
The letters may be simple, but the
consequences are not. (And maybe take this article as your cue to
check your account statements.)
*Footnote: to do the speedy
probate, the will has to contain
particular things. It varies from
state to state; for example, what
they do in Maryland doesn’t work
in Georgia. And downloaded wills
don’t always contain the magic incantations. You should check.
George practices in Sandy Springs
and Big Canoe, and is also Adjunct
Professor in Emory Law School’s Center
for Transactional Law. Questions are
welcome; reach him at
[email protected] or
on Facebook. He also
cautions that what’s
above is not legal advice,
and you should seek
professional advice
before doing or not doing
something based on this
material.
GEORGE FOX
32 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
MARCH 2016
Top Listing/Selling Agents in Big Canoe
10 YEARS
RUNNING
Just announced ...
2015
RESALE AGENTS
of the year!
Ryan Moledor
Mike Leonard
706.268.2324 • 678.231.7863 cell
770.561.5483
• Approximately 2 of our listings are sold each month
• Big Canoe Realty Resale Agents Of The Year 4 out of the last 6 years
• Combined 25 years of experience selling and listing
homes and homesites in Big Canoe
UNDER CONTRACT
SOLD
101 Highland Farms Ct • $249,900
494 Columbine Dr • $199,900
196 Cox Mtn Lane • $700,000
1150 Summit Drive • $675,000
154 Choctaw Village • $429,900
132 Cliff Fern • $499,900
28 Bear Creek Way • $689,900
274 Wood Poppy Dr • $489,900
SOLD
84 Cliff Fern • $399,900
146 Cherokee Drive
71 Cherokee Drive • $425,000
1608 Quail Cove • $399,900
365 Wedgewood Drive • $399,900
1145 Cherokee Trail • $394,199
104 Morgan Walk • $349,900
291 Woodland Trace • $349,900
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
259 Owls Brow • $325,000
64 The Paddock
208 Lone Wolf
SOLD
NEW CONSTRUCTION
197 McElroy Mt Drive
642 Red Fox Drive
SOLD
SOLD
182 Disharoon Drive
58 Goldfinch Point
SOLD
452 Bellflower
2489 Valley View • $180,000
78 Ahyoka Knoll • $300,000
SOLD
50 Sweet Gum • $299,900
553 Lakewatch Villa
104 Soaring Hawk • $249,000
3672 Wilderness Pkwy • $239,900
SOLD
SOLD
2232 Cherokee Trail
403C Disharoon Ridge
HOMESITES SOLD
SOLD
2350 Yanoo Trace • 3510 Bear Creek Point • 3410 Wildcat Trail
3581 Blazingstar • 859 Sinti Trail • 8237 Cox Mt Dr
• 5501 Red Fox • 2373 Yunsoo Place
341 Windflower
109 Treetopper
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
ATLANTA
& E N T E R TA I N M E N T A R T S
1B
Three works created for Atlanta Ballet staged March 18-20
T
hree diverse works with a
variety of movement, music
and themes created for the
Atlanta Ballet are on stage
March 18-20 at Cobb Energy Performing
Arts Centre in a show titled “20/20:
Visionary.”
The poetry of spoken-word artist
Marc Bamuthi Joseph and violinist Daniel
Bernard Roumain are featured in the
return performance
of Amy Seiwert’s
“Home in 7.” The
n MARCH 18-20
Atlanta Ballet in 2010
COBB ENERGY
premiered the work
PERFORMING
that visits aspects
ARTS CENTRE
of Atlanta, from
Southern belles and
the Braves to more
intense themes and
historical references.
Created in 2008 for the Atlanta Ballet
by choreographer Darrell Grand Moultrie,
“Boiling Point” is a fast paced work
showcasing the company’s athleticism,
“pushing dancers to physical heights they
haven’t reached before,” says Moultrie.
Acclaimed British choreographer
Douglas Lee will debut his new work
“Playground,” exploring the idea of play
while drawing on his nostalgic feeling
for the past and harkening back to the
playfulness of childhood memories.
Tickets and information are at www.
atlantaballet.com.
Amy Seiwert’s ‘Home in 7’ is among
three varied works the Atlanta Ballet is
performing March 18-20. PHOTO BY CHARLIE
MCCULLERS
North Georgia
Arts&Entertainment
COVERING ATLANTA & NORTH GEORGIA | The area’s most comprehensive events guide and calendar | MARCH 2016
BY CHRISTOPHER BARKER
R
eaders and writers will find
even more to savor at this year’s
Meet the Authors literary event
in Ellijay.
The Gilmer Arts and Heritage
Association Inc, (GA) has built on last
year’s inaugural opportunity for the
public to hear and interact with some of
the best local and regional authors. The
2016 edition, March 25-26, opens with
a nationally renowned keynote speaker
and a reception, includes more regional
authors joining local authors and offers
advice on writing and publishing.
The arts association’s flagship program
is B.E.S.T. (Bringing Ellijay Sensational
Talent), and its literary leaders have
invited authors who are among the
region’s best to GA’s headquarters at 207
Dalton St. for this year’s event. Featured
authors this year are Victoria Wilcox,
Michael K. Brown, Ren and Helen Davis,
Jadie Jones, Richard Judy, Kathi Harper
Hill, Ron Weintraub and Joyce Southern
Bennett.
“With this expanded event, we are
renewing our focus on the literary arts,”
says Sharon Stokes, an association board
member and chair of its Literary Arts
Committee. “Our mission is three-fold:
to focus on the visual, performing and
literary arts, but in the recent past we
have focused more on the first two.
With our newly formed Literary Arts
Committee and this event, we hope to
re-energize and increase opportunities in
the literary arts arena – which is by far
the largest and most popular of the three
art fields.”
Keynote speaker Victoria Wilcox
opens the two days of free programs
at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 25. Wilcox
has written a trilogy based on the life
of famed Georgia native John Henry
“Doc” Holliday. The former English/
composition teacher and current lecture
speaker won a 2014 Georgia authorof-the-year award for her first novel,
“Inheritance,” about Wyatt Earp’s
colleague growing up in Georgia during
the Civil War.
Wilcox was first interested in an old
Southern home once owned by John
Stiles Holliday leading to 18 years of
research about his interesting nephew.
“Inheritance” preceded two more novels
in the “Southern Son: The Saga of Doc
Holliday” series: “Gone West” and “The
Last Decision.” Founding director of the
Holliday-Dorsey-Fife House Museum
in Fayetteville, the Atlanta resident is
a member of the Wild West History
Association, Western Writers of America,
the Historical Novel Society, the Atlanta
Writers Club and the Writers Guild of
the Booth Museum of Western Art in
Cartersville.
The event sponsored by Ellijay’s
Walls of Books bookstore and Chateau
Meichtry Winery and Vineyard continues
n AUTHORS | Page 6
Meet the
Authors
event in
Ellijay
growing
Keynote speaker Victoria Wilcox opens two days of free programs Friday, March 25.
“Wilcox was first interested in an old
Southern home once owned by John Stiles
Holliday leading to 18 years of research
about his interesting nephew. ‘Inheritance’
preceded two more novels in the ‘Southern
Son: The Saga of Doc Holliday’ series: ‘Gone
West’ and ‘The Last Decision.’ “
2 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
MARCH 2016
Biscuits just taste better off of a chuck
wagon. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM
Arts&Entertainment
A Smoke Signals Publication
PUBLISHED BY
Smoke Signals
Community Services, Inc.
Board Of Directors
Carl Deane, Jim Braley,
Brad Herren, George Thurman,
David Howe, Barbara Schneider
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Carl Deane
[email protected]
706-579-1462
MANAGING
EDITOR
Barbara Schneider
[email protected]
404-626-5385
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
•
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Diane Smith
[email protected]
706-579-1233
•••
PRINT & ONLINE
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
Judy Harvey
[email protected]
678-925-8511
SALES
REPRESENTATIVES
Sarah Mansfield
[email protected]
770-402-3839
•
Steve Melching
[email protected]
678-360-3712
•••
CIRCULATION
Mike Zblewski
[email protected]
770-893-1594
SUBSCRIPTIONS
[email protected]
FIND US ON
FACEBOOK
Smoke Signals
Mailing Address:
Office: Brownstone Centre, Marble Hill, GA 30148
Office Phone: 770-893-1594
Printed and mailed by
Jasper, GA 30143
Smoke Signals is owned by
with all rights reserved.
© Copyright 2009 Smoke Signals All editorial and
advertising material is the property of Smoke Signals and
may not be used in any other publication or media without
the express written consent of Smoke Signals.
Advertiser is solely responsible for the content of all
advertising published at their request or their agent and
shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the publisher
from any claim or lawsuit arising out of any advertisement.
The opinions expressed by our op-ed writers are
not necessarily endorsed by Smoke Signals Community
Services, Inc.
Doc Griffin enjoys his coffee in front of the U.S. Marshall Outlaw Wagon.
Local singer-songwriter Scott Thompson will
perform country hits true to the ways of the
West during the Cowboy Gathering Concert.
CARTERSVILLE
Annual Cowboy Gathering features
Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, named one of
Georgia’s best food festivals
R
ound up the children and mosey
on down to Booth Western Art
Museum for the 13th Annual
Southeastern Cowboy Gathering,
March 10–12 in Cartersville.
Scheduled events include a gallery walk,
exhibition opening reception, lecture and
sculpting demonstration with featured
artist Michael
Naranjo; a
concert by
n MARCH 10-12
entertainer
BOOTH
Mary Kaye
WESTERN ART
with special
MUSEUM
guest Scott
Thompson; the
Southeastern
Chuck Wagon Cook-Off; a homeschool
gathering for students; finals of the
Writing Through Art Literary Contest; live
entertainment; cowboy church; children’s
activities and so much more!
The Gathering begins Thursday, March
10 at 4:30 p.m. as featured artist Michael
Naranjo leads a gallery walk through
Michael Naranjo: The Artist Who Sees with
His Hands, in the temporary exhibition
gallery. This exhibition will feature more
than 30 works, drawn from the Collection
of Tia, from throughout Naranjo’s 45year career. At 5:30 p.m., an exhibition
opening reception will be held in the
museum’s atrium where attendees can meet
Naranjo. Refreshments will be served from
5:30 to 7 p.m. Following the reception, Booth
Museum members and guests are invited
to the evening lecture to hear Naranjo
share his story, from being raised in an
artisan’s home, his wartime experiences
and how these moments helped develop his
artistic career. Following his presentation,
Naranjo will be available to sign the official
poster of the 13th Annual Southeastern
Cowboy Gathering in the Booth Store.
These activities are free for Booth Museum
members and included with general
admission for not-yet-members.
Michael Naranjo grew up in a New
Mexico pottery family and went to school
to study sculpture, but service in Vietnam
threatened his dream. A grenade explosion
took his eyesight and left his right hand
severely wounded. Despite these limitations
Naranjo has created well over 100 important
works including many monuments. Per
the request of the artist and the Collection,
Michael Naranjo: The Artist Who Sees
with His Hands, will allow visitors the
opportunity to touch the sculptures … to see
the pieces as the artist sees them.
Friday, March 11 from 10 a.m. to 12:30
p.m., the Booth Artists’ Guild presents a
sculpting demonstration with Michael
Naranjo in Bergman Theatre moderated
by Booth Museum Executive Director Seth
Hopkins. Widely regarded as one of the
greatest contemporary Native American
sculptors, Naranjo will work a piece of
clay into a masterwork, using his inner
vision to guide his hands. Tickets are $20
for Booth Museum members and $25 for
not-yet-members. To register for the artist
demonstration call 770-387-3849.
After seeing the teams cook, attendees are always ready to eat lunch.
From 1 to 4 p.m., Friday, March 11,
homeschool students are invited to enjoy
an activity-packed afternoon at Booth
Museum’s Homeschool Gathering. Explore
the exhibit Michael Naranjo: The Artist
Who Sees with His Hands, just as the
artist would. Touch the sculptures; feel the
movement of the bronze; learn how Naranjo
uses his intuition to create masterworks.
Students will also be able to explore Ansel
Adams: Before & After and be challenged by
a variety of photography related activities.
Reservations are suggested. Cost is $5 per
student and $3 plus tax per adult. Call 770387-3849 to schedule a group of 10 or more
students.
Throughout the day Saturday, March
12, there will be a variety of events for
the entire family. Referred to as “the
original food truck” by “Georgia Eats,” the
Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-Off is the
largest competition east of the Mississippi
River. Teams of cooks will prepare beans,
meat, potatoes, bread and dessert just as
they did during the cattle drives of the
1800s. Those interested are encouraged
to purchase meal tickets in advance for
$15 plus tax. Lunch will be served at noon.
Inside the museum, the art will come
to life with characters from the images
available for interaction through questions
and photographs. Other activities include
Cowboy Church, finals of the Writing
Through Art Literary Competition, Cowboy
Poetry and Western music.
Saturday evening at 7 p.m., join us
for an evening of Western music with
critically acclaimed and multiple award
winning singer-songwriter Mary Kaye.
Renowned Western artist Maynard Dixon
declared, “The spirit of the West sings in
every soul.” Mary believes this and shares
this spirit in every performance as her
What’s Inside
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Gilmer Arts Literary event................1, 6, 7
Atlanta Ballet .........................................1
Cowboy Gathering............................. 2, 3
ASO celebrates Shaw .............................3
American Craft Council Show .................5
Gibbs Gardens opens March 1.................8
‘The Revolutionists’ ................................9
‘Pirates of Penzance’ ..............................9
‘Sound of Music’ at Fox Theatre.............. 9
Out of Box’s ‘The Library’ ......................10
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre ........................10
Two shows at Alliance.......................... 11
Aurora’s ‘Into the Woods’ .....................11
Canoe Kids, ‘Bodies’........................12, 13
American Craft Council Show features
nation’s top contemporary craft artists • 4
t bigcanoenews.com/
art-entertainment
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
n Continued from previous page
music is rooted deeply in the Western
landscape, just as her life. Mary Kaye has
received extensive recognition for her
distinguished songwriting and her vocal
abilities. These combined with her magnetic
stage presence, beautiful guitar playing, and
fun sense of humor make for a memorable
performance. Prior to Mary’s performance,
local singer-songwriter Scott Thompson
will take the stage for a series of songs true
to the ways of the West. Tickets are $20
plus tax for Booth Museum members and
$25 plus tax for not-yet-members. They
can be purchased by calling the museum
at 770-387-1300, the Grand Theatre box
office at 770-386-7343, or online at www.
thegrandtheatre.org.
The Southeastern Cowboy Gathering
is designed to celebrate our rich Western
heritage and is a unique opportunity for
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
3B
residents of the Southeast to explore the
West without leaving the South. Event
admission, including entry to the museum,
is as follows: Adults – $10 plus tax; Seniors
(65 and over) – $8 plus tax; Students – $7
plus tax; Children 12 & under – free; Booth
Museum members and active military with
I.D. – free. To purchase tickets for any of the
weekend’s events, call the museum at 770387-1300 or visit the museum’s front desk.
Booth Western Art Museum, an affiliate
to the Smithsonian Institution, is a 120,000
square foot museum located at 501 Museum
Drive in Cartersville, Georgia. Booth
Museum is the only museum of its kind in
the Southeast and is the second largest art
museum in the state of Georgia. To learn
more about Booth Western Art Museum,
visit www.boothmuseum.org.
ATLANTA
Shaw choral
celebration at ASO
BY JON GUNNEMANN
W
idely-acclaimed as one of the finest symphonic choruses in America
(some would say the best), the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and Orchestra will offer a program of choral works associated with its legendary
founder Robert Shaw.
Conducted by Norman Mackenzie, Shaw’s “designated successor,” performances
will be March 10 and 12 as part of the ASO’s year-long celebration of Shaw’s birth. It’s a
once-in-a-lifetime choral cornucopia.
Mozart’s Coronation Mass will be sung by the ASO Chamber Chorus (about 60
singers) in the first half of the program. The full Chorus (about 190 singers) will perform works by Bach, Brahms, Duruflé, Mendelssohn, Poulenc and Verdi. Robert Shaw
conducted all of these works regularly in his distinguished career and his recordings
of many of them, and of longer works, have gained critical acclaim (including many
Grammys) and international recognition for the ASO and its extraordinary chorus.
Shaw’s choral genius
Although singing at the highest professional level, the ASO Chorus is made up entirely of amateur singers who volunteer their time. Robert Shaw was deeply committed
to musical performance by amateurs: “The arts—like sex—are too important to leave
to the professionals,” he wrote in one of his weekly letters
to his chorus. Music and the arts are important to society
and their creative role is enhanced when larger numbers
n MARCH 10, 12
of people are able to participate in them, and to participate
ATLANTA
at a high level. He never tired of reminding his singers and
SYMPHONY
his audiences that the true meaning of “amateur” is “one
ORCHESTRA
who loves,” from the Latin amare, “to love,” and amator, “a
lover.”
Shaw’s genius was his capacity to take lovers of singing
(albeit with some good musical skills) and transform them into a great symphonic chorus. He did this by developing “principles and rules of choral musicianship” and a set of
“drills and skills” aimed at achieving absolute rhythmic precision, purity of intonation,
exact diction, and a unified sonority (no individual voice may ever be heard). The result was a chorus of 200 singers who could sound like a professional choir of 20 voices
singing a capella Renaissance music but could also produce the dramatic fortissimos
required by Beethoven or Berlioz.
The Shaw choral sound is distinctive: uncommon clarity of the voices, underlying
energy, precise diction, dramatic shaping of musical phrases, a sense of effortlessness
in even the loudest or most difficult passages. And Shaw was as much a teacher as a
performer. He taught his principles and techniques in workshops across the country,
including an annual workshop at Carnegie Hall. There are choral conductors across the
country who have worked with and been influenced by him.
The ASO Chorus today
When Shaw died in 1999 it was uncertain whether the choral tradition he had
founded could be continued. But under the leadership of Norman Mackenzie, who had
worked for many years with Shaw, the chorus continues to receive the highest critical
acclaim. It is regularly invited, with the orchestra, to perform in Carnegie Hall; and on
three occasions the chorus alone has been invited to sing, conducted by Maestro Donald Runnicles, with the Berlin Philharmonic, the only American chorus ever invited to
do so.
The first Berlin performance, in December of 2003, was Benjamin Britten’s A War
Requiem. The response was deeply emotional and enthusiastic with audience members
crowding around the stage applauding until the last chorus member had left. The reviewer in Der Tagesspiegal wrote: “It is, after all, something of an upside-down world
when our fabulous Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra turns around on its orchestral
seats to applaud a non-professional American chorus behind it. The sensation is about
230 members strong and comes from the Coca-Cola City of Atlanta … the miracle is
the chorus, because it conjures from its 200-plus voices a pianissimo on the edge of
silence: ‘Requiem aeternum’… And because it sings the Latin text of the requiem mass
with unbelievable clarity, as if with one voice, particularly in its a cappella purity.”
A third invitation to sing in Berlin in December of 2009 presented a new challenge:
The chorus was asked to sing Johannes Brahms’s German Requiem, which meant singing one of the most beloved pieces of the German choral repertoire, in German, before
a highly critical German audience. The reviewer in the Berliner Morgenpost wrote:
“The biggest surprise of the concert evening with the Philharmonic under Donald Runnicles … was the guest appearance of the almost 200-voice chorus, officially the chorus
of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. It proved itself as a dependable, dynamic, gigantic
instrument. But still more: the chorus articulated the German text with extraordinary
care and sensitive power. The excellent Berliner Rundfunk Chorus could learn something in this regard from their American colleagues.” The Shaw choral tradition is alive
and well.
Performances begin at 8 p.m. Visit www.atlantasymphony.org for additional information. Or call the box office, 404-733-5000, or the subscription office, 404-733-4800.
GIBBS GARDENS
“The Most Stunning
Daffodil Garden Ever!”
Gibbs Gardens Fifth Annual Daffodil Festival bursts
on the scene when more than 50 acres of blooming
daffodils create a feast for the senses—beginning in
March and continuing through mid-April. Gibbs
Gardens has the distinction of being recognized as
an American Daffodil Society Display Garden, one
of only 25 in the U.S.
Over 20 million blooms, including 100 different
varieties, is what Southern Living calls “the most
spectacular display of blooms this side of Holland.”
Jon Gunnemann and his wife have owned a home in Big Canoe since 1998. He has sung
with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for 25 years.
®
20 MILLION DAFFODILS
1987 Gibbs Drive • Ball Ground, GA 30107
www.gibbsgardens.com
Norman Mackenzie
770-893-1881
4 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
ATLANTA
American Craft Council Show features
nation’s top contemporary craft artists
Fashion takes center
stage with debut of
Style Slam
T
he American Craft Council
Show returns to the Cobb
Galleria Center, March 11-13.
The Southeast’s largest juried
indoor craft show features more than 225
of the country’s top contemporary craft
artists presenting their latest handmade
creations in jewelry, clothing, furniture
and home décor.
The show runs for three days with
a special $5 ticket price Friday evening
after 5 p.m.
This year,
n MARCH 11-13
show-goers
COBB GALLERIA
will enjoy
CENTER
the return of
Make Room,
Modern
Design Meets Craft, Hip Pop and Let’s
Make programs, along with a new on-site
interactive feature: Style Slam.
Style Slam will pair Atlanta’s top
stylists with the show’s talented
network of fashion wearable, accessory
and jewelry artists. The result will be
a stunning two-day demonstration
of cutting-edge fashion showcased
throughout the exhibit floor.
Hip Pop will highlight the creative
works of the best and brightest emerging
craft artists new to the show scene.
Selected through a jurying process,
emerging artists will be grouped into
pods to debut their craft.
Let’s Make engages show-goers to
touch, feel and experience the handson process of creating a piece of
artwork. During the show, a variety
of artisans will provide interactive
demonstrations at “Inspiration Stations,”
where show-goers can participate in the
creative process.
Make Room: Modern Design Meets
Craft puts craft into context with
spectacular room vignettes created by
select interior designers. Themed “4
Directions” in its fourth year, designers
will feature pieces that visually
communicate the essence of style in the
North, South, East or West.
This year Bill Moore, a vibrantly
young-at-heart 84 year-old woodworker
from Canton, will join the other 225
nationally acclaimed craft artisans in the
Southeast’s largest indoor craft show.
He has been selected for the first time
into the highly competitive, juried show
for his stunning handmade one-of-a-kind
Wendy Clark
Geoffery Giles
Kirsten Denbow
furniture. Moore is a true testimony that
you are never too old to reach your full
potential with his heartwarming story
about how much joy he garners while
creating his handcrafted wood objects.
It all started in 1944 in a seventh grade
industrial arts class, and now having
made hundreds of pieces of furniture, he
has had a “love affair” with wood to this
day.
Now in its 27th year, the show draws
nearly 10,000 visitors and is considered
the premiere marketplace for fine craft
lovers and collectors. With artists
working in ceramics, glass, fiber, wood,
fashion, jewelry, leather and mixed media,
shoppers will experience the work of
hundreds of the country’s most talented
craft makers under one roof, while
exploring the process each artist uses to
create his or her work.
The American Craft Council Show in
Atlanta is Friday, March 11, 10 a.m. to 8
p.m., Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
and Sunday, March 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at Cobb Galleria Center, Two Galleria
Parkway in Atlanta.
On-site admission tickets are $13 for
a one-day pass, or $36 for a three-day
pass. Guests can save time by purchasing
tickets online at www.craftcouncil.org/
atlanta. Advance (online) tickets are $12
for a one-day pass or $34 for a three-day
pass. $5 after 5 p.m. Friday night: onsite purchases only. Free admission for
American Craft Council members and
children 12 and under.
For more information about the
American Craft Council Show in Atlanta
visit www.craftcouncil.org/atlanta or call
612-206-3104.
Jenny Benscher
About The American
Craft Council
No one understands the world of
artful living better than the American
Craft Council. The national nonprofit
educational organization has been shaping
the artisanal craft movement for decades,
serving as a craft chronicler, tastemaker,
convener and provocateur through its
bimonthly magazine American Craft,
annual juried shows presenting artists
and their work, thought leadership
conferences, awards for excellence,
research library, workshops and seminars.
For additional information visit www.
craftcouncil.org or follow us on Facebook
at facebook.com/CraftCouncil and on
Twitter at twitter.com/craftcouncil.
Bill Moore, 84, of Canton,
will join 225 nationally
acclaimed craft artisans
in the Southeast’s largest
indoor craft show.
Spring Wine Hwy Weekends!
WAG: WINE GROWERS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SPRING WINE HIGHWAY
March 19-20 and March 26-27
• Sat, Mar 19, 1:30pm 5:30pm
Live Music - Greg Erwin
• Sat, Mar 26, 1:30pm 5:30pm
Live Music with April Cummings
OTHER UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC, 1:30pm - 5:30pm ...
• Sat, Feb 27, Live Music with Timothy O’Donovan
• Sat, Mar 5, Live Music with Hear Now
• Sat, Mar 12, Live Music with Joseph Erwin
• Sat, Apr 2. Live Music with Ryan Boss
5704 Clear Creek Rd.,
Ellijay, GA 30536
706-698-9463 (WINE)
Mon-Sat 11 am to 6 pm
Sun 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm
www.cartecayvineyards.com
facebook.com/CartecayVineyards
Fine Chinese, Thai and Japanese Cuisine
• Sushi Bar
• Fine Dine In
• Carry Out &
Catering Available
• Serving Wine
and Beer
Open 7 Days A Week 11 AM - 10 PM
www.ablyasiancuisine.com
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
Calendar
12
5B
MARCH 2016 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1
© BOB KOLBRENER, PORTRAIT OF HALF DOME,
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA, 2006. IMAGE
COURTESY OF LUMIÈRE.
Booth Western
Art Museum
ANSEL ADAMS:
BEFORE & AFTER
A comprehensive listing of Atlanta and North Georgia entertainment options by date
TUESDAY, MARCH 1
Theatre
• “The Sound of Music,” Fox Theatre, Atlanta
(through March 6, see article on page 9)
• “Space!” Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta
(through March 10)
• “The Toxic Avenger,” Horizon Theatre,
Atlanta (through March 13)
• “American Buffalo,” Kenny Leon’s True Colors
Theatre Company, Southwest Arts Center,
Atlanta (through March 6)
• “Start Down,” Alliance Theatre, Atlanta
(through March 6)
• “The Phantom of the Opera,” Fox Theatre,
(through March 5)
• “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,”
Alliance Theatre, Atlanta (through March 20)
Visual Arts
• Wild Music, Fernbank Museum of Natural
History, Atlanta (through July 31)
• Ansel Adams: Before & After, Booth Western
Art Museum, Cartersville (through March 20)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Festivals & Other
• Art for Lunch: Landscapes for the People,
Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Theatre
• “Southern Fried Funeral,” Blue Ridge
Community Theatre (through March 20)
• “The Revolutionists,” 7 Stages Theatre, Atlanta
Music
• Virtuoso Hadelich with the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Hall (March 3, 5)
Out of
the Box
Theatre
‘THE LIBRARY’
4
9
Philips
Arena
RIHANNA
Booth
Western
Art
Museum
13TH ANNUAL
SOUTHEASTERN COWBOY
GATHERING
HARLEM
GLOBETROTTERS
90TH ANNIVERSARY
WORLD TOUR
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
Theatre
• “Much Ado About Nothing,” Shakespeare
Tavern, Atlanta (through March 26)
Music
• The Atlanta Opera presents, “The Pirates
of Penzance,” Cobb Energy Performing Arts
Centre, Atlanta (March 5, 8, 11-13, see article on
page 9)
• Hear Now, Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay
SUNDAY, MARCH 6
Music
• Tony Furtado, Crimson Moon, Dahlonega
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS
LASZLO SZIRTESI / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Atlanta
Symphony
Hall
JOAN BAEZ
17
JOAN BAEZ
FREDERIC LEGRAND - COMEO /
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
29
THURSDAY, MARCH 17
Music
• Joan Baez, Atlanta Symphony Hall
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
Dance
• Atlanta Ballet presents: 20/20, Cobb Energy
Centre, Atlanta (through March 20)
Music
• ASO Pops: The Carole King Songbook, Atlanta
Symphony Hall (March 18, 19)
• Live entertainment, The Clubhouse at Lake
Sconti, Big Canoe
SUNDAY, MARCH 20
Music
• Rory Block, Crimson Moon, Dahlonega
TUESDAY, MARCH 22
Visual Arts
• Creative Expressions Program, Blue Ridge
Mountains Arts Association, The Arts Center,
Blue Ridge (through March 25)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
Music
• Joe Satriani, Atlanta Symphony Hall
Festivals & Other
• Community Dinner, The Clubhouse at Lake
Sconti, Big Canoe
THURSDAY, MARCH 24
Festivals & Other
• Garden Talk with Erica: Early Spring Bloomers,
Gibbs Gardens, Ball Ground
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Theatre
• Stage Door Players in Dunwoody presents
“Hail, Mary!” North DeKalb Cultural Arts
Center, Atlanta (through April 17)
Music
Sconti, Big Canoe
Festivals & Other
• Gilmer Arts Literary Event, Ellijay (March 2526, see article on page 1)
• Book signing, Q & A with daffodil expert Sara
Van Beck, Gibbs Gardens, Ball Ground
THURSDAY, MARCH 10
Theatre
• Aurora Theatre presents, “Into the Woods,”
Lawrenceville (through April 17, see article on
page 11)
Music
• “A Shaw Choral Celebration,” ASO Chorus and
Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Hall (March 10, 12)
Festivals & Other
• 13th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering,
Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville
SATURDAY, MARCH 12
Theatre
• Mayberry Moments, Cumming Playhouse
(through March 13)
TUESDAY, MARCH 15
Music
• Gordon Lightfoot, Atlanta Symphony Hall
• The Celtic Tenors, Reinhardt University’s
Falany Performing Arts Center, Waleska (see ad
on page 10)
Visual Arts
• Georgia Watercolor Society National
Exhibition, Bowen Center for the Arts,
Dawsonville (through April 30, see ad on page 12)
SATURDAY, MARCH 19
Music
• Hank Williams Jr. Tribute Show, Cumming
Playhouse
• Jamie Javal, Crimson Moon, Dahlonega
Festivals & Other
• Wine Growers Association of Georgia Spring
Wine Highway (March 19-20, 26-27)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9
Music
• Rihanna, Philips Arena, Atlanta
FRIDAY, MARCH 11
Music
• Il Volo, Atlanta Symphony Hall
Sconti, Big Canoe
• The American Led Zeppelin, Fox Theatre,
Atlanta
• The Chuck Nation Band, Crimson Moon,
Dahlonega
• B.E.S.T. Series, Cherish the Ladies, Ellijay
Elementary Auditorium (see ad on page 10)
Festivals & Other
• The American Craft Council Show, Cobb
Galleria Center, Atlanta (through March 13, see
article on page 4)
SUNDAY, MARCH 13
Music
• Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra,
Crescendo Concert, Atlanta Symphony Hall
MONDAY, MARCH 14
Music
• Athens Guitar Duo, Reinhardt University’s
Falany Performing Arts Center, Waleska
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
Theatre
• Mardi Gras “March,” Cumming Playhouse
(through March 6)
• “Into the Woods, Jr.,” Holly Theatre, Dahlonega
(through March 6)
• “The Library,” Out of Box Theatre, Artisan
Resource Center, Marietta (through March 19,
see article on page 10)
Music
• Indigo Girls with the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Hall
Sconti, Big Canoe
• Michelle Malone, Crimson Moon, Dahlonega
TUESDAY, MARCH 8
Theatre
• “The Lizard & El Sol,” Alliance Theatre, Atlanta
(through April 3)
Music
• AC/DC, Philips Arena, Atlanta
RIHANNA
LANDMARKMEDIA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Philips
Arena
Music
• The Moody Blues, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
• Joseph Erwin, Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay (see
ad on page 4)
Festivals & Other
• Harlem Globetrotters 90th anniversary world
tour, Philips Arena, Atlanta (through March 13)
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
Music
• Valerie Hines, Blue Ridge Community Theater
Festivals & Other
• Wine Growers Association of Georgia Spring
Wine Highway (March 19-20, 26-27)
KINKY BOOTS
LEV RADIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Fox
Theatre
‘KINKY BOOTS’
TUESDAY, MARCH 29
Theatre
• “Kinky Boots,” Fox Theatre, Atlanta (through
April 3)
Music
• The University Percussion Ensemble,
Reinhardt University’s Falany Performing Arts
Center, Waleska (see ad on page 11)
THURSDAY, MARCH 31
Music
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Søndergård
conducts Debussy, Tharaud debuts with Ravel,
Atlanta Symphony Hall (March 31, April 2)
• Cumming Playhouse Singers present: “And All
That Jazz!” at Cumming Playhouse
• Brass Extravaganza, Reinhardt University’s
Falany Performing Arts Center, Waleska (see ad
on page 11)
6 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
MARCH 2016
Authors
n Continued from page 1
at 10 a.m. March 26 when Wilcox and
Atlanta Writers Club President Michael
K. Brown share their knowledge of
writing and publishing. Brown’s “Promise
of the Hills” is set in a small North
Georgia town, and his other books are
“Somewhere a River” and “Promise of
Silver.” A native of Alabama and graduate
of the University of Alabama, the 2015
Georgia author of the year lives in
Loganville.
Authors Ren and Helen Davis finish
the morning session with a slideshow
honoring the National Park Service’s
centennial. Their history and landscape
photography book “Landscapes of the
People” chronicles the work of the
park system’s first chief photographer,
George Alexander Grant. The oversize
book has more than 170 iconic blackand-white images taken by Grant, whose
photographs were often mistaken for
work by his colleague Ansel Adams.
The couple has also co-written seven
guidebooks as well as more than 100
magazine and newspaper articles. Their
other most recent books include “Atlanta
Walks: A Guide to Walking, Running, and
Bicycling the Area’s Scenic and Historic
Locales,” “Our Mark on This Land: A
Guide to the Legacy of the Civilian
Conservation Corps in America’s Parks”
and “Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery: An
Illustrated History and Guide.” The latter
received the Georgia Historical Society’s
2013 award for the best book published
about Georgia history in 2012 and won
the 2013 Author of the Year award in
the Specialty Book Category from the
Georgia Writers Association.
Ren Davis photos have appeared in
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia
Magazine and Atlanta Magazine; he has
won prizes for his own photography and
is on the Photography Committee of the
Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. Helen
Davis taught public and private school for
more than 30 years, and the Davises live
in Atlanta.
Authors in the morning session
will sign books at 11:30 a.m., and native
Atlantan and young adult writer Jadie
Jones opens the afternoon session at
1 p.m. with another short presentation
about writing and publishing. Jones has
also published a trilogy – “Moonlit,”
“Windswept” and “Wildwood” – that
“explores the unseen, the unheard and
the untraveled road.” The trilogy begins
with an 18-year-old woman growing up
Ren and Helen Davis have co-authored several books, including one about the National Park Service’s first chief photographer.
Ren and Helen Davis’ history and
landscape photography book.
on a farm with horses and knowing not
to venture beyond the risky edge of the
pasture.
The Appalachian Trail is also a theme
in the second afternoon session, when
Richard Judy – an avid hiker known
on the trail as “Peregrine” who serves
on the non-profit Len Foote Hike Inn
board of directors – presents “Thru: An
Appalachian Trail Love Story.” An Atlanta
resident, Judy hiked the full Appalachian
Trail at age 21 and bicycled from Los
Angeles to Savannah two years later.
His novel captures the human side of
the wilderness experience, and sales of
the book benefit the Appalachian Trail
Museum.
The written word comes even closer
to home as Kathi Harper Hill reads
from her authentic and humorous books
about being part of an eighth generation
growing up in Ellijay and the South. Her
works include the most recent, “The
Year of Nine: Where the Rain Begins,”
“Signs from God,” “Falling,” “Out on a
Limb of the Family Tree” and the awardwinning children’s book “The Crow and
the Wind.” “The Year of Nine: Where
the Rain Begins” is a tale set in 1963 told
through the eyes of a 9-year-old girl
with a close family and friends in a town
shared with quirky characters.
Slate online sports magazine columnist
and New York Times contributor Robert
Weintraub will appeal especially to men;
his works include “No Better Friend: One
Man, One Dog and Their Extraordinary
Story of Courage and Survival in WWII,”
“The House that Ruth Built” and “The
Victory Season.” “No Better Friend”
is a true story about a dog who gave
other prisoners of war hope for survival.
Weintraub lives in Decatur.
The Meet the Authors program
continues Saturday with Joyce Southern
Bennett, a native Gilmer County
storyteller, poet and songwriter, reading
excerpts from “Beyond the Hills” or
“Streams of Gold.” She immerses readers
in rich Southern life on journeys led by
faith.
Brown then returns to talk more about
“Promise of the Hills,” whose setting
could possibly look familiar to locals in
attendance.
Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association
organized in 1979 with volunteers
focusing on touring exhibits and arts
education in a small rented building. A
1986 grant provided a part-time employee,
the association incorporated as a nonprofit in 1991 and a year later started
B.E.S.T. A partnership agreement with
the Gilmer County Board of Education
brings GA into schools for the B.E.S.T.
4Kids series, art shows, art exchanges and
promotion of GA theater.
GA Community Chorus started
in 1999, and more than 50 singers
present two concerts annually during
the Christmas and spring seasons. GA
Community Theatre also organized in
1999 and in 2013 changed its name to The
Gilmer Arts Players.
The association that now has
Th e M a p l e R e s tau r a n t
EasterBuffet
Sunday March 27, 2016 • 11:00 am to 7:00pm
Honey Baked Ham
Chef Carved Top Round
Granny Smith Apple stuffed Pork Loin
Smoked Salmon Station with Accompaniments
[\
Corn Cobettes / Mashed Potatoes and Ham Gravy
Mixed Vegetable Blend / Peas and Mushrooms
Made to Order Omelets and Belgian Waffles
House Made Macaroni and cheese
Other breakfast favorites
Biscuits and Gravy
Assorted Breads and Rolls
Fruit & Salad Bar with House Made dressings
And a delectable array of Desserts
[\
$25.95 Adults / $23.95 Senior’s / $12.95 Children 5-11
Children 4 & under Free / Beverages & Gratuity NOT included
Seating on first come first serve basis Reservations requested for parties of 8 or more.
Please call the Maple Restaurant 706 344 1521 for Reservations & Questions
COMING THIS
EASTER WEEKEND
MARCH 27-27, 2016
Sign up in the Visitor Center or call
706-265-4703 to place your reservation.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016
11 AM • Guided Water Fall Hike,
Visitor Center, $5.00
1PM • Kids Crafts, Discovery
Room of Visitor Center, $2.00
5:45PM • Sunset Hike,
West Ridge Trail to Base of Falls, $3.00
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016
10AM-2PM • Friends of the Park,
Volunteers Trail Maintenance
1PM • Birds of Prey, Lodge Lobby, Free
5:45PM • Sunset Hike,
West Ridge Trail to Base of Falls, $3.00
SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2016
10AM-11AM • Kids Crafts,
Discovery Room of Visitor Center, $2.00
11 AM • Guided Water Fall Hike,
Visitor Center, $5.00
1PM • Sssnakes Alive, Lodge Lobby, Free
2PM-4PM • Easter Egg Hunts,
Face painting ($2 ea), Kids Coloring Contest
15 miles from downtown Dawsonville on Hwy 52 in Dawsonville, GA
For information & reservations call 706-265-8888 or 800-573-9656
$5.00 per vehicle Park Pass required
BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
Amicalola Falls State Park and Adventure Lodge of Georgia are
proud to inform you that our activities are constantly available
to you. Please inquire in the Lodge or Visitors Center.
www.amicalolafallslodge.com
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
7B
Michael K. Brown’s ‘Promise of the Hills’
is set in a town that resembles – or is –
Elllijay.
about 350 individual and 40 business
members bought and renovated its
current building in 2005 and now
“offers maximum opportunities to all
residents to participate in programs and
events, fosters an appreciation for and
understanding of the arts’ central role in
preserving the county’s cultural heritage
and its positive economic impact in
sustaining the best quality of life,” says
Stokes.
“This is done by sponsoring art, drama
and music classes, local live theater
productions, an annual Meet the Author
weekend and a gallery/gift shop to market
original art works. We also bring in
visiting artists’ exhibits and productions
through our B.E.S.T. series and B.E.S.T.
4Kids.”
The association’s schedule since July
has included two B.E.S.T. performances,
a Community Chorus Christmas concert,
fine art and jewelry classes, a juried art
exhibition, live and dinner theater, an
attic sale, live music the third Friday
monthly and a children’s art party.
Beginning dulcimer classes start March
3, and summer camps introduce children
to art, music and theater. Details about
GA’s range of programming are at www.
gilmerarts.org or 706-635-5605.
For the 2016 Meet the Authors
weekend, GA sought writers who have
earned recognition for their work and
are connected to North Georgia either
through residency or subject matter. “We
Ellijay’s own Kathi Harper Hill is among the authors at the 2016 Meet the Authors event of the Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association.
also looked for a diversity of subjects,
making efforts to find authors whose
books would appeal to a broad range of
folks, to include men and women alike,”
explains Stokes, who met or heard some
of the weekend’s invited guests as a
speaker manager of the Decatur Book
Festival the last two years.
This is the first time the event is giving
aspiring authors information about the
writing and publishing processes and
encouraging their participation in writing
groups both locally and elsewhere.
Expecting audiences of 75-100 both days,
“we are planning to re-initiate a writing
group that existed some years ago at
Gilmer Arts called Write-On and will
launch that idea at the Saturday event,”
Stokes says.
And perhaps some of those novice
writers will one day be featured speakers
at future GA Meet the Authors weekends.
BC Travel Club
Presents
Oceania Cruises by
Joe Eastep, DSM
Coming in March at
the Clubhouse
at Lake Sconti
AFRICA | ALASKA | ASIA | AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND | BALTIC & SCANDINAVIA | CANADA & NEW ENGLAND
CARIBBEAN | PANAMA CANAL & MEXICO | MEDITERRANEAN | SOUTH AMERICA | SOUTH PACIFIC & TAHITI
*Offers and fares are subject to change on
3/31/16. Visit OceaniaCruises.com for current
pricing. All fares are per person in U.S. dollars,
valid for residents of United States and Canada,
based on double occupancy (unless otherwise
noted), for new bookings only and may be
withdrawn at any time. 50% Off Deposits apply
to voyages that are not within final payment.
Any noted Shipboard Credits are per person,
based on double occupancy. Free Internet is
one per stateroom. OLife Choice amenities
are subject to change. OLife Choice free shore
excursions vary by voyage and exclude Oceania
Choice, Oceania Exclusive and Executive
Collection. Voyages up to 9 days receive 3 free
shore excursions; 10-12 days receive 4 free
shore excursions; 14+ days receive 5 free shore
excursions. OLife Choice beverage package
amenity is House Select. Guests in the same
stateroom must choose the same OLife Choice
amenity. Not all promotions are combinable.
2 for 1 and Special Offer Fares are based on
published Full Brochure Fares; such fares may
not have resulted in actual sales in all suite
and stateroom categories and do not include
optional charges as detailed in the Guest Ticket
Contract, which may be viewed, along with
additional terms, at OceaniaCruises.com. “Free
Airfare” promotion does not include ground
transfers and applies to coach, roundtrip flights
only from the following airports: ATL, BOS, CLT,
DCA, DEN, DFW, DTW, EWR, HNL, IAH, IAD,
JFK, LAX, LGA, MCO, MDW, MIA, ORD, PHL,
PHX, SAN, SAV, SEA, SFO, TPA, YOW, YUL, YVR,
YYC, YYZ. Oceania Cruises reserves the right
to assign gateways based on availability for
JFK, LGA and MIA. “Free Airfare” gateways are
subject to change at any time. Airfare
is available from all other U.S. and Canadian
gateways for an additional charge. Any
advertised fares that include the “Free Airfare”
promotion include all airline fees, surcharges
and government taxes. Airline-imposed
personal charges such as baggage fees may
apply. For details, visit exploreflightfees.com.
Oceania Cruises reserves the right to correct
errors or omissions and to change any and
all fares, fees, promotions and surcharges at
any time. Ships’ Registry: Marshall Islands.
JAN16161
MIKE ZIEGENBALG & ASSOCIATES • “#1 CruiseOne Agency in GA for 2015”
“Your Independent Vacation Specialists”
Big Canoe • (706) 579-5005 / (877) CRUISE1
[email protected] • www.CruisesByMike.com
10 year Big Canoe Resident & 20+ years travel/cruise experience
Satellite Office now in North Gate Station, under the Clock Tower
Hours: 10-4 M-F • Saturday and other times by appt.
8 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
MARCH 2016
Rejoice!
Join Us at
Fellowship
Presbyterian Church, ECO
Gibbs Gardens opens in dramatic fashion with 20 million blossoms. PHOTO COURTESY OF GIBBS
GARDENS
for our
Holy Week Services
Palm Sunday - Easter Cantata
March 20 - 10:00 a.m.
Maundy Thursday
March 24 - 7:00 p.m.
Easter Sunrise Service
March 27 - 7:00 a.m.
(Lake Tamarack Pavilion Bent Tree)
Easter Worship Service
March 27 - 10:00 a.m.
389 Bent Tree Drive, Jasper, GA
770-893-2555
BALL GROUND
Gibbs Gardens opens March 1
with acres of blooms
G
ibbs Gardens opens March 1 for the 2016 season. From March 1 to mid-April,
experience spring and view the largest display of daffodils in the country.
More than 50 acres of daffodils—20-plus million blossoms—blanket
rolling hillsides and fields, flow along streams and border woodland nooks
and crannies, creating a panorama of sunbeam-yellow blossoms.
Gibbs Gardens is a certified American Daffodil Society Display Garden, one of only
25 represented by 15 different states.
During the 5th Annual Daffodil Festival, which occurs over six weeks, hundreds
of dogwoods and ornamental cherry trees provide a flowering canopy for forsythia,
spiraea and quince to create nature’s own spring bouquet. Daffodil blooms come in
a range of colors including primrose-yellow, yellow, gold, saffron, orange, pink and
whites. There are more than 100 varieties including early, mid and late-season types,
blooming over a period of weeks, many are fragrant, too.
Upcoming Events
• March 12-13, the first 100 visitors receive a free daffodil.
• March 24, 11 a.m. — Garden Talk with Erica: Early Spring Bloomers.
• March 25, 2 p.m. — Book signing and Q & A with daffodil expert Sara Van Beck.
Copies of her book “Daffodils in American Gardens, 1773-1940” will be available for
purchase in The Seasons gift store.
• March 26-27 — Plein Air Artists painting in the Gardens.
A feast for the senses throughout the year, Gibbs Gardens includes 220 acres of
breathtaking gardens set in mature rolling woodlands dotted with ponds, springs,
streams and waterfalls.
The Welcome Center adjacent to the parking area includes The Seasons gift
store, ticketing and restrooms. Just steps away, The Arbor Café offers a selection of
sandwiches on fresh baked bread and scrumptious desserts.
Gibbs Gardens is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. The gates
close at 4 p.m. daily.
For more information or a schedule of events, go to www.gibbsgardens.com or
email [email protected]. Gibbs Gardens is located at 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball
Ground GA, 30107. The phone numbers are 770-893-1880 and 770-893-1881.
Submitted by Gibbs Gardens
All major insurance plans accepted
STOP putting it off! Hearing begins with YOU. Schedule your appointment today and
let our Doctors empower you with an affordable and personalized hearing solution.
Hear More. Anywhere. Anytime.
Learn More by Visiting
www.yourhearinglink.com
Dr. Jan Henriques
Doctor of Audiology
203 Woodpark Place,
Suite B-100,
Woodstock
770-726-8948
Dr. Christa Nelms
Doctor of Audiology
203 Woodpark Place,
Suite B-100,
Woodstock
770-726-8948
Dr. Deborah Woodward
Doctor of Audiology
4045 Johns
Creek Parkway
Suite B, Johns Creek
770-814-1260
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
9B
ATLANTA
ATLANTA
Girl power reigns Fifth performance added for ‘Pirates of Penzance’
supreme in ‘The
Revolutionists’
G
7
Stages brings Lauren
Gunderson’s new play, “The
Revolutionists” home for its
Southern premiere March
3-20.
The Revolutionists takes us
to 1793 Paris during the Reign
of Terror, but don’t worry, it’s a
comedy - we promise. Directed
by 7 Stages’ artistic director Heidi
S. Howard, four powerful and
provocative Frenchwomen tackle
gender inequality, racial tension
and rising violent radicalism while
facing the guillotine and writing
a play of their own. Based on
historical fact, this play within a play
proves that sometimes a revolution
needs a woman’s touch.
The cast includes four Atlanta
based actresses, two making their 7
Stages debut. Stacy Melich, recently
seen at Actor’s Express in “Stupid
F’ing Bird” and last took the stage
in “The Doctor, The Devil, and My
Dad,” plays the feminist playwright
Olympe De Gouges. Park Krausen
also returns to 7 Stages after
premiering a partner production
with Theatre du Reve, “Women on
Top” (Celles d’en Haut), earlier this
season. Krausen plays the former
queen of France, Marie Antoinette.
Parris Sarter makes her debut at 7
Stages as Marianne Angelle, a free
black woman and spy. You may
recognize Sarter from The Weird
Sister’s production of “Hot Pink,” or
“Ready to Blow” at Alliance Theatre.
Rachel Frawley performs for the
first time as the young assassin,
Charlotte Corday. Frawley was last
seen at The Shakespeare Tavern in
“The Crucible.”
Running March 3-20,
performances are Thursday through
Sunday. There will be an industry
night on Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m.
Ticket prices start at $22.50 and are
on sale now at www.7stages.org or
by calling 404-523-7647. 7 Stages
Theatre is in Atlanta at 1105 Euclid
Ave NE.
ilbert &
Sullivan’s
classic “The
Pirates of
Penzance” premiered
in New York on New
Year’s Eve in 1879 but
has never appeared
on the Atlanta Opera’s
mainstage the past 36
years, and that will
change March 5-13.
Led by comedic
opera star Kevin
Burdette as the Pirate
King, the production
features a seasoned cast
with equal parts musical
and dramatic talents.
Sean Curran directs,
and the conductor is
David Agler, artistic
director of the Wexford
Festival Opera. Featured
singers include Matthew The Atlanta Opera brings its first presentation of Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’ to Cobb Energy
Performing Arts Centre for five performances March 5-13.
Newlin, Victoria
Livengood, Maureen
while his future bride
marriage.
McKay and Curt Olds.
n MARCH
waits for him.
Performances are March 5, 8 and 11-13
The rollicking adventure,
The crew attempts to
at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
5, 8, 11,13
sung in English, is the tale of a
kidnap Frederick’s love
The Atlanta Opera usually presents just
COBB ENERGY
young man who has completed
and her father, who is
four shows, but a fifth was added for
his apprenticeship to the Pirate
PERFORMING
impressed
by
the
men’s
the first time in the company’s history
King and wants to marry. But
ARTS CENTRE
loyalty to Queen Victoria.
because so many want to see the classic
since he was born on Feb. 29, he
Upon learning that the
opera. Tickets are at www.atlantaopera.
has technically reached only his
pirates are actually noblemen who have
org or 404-881-8885.
fifth birthday at age 21 and must remain
taken a wrong turn, the father blesses the
with the pirate crew another 63 years
ATLANTA
Broadway tour of ‘Sound of Music’ at Fox Theatre
T
he sound of music will emanate
from the Fox Theatre March
1-6 as the new national touring
production visits Atlanta as
part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in
Atlanta season.
Three-time Tony Award-winner Jack
O’Brien directs the lavish production
of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic
in performances at 8 p.m. March 1, 7:30
p.m. March 2-3, 8 p.m. March 4, 2 and 8
p.m. March 5 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. March
6. Tickets starting at $33 are available at
www.FoxTheatre.org or 855-285-8499,
and groups of 15 or more can order tickets
at 404-881-2000.
“ ‘The Sound of Music’ has been in
our ears for decades, as it
was willing to roll up my
n MARCH 1-6
deserves to be,” says O’Brien.
sleeves and do whatever I
FOX THEATRE
“But it might be time to
could to fashion a new stage
look once more, and more
production that would reclosely, at this remarkable
engage today’s theatergoing
work which, I feel, begins to reveal itself
public. The show was originally created
as deeper, richer and more powerful than
for Broadway, and seeing it on stage only
ever…we are tearing off the varnish of the reinforces the power of the story and
past from one of the great glories of our
the score. Landing somewhere between
theatergoing experience and making it
“The Coast of Utopia” and “Hairspray” –
fresh.”
shows for which (O’Brien) won the Tony
The film version is the most successful – his production is smart, focused and
movie musical in history and “continues
surprising.”
to be the world’s most beloved musical,”
Details are at www.
adds Ted Chapin, president of Rodgers
TheSoundofMusicOnTour.com or www.
& Hammerstein. “When a national tour
BroadwayInAtlanta.com.
was suggested, I not only agreed but
S TAT E O F THE AR T DEN TI S TRY
CH EVENTS
R
A
M
MARCH 3RD - 5-7 pm
Jumbo Jenga (Free)
MARCH 6TH - 12:30-2:00 pm
Brunch at the Goat
hosted by Madeline's Cafe (tickets avail.)
March 12th - 7:00 pm
Winemakers and Chef Table Dinner at the
Goat, with a narrative from the winemaker,
the chef and a special guest, Fritz Westover, renowned Viticulturist.
(Limited Seating - $85)
March 18th - 6-8 pm • Indoor Badminton (Free)
March 19-20 & 26-27 • Wine Highway
B. M anzur, D.M.D.
10% OFF Dental
Implant Treatment
With mention of this ad. Offer good till March 31, 2016
(706) 692-WINE • 201 Vineyard Way Jasper, GA 30143
www.faintinggoatvineyards.com
5% OFF With This Ad
OFFER EXPIRES MARCH 31, 2016
• Residential & Commercial Cleaning
• Construction Clean-Up Bids
• Errands (pick up groceries, medications)
• 30 Years Experience
• FREE In-Home Estimates
Tressa’s
Cleaning
Service Inc
LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED
Call Tressa at 470-505-8721
www.tressascleaningservice.com
www.TressaSpriggs.Norwex.biz
Norwex
Products...
reducing
chemicals in
your home
Gentle and Relaxed Dental Care for the Entire Family
Preventive, restorative and CosmetiC dentistry
• RELAXING DENTISTRY
• ZOOM 2® WHITESPEED
• CLEANINGS & EXAMS
• ORAL CANCER SCREENINGS
• LASER DETECTION OF CAVITIES
• ROOT CANALS
• IMPLANT PLACEMENT IN OFFICE
• DENTURES PARTIALS ETC.
• CEREC® PORCELAIN ONE-DAY
• BRIDGES, PARTIAL, AND FULL DENTURES
Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)
CROWNS & ONLAYS
with LED Technology, plus take-home methods
Including immediate dentures with extractions
• REPLACE METAL FILLINGS
with Tooth-colored Fillings
• NON-SURGICAL GUM THERAPY
• TMJ TREATMENT
Night Guard Therapy
• PORCELAIN COSMETIC VENEERS
• INVISALIGN
• INTRAORAL CAMERA
• MINIMAL- PREP COSMETIC VENEERS
• DIGITAL X-RAYS
• ORAL SURGERY
• AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY TREATMENT
Virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth
by LUMINEERS®
See what The Doctor sees -- up to 40 times life size
Up to 90% less radiation
for established patients
PROUDLY SERVING BIG CANOE FOR OVER 30 YEARS
706-265-2505
754 Highway 53 West, Dawsonville, GA 30534
www.dawsonvilledistinctivedentistry.com
10 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
MARCH 2016
‘The Library’ is presented in the round, a nod to the way these stories become central to the human experience. The play avoids taking sides on gun control while delivering a chilling story.
MARIETTA
Out of Box’s ‘The Library’ explores school shooting
O
ut of Box Theatre
She struggles to convince
n MARCH 4-19
in Cobb County
people of her innocence –
brings the regional
her parents, the authorities,
ARTISAN
premiere of a bold
community leaders – but the
RESOURCE
and chilling play that explores
opposition is just too strong.
CENTER
media, community and societal
Even her fractured family
reaction to a school shooting in
(played by Jeffrey Bigger and
Scott Z. Burns’ “The Library” in March.
Stacy Fondren King) finds it difficult to put
The story by the writer of “Side Effects,”
their trust in her.
“Contagion” and “The Bourne Ultimatum”
In an effort to make sense of the
focuses on the shooting aftermath without
senseless violence perpetrated by a
Lauren Megan
taking sides on gun control and religion.
disturbed young man (partly inspired by
The play asks audiences to examine their
the Columbine High School shootings),
Burns delivers a smart and probing drama
relationship with the truth and the lies that
the protagonist has become an easy
with an aggressive calmness. You’ll leave
claim to heal.
scapegoat. In its review of the play, www.
‘The Library’ angry for all the right reasons.”
Lauren Megan plays a high school
TheaterMania.com noted that “Scott Z.
shooting victim who is accused of causing
the death of several classmates. The story
swirls around in the media, gaining a
foothold that the character can’t dislodge.
DULUTH
The play also featuring Emily Tyrybon,
Ian Coulter, A. Julian Verner, Stephen Ray
DeVillers and Mary Seville is presented in
the round, a nod to the way these stories
and events become central to human
experience. The central nature of the action
lends the audience the ability to examine
the escalating events from ever-changing
angles.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays
through Saturdays March 4-19, and tickets
at $17 to $25 are at www.outofboxtheatre.
com or 678-653-4605. The theater is in
the Artisan Resource Center at 585 Cobb
Parkway South in Marietta.
Gwinnett Ballet Theatre presents
‘Friends and Famous Dances’
G
winnett Ballet Theatre presents
n MARCH 25-26
“Friends and Famous Dances,”
a presentation offering classical
INFINITE ENERGY
favorites and contemporary
THEATER
fireworks, March 26 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at
the Infinite Energy Theater in Duluth.
The GBT performance division will
perform “Swan Lake Act 2” and “Pas de Quatre.” GBT friends, the Los
Angeles area company, The Assembly and Portugal’s Kayzer Ballet, will
bring new and exciting contemporary works to the Atlanta area. There
will be a special sensory show Friday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Call 770-237-0046 for more information about the performance and
classes. For tickets go to www.infiniteenergycenter.com or call 770626-2464. Ticket prices are $20-$12; sensory show tickets $6.
Madison Greene as Odette in ‘Swan Lake Act 2.’
PHOTO BY RICHARD CALMES
B.E.S.T. SERIES
BRINGING ELLIJAY SENSATIONAL TALENT ...
High energy jigs and reels and
foot stomping good fun.
Come see and hear
award winning musicians.
Friday March 11
Gilmer High School Theater
Second Annual Meet the Authors!
DRIVE SAFE!
FEATURING VICTORIA WILCOX
Author of Southern Son: The Saga of Doc Holliday
Victoria Wilcox
Reception and Keynote Address - Friday March 25, 6:30 p.m
SATURDAY, MARCH 26 PRESENTATIONS:
• 10-12 noon - Victoria Wilcox, Michael K. Brown, Ren and Helen Davis
• 1-3 pm - Jadie Jones, Richard Judy, Kathi Harper Hill,
Robert Weintraub, Joyce Southern Bennett, and Michael Brown
Contact Gilmer Arts at 706 635-5605 or
check the website at www.gilmerarts.org
Ronnie Thompson Ford • Mahan & Associates • Walls of Books
North Georgia Physical Therapy • Huff’s Drug Store • Park Sterling Bank
Easter
MARCH 27, 2016
We have a gift for you ...
Arthur Court, Brighton, Clock Tower Market, Crabtree & Evelyn,
Home Decor, Jr. Crider, Lauren James, Pandora, Spartina
449,Vera Bradley, Waxing Poetic, Watkins Products, Mud Pie,
Winning Latitude,We live for Saturdays T-shirts, Aden + Anais
[email protected]
706-253-3070
M-F 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sat 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Visit us on facebook - CTGiftsandboutique
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
11 B
ATLANTA
A
Two shows on Alliance stage in March
tlanta’s Alliance
n THROUGH MARCH 20
Theatre presents
& APRIL 3
two shows in
March: “The
ALLIANCE THEATRE
Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe” Feb. 27 to
March 20 and “The Lizard
& El Sol” March 8 through April 3.
The former – C.S. Lewis’ classic tale of four siblings entering
the land of Narnia through a wardrobe – is about transformation
on many levels. Adult tickets are $35 and child tickets are $20
for the one-act play.
“The Lizard & El Sol” (the sun) is an interactive adventure
based on a famous Mexican folktale that concludes the season’s
Theatre for the Very Young series. Colorful puppets and bright,
Mexican-inspired music and dance help tell the tropical tale.
Tickets are $10 (children 5 and younger admitted free).
Tickets are at www.alliancetheatre.org or 404-733-5000. The
theater is at the intersection of Peachtree and 15th streets.
The sun disappears and youngsters help a
lizard coax the sleepy El Sol from his hiding
place in Alliance Theatre’s ‘The Lizard
and El Sol’ through March 8. The Alliance
also stages ‘The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe’ Feb. 27 to March 20.
LAWRENCEVILLE
Grimm fairytales intertwine
in Aurora’s ‘Into the Woods’
I
n Aurora Theatre’s production of “Into the Woods”
n MARCH 10
March 10 through April 17, an evil witch curses a
baker and his wife for stealing her “magic” beans,
THROUGH APRIL 17
and the couple must seek out special ingredients for
AURORA THEATRE
a special potion to lift the curse on the wife’s fertility. Along their enchanting journey into the woods,
they encounter Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood and other fictional
favorites, as they, too, come face-to-face with the consequences of their own desires
and wishes. In this modern musical twist of intertwined Brothers Grimm fairytales,
American composer Stephen Sondheim cleverly answers the question, “What happens
after happily ever after?”
Aurora Theatre is located at 128 W. Pike St. in Lawrenceville. Tickets can be
purchased at 678-226-6222.
The cast of Aurora Theatre’s ‘Into the Woods’ includes, from left,
Brody Wellmaker, Caroline Arapoglou, Diany Rodriguez, Geoff
‘Googie’ Uterhardt, Brian Walker, Wendy Melkonian, Evan Jones,
Brandon O’Dell, Natasha Drena, India Sada Tyree, Kristin Markiton,
Laura Spears, Shelli Delgado and Erin Considine. PHOTO BY COLLEEN MASSEY;
COMPOSITION BY MARK HESSELGRAVE
The University
Symphonic Winds
Custom Plantation Shutters
Amanda Dame
✦ Hand crafted from kiln dried
North American Basswood
✦ Furniture Quality Finish and
custom color matching
✦ Factory trained, expert installation
✦ For a FREE in-home Consultation
and Estimate, call Amanda Dame
at 706-268-1285.
STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR
CLOSETS, PANTRIES & GARAGES
Getting organized is easier ...
and more affordable ... than you think.
Our storage systems make clutter disappear and
finding things easier. Work with our expert team to
create storage solutions that will fit both your space
and budget. Call today for a free, in-home consultation.
706-268-1285
Helping Big Canoe friends and neighbors
with window treatments and other interior
design solutions since 1999.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AT THE ...
The Brass Extravaganza
Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m.
FREE- No tickets required
The University Concert Choir
Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m.
All seats- $12.50
The Mystery of Edwin Drood,
presented by the University
Musical Theatre
Friday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 10 at 3 p.m.
All seats- $12.50
The Mikado,
presented by the University Opera
Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.
All seats- $12.50
The University Jazz Ensemble
Tuesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.
All seats- $12.50
The University Symphonic Winds
Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
All seats- $12.50
The University
Jazz Ensemble
To purchase tickets, please contact the
Box Office at 770-720-9167 or visit us
online at www.reinhardt.edu/fpac
12 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
MARCH 2016
Awe-inspiring, conversation-provoking ‘Bodies’
Canoe
Kids
MELISSA LOWRIE
I
was asked recently to drive on a field
trip for my daughter’s eighth grade
class. Their life science class went to
Atlanta to see “Bodies: The Exhibition,” and I got to tag along.
What started as a temporary exhibition
at Atlantic Station has become a permanent fixture. “Bodies” is a collection of,
well, bodies … in various forms.
The exhibition is both an enlightening and educational experience. Through
painstakingly preserved bodies, visitors
get a look inside the systems of the body:
skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory,
digestive, urinary, reproductive and circulatory.
Through a process called polymer
preservation, full and partial specimens
are preserved using liquid silicone rubber. Essentially, this process stops decay
and preserves the specimens from here to
eternity. According to the website, www.
premierexhibitions.com, medical schools
are still using specimens preserved in the
’70s.
The website describes the process for
the non medical types: “Anatomists fix a
specimen with chemicals to temporarily halt the decaying process. They then
dissect it to expose important structures.
All of the water is removed from the specimen by replacing it with acetone. The
specimen is placed into a liquid silicone
mixture within a vacuum chamber. Under
vacuum, the acetone becomes a gas that is
completely replaced by the polymer mixture. Lastly, the silicone polymer is hardened. The end result is a dry, odorless,
permanently preserved specimen containing no toxic chemicals. It retains the look
of the original, but functions as if it were
rubber. Preparation time varies. A small
organ may take only a week, while a fullbody specimen may take up to one year to
prepare.”
There is no photography allowed in the
exhibit, however, if you are considering
going, check out the photo gallery on the
website: www.premierexhibitions.com,
so you’ll know what to expect. The last
thing I dissected was a frog in high school,
and, while it was interesting (and smelled
like formaldehyde), this is more like a col-
This photo from an exhibit in Berlin is an example of what you’ll see at ‘Bodies’ in Atlanta.
360B / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
lege-level anatomy class (I’d guess … I was
a marketing major).
That said, the middle school kids I went
with were plenty mature to handle what
they saw. We also had two teachers and
a handful of adults on hand if questions
came up.
Teachable moments are plentiful
throughout. A lung blackened by cigarette
smoking sits near a healthy lung. Next to
that, a clear box where those who currently smoke were invited to trash their packs
of cigarettes. The rather large box was
about half full when we went through.
There are more than 200 human bodies
and specimens in the exhibition — all the
organs and systems a visitor might care to
see. One of the most talked-about parts of
the visit, at least in my car driving back,
was the fetuses. They are tucked discreetly away from the rest of the exhibition, out
of sight for those not comfortable viewing.
The fetuses are shown in various stages of
development. Without heading into theological territory, I’ll just say it was awe-inspiring and shouldn’t be missed.
It didn’t take too long to go through the
n continued on next page
Underdeck Ceilings
‘Bodies’ is a popular destination for school groups. PHOTO BY DONNA TAYLOR
Georgia Watercolor Society
XXXVII NATIONAL EXHIBITION
Over
100
Installs In
Big Canoe
Last year’s winner Coverage May Vary by F. Charles Sharpe
March 15 to April 30, 2016
Free Demo by Juror, Don Andrews
Saturday, March 19 10:30am to Noon
334 Highway 9 North
706.216.ARTS(2787)
www.DawsonArts.org
Open Tues-Fri 10-4, Sat 12-4
EZE-BREEZE
®
Replace your screens
with affordable windows
Gifts
Unique Furniture
& Home Accessories
SPRING CLEANING? Turn home furnishings
you no longer need in to cash!
Building a new
home or just
need that
special piece?
Great prices
on unique
furniture &
accessories.
DECK ENCLOSURE SYSTEMS LLC
706-268-2047  RAY BEDINGFIELD  770-595-6986
310 YANEGWA PATH, BIG CANOE
ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS
678.662.3454
www.twistconsignments.com
171 Foothills Pkwy Marble Hill, 30148
Located next to Mary’s Bread Basket near
the IGA, Only 5 minutes from Gibbs Gardens
Open Mon - Fri 10 - 5, Sat 9 - 5, Closed on Sunday
New items
arriving
daily in our
gift shop
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
13 B
n continued from previous page
exhibition … it’s rather like any other museum, wandering at your own pace. There
are plenty of shops and restaurants at Atlantic Station, if you’d care to stay awhile.
As for a critique from the eighth grader: “It
was cool.” High praise.
Ticket prices are: Adult $24 (online
$22); Children (5 - 11) $16 (online $14);
Senior (over 65) $22 (online $20). Audio
guides are available, as are group rates.
“Bodies” Atlanta is in the Premier Exhibition Center at Atlantic Station, 265 18th
Street.
This is a learning outing, for sure, and
is liable to spur conversation — a good
thing. If you can’t make it to “Bodies” with
your Canoe Kids, find another adventure.
Wherever you end up, have a great time.
MELISSA LOWRIE
Canoe Kids chronicles
child-approved
adventures in North
Georgia. Melissa Lowrie,
husband Parish and
their two children have
enjoyed life in Big Canoe
since 2006. Past columns
are archived on www.
bigcanoenews.com.
PRASZKIEWICZ / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Preserved bodies in all forms are carefully displayed. Currently there are ‘Bodies’ exhibitions in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Buena Park, Ca.
360B / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
$5 OFF
HAIRCUT*
$10 OFF
ANY COLOR
SERVICE*
* One coupon per customer.
New customers only.
Excludes tanning and waxing.
Expires 3-31-2016
• TANNING &
SPRAY TANNING
• FULL SERVICE
HAIR SALON
Booth Rental and
Commission Available
(Cosmetology License Required)
59 Main St,
Dawsonville Ga 30534
(Food Lion Plaza)
Email or call 770.737.2117 for online and print design.
MAKING
MORTGAGES
EASIER
EVERY DAY.
Construction/
Permanent Loans
Great Rates on Purchase or
Refinance Transactions
100% Financing
FHA and VA Loans
Friendly Courteous Service
TRAVIS KEY
Mortgage Loan Originator
redowlgraphics.com • [email protected]
706.253.6400 Office
678.314.0346 Cell
[email protected]
www.regionsmortgage.com/traviskey
©2007 Regions Bank. Member FDIC. Regions is a registered service mark of Regions Asset Company and is used under license. Subject to
qualification, required documentation and credit approval. Certain exclusions may apply. Loan term and availability subject to change. The
Annual Percentage Rate on all adjustable rate mortgages is subject to change after consummation period.
14 B
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
A R T S
&
MARCH 2016
Living
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
1C
MARCH 2016 • SMOKE SIGNALS | Food & Drink • Feature Columns • Church News • Gatherings • Health
The Elm by Tumbleweed Tiny House Company can be transported. COURTESY OF TUMBLEWEED TINY HOUSE COMPANY
Time to downsize?
Tiny houses build a market
BY ANITA ROSEN | [email protected]
A
ccording to the 2010 U.S.
Census, the average size of a
single-family house in the U.S.
was about 2,400 square feet, a
steady increase from the 1,660 square feet
of 1973. At the same time, the number of
people in an average American household
decreased from three to approximately
2.5.
Logically, less space is needed for
fewer people, but most folks – particularly
Boomers and Gen-Xers – still prefer
spacious accommodations. But, hold on;
here come the Millennials. Many – in
addition to #FeelingtheBern for Bernie
Sanders – are spurning signs of wealth
and embracing a simpler lifestyle, inspired
by literature from Henry David Thoreau’s
“Walden” to recent publications, such as
Sarah Susanka’s “The Not So Big House”
series, which offers plans for downsized,
energy-efficient homes without a loss in
amenities and charm.
Small – 400 to 1,000 square feet – and
tiny – less than 400 square feet – houses
are getting a lot of media attention,
including TV shows like “Tiny House
Nation” (fyi.tv), “Tiny House Hunters”
and “Tiny House Builders” (HGTV).
Interest in these structures has driven
workshops, fairs and conferences across
the U.S. In August 2015, a two-day
jamboree expected to draw 10,000 was
held in Colorado Springs; an estimated
40,000 enthusiasts attended.
In addition to altruistic reasons, some
small house dwellers, caught short in the
financial and housing crises of the early
2000s or faced with reduced income
upon retirement, turn to these structures
to maintain a single-family residence.
Small houses also have found a niche
providing lodging for the homeless and
as an alternative to FEMA trailers after
natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina.
For now, however, most small houses
are used as onsite lodging for aging
parents or children who have yet to leave
the nest. Additionally, they make terrific
offices and guest houses.
Costs
The cost of running and buying a tiny
house is, not surprisingly, less than that
for the average 2,400-square foot home,
but squeezing all that utility into a small
space can be expensive. According to
Erin Carlyle, www.forbes.com, April 28,
2014, these structures “typically cost $200
to $400 per square foot. On a square foot
basis, that’s far pricier than the average
American home – and tiny homes don’t
include land.”
One of the founders of the small house
industry is Jay Shafer, who not only
walked the walk but talked the talk by
designing and living in a very tiny house –
a mere 96 square feet. In the early 2000s,
along with three other entrepreneurs,
he founded the Small House Society
and opened Tumbleweed Tiny House
Company and, later, Four Lights Tiny
House Company.
Tumbleweed’s options can be viewed
at www.tumbleweedhouses.com. One of
the basic models, The Elm, ranges from
117 to 176 square feet for a cost of $58,000
and $70,000 respectively. This home,
advertised to sleep three, comes with
a front porch opening to a great room/
kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom on
the first floor. Upstairs there is a sleeping
loft. In the 117-square foot model, the
great room is 6’8” x 9’, the bedroom 3’10”
x 6’3” and the upstairs loft a generous 6’8”
x 6’10”.
Standards
While the industry has drawn
both professional builders and do-ityourselfers, these houses are not finding
a universal welcome. This is, at least
partially, what is motivating the former
group to establish safety standards and
business practices.
In 2015, the nonprofit American
Tiny House Association was formed
“to promote the tiny house as a viable,
formally acceptable dwelling option
for a wide variety of people.” This
group is striving to support those
n DOWNSIZE | Page 2
The interior of The Elm by Tumbleweed has a country feel. The galley kitchen offers ample room for food prep in The The lower level of The Elm by Tumbleweed ends in the
COURTESY OF TUMBLEWEED TINY HOUSE COMPANY
Elm by Tumbleweed. COURTESY OF TUMBLEWEED TINY HOUSE COMPANY
bedroom. COURTESY OF TUMBLEWEED TINY HOUSE COMPANY
2 C
S M O K E
The sky’s the limit; this small house found a space
atop a larger building – possible in-law suite?
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
Tiny house communities can be found across the U.S.
MARCH 2016
Blossman Propane brings a 300-square foot tiny house to Big
Canoe for residents to inspect last August. PHOTO BY ROBERT SMITH
Downsize
who choose a tiny/small house as a
residence by gathering information
about building quality structures while
networking with “government agencies,
educational institutions, development
organizations, and private industry to
address these stated purposes.” (www.
americantinyhouseassocaition.org)
According to Tumbleweed’s
Operations Manager Ross Beck, one of
the challenges for tiny house dwellers
is getting permission from building
departments on where the house can
be placed. In Big Canoe, a homeowner
last year investigated the possibility
of bringing a tiny home onto his lot.
Architectural and Environmental Control
Department Manager Treena Parish
advised him the structure was too small
to fit in with established standards.
If camping is forbidden on a property,
the tiny homes on wheels can keep
on rolling in pursuit of an accepting
destination. Even in RV parks, where
regulations usually require the mobile
home must be manufactured by a
member of the Recreational Vehicle
Industry Association, they are not
generally welcome. Tumbleweed’s Beck
writes his company’s wheeled models are
A front porch offers more space for a tiny house.
“Certified RVs, which are allowed in RV
Parks and some Mobile Home Parks.”
The future
In an era of heightened awareness
of resource use, tiny homes may be
entering a period of increased sales. As
Tumbleweed’s Beck writes: “The Tiny
Houses movement is similar to other
changes in our society over the last 30
years that addressed pressing resource
needs: recycling … water conservation
… and alternative solar energy …. We
believe affordable housing is the next
major issue and Tiny Houses on wheels
address many of those related issues.”
For those who have decided a tiny/
small home is the right next abode, www.
tinyhouselistings.com can help locate
your dream house. The next chore,
uncovering a tiny/small home-friendly
locale, also is getting easier. Listings for
communities throughout the U.S. can be
found on many websites, including www.
tinyhousetalk.com.
As reported by Laura Link in Smoke
Signals, Aug. 2, 2015, last year Blossman
Propane brought a 300-square foot tiny
house to Big Canoe for residents to
inspect. Link writes, “Inside Blossman
had outfitted it with a propane furnace,
wall heater, stove and washer and dryer.
Couples going through were all in
agreement only one person could live in
the tiniest of small houses in harmony.”
Is a tiny house in your future?
Beware the talking grandchild
On Being
A Grandparent
ANITA ROSEN
U
nless you become a grandparent at an early age, say before
50, this new status likely coincides with the startling moment when, upon seeing your reflection,
you wonder: “Who is that person?”
Photos with you surrounded by dewy,
young faces magnify the situation. Intimate moments holding a new grandchild,
you noting her dimpled hand encased in
utterly perfect skin next to your own crocodilian hide, only reinforce time’s inexorable toll.
The change in physical appearance
– seemingly an overnight event – has, of
course, been creeping up on you.
In perfect seesaw synchronization,
your physical state sags while your child’s
or grandchild’s ascends; your mental acuity dips as her language skills rise. The ability to converse, however, does not come
Living
On Being A Grandparent............................... 2
Legacy Of Caring........................................... 4
Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild.................. 6
POA: Lydell Mack.......................................... 8
Gatherings.................................................. 10
Talk Of The Table Restaurant Review............ 12
Talk Of The Table......................................... 12
Around The Clubhouse................................ 13
Ask The Pharmacist................................16, 17
Wayne On Wine.......................................... 17
iTip Of The Month........................................ 18
Ridgerunners............................................... 18
Writers Corner............................................ 19
Mountain Musings...................................... 20
Talk Of The Table:
Umami equals yummy • 12
with a filter; that must be learned.
I first noted my daughter’s tendency
to speak her mind when she was two. We
had switched pediatricians to a wonderful
woman from the West Indies. From flat
on the examining table with the doctor
looking down on her, my clever child eyed
the three moles with bristly hairs growing
from the doctor’s cheek and asked, “Why
does the doctor have trees on her face?”
I cringed.
Having five children of her own, the
good doctor laughed.
My grandchildren followed in the path
carved by their parents. Speaking intelligently at two, my gorgeous, oldest grand,
Sarah, noted a slight blemish below one of
my eyebrows – something I had, for years,
thought fondly of as a beauty mark akin to
Cindy Crawford’s notable spot. After inquiring about it, she studied her own face
and delighted me by announcing, quite
fictitiously, “I have one too, Grandma, just
like you.” Her desire to share our looks
earned her many points – and she would
need them.
As we grew older, her judgment became more critical, but she had not learned
the benefits of holding her tongue.
Accompanying Sarah, now 4, to the
pool bathroom one summer day meant
standing inside the stall while she took
care of business. This girl is, perhaps, the
only female alive who does not view the
creation of the disposable toilet seat liner
as the best invention since Velcro. After
patiently covering the seat with pieces of
toilet paper, which, as anyone who has
engaged in this activity knows, flutter to
the floor almost faster than they can be ap-
plied, I stood, back to the door, and waited.
We started a conversation.
Her gaze fell from my head to her eye
level.
“Grandma, do you know you have
chubby knees?”
Sadly, the answer was “Yes.” I contemplated those well-worn joints, victims of
my joyous youth spent playing field hockey and an adulthood jogging and playing
soccer, netting me several operations. The
result was the swollen knees upon which I
now had to re-enter the pool area.
Needless to say, a huge withdrawal
was made from that account of good deeds
mentioned earlier. In fact, this child’s net
worth with me was pretty much zero.
I have endured being likened to a Bassett hound (from the side), asked if I knew
my hair was getting lighter (I do), and,
cruelest cut of all, told that once-emulated
beauty spot is a mole on my face (I still say
it’s a beauty spot).
Grandparenthood requires resolution
to withstand blows to a shrinking self-image, delivered in an offhand manner by
those you love. But, as you sink into old
age, smile and remember: Their time is
coming.
New Friendship Force
president speaks March 20
BY CHARLENE TERRELL
The March meeting of the local
Friendship Force will be in the meeting
room at Provino’s restaurant, Cumming,
March 20, 1:30 p.m. New president of
Friendship Force International Jeremi
Snook will discuss his plans for the future
of the organization. Those who wish may
stay for dinner following the meeting.
If you plan to attend, please call Sherrie
Wileman, 770-730-3383/404-386-9224.
Jeremi Snook
Jeremi Snook grew up in rural New
Hampshire. Eager to explore the country,
he broke free from his New England roots
to attend the University of Florida, from
which he began his career working in
nonprofit organizational development. Prior to joining Friendship Force in
November 2015, Jeremi worked with
organizations to enhance their mission
through innovation and operational
efficiency. Jeremi’s work includes the
United Way of Central Carolinas and the
Uptown Emergency Shelter in Charlotte,
N. C. In 2008, he took a short break
from the nonprofit sector to help start
a medical manufacturing company that
earned him and his partner a Top 50
Fastest Growing Companies award. Most
recently, Jeremi served as chief operating
officer with Spaulding Youth Center, a
leading community-based provider of
educational services for children with
neurological or behavioral challenges in
Northfield, N. H.
With a love for travel, he enjoys
exploring cultures and has an
appreciation for the impact these
experiences can have on an individual’s
worldview. Jeremi said he is excited
that Friendship Force has a mission
to encourage others in these same
experiences. Jeremi holds a master’s
degree in business administration from
Queens University of Charlotte and
resides in Athens, Ga., with his lifepartner Sherry and their two sons.
Jeremi Snook is the new president of
Friendship Force International.
COURTESY OF JEREMI SNOOK
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
R E N O V A T I O N
•
N E W
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
C O N S T R U C T I O N
3C
•
R E S T O R A T I O N
A builder
who works
with clients,
not just
for them
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHEN YOU
WORK WITH DAVID PEAGLER:
David Peagler of Cane Creek Construction, LLC
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
He’s on-site every day
Your home completed on time
Your project on budget - no surprises
Big Canoe resident
UGA graduate
Native Georgian
5th generation timber business
A Peagler home is like no other
In their own words ...
‘David was terrific to work with … he is a
straightforward, honest builder with integrity.’
— Mark and Jan Young
‘(He displays the ) … virtue of complete
honesty and support after the sale.’
— Lee and Sis Schalon
KITCHENS AND BATHS • ADDITIONS • TILE WORK
DECKS • OUTDOOR KITCHENS
ROOF REPAIR • WATER DAMAGE • WIND DAMAGE
Guidance on energy efficiency tax credits
Very experienced working with insurance companies.
EPA LEAD CERTIFIED RENOVATOR
AGING IN PLACE ... DON’T MOVE, IMPROVE!
Remain in your home as you age no matter what the obstacles are. As the
only certified “Aging in Place” specialist in Big Canoe, David can give you a
realistic idea of what it will take to make your home livable regardless of your
mobility and physical condition.
‘I can not imagine that I would buy or build another
house in Big Canoe that was not a Peagler Home!!’
— Diane Smeltz
A family tradition ...
David, a former cabinetmaker, does much of the
fine woodwork himself and closely supervises the
rest. David’s family has been in the wood and timber
industry for over 5 generations and he has built a
client-centered business carrying on that tradition.
706-268-1563
[email protected]
Big Canoe
Preferred
Builder
4 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Legacy Gala a worthy and fun event
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
The charitable event of the season is
shaping up to be the party event of the
season. Music by an 18-piece band, hors
d’oeuvres, an elaborate buffet dinner,
dancing, and silent and live auctions will
keep revelers entertained and active
throughout the festive Saturday evening,
May 14.
The Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild
Legacy of Caring Gala is always a big
hit, and this year’s will be no exception.
It’s a fun time and the proceeds benefit
charitable organizations in Pickens and
Dawson counties whose primary purpose
is to promote the wellbeing of women
and children.
“The clubhouse will have the feel of
an uptown nightclub, with beautiful music
and candlelight,” Tina Shearer, Gala
Committee chair said. “We are thankful
for the support from the community and
look forward to a fun-filled evening for
all.”
Perhaps the biggest feature of this
Gala is Capitol City Xpress, a band that
plays everything from jazz/swing to
music by contemporary artists, such as
Michael Buble.
Richard Barnett, a 10-year resident of
Big Canoe, is one of four trumpet players
for the band that came together in 2006
and is made up of music enthusiasts
and professionals from the Atlanta and
North Georgia area. Barnett, who played
trumpet in high school and college, has
been with the band for 18 months.
“I took a 45-year break,” Barnett said.
“It has taken some time to get it back.”
The band is made up of four trumpets,
four trombones, four saxophones, four
rhythm string instruments and two
singers.
Atlanta Plays It Forward, a not-forprofit organization that supports worthy
charitable/community organizations, is
presenting Capitol City Xpress and is a
sponsor for this year’s Gala.
“They booked us for their summer
series last year,” Barnett said. “Tom
Ladow, the executive director, is a
substitute piano player for us. But we’ll
play anywhere someone will hire us.”
“We like to play swing, not necessarily
from the 1940s,” Barnett said, “more
contemporary swing-like bands such as
Count Basie and Buddy Rich.”
In addition to good music, there will
be plenty of good food at this year’s
The 18-piece Capitol City Xpress band provides lively music throughout the metro area. COURTESY OF CAPITOL CITY XPRESS
Saturday, May 14, 2016
5:30-10 p.m.
The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti
Big Canoe
Gala attendees enjoy good food and raise funds bidding on auction items to support Big
Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild charities last year. PHOTO BY LASSIE DYE
Gala with hors d’oeuvres, fresh fruits,
vegetables, imported cheeses, a beef
carving station, a seafood station and
assorted miniature desserts. The event
will start at 5:30 p.m. and will go to “Big
Canoe midnight.”
A live auction will be on the
clubhouse Veranda at 7 p.m. Silent
auctions begin at 5:30 p.m., with
categories of themes such as black and
white, patriotic, garden and handmade
gifts. Dancing and dessert will begin at 8
p.m.
All this with the purchase of a $75
ticket that is also good for two glasses
of wine. Tickets go on sale at www.
bigcanoelegacy.org in March and at
chapel Stand Around, March 6 and 13 and
April 3 to May 8.
5:30 p.m. Silent Auction opens,
Buffet Dinner with music
7 p.m. Live Auction on the Veranda
8 p.m. Dancing and dessert
8:30 p.m. Silent Auction closes,
dancing continues
Tickets: $75 per person
available at
www.bigcanoelegacy.org
and chapel Stand Around
beginning in March.
Featured Homes
REDUCED
634 WEDGEWOOD DRIVE • $659,000
Soaring ceilings, open floor plan, gourmet kitchen and keeping
room that overlooks the golf course. Terrace level with a pool room,
beautiful custom built English bar, master on main, 2 acres.
5 bedrooms, 4/2 baths. FMLS #5591929
REDUCED
295 TURNBURY LANE • $529,900
Custom built designer home with high quality finishes.
Master on main. Gourmet chef’s kitchen, large open floor plan. Large
bedrooms, 4 fireplaces, Screened porch and deck with #8 Cherokee
golf course view. Private quiet street with large level lot and driveway.
FMLS #5538068
Near the Community of Big Canoe
The Landmark
BROWNSTONE
CENTRE
High Visibility and Easy Access!
COMMERCIAL
SPACE
AVAILABLE
FOR LEASE
Conveniently located at
the corner of Hwy. 53
& Steve Tate Hwy. in the Foothills
Shopping area
PHIL BALDWIN
Associate Broker, GRI, CRS, ABR
770-294-5148 cell
www.bigcanoe.com
PENDING
85 CLIFF FERN • $323,000
Charming 4 bedroom cottage, open floor plan, 2 fireplaces, screened
porch, carport with level driveway. FMLS #5567153
HOMESITES
• 9052 Hunters Trace $69,900, 2.11 acre FMLS #5581977
• 8202 Sweet Gum Circle $14,000, .78 acre FMLS #5526784
DECADES OF REAL ESTATE AND LENDING EXPERIENCE
• 17 years’ experience as a licensed
Real Estate Broker, Managing Partner
• Over 38 years banking experience as a
retired Bank President
• Exceptional work ethic with high professional standards
• Big Canoe resident with strong community ties
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
BIG CANOE COMMUNITY
®
Social Media Training series, continued
FACEBOOK
TRAINING CLASS
We get it.
Social Media can be intimidating. You’ve always wanted to try it, so
you can keep up with your kids, grandkids, friends and family. But where to even begin? This
year, conquer your curiosity and join us for a special series focusing on learning how to use
specific social media networking sites! Join us for fun, casual, interactive classes, and discover
how to showcase the beauty, activities and your Canoe Life™ at Big Canoe, and to share fun
memories with your friends and family near and far.
Sponsored by Big Canoe Company, LLC
A
fter much
success of
our Instagram
Training Class in
early February, we
are excited to offer
Facebook as the next
class for you to master
in this social media
training series.
n What is
Facebook? - the
world’s largest social
network, with more
than 1 billion users
worldwide. Facebook allows registered users
to create profiles, upload photos and video,
send messages and keep in touch with
friends, family and colleagues...all for free.
For many, having a Facebook account is now
an expected part of being online, much like
having your own email address. And since
Facebook is so popular, other websites have
worked to integrate Facebook. This means
you can use a single Facebook account to sign
in to different services across the Web.
n When: Thursday, April 21st at 10am and
7pm (same class, two different opportunities
to attend)
n Where: The Mountains Grille Meeting
Room in The Clubhouse (located at the main
entrance to The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti)
n Open to all Big Canoe residents/
guests/employees…please RSVP to Katie
Wercholuk by April 18, 2016 by emailing
[email protected] or calling:
706-268-6392
770-893-2733 or 866-244-2266
www.bigcanoe.com
n Bring your laptop
computers, tablets
and/or mobile devices
to the class, as this will
be interactive
n Please note: we
will cover other social
media sites such as
Twitter and Pinterest
in future classes. This
particular class will
focus on Facebook.
n We hope you’ll
join us to learn more
about Facebook, and
how you can share your Canoe Life™ with your
friends and family!
**Although open to people with all levels
of experience with Facebook, including
beginners, this class will be very informative
even if you already have an active Facebook
account. We will cover a brief overview of
Facebook, followed by interactive break-out
Q/A sessions based on experience level. Drop
by and bring any questions you may have,
and we’ll go over them one-on-one with you!
5C
6 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Guild welcomes regional director of Samaritan’s Purse
Big Canoe Chapel
Women’s Guild
JEAN LOMAX
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail
not. They are new every morning,
great is Thy faithfulness.”
~Lamentations 3:22-23
‘Light in the Darkness’
lease plan to attend the Women’s
Guild meeting, Thursday, March
10, 10 a.m., in the Broyles Center,
and help welcome a very special
guest, Lynne Rienstra, regional director of
Samaritan’s Purse. Perhaps best known for
its work with Operation Christmas Child,
the shoebox ministry, Samaritan’s Purse is
an international crisis response organization, ready at a moment’s notice to provide
food, water, shelter, medicine and other assistance in the name of Jesus Christ.
Lynne has worked for Samaritan’s
Purse for more than two years, serving
as a regional director in donor ministries.
She serves donors in the Southeast and has
been able to take some of these partners to
see Samaritan’s Purse ministry in places
such as Liberia, Trinidad, Singapore, Uganda and Ecuador.
Her experiences as pastor’s wife, mother, English teacher, businesswoman, youth
worker and development professional combine to help her relate to women on a variety of life paths. For more than 20 years, she
has counseled and spoken to women across
the U.S., Eastern Europe and West Africa,
encouraging them to take steps of faith into
God’s presence. She said, “Having grown
up in a home which was broken twice by
divorce, I have seen the Lord use His word,
His presence in prayer and His people to
heal and establish my identity in Christ.”
While her passion is to speak to women,
she also has spent time abroad on mission
fields as diverse as Korea, Kenya and Slovakia. Rienstra was born in the Midwest
but grew up near Boston. She is a graduate
of Smith College and is working on a master’s degree in Christian leadership at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Lynne and her husband Rob have two
grown children and presently are serving in
their third pastorate at Trinity Presbyterian
Church (Presbyterian Church in America),
Covington, Ga.
P
Lynne has chosen “Light in the Darkness” as the title of her program, March 10.
Charitable giving
At its meeting in February, the guild
approved donations to the following organizations from the 2015 Legacy of Caring
funds.
Ruth House Ministries (Pickens): A
residential program reaching out to women with drug and alcohol addictions by
offering hope, salvation, healing and deliverance through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The donation from the guild will provide
scholarships for those who cannot afford
treatment.
R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Association of Dawson County): Working collaboratively with community government
and schools and with business leaders, this
organization promotes and advocates for
families lacking the literacy skills necessary
to reach their full potential. The guild’s
donation will be used for GED test fee assistance and instructional supplies for students and teachers.
Meetings open to all
Guild meetings are open to all women in Big Canoe and the surrounding area;
newcomers are always welcome. The
morning begins with fellowship and light
refreshments and an opportunity to learn
about the guild’s activities. In March, the
Legacy of Caring committees will be looking for volunteers, and tickets will be on
sale for the Legacy of Caring Gala, May 14.
The final meeting of this guild year
will be April 14, when President and Senior Wealth Manager Jamie Williams of
Five Talents Wealth Management, Inc.,
will present “Trading Up.” Jamie is an advocate for the organ transplant community. Having been a living kidney donor to
her daughter’s kindergarten teacher in May
2005, she is keenly aware of the need to
help the 100,000-plus Americans currently
awaiting a major organ transplant. Jamie is
a frequent speaker for civic groups, church
groups and women’s ministry.
Are you on our email list? To receive
monthly reminders and updates of guild activities, please send an email to Jean Lomax,
[email protected].
The Big Canoe Women’s Guild promotes
activities that benefit the chapel and our
surrounding areas. Well over $1 million
has been donated to agencies in Dawson
and Pickens counties through the guild’s
fundraising efforts. To find out more
about the Women’s Guild, visit www.
bigcanoechapel.org.
Thanks to Sue Leonard, left, and Jo Young for organizing a delightful Valentine’s
Celebration. PHOTO BY LASSIE DYE
“Perhaps best known for its work with
Operation Christmas Child, the shoebox ministry,
Samaritan’s Purse is an international crisis response
organization, ready at a moment’s notice to provide
food, water, shelter, medicine and other assistance
in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Lynne Rienstra visits Ecuador on behalf of Operation Christmas Child. COURTESY OF SAMARITAN’S
PURSE
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
7C
Spring Home Sales Now in Full Bloom!
SOLAR POWERED!
WOODLAND SANCTUARY!
SPACIOUS ROOMS!
1.3 ACRE WOODED LOT!
812 McELROY MOUNTAIN DRIVE
$1,200,000 • FMLS #5560656
6 Bedrooms/6.5 Baths
FABULOUS!!!!
Featured on 2010 Tour of Homes
4154 WILDERNESS PARKWAY
$349,900 • FMLS #5561064
Great Flow for Entertaining
3.8 Acre Lot Adjoins Nature Valley
163 MUIRFIELD WAY
$360,000 • FMLS #5558172
4 Bedrooms/3 Baths
2 Bedrooms on Main
Sunroom & Wall of Windows in Great Room
195 SHETLAND TRACE
$349,500 • FMLS #5567472
4 Bedrooms/ 2.5 Baths
3 Bedrooms on Main
Wonderful 4 Season Room!!
VIEW AND CINVENIENCE!
VIEW, VIEW VIEW!
BETTER THAN NEW!
MOUNTAIN AMBIANCE!
SOLD!
688 McELROY MTN.
$419,000 • FMLS #5568230
4 Bedrooms 3.5 Baths
View, View, View!!!
Renovated Kitchen/Mountain Charm
148 SQUIRRELS NEST
$575,000 • FMLS #5540564
5 Bedrooms/4 Baths
One of a kind home with 50 Mile View!!
Beautiful Custom Cabinetry
167 CLIFF FERN POINT
$275,000 • FMLS #5528573
VIEW, VIEW, VIEW. Dream Workshop/
Studio! Minutes from North Gate
1351 QUAIL COVE
$275,000 • FMLS #5379335
3 Bedrooms/2.5 Baths. Charming Mountain
Cottage. Large Unfinished Space over Carport.
Artist Studio/Office off Master BR
WOW! WHAT A VIEW!
STREET OF DREAMS DREAM!
NEW LISTING!
NEW LISTING!
SOLD!
44 BUCKSKULL COURT
$219,000 • FMLS #5156435
WOW! WHAT A VIEW!
Like New-Built in 2000
166 WHITE ASTER LANE
$750,000 • FMLS #5530264
STREET OF DREAMS MODEL, LOADED
WITH EXTRAS. LISTED BELOW COST!!
LESS THAN 2 WEEKS
ON MARKET!
11 BUCKSKULL
41 CHESTNUT POINT
$275,000 • FMLS #5636621
4 Bedrooms 3.5 Baths
Lake Views!!!
Walk to Pool, Beach and Water Slide
LOADED WITH EXTRAS!!
NEW LISTING!
NEW LISTING!
BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED!
89 BLUESTERN DR. NW
$589,000 • FMLS #5347349
4 Bedrooms/4 Full/2 Half Baths
SPECTACULAR HOME!!!
Shows like a model home!
250 TURNBURY LANE
$325,000 • FMLS #5598292
Stone Patio w/Stacked Stone Fireplace
3 Bedrooms on Main
87 BLUE BELL CIRCLE
$249,000 • FMLS #5584368
4 Bedrooms/3 Baths
3 Bedrooms on Main
Close to Nature Valley Hiking Trails
182 SCONTI RIDGE
$164,900 • FMLS #5505291
3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Renovated Golf Course Condo
Great Location~Walk to Amenities!!!
MOUNTAIN VIEW!
NEW LISTING!
NEW LISTING!
VIEW!! VIEW!! VIEW!!
SOLD!
SOLD!
1572 RIDGEVIEW
$335,000 • FMLS #5631705
5 Bedrooms-3 Baths
Panoramic Views!!!
Loaded with Mountain Ambiance
295 YANOO TRACE
$239,000 • FMLS #5576863
4 Bedrooms/2 Full/2 Half Baths
Charming Mountain Cottage
Convenient to North Gate
44 CHEROKEE KNOLL
$499,000 • FMLS #5584067
PERFECTION!!! Built 2005
Fabulous Home-Loaded with Extras
91 LAUREL RIDGE TRAIL
$299,000 • FMLS #5368281
VIEW, VIEW, VIEW
Loaded with upgrades
VIEW OF AMICALOLA FALLS!
VIEW!!
GREAT PRICE!
2 BEDROOMS ON MAIN!
SOLD!
599 SANDERLIN MOUNTAIN DRIVE
$275,000 • FMLS #5578493
3 Bedrooms/3 Baths
Renovated Charmer
Private In-Law or Guest suite
145 RED COAT
$149,000 • FMLS #5636660
2 Bedrooms 2 Baths
Near Main Gate, GREAT PRICE
Large lot, Covered Parking
428 WAKE ROBIN DRIVE
$225,000 • FMLS #5592562
3 Bedrooms/3 Baths
Near Nature Valley Trails
Perfect Seasonal or Full Time Home
93 WEDGEWOOD
$275,000 FMLS #5513216
2 Masters on the Main
5 Minutes from Gate, Sunroom
SERENITY!
PRIVACY AND CONVENIENCE!
WONDERFUL LOT!
REDUCED!
286 HUCKLEBERRY TRAIL
$315,000 • FMLS #5619103
Privacy and VIEW!
Newly Renovated Kitchen
41 NUTHATCH
$269,000 • FMLS# 5608451
4 Bedrooms-2.5 Baths
Great Spaces and Value!!
Renovated Kitchen
439 PETIT RIDGE
$299,000 • FMLS #5517929
VIEW, VIEW, VIEW
4.6 Acre Private Estate Lot
269 WINDFLOWER DRIVE
$299,900 • FMLS #5513190
Sunroom/Stream on Property
Shows like a Model Home!
BIG CANOE LOTS
NEW ON MARKET!
SHELBY COLLINS
Associate Broker Accredited Buyer’s Representative
MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE FOR LUXURY HOME MARKETING
Accredited Staging Professional
Cell 404-863-2676•Direct
706-268-2904•Office 770-893-2400
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ShelbyCollins.com
SHORT SALES & FORECLOSURE
RESOURCE CERTIFICATION - SFR
A subsidiary of
Berkshire
Hathaway Inc.
WILDCAT LOTS
n 3507 Bear Creek
Reduced to $97,777, FMLS #5300770
n 3566 Blazingstar Trail,
REDUCED $79,500, FMLS #5502791
LOTS
n 140 Teaberry, $35,000 View, Easy Build!
FMLS #5367702 $89,000 VIEW!
n 2653 Sconti View Drive,
FMLS #5630967 $89,000 VIEW!
n 2745 Turnbury $130,000, Golf Course Lot
23 WHITE OAK
$220,000 FMLS #5513082
3 Bedrooms/3 Baths
Great Location/View
Cozy Mountain Cabin
HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS
®
200 Foothills Pkwy, Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2400
List, Sell & Buy with the BEST! ...
8 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Lydell Mack: Big Canoe Golf Course Superintendent
BY FRAN HOLMAN
Editor’s note: This is the next in a series
of articles about Big Canoe POA staff.
L
ydell Mack has two offices: one
is a modest space inside the Golf
Maintenance building and one is
outside, comprised of the 200 acres
of Big Canoe golf course.
A glance into his indoor office evidences
his appreciation for and love of golf.
A framed wall-tryptic features Arnold
Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
His business cards are nestled inside a
miniature replica of the 12th hole at Augusta
National Golf Club, a club where he worked
for two years.
Besides papers and trade magazines, on
his desk is a Powerade bottle, which he has
fashioned into a bent grass seed dispenser
by punching tiny holes in the cap. This
inventive, portable spreader allows Lydell
to repair small areas on the greens instantly.
For larger areas, there is a bent grass
nursery, which looks like a green mosaic
with square and hexagonal pockets where
patches of turf have been lifted.
Lydell describes the battle extreme
to maintain grass for greens and grass for
fairways. While the bent grass is a coolseason turf and thrives during cool months,
it is problematic with the heat and humidity
of summer. Bermuda grass is the converse,
thriving in summer and waning in winter.
Lydell was born in Leftbridge, Alberta,
Canada. His father taught him the joys of
golfing. During high school, he worked at
Paradise Canyon, in order to play golf free.
Although he first attended college to be a
chemist, he soon realized he preferred the
golf course to the laboratory. He transferred
to Fairview College, where he earned a twoyear degree in Turf Grass Management.
Afterwards, he worked at the 36-hole
Country Hills in Calgary. Weather dictates
golf is a brief season in Canada; thus,
Lydell began to search for jobs that were
in geographical areas of extended golf
seasons. After several tenures, including
Elk River Club in North Carolina, Augusta,
and The River Club in Suwanee, Big Canoe
employed him in June 2013.
He is appreciative of the golf
membership, noting the golf marshals and
members are especially vigilant in filling
divots, raking bunkers and caring for the
27-hole course.
Lydell, his wife Laura and their 7-yearold daughter Olive live in Cumming. Much
of his home time involves activities enjoyed
by Olive, like dance and swimming. Olive
First Assistant Golf Supervisor Mike Gondek
checks the greens with Lydell. PHOTO BY FRAN
HOLMAN
Lydell’s indoor office. PHOTO BY FRAN HOLMAN
Lydell visits Equipment Manager Toby Jones
in the shop. PHOTO BY FRAN HOLMAN
already delights in going to the driving
range with her dad. Lydell also plays in a
men’s ice hockey league in Cumming.
Lydell is a very good golfer, maintaining
a handicap in the 9-10 range. He now plays
through a professional lens. His scorecard
often has more notes about what to do than
scores. This is true even when he plays on
courses other than Big Canoe.
He returns annually to Augusta to
volunteer a 100-hour week to The Masters,
“the most significant tournament in the
world.” This spring will mark his 12th year
as a volunteer, in addition to the two years
he was an employee.
Lydell is a member of the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of
America and the Georgia chapter of that
organization. This professional avenue
provides websites, seminars, industry
trade shows and continuing educational
experiences that keep him current with
the technology critical to maintaining and
extending the Big Canoe courses.
The technology impacts many facets of
his work, such as evolving chemicals that
are more effective yet less harmful to the
environment, more information on new
diseases and pests, and developments in
equipment.
Even sand is a consideration. On the
grounds at the maintenance compound,
three types of sand are stored because
bunker sand, divot sand and greens sand
differ in particle size and density.
A constant required of his work is
balance. Lydell must carefully divide
his work between maintenance and
construction. The age and perpetual use
of the course result in adverse effects. The
course must be sustained and preserved,
for plants mature and can by their growth
invade course space. However, new
projects also occur.
The upkeep of a course is critical to
those who are members or guests. Golf
courses are exceedingly competitive. To
be viable, a course must be current, wellgroomed and scenic. Though Lydell is
adamant about protecting the stunning
mountain appearance, he is exploring ways
to make the course more aesthetic.
December and January are peak times
for Lydell to plan and complete paperwork
inside. He writes articles and releases about
the course and its continuous development.
He maintains pertinent statistics, noting
2015 saw an incredible rainfall of 95.5 inches.
Rain, Lydell remarks, is a greater
variable than heat or cold. Nature dispenses
some other challenges too. Bears, deer
and wild turkey frequent the course.
Fortuitously, they most often leave only
footprints.
More devastating to the terrain are
Canada geese and moles. The geese attack
on two fronts: the grass is a food source
for them and they rip it up in tufts and,
when the food becomes waste, it affects
the course, golf shoes and even mowers.
Lydell suits up for ice hockey. COURTESY OF LYDELL
MACK
In addition, geese can be aggressive during
gosling season.
A variety of measures has been
explored. Noisemakers, coyote, owl, swan
and alligator decoys, as well as flashing
lights, have not been successful. Each
June, the United States Department of
Agriculture conducts a goose roundup
worthy of Texas. The geese are secured,
tagged with anklets and relocated to South
Georgia.
A different attack comes from moles,
for they make disfiguring beads across
tee boxes and greens. They are rarely
detectable until after the obstruction and
intrusion.
According to Jason Brownell, POA
Director of Operations, “Lydell has
extensive experience and knowledge from
working at high-end private clubs. He has
brought that combination to Big Canoe and
the result is a golf course that has never
looked or played better. His work ethic and
eye for detail are second to none and the
golf course is better for it. He and his team
have done a wonderful job.”
Lydell praises First Assistant
Superintendent Mike Gondek, Second
Assistant Ken Holloway and Equipment
Manager Toby Jones. At peak season, there
are 25 people employed in his department.
To observe Lydell with his team and
on the course is to picture an informed,
insightful, interesting professional. He
moves from task to task with a seeming
effortlessness and a keen pleasure in what
he describes as “the dream job.”
YOUR ONE-STOP SOURCE FOR ...
Window
Treatments
including custom window
coverings, tinting and shutters.
ALL ARE WELCOME
We offer a wide variety of Hunter Douglas and
Graber window fashions to meet all your needs,
including favorites like Duette®
Honeycomb Shades, Silhouette® Window
Shadings, Luminette® Privacy Sheers, wood
blinds, shutters and more. Our services include
design consultations and professional window
coverings measuring and installation.
A multi-denominational spiritual
home for area residents
Blinds
by Design
Hunter Douglas
888-338-1303 • 706-635-7656
www.blindsbydesignllc.com
Lynne Pitters
• Free Estimates and Installation •
Graber
BJ’s Handyman Service
If You Need It Done Contact Brad
706-301-6510 • [email protected]
Join Big Canoe Chapel for Holy Week services.
Palm Passion Sunday - 9:00 & 10:30 AM, March 20
Good Friday - 7:00 PM, March 25
Easter - 9:00 & 10:30 AM, March 27
Continue to join us for other worship opportunities.
Sunday Worship Services - 9:00 & 10:30 AM
Wednesday Vespers - 6:00 PM
Wednesday High School Youth Fellowship - 6:00 PM
770-268-3203
www.bigcanoechapel.org
• Roof Repair - of all kinds
• Interior & Exterior Painting
• Window & Door Replacement
• Insulation - blown or batt
• Decks - built or repaired
• Pressure Washing
• Small Jobs
• Framing & Siding
We Change Light Bulbs Or Ceiling
Fans, Gutter Cleaning, Leaks Fixed,
Yards Blown Or Raked
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
Traditional ‘snugs,’ private dining and drinking spots, lend to the authenticity of
the Olde Blind Dog. PHOTOS BY BOB MEYERS
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
Irish and Scottish alike
drink to St. Patty at the 2015
celebration.
9C
The bar at Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub in Milton.
World’s best Irish pub ready for St. Patrick’s Day
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
Planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
Why not do it at the globally acclaimed,
best Irish pub of 2015, right here in North
Georgia.
Milton’s Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub on
Crabapple Road was named 2015 Irish
Pub of the Year by the Irish Pubs Global
Federation of Dublin, Ireland. It is the first
time an American pub has received that
recognition. The federation is supported by
Guinness and the Irish Board of Tourism.
The honor was presented to the
restaurant at the 2015 Gala Awards Dinner
at the federation’s three-day convention at
the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin, where pub
owners, managers, suppliers and other pub
experts gathered, shared ideas and gave out
awards.
The award is given annually to the
Irish pub that, in the opinion of the judges,
“epitomizes the very essence of what makes
an Irish Pub the best in its class, from
design to customer service,” according to
the federation’s website.
There are two Olde Blind Dog locations,
Milton and Brookhaven.
“We are extremely pleased with the
recognition from an organization backed
up by some really reputable people,” owner
Ron Wallace told Smoke Signals.
While Wallace said he is proud of the
food served in the Olde Blind Dog Pub
and the décor that is made up of authentic
pieces representing all seven Celtic
counties, he gives his staff credit for the
award.
“You can have the best location,
ambiance and food, but it comes down to
people,” Wallace, who is Scottish, said. “We
have a great, great staff.”
The Olde Blind Dog pubs are marketed
as family restaurants with good food
and atmosphere and without the wilder
reputation of Irish bars of the past.
“We’re different from most Irish pubs,”
Olde Blind Dog General Manager Geoff
Kokoszka said. “We’re not a sports bar;
we don’t have darts or pool tables. We’re
more food-focused than most Irish pubs.
We have spent a lot of time and money to
make sure we are doing things the right
way. For example, Guinness beer should
be at a certain temperature, different from
most American beers, so we installed a
separate tap with a separate cooler and lines
to ensure the Guinness is always at the right
temperature.”
Kokoszka was the first person hired
for the pubs in 2008, due to his extensive
background in the business. He has
taken pains to make sure the Irish food is
authentic. He said the shepherd’s pie is
made with lamb, not ground beef; the Irish
stew is authentic; and the rashers (pieces of
bacon for frying or broiling) and black and
white puddings (sausages made from blood
meats or without the blood) are imported.
Olde Blind Dog is known locally for
its St. Patrick’s Day bash, an outdoor
festival with live music, draught trailers, a
Guinness truck, outdoor kitchens, lots of
food and lots of revelers. There will be Irish
celebrations at the pubs, Saturday, March
12 and Wednesday, March 17 (St. Patrick’s
Day). Tickets for the events are $10 and can
be purchased online at www.oldeblinddog.
com.
The interior of the Milton pub is true
antique with repurposed wood and artifacts
found overseas. Nearly all the décor was
imported from Europe.
“Nothing is new and plastic,” Kokoszka
said. “Everything comes from someplace
with a story behind it.”
The Milton pub has become the focal
point for many town activities. Politicians
hold fundraisers and victory parties there.
The Milton City Hall will be built behind
the pub. And the area is one of the most
concentrated demographics of Irish
and Scottish descendants, according to
Kokoszka.
Both pubs have a community table at
the heart of the restaurant.
“It’s called the harvest table, a
community table where people can
congregate as one big group or as small
little pockets and drink beer and watch
sports and communicate with each other,”
Kokoszka said.
The restaurants also have the traditional
Irish “snugs,” small private dining cubbies
used by women who snuck into Irish pubs
in the days when they were not allowed to
drink in pubs or by anyone wishing not to
be seen drinking.
The menu is made up of lots of
traditional Irish items including Irish stew,
shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and a
traditional Irish breakfast that is served all
day. Desserts include sticky toffee pudding,
bread pudding and Baily’s Irish Cream
cheesecake.
The most popular dishes at the Olde
Blind Dog pubs are the Reuben and the fish
and chips, according to Kokoszka.
“The fish is hand-battered, never
frozen,” Kokoszka said. “We steam our
corned beef every day and slice it ourselves.
We use Irish cheddar from an Irish
Dr. Larry Anderson has been proudly serving the Dawsonville
Community for nine years as your neighborhood doctor.
Offering same-day appointments at a convenient location on
the Northside Dawson Medical Campus, our friendly, experienced staff provides excellent medical care for adult patients.
We accept most insurance plans, including:
• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Coventry
• Humana
creamery on our Reubens.”
The pubs also have an extensive scotch,
bourbon and whiskey list, according to
Kokoszka.
“We have more than 40 scotches and
40 to 50 bourbon/American whiskey/Irish
whiskies,” Kokoszka said. “We have 10
rotating beer taps. We continuously have
craft beers from all over the country. We
probably change our taps three or four
times a week.”
Olde Blind Dog Pub also has a food
truck that travels to events around the state.
Wallace, retired president of UPS
International, teamed with Robert Meyers,
a retired communications executive who is
the author and photographer of “Irish Pubs
in America.” (See Smoke Signals, June 2014.)
The coffee table book features 50 Irish pubs
in America with photos, stories and recipes
from each.
The book also is being considered for
the basis of a TV series. More than 100
hours of footage has been taped in pubs
from Chicago to San Francisco, according to
Wallace.
The president of the Irish Pubs Global
Federation saw Olde Blind Dog on a visit to
the U.S., according to Meyers. That started
the recognition process.
Two years ago a large contingent of Big
Canoe’s Black Bear Society members visited
the Milton pub. Kokoszka said he still gives
a discount to Black Bear Society members.
The Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub is at 12650
Crabapple Road in Milton, just a block off
Highway 372.
More information and photos of the
interior of the Olde Blind Dog can be found
at www.oldeblinddog.com.
Convenient location
Same day appointments available
Accepting new patients
Accepts most insurance plans
Walk-ins welcome
81 Northside Dawson Drive,
Suite 205
Call (706) 265-1335
andersonfamilymedicine.com
10 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Gatherings
BY ANITA ROSEN
[email protected]
Big Canoe Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge
Mid-January winners for the Big Canoe
Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge Club included
Bob Crouch and Chuck Palmer for North/
South and Neal Hanna and David Cockcroft
for East/West. Inclement weather took top
honors for the Jan. 22 gathering, but come
Jan. 29, Bruce Toups and Taylor Leonard led
North/South, leaving top position for East/
Staff Sgt. Maximo ‘Max’ Martinez and his
West to Joan and Joseph Lane. February’s
wife Melissa with Quilt of Valor. COURTESY OF
first meeting brought a tie for first place
DAR
for North/South between the teams of Bob
Crouch/Chuck Palmer and Judy Thuman/
The hours for all markets will be 7:30
Angeline Coffin. Joan and Joseph Lane took
a.m. until 12:30 p.m., but early shoppers will
East/West’s top position.
be assured of the biggest selection. The
The group meets Fridays at The
winter markets will be, like last year, inside
Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. Games start at
the Pickens County Extension/Chamber of
12:30 p.m., registration at 12:15 p.m. Bob
Commerce building. The outdoor markets
Crouch can provide information, 706-579will be in the Park ’n’ Ride lot in Lee Newton
3375/[email protected].
Park on Church Street, across from Pickens
Learn technique with PNQ
Middle School, except on Independence Day
March 1, Dianne Knott of www.
and the Marble Festival in October, when
butterflythreadsquilting.com will teach
the market will be in the pavilion at Roper
the Pine Needle Quilters
Park.
her technique for paper
The price to be a vendor
piecing and sewing curves
remains at $3. To become a
with excellent results
vendor, come to the market
every time. Based on her
before 7:30 a.m., and check
quilt pattern, “Under the
in with market manager
Mistletoe,” Dianne will
Jenny Fellenbaum. The one
demonstrate curves are not
exception is the winter
scary. Suitable for confident
market; due to limited
beginners through advanced
space, if you want to be in
quilters, the workshop
the building, you have to
covers basic flip-and-sew
apply ahead of time. Rules
Techniques
for
paper
paper piecing, as well as
and a registration form can
piercing
and
sewing
curves
template sewing. be found online at www.
The Pine Needle Quilters will be taught at Pine Needle
pickensmg.org. Everything
Quilters’ March meeting
meet the first Tuesday of
must be homemade, handby
butterflythreadquilting.
the month, except July and
built or homegrown.
COURTESY OF WWW.
com.
December, at McCormick
The market is a project
BUTTERFLYTHREADQUILTING.COM
Hall, lower level of the
of the Pickens County
Broyles Center. This group
Master Gardeners, an extension of the
inspires interested people to venture into
University of Georgia. More information
the wonderful world of quilting. For more
can be found by calling the Pickens County
information or to attend the meeting as a
Extension Office, 706-253-8840. Contributed
guest, contact Kay Stanley, kaybstanley@
by Darla Huffman
yahoo.com. Contributed by Karlene Spencer
Sequoyah Chapter DAR
Jasper Farmers Market
announces essay winners and
sets opening date
Quilt of Valor recipients
The spring/summer Jasper Farmers
The Sequoyah Chapter DAR enjoyed a
Market will begin April 2 and continue every
full house at its February meeting with two
Saturday morning through Oct. 29. The
extraordinary presentations followed by
summer Wednesday market will run June
the program, “Preservation of Keepsakes,”
15 through Sept. 28. The winter market will
by Mary Simonds, Past Regent of Martha
pick up Nov. 5 and continue every other
Stewart Bulloch Chapter DAR, Roswell.
Saturday until Christmas: Nov. 5 and 19 and
The first presentation was to Sequoyah
Dec. 3 and 17.
Youth at the Boys & Girls Club put their
knowledge to work by having a contest to
see who can unscramble all of the words
on the list the fastest. Academics and fun
go together at Boys & Girls Clubs of North
Georgia. COURTESY OF B&GC
Gathered for the award presentation
from the Sequoyah Chapter of DAR are:
Committee Chairman and judge Polly
Mills, left; guest final judge Vivian Sheperis;
Kaitlyn Saranthus, fifth grade winner,
Harmony Elementary School; Robert
Edwards, sixth grade winner, Wildwood
Christian Academy; Kayden Payne, seventh
grade winner, Jasper Middle School;
and Chapter Regent Beth Finley. Not in
picture: Eduardo Valdovinos, eighth grade
winner, Jasper Middle School. COURTESY OF DAR
Chapter winners of the NSDAR American
History Essay Contest for Pickens County
fith, sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students. The theme for the Annual Essay
Contest was “A Colonist Family’s Reaction
to the Stamp Act.” All 80-plus students who
participated received Sequoyah Chapter
Certificates of Participation. Each of the four
finalists was presented a Sequoyah Chapter
Winner Certificate and a bronze medal.
“Sequoyah Daughters are very proud of
our local students. We’re expecting more
great accomplishments from them in the
future,” remarked Regent Finley. Guest
judge Vivian Sheperis extended greetings
and encouraged students to continue their
remarkable educational journey. Certificates
of Appreciation were presented to the
judges.
The second presentation was to Staff
Sgt. Maximo “Max” Martinez, U.S.
Army. Max was wounded in Afghanistan
in May 2010, medically retired in
2012. Regent Finley presented him with
a Certificate of Honor for his “Valor,
Service and Sacrifice” for tours in Iraq and
Afghanistan and for his part in helping to
keep America free. Regent Finley presented
a red rose to his wife Melissa. Max is a
member of the North Georgia Veterans. A
beautiful, handmade quilt was awarded to
Max from Quilts of Valor Chairman Carole
English, who made the quilt. The mission of
the Quilts of Valor Foundation is “to cover
service members and veterans touched by
war with comforting and healing Quilts of
Valor.” More than 133,000 quilts have been
awarded to date.
Our next meeting is Thursday, March 3,
at The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti, Big Canoe,
when guest speaker Brenda Jessell will
present “Heroines of the American
Revolution.” We invite you to join us if
you’re a female over 18 and are a direct
lineal descent from an American Revolution
Patriot. Contact Emily Beals, 706-579-1094,
for additional information. Contributed by
M. Beth Finley, Regent, Sequoyah Chapter
DAR
Lit Lunch to dabble in ‘Trifles’
For the first time in the six-year history
of Lit Lunch, a team of facilitators will
conduct the meeting. Harris Green, retired
professor of English and founder of Lit
Lunch, will be joined by Nann Horadam,
retired high school English teacher with a
master’s degree in teaching in English and
French and a bachelor’s degree in textiles
with a minor in German. She has lived in the
Middle East, Scotland and Paris, France.
Nann’s pick is “Trifles,” a 1916, short,
poignant drama in which a sheriff and two
other men go to a farmhouse to look for
clues as to who murdered the owner, Mr.
Hale. The chief suspect, his wife, is in jail,
but something is needed that points to her
guilt. What follows is an intriguing, early
example of why women are from Venus and
men are from Mars.
Lit Lunch will meet in the Club Room
of The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti, noon to
2 p.m., Friday, March 4. For information,
contact Harris Green, hrgreen94gmail.
com or 706-579-1774. Contributed by Harris
Green
Contact Anita Rosen, arosen@bigcanoenews.
com, with club news. Check www.
bigcanoepoa.org for information on Big
Canoe clubs/organizations. Always confirm
meeting times and locations.
Is Your Porch
Ready for
Spring Pollen?
FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATE
This Spring keep pollen under control and get more enjoyment out
of your home by enclosing your existing porch or screened area.
• EZE-BREEZE PORCH ENCLOSURES
• GENIOUS RETRACTABLE DOOR SCREENS • SCREEN PORCHES
• MOTORIZED RETRACTABLE PORCH SCREENS
PORCH FLOORING • CLOSET AND GARAGE ORGANIZERS • PATIO FURNITURE • RUGS AND LIGHTING
Come visit our Showroom in Jasper ...
447 Harmony School Rd., Jasper, GA
Showroom Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10-4
Business: 706-301-5698
Website: www.myenclosedporch.com
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
11 C
Acoustic Jam tugs at heartstrings
BY JOHN HERZLER
The warmth of the fireplace at the Swim Club was the
perfect setting for an Acoustic Jam Valentine’s Day tribute.
Nine performers entertained an enthusiastic crowd. The
music was predominately romantic, with some notable
exceptions.
Newbie Frank Lozano introduced some Steely Dan and
Antonio Carlos Jobim to the musical mix. While that might
seem a bit of a reach, it worked and we’re glad to welcome
Frank to our growing group of performers. Regulars Bob
Knysz, Art Shand, Tom Kilpatrick, Jim Pulliam, Shiraz Alikan
and Ray Duncan shared their talents. After his first jam in
January, Marty “Mobile” Holmes’ return appearance was
enthusiastically received.
Next month, we return to our regular schedule of first
Thursdays. With the Ides of March and St. Patrick’s Day
approaching, there will be at least one Irish drinking song.
Will there be kilts, a bagpipe, haggis, green beer and a kazooplaying leprechaun? You’ll have to show up to find out.
Join us for the next Acoustic Jam, Thursday, March 3, 7
p.m., at the Big Canoe Swim Club. Come early to get your
seat. Bring your ears, your voice and an instrument, should
you wish. Your favorite libation also helps to enhance the
experience. Just remember, you never know who’s going to
show up!
For more information, contact John Herzler, jherzler@
gmail.com.
Tom Kilpatrick and Bob Knysz entertain the
crowd. PHOTO BY STEVE PAPKE
Newcomer Frank Lozano plays Jobim. PHOTO
Art Shand puts some right-hand English on the bow. PHOTO BY RUTH HERZLER
BY STEVE PAPKE
Bellford Finishes
Visit our showroom and fill your
canoe with great deals on the latest
treasures that are arriving daily
from local estates. Also, check out
our line of new gift items. Many
items can be personalized to create
a unique gift for your friends and
loved ones. Great for weddings,
anniversaries & housewarmings. Let
us help you find that perfect gift.
March Lucky
Artwork & Mirror
SALE
Hurry, get lucky
today,
sale ends March
31!
• Painted and Distressed
Cabinetry and Furniture
• Faux and Textured Wall Finishes
ANITA BELLINGER | Decorative Artisan
706-579-2909 • 770-894-9660
ESTATE SALES & CONSIGNMENTS
ESTATE SALES • APPRAISALS • CONSIGNMENT SERVICES
Pick Up & Delivery Service Available • Mon-Fri, Sun -11 to 5:30, Sat-10 to 5:30
88 North Gate Station Dr., Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2300
Located on Steve Tate Hwy, across from the north entrance • www.NGEstateSales.com
HAD ENOUGH?
• Stock Market
Fluctuation?
• Getting 1% a Year
On Your Money?
Let Us Show You
How To Invest In
Real Estate For
Capital Preservation
and Long Term
Stable Income.
CALL ONYX
INVESTMENT
SERVICES TODAY!
Onyx Investment
Services has been
buying, selling,
developing and
managing commercial
and residential
properties for over 40
years! The investment
team has over 60 years
of combined experience!
ALL INVESTORS WELCOME
NEW LOCATION:
744 Noah Drive, Suite 102
Jasper GA, 30143
www.onyxga.com
[email protected]
706-253-0794
We pride ourselves on
giving each investor
individual attention
while helping them to
achieve their investment
objectives.
We Live Here, Work Here, Invest and Support Our Hometown Community
12 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Umami equals yummy
Talk Of
The Table
DEBBIE DICKSON
I
have often wondered why bacon and
cheese elevate a burger from good to
divine or why Asian-inspired dishes,
swimming with shiitake mushrooms,
soy sauce and fish sauce, thrill me. It’s simple. It is all because of something called umami.
For thousands of years, the cornerstone
of culinary thinking had been that there
were four distinct flavors – sweet, salty, bitter and sour. That all changed in 1908, when
Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikedia, enjoying
a bowl of dashi, the classic Japanese soup
made from seaweed, wondered what gave it
such a unique, rich and savory flavor. Sensing he was experiencing something new, he
raced to his lab to find the secret ingredient: glutamic acid. He decided to rename it
“umami,” which means “delicious” or “yummy” in Japanese, and an enigmatic fifth flavor
was born.
Glutamates, a type of amino acid found
in most living things including meat, fish,
vegetables and dairy products, is delicious
on its own. However, pairing with complementary ingredients dramatically amplifies
the umami flavors. Cooking, curing and fermentation also unleash umami.
There are many foods rich in umami. In
the plant world, tomatoes shine when made
into a sauce and combine with meats. Shiitake mushroom can be used fresh or dried
and, when rehydrated, transform a stock into
something rich and earthy. Who can resist
the humble potato, another umami-ish vegetable, especially when fried or covered with
cheese?
When meats, such as beef or pork, are
allowed to cure, the levels of umami-imparting acids are increased. No wonder we love
ham, bacon and beef jerky and every country
has its own pork specialty – Spanish chorizo,
Italian pepperoni and the German Frankfurter. Chicken bones are full of umami, thus
producing the homey, comforting soup we
yearn for when we are under the weather.
A variety of seafood – including kombu
(kelp), sardines, tuna, oysters and clams –
are high in glutamates. Anchovies are the
secret ingredient in a variety of dishes, including the classic Caesar salad and many
Italian dishes.
Finally, don’t forget two umami standouts – Parmesan cheese and soy sauce. Aged
Parmesan grated over pasta, vegetables and
even popcorn adds a rich, nutty flavor that
is unrivaled. Soy sauce gives a depth of flavor to everything it touches including rice,
meats and soups.
If you want to learn more about umami,
check the website for the Umami Information Center (www.umamiinfo.com), which
is devoted to all things umami, complete
with recipes and a list of foods high in naturally occurring glutamates.
Elevate your next culinary creation by
adding the “yummy.” Here are a few recipes
to get you started.
These delicious appetizers filled with
the umami flavors of sharp Cheddar, bacon
and Worcestershire sauce can be prepared
Roasted tomatoes intensify the umami. PHOTOS BY DEBBIE DICKSON
The perfect bite of complex umami flavors.
ahead of time and frozen. Pull them out of
the freezer at the last minute, bake and serve
with a glass of wine at your next soirée.
BACON CHEESE BITES
Yield: 20 servings
• 6 slices crisp-fried bacon, crumbled
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Small baguette, sliced
Combine bacon, cheese, onion, almonds,
mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, salt and
pepper in bowl; mix well. Spread bacon mixture on bread slices. Place on baking sheet.
Freeze until firm.
Preheat oven to 400 F and bake for 10
minutes.
Serve this healthy dish with pasta, rice or
roasted potatoes, making it a company-worthy meal. The intense, bright flavor of the tomatoes is a delicious way to appeal to your
umami desire.
(Adapted from “Seaside Pastels & Pickets”)
CHICKEN WITH HERB-ROASTED
TOMATOES AND PAN SAUCE
Serves: 4
• 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes or other
small tomatoes on the vine
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves (could
substitute chopped basil leaves)
Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, and herbes de
Provence in a large bowl. Season with salt
and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon
oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet until
oil shimmers. Carefully add tomatoes to pan
(oil may spatter). Transfer skillet to oven and
roast, turning once, until tomatoes burst and
give up some of their juices, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and drizzle
with Worcestershire sauce.
Meanwhile, season chicken all over with
1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, ovenproof skillet (just
use the same pan you roasted your tomatoes
in) over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on
both sides until golden brown, 6-8 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven and roast chicken until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Transfer
chicken to a cutting board and let rest for at
least 5 minutes.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to same
skillet; heat over medium heat. Add shallot
and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about
a minute. Deglaze pan with vinegar, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan; add
tomatoes and their juices and simmer until
sauce is just beginning to thicken, about 1
minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice chicken; divide among plates. Spoon
tomatoes and sauce over; garnish with herbs.
(From Bon Appetit, August 2012)
Debbie Dickson is not the chef/owner of a
restaurant, has not written any cookbooks
(even though she owns way too many)
and has no professional training. She does,
however, love everything associated with
food – reading about it, writing about it,
preparing it and, most importantly, eating it.
‘Brownie sandwich’ a specialty at Big D’s BBQ
Talk Of The Table
Restaurant Review
WAYNE TIDWELL
E
ver had a brownie sandwich? Big D’s
BBQ in Dawsonville serves them.
They describe them as “hand pulled
burnt ends, topped with spicy ranch,
served on grilled Texas toast.”
Carl Deane and I continued our search of
the best barbecue around and split a brownie sandwich when we visited Big D’s at the
corner of Highway 400 and Highway 53 in
Dawsonville at lunchtime. It was pretty good.
Burnt ends are essentially what they
sound like. When smoking a pork butt for 14
hours, like they do at Big D’s, some of the edges and thin places on the butt get very dark as
if they are burnt. Often in the past, chefs and
kitchen workers would snack on the burnt
ends, assuming customers wouldn’t care for
them. Eventually, they found that, quite the
contrary, many people liked or even preferred the “brownies.”
Big D’s takes advantage of that, offering
a brownie sandwich at a premium. A pork
sandwich goes for $3.99, jumbo size at $5.30.
A brownie sandwich goes for $6.99.
Big D’s has a large menu that includes
breakfast with homemade “cathead” buttermilk biscuits till 10:30 a.m. weekdays and
Saturday and Sunday till noon. The breakfast menu is extensive and even includes
pancakes. They offer a “Man vs. Pancakes”
challenge. If you devour their five pounds of
pancakes with a side of bacon or sausage in
60 minutes, they will reward you with a free
meal, T-shirt and your picture on the “Wall of
Fame” and in the local newspaper.
They serve pretty much the standard
barbecue fare at Big D’s, plus hot dogs, BLTs,
grilled cheese sandwiches and a rib sandwich, as well as burgers and wings, desserts
and a kids’ menu. Desserts include chocolate
peanut butter pie, Key lime pie, cobbler, funnel cake and moon pies.
Big D’s smokes its meats on a large smoker “out back” and has a couple of portable
smokers. They smoke the pork for 14 hours
at night and the ribs and brisket for a shorter
time in the morning, according to one of the
cooks.
In addition to the brownie sandwich, Carl
and I ordered pulled pork, a sampling of three
ribs and beef brisket, with sides of mac ’n’
cheese, baked beans and coleslaw. Two small
hushpuppies are served with the meals.
Big D’s serves St. Louis-style ribs that are
larger and meatier than baby back ribs. They
have a heavy, dark bark on the outside but
are tender and juicy. Carl and I agreed they
were a little bit greasy and rich. We could eat
only one each.
The pulled pork was average and the beef
brisket had a good, smoky taste but a dense
consistency that made it appear a little dry. I
don’t normally eat hushpuppies with barbecue, but I tasted one and found it to be rather
sweet and without the onion taste that hushpuppies served with seafood typically have.
The Highway 400 location is in the midst
of the major construction of the continuous
flow intersection at Highway 53, but we had
no trouble getting into the parking lot in front
of Big D’s.
In addition to Highway 400, Big D’s has
a second location on Highway 53 in old town
Dawsonville. You can order their food online,
www.mybigdsbbq.com, or by calling them at
706-216-6706 for the Highway 400 location
or 706-429-0069 for Dawsonville.
Orders at Big D’s are picked up at the kitchen window, surrounded by colorful items. PHOTOS BY
WAYNE TIDWELL
“Big D’s serves St. Louis-style ribs that are larger and
meatier than baby back ribs. They have a heavy, dark
bark on the outside but are tender and juicy.”
The menu at Big D’s is large and includes a
selection of breakfast items
Big D’s Highway 400 location is at the corner
of Highway 53.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
13 C
Around The Clubhouse
BY ALICE EACHUS
Sconti Clubhouse Correspondent
It’s countdown time! Spring can’t be
that far down the road, can it? While
you’re waiting for daffodils to bring a little
sunshine to your backyard, The Clubhouse
at Lake Sconti will get you smiling as the
winter wait wears on.
Wednesdays stir things up a bit
During the month of March Madness,
Chef Tulio will be offering Stir Fry Night on
Wednesdays in place of Pasta Night. A real,
live chef will create your concoction made
to order from a buffet filled with chicken,
beef and shrimp, accented with bouquets of
fresh veggies including peppers, broccoli,
bok choy and bean sprouts. Rice noodles
and dessert will finish the tasty buffet. The
price for this colorful and hearty feast is still
just $14.99.
Easter Sunday Brunch,
a sure sign of springtime
Following years of tradition, the
clubhouse will offer a delightful Easter
Sunday Brunch, March 27. Pretty pastel
buffet tables will wind around the clubhouse
as diners enjoy classic Easter ham with all
its complements. There will be a generous
selection of additional entrees to please
everybody’s palate. Of course, the dessert
table will sparkle with frosted cookies, pies
and cakes, so remember to save space for
the sweet finale.
Checked out the new menu?
Winter can be filled with the blahs and
forced days indoors, but isn’t it wonderful
to walk into the Black Bear Pub, find a table
of friends and share mounds of comfort
food? To make long winter days a little
more fun, Chef Tulio was inspired to create
new food choices to add to the already long
clubhouse menu.
For lunch, why not start with Beer
Battered Crispy Mushrooms, Crab, Shrimp
and Artichoke Dip or Sidewinder Potatoes?
Follow with a Greek Chicken Salad or
Chef’s Kale Salad. Handhelds got your vote?
Try the new Classic Club Sandwich, Sconti
Roasted Veggie Sandwich or a Glazed BBQ
Chicken Sandwich.
Dinner diners will be excited to try the
selection of new entrees – Beef Au Poivre,
Greek Smothered Chicken, Orange-Glazed
Salmon with Pistachio Pesto, Three-Cheese
Tortellini or Homemade Chicken Pot Pie.
Whoo-whee – bring on the bibs!
Wearin’ of the Green
Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!
The clubhouse will serve the best the
Green Isle has to offer on this special day
honoring Ireland’s favorite saint. Of course,
prime Irish beers will pour from taps as the
Pioneer Chicken Stand Band gets a little
jig action going. Don’t miss this festive
celebration, but, whatever you do, wear
green and never orange. Don’t want a whole
lot of pinching goin’ on!
Rock TGIF at the clubhouse
What a way to welcome the weekend!
Folks love the Friday night Seafood Buffet,
especially when lively tunes make it a
party. March will host some of Big Canoe’s
favorite performers, including Mr. Blue
Roads and Dr. Paul Constantine.
“Southern Rock Grit” is how many
describe Mr. Blue Roads. Melodies to tug at
your heart as well as move your feet are on
the song board, all inspired by the country
ways of the South.
Mellow sounds flow from the guitar
strummed by Dr. Paul Constantine.
According to his website, “familiar songs
are rendered fresh, as though being heard
for the first time, and lesser-known songs
are thoroughly owned and yet oddly
familiar.”
Yep, Friday nights at the Pub are where
it’s at.
Mt. Oglethorpe Foundation
Community Dinner
Since its dedication two years ago,
Eagle’s Rest Park at Mt. Oglethorpe is
emerging as a true hiking and picnicking
park, with four viewing decks and two
hiking trails. There’s even the Greatest
Little Privy in the North Georgia Mountains.
The park is less than half an hour from
Big Canoe’s gates and is a favorite spot for
nature lovers. There’s also a great stone
eagle in the making. Concerts and solstices
are celebrated in this beautiful setting,
along with spaces for peaceful personal
meditation. Shhh, dwarfs and gnomes are
rumored to frolic in these woods.
The Mt. Oglethorpe Foundation is
sponsoring the Community Dinner,
Wednesday, March 23, 6 p.m., at the
clubhouse and will share the history, lore
and charm of the area. Come find out what’s
becoming one of our area’s premier nature
attractions.
Bear Society hosts
all things Irish
Bears’ annual St. Patrick’s Day
celebration set for March 11
BY MAMA BEAR ALICE EACHUS
What do you get when you cross a fourleaf clover with poison ivy? A rash of good
luck, of course! Everybody will get lucky
at the annual Bear Society St. Patrick’s Day
celebration, traditionally held the Friday
before the Day of Green. This year the party
will happen on Friday, March 11.
For sure, there will be a nighttime party
with plenty of jigs and jiggling, but the day
dawns bright with the hoisting of the Irish
flag at the clubhouse at 1 p.m. As the green,
white and orange banner slowly unfurls,
barrels of green beer will be tapped to
cheers of “Slainte!” Party on!
Borrowing from the Scots, the Bear
Society will host a golf tournament called
“Bagpipes and Birdies” starting at 2 p.m.
Now, this isn’t your usual golf tournament,
no sir! How could it be with crazy
leprechauns scurrying all over the course?
There will be hazards you never dreamed
possible, but, not to worry, mulligans will
help navigate any and all obstacles along
the way. Get more info at the golf pro shop
where sign-ups are taken.
Finally, at 5:30 p.m., Irish cheers will
roar at the Black Bear Pub when glasses are
raised to toast everything from shamrocks
to the Blarney stone, including lovely redhaired lassies. Begorrah! There will be trays
of Irish coffees and an array of cocktails
to enjoy, like the Tipsy Leprechaun, Misty
Mint and End of the Rainbow. Count on
hearty Emerald Isle-fare like potatoes,
corned beef and soda bread to load tables,
along with simpler tasties like cheese and
pasties.
What would a party be without a rousing
band to bring out the Irish in all of us? The
Bears are searching for new rock sounds
to rattle our rafters. Come find out which
Atlanta band will carry the luck of the
Irish on this magical night of rainbows and
unicorns.
Everybody – and his brother, sister and
old Uncle Rufus – is invited to this annual
celebration. Let’s sing and sway like Paddy
does at the old Harp and Thistle when our
very own pub takes lessons from across the
pond. Hey, remember to wear your “Kiss
Me, I’m Irish” pin on your lapel and maybe
you really will get lucky!
Is this a table full of fun or what? There was much Super Bowl celebrating going on as
birthday boy Claud Lacey shared the spotlight with Peyton Manning. PHOTOS BY STEVE PAPKE
Tom McCaleb fast-grabs Elaine Fitzgerald’s dollar to find her a spot on the Bear Society’s
Super Bowl pool.
The clubhouse offers a traditional Easter Brunch, March 27.
14 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
“The Big Canoe Swim Club will be the site
for a BCAC art show, March 18-20. A reception is
planned for Friday, March 18, 5-8 p.m. The show
will be open Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and
Sunday noon to 4 p.m.”
Big Canoe Artists
announce show
LIVING WELL SERVICES
n Advanced Dental Restorations
“Live your life smiling... Let us help make
your smile beautiful.”
Dentist, Dental Specialty, Prosthodontist
Dr. Emily Y. Chen, DDS, MA
1505 Stone Bridge Parkway, Suite 220
Woodstock, GA 30189
(678) 810-0881
[email protected]
www.bringbacksmiles.com
facebook.com/AdvancedDentalRestorations
n BrightStar Care
“We help families take care
of their loved ones!”
Private Pay Home Care
315 Allen Street, Cumming, GA 30040
(678) 450-1777
www.brightstarcare.com/cumming-gainesville
n Comfort Keepers
In-Home Senior Care and Health
Technology Solutions
185 West Main Street, Suite A
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 887-0499
[email protected]
www.Comfortkeepers.com/CantonGA
n Dawsonville Distinctive Dentistry
General Dentistry
754 Highway 53 W
(706) 265-2505
[email protected]
www.dawsonvilledistinctivedentistry.com
facebook.com/
dawsonvilledistinctivedentistry
n Edward Jones / Martin Titus
“Making Sense of Investing”
Personal Investment Services
167 Fowler Street
P.O. Box 469
Ellijay, GA 30540
(706) 636-3800
[email protected]
www.edwardjones.com
n Foothills Dental Associates
General and Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Tom Harmon - General Dentist
25 Foothills Parkway, Suite 101
(770) 893-2340
www.foothillsdentalassociates.com
facebook.com/foothillsdentalassociates
n Georgia Mountains Hospice
Hospice Care
70 Caring Way, Jasper GA 30143
(706) 253-4100
(800) 692-7199 (toll free)
www.georgiamountainshospice.org
facebook.com/georgiamountains.hospice
n LivHOME
“Live long. Live well. LivHOME.TM”
In-home Care / Geriatric Care
Management
Chris Foster, CSA, Gerontologist
Serving all of North Georgia
(770) 992-5820
[email protected]
www.livhome-Atlanta.com
n North Georgia Vein Institute
“Renewing the way you look and feel”
Treatment for Vein Disorders
Dr. Peter Wrobel, MD
4415 Front Nine Drive, Suite 600
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-1600
[email protected]
www.NorthGeorgiaVein.com
n Northeast Georgia Health System
Medical Plaza 400
“We offer a convenient range of medical
specialties in Dawsonville.”
Healthcare
108 Prominence Court
(706) 216-3238
www.nghs.com/medicalplaza400
n Northside Hospital – Cherokee
“A Lifetime of Care”
Healthcare
201 Hospital Road
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 720-5100
www.Northside.com
BY BOB GLOVER
Several members of Big Canoe Artists Club (BCAC) brought works
to the February meeting for critique. Martha Nix explained the critique
procedure, indicating the first step is for the peers assembled to “give the
artist an opportunity to talk about their artwork.”
Talking about one’s artwork as it is being shown touches on points, such
as inspiration, intention and content, and prompts discussions of visual
elements and principles of organization. Artists might seek problem-solving
advice and suggestions for improving certain aspects of their work. Overall,
the club’s critique process is a learning exercise for everyone.
Ken Reynolds, member of Big Canoe Writers (www.bigcanoewriters.
org) was welcomed as a visitor to the BCAC February meeting. He
especially wanted to see how Big Canoe artists do critique. Ken is
online with a website called “Turned Pages – Observations, Opinions,
Commentary, Reviews and Stories” (www.turnedpages.net). He is also a
Smoke Signals columnist.
Pat Culbertson, an art teacher and stone sculptor, was welcomed as
a new member of Big Canoe Artists, and Anne Burton was greeted as a
returning member.
The Big Canoe Swim Club will be the site for a BCAC art show, March
18-20. A reception is planned for Friday, March 18, 5-8 p.m. The show will be
open Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. The club plans
to participate in the Legacy of Caring Marketplace, May 20-21.
The March meeting of the Big Canoe Artist Club will be 10 a.m.,
downstairs in the Broyles Center. Big Canoers and their guests are
welcome. The club’s website, www.bigcanoeartists.com, shows what Big
Canoe artists can do.
n Rock Creek Manor
Independent Living, Senior Living
50 Cagle Mill Road S.
Jasper, GA 30143
(678) 454-2600
www.rockcreekjasper.com
n Southern Foam & Coating Insulation
“Improving Indoor Air Quality
and Efficiency”
Healthier Homes
Mike Mckague
1643 Calvary Church Rd
Gainesville, GA 30507
(770) 773-0479 (mobile)
(770) 297-1881 (office)
[email protected]
n The Lodge at BridgeMill
“Senior Living for Every Lifestyle”
Senior Living Apartment Community
10451 Bells Ferry Road
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 479-4639
www.thelodgeatbridgemill.com
facebook.com/thelodgeatbridgemill
Claudia Campbell shows her recent painting of lemons. PHOTOS BY KAY DAVIS
n Tuscan Sun Massage and
Wellness Center
Natural Health Consultation
Upstairs at North Gate Station
(404) 964-1072
[email protected]
www.tuscansunwellness.com
n WellStar Health System
Healthcare
793 Sawyer Road
Marietta, GA 30062
(770) 956-STAR
www.wellstar.org
n McDonald and Son
Funeral Home & Crematory
“State inspected on site crematory
with a caring staff ”
Funeral and Cremation Services
150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040
(770) 886-9899
Dahlonega Funeral Home
& Cremation Services
20 Gibson Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533
(706) 864-3683
www.mcdonaldandson.com
BCAC President Thom Long talks about the March Big Canoe Artists Club
show.
n North Georgia Audiology
& Hearing Aid Center
“Your Link to Better Hearing”
Audiology Services and Hearing Devices
203 Woodpark Place, Suite B-100
Woodstock, GA 30188
(770) 726-8948
www.YourHearingLink.com
4045 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite B
Johns Creek, GA 30024
(770) 814-1260
www.YourHearingLink.com
Living Well Business Directory
on bigcanoenews.com
For information about having your business included in these Living
Well listings, contact Judy Harvey at 678-925-8511 or
send email to [email protected].
Mike Davis receives some close up suggestions from Martha Nix.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
15 C
Building on a great reputation
J
Hynes Custom Homes introduces Serenity Renovations
erry Hynes of Hynes Custom Homes and son
Mike McEachern are well known in the area
for building distinctive custom homes and
providing solid home improvement services.
New name - same great service.
Their business has grown to the point where
it is now most efficient to establish two separate
companies to better serve their clients. The newly
named Serenity Renovations division will be
headed by Mike and continue to provide complete
remodeling and renovation services. Jerry will
continue to operate Hynes Custom Homes and
oversee all new home construction.
They both are dedicated to
building on the great reputation
the family has established in the
North Georgia area.
From left: Bobbie, Jerry and Mike
AFTER
HYNES
CUSTOM HOMES
65 homes built and counting
J
In-house design and plan review
Site evaluation • Interior design
erry Hynes has built homes in many resort communities
such as Big Canoe, Bent Tree, Lake Arrowhead and
surrounding areas. After more than ten years and 65
custom homes, his reputation for quality work and fair
dealings is well established. Rare among building contractors,
most of Jerry’s friends are former clients. Many of his new
customers are referrals from these former clients.
So, if you are considering building in the North Georgia
area, give Jerry a call for a free consultation.
BEFORE
SERENITY
RENOVATIONS
Experienced • Qualified • Creative
A
1999 graduate of Auburn, Mike McEachern began
his career in building, remodeling and property
management in 2000. Over the years, Mike has gained
a wealth of experience in both renovation services and home
building. In the past five years, he has taken over the home
renovation side of his father’s custom home building business.
In that time he has completed more than 100 home renovation
projects – many of them complete remodels.
From kitchens and baths to finished basements and garage
additions, Mike has established a reputation for quality work
and creative solutions on major projects. Contact him today
and talk about your home improvement project.
AFTER
BEFORE
Over 40 Years Experience! • JERRY HYNES, Big Canoe Resident
Jerry Hynes cell 404-372-8187 • www.HynesInThePines.com
• Certified Green Builder • Certified Graduate Builder
• Certified Professional Builder • Licensed by State of Georgia
National Association of Homebuilders • Greater Atlanta Homebuilders
MIKE McEACHERN
Custom Homes • Renovations • Restorations
11097 Big Canoe, GA 30143 • 404-216-2544
www.serenityrenovations.com
16 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
Here’s to your health
“Your mind seems
to begin so slowly
with the smell
of coffee.”
Ask The
Pharmacist
DR. BOB ANDERSON
T
Good
Morning
BY ARDSLEY AMES
I like to watch you greet the day
with heavy eyelids reluctantly lifting
to flutter open;
then, close a moment
as if to resist the morning light.
Drifting back into the dark peace of sleep
an awareness of the new day
nudges again.
Your mind seems to begin so slowly
with the smell of coffee.
The sounds that say,
“You are not alone”
reach your ears and you turn
as your hand reaches out
stroking the sheet.
After a moment you gently swing to rise.
At the side of the bed your head down,
lips recant the Grace of prayer
giving God the praise and thanks
for a new day.
We ask for the courage to love
and live today, granting more tomorrows.
The soft tempo of morning time
begins to bring energy and arms
wrap around love now, in a hug.
Ardlsey Ames lives in Big Canoe and is the
author of “Poemscapes.” “Good Morning”
is part of a larger work: “Gifts Of Love
Compared To The Elements.”
his month we take a right turn to
discuss some of the chemicals in
or added to our beverages: how
safe and how harmful are they?
More than 180 million of us in the U.S.
take some type of artificial sweetener every day in our coffee, tea, soft drinks or
foods. Those of us with a “sweet tooth”
(and I count myself), use these chemicals
with no or fewer calories in lieu of sugar.
I do not drink coffee or tea, so what can I
take to “get up and go” in the morning?
If we round up the usual suspects we
have “no calorie” artificial sweeteners
such as aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet),
saccharin (Sweet’N Low), sucralose
(Splenda), acesulfame K (often combined
with others) and stevia (Truvia), in addition to “low calorie” sugar alcohols such as
mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol. Stevia is favored by some because it is a natural herbal extract, but it is not so natural once it
is processed. Unlike the others, stevia has
not been approved by the FDA as a food
additive but only as a dietary supplement.
Are artificial sweeteners harmful?
Many remember when cyclamate was
removed from Gatorade by the FDA in
1970 due to some animal studies. Saccharin, which was widely used in World War
I and World War II, once was thought to
cause bladder and other cancers from results in animal studies. Unless you are a
male rat (and I have some tennis partners
who could qualify), you have nothing to
fear. The FDA has no concerns on saccharin and even is considering bringing cyclamate, as well as many other sweeteners,
back to the market.
Aspartame gets most of the bad press.
Friends have expressed concern for my
health – especially my intake of Diet Coke,
Pepsi, Dr. Pepper (all 100 percent aspartame) and Coke Zero (60-plus percent
aspartame). They think, as a result of my
erratic bridge and euchre bidding, I am in
the early stages of a brain tumor caused
from artificial sweeteners. Aspartame on
the Internet has been linked to brain tumors, chronic fatigue syndrome, seizures
and even death. Concerns have been expressed that aspartame can break down to
“Aspartame gets most of the bad press. Friends have
expressed concern for my health – especially my
intake of Diet Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper (all 100 percent
aspartame) and Coke Zero (60-plus percent aspartame).”
toxic chemicals during storage and transport, since it is heat-sensitive. None of
these health concerns have been substantiated in humans in any scientific study.
Side effects of artificial sweeteners
Those who are sensitive or drink excessive amounts may experience a headache, like a rebound from caffeine, and
gastrointestinal side effects from some
sweeteners, but the government and most
scientists and dieticians feel these additives are safe and better for our health
than sugar. Those with the rare genetic
deficiency of phenylketonuria or PKU
should avoid aspartame. Women who are
pregnant still are advised to avoid saccharin since it crosses the placenta; to be safe,
n continued on next page
24 Hour Service and Same Day Repairs | Residential and Commercial Maintenance Agreement | 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!
Spring is just around the corner ...
You take care of your plants, let us
take care of your indoor comfort!
PREMIER COUPON
$1700
UP TO
IN LENNOX REBATES
®
- PLUS FREE HIGH EFFICIENCY
AIR CLEANER
Financing Available
On qualifying home comfort systems including iHarmony
and Solar Panel Add-Ons
Premier Indoor Comfort Systems • 404-461-9972
Must present coupon. See dealer for more information.
May not be combined with other offers. Offer expires 3-31-16
PREMIER COUPON
Book Your Cooling System Tune-Up Now & Save
69 $49 $39
$
$79
1st System
2nd
System
3rd
System
May not be combined with other offers. Offer expires 3--31-16
PREMIER COUPON
50
OFF
All Repairs OR Dehumidifiers
$
You have my
personal
100% satisfaction
guarantee
that you will be pleased
with Premier Indoor Comfort
products and services. Please
email me with questions or
for more information at
[email protected].
Thank you for the opportunity
to serve you.
— Stephen Samson, Owner
HOME COMFORT SYSTEMS
HEATING | COOLING | INDOOR AIR QUALITY
404-461-9972
www.premierindoor.com
HEATING AND AIR
INDOOR AIR
QUALITY
SAME DAY REPAIRS
24 HOUR SERVICE
ASK ABOUT OUR 2-VISIT
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT & SAVE
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
PREMIER COUPON
FREE
SERVICE CALL
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm with repairs for all
first-time customers • $89 Value
*Rebate offer is valid only with the purchase of qualifying Lennox® products. **Service offer applies to new customers only. ***See dealer for details and visit www.energystar.gov for more information on the credit guidelines
and list of qualifying heating and cooling equipment. ©2009 Lennox Industries Inc. See your participating Lennox® dealer for details. Lennox® dealers include independently owned and operated businesses.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
DR. BOB ANDERSON
Dr. Anderson
is a professor
emeritus from
Mercer University,
a sometime
pharmacist at
Northside Pharmacy
in Jasper and a fulltime resident of Big
Canoe.
|
L I V I N G
17 C
Argentinian red wines
n continued from previous page
other sweeteners should be used in
moderation during pregnancy.
In the last decade, soft drinks have
been losing market share to water, tea
and energy drinks, resulting in Coke
and Pepsi expanding their product line
through mergers and acquisitions. Recently, Coke has marketed “Coca Cola
Life” (green label) that contains cane
sugar and stevia leaf extract with 35
percent less calories. Since 2015, Pepsi
has aspartame-free Pepsi that contains
Splenda and ace-K; the Pepsi product
has been panned widely in social media
as a bad idea (worse than Tab?). Sales
of both products have been disappointing thus far.
Weight gain with diet drinks
There are studies to suggest those
who consume diet drinks gain more
weight than those who consume regular soft drinks. Scientists are not sure if
diet drinks cause an increase in craving of sweet foods and snacks, or if we
think we are fooling our brain by indulging in such foods. Be careful not to
“super-size” your order of French fries
or sweet potato fries at McDonald’s or
the clubhouse, when you order a Diet
Coke.
If you are healthy, that is not overweight, and don’t have or are at risk
for diabetes, taking sugar in your coffee, tea or soft drinks, in moderation, is
not a problem. Though refreshing, soft
drinks are still considered empty calories, with no redeeming nutritional value. Two regular Cokes or Pepsis a day
will add 20 pounds to your waistline
in one year! Remember: many of our
foods contain hidden sugars that can
add unwanted calories and pounds.
If you are a male rat (and I have
been accused of that and worse), you
definitely should refrain from aspartame artificial sweeteners. For most of
the rest of us, using trace amounts of
artificial sweeteners with low or no calories, in moderation, is probably in our
long-term best health interest.
S I G N A L S
Wayne
On Wine
WAYNE CRAWFORD
A
blackberry, plum, black currant and anise
with long, lingering finishes in well-crafted wines that have the ability to cellar for
a decade or more.
Since Argentina is one of the world’s
leading beef cattle producers, its red wines
complement a rich beef heritage. For our
blind-tasting, the Big Canoe Wine Group
served several traditional Argentinian
dishes: carbonada, a classic vegetable and
beef stew rich in fruits, vegetables and
flank steak; an Argentinian beef pie with
beef and raisins; and homemade crepes
with Dulce de Leche sauce. Grilled, roasted or stewed beef will be complemented
by any of the Argentinian red wines. More
rgentinian wines are ranked
fourth in overall imports to
the U.S. and are slightly down
in total case sales in 2014. The
center for wine in Argentina is Mendoza,
and the richness and depth of wine offerings is a reflection of the many immigrants
from Spain and Italy who landed
on its shores with a winemaking
heritage. The first vines were
planted in Argentina in 1551 to
provide communion wine for the
Roman Catholic Church. Today,
there are nearly 500,000 acres in
wine, with most of the vineyards
in western Argentina along the
Andes Mountain foothills and as
far south as Patagonia.
The second largest country in
Latin America, Argentina’s high
altitude and low humidity within
the wine regions prevent problems normally associated with
organic wine practices, such as PHOTO BY WAYNE CRAWFORD
insects, fungi, molds and other
grape diseases.
importantly, there are excellent wines in
The most important wine grape in the $15 to $25 range that are best buys.
Argentina is malbec, with almost 84,000
‘Wines Drinking Well Now’
acres under vine. Much like its early heriNorton Privada 2012, a Bordeaux blend,
tage, the grapes grown reflect varietals in- $24.99. This is a blend of 40 percent maldigenous to Italy, Spain and, in the case of bec, 30 percent merlot and 30 percent cabmalbec, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, pinot ernet. Dark ruby-red colors with rich, dark
noir, chardonnay, chenin, sauvignon blanc berry flavors such as cherry and cassis are
and viognier, France.
noted. On the palate, the wine is a full-bodMy first exposure to red wine in Ar- ied, well-balanced red blend with soft tangentina was the wines of Nicolas Catena, nins. Dark fruit and licorice are captured
a third-generation winemaker in Mendoza in a long, lingering aftertaste. This was
well-known for his role in pioneering mal- our first choice in the blind-tasting. Best
bec production. The family’s first winery Buy with a note: Blended red wine is now
was founded in 1902 by Nicolas’s grandfa- second to cabernet sauvignon in the U.S.,
ther.
passing merlot.
Malbec is one of six authorized red
Chakana 2010 Estate Selection Malbec,
grapes in the Bordeaux region of France. Mendoza Lujan de Cuyo, $24. This darkToday, while there remains some pro- red wine offers aromas of black cherry,
duction in Bordeaux, Malbec or Cot is the black raspberry and tobacco with floral
dark wine of Cahors, France. Malbec is hints. On the palate, it is full-bodied with
a full-bodied red wine that either can be integrated tannins and a balanced acidity
blended or produced as a single varietal. with black fruit dominating a long finish.
In the cooler climates around Mendoza, Highly Recommended.
including the Uco Valley and Lujan de
Salentein Reserve 2010 Malbec from
Cuyo region renowned for malbec, the Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.
grapes produce fruit characteristics of Dark-red with purple hues, this wine has
aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum
and vanilla with floral overtones. On the
palate, it is a full-bodied red with soft tannins, balanced acidity and black fruit dominating a long finish. This is an excellent
Malbec that should age well.
Nieto Senetiner, Don Nicanor 2004
Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, $17. Dark
ruby-red with aromas of black and red currant, herbs and vanilla, on the palate this is
a full-bodied wine with black cherry, spice
and tannins to sustain a long finish. Best
Buy.
Archival Ferrer 2013 Mendoza Malbec, $25. This dark-red wine with purple
hues is a young, robust Malbec. Aromas of
blackberry and black cherry with
hints of licorice and red plum
contribute to complex aromas.
This is a full-bodied balanced red,
with black fruit flavors matching
the aroma. A lingering fruit-forward finish makes this an excellent wine to pair with food.
BenMarco 2013 Malbec Vallede Uco, $18.95. Grown from
grapes in vineyards at 3,000 feet
in the high desert, this wine is
dark ruby-red with aromas of
ripe black fruit and cocoa. On
the palate, it is full-bodied with
a smooth mouthfeel. Integrated
acid and tannins, black cherry
and red currant dominate a long
finish in an excellent wine. Best Buy.
Other Argentinian wines to consider:
Son Vida 2012 Malbec, $23; Mascota 2011
Unánime Gran Vino Tinto Red, $25; Lamadrid 2014 Single Vineyard Malbec, $15; La
Posta 2014 Armando, $15; Benvenuto de la
Serna 2014 Mil Piedras Malbec, $13; Bressia 2012 Monteagrelo Cabernet Franc, $27;
and Finca El Origen 2012 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, $23.
‘Drink what you like’
In my next article, the focus will be on
the medium-bodied red grenache wines
from around the world, with the leading
producers being France and Spain.
Wayne Crawford is
a certified specialist
of Wine CSW and a
member of the Society
of Wine Educators,
American Wine Society
and The Wine Scholar
Guild (formerly the
French Wine Society).
WAYNE CRAWFORD
Jimmy Cochran
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICE
706.635.7454 - Cell: 706.280.7459
NATURAL
COLORED HARDWOOD
AND PINE MULCHES
• Mulch delivered or mulch delivered
and installed—many varieties
• Top soil, fill dirt, gravel,
sand, stone, delivered
• BobCat loader and
dump truck services
• Small jobs welcome &
references available
• Landscapes maintained
• Locust split rail fencing
We don’t cut corners,
we clean them!
B O N D E D ,
I N S U R E D
Mention this ad and get ...
We also
offer
home
repairs and
improvements
Panoramic Views
SOLD
575 RED FOX DRIVE • $309,000 186 CLIFF FERN POINT
4 bedroom, 3 bath. $879,000 Over 2-1/2 acres in desirable
5 bedroom, 5.5 bath.
High Gap neighborhood
Completely remodeled.
2 bdrms on the main level
master and 2nd bdrm on main
FMLS #5605770
FMLS #5609237
Marie’s Cleaning Service
L I C E N S E D ,
Looking for Privacy?
$20 Off Your 1st
DEEP Cleaning!
770-479-6121
We Do
Floors On
Hands
&
Knees!
Borders Swim Lake
Enjoy Lakefront Living
22 LAUREL RIDGE POINT
$249,000
4 bedroom, 4.5 bath,
close-in location. Lake and
mountain views.
FMLS #5104333
2612 QUAIL COVE
$595,000
3 bedroom, 2 bath.
Lakefront Log Home
in the Mountains.
FMLS #5544567
Lots To Love
• 2087 Cherokee Trail, $179,900, BIG views
• 8036 Valley View, $14,900, make an offer
• 5558 Black Bear Trail, $96,900, over 2 acres in High Gap
• 3111 Falcon Heights, $179,000, BIG mtn. and lake views
Sue McEntee
706-268-2323 office • 404-783-2340 cell
18 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
iTip of the Month
Thanking Steve Jobs
BY GARY CHERRY AND DEVON COLLINS
Allow us to explore the iPhone phenomenon: Steve Jobs
did the unimaginable when he created this device – he filled
a need for something we never even knew we needed.
In truth, we don’t need these devices. We still could be
carrying a bag phone – or, worse, a pocketful of quarters
for a pay phone. We could be lugging a bag full of books or
photo albums created at great cost by having
pictures developed at the corner
photo store. Jobs’
invention
DENYS PRYKHODOV / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
made life more fun and a whole lot easier.
IMHO (computer-speak for “In My Humble Opinion”),
the real attraction to an iPhone is its “neatness,” the
immediate ability to Google something you wonder about
(for instance, the population of Adak, Alaska), check the
weather in Puerto Vallarta, record a quick voice memo,
check email, send a text, set an alarm, find a game score,
take a photo, make an airline reservation, listen to music,
play a game, find a restaurant at the next exit, or read a book
– along with a lot of other uses.
Sure, you could have done all these things before the
iPhone, but they are much easier now. Neat, huh?
iTips
There are a several easy ways to add photos of
friends to your Contacts. You can manually add a photo
to a contact by tapping Edit, and then take a photo of the
person or choose a photo from your “Photos” collection.
Or, if you have a Facebook app on your iPhone, go to
Settings > Facebook and select “Update all contacts.”
It’s hard to get into the habit of using SIRI but, once
you do, you’ll find it a great help. An easy way to learn
more about SIRI’s features is to ask her; simply say, “What
can I ask you?” You’ll be amazed.
To call for help on your own or someone else’s locked
iPhone, swipe right on the Lock screen. Tap Emergency
and use the dial pad to call 911. That is the only number you
will be allowed to call. If you fill out the Apple Health app,
which comes with your phone, this important information
is also available when a person swipes right on the Lock
Screen.
When you first establish an Apple account, you will need
to enter a credit card. This card information will change
periodically, and you will need to change or update your
iTunes credit card information. To do this, to go to Settings
> iTunes & App Store Settings and tap on your Apple ID at
the top. A pop-up screen will ask what you would like to do.
Tap View Apple ID and you’ll be asked to log in. You can
then tap on Payment Information to update your credit card
and billing information.
The BC iDiots meet approximately quarterly, with separate
meetings held for “New Users” and “Seasoned Users.”
Membership is free, but organizers Gary Cherry and Devon
Collins ask for a voluntary contribution of $20 per person
per year to fund scholarships for Dawson County and
Pickens County high school seniors who are interested in an
IT, Computer Sciences or similar field of study. For more
information, contact Devon Collins devoncollins@hotmail.
com/706-579-2456 or Gary Cherry gwcherry@windstream.
net/706-579-2070.
Fashion Week comes to Big Canoe
Chico’s joins Ridgerunners
for spring show
BY CHRISTINE FLAHERTY
Stylists from Chico’s, where “personal
style is an art,” will be showcasing their
spring looks at the next Ridgerunners’
meeting, March 8, 10 a.m., at The Clubhouse
at Lake Sconti. Models from Big Canoe will
show Ridgerunners how to update their
current wardrobes and get the most from
new purchases.
“A burst of color is a great way to
freshen your favorite black pants. And we all
know accessories are a wonderful addition
to almost any outfit,” said Diane LaCharite
of Big Canoe and Chico’s. “Nautical styles
are still very popular and make the perfect
pairing with the indigo blue that Chico’s will
feature this season,” she added. Include with
that a burst of coral, mint or yellow, which
also will be prevalent this spring, and you
successfully have made your personal style
statement.
If you would like to learn more about
how best to mix and match your wardrobe
or build more options with new purchases,
you will not want to miss this morning
of fun and fashion. As a bonus, everyone
who attends will receive a $10 coupon for a
Chico’s purchase.
Plan to “Stay for Lunch” to enjoy a
specially created meal, while you chat with
friends. There also will be an opportunity to
ask questions of the Chico’s stylists who will
be joining us for lunch and a festive spring
cocktail. Lunch reservations can be made
at www.ridgerunnersbc.com or rrlunch@
gmail.com.
Last opportunity to join trip to
Milledgeville and Madison
March 1 is the deadline for joining the
overnight trip to Milledgeville, Georgia’s
first capital, on April 7 and 8. Ridgerunners
will visit the former governor’s mansion, St.
Stephen’s Church and the old state capital,
followed by a tour of Rose Hill Plantation.
Dinner will be at the acclaimed Aubri Lane’s
Restaurant. The following day there will
be shopping and an independent lunch in
Madison before returning to Big Canoe.
The cost of $160 includes transportation,
admission fees, lunch and dinner on April
7. Double rooms at the Marriott Fairfield
Inn are to be arranged individually at a
total cost of $142 per night through March 1.
Information and sign-up forms are available
at the postal facility. Contact Carolyn
Anderson, 706-268-6436 or carolynabc09@
aol, if you have any questions or want to be
matched with a roommate.
Ridgerunners’
‘Woman of the Year’ nominations
Members are reminded to submit their
nominations for Ridgerunners’ “Woman of
the Year” by March 1. Nomination forms
have been distributed in members’ alpha
boxes and can be downloaded from www.
ridgerunnersbc.com. The forms, with
support details, should be marked “Woman
of the Year” and placed in the Ridgerunners’
alpha box. The award will be presented at
the April 12 “Picnic with Panache.”
‘Picnic with Panache’
The upcoming “Picnic with Panache,”
Tuesday, April 12, 11 a.m., will be the
highlight of the Ridgerunners’ spring season.
Held at the Chattahoochee Technical
College in Jasper, it will feature a display of
picnic-themed tabletops. Hector and Gerard
of Coast 2 Coast Catering will offer tips for
hosting innovative, casual gatherings sure to
SENIOR LIVING
Leading the Way in
Exceptional Senior Care
O
aks Senior Living is a different kind of senior living
community - a difference which comes from the many
things that we do every day. The love, compassion and
understanding that can only come from a dedicated family and
staff is what sets us apart from the rest.
Come for a visit and experience what a true family operated
Senior Living Community can mean.
We’re committed to serving with faith, knowledge, compassion
and love!
~ The Salabarria Family
THE OAKS AT POST ROAD
Assisted Living and Memory Care
3785 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
770-886-2630
THE OAKS AT HAMPTON
Assisted Living and Memory Care
5610 Hampton Park Drive
Cumming, GA 30041
678-965-5700
www.OaksSeniorLiving.com
HORIZONS MEMORY CARE - Horizons is dedicated to providing
a positive and enriching environment for those with
Alzheimer’s and other related dementias.
inspire your warm-weather entertaining. For
lunch, they will offer a selection of picnic
items with a creative picnic-appropriate
beverage. You will get to share in the
excitement as Ridgerunners’ 2016 “Woman
of the Year” is announced.
Members can reserve their place at
the “Picnic with Panache” by leaving a
check for $25, payable to Ridgerunners
in the “Picnic with Panache” envelope in
the Ridgerunners’ alpha box at the postal
facility. The reservation deadline is Friday,
April 1. Include your name and phone
number on the check.As always, your check
serves as your reservation. For additional
information, contact Janie Block, 706-2681208 or [email protected].
Not a member of Ridgerunners? It is
not too late to join. Bring your check for
$15, payable to Ridgerunners, to our fashion
show, March 8, and join at the meeting.
There is still the April trip to Milledgeville
and Madison, “Picnic with Panache,” a June
author event, intermediate bridge lessons,
party bridge, duplicate bridge and book
clubs to join. Visit our website, www.
ridgerunnersbc.com, to stay informed.
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
19 C
Old Car City: what a trip
BY KAT ALIKHAN
Even school buses need a place to go when
they die. PHOTO BY LINDA GEIGER
In the tiny town of White in northwest
Georgia are 34 acres packed with
dilapidated cars covered in weeds, rust
and grunge. Some cars sprout trees. Some
cars are stacked upon others. Welcome to
Old Car City, “the world’s largest known
classic car junkyard,” said its owner, Walter
Dean Lewis. Members of the Big Canoe
Photography Club spent a fine Saturday
morning there recently and had a field day
taking photos and enjoying the local culture.
The junkyard, started by Lewis’ parents
in 1931, began as a general store that also
sold car parts. “I was born in a junkyard,
came up in a junkyard and played in a
junkyard,” said Lewis from his office, which
he clearly delights in describing as a trash
heap. In Old Car City, more than 4,200 cars
– with no models newer than 1972 – can
be viewed from six miles of walking trails.
Lewis doesn’t think he’ll be adding many
vehicles to his collection, as there are not
many cars of that vintage left; most have
been crushed and sold as scrap metal.
Old Car City is a photographer’s
playground – it is a favorite of photo clubs
and shutterbugs from around the country
and the world – but anyone with a sense of
whimsy will marvel at Lewis’ creation. It has
been the subject of coverage by major TV
networks and newspapers such as The New
York Times.
But old cars are not the only attraction.
On many days you’ll find piano man Eddie
McDaniel at the site’s “museum,” playing
everything from “The Battle Hymn of the
Republic” to B.B. King tunes. Upstairs is a
makeshift art gallery featuring Lewis’ latest
passion, folk art in the form of hundreds of
hand-decorated Styrofoam cups.
Information about hours of operation
and entrance fees can be found on www.
oldcarcityusa.com. If you’re interested in
old cars and colorful characters, get yourself
in gear and motor on over to Old Car City.
Tell Mr. Lewis the Big Canoe Photography
Club sent you.
The Big Canoe Photography Club
meets the second Saturday of the month
at 9:30 a.m. in the Club Room, lower
level of The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti.
All photographers, beginners and
experienced, are welcome. The March 12
meeting will feature photographer Frank
Gibson speaking on the topic “One Flash
Portraiture.”
Old Car City is a
photographer’s playground
– it is a favorite of photo
clubs and shutterbugs from
around the country
and the world ...
Writers
Corner
VIVIAN SHEPERIS
Prowl
Jude shivered,
his black pants creased tight
down narrow dark streets
through moldering barrooms
in secret corners
to touch briefly
others in this clutching frenzy.
Jude shuddered.
Fellows weren’t close to
the timorous one called dork
and couldn’t know his forays
into nights of kaleidoscopes
hot with overhead fans flickering
on tin ceilings reflecting.
Jude fretted,
inhaling dank drafts
like the rank incense choked on
during altar boy days,
recalling cathedrals
tented with pungent fumes,
an acrid accusation of guilt
for his sinful thoughts.
Jude twitched.
Raindrops spit off drainpipes
while his feet
like hooves
darted on the spattered pavement
like Pan
whistling his fife
lost in the windy gust.
Old Car City owner Walter Dean Lewis
seems comfortable in his messy office.
PHOTO BY KAT ALIKHAN
How did that car get up there? PHOTO BY
MARTY REYNOLDS
Jude faltered.
A warm hearth glimmered through fog
yet the drive to conquer
barred safe home and
red lights lured him, taxis wailed.
Jude knew.
Because the call of the wild
was in him to know it
and to know he was forsaken,
alone in his thrall.
Eddie McDaniel starts playing most days
at 11:30 a.m. PHOTO BY KAT ALIKHAN
Talk about a fender bender! PHOTO BY ALBERT
TARICA
Some photographers use the high dynamic
range (HDR) technique of taking multiple,
varied exposures of the same image from
a tripod and merging the ‘best light’ from
each into a funky result. PHOTO BY KAT ALIKHAN
Family and
GENERAL
DENTISTRY
Beauty
UNRIVALED
AND CAREFUL
Handcrafted American-Made furniture using the finest in
solid woods & the sturdiest construction features.
Unparalleled attention to detail from beginning to end.
Experience The Stickley
Mission Collection
There’s a home for healthy,
attractive smiles in your neighborhood.
Looking for a dentist close to home? Dr. Tom Harmon, at
Foothills Dental Associates, offers dentistry for the whole
family, from cleanings and exams to natural looking fillings,
crowns, bridges and more. We offer convenient hours and
the personalized dental care and service you deserve.
Call us today to schedule
your appointment.
New Patients Always Welcomed.
Invest Best,
in the
INVEST IN
STICKLEY
LILBURN
4750 Stone Mountain Highway
2 1/2 miles East of Stone Mountain Park
770.972.6320
Dr. Tom Harmon
770-893-2340
25 Foothills Pkwy, Suite 101, Marble Hill, GA
www.foothillsdental.com • Like us on Facebook
We are In-Network Providers for these 2016 dental plans; Ameritas,
BlueCross-BlueShield, Delta Dental Premier, Guardian, Humana,
Metlife, Principal, United Concordia & United Healthcare.
Family Owned and Operated since 1960
www.PattersonFurniture.com
20 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
The spring gremlin
Mountain
Musings
ANN PIKE, PH.D.
G
“Leaves
rustled and
a shy set of
eyes glared at
me from the
deep-green
undergrowth.”
reen sprouts stirred with growing
pains beneath a blanket of winter-weary leaves. New plant life
stretched awake to greet a new
day of warmth from the sun. Spring made a
stealthy entrance and came on fickle time.
I brushed leaves away from daffodil
sprouts, which seemed grateful for
the help. Like attendees at a party
who all arrive at the same time, everything green was vying for notice.
Bright-green patches of moss spread
on rocks like doilies amidst the rhododendron bushes. I pulled some off the
rocks to use in a planter.
Leaves rustled and a shy set of eyes
glared at me from the deep-green
undergrowth. I backed away until
I could see the chartreuse, mottled
skin of a huddled figure amidst the
mildewed sprigs. It sprang at me like
a giant toad, and I stumbled backwards, landing in a heap of leaves.
“Well, shatter me shutters! Don’t mess
with me mosses! I need me greens!” the
creature shouted in an Irish brogue. His
ears perked to a point and a more menacing
creature could not be imagined. Although he
stood only 3 feet tall, his short, stocky legs
and nimble feet were made for running.
“May the cat eat you, and the devil eat
the cat. I’ll put a spell on ye if ye keep pulling
at the greens,” he shouted, with moss stringing from his mouth. He was gone before I
could say a prayer to St. Patrick.
Three black cats appeared the next day
on my front stoop. They eyed me ominously, as I stared at them from inside the house.
I recalled the gremlin’s words. “Ridiculous!
There are no such things as ‘spells,’” I told
myself.
I went back to the mossy rock to watch
for the gremlin. Something had been digging
around the rocks near the rhododendron
bushes again. “It’s going to kill this bush, if
it keeps this up,” I muttered to myself. Every year I looked forward to huge pink blossoms that signaled the certainty of spring.
The gremlin must have heard me because it
bounded out of its tucked-away place to give
me quite a start.
“I’ll be giving you some blooms if you
give me some greens, mum,” whispered the
gremlin. “Can’t live by mosses alone because
greens put the spring in me steps,” he declared. Then he was gone as quickly as he
had come. He hadn’t made a sound.
“And if I don’t get me greens, may you
be afflicted with itching without the benefit
of scratching,” came the reply to my silence,
from behind a tree.
The next day I had a hundred splotches
that itched like hives. There was little relief
from it. I knew there was only one cure. On
the rocks near the rhododendron I left bundles of spinach, arugula and kale, with sprigs
of parsley for good measure. The gremlin
pounced on it, examining my offering.
“May the road rise up to meet you!” he
said as he ran into the woods, greens bundled tightly in his fist. These greens became
my weekly offering until the forest was
heavy into its growing season.
After the third week of this ritual I found
a message scratched into the rocks: “Two
people shorten the road.”
It was possible to make peace with spring
gremlins if you have the right kind of greens.
Ann Pike, a nine-year resident of Big Canoe,
spins tales of mayhem and mirth from
the comforts of her mountain home. She
attributes her success
to generous friends
who support her with
encouragement and
inspiration. By day,
Dr. Pike is a licensed
psychologist in Jasper,
appreciative of the
opportunity to witness all
those who triumph over
ANN PIKE
life’s challenges.
Annual Easter Egg Hunt rolls into Big Canoe
Big Canoe’s annual springtime hunt will be Saturday,
March 26, at the Wildcat Recreation Area. The festivities
begin hopping at 10 a.m. and will last until the last bunny
bops at 1 p.m.
So that all kids stand a fighting chance to collect the
colorful ovals, egg hunts will be broken down by age
groups beginning at 11 a.m. Candy, trinkets and surprises
will fill the eggs, so you’ll want to carry the biggest basket
you can find to haul your loot. Since we don’t have an
inventory of baskets and bags, make sure you bring one.
Will you find a golden egg? Five golden eggs will be
scattered through each hunt and the lucky discoverers will
win their choice of a prize.
To add to the celebration, a petting zoo will bring an
array of both farm friends and zoo animals for kids for
all ages. And, of course, face painters will showcase their
artistic talents with butterflies, superheroes and everything
in between. The face painters’ table is always a popular
stop! The Easter Bunny will make an appearance and will
gladly pose for celebratory photos.
We want everyone to enjoy this fun-filled day, so here
are a few tips to remember. The Easter Egg Hunt is a family
favorite and the parking lot fills up quickly. Plan to arrive
early and, if you have to park on the Wildcat Parkway,
please pull completely off the roadway.
The Easter Egg Hunt utilizes the entire recreational
area: soccer field, playground and the basketball courts.
Please be on the lookout for excited children springing
through the parking lot. After all, they may have found a
golden egg!
Remember: egg hunts will be divided by age groups
and will begin at staggering times, beginning at 11 a.m.
Signs will be posted throughout the event with age groups,
locations and start times. Each hunt will begin with a loud
blast of a horn. It’s sure to be an enjoyable day!
For more information, contact Kim Cooper, kcooper@
bigcanoepoa.org or 706-268-3346.
Submitted by the Programs & Events Committee
Golden eggs bring special prizes.
(706) 698-6400 • EllijayWomensSpecialists.com
Ellijay Women’s Specialists is a gynecologic practice
dedicated to comprehensive healthcare to women of all
ages. For over twenty years, Dr. Michael Hulse has been
bringing personalized and compassionate care to patients
from child-bearing age to postmenopausal years. We strive
to provide gynecologic care to North Georgia in a patientcentered environment.
Dr. Michael Hulse
We specialize in the following services:
•
•
•
•
Menopausal care
Painful intercourse/sexual dysfunction
Hormone replacement therapy
Urge, urinary & fecal incontinence
•
•
•
•
Cancer prevention plans
Hereditary breast/ovarian cancer screenings
Single Site™ laparoscopic surgery/hysterectomy
Heavy periods
433 Highland Parkway, Suite 203 East Ellijay, GA 30540
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
21 C
The green month
whiskey in Ireland was made from potatoes. Poteen has been extended to mean
the first distillation of any mash in the
making of whiskey and, in this sense, illegality is not implied.
There are many other Irish words we
borrow, including clabber, craic, keening
– this word appears in the excellent story “The Quiet Man” by Maurice Walsh, an
Word
Of Mouth
FRAN HOLMAN
M
arch is often called the
“green” month, in large part
because of two events. First,
the vernal equinox occurs
March 20. This marks the beginning of
spring for the Northern Hemisphere as
the sun crosses the celestial equator from
south to north. The equinox gives us an almost equal time of day and of night.
Though the equinox signals the greening of our natural world, three days earlier much of the civilized world celebrates
all things Irish with decorations of green.
This greening is known as St. Patrick’s
Day.
In addition to a celebratory day, the influence of the Irish also is seen in our language. Otto Jespersen, Danish authority on
English grammar, phonetics and linguistics, as well as author of the still important
“Growth and Structure of the English Language,” describes the evolution of the English language as a “chain of borrowing.”
Among the borrowings from the Irish
is the word boycott. Charles Cunningham
Boycott (1832-1897) was a retired English
army captain who managed land for Lord
Erne in Ireland during the Irish uprising
over absentee landowners. Despite the increasing threat of famine facing the Irish,
Boycott refused to lower rent on land or
pay workers fair wages. The Irish Land
League convinced the laborers to refuse
to harvest crops unless Boycott established reasonable rates. He did not. The
Irish held firm. Not only did the workers
not harvest the crops, but also restaurants
and other shops would not serve him.
Though the British retaliated by sending
in government agents for harvest, the cost
was grossly disproportionate to the profit.
Boycott would be forced to leave Ireland
and return to England. The Irish had successfully boycotted, that is refused to purchase, employ or take any part in something as a protest of a person or group.
Brogue, originally brog for shoe, is
from Irish. It was used in the 1580s for a
low-heeled shoe made of leather. Small
pierced holes embellished the upper front
portions often called wing tips because of
their shape. It is possible these holes were
Irishman – leprechaun, phony, slogan and
a slew (also an Irish borrowing) of others.
Erin Go Bragh!
Dr. Fran Holman, honored as
Distinguished Professor and Endowed
Professor at Louisiana Tech University,
is the author of two books. She and her
husband live in Big Canoe.
Another great turnout for Viking
not decorative but, rather, utilitarian in
that they allowed for water to drain if a
person walked through a bog, which is an
additional Irish word. Brogue also is used
to mean the Irish accent.
Another Irish language offering is galore. The Oxford English Dictionary, the
lexicon touchstone, cites the first usage of
this word as “go leor,” from Irish, dating to
1628. Its meaning was originally “enough.”
Today, it also is used for the words lavish,
profuse or copious. Though it is most frequently used as an adjective, as in “acorns
galore,” it can be used as an adverb.
Hooligan has found its way into English as well as other languages. It appears
in Russian as khuligan, referencing scofflaws or political dissidents. American English dictionaries usually define the word
as a boy or man who is rowdy and may
be associated with a gang. The etymology
is most likely a diminutive of an Irish surname, perhaps O’Houlihan or Hoolihan,
with derivation due to the family having a
mischievous son or sons. There is a character known as Hooligan who appears in
“Nuggets,” a serial comedic magazine in
the late 1890s.
The word poteen derives from early
Irish poitin, or small pot, and dates at least
to 1812. These small pots were utilized
in making illegal whiskey. No doubt, the
smaller pots were less likely to be discovered and confiscated. Much of the illegal
LAZY BEAR
FURNITURE
Several new lines of
gift ideas to choose from!
Lodge Style Furnishings
BY DAVE HOLTY
“Downton Abbey” and that Viking is a
prominent sponsor of this favorite TV
Big Canoe’s Travel Club met in
series.
September 2014 to hear a presentation
During the Q&A session following
by Rob Huffman of Viking River Cruises.
Huffman’s talk, the issue of river water
That meeting was so successful and led
levels was raised. This is only rarely
to so much interest in river cruising that
a problem, but sometimes river levels
Mike Ziegenbalg from CruiseOne Travel
are so high the long ships cannot pass
invited Huffman back to speak to the club
under the bridges. This can result in long
this January.
detours by bus
Once again, a
to get around
large crowd
a bridge and
showed up;
link up with
additional chairs
another boat.
were brought in.
It’s important
Huffman
to discuss with
began his talk
your booking
by asking for a
agent what the
show of hands
policy of your
of attendees
cruise line would
who had river
be in such a
cruised. Virtually
case. This is one
everyone in
of the reasons
the room had
why it is good
been at least
to use a booking
once, and more
agent rather
than half were
than dealing
experienced
direct with the
river cruisers.
cruise company:
The rapid
you’ll have a
Rob Huffman, left, regional director of Viking
growth in this
spokesman
River Cruises, and Mike Ziegenbalg, president
industry is
working for you
of the Travel Club and vacation specialist with if something goes
amazing, and
CruiseOne Travel. PHOTO BY DAVE HOLTY
Huffman spent
wrong.
a few minutes
At the
reviewing the reasons people prefer river
conclusion of his talk, Huffman paid
cruising to oceans. In addition to comfort, tribute to his host Mike Ziegenbalg, who
scenery and more intimate facilities,
recently received several impressive
everyone agreed access to desirable
awards for excellent service to his
destinations is the key.
customers. Ziegenbalg announced the
The fleet of Viking “long ships” is well- March meeting will feature Oceania
known to this group. First introduced
Cruises, which is introducing a new ship,
in 2012, long ships are exclusive to
and he stated a new committee, chaired
Viking, and there are now more than
by Margo Vallone, is being formed to
40 in service. The Viking video was
assist in the planning and organization of
playing on the screen prior to the start
future Big Canoe Travel Club meetings.
of the meeting, and it didn’t hurt that we
are in the middle of the final season of
Lilley Pad
Log Homes
FAMILY TRADITON OF CREATIVITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
CALL: ABRAHAM, TAYLOR OR MAX ...
770-596-5213
• Sales
• Design
• Manufacturing
• Construction
FOOTHILLS CENTER • 770-893-1500
Angie’s List Members Get 5% off of Labor
W & JR
PAINTING
404-717-6677
Serving North Atlanta for Over 10 Years
Exterior and Interior Painting
Faux Finish • Pressure Washing
Drywall Repair • Deck and Concrete Staining
www.wjrpainting.com
Licensed & Insured • Habla Espanol • License #L20074083
BUILDER’S SPECIAL
• 2,200 SQ. FT.
• 6 MONTH TURN-KEY
• WALK-OUT BASEMENT
• CARPORT
• 3 BEDROOMS
• 3 BATHROOMS
$195,000
www.lilleypadloghomes.com
[email protected]
22 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
MARCH 2016
®
The best move you’ll ever make.
TM
STUNNING
NEWCUSTOM
PRICE HOME
CUSTOM
HOME
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
STUNNING
VIEWS
NEW PRICE
STUNNING HOME
1313 Nimblewill Creek Rd • $1,249,000
5BR/4BA, FMLS #5601602
812 McElroy Mtn Drive • $1,200,000
6BR/6.5BA, FMLS #5560656
166 White Aster Lane • $750,000
5BR/4FB/3HB, FMLS #5530264
148 Squirrels Nest • $575,000
5BR/4BA, FMLS #5540564
185 Twin Creeks Drive • $524,900
5BR/4.5BA, FMLS #5520870
NEW
NEWLISTING
PRICE
NEW LISTING
STUNNING
HOME
NEW PRICE
MASTER ON MAIN
IN CHOCTAW VILLAGE
76 Chula Drive • $499,000
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5624481
122 Cherokee Drive • $499,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5645977
39 Sconti Knoll Drive • $495,000
5BR/4.5BA, FMLS #5603978
148 Indigo Bunting Trail • $492,500
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5525682
63 Choctaw Ridge • $429,900
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5582306
NEW PRICE
NEW LISTING
NEW PRICE
FULLY FURNISHED
ON 3.8 ACRES
688 McElroy Mtn Drive • $419,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5568230
44 Crested Fern Lane • $364,900
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS# 5614470
163 Muirfield Way • $360,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5558172
1598 Valley View Drive • $349,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5587413
4154 Wilderness Pkwy • $349,900
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5561064
PRIVATELY SITUATED
OPEN FLOOR PLAN
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
195 Shetland Trace • $349,500
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5567472
168 Locust Lane • $349,000
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5535080
250 Turnbury Lane • $310,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5598292
160 Beech Fern Knoll • $325,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5580857
439 Petit Ridge Drive • $299,000
5BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5517929
MOVE IN READY
NEW LISTING
MASTER ON MAIN
FULLY FURNISHED
NEW LISTING
382 Owls Brow • $319,900
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5512443
286 Huckleberry Trail • $315,000
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5619103
210 Turnbury Lane • $299,000
4BR/3.5BA,FMLS #5515977
6 Laurel Lane • $297,500
4BR/4.5A, FMLS #5368638
231 Bellflower Drive • $275,000
3BR/3BA, FMLS #5637627
NEW PRICE
STUNNING VIEWS
MASTER ON MAIN
MASTER ON MAIN
MOUNTAIN GETAWAY
93 Wedgewood Drive • $275,000
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5513216
599 Sanderlin Mtn Drive • $275,000
3BR/3BA, FMLS #5646010
41 Nuthatch Circle • $269,000
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5608451
29 Buttercup Lane • $254,900
3BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5583520
87 Bluebell Circle • $249,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5584368
NEW LISTING
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
152 Lady Slipper Lane • $229,000
#BR/2BA, FMLS #5617025
120 Petit Ridge Drive • $227,500
3BR/3BA, FMLS #5642301
113 Dogwood Lane • $220,000
3BR/2BA, FMLS #5566225
23 White Oak Drive • $220,000
3BR/3BA, FMLS #5513082
189 Trout Lily Trail • $219,000
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5528580
LAKE VIEW
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
44 Buckskull Knoll • $219,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS# 5528376
202 Buckskull Hollow Dr • $189,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5630245
219 Crazy Bear Ridge • $149,900
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5600360
145 Red Coat Pass • $149,000
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5636660
182 Sconti Ridge • $139,000
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5508923
LAND & HOME SITES:
• 3340 Bluestern Drive - $215,000, FMLS #5300753
• 3337 Bluestern Drive - $215,000, FMLS #5300758
• 4816 Water Lily - $199,000, FMLS #5600217
• 2579 Summit Circle - $175,000, FMLS #5265921
• 2584 Summit Circle - $160,000, FMLS #5265924
• 8254 Cox Mountain Drive, $150,000, FMLS #5622167
• 8255 Cox Mountain Drive - $150,000, FMLS #3822424
• 2528 Turnbury Lane - $149,000, FMLS #5555946
• 5048 Sanderlin Mtn Drive, $140,000, FMLS #5537479
• LL 125 Sweetwater Juno Rd, $125,000 – FMLS #5578750
• 9004 Trotters Lane - $99,500, FMLS #5521225
• 2569 Wilderness Pkwy - $89,000, FMLS #5265928
• 130 Squirrels Nest - $59,900, FMLS #5528056
• 1123 Quail Cove Drive, $28,000, FMLS #5580041
• 2014 Grouse Gap Drive - $20,000, FMLS #5515709
• 4074 Lone Wolf Trail - $15,000, FMLS #5151931
Scan Now
©2006 Harry Norman, Realtors, A HomeServices of America,
Inc. Company. All rights reserved. Licensed in Georgia and North
Carolina. Equal Housing Opportunity. Big Canoe is a registered
service mark of Big Canoe Company, LLC. Harry Norman, Realtors
is not affiliated with the Big Canoe Company, LLC,
and no such representation is intended or implied.
Information believed to be accurate but not warranted.
LOW
COST
FINANCING
FOR
LOT
PURCHASES
See all our listings at ...
Doug
Hosmer
Maggie
Hosmer
Jay
Foster
Chris
Fries
Bert
Sellars
Pat
Thuman
Shelby
Collins
Alice
Lee
Sally
Morrow
Marty
Anderson
Helen
Carlock
Sandra
Jones
Rosemarie
Heindel
Kathleen
Ingram
Broker/Owner
Call Lisa Dillon
about low cost
financing for lot
purchases and
construction/
permanent loans.
404-680-5799 Cell,
678-597-1009 Office,
NMLS #164800
www.HarryNormanBC.com
Sam
Naff
Chris
Van Duyne
Gwen
Warmels
Paul
Foretich
Jack
Updegraff
David
Erwin
®
200 Foothills Parkway, Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2400
MARCH 2016
Big Canoe hikers plan spring treks
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
23 C
BY ANITA ROSEN
[email protected]
F
ollowing two wintery hikes in
2016, the Big Canoe Hikers are
hoping for mild weather for their
next trek Wednesday, March
16, when they will tackle Bear Creek
Trail, a 3-mile, moderate-to-strenuous
hike. Lunch is planned at Cantaberry
Restaurant, Ellijay.
Next up, April 14, the hikers will
walk the 4-mile, moderate-to-strenuous
Wildcat Creek Trail in Big Canoe. Lunch
will be at Fuego’s.
A two-night stay at Unicoi State Park
is planned for May 11-13, with the hikes
to be announced. Reservations should be
made directly to Unicoi, but Joyce Raley
can help as needed to find a fellow hiker
to share a cabin.
Friday, June 17, the first six months
of the BCH’s calendar will be complete
with a 3.5-mile, easy-to-moderate hike to
Hemlock Falls. Lunch at the Chophouse
at LaPrade’s Marina on Lake Burton will
follow.
Details are sent before each hike to
those who have signed up. Frank Wright
will be the guide for these hikes. Signups can be done any time before the hike
date by emailing Joyce Raley, jrraley@
windstream.net.
Big Canoe Hikers pause at the summit of
their January hike. PHOTO BY BOB WITZEL
Sports&Outdoors
SMOKE SIGNALS | Sports • Fitness • Gardening • Pets | MARCH 2016 • 23C
Gardening
and strategizing
Wildflower Bunch
Garden Club
FRAN HOLMAN McKENZIE
F
Cynthia sits on one of her favorite garden elements, a well-placed stone surrounded by
Mo, left, and Curlie. It is maintenance-free and highly deer-resistant. PHOTO BY DAVID HENDRY
or the 15th straight year, Cynthia
Hendry will be the keynote speaker at the first meeting of 2016 for
Wildflower Bunch Garden Club,
Wednesday, March, 2, 10 a.m. Cynthia’s
vast knowledge, descriptive photos and
witty remarks make her presentations perennially appealing.
During this inaugural meeting, Hendry will focus on 20 tips for gardening in
Big Canoe. Though you will have to attend
the meeting to learn the details, among the
topics she will discuss are the following:
how to tie beds together without swaths
of grass, use locust rails to support a fence,
plant bulbs in bulk, prune like a pro, maintain a garden and your back, pot plants on
rollers, and reinvent and revitalize natural
elements.
She also will share her choice for
plants with the longest-lasting color, as
well as strategies for using bulbs in bulk
and a plant that is an asset 365 days a year.
Cynthia will introduce WFB members to
her new best friend: Jo Pye, as in Jo Pye
weed.
Hendry will highlight gardens in Big
Canoe. Among these will be the gardens
of Lauren Grant and Cindy Bonner. Grant
has created a variety of outdoor rooms or
spaces for interest. Bonner’s garden of laurels and ferns is decorated with art, many
her own creations.
From fallen trees to ground covers,
this interesting and informative presentation is not to be missed.
Wildflower Bunch is a group of men
and women who love gardens and
gardening and have a broad range of
experiences and expertise using native
materials to preserve and protect our
natural woodland environment. For more
information about WFB, contact Judy
Kaufman, [email protected], or visit
www.wildflowerbunch.com.
The Big Canoe Cup: a brief history
BY JIM RICE
G
olf, according to Scottish
legend, was created by
fishermen walking back to their
homes from the shores of the
North Sea in St. Andrews, Scotland. It
may have started innocently as a game of
hit the rock with the stick while walking
toward the warming pubs of Scotland, but
it certainly has evolved a long way since
then.
Unhappy to just hit the ball randomly
along the path, targets were devised and,
as is the case with any “game” devised
by men, there had to be some way of
scoring; else, how could you possibly
know who has won and, therefore, who
had to buy the first pint! Once scoring
was devised, a variety of games and
competitions — some international in
scope — were created.
Being long-standing competitors and
with no wars to fight, it only followed
that the U.S. and Britain would end up in
a golfing competition. The first of these
was devised in 1921 for amateur golfers
from the U.S. to compete against their
like fellows from the U.K. This amateur
event evolved quickly into the Walker
Cup, named for George Herbert Walker,
our 41st president’s grandfather and
namesake; a biannual event that is still
held to this day.
Not to be outdone by the amateurs,
Mr. Walter Hagen proposed a
competition between golfing
professionals from the U.S. and U.K. while
the U.S. players were on British soil for
the Open Championship. Samuel Ryder,
an English businessman and golfing
enthusiast, donated a cup to be given to
the winning team – hence the Ryder Cup.
“In keeping with the historical nature of golf,
the Big Canoe Men’s Golf Association annually
holds a competition that was also originally
dubbed the ‘Ryder Cup.’ “
The Swilcan Bridge on The Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.
From that meager start, the Ryder Cup
has become a biannual event featuring
teams of pro golfing stars from the U.S.
competing against all of Europe’s finest —
most of whom have been in the U.S. since
their college golfing careers began and
many of whom live in Orlando, either in
Isleworth or Windermere … neither here
nor there but mostly here.
In keeping with the historical nature
of golf, the Big Canoe Men’s Golf
Association annually holds a competition
that was also originally dubbed the
“Ryder Cup.” Started in 2004, the teams
were populated by the “best” players in
Big Canoe. In the first Big Canoe Ryder
Cup, team members were identified as
the top 24 guys who most supported the
MGA and who had won a time or two.
These guys then were divided into two
teams; the easiest way was to divide them
into Seniors and Juniors based on the
age median point. The Cup, in its second
n BIG CANOE CUP | Page 24
24 C
S M O K E
Big Canoe Cup
year, was expanded to the include the
top 30 players, with 28 on the team and
one alternate as backup for each team —
more spots for recognition.
The original (and ongoing) concept of
the Cup was to encourage participation
in MGA-sponsored events. As time went
along, rules of how you would qualify
were developed, granting points for both
participation and performance. Grids to
keep up with those who were leading
were developed and published. For a
while, the MGA membership was divided
into Juniors and Seniors and the top guys
in each group made the team. To honor
the founding roots of the Cup, it later
was reestablished that the top players
made the team, and then they were
divided into opposing teams. That has
evolved further into the top two players
being the captains of opposing teams,
then choosing their team members in
alternating selections until all are chosen.
Sports & Outdoors
Big Canoe Hikers......................................... 23
Big Canoe Cup............................................ 23
Wildflower Bunch Garden Club.................... 23
Bocce.......................................................... 24
Mountain Gardening................................... 25
Women’s Golf Association........................... 25
Men’s Golf Association................................ 26
Golf ... And Other Things Out Of Doors....... 26
Couples Golf............................................... 27
Hiking Your Backyard................................... 27
NASMGA................................................... 27
Doggie Dialogues........................................ 28
Eagle’s Rest Park......................................... 29
Vet’s Q&A Clinic.......................................... 29
Big Canoe Animal Rescue............................ 29
Classified.................................................... 30
Hiking Your Backyard:
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge • 27
SS I MG ON KA EL S S I| G SN PA O
L SR T| SL I&V I ON UG T D O O R S
The bottom two guys on the list of top 30
point earners are automatically alternates
for the team on which they are chosen.
In 2014, the name of the event had
to be changed from the Ryder Cup to
the Big Canoe Cup as more and more
manufacturers refused to reproduce the
name or logo for fear of litigation by the
folks who held the marketing rights to the
Ryder Cup. It likely will be called the Big
Canoe Cup henceforth.
To make the team, you must
accumulate points throughout the
MGA season by participating in the
tournaments and performing moderately
well. It is a yearlong quest for many
members to make the team and an honor
to earn a spot. The most likely way to
make the team has been proven to be
participation. If you participate in every
MGA event and perform moderately well
in a couple, you will earn enough points
to “make the team.” The emphasis on the
Big Canoe Cup remains to honor the guys
who most support the MGA events. Every
member of the MGA has a chance to be
on the team, depending on the number
of events played and, as mentioned
earlier, moderate success in one or two
tournaments. Lots of guys have made the
team who have not won any tournament
but have participated in many.
The rules of the competition mirror
the modern day Ryder Cup with twoman teams playing “four ball” matches
(best ball counted on each of the twoman teams) and “four some” matches
(alternate shot between two team
members) on the first day. The second
day’s competition consists of head-tohead singles matches. Since each team
has 14 members, there are 28 points
available across the two-day competition.
It is an honor and a privilege to get
to play in this MGA season-ending
tournament. The honor includes a
“roasting” dinner in which pairings of
the matches are decided in Presidents
Cup fashion, with the team captains
alternating the posting and matching of
pairings for the two days. There may,
from time to time, be a bit of trash talking
involved between the teams, but it is all in
good fun.
Besides the camaraderie and
competition in this season-ender, team
members also receive team uniforms to
sport for the coming season that identify
them as members of the Big Canoe
Cup Team. It is, indeed, an honor and
a privilege to be recognized for your
outstanding support of the Big Canoe
MGA. So, join the MGA, participate in
as many tournaments as possible and
compete for the Big Canoe Cup honors at
year’s end.
MARCH 2016
“Breakfast goodies, randomly drawn games, partners
and a raffle will take place to kick off the season.”
Let the games begin
BY PAT PAPKE
Bocce Camp starts Feb. 28 and runs through March 6. If you’re new
to bocce, you need to attend. As I mentioned last month, it is a wealth of
information, and, while you won’t leave feeling like a pro, you’ll be comfortable
playing the game.
Also, March 19, there will be a Bocce Fun Tournament for all league and
substitute players. Breakfast goodies, randomly drawn games, partners and a
raffle will take place to kick off the season. Be looking for an email with details.
The season officially starts with league play the week of March 30. Monday
night bocce starts Monday the 14th, 5-7 p.m. As always, bring your own
beverage and a snack to share.
As promised, I am sharing some beginner wisdom. There are bank shots and
straight shots. To me, banking it is kind of like a pool shot: at what angle do I
need to bank it to get close to the pallino? A straight shot is like bowling: you
roll it straight, hoping it is not going right or left but right towards the pallino.
How do you know what type of shot you should take? Well, I learned this at
bocce camp! Divide the course into thirds, if the pallino is in the middle third
you should throw it straight, if the pallino is on the outside third you should
bank it on the side where the pallino is. Then again, you might throw all this
wisdom to the wind and just roll it.
Come out and have fun!
Marcia, left,
quizzes Bruce Ramo
and Pat Papke on how
points are scored for
a roll.
PHOTOS BY STEVE PAPKE
Marcia Captan, the
instructor for bocce
camp, explains how
the game is scored. Why pay annual
tank rent fees for a tank
when you can own your tank
and never pay rent again.
Blossman gas is offering a tank purchase program
as low as $149.99 per month for 12 months.
CALL FOR DETAILS.
1990 Joe Frank Harris Parkway
CARTERSVILLE • 770-386-6268
www.blossmangas.com • [email protected]
2015-2016 Consortium propane supplier
offering appliances, installation and service.
Call or email today to join!
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
L SR T| SL I&V I ONUGT D O O R S
SS I M
GO
N K
A EL S S I| G SN PA O
25 C
A design study opportunity
Mountain
Gardening
CYNTHIA HENDRY
A
vid gardeners from everywhere
eagerly look forward to the March
1 annual opening of Gibbs Gardens with its glorious display of 23
million daffodils. While the sheer pleasure of
walking through this lush spring display cannot be argued, I want to urge anyone interested in garden design to take this early season opportunity to study Jim Gibbs’ genius
in framing his seasonal displays. March will
be the best month to accomplish this study.
Bones sneak peek
Always believing Jim’s garden has no
ugly season, I called him to ask if I could visit
the garden in early February for my birthday. The winter months allow the visitor to
appreciate the bones of the garden. Generally, the bones of the garden reference the
hardscapes, the form of the deciduous plants
and the evergreen plant arrangement. Their
thoughtful arrangement creates the framework for each season’s color display. I was
thoroughly pleased with my visit. It was a
perfect winter day.
Favorite bones
One of the best places to study Jim’s
handiwork in four-season design is the Japanese Garden. You will see some of his favorite structural plants and evergreens. For a
strong backdrop, he often uses lusterleaf holly, Ilex latifolia. This holly often is mistaken
for a magnolia. The leaves are huge. It has
proven to be a little tender for some parts
of Big Canoe, but Jim has grown it through
some bitterly cold winters.
Another favorite Jim uses as a sort of
exclamation point around the Japanese
Garden is Hinoki cypress, Chamaecyparis
obtuse. I believe his selection is ‘Gracilis’
and is the most beautiful of all the Hinokis
on the market. It is not on the Big Canoe
plant list, but is very suitable for a container
on a deck or in a private space. It has no
ugly season.
Winter color
My February visit included a friend
from Montreal who had never seen the
garden. When we approached the Japanese
Garden, she nearly ran, exclaiming, “What
is all that color?”
Most of the color came from the carefully placed and pruned ‘Gold Mop’ cypress, Chamaecyparis pissifera filifera. Being in full sun, these plants take on a golden
color in winter and contrast beautifully
with dark-green plants.
Subtler than the ‘Gold Mops’ is the winter twig color of several of the perfectly
pruned Japanese maples, most notably, the
‘Coral Bark,’ Acer palmatum ‘sango-kaku.’
Backed by dark evergreens, these trees
present as large red bonsai.
Hard bones
In the simplicity of the winter presentation, there is opportunity to study the
beauty of the thousands of tons of stones
that are so carefully placed in the Japanese
Garden. Jim spent years selecting and placing these stones. Each has its own charac-
ter and many have a story.
Jim prefers you enter the Japanese Garden through the Torii Gate. My preference
is to enter via the zigzag bridge, so I leave
all the bad spirits out of the garden. I am
told that they can not follow a zigzagging
woman! These structures, as well as the pagoda and Japanese lanterns, provide strong
winter interest.
In conclusion
One of my most memorable visits to
Jim’s garden was a foggy, cold winter day
in January 2005. One of my houseguests
was having a fit to see the garden. So we
bundled up, snatched golf umbrellas and
walked the entire garden. Each plant had a
weeping character that day and the beauty
was overwhelming. So my advice is to enjoy the daffodils but see the entire garden.
There is nothing ugly there.
Happy spring gardening!
Cynthia Hendry has
lived and gardened in
Big Canoe for 27 years.
Her landscape design
work includes Best of
Show for Big Canoe
Street of Dreams, as
well as Big Canoe show
homes for Southern
Living and Atlanta
magazines.
CYNTHIA HENDRY
Ladies: it’s time to learn
Learning Ladies, 9-hole players get together
learning golf or improving their beginner
game are invited to an informational meeting, March 21, 10 a.m., at the Swim Club.
Coffee and nibbles are a secondary enticement.
Also invited are WGA 9-hole players for
a beginning of the season get-together, especially new players. Winter weather has
kept most off the course, so come meet
the ladies you will be playing with starting
Opening Day, April 4, when the Big Canoe
Women’s Golf Association season tees off.
It’s not too late to join the Big Canoe
Women’s Golf Association for the 2016 season. Applications have been emailed to current members and are also available in the
pro shop. The WGA is open to all levels of
golfers. For additional information, contact
Claudia Hamilton at chbigcanoe@gmail.
com or Judy Scanling at [email protected].
Women’s
Golf Association
MARTHA POWER
A
Winter is a great time to study the ‘bones of a garden,’ and these girls picked a perfect
February day to study the work of Jim Gibbs at beautiful Gibbs Gardens. Standing
near one of Jim’s favorite structural evergreen plants – lusterleaf holly – are Christine
Noguere, right, and Xaviere Chatagnier from Big Canoe and Xaviere’s stepmother,
Elaine Breault, visiting from Montreal. Gibbs opens March 1 with millions of blooming
daffodils celebrating spring. PHOTO BY CYNTHIA HENDRY
re you a “woulda, coulda, shoulda” golfer? Have you always
wanted to play a round, swing
the club, hit the links, but never have? Did you play a long time ago, and
have forgotten everything you ever knew?
Learning ladies is for you. This is your
chance to learn from PGA professional
instructor Joan Delk in a no-pressure atmosphere at a bargain price. All women
residents of Big Canoe with an interest in
2013
&
2014
Rosemarie Heindel
REALTOR®
cell: 404.861.1857
TOP PRODUCING TEAM
by the Pickens County
Board of Realtors
email: [email protected]
SOLD
SOLD
573 Hunters Trace
3br/2ba :: $229,000
Level Driveway, Close to Main Gate!
83 Lone Wolf
4ba/3ba :: $254,000 Furnished
Woodland Setting
76 Mountain Mint
2br/2ba :: $240,000
126 Green Heron Point
3br/3.5ba :: $499,000
Furnished
Beautiful Lakefront Home!
NEW LISTING
HOMESITES
4074 Lone Wolf ............. $15,000
1033 Robins Nest...........$22,500
8240 Cox Mountain.......$79,900
2784 Summit Drive ..... $115,000
8251 Cox Mountain ..... $185,000
8255 Cox Mountain..... $150,000
3337 Bluestern ............ $215,000
3340 Bluestern ............ $215,000
251 Hunters Trace
2br/2ba :: $199,900
Furnished, Minutes To Main Gate
459 Wedgewood Drive
3br/3.5 ba :: $425,000
76 Chula Drive
4br/4.5ba :: $499,000
On the Golf Course
Mountain Craftsman
®
200 Foothills Pkwy, Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2400
©2006 Harry Norman, Realtors, A HomeServices of America, Inc. Company. All rights reserved. Licensed in Georgia and North Carolina. Equal
Housing Opportunity. Big Canoe is a registered service mark of Big Canoe Company, LLC. Harry Norman, Realtors is not affiliated with the Big
Canoe Company, LLC, and no such representation is intended or implied. Information believed to be accurate but not warranted.
TO VIEW ALL BIG CANOE PROPERTIES, VISIT OUR WEBSITE ... www.NorthGeorgiaListings.com
S M O K E
26 C
SS IMGON KAEL SS I | G N
S A
P LOSR |T SL I &
V I O
NU
GT
DOORS
MARCH 2016
The rules of golf
Golf ... And Other
Things Out Of Doors
JIM RICE
T
he USGA is the governing body
of the golfing world. It determines which equipment we
should use, which balls are legal
and which rules should be changed for the
betterment of the game. It often coordinates these rules changes with the R&A,
Britain’s ruling body.
In the past, there have been controversial rulings mostly related to equipment,
like the square grooves controversy that
resulted in multiple lawsuits and took
years to resolve. We now no longer have
square grooves but we do, for a largely
member-funded group, have very large legal fees to pay.
One of the newest rulings, announced
so long ago that most of the fight has gone
out of it, is the anchoring of putters while
making a stroke at the ball. You can still
use the long putters, you just cannot anchor them to the chest, stomach or other
parts of the body. There can no longer be
a fulcrum point for making the putting
stroke. Not sure if this is about advantages
or about equipment or about tradition but
there you have it.
Golf, above all other games, has always
been a game of honor. It is a game in which
you, as the player, self-regulate your play.
From time to time, you may have to assist
a playing partner in knowing exactly how
to proceed under the complicated rules
of golf, but the intent is that each person
plays within the rules and penalizes him
or herself when mishaps occur.
One of the most famous examples of
the honor of golf was when Bobby Jones
penalized himself for a ball that moved
slightly when he was about to pitch it from
the green side rough. No one but Bobby
saw the ball move and his opponents and
the rules officials tried to convince him
that he did not see the ball move. Unwavering, Bobby called the penalty on himself,
replaced the ball to its original position
and proceeded to complete the hole under a one-stroke penalty. The result: he
lost the U.S. Open by one stroke that year,
the self-imposed penalty. He won the respect of his peers, his followers and the
media. When one article lauded his decision to penalize himself, Bobby famously
responded, “You may as well be congratulating me for not robbing a bank.”
With that background in mind, I have
to say I am offended by the USGA’s
newest rule making rounds played alone
“non-posting rounds,” for handicap purposes. One of the highest of all of the
self-regulating rules in golf is the responsibility to try your best on every shot
throughout every round to achieve the
best score possible and to post each of
those scores honestly and promptly. The
Better bring a partner if you want to record that score. According to the USGA, rounds
played alone can no longer be posted for handicap purposes.
PAINTING AND
HANDYMAN SERVICE
USGA has said to golfers everywhere they
do not trust us to post an honest score for
handicap purposes unless we are playing
with other folks who will monitor our
round and keep us honest.
If a golfer is going to be dishonest, this
rule will have no effect on his handicap. If
a golfer is honest, then he will try his best
and post his score whether playing alone
or in a foursome of competitors. The new
rule is unneeded and offensive. Shame on
you, USGA, for calling us cheaters.
For Big Canoers, we already have inquired about local rules to waive this rule;
that inquiry was specifically denied by the
USGA. So, if you are playing a round by
yourself, you need to put your name in the
non-posting book. If you don’t, you’ll get a
notice from the handicap committee and
it’ll create tons of extra work for those under-appreciated volunteers.
Jim Rice is an Alabama boy living in North
Georgia with a Pittsburgh Yankee. He
markets sculptural art
for money, plays golf for
fun and enjoys fine wine
on all such occasions.
Living the dream in Big
Canoe with his lovely
bride for nearly 20 years.
JIM RICE
MGA announces
Opening Day events
Men’s
Golf Association
JIM RICE, MGA PUBLICIST
H
urray, it’s almost time for the
2016 MGA season to begin.
The kick-off events are the
weekend of March 25 and 26.
Friday night, March 25, the MGA will host
its Opening Day party, MGA meeting and,
new this year, Guest Day.
Any MGA member may bring any
prospective member to our Opening Day
party as guests of the MGA. The sign-up
is easy, just go to the website, click on
Events Sign Ups, and then on Sign Me Up
for the Opening Day party. Identify your
guest by name in the sign-up process and
we’ll have a name badge, welcome package and cold glass awaiting his arrival. It’s
a great way for those in Big Canoe who are
thinking of joining the MGA to meet the
guys, participate in our Opening Day party
and let us bend their ear about how much
fun we have golfing together.
During the evening, there will be a brief
meeting to discuss matters important to
the MGA membership, snacks and drinks
for all to enjoy and the pairings drawing for
the next day’s MGA opening day scram-
ble—for members only. If you are thinking of joining us and wish to play in the
scramble on Saturday, please sign up for
the MGA membership prior to the party.
We’d love to have you as a new member
and sign-up is easy. Go to the MGA website, www.bigcanoemga.org, and click on
Apply Now. Fill in the info and come out
to have fun with lots of great golf, great
camaraderie and great guys (well, most of
them are, ha, ha).
For members, the Opening Day pairings party and Opening Day Scramble
are two different sign-ups. Please be sure
to sign up for each on the website so we
have the proper names for both events.
We encourage you to identify fellow Big
Canoe golfers who are not MGA members
and invite them to attend the party as your
guest. There is no charge to any MGA
member or guest for the party. So come,
whether you plan to play on Saturday or
not.
Your MGA executive committee has
worked hard in the off-season to provide
you with fun tournaments, and we look
forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.
Any questions may be directed to current MGA officer.
Tony Tebbutt – President
Richard Stephenson – Vice President
Charles Buckner – Secretary
Glenn Manning – Treasurer
Moving, Downsizing
Or Need Extra Cash?
Come see Ralph, Kim
& Josh Fitts at ...
We Buy
Guns,
Gold,
Entire
Estates,
Antiques
& More
WE DO IT ALL
PAINTING • STAINING • REPAIRS
INTERIORS • EXTERIORS
• Carpentry • Painting
• Staining • Pressure Washing
• Plumbing • Electrical
• Fencing • Ceiling Fans
• Flooring • Lawn Care
• Roofing • Glass Repair
• Strip & Seal Decks
• Haul Off Junk
• Storm Damage
• Clean Out Garage and
Out Buildings
• Honey Dos • Gutters
• Tile + much more!
HIGH QUALITY &
AFFORDABLE
REFERENCES
AVAILABLE
Call 770-500-5859
Serving Big Canoe & Bent Tree
for the past 10 years
Locally Owned and Operated
• FAMILY
ENVIRONMENT
• FAIR PRICES
• PRIVATE
CONSULTATION
706-253-1911
HWY 515, NEXT TO ROCCO’S • 706-253-1911
Stay in touch
... with news about Big Canoe
and the surrounding area through
Smoke Signals’ unique mix of community
news, photography and commentary
from local columnists.
Don’t miss weekly News from
Smoke Signals emails. Subscribe at
www.bigcanoenews.com/subscribe/
weekly-emails
Smoke Signals
TM
News And Views From Big Canoe and around North Georgia
Questions? Call our office at 770-893-1594 or
send email to [email protected]
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
A O
L SR T
| SL I &
V IO
N UG T D O O R S
SS IMG ON KA EL SS I | G SN P
27 C
North Atlanta Senior Men’s Golf Association
BY JIM RICE
The 2016 NASMGA tournament schedule is finalized
and published below. There are six events over the
course of the golfing season and, this year, all will be
“away” games for Big Canoe golfers.
Having hosted tournaments for the previous two
years, we are relegated to being guests for 2016. The
format for each tournament will be determined by the
individual club tournament directors and announced
when the event is open for sign-up on the NASMGA
website: www.nasmgaevents.com. The schedules for
both monthly events and for match play events are
posted on the home page. Just go to the link above and
click on the info you wish to see. The site has been
updated a great deal this year with many additional links
on the home page with lots of information available to
members.
For those who may not be familiar with this group,
NASMGA is a group of senior golfers who organize
events each month at different North Atlanta member
clubs. There are currently 12 member clubs: Alpharetta
Athletic Club, Atlanta National, Big Canoe, Bridgemill,
Brookfield, Crystal Falls, Eagle Watch, Indian Hills,
Manor; Olde Atlanta, White Columns and Windermere.
The monthly golf outings are organized by tournament
directors at each of the hosting clubs, with varying
formats (mostly team events) aimed at a fun and
inexpensive day of golf on different courses. Most events
are held early to mid-week so they will not interfere with
our own weekend MGA tournaments at Big Canoe. The
pairings allow you to meet fellows from other member
clubs during a day of golf. The event fees are usually less
than $60 and include a round of golf, carts for the day,
breakfast, lunch and prizes … what a deal!
In addition to the monthly outings, there is a yearlong
inter-club match play event. The member clubs are
divided into two divisions at the beginning of the year,
and each of the teams play all the other teams in their
division; three matches at home and three away. The
cost of the match play events is set at cart fees plus $5
per player for the end of year winners’ kitty. Points in
each match are accumulated throughout the season and
result in division-winning and second-place teams going
into a playoff in October to determine the final four
spots. It is a great deal of fun and a bargain to boot.
Any Big Canoe male golfer over 50 with a GHIN
handicap (and $20) may join; there is no requirement
to be a BC golf amenities member or an MGA member,
but both are fully encouraged. You may join the 2016
Big Canoe NASMGA group by dropping a check (and
an application, if you are new) for $20 into an envelope
marked 2016 NASMGA. Make the checks out to the Big
Canoe MGA and leave them in the MGA alpha box at
the postal facility or drop them at the desk of the pro
shop for the MGA folder. We’d love to have everyone
accounted for by March 1, please. Entry forms are at the
Big Canoe Pro Shop.
We look forward to playing great golf courses with
you this year … and, hopefully, some great golf. Oh, well,
one out of two ain’t bad.
2016 NASMGA
Tournament Schedule
Woodmont: April 18 (Mon.)
Olde Atlanta: May 18 (Wed.)
Brookfield CC: June 13 (Mon.)
Indian Hills: July 13 (Wed.)
White Columns: Aug. 8 (Mon.)
Eagle Watch: Sept. 19 (Mon.)
No event in October
Alpharetta: Nov. 7 (Mon.)
NASMGA Club Championship
Big Canoe NASMGA
Board of Directors
Jim Rice – Director, Weldon Wintter – Tournament
Chairman, Joe Zamborsky – Assistant Tournament
Chairman, Keith Sievers – Match Play Coordinator
Big Canoe Couples
Golf gets ‘social’
BY ROBIN SIEVERS
On Wednesday, March 2, 5-7 p.m., at The Clubhouse at Lake
Sconti, anyone who has played, is playing or is interesting in
learning more about Big Canoe’s Couples Golf is invited to help
us kick off our 2016 season. Light appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be available.
We’ll get a quick update from Steve Wilson, as a representative
from the POA Board and Rules Committee, Joe Finemore on
Couples Golf in Big Canoe and Lydell Mack on plans for the
driving range. They’ll also be around during the evening to
answer your questions. Keith and Robin Sievers will give an overview of Sunday
Play Days and Twilight 9-Hole Fun Day, and Greg and Laura
Morris will talk about Couples Match Play and Couples Holiday
Tournaments. Big Canoe Couples Golf is now the largest golfing
group inside the gates. With activities that include all skill/
handicap levels, there is truly something for everyone, from
beginners to those who have played for years. Since we’ve had
so many cold and wet days this year, March 2 will be a great
opportunity to see old friends and, hopefully, meet new ones.
Also, for those of you on Facebook, Big Canoe Couples Golf
has a new group page. From your page, search “Big Canoe
Couples Golf” and send a request to be added to the list. We’ll
be posting fun pictures and information on play days, upcoming
events and tournaments. For additional information on Big Canoe Couples Golf, contact
Keith, [email protected], or Robin Sievers, robinsnext30@
me.com. Toccoa River Swinging Bridge
Hiking
Your Backyard
KIM COOPER
T
he Toccoa River Swinging
Bridge provides an entertaining
experience for both day hikers
and families seeking a quick,
swaying adventure. The bridge is easily
accessible from Highway 60 and USFS 816,
between Blue Ridge and Suches.
The beautiful winding drive through
the North Georgia mountains adds an element of amazement to this day hike. Hikers
can access the bridge by either the Benton
MacKaye Trail or the Duncan Ridge Trail;
however, most families park closer to the
bridge and hike the easy quarter-mile trail
to the Toccoa River.
The USDA Forest Service constructed
the bridge in 1977 with cooperation from
the Appalachian Trail Club. It suspends
270 feet above the rushing Toccoa River,
earning it the title of the longest swinging
bridge east of the Mississippi River.
The trail leading to the landmark is enjoyable and extremely easy for all hikers.
Take a picnic and plan to explore the mini
off-shooting trails and rivers surrounding
the bridge. While large cables support the
swinging structure, be prepared to sway
and rock while moving on the bridge.
If you are looking for a fun, quick adventure for your family, take a scenic drive
on Highway 60 and test your balance on
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge.
The Swinging Bridge extends 270 feet across the Toccoa River.
“While large cables support the swinging
structure, be prepared to sway and rock
while moving on the bridge.”
The USDA Forest Service constructed the
bridge in 1977 with cooperation from the
Appalachian Trail Club. PHOTOS BY KIM COOPER
28 C
S M O K E
MARCH 2016
Mine, mine, mine!
Doggie
Dialogues
DORIS DRESSLER, CPDT-KA
“No! That ball is mine!
Wait, wait! No! So is that one!
Yes – they are all mine!”
Mine – A haiku by Jacques
(jacquesdogblog.wordpress.com)
D
oes your dog growl when you
try to take away a toy or food
item? While this behavior,
called resource guarding, is
normal for animals in the wild, it’s certainly undesirable for domestic dogs.
Jean Donaldson, author of “Mine, A
Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in
Dogs,” explains resource guarding has
nothing to do with a dog trying to be dominant. Resource guarding is a “highly adaptive trait in a natural environment. If dogs
had to fend for themselves tomorrow,
guarders would have the survival and reproductive edge over non-guarders.”
What to do and not do
Growling is a good thing; your dog is
letting you know he is uncomfortable. Pat
Miller, author of “The Power of Positive
Dog Training,” suggests this five-step approach:
• Stop whatever you were doing that
made the dog growl.
• Quickly analyze the situation. If you
think you may get bit, quickly retreat; otherwise stay still and let the tension subside.
• Once the dog starts to calm down,
retreat. The idea is to make the dog believe his relaxing made you retreat, not his
growling.
• Set your dog up for success and, by
the use of management, do not allow him
to practice the unwanted behavior. Remove all items (when the dog isn’t around)
he resource guards.
• Train your dog to “get it” and “give”
(items) on cue.
Teaching the ‘get it’ and ‘give’ cues
This game is something all dogs should
know how to do. Before beginning your
training, prioritize your dog’s toys and
food items by their value. Start the training using a low-value item and eventually
work your way to the higher value items in
subsequent training sessions.
Chuck Dressler convinces Drop to trade his high-value bunny for a Bil Jac treat. PHOTO BY
up a cherished item. Not knowing when he
may get a reward (and possibly the item
back) makes the game much more interesting.
Eventually, you will get to a point with
this game where the dog will drop the item
(in anticipation) before you show him the
treat; then you can pick up the item quickly and return it to him with the “get it” cue
without showing (or giving) him the treat.
Continue to use a treat sporadically to
keep your dog on his toes.
Helpful tips
If your dog won’t take the object, use a
slightly higher-valued item.
If your dog won’t drop the item for
the treat, you’re not using a treat that is
high-value enough. Most dogs will drop
anything for a piece of steak, salmon or
cheese.
If you’ve played the game a while and
your dog now starts to ignore the object
and just stare at you for the treat, don’t
despair. You’ve convinced your dog that
what you have is better than what he has.
Simply do fewer, more frequent reiterations or start to work with higher value
items.
If your dog simply refuses to drop the
item in his mouth, make a trail of very
high-value treats leading away from the
dog. When the dog drops the item to follow the trail, you can retrieve the item.
Another option is to toss several treats a
short distance away; the dog may leave the
item to retrieve the food.
Often dogs that develop resource
guarding are insecure; this behavior is
seen often with newly adopted rescue
dogs. Be sure to provide your dog with
plenty of daily exercise and practice the
“no free lunch” protocol, where you ask
your dog to do something for you (sit)
before you do something for him (putting
down his food bowl). This is an excellent
way to develop clear communication with
your dog and teach him he has the power
to control what is happening.
Practice makes perfect. Happy training!
DORIS DRESSLER
• Give your dog the item and, as he is
taking it, say, “get it.” When he does, verbally praise your dog (good dog!).
• Next, show your dog a treat.
• When he opens his mouth to take the
treat, say “give” and let your dog nibble on
the treat as you pick up the item. It’s important to hold on to the treat if you can, as
you don’t want the dog to inhale the treat
and then race you to get the item.
• Once he has finished eating the treat,
give your dog the item back, using the “get
it” cue. The dog learns not only does he
get a tasty treat by giving up an item but
also he (may) get the original item back.
If you think about it from a dog’s point
of view, there is nothing in it for your dog
when he gives up an item. If you practice
object exchanges regularly, your dog will
learn that often there is a reward in giving
NorthsideCherokeeOrtho.com
Dr. Brian Seng is a board-certified surgeon
who specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of disorders of the hip and knee,
and offers conservative and minimally
invasive treatment options to return you
to activity. Our experienced team of
physicians is dedicated to providing the
highest-quality care possible, and treats all
types of sports related and musculoskeletal
conditions.
• Evaluation of the painful hip and knee
• Direct anterior hip replacement
• Minimally-invasive total and partial knee replacement
• Revision total hip and knee replacement
• Treatment for complex periprosthetic hip and knee fractures
Call or visit today: (770) 517-6636
900 Towne Lake Parkway,
Suite 320,
Woodstock, GA 30189
Doris Dressler is a CPDT-KA (certified
professional dog trainer,
knowledge assessed)
with over 17 years’
experience training
service dogs and family
pet dogs. She also
volunteers training
rescued dogs at Big
Canoe Animal Rescue.
DORIS DRESSLER
MARCH 2016
S M O K E
29 C
Cardiac disease in cats
Vet’s Q&A Clinic
DR. RAY HABERMANN
Q: Dr. Habermann, we recently lost a
beloved family cat to heart disease. We
had no idea she was ill until we came home
one day and found her in distress. When
we took her to our veterinarian, we were
told her heart was failing and there was
nothing that could be done for her. We’ve
heard of heart disease in dogs, but does it
occur in cats very often?
A: The quick answer to your question
is yes, it does occur in cats. A more elaborate answer is not only does it occur in
cats, but also it probably occurs a lot more
frequently than we realize.
Unfortunately, we have found many
cats that die acutely (quickly and unexpectedly) often are afflicted with undetected cardiac disease. The heart disease
seen in cats is usually different than that
seen in dogs and even in people and is why
it frequently goes undiagnosed.
Dogs usually suffer from heart disease
caused by a faulty valve (mitral valve regurgitation or congestive heart failure) or
a failing heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy). Decades ago, cats were affected
by dilated cardiomyopathy, but it soon
was realized it was due to an amino acid
deficiency (taurine) in their food and, once
this nutrient was added to the diet, the disease was almost unheard of anymore.
The most common type of heart dis-
Celebrate spring equinox with
hootenanny at Eagle’s Rest Park
The Bent Tree Strings will lead visitors
in a mountain hootenanny, March 20, 2
p.m., at Eagle’s Rest Park, Mt. Oglethorpe.
The group will play dulcimers and
attendees will be encouraged to add their
voices to the music.
Continuing a tradition, the Mt.
Oglethorpe Foundation asks visitors
to bring canned goods to the event for
CARES of Pickens County.
Eagle’s Rest Park has changed since
the dulcimers last filled the air with their
happy sound. Since July 2014, the park has
added two viewing decks offering scenic
views of the Appalachian chain marching
north and the southern Piedmont plateau
leading into Atlanta, with Stone Mountain
to the east and Kennesaw Mountain to
the west.
The Stone Eagle continues to emerge
from the south face of the mountain. A
white marble sundial has been created
for the eagle’s head. White marble will be
used to create the eagle’s tail, which also
will function as a stage for future events.
Visitors are encouraged to continue
building the stone eagle; it is a project
that will involve visitors to the park for
years.
Community Dinner
Please join the Mt. Oglethorpe
Foundation, March 23, 6 p.m., for a
Big Canoe Community Dinner at The
Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. A presentation
will be given during the cocktail hour and
Ken Rice, benefactor of Mt. Oglethorpe
and Eagle’s Rest Park, will speak briefly
and be available to answer questions.
Reservations can be made by contacting
Jena, 706-268-3964 or reservations@
bigcanoepoa.org.
Submitted by the
Mt. Oglethorpe Foundation
Big Canoe resident Gordon Griffith will
play his dulcimer with the Bent Tree
Strings, March 20.
20% Off
All Professional
DENTAL
CLEANINGS
Jan, Feb and March
By Appointment Only
Now at 2 great locations!
Wayside
Animal
Hospital
706-692-2210 • 99 Cove Road, Jasper, GA
and
ease seen in cats these days is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM for
short). This condition is frequently hereditary, though some cats that suffer from the
malady of hyperthyroidism (an overactive
thyroid gland) are prone to developing it
as well. The basic condition of HCM is an
abnormal thickening of the muscular walls
of the heart that causes the chambers (the
spaces that normally fill with blood to be
pumped to other parts of the body) to become smaller, preventing enough blood
from filling and being pumped to the rest
of the body. This inability to pump adequate amounts of blood to the body causes a general deterioration of the internal
organs and, more importantly, profoundly affects the heart’s ability to pump even
more.
In many cases we see here, there is
usually no early warning that these feline
patients have a heart condition. Very few
have murmurs (the abnormal sound of
blood going through a diseased heart or
heart valve), arrhythmias (an abnormal
beating of the heart) or any outward signs
the heart is diseased. Once in a while,
we’ll see a weak, labored-breathing feline
patient we suspect might have a cardiac
condition.
If we suspect it may be a heart-related
problem, we usually will do an ECG and
X-rays of the chest. At times these diagnostic tests tell us exactly what we need
to know, but, sometimes, they don’t give
us the answers we are looking for. In these
situations, we will usually do a cardiac ultrasound and a blood test called proBnp
that can detect the elevated levels of a
certain cardiac marker in the blood.
As a veterinarian, I enjoy working
with cardiac cases tremendously. However, as I explain to the clients of cats
with cardiac disease, the response to
treatment in felines with heart disease
is not as predictable as our canine patients. There are times when, if the
condition is caught early, we can put
the pet on medications and it will
live for many years with regular
monitoring. Then we see many
patients that continue to deteriorate despite the condition being
treated with appropriate medications.
It’s that “unpredictability” of
the condition in cats that makes it
difficult to give pet owners a longterm prognosis. If a feline patient ever
exhibits signs of rapid, labored breathing, coughing, or even collapse and passing out, the possibility of cardiac disease
has to be ruled out by a series of tests and
diagnostics. The gold standard of this testing is considered the ultrasound, which is
almost always necessary to assess the condition when it occurs in
cats.
RAY HABERMANN
Direct questions
about this topic or
any other you would
like Dr. Habermann
to address in future
articles to foothillsvet@
windstream.net or 706216-1356.
Absolutely
Custom
outdoors
OUTDOOR LIVING
SPECIALISTS
Here are just some of our services ....
Maintenance Options
• Regular or Periodic Blowing and Weed Control
• Pruning, Fertilization and Pest and
Disease Management of Plants
• Annual and Perennial Plant Care
• Blowing and/or Removal of Normal Leaf and Debris Fall
• Storm Damage Clean Up
Softscape Installation
• Mulch and Pine Straw Installation
• Annual Flower Installation
• Installation of Hanging Baskets, Window Boxes and Planters
• Installation of Perennials, Shrubs and Trees
Hardscape Installation
• Installation of Stone, Block, Boulder and Timber Walls
• Installation of Patios, Steps and Walkways
• Installation of Fire Pits and Fireplaces
• Installation of Water Features, Koi Ponds and Waterfalls
• Installation of Arbors, Trellis’, Pergolas and
Other Custom Carpentry
Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor Kitchens Including:
• Running Water, Sinks, Refrigerators, and Freezers
• Wine Coolers, Beer Dispensers and
Even Custom Automated Spirit Mixers
Outdoor
Entertainment Areas
Audio Video Systems, Speakers, Televisions,
Projector Systems ... And Much Much More
770-894-4233
280 Whitley Road S, Marble Hill, GA
www.waysideah.com
2015 Small Business of the Year
10% Discount Off
Any Service for a New Client
Office: (678) 906-5948
Facebook.com/Absolutely-Custom-Outdoors
Twitter: @ACOutdoorsGA
AbsolutelyCustomOutdoors.com
Big Canoe resident owned and operated
30 C
S M O K E
Wesley
Copper
Taylor
Holly
Parker
MARCH 2016
Cocoa PHOTOS BY TINA SCHREMP
“I always believed Dude was just a very smart dog. He paid attention and was quick to learn
just what he needed to do to please his handler and get a treat. I predict Copper will be just as
smart as Dude, if not smarter. Copper will attend a series of training classes with Doris Dressler.
We will keep you posted on his progress.”
Who let the dogs in?
Big Canoe
Animal Rescue
TOM ATTAWAY
B
CAR found forever homes for 31
dogs and puppies and 29 cats and
kittens during 2015! We are proud
of this accomplishment. During the
holidays, we only had one dog at BCAR: Cocoa. She loved it!
Where do things stand now at BCAR?
The dog shelter is almost full. We checked
in two dogs this past Saturday during open
house – not the goal we had in mind for open
house.
Who let these dogs in: who, who, who,
who? Keep reading.
Wesley
Wesley is a Scottish/Yorkshire terrier mix. He is 4 to 5 months old, black and
weighs 12 pounds. He was found running
around in Indian Rocks Park in Big Canoe.
All puppies are adorable, but Wesley takes
the Pupperoni: He is as cute as a ladybug’s
eye lashes! We have eight applications for
Wesley, and inquiries are still coming in.
Wesley will stand very still for several long seconds, and then suddenly zoom
across his yard as if he had been given an
electric shock. He will impulsively jump off
things without giving any thought to where
or how he will land. Wesley is not into toys,
stuffed animals or balls; in typical puppy
fashion, he is into hands.
Copper
Copper is a hound mix. He is about 5
years old, red and weighs 50 pounds. He is
very handsome and well-behaved. He was
found on Cove Road. While he was not
wearing a tag, he had a chip, but his previous
owners had not registered him online. If they
had, he would have been home by now. Let
this be a lesson for all of us. A dog is found
wandering loose in Big Canoe on average
about once a month. Most of these eventually are returned to their owners. When they
are wearing tags or have an embedded chip,
we can return a dog to its home in 30 minutes or less. That is quicker than Domino’s!
Get them chipped and registered.
In my opinion, Chance was the besttrained dog we have had at BCAR, whereas
Dude was the smartest. Many volunteers
believed Dude had received a lot of training
before arriving at BCAR. I always believed
Dude was just a very smart dog. He paid attention and was quick to learn just what he
needed to do to please his handler and get a
treat. I predict Copper will be just as smart
as Dude, if not smarter. Copper will attend a
series of training classes with Doris Dressler.
We will keep you posted on his progress.
Taylor
Taylor is a Jack Russell terrier mix. She is
about 3 years old, brindle with a little white
and weighs about 17 pounds and is pregnant.
She was found running down Yellow Creek
Road. She is a sweetheart, a real gentle soul.
She won’t be available for adoption until late
March, when her pups are weaned, but I suggest getting your name in the hat for this dog
now. She will make a great mom and a great
pet.
Pet Au Pair
and MORE
Holly
We think Holly is a purebred Tree Walker coonhound (I know – just Google it). She
is 9 to 10 years old and weighs 57 pounds.
We got Holly from Pickens County Animal
Control. She had a number of medical issues
that BCAR was better equipped to handle, so
we took her.
I asked Mike Zblewski, BCAR’s medical
director, what Dr. Habermann had to say
about Holly after his initial examination.
Mike’s responded: “Holly is blind in her right
eye, she has conjunctivitis in both eyes, a
yeast infection and a pyoderma skin infection. She is a bit anemic, most likely because
of the worms. She has a few skin masses that
will need to be monitored, and she needs
to be spayed.” I asked Mike, “So other than
that?” Mike replied, “Other than that, she’s
perfect!” I wanted to name her “Perfect,”
however, we called her Holly, which demonstrates the degree of clout I have at BCAR!
Holly appears to have been bred a lot and
to have had a rough life but is still surprisingly friendly, happy and enthusiastic. We will
clean her up; she will be beautiful! After we
have had some time with Holly, she will be
perfect.
Parker
Parker is a Great Dane/Lab mix. He is
approximately 4 years old and weighs 86
pounds. Parker was found sitting on the centerline of Highway 53.
I wanted to name Parker “The Love
Boat,” but you know the kind of success
I have naming dogs at BCAR. Parker is a
mush, a gentle giant. At field training, the
BCAR volunteer with him was running as
fast as she could, and Parker was prancing.
He is handsome and seemed to be enjoying
himself. Kids or grandkids would love Parker
– a giant Teddy bear!
Cocoa
I was going to interview Cocoa for this
article, but she was not available. She was
involved in some sort of pickleball tournament. If you have been paying attention, you
know how I feel about this dog. If you knew
this girl as I do, you would go online today at
www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org, fill out an
adoption application, and, if approved, take
this girl home. Just don’t all of you go online
at the same time, or no one in Big Canoe will
have Internet access! I’m just saying.
To find out more about these dogs or
available cats and kittens:
• Call BCAR at 706-268-1346
• Check out the BCAR bulletin board in the
Big Canoe postal facility
• Go to www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org
• Check us out on Facebook
• Come to open house every Saturday, 10
a.m. to 1 p.m.
BCAR is a no-kill shelter for stray dogs and
cats found in the Big Canoe community.
We provide a safe, healthy and positive
environment until they are adopted into
forever, loving homes. BCAR dogs and
cats can be seen during Open House
every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dedicated volunteers always are needed
and there are a variety of ways to help. For
information on adoption process, volunteer
positions or how to make a donation, call
706-268-1346 or visit our website, www.
bigcanoeanimalrescue.org.
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC
706-579-2165
Now Offering
Overnight Stays
In Your Home
♣ Daily Walks
♣ Mail Forwarding
♣ Plant Care
PAT GARLAND
Big Canoe Resident Since 1994
COMPUTER NEEDS
n Virus Removal - Data Recovery
n Computer Repair and Parts
n Custom Built New or Used Computers
n Software Installation & Upgrades
n Network Solutions
n Set Ups & Security
We build Windows 7 computers
RING
THE
BELL
Bob Bell & Associates
706-301-9148
(Over 30 Years Experience)
We’re Here To Serve You!
www.bobbell.org
ALIGNMENTS
BRAKES • OIL CHANGES
NITROGEN
TIRE SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE
DIAGNOSTICS • TUNE-UPS
LIFETIME WARRANTY
SERVICES AVAILABLE:
• Engine and Transmission services
• Power steering sytems
• Brake systems
• Available on vehicles
with 75,000 miles or less
• Roadside Assistance plans also available
TOP QUALITY BG
PRODUCTS NOW AVAILABLE:
• Fuel Injector cleaners
• Brake Fluid flush
• Differential flush
• Engine Oil additives
• BG. Oil changes
770-893-3255
13073 GA HWY 53,
MARBLE HILL
(next to Huddle House)
MARCH 2016
I GA NL A
S M SOMK OE K SE I GS N
S L | S C| L LA I SVSI INF GI E D
31 C
CLASSIFIED
Smoke Signals
Classifieds
• Ad price is $20 for the first 20 words
and 40 cents for each additional word.
Classified ads are published in print
and online.
• Submit Classified Ad Request on
bigcanoenews.com
• For assistance, send email to
[email protected].
Deadline is the 15th of the month.
Smoke Signals Classifieds
Neighbors talking to neighbors
COMPUTERS / COMPUTER
SERVICESCOMPUTERS/
COMPUTER SERVICES
COMPUTER SHACK. Owned and
operated by Big Canoe resident. Full
computer service, home or carry in.
Visit our store next to Renasant Bank.
770-893-1111.
DONATIONS NEEDED
DONATIONS NEEDED
DONATE NO-LONGER-NEEDED,
GOOD-CONDITION FURNITURE
to Dawson County’s Humane Society
Resale Shop & Boutique. Donations
100% tax deductible. Support our no-kill
shelter. 706-525-5030.
PLEASE HELP PICKENS ANIMAL
RESCUE. P.A.R. needs household
items for its Thrift Store. Furniture,
decorative items – anything but
clothing. 100% tax deductible. 706-2535947.
GENERAL
MERCHANDISE
GENERAL
MERCHANDISE
CARVED WOOD SIGNS. Mail Post
Signs, House Signs, Inspirational,
Motivational, Religious. Bill Van Dyke,
706-268-3621 or 404-271-3375.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HOME IMPROVEMENT
W CRETE specializes in driveways,
sidewalks, patios, slabs, pavers, sinkhole
repairs, retaining walls and landscaping.
Please give us a call at 678-454-0174 for
a free estimate.
CORNER STONE, custom stone
masonry. Walkways, outside fireplaces,
walls and arches. Free estimates.
30 years’ experience, Big Canoe
references. Contact Carl Gaertner, 770893-3971.
PLUMBING. Mountainside Plumbing,
Inc. Unrestricted Master Plumber Rusty Grantham. New Construction,
Service Work, Remodels. Office
706-692-4277. Cell 770-894-1716.
[email protected].
Smoke Signals Classifieds
Neighbors connecting to neighbors
HOME
REPAIR
/ SERVICES
HOME
REPAIR/SERVICES
HANDYMAN SERVICES. Twenty
years’ experience in Big Canoe. Built
and remodeled more than 100 homes in
Big Canoe area. Tile work, roof repair,
deck repair, room additions, finish
basements, siding work, painting and
small plumbing jobs. Jeff Mills. Office,
706-636-2606; Cell, 706-669-5751. Fully
insured, general liability and workers
comp.
HANDYMAN SERVICES. Carpentry,
electrical, plumbing, drywall, tile work,
deck and fence repair, pressure washing
and odd jobs. Just about anything you
need done. Call Randy, 678-230-9893.
GUTTERS REPAIRED, REPLACED
OR CLEANED. Call Georgia Gutters
(www.gagutters.com), 678-525-2570,
for all your seamless gutter needs. Free
estimates.
GEORGIA CLOCK REPAIR
announces a mail-order watch battery
replacement service in conjunction
with antique and new clock repair.
We have been servicing clocks in Big
Canoe and Bent Tree for the past 10
years. Please contact us, www.service@
georgiaclockrepair.com or 770-781-9536
for additional information.
SQUEAKY CLEAN WINDOWS. Give
us a call at 706-692-9013 for a free
estimate or check us out online, www.
SqueakyWindows.com. We also do
complete painting and deck staining,
hot water pressure washing, gutter
cleaning and garage epoxy flooring with
a lifetime warranty.
APPLIANCE SERVICE AND MORE
has a new local number for service.
Please call us for your household
appliance service, 706-253-0775 or 678458-0775.
RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION.
We specialize in CO permit approvals,
insurance claims, complex roof
systems, unfinished construction
projects. Licensed & Insured. Call Leo
404-840-5712.
PAINTING AND WINDOW
CLEANING. Interior and exterior.
Superior work and best prices. Free
quotes. 30 years’ experience. Big Canoe
references. Call Bruce Johnson, 404572-8632 or 678-316-0587.
HANDYMAN SERVICES /
RESTORATION / CONSTRUCTION
/ LANDSCAPING. Priced per hour,
not by job. Anything you need done.
Resident Big Canoe. Call Greg @404579-9791.
CLEANING/
HOUSEHOUSE
CLEANING
/
ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION
IT’S TIME FOR A BEAUTIFUL
CLEAN with Elite Cleaning. House
cleaning, pressure washing, steam
cleaning and windows. Bonded and
insured. Call today for free estimate.
404-914-5770.
mountainvistarentals.com.
View all on our website, www.
mountainvistarentals.com.
TWO SISTERS CLEANING SERVICE
is taking new customers. Weekly,
biweekly and monthly. Twenty-one
years of experience with 18 years in
Big Canoe. We provide old-fashioned
cleaning like your mother would do.
Call 706-265-4624.
EXECUTIVE HOME FOR RENT.
Minimum 3 months to one year.
Beautifully furnished, close to
amenities, 3 bed, 3 1/2 bath, office, pool
room, 50-foot enclosed porch, piano,
3,500 square feet. Can be viewed on
VRBO #766533. 770-843-3131 for pricing.
CRYSTAL CLEAR CLEANING.
We offer residential, organizational,
holiday/party prep & cleaning, move
in / out, rentals, and construction
cleaning. Call Christina, 404-731-4968.
BIG CANOE 3 BEDROOM 2 BATH
CONDO. Overlooks swim lake,
beautifully renovated kitchen and baths.
Vaulted ceilings, oversized master. Call
Greg, 770-289-7940.
LANDSCAPE
SERVICES/
LANDSCAPING
SERVICES
/
SUPPLIES
SUPPLIES
BIG CANOE HOME FOR LEASE.
Cherokee Trail, near North Gate/
amenities. Furnished, 4 bedrooms, 3 full
baths, 3,600 square feet, 2-car garage,
screened & open decks w/BBQ, 2
fireplaces, large rec room w/ping pong
table, 3 kayaks. Call 706-579-2079 or
510-468-5005.
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE,
DESIGN AND INSTALLATION.
Pruning, fertilization, mulches, pine
straw. Cynthia Hendry, Woodland
Gardens, 770-337-2277.
LOCALLY GROWN/
LOCALLY GROWN / FARM TO
TABLE FARM TO TABLE
MOUNTAIN VALLEY FARM.
“Growing Locally Since 1840.” Offering
our own Grassfed Beef and Heritage
Pork, fresh eggs, handmade cheeses,
creamery butter, handcrafted ice
cream, and lots more in our Farm
Store located on our working farm in
Ellijay. TripAdvisor rated #1. www.
grassfedgeorgia.com. Suzy Wright,
farmer / owner 706-889-0999.
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
HOME WATCH SERVICES FOR
ABSENTEE HOMEOWNERS. If you
are away for a day, a week or months
at a time we have developed services
just for you. Licensed*Bonded*Insured*
www.homewatchofnorthgeorgia.com.
678-773-7905.
REAL ESTATE
LEASE/RENTAL
REAL ESTATE
LEASE / RENTAL
HOT TUB, MOUNTAIN VIEWS
and wall of windows highlight this
cozy, 1,700-square foot, 2/2 cabin in
Big Canoe. End of cul-de-sac privacy.
Best for couples and small families.
Weekend/weekly / monthly rates. For
details, see vrbo.com listing #495166.
706-579-1233.
TREETOPPER FOR WEEKEND
RENTAL. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. $170/
weekend. Beautiful view of lake and
mountains. Fully equipped. Call Mae
Dugger 770-427-4292 (office) or 770427-7751.
LONG- AND SHORT-TERM
LUXURY RENTAL HOMES in Big
Canoe. 24-plus upscale, meticulously
maintained 5-, 4-, 3-, 2-, 1-bedroom
homes and condos. Call Kevin,
404-788-7635, or email, kevin@
Banner Advertising on
Smoke Signals Online
www.bigcanoenews.com
n Online banner ads will be set up to link directly to your choice of
Website, Facebook page, or a Business Directory subscription listing on
www.bigcanoenews.com.
n Rates are per month. The Smoke Signals payment policy is
published on bigcanoenews.com.
n $50 art charge is assessed for ads which a Smoke Signals’
graphic designer creates or changes at your request.
n Specific web page position requests may be made and will be
accommodated if space available.
PLACEMENT, SIZES & RATES
HOME PAGE FOLD (360X280PIXELS) • $150.00
FOOTER (565X70P) • $100.00
STANDARD SIDE (180X150P) • $100.00
NAVIGATION (234X60P) • $85.00
See www.bigcanoenews.com for additional
details on size and placement.
Contact [email protected] or 678-925-8511
for more information or to place an ad on www.bigcanoenews.com.
Increase
Your Reach...
Increase
Your Sales!
REAL
ESTATE
FOR
REAL
ESTATE
FOR SALE
SALE
BIG CANOE VIEW LOT. Lake Petit
can be seen. Lot size is 1.1 acres. Call
agent at 770-418-1262. See FMLS
#5558727.
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
GROUPS GROUPS
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
WOMEN meets every Wednesday,
noon, Holy Family Episcopal Church,
Pete’s Porch, 204 Griffith Road. Closed
discussion. Information, 706-253-2323 or
404-525-3178.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets
every Saturday, 9 a.m., Broyles Center
at Big Canoe Chapel, downstairs, rear
outside entrance. Information: 706-2532323, 404-525-3178.
FREE PREGNANCY TESTS. North
Georgia Pregnancy Center. 706-2536303. Open Monday & Wednesday
12:30-5:00 p.m. 1549 East Church Street.
Appointments and walk-ins. www.
babyontheway.org.
VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDEDNEEDED
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
- PICKENS COUNTY seeking
volunteers. Many skill needs. Current
priorities are volunteer relations,
jobsite management. Contact Monique
Vinelli: 706-253-4610 / pickenshfh@
gmail.com / www.pickenshfh.org.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Good
Samaritan Health and Wellness Center.
Medical experience not required. Please
call our volunteer office, 706-253-4673,
or email [email protected].
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Do you have
4 hours to give to help others? Contact
Judith Persing, 706-268-3940, regarding
volunteering at Pickens Community
Thrift Store.
32 C
S M O K E
MARCH 2016
CHARLES VECCHIO
Big Canoe’s Perennial Top Producer
• Associate Broker for Big Canoe Realty, #1 or #2 Top Producing Resale Agent in
Each of the Last 7 Years!
• Certified Residential/Review Appraiser for 22 years qualifies Charles to accurately
price your home to sell.
• Consistently sells his listings, averaging 80%. If he lists your home, there’s a great
chance he’ll sell it, too.
• Has sold and closed nearly $50 Million in Real Estate Sales exclusively in Big Canoe
since 2009.
• Markets and/or sells over 10% of all the resales in Big Canoe.
Buying or Selling - Charlie is ready to put his
professional expertise to work for you!
March’s Featured Properties
JUST REDUCED/CLOSE TO N. GATE,
LONG RANGE MTN VIEWS
NEW LISTING - MODEL LIKE HOME
N. MOUNTAIN VIEWS
JUST REDUCED - PANORAMIC VIEWS
CHOCTAW VILLAGE
HIGH QUALITY FINISH - GARAGE 3
FANTASTIC VALUE IN HIGH GAP
97 Sunuwa Way, 4 BR/3.5 BA,
$500,000
1261 Deer Run Ridge, 4 BR/4 BA
$498,000
36 Pakanle Ridge, 3+BR/2.5 BA
$499,900
133 Red Fox Drive, 5 BR/5.5 BA
$599,000
LONG RANGE
PANORAMIC N. VIEWS
JUST REDUCED
EXECUTIVE HOME/BLACKWELL CREEK
JUST REDUCED/CLOSE TO N. GATE,
MINT CONDITION/PRIVATE SETTING
NEW LISTING
LONG RANGE MTN VIEWS
ACT
NTR
CO
DER
UN
56 N. Sanderlin Mtn Dr., 4 BR/3.5 BA
$469,000
534 Red Bud Pass, 5 BR/5.5 BA
$549,000
69 Cherokee Knoll,4 BR/3 ½ BA
$319,000
1329 McElroy Mtn, 6 BR/3.5 BA
$499,900
JUST REDUCED - LONG RANGE
SOUTHERLY VIEWS
UPDATED MODEL LIKE HOME/
PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS
ESTABLISHED RENTAL INCOME
CLOSE TO TRAILS/GREAT VALUE
NEW LISTING
2 MASTER SUITES ON THE MAIN
ND
A
OLD
S
SED
CLO
$289,900
215 N. Sanderlin Mtn, 3 BR/3.5 BA
$359,000
118 Soaring Hawk, 3 BR/2 BA
$169,900
14 Columbine Drive, 4 BR/3.5 BA
$350,000
JUST REDUCED - CUSTOM
5+ BEDROOM BUILT IN 2006
JUST REDUCED, NEWLY
RENOVATED/PRIVATE SETTING
DIRECT LAKE
AND MOUNTAIN VIEWS
NEW LISTING
UPDATE/CLOSE TO GATE
ND
LD A
SED
CLO
SO
1033 Quail Cove Dr, 5 BR/4.5 BA
$450,000
1150 Woodland Trace, 3 BR/2.5 BA
$242,500
303 Laurel Ridge Trail, 4 BR/3.5 BA
$299,000
43 Morgan Walk, 4 BR/2.5 BA
$219,900
JUST REDUCED / 2 MASTERS ON MAIN
COMPLETE UPDATE / RUSTIC CHARM
NEW LISTING - BUILT IN 2000
PRIVATE SETTING/UNFINISHED TERRACE
NEW LISTING—UPDATED CABIN
NEW KITCHEN/GAR/2 ADDED
JUST REDUCED
LONG RANGE N. VIEWS
ND
A
OLD
S
SED
CLO
26 Laughing Fox Knoll, 4 BR/4 BA
$300,000
56 Tsiskwa Place, 3BR/2.5 BA
$279,900
685 Shetland Trace, 4 BR/3 BA
$299,900
23 Resting Bear Ridge, 4 BR/3.5 BA
$319,000 FIRM
JUST REDUCED - LONG RANGE
SOUTHERLY VIEWS
MOUNTAIN VIEW
CHOCTAW VILLAGE
JUST REDUCED
DIRECT FRONTAGE ON LAKE PETIT
LONG RANGE
MOUNTAIN VIEWS
ACT
NTR
CO
DER
UN
$230,000
21 Choctaw Ridge Circle
4 BR/3.5 BA, $399,900
56 Thrush Turn, 3 BR/3 BA
$325,000
Charles Vecchio
Associate Broker
706-268-2327, off. • 770-331-9045, cell
www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-vecchio/19/761/784/
2250 Ridgeview Drive, 4 BR/3 BA
$299,000

Big Canoe`s firefighters to participate in Fight for Air

Transcription

Similar documents

112 200 Klahanie Drive, Port Moody, BC Asking

This is where you can share the adventure of a lifetime

KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK GOLF TOUR

head of class

April 2016 - Michigan Canoe Racing Association

Steelhead Trout Display The Stories Behind the Displays

CANOEING ACCESS MAP

Descriptions Ex SRI - Ruffing Montessori School