1. food and drink
2. desserts and baking

November 2014
Julie Barnett
Leigh Barnett
REALTOR®
REALTOR®
Cell 404-697-3860
Cell 404-931-3636
141 S. Main St.
Clayton, GA
706-212-0228
www.lakeburtonhome.com for VIRTUAL TOURS
FEATURED HOMES
The Meeting House on Lake Burton $5,900,000
Rockmore Garden Estate on Lake Burton $5,900,000
Panorama Point on Lake Burton $3,875,000 Mountain Reflections on Lake Burton $2,795,000
Swept Away on Lake Burton $2,695,000
Family Fun on Lake Burton $2,250,000
Perched on Lake Rabun $2,185,000
Tucked Away Cove on Lake Burton $1,950,000
Laurelwood Cottage on Lake Rabun $1,795,000
Lake Burton Bliss $1,695,000
Private 1.13 Ac. Lake Burton Lot $1,690,000
Serendipity on Lake Burton $1,550,000
1.74 ac. Lot in Cherokee Cove $1,595,000
Charming Cabin on Lake Burton $1,595,000
Quarter Moon Place on Lake Burton $1,250,000
Laurel Falls on Lake Burton $1,425,000
Winsome Lake Burton $1,495,000
Forever Young on Lake Burton $1,195,000
Fishing Cabin on 2.51 Ac. Lake Burton Lot $1,195,000
Cute as a Button on Lake Burton $1,195,000
The Lodge at Goldmine Falls $579,000
Trout Haven on Lake Burton $695,000
1.37 Fee Simple Ac. on Lake Rabun $895,000
16 +/- Ac. of Privacy in Persimmon $485,000
2.26 Ac. Lot on Lake Burton $575,000
3BD/2ba In-town Charmer $129,900
Call Julie 404-697-3860 or Call Leigh 404-931-3636
www.lakeburtonhome.com
for a complete listing of properties and VIRTUAL TOURS
141 S. Main St. •Clayton, GA • 706-212-0228
Finding
Art
Finding
Art
Mountain Happenings November and December, 2014
STEPHENS COUNTY
November 1st
Tour de Tugalee Bike Ride
Tugaloo Corridor, Toccoa
Info: 706.886.8614
November 1st - 2nd
Toccoa Harvest Festival
Downtown Toccoa
Info: 706.282.3309
December 5th
Christmasfest & Lighting of the Tree
Downtown Toccoa
Info: 706.282.3309
December 5th - 6th
Festival of Trees
Historic Courthouse, Toccoa
Info: 706.886.2132
December 6th
Christmas Parade
Downtown Toccoa
Info: 706.716.0490
December 7th
Toccoa Symphony Orchestra
Georgia Baptist Conference Center
Toccoa
Info: 706.886.8614
December 13th
Christmas at Traveler’s Rest
Tugaloo State Park, Toccoa
Info: 706.356.4362
The Northeast Georgia
Community Concert Series
Shaefer Center, Toccoa
Info: 706.297.7014
November 13th
The Malpass Brothers
December 11th
“Cinnamon Grits Christmas in the South”
HABERSHAM COUNTY
November 27th - January 1st
Christmas in Cornelia Holiday
Lights Spectacular
Cornelia City Park, Cornelia
Info: 706.778.4654
December 6th
Habersham County Christmas Parade
Downtown Clarkesville
Info: 706.778.4654
December 13th
A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas
Downtown Clarkesville
Info: www.clarkesvillega.com
Habersham Community Theatre
Clarkesville
Info: www.habershamtheater.org
December 5th - 7th, 11th - 14th
“A Christmas Chaos”
December 31st
“Elvis” New Year’s Eve
at Grant Street Music Room
Clarkesville
Info: 706.754.3541
November 15th - Col. Bruce Hampton
November 22nd - Rolling Nowhere
December 12th - The Social Engineers
at Tallulah Gorge State Park
Tallulah Falls
Info: 706.754.7981
November 1st - 2nd, 8th - 9th
November 15th - 16th
Whitewater Releases
November 1st, 9th, 15th
White-Water Watching Hike
November 6th / December 5th, 6th
Full-Moon Suspension Bridge Hike
November 28th
Walk Off the Turkey
WHITE COUNTY
September 11th - 14th
September 18th - November 2nd
44th Annual Oktoberfest
Helen
Info: 706.878.1908
November 1st
Unicoi Wine Festival
Hardman Farm, Helen
Info: 706.865.5356
November 8th
Advanced Land Navigation
Smithgall Woods Park
Helen
Info: 706.878.3087
November 8th - 9th
Civil War Expo
Helen Riverside Park, Helen
Info: 800.858.8027, 706.878.2181
November 28th - 30th
December 6th - 7th
7th Annual Christkindlemarkt
Downtown Helen
Info: 706.878.1908
November 28th
Annual Lighting of the Village
Downtown Helen
Info: 706.878.2181
16 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
December 6th
Annual Christmas Parade
Downtown Helen
Info: 706.878.2181
December 6th
Annual Christmas in the
Mountains Festival
Downtown Cleveland
Info: 706.865.5356
December 31st
New Year’s Eve Celebration &
Dropping of the Edelweiss
Helen Festhalle, Helen
Info: 706.878.1908
at the Helen Arts & Heritage Center
Helen
Info: 706.878.3933
www.helenarts.org
October 23rd - December 27th
“Alpine Holidays” Art Exhibit
December 9th
Appalachian Christmas
at Yonah Mountain Vineyards
Cleveland
Info: 706.878.5522
November 1st and each Saturday
Tour de la Cave and Barrel Sampling
November 8th / December 13th
Masterpiece Mixers Painting & Tasting Party
Info: 678.982.1100
at Unicoi State Park
Helen
Info: 706.878.2201
November 1st - 2nd and each
weekend through mid November
Visiting Artists Series
November 26th - December 13th
Festival of Trees
November 29th
Helen Holiday Half Marathon
Saturday Evening Music
Concert Series at Unicoi State Park
November 1st - Nelson Thomas
November 8th - Evergreen
at The North Georgia Zoo
Cleveland
Info: 706.348.7279
www.northgeorgiazoo.com
November 1st - 2nd, 8th - 9th
Pumpkin Smashin Fun
November 11th
Mommy & Me at the Zoo
at the Sautee Nacoochee
Community Association
Sautee
Info: 706.878.3300
November 4th
and each Tuesday & Thursday
Silver Fit Exercise Class
Yoga Classes for Youth & Adults
November 4th, 18th
December 2nd, 16th
Contra Learn and Dance
November 15th
Photography Intro Workshop /
Atlanta Concert Ringers with
The Sautee Camerata
November 29th / December 27th
Community Contra Dance
RABUN COUNTY
November 1st and
each Saturday through November
Simply Homegrown Farmers’ Market
Covered Bridge Shopping Center
Clayton
Info: www.rabunmarket.com
November 1st and each
Saturday Night through November
Bluegrass on the Square
Tallulah Falls Opry House
Tallulah Falls
Info: 706.754.6040
November 27th
Turkey Trot for Clayton Cluckers
Downtown Clayton
Info: 706.982.1284
November 28th - 29th
Festival of Trees and
Holiday Shopping Extravanganza
Rabun County Civic Center
Clayton
Info: 706.212.2149
November 28th
Christmas in Downtown Clayton /
Christmas Tree Lighting
Downtown Clayton
Info: 706.782.1520
November 29th
Santa on Saturday
Rock House Park, Clayton
Info: 706.782.1520
December 6th
Christmas Parade
Main Street, Clayton
Info: 706.782.4812
December 6th - 7th
Christmas in the Mountains
North Georgia Community Players
Dillard Playhouse, Dillard
Info: www.ngcommunityplayers.com
TOWNS COUNTY
December 6th
Towns County Christmas
Tour of Homes
Hiawasee and Young Harris
Info: 706.896.4966, 800.984.1543
UNION COUNTY
November 1st (and each Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday)
Knitter’s Knitch Classes
64 Bracketts Way - Ste. 6, Blairsville
Info: 706.835.1078
November 3rd and
Alzheimers’ Support Group
Cadence Bank
Blairsville
Info: 770.789.2044
November 5th and each Wednesday
through November
BINGO
Haralson Memorial Civic Center
Blairsville
Info: 706.300.5722
November 6th
Living Will Workshop
Union General Hospital
Blairsville
Info: 706.745.2111
November 6th and each Thursday
through November
Trivia at the View
Union County Community Center
Blairsville
Info: 706.439.6092
November 8th
Writers’ Night Out
Union County Community Center
Blairsville
Info: www.ncwriters-west.org
November 17th
Shape Note Singing Practice
Old Union Courthouse
Blairsville
Info: 706.745.5493
November 22nd - 23rd
Mistletoe Market and Sugar Plum
Tearoom Arts & Craft Show
Blairsville Technical College
Blairsville
Info: 706.896.0932
November 22nd - January 6th
(closed Mondays)
Holiday Show & Sale
The Art Center, Blue Ridge
Info: 706.632.2144
November 28th - December 14th
“Miracle on 34th Street”
The Blue Ridge Community Theater
Blue Ridge
Info: 706.632.9223
December 3rd
Christmas Concert
The Old Courthouse, Blairsville
Info: 706.745.5493
CLAY COUNTY, NC
November 5th and each Wednesday
Brasstown Farmers’ Market
Brasstown
Info: 828.360.2498
MACON COUNTY, NC
November 1st and each Saturday
through November 8th
Franklin Farmers’ Tailgate Market
200 Block of East Palmer, Franklin
Info: 866.372.5546
November 11th
Veterans’ Parade
Downtown Franklin
Info: 828.524.2516
November 15th
Annual Countywide Showcase of
Student Talent
Franklin High Fine Arts Center
Franklin
Info: 828.524.7683
November 6th and each Thursday
Evening Harvest Market
On the Square, Hayesville
Info: 828.508.0812; 828.389.0941
November 20th
Slide Lecture on Cherokee Crafts
Macon County Public Library
Franklin
Info: 828.524.7683
November 7th and each Friday Night
Friday Night’s Jam at Clay’s Corner
Brasstown
Info: 828.837.3797
November 28th
Annual Holdiay Tree Lighting
Ceremony and Candlelight Service
On the Square, Franklin
Info: www.holidaysinfranklin.com
November 8th - 9th
Women’s Expo
The Ridges of Mountain Harbour
Hayesville
Info: 828.389.3704
December 11th - 14th
“The Littlest Angel”
The Licklog Players
Creekside Circle, Hayesville
Info: 828.389.8632
at the John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown
Info: 828.837.2775; 800.FOLKSCH
November 1st
Blacksmith & Fine Craft Auction
November 4th and each Tuesday
Beginner Contra & Square Dance
November 7th
ETSU Country Pride Concert
November 8th, 15th, 22nd
December 13th
Contra & Square Dance
November 13th - Michael Ismerio
November 21st
Bruce Green, Loy McWhirter
& Rob Levin
December 7th - Fireside Sale
December 12th
Brasstown Ringers Holiday Concert
November 29th
Cookies with Santa
Lower Level of Town Hall
Franklin
Info: www.holidaysinfranklin.com
November 29th
Christmas Tree Lighting
Downtown Highlands
Info: 828.526.2112
November 30th
Franklin’s Annual Christmas Parade
Downtown Franklin
Info: 828.524.3161
December 5th, 12th
Winter Wonderland
& Gingerbread Competition
Downtown Franklin
Info: www.holidaysinfranklin.com
December 5th
Brasstown Ringers Christmas Concert
First United Methodist Church
Franklin
Info: 828.524.3010
December 6th
Highlands Olde Mountain
Christmas Parade
Downtown Highlands
Info: 828.526.2112
at the Martin Lipscomb
Performing Arts Center
Highlands
Info: 828.526.9047
November 1st
MET Opera: Carmen (Bizat)
November 2nd
Bolshol Ballet: The Legend of Love
November 8th
Nathional Theater Live: Frankenstein
November 15th
Nation Theater Live: Skylight
November 22nd
MET Opera: Barber of Seville
November 23rd
Bolshol Ballet: The Pharoah’s Daughter
Noverber 28th - Jason D. Williams
December 7th
Bolshol Ballet: La Bayadere
December 13th
MET Opera: Die Meistersinger (Wagner)
December 18th
Highlands Cashiers Players
“Holiday Reading”
December 21st
Bolshol Ballet: The Nutcracker
December 27th
National Theater Live: John
at the Smoky Mountain Center
for Performing Arts
Franklin
Info: 866.273.4615; 828.524.1598
www.GreatMountainMusic.com
November 8th - Tim Hawkins
November 15th - Who’s Got Talent
November 29th
Smoky Mountain Christmas Choir
December 6th
The Manhattan Transfer
December 6th
Holiday Music & Crafts ARTSaturday
Historic Cowee School
Macon Heritage Center
Franklin
Info: 828.349.1945
November 28th
Thanks & Giving Holiday Dinner
for local needy families
at Paradise Hills Resort and Spa
Blairsville
Info: 877.745.7483
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 17
Your Home Professionals
10 Steps
to Select
the Right
Builder
In Clayton
There’s a Gardener on Main
by Lisa Pardue
M
other Nature’s beauty is central in decorating for the fall
and Christmas seasons at The Gardener on Main in Clayton,
Georgia. They look to the traditional decorations that pre-
trees that must be dusted each year.
HOME PROS
At The Gardener on Main, they delve into an overview of plants
they love for their decorative use. Bittersweet and heirloom pumpkins are two of their fall favorites. American Bittersweet Vine displays a bright yellow-orange fruit (berry) that ripens from October to
November. These branches and their vibrant berries have long been
used in autumn arrangements and wreaths. In full maturity the plant,
which is often referred to as invasive, can reach between twenty to
thirty feet tall. North Georgia is as far south as this plant can grow.
Heirloom pumpkins all belong to one of eight varieties each
squash. Whew! What a relief! This we can understand. Heirlooms
are varieties that have not been altered by humans. Many of them
were nearly forgotten as our culture has predominately favored the
offer their beauty in varied shapes, textures and colors. Most resemble a pumpkin, as we know it to be shaped, round with a stout stem
on top; however, many have other shapes including pear-like, tall –
narrow, short – squat, and some appear to have belly buttons. Their
textures can be bumpy, have wart-like bumps, cream color scar-like
lines and some are smooth. Their colors can vary from intense shades
of orange to muted colors like gray, blue, yellow and even a pale pink
akin to Mary Kay’s signature Cadillac color. If kept in a dry environment with temperatures no higher than the low 70s, they will last
through Thanksgiving.
Christmas tree use began in Germany where usage predated the
holiday as a way to bring the beauty of outdoors in during the winter
solstice. England’s Queen Victoria loved the tradition and encouraged her German husband to continue his native custom. A favorite tree for Christmas is the Fraser Fir which grows naturally only in
the Southern Appalachian Mountains at elevations of 4,500 feet and
above. It is noted for its form, needle retention as well as its bluegreen color. The fragrance of a natural Christmas tree is unbeatable.
Maintaining these natural trees throughout the holidays simply requires a steady supply of water.
At The Gardener on Main they offer a full assortment of pumpkins and bittersweet mid-September through Thanksgiving. Beginning
Thanksgiving week their Fraser Fir trees, wreaths and garland will be
available. Their hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM until Thanksgiving.
They will be open until 7:00 PM on Friday and Saturday evenings
during the busy Christmas tree season.
The Gardener on Main is located at 290 South Main Street in
Clayton, Georgia. They are next door to Amrine’s Equipment Rental.
For additional information please call 706.782.0310 but a visit is
sure to please!
30 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 31
- A Taste -
Bon Appetit
Blessings from the Kitchen
by Scarlett Cook
N
ovember is the time to gather family and friends together and
give thanks for all the blessings that we have received this
year. I know sometimes it seems as if we haven’t received
blessings but if you really think about it we all have numerous blessing. I’m not talking about winning the lottery type blessings, (I really,
No, what I am talking about is that the price of gas is steadily going
down, that the weather is beautiful and the trees are putting on a
gorgeous show of color. And of course the most important blessing
is that we live in this spot in Georgia where we really do care about
our neighbors and friends and they care about us right back.
Maybe your Thanksgiving meal isn’t as traditional as your
friends’ meal is, but the important thing is that you are all together
(Sometimes only in your heart; I know, I have to share my children
with others but they are still with me in spirit.)
Here are some recipes to try this year; they don’t have to be
overs, these will be a welcome change.
sugar and honey.
Let ham rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Macaroni with Wine and Cheese
Serves 6
2 Cups seashell macaroni
1/4 Cup minced onion
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon pepper
1 Cup heavy cream
1/3 Cup dry white wine
2 Cups grated sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese or a combination of
both cheeses
Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Salad
Serves 8 – 10
1 Cup strawberry yogurt
1/4 Cup honey
4 Ounces cream cheese, softened
1 8-Ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
Honey Glazed Ham
Serves 8 – 10
Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain well.
Sauté onion in butter until tender.
mixture thickens.
Add cheese and stir until blended.
Combine sauce and cooked macaroni and place in a greased casserole dish.
*Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
*The dish can be sprinkled with bread or cracker crumbs prior to
baking.
Broccoli Stuffed Tomatoes
Serves 6
1 Fully cooked ham
4 Sticks cinnamon
10 – 12 Whole gloves
2 Tablespoons prepared brown mustard
6 Medium tomatoes
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon pepper
1 Teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 Cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 Cup honey
Slowly boil ham with cinnamon sticks for 3 1/2 hours.
Let sit in marinate for 4 hours.
Remove ham and place in broiler pan. Slice criss-cross cuts on tops
side of ham and stud with whole cloves.
32 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
1 Cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Wash tomatoes. Cut tops off of tomatoes; remove pulp leaving shells
intact.
Mix salt and pepper and sprinkle insides of shells with mixture. Invert on wire rack and drain for 30 minutes.
Cook broccoli according to package directions and drain well
Arrange shells in shallow baking dish. Stuff with broccoli mixture.
(At this stage, tomatoes can be refrigerated to be cooked later. Let dish
come to room temperature before baking.)
When ready to bake, sprinkle tops with Parmesan cheese and bake at
Chess Cake
Serves 12
1 18 1/2-Ounce box yellow cake mix
1 Egg
1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 16-Ounce box powdered sugar
1 8-Ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 Eggs
Strawberries, blueberries or blackberries for garnish
Baked Corn Pie
Serves 6
1 Small onion, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1 Cup milk
2 Eggs, beaten
1 15 – 17 Can whole kernel corn, drained
Mix cake mix, 1 egg and butter with mixer until blended.
Press into a greased 13”x9” baking dish.
Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese and 2 eggs and pour over
Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Cool. Garnish with berries before and
serving.
Amaretto Pie
Serves 8
and nutmeg.
Add milk; cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
In bowl beat eggs slightly. Add small amount of hot milk mixture to
eggs, stirring constantly to prevent eggs from cooking.
Gradually add remaining hot milk mixture, stirring constantly.
Stir in corn. Pour into a 9” pie pan. Bake 45 minutes.
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 Cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes – 1 large or two small potatoes
1/4 Cup sugar or honey
1/4 Cup milk
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup milk
1/4 Cup amaretto
Cream butter and sugar with mixer.
When mixture is smooth, add eggs, blending well.
Stir in coconut by hand. Pour mixture into greased 9” pie pan.
Bake for 45 minutes.
and nutmeg.
Add nuts.
In another bowl combine sweet potatoes, sugar (or honey), milk, egg
-
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 33
Notes De Vin
Wines for Thanksgiving
by Carla Fackler
O
ctober, November and December account for close to 35
percent of annual wine and spirits sales in the United States.
Ryan Spruhan
Lake Rabun Hotel & Restaurant – Lakemont, Georgia
turkey to think about. There’s wine!
Jenny Wilson
Fromage & Other Fine Foods – Clayton, Georgia
the side dishes, sweet, savory and fatty, and the choice of wines can
be complicated. Who to ask? Our region’s Best Chefs America 20132014!
One Wine Fits All
Jamie Allred
Fortify Kitchen & Bar – Clayton, Georgia
Justin Burdett
Ruka’s Table - Highlands, North Carolina
David Darugh and Gayle Darugh
The Beechwood Inn – Clayton, Georgia
James Reaux,
Murphy’s Chophouse - Murphy, North Carolina
The Chophouse of Hiawassee – Hiawassee, Georgia
The Chophouse at LaPrade’s, Lake Burton
34 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
wine, “Cava or Champagne. Maybe a sparkling rosé. These wines
are easy to drink, they’re delicious and they pair with foods so well.
They are versatile, lower in alcohol and generally have great levels of
acidity…. They’re like Kool Aid for adults.”
Chef David Darugh recommends looking for a wine that “will
case itself as a compliment to the food.” He suggests a dry but robust
rosé: 2012 Elicio Rosé, Cotes du Rhone, France; 2012 ZaZa Rosé,
Aragon, Spain; 2012 Carlin de Paolo, il Giullare, Monferrato ChiaretRosé, Cotes du Rhone, France; or 2013 Stonewall Creek Vineyards
Glassy Red (Rabun County)—all from Beechwood Inn’s wine cellar.
Chef Jamie Allred’s personal choice is a Petit Manseng, a full-bodied
Tiger Mountain Vineyards.
Chef Justin Burdett (and his wife Brooke wine and beverage director at Ruka’s Table) suggest Robert Sinskey vin gris of Pinot Noir.
“It’s a beautiful rosé, maybe my favorite when it comes to New World
wine. It’s made with organic Pinot Noir grapes from the Carneros
region, whole-cluster pressed and goes with anything.”
also suggests a wine from Hightower Creek Vineyards in Hiawassee:
Epiphany (Seval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Viognier).
Two Offers More
Chef Jenny Wilson mentions her nephew’s pet turkey, and confesses, “I can’t bring myself to eat them anymore.” Most years she
prepares pork roast, matched with a Pinot Noir as “it works well with
pork and doesn’t overwhelm all the side items. I am a big fan of Rieslings and I think they compliment the pumpkin cake and chocolate
fudge pie (our family serves) at Thanksgiving.”
Chef Ryan Spruhan likes a New World Pinot Noir for the turkey,
a good Riesling with some residual sugar for the sides and a good,
is also a white, lean meat that would get swallowed up by a big, bold
red. Riesling’s “acidity plays so well with food and stands up to fatty,
heavy dishes like sweet potatoes.”
Chef Justin Burdett suggests two wines that “will go from main
course to dessert”: 2007 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett and 2007 Robert Sinskey Marcien, a blend of Merlot,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The latter “is “biodynamically-grown in the Carneros region” and “if you didn’t know it was
from California, you would think it’s a much more expensive St. Emilion…. It is big, but still has such a silky feel.”
If Chef David Darugh added a second, he would start out with
a crisp sparkling wine. “If I’m on a budget it would be a brut (dry)
Cava from Spain, or perhaps a Cremant from Burgundy. The inn will
be serving Calixte Sparkling Rosé from Alsace, France…. After our
piece of her famous Utterly Deadly Southern Chocolate Pecan Pie
with a glass of 20 year old Tawny Port.”
Chef Jamie Allred and owner/operator Jack Nolan recommend
a Frank Family Chardonnay from Napa Valley and a Paul Hobbs Alto
Limay Select Pinot Noir from Argentina.
And, from New York City
I caught up with Christy Canterbury, a Master of Wine who travmore than one wine, she suggests Roederer Estate L’Ermitage to start,
then American wines: a dry Washington Riesling like Poet’s Leap,
an Oregon Pinot Noir (an old Eyrie Vineyards) an old Napa Cabernet
Sauvignon (1970’s Robert Mondavi) and for dessert, a Finger Lakes
ice wine.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 35
Minding Your Manners This Thanksgiving
1. There’s no such thing as being fashionably late, only unfashionably tardy! An eight o’clock invitation to an intimate dinner party
means eight o’clock, which allows time for cocktails and a sit down
8. Wash your hands before sitting down for a meal. It is much
more sanitary to dine with clean hands. There’s nothing worse than
2. Dine as quietly as possible. Chew with your mouth closed
and don’t slurp when you drink.
you have dietary restrictions that you have not communicated to your
host, keep your explanation short. Simply tell the host you’re sorry,
you recently became a vegetarian and no longer eat beef, then ask for
a larger portion of the other selections if possible. Take responsibility
for not informing your host of your dietary restrictions earlier.
3. Only use your utensils for eating. The knife is not a laser pointer nor should it ever touch your mouth – no knife licking! If you’re
not taking food from your plate to your mouth, your utensils should
be resting on the dinner plate.
4. A fork is not a forklift. Don’t load up your utensils with large
amounts of food and shovel it into your mouth. This is not a Coney
Island eating contest.
5. Take smaller portions. When dining buffet-style, avoid ‘vulture syndrome’ and don’t load up your plate. It’s more elegant to take
if you’re still hungry.
6. Excuse yourself to blow your nose. Instead of blowing your
nose at the table, walk to the bathroom or a private area.
7. Put your cell phone away. Unless someone is ill or you are a
physician on call, there is no need to have a cell phone at the dinner
table. If you need to make an urgent call, make it either before or
after sitting down. If a real emergency occurs during dinner, excuse
yourself and walk to another room to place the call.
36 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
10. Finish chewing and swallowing before speaking. Never talk
with food in your mouth. Never!
have to do with your table manners, but avoiding interrupting people
during conversations is polite and respectful.
12. Ask your tablemates to pass anything you need. Don’t reach
past your neighbor at the table. If you need someone to pass the salt
or wine, ask the closest diner for it to be passed to you.
place your utensils parallel to each other across your plate, with the
handles at the 4 o’clock position and the knife blade and fork tines
resting close to the plate’s center. This silently informs your server that
you are done eating and your plate can be removed.
the table and you should follow suit. Don’t refold it, crumple it or wad
it up- simply, place it on the left of your dinner plate.
The Copper Door – Fine Dining
in Hayesville, North Carolina
R
years in a row was an honor indeed. Still, The Copper
Door’s Chef Dennis Barber takes as much pleasure in
a full dining room night after night as he does the couple
their meal.
Whether you order Oma’s Meatloaf prepared with tender ground beef, wild mushrooms and Marsala served on
garlic mashed potatoes or pan-seared and oven roasted duck
the freshness, palatability and presentation of your meal.
Chef Dennis prides himself on providing excellent food
choices, an impressive wine cellar and incredible service for
a moderate price at The Copper Door. You may notice a bit
for good reason. He calls New Orleans his hometown and
fell in love with exceptional dining in a small town 50 miles
north of New Orleans while attending college in Hammond,
Louisiana. Those memories stuck and he began renovating an
old service station in downtown Hayesville, North Carolina
in 2005. Today the restaurant is a treasured part of the downtown experience and a favorite of many.
The Copper Door offers monthly wine pairing dinners as well as cooking classes. Ask about membership applications for their loyalty dining program the Premiere Club, a great value for regulars! If you have
yet to experience dinner at The Copper Door we recommend you give it a try. They are located at 2 Sullivan
For additional information or to make your reservations please call 828.389.8460 or email [email protected]. Reservations may also be made online at www.thecopperdoor.com.
Photo by: Patrick Brown
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 37
- Faith -
My Big Steaming Pile
by Charles Martin
W
hen I was
a
kid,
maybe
ten, I was falsely
accused of saying
something I didn’t
by the parents of one
of my friends. Pretty
horrible, too. They
were wealthy, respectable folks in my
neighborhood and
my parents had no
reason not to believe
them. They came to
our house, sat down
with my folks, retold
their perspective of
the events and then
left. I got the spanking. Truth was their son had said it, not
me. I could never convince them of that. Nor my folks. A
few months later, my sister falsely accused me of pulling down
another girl’s panties when I hadn’t. The accusing sister had. I
got the spanking. My sister batted her eyelids and said, “No,
daddy. Charles did it.” Then a few months later, a kid I didn’t
know waved me down, stopped me in the middle of the street
on the way to the movie theatre, seemed friendly enough, and
asked to ride my bike -- the bike I’d spent eight months saving
for -- and since I was trying to do like mom and dad said and
treat people like Jesus, I said ‘yes’ and haven’t seen him since.
I remember standing in that street calling after that kid, asking
him to bring back my bike. Crickets.
I walked home, and climbed up in a chair. I was in a bad
way. A knot tightening in my stomach. Fists clenched. Bitter.
Angry. Bubbling hatred. Self pity thrown in for good measure.
You could smell me coming -- I was ripe with unforgiveness.
Just inches from the dark side. And, I had every right to feel
that way. Pretty soon, the dam broke and I cried from the bottom of my belly -- the angriest cry I’d ever known. I remember
shaking and being unable to catch my breath. For minutes at a
time. If you want to see what I looked like, pour gasoline in a
Styrofoam cup. That was me...
My cries brought my mom out of the kitchen. She was pretty
good at reading my body language so she walked in, sat next to
words out my mouth.
and vindication. ‘Fool me once...’ and all that.
Or, I could take that big, steaming, putrid pile, and hand
the whole thing to Jesus, forfeiting my right to vindication. To
retribution. To evening the score.
I remember looking at my mother like she’d lost her everloving mind.
I mean, are you kidding me! Where were the 39-lashes,
the public humiliation, the beheading, the drawing and quartering, the trumpet that lowers from the clouds along with a
booming heavenly voice declaring, “Behold, World! Charles
know it!!!” I wanted to rip that kid’s his head off and post it on
a stake outside the city walls.
I said something like, “What is fair about that?”
It’s been a long time, but I think I remember her inching
too. More than you. And, He will get it. Justice is one of the
foundations of his throne, but in this moment right here, he is
concerned with your heart.”
So, we prayed. Mom led and I grunted in agreement. I don’t
remember what we prayed, and I’m pretty sure my heart wasn’t
in it, but I do know -- as a statement of absolute fact -- that that
prayer cut me free from what was threatening to eat me from
the inside out.
As an adult this has not gotten easier. A few years ago some
got it all. Deep hurt. It was a big-people wound and I was left
bleeding. Let me be gut-check honest. I wanted the Maximus
moment in the Coliseum -- “I will have my vengeance in this
life or the next.”
But I also knew that Maximus in the Coliseum would not
and could not deal with the Maximus in my gut. I knew better.
Despite my emotions, I knew that if I kept that big steaming
pile bottled up in me, then I was -- by default -- saying the
Cross didn’t count for squat. And I make Jesus out to be a liar.
And I rot from the inside out.
And the thought of that hurt far worse than the pitiful little
wound I was bemoaning.
Actually, I’m down right hacked off. And I don’t want to be
ning bolts. Poof! Cloud of smoke.” Then I did something else
I didn’t want to do. With a friend as a witness, I physically
She listened and then gave me my options:
I could go on my un-merry way. Skin thicker. Heart more
calloused. Eyes narrower. Puffed up. Hell-bent on vengeance
38 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
handed it to Jesus. Then, out loud, I said, “Lord, it’s too much
for me. I don’t want this in me anymore. And I need You to be
You and take it. Right now. Right here. I’m done playing. I
- Faith forgive them outright and completely for everything they ever
did to me. Period. Let me say that again because it gets at
the root of this -- I forgive them outright and completely for
everything they ever did to me. I tear up the I.O.U. Lord, Your
word says ‘bless those who curse you and pray for those who
persecute you.’ So, would you please bless those folks. And, I
mean it. I want you to bless them. Bless their socks off. Bless
their hopes, dreams, lives, families, children, careers, homes.
The whole shebang.” I did that every day. For days.
Did I ‘feel’ better? Not immediately. But my feelings weren’t
driving this train. I was. My feelings didn’t want to forgive them
outright and completely. They kept wanting to tuck the IOU
someplace safe. Pull it out when needed. Welcome to the war
of unforgiveness. SO, I kept praying. I prayed until I woke up
and didn’t need to pray anymore. No bitterness. No anger.
No smell of decay.
NOTE: I AM NOT saying that you should become a doormat
and let people walk all over you. Don’t hear that. Nor am
should never have been done. Or what your ex-husband did.
Or...that man now in prison. Or the partner who robbed you
blind. Or the stuff that hurts so bad you’ve never told anyone.
Or what happened in that prison camp in Dachau or Vietnam.
be prosecuted in this life and get away scot-free. Don’t hear
conversation entirely. You’re right to feel hurt. It was wrong.
Way wrong. What you feel is a very real wound. I believe
you. Please hear me when I say, I’m sorry for the thing that
hurt you and I wish it had never been done.
But, what we’re talking about here, right now in this moment, is the effect of that wound in you.
Let’s turn the mirror. Eyes on you a second. Fair or not -Here’s the deal -- Jesus will let you keep your hurt. He’ll never
take anything from you that you don’t give him. He will not
exert His will over yours, BUT, if you offer it up, He’ll remove
it. Roots and all.
This is the exchange that occurred on the Cross. That’s when
God the Father drove a stake in the ground and said, “No
more.” And it is those words that still echo through eternity.
The exchange is this -- we give Him our pain, and He gives us
His life to the full. His Freedom. His Healing. Period. End of
story. No if’s, and‘s, or but’s.
It works like this: Unforgiveness is like Velcro -- We’re the
soft side. The wound is the stiff, prickly part. Look at them
under a magnifying glass and they look like small hoops and
loop side. It needs a place to purchase. To dig in. Otherwise,
it slides off.
If you’re still reading then, chances are, you’ve been wounded and we’re way past a Band-Aid. What I’m about to recommend is, depending on the wound, like digging out a bullet, or
maybe pulling a spear out of your chest.
The steps are pretty simple -- Stop what you’re doing. Don’t
dally. Grab somebody by the hand you can pray with -- out
loud. If you don’t have someone, pray out loud alone. Why
out loud? Because I believe Hebrews 11 and 12. We’re surrounded by a great host of witnesses and I want them -- and
more importantly, Jesus -- to hear me. Then don’t hold back
and lay it out there. If you have to scream it at the top of your
lungs, then let it out. If people look at you funny, they’ll get
over it. Say something like this: “Jesus, this hurts. A lot. I’m
in pain. I’m mad at so-and-so. (Name them. Each one.) Like
seriously angry. They hurt me. And it’s way down deep pain.
I don’t want it in me anymore. (This may seem overly dramatic
splintered wood. The blood dripping off your feet, is landing
on my head. Bathing me. Dripping off my chin. Clothing me
right to be mad and my desire for vengeance, and vindication.
I tear up this wrinkled I.O.U. I give them to you. I’m sorry for
being angry. For hating them. I’m really sorry. I (physically)
give you my heart. Please clean it. Wash it. Fill it. Heal it.
King David prayed, ‘Create in me a clean heart.’ I want one of
those. I forgive them outright and completely -- of everything.
Forever. I’m burning my list of wrongs. And I’m asking you to
bless them. Bless their socks off. In every way. In Jesus name.”
tice I’m not asking you how you ‘feel‘ right now because your
feelings aren’t driving this train. If feelings were the tiller that
steered the ship of forgiveness, Jesus never would have climbed
up on that Cross. He’d have kicked it to the curb. Don’t think
so? Then why was he sweating blood?
Let’s take it a day further. Let’s say you wake up tomorrow
and feel that little twinge or that whisper that says, “Well, yeah
you might have prayed that yesterday but they really screwed
you over and you have every right to be mad.” You’re right,
you do. That’s why forgiveness is a choice. A daily decision of
your will. Not your emotions.
In the end, forgiveness isn’t really for them. It’s for me. For
you. You’re not accepting what they did, not letting them off
the hook, but you are giving them -- still squirming on the
hook -- to Jesus. The difference lies in who is left holding the
hook. Forgiveness is the thing that cuts my chains. Unlocks
my cell. Flings wide my prison door. Don’t fool yourself -There is a war going on right now for your heart and forgiveness is the undefeated champion of this universe and the next.
Period.
Not convinced? Try this. It’s Jesus speaking: “And his lord,
moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he
should repay all that was owed him. So shall my heavenly Father also do to you, IF each of you does not forgive his brother
from your heart.”
Ouch. You mean God won’t forgive me if I don’t forgive
others? Go read it for yourself. Need more proof? Remember
when he taught the disciples to pray. “Forgive us our sins, AS
we forgive those who sin against us.”
Still not convinced?
continued on page 40
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 39
After a lifetime with Jesus, this is what the Apostle John said:
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
IF, AS, and IF are all conditional. That begs the question.
Have you met the conditions?
For me it’s not usually the one giant blow. The single spear
in the back. That’s where I get in trouble.
There’s a part of this conversation I’m not tackling right now
because if I did, we’re be here for another hour, but it’s the
part where I’m the guilty party -- where I wound people who
need to forgive me. If you want to accuse me of not loving my
neighbor as I should, of being a hypocrite, of wounding people
in the very same way I was wounded -- maybe even worse -let me save you the trouble. I’m guilty. My righteousness is
sins would require death. I know this. I also know that it’s all
tion hit me. It’s like a chain -- one link leading to another. Encircling my heart. Choking the life and love out. So let me sum
up -- here it is in a nutshell. You’re neck-deep in a war with an
enemy who wants your head on a platter. He wants to enslave
you. Forever. ONLY ONE THING breaks that chain and it’s
not doctors, not psychiatrists, not medications, not alcohol, not
not a gun, not mysticism, not anything. Standing there at the
mirror, I crawled back to the feet of Jesus. Arms out. Ducking
my head under the drip. “It’s me again. I’m back. I tried carrying this stuff all on my own and it’s not working out too well.
Here. Please take it. I’m sorry. I forgive them outright and
completely...” It’s not easy. Most of the time it hurts like Hell.
And Hell likes it that way. Hell wants it to hurt. But, here’s the
deal -- Hell has no counter to forgiveness. It’s powerless. Disarmed. Defenseless. Speechless. Undone. Dead in the water.
Tied hand and foot and lying across the tracks.
One last thing. If you’re starting to agree with me, but you’re
time. Place a book mark here. More on this later.
The problem with this forgiveness thing is this -- this side of
heaven -- there’s no end to it. We live in a fallen world. Fallen
people. We’re all broken. All walk with a limp. “Our enemy
the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour...” And unforgiveness is one of his most potent
weapons. Want to call yourself a Christian? Forgive someone
who doesn’t deserve it. Yep, it’s tough. Dang straight. Might
be the hardest thing you and I ever do.
And it was and is the heart of Jesus.
If it’s not, then please tell me why on earth did Jesus, having been beaten beyond measure -- Isaiah says his visage was
marred more than any man, another translation says he was
forgive them...” Let that sink in. He could have summoned
legions of angels to his rescue, lightning bolts from the throne
and yet there he hangs, asking for their, and our, forgiveness as
they -- and we -- are killing him. If you recoil at that, don’t.
Don’t sugar coat this. We killed Jesus. My sin. Your sin. Forgiveness is life and death. His death. Our life.
someness of the heart of Jesus -- and it’s the part that brings
me to my knees. The part where He says, ‘Yeah, I know. I love
you despite your pile.’
Just because I’m writing about this doesn’t mean I think I’m
ever. That’s bunk. I was brushing my teeth this morning and felt
the twinge of something else that happened to me. A memory
it still hurts. No resolution. But, there I stood. Foaming at the
mouth. Toothbrush in hand. And these words bubbled up:
“Sin is crouching at your door and its desire is to have you.”
(God said this to Cain after he killed Abel. And, that word
for ‘desire’ is the same word used in Song of Solomon for the
desire between two lovers. Pretty strong.) Truth be told, that
memory led to another memory. Ding number two. I looked
40 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
He’s never seen a pile like yours? Really? 6 billion people
on the planet and your pile is special? That’s a lie. No matter
what you hand Him, no matter how big, awful or ugly, He is
faithful. Because after he said, “Father, forgive them...” He
and is the greatest singular defeat in the history of the world. It
is vengeance. It is vindication. It more than evened the score.
It is the day that God the Father drove a stake in the ground
and said, “This ends right here.” Jesus, the King of Glory, the
God of Angel Armies, the Lover of My Soul, My Healer and My
Redeemer, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the
One who holds the keys to death and Hades, the Living One,
the One who washes me white as snow and dresses me in scarwound I’ve ever offered up. Without fail. And what He’s given
me in return, well...nothing compares.
New York Times Bestselling author Charles Martin and wife
Christy are the parents to three boys, Charlie, John T. and Rives.
When he isn’t writing books
and blog posts, Charles likes
to bow hunt and work out.
One of his ten books, When
Crickets Cry was written with
Lake Burton in mind as the
setting. His newest book A
Life Intercepted was released
in September of this year. His
books are available in bookstores and locally at Prater’s Book Store in Clayton.
You may well want to visit
Charles’ website and subscribe to his blog both can be
found at www.charlesmartinbooks.com.
Blackberry
Mornings
I
way. Ever since I was a little girl, I
would invent stories in my head. When
I learned to drive, I would be traveling down
the road lost in one of my made-up tales.
Now that I am a senior by McDonald’s standards, I write them down. I love to pen inspirational stories that God hands me. Those
stories that, I hope, takes you away for a few minutes.
My book, Blackberry Mornings, is richly southern with a multitude of short
tomobile accident at the age of 25. Devastated, God sent Tracy to me asking if
she could print one of my stories…and we’ve been a part of each other’s lives
since. I have no doubt that God orchestrated this special friendship.
My husband, Tony has always been a huge supporter and cheerleader of mine, and even after working a very long shift as a
son, Joel (28) is in sales and our son Luke, is a 14 year old eight grader (yes, you can say, bless her heart, now!) and an absolute
I’m excited to introduce the soon to be Blackberry Mornings book, and my hope is that as you read my stories, it will
inspire and delight you.
Blessings…Lisa Harris
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 41
Faithful Reminders
by Rick Story
A
s Clayton Baptist Church continues to make mission efforts a primary ministry focus, many church members and area residents
are participating. As a matter of fact, recent ministry responses
to those in crisis continue to lead local ministry teams to locations both
foreign and domestic, and simultaneously provide opportunities for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people of various ages, cultures and
religions.
ous mission destinations, such as the eastern European nation of Ukraine,
where ministry was provided to orphans with disabilities and also to the
plains of both Zimbabwe and South Dakota, where ministry support
was provided to both missionaries and Native American children. More
Island, New York, where assistance was provided to residents continuing to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of “super storm” Sandy, and
future trips are planned to include possible destinations such as India,
Asia and Alaska. Regardless of the destination, Clayton Baptist Church
continues to encourage mission efforts and prayerfully support mission
team participants.
And, it was the prayerful support and provision of God that once
again led a Clayton Baptist mission team to the plains of South Dakota
this past summer. The team was composed primarily of youth participants
from the church, but also included a handful of adult leaders blessed
to be fellow laborers accompanying the youth group across America’s
heartland. I was one of the adult leaders, and I have to say that quite
honestly, the experience changed my life.
Our team was part of an outreach effort to our Native American
brothers and sisters residing on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation in
Northeastern South Dakota. These Native American brothers and sisters
are part of a branch of a Dakota Sioux Indian tribe known as the Sisseton
Wahpeton Oyate. They reside on federally protected lands near the town
of Sisseton, located in Roberts County, which is in the extreme northeastern corner of the state of South Dakota.
While in South Dakota, we partnered with area missionaries and set up camp at a local venue known as Camp
at “reaching the Native American people through relationship evangelism”. The camp proved a perfect venue for
as Bible studies, craft making, group recreation and outdoor
activities for the visiting area children, all of which enabled us
to build lasting relationships while sharing our faith with the
Native American children and their families.
strengthened our faith and broadened our understanding of the
Native American culture. I also think the trip served as a gentle
reminder that blessings are often received through obedience. I
know I was certainly reminded that my greatest blessings have gene r - ally required big steps of faith; and most often those steps of faith
ies. Most importantly however, I was reminded that those walks are
never taken alone. Jesus reminded me in South Dakota that He always
walks with me, and He also reminded me that it only takes Him a second
to change a life forever.
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My Evening Porch
by Patti Graham
E
quietly to the sounds of Lady Slipper Acres. Unlike the robust,
hurried motion of the day time, my mind collects the rhythms
their lofty heights onto roof tops. Raindrops fall hurriedly down from
storm clouds passing by as winds blow gently, making its own music
and causing the leaves to dance then fall softly to the ground.
South on Highway 441, when oak trees were low enough to view
pained hues of fall.
As darkness approaches I glance through the trees at the lights
illuminating the shapes on Highway 441. The clouds, drifting gently
overhead soon cover the last shades of blue sky as it takes its place in
the awaiting heavens. The katydids relentlessly serenade me with their
mate to mate callings with the assurance of answers. Late October
frost will soon silence these musicians.
All these sounds are the music that God delivers in the cool evenings of autumn. Praise God! Your Creations are full of beauty, delight
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 45
Bless Your Heart
Muddy Shoes
by Lisa Harris
husband called them ‘knee-busters’ as they would take’em to their
knees—then God would slowly bring them back up. Those brown
shoes always gave her comfort . . .
F
lipping the chart, Nurse Shannon
noticed the words, “No Resuscitation” stated boldly at the top. Her
eyes peered over the machines that were hooked
up to Miss Lily-Mae Moore. Beep, pause, beep, pause, the
heart monitor let you know her breathing was laborious as
her body prepared to die. Walking over to the side of her
in a little tighter; she picked up her hand and held it as she said
a prayer. Then she leaned over closer to Miss Lily-Mae, and whispered...“ When you get to heaven, Miss Lily-Mae, tell my mom I love
Lily-Mae lay there pondering. She knew she was dying and was
excited to get on with it. She couldn’t talk and everyone thought she
couldn’t hear what they said . . . but she heard every word. That Ms.
Shannon was such a sweet nurse, so of course, Lily-Mae would look
up her mother . . . she wondered however, if there was a directory in
Heaven. Oh well, plenty of friends already up there to help her out.
As she was breathing slowly, God brought a vision to her mind.
It was the brown shoes she had seen many times in her life. They
were always beside her bed when she was in deep sadness. She’d
had a blessed life but one spotted with many trials . . . she and her
Like the time, years ago, she couldn’t seem to carry a baby to fullterm. She lost three daughters in a row. Lily-Mae climbed into her bed
after the third loss and grieved for days . . . her chest burned from the
pain of sobbing. In the midst of her grief she turned on her side and
. . for some reason, the shoes gave her comfort.
Then there was the time, God gave her a miracle! A son . . . a
wonderful, God-fearing dearly loved son who gave them, so many
happy years before God took him home. A tree fell on his car during a
snow storm taking him instantly. Lily-Mae went back to bed and again
during her despair she saw the same pair of brown shoes . . . only this
time, they were muddy on the soles and the sides . . . and once again,
they strangely gave her comfort.
A few more years past, and many more ‘knee-busters’ came testing her faith. Then one day Lily-Mae’s house burnt slap-down to the
ground. All her pictures were gone of her beloved son, even the Bible
she had written his birth and his death in . . . had perished. She was
plum weary of life, of carrying on and did not think she could live
another day. But, she and her husband rebuilt and when they moved
back in she went to bed. She grieved again for her losses . . . she wept
for her son, for her daughters, for her home. And in the midst of her
tears she saw the same brown shoes . . . next to her bed, covered up
to the ankles in mud caked in all the crevices. Lily-Mae fell asleep
comforted.
***
Her last breaths were much labored when she heard her Father
call her name . . .
“Lily-Mae, the brown shoes belonged to me, each time you
little dirty but as your sadness grew I became mired in the mud . . . as
I pulled you out, my shoes sunk further down . . . weighted by your
grief and sadness.”
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.”
Beep . . . pause, pause, pause . . . silence. Nurse Shannon ran
back in and smiled good-bye to Lily-Mae. As she lifted the covers to
un-hook her tubes, Nurse Shannon stammered in surprise . . .
“Why, I wonder how Miss Lily-Mae got so much dirt in her bed?”
Matthew 11:28 KJV
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“Blessed is the nation whose God is the
Lord, and the people whom He has chosen
for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
A place where new life springs forth
out of despair, failure and death.
A place where God brings physical,
emotional and spiritual healing to you.
IN GOD WE TRUST
Our God is calling His people to take a stand! America was founded
on godly principles by those who were passionate about our country. Americans must be willing to restore that passion! Our forefathers left monuments and markers for us to be able to follow the
right path and purpose so that we would not sabotage the Republic
our founding fathers
fought and died to give us. History records that they knew the great
truth that faith in God and trust in God were foundational to the
strength and the success of any nation. They painstakingly worded
the Constitution of the United States of America to say exactly what
they meant it to say. The Constitution is not obsolete. Faith in God
and the Lord Jesus Christ is not obsolete. When we obey the Word
of God and obey the laws of the land written in our Constitution, we
will have success. Both were written to bless us, and it is important
for us to follow the directions. Nowhere does the Constitution refer
to a “separation” of Church and State, and it is crystal clear the First
Amendment was written to protect the Church from Government.
17th day of September, in the year of our Lord 1787…by unanimous
States. The First Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,
or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
God is now shaking the political and religious world systems. Only
that which cannot be shaken will remain, but He tells us: Fear not!
God has given us His promise concerning this. “…but now He has
promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also
those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those
things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore, receiving a
kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we
may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our
The corrupt political world system called a “scarlet colored Beast”,
and apostate (fallen) world-wide religion called “Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The
Earth” are both described in the Bible. In Rev 17:1-7 the Harlot is
riding on the Beast. In Rev. 17:8-17 the Beast is described, and in
Rev 18:1-24 the Beast destroys the Harlot. Read these accounts.
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God says to you, “Fear Not!” “So that we may boldly say, The Lord
is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Hebrews 13:6.
nations were going on in government and the temple. Judgment
was coming, but God had already planned to protect His people.
writer’s inkhorn by his side, “and the Lord said to him, Go through
the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the
men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in
the midst of it. And to the others He said in my hearing, Go after
him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have
pity.” The Lord was marking those who were crying and praying
over the condition of the nation and the church. He is marking His
own now who He hears praying and crying over America. He will
spare His own!
We can choose to get on God’s economy, He owns it all! We do not
have to stay on the world system! This does not mean we quit our
provide and to lead us in all our decisions. TRUST is the key.
Without faith and trust in Him, we cannot receive what we need
– remembering there is a difference between our needs and our
wants. It is our prayer that every praying American will take a stand
against corruption in our Nation and lukewarm or dead Christianity, praying earnestly until we see our nation and our churches turn
ment when the man asked the Lord to give him a year to dig around
How do we take a stand? We take that stand on our knees before
God. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto
God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7. When
we pray like this, He will tell us exactly what to do.
Then, when we hear His voice and act on it, we will have victory
in the battle! This is the secret of having our victory and the peace
of God!
RIVER GARDEN
My Father’s
A Heart Surgeon
by Pastor Adam Wright – Wiley Church of God
I
t
short days ago
that I received
a phone call from
my mother. “Your
dad is having open
heart surgery. We
need you to come
right away.” What had appeared to be an almost routine heart cath
quickly took a turn. My father was informed that the blockages were
the essence. With an overwhelming amount of emotions, we made
the necessary arrangements and were on our way out of town to the
hospital.
When we are faced with trials and unexpected circumstances,
one of two events can take place with our spiritual life. It can either
wreck our faith, or increase it. Maybe you’re like me. Sometimes my
emotions can run away with me. I feel out of control and helpless.
As we traveled I began thinking how Dad was the one facing
surgery, but my heart was broken. Have you ever had a broken heart?
Circumstances that are out of your control seem to now control everything. You can’t stop replaying scenes of the past. The fear of the future
has crippled your thought life. “My heart hurts,” we say.
During the night as I looked at my father, questions again began
to rise. “Why MY father? Why is he going through this? There’s no
man that has served you God any more faithful? Why…” In that all
too familiar moment of asking God why, His Spirit reminded me of
a verse from Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
This reminded me that God’s love for us is so much greater. It
also reminded me that He is in charge. While I cannot understand
the events that are taking place around me, God can. While I cannot make any sense of why certain things happen to us and those we
everything. Some things we won’t understand until we get to Heaven.
But the one thing that I do have to understand is that God is in
control of everything, not me. It’s not my place to tell God how to
operate. It is my place to trust Him. It is my place to keep believing
that He knows something that I don’t know and He has all things in
His hands.
Do you ever get like me? Frustrated when things don’t make
sense? Remember that God sees what we cannot and knows what we
(Hebrews 11:6). Each morning, you have a choice. You can either
pick up “Fear” or pick up “Faith”. But one is going to stay with you
each day.
The heart, the seed of our emotions is a powerful thing. We hear
people speak things like, “Follow
Your Heart.” While this seems on
the surface to be good advice, it
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
does not mean it is Biblical. Jesus never told us to “Follow Our cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
Hearts,” but He told us to “Follow
of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Him.” We all our guilty of confusing the two.
Did you know that the Bible
says your heart (emotions) will LIE to you? How about that, you can’t
even trust yourself! Jeremiah 17:9 speaks about how the heart is deceitful above all things. That’s right, it can even deceive you. That’s
right where our advisory wants us. He wants us to listen to our emotional voice and neglect God’s voice.
As we approached the hospital, our emotions were high. As you
would expect, we could not wait to walk into the room and see him.
He was in good spirits. You would never suspect that he was at the eve
As our time together closes, I would like you to know that my
road to recovery. He spent only half the time in the ICU recovery than
the doctors even expected. One of the nurses commented, “You’re
the one that everyone has been talking about! We cannot believe the
miracle rate of recovery you are having!” While it may appear that
the doctors were the ones that were doing the procedure on Dad, My
Father…is the Heart Surgeon
your heart?
this night was no different than any other.
Happy Thanksgiving!
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 49
Winter comes to Friendly Forest
by Julie Crunkleton Harrup
This story takes place in late fall. (near Thanksgiving) The forest friends (Sarah the lady bug, Martha the squirrel, Wren the little bird and Belle
the turtle) are learning how to work together and help each other get ready for the winter that will surely return. They praise each other for
the good work they do and share a time of prayer and thanks giving for all that they have been given by God.
“G
“I love winter, but I do get terribly lonely in my nest all by myself,”
sighs Wren.
her nest in the big oak tree.
“Good morning Wren,” Martha replies as she points her
nose to the sky.
“I really must get busy!” Martha shouts to the others as she hurries
away.
“What are you doing?” asks Wren.
“Wait Martha, wait!” Sarah says. “You’re right, we don’t have much
time, but if we all work together and help each other we can do it!
What we need is a plan.”
“Morning everyone,” yawns a sleepy Belle. “What’s going on?”
“A plan?” asks Wren. “What’s a plan?”
-
“Why?” Belle whispers back.
ished,” explains Sarah.
-
ing for winter.”
“How will we know what to do?” asks Belle.
“Winter is coming very soon,” says Martha. “I smell SNOW!”
“SNOW!” everyone shouts.
gather lots of nuts and berries,” Martha says.
snow cream! What fun that will be!”
but a tree would be warmer.”
“When is it coming?” asks Wren
“Very soon,” Martha says as she sniffs the air again. “Maybe it will
even come today. We better get ready.”
Belle.
Sarah.
“That gives me a wonderful idea Sarah!” says
Martha. “We could share our homes and our
food with each other! Wren and I could share a
hollow tree and if Belle doesn’t mind, then you
could share her burrow.”
“Oh!” says Wren,” that would be wonderful! I
can carry lots of leaves. I bet I can get enough
for all of us to have nice beds before the snow
comes!”
“Yes, I won’t have any trouble digging a burrow,” says Belle. “There is a perfect spot beside
the pond.”
time! Just leave it to me!” shouts Sarah as she
“And I am very good at gathering nuts and berries!” shouts Martha as she runs off into the forest. “Don’t worry I remember where I hid every
one!”
50 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
peculiar scratching noise. She looks down and sees Belle.
forest for our friends Martha and Wren.”
“I found a great place for our burrow right here beside the pond too!
What do you think?” asks Belle.
“Beautiful!” exclaims Sarah. “The pond will be so pretty when it is
and Wren and share their good news.
Finally they arrive back at the old oak tree and Martha and Wren hurry
over to greet them.
“Hi!” says Martha and Wren together.
“Just look at all of the nuts and berries Martha has gathered,” exclaims
Wren. “We’ll have enough for all of us to last until spring!”
“Wren has been very busy herself,” Martha says proudly. “Look at that
big pile of leaves.”
“We have been busy too. Belle has made a nice burrow for us to stay
in beside the pond,” Sarah says.
“And Sarah found a nice hollow tree for the two of you. And we are
going to be neighbors again!” Belle says happily.
“How wonderful!” Wren sings.
have much time. Can you help carry these baskets of nuts and berries
Belle?”
“I’d be glad to! Put them on my shell and I will carry both of them.”
“And I can lead the way back to the hollow tree. Follow me. It’s not
far,” says Sarah.
Finally, after every leaf is carefully placed to make nice soft beds and
all the nuts and berries are safe inside, the friends sit down to rest and
take turns giving thanks for all that they have.
“Dear Lord”, Martha begins, “Thank you for this day and for helping
winter.”
Wren and Martha,” adds Sarah.
“I am grateful for the burrow beside the pond,” says Belle.
“Thank you Lord,” prays Wren, “For the softest bed of leaves I have
ever had.”
“And thank you for good friends,” they all say together. “Amen!”
looks up and twitches her nose, “I think winter has come.”
good-night and go inside to their soft warm beds. For winter has come
to Friendly Forest once again.
The End........
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 51
- Health & Wellness -
Live Healthy and Be Well!
Reminiscences of Service
to the Nation
--Stephen Jarrard, MD, FACS, US Army (Retired)
T
during deployment to Afghanistan with the U. S. Army (759th Forward Surgical Team) in
2006. Each day, I would take a few minutes before retiring to write down some of the
experiences of the day. In trying to come up with a topic for the Laurel’s Veteran issue, I deof that time with our readers. We can all be very proud of our young men and women in the
military today who are serving as so many of you have done. I would like to sincerely thank
all our readers who are Veterans and their families, for their service. Just a couple of notes
– GSW refers to gunshot wound, FOB means forward operating base (our place of business)
and BAS is the battalion aid station (medical clinic where our OR was located). My purpose
hardships of those who live in a war torn country and how lucky we are to be here and raise
our families in the United States of America!
10 June 2006
This afternoon, we got report of 3 US solan enemy contact at FOB Bermel. We all got
ready and were at our places when the helos
diverted them to Salerno for care. I went to
going on out there, and found out the bad
guys had been seen going into a cave. This
issue was quickly addressed with Apache
rockets and a B1 bomber strike (penetrators)
and I am sure all those guys are now with
Allah. Then, after supper, we had to operate
on a little boy who came in with a penetrating abdominal wound. It seems he had been
playing with something he picked up that exploded (likely a blasting cap of some sort).
So, he was taken to the OR and found to
slightly bruised right liver lobe – no bleeding.
After getting to bed for 10 minutes – a
call came of a GSW at the gate coming to
the BAS. It was a local truck driver; incorrectly ID’d as an Afghan Army Soldier, who
had been shot in the lower back with no exit
wound. The X-ray showed the bullet still in
him – likely in the abdomen. Although he
was compensating very well and did not appear in great distress, we took him to surgery
4 – 5 hours to get it all done, and it seemed
to go well. The guy went to the ICU on IV
52 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
11 June 2006
Today is the full moon of the month.
One thing I have noticed – when there is no
moon here, it is very dark and the sky is full
of stars as there is no “light pollution” here.
When there is a moon, especially full, it is
very bright outside such that shadows are
cast by the white moon! It is quite a contrast.
My two ICU patients are doing well today.
The little boy should probably go to the local
bowel sounds and to let him eat/drink. The
GSW guy looked good - no fevers so far. He
is not taking any pain meds – but that is his
choice.
came in already gone, I thought, when I
sive neck/chest trauma, and came in with no
breathing or heart sounds. Still, we worked
as hard as we could on him for over 30 minutes. We always work like that and are thinking of his family as we do. We owe it to all
- Health & Wellness -
called it, and he rested then in a private area
per comes to pick him up. Apparently, when
there is a KIA, they get their own aircraft and
there can be nothing or no one else on board
ate to show honor to this fallen Warrior who
gave his all out there in a place far from home
and family. God bless him. May he rest in
honored glory and the peace of our Lord.
27 June 2006
We had (supposedly) 2 Afghan soldiers
ity wounds and another with a GSW to the
belly. The guy with the belly wound apparently died somewhere enroute and the other
guy turned out to be Taliban, so he went to
Bagram Air Base (also, weather was a factor
here – blowing dust). Speaking of blowing
see the mountains at all. Another memorable
moment today was provided by two young
girls. There was a 6 or 8 y/o local girl with
her dad – she was lovely and had a sweet
smile. She had on a traditional dress and
scarf that the women wear – it is too bad she
grows up in a place that does not value the
role or contributions of women.
The other was a 6 day old local girl born
with hydrocephalus (“water on the brain”).
Her little head was swollen, her eyes (blind)
were swollen and protruding, and she had a
her to the American doctors, they
can help her.” In
truth, there was
little to nothing we could do
– and nothing
could have been
done at Emory or
Scottish Rite either at this point.
It is impossible to
not be emotional
with something
like that, and
it makes me so
thankful that my
own were born
healthy, live in a wonderful country and will
never know some of these hardships.
1 JUL 2006
at about 0015Z (5:00 AM) and another after
supper (8:00 or 9:00 PM). No casualties and
only minimal property damage…but what
excitement! I have been in uniform since
never more alive than when you are scared to
death – and I’d have to say there is some truth
to that. But, our team was all in it together,
checking on each other, getting accountability and reassuring the FOB. Thank God no
And so it went for six months. These
cal” type days. When it was over and time
to leave, although we had looked forward to
that day for 6 months, we had mixed emotions as we were leaving friends and fellow
warriors behind to continue the mission.
They say you cannot know what it was like
unless you have lived it – and that may be true
to some degree. But, I wanted to share some
with those who have not lived it, and hopefully will never have to. All of our Veterans have
been proud to serve when it was their time,
as were all of us in this unit, but we wish for
the day when there is no need. However, as
Plato said, “Only the dead have seen the end
of war.” Thus, we continue to give our thanks
to all our Veterans of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank you for letting me share this
with you our faithful readers. Next month,
back to health and wellness!
with any questions, concerns, or ideas for
future columns and/or health and wellness
related issues for the Georgia Mountain Laurel. Please send an email to rabundoctor@
gmail.com, or call Felichia at 706.782.3572,
and we will be sure to consider your input.
We will soon post the articles on the web at
www.rabundoctor.com in an archived format.
If you use Twitter, then follow us for health
tips and wellness advice @rabundoctor. Until
next month, live healthy and be well!
But, we all learned today to be more careful,
attentive and it was a brisk reminder of why
we are here and that there are people outside
that wire that don’t want us here and wish
us harm.
4 July 2006 – Independence Day!
We had a good, festive atmosphere today – not much going on at the aid station,
some activities and good food and no rockthat this year)!! Activities included a donkey
race, Humvee pull, etc. We topped it off with
some volleyball and the FST bought a goat
and some food and had a little BBQ behind
the building. All in all a good day and we
made our own celebration far from home.
Happy birthday, America!
It is humbling that her parents thought “…
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 53
Our Medical
Community
Health & Wellness
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www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 55
Recovery Is Worth Celebrating!
by Carla Wright
I
get nauseated when I hear people
make statements like, “Recovery
and twelve step groups are for drug
heads,” or “all they do at those support groups is whine and blame family
members.” That is the most judgmental and hypocritical thing I have ever
witnessed, oozing with stench, out of a
person’s mouth. Support groups are for
people who have fought through these
uninformed opinions and discouraging
ceived with number one, uninhibited
honesty and number two, a backbone
stronger than an ox. It is not a place to
complain, whine or blame other people. It is a source of strength
that comes from owning one’s mistakes and making life right
vulnerability that is stated in these rooms. Blame is not allowed.
At every Thursday meeting of the 7:00 PM Wiley Church of
God, Celebrate Recovery (C.R.) group, this is one of the statements
that is read, “What you see here, what you hear here, when you
leave here, let it stay here.” The response back from all members is
a bold, “Here! Here!” Actually, the only comfort that comes from
sitting in that group is not from someone patting you on the back
telling you that everything is going to be alright, because the fact
of the matter is that if change does not occur in some instances,
go? One reason is being aware that the only comfort you may
receive is wrapping your hands around a warm cup of coffee and
looking into the eyes of someone who is being as painfully honest as you are. This, dear friends, could be as Paul talks about in
Scripture, a portion of our reasonable act of service. To confess
our faults one to another in an atmosphere that cannot and will
not judge, due to prayer and petition before Jesus Christ, the only
blameless one.
As I inform others about the Celebrate Recovery group at
Wiley Church of God, I do so speaking as a member of this group.
Keep in mind, that this group is not about the church, it is about
the community in which many who participate are not members
of the Church of God. Let me stir things up a little more in this traditional, yet sometimes legalistic, bible belt, you don’t even have
to believe in God to join us. This group is geared for recovery, but
in my opinion all ministry should be to those who are broken and
out. Although the latter are hardest to reach.
What is Recovery? Webster’s dictionary describes it as, “the
act or process of returning to a normal or healthy state after a
often thought about is probably the recovery of an individual after
an illness, injury or operation. The term that most often comes
to my mind is recovery from an emotional, physical or spiritual
struggle. One thing is certain, recovery has no predetermined
length of time. In fact, recovery can be deceptive by leading one
56 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
to believe the issue, illness or addiction
is completely resolved or healed when,
in fact, only the symptoms are gone. I
have heard many doctors tell me that taking an antibiotic will make you feel better
prescription even when you feel better in
order to fully recover. This advice is synonymous with recovery of habits, hurts or
hang ups. Relentlessly, the true problem
can hide away and then rear its ugly head
at the most inopportune time.
Unfortunately, when dealing with
habitual problems, the patiently waiting
issue can resurface as a different action or in a completely different
manner. The most often referred to example is a person who gives
up cigarettes and gains twenty pounds. Most of the weight does
not appear due to the absence of the habit but the development of
the replacement for that habit – tasty food. Recovery for an addict
or someone who is hurting, is often something that, can not only
help a person return to a normal healthy state, but can also prevent
tion for an addiction, is worth ten pounds of cure! That is why
this Celebrate Recovery group meeting is not only for recovery but
celebrating recovery.
John Baker is the founder of Celebrate Recovery, a ministry
born out of Saddleback Church where he worked on staff under
Senior Pastor Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church Team. John
Baker and Rick Warren worked together to write the curriculum
for Celebrate Recovery. (C.R.) The following is a statement written
in the leadership book. “Throughout this material, you will notice
several references to the Christ centered 12 steps. Our prayer is
that Celebrate Recovery will create a bridge to the millions of people who are familiar with secular 12 Steps as they acknowledge
the use of some material from the 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics
Anonymous and in so doing, introduce people to the one and only
true Higher Power, Jesus Christ. Once they begin that relationship,
asking Christ into their hearts as Lord and Savior, true healing and
recovery can begin!”
diction. It is a 12 step group for habits, hurts and hang ups. We
have participants who deal with all of the following but are not
limited to, grief of a loved one, unreconciled pain from a divorce,
neglect, rejection, habitual eating, anorexia, drinking or drugs,
as well as lust, sex, gambling and co-dependency. Gladys Clem,
facilitator of C.R. offers share time, sobriety accountability, chips
and education but also offers a step group meeting. This is basically where each step of the program is thoroughly explained and
expanded on by Gladys. We also offer possible sponsors for group
members who express the desire to be even more connected. A
sponsor is a dependable and responsible member of the group
who has long term sobriety and the desire to give back to someone in need of guidance and constant support and contact. One
Health &
Wellness
www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 57
well known recovery statement is, “You have to give it away to
keep it.” Meaning you must share your testimony and help others who are in need.
Trying to describe the journey of recovery is a struggle in itself. One anonymous member stated, “Life is a long lonely road
unless you have the right support. I am thankful that I found my
support here as well as through God.” Anyone who has experienced a hospital stay, for more than one day as a patient, could
possibly identify with the desire to be better, to feel better and
to resume normal day to day function again. One lesson that is
often learned in a hospital, however, is that without the support,
knowledge and experience of the medical staff, the odds of getting better are slim. Sure a pill or treatment may mask the pain
for a while but until the root of the problem has been discovered
and treated successfully, there will always be a problem.
And then comes the maintenance. My father-n-law was recently feeling a slight pain in his left arm. Reluctantly, he asked
his doctor for a stress test. After failing the stress test and after
other procedures, on October 1 of this year he received a triple
bypass cardiovascular surgery. He knew there were signs of
a problem but never realized how severe this issue was. The
surgeon’s intent was a quadruple bypass but my father-in-law’s
small veins would not allow the complete surgery. As a result he has had a successful start to his recovery. He is healing
quickly, but not without effort and not without pain. In addition,
when he is swinging that golf club again and feeling no symptoms we are all vividly aware that his recovery is never going to
end. The artery that was too small to repair still exist and due to
his genetics there could be threats of future blockage. All hope
is not lost though, thru proper ongoing recovery, consisting of
proper foods, along with medicine and exercise, he is looking
at a long and healthy life. His recovery continues even when he
is feeling good.
I worked for years for a state agency as a Prevention Specialist of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs. I also worked as a Birth
Parent Counselor for adoption services and later operated a crisis pregnancy center as well as working hand in hand in ministry with my husband Adam who happens also to be my favorite
Pastor. In various times of these positions I had the opportunity
to counsel individuals who were in the midst of some major
crisis in their lives. Unfortunately, the thing I found to be most
disturbing was not the shocking sordid details of what a client had participated in, but the misguided judgment that she
or he faced by others who were supposed to “care about her
or him”. I have to confess that the most disturbing detail was
the way some of the Christians acted toward the person and or
situation. This can often turn people away from God and the
Church. Rick Warren stated, “Celebrate Recovery utilizes the
biblical truth that we need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally. It is built around small group interaction and the fellowship of a caring community. There are many
therapies, growth programs and counselors today that operate
around one-to-one interaction. But Celebrate Recovery is built
on the New Testament principle that we don’t get well by ourselves. We need each other. Fellowship and accountability are
two important components of spiritual growth.”
Please come and join us or contact Gladys Clem,
our group meetings.
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Gary Jones’ 1965 Mustang GT Convertible
A great American classic…
T
o say Gary Jones is a lover of automobiles is an understatement.
We were given a tour of his collection and were overwhelmed
with Gary’s vast knowledge of the history of each of his ve-
60 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
hicles, but it was the powder blue ’65 Mustang GT convertible that
caught our eyes.
The Ford Mustang was initially based on the platform of the sec-
ond generation Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early
on April 17, 1964 and, thus dubbed a “1964” model by Mustang fans, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker’s most successful
launch since the Model A. The Mustang created the “pony car”
class of American automobiles…sports car-like coupes with long
hoods and short rear decks…and gave rise to competitors such as
the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin, as well
tion Dodge Challenger.
This Mustang was originally owned by a resident of Rabun
Duvall Ford dealership in Clayton, Georgia.
It has a 289 cubic-inch engine, four-barrel carburetor, automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes, with a
sporty original pony interior package. It has the original AM radio. In fact, this car is in excellent original condition throughout.
Gary has owned the car for 25 of its almost 50 years, and it is
obvious it is a well-loved vehicle.
Gary and his wife Lawanda live in the Hollywood Community of Habersham County, Georgia. Former owners of the Radio
Shack in Clayton, Georgia, and after 38 years in that business, the
Joneses are now retired and enjoying their car collection and the
Joneses are members of Hills Crossing Baptist Church.
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Foxfire
Some Indoor Fun
adapted by Lee Carpenter
W
ith cold weather settling in and plenty of rain
and cooler temperatures on the way, we’d like
to share a traditional indoor game with you,
so gather as many friends together as you can and play
the game “Blindfold,” as recorded in
Appalachian Toys & Games.
Terry Dickerson:
Helen Nichols:
Read about tons more games and the many fun ways
your grandparents and great-grandparents used to play
in
. For
Lane, off of Cross Street, in Mountain City, Georgia.
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www.gmlaurel.com - October 2014 - 63
The Storyteller – My Little White Church in Tiger
by Janie P. Taylor
F
readers.
started crying that little Janie would never learn to read nor write
due to brain damage from ingesting caffeine! The preacher took
advantage of the silence and quickly asked the blessing. The crisis
was over and no one saw me over in the corner sipping my mug of
coffee! Lesson #1 learned, “Be careful what you say out loud at the
church-house.” Lesson #2 was learned when the tingling of a little
switch on my bare little legs reminding me not to say, “I’ve got to
tee-tee,” in the middle of the worship service.
By 1970, a much needed addition was added, including a
multipurpose room with a kitchen and bathroom. This area was
named to honor the late Mrs. Lizzie York Keason, who was a
church leader, beloved midwife and the daughter of C.C. York
who sold his horse to buy the lumber for the church building.
Some of the sayings of Mrs. Keason included that the preacher was
the head of the church, but the preacher’s wife was the neck on
which it turned! If a two week Summer Revival did not renew the
spirituality of the church members, Mrs. Keason said it was simply
a “protracted meeting”.
One of the antiques in the church furnishings was a pump
organ obtained in 1903; the most valuable antique piece was the
three- legged organ stool. One Sunday morning, I was playing the
keys and pumping the two pedals as the people sang, “Blessed
Assurance”. On the second verse, there was a loud cracking and
breaking sound as the three legs of the antique organ stool gave
The original church building was constructed in 1899. A single
room structure which had two outside doors, one entry for the men
folks and the other doorway was for the women and children. The
pews were hand hewed; heavy curtains could be drawn to create
Sunday School rooms. The heat source was a large pot-bellied stove
I clearly recall the importance of a Methodist quarterly
meeting, which included a Sunday morning preaching service by
the Presiding Elder (He dressed in a severe black suit and I was
sure he was next to GOD HIMSELF in importance). After this, there
was a “dinner on the ground” meal before the afternoon business
session. As the food was being spread, the pot bellied stove got red
church-house. Grandma Arrendale had been slipping me a cup of
coffee and milk mix all of my four years even though she knew that
the Health Book stated that children should not drink coffee or tea.
One can only imagine the hush that came over the congregation
when I loudly announced, “Grandma, I need my coffee now!”
Grandma could only say, “Hush, hush, my child!” By now, Mama
64 - October 2014 - www.gmlaurel.com
pews. Immediately the church folks began picking up the remains
of the three legs mourning the loss of the antique stool. Suddenly
the preacher’s wife spoke loudly saying, “Maybe we had better
get up the most valuable antique of all, our Janie P!” Thus, I was
rescued without bodily harm from amongst the splinters. When
my Aunt Ruth heard about the incident she stated that this was
a DIVINE message from HEAVEN for me to lose my excess body
fat! When my Uncle Joe was told of my “near-death experience,”
he immediately began building me a sturdy organ bench of black
organ bench became an addition to the beautiful chancel area
furniture he had already handcrafted out of black walnut wood
from trees from Tiger Mountain. This set included the chancel rails,
the pulpit (which was adjustable to the height of the minister),
chairs and now the sturdy organ bench.
Another memory was during the warm days of spring and
summer; the two church doors were left open. The membership
was accustomed to Melvin Taylor (my husband) quietly taking his
The New Tiger United Methodist Church sits on a hill overlooking the city of Tiger.
seat on the last pew next to the door. As the service was ending
and as Reverend James Turpen began to pray the benediction, “The
Lord bless you and keep you-” a loud exclamation from Melvin
was heard, “DAMN, there’s a DOG in the church house!” Shocked
and startled, the congregation broke into laughter and applause as
a large black and tan hound wandered in and stretched out to rest
near the altar enjoying the coolness there. Needless to say, the
benediction was never completed that Sunday morning!
No longer does the church bell in the belfry tower toll to
announce the death of a church member. The age of the deceased
was indicated by the number of peals the bell tolled. However in
1976, the bell was manually rung two hundred times by a young
Wesley Taylor to celebrate the Bicentennial of the nation. Today,
at the new church building, a carillon system of bells and chimes
sends musical sounds of beloved hymns daily echoing over the
hills and vales.
With the gift of acreage high on the hill overlooking the city
of Tiger and with a majestic view of Tiger Mountain, the decision
was made to build a Fellowship Hall. In 2005 the move was made
from the little white church.
Today, the new sanctuary is being constructed and the
congregation will soon hold the worship services there. As for the
historic little white church on Blair Street where our church began
– it is now the Hispanic Baptist Mission Church.
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Echoes from the Hills
“Memorabilia reminds me of the varied life I lived”
Bob N. Justus
E
veryone has different traits and talents,
likes and dislikes. Most of us have some
faults also. Today as I grow older I favor
my love for history and travel. I am reading
books on the founding of our nation but I also
mentos I keep to remind me of events and
trips. Perhaps I collect things comes from
wanting to have concrete evidence of my
varied life.
On the walls of my den are rocks from
various locations I lived or visited, plus deer
mounts, guns, knives, rattlesnake skins and
In front of my desk is a display of knives. One
yellow handle pocket knife, with blades honed to half their original size, was my dad’s Neal Justus. In his time a pocket knife was
a daily tool and if Dad had an idle moment he was whittling on
a walking stick made from a tree limb or carving on the meat of a
hog or a deer he had killed.
A short piece of an aspen limb, bleached white from many
seasons lying in snows of winter and heat of summer, is on the
wall under a white board displaying rocks from Wiggins Fork,
collected in August, 1997 from the headwaters of the Wind River,
Wyoming. On the aspen limb is written, “Cross Creek, Big Horn
Mountains, 9-7-2009.” That object reminds me of a trout stream
winding down a natural grassy meadow nestled under the snowcapped Cloud Peaks in a bowl formed by an ancient glacier. I
caught rainbow and brook trout in pools under grass and brush
the “forgotten war” which I attended in 1952-1953, leaving for
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home after the armistice was signed. Two photos
of a younger me show me with a 27 pound bull
dolphin, caught in Key Largo on 7-2-1990, and
a younger Bob with a 33 1/3 pound king salmon
caught off San Francisco in September, 1953, on
my way home from Korea. Such mementos and
photos bring both joy and a tinge of regret that
such amazing events cannot be relived except
in one’s mind.
On the wall is a treasured scene; a painting I did of the ancestral home built by greatgrandfather James N. Justus about 1871, when
he began buying land in Germany Valley in
Rabun County, Georgia. A desire for history led
me to do a family history which became so large
and ongoing I have ceased doing it. But the old home and also a
photo of an old barn remind me of a treasured childhood growing
up on a farm in lovely Germany Valley. In those days the valley saw
tall corn growing along a creek full of trout and many other crops,
such as beans and potatoes, which kept us from going hungry in
hard times.
Wall plaques also display projectile points and pieces of
pottery from the time of Cherokees and even earlier people who
lived amid these mountains when woods buffalo, elk, panthers and
wolves populated great forests containing giant chestnut, hemlock,
oak and poplar trees. These relics remind me of our historical past
as well as my forebears who include early pioneers and Cherokees.
History is ever changing and fading, as my own life has waxed and
waned, while experiencing many changes in life, conditions and
locations, some from across seas in far lands due to my career in
the US Air Force. There are yet a few small spots to hang another
memento or relic collected along life’s path.
Experience
Clarkesville,
Georgia
Shopping - Dining
Entertainment
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Giving Thanks in the Oldest Church Still In
Use In Northeast Georgia
by Kitty Stratton
F
or generations the families of Northeast Georgia have been
worshipping and giving thanks in churches tucked away in
mountain valleys and perched on hilltops with their church
spires gleaming in the autumn sunshine. The sight of a pretty white
church spire silhouetted against a sky the bluest of blue can bring
words of praise to young and old.
To better understand the history of this beautiful, old church,
learning more about the history of Clarkesville is essential. Clarkesfamilies would come from the swampy lowlands of Georgia and
South Carolina, where yellow fever and other diseases were rampant. They would spend the summers in the cooler mountains and
stay for sometimes as long as six months. Some of these families
owned large plantations around Savannah and Charleston and
would bring servants with them and some built summer homes in
the area. A large number of these summer visitors were either Episcopalian or Presbyterian.
Desiring a place to worship Grace Protestant Episcopal Church
The Rev. Ezra B. Kellogg held Episcopal services twice a month in
the Methodist Church building which used to stand where the old
Clarkesville Cemetery is today.
In 1839 the acre lot where the present church building stands
was purchased and $1,335.00 was raised to fund the construction.
Construction was slow and records indicate that rainfall was so low
that year the water-powered saw mill on the Soque River could not
operate.
Amazingly, the Grace Church building frame structure remains
essentially unaltered today. It is described in the church website
history as “a superb example of Greek-Revival architecture, characterized in front by tall pillars and a portico. It is the second oldest
Episcopal Church building in Georgia”.
The Civil War era had a damaging effect on the life of Grace
nancially destroyed by the war. The church dwindled in size and
was reduced from a parish church to a mission. Fortunately some
of the summer visitors settled permanently in the area. One of the
main families was the Kollock family, ancestors of the well-known
and beloved artist John Kollock. In 1853, the Chapel of the Holy
Cross on New Liberty Road in Clarkesville was located on Kollock
land. For families who were unable to make the four mile trip traversing primitive roads to Grace Church in Clarkesville, monthly
services were held at the Holy Cross location. In the early 1900’s
Holy Cross was demolished due to deterioration of the building.
Today the Holy Cross property, given to the church by the Kollock
family, is used as a cemetery.
Grace-Calvary Episcopal Church in Clarkesville, established
in 1838 as Grace Protestant Episcopal Church is a treasure tucked
away in the heart of Clarkesville. It is believed to be the oldest
church building of any denomination still in use in Northeast Georgia.
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Grace Church has had a long and interesting history. In 1951
MGM repaired and repainted the building for the use of the church
in the opening scene of the movie “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain”. Many factors have contributed to the long life and growth of
the church, including the addition of the Calvary Church congregation which moved from Cornelia to Clarkesville. The Cornelia
building was sold to provide funds for major structural repairs to
the Clarkesville building in the early seventies.
For a more detailed and extensive history visit http://www.
grace-calvary.org.
Towns County, Georgia
Hiawassee & Young Harris
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Giving Thanks for Staying Connected
A
by Kendall Rumsey
www.notesfromasouthernkitchen.com
s the Thanksgiving season rolls
on what I am grateful for.
First and foremost is my relationship
with God, followed by my family, my
friends, health, career and everyday
blessings.
I have a lot to be thankful for and
sometimes I wonder if I appreciate
everything as much as I should.
Thanksgiving season, this year, one of
the things that surfaced for me was social
media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
While some may think of social
media as a hindrance to life, for me,
these services have been a blessing.
I moved away from God’s Country
Statesboro for college, then Atlanta and
Most of my life has been away from Rabun County. However,
when anyone asks where I am from, my immediate reply is, “Clayton,
Georgia in Rabun County.”
For most of the last thirty years, I stayed connected with my
homeland through phone calls with family, occasionally running into
friends around the country, newspapers and of course, the Laurel.
With the creation of these new social media platforms, my world
has opened up to amazing new ways of staying connected.
I have been fortunate to reconnect with many friends I haven’t
seen since high school. I celebrate their birthdays, their promotions;
travel with them around the globe through
photos and in times of need offer instant
prayers.
The world of social media, allows us
all to reconnect.
Many mornings, while I am watching
the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, I am
also transported to the mountains of Rabun
I have thrilled at the news of births and
have cried when I learned that friends had
passed.
It’s also interesting to see how so many
of us, who grew up together and ran in
adults.
While our friendships may not have
been as strong during those teenage years,
our differences melt away today; after all,
while our paths may be different, our base
remains the same. The mountains of our
homeland are a natural anchor we can all celebrate.
Being away from Clayton, often I am disconnected from the
amazing community that I left.
I had forgotten how awesome a Wildcat win is, the joys of
sledding on the golf course on a blanket of fresh fallen snow or
how much fun a day at the lake could be. These daily things that
you, my friends who still live in Rabun, connect to on a daily
basis unfortunately aren’t always as sincere or prevalent outside
the mountains.
Your posts on Facebook and Tweets and photos have allowed
The connection on social media brings me home and makes
me long for the days that I am there in person.
This year, I am thankful for Rabun; I am thankful for the
opportunity to grow up in a community where neighbors honor
one another and where life is simpler.
This year, I am thankful for the people who call Rabun home;
those of us who are separated by miles and those who walk Main
Street on a daily basis.
This year, I am thankful for social media; for bringing me
home and helping me to remember why for me, Rabun is and
always will be “God’s Country”.
Happy Thanksgiving friends and thank you for allowing me
to reconnect.
Connect with me:
Facebook – Kendall Rumsey
Twitter – Notes by Kendall
Instagram – Kendall_Rumz
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Lovin the Journey
Feel the fear and do it anyway...
by Mark Holloway
I absolutely love taking people rock climb-
comes from the Greek word for ‘rock’. ‘Be the
rock’ takes on a whole new meaning when
a climber’s fear freezes him into stone. The
word ‘belay’ sounds French. But it’s not. It’s
an old English word meaning: a taunt rope
between two points. As a belay, I get the privilege of seeing folks scale rock faces, often
remain on the ground while the climber is
connected to me with a rope which passes
through an anchor system 50 – 60 feet up.
We call it top roping. I take up every inch of
slack as the brave soul ascends. This fact is
a wee bit important. If you fall, you go nowhere.
My now-20-year-son Garrett and I got
had to train, study, pass an oral exam and
vid Rogers gets the credit for instructing us
well. Looking back over the years, our training has kept dozens and dozens of people
alive and having an absolute adrenaline
blast at the same time. We’ve guided sports
teams, doctors, lawyers, retirees, children,
friends and family. God wires us to be afraid
of things.
Sometimes pain is the consequence of a
poor, unwise, or ignorant decision. I rememin our car. The device wasn’t even glowing
membered the moment in anguish for days.
I would learn later as an adult we have mil-
true.
The imagined pain of an abrupt landing
on unyielding stone 60 feet below causes a
corresponding fear in your heart, mind, legs,
and trembling knees. But our fears shouldn’t
own our souls. Certain fears are healthy. Others are to be conquered.Am I trying to talk
you out of rockclimbing? Absolutely not.
Quite the opposite, actually. We love watching friends conquer their fears. I’ve decided
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why I enjoy rock climbing so much; getting to
watch the transformation is priceless. When
a human attaches themselves to an ancient
stone wall and forces their arms, legs, pounding heart and runaway imagination upwards
and into the land of their greatest fears…It’s
epic. I hope you get the opportunity to trust
a seasoned voice calling out instruction and
encouragement from below.
timers joined our group at Currahee Mountain west of Toccoa. We all sat together and
enjoyed the breathtaking south facing view.
From that vantage point you can see where
the mountains taper and unroll like a majestic carpet into the hill country. We spent some
time praying together and studying some appropriate passages from the Holy Scriptures.
We then hiked down a challenging cut in
the rock to our staging area far below. Drew
Backer and Zach Mathis had never climbed
before.
No offense ladies but Drew began to
squeal like a schoolgirl, his voice raising
at least an octave as he began his assent. It
takes guts to climb nearly 60 feet on a rugged rock face when you’re already high on
a mountain. Drew accomplished the impossible in his mind and “rang the bell” when he
reached the top.
Now it’s Zach’s turn. We thought he was
fearless in high places. Within seconds we
realized he was more afraid of heights than
Drew.
The actual schoolgirl, Rabun County
high school senior Katie McDonough, did
not squeal at all during her ascent...neither
did my 52-year-old wife. Katie’s twin brothWe have a lot of climbing options in
this mountain paradise. My friend Will Carney recently introduced us to our newest
venue, Currahee Mountain. The view from
the top and the vast climbing routes challenge the skilled and invite the new.
When we pack up our ropes and gear,
tion of sorts. We recognize the best climber
trophy going to the athlete who overcame
fears and maybe tears.
This trip, Zach Mathis took top honors
for climbing past his panic, reaching the top
while barefooted. (We didn’t have size 14
climbing shoes.) Best quote goes to Drew
Backer: “That mountain and my fear owned
me. But never again. I own that mountain
now.”
If you want to get free from your fear
of really high places, join us ([email protected]). Life is a short and fading
mist. Don’t miss out.
Be thankful. Enjoy your blessings. Hug
your family and friends around the Thanksgiving Table...and embrace adventure.
See you on the trail.
To accomplish great things,
we must not only act,
but also dream; not only
plan, but also believe.
Anatole France
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Henry
“P
eople that like to read can’t be
all bad, Mommy,” my Henry says
in the dark of his room, as I sit
next to his bed. “Mommy, jumping is good
exercise,” he continues. He has a lot to talk
about at night.
week. His room has a vintage cowboy
theme. There are framed photos of John
Wayne and Gary Cooper, six-shooters on
their hips. There’s a warm quilt on his log
bed, with a bark cloth top and cozy muslin backing, sewn for him by his Great-Aunt
Janie P. Taylor and her quilting friends at the
Rabun County Senior Center.
I reach over the hewn railing of his bed
to rub his “tummy back” – his name for his
tummy’s back. I lean in even closer to kiss
his velvety cheek, and he says, “Mommy,
word on the subject – any subject.
I am suddenly struck by his upcoming
birthday. If he were to be killed in some war
around the age of 20, his life would be a
quarter over now. A quarter over now. It has
just begun, I want to scream. He’s my baby
boy, I plea.
In Vietnam, of those killed, 61 percent
were younger than 21. This is not a crazy,
irrational fear on my part, and I can hardly
breathe.
Moreover, it cripples me to think of his
bleeding out in the muck of some wretched
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comfort of his Daddy, or me or his beloved
twin sister or even a priest.
“Mommy, why do coyotes eat chickens?”
I’m too shaken to respond.
“Mommy, sing me a song. ‘Rock-a-Bye
Baby.’ Please. It’s my favorite song.” Henry
always, always requests “Rock-a-Bye Baby”
every night.
So, I sing, “Rock-a-bye baby, in the
treetop. When the wind blows, the cradle
will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle
will fall. And down will come baby, cradle
and all.”
And when the bough breaks, and the
cradle falls, and the young man tumbles, so
does my heart.
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Turned Funny
Cause of Death: DIY or DYI?
By John Shivers
I
t’s all the rage these days. But I’m here to
tell you that this DIY insanity that manifests itself through home remodeling on
the cheap, is actually a dastardly set of ways
to fail. What’s more, you can hurt yourself in the process. I’m among the walking
wounded who knows.
From my vantage point atop the pinnacle of hindsight, those three initials are
uninformed (lucky you!!), DIY stands for
“Do It Yourself.” It should read DYI, or “Do
Yourself In.”
I speak from experience.
Our family has just completed a
“small” renovation project. Small, when
compared to remodeling the White House
from top of bottom. Unfortunately, while
our cosmetic transformation was less challenging than would be the case at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, we also had fewer willing hands and
available dollars to help get us from concept to reality. In fact,
we’re only somewhere in the vicinity of done, and at this point, I
I’ve overdosed on DIY.
Our son-in-law looked around the other evening and comtouched in this makeover. Not only did I have to acknowledge
that he was spot on, but suddenly I understood why my body was
so weary, and why the only two brain
waves in my head were unable to connect on a regular basis.
What I could do, I did. What I
couldn’t do, but we didn’t have the money to hire done, I did anyway. And what
we had to hire done, had to be supervised by you know who. It was an interesting experience. I use the word “interesting” because I can’t write the word I
really want to use in a family magazine.
Just know that interesting only scratches
the surface.
When people learn that we did this
entire transformation in something less
than two months, they’re quick to assure
me that two months is nothing. And I’m
quick to remind them that if they weren’t
there, they don’t have a clue. I have
fewer friends now than I did before we
started, but that’s just fewer folks to disagree with me.
How bad was it? I feel like I lived, ate, breathed and slept
this renovation forty-eight hours out of my day. Every day. So
consumed was I that at one point, I sat down in my recliner to
anxious to be considerate and appreciative of Elizabeth’s efforts, I got up to return my dirty dishes to the kitchen. Instead,
I walked into the hallway, opened the linen closet, and set my
dishes in amongst the bath towels. No joke.
A plethora of TV shows would have the uninformed believe that in only an hour, less commercial time, a ramshackle
barn can be transformed into an elegant mansion, and you
won’t even have to break a sweat to make it happen. It ain’t
to open the paint cans and get my equipment ready to work.
And when hired workers don’t even report until the sun has
are going to come to a speedy conclusion.
“to-do” list, I wasn’t very speedy, either.
I know TV cameras have the reputation for making folks
look ten pounds heavier. I’d guess from my most recent practical, hands-on experience, that it also allows more things to be
accomplished in less time. And in the process, it leaves scars
that ensure you will never forget the “make a sow’s ear into a
silk purse” transformation. So when you’re through, and that
one-eared porcine is walking around, wondering what the
heck happened, you will be able to proudly proclaim, “I did
it myself; I did myself in.”
DIY television is a mortal threat to life!
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The Clubhouse
Roast Turkey or Cooked Goose?
By John Shivers
“G
Illustration by Terry Sells
obble. Gobble.”
“Really, Dil? ‘Gobble… gobble’? Do you honestly
expect any self-respecting turkey to answer that?”
“I suppose you’ve got a better way to get their attention?”
“Yep,” Rabun Racky replied, “One of these.” In the gathering
twilight, he held up a small, round cylinder.
“What’s that?”
“A turkey call, you dope. You know… a professional turkey
call.”
“That’s for wild turkeys,” Dil challenged. He waved his hand at
the pen of white-feathered birds. “These are domestic turkeys. They
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won’t respond to that call any better than they did to my ‘gobble…
gobble’.”
Racky ignored his brother, placed the tube to his lips and blew
with all his might. “Parruhhh… parruhhh…” broke the silence of
the Rabun Gap, Georgia woods, but the birds milling around in
the pen gave no indication they’d heard anything.
“If that doesn’t beat all.” Racky stamped his foot. “Here we
are trying to save them from sure and certain death, and they can’t
even be bothered to listen up.”
“So? Since you’re not going to be able to make like the Pied
Piper, what’s ‘Plan B’?”
Racky surveyed the situation, walked around the large pen
and take them.”
Unfortunately, trying to grab fattened birds that didn’t want
either of the boys had imagined. That the turkeys didn’t want to
aggravating.
“Ungrateful, if you ask me,” Racky groused.
Long before “Operation Rescue” was anywhere near complete, both boys were questioning the wisdom of their actions.
What, they asked themselves, had possessed them to think they
“How can you be so crass? Don’t you realize that these poor
guys have to be killed to make all those drumsticks?”
Dil had the good graces to look ashamed. “So what do you
propose? That we rescue these turkeys from their natural fate and
leave a lot of people hungry on Thanksgiving Day?”
“That’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Racky vowed, and a
plan was hatched
As the boys struggled to grab the birds and pass them over the
fence to waiting cages loaded on a wagon, the next obstacle was
where to hide more than a hundred hot turkeys. Then the owner of
Thanksgiving dinner tables?
nally fell into their beds, too tired to care that each of them stunk
to high heaven.
The idea had been born in late October, when Racky spotted a troubling sign alongside Highway 441. “Pick out your
Thanksgiving meat while it’s still on the claw… Pick it up on
the day before, ready to roast!” The arrow on the bottom of the
billboard pointed down the road in the direction of the oak tree
where Racky lived with his parents.
While the boys slumbered in troubled sleep, people in the
der their wood piles, in their mailboxes, in the trunks of their cars
and atop the ridge poles of their houses. As the day wore on, and
the boys overheard all the talk around town about the turkeys, they
came to realize the magnitude of what they had done.
As soon as he could get to Dil, the boys investigated. They
heard the gabbling long before they rounded the bend to dis-
“Gosh,” Dil said to Racky as they went about their day with one
eye looking back over their shoulders, “Do you realize if we’d been
caught, our gooses would have been cooked?”
a large pen.
“Now you know how those turkeys feel,” Racky replied, “Their
gooses were almost cooked, too!
“Man, that’s a lot of drumsticks,” Dil muttered to himself.
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Gratitude -
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- tbarnesphotography.photoshelter.com