Lakelife Magazine | A Guide to Lake Oconee Living

? h c Pea Ain’t that a

!

– Peach-Pickin e i P ’ Go & m a od e r ne C ss e Ic

Taking on the Wild Wild West Exploring New Ventures with Charles Burnett

Peru: Beautiful & Unforgettable P.P. Carter: Greensboro’s Revolutionary Artist A SUPPLEMENT TO THE EATONTON MESSENGER AND LAKE OCONEE NEWS

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Lakelife

from the editor’s desk

T

HE STATEWIDE SHELTER-IN PLACE ORDER expired the day before I am writing this and local roads are already busy with traffic. When it went into effect over a month ago, our neighborhood on Lake Sinclair, as many others around lakes Sinclair and Oconee, instantly became more crowded than a mall on Black Friday. All the part-time residents came to their lake house for the shelter-in, and why not? If you must be stuck in a single place for weeks without coming in contact with anyone outside your family, there’s no better place to be.

Lynn Hobbs Who can feel gloomy when there’s fresh air, sunshine, birds singEDITOR ing, fish biting, a huge lake to explore and beautiful sunsets? My husband and I enjoyed seeing the family of an elderly neighbor take her out to tool around the lake in their pontoon boat every evening. We always waved, appreciating how good it must’ve been for her to get out of the house and away from worries about COVID-19.

To see how others in Lake Country made the best of these novel times, check out the Community Events pages. The pandemic cancelled all the events, so we showcase your times of adjustment on pages 70-74.

I have heard from readers who are using our restaurant directory to call and learn which restaurants are open or have curbside pickup. So, if you need a quick-and-easy reference, check out pages 76-77, or the same info is on our website, www.lakelife.today.

As always, I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as I did. It truly is like the lake – carefree and fun. Please let me know what you think – email lynn@lakelife.today.

1106 MARKET STREET GREENSBORO, GA 30642 ___________________________

VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 3

___________________________ Publisher A. Mark Smith Editor Lynn Hobbs Creative Director Brandon Park Graphic Designers Mark Brill • Josh Lurie Circulation Manager Matt Smith Director of Sales Matt Plocha Sales Representatives Michael Payne • Heather Harris Tom Gorman • Jamie Jenkins Leigh Kilpatrick Business Manager Cassandra Fowler Contributing Writers Michele Bechtell • Judi Collins George Heiring • David Veal Ernie Wyatt ____________________________________________________________

Dedication

MARK SMITH JR. (1965-2019)

L A K E L I F E

C O N T R I B U T O R S

MICHELE BECHTELL

JUDI COLLINS

Michele Bechtell resides at historic Panola Hall in Eatonton, with ties to Madison, Greensboro, Milledgeville and Athens.

Michele enjoys cooking, gardening, interior design, and event planning with extensive experience in the visual and performing arts and historic preservation.

Judi Collins has 50+ years combined experience as a television writer/ producer, newspaper columnist and freelance feature storywriter.

She writes about art, environment, gardening, real estate, community events/issues, and personality profiles.

GEORGE HEIRING

DAVID VEAL

Is a native Iowan now enjoying life on Lake Oconee. He serves as President of the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton. His books of short stories and poems have entertained readers and earned awards that encourage him to write even more.

David has been photographing for 40 +years and has numerous photographic awards to his credit. He also participates in a variety of activities around photography, including judging and curating photography exhibits.

David and his wife live on Lake Sinclair.

Executive Editor 2018-2019 ____________________________________________________________

Contact us at: 706-454-1290 • lynn@lakelife.today www.Lakelife.today ©2020 Lakelife Magazine.

All Rights Reserved.

Lakelife Magazine is published bimonthly by The Lake Oconee News, a division of Smith Communications, Inc. No portion of this issue (including publisher-designed advertisements) may be copied, scanned, or reproduced in any manner without prior written consent from the publisher.

Lakelife accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or photographs.These will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Lakelife Magazine is sent to subscribers of the Lake Oconee News and The Eatonton Messenger.To subscribe to either newspaper, call 706-485.3501, extension 1. It is also available free in kiosks all around Georgia’s Lake Country.

ERNIE WYATT Ernest Wyatt is an associate professor emeritus from Georgia Southern University where he taught journalism and communication arts for 26 years.

He received his ABJ and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and now lives in Milledgeville.

PUBLISHED BY THE

a division of Smith Communications, Inc. 100 N. Jefferson Ave. • P. O. Box 4027 • Eatonton, GA 31024

A. Mark Smith, President (706)485-3501 • Fax: (706)485-4166

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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ADVERTISER LISTINGS Air Conditioning Specialists . . . . . . . . . 36

Exchange Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Lake Country Hearth & Patio . . . . . . .49

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Amelia’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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Lake Oconee Eye Care . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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Bank of Madison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Farnsworth Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Madison Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

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TCH Watersports, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

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Central Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Greensboro Family Dentistry . . . . . . . 73

Power Pro Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Chandlee Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Greensboro Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

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Citizens Bank of the South . . . . . . . . . 65

Gutter Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Putnam General Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Cottages at Woodland . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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ON THE COVER: It’s peach season in Georgia!

COVER DESIGN BY MARK BRILL

Peach ?

Ain’t that a

BEFORE

AFTER

MAY/JUNE • 2020

Taking on the Wild Wild West

Peru: Beautiful & Unforgettable

Exploring New Ventures with Charles Burnett

P.P. Carter: Greensboro’s Revolutionary Artist A SUPPLEMENT TO THE EATONTON MESSENGER AND LAKE OCONEE NEWS

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE EATONTON MESSENGER AND LAKE OCONEE NEWS

Charles Burnett Ventures with Exploring New

Revolutionary Artist Greensboro’s P.P. Carter:

West Wild Wild Taking on the

Unforgettable Beautiful & Peru:

Peach ?

Ice C

ream

ess

& Pie –

odn ’ Go Peach-Pickin

Ain’t

that

a

12 Peach Pickin’ Time

Dickey Farms in Musella sports fried peach pies, fresh produce, games and a whole lot more

22 Taking On the Wild Wild West Pleasant surprises abound in the Little family’s summer vacation

28 Meet Me in the Winner’s Circle Discussing Creative Entrepreneurship with CHARLES & PAMELA BURNETT

BEFORE

AFTER

42 Unforgettable Peru

A trip through this fascinating South American country, poverty stricken yet rich in beauty

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

84 The Life and Art of P. P. Carter

An overview of the ‘Painter of the Confederacy’ — who lived in Greensboro

!

• Scratch Resistance • Corrosion Resistance • Chemical Resistance • Super Gloss • Easy-Cleaning • Never Wax Again • Stops Fading

Lakelife

Pie – Peach-Pickin’ G oo dn es s

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CARS, BOATS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES, ATVS, AIRPLANES & MORE!

& eam Cr Ice

page 22

41

TRAVEL HUMOR Desert Retailing: Salesmanship on the Road to Jericho

51

ANDALUSIA COLLECTION: BLACK HATS 2019 A private collection from the home of Flannery O’Connor

53

LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Award-winning children’s book author ANDREA CASSELL

COUNTERING COVID IN THE LAKE COUNTRY 70 GREENE COUNTY

COLUMNS 4 FROM THE EDITOR The lake is our refuge

72 PUTNAM COUNTY

37 FICTION A Good Day for Juan Diaz

74 MORGAN COUNTY

55 HUMOR Pandemic Antics

Lake Oconee Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Lake Area Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Lake Sinclair Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Lake Area Golf Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Lake Area Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Lake Area Parks/Campgrounds . . . . . . . . . . 67

Lake Area Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Lake Area Restaurant Guide

Lake Area Marinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

. . . . . . . . . . . . 76

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Day Trip

Peaches displayed in boxes with easy-carry handles are ready for customers to take them home.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

It’s not just 28 different varieties of peaches, or bins of fresh beans, or even fried peach pies, that draw you to Dickey Farms in Musella — there’s an even better reason to go Story and photos by JUDI M. COLLINS

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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NOTHING BEATS A TRIP TO DICKEY FARMS’ OPEN-AIR PEACH MARKET There’s nothing more “Southern” than a trip to a peach farm in the summertime. And none have more to offer than the open-air peach market at Dickey Farms in Musella, Georgia.

People from across Georgia’s Lake Country who make the annual summer pilgrimage to Dickey Farms enjoy the rare opportunity for a uniquely authentic, rural Georgia farm experience.

While it is true you can order peaches from Dickey Farms over the internet, it’s not like buying them first hand at the market. The most fun is a day trip to Dickey Farms where you experience the full flavor of freshly baked peach bread, homemade peach ice cream, fried peach “hand pies,” and the hospitality of a rocking chair. And of course, you get Georgia-grown peaches and produce fresh off the truck while they have their fullest flavor and highest nutritional value. You can even call ahead and sign up for a guided bus tour of the 1,000-acre farm.

ANTIQUES GALORE — A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE Top: The farms’ store carries a wide variety of peach flavored gourmet items and other local specialties.

Bottom: Dickey Farms offers pickled peaches for year-round peachy goodness.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

When you get to Dickey Farms’ open air market, take a “walk about” before you make your buys. Hanging from the ceiling, attached to walls, and scattered here and there among peach baskets and boxes, vegetable bins, and shelves of condiments is a delightful array of rural life antiques: farm implements such as an early Farmall tractor, hand tools, plows, horse collars, old tobacco and egg baskets, an old, drum-style “wringer” washing machine, and an early Coca-Cola ice chest style drink cooler that still sports its original trademark logo and chills like in the old days — just to name a few.

At the back of the market, on the other side of oversized viewing windows, the peach packing process is in full swing. If you’ve never seen peach processing, it’s worth a look. (The lines run most mornings, but call ahead for a

The assortment of fresh produce and locally-made gourmet items attracts many customers to the farms’ store.

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

15

schedule). Here, the peaches are washed, dried, sorted and inspected. Blemished or over-ripe fruit is removed by hand.

Those that pass inspection are sorted by size and packed for sale at the market or for shipping. Last year, Dickey Farms shipped more than 80,000 bushels of peaches to all 50 states.

FRIED PEACH HAND PIE — OH, MY!

OLD-FASHIONED FRIED PEACH HAND PIE RECIPE Dickey Farms does not publish their fried peach hand pie recipe. But below is my family’s 100+ year old recipe. Originally thickened with flour, I now substitute “Instant Clearjel.” It does not cloud the fruit filling. Find at most grocery stores. Publix can special order it. Or just use regular cornstarch or flour to thicken your filling — my Grandmother would probably consider it heresy that I changed her recipe!

PART #1: FRUIT FILLING 6 cups sugar.

2 ½ cups Instant Clearjel, 1 teaspoon cinnamon 7 cups cold water 7 quarts fresh peaches, sliced and drained

Combine sugar, cinnamon, Instant Clearjel and water. (Note: I save peach juice and substitute it for equal amounts of water.). Cook on medium high heat until it thickens and begins bubbling (about 7 minutes). Mixture should not be runny.

Fold in peaches, remove from heat, cool, then chill. (Sometimes, I add a few chopped pecans and raisins.)

PART #2: FRIED PIE 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup shortening, softened 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 1 (13 oz. can) evaporated milk 2 ½ cups fruit filling Shortening for frying (I use coconut oil)

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar. Cut in shortening. In a second bowl, mix eggs and milk; add to flour mixture. Mix with fork just until dough holds together. Do not over mix. Roll out dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut 7” rounds. Fill one side of circle with chilled fruit filling, leaving an unfilled space along edges. Fold other side of pastry circle over fruit and bring edges together. Press with finger and thumb or a fork to tightly seal. Deep fry pies in very hot oil (2” deep) until golden brown. (About two minutes per side). Cool on a rack before serving.

All the while you’re at the market, the sweet aroma of fresh-fried peach hand pie floats through the air. One of the South’s original desserts, fried peach pie recipes are passed down through generations and require just the right mix of spices, fruit and dough. Dickey Farms’ fried peach hand pies are true to that Southern tradition.

Even the name peach hand pie is said to be original to the South. It refers to what is known in other regions of our country as a “peach turnover,” or in fancy French cuisine, la chiffre d’affaires de la pêche. But not in the South where rural simplicity is treasured, and not at Dickey Farms. Here, it is a peach “hand pie” — spoken in authentic “Southern” that puts a slow emphasis on the “i” in pie and bespeaks the vernacular pride of a multi-generational heritage.

You can get your peach hand pie served “simple” in a little parchment paper sack that fits perfectly in your hand, or “gussied up” in a bowl with a curled swirl of homemade peach ice cream on top. And if you or the kids just want freshly made-on-thespot peach ice cream on a cone, you can get that, too.

KICK BACK IN A ROCKING CHAIR AND “SIT A SPELL.” Any way you like it, the best place to sit to eat your hand pie and ice cream is in one of the big ol white rocking chairs that sprawl across the south end of the market floor. Life at the peach market has a casual ambience, so kick back, “sit a spell” and relax in the shade! There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a lick of Dickey’s peach ice cream — off the cone or off

SHOP EVERY SEASON AT DICKEY FARMS Dickey Farms spreads over 1,000 acres, has over 100,000 peach trees, and is home to Georgia’s oldest continuously operating peach packing house. The same family has owned Dickey Farms since 1897. Robert Dickey, the current and fourth generation owner, was named “2019 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR”— an award that comes as no surprise to those who visit the market during peach season...or for that matter, any time of year! The open air market operates year-round with offerings that reflect Georgia’s growing cycle.

Clockwise from top left: A young child peers into a tub filled with ears of sweet corn; visitors delight in homemade peach ice cream while “sitting a spell” in rocking in chairs on the porch; an antique Coca-Cola drug store sign hangs over an antique coal burning stove; an early wringer-style washing machine reminds visitors of years gone by.

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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Clockwise from top left: The store’s décor creates a nostalgic atmosphere; oldtimey games add to the fun; an antique baby buggy and railroad crossing sign; a working chest-style Coca-Cola cooler adds to the nostalgia; workers inspect peaches and pack them in boxes.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

AN EASY DRIVE FROM GEORGIA’S LAKE COUNTRY TO THE HEARTLAND From Georgia’s Lake Country, Dickey Farms is an easy drive down Highway 44 to Eatonton. Then Route 36 to Barnesville, and Highway 341 to Musella. Go through the small, rural town, look for a sign on the left and follow the lane down to the dead end. You can’t miss it! Another popular route is by way of Forsyth, then State Route 42 until it intersects Highway 341. Look for the sign. To contact Dickey Farms, call 478-836-4362 or search dickeyfarms.com.

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the spoon — while you rock and listen to the chair’s curved runners beat a musical tune on the market’s weathered, wooden floor.

When it’s time to head home, it’s time to shop. Fill your shopping baskets with fresh produce from bins, display tables, and shelves. Find fresh corn iced down in a big galvanized tub. Freshly hulled “pinks” (peas) and butter beans are in the cooler standing at the back wall. And bags, baskets and boxes of peaches are on stands by the door.

If you need assistance, someone will help take your purchases to the car. Most likely, your helper will be a local teen learning a strong work ethic and the foundation of farm business from the ground up. You may even get a friendly “goodbye” wave and a blown kiss from threeyear old, sixth-generation, Scarlett Dickey. Southern hospitality is her heritage. The Dickey family has been farming Georgia’s heartland and extending their special brand of rural hospitality for well over 120 years. L

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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Family Vacation

Pleasant surprises abound in the Little family’s summer vacation

By LYNN HOBBS Photos by WENDY GRIMES-LITTLE

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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Top left: An art exhibit of colorful cairns about 20 miles outside of Vegas. Top right: August shows the rock layers in Zion National Park. Bottom left: The arch bridge over the Colorado River at Hoover Dam. Bottom right: Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

EMINISCENT OF SCENES IN the film, The Karate Kid, photos of the Little family’s vacation last summer show 10-year-old August and 9-year-old Elin demonstrating their expert karate moves on large rocks of canyons and mountains.

But instead of the film’s Wudang Mountains of China, August and Elin’s scenic backdrops are in the U.S. western states of Utah and Nevada.

“Whenever we stopped for scenic photo ops, August wanted to pose for pictures to send to Master Ray, so Elin did, too,” their mom, Wendy, explained; “but about halfway through the trip, Elin switched over to dance moves in her pictures.” “Master Ray” is the children’s instructor at Saltamacchio’s Tang Soo Do Karate on Harmony Road, she said.

The trip really had nothing to do with perfecting Karate moves, but was an exciting and educational vacation outside the norm for this unique, special family. Wendy is an English teacher at Putnam County High School;

R

Counterclockwise from top right: A weathered tree makes beautiful art in Arches National Park; the canyon crevices and rocks are the perfect backdrop for Elin’s pose as Karate Kid; Eric and Elin are ready to eat at Evel Pie in Las Vegas; what’s left of a sun-bleached tree becomes nature’s sculpture in Bryce Canyon; “Balanced Rock” in Arches National Park.

IF YOU GO If you decide to explore more than one national park, the Littles recommend investing in a national park pass. Each park is around $30 to visit; so, the park pass would pay for itself after two parks.

Some of the parks are self drive-throug h with scenic stops along the way. Other parks require you to take a tram or national park bus to the lookout spots.

Hotels.com will help with booking rooms; choose hotels that allow cancellations or changes to the reservations.

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

her husband, Eric, is transportation director for the school system; and son, August, and daughter, Elin, attend Putnam County Charter School System schools. It was not their first time out west; Wendy said the previous year they visited Phoenix, Arizona and the Grand Canyon.

On this past summer’s trip, they explored Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands national parks. They ventured off the unbeaten path to enjoy indoor amusement parks in Vegas and tour the Nevada Museum of Art, “ghost town” Nelson/Landing Flash Flood, and Hoover Dam. “My grandfather built the dam in Cartersville, so I grew up hearing all the ‘dam’ puns used by tour guides, but that (Hoover Dam) tour was amazing; that dam is just incredible,” Wendy said.

They flew to Vegas, then rented an SUV to drive across Utah and back.

The children had their “devices” to keep them entertained during the driving intervals, and the national parks offered many opportunities to take hikes.

Wendy credited Putnam County Middle School teacher Dawn Walker as “a great source of information” while planning the trip. “And TripAdvisor, because sometimes you have more time and you are able to fill it with sites or points of interest nearby,” she said.

The incredible scenery was the highlight of their trip for each person, they said, and no one could name a favorite location that stood above the rest in scenery. “I wanted to take so many pictures with my phone so that I would have the memory of each place, at various angles, forever in my mind. I remember Face Timing some of my family and closest friends so they could experience the views with me,” Wendy said.

Unlike August and Elin’s martial arts and dance moves, Eric naturally chose to have his picture taken beside a dilapidated, rusted school bus left in the remains of the 1974 flash flood at Nelson’s Landing. “I believe there was a reference about whether or not it would pass inspection,” Wendy quipped on her social media post of the picture.

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A visit to Las Vegas provided indoor amusement park entertainment for the family and plenty of neon wonder such as this giant martini glass over old downtown Vegas.

Traveling through the notoriously dry, hot states at the end of June and first of July had the advantage of being the “slow season” in regards to tourist crowds, but the disadvantage of scorching heat. While they were in Arches National Park, the thermometer registered 101 degrees. But the Little’s are accustomed to Georgia’s humid summers, so they said “the heat was uncomfortable when we went on some short hikes; but when we hopped out of the car for photo ops, it wasn’t bad at all.”

All that heat made the brief stays at hotels all the more pleasant for August and Elin, who said they loved swimming at the hotel pools and eating out at restaurants, “especially pizza.” August can eat his weight in pizza, Wendy said, so he was especially pleased with the large pizza they enjoyed at Evel Pie in Las Vegas.

And while every aspect of the trip was unforgettable, it also sparked some interest in more exploration.

Wendy said they were pleasantly surprised when they saw petroglyphs in Capital Reef. “They were unexpected and cool,” she described. “Everywhere we went, the geography itself was amazing. It made us want to learn more about the formation of the land.

I wanted to know how and why these features are here.” L

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Local Industry

M E E T

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T H E

WINNER’S CIRCLE 28

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Below: Welding at KEM shop.

Inset lower left: Charles in his early racing days.

Discussing Creative Entrepreneurship with CHARLES & PAMELA BURNETT

by Hank Segars • Photos courtesy of Charles & Pam Burnett

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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Above: Charles preparing a race car for NHRA drag race.

Left: Pam (top) and Charles Burnett.

Charles’ racing experiences in the 1990s allowed him to make contacts and develop long-term relationships with industry leaders, which has certainly opened plenty of doors over the years. ~ Pam Burnette

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

L

OCAL BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN FACING difficult challenges and it’s interesting to see how these challenges are being met. It’s also interesting to learn how various enterprises in our region first started and especially about those that have been able to thrive and expand.

For example, Charles Burnett, the grandson of Master Artist Steffen Wolfgang Thomas, found ways to channel his creative legacy into a successful mechanical business. His wife, Pam, with strong ties to Lake Country, has also taken her entrepreneurial skills and passion for art to a new level. And to fully understand how an art legacy, creativity and entrepreneurship can lead to success, I questioned the Burnetts about their individual stories and unique ventures: Q. Charles, how has growing up as the grandson of Steffen Thomas, the noted German American Expressionist, influenced you and your creative, entrepreneurial spirit?

Charles: As an Atlanta native, I grew up in Tucker. Both sides of my family have rich genealogical history in the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, going back to the Civil War. My grandfather, Steffen Thomas, a prominent Atlanta artist, immigrated to America from Nuremberg through Ellis Island in the late 1920s. My grandfather’s upbringing and his history is fascinating and I couldn’t even begin to try and summarize it. His story is told so well in the museum named for him in Morgan County’s Buckhead community.

Q. Tell us about your career before you became the founder and owner of KEM Performance South, your diesel repair and parts business located in Monticello.

Charles: After graduating from DeKalb College and the Ford Asset Program in 1987, I settled into a Ford dealership career specializing in gas drive-ability work. In 1993, Georgia Tech Basketball All-Star and NBA professional Tom Hammonds invited me to join his company, Above the Rim Racing, which eventually lead to my involvement in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) pro-stock car racing. I later joined Rick Jones, of RJ Race Cars, to run NHRA pro-stock trucks.

While racing for about ten years, I still maintained my dealership position and continued Ford Factory training and certifications to include Ford Diesel Certified Technician in 2003 and the highest level of Ford Certification, the Ford Senior Master Technician Designation, in 2010. In 2011, after 26 years with Ford, I combined my factory and racing experience to form KEM South.

Q. Pam, tell us about your business interests and your strong connections to Lake Country.

Pam: After leaving a bedroom community outside Decatur in the 1970s, we lived on a small quarter horse farm in Walton County. Then, in the 1980s, my family moved to Loch Haven, which is located off Highway 44 on Lake Oconee.

My father has been in the construction and development business since his early 20’s and I joined his business at a young age and helped it grow for two decades. Our company was involved in multifamily, hospitality, industrial, office and

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retail construction projects to include the original construction and development at Harbor Club as well as the former Holiday Inn on Highway 44.

In 2005, my father retired and I transitioned from construction and development to property management. My present job involves managing and leasing of our Summit Grove Office Park in Conyers, one of the only full-service office parks on the east side of the perimeter. Tenants include medical, government, small service and professional businesses. My passion, however, involves the art and legacy of Charles’ grandfather, Steffen Thomas.

Q. How did the diesel repair and parts business come about?

Pam: Charles’ racing experiences in the 1990s allowed him to make contacts and develop long-term relationships with industry leaders, which has certainly opened plenty of doors over the years. However, as much as we’d like to say the start of his business involved a defined strategic plan, the truth is, it really wasn’t that at all. It just kind of happened in our back yard, in a building we constructed originally as a kind of man-cave. Charles worked on projects he’d put off all those years he was racing such as restoring his 1968 and 1988 Mustang, a couple of jeeps and maybe a boat. Friends and others would come by with car or truck questions.

Charles would always stop and help, answering questions or doing the work, especially for people who couldn’t afford to get their vehicles fixed.

One day he just woke up and said, “I want to give this a try.” That was 2014. We acquired the building on Edwards Road in Monticello. It was a huge step, and not just working in our back yard. We never dreamed we would outgrow this, but then again, never underestimate the power of word of mouth . . . and social media. Charles’ philosophy has always been to treat his customers the way he would want to be treated. And this seemed to ring true for a lot of people, both individuals and big businesses.

Charles: As fleet work from major corporations and municipalities grew, we found ourselves out of space yet again in 2019; so, we recently embarked on a mission to complete a 10,000 square-foot expansion. In addition to higher ceiling clearances for taller vehicles and more stalls, we’ve also added 1,000 square feet for a parts department to serve our shop as well as wholesale and retail parts customers. Also, due to the times, we are offering pick-up and delivery service and a wrecker to adjoining counties. We also help state and local agencies with their mechanical breakdowns.

Q. Please tell us about creating the Steffen Thomas enterprise that is located in Atlanta.

Pam: We started Art Associates Atlanta in 2016 to promote the legacy and work of Charles’ grandfather, Steffen Thomas. Although a museum dedicated to Mr. Thomas’ work is located in in Lake Country, it occurred to us that an entire generation of Atlantans did not know Mr. Thomas’ work although they might pass by some of his public art multiple times per day. For example, “Trilon” fountain is at

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Above: The Burnette’s Gallery Space in Atlanta.

Right: An engine being repaired at Charles’s facility.

My passion involves the art and legacy of Charles’ grandfather, Steffen Thomas. ~ Pam Burnette

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We just get up every morning, be patient, be kind, work hard for our customers and tenants and have faith the world will treat us the same. ~ Charles Burnette

Above: Charles and Pam at a cultural festival in Nevada. Left: The KEM South Building.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

the corner of 15th and Peachtree at Colony Square, and “Pioneer Women” is in Piedmont Park. Thomas had a significant number of works simply sitting in a storage vault not being seen or enjoyed.

Other than Charles growing up in an artistic family, neither of us had any formal art training. So, in 2018, I took a six-week sabbatical to rent an apartment in Manhattan and study at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. The experience was immersive and magical and opened my mind to understanding Thomas and other artists in a more wholistic way that goes beyond the aesthetics.

Charles: We maintain a gallery space on the 41st floor of the Four Seasons Hotel building in Atlanta where we hold quarterly openings and show Thomas’ works by appointment. With the new normal of social distancing, we’re starting a more active social media presence although there is no substitute for viewing the work in person. We are prayerful for the day when we can raise a glass again in person with visitors at our gallery and in the museum. Our customers come from throughout the U.S. and Europe.

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*** In conclusion, I asked the entrepreneurial couple about future plans for their businesses and both said “The future is uncertain for all businesses; so, we just get up every morning, be patient, be kind, work hard for our customers and tenants and have faith the world will treat us the same.”

The energy and creativity demonstrated by this talented pair provides a good blueprint for those interested in transforming their business dreams into reality. L Additional information can be found online for KEM Performance South (www.kemsouth.com); Summit Grove Office Park (www.summitgrove.com); and Art Associates Atlanta (Instagram @steffen_thomas_art).

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Fiction

A Good Day for Juan Diaz

By ERNEST WYATT

J

UAN DIAZ DIPPED A COTTON BALL INTO alcohol and then dabbed it in shoe polish and made gentle circles on the toe of his shoe. He did this until the quickly evaporating alcohol created a sheen so that his shoe gleamed like patent leather.

He sat his shoes on the floor beside his bed and studied the glow of the lamplight on the toes and judged that his shoeshine was very good. “Muy bueno,” he said to himself and turned off the lamp and lay back against the pillow on his bed to sleep.

He slept well, dreaming of the many birds and chattering monkeys he knew he would see in the morning.

At dawn, he was awakened by the bantam rooster in the backyard of the three-room wooden house Juan shared with his mother and two younger sisters. He was sixteen years old now and had become the man of the house after his father left to work in the banana fields and had not returned.

Juan arose quickly and dressed in his shiny shoes, cotton pants and white shirt pressed by his mother. He slipped out the screen door, careful not to awaken his mother or sisters, and hurried down the row of small wooden houses along the riverfront of the village of Tortuguero. He wanted to arrive early at the dock of the hotel where rich tourists gather. It was Saturday, the most popular day for the tourists to hire boats to take them on the river and into the narrow canals where they could see exotic creatures and tropical foliage and take pictures with their cameras and cell phones.

There were three boats at the dock when Juan arrived, each with seats for twenty-four tourists. Ricardo would take one of the boats and Manfred the second, but if there were enough tourists, the hotel would let him take the third. The tourists would buy tickets from the hotel, and tour guides could keep the tips. Juan had been the third tour guide for six consecutive Saturdays and if he gained enough skill and experience, the hotel might give him a permanent position, like Ricardo and Manfred. It was the best he could do unless he left Tortuguero.

Juan had watched his father, Rafael Diaz, struggle to make a living as a fisherman, both in the fresh-water rivers and the nearby Caribbean Sea, but there seemed never to be enough fish. Finally, Rafael had said that working in Tortuguero was hopeless, and he left to work in the banana harvest.

This Saturday there were sixty-two tourists, so the hotel manager assigned twenty to Juan’s boat, and he was very happy because they often tipped a dollar each and sometimes two. He might make thirty dollars, or even more.

The three boats pulled out of dock together and all headed south on the Tortuguero River. There were many snowy egrets and blue herons along the riverbank and toucans and kingfishers sat in the trees. Spider monkeys clamored excitedly and swung in the branches like trapeze artists, catching the limbs with their tails and long slender arms.

The larger howler monkeys sat in groups higher in the trees and watched disinterestedly, while below, at water’s edge, a caiman lounged on a fallen limb, eyeing an iguana perched overhead. An anhinga sat on a rotting tree stump and spread its broad black wings to dry in the morning sun.

Juan had studied the guide books and talked with the older tour guides who had told him the stories of many great sightings along the river in years past. They gathered at the village store on Saturdays and sat on rickety benches on the waterfront and drank Imperial, the beer of Costa Rica, and talked about the day’s sightings from photos posted on the hotel message board. Juan admired them and listened to their stories and learned much from them. He had also read by his bedside lamp many nights about the logging company that had taken most of the great trees thirty years before he was born and cut man-made canals in the marshy jungles along the Tortuguero and Parismina rivers.

A tourist asked Juan if the caiman was a crocodile. “No,” he explained. “The caiman is a smaller reptile, a cousin to the crocodile. You will not see crocodiles and caimans in the same waters. The larger, more powerful crocodile will chase away the caimans.”

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Juan’s boat had taken the lead and was now passing Harold Canal. He decided not to enter the canal today because on previous Saturdays he had not found interesting wildlife there. Furthermore, he did not like Harold Canal because it was created by an American logger to get to large trees that were now ugly, decaying stumps.

Ricardo and Manfred both turned their boats up the narrow canal and disappeared around a bend. Juan continued south close to the riverbank and pointed to a sloth clinging to a kapok limb fifty feet over the river. The lazy sloth is a common sight and few tourists bothered to take pictures. They were more interested in the monkeys and brightly colored birds. Cameras clicked at the sight of a blue-crowned motmot on the gnarled branch of a fallen tree. Its body and wings were green, but its breast was orange. A black mask surrounded its red eyes, and the top of his head was a bright blue.

“Oh,” one tourist said, “that must be the most colorful bird on the river!”

“No, that would be the resplendent quetzal,” Juan replied. “They generally live at higher altitudes but are sometimes seen here. They are very rare.” He had been tutored in English by a retired school teacher, Juanita, a friend of this mother. All guides were required to speak English since most of the tourists were from Canada and the United States.

Juan cut off the Yamaha outboard motor, which had been purring along barely audibly, and allowed the boat to glide toward an exposed stump about ten feet from shore.

He placed his finger over his lips to shush the tourists. “Do you see the bright green lizard on the stump?” he asked, softly. They nodded. “That is the basilisk lizard, but most people call it the Jesus Christ lizard. Does anyone know why?”

Nobody did.

Juan told them to get ready with their cameras. He then pitched a small pebble, which he carried in his pocket for this expected occasion, and it splashed in the water near the lizard. The result astonished the tourists. The foot-long lizard darted across the surface of the water to the safety of the bank. Cameras clicked.

“As you can see,” he explained, “the Jesus Christ lizard can walk on water. His long, slender webbed toes create air pockets on the surface and prevent him from sinking.”

The morning had passed and Juan turned his boat north and soon met the other two boats. They pulled alongside each other, and Ricardo’s and Manfred’s tourists were excited and showed the screens of the pictures they’d taken on Harold Canal of a male resplendent quetzal in flight. A magnificent bird, nearly three feet long if you include its

tail feathers, the male has iridescent green plumage and a blood-red chest, a dazzling sight.

It was noon when the three boats finished sharing their pictures, and they returned to dock. The tourists were taken to the hotel pavilion for lunch, a sprawling buffet of fruits, meats, vegetables and seafood. As a tour guide, Juan was a guest of the hotel and enjoyed his favorite dishes, rice with black beans, fried plantains, breaded tilapia, and a side of sweet Costa Rican pineapple. “Muy bueno,” he said.

Afterwards, a crowd gathered at the hotel message board to see the photo printouts of the morning’s pictures. There were several shots of spider monkeys in the trees, blue herons wadding the shoreline, caimans bathing in the warm river, and one very good picture of the basilisk lizard walking on water, a contribution from Juan’s boat. The largest and most noticeable photo was of the resplendent quetzal, and the tourists marveled at the large bird’s beauty.

As they returned to the boats, the tourists all scrambled to fill the seats on the boats of Ricardo and Manfred, and none entered Juan’s boat until all seats were taken on the other two.

Then, somewhat reluctantly, fourteen tourists took the remaining seats. Juan had lost six. Ricardo and Manfred exchanged uneasy glances, but Juan turned his gaze to the river and the jungle tree line beyond.

Juan took the lead again as the boats turned north, and he opened the throttle a bit, revving the Yamaha engine. The other two boats, traveling close to shore, were soon out of sight. Still, he kept his boat near the center of the river, where the water was deeper, and the Yamaha hummed. A wake trailed the boat, and waves splashed the riverbank.

Turtles were washed off stumps and herons took wing to find calmer water. An olive-brown caiman dived beneath the turbidity, and spider monkeys chattered in the trees. A listless sloth watched from a mahogany overhanging the river.

It was ten minutes before Juan cut the throttle. The lush tropical vegetation had grown denser ahead. With the throttle low, the boat moved slowly toward the shore and it appeared his intention was to run aground, but with the bow pressing its way among the overhanging fronds it became evident that he was taking the boat into a dark-water canal, Cano Sombrio.

Speaking softly to the tourists, he explained, “This is a channel we don’t usually enter because the water is so shallow, but I believe the rain Thursday has added depth, and since we have less weight in the boat…” His voice trailed off as he studied the water level to his left and right. The boat was barely moving now and Juan was careful to keep it at center-channel. Strangler fig vines brushed against the boat,

“That is the basilisk lizard, but most people call it the Jesus Christ lizard.

Does anyone know why?” Nobody did.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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and the tourists grew uneasy, not sure they trusted Juan’s judgment. For several minutes the Yamaha purred and the boat crept through giant ferns and lily pads, watched by red-eyed tree frogs and slider turtles, and then the channel began to broaden and the water deepened. The boat entered a hidden pool of dark, still water that mirrored the shoreline vegetation. He cut off the engine and allowed the boat to glide silently into the secret lagoon.

It was then that Juan and the fourteen tourists all saw the most wonderful surprise at the far end of the pool. A golden jaguar stood on a fallen tree near the shore, as if posing. There was a moment of stunned silence before the first camera clicked, and then there were more clicks, and still more, as the tourists captured the king of the Costa Rican jungle. He briefly turned his yellow eyes to the boat and its strange occupants, but then looked away with a disinterested aloofness characterized by most cats.

“Is he dangerous?” one tourist whispered, as if not wanting to be heard by the jaguar.

“Oh yes,” Juan answered, softly, “very dangerous, but not to us. He is watching the water for an otter, or perhaps a raccoon.”

The spirits of the tourists were lifted when Juan guided the boat back through the narrow channel, and their trust in him had improved. On the way south on the Tortuguero, he told the tourists about the jaguar. “Their bite is stronger than that of an African lion. They can bite through the shell of a turtle,” he said. “The lion and tiger are the only larger cats in the world, but neither is as regal as the jaguar.”

At the dock, the tourists were very pleased with their guide, and together they tipped him eighty dollars. It was a good day for Juan Diaz.

He hurried home and saw through the kitchen window his mother and sisters hanging clothes on a line in the backyard. He placed seventy-nine dollars on the kitchen table for them to find when they came inside, and he took one dollar for himself.

He stripped off his cotton pants and pressed white shirt and carefully draped them over a chair, and he removed his shiny shoes and placed them beside his bed. Hurriedly, he dressed in sandals, jeans and T-shirt and slipped out the front door, walking briskly now toward the store where he knew the old tour guides would be gathering on the village waterfront to drink beer and reminisce.

Juan spent his dollar on a cold bottle of Imperial and sat at a bench very near the elders so he could hear their stories.

They had seen the photos of the jaguar on the hotel message board, and they were trying to remember the last such sighting. All agreed it had been many years, and one of the men said that he had never seen a more handsome cat.

The setting sun made the sky red over the river, and Juan thought that it was even more beautiful than the blood-red chest of a resplendent quetzal. He sipped his beer. “Muy bueno,” he said. L

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Travel Humor

Desert Retailing

By GEORGE HEIRING

L

EAVING JERUSALEM, MY WIFE DONNA and I and Chicago friends Bob and Linda traveled into the Palestinian desert, a raw, solitary journey through sand and rock, past West Bank checkpoints spiraling with razor wire. Our route followed an old Roman road to Jericho said to be the setting for the parable of the Good Samaritan. We met no Roman chariots. We met no vehicles of any description.

Our destination was the St. George Orthodox Monastery, a sixth-century cliff-hanging complex located in the remote canyon of Wadi Qelt. Established by early monks trying to relive the desert experiences of the prophets, the monastery clutched the face of the canyon wall like a desperate, grasping hand.

While we stood at the canyon rim admiring the monastery, we heard a sound—far off and out of place—like a police car siren. Desert winds are fickle and deceiving.

Each of us pivoted about, searching the horizon for the sound’s origin. In the distance, we saw a donkey negotiating the dunes at full gallop, braying musically in full voice.

The rider was waving with excitement, the sleeves of his long white robe and his red checked headscarf ballooning in the airstream. Now within earshot, he greeted us repeatedly in heavily accented English.

“Good morning, good morning. And welcome. Welcome to you all.” The occasion for joy was soon obvious.

He was a salesman! Using the intuitive radar itinerant peddlers possess, this old Arab had tracked down the only customers he was likely to encounter the rest of the day.

Rasping loudly from the gallop, the donkey stopped abruptly, the wreath of red tassels around his neck still in sway. He looked to be a beast of burden of long experience, his brown coat fading to gray on the flanks. As he turned his white-whiskered muzzle in our direction, he laid back his long ears and offered a long, trumpeting

St. George Orthodox Monastery, West Bank, Palestine, 2010

“eee-HAAAAAW” to announce the main act.

The salesman slid from the blue, overstuffed cushion used as a saddle, his arms full of cloth sacks. His sandals barely touched sand before his soothing pitch began. “Allah’s blessings on you. Are you from America, then?” His beard tickled his chest. Deep set eyes and a wind etched face gave him the appearance of an Old Testament prophet.

He made a short bow in Donna and Linda’s direction.

“Ah, yes, ladies, your pale loveliness will be too soon victim of the sun.” He extracted two long pieces of white cotton cloth from one of the sacks. “In this matter, I can be of assistance.” He held the cloth in his hands with tactile respect as if parting with it would be a blessing for his customers and a personal loss for him. “In the desert you must have the protection of a keffiyeh.”

Within minutes both ladies wore folds of white cloth artfully banded around their heads. Above their dark sunglasses their keffiyeh gave them the look of a film crew at work on Lawrence of Arabia.

Now in native garb, they were prime targets for necklaces dangling from the salesman’s arms. Donna and Linda each bought two, more out of sympathy for the seller’s efforts than for the attractiveness of the merchandise.

Wilting under the midday sun, we didn’t bargain long.

“You have a keen eye for quality,” the Arab assured the ladies as he wrapped the goods and accepted our shekels with a bow. Donna gave the donkey an appreciative pat on the nose and his long ears came erect. Both members of the sales team seemed satisfied the chase across the dunes had paid off handsomely.

Bob and I looked at one another and shook our heads.

Just when we thought there was no possible opportunity for Donna and Linda to shop, a desert salesman had busted his ass to intervene. L

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Travel

U N F O R G E T TA B L E

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Poverty-stricken, yet rich in beauty and history Story and photos by DAVID VEAL

Inset: Ladies with llamas, waiting on tourists looking for a photo opportunity, dressed to provide that perfect photographic moment. Above: Looking down on the tile roofed city of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman, containing ruins of a fortress-like structure thought to have been used as a look out site.

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W

HEN A TRIP OPPORTUNITY to Peru popped up, the country was not even on our radar, much less on a bucket list. It met our critical travel criteria -- it was inexpensive, yet rich in photographic opportunities. As it turned out, the trip was wonderful and remains one of our favorites to this day.

Peru is the third largest country in South America. It is home to the Andes, the longest continental mountain range in the world and the highest mountain range outside Asia; and the Amazon river, the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world and the second longest river in the world, after the Nile. While one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources – gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and iron are found across the country, and there are reserves of oil and natural gas – jobs are hard to come by and it remains one of the world’s poorest countries.

Our first stop was Lima, the capitol city, where we spent two nights in the Mariel Hotel in Miraflores, the tourist district with a high concentration of very modern hotels, restaurants, theatres, and art galleries and offering a good depiction of upscale Peruvian city life. A visit to the city center, the Plaza de Armas, is essential to see the ornate government buildings, a number of museums and churches and, of course, experience ample opportunities to shop. The Peruvian military was always present at any large gathering site we visited.

Cusco was an entirely different adventure. At 11,000 feet above sea level, altitude sickness is a common issue.

Chewing cocoa leaves and drinking cocoa tea is a must in order to somewhat adjust. Our lodging, The Plaza de Armas, while not ornate, was quite comfortable and situated directly on the main square. The square, also the Plaza de Armas, is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. Plaza de Armas literally means “weapons square,” but is better translated as “parade square” or “parade ground;” it is also the name for all of the Hispanic

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Above: The street leading to the market at San Blas, considered one of the best open air markets in Cusco.The steep street is lined with stylish boutiques offering high-end items as well as an ample supply of souvenirs. Below: Young peddlers upon arrival at the airport in Cusco.

Above: A young boy working a magazine kiosk. There were similar kiosks offering a variety of items in all of the cities. Below left: Our transport from the Cusco airport to our hotel. When we arrived at the hotel we were met by more young peddlers selling us pictures, already printed on postcards, of us walking from the airport to the van. Below right: Bounty displayed at a typical open air market. This one happened to be in the Sacred Valley.

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Obligatory tourist shot looking down at the ruins of Machu Picchu. Note the water bottle tote, purchased at the Cusco airport and an invaluable souvenir.

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American main squares. Cusco was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture.

While in Cusco, the hotel staff was outstanding in ensuring we had a good experience, making suggestions of sites to visit not on the usual tourist path as well as serving as guides/ helpers and going to stores with us for supplies. While more agricultural, we again found the city to have quite a number of nice, modern day restaurants. Even so, remains of the ancient Incan walls were everywhere and woven into the current day structures.

From this vantage point, we ventured out into the surrounding area of the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley formed the heart of the Inca Empire stretching roughly 37 miles. It is an area of fertile farmland and Spanish colonial villages like Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Pisac is known for its Sunday handicraft market and a hilltop Incan citadel containing the ruins of a structure which is thought to have been a type of sundial.

At the end of a four hour train trip from Cusco through the Urubamba/ Sacred Valley, we arrived at the third leg of our journey, two nights in Aguas Calientes (a.k.a. Machu Picchu Pueblo) at the base of Machu Picchu.

Our lodging was the Machu Picchu Inn, a small modern place in the heart of the city.

A day on Machu Picchu is a wondrous experience. After a ride in an old American Blue Bird school bus up a winding, treacherously narrow mountain road, actually more of a path, the beauty at the top is astounding. Walking high up on the mist-covered mountain among the ruins with the condors sailing at eye level is an experience one never forgets. The llamas and alpaca wander the grounds and, while they do not approach you, neither are they afraid of all the visitors which are so much a part of their days.

One experience, which we found disconcerting and consistent whether in the city or the country, was the ever-present young street peddlers offering small items for sale or sim-

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Above: A parade on a Sunday in Cusco, in celebration of the life of a national politician. Sunday brought a different feel to Cusco with families in their Sunday best strolling around the plaza replacing the peddlers. Right: An example of the intricacy of the Incan wall construction. The Incan stone masons would work the stones until their shape fit exactly alongside all of the other blocks. Below: Desperate for a sale, this young man was always outside the window of a restaurant we frequented.

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Above: Bounty displayed at a typical open air market. This one happened to be in the Sacred Valley.

ply offering their palm for some small monetary gift. Unfortunately, this is the only life the majority of them will ever know. A teenager we paid to guide us through the city walked two and a half hours each way daily from his home in the country to beg on the city streets. Peruvians are a handsome people with a sense of strength, and angular, classic sculpted features. We found them to be genuinely friendly.

While we mostly could not understand them nor they us, we managed to communicate quite well. You could not help but be drawn to photographing them. There were perfect photographic moments everywhere.

According to a recent report from the State tourism office, tourism is the most rapidly growing industry in Peru, growing annually at a rate of 25 percent. I would highly recommend Peru to any traveler wanting to visit a unique and memorable culture. L

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Exhibitions

A N D A L U S I A

C O L L E C T I O N

BLACK HATS 2019

By JUDI COLLINS Photo courtesy of the ANDALUSIA COLLECTION

RECENTLY, GEORGIA COLLEGE’S ANDALUSIA IN Milledgeville sponsored an exhibit of 14 black hats from a private collection found in the home of Flannery O’Conner, that sharp-witted Southern gothic fiction writer who won the prestigious National Book Award.

Today, as when she first wrote her books and short stories, O’Connor posthumously chills and thrills her readers with tales heavy on violence, satire, racial bigotry, sin, salvation, redemption, and what she famously called “an eternal conflict between religion and reason.”

The exhibit originates from a comment by O’Connor about symbolism of a hat Meghan Anderson, curator for Andalusia, clarifies the hat exhibit displays never-before-seen articles worn by Flannery and her mother, Regina. “We were inspired by a letter O’Connor wrote regarding symbolism of a particular hat worn by one of her fictional characters,” she said, noting the exhibit was meant to give viewers a more close and personal, interactive experience.

The exhibit thesis was What do the black hats say? “We introduce viewers to context for the display – fashion and social norms of that time when a properly dressed woman was expected to wear a hat in public,” Anderson continued.

“But rather than museum staff interpreting what the hats say, we want the visitor to draw their own conclusions.”

• EACH VISITOR’S INTERPRETATION DIFFERENT One exhibit visitor may see 14 black hats – berets, skippers and chaplets – and conclude Flannery and her mother had a “thing” for black hats and could not resist buying “just one more!” Another visitor may focus on the close similarity in hat size and shape, and conclude the O’Connors were not hat fashionistas, but were attempting to avoid wearing the same ole hat too often.

Some may conclude the hat’s delicate feathers and shapes reminded Flannery of her feathered birds and their straw nests. She simply bought what she liked. Others may point to the same delicate feathers, understated ribbons, simple veils, and speculate they are fashion foils to soften the black without calling attention. Those may postulate Flannery intentionally avoided flamboyant hats for fear of ridicule.

Many associate the hats with O’Connor’s Catholic faith and macabre fiction. Some may conclude Flannery wore black hats to conform to her church’s now-defunct custom of women covering their heads in church. More likely, most of these viewers scrutinize the hats’ blackness for symbolic meaning. They may draw parallels with the blackness of Flannery’s flawed characters and their dark paths through human experiences.

But this begs the question: “What do the hats say to you?”

Speculations are as varied as viewers of the hats. So, what DO the hats say to you? Clues await in Flannery O’Conner’s books, short stories or essays, at Georgia College library’s O’Connor Collection, and at Andalusia tours of Flannery’s home.

For information, email Meghan.anderson@gcsu.edu. L

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CONGRATULATIONS

GATEWOOD CLASS OF ‘20!

Gatewood Schools congratulates our 39 seniors of the Class of 2020! You were born around the time of 9/11 and world wide terrorism, and your senior year got cut short by the Covid 19 pandemic. For a class shaped by global events, there is no doubt that our Lord has great plans for you. You will forever be in our hearts and prayers. Know that we are proud of you and you are much loved!

This class will be matriculating at these colleges and universities: The University of Alabama, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, University of Mississippi, University of Tennessee, Mercer University, Georgia Southern, University of North Georgia, Liberty University, Piedmont College, Georgia College & State University, Georgia State University, South Carolina Upstate, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Emmanuel College, Athens Technical School, Georgia Military College, Augusta Medical College & University, Embry Riddle University, Columbia of Chicago, IL, and Lees McRae. 6 Students will be participating in Sports in College: Max DuPree (Golf SC Upstate), Baylor Garland (Shotgun Alabama), Hank Hall (Shotgun Alabama), McKay Hyatt (Volleyball Truett McConnell), Connor Richards (Lacrosse Lees McRae) and Weston Wallace (Football UGA)

Contact Libby Rainey, our Admissions Director! lrainey@Gatewoodschool.com • 706-485-8231 x1300

GATEWOOD SCHOOLS Visit us online at www.gatewoodschool.com Follow us on social media @gatewoodschool

Local Author Spotlight:

ANDREA CASSELL

By LYNN HOBBS

H

ER RESUME SAYS SHE’S A FORMER NFL/ Miami Dolphins cheerleader, former wearer of the Mrs. Kansas crown, professional singer, television personality, artist, special education teacher for 30 years, cookbook author, and wife and mother of four children; but to Kibby the Labradoodle, she’s just “Mom.” And thanks to Kibby, Andrea Cassell has added “award-winning children’s book author” to her vibrant list of accomplishments. Her two books, Kibby The Space Dog, and Kibby Gets a Little Sister, are both recipients of the Gold award from the prestigious Mom’s Choice Awards.

“My motto is ‘never stop creating who you are,’” she said.

“Everything I’ve done, I’ve said to myself ‘go big, or go home.’ And at my age, I still want to make a difference in people’s lives. I want them to know ‘don’t settle. You can still be the best you can be.’”

She created a cookbook in 2010 entitled Nahima’s Hands: Unique Mediterranean Cuisine to pass along her late grandmother’s legacy to her children. But its success turned into a newfound passion and title for herself.

“So, I started selling it and it started selling like crazy,” she recalled. “I got so much press on it, and Kroger picked it up and it was on the bestseller list at several bookstores. It was pretty exciting to be on the table right beside James Patterson’s books. Are you kidding?! …. Every time someone says ‘I love your recipes,’ it brings me back to my grandmother and brings me joy.”

The love of her Mediterranean heritage is apparent in her miniature Labradoodle’s name. She said “Kibby” is named after an Arabic meat dish called “kibbeh, kibbie, or kibbee.”

One day, Kibby needed some stitches in one of his paws and, as is common, the veterinarian put a cone around his head to keep him from chewing the stitches out.

Whenever Andrea or her husband, Joe, took Kibby on his daily walks through the neighborhood, they noticed a change in how other dogs and people responded to Kibby while he was wearing the cone. In fact, the difference was that they didn’t respond at all, but seemed to ignore or avoid him, whereas before the “cone of shame,” everyone greeted and interacted with Kibby.

“So that’s where the concept for the Kibby book came from,” she said. “It reminded me of my teaching days when other kids would make fun of, or tease, my special education students. And I was inspired to write a book about not judging others for the way they look or because they seem different.”

Andrea self-published Kibby The Space Dog in 2015. They

were living in Wichita, Kansas at the time, and she said she was fortunate to find the book’s illustrator, Melanie Regier, at a party they both attended. Andrea said Melanie is also an illustrator for Hallmark.

Their second book, Kibby Gets a Little Sister, was published in 2017. It teaches children what to expect when a new sibling comes along, and how to get along with them. As the mother of four children, Andrea’s inspiration came from watching the experiences of each child when the next one was born and arrived home from the hospital. “It was a joy to write because it brought back warm memories of those very special days!” she wrote in the book’s introduction.

Another book in the Kibby series, Kibby and Olive Move to Georgia, is scheduled to be released around the same time this issue of Lakelife is out. Andrea, Joe and Kibby moved from Kansas to Reynolds Lake Oconee a year ago “when my husband retired and wanted to play golf every day. So, this was such an easy book to write as I saw how Kibby reacted to his new environment. I hope it helps children who are moving to new homes,” she said. L

WHERE TO BUY

All of Andrea Cassell’s books are available at: 44 MARKET PLACE 103 Harmony Crossing, Eatonton, 706-714-4495 GREENSBORO ANTIQUE MALL 101 South Main St., Greensboro, 706-453-9100 GEORGIA WRITERS MUSEUM 109 S. Jefferson Avenue, Eatonton, 706-991-5119 ANDREACASSELL.COM and AMAZON

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Humor

Pandemic Antics

By GEORGE HEIRING

Y

OU MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING, CHICKEN Little. The sky may not be falling just yet— though CNN is not denying that possibility. A radioactive-like cloud of COVID-19 might be headed toward central Georgia, and we need to be prepared. Remember—better 6 feet apart than 6 feet under!

Rather than follow nuclear duck-and-cover advice from the 50’s, we are now urged to take cover in a scrupulously sanitized coronavirus cocoon. The question of when we will emerge as virus-free butterflies is up for debate. In the meantime experts say be patient, be prudent, be hopeful.

I am trying, but so far, results aren’t promising. Yesterday, I went to the grocery store in my homemade hazmat gear, arriving about midday to find groceries conspicuously missing. Not yet the zero hour to restock the shelves, I assumed. “Oh, no,” I was informed by a young clerk showing obvious battle fatigue; “We were fully stocked up by eight this morning. Then we opened the doors for geezer hour. All the toilet paper and bananas were gone in fifteen minutes. Why do they call those things they use ‘walkers’? They move faster than a Dodge Charger.”

Obediently confined to my one-way aisle, I discovered a single package of unclaimed toilet paper. Every roll, the label announced proudly, had been created from recycled egg cartons. While I support the environmental movement, so to speak, I decided I’d better call my Union Point bootlegger for Ultra Soft Charmin he brought down from Canada.

Since bananas were already gone and there was a sternly-worded, per shopper limit of two frozen food dinners—enforced by a burly fellow in a white apron wearing a side arm—my cart was not hard to push. I tried to maintain a ten-foot social distance from those in the check-out line. That proved to be a window of opportunity for an eager shopper to quick-step into line ahead of me. Evidently, she assumed I was merely there to admire the gleaming landscape of empty shelves. I started to object, but the queue jumper looked familiar. She might

have been in my Sunday School Class, but I couldn’t tell.

Steam was already curling from her Darth Vader mask.

I got the impression she was ready to repel any attack. I never take light sabers lightly.

As most of us have discovered in recent months, grocery shopping is no longer a leisurely task. You must move quickly before an Instacart shopper spears the last bundle of romaine you are already holding in your hand. And speaking of hands, there is a five minute wait to wash your hands in the restroom after you fingered a box of cookies from the bakery, and before you retrieve a pot roast from the meat cooler. I await with interest the day shoppers’ temperatures will be taken as they enter the store. I would advise managers not to take them as shoppers leave.

On the home front, progress is slow, nicely matching our coronavirus lifestyle. I’ve come to rue the many times I assured my wife, “I’ll do that when I have more time.”

In this emergency, I’ve been drafted to handle household chores I speculate will be a permanent assignment. For example—vacuuming. After two half-hearted voyages across our carpeting, our twelve-year-old sweeper suddenly began to smoke like a coal fired locomotive. No longer able to test drive a new one in an appliance store, I replaced our vacuum in two days via the internet with a canister model that weighs as much as our refrigerator and is equally immobile. On the plus side, it has colorful buttons and much greater power. To date, it has ingested three throw rugs, two sofa cushions, and all the loose change under two recliners.

It is left to me to don my mask and make trips to obtain staff-of-life necessities like food, drugs, wine and postage stamps. There is so little traffic on the roads, I sometimes feel as if I am traveling in the shadow of alien spaceships no one warned me were overhead. But that sort of paranoia will fade once we enter our “new normal phase.” Right, doctor?

Let’s move now to the problem of hair. It grows at a

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healthy pace without professional attention. My wife is reluctantly rolling her white locks around large curlers, giving her the look of a World War II Russian rocket launcher. I tend to wear my hat in the house as if I were a member of a conservative synagogue.

Yes, it is a strange time. To keep a medical appointment, we sit in the car until summoned, as if we were going to the principal’s office to be given detention. Getting food from a restaurant, we appear at the appointed hour, then a masked person—who may be a bandit from the hills of Venezuela for all we know--appears at our car window to get our credit card information. They return with bags sagging with food we hope are the meals we ordered. Everyone in this surreal exchange is probably smiling pleasantly, but with masks, you can never be sure.

To overcome my tendency to scratch my nose, a face-touching temptation now banned by federal law, I have attempted Buddhist meditation. But sitting crosslegged on the floor in a prayerful pose gives me terrific leg cramps. It also makes me feel as if I was back in kindergarten while Mrs. Farquat was reading us “The Little Engine That Could.” As for maintaining constant cleanliness, I agree with the one-liner emailed to me by a friend: “I’ve absorbed so much soap and disinfectant lately that when I pee, it cleans the toilet!”

There is a positive side, of course. Coping with COVID-19 gives me the opportunity to enjoy little things that escaped my attention during my “old normal” lifestyle: taking time to have 10-foot distant chats with neighbors when I retrieve the mail; getting a cheery, extensive email from a friend who typically wrote only brief notes on their Christmas cards; taking a household vote on the evening’s entertainment. I am now smelling roses I’ve never smelled, and my car is getting three weeks to the gallon.

My attention has gradually been drawn to the birds who patronize the bird feeder outside our kitchen window. They’re not kin to the genteel larks in the meadow. This is a noisy, agitated, squabbling avian society that clamors for three meals a day and raps smartly on the window when the last safflower seed is gone. The mourning doves are now so pudgy they barely fly to reach their nests. Pandemic-wise, I wonder when I will be able to leave mine. L Editor’s note: George Heiring is a native Iowan now enjoying life on Lake Oconee. He serves as President of the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton. His books of short stories and poems have entertained readers and earned awards that encourage him to write even more.

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Telehealth Visits Now available for new and current St. Mary’s Medical Group patients.

call your doctor today to schedule an appointment.

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Lakelife AREA GUIDE Map of Lake Oconee 60 Map of Lake Sinclair 61 Lake Area Attractions 62 Lake Area Health Care 64 Lake Area Marinas 64 Accommodations 65 Lake Area Golf Courses 66 Parks & Campgrounds 67 Photograph by GEORGE DISSMEYER

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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LAKE AREA

ATTRACTIONS

BALDWIN

GREENE

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

ANDALUSIA

DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO AND HISTORIC DISTRICT

Home of famed author Flannery O’Connor.

The farm estate is open for self-guided tours.

For more information, call 478-445-8722 or visit andalusiafarm.org.

BARTRAM FOREST

Originally inhabited by Native Americans in 1794, Bartram Forest today features educational hiking and biking trails that allow visitors to see wildlife and natural wetlands. 478-445-5164.

GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1889 as a women’s college, the public liberal arts institution thrived for 78 years before becoming co-educational. It is located in the heart of downtown Milledgeville.

478-445-5004; gcsu.edu

GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE

Georgia Military College was created in 1879 with a campus that has housed and occupied the old state capitol buildings. 478-387-4900; gmc.edu.

GEORGIA’S OLD CAPITAL HERITAGE CENTER AT THE DEPOT Located on the former Central State Hospital Campus, the Heritage Center includes The Brown-Stetson-Sanford House, which is open for tours by appointment only. For more information, call 478-453-1803 or visit oldcapitalmuseum.org.

HISTORIC TROLLEY TOURS

Milledgeville’s guided trolley tour includes visits to historical venues throughout the downtown area.

For tour information, call 478-452-4687 or go to visitmilledgeville.org.

JOHN MARLOR ART CENTER

One of four historic buildings making up the Allied Arts Center, the art gallery features rotating exhibits of local and regional artists.

478-452-8672; milledgevillealliedarts.com

LOCKERLY ARBORETUM AND ROSE HILL

A unique horticultural laboratory surrounding an 1850 Greek Revival home. For more information, call 478-452-2112 or visit lockerly.org.

OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION

This National Historic Landmark was home of eight Georgia governors from 1839 to 1868 and occupied by Sherman. For more information, call 478-445-4545 or visit gcsu.edu/mansion.

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Downtown Greensboro plays host to numerous events throughout the year. The historic district features shaded streets and historic homes.

For more information, visit greensboroga.gov.

DURHAMTOWN

Hunting and dirt-bike riding resort near Union Point attracts dirt-bike enthusiasts from across the Southeast. Visitors can ride seven days a week For more information, call 706-622-4108 or visit durhamtown.com.

Georgia in 1954; later, it was moved to a Greene County farm near the Greene-Oconee countyline.

An awesome photo spot, this iron horse is located in a cornfield on Hwy. 15 North and can only be seen seasonally. Call Greene County Chamber of Commerce, 706-453-7592, for more information.

L.L. WYATT MUSEUM

This law enforcement museum and hall of fame was named for Loy Lee Wyatt, a Greene County sherrif for 37 years. Century-old arrest warrants, a seized corn liquor still and an authentic former cell block are among items on display. 706-453-7592.

SCULL SHOALS, OCONEE NATIONAL FOREST

This 1807 rock jail is one of the oldest penal structures in Georgia. Patterned after Bastilles with castellated battlements. Open by appointment. 706-453-7592.

This site on the Oconee River was home to Native Americans 10,000 years ago, a frontier settlement in 1782 and then Scull Shoals Mill Village in the early 1800s. For more information, call the Oconee Ranger District Office at 706-485-7110 or visit scullshoals.org.

GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM

MORGAN

THE OLD GAOL

Collection of artifacts, photographs and manuscripts provide a glimpse of the people and events that shaped Greene County’s beginnings.

For more information, call 706-453-7534.

GREENSBORO CITY CEMETERY

Located on North East Street in downtown Greensboro, unique stones and ironwork mark the burial sites of soldiers, senators, a governor and other notables from Greene County’s history. Graves date from the 18th century to the present day and include soldiers from the Revolutionary War and more than 45 unknown confederate dead. Open daily.

GREENSBORO POST OFFICE

The c. 1936 Greensboro Post Office located at 115 South Main Street boasts two of the last remaining Works Progress Administration murals in the United States Postal System. The mural, painted by a WPA artist in 1938, depicts local history from Greensboro’s days as a frontier settlement to the cotton fields of the 1930s.

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS

_________________________________________________

DOWNTOWN MADISON AND HISTORIC DISTRICT

Famed for its antebellum and period architecture, Madison’s Historic District attracts visitors from around the world. Antique shops, specialty stores and restaurants are found downtown.

HERITAGE HALL

Greek Revival House & Museum, furnished in the period.Tours available as well as rental for special events.Tours offered daily. For more information, call 706-342-9627 or visit friendsofheritagehall.org.

MADISON ARTISTS GUILD GALLERY

A co-op of artist members showcasing painting, pottery, jewelry, metal sculptures, textiles and photography. Classes for kids and adults.

706-342-9360; madisonartistsguild.org.

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER

Historic home built in 1848 in Union Point and one of the oldest houses in the city. Originally a raised cottage, it was enlarged along Greek Revival lines. Drive by tour only. 706-453-7592.

Romanesque Revival-style building built in 1895 served as a school and library before becoming a center for visual arts exhibits and performing arts events. For more information, call 706-342-4743 or visit mmcc-arts.org.

THE IRON HORSE

MADISON MUSEUM OF FINE ART

The 2,000-pound iron sculpture was created by Abbott Pattison and placed at the University of

The MMOFA has an international fine art permanent collection and a variety of rotating exhibits.

For current exhibits and other information, call 706 485-4530 or visit mmofa.org.

MORGAN COUNTY AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM

Housed in the former home of Horace Moore (c. 1895), this museum serves to preserve, teach and research African-American history, art and culture. For more information, call 706-342-9191 or visit mcaam.org.

THE ROGERS HOUSE AND ROSE COTTAGE

The Rogers House was built circa 1810. The Rose Cottage was built circa 1891. Tours of both are offered daily. For more information, call 706342-9627 or visit friendsofheritagehall.org.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART

This museum was built by the family of artist Steffen Thomas to display his varied works from drawings to sculptures. It also hosts rotating exhibits of other artists and offers workshops.

For more information, call 706-342-7557 or visit steffenthomas.org.

PUTNAM _________________________________________________

ALICE WALKER TRAIL

A driving tour highlighting points of interest relating to Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple.

706-485-7701.

THE BRONSON HOUSE

This Greek Revival house is rich with history and now serves as headquarters for the Eatonton-Putnam Historical Society. For group tours and other information, call 706-485-6442 or visit e-pgahistory.org.

BUTTERFLIES & BLOOMS IN THE BRIAR PATCH

This certified butterfly habitat sustains butterflies through all their life stages, tags and monitors migrating monarch butterflies and educates the public on how to incorporate larval host plants into their own gardens. Admission is free. Located at 617 North Jefferson St., Eatonton. Call 706-4736035 for more information.

VETERANS WALL OF HONOR PARK

ROCK EAGLE 4-H CENTER

Located on West Marion Street in downtown Eatonton, this park includes the names and information of more than 1,800 Putnam County veterans from the Revolutionary War to present. Open daily. For more information, call 706-485-2771.

OLD SCHOOL HISTORY MUSEUM

Located at The Plaza Arts Center in downtown Eatonton, the museum chronicles Putnam County’s history, economy and notable residents from the days of Creek Indian occupation to today.

For more information, call 706-485-3156 or visit theplazaartscenter.com.

THE PLAZA ARTS CENTER

The Center is housed in a renovated school built in 1916 and offers a variety of performing arts shows, art exhibits, community events and creative classes. For more information, call 706923-1655 or visit theplazaartscenter.com.

Encompassing 1,428 acres, including an 110-acre lake, Rock Eagle is the largest of five centers operated by UGA in support of the state’s 4-H Program. For more information, call 706484-2899 or go to “Georgia 4-H Facilities” at georgia4h.org.

ROCK EAGLE MOUND

This stone effigy and its viewing tower are located at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. It is believed to have been created by Native Americans and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

ROCK HAWK EFFIGY & TRAILS

The site of Putnam County’s second stone effigy offers historical and recreational options, including camping, trails, boating, archery and educational displays. For more information, visit rockhawk.org.

THE UNCLE REMUS MUSEUM

Museum dedicated to the life and literary works of Putnam County native and author Joel Chandler Harris, who wrote the Uncle Remus stories.

For more information, call 706-485-6856 or visit uncleremusmuseum.org.

Classic Fashion SpringStyle • • • • • • • • • • •

FLAX Designs Habitat Oh My Gauze!

Hobo Damee Clara Sunwoo Terra Slimstation Kerisma Sympli

GEORGIA WRITERS MUSEUM

This museum has permanent exhibits for local authors Alice Walker, Joel Chandler Harris and Flannery O’Connor, and rotating exhibits of other Georgia authors. For more information, call 706991-5119 or visit georgiawritersmuseum.com.

133 S. Main St. Madison, GA

706.438.3168

MadisonSquareCollection.com

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

63

LAKE AREA

HEALTH CARE

PIEDMONT ATHENS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 1199 Prince Ave., Athens (706) 475-7000 • piedmont.org

COWLES CLINIC 1000 Cowles Clinic Way, Greensboro A multi-specialty medical campus located off Linger Longer Road.

(706) 454-0111 • cowlesclinic.com

GEORGIA REGENTS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES 2011 Westend Drive, Greensboro Offers primary, urgent and specialty care in Lake Oconee Village.

(706) 453-9803 • grhealth.org

MORGAN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 1077 S. Main St., Madison (706) 342-1667 • mmh.org

NEWTON MEDICAL CENTER 5126 Hospital Drive, Covington (770) 786-7053 • newtonmedical.com

PUTNAM GENERAL HOSPITAL 101 Lake Oconee Pkwy., Eatonton (706) 485-2711 • putnamgeneral.com

SAINT MARY’S GOOD SAMARITAN 5401 Lake Oconee Pkwy., Greensboro (706) 453-7331 • stmarysgoodsam.org

ST. MARY’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM 1230 Baxter St., Athens Specializing in general medicine and surgery, neurosciences, orthopedics, women’s and children’s health, cardiac care and gastroenterology.

(706) 389-3000 • stmarysathens.org

TENDERCARE CLINIC 803 S. Main St., Greensboro (706)453-1201 • tendercarega.org

URGENT CARE 105 Harmony Crossing, Ste. 3, Eatonton 706-485-0884

NAVICENT HEALTH BALDWIN 821 N. Cobb St., Milledgeville 478-776-4000 • navicenthealth.org

LAKE AREA

MARINAS

LAKE OCONEE MARINAS

LAKE SINCLAIR MARINAS

BLUE SPRINGS MARINA

AL HASLAM’S MARINA

100 Meriweather Point Rd. NW, Milledgeville 478-968-5461

1271 Blue Springs Drive, Buckhead 706-342-9446

BOATHOUSE MARINA

3991 Walker Church Road, Greensboro 706-999-9717

LAKE CLUB MARINA AT REYNOLDS

208 Crooked Creek Drive, Eatonton 706-623-2531

WATERFRONT MARINA

HIGH GROVE HARBOR

144 Collis Marina Road, Eatonton 706-485-7596

105 Mays Road, Milledgeville 478-361-5203

REYNOLDS LANDING MARINA REYNOLDS MARINA

100 Linger Longer Road, Greensboro 706-467-1194

SUGAR CREEK MARINA

353 Parks Mill Road, Buckhead 706-342-2231

OCONEE OUTDOORS

891 Greensboro Road NE, Eatonton 706-485-4016

140 Bass Road, Milledgeville 478-452-5112

CROOKED CREEK MARINA

100 Linger Longer Road, Greensboro 706-467-3151

1260 Anchor Bay Drive, Greensboro 706-453-4703

BASS BOAT HOUSE

LITTLE RIVER MARINA

3069 N. Columbia St., Milledgeville 478-452-1605

OCONEE SPRINGS MARINA 109 S. Spring Rd., Eatonton 706-485-8423

SINCLAIR MARINA

170 NE Sinclair Marina Road, Milledgeville 478-451-0167

TWIN BRIDGES LANDING 609 Twin Bridges Road, Eatonton 478-968-0713

• Sporting Clays • Skeet & Trap • 5 Stands • Corporate Events 706.467.9345

299 Skeet Lane • Sparta, Georgia

64

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Come get some fresh air & social distance with us!

REYNOLDSLAKEOCONEE.COM

Reynolds Marina

ACCOMMODATIONS

BALDWIN

Highgate Estate & Gardens . . . . . . . 706-810-0900

America’s Best Value Inn . . . . . . . . . 478-452-9290

Quality Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-453-9135

Antebellum Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-3993

Lake Oconee Property Management . . . . . . . . . . 706-453-4885

Budget Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-452-3533 Comfort Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-2212 Days Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-8471

BOOKING .COM

LAKE AREA

Microtel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-771-7171 North Shore Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-453-4505

Soho Lofts, Milledgeville

Economy Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-452-0576

Premier Property Management of Lake Oconee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-453-4446

Fairfield Inn & Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-295-1144

Reynolds Lake Oconee . . . . . . . . . . 706-467-3151

Hampton Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-451-0050

The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee . . . . . . . . . . 706-467-0600

Red Roof Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-3433

LaQuinta Inn & Suites . . . . . . . . . . . 478-454-9000

MORGAN

OCONEE

The Relax Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-3551

The Brady Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-4400

Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast . . . 706-769-2633

Soho Lofts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-3993

The Farmhouse Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-7933

Super Inn & Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-452-3501

Madison Oaks Inn & Garden . . . . . 706-343-9990

PUTNAM

The Rutledge Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-557-7762

Cuscowilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-484-0050

Southern Cross Ranch . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-8027

Western Motel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-485-1100

Heritage Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-453-9491 Holiday Inn Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-454-9000

GREENE

Quality Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-1839 Super 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-7800

Durhamtown Plantation . . . . . . . . . 706-486-4603

Comfort Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-0054

The Lodge on Lake Oconee

Goodwin Manor B&B . . . . . . . . . . . 706-453-6218

Hampton Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-9003

Budget Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-485-2871

The Greene Garden Inn . . . . . . . . . 706-453-7341

James Madison Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-342-7040

Dot 2 Dot Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-991-5030

. . . . . 706-485-7785

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65

LAKE AREA

GOLF COURSES

COURSES

PAR

YARDAGE

HOLES

PRO

DESIGNER

ADMISSION

FEES

PHONE

The Creek Course at Hard Labor Creek State Park

72

6,612

18

K. Gross

McCloud

M-G-P

$35-45

706-557-3006

The Creek Club at Reynolds

72

7,079

18

P. Shelley

Engh

M

NA

706-467-1680

Cuscowilla

70

6,730

18

R. Radel

Crenshaw/Coore

M-G

$114-225

706-484-0050

Great Waters at Reynolds

72

7,073

18

R. MacNeil

Nicklaus

M-G-R

$280

706-485-0235

Harbor Club

72

7,048

18

K. Kelly

Weiskopf/Morrish

M-G-P

$105-125

706-453-4414

Little Fishing Creek

72

6,718

18

N/A

Player

P

$9-14

478-445-0796

The Club at Lake Sinclair

71

6,180

18

D. Franklin

Cobb

M-G

$25-42

478-452-3220

The National at Reynolds

72

6,936

27

I. Milhouse

Fazio

M-G-R

$225

706-467-1142

The Oconee at Reynolds

72

7,029

18

R. Frisch

Jones

M-G-R

$280

706-467-1200

The Preserve at Reynolds

72

6,674

18

J. Sitler

Cupp

M-G-R

$195

706-467-1135

The Landing at Reynolds

72

6,691

18

J. Lopez

Cupp

M-G-R-P

$195

706-467-1564

Uncle Remus

72

6,780

9

R. Duvall

Ellis

P

$8.50-30.50

706-485-6850

The Creek Course at Hard Labor Creek State Park

66

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG

(*M-G-R-P: MEMBER, GUEST, RESORT, PUBLIC)

LAKE AREA

PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS

A. H. STEPHENS STATE HISTORIC PARK

Known for its equestrian facilities, Confederate museum and lakeside group camp, this pretty park has 14 miles of trails and its own campground. Located at 456 Alexander St, Crawfordville, GA (800) 864-7275, www.gastateparks .org.

COUNTRY BOY RV PARK (PRIVATE) Located at 2750 Eatonton Rd. (Highway 441), Madison. (706) 342-1799.

CROOKED CREEK MARINA

Boat launches, restaurant, convenience store and RV/tent camping located on Lake Sinclair at 208 Crooked Creek Road in Eatonton. (706) 485-9693.

DURHAMTOWN PLANTATION

Located in Union Point, Durhamtown Plantation offers cabin and RV rentals for the avid dirt bikers, ATV riders, hunters, and more. 2350 Randolph Church Road, Union Point. (706) 486-4603.

HARD LABOR CREEK STATE PARK

More than 60 camping and RV sites, two group camps, two group shelters, two group camps and 20 rental cottages are available in west Morgan County. (706) 557-3001, www.gastateparks.org.

JERE SHAI LAKESIDE, LAKE SINCLAIR

Located at 1064 Milledgeville Road, Milledgeville, (706) 485-3322.

Trust & Trust Trust & & Quality Quality Quality Without Without Without Question.

Question.

LAKE SINCLAIR BEACH CAMPGROUND

A fee is required. (706) 485-7110, www.fs.fed.us/conf.

(US FOREST SERVICE) Camping, picnicking, hiking, boating, fishing and swimming. Hikers can enjoy the 1.8mile Twin Bridges Trail, which originates at this site. Fees are required.

(706) 485-7110, www.fs.fed.us/conf.

LAWRENCE SHOALS, LAKE OCONEE

OCONEE SPRINGS PARK, LAKE SINCLAIR

(PUTNAM CO. RECREATION AREA) Camping, cabins, boat ramp, beach and bath facilities, picnic tables and pavilion.

Located on Lake Sinclair at 109 South Spring Rd. SE, Eatonton. (706) 485-8423.

(GEORGIA POWER RECREATION AREA) Camping and RV sites, picnic pavilion, picnic tables, public beach and boat ramp at 123 Wallace Dam Road, Eatonton.

(706) 485-5494.

OLD SALEM, LAKE OCONEE

LITTLE RIVER PARK, LAKE SINCLAIR

PARKS FERRY, LAKE OCONEE

Boat launch and marina, RV sites, beach for campers, children’s playground. Located at 3069 N. Columbia St., Milledgeville.

(478) 452-1605.

(GEORGIA POWER RECREATION AREA) Camping and RV sites, beach and boat ramp, wildlife habitat area. Located at 1491 Parks Mill Rd., Greensboro.

(706) 453-4308.

NORTH SHORE RESORT

ROBINSON PARK

Located on Carey Station Road in Greensboro, this unique private resort on 58 acres on Lake Oconee features full hook-up campsites along with railroad car accommodations for rent. Amenities include a clubhouse, two pools, a private beach, boat slips, boat launch, tennis and store and grill. www.northshoreresort.net (706) 453-4505.

OCONEE RIVER CAMPGROUND

(US FOREST SERVICE) Located along the bank of the Oconee River, the recreation area offers camping, picnicking, hiking, boating and fishing. Six campsites have tables, tent pads and grills.

Hikers can enjoy the mile-long Scull Shoals Trail, which originates at the site.

(GEORGIA POWER RECREATION AREA) Camping and RV sites, picnic pavilion, public beach, and boat ramp. 1530 Old Salem Rd., Greensboro. (706) 467-2850.

Located just past downtown Greensboro, Robinson Park features picnic benches and walking path. 1141 Siloam Road, Greensboro.

ROCKY CREEK PARK, LAKE SINCLAIR

Georgia Power park. (706) 485-8770.

SCENIC MOUNTAIN RV PARK AND CAMPGROUND

Stocked ponds, nature trails, swimming pool, club house, playground, pets friendly.

Located at 2686 Irwinton Rd., Milledgeville.

(478) 454-1013.

Celebrating 50 Years • 1970-2020

120 E. WASHINGTON ST.

E. ST. 120 E.120 WASHINGTON STREET, MADISON 120 E. WASHINGTON WASHINGTON ST. ON THE THE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN MADISON) MADISON) (ON SQUARE IN 706.342.2411 (ON THE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN MADISON) 706.342.2411 • JIMBOYDAGENCY.COM JimBoydAgency.com 706.342.2411 • JIMBOYDAGENCY.COM LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

67

Enjoy the moment...

Knowing your local independent agent, and the company that stands behind them, has your family covered.

THECENTRAL BEST LOCAL INSURANCE INSURANCE AGENCY GROUP CITY • 000-000-0000 3008 Heritage Rd, Milledgeville www.bestinsuranceagency.com (478) 453-7555 www.georgiacoverage.com

68

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

THE NEWEST BOAT DEALER IN THE LAKE COUNTRY!

FISH M

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TA L E I

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OLETHANUEL! FREE F

NOW O ETFHFEAR INLG NO B FREEOFAUT RENTALEL! S!

SALES • SERVICE • REPAIR • DRY STACK STORAGE • CONVENIENCE STORE

706.717.8158 • 891 Greensboro Rd. Eatonton www.FishTaleatLakeOconee.com • Facebook.com/FishTaleatLakeOconee

LAKE OCONEE’S ONE-STOP SHOP MARINA! LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

69

LAKE COUNTRY

COUNTERINGCOVID Valerie (left) and Chris (right) have pizza pickup ready at The National Tavern.

GREENE COUNTY Photos contributed by Reynolds Lake Oconee and readers

Grocery pickup was available for residents.

70

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

Ms. Helen gets Happy 86th Birthday wishes from her daughter via FaceTime at Savannah Court.

Above and below: Reynolds employees shop groceries for residents to pick up.

Pizzas at The National Tavern had golf-pizza puns on the box to bring a laugh with lunch.

A young resident participates in a virtual guitar lesson.

The Lisa Millen McIlvoy family, including pups Millie and Bee, have fun in Lake Oconee.

Reynolds employees shop groceries for residents to pick up.

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

71

LAKE COUNTRY

COUNTERINGCOVID PUTNAM COUNTY Photos Contributed

Avery Jones, son of Daniel and Melissa Jones, shows one of 20 bass he and his father caught on Lake Sinclair March 15.

Putnam Planning and Development practices proper social-distancing recommendations during its staff meeting on March 24 – pictured are Dorothy Evans, Director Lisa Jackson, Casey Mason, and Jay Johnston.

REPUTATIONS ARE EARNED

Falanga

Chalker

A Personal Injury and Real Estate Law Firm

1041 Parkside Commons, Greensboro 706-454-0860 | FalangaLaw.com 72

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

means everything everything.

That’s why I’m proud to be toproud helpto belifeheregoto help rightlife™go– right – That’shere why I’m and to support GA's Lake Country. and to support GA's Lake Country.

If there’s anything you need, call me.

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Community means everything.

That’s why I’m proud to be here and to support GA's Lake Coun If there’s anything you need, cal Morris Ins andwhy Fin Svcs That’s I’mIncproud to be here to help life go right ™– Bruce Morris, Agent 1600 S Main Street and toGAsupport GA's Lake Country.

Greensboro, 30642 Bus: If 706-454-1670 there’s anything you need, call me.

Morris Ins and Fin Svcs Inc Bruce Morris, Agent 1600 S Main Street Greensboro, GA 30642 Morris Ins and Fin Svcs Inc Bus: 706-454-1670 Bruce Morris, Agent

Morris Ins and Fin Svcs Inc Bruce Morris, State Agent Farm, Bloomington, IL 1600 S Main Street Greensboro, GA 30642 Bus: 706-454-1670

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State Farm, Bloomington, IL

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That’s why I’m proud to be here to help life go right ™– and to support GA's Lake Country.

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Morris Ins and Fin Svcs Inc Bruce Morris, Agent 1600 S Main Street Greensboro, GA 30642 Bus: 706-454-1670 Dr. B. Scott Hillin

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Dr. Ansley Jones

State Farm, Bloomington, IL

Sales & Service 706-485-6010

875 Harmony Road Eatonton, GA

1590 S. Main St. Greensboro, Ga LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

73

LAKE COUNTRY

COUNTERINGCOVID Luke McClain shows off his Corona Gram, a gift from his church youth group.

MCHS teacher Denise Frost prepares to pass out signs to Class of 2020 Seniors.

Cali Jaynes shows off her senior sign.

MORGAN COUNTY Photos by Leila Scoggins

Allie Nash poses with her senior sign.

74

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

PT Hooten presents a sign to Macie Brown.

Assisted Living Grand Opening Introductory Offer “Come tour our brand new all-inclusive Assisted Living Community at The Cottages!”

Nancy Fullilove

Community Manager

478–414–1234 CottagesAtWoodlandTerrace.com

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75

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE’S LAKE COUNTRY

restaurant guide B ALDWIN • GREENE • MORGAN • PUTNAM

GREENSBORO Amici Lake Oconee 1101 Parkside Main, Ste. 105 706-999-1770 The Boathouse at Harbor Club 3991 Walker Church Rd. 706-999-9717 Burger King 1010 Hospitality Dr. 866-394-2493 Cafe 44 1051 Village Park Dr. 706-999-9744 Chick-fil-A 2521 Towne Center Pkwy.

706-454-1470 China Garden 6181 Lake Oconee Pkwy.

706-453-0012 Da Corrado Ristorante 1061 Village Park Dr. 706-453-1110 Dairy Queen 1091 Parkside Main 762-445-1041

Pizza Hut 2270 S. Main St. 706-453-2920

Harbor Club Clubhouse Restaurant 1111 Polo Circle 706-453-7111

PJ’s Coffee 1010 Market St. 762-445-1187

Holcomb’s Bar-B-Que 404 W. Broad St. 706-453-2577 Holcomb’s Barbecue 7070 GA-15, White Plains 706-467-2409 Jalisco Mexican Grill 1100 Parkside Main 706-999-3530 Lamai Ban Thai 4950 Carey Station Rd. 706-454-5999 Linger Longer Steakhouse Ritz Carlton Reynolds 1 Lake Oconee Trail 706-467-7135 Los Torres Mexican Grill 117 E. Broad St. 706-453-0092

Reynolds Landing 1201 Port Armor Road 706-453-7366 Richard’s Wine Bar 1210 Commerce Dr. #115 706-453-4180 Ripe Thing Market 112 W. Broad St. 706-454-2155 Waffle House 2250 S. Main St. 706-453-7049 Wendy’s 2261 S. Main St. 706-453-9349 Yesterday Café 114 N. Main St. 706-453-0800 Zaxby’s 2301 Main St. 706-453-1355

Dairy Queen 2251 S. Main St. 706-749-1484

Lupitas Antojitos Mexicanos 1010 Market St. 706-453-1615

Eighty8 Kitchen + Cocktails 1091 Clubhouse Lane 706-467-1132

McDonald’s 2331 S. Main St. 706-453-0099

Bone Island Grillhouse 920 Greensboro Road 706-991-1999

Filet Steak & Seafood 1000 Parkside Main, Ste. 101 706-453-2980

The National Tavern Reynolds Lake Oconee 1145 National Dr. 706-467-1644

Burger King 100 Sara Lee Blvd.

706-749-8806

Gaby’s by the Lake Ritz Carlton Reynolds 1 Lake Oconee Trail 706-467-0600 Georgia’s Bistro Ritz Carlton Reynolds 1 Lake Oconee Trail 706-467-7135

76

The Grill 1100 Parkside, Ste. 102 706-453-1007

Pedros Mexican Grill and Cantina 6161 Lake Oconee Pkwy.

762-445-1141 Pickle Barrell Café & Sports Pub 1017 Park Place Blvd.

706-999-2272

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

________________________

EATONTON

Copperwood Pizza 105 Clack Circle 706-816-6544 Dairy Queen 113 Gray Road 706-484-2445 El Agave 960 Greensboro Road 706-484-2024

El Sitio 106 Harmony Road 706-485-6105

Subway at Walmart 201 Walmart Dr. 706-923-1010

Cracker Barrel 2003 Eatonton Road 706-343-9963

The Frisk Pub 114 N. Jefferson Ave. 706-749-8330

Sweet Kneads 103 Clack Circle 706-484-1588

Crowe’s Bar-B-Que 1320 Eatonton Road 706-342-7002

Georgia Butts 1137 Lake Oconee Pkwy.

706-474-0946

Tastee Chick 812 Oak St. 706-485-9988

Dairy Queen 1940 Eatonton Road 706-438-1400

Huddle House 916 Oak St. 706-991-5027

That Pizza Place 646 Old Phoenix Road 706-485-5822

Dos Amigos Mexican Grill 1650 Eatonton Road 706-438-1556

Inaho Japanese Steak & Sushi 103 Harmony Crossing, Ste. 6 706-991-5122

Waffle House 1003 Lake Oconee Pkwy.

706-485-3657

Dunkin Donuts 1800 Eatonton Road 706-847-4205

Wings & Things 107 S. Oak St. 706-485-2265

Farmview Market 2610 Eatonton Road 844-210-7030

Zaxby’s 102 Walmart Drive 706-923-1910

Happy China 1143 Eatonton Road 706-342-7679

Iron Fork Café 106 Harmony Crossing #1 762-220-1033 Lalore Café 113 Harmony Crossing 786-725-0751 McDonald’s 105 Oak St. 706-485-3533 McDonald’s 1001 Lake Oconee Pkwy.

706-485-5300

___________________________

MADISON

Kentucky Fried Chicken 1971 Eatonton Hwy. 706-342-2542

BUCKHEAD Bonner’s Triple-B 1500 Bonner Lane 706-342-9610

Krystal 1931 Eatonton Road 706-342-1931

Mellow Mushroom 105 Harmony Crossing 706-484-2074

MADISON Adrian’s Place 325 W. Washington St. 706-342-1600

Overlook at Great Waters 112 Plantation Drive 706-485-0235

Amici Italian Cafe 174 W. Washington St. 706-342-0000

Papa John’s 102 W. Marion St. 706-623-0202

Antique Sweets 127 S. Main St. 706-342-0034

Pizza Hut 815 Oak St. 706-485-7611

Arby’s 1951 Eatonton Road 706-342-4322

Popeye’s 100 E. Walnut St. 706-484-9884

Big Kev’s BBQ 270 W. Washington St. 706-438-3155

Pablo’s 810 Oak St. 706-485-1116

Bojangles’ 1840 Eatonton Road 706-438-1377

The Silver Moon 1077 Greensboro Road 706-485-5698

Burger King 1950 Eatonton Road 404-342-2631

Sisson’s Old South BBQ 651 Old Phoenix Road 706-991-9880

Captain D’s 1910 Eatonton Road 706-438-1325

Subway 891 Greensboro Road 706-485-4016

Chick-fil-A 1781 Eatonton Road 706-752-0219

Little Caesars 1462 Eatonton Rd., Ste. 6 706-438 -3222 Madison Chophouse Grille 202 S. Main St. 706-342-9009 Madison Drug Company 213 North Main St. 706-342-1722 Madison Produce 132 E. Washington St. 706-342-1908 McDonald’s 1920 Eatonton Road 706-342-4120 Mint Juleps Kitchen 231 Hancock St. 706-707-8088 Perk Avenue Cafe 111 W. Jefferson St. 706-342-2562 Popeyes Chicken 2021 Eatonton Road 706-342-4176 Scoops Ice Cream Shop 123 W. Washington St. 706-342-3002 Society Hall 200 W. Washington St. 706-438-3233

Subway at Walmart 1681 Eatonton Road 706-752-1530

Aubri Lane’s 3700 Sinclair Dam Rd. NE 478-454-4181

Ricardo’s Kouzzina 271 W. Washington St. 706-342-0729

Barberitos 146 W. Hancock St. 478-451-4717

Taco Bell 1783 Eatonton Road 706-342-0103

Biba’s 2803 N. Columbia St. 478-414-1773

Tequila’s Mexican Grill 863 N. Main St. 706-343-1519

Blackbird Coffee 114 W. Hancock St. 478-454-2473

That Pizza Place 171 W. Washington St. 706-343-1114

Bojangles 1858 N. Columbia St. 478-295-2320

Town 220 220 W. Washington St. 706-752-1445

Bollywood Tacos 107 W. Hancock St. 478-453-9547

Waffle House 1941 Hwy. 441 706-342-8128

The Brick 136 W. Hancock St. 478-452-0089

Waffle House 2050 Eatonton Road 706-342-8128

Buffalo Wild Wings 2472 N. Columbia St. 478-804-0022

Wendy’s 1961 Eatonton Road 706-342-0134

Buffington’s 120 W. Hancock St. 478-414-1975

Winging It 1400 Eatonton Road 706-343-1181

Burger King 2478 N. Columbia St. 478-453-3706

Yanmi Kitchen 1682 Eatonton Road 706-438-1588

Captain D’s 2590 N. Columbia St. 478-452-3542

Zaxby’s 1930 Eatonton Road 342-9990

Checkers 1860 N. Columbia St 478-295-2325

RUTLEDGE Caboose 102 W. Main St. 706-557-9021

Chick-fil-A 1730 N. Columbia St. 478-451-4830

Yesterday Cafe 120 Fairplay St. 706-557-9337

Chili’s 2596 N. Columbia St. 478-452-1900

Crockett’s Cafeteria & Catering 1850 N. Columbia St. 478-804-0009 Dairy Queen 1105 S. Wayne St. 478-452-9620 Domino’s 1909-B N. Columbia St. 478-453-9455 Down South Seafood 972 Sparta Hwy. 478-452-2100 Dunkin Donuts 1966 N. Columbia St. 478-453-3330 Einstein Bros. Bagels GC&SU/Maxwell Student Union 478-445-8108 El Amigo Mexican Rest.

2465 N. Columbia St. 478-453-0027 El Tequila Mexican Rest.

168 Garrett Way 478-414-1702 Firehouse Subs 1909 N. Columbia St. 478-452-3473 Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers 1671 N. Columbia St. 478-292-1017 Georgia Bob’s BBQ 116 Hancock St. 478-295-0696 The Goodie Gallery 812 N. Columbia St. 478-452-8080 Great Wall 1304 N. Columbia St. 478-452-5200 Hibachi Buffet 1811 N. Columbia St. 478-451-2888

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Amici Milledgeville 101 W. Hancock St. 478-452-5003

China Wings 3 1071 S. Wayne St. 478-453-3655

Applebee’s 106 Roberson Mill Rd. NE 478-453-8355

Cookout 1893 N. Columbia St. 478-295-3189

Hong Kong Express 2400 N. Columbia St. (Milledgeville Mall) 478-451-3177

AJ’s Hot Wings 2601 N. Columbia St. 478-804-0101

Country Buffet 1465 S. Jefferson St. 478-453-0434

Huddle House 300 E. Hancock St. 478-452-2680

Arby’s 2500 N. Columbia St. 478-452-1707

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___________________________

Hibachi Express 2515 N. Columbia St. 478-453-3842

IHOP 2598 N. Columbia St. 478-452-0332

Los Magueyes 3052 N. Columbia St. 478-453-0271

Shadetree BBQ 111 Old Montgomeryville Rd. 478-451-0117

Jackson’s on Sinclair 3065 N. Columbia St. 478-453-9744

Mama J’s 1057 S. Wayne St. 478-295-3155

Shane’s Rib Shack 2789 N. Columbia St. 478-295-1115

James Fish & Chicken 905 S. Wayne St. 478-453-8696

Marco’s Pizza 2910 Heritage Plaza 478-295-3570

Shark’s Fish & Chicken 196 Roberson Mill Road 478-295-3306

Jen’s Bakery 3061 N. Columbia St. 478-454-5223

McAlister’s Deli 114 Roberson Mill Rd. 706-623-8700

Shrimp Boat 911 S. Elbert St. 478-452-0559

Jersey Mike’s Subs 2789 N. Columbia St. 478-295-0633

McDonald’s 2490 N. Columbia St. 478-452-1312

Sonic Drive-In 1651 N. Columbia St. 478-451-0374

Jimmy John’s 100 S. Wilkinson St. 478-344-0444

McDonald’s 611 S. Wayne St. 478-452-9611

Soul Master’s Barbecue 451 N. Glynn St. 478-453-2790

Kai Thai 2600 N. Columbia St. 478-454-1237

Metropolis Cafe 138 N. Wayne St. 478-452-0247

Stacked Sandwiches & More 1827 N. Columbia St. 478-414-4348

Kentucky Fried Chicken 2337 N. Columbia St. 478-453-2456

Olde Tyme Hot Dogs 451 W. Montgomery St. 478-456-1464

Kirk’s Jerk Kitchen 128 N. Wayne St. 478-454-0094

Octagon Café 2400 N. Columbia St. 478-452-0588

Subway GCSU/ Maxwell Student Union 478-452-0585

Krispy Kreme 1700 N. Columbia St. 478-295-3212

Old Clinton BBQ 2645 N. Columbia St. 478-454-0080

Krystal 1884 N. Columbia St. 478-452-0102

Panda Express 2407 N. Columbia St. 478-295-2116

Kuroshima 140 W. Hancock St. 478-451-0245

Papa John’s 1960 N. Columbia St. 478-453-8686

La Taverna 119 S. Wayne St. 478-295-2099

Pickle Barrel Cafe 1892 N. Columbia St. 478-452-1960

Lieu’s Peking 2485 N. Columbia St. 478-804-0083

Puebla’s Mexican Rest.

(Milledgeville Mall) 2400 N. Columbia St. 478-453-9547

Little Caesars 1905 N. Columbia St. 478-295-2212 Little Tokyo Steakhouse 2588 N. Columbia St. 478-452-8886 Local Yolkal Cafe 117 W. Hancock St. 478-295-0098 Longhorn Steakhouse 2470 N. Columbia St. (Milledgeville Mall) 478-414-7700

Real Deal Grill 185 W. Andrews St. 478-804-0144 The Reel Grill 114 S. Wayne St. 478-288-5306 Ruby Tuesday 2440 N. Columbia St. 478-452-5050 Salads 2 Go 917 N Wilkinson St. 478-295-1121

Subway 1829 N Columbia St. 478-453-2064 Subway 2600 N. Columbia St. 478-804-9976 Subway 650 S. Wayne St. 478-451-0102 SweetTreats 146 W. Hancock St. 478-452-2305 Taco Bell 2495 N. Columbia St. 478-452-2405 The Velvet Elvis Grille and Tap 113 W. Hancock St. 478-453-8226 Waffle House 1683 N. Columbia St. 478-452-9507 Waffle House 3059 N. Columbia St. 478-451-2914 Wendy’s 2341 N. Columbia St. 478-295-3242 Zaxby’s 1692 N. Columbia St. 478-452-1027

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

83

Artist

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

T H E L I F E A N D A RT O F

P.P. CARTER “ PA I N T E R O F T H E C O N F E D E R AC Y ” ( 1 8 5 1 - 1 9 2 1 ) P O RT R A I T O F T H E L O S T C A U S E

BY MICHELE BECHTELL

W

HAT DO A LIFE SIZE PORTRAIT of Virginia suffragist Ellie Putney in velvet evening dress, a stately depiction of Georgia Governor Charles Jones Jenkins, and a modest portrait of Madisonian “Aunt Clem” Turnell share in common? In the world of art and history, they are paintings by the hand of 19th century Greensboro artist P. P. Carter. Thanks to collaborating historians in Virginia and Georgia, Carter’s life and works are re-emerging to offer fresh insights into the Redemption period of American South history, the Lost Cause ideology, and New South aesthetic.

Confederate defeat left deep emotional and economic scars for many white Southern survivors of the American Civil War. When ambitious Secessionist sympathizers regained control of Southern society following federal occupation, they pressed forward with a vision of a prosperous Redemption rooted in a heroic Lost Cause narrative framed to restore their sense of dignity, reassert their Southern way of life, and claim the honorable side of history. Amidst this social, economic, and political enthusiasm and insecurity, a post-war market emerged for images of heroes and heroines that sustained conversation about what had been lost, the values held dear, and their aspirations for a New South society.

Greensboro artist Poindexter Page (P. P.) Carter capitalized on this sentiment, winning lifetime fame as a coveted New South portraitist of prominent Southern personalities with Secessionist leanings. With the sobriquet “Painter of the Confederacy,” he enjoyed the patronage of some of the South’s wealthiest citizens, securing lucrative commissions displayed in strategic venues ranging from state capitals to affluent Southern homes. Notable commissions include the $1,000 life size portraits of Georgia Governor C. J. Jenkins for the state capital in Atlanta in 1884 and that of P. G. T. Beauregard for the Charleston City Council in 1893, tidy sums for that era. Other iconic portraits include Confederate leaders Stonewall Jackson and the “Gray Ghost” John Mosby, New South politicians, founders of colleges including Shorter College, Mercer University, and Wofford College, and southern State Supreme Court Justices.

Carter proved an excellent match for Lost Cause proponents based on birth, marriage, and artistic style. Born in Hannover County minutes from Richmond, Virginia, he was related to the wealthy Robert “King” Carter, acting Governor of Virginia prior to the American Revolution.

And he possessed family connections to Robert E. Lee through the general’s mother Ann Carter

Left: The Director of the T.R.R. Cobb House in Athens shows Carter’s life size portrait of Robert E. Lee to visitors.

LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

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Mr.Toombs Lewis of Watkinsville stands by Carter’s portrait of his great grandfather, Greensboro Judge W.Toombs Lewis

Lee. He came of age at the epicenter of the Civil War, retaining childhood memories of antebellum prosperity, ravaged home soil, and the loss of voting rights for Confederate whites.

When Secessionists regained the vote and Georgia dominated the vision of a New South Redemption, Carter moved to Greensboro, Georgia, the state’s largest cotton producing county prior to the War. There in 1883, he wed Corinna Hendee King, a Greensboro belle whose affluent family occupied a stately mansion in town. Thereafter he made Greensboro his adopted hometown, raised three daughters, and pursued his artistic mission to give face, dignity, and pride to an elite Old South culture integral to New South society.

Carter’s portraits differ from romantic antebellum paintings of priv-

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

ileged sitters in finery and rich interiors, often painted from life. His somewhat flattened depictions echo an earlier American Colonial style devoid of aristocratic pomp and leisure. His stiffened aesthetic partly derived from his use of photographs to facilitate posthumous renderings. Mid-19th century photography required sitters to maintain an extended stationary pose, often evoking a self-conscious posture and solemn demeanor with flat affect. The small gray-toned photos also lacked cues on color, texture, perspective, and character.

Carter’s colorful life-size portraits earned coveted testimonials from contemporaries including General Lee’s daughter, Mary Custis Lee, who declared Carter’s “Lee at Fredericksburg” “the finest likeness I ever saw

of my father.” Upon viewing Carter’s portrait of Georgia Governor Jenkins, the editor of the Augusta Chronicle, Charles Randall, gushed, “The likeness is perfect. It is the grand old governor himself, ready to emerge from the frame of gold shrined about him.”

Carter’s formal aesthetic appealed to his elite Southern audience who largely looked to the past for consolation and possessed limited exposure to contemporary Northern or European avant-garde developments. Although more masterful, his flattened perspective also recalled early American primitive ancestral portraits proudly displayed in many affluent Southern homes.

Published accounts reveal Carter as a gentle, emotional man full of life, hospitality, humor, and colorful antics:

PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY MICHELE BECHTELL

Above: After losing her betrothed in the Civil War, Miss Clementine Turnell of Madison vowed never to marry. Her brother Stephen resided in the mansion now known as Heritage Hall house museum. Right: Grave marker of Southern artist P. P. Carter, buried in the King Family Plot of Greensboro Cemetery.

DO YOU POSSESS a P.P CARTER PORTRAIT? • Look on the back of the canvas for his signature and date.

• Document the name and life of the sitter as remembered.

• Register your painting for free in the Smithsonian Inventory of American Art at americanart.si.edu/research/inventories.

The 1891 Mnemosynean Club gathered at his well-appointed Greensboro home “to debate the question ‘Resolved That a Flirt is a Greater Nuisance Than a Mosquito,’ decided in the affirmative.” He hosted a well-publicized lawn party to honor his Virginia niece, serving “oysters in all styles, fowl, quail, and numerous delicacies.” He produced what he “humorously called a ‘junebug symposium’ for his daughters and young friends with music, dancing, games, and recitations.” And he sponsored “an elegant stag dinner” for the esteemed Judge James B. Park replete with toasts and master of ceremonies.

His family summered in the Highlands. And on numerous extended sojourns, he enjoyed warm relations with interstate family and friends.

To satisfy popular demand, Carter maintained busy satellite studios in Augusta, Charleston, and Atlanta.

And to accommodate distant commissions, he occupied temporary studios enjoying advance publicity and celebratory receptions in such Southern strongholds as Richmond, Baltimore, Anderson, Hendersonville, Columbia, and Raleigh. He also exhibited at the Chicago World Fair.

Corrine died in 1917, after which Carter relocated his family to Ashville for the health of a daughter. When he passed in 1921 at age 70, his children transported his casket by train to his beloved adopted hometown where he rests in the King family plot in the Greensboro cemetery.

At Carter’s death, Southern culture and portraiture were changing.

To counter the proliferation of photography, many painters abandoned realism in favor of interpretive styles such as Impressionism where aesthetics eclipsed literal likeness, the glaring antithesis of Carter’s academic style.

Southern subject matter was also shifting from a focus on the past to contemporary life, from prearranged poses to candid motifs, and from privileged figures to common folk. Black

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LAKELIFE MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2020

artists and imagery would enter the scene; and 20th century Southern artists would travel North or to Europe before depicting Southern subjects.

Today, some civic minded groups question the public display of images of Confederate sympathizers, refreshing millennia-old debates over the intersection of art and politics.

Carter portraits provide opportunities to explore Southern life stories independent of, and in context of, the arc of history. In documenting notable American suffragists, Nancy Simmons, researcher for the Library of Virginia, seeks Carter’s lost portrait of Ellie Putney noting, “This Daughter of the American Revolution and Virginia Belle, whose politician father served as colonel for the Confederate army, not only honored the memory of Confederate veterans, but also campaigned for women’s right to vote, advocated for the sick, and improved education.”

P. P. Carter paintings remind us that whenever we gaze upon a portrait, we might meditate on the collaboration of patron and artist in authoring history, choosing whom to immortalize, why, when, where, and how. In this context, Carter holds a significant place in Southern art history and heritage. Notes Madison resident Dr. Glen Eskew, GSU Professor of Southern History, “A key southern artist of the New South era, Carter left a solid body of work in numerous public venues, the significance of which has long been forgotten.” Indeed, Carter’s life and works offer rich insights into the use of portraiture to promote the Lost Cause ideology and New South ceremonies that shaped post-war Southern society, a legacy felt to this day. The well-connected, well-travelled Greensboro artist influenced 19th century Southern culture and vice versa, interpreting a New South aesthetic and cast of characters who controlled post-Reconstruction New South society in all its complexities. L Michele Bechtell is an expert on the life and works of Poindexter Page Carter.

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