Cavender Creek Cabins

Hidden Treasures in Northeast Georgia

So far, I have collected three fascinating websites whose subject and webmaster hail from northeast Georgia. Do you know any others? Have fun visiting these sites.

Medicine Bow, a primitive school of earthlore

MEDICINE BOW in Dahlonega, Georgia describes themselves as a primitive school of earthlore. They offer adult, teen, and child classes in folk skills, such as edible wild plants and hide tanning. Their website is chaulk full of interesting articles about the basic living skills most Americans possessed just a hundred years ago.

Footprints Across the Landscape:
An education in tracking

BY MARK WARREN

How often do we look up at clouds drifting overhead on a sunny day and remember that stars hide beyond that great blue vault of sky? It is easy to forget them until the night rolls in to reveal them twinkling by the thousands. Tracks are like stars in that way. They are all around us all the time. On a winter’s morning when we awake to a world blanketed in snow we are surprised by the criss-cross of tracks stitched over our backyards. Snow is like the revealing night sky – or perhaps it is the forensic investigator’s fingerprint dust in reverse (dust goes down after a track, snow before). Read more…

Land of Promise at Brenau University

From the The Northeast Georgia History Center (NEGAHC) at Brenau University read about upcoming events and exhibits of northeast Georgia history. The center ”promotes and displays historical artifacts and displays from the northeast Georgia area from the past 150 years.”

Include a visit to the NEGAHC on your next roadtrip to Dahlonega, Georgia. Find visitor information and short articles about current displays at their website:

Our main gallery, Northeast Georgia: Land of Promise, tells the story of the many people who have called our region home. Their story is told in an engaging exhibit of thousands of artifacts spanning hundreds of years and through the use of numerous videos plus an interactive tornado simulator. This exhibit highlights the fascinating and personal stories of those who have come before us.

The first people in Northeast Georgia were Paleo-Indians who arrived around 10,000 years ago. The first historic Native Americans were the Creeks. The Creeks were displaced by the Cherokees about 1500 AD. Read more…

Waterfalls, Kudzu, and Vineyards Online with Jack Anthony

Tour Dahlonega and the countryside of northeast Georgia through the eyes of local photographer Jack Anthony. View waterfalls, kudzu, vineyards, and his other galleries at this beautiful website.

Etowah River Shoals

The Week Before Christmas at Cavender Creek

by Steve Massey

Head North to the hills
From Atlanta one day
‘Cause out in the woods,
There’s a great place to stay.

Look out your window
While you’re staying there,
And you may see a deer,
Or a fox, or a bear.

You might see a beaver
Who’s building his dam,
Or a raccoon busy eating
As much as he can.

There are squirrels with acorns,
And fishes with fins.
And at Cavender Creek’s,
Where are our story begins…..

It was the week before Christmas,
And out in the woods,
A young deer was practicing
As much as he could.

Jumping and prancing,
Looking up to the sky,
Hoping by Christmas,
He’d know how to fly.

Watching him leaping,
Then falling down flat,
Nutty the squirrel asked,
“Why are you doing that?”

“It’s simple my friend,”
Said Brownie the Deer,
“I’m trying to fly
In case Santa comes near.”

“Some years close to Christmas,
I’ve heard some critters say
He comes here to find deer
To help pull his sleigh.”

Stinky the Skunk said,
“Be quiet you geeks!
I’ve never seen Santa
In Cavender Creek!”

“If you don’t believe,”
Said Brownie the Deer,
“Then you’ll never know
When Santa comes near.”

“OK,” said Stinky,
“Believe what you like,
But you’ll surely still be here
Come Christmas Night.”

Brownie ignored him,
As he turned to leave,
‘Cause Brownie loved Christmas,
And Brownie believed!

Each night that week,
Brownie tried and he tried
To get himself airborne
And take to the sky.

Nutty was watching,
And said to his friend,
“Keep trying Brownie.
You’ll fly in the end.”

But it came Christmas Eve,
And up in the night Sky,
There was no sign
Of a Sleigh going by.

Stinky the Skunk said,
“Now stop all this fuss;
Brownie, you’ll have to spend
Christmas with us.”

Just then in the distance,
They heard Sleigh bells ringing,
A jolly man laughing,
and shouting, and singing.

Out of the sky,
Came a glorious sight!
Santa was here
That bright Christmas night!

He jumped off his Sleigh,
And said, “Ho Ho Ho!
I’m sorry I’m late;
There’s been so much snow!”

“Tonight there’s a reason
I’ve come to this place.
I need a new deer
My crew has a space.”

Brownie looked up,
And he started to cry,
“I’ve worked hard Santa,

But I just cannot fly.”

Santa said, “Brownie,
You’ve tried and you’ve tried,
And because you believe,
I’ll help you to fly.”

He reached in his pocket
and pulled out a box,
Which contained magic dust
From his magic workshop!

He swirled some around.
It made Nutty cough,
But when Nutty looked up,
He saw Brownie take off!

Brownie was flying,
And as he looked below,
He heard Santa say,
With a big Ho Ho Ho!

“Happy Christmas my friends!
I have to be going.
I’m still running late,
And it’s still bloomin’ snowing!”

Brownie took off.
He waved Nutty goodbye.
Stinky was watching
As he took to the sky!

Now each year at Christmas,
The critters all speak
Of Magical Brownie
From Cavender Creek.

And Stinky remembers
Every Christmas Eve
That anything’s possible
When you believe!

2010 rights reserved
Contact: masseystephen@hotmail.com

Steve Massey was our guest this weekend, visiting Cavender Creek from the UK.

Also staying with us from across the pond was the singer-songwriter Callaghan, who was in town to perform at the Crimson Moon. She was opening the show for Georgia’s own Shawn Mullins. Shawn is also producing her first album.

Callaghan is sure to be back in 2011 so keep an eye out for her. Her rich voice has earned comparisons with Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones, and we’re enjoying her CD here at Cavender Creek.

You can hear her music, including a new Christmas song at www.callaghaninfo.com and see what’s coming up at the Crimson Moon at www.thecrimsonmoon.com

Waterfalls of North Georgia

From the Editors of
About North Georgia

From roaring waterfalls to gurgling cascades, the mountains of North Georgia offer some of the best falls in the United States. Starting in the northeast corner of the state, 7 miles north of Clayton (Rabun County) are Ada-hi Falls, in rugged Black Rock Mountain State Park. Highest in elevation of all Georgia waterfalls, these high mountain falls have a relative low flow except after a rain, when they come to life. (Waterfalls map link at bottom of page)

Tallulah Gorge One of 7 falls in the gorge

Traveling south, Georgia’s most famous waterfalls, in Tallulah Gorge, have been attracting visitors for hundreds of years. With the gorge dammed by Georgia Power in the early 20th Century, the falls and tourists dried up. Now the site of our state’s newest park, the falls are once again flowing. In 1998 Georgia Power agreed to two different types of releases. Whitewater releases, 500 cubic feet per second of water on Saturday and 700 cfs on Sunday, occur on the first two weekends in April and the first three weekends in November. Aesthetic flows, 200 cfs, are starting in Tallulah Gorge this fall. The aesthetic flows will happen each weekend in Sept. starting Sept. 12 and 13. During the first three weeks of Oct. the releases will be on Wed. and Fri. starting Oct. 7. Aesthetic flows will also be Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and then the whitewater flows begin Nov. 7 and 8. During the releases the seven waterfalls in the gorge attain their former beauty.

http://ngeorgia.com/naturally/waterfalls.html

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Bear on the Square Mountain Festival in Dahlonega, Georgia

Make plans now to join us April 16-18, 2010

The 14th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival will be an incredible weekend of music and art in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Old time bluegrass music will fill the Historic Square in Dahlonega. Local, regional, and national musicians will perform on-stage. A juried artist’s marketplace will feature traditional mountain art and crafts.
Music workshops, a Sunday morning Gospel Jam, a Saturday night street dance, a live country auction on Friday night, family activities, and food complete the offerings.Visit http://www.bearonthesquare.org for details of events.

A golden discovery – The Sun Chronicle Online – Features

Mine out the pleasures of northeast Georgia

Hitting travel paydirt and finding a rich experience is easy when you find a gem of a place to visit. Just an hour north of Atlanta, at the foothills of the North Georgia mountains, is Dahlonega, Ga., the area of the first gold rush in the United States in 1828.

This event led to the incorporation of the town in 1833, and today, the city, which is also located near the North Carolina and South Carolina borders, has a population of 5,000.

Visitors can still pan for gold, but it’s more likely that the treasures to be found here today will be in the unique shops along the historic square, the fine wines produced in the fertile hillsides, the outdoor adventures to be had in the mountains and Chattahoochie National Forest, the memories of Appalachian culture and the Southern hospitality of this scenic region.

Click link to read the full article via A golden discovery – The Sun Chronicle Online – Features.

February is Sweetheart Month

Escape to Cavender Creek Cabins in Dahlonega with your Sweetheart anytime during the month of February. Set the mood with a box of rich truffles from Paul Thomas Chocolates, fresh red and white Valentine flowers, and an adorable stuffed Teddy Bear–all yours as complimentary gifts with each reservation through February.
And just to make your stay more fabulous, Cavender Creek Cabins will be offering free tickets for couples to select shows at the Holly Theater.

Cavender Creek Cabins offers romantic couples so much more. Relax in a hot tub, sip wine from one of five local wineries, or enjoy the mesmerizing warmth of a blazing fireplace. Perhaps, the best part is the natural mountain setting. Cavender Creek Cabins is surrounded by tall pine trees and hardwoods. Walking trails meander through the countryside along a whispering creek and picturesque lake. You and your Sweetheart will find refuge from bustling shoppers just five minutes from Dahlonega Square. Get back to nature with your special someone at Cavender Creek Cabins.

Call Paul or Mary Hanson at 706-864-7221 for reservations

Give gifts from the heart this Valentine’s Day

Published: Friday, January 15, 2010 1:00 AM EST (ARA) – Everyone knows the standard Valentine’s Day gifts: flowers and chocolates. But if you really want to express what’s in your heart, think a little harder about what you’re going to give.

While those tried-and-true gifts are certainly nice, think of them as an accompaniment to the main event – a gift that reflects the personality of the recipient, and which shows that you put thought and creativity into your gift.

Before you set out on a shopping trip, take a moment to think about your gift recipient’s favorite things, whether it’s a charitable cause, an author or a hobby. If you can, try to plan an afternoon with your loved one and, over lunch or an excursion, see if you can pick up some ideas. Make mental notes, write them down when you have a moment, and then hit the shops. But if you aren’t able to connect for some time together, consider using these ideas and adapting them to your fit your Valentine.

Put a spin on the standards

The easiest thing in the world is to get a bundle of red roses with baby’s breath and a pre-made chocolate sampler – you can even pick those up at gas stations. Make the sentiment say more by putting a little extra thought into it. You could consult traditional Victorian flower meanings (for example, asters are symbols of love, freesia indicates trust) or choose a bouquet done in your Valentine’s favorite color. If your sweetheart is a chocoholic, check your area for artisanal chocolatiers. A small sampler of chocolates and candies made with the finest ingredients will be more flavorful and memorable than your standard assortment.

Give the gift that gives back

Valentine’s Day is the time of year when the feelings of your heart are given the most attention – why not let that lead you to think of heart health? According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease kills one person every minute, and it is the No. 1 killer of women of all ages. To raise awareness of the risks of heart disease and also to raise critical funds for the AHA, Yankee Candle Company has continued its annual “Light a Candle for Your Heart” program which coincides with the AHA’s Heart Health month and “Go Red” movement each year.

“By giving selected red Yankee candles to your loved one this Valentine’s Day, you not only are giving America’s best loved candle, you also will be giving a gift which directly benefits heart research,” says Yankee Candle’s Rick Ruffolo. “A dollar is donated to the AHA with every purchase.” You also can include a card to tell the recipient that they can raise more money for the AHA on Facebook. “Become a fan of the company and send virtual candle gifts to all of your friends – for each candle you send, we will donate to the American Heart Association,” Ruffolo adds.

Make it an experience

Going out to dinner is a Valentine’s Day tradition – that much is clear to anyone who tries to get a reservation at a nice restaurant on Feb.14. To avoid the crush of diners and the often inflated menu prices, opt for something a little different. If you’re spending time with your sweetheart, try something that requires you to work together – maybe try out a climbing wall at a local gym – or something that will make you want to cuddle up together, like ice skating or sledding. If your Valentine is more platonic, opt for going to see a movie – or plan a game night at home. No matter what you do, spending time together is a gift that always warms the heart.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Dahlonega: Upcoming Events

Bus Stop At The Holly Theatre 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Play by William Inge. Directed by Jim Noe. The Story: In the middle of a howling Snowstorm, a bus out of Kansas City pulls up at a cheerful roadside diner. All roads are blocked and 4 or 5 weary travelers are going to have to hole up for the night. Among the passengers is Cherie (Played in the movie by Marilyn Monroe), a nightclub chanteuse, with the most to worry about. She’s being perused by cowboy named Bo with a ranch in Montana and the romantic methods of a headstrong bull. The stories of the other passengers add dramatic and comic counterpoints to the trials and tribulations of Bo and Cherie. (Recommended for ages 14 and up) Ticket Prices: Adults $18 Seniors $17 and Students $12.
The Historic Holly Theatre 69 W. Main St Dahlonega, Ga 30533 706-864-3759 Email : boxoffice@hollytheater.com
http://www.hollytheater.com