Blue Ridge, GA

Today, I got my son ready for his first Prom. It's a little different than when I helped my daughter get ready for her first prom. In both cases, my lovely wife was Missing In Action; off at a writer's convention both times, which shows how long she's been writing, and how old I'm getting.

I can remember when I helped my daughter 5 years ago, I was in the middle of splattering 20 dancers in white unitards with several colors of dye, and then hosing each one down, in order to color the costumes, when my "little girl" pulled up in her prom gown and said, "I need you to do my hair, mom's gone and you have to do it"...of course I did. It was a skill of the trade.

Today, I am in the middle of 7 real estate deals, between contracts and listings, and once again, Dad takes a break for Prom prep. My son has never worn cuff links, never worn button covers, never worn a tie. Our culture has gotten away from formal dressing on special occasions in favor of "Keeping it Real".

When I was young, young men always wore a suit at Easter, and for Christmas, sometimes even Thanksgiving. We wore ties every Sunday at church, and we all wore ties in our High School yearbook photos. We dressed up if we went to the theater or a concert, and for school dances. By the time I was 12, I had been well schooled in how to tie a Windsor knot and a 1/2 Windsor knot in a tie, and Catholic High School cinched the knot with a daily dress code of tie and suit jacket.

Needless to say, I had no trouble schooling my hip teen in formal attire, but it was much less stressful than when I was helping my daughter. He was so calm, so I decided to prep him not just on how to dress & behave, but also how to be understanding of his girlfriends emotions, being she was probably much more invested in this dress up event than he was. He explained that he already had figured that out by the way she'd been acting so stressed all week. Ah, young love...so glad I'm long married and through with all those turmultuous hormone-filled days. (Who am I kidding, there's always menopause).

The only disappointing part of getting my son ready was in the photo opp department. With my daughter, I got to take photos of the young man who came to claim my daughter, and his date; the lovely couple... whereas now, I just have pictures of my son in a tux.

Oh boy, here's a shot of him driving to pick up said prom date, but I have no pictures of his first official girl/boy thingy. I'm sure he will get formal shots done at the event, but I love those informal in the front yard shots that reek of tacky parental nostalgia. And what if he acts kewl and doesn't smile in his photos, or worse, acts goofy, as he is prone to doing in serious events. (Doesn't get it from me)

Its just funny, when I was looking at him all dressed up, it's too easy to imagine him getting married. Then, I thought of the suit I got married in that I have saved all these years, and that he is probably just about ready to fit into it. Heck, he's alot closer to fitting in it than I am. It just seems that these life events are like snapshots you remember all your life, and you wonder what happened to the time in between. Where'd it all go, and what did I do with it?

I look back five years ago, to when we left Florida and our business of twenty years; setting out to find something more "real." Now, five years later, I got the "real" part right anyway...REAL ESTATE, but I'm still busy working all the time.

Still, I have had time with my kids, and I am still able to take a break from my busy work day to help my son get ready for something he will probably always remember, or the next time he puts on a tux; maybe his wedding day. He'll remember that I was there, and that's the most important thing we've gotten from this move.

Yes, mountain country is truly beautiful, and the community is charming, but the most important thing for me is that I have been able to be there for all these events that matter, and that's what matters most to me and my family. No matter where life takes us, nothing will ever take away this time we've had with our kids. And there's nothing more real than seeing your kids happy.

When you come to Blue Ridge Georgia, you won't find a lot of franchises crowding the streets. For coffee drinkers, this means NO Starbucks, but that isn't to say we don't have a fine coffee shop. L & L Beanery, located in historic downtown Blue Ridge, offers gourmet coffee drinks and a whole lot more.

Built in the town's historic bank building, it's no surprise that in the original bank's walk-in safe you find an ample supply of their valuables: coffee. With a huge stone fireplace and hearth, high pressed tin ceilings and an eclectic mix of antique seating, L & L Beanery exudes an olde tyme charm that abounds in Blue Ridge, but they're not just serving coffee anymore. Now with a full service bistro serving breakfast and lunch, and an amazing in-house bakery, you will always find a delicious array of edibles that will please your pallette and your sense of home-town authenticity.

There is a huge difference between the franchise coffee experience and having a cup of coffee at The Beanery, as we locals call it. The coffee is always fresh, but blends vary as to what is fresh and available each week. You may even have to ocasionally wait for service, if there is a line, because even in the busiest of circumastances, the waitstaff and baristas will always stop to converse with customers and treat every individual like a person, not a client. There is a lasifaire approach inherent in every bit of authentic country life, even in our businesses, but there is a personal caring touch that is unparralleld by the most efficient, calculated fast food franchises.

It takes getting used to, but once you get used to the pace and quality of the L & L Beanery experience, you'll always feel like you're settling for less in our modern day convenient franchises. And if you visit, try the almond torte...it's my favorite.

In the Leadership Fannin seminar I am currently participating in, our jolly group spent the day learning about tourism in the Fannin County area. Blue Ridge Georgia has a lot to offer, beyond the beautiful rivers, mountains and lakes that grace the surrounding landscape. The day began with area arts organizations giving lectures at the Blue Ridge Community Theater. We heard speakers from the Theater itself, as well as various arts organizations throughout the county. There are a lot of groups in this area, from the Sustainable Arts Society that houses artists with grant monies to encourage the development of artists in our country, to our very own Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, which is a very active regional arts group providing outlets, classes and events that promote the Arts throughout Fannin County and beyond.

From the Theater we took the Historic Blue Ridge Scenic Railway where we enjoyed the scenery and history of an area with a rich past and richer landscapes. There is something so realaxing about the rythmic motion and leisurley pace of the train, even the antiquated sqealing wheels only adds to the nostalgia. From the shopping area in McCaysville, we bussed to Mercier Orchards. We were served a lovely lunch while being lectured to by Mr. Tim Mercier, the owner and 2nd generation of Merciers to run this larger than life operation. We were given a "backstage pass" to see the workings of an agricultural operation that is truly more than meets the eye. There is even a complicated science to growing apples, and let's just say, "I'm glad there wasn't a test after the tour."

And we really just scratched the surface of things to do in this area. It was informative and exciting to see what a rich and diverse area we live in that has so much to offer visitiors. For more information on area attractions and things to do in the Blue Ridge Georgia area, check out my website links: Day Trippin' , Things 2 Do & National Forests and Parks. When it comes to taking a break from your hectic lifestyle, you'll find "there's no place like Blue Ridge."

For those that may have read my blog last month,you'll remeber that I sold a large historic homestead in Brasstown, North Carolina. Not only was it a large sale, but the seller was also a dear friend, and a renowned woodturning artist. Many of her works can be seen in galleries from Blue Ridge to Chattanooga. She is best known for the grand size of her bowls, which also command a sizable price. I own one of her small pieces, a silver maple vase, and I cherish it because it is probably the only Oland piece I would ever afford to own, that is until now.

I have long been a great admirer of Lissi's style, and I love the massive size of her works, as well. I'm a big guy and I like big stuff, what can I say. One piece Lissi had recently been working on the lathe I had a particular penchant for. I fancied it to be one of my favorites that she had done. Well, Lissi finished it and presented to me as a gift this past weekend.

Lissi is leaving for Denmark and will not likely be returning, so this was her farewell gesture of freindship, and talk about "bowling me over". I never expected to recieve such a gift and am still in shock, with a heavy dash of being thirlled. The bowl is a live-edge work and freeform in shape, and there is just something about it that pulls me in like the earth to the sun. I am overwhelmed with her generosisty, and excited to always have a piece that is not only beautiful in form, but beautiful in nature, as it will always remind me of my friend, and the art that brought us together.

I look forward to the day I visit Denmark and Lissi's new home, but until then, I have a bowl that reminds me of the size of her heart, and the generous artist I consider myself blessed to know.