About Dawson County, GA

Yesterday started out as a very foggy day in north Georgia and I was almost ready to "rethink" my plan to visit my favorite pumpkin farm. But as I began to drive north and the sun started to shine, the fog lifted and it turned out be a a wonderful fall day. By the time I arrived at Burt's Pumpkin Farm in Dawsonville, GA, the sun was shining and the temperature was a perfect "Fall" 70 degrees.

Burt's Pumpkin Farm is north of Atlanta near Amicalola Falls. Here are the directions:

Directions from Atlanta:

Take Ga. 400 N out of Atlanta to highway 136. Turn left on hwy 136W.Take 136W to 183N, then 183N to highway 52. Turn right on to 52E. We are located 1/2 mile on your right from the highway 183/52 intersection on highway 52.

Directions from Marietta:

Take I75N to 575N, 575N will change in to 515N. Take 515N to 108, turn right on to 108E. Follow 108E in to highway 53E. Take 53E to 183N. Then 183N to hwy 52. Turn right on to highway 52E. We are located 1/2 mile on your right from the highway 183/52 intersection on highway 52.

Directions from Dalton/Chattanooga:

Take I75S and exit on 336. Go east on 76/52 Dalton Bypass to highway 52. Turn left on to 52E and go to Chatsworth and turn right on to 411S. Take 411S to Ga. 282. Turn left on to 282E and follow it to Ellijay. At Ellijay take 52E, we are located on highway 52, 18 miles from Ellijay on the right.

Directions from Rome/Calhoun:

Take 53E to 183. Turn right on to 183N to highway 52. Turn right on to 52E. We are located 1/2 mile on your right from the highway 183/52 intersection on highway 52.

Directions from Athens/Gainsville:

Take 129N to Gainsville. In Gainsville take 53W to Ga. 400, turn right on to 400N.Take Ga. 400 N to highway 136. Turn left on hwy 136W. Take 136W to 183N Then 183N to hwy 52. Turn right on to highway 52E. We are located 1/2 mile on your right from the highway 183/52 intersection on highway 52.

Here are a couple of photos that I took, I hope you enjoy them!

Now, which one do I want????

In every direction you look, there is a sea of pumpkins. It is a stunning sight as the sun starts to bounce off each pumpkin, they almost glow.

So many sugar pumpkins, so many pies!

Here is the link to their website if you would like to check it out: http://www.burtsfarm.com

The first question on everyone mind when you announce that you are running for an office is...
WHY???
Because everyone knows that it is extremely hard work and take an exorbitant amount of time...something we seem to have less of as we age.
Actually I was called by a Big Canoe Nominating Committee member and asked to run. Why they called I do not know. My first response was NO!!! I am not a captain of industry like so many of the past candidates were. I have no real experience in leading a community. The committee member said that they felt differently and would I consider the opportunity? After carefull consideration, I decided that in fact I did have something to offer Big Canoe.
First: A woman's perspective. Being a woman is just a fluke of nature, but having been in this female skin for so many years, it has taught me to look at life differently than how I see the men I know look at life. I often find myself seeing the humanity in a problem that is not especially "bottom line" important, but none the less very important. I am not going to expound a great deal about the importance of my gender, but everyone know very important women who have had huge impacts on their lives and that should be enough said on the subject.
Second: I am a business person. I have started a small business during very tough times and that business is still thriving, or at least has not gone under! Starting All Mountain Realty in an area that is already saturated with nationally known companies has been a rewarding challenge. I have learned, grown and had a terrific time while helping people fill their dream of either coming to or leaving this beautiful place in the North Georgia mountains.
Third: I am a part of an interesting, challenging family. I have moved over 10 times in my life and have enjoyed every place that I have lived. My parents had to overcome huge obstacles to acheive their prosperity and provide such a rich life to my siblings and me. I remember walking in on my dad, his head in his hands at 3 am, not being able to sleep wondering how he was going to pay for three girls in college. This was during the time that girls did not readily go to college, but of course HIS girls were going to go! Well, he found the way, albeit on a shoestring, but we all graduated from Ohio State University and went on to carreers not possible even a decade before. Financial planning, strict budgeting and big dollops of hope and love was what I was brought up on, and it didn't matter what part of the country we were living in...the family message was always the same. We made what we had go a little bit further and enjoyed life a little bit more doing so.

So I think that I am very capable of adding to Big Canoe's rich heritage of physical beauty, financial strenght and welcoming, active people.

This is a story that I think all can relate to. The home owner wants to sell the home. The home owner is tight on the appreciation against what they owe. The home owner decides to use a discount brokerage. The brokerage tells them you can get listed for X. Want a yard sign add 10 dollars. Want a lock box add 25 dollars. And so it goes. The seller lists for X

Enter me the Agent with a buyer. I see the house on the MLS. I call and the seller answers.( This is a positive as it usually does not happen) Me:" I would like to show your home tomorrow at 10 am OK?" Seller: "Oh I am sorry little Johnny has a Cub Scout outing and we will not be home." Me: "No problem, is the lock box on the front door?" Seller: "HUH? We do not have a lockbox. Can you show the house day after tomorrow?" Me: "Let me get back to you thanks".

No I am not going to show the house. My buyer cannot see it that day. Also the kiss of death is the seller being there. This was a really good home and could have worked for my buyer. But there are a bunch of other homes that are on the market and will work as well. So once again a seller has lost a sale. At the end of the day the answer is you get what you pay for . Or in this case you do not get what you have not paid for. We are Realtors for a reason. I feel really bad for this person. I have been in this situation 4 times and each time the home has either much later been listed by a Realtor or gone into foreclosure.