Great American Clean-up -- Polk County Style

The cemetery committee was invited at the last minute to join in the big county clean-up today, so I opted to go along.  We went to two small cemeteries deep in the woods, well out of sight of any roads.  It's fun to see these old family cemeteries, and feels good to help keep them from being lost in overgrowth.

We started off the morning at Peek Park with a sausage biscuit for breakfast, then headed out to our various assignments.

We began our day at a small cemetery way back beyond the tree line at the edge of the next treeline.  All those yellow flowers were pretty!

As you can see, it was an overgrown mess!

This was the Brumby Family Cemetery.

We found this Confederate States of America star half buried in the ground.  It wouldn't budge, but at least it's not likely to be the subject of vandalism.

It looked much better by the time we left.

Then it was off to the Ammons-Young family plot, buried amidst all this periwinkle.

I'm guessing he was the patriarch, although there was another, very old and almost unreadable, marker for a Jessee Ammons born 1800 died 1879. This marker is clearly new.

This was an interesting cemetery.  We found numerous markers that were knocked down, but this one was also buried under soil and overgrowth that kept it in pretty good shape.

By the time we left, this one looked pretty good, too.

Back at Peeks Park, this group had to have won the prize for most trash picked up, if there was such a thing!  They were sent to what was described as 'the worst area of Polk County'.  I don't know where it was -- but those are bathtubs in the back of the pickup!

I came home ready to rest, but ended up feeling guilty about that so I went out back and sifted some more compost, dug up a few weeds.  Now, I'm ready to rest!  I knew I was too tired to paint  -- painting is easier than sifting compost, but takes more skill and attention than I had to give it.  Tomorrow.

Peek-Wright Cemetery, Antioch, Polk County, Georgia

Another cemetery clean-up today, with dedicated workers, good friends, and lots of generous spirit. Each time I go to one of these I see a new part of the county, learn new roads. The morning was muggy -- overcast, as you can see, but humid.  We only worked for about an hour, but we were all pretty tired at the end of it.  Personally, I came home and crashed.  Work around here can wait until tomorrow.

Once again, when we arrived someone had half the grass cut already, which is wonderful.  Last week someone had done it in advance, today a different man had started early with his riding mower. Really made the work so much easier for the rest of us!

All we had to do was get out a couple of push mowers and some weed-eaters, plus hand snippers and rakes, to get inside the enclosed spaces and around individual stones.

It's a lovely old cemetery.  Many (if not most) of the markers are for people who died pre-1900.

All finished.

It looks much, much better.  The same volunteer will cut the grass another time or two this summer, but we won't be back here for awhile.  Too many others in need of work.

Blooming Grove Cemetery, Polk County Georgia

Despite all my grumbling and whining (all of which was actually half-hearted and good-natured), I enjoyed the morning of work with the cemetery committee more than I've enjoyed anything for a long time.  I'm always happy to be outside in the sunshine, but before the morning was over I also felt a sense of belonging, of being a part of a community, which is something I've felt very rarely in my life.  It was a good feeling.

It didn't hurt that sense of belonging to find these markers for my great-great-grandparents.  I knew they were buried here, but had never been here before.  Their daughter, Fannie, was my grandmother's mother. 

It's a wonderful old church -- long abandoned.  This was a 'before' photo.  Both the mess around the big tree and around the iris patch were cleared during the day.

Another 'before' photo, early morning before work began.  A neighbor had volunteered to mow it earlier in the week, so all we had to do was fine-tuning.

This whole corner was cleaned out -- saplings and overgrowth.

Lots of brush and tree trimmings were hauled to the curb, where the county will pick them up.

I loved the idea that after all these years somebody keeps flowers blooming where this infant was buried in 1938.

After -- they tell me this cemetery hasn't looked this good for a long time!

I love the Ben Franklin quote: "Show me your cemeteries and I will tell you what kind of people you have".

We only worked until noon or so, but of course had to eat lunch, stand around and talk genealogy and ghost-hunting for awhile.  I got home with plenty of time to head to Sherwin-Williams and get some paint for the new trim (and the rest of the woodwork).  I was bemoaning the fact that I'd missed the 30% off sale last weekend, and he told me they were having a 40% off sale starting this Friday -- so you know I'll be stopping there on my way home from work Friday!  Got the first coat of primer on the trim.  It didn't go on very evenly so I'll have to sand smooth and coat again tomorrow.  But, that's ok.  It'll be ready for Jeff to cut and install whenever he makes it by here again.

Pork, Peaches, Apples and Cemeteries

Ahh -- this is what I drove 2.5 hours each way to get -- southern fried pies. This one is peach, the other apple.  Having tasted both, the peach wins.  They're fresh, too -- there were a couple of women visible in the kitchen making more.  For you Yankees, it's just another southern tradition you have to try in order to appreciate. And yes, I could have gotten these locally, but it was all about the quest for memories, and for those, I needed to go someplace specific. 

The rest of the quest -- fresh Elberta peaches and Gala apples, right off the tree.  Would you believe only $4 for each pile?  A bargain!  I asked the woman about the small, juicy peaches I remember and she had a name for them that I've already forgotten, (White Lady?) but they were all gone.  Makes sense that they were an early season variety, as I did most of my weed trimming on the Trail in the spring and early summer (with a hand sling blade, y'all, for about 2 miles of trail.  No Weedeaters here!).

The grail -- as best I remember it, anyway.  There are a lot of farm stands up here, but I remember enough details that this almost has to be the right one.  And, does it really matter? It was certainly the right one today.

Poole's BBQ Pig Hill of Fame. Unlike my last visit, the sun was shining and the parking lot was filled with cars from all over the state and several other states.  I like their food, despite the photos ops and stories of visits by George W. Bush and Pat Robertson.

This really needs sound effects -- there were pork oinking and grunting sounds coming from these cars.  I'm surprised they weren't rocking.

Along the way, I'd mapped out three old cemeteries to visit.  Found all three of them, which is rather amazing all by itself.  My second great-grandparents (part of that troublesome Smith Family) are supposed to be buried here, but I didn't find any stones for them.  There are lots of unreadable markers and plenty of graves only marked with plain stone at the head and foot.  I may have just missed them by not looking at the 'newer' section.  I didn't have notes with me, but she died in 1925 which might put her in the newer section -- I was thinking it was much earlier.  Oh, well.

It was a big place -- lots of old markers and even a couple of crypts.

I don't know if this will be readable even if you click to enlarge.  Interesting history of the cemetery and area.

This was the second cemetery, where I was primarily helping out a cousin in Oklahoma.  I found lots of people here, including the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather on my mother's side, his wife and several of their kids.  Plus unknown (to me) assorted other family names, all of which I've passed on to my cousin. The third cemetery was a bust -- although there were more unmarked graves than marked ones and I only had a general family name, no specific names.  I was getting tired of cemeteries, and hungry for pork, by that time anyway, so I headed on north.

All in all, a lovely day.  Fog filled the air when I left home at 8:30am, but by the time I reached the cemeteries all had burned away and the sun shone brightly.  Took about 8 hours, in all, mostly driving, but I feel great. As always, lots of sentiment as I drove those old familiar highways and byways.  I'd take a turn on a 'new' road, and then think, "I remember this...." although I could not have said why I'd have been on that particular road.  In those days I think I traveled almost every road there is up there, finding a way to get from Atlanta to some particular trailhead or, often, me finding a way to get to Cedartown or Rome after a hike in order to visit my mom.  Those were long, long days!

Exploring the North Georgia Mountains

The Appalachian Trail headed north from Three Forks.  These two are probably thru-hikers, headed to Mt. Katahdin, Maine.  It's the time of year when hundreds of good souls begin the 2000+ mile trek, and only a fraction actually make it all the way.  I didn't catch up with them to ask, but it's a lot of gear for an overnight hike. They have the look of thru-hikers, and I saw and spoke with many of them back when.  I used to make a point of working on my trail section in April, just to meet and talk to them.  At this point, all of four miles, they are all still gung-ho and excited, haven't had a chance to burn out or give up.

As  you can see, I opted to drive up to the mountains today, instead of tomorrow.  In fact, I drove for a total of about 7 hours, with only two stops -- one for gas and a bathroom, the other here at Three Forks for a few minutes.  I started out walking on the Trail headed for Longs Creek Falls, about a mile in, then I realized what time it was (3pm) and knew I didn't have time.  Aside from that, the place was like a parking lot/playground!  I've never seen so many cars parked at that place, or so many people just walking to or from that direction.  I had a sad sense that I'd find a crowd splashing at the Falls, and I just couldn't face that.  It's a lovely spot, a highlight of this section, but doesn't deserve to be a tourist hangout.

First of all, I couldn't believe people would drive into the wilderness just to reach this spot.  It's not exactly on the beaten path.  It's 20 miles from the nearest highway, and 5 of those miles are over FS Road 58, which is mostly good, but has a lot of potholes and numerous rough spots.  Lots of people in Lexus SUVs and the like, and even a Hummer.  Horrible!  When I was driving out, two very chi-chi women with a couple of kids strapped into the back seat of their Lexus SUV stopped me and asked if I knew where Longs Creek Falls was.  Good grief.  I told her, including the fact that they'd have to walk a mile on the trail to reach it, but that didn't seem to daunt them.  Where do these people come from, and what has happened here in the last 14  years?  If I sound upset, it's because I am.  Not seriously so, but very disappointed.

Still, it was a lovely trip and I was surprised how it all came back to me, how familiar so many of the roads and towns I passed through were.  I timed the trip at various points, to help me gauge driving up to meet people for a hike.  The trip home from Three Forks took almost exactly 3 hours, which isn't bad when you consider the first 45 minutes is on a dirt road moving slowly.  I started way too late in the morning, after I'd walked to the hardware store then walked to the library.  I know better, but it was rather impulsive and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow.

OK. Enough editorializing.  Bring on the photos.

This is Noontootla Creek, which parallels FS Road 58 for its entire length through here.  It has always been one of my favorite places, and it's not hard to see why.  It's a beautiful little creek that tumbles over rocks and cascades as it winds its way through the forest.  For you people in Oregon, we have Rhodies here, too -- the mountains are thick with them.

This is the Three Forks AT crossing, looking towards Springer Mountain (the starting point of the AT).  

Noontootla Creek from the footbridge.

And, from the other side of the bridge.

That's all the AT photos for the day -- I wasn't here very long, but I'm really glad I went.  Great to see it again, although the crowds still rankle.

A sign off Roy Road/Doublehead Gap Road that takes me to the FS road.  This is FS Road 42, which doesn't really go to Springer Mountain, but goes to the first AT road crossing where one can hike up the trail for about a mile and reach Springer.

The scenery along this access road was spectacular.  Spring has not sprung so much up here yet -- further north, higher elevations.  But the sun was glinting off everything and there were many pastoral scenes such as this, and even better, as I drove.

As I neared the main highway that cuts across the bottom of the Chattahoochee National Forest, I decided to go in search of this church, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church.  I've driven past Wesley Chapel Road countless times in years past without ever driving up here or ever having any sense that any of my personal history would reside here.  I learned several years ago in Oregon, during my genealogy research, that some of my ancestors founded this church.  I cruised the small cemetery, found lots of Waters but none that I could identify.  My second great-grandmother, Sarah Waters, was born in this area in 1831 but moved away after she was married.  

Her father's name was Moses, but he was born in the 1700's.  This isn't one of his sons, but probably a nephew, and thus Sarah's cousin.  I was surprised that most of the gravestones had death dates in the early 1900s, because the church was there long before then and surely some of the elders died and were buried here, as well as the 'younger' generation.  Anyway, it was good to find it.  Going strictly on memory, which is always dangerous, I believe this particular Moses was one of the founders of the church.

Now, I'm pooped -- a lot of driving for one day, even though the mileage wasn't nearly as much as the days I spent driving across the country.  I've had some dinner and am now ready to hit the comfy chair and watch some movie.