High Shoals Falls and fireflies change my views on hyperbole
Originally published in The Times of Gainesville Life section
When I first started at The Times, I read a column by Dick Yarbrough. I liked it so much I decided to keep a copy of it in my desk drawer. In fact, I almost cried from laughing so hard.
But the hyperbole of the introductory paragraph really struck me:
"It is a theological fact that God really likes Georgia. That is why he put mountains in North Georgia and the Gold Isles smack up against the Atlantic Ocean and added a bunch of lakes and parks and historical sites in between. Otherwise, we could have been Iran. Or Detroit."
I showed it to a sports reporter who just smiled and said, "Preach it brother."
The column then goes on, extolling the virtues of Georgia’s natural beauty, which I had yet to experience since I moved from the coastal plains of North Carolina. The flat-as-a-pancake landscape offers no peaks or valleys to strike the imagination.
I had no idea I would find myself agreeing with Yarbrough once I experienced it for myself.
While Yarbrough did not set the beauty bar very high considering the alternative locales, I decided to test his hypothesis.
I discovered a website — www.atlanta trails.com — through a friend who has led me to some wild places. And I picked High Shoals Falls in Hiawassee as my first foray into hiking Georgia’s untamed outdoors.
So I packed my hiking trail gear, jumped into my car and headed off to the site just north of Helen. And there, I discovered some of the most beautiful and strange places I have ever encountered.
Two major waterfalls are at High Shoals Falls. Blue Hole Falls is the first cascading waterfall about two stories tall. High Shoal Falls is the second and one of the largest in Georgia with a jaw-dropping 50 feet of rushing water.
At Blue Hole Falls, my bliss was interrupted by an overly excited couple yakking away. So I decided to descend from the platform to the fall, against clearly posted signage telling me not to do so.
This was sound advice as the rocks are slippery and one can easily fall. And I, of course, fell before climbing back to the platform I had wholeheartedly abandoned because of Mr. and Mrs. Yakky-yak.
Luckily I was greeted with the sight of seven lavender butterflies, which flew up from the banks as I climbed down. It was nearly a divine experience.
After splashing about a bit, I set out for the second waterfall — High Shoals Falls. The trip was wet and more uneven than the first leg. But it was worth the 1.35-mile hike.
The falls offer a visceral experience. The sound and coolness of the mist are enchanting and soothing. And everything around the waterfall had a blue tinge caused by the cascade water.
On my way back to the car — there is no real parking lot by the way — the sun began to set. But my trail was lit by the straining light of an orange sun and fireflies. Once again, a divine sight.
The fireflies illuminated my drive down the mountain. Then, I enjoyed an excellent supper in a town called Helen next to the Chattahoochee River on the night of the fullest moon of the year.
It was a magical day to say the least.
Now, when I look back at Yarbrough’s column, I see it in a different light. I think in the case of Georgia’s beauty, there may not be such a thing as hyperbole or exaggeration.
Strange beauty lures hikers to Arabia Mountain
Originally published in The Times of Gainesville Life section.
Traveling to Mars is unnecessary for an out-of-this-world experience. Just drive south to Arabia Mountain.
The Davidson Arabia Nature Preserve in Lithonia is partially in a former granite quarry and 30 minutes away from downtown Atlanta.
Best of all, unlike most of Atlanta, parking is free.
The preserve has 8 miles of trails for biking or hiking, two lakes and a dense valley forest, which can be viewed from the peak or from within. It hosts a vast array of unique wildlife.
I saw two herds of deer and many birds during my hike.
Additionally, a horsefly of unusual size and color attached itself to my poor hiking companion and dog, Star. Eventually through much coaxing, namely trying to kill it by swatting it like a mad woman, it left.
Pools of water dotting the landscape boast rare species of lichen as well as flora and fauna. The valley forest below explodes with plant life.
What I deemed fairy towers, also known as cairns, made from cemented rock mark the trail.
Due to the fragile, slow-growing nature of some of the plants, especially the lichens, it is best not to stray too far from the path.
Beauty is not a word I would use to describe this place. It’s just so different, strange and large that one must visit it to understand the scope of weird.
However, one beautiful thing I saw time and again was life surviving where it ought not. A Japanese maple unable to root itself in the rock sprouted in a small trickle of water with no soil and was particularly noteworthy.
I only made it to one lake, but up from its depths came a plant looking like four-leaf clovers. It was so odd, I took several pictures attempting to convey the lake was filled with this plant.
The skeleton of a rusted bridge and some old work equipment also rises from this eerie lake.
I see why Georgia is a favorite place for film directors. The locations are so ripe for storytelling. I could imagine this lake being used in the stillness of a scene either of contemplation or perhaps an entrance to another world.
The first and only peach tree I have seen in Georgia was found in a hollowed-out stone building with iron bars. It looked like the peaches were in jail.
I think this place could also work for NASA if it were not for all the rare species. This place would surely lend itself to a rover like the ones on Mars.
The benefits of breastfeeding
This text was created for use in a health site brochure.
Benefits for babies
“Extensive research, especially in recent years, documents diverse and compelling advantages to infants, mothers, families and society from breastfeeding and the use of human milk for infant feeding. These include health, nutritional, immunologic, developmental, psychological, social, economic and environmental benefits.”
– American Academy of Pediatrics
Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. A mother’s milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water and protein needed for a baby’s growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest than formula. There is evidence the nutrients, essential for brain and nerve development, may increase cognitive ability and educational achievement.
Benefits for mothers
Weight loss: Breastfeeding can help mothers lose weight, since fat accumulated during pregnancy is used to produce milk.
Disease prevention: Women who breastfeed have less risks of certain cancers including: breast, ovarian and endometrial. It also reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Hormones: Breastfeeding releases hormones that relax mothers and strengthen the bond between her and her infant. It also delays the return of ovulation, however, this should not be used as a method of birth control. The uterus also contracts quicker and bleeding is reduced. Diabetic mothers that breastfeed require less insulin.
Additional benefits: Breastfeeding is one of the most cost effective ways to nourish an infant. It provides optimal nourishment for a child at the cost of little extra food for the mother. It makes life easier by saving time and money. There is no formula to purchase, measure and mix. There are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night.
Diseases and immunity: Breastfed babies have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome and other diseases. Breast milk contains antibiotics and other agents that help infants fight off infections and diseases. Milk straight from the breast is sterile, unlike some water sources used to mix formula.
Breast milk’s antibodies protect against the following common childhood illnesses:
Ear infection
Respiratory infection
Allergies
Diarrhea
Diabetes
Obesity
Asthma
Eczema
When should a mother not breastfeed?
Health professionals agree breast milk provides the most complete forms of nutrition for infants, including those infants that are premature or sick. However, there are certain exceptions when breast milk is not recommended. These situation include women who are: Infected with HIV, AIDs, using or dependent upon illicit drugs, taking certain prescription drugs, or those with certain conditions and disease. Infants diagnosed with galactosemia, a rare genetic metabolic disorder, should also not breastfeed.
If you have questions about whether or not breastfeeding is right for you and your newborn,
please contact your physician.
Contact La Leche for more information: www.llli.org.