Other

Thoughts While Camping in 2017

by Jan Bradley
06/09/22
For Sale
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

Thoughts while camping

Now that we are firmly ensconced in our campsite within a stone's throw (literally) from Cooper Creek in the North Georgia mountains, my mind and soul are reveling in the peace and quiet of this place.  The only sounds to be heard are the friendly chatter of the creek flowing by and the crickets and their forest kin, sweetly singing to me the song of their people.  The creek is larger than Frogtown in Desoto Falls, and so clear you can see all the way to the bottom with no problem.  It reminds me of clear brown or green glass in bottles I've dealt with in the museum.  It's a friendly creek, with a sound like people talking all day and all night.

We have seen more wildlife in the few days we have been here than in the whole 40 years we went to Desoto Falls.  Sightings include deer, turkeys, squirrels, crows, and one unidentified critter.  Eddie has heard something he thought was coyotes, I've gotten a whiff of an undeniable skunk, and there has been almost fresh bear scat seen near the water pump.

It's very cold in the morning (low 30's) and the campfire is most welcome at night, although we will not turn up our noses at a morning fire.  The leaves have not really started to turn color yet, but we hope that this cold weather may be the final factor that brings on some beautiful color. 

We've made new friends here and been down many roads with fanciful names in our forays to town.  Skeenah Gap Road comes to mind.  We've also sighted Four Wheel Drive, and Just a Mere Drive. 

The nights are getting very cold now, so Eddie the Firewood King is sorting through our latest haul of down wood that we collected on the road from town today.  There is so much down wood from the hurricane and other storms that we have not spent so much as a penny on firewood the entire time we've been here.  My Wizard with a Chainsaw has kept us supplied with beautiful campfires morning and night.  I realize those of you who have seen us camp know Eddie as the Emperor of Tarps, but he holds so many more titles.

The chattering creek has returned to its clear self after the storm, and we can see straight to the bottom.  There have been no fish forthcoming because they stopped stocking the rivers and creeks at Labor Day, but we have not gone hungry at any time.

The wealth of wildlife and plant life continues to astonish.  We've seen a wide range of birds, ever more deer and even two cats who apparently live happily in the Blairsville Wal-Mart parking lot.

We attended Blairsville's annual Sorghum Festival, and a sweet little country festival it was.  Nice, gentle country music (as opposed to excessively loud rock music at festivals we've attended at home), good food, lots to look at and learn, and even contests such as cross-cut log sawing and rock throwing to keep us entertained.  We were astonished to see husband/wife teams, possibly granddaughter/grandfather and two women teams in the log sawing event, as well as one girl who took third place in the large rock throwing contest. We saw sorghum being made and a muzzleloading exhibition, as well as beautiful artwork; drawing, painting, sculpture, pottery and woodworking.  All for $4 per adult, a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.