Issues

July 2010 - Happy Birthday, America

Released July 1, 2010

Happy Birthday, America

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Doesn’t this bring back good memories? I don’t think we ever get too old to enjoy a good old messy ice cream cone. This is especially true for Emerson, granddaughter of our own Carole Lee.

Everybody has a favorite flavor or brand of ice cream, and we all express our opinion about whose ice cream is the best. Each manufacturer develops its own special recipes, but the actual ice cream production is basically the same everywhere.

According to the International Dairy Association, based on ice cream consumption figures the top five individual flavors in the United States are vanilla, chocolate, cookie n’ cream, strawberry, and chocolate chip mint. They also state that ice cream and related frozen desserts are consumed by more than 90% of the households in the United States. That’s a lot of ice cream!

June 2010 - The Music Man- at the Cumming Playhouse

Released June 1, 2010

The Music Man- at the Cumming Playhouse

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The Cumming Playhouse is very pleased with the new season contract with Next Stage Theatre Company. We have high expectations for the success of the musicals planned through February 2011; they include Gypsy the Musical, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (the musical version of Miracle on 34th Street), and Evita in the spring.

Summer 2010 will bring The Music Man, sure to be a favorite with families and students on summer vacation, and visitors to our town. The musical’s smalltown setting is well suited to Cumming and the surrounding communities. Jerry Harlow and Rob Hardie of Next Stage Theatre Company have some exciting and creative ideas planned for the show, which include bringing the show as near to the audience as possible. The grand finale alone will be worth the price of the ticket, so do make your plans to see The Music Man. If “Seventy-Six Trombones” is not already engraved in your memory from having seen this show in the past, this joyous grand finale by Next Stage Theatre Company is certain to secure a place in your heart for quite some time.

May 2010 - The Many Faces of a Mother

Released May 1, 2010

The Many Faces of a Mother

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The weather forecast threatened rain on Saturday, April 17, and we had made plans to shoot this cover. Of course, it didn’t rain, it was bright and sunny and a perfect day for a photo. Vanessa McBrayer had arranged for all the ladies to meet at the Peach Brandy Cottage in Dawsonville. Vanessa even entertained the kids while their moms were posing for the pictures.

Thanks to the folks at Peach Brandy for letting us use their beautiful facility. Everything was clean and manicured. Even the swans on the lake were in rare form. If you are planning an event, you will want to check their web site (www.PeachBrandyCottage.com) and see all the things they have to offer.

Also thanks to all the mothers who gave up their Saturday morning to take part in this issue. They are (front row) Teresa Conowal, Amy Roberts, Linda Merritt, Sharon Keating, Candace Neighbours; (back row) Katie Owen, Janice Darnell, Wendy Sundgren, Dana Jones, Jessica Beck, and Lisa Bennett. Mary Otway was unable to attend the photo shoot. Thanks to Beth Snider for all the effort she put into making this a great cover. You will see all of these special ladies’ stories in this issue. I wish we could have put all our mothers on the cover; but know that we love and appreciate each one of you and wish you a Happy Mother’s Day.

March 2010 - Hooray for History

Released March 1, 2010

Hooray for History

front-mar The town of Dahlonega is well known for its gold-rush history, and what better place to document it than the gold museum located in the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse, the oldest courthouse in Georgia. Housed in this beautiful building is the story of the thousands of prospectors who came to North Georgia, and the beginning of the first gold rush. In this historic structure in the center of the town square, you can view artifacts of the period, including gold nuggets, gold coins, and gold-panning equipment. There’s an educational film as well, and a gift shop. Visitors can also explore the features of the courthouse itself, including beautiful wooden chapel seats from 1889, and the judge’s chambers. Some exhibits are on the second floor and are not wheelchair accessible. Guidelines from the National Register of Historic Places prevent the addition of an elevator to this building.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm. Take time to read all the wonderful stories of the past we’ve included in this issue; you’ll hear about the first telephones—and about a time when there was no McDonald’s in town! In April our regular columns will be back to inform and entertain you.

April 2010 - Spring Festivals & The Arts

Released April 1, 2010

Spring Festivals & The Arts

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We thank John Hutchinson, Organist and Director of Music, Worship & Arts at the Cumming First United Methodist Church, for supplying the beautiful painting that graces our cover this month. This is a sample of what you will find at the Festival of Arts being held April 18-25 at the church, located at 770 Canton Highway. The Festival of Arts was established in 2008 with the goal of presenting professional and student visual artists in gallery displays. The professional visual artists are juried, and cash awards are given. See more about this event on page 16.

The work on the cover is by Connie Lynn Reilly of Buford, GA. She is an Atlanta native, a true southern belle. Connie has studied with various artists over the years: Irving Lawhon, Morgan Weistling, George Carlson, Nelson Shanks, Richard Whitney, and Tony Couch, to name a few.

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