The Elk of the Cataloochee Valley. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cataloochee ElkThe Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited National Park in the United States. With over eleven million visitors a year, and within a day's drive of half of the countries population, many of the parks more popular areas can become quite crowded.

However, there are some places of unparalleled beauty and historic significance that are far removed from large numbers of Park visitors. One such place is the Cataloochee Valley. Because it requires a little more effort to get there, the Cataloochee Valley is rarely crowded; more than likely, there will be fewer visitors in this large area than in any other place in the park.

It is also here in Cataloochee, that the Park Service reintroduced elk earlier in the decade. Although elk roamed these mountains for hundreds of years, they were extirpated by settlers in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. In an effort to return the ecosystem to its historic diversity, the elk have been imported from western parks into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Elk in the great Smoky MountainsThe result is a spectacular addition to the plethora of wildlife already in the park. If you arrive in the early morning or stay into the late evening, you may be rewarded by hearing a bull bugling. The sound is indescribable, high pitched and loud, and serves as both a call to his herd and as a warning to would-be interlopers.

Although the black bear used to be the star of the Smokies, the elk are fast replacing there ursine counterparts in popularity! And your chances of seeing elk in Cataloochee is great, as the herds have increased in number over the years.

So if you live in the east, and want to see elk in their natural habitat, come to Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You will not be disappointed!

Photos courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (7) COMMENTS
TAGS: elk, cataloochee, great smoky mountains, great smoky mountains national park

Georgia Football Legend Eric Zeier visits Newnan Real Estate Office

Eric Zeier at ERA United Realty in Newnan GeorgiaEric Zeier, former University of Georgia and NFL starting quarterback, visited the ERA United Realty office in Newnan Georgia on Wednesday, October 8 2008. He delivered a motivational presentation to the agents and staff attending the regular weekly sales meeting.

Mr. Zeier spoke on the challenges of making it to the highest level in football, and demonstrated that the same principles of hard work, dedication and striving for improvement and excellence  required for a successful career in sports,  carried over into any business endeavor

Zeier went on to say that the businessperson that does not increase lead generation practices in today's market cannot expect to achieve the same results as in the past. Tougher times demand harder work and increased proactive effort! The message was well-received by all those in attendance.

While playing for Georgia, Zeier set 67 School records and 18 Southeastern conference records, including the conference record for most passing yards at 11,153, which has since been surpassed only by Peyton Manning and David Greene, another Georgia Bulldog.

Eric Zeier is now a regional vice president at Bank of America, and also does weekly broadcasts for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team as a color commentator.

Photo: Eric Zeier and Richard Weisser at ERA United Realty in Newnan Georgia

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (18) COMMENTS
TAGS: eric zeier

Seek inspiration and run with it! Tomorrow is another day but today is even better!

Palmer Chapel in CataloocheeInspiration comes from a variety of stimuli. The slightest nuance of visual beauty, constructive encouragement or vicarious reading can motivate us to take quick and decisive action.

However, to be inspired, the spirit within us must react to the stimulus in a positive and uplifting manner. No one has ever been inspired and depressed at the same time.

And don't wait to be knocked off your horse and blinded by lightning. Inspirational opportunities can be subtle, and easily overlooked. Rather, remain open and at the ready, and grasp tightly to the fleeting force as it presents itself.

Great men and women in history have been inspired but the simplest things. Isaac Newton and the apple falling, Galileo and the pendulum, Da Vinci and a young lady named Lisa!

So seek inspiration and do not wait for it. There are discoveries available for the taking today that are within your reach. Don't let them slip on past!

Photo: Palmer Chapel in Cataloochee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com.

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (25) COMMENTS
TAGS: inspiration

Sharing space with a great man in Warm Springs Georgia..

The view from Dowdell's Knob in Roosevelt State ParkOn Sunday I had the chance to visit one of our favorite area spots. Less than an hour from our house in Sharpsburg is Warm Springs, Georgia. It was here that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to seek treatment for poliomyelitis. He fell in love with the area, and constructed the only home he ever owned, known here as the Little White House.

One of the President's favorite spots was Dowdell's Knob, a small rock outcropping on the side of Pine Mountain that has a great view of the lowlands below, and always a nice breeze, even on a warm day.

Warm Springs GaIt is somewhat humbling to sit in exactly the same spot that the President of the United States did during the greatest crisis our country ever faced. During World War II, President Roosevelt made many trips to Warm Springs and many decisions that affected the destiny of our great land were made in the area, and I know that many of them were made at Dowdell's Knob.

The President was also very proactive is designing the state park that bears his name, and the Civilian Conservation Corps was instrumental in constructing the facilities. His legacy remains to this day in the little town of Warm Springs, a fantastic mix of history and natural beauty.

Warm Springs is about an hour's drive south of Atlanta. For more details, you can visit the official Warm Springs website.

Photos: Top Right, The view from Dowdell's Knob in Roosevelt State Park,  bottom left. Downtown Warm Springs GA

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (12) COMMENTS
TAGS: warm springs, framnklin delano roosevelt

The best advice I ever received from my father, and it applies today as much as ever!

Great Smoky MountainsAs I mentioned in previous posts, I was an Internet pioneer. I had web pages available on a server before most people had even heard of the World Wide Web. It was a new and challenging world, completely undefined and raw, and ready to be used.

Google didn't even exist back then, but researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh developed Lycos, which indexed web pages that were voluntarily submitted and became the first "search engine" of choice.

So I put as much content as possible online, and waited for the "hits" that would result. The trouble was, there were no hits. So I added more and more varied content, everything from photos to poems to stories about railroads, trying to run the gambit of possibilities.

In 1995 my father suggested: "Why don't you pick just one thing and specialize in it?"

Great Smoky Mountains Newfound Gap RoadThose words changed my Internet life. I began posting Smoky Mountain Photos, and in 1999, the final version of SmokyPhotos was born. SmokyPhotos soon rose to the top of the search engines, and to this day is still listed number one on most search engines as a source of Smoky Mountain Photographs.

SmokyPhoto's crowning achievement was to provide photographs for a major speech on education by President Georgia W. Bush in 2001. And all of this was due to the fact that I followed my father's advice and tried to specialize in one thing.

This lesson can be applied to any business. The "one-stop shop" or "we do it all" concept may not always be the best approach. It might be better to do just one thing, and do it better than any one else.

Great Smoky Mountains StreamThe key is separation, and what separates you from your competition is your perceived level of skill and expertise. My father's advice let to Internet superiority that I have not since relinquished.

So my question to you is the same sage advice of my father to me: "Why don't you pick just one thing and specialize in it?"

Photos courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (34) COMMENTS
TAGS: specialization, expertise

We need to get our priorities straight! There's more to life than business.

Autumn ChurchLife isn't always about life or death decisions. Often, it's just a matter of determining what is most important at the moment and dealing with it!

This time and task triage can help us put things in their true perspective. In those instances where we are so busy that we don't know up from down, we need to know how to allocate our most precious time and to assign it to the most urgent demand.

And sometimes, that pressing need is not going to be work related. We all have a right to personal time, just for us. We need to be able to pursue more esoteric or spiritual pursuits.

We are not machines, we are living, breathing creatures with cognitive though processes that allow us to rise above basic animal instinct and make real choices.

So I choose to philosophize, to create, to reckon and to pursue personal fulfillment. If that makes me selfish, then so be it. I have much left to do and accomplish and very few years left to do so, so I will put my priorities in place.

And I will be comfortable with my choices!

Photo courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com.

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (27) COMMENTS
TAGS: priorities, time allocation

The life journey takes us to some wonderful places ... if we let it!

Smoky Mountain StreamIf you have been following the news lately, you know that we are living in troubled times. Here in the Southeast, we have been hot especially hard with the economic downturn, the mortgage crisis and the lost of investments. Add to that a gasoline and a water shortage, and it's hard to go about doing business as usual.

But our life journey is but a blip in the timeline of the entire scheme of things. Our role is an insignificant tremor in the rumbling quakes of history. At some point, we must realize that there are many things greater than ourselves.

In doing so, we must come to the conclusion that the world goes on with or without us, and that our individual trek is entirely of our own doing and is under our complete and total control.

Blue Ridge MountainsOur destiny lies in our determination to prevail, and our spirit must move us onward regardless of the circumstances. This is our time, and it is up to us to make the best of it!

So we must not allow our journey to travel to the dark and disturbing recesses of despair and depression. Rather, we must seize the moment to discover new opportunities and hidden treasures yet unexplored.

Our time is precious, and our allotment of it is finite! So let's not waste a single moment. Rather, let's seize the day and make new discoveries. Let us seek love, friendship, knowledge and fulfillment.

Life is good, and it's been one heck of a trip so far!

Photos Courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com.

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (40) COMMENTS
TAGS: life, positive attitude

A Taste of Newnan 2008 was a crowd pleaser and a huge success. Coweta County events.

Newnan squareThe 2008 fall Taste of Newnan was held on Thursday October 2, 2008. The downtown square was alive with food aficionados who were there to sample the fare of Newnan and Coweta County's finest eateries!

Hosted by MainStreet Newnan, the fundraising event is designed to let local restaurateurs purvey their culinary creations to a mass mob of sweet and savory sampling citizens.

This year's event did not disappoint, with menu items ranging from smoked duck sausage to barbecued ribs to pizza! Add to that every kind of sweet treat imaginable and you have a food fair that is second to none.

A Taste of Newnan in Coweta County

And there was music, courtesy of live bands on each side of the square. The music kept the crowd rocking as they indulged in the best of Coweta Cuisine!

A Taste of Newnan is held every year in both the spring and fall, and has become one of the most popular regular events in the county. It is one of the many reasons that make Coweta County a great place to live and work.

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

 

  (5) COMMENTS
TAGS: a taste of newnan, newnan

Newnan GA Restaurants - Coweta County Restaurants- Claire's Love Your Mother Café (LOCALISM FEATURED)

Lunch at ClairesIf you like home cooking, just like your mother used to make, then plan a visits to Claire's Love Your Mother Café in historic downtown Newnan Georgia

Located just across the street from the new Greenville Street Park, Claire offers traditional southern comfort food six days a week. There are daily selections, including a choice of three meats and a selection of 5 or 6 home-style vegetables. Add a fried corn fritter and a glass of tea, and you're in Newnan lunch heaven.

You may elect to dine in one of the two beautifully appointed rooms, with quilts on the walls and carefully preserved fireplaces. Or you may choose to sit on the full length front porch and watch the world go by.

Claires Love Your Mother CafeYou might even consider having your lunch packed "to-go" and walk across to Greenville Street Park for a picnic!

Claire's Love Your Mother Café is located at 8 Savannah Street in Newnan. You can reach them by phone at 770-463-9616.

Prices at the time this article was written:

1 meat + 2 veggies and bread -$7.49
3 veggies and bread - $5.99
4 veggies and bread - $7.49
Tea with free refills - $1.49

Dining RoomDaily made from scratch meats include:

Monday - Country Fried Steak
Tuesday - Turkey and Dressing
(my favorite!)
Wednesday - Meatloaf
Thursday - Fried Chicken
Friday - Salmon Patties
(There are always two alternative meats!)

Serving Lunch Monday-Friday 11:00-2:00
Sunday Lunch 11:00 - 3:00
Claire's Love Your Mother Café 770-463-9616

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (28) COMMENTS
TAGS: newnan, newnan restaurants

I need a breather. And I want to breathe the best air in the world! And that means the Great Smoky Mountains!

Great Smoky MountainsEvery October I take several trips to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park to photograph the change of the seasons. In the Southeast, the mountains and autumn are intrinsically intertwined. The brilliant leaf color, the cooler temperatures, and the abundance of visible wildlife all contribute to a rejuvenating experience.

And it's not just the sights that draw me either. It's the smell of the new fallen leaves, the autumn blooming flowers and the fragrance of the cascading brooks and rivers. Every breath recharges and renews, and goes deep within the spirit.

And there are fall tastes as well. Anything apple: apple cider, apple fritters and fried apple pies! In the south, we also enjoy a big sack of boiled peanuts while we are on the road. The best are made in a big black kettle over an open fire. The mountains are also associated with huge country breakfasts of ham, eggs, hash browns, grits, biscuits and lots of gravy! Oh and pancakes too, we mustn't forget the pancakes.

Great Smoky Mountains National ParkBut, sad to say, this year might be different. Downturns in the real estate market have made discretionary cash very limited. It is also unnerving to "hit the road" with an uncertain supply of gasoline. In our part of the country, only one in twelve stations have gasoline to sell, and when you get it, it's a long wait at the pump.

And two years of drought have taken their toll. The water level in the streams and rivers is very low, sometimes just a trickle. Also, the drought makes the leaves a little browner and a lot less colorful. Not only is that bad for the vegetation and the ecosystem, is isn't the best scenario for the dedicated photographer.

I will find a way, somehow, to make my annual treks. It's the only way I can revitalize my spirit! I must. I need to breathe!

Photos courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (28) COMMENTS
TAGS: renewal

What was the first social network? I have a nominee!

FamilyI am what you might call now, an early adopter. I discovered the Internet before the word Internet even existed. On a cold winter's day in 1971 I sent my first email on what was called the Arpanet. That changed my life forever.

In the early 1980's, it was possible to connect to "Information Services" with a speedy 300bps modem and a subscriber account. It was expensive back then, and cutting edge. However, you could send email from one account to another.

I am proud to say that by 1990, I had all of my family "connected" via email, and even more fascinating, we chatted live and in person every Sunday night en masse. Although we were spread out from Pennsylvania to Arizona to Connecticut and Georgia, on Sunday night we were together. I even saved most of the logs of those conversations, and have them to this day.

I lost my father in November 1995. In the last year of his life, I received about 300 emails from him, and I have carefully archived and preserved them. In one of them he indicated that his cancer was terminal, and that he wished for everyone to continue on as though nothing was different.

At some point early on, we even attempted voice over internet, but even at the new and improved 56Kbps, the delay was so long that most of what we heard from each other was laughter!

Is it possible that we invented the first social network? Well, it was a network, and it was definitely social. And it peaked in late 1994 and early 1995. Hmmm I may have to go to Wikipedia and make some editorial adjustments!

This post was inspired by Lenn Harley's feature post: Planning for 2009. Agents and brokers, the time is now. Or, be left in the dust.

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

  (44) COMMENTS
TAGS: social network, family

The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind.

Flags in the windBob Dylan suggested in lyric that some inexplicable actions of people and society had no real explanation, they just continued to happen.

Every day people rant and rave about issues that are out of their control, and yet they get agitated to the point of having a heart attack. With the elections drawing near, some become so passionate about their candidates that they will spend countless hours agonizing over the possible outcome of the contest.

Many worry about the economy, and wonder why the government is bailing out huge corporations but casting individuals aside like yesterday's garbage. They want answers, and yet none are forthcoming.

There is concern over continued military actions in foreign lands. People are consumed by the staunch stance of intervention, and many ponder the necessity of such an expensive commitment, both in lives and money.

There are those that are puzzled by the lack of availability of gasoline, and can't imagine why this situation is not being treated as an emergency or national disaster. Gasoline is the lifeblood of economic communities, yet it is only being treated only as an inconvenience.

So my suggested solution is this: Whenever you find yourself succumbing to the internal pressure cooker percolating within your being, rather than lash out or rend your garments, offer this phrase over and over until the pain goes away:

The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind. (Bob Dylan)

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate.

  (33) COMMENTS
TAGS: contentment, serenity

Your home should be your refuge, far away from the trials and tribulations of the world.

Caldwell HouseThere are a lot of stressful circumstances in today's world. The challenge of making a living, the ever rising costs of food and fuel, and an overall decline in the quality of life can easily put a strain on your disposition.

However, there is a place that should be a refuge far away from the pressure of everyday life. Your home should serve as a stress-free zone that is insulated from the effects of the outside world.

To do this, you must take proactive steps to keep a calm and tranquil atmosphere in your residence. Keep work related troubles at the office, and make time available at home for more esoteric pursuits.

The key is to find something that you enjoy doing that has a calming effect. Reading, gardening, crafts, and music can all be very relaxing pursuits.

Conversely, don't do anything that brings destructive emotions into the house.  If you have to deal with stress-inducing issues, try to resolve them before you return to your home.

Make your house a safe haven, and you will be better equipped to handle each day in stride!

Photo: Calwell House, Cataloochee Great Smoky Mountains National Park,  courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

Richard Weisser, Broker, Associate Broker, Auctioneer, E-Pro, CE Instructor
Era United Realty, Newnan Georgia, Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc.
Serving Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Meriwether, South Fulton, Pike and Spalding Counties
770-827-6225, 770-683-8400 X364, 770-683-8401 (FAX)
Follow me on Twitter Account cowetafayette
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.

  (10) COMMENTS
TAGS: refuge

Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most satisfying.

Cades Cove ChurchLife in the 21st Century has become very complicated. As a result of our ingenuity and in an effort to make life easier, tens of thousands of time saving devices have been invented. As a result, we spend more learning to use a multitude of new products than the time we might actually save by using them.

Just think of the things that we did not have 20 years ago: The World Wide Web, GPS navigation, MP3 devices, digital cameras, the Windows operating system, wireless networking and HDTV. Cell phones were in their infancy, and were reserved for those wealthy enough to afford them.

And as soon as we purchase one of these cutting edge technologies, it is supplanted with a later and greater model, making our shiny new purchase obsolete within two years. So everything we had to learn about using the product is also in need of replacement.

There is something both unsatisfying and unsettling about this endless cycle of innovation and obsolescence. There is always an underlying gnawing at the spirit that tugs our consciousness away from the essence of what life really is.

When I was growing up, life was parks and picnics and zoos. It was sandlot baseball and touch football in the street. It was hiking through the woods, building tree houses with scrap lumber and picking up discarded "pop" bottles to carry to the penny candy store. A bottle was worth two cents of candy, and with ten bottles, you would get a sack full of treats.

The highlight of every week was on Sunday, after church and dinner, we would all go to Grandma Weisser's house for a visit and root beer floats. There were twelve of us and often our cousins were there, and grandma's house was very small, but somehow, it never seemed crowded. Instead it emoted only feelings of unfettered joy and happiness.

I would trade my laptop, my GPS, my digital Nikon (gulp) and this plethora of electronic gizmos for just one more root beer float with grandma on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.

  (61) COMMENTS