River Flow Subdivision

Driving steeply up a winding narrow road, the sun shines barely through the dense canopy of beautiful oaks and evergreens, you enter into River Flow where my vacation and soon to be retirement home lies. Now, picture an emotion as if you are walking into your grandmother's home with the anticipation you get knowing there will be something exciting in a moment, and you will be approaching my backyard window. Through the window you look down into a tranquil memorizing forest that if you remain patient, you might get a glimpse of one of your neighborly wildlife. All you are missing is harp music.

We are surrounded by acres of nature's bliss among a variety of birds, deer, squirrels and other wildlife. They know we have arrived again by the smell of our scent in the air. They know we will be feeding them soon as we do each time we come to visit which is just about every month.

We live near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains nestled in the small friendly community where everyone knows your name. This is the town of Dahlonega, Georgia. Even though we have a subdivision, it is not like a city subdivision. The town creates a unity that you don't feel it is necessary to say what subdivision you live in.

I lost the last of my birth family, my brother, suddenly at a young age of 54 in 2003. Since then I also felt I lost my home town of Chicago, Illinois because there were too many emotions that kept me from ever returning. If you are from Chicago, you know the feeling of what it meant to be called a Chicagoan. But I no longer had that due to losing my father, mother, and then my brother. Even as I am in my 50's I felt lost without a town that made me feel like I belong. Something was missing for me. All that changed in 2005, when we bought our home in Dahlonega.

It is filled with so many emotions that when you see this town, some people believe they've been here before, perhaps another lifetime or perhaps it reminds them of yesteryear. The town is complemented by its mid 1800's architect. When we leave for a visit to Dahlonega, we say we're going to heaven.

There is a calling here, as if something pulls you back whenever you leave Dahlonega. Perhaps, it's that feeling you get when you first step into the town. You're stepping into a time warp forgetting all about the news around the world and even whatever you left at home for this visit.

Dahlonega is in the foothills of north Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains which attracts visitors from all over the world. But you would never know this because of the subtlety of its people. Everyone is so genuine. You can feel the love that people give out to strangers. Sometimes, I forget I'm in the USA because these people take time out to appreciate what they have. Not too many people want to leave Dahlonega however; more and more people desire to live there.

Dahlonega is rich with history between being the first gold rush town in the United States to the removal of the Cherokee nation due to the founding of gold, known as the "Trail of Tears".

There's the General Store where you step inside an old fashioned setting of homemade canning products from moonshine jelly to sweet potato butter. In a tin wash tub they display a variety of rocks and crystals around the area. You can go to eat at the Crimson Moon which is like stepping into the 1960's with their beatnik like atmosphere. Every Thursday they encourage anyone to show their creative spirit whether they can sing, recite poetry, or clog. For the weekend they have professional artists perform at the Crimson Moon. It has developed over the years and has been placed on a local network of songwriters and performers.

I have never felt so strongly in my life to buy a house in a town as I did in Dahlonega. All year round there is something going on to make you feel welcome. But I believe what I like the most is returning to nature. Whether it is the dogwoods in the spring that provides a dramatic backdrop to the town or watching the variety of wildlife in my backyard, Dahlonega makes me feel like I never wish to leave. I do feel I was led to Dahlonega by my family that I have no longer. They knew what I was missing, besides them.

The traditions of the Appalachian way regularly play a part of Dahlonega with the different festivals they have throughout the year. One popular festival is the gold rush festival.

They even have Christmas carolers performing around the town square during the month of December. Now, I don't know about you, but if you feel that Christmas isn't the same as it use to be when you were a kid, the lights around the town and the carolers will get you to believe differently.

If only everyone could have a Dahlonega as a home town, we would feel more peace within ourselves, peace within the community, and peace within the world. We would feel a unity like no other.