And you thought you knew Georgia...

I was born and raised in this great state of Georgia. I was born on Robins Air Force Base in 1973. I love to take road trips and hike so I thought I knew all there was to know about where I lived...boy was I wrong! I would love to share with you some tidbits that I have recently learned. So here goes.

First I found this awesome place. I have passed by here 1000 times but never knew it existed. I can not wait to go check it out!

Sometimes referred to as “America’s Stonehenge,” the essence of the messages engraved on the Georgia Guidestones deal with governance and the establishment of a world government, population and reproduction control, the environment and our relationship to nature, and spirituality.

The monument was commissioned in 1979 by Mr. R.C. Christian and built by the Elberton Granite Finishing Company.

The Georgia Guidestones, a large granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia (USA), contains ten inscribed guides for mankind in Swahili, Spanish, Russian, Hindi, English, Hebrew, Arabic, and Chinese languages.

The following (controversial) Guides are engraved on the stones in the languages noted above:

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.

2. Guide reproduction wisely – improving fitness and diversity.

3. Unite humanity with a living new language.

4. Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.

5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.

6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.

7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.

8. Balance personal rights with social duties.

9. Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite.

10. Be not a cancer on the earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature

The second thing of interest I found was that James Oglethorpe was the founder of the colony Georgia. Which of course I knew, but I did not know the following. After years of planning and two months crossing the Atlantic, James Oglethorpe and 114 colonists climbed 40 feet up the bluff from the Savannah River on February 12, 1733, and founded the colony of Georgia. Now what I found even more interesting is that James Oglethorpe founded the colony for felons that could not pay their debts in England. The social reformer believed that many debtors were released back into cities without any form of support. He wanted to take these people and give them a second chance in a new place. Georgia was named after King George.

In my research and travels, I have seen and read a lot of things that made me go "Hmmmm" but I really enjoyed this story. I hope you do as well.

The famous tree that owns itself is a white oak located in Athens, Georgia. Its owner loved it so dearly that upon his death he granted it its autonomy. The original tree was granted a plot of land 8 feet in radius by its owner. The official deed reads:

“For and in consideration of the great love I bear this tree and the great desire I have for its protection for all time, I convey entire possession of itself and all land within eight feet of the tree on all sides—William H. Jackson”

Sadly, the tree was felled by a windstorm in 1942, after it had grown too old and feeble to survive. In an effort to preserve Jackson’s wishes, residents of Athens planted an acorn of the original tree in the same spot. The offspring tree is thriving at the corner of Dearing and Finley Streets, in its parent’s original plot of land. It is commonly known as the “Son of the Tree that Owns Itself.”

The last thing I want to tell you about is my favorite place to go and hike. Providence Canyon, which is sometimes called Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". It is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. Providence Canyon actually is not a purely natural feature the massive gullies (the deepest being 150 feet) were caused by erosion due to poor farming. The beauty is unreal! There are a couple of different trails, depending on how far you want to go.