By KATIE VanBRACKLE
katie@northsidewoman.com

Summer is here! Time to plop down in a folding chair at the ocean’s edge, dig your heels in the sand and lose yourself in a good book. With that relaxing goal in mind, we asked the book-lovin’ ladies of FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock to share their recommendations for the best summer beach reads of 2013.
Several of these authors will visit FoxTale this summer to meet readers and sign books. Visit www.foxtalebookshoppe.com to sign up for an e-newsletter detailing upcoming author visits.

Whistling Past the Graveyard

By Susan Crandall

This paperback, which is being compared to “The Help,” will be released in July. 

When 9-year-old Starla Claudelle runs away from her strict grandmother’s home in Mississippi, she is offered a ride by Eula, a black woman traveling with a white baby. As the two unlikely companions journey together, Starla’s eyes are opened to the harsh realities of 1963 Southern segregation and she begins to understand that family is forged from those who will sacrifice all for you, no matter if bound by blood or by the heart.

The Summer Girls

By Mary Alice Monroe

This paperback, to be released June 25, is the first in a new trilogy from the popular South Carolina author of “Beach House Memories.”

Eighty-eight-year-old Marietta “Mamaw” Muir is a dowager of Charleston society who has gathered her three granddaughters at her historic summer home on Sullivan’s Island, S.C., with the intent to reunite them after years apart. Alluding to the Muir family’s pirate captain ancestor, Mamaw drops a subtle promise of loot to lure her “summer girls” back to the Lowcountry, fearing that once she is gone, the family bonds will fray. The three half-sisters discover true treasures as family secrets are shared and mistakes forgiven.

Call Me Zelda

By Erika Robuck

For Erika Robuck’s visit to FoxTale Book Shoppe in late May, the owners created a speakeasy scene, complete with jazz music and butlers serving free drinks on silver trays.

Committed to a Baltimore psychiatric hospital in 1932, Zelda Fitzgerald vacillates between lucidity and madness as she fights to forge an identity independent of her famous husband. She discovers a sympathetic ear in her nurse, Anna Howard, who finds herself drawn into the Fitzgeralds’ tumultuous lives and wonders which of them is the true genius. But in taking greater emotional risks to save Zelda, Anna may end up paying a far higher price than she ever intended.

Camp Redemption

By Raymond Atkins

The ladies at FoxTale describe this Rome, Ga., author as a “fictional Rick Bragg type” and praise his latest novel as “one of our favorites.”

Early and Ivey Willingham own Camp Redemption, a failing Bible camp in the North Georgia mountains. When they are forced to close their doors, a motley collection of troubled souls begins to arrive on their doorstep including Jesus Jimenez, an abused runaway from Florida, Charnell Jackson, an out-of-luck lawyer on the dodge, and Hugh Don Monfort, the local bootlegger. Meanwhile, Gilla Newman and the deacons at the Washed in the Blood and the Fire Rapture Preparation Team covet the camp and intend to have it. All these threads converge on a frigid morning in high Georgia, and from that moment forward, nothing is the same at Camp Redemption.

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat

By Edward Kelsey Moore

Edward Kelsey Moore is also principal cellist for the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble in Chicago, Ill. His first novel is a Barnes and Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection for summer 2013.

Edward Kelsey Moore’s debut novel brings together four intertwined love stories, three devoted allies and two sprightly earthbound spirits in a story you’ll never forget. Odette, Clarice and Barbara Jean, dubbed “the Supremes” by high school pals during the 1960s, have gathered each Sunday at the same table at Earl’s diner for four decades as they weather life’s storms together with food, gossip, laughter and tears. Now, during their most challenging year yet, the women face Clarice’s unfaithful husband, the tragic results of Barbara Jean’s youthful love affair and Odette’s fear that she has inherited more than her broad frame from her pot-smoking mother, Dora.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany

By Susan Vreeland

A passionate art lover, Susan Vreeland has written novels about several famous artists, including Vermeer, Renoir and Canadian painter Emily Carr.

At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany debuts a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps which would earn Tiffany a place on the international artistic stage. Struggling with her desire for artistic recognition and her devotion in different ways to five different men, Clara must decide what makes her happiest – the professional work of her hands or the personal world of her heart.

But wait…..there’s more!

Several local authors featured in our 2012 Beach Reads list are back again with new titles just waiting to be tossed in your beach totes.

• “The Time Between” by Karen White
• “While We Were Watching Downton Abbey” by Wendy Wax
• “Ladies Night” by Mary Kay Andrews
• “Time Flies” by Claire Cook
• “Unfinished Business: An Angela Panther Novel” by Carolyn Aspenson. Congratulations to Aspenson, Northside Woman’s “Her Health” columnist, who recently published her very first novel, something she says was on the very top of her bucket list for years.

Sugar Pie and Spices are an adorable duo looking for one home to welcome the two of them. They are Chinese-Crested/Papillion mixes, and were among 20 animals saved from a tragic hoarding situation in rural Georgia. Sugar Pie (female, left) is 4 years old, and Spices (male, right) is 2 years old. The two are very bonded to each other, and will need to stay together. Each night, as they go to bed, they quickly scoot under the covers and pile on top of each other to remain close throughout the night. They love other dogs, people and children, but would do best in a kitty-free household as they find cats just too much fun to chase. Both dogs are crate trained, fully vetted and microchipped. Their ideal home would be with an owner who is home during the day, or a retired person/couple who would have time to devote to them. For more information on Sugar Pie and Spices, contact their foster directly via email at mossyerm@gmail.com or Angels Among Us Pet Rescue at inquiry@angelsrescue.org. For more information on Angels Among Us, visit their website at www.angelsrescue.org.

By DEBBIE KEEL
North Fulton Hospital CEO

Debbie Keel

Annually, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, the owner of North Fulton Hospital, honors a handful of very special employees from among its 50,000 employees nationwide. Those chosen few are inducted into the Tenet Heroes Hall of Fame. This year, North Fulton is proud to have one of those honorees on its staff, Micah Brown.

Micah is the breast nurse navigator of our Breast Cancer Program. Her decade-long career in nursing, combined with a generous and tirelessly compassionate nature, make her a perfect fit as a breast nurse navigator. Before coming to North Fulton Hospital, Micah was a nursing supervisor on a surgical floor dedicated to women’s health – specifically breast cancer patients. She had seen enough of women trying to find their way through the medical maze they experience when they are diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a mission to help them find their way, and that she has done.

I get letters and phone calls about Micah from our patients all the time. One recently wrote, “Once again I would like to let you know how much I appreciate Micah for her gentleness, expertise and kindness as she stood beside me during that horrid morning filled with nasty procedures. Her presence was a genuine comfort and encouragement.”

More than 80 percent of the employees at North Fulton Hospital are women. Micah is one among the many who deliver compassionate and quality care to our patients, and we are proud that she has been recognized for her efforts.

1. Under Armour Sonic capri

2. Adidas women’s Stella McCartney Barricade tennis dress

3. perforated mesh tennis skirt by Oakley

4. Oakley’s Race Day tank

5. Oakley’s reducer bra

6. Asics and Mizuno running shoes and cross-trainers

By LORI WYNNE
fashionwithflair.com

Whether your workout routine is “fast and furious” or more “lady of leisure,” the desire to look fabulous is still there. Fashion trends and fitness can merge together without sacrificing function. Several performance wear brands such as Under Armour, Oakley, Adidas and Mizuno have stepped up to make it happen.

To learn more about the latest in workout wear, I spoke with Robin Woodall of Lady Titan, a new women’s fitness fashion boutique opening this month at 3590 Old Atlanta Road in Suwanee.

Robin swears by her Under Armour Sonic capri (1). Made of 100 percent polyester, lightweight and anti-odor, the wide waistband and banded tape make this a functional and fashionable “must-have” for your workout wardrobe.

“It sucks you in and makes you feel like you are in better shape,” said Robin.

Who wouldn’t want that?

Would your tennis team play better if they wore matching tennis dresses? It couldn’t hurt. Yellow is a hot color for the summer of 2013 and Adidas women’s Stella McCartney Barricade tennis dress (2) incorporates it beautifully.

Bright neon colors are trending in everyday fashions as well as workout wear. If you are a woman in her prime (aka, around when this trend was popular the first time), avoid wearing it in the workplace, but embrace it in your workout wear. Go ahead, have some fun! Exercising and staying fit should be fun, and your attire can mirror that.

I love the new perforated mesh tennis skirt by Oakley (3). The boy-short covers you in bright tones while the thin skirt’s muted tone keeps you cool and modest. Pair it with the Race Day tank for a complete look.

Oakley’s Race Day tank (4) is made of nylon and Spandex with moisture management technology. It keeps the sweat off of you and dries quickly. The adjustable straps give additional support.

Oakley’s reducer bra (5) will end the excuses of my well-endowed clients who say they don’t run because they cannot find comfortable support. This high-impact bra has a keyhole back for the added support and a mesh back. My favorite color is eminence (periwinkle).

The bright colors of the Asics and Mizuno running shoes and cross-trainers (6) are bound to help you run faster, leap higher or at least show off your boney ankles, even if the rest of your body is a “work in progress.”

No matter your choice for fitness fashion, a healthy, fit body never goes out of style.

As a personal wardrobe consultant and owner of Alpharetta-based Fashion With Flair, Lori Wynne’s expert advice helps people look their personal best. Contact her at fashionwithflair.com.

Babette, bottom left with a dirty nose, poses in the barn with Gracie the horse, Tiki Hut the emu and a few chickens.

By ELEXIS HAYS
andapossuminthedishwasher.com

Editor’s note: For those who have followed the big, fabulous life of Babette, the precocious piglet belonging to blogger Elexis Hays, here’s another chapter.

There are reasons why people shouldn’t be tempted to buy sweet little piglets, even when they are tiny enough to wear a sock as a sweater. Sadly, like many of us over the past miserable winter, Babs has grown large. Quite large.

She’s a big girl with big appetites and those who know me know I have trouble with the word “no” and even more trouble with that hateful buzzword, “moderation.”

If giving a pig a Hershey’s kiss and some cheese ravioli is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

I’ve tried. Believe me. I am helpless when she bats her long eyelashes at me and oinks that lovable oink. We’re about equally matched in size now and no force on earth can keep her from my cabinets. She can now nudge the refrigerator across the kitchen.

Using her heart-shaped pink nose, she has systematically plowed up 3 acres of grass and pulled out every expansive perennial, some over 25 years old. I had a beautiful peony of the most delicate ballerina pink that was planted by the original owner of my house years ago. It must have been delicious.

If only I had planned to go into farming, she’d have been a great employee hired to plow. But, I’d rather not look like the white trash we are rapidly becoming, and so I am being forced to introduce her to the barnyard.

Babette is not popular there. At the house, she was the undisputed queen. Once she won the dogs over by showing them how to get into the kitchen cabinets, she reigned supreme. At the barn, she is hated universally.

Our large, old rescue pig Orson has twice tried to kill her, even though he has not been seen standing up in three years and is usually rendered invisible in the barn because of the constant array of chickens using him for a warm perch.

My genius old sheep, Clementine, who literally walks on only two legs, has also arisen and bitten her repeatedly while Babette cries and wonders how she dropped into this nightmare.

One of Babette’s tricks is turning around to get a treat. Usually, I have to ask her several times while she blinks and looks at me as if to say, “Really? Why waste the energy? You know you’re going to give it to me anyway.”

When she saw I was leaving, she commenced to spinning like a top to get my attention.

Walking away from her squealing was worse than leaving my daughter on her first day of preschool.

At the end of the day, I went down and brought her back to the house to sleep in her bed. She ran into the house and straight for The Goose.

Then, using the special noise heretofore used only with me, she began to tell him what I can only guess was, “Do you know what that @$%^& did to me today?

She took me to Hell! She lifted me OFF THE GROUND (shudder) and then, she left me there, with no chocolate, no treats, with a bunch of ANIMALS (another shudder)!”

The Goose, sucker that he is, then lay down on the floor and proceeded to tell her how awful I am and how she doesn’t belong down there, princess that she is.

When he left the room, she launched herself up on the sofa with me and tried to look interested in what I was watching. She pretended to bite my foot and then pulled back and chuckled to make herself seem funny and endearing. She struck several fetching poses accompanied with sighs so mournful one would think someone had uttered “bacon.” She politely moved away from the dog’s bowls when I asked her to, and when I said “bedtime,” she marched purposefully toward her crate, pausing only to root me lovingly.

I know what she’s doing. I have raised two kids. I know “being on best behavior” when I see it.

It’s not forever. I’m working hard to overcome separation and guilt. I’ve only walked down to see her four times today. I just took her two doughnuts and some celery (she is on a diet, after all).

She can still come in and sleep at night. She will always be welcome to come out and chase balls with the dogs.

I am already envisioning a small barn addition, painted a buttercream yellow, with window boxes, a cushy paisley pillow and, perhaps, a bench for me.

Just because one lives in a barn doesn’t mean one has to live like an animal, you know.

Elexis Hays is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who lives on a farm in Cumming with her husband Buddy (a.k.a. The Goose), daughter Amelia (a.k.a. Cricket), son Shep and WAY too many animals. Her blog: andapossuminthedishwasher.com.

The Lady Bears of Cambridge High School, in white, face off against South Forsyth High during the 2013 Legacy Lacrosse Cup.

Lauren Jackson, left, and Kathleen Oswald.

Parker Jackson, right, with parents Bo and Lauren and siblings Ben and Emily.

Andrew Oswald, center, with parents Bruce and Kathleen.

Milton High School lacrosse players defend a goal during the 2013 Legacy Lacrosse Cup.

By KATIE VanBRACKLE
katie@northsidewoman.com

Providence.

For many, it’s a comforting word, suggesting the guiding hand of a divine presence when to our own eyes the path ahead is hard to discern.

But for two suburban mothers, Lauren Jackson of Milton and Kathleen Oswald of East Cobb, the word ‘providence’ also triggers tragic memories.

In 2005, 23-year-old Andrew Oswald was driving on Providence Road in Cobb County near Walton High School around 10 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed. He was alone, having just dropped off a friend. Andrew suffered severe head injuries and died four days later.

One year later, 16-year-old Parker Jackson was driving alone on New Providence Road in Milton around 6 p.m. when he suddenly and inexplicably lost control of his vehicle. Parker died instantly, also from trauma to the head.

Two roads named Providence.

Two single-car, no-fault accidents.

Two grieving families struggling to process the unthinkable loss of a beloved son and brother.

The similarities don’t end there.

Andrew and Parker were both handsome, well-liked boys with a passion for playing the game of lacrosse.

And it was lacrosse that would eventually bring Kathleen Oswald and Lauren Jackson together through separate, but similar efforts to honor their sons’ memories.

Sitting together at a coffee shop in Crabapple, Oswald and Jackson recalled the weeks and months following the deaths of their sons. Though many years have passed, the memories still burn and the two mothers paused occasionally to wipe away a tear or squeeze each other’s hand encouragingly.

“I was simply numb with shock after Andrew’s accident,” recalled Oswald. “It just didn’t seem real. I kept expecting to hear Andrew laugh from another room or see his car pull up in the driveway.”

Jackson recalls the first time her family went out to a restaurant after Parker’s death and had to ask for a table for four instead of five.

“I sat there watching other families chatting and laughing together and wondered if we would ever be that way again,” she said.

Both women kept putting one foot in front of the other, relying heavily on their personal faith for strength and courage. Each was determined to hold their family together and create something positive out of the chaos.

There was also the question of what to do with the generous donations made by friends, relatives and community members in memory of Andrew and Parker.

Bruce and Kathleen Oswald looked into various charities, but nothing felt quite right until the idea arose to focus on one of Andrew’s passions – lacrosse.

In 2007, the family awarded a scholarship to a local high school graduate with an impressive academic record who planned to play lacrosse in college.

“It just felt right,” said Oswald. “And we wanted to do more.”

Today, the Oswalds continue to award local scholarships and grants through AJO4LAX, a nonprofit organization that supports teen safe driving initiatives and smarter teen choices through fundraising efforts tied to the promotion of youth and high school lacrosse in Georgia.

In March, the seventh annual AJO4LAX LaxFest was held at Pope High School, featuring back-to-back games by eight of Atlanta’s top boys’ varsity lacrosse teams.

On June 7, the annual AJO4LAX Golf Tournament, an important fundraising event for the nonprofit, will be held in Acworth.

Inspired in part by the Oswalds’ example, Bo and Lauren Jackson created the Legacy Lacrosse Cup, an annual elite lacrosse showcase held in Milton each spring featuring top-ranked boys’ and girls’ high school teams from across the country and one college exhibition game.

Each participating team attends a players’ dinner where inspirational speakers encourage the young men and women to consider what their own legacy will be and to understand that the choices they make today, and every day, will affect that legacy.

Planning such large sporting events is no small task and Oswald and Jackson spend countless hours attending to every minute detail.

“When something is being done in memory of a loved one, you want it to be perfect,” admitted Oswald.

For the Jacksons it’s a family team effort.

“Bo puts the plates on the sticks, and I’m the one who keeps them spinning,” said Jackson.

“My daughter Emily meets with potential tournament sponsors and my son Ben designs our T-shirts. Each member of the family has found a meaningful way to be involved.”

At the end of the day, nothing will ever completely fill the hole in their hearts, but Oswald and Jackson take comfort in the hope that the work they do will make a difference in the lives of other kids.

Oswald acknowledges that the work is hard and seemingly endless.

“There are times when I’m exhausted and I think I can’t do this anymore. But I remind myself that it’s my way of spending time with Andrew and keeping his memory vibrant and alive for his younger brothers,” she said.

Jackson agrees.

“I do it because I needed to find purposefulness after tragedy. Everyone handles grief in their own way,” she said. “Yes, the work is exhausting, but in anything you do, the reward of giving is far greater than the effort.”

For Jackson, time also brings the gift of clarity.

“For a long time after Parker’s accident, I wondered if I would ever feel joy or peace again,” she said. “At the time it seemed almost impossible, but looking back I see clearly that God never deserted us.”

Sounds a bit like…..providence.

Andrew Oswald Memorial Fund (AJO4LAX)

www.ajo4lax.com

The Legacy Lacrosse Cup

www.legacylacrossecup.com

Jackie Tyson is part of the Bike Alpharetta team which participates in the charity cycling event to raise money for the Aflac Cancer Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Jackie Tyson, left, worked on the staff of the Tour de Georgia event for five of the six years the pro cycling race was held. Here, Jackie and her husband, Jack, watch the finish of the race from the top of Brasstown Bald Mountain in 2006.

By CANDY WAYLOCK
candy@northsidewoman.com 

Bicyclists in Alpharetta who find the city streets a bit friendlier lately can thank a local advocacy group that has an important seat at the city’s planning table.

Bike Alpharetta was formed two years ago after city officials looked down the road at Roswell and saw a bike-friendly town that balanced the needs of bicyclists and motorists through the Bike Roswell organization. Bike Alpharetta now has about 80 members of varying commitments to biking, from the recreational rider to the commuter whose main transportation mode is the bike.

Jackie Tyson, a founding member of Bike Alpharetta, said Alpharetta had as much to offer cyclists as its neighboring city and worked to set the wheels in motion for a similar advocacy group.

“[I thought] we should be bicycle friendly and provide opportunities for citizens,” said Tyson, a North Carolina transplant who has lived in Alpharetta for 14 years. “We have such a great asset with our Greenway system, but we need to promote it and make sure [people] are aware of it and use it.”

City leaders were thinking along the same lines and looked to form a grassroots advocacy group for bicyclists, spearheaded by citizens, as opposed to government. The goal was to create a group that advocated for bike safety, provided education and promoted public works projects that created a bike-friendly community.

“Bike Alpharetta’s main responsibility is to provide feedback to the city on ways to improve the city roads for bicycling, whether it’s for recreation or for transportation,” said Tyson, who bikes for leisure and typically rides 80 miles a week.

She gives full credit for Bike Alpharetta to Janet Rodgers, director of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, for jump starting the process that led to the group’s formation two years ago.

“Janet knew that Roswell had a big bicycle advocacy group and asked if there was someone who could pull together a similar group in Alpharetta to advise city planners,” recalled Tyson, who had volunteered with Bike Roswell in previous years. “At that time, Alpharetta was starting to make road improvements and it was perfect timing.”

Tyson laughed when she recounted how Rodgers asked the “do you know anyone?” question; viewing it as a proposal that Tyson and her husband, Jack, lead the charge. The three had worked together during the Tour de Georgia event, which brought world-class cyclists together (including Lance Armstrong) for a race across the state for several years beginning in 2005.

Jack and Jackie, who owns a sports marketing and public relations firm, find a commonality on bikes. Jackie is an avid tennis player and her husband excelled at golf, but both found it difficult to enjoy the sports together.

“We couldn’t [play tennis or golf] at the other’s level, so we got bikes and found we can pedal and talk to each other and participate together at the exact same level,” said Tyson. “It’s strictly for leisure, though we might race to a county line sign…but that’s it.”

Over a two-year period, Bike Alpharetta moved from the drawing board to implementation. It is now a certified nonprofit organization, and results of its work are seen along city streets throughout Alpharetta. Just three years ago, dedicated bike lanes were nearly non-existent on most city streets, said Tyson, forcing bicyclists to compete for space with cars and trucks.

Today, when roads are re-surfaced in Alpharetta, the lanes are re-striped so there is at least a two-foot bike lane. “Sharrows” are also being painted on streets depicting a bicycle graphic to designate bike lanes on a growing number of streets.

“The city has done so many improvements in the past few years since we were first asked for input,” said Tyson. “It’s gotten much better for bicyclists.”

Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle is a strong advocate of bicycling, said Tyson. He has tasked the Public Safety and Public Works departments to work with Bike Alpharetta to develop safe cycling routes in the city where cyclists can ride three to five miles, and which have connectivity with retail, grocery stores and other destinations.

But it’s just not motorists who need to understand the rules of the road, said Tyson. Much of Bike Alpharetta’s work is on educating bicyclists how to co-exist safely with motorists, such as riding single file, wearing helmets and staying off busy roads.

The group recently received a $30,000 grant to host a series of bicycle safety days throughout the summer. The funds will be used to purchase tents, coolers, bike bells, water bottles and to publish and print materials.

The “kick off” event this season was in April when Bike Alpharetta participated in the YMCA Kid Safety Day. Coming up this month on June 20 is the “Greenway Gathering” at Rock Mill Park from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The group is also planning for a cycling celebration at Alpharetta High School on Sept. 21 which will bring in pro cycling teams.

www.bikealpharetta.org

Northside Woman staffer Abby Breaux gives Title Boxing a whirl.

By ABBY BREAUX
abby@northsidewoman.com

Have you ever gone to the gym and wandered around aimlessly? After losing 15 pounds of college weight by working out on my own and eating well, I needed to tone and build my muscles, but I had no idea where to start. The workout gurus say that if we stick with the same routine for too long, our muscles get comfortable and our bodies don’t change. I decided that I needed guidance and motivation from experts, and wanted to try something fun and new.

The Product: Title Boxing Club’s Power Hour. Title Boxing Club has two local locations: 735 North Main Street in Alpharetta and 8465 Holcomb Bridge Road in Johns Creek. The Power Hour starts with 15 minutes of cardio/running. The next 30 minutes are spent throwing eight three-minute rounds on the punching bags. In between, there is one minute of active exercise. The last 15 minutes are spent on abs and glutes through finishing exercises.

The Promise: The Power Hour promises to burn about 1,000 to 1,200 calories a session. The class is designed to provide overall total body strength and endurance challenges that will take your body from flab to fab while having fun. Participants’ ages vary anywhere from 12 to 50 so you can decide on the intensity of how hard or light you hit the workout. The classes change up from day to day to keep you guessing.

The Test: Title Boxing Club offers 15 minutes of free hand work and foot work before Power Hour begins, which was helpful as I did not know anything about boxing techniques when I jumped into the class. I picked up on some things and had fun with it. There’s just something empowering about being suited up with hand wraps and boxing gloves! I felt silly at times, like when I started to kick the punching bag with my legs. It’s like when you are mad, and you turn around to kick something but the object ends up hurting you more than you end up hurting the object. I felt a little anxious that I might not be doing things right, but the instructors were great at showing me the correct posture and encouraging me to push on.

The Results: I have always wanted to try a boxing class so it was fun to put myself out of my comfort zone. Not only was it a new experience for me, but I was having fun during my workout. Having fun while sweating? It’s true! I am feeling sore, but it’s a good kind of sore and I can feel my body building muscle, which puts me exactly one step closer to my goal.  Also, if you have any anger, those punching bags are a great way to get it out!

The Rating: Four out of four stars.

By CAROLYN ASPENSON

For more than 5,000 years, yoga enthusiasts have believed yoga is the way to join the soul, body and mind through breathing, posing and focused concentration.

Yoga comes in many forms, and determining which one is right for you depends upon your specific wellness goals. Finding the right match is important, so try the various styles at different studios before committing. As with any exercise program, discuss what’s best for you with your doctor before participating.

The most common forms of yoga practiced in the United States are listed below.

• Hatha: Best for beginners because it focuses on slow and smooth movement, holding poses and breathing. If you’re looking to stretch and lightly work muscles and decrease stress, Hatha yoga is a good start. Hatha is a great place to learn standard yoga poses.
• Iyengar: Another excellent choice for beginners with posing similar to Hatha but focuses more on body alignment and balance and incorporates props such as blocks, straps and other weighted items.
• Kundalini: A more advanced form incorporating rapid movement through poses with an emphasis on breathing, chanting and meditation. This form of yoga is hard both physically and mentally, so if multitasking isn’t your thing, this might not be for you.
• Ashtanga: A form of power yoga with quick movement through poses focusing on strength and endurance. If meditating isn’t your thing and you want a tough workout similar to weight lifting, give this form a try.
• Bikram: Yoga focused on detoxing the body through sweat in rooms heated to about 107 degrees. The heat loosens muscles, and some say the sweat helps to remove symptoms of some diseases and chronic pain. The heat can cause problems with dehydration and certain medical issues, so discuss this with your doctor before trying.
• Restorative Yoga: Relaxation is the focus of this yoga. A great class for a busy business executive or stressed out stay-at-home mom.
• Vinyasa: Focused flowing from one pose to the next, this form is good for those who know the poses and want to create a better mind-body connection.
• Anusara: A more verbally interactive approach to yoga with an emphasis on poses to open the heart area. Multiple backbends are a part of this form.
• Prenatal: Focuses on breathing and connecting to the core area of the body with slower, more focused movement.

City of Milton’s new yoga program

Carolyn has been a fitness and nutrition enthusiast for over 15 years. She holds certifications from nationally recognized organizations in both fitness and nutrition. Email her at craspen@comcast.net.

Wooden sky bridge. (Katie VanBrackle)

Tightrope-like cable sky bridge. (Katie VanBrackle)

The Screaming Eagle’s Ridge Runner zip line. (Jonathan Horsley)

The Banning Mills lodge overlooks Snake Creek. (Katie VanBrackle)

The VanBrackle family with canopy tour guide Jonathan Horsley. (Brad Lyons)

Experienced guides lead each canopy tour. (Katie VanBrackle)

Goob the horse is ready for a trail ride. (Katie VanBrackle)

Snake Creek hiking trail leads to the ruins of an 1860 cotton mill. (Katie VanBrackle)

Family-sized cabins. (Katie VanBrackle)

By KATIE VanBRACKLE
katie@northsidewoman.com

The view was incredible. Standing on tiptoe atop the 120-foot Screaming Eagle timber pole tower with the wind whipping my clothes, I looked out over an uninterrupted sea of green treetops, stretching to the horizon.

Securing the “crab claw” hooks that connected my body harness to a thick overhead cable, I squinted my eyes, trying to follow the cable’s steep downward path as it disappeared into the trees far below, knowing that soon I would be zipping down the same trajectory at 65 miles per hour to a platform a half-mile away and 300 feet below. Swallowing hard, I tried not to feel dizzy.

“All clear Ridge Runner,” came the radio signal as my guide double-checked my harness, then gave me a grin and a thumbs-up. Now or never.

My heart hammering, I gripped the ropes, took a deep breath, stepped off the platform and…flew!

Soaring over the treetops, then plunging into the canopy and whizzing through a narrow leafy tree tunnel at top speed, I felt like an eagle chasing its prey. Then, with breathtaking suddenness – whoosh – it was out of the trees and into the open air again as the land dropped away over a steep ridge, 20 stories down to the rushing waters of Snake Creek.

All fear long gone, I whooped with delight, wishing I could pause time to enjoy the spectacular view just a bit longer.

Extreme thrills like the Screaming Eagle zip lines bring people from all over the world to Carroll County, Ga., about an hour southwest of Atlanta where the Historic Banning Mills Retreat and Conference Center claims not one, but two spots in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Located along a beautiful river gorge, Banning Mills is home to the world’s longest zip line canopy tour and the world’s tallest artificial climbing wall.

It’s also home to some first-class scenery, making it a beautiful spot for an action-packed daytrip or unforgettable weekend retreat.

Owners Mike and Donna Holder spent years transforming the previously neglected and overgrown “lost gorge” property into a nature-loving, thrill seeker’s paradise and they want their guests to get out and enjoy it.

“If you are looking for luxury, this might not be the place for you,” said Donna. “We’re not trying to be the Ritz in the woods. When you come to Banning, you can expect clean lodging and good food, but our goal is for people to be outside connecting with nature and stepping out of their comfort zone in a new way.”

There are ample opportunities to do just that with over nine miles of zip lines and sky bridges in a beautifully designed eco-canopy course.

Guests can choose their level of difficulty, ranging from the Woodland tour that’s good for kids and those who want just a touch of adventure ($49) to the All Day Rush – an eight-hour tour including up to 60 different zip lines and 47 sky bridges ($249), where you experience the best thrills Banning Mills has to offer. And oh, what thrills they are!

Hold your breath while hopping from plank to plank along a 600-foot-long sky bridge, 18 stories high over the Snake Creek gorge. Leap from the 10-story free fall platform or fly headfirst, Superman-style from the new Flight of the Falcon 3,400-foot zip line.

But what about those who are afraid of heights, you might ask?

“Everyone is afraid of heights,” said Donna. “It’s totally normal. But we are here to help you work through that fear, one step at a time.”

Strict safety protocols and two very patient and well-trained guides (thank you, Jonathan and Brad), helped my family feel confident and at ease during our four-hour canopy tour. Well, as at ease as you can feel while balancing tightrope-style between two tall trees on a cable sky bridge.

My teenaged son, the adrenaline junkie, was totally in his element while my 10-year-old son, who had never zipped before, grew in confidence as he mastered each new challenge. After completing the difficult Pattern Plus level, he agreed to take on the Screaming Eagle, much to our astonishment.

“People surprise themselves on our course, doing things they never thought they would or could,” Donna said. “It’s part of the magic of this place.”

Whether or not you seek high-flying thrills, there are plenty of ways to explore Banning Mills’ 1,200-acre property.

Multiple hiking trails full of wildflowers follow the Snake Creek gorge, one leading to the red brick shell of a cotton mill built in 1860.

At one time, Banning was a thriving mill community and one of the first towns in Georgia to produce its own electricity – long before Atlanta. A small museum in the Banning Mills lodge details the area’s rich history.

Other outdoor activities include guided kayak trips on the nearby Chattahoochee River, horseback riding, skeet shooting, miniature golf and paddleboats and catch-and-release fishing on the lake.

Or you can choose to simply settle back in a rocking chair on the lodge’s wraparound deck, enjoying the view with a good book.

Popular with youth groups and corporate team-builders, Banning Mills is also a fun spot for a girlfriends’ getaway (yes, there is a spa!) or a couple’s retreat.

“One guy actually proposed to his girlfriend from the top of the Screaming Eagle tower,” Donna said. “And I got a call this morning from a group of seven women, all with college-age sons, who want to plan a mother-son weekend.”

Pre-trip planning is a must, especially regarding food. Banning Mills does not have a restaurant onsite, but meals at the lodge can be arranged with advance notice and some of the cabins are equipped with small kitchenettes. Cool water is provided at rest stops throughout the canopy course, but packing some fruit or trail mix is a good idea. The eco-tours are a lot of fun, but also quite a workout.

After a full day of physical activity, my husband and I enjoyed stretching out in the sun on a wooden bridge crossing Snake Creek while our boys swam and splashed in the water, skipping rocks and climbing over small waterfalls.

The only sounds were flowing water, birdsong and the breeze in the trees. Occasionally, we would hear a whizzing whir from the cables crisscrossing the creek far above and look up just in time to see a zipper flying by overhead, belting out a loud “Woo hoo!”

We just grinned and waved, knowing exactly what he was feeling.

Historic Banning Mills Retreat & Conference Center

205 Horseshoe Dam Road, Banning, Ga. 30185

historicbanningmills.com