Newspaper Page Text
Page B8
Lake Oconee News
Friday, December 11, 2015
Nearly everyone in these
parts knows about the
Biltmore House, known in
Asheville as the Lady on the
Hill. As lovely as the home
is for 43 weeks every year,
her best side is shown at
the holiday season that lasts
nine weeks.
The home is decorated
with 65 lighted and deco
rated Christmas trees and
such things as a magnifi
cent gingerbread house in
one of the kitchens. The
aroma of pine trees and
the gingerbread are added
treats to guests as they are
led through the home on
the candlelight tours in the
evenings.
Further, the lawn is dec
orated with giant lighted
firs and luminaries placed
on roadsides near the main
home. If you have seen the
Biltmore House previously,
you might seriously con
sider going to Asheville for
the Candlelight Tour. It’s a
visual treat. It’s comparable
to seeing your daughter all
those years she is growing
up and the visual wonder
she is on her wedding day.
Pat and I are frequent
travelers within the States
and on cruise ships. We
packed up for a three-day
trip to Asheville, bid fare
well to Lizzie the Wonder
Dog and pointed the car to
the hills of western North
Carolina.
There is so much to enjoy
in this part of the Carolina’s
The Biltmore House at Christmas
Columnist
but the Biltmore House is in
a class by itself.
The House was opened on
Christmas Eve 1895 after six
years of construction. An
entire support system was
required to complete the
home. George Vanderbilt
was not married until a few
years later, and it’s amaz
ing that a bachelor could
make so many proper deci
sions without a spouse to
enlighten him. George had
tremendous confidence in
his architect Richard Hunt
and the designer of the gar
dens Frederick Olmstead,
such that George could
travel to Europe and Asia
to find treasures to decorate
the home.
Soon after opening the
Biltmore House, he mar
ried Edith and it was their
residence. George was con
sidered to be the wealthiest
man in America with a net
worth of $200 million.
Their daughter Cornelia
was born in the Biltmore,
and she had seven chil
dren birthed in the same
room. Descendants con
tinue to live on the 8,000-
acre grounds and have
added a hotel, a winery and
an inn. All are first class
operations. You can stay in
Asheville and buy tickets to
the Biltmore in most good
hotels. The Candlelight
tour is really special, and
you should include it in your
plans.
George was stricken with
an appendectomy and died
in 1914. Hard to imagine
that a man with so many
resources would succumb to
what we consider a routine
medical procedure today.
But, his imagination and
wealth transformed a part
of the country in ways that
continue to this day. The
Biltmore House required
2,000 people to support its
daily operation, and that
injected a considerable
amount of income into a
very rural and very poor, yet
beautiful part of our nation.
A village was built near the
entrance to the Biltmore
House entrance roadway
that today is primarily a
boutique shopping area.
As we toured the home, a
spectacular sunset could be
seen from one of the librar
ies. The people of North
Carolina are gracious in
sharing the magnificent
views of mountains, valleys
and pristine streams.
If you are able to visit
Contributed
The Biltmore House is decorated with 65 lighted Christmas trees, including this one
Dick and Pat Hodgetts are standing near.
the Biltmore House before
Christmas, be sure to go
downtown and spend a
couple of hours at the Mast
General Store. One of
those unique retail stores
dedicated to the outdoor
life. It’s a wonderful place to
find that gift for the hard-to-
please person on your list.
The Biltmore House is
all dressed up and awaits
your arrival. You will not
be disappointed. They will
take your picture by one of
the Christmas trees if you
tell them you read the Lake
Oconee News.
Stathas
Continued from B7
looks forward to and welcomes
the holidays, you probably had
a happy childhood within your
family. There probably was a lot
of love, caring, fun and thoughtful
gifts present in your household.
You probably are continuing val
ued family traditions.
You may, however, be one of
those persons who did not have
a positive experience growing up,
but have decided to make deliber
ate conscious choices to do things
very differently in your family.
You want to erase those painful
memories with new and posi
tive experiences and have them
become encoded in your brain.
If you are a person who dislikes
the holidays, feels blue and wants
them to quickly be over, then
search for your negative child
hood experiences. Now may be
the time to feel, grieve and heal
such pain. The holidays can be
the occasion to break through
your unconscious defense mech
anisms and change the way you
experience the holidays.
The holidays are an opportu
nity. They can be the occasion for
enhanced love and sharing within
yourself and with loved ones.
They can be the stimulus for get
ting in touch with buried emo
tional pain that needs to emerge
into wholeness and happiness.
Self-awareness and sharing these
feelings can add a whole new
dimension to this year’s holiday
for you and those with whom you
most intimately share your life.
May you create some new and
special memories this year -
Merry Christmas!
Dr. Stathas can he reached at
706-473-1780. E-mail: Stathas@
plantationcable.net. Web site:
drstathas.googlepages.com. Blog:
drstathas.com
Anil K. Puri, MD
** Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and
Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine**
The Middle Georgia Chest and Medical Center
is expanding to Putnam County!!
Dr. Puri earned his
medical degree from the
Medical College of
Georgia in Augusta. He
completed his training in
Internal Medicine, Lung
Diseases, Critical Care
Medicine, and Sleep
Disorders at the
University of Florida in
Gainesville. He is now
offering Primary and
Specialty Care Services
and treatment of:
High Blood Pressure
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
Lung Diseases (COPD/
Asthma
Sleep Disorders
(Snoring/Sleep Apnea/ Insomnia)
Acid Reflux/Heartburn
Thyroid Disease
Heart Diseases
Now accepting new patients!
Middle Georgia Chest and Medical Center
130-C Sparta Hwy. Eatonton, GA 31024
OFFICE HOURS
MONDAY - FRIDAY: 8AM-5PM
Call today! (706) 497-7910
Learn more at www.purimd.com
This Holiday Season, rs
Give the Gift of HEARING A
Join us for our inaugural Holiday
Hearing Device Exchange.
Bring in your old hearing
devices to Advanced
Audiology & Hearing Care
between November 1 and
December 31.
For each hearing device you «
donate, receive a $250.00 '' f 1 -:
credit towards a
new hearing device.* ^; h; \
Each exchanged ^
hearing device will
be donated to a charitable /
organization to help a
child hear all around
the world.
* Limit 2 devices per patient. All makes and models are accepted for donation!
PLEASE CALL to schedule an appointment at the office of your choice and
Advanced Audiology
& Hearing Care
Dr. Kimberly Hoffman,
Audiologist
reference the code: HOLIDAY
Cowles Clinic- Greensboro Madison
1000 Cowles Clinic Way 255 N. Main Street
D-200 Madison, Ga 30650
Greensboro, GA 30642 706-438-1099
706-453-2119
