Newspaper Page Text
Page 2C
November 2, 2022
^Reporter
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Stories of buckeyes magic have persisted over the years
Although almost no creatures will eat it, the buckyes shape and shine have given it the
reputation of having healing powers and carrying good luck. (Photo/Terry Johnson)
E ach autumn
Mother Nature
empties her cornu
copia of wild seeds
on the Monroe County
woodlands. At this time
of the year, the forest floor
is littered with more seeds
than at any other season of
the year.
Indeed, for the wildlife
that eats seeds,
finding enough
to eat usually
not a problem.
Remarkably,
the largest and
arguably the
most beautiful
of the seeds,
the buckeye,
is spurned by
practically all of
the wild critters
that make their
home here.
Ironically, this
handsome seed is prized by
some Monroe Countians.
Quite some time ago, I
planted a red buckeye in
my yard. For years it has
produced a crop of buck
eyes. These buckeyes are
roughly the size of a plum.
These seeds are produced
in a large capsule. When
the capsule splits it reveals
anywhere from one to
three seeds.
The seeds are reddish-
brown. The feature that
makes them so handsome
is that they are so shiny
they appear to be polished.
In fact, each one looks as
rich and beautiful as a piece
of finely polished cherry
furniture.
There is a gray scar
(hilum) along the side of
the buckeye that attaches
to the seed capsule. Since
the hilum is remarkably
similar to shape
of the pupil of a
deers eye, these
seeds are called
buckeyes.
Although
each buckeye is
chocked full of
nutmeat, squir
rels are the only
native critters
that regularly
dine on them.
All too com
mon feral hogs
will also gobble
up buckeyes.
However, although many
gardeners are convinced
that white-tailed deer eat
just about anything, they
rarely do more than nibble
on these nuts.
This reason for this avoid
ance is the buckeye con
tains glycoside; a derivative
of this chemical is known
to be poisonous to humans
and wildlife alike. In fact,
the leaves, twigs and bark
of the buckeye are also
laden with the toxic.
In spite of the fact that
it is widely known that
the buckeye is poisonous,
many people highly prize
buckeyes since they are
purported to possess magi
cal properties.
They are said to be able to
bestow good luck on those
that carry them around in
their pockets and will help
cure a number of ailments.
For example, according
to folklore if you want to
tote around a buckeye to
bring you good luck, you
must place it in the right
hand pocket of your pants.
However, if you want to use
a buckeye to treat asthma,
headaches, arthritis or
rheumatism, you must
carry it in your left pocket.
Historians tell us that
some Native Americans
carried buckeyes for a far
different reason. Suppos
edly, if they crossed paths
with a person that was un
familiar to them but whom
felt they had somehow
met before, they would
exchange buckeyes with the
stranger. If this person also
shared the same feeling,
this was a sign that perhaps
they had indeed forged a
friendship in a former life.
William Henry Harrison
was elected the ninth Presi
dent of the United States in
1840. During that cam
paign Harrisons supporters
carried campaign souvenirs
whittled out of buckeye
wood to demonstrate their
support of him. Ever since
that time, Ohioans have
called themselves buckeyes.
In addition, Ohio is known
as the Buckeye State and
the mascot of Ohio State
University is the buckeye.
If you believe the buckeye
is a good luck charm, you
cannot help but wonder
if the Ohio State buckeyes
will stand in the way of the
Georgia Bulldogs retain
ing the National NCAA
Football Championship.
The college football experts
consider the two squads
to be on the top of the list
of this years elite football
teams.
I mention this because if
the two football titans col
lide in the National College
Football Championship
game, thousands of Ohio
State football fans will
undoubtedly be carrying
around buckeyes in their
right pockets.
Will this affect the
outcome of the playoffs?
Reason tells us it will
not. However, if enough
Georgia fans think it might,
maybe they should begin
carrying around buckeyes
grown in Georgia. For
these rabid fans, the out
come might be determined
by the play on the field and
whether or not buckeyes
grown in the Buckeye State
have more mojo than those
raised in the Peach State.
Let me leave you with
these words of wisdom:
before you go looking for a
buckeye, you should know
that, if you buy a buckeye,
it loses its power
Terry Johnson is retired Pro
gram Manager of the Georgia
Nongame-Endangered Wildlife
Program. He has written the
informative column Monroe
Outdoors for the Reporter for
many years. His book, “A Jour
ney to Discovery’ is available
at The Reporter. Email him
at tjwoodduck@bellsouth.net.
TERRY W. JOHNSON
Cross Country girls, boys shine at region meet
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
The Mary Persons Girls
Cross Country team
claimed the Region 2-AAA
championship on Oct. 25
with a perfect score of 15
(1+2+3+4+5). Second place
Pike County finished with
60 points. The team will
compete at the state level
for AAA this weekend in
Carrollton.
The top individual finish
er in the region 5K hosted
by Jackson High School
at Dauset Trails Nature
Center was sophomore
Lexi Greene of Upson-Lee
at 21:08. However, since
Upson-Lee didn’t have a
team of at least five runners
in the race, her finish didn’t
count in the team scores.
The next seven runners to
cross the finish line were
all Lady Bulldogs in the
field of 24 runners.
The Mary Persons com
petitors, in order of finish,
were junior Abbey Stem-
bridge (21:18), sophomore
Gabriella Hoover (21:41),
senior Madelyn Causey
(22:11), junior Alanna
Wood (22:36), freshman
Amelia Meadows (22:59),
freshman Kolbi McBrayer
(24:05) and junior Jessica
Goodwin (24:28).
The Mary Persons Boys
Cross Country team took
third place in the Re
gion 2-AAA meet with
64 points, behind Pike
County with a perfect 15
points and Jackson High
School with 60 points.
After five Pike County
runners finished the 5K,
Mary Persons’ sophomore
Jonathan Head came in 6th
at 18:45.
Juniors Thiago Saralegui
(18:52) and Cole Battles
(18:55) came in 10th and
11th in the field of 35 run
ners. Completing the Mary
Persons team were sopho
more Mac Roeser, running
the 3.1 mile race 16th in
19:42, and three freshmen:
Isaac McKallip in 20:26,
Gavin Mitchell (20:41) and
Carter Stembridge (20:56).
Llonesha McElhaney
coaches both Mary Persons
Boys and Girls Cross
Country teams.
The Mary Persons cross country girls, left, took first place in the region meet while the boys took third place. (Photos/Llonisha McElhaney)
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401 College St.
Forsyth, GA 31029
478-394-4875
info@fowlerflemister.com
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Join Keith Edge and Ricky “Hot Dog”
Wilson for all MP Football Games
Starting at 7 p.m. on Friday nights.
Just download the SportsMic app on
your phone or computer.
Also, the Whoa Nelly Coach’s Show
from The Pickled Okra
Monday nights at 7 p.m.
MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMSIONERS
MONROE COUNTY GEORGIA
McCowan Road Street and Drainage Improvements
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed Bids: Sealed Bids for the construction of the McCowan Road Street and Drainage
Improvements will be received, by Monroe County Board of Commissioners, at the Monroe
County Board of Commissioners’ Office 3rd floor of the Monroe County Administration
Building, 38 West Main Street Forsyth, GA 31029, until 11:00 A.M, Thursday, December 1,
2022, local time, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. No bid may be
withdrawn after the closing time for receipt of bids for a period of sixty (60) days.
Contractor License: Any Contractor submitting a bid must be a pre-qualified Georgia Department
of Transportation Contractor. License numbers must be written on the face of the bid envelope. No
bid will be opened unless the license number is clearly shown. See Instructions to Bidders for
additional bidding requirements.
Work to Be Done: The work to be done shall consist of furnishing all labor, materials, and
equipment necessary to construct the proposed McCowan Road Street and Drainage Improve
ments as shown on the construction drawings. In general, construction consists of 1.5 miles of
grading and 8-inch GABC base construction of rural roadway with associated ditches, storm
drainage, driveways, erosion control measures and all other associated appurtenances necessary
for completion of the project. This work will be awarded in one (1) contract with a 180 consecutive
calendar day construction schedule. The Paving contract will be bid later date.
Plans and Bidding Documents: Copies of Bidding Documents for bidding purposes can be
obtained from Watkins & Associates, L.L.C., 1606 Whiddon Mill Road, Tifton, Georgia 31793,
Phone: (229) 388-8823, (Office of the Engineer). Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding
Documents at the Monroe County Purchasing Department, located at the 2nd floor of the
Monroe County Administration Building, 38 West Main Street Forsyth, GA 31029, Ph. No.
478-994-7008 on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8 A.M. and 5 P.M. Upon request,
Watkins & Associates, LLC will transmit the Bidding Documents via delivery service. The date that
the Bidding Documents are transmitted will be considered the prospective Bidder’s date of receipt of
the Bidding Documents. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Engineer.
Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, includ
ing Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Watkins & Associates. NIGP Code: 91327
Construction, Highway and Roads.
Bonds: All bid forms must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in an amount not less than ten percent
(10%) of the amount bid. The successful bidder, if awarded the Contract, will be required to furnish
a Performance Bond and Payment Bond, each in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the
Contract amount. All bonds must appear on the Treasury Department's most current Circular 570
Listing.
Requests for Information: Plan holders list, addenda and bid results are available at www.watkin-
seng.com.
Funding: Any Contract or Contracts awarded under this Advertisement for Bids will be funded by a
grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation-, Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant
(LMIG), Local Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), or local County funds.
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive informalities, and to re-advertise.