A Day Trip to Warm Springs

In Warm Springs, Georgia, there's an alluring hike through the F. D. Roosevelt State Park called Wolfden Loop. On this trail, there are rocks to hop on for crossing multiple creek beds, small mountains to scale, and moss-covered, mini waterfalls. F. D. Roosevelt State Park has 9,049 acres, which makes it the largest state park in Georgia.

The looped trail is noted as one the most beautiful hikes in Georgia with part of the path following a creek through changes in elevation and five waterfalls. Another site on the trail is a cave that is said to be a wolf's den. During the the hike, the first signs of spring could be found with buds on the dormant trees this past weekend. Another noticeable observation on the hike was small area of the state park that was damaged trees from a previous tornado.

The hike has been charted at 6.7 miles, but my Fitbit calculated the walk at 9 miles. There were many runners on the trail, but for me, it took time to maneuver over slippery rocks. Carrying a camera, I didn't want to slip and fall into the water. Wolfden Loop is only one of the paths that make up the 40 miles of the Pine Mountain Trail system.

Warm Springs, Georgia, is also known for a presidential retreat. At the Little White House, it was an emotional journey through the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his time in Warm Springs, Georgia. FDR built the home in 1932 prior to becoming president in 1933. He first came to the Georgia town in 1924 while searching for a cure for polio that had struck him in 1921. FDR and his New Deal programs brought relief during the Depression. At this point in history, many people such as farmers did not have electricity, and he started programs to bring electricity to the poor. The Little White House museum tried to show the impact that FDR made during his presidency.

While at Little White House in Warm Springs, President Roosevelt was having his portrait made while writing a speech when he had a massive cerebral hemorrhage. He died a few minutes later. Our soldiers were about to enter Berlin, and the war in Europe was almost finished when he died. It was disappointing that FDR didn't get to see WW2 end.

Warm Springs is located in western Georgia. Callaway Gardens can be found nearby in the city of Pine Mountain, Georgia.
For planning a trip to Warm Springs:
F. D. Roosevelt State Park website: http://gastateparks.org/FDRoosevelt
The Little White House website: http://gastateparks.org/LittleWhiteHouse/

Nature observations: During our hike we do not seen much animal life. We did hear a woodpecker. We did see a black caterpillar, which I believe was a caterpillar of a Giant Leopard Moth, Hypercompe scribonia. There was also American goldfinch singing high in a tree. At Little White House, we saw several crows and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. There were plenty of squirrels seen at both places.


For more information, please email theakwrites@gmail.com.

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Saturday Night Chili Cook-off

  My friends enjoy cooking, and we all love to eat great food. This past weekend, we got together for a chili cook-off. I may not be the best cook, but I do make a mouthwatering chili. On the day of the cook-off, I added my secret ingredients and mixed them together to be judged against my peers.

A few of us had a wonderful time bragging about their recipes. By the time the food was ready to be tasted, I had a feeling that I knew who was going to win by their confident boasting. I just wanted to try the different spicy chili. I brought a bottle of my favorite red wine to clean the palate and enhance the flavor of the meat. When I walked through the door, I could smell the spicy aroma of the different recipes. Seven crock pots full of chili lined the dining room. There were many great, spicy favored chili including one chicken recipe and a smoked beef brisket recipe, and the remaining crock pots contained beef.

The hosts did an amazing job setting up and running with the theme including decorating their home with chili pepper lights. The hostess provided cheese, sour cream and other ingredients that foodies add to chili. There was an easy to read score card for the judges. For casting the votes, the ballot box or ballot pot was used. The hosts were organized and everyone was able to try all seven chili recipes.

At the awards ceremony, the beef brisket was the winner. In the end, my chili didn't place. Everyone had a wonderful experience and a stomach full of delicious chili. The whole night brought out the creative side of our cooking. While leaving, there was talk of a second annual chili cook-off, so I have a year to perfect my chili. Meanwhile, I could try my luck in a local cook-off.

Photos by April Kooy Riley. For more information, email: theakwrites@gmail.com or see the website: aprilkooyriley.webs.com. Thank you Dan and Shelli Merrion for hosting and organizing the wonderful cook-off. I'm looking forward to that rematch...maybe next year.

More stories and photos: bloggergirlapril.com and thelatesttoday.blogspot.com/

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Foods Influencing Constipation

The main cause of constipation is not drinking enough water. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks depletes our body of moisture since they are natural diuretics. Three liters of water a day is needed to prevent dehydration. This is depending how much exercise is being done and how much water is taken in from fruits and vegetables.

Minerals such as calcium and iron cause constipation, so foods that contain these minerals are going to make the constipation worse. Red meats, milk and cheese have little fiber and more minerals that slow the movement in the bowels. Fiber is the indigestible part of plant that pushes food through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way.

Most fruits and vegetables have a little fiber in them, but the best resources of fiber are avocados, apples and pears. Legumes or beans such as chickpeas, peanuts and navy beans also have a high amount of fiber. Many whole-grain or wheat bread products have a good amount of fiber, but check the label because it depends on how much wheat is actually in the bread. The amount of fiber is listed on the nutrition label under the number of carbs or carbohydrates.

Yogurt can fall into either category depending on how much calcium and probiotics are in the recipe. Chocolate doesn't usually cause constipation, but people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have claimed the cocoa can cause severe constipation.

Many medications can cause constipation. The worst are iron supplements and pain medications such as opiate-derived morphine and codeine. There are even some over-the-counter medications such as antacids that contain calcium or aluminum.

With a diagnosis of hypothyroidism or depression, constipation is a side effect of that disease. If you are having severe constipation that is lasting more than seven days or is causing severe pain, you may want to make sure your body is healthy by seeing your primary care doctor.


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