Construction at Tranquility Park is taking place this week on the structural issues. The estimated completion time is four weeks (depending on the weather).

Please exercise caution when using the park.

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Thank you to our Board of Directors for the time and effort each of you give to keep our community such a beautiful place to live.

The Mountain Laurel is known throughout North Georgia as a symbol of renewal. It’s beginning to bloom in our beautiful neighborhood.

Thank you to our neighborhood beautification volunteers for planting colorful annuals at our gates. 👏🌷👏

The Corn Snake (Elaphe [Pantherophis] guttata) is a non-venomous snake native to the entire stat of Georgia as well as a large portion of the southeast and some of the mid-west. They are a relatively large species reaching sizes of up to 48″ in length, but are relatively slender in shape. They tend to have a rusty hue with orange colored square patterns stretching down their body. Their underbelly will have checkered white and black markings like the keys of a piano. There is also a spear shaped marking in top of the head pointing towards the nose. Juveniles, as in most species, will have a different appearance and may have lighter colors and less distinct patterns. They can often be mistaken for copperheads, but have neither the wide bulbous jaw shape or pattern of a copperhead (which have hourglass shaped markings along their body).

They typically reside in upland terrestrial habitats and favor areas with mammal burrows. They thrive particularly well in sandy pinewoods. They are very adaptive and settle readily within human populated areas, using barns and sheds as places to live.

They typically will eat a variety of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Young snakes will often eat lizards. While they will hunt and move throughout the day and night, they become more nocturnal during the summer months.

These are helpful and important members of the local food web and should be protected. When encountering a snake it is best to leave it and let it move on its way. Whenever possible every effort should be made to positively identify snakes prior to taking any action around your home. All snake, whether venomous or non-venomous aid in keeping our rodent populations down and maintaining the delicate balance of our local ecosystem.

Source: US Army Corps of Engineers, Carters Lake Facebook page

Northbank Park has an open astronomy field for the use of viewing and photographic equipment during the evening and daytime. The field offers open views from east to west – north to south approximately 25-30 degrees in altitude from the horizon. The field is used for astronomy programs and has several interpretive panels educating on various astronomical topics.

–US Army Corps of Engineers

https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Recreation/Carters-Lake/Parks/

Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) is a shrub that people seem to be familiar with (and have fond memories of) but it doesn’t get planted a lot. It is native throughout much of the state and thrives in shade so it should get used more often. It is often fragrant, with a spicy smell that gives it another common name, Carolina allspice. Another common name is sweet bubby bush.

It is easy to propagate from seed and grows vigorously when given ideal conditions. There are a couple of cultivars out in the nursery trade: ‘Michael Lindsey’ is a red form with good fragrance, while ‘Athens’ is a yellow-flowered form also with good fragrance.

Source: Georgia Native Plant Society

Read more at:

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/georgia/state-flower/azalea