Oconee versus Lake Okoboji
The comparison is not very apt since a Lake Oconee versus Lake Okoboji comparison would be much accurate. Nonetheless, I will give Oconee County, Georgia the nod because of better grocery stores. And while I have still not stepped in the city limits of Oconee, Georgia, let me say if it is anything at all like Tennille, Georgia where my grandfather William Collins Matthews is buried, then it is no contest whatsoever. Watkinsville will always be a winner in my book.
Lake Okoboji is located about 10 miles from the Minnesota state line in far northern Iowa lake country. It is connected to Spirit Lake and has 15,000 acres of the finest fresh water one could ever hope to find. It is where wealthy Iowans go to play and stay in overpriced vacation or summer homes. The lot next to my friend Dirk's family lake house was being offered at $900K and it was a nonstop procession of people taking a gander at this very narrow acreage with only 50 feet of lakefront property.
The farmers are doing quite well these days in the upper midwest. Their harvests are being bought everywhere and land prices are going through the roof. There is no drought going on in Iowa or Minnesota, as best I could tell. What lessons do the economic hardships of this state have to teach Georgia? One at least would be patience. Two would be economic prosperity is fleeting and should never be taken for granted on any level ever.
Georgia's crop of Vidalia Onions were available from the Bland Family and found their way to Hy-Vee frequented by many of my friends and associates. I saw a case of Burton and burton balloons in this same store.
No one was crowing about Tim Pawlenty or Michelle Bachmann except in the most heinous and derisive of terms. Iowans now John Wayne was born in Wintersett and John Wayne Gacy was from Waterloo. And yes my High School prom date Mary Seaman Baker is a staunch Minnesota Republican. She shares a cottage in Spirit Lake with another friend from High School who is also a Republican and lives in Mitchell, South Dakota and works at Dakota Wesleyan College where George McGovern maintains a residence. Former Vice-President Henry Wallace was on display at the cottage I stayed at as he was once a partner with my host's grandparents in farming and publishing in Des Moines in the 1930's and before.
We did not eat out or boat as much as usual for a variety of reasons. The economy has taken its toll on our not so lavish lifestyles. We still play kick ass rock and roll music and basketball when we can. I hope you all get to visit Lake Okoboji sometime soon.
Lake Okoboji is located about 10 miles from the Minnesota state line in far northern Iowa lake country. It is connected to Spirit Lake and has 15,000 acres of the finest fresh water one could ever hope to find. It is where wealthy Iowans go to play and stay in overpriced vacation or summer homes. The lot next to my friend Dirk's family lake house was being offered at $900K and it was a nonstop procession of people taking a gander at this very narrow acreage with only 50 feet of lakefront property.
The farmers are doing quite well these days in the upper midwest. Their harvests are being bought everywhere and land prices are going through the roof. There is no drought going on in Iowa or Minnesota, as best I could tell. What lessons do the economic hardships of this state have to teach Georgia? One at least would be patience. Two would be economic prosperity is fleeting and should never be taken for granted on any level ever.
Georgia's crop of Vidalia Onions were available from the Bland Family and found their way to Hy-Vee frequented by many of my friends and associates. I saw a case of Burton and burton balloons in this same store.
No one was crowing about Tim Pawlenty or Michelle Bachmann except in the most heinous and derisive of terms. Iowans now John Wayne was born in Wintersett and John Wayne Gacy was from Waterloo. And yes my High School prom date Mary Seaman Baker is a staunch Minnesota Republican. She shares a cottage in Spirit Lake with another friend from High School who is also a Republican and lives in Mitchell, South Dakota and works at Dakota Wesleyan College where George McGovern maintains a residence. Former Vice-President Henry Wallace was on display at the cottage I stayed at as he was once a partner with my host's grandparents in farming and publishing in Des Moines in the 1930's and before.
We did not eat out or boat as much as usual for a variety of reasons. The economy has taken its toll on our not so lavish lifestyles. We still play kick ass rock and roll music and basketball when we can. I hope you all get to visit Lake Okoboji sometime soon.
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