Hightower Creek Clydes, Here We Come!

It's May and it's open house time at Hightower Creek Clydes or fondly "Pia's Place" that is nestled in the North Georgia mountains in a town called Hiawassee.

People come from miles around, and we trekked up from Social Circle in the drizzle to not miss a great time. When we arrived, it had gotten just about perfect with overcast -- not too hot, not too cold -- weather.

Everyone gets a carriage ride with Beauty, her only Shire. When Santa comes in December, he always asks for Beauty to pull his sleigh while he visits with the children hearing their wishes for Christmas during the ride.

Here's Jessie and Pia in her HCC Blues enjoying the people who come to visit her, the farm and especially her horses.


Everyone is greeted by Rabun, a chow mix rescue who was in a shelter in Rabun County. He is an awfully happy pup.

There's barn visitation with her 7 Clydesdales, 1 Shire, 1 Clydesdale/Belgian Cross, 1 Quarter Horse, and 1 Arab . . .

Roady House Chickens . . . . who are working on egg production as we speak. . . .

. . . and you can spend some time with the goats, Randy and Andy . . . although I don't know who this is. . . .

But, best of all -- what all the commotion is about is. . . .

Lil' Major's public debut this past weekend!

Major is now 30 days old, and got to visit, nibble and explore with all the folks that came out for the grand opening.

When Pia gives her tours, there's always an educational aspect to the fun day until it is time to go home.

Now, that's when the real fun begins. . . .

Here's Cowboy Bob, in action, getting the horses to "Cross the Creek" after dinnertime to another pasture for their overnight graze. Yep, the ground shakes when they get going. . .

[Note: Shire Leads.]

Out here, on the East Coast, it's not often that we get to meet a real-live cowboy, who actually has been there and done that (in Texas, Oklahoma and Montana -- or was it Wyoming?) and who isn't full of just "talk" (or stuff that's shoveled out of stalls. . . )

He adds some entertainment to the day if you can get him to talk. He's a man of few words, but has a discerning palate for fine Scotch. After all, Clydes are from Scotland so it all makes perfect sense.

After the horses are settled, we got to all play with the baby ourselves, including Bronson, the Boston Terrier, who was present at Major's birth --

-- and apparently believes Major's sole reason for being brought on this earth was to play with him. That cute baby doesn't mind one little bit either . . .

With many visitors who are allowed to rub on the baby, he quickly learned how to work a crowd to relieve the itchiness he's got going on with all his baby fuzz; Jessie knows just where to scratch. His tail is saying, "move over to the left" . . .

"Ahhhhh, right there!"

HIghtower Creek Clydesdales in Hiawassee is a beautiful place to go to relax and escape the city. Besides, it's not everywhere you can go love on so many Clydesdales at once in our neck of the woods. If you see a big horse in Hiawassee in a parade, or elegantly escorting a bride to her wedding, or clip-clopping on the backroads, shout out a "Hey Pia!" and slow down as you pass.

Thank you, Pia, for a wonderful time, and the hospitality by all your neighbors, relatives and friends!