From Our Backyard Creek to the Chattahoochee River-Earth Day 2026
The Chattahoochee River has been a part of my life for decades.
One of my favorite childhood memories is playing in the cool creek behind our house, which eventually flows into the Chattahoochee River. My younger brother Brett and my best friend Megan spent every day of summer there. Even though the creek was small, the shade from the dogwood tree made it feel like our secret fort. We would turn over smooth rocks to find crawdads and salamanders, collecting them in a plastic bucket while the water splashed around our feet. We used our imagination to make a pretend front door and a fire for cooking, enjoying a sense of freedom that felt like our own world.
Summertime freedom
In elementary school, every year included a field trip to the Chattahoochee Nature Center. What I remember most is learning about turtles, which ones snapped and which ones didn’t. This was important because whenever we stopped along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Brett and I made it our mission to look for turtles.
Go Shoot the Hooch.
Tubing down the Chattahoochee, or to 'Shoot the Hooch,' was something only the bravest tried, or at least, my friends and I did as teenagers. Why? Because it felt like the coldest river ever. The boys would tease the girls by flipping their tubes over, sending them into the freezing water without warning. I remember it clearly; I’m talking about you, ED and JOE.
Exploring and staying connected to nature
Greg and I got married in a church on the banks of the river. We have beautiful photos, especially one of my husband with the Chattahoochee flowing behind him. I didn’t realize that the little creek behind our house eventually joined Big Creek and then the Chattahoochee River. Some connections only make sense when you look back. Exploring and splashing my feet in the water is something I still love. Today, my husband and I keep chasing that same joy by taking the Jeep out to hike, kayak, and stay connected to nature in the ways we love.
Continue wandering:
