Gen. Beau Lee predicts Six More Weeks of Winter

Georgia's official weather predicting groundhog has defied the forecast of his Northern rival and seen his shadow. That means, according to Gen. Beau Lee, six more weeks of winter.

Gen. Lee is the official groundhog in residence at Yellow River Game Ranch on Highway 78 just east of Stone Mountain, Georgia. Independent verification indicates that, as usually is the case with Southerners, he is far more accurate than Pennsylvania's Punxutawney Phil.

The Pennsylvania "seer of seers" did not see his shadow this morning and says an early spring is on the way. But in Georgia, Gen. Lee says not to believe it.  According to his official Twitter feed, we are in for six more weeks of winter.

For those who keep count of such things, Gen. Lee has a 94% track record of accuracy. And that's something no Northern groundhog can match!  Punxutawney Phil, in fact, is right only 39% of the time.

You can learn more about Gen. Lee at www.yellowrivergameranch.com.

Stone Mountain, Georgia - History Written in Granite

Stone Mountain Park on the outskirts of Atlanta is home to one of Georgia's most unique historic sites.

Once thought to be the largest such granite outcrop in the world, Stone Mountain has witnessed the passage of thousands of years of Georgia history. Ancient Native Americans, for example, built mysterious stone walls atop the mountain. The purpose of these walls, which do not seem to have been designed as fortifications, is not clear, although most researchers now speculate they were ceremonial in nature. No trace of them remains today.

During the Civil War, the mountain was a key stop on Sherman's March to the Sea. Numerous soldiers describe stopping to admire the view of the impressive mountain of stone, even as they torched local barns and took every scrap of food they could find, leaving hard-working Georgia families to starve.

In later years, the mountain provided a source for granite during the construction boom that followed the Reconstruction years. Stone Mountain granite can be found in public structures and monuments across the South. The term "As Solid as Stone Mountain" became symbolic of the spirit of the New South.

The face of the mountain now displays the world's largest bas-relief carving. The figures of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson ride on horseback across the face of the mountain, frozen in time.

Stone Mountain Park is a popular tourist destination. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/stonemountain.