The Nose Knows (when it’s Spring!)
You can smell ‘em before you see ‘em. I’m talking about the honeysuckle-like flowers that recently drew me to the Wild Azalea Canyon in Newton County - and it is wild (don’t try it without closed toe, sturdy shoes!) The canyon, nestled on CR 1414, breaks out in flowers mid-March through early April. These flowers are spindly and delicate—not really what you’d expect in the thick o’ the woods. Though the trail is primitive, it’s passable. Bring water if you go exploring, and pack out what you pack in. As my friends in Newton County say, “Don’t carry out the azaleas.” By the way, the azaleas aren’t azaleas at all. They’re from the honeysuckle family—hence the incredible fragrance.
Speaking of...I followed my nose to the Jasper County Courthouse Square on March 15th for the 20th Annual Azalea Festival. Is there any more picturesque place to gather on a Saturday in spring? I don’t think so. The azaleas were just bursting with color - a profusion of pink, fuchsia, salmon and red. There was just enough bridal wreath and wisteria to break up the riot of color! Jasper truly rolls out the flowered red carpet for this festival to end all festivals. The friendly folks of Jasper also used the showy weekend to unveil their latest blossom—The Jasper County Historical Museum on the square. I’ll save it for a future visit.