Claude Suttle's Photos from the 1960s

Claude Suttle and his wife once lived at the first house on the left on the eastern end of Park Drive-- pictured above. He was a wonderful photographer who worked in black and white and sometimes sepiatone in the middle part of the last century, probably with a 35mm Single Lens Reflex camera. Pine Lake is richly featured, but he took photos all over the world. From time to time I use one of his images, scanned from 8" x 10" prints-- always with attribution.

One of Claude's favorite subjects-- understandably-- was his house. It looks much the same today.

Click READ MORE to see more images from the 1960s.

No Fishing!

On my walk Wednesday morning I saw the citizen-painted no fishing signs had gone up.

The ban on fishing is in place because only fingerlings are in the lake. It will take them about a year to grow large enough for fishing-- so get your poles and worms ready for April or May of next year.

Yellow House

Heron Island

Pine Lake's favorite little (and only) island is once again looking good.

I understand the Girl Scouts will soon plant a willow tree. That would be wonderful.

Late August Flowers

No Park, No Swim!

Click on photo to enlarge.

I thought a major purpose of the dredging of the lake was to make it deep enough so the water would remain cool during the hot months, inhibiting the growth of bacteria so the lake wouldn't have to be closed to swimming.

So I was disappointed to see this no swimming sign a couple of weeks ago.

When the lake was being dredged last year I wondered why they didn't dig deeper.

U-Spray

Long ago I discovered Do It Yourself Pest Control on Chamblee-Tucker Road. Within a week a long-running problem with ants had been solved-- with no bug spray, and for only a few dollars!

When I moved to Pine Lake I was visited with a variety of pests-- palmetto bugs, spiders, ants, and one year an infestation of rats. I knew how to get rid of the ants and rats-- with Grants for Ants base stations placed every six feet or so outside around the perimeter of my house and D-Con, respectively-- but I had no clue about the palmetto bugs.What the frak WERE those things? They looked like extras from a 1950s science fiction movie!

DIY Pest Control was now out of the way, but fortunately I found a similar store at 4653 Highway 78 in Lilburn. U-Spray sells much the same products and the staff has been helpful when I've visited-- which has been often.

I learned palmetto bugs live in trees and wander into houses in search of water. They promptly die, but not before scaring the bejesus out of anyone who encounters them. Alas, I learned, there's no easy way to get rid of them short of clear cutting one's property.

Grants for Ants keeps ants away. If I see ants (I get the itty bitty kind) I put stations outside, nearby, and they're gone a few days later. When rats got into my house (which happened on occasion until I plugged up their entry point with sheet metal), they promptly died. I keep termites under control with Advance bait stations, which I have placed around the perimeter of my house. As for palmetto bugs-- well, I've learned to live with them. I get a lot of exercise chasing them around with a shoe.

Duck Family and Bonus Squirrel

What Five Months Can Do

March 2012

August 2012

Blue Heron and Turtles

White Egret on Willow Island

My Favorite Place to Sit...

... and it's a 60-second walk from my front door!

Kiosks and Benches in the Wetlands

If you've been at the lake or at the wetlands lately you'll have noticed kiosks like this one (if you click on the photo you'll see a second kiosk in the background).

Each station (and there are quite a few of them) tells a story of the immediate area.

I'm sure they'll prove useful to residents and visitors alike.

I'm happy to say most stations feature at least one of my photos!

Sleepy Summer Lake

Negative Image of Flower

More August Flowers

Good Eats: Fisherman's Catch

One of my favorite places to eat is Fisherman's Catch on Highway 78.

Daggone Beavers

Look at the beaver damage. This tree stands at the edge of the lake, near the gazebo.

Nearby trees are similarly damaged.

Picking Up Garbage in Reverse

I was walking last Thursday and saw this truck from Robertson Sanitation turning onto Spruce from King Street (or maybe it was Dahlia).

But instead of moving forward, it proceeded to back up!

Guess What These Are...

These blocks of concrete-topped granite lie near the lake in the big pines at the old barbecue area, just past the gazebo. Can you guess what they once were?

Flowers, August 2012

Images of The Gazebo on the Lake

Luau on the Beach

I can't tell you how disappointed I was. There was no roast suckling pig on a spit.

But otherwise, it was the perfect luau. I had a great time.

When Pancake Breakfasts and Birdhouses Come Together

The first Saturday of most months sees a pancake breakfast cooked and served by the Pine Lake Association for Involved Neighbors-- PLAIN. Until recently it's been at the beach house, but with the beach house closed until it can be renovated, it's moved to the clubhouse.

This Little Piece of Heaven

 I have been reading your blog about this piece of heaven that is not far from me. You are blessed to be able to live there and see all of GOD's beauty. I have always wanted to live there. Your blog sure opens the flood gates of emotions and urges to move. I even got on line last night to look at what houses are for sale there.

Back around 1997-98 I took my uncle there and we view several homes. One was the log style home that is on the corner of Lakeshore Dr. and Spruce Dr. Loved the wood paneled walls inside but the kitchen floor was rotted out and the roof was in bad shape. The place was in need of to much repair. There were others we looked at, and one was a cute yellow and white house with large picture window on the front, just near the lake and was being renovated. We were going to settle on that one when he developed heart problems and could not move.
Sadly he passed away but my dream still lives on to one day own a place there.

Thank you for posting on your blog about this beautiful piece of heaven.

Again, you are blessed, Dallas, to live there. 

-- Tammy's comment on my recent Ban Booster Concert blogpost

At the same time Tammy and her uncle were looking at homes in Pine Lake, so was I. I had been riding along with a friend who was house-hunting and having no luck. One day I said, "I remember this little place I was at once," and we found ourselves riding around the city.

The first house we visited was the same cabin at Lakeshore and Spruce. The lot was beautiful, but the house was a wreck. I remember standing in the kitchen, looking at the sky through the holes in the ceiling while Bruce Bartow blatantly lied about its condition. Now, of course, it has been beautifully remodeled.

My friend and I also looked at the yellow-and-white cottage across the street. It was tiny, but had been beautifully remodeled. While we were there a Pine Lake policeman dressed in SWAT couture walked in unannounced, as if he owned the place. That's what our police force was like back in 1998.

When we drove past my house we called the owners, who told us to go around back to the shed and retrieve the key, which had been placed under a sponge. We did. My friend was unimpressed with the house, but I loved it and went back again to visit. I called the owner, who was also the seller, and the deal was made over the phone. It was painless, an one month later  moved in.

Tammy, house prices are reasonable here, and so is rent. I hope you can find your way to realize your dream to live here.

Band Booster Concert

This photo dates from the early 1950s (note the cars in the background of the third photo.

Note also the Wilson's Ice Cream sign on the tree in the top photo. The store was in Decatur; the business started in the 1940s with two horse-drawn carts.