Ann Cotton holds a heart-shaped potato at her home Wednesday in Ephesus, Ga. She found it at work at Piggly Wiggly in Franklin, Ga. RICK KINTZEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Finding romance around state hard

Web posted February 14, 1998

Associated Press

Looking for love in Georgia in all the wrong places?

There are few flowers in Flowery Branch, this time of year. And forget diamonds in Diamond Hill. In Hartwell, sweethearts are fishing, not kissing.

``We have a huge fishing tournament this weekend,'' said Elizabeth Brown, tourism coordinator for the Hart County Chamber of Commerce. ``It's all been about fish. Some people might find that romantic.''

Even Ringgold -- where lovers have been exchanging well, rings, on Valentine's Day and every other day for years -- has lost its luster.

One of the city's most romantic places -- a blood testing lab that doubles as a wedding chapel -- is closed on the annual day of love.

``It's Saturday,'' said Barbara Andrews, who owns Andco Laboratories. ``I have a special day planned for myself.''

Nothing's coming up roses in the tiny town of Flowery Branch.

``I haven't seen a whole lot of romance in Flowery Branch,'' said Jenny Smith, a secretary at Flowery Branch Baptist Church. ``And there's no more flowers than usual. There's no garden or anything like that.''

There's no place to buy diamonds, or much else, in Diamond Hill.

``There used to be a place to buy Coca-Cola, but that's not there anymore,'' said Madison County Sheriff Clayton Lowe.

At least in Lovejoy, there's romance in the air -- or rather, in the mail. There, the postmaster will stamp the city's amorous address on valentine cards.

``I'm getting pieces of mail in every day that want a Lovejoy postmark,'' said postmaster Rebecca Spivey, who has stamped about 20 scarlet letters so far. ``We think it's great. In fact, we'd like to have a special stamp for Valentine's Day.''

And someone in Franklin, near Newnan, found love this week -- in a produce bin at a Piggly Wiggly, of all places.

Ann Cotton, the produce manager, found a potato in the shape of a perfect heart.

``I've just been carrying it around with me,'' said Ms. Cotton. ``I don't know if I'm going to cook it or not.''

It's not a sweet potato, but it will do.