There was an informal gathering of UGA aficionados last weekend, some retired from the nation’s oldest chartered state university, and others were simply friends of the group.
It took place in the charming backyard of Joan and Gary Bertsch on Henderson Avenue. If there is a more becoming plot of ground in Athens, I have not seen it.
Gary and Joan are a team, but the tender loving care and trimmings of the signature landscape belong to Joan, whose handiwork elicits gushing kudos. There is greenery everywhere, with flowers, rocks and pebbles efficiently integrated into the setting.
While admittedly not on par with the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris or Monet’s place at Giverny, with its weeping willows and lily pads, the Bertsch property is certainly rare and becoming.
A fire pit with glowing embers and wafting smoke added to the allure of the ambient setting, offering a reminder that when we commune with nature, we are royally blessed.
Then there is Gary’s study, a free-standing building to which he can retreat any time of year. He can open the door in spring and summer and let the sunshine in. When fall and winter chills arrive, he has a wood-burning fireplace for warmth and ambiance. A lot of intellectual thought has emanated from that cozy setting.
I have long admired Gary Bertsch, an Idaho farm boy and one of the most well-rounded faculty members ever to share his wisdom, research, and connections with our community.
Gary taught at the University of Beijing and invited former Russian Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to the UGA campus. His work with Senator Sam Nunn and others to reduce atomic weapons arsenals is remarkable.
While I am not scolding our local citizens — and certainly don’t want to bite the hand that has fed me over the years — it is interesting that so many people in this state know the shoe size of our third-string left tackle on the football team but make little effort to get to know professors like Gary Bertsch.
Everybody in our state is impressed by the brilliantly successful football program and its coaches, but we don’t similarly lionize the exalted professors and researchers on our campus. How about singing the praises of both?
As an emeritus professor in the School of International Affairs, Gary is an avid fan of all UGA athletic teams. He plays golf, and when he takes an afternoon respite, his biggest challenge is deciding where to enjoy a glass of wine: the front porch, the den, the backyard or the study.
Gary’s entire environment is an inspirational place to read and stay informed about what is going on in the world.
Recently, he and Joan hosted a lively group to interact with Greg Bluestein, political columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A Georgia alumnus, Bluestein is an indefatigable reporter and writer whose enthusiasm and commitment to his profession are extraordinary.
He analyzed the increasingly nasty gubernatorial campaign and offered insights into what it all means. He also gave high marks to Athens native and Governor Brian Kemp for his commitment to family values.
Bluestein made no predictions, but he expressed curiosity about the governor’s race, where the two leading candidates are expected to spend a combined $100 million in the battle for the right to move into the governor’s mansion on West Paces Ferry Road.
While at Georgia, Bluestein served as editor of The Red & Black, the campus newspaper, and took great delight in covering Bulldog football — something he still enjoys today.
He also authored the insightful book Flipped: How Georgia Turned Purple and Broke the Monopoly on Republican Power. Often referred to as the state’s “chief political reporter,” Bluestein is also a knowledgeable columnist and a popular speaker.
The setting in Gary and Joan Bertsch’s backyard garden proved perfect for Bluestein’s insightful remarks. Shall we say, a good time was had by all?