come sit awhile

{fort} under construction

there is a valley almost directly across the road from the cabin

wooded for the most part and infested with briars...

jeff thought it would be 'fun' to build a fort with jackson, key words here are fun and with

jeff had asked for a hatchet for Christmas...if you asked him about it now, he probably would have went with his chainsaw instead.  probably.

they found just the right spot and began chopping and 'building'...the fort was under construction! 

i have to give it to jackson, he did put forth a big effort...until he got tired or something

at the end of day 1 you could see the fort! 

he looks big here, doesn't he?

admiring the hard work

and playing with his new knife...he is definitely NOT an-all-work-and-no-play kinda boy!

after three days of work, the fort is still not complete but stay tuned for updates!  and cross your fingers that nothing happens to the fort, it could be devastating to everyone!

 

happy wednesday!

 

this is how we roll...

my parents have two 4 wheelers/ATV's, if you must...that we ride almost constantly when we visit the cabin.  now that the leaves have fallen and you can actually see through the 'woods', we have found more trails to ride on...

for hours on end

this {new} trail by far is now a new favorite!  there are a couple of places that are pretty steep and rocky which is what this whole thing is all about, right? 

nothing like three of your four wheels on the ground next to a drop off

this part of the trail was so pretty!  but perhaps not the best photos...taken while leaning forward, trying to distribute weight toward the front of the 4 wheeler while climbing steep incline

just sayin'

most of the time we wind our way through trails that reach from one side of the mountain to the other and the views from the top are beautiful!

jeff and jackson zooming past me and headed up the mountain in front of the cabin...another new trail

not quite sure who enjoys it more? 

maybe i do?

 

happy monday

 

pumpkins and such...

you guys never know when i'm gonna blog, do you? 

last weekend we traveled to my parents cabin, up in the north georgia mountains and headed out to Burt's Farm...my dad said we had to see just how big these pumpkins were

let me just say "it was no joke"

B.I.G. i tell you

we saw men loading these babies up in wheelbarrows and having quite a difficult time making it back to their trucks

they were ALL beautiful!  i loved what they had to offer but these were my very favorite...

blue ones and white ones

weird looking ones

we finally decided on OUR pumpkin...nothing to fancy or gigantic but i do seem to have quite a thing for how the stem looks...we got this guy

of course, it's not the best photo but a photo nontheless...i once was that girl, maybe again some day, the one who picked out the 'outfit' and took the perfect picture, the one she scrapbooked with the perfect paper...maybe i'll be that girl again?   who knows...but for now, i'm just getting the memory!  and honestly, it takes a bit of the stress away

we're winging it!

when we went to pay for our pumpkin, jackson had picked out this one

really, the smallest one he could find? 

we had a great pumpkin experience at Burt's Farm!  I would highly suggest making your way there if you're somewhat in the vacinity...or not?  I loved the way it was tucked in between huge Fall trees and not scattered out on a huge open field

great photo opportunities too!  for those of you that are like the girl i use to be...

until next time,

 

the front yard at the cabin

we headed north this past weekend...me, jeff, j and his cousin, my mom and dad

 

there was work to be done at the cabin...my dad keeps telling us that "one day we will come up here and not have to do any work"

that doesn't even happen at our own house.

just recently, my dad had a landing strip driveway put in and a huge retaining wall...it was a TON of concrete! 

which scared my mom half to death...

apparently, rome was NOT built in a day

 

the guys got right to work 

 

jeff graded the front yard...which he loved

 

and the smaller guys...well, they played until they couldn't play anymore!  jackson and aaron made atleast 15 trips to the creek the very first day, and trust me...it's a haul!

 

these boots were filled with water no less than 25 times  

 

after one tractor rental, 4 loads of dirt and 299 bags of mulch...here is the finished product!  

and let me just say that I DID SPREAD SEVERAL (like 8-9) BAGS OF MULCH MYSELF regardless of what my dad says

i paid for it the following morning...evidently, the muscles that i use to run and the muscles that i used to spread mulch are not the same

happy thursday!

 
 
 
 
 

antique'n and junk'n...we went to town

two of my favorite things other than plaid, of course!

Blue Ridge has a nice little antique store where vendors set up shop and sell their stuff and i FINALLY made my way there!

a fourth of the way through the store i thought i was going to need a buggy...

 

this was a wonderful plaid sled because everyone needs a sled, just not one for $450

 

and metal stuff...EVERYWHERE i looked!

could someone please tell me what this thing is...holding the bottles?  whatever it was it was wonderful, probably expensive and NFS (not for sale)

good thing.

old doors, old shutters, chicken feeders, antique christmas stuff, new christmas stuff, metal stuff, wire stuff, barn stars, furniture, rugs, lamps and so on

all good stuff

and i left with a rug for $20

i'll be going back soon, i just know it!

now for the junk'n part of my post

for months, while looking at what seemed like too many cabins...we would pass by this place on the side of the road (actually the guy lived there...out back, in a nice house for those of you that may wonder)

i see no other name to call it but the junk place

 

see? 

jeff rolls his eyes and looks at me when we pass by a place such as this...however, i get plain giddy 

 

it's junk for sure and ALOT OF IT however you do find treasures this way

 

like these metal wash tubs with a double stand

 

it went on and on...

 

nice displays

 

and this table back in the shed which sort of scared me to go up in...i really want my mom to go back and get it, it surely can't be much? 

 

we didn't go inside the main little store...the gentleman that owned the place had to go "home" and get his Family Christmas photo taken and would be back later.  we didn't want to wait 

i wonder how long this place has been there and how long it has taken him to gather these treasures? 

i'm going to find out when i go back
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

the woods

we had beautiful weather over the holiday weekend, nice enough to get out and see what we could see

to say that the cabin is "far away" is kind of a understatment

the locals "go to town..."

and it's not hobby lobby either

 

we are surrounded by trees, lots and lots of trees! 

 

and sticks and rocks 

 

this path runs along the creek behind the cabin...and might i just say it's an awesome place to take pictures

 

we hiked and hiked...i think at one time it was something similar to mt everest

no kidding, ask my mother

 

good ol' boy stuff

 

see? 

good times...

 
 
 

 
 
 

thanksgiving at the cabin...party of five

we headed north wednesday afternoon (just like the rest of the surrounding cities...) to spend thanksgiving with my parents at their cabin

we had three days to do absolutely nothing and you would have thought by our luggage, that we were staying for a month

why is that?

it was just us ...and the woods (no internet or tv)

but i have lived to tell about it

 

jackson made us all napkin rings at school, i'm sure ms. babb would be proud!   

and we enjoyed a wonderful pork tenderloin around the bar and the normal 'thanksgiving' sides (except for me...because i don't really do sweet potatoes and such)

 

we did have this wonderful fruit salad stuff that was TO DIE FOR...i will get the recipe and share soon enough.  promise.

 

we now have bar stools.  amen.  

much more to come...check back soon!

happy monday

 
 

kind of like camping...but not

the CABIN is officially part of the family now!  

and evidently we couldn't wait

so we loaded up the car and the truck with all that would fit and headed north to the mountains...

food, clothing, air beds, tools, the four legged family members

 

and the dvd player.  thank you, Lord. 

jackson watched The Polar Express too many times to count 

 

this was our first dinner at the cabin...not counting the ham and cheese sandwiches we brought with us last time

and yes, those are lawn chairs

red ain't dead

and mom and i promise they are NOT staying.  

now dad on the other hand...

real furniture is on the way...nothing like sleeping on an air bed to get that going!