Leaving Georgia, we head towards my cousins’ home in the hills of Tennessee. This is the log cabin experience, the full Eco-lodge facility. Feeding the goats and chickens happens twice a day, my cousins grow their own food, make their own cheeses and live in this idyllic up woods hideaway, close to grandchildren and not too close to town.
They don’t have a house alarm, but they do have a Great Pyrenees, to keep foxes, snakes and strangers away from the goats and chickens. This dog is the size of a bear. He takes his job as guardian to the family and animals very seriously. Once he gets to know you, he doesn’t bite, or so they promised us.
![Our guardian in the mountains](http://merrington.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/P1030252-640x493.jpg)
We had several highlights to this portion of our journey, sitting on the porch and listening to the goats bleat, was almost a zen moment. You really relax here and enjoy the conversation. Discussions of politics are not allowed, so we were all calm and happy.
![A rocker and a swing a great place to watch the sun go down.](http://merrington.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/P1030301-640x480.jpg)
We did go down the mountain and visit civilization because there was the excitement of a vintage car show. I could almost do a full blog on these gorgeous old cars that lined the streets in the center of town.
![These cars were immaculate](http://merrington.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/P1130617-640x480.jpg)
It was great to stroll around the historic district and seeing beautiful old mansions, just a few hundred years old and still stately.
![Southern homes](http://merrington.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/P1030281-640x480.jpg)
Everyone would agree that the most fun we had been the watermelon eating contest. Several young men ate a tenth of their weight in watermelon. Watermelon seeds were somehow distributed all over the yard and the boys. Getting together with cousins was a highlight of my childhood. Seeing all these cousins play brings back memories of making ice cream, eating watermelon and running outdoors in the yard with the dog.
![Log Cabin](http://merrington.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/P1030295-640x480.jpg)