my family regularly spends time in a special place not far from athens. nestled in the georgia mountains, near the beginning of the appalachian trail, this place has woods, meadows, streams, and lakes. some days it is sunny, some days it is foggy. on a recent visit we had both extremes- clear blue sky one day and grey fog the next. we explore all day long when we are there. woodland walks reveal huge mushroom outcroppings; along the lane we see butterflies and snails. we love the old hand-hewn bridge, rope swing, boathouse, and the diving tower. we love it here.words and photographs by rinne allen.