The North Georgia Mountains may be one of the best kept secrets of the deep South. We discovered it by accident two years ago while on a "get away from it all" vacation. God has blessed the area with an abundance of trees, pure air, and mountain fresh water. Anyone who has ever been here will quickly agree that stepping into this pristine land of mountains and lush rolling hills that drop into gorgeous valleys is stepping into God’s country, as it is so often called by locals and visitors alike.

From our home in Florida, only a day’s drive away, one would hardly suspect that a complete change of seasons is so near. The Spring abounds with mountain laurel, forsythia, dogwood, and wild azalea. Summers of lush green are speckled with colorful wild flowers. Autumn visitors and residents alike are drawn to nature’s display of spectacular color as the leaves change from green to every known shade of yellow, orange and red. Winters can be mild sweater-days or landscapes of sparkling snow.

Our property is near Blue Ridge, Georgia—a small, but growing, town in Fannin County only thirty minutes from either the Tennessee or North Carolina State lines. Although the downtown area is an attraction to tourist searching for antique treasures, the residents maintain their century old traditions and their hometown customs.

The Old Timer’s Day Parade and Festival is still held in early July, along with the Miners’ Homecoming Parade in nearby Ducktown. The Fourth of July festivities also include pancake breakfasts, cake auctions, bingo, hay rides and antique car shows. Labor Day brings barbecues and ice cream socials held in downtown Blue Ridge at the old-fashioned city park that proudly displays its gazebo, barbecue pit, and picnic area of tables and benches. October brings the Mountain Harvest Sale at the Blue Ridge Farmer’s Market. This event allows local crafters to display their talents of basketry, blacksmithing and pottery. With its emphasis on outdoor recreation and neighborly camaraderie, every holiday is a major event in Fannin County.

From "Arts in the Park" to "Light Up Downtown Blue Ridge," the major attraction of the area is its people who know no strangers and warmly welcome anyone who wants to participate. My words will never do justice to this marvelous place. You must simply come and see for yourself why we are so in love with Blue Ridge and why we spend more and more time here.