Late last night Andy returned from his two day trip to North Carolina. He went up there and picked out the land for us to build our log cabin on. We purchased just under two acres in Maggie Valley with a gorgeous view. It was foggy when Andy went up there yesterday, and our lot was up above the fog. Now we have to select a log cabin design and builder and get moving on construction. We are not rushing though, it will probably be at least six months before we get started. These pictures were taken by Andy while standing on our new lot. Click on the pictures to view them larger.

Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to live in a log cabin in the woods, preferably in the mountains. This is a dream that Andy shares with me and we have often talked of having a cabin the mountains of North Carolina for when we retire. Recently we have been talking about the fact that if we ever want to have a house up there, we should do it now, while it is still relatively affordable. We have seen the property values here in our area triple in three years, so we don't want to get priced out of the market by waiting too long. I have my eye on a 4.5 acre piece of property that is wooded with a stream and mountain views. We are still in the investigative process right now to see if it is even feasible for us. We have a couple of options- to buy the land and hold it, or to buy the land and put a cabin on it and then use it as a vacation rental to offset the expense, and then go up there a couple of times a year ourselves. Do you have a second home? Is it more trouble than it is worth or a fabulous retreat?