Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Mentone & High Horse Lodge

So I have wanted to go visit Mentone for quite awhile and finally we decided it would be the perfect place for a very long weekend.  We stayed at the High Horse Lodge which was just over the GA line and was a very beautiful short drive from Mentone.  We quickly fell in love with the little town of Mentone atop Lookout Mountain and all the great things that are so close by.  The land the house was on was beautiful.  Josh and I couldn't have been happier about the location.  For as far as you could see was just mountains and trees beginning to burst with color.  So we could have easily spent the 4 days just at the house.  There were miles of walking trails that went by indian caves, creeks to wade in and ponds to fish in.  The owners also had goats that days earlier had babies so one evening we got to go visit and hold the baby goats.  Rylee also got to climb the 'mountains' of hay bales they had and slid down them with the owners grandkids Sam & Sarah.  She loved that.  So we tried to have a really relaxing vacation and just stay on our rented 500 plus acres but we also wanted to explore and we could't have picked a better location.  While there we went to see DeSoto Falls, went to the New Salem Mountain Festival, and went to Cloudland Canyon which was an amazing drive up and down some mountain hills.  One of the great things about the cabin was that the owners had decorated it with all of this local art, they themselves own Iron Age Crafters so the house was filled with many of their amazing works as well.  The house was made out of many things they found on the land they lived on and there is a whole binder detailing who made what, and where it came from which I thought was awesome.  One of the tables was made from an old moonshine still that was given to them by a neighboring family.  They also supplied us with so much information about things to do locally, what to do with toddlers, and there were lots of books with history on the area which was also really great.  Staying there really gave you a feel for the Lookout area.
The house (High Horse Lodge)

Here is our wonderful screened porch

Here is the view outside our wonderful screened porch

Fresh wildflowers in almost every room :)

Josh & Ry at Brow Park in Mentone


Ry & me at Brow Park




Wildflowers, wildflowers everywhere!  

Our very own hammock was included too and put to great use by all of us

Baby goats!  So adorable, Rylee was in love





At DeSoto Falls


DeSoto Falls



Cloudland Canyon



Probably one of the best restaurants I have ever ate in.  Amazing creative food,
wonderful atmosphere, great staff, and good music.  I love it.

Waiting on Daddy to bring us dessert.  Great little area to pick flowers and be silly in
right by so of course we had to take some photos.


Dessert & dad... two of Rylee and my favorite things.  Strawberry Crepes...
yes please




Random pictures outside the house















A game of horse shoes



Sunset







One of the walking trails at High Horse