I was reading an article on the Downtown Copperhill TN website about window replacement and decided I might tackle this project myself. Although it took longer than expected I am quite pleased and I think the energy savings will be significant. Before I replaced the windows I took a primitive approach to test the old windows. While my approach may not be scientific I put my hand on the window sill and on the glass on a sunny day and it was clear that both surfaces were quite warm compared to my room temperature.

After 3 weeks I finally finished replacing all of the windows in my cabin. This was a major project because I wanted to be sure I followed the manufacturers installation directions so I could get the full benefit of these thermal windows. Now that the windows were replaced I waited until the sun was really fierce and tried “Mary’s thermal check” once again. Wow! The windows were not warm to the touch like before. I am amazed that this could be so different. I knew the aluminum frames on the old windows were an issue with humidity and they allowed hot and cold to pass but not only the vinyl casings but the glass in the new windows is preventing heat from transferring too.

I was concerned that I would be disappointed with vinyl windows but I am pleased with the look. I did spend extra on top quality windows because the ones I saw at the local home improvement store looked as cheap as they were. From a distance the windows I chose could be mistaken for wood. This was a concern because I wanted my cabin to look rustic but charming. The truth is that the the old aluminum windows were quite disgusting and even cheap vinyl windows would have been an improvement.

Overall I am very pleased and I saved enough on labor to afford top quality windows. I give 2 thumbs up to replacement windows.

The effect of the real estate bubble bursting is obvious everywhere you go in North Georgia, Ellijay, Blue Ridge, there are so many empty stores and office spaces. Real estate played such a big part in the Georgia Mountains because it was a great place to own a second home. While the housing Industry was booming the market became saturated with carpenters going out on their own and building spec houses. The amount of money being spent was way up because everyone was turning over new homes almost as fast as they were building them. As a new builder sold one spec house the bank would loan builders the money to build 2 and then 3 at a time. The cycle was like a snowball.

Once the bubble burst we had a lot of companies that were employing hundreds die an almost instant death. Many of these small contractors had multiple spec homes and cabins built and they were holding builders loans on them. Once they could no longer pay the interest they were foreclosed on and we saw many dreams shattered. We can only hope that a valuable lesson has been learned by this hardship. Greed truly ran wild in towns like Ellijay and Blue Ridge during the housing bubble.

We have now seen a few banks that contributed to this glut and failure go down with the small contractors. I read this Atlanta Journal Constitution article about an Ellijay builder Theresa Ballard and it was just heart breaking. I have also seen some interesting articles about corruption at the Gilmer County Bank, the bank that financed that builder. Yes, greed and corruption fueled the frenzy, left a saturated market of new homes, a pile of unpaid loans, failed banks, and broken dreams. Let’s hope we have learned a lesson and can rebuild this great North Ga mountain area.

Related Article: Real Estate Investment

Recently I went for a trail ride at a Stable in Blairsville Georgia and it brought back some fond memories but also got me thinking about safety and helmets.

Helmets and other riding safety equipment are now standard for anyone – man, woman, child – who rides horses. Rarely do I see the casual activity of someone riding bareback, without a helmet, and sometimes even barefoot, that I remember so clearly (and fondly) from the horseback riding days of my childhood. Throwing the bridle on my mutt horse, “Juniper,” sometimes using a saddle but more often not, and heading off to a friend’s or out for just a solitary evening or early morning ride. In the summer, especially, “cut-off” shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes were my normal riding attire. No saddle and I would have the dirt and horse hair and sweat on the inside of my legs to prove it. If I had a long ride planned, then I would sometimes saddle Juniper up with my Western saddle. If I had a short ride planned, or just felt like being “fancy,” then my English saddle was my choice.

I was in a horse 4-H club, as well as taking lessons in English pleasure and jumping from a local professional riding teacher. In those days, helmets weren’t even required for class participation and I remember many jumping classes with only my saddle, bridle, and crop in the way of equipment. Boots with heels were advised, but not required, to reduce the risk of a foot slipping through a stirrup. That was all. Helmets and boots were required, though, to participate in the jumping class at shows.

Now, in these more “enlightened” times, we’ve come a long way in safety awareness and most parents would be horrified at the thought of sending their child off on a half ton animal without the appropriate safety gear. As fondly as I remember the days of casual riding, I’m glad that safety is now a priority.

There are many outdoor pastimes that give people the thrill of their life, but not all of those pastimes include the beautiful scenery and views that rock climbing can offer. Rock climbing is not only a physical task, but also a mental one as well. People who participate in this outdoor sport are looking for something more than a simple athletic day outside. They are looking for an adventure. However, when going rock climbing, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind in order to stay safe.

First of all, you need to stretch and warm up your body before leaving to go rock climbing. If you are going to be climbing for a long time, there could be a possibility for muscles to cramp up. This causes a highly unsafe situation for the climber and the people that are with them.

Also, you should practice your grip and work on finding your center of balance. When climbing, you need to relax and not stress when finding the grip on each step of the way. In fact, gripping too hard is known to cause more problems in rock climbing than it does help stabilize a person’s grip. When you grip too hard your hands are more likely to slip.

Lastly, finding your center of balance will greatly improve the rock climbing experience. Once you are familiar with this you can figure out where and how to shift your weight. Your next move will start to feel natural when making progress in the climb. You just need to be conscious about weight distribution and where your body is moving in order to find your center of balance.

These simple tips will help keep new rock climbers everywhere safer on every trip, letting them relax a little more and enjoy both the exercise and the scenic views. When people take caution they are more likely to relax and really take in the nature that is around them. Rock climbing should be a pastime to be enjoyed and a great adventure for all without having to worry about the risk involved. The more you learn about and practice safety the more relaxed you will feel.

There are plenty of cabins to choose from in North Georgia and one of the best sites to find a variety of Georgia cabins for rent is North Georgia Mountain Cabin Rentals. There is another cabin rental site with plenty of rental cabins to choose from too. If you like the idea of a mountain cabin rental but you prefer amenities like swimming pools and stocked ponds then you will love the cabin rentals in the Coosawattee River Resort. Some of them are for sale too. Choose from 1 to 3 bedrooms some with a Jacuzzi and most are pet friendly cabins too.

The mountain areas of Ellijay and Blue Ridge are well known for vacation rentals and I love it in the Appalachian mountains so much that I moved there after my first visit. For the younger visitors they have kayaking, whitewater rafting, and plenty of mountain bike trails. If you are like me then you will enjoy antique shopping and reading a good book on the deck outside while the sun rejuvenates you. Everybody loves to relax in a nice hot jacuzzi and many cabins have that option.

For those traveling with pets you will be glad to know that more and more cabin owners are allowing pets. I’m not sure if the property management companies are responsible or the competition, either way there are pet friendly cabins to choose form.

With the economy down and less travelers visiting the area you can get a vacation rental in Ellijay or Blue Ridge GA for some of the lowest prices in 10 years. Like they sing “now is the time, now is the time…”

A friend of mine just wrote a good article that explains the difference between renting a cabin and motel or hotel on vacation. The way she puts it you would think motels in mountain areas like Blue Ridge would be out of business.

When I first moved to North Georgia I lived in a rental cabin for a few months until I found the one I wanted to buy. It was a cozy little place, the only bedroom was the loft. It had a neat old wood burning stove and a beautiful mountain view.

I have never wanted to return to the suburbs and can no longer imagine enduring the traffic and hectic lifestyle I once endured in the big city. There is no amount of money that is worth giving up how peaceful I feel in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I will be touring Blue Ridge, Ellijay, and Chatsworth this weekend for the best Christmas light displays. If you know where some of the best displays are let me know so I can photograph them. I will post pictures and reviews on Monday. I really love this time of year and I hope we get a White Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All!