Georgia On My Mind

Atlanta is swiftly becoming one of my favorite destinations with the kids -- namely Aunt Phebe's "cabin" on Blood Mountain (inviting name isn't it? I keep expecting to run into Stephen King as we travel through...wait for it....Slaughter Gap).

But names aside, it's a magical spot that Phebe and her family have been visiting for decades, a place where Paul also spent much of his childhood and now, our kids are lucky enough to visit on the 4th of July. And the visits are made all the better with the extended Haven clan

along. There's uncles John, and Jim and Peter. Aunties Barbara - times two, and the slew of cousins: Nancy and her daughter Oceana. Grey and Keri and their sons Charlie and John....and the newest addition, beautiful Caroline, who was the perfect age, 15 months, to play with Charlotte. Everyone had a playmate.

But really, who needs playmates when you have wooded forest paths, crystal clear creeks to traipse through (the perfect place, Harry learned, to cool your watermelon overnight), bears to "hunt" and a lake to swim in.

Our dinners were very down home -- a collection of southern dishes

from terrific chefs -- I never knew I liked

collard greens and succotash. Frankly I'd never even heard of pole beans and patty pan squash. Now I'm not sure I can

live without them. Or our trips to Blood Mountain.