This is Dogwood Cottage, our home away from home in the Great Smoky Mountains for a week.

Our annual trip to the mountains has been just what it’s supposed to be: beautiful and restful. My sister, my dog, and I arrived at Dogwood Cottage in Haywood County Monday for a bit of R&R. And that’s what we’ve been doing.

Not a bad view from the porch of our cottage, is it?

You could add another “R” to that. Along with resting and relaxing, we’ve been riding. We went into downtown Waynesville on Tuesday. By the way, downtown Waynesville is very dog friendly. There’s a dog bakery downtown. Tyler thoroughly enjoyed it.

We’re tailgating on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On Wednesday, we stopped by a KFC (just like we used to when we’d go on trips as children with Mom and Dad), and had a tailgating picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Tyler relaxes while chewing on a hoof on the porch.

What’s in store for today? We’re thinking about a trip to Cherokee. Later in the week, we’ll hike up to Max Patch on the Appalachian Trail.