My dad lives only a few miles outside of Athens TN. I haven't been down there in years, although we are planning on going this fall for a visit.

Where my dad lives is in the 'boonies' but yet only a few miles from Athens and a reasonable driving distance from the tourist sections of the Smokey Mnts. Natl' park, Gatlinburg, Dollywood etc for a day trip.

Sorry I don't have pix to post. The only pix I have of the area are from a film camera and my scanner isn't working right so I can scan them into the cpu.

Talked to dad the other night and he said they're having a drought in the area really bad, and they've had alot of heat lately. Summers can get fairly hot and dry down there. I've personally sat under his carport when it was 106 degrees in the shade during August. A/C is a must in the summer there.

Houses/land is less expensive down there, as well as groceries and whatnot, but mostly because the avg. wages earned down there is less than more populated areas more North in the Midwest.