from 'burbs to acres

Hey y'all! Some of y'all know—we packed up in November 2024 and moved from the north Georgia suburbs to a holler in southeast Kentucky. What started as a dream to find some space and slow down turned into something much bigger: creating a place where others could do the same.

We searched high and low across the Southeast for the right piece of land. (Truth be told, I've always wanted Montana or Wyoming—but the Mister wasn’t about to brave those winters!) We weren’t too picky about the state, as long as it had some acreage, a water feature, and mountains. Somehow, that search led us to a small town in Gray, Kentucky—population around 3,000. There’s no stoplight in town, just a handful of stop signs and more churches than businesses. Somewhere completely unexpected but ended up exactly what we were looking for.

It was raw, rugged, and completely overgrown—about 150 acres of untouched land, as wild as it gets. We laced up our boots and started trekking through waist-high grass that reached ten feet in some spots. Then, we saw it. A two-acre pond tucked into the hills. I was pretty much sold at this point. There was something peaceful about the way the hills rolled and the pond reflected the sky and trees. After soaking it all in for a few moments, we kept exploring—following old, overgrown four-wheeler trails that wound their way up to a ridge. And that’s when it really hit us. The sky opened up. The view stretched out in every direction. Hills rolled out in every direction, layered with colorful trees and quiet. The kind of view that makes you stop talking and just breathe it in. We had our decision made before we left. We saw the potential and the beauty in the wild. We called our realtor right after we left and asked her to submit an offer. Our first bid was accepted, and we closed the deal.

And that was the beginning of the journey—or at least the idea of it. All of that happened back in 2023, but we didn’t officially make the move until November 2024. We stayed in Georgia to let the kids finish out the school year—our oldest was graduating and getting ready for college. From May 2024 on, everything still seemed to drag out longer than we planned. Much longer. But eventually, we got here—and that’s when the real adventure started.

Over the winter, our main focus was getting our living situation figured out. I’ll spare you the unrelated details—but let’s just say, it was definitely an adventure for the three of us! And once again—everything took longer than expected. If you’ve heard anything about Kentucky’s weather lately, you’ll understand why. Over the last six months, we’ve been hit with just about everything—snow, ice, flooding, tornadoes, thunderstorms, wind storms, hail storms, frigid temperatures—and not just once, but multiple times of each. We didn’t even get power to our own place until February! (Have I mentioned that we moved here in November? Yep, we lived off a small generator for three months. Have you seen gas prices? Told y’all—this has definitely been an adventure!) But, even with all the challenges, we wouldn’t trade it for anything. We’d still choose this wild adventure every time.

We finally rolled into spring—and after months of battling the weather, we were more than ready to get our hands in the dirt. With a few dry days on our side, we were able to have real roads cut around the property. What used to be rough old 4-wheeler trails are now drivable paths winding around the pond and climbing up into the hills. It felt like a major turning point—watching the land start to open up and take shape.

From there, we bushwhacked paths, hauled out truckloads of junk (vacant land tends to become a dumping spot for others), picked out some campsites, and slowly carved out what is now Gray Hills. We still battled lots of setbacks—more weather, equipment breakdowns, you name it. But we also had nights under the stars, mornings watching deer drink from the pond, and the satisfaction of seeing it all come together - slowly, but surely.

We finally got close enough to go ahead and invite campers. We still have lots to do, but we always will. We've kept it simple on purpose. The campsites are primitive with no hookups and no concrete pads because that’s how we prefer to camp, and let's be honest—we may not do this forever, and while tents can come and go, concrete is forever - or at least harder to remove. Just a fire pit, a quiet spot to throw your tent or park your camper, and a view that makes you take a deep breath. We believe in leaving space for nature—and for people to unplug and reconnect.

We’re still working on it, and probably always will be. But we’re proud of how far it’s come. If you’ve stayed with us already, thank you. If you’re thinking about it, we can’t wait to have you.

Breathe Deep & Stay Wild!

First look at the land that would become Gray Hills—wild, overgrown, and full of possibility.

The wildest paths lead to the best views.

Wild and peaceful all at once.

Tall grass, taller dreams.

That first ridge walk—when we knew.