Day-tripping Coddywomple to the Fairy Tale Cabin in the Enchanted Forest

By Renae Brabham

Bird-speak, quieted by breaking branches of other wild critters, reminds me of how earth once was, how it still can be if we don't cut everything down.

I love car trips to destinations unknown. Trips within a five-hour radius of coastal South Carolina are perfect for me. This day-trip was approximately 20 minutes further out than my usual excursions, but I knew the experience was going to be worth it, because I know Kara O'Brien and that's what she does best. I first met Kara and her partner Kate when my friend and I did a day trip to herAlpapa Bamboo Forest Tree Housein the suburbs of Atlanta a few years back. 

My belly tickles a little from excitement, mingled with a tad bit of respectful fear of the unknown zip code. The first stop was to pick up my friend on the way to Hot Damn Alabama. Per usual we talked non-stop for about 3 hours, plumb across the state of Georgia. I told her the time zone should change soon and told her Alabama is in the central time zone and one hour behind us. She said "Oh", looking surprised and then told me, "I didn't know where we were going, I thought we were going to North Carolina. I was cracking up, she was still talking, "I told Glenn and the kids that I really didn't care, I was just going wherever you were taking me."

Windows and woods, I didn't worry that anyone was looking in because — we are alone. And whatever could see me from the dark, won't tell.  

The terrafirma started changing, we began ascending and descending Alabama’s rambling hills. Five hours and 30 minutes after I left my driveway, we pulled up to the gate of the Enchanted Forest. We would be staying in theAirbnb Fairy Tale Cabin,the first of the unique experience short term rentals that Kara is building here. The aptly named cabin is perched on a sloping woodline. Two river rock chimneys were the inspiration for the design. Kara happened upon them on a hike one day looking at properties. The two old forgotten chimneys called out to her to re-habitate the forest. Kara is a very good wordsmith and I won't even try to recall the work that has gone into the originality of this structure. She does it best, and I will provide the link for her to do so. My pics should tell the story pretty well too. 

The end result of her labor leads to a rewarding rest for the weary and rejuvenation for the not so weary. Quiet solitude just oozes from this place. Bird-speak, quieted by breaking branches of other wild critters, reminds me of how earth once was, how it still can be if we don't cut everything down. Windows and woods, I didn't worry that anyone was looking in because — we are alone. And whatever could see me from the dark, won't tell. This place is just magical. Think antique barn wood planks, tin, glass doorknobs, and stained glass. No TV, no want for it. The kitchen has a beautiful granite countertop, the bath has a stone tile floor crafted with pieces of pottery and tile, and glass bottles from the initial clearing of the land here. There wasn't a single thing we needed on our trip, everything was thought out for us. We just dropped our bags, grabbed an apple, some cheese, and a couple of wine glasses and headed to the porch to dissolve the ride away in a Adirondack and nest swing.

A ledge by the outside chimney holds the buried treasures of the woods brought back by other guests; Bottles, bones, ceramics, enamelware, old baby rattle and now an old metal matchbox car.

I knew that I probably should read the guest book to get the where, when and why's, but I didn't want the act to bring me back from my swing/wine/apple and cheese induced state of being just yet. I cooked us some salmon on toasted english muffins, topped with over easy eggs and sided with avocado and brie. The double element cooktop was perfect for this. Time stopped, literally. We could barely make it to 8 o'clock before climbing the ladder to the big comfy loft bed. Nicely weighted coverlets and good sheets, that's the ticket to slumberland. Oh, and the magnificent large sky light! A blanket of stars was the last thing I remembered that night. The morning was a chilly 42 degrees. I made my tea extra hot and made my way to the nest swing on the porch. I was wrapped up in the couch blanket, steaming tea, hoodie pulled up when the sun crested through the tree's. Birds were waking, and I could hear the bray of cattle as they were being let out from stalls nearby. My friend joined me shortly. She and I migrated back and forth between making coffee and tea and back to the porch all morning. 

I spied a walking stick by the chimney and headed to Wolf Creek, the quiet creek meanders by Kara’s property. It was a magnificent walk, vibrant fall leaves peppered me the entire way. I closed my eyes while sitting in the reclining chair by the creek. AI can't reproduce the real thing, it may duplicate the sounds, even the sight of it, but it can't make me "feel" it. The breeze, the leaves rustling, the hawks calling, the trickle of the water as it slaps over the beaver dam. I even got to see the beaver before we left the next day. I pulled a half buried matchbox car from the ground to take back to theFairy Tale Cabin.A ledge by the outside chimney holds the buried treasures of the woods brought back by other guests; Bottles, bones, ceramics, enamelware, old baby rattle and now an old metal matchbox car. 

The next morning as I watched my friend latch the gate to the Enchanted Forest, I felt grateful for the time we spent together, the super long days of Alabama and my incredibly creative and talented friend Kara.

Later I walked down the path to another plot that Kara is building, a thatch covered earthen home right smack into the hillside. It will be looking out over a steep embankment and into the brilliant sunrises over the valley below. The evening was spent digesting the most wonderful authentic Mexican food ever from a restaurant Kara recommended. The night was creeping in as we returned. My friend enjoyed some time in the jacuzzi on the platform built around the second chimney that Kara happened upon that day. A huge barred owl flew off behind us as we relaxed more outside into the night. Okay, so it was only 7:30. The next morning as I watched my friend latch the gate to the Enchanted Forest, I felt grateful for the time we spent together, the super long days of Alabama and my incredibly creative and talented friend Kara. I hope she keeps salvaging and building and making things to share for a long time to come.