Thanksgiving Getaway in our West Virginia Cabin

It's getting to be that time of year again - it's November and before you know it Thanksgiving will be upon us! Thanksgiving is truly a great holiday - a day of reflection, a day filled with great food and family, beautiful parades and lots of football. If all of that isn't enough Thanksgiving is also the one day of the year that allows us to officially usher in the start of the Holiday Season! I don't know about you, but for me the holidays can't start until Santa takes his annual ride down Times Square as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Once the ride is complete the craziness of the season has officially begun!

Last year we actually took advantage of the long Thanksgiving Day weekend and made our way out to Mountain Valley Retreat for some great rest and relaxation before the hustle and bustle of the holidays began. There was no better way to relax and recharge than spending time at our mountain hideaway. We enjoyed great breakfasts together vs. our normal crazy morning routine and lazed around by the fire as a family until late morning. Once we were all up and moving about we spent the days taking in a few movies on TV, going for leisurely walks around the house and we even spent one afternoon up at Snowshoe Ski Resort where we enjoyed a great dinner and watched the early season skiers make their runs down the slopes. It even snowed a bit during our stay which thrilled the kids to no end! All-in-all it was the perfect opportunity to rest and regroup in preparation for the hectic holiday season. And for those of you wondering how I could actually leave Black Friday behind - it wasn't a problem at all - we've got WiFi remember?

Snowshoe Ski Resort is gearing up for another great season!

The weather is definitely changing in the mountains of West Virginia. The last reminders of summer are all but gone and the fall season is quickly being overshadowed by glimpses of winter. It seems as if everywhere I've turned today there's been a story in the news or a comment in my twitter stream talking about the early snowfall throughout the state. All of this got me thinking about the upcoming ski season and Snowshoe Ski Resort is on my mind today. I visited the resort's website today - opening day is set for November 25th - are you ready?

The Ghosts of Droop Mountain

I just stumbled onto a great article in the Pocahontas County Times that talks about the various Droop Mountain ghost legends. For those who are unaware, Droop Mountain was the site of the last major conflict of the American Civil War in West Virginia. A private in the U.S. Army at the Battle of Droop Mountain, John Sutton, became the leader in the movement to create the park when he served in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Dedicated on July 4, 1928, Droop Mountain Battlefield became the first state park in West Virginia.

Droop Mountain is a great place to go hiking with the family and it also has a wonderful re-creation of a Civil War era observation tower that provides amazing views of the Greenbrier River Valley. All of that aside, after reading this article I'm wondering how I'm gonna feel the next time we visit - I'm sure to think that someone's watching me!

Enjoy the great read! - http://www.pocahontastimes.com/index.php?id=982