Thunder Canyon is a beautiful campground in Ider, Alabama. We have visited several times. As you can see, Mattie and Trooper absolutely love their visits to this campground. We’ve included a couple swimming videos, too!
Goose Pond Colony is a county run campground in Scottsboro, Alabama. It is located on the shores of the Tennessee River which flows into Lake Guntersville. We have traveled here for years as Charlie does work for the city of Scottsboro. There is a nice little peninsula where we can sometimes let the dogs run. Be sure to click on the pictures.
Mattie and Trooper love running around in the field next door. I lucked out and snapped this photo during a brief rest. 
Mattie and Bobbi have a stairway love affair. From day one, Mattie always pauses going up the stairs and waits on Bobbi to give her some loving. Afterward, given the word, Mattie will continue the rest of the way up the stairs. It is precious!
The week before Thanksgiving, we were blessed to have a three night getaway to Red Top State Park in Acworth, Georgia. This little piece of heaven is located just a few miles off the interstate. On this particular trip, we did not tow our Jeep and just enjoyed staying at the park. We were able to get in many hikes which Trooper and Mattie enjoyed. For some reason, we didn’t have our cameras out but once to snap this year’s Christmas photo. Sometimes, it is nice to put the technology down and just enjoy the time together. Before heading home, we went attended a sporting clays event at Garmon Mountain, about 30 miles north in Waleska, Georgia. If you are into sporting clays, this is a place you must visit. If you are not into the sport, you need to plan on visiting anyway to dine at the restaurant on site – the Garland Mountain Grill. Your taste buds will thank you! Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas!
We searched high and low to find a destination for a week long camping trip. Originally, we had reservations to meet up with friends in Virginia Beach. When they had to cancel, we decided to look for a getaway closer to home. Needless to say, this was not an easy task! It seems during the pandemic, camping is now the preferred activity. Thankfully, we were able to secure a spot at Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. We had a terrific time! The hiking trails were enjoyed by all of us, especially Mattie and Trooper. Our campsite was just around the corner from a scenic overlook facing the east. Thanks to Trooper’s 5:00AM internal alarm clock, we were able to catch the sunrise a couple of mornings. In addition to the state park, we explored every dog park in the area and dined at several dog-friendly eating establishments in the area. One afternoon, the humans were able to visit the U.S. Veteran’s Memorial Museum. We have visited many military museums in our time but this one has to rank at the top of our list. This museum houses memorabilia, weapons & vehicles from the American Revolution to present. You can see the very first Jeep (serial #1)! The absolute highlight of our visit was meeting Vietnam Veteran D. Troutman who volunteers his time renovating military vehicles. He is also an artist. You will see one his paintings below, honoring the service and sacrifice of so many to our country. We thank him and all our veterans for their service!
This past weekend we tested out our newest rig at a brand new campground in Alabama. We highly recommend all of our fellow campers visit Franks Point of View in Ashland, Alabama. Set in Alabama’s Talladega National Forest, you will experience the most magnificent views and sunsets in the southeast! The folks who run the campground are super friendly, including the family dog, Nellie. Trooper, Mattie and Nellie had a great time playing together and chasing balls. We will definitely be back to visit as this gem of a location is only 70 miles from home.
The field by our property is beautiful this time of year. Mattie takes a break from bird hunting to pose for a photograph. Trooper has other plans today!
When the vacuum cleaner comes out, Mattie and Trooper tend to stay clear. The living room dog beds are stacked and moved for easier cleaning. Lately, both critters have taken a liking to the extra plushness of this three tiered dog bed. The bear with Mattie is not a staged picture! Believe it or not, she sandwiched herself in-between the beds and propped up Mr. Bear herself!
Mattie and Trooper were cooperative in our efforts to take a Christmas photo this year. Mattie was especially cooperative and willing to pose through experimental sessions with the Christmas lights. While these pictures didn’t make our official 2019 Christmas Card, we still love them!
