Travels – Page 31 – Paint Your Landscape

Fall Colors and the Niagara of the South

October 19, 2013October 20, 2013LuAnn

After a couple of days of steady rains, cabin fever has set in. Yesterday I stepped outside to see a strange golden orb in the sky, not without a little cloud cover mind you, but yet I saw it. “Let’s go”, I shouted, “before the day escapes us!” It was time to see some fall color and I feared with all the rain I had missed the trees announcing the change of seasons in their own unique fashion. Until I could get outside and see for myself, there was no convincing this gal that they hadn’t already peaked. Silly me!

The truth is, central Kentucky’s trees are only at about 20% peak color well into mid-October, emerging slower than past years. Maples, poplars, hickories, black walnuts, beeches, sweet gums and sassafras trees are holding fast to their verdant greens of summer, just beginning to turn their trademark autumn golds and reds. It is as if they know what is to come, a quick peak that will be over within a blink of an eye, then late autumn’s chill and ensuing winds will strip them bare, a stark reminder that winter is not far behind.

We headed to Lake Cumberland, a popular vacation destination for those interested in hiking, boating, fishing, or just chillin’ on a deck of one of the various lodges overlooking the lake, with refreshment in hand. With over 1200 miles of shoreline, this reservoir covers 65,500 acres and this time of year has a sublimely tranquil feel.

As of September 2011 the lake is about 50 feet below its normal levels due to a crack in the Wolf Creek Dam. Engineers are keeping a close eye on this situation, as water seepage has begun to erode the limestone under the dam, causing some concern for a breach and subsequent flooding. From my reading, no good solutions have yet been devised for sealing the crack. One would never suspect anything was amiss, looking out over these placid waters.

We ventured further east into the Daniel Boone National Forest to check out Natural Arch. Having our hearts firmly entrenched in the west, where hiking into the wilderness will reward you with many red rock arches, we ratcheted down our expectations a bit. Yes, this sandstone arch, spanning 78 feet across and reaching 65 feet into the sky, is not as stately as those found in Arizona or Utah, but enveloped by the rich, warm hues of autumn, it was quite lovely.

Our last stop of the day was Cumberland Falls, known by some as the “Niagara of the South”. This waterfall forms a 125-foot wide curtain of water that plunges 7 stories into a boulder-strewn gorge. It is reputed to be the largest waterfall east of the Mississippi and south of Niagara Falls. Having seen Niagara Falls, I have to say that this waterfall (imho) cannot hold a candle to the real deal, but it does have one unique quality found nowhere else in the Western Hemisphere. On a clear night during a full moon, or a few days before or after the full moon, the mist of Cumberland Falls creates the magic of the moonbow, a spectacular nighttime rainbow.

The best time to photograph the falls, other than during this phenomenon, is during the morning hours. Unfortunately, because of our drive and many stops along the way, we did not arrive until late afternoon, but I was able to capture a double rainbow even at this hour.

And wonder of all wonders, the government is open once again so it is on to Mammoth Caves and Abe Lincoln’s birthplace. Since Kentucky is the horse capital of the world, I am chomping at the bit 😉 to visit some of the thoroughbred horse farms in the area.

Bridge spanning Cumberland River, near the falls

Right on the Mark…at Maker’s Mark

October 13, 2013LuAnn

Given our plans to go back to Ohio for the Christmas holiday, we have elected to maintain a slow pace for the next couple of months. Although our hearts are in the West, having both grown up in the Midwest we’ve decided it is time to explore some states right outside our childhood backyard. We suspect that the culture of some of the small towns we plan to visit will fit well with this slower travel pace.

Beautiful autumn day at Maker's Mark — Beautiful autumn day at Maker’s Mark

Kentucky is the first state on our list, birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, horse capital of the world, and home to the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Thanks to the government shutdown :(, which has closed the gates to national parks and landmarks, we have literally been driven to drink (hehe). Terry decided the first order of business was to hit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This delighted him to no end, but the prospect of sipping bourbon quite frankly made me shudder, not one to imbibe in whiskey.

Meandering down narrow country roads, we came upon Maker’s Mark, a small-batch bourbon distillery outside the tiny town of Loretto. The grounds, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1980, are quite picturesque and a feeling of serenity sets in as soon as your toes touch the ground.

Serene grounds mark this National Historic Landmark

Be forewarned, should you decide to go, if you want a taste, you’ve got to take the tour, and if you are lucky enough to snag Aggie as your guide, you are in for a treat.

Quart House, designated America’s oldest remaining “retail package liquor store”

President Lyndon Johnson’ specifications, dubbed the “Bourbon Laws”, are the gold standard today for classifying whiskey as bourbon:

Grain mix must be at least 51% corn
Must be stored in new, charred white oak barrels
Must be no more than 160 proof (Maker’s Mark is 90 proof)
Aged at least 2 years
No added ingredients to color or flavor it
Must be made in America

Maker’s Mark is a 4^th generation distillery, with an interesting family story and some very unique qualities. William Samuels Sr. is credited with the original Maker’s Mark recipe, determined to use red winter wheat instead of the rye that most other distillers were using. During the planning stage he didn’t have time to distill and age each batch for tasting, so instead opted to make a loaf of bread from each recipe. The bread baked with no rye was the hands-down winner, hence no rye in this bourbon.

The Maker’s Mark trademark name was created by William’s wife Margie, who also designed the signature label.

It was a very hands-on process when production began in 1954, and remains so to this day. Its uniqueness can be summed up by four W’s:

Water – pure limestone spring water, absolute best for making bourbon
Wheat – replaces rye used by most distillers
Wood – 150 to 200-year-old cypress barrels to store the sour mash
Wax – distinctive hand-dipped red wax seals

Maker’s Mark uses the same old roller mill they always have to slowly crush the grains, which are then mixed with limestone-laden water to begin the distilling process. This grain and water mix is placed into 150-year old cypress barrels to begin the fermenting process, breaking down into a sour mash.

Fingers in the sour mash? Just all part of the tour.

Fast forward to laying the whiskey to rest, where it is poured into white oak barrels that have been charred on the inside for 40 seconds, to open the pores in the wood and caramelize the natural sugars. These barrels are now ready for the rickhouse, a warehouse several stories tall, where they are stored for aging. Maker’s Mark is one of the few distilleries that hand-rotates its 500-pound barrels from the upper to lower levels of the rickhouse during the aging process to even out differences in temperature on the various floors.

After three years a tasting committee samples the bourbon to determine which barrels are ready to be rotated down to a more humid, cooler floor of the warehouse, to reside for the rest of the aging process.

And now for the moment most have anticipated during the tour, the tasting room.

After all this schooling on the distilling of bourbon, I have worked up a thirst and my curiosity has been peaked. Not bad, but have I become a spirits’ convert? Nope, give me a glass of red wine any day! Terry, however, enjoyed it so much a bottle of their special Maker’s 46 came home with us, but not before he sealed his own bottle.

For those who have ever played cards with Terry, dealing blackjack in Vegas is not in his future (hehe) but he may be onto something with this dipping gig. 😉

Terry's dip of perfection — Terry’s dip of perfection

Some of Maker’s Mark profits go to Habitat for Humanity and the preservation and development of new public parklands. Now that is something I can raise a glass to!

Farewell to Summer

October 7, 2013LuAnn

Yesterday…

eyes brightly reflect

flushed innocent faces

unlimited possibilities

vast as billowing clouds

grazing azure heavens

~Hopefulness swells~

Today…

shoulders rounded

life’s weight evident

dreams withered

cast like seed heads

astride stiffening winds

~Resignation settling~

Tomorrow…

isolated thoughts

whispering when…how

days’ limits palpable

reverberate bittersweet

in slowing gait

~Farewell to summer~

Time to bid adieu to summer, our season of myriad changes, emotions, and revelations, but mostly one of blessings, for time allowed to aid aging parents with their struggle to retain independence, light-hearted family visits, friends who touched us in innumerable ways, and the gift of continued inner growth. Although there are aspects of this summer we hope not to revisit, we are grateful for the wisdom we have gained. Farewell Ohio!

Ringing of the Bell

September 28, 2013LuAnn

The symbolism of the ringing of bells has been widely recognized throughout the ages and spans the globe. They have been used to awaken us, mark the beginning and ending of religious services, summon lawmakers to legislative sessions, used in celebrations, warn of dangers…the list goes on and on. In this context, they serve as a rite of passage, for those who walk through these doors, heavy-hearted and fearful, and leave with hope in their hearts, grateful for the compassionate care given to them by the medical staff and the companionship of others whom they have met on this path.

Yesterday was Terry’s final radiation treatment and as I stood waiting for him to emerge from the patient waiting area, a sadness enveloped me, an odd feeling I thought, on a day meant for celebration. I shared this with one of his technicians and Nicole, the patient advocate, who both explained how completely normal this was (me, completely normal?!). Something that had become a daily routine, something that could be done to eradicate this insidious disease, had abruptly come to an end. It made perfect sense to be having this experience. What did not make sense to Terry, and what he was totally unprepared for, was the sudden emotion that washed over him. Although greatly relieved that this chapter was coming to a close, he was also walking away from part of his family, a very kind, compassionate, supportive family at that.

We will forever carry in our hearts all who wrapped us in their loving care and are most grateful for the remarkable medical staff at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

yesterday’s struggles

are today’s celebrations

wrapped in gratitude

Is this the way?

Success and the end of a journey!

Nicole, caring patient advocate, and always-in-motion Gayle, receptionist extraordinaire

Summer Fun ~ Kid Style

July 6, 2013LuAnn

No matter what your upbringing I suspect the kickoff of summer elicits memories of sun-drenched days, when nothing was more important that cramming as many outdoor activities as possible into your weeks before school bells began tolling once again.

Those summer childhood memories for me meant baseball, long bike rides with friends, barbecues complete with the sticky-sweet juiciness of watermelon dripping down my face and arms, swimming, and waterskiing. Although I grew up in the midwest and was oblivious to the stunning coastlines with their massive expanses of sand and surf, we were not without our man-made beach where even on a cool cloudy day we could be found shivering at the water’s edge, waiting for direction from our swimming coach.

We took a respite from laboring on the farm and headed to my childhood stomping grounds, where my baby brother and his family still live, a great place to raise a family, but too small for this claustrophobic girl to stick around long after high school. However, there seemed no better way to ring in the summer than to participate in my nephew’s 9th birthday party, including a barbecue out at the beach.

As we headed west the skies opened up and the deluge began, threatening to spoil big party plans. As I sit here writing, I believe it has been 20 straight days since the rains appeared and this trend looks to continue for the next week. Fortunately, by mid-morning of Blake’s special day, the sun came out and we experienced sunny, beach-ready weather.

Vehicles laden with food, toys, and a new puppy, we headed to the beach prepared to celebrate a 9-year old’s highly anticipated day. As in most places revisited as an adult, this sandy bit of beach that we passed seemed much smaller than I remembered. Boating and waterskiing were to take the place of sand between the toes on this day.

Blake skiing like a pro

Paige preparing to knee-board with a girlfriend

My godson Seth with his nephew Ty

Al manning the grill

Lots of kids ready for cake

Terry and new puppy Kali after a busy day

Too much fun for the birthday boy Blake

Visiting with family, playing games, reliving a small slice of days past through the eyes of children was a most relaxing way to spend a few days…priceless. At the end of this month we will head back to celebrate Seth’s 16th birthday. Mom and dad, how does it feel to have your firstborn getting behind the wheel of a car?!