Adventures
Berea Craft Festival & Boone Tavern
So Handsome and I took a break from doing projects at the house and went on a day date 😘 That’s correct a day date! By the time we get done with work during the week and whatever were working on over the weekends I am so exhausted that I would never make it to dinner and movie, so we came up with day dates! I really think it’s a neat idea, there is so much to see and so much to do here in the Bluegrass state!
So we headed to Berea for their annual craft festival. Berea is a quaint town known for its rich history and beautiful crafts. It’s home to a private liberal arts college where the students create amazing art.
The festival had artists from all around the United States. Some artists were giving live demonstrations on how they make their crafts and there was even artists entertaining with music.
This artist was dying various yarn and wool for knitting, weaving and crocheting.
There were some artists who were sharing their craft with performing and singing.
Then of course there was food! Amazing food!!!!!! So we had to go visit the Amish because they are known for their amazing FRIED PIES!!!! Amazing! Handsome and I split an apple pie!
Well of course I couldn’t leave with out buying something so I found an artist who took very small flours that he grows and presses them in glass! Absolutely beautiful. This is the one I brought home with me.
Then Handsome surprised me with lunch at Boone Tavern. Boone Tavern is a historical hotel that was built in 1909 as a guest house for those visiting Berea College.
The food was AMAZING and the service was none other than southern hospitality!
Handsome of course ordered the burger and I got the Tavern salad, but nothing beats the traditional spoon bread! If you’ve never had spoon bread you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s not the prettiest thing in the world but it absolutely wonderful!! Yum!!
After that we went to some of the local shops in the area and there was a student from Berea College making place settings and coasters on the loom. She even gave me a lesson!!!! I was super excited- looks harder than you think, I swear there’s a science behind it!
It was beautiful day and wonderful day date with my Handsome! 😘
Another adventure in the Bluegrass state, many more to come….
The Great Adventure Out West
First Stop – Olympic National Park
So our morning started out pretty earlier….6:00 a.m. and that’s west coast time…we were used to Kentucky time.
Our flight landed in Seattle Friday night at 11:40 p.m. of course delayed…so we were running on about 3 hours of sleep and a Starbucks!!!!!!
So this was the farthest I had been a way from home and I felt like I was on the biggest adventure of my life.
My sister, dad, Handsome and I planned to travel from Olympic National Park and work our way to Glacier National Park and finish at Yellowstone National Park.
So I’m not proud of this next pic but the roads out there seem to be nothing like I-65 back in Kentucky…so after drinking all of that Starbucks we needed a potty break…and yes this was the ONLY place we could find….please don’t judge me….but when Mother Nature calls you can’t be picky.
Kalaloch Beach “a good place to land”
The Tidal Pools at Kalaloch Beach were absolutely amazing!
The tide pools are home to all different kinds of sea creatures.
My sister found a sea cucumber… pretty interesting. However, I don’t think its looks like a cucumber, or at least not one I would like to have on my salad! Haha
My favorite sea creatures in the tide pools where the sea stars and they were everywhere….I love the vibrant colors of these two sea stars!
Dad was the photographer for most of trip so he is not in our first picture.
After leaving Kalaloch Beach we traveled down the road to find the infamous Root Tree…. and when I say Root Tree… I mean ROOT TREE!!! It was fascinating to see a live tree with its roots exposed.
The Root Tree
Here is a picture of my sister and dad, and myself sitting below the roots of the Root Tree!
The next place we went to was Ruby Beach. This beach was filled with all of these wonderful flat stone rocks and the home to giant boulders.
Ruby Beach
The beach had huge boulders down the coastline.
Also the beach had these flat beach stones that people had stacked and placed them along the tops of driftwood the tide had brought in. Shhhh don’t tell anyone but I took some of those rocks to make my own zen stacking rocks at home…. I will let you know when I get that put together…. I hope it’s ok that I took them….
*I am going to start with a disclosure statement: the only reason this part of the posted has been inserted is at the request of the rest of my family on the trip.*
There was a BIGFOOT sighting while we were visiting Ruby Beach. As you can see from the pictures below the BigFoot was found to be one of us….can you imagine who?……ME! My Dad took this lovely picture which captured me walking down the beach in such a way that reminded him of a picture he had once seen of a BogFoot sighting on a beach….. and I think you can figure the rest of it out…..Needless to say this picture was posted all over Facebook and Instagram to be shared with the rest of the world…..Haha!
After ending our first day we went and checked into the Lake Crescent Lodge which is a turn-of-the-century resort that was built in 1912. And it was definitely turn-of-the-century, it did not have any TVs or telephones. Now I understand that this may not come a shock to some of you, but to me was an absolute shocker! Evidently this a place where you come to be unplugged and off the grid. However, it was a very beautiful place to stay and amazing food. This was our magnificent view of Lake Crescent.
On day 2 at Olympic National Park we went to the Sol Duc Falls. We had to hike a .8 mils trail back into the wilderness but it was well worth it.
At this next picture you can tell I am just so happy I made it to the falls…I am not much of a hiker!… Ha!
The next place we came to was this stop for a salmon viewing, which evidently the salmon can no longer be seen at this place. However, we took some amazing pictures of the canopy of the trees.
I have to say that this is my favorite picture of the entire trip…..me looking to the heavens.
Our final stop in Olympic National Park was Hurricane Ridge. It has stunning view of the mountain ridge lines but it was a little foggy there and snowing a bit. It was kinda weird to experience snow in June, but that is not the only place we had snow…I will get to that a little later.
It was extremely cold and windy….brrrr….or so I thought until we arrived at our next park…but we survived!
Second Stop – Glacier National Park
Our next stop was Glacier National Park, however the weather wasn’t so nice and prevented us from seeing and doing some things we had planned. Upon our arrival there was a winter storm warning and some areas even received up to 10 inches of snow…brrrr……
Our plans for the first day at Glacier National Park were horseback riding through park. That morning when we woke it was 37 degrees and misty rain….so Handsome and I decided that we would sit this one out, but Amber and Dad braved the winter storm and pushed on…..although, I small part of each of them wished that hadn’t. The trail ride lasted about 2 hours and they were in higher elevation which was colder than 37 degrees and not a misty rain, but a snowy rain. I think they both were afraid that had hypothermia by the end of the ride….see why Handsome and I decided to sit this one out….
So our first day at Glacier National Park was somewhat uneventful….. We then had dinner at Lake McDonald Lodge which they had an amazing Lentil Tomato Soup…which I think I am going to try and mimic that recipe…. and as cold as it was there it was a perfect eat to the end of very cold day…. who knew it could snow in June?!?!
Handsome and I stayed at a Hilton in the next town over because the rooms at Lake McDonald Lodge were so small…and when I say small, I mean two rooms with each a full size bed… so on the way home after dinner we saw some amazing views.
The next day it was still cold and rainy so we decided to drive over the east side of Glacier National Park to the Many Glacier Hotel. On the way there we stopped at the Continental Divide…..and as you can see it was snowing there…brrrr
At Many Glacier Hotel you can actually see three different glaciers: Salamander, Grinnell, and Gem. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was somewhat still foggy and we were unable to see any of the glaciers. However, we got a wonderful view of mountain scenery from the back deck which is nestled on the shoreline of Swiftcurrent Lake.
Many Glacier Hotel
Even though it was cold, rainy and foggy the views were absolutely magnificent! Here are some more views of around Many Glacier Hotel…
Our trip to Glacier National Park concluded with our last stop at Lake McDonald…..we had seen a beautiful picture of its shoreline on the internet and had to see it for ourselves. The lake’s shoreline is filled with small color pebbles and when the sun is shining the pebbles seem to glisten off the water. However, when we went….you can guess….yes it was rainy and foggy…so our pictures do not capture the true beauty of the colorful pebbles but it is still another wonderful view.
Third Stop – Yellowstone National Park
Our third and final stop was Yellowstone National Park….. YAY! We made it…… I have to say this was the most amazing park out of all three parks, however we had wonderful weather here too! The landscape was out of this world and nothing like I had ever seen before. It was beautiful!
Roosevelt Arch entrance
We arrived at Yellowstone National Park about 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon and decided to go into the park and drive around for awhile before it got dark. This was the entrance into the park…..Roosevelt Arch entrance. The Roosevelt Arch was constructed under the supervision of the U.S. Army in 1903 at Fort Yellowstone by the President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt…..hence the name. At the top of the arch inscribed is a quote “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People” which was from the legislation which created Yellowstone from the Organic Act of 1872. Just a brief history lesson for those of you who did not know that……I had no idea!!!! This trip was very educational!
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine….yes travertine… the same things people put in their houses for counter tops….CRAZY… I know! This spring was created over thousands of years ago!
Lamar Valley
Lamar Valley is home to many different types of wildlife in Yellowstone Park including bears, wolves, elk, bison, pronghorn, eagles, and bighorn sheep. We were told that the wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk. We did see a coyote and some buffalo, but no bears or wolves 😦 The landscapes here were AMAZING! and I have to say this was one of my favorite areas of the park……the sky was wide open and you could see for miles and miles…..
Wildlife
So the wildlife here is CRAZY…..they just do what they want to and roam around…which I guess technically this is their home and we are visitors, but it was wild to me to see all of these buffalo everywhere! They have what they call buffalo jams here, which is when a herd of buffalo crosses the road at their own pace and a traffic jam forms for miles. We were actually fortunate enough to experience a buffalo jam (see below)…and let me tell you these tourist they are CRAZY…..they would get really close to these animals to take pictures and the park specifically has warning signs to keep your distance from the wildlife….what people will do for a picture….haha
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and most changeable thermal area in Yellowstone and is the location of the world’s tallest active geyser. Let me tell you about the small though…GROSS!…it smells like a rotten egg!!!! It is actually bacteria that eats and creates sulfuric acid. When it evaporates it becomes hydrogen sulfide gas and that is the smell…. but regardless of the smell they are still natural beauties! So not only a history lesson on this trip…but a science lesson as well….You’re welcome 🙂
Artist Paint Pots
Artist Paint Pots was a very popular place in the park. It is home to over 50 springs, geysers, vents and especially mud pots. The post have varying shades of blue, grey and brown….which gives the name of artist pots! I have to admit I wasn’t really impressed with this spot….but hold on we’re getting to the MAIN ATTRACTION!
Firehole Canyon Drive & Falls
So the key to visiting these parks is talking to the locals….they have so much knowledge about the area and will share the wonderful locations not found on the maps. In a gift store we stopped at before entering the park a woman told us about talking an alternate route inside the park and driving through the Firehole Canyon….and it was beautiful! The canyon is also home to Firehole Canyon Falls which are 40 foot waterfalls and the Firehole River.
And you know me and Handsome, we have to take pictures of ourselves everywhere we go…haha!
Grand Prismatic Springs
So this next stop was Handsome’s favorite and you can see why…the colors here are stunning and beautiful! It is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest hot spring in the world. It has the colors of the rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green and blue.
Excelsior Geyser Spring
Excelsior Geyser Crater is a hot spring located near the Grand Prismatic Spring. This spring is a little different from the rest, because it dumps 4,000 to 4,500 gallons of 199 °F water per minute directly into the Firehole River…..now that would be a warm place to swim…smelly…but warm!
Old Faithful
And here we are…….the MAIN ATTRACTION….Old Faithful!!!! Old Faithful was the first geyser in the park to receive its name in 1870. It was named Old Faithful because it known as one of the most predictable geysers which erupts almost every 91 minutes. There is literally semi-stadium seating around the geyser and people come from all over the world and sit and wait for it to erupt. Crazy…huh? Another one of the world’s beauties.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Exiting the park on our last day we saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone….not to be confused with The Grand Canyon…haha! The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone has been formed over the years by volcanic eruptions and glaciers….pretty amazing!
This concludes our wonderful trip…I feel very blessed to have been able to have this experience with Handsome, my Dad and my Sister….the only thing I recommend if you are thinking about taking a trip such as this, make sure you pack for every type of weather possible and call and ask where you are lodging if they have TVs in the rooms…..most importantly that you do realize this is NOT a vacation, but an adventure…one you will treasure for a lifetime!
Little Italian
I love when you’re cooking and all the wonderful aromas fill your house and give you a sense of home. I have a comforting feeling all the time when I’m cooking…cooking to me is relaxing and yet creative. I love cooking comfort food, but I especially enjoy cooking Italian foods. There is something about pasta and bread and garlic that gives you a full and satisfying feeling!! So over the weekend I tried out some new recipes, Minestrone Soup and Chicken & Spinach Lasagna. They were amazing!!! Handsome loved the Chicken & Spinach Lasagna….I was completely surprised…but how can you not love pasta, cheese, chicken and spinach?!?!? However, he did not care for the Minestrone Soup…he’s more of a chili guy! 🙂 I served garlic toast with the lasagna and crusty bread with the soup. So get to cooking and feel your home with the aromas you love! I hope you enjoy!!!
My Big 30! …. Just Getting Started
That’s right… I just turned 30 this month. To be exact I turned 30 on Valentine’s Day…yes, you read that correctly… I am a Valentine’s Day baby! I know what you’re thinking…poor Handsome. He does an amazing job every year with my birthday and Valentine’s Day, by making sure were celebrate each occasion. However, I am one of those people who like to celebrate my birthday ALL month long!!! Haha!
However, this year was different, this year was great! I am not one of those people who are really concerned about my age, but turning 30 did make me do some reflection on my life. It’s funny when you’re younger and you think you have everything all figured out with all of your plans…married after college…..have 2 children by the age of 27……. Well, myself, I did not have those exact plans, but I did have plans and certain goals that I wanted to achieve by the time of I was 30! I started thinking back about how certain events have taken place to lead me where I am today and I realized that everything happens for a reason……
This milestone in my life has reminded me of many things I am grateful for. I am extremely grateful for Handsome. I never thought I would meet someone so wonderful and amazing and I thank God for him everyday!
I am also so grateful for my wonderful friends and family! I am so thankful to have wonderful friends to go places and do things with. Handsome and I have the greatest friends.
I am also grateful to have spent my birthday festivities with such wonderful people…. Life is Good!
Ella & the Snow
Well it’s about time that I introduce our little one….Miss Ella! Handsome and I do not have any children just yet, so this is our little bundle of joy! This is Ella, she is supposed to be a Pocket-Pomeranian (which we have our doubts about), she is 7 years old and fully grown. She weighs about 9 pounds. Ella has such personality and full of energy as if she were still a puppy!
Over the past couple of weeks we have had a large amount of snow, which we are not really used to. Ella has never experienced snow in this amount before, so we decided to take her out in the back yard and see how she does. After watching the video, you can see for yourself that she ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!! We couldn’t get her to come in at first, but I think her little paws got cold and she decided to come in. You will notice that she is wearing a coat, now we are not those people…..you know the kind I am talking about… the ones that dress their pets up on a daily basis…. HeHe! We just got her that coat to wear when it is snowing or raining so that she doesn’t get wet! 🙂
Annual Family Ski Outing
Yesterday, we had our Annual Family Ski Outing. However, this is the first year for our family ski outing, but plan to have many more. Families are forever changing and growing, so it is important to create traditions and make memories. I love my family and I always enjoy spending time with them. So myself, Handsome, my sister and dad went skiing. We had a BLAST….it was absolutely HILARIOUS! I have to say that we are not the most athletic family, but we do have some coordination. I had not skied in several years and was not really sure I could remember how, but as soon as I got my skis on it came right back to me…….however, I can’t say that about the other members of my family that went…..some of them had a hard time grasping the idea of skiing. HaHa!!! I am not going to mention names, but they know who they are 😉
Dad and I did some skiing together and tried out a few different slopes and this is a view from the top of one of the slopes. Dad and I were sitting on a bench taking a break watching people take off down the slopes….some successful…. some not! I know it sounds bad when you laugh about other falling, but you just can’t help it …. oh and I am sure they would have laughed at me if I had fallen down!
We decided to take a little break for lunch…. So Dad is here on the left, and he is really not an angry man, but he said I took the picture as soon as he took a BIG bite of pizza…HeHe!!! Sorry Dad! Behind Dad is my sister, Amber and then on the right is my Handsome.
My sister and I love to take Selfies….no we’re not teenagers.. although at times I think we wish we still were….but we still like to take pictures together!
We really enjoyed ourselves skiing yesterday, on the other hand I am absolutely SORE!!! I guess I forgot that there were certain muscles I had not used in a while and yes I am feeling it today! It was a very beautiful day and an enjoyable time! Can’t wait to have many more family ski outings in the future!
Lazy Day Lasagna
This past Saturday was a lazy day for Handsome and I. It was still pretty cold here in the Bluegrass with a high of 34 degrees, so we decided to stay in and relax and watch the game. The Cats played at noon, and yes they won! UK beat Tennessee 74 – 66! One of Handsome’s favorite dishes is lasagna, but sometimes lasagna can be an all day event, so I decided to make lasagna the lazy way. I chose to use the oven-ready lasagna noodles to shorten the process. To me nothing says lazy day without some comfort to go along with it 🙂 According to Handsome and my Dad, the lasagna was delish! I hope you enjoy!
New Year’s Day Meal
Bringing in the New Year with wonderful food always makes me happy! So I sat down and came up with what I thought would be a great menu for a New Year’s Day meal. I read several places in the south cook cabbage and black-eyed peas to bring you good luck and prosperity throughout the new year. So sticking with the tradition I decided to cook cabbage and Hoppin’ John (which is black-eyed peas and rice, yes this is new to me too) and of course you can’t have cabbage without cornbread, so I fixed some cornbread as well. Since I had never cooked black-eyed peas before, I went to my go to chef, Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman), for her wonderful recipe. Then I thought what would go best with black-eyed peas and cabbage, the first thing that came to mind was pork. So I roasted a pork loin with a wonderful raspberry sauce. Since I had never cooked black eyed peas before, it was certainly a learning experience. My husband, who I like to call Handsome, had never had cabbage before so this was an experience for him too! I am going to post the recipes for the roasted pork loin with raspberry sauce, cabbage and Hoppin’ John, but there is no secret to my cornbread, just followed the directions on the back of the bag and there you go! I hope you enjoy the recipes as much as I did!!!
Let me introduce myself….
Hello everyone!! My name is Bridgette and I have recently become a newlywed and enjoying married life! I’m currently working on a masters degree in science management and have a career as a litigation paralegal, but in my spare time I love cooking, entertaining, DIY projects and decorating. I am born and raised in the Bluegrass State of Kentucky where we love good bourbon, horse racing and UK Basketball. I am super excited to be launching my first blog today! As many of us make New Year’s resolutions, one of mine was to share with others the things I am passionate about. So here I am! I wanted to start my own blog so that I could share my love and learning of cooking, my great finds for decorating, tips on how to entertain on a budget with southern charm, and the great adventures of my life with my family and friends. I hope everyone enjoys my posts and thank you for stopping by.
I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year’s Day!
Bluegrass Heart 