KY

I’ve visited a cluster of river towns up and down the Ohio River this summer, and Owensboro was the largest and by far the best. But the real reason for coming to Owensboro was the River Valley Cluster Show which is a big fancy-pants dog show.

Our dog, Coco, is a Shiba Inu, which is a Japanese breed related to the Akita. Shibas are notorious for being hard to train because they are stubborn and willful, and I figured, well, how hard could it be? We got her from a reputable breeder and she was expensive, purebred, and a complete mess. Ever seen an unhappy puppy? Me neither, but Coco was disagreeable from Day One. Cranky, snarling and mean, she bit us every day for a year and a half. Not just little puppy nips – I’m talking puncture wounds and BandAids. It was like living with a shark. It got so bad that I thought about finding a burlap bag with vague fantasies of tossing her off a bridge. But instead we went to obedience school. 

Taylorsville is the seat of Spencer County and as I’ve mentioned before, Kentucky has a record number of county seats. Six score of them in fact. And in case you don’t remember – a score is 20.

It was a pleasant drive to Taylorsville. Spencer County has rolling hills and pretty farmland that is best viewed from the back roads instead of the highway. I passed by cattle farms, tobacco fields, and acres of corn and soybeans, all on winding country roads that didn’t take too much effort to enjoy, especially on a warm summer day.

Kentucky Horse Park
Lexington, KY

I know nothing about horses. It’s all spavins and heaves to me. But I got an education this week at the Pony Finals held at Kentucky Horse Park.

I’m winding up my solo trip after a spending a couple of days with my folks – Happy Birthday, Dad! – and I’ve landed in Lexington as an almost-home respite.

Springfield, Kentucky
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We went to Washington County to visit the Springfield Opera House. Where’s Washington County? Oh, the next town over. Just a horse trot away.

Kentucky has a record number of counties – 120 to be exact. That ranks us third in the nation. Just about every little town is its own county. Why all this local government? Blame it on the Revolutionary War.

Back in the 1770’s bounty warrants were a form of payment for military service. Essentially a land grant, the warrants gave soldiers parcels of land on the far western frontier of the Virginia colonies. You would be entitled to a big chunk of Kentucky land if you were a veteran of the French-Indian War, Revolutionary War, or Lord Dunmore’s War.

This year the Kentucky Derby wasn’t so much a Run for the Roses as a Swim for the Roses. It poured, drizzled and dripped all weekend. Broke the 100 year old record for the wettest Derby. Talk about your sloppy track!

One of the perks of living along the Bourbon Trail are all the festivals and events the distilleries sponsor.

What’s the Bourbon Trail? Well, it’s kind of a self-guided sightseeing tour. There’s two dozen distilleries scattered around central Kentucky and the idea is to visit all of them and sample their spirits. Not all in one day, mind you. Even true bourbon aficionados would be hard pressed to make it through that many tours in a single day!

Bardstown, Kentucky
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Old Bardstown Village is a recreated pioneer settlement located a few blocks below the downtown area. Historically this area was where wagons and horse teams staged before climbing the big cliff into town.

There’s about a dozen log cabins at Old Bardstown Village situated alongside a lively creek. The buildings are quiet and dark inside with a sprinkling of artifacts on display.

Septarian rocks from Morocco

We’re Rock Hounds. There’s no hiding it. One look around our house will confirm that – there’s piles of rocks everywhere.

The front door sports river stones from Vermont and Wyoming. The porch railings are festooned with crinoids and slate found on the farm. Limestone slabs line our flowerbeds. And every table in the house features a rock cluster; Icelandic lava, petrified wood, chunks of crystals, obsidian and amethyst. If I stick a hand in the pocket of any jacket there’ll be a pebble I’ve picked up somewhere.

So the Rock & Gem Show in Lexington was a perfect Sunday diversion for us.