In Photos: Snow Day

This weekend, I had the good fortune to be visiting my parents in the mountains when we got ourselves a good, old-fashioned Snow Day. 

Snowflakes.

Now, even though both of my parents are retired from our county school system, the promise of a Snow Day still connotes a day of fun -- an escape from everyday worries and routines.

Sophie didn't see what all the fuss was about.

The old joke goes that Southerners storm the grocery store whenever even a hint of snow is in the forecast.  I find that we Kentuckians do fall into this pattern, even though snow isn't a rare occurrence for Kentucky winters.  I certainly saw a guy buying three gallons of milk  at my hometown grocery store on Saturday afternoon, and briefly wondered if he had himself a neat little speculation/profit scheme.

This weekend, we got four beautiful inches of snow, which might be a joke to my friends in Chicago or a blizzard to my friends in Atlanta.  Here, it was just enough to celebrate!

Do y'all still love Snow Days?

The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program

When Heather posted the 20 Things she loves about Kentucky, Number 16 was the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program. Even though I've been friends with Heather since I was a law student, I didn't realize that she was a fellow GSP alumnus (we attended the program a year apart, and on different campuses). I'm not surprised that she attended, but I am surprised that I didn't know it before now. Being a Governor's Scholar is truly something special, and we all carry that summer with us for a long time.

The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program was instituted in 1983 as a residential summer program for rising high school seniors who spent five weeks on a Kentucky college campus studying a chosen focus area of study and a contrasting, assigned subject, plus a small seminar/discussion group. Kentucky was losing its most promising students to out of state colleges, graduate schools and careers, so GSP was created to harness young Kentucky talent and show them what they could do at home. What started with 230 students at one college campus has blossomed into a program boasting over 1000 students at three campuses. Scholars are nominated by their high schools and the application process is not unlike one for college - standardized test scores, GPA, volunteer work, teacher recommendations, and an essay.

I can't speak for the scholars who came to GSP from a big city like Louisville, who may have attended a powerhouse high school like Manual, or who may have hailed from a family with generations of doctors or lawyers. But for me, coming from a tiny town without a lot of role models for academic achievement, that summer was magical. Everyone there was the smartest kid in their class back home, so it was completely acceptable to embrace your inner nerd (I would even say you were encouraged to do so). The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program gave us a glimpse of what it might be like to be a college freshman. For most of us, me included, GSP was the first time I'd spent an extended period of time away from my family, and the experience fostered a great deal of independence and confidence, both of which are critical for academic and professional success. I suppose I could have picked those attributes up along the way, after starting college, but to get such a concentrated dose of it at the age of 17 was invaluable. The summer wasn't all serious - I also learned important social skills, like how to blow smoke rings and how to bridge shuffle a deck of cards. My debate skills sharpened dramatically that summer too. GSP alummi disproportionately attend law school, so make of that what you will.

So, Kentuckians, did you attend the Governor's Scholars Program? What impact did it have on your life?

More Favorite Things!

Last week, we asked y'all to list some favorite Kentucky things.  My sorority sister Becca -- an ordained Disciples of Christ minister and Trimble County native -- provided a thoughtful list that I thought I'd share.  Thanks for the beautiful list, Becca!! -- HCW

Cane Ridge Meeting House

1. Transylvania University (of course)


2. The Cane Ridge Meeting house, near Paris Kentucky-- this is the birthplace of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), my denomination. 


3. Mary Ann Saunders Chapel at Lexington Theological Seminary


4. Central Christian Church (seriously has the most beautiful sanctuary)


5. That moment right before the Run for the Roses when everyone sings My Old Kentucky Home. I cry every time.

Calumet Farm

6. The Horse Farms-- 3 chimneys is my favorite, Calumet is my 2nd favorite


7. Bray's Orchards in Bedford Kentucky-- they have THE BEST PEACHES.


8. US 42. This is the oldest highway in the area and was originaly the primary route between Louisville and Cincinnati-- there are so many neat little towns along the way. Bedford, Carollton, and Ghent being my favorites.


9. The Ohio River-- there is NOTHING as beautiful as driving across the rickety old bridge from Madison Indiana to Milton Kentucky and crossing over the river-- It's the last step on my trips back home to Kentucky from Chicago and it's my sign that I'm home.


10. Sweet Tea

HerKentucky Entertaining: Kentucky Cookbooks

Mark Badgley and James Mischka's KY Farmhouse, via Elle Decor.

I collect cookbooks obsessively.  This is odd, because I'm notorious for freestyling recipes.  I tend to line two or three recipes for the same dish out onto the kitchen counter, then compare ingredients and techniques before deciding how to independently proceed.  Sometimes, this technique produces unique and inspired recipes.  Other times,I'd be well-advised to find a recipe and stick to it.  Personal cooking style aside, though, I've found quite a few lovely Kentucky-themed cookbooks over the years.  Here are a few of my favorites, and a few I want to try.

Tried and True Favorites: 

• What's Cooking In Kentucky -- The author, Irene Hayes, was my hometown's postmistress and a member of my parents' church.  In my town, "Irene's Cookbook" is a traditional gift for brides or others who are setting up housekeeping.  I love to see this 1960s favorite proudly displayed at State Parks and local bookstores!!
• Bluegrass Winners -- The original Bluegrass Winners and its companion volume, Entertaining with Bluegrass Winners, contain classic recipes from the kitchens of central Kentucky horse farms.  Excellent recipes and stunning photography.
• Splendor in the Bluegrass -- The Junior League of Louisville's signature cookbook. I sure have had to sell a lot of these, so I can certainly assure you that there are some wonderful recipes.

On my to-buy list:

• Home Again, Home Again -- Junior League of Owensboro's current volume, as well as their classic To Market, To Market.
• How to Throw a Great Derby Party -- Herald-Leader Lifestyle writer Sue Wylie's suggestions for celebrating Greatest Day of the Year.
• The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook -- Because I'm always looking for more ways to use bourbon.

What is your favorite Kentucky Cookbook?

Where I'm From.

iPad, Guinness and holler.

This afternoon, I went outside to walk my dogs. As I looked down at my outfit -- an Under Armour base layer, faded jeans, well-worn rain boots and my fiance's cast-off winter jacket -- I realized that I could be geared up for many places. Dressed for muck, and with a bottle of Guinness in my hand, I looked every bit the Scots-Irish girl that my genealogy chart would present. I could be in my mother's family's native County Quinn, or I could be on a horse farm in my beloved Central Kentucky, or I could be dressed for countless outdoorsy places other than my parents' Eastern Kentucky home, where I'm visiting for a few days. In fact, the beer made my hometown less likely, as I'm from the kind of town where any alcohol is suspect, let alone a lady drinking on a weeknight. 

Max explores a creek,.

I've always had a complicated relationship with my Appalachian heritage. Now, I find that most people I know tend to fully embrace or summarily reject their mountain roots. Neither path has ever felt quite right for me, though. There are certainly times when I wonder what it would have been like if I'd spent my formative years on the Upper East Side, or in a subdivision, or dozens of other places. There are other times when I'm overcome by the beauty of the place where I was raised -- times when it seems that I am really seeing a creek or a tree for the very first time. Most of the time, though, I've come to realize that I was born to that particular little plot of earth not by fortune -- be it good or bad -- but sheerly by fate. It's not something I love or hate; it simply just is. 

My grandparents, father and aunt, Easter 1957.

I've recently undertaken the archiving of my father's family's photographs. As eight decades of Watsons have come to life from yellowed, often-crumbling photos, the Appalachian landscape has emerged alongside them. Rocky hills in the background. Farmhouses. Tall, majestic pine trees and their scrub brethren. As central a character to our family history as any ancestor. 

I grew up here.

 Maybe that very familiarity has led to the complexities in my relationship with my homeland. Perhaps that is why I feel perfectly entitled to cringe a little when James Still's lost manuscript is reviewed in the Oxford American (I've always secretly considered Still's work to be the worst form of hillbilly-gothic). Maybe it is akin to a familial relationship. And, like most complex family relationships, maybe that is why I can be completely flummoxed by "the way we do things around here", then nearly moved to tears by the beauty of the rocky stream at the back of my parents' land only minutes later. The trite old saying goes that you don't pick your family. And, in a very real way, for good or for ill, I suppose that don't pick your homeland either.

Your Favorite Things

Source: etsy.com via Heather on Pinterest

Last week, we began our list of our 100 Favorite Kentucky Things. We listed our favorites in cities and small towns, from the mountains to the Purchase. We learned that the HerKentucky team likes the Seelbach, Cheapside, and horse races a whole lot!

Source: flickr.com via Heather on Pinterest

Now, we want to hear from y'all!  What are your favorite Kentucky things?  We'd love to hear about your favorite restaurants, pastimes, and places!

Source: etsy.com via Heather on Pinterest

Le Relais: a Delicious Flight to a More Romantic Time.

Image via KAHS/ Bowman Field

Louisville's Taylorsville Road is hardly a romantic stretch.  I've always thought of it as a bridge between the Highlands and the East End, with few remarkable sights of its own.  There are a lot of ranch-style houses.

But, just past a strip of Taylorsville Road gas stations and liquor stores, lies Bowman Field, Kentucky's first commercial airport which dates back to 1922.  Charles Lindbergh once flew the Spirit of St Louis there.  Scenes from Goldfinger were filmed there.  It's a charming testament to the glamor and romance of the early days of flight.  

Image via Le Relais.

Nestled inside the Art Deco terminal building is Le Relais, a charming French bistro with a decidedly nostalgic feel.  Sometimes, on just the right day, you feel like you've stepped into a scene from Casablanca.  It's almost impossible to believe that you're still a stone's throw away from everyday Louisville as you order fromage, escargots, and tarte aux pommes. Rather, you feel that you're in a magical way station, fueling up on delicious French food as you prepare to board a plane for a more romantic time.

Image via Le Relais

Le Relais is my favorite Valentine's Day dinner destination.  The beautiful location, extensive wine list, and delicious French fare provide a truly romantic backdrop without the overwrought gimmicks that so often arise with the February holiday.  Instead, Le Relais can provide you with a fantastic crème brûlée and the off-chance of seeing Lindbergh's ghost.   That's a pretty special Valentine's Day in my book.