A Dream Come True

As many of you know from my very first post here on Her Kentucky, I've been working on a young adult novel, BETWEEN, for about two years. I wrote it, then re-wrote it, re-wrote it, and re-wrote it again. I'm talking major, beginning-to-end rewrites, not including all the minor revisions I made on those drafts along the way.

Many times, usually about halfway through a rewrite when I realized I had written myself into a corner and couldn't find a way to make my plot work, I thought about giving up on it. 

I'm glad I didn't.

I decided pretty early in life that I was going to write books. I gave up on that dream several times as I got older. Writing was always something I enjoyed, but I quit looking at it as something I would seriously pursue. I didn't even really understand how a person got a book published, and when I started looking into it, the whole process seemed so big and terrifying that it just felt too far out of reach for a girl from a tiny town in Kentucky with no publishing connections and no idea of where to start.

One day, I'm going to sit down with my daughters and tell them that. I'm going to explain how I almost let my silly fear of the unknown keep me from doing the one thing I'd known I wanted to do since I was old enough to make up stories. Some dreams might actually be a bit out of reach. (For instance, my goal of marrying Prince Harry is probably not going to happen and might even be slightly creepy at this point. And also I married a pretty stellar fella already.) But other dreams only seem out of reach because you're told that they're impractical, or that they're the kinds of dreams only certain people get to have. 

I'm so thankful that I have the kind of family who never said, "This is ridiculous. Grow up." 

This morning, I gave my six-year-old a really long, thought-out speech about how I had wanted to be an author ever since I was a little girl and it's important to never give up on what you want in life. She looked at me very seriously and said, "Mommy, my dream is to make toys and houses for all my Little Pet Shop animals."

I nodded, hugged her, and told her to go after it.

No matter what, I want her to know she can be whatever she wants to be. Even a Littlest Pet Shop toy and house designer.

Maker's Mark Double Chocolate Brownies

Y'all know I'm just nuts about the pairing of Maker's Mark and chocolate. Yesterday, I made these simple brownies; they're full of rich chocolate-bourbon flavor, but remarkably light. The chocolate chips and pecans added a great texture. It was a fantastic quick recipe for a rainy Sunday!

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Maker's Mark
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup pecan halves (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, bourbon and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Top with pecan halves, if desired

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. Makes 24 to 36 brownies.

Kentucky In One Word: Home

To distill Kentucky’s essence into one word is to try to distill my own. It is a land of bourbon and bluegrass music and horses. I am redheaded and a mother and a writer.

The latter describe the wholeness of my being no better than the former describe the state I love.

My ancestors have lived and died on this land for over two hundred years. Generations of Jennings and Stewarts and Lovelaces who made homes and livings and families in the same state I now raise my own sons. I think about them often. How did they describe Kentucky to family members far away in Virginia and North Carolina?

I think about how my own children will describe Kentucky as they go out into the world. Will they describe their birthplace with fondness? Will it be place they defend or a place they disown?

Kentucky has never been a mere place to me – a descriptor of a small part of my own history. No matter where my story took me, Kentucky was never just the beginning. Kentucky was the foundation – the framework – of all that had been and ever would be in my history.  Kentucky was my mother, my birthplace, my friend.

When I returned after years “abroad,” my dear friend looked me in the eye and welcomed me back to the promise land.

Kentucky is in my blood. Knitted into my very DNA is a love of this land – this state. I can no more imagine myself without it then I can imagine my body without blood. It is my past. It is my present. It is my future.

It is my home.

Home.

~ Sarah Stewart Holland 

Kentucky in One Word

A single word can be a powerful thing.

This week, some of the HerKentucky team members have written about their commitment to the One Little Word project in the New Year. Lydia's mantra for 2013 is "commitment." Sarah's word is "simplify." Both are great words that have the power to transform a year.

As I read Lydia and Sarah's respective mission statements for 2013, I thought about the One Little Word that I plan to use personally and professionally in 2013, which is "Do." I have so many ideas, plans and dreams that have seemed just over the horizon lately; it seems time to bring them to fruition. I also started thinking about the power of One Little Word to characterize our unique Commonwealth.

In recent weeks, it seems that the use of One Little Word has polarized Kentucky. As y'all have probably seen by now, the guys behind the Kentucky for Kentucky project are once again spreading the message of a Kick-Ass Kentucky.  This time, they're suggesting a re-branded state.

Image via Kentucky for Kentucky

While advertising experts and social media users have overwhelmingly embraced the Kick-Ass Message, the Kentucky Department of Tourism was less than amused. Now, I personally find the idea of re-branding Kentucky as "Kick-Ass" kind of hilarious and edgy and irreverent, even if that opinion places me in the Department of Tourism's "constituency of no one."  The word "Kick-Ass" makes people take notice -- they high-five, giggle, or squirm, but they don't readily forget it. It doesn't have much gravitas, and I would imagine that there are a lot of people who don't want to see a mild expletive on billboards and license plates. I sure do like the idea of an upgrade to a hipper, more modern view of Kentucky, though. 

We first started HerKentucky was to provide an outlet for Kentucky women's voices. We wanted to share our unique experiences of life in the Bluegrass State. Along the way,  we found that there were few absolutes. Our respective backgrounds are rural or urban, equine or agrarian. We identify with different colleges, cities and sports teams. We sit on different sides of the partisan aisle.  Some of us fall into the "Kick-Ass" camp, while others identify with an "Unbridled Spirit." Kentucky life is a little different for each of us. In a way, we each have "One Little Word" that sums up our Kentucky experience.

And so, as we begin 2013, I'd love to hear from our writers, readers and friends. What One Little Word describes Kentucky for you?

2013 : One Word

“One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In stopping to think through the meaning of what I have learned, there is much that I believe intensely, much I am unsure of. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

This new year, I've decided to work on living with intent. I'm participating in the One Little Word class presented by blogger and life-documenter extraordinaire, Ali Edwards. This is the first time I've decided to let a word guide and shape my life for a year.

I've chosen the word "commitment" as my guiding force for 2013. This year promises to be one of big changes for me, for my family and for my future. In order to succeed in life, in happiness, in my career, in my new business I need to commit to the goals in each of those areas. Some of those goals are tangible, defineable. I want to run another half marathon, for example. Others are more on the intangible side. I want to become successful in my business while still honoring the commitment I have to my 9-to-5 job through the end of that engagement.

My family, independent of my move toward One Little Word, started thinking about this concept over email at the beginning of January. Aunts and cousins and other various relations have chosen words like 

• Do
• Relax
• Healthy
• Moderation
• Listen
• Active
• Serenity
• Gratitude
• Discipline
• Spontaneity
• Focus
• Now
• Open

 Do you choose a word to guide yourself through a year? 

New Year, New You?

I received a free class coupon for Pure Barre a couple of months ago.  If you haven't heard of Pure Barre, let me enlighten you a bit.  Pure Barre is a bar method class utilizing the ballet bar to perform small isometric movements.  I have heard from several people that this workout has changed their body appearance for the better, giving them lean toned muscles versus bulky muscles you may get with weight training.  

I have been hoarding my free class coupon since October.  I am considering going in the next couple of weeks, but I hate to appear as one of those over-zealous new year's resolutions gym rats.  You all know the type- the ones you've never seen before and they suddenly appear after New Year's looking like a hot mess.  

Lucky for you, if you live in Kentucky you can give Pure Barre a try!  Pure Barre opened locations in both Lexington and Louisville.  

Pure Barre Louisville -- Westport Village
1321 Herr Lane #180
Louisville, KY
(502) 749-2222

 Pure Barre Louisville -- Summit
4284 Summit Plaza Drive
Louisville, KY
(502) 425-8300

Lexington Pure Barre
867 East High Street #150
Lexington, KY(859) 335-2391

Have you all heard of Pure Barre or know anyone who's tried it?  

Two New Kentucky Favorites

Over the holidays, I ran across two delicious new Kentucky products. It's always so fun to find new treats from favorite Kentucky-based companies.

The Old Kentucky Bourbon Chocolate Cherries from Old Kentucky Chocolates are so addictively delicious. The cherries are soaked in 100 proof Jim Beam and enclosed in a semisweet chocolate shell. They're rich and sweet with just the slightest bourbon kick.

The Mexicafe blend from Coffee Times Coffee House was another delightful surprise. A rich blend with warm cinnamon notes, it's a fantastic evening or dessert coffee.

Have y'all run across any new favorites lately?