Heather C. Watson 2/5/13 Heather C. Watson 2/5/13

HerKentucky Valentine's Day Wish List

Valentine's Day is just over a week away, y'all.

Now, there are a lot of really boring and unoriginal Valentine's Day gifts out there. Sure, they're sweet and well-intentioned, but there's just sort of uninspired. Here are a few amazing gifts that put a Kentucky twist on Valentine's Day traditions. There's plenty of time left to point your sweetheart in the right direction!

Instead of flowers, how about this coral necklace from Louisville's W and M Jewelry? I love everything about this piece. It's flirty and feminine. It'll be the perfect companion to your favorite spring dresses (Hello, Lilly Pulitzer!) And the company is owned by two Kentucky women. Who can ask for more than that?

via W and M Jewelry

If you've still got roses on your mind, how about a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel?

via Four Roses

It's a rich, smooth bourbon with plummy notes and a chocolaty nose. Sounds perfect for Valentine's Day!

Instead of a traditional chocolate gift, how about the dark chocolate potato chips from Old Kentucky Chocolates?

via Old Kentucky Chocolates

Made with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, these promise to be the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

What's on your Valentine's Day Wish List?

Heather C. Watson 2/4/13 Heather C. Watson 2/4/13

Top Ten Kentucky Geocaches

HerKentucky welcomes our good friend Jessica Lotz for a special guest post about geocaching Kentucky. Jess lives just outside St. Louis, MO with her husband, toddler son, and 5-year old dog, Cooper. After a successful 13 year career in health care administration, Jessica quit her job in November 2011 to answer life's next calling as a stay-at-home mom. Jesssica likes football on Sundays and cruises to just about anywhere. Although she's lived throughout the U.S. courtesy of the Air Force, Kentucky really is her second home. -- HCW

One of the many things I enjoy about HerKentucky is its ability to introduce readers to places, historic or trendy, that we may not have experienced otherwise. Whether through HerKentucky’s 60 Things Project or because of the passion of its contributors, it's not unusual for me to add new places to visit, businesses to support, and adventures to experience to my Kentucky Bucket List on a nearly weekly basis. As an adopted Kentuckian, I appreciate learning about it all.

In that respect, HerKentucky is much like geocaching. Geocaching, an outdoor recreational activity in which participants use GPS enabled devices to find hidden containers or caches, began in 2000 and since then has attracted hundreds of thousands of loyal cachers who have hidden over 1.6 million caches throughout the world. Caches range in size from nano (the size of a screw) to large (ammo box), and can be traditional caches (a physical treasure), virtual (no actual cache, but rather a site you’re visiting, usually for historical purposes), or Earth caches (think Mammoth Cave). Some caches can be located rather quickly (within minutes of arriving at the coordinates) while others can take hours (particularly if hiking/repelling/kayaking is involved).

My Geocaching hobby actually began in Kentucky. While visiting the in-laws over Christmas one year, I stumbled across something regarding geocaching. I started researching it online and within 30 minutes, I had my entire family outside looking for a cache in the park behind my husband’s childhood home. Using my sister-in-law’s iPhone, we quickly found the cache and immediately wanted to see where the next closest one was located. That’s how easy it is to get started.

Since then, geocaching has become a lifestyle for us. We love it because it gets us outside (year round), it's an activity our 2.5 year old son enjoys with us and we usually take care of Mother Earth while we’re at it (a practice known as CITO, or Cache In, Trash Out).

And, just like HerKentucky, it takes us to places we would not have otherwise visited or seen. Honestly, that’s my favorite part about geocaching. While I enjoy the fresh air and spending time with my little family, ultimately what gets me off the couch is knowing that we’re about to visit somewhere beautiful, unique or historically significant.

Falls of the Ohio in Southern Indiana

Not surprisingly, many fabulous geocaches call Kentucky home. I recently spent some time researching them and compiled a list of 10 which I feel are worth a look:

1) “Tom Sawyer” Traditional cache. Placed back in 2001, it ranks as Kentucky’s oldest and second most favored cache by those who have found it. Located in E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville. Just as I was about to walk across the stage at my college graduation, someone placed this cache in a park mere minutes from where my future husband lived. Nearly 12 years later, almost 900 people have found this cache! How am I not one of them? This cache is top on my to-do list during my next trip to KY.

2) “76 Falls” Traditional cache. Placed 10/17/2004. Located about 2.5 hours south of Lexington, on the south side of Lake Cumberland. Requires a hike, but pictures posted by other cachers are absolutely beautiful. Nature at its finest.

The view from 76 Falls geocache location

3) “Kentucky Floral Clock” Virtual cache. Placed 1/3/2003. Located in Frankfort, KY. From the description: “There are other flower clocks in the world-one in Canada at Niagara Falls, some in Europe, and smaller ones in the United States. Kentucky's is unique because it keeps time over a pool of water instead of resting on a bank of earth. The face of the giant clock is 34 feet across. The planter that holds it weighs 100 tons. Dedicated in 1961, the floral clock was a project of the Commonwealth and the Garden Club of Kentucky. It takes more than 10,000 plants to fill the clock. All are grown in the Commonwealth's own greenhouses near the Capitol. Coins from the pool are used to benefit young people in Kentucky.” Best viewed in the spring and summer.

4) “Reflections” Virtual cache. Placed 9/19/2002. Located in downtown Louisville. Ranked as the #1 geocache in the state. A very cleverly designed cache which takes you on a brief walking tour of downtown. Using the glass buildings, the cacher must look for reflections to get clues of how to proceed to the next point in the cache. Comments from those who have done this cache: “It was fun identifying the different buildings and making our way to them. We spent a lot of extra time just admiring the architecture and seeing different things in the downtown area” and “What an awesome cache. Had some time before catching our plane back home to Colorado and this was at the top of our list to do. We certainly were NOT disappointed. Fun, fun, fun. Got a nice walking tour of the town and even spotted a place to have lunch. Thanks so much.”

5) “Gatti Land(ing)” Traditional cache. Placed 12/31/2006. Located in Pikeville, KY. It’s highly rated for its creativity (meaning the cache container or location is pretty cool). Historically, the site of the cache is now a popular pizza joint, but was once home to Valley Airport. Comments by those who have found this cache rave about how creatively designed this cache is....another on the top of my to-do list.

A very creatively hidden (inside a wooden log) geocache found in Florida.

6) “Cache Across America- Kentucky.” Traditional cache. Placed 8/24/2006 as part of the Cache Across America Series. Located at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. Any geocachers trying to complete the Cache Across America challenge must find this specific cache in order to qualify. This cache has likely been found by more out-of-staters than Kentuckians due to the nature of the cache.

7) “Holy Overlook”. Traditional cache. Placed 11/21/2005. Located in Wickcliffe, KY (about 30 miles West of Paducah), this site is apparently very beautiful with an incredible view of the Mississippi River. Another highly rated cache.

8) “DOWN Town.” Traditional cache. Placed 5/27/2003. Located in Horse Cave, KY (about 80 miles South of Louisville, East of Mommoth Cave). From the description: “The town, which formed around the cave in the mid 1800's, once sustained a thriving tourist trade. Visitors arrived by the train load to see the natural wonder, once billed as the "World's Largest Cave Entrance". By the 1940's, pollution had cut off not only the drinking water but also the streams of tourists the cave attracted. The cave's restoration in 1993 was one of the most remarkable environmental success stories in America and a breath of fresh air for Horse Cave. Today, Horse Cave, Kentucky is a constant reminder of the delicate balance between caves and the sunlit world above.”

9) “Vampire U- Fact or Fiction” Traditional cache. Placed 9/28/2011. Located in Lexington, KY. For all of the Transylvania Alumni! From the description: “Old Morrison, the only campus building at the time, was completed in 1833, under the supervision of Henry Clay, who both taught law and was a member of Transylvania's Board.”

10) “Dead Men Don’t Cache” Virtual Cache. Placed 8/12/2012. Located in Lexington, KY. For all of the UK basketball fans. From the description: “The location of this virtual cache is nationally recognized as one of "America's most beautiful arboretums.” If you haven’t visited this grave, can you really call yourself a C-A-T-S fan?

Geocaching can be reduced to a mere hobby where folks use expensive GPS equipment to locate tupperware containers hidden in the woods. While that may be true, the other reality is that it also encourages participants to explore nature, delve into local history, and spurs commerce as people will sometimes drive 2-3 hours off course during a road trip just to snag a specific cache.

Three things are certain in my life: death, taxes and if there’s good weather on the weekend, you’ll find my little family, including our 5 year old dog, Cooper, outside geocaching.

A fellow and his dogs find King Kong's Log cache just south of Louisville. Coop would love this one!

Heather C. Watson 2/1/13 Heather C. Watson 2/1/13

Happy Friday!

Sophie wants to point out some great causes.

Hey y'all.

Hope you're having a wonderful, snowy Friday! I survived the Thundersnow and power outages, but wanted to let you know about two awesome ways that you can make a difference this weekend.

Max says "Make a Difference Today!"

Tomorrow, when the snow clears up enough for everybody to replenish their bread and milk supplies before the Big Game, please make sure to do your shopping at Kroger at Food City. Volunteer stations will be set up at those stores to collect donations for the Shop and Share program. Just purchase the needed canned goods and toiletries and drop them off at the volunteer booth located within the store. These items will be donated to Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA) shelters. These safe houses and shelters are located in communities across the state and provide a safe haven for women and children in crisis.

Another cool way to make a difference this weekend is by purchasing a Pet Valentine in this week's print edition of Ace Weekly. Our friends at Ace are as nuts about pets as we are here at HerKentucky, and they've found the most adorable way to help. For only $25, you can feature your pet's photo in a "Valentine" ad. Proceeds go to Spay/Neuter programs at Woodford Humane and Lexington Humane.

I hope everybody finds a way to stay warm and make a difference this weekend!

Megan Whitmer 1/29/13 Megan Whitmer 1/29/13

Kentucky in One Word: Southern

Everything I love so much about growing up in Kentucky and continuing to call it home can be summed up in one word: Southern.

The view from my parents' house

I'm not talking about its geographic location (especially because some people tend to argue that it's not technically a southern state) and I'm not talking about its history (which also causes controversy over whether Kentucky should be considered Southern. to which I say, "Pshaw").

In my friend Alecia Whitaker's book, The Queen of Kentucky, the main character, Ricki Jo, is a girl who lives on a tobacco farm. (If you haven't read it, do. Then buy it for your friends. So good.)

Alecia, who lives and works in New York now, mentioned to me once that when she does readings from her book up there, it's almost like her book is a fantasy novel because Ricki Jo's lifestyle is so foreign to kids who are growing up in the city. That conversation stuck with me, because I'd never really given that much thought. After I considered it, I realized that the idea of growing up in a place with no front yards, with thousands of people living around you, where the traffic never really stops--that hardly seems real to me either.

Where I grew up, five o'clock traffic isn't even a thing. I could sit on my parents' front porch and hear the soft sound of water trickling at the start of the Dix River across the road. Our cows getting out and traipsing down the road was about as rowdy as it got around there. It was beautiful and quiet, and I still feel the need to escape to it every now and then.

I love being a southern girl. It's always one of the first things I say when asked to describe myself. That one word says so much about a person and about a place. I love wide, open spaces with tall weeds, wildflowers, and enormous trees. Religion is a big part of my life. I think sweet tea should be consumed daily. I think all girls should know when to be ladies, and all ladies should drink bourbon. I have a deep appreciation for great football. Everything tastes better when it's made from scratch. There's no party like a good field party with a bonfire and pickup trucks. I believe that "Yes Ma'am," "No Ma'am," "Please," and "Thank you" are some of the most powerful words a person can say.

There are times when I wonder what it would be like to have grown up somewhere else, or to live somewhere else now. While the glamour of city life appeals to me now and then, especially as I learn more and more about the publishing industry, I just can't imagine being this in love with another place. No matter where I go, I'm always going to want to come back to peace and quiet on a wide front porch with a huge glass of iced tea.

Heather C. Watson 1/28/13 Heather C. Watson 1/28/13

Ale-8 Rogers Family Chili

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend and some crucial UK basketball games before then, most of us are likely to be entertaining a crowd soon.

Our friends at Ale-8 were kind enough to send over a recipe for a big old pot of chili that will feed a crowd. It's been passed down by the Rogers family -- the inventors of Ale-8.

What do y'all serve for a gameday crowd?

Ale-8 Rogers Family Chili for a Crowd

5 ½ lb 80/20 beef
5 lb sausage
2 large can mild beans (institutional cans)
3 cans hot beans
5 small cans tomato sauce
1 cup onion flakes
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp curry
2 heaping tsp black pepper
1 flat tsp ginger
½ flat tsp mustard
1 tsp white pepper
1 Regular Ale 8 – 12 oz.

Brown ground beef and sausage then add remaining ingredients and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Emily Ho 1/25/13 Emily Ho 1/25/13

Journey Into Wellbeing

I am really excited today to share some insights from Debra K., who is preparing to debut the first episode of her show, "Journey Into Wellbeing" February 19th at 9pm EST on KET. She took her idea to reality and everyone in Kentucky is about to see it!

Debra K.

So who is Debra K? For 15 years, Debra K. kept companies she worked with healthy, using her expertise to create spectacular customer experiences. But the 60-hour weeks this former Fortune 250 executive invested in her career had an adverse effect on her own wellbeing: she became an overworked, pudgy insomniac on the brink of a health crisis.

After leaving the corporate world, she launched a successful wellness education company and began consulting in the spa industry. Now Debra’s tackling her personal health challenges head-on, with a multimedia adventure that takes her across the United States in search of health secrets that can turn her, an average girl next door, into something a touch more spectacular. As host of The Journey into Wellbeing, Debra will stretch, juice, and Zumba her way to better health - and inspire the rest of us to cultivate more vibrant, energetic lives along the way.

HK: What was the motivation for this show? Why take the leap?

DK: There were a couple inspirations that have driven me and my team to keep moving forward with this show:

The first seed was planted when I was a single mom, working long hours in a corporate job. I ended up pretty sick and went to the doctor’s office. Instead of addressing lifestyle changes which might have benefited me, he simply whipped out his prescription pad and wanted to give me all kinds of medications. Things like sleeping pills, antacids, cholesterol medication and anti-depressants. I was a little shocked and actually a little angry. I thought to myself… ’How many people are there in similar situations as me that are leaving the doctor’s office with an arsenal of medications to mask the symptoms of lifestyle imbalance, without exploring what else they might do to get healthier?’ I politely said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ and left without any of the prescriptions. What I did leave with, however, was a burning desire to educate myself and also to provide education to others so they can make more informed decisions about their wellbeing. It would be several years before I was actually able to start heading in the right direction.

Another inspiration for me has been Oprah Winfrey. When she announced she was leaving her show in late 2010, she put out a query for the next reality TV star to be on her new OWN network. Just for fun, I started dreaming about what type of show I would do if given the chance and, of course, I wanted to work with Oprah. I thought... ‘How cool would it be if I traveled around and visited fun and healthy places, interviewed experts and shared this information with the world?’ Once that seed was planted I really started to get excited about the idea. For me, it was about taking the next step and to just keep moving forward. After playing with the idea for a while, I started to ask others what they thought. I had been working closely with some Destination Spas and I ran the idea past their teams. They thought it was a great idea. I also met with friends, journalists and business peers. Not one single person tried to discourage me from following this idea.

Almost exactly 18 months after I started dreaming about this show, the OWN network invited me and Margaret to come to Los Angeles and pitch the idea to them. I spent 45 minutes with their programming director, and while I haven’t heard from them, it felt amazing just to be there sharing the idea with them.”

HK: Anytime we have Kentucky on TV, we always get excited. But to see a focus on health set in the Commonwealth is pretty uncommon, if not unheard of! Why start this journey here?

DK: As The Journey into Wellbeing’s Host and Executive Producer, I plan to travel to all 50 states, but felt I had to start in Kentucky. After spending 20 years in and raising both my children in Kentucky, I hold a special place in my heart for all things in the Bluegrass. As I’ve explored what the state has to offer over the past few months, I am so proud of all the creative, wellness initiatives across the Commonwealth. I believe every state has hidden gems of well-being and Kentucky felt like a great place to start.

Often when Kentucky is represented in the media, the focus is on things not so flattering, such as the article that ran a few years ago announcing Lexington as one of the most sedentary cities in the nation. I knew that there were hidden gems of wellness within the state that were worthy of national attention. In fact the title for this episode is The Bluegrass State is much more than horses, hillbilly hoedowns and hot browns… it’s HEALTHY!

HK: What can we look forward to on the first episode? Sights, scenes, people?

DK: Part of the premise of the show is for viewers to feel as if they can access healthy options in their own state. As I travel and uncover the hidden gems of health and wellness, I want it to feel very accessible for residents. There were so many health-focused initiatives in the state we couldn’t fit in everything we discovered. Some of the exciting places and people we explored:

Bobby Benjamin, Executive Chef, La Coop Bistro, Louisville. Chef Benjamin will teach viewers how to redo traditional recipes in a healthier fashion. He tackled the Hot Brown, Corn Pudding and Blackberry Cobbler.
Lena D. Edwards, MD, FAARM, Balance Health & Wellness Center, Lexington. Dr. Edwards will provide me with an initial health assessment and offer tips to viewers on beginning their own health journey. Turns out that I have six food allergies - definitely worth watching for my reaction.
Frontier Nursing University in Hyden. We trekked off to Eastern Kentucky to explore the oldest and largest midwifery school in the nation. The students we met are so articulate about their love for midwifery.
Molly Galbraith, Fitness Expert, J&M Strength & Conditioning, Lexington. Molly puts methrough her paces and assigns a fitness grade, while offering simple tips for beginning a fitness journey. Much of this footage was shot at the Holly Rood historic home in Winchester and at Natural Bridge State Park.
Janey Newton, Founder, Foxhollow Farm, Crestwood. We spent a beautiful autumn day on the farm. Viewers will learn about bio-dynamic farming and the journey Foxhollow’s leaders have taken to create a completely self-sustaining, organic farm.”

HK: Is there anything in particular that you've learned so far on your journey that you found surprising or eye-opening?

DK: Probably the greatest discovery I made during this first episode is I experienced first-hand how passionate people are about what they are doing.

As I talked with people, their faces would light up because they held so much belief in what they were doing. I just love that! If I can somehow create a platform for others to be able to share their intentions and passions, then I will be an extremely happy person. The Journey into Wellbeing will not only help people get started on their own health journey, but will inspire people all over the world to follow their dreams and do what makes them happy.”

HK: Is there anything else you would like to add?

DK: I believe that when you are on the right path and doing what you are supposed to be doing, helping hands will appear. This has been the case with the Journey. Considering when I started, I had zero connections in the television world, it is almost a miracle that the show is getting ready to launch and be shown initially in seven states. At every turn: a connection, a voice of encouragement, a helping hand has been there to ensure I stay focused and moving forward. It has been these outside influences of support that have helped me to believe that I can make a difference, even when that internal voice of doubt crept in. We are setting our intention to reach all 50 states and would love to do so with PBS. The educational component of the Journey will be a great fit for their mission. I am looking for like-minded companies who might be interested in partnering with us to bring the Journey to a national level. With PBS, you have to receive underwriting to fund the costs. I am seeking this type partnership with companies who are as interested in making a difference as they are in making a profit. The PBS affiliate that will air the pilot is Kentucky Educational Television. KET reaches viewers throughout Kentucky and in parts of seven surrounding states. As many as 4-million people view KET programming. We are thrilled to work with this respected station.

HK: Thanks so much for your insight Debra!

Watch the first episode of Journey Into Wellbeing on 2/19/13 at 9:00pm on KET. You can find more information on Facebook and Twitter.

Guest User 1/24/13 Guest User 1/24/13

Kentucky in One Word: Beautiful

It's hard to reduce our home state to just one word. I really struggled with the idea, but kept coming back to the word "beautiful."

Native Americans discovered and returned to Kentucky again and again for the bounty that the land provided. Later, the Early European settlers must have seen bits of home in the highlands of Appalachia, the verdant meadows of the Bluegrass and the meandering waterways across the region. Today, I often find myself gasping at the beauty my state offers, and I'm in awe of the diversity of that beauty. Mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, and arches are some of the beautiful natural world we call home, but we've also had the (generally) good sense to work to preserve a lot of those places and enhance them.

My words are woefully inadequate to describe the beauty of Kentucky, but if you've ever lived through a Kentucky spring, you know that the green surrounding you is enough to make your heart squeeze with joy. If you've ever hiked a Kentucky forest on a crisp autumn day, you know the sights, sounds and smells of Kentucky.

Kentucky is beautiful beyond words and beyond my amateur photography abilities. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite images and will share links to some of your favorites!