To The Trenches!

March 27, 2015

Soft morning light crept in through our hotel window as Jason and I began to wake, stomachs rumbling with hunger as we lay in bed. We had overslept and regretted nothing. It was 10:30 and too late for breakfast. After getting ready, we left our room for lunch. We noticed on the door handle outside the room a large, white bag filled with towels. We had left the "do not disturb" sign up for so long that it appeared housekeeping had given up on us, probably gratefully so. As luck would have it, a housekeeper was in the hallway and saw us leave the room. She asked if we needed any service for today. We thanked her and said the towels were all we need. Appearing somewhat relieved she thanked us and crossed our room off her list to clean.

The elevator door opened up to the beautiful yellow lobby from the night before, revealing the strong smell of eggs and an older gentleman asleep on a nearby chair, mouth agape. We chuckled to ourselves and left for downtown Staunton. We briefly walked down the street of West Beverly for places to eat. It wasn't too long before we noticed our favorite restaurant from two years ago. Baja Bean. We walked in and seated ourselves in a nearby booth. A waiter (the same waiter from two years ago) took our order and left for some tortilla chips and salsa. Only moments later, our food arrived. Here are pictures. I apologize for taking these pictures after having already taken a few bites into the meal... it was too good to wait. The top picture was my order (Tostada with ground beef) and the bottom pictures is Jason with his (Tostada, no meat).

After eating lunch, Jason and I headed to the nearby Suntrust to deposit my check. My work is odd and wouldn't let me deposit it until after 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Lucky for us, the only bank in downtown Staunton is our bank. We made our deposit and then returned to the hotel to digest the rather large amount of wood we had consumed. Not too long later, we decided to take advantage of our Woodrow Wilson Museum tickets. Here is a picture of Jason and I about to leave for the Museum tour.

 We walked through the wind and cold to the beautiful Woodrow Wilson Gift Shop, where our tour begins. We walked in the home shortly before another guest had arrived. It appeared this woman was from Louisiana and was taking the tour by herself. It looked like it would be just the three of us for the tour. A jolly, white-haired man greeted us and took our tickets. He said we were right on time and that the tour was about to begin (as though they would have left if we had arrived just a few moments later... you know, all zero of them).

Soon a tiny, white-haired woman in a large wool coat walked out behind a wooden door to greet us. As most tour guides do, she asked where we were from. When we said "Atlanta" both the tour guide and the white-haired gentleman gave a sound of excitement. She asked where exactly because she, too, was from Atlanta. She was from Buckhead. We then learned that Woodrow Wilson also lived in Atlanta, Rome, and Augusta Georgia for some time. Small world.

Unfortunately we do not have any pictures of his birth home (The manse--his father was a minister and this was the home his church had provided for them). Although not every piece of furniture was from Woodrow Wilson's childhood, many were. It was a three story home with big, beautiful windows. We began the tour at the bottom of the house, where the "servants" (as Woodrow Wilson's mother called them--even though it appeared they were in fact rented slaves) lived. We saw tiny baths which were used rarely; a small pile of cloth which the servants slept on; an ironing station near the fireplace; and the first type of range stove stop that existed during this time period. Additionally, we saw the cook's room and the ordinary dinning room table that was used for everyday occasions.

We then walked up the stairs to the formal dinning room where they ate when having guests or Christmas dinner. She mentioned how horrible it had to be for the servants to walk constantly up and down the stairs with large platters of food. The rooms were fairly large and made with dark wood and large fireplaces. She pointed out how low the chairs were to the ground. This was not because they were short people, but because the large fireplaces filled each room with smoke. The lower to the ground, the less smoke you would inhale. She walked us to the parlor, the study where drinking and smoking occurred, and then to the minister's bedroom. In the bedroom there was a hair-bowl. Apparently back in this time period, women kept their hair in order to make things out of it, such as a wreath or stuffing for dolls. It was extremely creepy and slightly impressive all at the same time. The last part of the home we were unable to see. It was the third floor which consisted solely of empty bedrooms.

Once finishing the tour, we made our way to the actual museum. Here we were able to take some pictures, as seen below:

The last picture above is of a few items from a soldier in WWI. Jason noticed the canteen and how there were clearly bullet holes in it. Crazy.

There were three sections of this museum. The first was a walk through of Wilson's life (who, by the way, was called "Tommy" until going to college. His full name is actually Thomas Woodrow Wilson). The second section was down in a creepy basement and it depicted scenes from WWI. I was a little too creeped out to take pictures, but there was a replica of a trench from WWI in the basement. They also played sounds of war as you walked through, trying to give you the full experience. We saw machine guns from this time period and different types of weapons. After finishing this section, we made our way to the last part of the museum... Woodrow Wilson's favorite car. This car still runs and is actually used to this day in the annual Fourth of July parade in Staunton. Below are pictures:
 

 

After finishing the museum we headed back to the gift shop for a movie about Woodrow Wilson's life. It was a short 10 minute movie with pretty much the same information that the tour guide told us about earlier. We thanked the white-haired gentleman and left for a warm, comforting beverage. There is a small coffee shop called "By&By" near the hotel. We popped in and ordered some drinks from a kind waitress who noticed my Candy Land band-aid. Everyone in Staunton is so friendly, kind, and sociable... I love it! Here are pictures of us enjoying our drinks.

Jason, with his Irish Cream Mocha.

Me with my white tea.

After warming up, we made our way to a few antique stores--the number one activity for Staunton visitors. We stopped in a small, new age store filled with different types of religious items and nicknacks. I bought a beautiful little elephant, which I named Daisy. Here are pictures:

I realized right before going to sleep that Daisy was perfect for holding my glasses and rings. 

 After my purchase, we made our way to a small bookstore. It was a beautiful shop that held mostly old books and records. They played Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong while we browsed their shelves. Nothing seemed to capture our attention so we decided to return to antique shop we loved during our last visit. We went through aisle after aisle of old razors, clocks, dishes, wooden furniture, etc. This was the same shop where I bought my picnic basket from two years ago. This time, however, nothing caught our eye--nothing within our price range, that is. After browsing, we decided to head back toward the hotel to regroup and put Daisy away.

After resting a bit, we decided dinner was in order. We settled on another favorite restaurant from our last trip: Mill Street Grill. This was luckily right next to the hotel. We walked across the street, cold wind blowing from every angle, and quickly made our way to the host at the front. It was a 20 minute wait. We patiently waited at a booth by the door. Soon a group of older people headed our way, a few sat down on a few of the remaining spaces. Jason leaned over and said he was going to get up for them. I followed suit. They thanked us but said we were more than welcome to keep sitting down. Jason, being awesome and kind, thanked them in return but moved farther away for them to take a seat. This is why I love him. It wasn't but a moment later that our table was called.

We were seated not too far from the door by a group of older women swearing and laughing at something I can only assume was inappropriate (based on overhearing later portions of their conversations). We gave our order and soon were given homemade bread with raspberry butter. It was delicious! It was a little different than we remembered from last time (a chewy and no honey butter), but still very good! Here is a picture of the bread and butter:

 Soon our Dinner arrived. Jason ordered the Beef, bacon, and cheddar sandwich with broccoli, as seen below.

 Quickly followed by my chicken stir fry in a peanut sauce.

 After devouring our meals, we were given our check with a small cup of peppermint ice cream, as seen below.

As we ate our ice cream, we overheard the hilarious women next to us. Jason began laughing when he heard one woman tell another "If you touch that ticket I'm going to kick your ass." They had been fighting over who was to pay for dinner... I'm assuming she won. Haha!

As we left the restaurant, the sun was setting, giving a warm glow to our hotel. Below is a picture I took from the restaurant. 

 There was a creek between the restaurant and hotel that was just breathtaking. It was surrounded by stone walls with paintings on it. Below is a picture.

 Lastly, Jason in front of the restaurant.

As we walked toward the hotel garage for my car, we began to play a little "Where's Waldo" game. The last time we went to this restaurant we found a picture of Hugh Laurie on a white door. Sadly, no Laurie within sight. We assume someone must have removed it since it was graffiti. Oh well, some things will change.

Jason and I escaped the cold by finding my car in the hotel garage. We decided we wanted to visit a nearby brewery called Queen City Brewery Company. It was only a few minutes away and an easy drive. We made our way through the small crowd to the wooden bar and had a seat. The smell of beer wafted in the air, only to be interrupted by the occasional whiff of BBQ from the nearby food truck outside. Jason ordered something called a Smitten Rabbit (a Pale Ale) and I tried to order a Diet Dr. Pepper. Sadly, no soda for me. Jason drank his beer as I stared longingly at the sign that read "Diet Dr. Pepper." Soon a band began to play and all hope of retaining any hearing in my old age was lost. We watched as a woman played with a 3-4 month old baby as the man next to her tossed pretzles at the dog resting underneath the bar. Jason then ordered a flight of beer consisting of: ginger beer, Triple Belgian Ale, King Rabbit, Daddy Rabbit, and one other IPA we can't think of. As Jason sampled his flight, the bartender took the baby from the woman at the bar. He went into the back and came out moments later wearing a baby bjorn with a smiling baby girl inside it. Jason laughed and then pointed to the beer list in front of me... specifically to the beer Daddy Rabbit. The Daddy Rabbit was described as having more grains than the brewery has children. Haha! Guess so! Here is a picture of Jason at the bar... first time Jason had ever opened up a tab at a bar.

Soon drunk people began to dance in front of the band and loudly sang along to each song played. Everyone was happy, well-behaved, and having a good time. I told Jason that if this is the underbelly of Staunton... it's a really great place to live. Jason agreed and reminded me that where we're from there is the dreaded corner tavern... the true underbelly of Newnan. Once finishing up his beer, Jason and I ordered a growler of ginger beer (so good!) and paid the tab. As we walked out of the bar Jason came across a man looking at naked women on his phone... well, there's one in every town, right? Gotta love Staunton.

We took our growler and headed back to the hotel. One night in staunton down and not enough to go!

A Midnight Spook

March 26, 2015

We awoke before daybreak--the most ungodly hour to begin any day--and set out for work as we usually would on any given Thursday. Although it would seem a typical workday for us, Jason and I knew better. Shortly after work, we would begin to make our small journey to one of our favorite cities--Staunton, VA. We had visited Staunton a few years ago for our anniversary; having loved it so much, we decided to give ourselves a nice, long weekend in the beautiful small town we held so dear.

Jason and I hurried home. Both of us were somehow able to leave work early in order to pack--yes, I know... we should have packed before this point! In no time, however, we were ready to go. After pulling off our unbelievably adorable cats from the top of our suitcase--clearly they did not want us to leave--we said goodbye to Peanuts and Fred and made our way to the streets of Atlanta. Jason was kind enough to drive, even though he was functioning on only a few hours of sleep from the night before.

We stopped at a nearby Quick Trip for gas and to fill the tires with air. We soon headed toward downtown Atlanta. It wasn't long before we realized we left our home a little too late--rush hour had begun. Jason braved his way through traffic and got Fitzgerald (my car) and us out of Atlanta without a scratch. As we traveled north-bound, we decided to listen to an audio book Jason had gotten for the trip. It was called Spook by Mary Roach. It was a very good read (or in this case listen). Jason and I love how she writes. She's extremely intelligent, logical, and sarcastic as she can be. This particular book was about what happens to people when they die. She discussed how she wished our souls went on somehow, but how she struggles with this thought--she needs some kind of evidence that we can continue on without our bodies. She discussed reincarnation, outer-body experiences, near-death experiences, and even experiments that test if we have a soul. In one chapter she discusses how some people have tried to weigh a person when they die. They did this to see if a person would lose weight once dead, which could indicate their soul has left them. Pretty interesting stuff.

The drive was very long and soon Jason and I became hungry for dinner. We pulled over by a Quick Trip and decided to grab food there. Normally we would sit down and eat somewhere, but we were running out of time. According to our GPS, it would be 12:00 a.m. by the time we arrived at our hotel. We said it would be a late check-in, but at that point it's more of an early check-in for the following day. We hopped they wouldn't hold that against us.

Jason made his way to the Quick Trip hot dogs and I to the pepperoni pizza. Since we were in ... well, one of the the Carolina's, we were able to find Diet Cheerwine. This is my favorite beverage of all time. We quickly made our purchases and headed back out on the road. I checked my fitbit once in the car and soon realized there would be no time to finish all 10,000 steps by the end of today. Lucky for me I had walked extra at work. I made myself be as active as possible earlier in the day and ended up only 1,000 steps shy of my goal.

Many, many miles later we were required to get off at a nearby exit for gas. Jason got out of the car. The moment the door opened we realized we should have waited for a better gas station. As the outside air wafted toward us, the strong smell of dog shit made it's way to our nostrils. This was quickly followed by a Katie Perry song being blasted from the gas station radio. A large, dirty, and extremely muddy-looking truck was seen nearby as well. It was as though the world were attacking us with every one of our senses. Never have we gotten gas so quickly.

Thankful to be back on the road, we soon found ourselves in Virginia. We began to recognize familiar signs and billboards from our last trip. Finally, a glowing red light appeared in the nearby distance that read "Stonewall Jackson Hotel." There it is! We found the parking garage and walked up the long, brick path to the front of the hotel. Jason pulled the door and panicked. It wouldn't open. It was midnight and we appeared to be arriving too late. Jason, however, was more awake then I and was smart enough to try the door next to it, which thankfully was still open. It is one of the most beautiful hotel lobbies I have ever seen. Beautiful white columns, marble countertops, and sunshine yellow walls.  Here are two pictures of the hotel, which I cannot say I took. We were too tired to even think of taking pictures. These came from the hotel website located at: http://www.stonewalljacksonhotel.com/photos.htm#0

I told you--beautiful. As we made our way to the counter, a woman (looking just slightly less tired than I) walked out from behind a door to greet us. She asked if we were the Brown's. I guess we were the last people to check in. She handed us our hotel keys and our tickets to the Woodrow Wilson Library (we purchased a package deal to obtain these tickets). We thanked her and hobbled to our room on the third floor. It was a quiet hallway and we were the last door at the very end. We quickly dropped everything on the floor and collapsed into bed.

It had been such a long day, but so very fun and exciting. I know I listed quite a bit that sounded bad--Atlanta traffic, the long drive, arriving late, the monstrous gas station, and listening to a book about death--but it was really a wonderful day. That's the beautiful thing about being married to Jason. Both he and I have a tendency to see the negative, but we both work to turn all the negatives into something different. A horrible smelling gas station suddenly becomes extremely humorous when Jason turns to me and says with an uncertain chuckle "Why the hell does this gas station smell like dog shit?!" Or being stuck in a car for hours turns out to be fun and entertaining because you're with the person who makes you laugh the most. Even a book about death becomes hopeful and encouraging, not to mention hysterically sarcastic... all because the author has a similar sense of humor to Jason (who was the one who found the book for us to listen to).

I'm lucky in life in a lot of ways. Jason and I both have jobs. We have chances to take road trips. We are in good health mentally and physically. We've been given a lot of gifts. Truth is though, I'd still be lucky even if things changed. I've had the chance to know and deeply love a man like Jason P. Brown. He's changed my life and who I am more than anyone else in the world. He has turned so many days of gray and gloom into a glimmer of color and hope. Not only has he made my days brighter, but I've learned from him how to change my own dreary days into a memorable moment.

As we fell asleep in the small town of Staunton, Va, I thought back to the lovely trip we had in Staunton a few years ago. As tired as I was, a part of me still couldn't sleep because of the excitement of being back in the colorful town we had grown to love a few years ago. To the town of Staunton and to Jason P. Brown... life is more beautiful and unforgettable with you in it!

Of All The Holidays In All The Towns In All The World, You Celebrated Mine

October 15, 2014

Holidays are a funny thing. They're something you schedule, take time off of work for, see family for, buy things for, eat massive pounds of food for--you do so much on a Holiday. Yet, the holiday season is also known for being the hardest, saddest, and most stressful time of the year. Maybe it's because you have to schedule, buy, cook, see family... We love and hate it all for the same reasons (although Jason and I are lucky--both sides of our family are wonderful).

There is one day though. One day out of the whole year that's special. A holiday that everyone lets slip right by from under their nose without a second thought. Of course, our wedding day is excluded from being called a holiday--it's its own amazing day, too beautiful to be called a holiday. This amazing day is Fall Day.

Fall Day is the holiday of Autumn leaves, fresh picked pumpkins, crispy apples, tomato soup and grilled cheese. It's the first real day of Fall. Sure, we've had a few days where there were some leaves falling; a few yellow or brown. It's been a little cooler but not really chilly. You haven't been able to pull out that warm, knit sweater or have that hot cup of cider. There have only been small glimpses in the window of fall. But today... today it happened. Fall Day hit. Suddenly it was cold. You longed to grab the sweater, cider, and it just felt right to buy that pumpkin.

Jason and I went to work thinking it might just be a normal day. Just a regular Wednesday. But then, we went outside. The leaves were different colors--not a ton for it is Georgia. There was a fast breeze of cold air and the urge to bundle up in blankets followed immediately. Today had to be Fall Day. Jason and I chatted each other at work and declared today to be the first real day of Fall.

Immediately when I got home, I made our house look as fall-like as possible. I cleaned, opened up all the windows, and placed our fresh apples from a Kentucky farm in a large bowl. 

When Jason got home from work, we quickly ran to the store and purchased the necessary items for the day. When arriving home, Jason and I began to cook. Jason was in charge of the soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, I the cookies. Once cookies and dinner were almost done, we let the soup stew while decorating the house a little with our newly bought pumpkins. We also took our annual Fall-Day picture:

 Oh Fred!

 We kept laughing because Jason had such a hard time getting the camera to take the picture with the remote.

After the picture, I took pictures of Jason for fun:

 What a suave-looking man :^)

After taking pictures, we finished up dinner and put it on our coffee table with the candlesticks from our honeymoon. We eat in the living room so we can watch our Fall Day movie, Arsenic and Old Lace. Best fall movie ever! We also usually watch Charlie Brown (It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown!), but we ran out of time today. We will watch it soon though! Believe you me!

Below are pictures of the evening:

 Fred must think it's Halloween because clearly he is posing as a cute, adorable bunny!

There is no one in the world I'd rather spend Fall Day with than with Jason! 

Itchin' Like A Hound To Give Ya Somethin' Ya Want

October 11, 2014

Today we return to Georgia. A part of me was ready to see our cats and those we love at home, but another part wished to stay in the cool, autumn air of Kentucky. Either way, Jason and I awoke early in order to make our way home. We showered, put on our Bourbon Trail T-shirts, and began packing the car for our return trip. First the luggage, then the apples and non-alcoholic gifts. We left the many bags from Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, and other distilleries in the room while we went to the lobby for breakfast.

The lobby was packed with guests this morning. Not only was it a Saturday morning, but it was also the weekend of the Bourbon Chase. We learned of the Bourbon Chase yesterday as we walked through bardstown's square. We saw numerous people applauding for a group of runners in downtown yesterday morning. The bookstore owner explain the Bourbon Chase was in town, which is why so many people were applauding and yelling all morning. Glad we are leaving right before Bardstown becomes too busy.

Once Jason and I made our way through the breakfast line, we found a small table to eat at... one of the last ones available. Jason ate eggs, yogurt, and orange juice; I some fried potatoes and orange juice. While waiting in line for our food, a woman came up to me and asked where I got my shirt. I explained that Jason and I had completed the bourbon trail and picked up our shirts at the Welcome Center in Bardstown. She thanked me and then left. Then the woman in front of me turned around and explained that she, too, had just finished the bourbon trail. Apparently Jason and I were the only ones who knew the Welcome Center had the shirts. Most people think you just mail in your passports (the booklet that proves you completed the trail) to get the shirt. The only reason I knew the Welcome Center had it was because it said so on their website. Never hurts to read!

After eating, Jason and I went back upstairs, grabbed all the distillery gifts and purchases, and made our way to my car. We loaded it and then made our way to the lobby for checkout. Then, we set out to get gas at Kroger for our trip.

I decided to drive since we weren't going directly to Georgia on the way home. We made plans to stop by Nashville, TN to visit my dear friend Nikki. Super excited! We wanted to give her her birthday gift on the way home and say hi. She met us at a Mexican restaurant right off the interstate. It was so good to see her! In just 2.5 hours we were there. We gave her a hand-dipped bottle of Maker's Mark (which I was lucky enough to dip myself). We also gave her some of our fresh apples and a label from Maker's Mark. We ate and caught up on life for the next hour or so. She then invited us to come see her home. We drove, literally just a second away. She has an adorable house filled with cute thinks that always look so very Nikki-like. It was lovely! She then gave Jason some homemade pickles and then said good-bye to us. Always so good to see her!

We then returned to the road and, this time, headed for Georgia. It was a 4 hour drive. Unfortunately for me, it was not a pleasant ride. While driving I had gotten very ill, quite unexpectedly. This is the first time Jason has ever witnessed me vomiting. I was mortified. Worst place to be ill is while on the interstate. Luckily, however, there was a container nearby and I was able to keep my car from being ruined. Jason was wonderful. He said he wasn't bothered at all and told me that the last thing I should do is worry about him. Apparently I can be sick in front of Jason and he still love me and not think me gross. Although I always longed to be that wife that never got sick in front of her husband, looks like we're just as great as ever. We laughed quite a bit later about what a story I may have given someone else. "Man! I was on the interstate when I looked over and saw this girl...." Oh boy!

After pulling off the interstate and grabbing two large sprites from a nearby Burger King, we returned to the road. After a little while I felt a little better so we began to pick up our unfinished novel, Jane Eyre. We read for hours until finally arriving in Georgia. We made our way through Atlanta Traffic, finally at home. Our two cats greeted us with much love and affection. They are so sweet!

After unpacking, we made our way to my parent's home to give them their gifts. My mom was out of town, however, so Dad will have to give her gifts to her when she returns. Here is a picture of me and Dad:

We gave Dad his Cask-Strength Maker's Mark bottle (hand-dipped by me and only sold in their gift shop). We also gave him Mom's box of bourbon balls. Additionally, we gave them fresh apples, a Maker's Mark label, and peach preserves from Hinton's Farm. He loved it! We hoped to give Jason's side of the family their gifts today, but they were headed out on vacation as well. Looks like we'll have to give them their gifts later.

Below are pictures of Jason and I at my parent's home in our Bourbon Trail shirts. We also are holding up our bourbon passports... completed passports!

After seeing Dad, we planned to go to dinner at Panera Bread. I, however, wasn't really hungry due to still being queasy. Jason said he was still full from lunch, too, so we decided to go home. Just ate crackers and finished our sprites at home. We then relaxed with our cats for the rest of the night. Here are pictures that show just how much they missed us:

Also, here is a picture of our bourbon trail t-shirts!

Next anniversary trip: Salem, Massachusetts. Five years since our Honeymoon in Salem!

How Do Ya Like These Apples!?

October 10, 2014

Soft rays of sunlight slowly peered in our window this morning. The Kentucky sky was covered in a blanket of gray clouds; the air thick with fog and mist. Jason and I groggily pulled ourselves from the cozy bed, dressed, and made our way to the hotel lobby for breakfast. The lobby was bustling this morning, a continually hum of conversation lingered in the air as we ate our eggs and biscuits. After breakfast, we returned to our rooms to properly dress for the day.

We decided to spend our last morning in Kentucky walking the streets of Bardstown. Jason and I love to walk on vacation. In fact, this has been the first vacation where we did more driving than walking. Bardstown was too beautiful to ignore for the whole trip, however. Today we made our way to the square. Brick sidewalks lined our path as we ventured into unknown shops and old antique stores.

Below is a picture of the first shop we came across. Upon our arrival this little guy, who we later learned was called "sparky," greeted us with much excitement and joy. He particularly latched on to Jason. In fact, he brought Jason a small toy for him to throw so that he might return it once more.

Look at those big brown eyes! Every time Jason would stop petting him, he'd prop up on Jason's legs, begging for more cuddles. So cute!

Below are pictures of the Bardstown square. I snapped this shot while hurrying across the road, as to avoid being run over. Spoiler: I wasn't injured or run over during the making of this photo.

Jason and I visited a few antique shops and old bookstore as we wandered through town. Unfortunately, nothing quite caught our eye. The few things that did catch our eye seemed to reach farther into our wallet than we were comfortable allowing. After some browsing, we decided to return to our car so we might embark on another adventure. However, as we walked, we came across Baskin BR Robbins (a.k.a Baskin Brobbins). This is where we had ice cream the night before:

Also, upon walking to our car, we saw this:

It's me! I'm a Peanuts kid!! They call me Charlie Brown's little sister, DaNae Brown! Apparently I like sportsball in the land of Peanuts.

Once in our car, we made our way up the mountain to find Hinton Orchard. All week I have wanted to pick my own apples or pumpkins. If you go to farm country, it's a requirement to find fresh food right from the tree or vine. Jason and I researched different places, and Hinton's website said we could pick our own pumpkins and apples! We were so excited! I even wore one of my favorite plaid shirt for the occasion.  The closer we got to Hinton Orchard, the harder it was to see. Below are pictures of the dense fog bank we encountered on our way.

Soon we arrived at Hintons! Here are pictures:

We drove through two large fields of apple trees as we made our way to their store. Small raindrops began to fall on our windshield as we parked the car. We quickly grabbed the umbrella and entered the shop. It was lovely! Pretty woven baskets, jams, jellies, apples, pumpkins, and fresh fruit lined the store shelves. We decided to ask the woman at the counter about picking our apples and pumpkins before buying anything, since the rain may hinder this adventure later. Sadly, to our dismay, we learned they do not allow self-picking of their produce. I guess their website is out of date. Jason and I decided not to let this ruin the fun trip. We grabbed a woven basket (which I later purchased) and began picking jams, jellies, and other goodies to take home. Jason even grabbed a half a bushel of apples (hand-picked from the cart). It all looked amazing!

We purchased our fresh produce and made our way to our car, just as the rain began to quicken. We then looked up different places to go for lunch, particularly BBQ. Jason and I always try to eat BBQ on vacation and compare what states have the best BBQ. Jason found a place called "Arrowhead Archery and BBQ." Yes, we said "AND BBQ." Turns out this place is an archery and gun shop with a small room to the right for BBQ. I loved their sign:

Here is a close up of the sign, which was also proudly displayed in the restaurant. Maybe the word "room" would be more appropriate.

Below are pictures of our delicious lunch entrées.

My potato with BBQ Brisket, cheese, and sour cream.

Jason's pulled pork sandwich and mac n' cheese. So good!

A picture of Jason and my car at the store/restaurant.

After lunch, we began driving back to Bardstown. On the way we discussed possibly picking our own corn. Only problem is that there is no place to pick corn, unless you steal it. We decided we could not steal from farmers. For fear of guns and other moral reasons. Instead of staking out cornfields, we decided to make our way to Lincoln's boyhood home state park. I wouldn't call it a park, but more of a patch with log cabins and such. Here are pictures of us at his boyhood home, obviously a replica:

The pictures above and below are of a tavern erected in Lincoln's honor.

After visiting good ol' Lincoln, we set out for the hotel once more. In order to get to the hotel, we had to pass through downtown Bardstown again. Jason was able to get some pictures of the lovely homes near the square:

Now safely back at the hotel, we took pictures of what we purchased. Below is the basket I bought for grocery shopping. I plan to use this when we go shopping at home. Great basket for very cheap!

below is Jason with the apples. They were delicious!

Below are pictures of some jams and jellies we bought!

The apples we chose to eat when we got back:

My first bite of an apple straight from a tree:

Jason's first bite of an apple straight from a tree:

Both Jason and I loved these apples! Best apples I've ever had. Crunchy and sweet!

Us with our apples... we may have had waaaay too many pictures of this but we were excited.

Jason blogged when we returned to the hotel as I took a short nap. The rainy weather was not conducive to productivity, at least not for me. Soon we were close to dinner time. Jason woke me up and told me I should start getting ready for dinner, since the Dinner Train we were scheduled to board was leaving in an hour. I informed Jason that I had enough time and could dress later. He then said I take a little longer to get dressed than he does and should probably do it soon so we don't miss the train. This, of course, started a competition: who can get dressed the quickest.

Ready, set.... Jason quickly went to his clothes, which were already set out because he does that. I, however, had to go to the suitcase and get mine... Jason had quite the advantage. Not only did he have this to help him, but he also took my dress from my hands and threw it across the hotel room. So, he cheats as well!! What a bastard! In response to such a cheater, I grabbed his shirt, as best I could (for Jason still had hold of it). I was able to throw it, though not very far... only across the bed. Since Jason was so close to it, I then had to stand in his way to prevent him from getting his shirt. This, however, did not help me get to my dress. Being a cheater and extremely strong, Jason basically flung me out of the way and grabbed his shirt. I gave up a lost cause and went for my dress. In only seconds, I was fully clothed and Jason was still buttoning his shirt. I laughed and said I won as he put on his belt next. I finished and sat down. After a few seconds Jason begins to laugh, in a laugh that I am not too fond of. He then says "Ha! I win. You don't have shoes on and I do!" Cheater, cheater! Rules obviously should have been stated before this competition began. In either case, I clearly can get dressed and ready before, at, or shortly after he can... within a few minutes. I win the argument overall. Jason disagrees. Bitchard.

After dressing, fully, we set out for the dinner train. It is technically called "My Old Kentucky Dinner Train." Because of the rain and fog, we forgot and were unable to take pictures of the actual train. However, here is a link to their site where there are pictures:

http://www.kydinnertrain.com/index.html

Since it was so rainy, Jason grabbed our umbrella and walked with me to the station. He took hold of my hand so I wouldn't fall. Slick streets and walkways while wearing boots with heals do not make for stable footing. Once inside we gave them our reservation name and were told to wait in the station while they prepared for us to board. We found a small table with the other passengers and waited patiently. As we waited, Jason and I, along with a few other passengers, watch in horror as a large tour bus slowly backed into the station's lamppost outside. The lamppost fell quickly in a cacophony of shattering glass. A collection of gasps immediately permeated the inside of the station, Jason and myself included. Unexpectedly, the driver to this tour bus drove off, seemingly without a second though. Luckily for the station, the drive must return to pick up his passengers.

Shortly after this bit of entertainment, we were informed we could begin boarding the train. They informed us we would be entering through the kitchen's car since it was raining. We passed numerous waitresses and cooks until finding our dinner car. We were then seated at table 41 with a young couple across from us. We said hello, as did they, and began admiring the dish already placed before us. Here is a picture:

Believing this to be chocolate, which I found confusing for the first course, the taste surprised me, as it was balsamic vinaigrette and mushroom. The man across from us said he thought it was meat; he then displayed a look of deep dissatisfaction. His wife laughed and said, "I should have let him believe it was meat." I then said he could just pretend and it would be okay. As we ate our first course, a man walked to the front of our car and introduced himself to all the passengers. He was the son-in-law of the original master distiller of Willett Distillery. This was one of a small number of distilleries we were unable to tour, due to time. Apparently Willett Distillery was created in the 1936 by Thompson Willett (27 at the time) and his brother Johnny Willett. 

The representative of Willett Distillery informed us we would be tasting 3 bourbons from their distillery and a special mixed drink while riding the train. The waitress soon brought a small shot of bourbon to each of us. Our first taste of Willett was of their Pot Still Reserve. I was not a fan. They like Rye in their bourbon, a lot of it. Jason and I watched as the couple across from us tried the bourbon as well. From the looks of them, they did not much care for it either. Soon we were smoothly gliding across the train tracks toward different parts of Kentucky.

The scenery was lovely, although rainy. We began to slowly get to know the couple across from us. They were lovely. We learned they were on the train for their anniversary, as we were. Apparently, they were married in October only two years before we were, and two days after us. Their anniversary is the 11th and ours the 9th. We all congratulated each other and started the next course of our meal. I unfortunately forgot to take pictures of the next course, but I can tell you it looked beautiful. Jason ordered the golden-spike salad, which had blue cheese, corn, and radishes. I ordered the classic Caesar salad. Delicious!

Here are pictures of the view as we flew by Kentucky. Keep in mind we were moving, so it will be blurry.

As we rode along the tracks, we came upon some houses. Apparently, the train goes directly behind many people's homes. Jason and I glanced out the window at just the right time, for there were three children and their mom standing at the door, waving at us. How amazing for those kids, to be able to wave at a train right outside their own home.

Below are pictures of the inside of the train:

And Jason:

And me:

Another picture of the inside, once the couple in front of us left to visit the train's balcony. Look at the guy in the bow tie. I do believe we are now in the early 1900s!

Once the couple returned to our table, they asked if we would like for them to take a picture of us at the balcony. It's not exactly the balcony, but more of a window between cars. We agreed and followed them to the window. Here are pictures of us:

We then offered to take their picture and returned to the table. We soon learned the couple seated with us is also 27, at least the wife was. Not sure about the husband. She is apparently an RN and he a lineman in Louisville. This quickly began a discussion of the horrors that reside in Louisville, which we promptly agreed. They also do not have kids and are not sure they want them. We also learned that the wife created a special drink, which we plan to try. They are not bourbon drinkers, but the wife (never learned her name) likes to drink peppermint schnapps with Hershey Syrup. She said it's a great of fun to squeeze Hershey Syrup into your mouth and chase it with schnapps. Apparently it tastes just like a Thin Mint. We are looking forward to trying this!

As we talked about how we met and how they met, our third course arrived. Below are pictures:

My Prime Rib, potato, and veggies.

Jason's Harvest Chicken, potatoes, and veggies.

We also were offered coffee, bread, and tea. Jason and I both had bread, but only Jason the tea. It was delicious. During dinner we also tried the two remaining shots of bourbon. The second shot was Rownan's Creek and the third was Noah's Mill. Again, very very heavy on the rye. I continued to give Jason my bourbon, as I had to drive when getting back. The couple beside us laughed, stating I was trying to get him drunk. Jason said, "She's been trying to get me drunk all week." I added, "With no success." We all laughed as they brought us the mixed drink next. Here is a picture of the drink, which Jason and I knew as a Old Fashion. We heard many people say "What's an Old Fashion." Turns out Jason and I were some of the only young people who had heard of this drink before. I took a sip, wished Maker's Mark had been in it, stole the cherry, and gave it to Jason.

Next came the dessert. As dessert was being served, a man blond-haired man wearing a tuxedo walked past us. I turned to Jason and said, "Did you just see Niles?" I, of course, am talking about Niles from Frazier. Looked just like him!

For dessert, both Jason and I, along with the couple at our table, ordered the Choo Choo Train For Two. Here are pictures:

Cure right! As we ate our last course, the couple across us were kind enough to take our picture once more:

During the quiet moments of our meal, Jason and I smiled to ourselves at the conversation we were unable to avoid hearing at the table opposite us. Throughout the entire train ride, the man at the next table was discussing strange topics with a great deal of vigor. Jason and I heard things like "They need to reinstate the draft." He spent the entire train ride discussing religion and politics--the two subjects most risky to discuss with people you don't know. I can't recall what absurdity this man had said which caused me to chuckle, but my laugh caught the attention of the man sitting at our table. He then looked to his wife and said, "She's laughing with me." Apparently all four of us had been silently laughing and thinking the same things about this strange character at the opposite table. Or, if you use Jason's phrasing, "this silly bitch of a man." Haha! It was fun.

The train soon returned to the station, where we said good-bye to our brief dinner companions. As we left the station, we caught the eye of the tour bus driver, appearing very distraught, learning he had caused much damage to a lamppost. We then returned to our car in the rain, which was parked directly across from our brief dinner companions. Great minds apparently think alike. Side note: the car they drove was a wedding anniversary gift that the husband bought for his wife. Apparently, they both picked transportation gifts this year, for she purchased the dinner train tickets as an anniversary surprise for her husband.  Or rather, tried to surprise her husband. Apparently his coworkers informed him of where he was going.

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed our last night in Kentucky very much. We planed to try one last ditch effort to get a Mint Julep at the Tavern, but it appears those are only served during Derby. So, Jason ended his first trip to Kentucky with his first ride on a train instead! Works for us!