It has been a little nuttier than normal here this summer in terms of people coming and going and when I say people that includes us. We have had a lot of company, but we've also been company. Which is more fun? Hmmm...
I have another post or two about our trip to Washington, and while it might make sense to finish that up I feel like switching gears so strap in.
Let's bring everyone up to speed...hubs took a two week course all day/every day in mid-July and the day after that wrapped up Daughter2's future in-laws came to the lake for a visit. Also to handle some wedding details, but mostly just to visit. We had a wonderful time and are so grateful for the loving parents who raised our soon-to-be son-in-law. We're all just a little bit excited for spring to roll around, but first! Kentucky-
The day after our guests left we drove to Kentucky to spend a few days with friends who have a lake house there. Yes, we left
our lake house and went to
their lake house, but that's what friends do.
Lake living y'all. Go get you some.
Anyway these friends only live part time at the lake and that part time is summer so that's when we needed to visit. Plus there was bourbon.
I don't particularly care for bourbon, but hubs is a fan and I like a road trip, seeing old friends, and learning new things so win win.
We had a pretty day of driving through some lovely countryside and arrived at their house late afternoon. We used to eat Indian food together back when we all lived in the UK, so the Mr. had prepared for us the most delicious curry which made us feel a teensy bit nostalgic for English village life.
We had picture perfect weather and struck out for our first stop on the 'Bourbon Trail' the next morning. I don't know what I was expecting, but I don't think I realized how enormous these operations are.
We started at Wild Turkey where we hopped on a little bus for a tour of their operating facilities. So interesting! Plus, our tour guide was a retired Marine Corps Drill Sergeant who had not lost his voice and was a lot of fun.
Once the tour ended we were returned to the visitors center for a tasting and some shopping and a photograph of this famous bridge that people bungee off of 'for fun'. Pass the bourbon please.
The company that runs it is appropriately named Vertigo. This bridge is 240 feet above the Kentucky River and the highest bridge in North America you can 'legally' jump from. I guess there are people illegally jumping from higher bridges?
Let's get back on the Bourbon Trail.
We had lunch at a cute little place in the town of Lawrenceburg called Heavens To Betsy, then drove out to Woodford Reserve. We rode through some really pretty countryside, past several horse farms, and then onto the gorgeous property that is Woodford.
Again we hopped on a little bus for their tour and while there was some overlap in the information each tour also taught us a little something new too. I enjoyed seeing the bottling in action here-
There are restrictions as to how much they can serve you in a tasting and I was more about the chocolate anyway, but still it was such an interesting day. Of course the weather was perfection which always helps.
We had dinner at the lake house and afterward the guys went fishing. Hubs caught a nice sized fish which was the perfect ending to a pretty perfect day.
We were up and at 'em early the next morning for Day 2 on the trail...next stop-Buffalo Trace.
This was my favorite because they are doing a lot of renovations and we got something like a backlot tour here and saw some different things.
Buffalo Trace is the oldest continually operating Distillery in America, and even remained open for 'medicinal' purposes during Prohibition.
After the tour there was the tasting and the shopping and then on to lunch. We ate at a tiny spot in Frankfort called
Rick's White Light Diner which has been featured on the show Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.
The food is Cajun and delicious and we sat in the little courtyard outside to eat our lunch. Rick came out towards the end of our meal and talked with us for a long while which was interesting. Then it was back to the lake where we girls floated while the guys went and shot clay pigeons or skeet or some such thing.
We were on the road bright and early Thursday morning and got home in time to do a little laundry, unpack our suitcases then
repack our suitcases, and head to the airport really
really early Friday morning for our flight to Seattle.
As summer rolls along I'm thankful for family and friends who come to us, for friends who say hey, come to us. For blue skies, sunshine, rolling hills, tall trees, lake life, city life, new experiences, old friends, planes, boats and automobiles, and the hubs by my side who makes me laugh and lets me nap when he senses I might teeter from all the things.
It has been a crazy beautiful busy summer and we're not done yet.