That old crooked highway... Kentucky bound!

Little Miss Piglet woke up 45 minutes before the alarm went off, so we figured we'd take advantage of it and get going! After the kids were fed and the dog was walked we were off. It was still raining though. Grrrrr. But it didn't matter, Tennessee was breathtaking! Because of the rain and the fact that I was driving 75 mph down the freeway, I didn't get a lot of pictures, but I did snap one quick shot of the Tennessee River as crossed over it.

Honestly, Arkansas and Tennessee both reminded me a lot of Oregon, except there were more deciduous trees and less evergreens. I was truly amazed at scenery. It's strange, you go about your life having a preconceived notion, something that you heard or that you thought you knew about someplace and then you actually go there and are completely blown away at how different it is compared to what you thought it would be! I guess it shows you can't judge something until you experience it!

We boogied through Nashville, stopping only for a potty break and then it was onward to Kentucky... FINALLY!

And what a sight, Kentucky is beautiful! Green and lush and full of life. Happy fat, black cows on green, green grass! My mom says there is nothing prettier than black cows on green grass and she may be right! I could just kick myself for not taking a picture of some! :( And not only is the countryside wonderful, but the people were warm and friendly and always happy to stop and chat a moment. I would like to give a great big shout out to Rhonda at the Subway in Bowling Green, KY for finding my purse, that held my debit cards, my driver's license and almost $400 in cash and calling my YMCA of all places (it was the only number she could find) and having them call me on my cell phone to inform me I had left it behind! They were so relieved when I arrived and every single thing in my purse, including the cash, was present and accounted for. It was heartening to know that there are still really good people in the world today!

After our little purse snafu, we we headed up to Elizabethtown and veered onto the Bluegrass Parkway heading to Lexington. We stopped to pick up groceries and wine and headed on to Stanton. By this time it had started to rain again, it was getting late and the kids were beyond whining. It was more like whimpering and crying! But we finally made it! We greeted my aunt and unpacked as much as we could in the deluge, had a LARGE glass of wine, headed off to our various sleeping locations and called it a night!

Thankfully the next day started to clear up and by early afternoon I was able to take a tour of the homestead and get myself familiar with the lay of the land! This is the main house...

It is on the side of a hill and is therefore very vertical, 4 stories total, I think. There is no public water, all water for this property comes from a cistern that collects rainwater. In the dry months she can have a water company come out and fill the cistern, but at this time it was strictly rainwater. You don't drink cistern water, but you bathe, flush toilets, and wash clothes and dishes with it. She gets her drinking water from a spring located in the next "holler"! Mom stayed with my aunt and the 7 cats and a beagle in the main house, the kids, the dog and I stayed in the workshop which was lovingly referred to as "The Chalet"!

The main house is still under some serious construction, but the workshop is fully finished (at least internally). Well, except for a bathroom. So, for the first time in my life, I FINALLY had a pot to piss in... literally!

The Monkey Man didn't really dig the chamber pot, so he took to pissing on trees (every 8 y.o. boy's dream!)

Here is a view from the main level deck in the main house (meaning main level on one side of the house 3rd level on the deckside).

This was a deck for cats and grown-ups only as there was NO railing! But it was, without a doubt, the perfect place to have your tea in the company of songbirds, butterflies and pileated woodpeckers!

The kids, and the dog, didn't know what to do with themselves. So much to see, so much to explore, and as far as Nigel was concerned, so many cats to chase! There is a big circle drive that goes around the house and next to the workshop and that was the boundary.

The kids raced around the drive with dogs frolicking behind them, rocks were thrown, moss was petted, bugs were investigated, sticks were found and used as swords and my kids quickly became dirty, and very happy, little wild things and my dog became a bonafide mountain hound!

Stay tuned for more adventures in Kentucky!