Spring Vacation, Part 1: Ohio

We left our home on Wednesday, April 8 after Shad got home from work. We drove east on highway 36 through overcast skies, rain, and then fog so thick that I could barely see 10 yards in front of me. For an hour. Gosh, that was a stressful drive! We finally got close to the Missouri River, where the fog suddenly dissipated and I could see clearly. I was expecting that we'd get to our hotel in Cameron, Missouri around 10 pm, but we didn't get there until 11!

We drove all the way across Missouri on highway 36. It was fun to see more of the highway on which we live. I loved seeing the contrast of the bright green grass and farmland against the blue-grey sky.

Not because we're people who remember the birthplace of significant historical figures, but because we saw a sign telling us so, we decided to stop in Springfield, Illinois, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. 

We visited the Lincoln Presidential Library, where a man excitedly approached us, asking if we were joining them in going outside for the bell-ringing. Bell-ringing? The national bell-ringing to celebrate the exact time General Robert E. Lee signed the peace treaty with General Ullyses S. Grant to end the Civil War, 150 years ago. Wow! It gave us chills just to think about it. The actual bell-ringing itself was a little disappointing. I mean, in my mind, a national bell-ringing to celebrate the end of the bloody Civil War would be a big, loud event. Ring out all the church bells and let the world know! No, it was simply that excited man, wearing white gloves, ringing a silly little ceremonial bell for a minute. Lame.

Statue of Abe Lincoln across from his Presidential Library and Museum.

The quote on the statue's base.

Hey, guess what! I'm probably related to that Schafer. My grandpa's ancestors lived in Tazewell County just south of Springfield before they moved west to Nebraska.

And so we finally arrived in Cincinnati. We stayed at my cousin Scott's house, with his wife, Ally, and two sons, Matthew and William. We did tons of fun activities while we were in a large city.

Children's Museum

My cousin Rex came down from Columbus to visit.

We went to Loveland Castle, a medieval style castle built out of the Little Miami River. After returning from service in Europe, a WWII veteran decided to build a castle because not many Americans get the chance to travel to see such historical European sites. He literally built this castle out of the river--using stones, and making mortar from the silt in the riverbed. Each floor of the castle's interior is inspired by different national styles--English, German and French. Truly American.

Tom and Katie are on the ends.

Sitting at the long table in the dining hall.

It was really important to Tom that he got to play chess in the castle. Not that he knows how to play...

Matthew has a corvette, and Shad got to experience the stress of giving his daughter's first driving lesson. Tom seemed to have it figured out the moment he sat behind the wheel.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Peacock doing his thing and showing off.

Riding the great tortoise

Tiger!

Try not to read into Tommy's expression. He's excited and happy to be there.

See! Told ya. That gorilla is new to the zoo, and that day was his first day out. We got to see his amazing display of catching food, clapping for more, and running around beating his chest to establish dominance over us.

Zebras are Dancy's favorite!

Riding on the train. Tommy, Matthew, Thor and I.

Yay, train!

She's not really a flasher; she's just showing me her Tinkerbell shirt.

Lions

Giraffes! Would you look at those giraffes?!

Yeah, and he just held this pose.

We also got to have dinner at Dave and Mary's house (my uncle and aunt), with my cousins Jonathan and Craig. We played many games of Lords of Waterdeep with them, and Scott and Ally. It was fun getting to spend so much time catching up with Scott, who I've had an almost non-existent relationship with since we both went and grew up.

On our way out of the city, we ran errands and stopped at Olive Garden for lunch. The kids had a water cup already, and then a smoothie cup for their lunch. Katie decided to double-straw it.

Then, naturally, the others had to follow suite.

Scrunchy face!

Spring Vacation, Part 2: Kentucky

We left Cincinnati on Wednesday and traveled to Ashland, KY, enjoying overcast skies, bridges, rivers, and a piece of the Ohio River Scenic Byway, which hugs alongside the Ohio River.

 

I love this face!

We stopped by the sporting store, where Shad's friend Lincoln works as a gun salesman. The kids are always excited to go to gun stores! We visited and looked around while we waited for Lincoln to get off work, then we followed him home through all the winding, hilly Kentucky mountain back roads. It is those roads that have provided us a sympathetic understanding of why the South seems to be incapable of driving in the winter. Imagine snow and ice on those! Impossible.

Lincoln Hurt was a sick companion of Shad's on their mission in Ventura, California. They were both sick, so they spent two weeks in the apartment together while their companions went out and did missionary work. I've heard soooo many stories from those two weeks: bowling with Gatorade bottles; the time they found Nair and decided to use it on Lincoln's back; the time when, after Lincoln had a pack of ice on his back for an hour, they decided to let Shad towel whip Lincoln, and the towel wrapped around Lincoln's back and struck in a part that wasn't numb; how Lincoln hid in the laundry closet to scare Shad, and Shad tied the doors shut. It goes on and on. Lincoln is a gun enthusiast. He grew up eating what he could shoot, so he became a good shot. He wins almost any competition he enters. Lincoln has great admiration for WWII veterans. Any time he meets one, he offers to buy lunch, on the condition that war stories be told. Many of these veterans give their war guns and souvenirs to Lincoln, whether directly, or by writing him into their wills. Lincoln's gun collection is awe inspiring, and why I didn't take a picture of it still nags at me. I'll have to have Lincoln send me some pictures himself. Regardless, there are some 70 handguns and rifles in Lincoln's attic, and that's not even half of what Lincoln owns. There are stories behind most of them that could send shivers through your body, and I can hardly remember them. Anyway, this was my first time meeting Lincoln in person, though we've talked and texted much over the 5 years I've been married to Shad. It was also our first time to meet Ashley, Lincoln's wife. They got married 2 years ago and Ashley is pregnant with twins. She was 7 months pregnant when we were there in mid-April.

Thursday was a wondrous rainy day. Lincoln was at work, Ashley was sleeping from her 12 hour shift at the hospital that ended at 6 am, the rain poured steadily and gently, and we all cuddled under blankets and enjoyed a morning of relaxing and Netflix. It was a wonderful way to recharge after the fun chaos that the bustling city of Cincinnati provided.

Tom and Katie spent most of their waking hours outside in the yard. They enjoyed climbing in the Ann Magnolia tree in the front, shaking the branches to cause a shower of purple petals.

Because of the high speeds on the road out front, Dancy wasn't allowed to be outside unless an adult was out there with her. So she occasionally looked like this:

I call this one "Wishing".

"...and hoping"

Lincoln's mother made us a delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy, with fried apples, and a couple of cakes that she had from something. These kids were spoiled with all the desserts:)

Dancy devouring her chocolate cake.

At one point, she was finished with her cake and passed her plate over to me. As she did so, she saw a large crumb that had fallen on the table. The way her face lit up and she exclamed, "Oh! Found it!" was priceless. She stuffed it into her mouth and mumbled, "Yum!"

Shad and I commented over and over that we felt like we were camping with all the rain, the mountain feel, the trickling stream across the front yard, and the chill of being in an old house without insulation or central heat. This talk of camping soaked into Tommy's mind, so on Friday morning, he declared that we needed to build a fire to have s'mores. He spent all morning collecting sticks for firewood, and stones to go under them (maybe for fire containment?). He even adventurously jumped into the stream to collect his supplies.

The pile of firewood.

We went to the grocery store and Tommy picked out all of his ingredients and checked out by himself. He wouldn't let anyone else carry the grocery bag. After lunch, Lincoln's mom came over to babysit the kids while Ashley took us up to the family property. Although the property (some 30 acres or more) is just a short hike up the hill behind Lincoln's house, it isn't safe to go that way, due to a (certifiably) crazy cousin who may shoot you. So we went the long way around--a 15 minute drive around the mountainside. Even so, Ashley brought a gun with us, just in case. We were met at the gate by Lincoln's dad, who showed us around. We saw his beehives, the 3 horses that run loose on the land and no one in the family really knows who they belong to, the wild raspberry and blackberry bushes, the best hiding spot for hunting deer, and the family cemetery. It was delightful!

When we came back to the house, the kids were all passed out.

That night after dinner, Lincoln showed Tommy how to build a fire. Then we roasted our s'mores.

We borrowed Momma Hurt's cotton candy maker. You drop hard candy into it, and it spins out candy floss. What better way to follow up s'mores? Pris, don't be surprised if you get one of these for a gift some day. We think it's an excellent appliance for Nana's house.

And then suddenly it was Saturday morning and time for us to take a bunch of pictures and hit the road.

Lincoln and Ashley Hurt

Shad and Lincoln

View from the front door

Looking to the left--garden, shed, grape arbor, and the stream marks the property line (Lincoln's house, which was his grandmother's, is on 7 or 17 acres. I can't remember). That red house and shed are the closest neighbor. She's in her 90s, and there's oil and natural gas on her property.

Still looking left.

Looking right

The stream across the street

The house

The porch on the side of the house, which serves as Lincoln's shooting range. He spends about half an hour after work shooting, daily. We got to shoot with him Thursday and Friday. Lincoln gave us one rule, and one rule only: just don't shoot my railing. My first shot nailed the railing and send splinters flying. Several of my following shots looked similar. Turns out that I'm just short enough that my aim just couldn't avoid the rail. At least from the same standing point as Shad and Lincoln.

Hunting Wascawy Wabbits

I've got a new hobby. I call it Defending My Garden. Screw Peter Cottontail and all his buddies who ate my cauliflower, and are working their way through my broccoli and cabbage too. And what's worse: they're wasteful. Stupid rabbits can't even be decent enough to finish eating their cabbage leaves; they just leave them scattered about the garden, and I didn't even disturb them!

Well, Shad and I took one down earlier this week, only we weren't very good at it since it was our rookie kill. This time I was much more efficient (two shots), so I kept him for the meat. I chopped the head off myself, then my neighbor Joe showed me how to skin and gut it. Sadly, Joe did not know I intended to keep the pelt, and he tossed it. 

And then when I was cleaning the meat at my hose tap, bugs kept flying into me. I was so excited when I saw that they were June bugs, I ran inside for a canning jar and collected about 30. Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods successfully got Shad and I itching to eat these superfood bugs, so I'm thrilled that their season has started. I'll keep the jar in the freezer so that we can continuously add to it, then fry them up when we have enough. Feeling pretty accomplished for a night!