Day 5- Louisville, Kentucky

Grandpa babysat the kids for us so Leonard and I could go on a date...

to Kentucky!  We served in the Louisville Temple.

The temple grounds always have such lovely flowers, but I also enjoyed these beautiful plants.

After the temple we visited the resting place of Colonel Harland Sanders (the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken) and his wife Claudia.

The tiny flowers on this plant have 5 petals, while the big ones have 4.  I've never seen this before, but fell in love.

An impressive Celtic cross.

We also visited the Heigold House Facade.

There was a massive flood in the 1800s that destroyed many homes, including this one.  However, the front wall remained in tact, so it was preserved.  I wish I could have seen it in its heyday.

We also saw the Belle of Louisville.

They host dinner cruises on her, but they were sold out for the day.  We'll have to visit again.

We didn't get to visit the baseball museum, but we did see the world's largest baseball bat from Louisville Slugger.

We also visited the spooky Witch's Tree.

Apparently, people leave tokens there for good luck.

It reminded me a little of voodoo, but I do think this little porcelain doll is pretty.

There were also many beads adorning its branches.

We also ate at Cracker Barrel (my first time).  Leonard had southern fried chicken, while I had chicken and dumplings, yum!

Day 4 bonus- Ice Cream!

The old schoolhouse is now an ice cream parlor, so of course we had to get some!  They were going to receive a new shipment in soon, so we waited and helped them unload it.  Then we each chose a different flavor.  I chose the blackberry and it was SO good!

Day 4- Cataract, Indiana

We went to visit the beautiful Cataract Falls.

Here we are at the upper falls.

I love covered bridges, especially red ones!

The view of the water through one of the windows in the bridge.

Gotta love these natural stepping stones in the river!

The lower falls.

I loved meeting this couple painting together.

(Retirement goals!)

These two were quite smitten with each other!

We also had to visit the General Store, the oldest running store in Indiana.  It's been around since 1860, or in other words, since Abraham Lincoln was president!  It no longer sells gas, but it has all kinds of goodies inside.  The outhouse beside it has been converted into a little free library, so cute!

We got some yummy old-fashioned soda pop and pop rocks candy!

I loved seeing this new tractor,...

and this old corn crib!

We also visited the old one-room Cataract Schoolhouse.  My Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Karl attended school here in their youth!

I love these old desks.

I love the teachers that taught here.

I love the students that went here.

I love the girls' bobbed hair and dresses, and the boys' overalls and mischievous grins.  The poor boys were outnumbered 3 to 1.

There were loads of old books and games.  They were fun to look at.

I love visiting nostalgic places.  I know I romanticize the past.  I know the lives of our ancestors were very hard ones.  I also like to think they were simpler, friendlier, and communed with nature more.  I long to live in the country (but not too far from the city, ha ha!).