See a Penny Pick it Up :)

  Surrounded by the impeccable beauty of Kentucky, we stand here,

 at the foot of the first memorial to former president Lincoln.

Behind us are the steps leading up to the entrance of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site memorial log cabin.

 Each step you take represents a year in Lincoln's life.
After you've been up and down them several times throughout the day, you really begin to see what a long, full life he had!

Jeanette and our friend Shannon pulled off the infamous Lincoln hat look very well as we moseyed around the gift shop!

"Because I have too."

"My body tells me to."

Adjacent to the gift shop, they had a cute little museum about Abraham Lincoln and his family along with pieces of their family's memorabilia & bits about their history.
Even with all that we had learned about Lincoln growing up, the museum always had a few interesting things for us to find out about our sixteenth president!

 

A simple & strong man he was & still is a beacon of inspiration for anyone to aspire to be a leader in this great country. 

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -Abraham Lincoln

Enclosed inside the monument at the top of the stairs is a log cabin from the era of Lincoln's childhood, and is speculated to even be the cabin that Honest Abe himself had once lived in!

Authentic Lincoln home or not, it was amazing to be able to talk with this employee to learn more about the cabin...and to discuss his experience with penguins in the arctic!

"Because I love life!"

One of the best parts about journeying through each state is being able to wander off onto any path that looks interesting & stumbling into new adventures along the way!
There is no set itinerary to follow & no particular time schedule we have to worry about following.

Our adventurous schedule let us pull over (or even turn around!) and drive down back roads to take beautiful pictures!

As you can see, the inside of the Basilica of St. Joesph in Bardstown is beautiful with it's ornate stained glass and high ceilings!
 It's incredible to be able to see the beauty of all of these churches as we travel in every state, to see the ways in which they are all unique and distinct, but as well to witness the unity and traditional style carried out through each one.

Time Capsule-April 8, 2058!

 

Symbolic of the graciousness of Kentucky's hospitality (especially like that our KY family showed us!), My Old Kentucky Home inspired Stephen Collins Foster to write his immortal song and to make this place a home for anyone in Kentucky.

Before the home was sold to the Commonwealth of Kentucky & became the state park & venue that we know it to be today, this historic home and 235 lovely acres belonged to the Rowan family for three generations, spanning 120 years.

"To experience the day!"

This stone was donated to recognize Stephen Collins Foster & his contribution to the state and people of Kentucky.

One could get lost in time wandering around out here among these wonderfully built homes...

...and these idyllic fall leaves!

 "I wake up to go to work."

"To see who I can help today."

"The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,
With sorrow where all was delight;
The time has come when the people have to part,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!"

(Stephen Collins Foster)

Goodnight to another beautiful day! :)

Love,

The Crew

Just Play that Down Home Country Music :)

It was a beautiful Saturday morning when we took a stroll in the old Nashville City Cemetery.  Among all of the incredible stonework, there was always a story or two to tell about every grave site.

 

 This one in particular is a memorial to a young woman who jumped off of this stone which was moved from its original location and now serves as her grave marker.  The lamp you see was requested to be placed atop her grave by her lover because he knew she was afraid of the dark

 

As we walked around, the gravestones were markers of historical times past and stories of war.

On the left behind us and the giant tree, you can see one of the largest monuments in the cemetery. Legend tells us that the memorial was placed there by a man in honor of his deceased wife.  Careful detail to the delicate carvings, her belongings which we set in the stones and beautiful sayings about love adorned the structure.

However, after the man remarried, his new bride was so jealous of the man's devotion to his deceased wife that she would frequently go, or send slaves, to etch away at the sayings and belongings in the stone.  Today, you can see where the stone is covered in pock marks and scars from the marks of her obsessive jealousy.

 

Lunch at the Gerst Haus was especially delicious! 

We even tried their yummy authentic German style fries!

Thank you to our lovely "tour guides"

 Linda and Corinne!

We had such a wonderful time seeing you ladies again and are ever so grateful for your southern hospitality to us during our stay!

"I get up in the morning to take care of my family."

No part of Nashville could make us more excited than being able to walk through the
 Country Music Hall of Fame!

From the guitars played by the best...

...to the boots that Eric Church wore on the set!

And that infamous Elvis' gold piano tune...

... to that fantastic hot rod from Smokey & the Bandit 2!

The Country Music Hall of Fame truly was an experience unlike any other!

We even got to climb inside of a guitar!

Jeanette found out that her calling in life was to be a tour manager!

A whole wall of records from Patsy Cline to Elvis...we got pictures by our favorites!

Not everyone can say that they've been next to a gold plaque of Dolly Parton!

 

Or even Loretta Lynn and Bill Monroe!

"Go to work."

Country music is where our roots are,

And where they will always be!

  

Thanks to the AT&T "Bat" Building (named as such for looking like it has a set of Batman ears!)

 for being a landmark for us as we navigated around the city!

Thanks as well to part of our amazing Tennessee family and hostesses Corinne & Linda!
With you by our side we had a grand time touring Tennessee!

"I get up 'late' because I got up at 4 a.m. all the years I taught. I have two cups of coffee, take my pills, and enjoy the morning paper. I waste about two hours daily just relaxing---and then try to do something constructive before days end."

"I get up each morning grateful and thankful for the ability to do so. I appreciate the fact that I have places to go, challenges to meet, and friends to spend time with!"

And an even greater thank you goes to our the other part of our Tennessee family for welcoming us into their home and for being a wonderful part of our journey. :)

"I get up to see what blessings the day holds."

"I get up because I love my life with my husband, family, & home. I am so blessed and thankful for my life here on this earth. God is so good!"

But even as we say goodbye to another state, we are ever grateful for the beauty in sunsets.

Thank you to the good Lord for the people in our lives,
And to America for these great states to experience!

Love,
The Crew