A half an hour away from Baltimore, Ohio is a hidden arboretum in the countryside of Newark, Ohio. Sunday morning after packing up Debbie and I decided to check it out. This time I Google mapped us there as she followed. I took the scenic route through the country lanes to avoid any highways. Was a gorgeous Sunday drive.
My legs were tight and hips were warning to not push myself. You can imagine how happy I was when entering the gate and the woman informed me that there was a driving tour.
Yes please.
Non profit beautifully kept property.
The map looked daunting, but driving the route and parking at dedicated locations made tackling this park in 1.5 hours easy.
We arrived early, which was smart given the heat to come. Not many people were out. On the north end was this historic house on the property.
More sculptures, this time insect themed. Debbie and I discussed the differences of raising boys and girls and how my daughters would never consider touching this or climbing on this, yet boys see it as jungle gym.
The one spot in this arboretum that I wanted to see was the Japanese Garden.
When you first entered it didn’t look like much at all.
Once you made it over the hill where there was a gravel area with rocks, you eventually came to the pond and immediately felt a more serene sense of the area.
Cute shaded resting structure. We discovered there were trails throughout the woods of the park taking you between locations. May be fun to explore on another day.
Debbie posing on the rock walkway.
This Japanese landscaped area was well shaded. We walked admiring the varying trees planted. Many I have never seen before.
Check out these branches. Not sure why but its stunning to me.
The trees were works of art.
Even the pine was different.
Very cool area.
We drove to the opposite side of the arboretum to climb a viewpoint that displayed hedges spelling out the arboretum’s name. Planted originally to entertain the small planes that flew over head.
I was hoping it was a maze that Debbie and I could get lost in. I need to walk in one of those high hedged mazes like The Shining, they always fascinated me.
Our cleaned up selfie.
Next insect spotted was the spider.
Debbie is so flipping funny!
I spotted this very white tree in the distance and told Debbie it matched her hair. I was too tired to walk to get a closer look.
Debbie went ahead and then took a selfie to see if I was right.
This would be an excellent hiking place with plenty of interesting tree and greenery diversity to hold your interest.
Close by the gift shop were some flowers still in bloom.
Area to attract butterflies.
Debbie wanted to be a butterfly.
Ants on a hill.
Not sure what this guy is but don’t really want to know.
Beetle at the entrance. All these were made of wood which was quite cool.
They had some bonsai trees in the back of the gift shop. Reminded us of Karate Kid. These were not as breathtaking as the ones at Cincinnati’s Krohn’s Conservatory. Those are worth the trip to admire.
Fascinating though these mini trees. I can’t even keep a cactus alive.
Inside this cute little troll house were maps. I was hoping for some dolls or furniture.
After the arboretum we decided to check out nearby Granville, Ohio. I have never been and read about this small town where Dennison University is when researching places to stay. I am sure it may have been a cute town to spend more time in, but being that it was Sunday most places were closed. We grabbed breakfast where we saw the most people eating, assuming it would be good. Always a quick way to know where to go.
Our Airbnb also recommended this cidery so we waited for it to open.
They had a great shaded outdoor area. I think we were their first customers of the day.
Love supporting a local business. They were open now for a couple years
A perfect ending to our weekend before we headed back home to reality. There were two cardinals flirting in the trees which were entertaining. The male was trying so hard! I know how some people believe cardinals are signs of loved ones from the afterlife. Debbie and I do not. We again discussed leaving reminders differently for our loved ones. Whenever I see a penny on the sidewalk I think of my mom. No idea why. But I do. And so do my kids now. And its just nice sometimes to think they are still with us.
After grabbing some lunch at a local joint in Lancaster, we routed ourselves to another trail to end our day. Debbie and I hiked about 2.5 miles in the morning and felt great. Batteries on our phones were charged, we were hydrated and fed- what could go wrong with adding a 5 mile afternoon hike to end our Saturday.
Perfectly named for Debbie and I who whenever we see a berry tree no matter what season, we think of each other and Christmas.
There was this cute covered bridge to the right of the trail. Not sure what was past it.
Debbie looking very optimistic about where the trail was.
The first part of the trail was a straight gravel path alongside some houses and farms.
Appreciated the saw art on the chicken shed.
Then we finally came to the tree coverage and it was great. Dense. Cool. Just a few people passed us. So quiet.
There was a little creek following to the right of the trail.
I went out to take a look. Nothing much to see.
Pine needles covered some sections of the preserve. There are two loops on this trail and we decided we had the time and energy to do them both.
Then the thunderstorms hit. Was actually quite fun walking in the rain and listening to the storms around us. We felt hidden, literally untouched. You could hear the trees above catching the drops.
Those huge mushrooms made another appearance in these woods.
And gorgeous soft moss.
I swear it looks like these roots are strangling a rock monster coming through from beyond. Right?
These must be the Christmas rocks?
Was quite a beautiful ledge.
Inspirational color variation.
The rain added a wonderful twist and we were both glad to have the cooler temperatures. It was not an easy section of the hike. We started getting anxious to start back.
We were at the Christmas rock section and were heading back and decided to do that added little loop. Debbie and I are always making our lives harder on these hikes, this was definitely the wrong move after a long day and the term Jacob’s Ladder should have been our first clue.
I’m going to go with the Wikipedia Hong Kong description of Jacob’s Ladder- “For the Hong Kong television drama, see The Last Steep Ascent.” All the other Biblical interpretations do not apply to the steep incline we endured. We would literally talk each other into just taking 10 steps and then resting again.
We talked about dying and what sign we would leave for each other to know we were thinking of them from above. (Yes, it was a tough hike) I told her I would leave a red leaf among the green so she would know.
We got to the top and this was the view. Was it worth it?…….nope. Now we had to go down a steep muddy incline and for me that was even worse that going up.
But we made it back to the flat gravel road that led us in and couldn’t have been happier to see this pathway again.
Literally us after. Hot. Sweaty. Wet. Not our pretty selves.
And yep, our car was the only one left in the parking lot.
We both acknowledge that we are not in the best shape. (although she is at least 50 pounds lighter than me so much less weight to carry ) Probably why a hike with Bobby and Kassie in Colorado really doesn’t sound our speed 🙂 But we also realize we need to continue to get out, challenge ourselves, and do our best to stay active as we age. It’s always a good story and feeling once we’ve exited a trail that was kicking our butts.
Our last hike from hell was 13 miles. Today’s added to a total of 8.5-ish. We are learning. But its not always about the mileage- its the terrain. Need to evaluate that better.
Blogging about this little stop is not even worth it, but it was so odd I just had to.
On our drive to the preserve, we passed a very odd metal sculpture park. We decided someone took the time to put this in the middle of nowhere, so we should at least honor it by stopping and taking a look. I love when there is no time frame to a day and you are just wandering.
There was a parked RV in the lot and when we pulled up an older gentleman exited to turn on his generator in the attached pick up truck to cool off. We presumed he picked this quiet, off beat location for a camp out. Would be perfect as it seemed quite desolate. Reminded me of my van trip days.
The animal metal sculptures were cool. Debbie took a selfie.
I wondered why or who sponsored it. The giant eagle in the background catches your eye.
I posed underneath the huge eagle’s nest.
Being ridiculous.
Debbie also took a turn as a tourist.
There were a couple metal turkeys.
And a vulture. Just things that make you go hmmm..
We were feeling great after our morning walk and decided to find another trail to explore. We looked up another listed short hike at Rhododendron State Nature Preserve. We thought Kerry was up for the challenge and followed her authoritative voice again, and this time we landed on private property next to a power plant. I kid you not.
We found another road right after the electric plant and took it instead hoping to find the preserve. Instead we came to Wahkeena Nature Center. Not a bad detour.
The pond with the waterlilies floating is what captured our initial attention. Then we spotted a parking lot.
Such a beauty this place.
I kept looking for toads but it was so overcast, none were basking in the sun.
Trail head. We were greeted by a worker who was so kind. Passed us a map and told us he was available for any questions if we wanted help identifying.
This trail was very well marked and easy to follow. A bit of ups and down but great scenery along the way.
My favorite ruffled mushroom cluster.
Debbie and I spotted these very tall mushrooms off in the distance. I wanted to get a closer shot but didn’t want to wander off the trail into the preserve. Thank goodness for zoom capabilities.
More mushrooms.
More steps but beautifully landscaped.
Looking up.
The log cabin was used as the nature center. We never went in because we were getting pretty hungry. Debbie remembered the extra battery charger but forgot the snacks for her sugar lows.
There was a small quiet area where this barn owl was housed. In the pamphlet it said he had been hit by a car and was no longer able to be in the wild. They were using him for educational purposes.
Honestly have never seen an owl up close before. But made me wonder how in the world did a car hit him?
Why Baltimore Ohio? Debbie and I were trying to find a place that was approximately the same distance from each other’s home base and this location happened to be that on the Ohio map. Our original intentions were to meet in Indiana but I could not find any interesting cities with hiking trails near by.
I found an adorable two bedroom Airbnb overlooking a wildflower meadow curated by the owners. Once we arrived we also realized the meticulous attention to details these owners had. The woman is a recycled artist and the art she created from piano keys, burnout out light sockets, wires, licensed plates etc was amazing.
The furniture was also refurbished and set the modern vibe perfectly.
This is the beautiful huge gold butterfly that welcomed you when you walked it. It was interesting trying to figure out where all the pieces originated from.
A close up shot of the butterfly. This should be a museum piece.
Another close up of the art behind the sofa.
One of the local recommendations for eating was called The Chubby Hawaiin. It had excellent reviews so after hitting the Dollar Store to score Debbie her Lucky Charms cereal, we headed over.
We walked into the most local looking dive bar restaurant which did not serve alcohol:) A large grey haired man in a Hawaiin shirt and lay came over to welcome us, then sat down at our table and continued to tell us his life story. Sometimes people just do not know their audience. I have little empathy for the elderly that need attention sometimes. I think that’s the Aries in me. Please don’t let me become them.
Food here was seriously excellent. Sticky rice and great flavorful chicken dishes! I had a side of Mac and cheese, just because, and it was the best I’ve had out at a restaurant.
Another Airbnb recommendation was a park just a mile up the road. We made that our first stop on Saturday’s hiking list.
I decided to drive since Debbie’s Kerry Washington voiced Apple maps made her the perfect navigator last time we met in Florida. As we mapped our way to Smeck park Kerry led us to a water treatment facility instead. Maybe she was off her game in the countryside. Google got us to the correct entrance.
A mucky pond welcomed you by the parking lot.
This huge wind mill marked the farm.
We posed by the sunflower field and sent it to our third musketeer Kassie, we were a childhood trio, wishing she were with us. It was an overcast day predicting storms, but we decided not to let it stop us.
The gravel trail that led back to the woods took us past this beautiful barn.
Antique farm equipment left for educational and artistic purpose I presume.
I captured Debbie through the equipment.
This was an adorable park and virtually empty.
Once you got to the main trailhead it was covered in trees and I literally let out an AHHHHH. Its been a hot minute since I was surrounded by green. This hike was very necessary for my mental health and I couldn’t have picked a better companion to be on the walk with me.
Debbie pointed out this blue beauty among the yellow.
Someone carefully placed a fallen birds nest on the park bench for all to admire.
Debbie hates going up steps, but climbed a 1000 of them in Australia with her sons while sick, so I assured her she would make it back up. Luckily, the path was circular and getting back did not require any steep inclines.
So peaceful. Except for the occasional hum of the water plant nearby. I loved that this small town community preserved this for its local citizens. Its only 1/2 hour outside of Columbus. I wondered if some people commuted.
Really needed to appreciate nature’s wonderment again.
The colors of green blending together and the moss so thick in places.
Toward the end of the trail, it led us through tall grasses and a corn field. Plenty of benches for people to sit still and bird watch.
Took this photo to remember the name of the trail we took.
Walking out.
They called out the different plant names. I don’t think I would’ve distinguished the difference between popcorn and feed corn.
These beauties were opening up and getting ready for the fall harvest.
My little sister Tiffani road tripped from her home in Tennessee to travel together to our nephew’s wedding in Michigan. I love how road trips offer time trapped with a destination focus and yet open to many detour possibilities along the way. It also allows conversations to unfold and thoughtful heartfelt advise to be shared.
Comfy clothes, make up free and ready to roll.
We found a hotel as we drove up, close to my next morning appointment at Meijer Headquarters. It was a convenient stop since I was already driving up and our sales rep was also in the midwest visiting family.
Once that appointment was completed, Tiff and I decided to check out a park in Grand Rapids called Millennium Park.
It offered a lot of different walkways and activities. We wanted to get some exercise and decided to tour the trails.
Beautiful wild flowers and nature spots.
Typical of Michigan, there was a lot of water.
Tiffani being happy to be outdoors.
We spotted a swan couple in one of the ponds but couldn’t get a closer view.
The pathways were even and easy. Enjoyable. There was also a beach area, kayaks, paddle boards and boats you could rent. A great spot had we planned differently. I am sure the locals enjoy it.
Trails were pretty easy to follow, but not all that exciting.
I snapped a few images of interesting greenery.
The hike was fairly deserted. Most people were on the beach.
We checked into our next hotel and planned our Friday. I woke up and started working at 7 am and we took off at lunchtime to explore Lake Michigan area. Tiffani usually doesn’t like making the decisions, but I made her find something she wanted to see and we Google mapped our way there.
Along the way we stopped in a small historic town called Manistee. We were just driving by and decided to park and stretch our legs for a bit.
We took some steps to the river and walked the boardwalk.
Town was super quiet with a cute ice cream shop and a few restaurants.
We saw there was a lighthouse further along the alcove so we drove up to sneak a peak.
I snapped this photo from the car- those flowers!
Classic lighthouse scenery.
Thought their mile marker was cute.
Tiff taking in the view.
Found this humorous. I mean someone must of recorded it eh?
The red chairs lined up were begging for a group to come and watch the sunset.
Tiff had googled and found this Giant record breaking Sequoia. We both love trees so thought it would be cool to check out. When we got there it was hilarious. Not even that big. We had to laugh.
We walked along a trail toward a ledge and were able to capture a better view of the sequoia’s height. Still nothing like the Redwoods. Not that we were expecting much. But seemed less than spectacular.
From the ledge was a view of Lake Michigan. We saw a few people down on the private beach and wondered how to get there. It was quite a steep drop off from where we stood.
We found the entrance after following a narrow trail. There was this handy rope to help you get up and down.
Standing here alone for 20 minutes soaking it all in was worth the tree sighting that got us here.
Tiff walked right into the frigid water and stood starring out at the very overcast view. The water up here is so clear. The rocks below beautifully colored and rounded.
Felt good to have my feet in the sand again.
Showing the climb.
And the narrow pathway down. I doubt many people know about this place.
We stopped in New Haven on the return back. They were hosting a Navy event.
We walked out to the water but decided not to stay.
Was great sister time.
We stayed at this castle hotel/apartment complex. Its a huge eyesore coming off the highway, but I loved how I could always find it. We rented a two bedroom which came in very handy once the twins and Ki joined us. We also had our own parking spots which was bonus.
Zoe and I checked out Michigan Moonshine for lunch on Saturday before heading to the reception. Unfortunately Tiffani caught a flu and was in bed for the next 24 hours, missing the wedding she drove so far to attend.
My beautiful girls all grown up.
I got to see my Aunt Pam, Uncle Jim and Aunt Lotta who thankfully are all doing great and teaching us how to age gracefully.
Mother of the groom, my other sister Trish.
Was so happy to capture this photo of my little sister’s sons, their wives/significant others along with my girls all together! You never know when everyone will be in the same place again. I also love how the colors go from black, to pink, to navy as if lined up perfectly.
As the evening roared on so did the shenanigans. Zoe and Paige showing off their fun side.
Trisha joined in with the photo props. Ki was a great sport too.
The granddaughters. My mom and dad would’ve loved to have seen them all together. New beginnings are reason to celebrate, as well as closures.
Zoe came back to the city in July for her cousin’s/my nephew’s wedding. We both really wanted to see the Pompei exhibit in Cincinnati, which was closing at the end of the month. She purchased tickets for us to go together on Sunday.
Studying Latin in high school, she knows a lot more about the history of these ancient times. My only memory of the event was from a National Geographic cover I saw from my family’s subscription in the 80s which showed a woman carrying her child, running from the volcano. I recall reading about Pompei inside the magazine. It was fascinating and horrifying at the same time.
I tried to find the issue on Google searches but could not find it. Now I’m wondering if my memory is real or not. Either way. Pompei has always been something I was interested in.
When we first walked in, there were pristine condition statues which were uncovered from the ashes. Unbelievable.
Cannot imagine being part of that dig, discovering such amazing art- the entire city preserved. They also had jewelry and glassware that was in mint condition.
Even artwork on walls. This was a very progressive society. At the exhibit they revealed sexual art. Zoe and I opted not to stand in line to see, figuring its all in the Kama Sutra books too so nothing too shocking. Why sex became shameful is what is still a mystery.
There was a section in the museum where you watched a timelapse video showing all that probably happened the day the volcano erupted and how quickly the city was buried. It was pretty realistic with sound effects and physical rumbling. Helped since I am more of a visual learner. If only all history could be taught with visuals instead of words- I would probably be more interested.
After viewing the video, you were led to a section where the bodies were. This man literally still has his teeth.
These are real. Humans frozen in ash. Preserved in transition of death since 79 AD.
It satisfied my need to go to Italy to see it. So instead of Pompei Italy, maybe I could tour Japan instead. 🙂 or South America.
Zoe out front of the Museum Center.
Such a great museum. Was told they are filming one of the new Superman films here. Will be cool to see.
As close as Cincinnati is to Indianapolis, I have never explored that city. I purchased UB40 concert tickets and was so happy when Sedona agreed to go with me. I’ve been wanting to spend a one on one weekend away with her. And not just to cross off a square on my 2024 Bingo Card (which is not going well btw)
On our way there, the storms loomed ahead. I swear the weather keeps getting more dramatic and driving in it is not fun the older I get. Rain literally downpours blinding me like I’ve never experienced before.
We got through to the other side and thankfully it stopped raining as we arrived. We were able to walk the neighborhood and check out some local joints near Butler University where we were staying at an above garage Airbnb.
My neighbor Bob always reminds me that nature loves the rain. I enjoy the rain- the sound, the feel, but just not driving in it.
Sedona and I met the Airbnb owner who popped in to check on the bedding/laundry. She recommended a local brewery, so after settling in, we adventured out.
We found a walk/bike path which had this cute train mural along it. Reminded me of Wasson Way in Hyde Park in Cincinnati which is a fairly new walkway along an unused railroad track. I wondered if theirs was the same, hence the mural.
Sedona outside the Half Liter. I’m not quite sure if I understood its theme. On the interior it was German style. From the outside its vibing Western. I guess they did feature BBQ.
Food was delicious and filled with flavor. Definitely check it out if you are ever in this city.
Outdoor seating super cute facing the walkway. Looks difficult to upkeep.
We brewery hopped our walk home hitting a couple more spots which had dive bar decor and patrons.
On our drive to our Airbnb, we passed a cute restaurant spot that had a lot of cars parked out front. Seemed busy. We looked it up and made reservations for brunch the following day. Perfect first stop after sleeping in on a Monday.
From what we learned this is a second location for this restaurant named Gallery.
The interior was decorated beautifully.
We took in all the attention to detail and unique decor.
Sedona snapped this photo of me across the table.
And this gorgeous capture of our cinnamon roll and matcha latte.
After brunch we headed downtown to see what was happening in the city.
Interesting street art.
Brick sculpture.
I made Sedona pose as the “I”.
This mural reminds me of Mr. Tarbell’s in downtown Cincy. Hoping he is also a local hero.
I liked this street, it had potential.
More art.
Interesting architecture at the arts center.
We later headed to a church that turned into a brewery. Highly recommend. Great beer choices.
The Airbnb host also recommended that we check out the old Coca Cola factory that was turned into a eatery. It’s called The Garage.
Nicely renovated. Had a cute clothing boutique that I wished I could afford and/or fit into.
Inside were all sorts of choices for food and drinks.
They had representation of the distillery I visited with Virlane, Hard Truth, so I had to also revisit the Bloody Mary.
I almost got into a car accident when viewing their library and government buildings. It felt like I was in D.C.
It has gorgeous grounds and view. Really well done. Unfortunately there are homeless near every public library in any major city.
This sculpture outside the library was eye-catching! I loved his long legs and headless body.
That’s one thing Cincinnati is lacking- sculpture.
The UB40 concert was held at a Butler University venue. We were commenting that it looked unfinished, with slabs of concrete and wires hanging off the balcony.
The band was fun and everyone was up swaying to the beat.
Its interesting how bands survive off their classics and change members along the way.
Was great getting away. Exploring a new city with Sedona. Trying new foods and enjoying a classic band. It doesn’t take much to live. Just enjoying our senses of what the world offers.
There are always things to do in this beautiful city of mine! I mostly stayed local in June and kept busy visiting with friends and my family. Never a dull moment on my calendar.
Wanted to do a quick recap for myself- to remember.
Somehow I always see new art when I walk downtown. It may have been there for years, but I see newness every time in the urban landscape.
Murals on the sidewalks invite new energy. Makes me want to skip down it.
We asked Waverly (our neighbor’s daughter) and Charlie to pose outside of this mural and I was able to capture this stunning image in literally seconds. We all walked downtown and bowled at Pins, rode The Connector, and got some Godfather’s Pizza.
The Bengals are gearing up.
In the meantime, we have Red’s baseball! We took Charlie to her first professional game. The weather could not have been better!
Was fun teaching her how to read the scoreboard and information on the batters.
Our crew taking in the cheap seats at the game.
Later in the week the twins and I spent a fun day eating and drinking just to enjoy some quality time together. Zoe came to town for the Indianapolis 500 race.
I love this photo of them sticking out their blue tongues after drinking a blue drink. Reminded me of our trip to Virginia Beach when I made them stick out their purple tongues after eating ice cream at the Purple Cow. (think they were 4- now 20 years later)
Zoe captured this image of Sedona and I as we were walking ahead to the street art festival where one of my friends had a booth.
The beautiful art I purchased from Dr. B
That night I went out for one drink at Somerset to meet their friends who were in town visiting. Zoe had a friend she met in LA who actually has family here and happened to be visiting at the same time. Sedona’s friend recently moved from Omaha to Columbus, Ohio- and she also joined us. Was fun being the mom and meeting their crew.
Also in June my Brazilian student and I finally met! Leo stayed with me for a bit and I did my best between work to show him highlights of Cincinnati.
Sedona and Ki joined Leo and I at Factory 52.
Sedona and Leo got along great, I swear they were like kindred spirits.
The girls and I also partook in cosmos at JAlexander’s. The best!
Zoe snapped this natural photo of me. I rarely like photos of myself but feel she captured me fully.
Linda and I went for a short hike in Devou Park.
Her brother lives right up the street so it was a convenient trail. Unfortunately filled with mountain bikers so a bit un-nerving to walk while always fearful of getting plowed over.
I have never seen a mushroom cluster like this before. Have you?
My childhood friend Sarah came down to visit her sister-in-law and good friend, Kathie. We all went out to Japp’s to enjoy their band early on a Friday night. I think Sarah was the youngest one there. Kathie packed snacks since the bar doesn’t have any which cracked me up.
Sarah and I have known each other since she was 5.
George eventually joined us and became our Uber back home. We decided to stop by Fireside Pizza in Walnut Hills for dinner.
Took a photo of this mural outside the pizza place. Iconic Bootsy.
That’s what its all about. The time we spend enjoying this life.
My goal in 2024 was to do more weekend adventures. Virlane and I had planned a meeting point back in February, picking a weekend in May that we both had open on our calendars. I want express how much I love my women friends who commit and stick to it. Unwavering friendship and calendar keepers.
I realize my love language is quality time. And this is probably why my one on ones with my friends are so important to me. It grounds me. Helps me feel loved and meaningful in this crazy world. Gives me genuine conversations and less meaningless chatter.
This trip was the weekend after Beth’s visitation and my head was still swirling with loss and over working with the two jobs I was balancing. Loss of life always gives you perspective and pause for reevaluating one’s own choices and future.
I was very much looking forward to seeing my Phuket friend who always has wisdom and peaceful energy to share.
Rolling into Columbus, Indiana across the iconic bridge. It looked to be storming all weekend but that didn’t matter to us as long as we had a place to stay and beer to drink.
Our first evening I asked Virlane to help straighten out my thoughts about work. She packed her familiar ‘perspective’ cards that we frequently utilized during our past Thailand lunch dates.
I pulled the below images when asking what to do. The cards perfectly read for me….but still did not clearly give me the answer. Instead was asking me to dig deeper.
I was being given an opportunity (the frog) but it was messy and not exactly my prince charming pie in the sky job. But I needed to make a choice but wasn’t quite sure what to look for.
She pulled out a longer deck and I continued to pull cards that offered clarity. In a short recap they were – Balance/Success/Leadership/Almost/and Guilt. All revealed in perfect order what my fears were and what my final choice was. I felt such a relief.
The following day we decided to adventure to Nashville, Indiana. I had never been there but our Airbnb guide book mentioned an Indiana distillery, so we decided to go for lunch.
The entrance to the distillery was artistic, triggering my interest.
It was called “Hard Truth”.
There were a lot of different tours going on. A perfect weekend outing for large groups.
We stopped into the bar area first and discovered they had released their first batch of bourbon – so I purchased a bottle for George to try. He loved it.
Super cute facility and the grounds were gorgeous.
Once seated for lunch, I ordered a Bloody Mary. It was amazing. My sweet friend across the table.
After lunch we wanted to walk it off a bit and headed to the Main Street of Nashville, Indiana.
The small town was bustling with the Indianapolis 500 scheduled the following weekend. This metal sculpture was pretty cool.
Always love me a mural.
Found the town to be a mix or arts and crafts, culture and music.
A historic church in the town center.
Metal art for sale.
Stunning wood sculptures.
A little history which made perfect sense of what I felt/saw.
Quaint place to visit if you are ever in the area.
Flowers in full bloom showing off.
I rarely see sweet natural daisies anymore.
It was hot out and we walked around as much as we could. Neither of us found anything to buy. We headed back to Columbus and upon arrival, I mentioned we could either bust a move and keep it moving or take a nap. Virlane immediately opted for the nap and we both crashed for a solid hour plus!
We headed out as evening fell to check out Columbus night life. It was a tad disappointing.
I’d already visited Columbus with my daughters on their 21st birthday years back, so I was familiar with all the architecture.
Just two beautiful gals that found each other in this world somehow.
They added quite a bit of street art since 4 years ago.
Enjoyed the colors it added.
This new awning was over the main street.
A new feature that lit up at night.
I felt bad that the restaurants were busier or that the town didn’t have a bigger weekend crowd. At the bar that night we overhead another couple also noting they simply came for the weekend to check it out.
As Virlane and I were leaving Sunday am, I ran back to her car before she took off and said, hey we never got a selfie!
Tonya Takes Thailand 