Happy National Kentucky Day!

If you’re visiting Kentucky, be sure to checkout these must-see sights!

Louisville Mega Cavern

While visiting Louisville, Kentucky, you won’t want to miss MEGA ZIPS, the world’s ONLY underground zipline adventure tour! Featuring 6 ziplines nearly 100 feet off the cavern floor and two challenge bridges, MEGA ZIPS is 2.5 hours of adrenaline-fueled adventure! Though fun for the whole family, the kids will especially love MEGA QUEST, the only underground ropes challenge course in the world! MEGA QUEST features two levels and 76 challenge elements including mini-ziplines and rope walls. Explore at your own pace in this 2-hour adventure!

Ark Encounter


Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park in Williamstown, Kentucky, centered on a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark built to the biblical dimensions in Genesis. The wooden structure measures about 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high, and contains three decks of interpretive exhibits that present life aboard the Ark, flood-related geology and related Biblical displays. Opened in July 2016 and operated by Answers in Genesis, the attraction sits near I-75 between Cincinnati and Lexington. Visitors typically tour the Ark’s decks during a daytime visit and often pair the trip with the nearby Creation Museum, a sister Answers in Genesis attraction.

Keeneland

Part thoroughbred race course, part sales company and considered one of America’s most beautiful tracks, Keeneland is known for its well-designed and meticulous landscaping. The grounds consist of the paddock, a prep area where visitors can view horses up-close just before the race and a combination of dirt and turf race tracks.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

Batter up! It takes a special place to craft the #1 Bat in Major League Baseball. At Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, experience history-in-the-making as you stroll through the actual factory where world-famous Louisville Slugger bats are created. The award-winning factory tour is a highlight of the visit here, but there’s plenty more to enjoy along with it. Admire the World’s Biggest Bat – stretching 120 feet into the sky. Hold bats actually used by baseball superstars like Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench, Cal Ripken Jr. And Derek Jeter. Face down a 90-mph fastball hurled by a major league pitcher. Count the homerun notches Babe Ruth carved into his Louisville Slugger bat for every home run he hit with it. Step into the batting cages and take some swings with a replica model of your hero’s bat. Guests even get a free miniature souvenir bat at the end of the factory tour. You can even create a bat with your own name on it, just like the pros.

Lost River Cave

Lost River Cave is home to the only underground boat tour in the state of Kentucky and the only zipline in Bowling Green. In addition to the boat tour, Lost River Cave offers over two miles of nature trails, ziplines, and a unique, seasonal butterfly habitat. Lost River Cave is one of the largest nature parks in the South Central Kentucky region

SOURCE: TRIPADVISOR.COM

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today’s recipe combines salty and sweet…Salted Caramel Cookies!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup caramel bits

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F

Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla just until combined.

Whisk together the dry ingredients-flour, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry mix to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no flour streaks remain.

Fold in caramel bits gently with a spatula.

Scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with sea salt – just a pinch on each cookie makes that sweet-salty magic happen.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll finish cooking on the sheet.

Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks.

ENJOY!

Maryland State Flower: Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta, universally beloved as Black-eyed Susan, stands as one of North America’s most recognizable and cherished wildflowers. This vibrant member of the Asteraceae (sunflower) family has earned its place as a symbol of American prairies and meadows, with its cheerful golden-yellow blooms and distinctive dark chocolate-brown centers brightening landscapes from June through August. The common name “Black-eyed Susan” comes from an old English ballad about a woman named Black-eyed Susan, though some suggest it references the flower’s dark central cone that resembles a large dark eye surrounded by bright yellow “lashes.”

Native to eastern and central North America, Black-eyed Susan has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and pioneering spirit, naturally expanding its range westward and readily establishing itself in disturbed soils, roadsides, fields, and gardens. Growing 1 to 2 feet tall, this short-lived perennial (often behaving as an annual or biennial) forms clumps of hairy, lance-shaped leaves topped by abundant daisy-like flowers that attract a stunning diversity of pollinators. Each flower head can contain 8 to 21 bright yellow ray petals surrounding hundreds of tiny dark brown disc flowers — creating a landing pad that’s both beautiful to humans and irresistible to butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects.

The Most Haunted Places in the US: Part 3

In honor of Halloween this month, I found an article on scenicstates.com detailing the most haunted places in America.

7. Myrtles Plantation (St. Francisville, Louisiana)

Named after the crepe myrtles that grew all over the property, Myrtles Plantation was built in 1796 by General David Bradford and is known as one of the most haunted homes in America. For starters, the house is rumored to be on top of a Tunica Indian burial ground. Since its construction, Myrtles Plantation has allegedly been the scene of at least ten murders, but historical records can only confirm the 1871 murder of William Drew Winter, an attorney shot by a stranger and died on the stairs trying to stagger back in the house. Perhaps the most notorious ghost tale is that of a former slave named Chloe (or Cleo in some versions), whose owners had her ear chopped off for eavesdropping. She allegedly retaliated by poisoning a birthday cake, killing two of the owner’s daughters. Chloe was in turn killed by the other slaves, perhaps fearing their owner will take out his rage out on them. However, there are no records of a slave named Chloe or Cleo ever living on the plantation; the owner’s daughters who were allegedly poisoned actually died of yellow fever, according to medical records.

Today, the former antebellum plantation is now home to a bed and breakfast as well as a restaurant. Day and night self-guided and private tours are offered to guests who want to know all about the history of the plantation and its significance.

8. Braley Pond (West Augusta, Virginia)

Braley Pond is a picturesque camping and fishing spot located in George Washington National Forest, just outside of West Augusta, Virginia. It has always been known as one of the most haunted campgrounds in America, what with stories of apparitions floating over the creek, splashing sounds on the otherwise still pond, disembodied children’s laughter, and the sound of horses’ hooves when there aren’t any animals for miles. Though these ghost stories and rumors of suicides and missing hikers have surrounded Braley Pond, it’s the 2003 gang murder of Christopher Kennedy that added to the notoriety of this campground. Kennedy was lured to the pond by his fellow Crips gang members who then stabbed him multiple times. Paranormal experts who have entered this area since the murder have reported feeling nausea and a slime-like sensation crawling up their back, as if the evil in the area manifested physically and attacked them.

9. The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)

No list of the most haunted places in America will ever be complete without the Stanley Hotel. Estes Valley was once the Rocky Mountains’ best-kept secret until 1903, when F.O. Stanley’s doctor recommended he spend a summer here to improve his tuberculosis-stricken lungs. He and his wife Flora resolved to come back here every summer, but soon missed the trappings of city life and the sophistication of East Coast society. Thus construction began on the Stanley Hotel, a posh place to stay for those who want to spend time in the mountains with amenities common in city hotels. Eventually, Estes Park became more developed and was declared an official municipality in 1917.

Paranormal experiences have frequently been reported since the hotel opened. Mr. Stanley may be seen strolling the lobby, Mrs. Stanley sometimes plays the piano in the music room and if you happen to stay in Room 217, you may or you may not find your bags tidily unpacked. In the 1970s, Stephen King and his wife Tabatha stayed one night at the Stanley. The eerie surroundings and the haunted history of the room they stayed in (Room 217) inspired him to write the book The Shining. Because of the popularity of the book and its movie adaptation, the Stanley’s reputation for being a paranormal site reached wider audiences and actually helped keep the hotel open.

SOURCE: SCENICSTATES.COM

Ode to Candy Corn

I love Candy Corn, but THIS is weird even for me…lol It’s attributes listed are: sweet, honey, vanilla, floral and caramel. You can find it on Amazon.

Ode to Candy Corn by Brach’s is a Oriental Vanilla fragrance for women and men. This is a new fragrance. Ode to Candy Corn was launched in 2026. The fragrance features Honey, Vanilla and Spun Sugar.

This is the candy corn I prefer!

The Bullet Speech

Theodore Roosevelt’s life almost ended on the campaign trail. In 1912, while running for a third presidential term, Roosevelt was the victim of an assassination attempt at the hands of a violent and deluded saloonkeeper, John Flammang Schrank.

It happened at a Milwaukee campaign stop while TR was running for another presidential term with the Bull Moose Party. The former president was leaving his hotel to attend a campaign event when the vengeful Schrank stepped from the crowd and fired. The bullet passed through his overcoat, the folded 50-page manuscript of his speech, and his metal eyeglass case before lodging in Roosevelt’s chest, stopping just short of any vital organs. Its force, the surgeons reported that night, had been “much diminished.”

An angry mob quickly formed around Schrank as enraged Roosevelt supporters realized what had just happened. Roosevelt was able to calm the crowd, stopping them from hurting the would-be assassin until the police arrived. Declining to go to the hospital, TR went on to give the life-saving speech while bleeding copiously through his shirt. He famously told the crowd, “I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a bull moose.”

After finishing the speech, TR was finally taken to the hospital by aides. Doctors concluded it was safer to leave the bullet in his chest rather than risk removing it. TR’s bloodstained shirt remains a symbol for the lengths Roosevelt would go to achieve his convictions—and the mercy he would show to the man who tried to kill him. Schrank was never tried. Five doctors found him insane, and he was committed — first at Oshkosh, then, from 1914, at Wisconsin’s Central State Hospital, where he died in 1943.

SOURCE: TRLIBRARY.COM

What Shall We Make Today?

Today’s recipe is Pumpkin Shaped Cake! The recipe calls for 2 cakes baked in bundt pans. The frosting can be any frosting you choose–vanilla tinted orange for example.

Cooling and Flipping Your Cake

Once you’ve baked your cakes, it’s important to allow no less than 5 minutes to cool in the Bundt pan. (But don’t let it cool for much longer than 5 minutes. If it cools for longer it might stick in the pan.)

Then you’ll place a cooling rack on top of the Bundt pan and flip it over. If you’ve used enough spray, it should release immediately.

Trim the cooled cakes so that you have 2 flat surfaces. Add some frosting on top of one of the cakes and flip the other on top, matching the curves.

Tint some of the icing orange and some green. Take an ice cream cone and frost it green and gently place it in the center.

Frost the top or as much of the “pumpkin” you want and then add green vines.

ENJOY!

Happy National Vermont Day!

Trip Advisor recommends these sites if you’re planning a trip to Vermont!

Hildene The Lincoln Family Home

Historic home of Robert Lincoln, only child of President and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to adulthood. The estate has beautiful gardens, restored 1903 wooden Pullman palace railcar, goat farm and cheesemaking facility, 12+ miles of walking trails, teaching greenhouse and cross-country skiing in winter.

The Shelburne Museum

Museum in Vermont that displays approximately 80,000 items of folk art and similar works.

Church Street Marketplace

Downtown Burlington Vermont’s award-winning open air mall is a hub of activity where you’ll find historical architecture, year-round festivals, street entertainers, music, over 100 places to shop and dine, and even quiet places to ponder.

Quechee Gorge

If you’re visiting Vermont, don’t miss Quechee Gorge, also known as the state’s “Grand Canyon.” The 165-foot gorge cuts through the Ottauquechee River and is the crown jewel of Quechee State Park. The park offers easy hiking trails on both sides of the gorge, and camping and kayaking are popular activities here too, making it an ideal destination for outdoor lovers. The best time to visit is during the fall when the foliage colors are at their peak. Be sure to visit the gift shop and the nearby Vermont Toy Museum, both of which are within walking distance from the park’s entrance.

Moss Glen Falls

With a short walk, you can enjoy a ravine with a waterfall.

SOURCE: TRIPADVISOR.COM

DIY: Halloween Costumes!

Halloween costumes can be expensive AND there’s likely to be more than one person having the same costume at a party–but not if you make your own! I found this awesome article on theunlikelyhostess.com detailing dozens of DIY costume ideas. I brought some of my favorites.

JELLYFISH

All you need is an umbrella, some lights, ribbon and paper eyes!

Bag of Jelly Beans

Here’s what you’ll need.

  • Water balloons in assorted colors (they have more of an oval shape similar to jelly beans)
  • 1 large clear gift bag wrapper
  • A colored printer (for the Jellybean logo)
  • Clear packing tape

Bob Ross

The large wig makes the outfit, while the rest of the costume you probably already have on hand.

McDonald’s French Fries

This awesome photo was included in a roundup post of ways to use pool noodles as DIY Halloween costumes.

It looks like an extra large white t-shirt and white pillow turned ketchup packet help make this costume work!

Corn on the Cob

A comfy green hoodie, DIY corn kernels and some rafia hair as silk ~ perfection!

Chicken

Recycle your white shirt and shorts (with some feather embellishments of course) and attached red felt to a headband to make the chicken comb and rubber gloves for the feet.

SOURCE: THEUNLIKELYHOSTESS.COM