Happiness is a warm puppy!

 

We have a new baby dog! Meet Thelma Lou! 

At the beginning of June we drove across Kentucky, picked this little lady up, brought her home, and instantly fell in love. She’s been a long time coming, even though we weren’t expecting to get a puppy until this fall, our breeder contacted us and let us know someone backed out, and we were next on the list. We couldn’t believe it! We were days away from leaving for a trip to Nashville, but we knew this was our girl! 

My husband had been dreaming of an English Springer Spaniel for years. He had big dreams of hunting with a spaniel and all the training he could do with it. I had always wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, but this is a great compromise for me. I still get the sappy eyes and curly ears.  He did a lot of research on the breed itself and breeders. We had never gone through a breeder before, as we have only had two dogs during our 20 year marriage, and both of them could have been considered “rescues”. This was all new territory for us. I really wanted my husband to experience a puppy, since he was deployed or away at training so much during the beginning of our dogs’ lives, and he was never around for those fun early years. 

After some months of research, many books, YouTube videos, etc, we decided on a breeder last year and got in contact. Then, last fall, we randomly decided on a name, after spending a lazy Saturday morning in bed watching the Andy Griffith show. Thelma Lou was decided! 

We made it to the one year mark of losing our chihuahua this past February. We always knew we would wait a year until we brought another dog home. Fifteen years with a dog is hard to get over, but honestly, we never truly get over it, do we? We just make the decision to open our hearts again and make new memories with a new friend. 

So after all the research, decision making, planning, waiting, and dreaming, Thelma Lou comes home, and SO FAR….

She’s a HUGE Mama’s girl!!!

Sorry babe! 

XOXO, Bunny 

Long time, no blog!

 Wow. Does time fly or what?

Last time I blogged, we were calming down from the crazy flooding in our area and our destroyed basement. After the massive cleanup, we were able to switch our focus to finishing up replacing parts of our deck. Summer comes fast, and we wanted the deck finished before we opened the pool for the season. We were able to complete one massive section, before we would need to move grills and tackle the lower part. 

But SURPRISE! Illness came and got my husband first, then me. We were out for the count for about ten days. As we started feeling stronger, we got back to the gym, and in our normal routine. 

Weeks later, illness hit again, and this time it was my husband and a bout of pneumonia. What a wild ride that was. It didn’t help that we have had a ridiculously wet spring, which really slowed his recovery.  Thankfully, he made it through! (I did too!)

After all the ickies, we got back to the gym again, and back in our routine. We finished the bottom part of our deck, and now our pool is open. We celebrated my 45th birthday as well as our 20th wedding anniversary in Nashville! A week after that we took another small day trip….more on that later! 

Have I been sewing? Unfortunately, no. In fact, I hadn’t been up to my craft room in more weeks than I would like to admit. I missed it so much! I ventured upstairs a few days ago, refreshed my memory on what I had been working on before LIFE happened, and started cleaning up and organizing. 

Now, I’m sure everyone can agree that your craft room can get messy FAST! But my space is also where I pay bills, store memories, run my small Etsy shop, and is also our gift wrap room. I’ve been working hard on organizing each corner of my space over the years, and I am slowly getting there! I have too many interests and hobbies it seems. I think my biggest problem is the mail. After paying bills and figuring out what is junk and what isn’t, it just seems like there’s piles on piles on piles. My shredder gets a workout, that’s for sure!

 I’m hoping that sometime this fall or winter I can share my space with you. I’d love to do a photo tour of my room, once everything is in place. I’d even consider doing a video tour, if I could figure it out! Fingers crossed I can keep making progress and make this happen. My husband has definitely spoiled me with this room over our garage, and I’m so grateful to have it! 

Anyways, I just wanted to check in. I’m still here, and still blogging. I will be posting much more this summer, and I’m looking forward to it! I hope summer is good to you, and you’re making good memories! 

Stay tuned for a post about a recent day trip we took, and a Fat Quarter Shop haul! 

Thanks for reading!

-Bunny

When it rains, it POURS

 

Well here I am, back on my blog. It's been a wild end of January and February for us. What started out as some beautiful and welcome snow in January turned into more than we expected snow and ice. We finally thawed from that, and had a GORGEOUS day of 70 degrees!

Then, round two of snow came. My mind truly is drawing a blank on how much we got, because not long after that days of rain followed, we got a small break, and then IT HAPPENED.

SO MUCH RAIN, WAY TOO FAST.

Everything was fine, all through the day, and into the evening. I'm sure you know where I am going with this. The last I checked our downstairs, everything was dry as a bone at 1am. I woke around 7am, and wouldn't you know it, there was 7 inches of water in our finished basement. I'd also like to point out that when I woke up to a flooded basement, I was also surprised with the fact that we had two inches of fresh snow on the ground!

Fast forward a week later, and here I am. The basement drained (VERY quickly), our utilities were checked by professionals (sump, furnace, hot water heater, electrics, etc) and all carpeting, drywall, doors, and baseboards have been removed from the house. We have completely dried out and our humidity down there is around 36%. It was a busy week, but now that all of the urgent things have been taken care of, we can take a break and a breather. Absolutely nothing down there is pressing at the moment. We can take our time remodeling. The sun is finally shining, and will be all week, so we have spent some time on the porch in our rocking chairs, and today I have spent a little time at my sewing machine, in front of an open window, and watching sewing and quilting reels on Pinterest. 

Before we flooded, I had quilted the block I sewed in January. I was so pleased with how it turned out, considering I have never done this, and I was ready for binding. Being a beginner, I decided to order a bias tape maker, and I am glad I did. I had watched some videos about cutting your fabric for binding, but with the events of the last week, I realized I needed to watch them again. That's what I've done today, and I practiced a little on some plain white fabric. I'm not ready to cut into the fabric I have picked for my binding yet, I think I am going to practice a few more times!

I have to say, this small little quilt block sure is taking ages to finish, but I guess that is how it goes with any hobby sometimes. Life truly gets in the way, and that's ok! We have these hobbies as a way to relax. It will mean so much more to me when it's finished, and I can't wait to hang it somewhere to remind me of where I started.

Here is the fabric I picked for the binding. I am hoping to finish it all this week. It's coming off darker in the photo, but I think it will look really good.

Hope to have a good quilting update for you soon, and I hope you are DRY and enjoying some nice sunny weather, wherever you are! Three weeks until Spring! 

-Bunny

Wallace Station in Midway, Kentucky

 My husband and I travel through Midway, Kentucky many times a year. Which means many times we have come to the intersection of Midway Road (heading north) and Old Frankfort Pike and wondered where turning right would take us. Well one day, we DID turn right, and very quickly stumbled upon Wallace Station Deli & Bakery. Of course we stopped for a bite, and wouldn't you know it, I ordered the Inside Out Hot Brown.

I was taken aback when we walked in, I loved everything about the inside. The outside is beautiful, but the inside was more than I was hoping for. I love old restaurants with a pie case, candy jars, and of course, an Ale-8 fridge. Their counter is also original to the building, which was originally the train depot. Midway was founded in 1838 as a railroad town (the first in Kentucky!), midway between Lexington and Frankfort. There is so much history in this area, and Wallace Station is proof of it!

Look at these floors!

If you aren't from Kentucky, or have never had an Ale-8, please try one. I have lived all over the country and feel like I have seen Ale-8 everywhere I've lived, except for Alaska. It is our state soft drink and it truly is EVERYTHING! It is a religion for some people (my husband, for one!), just like Kentucky basketball. Ale-8 is very serious for Kentuckians! 

(Note: My husband just informed me that our local Cracker Barrel is selling Ale-8 by the bottle in their gift shop, so keep an eye out for it in your area.)

Since their menu is posted on their website, I don't mind sharing the photo I took of it.

And here is my Inside Out Hot Brown SANDWICH, which was absolutely amazing, and so far, in my TOP 3 hot browns I've tried. On this visit we ate outside on the patio and enjoyed some beautiful weather.

I have eaten here many times, and give this place FIVE STARS!

More Wallace Station recommendations:

The Big Brown Burger 

Original Wally Burger 

Peanut Butter Pie

Wallace Station is located at 

3854 Old Frankfort Pike

Midway, Kentucky

#willtravelforfood

A Sunday drive along the Ohio River - Cloverport, Kentucky

 I find river towns fascinating. My husband and I have visited quite a few since moving back to Kentucky, and each time I visit one, no matter how big or small, I fall in love with it. We had visited Cloverport, Kentucky twice before, but that was about four or five years ago. We were in the area recently, so took advantage of a beautiful sunny day to explore some more. I had been trying to check in with the happenings there online, and had noticed the downtown area had been fixed up and some buildings were for sale. That's always a good sign!

When you arrive in Cloverport, you drive over a small bridge that crosses over Clover Creek right where it meets the Ohio River. The first thing that will catch your eye is the Higginbotham's building, and the large barn quilt displayed on the side of it. 

The Higginbotham building was first the location of Needle Craft, then became a grocery store in 1933. Mr. Higginbotham passed in 1971, but his son took over the business. I'm not sure when the grocery store closed, but hope to be in town sometime when the town museum is open. I think the Higginbotham building is what I am most interested in, and would love to get some more information on it.

I had been to Family Ties Flowers & Gifts a few years ago and chatted for quite a while to the sweet owner. That was probably in 2019, so I'm having trouble remembering if this shop has moved to a new store or if it's the same one I visited. It could just be that the building got a facelift. It's such a cute store and I wish I could have gone in again. That's the downside to Sunday afternoon drives - everything is closed!

The history of this small town is so interesting. From producing coal oil that lit Buckingham Palace, to the button factory, railroad maintenance shops, to Mickey Mouse dolls produced there! Who would have thought Mickey Mouse dolls were being made in a tiny Kentucky river town and shipped out by train? My, times have changed. Made in China, anyone? I've been doing some research, trying to find some information or a photo of these Mickey Mouse dolls but haven't had any luck. If you've never looked into vintage Mickey dolls, boy, some of them are REALLY creepy looking!

Cloverport is part of the Lincoln Family Trail through Kentucky, and I am so grateful to live near it and visit all these sites. The Lincoln Family crossed the Ohio River into Indiana near this spot, and when you stand there and really think about that, it is very strange (at least for me!) to wrap my head around. A future President of the United States was once standing on the bank of this very river, just like I was. I would have been very scared crossing the river on a log raft, and I wonder what was going through his head at the time.

Even though it was cold and snowy, we took a walk around town to read some more of the historical markers and take some photos. There's lot of barn quilts scattered around the town, and I located as many as I could!

We had such a lovely drive that day. I am so happy to see so many buildings for sale, and look forward to seeing what will occupy them. It will be interesting to go back and look at the photos I took of Cloverport the last time we were there and compare them to what the town looks like now in 2025. Five years can really change a town. I am noticing it in my own town, and my husband and I were just talking about that yesterday. It makes me look at things differently, and I want to document so many things, no matter how insignificant they seem. One day some of my favorite spots in town could be completely gone, like it never even happened. It's really sad when you stop and think about it. 

I am hoping this year that we can explore more of the western part of our state! I have quite a list of towns I'd like to visit!

Here is a photo I snapped when we got back to our neck of the woods. What a gorgeous day we had!

To learn more about Cloverport, the Breckenridge County Barn Quilt Trail, and the Lincoln Trail in Kentucky, visit the links below!

City of Cloverport, Kentucky

Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail

Breckenridge County Barn Quilt Trail Brochure

Thanks for reading!

-Bunny

Another Quilting Update

 Hello!

Is the weather warming up in your neck of the woods? The sun has been out for days, and thankfully, we are moving into 40 degree weather for the next week. I am so looking forward to sunshine and warmer weather. A few days we could even be 50 degrees!

Quilting. This is addicting! I am still learning the ins and outs of my machine, every time I sit down I learn something new. I'm thankful for that. I sat down yesterday and just started grabbing fabric and sewing, with really no rhyme or reason. I am still having problems lining up my seams, but I am slightly improving with that. Any suggestions and tips would be helpful.

Here is one square I pieced together.

I then grabbed some larger precuts and pieced together this. I watched a reel on Pinterest for this same pattern and just went with it. Again, that top row has seams that are way off, but I am quite pleased with the rest of the seams, so I will actually quilt it and hang it on my craft room wall. After I trimmed, this block is 8x8. I can't wait to see it hanging on my wall above my bulletin board! I typically hang a 1x1 barn quilt above my board, since I have so many painted. I change them out seasonally/for different holidays. An actual quilt block will be a nice change! 

I made a quite a few mistakes on some other things I pieced together, which allowed me to break out the seam ripper and try some do-overs. This is all such a learning curve! I have realized I am not proficient enough to sew and chat over text with my friends at the same time! I sewed so much yesterday that I actually finished up all the thread on my bobbin!

Last night my husband went back out to the garage and cut and shaped a wooden "clapper" for me to use after ironing. I've seen them being used a lot in the YouTube videos I've been watching. It definitely seems 

like these will be helpful, and he offered to make me a few in different sizes. Right now its just a wooden block but I'm wondering if I should add some wax to it? I have some Dixie Belle clear wax and wonder if that would be good?

We ran into town to grab a a few things, and we stopped at Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's. I grabbed a few fat quarters to add to my stash. I am hoping that this year I can make a set of coasters, place mat, or a candle mat. I'm not sure which of those I will pick just yet, but I would love to complete a small project with some dreamy fabric and minimal mistakes!

I have decided that I am ready to purchase an Oliso iron. If you can recommend one, or another brand, please leave a comment or e-mail me. I'd prefer to not spend over $100. I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks for reading!

-Bunny

Part 2 - A Day in Hardinsburg

 If you read my last blog post about our day trip to Hardinsburg, you’ll remember I wrote about the time warp that is their local Walmart. Well, I have another time warp for you. We had the absolute pleasure to dine in at a Pizza Hut Classic. 

My husband and I are children of the 80’s, and grew up in the days of Book-It pizzas. I still have my Book-It pin too, full of star stickers for reading Sweet Valley Twins and the Babysitter’s Club. I’ll never forget the excitement of having that little pizza sat in front of me. I’m sure every generation looks back on their childhood and thinks “Man, we truly had it all.” 

I was so excited to see the vintage art on the walls, and of course, there’s my purple Book-It pin right in the center of this photo. I didn’t recognize any of the others. 

Every single table had the red and white tablecloths and the Pizza Hut Tiffany style lamp! 

They even had THE RED CUPS!!

We didn’t have our Book-It pins with us, so we actually had to pay for our food. 😁 We got a large pizza to share. Now, it was exactly the same pizza we could get at our local carry out/delivery location, but it was better, ya know? 

My husband said the only thing that was missing was a PacMan game! I’m gonna be honest with you, I’m seriously considering buying a Pizza Hut lamp, a PacMan machine, and some red cups for our family room pizza & movie nights! 

On our way out the door, I noticed this plaque at the door. 

If you’re interested, my husband found this website that lists all of the Pizza Hut Classic locations by state. I hope you’ll find one close to you, and relive some 80’s and 90’s nostalgia! 

https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-nostalgic-americana-best-list-pizza-hut-classic-restaurants-across-usa-explored-viral-tweet-sparks-frenzy

See you soon! 

-Bunny

#willtravelforfood