Here, There & Everywhere | Fall 2021

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Why is it that every year it feels like the days are dragging on, but all of a sudden November hits and it feels like it all just started yesterday? Usually around this time of year is when we realize our New Year’s Resolutions went down the drain and we feel like we’ve wasted ten months.

That’s not how we feel this year.

In 2021 we traveled through the U.S., moved states, changed careers, and took our first international trip since 2019. That’s right, y’all! In August we had the incredible opportunity to travel to Greece for a cruise with Celestyal Cruises.

This issue of the magazine is dedicated to the unbelievable experience we had on our seven day cruise with Celestyal. We traveled through the Greek islands, and saw sights we’d only seen on postcards.

We stepped into the cave where John wrote the book of Revelation. We saw the

iconic blue domes of Santorini. We walked the street of Mykonos at night. We ate dessert for breakfast on the island of Milos. We ate an absurd amount of tzatziki and saw cats around every corner. We had the time of our lives, and we’re so excited to give you a glimpse into the adventure we had in Greece.

We’re also thrilled to include stories from some awesome folks in the Cumberland Gap region, and highlight our tri-state home alongside our favorite international destination. As always, we’re honored you chose to flip through the pages of Here, There & Everywhere. Your support is what keeps us traveling, writing, and documenting this beautiful world we live in. Thanks for the adventure, y’all!

“We love this place and the people who are a part of it (past and present). We believe that it is our responsibility and our blessing to be good stewards of this place, its history, its land, and its resources.

Cumberland Gap was inhabited by indigenous people, including the Cherokee and Shawnee, when it was referred to as the Warrior’s Path. Since that time others have followed, including more than likely some of your ancestors.

Every member of our team is from the region, and we all hope to share this special place with others. It is a place we all love and are fortunate to call home. Remember, “as local as it gets” is not just a catchy slogan, it is a way of life. In the end, we hope that you will come to love this place like a local and wear its name proudly.” -Wolfwell

Photo by Danny Vaughn

Celestyal Cruises......................................... 6 18

Athens, Greece............................................. 12 Patmos, Greece............................................ 14 Rhodes, Greece............................................ 18 Santorini, Greece.......................................... 20 Mykonos, Greece......................................... 24

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Milos, Greece................................................. 28 Crete, Greece................................................. 32 Holiday Gift Guide....................................... 38 LaFollette, TN................................................ 40

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Christmas Eve by Carl Nichols............. 44 Appalachian Tale......................................... 46 An 1800s Trip by Jadon Gibson.......... 50 Links................................................................... 57

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Santorini, Greece

Over the years we’ve learned that cruising is an amazing way to see new places. It’s like a sample platter. You get a little taste of a few places and then you can decide to come back later for the full meal.

Or, on the rare occasion that you don’t like somewhere you stop, you can get back on the ship and try again at the next destination.

So, when we had the opportunity to cruise the Greek islands with Celestyal Cruises we packed our bags and flew to Athens. Full transparency, this trip was paid for in its entirety by Celestyal Cruises, but they didn’t pay us to say nice things about them. They had us aboard the Celestyal Crystal so we could give you an honest look at what cruising with them is like. The short answer: it’s pretty amazing, y’all.

The ship has about 1200 passengers and 400 crew from all over the world. On our ship there were approximately eight languages spoken, with the primary language being Greek. Our cruise director spoke about six languages, and always made her announcements in each one.

That was something totally unique to any other cruises we’d been on.

Our Junior Balcony Suite was on deck seven and it had a majorly comfortable queen sized bed, a nice sitting area, flat screen TV, mini fridge, ample closet space, a safe, and small desk area.

The bathroom was pretty standard for cruise ships with a shower, toilet and sink area. By far the best part was the balcony. Morning, noon and night it felt like we had the best seat in the house.

Our room is available starting at just over $1900.

Celestyal’s ships aren’t designed to be the destination, but purely a vessel to take you to some of the most beautiful places in the world.

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With that said, you won’t find giant water slides, dozens of shops, or a Vegas-sized casino. But here are some of the things you will find:

(1) A few different dining experiences including a buffet, pool bar, and two sit-down restaurants. The food served at each spot is the same, but the experiences are vastly different.

For the first night and morning or the cruise we ate at the buffet on deck nine, but it was a little too overwhelming for us. So, we switched to the Amalthia Restaurant on deck eight. That was definitely the way to go. In addition to the pool bar (deck nine), the ship has a sports bar (deck eight) area where you can get some yummy cocktails, and choose from a few different food options on the room service menu. Those food items come at an additional charge.

(2) A hot tub and pool. The Celestyal Crystal had a traditional sized hot tub on deck five and a small pool on deck nine. The pool stayed full almost the entire cruise, so it was clearly a hit.

(3) A casino. Although not Vegas sized, the ship does offer a small casino on deck eight with different games for you to enjoy.

(4) Shopping. Deck five has a duty-free shop with souvenirs, jewelry, shoes, apparel and more. We popped in on our first night onboard because we just couldn’t resist. Plus they were having a sale... How could we say no to a sale?!

(5) A full-service spa and gym. You can get your sweat on in the gym on deck nine and then you can enjoy one of the many spa treatments offered onboard. You can get anything from a massage to a manicure.

(6) Onboard entertainment. From the first show we were in awe of the incredible performers Celestyal had onboard. They danced, sang and did acrobatics. It was some of the best cruise entertainment we’ve ever seen.

The Celestyal Crystal is a small ship, but don’t assume that’s a bad thing. You get more one-on-one time with staff, have an easier debarkation and embarkation experience, and you still get to enjoy some of the perks of a larger ship.

The European cruises we’ve been on in the past have had a passenger manifest filled primarily with English-speaking people over the age of fifty. It’s a very specific demographic, and one that we’ve grown very fond of. So, we expected Celestyal Cruises to follow the same passenger framework. However, when we came aboard the Celestyal Crystal we were pleasantly surprised with what we found.

Our ship had everything from children under five to passengers in their seventies or above. The primary language spoken was Greek, not English, followed by Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Italian, Croatian, German and more. It was incredible to walk around the ship and see families, couples, and friends laughing and speaking in more languages than we’d ever heard in one place. The Celestyal ship was a true melting pot.

Out of all of the selling points for Celestyal, I would put the diverse atmosphere at the top of the list. They have created an environment perfect for any vacation. Bring your kids, parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors. Bring everyone. Enjoy the history lectures, kid discos, evening entertainment, delicious food, and all of the amenities Celestyal’s ships have to offer.

If we had to pick the perfect age for a Celestyal passenger, we’d say 12 and up. By that age kids are able to appreciate cultural experiences and many are willing to try new things.

Now we’re going to take you port by port and breakdown the excursions we chose, what we loved, what we didn’t love, and all of the nitty gritty details about our time in Greece. To preface and sum up our experience... We had a great time and would go back in a heartbeat. Celestyal Cruises is an awesome company with great employees and a ship worth exploring. Greece is our favorite country we’ve traveled to, and we want to go back again and again. The people are so kind, the views are out of this world, and the food is on an entirely different level. So, with all of that said, enjoy our Greek adventure.

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hen we touched Athens it was after noon we had less 24 hours fore we

down in just and than be-

boarded our ship. We were pretty exhausted and jet lagged, so we weren’t prepared to hit the streets for any major sightseeing. We popped into a corner store for some snacks and drinks, and spent the day in the beautiful Athenaeum Grand Hotel.

After disembarking our ship seven days later, we had another overnight stint in Greece’s capital city.

That’s not a lot of time to see all Athens has to offer, so we knew we had to kick things into high gear.

The amazing people at Celestyal had arranged all of our transfers, so when our taxi driver picked us up at the port, we asked how much it would be for him to take us to the Parthenon. We figured that was the major spot to see, and we would be happy if we could at least check that off. For less than one hundred Euros he offered to be our personal tour guide for the day.

Obviously that was an offer we couldn’t refuse.

Our first stop was the Parthenon. Situated atop a majestic hill, the Parthenon is an acropolis dedicated to the Greek goddess, Athena. It was built in 447 BC, and it’s basically the definition of ‘they don’t make them like they used to.’

The driver dropped us off in a parking lot, and we hiked up the steps to the entrance. The entrance fee

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was twenty Euros for

Joanie B., but since I was under twenty-five, I got in for ten Euros.

Once we had our tickets we followed the crowd up to the Acropolis.

We were in a line of people that flowed from one Acropolis point of interest to another. I’m not sure if that was because of Covid or just because so many people visit this iconic site.

Either way, the first mini stop was an overhead view of the Dionysus Theatre.

A few snaps and the crowd moved toward the main events… the Propylea, Erechtheion and the Parthenon. If you want to know some more history, you can check out our Here, There & Everywhere blog, available only to HTE subscribers.

After taking in the insane views of Athens from on top of the world, we hiked back down to meet our taxi driver.

The next stop was Zeus’s temple, and a driving tour through some of Athens most prestigious neighborhoods. We saw some houses the size of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. They were massive!

Keeping with the theme of big and grand, our driver made a stop at the Olympic stadium. Then it was a chaotic zig-zag through the city streets back to our hotel.

At this point we were pretty hungry, so we popped into Pilot Café. This is where we found, quite possibly, the best Greek salad we’ve ever had. It was so fresh and delicious. We would’ve gone back for dinner if I hadn’t crawled into bed at the Athenaeum Grand and slept until nine o’clock that night.

Whoops.

So, what did we think of Athens?

It’s huge and filled with an unbelievable amount of history. The fact that you can be driving down the highway and look up to see the Acropolis is pretty mind blowing.

We definitely want to go back and stay for a longer period of time so that we can really take in all that Athens has to offer.

Our first official port on our Celestyal Cruise was supposed to be in Turkey, but because of the pandemic, the itinerary shifted a bit and we stopped in Patmos, Greece There are a lot of amazing things about this little island, but we were super excited for the biblical adventure. Patmos is home to the Cave of the Apocalypse, which is the spot where it’s believed John wrote the book of Revelation.

We were lucky enough to visit Patmos on a Sunday and arrived at the famous cave just as mass was ending. Since the cave is preserved as holy ground, we weren’t allowed to take any photos or videos while inside, but it was nothing like I expected.

I expected a cave. Like a rustic, nature-y, rock

wall sort of cave.

But this cave is filled with intricate artwork and three spots encrusted in gold… the spot where John laid his head, feet, and his Bible.

It was pretty surreal to sit in the same spot where John sat more than 1,000 years ago. Absolutely insane and an experience we’ll never forget.

If the Cave of the Apocalypse isn’t something you’d be interested in seeing, Patmos is still a beautiful island.

They have gorgeous beaches, some very cute villages, and absolutely to die for food. But, honestly, mind blowing food is something you’ll find everywhere in Greece. Patmos is also where we saw our first Greek cat, so obviously it was a great stop in my book.

After checking out the cave, we had a little bit of free time before our scenic drive back to the port area. So, naturally we grabbed some yummy food.

We found this cute café and, of course I had to get a Greek frappe... So flipping delicious! For our light snack we had the most perfect croissants we’ve ever tasted. Light and flaky and made even better with the jam. It was quite literally ‘the jam’.

After savoring every bite, we joined the rest of our group on the bus and took a scenic drive across Patmos back to the port village. Instead of heading straight back to the ship, we took our time walking the streets, taking in the fresh air and beautiful weather, and of course doing some shopping. We worked up an appetite for lunch and had our first real meal in Greece. Our main priority was tzatziki.

We had to have tzatziki.

We checked a few menus and then saw a cat sitting by a table, so naturally we picked that restaurant. We ordered their house tzatziki and some red caviar spread.

Oh my goodness.

It was amazing.

The bread was soft. The tzatziki was fresh. The red caviar spread tasted like yummy hummus. And the cat was absolutely adorable.

We could not have asked for more out of our first day.

Back onboard we took a little breather in our stateroom and sifted through the day’s pictures. Then it was time for dinner and a show. An absolutely amazing cirque show that we’re still thinking about several months later.

But, the best part of the day was, without a doubt, the tzatziki.

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Rhodes, Greece (all photos)

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hodes no hadn’t about Our

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was an island we had expectations for. We really heard anything it, so we went in with completely clear minds. first stop was the Rhodes Acropolis. It’s much smaller than the famed Acropolis in

Athens, but the hike up to the ruins gives you some of the most stunning views.

Our hike took us through the quaint streets of Lindos. This wasn’t the most strenuous journey we’ve ever been on, but the marble-esque streets are filled with stairs and hills. We also found that they were quite slippery, which was kind of terrifying when we were on the edge of a cliff with no guardrails.

But that’s where we found the best views in town. The perfect Birdseye look at the clearest, bluest, and most stunning water we’ve ever seen. It was breathtaking.

After soaking it all in, we braved the slippery slopes and headed back into town for some shopping. That’s where we met the kindest shopkeeper. We had been perusing his pottery and glass shop and struck up a conversation with

him. We talked about where we were from and how much we were enjoying Greece.

This encounter wasn’t a rare occurrence.

We’ve been to eight different Greek islands and have yet to find a local who wasn’t extremely kind and willing to help us in any way they could.

Greece is definitely one of the most joyful places we’ve ever been, and we’ll keep going back again and again.

After shopping our way through Lindos we hopped on our bus and headed for old town. It’s part of the island that’s surrounded by medieval walls and winding streets. Parts of it were reminiscent of Dubrovnik, Croatia. It’s like a snapshot of life in the middle ages, but with all of our lovely modern conveniences and, of course, delicious food.

At every port we made sure to find some tzatziki to enjoy, and in Rhodes we also had our first Gyro. Not surprisingly, it was delicious. We were also able to get our first bite of authentic baklava. Our foodie hearts couldn’t have been more full.

Rhodes, Greece (all photos)

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If you were to Google ‘Greece’ or look up #greece on any social media site, you’ll probably see dozens of photos of stark white buildings with blue domed roofs.

That’s Santorini.

Naturally, we were super excited. Santorini is one of the most, if not the most iconic Greek island. However, that excitement also came with a lot of apprehension. Iconic destinations often mean iconic Photoshop. Social media is a highlight reel and people will often do anything to make things more of a highlight than they really are. So, we were nervous.

When we took our first steps into Oia and I’m certain that both of us stopped in our tracks. We were surrounded by beautiful white buildings, blue domes, the most beautiful blue water. It looked like true paradise. A living postcard.

We arrived in Oia, the most common picture stop in Santorini, fairly early in the morning. This helped us beat the crowds and snap all of the photos our hearts desired. However, that also meant we only stayed for a short time so that we could leave before the other cruise guests made it to town. Thank you, Celestyal.

Our next stop was on the other side of the island, the village of Thera. Although you don’t have the iconic blue domed roofs, Thera is still absolutely gorgeous. The buildings are still bright white. The streets are marble and stone. And you still have sweeping views of the southern Aegean Sea. Thera is where we spent the rest of our time in Santorini. We did some shopping, and found some delicious lunch with a view. After lunch, we walked around town, just taking in the sights and sounds of Santorini. But after some shopping and lots of walking, we had a sweet tooth. On the other islands, there were bakeries or pastry shops all over, but we walked and walked and walked with no luck in Thera.

However, just when we were ready to head

back to the ship, we stumbled upon what looked like the holy grail of bakeries.

The owner came outside as we were looking at the delicious sweets in the case, and he was pretty insistent that we stick around for dessert, a coffee, and, for Joanie B., a cactus juice.

So we plopped ourselves into a seat with the most stunning water views. We ate our dessert, drank our drinks, and soaked it all in. It was an amazing half an hour or so.

After we’d finished, they brought our bill, and Joanie B. and I nearly fell out of our chairs. For two desserts and two drinks our total was fifty two Euros.

Naturally, we paid the bill and started up the stairs to the cable car, laughing all the way. What else do you do when you find out you’ve spent $60 on dessert?

Our Santorini adventure ended with a cable car ride down the mountain, a tether boat ride back to the ship, and the most amazing sunset view of Thera.

Any expectations we had for Santorini were blown out of the water, and we can’t wait to go back. But this time we might forgo the $60 dessert…

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uch like Santorini, Mykonos is one of the most iconic Greek islands. It has quaint streets with stark white buildings.

However, Mykonos isn’t just infamous for its views.

It’s a party island.

That’s why Celestyal opted for an evening stay in Mykonos rather than a daytime visit. We arrived in port around 5:00 PM and didn’t leave until after two in the morning.

Since we’re not much for partying, we decided to take an evening excursion that included dinner and a walking tour of Mykonos. We enjoyed our authentic Greek meal outside, watching the sunset over the Aegean Sea. You wouldn’t think it could get any better than that, but you’d be wrong…

There were cats.

So many cats.

Several people in our group (us included) were petting, feeding, and socializing with all of the adorable kitties.

It was basically the best dinner ever. I would go back just for the cats.

After dinner, we took the bus into the main area of Mykonos and started our walking tour. This place was packed. Filled with people ready to party, but it never felt like we were surrounded by drunk people. It was just a bunch of people who were there to have a good time, and the energy was exceptional.

Our tour guide let us know that Mykonos is one of the safest Greek islands, with a very low amount of pickpockets to worry about. People are truly there for a good time, so pickpocketing tourists is pretty low on the to do list.

Although we weren’t there to drop it like it’s hot or party in the M.Y.K., we loved passing by the bars and clubs on the island. Each one was themed differently and all of them were jamming out. One club in particular had the coolest pink and purple lights and electronic music blaring.

If the party scene isn’t for you, don’t let that keep you away from Mykonos. The island has plenty more to offer. Besides shopping, the beautiful beach, and yummy restaurants, Mykonos also has an outside movie theatre where you can watch a film and eat a meal under the stars. It was one of the coolest things we’d ever seen.

After we’d toured the streets, seen Little Venice and the iconic windmills, we went off on our own to shop. Mykonos had several artist-owned shops and we bought some stunning pottery and Christmas ornaments we hadn’t seen anywhere else.

Since we’re eighty-year-olds at heart, we didn’t make it to 2:00 AM. I’m not even sure we made it to midnight. We took our bags and made our way to the bus stop while other people were just getting started on their night. We even ran into a few furry friends on our way back to the ship.

And, to perfectly cap off the night, we watched fireworks go off majestically over the water as we were boarding the ship for the night.

It was quite the party.

Mykonos, Greece

I have determined, after several decades on this earth, that there are very few things more glorious than dessert.

Feel free to disagree, but y’all. There is nothing like sinking your fork into a perfectly smooth chocolate moose and tasting that creamy sweetness.

So, if dessert brings this much joy and beauty to the world, why reserve it just for after a meal? Why not combine life’s greatest gift with the most important meal of the day? Yes. I’m proposing dessert for breakfast.

Our absolutely mind-blowingly amazing cruise was coming to an end. We were docked in our second to last port. And we were swept up in the beauty of the island of Milos. It seemed like the perfect spot to make our proposed breakfast menu a reality.

So, we sat ourselves at a café with a stunning water view and proceeded to make the best decision of our lives. We ordered dessert 28

for breakfast.

The only regret I have from that day was that it ended.

Because those moments basking in the Milos sun and enjoying those freshly made desserts were like a tiny slice of heaven.

We tried to step outside of our comfort zone just a little bit, so we let our waitress help pick our dessert selections.

The most basic dessert we ordered was a

warm, ooey gooey chocolate cake with a thick and creamy chocolate ganache glazed on top. It tasted just as divine as it looks and sounds.

To cut through the rich chocolate, our second dessert had three layers of puff pastry with a fluffy sweet cream in between.

The pastry had the most delicate crunch, and the cream was rich without feeling like globs of butter cream icing. The flavor profile was simple with notes of vanilla and a dash of cinna-

mon to balance out the sweetness.

Keeping things balanced, our next dessert had the lightest chocolate cake layered with an airy mousse and strawberry coulis. The perfect layers were shaped into a heart, covered with a red mirror glaze and garnished with a fleck of gold leaf. This dessert was the most beautiful and delicious thing we’ve ever put in our mouths. There are no words in any language to describe how absolutely amazing it was. If I could wake up every morning to one of these, I would absolutely be converted into a morning person.

For our fourth and final dessert we kept it simple with a pistachio tart. The crust had a snap and the creamy pistachio center had a balanced sweet and savory flavor. It was all topped with a shiny glaze and five perfectly toasted pistachios.

I am confident that I will never, as long as I live, have an experience like I had in Milos. The desserts. The blue water. The perfect breeze and sunny weather. It was as close to a perfect day as anything I’ve ever experienced.

After we finished our sweet breakfast we took a page from the Greek book of life and just sat our table for a while, existing.

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just

That is something I’ve always envied of the Greeks, and many other European people. The ability to

be. It seems like we are always on the move.

There’s always somewhere to be or something to do. Very rarely do we ever just sit down with a clear mind, enjoy a meal, and nothing else. We consider that a luxury while many in Europe consider it a vital part of life. So, we took our time in Milos to really get in touch with that way of living. After we’d embraced the moment we decided it was time to shop.

Shocker, right?

Milos is a smaller island, so the options for shopping are a bit more limited, but we still managed

to find some adorable gifts, many of which involved cats. The true staple of Greek life.

We walked up and down the streets of Milos.

Went into every store. Snapped a photo of every beautiful view. Then it was time for lunch.

Unlike with our desserts, we weren’t very original with our lunch order. We had our tzatziki, potatoes, and bread.

Milos was definitely one of our favorite stops. It forced us to take a moment and reflect on how precious and wonderful life really is. It’s not about how many things you can accomplish in a day. It’s not about how busy you are or how many people you know.

Sometimes it’s about something as simple as how delicious a chocolate cake tastes in the morning. We had a moment on this island where all that mattered was existing, living and just being. It’s something we think about every time our normal lives get stressful.

Take a breath and just be.

Crete, Greece

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One of the most unexpected highlights of our trip with Celestyal was the island of Crete. We’d heard enough about Crete to know it existed, but outside of that we had no expectations.

Crete is the largest Greek island, and it has several claims to fame. However, it’s most notable for its stunning beaches, natural and untouched beauty, and Nikos Kazantzakis (aka Zorba the Greek).

There are several villages on Crete, but our tour took us to Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, both of which were absolutely breathtaking. Elounda was the more quaint of the two villages, and it’s

case back to the ship to pack. In a comedic turn of events we discovered that our new suitcase still didn’t give us enough room for all of our Greek goodies. So, with less than thirty minutes until the final onboard time, we booked it back to that same little shop and bought another suitcase.

We made it back with plenty of time to spare, and thankfully we were able to shove everything in our expanded luggage collection.

Our final night onboard the Celestyal Crystal was bittersweet. We couldn’t wait to come back to our Kentucky home and tell everyone about Greece and Celestyal. But we certainly left a

also where we found the most adorable shop run by a mother-son duo. That was our favorite shopping spot in Crete, but there was no shortage of boutiques to enjoy.

If you’re a beach goer, Crete is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. Every Cretan village has a gorgeous beach, so just take your pick.

After our short time in Elounda, we had a scenic bus drive to Agios Nikolaus where we enjoyed lunch and where we did something we’ve never done on a trip before...

We bought extra luggage.

If you’ve followed our content over the years, you’ll know that we travel carry-on only when we fly. Usually we only pick up a few souvenirs here and there. Key chains for my collection. Maybe a t-shirt or two. However, on this trip we went in with a list of people we thought needed a little something Greek in their lives.

All of that fun shopping meant that our little carry-on suitcases weren’t going to cut it. So, we found a small shop in Agios Nikolaus and picked up a new suitcase.

Unfortunately for us, Crete was the last stop on our Greek adventure, so we took our new suit-

piece of ourselves in Greece. How could you not?

It’s a country filled with some of the most beautiful views, kindest people, and most delicious food in the world. After this adventure it became clear that it’s our favorite international travel destination we’ve visited thus far.

As for Celestyal Cruises, we can’t recommend them enough. The ship size is small and the diversity of the people onboard is phenomenal.

There are a few different restaurant options and a bar with the most awesome staff. Plus the entertainment we saw was some of the highest caliber we’ve experienced on any cruise.

Thank you, thank you to Celestyal for sending us on this Aegean adventure. We made lifelong memories, and we can’t wait to come back and make even more.

If you’re considering booking a cruise with Celestyal, do it! It’s a great experience for people of all ages, and they have done a great job providing things of interest for everyone. It truly is a special cruise line, and we think everyone should have the chance to experience the magic of Celestyal. Book your cruise today by visiting their website, www.celestyal.com - you won’t regret it.

Crete, Greece

Mykonos, Greece

Wolfwell is a fairly new company that sells unique local gifts. They’re best known for their t-shirts that feature businesses and icons in small town Appalachia’s history.

These aren’t shirts you’ll find anywhere else, and they’re great gifts for anyone you love in the Cumberland Gap region of Appalachia. If you’re not looking for t-shirts, Wolfwell also has high-quality leather journals, ornaments, mugs, stickers and more. Wolfwell is sold in local Cumberland Gap stores and online.

If you’re local to the Cumberland Gap area, Gertie’s and Whistle Stop are sister antique shops both located in the Gap. We have found so many unique pieces in both shops, but we always seem to walk out with several bags from Gertie’s. They have everything from vintage clothes to modern Christmas decorations. You can also purchase Wolfwell products in-store. Neither Gertie’s or Whistle Stop offer an online shopping experience.

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If you’re more of a boutique shopper, one of our favorite shops is Morgan’s on Main in Stanford, Kentucky. They have trendy items and timeless pieces. The best part is that they offer a size range that fits petite to plus size in pants, shirts, jackets and more. You can shop online, but if you’re near Stanford, Kentucky you need to go visit in person. Morgan is one of the kindest people, and we always leave feeling confident and cared for. That’s something that makes the shopping experience even better.

Also in Stanford is Kentucky Soaps & Such. Their soaps are made in house with all natural ingredients like goat milk and essential oils. All of their soap products are incredible. Our favorite scent of soap is the mint julep, but you really can’t go wrong. In addition, Kentucky Soaps & Such has snacks, books, pottery and more. The Prayerful Pretzels are absolutely divine, and I would make the two hour drive just for those. The best part? You can buy their products online. They even offer custom gift baskets.

For a more unique (and delicious) gift, No Regrets Cookies in Jacksonville, Illinois is the place to go. All of their scratch-made cookies are delicious, but we love their cookie kits. They come with a yummy sugar cookie, royal icing, and some special extras (like sprinkles). Each season means a new kit, and the Christmas kits are always extra cute. We’ve done numerous kits and even if you’re not a professional cookie decorator, you’ll have a great time. And, you can order it all on their website.

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n 1890, two brothers looking for business opportunities arrived in the Cumberland Mountain region of Tennessee. These brothers, Harvey and Grant LaFollette discovered that the area offered rich farmland, iron deposits, timber stands and abundant coal and water resources.

They decided it was the perfect place to call home. So, naturally, they named this area the city of LaFollette.

Since its founding in 1890, LaFollette has been home to coal, iron and railroad companies. The area has also been home to notable politicians, US Army Generals, singers, TV news anchors, and more. But one musician stands in a class of his own, Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong.

In 2007, the Campbell Culture Coalition started a festival to honor and celebrate the great Louie Bluie. The festival’s mission is and has always been to “enhance the artistic and cultural opportunities of the citizenry, preserve the culturally significant past, and support the artistic and cultural talents of our youth, who are our future.”

I was impressed with the commitment the Campbell Culture Coalition has in bringing and keeping the arts alive in this small Tennessee town. That intense commitment and love for the arts is also supported by another local organization, Postmark LaFollette.

Postmark is a joint organization of the Campbell Culture Coalition and the Campbell County Artist Association. It started in April of 2017 in LaFollette’s old post office. They’ve turned the building into a budding artist co-op, a place to host art workshops, a theatrical performance space, and the town jamboree.

Jenni and I were able to attend the jamboree, and we felt like we’d been sucked into a Hallmark movie or transported to Stars Hollow. The amount of talented artists that performed was shocking to us. A few of the acts even had signed recording contracts with some of the biggest record companies in the nation.

There is no way to even come close to sharing all LaFollette has to offer in just a few paragraphs.

The natural beauty we enjoyed and the incredible people we spent time with can only be truly experienced in person.

We’ve said it a million times over... Small town America is a magical place. LaFollette is no exception. A visit to this beautiful Cumberland Mountain region town should be on your travel radar. It offers several state parks where you can embrace the Appalachian lifestyle and enjoy some outdoor activities. Plus, the Louie Bluie Festival each September is a foot stomping good time for all.

It was Christmas Eve 1958. I was one week shy of my 5th birthday. Yet, even at that young age I recall every detail of my most memorable Christmas.

We lived in a four-room company house in the Blackstar Coal Camp at Alva, KY. Yes, it was about as isolated as one could be. Almost all our shopping was done at the company commissary.

However, occasionally we make the trek to the big city. Newberry’s 5 and Dime was the “Macys” of Pineville where a child of 4 from the mountains of Ky marveled at the selection of toys and gifts. It was probably at the 5 and dime that I first saw Santa.

However, my mother was quick to point out that store Santa’s were only helpers that dressed in Santa suits. She explained that there was only one real Santa and he made his trip around the world giving gifts to good little boys and girls only once a year, on Christmas Eve. She further explained, that he would only come after children were in bed and no one had ever seen the real Santa. Wow. I was mesmerized with the magic of Santa.

Unbeknownst to me, my mother and sister had concocted a Christmas surprise for me that year that was worthy of any of today’s television sitcom episodes. My sister was fourteen at the time and past the age that Santa would visit so she had joined forces with my mother to help spring on me the most incredible surprise of my life. The secret plan was that mom was going to catch Santa in the act of bringing my toys and she was going to capture him so I could meet the real Santa.

In the little camp house in which we lived we had a front room where we often sat. It was heated by the coal stove in the kitchen on which mom 44

cooked and baked wonderful pies, fudge, and cakes. (No thermostat controls... heat was regulated by how many sticks of wood or blocks of coal were in the stove). Adjacent to that room was mom and dad’s bedroom in which the Christmas Tree was meticulously decorated

awaiting the ar-

rival of Santa who would bring me lots of toys (since I had been especially good!) Also in the room were large baskets of fruits, nuts, and hard candy. These were provided by the coal company for every miner’s family at Christmas time. Beside the tree, and in front of the exterior door, was Mom’s favorite rocking chair.

Now, my mom was not one for practical jokes.

My dad did enough joking for both of them. (Foolishness, my mom would call it). If she wasn’t

cooking, cleanfamily she her Bi-

occasions nylon rolled her knees.

ing, or caring for the was most often reading ble. She being of the Pentecostal faith, I never saw my mother wear anything other than a below the knee length dress. For church and special she did wear stockings over garters just below Also, I never saw her hair cut.

When down it was waist length.

However, she almost always wore it up in a tight bun on the back of her head.

So, on Christmas Eve my sister started executing the plan by telling me that if we turned the lights off Santa would think we were in bed. So, she turned the lights out and pulled a chair up to the window. I got in her lap and we began the vigil of waiting to see Santa as he made his way through the camp with his reindeer and sleigh. On the north side of Puckett Creek, there were two rolls of camp houses. We lived in the first house in

the first roll. We were not sure from which direction he would come. Either way we were in a very strategic position to see him first, if he came from the West, or last, if he came from the East. So, there we sat. Eyes wide open. My heart pounding with anticipation. I could not believe that my sister and I were actually going to see the real Santa.

All of a sudden, the most devastating commotion started occurring in the other room. Chairs were turning over, fruit and nuts, were hitting the back of the door. My mother was letting out a war cry of screeching sounds that could have been heard three houses down. “WC, run here quick.

I’ve caught him.” My mother yelled. “I’ve got Santa. Hurry before he gets away.” My heart was leaping out of my chest. I could not believe it. My mother had caught Santa and by the sounds coming from that room, he was putting up quite a fight. My sister grabbed me and we ran and threw open the bedroom door knowing that mom had captured the jolly Ole elf. But, to my surprise when the door flew back there laid my mother, all 5’2” and 200 lbs of her, face down, spread eagle, with a hand full of white fur she had just ripped from Santa’s suit. Her garters were around her ankles, and peppermint candy was in her hair which had fallen out of a bun and was askew all over her face. The Christmas Tree was leaning against the wall, the rocker was turned over, and fruit and nuts were everywhere. My sister quickly grabbed me and we ran back to the window, but alas, we had missed him... but my mother hadn’t! It was obvious she had wrestled him to the floor and he had barely made his escape without me seeing him.

As we helped mom to her feet my heart was still pounding. I was disappointed that I did not see Santa but I was so excited that my mother had actually touched him and she had the fur in her hand to prove it. Then, suddenly I realized Santa had left my toys under the fallen tree. Wow! This night just could not get any better.

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My mother-in-law recently turned 81, so I took her one of her favorite desserts, peach cobbler. She has a pretty big sweet tooth, although she will tell you that she doesn’t eat too many sweets, but that’s only if she’s not feeling her best. But if she’s not feeling her best, something sweet might perk her up. She likes her cobbler with a little ice cream, she says it cuts the sweetness. You can probably sense by now that she’s a little picky about her sweets, well any food really.

She doesn’t like anything with too much spice in it, so I avoid the cinnamon, but I do use freshly ground nutmeg, a quart of my home canned peaches, and a buttery batter that envelops the peaches when you spoon them in and turns gooey and crispy all at the same time when you bake it.

After we all got a couple of spoonfuls of the still-warm-from-the-oven cobbler, we sat down to just visit. She began telling stories of growing up in Shelton Laurel, NC, just across the line from where they live now in East TN. She grew up poor, but as she tells it “We didn’t know we was poor until we got outta there.” She’s one of the middle children born to a tenacious hard-working mom, who raised the kids mostly on her own because their daddy wasn’t around much. That reminds me so much of my own grandmaw who did pretty much the same thing.

My granddaddy was in prison when my mom 46

was growing up. He was always getting himself in trouble but ended up in prison because he was more scared of my grandmaw than he was of being locked up. He admitted to a crime his brother actually committed, rather than tell my grandmaw he was with another woman at the time. But all that’s another story for another time.

My in-laws feel more like family I was born into than they do family I inherited when I said I do. My parents have been gone for a long time now, with dad passing in 2010 and mom in 2002, but having the in-laws around helps fill that void.

I have to think sometimes that my parents sent them to me, knowing I would need them. I actually met them for the first time on the first Father’s Day after my dad passed, which also happened to be my birthday. Coincidence? I don’t think so. So, when she tells stories of growing up without electricity or indoor plumbing, of raising chickens, hogs, and all the garden food they would need, I’m taken back to conversations with my own mom, who did the same.

Today she talked about only having chicken when company was comin’, and how they used to paper the walls with anything they could to seal up the cracks. She liked the brown paper sacks best because they’d draw on them after papering. They’d use the light from the oil lamp at night and one of them would press the side of

their face against the wall while someone else traced the outline. She also talked about when one of them would do something bad their mom would ask each of them “Who done it?” and each would answer “Not me!”, to which she knew someone was lyin’, so they all got the switch.

And although they were poor, they always had what they needed. They put up the garden and the man that owned the farm they worked on raised hogs, so they helped with butcherin’ and they’d get hog meat to get them through. If you’ve ever been butcherin’, then you know about scrapping the hair off the skin before making cracklin’s, which they did with old zinc canning lids, so they were resourceful too.

They always had milk and butter, which they kept in a branch of the stream that ran nearby in the summer, unless a dog got a hold of it, and in the winter, they could keep those things in the back room where it was always cold. I can remember so many holidays where my grandmaw would keep all the cakes and pies she’d bake on a bed in the back room for

the same reason, even though by that time she had electricity and a refrigerator.

I gave my mother-in-law a copy of a magazine that had printed an article I’d written about my dad’s parents. Grandaddy was a preacher, so dad did grow up with a few finer things than my mom or my in-laws did, but not much. The church always made sure they had what they needed, so that left a little room for them to have some of what they wanted. Unlike my mom, or either of my in-laws, dad grew up with electricity and running water for the most part. They even got a TV in the late 50’s. But it was still the simple treats that I think he really remembered. Sometime after he passed, I was talking with my aunt, and she mentioned that they loved cinnamon toast as kids and that grandmaw kept a shaker of cinnamon sugar in the cabinet. I just thought everyone did that because we always did, but I realized it was something dad continued. Well, I always do too. Now I think about him every time I have something with cinnamon in it or cinnamon sugar on it. I recently made a batch of my Apple Cinnamon Biscuits, which has a generous sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top. I saved some for my father-in-law because guess what, he loves simple treats like cinnamon sugar too.

Hi, I’m Jimmy Proffitt. I grew up in VA, but now call East TN home. I’m a foodie, recipe developer, and writer. I have a website: www.theappalachiantale.com and am working on my 1st cookbook.

I have also written a kid’s book which I hope to publish soon.

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Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups plain flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), frozen and shredded 1 med-large apple - peeled and shredded, abt 1 cup 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter - melted 1/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk and let sit for 5 minutes. It will grow to about 1 cup.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar together. Shred the stick of frozen butter overtop of the flour, mix it in. Shred the peeled apple overtop of the flour, mix it in.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix from the inside out, pulling flour into the wet until it no longer pulls flour in. It will be a shaggy, lumpy dough at this point, with loose flour and bits.

Dump all of it out on to a lightly floured counter or a board and work it lightly until it comes together, but don’t over work it. Roll or pat into a rectangle about an inch thick. Fold or cut dough into 3rds, stack the 3rds, and roll again. Repeat once more and roll to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits into rounds or squares and work the remaining scraps gently until all are cut.

Place your biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. When the biscuits are done, melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and brush or pour over them. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle liberally over the biscuits. Serve warm.

Makes 8-10 biscuits, depending on size. They can take a little longer to bake, as the apples will continue to release moisture. When done, the apples will have baked right into the biscuit.

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Note: When cutting biscuits, you can use a biscuit cutter, bench scraper, a glass, knife, or anything you choose. Whatever you use, when cutting go straight down and back up. Do not twist or slide your cutter through the dough, because it will bind the layers you made, limiting how high your biscuits can rise. Flour your cutter too as needed so it cuts through easily without getting sticky.

These can also be prepared ahead of time and frozen raw. When ready to bake, place on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes.

Gen. O. O. Howard, of Gettysburg fame, is given much credit for the founding of the burgeoning Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn. The general and his close ally Dr. E. O. Guerrant founded many schools and churches in the mountain area.

Here is a letter written by Grace Guerrant to her sister Anne during a trip with her father to the mountains in the late 1800’s.

“Dear Anne: Papa promised to take me with him the next time he went into the mountains to preach so we started on the 10th of July.

We took the Kentucky Union Railroad at Lexington. We passed between big cliffs that were hundreds of feet high on both sides of the road.

“Many of the mountains have dome-like rocks on top, bigger than a church. They are spectacular. I saw a large rock with a tree growing right on top of it.

“The river is lined with beautiful flowers including ivy and laurel. I saw men cutting oats 50

with a big scythe with something like fingers on it. Papa called it cradling.

“After a couple days they had to continue with horses and two buggies.

“Mr. Little, a friend of my papa’s, and his niece, Kate Patrick were traveling with us,” she continued in her letter. “Kate will be helping with the singing. Papa brought a little Estey organ which is tied on behind the wagon.

“As we traveled up the creek we had to get out and help the wagon down the rocky stairsteps in the road. We arrived at a place where we saw several bare-footed ladies. One lady was wearing shoes but no stockings. Another lady must have been an old maid as she had a dress on that was shorter than mine.

“The mountains are very steep but have corn growing on the sides nearly to the top. It is so steep they must plow them sideways rather than up and down. We see coal mines sticking out of the mountains all along the road. Some-

times we rode over solid beds of coal.

“I’ve seen the biggest trees imaginable growing along the creeks and rivers and we saw a big boy who had only a shirt on. Most of the men go barefoot but they seem very clever.

“I thought for a while that we had traveled on bad roads but I later found that we were just beginning. Three men went along to cut trees and roll logs and rocks out of the road. The roads are made up of big rocks, logs, steep banks, deep holes, and splash-dams. I thought our buggy would be smashed all to pieces.

“The horse pulled one trace in two and a big rock broke a spoke out of the buggy. Sometimes we had to walk and climb. The roads were so bumpy we couldn’t keep our hats on. Sometimes I bumped papa and sometimes he bumped me. It was so funny.

“Papa got a man to lead the horse around a big tree on the mountain while he and another man held the buggy. The horse got strangled and the man cried out, “Here’s a dead horse.” It scared me nearly to death but they finally got the horses up.

“It was very steep going down the mountain. Mr. Little jerked back on the horse causing him to fall down with the buggy on top of him.

Papa and some men got the buggy off of the horse.

Then, the buggy got away, ran down the mountain and broke

the shaft. It was very hard work for them to get the buggies, horses and everything to the bottom of the mountain.

“I’ve never seen so much in my entire life.

Every day seems like a week long. Papa calls it my vacation trip. It took us five hours to go seven miles because papa and Mr. Little had to walk, lead the horses, and roll the logs out of the way.

“We finally arrived and papa is preaching in the little schoolhouse on the bank of the river. Most of the people walk to church and it is crowded at 10 a.m. and at 4 p.m. Miss Kate Patrick and I play the little organ. It is the first one ever used here in a worship service. “Twenty-five people have joined. One was a 70-year old man and another was a pretty, little girl. We are going to take dinner to church and have an all-day meeting on Sunday.

“We went swimming in the river one evening and had lots of fun. It is very cool and quiet in the mountains.

“When you get tired and want a vacation, you should come to the mountains. The people will be glad to see you. They are as clever as can be. Good-bye, Your Sister, Grace.”

Dr. Guerrant was responsible for the founding of many churches and schools in our mountain area. The letter from his daughter Grace gives excellent insight to their travels and their findings at the time.

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We have taken travel photos all over the world, and we are so excited to fill future editions of the magazine with those photos. But, we think that travel is about connecting with people and sharing experiences. So we want you to send us YOUR photos.

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All of our cookies are scratch made in our Jacksonville, Illinois bakery.

We offer jumbo cookies of various flavors, decorate-your-own cookie kits, macarons, and more. You can order online or in person.

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Empowering women one outfit & lipstick at a time!

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Important Links Learn more about the places featured.

Celestyal Cruises - https://celestyal.com/ Athenaeum Grand Hotel - https://athenaeumgrand.com.gr/portal/ Wolfwell - https://shopwolfwell.com/ Gertie’s - https://www.facebook.com/Gerties-Commissary-Cumberland-Gap-448119368635310/ Whistle Stop Antiques - https://www.facebook.com/whistelstopantiquescumberlandgaptnkyva/ Morgan’s on Main - https://morgansonmainky.com/ Kentucky Soaps & Such - https://kentuckysoapsandsuch.com/ Cumberland Gap Region Tourism Association - http://www.cumberlandgapregion.com/ The Appalachian Tale - https://theappalachiantale.com/ No Regrets Cookies - https://www.noregretscookies.com/ Misty’s - https://www.shopmistys.com/ Positive Note Network - https://www.joanieandjennib.com/

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