March 2018 | Kentucky Monthly Magazine

MARCH 2018

16.9 Miles

of Bluegrass Beauty PLUS The Miss Fits Pine Mountain Settlement School The Basketball Ticket Saga

Display until 4/14/2018

www.kentuckymonthly.com

16

In This Issue

34 Departments 2 Kentucky Kwiz 4 Mag on the Move 8 Across Kentucky 9 Oddities at the Museum 10 Cooking Perfect Pairings 43 Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s Signature Spring Festivals & Events 44 Off the Shelf 48 Field Notes 49 Gardening 50 Calendar

Featured Fare 16 Resplendent Roadway

Old Frankfort Pike is unmatched for breathtaking beauty and equine history

23 Missions of Mercy

Volunteer groups provide free medical and dental care at a Frankfort clinic and on annual visits to Honduras

28 Perfect Fit

For The Miss Fits, powerlifting is just the beginning of overall well-being

34 Natural Playground

Pine Mountain Settlement School puts visitors in touch with nature, while boosting the local economy

40 The Basketball Ticket Saga

Voices

Decades ago, WKU boosters bet on a “sure thing”—with predictable results

3 Readers Write 46 Past Tense/ Present Tense 56 Vested Interest

10

ON THE COVER

Old Frankfort Pike photo by Gene Burch

KENTUCKY

Kwiz

Test your knowledge of our beloved Commonwealth. To find out how you fared, see the bottom of Vested Interest or take the Kwiz online at kentuckymonthly.com.

1. What kind of contest was waged by Colonels Thomas Dye Owings and Richard H. Menefee to determine after which of them the town now known as Owingsville would be named?

A. A horse race to the Licking River and back

6. Sarah Knox “Knoxie” Taylor, the daughter of President Zachary Taylor, was the first wife of which other noted Kentuckian?

A. George Rogers Clark B. Jefferson Davis C. Joshua Speed 7. Milk is the official state beverage in 21 of the 28 states that have decreed such a thing, including Kentucky.

Which brand was named the state’s official soft drink in 2013?

A. Skee

B. A grand homebuilding race

B. Big Red

C. A duel with sabers and tomahawks

C. Ale-8-One

2. Covington native Dorothy Spencer was a four-time Academy Award nominee for films that included Stagecoach (1939), My Darling Clementine (1946) and Earthquake (1974). In which category was she nominated?

A. Film editing

8. Kentucky is one of eight states with an official firearm, so declared in 2013.

Pennsylvania followed suit, selecting the same weapon in 2014, which is: A. The Thompson machine gun B. The long rifle C. The flintlock musket

B. Cinematography

A. Gerald Ford

9. Laura Clay, a daughter of Cassius Marcellus Clay, was the first woman nominated for president at the convention of a major political party during the Democratic National Convention of 1920. She also was the first to receive a vote when which Kentucky delegate voted for her?

B. Dwight D. Eisenhower

A. Edwin P. Morrow

C. Richard M. Nixon

B. Augustus Owsley Stanley

C. Best supporting actress 3. Dixie Heights High School graduate Ron Ziegler was, at 29, the youngest White House press secretary, serving which U.S. president?

4. In 1799, a warrant was issued for the arrest of pioneer Daniel Boone, at roughly the same time as what other notable event?

A. His court martial for his actions during the American Revolution B. The naming of Boone County in his honor C. His flight westward to escape debt collectors and enemies 5. Kentuckian “Crooked Nose” McCall, also known as “Broken Nose Jack,” shot which Wild West legend in the back in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876?

C. J.C.W. Beckham 10. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, is the dean of the Kentucky Congressional delegation, having served more than 37 years. He is still three years from being the Commonwealth’s longest-serving representative in Washington. Who served the longest?

STEPHEN M. VEST, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Editorial PATRICIA RANFT, Associate Editor DEBORAH KOHL KREMER, Assistant Editor MADELYNN COLDIRON and TED SLOAN, Contributing Editors JESSICA PATTON, Art Director CAIT A. SMITH, Editorial Intern Senior Kentributors JACKIE HOLLENKAMP BENTLEY, ANNETTE CABLE, BILL ELLIS, STEVE FLAIRTY, GARY GARTH, CYNTHIA GRISOLIA, RACHAEL GUADAGNI, JESSE HENDRIX-INMAN, KRISTY ROBINSON HORINE, ABBY LAUB, LINDSEY McCLAVE, WALT REICHERT, GARY P. WEST

Business and Circulation BARBARA KAY VEST, Business Manager JOCELYN ROPER, Circulation Specialist

Advertising JULIE MOORE, Senior Account Executive MISTEE BROWNING, Account Executive PORTIA FLOWERS, Account Executive MIKE LACEY, Account Executive For advertising information, call (888) 329-0053 or (502) 227-0053 KENTUCKY MONTHLY (ISSN 1542-0507) is published 10 times per year (monthly with combined December/ January and June/July issues) for $20 per year by Vested Interest Publications, Inc., 100 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Periodicals Postage Paid at Frankfort, KY and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to KENTUCKY MONTHLY, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602-0559. Vested Interest Publications: Stephen M. Vest, president; Patricia Ranft, vice president; Barbara Kay Vest, secretary/treasurer. Board of directors: James W. Adams Jr., Dr. Gene Burch, Kim Butterweck, Gregory N. Carnes, Barbara and Pete Chiericozzi, Kellee Dicks, Maj. Jack E. Dixon, Bruce and Peggy Dungan, Mary and Michael Embry, Wayne Gaunce, Frank Martin, Lori Hahn, Thomas L. Hall, Judy M. Harris, Greg and Carrie Hawkins, Jan and John Higginbotham, Dr. A. Bennett Jenson, Walter B. Norris, Kasia Pater, Dr. Mary Jo Ratliff, Barry A. Royalty, Randy and Rebecca Sandell, Kelli Schreiber, Christopher E. and Marie Shake, Kendall Carr Shelton, Ted M. Sloan and Marjorie D. Vest.

B. Alben W. Barkley C. William Natcher

Kentucky Monthly is printed and distributed by Publishers Press, Shepherdsville, Ky.

B. Wyatt Earp C. Wild Bill Hickok

Suffragette Laura Clay K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

© 2018, Vested Interest Publications Volume Twenty One, Issue 2, March 2018

Kentucky Monthly invites queries but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material; submissions will not be returned.

A. Henry Clay

A. Doc Holliday

2

Celebrating the best of our Commonwealth

www.kentuckymonthly.com (888) 329-0053 P.O. Box 559 100 Consumer Lane Frankfort, KY 40601

VOICES PLACES OF REMEMBRANCE Recently, I went along with my wife while she was doing some birthday shopping for herself. Of all places, we ended up at a jewelry store in a strip mall in our hometown of Owensboro.

What a surprise to end up in a place like that, huh?

While my wife and the friendly jeweler worked out all the details of her birthday present, I found a nice cozy chair in which to wait. On the table beside the chair was an issue of Kentucky Monthly. I always like this magazine, but have become a victim of the digital age, and if I can’t read it on my iPad in one setting, I generally don’t read it anymore. I may have to change my attitude about that.

At any rate, I wanted to tell Bill Ellis how much I enjoyed his article (“Monuments: No One Should Be Forgotten,” October issue, page 45). My mother did a similar type of thing before she died for her siblings and relatives in the small cemetery she is now buried in at Rosewood, Kentucky. I have taken on the role to watch over my family in this cemetery since she has gone. I appreciate what Mr. Ellis did.

Robert Reeves, Owensboro COMPLEX TOPIC

Steve Vest’s essay, “No Clear Answers,” is one of his best pieces of writing (October issue, page 56).

Alexander Stafford’s story is a strong testimony to the horrors of war. Brief in text, it is a story that I will never forget.

Jim Gifford, CEO, Jesse Stuart Foundation, Ashland COMMONWEALTH CHARACTERS I would like to compliment the contributors to Kentucky Monthly magazine. I enjoy every issue and usually end up reading every single article each month.

I recently especially enjoyed the twopart series on the Alamo hero, Jim Bowie (October and November issues). I love history and have always been fascinated by the tragic story of the Alamo and the bravery of its defenders. I learned a lot about Bowie reading the articles (both good and bad) and found him to be a fascinating and complicated man.

We have had a lot of fascinating and charismatic characters who have come out of Kentucky, and he certainly is one of the most colorful.

Thank you for an excellent and interesting magazine.

Sarahbeth Farabee, Shelbyville ARTICLE APPRECIATION I enjoyed the story about hemp (November issue, page 37). There’s so much going on with this crop, in Kentucky and nationally, using hemp CBD oil nutritionally and in the fiber industry.

The article put it in a historical context and listed other resources for more information. I always find the articles well researched, balanced and interesting. Thank you!

Rochelle Silvernail, Frankfort THANKFUL FAMILY I wanted to thank Jackie Hollenkamp Bentley for her story “A Century of Marines” (November issue, page 22).

My cousin Jeff, Doreen and many others love the article. They all said it was great, wonderful and fantastic, depending on who I talked with.

On behalf of the Campbell clan, thanks for a great story about my grandfather, uncles, Jeff and Jason for their service in the Marines.

Vince Murphy, via email MORE RESEARCH SUGGESTED I went to the Trixie Foundation run

by Randy Skaggs (December/January issue, page 38). They showed me around and told me they have 165 dogs, 68 cats, two horses and some chickens.

Some of the dogs were in rough shape, dirty, itching with hair loss and tumors. The smaller dogs were in an outside pen, and some of them were shivering. They did have a dirty shed with straw in it but no heat.

We only saw a fraction of his place and were not allowed to go in with the bigger dogs. Randy told us he had a couple of sick dogs inside.

Readers Write I asked Randy if he was interested in giving some of his animals to a rescue so they could find a forever home, but he got frustrated with me and told me the dogs are happier with him.

Overall, the place does not look like a sanctuary with well-kept animals. The place and animals are dirty, and animals have many health problems. It is understaffed, overwhelmed and unable to keep up. Randy has too many animals.

If people want to help, I would suggest not to send money to Randy, but instead send dog and cat food, dewormers, flea prevention, straw, blankets, etc. and maybe donate money directly to his vet, so you know for sure it goes to the animals.

Reinhilda Postma, via email You should have done more research before you published the story about Randy Skaggs and the Trixie Foundation.

My son was being lured to go down there for a fresh start by a Craig’s list ad.

I found a Facebook page investigating Trixie Foundation the night before he was to leave. We were the lucky ones.

You need to print a retraction. Skaggs has hurt people besides the voiceless and helpless animals he has hurt. They don’t deserve to live like this.

Rhonda Howell, via email KENTUCKY EDUCATION I wanted to say “thanks” for Kentucky Monthly.

I always read it cover-to-cover. I do not want to miss learning something new about my state! Over all the years I’ve been getting this magazine, I’ve learned much about Kentucky. I apprec­ iate your staff and you uncovering the simple but wonderful things in our state.

In the December/January issue, I loved Steve Vest’s “Dorkie” story, Animals are so much smarter than humans give them credit. I also loved Bill Ellis’ article, plus I suppose one really favorite each month is the food section. I love cooking and reading what others cook.

A great magazine that’s sooo Kentucky!

Linda J. Hawkins, Morgantown

Counties featured in this issue n

We Love to Hear from You! Kentucky Monthly welcomes letters from all readers. Email us your comments at editor@kentuckymonthly.com, send a letter through our website at kentuckymonthly.com, or message us on Facebook. Letters may be edited for clarification and brevity.

MARCH 2018

• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

3

MAG

ON THE

MOVE

Even when you’re far away, you can take the spirit of your Kentucky home with you.

And when you do, we want to see it!

Take a copy of the magazine with you and get snapping. Send your high-resolution photos (usually 1 MB or higher) to editor@kentuckymonthly.com.

Debbie and John Nichols

New Zealand This Louisville couple took Kentucky Monthly along on their trip to Queenstown, New Zealand.

George Martin Panama (the country, not the “city beach”)

Karen “Sissy” Wommack Cancun

Dave and Onee Clark Hawaii

A Nebo resident, George is vice chairman of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance and watched ships carrying soybeans and other products through the new Panama canal expansion.

Karen and her husband, Jerry, of Benton, visited Cancun to celebrate “life, good weather and a beautiful view of the Caribbean.”

The Clarks, who live in Philpot, vacationed on four of the Hawaiian Islands, including Kauai, where they are pictured at Waimea Canyon.

4

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Madison Wallace Ireland Madison of Frankfort traveled to the Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick’s Rock, a historic site in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland. She is pictured in the cathedral.

Howard, Hobbs and Watson Families Florida The Howard and Hobbs families from Florence, and the Watsons from Waynesville, Ohio, enjoyed seeing the Sarasota Circus.

Judy Senn Corbett, Mary Jenny Senn Hall and Janet Gay Senn Chalfant Las Vegas The Senn sisters, originally from Valley Station, traveled to Las Vegas to visit their cousin, Paula Meeve Krasky, who took this photo.

The Polands, Parsons and Tomblinsons

Alabama Betty and Tom Poland of Danville, Kathryn and Bill Parsons of Bowling Green and Maureen and Mike Tomblinson of Madisonville are pictured at Point Clear on Mobile Bay in Alabama.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

5

The Ruwet Family Haiti

Doug Roberts Colorado

Back row from left, Stella, Stephanie and Joshua; front, Max and Marc. This pic was taken at the Observatoire Boutilier, overlooking Port Au Prince.

The family was visiting Haiti for a second time to bring adopted son, Marc, home to Frankfort.

Former Lebanon Junction resident now residing in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Doug sports his Kentucky Monthly at the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Don and Janice Kelly, and Liz Mitchell Israel The Lexington trio pose in front of the Church of the Redeemer in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Heather Falmen

Antarctica The Louisville resident and some penguin companions are shown on an Antarctic Peninsula, which is across the Drake Passage from Cape Horn, South America.

6

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Donna and Syd Tate, and Debbie Masden

Red Rock Canyon Donna and Syd of Madisonville and Debbie, formerly of Danville, are pictured at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas.

Richard and Sally Smothermon Tanzania

Don and Ingrid Haase Australia

The Smothermons of Frankfort visited several East African national parks, including Ngorongoro Crater, the backdrop of this photo. The area is often called Africa’s Garden of Eden.

This Lexington couple traveled to numerous sites in Australia, including Sydney (pictured here), to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

MARCH 2018

• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

7

BRIEFS

Across Kentucky

IRISH SPIRITS IN KENTUCKY W

hiskey epicures across Kentucky may savor the “spirit” of Ireland, with Bluegrass connections, bottled as whiskey imported straight from the Emerald Isle. Pearse Irish Whiskey, introduced to United States markets by Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., was expected to be on shelves in Kentucky beginning in February, with some other states to follow suit.

Irishman Dr. Pearse Lyons, 73, immigrated to Kentucky and, with his education and experience in brewing and distilling, founded Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling in 1999. A stop in the heart of Lexington along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Alltech is one of only a handful of brewing and distilling operations in the world, producing Town Branch bourbon and Kentucky Ale craft beers. Through Lyons’ work, Irish and Kentucky whiskey influences mingle.

Four expressions of Pearse Irish Whiskey, each with a unique personality, are available from Pearce Lyons Distillery at St. James, in the center of Dublin’s historic whiskey district. Each registering at 84 proof alcohol, The Original is a 3-5-year grain-and-malt blended whiskey aged in bourbon barrels; Distiller’s Choice is a 3-9-year grain-and-single-malt blend with a small amount of aged sherry-barrel whiskey; Founder’s Choice is a 12-year-old single-malt whiskey; and Cooper’s Select is a malt grain blend aged first in bourbon casks and then re-casked into first-fill sherry barrels.

— Cait A. Smith

BEE TIME

S

pringtime in the Bluegrass State heralds much to love: fresh new Thoroughbred foals in the fields, the blush of redbud trees and the beginning of the more than 70 events that comprise the Kentucky Derby Festival.

One of the first events to kick off the fest is the Ford Motor Company Spelling Bee on March 17 at Louisville’s Bomhard Theater. As a media sponsor of the bee, Kentucky Monthly is proud to help shine the spotlight on Kentucky and southern Indiana’s premier spellers in what is sure to be a thrilling competition.

CHANGING THE FRANKFORT SKYLINE

T

Capital Plaza Tower

8

he implosion of the Capital Plaza Tower in downtown Frankfort is set for March 11 at 1:30 p.m. Controlled Demolition Inc. has been contracted by the Capital Plaza Complex redevelopment project team to carry out the demolition.

For more information, visit capitalplaza.ky. gov or finance.ky.gov.

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

B I R T H DAYS 2 Denny Crum (1937), former basketball coach who led the University of Louisville to 1980 and 1986 NCAA championships 2 Emily Ann Cox (1986), Miss Kentucky 2008, from Campbellsville and the niece of newscaster Nancy Cox, Miss Kentucky 1990.

3 Larry Stewart (1959), Paducah-born musician, best known as a member Larry Stewart of Restless Heart 3 Tom Leach (1961), sportscaster, voice of the University of Kentucky Wildcats 6 Tori Murden McClure (1963), president of Spalding University and rowing explorer 9 Danny Sullivan (1950), retired Louisville-born racecar driver and winner of the 1985 Indianapolis 500 10 Lance Burton (1960), Columbiaborn, Shively-raised Las Vegas magician 10 Angela Correll (1966), author of Grounded, Guarded and Granted, and preservationist from Stanford 14 Wes Unseld (1946), Louisvilleborn member of the Basketball Hall of Fame 14 Rick Dees (1950), Lance Burton Harrodsburg resident and national radio announcer 16 Chuck Woolery (1941), Ashlandborn game show host, best known for the 1980s hit Love Connection 17 William Stamps Farish (1939), former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, owner of Lane’s End Farm near Versailles 18 Ciara Bravo (1997), Alexandria-born actress best known as Katie Knight on Fox television’s series Big Time Rush 18 Tim Farmer (1964), host of the KET program Tim Farmer’s Country Kitchen 24 Emma Talley (1994), NCAA Women’s Golf Champion from Princeton 31 Greg Martin (1953), lead and slide guitarist with the Kentucky Headhunters, from Emma Talley Metcalfe County

CULTURE

ODDITIES at the

MUSEUM

Oddities

With this issue, Kentucky Monthly presents the first installment of a new series, “Oddities at the Museum,” which gives readers a glimpse of the most unusual or quirky piece housed in museum collections throughout the Commonwealth.

National Quilt Museum

V

arious types of textiles and thread are found intricately woven and stitched into quilts of all sizes at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. Each one is a work of art that you would display on a wall but wouldn’t likely snuggle under on a cold winter night, as they truly are masterpieces.

One particular quilt in the museum’s collection has all the familiar wrinkles, puckers and stitchmarks of others hanging nearby, but it is not soft at all. In fact, it is downright hard. So hard that you can knock on it—as in “knock on wood.”

This quilt, called “Floating” and crafted by artist Fraser Smith, is made entirely of wood.

Smith takes large pieces of basswood and glues them together to form a large block. He then begins his painstaking process: literally hundreds of hours sanding, carving and painting the wood to get exactly the right look. His goal is to fool the eye from about 3 feet away, and that he does.

According to National Quilt Museum CEO Frank Bennett, nobody ever sees “Floating,” even though it is displayed in plain sight.

“We, as people, see what we want to see,” he said. “It looks like a quilt, and people walk right past it.”

He said having this wooden work of art on display in a museum otherwise full of textiles presents some interesting and entertaining moments.

“If you look at the back of it, it still looks like a block of wood. It is then that people get it,” he said. “Then, we hear them say, ‘Really, it’s wood.’ ” The National Quilt Museum is home to more than 500 works of art that are rotated throughout the year. It also incorporates unique and traveling exhibits, so each visit includes something new. The museum’s goal is to honor quilters of today, so it features award-winning quilts with intricate stitching and awe-inspiring designs. It’s so much more than a museum enjoyed by those who quilt; it’s a destination to delight anyone who appreciates fine art.

If You Go: National Quilt Museum 215 Jefferson Street Paducah, (270) 442-8856 quiltmuseum.org

— Deborah Kohl Kremer M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

9

FOOD

Cooking

PERFECT PAIRINGS

10

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

W

ine and fine cuisine are a classic combination, one that Louisville’s Cuvée Wine Table does very well.

Boasting a cozy ambiance, Cuvée offers a substantial selection of wines, including more than 50 available by the glass. Complementing those vintages are small plates, flatbread pizzas, salads and desserts. Cuvée’s Chef de Cuisine Brandon Noe has provided us with recipes for savory and sweet delights, along with wine pairing suggestions.

Brandon Noe

Kentucky Lamb Meatball Sliders While lamb can be enjoyed any time of year, it is best in the early spring. Meatball sliders are a great preparation, especially if you are new to the unique flavor of this meat available in the Bluegrass. Try it with a Château Blaignan 2012 from Médoc, Bordeaux, France. Located on the site of a ruined fortress occupied by the lords of Blaignan in the Middle Ages, Château Blaignan is on the left bank of the Gironde estuary in the northern part of the Médoc region. The lords gave the name Blaignan both to the land and to the noble family who owned the manor. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Serves: 4 1 cup fresh arugula 1 tablespoon Dijon vinaigrette (recipe follows) 12 lamb meatballs (recipe follows) 12 slider brioche buns, toasted ¾ cups pomodoro sauce (recipe follows) ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1. In a small bowl, add arugula with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Toss and set aside.

2. On each of four small plates, place three bottom halves of brioche. Place a meatball on each one.

Evenly portion the sauce and cheese over each meatball. Top meatballs with top half of brioche.

3. Garnish each plate with arugula salad.

Kentucky Lamb Meatballs 1 pound ground lamb 1 teaspoon chopped garlic ¼ cup breadcrumbs 1 egg 2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped Salt to taste White pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Portion into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.

2. Cook until each ball reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Any extra meatballs can be reserved for later use.

Pomodoro Sauce 1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt, to taste 1. Place tomatoes in a food processor. Pulse about 10 seconds, until tomatoes are a chunky consistency.

2. In a small saucepan over high heat, add tomatoes, oregano and salt. Simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 30 minutes.

3. Set aside until ready to use. Extra sauce can be reserved in the refrigerator for other uses.

Dijon Vinaigrette ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 small shallot, minced 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar Salt to taste Pepper to taste 1/3 cup olive oil 1. In a blender, combine mustard, shallot, vinegar, salt and pepper. Turn on blender and slowly add olive oil.

2. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Photos by Jesse Hendrix-Inman. Recipes provided by Brandon Noe, chef de cuisine at Louisville’s Cuvée Wine Table and prepared at Sullivan University by Ann Currie.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

11

FOOD

Cooking

Garlic Shrimp with Meyer Lemon Preserve and Micro Celery Lemon preserve is a lot simpler to make at home than you would expect. It adds a unique citrus note to a simple dish. This is best enjoyed with Touraine Foucher-Lebrun “Les Jarriers” 2016 from Loire Valley, France. Loire Valley arguably makes some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. The region that makes the bestvalue Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley is Touraine. Touraine is loaded with Myer lemons and minerals, and the Foucher-Lebrun is one of the best-value producers of the region.

Serves: 4 4 tablespoons olive oil 20 extra jumbo shrimp, thawed if frozen 4 tablespoons paprika oil (recipe follows) 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons micro celery tops, for garnish ½ cup lemon preserve (recipe follows) 1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat and then add shrimp, searing on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or shrimp will become tough. Remove pan from heat.

2. Turn heat to low and return pan to stove.

Add garlic to pan and cook over low heat until garlic is soft, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat.

3. To serve, “shingle” shrimp in a line across the plate. Add lemon preserve on top of the center shrimp. Drizzle paprika oil on and around shrimp, and garnish with micro celery and sautéed garlic.

Paprika Oil 1 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika 1. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Heat the mixture in a small saucepan until the paprika is wellcombined, about 5 minutes and until it reaches 140 degrees.

2. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Extra oil can be refrigerated for up to one week.

12

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Lemon Preserve 1 cup sugar 2 small lemons 1. Peel lemons in strips, and then julienne the peels.

Melt sugar in a small saucepan over very low heat.

Add lemon peels to sugar and continue cooking over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

2. Cool in refrigerator until set. Extra preserve will keep in the refrigerator.

Banana Bread with Ginger Crème Anglaise and Nutella Mousse

The popular pantry staple, Nutella, gets a refresh as a mousse in this simple, yet satisfying dessert. At Cuvée, we serve it with a Tawny Porto Ramos Pinto, “10 Year Old Quinta da Ervamoira” from Douro, Portugal. Ten-year tawny is the average age. Aged in cask to allow it to take on its tawny color, it is medium-bodied, sweet and oaky.

Serves: 4 ½ cup ginger crème anglaise (recipe follows) 4 slices banana bread (recipe follows) 1/3 cup Nutella mousse (recipe follows) 1. To serve, place ginger crème anglaise on four small plates. Cut each banana bread slice diagonally and place on top of crème anglaise.

2. Top banana bread with a dollop of Nutella mousse.

Banana Bread ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature 1 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 4 medium very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed ¼ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs, room temperature 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon butter and dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Tap out excess.

2. In a medium bowl, combine bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. In an electric mixer, beat remaining ½ cup butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute for each egg.

5. Add banana mixture and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients in two batches, beating on low after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary, until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds per batch. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.

6. Place pan in oven, rotating halfway through, until batter is set and the top is dark golden brown and starting to crack, 60-65 minutes. Sides will start to pull away from pan, and a tester inserted into center of bread will come out clean.

7. Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Run a butter knife around perimeter of pan to loosen loaf, and then tap pan gently on its side until loaf releases.

Transfer to a cutting board or plate and let cool completely before slicing.

Ginger Cream Anglaise 1 quart heavy cream 1 teaspoon ginger, minced 11 egg yolks ½ cup sugar 1. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring heavy cream and ginger to a simmer and cook until warm, about 10 minutes. Do not boil.

2. While mixture is heating, whisk together yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add hot cream mixture in a slow stream while whisking.

3. Transfer the custard mixture to a pot. Place the pot on the stove over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thermometer registers 170 degrees, about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.

4. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and cool in the refrigerator. *Note: Ginger crème anglaise can made be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Nutella Mousse 3 cups heavy cream ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup Nutella 1. In a stand mixer bowl, pour heavy cream and sugar.

Using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

2. Add Nutella. Fold together by hand with a rubber spatula until well-mixed. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a until ready to serve.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

13

FOOD

Cooking

Burrata with Pickled Beets Burrata is a mix of mozzarella and cream. Its unusual texture makes it a great addition to a salad. We like serving this dish with Trisaetum 2015 from Willamette Valley, Oregon. Founded in 2003,

by Andrea and James Frey. The name of the winery is taken from their son’s name, Tristen, and daughter’s name, Tatum, and is pronounced tris-say-tum. The winery is in the Ribbon Ridge subregion of Willamette Valley. Lively acidity is balanced with Pinot Noir richness and velvety texture.

Serves: 4 4 2-ounce burrata balls 1 cup pickled beets (recipe follows) 1 cup arugula ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon vinaigrette (recipe follows) 1. Place one burrata ball in each of four small salad bowls. Drizzle aged balsamic over the cheese.

2. In a separate bowl, toss arugula with Dijon vinaigrette. Place arugula beside each cheese ball, and then top with pickled beets.

Dijon Vinaigrette 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sea salt

14 14 K E NKTEUNCTKUYC K MYO M N TOHNLY H U2S0T1 82 0 1 0 T H• LYM•A R AC UG

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and beat with a wire whisk until emulsified.

Pickled Beets 6 medium roasted beets (recipe follows) 1 large red onion, cut in half, then into long, thin strips 1 cup tarragon wine vinegar 1½ teaspoons kosher salt ½ cup sugar 1 cup water 1. Arrange roasted beets in two 1-quart jars, alternating layers with the onion.

2. In a small pot, boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 3-7 days before serving.

Roasted Beets 6 medium beets, cleaned, with 1-inch stem remaining 2 large shallots, peeled 2 sprigs rosemary 2 teaspoons olive oil 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients. Place in a foil pouch and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.

2. Remove the skin from the roasted beets and slice thinly.

Polenta Fries This is a spin on standard polenta that is both tasty and simple. It makes a great appetizer for any gathering and pairs nicely with a Riesling Huber, Traisental from Niederösterreich, Austria. The 250-year-old family winery headed by Marcus Huber is in Traisental, one of the smaller wine regions. Many of the vineyards in Traisental are on terraces and their total production of Riesling is just 15 percent. It is dry with stone fruit flavors, white blossoms, crisp acidity and minerals in a medium body.

Serves: 3 8 cups water ½ tablespoon dried thyme Salt to taste 2 cups yellow cornmeal ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Garlic aioli (recipe follows) 1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.

Add thyme and salt. While stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, slowly mix in cornmeal. Continue stirring until combined, about 2 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to low and stir every couple of minutes until polenta is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Once polenta is soft, add Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted and combined.

3. Remove polenta from saucepan.

Spread in even layer on sheet pan to cool. Once cooled, cut into “fries” 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.

4. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add oil.

Once hot, add polenta fries one at a time, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on all sides and crispy on the outside, about 3 minutes. Drain fries on paper towels.

5. To serve, place fries on plate with garlic aioli on the side for dipping.

Garlic Aioli 3 tablespoons garlic, minced 2 eggs, room temperature 3 cups olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice Salt to taste White pepper to taste 1. In a small bowl, mix olive oil and lemon juice. Set aside.

2. Add garlic and eggs to a food processor. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes.

3. Slowly add oil and lemon juice mixture to the eggs and garlic. Process until emulsified.

Season with salt and pepper.

Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

AM UA GRUCS H T 22001108 •• KKEEN NTTU UC CKKYY M MO ON NTTH HLY LY

15 15

RESPLENDENT ROADWAY

16

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Old Frankfort Pike is unmatched for breathtaking beauty and equine history

By Ken Snyder Photos By Gene Burch

MARCH 2018

• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

17

T

here are scenic roads in America with mountain, coastal and desert vistas that are ranked by travel magazine advisers who opine as to which ones are “bucket-list,” must-see/must-drives. And then there is the inarguably ideal drive for Kentuckians and Thoroughbred horse lovers (at least this one). I have driven many, many times the 16.9 miles of Ky. Route 1681—Old Frankfort Pike— between Lexington and Frankfort. Trouble me not with rankings and the opinions of the well-traveled.

For this Louisvillian, any route other than 1681 for an afternoon at Keeneland became unthinkable the first time I ever drove it. Love at first sight wasn’t conjecture or a cliché; it was unavoidable. Where else was I going to see 18

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Thoroughbreds grazing in the verdant paddocks that only Kentucky can offer? On my maiden trip, the clincher for me was Thoroughbreds at one farm hanging their heads over plank fencing mere feet from my car. It brought me to a complete stop. There’s only one Ky. 1681.

It’s tempting to employ a cliché that a drive down Old Frankfort Pike is a trip back in time, the only difference being asphalt under your four tires rather than hard-packed dirt under horses’ hooves or carriage wheels. But it’s Kentucky Thoroughbred life today, as it was years ago. That may be a future Kentucky Derby winner or past winner hanging its head over the fence, just like horses in times past, well before the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.

There is a rich and somewhat surprising history to the Pike. The road is older than the United States, carved into woods of Osage orange, dogwood, redbud, oak and maple between 1775 and 1780. This, of course, pre-dates Kentucky, which became a state in 1792. The road today is home to four properties on the National Register of Historic Places.

Henry Clay traversed the Pike and stayed at the Blackhorse Tavern, later named the Offutt-Cole Tavern. This former stagecoach stop still stands at the intersection of 1681 and U.S. Hwy. 62 but, alas, no longer hosts travelers. Other personages who are part of the tavern’s history include proprietor Richard Cole’s granddaughter Zeralda, who grew up in the tavern. She went on to marry a Robert James and

give birth to two sons: Frank and Jesse. Yep, those James brothers.

Some history pertinent to the Pike, and really to Thoroughbreds in general in Kentucky, is unmarked.

Woodburn Farm, now part of Airdrie Stud along the western part of the Pike, was a land grant dating back to 1786 and was the first Thoroughbred farm in what then was the state of Virginia. Thus was the beginning of a road also called— crassly in the opinion of some, including this writer— “Thoroughbred Alley.” An alley Old Frankfort Pike is not.

Traveling from Frankfort, you’ll pass a mile or so of homes and small farms on Hwy. 1681. But things change instantly after crossing the railroad tracks at Duckers Road. Off to the

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

19

left, a beautiful, solitary barn across pastureland cannot help but capture the eye. You have just left one world for another: pure Kentucky horse country.

Stonestreet Farm on the left and Adena Springs on the right are the first farms encountered, and the latter farm’s name pays homage to history preceding Thoroughbreds and farms. The Adena American Indians were in this area first, drawn here by free-flowing water from local springs—the ingredient that Kentuckians know produces strong bones in Thoroughbreds and an iconic beverage, bourbon, both indelibly linked to the state’s history and cultural present.

The farm is an eight-time winner of racing’s highest honor, the Eclipse Award, for outstanding breeder.

Stonestreet Farm is not without its own claims to fame.

Among the farm’s successful runners is two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, the top-earning Thoroughbred at one time in the U.S.—with more than $10 million in purse money won. Curlin now is at stud at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm. Another Stonestreet star, Rachel Alexandra, 2009 Horse of the Year and Preakness Stakes winner, resides at the farm.

A curve at Adena Springs is a kind of gateway to what many consider the most beautiful part of the drive: a long, straight stretch of farmland with a continuous canopy of trees hedged by hand-laid and mortarless stone fences.

20

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

A portion of Lane’s End Farm on the left is enclosed by the stone fences. One of the more famous names among horse farms, Lane’s End has sold more than 365 stakes winners and has the distinction of breeding and co-breeding two horses—Charismatic and Lemon Drop Kid—that between them won all the Triple Crown races in 1999, with Charismatic taking the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and Lemon Drop Kid prevailing in the Belmont Stakes.

Just past Lane’s End is Airdrie Stud. Five Kentucky Derby winners were bred on this property, but, surprisingly to some Thoroughbred aficionados who know of its history as the site of the first Thoroughbred farm, it also originated the Standardbred horse used for harness racing.

For Thoroughbred historians, the land is special as home of the stallion Lexington, principal and most famous progenitor of U.S. Thoroughbred racing stock in the 19th century.

The farm survived the Civil War, which saw armies from both sides routinely confiscate any farm’s horses. Woodburn largely escaped this, thanks, it is said, to a Union Jack flown

by Scottish farm owner R.A. Alexander. Union and Confederate deserters, however, were a bigger challenge.

The theft of Lexington by some marauders was foiled by a

quick-thinking stablehand, who proffered to the would-be thieves a horse closely resembling the renowned sire.

It’s almost too much to expect, but there is more to Old Frankfort Pike than picturesque horse farms along America’s most beautiful drive. Just past the Pike’s intersection with U.S. 62 is Wallace Station, a bakery and deli that is an institution in the Bluegrass and, for many Keeneland-goers in April and later in October, an automatic stop. The reasons are twofold. For one, the atmosphere and décor are in keeping with Thoroughbred culture, with racing silks and farm logos adorning walls and menu items named for famous horses. The second reason is the food itself. If Old Frankfort Pike is unique to American drives, the Inside Out Hot Brown, which consists of roast turkey, ham, bacon, tomato and white cheddar Mornay sauce, is the Station’s take on a dish original to Kentucky. Also worth a try is the country ham and pimiento cheese sandwich that recently was featured on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Past Wallace Station and preceding the Pike’s transition into hillier land is Three Chimneys Farm, one of the most beautiful farms in the Commonwealth, thanks in no small part to stone barns that are somehow both rustic and architecturally elegant. (Three Chimneys, like many horse

farms along the Pike, offers tours to visitors.) Three Chimneys is described as a boutique farm, owing to an intentionally limited number of stallions. Among them was the late Seattle Slew, a Triple Crown winner in 1977 who became as successful at stud as he was on the racetrack.

Gun Runner, 2017 Horse of the Year and the secondleading earner in U.S. history with just under $16 million, is the newest stallion to join the illustrious roster at Three Chimneys.

Farther along the Pike is an unexpected and delightfully whimsical stop for those wanting to tarry in their travel. As unique as the Pike is for its beauty, the Headley-Whitney Museum is unique in not just Kentucky but maybe the world. Quirky is the first word that might come to mind.

The museum houses jewels, dollhouses, shell grottoes and “bibelots,” French for small objects of “curiosity, beauty or rarity,” according to one dictionary. Rotating exhibits give new meaning to the word eclectic, and you never know what you may see.

Less than a mile down the Pike from the museum, traveling east toward Lexington, is Donamire Farm, picturesque enough to warrant its use as the setting of several horse-related movies.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

21

Not uncommon for a Thoroughbred operation, Donamire features a 5-furlong training track and a 1-mile Europeanstyle turf course. Here, runners are not just bred, they also make their way around racetrack turns and out of starting gates for the first time.

The Pike continues into Lexington, but for me, as for many Keeneland-goers during racing meets, it can end at a roundabout with Alexandria Drive to the right, taking drivers into Lexington and a short drive down U.S. Hwy. 60 to the racetrack.

The roundabout also affords the opportunity to do what many, especially newcomers to Old Frankfort Pike, most assuredly have done: a 360 around for another look at this most beautiful of American roads. Q

For more photography

by Gene Burch, visit geneburchphoto.com

22

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

MISSIONS OF

MERCY

Dr. Roger Strunk photo

Volunteer groups provide free medical and dental care at a Frankfort clinic and on annual visits to Honduras

I

t’s the middle of cold and flu season in Kentucky, and the waiting room at Mission Frankfort Clinic brims with patients. Members of a welcoming medical staff are on hand to take care of their needs, which are met without expense to those seeking care.

“We provide the place, schedule the patients and the volunteers do the rest,” says Dana Nickles, administrative clinic coordinator.

Housed in an expansive area of First Baptist Church on Frankfort’s Saint Clair Street, the primary care facility opens four times a month and serves 700-800 patients per year. “That number is down from our first years. Before ACA, we averaged 1,100 to 1,200 patients each year,” says church Minister of Missions Dr. Keith Felton, referring to the Affordable Care Act, instituted in 2010 during President Barack Obama’s administration that enabled many to get

By Patricia Ranft

health care who previously had not been able to afford it.

The clinic was founded in 2002 to meet the needs of those requiring dental care in Franklin County and the surrounding area. It expanded to include medical care and pharmacy services in early 2004. Dental care is provided twice monthly and includes cleanings and checkups as well as fillings, extractions, root canals and other procedures.

Staffed by Dr. Clark Cash, Dr. Nathan Nitz and Dr. Melissa Holland, along with dental assistants and hygienists, the clinic sees “plenty of need” in the community, according to Cash. “We would like to do it more than twice a month,” he says. “Mary Ann Burch [a dental hygienist volunteer] has been instrumental in connecting with University of Kentucky dental students, who will be coming in the future” to help with the demand.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

23

Through this program, pharmaceutical companies provide meds to patients who cannot afford them.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Mission Frankfort Clinic obtains operating funds from private grants, hospitals, local government and health care corporations such as Delta Dental of Kentucky insurance company. Aside from the clinic space, First Baptist Church also contributes monetarily.

All medical, dental and pharmaceutical professionals staffing the clinic do so without compensation. “Most of them have full-time jobs and take the time to volunteer their services,” Felton says. “It all happens because people with expertise devote their time.”

South of the Border Mission Honduras is a small Central American republic with rugged mountains and scenic white beaches. It’s also a country of abject poverty. “It’s poor in a different definition than you imagine,” Burch says. “Unless you’ve been there and seen what they survive on … It’s hard to describe.”

Along with several other Mission Frankfort Clinic volunteers, Burch regularly embarks on a yearly health-care trip to the country. Begun around 16 years ago by obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Arba Kenner, internist Dr. Roger Strunk and architect Jim Burris, the mission is sponsored by Frankfort’s First United Methodist Church.

Burch joined the Honduras group in its second year. Dr. John Paul Broderson, an ophthalmologist, and his wife, Marcey, already had joined the mission team. “Marcey and I have been friends for a long time,” Burch recalls. “She said, ‘We need a dentist. Would you go?’ And I said, ‘Well, maybe when I retire, and she said, ‘No, we really need somebody now.’ ” Burch thought about it and talked it over with her husband, Gene Burch, a dentist who has since retired. She asked Gene if he would go, but because most of the treatments in Honduras involve extractions, Gene, with

Above, volunteers and translators pose for a group shot in Honduras, January 2017; right, Frankfort Mission Clinic provides a comprehensive list of medical and dental services.

24

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Dr. Roger Strunk photos

Aside from seasonal viruses and colds, pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are treated by Dr. Kimberly Bell, who also serves as the clinic’s medical director, and Drs. Ann Pollock, Anthony Barnes and Steven Crum, along with a team of nurses, interns and assistants. “We have one EMT [emergency medical technician] who comes, and we have around six nurses in a regular rotation,” Nickles says. “And then, we have some who have their CNA [certified nursing assistant] license who help us sometimes with triage as well. The nurses do the lab work, and we have nurse practitioners—that’s another key component of our service delivery.

“We don’t have any physician assistants at this time, but we’d love to have some. It would allow us to see more patients. We’re always trying to recruit new people.”

For the interns, the experience is mutually beneficial.

“Part of our mission is to get interns in to get their feet wet,” Felton says.

Patients occasionally are referred to specialists for further care. Among those who see referrals free of charge in their office are ophthalmologist Dr. Robert Kinker and Dr. Raul Heredia, a cardiologist.

“We have administrative volunteers as well,” Nickles says. “We have a schedule of folks who come once a month, and then we have a couple of volunteers from the church who do administrative things during the week for us. Plus, we have translators, which is really important for us.”

Patients learn about the clinic primarily from the health department, as well as word of mouth. Additionally, homeless shelters refer those in need of health care to the clinic.

Along with free medical care, the clinic’s pharmacy volunteers, headed by registered pharmacist Amy Rogers, dispense prescribed medications at no cost. The medications are provided through the Patient Assistance Program, in which patients enroll at the time of their visit.

chronic tennis elbow, wasn’t a good fit for that type of work, though he was happy to help with supplies and other needs.

Mary Ann then contacted Dr. Steve Farley, who had attended dental school with Gene, and asked if he would be interested in going.

“As a matter of fact, I would,” Farley told her. “Because I’ve been after my church to get a mission trip started for several years, and nothing’s ever happened. So if you’ve got a church that’s ready to do it, I’ll go with yours.”

The number of volunteers has grown over the years, and 40 were expected to go this year—the highest number ever for the medical volunteers. Unfortunately the trip, which lasts 7-10 days and usually takes place in January, was canceled this year. “The politics and the safety in Honduras were not favorable for us to go,” Burch says.

“There had just been a presidential election that was hotly contested, and the inauguration was going to be when we were scheduled to be there, so there was a thought that the airport might shut down, or they might shut down the electricity, water, block the traffic in the streets … that it could be dangerous for us to go, and we wouldn’t be able to do the mission.

“We made a really tough decision and decided to cancel the trip, but knowing that there were all these professionals who had blocked off a week to go there, maybe we could do something here and salvage a little bit of the energy of people wanting to help.”

So the group set up shop in the Mission Frankfort Clinic space, providing extra medical and dental care for locals. The Honduras contingent also has contributed financially to Mission Frankfort for the past couple of years, sharing money generated by its fundraiser, the Frosty 5K, with the clinic.

Aside from First United Methodist Church, private donations and the Frosty 5K also help fund the Honduras mission trip, although “each of our team members pays their own way,” says Burch. “It’s not a vacation they get paid to go on. So not only are they taking time off from their job and using vacation days and paying babysitters or whatever they have to do to be able to go, they’re also paying their own way. It really is a labor of love for people who are committed to doing it, and we usually have maybe 15 of the same people who go every year.”

CO UZE NS D E NT AL

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

25

e s e e ou r W “ . le il v n a D n i s r o t d oc We t ra ve l t o ’s it d n a , le il v n a D a n h ou r fo r u s.

We h a ve t h at e m u ch co nf id e n c i n t h e m. ”

How You Can Help As nonprofit charitable organizations, Mission Frankfort Clinic and the First United Methodist Church Ecumenical Honduran Medical/Dental Mission Trip welcome the generosity of donors, and due to the nature of the services they provide, also welcome volunteers. For more information on the clinic, visit missionfrankfort.org.

Clinic contributions can be sent to: Mission Frankfort Clinic 201 Saint Clair Street Frankfort, KY 40601 Honduras mission trip contributions can be sent to: First United Methodist Church 221 Washington Street Frankfort, KY 40601 (Please write “Honduran mission” in the memo line)

Dr. Roger Strunk photo

In addition to the dental and medical professionals who donate their time on the Honduras trip are the members of the support staff, who set up the equipment and get the electricity humming and the water flowing. This team includes the Burches’ son, T.J., a former Marine who covers security; Dr. Charlie Carlson, a psychologist at the University of Kentucky who heads the set-up team; and Arnold “Arnie” Lemay, a hospital engineer, who for many years led the set-up crew. Burch refers to these guys as “MacGyvers” because “they can fix anything. It would be great to give the MacGyvers of the world credit because without them, the rest of us can’t work.”

Burch also gives a tremendous amount of credit to Burris, who has been on every trip; Cleland White, who handles the financial aspects of the Honduras mission; pharmacist Rogers; the Burches’ daughter, JoAnne Burris, a midwife at UK; husband-and-wife physical therapists Terry and Debbie Brown (Debbie also spearheads the Frosty 5K fundraiser); and Sister Larraine Lauter, who has traveled on the mission trip and is executive director of the Louisville-based Water with Blessings, an organization that supplies water filtration to areas lacking clean water. “We were on the mission trip with [Sister Larraine] when she delivered the first filters to 10 women in the little village where we were working,” Burch recalls. “Now, Water with Blessings is in 40-something countries; it’s in Haiti—all over the world. They sent clean water filters to Houston when they had flooding and Puerto Rico, so it’s a lot of little seeds that were planted a long time ago that have really grown. It’s wonderful.”

The First United Methodist Church Ecumenical Honduran Medical/Dental Mission Trip wouldn’t take place without a devoted group of individuals. “It’s a community, really,” Burch says, “because we couldn’t do it without all the support from everybody.” Q

Honduran mission trip smiles

Tim and Nicki Farmer know Kentucky and what makes Kentucky great. They also know the importance of personalized, high-quality health care. That’s why they drive past others to get to Danville and Ephraim McDowell.

From primary care to nationally recognized cancer treatment to heart and vascular specialists, you’ll find it at Ephraim McDowell.

EMHealth.org | 217 South Third Street | Danville, KY 26

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

ADVERTISEMENT

DENTISTRY

KENTUCKY FACES

DR. MATTHEW L. JOHNSON, DMD Johnson Family Dentistry Owensboro

The sign outside my office says, “Johnson Family Dentistry,” and that name reveals so much about the nature of the practice. I care for families. On any given day, I’ll treat several members of the same family, ranging in age from 1 to 100. I do this in a practice started by my father in 1977, and my legacy is that I get to combine the things about dentistry that never change, such providing continuity and quality of care, with modern techniques and approaches. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of providing comprehensive care for people in the town in which I grew up.

Aside from my commitment to the community of Owensboro, I enjoy being involved with the profession at the state and national levels. I’m going into my seventh year as a delegate to the Kentucky Dental Association. I have served as a member of the Dental Medicaid TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) for five years, and I’m on the Council of Governmental Affairs.

Outside the office, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Natalie, and traveling. We especially love the 30A area. We enjoy supporting local sports teams and try to make as many University of Louisville games as possible to cheer on the Cards (even though my wife really bleeds blue).

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

27

PERFECT

FIT For The Miss Fits, powerlifting is just the beginning of overall well-being Text and Photos by Abby Laub 28

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

The Miss Fits with trainer Jim Laird, center

T

he world of personal branding glorifies six-pack abs and lean bodies, but for a group of tenacious Kentucky women, strength far surpasses the eye of the beholder.

A Lexington-based, all-female powerlifting team, The Miss Fits, uses strength training as part of a broader lifestyle cultivated at their home club, Gym Laird. Their mentality is focused on learning to relax and creating an improved quality of life as much as watching the numbers go up on their lifts.

The Miss Fits comprise 11 women ranging in age from 18 to 48, including one grandmother. Suzanne Spencer Waldrop, a longtime member, is a real estate agent who has been working out with coach and Miss Fits trainer Jim Laird for six years. “When I first started I wanted to lose body fat,” said the 46-year-old Waldrop. “That’s what got me through the door. Six years later, I’m definitely leaner, but I’m also strong. And I’m totally addicted to the feeling you get when you do something you once thought was crazy impossible, like a 300-pound deadlift. It’s empowering!

“Right now, I am most appreciative of getting to do this with my 18- and 16-year-old kids. They inspire and motivate me. They are both great athletes and will be running circles around me soon, but for now at least, I’m showing them

how it’s done. You know you’re doing something cool when your teenager puts it on her Snapchat, right?”

Her children, including Miss Fit Isabella Waldrop, are part of the larger community cultivated at the club. Other evidence—like a proliferation of CrossFit gyms, running clubs and other niche activities throughout Kentucky— points to a larger trend of social fitness. People want to get fit with a tribe, and the Miss Fits are no different. They just go about it differently, with the atypical approach of training only two to four times a week.

“The reason I love this place is because of the community that we’ve built,” Suzanne Waldrop said.

“When I was a runner, it was the same thing; it’s social. I walk through the door because of the people. I’m never mad that I came in here. I’ve made lifelong friends.”

A national powerlifting competitor, Waldrop, along with other Miss Fit members, plans for more lifting competitions this year.

But they work on their lives outside of the gym more than inside the gym. For Waldrop, that means making sure she’s eating enough, going for walks as often as she can and getting eight hours of sleep each night.

Managing stress is a struggle that can “totally derail” her if she doesn’t work on it every day, she said.

MARCH 2018

• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

29

Danielle Howard

Brittany Montgomery

Suzanne Waldrop

Heather Rae Perry

Isabella Waldrop

Amy Stricklin Statom

Margaret Kay Bradley

Rebecca Vice Bowers

Rachael Mathews

Meaghan Nelson

Renae Corman

MEET THE MISS FITS 30

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Based on his own personal experiences with overtraining, Laird emphasizes managing stress for all of his clients. “I figured out that performance has negative effects on health,” he said. “Most clients don’t need to train like a professional athlete; they just want to look good and feel good. The formula to that is to do some form of strength training twice a week and then walk.”

For Kentuckians, Laird said, finding natural outlets for walking should be easy. “Some people take advantage of places like The [Red River] Gorge, Natural Bridge,” he said. “Just go hiking, get outside. This is a beautiful state, and we have resources to use to be active. You don’t have to come to a gym.

“People aren’t getting outside as much because they are attached to technology, and there’s no amount of technology that can make up for [getting outside]. Life is twice as crazy even as it was 10 years ago. There are more stressors and less daily stress relievers.”

The general population and The Miss Fits, Laird emphasized, benefit from more daily movement. “Go find some trails somewhere and some hills,” he said. “Get down on the floor and move around with your grandkids, play games, do manual labor, mow your own grass, shovel mulch, get a wheelbarrow, be active and do stuff. You want to use your body to keep it from deteriorating.”

In the case of Waldrop and some of her fellow Miss Fits, too much intense movement and physical stress for years was backfiring. “I came in here thinking I was going to add strength training to my running and quickly realized that was kind of hard to manage,” she said. “I’m just so hard headed. I ran a half marathon in the spring and literally drove from that race to the gym and said, ‘OK, I’m ready to do it another way.’ That was April 2012, and I have never looked back. I got quick results and fell in love with it.”

••• Brittany Montgomery, 28, is an insurance claims adjuster who has been strength training for five years.

Like Waldrop, she is a former distance runner and said she kept getting injured. “I certainly had to get crafty to work around my injuries,” she said. “I wanted to find a better alternative where I could still stay fit without sacrificing health … Enter strength training and my love of heavy lifting.”

As a result, Montgomery said she’s become mentally and physically stronger, more alert and ready to tackle projects. She’s noticed increased stamina throughout the day, gained a close group of friends, “and I love the way I feel in my own skin.”

“Shutting down” after stressful days at work is her biggest challenge, but she combats it by taking walks and practicing mindful meditation.

Clinical pharmacist Rachael Mathews, 40, is another Miss Fit who previously did too much. She has been a part of the group for almost three years, joining a year after her third child was born. “I realized the baby weight was not coming off, and I had to do something about it,” she said. “I started attending 5 a.m. boot camp classes three to four days a week, and after three years of pushing my body to its limits, I was gaining weight despite all of my exercising. I was exhausted, hungry and irritable all of the time.

“One day, I woke up and could not physically or mentally drag myself to class anymore. I realized I had to do something different. I immediately knew this was for me.”

Discovering the “do less” mentality, she said, has made

her a better person and helped her shed fat and gain muscle. “I am more aware of how important sleep and meditation are to my health,” Mathews said. “I now de-stress by lifting heavy things, and it is wonderful. To sum it up the best, my kids no longer refer to me as ‘mean mommy.’ ” Mathews is now working hard to crack the 300-pound deadlift threshold, like several of her fellow Miss Fits.

Danielle Howard jokes that her reason for joining The Miss Fits is to be able to eat more. The 26-year-old credit analyst has been with her “gym family” for almost three years. “It has taught me to be patient and to have more confidence,” said Howard, who is working hard toward national competition. “Exceeding my expectations in the gym reminds me that my capabilities in all aspects in life are more than what I give myself credit for. But I struggle with not seeing self-care as selfish. We’re meant to take care of ourselves. That’s how we present our best selves to help others.”

For 39-year-old Miss Fit Rebecca Vice Bowers, self-care is crucial to meet the demands of caring for her infant.

Bowers is a speech pathologist and independent Arbonne consultant who has been at Gym Laird for seven years. “I had been running half marathons and contemplating training for a full marathon, and enjoyed the competitiveness of training, but I felt tired all the time, my joints hurt and I was interested in trying something new,” she said. “I realized I enjoyed strength training, and I also enjoyed seeing the definition in my arms, abs and back. I believe the biggest benefit for me personally has been my mindset.”

Soon-to-be mother Meaghan Nelson, 29, is a former health and wellness coach who has been with the club for three years. “I had previously done a figure competition where I was training purely for aesthetics and saw my strength decrease,” she said. “After the show, I became much more interested in furthering my physical strength and focusing less on aesthetics.”

She’s now focused on strength training to meet the demands of labor, delivery and motherhood, and she focuses on getting more sleep and eating healthy food.

“I’m training in a way that is safe but is helping me work toward a fit pregnancy,” she said. “I tend to be an all-ornothing person, so pregnancy has taught me a lot about holding back and listening to my body.”

••• The youngest Miss Fit, Isabella Waldrop, 18, started working with Laird in 2012 with the goal of getting stronger and staying healthy for soccer. She now serves as an intern at the gym while finishing up high school.

“When her senior soccer season ended this past fall, she eagerly joined the powerlifting team and plans to enter her first competition this year,” said her mother, Suzanne.

Renae Corman’s biggest benefit of her nearly five years with the Miss Fits is gaining strength and confidence.

“Building muscle has helped everyday life in the salon, and being strong has empowered me,” the 47-year-old hairdresser said. “I am notorious for not taking care of myself and putting everyone else first. Strength training with this awesome group of women has helped me learn I’m worth it!”

Missy Hicks, 40, an emergency department manager, has trained for seven years and was initially a little hesitant to join the team, “thinking I wasn’t sure I could do something like that.” But she did and has been hooked ever since.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

31

Mother/daughter duo turned fitness partners Isabella (left) and Suzanne Waldrop literally raise the bar at one of their sessions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit themissfits.com The Miss Fits train at: Gym Laird Strength and Conditioning 356 Longview Plaza, Suite 150A Lexington, (859) 797-1595 gymlaird.com

32

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

“It has given me the ability to not only look strong but feel incredibly strong,” she added. “I don’t need anyone’s help for so many things.

Strength comes with a certain amount of confidence, and this has been a significant boost for me overall. My job has a significant amount of stress attached to it, so strength training gives me the outlet I need to de-stress.”

Home-school mom to her four children, 44-year-old Heather Rae Perry also is a classical preschool teacher and health and wellness entrepreneur. She’s been at Gym Laird for five years. She said coach Laird’s principles “lined up beautifully with the ways I thought and believed regarding overall insideout health.

“There is so much overlap between the strength training piece of me and the living life outside the gym piece of me. And when I’m training regularly and living life well-balanced, I’m just plain happier,” she said.

Amy Stricklin Statom, 39, a medical device business manager, said she joined the gym seven years ago because “Jim Laird is one of the best in the country.

“I feel like I am just getting stronger and better, as I am a few months away from 40,” she continued. “I’m better at whatever life throws my way because I feel strong and powerful … When I walk into my sessions, it’s all about me and my teammates.”

Radiology technologist Margaret Kay Bradley, 48, has practiced strength training for three years and joined the crew after reaching a limit with running due to joint pain. “Increasing my strength has made day-to-day activities much easier. I want other women to realize it’s never to late to begin.”

The Miss Fits defy cultural expectations for women to be small and lean. Waldrop noted that a lot of women are just afraid of lifting heavy weights. “They have this misconception that they’re going to bulk up,” she said. “The word ‘big’ is used to describe women who strength train, but people confuse lean with big because you can see my muscles.

When I’m lifting 300 pounds, my muscles will show, but I look lean and normal.”

But she emphasized that lifting 300 pounds doesn’t need to be for everyone. “You can do body weight strength training and feel amazing and look amazing,” she said. “What is your goal?”

In the Miss Fits’ case, the goal is doing less to achieve more. Q

Mike Murphy/FlashFit Photography

Suzanne Waldrop competes in the bench press at USA Powerlifting Midwest Regionals 2017. Waldrop headed to national competition in 2017.

PA RT O F T H E

Carson Center

SERIES A faith-based performance series

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

33

Natural

PLAYGROUND

Pine Mountain Settlement School puts visitors in touch with nature, while boosting the local economy

Text and Photos by Kim Kobersmith

S

pringtime in southeastern Kentucky can be breathtaking. As the days lengthen and warm, the woodland flowers of the season perform their brief show. Rare orchids, blankets of trillium and delicate fern vie for attention. In the biodiverse forests, bare branches allow for better views of waterfalls, overlooks and black bears. In this area are some of the finest nature preserves in Kentucky, including the 2,785-acre Bad Branch State Nature Preserve and the Commonwealth’s largest old-growth forest at Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve.

Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County offers a good base for experiencing this natural landscape. The open, welcoming campus spreads out in a wide valley where three creeks converge at the foot of the 125-mile ridgeline of the mountain for which the school is named. The school offers lodging and presents events and retreats throughout the year. Two spring retreats focus on wildflowers; there are more than 100 wildflower species in the Settlement School’s James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve.

The hospitality at Pine Mountain is unpretentious and timeless. Guests have the feeling of being in hallowed halls, where generations of students have learned and where place-based education is still the focus. It offers fresh air, time for retreat, wholesome food, historic shelter and access to the natural world. Many visitors tell Geoff Marietta, the school’s director, that this place has a special spirit.

A visit to Pine Mountain constitutes a unique travel experience. For many guests, it is more than a visit to a physical place; it is also a visit to a cultural place different from their own. Guests are also partners, part of the Pine Mountain Settlement School’s important work on local and regional educational and economic development.

A Weekend to Remember On a Friday evening, guests hear the peal of the dinner bell soon after arriving. Making their way to Laurel House in the center of the school, guests and staff walk up the wooden staircase, worn by decades of footsteps. Winding through the serving line, they pass by a chalkboard listing the local ingredients in the meal, pick up a melamine cafeteria tray and share a smile with the kitchen staff.

This is true local dining. The chefs create food deeply rooted in the eastern Kentucky mountains—dishes they learned to prepare from their mothers and grandmothers.

On the menu: soup beans, mustard greens, cornbread and salmon cakes. “The cultural dining experience is really authentic because the cooks are not even trying; they are just doing,” Marietta says. For many guests, it is the first taste of the eastern Kentucky culture in which they will be immersed during their stay.

The cultural sharing continues after the meal, when tables are pushed to the side of the room and the dining room converts into a dance hall. The local dance caller explains the event and invites everyone to join in. The live band keeps everyone moving together. The Kentucky Running Set might be one of the dances. For more than 100 years, the dances have brought the community together at Pine Mountain. The tables fold up and become benches for dancers who need a rest.

In the morning, guests rise to bird and rooster song, make their way to Laurel House and begin their day.

Activities after breakfast and coffee might include a guided nature walk or time to try a new skill. Young guests might want to explore the playground or hike to stand in the split rock. Older guests might take a stroll and photograph the many spring flowers in the preserve, just steps from Laurel House.

Opposite, Laurel House, the hub of the campus, sits at the base of the north face of Pine Mountain.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

35

Pine Mountain Settlement School guests participate in a traditional Appalachian dance, the Kentucky Running Set.

Another option, a tour around the campus, reveals a sense of timelessness in the built environment. The wood and stone buildings at Pine Mountain seem to grow out of the ground, with good reason: All the wood was milled and the stone was quarried on site. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by one of the first significant female architects, Mary Rockwell Hook, beginning in 1913. Hook was intentional in reflecting the natural world in the buildings at the school. The wide porches provide light and an invitation outside, while the pitches of the roofs echo that of Pine Mountain itself.

Andrea Woodard of Berea serves on the Pine Mountain Settlement School Board of Directors. Her entire family loves visiting. “It is like a natural playground for all of us, even my daughter, who is not very outdoorsy,” she says.

“And the indoor spaces, like Laurel House, feel enchanted.”

A Deep Sense of Connection There is a particular depth to things at Pine Mountain Settlement School, a sense of timelessness coupled with the long arc of tradition. Even new things seem to have a pull to the past. It is hard to pin down how much of this long view comes from the ancient mountains, how much from the enduring Appalachian culture, and how much from the long history of the school itself.

One profound example is Sorghum Stir-off Day, an old tradition revived in 2015. Sorghum is a traditional sweetener in Appalachia. The sorghum cane is grown on campus, and the community gathers to harvest, strip, press and cook down the cane. The equipment for processing is an antique press, found on campus and refurbished for this special day, and the mule that supplies the fuel for turning it. The work provides a chance to share stories and foster friendships. The sweet results are shared throughout the year with guests.

36

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Travel That Makes a Difference Part of the mission of Pine Mountain Settlement School is to provide economic opportunity in this area of the Commonwealth. According to the school, the percentage of children living in poverty in Harlan County increased from 39 percent to 48 percent over the last five years. While guests take pictures and make memories, they leave both direct and indirect economic impacts in the local area.

In the most basic way, a visit to Pine Mountain helps provide jobs. Of the 26 year-round employees at Pine Mountain, 24 are from the local community. One-quarter of the food served in the dining hall is sourced from the on-site farm and local growers, and the school offers a guaranteed market for local farmers. Works by local artisans are sold in the gift shop, giving them access to a permanent market and the opportunity to create a sustainable livelihood.

Indirectly, the revenue from weekend retreats supports Pine Mountain’s educational, sustainability and economic work with the local and regional community. Little School is a preschool program for local kids and caregivers. Last summer, the Settlement School offered four weeks of free day camps for school-aged children, and more than 60 kids participated. Its sustainability program—with workshops like woodland medicinal production and small-farm marketing principles—is one piece of its economic development efforts.

As Pine Mountain Settlement School looks to the future, administrators seek innovation while staying true to cultural identity and tradition. “Pine Mountain is a hub of opportunity in eastern Kentucky and a real asset for heading toward a just economic transition in the region,” Woodard says. “They are leading the best kind of economic development.” Q

Photo by Andrea Woodard

The atmosphere is filled with community at Pine Mountain Settlement School. Top left, guests enjoy a meal in the Laurel House dining hall, where the tables can be pushed to the side of the room and folded up to become benches and allow room for folk dancing; top right, friends Burke Woodard and Jack Baumann enjoy exploring the grounds of Pine Mountain Settlement School; above, local band Sunrise Ridge presents live bluegrass music and plays for dances at Pine Mountain Settlement School. The members are Jack Adams, banjo; Shawn Stamper, guitar; Whitney Stamper, bass; and Natalie Tomlinson, fiddle.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

37

If You Go: Pine Mountain Settlement School 36 State Hwy. 510 Bledsoe, (606) 558-3571

pinemountainsettlementschool.com

Top left, one of the programs supported by guest revenues is Little School, an enrichment program for preschoolers and their caregivers, in this cozy setting that fosters creativity; bottom left, log cabin accommodations include comfortable mattresses, light-filled rooms and Wi-Fi; above, with 9 miles of hiking trails on its 800 acres, Pine Mountain is the home of the 350-acre James Bickford State Nature Preserve.

Springtime Events at Pine Mountain • Pine Mountain Wildflower Weekend - April 20-22 • Black Mountain Wildflower Weekend - May 11-13 • Lucy Braun Naturalist Weekend - June 8-10 Groups can reserve Pine Mountain facilities for retreats or reunions.

For more information, visit pinemountainsettlementschool.com or call (606) 558-3571.

Photo courtesy of Pine Mountain Settlement School

38

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

For an Extended Weekend...

For visitors who would like to spend a long weekend in southeastern Kentucky, there are plenty of options for an extra day or two.

The towns of Benham and Lynch used to house miners and their families as company towns. The underground mine tour and museum continue to share the stories of that history.

Kentucky Coal Museum: benhamky.org/museum Coal Mine Tour: portal31.org Benham School House Inn: benhaminn.com

Whitesburg is near the state’s largest nature preserve and has experienced a cultural renaissance. The small downtown is abuzz with restaurants and a vibrant arts scene.

Appalshop: appalshop.org Bad Branch Falls Preserve: naturepreserves.ky.gov/naturepreserves/Pages/badbranch.aspx Thirsty Heifer: thirstyheifer.com

It can be awe-inspiring to walk in the footsteps of Daniel Boone (and thousands more) at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The visitor center provides the geographical and historical context for the importance of this pass through the mountains.

Cumberland Gap National Park: nps.gov/cuga/index.htm Cumberland Gap, Tennessee: townofcumberlandgap.com

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

39

The Basketball Ticket Saga Decades ago, WKU boosters bet on a “sure thing”—with predictable results

By Gary P. West

T

ime has a way of losing bits and pieces of history.

Such is the case of the basketball ticket saga. In an unusual sort of way, this tale revolves around losing a basketball game in Bowling Green’s E.A. Diddle Arena, where Western Kentucky University’s Hilltoppers play.

Nevertheless, it is a story for the ages.

It was the 1981-1982 basketball season, and Clem Haskins was in his second season as head coach, taking over after Gene Keady had departed for Purdue University.

The Hilltoppers finished the regular season 18-8, with a nifty 23-2 home court record and an Ohio Valley Conference co-championship. The two losses were to the University of Louisville (71-66) in the finals of the Wendy’s Classic and to Duquesne University, 63-62 in overtime.

Back then, the Hilltoppers ruled the OVC. Occasionally, Murray State University or Eastern Kentucky University would rise up and win, and then so would Middle Tennessee State University. But as far as WKU fans were concerned, when we didn’t win, it was an upset.

I had recently been hired as the executive director of what was then the Hilltopper Hundred Club, the fundraising arm for WKU athletics and later called the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation. A couple of years before, the school had replaced the pull-out bleacher seats on the court with what are now referred to as the cushioned Red Towel Seats. Believe it or not, those backless bleacher seats, even with their proximity to the court, were the last 40

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

to fill up back then. What the Hundred Club had to use in raising money were the Red Towel Seats and one pieshaped section in the corner of Diddle Arena. That was it.

And in 1980, the organization was bringing in less than $100,000.

We had a hard-charging volunteer board of directors that included coach Ted Hornback, who is considered the founding father of the Hundred Club; athletic director John Oldham; assistant athletic director Jim Richards; football coach Jimmy Feix; and Pam Herriford, coordinator of women’s athletics. My main purpose was to raise money while staying within the guidelines of NCAA rules.

With the success of the 1981-1982 team and the fact that the OVC Tournament would be played in Diddle Arena, there was little doubt among anyone who could spell “red towel” that WKU would win and advance to the NCAA Tournament. During the season, WKU had beaten EKU twice, split with Murray and owned a pair of lopsided wins over MTSU. In early February, I made a suggestion to the Hundred Club board: Because we were such a lock to win the tournament and advance to the NCAA, we should consider buying a few tickets for our Hundred Club members at a couple of regional sites. There was nothing brilliant about the proposal. It was simple: Make sure our Hundred Club members had tickets to see our team play in the NCAA. Our board was all in.

Recognizing we didn’t have a hidden stash or slush fund, and sometimes moved forward on fumes, board member Wendell Strode, then an officer at a local bank, offered to secure a loan for us to purchase tickets at two NCAA Mideast first-round sites. We decided to buy 1,200 tickets in Nashville and 1,000 in Indianapolis. We reasoned that we’d have a little more interest in Nashville because of proximity. That’s 2,200 tickets at $20 per ticket for a total of $44,000. Believe me, in 1982, that was a gamble with money we didn’t have. But hey, it wasn’t really a gamble at all. We were a sure thing … remember?

• • • Here is where I need to back up a bit. While many believe this was the first time the Hundred Club had purchased tickets like this, it wasn’t. It had been chaotic back in 1978, when then-coach Jim Richards’ team played in the first round of the NCAA in Knoxville, and we were left scrambling for what few tickets we could get our hands on.

It was a shame more Hilltopper fans didn’t get to see Richards’ team knock off third-ranked Syracuse University.

That was the afternoon he beat head coach Jim Boeheim and Rick Pitino on the same day, as Pitino was a Syracuse assistant at the time.

In the 1970s and ’80s, the NCAA was not quite the cash cow it is today, so teams that qualified for the tourney usually were assigned to play at sites close to their schools.

Bus travel was far less expensive than air. That is why, during the 1981 tournament season, our little Hundred Club had purchased tickets in Dayton and Tuscaloosa, two Mideast locations.

We won the OVC and then lost to Gene Bartow’s upstart University of Alabama at Birmingham team in Tuscaloosa, but we had tickets for our fans. The Dayton tickets were easy to unload.

Outside of Bowling Green, little was said about the Hundred Club’s effort to take care of our members.

• • • Here’s the rest of the story.

All of those NCAA regional sites had been trying to sell their tickets for months. They were available to any person or group that wanted them. But then it was announced that the OVC winner would be playing the University of Kentucky in Nashville, and the winner of that game would

play UofL. And we had 1,200 tickets in addition to the anticipated allotment we would get from the NCAA. Were we cutting edge or what? We returned our 1,000 tickets to Indianapolis for a refund.

I was informed by the Vanderbilt University ticket office that our tickets could be picked up in mid-February, so Richards, board member Denny Wedge and I headed south with a $24,000 cashier’s check in hand. We delivered the check and were told our tickets would be boxed and ready in an hour or so. The three of us returned after lunch, picked up the tickets and drove back to Bowling Green.

I stored the tickets in my office just off the main lobby of Diddle Arena, waiting to distribute them to our fans after we won the OVC Tournament. WKU defeated Morehead State University in the first round, and MTSU turned back Murray to set the OVC finals. But then, a notso-funny thing happened. We lost. MTSU crushed our hopes and dreams with a 54-52 win in the Diddle. We were out, but we still had those 1,200 tickets in Nashville to deal with. The matchup between UofL and UK seemed like a sure thing. Although MTSU was good, they would be no match for the Wildcats.

Immediately, the Hundred Club ticket committee called an emergency meeting at Oldham’s house. We tossed around several ideas. Do we first offer the tickets to our members, who would want to see the so-called “dream game,” or do we use them as an enticement to schedule future games with UK or UofL? Our ticket committee quickly decided to sell them to Wendy’s Classic Tournament Director Dan Davis to use as leverage in attracting teams to future tournaments in Bowling Green. The committee decided that if WKU wasn’t involved, we didn’t need to be in the ticket business. It turned out to be a great decision.

Davis asked me if I would contact UK on behalf of Wendy’s. I reached Joe Dean Jr., an assistant to head coach Joe B. Hall, and told him that Wendy’s had 1,200 tickets and would sell them to UK at face value ($20 each) in return for an appearance in the Wendy’s Classic in 1983, ’84 or ’85. I then sweetened the pot by telling Dean that WKU, in turn, would agree to play in a future UK Invitational Tournament. Then, I added that we were giving UK first

E.A. Diddle Arena at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

41

chance before calling UofL or any other schools that would be playing in Nashville.

Dean thanked me and said he’d run it by Coach Hall and get back to me. An hour or so later, he called back. The tone in his voice had changed. “Coach Hall is not willing to make a commitment like that,” he told me. Davis quickly called Bill Olsen, the athletic director at UofL. Davis already had a relationship with Olsen because his team had previously played in the Wendy’s tournament.

Years later, Olsen told me it was, at the time, a no-brainer. “We wanted all of the tickets we could get,” he said.

But the ticket episode was not over.

Someone at UK called Vandy athletic director Roy Kramer, host of the NCAA game in Nashville, and complained that WKU was using the tickets as a bribe to get a game with UK. Kramer denied receiving a call from UK, but sportswriter Bob Watkins dug a little deeper into the accusations and found that UK officials actually had called Kramer. He wrote that his UK source told him, “They were really upset about the whole thing.”

Soon, both my home and office phones were on fire from media outlets across Kentucky and as far away as the Dallas Morning News.

Watkins’ source used the words “unethical” and “immoral” to describe how the UK officials had expressed their feelings to Kramer.

Everything that had been done with the tickets in our possession had the approval of Oldham, and the way he responded to the media and a call from Kramer made me respect him even more. Oldham told Kramer the tickets had been turned over to Davis, who was negotiating to get someone in the Wendy’s Classic. Oldham then told the media that tickets were routinely used to arrange and

42

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

schedule games, adding that I had acted through it all with his permission.

The bottom line was that it was sour grapes. UK was embarrassed that little old WKU had the foresight to buy tickets, investing $44,000 for our booster club, while many of their big hitters were left to find them on their own. The Associated Press wrote that the tickets, in anticipation of the UK/UofL matchup, were so hot that an ad appeared in the Louisville Times offering to sell a pair for $1,000. The advertiser later told the Times: “My phone rang every 30 to 60 seconds, so I took it off the hook.”

I even had a phone call from someone telling me to name my price if I could slip just two tickets out of the 1,200 to sell him. I refused, but he told me to think about it and call him. He never got my call and, not that it mattered, he wasn’t even a Hundred Club member.

• • • To get to play UofL on Saturday, UK had to first beat MTSU, the OVC Tournament winner, on Thursday. And wouldn’t you know it, the Blue Raiders did it again, this time beating the Wildcats. UofL, now with more tickets than they ever thought possible, went on to defeat MTSU and later advanced to the Final Four in New Orleans.

Not only had our season been derailed but so had UK’s, and gone also was the anticipation of that so-called dream game.

Today, it would be nearly impossible to guess an NCAA first-round site. Teams now are sent in all directions with little regard to proximity. But back in the day, our Hilltopper Hundred Club was cutting edge, proving that even when losing, we still won. Q Gary P. West was the first full-time director of the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, serving from 1981 through 1993.

TRAVEL

KTIA Signature Spring Events ach quarter, the Kentucky Travel E Industry Association spotlights Signature Events for the season. Following is a sample of the state’s prime activities for the spring season.

Ring of Fire Exhibit, opening in March, Newport Aquarium, (859) 815-1432, newportaquarium.com. This immersive exhibit highlights the creatures that live along The Ring of Fire, where volcanoes and deep ocean trenches line the Pacific Ocean rim. Guests can view the giant Pacific octopus, moon jellyfish and Japanese spider crabs. Discover the animals’ amazing behaviors in this ecosystem where fire meets water.

Big Brims and Fancy Trims Hat Sample Sale, April 5, Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville, derbymusuem.org. Find your perfect Kentucky Derby or Oaks hat. More than 400 sample hats are available, along with the Kentucky Derby Museum hat collection. Enjoy complimentary beverages, live music and styling tips.

Hillbilly Days Festival, April 19-21, downtown Pikeville, 1-800-844-7453, hillbillydays.com. A fundraiser for Shriners’ Children’s Hospitals and Burn Centers, this festival attracts more than 100,000. Vendors line the streets with tempting traditional mountain food. The city’s parking garage is filled with artisans and crafters displaying handmade products, and mountain music is played throughout the area. Clogging, flat footing and square dancing are all part of the fun.

Georgetown Kite & Culture Festival, April 21-22, Cardome Renaissance Centre, Georgetown, georgetownkitefest.com. This is a celebration of international cultures paired with food, music, cultural demonstrations and kite flying. Don’t have a kite? Don’t worry—kites are for sale on site at one of the many booths.

Other activities include free children’s games and inflatables.

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 26-29, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, kentuckythreedayevent.com. One of the most prestigious equestrian competitions in the world and the only Four Star Event in the Western Hemisphere, this event draws more than 100,000 spectators. It welcomes some of the best horses and riders from around the globe.

A Taste of Danville, April 28, Wilderness Trail Distillery, Danville, (859) 402-8707,

Explore

wildernesstrailky.com. Arrive with an appetite, ready to sample dishes from area restaurants and expericence a bourbon release. Family Reserve members can receive the 4-year-old bottled-in-bond release of the distillery’s Kentucky straight bourbon.

Art-A-Thon, May 12, Community Arts Center, Danville, (859) 236-40547, communityartscenter. net. Showcasing the creative talents of community artists of all ages, while raising funds to support the educational programs of the Community Arts Center, this event overflows with artists demonstrating their craft.

Painters, potters, quilters, sculptors, dancers, singers and aspiring art students join together for a day of creative art-making.

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, May 18, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset, (606) 256-1000. This year’s inductees are David “Stringbean” Akeman, Dale Ann Bradley, Jason Crabb, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jackie DeShannon and Bobby Lewis. The program features a silent auction, cash bar and hors d’oeuvres reception, plated dinner and performances by the inductees.

Hansel Sullivan Memorial Truck & Tractor Pull, May 25-26, Northern Kentucky Fairgrounds, Williamstown, (859) 824-3322, visitgrantky.com. Sullivan Pulling, a truck and tractor pulling team, hosts this event each spring, now in its 20th year. Sullivan Pulling is one of the nation’s leading teams, competing at the highest levels on the Lucas Oil Champions Tour and the NTPA Grand National Circuit.

BBQ Blues & Bikes Festival, May 26, downtown Elizabethtown, (270) 982-2209, bbqbluesfest.com. During this fest, the streets are lined with thousands of shiny, thundering motorcycles.

The aroma of barbecue tempts the tastebuds, and the best blues music you may have ever heard fills the air. This family fun day also features a Kids Zone with face painting, inflatables and rock climbing.

The Kentucky Travel Industry Association names its Signature Events four times a year. To be eligible, festivals or events must be recommended or produced by a KTIA member. A panel of impartial judges selects the winners for each season.

For more information, phone (502) 223-8687, email info@ktia.com or visit KTIA.com.

Illustration by Annette Cable.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

43

CULTURE

Off the Shelf

LIGHT THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY Fleetie’s Crossing

By K. Bruce Florence Xlibris $19.95 (P)

Bruce Florence had her eyes and ears wide open while growing up in Appalachia. You can discern that by the authenticity of her literary voice and sense of place in her latest work of fiction, Fleetie’s Crossing. Florence, who was given the usually masculine name of Bruce because of her father’s admiration of her great uncle, takes readers through the travails of two families navigating hardships in eastern Kentucky in the 1940s, shortly after World War II. The story is told through the eyes of Rachel Ramsey, a member of one of the families, and focuses on the relationship between matriarch Fleetie Sargeant and her nearby family. The two clans are close, as they have struggled similarly.

Life for them is what is left when floods in their valley cause them to

Epistolary Treasure

Equine Connection

Serving Appalachia

Letter writing has gone by the wayside in this age of texts, tweets and emails.

That is why a Catherine book of letters Spaulding, SCN: written in the A Life in Letters 1800s is so

By Mary Ellen fascinating.

Doyle, SCN Author Mary University Press of Kentucky Ellen Doyle, $50 (C) Sister of Charity of Nazareth, has compiled letters written by one of the founders of her religious community, Catherine Spaulding, who joined the order when she was 19, around 1813.

She was the first superior and took on leadership roles until her death in 1858. She dedicated her life to improving healthcare, raising orphans and education.

The letters provide a glimpse into Spaulding’s life in Kentucky and the hard times she faced. They also remind the modern-day reader, who lives in a fast-paced world, that the letters were mailed and replies could take months to receive.

In writing the book, Doyle conducted extensive research. She includes the name of each letter’s recipient and presents any details that might help explain the letter.

Twelve-year-old Sky Doran’s secret power is the telepathic way she communicates The Whole Sky with her

By Heather Henson beloved ThorAtheneum Books oughbreds. for Young Readers $16.99 (H) She does so amid Kentucky’s Bluegrass horse farms during the foaling season while working with her father, who also holds the same gift.

But as amazing as their abilities are, they face tough obstacles. Sky’s mother recently died, and neither she nor Dad is handling it well. Sky wonders about life’s insecurities, and Dad has a problem with the bottle. Moreover, foals at the main farm where they work, as well as at other nearby locations, are dying an alarming rate.

That’s where Sky’s gift of horse gab, along with her passion for her mare, Poppy, comes in handy.

Danville’s Heather Henson spent time on local horse farms gaining first-hand understanding of the equine industry to write The Whole Sky, a young adult novel. She marvelously portrays Sky’s comingof-age sensibilities.

Calling on the history of eastern Kentucky’s Frontier Nursing Service, author Ann H. Gabhart tells These Healing the story of a Hills nurse from the

By Ann H. city who trains Gabhart to be a midwife Revell in Appalachia in $15.99 (P) the 1940s.

The Frontier Nursing University continues to train nurses today. It got its start in 1925, when founder Mary Breckinridge realized the lack of medical care available to the Kentucky’s mountain people. She trained nurses and midwives, who traveled on horseback to provide care.

Gabhart tells the story of recently single Francine, who is looking to take her life and nursing career in a new direction, while escaping her overprotective mother and former boyfriend in Cincinnati. Although she has never been to the mountains or delivered babies on her own, Francine embraces both and learns about herself along the way.

A Lawrenceburg native, Gabhart has written more than 30 books, including several novels based on the Shaker community and the Heart of Holly Hills series.

— Deborah Kohl Kremer

— Steve Flairty

— Deborah Kohl Kremer

44

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

(P)-Paperback (C)-Clothbound (H)-Hardback

scramble for higher ground, or when they find themselves in the midst of the violent mining wars of the times. There are the travails of childbirth without ideal medical care, and there is food to be put on the table. The well-documented outmigration from Appalachia can be readily understood in this context.

With that said, the now Cynthiana resident Florence shows proper tribute to the human spirit in her work, and she shines a positive light on most, if not all, of her characters whom she knows so well. To wit, her assessment rings true.

— Steve Flarity

BOOKENDS Historian John David Myles conducted extensive research for his book, Beaumont Inn: Two Centuries of Service, which is being released to coincide with the 100th anniversary celebration of the inn and the 200th anniversary of the property welcoming guests. This is the first written documentation of many oral accounts, and Myles recently discovered some items of interest about the inn, which has been owned by five generations of the Dedman family.

“Most of the knowledge we had of this wonderful building and property was from family lore, stories passed through generations, but no actual research,” says Helen Dedman, fourth generation owner of Beaumont Inn. “John David Myles researched tedious and fascinating deed chains back to the beginning of time. You’ll love the vast array of characters from Kentucky pioneers to a United States Supreme Court Judge who have a connection with our establishment—a true historical drama.”

Located in Harrodsburg, the Commonwealth’s first town, Beaumont Inn began as a destination for tourists visiting natural mineral springs in the area. It later became a women’s college before the Dedman family acquired it in 1919.

The book retails for $28 and can be purchased at the inn’s gift shop or online, beaumontinn.com.

Modern-Day Western

Meditations on Home

Showing Compassion

Louisville author Ian Stansel has captured the essence of the Wild West in this modern-day The Last story about two Cowboys of San feuding Geronimo brothers who

By Ian Stansel live as cowboys.

Houghton Mifflin Set in Harcourt $32 (H) northern California, The Last Cowboys of San Geronimo is the story of horse-training brothers Silas and Frank Van Loy and shares many commonalities of families. They are brothers who would do anything for each other, but then competition, jealousy and even spite come into play and ruin all semblance of family.

Lena, Frank’s wife, plans to end all this madness. She pursues Silas through the mountainous terrain, both of them on horseback. The story has a gritty, Western feel, but contemporary luxuries like cellphones and GPS technology remind the reader that the characters live in today’s world.

Stansel teaches creative writing at the University of Louisville.

When acclaimed Kentucky-born writers such as Silas House and Fenton Johnson wax eloquent in On praise of a Homesickness particular

By Jesse literary work, Donaldson readers should Vandalia Press take note. Jesse $17.99 (P) Donaldson garners that respect with On Homesickness, his reflective look at the subject of yearning for the sense of place you once had.

That place for Donaldson, now living in Oregon, is his native Kentucky. He notes that his situation demonstrates “how fleeting our homes can be, about how what is lost is never recovered.” Somehow, the author seems to be on the precipice but hangs on to hope that it may be found, especially if he can interest his wife in moving back home.

The writer picks an interesting format to structure this “part memoir, part meditation on nostalgia, part catalog of Kentucky history and myth.” He shares his thoughts in 120 bite-sized chapters, each representing a Kentucky county.

Some of his meditations deal directly with features of each county, others are told in a general sense.

If you had to present one thing that represents who you are as a person, what would you pick?

Maggie and the This is the Summer conundrum Vacation Showyoung Maggie and-Tell encounters on

By Randi Lynn the first day of Mrvos; illustrated school, when

by Emiliano Billai her teacher Saturn’s Moon announces a Press show-and-tell. $16.99 (H) Maggie feels that, in comparison to the other kids’ summer adventures, she doesn’t have much to share or tell … until she looks at her dog, Trooper, and remembers why her family canceled their summer trip at the last minute.

Maggie and the Summer Vacation Showand-Tell is a thoughtful, uniquely illustrated narrative about having empathy for other living creatures and sacrificing plans to help those in need, undercurrent with the importance of rescuing animals and a lesson in not comparing yourself with others. Randi Lynn Mrvos, born in Louisville and now living in Lexington, based her children’s book, illustrated by Emiliano Billai, on the real-life story of Charlie, a dog that was rescued 10 years ago on a Kentucky road by friends of hers.

— Steve Flairty

— Cait A. Smith

— Deborah Kohl Kremer

MARCH 2018

• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

45

VOICES

Past Tense/Present Tense

History Is Not Bunk

BY BILL ELLIS

46

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Bob always referred to the coach as “Mr. Rupp,” never asking for an autograph or showing any signs of hero worship, and not calling him “Coach” or even letting on that he knew the immortal “Baron’s” reputation. Intrigued with Bob’s work, Rupp hovered over the shoulder of the young electrician as he did his job. Rupp said he was interested in working people and the jobs they did.

Moreover, Rupp and his wife always invited Bob to sit at the kitchen table, asking about Bob’s wife and schoolwork, and offering him some refreshment as he figured up the bill. More than 50 years later, Bob recalled that Rupp always tipped him generously—for example, once giving him a check for $50, when the bill was only around $30. Perhaps working at the Rupp house as many as 10 times, Bob saw a side of this man as a grateful and gracious customer, happy to help a young man through college.

• • •

Old family letters can be a great source of history. Mary Ann Dowling, the wife of my old football mate at Georgetown College, Tom Dowling, shared with me a copy of a Civil War-era letter that had been in her family since 1863.

Mary Ann’s greatgrandfather, William Hopkins Garnett—a farmer, slave owner and, by family tradition, a Confederate supporter—corresponded with William F. Staples, a Union soldier identified as a “wagoner,” who was stationed in Munfordville, Hart County. Friendship and kinship overcame these boundaries. The 1860 Census listed Staples as a member of the Garnett household. In a letter dated May 26, 1863, Staples answered Garnett’s “kind and affectionate letter,” recalling “the many happy hours that we have spent together.”

The area was of strategic importance for both sides. In the fall of 1862, the Battle of Munfordville was a prelude to the Battle of Perryville. Surrounded by a Rebel army under the command of Gen. Braxton Bragg, who had intended to march to Louisville, the Yankee forces surrendered. After Bragg’s withdrawal from Perryville, Munfordville again became an important Union supply point on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

In his letter to Garnett, Staples reported he was well-fed and housed. The Union regiment to which he belonged had recently chased Gen. John Hunt Morgan in neighboring counties. Staples wrote that both Morgan and Unionists Hartsook Photo

L

ate last summer, Charlotte and I took part in one of our favorite activities: The Great American Road Trip.

I say “ours,” but Charlotte carefully plans the route, and then I often say, “Let’s turn down that road,” rather than following her meticulously planned itinerary.

We planned to visit The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Michigan. I have faint memories of visiting the village when I was about 10 years old or so. My parents had a wanderlust and eventually got to visit many foreign countries. However, around 1950, their resources were limited, so we sometimes packed up the Pontiac and went off on weekend jaunts to state parks. Wow, a trip to Michigan was like visiting a foreign country back then.

Sixty-five-plus years later, I am still impressed by Henry Ford’s vision, however nostalgic, of recreating the town of his boyhood and presenting a tribute to Thomas Edison and other innovators and inventors.

Admirable in many ways, Ford could be visionary, as well as very short-sighted. On the one hand, his $5-a-day wage for his workers in 1914 was astounding, but founding rubber plantations in the Amazon turned into a costly disaster. He is famous for many things, including an apparent disdain for history.

“History is more or less bunk,” he said, being uninterested in anything that did not appear to have a nearpresent link to unfolding events. Henry Ford, 1919 Well, I disagree, of course.

How could I not, being a historian if not an antiquarian.

Readers of this column over the years have passed on their own stories that should be recalled, recorded and inserted into our store of historical knowledge. Below are three recent accounts from the past, distant and not-sodistant, that are interesting. Is there history in your attic or a desk drawer that should see the light of day and add to our views of the past?

Have you ever met a famous person outside of his or her usual context? Everyone should have an encounter with someone like the formidable Adolph Rupp. Bob Lykins, retired regional vice president of Kentucky Utilities, had such an experience. While working his way through the University of Kentucky in the early 1960s, Bob was employed in the electrical shop and often worked for UK faculty and staff during his off hours. One day, he got a call to go to the UK basketball coach’s house to do some electrical repair work.

• • •

Oral histories offer insights into local as well national history. William Andrew McKenney Jr. was interviewed by his daughter, Nancy McKenney, and Neil Kasiak of the Eastern Kentucky University Oral History Center.

These interviews are prime examples of personal recollections across several generations that can be saved for future reference.

William Andrew McKenney Sr. (1867-1945) practiced medicine from the early 20th century until a few days before his death in Falmouth. As a first lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps during World War I, he treated stricken soldiers during the terrible 1917-1918 influenza epidemic.

His son, Bill, a longtime professor of education at EKU, recalled his father received as little as $2 for a house call during the Great Depression, if he received any money at all. Eventually Dr. McKenney moved his office from downtown Falmouth to his home.

“People gave him what they could. They traded things, because they didn’t have much money,” his son said. “It didn’t take much money to live on. You could rent a house for $10 a month in Falmouth. Unskilled laborers made about $8 a week. People were afraid to go to the hospital, because they thought they were on their deathbed, and frequently, they were. This was all before antibiotics, and people would lay around for two or three weeks with an infection.”

Dr. McKenney became an expert in emergency medicine, as farmers and other manual laborers often needed wounds to be stitched up or broken bones set with a cast.

“He traveled all over the county [Pendleton],” said Bill, who sometimes would drive his father out into the country in their old Chevrolet during the 1930s. Then someone would pick up the doctor in a wagon or buggy and take him to an ill or injured person. “I couldn’t wait to hear those horses coming back, knowing we could go home, sometimes in the middle of the night.”

How much history, particularly of not-so-famous folks like you and me, will be lost in “The Cloud,” because of not being written down or recorded?

P.S. I don’t think the redoubtable Henry Ford really meant his famous quote. Otherwise, he would have not spent so much time and money collecting history and building Greenfield Village near Detroit.

No one was more aware of his place in American history than he was.

Like many famous people, he often got caught up in having to say something for most occasions. Thank goodness he could not tweet in those days, or his image, I am afraid, would be further tarnished.

Readers may contact Bill Ellis at editor@kentuckymonthly.com

cARTography:the art of map making

24 THRU 02

June

featuring history paintings by Steve White

March

scoured the countryside “stealing” horses. If soldiers of Staples’ regiment left “without authority to do so,” they were placed at hard labor building fortifications “with ball and chain attached to them.” One even had his head shaved on one side. Staples reported news that Gen. Ulysses S Grant was on the march toward Vicksburg, which would surrender to Union forces on July 4.

“Give my regards to cousin Richard and all enquiring friends. Write to me on the reception of this. Your Friend, W.J. Staples,” the correspondence concluded. Letters like these should be placed in public archives to be read by not only family descendants but also serious researchers of Civil War history.

cARTography is an amazing exhibit that focuses on rare and antique maps dating from 1755 to 1866.

Along side these beautiful maps will be original history paintings by artist Steve White.

The paintings depict historic scenes from the area, many include Simon Kenton and life in Limestone, where bourbon began its journey.

Kentucky Gateway Museum Center 215 Sutton Street Maysville, KY 606-564-5865 www.kygmc.org

41056

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

47

OUTDOORS

Field Notes

Family Things

BY GARY GARTH

M

y brother and I spent Christmas afternoon excavating some family memories. Most were in the form of photos carefully stacked among the decades-old reams of letters, receipts, W-2s and tax filings, check stubs, titles and other papers buried in an old chest that had been in our parents’ home—stuff that would have no value to anyone with a different last name. Our mother apparently kept everything, a habit my older brother has continued for the 40 years the chest has been in his possession.

The most affecting item for me, however, was not part of the papers and photos that had been collecting in the antique, cedar-lined chest since Truman occupied the White House. It was a .50 caliber CVA MagBolt 150 in-line blackpowder rifle.

The gun had belonged to my nephew—my brother’s son, Andy Garth—who had died early the previous morning following a brief but brutal illness. He was 47.

The rifle was in a zippered case. My brother unzipped it and, owing to a habit instilled decades ago by our father, checked that the gun was unloaded before handing it to me. I also checked because the rule is: When you pick up a firearm—any firearm—you check to see if it is loaded. Each time. No exception. It’s like clockwork in our family.

I turned the gun over in my hands; opened, closed and re-opened the bolt; brought it to my shoulder; placed it on the bed; and then picked it up again, my mind a storm of emotions.

The MagBolt 150 is no longer made by CVA, but it’s a fine rifle, a “modern muzzleloader,” which means it has the look, feel and relative knock-down power (out to a couple of hundred yards) of a centerfire rifle, but it loads from the muzzle with a ramrod using blackpowder or a similar propellant. In-line rifles generally meet the legal definition of a muzzleloading firearm and thus are legal for the muzzleloader deer season offered by most states, including Kentucky (app.fw.ky.gov/seasondates). The MagBolt 150 came with a steel ramrod and uses a 209-primer ignition system, common along bolt-action muzzleloaders.

It’s a solid, no-frills deer gun.

The barrel was stamped “Made in Spain” and “Blackpowder only,” although blackpowder is rarely used with in-line style guns. Most modern muzzleloader shooters use a cleaner-burning substitute.

This rifle is fitted with a dark barrel and receiver, and a black synthetic stock. It has a 3 x 9 Bushnell scope with seethrough scope mounts. The scope was probably included with the rifle. Andy may have ordered it from Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops but more likely bought it from a local shop.

My nephew was the type of guy who would want to handle a firearm before he bought it.

48

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

The scope was capped. The rifle was clean, oiled and looked out-of-the-box new. This didn’t surprise me. My nephew was a man who took care of his stuff.

But I knew the gun wasn’t new. Andy had hunted with it a few times. He once called me from his deer stand. This was several years ago. I don’t recall the details of our conversation, but I remember asking if he had downed a deer. He had not. I don’t know if he ever dropped a deer. I doubt he did. I’m pretty sure he would have called me if he had.

We’re a hunting family, but my nephew and I never hunted together, owing mainly to logistics, work schedules, family responsibilities and the fact that we lived in different states. Although we talked about it and decided that we should and would plan a hunt, it didn’t happen, an omission I deeply regret.

Our relationship was an odd one due to our age split.

We were separated by only 15 years. When he introduced me, I was always presented as “uncle,” but it felt like a formality, and when we were alone together or with family or friends, it was always a first-name basis. I didn’t mind.

And this may have gone back to an incident when he was 15 and I was 30. A poorly planned Andy Garth and ill-advised winter canoe trip ended with two overturned boats. I pulled the boy from the freezing river.

A friend rescued my brother. My brother, nephew and I rarely spoke of this, but it was never far from our minds, either. Perhaps we secretly suspected we were each living on borrowed time.

I handed the gun to my brother.

“Why do you have it?”

He shook his head. He and his son lived a few blocks from one another.

“Andy brought it by one day several years ago and asked if I would keep it for him,” he said quietly. “I said yes, of course. He never came back for it. It’s been in the closet ever since. Until now.”

I picked it up and again worked the bolt. I liked the sound and feel of the smooth, well-machined exchange. A trucker by trade, my nephew had been a mechanically minded man.

My brother is an experienced hunter and shooter but not a blackpowder enthusiast.

“Have you ever shot a gun like this?” he asked.

I nodded. “A couple of times.”

“Maybe we can shoot this one sometime,” he said while re-zipping the case. “I’d like to do that.”

“I would, too. We will shoot it. Soon.”

Readers may contact Gary Garth at editor@kentuckymonthly.com

OUTDOORS

Gardening

Will You Make the Cut?

BY WALT REICHERT

P

runing trees is one of those garden tasks we often postpone too long, both because of the work involved and a fear that we will do more harm than good because we are not quite sure what we’re doing.

Truth is, you can do as much or more harm by not pruning trees than by cutting too much or in the wrong place. March is the best time to prune deciduous trees, so arm yourself with some resolve, some knowledge and some good tools, and get to it. By the way, pruning evergreens can wait a bit longer, until the “candles” at the ends of the branches start to elongate.

Tools Most pruning tasks can be done with three hand tools: a pruning saw, a lopper and a hand pruner.

A good pruning saw is curved to fit in tight places and is designed to cut as you pull the saw toward you. Any branch less than 3 to 4 inches in diameter can be taken out easily with a pruning saw.

A lopper is for those branches less than 3 inches in diameter but more than 1 inch, while a good hand pruner will cut branches up to an inch in diameter. Do yourself a favor and buy good loppers and pruners, ones with a bypass blade that can be sharpened easily. A good lopper or pruner will feel heavy in your hand.

If you haven’t put off pruning tasks for too long, you should not need a chainsaw, though sometimes a large branch dies or splits off and will require a power tool. Please be careful, and consider hiring a professional if you have never handled a chainsaw before.

The Kindest Cuts Most deciduous trees, most of the time, require little or no pruning as they grow. But you should stand back and look at each of your trees this time of year—while the leaves are still off and you can see the structure—to see if any surgery is necessary. (Note that the advice below refers to deciduous shade and ornamental trees. Fruit trees normally require more extensive pruning.)

What to prune? Three types of branches should always be cut away: dead, diseased and crossing. Dead branches are doing the tree no good. They won’t come back to life, and they offer a place for disease and insects to enter the tree.

Diseased branches will show cankers (wounds) or, in severe cases, fungi, and they also harm the tree if they stay in place.

Branches that cross eventually will rub away the bark and, again, offer an opening for disease and insects.

You also want to take out any branches that are otherwise healthy but have become a nuisance. Maybe they are starting to grow over the roof or they might be blocking a window. Or maybe they are encroaching into another tree or shrub. Those can be pruned back this time of year, as well.

Also, suckers growing out of the base of the tree or along the lower trunk should be removed. They weaken the tree,

and their presence often indicates the tree is under stress.

Finally, some trees grow so dense that otherwise healthy branches have to be taken out of the canopy to open it up and allow for better airflow. That is especially true of ornamental pears. If the tree is small, thinning the canopy is a do-ityourself job. Consider hiring a certified arborist to prune larger trees.

Where to cut? Always cut smaller branches back to main branches and larger branches back to the trunk. You don’t want to leave a stub sticking out because someone may be poked in the eye by it while mowing around the tree; it also leaves a good place for disease and insects to enter.

You want to make your cut just beyond what is called the collar of the branch. That is a swelling where the branches come together that may be a fraction of an inch to several inches wide. At that collar, the tree has hormones that will heal pruning cuts over time. Out beyond the collar, there are no hormones, and the branch will not heal properly.

How to cut? The smallest branches can be taken out at the collar with a quick snip of the pruner or lopper. Be sure to use the tool big enough to take out the branch with one swipe.

Whacking and hacking at the wound injures the tree.

It’s best to take out larger branches with the three-cut approach so that the falling branch doesn’t rip down the trunk as it falls. First, go out several inches from the collar and make a cut under the branch about halfway through. The next cut goes an inch or two farther out from the first cut and slices off the branch from the top. The first cut you made will keep the branch from tearing the bark of the trunk as it falls.

The third cut will be back at the collar. Cut all the way through, and the branch should come down without harm.

Lots of folks at this point feel the need to put some sort of tree wound product on the cut, just as they would put a BandAid on a human. Don’t. Those wound-sealing products don’t do any good and may do harm by trapping moisture at the wound site. Let the tree heal on its own. It will appreciate it.

Readers can reach Walt Reichert at gardening@kentuckymonthly.com

Topping Trees Topping trees—shortening the tree by cutting main branches back from the top—is scandalous and should be criminal. Besides being hideous, topped trees will have a shorter life. Unfortunately, some people still think topping is a good practice, just as some people think the Earth is flat, so there are companies out there that still perform the “service.”

Don’t let anyone tell you your trees need to be topped.

In fact, if you want to make sure you don’t hire a bogus tree trimming service, call one and ask how much the service charges to top a tree. If the response is that they’ll do it, hang up and call another firm.

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

49

CALENDAR

Let’s Go

8

March SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

Ongoing Edward Melcarth: Points of View, UK Art Museum, Lexington, through April 8, (859) 257-5716

5.

1

Bridal and Best New Prom Show, Restaurants Rough River Dam Tasting Event, State Resort Park, Braxton Brewing, Falls Of Rough, Covington, (270) 257-2311 (859) 261-5600

11.

Amazing Grace, Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037

18.

6.

1.

2.

3.

7.

8.

9.

10.

15.

16.

17.

Rhythm of Unseen: A Chickens 101, Lexington Louisville the Dance, Lecture Series McCracken Comic & Toy Orchestra Lancaster Grand on Systematic County Public Convention, Pops, Kentucky Theatre, Racism, St. Paul Library, Lexington Center for the Lancaster, United Methodist Paducah, Convention Center, Performing Arts, (859) 583-1716 Church, (270) 442-2510 Lexington, Louisville, Louisville, also through March 11 (502) 587-8681 March 14 and 21, (502) 459-1595

12.

The Civil War Experience of Kentucky Women, Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts, Covington, (859) 491-2030

19.

22.

Adult Artist Retreat, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, also April 13, (270) 827-1893

St. Patrick’s Day

23.

24.

30.

31.

Empty Bowls, Disney’s Little Pick Up the fundraiser at Mermaid, Park, Old Fort Ashland Paramount Arts Harrod State Park, Community Center, Ashland, Harrodsburg, Kitchen, Ashland, (606) 324-0007 (859) 734-3314 (606) 326-2850

0

One Night of Queen, Riverpark Center, Owensboro, (270) 687-2770

SATURDAY

Little Shop Blue Grass Kentucky of Horrors, Crafted: The Trust Antiques Flashback Theater, and Garden Market, Somerset, also Kentucky Fair and Show, Alltech March 2, 4 Exposition Center, Arena, Kentucky and 8-10, Horse Park, Louisville, 1-888-394-3282 through March 4, Lexington, (859) 253-0362 (502) 892-3126



4.

FRIDAY

 25.

26.

27.

2

Read It, Make Bolero, presented Pink, KFC It, Take It,

by Orchestra Yum! Center, McCracken Kentucky, Louisville, County Public Southern Kentucky (502) 690-9000 Library, Paducah, Performing Arts (270) 442-2510 Center, Bowling Green, (270) 904-1880

50

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

28.

29.

Wild Bourbon Rocks Easter Wine Barrel Wednesday – & Ruins Weekend Tasting for the Owl Mania!

Elevated Getaway, Carter Springs, various John James Experience, Caves State Resort central Kentucky Audubon State Mint Julep Tours, Park, Olive Hill, wineries, Park, Henderson, Louisville, through April 1, (859) 272-0682 (270) 826-4424 (502) 583-1433 (606) 286-4411

Our state’s largest single annual event, the Kentucky Derby Festival, kicks off this month! March Festival happenings are denoted with a Pegasus icon.

Our April issue will feature a comprehensive 2018 Kentucky Derby Festival Official Schedule of Events.

More to explore online!

Visit kentuckymonthly. com for additional content, including a calendar of events, feature stories and recipes.

Let’s Go!

A guide to Kentucky’s most interesting events Bluegrass Region

11 Trace Adkins, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, (859) 236-4692, nortoncenter.com 13-17 Boys High School Sweet Sixteen Tournament, Rupp Arena, Lexington, khsaa.org

Ongoing Edward Melcarth: Points of View, University of Kentucky Art Museum, Lexington, through April 8, (859) 257-5716, finearts.uky.edu/art-museum March

1 The Sting Variations, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, (859) 236-4692, nortoncenter.com 1 West Meets East: Commerce between Ancient Rome and South Asia, University of Kentucky, Lexington, (502) 852-3756, kyarchaeology.com 1-4 Jersey Boys, Lexington Opera House, Lexington, (859) 233-4567, lexingtonoperahouse.com 2 Chonda Pierce, EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, (859) 622-7469, ekucenter.com 3 Blue Grass Trust Antiques and Garden Show, Alltech Arena, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, (859) 253-0362, bgtantiquesandgardenshow.org 3 Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” Lexington Children’s Theatre, Lexington, (859) 254-4546, lctonstage.org 3 The Prodigal’s Journey, EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, (859) 622-7469, ekucenter.com 3 Around the World Dinner, Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, (859) 879-1939, woodfordreserve.com 5 Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, (859) 236-4692, nortoncenter.com

16 LexArts Gallery Hop, downtown Lexington, (859) 255-2951, GalleryHopLex.com 16-18 St. Patrick’s Weekend, Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond, (859) 527-3454, parks.ky.gov 17 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, downtown Lexington, lexingtonstpatsparade.org 18 Afternoon of the Elves, Lexington Children’s Theatre, Lexington, also March 24-25, (859) 254-4546, lctonstage.org 21 Clint Black, EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, (859) 622-7469, ekucenter.com

6 American Snapshots, presented by the Lexington Philharmonic, Singletary Center for the Arts, Lexington, (859) 233-4226, lexphil.org 6-8 Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show, Lexington Center, Lexington, (859) 233-4567, showtechnology.com 6-27 Keeneland Spring Meet, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, 1-800-456-3412, keeneland.com 12 The Modern Gentlemen, Lancaster Grand Theatre, Lancaster, (859) 583-1716, lancastergrand.com 14 Spring Fling Art Festival, Frame Clinic and Art Alley, Lawrenceburg, (502) 353-4238 14 The Jungle Book, Lexington Opera House, Lexington, (859) 233-3925, lexingtonballet.org

Louisville Region

21 Noises Off, Woodford Theatre, Versailles, (859) 873-0648, woodfordtheatre.com 24 Spirits: Sip and Absorb the Essence of our Past, Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, (859) 272-3611, parks.ky.gov 24 Rock Gem & Jewelry Show, Clarion Hotel, Lexington, (859) 233-0512, bggamc.homestead.com 24 Pick Up the Park, Old Fort Harrod State Park, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-3314, parks.ky.gov 30-31 Egg-Citing Easter Fest, Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond, through April 1, (859) 527-3454, parks.ky.gov 31 Community Easter Egg and Candy Hunt, downtown Harrodsburg, (859) 734-3314, parks.ky.gov 31 Wine Barrel Tasting for the Springs, various central Kentucky wineries, (859) 272-0682, mcconellsprings.org April

Ongoing Bob Lockhart and Kayla Bischoff Duo Exhibition, PYRO Gallery, Louisville, through April 6, (502) 426-1328, pyrogallery.com Women Artists in the Age of Impressionism, Speed Art Museum, Louisville, through May 13, (502) 634-2700, speedmuseum.org Women’s Work: Quilt Art Exhibit, Oldham County History Center, LaGrange, through May 5, (502) 222-0826, oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org March

1 Derby Festival: Festival Unveiled, Mellwood Arts Center, Louisville, 1-800-928-3378, discover.kdf.org

6 Rhythm of the Dance, Lancaster Grand Theatre, Lancaster, (859) 583-1716, lancastergrand.com

4 Taste of the Races, The Keeneland Shop, Lexington, (859) 288-4236, keenelandshop.com

1 Final Reserve, James Thompson & Brother Bourbon Tasting, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org

9-11 Lexington Comic & Toy Convention, Lexington Convention Center, Lexington, lexingtoncomiccon.com

5 Peter Pan – A 3D Stage Spectacular, EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, (859) 622-7469, ekucenter.com

1-4 Fabulation: or the Re-Education of Undine, The Playhouse, Louisville, louisville.edu/theatrearts M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

51

CALENDAR

Let’s Go

2-4 Kentucky Crafted: The Market, Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville, (502) 892-3126, artscouncil.ky.gov 4 Bridal and Prom Show, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 7 Unseen: A Lecture Series on Systematic Racism, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Louisville, also March 14 and 21, (502) 459-1595, stpaulchurchky.org/unseen 9 2nd Friday Bluegrass Jam, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 10 Lewis Black, Louisville Palace, Louisville, (502) 883-5774, LouisvillePalace.com 10 Platinum Comedy Tour, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, (502) 690-9000, kfcyumcenter.com 10 Buffalo and Wild Game Dinner, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 10 Louisville Orchestra Pops, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, (502) 587-8681, louisvilleorchestra.org 10-11 Kentuckiana Giant Indoor Swap Meet, Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville, (502) 619-2917 13-18 School of Rock, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, (502) 584-7777, louisville.broadway.com 15-31 Magnificent Mona Bismarck, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, through July 29, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org

23 Brad Paisley, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, (502) 690-9000, kfcyumcenter.com

Braxton Brewing, Covington, (859) 261-5600, braxtonbrewing.com

24 Water by the Bridge, Waterfront Park, Louisville, waterbythebridge.com

7-11 Girls Sweet Sixteen Tournament, BB&T Arena, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, thebbtarena.com

27 Pink, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, (502) 690-9000, kfcyumcenter.com 28 Alice Cooper, Louisville Palace, Louisville, (502) 883-5774, LouisvillePalace.com 29 Bourbon Rocks & Ruins Elevated Experience, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com 31 Easter Eggstravaganza, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov April

6 Louisville Orchestra Coffee Series, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, (502) 587-8681, louisvilleorchestra.org 6-8 Bluegrass Festival, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 10-15 Les Misérables, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, (502) 584-7777, louisville.broadway.com 14 GonzoFest Louisville, Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville, (502) 574-1611, lfpl.org 14 The Festival of Laughs, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, (502) 690-9000, kfcyumcenter.com

Northern Region

17 Discovering Archaeology and the Underground Railroad, Oldham County History Center, LaGrange, (502) 222-0826, oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org 17 Shamrocked, Fourth Street Live!

Louisville, (502) 584-7170, 4thstlive.com 18 Salute to Women in Leadership, Yearlings Club, Louisville, (502) 852-3042 21 Southern Supper Series: Louisville Culinary Tour, various locations, Louisville, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com

52

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

11 Make It With Jackie: Greeting Cards, Kenton County Public Library, Independence, (859) 962-4031, kentonlibrary.org 15 The Civil War Experience of Kentucky Women, Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts, Covington, (859) 491-2030, thecarnegie.com 16 Stout Fest, Molly Malone’s Irish Pub, Covington, (859) 491-6659, covington.mollymalonesirishpub.com 16 A Streetcar Named Desire, Falcon Theatre, Newport, also March 22-24, (513) 479-6783, falcontheater.net 20 Kentucky Gathers Dulcimer Group, General Butler State Resort Park, lodge mezzanine, Carrollton, (502) 732-4384, parks.ky.gov April

14 Open Mic Night, Greaves Concert Hall, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, (859) 572-5100, kyso.org 14-29 Motherhood Outloud, Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts, Covington, (859) 491-2030, thecarnegie.com

Western Region

16 A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center, Elizabethtown, (270) 765-2175, thepac.net 17 Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee, Bomhard Theater, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville, discover.kdf.org/spelling-bee

10 Murder Mystery – The Sword & The Specter, General Butler State Resort Park, Carrollton, (502) 732-4384, parks.ky.gov

March

2 Rockin’ Dollar Fridays, Turfway Park, Florence, also March 9, 16, 23 and 30, (859) 371-0200, turfway.com 3 Live Music Weekends, Elk Creek Vineyards, Owenton, also March 10, 17, 24 and 31, (502) 484-0005, elkcreekvineyards.com 3 Wine Walk 2018, Newport on the Levee, Newport, (859) 291-0550, newportonthelevee.com 3-8 Tick, Tick … Boom! Stauss Theatre, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, (859) 572-5100, artscience.nku.edu 5 Best New Restaurants Tasting Event,

Ongoing Owensboro Art Guild 56th Juried Exhibition, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, through April 13, (270) 326 9945, owensboroartguild.org Interwoven: A Community Art Installation, Robert O’Miller Center, Murray, through April 2, (270) 753-4059, murrayartguild.org A Fresh Perspective – Invitation, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, through April 9, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov

March

1 Turn-the-Page Thursday, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, also April 5, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov 1 Shadowland, Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037, thecarsoncenter.org 1-4 Twelve Angry Men, Theatre Workshop, Owensboro, (270) 683-5333, theatreworkshop.org 1-12 Twisted: Modern Quilts with a Vintage Twist, National Quilt Museum, Paducah, (270) 442-8856, quiltmuseum.org 2 Monster in the Closet, Theatre Workshop, Owensboro, (270) 683-5333, theatreworkshop.org 3 The Music of John Williams, Riverpark Center, Owensboro, (270) 687-2770, riverparkcenter.org 8 Chickens 101, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, (270) 442-2510, mclib.net 9-11 Scrapbooking Weekend, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, (270) 797-3421, parks.ky.gov 10 Music From The Firebird, Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037, thecarsoncenter.org 11 Amazing Grace, Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037, thecarsoncenter.org 16 Adult Artist Retreat, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, also April 13, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov 18 One Night of Queen, Riverpark Center, Owensboro, (270) 687-2770, riverparkcenter.org 23 Travis Tritt, Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037, thecarsoncenter.org 24 Eggstravaganza, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov 25 Read It, Make It, Take It, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, (270) 442-2510, mclib.net 28 Wild Wednesday – Owl Mania!

John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, (270) 826-4424, parks.ky.gov 29 Native American Removal, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, (270) 442-2510, mclib.net April

1 Easter Funday, Kenlake State Resort Park, Hardin, (270) 474-2211, parks.ky.gov M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

53

CALENDAR

Let’s Go

FINE COFFEES ESPRESSO CAPPUCCINO LATTE

10 The Owl and the Pussycat, Purchase Players Community Performing Arts, Mayfield, (270) 251-9035, purchaseplayers.com

1 Comedy Night, Dewey’s Bar and Grill, Prestonsburg, (606) 886-1790, parks.ky.gov

13 The (Female) Odd Couple, Theatre Workshop, Owensboro, (270) 683-5333, theatreworkshop.org

3-4 Appalachian Elk Viewing Tour, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, Prestonsburg, also March 10-11, (606) 886-1790, parks.ky.gov

Southern Region

10 Glenn Leonard’s Temptations Revue, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-0007, paramountartscenter.com

Also offering pastries, breads, and sandwiches.

Free Wi-Fi, along with a collection of books and other literature on early Kentucky and Mason County history.

35 E 2nd St, Maysville, KY 606.564.9704

March

1-2 Little Shop of Horrors, Flashback Theater, Somerset, also March 4 and 8-10, 1-888-394-3282, flashbacktheater.com 2-4 Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Historic Star Theatre, Russell Springs, (270) 866-7827, startheater.org 10 Gene Watson, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Bowling Green, (270) 904-1880, theskypac.com 20 Golden Dragon Acrobats, O. Wayne Rollins Center, Williamsburg, (606) 524-1354, fineartsseky.org 26 Bolero, presented by Orchestra Kentucky, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Bowling Green, (270) 904-1880, theskypac.com

Colonial Cottage Restaurant 3140 Dixie Highway, Erlanger 859-341-4498 thecottagenky.com

31 Easter Egg Hunt, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Jamestown, (270) 343-3111, parks.ky.gov 31 Dale Hollow Egg Hunt, Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park, Burkesville, (270) 433-7431, parks.ky.gov April

13-15 ChallengerFest 9, Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, (270) 781-7634, challengerfest.net 14 Let’s Play! Cabaret, Center for Rural Development, Somerset, 1-888-394-3282, flashbacktheater.co

Eastern Region

March

1 The Wizard of Oz, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-0007, paramountartscenter.com

54

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

10 Spring Fling Vendor Market & Craft Fair, Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, Greenup, (606) 473-7324, parks.ky.gov

10-11 Campout at the Fire Tower, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin, (606) 528-4121, parks.ky.gov 13 Harlem Globetrotters, Eastern Kentucky Expo Center, Pikeville, (606) 444-5005, eastkyexpo.com 16 Ronnie Milsap, Mountain Arts Center, Prestonsburg, (606) 886-2623, macarts.com 16-18 Storytelling Weekend, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin, (606) 528-4121, parks.ky.gov 17 Appalachian Heritage Wild Game Feast, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Hemlock Lodge, Slade, (606) 663-2214, parks.ky.gov 22 Empty Bowls, fundraiser at Ashland Community Kitchen, Ashland, (606) 326-2850, facebook.com/ashlandcommunitykitchen 23 Disney’s Little Mermaid, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-0007, paramountartscenter.com 30-31 Easter Weekend Getaway, Carter Caves State Resort Park, Olive Hill, through April 1, (606) 286-4411, parks.ky.gov 31 Easter Egg Hunt, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park campground, Prestonsburg, (606) 886-1790, parks.ky.gov April

7 Float N Fish, Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Pineville, (606) 337-3066, parks.ky.gov

For additional Calendar items or to submit an event, please visit kentuckymonthly.com.

Submissions must be sent at least 90 days prior to the event.

MARKETPLACE

Where is Grant County?

WHERE YOUR ADVENTURE BEGINS! • May 5 - Derby Day Festival, downtown Williamstown • May 25 & May 26 - Hansel Sullivan Memorial Tractor Pull • June 7 - June 9 - U.S. 25 Yard Sale • June 23 - Rockin’ The Ridge • Home of the Ark Encounter • 35 miles south of Cincinnati • 45 miles north of Lexington

visitgrantky.com 800-382-7117

2016 DECEMBER 017 JANUARY 2

INSIDE A STORIED HOME

PLUS

Display until 2/14/2017

17 Activities for 2017 MacPhail Antler Artist Dan ing Faux Furs Donna Salyers’ Stunn

.com www.kentuckymonthly

VIEW OUR CURRENT ISSUE

FREE AT

KENTUCKYMONTHLY.COM

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY

55

VOICES

Vested Interest

Why Ireland?

STEPHEN M. VEST

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

F

rom Oct. 10-16, Kentucky Monthly will go in search of Kentucky on the Emerald Isle, and we’re hoping you’ll come along from the fun.

One of the early stops we’ll make is the Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin. If you don’t know, Dr. Pearse Lyons is an Irishman who lives in Jessamine County. He brought the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games to the Kentucky Horse Park, and he is the driving force behind Alltech, the animal health industry’s fastest growing company. A chemist by trade, he is the creator of the beers Kentucky Ale, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout, among others.

His whiskey brands include Town Branch Bourbon and Pearse Lyons Reserve. He also developed Bluegrass Sundown, a bourbon-infused coffee drink.

Dr. Lyons and his wife, Deirdre, have arranged an exclusive tour and reception for our group at his distillery, which is in a converted Thomas Street church near our hotel.

While in Dublin, we’ll also visit the glass-enclosed Gravity Bar atop the Guinness Brewery Storehouse, which offers one of the best panoramic views of the old city.

If you’re worried that we’re going to do nothing but drink—don’t be. We’ve planned enough to keep you busy, but not so much that you can’t explore your own interests from the Grafton Street shops to Stephen’s Green across from Fusiliers’ Arch. Or a quick side trip to Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university, and the home of the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the gospels completed by Celtic monks more than 1,300 years ago.

The trip is being coordinated by Total Travel Service in Madisonville and CIE International. Owner Mary Lou Boal, who has visited more than 75 countries, will be one of our tour guides. She’s arranged for us to take horse-drawn jaunting car rides in Killarney and to see a sheepdog demonstration at Kissane Sheep Farm. We’ll visit the Irish National Stud and the Japanese gardens (which also has a Kentucky connection) and the not-to-miss Cliffs of Moher, pictured above.

So why did we chose Ireland? Well, if you’ve taken a deep look at Kentucky history, you know that most of us (I do mean the collective us) have Irish, Scottish or Scots-Irish roots.

Even one of our less-popular nicknames—hillbilly—may have an Irish-Scottish origin. Ashland native Noah Adams, a longtime broadcast journalist and author, claims that when the Scots-Irish immigrated en masse to America in the 1700s, they brought their music with them. Many of the songs and ballads dealt with William of Orange, who defeated King James II at the Battle of the Boyne, Ireland in 1690.

The “folk etymology” theorizes that since these people eventually settled in the mountains “hills” of western Pennsylvania, and eastern Kentucky and Tennessee and sang songs about William “Billy,” their music became known as hill-billy music and eventually the people themselves took on the moniker.

•••

On March 18, the day after St. Patrick’s Day, we’ll hold an informational reception in Shelbyville at Jeptha Creed Distillery, which has a Scots-Irish connection as well.

Representatives from Total Travel and CIE will be there to answer your questions, including how you can extend your trip by adding five days in Scotland.

The free reception begins at 3 p.m., and we hope you’ll join us for a snack and conversation.

•••

Now, for something extremely punny.

My lovely wife and I were both born in 1961—she in January and I in October. Yes, I married an older woman. If you do the math, you’ll know that she’s already celebrated her Heinz 57 Birthday. I won’t celebrate mine until after the trip to Ireland, which is extra special because that’s when I ketchup.

Readers, and those looking for a speaker for a church or civic group, may contact Stephen M. Vest at steve@kentuckymonthly.com

MARCH KWIZ ANSWERS: 1. B. Owings was faster, building a $60,000 home in 1811 (nearly $900,000 in today’s money); 2.

A. Spencer was the film editor on more than 70 films; 3. C. Ziegler later apologized to The Washington Post for being dismissive of Nixon’s wrongdoings; 4. B. Boone County was named in honor of Daniel; 5. C. James Butler Hickok was killed while playing a game of poker, holding two pairs, aces and eights, which became known as the dead man’s hand; 6. B. Knoxie married the future president of the Confederacy in 1835 and died three months later of malaria; 7. C. Ale-8-One; 8. B. The major difference between the Kentucky and Pennsylvania long rifle is the caliber (Kentucky is a .36 caliber and Pennsylvania is .40); 9. Stanley was the chairman of the Kentucky delegation to the 1920 Convention; 10. U.S. Rep. Natcher of Bowling Green served from 1953 until his death in 1994.

56

K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M A R C H 2 0 1 8

Inspiration. Creativity. Heritage.

Paducah inspires creativity as a UNESCO Creative City. Home of the National Quilt Museum, Paducah’s rich American heritage and engaging attractions create the foundation for authentic cultural experiences. Travel to Paducah and find your inspiration!

Plan your next getaway at Paducah.travel—and be creative! 1-800-PADUCAH