Across Kentucky...

This is what happens when you get the Kentucky Monthly Magazine and your hubby reads it regularly and he finds something that interests him and he asks you if it interests you and you remember doing that when you were a kid and that means it interests you and you both decide to experience what you read in the Kentucky Monthly Magazine.

Claude read the April 2013 issue of Kentucky Monthly and found the article titled Springtime Aglow. Filled with amazing pictures of Dogwood blossoms in white and pink it tells of the annual event in Paducah, Kentucky along their Dogwood Trail. It seems almost every home in Paducah has at least one dogwood tree and many have lots of dogwood trees. Every year Paducah produces a map of the homes participating in the Dogwood Trail Celebration. At sunset the home owners turn on the flood lights they have placed beneath their dogwood trees and other ornamental bushes and flowers. You just pick up the trail and follow the arrows on the little signs or the map and enjoy viewing these beautiful floral displays as you drive through the residential areas of Paducah.

As a child we had a Dogwood Trail through the woods in Louisiana not far from Shreveport. Every spring, around Easter time when the dogwoods bloomed, my parents would pack us girls in the family mobile and head out to Dogwood Trail for a nice Sunday afternoon drive. I loved these outings and this is what piqued my curiosity about Claude's desire.

We checked our calendars and found two days we could escape from obligations and duties. I booked a hotel in Paducah. And Monday, April 22nd, we found ourselves hitting the open road on a beautiful spring day.

We would drive past the exit to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace. We always wanted to visit that but never planned it into a trip. We left early enough to make that side trip.

Our first stop would be at the Knob Creek Place. This is not where Abraham Lincoln was born. Lincoln was born in 1809 and his parents moved to Knob Creek Place in 1811. This is the place Lincoln remembered from his early childhood. A Knob is a hill or mountain.

Today there is a building to the right of this picture. It looks like a nice log home. It is actually the Lincoln Tavern. In 1886 Hattie Howard was born 10 miles from this sight. Her brother built the Nancy Lincoln Inn by Lincoln's birthplace. Hattie looked for her own opportunity to honor President Lincoln. In 1928 Hattie and her husband, Chester, purchased the Knob Creek Farm. They built The Tavern and it opened in 1933. The Tavern continued to be owned and operated by the Howard family until April 2001 when the LaRue County Fiscal Court purchased the property and donated it to the National Park Service. Currently the Tavern is an exterior only exhibit as they determined how to best use it.

We next drove down the road to Sinking Springs Farm in LaRue County where Abraham Lincoln was actually born. There is a very nice visitor's center with a film about this area and the Memorial built over the log cabin that was Abraham Lincoln's birth place. From the visitor's center and museum we walked a nice boardwalk path to the back of the Memorial where you enter to visit the log cabin.

Claude, who is always ahead of me on a tour of any kind, was already outside of the Memorial and around to the front of the Memorial before me. I found him  standing behind a tall bush when I got to the front. There were people trying to get a picture of the Memorial and he didn't want to be in their picture. I hid behind the tall bush on the side of the Memorial where I was standing.

After the people were finished taking their pictures I made my way across the front of the Memorial to Claude. He just said something like, "What to see me be Samson?" I did not make the shift to whatever he was trying to say. I gave him a questioning look and he said, "Watch this."  He walked over to the Memorial and did this...

Then I understood...'Samson', of course!! Wish you could see his facial expression as he acted the part of Samson.

We walked to the spring that gives Sinking Spring Farm its name. It is a moss and fern covered place with a good stream of water running in it to this day. This spring is located to the bottom left of the steps as you face the Memorial.

On we journeyed to Paducah to find our hotel and dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

All during the drive to Paducah we kept hearing a clicking sound that seemed to come from outside on the passenger side of the car. When we walked out of the restaurant and Claude unlocked my door he said, "I see what our noise is."  The front of my car is long and rides low to the ground. Every time I park at a curb and then back out the under side of the bumper area scrapes. Every time I back down a steep drive the under side of my bumper area scrapes. This happened earlier in our trip and that must have been the final straw. The under side of my bumper was hanging down and clicking when we drove. So Claude drove across the street to an auto parts place, purchased a package of four tie-downs of some sort and laid down in the parking lot and attached the under side of the bumper so it didn't click. Such a handy fella he is!!!

We had time before sunset to enjoy something. Claude had been to Paducah for a Kentucky League of Cities meeting and some training. He proposed a drive to the river area. What a beautiful area. Paducah must be complimented for this wonderful spot for residents and visitors to enjoy.

They have built a flood wall that is very high all along this part of the river where downtown Paducah is located. Between the wall and the river the land slopes. A roadway has been built so cars can actually drive along the river for about a block. Between the road and the wall is a grassy area with trees for shade, picnic tables and concrete steps that can also be used for seating. There are planters full of spring flowers like tulips, pansies and poppies. Between the road and the river you can set up a chair and fish or walk out on a nice platform area. There are also lots of concrete steps that can also serve as seating.

We walked through the opening in the flood wall and enjoyed the scenery and an absolutely beautiful spring evening.

The crane stood still for me for the longest time. Then it gracefully flew over the river and away. Claude sat patiently while I roamed this area and took pictures of the beautiful scenery and flowers. The bikers came in on their bikes and enjoyed a rest at water's edge on the landing. The tow boats seemed to need to just race their engines for a bit and hurried out, turned around in the river and headed back up the river from which they came. The moon was out early and delightful in many of the pictures. It was a most pleasant way to pass the time.

We left this area between the flood wall and river and walked back up the block on the other side of the flood wall to the car. Again, the city of Paducah should be congratulated for another delight for residents and tourists. Each panel of the flood wall is painted with a mural depicting Paducah's history. There are murals for buildings being built, plants being built, history from the founding to the present day. I took pictures of just about all of them. Here is one of my favorites. I left the grass in front and the tree behind because, to me, it looks like the boat is actually on the river. This would be inside the steering part of one of the tow boats.

Then it was late enough we looked for a place to start the Dogwood Trail drive. It is not easy with my little camera to get a good picture as it gets dark. I will post one of a home that won an award. There were several who got this award. I really liked the look of the porch on this old home. It has obviously been added long after the home was built but it is a great blending of old architecture with newer architecture.

As darkness came the dogwood trees stood out more and more with the flood lamps shining on them. It was pleasant enough we did the ride with the windows rolled down.

Claude and I would both recommend this delightful experience. We happened to be there the same time as the American Quilter's Society QuiltWeek. There were quilting ladies all over the place. Our hotel was full of these ladies. If you are into quilting, this would be a must-do on your bucket list. You could get a two for the price of one out of this little trip.

We ended our evening with a stop at the Dairy Queen for an orange julius for Claude and a pina colada smoothie for me. Tuesday morning we slept until we woke up on our own and then headed back across Kentucky to Sadieville.