♥ New Year's Eve Dinner Cruise: Spirit of Jefferson ♥

For New Year's Eve, I went on a dinner cruise on the historic Spirit of Jefferson riverboat. I was accompanied by my dad and his friend, Peggy, and we had a really nice time! The cruise lasted about three hours, and it was a pleasant 70 degrees...almost unheard of in Louisville in January! I was glad, though, because I was getting over a bad cold and appreciated being able to go outside to enjoy the cruise without freezing!

There was dinner, champagne, and dancing. The crowd was more low-key than I expected (I did make a new friend of a gay hairstylist and his man-friend! ;-), but I completely enjoyed being on the water and having the wind blowing in my hair! I didn't even mind that it started sprinkling a bit towards the end.

An awesome view of the Louisville skyline from the boat!

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♥ Farmington Historic Home/Farmington Harvest Festival ♥

This afternoon I went to Farmington Historic House for the annual Harvest Festival.

It was an unseasonably warm day, which made me sleepy, so I didn't stay long. This is a great little festival for families, but there wasn't much for me to do. I took a walk through the house, which was interesting, walked around the grounds for bit, looked at the booths that were set up, and then called it a day.

A little history of the Homestead.

A shady lane leading to the house.

The house was beautifully decorated. Photos were not allowed inside, otherwise I would have a bunch here! There was a tour guide in each room giving info and history on the items and decor. I learned that back in the day, home owners were taxed based on the number of doors that they had in their home. The fact that this home had multiple "closets" (enclosed cupboards with shelves) with doors demonstrated that they were very wealthy and wanted to show it off. Wallpaper was also a luxury, and this home had several rooms that were wallpapered.

It didn't feel like it outside (90 degrees!!!) but some of the trees are starting to show signs of Fall!

The back of the house...love that porch!

Live music.

Pumpkin painting....someone else has my initials!

The foundation of an old cabin that once stood on the property. It is unsure if it was used by the family or if was occupied by slaves that worked on the farm.

Making wax candles.

Making linen. Did you know that linen and linoleum both come from the flax plant?!?

 Looking at a pet rat...ewww!

 Pony rides for the kiddos.

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♥ St. Thomas Seminary ♥

The area of Louisville where I live is called St. Thomas. It is located just off Seminary Road. I've always thought the location was ironic considering that I was somewhat of a seminary groupie back in San Antonio (several of my closest friends are in or have attended seminary!). Sadly, it never occurred to me to put two and two together that I might be living on land that was once the home of St. Thomas Catholic Seminary! (Photos from http://www.parish-without-borders.net/sts/)

First class of 1952

A few weeks ago, when my dad and I were at the Fork, Cork & Style festival at Churchill Downs, we sat next to a woman and her daughter and struck up some small talk. We were discussing what parts of town we each lived in, and she then told us that there actually was a St. Thomas Seminary that occupied the land at the corner of Brownsboro Road and Seminary Road. I decided to do some of my own research via the internet to see what else I could find out about it.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find much info. All I was really able to learn from my Google search was that St. Thomas Seminary was opened at 7101 Brownsboro Road in 1952. It was eventually torn down in 1970 and in its place came the present day apartment complex, housing development, and nursing home.

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♥ Cave Hill Cemetery ♥

As I was driving around town today, I realized I was close to Cave Hill Cemetery, so I decided to stop in for a bit. Cave Hill is a HUGE historic cemetery. It is beautiful...rolling hills, stone quarries, a 55 foot deep cave (apparently once used as some sort of prison waaaaaaay back in the day...), a spring-fed lake with ducks and geese, huge, shady trees. There are statuesque stone monuments and huge marble mausoleums.

The first time I visited Cave Hill was in the middle of Fall when all the leaves were changing. Talk about gorgeous! The colors weren't quite as vivid this time, but I have a feeling the trees won't be too colorful this year anyway due to the heat and lack of rain this summer. Anyway, many local photographers use Cave Hill as a location for some of their photo shoots because it is so peaceful and beautiful. Of course, like many cemeteries, Cave Hill is said to be haunted, but I didn't see any ghosts during my visit. I did, however get lost! The roads are so curvy and hilly that its easy to get turned around! I did eventually find my way out. (Thank goodness! I did not want to spend the night in there!)

Cave Hill was once farmland owned by the Johnson family. The city of Louisville purchased the land with the intentions of building a railroad through the middle of it, but they were thwarted by the stone quarries. In the meantime, a brick house on the property became known as the Pest House, and was used to quarantine people who were contagiously ill. The need for a burial place nearby became apparent, and as such, Cave Hill Cemetery was founded in 1848. In the prosperous Victorian era, the cemetery expanded and became home to many impressive monuments. It is the final resting place of such people as George Rogers Clark and Harland Sanders (The KFC Coronel), as well as hundreds of unknown Civil War soldiers.

 

 

 

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