Pleasant Hill, Kentucky

This morning we began our day at the Shaker Colony, Pleasant Hill KY.

Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, USA, is the site of a Shaker religious community that was active from 1805 to 1910. Following a preservationist effort that began in 1961, the site, now a National Historic Landmark, has become a popular tourist destination. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, or Shakertown, as it is known by residents of the area, is located 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Lexington, in Kentucky's Bluegrass region. It is a National Historic Landmark District. (Wikipedia)


It was set in beautiful woodland, and very well preserved. I was most impressed by the talk about religious beliefs given by a volunteer interpreter, and then even more impressed by the architecture of the Meeting House. The simplicity of the furniture - its clean lines and artistry were divine. I have no doubt that although set in a tranquil place, their lives would have been very hard - laborious; and full of persecution by the suspicious community surrounding them.


After lunch, we headed for Cincinnati - and are staying just outside Dayton in a country town named Waynesville - a gorgeous little place, heavily wooded, little river nearby, so quiet and peaceful.

At the Shaker Colony

Coming into Cincinnatti

Crazy freeways - quadruple staked at one point!

The nicest school room

Mammoth Cave and horses

The cave tours were great. 2 1/2 hours was just long enough for the boys and I, and Ken's tour with the girls at 4 hours was time well spent. Mammoth Cave lives up to its name in size! It is truly cavernous! Cave photos are always a bit dodgy, but you could go to the website to see some professional ones.

A surprise for Sophia followed, with a trip to Jesse James Horse Rides. While the others went riding, I spent time contemplating the universe in silence - bliss!

Kentucky!

This morning we walked across the bridge over the Ohio river and into Kentucky to visit the Frazier History Museum. http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

We had a few enjoyable hours there in that wonderfully presented museum. Its focus is on military weaponry and armour from the British Royal Amouries as well as American artefacts. We spent quite some time in the Medieval section and the Tudor section, and all took turns to fire a bow and arrow. The special exhibition of Samurai warfare was wonderful -such artistry and delicacy in the weaponry and armour. The kids enjoyed dressing up in some of the Samurai head gear.

Yep ... the Kentucky Yum! Centre ... 

cool car parked on the Museum Row street

Fire the cannon!

Samurai Benedict

such ornate design - exquisite armour

doing calligraphy with water on slate tiles

Sophia and her horse fetish - hoping she'll grow out of it!

walking back over the Ohio, we watched coal being transported along the great, wide river

Leaving the museum, we headed for Abraham Lincoln's birthplace. It was, once again, a lovely setting, but the constant dialogue about how his "being born in Kentucky is what made the man" got a little tiring - what about his parents, his church and community?! Still, the State of Kentucky gave us Abraham Lincoln, and we did enjoy a long leisurely afternoon wandering through the land that his family used to farm. Once again the kids did their Ranger books, and attended a brief talk by a Park Ranger.

Birthplace memorial - inside holds a replica log cabin that he was born in. 56 stairs leading to the memorial represent his 56 years of life.

school work on that great stair case!

lush woodland setting

We are now near Mammoth Cave in Kentucky for two nights. Tomorrow we have booked cave tours -  4 hour cave tour for Ken and the girls, and a 2 1/2 hour tour for the younger boys and myself. We are in a lovely little RV park, complete with indoor treadmill - yeah! It has been put to the test and passed with flying colours!

Cahokia Mounds & Lincoln Boyhood Memorial

This morning we spent a while at Cahokia mounds http://www.cahokiamounds.org/

What a fabulously done museum/interpretive centre! Well worth the visit - the children certainly engaged with the stories of people who lived there long ago. Sorry there are no photos - you'll have to check out the website.

After a few hours more driving (kids sleeping/kids going English/kids sleeping) we arrived at Lincoln City, Lincoln's Boyhood Memorial http://www.nps.gov/libo/index.htm. What a beautiful piece of the world. The woodland setting was so very peaceful. However, what delighted me more, was the fact that the children continue to engage with the exhibits in the museums, interpretive centres and other historical/cultural sites we visit. They simply do not question why we aren't visiting fun parks all the time. Benedict is becoming so good at decoding information presented to him. Today he surprised me by pointing out that Lincoln's family travels from Kentucky to Indiana was only a short trip compared to what we have already driven, even in a horse and cart. Not bad contextualising for a 5year old. Oliver noted that "that Harry Truman guy lived in the Whitehouse too like Mr Lincoln did; and did you know that the Whitehouse has 152 toilets?" Ken and I are so proud of all the kids and their ability to interact with the docents, park rangers and visual/textual information everywhere we go - they are really little sponges!

entry to Lincoln Memorial

beautiful tree lined streets

visitor information centre - once again kids completed the Junior Ranger program and have the badge to prove it

the grave site of Lincoln's mother, who died of milk sickness

view skyward from my park bench seat! glorious!

Sophia carding wool in the cabin similar to what Lincoln would have spent his boyhood in.

Benedict trying his luck at carding wool

The boys making a right mess of it!

The Arch, St Louis MO

Waiting for the 'pod' to take us up to the top of the Arch - The Gateway to the West

Not really liking small spaces...

So darned crowded for such a small space

View of St Louis from the top

Shadow from the top

The Arch, St Louis

Mississippi River 

The 'Tom Sawyer' our riverboat that took us along the Mississippi for an hour long cruise

City Museum - St Louis MO

After an afternoon of school work, we wandered on down to City Museum. It was totally awesome! It is an amazing building that looks like a co-operative of experimental artists were given free rein and no brief about how to design and embellish the place - well perhaps the only guideline was that it had to be a fabulous place to explore and play. On the top of the building is a ferris wheel, a school bus suspended over the side, and an enormous slide leading to the ground floor. Inside there are seemingly unending rooms, all with different themes - some decorated with remnants from the old travelling shows, some like diners, some with huge skate ramps, but the favourite was the one themed like Jonah and the Whale. In centre place was an enormous marble whale that you walk right into. Inside leads to mazes that go 10 storeys high, or right underground. Ken and the kids played hide and seek for over an hour and didn't cover it all! The floors were mosaic, there were marble columns, and everywhere there were surprises - let your guard down and you could walk right under a huge bucket spilling water from a great height at random intervals. Outside the building was like being in a totally bizarre beer garden! We sat at tables sipping our 'cool beverage' whilst chill out session music played, people sang and danced around us, and kids played in the uber tree house and climbing frame surrounding us. For me - well, I like order, so this place freaked me out somewhat. For the kids - well, getting them to leave was incredibly difficult. I've never experienced anything like it - it was fabulous!

City Museum - note the school bus on the roof that you can climb in!

Sophia and her organ-grinder monkey!

Dad's undies on display - how embarrassment!

The boys need coaxing to get them of get off!

In a cage, terrorising a small city - appropriate :)

running, slipping, spinning, sliding

uber tree house that went 6 storeys high

Ben and ball pit - he'd been throwing balls at that lady's head and had just received his own in payback!

Oliver, Sophia and Victoria - so darned high up!

Over the water!

The Whale Room - ceiling hung with white feathers, floor of mosaic, marble whales

Ben coming up from under the belly of the whale!