10 Things To Try This Spring

Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and trees are blossoming with new life! We’ve been waiting for it for what feels like forever even though in reality it was a few weeks, and now Spring is finally here! If you’re like me and thinking what to do this Spring, then this Top 10 list is for you! Presenting…10 Things To Try This Spring!

  1. Take a walk around where you live. This may sound basic but Spring is a great time to see what has changed since you were last able to go for walks in the Summer or Fall. The walk will be relaxing because it is in a familiar setting, and you also might get some inspiration for outside your own home!
  2. Look up a trail nearby that you’ve never hiked and hike it! I love to hike on trails in the Spring and Fall. Of course you have to understand that in Summer, I sweat like it is nobody’s business just walking out the door. So the weather in Spring and Fall makes for my perfect hiking climate. I like to hike in the Spring because you get to see all of the life returning to nature. Plus, it’s usually cool up into the day during the Spring which again prevents sweating!
  3. Splash in some mud puddles! If you live somewhere that it rains a decent amount, go outside after it is finished (or when it is raining) and splash through some puddles. You’re going to get wet, but your shoes will dry, and you can change your socks. There’s a childlike joy that comes with splashing in puddles, and we can all use a little childlike joy.
  4. Go for a country drive! I know gas is pricey, but think about it in comparison to buying a bunch of tickets for something. With that perspective the price isn’t so bad! Since I grew up in the middle of nowhere, I’ve always found country drives on winding roads that are surrounded by fields to be relaxing. Plus, there is something so soothing about having the windows down and jamming out to the radio!
  5. Checkout a State Park! I can’t speak for every state, but where I live there is a great state park system. Most of these have a variety of activities, and typically one can be found relatively close to home. We love to walk along the water and hunt for fossils if the water is down, and we also enjoy relaxing in a cabin.
  6. Plant flowers! I love planting flowers! They instantly beautify your surroundings and perk up your mood. Plus, there are great health benefits when you have house plants. I’ve got my little indoor garden in my office, and it frequently perks me up!
  7. Declutter! Spring cleaning is not fun when you think of it in terms of dusting, washing baseboards, shampooing carpets, etc. However, decluttering can be a lot of fun! There is something refreshing and rewarding about getting rid of items you no longer need and passing them on to someone who can use them!
  8. Plan for the future! What better time to rethink your dream vision of your future than Spring when new life is all around you? Make lists of trips you’d like to take, foods you would like to try, movies you want to see, etc. Anything can be on your list, and don’t be afraid to dream big!!!
  9. Reconnect with people! Do you ever find yourself thinking that you wish you talked to someone more? Reach out to them! Send them a “I was thinking about you, I hope you’re doing well.” It doesn’t have to be a big connection, but it will most likely make them feel important.
  10. Try something new for your health. This can be exercising more, getting a long over do checkup, treating yourself to a massage, changing your eating habits, drinking more water, etc. Improving your health is the key to getting to do everything else on your list!

What would be on your list of 10 Things To Try This Spring?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

KY-ish Staycation

“Staycation all I ever wanted…staycation no time to get away.”

The idea of a staycation – officially a bona fide Merriam-Webster word since 2009 and allegedly used as early as 1944 by the Cincinnati Enquirer – has been a growing trend in the US since the financial crises of the late 00’s.  The idea of a staycation is simple: enjoy a vacation while being able to sleep at home.  Staycations can be as easy as hanging out at home and just doing fun things like vegging on the couch, playing video games, and watching TV.  They can also be a trip to somewhere within a 3 to 4 hour drive from which you can go and come back in one day.  Either way, they are typically cheaper and require less advance planning than a getaway vacation.  With summer fast approaching, I thought I’d talk about some great Kentucky-ish (aka some are in Tennessee or Southern Indiana also called SoIn) staycation spots!

Corvette Museum – Now I don’t know a lot about engines or specs on a transmission, but I know pretty and shiny!  Oh and you can see a cool exhibit of some cars falling in a sinkhole!  You’ll also have a chance to see the only 1983 Corvette in existence which as an ’83 baby I find interesting.  As an added bonus, you take the tour at your own pace which allows you to spend as little or as much time in the museum as your attention span allows.   Adults – $10 – http://www.corvettemuseum.org 

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Kentucky’s Stonehenge – So this guy, Chester Fryer, built Stonehenge replicas in his yard.  It is really neat to walk through (which you do at your own leisure) both because it is pretty to look at and the work that went into the development is amazing.  We went and saw it in 2008! FREE – http://www.kystonehenge.com

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Lincoln Birthplace – good if you either like history (me) or climbing a lot of stairs (not me).  The natural spring on the property is beautiful as is the replica cabin.  Plus, the tree from the property known as the Boundary Oak totally provided the name for a local distillery!  Don’t you think Lincoln would have totally approved?  FREE – nps.gov/abli/index.htm

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Cumberland Falls – home of the epic Moon Bow! Which BTW is not someone mooning you in front of a waterfall!  It has been billed as the Niagara of the South and is very pretty.  Thankfully, there is a lot to do at the State Park because truth be told you can only stand around looking at a waterfall for so long before it becomes boring.  But in the park you can go white water rafting, attempt to take a raft up under the falls, hike, enjoy activities in the lodge, chill in a cabin, etc.  All this makes it a great location! Some free activities, some not so much – parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/cumberland-falls 

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21C Museum Art Gallery – This is the uniquest gallery I’ve ever been to! I love the variety of media represented in their installations.  A favorite of mine is the installation shaped like a tornado made up of items salvaged from a tornado. It is a quick tour, but well worth it with everything else on Museum Row!  Free – 21cmuseumhotels.com/louisville or for those in the Lexington area 21cmuseumhotels.com/lexington.

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Discovery Park of America – Just across the Tennessee line is this gem of a museum! There is literally something for everyone here and the building is shaped like a dragon!  Plus, for an additional fee you can attempt an escape room.  Oh! And for no additional fee you can climb on an old train and pretend to be a conductor or the dude in the caboose!  General Admission Adult – $14.95 – discoveryparkofamerica.com

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Mammoth Cave – home of a really cool tour where the only light is a lantern you (aka Mr. Kisby when we went) carry on the journey!  Plus in the cave are cool features like an abandoned TB hospital, old mining equipment, and supposedly a ghost or two! Prices vary by tour – nps.gov/maca/index.htm

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None of these tickle your fancy? Here are some other popular attractions!

  • Louisville Slugger Museum – Free mini bat with admission!
  • Squire Boone Caverns – Lot of stairs, but you get to see a coffin!
  • Indiana Caverns – Is it a walking tour? Is it a boat ride?  Is it both?
  • Frazier Museum – Lots of old school sharp objects and shiny armor!
  • Speed Art Museum – Good art, good times!
  • Rauch Planetarium – Space fun for the whole family!
  • Newport Aquarium – Fish? Pretty! Sharks? Freaky Fun! Penguins? I LOVE PENGUINS!
  • Forest Edge Winery – Good wine, great people!
  • Castle Post – It’s a castle in Kentucky…enough said!
  • Keeneland – It is beautiful and you can gamble KY style by betting on horses!
  • French Lick and West Baden Inns – cool 1920’s architecture, a freaking amazing dome, gambling, and wine with Italian food.

There’s a lot more staycation kind of things to do around Kentucky, but these are some of the tops I recommend!  Let me know which ones you like best!

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