By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune columnist
One of the contributing reasons why my wife and I decided to buy our current house was because of the “leaves turnin’” scenery along the roadside as we drove into the neighborhood. It was springtime that we first located our future home, but promotional literature showing fall colors there filled our senses. When autumn came, the pretty foliage pictures were as advertised. Now living at our Versailles home the last six years, autumn beauty is right on our doorstep, and so invigorating.
But no doubt, our autumn gold is plentiful across the state of Kentucky, as others attest.
Kristi Barrett, of Nicholasville, likes the colorful entrance to the racecourse at Keeneland. The location will have a chance to show that beauty a lot in the next few weeks, as it started its fall meet racing on October 7 and the season runs through the 29th.
Northern Kentuckian Debbie Hurley likes the fall colors found in Natural and Sky Bridge, near Slade, and Gayle Deaton, from Breathitt County, says more about the eastern part of the state. She noted that the mountains there “are so very gorgeous in autumn, so anywhere among them is bound to give spectacular views! I particularly love visiting both Natural Bridge and Buckhorn State Resort Parks, and a drive in my native Breathitt County in any direction is always a joy in the fall, but Elk View, assessed via South Fork Road, at Quicksand, gives stunning views of free-range horses as well as plentiful wildlife, in addition to panoramic sights filled with natural beauty.”
Janet Windgassen-Cook said she is fond of Lickert Road, near Claryville in southern Campbell County, often enjoying “beautiful fall colors when driving to my brother’s house.” Donna Brann, from Grant County, needs only to gaze from her kitchen window to see pretty seasonal sights on Highway 22, east of Williamstown.
And, the Lexington Cemetery has “gorgeous trees and a peaceful feel,” according to Karen Leet, Lexington. I would wholeheartedly agree about the iconic cemetery, and the springtime colors are also amazing.
I’m hoping you’ll share your favorites, too. Feel free to make comments below or email me at sflairty2001@yahoo.com.
Louisville author Bill Noel has just released his twenty-second novel in the Folly Beach Mystery series, this one called Pretty Paper: A Folly Beach Christmas Mystery. The novel is co-authored by Angelica Cruz, who also worked alongside Bill in another in the series, Sea Fog.
Published by Enigma Press, located in Goshen, Pretty Paper tells of a spate of burglaries occurring on Folly Beach, a small barrier island off the coast of South Carolina. There’s something kind of fishy about the crimes, as they began happening after Mackey’s Miracle Troupe arrived at Folly Beach. Reputedly, the group are singers and actors who bring a message of inspirational cheer to Folly.
As always in the series, protagonist Chris Landrum and his odd little buddy, Charles Fowler, get involved in solving the crimes, applying their untrained skills in unorthodox ways. Along the way, readers are treated to characters who are quirky and entertaining. Noel’s books are always fun reads.
Pretty Paper is available at Bill Noel’s website, billnoel.com or on Amazon.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a story on the planned 225th Grant’s Lick Homecoming Celebration on September 17. According to official Linda Bray-Schafer, the event in southern Campbell County was a huge success.
“As organizers, Ken Reis and I didn’t know what to expect in terms of interest and attendance,” said Linda. “To our delight, we discovered that the sense of pride we felt for our little Grant’s Lick community was shared by nearly 1,000 visitors, who flooded the roads and grounds around Grant’s Lick Baptist Church and ‘downtown.’
Former residents flew in for this event. Grant’s Lick Elementary School classmates like 93-year-old Howard Johnston, came to tour the old school and reminisce with old classmates. The tractor and wagon, driven by a former Grant’s Lick Elementary principal and resident, ran tours all day, full of people who came to reflect upon and discover Grant’s Lick history.”
Summing it up, Linda added: “People were nostalgic about the good old days. They were happy to see each other, look at old photographs, and share their fond memories . . . it was absolutely a wonderful day!”
