After Cloudland & Bluff View, Mom and I headed west toward Nashville. I got to catch up with my friend Robin and her fantastic family. They were such gracious hosts, making everything cozy for us (even letting us use the master bedroom, while they took the guest room). We had a yummy dinner with a side of crime shows. The conversation (and dog tricks) were marvelous. All in all, a great Friday night.
Saturday morning, after a leisurely breakfast with Robin (and the true “top dog” of the family, Sully), we set out for the next leg of our trip. Our next stop, was a day with Debbie & Mike in Indiana.
It turns out that the largest arts festival in Southern Indiana was happening that day in Madison, Indiana. So, we spent the day (literally) on Main Street, soaking up some classic Americana. We strolled through the streets along the Ohio River, ate ice cream cones, and meandered through local shops and artists booths.
Debbie & Mike were so welcoming and we had a wonderful time. They filled our bellies with delicious homemade meals and filled our hearts with great memories. On the menu was veggie lasagna, roasted cauliflower, and baguette — all locally grown and lovingly made by Debbie & Mike. (And, yes Mike, I WILL have some of your awesome apple pie!)
On Sunday morning, after having a little fun with their favorite farm accessory, we continued on. As we drove to Ashland, Ohio to meet my aunt and uncle for dinner, my mom and I talked about all of our stops — Cloudland, Nashville, Madison — and how nice everything was. Then, Mom said “They all just seem happy.” As I tried not to worry about the fact that this sounded like a strange concept to her (i.e., happy people . . . she does live in a place that’s cold and gray a lot of the time, afterall), I agreed with her and felt lots of warm fuzzies for a perfect road trip!
