Our Trip: Visiting & Vacationing

     After our late night at the moonbow, we slept in a little on Monday morning. Around 10:00 Rachel came over and we headed over to see Cicily - a friend I made while working at the Angel House in 2009. She was not a volunteer but a paid worker for G.C.H.  She now has 2 cute little boys - I only happened to get a picture of her youngest. Isn't he adorable?

     After visiting with her for a while, we went back to G.C.H. to meet up with Angie. The three of us then went out for lunch & then hiking at Cumberland Falls. We had some good conversation in the car and enjoyed the time of fellowship.  And the hiking was great. I think we hiked for about 3 hours - some fairly strenuous at points. But it was loads of fun. I've always loved hiking.

 

These are the same falls where we saw the moonbow - looks different in the sunlight.

 

 

Lots of stairs on our hiking trails

 

 

 

Hiked all the way around the falls & up to this observation point

 

At the end of the trail, we found Eagle Falls

 

The we jumped rocks to get in the middle of the river for pictures of Cumberland Falls

 

Love how this picture came out!

 

 

 

Before heading "home" we stopped at the lodge - so beautiful & rustic. There was a big fire in the fireplace with rocking chairs in front - wish we'd had time to take advantage of them. :)

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      While we were visiting & hiking, my siblings went over to Shaker Village (I'd been before) and had a good time.  Here are some pictures from their day (taken by Laura): 

 

They first rode the Ferry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shakers are known for their furniture - Aaron checks out some of their equipment (he's a cabinet maker)

 

Shakers believed you should stay single - and they had a staircase for each gender - even though they both lead to the same open landing upstairs. (I wonder what happened if they caught you using the other staircase?!)

 

Notice the two doors? Again, one for males, one for females. On top of the house, you see only one door - that's because only males were allowed atop the house. Same for the kitchen - one door for the females.

 

 

These walls/fences were made by slaves before the Civil War. You see them all over Kentucky. Not sure if the Shakers owned slaves (don't think so) or if they just utilized fencing that was already there.

     That evening we all met up again at the Butchie House (where we were staying) for supper and games. We had a good time. Angie had to work the early shift, Rachel was taking a friend to the airport in the wee hours of the morning, and our plans included an early start for Cincinnati, so we all said our good-byes & went to bed before it got terribly late. I do wish we'd had more days to stay!