Collage Wall Project

These days everyone is a photographer. With a camera attached to most phones and everyone competing for the non-existent best instagram account contest, so many of us take many photos daily. I hate to admit it but I am kind of one of those amateur photographers who thinks I am really doing something. I am proud of some of my photos, so proud that before I even had a good camera phone, using an average little red camera I decided I wanted to do a collage wall in my home of photos I have taken over the last few years. The idea began after I met my beau, who exposed me to so much in Ohio including two of my favorite places: the Lake Erie area and Ohio Amish Country. I'd lived in Ohio for many years and I hate to admit that I was so unfamiliar with my home state.  That was a little over three years ago and I realized I have not collected the amount of photos I want for my display. I am consciously thinking about it now, so I thought I would share the few photos that started my concept. This will be an on going post until I finish my wall. I must also shout out my beau, whose birthday is today. He has inspired me so much and I share these photos with him because he was there when I captured each one. Happy Birthday Leo!

2011 My first sight before my first visit to Put in Bay

2011 Fog over swamp land my first time in Amish Country

2013 My sister's 30th birthday trip Lake Erie area. The view from the house we rented in Port Clinton.

Until Next Time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be Adventurous!

Kris,

Hello 2015!

photos: Amish Country, Beyonce & Jay souvenir book, my first pumpkin pie, Earth Wind & Fire concert, Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns, my nephew in the Ohio Village, my black and white cookies, The Lion King Broadway Play Bill, Me and Dr. Breakfast after the Columbus Food Adventure Breakfast Tour

I had an incredible 2014! I started this blog. I went to quite a few concerts. I saw Cher, Cyndi Lauper, K Michelle, 2 Chainz ,Beyonce, Jay-Z, Earth Wind & Fire and Aretha Franklin. I was introduced to a group called Foreign Exchange, when a friend invited me to their concert last spring. I realize my list is an odd combination of artists but I love music. I spent the summer exploring Columbus with my eleven year old nephew. We treated our city as if we were tourists and visited the normal places like COSI and the statehouse and not so known places like Krema Nut Company. I tried some new things like canoeing. I discovered the North American Pawpaw and tasted pawpaw dishes at the Ohio Pawpaw Festival. I introduced my sister to Ohio Amish Country.  Then I returned to Amish Country in December for The Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns. I traveled to several Ohio cities that I had not been like Portsmouth, Frazeysburg and Kingston. I got a free Columbus Food Aventures tour which I used to have Breakfast with Nick, one of my favorite local bloggers. I participated in a Room Escape Adventure where I was locked in a room with a zombie with just an hour to escape. My group made it out with just under two minutes to spare.  I saw the Lion King Broadway Musical and the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson show. I learned how to make pumpkin pie, paella and New York style black and white cookies. It was a busy year, I can't even name all the shows I saw, new restaurants or recipes I tried, things I did and places I visited.

I hope to do so much more in this year. I want to facilitate the expansion of my business and travel more. I want to organize my closet and the rest of my life. I want to also inspire you and the people around me. I know I am one blogger in a sea of more established bloggers so thank you for your time and interests. Thank you for being a part of my journey!

Be blessed Be free! Be adventurous!

Kris,

Christmas Cookie Tour!!! Twelve Days Of Christmas

Holiday decor in the Garver House B&B

 My day was spent exploring Amish Country this past Saturday. This is my second time writing about this particular setting. I was there specifically for the 7th Annual Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns presented by The Amish Country Lodging Council. It is a tour that benefits local charities and offers the opportunity for Amish Country Inns to get exposure and market their business. The participants visit each Inn to check out the rooms, holiday decorations and they receive a special cookie from each location. I heard about this tour two years ago. The last couple years, tickets sold out before I thought to purchase any. This year, once October ended; I ordered two tickets for the first day, of the two day event. Two weeks later I received two tickets in the mail along with two souvenir books. The books contained information about all the Inns that were participating, a map, the cookie recipes and images of quilt pieces representing 'Twelve Days Of Christmas', the theme of this year's tour.

I woke early Saturday morning to get to Amish Country for breakfast and allow myself time to reach the first stop as soon as the event began. We started at the Inn farthest away so we could work our way back for convenience. We had twelve Inns to visit from 12:30P.M. until 6:00P.M. This gave me and my travel companion thirty minutes per stop, which was more than we needed for any location. Some of the venues were further away and not easy to find which ate up some time. Thank goodness I was with someone who knew the area well. We made such good time, we were able to stop at a few places in between.

The Garver House Bed& Breakfast

The first two stops of the tour were in Strasburg. The Ramada Inn was stop one and my least favorite of the tour. You could tell they didn't budget much for their decorations. I didn't even turn on my camera. They had 'Nine Ladies Dancing' from the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' theme and used Christmas trees with dancing ladies ornaments to satisfy the theme. The next stop was Garver House Bed & Breakfast. The décor was country style with quilts and felt decorations. The Inn itself was beautiful, comprised of decorative wooden flooring and stunning stained glass windows. I could see myself spending a weekend there as soon as I walked through the door. Then they served us a tortilla soup and I never wanted to leave. It was so good. We finished the first two Inns in thirty minutes so we checked out a winery we had not been to. I will go into detail about that a little later.

Garver House 'A Partridge In A Pair Tree'

Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek 'Twelve Drummers Drumming'

Carlisle Inn in Sugarcreek was our third stop. The hotel was beautiful and the holiday decorations were incredible. Their decorations were my favorite of all the stops. They displayed a large deer prop on a bed with pine-like garland and other smaller holiday pieces. The pillow cases said Merry Christmas and were lit using red lights in candle holders. Since they had day twelve 'Twelve Drummers Drumming', they displayed stacks of bright shinny drums throughout the hotel. They also had a reception area with a hot coco bar that contained four kinds of hot coco and toppings. The caramel coco was delicious. I left feeling spoiled. The cookie they presented was a gooey red velvet butter cookie. It was insanely good. On to a cozy Memory Lane Cabin in Walnut Creek, where I barely recall the holiday décor but was fascinated with the wall of taxidermy. In addition to the cookie we expected we were also given homemade chocolate turtles.

Carlisle in Sugarcreek lobby

Memory Lane taxidermy wall

The fifth stop was a new hotel also in Walnut Creek called Wallhouse Hotel. The hotel was furnished with modern pieces and the holiday decorations delivered the same modern feel. The white Christmas tree in the lobby was adorned with sparkly blue bulbs. The blue was a nice contrast to the lime green color found through out the rest of the hotel. Wallhouse had the best food presentation, offering stacked cheese, tomato and olives. The finger food offering was strange but visually stunning. They also had a bakery vendor there who was handing out mini cupcakes. Yum!
 

Wallhouse Hotel

Wallhouse Christmas tree and 'Three French Hens'

Our sixth stop was the Carlisle Inn location in Walnut Creek. They have two locations but the hotels are both pretty different. The decorations were pretty, not as nice the first location. They were assigned 'Five Golden Rings'. They incorporated their theme in the diamond ring cut out cookie they passed out. I didn't recall seeing decorations related to the theme anywhere else. It was a beautiful hotel regardless.

Carlisle Inn Walnut Creek 'Five Golden Rings'

The next two Inns were in Wilmot and Dundee. The Inn at Amish Door was assigned 'Eleven Pipers Piping'. They didn't do much with the theme but their holiday decorations were beautiful and creative. They gave out mint whoopie pies which were my favorite take away from the event. We got lost temporarily looking for Sojourner's Lodge in Dundee. Once we got there we didn't stay long. The decorations outside were nice but their wasn't much inside the lodge. They incorporated 'Six Geese A Laying' with their takeaway,  an egg cut out cookie and a goose prop surrounded by golden plastic eggs with Christmas facts and jokes inside.

Decorations from The Inn at Amish Door 'Eleven Pipers Piping'

Sojourner's Lodge Decoractions 'Six Geese a Laying'

Enlarged quilt piece by Loretta Coblentz ' Six Geese a Laying'

By the time we got down to the last four Inns we were just about exhausted, but we kept pushing on. Luckily the last four were fairly close to each other. In Berlin we stopped at Zinck's Inn, Berlin Resort and Berlin Grand Hotel. Then we finished in Millersburg at Guggisberg Swiss Inn. At Zinck's we were met with brownie Christmas tree pops, the only non-cookie on the whole tour. In the lobby they had a beautiful tree with paper 'Ten Lords A Leaping'and two of the cutest elderly people singing Christmas Carols and playing instruments. Berlin Resort had another one of my favorite trees in their lobby and they were creative with their theme assignment. They used cow printed throws with an Amish maiden outfit thrown across a bed and a Christmas tree covered with cow lights, cow printed bows and little silver milk pails to portray 'Eight Maids A Milking'. Berlin Grand Hotel went literal with 'Two Turtle Doves' by placing ceramic turtle doves paired with red candles in their tour rooms.  My favorite Inn in terms of playing with the theme was Guggisberg Swiss Inn, who created 'Seven Swans A Swimming' with towel swans on the beds of the two rooms we viewed.

Zinck's Inn Christmas Tree in Lobby 'Ten Lords a Leaping'

Berlin Resort 'Eight Maids a Milking'

Berlin Grande Hotel  'Two Turtle Doves'

Guggisberg Swiss Inn 'Seven Swans a Swimming' 7 towel swans on a bed

I did not eat any of my cookies until this week. The cookies have mostly been very good. I am thrilled to also own a copy of each recipe. I have already decided which cookies I am going to bake. The event also got me excited about planning an overnight in Amish Country. It helps that every Inn gave away coupons and codes to receive a discount on a stay, all of which expire a year from this month. Though I had a great time, I am not sure I will do the tour again any time soon. While it was definitely worth it, it was just a really long day. My advice for future tours is to stay in the area.

I enjoyed the tour. It allowed me to explore parts of Amish Country I have not previously visited. Previous to this trip, I visited the same places every time. For information on those stops check out my post titled, 'Home of the Original Green Lifestyle'. During the tour I stopped at two cities new to me; Strasburg and Dundee, Ohio. I have also never spent the night in Amish Country, so being able to check out rooms in the area was exciting. There is so much variety from the coziest bed & breakfast or cabin to family size lodges and standard hotels. Check out the Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns website for next year's event.

Me in the lobby of Berlin Resort

Swiss Heritage Winery
 6011 Old Rte 39 NW
Dover, Ohio 44622 

I have to quickly mention the winery I visited. I love Ohio wine so I am surprised that I hadn't made it to this place before now, especially since it is directly across from another winery I frequent often, Breitenbach Wine Cellars. Swiss heritage is located inside Broad Run Cheesehouse. The tastings were five for a dollar. They also had a bar full of complimentary cheese, spreads and crackers to eat while we tasted. We fell in love with the Cherry wine and a sweet red called Dog Gone Good. In addition to the normal white options I also tried some interesting flavors such as Watermelon and Red Raspberry. 

We left with some cheese, the Cherry and Dog Gone Good wine. I also bought a few fashion items from their fashion section. They had a lot of jewelry items and beautiful scarves. This is a place you must definitely visit if you are in the area. The wine is interesting and it is a great place to find gifts for wine lovers, foodies and fashionistas.

Broad Run Cheesehouse & Swiss Heritage Winery

 
until next time  
Be blessed! Be free! 
Be Adventurous!





Home Of The Original Green Lifestyle

Off to Amish Country

At least twice a year, I make my way to Ohio's Amish Country where the population is the largest in the United States. My guy, a very talented carpenter, gets his paint in the area so we take care of his business then stay to explore. He is the one who gave me my first Amish Country experience and we have made it one of our favorite destinations each year. Part of the lure is that the experience is one of the cheapest you can get away with. It won't cost you more than a tank of gas and attraction fees are very family friendly. Not to mention, imagining trying to live without cars, electricity, cable and internet is fascinating in itself. Once in the area, which is large since it spans over many cities, you have so many possibilities. There are many Amish Country businesses and attractions which range from farms with petting zoos and buggy rides to huge cheese markets. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite destinations should you want to head that direction.

Before you go, you need to be prepared. Start early because Amish Country shuts down at 4:30/5:00. You want to make sure you get as much time as possible. Sunday isn't a good day because most business are closed. It is a day of rest.Take a medium size cooler with you and stop for a bag of ice to keep your food in while you travel. Yes, you can take food for the road but I am talking about the food you will find while in Amish Country. There is so much great food, chocolates and even wines. The Amish are known for their cheese. They also have really fresh, antibiotic free meats, poultry, homemade salad dressings, preserves and baked goods made fresh daily. No matter what order you plan your stops, you won't have to worry about your goodies spoiling if you just take a few moments to prepare.

Say Cheese...Heini's Cheese Chalet

Heini's Cheese Chalet

6005 Country Rd 77

Millersburg, Oh 44654

http://www.heinis.com/

First things first, if you are going to Amish Country and you eat cheese, you have to check this place out! You just can't go to Amish Country and leave without cheese.  Heini's has 35 varieties of cheese including yogurt cheese for those watching their sodium intake. If the mere sight of the colorful Swiss decorated building doesn't get you excited enough, you can try every cheese they make, ready to be sampled in plastic containers down two isles. You can also sample, fudge, dips and condiments that are for sell, also made locally.  I usually stock up on cheese and take home a few items for my mom or gifts for friends. If you have the time, take the historical cheese tour if they are giving them the day you visit. It is short and interesting.

The Cheese Tour. Cheese curds being drained of whey during the cheese making process.

Good Old Country Cooking...Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen

photo courtesy of mrsyoderskitchen.com 

Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen

8101 State Route 241

Mt. Hope, Oh 44660

http://www.mrsyoderskitchen.com/

I have eaten at a few Amish restaurants but I always return to  Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen. The food there is consistent and delicious. The sweet tea is to die for and they have some of the best beets and pickled beet eggs. The first time I went, they had stewed tomatoes and creamed corn, both were really good. However,the reason that I return is for their broasted chicken.  While sides change regularly, they always have broasted chicken, roast beef with gravy, butter noodles and mashed potatoes. Everything is made from scratch and fresh.

Enjoying the Fruits of Labor...Breitenbach Wine Cellars

Breitenbach Wine Cellar

5934 Old Route 39 NW

Dover, Ohio 44622

http://www.breitenbachwine.com/

For the grown-ups, I strongly recommend stopping at Breitenbach in Dover, Ohio for some wine. They make and sell 40 varieties of grape and fruit wines. The selection includes a variety of reds, whites, and fruit wines such as apricot, strawberry, plum and rhubarb. You name it, they probably have it! They even carry one of my favorites, dandelion wine. Believe me, it tastes better than it sounds. 

The view from the patio is scenic. After tasting the wines which are a ridiculous reasonable quarter per taste, purchase a bottle or glass and enjoy the view on the patio which will either be covered or uncovered depending upon the season and weather. 

The first week of May is a great time to go so you can check out the Dandelion Festival they host each year. Taste the dandelion wine, dandelion sangria and food items featuring the dandelion leafy green. This year's festival is May 2-3.

Coming toward the winery from the behind

Dandelion wine

Extra Photos

The buggy parking area at Berlin Farmstead.

Posing in front of two buggys after lunch at Berlin Farmstead. 

At an Amish Flea Market with an Amish theater wax figure

If you happen to make Amish Country one of your destinations this year, make sure to wear comfortable shoes. There are a lot of uneven surfaces like hills, unpaved lots and roads. If you want to take pictures, make sure you ask permission if you want to include the Amish. They are friendly but are not all comfortable being photographed.  This part of Ohio is really beautiful and you will learn so much.  At least add Amish Country to your to do list.

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,