Rustic Barnwood Bourbon Bar

Rustic bourbon bar made from old barnwood.

One of the tasting rooms at Bulleit Distillery.

My wife and I have done the Kentucky Bourbon trail a few times. On our first trip I kept noticing a lot of re-purposing of the bourbon barrels, the barrel staves and even the bottles. I’ve always been interested in the ingenuity some people have in making old things look somehow modern.

Such was the case everywhere we went on the trail. (See our article in the travel section for more information about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail).

An item of inspiration at the Bulleit Distillery gift shop located in Louisville, KY.

On that same trip, I saw a rather unique piece of craftsmanship using what I later learned was made from old barn wood. It was a one of a kind bourbon bar. That piece caused me to think about how I’d like to re-create something similar. I’ve always been handy and am by no means an expert craftsman but do consider myself fairly good at woodworking.

So, I took a few photos and thought I’d probably build something similar one day, but I’d first have to find the right materials to keep the bourbon bar as authentic as possible. Continue reading “Rustic Barnwood Bourbon Bar”

My First Car

The interior was ratty; the headliner was drooping and unattached in several places. The tires were nearly bald. The paint was scratched, but there weren’t any dents; well no major ones anyway.

Like most sixteen year old boys, I couldn’t wait to get that one thing that would allow me to escape,

…that would allow me to find my freedom and see the world. Well, the streets of my small hometown anyway. Getting one’s driver’s license is no doubt one of the most exciting things for any teenager’s life. Mine was no different.

In 1972, it was a little different.

We didn’t have to worry about people talking on phones while driving and certainly didn’t have to worry about people texting while driving. In 1972, the term had not even been coined yet. The biggest thing we had to worry about was finding enough money to pay for the thirty eight cents a gallon gas to put into whatever we were able to get the keys for. Most cars didn’t even have seat belts and certainly no shoulder harness restraints. And air conditioning was an “option.” Continue reading “My First Car”

Chocolate Bourbon Cake

Chocolate bourbon cake with cayenne pepper, iced in chocolate bourbon icing and topped with nuts.

Chocolate Bourbon Cake by Dixie Yakes

We have a birthday this weekend! We are celebrating Paul’s birthday. When I asked him what kind of cake he wanted, he said chocolate (exactly what I was thinking). So, I asked him how a cake with bourbon, chocolate and cayenne pepper sounded. He said I had him at bourbon and spicy.

Our oldest daughter and her husband will be in town visiting this weekend and will be here to help us eat this decadent dessert. Continue reading “Chocolate Bourbon Cake”

Granny Square Crochet Blanket

Red Heart yarn crocheted granny square blanket measuring 12 X 14.

Crochet has been one of my passions for several years now.

It started when I was around 10 years old when an older cousin taught me a few basic crochet skills. The first thing she taught me was how to crochet a chain stitch – the simplest stitch there is. I was so excited and immediately began crocheting a chain – a very long chain. I quickly became bored with this really long chain of crochet because I did not know any other stitches or even how to turn the work. Continue reading “Granny Square Crochet Blanket”

Two Baseball Gloves

After a few practices we were ready for our first game. The coach put me in at third base. I wasn’t very nervous but soon learned that playing the “hot corner” as I’d heard third base referred to, was not an easy position to play.

My love of baseball began at a very young age.

I was maybe seven or eight when my mother signed me up for little league. I wasn’t sure but once I got on the field I knew that baseball would become a lifelong passion.

I remember walking to the practice field. We didn’t have a car so we did a lot of walking back then. We didn’t view it as abnormal or anything. That’s just the way it was for us. So early one Saturday morning my mother and I began the four mile walk to the Eugene Field elementary school ball field. It took us over an hour to walk there to meet the coach and the other boys who were about to be my team mates.

Continue reading “Two Baseball Gloves”

The Spelling Bee

Then one day the teacher asked all of us students to stand beside our desks. We all did as told and were all looking around when she told us we were now going to have a test.

I started school in 1962. I didn’t go to kindergarten – it just hadn’t caught on yet where I came from.

I can still remember that first day of first grade. My mother walked me to my class that day. I’d never really been away from her very much and when I had, my grandparents were always within earshot.

I cried that first day and probably for the next few days until I realized that this was my new life. I was making friends and I was learning new things. I could already read and write some but I soon found myself not only wanting to go to school but eager to do so. I couldn’t wait for the next day to come.

Continue reading “The Spelling Bee”