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Hummingbird Festival 2014 at Woodlands Nature Station (August 2-3)

July 10, 2014 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Hummingbird Festival Woodlands Nature Station 2014
Although this festival has expired, there is always something to see and do in the Woodlands Nature Station, as well as in the Land Between the Lakes. Visit our Kentucky Events  page for up to the minute happenings and be sure to check out our Things to Do in Kentucky  page.

 

I can actually remember the very first hummingbird I ever saw. My dad (where I got both my insane love of birds AND coffee from) pointed out a tiny little ball of motion that was hovering near one of his rose beds. When he asked if I knew what it was, I said it looked like the world’s largest dragonfly moving really, really, really fast. When he said it was a “hummingbird,” I thought he was pulling my leg – since it happened to be his favorite sport, it was never out of the question.

My mom backed up his story and a lifelong infatuation with these tiny beauties was born.

If you have an ongoing fascination with hummingbirds, you’ll want to be in the Land Between the Lakes in early August. The Hummingbird Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday (August 2-3, 2014) from 10am to 4pm.

From Woodlands Nature Station and LBL.org:

On-Going Activities:

  • Observe and learn as scientists band hummingbirds for migratory research.
  • Visit with local artists as they demonstrate their craft; buy some art to take home with you.
  • Talk with a local beekeeper as you check out our honeybee observation hive; purchase local bee products.
  • Find out how to attract bluebirds and other wildlife into your backyard; buy some native plants at our sale.
  • Visit the Hummingbird Gift Store to purchase feeders and more.
  • Discover our resident wildlife such as a bald eagle, bobcat, owls, snakes, and our new, red wolf pup.
  • Bring the kids for crafts, games, face painting, and scavenger hunt.

If you like Ruby-Throated hummingbirds, this is the weekend for you! Delight in watching more of these flying gems in one place than you can count! This year, discover “The Art of Hummingbirds,” featuring the artwork of local nature artists, inspired by the tiny hummingbirds and their outdoor neighbors. View a gallery of wildlife art, get tips from the experts, and even try your hand at wildlife photography and illustration. As always, you can also view our ongoing hummingbird banding demonstrations by licensed banders, as well as participate in a variety of programs and activities going on throughout the weekend. Bring the whole family, there will be plenty for kids to do too! Be sure to check back for further updates about the weekend’s schedule of programs and activities.$6 for adults; $4 for kids ages 5-12; Free for ages 4 and under. Event will take place rain or shine.

Click HERE for more information (the PDF will open in a new window).

See Also: How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard

Filed Under: Blog, Kentucky Birds, LBL, Summertime in Kentucky, The Nature Station Tagged With: hummingbirds, Kentucky Festivals, Land Between the Lakes events, Woodlands Nature Station

Lake Barkley Beach Bash June 21 – June 22, 2014

June 10, 2014 by Joi Sigers 1 Comment

Lake Barkley at Sunset

Lake Barkley at Sunset… Gorgeous!

Although this event has expired, there is always something to see and do in Kentucky. Visit our Kentucky Events  page for up to the minute happenings and be sure to check out our Things to Do in Kentucky  page.

If you read Genuine Kentucky regularly, you already know that the Kentucky State Parks turn 90 this year.  The park system is something all Kentuckians can, and should, be proud of. There’s so much history, fun, beauty, and Kentucky pride at each park that it’d be a travesty not to visit as many parks as you can, as often as you can.

Different parks are celebrating the anniversary in different ways. Lake Barkley State Resort Park thought the 90th called for a Beach Bash… how fun does that sound?

The Lake Barkley Beach Bash will take place on June 20-21, with all activities, of course, right on Lake Barkley’s beach.

The fun kicks off on Friday, June 20, at 7 p.m. with living history presentations, followed by an ice cream social. During this Chautauqua performance, audience members will have an opportunity to interact with actors portraying two of Kentucky’s most influential figures in history President Abraham Lincoln and statesman Henry Clay. This event is free.

The party continues through Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. with beach and carnival-themed games, contests, food vendors and prizes. Admission is $4 per person. And at 8 p.m., beach hours will be extended for Lake Barkley’s first sunset cinema, where visitors are invited to watch a free outdoor movie under the stars. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs, blankets and pillows! Movie refreshments and fun glow-in-the-dark items will be available for purchase.

Use of the beach June 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. will be limited to guests who purchase tickets for this event.

Call 270-924-1131 for reservations and information.

Besides the lodge, the park includes cottages, the Windows on the Water Restaurant, a seasonal campground, 18-hole golf course, fitness center with indoor pool, marina, fishing, tennis courts, hiking trails, gift shop, and recreational and nature programming. The park is near Cadiz and the Land Between the Lakes, at 3500 State Park Road just off Interstate 24.  Exit at Highway 68.  From the exit go west toward Cadiz and the park.

Lake Barkley

Lake Barkley in the Afternoon… Gorgeous!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Lake Barkley, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, News, Summertime in Kentucky Tagged With: Lake Ba, Lake Barkley

Blackened and Grilled Catfish at Willow Pond in Aurora

May 25, 2014 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Willow Pond Restaurant in Aurora, Kentucky

Imagine Cookie Monster finding out he could no longer eat cookies, or Popeye being told, “Buddy, spinach is making you sick. If you want to feel better, you can’t ever eat spinach again. Ever. Sorry, bro.”

That’s pretty much the way it was for me when I had to give up fried catfish. Fried catfish had become a great chunk of my culinary identity.  Put another way, it was a glorious addiction.

Was.

When I first realized I could no longer eat fried catfish (because of an unkind thing called gluten intolerance), I honestly felt a loss. Think about your own favorite food for a minute – now imagine you couldn’t eat it anymore.

Sucks, right?

The thought of giving up bread, on a scale of 1-10, hurt around a 2.  Pizza measured around a 5 and doughnuts were an oh so painful 8. Cookies would have been a 10 but there are tons of gluten free cookie recipes that are just as good, so I’m okay there.

Then there’s fried catfish… the pain threshold exceeded 10. Blew right past it and hit upwards of 100.

I even wondered if I’d ever go to my favorite restaurants in Kentucky for catfish anymore. I figured, why bother?! However, we happened to be around Kentucky Lake a short while back and, for us, that means Willow Pond. My husband and one of our closest friends have always ordered the blackened and grilled catfish and have never (once) left a single bite behind on their plates, so I figured it’d be worth trying.  So we decided to go to our beloved Aurora Willow Pond.

As luck would have it, plate after plate of fried catfish passed by my table on their way to other diners. “Lucky dogs!”, I kept muttering under my breath.

Willow Pond (Aurora) Grilled Catfish
However, as soon as my blackened catfish came and I took a bite, I realized that I was as lucky as anyone in the restaurant. The blackened seasoning is out of this world and each bite was a whole new experience with catfish.  I also tried my husband’s grilled catfish and it was equally delicious.

Ge this: I think I actually prefer catfish grilled and blackened – and I would have NEVER thought that was possible.  While fried catfish is still one of the most delicious things in this world, when it’s blackened or grilled, you can actually taste the juicy and tender catfish better.  There’s no breading to get in the way – just the best fish in the world and you.

Just how it should be.

Blackened Catfish at Willow Pond (Aurora, Ky )
As always the white beans (with their amazing red pepper relish that’s always available on each table), baked potatoes, and coleslaw were extra delicious. Naturally the hush puppies (some of the best in the world) were as off limits to me as the fried catfish (how can gluten intolerance be so hateful?!?!) but my husband assured me they were as delicious as always.

Let me say this in my husband’s defense – if I’d wanted him to, he’d have asked the server not to bring ANY hush puppies to the table. Fortunately for him, I’m nowhere nearly as mean as gluten intolerance is – well… maybe right after a UK Basketball loss… but only then.

Everything about the Willow Pond Restaurant in Aurora is perfect. Everyone is warm, friendly, and genuinely glad to see your hungry face walk through the door. The food is absolutely delicious and you can’t beat the prices – no way, no how.  I love the quirky, down-home country charm of the decor almost as much as I do the food.

Almost.

As we were enjoying our meal on this most recent visit, I realized something else I love about Aurora’s Willow Pond:

  • It’s quiet.
  • It’s peaceful.
  • It’s relaxing.
  • It’s the ideal setting for enjoying a meal.

A lot of restaurants play so-called background music so loud you find yourself chewing to the beat – not exactly relaxing.  Some are also just, somehow, incredibly loud.  You know the restaurants, right? Where it seems you can hear everything going on in the kitchen and everything the people at the next table are talking about.  If you add the “background” music on top of that and the clamoring of the servers buzzing around, it isn’t any wonder that we all tend to quicken the pace of our eating to keep time with our busy surroundings.

I’ve even gotten to my car after a particularly loud meal and just wallowed in the quietness and stillness of my vehicle!

Willow Pond (Aurora, Ky) is the complete opposite of the typical busy bee restaurant. It’s a lovely step back in time to when the meal and the conversation over the meal were the main event.

Again, just as it should be.

No matter where you live, a trip to Aurora is always a beautiful idea.  Not only does Aurora have the famous Hitching Post Country Store and Kenlake State Resort Park,  it’s also mere minutes from Land Between the Lakes and Kentucky Lake.

After a day enjoying all the area has to offer, just look at what you have to look forward to! The best catfish you ever ate and…..

Willow Pond Restaurant in Aurora, Kentucky

 

Willow Pond’s ridiculously delicious hush puppies, vinegar coleslaw, and white beans (with red pepper relish available).

  • Read more about the best catfish restaurants in Kentucky.
  • Find more restaurant options for Eating Gluten Free in Kentucky.

Filed Under: Aurora, Best Catfish, Blog, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: best Kentucky restaurants, Catfish restaurants, Kentucky Lake restaurants, Kentucky Restaurant reviews, restaurant reviews

Well, the Bluegrass Has Officially Frozen….

January 6, 2014 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Kentucky Seasons Collage

My youngest son-in-law and I both love winter – easily as much as any other season. We get excited at the thought of the first snow and run around giddy while others are bemoaning the cold. We are, however, keeping our winter enthusiasm kind of off the radar right now.

Funny thing – when you love winter, people almost blame you when stepping outside feels like stepping into a freezer.  I don’t know how many times I hear, “Well, I hope you’re happy…”  I keep the fact that I sort of am to myself.

We assure our summer-loving family members that we didn’t cause this recent temperature plummet but I don’t think they’re convinced.

This morning, when I was replacing the birds’ water bowls with actual water as opposed to solid ice, I thought about our seasons here in Kentucky. We run the gamut, don’t we?!?! In the same yard, just months ago, I spent countless hot afternoons adding ice to the same dishes that I found myself dumping it out of this morning.

Although we were born and raised in Kentucky, we have lived in other states for periods of time. While each had many wonderful things about them – as far as I’m concerned, there’s just no place quite like Kentucky. When we lived in the Mid-Northwest, there were basically two seasons: Summer and Winter. When we lived in Florida, there were basically two seasons: Spring and Summer. I much prefer what we have here in Kentucky – four beautifully distinct seasons- yes, even winter and, yes, even THIS winter.

I Love What Kentucky Serves Up Each Season:

  • the first robin of spring
  • farmers selling their produce on roadsides in summer
  • pumpkins in front of Kroger in autumn
  • rabbit tracks in the snow
  • grabbing a hot drink at Starbucks on a cold winter night
  • college/high school Basketball in winter
  • college/high school Football in autumn
  • St. Louis Cardinals baseball in summer
  • driving through the Land Between the Lakes in summer with the windows down
  • driving through the Land Between the Lakes the rest of the year with the windows up!
  • Kentucky State Park Golf Courses in spring, summer, and fall
  • Kentucky State Park’s decorated lobbies for Christmas
  • shopping for Christmas gifts with the heater pumping
  • watching the sun shine on Rough River Lake, Kentucky Lake, and Lake Barkley
  • rainy spring afternoons
  • summer storms
  • crocus flowers popping through the frost
  • the aroma of chili cooking in the crock-pot on a snowy day
  • colorful daffodils in spring
  • wildflowers in summer
  • and so on and on and on!

The point is, Kentucky keeps things interesting. No matter how hot summer may get or how (ahem, ahem) frigidly cold winter may get, we always know relief is just around the corner.  As I’m looking out my window right now, birds are scrambling on a white frozen ground for the dried bread crumbs, peanuts, and birdseed I threw out this morning.  But in no time at all, the ground will be lush and vividly green and these same birds will be enjoying something other than “frozen food!”

Our four distinct seasons are just one of the gazillion-and-one reasons I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Winter in Kentucky Tagged With: Kentucky seasons

Picture of the Day: Cardinal Making the Best of It!

December 9, 2013 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Male Cardinal

Like any unreasonable person, I spent some time in my front yard as the sleet, ice, and snow came down Friday. We have a great number of bird feeders, water dishes, squirrel feeders, and even spots we leave things out for possums, raccoons, rabbits, and skunks.  I wanted to make sure there were ears of dried corn readily available for all interested parties.

I watched a beautiful little male cardinal (he’s the model in these pics) as he tried to figure out just how to handle the weather conditions. He sat on a limb, trying to brace his little face against the ice pellets (above).  It didn’t take him long to decide on his course of action: He flew around to the other side of the tree (where the trunk protected him from the onslaught of ice) and ate his breakfast in one of our swing feeders (below).

He was soon joined by a female cardinal who was also intent on eating as much as she could in one setting. After filling replacing the ice in the bowls with water, I trudged back inside and thanked God for a warm home.

I have to admit, I also did a mental count of the number of days till baseball season.

Cardinal in a Swing Feeder

Filed Under: Blog, Kentucky Birds, Kentucky Picture of the Day, Winter in Kentucky Tagged With: Kentucky pictures, male cardinal picture, winter in Kentucky

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"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

Flowering Tree in Bowling Green
Fraley Music Festival
Maddox

Kentucky News and Events

  • Hot Dog Days of Summer at the Kentucky Legend Cafe in Owensboro (Located in the Convention Center)
  • Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory: Activities for Astronomy Day (May 7, 2022)
  • Kentucky Legend Café: Delicious Place to Enjoy Lunch in Owensboro, Kentucky
  • A Sensational Spring Break at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes April 2-10, 2022
  • Kentucky Blog: Coming Back to Life Along with the Trees!
  • 240 Percent Increase in Childhood Covid-19 Cases Since July: St. Jude’s Experts Response to the Dire Situation
  • Things to Do in Lexington, Kentucky!
  • Woodlands Nature Station to host 25th Annual Hummingbird Festival

Kentucky State Parks

We have a special passion for Kentucky State Parks, so you'll find many articles and reviews centered around the beautiful state parks in Kentucky.

A personal goal is to visit, photograph, and enjoy each and every one of our state parks and eat at each of the state resort parks. Make no mistake about it, we're well on our way!

Bird Watching in Kentucky!

One of our greatest passions is birds and bird watching is an absolute favorite pastime. If you love our feathered friends and want to learn more about bird watching and attracting birds to your own backyard, be sure to check out our section dedicated entirely to Kentucky birds.

Kentucky Restaurants and Reviews

Kentucky Restaurant Reviews

Where are the best Kentucky restaurants?! Find out in our Kentucky Restaurant Reviews.

Also See: Best Fried Catfish in Kentucky
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Kentucky Events

The pandemic has crushed many activities, events, and normalcy – not just in Kentucky, but all around the world. As we creep back toward normal, I want desperately to highlight any and all events going on around Kentucky. Please E-mail me any information you’d like shared about your Kentucky event! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Kentucky Pictures

Kentucky Pictures
Check out the beautiful Pictures of Kentucky in our photo albums!

Advertising & Reviews

If you are interested in advertising on Genuine Kentucky, please contact us: e-mail Joi Sigers.

Also, if you have a resort, condo, golf course, restaurant, or even a cup of coffee (LOVE coffee!) you'd like for us to review, please contact us at joi@genuinekentucky.com.

Genuine Kentucky Disclaimer

We do not work for any Kentucky service or organization. We are simply proud to have been born and raised in the greatest state in the country and are thrilled to call it home. This site serves as our tribute to Kentucky and its warm and wonderful people. Our mission is to bring more travelers to Kentucky and keep more Kentuckians home! See our Privacy Policy.
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