Curing the Tobacco - where did the moisture go?

Since I have been living in Kentucky (only a few weeks now), I have certainly noticed the tobacco barns. Even though I don't smoke, I have been fascinated by these barns and the process. It was the tobacco barns with their special venting systems that first caught my eye. Remember, I thought the barns were on fire (click here for that post.)

There must be so much history for each of these dilapidated barns, if only "barns could talk." Many of the barns have similar looks but I would think each farmer has his favorite venting system. They must consider efficiency and the winds for their systems.

The tobacco barn below is just a few miles from my house. I love the red color of this decaying barn. Even though it looks in bad shape it must get the job done for the curing process of the tobacco.

The boards used to hold the doors shut are almost all removed and the barn doors are open. You can see the tobacco hanging in the barn. In the picture below, I have circled the hanging tobacco so you don't miss it. 

The leaves are no longer green but are light to dark brown in color. According to Wikipedia, each leaf loses approximately eighty percent of its own weight by the time the curing process has successfully finished. In the first two weeks of the curing process, about an acre of hanging tobacco loses about five tons of water. 

The farmers cure the tobacco at specific temperatures and humidities, according to the desired taste of the tobacco.

There you have it, another day of "life in Kentucky."

Judy

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Lavendar Cottage

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ StoneGable Blog

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With an E

Tweak It Tuesday @ Cozy Little House

Fall into Fall @ DIY by Design

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

What Is It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Share Your Style Link Party @ The Uptown Acorn

Treasure Hunt Thursday @ From My Front Porch to Yours

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme 

Feathered Nest Friday @ The French Country Cottage

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Fabulously Creative Friday @ Jennifer Rizzo

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Weekend Retreat @ AKA Design & Life

The Bouquet of Talent Party @ Life on Lakeshore Drive - Saturday

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life 

Table It Monday @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays

Is the Barn On Fire?

I recently posted that we are moving to Murray, KY, to be close to our daughter and SIL who are relocating there with new jobs. I'm really not that familiar with Kentucky so I have much to learn about living in Kentucky.

For instance, I was driving to Murray one day in our home search and I passed the barn below and for a few seconds, thought it was on fire. Take a look and see what you think!

Remember, I didn't grow up in Kentucky or anywhere where tobacco is grown! So a smoking barn means fire to me. Ok, so it wasn't a barn on fire but instead they were smoking tobacco in the barn. It is a pretty cool picture and the tobacco didn't stink like cigarettes. 

You know, I don't smoke or approve of it, but the tobacco barns were pretty amazing! Maybe I'll take more pictures of tobacco barns in Kentucky. Take care - Judy.

Linking to:

Masterpiece Monday at California Coastal Home

Make-It-Pretty Monday’s at The Dedicated House

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Metamorphosis Monday@ Between Naps on the Porch
Make It Monday @ Katherine’s Corner

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop at Stonegable Blog

You’re Gonna Love It Tuesday at Kathe With an E

Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Ivy and Elephants for What Is It Wednesday

The Uptown Acorn for Share Your Style Link Party

From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine’s Corner

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home on Thursday

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted In Thyme

Feathered Nest Friday @ the French Country Cottage

Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Fabulously Creative Friday @ Jennifer Rizzo

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating-Flaunt It Friday

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Weekend Retreat @ AKA Design & Life

We are Moving - My Ole Kentucky Home

My family has had many changes over the past few months so my blogging has been next to nothing. We sold our house in Missouri several months ago and put every in storage thinking we would buy a new home this past spring or summer. Then my father had a terrible fall at his home in southern Illinois; so I have been there since the last of April.

Next our daughter and SIL decided to make job changes and move to Kentucky. So of course, we thought we should make plans to move to Kentucky when time permitted. Knowing my father's care would come first, we thought we could buy a home in Kentucky and go there on the weekends since it is only 1.5 hours from my Dad's home.

After much searching, we did find a home in Murray, KY that we felt could work for both of us. We wanted to downsize since we no longer need four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. I was tired of the constant cleaning that goes along with a bigger house. So here it is:

It is smaller than our last house and older but it has a great yard plus three acres that our grandson's will enjoy. I'm glad I'm not the one who will mow the yard! What really was appealing for my husband was the workshop behind the house. It has plenty of storage for our boat and his hunting equipment.

Sadly my father passed away on September 25 at age 93. He had a wonderful life and was a great Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather. He will be missed by all of us.

Now it looks like I will be moving to Murray full time to help with my grandsons especially the 5 year old who will be in daycare for half a day.

In addition to helping with the grands, we will be doing updates to the house. I should have lots to blog about especially the new kitchen going in.

Take care - Judy.

Linking to:

Sunday Down Under @ Natasha in Oz

Masterpiece Monday at California Coastal Home

Make-It-Pretty Monday’s at The Dedicated House

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Metamorphosis Monday@ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop at Stonegable Blog

You’re Gonna Love It Tuesday at Kathe With an E

Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Ivy and Elephants for What Is It Wednesday

The Uptown Acorn for Share Your Style Link Party
From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine’s Corner

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home on Thursday

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted In Thyme

Feathered Nest Friday @ the French Country Cottage

Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Fabulously Creative Friday @ Jennifer Rizzo

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating-Flaunt It Friday

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Weekend Retreat @ AKA Design & Life

Sunny Simple Sunday at Sunny Simple Life

Three Mango Seeds It's Party Time on Sundays

The Badlands of South Dakota

We recently took a trip to the Badlands. Although we had been to the Badlands on several occasions, it's always amazing to see. Our family still travels together at least once or twice a year and we try to take in a national park.

It is very desolate and you can look for miles and see no sign of civilization. 

The park is located in southwestern South Dakota. Our grandsons did the Junior Ranger program in the park.  

It consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spirels blended with grass prairie. 

The wind and water have ravaged the land yet it is so picturesque.

There you will see the largest mixed grass prairie in the National Park System. 

We drove the Badlands loop to take it all of it's beauty and take lots of pictures. There are so many angles to capture of the buttes and spires. 

The erosion of the Badlands reveals layers of different colors: purple and yellow (shale), tan and gray (sand and gravel), red and orangine (iron oxides) and white (volcanic ash). 

Next we will travel on to North Dakota in our adventures to visit all 50 states. Take care - Judy.

Linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday@ Between Naps on the Porch

You’re Gonna Love It Tuesday at Kathe With an E
The Scoop @ Stone Gable

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Ivy and Elephants for What Is It Wednesday

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine’s Corner

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Out for Dinner at The Glenn - Shrimp Etouffee

I have been out of touch with most of blogland since the end of April. I have mostly been reading your posts in between trips to the nursing home. My father had a fall so I have been in southern Illinois since that time taking care of him. He is now in a nursing home and I visit with him twice a day reassuring him that everything is ok and making sure he eats. My blogging has really suffered but his care is at the top of my list right now.

Last Saturday evening, my husband and I took a little time to go to a restaurant in Charleston, MO, which is about 22 miles from Dad’s home in southern Illinois. The restaurant is named The Glenn which is the owner and chef’s family name. My husband had heard the restaurant had a great chef and fabulous food. We certainly were not disappointed. 

I order the shrimp etouffee and I can't begin to tell you how fabulous it was. Every bite just exploded in my mouth with flavor and goodness. Here's a picture of the entree.

Mr. Glenn, the chef, certainly has a talent and made our experience at his restaurant a pleasure. His wife was also working at the restaurant that evening and we had a chance to visit with her. We plan to dine there again soon. Here's a link to their FaceBook page. The Glenn family (father and sons) are farmers in the Charleston area but one son wanted to become a chef and returned to the area after working in a metropolitan city and opened The Glenn Restaurant. 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday@ Between Naps on the Porch

You’re Gonna Love It Tuesday at Kathe With an E

The Scoop at StoneGable

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Ivy and Elephants for What Is It Wednesday

The Uptown Acorn for Share Your Style Link Party

Tablescape Thursday@ Between Naps on the Porch

Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine’s Corner

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Fabulously Creative Friday @ Jennifer Rizzo

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Weekend Retreat @ AKA Design & Life