Thursday, December 11, 2014

November 18, 2014 ~The Knapps, Versailles, KY

David Hill, John, Bob, me, Peggy, and Amelia Knapp Hill

Thank you, Bob and Peggy Knapp for having us visit ~ 
You were the perfect hosts.  
We so loved seeing Amelia Knapp Hill, who is one of our Amelia's best friends; they are sorority sisters and were bridesmaids in each others weddings. Neither John nor I had visited the Versailles area and were blown away with its' beauty.  The Knapp homestead was so peaceful and lovely! Unique to the property is a very old cemetary that dates back to the mid 1800's right outside their front door in the center of the circular driveway.  I spent a lot of time photographing the grave markers and wondering about the history. The first morning I awoke with the sunrise and a bull moo'ing.  It was so idealic that I ventured outside to photograph!  To the right of the home is a large black barn where the bull lives!  That bull followed me up and down the fence watching ever move I made but I think I made friends with him (Don't worry ~I didn't test that friendship). As bulls go, he was beautiful!  

That morning Peggy and I attending an Antique Class where the instructor appraised different items.  It was so interesting and now I see that there are many doors open to me once I return to Maine.  After a wonderful lunch at an old historic wayside inn, the four of us toured the courntryside.   The horse country is magnificient with the grounds groomed to perfection, the fences all painted black and perfect.  And the homes and barns! Fabulous.  Below are photos of many of them. There were also lots of black barns in all conditions ~ these barns are for drying Tobacco.  We had a delicious dinner with the whole family and the next morning John and I were able to spend time with Taylor, my good friend ~Cathy Simmons granddaughter, who is attending college near by.  Later that day, John and I also toured the Toyota manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Ky, a 7 1/2 million square foot facility!  The Camery is currently produced there and soon, the new Lexus will be added to that location. It was so interesting that now John wants to tour the VW Plant in Chattanoog, TN. where our Passet was made.

Then Peggy, Bob, John and I attended The Sporting Art Auction at Keeneland ~ (Home of the 2015 Breeders Cup). "...The auction represented a collection of artwork featuring 175 fine sporting art ~ American paintings and sculpture from renowned artists."   Most prominent to me were 3 Murals by LeRoy Neiman and  N.C. Wyeth's "The Horse Race" which Wyeth painted for James Boyd's book Drums."       Link: https://www.keeneland.com/calendar/sporting-art-auction .  
          This was so unexpected and I was in awe of the incredible artwork.


Sunrise on the Barn

1800's Cemetary
Sunrise at the Beautiful Knapp homestead with Bob's
vineyard in the background and the cemetary in front
Sweet Amelia Hall and Baby due in December  
Taylor, John and I at Asbury College 
Black barn next to the Knapps driveway with tobacco
hanging inside and my Bull 'friend'
Typical of the black fences all along
the drives through out Versailles

I loved that the fences surronded areas where the
owners did not want the horses to roam.

These Black Barns were everywhere

LLamas and Alpacas



Beautiful home in Versailles

Example of the beautiful barns in Kentucky
Another beautiful home in Versailles
A lovely home that is for sale and John and I fell in love with it.










The Toyota Plant

The Greenbrier
One last note, John and I stopped at a rest stop in the Alleghany Mountains of West Virginia, where we found
 out that the overlook to see the Greenbrier was just a 5 minute walk away,
At the Overlook with the Greenbrier in the background.











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