Indiana attractions

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum

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When three Greek brothers opened Zaharakos as a candy store in Columbus, Indiana in 1900 they opened what has become one of the finest historic ice cream parlors in America. Located in the heart of downtown Columbus this shop has become a marvelous place to get ice cream treats, excellent dining and exposure to hundreds of original artifacts from the heydays of 1900 era soda fountains. In addition there are multiple original and replica mechanical music instruments.

The 50′ marble topped mahogany backed soda bar. This is where all those ice cream delicacies are created for your pleasure

Sher and I have enjoyed several trips to Zaharakos over the years including introducing family members to the wonderful treats with ice cream made on site. The restaurant menu is filled with classic Hoosier comfort food. Walking around the facility feels like being in a museum with all of the beautiful items from the history of soda fountains through the years.

Sher behind the counter of a second full soda fountain, with a Welte Machine on the left.

There are several mechanical musical instruments including the 1908 Welte orchestrion that play occasionally in the shop. The Welte machine is one of the few remaining that are still in their original location. The Banjo-Orchestra machine  arrived at Zaharakos June 26, 2013. This replica was built by the D.C. Ramey Piano Company in Marysville, Ohio.

I caught all but the first few bars of the banjo pickin’ classic.

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor is without a doubt worthy of a visit when you are in or near Columbus. Always a delight to see, this unique store always goes overboard during holidays with beautiful seasonal decorations.  This is the Zaharakos website.

The Play That Goes Wrong opens at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre this weekend

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Yes, Friday July 17th is opening night for the B&B premier of The Play That Goes Wrong. This award winning comedy has been cracking up theater patrons all over the globe. Like comedy? This play has you covered. Plan to get your tickets soon. Once word gets out about how funny this play is tickets will be flying out of the box office!

Photo courtesy B&B media

Get ready for a raucous non-stop comedy. Problems with sets, lighting, crazy ad libs and a loving semi continuous dose of Three Stooges style slapstick will have you literally in stiches. If you can think of an on stage issue plaguing the production, well, get ready. It will show up during this murder mystery!

The Play That Goes Wrong will be on stage through  August 23 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Tickets include Chef Larry Stoops’ dinner buffet and select beverages. Tickets to Beef & Boards productions are available exclusively through Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre either online at beefandboards.com, or by contacting the box office at 317.872.9664. And remember, parking is always free!

 

The peaceful Mt. Zion Cemetery in Brown County Indiana

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Highway 135 in Brown County, Indiana is know for its beautiful scenery, as a winding road in the hills, and the location for many historic sites. The Mt. Zion Cemetery is one of those sites.

At the entrance to the grounds

Arched sign over road: MT ZION CEM I834

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Located half way between Stone Head and Story on 135, the cemetery is on high ground overlooking the road bed. The entrance stone monument  name also displays the inscription “Since 1834” under the Mt Zion Cemetery name.

The shelter where the church stood

The Mt. Zion Church edifice stood on the highest point of the property since 1878 but eventually did not survive a massive windstorm in 1986. After the church debris was buried a concrete slab was poured covering the remains of the church. A shelter-type structure was constructed and it survives to this day..

Cremation Garden, Plots in Background

Close up of the Bronze Plaque

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as you  pull into the site from 135 you are greeted with a beautiful flower garden with a bronze sign on a massive boulder. The signage identifies the Mt Zion Cremation Garden and includes an appropriate Scripture.

Well maintained cemetery grounds

The burial spots are identified with a variety of gravestones. A search for the oldest graves take you from the top of the hill following down the slope to the end of the grounds at a tree line. There are many Federal provided military gravestones for Civil War Veterans providing information of their units in which they served.

Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary from the Indiana Audubon Society

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The Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary is located south of Connersville in Fayette County, Indiana.  Alice Green Gray gave the initial 264 acre property to the Indiana Audubon Society in 1943 as a living memorial to her daughter Mary, who preceded her in death. Another Gray relative and Society members have made possible the acquisition of more property so that the Sanctuary now has 723 acres.

Clearly marked entrance

Storage building appropriately decorated

Page from MGBS brochure

 

 

 

 

 

The entrance to the sanctuary is well marked with a dramatic and large stone sign. Once you are in the initial parking area, you realize that you are in a delightful part of Nature’s birding paradise. This is an off the beaten path sanctuary worthy of your exploration. Take you camera and binoculars.

There are many features within this sanctuary. There is a bird watching blind where you can observe the many stocked feeders and not be seen. Ponds and native trees provide a perfect chance to immerse yourself in communing with Earth and the natural history of Indiana. Interesting programs and meetings take place at the amphitheater. Self-guided hiking tours covering many topics are an extra bonus to visitors of the MGBS. Click here for the MGBS website.

 

Harry Evans Covered Bridge, one of 31 in Parke County Indiana

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Parke County, Indiana is known as the covered bridge capitol of the world. It is home to 31 covered bridges which is more than any other county in the nation. Every October over two million visitors converge on Parke County for the world famous 10 day Covered Bridge Festival. People come to see the bridges and shop any of the thousands of vendors who occupy building’s or temporary tents that sprout up allover the county.

Harry Evans Bridge, 65 ‘ long, built by JA Britton in 1908

Showing the Burr-Arch support design of the Evans bridge. This design is found in 30 of the Park County bridges including one double Burr-Arch.

We enjoy road trips to Parke County several times each year. The crowds are huge with heavy traffic during the festival, so we avoid Parke County then. There are five different well marked self driving routes that will take you directly to nearly all of the 31 bridges. The county is also home to two Indiana State Parks and the 2,110 acre Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area. Go enjoy Indiana outdoors in Parke County!

 

Renaissance Faire in Central Indiana

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This weekend was the first of two weekends when several acres of the Johnson County Park, Nineveh, Indiana transformed into a setting right out of Renaissance Europe. Scores of tents, wagons and other structures have sprung up on the grassy fields.

Some of the vendor tents

The Indiana Renaissance Faire is one of several similar events during the year. With the same basic theme, vendors and entertainers from all over come to peddle their wares and entertain the crowds of all ages that enjoy these Faires.

Vendor “wagon” plus tent

Watch out for the pirates (but buy their mead)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anything and everything you would need to dress in period costume is available at the vendor displays in the tents. Musical instruments, belts, bags, tunics, even correct footware.

Every faire needs a dragon

Yes that is a real sword shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And speaking of costumes, it seemed like more than half of the people in attendance were is some kind of costuming. We saw elves, wizards, fairies, warlocks, pirates, knights, tradesmen and many others.

Knight at the ready

Lance ready for the joust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment was everywhere. We got there in time to catch the 12 noon Jousting demonstration. Two knights in armor on horse back showed their skill in the use of the long joust. Foot soldiers in support of the knights demonstrated small arm weaponry.

Holding RedTail Hawk

Two birds waiting their turn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another unique and fascinating offering presentation was by a chap who brought hawks and falcons to show and explain. A most fascinating  demonstration.

The Renaissance Faire will be open next weekend, June 20 – 21st for two more days of revelry, music, food and fun. Huzzah!

 

Chief Tecumseh “Trail of Whispering Giants” statue at Vincennes Indiana`

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Sher and I always enjoyed discovering interesting attractions when we were travelling. We found this striking likeness of the famous Chief Tecumseh near the Wabash River levee in Vincennes, Indiana. The statue is the creation of Peter “Wolf” Toth, a Hungarian artist, and is his most recent addition (the 74th) to his “The Trail of Whispering Giants” series of statues scattered across the country.

Chief Tecumseh, Wabash River levee in background

The history of the Chief

Signage and Tecumseh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toth’s first monumental “Whispering Giant” was completed in 1972. He now has statues in all 50  states. His only tools were a hammer and chisel, with rare use of an ax and a mallet. Each statue is made using a native log from each state. Toth always meets with local Native American tribes and local lawmakers prior to beginning his work. While on your road trips keep an eye out for the magnificent “Trail of the Whispering Giants”.

Bali Makasih Bali Island Imports in Nashville Indiana

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Nashville, Indiana is known for restaurants, wineries, breweries and of course shopping. One of the popular shops is the Bali imports shop. This business is American-Bali owned and features original hand crafted items imported from Bali, Indonesia.

Shop entrance, handicap accessible

Wonderful variety of inventory

 

 

 

 

 

First meditating frog I have ever seen

Literally all kinds of inventory, any size any price

 

 

 

 

 

There are thousands of items in the shop. Here is a quote from the Bali website that explains the inventory: “Bali Makasih features over 45,000 beautiful pieces of wood carvings, silver jewelery, clothing, wall decorations, statues, mosaic arts, incenses, essential oil, traditional instruments, Tiki and Totem, Sign, Decorative surfboard, Blowing glass, Mask and many more. Everything originally handmade, one of a kind, unique and straight from Bali, Indonesia.”

Pouch with ground coffee, take a sniff between samples of incense

Shopping Nashville is a true never the same adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shop is one that we always visit whenever we are in town. Restocking our incense supply is always on our shopping list at Bali. The incense inventory is quite large and has, it seems, any type of incense you can think of. We are taken care of by one of the owners. She is very helpful while we decide what incense to get on this trip. She showed me the coffee pouch trick to clear your nose between samples.

Nashville’s Fudge Kitchen is a sweet shop

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Nashville, Indiana is a small town in southern Indiana know locally as a popular tourist destination. The town is filled with many shops offering a wide variety of merchandise. One of the favorite stores in the downtown is the Nashville Fudge Kitchen.

The front of the fudge shop

Free samples are offered at this counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always put a stop at the Fudge Kitchen on our schedule when we visit Nashville. In addition to fudge the store also makes all flavors of gourmet popcorn and kettle corn. Samples of both popcorn and fudge are gladly offered to all customers.

A wide variety of popcorn sizes and flavors

Another counter filled with scrumptious fudge

 

 

 

 

 

Nashville is one of our favorite day trip destinations. Not only are there many stores and restaurants in town, but there is also an entertainment venue, Brown County Music Center. We have attended several concerts and events at the Music Center. Take a trip to Nashville and you’ll see what all the talk is about.

Woven Co Candles for a fun DIY project

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Sometimes a simple adventure is as enjoyable as a intricately planned and complicated multi faceted one. A couple of weeks ago one of our sons and one granddaughter came over on a day trip. Sher and I found a simple adventure for us all in a nearby town.

On the front porch of Woven Candle Co

Our three creations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Woven Co Candles is located in downtown Franklin, Indiana in an older two story house. We saw the listing for Do-it-yourself candle making. It sounded like fun so we headed to Franklin. The store has several tables for candle making. One wall is covered with shelves full of different liquid scents.

Finished candle ready for a light.

Metallic “sprinkles” reflect the candle flame for a neat effect

 

 

 

 

 

The process is interesting. You pick out the jar you want. Each of those are already set with a wick in the center of the jar. When you decide what scents you want they are poured into the bottom of the jar. Hot wax is then poured onto the scents, and stirred until it turns cloudy. After a couple of hours your candle is ready to take home. We had a great time and would recommend a DIY candle creation at Wove Co Candles.