Showing posts with label outdoor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outdoor. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
O's Summer Visit to The Valley
We had a great visit from Mingus's family this past weekend! His parents and sister all made the trip from Indiana as well as our nephew and godson O! We had a beautiful Saturday for lots of fun activities including fishing, breaking and canning beans, playing in the creek, outdoor fun and a campfire! We're hopeful for the day when O can come stay for a stretch of time with us in the Valley and make even more great memories!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Sports Talk: Kubb, a New Yard Game Favorite
As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I
write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published June 12,
2013.
Reunions and outdoor picnics come with several staples: good food and enjoyable company. Hopefully there is pleasant weather and, for a definite good time, there will also be music and yard games.
Horseshoes and croquet have been around quite a long time. Cornhole (or beanbag toss as some may call it) and yard golf (or hillbilly golf) have become more and more common in the past decade or so.
These games are great for multiple reasons:
A new game has come to my attention this spring and summer, and the more I see it played the more I’m convinced it’s a winner.
Kubb, also known as “Viking Chess”, is often described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. The object of the game to knock over wooden blocks with sticks.
Yes, I know. It sounds extremely primitive… but maybe that’s why they call it Viking Chess? And keep in mind… Throwing bean bags at a hole doesn’t sound that much better! But as most of us know, the competition quickly turns to fun.
One of the best parts of Kubb is that it’s easy to play with a large group of people. While most other yard games are played in two teams of two (four people total), Kubb is usually played by at least teams of three (six total) or even more. Six sticks are thrown on each team’s turn, easily allowing six per team and 12 players total.
This past weekend I attended my cousin’s high school graduation celebration. My older brother was given a Kubb set several years ago by our uncle who made the set himself. For whatever reason, this spring was the first time my brother actually got the game out and learned how to play, but it has been a hit at every gathering so far.
With a large amount of people at last weekend’s event, I think most who ended up trying Kubb first did so because the other games were full. However, by the end of the evening, it was the only game being played and had turned into quite the scene.
This made me laugh, being that the “adult” team was
primarily composed of my brother, husband and cousins and their significant
others. Being that we all graduated high school and college around the same
time and are in our late 20s, being called the “adults” by 18-19 year-olds felt
pretty funny, but I guess it just means we’re getting old!
While the younger team originally took the challenge from the “adults” in order to get in a victory and then be able to play themselves, it turned into an on-going event of endless games until cell phone lights were being used to find the sticks in the dark.
Watching them from the deck above the field my cousin who had never played or heard of the game, saw the scene of 15-20 people playing and watching and asked, “So, they’re just throwing sticks around??” It’s hard not to laugh at such a simple idea, but you might be surprised how fun and competitive it gets.
If you’ve not yet heard of or played Kubb, look it up online. Sets can be purchased or easily made. You could be the first to introduce your friends and family to a new yard game favorite!
Reunions and outdoor picnics come with several staples: good food and enjoyable company. Hopefully there is pleasant weather and, for a definite good time, there will also be music and yard games.
Horseshoes and croquet have been around quite a long time. Cornhole (or beanbag toss as some may call it) and yard golf (or hillbilly golf) have become more and more common in the past decade or so.
These games are great for multiple reasons:
(1) Anyone
can play because being good doesn’t matter that much.
(2) They
are easy to set up, take down and transport
(3) Most
can be made yourself out of basic materials
A new game has come to my attention this spring and summer, and the more I see it played the more I’m convinced it’s a winner.
Kubb, also known as “Viking Chess”, is often described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. The object of the game to knock over wooden blocks with sticks.
Yes, I know. It sounds extremely primitive… but maybe that’s why they call it Viking Chess? And keep in mind… Throwing bean bags at a hole doesn’t sound that much better! But as most of us know, the competition quickly turns to fun.
One of the best parts of Kubb is that it’s easy to play with a large group of people. While most other yard games are played in two teams of two (four people total), Kubb is usually played by at least teams of three (six total) or even more. Six sticks are thrown on each team’s turn, easily allowing six per team and 12 players total.
This past weekend I attended my cousin’s high school graduation celebration. My older brother was given a Kubb set several years ago by our uncle who made the set himself. For whatever reason, this spring was the first time my brother actually got the game out and learned how to play, but it has been a hit at every gathering so far.
With a large amount of people at last weekend’s event, I think most who ended up trying Kubb first did so because the other games were full. However, by the end of the evening, it was the only game being played and had turned into quite the scene.
Several of my uncles and cousins had been playing earlier in
the afternoon when the graduate and several of his friends decided it was their
turn to play. Rather than turning the field over to the group of high school
grads, those previously playing took it as a challenge and said they had to
earn the field first. Next thing I knew, it had turned into a game of about
eight vs. eight. The high school graduates verses the “adults”.
While the younger team originally took the challenge from the “adults” in order to get in a victory and then be able to play themselves, it turned into an on-going event of endless games until cell phone lights were being used to find the sticks in the dark.
Watching them from the deck above the field my cousin who had never played or heard of the game, saw the scene of 15-20 people playing and watching and asked, “So, they’re just throwing sticks around??” It’s hard not to laugh at such a simple idea, but you might be surprised how fun and competitive it gets.
If you’ve not yet heard of or played Kubb, look it up online. Sets can be purchased or easily made. You could be the first to introduce your friends and family to a new yard game favorite!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
My Wedding on a Budget: 4 Days to Go!
It looks like there's gonna be a party in Knob End! The tent crew came today and it is up! It's BIG but not too big for the field. Just about right actually. It's so exciting to see it there. It's really, real! I'm getting married. We'll have a big celebration with everyone we care about! They also left the chairs, dance floor and bar. I took my first peek at it at about 6:15 this evening and the sun going down at
that time hits the field beautifully! Jon and I went back down in the evening to take a spin on the dance floor together. The moon is just over half full and it will be a more like three-quarters on Saturday. The stars are beautiful since it's so clear right now and with that moon out you can even see into the field in the moonlight. It's spectacular!
Programs are more or less laid out...Just a couple of things to finalize. I finalized the photography itinerary and reviewed with Jerusha. I also sent out the guys' itinerary. Rachel got down here tonight so I got to visit with her and Aunt Anne. Uncle John and Aunt Dana also made a visit so he could drop off one of the signs he is making for the reception. It looks fabulous!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
My Wedding on a Budget: 16 Days to Go!
Basket Fun
Jon and I made a trip to Danville after work to go to the grocery and get a few other things and decided to drop in at the Peddler's Mall while there. (Wouldn't you know we'd run into Pa!) It's full of plenty of crap but lots of really cool stuff if you're patient going through it all. We decided to not get overly excited and buy things when we still have a wedding ahead of us. The only thing I did buy was a cute little half bushel basket because it is the perfect green color! What will I use it for? Not quite sure yet, but I will find something!
I'm finding out usable bushel baskets make for great decorating resources. Two of them that Mike and Jenny brought last week I've already filled with the 50 flip flops I bought earlier in the summer. Green and white in one; purple and black in the other. I simply tied one of the (many) Bed, Bath & Beyond ribbons around each of them and just that is enough to add a little festivity and character to the wedding decor.
We have a few other half bushels along with a longer, rectangular basket that I'm thinking I'll tie some ribbon around and find job for. Can koozies, flowers, snacks...something... Mom and Pa leave for the weekend tomorrow morning.
Jon and I touched based with them tonight though to get a weekend task list from them. Hopefully we can get a lot accomplished... we only have 2 weekends left!!!!
Jon and I made a trip to Danville after work to go to the grocery and get a few other things and decided to drop in at the Peddler's Mall while there. (Wouldn't you know we'd run into Pa!) It's full of plenty of crap but lots of really cool stuff if you're patient going through it all. We decided to not get overly excited and buy things when we still have a wedding ahead of us. The only thing I did buy was a cute little half bushel basket because it is the perfect green color! What will I use it for? Not quite sure yet, but I will find something!
I'm finding out usable bushel baskets make for great decorating resources. Two of them that Mike and Jenny brought last week I've already filled with the 50 flip flops I bought earlier in the summer. Green and white in one; purple and black in the other. I simply tied one of the (many) Bed, Bath & Beyond ribbons around each of them and just that is enough to add a little festivity and character to the wedding decor. 
We have a few other half bushels along with a longer, rectangular basket that I'm thinking I'll tie some ribbon around and find job for. Can koozies, flowers, snacks...something... Mom and Pa leave for the weekend tomorrow morning.
Jon and I touched based with them tonight though to get a weekend task list from them. Hopefully we can get a lot accomplished... we only have 2 weekends left!!!!
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