Greek Fest - a slice of Greek Life in the Middle of Indiana

Last year we visited Greece as part of our first family trip to Europe, and we fell in love with Athens!  We love Greek food, Greek culture, Greek landscapes. And, we loved the Greek Orthodox churches and ancient Greek buildings that we encountered.  We were thrilled to learn that there was a large Greek Festival in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis!

The Indy GreekFest was held at a local Greek Orthodox church.  With amazingly delicious Greek food of all varieties and a bakery of freshly made Greek pastries, we were taken back to our time in Athens.  We also enjoyed Greek dancing by local kids of all ages.  Greek music played, and Greek culture was celebrated. In addition, there was a Greek Marketplace where you could buy the goods you learned to use in the Greek cooking demonstrations.

You could guess the number of olives in a jar or make a laurel wreath or Greek Flag in the family tent. Puppet shows were offered every 90 minutes, and they offered props and backdrops for cell phone selfies all day.

The highlight for us was the tour of the Greek Orthodox Church, and an introduction to Greek Orthodox beliefs and worship.  We've toured many churches in Greece and read much about the religion before visiting Greece, but this talk by the church's deacon was very helpful in our understanding.

All in all, the Indy Greek Fest was a great introduction to Greek life, a way to connect with your Greek roots, or a reminder of the good days of a trip to Greece.  I highly recommend it!











Details:
Indianapolis GreekFest
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
3500 W. 106th St., Carmel, In 46032
http://indygreekfest.org

2017 dates - August 25-27, 2017

A Return to Simpler times at the Grabill Country Fair

This year we visited Grabill, Indiana for the first time and enjoyed the Grabill Country Fair.  Grabill is a town of 1,000 people just outside of Fort Wayne with a long Amish heritage.  It is a peaceful town full of antiques, crafts and a country store.  Their Country Fair attracts 100,000 visitors annually, in a festival that is reminiscent of days gone by. 

Lots of people out enjoying the festivities - even in the rain

What a peaceful day of family time and fun.  Although county fairs are often fun, we immediately felt the difference of the fun, simple and peaceful family atmosphere in Grabill.  Without all of the amusement rides or the streets lined with carnival games and food vendors (there is plenty of food there!), it was quieter, cleaner and simpler than other fairs. 

Apparently seed spitting is a learned skill!

There were buggy rides and parades.  The streets were lined with local crafts people selling their beautiful woodwork, knitting, sewing, soap and candle making and other projects. It was an old time country fair, straight out of Little House on the Prairie.  Throughout the day, there were bible questions read aloud for free tickets to buggy rides or other attractions. Live music is performed every evening (bluegrass, gospel or country). We watched quilters at work, enjoyed weaving demonstrations, and watched teens, families and  and meet to enjoy the festivities. 

The one modern attraction was a pool containing 5 inflatable balls in which kids could get inside and enjoy themselves.  Our kids loved it!

In addition, we visited the Grabill Historical Society museum and learned more about the history of the area.  All free!

While in Grabill we visited Souder's General Store and a flea market/ice cream shop. We met the local quilting club, and

All in all, it was relaxing, family-friendly and all around enjoyable day.  Everyone should visit the Grabill Country Fair!












Details:
The Country Fair is held the weekend after Labor Day every year, Thursday-Saturday
260-627-5227, Ext 5, info@grabillcountryfair.com

The Ball State Orchid House - a fascinating tour of orchid life

The orchid roots hanging down into the open air

I admit, I've been to green houses before, and I didn't think they were anything special.  But this time, we went with a guide to the Orchid Greenhouse at Ball State University.  What a fascinating experience!  Ball State has the largest orchid collection (variety) of any university in the country - all right here in Indiana.

Lobster Claw Orchid

First, we learned that orchids are not grown in soil. Their roots gather everything they need from the air.  Who knew! Before our visit, I thought that all orchids looked roughly alike, but that couldn't be more false!  We saw orchids or all shapes and sizes.  Some were so tiny that we could barely see the flowers while others were very large.  Some orchids that we saw looked like lobster claws.

Lady Slipper Orchid

Some were had the coloration of a bee to attract bees to them (thinking they could mate) to help spread their pollen. One has a long and very narrow part to hold the nectar, ensuring that an insect would have to be there quite awhile to get to it (gathering more pollen). Fascinatingly, there is a moth with an especially long mouth that seems perfectly matched to this orchid!  Some were shaped like a lady's slippers, some like birds. So many colors and designs!

Pitcher Plant

While at the Orchid Greenhouse, we also saw carnivorous flowers including the Venus flytrap, but also including the unique pitcher plant, which collects water to attract insects, trapping them inside as the water mixes with the enzyme produced by the plant to break down their prey.   We also learned quite a bit about ferns and how they reproduce since they do not produce flowers (spores on the underside of the leaves rather than seeds). 

Our excellent guide

We had a great tour exploring the fascinating diversity of the plant world. We are looking forward to going back regularly to see what is in bloom.





 Details:
Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection and Species Bank
Field Station and Environmental Education Center
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306

765-285-8839
bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/fseec/properties/christywoods/greenhouses/orchidgreenhouse

Hours: M-F 7:30-4:30, Saturday 10:00-3:00. Assistance from the curator available Monday-Friday by arrangement. 

Corydon - Indiana's First State Capital

Indiana's Original State Capital Building

We spent a lovely afternoon and evening in Corydon, Indiana, our capital from 1813 (territory) until 1825 (when it moved to Indianapolis). What a nice town with so much history!  Eight of the original buildings from that time period still remain including the original state house, the home where Indiana's constitution was written (actually, it was written under Constitutional Elm out front), the governor's mansion, the state office buildings and William Henry Harrison's house.

Model of historic buildings in Corydon

We began our time in Corydon with a walk around town.  It was great to read all of the plaques, see all of the buildings, enjoy the little shops, and generally get a feel for the town and it's history.  There is lots of information available for visitors on signs and plaques around town.  In addition, the visitor's center is well staffed with knowledgeable   people who are happy to provide additional information and recommendations.  From the Visitor's Center we received a walking map with additional information on many of the buildings in the area.  Great place to stop!

Sitting with Governor O'Bannon

We toured the original State Capital building and got a sense of how small Indiana was at that point.  We visited the town square and enjoyed the Governor Frank O'Bannon Monument and the town bandstand (although our little gymnast thought we said "handstand", and then had to do a handstand in the bandstand : )). The Governor's Mansion and State Office Buildings were closed during our visit, but we were able to enjoy them from the outside.

Handstand in the Bandstand

Heth House

In addition, we met Karen Gleitz, one of the highlights of our trip.  She is the Director of the Historical Society in Corydon, and a lover of William Henry Harrison and the history of the area.  She really made everything come alive!  In touring the old Branham Tavern, now called the Heth House, we learned so much! This old building houses a number of wonderful artifacts from various periods in Corydon's History, and Karen has a story for all of them.  She also pointed us toward Constitution Elm (killed by Dutch Elm disease, but the trunk has been preserved) and toward the Historical Society's other property, the Posey House (which she gave us a private tour of!).

Artifacts in Heth House

Cabinet made by Squire Boone - another great local (Daniel Boone's brother)

Oldest home in Corydon

Constitution Elm

Site of Battle of Corydon

In addition to Corydon's early Indiana history, it is also a site of one of Indiana's few Civil War battles when General Morgan crossed the Ohio River and battled the town.  We visited the Civil War site and got a great feel for the experience.

We were fortunate to find Zimmerman's Glass open when we walked by, so we got to observe one of the glass makers at work.  He was fascinating making a beatiful hand blown piece, and he did such an excellent job of explaining the process.  We are so glad we got to see him at work!

Posey House

In addition, Corydon is lined with shops and restaurants and is a great place to spend a couple of hours learning about our state's history and enjoying small town Indiana.  I highly recommend it!








Details:

Corydon State Capital Building
126 E. Walnut
Corydon, IN 47112
812-738-4890
corydoncapitalshs@indianamuseum.org

Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sunday 1-5 (closed Sundays January-March)

Cost: $6 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children, $2 students - Indiana State Museum Members free (includes entrance to Governor's Mansion and State Office buildings, hours vary, so call for more information)

Zimerman's Glass
300 E. Chestnut Street
Corydon, IN 47112

Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa 10-4

A Leisurely Sunday afternoon in Downtown Carmel

Carmel is a lovely city just outside of Indianapolis.  Over the years we've visited many parks there with options for hiking, playground play, swimming/sliding at a waterpark, etc.  In addition, Carmel has an excellent public library and a parks department with a nearly limitless array of programs. This time, we elected to spend a few hours exploring downtown Carmel.

Downtown Carmel is an art lover's paradise.  Lined with art dealers, little cafes and restaurants, and plenty of street art, it is easy to enjoy an afternoon there with someone special, or a group of friends, or older or teen kids.

Our visit focused on two great attractions - the World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery and the Museum of Miniatures.

We started off at the World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery, recognized as such by the Guiness Book of World Records. Their frequently changing display featured works by area high school students, and it was AMAZING! The docent told us that they often host younger children's art, and that we should stop back regularly to see the different displays.  We definitely want to. We didn't stay long, maybe 15 minutes, but the small size was just perfect for us to truly appreciate the works displayed inside.  She told the kids that they should feel free to submit their artwork for consideration, and Brother was quite inspired by her encouragement.

Our second stop was the Museum of Miniatures.  It was an impressive collection! Houses from every era, hand created ceramics, glassware, rugs, dolls, animals, everything you could think of.  There was even a miniature museum! We were given an audio tour to accompany our walk, and provided additional information and context that was very helpful. We were very impressed at the detail and artistry displayed.  The museum is deceptively large, and there was plenty for us to see.  I would recommend this museum for older kids and teens - not for little ones, as much of it was hands off. The Museum housed an excellent gift shop to start your collecting or creating.

Finding Clues from Sherlock Holmes's books

We did not take advantage of the wealth of restaurants in the area, but we did enjoy a brief break by a lovely hidden fountain.  We also "met" some of the public art, and enjoyed window shopping along our way.

Spending an afternoon in Carmel is relaxing, educational, and just plain fun.  I highly recommend it!