Labor Day Fun

Labor Day weekend kept bringing me back to Paris from my hometown in nearby McKenzie. On Saturday, my granddaughter and I headed to the movie theatre but, finding no kid's movies playing, began driving down the road toward Paris Landing wondering what to do that might be a little nearer. We stopped at the old Sally Lanes Candy Farm only to discover it had moved and, we're told, does a mostly online business these days. You can learn more about them at Sally Lanes.com.

Well...directly across the street was an intriguing little shop that everyone should visit. The name of it is Nana's Treasures, and that is an apt description because it is full of treasures at very reasonable prices. There were folks there with two or three kinds of accents, proving the region is a magnet for visitors and residents from all across the country. My granddaughter, at nine years old, was as enthralled with the place as I was. After we loaded up our purchases, we headed way across town toward Como enroute to Miller's Country Store, a Mennonite grocery store and deli (watch for the sign). You have never had a sandwich until you have one of theirs. Lebanon bologna and sweet Lebanon are two of their delicacies and their black cherry colas are to die for. We also bought some cheddar powder from their bulk stores in order to make cheesy popcorn and extra-cheesy mac-and-cheese.

On Labor Day, now with my daughter in tow as well, we headed back to Paris to Prater's Taters. This is another must-see place where the food is great and the taters are plentiful - Mr. Potato Heads as well as the biggest baked potatoes you've ever seen. It was a lot of fun.

PRATER'S TATERS

We then headed out of Henry County to Hazel Kentucky where we walked through most of the antique shops before deciding we would hit the rest another day. The coolest thing was that each shop had its own distinct appeal and we fell in love with each one.

The pièce de résistance of the day was discovering Glenn Newman's Fine Art Gallery in Hazel. The folk artist took the time to explain his works and his method to an enthralled audience. His amazing collection includes illustrated stories of his life in Louisiana as a boy and beyond, plus lots of adventurous animal lore of the region.

GLENN NEWMAN'S FINE ART GALLERY

Next weekend we plan to head back to Hazel to the 50's restaurant Glenn recommended and back to his shop as well as back to Paris for more explorations. I'd love to hear what others are doing in and about Paris. Share your experiences!