News lifestyle 2008-05-04 Andanh.com

Geology and history at Breaks Interstate Park Sat, 03 May 2008 19:46 EDT

BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK . The world seems to end at the edge of my hotel balcony; beyond is an abyss of sheer gray nothingness. I know that behind the gray curtain lies the rugged gorge known as the .Grand Canyon of the South,. but the early-morning fog that has descended on it seems to blot out its very existence.

I can hear it, though . the whispering of the trees clinging precariously to rocky ledges, and far below, the thundering rush of water struggling to escape the confines of the canyon. As difficult as it is for the eyes to penetrate the fog, it is equally difficult for the mind to penetrate the gorge's mystery. It holds many ghosts . of prehistoric animals and ancient Indian tribes, of long-ago lovers who vanished into its recesses, of those who have done murder and those who have had murder done.

Their spirits are trapped here, sealed in by rock wall canyons, with only the moon as witness to their deeds and only the wind to carry their voices. I'm convinced I can hear them, along with the trees and the water . moans of passion, cries of fear, shouts of anger, sighs of regret. When the fog burns away, will the voices die as well?

It's easy to let your imagination run wild at Breaks Interstate Park, which straddles the Kentucky-Virginia state line between Elkhorn City, Ky., and Haysi, Va., and is one of only two interstate parks in the nation (the other is Palisades State Park in New York and New Jersey). Jointly administered by a commission of people from both states, Breaks has 4,500 heavily forested acres that attract nearly a million visitors annually. They come to fish in the serene pools, hike 12 miles of meandering trails, raft the Class V rapids of the Russell Fork River, and marvel at the lavender blooms of the Catawba rhododendron in spring, and the russets, golds and burnt oranges of the foliage in the fall.

Yogurt passes acid test for all-day marinade Sat, 03 May 2008 19:46 EDT

When it's grilling season, it's much easier to avoid the takeout dinner trap.

A few minutes in the morning creating a quick marinade for a healthy protein such as chicken or fish can ensure that you have a tasty entree ready to cook when you get home.

But when you leave food in a marinade all day, it's important to select your ingredients with care.

Marinades usually are made with acidic ingredients (such as vinegar and citrus juices) or enzymatic ingredients (such as pineapple and papaya juices). Both are excellent for adding flavor, but they can change the texture of the food during a long soak, and not always for the better.

Kentuckians have an affinity for equine art Fri, 02 May 2008 19:46 EDT

Antiques dealer Jim .Tanner of Harrodsburg quips that there seems to be an unwritten rule .requiring Kentuckians to put .the obligatory horse picture. on their walls. On his own walls, he displays a sense of humor and appreciation of fine antiques in his amusing collection of hand-colored etchings by Henry William Bunbury featuring lively cartoonlike caricatures of horses and their frustrated riders, published in London, England in 1791 in . Annals of Horsemanship .

Whether you .appreciate caricatures or fine art, .beautiful art of horses can add to your home decor.

For the many folks .involved in the care, training, maintenance and well-being of horses and the cultural landscape of the Bluegrass, celebrating the horse has been the cornerstone of their lifestyles for generations. So, it seems to follow .naturally that portraits of beloved horses and sporting scenes are found in the homes of Kentucky horse lovers.

Leslie Trapp, whose grandfather Leslie Combs II founded Spendthrift Farm in 1936, grew up surrounded by horses and equine art. He continued the tradition with his wife, Cindy, an artist whose large-scale canvas works, like finish-line profile Spendthrift Filly and Racing Silks, portray the energy and vibrant color of Thoroughbred racing.

Seven Derby Sins Sat, 03 May 2008 09:23 EDT

When you think of the Kentucky Derby, you think of rose blankets and enormous hats and bourbon and throngs of people yippeeing in their finery that their expensive piece of horseflesh ran several seconds ahead of somebody else's expensive piece of horseflesh after the singing of a particularly odious state song in an arena where tens of thousands of people have chugged hundreds of thousands of dollars of alcoholic beverages and then engaged in morally dubious behavior.

Why you've never bothered to link the Derby with the Seven Deadly Sins just befuddles us.

This is why we've done the linking for you, and are here to categorize exactly how each of those Seven Deadly Oopsies is on display at the bourbon-and-mint-scented signature event of this commonwealth.

Considering the Seven Big Sins and the Derby, Transylvania University professor Jack Furlong notes that the only sinless among the Derby throngs are probably the horses themselves: .They are the only innocent ones, and they are the ones who really don't know what's going on. ... They can't have pride. They're just doing their job. Their gluttony and their lust they're wise enough to keep to themselves..

Chinese Dir