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Blue Dog Bakery and Cafe in Louisville, Kentucky
Soon after Riven passed away, I found myself in Louisville, Kentucky, sitting inside a restaurant called Blue Dog Bakery and Cafe. I had not traveled there looking for anything connected to him. The name simply appeared in the town where I happened to be, followed by blue dog artwork, merchandise, and a menu item…
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Visiting Dollywood When Half a Day Wasn’t Enough
Updated September 2026: I originally wrote this article about a visit I made while Dolly Parton was still alive. Following her passing on August 25, 2026, I updated it to acknowledge her death and reflect changes at Dollywood since my visit. The photographs and personal experiences remain from that original trip. I arrived at…
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A Beautiful Tennessee Hike With the Perfect Ending
A visit with a friend in Tennessee included a hike along the Harpeth River with Riven, followed by dinner at Coco’s Italian Market in Nashville. The trail carried us through a bright spring forest, across a small wooden bridge, and down to the water before we headed back toward the city for ravioli. Riven…
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Louisiana: Looking Back at the January 2025 Snowstorm
A year has passed, and these photos still look like they came from somewhere other than Louisiana. My 4Runner sat beneath several inches of snow. The woods had turned white, with snow clinging to pine branches and Southern vegetation that rarely carries that kind of weight. It looked more like a winter campsite farther…