Allora, Aspetta!

Brown County Story

A perk of working for statewide organizations is the chance to travel. It's mostly within Indiana and mostly between small county seats, but I like that historical organizations and museums pepper these back roads and give me the excuse to explore.

Earlier this week, with two consecutive meetings in Southern Indiana, I decided to stick around that part of the state rather than climb all the way back to Indy just to turn around and return again.

Just about every cultural or nonprofit organization in the state is having their June meetings in Brown County. After my Monday meeting there, I can understand why: rolling hills, old shady trees, cool breezes, and secret attractions along the side roads. Meandering through those roads, I stumbled upon the Story Inn. Unfortunately it was closed on Monday, but I'll be back to try this restaurant and inn that features local produce in a modern twist on back roads style.

Further down the road and higher up in the hills, I found the Twin Oaks Lodge. They had an empty room, a long porch of rockers, and not even the whisper of traffic. "There's no tv or telephone, but breakfast is hot and served at 8:30," the host told me. "Perfect, I'll take it," I smiled.

On my dad's family's summer trips to the Adirondacks, my Taid used to say that he'd sit himself down in a rocking chair the first day and maybe start to rock a bit by about the third day. Eager to enjoy this family tradition, I grabbed the bread, cheese, strawberries, and wine from the grocery in town and plopped myself down in a rocker with a long view of the woods and the sun behind the hills. It didn't take three days for me to start rocking, but between dying my fingers strawberry-juice red and at least a couple cat naps, I think Taid would have approved.

Breakfast was served hot at 8:30 and I never heard a phone ring, just as promised. Too soon I had to be on the road again, headed toward the next meeting and then back to the city. It was a sweet break and a lovely little separation; I won't let too much time pass before another Brown County story.

~Corrie

posted by Corrie @ 5:48:00 PM