Southern Vacation-Cabin on the Hill and Memphis

This vacation took us back to two places that we had experienced in the past. But this time, we had a little more time at each place. Cabin on the Hill is the ultimate place for relaxation and a country experience nestled in the beautiful hills of southern Illinois. The cabins are relatively new and comfortable. You can't spend even one day there without contemplating a life living full time in a log cabin out in the country. It is small enough to be feel warm but with the cathedral ceiling in the main living area, there is an absence of claustrophobia so when the rain keeps you from a long hike in the woods, there is comfort there. A gas fireplace, in the living area, is perhaps too easy but when it stops raining, you can move out to the firepit and get the real thing started. 

Cooking is easy, with a gas grill on the deck and a dishwasher for the end of the meal. There is a big recycle container for a guilt free experience. We brought our own groceries and ate wonderfully healthy while indulging in a few bottles of wine during the evenings. There were a few nice sunsets but the rainy nights kept the farm animals from their usual noise. The last night there, the weather cleared and we could hear peacocks at night, howls off in the woods and the sounds of the guard dogs, a breed known as the Ak-Bash, as well as roosters crowing before daybreak. Because the sounds are not part of our usual life, they resonated like beautiful music.
http://www.cabinonthehill.com/

Memphis, the cradle of the blues, a medium sized city that is in the south, these days more southern than Atlanta no doubt. We stayed in the heart of the action, on Second St, right across from the famous Peabody Hotel where the ducks still march through the lobby twice daily. And in the Peabody lobby is a store called Lansky's where Elvis used to buy his clothes. But we stayed at a small place that was quite comfortable. The room was equipped with a kitchenette and a separate bedroom. The window treatments were shudders that gave a New Orleans feel to the room. 

On the comfortable daybed, I was able to read my Anne Rice novel and feel the novel come alive. We met some interesting folk. Sally is a short white woman who works as a member of the Blue suede brigade, a group that provides tourist directions and information. They were out in force for the music festival and we saw her nearly everyday, catching her up on what bands we were seeing or how the games went at the Triple AAA baseball stadium where the Redbirds play.    

The first night of music was all about BB King. He came on at 10:45 but to be sure we kept our place, we decided the see the two bands prior, Big Star which has a similar sound to REM. They were followed with Robert Randolph and the Family Band who completely jammed. 

On Saturday night, we saw the Bar-Kays who still perform with a live python on stage. They were followed by Jerry Lee Lewis. He sounded old where as BB King at 80 sounded like he did years ago. But Lewis's band is pretty good and they put on a decent show though by no means the awe inspiring experience of seeing BB King. We concluded our music fest experience with Bruce Hornsby who did a great job with the End of the Innocence, a song that he co-wrote with Don Henley. He finished his set with "That's Just The Way It Is", an appropriate ending to time in Memphis.
http://www.bbonline.com/tn/talbotheirs/