Thursday, June 9, 2022

Is Bluegrass Really Blue? - With Giveaway!

   By Tiffany Amber Stockton




Well, we won't have a new Triple Crown winner this year, but what a race it was at the Kentucky Derby last month!! Rich Strike, at 80-1 odds, took home the win and gave the race one of the event's all-time greatest finishes. His owner opted him out of the Preakness, but in just 2 days, he'll run in the Belmont Stakes. If you missed the post about the prestigious 13 winners of the Triple Crown so far, you can read it here.

Yesterday, Martha shared a unique tidbit about Kentucky and a tiny piece of land at the far southwest corner that is actually completely cut off and disconnected from the rest of the state. Be sure to check out that fun post if you haven't already. Today, I'm going to continue with another Kentucky fun fact.

THE BLUEGRASS STATE

As many of you here know, I only recently became a Kentuckian, although I have family roots that run deep in the Virginia and Kentucky soil. Prior to moving here, I spent fifteen years in Colorado. The region there is semi-arid and similar to a desert with the potential for a forty(40)-degree difference in temperature between day and night. Aside from the lakes, wildflowers, and snow-capped mountains, the majority of the land is brown and red with rocks and pine, unless you spend the time and money on sod, seed, and custom landscaping.

That's a drastic difference from the temperate rainforest area in the southeastern part of Kentucky where I now live. Day and night temperatures only change by maybe ten or fifteen degrees, and we get an abundance of rain. Kentucky is brilliantly green throughout the spring into summer with an explosion of color in the flowering trees, wildflowers, and the vibrant changing leaves in fall. Although I do admit to missing the awe-inspiring vistas of the front range of the Rocky Mountains, it's refreshingly peaceful to step outside to the front porch of my log cabin home in the forest and hear the wide variety of birds chirping or see the wildlife skittering across the yard.

Ironically, back in Colorado, when we went to sod our back yard, we discovered Kentucky bluegrass was the best seed to use in that zone. It's hearty, beautiful, and delightful on bare feet! Who knew at that time that I'd soon be living in the state known for its "blue" grass. :)



Hundreds of years ago, when the first pioneers crossed the Appalachians and ventured west along the Ohio River, the pastureland they discovered was vibrant and rich with nutrients. In the early morning sunlight and sometimes at dusk, the blades of grass take on a bluish tint that differs from the rich emerald it appears throughout most of the day. In addition, if the grass isn't in areas that are frequently mowed or eaten, there are some blue flowers that grow amongst the blades as they grow taller. Nothing at all like the stunning bluebells of Texas, they still hold their own unique charm and appeal.

The Shawnee and Cherokee natives who lived here in Kentucky used this pastureland and the rich soil for farming and horse grazing. A lot of the reason Kentucky is known for its horses is due to the extensive pastureland and rolling green hills. Breeders and trainers have long flocked to this area of the country to establish their horse farms and stables. It's only part of why the Kentucky Derby takes place in Louisville, and it's why the world-famous Kentucky Horse Park is situated just to the north of Lexington. For over one-hundred (100) years, champions have retired here to become stud horses and live out their lives in fame and glory.

Finally, although the Bluegrass style of music didn't get its name directly from the type of grass which heartily grows in Kentucky, there is a tiny connection to the start of that genre in the Appalachian region where the bluegrass also grows.


NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What is YOUR state's nickname, and how did it get that name?

* Is grass abundant where you live, or does it require cultivating and a lot of work?

* What is the climate and landscape like in your region?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I'm going to start a new pattern of sending a FREE autographed book to one person each and every month from the comments left on this blog. You never know when your comment will be a winner!

Come back on the 9th of July to learn about the origins of Bluegrass Music in Kentucky.

For those interested in my "fictional" life as an author and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my quarterly newsletter. Receive a FREE omitted chapter from my book, A Grand Design, just for subscribing!


BIO
Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and two cats in Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting today! The Kentucky bluegrass sounds wonderful. Now, which of your questions to answer. Maine is the Pine Tree State, because there are many pine trees, especially up north. So much has been logged off but there are still acres and acres of them further north. We have plenty of grass here in central Maine, which does grow well wherever there is good or even mediocre soil like our yard and we have to mow often in the summer. Many farmers have already gotten in their first cutting of hay by now.

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    1. Grass would definitely be abundant almost anywhere east of the Mississippi. Trees are hit and miss, thanks to clearing, logging, and cutting. We see that in the forest where we live, but at least the builders didn't just level everything when the homes were being built. Instead, they cleared just enough for the homes and left everything else. Some owners left the natural grass mixed with wildflowers and others opted for seed and weed killer for a much smoother lawn.

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  2. I live in the Hoosier State! (but I went to college at Purdue, not IU)
    Grass is abundant, but so are weeds.
    I love living where we have 4 distinct beautiful seasons!

    I look forward to reading about bluegrass music. Both my son & father-in-law play a bit of banjo.

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    1. Banjo? That sounds like fun!! Yes, weeds are a problem everywhere. Blame it on Adam and Eve and their succumbing to temptation. Lol! Thankfully, weeds (or at least eliminating them) can teach us some great life lessons. Oh, and I love having 4 distinct seasons again too. Colorado was great, but we really only had 2 seasons: winter and summer. The rest of the year was winter and summer battling it out to see who would win.

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  3. Illinois is the Land of Lincoln. We use blue grass here too. In the last decade conservationists are bringing back prairie grass. We see the tall stately grass along the highway and in state parks and used as parts of flower gardens.

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    1. Prairie grass? That's fascinating! It was at one time quite the hearty grass and lasted for hundreds of years. You wouldn't necessarily want to frolic in it or play any lawn games, but it could do quite well in the untouched or unpopulated areas.

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  4. South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State after the Sabal Palmetto tree. We have decent grass in our area, but it does get very hot in the summer time and might take some watering if you want it to stay green. The temperature is going to be in the upper 90's this week!

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    1. Yes, summers can get quite hot and humid in the south. There's a joke here that we have 10 months of fairly pleasant weather. Then, there's July and August where everyone shuts themselves inside their homes and don't surface until September. Lol!

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  5. Ohio, It is the Buckeye State because of the Buckeye Trees, We have all kinds of grass in our area! And it is suppose to be in the 90's this week!

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    1. Same here! Hot and humid, and it's only mid-June. And buckeyes. Little peanut butter balls dipped in a chocolate coating. :) Looks just like the seed from the tree!

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  6. Congratulations to Patty! You are the random winner selected from this month's drawing. Please reply with your coded email to avoid bots, and I'll get in touch with you about the free book you'll be receiving: name [at] domain [com]

    Thank you to everyone who left a comment. Come back next month for your chance again!

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