• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Today's Transitions

  • Home
  • Home
  • Find Help
    • Search Care Communities
    • Caregiver Solutions
    • Health Treatments
    • Search Home Caregiving
    • All Caregiving
  • Beautiful Living
    • Travel and Daytrips
    • Health and Fitness
    • Delicious Food
    • Happenings Guide
    • Home and Books
    • Technology
    • Meaningful Work
      • Volunteering
    • Money and Finances
    • Positive Mental Thinking
    • People
  • Living Options
    • Search for Living Communities
    • Home Improvements
    • Low Maintenance Living
    • Downsizing
  • The Magazine
    • Read New Issue
    • Find Magazine
  • Connect
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Manage Listing (Provider/Advertiser)
    • Advertising Options
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • About Today’s Transitions
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home / Topics / Featured / A Nostalgic Life In Nancy

A Nostalgic Life In Nancy

November 2, 2023 · Leave a Comment

For seven months of the year, Priscilla and Jim Taylor live the life they had always dreamed of on eight wooded acres in Nancy, Kentucky. After retiring from two demanding careers (Priscilla as the dean of nursing at San Bernardino Community College and Jim as a high school athletic director and football coach), the slow pace of their second home in Appalachia is a welcome contrast from their former busy life in the San Bernardino region of southern California.   

Nancy, Kentucky sits close to Cumberland Falls and Somerset in Pulaski County and was where the couple honeymooned in 1966. The Taylors were high school sweethearts at Manual High School in Louisville, so the nostalgia of Kentucky has always pulled at their heartstrings. Now living in Nancy, the couple is pulled back to their beginnings, free from the stress of their productive years in California, and finally free enough to spend long summer days in one another’s company.

Each morning they sit on their wide front porch and watch the animals go about their business – deer graze, butterflies flitter, birds lilt, and their lab relishes rolling around in the scenic landscape of their property.. They venture into town on a one lane road to work out at Planet Fitness three times a week. They take day trips down long country roads or to Gatlinburg or Berea; they meet high school friends for lunch in Lexington. They work the land together and talk to neighbors, trade fresh green beans, tomatoes, and zucchini at harvest time. They take their dog on long walks and enjoy the simple pleasures that surround them.  

“My husband coached for so long and [football] was always on his mind, even in the summer. He can relax now – he knows the names of flowers and birds, he feeds the deer which eat us out of house and home! We call him the Martha Stewart out here,” Priscilla says. 

It is a life motivated by togetherness, nature, and simplicity that they celebrate from April to November 2 each year, a firm date dictated by the end of the pumpkin harvest and their beloved deer. On November 1, after the Halloween pumpkin picking frenzy closes for the season, Jim and the neighbor collect all the leftover pumpkins from a nearby farm – sometimes 50 or more pumpkins – and haul them out to Jim’s land where the neighbor cuts a few open with an ax throughout the winter for the deer to feed on in their “deer haven.” After the annual pumpkin haul, the Taylors pack up and head back home to winter in their southern California homestead where they spend five months reconnecting with their children and grandchildren.

The Taylor’s other life in the beautiful farming region of Yucaipa, California is filled with football, soccer games, and family time. Their three children live on the west coast, so Priscilla and Jim keep their primary residence in California so they can maintain their home and watch their grandchildren grow. They participate in all the families’ activities, events, and athletics–watching the growth of the next generation. “We have five grandchildren in California and two in Vegas, so we can’t make a complete cut. In November, it’s time to go home and be back in California with the kids for the holidays.”

Upon Jim’s retirement, the Taylors downsized to a smaller, single-level residence in a 55+ community in Calimesa, in the town of Yucaipa. There, neighbors water their plants and their children check on the place and gather their mail while they are in Kentucky. They rent a storage unit to keep the California home minimal with easy upkeep. The Bernardino Valley has suffered widespread wildfires for the past few summers, but so far, the Taylor’s home has been spared. “The piano I had since I was 4 is there and my family knows that is the first thing they need to get out if the fires come. Forget the pictures and clothes, I want that piano!”

 While away from their Kentucky home, a neighbor walks the property and stays in close contact throughout the winter months when there isn’t as much upkeep on the property. But come spring, as the grasses begin to grow and flowers begin to bud, it is time to head back to Nancy and tend the land.

“We always said that when we retire we want a piece of Kentucky,” Priscilla says. Now, their two lives, despite the 2,000 mile chasm between them, are quite similar. “We joke that you could pick up Nancyand put it in Yucaipa and it would fit right in.” Both are farming communities with cattle, wide wooded spaces, clean air, and good neighbors. One, a connection to the past, and the other, their future.   

By Megan M. Seckman | Photos Submitted

P.S. From Louisville To Lake Michigan: Heading North For A Second Home

Filed Under: Featured, Living Options, Passions, People, Travel and Daytrips

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search for Care Communities

Sponsored

Choose Peace of Mind Over Probate Court

Resource Directory

May Is A Magical Time In Louisville – Check Out These Festivals And Events

Search

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • x
  • linkedin
  • subscribe
Today's Transitions Caregiving

ttcaregiving

For many of us, decluttering can be an emotional e For many of us, decluttering can be an emotional experience. It’s not always easy to part with possessions we have an emotional connection to, making a real clean-out challenging.⁠
⁠
“Home is not just a place we live, but a reminder of memories, with each item telling a unique story,” says professional organizer Alison Moulder of Simplicity and Style. “The difficulty comes in gently guiding clients through the process of letting go while respecting their emotional needs.” ⁠
⁠
Learn more at the link in our bio for professional tips on making a spring decluttering effort manageable.⁠
⁠
🧹: @simplicityandstylehome⁠
🧹: @the_love_of_order
The answer is... yes, no, and sometimes, maybe. Ca The answer is... yes, no, and sometimes, maybe. Caregiving expert and educator Karen Stobbe unpacks this question and covers what you need to consider at the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
#caregiver #caregiverlife #caregiversupport #caregivingexpert #caregivingquestions
In our rush for newer, quicker, better, we seem to In our rush for newer, quicker, better, we seem to be missing out on what we fundamentally crave: a calmer, gentler, sweeter and more grace-filled life. Is it easy to achieve such a life? Definitely not. Is it possible? Absolutely, positively, certainly, yes. Follow the link to read this month's article from Bishop Bob Mueller.⁠
⁠
{link in bio}
Are your blinds open right now? Or perhaps the bet Are your blinds open right now? Or perhaps the better question is: if they aren’t, do you want them to be? If the view out your window isn’t exactly inspiring, here are some ideas to spruce it up — no matter your landscape or budget. {link in bio}
Most of us know there are sometimes beautiful mome Most of us know there are sometimes beautiful moments in the midst of bad days or horrible weeks. But how can we capture them? How do we keep the bad, the boring, and the disappointments from overtaking the good? Here are two strategies that can help you find positivity and purpose in each day of caregiving. {link in bio}⁠
⁠
#caregiving #caregivinglife #caregivingsupport #beautifulmoments #moments #support #goodthings #goodthingshappen
Kangaroo burgers, wood-fired pizza, big breakfast Kangaroo burgers, wood-fired pizza, big breakfast spreads: these local eateries won’t disappoint when you need a little break from caregiving or you want to take your loved one for a delicious bite. ⁠
⁠
📍: @jackfrys_ky⁠
📍: @thecafelville⁠
📍: @proofonmain⁠
📍: @garageonmarket⁠
📍: @gamerestaurants⁠
After being a church pastor for many years, George After being a church pastor for many years, George Ross is now focusing on creating a community for those over age 55. George shows kindness daily by delivering treats, making music, sending texts (“I can cover a lot of ground with texts”), and just being available to “do for one what I wish I could do for all.” Read more about how he keeps the kindness flowing at the link in our bio.
Pump up your sweet potato for a delicious ‘bowl- Pump up your sweet potato for a delicious ‘bowl-based’ meal this spring. See what we added by checking out the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
#sweetpotato #potato #recipe #potatorecipe #delicious #meal #mealidea
I would ask my mom, “How was your week?” ⁠
⁠
“Kinda boring,” was her answer. ⁠
⁠
Before disease, my mom was a productive person with many social and creative pursuits. Her health condition severely reduced her world. She struggles with these increasing limitations. ⁠
⁠
As I reflect, I think I was asking the wrong question.⁠
Both caregivers and their loved ones can have many good moments in a day. What can you do to bring some cheer into the day, or how can you help reframe what is happening? Here are two powerful and practical strategies. {link in bio}
Ridding your life of all toxic chemicals is nearly Ridding your life of all toxic chemicals is nearly impossible because they are quite literally everywhere: in the products we use, the foods we consume, and even the air we breathe. While this fact can seem overwhelming, don’t despair. “While 100% elimination is not possible, you can take small steps that can reduce your exposure and make a big difference in your overall health,” says Devin Kirtley, clean beauty advocate and clean living influencer. Read more at the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
#detox #detoxify #breathe #breathefreshair #toxic #removetoxicchemicals #wellness #inspire #inspirations #connectwithtt
Take a stroll down memory lane with the story of “Saturday Night Live,” or explore a world where even your dreams are under surveillance. Check out the link in our bio for new book picks for spring.⁠
⁠
#louisville #ky #louisvilleky #spring #books #booksofinsta #booksofinstagram #reading #readthis #springreads⁠
he ancient Greeks called it ‘xenia,’ the gener he ancient Greeks called it ‘xenia,’ the generous receiving of guests as decreed by the gods. Offering a place to stay, a meal, or a kindness to another was thought to create a bond deeper than friendship. When we open our guest room (or our couch) to a visitor today, we continue that ethic of hospitality that’s echoed through the centuries — and maybe we really do experience that special bond that only forms between host and guest. Sarah Mattingly, owner of the Bellwether Hotel on Bardstown Road, shares about her journey restoring the historic buildings of the hotel and about her tips for practicing hospitality. ⁠
Immerse yourself in all of springtime’s refreshi Immerse yourself in all of springtime’s refreshing offerings with our new Inspiration issue! Explore ways to get closer to nature, whether that’s bringing flowers up to your window 🌷, paddling on a lake 🚣‍♂️, or standing in a gigantic forest wind chime 🌳. Learn how to live a little cleaner and healthier 🍋. Plan a trip ✈️, delight in Derby 🏇, and focus on seeing the good in each day 🌈.⁠
⁠
Read the entire issue here at the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
#louisville #louisvilleky #ky #kentucky #ohio #indiana #spring #springtime #springmagazine #magazine #magazinecover
Learn how to have a meaningful visit – and the o Learn how to have a meaningful visit – and the one thing you should never say to a caregiver. {link in bio}⁠
⁠
#caregiver #caregiving #sweetenyourday #visitsomeone #caregiverlife
The Midway Historic District, located halfway betw The Midway Historic District, located halfway between Frankfort and Lexington in Midway, was designated by the National Registry of Historic Places as a historic district in 1978. Charming shops and restaurants line both sides of the still-active Lexington and Ohio Railroad – the oldest railroad in Kentucky. Black Type Co. can fuel your adventures with hot coffee drinks and pastries, as well as cocktails, wines, and charcuteries. The gift shop offers the creations of local artisans, including Kentucky-themed art, honey, lotions, and candles. Kentucky bourbons and wines are also available for purchase.
In our rush for newer, quicker, better, we seem to In our rush for newer, quicker, better, we seem to be missing out on what we fundamentally crave: a calmer, gentler, sweeter and more grace-filled life. Is it easy to achieve such a life? Definitely not. Is it possible? Absolutely, positively, certainly, yes. Follow the link to read this month's article from Bishop Bob Mueller.
Family caregiving is usually an unpaid position, d Family caregiving is usually an unpaid position, done out of love or necessity. In addition to attending to the needs of a loved one, many caregivers still hold down a job while maintaining their own households. Read Karen Stobbe's intake on needing family support.
Try these intentional changes to make your home sa Try these intentional changes to make your home safer as you age – without sacrificing a lovely, modern aesthetic.⁠
⁠
#safespace #beautifulspace #interior #interiorspace #interiordecor #interiordesign
Color your world and try something new with a pain Color your world and try something new with a painting class at Preston Arts Center this season. Find out about three classes for beginners + more ideas for an inspirational spring at the link in our bio.
Kindness can come packaged as something delicious. Kindness can come packaged as something delicious. Delivering a thoughtful box of snacks can be the perfect way to express concern and offer encouragement to someone in need. Check out what we included in our snack box at the link in our bio.⁠
⁠
#deliveringlove #deliversnack #snack #snackbox #snacks #snacky #thoughtfulness
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Hesitant About The Hospital? These Tips Can Help
  • A Trip Back To The Big City! See What We Did On Our First Day (Part 1 of 2)
  • Explore Natural Wonders Beyond Your Doorstep
  • A Tragedy, A Decision, And How It Changed This Family
  • You Need To Listen To These Two Releases: ‘Is’ And ‘Foxes In The Snow’

Manage Listings · My Account · Caregiving Listing Help
Privacy Policy · Terms of Service
© 2025 · Barrett Jacoby Publishing, LLC · Built by Breakaway Analytics