Monthly Archives: April 2021

Lighthouse Complex

Posted on by
6

Anytime I’m near a lighthouse, I have this unexplainable urge to prove I can climb the darn thing. This is especially odd given that I am terrified of heights.

Old lighthouses always have scary iron staircases with steps that have open backs large enough to lose a small child through. There is always something that looks like this that you have to climb through to get outside.

Plus it’s always windy up there and one of the most terrifying experiences imaginable for someone afraid of heights.

I absolutely despise the experience but tend to force myself to do it anyway. Why? I’ve been trying to answer this question for years. I suppose just to prove I can.

I’ve only been up in a handful and have to admit that I’m always a little relieved when they aren’t open to the public!

This is Marblehead, a relatively small lighthouse on the Lake Erie shore. It’s part of a state park with a museum and grounds. It’s just 77 terrifying steps to the top for a bargain price of $3 per person.

Click here to visit their website and plan your trip.

An Old Barn and Truck

Posted on by
Reply

Old barns and trucks go together like peanut butter and jelly. They’re a beautiful reminder of another time and a different way of life.

I made this picture early one Sunday morning a couple of years ago. I was out for a leisurely drive to pick up donuts and couldn’t resist pulling over for some pictures along the way. It’s a pretty-as-a-picture reminder of that relaxing morning.

I hope you can take time today to make a donut run, go look for an old barn or simply relax the day away.

Happy Sunday, friends.

Weaver’s Quilt Block

Posted on by
Reply

These pictures are eleven years old but still summon happy memories and much joy.

Once upon a time, I was responsible for wrangling volunteers and funding sources to create a trail of quilt barns in my community. We aimed to have ten but ended up creating 27 over time.

This one is at Weaver’s Christmas Tree Farm, owned and operated by the kindest husband and wife duo you could ever hope to meet. They treated me like I was their own family and were a joy to work with on this project.

Fred and Lois had an antique store as well as the tree farm and Lois was known for her homemade jams and jellies. Then, of course, there were the animals.

I don’t recall the cat’s name but he clearly didn’t know he was a cat.

He hung with the gang as though he was part of the flock!

Of course, this makes sense given the way Fred and Lois always behaved as though there was always time and always room for one more person or animal – all part of their flock.

Fred passed away a few years ago and I have lost track of Lois, two facts that make me sad. That job was hard and time consuming. I don’t miss that part but sure do miss some of the people and the adventures I had along the way.

King Hollow Tunnel

Posted on by
2

There are some interesting old railroad tunnels in southern Ohio including this one – King Tunnel or King Hollow Tunnel.

Built in 1855 by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, this stretch of rail line later became part of the Baltimore and Ohio before seeing its demise in the late eighties under CSX ownership.

It is now surrounded by the Zaleski State Forest, close to the town of Mineral and just a few miles from the famed Moonville Tunnel.

Take a closer look. It’s a hand-built wooden tunnel.

That’s not something you see every day.

Here’s something else you don’t see every day. This image is on file at the Southeast Ohio History Center in Athens.

They date this image to around 1900.

Want to go? You can park at the intersection of Rockcamp Road and King Hollow Trail. I think it’s about a half mile hike to the tunnel. If you go in spring, look for wildflowers along the way. I haven’t been there in a few years but I recall it being quite pretty.

Cinema 1 & 2

Posted on by
Reply

It started life as the Wayne Theater in 1921. Today it’s known by that name as well as the very straightforward name Cinema 1 & 2.

Located in Greenville, Ohio’s somewhat busy downtown, I was surprised to find that it appears to be closed. It reminded me of the old twin cinema we had in my hometown. It’s long gone and even the building has been torn down but I rarely drive by without recalling the movies I watched there as a kid.

Little towns need outlets for entertainment like movies theaters and skating rinks just as badly as cities do. Tragically, small towns seem to struggle the hardest to keep these types of businesses afloat.

I view places like this as a cautionary tale to support the businesses we want to keep in our communities. Whether it be a movie theater, a record store or a place with the best milkshakes, if there’s a business out there we want to keep around, we have to do our part and support them.

Here’s hoping that some community group will come along with plans to give the old Wayne Theater a new lease on life!

Thomas Stairs

Posted on by
8

I want to climb them just to see where they lead. This is one of many colorful, offbeat things you’ll see in Thomas, West Virginia if you park the car and go looking.

Thomas is a special town with a lot of history and heart that celebrates diversity. I was there last fall when the pandemic was hampering what should have been a busy fall weekend. The colors were glorious and, according to the locals I met, the best they had seen in years.

This area is on my list of places to return to another day. That list has become stunningly long.

What’s on your post pandemic to visit list? Because I need more ideas, you know…..