Tag Archives: yellow springs Ohio

The Power Of A Story

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Wednesday found me admiring the gorgeous fall foliage in Dayton’s Woodland Cemetery. I’m on vacation this week and, after days of doing what other people wanted me to do, it was nice to roam freely.

We wandered around this enormous cemetery on the hill where people have buried their loved ones literally for centuries. We found the graves of pioneers and soldiers, infants and the very old, and of people both famous and forgotten.

Adam found the grave of Julia Reichert, a 76 year old who died two years ago. I snapped a photo to remind me to Google her. Here’s what her epitaph reads:

She believed in love and justice

And the power of story

She fought for women and workers

And a better world.

She lived bravely and fiercely across all her years. 

What a tribute. I just had to know more about this woman and expected to find an obituary online. What I didn’t expect to find was a series of newspaper articles from publications in Ohio, New York City and Washington D.C. 

The Yellow Springs News wrote “A documentarian with a career spanning more than fifty years, Reichert’s oeuvre includes more than  two dozen works as director and producer. Her work in film will be remembered for holding a megaphone to the voices of women and the working class – a thematic thread that ran through many of her most important works.”

Her first  film Growing Up Female was released in 1971 and was considered one of the first films of the women’s liberation movement. The list of her accomplishments and accolades is impressive and hers sounds like a life well lived. 

It seems to me the world could use more people like her. Imagine being described as someone who “lived bravely and fiercely across all her years.” What an amazing thing to say about someone.

Oh, the power of story. 

Be curious about the world around you, friends. Go looking for stories. Ask questions. Look for more about the things that pique your interest. You may get a story out of it. You may learn something. You may be inspired, empowered and delighted by what you find. 

This is my advice but I hope Julia Reichert would approve.

Reading Bench

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If you ever find yourself in Yellow Springs, Ohio, stop by the library and have a look at the wonderful artwork both inside and out. My favorite piece here is a mosaic tile bench that sits by the front door.

It depicts animals listening as rabbit reads to them. Look closely and you’ll see that the book reads “In honor of Dr. Harold Fishbain, an avid reader.”

I adore all the little animals and the books depicted throughout. What a special place to sit and read or to simply walk past on the way in to choose just the right book!

Here’s one more look.

Contentment

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While everyone else was chatting with friends, snapping selfies and running from one row of plants to another, this woman at Sunset Ridge Lavender Farm had a different approach.

She seemed to be in her own little world, quietly snipping her lavender and enjoying the beautiful early summer day. Here she is holding up her bouquet next to the ring they give customers to help determine appropriate size of bouquet.

I saw her several times and thought she looked so pretty in her hat and bib overalls. She also seemed calm, serene and content to take her time and enjoy the moment.

I liked her spirit.

If only we could all find such contentment in the small things and in the quiet moments. That is my wish for you and for myself as well. It may not be easy as every day isn’t a walk through a lavender patch but we can strive to find satisfaction in the common moments of our day.

Make this a great day, friends.

Sunset Ridge Lavender Farm

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My house smells of lavender right now and I’m savoring the aroma.

Yesterday, my oldest and dearest friend and I set off on an adventure at Sunset Ridge Lavender Farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio. For $10 you can cut a bouquet of lavender to take home and they have several varieties for your consideration.

Each variety has unique qualities like Folgate that has flowers of an almost iridescent periwinkle blue. Purple Bouquet has long dark stems that make it ideal for craft projects. Each variety has different qualities for cooking.

I have always enjoyed lavender but never found myself in a situation like this one where I could experience the differences in varieties. At a glimpse, it all just looks like lavender but it’s clearly different on closer inspection.

The leaves and the flowers on each plant have an array of textures and the aromas are drastically different. Your nose will recognize when you have moved from one variety to another.

I came home with a bouquet that includes some of everything. Like the bees that flitted from one plant to the next, one row to another, I moved about clipping a few stems from there and a few from here,. I did this until my fist was full and I was confident that I had enough white lavender stems mixed in with all the rich purples.

There was a shockingly large crowd just twenty minutes after opening and, as people left, more continued to flow in. Many were there just to collect their bouquets and to take a selfie or two. Others came with little kids dressed for portraits. Some brought spouses who stood in this small sea of lavender looking lost and making me grateful to be there with a friend who shared my enthusiasm.

It was a good day.

Plus, they have a pretty purple barn, some welcoming chairs in the shade and some baked goods for sale.

My car now smells strongly of lavender and I’m confident that I should always keep lavender in the vehicle from here on. We were both inspired to pick up some lavender seeds yesterday so we can have our own patches at home.

This isn’t an enormous lavender patch but we were quite happy with the experience. You can find Sunset Ridge on Facebook to learn more about location, hours and their season.

Richard P. Eastman Covered Bridge

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Just outside of Yellow Springs, you’ll find a gorgeous red covered bridge that looks like it has always been part of the landscape.

Surprisingly, it’s a new bridge that was dedicated in 2014 in honor of former county engineer Richard Eastman. The five term engineer died in 2011 at the age of 91. He had such an affinity for covered bridges that it seemed a fitting tribute when it was decided to replace an old steel bridge with a covered one.

The bridge presides over the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a bike path that Eastman was influential in developing in the late eighties as part of the rails to trails movement.

It’s a picturesque 77 foot span complete with a cupola. The bright red paint is eye catching.

If you go, use caution on approach. It isn’t easy to see oncoming traffic from either way until you are right up on the bridge. Imagine my surprise when I came around a bend in the road to find this view.

I didn’t go looking for this bridge, instead, stumbling onto it by accident. However, if you’re in the area, it’s on Hyde Road between Yellow Springs and Clifton Mill. Use 39°47’07” N, 83°53’12” W in your gps or maps app.