Hunt for the unusual....

As I look back on 2013....I thought you all might find interesting a day trip I took with a friend who showed me some places I had never heard of....so I am going to share them with you....
Our first stop was to find the Leo Petroglyph State Memorial.  This is the place of some of the finest examples of prehistoric Indian carved writings in Ohio.

This shelter covered the carvings in the Black Hand Sandstone bedrock .

These are some of the carvings...

Of course there are some later carvings....people who just can't respect the ancient carvings and jump into the area and scratch their initials there.
Then there is a trail for a hike which is fun.  It makes a circle coming back to the shelter.

 Some of the scenery along our trail...I felt like I was really out in the wilderness...

This Crow started shouting to everyone that we were there.  He followed us for a short while shouting his warning.

In this area there is a lot of lichens, mosses, liverworts, ferns growing.

This tree's roots grow around the rock it sits on down to find some soil.

These next two pictures are examples of rock weathering.

This occurs when parts of the sandstone is softer and less resistant to wear than surrounding areas. The weathering actions of wind, water, changing temperatures cause these area to wear away quicker than the other areas.
 

We heard this small water fall before we found it.  Such a wonderful sound.

Yes, that is ice that has formed under the fall....

Was a nice short hike with interesting things to see. Then we were back to the shelter.

So back into the car we got to hunt for the next thing on our list....but on the drive we saw some really neat things.

There were lovely scenes like this one...

An old Church forgotten....

                                                                                                   .........End Time House of Prayer

 
This wonderful Cow crossing sign!  I don't think I had ever seen one before...










The Bull in a field....I think Cows have the sweetest faces....

I thought this so beautiful....like a step from the 1800's..the house on the hill and laundry on the line...like poetry....

Love finding barns with Quilt squares....I have a picture collection started...maybe one day I will post them.

 Then we ended up in Coalton, Jackson County, Ohio....
The birthplace of James. A. Rhodes the 61st & 63rd. Governor of Ohio.

See I told you this would be the unusual... LOL....

Next we went in search of the Buckeye Furnace....Yes, I had never heard of it and it was a bit tricking finding it...but it is amazing!

The front part is called the casting shed and the furnace behind.

This is the furnace.

I couldn't resist taking this...as I felt small and looking up at the sky was amazing.

Behind between the furnace and the  rock wall.

This is Little Racoon River Covered Bridge that is in front of the Company store and  Scales which is the gift shop now...It was closed when we were there but there is more to see behind the gift shop..would love to go back when open one day.

It is located near Wellston, Ohio and open in the summer on the week-ends...no admission!

So off we went trying to find our way back home....
Saw this lovely Kestrel ...

Then we ended up in McArthur.....  This is the Hotel McArthur...a very interesting building. And from here I knew how to get back home!

I hope you enjoyed this little trip..  I am hoping for a great 2014!  I hope to post more on my blog and hope all of you get what you are hoping for in 2014!

                                                                  Happy New Year!!!!!!

The Christmas Story....the house!

Back a few months ago, I went to Cleveland to visit my daughter and the grandchildren.  While the kids were in school...we decided to do some Mother/Daughter stuff!  I had found out that the house used in the movie "The Christmas Story"  was in Cleveland and not too far from my daughter's... So off we went to find it.   I have never seen the movie completely through from beginning to end ...just the highlights....

It is very pretty....There is a small parking lot next to it (a small charge, but worth it) a museum and a gift shoppe on the street.

These are pictures from the museum.

This actor(I am so sorry I don't remember his name) was in the museum when we were there...He was one of the delivery men in the movie that delivered the leg lamp....He said that the original box was a bit to wide to get in the door so they cut it down which took the T of This and turned into His End Up!   

Then we got to go inside the house.

It was like walking back in time......

The hat rack by the door....

There was the Leg lamp in the box.....

We went into the living room first and a docent told us the story of how the house came to be.

Then we were free to walk through the house.....

I loved the kitchen!

Then we went upstairs.....

The sewing/ironing room...

The boy's room....

The view from the stair case of the front room.

Got to have our picture by the Leg Lamp!

One last look as we are leaving....I would love to see it at night....

I know there are not any birds, bugs, or butterflies in this posting...but if you are coming up to Cleveland to see the wonderful wildlife at Lake Erie and have some time....check out "The Christmas Story House"

It puts you in the mood....

This year as I begin my Christmas movie watching....The Christmas Story will be on my list to watch from beginning to end!

Hope everyone has the best of Holidays.....(just in case I don't get another blog in before 2014!!!! )