Got the Altitude Blues

We don't fly a lot so B and I took turns sitting by the window on our recent flights. We both love looking out the window at the clouds and the ground beneath. The clouds on the trip north were just spectacular. I tried some shots and am pretty satisfied with the results.

Heavenly, I think.

On the trip back, it was evening and the sun was low and reflecting liquid silver off tin roofs and water.

If you click on the picture below, you can see boat wakes and two bridges and what I think is a barge near the middle of the shot.

All you non-fliers out there: just look at what you are missing! What a blessing to get to see parts of the creation that for eons only God saw.

Gay Street

We happened to be in Columbus, Ohio when the big parade was held celebrating gay pride. It was interesting, to say the least.

B and I had gone on a walk to explore the downtown area around the hotel where we were staying. While we were out, we needed to find some light lunch. There were lots of people on the streets; many of whom were "out" themselves.

We heard several of the couples joking about the street we were on.

And then the parade began.

Most everyone seemed to be having a really good time.
Here is the delegation from the hockey league. Now, why did that take me by surprise?

Check out the amazing rainbow poodles! (Sorry, the first picture is "fuzzy.")

The parade lasted one and a half hours and, yup, in keeping with the rainbow theme, what we saw was quite colorful.

A Bit of Hedging

The Dawes Arboretum has a unique hedge. It is arborvitae so that is not unusual. It is the shear length of the hedge that makes it unique---and it is hard to imagine the team that is required to shear this hedge.

We climbed this observation tower to view the hedge from one end.

The shrubs spell out Dawes Arboretum over almost half a mile.

The grounds were part of the flight pattern into Columbus and the Dawes took advantage of that to advertise their arboretum.

Dawes Arboretum: Country Life

As we toured the Dawes Arboretum,  we came to this tractor and driver. I thought at first that the driver might be an iron sculpture. On closer inspection, it was a threadbare scarecrow!

This type of oil well was common in this area for many decades. 

This was the country home of the Dawes family.

Here is the ornate well beside the house.

The gardens around the house were so charming.

Mmmmm, lambs' ears. They don't do well in our heat and humidity, so seeing a bed of them this large was such a treat.

Dawes Arboretum: The Japanese Garden

It was a beautiful summer day when we visited the Dawes Arboretum, near Newark, Ohio, the former home and grounds of the founder of Pure Oil, Beman Dawes. Beman's brother, incidentally, was the vice-president of the United States under Grover Cleveland. Between the two brothers, they knew many influential people. On the walls in the visitors center, are many photographs of individuals of prominence planting a tree on the grounds. There are thousands of trees and other living plants that are cared for and cataloged.

It is a lovely place of over 1,800 acres.

We visited the Japanese garden.

There were koi in the pond.

Claude Monet had a Japanese bridge (like the one below on the right) built in his garden in Giverny in France. It is featured in many of his waterlily paintings. I use those prints with my kindergartners.

Mailbox Monday: Coast Palm Post

Buckeyes and Mortar Boards

Columbus is home to Ohio State University. We took a driving tour of the campus. This is the impressive entrance to their football stadium.

The florets are three-dimensional.

These are very pretty but I am not sure why they did not choose the buckeye flower seen below.

The mascot for the Ohio State team is the Buckeye. Here is a Buckeye in human form.

This giant mortar board suspended with wires over  the road  successfully draws attention to tiny Franklin University.