Midweek Blues

Most of you may know I have a cat. Her name is Heidi and this is her Christmas stocking. It makes me smile each time I pull it out of the Christmas box.

Look closely at this image. I wanted to show you these blue rocks and as I sat looking at them I noticed an old ugly troll with mismatched eyes, a blue nose and blue cheek. LOL!
Actually I found these blue rocks embedded in the concrete wall of some old river locks that are no longer in use. The walls have stood since the 1800's. As you can see it isn't made strictly of concrete as we know today. I wonder where the pretty blue rocks came from and what they are. There were also some red ones. I posted about these locks a couple of years ago. Click here.

On the recent October day I was there the water was running forcefully over the old structure. It was a bright sunny day as you can see by the blue sky reflected in the water where it begins to flow over. I have seen the water low enough that it was only running over in a couple of places and folks can actually sit on top and fish.

Although it is a manmade waterfall I hope my friends Betsy and George enjoy the surging waters.

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Summer Stock - WATER FUN!

A Very Happy Lily
Lucy Not Letting The Water Get In Her Eyes

Happy 4th of July America!!!

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Weekend Reflections: Edge of the Pond

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The Collapse of the Silver Bridge

I was a young girl back on December 15,1967 when at approximately 5 p.m., the U.S. Highway 35 bridge connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio suddenly collapsed into the Ohio River. At the time of failure, thirty- seven vehicles were crossing the bridge span, and thirty-one of those automobiles fell with the bridge. Forty- six individuals perished with the buckling of the bridge and nine were seriously injured. The bridge was dubbed the 'Silver Bridge' because it was the country's first aluminum painted bridge. It had stood for almost 40 years. Many people were out buying Christmas trees, enjoying the holiday season, unaware of the disaster, until they heard the sound. Some individuals said, 'the sound of the collapse was like that of a shotgun." For those who saw the bridge collapse, they said, "it looked like the bridge fell like a card deck."

The cause of failure was attributed to a cleavage fracture in the lower limb of eye-bar 330 at joint C13N of the north eye-bar suspension chain in the Ohio side span." The fracture was caused from a minute crack formed during the casting of the steel eye-bar. Inspection prior to construction would not have been able to notice the miniature crack. Over the life span of the bridge, the only way to detect the fracture would have been to disassemble the eye-bar. The technology used for inspection at the time was not capable of detecting such cracks.

My photos are of the Memorial Silver Bridge that replaced the collapsed span. I have crossed it twice in the past couple of months and each time I felt an unexplainable eeriness pass over me. I suppose watching it unfold all those years ago on our tiny TV set is still ingrained in memory and still elicits helplessness at such tragedy.

As with any tragedy life goes on. This is evident of the bridge traffic that crosses daily and of the river traffic underneath such as the tug moving barges on the day we visited the nearby park overlooking the bridge.

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Camera Critters: One Fish, Two Fish

Goldie and Spot

The cold temps and snow and ice have been gone for a little over a week now and look who surfaced in the pond. This little pair came up from the bottom but they don't look like they're quite ready to stick their heads out yet. Or perhaps they're asking 'does this rock make our butts look big.' As I walked by yesterday I didn't see but heard a little frog plop into the water so the pond is indeed coming out of its long winter slumber. These sights and sounds are a wonderful prelude for what's to come and I can hardly wait!

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Weekend Reflections: Cattails

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These were taken last week. We actually had 72 degree weather yesterday so the snow is long gone. Yeah!!
I liked how the cattails were reflected in the water along the shoreline.
This was a much closer shot and when I downloaded the photos of that day I was totally surprised. It looks like I was looking through glass. It reminds me of looking through a glass shower door, you know, the kind that you can never seem to get clean. :)
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Watery Wednesday: A Snowy Lake

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"Moody and withdrawn, the lake unites a haunting loveliness to a raw desolateness." ~ Dale Morgan

This scene was from last Thursday. Today is it sunny and sixty-six degrees!!!

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Sycamore Leaves In Fall

Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you
Birds singing in the sycamore tree

Dream a little dream of me.

Say nighty-night and kiss me

Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.

While I'm alone and blue as can be

Dream a little dream of me.

~Gus Kahn

Did you know "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was first recorded by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra with vocal by Nelson on February 16, 1931?

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Watery Wednesday

Still cold, still snowing, but beginning to thaw........

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Watery Wednesday: The Eye

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I recently spent an evening trying to capture a splash of water. I was the one taking the picture and also the one trying to drop something in the water to make the splash. Not the way to practice I assure you.

The image above has a small splash to the right in the photo and it reminds me of a surfer. What really got me when I downloaded is what looks like an eye staring back at me in the black portion of the picture. The black spot is the plastic sink stopper. I was practicing in my kitchen sink so, no, there is no fish in the water. Not sure what you see; but I thought it rather spooky! It is Halloween month........

:)

You will find much more elegantly snapped water photos by clicking here.

Little Red Boat

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This week my Watery Wednesday image is a little bit different. I haven't been out much to find an interesting watery shot. Just a boat zooming down the river seemed rather mundane and I really didn't like the shot too much so I played around with my software and this is the result.

I'm sure you're find some really wonderful watery images by clicking here.

Weeping Willows By The River

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"Going to plant a weeping willow,

By the banks green edge it will grow, grow, grow.

Sing a lullaby beside the water,

Lovers come and go, the river roll, roll, roll.

Fare you well, fare you well,

I love you more than words can tell,

Listen to the river sing sweet songs, to rock my soul."

~Grateful Dead

Watery Wednesday: Lily Takes A Bath

"Hmmm...wonder what this does?"

If you stopped by yesterday you saw Grandbaby Lily in her Christmas PJ's. Today we share bathtime with you. Lily loves bathtime. Here she is in Grandma's kitchen sick.

She loves holding her hands under the water.

"Look Grandma I have teeth!"

"Maybe I'll sing for you!"

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Watery Wednesday: Locks On The River

Many of you may wonder if I live in West Virginia why so many of my photos are in Ohio. The Ohio River runs between the two states and on a scenic drive it is easy to cross back and forth many times. I get the scenic advantages on both sides of the river. The Muskingum river is a contributary to the Ohio.

These images are of a low dam above Lock 3 on the Muskingum River near Lowell, Ohio. There are ten locks along the river. The dams were built to regulate the river and not for power generation. The Muskingum River's 10 hand-operated locks are now recognized as one of America's great engineering accomplishments.

The stone you see in the left side of the photo is the wall of the dam. I really wish you could hear the sound of the water rushing downstream. It was a loud roar like a gushing waterfall. Yet standing there and looking at it I expected a more tranquil sound. The mist you see in the background is snow falling gently down to earth.

Glancing down between my feet I saw this carved outline of a dove. With that dear readers I wish you a day of blissful peace in your surroundings.

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Watery Wednesday: Locks On The River

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The Walls Come Tumbling Down.
If These Walls Could Talk

No longer needed for the heavy river traffic of days gone by.

The thunderous water plunges.

Wells Lock

Elizabeth, West Virginia

2008

These abandoned locks are about seven miles from my home. I took these photos a few weeks ago so the leaves are still green and lush along the river. I'm sure my Grandpa probably fished here many years ago. I can still hear him say to Grandma, 'Mommy, I'm going to Elizabeth; I'll be back after bit.' Wells Lock was built in the late 1800's and serviced the timber and petroleum boom of the area. Today the lock provides a glimpse into this past time and while the lock is inoperable it still dams the river.

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Watery WednesdayMallard Ducks Bathing

Dripping water makes a big puddle.

A place for ducks to bathe.

Can a guy get some privacy here!

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Watery Wednesday:Deep Dark Water Reflections

Traveling a rural road there was an overhanging rock formation to the right and a deep body of black water on the left of the road.

Look where the water has stained the trees black.

More Reflections

Can you see the boulder in the water?

(May 2008)

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Happy Wednesday Everyone

Edited: In reading comments I wanted to explain that the water you see is black. The green is the reflection of the leaves of the trees overhanging the water. This water is like a pond and does not flow. The water is black from the tannins leaching into the water from the decaying leaves that fall in the water and build up leaving the water black. It was quite eerie really; but I thought quite lovely as well.

Watery Wednesday: The Stream, Um...Creek

On a recent trip to buy some apples I came upon this bridge. Of course, I had to check it out.

Walking up close I shot this scene between the bridge supports.

Closer and looking down I captured this tranquil scene complete with the bridge's shadow.

I zoomed in to the flowing water of the stream. In my little part of the world we call it a creek!

I so remember growing up and wading in water like this. Doesn't it make you want to walk right in? Watch out for the crawdads - they might tickle your toes!

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Wordless Wednesday: Photographic Reflections

The Road Reflected

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Photographic Reflections is hosted by Quilly.

A Roadside Waterfall

This photo was taken about 27 miles from Parkersburg, West Virginia on this past Saturday's afternoon drive. This first picture was taken as I stood beside the highway looking down. I zoomed in on the photo you see below.

When I got home I did a little research to see what was the significance given to the property. The route it is on has just received the designation as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Government because of its significance as a transportation route from the early 1800s. This site known as the California site is the location at which the early trenches were dug and from which oil was barreled and commercially distributed to Parkersburg and Marietta, Ohio from the early 1800s. Also, a famous well, which produced marketable oil in the early 1850s was located at this site.

The site was sold to the famous Samuel Kier, developer of the Kerosene lamp, in early August, 1859. A well was being commercially drilled for oil in the spring and summer of 1859. California became a significant oilfield in the 1860s and 1870s. During the Civil War, both Union and Confederate forces traveled on the turnpike and frequented the California House and tavern. The original foundation stones, water well and barn are still located on the museum property that you could see through the trees but hasn’t been completely restored as of yet.

I mentally noted this waterfall is off the Hughes River. In my geneology research of my family a few years ago the Hughes River and "New California" was mentioned frequently. I'm anxious to go back to that research and see where my family was at the time of this historic site. I never know what I’ll find on my rides, but this was a nice little roadside stop.