Weekend Reflections

Hubs and I found ourselves in Gallipolis, Ohio this past Monday afternoon. I had researched the town and found that you could overlook the town and river by driving to a local cemetery. This shot is the view we saw looking down at the town and the Ohio River. We were standing on the Ohio side looking back across to West Virginia. In the background of the photo you can see the Memorial Silver Bridge we crossed over to get into Ohio. I originally posted about the bridge's past disaster in this post.

Looking down from the cemetery I saw these reflections along the bank of the river.
We spent some moments enjoying the view and as I went to pull away from my parking spot I glanced into the rearview mirror and this was the reflected view behind me.

For more Weekend Reflections join James here.

Ohio Quilt Barn In Sepia

A couple of weeks ago Hubs and I were returning home from a trip to nearby Ohio when I spotted this quilt barn (so-called for the quilt patch that decorates the side of the barn) across four lanes of traffic. When I shouted quilt barn he knew he needed to find a safe place to pull over and bless his heart he did. Since we were in the state of Ohio it was quite appropriate that the quilt block is called 'Ohio Star.'

I've included the original image as well so you can see the weathered patina and rusting tin roof.

(Don't forget you can enlarge to see greater detail.)

For more Sepia Scenes join Mary here.

Sepia Scenes: Church Steeple In Veto

I took this photo Tuesday in Veto, Ohio. Why the name Veto? The following is the excerpt from a highway marker erected by promoters of the local history of the Underground Railroad in the state of Ohio.

"Ephraim Cutler (1767-1853) arrived in Marietta, Ohio from Connecticut in 1795. Prominent in Southeast Ohio, Cutler was appointed judge of the court of common pleas and justice of the peace, surveyed land for the Ohio Company, and was a trustee of Ohio University. In 1802, Cutler was chosen a Washington County delegate to Ohio's constitutional convention in Chillicothe. A contested issue at the convention was whether to permit or exclude slavery from the new state of Ohio. As a member of the committee that introduced Article VIII, or the bill of rights, to Ohio's constitution, Cutler drafter Section 2 which specifically excluded slavery or involuntary servitude in Ohio on the basis that the Ordinance of 1787 forbade it. The section passed through the convention by one vote. Veto Lake was named for Cutler's role in having slavery vetoed in Ohio."

I changed my original color photo to the sepia tone and erased the sepia from the cross and then used a 'posterized' effect to achieve the results in my photo. Just thought I'd try a little color like Mary did last week. Not really sure I'm pleased with it but it's growing on me.


For more Sepia Scenes please click the badge.................................>

The original image is posted on my photoblog for Sky Watch.
Carletta's Captures

Watery Wednesday: Muddy Water

Many readers will remember this Watery Wednesday shot from last November. I was in the same area last week after days of rain.

What was once an idyllic setting was turned into a swifly moving current of muddy water. Standing on the bridge crossing the swollen creek below I was astounded at the swiftness of the water below me. This was an old bridge and the only 'side' was a metal guardrail which meant there wasn't any barrier higher than the calf of my leg. Looking through the viewfinder at the swiftly moving water made me just a bit uneasy.

This is looking upstream. It is the same view from a different angle than the small image above. The building in the right hand side of the picture is an old Grange building that has been renovated. It was established in 1873. The Grange is a fraternal organization for American farmers that encourages farm families to band together for their common economic and political good. The organization was founded in 1867 after the Civil War.

Looking Downstream

For more Watery Wednesday posts please click the badge at the top of my post.

Watery Wednesday: A Rocky Creek Bed

I took this picture just after taking the tractor photo I posted yesterday. Crossing a small bridge to get back out onto the main road I noticed this lovely creek with its rocky bed. Yes, frozen water was falling all around me. If you look at the far back of the photo you can see the snow covered farm fields that were all around.

Watery Wednesday now has its own meme blog. You can go there by clicking on the badge at the top to visit other participants joining in today.

Wishes for a Warm Wednesday!

Ruby Tuesday: Pole Dancing

On a drive early Monday morning to Beverly, Ohio this is what I saw out a rural country road. Not much plowing going to go on in this field! This was the first snowfall of the year. You can see it had already snowed quite a bit and huge flakes were still falling.

I'm not sure if you enlarge this if you can tell that on the tractor's exhaust stake is a fake owl.

For more Ruby Tuesday posts please click on the Ruby Miss Bug above to visit Mary and the other participants.

Sky Watch: Amish Farms and a Sunset

I've been posting different scenes this week from my visit to the Amish Countryside of Sugarcreek, Ohio. These are some of the farms I saw along the way. This was one of the newer farms in the area. I love the old wagon to the right of the silo.

Windmills dotted the countryside.

We were there at corn harvesting time.

This one is my favorite. I love the peeling red paint, the white silo, the puffy white clouds,the old wire fence and the horse crazing lazily in the pasture. It has all the right elements for a peaceful scene.

We spent the entire day in Sugarcreek. As we headed home the sun was setting beautifully over the countryside.

Be sure to click the Sky Watch at the top of my post to visit others posting their views of the sky from around the world.

Sepia Scenes:Mini Me and An Amish Corn Hopper

Last week Mary suggested we try a portrait for our sepia scene. I chose to show this original sepia photo from my childhood. Yes, this little chubby cheeked girl is me at around four years old. I have done nothing to the photo except scan it. If it weren't sepia all the actual colors would make for a very busy photo. The sofa I'm sitting on is a dark burgundy color. I have to ask my Mom when I can show her the picture again; but I believe the jumper is a turquoise color with black belt and buttons and the shirt a pale yellow. Of course my hair is strawberry blond. I'm more than happy that sepia was the color of choice at the time!

What am I doing with my hand like that you might be wondering. I was supposed to be catching a ball. Not my catching pose for sure. And, the photographer came door to door. This was taken in our living room. He came to the door, Mom changed my clothes, and the photo session began. My how things have changed!

An Amish Corn Hopper

Sugarcreek, Ohio

November 2008

I took this last week on a short visit to the Amish countryside of Sugarcreek, Ohio. The old wood and metal hopper sitting in the corn field waiting to be hooked up to a team of horses captured my attention. It certainly evokes a time gone by don't you think?

Be sure to click the badge at the top of my post to visit more Sepia Scenes participants.

Watery Wednesday: An Amish Farm

An Amish Farm

Sugarcreek, Ohio

November 2008

Last Saturday I posted some photos of the horses I had seen on my recent trip to Sugarcreek, Ohio. This is an area filled with Amish farms. Traveling down one of the back roads I found a farm with a pond right beside the road and knew it would be perfect for a Watery Wednesday post. The next couple of days I will post more scenes from the area and Friday I will be showing more of these beautiful farms for Sky Watch.

For more Watery Wednesday participants join 2sweetnsaxy at Eyes, Mind, Heart by clicking the badge at the top of my post.

Sepia Scenes: An Old Flour Mill

(To see detail - click to enlarge)

Sugar Run Mills

Pomeroy, Ohio

Circa 1860
(Photo November 2008)

This flour mill was still producing as late as 1999 but is currently vacant and for sale. In the foreground is a weigh scale used to weigh the trucks or trailers to measure their loads.

The old signs on the building remind me of old stores growing up in the 50's and 60's. Well, that's what I've heard anyway. :)

The building is for sale. It does sit among residential homes so I venture to believe it will not be saved and that makes me sad.

Be sure to click the badge at the top of my post and visit Mary of Work of the Poet and other participants of Sepia Scenes.

Wordless Wednesday:Quilt Barns

Colorado Pattern

Carpenter's Wheel Pattern

Goose Tracks Pattern

All of these were found on a recent drive along the Muskingum River in Ohio.

Ruby Tuesday Covered Bridges of Washington County

In mid-July in the middle of the Project Black posts I was doing I took a little day trip to try and discover the whereabouts of some historic covered bridges. Since three of the four I saw were red it seems only fitting that I post them today for Ruby Tuesday.

Years ago when travel was by horse and buggy a couple would stop in the middle of a covered bridge and steal a kiss which may have lead to the bridges being known as kissing bridges.

All the bridges I'm showing you today are in Washington County, Ohio. I'm right across the Ohio River here so a day trip to Ohio and back is an easy undertaking.

This first bridge is the Rinard Bridge. It was originally built in 1871 and was washed downstream in a flood and rebuilt in 1876. The bridge was so well made that time that during floods in 1913 and 1938 it was washed downstream and held in one piece. The timbers were numbered, taken apart and reassembled on the same foundations. During a flood and hurricane in 2004 it was again washed downstream and again it held together. However, another flood a few weeks later torn it apart and it had to be rebuilt. The original trusses were saved allowing the bridge to maintain its historic designation.

Looking through a window at the stream below.

This is the Hills Bridge and although the weeds were very overgrown the bridge itself appeared to be in excellent condition. It was built in 1878.

The Hune Bridge above was the only covered bridge we were able to actually travel across. It is one lane and was built in 1879.

One Lane Only!

For more Ruby Tuesday participants please visit Mary at Work Of The Poet.

Shades of Tom Sawyer

This is an old sternwheel riverboat called the Becky Thatcher. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. She is moored at the junction of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers directly across the river from here in Parkersburg. I took this photo from the middle of the river while standing on the walkway of an old railroad bridge. Muddy water below for sure but a wonderful vantage point from which to photograph.

Here you can see what was once the captains cabin.

I really liked the design on the smokestacks.

The Becky Thatcher was once the Mississippi III. It was built in 1926 as an Army Corps of Engineers inspection boat. It was retired by the Corps in 1961 and was refitted and remodeled as a restaurant and museum and moored in St. Louis, Missouri where she was renamed. The City of Marietta bought it and it was refitted and used as a restaurant, theatre and riverboat saloon until about two years ago. It is presently for sale for a whooping $299.000.00! That's reduced from $550K. It no longer runs under its own power and would be quite expensive to move from its present location. I have a feeling I'll be able to keep seeing it for a very long time.