Green Beans and Sunflowers

Favorite Pastimes

I recently found this shot of a green been patch among my garden pictures. It's hard to find something more vibrantly green than young bean plants in the early summer.

Green Bean Plants

 

These tiny yellow flowers belong to another garden plant: a sunflower. The middle part of a sunflower's "flower" is actually composed of hundreds of tiny flowers, each of which produces a sunflower seed once it is pollinated.

Sunflower Flowers

Clear Creek Metro Park 2

Around Ohio

My hike through Clear Creek Metro Park also brought me past this ancient barn out in the middle of the woods. I don't know for sure why it was there, but it may have at one time belonged to the Allen F. Beck or Emily Benua families, who donated much of the land the park now occupies. 

Ancient Barn
 

This rock formation is a natural feature of the park. Known as "Leaning Lena," the mass of stone seems to teeter precariously along the edge of the road. Although I found it interesting to photograph, I wouldn't want to find myself under this rock if it ever came crashing down!

Leaning Lena

Clear Creek Metro Park

Around Ohio

 

Clear Creek Metro Park is one of the most secluded parks in the Columbus Metro Parks system. With 12 miles of trails stretching over more than 5,000 acres, Clear Creek is also among the largest of the Metro parks.

I recently visited the park and hiked several miles along the rugged trails, most of which wind through dense forests and around steep cliffs and deep ravines. This photo shows one view of the forest with the bright sunshine slightly visible in the background.

Forest

 

Clear Creek Metro Park also has its share of wildflowers. I spotted these purple flowers along one of the trails near the park's namesake waterway, Clear Creek.

Wildflowers

Lake Hope State Park 2

Around Ohio

I found a surprising number of lily pads growing near the edges of the lake. Most of them were in full bloom, and I had fun photographing them. Here are two beautiful flowers surrounded by lily pads.

Lily Flowers

 

I thought this flower deserved a photo as well.

Lily

Lake Hope State Park

Around Ohio
 

Besides rock formations, the Hocking Hills area includes a lovely man-made reservoir known as Lake Hope. The 2,983-acre park which contains it is a rugged, heavily forested region traversed by steep gorges and narrow ridges, making it beautiful for an early morning hike. But I found the lake itself most appealing for photography. This picture features pink flowers I found growing along the shoreline.

Lake Hope

I even found a swallowtail butterfly sitting on one of the plants.

Swallowtail

Cantwell Cliffs

Around Ohio
 

The last set of rock formations in the Hocking Hills area is known as Cantwell Cliffs. It is located farthest north, 17 miles from Old Man's Cave. But it is one of the most picturesque areas in Hocking County. Large slump blocks which fell away from the main cliffs have created many narrow passageways which trails wind through today.

Narrow Passage

 

This view looks straight up from between two huge rock masses.

Crevice

 

The uneven ground requires stone steps in some places. Rock cliffs form vertical walls on either side of these stairs.

Rock Walls