Autumn Sky

Mud Valley Memories

Autumn Sky

This is the same spot without the marigolds. I like the clouds in the sky and the shadow of the hill behind us on the ground. I caught the sun shining directly on the farmhouse.

Marigolds

Mud Valley Memories

Marigolds

One morning in late fall I crossed the road from our farmhouse to take a picture of these marigolds. The frost had just melted on them. I liked how they looked in the crisp morning air.

Stones

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Stones

Little Pebbles

One little, two little,
Three little pebbles.
Four little, five little,
Six little pebbles.
Seven little, eight little,
Nine little pebbles,
Ten pebbles rolling in the stream.
Lying on the beach.
Hiding underground.
Warming in the sun.

Yellow Flower

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Yellow Flower

We saw a lot of these little yellow flowers just starting to bloom. I'm not sure what they are.

Rocks And Trees

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Rocks And Trees

These rocks make an interesting profile hidden behind the grass. The picture goes in steps from the foreground to the tops of the trees.

Peninsula

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Peninsula

I like how this peninsula juts out into the water. These lakes used to be gravel quarries. It would have been fun to see the dump trucks hauling the gravel out.

Grass And Tree

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Grass And Tree

We're still at Prairie Oaks. I like the definition on this wild grass.

Bridge At Prairie Oaks

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Bridge At Prairie Oaks

I also enjoy walking at Prairie Oaks Metro Park. It has several interesting bridges. I like the shape of this one.

Looking Through Trees

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Looking Through Trees

This is the end of the trail for Slate Run Metro Park, at least for this visit. Come back any time you need some fresh air.

Five-Pointed Leaf

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Five-Pointed Leaf

I thought this was an interesting leaf. I'm not sure if it's a Buckeye, Sweet Gum, Maple, or Sycamore. Does anyone else know?

Wild Iris

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Wild Iris

I think this is a wild iris, although I'm not sure. It was fun to discover this little gem growing by the boardwalk.

Boardwalk And Black Swan

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Boardwalk Over Pond

Now we return to the pond. We can walk out over the pond on the boardwalk.

Wild Black Swan

That's how I got this nifty shot of a black swan. Wikipedia says black swans are found in Australia and Europe, so I'm not sure what this one's doing here.

Red Berries

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Red Berries

Although you can find red berries at almost any park in the summer time, they always look a little bit different. I'm glad I caught these since I'm sure a bird will be feasting on them soon.

Grass And Sky

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Grass And Sky

Fueled by a million man-made wings of fire
the rocket tore a tunnel through the sky
and everybody cheered.
Fueled
only by a thought from God –
the seedling
urged its way
through the thickness of black –
and as it pierced
the heavy ceiling of the soil –
and launched itself
up into outer space –
no
one
even
clapped.

—Fueled  by Marcie Hans

The Trail Goes On

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The Trail Goes On

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star.
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.

—excerpt from Roads Go Ever On by J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Oaks

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Five Oaks

This trail was named the five oaks trail after this very interesting tree. It is one oak tree that grew out five different trunks. I thought it was amazing.

Covered Bridge

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Covered Bridge

Now we come to a covered bridge.

Inside Covered Bridge

What's more fun than walking through a covered bridge?

Sky Through Trees

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Sky Through Trees

The woods here are a wonderful place to be, full of tall trees and green leaves. I have always liked taking pictures of the sky and I like how this shot came out.

Bridge And Trail

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Bridge And Trail

Now we hit the trail again to see what else lies ahead. There are many bridges to walk across over small streams. In the stream beds you can see the slate that the park is named for.

Cattails

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Cattails

I enjoy coming across cattails growing in a pond or even a ditch. The stalks are great fun to wave around in the wind when the brown head pops open and the down comes out. Cattail roots can be ground into flour to make bread. The pollen is abundant in vitamins and should be added to the bread. Then boil the roots and make jelly to put on your bread.

Observation Deck

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Observation Deck

Slate run has some beautiful boardwalks. This observation deck off one of them has a peaceful view of a pond. Sit down and relax!

Queen Ann's Lace

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Queen Ann's Lace Field

We're just at the right time to see the Queen Ann's lace flowering.

Queen Ann's Lace Flower

Queen Ann's lace is also known as wild carrot because of its woody root. In fact, the carrots you eat were domesticated from Queen Ann's lace. Legend says that Queen Ann pricked her finger while trying to create a lace as beautiful as this flower. The red center represents a drop of her blood.

Slate Run Trail

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Slate Run Trail

This looks like a nice day for a walk at Slate Run Metro Park. With grasslands, wetlands, and forests, we are sure to be in for a treat. Let's get going!

Columbus Zoo

Columbus Zoo
 

Columbus Zoo
 

I've really enjoyed our trip to the zoo. I hope you have too. Here's a little scrapbook full of zoo memories.

Mountain Goat

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Mountain Goat

This is a pretty impressive goat. You probably won't find it on a farm because it is a mountain goat. There were two or three baby goats with it. Goats have two toes on each foot that they use to hold onto rocks they climb on. They also have very soft feet.

Tigers

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Tigers

Did you know that every tiger in the world has its own unique stripe pattern? The stripes help hide the tiger as it hunts in long grasses. There are six kinds of tigers found in Asia, India, and Russia. They have become endangered from the sale of tiger parts as a cure for all kinds of illnesses. Many countries have now passed laws against these sales. Maybe the zoo is the safest place for a tiger.

Elephant

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Elephant

The Blind Men and the Elephant (a Hindu fable)

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
`God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!'

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, `Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!'

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
`I see,' quoth he, `the Elephant
Is very like a snake.'

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
`What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,' quoth he;
`'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!'

The Fifth who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: `E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most:
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!'

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
`I see,' quoth he, `the Elephant
Is very like a rope!'

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Bat

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Bat

Bats are very interesting mammals. The largest have wing spans up  to six feet while the smallest are only six inches. They make high-pitched sounds which bounce off objects and return as echoes, allowing them to identify what is in front of them. Some species migrate for the winter, traveling up to 2,400 miles each year. I thought these bats were very interesting.

Side-necked Turtle

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Side-necked Turtle

Do you know why this is called a side-necked turtle? Instead of folding its neck like an "s" back into its shell, this turtle tucks its head and neck under the edge of its shell along the side. It has gained popularity in recent years. It can be tamed more easily than its larger reptile relatives. It is found in the Southern Hemisphere and is an important food source for people along the Amazon River.

Happy New Year

Mud Valley Memories

Happy New Year

Now we pause to welcome in the new year. Our neighbors down the road from our farmhouse always celebrated the Christmas holidays by lighting hundreds of candles in plastic milk jugs. I had a lot of fun playing around with timed exposures of the lights. This is one of the calmer shots I took.