From Skilled Hands

It’s what you think it is…..

And worse. Standing water and more. A call to the plumber in the morning is in order.

carving by Joseph Smith

Winter —and we’ve had plenty of it—doesn’t get in the way of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. You can explore the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley, wander through the Village of Peninsula, population 602, enjoy stories for the entire family, or wine and beer tastings for the adults.

You’ll see the Cuyahoga Valley National Park dressed in Winter’s finery. Animals and birds will appear along the tracks; you may see intrepid joggers and bikers along the Towpath Trail.

It takes work to maintain the tracks year round. Climb aboard and see what it’s like.

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My Town Monday is a product of the wondrous mind of Travis Erwin. Check out the links to the sites of my fellow MTM Marauders.

Put on your headphones and listen to this:

My mother-in-law tells me that these late winter freezes and thaws accompanied by snow are known as the poor man’s manure. If that’s the case, our gardens should be in great shape this year.

Nestled in the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the home of Happy Days Lodge.

Deriving it’s name from Happy Days Are Here Again, the theme song of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal platform, the lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938-1939. It started as a camp for the Akron Board of Education and the lodge was a dormitory.

Happy Days was built from local materials: wormy chestnut from American Chestnut trees killed by the early 19th century blight, and sandstone quarried from nearby quarries.

Happy Days is a beautiful place, in a wonderful setting. It is the location for a variety of interesting programs including concerts, discussions and hikes. If you’re ever in our neck of the woods, stop on by. And remember to bring your camera.

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My Town Monday is brought to you by Amarillo’s own Travis Erwin. Wander over there and check out the links. You’ll have the opportunity to see how other folks see their worlds. Pretty cool.

One World One Heart winners have been selected and notified:
Fran
Vickie
Caroline
and
Barbara

Thanks to all who commented for your interest

If you believe what you read in the papers, the world is a scary grim place. If you want another point of view, talk to an artist. While we are aware of governments, factories and other matters of consequence, we also see the incredible beauty in the world.

Pay attention to the way the light hits the trees, and how the quality of that light has changed as the seasons progress. Look at the contrast of the texture of the barks of different trees.

Listen to the birds. Many are singing spring songs. The goldfinches are back, and the males are showing hints of yellow. We rarely see juncos now; they’ve headed back north.

Look at the colors, patterns and textures in the world around you. Pay attention to the wisdom of silence.

Look at the items in your home and the clothing you wear. All were designed by an artist who found a way to put his or her vision in an object.

Art will feed your spirit and let you see the world through another person’s eyes. Not such a bad thing, yes?