From Skilled Hands » My Town Monday

Red Sky at Night: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:32:37 +0000

One day last week, we had one of those picture perfect sunsets, the kind about which poets and artists dream. Take a look at what I saw in my town:

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And, if you are so inclined, wander over to My Town Monday, and see what others have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!

Small is Beautiful: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:07:16 +0000

For the past 6 years, merchants and community organizations and members have decorated and donated mini Christmas trees for a raffle at the Peninsula Library and Historical Society. The Library is such an important part of the Village. They have a great selection of reading materials and an amazing collection of items pertaining to the history of this beautiful Valley. Their programs are diverse and creative.

Raffle tickets, $3 each, or 5 for $10, can be purchased between November 26th and December 17th for the tree of your choice. The drawing will be held on the morning of the 19th of December. All proceeds benefit the Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce and the Carole Wright Children’s Fund at the Library.

We’ve already delivered our tree. Take a look at what we’ve done this year. All the ornaments are one of a kind, made from porcelain clay. Then wander over to My Town Monday and see what other folks have to say about the places they call home.

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.

Share this!

The Long and Winding Road: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:04:01 +0000

For the first time in over two years, we were able to take some time off. We decided to go to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. What a beautiful place! The leaves were brilliant, the skies blue, the mountain roads steep and twisting. We hiked trails, climbed Clingman’s Dome and Mount Mitchell, and discovered beauty inside and out. Here are some things we saw:

When I travel, I realize that we all live in the same town on this amazing blue planet. Take a look at what other folks have to say about the places they call home at My Town Monday. And, as always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.

Share this!

October in the Valley: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:01:59 +0000

Lots of folks think that Ohio is a place you drive through on the way to somewhere else. Until they come to my Valley and feast their eyes upon it’s beauty. Take a look at a bit of this place we call home, the Village of Peninsula, population 602. Feel free, as always, to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.

Take a walk on over to My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they hang their hats.

Share this!

Make Your Own Kind of Music: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:57:50 +0000

“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.” ~Leopold Stokowski

Week before last, my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602, was filled with the sound of music: the music of 18 different musicians during Music on the Porches, the music of the train whistle of The Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 765 steam engine during the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Steam in the Valley , and the music of artists letting their spirits soar as they painted their impressions of this Valley called Cuyahoga during the Peninsula’s Third Annual Plein Air Competition.

We were lucky to host 2 sessions of live music in the Gallery. Kent, Ohio’s Crane Willow Lake, an acoustic indie folk trio, and 11 year old blues guitarists, Paul Kolbus and Mark Ray. Take a look at some sights of the day.

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a look at My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!

My Town Monday: Plein Air Returns to the Valley

fromskilledhands — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:01:33 +0000

For years, artists have tried to capture the beauty of the crooked river that is called Cuyahoga. Painters, photographers and artists with sketch pads are regular sights in this Valley.

On Saturday, September 24, 2011, a group of regional artists will converge on the Village, canvases, easels and paints in hand. They will be participants in the second annual Plein Aire competition that is sponsored by Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce. En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air.” It is used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Plein air painting has it’s roots in 19th century Europe. The invention of tubes that contained pigments made painting portable, and the introduction of the steam engine gave painters a way to travel for their art.

If you’re in our neck of the woods or are in the mood for a beautiful drive, come on over and see us. You can watch the painters, take a hike in the amazing Cuyahoga Valley National Park, listen to music during Music on the Porches, take a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and explore the Village of Peninsula. We’re looking forward to meeting you.

For more information on the Plein Air competition, visit here.

And, as always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. Wander on over to My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!

Strike Up the Band: A Late Summer My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:59:09 +0000

It was a toasty day in my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602. There were lots of visitors in town, and people were looking forward to the 2011 Home Days. We were looking forward to the festivities, and we were planning on staying open until 11:00pm for the street and dance party that would be held on our road.

Volunteers were setting up the stage and chairs in front of the depot, and a young man was asking for donations for his Eagle Scout project, a series of benches for the courtyard of our neighbor, the Peninsula Art Academy.

In the distance, drumbeats. Then…..

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And visit My Town Monday, to see what others have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!

My Town Monday, Early Evening Edition

fromskilledhands — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:14:07 +0000

After a wee hiatus due to server issues and life in general, I am back! Been busy in my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602. We’re enjoying the summer weather and the folks that are visiting my Valley.

Turning Point: a show of wood, continues, and we have some new work. Be sure to come in take a look if you’re in the area. Remember that we ship, so if you see something you like and don’t live here, or are unable to take the piece with you, we can safely pack and ship the piece to your home or office. I’ll be posting some photos of new work later this week, so come back to see what is new in the gallery.

The Peninsula Farmers’ Market, at Heritage Farms, is a welcome addition to my town. Each Wednesday, from 3:30-7:00pm, local growers and bakers bring their items to Heritage Farms. We’ve enjoyed pickles and almond butter, teas, coffees, jellies and vinegars; breads, pastries and produce. I can get my knives and tools sharpened, and can listen to great music, all the while supporting my local economy. Heritage Farms is a family owned farm in Peninsula; it’s been in the same family for over 160 years! Kim and Carol grow gorgeous day lilies, pumpkins and Christmas trees. The grounds are beautiful. Take a look!

And our neighbor across the street, the Peninsula Art Academy, along with the Fiber Cafe, will be hosting a very cool event this coming weekend. The Crooked River Fiber Fling will have classes, workshops, an fashion show, an instructors’ showcase and fiber related vendors. Be sure to visit their website for more information. We’ve made mugs with sheep on them in honor of the event; you’ll be able to purchase them at the Fiber Fling.

And, as always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a look at My Town Monday, to see what other folks have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!

This and That: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:42:40 +0000

It’s been absolutely gorgeous in my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602. Blue skies, warm sunny days. Summer personified! My gardens are full of blooms and hopes for harvest. This is the 3rd year for my mandala garden, and it has filled in quite a bit.

Then:

And now:

In other news, Peninsula Python Day is coming! Saturday, July 16, from 10-5. There will be a plethora of pythons in Peninsula, and a people powered python parade, too. Visit Explore Peninsula, to see what’s on the agenda.

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. And don’t forget to see if anyone else has anything to say about the places they call home, over at My Town Monday.

Share this!

The Python Comes Back to Peninsula, Ohio: A My Town Monday Post

fromskilledhands — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:05:14 +0000

On Saturday, July 16, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, will once again celebrate the python that, in the summer of 1944, terrorized this little town.

So the story goes like this: back in the summer of 1944, the Cole Brothers Circus came through Bath Township, which is a short distance from the Village of Peninsula. There was an accident in the local cemetery, and two large snakes escaped. One was found dead, and the other disappeared—for a short while.

Farmer Clarence Mitchell was tending his corn field. He reported that his dogs were mighty nervous for a couple of days; then they refused to go near his field. Mr. Mitchell looked up and said that he saw the biggest snake he had ever seen, sliding along the ground in plain site. Local historian Randy Bergdorf, of the Peninsula Library and Historical Society writes:

The first sighting of the python occurred on June 8, 1944, along Riverview Road in Northampton Township, about halfway between Ira and Everett. Local farmer, Clarence Mitchell, reported that he had seen a snake 15 to 18 feet long cross his fields and slide into the river. It was spotted later that day by Mike Bobacek on the other side of the river, near Szalay’s corn fields on Bolanz Road. Days later, paul and John Szalay saw mysterious tracks, “like from an auto tire,” weaving across their corn field on Akron-Peninsula Road, a few miles south of Peninsula. Those doubting the existence of the python decreased in numbers on June 23rd, when Mrs. Vaughan on Northampton Road saw the snake climb over the fence of her chicken yard with a noticeable lump in its middle.

Multiple sightings of the serpent were reported during that summer of 1944; the mayor organized the local Civil Defense organization into posses. Folks with loaded guns responded to reports of the wayward snake. The then director of the Cleveland Zoo, Fletcher Reynolds, pleaded for the life of the snake. He asked that anyone finding the reptile stay calm and phone him with the snake’s location, so he could come and take him alive. Locals came up with plans to capture the snake, from box traps, to clotheslines and sticks, to music.

By this time radio newscasters, and reporters from the United and Associated Presses were regularly reporting on the escapades of the snake that had become the Peninsula Python. The story was reported in Stars and Stripes, the newspaper that was sent to American troops abroad during WWII. Letters from soldiers came into the Village’s post office. Robert Bordner, a reporter from the old Cleveland Press was one of those who wrote about the snake. In November, 1945, one of his stories was published in the Atlantic Monthly.

Sightings of the reptile decreased; some folks wondered if the entire story was a hoax concocted by Bordner. Those who saw the snake stand by their stories.

For the past several years, we’ve had a festival to commemorate the rascally reptile. Python imagery abounds throughout the Village, with merchants, residents and visitors joining in the festivities. We have lots of things scheduled, and a parade, with a people powered python. Take a look at last year’s parade, and if you’re going to be in our neck of the woods on July, 16, come down to the Village. You won’t regret it.

As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a look at My Town Monday, to see what others have to say about the places they call home.

Share this!