The Ohio and Erie Canal played a critical part in the development of the Cuyahoga Valley. The workers toiled long hours for 30 cents a day and whiskey at night.
Most of the employees of the Peninsula boat yards were locals; like the builders of the Canal, most of the laborers remain anonymous. Some not only built canal boats, but also they also erected buildings and bridges. Many of the boatyard workers also worked on the boats, making them “canalers.”
Canal boats were 79-81 feet long, and about 14 feet wide. Their width was limited by the size of the locks through which they traveled. New vessels needed about 3 1/2 feet of water in which to float; older vessels required a bit more depth since they accumulated “seepage water.” Once the stomping grounds of canal mules, the towpath is now used as a trail, of which over 70 miles is complete. I’ll explore the trail in a future post.
The cool thing is that many of the buildings still stand, and vestiges of the canal are still visible. Some of the locks are still there, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a working lock at the Canal Visitor Center. In other places, old foundations are visible. The stories of the people who carved this Village are alive and well. It is the people who give us a sense of place, a place that is home. The Village of Peninsula, population 602, celebrates its history as it embraces its future. An interesting place to be.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.
A while back, my blogging buddy, Amy Rea, blogged about the Twin Cities’ Peace Coffee. Somehow we started talking about good locally roasted coffees, and Peace Coffee reminded me about Canton, Ohio’s Hippie Coffee Company.
One of us proposed a trade, and so, the Great Peaceful Coffee Adventure began. Amy sent me Peace Coffee and I sent her Hippie Coffee. I’ve always liked Hippie Coffee, so I was delighted to share it with Amy. We continued the trade, and the second time we traded, I sent Amy a mug, and she included a pair of Peace Coffee Socks.
This trade introduced me to another wonderful coffee, and was a reminder that other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy.
Check out local products in your community. Tell others about them—trade with your cyber-buddies. You’ll have fun and will have the opportunity to discover new things.
What are your favorite local products? Feel free to post a comment, or leave a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
Wander on over to My Town Monday and see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say.
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Lots going on for me and my family right now; although I’m not writing posts or posting comments very often, I’m still here, and I’m still reading. Stay tuned. I hope to be back more regularly when the dust settles for us.
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, June 12, 2010, 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 (did you know that it is the 6th most visited National Park in the country?), 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 Aire competition, visit here.
Join us in the Village of Peninsula next Saturday, May 22nd, as we stroll into Spring. We will have some faerie houses for you to discover, and a faerie marketplace too. Here are some photos of some of our faerie house builders, and a sample of what you’ll find, both at our Elements Gallery, and around the Village.
In May of 2009, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, hosted a village-wide display of fairy houses and gardens. Here is a look at some of them, starting with those at Elements Gallery.
Wander on over to My Town Monday for a look at what other folks have to say about their necks of the woods.
As I sit sipping my coffee with frothed, steamed milk, I cradle my sacred mug in my hands. The mug’s the thing, more than it’s contents. It’s handle, user friendly; it’s body rounded to fit in my hands. Mugs are a personal thing.
Last summer I asked what you like in a mug. Since Spring has finally really arrived in my Valley, it’s time to ask again. What do you like in a mug?
Send me your mug shot, and I’ll enter your name in a drawing for one of our favorite mugs. Using my usual high tech method, in which I draw a name from a hat, I will draw a name on Sunday, May 9, and post the winner in next week’s MTM post.
Send your photo to me: from skilled hands AT gmail DOT com.
Visit My Town Monday to see who has what to say about his or her town.
The snows fell fast and furious on February 5-6, 2010. Predictions were from 2-4 inches in our area; the Southeastern part of the country was predicted to receive 30 inches of snow and sleet.We received 10-12 inches of the white stuff—-heavy and wet snow covered the roads and everything else. Here’s a look.
Feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve been here.
Wander over to My Town Monday to see what other folks have to say about their towns.
When 6 of the 8 tiles I had painstakingly carved cracked in the bisque kiln, I was somewhat disappointed. I had expected to have them ready for the holidays. The patterns were wonderful; yet the cracks were certain to migrate through the pieces. I left them on my work table, wondering what to do.
An artist friend came into the studio, and we talked about the pieces that were less than perfect. What is it, I wondered, that makes an item a “second.” Could I embrace the crack as the nature of that particular piece?.
I began to think about the whole concept of perfection. We look at ourselves and question our hair, or our eyes or our body types. We look at our homes or our jobs or our families and compare them with what the dominant culture tells us is perfect.
Nature does not determine that an oak tree or a rock or a lake is less than perfect. Why do we as humans tend to put conditions on our environments, our relationships, our lives?
When Amish women make a quilt they intentionally make a mistake; mid-Eastern rug makers do the same. Only the gods are perfect. A finger mark or tiny crack on a hand-crafted piece is really the mark of the craftsman. It lets us know that the piece was made by a human, with all our imperfections, rather that a machine.
The mark of the craftsman does not detract from the beauty of the piece; rather, it enhances it, I think. And it is the challenges and experiences in life that give our lives texture and richness.
It is, I believe, time to let go of our notions of perfection, and embrace that which makes us human. Keeping that in mind, I wish us all an imperfect holiday.
These skilled hands wish you kind, happy, healthy, loving and peaceful days.
The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, is home to several beautiful churches and chapels. Here is a look at the steeples of Peninsula:
Members of the Peninsula United Methodist Church worked long and hard to raise the money to restore the steeple of the historic church. Here is what it looked like prior to the restoration:
The steeple was removed for restoration:
Check back for a look at the beautifully restored steeple.
If you are so inclined, please consider visiting the Cups of Kindness website for holiday gifts. The Foodbank is able to purchase $7 worth of food and grocery items with every dollar raised. We the People can make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors.
One. Cup. At. A. Time.
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Visit My Town Monday for a look at places near and far. Join us! And share cool things about your neck of the woods
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
I have written about Laura Weldon (here), a woman I am honored to call my friend. Laura and her family live on a small family farm in rural Ohio, where they thoughtfully and attentively raise plants and animals in concert with nature. Chickens and cows live uncaged and graze among the plants that grow on the farm.
Laura and I have often talked about the challenges of living our philosophies; neither of us could tolerate doing it any other way. We know that the way we live our lives is a political statement. We try to live by the abilities which we have been given, and by learning other skills that will be of benefit. Laura and her husband and partner Mark have been pursuing a path that is similar to the one we have chosen. She writes:
“I think the real story here has to do with living by one’s abilities and doing what one believes will be of benefit. We’ve always tried to do that, although now the economy has made it a necessity. Not so long ago Mark made decisions that affected employees and corporate earnings, but this past year of unemployment his humble efforts have taken on a sharper focus. He’s sold firewood, honey and produce from our farm. He has custom designed movable chicken coops and built bathroom vanities out of repurposed materials. He and I are working to establish a network linking urban farms to rural farms. A job would be easier, but maybe these times are calling us to live by our essential abilities. I guess that’s how the greater good tends to be advanced.”
Mark’s explorations have led him in many directions, including crafting the beautiful sink pictured below. There is something satisfying about seeing a lovely item that transformed into something just as beautiful.
For more information about the work and products of Bit of Earth Farm, please visit here. If you would like to read more of Laura’s writing, please follow this link.
As always, feel free to leave a comment, or a stone (o) to let me know that you’ve been here.
Visit My Town Monday for a look at how folks here and there see their towns. You are welcome to join the MTM crew. Craft a post about your town, and post a comment here. Clair Dickson, the chief cook and bottle washer at MTM, will add a link your post.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.![[Bloglines]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
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A while back, my blogging buddy, 
other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy. 
I have written about 
