Monday, April 28, 2014

Three Turtles at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve

Northern spiny softshell, northern map turtle, and a midland painted turtle bask in blue hole of the Little Miami River.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Inniswood Metrogardens

Inniswood Metrogardens is a plant lover's paradise. We're lucky to have this sanctuary of both the natural and cultivated located in Westerville. In addition to the snapping turtle and red-eared slider (an introduced species), we saw several pairs of eastern bluebirds. The boys had a blast exploring the various little structures around the grounds. Weston even turned a large gazebo into a rocket ship. It's a great place to spend a Saturday morning. -Tom

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

It's National Parks Week



I received a nice e-mail from the National Park Foundation reminding me that National Park Week is going on now.  During my winter hibernation riding the spinning bike in the basement, via Netflix, I watched the entire Ken Burns' series The National Parks: America's Best Idea.  We tend to take for parks granted as something fundamental to our nation, but Burns clearly lays out that was not always the case.  In Ohio, we're lucky to have one of country's 58 national parks merely miles from where I grew up- Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  I've been remiss to explore and photograph the park- I need to spend more time there.

One of my favorite National Parks trip was a 2010 trip to Yellowstone.  I have shared a few images from that trip below.



Cherish our National Parks and the people that had the foresight to set aside these areas generations ago so that we could experience some semblance of what a wild North America may have once been like.

-Tom

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Slate Run Historical Farm



The Columbus Metroparks' Slate Run Historical Farm is a gem of the Columbus area.  It's close enough to the city to not be too far away, but distant enough that you feel like you're in another world.  An 1880's world. It's one of our favorite places to visit.  If you go now, you'll see a bunch of baby lambs- they were certainly the highlight of this trip.

-Tom