Pilgrimage

So much for the August challenge. All sorts of life in the way. I've been pulling this one together for awhile now, another in what will hopefully be a more consistent string that catches the blog back up to realtime or at least close to it.
Way back in April my Dad and his sister came to visit us in Ohio before we packed up and headed out. We took a day trip down to Adams County about two hours due south of Columbus bordering the Ohio River. My paternal ancestors came to Adams County about a century and three quarters ago by way of the river from the east, and we'd all thought for a long time it would be neat to see the area, which my three greats grandfather and grandmother eventually left behind for the Illinois prairie. 

We stopped at the County Heritage Center, but unfortunately they weren't open that day. We had a look around at their buildings and what not before continuing on.

By the way, I forgot to swap out my macro lens for my regular lens before we left. Not so great for shooting the scenery. :(

Next up was a drive down Gift Ridge Road. The family lived somewhere on Gift Ridge.

The Ohio River is somewhere down there, possibly even visible from the Ridge if it hadn't been for all these pesky, scrubby trees in the way.

I don't think this one probably dated back quite far enough to be the ancestral manse, but it was still a nice slightly dilapidated old house to let my imagination run away with.

Thanks to slipping in a little genealogical investigation while working at the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, I knew from their mapping system that this cemetery, called Reed now, had historically been known as the Naylor Cemetery, the family name, and had noted it's location, right at the end of Cemetery Road, just down the hill a little from Gift Ridge Road.

And sure enough within was the final resting place of my four greats grandfather and grandmother. His name was Samuel and it's abbreviated on both stones as SAML with the L being smaller and underscored. I wonder if this was just a common thing to do or perhaps the carver charged by the letter?

Probably the most legible was the stone of an infant son of my three greats grandparents, who was born and died in Ohio before they moved to Illinois.

Another likely Naylor. Curious why this one was only marked with initials. I would say likely an infant, but Francis above got a full-fledged stone. Maybe (cringe) a baby girl? Or perhaps different financial circumstances at the time necessitated a small marker. Suppose we'll never know.

Though not family, I thought this one was interesting as instead of "wife" "consort" was used. A little research and it seems consort implied the wife departed before the husband. 

We grabbed some lunch and then decided to see some prehistory while we were at it and headed to Serpent Mound, a snake shaped earthen effigy also in Adams County.

The viewing tower so you can take it all in.

Of course being a large earthwork, it didn't exactly fit in the macro frame, but these are it's main coils. 

And a helpful schematic left behind at the top of the tower by a previous visitor. And here is an aerial shot.

Remember...

I believe this is the tail.

The mound is thought to have astronomical significance as so many ancient monuments seem to. 

After that we packed it in and headed north to civilization (said tongue in cheek). Southern Ohio is terribly beautiful, but it was a little disheartening on the brief visits I paid to the region to see how economically depressed it is, especially evident in the towns. I regret we did not visit more often. So go visit if you have the chance. There is so much on offer for those who take the time, Serpent Mound, Hopewell Culture National Historic Park, further east the Hocking Hills. I'm sure the tourism dollars would not go unappreciated.

Tee Hee

I have to admit I'm a Grumpy Cat fan.

This photo is a good one to accompany the brief version of our move story. We left Columbus on Friday morning with the pup, kit, two suitcases, and all the remaining space crammed full of an assortment of random things that didn't/shouldn't/couldn't make it onto the moving truck, including a few houseplants I decided to try to drag along (the movers wouldn't take those).  

Driving 12 to 14 hour days we beat it across country in order to make it here to close on the new house and to meet our stuff which was supposed to arrive Tuesday. We got in to town late Sunday night. Monday morning we were awoken by a call informing us that our worldly possessions hadn't left Ohio yet because the driver's truck had broken down. We got the keys to the new house and decided to do a little painting to pass the time till our things arrived, commuting out to West Seattle from our South Lake Union hotel which we stayed on in to keep ourselves and the pets comfortable as we quickly decided that's the least the moving/relocation companies could do to make things up to us.

Well, the truck didn't leave Monday or Tuesday, but sometime between then and Friday it got up and running, that was the day that the driver called to let us know he would deliver on Monday, Memorial Day. Ugh. So on a solidly rainy day boxes and furniture got schlepped in where upon we discovered that most everything had been firstly poorly packed and then secondly poorly handled on top of the insult of being a week late. Dirty upholstery, dinged edges, broken into pieces, it was a bit hard to take. On the bright side we got unpacked quickly so as to assess the damages. We still have to submit for reimbursement where necessary, but supposedly it will all be made right. I hope as we've already replaced most of what needed replacing.

One day during our hotel stay we walked into Whole Foods for some snacks and meandered past the bakery where we spotted this buttercream (or whatever) masterpiece. No, we didn't buy it but it did seem appropriate to the situation and kind of tickled us pink.

Anywho, all is well now. Nearly settled!

On the Hunt

Some pics from our second and successful house hunting trip. The view from one of our hotel rooms (if I recall, we hopped around to three in the course of five days, making use of Greg's accumulated points from work trips.)

A beautiful, clear, unnaturally warm Saturday in March, we decided to be ultimate tourists prior to residency.

We didn't know it yet, but this little peninsula, aka West Seattle, was to be our home.

 The next day was Easter Sunday so we treated ourselves to a superb brunch at Palisade. 

 Oh hello, amazing seafood.

We found our house first thing Monday morning, so Monday night we putzed around West Seattle long enough to catch the sunset to see what we'd be in store for on a regular basis. None too shabby.

19 minutes late, but counting it! :)

Rocky Mountain Highs Revisited, The Rest of the Trip

Well, I do believe I've been working on this post for a month now. Yep, confirmed. One month exactly. And I promised it like a year ago. To be positive, better much, much later than never. I guess. But I would actually like to become the more consistent blogger I keep promising to be. So, I'm challenging myself to post every day in August. I've got an hour and a half to go in Day One. I can do this.

Our last three days in Colorado last June were as wonderful as the first two that I posted about here and here. Day three saw some early afternoon frisbee golf in Eagle, where the friends that we were visiting reside. It was my first time giving the game a try. And like most other sports, I quickly discovered I wasn't so hot at it. The game turned out to be fairly short lived, as it was also discovered that playing with two dogs in tow leads to lots of time outs trying to recover frisbees from dogs' mouths and wherever dogs have decided to drop frisbees after running off with them. One such time out resulted in this geometric grass art.

That evening we headed to Vail for a free concert at the outdoor amphitheater. First some dinner and a little wandering around.

I don't even remember who the band was or in fact the exact type of music, but it was a lovely evening followed by some wine drinking and board game(s?) at the condo of friends of friends.

Next day we headed to Glenwood Canyon for some hiking...

and rafting on the Colorado! My first time for this too (not just on the Colorado, but anywhere), I was kind of nervous going in, but ended up loving it. We went with Blue Sky Adventures and they were great. Great guide. And they have someone run along the bank taking great pictures of all the faces you make while trying not to fly out of the boat. Which of course they sell to you on a cd at the end, but come on, worth every penny to actually have a visual record of such an experience.

 Whew! Made it! Not once but twice!

After the harrowing journey, we relaxed here and freshened up for dinner.

We went to high school and even grade school with our hosts and on the last day another couple from the same way back whens joined us along with their adorable offspring, at not quite one year old the happiest camper ever, for a quick overnight in Sylvan Lake State Park. 

The potty off in the distance.

A sweet something left behind by a previous camper.

Amazing sunset.

If I remember right, it was the last night before a complete state-wide burn ban went into effect. Which made our small, carefully tended fire all the more precious. 

Next morning it was breakfast at camp, quick shower, then back to Denver to the airport and home.

11:53. Done!

I shall return tomorrow!