By the Lake

Ohio History 

Sun and Shadows 

Our visit to the Cleveland Zoo culminated with a peaceful stroll along the shady bank of Waterfowl Lake. The bubbling fountains sparkled and the leaves overhead rustled in the wind. At the turn of the path, we discovered a small rowboat moored along the shore and wondered what its purpose could be. Beyond was an old wooden footbridge with an intricately styled rail. It was such a peaceful place that it was hard to turn and head for home.

Boat and Bridge

Fountain

Ohio History

Waterfowl Lake Fountain

Besides many animals, the Cleveland Zoo also maintains a beautiful lake called Waterfowl Lake. Flamingoes, trumpeter swans, and native waterfowl can be spotted on the lake depending upon the season. Though we did not see many birds, we did enjoy the gorgeous landscaping around the lake, including the pot of brilliant red and purple above. It was a beautiful place to spend a sunny afternoon.

Meerkats

Ohio History

Meerkats

The last animal we saw was the meerkat. These cute little creatures reminded me of prairie dogs. They sat with fixed attention our every movement before scampering across the pen to take up a similar pose on a different ledge. In the wild, meerkats live in groups called mobs with up to forty members. They hunt for insects, their main food source, as a group while taking turns watching for predators. I was surprised to read that meerkats actually eat scorpions of all things - after carefully removing the stingers! What amazing creatures, and to think I had never heard of them before visiting the Cleveland Zoo. Have you ever seen an animal in the pose below?!

Rhinoceros

Ohio History

Black Rhinoceros

This is one of the Black Rhinoceroses (don't ask me to explain the color contradiction) that lives at the Cleveland Zoo. The rhinoceroses stood lazily in the afternoon sun, probably waiting for food to arrive. The Black Rhinoceros is native to only very small regions of southern Africa; not surprisingly, it is on the endangered list due to habitat destruction and illegal gaming. Standing guard outside the rhino pen was a very unique rhinoceros, pictured below. I have seen bush sculptures before, but this one was really good! I felt like it could come charging out of the bushes at any second.

Bush Rhinoceros

African Plains

Ohio History

Bontebok

We took the walkway back down the hill from Asia and entered the safari. The African Plains area was a very pretty place; the winding paths were lined with bushy trees and undergrowth. The safari animals grazed together in a pen viewable from the path and a high wooden lookout. The creature above is called a Bontebok, and its horns can grow up to 15 inches in length. It is native to Cape Province, South Africa, and nearly went extinct in the 1830s. Today, only 1,500 Bonteboks are known to exist.

Giraffe

The giraffes were also fun to watch, especially since I had never before seen a giraffe eat sitting down! This one is called a Masai giraffe; this type of giraffe stands 16 feet tall and can weigh over 1,700 pounds. I always marvel at the unique and detailed pattern on every giraffe I see.

Lemur

Ohio History

Crowned Lemur

Once at the top of the hill, we visited the Primate, Cat, and Aquatics Building, which as its name implies features a diverse selection of creatures. Most of the animals seemed to originate in Africa and Asia. We watched a snow leopard pacing the pen (a little too fast for non-blurry pictures) and monkeys jumping from limb to limb. The Crowned Lemur above captured my attention because its fur looks almost as soft as a teddy bear! It was born on June 2, 2014, and still seems to be considered a baby. I was surprised to learn that these lemurs only live on the northern tip of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa.

Treetops Walkway

Ohio History

Climbing the Hill

Unlike central Ohio, Cleveland features a fairly rolling landscape. The zoo has not been excluded from the challenge of hilly land, and actually uses the hills to its advantage. A long, beautiful walkway has been built to take visitors up to the hill where several buildings of animals reside. The walkway zigzags across the side of the hill, sloping gently (despite what your calves may be telling you!) up to the summit. We enjoyed the sparkling sunlight coming through the trees on our way up.

Lions

Ohio History

African Lions

Reluctantly, we left the Rain Forest and headed into the main part of the Cleveland Zoo. The first animals we saw were the lions. They lay lazily on a log in the center of their pen, rising occasionally to stretch sleepily. No wonder - in the wild, lions sleep sixteen to twenty hours a day. The cats above are African lions, native to the southern part of Africa between the Sahara and Botswana. In the wild, they live in prides that can range in size from three to thirty animals, and they raise their young communally.

Thunderstorm

Ohio History

Tropical Rain Storm

On our way out of the Rain Forest, we stopped to watch a thunderstorm in progress. Yes, it was a genuine storm complete with thunder, lightening, and rain! The 5-minute Tropical Thunderstorm occurs every 12 minutes in the Rain Forest. It began with ominous cracks of thunder and darkening skies. Then, the rain poured down on the Cyprus trees and streams in the exhibit. Real animals including the crested porcupine ran for cover. As the rain let off, a thick mist rose from the moist ground and gradually dissipated. I was glad to be watching on the sidelines, safe and dry, as the storm progressed!

Duck vs. Turtle

Ohio History

Whistling Duck

From the research hut, we entered the free-flight indoor Aviary, which houses more than 50 specimens of 15 different species of wild birds. We watched parrots preening themselves and scarlet ibises wading through the shallow water. The white-faced whistling ducks like the one above were especially fun to watch. They waddled up and down the rocky shore, drilling around with their bills looking for food, and eventually gliding into the water to pay a visit to the turtle.

Batagur Turtle

This batagur turtle sat on a rock island in the middle of the ducks' pond. Beside it was a container filled with greens to feed the turtle. Ducks being ducks, these birds desperately wanted to share in the turtle's lunch. However, from the water, they were just not quite able to reach their long necks into the dish to eat. Apparently either the rock island was too steep for the ducks to climb up on, or they were afraid of the turtle, since climbing on shore for the snack seemed to be out of the option. As a result, the ducks swam back and forth, trying to propel their bills high enough to reach the greens and never quite succeeding. It was quite entertaining to watch, though I did feel a bit sorry for the ducks!

Chameleon

Ohio History

Panther Chameleon

After enjoying the luscious lower floor of the Rain Forest, we climbed to the second story. This journey did not involve a traditional set of stairs or elevator, however. We entered the base of a very large hollow tree and climbed a set of wooden slats that formed a spiraling staircase. Along the way, we could peek out of small openings in the tree trunk and see the greenhouse jungle extending before us. Once on the second level, we entered the Discovery Center. A fully furnished research hut made us feel like we were in the jungles of Australia, observing the native life which surrounded us. There were all sorts of small animals and birds housed behind the glass windows of the research hut. Above is one, the Panther Chameleon, with all the color-changing abilities and independently moving eyes that it is famous for.

Yellow Orchids

Ohio History

Orchid Bunch

Here are a few more gorgeous orchids. I love the combination of rich rose pink and golden yellow in the ones above. They were in the peak of bloom, as you can see from the bud that has not yet opened. Did you know that the scent of orchids varies as much as the color? Some have a sweet, perfume-like aroma, while others give off a rotten smell to attract flies. Some have a strong scent while others have no smell at all. Each one's scent is specifically designed to attract the type of insect that orchid requires for pollination.

Orchids with Waterfall

In the center of the Rain Forest, there was a twenty-five foot waterfall that fell down over a rocky cliff. It was also surrounded by beautiful greenery and some very unique flowers. These lemon yellow orchids grew up in front of the waterfall, stretching delicately lined pink and orange centers to the sunny window. Again, these beautiful flowers were joined by unopened buds signaling the peak of bloom.

Orchids

Ohio History

White Beauties

The most beautiful flowers in the Rain Forest by far were the orchids. Clusters of flowers in all shades and colors hung nestled in corners and ledges all over the ground floor of the building. Some of them were so high that my camera zoom could barely capture them. I could hardly take pictures quickly enough! Orchids are native to tropic regions of Asia and Australia such as the Himalayas and the Phillipines, and consequently you can find them in almost any Asian-themed indoor rain forest. In these rain forest climates they tend to grow on tree branches and between rocks with a source of water nearby for the high level of moisture they require.

Pink Sunset

Tropical Rain Forest

Ohio History

Nerve Plant

This delicate yellow flower was growing amid the palms and ferns of the Cincinnati Zoo Rain Forest. Its official name is the nerve plant, and it was used by Native Americans to make a cold tea mouth rinse that could help to relieve toothaches. I guess the "nerve" name makes sense. This was just one of the unusual tropical flowers we saw in the Rain Forest.

Cleveland Zoo

Ohio History

Rain Forest Tropics

Welcome to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! This well-developed zoo spans 183 acres right in the center of Cleveland, just five miles south of the Lake Erie shoreline. It was a beautiful place to visit when my family stopped by in late September. Our adventure began in the Rain Forest, a unique exhibit enclosed by huge glass panels and covering two acres. It showcases more than 10,000 plants and over 600 animals coming from Asian, African, and South American jungles. We could smell the lush aroma of growing plants in the heavy, humid air of the Rain Forest.

Palm Leaf

Winter Mural

Ohio History

Winter in the Alps

Here's another of Tom Miller's murals in Sugarcreek. This one was on the local hardware storefront if I remember correctly. Did you spot the ponies in the background hauling a wagon of logs? An animated feature, they 'trotted' all the way along the snow ridge and disappeared to circle around again. Believe me, I even got a movie on my camera of them!

Tom Miller became prolific with his murals and adorned many buildings, both inside and out. Well-known mural sites include Heini's in Bunker Hill, the Walnut Creek Der Dutchman, Charm's Guggisberg Cheese, Lehman Hardware in Kidron, and even an Amish dairy in Indiana. Animated features range trains, horses with wagons, and a herd of Swiss dairy cows to skiers and even snowmobiles! His largest indoor mural was in Grandma's Alpine Homestead, filling most of the walls and even the ceiling of the restaurant. What an amazing painter!

Sugarcreek Murals

Ohio History

Bank Mural

Let's have a quick stop in Sugarcreek, a few miles east of Berlin, before concluding our trip. My favorite attraction in the little town also features a bit of history: the storefront murals. The one above is on the bank downtown. The scene from the Swiss Alps is complete with an tiny animated train chugging in and out of a mountain tunnel. Can you spot it on the left?

This is just one of the murals painted by native Ohioan Tom Miller. In fact, he spent his entire life in the Walnut Creek area (in Holmes County). After starting a successful interior decorating business in the early 1950s, Tom Miller was able to pursue his dream of bringing Switzerland into Sugarcreek, which had an ethnic Swiss heritage. Inspired by a trip to Switzerland, he painted his own storefront and was soon adorning many Sugarcreek business fronts with Swiss scenes. Most of his murals were painted during the 1970s and 80s.

More Scenery

Ohio History 

Fish Pond Shed

Here is the little maintenance shed that seems to keep watch over the fish ponds. I have always loved its red trim and overhanging roof. In fact, I confess to painting more than one canvas with scenes from the ponds. They change so much with the seasons, weather, and even angle of view, I think there is no end to the pictures one could paint! Click the links to see the paintings I've already featured...I can asure you more will be coming!

Mud Valley Reflection

Forest Fire

Autumn Pastorale

I love to take pictures with that brilliant sunshine...sometimes though the picture just can't capture it all.

Sunburst

Amish Pond

Ohio History

Fish Pond

History aside, the gently rolling hills and quaint farms do create countless picturesque scenes in Holmes County. We couldn't resist stopping for a few pictures, especially with the brilliantly sunny spring day. And especially just up the road from where we lived up here for a short time! You may be surprised to know that this is one of three ponds along this road specially maintained for raising fish. We affectionately called them the fish ponds. We loved to watch the Amish farmer who cared for them walking out in the evening to sprinkle food in for the fish. The water surface suddenly came to life with splashing ripples!

Forging a Keepsake

Ohio History

Imprinting a Design

Well, now that you've heard all about the forging process, how would you like to watch me make something? I'm serious! Although a bit simpler process, for a very small fee visitors could make their own molded aluminum artwork. First, I chose a picture from a number of metal templates (dies, I suppose they would be called). I took a piece of thin aluminum, almost like foil but thicker, and taped it down on top. It sure took a lot of pounding with the hammer to get the picture imprinted onto the aluminum! The harder I pounded, the sharper the design became. I think it came out very nice! There were even mats available to display the finished picture. What do you think?

Barn-Raising