Spring Tulips

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On my way between Greenville

Falls and Cedar Bog, I made

a stop at Wal-Mart in Piqua.

I was drawn, as I always am,

toward the garden center.

There I found a pot of yellow

tulips for $7.00 and decided

to give it to myself as a

Christmas present.

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You see, my cousin had given

me a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart

at Christmas that I had not

yet used. This seemed like

a worthy purchase.

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As you can see from the two
shots above, the tulips were
mere buds when I purchased them.
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Five days later I came home for

lunch and was shocked to see

the blooms with their arms

spread wide to the sun.

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The black symmetrical smudges

at the center of each bloom just

made each flower that much more

attractive.

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But when I came home that same

evening, the blooms had

fallen asleep!

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I suppose I should have known

that tulips did this, but I did not.

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The tulips are a thing of the past

now, but these photos provide

some great images of what once was...

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April 18, 2009 - Stop 1: Charleston Falls 1

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This morning I headed out with

six destinations near Dayton, OH,

on my itenerary.

(I would only cover four spots,

but it was a wonderful day

regardless of my lack of

goal completion.)

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I found Charleston Falls on the Web.

It seemed like a great spot--even

though the site did not show on a

standard map. I would later learn

that I was to fall in love with this place.

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I was overwhelmingly impressed

with Miami County's care of this

natural place. The placards,

the trails, the lack of trash--

everything made this experience

unforgetable.

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Ah...


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;


Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.


--by Robert Frost


Actually, I took the right fork
this time, and the left fork later
in the day... :)
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WOW!

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DOUBLE WOW!

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Okay...my heart has been stolen!

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A natural spring feeds the pool

on its right side near the trail.

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It's not a lot of water,

but what water there is

uses itself well!

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Another spring! This one

feeds the pool from the left side.

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I love the cedar growing

between the falls.

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What a beautiful place!

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I hope to return here someday.

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During the entire time I made

these photos, there were no

other humans around.

Just me, God and the falls...

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April 18, 2009 - Stop 1: Charleston Falls 2

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On the path that led from the

waterfalls were these gorgeous

wildflowers. The lilac and violet

blooms coupled with the brilliant

green of the leaves was breathtaking!

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Here is one of my many attempts

today at capturing a close-up shot...

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The flower doesn't show as well up

close as it does covering vast areas

of land.

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This was a failed attempt at a

close-up...but the rock wall

behind is pretty. HA!

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I didn't realize until I was

almost ready to head home

that this cave was

"spelunkable."

Regardless, I would NOT

have gone inside!

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The purple wildflowers cling to the

side of the hill leading down to

Charleston Creek.

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The rock formations were neat.

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This cave was even tinier,
but it had a "NO TRESPASSING"
sign out front.
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Another great formation!
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This boardwalk leads to
Redbud Valley.
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Hmmm...these redbuds are
a little late in opening up.
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The trail now meanders back
to the falls...
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I am VERY impressed with the work

Miami County has put into this park.

The drains keep the trails from being

oversaturated during rainfalls.

Ingenious!

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Here is another attempt at

close-up photography.

I think this must be a variety

of bleeding heart.

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I'm back to the falls,

but now I'm above them.

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There were two options for crossing

the creek here: a bridge and these

concrete stepping stones.

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This photo looks toward the springs

from which this water originates.

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This is one of my favorite shots.

It's the creek just moments before

its 37-foot drop!

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Click on the photo for a more

easily readable text.

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What a great view!

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And another!

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Just before the water tumbles!

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The point of this shot is to

showcase this large river birch.

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Another shot of the water on its

way to the dropoff...

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What do you think?

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Remember the road less traveled?

I'm heading there now!

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