Miscellaneous Impressions from my Trip to Ohio

I had to go to Northeastern Ohio to help take care of an elderly parent.
Here are some impressions I had while I was there.

This one was while I was heading home.  It looked like it was the angle of death and I was wondering if I was going to make it home in time.  After seeing this smoke rising and how at one point it really did look like a person I could understand how people used to believe in genei's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie

When I got there I was noticing how low the water was.

The purple martins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Martin  ) were out in force and i loved watching them fly around.   I hope you like seeing them fly too because I took lots of pictures of them.

More pictures showing how much the lake was down.

Normally those barrels are under water.

While I was visiting at my step dad's place I was surprised to see a Doe and her two babies walk through the yard. 

I could barely get the camera before they were gone but the babies stopped to eat and mom caught up.

My cousin visited and brought his dog.  It was so cute. He looked like he was the dog on the can of dog food I sometimes give my dogs. 

I went walking in Forest Hills park and always liked this bridge.  Who knows when I will get to walk on it again and so I took this picture so I could remember it.

This is the hill were we used to like to go sledding in the winter time.  It doesn't look to steep but trust me its steeper than you realize. 

I like the way the sun was shining through the clouds.

I was noticing how low the water still was and how still it was on this day.  Then I noticed all the sea gulls.

Up closer

I got this one because it reminded me of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

I thought this was so picturesque with the sailboats on the lake.  They looked a lot bigger that this when I took the pictures. 

I just liked the look of this.

The winds started to pick up and the purple martins headed home.

What really got to me was how quickly the waves started to get big.

I thought this unusual the way they were breaking in line like they were.

I went for a walk and couldn't resist getting these flower pictures.

While walking I also so this and thought it was so cute.

Another day with the lake being really low.

All those sea gulls left foot prints.

And even feathers.

On this day I couldn't get over how Erie the lake felt and could understand why its called Lake Erie.  this day the lake was so still.  I had never seen it this still.  There was a haze too and it was the weirdest feeling.  It was like the world had come to a stop.

A perfectly still day on Lake Erie

It was so still the sediments started to settle out and you could see the bottom of the lake.  This is really unusual.  Also look how low the lake is too. 

Another picture of it being so still and Erie.

What was even spookier was when a hawk showed up and started to circle around. 

I was glad when he headed home away from us.

One day the purple martins disappeared from their house.
We wondered if they had flown off but then heard them in the neighbors yard.
They were starting to gather at the tree.

They gathered all that day and then the next day they were gone.  It was amazing seeing them all get together like that. It was time for them to head back south and I figured it was time for me to head back south too.  I had done a lot while I was there - got my stepfather into hospice and helped my mom get the help she needed.  My family needed me.  School would start in 2 weeks and I had to get my son ready for that.

purple martins gathering to head south

I hated the reason I had to go but was glad I could go and spend so much time there.