Monnie: Recently Added Galleries and Collections

BetterPhoto Awards

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:38:19 GMT

In January 2009, my husband Jack and I signed up at BetterPhoto.com. In addition to "meeting" other photographers and getting ideas and inspiration from their wonderful photos, we hoped that at least some of our entries would be good enough to earn recognition here.

I'm happy to say that even though I'm still working at getting all of them moved to this new gallery, we've done well at BP so far. In fact, one month one of my macro flower photos even made it to the next level, a Finalist! So here's a great big thank you to the BetterPhoto judges!

The photos in this gallery are from BetterPhoto.com only; other awards and honors are in a separate gallery here which you're welcome to visit as well!

Pymatuning State Park

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:47:19 GMT

At 21,122 acres, Pymatuning State Park is the largest in the Pennsylvania state parks system, and 17,088 acres of it is Pymatuning Reservoir, the state’s biggest lake. Interestingly, the park is shared with Ohio, but the Keystone State got the lion’s share (in comparison, Ohio's part is a measly 4,000 acres or so).

In addition to boating and fishing, most folks around here love to spin yarns about the Linesville spillway on Hartville Road, where hundreds – make that thousands – of gaping-mouthed carp climb all over each other, all trying to snag bits of bread tossed by equally gaping-mouthed visitors. Often, they lose out to the gulls and geese that walk on their backs, hoping for morsels of their own. It’s a truly amazing sight -- one that must be seen to be believed.

Some 300,000 visitors come here each year to feed the fish, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Forget to bring a loaf of bread? No problem if you visit from Memorial Day through Labor Day, when a concession stand sells fish food as well as a few refreshments for people.

At the Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Learning Center is an easy one-mile nature trail. Starting near the parking lot, it loops around the lake and ends at the other end of the lot. It’s quite a scenic trail, and paving makes it both comfortable and almost impossible to get lost. Along the way, wood observation decks overlook the lake. Birds are plentiful; it's possible to catch a glimpse of a bald eagle or Pymatuning eagle, both of which make their homes on a small island within a short distance of the nature center.

Columbus, Ohio

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:56:06 GMT

Back when I was growing up on a farm in southwestern Ohio almost on the Indiana border, going to Ohio's capital city, Columbus, was a huge undertaking. Other than being the capital, though, the city arguably was best known for The Ohio State University Buckeyes football team, under longtime coach Woody Hayes, the beautiful Capitol Building and the Ohio State Fair. The Lincoln Leveque Tower, looming high at the entrance to the city from Route 40 (Broad Street), was a sign that you'd "arrived" downtown.

Today, though, it's hard to recognize the place. Yes, all those landmarks remain -- but the farmland that surrounded the city in all directions has been transformed into thriving suburbs. Columbus has surpassed Cleveland as the largest city in the Buckeye State. It's still a "cow town" in some respects -- but it also has become quite cosmopolitan city, with dining, shopping and arts events that rival the nation's largest and most visited cities.

Since our friends Pete and Carole moved to Powell, just north of the city, some 20 years ago, we've had the opportunity to enjoy what the city has to offer -- and that's been far more than just football or a state fair (although those still are great reasons for visiting). This gallery is designed to showcase some of the people and places we enjoy so much.

National Packard Museum

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:31:25 GMT

The Packard motor car got its start in Warren, Ohio, which is just a few miles from our home in Niles. The company became part of General Motors Corp. as the Packard Electric Co., and then was spun off into a stand-alone Delphi Packard Electric and later to Delphi Corp. Today, the National Packard Museum honors this heritage. In addition to showcasing a number of antique Packard automobiles, the museum hosts special events throughout the year like an antique motorcycle exhibit. It was at this exhibit that these photos were taken.

Our Favorite Pets

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:04:06 GMT

When I was growing up on a farm in southwestern Ohio, we always had a dog and at least one cat. Needless to say, cats tend to multiply rather quickly, and at one time I counted 27 different ones running around in the back yard. I admit to being partial to cats, and until our daughter Chris left the nest and took "her" pet with her, a cat always lived with us.

Since then, we've been pet-free -- mostly because now that the kids are grown and we're semi-retired, we travel as much as we can and don't want to worry about pets while we're gone. But we love the ones that belong to our family and friends, and they'll appear in this gallery.

Mastropietro Winery

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:30:40 GMT

The Mastropietro Winery, located just outside Berlin Center, Ohio, is the first winery in Mahoning County. The winery opened on May 20, 2005, on 52 acres -- reportedly 12 years after owner Dan Mastropietro first started making wine in his basement. Today, we enjoy visiting the winery (about half an hour from our home) especially when the weather is nice enough to sit outdoors at a table on the patio or perhaps on one of the benches that overlooks the one-acre lake (as was the case when most of these photos were taken). When the weather isn't cooperating, though, we can head indoors to the tasting room to enjoy the heat from the huge stone fireplace.

Wines are sold by the glass or bottle, and sample trays of reds, white and mixed can be purchased as well. Our favorites include the dry cabernet ($16 per bottle), the semi-dry Riesling ($14) and, especially in the summer, the sweet Dolce Bianco ($12).

You might be interested to know that the first 20 photos came as part of an experiment I learned about at another membership Web site. The idea is to "draw" a roughly 10-foot by 10-foot square in which you'll stand. The challenge is to take 20 photos from anywhere within that square (in any direction including up and down). I parked myself on the lawn near the large picnic pavilion with a digital camera that has a 20X zoom lens, and the results are what you see here.

All the subsequent photos were taken after I left my photo "walls" through No. 39; the remainder were taken during a previous visit.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:45:25 GMT

As the old song goes, signs are everywhere. Most of us who enjoy photography have captured plenty of them -- some informative, some fun and some downright stupid. This gallery is a collection of some of mine. Enjoy!

McConnell's Mill State Park

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:12:41 GMT

The 2,546-acre McConnells Mill State Park, where the winding 49-mile Slippery Rock Creek carves its way through bedrock formed more than 300 million years ago, is a great place to learn about the environment, go for a hike and photograph spectacular scenery. A good first stop is the gristmill that gives the park its name.

Built on the creek in 1852, it became one of the first rolling mills in the country. Next to the mill is McConnells Mill Covered Bridge, built in 1874 and one of two remaining covered bridges in Lawrence County, Pa.

Everywhere are hiking trails; the 1.5-mile Alpha Pass Trail, for instance, follows Slippery Rock Creek and is part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. The creek itself presents hazards in the form of whitewater conditions, rapids and swift currents (Slippery Rock Creek is a Class II to IV river, depending on water level). Next to the covered bridge is the Kildoo Trail, a two-mile, moderately difficult loop. The first 200 yards are paved, ending at a wood footbridge where you can watch the water trickle down to the creek from huge boulders high above.

In another part of the park, the relatively flat half-mile Hells Hollow Trail leads to Hells Hollow Falls and the remains of a limestone quarry kiln. The drive from the mill is through remarkably flat land, but the abundance of wild plants and flowers keeps things interesting. Running jointly with this trail for a while is the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail, a 6.2-mile terror that follows the creek bank deep into the gorge and requires at least 4.5 difficult hours to complete.

For those who can manage it, though, the rewards are great. Somewhere around the 3.5-mile point, the trail heads down to the deepest part of the gorge, an alluvial flood plain known as Walnut Flats. After that comes a challenging steep uphill climb and a final descent back down to the creek.

Dahlias

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:13:10 GMT

Roses

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:26:13 GMT

Leaves and Plants

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:16:43 GMT

Punderson State Park

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:17:46 GMT

Some of our all-time best memories have come from Punderson State Park, a 741-acre treasure in Newbury, Ohio. It started when our son Scott was very young -- back when it was tough to reconcile our penchant for travel and my husband's meager high school English teacher's salary, so we tried our hand as tent campers. No "candy campers" we; we slept in bags on the ground, and we vowed that no string of flamingo-shaped lights would ever touch our 8 by 10 canvas quarters even when electricity could be tapped.

After our daughter Christine was born four years later, she joined the summer forays (although we finally gave up trying to squeeze all four of us in a single tent and purchased a smaller one just for the kids). Then, as youngsters often do, they started to balk at being cooped up with their parents (the real problem, of course, was no TV or a refrigerator to raid). And so it was that our camping days came to an end. We consoled ourselves by looking at pictures of our 3-year-old daughter struggling to re-zip the tent -- complying with Mom’s rule that was intended to keep the creepy crawlers out -- and those showing her 7-year-old brother swinging, Tarzan-like, from the strong vines that hung from the trees surrounding the Punderson campground.

Long after they, and we, had traded in the camping experience for indoor plumbing and HBO, Punderson continued to play a part in our lives. Winter was no exception; on more than one occasion, our daughter was invited to accompany one of her school friends to the winter sports chalet area, where an outdoor lighted toboggan hill and an abundance of snow made for screaming good times (it's still in operation, by the way).

Much later, the manor house served a different purpose -- as a crash pad the night after our daughter's wedding. Both she and her brother had opted to get married on or as close to as possible our own wedding date of Aug. 18 (our daughter reasoned that since the date apparently has worked for us, it couldn't hurt). In any event, we wanted to "celebrate" our anniversary and the fact that both our children were now out on their own -- and perhaps most of all, recuperate from all the wedding brouhaha. Where better to do that than at the Punderson manor house?

Both the park and the lake are named for Lemuel Punderson, who, in 1808 -- five years after Ohio achieved statehood -- became Newbury Township's first permanent settler. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Punderson family developed a small estate on the edge of the lake, which later developed into a get-away area for folks in the nearby Cleveland area. Punderson Lake is one of the Buckeye State's few natural lakes, formed when a large block of ice broke off a glacier to create a depression that filled with meltwater.

Lights of My Life

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:16:38 GMT

It's my husband, Jack, who's the lighthouse photography "expert" -- in fact, his unending quest to find these historic structures piqued my interest in photography (if, at first, only as a way to pass the time while he did his thing). If you light lighthouses, be sure to check his gallery here as well (http://photosbyjryan.zenfolio.com).

But I, too, love lighthouses -- and of course I keep my finger on the shutter during all our travels. Here are a few of my favorites. Stop back often, because there's no doubt I'll be making more!

Canfield Fair 2009

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:46:57 GMT

We love county fairs -- I grew up with one of Ohio's best, the Great Darke County Fair -- but it's not often that we attend simply because the crowds and traffic just aren't worth the hassle. This year, though, the Canfield Fair (Mahoning County, Ohio) opened on a Wednesday, and the kiddies were in school. So, we asked a couple of friends if they wanted to venture out, and they agreed.

Not long before we left, we got an unexpected treat. One of the local newspapers, The Vindicator, apparently had published erroneously that opening day was free for senior citizens. Since the word was out, the powers that be at the Fair agreed to honor it. Aha, we all said, this makes it even better! With free admission, we'd not only save, but if we got tired or wanted to leave after a couple of hours, we wouldn't feel we'd wasted money.

In the end, we hung around close to four hours. I'm the only one willing to go on the rides, so going by myself wasn't an option. Instead, we contented ourselves by having a tasty lunch and wandering around the animal barns and show buildings. Needless to say, I spent some quality time where the flowers are, getting some great photos of my beloved dahlias (a few of which are in this gallery; the rest I'll add to my gallery here that's dedicated to dahlias).

On the way home, we stopped at a local pub to chow down on wings and beer. A fun time for all of us!

Marietta, Ohio

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:09:18 GMT

The city of Marietta marks the first formal settlement in the Northwest Territory. Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers, the city has retained the "flavor" of its early years.

Hibiscus

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:33:29 GMT

Volant, Pennsylvania

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:00:51 GMT

Volant is a quaint historic village in western Pennsylvania not too far from the Ohio border. My husband Jack and I love to visit every now and then, if for no other reason than to pick up a few bottles of that wonderful cherry wine from the Volant Mill Winery at the end of the street. At the other end is Volant Mills, the site of the grist mill for which the village is named. Today, it serves as a two-story gift shop filled with wonderful treasures. Just outside the mill are two small covered bridges, and out back the Neshannock Creek is a popular spot for fishing.

Put-in-Bay

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:20:22 GMT

Put-in-Bay, located on South Bass Island just off Port Clinton, Ohio, in Lake Erie, is far more than a small town on an island. Each year, the town attracts more than 750,000 visitors, according to the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce. Long a "party-down" kind of place, the downtown caters to tourists with scads of gift shops, bars and restaurants; many other attractions, including a cave, a winery and a butterfly house, are elsewhere on the island. The island itself is home to two lighthouses: the South Bass Island Light, which serves as a research facility for The Ohio State University, and the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in downtown Put-in-Bay.

Understandably, boating is a popular activity, as is fishing for walleye, bass and perch in the waters of Lake Erie. Getting to and from the island is by ferry or airplane (there's a small airport on the island); no cars are allowed except for those who live here and those who are spending the night. Golf carts, bicycles and other motorized vehicles can be rented at reasonable rates.

This is a great place to visit, which we do at least once a summer. This year, in fact, we've been here three times -- most recently as part of a first-time meet-up with our friends Peggy and Becky.

Illinois Sights 2009

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:52:12 GMT

Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town -- and thanks to our tour guides and friends Peggy and Becky, we got to see some spectacular sights. First up was the historic Navy Pier, where we took many photos, especially the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse. Then it was off to Millenniuim Park, home of the "Bean" and other attractions. The weather was perfect, and a great time was had by all!

Wisconsin Sights 2009

mryan62692@aol.com (Monnie) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:33:48 GMT

Although we stopped in Kenosha to see the Southport Lighthouse, most of our time in Wisconsin was spent in the lovely town of Racine, where we found the beautiful Wind Point Lighthouse and the Racine Breakwater Light, lots of water and great food.