Dandelion Haven

Winter Sketch

2012-02-01T21:19:00.002-05:00

Stinging snow pellets

bite through gray air

erasing color

from landscape and sky

Sagging lines

stretch across fields

wooden supports leaning

tired and cold.

Eyes squinting though the snow

Head down against the wind

hands in pockets

I hurry towards warmth

Nothing of beauty here,

to catch the eye

In this treeless land

of lifeless cornfields

and leaning telephone poles.

Or is there?

Linked to Skywatch Friday.

(Inspired in part by Steward's skywatch post last Friday over at Paying Ready Attention...finding beauty in the common everyday skies. Our skies the past several days have for the most part been pretty colorless--yet, even then there is a certain stark beauty to be found.)

50 Miles From Home

2012-01-30T19:16:00.001-05:00

I don't mind a lot of driving when the scenery looks like this.

Paperwhites

2012-01-29T22:19:00.002-05:00

I'm trying something a little different with my paperwhites this winter. I bought a dozen bulbs a few weeks and am forcing them in a bowl with water and rocks--as I always do. This year, though, instead of putting all the bulbs in the bowl at the same time, I am staggering them. The first ones bloomed a couple of days ago, others are budding out,and the last few bulbs just got tucked in among the rocks yesterday. My goal is to extend the bloom without having to have multiple containers. I will see how the experiment goes in the long run, but so far, so good.

Linked to Macro Monday,

Hocking Hills State Park, Part 3: Rock Bridge

2012-01-28T19:17:00.003-05:00

After visiting Ash Cave, we headed about eight miles up the road to Rock Bridge Nature Preserve. This nature preserve contains the second largest natural rock bridge in the United States.

The giant slab of sandstone that makes up the bridge is over 100 feet long and 20 feet wide at its widest place.

It spans a gorge that is fifty feet wide.

Rock Bridge Nature Preserve covers 250 acres of land and runs along the Hocking River. The lovely beech woods that makes up a good deal of the preserve is an ideal place for finding native wild flowers in the spring.

The small stream that makes up the waterfall that drops between the rock bridge and face of the gorge flows into the Hocking River.

The stream that flows down to the river has a rock bottom and is was only an inch or two deep.

Next post: Photos from our hike of part of the Grandma Gatewood Trail.

Hocking Hills Park Part One: Introduction

Hocking Hills Park Part two: Ash Cave

Musings At Rock House (a poem)

Ice Swirls

Musings At Rock House

2012-01-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

Cavern walls loomed cathedral-like overhead
We stood in silent awe of the majesty

A young couple, fingers entwined
Voices, laughter echoing across the rocky walls
The world a paradise, made just for them
Fully alive in the beauty of of their surroundings
Alive in the moment and the splendor of the other
Complete awareness of the beauty and the beloved.

A sharp little pain tears at my heart
Echos in an empty space--
of young life and love lost to Patriarchal tyranny
Anything outside the circle of protection forbidden.

I set aside the camera for a moment
Waiting for the couple to pass from view
And the youthful laughter to fade.

My husband shakes his head
Young people--they just have to make so much noise.

I smile and reach for his hand.
No--they are doing just exactly
What young people are made to do--
Living life, exploring, absorbing each other,
Souls entwining, becoming one with shared experience
And memories made with only thoughts for the beloved.

You are right, he said, and squeezed my hand.

And again I smile and am full of gratitude
That God can take two broken people with painful pasts,
and make them whole by giving them each other.
Sometimes I wonder how to define ourselves--
Still practically newly weds--me 36, him 62.
Not young, not old,
maybe between the two of us, we are middle aged?
No matter-we are here and now in awe together.

(Written after our visit to Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio.)

Linked to Real Toads poetry challenge.

Graveyard Sun and Shadows

2012-01-26T19:07:00.001-05:00

The little cemetery quarter of a mile down the road from us.

Linked to Skywatch Friday.

Hocking Hills State Park, Part II: Ash Cave

2012-01-25T20:29:00.005-05:00

Ash cave is the largest recess cave in Ohio. The horseshoe shaped recess cave is 700 feet long, 100 feet deep, and 90 feet high. The cave is named after the large piles of ashes left behind by the Native Americans, who used the large rock shelter for a meeting place and a resting place.

Later, the first European settlers used the cave as a place to hold church services as they were building their first church.

Today the cave can be reserved for weddings , and the park occasionally holds outdoor events here.

It is the most easily accessed of all the caves and waterfalls in Hocking Hills with a handicap accessible 1/4 mile paved trail in the gorge leading up to the waterfall. There is also a rim trail that is slightly more rugged--at least in the winter when some of the steps are covered with ice!

At 90 feet high, the waterfall that plunges over rim of the cave is the tallest waterfall in Hocking Hills.

Two views of the stream below the falls--in some parts it winds slowly through the hemlock forest...

...and in other places it turns into miniature waterfalls that cascade down the rocky stream bed.

From what I have read, if you want to see a lot of water, the best time to visit the cave is in April and May. Some summers the stream dries up completely. And I am told that if the winter is especially cold, the waterfall has been know to freeze completely from top to bottom.

Next Hocking Hills post (coming up when I get the photos sorted out for it!) will take you up the road to Rock Bridge and waterfall.

Linked to Watery Wednesday.

Winter Robin's Nest....

2012-01-24T20:39:00.000-05:00

...bringing memories of spring and warmer days..

Tomorrow evening watch for a post with photos of Ash Cave and waterfall in Hocking Hills State Park.

Ice Swirls

2012-01-22T20:13:00.004-05:00

I didn't take many macro photos on our recent trip to Hocking Hills state park in Ohio, but did get some of these fine threads of ice that were coiled here and there on the ground for no apparent reason. These ice formations were independant of any visible water and were quite small, usually only an inch or so across. I have never come across anything quite like them before.

Update: One of my readers suggested that these ice formations may be frost flowers. They may be, but I am not familiar enough with frost flowers to tell for sure. I'm adding the photo below showing one of the formations as whole.

Linked to Macro Monday.

Hocking Hills State Park--Part one

2012-01-21T23:19:00.000-05:00

We recently spent several days in Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. Hocking Hills is a maze of hiking trails that run through gorges, past dozens of waterfalls, and through magnificent caves. We spent three days hiking, took about 1000 photos and barely scratched the surface of all natural beauty that is to be found there. Several posts will follow with some of the highlights of the of our time in the park.

We rented a cabin for our stay--it was complete with locally made log furniture, a full kitchen, and a hot tub. For photos of the interior click over to Dandelion Haven's facebook page.

Then a little preview of photos to come...

The lower falls in Old Man's Cave's Gorge.

A glimpse of the stream below Cedar Falls.

Colorful rock formations at Rock House.

Curwood Castle

2012-01-12T02:28:00.004-05:00

This is the writing studio of James Oliver Curwood., a Michigan author and an early film writer. It is now a museum and is located on the banks of the Shiawassee River, in Owosso, MI. It is things like this that keep me sane on the job. Stumbling unexpectedly upon a lovely little castle on the banks of a peaceful river in the middle of a hectic day, reminds me of one of the many reasons I am a homecare nurse.You don't stumble upon Michigan's little known treasures when you are shut up in a hospital all day or all night!

(I am going to be taking a blogging break for a bit. I plan to be back at the end of the month. I will look forward to catching up with all of you then.)

Encircled Lock

2012-01-08T14:07:00.000-05:00

A rusty circle of metal looped over a broken down gate with an old lock still clinging fast, guards the entrance to a farmer's field.

Eastward Bound

2012-01-06T19:39:00.000-05:00

Eastward bound

through tinted sky

and gentle haze

I followed

the rising moon

to home.

Linked to Skywatch Friday.

Christmas, Remembered

2012-01-02T18:55:00.001-05:00

I took down the Christmas tree yesterday and instead of tossing the rose hips and fox tail grass that decorated it, I made them into this wreath along with a few of the salted pine cones and some dried tansy.

The result is a wreath that, at least to me, looks more wintry than Christmas and so I can hang it on the living room wall until it is time to switch it out for something that says spring instead of winter.

Linked to Macro Monday.

Greeting the New Year

2012-01-01T21:01:00.002-05:00

I got up this morning hoping to greet the first sunrise of the new year. But nature had other plans and I was met with a cold drizzling rain. I went for a walk anyway. On a whim I decided to walk down a road that I haven't been on before, and discovered that is is more picturesque than my regular route with a small abandoned cemetery by the side of the road, several old barns, two small streams, and a farm that still has cows in the pasture.

And the nice part is that the road loops back around onto the road the we live on.

Two different views of one of the old barns.

I don't have many goals for the new year beyond surviving the learning curve of my new job. If I can get through the winter with finishing my charting on time and not accidentally driving off a bridge on my way home in the dark and sleeting rain, occasionally cooking real food and vacuuming the house, I will call it good. But if there is one this I'd like to work on a bit this year, it is to be slightly more adventurous. Even if it as simple as taking a different road on my walk.

I am quite shy and not an adventurous person by nature and am realizing that because of that life can pass me by. I would hate to come to the end of my life and all I have to show for it is that I went to work each day and did a bit of house work.

What about you? Any goals for 2012?

Linked to Homestead Revival's barn hop.

Last Sky of 2011

2011-12-31T21:26:00.000-05:00

The evening sky is reflected in the tiny pond across the road from us. This little pond is usually hidden from sight by tall weeds. This evening I caught a glimpse of the sky reflected in the water, so fought my way through the weeds to take a few photos. Click over to Dandelion Haven's facebook page to see more photos of the little pond and sky from this evening.

Wishing you many beautiful skies, and peace and happiness in the New Year!

The Truth of You

2011-12-30T20:47:00.001-05:00

looking beyond
rigid standards and cliches
black and white dying
into shades of living color

letting go
rigid thoughts fading
gentle breeze blowing
learning, seeking
finding understanding

touching sharp jagged edges
dark rotting hurt
pain so deep it kills
seeking understanding

letting in
raw feelings pain
suffering, darkness
forgiveness, mercy

standing by another
open heart, embracing
whole person,
pain and beauty
sometimes ugliness

open mind seeking
the truth of you
beauty and brokenness
perfect in imperfection
a masterpiece

linked to Five Minute Friday and open mic at real Real Toads.

As the Night Falls

2011-12-28T19:39:00.002-05:00

Today, at the end of a long hectic day, I stopped for a moment on the edge of a winding country road to breathe in quietness and beauty as the night fell and the colors faded from the sky and water.

Linked to Skywatch Friday.

Butterfly in April

2011-12-25T23:57:00.002-05:00

Last summer I photographed many of the butterflies on our property in order to identify them. One butterfly kept eluding me through the summer, though. I would catch a glimpse of it with the distinctive red-orange bands across it's wings and a bit of bright red or orange on the under side of its wings, then it would be gone.

Yesterday when I was looking through photos from last year, I discovered to my surprise, I had taken a few photos of it on April 9th--on the freshly planted pansies.

Not the greatest photos in the world, but I am happy to have found them and am hoping one of my readers will be able to identify the butterfly for me.

Linked to Macro Monday.

Thank you to Sivinden for indentying the butterfly as a Red Admiral. You can click on this link to see some stunning photos of this butterfly on her blog.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T18:49:00.001-05:00

...and sharing a photo of our tree...

It is a little blue spruce from the tree farm just up the road from us.

It didn't quite turn out the way I had envisioned, but I did get to use the pine cones, little baskets, and twig stars, I made earlier. Also added wild rose hips, foxtail grass seed heads, candy canes, and a popcorn garland. One of my patient's gave me the idea of putting our Christmas cards on the tree. I'm still trying to decide if I like the way that looks or not!

We are having a quiet Christmas this year. But it is one that is filled with gratitude and thankfulness for all that we have been blessed with. One of the things I'm thankful for is all of you, my blogging friends, and I wish you all happiness, peace, and joy this Christmas season and in the coming new year.

Christmas Bauble from Mother Nature

2011-12-21T18:42:00.000-05:00

My husband bought me a "spare" camera to to keep on hand in case of the tragic event that the camera I use every day breaks. It is a very basic little camera with few features, but is 14 megapixals and does have a macro setting. It was just getting dark when I got home from work. Even so I ran outside and tried it out out on the crabapples that were wet with rain. I judge a camera by how well the macro setting works. And given that this photo was taken in very poor light and in the rain, I would say the macro setting works just fine.

Sculptured Ice Leaf

2011-12-18T21:45:00.001-05:00

Found on the bank of a small stream on a frozen foggy morning.

Linked to Macro Monday.

(As always, I appreciate your comments! I will confess I am a little behind on returning them right now, but plan to catch up both with returning comments and reading my favorite blogs in the next few days.)

December Moon

2011-12-17T21:27:00.001-05:00

Deflating slowly

like a tired balloon

worn from night travels

across the frigid sky

the moon let out a little sigh,

and sank below the western horizon.

(photo taken 12/10/11)

Linked (a little late!) to Skywatch Friday.

Angel's Wings

2011-12-13T07:04:00.003-05:00

Hidden deep

within each soul

is radiant beauty

waiting quietly

for gentle light

for warm breeze

waiting silently

waiting to be set free--

free on angel's wings.

Linked to Imperfect Prose. and Scavenger hunt--angels.

Easy Frosted Pine Cones

2011-12-11T21:23:00.004-05:00

Last month while I was sitting in a waiting room waiting for a job interview to start, I watched Martha Stewart make sparkly pine cone ornaments. It looked like a quick and simple process and only took a bit of white wax, some wire, and a sprinkling of salt. I stopped on my way home for groceries and found a couple of boxes of white paraffin wax for sealing jam jars in the clearance bin for only 50 cents a pound. Of course I snapped them up! Two Sundays ago I collected a bunch of cones from our pine trees and set them aside to dry.

Today I got around to making the ornaments. Like I said it is a quick and simple process.

You will need:

Pine cones

Florist wire

White wax

Salt

Cookie tray and parchment paper

1) Place wax in a small pan and carefully melt over low heat.

2) While the wax is melting, cut florist wire into 5-6 inch pieces and attach to the bottom of the pine cones.

3) Cover cookie tray with parchment paper.

4) When wax is melted, dip each pine cone in the wax, gently shake off excess wax then set, bottom side down on the parchment paper.

5) Let cool for a couple of minutes, then redip each pine cone, but this time, sprinkle each pine cone with a small amount of salt before the wax has a chance to cool.

6) When the wax has cooled, gently shake off the excess salt and your frosted pine cone is ready to use in a garland or on your tree!

I don't know if I will have time to make them this year, but here are a few ideas I'm tucking in the back of my head for future use:

These rustic wooden ornaments from Heidi at White Wolf Summit Farmgirl would be perfect for a nature themed Christmas tree.

Teresa at Eden Hills Farm shows us how to make adorable little boxes using old (or new!) Christmas cards.

Trina at All that is Good shows us how to make vanilla extract--what a great idea for Christmas gifts, plus it would be easy and cost effective to make enough for your own baking for the rest of the year.

And last but not least, I love this post from Pieces of Contentment showing how nature decorates for Christmas in Australia. Quite a contrast to the snow covered trees on my side of the globe!

Linked to Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap and Homestead Revival's Barn Hop. as well as Christmas Ornament Scavenger Hunt.