abandoned america

abandoned barn, Dublin, Ohio
(click to embiggen)

There is something very nostalgic, mysteriously magical, so bleakly wondrous that draws me to abandoned places: farm houses, out-buildings, barns.  I love feeling the leftover energies, the stories left behind in the rubble.  It's like an archaeological dig, the forgotten objects buried in time and dust, above ground. They are a lovely quintessential American art form in themselves. Even though long empty, this particular barn smells of cows, oil and old wood; its history is intensely palpable.

As my Facebook friends know, I've been posting a series of photos titled "Abandoned America", most of which I took in and around my neck of the woods, Central Ohio.  Hope you enjoy these places, truly majestic in their own right, as much as I did.  Stay tuned for more images in the coming weeks.

Another night, I dreamed 

I saw my fathersweeping 

out the barn floor clean, 

and would not suffer the wheat 

to be broughtin the barn. 

He appeared to me to be in anger.

Joanna Southcott 

I picked up a little sunshine today...

Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning 

can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day

--like writing a poem, or saying a prayer.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

skeeter magnet

Mosquitoes love me.  They can't get enough of me.  And to make matters worse, they like to bite my face. Experts say mosquitoes really do have blood-sucking preferences. "One in ten people are highly attractive to mosquitoes," reports Jerry Butler, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Florida. Lucky me, I happen to be one of the chosen ten percent.  I currently have a mosquito bite on my forehead the size of a grapefruit.

Dr. Butler says that people with high concentrations of steroids, cholesterol, uric acid, or lactic acid on the surface of their skin will attract mosquitoes. Also, those who emit large amounts of carbon dioxide are attractive. Mosquitoes can smell their dinner for an impressive distance of up to 50 meters. How are we supposed to avoid them, especially if we don't want to slather ourselves with DEET every time we go outside?  Oil of eucalyptus products are said to be very effective, so I'm adding this to my shopping list.

Here's a few ways to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases like encephalitis and West Nile virus:

• Cover trash containers that have the ability to collect water.
• Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets.
• Make sure gutters and downspouts are draining properly.
• Empty bird bathes twice a week.
• Empty pets' watering dishes daily.
• Use sand to plug holes in trees where water can collect.  

One birdbath alone can be a breeding spot for 5000 mosquitoes over the course of one summer.  Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time to give the old stone one on the patio a good going over with me mops and me brushes. 5000! Yikes.

photo: birdbath at Willow Manor

cornhenge

This strange field of 109 eight foot tall concrete ears of corn is one of the landmarks in Dublin, Ohio, my neck of the woods.  It was created in 1994 as a tribute to our agricultural heritage, and also a memorial to Sam Frantz, who farmed this site from 1935 to 1963.  Frantz was well-known for his hybridization of corn seeds and worked with the Ohio State University on hybridization projects.

The artist brought in by the Dublin Arts Council for this project was Malcolm Cochran, who created three different molds to fashion the larger-than-life-sized concrete ears.  

The field of giant corn is somewhat of a local joke, often referred to as "Cornhenge".  Personally, I like it best in the winter, in lovely monochrome against the snow.  As much as I love art, I can't say our tax dollars spent on inedible corn were used wisely.  We are, however, included in the quirky and eccentric American landmarks at Roadside America.

only god can make a tree

click to embiggen

We recently lost a majestic pine tree in a storm at Willow Manor.  It was most likely a tornado, that came literally swirling out of nowhere, with the sound of a freight train, throwing all kinds of limbs and debris against the front windows, which happen to face west.

I'm not one to be afraid of storms, in fact, I rather enjoy the drama of an ominous sky, and claps of thunder that reverberate off the limestone Scioto River basin behind the house.  But this storm scared me. It roared through and was gone in the space of just a few minutes, pulling up large trees by the roots along a mile stretch of our road.

I have a certain spiritual connection to trees, and hate to see one, especially this old, come down.  I love to place my hands on a tree and feel the peace and strength it exudes.  This wise one was about 100 years old, since I counted nearly 96 rings, which means it was here even before the house was built in 1927.  I'm sure it will be proud to keep Willow Manor toasty-warm for several winters to come.

As the poet said, 'Only God can make a tree', 

probably because it's so hard to figure out 

how to get the bark on.

Woody Allen