Monday Escape: Not giving up on autumn just yet

Surely your correspondent is hardly alone in being distressed by the way autumn and Thanksgiving are trampled in the Christmas creep/rush. Fall is the favourite season of many, yet it seems we’re expected to ignore it in the name of Christmas busy-ness.

Isn’t that a shame? And I’m a summer woman, through and through!

I know today is December first, and thus really and truly the start of winter, but let’s take a few final moments to enjoy autumn: the rich fragrances, the sight of falling leaves and the delightful crunch of them underfoot, copious amounts of sunshine combined with an awakening nip in the air, the last glorious riot of colour meant to tide us through the dark, grey stretch of winter now shouldering its way in. Shall we?

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Mink Hollow Covered Bridge in Arney Run Park, Early Autumn

That may be my longest post title yet, but that’s barely half the name of of this pretty covered bridge—”The Mink Hollow Covered Bridge in Oil Mill Hollow Over Arney Run Near Borcher’s Mill”! That means this bridge has the longest name of any covered bridge in the nation, something I was unaware of when photographing the structure.

Built by Jacob Brandt in 1887, the bridge is 51 feet long and stands on its original sandstone abutments. Part of one of Fairfield County’s historic parks, crosses Arney Mill Run in Lancaster; the “Oil Mink Hollow” part comes from the days when a flaxseed-pressing mill stood nearby.

The Mink Hollow Covered Bridge et cetera, et cetera, et cetera boasts of not just a long name, but also an unusual structure—if I understand correctly, its central X-brace, combined with multiple Kingpost through truss, are unique to the Buckeye State. This is one of eighteen (or sixteen; there seems to be disagreement) covered bridges in Fairfield County—eighteen remaining of the county’s original two hundred and twenty! Indeed, Fairfield County can still boast of having more covered bridges than any other county in Ohio.

There are reports that the bridge is illuminated at night—I may have to go back for that after a really good snow despite the cold. Wouldn’t those make lovely photos?

Autumn Fun at Westerville Mini-Golf: Two Amazing Shots On One Course

While running errands, my husband and I decided to take a spin around the Westerville Golf Center’s mini-golf (putt-putt) course prior to their closing up for the season. I’ve enjoyed putt-putt since I was little—Dad was always taking me—and of course, many a date has been spent at one mini-golf place or another (it really is the perfect date—putt-putt and a milkshake—don’t you think?).

This course has apparently and repeatedly been voted Central Ohio’s best, and we were not disappointed in the least; we had a great time, and the course was challenging and fun. I had my little purse camera along with me and being an abnormal weirdo, could not resist taking a few photos while we played.

Isn’t this small-scale train station cute as can be?

We chose to play the “difficult” course, and there were indeed a couple of tough holes. Hole Five, though it looks simple, nearly proved to be the end of both of us (and it was, coincidentally *ahem* here that we decided to stop keeping score).

Happily, the mini-golf course is ridiculously beautifully landscaped and waterscaped, particularly considering it’s full-blown fall around here. The gardens and streams are truly pretty, more than enough so to balm any mini-golf-inflicted wounds. How they’ve missed local landscaping and gardening awards is beyond me. Regardless, the abundant-for-a-golf-course beauty really did make it seem as if we were enjoying a little getaway, right up the street from the supermarket.

Monday Escape: America in Autumn

Timing is everything, as we all know. Zipping down one of Ohio’s many country roads, I spotted this “Frank” doing its work in the fields. There wasn’t even time to hop out of the car—but I’m still very happy with this shot! A fine stroke of luck. All the shot is missing is a kindly-looking middle-aged farmer, proudly surveying the activity on his farm (he’s probably the fellow driving the harvester).

Also, random internet user tip….Have you been glaring angrily at your computer due to its not performing correctly? As in, you’re unable to post to Flickr, your blog, or even see letters on webpages?

Reinstall the browser. You’ll save yourself two full days of frustration and re-booting your computer thinking it is the one responsible for your problems.

*blush*

Have a beautiful Monday, all!

Monday Escape: Living Agate

A fellow photographer noted that this growth on a discarded (read: ready for use in the garden) poplar branch looked like lace agate, and it really does. Little glimpses of beauty such as this are all around; we need only seek them out.

None of that for me today, though.

The first real snow of the season

Yesterday, we awoke to the sight that makes adults grown and children giddy: A fresh (albeit light) blanket of snow on the ground. An overnight downpour turned into snow, leaving a few inches on the ground. It has snowed a couple of times already this season, but this is the first one to stick, thus in my mind it’s the first snow.

A certain collie was as giddy as local schoolchildren probably were (particularly once the latter realized a mere two inches of snow did not mean cancellation of school). Benedict, for reasons you can probably guess at, simply adores winter, and especially snow. He couldn’t wait to get outside and frolic in the stuff!

Of course, as I’ve noted several times, it seems the colours have just begun to turn here in central Ohio; thus we have two seasons duking it out for dominance. Though the resolution of said battle is already predetermined, I can’t help but admire fall’s tenacity.

Monday Escape: You’d better watch out

“The Iceman Cometh”

Really, I’m not sure this counts as an escape for some of us—though autumn is the favourite season of many, I can’t help but think about what its arrival means: winter is just around the corner! Still, it’s difficult to resist the joy engendered by the cacophony of colours beginning to creep along the treetops;  as seems to happen every year, my porch and fireplace are both overflowing with various squashes and pumpkins as appreciated for their good looks as their taste (much to the fascination of our pets).

How about you? Have the summer linens been at last exchanged for cozy throws and richly-coloured curtains, or are you planning to grasp as tightly as you can the last threads of summer as they slip away?

Have a wonderful Monday!