Featured Photo: (The Wilds; Cumberland, Ohio; USA)
Chilly and coated by a cloudy grey sky, the October afternoon wasn’t the best day to visit The Wilds in Cumberland Ohio. But thankfully, memorable moments are never confined to blue sky afternoons.
More photos on Facebook at Heather Dugan Creative
and on Google+
The states of Ohio and North Carolina both lay claim to the pioneers of flight, Orville and Wilbur Wright. The compromise position has been for each to highlight their distinctive contributions. While both states feature aviation on their commemorative quarter coins, Ohio’s license plates read “Birthplace of Flight” and North Carolina’s reads “First in Flight”.
I have twice visited coastal Kitty Hawk, where superior wind conditions aided the Wright Brothers’ first actual flights. A few years ago, I finally had an opportunity to see an important part of Ohio’s half of the Wright Brothers’ fame: Huffman Prairie Flying Field.
It was here that the brothers worked out steering issues for the first viable airplane, the Wright Flyer III. Commuting to the remote farm field by trolley almost daily, they erected a hangar and a catapult amongst fields of cows. These 84 acres then became the world’s first airport and where the Wright School of Aviation trained its first pilots, several of whom eventually flew for the U.S military. Nine were hired to perform in “flying circuses” for the Wright Exhibition Team in 1910. Flight remained a risky pursuit, however, and for five of the first nine, the honor was short-lived.
More album photos: Heather Dugan Creative on Facebook
After years of tornado watches, warnings and thunderstorms, the unexpected happened: an outdoor-friendly Mother’s Day afternoon. The forecast for 2011 had predicted the usual. Showers. Storms. We scarcely dared to believe what appeared to be a clearing of the clouds but took off immediately for a nearby nature preserve to enjoy the weather gift as soon as it unfolded.
Char-Mar Nature Preserve north of Columbus, Ohio lies to the east of a popular mountain bike trail. It has the extended quiet spells of a new and yet-to-be discovered park area. And its secluded location makes it unlikely the tract will ever experience the burgeoning trail traffic that can dispel nature on good weather days at other area parks.
The Glacier Ridge Trail is short but with enough hills and ridges amongst the woodlands and wetlands to keep it interesting. Streams wind along and beneath the trail and a newly constructed viewing blind offers panoramas of a tranquil pond.
Being Mom to three amazing young people makes any kind of Mother’s Day a treasured event. Spending the afternoon doing my favorite thing -enjoying the outdoors, with them felt like tossing confetti into the celebration.
Updated from May 16, 2011.
Leave a comment
REVIEWS for "Pickup in Aisle Twelve"
DOWNLOAD "Pickup in Aisle Twelve" here! “…Heather Dugan does a great job of poking fun at the pitfalls and awkward situations involved in this shark-- and quirky guy-infested world of online --and blind-- dating."
Like my website theme? Me too! Check out his portfolio.
Copyright © 2006 - 2012 All rights reserved
Recent Comments