Okay... I know it really isn't "home"... I know that wherever our RV is parked... and wherever Bill is... THAT'S home for me... but... the Buckeye in me celebrates Ohio...
Just crossing the bridge over the Ohio River (from Kentucky) makes me whoop with joy. Even if we're a couple hundred miles from our old place, I still begin to look for landmarks...
And...
the rolling hills..... the foothills of the Appalachians....
A lot of folks think of my part of the country as hillbilly... hicks... country folk... whatever... but, you know what? That might all be true... but for folks whose heritage is really from here, it's something to be proud of... not ashamed.... many of us are of strong Scot-Irish heritage... our kinfolk came here because they wanted freedoms that they couldn't have in their home country. And we, as their progeny can recognize what they stood for.
As we head, county by county... across Ohio from the west to the east, there are certain landmarks I look for. This guy has been sitting on that fence for years. I've yet to get a good photo of him. He's real close to the Scioto River... close to Rt 23.... and he ever so patiently waves at anyone who passes by...
Maybe someday we'll actually come to a stop... and I'll get a good photo. But for now... he still remains slightly out of camera range. So... Hello, little buddy! Someday you might tell me how many cars you wave at as they travel past you each day.
From where we stayed last night (LaGrange, Kentucky) to our place, is 232 miles. I'd have to stop and count the counties... but finally, we're in Athens, County...
and only 10 more miles to city limits. Our farm is actually about 7 miles on the other side of the city limits.... but this time we'll drive to the Kroger parking lot, unhook the car... Bill will drive the rig home..... I'll drive the Scion. I'll go first and check the lane going into our place... overhanging limbs can make quick work of antenna and the the such.
Truth is... I made a quick stop in the Kroger (grocery) store. They have the BEST deli foods I've ever seen! This one even has roasted garlics.... the best I've ever had!... and I got to thinking a nice bottle of wine would be nice to celebrate this journey's end ;-)
And so... by 2 p.m. we're in "our" spot. When we began full-timing 13+ years ago, Bill put in a dump station and electric hook-up so we could return. A couple of years ago we had our rental agent arrange to put in a concrete pad so we'd have a level, litter-free place to park.
And so... here we are... and where we'll be for the next couple of weeks.
I do have to show you that we have at least one interloper....
Well, not exactly... as we'd been trying to encourage bats to live close by long before we left the area. This little guy is hanging out (quite literally) on our "barn-house". Nobody is living there right now. Maybe this afternoon nap is indicative of other activity. We sure hope so, as bats are "good guys".
Anyway, we drove 236 miles today... and this part of our journey east is over. Our son lives here, as do my brother and sister and their families. Bill has an appointment this coming Monday with the "cataract" doctor in Columbus. I have plans to catch up with some of my friends I used to work with. The wonderful bike-path in town is calling my name... the local Farmer's Market is open tomorrow at 9am... the list goes on.
We'll be here a couple of weeks before heading on to Maine for the summer.
This is just the beginning.... but...
That's All For Today!
Get rested up, and I wish you more safe travels!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, and, oh my goodness, Athens County has begun the mowing season already.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back home, enjoy your time there with family and friends.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Ohio for 18 years total in three separate stints. I still think of it as one of our home states:)
ReplyDeleteAwww, it is always good to return to your "home" or roots. I can sense excitement in your writing and that is great!!! My family is from Scot-Irish decent. Nothing wrong with that!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time back home!!!
There's just something about the place we call 'home.' It's how I feel when we cross the Oregon border after a trip.
ReplyDeleteI watched a documentary about the hill people of Appalachia and their Scot-Irish heritage. It was very interesting and respectful of the people and their traditions..
No matter how far we wander, there's always something special about returning 'home.' I'm c urgently staying at my daughter's house after my total nee surgery two weeks ago; but, I'm looking forward to moving back in to my RV as soon as I can handle the steps and tight places. It's parked at my friends' ranch about 20 miles from my daughter's so I'll continue to enjoy 'home' without actually moving back into my house, which is rented.
ReplyDeleteThe singing in your heart is audible clear out here! Hug Ohio for us--our oldest son lives in the Dayton area. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you made it "home."
ReplyDeleteWelcome home Sharon and Bill. Mike and I are seriously entertaining thoughts of being fulltime--we are both so tired of home and land maintenance--but I would suspect we would always want to own a piece of property here to call home, maybe just not a 3400 square foot house!!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many varieties of bats, it is hard to identify them. When flying overhead, they all look black...
ReplyDeleteWe've been fulltiming for 8+ years and lived overseas for 10 years, so we understand what it means to return "home" after being gone for a while. We have a cabin in the woods that we return to each summer so we can visit with our daughter. Enjoy your little piece of paradise in Ohio. You campsite looks inviting.
ReplyDeleteIt is always nice to get home again, I would imagine. I love bats. Poppa Inc., the nonprofit that funded all those spays and neuters of cats I rounded up down here, used to make their money at a volunteer nursery, Recycled Gardens, big old barn, full of bats. The director loved bats, and even sold their "guano", but sometimes the baby bats would fall, and she'd pick them up and put them up and put them up high or even hold them up for the moms to retrieve because the moms can't get them from the floor.
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