Ohio Roots

This post actually belongs on my other blog, My Moment in Time, but, since I haven't been commenting much here in the last week, I'm posting it here, so you can see what I've been doing instead of reading and blogging.

I just spent a little over a week in Ohio.  I hadn't been home in ten years.  Despite the fact that it was a trip home to take the ashes of Jim and his father, Harry, it was still a wonderful visit, filled with family, friends, and so much love.  If it seems as if there were a number of visits to cemeteries, that's true.  But, these are family roots as well, and it provided an opportunity for my mother and me to talk about family.  So, here, in pictures, is the story of my Ohio roots.

My Mother, Elizabeth - Is it any wonder I always liked Louisa May Alcott?

Although I had my camera, I missed some prime shots.  My welcome home came at dinner with my sister, Linda and her family.  Her husband is a wonderful cook, so he made dinner, and then we all sat outside on a beautiful Ohio night.  I appreciated her sons coming for dinner so we could all visit.  And, I missed taking pictures on Thursday night when cousins on my father's side of the family came to visit.  Darn!

My first job in a library was at the Huron Public Library, Huron, Ohio.  They have a beautiful expanded and renovated building, totally changed from when I worked there.  Just gorgeous.

I had lunch with one of the librarians who made me the librarian I am today.  Millie Schilman worked at the Huron Public Library when I was a page, and she was children's librarian there when I was the Director.  Millie was one of the best children's librarians I ever worked with.

Friday morning, my mother and I had breakfast with her side of the family, my sister, Christie, a cousin, Carol Jeanne, my Aunt Kathy, Aunt Janie and Uncle Kenny.

Friday afternoon was spent at the Sandusky County Fair, where my niece, Elizabeth, was Goat Princess.  She and her pygmy goat, Fred, brought home two wins, first in his class for 4-H, Wethers under age 1, and first in the open class for Wethers under age 1.  And, when he competed against older goats, the judge said he had promise.  Nice job, Elizabeth and Fred!

Elizabeth, Fred, and Me

Me and Fred

And, of course, Elizabeth, the Goat Princess and her prize-winning goat, Fred.

We went to a high school football game Friday night, and watched my nephew, Tony, a drummer in the marching band.  (And, their school won that night, as did my high school, Huron.)  What's more midwestern than a high school football game?

Saturday was the graveside service for Jim and his father, Harry.  We had a beautiful service, led by Father Gerald Ceranowski.  Thank you to the family and Jim's high school friends from Berlin Heights High School who attended.

It was good to be with my mother and sisters on Saturday.  They made the service easier, and then we shared the rest of the day - family and more memories.  We all went out for Lake Erie perch for dinner.  And, we took our traditional "step" pictures - the three of us on steps.  This time, it was at the Huron Public Library, where we all worked as pages, and I returned as Library Director.  Perfect spot.

And, this picture means nothing to anyone but me.  And, I only took it because I loved the look of this doorway.

We talked to old friends at church on Sunday.  And, then a friend of ours from Michigan (yes, Ohio State Buckeye fans do have friends from Michigan), came to visit that afternoon.  Jim and I knew Howard for at least twenty-five years.  We had a chance to talk, and go to lunch (for more perch).   And, Sunday night Mom and I went to an outdoor concert put on by the Firelands Symphony.

Monday, I fnally met friend and fellow blogger, Jen Forbus!    We enjoyed lunch in Oberlin, but the highlight wasn't the food, but meeting Jen, who blogs at http://jensbookthoughts.blogspot.com/. 

Thanks, Jen, for taking time to meet for lunch!

From Oberlin, we went to Westlake, where I had a nice visit with my other Aunt Janie.

And, on the way home from her house, we saw two deer come out of the woods, and start walking east on the sidewalk right downtown.  We ended Monday night with another tradition, a walk to the Pied Piper for ice cream cones.  I ended Tuesday evening in the same spot, the Pied Piper, meeting a friend I've known since grade school, and catching up with Fran's life.

Tuesday morning began with breakfast with Jim's Aunt Blanche.

The next two days were actually spent at cemeteries.  It was a tragedy in Clyde, Ohio, that led to some of our trips.  McPherson Cemetery was the site of terrible vandalism, at a cost of over $100,000.  We went to check on a grave.  That particular one was fine, but the destruction of so many tombstones of veterans, including historic tombstones, was on a massive scale.  It was unbelievable, and, in my opinion, a true expression of evil.

But, we also made the trip to cemeteries where family members were buried.  Just a few here.

And, before leaving Ohio, we went by the house my Grandpa and Grandma Growel lived during my entire childhood.

These are my Ohio roots.  It won't be another ten years until I return.  It's still home.