I spoke to a dear friend from my home town yesterday.
It was a totally unexpected and wonderful call.
She asked me if I get back very often.
Ah.......home.
How I do miss it!
Sorry for the tiny pic below- but see that red star?
See all the blue "water" all around it?
I grew up there, at the farthest tip of the "island"
northeast of where that huge red star is on that map.
(Google image)
I grew up on a jutting peninsula - with water on all 3 sides of us.
We refer to it is the Northcoast of the States.
(This is fuzzy but shows it a little better)
(Google)
We're not midwest, we're Northcoast!
Midwest is more Iowa and such - & located three states west of us.
We're much closer and more "in tune" with the East Coast.
Driving to the east coast only takes about 12-14 hours.
Look it up on a big map of the States!
The state of Ohio refers to itself as "the heart of it all,"
meaning if you were the USA Ohio would be right at your heart-
upper left part of the body.
We refer to it is the Northcoast of the States.
(This is fuzzy but shows it a little better)
We're not midwest, we're Northcoast!
Midwest is more Iowa and such - & located three states west of us.
We're much closer and more "in tune" with the East Coast.
Driving to the east coast only takes about 12-14 hours.
Look it up on a big map of the States!
The state of Ohio refers to itself as "the heart of it all,"
meaning if you were the USA Ohio would be right at your heart-
upper left part of the body.
Our family's house was right around the corner from this picture below, just to the left and about a five minute walk along the water.
When we were young and the lake was much much higher and deeper we used to run and jump off the cliffs into the water.
The below picture on this post of that limestone structure is right next to that house - it is the deepest water and highest point in The Cliffs, and where we jumped.
The structure is decorative and was never functional.
It was artistically made to look like an old well - it is made of the limestone from that area.
By the way my sister who took this picture ran and jumped
with her four children off this cliff only this past summer.
What a goofus.
She's, um, rather quite FIT is all I can say!
She lives without fear and has lots of fun staying young!
They have the most delightful sunsets there.
(Google)
Really gorgeous sunsets!
When I was young (and naive) I thought everyone
experienced sunsets like this.
When I moved away and into a city WHEW did I learn differently.
That was a horrible thing to realize.
It still saddens me.
(Google)
The above pic is very close to where my Auntie lived.
Her youngest (my first cousin) bought their family home
so it can stay in their family.
My sister (the goofy cliff jumper) did the same thing for us-
bought the family house to keep it in the family.
There's something so comforting that they were able to do that for us.
Thanks T. and Kath!
Because of you both we can all still "go home!"
The below picture on this post of that limestone structure is right next to that house - it is the deepest water and highest point in The Cliffs, and where we jumped.
The structure is decorative and was never functional.
It was artistically made to look like an old well - it is made of the limestone from that area.
By the way my sister who took this picture ran and jumped
with her four children off this cliff only this past summer.
What a goofus.
She's, um, rather quite FIT is all I can say!
She lives without fear and has lots of fun staying young!
(Sis took this from her phone, used w/ permission, all rights reserved)
They have the most delightful sunsets there.
Really gorgeous sunsets!
When I was young (and naive) I thought everyone
experienced sunsets like this.
When I moved away and into a city WHEW did I learn differently.
That was a horrible thing to realize.
It still saddens me.
The above pic is very close to where my Auntie lived.
Her youngest (my first cousin) bought their family home
so it can stay in their family.
My sister (the goofy cliff jumper) did the same thing for us-
bought the family house to keep it in the family.
There's something so comforting that they were able to do that for us.
Thanks T. and Kath!
Because of you both we can all still "go home!"
This is of the CIC club
just five minutes walk along the Cliffs/water
south of our house.
The area is well known for its amazing peaches, too - at one time the entire peninsula on both sides was almost all peach and grape farms. There are many local small wineries, this is the closest one:
You may read about its history here.
First drop of alcohol I ever had (besides the wine my father made)
was this Pink Catawba Wine.
It's very very very very sweet, like a dessert wine.
It's best not to drink when too young to be doing so, or just after having several glasses of grape Kool-aid first. Just sayin.
Shudder at the memory.
We used to have an old Lime Kiln in the Cliffs
that was closed for business in 1855. (See below pic.)
Unfortunately for safety reasons it was torn down last year.
We used to scale way high up to the top of this and just hang out.
I wish I had a better picture to show how tall it was. I can't believe it's gone now. I wonder what happened to all the hewn limestone.
About a half hour away one can find limestone quarries in area.
But here directly is mostly all residential, marinas or golf courses.
OK. this is getting much too long.
Just wanted to share a little bit of my home town paradise
with everyone today.
♥
~Michele
Have a blessed and wonderful Sunday
- and try to catch the sunset wherever you may be later!
What a beautiful post to read! Lovely pictures too! Thanks for sharing your hometown with us! I miss my Montana mountains everyday!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post. And what a breathtaking place to grow up! I have never really heard of the "island" you are from. Thanks for taking us on this fun and informative field trip!
ReplyDeleteI *heart* Put-in-Bay. My dream was to own a home there...the guy I was engaged to in college used to take me there (we worked at Cedar Point) and we used to talk about it all the time. It is a beautiful part of the country.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky girl you are Michele to have grown up in such a beautiful area! I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing...There's no place like home...xoxo ♥
ReplyDeleteMartha Ellen
I never thought of Ohio on the water- Lake - you know - sometime I think I need to go back to school again! I, too grew up on a Peninsula- the lower of 3 in Tidewater, Va, so that part I get!
ReplyDeleteThat part of the state really doesn't seem like part of Ohio, Michele! I've only been up to that area and Put in Bay a few times when we've gone up to visit the relatives outside Cleveland. It is pretty, but I'm not much of a water person, so here in the flat lands of SW Ohio, I'm pretty comfortable. Lots of corn and soybean fields~ LOL
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Michelle. So nice to learn more about you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful place where you grew up Michele, water on 3 sides would be awesome. Thank heavens your sister did buy the place so you can still visit. Hey, maybe you could put one last jump into the water on your bucket list? :-)
ReplyDeleteJudith
Never ever in a million trillion years, Judith. LOL - my nerves have turned to mush since those days, haha.
DeleteThis is such a great post! I can totally understand why you love your hometown. It's beautiful! How wonderful to have grown up in such a pretty setting. I'm glad to hear your sister bought the family home that way it can stay in the family & all the memories made will never truly fade.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great spot to grow up, Michele! We used to visit with friends near there. They bought a condo in Port Clinton and we had the best time. Right outside their back door was Lake Erie. It brings back such fun memories.
ReplyDeleteOhio, it's my birthplace and where my extented family of 30+ cousins grew up (and most of them still live). Vermillion on the Lake, Catawba Island, Cedar Point, those are all words I heard growing up from family "back east".
ReplyDeleteIt looks a like a great place to grow up. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing your pictures of the lake...have a good week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place you call home, Michele. You have a fearless sister but don't feel like a wimp. I wouldn't jump either and I'm no wimp, well maybe.....
ReplyDeleteShannon