The Fling Barn in Hillsboro, Ohio

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You’re probably wondering why someone would name their music venue/bar…The Fling Barn.  If your last name is “Fling”…it makes sense.  The owner Bill Fling was there and is very friendly.  My husband…who I’ll nickname “The Lumberjack”…because he is constantly cutting down trees and splitting fire wood…and I went there last night.  Located an hour from Northern Cincinnati, we decided to see Serpent Mound while we were in the area.  I’ll save that for my next post.

The Fling Barn has 10 acres set aside for camping, with port-o-lets and it’s free!  They also have a cabin for rent.

Anyway, here’s a photo of a barn along the way…

The Fling Barn is situated on a 200 acre working horse farm.  In addition to providing live music in a unique setting, they host weddings and other events.  We stopped by for some photos during daylight hours, on our way to Serpent Mound, and returned later around 7pm.  Here’s a side view…

I love this weather vane!

Here is a different perspective…

This barn is in view of The Fling Barn and I loved the linear look of the corn and the colors…

Here are some of the horses…

There was a stand outside selling BBQ…so I had a pulled pork sandwich with mac-n-cheese and baked beans.  The barn itself is two levels with a full bar.  This is the upstairs where the band and dance floor are.

The barn is filled with antiques and Americana items…

The Mark Mays Blues Band was the entertainment for the evening and they were great!  We danced quite a bit!  Bill Fling has a dog that dances with you on the dance floor.  It was fun to watch!  Two other couples met us there.  The music started at 8pm and every table was filled by 8:15pm.

This photo is during their sound check…

If you haven’t listened to live music lately…get out and just do it!!

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Jungle Jims International Market

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Yesterday was absolutely glorious!  The sun was shining and it was in the 50’s!  After taking Jake (my dog) hiking, I went to Jungle Jim’s International Market.  Jungle Jim has two grocery stores in the Cincinnati area–one on the West side and one on the East side.  I used to work for him at his Banquet Center as the Event and Sales Manager–selling the space and helping corporations/brides/etc. decide on how to set the room up, what food to serve, the timing, etc.

His stores are amazing!  They have over 20,000 s.f. of space and over 150,000 items for sale.  You can spend hours looking.  He just opened the store on the East side…the one I went to.  There are maps at the entrance!  This is what it looks like when you enter…

The restrooms look like port-o-lets…but they’re not.  Once you enter, you’ll find normal stalls, sinks, etc.  They were voted one of the best public restrooms in the nation!

Jungle (that’s what we call him) is a bit of a prankster!

You’ll find other stores within his store…

He has hookahs for sale…

People from neighboring States come to shop because of the selection of goods from other countries (hence the name “International” market).  I love the use of props!  Guess which culture is being represented here…

Jungle prides himself in having the largest selection of certain items…such as hot sauce…

There’s an entire section devoted to children’s candy!

Now this is my style…hippy chick!  I wish I could tour around the world with this…or something similar!  I just entered a contest to win a teardrop camper…somebody has to win!

The wine and beer selection is unbelievable!

I like the sports fans in the stands…

For 25 cents you can have a taste from a few selections of the day…

Don’t forget…they also have food and lots of it…

 

 

Jungle keeps a watchful eye!  I noticed some of the employees following me around while I was taking photos.  They reminded me of the FBI and I felt like ducking behind displays to lose them!

I bought a huge dog bone for Jake while I was there.  It’s at least a foot and a half long!  He’s gnawing on it right now…

 

If you’re ever within a 100 mile vicinity…I would definitely recommend a stop at Jungle’s!  Jake would too!!

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Photography while Hiking

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Sometimes I wish I lived somewhere other than Cincinnati, Ohio…. somewhere closer to a beach or mountains…but when I look back through my blog posts and photos, I realize there are lots of things to do in this area, natural beauty abounds, and best of all…I have some wonderful family and friends!

I haven’t been jogging for the past few weeks because my neck and back were hurting.  Since I’ve quit, they’re getting better, so I’m trying to hike more.  We went to East Fork State Park last night and hiked a couple of miles.  It’s only 30 minutes from our house.  First, we stopped at the beach and let our maniac dog…Jake…out.  He took off chasing the geese and I started snapping photos!  That’s him in the center at the water’s edge…

I really enjoyed having the birds so close to me.  It’s magical when you hear their wings flapping as they circle around you!

I enjoy everything about photography.  I love looking at the photos afterwards… deciding which ones are my favorites.  It’s interesting to see how the colors change as you change the angle of your camera.  The sky is so blue in this one…

It was very difficult to take a photo of Jake because he never stopped moving and was quite unpredictable!  His enthusiasm is evident though…

We tried a new trail this time.  It’s a 31 mile perimeter trail…but we only went one mile in and then returned before dark.

We stopped at the dam on the way out to capture the sunset…

Randy thought this photo was “artsy”…

I’ve never tried taking photos while the vehicle was moving.  I like the effect…

Thanks for joining me.  I’ll see you soon!

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Family Fun

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Friday night we went out with my son and his girlfriend (pictured below).  Originally we were going to go out to dinner and then to a haunted theme park, but it was raining, so we had dinner and then went bowling.  I haven’t bowled in a few years…it was fun!  We went to a place in Franklin, Ohio called J.D. Legends.  It was our first time there.  They also have outdoor sand volleyball, concerts, a bar and restaurant.  Sometimes it can be a challenge to find something to do (that everyone wants to do) with an adult child!

If he looks tall compared to her…he is.  He’s 6’9″ tall and I’m guessing she’s about 5’4″!

I tried to get a few “artsy” pics…

Don’t most bowling alleys have dusty disco balls?

Posing for the camera!  I’m such a ham.  At least I admit it!

I’ve never taken photos of people bowling, so it was fun to see everyone’s style (or lack of — on certain throws).  Randy looks like he’s going to fall here…

Justin has a long way to get down…

Ashley beat us the first game.  One of the cool things this facility has is the ability to display how fast you are throwing the ball.  I was the slowest…usually clocking in around 13 mph, then Justin and Ashley around 15-16 mph and Randy around 17 mph.  Randy’s fastest ball was over 20 mph.

Randy said I looked like “Tinkerbell” walking down the lane and releasing the ball.  But, I got the most strikes in a game!

Although we have a small family, all of our parents are deceased, and we rarely see our siblings, I’m grateful we have each other!

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Thank you for your Recognition

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In the past month or so, I’ve been nominated for a couple of awards and I’d like to say thank you very much for your support and recognition!

The first one is the Lovely Blog Award from Renee at the Positive Boomer blog.  I love to read her posts because they are so “Positive” and inspirational!

The second is the Sweetest Blog Award from Pam at the MzZoomer blog.  I enjoy her posts because she covers a large variety of topics….so you always learn something!
Anyway, thanks again ladies and I apologize for taking so long!  Hope your weekend is great!

~Sherry~

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Hiking in Autumn

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My dog Jake lives to hike with us!  He knows when we put on our hiking or jogging shoes that soon he’ll be out running in the woods!  He races in and out of the doggie door, unable to contain his excitement.  If we take too long, he’ll stick his head through it to see what we’re doing…

I had to take a picture of some of the trees above the roof of the house before leaving for the woods…

And the front yard.  We live on 5 acres (of which 4 acres is wooded) at the end of a lane and love the seclusion.

This spot is located right around the corner from my house.  Definitely worth a stop!

We stopped along the way for a quick photo of a farm.  I love the texture and color of the drying soy bean crop…

These photos are a combination of two different hikes we’ve taken this week.  I am very grateful to have a park within five minutes of my home that is over 500 acres with hiking trails and that I usually have to myself!

The leaves are glittering like gold…

I couldn’t believe how beautiful the trees and reflection were when we arrived to the lake.  If you’re a photographer, you know that almost giddy feeling of enthusiasm when you see something beautiful.

I recently realized that my camera has enabled me to appreciate and observe more of the beauty that surrounds me in people, nature and things.

This is from a hike a couple of days ago as dusk was settling…

Fog had descended upon us as we finished the hike…just in time for Halloween!

Get out and enjoy the beautiful outdoors!  Some people aren’t able to!

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Scioto Audubon Metro Park in Columbus

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My recent girls’ weekend to Columbus, Ohio included a short hike at the Scioto Audubon Metro Park.  We stopped there on Sunday before driving home.  The weather was glorious and the park surprised me with its proximity to downtown, one and one-half miles!
First, we had a buffet breakfast that was included with the room.  The hotel, “The Residence Inn by Marriott“, I found to be stylish, including the lobby and dining room.  The ceiling must have been 25 foot high..

We walked to the park, which boasts an outdoor climbing wall!

I’ve climbed one on a Mediterranean cruise and found it quite exhilarating!

The grounds were beautiful!  Autumn always fills me with an extra spark of energy!   Most likely it’s the cooler weather and dynamic colors!

We probably walked less than a mile, but the views were nice!

I hope you’re enjoying the outdoors this autumn!  That’s a wrap for the girls’ weekend.  We did and saw a lot in two days!!

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Ladies Night in Columbus

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An evening of dinner and dancing with girlfriends is always a great time and this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio for my annual girls’ weekend, was no exception!  Part of the fun is listening to music while getting ready and taking fun photos!

I think we all looked Fabulous!  Lets embrace getting older and remember the most important thing is to have fun!  Too often, when we look in the mirror (especially those magnified mirrors), we have that inner voice saying negative things about the changes that naturally occur.  Of course, I’m not saying to let yourself go–always try to take care of yourself and find ways to feel and look your best!

Dinner was scrumptious at Martini Modern Italian.  My friend Sherry’s sister-in-law, Jane, who lives in Columbus, joined us for the evening.  She bought our first round of martinis and they were sinfully good!  A gentleman at the bar bought us a round of martinis.  Since we weren’t driving we could indulge!  Our waiter, pictured below, was very attentive!

Our next stop was the Park Street Tavern.  They had a live band and it was a younger crowd…mostly 20’s.  When you’re the only “older” people there, sometimes it can feel a little awkward.

No one was dancing, but that didn’t stop us.  We broke the ice, and soon were joined by lots of other party seekers!

It was a great time!!

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Walking Columbus

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Columbus, Ohio is a beautiful City!  I visited there this past weekend for my annual girls’ weekend and loved it!  We stayed in the downtown area and walked almost everywhere.

After spending a couple of hours at the Columbus Museum of Art, we walked down to the riverfront…and as you can see…it was gorgeous!

Cindy’s having fun in the fountain!  We love to take advantage of photo ops!

There was a festival with live music and booths filled with art…

This artist obviously makes art from mirrors…

I took about four photos of this sculpture.  While reviewing them later, it was interesting to see how moving a couple of feet or changing the direction from which I took the photo, could so greatly impact the color and visual feel of the photo.

My friend Cindy just bought an Olympus camera (I also use an Olympus) and isn’t familiar with some of the settings yet.  She took this photo and wasn’t sure what she pushed to get the effect, but I definitely like it!

If you have girlfriends…let them know how much they mean to you and if you don’t…get some!!

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The “Artsy” side of Columbus

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My annual girls’ weekend was in Columbus, Ohio this year and one of the places we wanted to visit was the Columbus Museum of Art.  We passed a number of beautiful churches walking from our hotel to the Museum.

The doors were simply stunning!

The weather was beautiful and sunny!

I loved the fence around the museum!

We were impressed with the museum itself!  The architecture was beautiful and their use of color and light was amazing!

This area for dining was so open, light and airy!

The “Chihuly” art was spectacular in the sunlight!  I first became aware of Chihuly sculpture while on a trip by myself to Las Vegas.

This sculpture was suspended…

This painting was a favorite of mine…

I’ve always enjoyed pieces that resemble sun bursts!

There was a design show being held at the Museum and the representatives were there to sell the pieces.  They had free drinks and food…so of course we had to partake!

Leaving the Museum, there was another photo-op!

Just loving the sky and the buildings on the walk to the hotel!

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Street Art and Wine in Columbus

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One of the advantages to staying in the City center when you travel is the ability to walk to most of the activities you choose to do.  While in Columbus this past weekend for my annual girls’ weekend, we decided to go to a winery that was almost two miles from our hotel.  Some other activities on our “to do” list were the Columbus Museum of Art, dinner at Martini Modern Italian Restaurant, listen to a live band at Park Street Tavern, and hiking at Scioto Audubon Metro Park.  I printed off directions to each location.

We set off walking on High Street, which is the main drag filled with restaurants and bars.  Here are some of the sights along the way…

Compared to Cincinnati, downtown Columbus seemed smaller and cleaner.  I really enjoy street art and there seemed to be quite a bit of it…

I’m always excited to find interesting architecture and when I saw this man leaning against this building, I knew the composition was nice…

This was one of my favorite paintings and the area was lovely…

My friends thought this one was a bit creepy…

When I looked up and saw this guy hunched over his laptop (or book), I knew it would be a cool shot…

Camelot Cellars, the winery we went to was very nice.  The wine was excellent and the interior had a loft feel with the brick walls and high ceilings.  The only drawback was the lady that waited on us.  Her vibe was definitely negative.

There were only two other couples there and one of them was sitting at the bar with us.  The woman had a huge camera and I thought she was just taking photos for fun, but then the girl across the room let out a gasp and began kissing her boyfriend.  We quickly caught on that he had just proposed to her and the photographer was there to capture the moment!  It was so cute!

I know this is a little weird, but I noticed a gnat in my friend’s glass of wine.  So, after I fished it out for her she put her glass on top of it.  I thought it would make a cool macro shot!

We wandered through some of the shops we passed during the walk home.  This one was so colorful…

Hope your weekend was great!

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Thurman’s Cafe in Columbus, Ohio

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My annual Girl’s Weekend was in Columbus, Ohio this year.  It’s only one and one-half  hours drive there from Cincinnati, but I had a great time…as usual!  For the past five years we’ve been going to Cities…Nashville, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Lexington!  Anyway, this Cafe was made famous on the travel channel show–“Man vs. Food“.  They’re known for their huge hamburgers!

Every square inch of the interior was filled with an interesting mix of signs, games, art, and photos!

The four of us split two burgers and they were deeelicious!

We stayed at “The Residence Inn by Marriott” in a two bedroom suite in the heart of downtown and loved it!

The decor was modern, stylish and functional…

Although we only used the kitchen to make coffee and to make sandwiches for lunch one day, it’s nice to have!

Let the games begin!!

 

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Meetup.com…Wine in Mt. Adams

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Meetup.com is a great way to meet people.  I was divorced about five years ago and  wanted to meet more single people my age, so I joined a hiking meetup and enjoyed that so much, began to join a number of the meetups.   No matter what your interest, there is almost assuredly a meetup for that!

Last night I attended a wine meetup in Mt. Adams, Ohio.  The venue, “Mount Adams Pavilion” overlooks Downtown Cincinnati and has a really cool interior.  I took quite a few photographs and really enjoyed seeing friends!  Over 100 people had signed up…but usually about 60% show up.

This fountain is located around the corner from the bar and seemed to have a lot of life radiating from it…

The walls inside the bar were painted by artists and as you can see…there were a lot of sexy women portraits…

I really loved the vibe and creative energy in the rooms…

 

The lighting was perfect…a variety of colors and more subdued!

 

The deck in the back has a wonderful view of the Ohio River and a portion of downtown.  You’ll notice that most people have a name tag on.  It may seem silly, but it definitely helps you remember names!

As dusk arrived, the view was spectacular!

The lighting on the street reminded me of Christmas!  Definitely gives you a warm feeling…

Get out and meet people!

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Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

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Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, Ohio is a beautiful place to visit.  Randy and I went there yesterday to get some exercise and for me to take photos.  He used to live in Hamilton and we affectionately call it “Hamiltucky” because many of the people from there have a Southern accent…similar to some “folks” from Kentucky!

The park is situated on 265 acres and they have golf carts to rent if you’re not able to or don’t want to walk to each of the 62 sculptures.  I’m guessing we walked about 2 or 3 miles and saw only half of the sculptures!

Citizen by Walter Driesbach

After picking my favorites to show, I have 12 of them for your viewing pleasure.  The sun would disappear behind the clouds occasionally and it was interesting to see how that affected the photo.  Sometimes it was better without sun/shadows.

Triumph by Michael Tearney

I found the names the artists picked out for each sculpture to be interesting and a reflection of their interpretation of the piece.  Roxanne has pretty hair…don’t you think?

Roxanne by George Sugarman

Still Life by Ed Benavente

Tory’s Comet by Harry Gordon

This is a historic stone house built by pioneers in the 1800’s.

The landscape was beautiful…

A girl’s gotta have fun.  At least I’m not lifting anyone this time!

Laocoon by Alexander Liberman

I used the pop art function on my camera for this shot.  It made the colors really pop!

Abracadabra by Alexander Liberman

J.S. Bach’s Fugue by Tony Rosenthal

This was one of my favorites, but it isn’t listed on their brochure…so I don’t know who the artist is.

The gardens were peaceful and lovely…

I love the way the sun’s rays are hitting these star crossed lovers!  And I can see my reflection.

Wherefore Art Thou by Sam McKinney

Adam’s First Breath by Sam McKinney

Melinda at the Beach by Bill Barrett

I was informed by a reliable source (Randy) that this is a manure spreader.

I’m gaining a greater appreciation of art as I age.  I wonder if that is normal.  Anyway, hope you enjoyed and if you’re able…check out some of the links listed below…especially the second one!

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Cincinnati Oktoberfest 2012 & Ft. Thomas Festival

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Hello everybody!  Hope you’re having a great weekend!  I’ve been sick all week…a cold.  I’m glad I decided to get out yesterday and go to the Cincinnati Oktoberfest and especially the Ft. Thomas, Kentucky Festival.  It was so crowded at the Oktoberfest, you were shoulder to shoulder with people most of the time.

I was in my usual mood of “lets enjoy every minute”!  Here are some of the photos from the afternoon…

We ate some yummy Goetta Balls…deep fried deliciousness!  Goetta is popular in Cincinnati because there is a rather large percentage of people with German heritage.  It is made from ground pork and beef mixed with oats and a few other ingredients.  Of course we had to have some Warsteiner beer!

My girlfriend Cindy came with Randy and I.  She’s a Grandmother and the oldest grandchild is 16 years old.  It’s hard to believe!  Here she is with a cowboy on stilts!

Randy’s looking quite manly beside this cool car at the Ft. Thomas festival…

I took some (what I thought were) “artsy” photos.  A guy laughed because I took this photo…

When we were walking to our car, I looked up and saw the light shining through the flag…

Fire escapes are an interesting photo opportunity because of their sharp angles and repetitive shapes!

While walking through the crowd, these guys asked me to take their photo…

Have you ever seen a “Redneck Humidor”?

The weather couldn’t have been any nicer…70 degrees and sunny!  The usual rides were there.  I think they look a little out-of-place in a City setting…

There were lots of booths at the Ft. Thomas festival.  Although the town is located right across the river from Ohio, this was my first time checking it out.  Some of the streets were paved with bricks and it was very quaint!

Randy bought me a “Shamballa” bracelet at the festival.  The beads are sewn together using the ancient macrame method.  Shamballa is actually a “place of peace, tranquility and happiness”!  Here are some of the displayed bracelets…

One of our favorite bands was playing at the festival–“The Danny Frazier Band“!  When Randy and I were dating 20 years ago, we used to dance to his music!  He’s the one in the center…

I hope you enjoyed coming along with me for a look at the Cincinnati Oktoberfest and as an added bonus…the Ft. Thomas, Kentucky Festival!

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