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March 2009 Magazine Edition


OHIO'S #1 MAGAZINE AND #2 TOURISM SOURCE ONLINE

    
OHIO'S HEART OF GLASS FEATURES
Li'l Glass Houses for All to See

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Ohio is filled with little towns known to be the capitals of this and that. Bucyrus is the bratwurst capital, in Zanesville its pottery and in Cambridge – elegant glass.

Over the years, sub-cultures and traditions are built along with whatever the factories are spitting out. So it’s no wonder Cambridge has a heart of glass.

We’re not talking Wal-Mart glass. We’re talking three-inch collectibles that fetch up to a thousand dollars on eBay. But to revel at the craftsmanship of a wide variety of signature period pieces, you’d have to visit one of the Cambridge glass museums. Some may argue these glass museums are art museums or historic museums but the truth is they’re all three.  

Original glass is still produced in Cambridge. You can witness it up close and personal. And what a treat it is to see molten globs of liquid glass hammered and shaped into delightful pieces that will be displayed with pride by its eventual owner.

Cambridge glass has been the toast of the town for more than 100 years.

Glassmaking dates back thousands of years and is one of America’s earliest industries. Manufacturing glass in the tri-state region of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania became a hotbed for the industry about 100 years ago.

Cambridge Glass Company in Cambridge, Ohio was chartered in 1873 and National Glass Company out of Pennsylvania organized it a few years later providing land and a building. The Cambridge Glass Company grew and thrived, peaking around the 1930’s. It had become one of the most revered glass companies in the world. After WWII, demand for fine handmade glassware waned and foreign machine-made competition grabbed much of the market share. In 1954, the Cambridge plant closed, ending a very prosperous run. In an unsuccessful attempt to reopen and stay open, the company finally melted down in 1958 selling many of its moulds and equipment to Imperial Glass Company in Bellaire, Ohio.

With the heart of the community shattered, National Cambridge Collectors was created in order to preserve the area’s glass heritage. They recovered many of the moulds and equipment previously sold-off.

No sooner did Cambridge Glass Company die, than new life was breathed into four off-shoots that would continue the legacy of Cambridge glass. These four cornerstones of today’s Cambridge are Mosser Glass, Boyd’s Crystal Art Glass, Degenhart Glass Museum and National Museum of Cambridge Glass. All are open for business and tours.

Mosser Glass started as soon as Cambridge Glass Company closed and Thomas Mosser turned his job loss into a start-up business of his own. By 1959 he had scraped enough resources together to open shop …in and abandoned chicken coop! Within two years he flew the coop and moved onward and upward building a successful glass manufacturing business which was eventually named Mosser Glass in 1971 with his production of signature products blending new designs with classics.

When you visit Mosser Glass today, you enter through the front door of a little red farmhouse. But the modesty ends there for as you continue deeper into the building a major manufacturing plant is revealed with gifted and proud glassworkers pounding out a living. Visitors can take a glassmaking tour of the factory Monday – Friday from 8am – 10am and 11:15am – 2:30pm and shop the old farmhouse turned showroom from 8am – 4pm Monday – Friday. Call to confirm. Mosser Glass is located at 9279 Cadiz Road in Cambridge, Ohio. Phone 866-439-1827 or visit www.mosserglass.com for more information.

Boyd’s Crystal Art Glass, Inc. opened in October 1978 by the father and son team of Bernard C. and Bernard F. Boyd. They represent the second and third generation of Boyd glassmakers. Bernard C. Boyd’s father, Zack Boyd began working for Cambridge Glass in 1901 at the age of 13. He honed his skills and style working for 26 different factories. His knowledge has since passed to his son, his son’s son and his son’s - son’s son. In their modest shop you find a man and mould handcrafting collectible glass pieces. In another room, there’s a lady hand painting pieces and in the third room, there’s plenty of glass art to browse or buy.

Boyd’s Crystal Art Glass is made Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The showroom is open until 4 p.m.  Boyd’s is located at 1203 Morton Avenue in Cambridge, Ohio. Phone 740-439-2077 or visit www.boydglass.com.

Degenhart Glass Museum unveils the history of the Crystal Art Glass Company founded by John and Elizabeth Degenhart. John started in the business when he was just nine-years-old. He retired from Cambridge Glass Company in 1947 and started making his signature glass paperweights, window weights, rose weights, personalized plate weights and other novelties like glass slippers. The husband and wife team often hawked their wares at fairs and festivals near and far before it was added to the product lines of dealers and collectors. When John passed in 1964, Elizabeth continued manufacturing glass introducing her own moulds and colors before her passing in 1978.

The Degenhart Glass Museum showcases not only the Degenhart legacy and more than 1,000 paper weights, but also the history of glassware produced in Ohio, western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. It includes original moulds; pieces dating back to the 1800’s and has a gift shop. It is open 10am – 4pm Monday – Friday through April. From May through October, it is open daily, 9am – 5pm Monday – Saturday and 1pm – 5pm Sunday. Call to confirm. Degenhart Glass Museum is located on Highland Hills Road in Cambridge, Ohio. Call 740-432-2626 or visit www.degenhartglass.com for more information.

National Museum of Cambridge Glass is a fairly new museum and probably the crowned-jewel of offerings in Cambridge’s glass heritage. It is owned and operated by the National Cambridge Collectors, Inc. and seeks to encourage and support the collecting and study of Cambridge Glass. Its collection, displays and programs are superior. It features thousands of stunning Cambridge Glass pieces radiantly displayed in towering crystal clear glass cases spanning showcasing the collections’ plethora of colors and designs.

This museum offers much more than the opportunity to see a myriad of the fascinating glass pieces produced for over a century. It has authentic looking recreations of life-size glass workers exhibited. Some are blowing glass, stoking the furnace, or performing a number of important and interesting functions depicting the history of the glass industry in Cambridge. Hands-on learning opportunities are offered in workshops, presentations are delivered in the auditorium and research is conducted in the library. This glass house encompasses it all. It even has rotating exhibits from major private collections displayed and a gift shop offering genuine Cambridge Glass and limited-edition reproductions.

National Museum of Cambridge Glass is open April – October from 9am – 4pm Wednesday – Saturday and 12pm – 4pm on Sunday. It is located at 136 South 9th Street in Cambridge, Ohio. Call 740-432-4245 or visit www.cambridgeglass.org for more information.

If the four corners of Cambridge glass leaves your heart yearning for more, there’s a Glass Pass that will continue your journey of elegant artistry and glass history to other places in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. To learn more about the Glass Pass, call 800-933-5480 or visit www.visitguernseycounty.com.

Written by Frank R. Satullo, The OhioTraveler

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A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Shadowbox Cabaret

What did I get myself roped into? Sitting at a table with friends and strangers, our waitress asked loudly, “Are you a virgin?” I looked desperately at my wife for help but she sank into her chair and gazed away.

“ATTENTION EVERYONE, I HAVE A TABLE OVER HERE WITH THREE VIRGINS!” The waiter at the next table shouted for all to hear.

I asked my friend, “What the heck do they do to virgins?” He chuckled and said to relax and enjoy the show. And I did.

Shadowbox Cabaret is a unique blend of comedy, theater, live rock and roll, full bar and bistro. It was launched in Columbus and has a second location in greater Cincinnati at Newport On The Levee just across the Ohio River.

When we entered, we were greeted by Stacie Boord. At first, I didn’t pay any mind except to note that she was very friendly and welcoming. She made our group feel her energy become our own. Energy is the operative word here because EVERYONE at Shadowbox has an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. If you read Stacie’s job titles (yes, plural) written in the program ($1 and well worth it I may add) it says she is a singer, dancer, actress, chief vocal instructor, comedy director, choreographer, community relations director, company events sales consultant, fundraiser, creative team member and general manager of Newport KY Shadowbox.

Stacie is the one who called to offer my friend discounted tickets because they pulled his business card, she greeted us at the door, and she would later, sing, act, and dance and …I’m getting tired thinking of the list that goes on.

She is no different from anyone and everyone else working at Shadowbox. A common job description includes marketing, acting, waiting, singing, administrative work and dancing.  

Our waitress returned to take orders and said she won’t be back until intermission, so stock up now with all the food we’ll want plus a bucket of drinks on ice. That’s because she would soon be on stage along with the rest of the wait staff belting out classic rock songs or jamming on guitar while taking turns making us laugh by acting in the outrageous and original sketch comedy acts between sets.

So we sat back at our round table, ate some tasty food, laughed with friends and strangers, dipped into the ice bucket and took in the high energy, fast pace, intimate setting waiting for the show to begin. Looking around, the place wasn’t that big. I think the capacity was around 200. But the intimate close quarters in this warehouse environment worked right into the ambience and mood. We were ready for the show.

BAM!

What a performance right out of the box. Stand any of these people toe-to-toe with your favorite American Idol contestants and it’s no contest. Not only can these boys and girls deliver pitch perfect arousing vocals, they do it with style, edgy and hip!

Then, silence. The lead singer and a couple musicians soon disappear and reappear in costume to join other actors in an original comedy sketch just underway on the other half of the stage. Saturday Night Live eat-your-heart-out!   

At intermission we realized we under ordered and fixed our mistake just in time to kick back and enjoy the second half of the hybrid show that never ceased to amaze.

When the show was over, we were in great spirits talking about our favorite musical performances and comedy sketches. Heck, even the popcorn left an impression.

But that’s not all.

Shadowbox also does an abbreviated lunchtime show, full-fledged musicals and rock operas, and community workshops for professionals. Shadowbox, The Sketch Comedy and Rock ‘n’ Roll Club is an artist owned and operated not-for-profit organization.

The next time you can’t decide whether to go to a night club, theater, concert or comedy club, stop wavering and do-it-all at Shadowbox.

By the way, earlier I mentioned my alarm at being called a virgin for all to hear and my friend merely saying to relax and enjoy the show. Well, let me say that I later realized his comment really didn’t address my concern. And I’m not about to ruin the suspense.

To plan your night out at Shadowbox, whether it’s in the Columbus or Cincinnati areas, visit www.shadowboxcabaret.com.   

By Frank R. Satullo

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SCENIC DRIVES
In Ohio’s Historic West

As spring pops into view, the Miami County Visitors Bureau invites travelers to shed their winter blues and come experience an exciting program designed to connect the rural countryside with a colorful array of painted Barn Quilts.  The Miami County Barn Quilts tour is an idea borrowed by counties in Iowa, Kansas, and other Ohio counties, and its purpose is to promote and celebrate the unique agricultural experience in our area. 

Miami County Barn Quilts tour consists of true, folk art renditions of quilt squares, hand-painted on barns throughout the county.  Approximately 60 barn quilts currently adorn barns located throughout the county. The Barn Quilt project’s intention is to reroute tourist traffic off main routes thereby connecting visitors with the beauty and simple elegance of the Miami County countryside as they make their way from town to town.  The Miami County Visitors Bureau recognize the significance of developing a rural tour of this nature and how it has created a compelling reason for visitors to come and enjoy Miami County’s rural landscape. 

Barns represent ties to the rural life, a reflection of our history and agricultural heritage.  The purpose of this unusual driving tour is to promote and celebrate the unique rural and agricultural experience in our area – a relaxing trip that provides a taste of yesteryear while enjoying the simple elegance of our countryside.  It celebrates quilting as a traditional art form as well as offering an appreciation of the architecture of farm buildings.  The trend is growing, capturing the spirit of the heritage traveler.    

A lovely example of barn heritage in Miami County can be found east of Troy on St. Rt. 55.  This Bank Barn, adorned with the “Texas Star” pattern, is an oblong frame structure on a stone foundation, built of oak and ash timber, wooden pegs, hand made nails, hinges and doors.  It was built in the early 1840s when the farm was established and the land was cleared, and has maintained its original shape and size.   An interesting historical marker is found at the west end of the barn - a 1959 National Geographic Geo-physical year elevation marker which records the property as 1052 feet above sea level.  Legend has it that if water reaches that mark, it will be to the hips of the statue on the Miami County Courthouse in Troy, Ohio. 

East of Troy on St. Rt. 41, another beautiful barn, this one with the “Card Trick” pattern, sits off the road, down a ¼ mile country lane.  This Pomeranian Style, Sweitzer Bank Barn, built in 1827, was originally constructed of wood.  The history of the farmstead itself is connected with an Irish born native that arrived in 1813, one of the earliest settlers in the area.  Buildings on the farm were constructed of bricks made from the clay on the farm, as well as wood which was cut from a sawmill he erected on the property.  He also operated a grist mill and a distillery.   

Visitors can see both of these historic barns and many more while wandering the Miami County countryside.   A map brochure is available for those interested in taking the tour.  Planning to visit all 60 quilt squares?  Then be sure to plan a two-day stay and visit our website for details about hotels, restaurants and shopping. 

Contact the Miami County Visitors Bureau at 800-348-8993 or visit our award winning website at www.VisitMiamiCounty.org to request your copy of the Miami County Barn Quilt brochure.  

Take advantage of the early spring weather during this Lenten season to take a drive and enjoy the view along the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches State Scenic Byway.   The byway with 34 historic church buildings is located primarily in Auglaize & Mercer counties in west central Ohio.

German immigrants settled the area in the early 1800’s. Their faith was a very important component in their lives. That is on display today with the many large, gothic, red brick, cross-tipped steepled structures that dot the countryside.  Most of these century old churches feature intricate stained glass windows, carved alters and pews,  lovely statuary  and  beautiful  biblical scenes painted on  ceilings and walls.  The opulence of these buildings speaks to the importance these thrifty, austere Germans placed on honoring God. 

When driving along the byway be sure not to miss the National Marian Shrine of the Holy Relics located in Maria Stein and the St. Charles Center, just a few miles down the road in Carthagena.  For more information on the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches, the individual parishes and a map log onto www.grandlake.net/lctc  or information can be sent to you by calling 1-800-860-4726. 

For more scenic drives, explore Ohio’s Historic West at www.OhiosHistoricWest.com.  Ohio’s Historic West includes Auglaize, Champaign, Darke, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Shelby, and VanWert counties.

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BLACK DOLLS & THEIR STORIES

In African American Dolls – The Stories They Tell, the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC) explores over 200 years of the captivating history of Black dolls in the United States. Now open, this engaging showcase is especially significant in that it serves as an aesthetic timeline paralleling societal changes that characterize several generations of struggle and triumph in America.

Dolls are a representation of a people. They depict how we see ourselves and how others see us, thereby conveying the values of a society. They teach young people various values from how to be a good parent to racial acceptance. For these reasons, Black dolls are an integral part of our past and present society.

For African Americans, early handmade dolls made by slaves for their children as well as those that were mass-produced represent the existence of Black people throughout history and the influence they had on Black culture. From mammies and cotton pickers to celebrated entertainers and sports figures, from beautiful playthings to collectibles, Black dolls have evolved and are still quite effectual today, albeit in a more positive sense than those of yesteryear.

Many of the first manufactured Black dolls were not a fair representation of Black people as a whole, and featured overly exaggerated features and outrageously dark complexions. They are reminders of a painful past and serve to evoke an appreciation of that which has been overcome. Thankfully, African American doll collectors now have the ability to own less stereotypical and more realistic depictions of Black people.

Modern Black dolls offer Black children the opportunity to see themselves in a positive light. They promote self-esteem, self-pride and self-acceptance, all important precepts for proper childhood development.

African American Dolls – The Stories They Tell will take you back through the past 200 years through the eyes of children. You will look back, view, and study dolls made to represent African American children or made for African American children. African American Dolls will be on view through August 29, 2009.

The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center is located at 1350 Brush Row Road in Wilberforce, Ohio, ½ mile west of State Route 42 North, adjacent to Central State University. Museum hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Closed on Mondays. Admission is $4.00 for adults and $1.50 for children and students with ID. Call (937) 376-4944 x 113 for more information.

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FLIGHT TO FAME

On July 2, 1937 Amelia Earhart disappeared in a Lockheed Electra with her navigator, Fred Noonan, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. They were never found. Over 70 years later the mystery of her disappearance and her legacy live on in the imaginations of people worldwide.

The International Women’s Air & Space Museum will tell Earhart’s story through artifacts, narrative, and photographs in a new exhibit scheduled to run March 13, 2009 through September 13, 2009. Admission to the museum and the exhibit is free.

The exhibit will look at Earhart’s life in and out of aviation, her connection to Cleveland, her historic flights, the marketing of Amelia and her disappearance. The exhibit will also explore her lasting legacy in the aviation field. Rare artifacts in the museum’s collection will be on display, many for the first time, including a lock of Earhart’s hair, her nurse’s aid uniform from World War I and one of her flight suits. One of the most interesting items in the museum’s collection is a banner that was supposed to be given to Earhart prior to her flight to Howland Island by a representative of the Department of Interior. The instructions on the banner tell her to send it down from the plane if she’d like to get a message to Howland Island. For some reason the banner was never given to her. Could it have helped her alert searchers to her location?

Several of the women fliers featured in the museum’s permanent exhibits were Earhart’s contemporaries. Those exhibits will be updated with artifacts that reflect their connection to her, including the museum’s exhibits on Ruth Nichols, Jackie Cochran, and Nancy Hopkins Tier.

Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas in 1897. She was a nurse’s aid in Canada during World War I. She began flying in the early 1920’s and earned her pilot’s license in 1923. She became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, as a passenger, in 1928. Earhart was dissatisfied with her role during the flight. She said, “I was just baggage, like a sack of potatoes.” But she became an instant celebrity, published a book about the flight, entitled “20 hrs. 40 min.” and toured the country. In 1932 she became the first woman to make a solo transatlantic flight and went on to set a number of records and “firsts”. In May 1937 Earhart began her round-the-world attempt. On July 2, 1937 she was scheduled to arrive on Howland Island, a small island located in the Pacific Ocean. Transmissions were received from her as she approached the island but she never arrived. Efforts to locate her plane were unsuccessful. Since that time there have been several theories about her disappearance and failed attempts to find her wreckage.

The museum will be hosting a free Family Day in honor of Women’s History Month on March 14, 2009 in conjunction with the exhibit. Plans for a lecture series on Earhart later in the year are also underway.

The International Women’s Air & Space Museum is located in the Burke Lakefront Airport terminal building, 1501 N. Marginal Road, Cleveland, OH. Museum admission is free and exhibits are open 8:00 am – 7:00 pm daily. The Fay Gillis Wells Research Center and Gift Shop are open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Call (216) 623-1111 for more information or visit us on the web at
www.iwasm.org.

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LOOK WHAT'S NEW
At The Toledo Museum of Art

The Toledo Museum of Art just opened a new exhibition that spans continents, centuries and galleries. "Look What's New!", the Second Century of Collecting at the Toledo Museum of Art highlights the most exciting and significant works of art added to the collection since TMA's centennial anniversary in 2001.

Arranged in chronological order by year acquired, the works of art chosen by museum curators reveal a rare glimpse into the complex, alluring world of art collecting, including international art dealers, exquisitely delicate conservation, competitive auctions, generous donors and gifts from living artists. While the bulk of the recent acquisitions are grouped together in Canaday Gallery and the Graphic Arts corridor, tentacles of the exhibition reach into every gallery and every part of the campus. Throughout the exhibition, collection stories reveal how specific objects came to join the TMA collection—some as sudden and unexpected opportunities, others after years of meticulous searching.

Chosen from more than 1,100 works of art added to the TMA collection since 2001, the featured objects in Look What's New! encompass nearly every media, period and geographic region represented in the collection. The exhibition reaches into all galleries of the Museum, including the outdoor Georgia and David K. Welles Sculpture Garden and the Glass Pavilion, enticing visitors with new discoveries and new stories—from the intricate goldsmithing of an ancient Greek headpiece, to an exquisitely conserved pair of Jean-Simeon Chardin paintings, to Lino Tagliapietra's glass Dinosaur which was created in the Glass Pavilion itself, and many more.

To emphasize the ever-evolving nature of the collection, Gallery 18 has been designated for the installation of works of art acquired during the run of the exhibition. Labeled "Look What's Really New," this gallery invites visitors to watch the collection "grow" over multiple visits, and fosters anticipation for the Museum's next great addition of its second century.

Admission and Dates
Look What's New! The Second Century of Collecting at the Toledo Museum of Art is free to the public and on view during Museum hours through May 31, 2009.

Exhibition Celebration
Friday, March 6, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Museum presents Break the Rules on Eclectic Avenue '80's Party—a celebration of TMA's most recent acquisitions in the Look What's New! exhibition and its current gallery construction project. Admission is free for Museum members and $15 for nonmembers. The evening features a gallery-set street scene where everyday Museum rules will be forgotten. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, street entertainers and an exclusive look at the ongoing renovation of the former Art in Glass Gallery. This will be the future space for modern and contemporary works of art. Admission is FREE for Museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Non-member tickets are available at the door and by calling (419) 255-8000.

Public Tours
Join a Museum Docent for a closer look at the Museum's newest acquisitions and how they joined the collection. Tours are free to the public, and all ages are welcome. Meet in Libbey Court a few minutes prior to tour time. Call for tour dates and times. To schedule a private tour for 10 or more guests, contact the tour scheduler at (419) 254-5772.

The Toledo Museum of Art is a privately endowed, nonprofit arts institution. Admission to the Museum is free. The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.; Friday, 10 A.M. – 10 P.M.; Saturday, 10 A.M. – 6 P.M.; Sunday, NOON – 6 P.M.; but closed Mondays and major holidays. Friday evening hours are made possible by Fifth Third Bank.

The Museum is located at 2445 Monroe Street at Scottwood Avenue, just west of the downtown business district and one block off I-75 with exit designations posted. For general information, visitors can call 419-255-8000 or 800-644-6862, or visit www.toledomuseum.org.  

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March Events

NEW Holiday Road Series

The Buzzards of Hinckley

A Night to Remember

Scenic Drives

Angling for Rainbows

Black Dolls & Their Stories

Flight to Fame

Look What's New in Art

Spring Break Nightmare

FREE FOR ALL!

Main Travel Directory

Editor-In-Chief: Frank R. Satullo

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THE BUZZARDS
OF HINCKLEY

We have never associated buzzards with anything appealing. They eat dead stuff. Technically a buzzard is a vulture and that word summons an even uglier image.  On top of that, this particular vulture is really a turkey. The bird doesn’t even have a voice box. Instead of a serenade it seems to bully its way through life with grunts and hisses.  

So why is it then, that the people of Hinckley, Ohio celebrate being inundated each March with huge flocks of  buzzards?  

It could be that the return of the buzzards at the same place and time each year is observed as one of nature’s curious phenomenons, or it could be that they signal that spring is just around the corner, or it might be that the generally misunderstood turkey vulture is rightly a praiseworthy bird.  

Buzzards are nature’s sanitizing agents. They come back to the Hinckley area after winter’s decomposition period and clean the place up like nothing, or no one else can possibly do. Not that Hinckley needs cleansing more than other locales, and the buzzards do work other geography, but you can be assured that at least during the summer months there is nothing rotten in Hinckley.  

Contrary to popular belief, turkey vultures do not kill. Their beaks and talons are not designed to rip into a fresh carcass. While most birds have sharp vision, buzzards are one of the few with a sense of smell. They locate decomposing remains even if hidden, and then strip it clean. Their most unique feature is a digestive system that kills all virus and bacteria in the diet--and their droppings do not carry disease. So when you see a congregation of featherless red glob-heads bobbing on road kill, remember that as ugly as they may be, they do a handsome job of sterilizing the grounds.  

Every March 15, like clockwork, the buzzards return to Hinckley after their winter vacations. It must be instinctive since it’s inconceivable that buzzards can think or make logical deductions—and it started so long ago that none of these birds can remember the initial invitation.   

Nearly two centuries ago a large northern Ohio landowner—a judge form Massachusetts named Hinckley, arranged a roundup of predators that were plundering domestic animals and crops. It’s known as “The Great Hinckley Hunt of 1818.” The judge and dozens of his friends (some say hundreds) encircled his acreage and converged toward the center firing their weapons as they went, driving all the wildlife into a confined space, then killing everything. They took what they wanted for food and left remaining carcasses over winter. When the buzzards arrived in the spring the feast apparently was so overwhelming that the event was imprinted on the inherent part of their brains, because they’ve come back every year since.  

Moreover, the Hinckley Reservation, which is part of Cleveland’s Metropark is perfect for buzzards. The ninety-acre Hinckley Lake is accentuated with rocky bluffs rising at places, hundreds of feet above the water. Buzzards don’t nest per se, they roost—like chickens, or well, turkeys—so the rocky ledges are an ideal habitat.  

It’s odd, in a way, since this has been happening for so long, that the people of Hinckley have been commemorating the event only since 1957. It was brought to light by a reporter from the Cleveland Press, who a month ahead of time announced the mostly unheard of yearly occurrence. When March 15 arrived the people of Hinckley were surprised by the unexpected attention of naturalists, ornithologists, other reporters, and thousands of spectators who would have gleefully chided an inaccurate prediction. But again the buzzards landed right on schedule. That’s when several prominent citizens along with the Chamber of Commerce decided that thereafter the Sunday on or immediately following March 15 would be designated Buzzard Sunday—a “blow out” to observe all the varied implications of their feathered guests. This year the 15th falls on a Sunday, so that is the day of celebration for which thousands of people are expected.  

From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. there will be a pancake and sausage breakfast at the Hinckley Elementary School accompanied by arts and crafts shows. The chief naturalist Robert Hinkle will be the official “Buzzard Spotter” broadcasting the first coming. For those wanting a closer look, there is a driving tour of the roost area through the park.

Once you’re assured they’re not looking for you, the buzzards are delightful to watch. Ungainly on the ground, they are beautiful flyers. With wingspans up to six feet, they soar on the thermals. The ratio of their wing area to body weight is so high they can glide for hours with little effort.   

But it’s on the ground where they perform their greatest service. They’ve been around since day one—using their natural antiseptic ability to clean up putrid remains—preventing  the spread of disease, possibly even plagues.  

So, driving to or from the Sunday celebration, if you see a buzzard cluster at roadside, give them a break/brake. They’re just doing their job.  

Go to www.hinckleytwp.org for more information.

By Robert Carpenter
Robert Carpenter was born and raised in the New Philadelphia, Ohio area.

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ANGLING FOR RAINBOWS

Public fishing opportunities will be enhanced this spring when more than 80,000 rainbow trout, each measuring 10 to 13 inches long, are released into 45 Ohio lakes and ponds, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The releases will take place between mid-March and mid-May; anglers are reminded that the daily catch limit for inland lakes is five trout.

Some locations will feature special, youth-only angler events on the day of the scheduled releases. Anglers age 16 and older must have an Ohio fishing license to fish the state's public waters. Once the youth-only events have concluded, all other anglers may fish.

The 2009-2010 fishing license can be purchased now and is required on March 1. An annual resident fishing license costs $19 and is valid through February 28, 2010. A one-day fishing license is available and may be purchased for $11 by residents or non-residents. The one-day license may also be redeemed for credit towards purchase of an annual fishing license.

Ohio residents born on or before December 31, 1937 may obtain a free fishing license where licenses are sold. Persons age 66 and older who were born on or after January 1, 1938, and have resided in Ohio for the past six months, are eligible to purchase the reduced cost resident senior license for $10.

Additional information about spring trout releases is available by calling toll-free 1-800-WILDLIFE. Information is also available from Division of Wildlife district offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus, Findlay, and Xenia.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

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SPRING BREAK NIGHTMARE

Spring break. It means different things to different people in different stages of life. For me, a middle-aged man, married with two young children, it meant a mini trip for Easter break a couple years back. 

I grew up in northeast Ohio but now live in southwest Ohio. Every January a lifelong friend of mine and I get both our young families together for a three night stay in a nice large cabin with a hot tub somewhere in Ohio east of I-71. But for whatever reasons this time January drifted into February, then March and so we decided since both our wives are teachers, we’d book a place over their spring break. That way, the wives and kids would all have school off. Perfect?  

I’m not going to say where we stayed, but when we got there it was not what we expected. First of all, as the OhioTraveler, I should somehow know better. At least that’s what I read in the look my buddy Matt greeted me with upon arrival. My how Internet pictures can lie. It was a cul-de-sac street in the woods with mini-cabins and a nearby lake. And every cabin was bursting at the seams with college kids on SPRING BREAK! That is, every cabin but ours and as I would later learn, one somewhere across the street.

Well, my good-old friend was unusually quiet as we drank a beer and fired up the grill listening to Bon Jovi music bouncing off the trees all around. I guess that’s what they consider classic rock nowadays. The only good thing so far was that these cabinettes somehow had thick enough walls to soundproof us from the all night partying going on next door. Fortunately there was a vacant lot separating us. We decided to brave the night and express our disappointment to the office in the morning since it was already getting late and the kids were ready for sleep. Our kids that is!  

Meanwhile, outside, my friend and I were drinking beer a little faster and a little more than we have in at least 15 years. Then, Mr. Buff appeared. Mr. Buff had a chiseled everything. Made me yearn for my Army days when I could stick my chest out and strut my stuff around, but my stuff was settled in a bowl full of jelly somewhere around my belt.  

Anyway, Mr. Buff said, “We were talking over there and decided, ya know what? Let’s give these old-guys over there our cell phone number so if they need us to pump down the volume, we’ll know.” 

I was immediately intrigued and looked all around for these old guys. It was like a truck hit me when I realized Buff was referring to us! He was so nice though, in that fake, but believing he was sincere kind of way.  

I kept having visions of us being in the middle of those Nationwide Insurance commercials – “LIFE! It Comes At You Fast!”  

Well, inside the cabin, all things were quiet so miracles do exist.  

The next day, we did some sightseeing, ate lunch at a nice place and then someone suggested we go antiquing. And although I wanted to, something inside screamed “noooooooooooo!” So after we spent two hours in the antique mall, we went to the lodge, went swimming, played games and had a fine time. On the way out, we stopped at the front desk and made it known that we hoped there would be patrols to keep the college kids at bay but that there were no complaints at this time.  

We drove back to cul-de-sac Ft. Lauderdale to see every rooftop shingled with guys with no shirts. Below there was a wiffle-ball game being played at the end of the cul-de-sac. The kids asked if they could play too. Yeah right. 

At dusk, I had to walk some trash to a nearby dumpster. There were raccoons. Yippee! So I got the kids, walked back and showed them wildlife. When we were done being entertained by the little scavengers, it was getting darker and we headed back to the cabin.  

Fortunately, only I saw the streaking from afar. At least this night, the party was at the cabin across the street instead of next door because I think things were getting wilder.  

In the morning we decided this was enough and we’d go back to our usual January getaway in luxury and privacy in Hocking Hills. As I packed the van, I had to make another walk to the dumpster. On my way back, I was startled to see a family of four emerge from a cabin kitty-corner from ours and next to last night’s party.  

Here’s their story,  

“In the middle of the night, my worst fear came true,” said kitty-corner Dad. “Someone was banging on the back door yelling let me in. Well, I yelled back, You better get out of here, this isn’t your cabin now go away. To which the drunk on the other side pleaded, Come on dude, stop mess’n with my head and just let me in.” This repeated a few times before the stranger at the door fell silent.

And so it goes. I could tell all of us old guys had a new story to tell. Nothing like a traveling nightmare to make good talk.

By Frank R. Satullo, The OhioTraveler

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