The Commuter Chronicles: Celebrating 6½ Years of the Commuter Column Published in the Circleville Herald, Pickaway County, Ohio (July 2010–December 2016)

By Amy J. Randall-McSorley

The Commuter Chronicles is a collection of 6 1/2 years of the weekly column Amy J. Randall-McSorley has been honored to free-lance write for the Circleville Herald, Pickaway County, Ohios newspaper. The collection is a blend of deeply reflective, poetic, and humorous musings by Amy inspired by her commute to work an hour away from her rural home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524659455

Amy J. Randall-McSorley

Amy J. Randall-McSorley resides in the country near Circleville, Ohio with her handsome husband, Gary, and their 3 beautiful and energized rescued dogs. As an adult, she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Capital University in organizational communications with a minor in psychology and her Master of Science in Marketing and Communications Degree from Franklin University. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral in Education Degree from Walden University. Amy has written the weekly “Commuter Column” for the Circleville Herald since 2010 and has had articles published in the Buckeye Osteopathic Physician magazine. She has published two books: Wicked Dreams and The Hills of Circleville, under the name Amy J. Cooper, with other works in progress. In her free time, Amy enjoys life with Gary, playing with their dogs, listening to music, reading, hiking, running and practicing the fiddle.

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© 2017 Amy Randall. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/10/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-5946-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-5945-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017900468

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

2010

Banjo Picking, Fiddle Playing

Heron, Harmony and Watermelon

Death by Drowning and Banjo

Music of the Night

Cause and Consequence – Commuting of a Different Kind

Pretty as a Picture

When Harry Met Amy – A Whirlwind Romance

Paige’s Produce – Here, There and Everywhere

Front Row Seat

Bloomfield, Blackberries and Bags of Dog Food

So Much More

Happy Endings

I Must Have Got Lost

Behind the Green Curtain at the Buckeye Station

Shopping < Peas

Growing Up

A Taste of Apples and Music

Art Around Town

Snow Music

Holiday Wish

Everybody’s Talking at Me…

2011

Commuter Connectivity

Snow Angels of Pickaway County

Taking a Date to the Americana Series

Expecting the Unexpected

Gone in a Second

Choices

Circuitous Syruping

Bad Hair Day – Good Heart Day

Celebrating Women

Gumby’s Plan B

Broken Things

Road and Rhyming Rules

Fleeting Moments That Last a Lifetime

Rest-of-Lifers

Tornadoes, Vikings and Turkey Legs…Oh My!

Sea Fever in Circleville

Getting Away with Getting Away Without Getting Away

A Piece of Pickaway in Oregon

The Commute Home Paved with the Best of Intentions

Heart…

…and Soul

Random Acts of Playfulness

It’s Not What You Think

Fourths

Walk….or Run…to Save a Life

Voluntarily Live Like a Kid with Holes in His Boots

A Walk in Conkle’s Woods

Lingering Firsts

Love is the Drug

Why Does the Sun Go on Shining

I Guess She’d Rather Be in Pickaway County

A Different Kind of Road Rage

Burning Borrowed Memories

Electively Altering the State of Mind

Howl at the Moon

Looking for Space

Food for Life

Be

Kiss Me Like it’s the 50’s

Pumpkin Fever

I Am the Roads I Travel

You Just Never Know

Gail, A Storm of a Different Kind

Gail’s Ruby Red Dishes

Even if You Haven’t Touched Your Plate, Someone Else Has

Meet Me in St. Louis, Pickaway County

Be-art-ful!

The Moon, The Ladybug and Me

The Multi-Seasonal Magic

Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

2012

Prince Woodward of Tarlton

New Beginnings

Someplace Old, Someplace New, Someplace Windy, Lips are Blue

Sestina Sun Shining Through

You’d Be Surprised There’s So Much to Be Done

Being Sad to Get Happy

Thinking of You

Life, Love and Commuting are Like a Box of Chocolates

The Exchange

The Coming Years

The Lion’s Paw

Hello Seems to Be the Hardest Word

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Let’s Say and Think the Darndest Things

Anger Management

A Different Song

Sailing the Fields

Tick Tock Tick Time

Above the Clouds

Calm After the Storm

Premories

A Letter to You

Twenty-Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood

A Mind of Their Own

The Pleasure of Planting

Independent Together

Good Vibrations After the Storm

Watering Ourselves

Supporting Pickaway County is as Easy as Playing Bingo, Feeding a Dog… and Eating Lasagna

A Tale of Two Teeth, Two Faces and Two Cities

Gentle on My Mind

Memorize

Brick and Mortar Memories

The Circle of Perfection

New Dog, Old Tricks

L’amour est Bleu

The Upside to Down

Falling with Eyes Wide Open

Saving No. 14

More Than a Paper Moon

Duality of Dreaming

Pumpkin Show: The Thrill is Never Gone

Spooky Things Like Omens, Universal Language and Story Time

Small Things are Nothing to Shake a Tail at

Let’s Forever Be Like Sweet Red Strawberries

Feeling Warm on a Cold and Rainy Day

Human Touch

Hope, Imagination and Santa

A Snoopy Christmas

Tennessee in Pickaway

Christmas Blue Velvet

Same Old Lang Syne …Or Not

2013

Rested and Ready for 2013

Throwing Stones

Set Fire to the Rain

Licensed to see…and be a dog

Waiting for the Fall

All Being Well

Winter Art

The Something That Can Be

Of Lambs and Lions and Regulus

Not Mistaking Clouds for Mountains

The Blessings of Saint Patrick

Let it Go

The Commute to Self-Actualization

Unreal Mystery

It’s Terza Rima Commuter Time

Dexter the Texter

Kindness

Unconditional Love

Too Cool to Be Forgotten

The Olympic Relic Collectors

Flanders Bittersweet Memorial Day

The Healing Gift of Infectious Laughter

Pickaway County Homecoming

Dreamland Express

Mysteries and Surprises

The Midnight Ride of a Pickaway Commuter

I’ll be Your OxymorMom

I’ll Go on Loving Pickaway County

Meteor, Fire, Land and Sea

Fearlessness

Runner. That’s Just What I Am

Creative Positivity

Sweet Senses Versus Muted Ones

Rumi Ocean

Fields of Wonder

Tackling Cancer

Flowers Bloom on the Dark End Road

The Three R’s of Staycation

There’s a Light

Pumpkin Show Groove

It’s a Small World After All

I Do Believe in Magic. I Do. I Do. Do You?

Forever More

Relentlessly Hopeful

Golden Threads of Hope and Healing

Painting a Salute to Veterans

Home

Small Businesses Give Big Gifts

Naughty or Nice

For One I Never Knew

The Christmas Tree Algorithm

Top Ten Countdown Resolution List

2014

Star of Hope

How Big is Your Brave?

At the End of the Day

A Winter Memory

Parting Gifts

Hope, Assumptions, Pasta and Bluegrass

Sly as a Fox Conformity

Matters of the Heart

What Happens Here Stays Here

Try

It’s in the Air

Literature Meets Air and Has a Good Time

Beauty in the Beast

Of Gas and Dogs

Cyclic Roads Paved with Hearts of Gold

Ride with Faith Hope and Love

Let’s be Vikings for a Day!

Sweet Maggie is Looking for a Home

Stand Up and Sing for Stacy and Susan

Maggie’s Spring

Red White and Blue

Imagine That

Sisters of the Road

Late Spring Memories

Garden Gazing

Outsmarting Houdini

Stars and Stripes Sonnet

Altitude Attitude

The Space Between

It’s All About the Ride

From Whence Sweet Gifts Come

Sowing Seeds of Customer Service

Turn Around

Fritillary Philosophy

21

Soaring with Both Feet on the Ground

This Weekend’s Collection

Say Yes to the Tractor… and to the Dress

Catching Dreams

Wedding Sea Fever

Pumpkin Love is in the Air

Dreams Meeting Dreams

Momentous Moments

Afraid of the Dark

The Biggest of Givers

Pure and Beautiful

Pumpkins in the Snow

The Very Sad Tail of WK and CB

Favorite Things

2,000 Miles

The Path Less Taken

2015

Passing the Baton and Bread Crumbs

A Committed Life

It’s Freezing, So Let’s Go to the Park

Snow Days and Dogs

I Heart School

Valentine Wish

Stop and Smell the Snowflakes

The Letter

The Shelter Solution

Generous Spirit of Story Sharing

The Good, the Bad and the Park

Robins, Laughter, Super Heroes, Food and Wine

Bottomless Pit Bull of Happiness

Voyage of the Commuter

Don’t Distract - Do Donate

Words Shape the Horizon’s Landscape

Run Away…Run Away With Me

The Can is in the Mail

Bikes in Flight

Memorial Day

Be a Kid / Help a Kid

The Story of the Stemmed Glass

The Smallest Things

Garden Memories

Don’t Let Go

A Taste of America

The Other Side of the Bridge

Footloose and Fuzzy Ones

Seeing Anew

The Things We Leave Behind

Finding Time

Rest Easy

Race for the Kids

Spread Your Wings – Love a Dog

Labor Day - Wishing You the Best

Art for the Heart

Seasons for Play

Love Note

Just Around the Corner

Finding Your Way Home

Come Back After Pumpkin Season is Over

Murmuration

One Hour Can Change a Life

Every Day is Veterans Day

To Paris with Love…and Tubas

Random Acts of Thanksgiving

Seasonal Sentiments

Dreaming of a White Christmas

’Tis the Season of Giving… and Receiving

My Christmas Wish For You

Architects of Fate

2016

From Up Here

Cold Winter Warm Heart

Licensed to Play, Nap and Howl

Flying Shoes

The Library

What’s Left Behind

Winter Nesting

Talk to the Animals

One More Day

The Silent Tornado (The Good Kind)

The Irish Pickawanian Spring Blessing

Sarah’s Story

Miracles

Prayers in the Wind

In a Split Second

Some Days are Stones

The Commuter’s Lament

Never Stop

Share the Road

14,000 Birthdays

Memorial Day Summer Song

Playing in Pickaway

A Toast To the Furry Ones

Imagine – for Orlando

Summer Senses

Celebrating Independence

A Marathon of Stories

Near Miss

Little Would You Know

The Sweetness

Memories in Music

Pickaway and Perseid

Sometimes Love is Not Enough

When You Don’t (And You Know Who You Are!)

Going Wild in Ohio

Art Memories

15 Years

One Mile at a Time

Life Anew in the Crisp of Fall

Celebrating Life

A Perfect Moment

Pumpkin Memories

Lighting the Dark

To Do or Not To Do – That is our Responsibility

Celebrating Veterans and Voting

Lift a Heart and Light Up a Life

Blessings with an Extra Serving on Top

Choose Nice

… and So the Season Begins

Ribbon Candy

Seasons Greetings from the Sea – By Moses, Jasmine and Sam

Season’s Stories

Conclusion

PREFACE

The Commuter Chronicles is a collection of 6½ years of the weekly Commuter Column that I have been honored to write for the Circleville Herald, Pickaway County, Ohio’s newspaper. Previous to the column’s existence, I had periodically written pieces for my friends at the Circleville Herald. When, like so many other residents of our county, I took a job that required commuting, the idea of the Commuter Column sprouted. Because of the drive and the hours at my new job, I would need to resign from many of my volunteer activities. As a writer, the column about that drive would be a great way for me to remain involved in, and promote, the community I love.

The Commuter Column is a blend of reflective, poetic, and humorous musings inspired by my hour-long commute to work from my rural home in Circleville to Columbus, the capital city of Ohio. The column is typically published weekly on-line and in print. As will happen, sometimes the column is published with the wrong title or the column may have been omitted from an issue of the newspaper altogether. For these reasons, the following pages include the weekly submissions of the column in chronological order to preserve the ongoing intent which has been to reach out weekly to the readers of the Circleville Herald, be they commuters or not, with the hope of sharing thoughts that resonate with them, are helpful, or at the very least provide a moment or two of entertainment. While some of the information provided in the column submissions refers to events that have now passed, I am hopeful it will spark some interest for further research for the reader so I have left the information as was submitted. Please take heed that some of the phone numbers, email addresses, and web site addresses may no longer be valid. I realize these pages will also stir memories both sad and joyful. It is my desire to bring healing and comfort for the former and laughter for the latter.

Because the column, and this book, is for you, Dear Readers, I wanted to include you in the naming of this collection and so, in partnership with the Circleville Herald, a contest was held to name this book. The winner of that contest was Julie Gillivan and so with deepest gratitude to you, dear Julie, and to all the other readers who have breathed inspiration into this column for nearly 7 years, I offer you The Commuter Chronicles.

2010

BANJO PICKING, FIDDLE PLAYING

July 2010

About a year ago, I accepted a wonderful position with the Columbus Bar Association and became part of the trend of people who live in Pickaway County, but work in the big city up north. Now that I am commuting, I am looking at this beautiful county from a different perspective. The purpose of this column is to share my experiences as a commuter on the road and when I get back home at the end of the day. I hope that you will not only enjoy reading these musings, but will also feel free to contact me with your commuter experiences.

I would like to start this first column with what I plan to do when I get back home this weekend. We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful things to do here in Pickaway County. This weekend will mark the beginning of the end of one of those wonderful things as it will be the next to the last concert at Braeburn Farm. I plan to be there this Saturday July 31 at 7pm to take in the amazing music of Tony Ellis, his wife Louise Adkins, their son, William Lee Ellis, and Larry Nager.

Sure, there are plenty of places I could go in Columbus to hear a concert – but if you have ever heard Tony, you’ll understand why I’ll be staying down here Saturday night. Tony’s sweet personality comes out in his banjo picking and his fiddle playing. The icing on the cake will be getting to also hear the other fine musicians of Braeburn who will be on the pump organ, guitar, upright bass, mandolin…and, of course, triple washboard. Speaking of cake, one could consider this a guilty pleasure because it only costs $10 for a ticket!

I love my job in Columbus. It’s a very exciting place to be. And I love the beautiful roads I drive and sights I see on my commute up there. At the end of the day, though, Pickaway County is where I want to be. It’s where Tony Ellis’ bow plays my heartstrings.

Braeburn Farm is located at 6768 Zane Trail Road, 4 miles east of Circleville off State Route 56. If you would like more information about the final Braeburn Music Concerts, please call 740-412-5281. If you would like to e-mail me your commuter experiences, you can reach me at [e-mail].

Until next time, see you on the road!

HERON, HARMONY AND WATERMELON

August 2010

Teri Williams, one of the lovely ladies I work with at the Columbus Bar Association, asks me every morning what I saw on the way in. One of my favorite sightings was on the stretch of 674 between Stoutsville Pike and Route 22. To the west stood tall corn and to the east a mowed field with trees and hills in the distance. The sky was painted with lingering shades of pastels from what must have been a stunning sunrise. I had missed it.

But what I hadn’t missed was the heron. He was flying fairly low so I had a great look at him. There was a layer of misty fog hovering about a foot or two above the field and the effect it had on the scene was eerie and beautiful all at the same time. Time. I kept time with that heron and we flew together along 674. We were in harmony.

Speaking of harmony, this Saturday, August 7, at the Farmers’ Market in downtown Circleville in the Circle City Square parking lot at 166 West Main Street, you can enjoy the harmonies of Jackson Hill Brown. The Farmers’ Market is from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the music will be from 9:30 until noon. The group is comprised of Charlie Jackson and Bill Hill, both on guitars and vocals, and Paul Brown on fiddle, banjo, Dobro and vocals. If you haven’t heard these guys, you won’t want to miss this. And if you have heard these guys, well…you still won’t want to miss it.

The Farmers’ Market is the perfect place to also stock up on your produce. There is something about our local produce – it just tastes better. It is the right thing to do, I know, supporting our local farmers. But I would be lying if I didn’t confess that the watermelon I have been getting at the market is so delicious that it has become my prime motivation for going.

Hope to see you Saturday at the Farmers’ Market. I’ll be the one tapping my toes to Jackson Hill Brown while spitting watermelon seeds out my teeth and searching the skies for my heron friend.

For more information about the Farmers’ Market, please call the Pickaway County Welcome Center at 740-474-3636.

DEATH BY DROWNING AND BANJO

August 2010

Will someone please call Dwight for me? I need to report a homicide. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Kroger located on Lancaster Pike. I had just parked my car and was in the process of unplugging my cell phone, which I had been recharging during my commute home, when the slippery little devil jumped from my hand and landed in my cup of water. The cup of water would normally not have been there, but my usual red water bottle had gone missing in action. I think I was set up. The phone flopped around and panicked when I tried to fish it out of the water. It was just like I remember reading about – victims fighting off would be rescuers. By the time I was able to calm her down and get her out, it was too late.

Using my Vibe as an ambulance, I rushed her, while doing the speed limit (I can only commit one crime at a time) to the Verizon store on Route 23. She was pronounced DOA and I was issued another phone. Maybe it was just me, but I think it trembled when it was placed in my hands by the Verizon representative, Jeremiah, who never once appeared to judge me for my felony. In fact, he was quite kind to me, pointing out that the awesome looking semis going up Route 23 at the time were with NASCAR. He identified the trucks of Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin. I felt like I was being rewarded for a bad deed – the drowning of my cell.

Death isn’t always cellular drowning in Pickaway County. It can also be by Banjo. The band Death by Banjo will be playing at the Gazebo Gatherings in Ashville this Sunday beginning at 5:00pm. All members of the band do harmony vocals. They include Tom Zinser on guitar; Paul Brown on banjo and fiddle; Pete Remenyi on harmonica, Dobro, and bass; and Sid Omasta on bass and mandolin. Maybe they will have their CD available to purchase. I have it. It’s great to listen to when you are not otherwise occupied with rescuing cells.

For more information about this concert or the rest of the Gazebo Gatherings schedule, please call 740-983-4464. For more information about cellular resuscitation, please call the Verizon store on Circleville Plaza at 740-420-3785.

MUSIC OF THE NIGHT

August 2010

Admittedly, I oftentimes leave home in the morning just in time to reach the Columbus Bar Association in downtown Columbus on time. Occasionally, though, I manage to hit the road a little early. Those are the best mornings because they allow me the luxury of discovering new roads to take to the big city up north. The roads in Pickaway County are so beautiful, some hilly, some flat, some curvy, some less curvy, some surrounded by woods, and some by fields. The magic of these drives is intensified by the music I listen to, music as varied as the roads I travel.

On the way home, when it doesn’t matter how windblown I may look, I roll down my windows and let the wind toss my hair and tie it into random, quite unattractive little knots. But at night it’s different. When I work late, I still like to travel home on different winding roads and I still like to have my windows down; but I do not play music. I listen instead to the music of the night – the crickets and tree frogs keep harmony, serenading the moon, stars, and me.

This weekend will be filled with another genre of night music. On Saturday, there will be a rare reunion of the influential old-time string band The Hotmud Family. This concert will be held rain or shine at the beautiful Braeburn Outdoor Pavilion, located at 6768 Zane Trail Road, 4 miles east of Circleville off State Route 56. Showtime is 7 pm, admission is $10, and the gates will open at 6 pm. On Sunday, beginning at 5pm, come hear the Raineys play at the Gazebo Gatherings in Ashville, This talented family will touch your heart with their lovely music and song choices. With Dave on the guitar and vocals, his daughter Megan on flute, accordion, piano and vocals and daughter Jen on piano and vocals, you will experience pure joy. This concert starts early enough that on your way home, you can roll down your windows and let the crickets and tree frogs continue the concert with their musical toast to the night, the Raineys and you.

If you are looking for something to do Saturday before the night music begins, from 1-3 PM, in the picnic shelter at MVCH Park you can learn more about the Monarch butterfly, butterfly gardens and therapy dogs from Judi Levicoff. For more information e-mail contact Judi at [e-mail]. For more information about the Hotmud Family concert at Braeburn, call 740-412-5281. For more information about the Raineys’ concert at the Gazebo Gathering in Ashville, call 740-983-4464.

CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE – COMMUTING OF A DIFFERENT KIND

August 2010

Cause or consequence - in any given moment we can be on either end of the spectrum. I’ve learned this time and time again, and yet the lesson always feels new. It happened again last week when I experienced the consequences of someone else’s actions. I suddenly found myself extremely frightened and unable to sleep at night because this person appeared in my life and made his presence quite known. My first attempt to tell him to back off fell on deaf ears and I lived in anguish several days while his undertakings continued. This only lasted a few days before I was able to convince him, through threat of involving the local authorities, to desist his actions. Now, I am on the other end of the spectrum. I can cause him to suffer consequences should I go public with what transpired. I won’t though, because I have learned through the years the detrimental consequences which our actions can cause. I will drive on up the higher road.

Taking the higher road and taking responsibility for the possible consequences of our actions is always critical, but even more so as we approach weekends like this one - a long weekend of holiday celebrations. Last year, there were 390 alcohol-related deaths on Ohio roads on Labor Day weekend.

I was a consequence once, being hit by a drunk driver. My stepfather led the cause of his accident involving alcohol. He was drunk and suicidal when he stepped into traffic. He truly was a kind man but he did not take the time to consider the consequences of his actions. It would have broken his heart to know what grief he had brought to a teenager’s heart and mind.

This weekend, and always, it is our duty and responsibility to be aware of our celebratory limitations and to be there for our friends and family as a designated driver, or just to be custodian of car keys.

Cause or consequence. Yes, we can travel from one to the other in a matter of seconds, sometimes landing in both destinations at the same time. But if we take the higher road, keeping aware of the possible consequences of our actions, or lack thereof, we can make a difference, and sometimes we can even save lives.

PRETTY AS A PICTURE

September 2010

If you hang around me long enough, you will eventually hear me say something like, If I were an artist and I painted that scene exactly as it looks, no one would believe that I had not taken artistic privileges. I am not a painter, so I only have my camera and my memory to rely on. The scenes I try to preserve are of things like that amazing weeping willow that softly dances in the breeze in a yard on Bell Station Road. It seems to notice me as I slow down to stare at it in awe, its delicate branches gently waving a hello to me. Up north on Route 23, there is a field that has been playing host recently to a gaggle of Canadian geese as they have gathered to graze. If you squint your eyes – which I really do not recommend when you are driving – they blend together and the scene appears to be a calm little lake with feather light rippling water.

I have taken a lot of photographs in Pickaway County. I’m really not that good, but I feel the need to capture the beauty here. Some scenes are especially inspiring like those at Green’s Heritage Museum. I went to the Heritage Festival last year and absolutely went crazy taking pictures. It is so beautiful there that even I was able to get some really nice shots. It’s that time of year again and I plan to go back.

Green’s Farm Heritage Days will be from 10:00 – 5:00 this Saturday and Sunday at 10530 Thrailkill Road in Orient, just off State Route 762. There are quite a few old buildings, antiques a plenty, and cool demonstrations. You can really get lost roaming around there. When your feet need a rest, there will be musical entertainment. Well, I guess your feet won’t really get a rest because it will be hard to keep them from tapping as you listen to the acoustic music of Jackson, Hill & Brown on Saturday at 11am and 1pm and the old time music of Ann and Phil Case on Sunday at 11am and 1pm. Your feet will be in good company on Sunday at 3pm with the traditional Appalachian dancing of the Teays River Cloggers.

For more information about the annual Green’s Farm Heritage Days, please contact the Pickaway County Visitors Bureau at 1-888-770-7425, email [e-mail], or visit their website at www.pickaway.com.

WHEN HARRY MET AMY – A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE

September 2010

I’m writing this at about 2am Friday morning. I woke up about 20 minutes ago and realized the power had come back on and that the column I would be submitting would not be the one I had planned. A lot of things didn’t go as planned this week, mostly because of Harry; then tonight because of the tornado.

Harry and I go way back and yet every time he resubmerges I kid that I will name him and start honoring him on his birthday. Harry is my chronic migraine. I’m seeing a new specialist. I know it breaks Harry’s heart, but I want a divorce. This time around, Harry has been haunting me for over a week.

Last night when Harry and I pulled into my driveway after a long day of work, we noticed that the clouds were moving way too fast. Next came the swirling wind with debris and the sound of the freight train. I’ve survived a tornado before and knew what I was witnessing. I remember dropping my things and scrambling to get into the house to my doggies. The house was shaking. The train was coming too fast. I got two of them to come into the closet in the center of my house with me, but the one wouldn’t come. It really only lasted a moment, but it was pure agony knowing Woody was not in the closet with Sam and Moses and me… and Harry. I tried to get to Woody, but the others were blocking me.

After the tornado train passed, Harry and I carefully stepped through the tree branches on my front porch to get a better look at the aftermath. Even though I knew I was looking at the damage of a smaller tornado than most, it was quite frightening. My neighbor’s outdoor building had lifted and in its frustration that it could not take wing, it decided to wrap itself around one of their cars. My other neighbor had a huge beautiful old tree drop on their house. I have many tree branches and broken tress in my yard. Branches fell around my car, but not on it. They fell on my porch, but did not come through my windows. I am lucky. I am Blessed. I’ll take Harry over what so many others are dealing with including the repercussions of tonight’s tornado. But I’m still divorcing him. Sorry Harry.

With or without Harry, I plan to be at the Arts and Crafts Fair Saturday in downtown Circleville Saturday from 9am – 3pm. The downtown merchants always have cool stuff going on too, so don’t stop at the sidewalk, also check them out. I will be selling my books and helping to sell mural prints. Speaking of which, there will be a special ceremony for the mural that you won’t want to miss. It’s also the last Saturday for the Farmers Market. For more information about these events, you can contact the Pickaway County Visitors Bureau at 1-888-770-7425, email [e-mail], or visit their website at www.pickaway.com.

PAIGE’S PRODUCE – HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE

September 2010

A week has passed, yet every morning my heart still bleeds when I see the tornadic wounds across my little corner of the world near Tarlton. A missing silo, damaged homes, downed trees, memories lost in the wind all tear at me and I continue to pray for all who were touched by the recent events in our area. My heart is here always though I am grateful for my wonderful job and the people who fill my days in Columbus.

They know it too. The people I work with know how I feel about home. That’s why I was stunned when about a month ago Penny and Terri kidnapped me and took me to the Farmers’ Market in Pearl Alley in downtown Columbus. How could they? Riddled with guilt, head down, I tried to ignore the watermelon. I can only buy those from Rhoads Farm Market. And then I looked up just in time to see Shawn from Paige’s Produce. No way! I drive by there every day – always meaning to stop by. And then, all the way up there, I found myself right in front of them.

Paige’s Produce is here at 10130 Winchester Southern Road, Stoutsville. They are there – in Columbus at the Farmers Market. And they are everywhere – on the web at www.paigesproduce.com, and in many, many homes through the CSA initiative. Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between farmers and their communities. It’s a way for individuals and families to contract with farmers to get fresh produce from spring to fall. Obviously the exact dates can change from year to year depending on weather, etc. You can get more information about this by visiting Paige’s web site or by e-mailing them at [e-mail], or by doing what I did tonight – call them at 740-477-7291 and talk to Brian or Kelly Helser. This is the time to get set up for next year. Do it now, before you get lost in Pumpkin Show festivities and then the Holiday season. Just check out the CSA thing and sit back and relax and know that come spring you will have some tasty, fresh produce coming your way. If I understand it right, there are several different arrangements available based on how much you want to pay or if you want to do some work, etc. Do both – pay and work – and then you too can be here, there and everywhere.

FRONT ROW SEAT

September 2010

I had a front row seat the other morning during yet another Pickaway County spectacular sunrise show. The sun played conductor, orchestrating changing hues in the sky - purples, pinks, and oranges. The fog played magician, making the low fields disappear and creating the illusion that the tops of the hills were actually mountains. Whenever I am in a moment like this, I think of my artist friends and wish one of them were with me to capture the beauty. With only words on my paintbrush, I will never do it justice. One artist I know, Mark Dawson, has taken fabulous photographs around the world; and since he is from Pickaway County, some of those are of here. You can catch these on his web site at www.nomadicfrog.com and some are offered for sale at the Pickaway County Welcome Center on Main Street downtown Circleville. On display now are some of Pumpkin Shows past.

It’s hard to believe that Pumpkin Show is only weeks away. Though I have lived here just shy of seven years, I still feel like a newbie when it comes to the greatest free show ever. Each year I covet that oblong orange card listing pumpkin festivities and important locations of must sees and must eats.

I went with my friend Teri this summer to the Bratwurst Festival in Bucyrus. It was there that I learned we share a similar approach to grazing through festivals – go for the local booths where organizations are serving food to raise funds and to the booths of local restaurants. Then, if you have room for more, well…

Just thinking about it, I am beginning to crave that pumpkin chili and the pulled pork….maybe this year I’ll start with Corky Que. I have grown fond of their fine food since they have been at so many of the events I have attended this summer in Pickaway County. They will be near the Visitors Pavilion off of Franklin Street. I’ll get my Corky Que feast and go to the Visitors Pavilion where I can once again take a front row seat and enjoy the entertainment offered by Pickaway County via its Visitors Bureau. For more information about the Pumpkin Show, you can visit www.pumpkinshow.com.

BLOOMFIELD, BLACKBERRIES AND BAGS OF DOG FOOD

October 2010

I was driving on Route 23 just north of South Bloomfield one morning when I nearly missed him. I was distracted by what he had chosen to perch on – a sign that said blackberry cobbler, or pie…I can’t remember, but it involved blackberries and dessert and I was transfixed. I am slightly ashamed to admit that the tantalizing tauntings of Renick’s Farm nearly lead to me missing the beautiful owl perched on the sign.

I love birds and animals. In fact I live with three big hairy mutts… I mean canines of distinguishing and varied characteristics and backgrounds. Sam, Woody and Moses would probably like that blackberry cobbler too, but their normal feasting is upon Iams, the special kind of food designed for big doggies. I like to get the 40-pound bag. It is more convenient for me. It’s also more entertaining for them. They like to watch me drag that bag into the house while grunting and groaning. They think it’s my chew toy.

Imagine my delight when I found someone who would load that bag of feed into my car. I stopped at Buckley Brothers in South Bloomfield on the way home one night. You can go inside to pick out toys, nail trimmers and other things like bitter spray (Did I mention that Moses is only a year old?) The nice folks at Buckleys carried the big old bag of food to my car. The next time I went there, I did the drive through thing and, again, they loaded it into my car. I’m going again tomorrow. Gee, I wonder how my dogs got so big.

So my furry roommates will have their pantry stocked this weekend, thanks to the convenience of Buckley Brothers. I might try to find my way to Renick’s to stock my pantry too. I saw a sign, this one minus an owl, that said there would be bluegrass music there this weekend. Maybe the band will play Blackberry Blossom in honor of my little owl friend. That would be a hoot.

SO MUCH MORE

October 2010

There’s a song that Chris Knight sings, House and 90 Acres, with a line in it Born and raised has been … easy, but lately living’s hard. I’m not so sure about the former, and I only have 3.5 acres, but that last part of the line rings true. And yet, as difficult as it has been, I cannot help but to be keenly aware that I have far more to be grateful for than I have to mourn. The good…there is so much more.

When I am driving up to work in Columbus, I am oftentimes overwhelmed by the beauty here - there is so much. And I talk about Pickaway County so much when I am at my job that I even have a co-worker who has asked me to keep an eye out for a country home for her. I have been doing that because I want her to have what I found here.

I do get lonely at times out here, but there is so much more. There are the farm fields, the hills, the woods, the creeks and Hargus Lake. There is the sky, which I swear is so much bigger down here, with lovelier sunsets and so many more stars. I’m convinced the moon is closer too. The beauty in the land and sky is so much that the loneliness I feel oftentimes gives way to serenity in the solitariness. It’s a place to heal. It’s a place to be real.

The solitude will be a bit diluted next week with the festivities of Pumpkin Show. While I will truly enjoy the event, I also am quite aware that Pickaway County is so much more. And that is what I have been sharing as all my new friends in Columbus ask me about the big event. Yes, I tell them, pumpkin donuts are fine, but you really can get them year round at Lindsey’s Bakery. I go on to describe the different places in Pickaway County: the parks, the shops, the restaurants, museums, theaters… It’s not just a rural county that hosts the largest pumpkin celebration annually, it is so much more."

HAPPY ENDINGS

October 2010

On my commute to Columbus, I oftentimes need to mix it up a little. Too many days driving the same route can make the traveling mundane. And I am not faithful to my favorite road – for the truth is there are many. I love Winchester, Bell Station, Walnut Creek Pike, Ashville-Fairfield, and the list goes on.

Old Tarlton Pike is on that list. In particular is the spot where I found Moses. He was 7 weeks old and sitting in the middle of the road. Fortunately, I saw him in plenty of time as I was traveling slowly and watching for critters. That critter, Moses, is now about 70 pounds of pure love and mischief. While his story has many more chapters yet to be written, it is safe to say that his first chapter has a happy ending.

There are so many cats and dogs with sad-ending stories. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized every year. That’s 1 every 8