Prairies in Full Bloom

A couple of my prairie photos were used for this Metro Parks article.

The Central Ohio prairies are spectacular. Andrew did a good bit of the restoration work on most of them in the parks.

The Hottest Day of the Summer

Up and out by 8 am to beat the heat and take advantage of prime lighting. 80 degrees at 8 am. Off to the creek and then to a remanent prairie to photograph flowers. An exhausting 80 foot vertical hike up a seep on the side of a bluff with no hand holds followed by a grueling trip back downhill and on to a relief giving dip in the creek to wash off the poison ivy.

Beautiful Morning light

The footwear needs of a photographer on location

Climbing the bluff

Blazing Star

A view from near the top

Touch me not

High in a silver maple over the creek

Mackerel clouds in sight...raining in coming with 24 hours.

Hellgramite egg cases

You can see Andrew just above my hair clip doing photography

Dew on the grass with backlighting

Fishing spider (yes it is that big)

Scaly Blazing Star

A variation of Blazing Star

Rough Blazing Star

Highbush Cranberry

Andrew TV segment on Dragonflies

Every now and then WBNS 10TV calls Andrew to go on an outing.  A couple weeks ago they went to Darby Creek to investigate and learn about dragonflies.

Baby Catfish?

Baby catfish? Nope, it's a stonecat madtom that was captured by Andrew and me and released during a biotic survey at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. Catfish get much larger, but the maximum length of a stonecat is 6-in.

Flowers and Fish

Spent the day photographing prairie flowers, visiting Mac's Riffle and doing a biotic survey for darters at Darby Creek.

Clear Creek on a 95 Degree Day

Too hot to do anything except take a dip into the creek.  Good dogs just enjoy being with us!

Final Farewell

Some closure this weekend with a memorial hike on Fri. at Clear Creek and memorial celebration on Sat. at Darby for our good friend and Andrew's co-worker, Mac Albin. In honor of Mac, the Metro Parks has named the stream-side study site at Darby; Mac's Riffle. Inside the nature center, a plaque in his honor has been installed as a remembrance of the lifetime contributions he made as a field naturalist and aquatic ecologist to the Darby Creek and to all of Central Ohio and beyond.

Metro Parks TV Special 2015

Watch here. Hubby appears four times.

Memorial Sign Dedication

Andrew and I attended a memorial sign dedication for a colleague of Andrew's who passed away in July of 2012.  There was a very nice ceremony followed by the unveiling of the memorial sign which is just the first of several to be placed on the London, Ohio bikeway in memory of Jack McDowell. A couple of Andrew's other co-workers were in attendance and below is a photo of us with Jack's wife Sue.  I first met Jack 20 years ago as a resource management intern working John, with the man I am standing next to in the photo, and Jack was picking prairie seeds when I met him. Jack was instrumental in the restoration of thousands of acres of native prairies in Central Ohio and was a beloved community member, environmental advocate, teacher and football coach.

Park & Recreation Award

The National Association of County Parks and Recreation Officials (NACPRO) recently awarded one of five 2014 Environmental/Conservation Awards to the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks “in order to recognize an exceptional effort to acquire, restore, preserve, operate, or develop unique or significant conservation and natural areas or programs”. Pictured are L-R are Aquatic Ecologist Mac , Forest Ecologist Andrew , Assistant Resource Manager Carrie and Resource Manager John, and (not pictured) Gordon, Resource Management Technician who were all a part of the hardworking and dedicated resource management team that made this award possible for the park district.