Since returning from my whirlwind trips through Washington, British Columbia, Colorado and New Mexico, I’ve been thinking more about finding beauty in your own backyard. Many people from Cincinnati usually feel that there are much better places to live than here, but because of work or family, continue to reside in this area. I’m beginning to embrace living here and realize there are wonderful places for enjoying the “great outdoors”. I have been a member of Meetup.com for four years and joined a hiking club at that time. My friend Dee, my husband Randy and I decided to take a day trip to Hocking Hills State Park, which is located 2 1/2 hours from Cincinnati in Logan Ohio, to hike 5-6 miles with the club. These are photos from the day…
This is a “Hickory Horned Devil” and then it becomes a “Royal Walnut Moth” or “Regal Moth”. Later that day when I showed my friend Dee a photo of it, she thought it was a fake photo because it looks like it has sunglasses on. It was about 4 inches long by 1 inch wide.
Since I was taking quite a few photos…I was usually lagging behind and had to run to catch up…but sometimes it’s better to be by yourself. It’s quieter, no people in your photos and the timing was good for getting this photo. I was told that this guy just dropped out of a tree a minute earlier.
I love the “gnarled” look of these roots…
Everything seemed to have a green hue…lots of moss-covered rocks and even trees.
Since today was a record 100 degrees…I had to take a dip in the ice-cold water!
This is Dee…
I usually try to turn around frequently when I’m taking photos so that I can see things from a different vantage point or observe when the light changes or is really nice…like this photo!
Hope you’re finding beauty in your day!
Logan Ohio, the Hocking Hills, is home. Well, one of them. I’ve recently moved to the South for awhile. Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂
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Thank you for visiting mine!
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great photos! i think there are beautiful places all over the world, no matter where you live.
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amazing!love it
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I lived in southeast Ohio for a dozen years, and visited here several times, in every season. Thanks for the memories. 🙂
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Hi…I’m glad I brought back some memories and thanks for stopping by!! I like your gravatar!
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Love the hickory horned devil! Stumbledon your blog but loved this post. Really inspiring to get people outdoors- something we are all about too! 🙂 Great stuff.
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Awesome photos!
I’m a hiker myself and its always a pleasure reading blogs on fellow hikers. Keep blogging.
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Fantastic photos – I love hikes and your pictures really captured the beauty of this park.
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about the weird “sungclass”… Is it relly 4inches long ? =.=
i live in VietNamese, i’ve never seem any larva so big like that 😀 it’s really aewsome 😀
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It really is that big…weird!
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Wow, amazing shots! The Hickory Horned Devil is one of the coolest things I’ve seen lately! ^_^
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The roots are gorgeous!
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The hickory horned devil is gorgeous! I love the “sunglasses!” I also love the picture of the gnarly tree roots; they’re very cool. Awesome pictures!
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Hi Sophia,
Thank you!
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Stunning photography. Often we can easily forget how beautiful the world is. http://www.theforevethings.com
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Hi Cassie,
Thanks!
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I live in Austin, Texas, a place not famous for scenic beauty, but over the years I’ve learned to look at nature here on a smaller scale, where there are always picturesque things to be found. We needn’t live near Yellowstone or Yosemite to see wonderful things in nature.
http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com
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Hi Steve,
I’ve been to Austin…I lived in Dallas for 10 years. I agree with you!
Sherry
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The hickory horned devil fella is tres cool!
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Absolutely gorgeous!!! Was wondering if that was your dog in the water. Thank you for sharing. It feels like you were hiking in a fantasy world with all those intertwined roots and exquisite light against the trees. I can feel the texture looking at them.
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The dog wasn’t mine…but I do have a Brittany Spaniel. Thanks for leaving a comment!
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WOW what great photos!
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Logan, who knew? Thanks for this spritz of joy. 🙂
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Congratulations on being “freshly pressed”. I live in Boardman Ohio and couldn’t agree more, people need to appreciation the moments and the beauty right here! Great images! Love your site!
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Thank you very much!
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You are more than welcome to tag along with my group of fabulous girlfriends when we go to Bora Bora in celebration of our 50th birthdays. That will be in 2014 so you’ve got a decent amount of time to pack!
Lovely pics – thanks for sharing.
~Paula
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I go on a yearly girls’ weekend…love it!
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Great pictures :o) I’m from PA and frequently traveled to OH (living close to the border) and NEVER seen anything like this. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
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WOW that bug is crazy!!!
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Wow. I mean…WOW! I’ve never seen anything like that hickory-horned devil — not something I’d like to encounter in my home or bed…
Great pix — so interesting to see the native landscape of that part of the country. Absolutely stunning…
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Really beautiful area. Thanks so much for sharing the photos. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
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Thanks Connie!
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Wow, what an amazing place. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
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Thanks for leaving a comment!
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What a lovely location! I live in Lexingon, KY–so it’s a place I could very realistically visit. Thanks for sharing these fabulous photos!
Kathy
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AWSOME PICTURE. Great job
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Thanks so much!
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Nothing like a 100 degree day for a hike it was fun though.
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Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping by!
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Greetings from Austin, Sherry! You are such a great ambassador for the area and for kicking it up a notch at 50!
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Hi Beth –
How are you? I know it’s hot in Texas…I lived there for 10 years. Thanks for the nice compliments and hope you and Kiwi are making friends quickly!
Sending peace,
Sherry
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Breathtaking! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Hi Susan –
Glad you enjoyed…thanks for the compliment!
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Oh my! Brings back my childhood. My grandmother and great aunt loved Rock House and Old Man’s Cave and we went there frequently when visiting them–before it was a state park. I’ve been back since it was a state park…luckily we did Old Man’s Cave the evening we arrived since it rained the next day which was our planned hiking day. We went to the museum at Marietta instead so as to do something inside. Have you been to Serpent Mound? Another fascinating place not too far.
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Hi Claire –
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos! I haven’t been to Serpent Mound yet, but have wanted to visit. I hope to get there this autumn. Thanks for stopping by!
Peace,
Sherry
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Thanks for sharing. . . and you are right, beatuy is everywhere, even in the local places that we often forget to explore. And I love all the green hues in your photos–green is all around and beautiful. I wrote a post on that a bit ago, that might be of interest: http://learnmoreeveryday.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/gods-favorite-color/
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Gorgeous pictures from Ohio! Thank you for sharing. I was in Cincinnati this past June and blogged about it twice during the month. I will have to ask my college friend about this park when I return next June.
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Oh my, you did it again! Congratulations on FP. I still remember this very “green” post! Beautiful pictures.
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