Sunday, May 31, 2009

King of Kings

While on a business trip in Cincinnati I stopped by the Solid Rock Church in Monroe to get a picture of the King of Kings Statue.



The statue stands 62 foot tall and is reported to be the largest sculpture of Jesus Christ in the United States. The sculpture can be seen from Interstate 75.



It's easy to see how the statue has gotten two of it's nicknames, Touchdown Jesus and Big Butter Jesus. The comedian Heywood Banks made the statue even more famous when he wrote the song "Big Butter Jesus". The Big Butter reference comes from the statues resemblance to statues carved out of butter you see at the state fair.

The water was too choppy for me to get a good reflection shot. I bet this would make for a great night shot.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Gene's Barber Center on Third Street

This post was given to me by Julie Zickefoose a freelance writer and artist living in Marietta Ohio. Her story and pictures gives us a glimpse in to her hometown barbershop as she takes us along on her son's haircut.

"A Haircut for Liam"

Given his druthers, Liam would prefer to keep his hair buzzed short all the time. But he's got such glorious piles of white hair, and it smells so good--like sun and wind and cookies. So, selfishly, I let it grow and grow until he looks like an albino spider monkey. He can't get it cut unless I take him.

Religious holidays have a way of pointing out such things, and Liam and Phoebe's first Communion is tomorrow, and it just doesn't seem right to let him go into it looking like a haystack. So I took him for a haircut.
Gene's Barber Center is on Third Street in Marietta. It's a great location. Gene doesn't miss much, and he's always watching out his big picture window, speculating on who this or that is, or telling the person's life story if he knows it (and he usually does). Gene's hobby is figuring out who everyone is and who they're related to, and he searches his considerable memory banks for the affiliation of every person he sees on that sidewalk or street. I think I'm a bit of a conundrum to him. He keeps trying to link me up with Sigafoos Insurance Agency on Putnam Street, but it doesn't work. I come from away. No lineage here.
His Barber Center is austere; the decor hasn't changed much in the last two decades. I never go in there without biting my tongue.

I would love to loan Gene a few plants for that fabulous window, or maybe hang some prints on the faux walnut paneling. But its austerity is also its charm. Gene rents the place, so why should he fix it up? He's a one-chair man. And besides, all the action is outside the window.

Liam absolutely loves having his hair cut; he loves going to the doctor and dentist, too. Maybe it's because he's the center of attention there, and because he gets messed with. He loves to be messed with.

Even if it tickles.

Gene keeps up a running commentary. Here's a sample, and I think I remember it right:

"That man's got a nice red convertible. Isn't that a nice car? There was a car like that the other day, and there was a baby squirrel only six weeks old playing out in the road, and that car just flattened that squirrel, rolled it right out. The woman driving was talking on her cell phone, and she never even slowed down for him. Wasn't paying attention at all. That squirrel didn't sit up; he didn't get up; he didn't have a chance. The girls next door were feeding him, and he would go up to anybody, and before long he got to thinking that everybody had food for him. So they didn't do that squirrel a favor. They thought they did, though. They thought they were being kind to him. No, sir. That squirrel didn't know which end was up."


We both love going to Gene's.

The original story "A Haircut for Liam" can be found along with many others in her blog: Julie Zickefoose.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Life is Precious


This wonderful memorial to children who have died can be found outside the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in McCartyville in Shelby County just off of State Route 119.

The Quilted Rock


You will find this odd looking site just outside of Wabash as you travel east on State Route 29 to Celina. I have no idea on the history or the thinking behind it. The sign on top of the rock is for a local quarry.

Anna Street Lights at Night

Anna Ohio, is a small community just north of Sidney. The most recent town improvement project was the addition of street lights on the main street through town.



Some of us think they may have overdone it a bit.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Sidney's Covered Bridge


The official name is William Ross Covered Bridge. The bridge was dedicated in 1971 and is located in Tawawa Park in Sidney, the county seat of Shelby County. As you can imagine it is one of the parks most photographed landmarks. The bridge spans Tawawa Creek and is open to foot and motor traffic. The bridge resembles several covered bridges constructed in Central Ohio by pioneer bridge designer and builder, Rueben L. Partridge (1823-1900).

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