The Farm at Walnut Creek

I recently visited The Farm at Walnut Creek (Amish Country) for the first time.  Since I love zoos and animals, this was the perfect place to spend a few hours.

This is a real working farm, complete with barns, houses, and animals.  When you pay to get in, you get the choice of a drive it yourself tour or a wagon ride.  We opted for drive it yourself, since we didn't want to be stuck in a wagon with a lot of other people.  We also each got a bucket of food to feed the animals.  The food looked similar to rabbit pellets.

We happened to go on a quiet day, so we didn't see many other cars on the drive.  A lot of the drive was through the woods, and we came across animals immediately.  Deer were everywhere and they are not afraid of people.  They are hungry!  They knew that people in cars had food, so we tossed a handful at them.

We saw some adorable potbellied pigs, and I really wanted to take one home with me.  Next, we came across some hungry llamas who also got some food.  Many of the animals will not get out of the way of your vehicle until you feed them.  We saw some ostriches, birds, giraffes, and some very scary zebras who really wanted our food and were big enough to hurt the vehicle if they didn't get it.

After awhile, we finished giving out our food and finished the drive.  We stopped at the parking lot and started the next part of the trip.

There are two big farm houses to explore.  It is interesting to see what an Amish house looks like, but it makes me grateful for my own house with electricity and a tv.  One of the houses has a huge kitchen in the basement, which I had never seen before.  It must be cooler to cook down there in the summer.  Next we checked out the barns and saw lots of sheep napping.

The Farm also has an area of animal enclosures and a petting zoo, so we checked those out.  There were some neat birds, lemurs, horses, goats, and a great enclosure for one of my favorite animals - the kangaroo.  The whole place is landscaped really nicely and is such a pretty place to visit.  I definitely want to go back next year.

http://thefarmatwalnutcreek.com/welcome.html

The Christmas Story House

Did you know that "A Christmas Story" (1983) was filmed in Cleveland?  Did you also know that you can take a tour of the house where the movie was filmed?  My mom and I took the tour in early November on a Saturday morning, and it was a lot of fun.  The house is in a residential neighborhood along a very narrow street.  There are pay-to-park areas, but it is easier to park on the street a few blocks away. 

When I saw the house, I was surprised to see that it looks exactly the same as the movie.  To get tickets for the house tour, head across the street to the museum and gift shop.  The museum has clothing worn by the actors in the movie, photos from the movie, and is worth checking out.  The gift shop has a lot of fun souvenirs, and I found a cute mug to buy. 

Next, we got in line for the tour.  They run every half hour, so we stood in the cold for a few minutes until it was our turn.  We are led into the small house by the tour guide and into the living room, complete with Red Ryder BB Gun, leg lamp, and huge tree.  He told us about filming and let us explore on our own.  The living room and kitchen are popular places to take photos.  The room is filled with props inspired by the movie.  I took pictures holding the Red Ryder box, touching the leg lamp, and under the kitchen sink where Randy hid from his family.  Upstairs is a bathroom with LifeBoy soap and the boys' room, along with the phone where the mother called Mrs. Schwartz.  After exploring the house, we went in to the back yard, where Ralphie had his dream about the BB gun and the burglers. 

So, if you enjoyed the movie, you will probably enjoy the tour.  The house gets very busy around Christmas, so if you can go on an off-time, you will have less of a wait.  Weekdays would also be less busy.

For directions and ticket info - here is official website:  http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/

8 Reasons to Love Roscoe Village

Roscoe Village, in Coshocton, is one of my very favorite places in Ohio.  Here are eight great reasons to visit:

1. The shops - Roscoe Village is full of cute little shops to visit.  The town is always changing, so each time you visit, there may be someplace new to explore.  Medbury Marketplace is one of the newest shops and is a great place to find bulk food that you may not find anywhere else. I have found unique spices, cheese, chocolates, and teas to buy.  They also have a deli counter and an ice cream shop in the back.  There is also a fairly new candy shop that is full of cool sweets.  I just bought four packs of candy cigarettes, which I haven't had since the late eighties. 
2. The history - Roscoe Village is full of history.  The main street is full of historical buildings complete with staff members who demonstrate how tasks were completed in the past.  The tickets cost extra, but if you like history, you might enjoy seeing the smithy, doctor's office, print shop, and school house, among others.
3. The canal boat - Roscoe Village has its very own canal boat.  Tickets are available to take a ride near the village to see how the people of the past lived and hauled cargo.  
4. The restaurants - Roscoe Village has two great restaurants that you will want to try.  Uncorked, Roscoe's own wine and coffee bar, is a great place to buy wine, but also a great place to have lunch. Along with their signature beverages, they serve, appetizers, salads, pizzas, and sandwiches.  I always like to get the flatbread cheese pizza.  The restaurant also has live bands on occasion.  The other restaurant is the Warehouse.  The interior is really neat, with its dark wood walls.  The food is also really good.  My mother enjoys several of the sandwiches, while I like the mac and cheese and the Old Man and the Cheese Pizza.  
5. The Fall Festival/Apple Butter Stirring - In October, Roscoe Village is packed with people checking out the festival.  They make homemade apple butter (yum!) available for purchase.  The street is also full of booths and crafters.  It is a great place to find some handmade jewelry, Christmas ornaments, or seasonal crafts.  There are also a few food booths, because this is the wrong weekend to try to get into a Roscoe restaurant, unless you enjoy waiting a long time for a table.  My mom and I try to visit this festival every year.
6. The Christmas Tree Lighting - I have only attended the lighting once, but it is a cool experience.  Unlike the fall festival, the lighting takes place in the evening.  A huge tree is lit, cocoa is drank, carols are sung, and the street just looks magical.
7. Nature - Roscoe Village must have some great gardeners.  The flowers and shrubs always look great.  There are many places to stop and take photos.  If flowers aren't your thing, head toward the parking lot and take the trail along the water.  It is a picturesque walk.  
8. Proximity to Coshocton - after you've experienced Roscoe Village, check out Coshocton.  There are many fast food restaurants, if you are still hungry.  Also, if you are around during the summer, check out the Lake Park Aquatic Complex to go swimming.  Nearby Clary Gardens is also a pretty spot to stop and take a walk and take photos (and it's free!).  A few miles down the road is the Unusual Junction - a shopping complex in a train!  They have a bulk food store, along with some crafts, plus a small restaurant.  Attached is Universal Bride, a great place to find a wedding or prom dress.  I got my wedding dress there.  Across the road from the Junction is Raven's Glenn Winery.  It is great for wine tasting or a really nice meal with someone special.  

So, there you have it, eighth reasons to check out Roscoe Village.  See you there soon!

A Day in Hartville

I recently spent the day in Hartville, a town located in  Stark county.  Hartville is best known for the restaurant The Hartville Kitchen and for the Hartville Flea Market.  We started out by trying to find Quail Hollow State Park.  It looks pretty big on the map, but for some reason, we couldn't find it.  Even with the GPS, we got lost.  We did find some campgrounds and a golf course, but no lake.  If we ever go back, we will have to look harder.  Our next stop was the Hartville Flea Market.  My mom and I don't really care for antiques, but it is worth checking out.  The building is huge.  It is full of booths with clothing, antiques, food, crafts, and lots more.  There is even a food court.  Outside is an farmer's market.  Lots of the food looked tempting, but it was lunchtime, and we had plans to eat at the Hartville Kitchen.

I'd eaten at the Kitchen once before years ago, but it seemed even bigger this time.  The building holds a huge restaurant, a large gift shop, and a bakery.  New restaurants can be tricky for me because I am a very picky eater and also a vegetarian.  I chose the always healthy grilled cheese sandwich and a side of mac and cheese.  My mom got some kind of chicken sandwich.  Neither of us were impressed with the food.  I suppose we are used to eating in Amish restaurants, many of which are very good, and this food just wasn't as impressive.

Next up was some shopping.  We checked out the gift shop and bakery, but left empty handed.  The gift shop is really nice, but I didn't see anything I just had to have.  We headed down the road to check out Hartville Hardware, a huge independent hardware store.  We weren't looking for anything in particular, but since we have never been in the store before, it was a good place to stop.  The store was very similar to Lowe's or Menards.

The last stop was downtown Hartville.  There are a few shops and restaurants, none of which were very interesting to me (antiques mostly).  There is a chocolate store downtown, which also sells ice cream (I do enjoy a candy store!).  By now, we have seem most of Hartville and it is time to go home.

So, if you have never been to Hartville, check it out.  Between the Flea Market, Hardware Store, downtown, and the Hartville kitchen, you will have hours of shopping ahead of you.

Dawes Arboretum

Labor Day weekend is always a good time to take a little trip.  Summer is almost over, but the days are still very warm.  Luckily for us, we picked a day to travel that was seventy-degrees and perfect for day outdoors.

I remember looking through old pictures at my parents house and seeing some of me and my parents at Dawes Arboretum.  I was very small, which would mean it was about thirty years ago (!).  I asked my mom about it and all she could remember was that it was hiking trails, it was near Newark, and that there were huge hedges that spelled out the name of the arboretum.  I knew it would be a good day trip to take with my husband.  He and I both enjoy being outdoors and hiking.  I enjoy taking pictures of nature. Should be a good day for both of us.

I did my research and found directions to get there.  According to the Dawes website, there is road construction around where we needed to be.  Uh oh.  Even with a few extra minutes of driving time and with a quick stop to Subway to get some lunch, we should have arrived before noon.  Well, the detour was very confusing and we went though a lot of new towns to get there.  Then, we drove past the road because it looked like it was closed when it really wasn't.  We finally arrived ten minutes til one.  Yikes.  We were already annoyed.

After arguing about the best place to park and finishing our lunches in the car, we finally were ready to check out the arboretum.  If you are a little confused what this place is, I'll break it down.  The arboretum is landscaped nature.  Gardens, plantings, ponds, trails, and thousands of trees.  If you plan to visit, be prepared to walk.

The arboretum is broken in to different sections.  The picture above is the Japanese garden.  There is a pond, big rocks, and shaped trees.  The map we picked up was a little confusing, be we headed into the woods next and hiked a few miles, passing a holly garden.  We came across a cute little log cabin in the woods on the way.  We headed toward the far end of the property to the lookout tower with the huge hedges that spelled out "Dawes Arboretum".  We passed another pond on the way.  By the time we reached the tower, I was exhausted.  We climbed it and took a few pictures.

We looked for the trail markers to take us back to our vehicle.  After almost another mile, we reached the welcome center, near where we parked our car.  I looked inside the visitor center but didn't spend too much time because we were tired and anxious to get home.  Hubby and I had a fun day but he said he never wants to go back.  It mostly had to do with the road construction.  Luckily, he figured out a shorter way to get home and we make it back in record time.  See you in another thirty years, Dawes!

McKinley Monument

Six U.S. presidents were from Ohio and there are many places throughout the state that honor those men.
One of which is the McKinley Monument and Museum, located in Canton, near the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Though you can see a bit of the roof from the highway, the Monument is a bit difficult to find.  You'll know you are close when you see the beautifully manicured lawns.

I have some memories of visiting the museum as a child, but wanted to experience it again as an adult.  The monument itself if very impressive.  Tons of steps to walk up.  Many runners were going up and down the steps, while I felt successful just climbing them once.  Inside the monument are the tombs of the former president and his wife.  Along the back wall are markers for the graves for their two daughters who died as children.

After visiting the monument, it was time to check out the museum.  Tickets were $8 for adults.  The building has two main floors.  Science on the lower level and history on the top level.  There is also a planetarium, but it is only open on weekends, so we missed out on that.  The lower level is dark.  The first thing you see is a dinosaur statue.  It is pretty cool.  Around the main room are Ohio rocks and a few live animals.  Behind the main room is a room of interactive science.  My mom and I checked out almost every one and had a pretty good time.  The coolest was the wind tornado that you can put your hand in.  There was also a cool one that you touched a ball of bright light and it made sounds.

On the second floor was the historical section.  I'm not really a history buff, but it was neat to see Pres. McKinley's furniture and furniture from the era.  Normally, statues of McKinley and his wife are on display, but they were out for repair.  A large section of the upper floor is dedicated to the Street of Shops, which is a replica of a town from McKinley's time.  It was pretty neat to look in all the shops, though some of them were a little creepy.  There is also a fire pole to slide down (I was not brave enough) and a huge train set to see.  So, we were probably only in the museum for an hour, but we had a pretty good time seeing the exhibits.  It is not as impressive as some of the larger museums in Columbus or Cleveland, but it is worth checking out.

A Day in Zoar

Though I have always lived nearby, I have never spent much time in Zoar.  Zoar Village is a historical area in Tuscarawas County that used to be inhabited by German religious separatists who wanted to have their own community.  I have always been a big fan of Roscoe Village in Coshocton, so I also wanted to visit Zoar because it seemed so similar.

While Roscoe has many shops, Zoar is a little different. It has a busy main street due to through traffic, but otherwise it is a quiet little village.  Many of the places are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  We first stopped in at the visitor's center and gift shop.  It was small, but we looked around a found a few pamphlets to look at.  Next, we walked up and down the streets, taking pictures of some of the historical buildings.  Zoar offers tours of the building for a fee, but I rarely have an interest in that sort of thing.  We found a little bulk food store but did not go inside.  It looked too much like someone's house to just walk in.

Before leaving the village, we took a peek at the centerpiece of the village - gardens.  They are very pretty and well-maintained.  We took a few pictures from the fence and headed back to our car.  Next was a hike at Zoar Woods.  It is pretty close to town, but down a bumpy little road.  There was a dilapidated picnic shelter and a large pond behind it.  Trails are everywhere and I believe some run in to the Towpath Trail.  We took a quick hike in the woods, took some pictures, and headed back before we got eaten up by mosquitoes.

Soon, it was time for lunch.  There are a few restaurants nearby, such as the Zoar Tavern, but luckily they had the menu posted on the door before we walked inside.  It was a lot of German food and it was expensive.  Not much we could have eaten.  Instead, we drove to Dover and ate at Grinders Above and Beyond.  We know we always like the food there.

So really, it was kindof a disappointing day.  We didn't buy anything or try any new restaurants.  We did get some good pictures of the village that I will post later and we did take a nice hike.  But, at least now I can say I have been there and can cross it off the list.