Olentangy Living In & Around Central Ohio

Like some other Columbus suburbs, Powell has renovated its downtown into a trendy group of small businesses. You can walk to a bakery, coffee shop, a tavern, and other shops. Like Dublin, developers tore down some of the original buildings and rebuilt all new structures with “old” designs. In addition to Powell and Dublin, Gahanna, Hilliard and Marysville have also rejuvenated their downtown areas. You can make your favorite suburb a success by supporting these local small businesses.

The mainstay of the Tartan Fields golf community is the country club. The community offers very upscale homes surrounding the golf course. Arnold Palmer was a prime initiator of Tartan which is located just north of Glick Rd and Muirfield Village which was developed by friend and competitor, Jack Nicklaus. 

This is one of the holes on Tartan Fields golf course. When I first pulled along side the road, two of the golfers in the photo were down in two of the sand traps that surround the green. The traps have a rather severe overhang lip and apparently one of the guys was just a wee bit frustrated, as I saw him give his club the “heave-ho” after he took a shot. Perhaps it wasn’t the first shot he took trying to get out of the sand.

I remember a hole at Apple Valley (Howard, OH) that would sometimes give me fits. It was #8 and at that time (30 years ago when we owned weekend property there) the bunker was lined with vertical railroad ties. If the ball landed in that trap, there was no option but to hit backward to the fairway then try for the green a second time. There were times I, too, felt like throwing my wedge so I can sympathize with this guy.

If you use hardwood mulch, chances are good that you’ve seen something like this suddenly appear on the mulch. It’s been given the rather unappetizing – yet very descriptive – name of “dog vomit slime mold“. I’ve seen it in various colors, however, this batch was a little more appealing color than some others I’ve seen,

Photo taken with my Blackberry

Farmer’s Markets have sprung up this summer the way dandelions do in the spring. It’s fun to shop at them to get the fresh vegetables from Ohio rather than the ones we normally receive from California. The local vegetables have so much more flavor. I visited this one located in Shawnee Hills, north of Glick & Dublin roads. In addition to vegetables, they also had fresh eggs and some Amish pies. I resisted the pies, but it was hard.

Photo taken with Blackberry

Sometimes we locals take things for granted. We drive by certain landmarks and never notice because we’re lost in thought. I suspect many people that drive along Riverside Dr or Dublin Rd, south of Dublin, don’t pay too much attention to all the stone fences. I found an explanation of these fences on the Dublin Historical website. It’s rather interesting if you care to read it.

Photo taken with Blackberry

In downtown Columbus, at the Arena District, there is an ornate arch. This arch was once part of the facade of the old Union Station which was demolished in the late 70′s.

Photo taken with Blackberry

Mama Zarella’s is a tiny Italian eatery in a hidden strip mall just north of downtown Powell. Unless someone has recommended it to you, you might be inclined to skip it or miss it altogether. I don’t stop in too often for carry-out, but I do love their lasagna. I’m not a fan of the tomato paste type of sauce, and Mama’s isn’t that type. Their lasagna tastes just like homemade, which of course it is. I assume their other dishes and pizza are equally good. Visit their website (above link) to view their menu and map.

Photo taken with Blackberry

I don’t know what type of tree this is, but it seemed interesting with the large, open knot hole and the various fungus forms growing on it.

In central Ohio we occasionally have pretty sunsets, but none like the spectacular ones that Arizona or California have. So when we do have a prettier-than-normal sky, we appreciate it. This sunset occurred after a late afternoon storm.

The Morgan House, near Muirfield Village, is a unique experience. It sits on the northwest corner of Glick & Dublin Roads appearing somewhat mystical as to what is contained inside. Once you go inside the 18,000 sq ft building, it can be overwhelming. Exclusive gifts, clothing, gourmet foods and even furniture, fill every amount of space inside. In the old log cabin portion is a quaint, intimate restaurant, perfect for lunch with a good friend. If you like to browse, plan to spend a considerable amount of time there. Be sure to follow the link to their web site to see everything the facility offers.

Rabbit families have made my yard their home for several years now. I think it began when I planted the large Norway spruces, which gave them cover. They also like to hide under the thorny pyracantha. Brutus, my last Dobie, didn’t deter them. The Murph – who is supposed to be ergonomically designed to hunt rabbits down into their holes – doesn’t deter them. Although this one kept an eye on me, I was able to get pretty close. This week I noticed there was yet another new litter … of course, isn’t there ALWAYS a new litter with rabbits.

I guess I would rather have rabbits, than the skunk I had at another home. I had to stock up on gallons of tomato juice because the Dobie I had then hated cats and skunks. He didn’t know the difference. There were several times he had to sleep in the garage … until he finally killed it. You can’t even imagine what that clean-up was like. Ew-w-w-w!

I took this photo in the back of my Real Living office in Powell this afternoon. We saw lots of these clouds this weekend as it was a very rainy, stormy weekend. Tornado warnings were also common. One touched down in NW Ohio killing a few people. On the way into the office today, I saw quite a bit of standing water in fields and lawns. There were streams where there weren’t supposed to be streams.

I received Delaware County’s CODE RED phone call this morning at 5:30, warning of high winds and hail in my area. If you live in Delaware County, do take advantage of this emergency warning system. It’s not just for weather but any other emergency that the County needs to alert residents. Give them the phone number you want called and the address you want monitored. Sign up at this page on Delaware County’s web site.

Photo taken with Blackberry

The Capital Area Humane Society is a good place to get your next “forever friend”. In the late 80′s, I volunteered there and eventually brought home a young female Dobe to join Rommel, my first Dobie and my soulmate. When you go there, you’ll notice bricks with special thoughts from the people who contributed to building this nice place for homeless pets. One of those bricks is from Rommel and me.

The Society exists solely with donations from the community. Click on the link above to visit their web site to learn how you can help with your time or your money … or to get that new friend.

The Murph was with me when I took this photo so I had to reassure him that I wouldn’t be leaving him behind.

The huge Dublin Rec Center has been a very popular facility since built. Apparently this family of geese think it’s a good place for a family stroll and swim as well. The Rec Center is located on the north side of Post Rd between Coffman Rd and Avery Rd.

A special thanks to our brave service people who ensure the freedoms we have enjoyed for centuries.

They are the reason we speak “American”, not some other foreign language.

They are the reason we can speak out against our government when we disagree with their direction.

They are the reason we can choose which religion we wish to believe in.

They are the reason we can dress as we choose, and not hide our faces if we are women.

They are the reason we can choose where to live and where to work.

They are the reason that people from other countries come here and want to become a U.S. citizen.

They are the reason we can casually sit on our decks this weekend,enjoy grilling and sipping a favorite beverage with family and friends while complaining about the government, the economy & Wall St., the oil spill & big corporations, or the people who come here and chose to not do it legally.

Photo taken with Blackberry

A large rose bush at my listing in Wedgewood just opened its blooms. I’m not sure what type of rose this is, but it’s pretty.

A practice tee, lake and tennis courts at the Wedgewood Country Club and golf course.

I seldom eat inside restaurants as I prefer to take food home to eat. The Greek Express in Powell is one of my favorite stops. I’m on my second “frequent eater” card now. Unlike most fast-food places, the Greek Express has REAL food. Their gyros are good, and I sometimes get the dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves). Although the photo shows baklava, my dessert preference is the melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu. The restaurant is located at 4091 Powell Rd (west of Sawmill Pkwy, next to Blockbuster). You can order inside or go through the drive-thru. Try it the next time you’re short on time and want something other than smashed hamburgers & cold fries.

Photo taken with my Blackberry