Red-winged Blackbird ~ Agelaius phoeniceus ~ Upper Mahoning River Watershed, Ohio

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise."
~ John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Redwinged blackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusmalebirdboldly coloredabundantglossy blacktumbling songterritorialblackbirdslender conical billred shoulder patch bordered with yellowagile flyer

From *master gallery

Red-headed Woodpecker ~ Melanerpes erythrocephalus ~ Ohio River Valley

"Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past." ~ Bernice Abbott

Redheaded WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusbirdwoodpeckerflying checkerboardentirely crimson headbold patternmediumsizedredscarlet red headstockybirthday x2

From *master gallery

jellyfish ~ road trip to Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati, Ohio ~ June 2013

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." ~ Dr. Seuss

jellyfishjellyNikon D80AFS DX ZoomNikkor 18135mm f3.55.6G IFEDContinental United StatesNewport AquariumCincinnatiOhio

From *master gallery

ancient bridge ~ Mill Creek Park, Ohio ~ road trip to Ohio

Scenes of Mill Creek Park, founded 1891 in Youngstown, Ohio, appear every so often in my dad's home movies. When I was much younger, we routinely met for summer family reunions there, and so I have many fond memories of playing with my cousins, with fairly reckless abandon, at verdant Mill Creek. This is one of the oldest bridges in the park. Although my paternal grandpa and grandma and my dad's three brothers were all born in Pennsylvania ~ Potter, Indiana and Bradford/McKean counties ~ my dad, the youngest of the brothers, was born in Youngstown. Photo Summer 2012

lightcolorOhiobridgeMill Creek ParkYoungstowncreekreflectionswaterhistoricaloldstone bridgeNikon D80AFS DX ZoomNikkor 18135mm f3.55.6G IFEDContinental United Statescover

From *master gallery

Gothic Spires of Wisdom at Old Kenyon ~ Ohio River Valley

"In any modern society, and between all such societies, there are many conflicting interests that are more or less irreconcilably opposed. Pursuing their interests, persons and groups try to block each other, and this blocking invites retaliation.... The blocking and retaliation readily take violent forms. In the end, politics are about finding ways to manage and restrain this struggle. Those who become expert on political issues, who advise political actors, or who themselves take leading roles in the political effort to maintain civility and peace engage in the highest of human callings." ~ Gary P. Freeman, Chair, Department of Government, University of Texas @ Austin

gothicspireswisdomeducationOld.KenyonKenyon.CollegearchitectureGambierOhioresidence.hallbuildingconstructed.between.1827.and.1829Kenyon's.first.permanent.buildingmassive.brick.wallsoutdoortowerschoolcollegebirthday

From *master gallery

Before the Ascension ~ Commencement 2007, Samuel Mather Hall, Kenyon College, Ohio

*Kokosing Farewell*

Old Kenyon, we are like Kokosing,
Obedient to some strange spell,
Which urges us from all reposing;
Farewell, Old Kenyon,
Fare thee well.

And yet we are not like Kokosing,
Which beareth naught upon its swell
But foam of motion's own composing;
Farewell, Old Kenyon,
Fare thee well.

But when we are far from Kokosing,
We still shall hear a calling bell,
When round us evening shades are closing;
Farewell, Old Kenyon,
Fare thee well.

And see a river like Kokosing,
In meadows sweet with asphodel,
Where mem'ry dwells dear past supposing;
Farewell, Old Kenyon,
Fare thee well.

j van cise photoscommencement2007celebrationKenyon.Collegeascensionsamuel.mather.hallGambierOhioKokosing.Rivergraduationcollegeprivateseatinglight.and.shadows

From *master gallery

Dream Café ~ Ohio River Valley

"I'm in the corner with the coffee
at The Dream Café." ~ Greg Brown

j van cise photosdreamcafeOhio River Valleycorner tablecoffeebirthday

From *master gallery