Over a decade on from high school, Ohio is no longer home, but I’ve still lived there longer than any other single place, and thus it looms large in my mind.

Landscapes like the above shaped my understanding of the world. 15 years ago I sat eating lunch where the above photo was taken when a Great Blue Heron flew downstream 4 feet above the ground and 6 feet from my eyes; one of the more vivid of numberless moments which built the mind I carry today. It’s important to see these places from time to time, to remind myself of how big my vision has become. Much moreso than any time in the past, the little woods tucked between farms and houses seemed tiny.

Family had changed very little, in the best ways: new and old folks doing the same things we’ve always done.

The snow man was 10 feet tall, and yes we used the Deere to get the upper two snowballs set up.  Based on a bit of tail lift under hoist, my uncle figured that the middle ball was around 600 pounds.

Archer carrying on the family tradition.

Landscapes aren’t one of them, but there are some things which are better back east.