Rose Mallow Blooms

Southern Belle, Rose Mallow.




I am in love with these flowers. I first noticed them a couple of weeks ago at Wegerzyn Gardens. They have some beautiful displays throughout the park

Rose Mallow.




Come to discover that these are a Hibiscus, who knew? I thought Hibiscus was only found in warm coastal climates, not Ohio. These are a hardy perennial and have the largest blooms of any perennial sometimes measuring up to 12" in diameter. Average bloom at least 5-6" wide.

Rose Mallow.


They come in striking colors ranging from white to light pink, hot pink, deep reds, and variegated.

Sultry Kiss, Rose Mallow.

Elizabeth Deserves Better, They all do!

Mt. Union / Pleasant Valley cemetery.

On another day trip to explore the Ohio countryside we headed to another spot on the 'Haunted Ohio' map with an intriguing name, Elizabeth's Grave. It was supposed to be very difficult to find, we had no trouble at all. Of course the address is not quite correct, it is on Union Lane not Union Road which is off of Egypt Pike, northwest of Chillicothe, Ohio in Ross County. It is a dirt road and as long as you continue to go towards the left when the road forks you will come across it. This had to be one of the most heartbreaking spots we have ever visited and not because of the stories and haunting's but because of the vandalism and complete lack of respect for the cemetery and its occupants.

At least someone mows the grass but nearly all of the stones are vandalized, pushed over, painted on, smashed, or have been dragged to a far back corner of the field into the woods.

At the back of the cemetery is a large field with this beautiful tree. Apparently a church, the Union Presbyterian used to be on this site which was established in 1802. This is the supposed tree where Elizabeth either hanged herself or was murdered beneath over an inheritance her late husband left her. There were 13 Elizabeth's buried in this cemetery and other sites have narrowed it down to one Elizabeth Clark that is the likely namesake. However, I ask you do any of them deserve this vandalism?

This is a site towards the back where various monuments have been set up to be used as benches around a campfire.

Pieces of stone grave markers used to ring the fire, beer cans and trash litter the site. Mind you this also backs up to a nature reserve. Of course these people have no thought for the dead let alone nature or the homes of those who live nearby apparently.

We spent time walking among the graves and being empathic there is a very heavy feeling of sadness here but my impressions were that is because they do not understand the behavior of the people who have come to disturb them and ruin their final resting place. I felt the presence of an elderly gentleman who walks around the field. He would like some order and beauty re-established here.

We sent out prayers of love and light to all within the cemetery and as we were leaving 7 yellow butterflies lined up in the road in our path, it was like they didn't want us to leave. Butterflies are symbols of the soul or spirit, resurrection, and joy.

For those who feel the need to destroy ask yourself why? What gives you the right to destroy history?  Give a thought to the families of these passed on souls, the spirits themselves, to people like me who love history and may be searching for ancestors, to nature and our country. These people were pioneers; hardworking, many of them farmers, carving a life out of the wilderness so that someday down the road you, their descendant, could enjoy life and grow. Is this how you want to repay them?

Dedicated

To all of the Elizabeth's and their families in Mt. Union/ Pleasant Valley cemetery.

Love and Light.

Bear's Mill

Holly hocks outside the mill.

Last weekend we found ourselves in the car traversing the countryside once again. This time

traveling on the 671. We decided to head up to the 36 to visit a park we heard about and came across this mill instead.

Bear's Mill entrance.

 

This was a happy accident finding Bear's Mill.  Located in Darke County, outside of Greenville, Ohio on Arcanum-Bear's Mill road. The mill was built in 1849 by Gabriel Baer and is now a non-profit. It is one of the oldest water-powered working mills still in existence.

There are four floors to explore and it is a little dizzying for those of us with a problem of heights, especially the top most door that opens to air but it is well worth the climb. I loved the sloping wood floors, the antiques, the hand-hewn beams, just the feel of the building. There is also an art gallery with rotating exhibits and a gift store with all sorts of lovely kitchen and food items as well as stone ground products.

The gristmill is run by water from the Greenville creek just out back. There is a well maintained path that leads through the woods to the creek and to the dam pictured here. A separate millrace water way runs to the mill itself and is 800 feet long, 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It was hand dug by school children who were paid 50 cents a day.  A very nice deck overlook is here with a bench to look out over the water. There is also a memorial for the Vietnam vets who did not return from the war. It is located in a beautiful, tranquil spot in the woods.

They have a website and a calendar of events and artists that will be showing in the gallery. Just a lovely destination and one we will return to in the future. Perhaps when we go in search of that park on another day.