Hanging Rock and Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run in Lagro, Indiana

A friend and I decided to go on a photo shoot in Lagro, Indiana, not far from Wabash. I never expected to go on a hike that day but we did.  I was not sorry that we went even if it was hot and the bugs thought that we were dinner. 

The first place that we visited was hanging rock. It is located in Lagro and it was lovely to look at from below. I was afraid to climb up to the top because I feared falling and killing myself or ruining my camera, or both. I should have worn hiking boots that day.  

The view of the water was still just as lovely from below and I tried to imagine myself in a boat drifting lazily down stream. You know, there is a peace that comes over you when you are in nature.  Even if we could hear someone mowing their lawn not far away the peace was still there. Sometimes, I feel that way when I am in the garden and my hands are in the dirt. It is like a calm that comes over you and rests with your soul for a bit. 

I love stones. Whenever I am somewhere I look for one to bring back home as a memento of the trip. Sand and shells I bring back with me too.  My dad used to carry a stone in his pocket all of the time.  It could be that I got my love for them from him.  

The next place we went was Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run, about a mile or two from Hanging Rock. It is a place filled with a couple of water falls and surrounding woods and cliffs to look down from.  

We started out in a path and then went back into the woods onto a trail that went two miles around. Because the water wasn't high we were able to walk in the stream in some places. 

The colors of the stones were intense greens and blues that caught my eye as we looked for things to photograph. The deeper we went into the woods there were surprising things that we found. 

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Mushrooms were all over the place and looked sort of like a fairy garden. I expected to see a gnome at any moment or a little fairy fluttering around.

Next, we came upon a log with what appeared to be shells attached to it. I touched them and they were smooth just like a shell. I have no idea what it was or how it got there. You have no idea how badly I wanted a sample of this to bring home. But I respected the sign asking to take nothing and leave nothing. It was hard though. 

A light ray highlighted a insect eaten leaf. It was still strangely beautiful as it stood out from the rest of the vegetation.  

We saw this sight near the end of our hike. It is layered stones. I wondered how this happened as we climbed into the spring to take a closer look. How long did it take for this giant layer of stone to accumulate or is it man made?

 It was a beautiful day to be out and about enjoying the places that I should make more effort in visiting.  Yes it was a bit beyond my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it. 

The Temple of Tolerance

I don't know how I found it on the internet, but the Temple of Tolerance seemed like a fascinating place to visit.  Wapakoneta, Ohio is only an hour and a half drive from my home.  So, on a blistering hot Saturday we set off to see this backyard wonder that was created by Jim Bowsher.

The GPS announced that we had arrived at our destination in the middle of the block in a residential area.  It was easy to see the place where we had intended to go.  The front yard was only the beginning of our adventure. 

We made our way down the driveway into the back yard. Once there, Jim Bowsher came out and encouraged us to look around and enjoy ourselves.  

I suggested to my nephew and his brother to explore on their own while I looked around.  The place was packed with objects to look at and I wanted to take in as much as I could. 

Once I made it through the maze like path I saw the temple.  The picture doesn't really do it justice nor can you get the sense of how enormous it really is. I climbed the steps to the top. 

There to greet us was two faces that I was understanding were Irish. On top of this was a lamb that I didn't notice until I was looking at the temple from below. 

This is a view of an alter inspired fire pit with other rock collections all around the yard.  

I tried to tune into the vibes of this place as I wandered in awe around the rock sanctuary.  I sat down for a few minutes and breathed in the scent of the spirituality that filled this sacred place. Peace surround me. Jim's soul went into this masterpiece and it can be felt strongly. 

Several family's visited at the same time that we did but they did a quick walk through and was gone. But this isn't how art is to be viewed.  

It is to be savored like a fine wine. Swished around in the senses till the palate is please with the taste of it. Most people look at art but not see it. 

If you are near Wapakoneta, Ohio it is worth your while to stop in to see The Temple of Tolerance.  Even if you are not near it is worth an effort to travel to.