Summery Summary - August 2008

Howdy!

Yes, Ohio has a Kalahari. The place names are a bit confusing. Here within Hamilton County (although the city of Hamilton is the seat for Butler County, immediately to our north), we have a Glendale, Springdale, Springfield, Fairfield, Greene, Greenhills, etc. At least there are not a lot of Beverlys, and absolutely no Spanish names whatsoever. You can, however, find Mainstrasse, and Over-the-Rhine. The first few weeks we were here, everyone kept talking about going to “The Beach,” which caused me to think that the poor, deluded Buckeyes must be referring to the Ohio River, (which not that many years ago was still known to occasionally catch fire), but in fact is a local water park. An indoor water park, as so many of them are. Everything here is indoors, including pools, and even miniature golf, which they quaintly refer to as “putt-putt golf.” Stephen and I frequently feel like time-travelers from some advanced civilization.

Speaking of advancement, the NAACP just concluded their annual weeklong convention in Cincinnati, and, (along with the arrival of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in nearby West Chester) has been, almost literally, the only thing in the newspaper. Apparently, there were some small riots in 2001, somehow involving the Cincinnati Police, so this was a way for the city to make amends and show how we’ve improved, race-wise. Anyway, one of the numerous, lengthy articles talked about what a boon the convention was going to be for “black businesses.” This provoked me to write another Letter to the Editor, which follows:

Reading the article about black businesses as a non-black person, I couldn't help but wonder: would I be welcome in a black business? Do they use different currency? How can I identify such a business, or do I have to? Are they located in a Black Pages directory? This way leads to absurdity. I cannot imagine the Enquirer running the headline "Convention helps white businesses."
Regarding Carol Ruffin's comment suggesting a boost in her business would be “a blessing," I have to ask: would more money be a bigger blessing? How much money would she need to make to move from Blessing to Miracle status? Is she talking about God or Mammon?
Finally, the article raises a host of questions about racism and separatism.
Thank you for continuing to provide such thought-provoking articles.


Since the letter has not yet been published, I can only imagine that the Editors of the “Enquirer” do not appreciate either irony or sarcasm. Although there was a follow-up article that reported that, in fact, black businesses [sic] were not helped by the convention. (Fortunately, the Extreme Home Makeover did turn out to be a blessing, according to several sources, so southwest Ohio must still be favored, hallelujah.)

We are favored too, apparently. We have discvered that the previous owners created a “prairie garden” of wonderful native plants along one side of our back yard. Working from both a guidebook and trips to Winton Woods’ Nature Center, I have identified some, but not all, including the wonderfully named Self-Heal, spiderwort, purple loosestrife, and trumpet creeper. The Black-Eyed Susans I did know, but there are still many that remain a mystery.

It is such a difference from Long Beach: despite being here two months, we still cannot get used to seeing deer alongside (or even on) the freeway off-ramps; Canada geese in grocery store parking lots (hissing if the carts get too close); and enough unrecognizable road kill to feed a small Appalachian village. Passing a tree or shrub, we might encounter a primary burst of red, blue, or yellow, making California’s sparrows and mourning doves seem a bit drab. This being Ohio, so notoriously behind the times, the June bugs have just arrived – in July. Even our own backyard is becoming something of a Nature’s Wonderland. Rosie discovered a box turtle in our wildflower beds, and a wasp has started a paper nest in a wind chime. There are minuscule orange eggs affixed to a window (which we hope turn out to be a butterfly’s), and I found a beautiful blue robin’s egg on our lawn.

And on the subject of gardens, I must mention that Stephen got a job, which he began earlier this week, as an Assistant Manager at a store called Garden Ridge, which is one of a chain of garden/home furnishing warehouse stores. Although, with what they sell, and the discount he receives, we may not come out that far ahead financially!

Well, by the calendar we’ve been here already two months today. It’s still somewhat hard to imagine that it was only back in January that we came out here “just looking,” and now here we are, with a house and everything! Before the next thunderstorm begins, and we possibly lose power (again!--albeit briefly), I will post this.

Love, Rob't