I’d been visiting with family, playing with my great nieces, going places with my nieces and my sister, sorting through family photos,  attending a funeral, and visiting with high school friends.    Monday of my  trip  was a day to play a real tourist in Ohio! My cousin, Ray, (he’s really my step-cousin but I’m upgrading him to real family because I really like him!) is taking myself, Loretta and Rose (Ray’s mother) to go on some winery tours.

When I had told my husband what our plans were for Monday, he chuckled and said “Well, that will be a waste of time!”  Guess he felt that Ohio had little to offer in the way of wines!  I was going to give Ohio the benefit of the doubt and tour some of the country around where I was born and raised and the best part was I didn’t have to be anywhere near the drama.  Selfish you say?  Hell, yes,  and that was what I needed, a break.  I had the morning to myself, got up, made breakfast, had a shower and was ready.

My Niece's House

My Niece’s house

Ray showed up with Loretta and Rosy and I played tour guide and gave them a quick tour of the house.  We were headed south of Barberton.  Ray wasn’t really telling us much of where we were going.  Rosy and I were in the back seat and I had gotten my seat belt on and Rosy said that she was having problems with hers.  I offered to help so I undid mine.  However, to help Rosy her I had to lean way over her to get to her seat belt, then I had to get even closer because even though I had found the seatbelt, I hadn’t found the little metal piece. I finally found it under her but by then I was practically in her lap looking like I was ready to make love to her.   Rosy finally said “That’s more of a hug than I expected!”  chuckling all the while.  Ray looked in the rearview and broke up laughing as did I.  I finally got her connected and off we went laughing.

Since Ray wouldn’t say where we were going, it wasn’t until I got back home (yes, California is home!), that I looked up the wineries on the internet and learned we were quite a ways south of Barberton.  Ray had said it was about a 45 minute drive but it was more like an hour and a half.  But the country side was beautiful, green with rolling hills, beautiful farms,

Coshocton County in Ohio

A farm in Coshocton County in Ohio

and barns. We saw horses, cattle, sheep, then some zebras on a farm!  Acres of corn, then some spiky looking corn that I learned is called field corn.  Field corn is used for animal feed but also it turns out it can be used to make hominy, corn meal and grits.  It definitely has a different look to it.   Before long we had arrived at our first winery,  Yellow Butterfly Winery!

There is more to come.   Stay tuned for the rest of the fun day!

So when you’ve gone back to visit your birthplace, what have you done to be a tourist?

Part 2 is here: Family Break Part 2

Part 3 is here: Family Break Part 3 

 

Part 4 is here: Family Break Part 4 

Julieanne Case came from a left brained world, having been a computer programmer who worked on the Apollo missions and, due to circumstances orchestrated by God/Source/Universe, joined the growing ranks of the right-brained world starting in 2001. She became an energy healing practitioner in 2004 and has studied various techniques. She is a Reconnective Healing Pracitioner, a Reconnective Artist, and a blogger. She assists you in reconnecting you to your original blueprint, your essence, your joy and your well being! ©Copyright Julieanne Case 2011