RichC | July 23, 2010
Nice to know the area we live in is recognized nationally in the “Best Places to Live” section of Money Magazine. Top 100 rank: 32 Population: 60,000 Compare West Chester to Top 10 Best Places What do dogs, kites, and beer have in common? West Chester holds festivals celebrating all three. It has an active […]
RichC | July 20, 2010
The stock OEM Goodyear Integrity tires on my Honda Pilot have giving me a good 109,000 miles of wear and I replaced them today since an ugly split started to show up. They have always driven well on everything but wet roads, especially heavy rain. Their flaw is that they seem to be unable to […]
RichC | June 15, 2010
The strong storms which passed through southwestern Ohio Monday evening dumped heavy rain and lightning all around our home (see video clip from Palm Pre at bottom). The pool is full to overflowing and the water retention area overflowed the driveway and patio areas. Thankfully our two sump pumps worked well to keep our basement […]
RichC | May 16, 2010
I enjoyed the day working in the yard and found myself appreciating Brenda’s gardening talents. As the landscaping around our yard continues to mature and the varieties of different flowers bloom one after another all spring, all the hard work to plan, plant and tend is beginning to pay off. Today’s overweight Peony blooms were […]
RichC | April 30, 2010
With a new El Rancho Grande Mexican restaurant opening close to home, I won’t have to drive as far to get my chips and salsa ‘fix.’ Unfortunately being so close is going to be a real temptation.
RichC | March 20, 2010
Waiting for details on this … (article below) EDIT 3/21/2010: The plane was built by Kevin Kinney. It was a Zenith 601XL with a Jabiru 3300 engine. It received it Airworthiness certificate August 28, 2009. Kevin is a member of EAA Chapter 174 in Cincinnati. Pilot uninjured in Warren County plane crash No one was […]
RichC | February 18, 2010
It looks like the Lakota Board of Education has decided to place a new levy on May 4th’s primary ballot in our area – LINK – not a well timed request, in my opinion. I’ve been mostly supportive and relatively pleased with the education my kids have received in our local public schools, but from […]
RichC | February 16, 2010
Now that the worst of the couple of days of winter snow are over, I noticed that Clinton County (a county to the east) has just now declared a LEVEL 3 Snow Emergency (the one that closes roadways to non-emergency personnel – see below). I had thought that road crews were getting on top of […]
RichC | February 15, 2010
The El Niño as certainly brought it share of precipitation this year, although I’m not sure where the warmer weather is? Here in Cincinnati we’re surpassing our February snowfall averages and nearing records, so I have been hearing – WCPOWeather Tweet. We’ve already past last year for snow for this time of year (21.5”) by […]
RichC | January 30, 2010
On Saturday, Clayton, Ohio hunter Brian Stephens will know “officially” if the buck he shot with a muzzleloader on November 30th 2009 is one for the record books. (photo above is Brian, the buck and a coyote) Without question the “green” scored 232 5/8 non-typical whitetail deer taken in Highland County Ohio is one big […]
RichC | January 28, 2010
Hmm … I don’t want to be negative just because I dislike big government and excessive borrowing … but will a high speed rail service really be the best investment for our state? I drive from Cincinnati to NE Ohio every week, but unless I could park safely and cheaply on this end and rent […]
RichC | January 16, 2010
I received a phone call from my neighbor a few minutes ago concerning a wounded and limping coyote on her back porch (previous post). By the time I retrieved my voicemail it was too late to do anything as the county sheriff arrived and the critter headed off into the ravine. A brief search with […]
RichC | December 8, 2009
The Ohio News Channel produced a short news story on trapping coyotes in the suburban areas of West Chester in Butler County, Ohio (see previous post). Neighbor in the area have grown concerned enough as to hire a professional trapper (video below). Perhaps they’ll at least remove the boldest coyotes … although I wonder just […]
RichC | December 7, 2009
Who would have thunk it … the first dusting of snow across the Cincinnati area that looks so harmless and traffic nightmare ensues. Good news for automotive body shops and tow truck operators … and probably far better than the “cash for clunkers” boondoggle forced on taxpayers by Washington this year? I went out to […]
RichC | November 22, 2009
Relatively new EFE Gazebo – replaced after Hurricane Ike in 2008 While enjoying a calm and warm November afternoon, I visited with my neighbors and envied watching the helicopter land and takeoff in their backyard. He mentioned (and chuckled) that since he saw the life-flight land and take off a few days ago that it […]
RichC | November 15, 2009
No I’m not talking about the Ohio State Buckeyes win over the Iowa Hawkeyes this weekend OR the “whodey” Bengals defensive triumph over their rival the Pittsburgh Steelers (for a 5-0 record in their division and 7-2 overall – but who am I to boast) … although both were local football wins and worthly bloggable […]
RichC | November 8, 2009
As I watched the paramedics and emergency workers waiting for the life-flight helicopter and cutting apart the car that a young man was driving on Bethany Road behind our house on Sunday morning, I couldn’t help but feel for the boys’ parents who stood looking on helplessly. From preliminary reports, he was heading home from […]
RichC | November 2, 2009
Although most of my conservative friends would be appalled I listed to National Public Radio, they produced an appreciated story reflecting on the life of Capt. David “Seth” Mitchell, 1 of 14 Marines killed on October 27th and played the story nationally (MP3 Link). It was good to hear how the community of Loveland (NE […]
RichC | October 30, 2009
My apology for the lousy Palm Pre ‘enlarged’ photo of a large coyote who has been roaming our Liberty Township Ohio neighborhood. It has been a source of concern for neighbors and pet owners that we’ve had a few more coyotes than normal … and that this particular large male has decided to make his […]
RichC | September 19, 2009
We stopped over at the Cincinnati area Homearoma this year in Mason, Ohio even though it was smaller … five homes between $550K to 850K as I recall, compared to the 18 homes mostly over a million or so dollars in previous years. Brenda and I still had a good time and enjoyed check on […]
RichC | September 2, 2009
Stephen F. Belden (ex-teacher … just kidding), a Canton Ohio Municipal Court judge, silenced argumentative defendant Harry Brown with duct tape in his courtroom last week. After listening to the audio of the exchange between the judge and Mr. Brown, it sounded as if Belden’s patience ran short after listening to the defendant expressed displeasure […]
RichC | August 22, 2009
While buzzing around Liberty Township, the evening sky was pretty dramatic so I poke my Palm Pre phone out the window on Butler-Warren County road and included it. (Panoramio Location)
RichC | May 26, 2009
Being on the Ohio roads regularly for business and pleasure had me pondering my home state’s ranking in the National Motorists Association‘s Memorial Day review of the least friendly states for drivers. The survey used 17 criteria that unfortunately placed Ohio just behind New Jersey as the most unfriendly state for drivers. The state rankings […]
RichC | May 20, 2009
It is long past due that I mention that a friend’s second coffee shop location for Coffee Beans & Brew in Monroe, Ohio location is open for business. Steve’s first CBB is on Yankee Road near the Cincinnati-Dayton Road intersection in Liberty Township has been one of my favorite coffee houses and I’ve been anxious […]
RichC | May 14, 2009
I was disappointed last week to have missed seeing Rhett and Link in Fairfield Ohio while out of town on Thursday, but since then I’ve noticed them on several network news shows talking about a controversial Red House Furniture video (my previous post). I didn’t find the video all that offensive or really all that […]
RichC | May 7, 2009
While out of town this week at one of my regular hotels, I noticed a speedy brown spider about the size of a nickel in my room at night, perhaps the Brown Recluse –Loxosceles reclusa (photo right). I tried to catch him, but he was evasive and when behind one of the screwed down pictures […]
RichC | May 6, 2009
I know that I’ve posted one too many photos of the gazebo progress, but one more picture taken while the sun sets won’t hurt. This one was taken on Tuesday night just after the construction workers installed the railings and before the rain came today, Wednesday 5/6/2009. I’ll also use this to mention that I’ve […]
RichC | April 28, 2009
An article in our local paper highlighted the Golden Lamb restaurant and hotel in historic Lebanon, Ohio this week. It has been in business for75,000 consecutive days. That’s long enough to have seen a civil war, two world wars and 40 presidents. The celebration on April 27th marked the 206 years of business for this […]
RichC | April 14, 2009
EFE Gazebo Project on Monday April 13, 2009 We had a cold front roll through on Monday so there hasn’t been any progress on our neighborhood Gazebo. Of course the only reason I’m mentioning it is because I’ve set up my video camera and am running a ustream.tv streaming feed of the construction. Rainy and […]
RichC | April 10, 2009
The good news that yesterday the gazebo project moved ahead as the pilings were sunk and cemented before the rain came. The bad news is that it is a damp day today, but ‘lo and behold‘ the construction crew is working this morning … according to the ustream.tv channel I’m broadcasting. Setting up a webcam […]
RichC | April 9, 2009
Finally … we are moving ahead with the repairs/replacement of our homeowner association’s damaged gazebo. The lake was pumped down yesterday and the contractor is hoping for a few rain-less days in order to get the piling in place so construction can start. The original gazebo stood for 15 years and was blown over by […]
RichC | March 31, 2009
If you are near West Chester, Ohio in eastern Butler county Tuesday night, consider filling up your car while saying hello to volunteers from a church called Journey. (they meet at the Lakota East High School in Liberty Township on Sundays) According to Youth Minister, Luke Dooley (@yeloodekul), members will be staffing a couple pumps […]
RichC | September 14, 2008
Hurricane Ike didn’t just come ashore and disappear after the Texas and Louisiana landfall, but continued to leave damage in its path. On Sunday here in Ohio, the strong winds arrived and were gusting over 70 mph between 2 and 6 PM. Here in the Cincinnati area, power outages were widespread — 650,000 in the […]
RichC | September 10, 2008
On Tuesday both campaigns, Obama and McCain made swings through Ohio — we must be an important state? 😉 (photo above and video below from Cincinnati.com) Nevertheless the McCain/Palin campaign were in the town next door and they were greeted by much larger groups than McCain alone. There is certainly something that attracts people to […]
RichC | March 13, 2008
A few months ago mention the name Ikea would have meant very little to me. After an Ikea Store grand opening in my area today (North of Cincinnati), it is difficult to ‘not’ know about this Swedish company. For those of you living under the same rock I must have been under, this is very […]
RichC | July 14, 2007
A new friend, Konstantine Karvelas and his wife Maria opened their restaurant today. (article in the Pulse Journal) We were anxious to try the food and experience the service … my daughter is working there … and both were very good. 🙂 Although I’ve been hanging out with Konstantine over coffee several times a week […]
RichC | September 3, 2006
If you’ve ever been around Cincinnati, Ohio on Labor Day weekend you most likely have seen (or at least heard of) the annual fireworks display. This year was the 30th year and the display was better than ever. It was 45 minutes of mind-boggling color, smoke and noise. In Cincinnati, you know what fireworks are […]
RichC | March 6, 2006
Do we need to petition our community for a “hitching post” at the local Caribou Coffee Shop in West Chester, Ohio? How does that saying go … “the more things change (and they certainly have in our community!), the more they stay the same.” Seeing people on horseback trotting around Liberty Township was probably commonplace […]