Lakewood Park, a NE Ohio Gem
Tucked into the city limits of Cleveland Ohio, is the small city of Lakewood. Until the late 1930's, the town was largely undeveloped and aptly named. A beautiful place with old trees, beckoning you into their depths to eventually find the lake. Or so I'd imagine, I obviously was not alive then.
When I look over old photos of the city, I find a quaint charm that has somewhat survived the decades of development. There is no place that better represents this than Lakewood Park. Although this park is now far less wild than it was when I was just a wee Grindan, I find the experienced trees and open arms of the lake to be just as enchanting.
From the shore you can look out and view Downtown Cleveland. Yesterday was fairly humid, causing the hazy effect you see, which was amplified by the time of day.
I am totally new to using a 'professional grade' camera. When switching into 55mm I find that I lose a lot of image quality. Perhaps I need a zoom lens?
Regardless, here is a close up of the Cleveland skyline, tiny waves separating us by only a few miles. The tallest building you see there is the Key Bank building, which sits at the center of it all.
On days with low humidity (which are rare here) you can see the city with much greater clarity. I'm sure this will be far from the last shot I take of it. As everyone who visits this scenic spot is, I am compelled to try and capture my moment with it.
This view can be enjoyed at the end of a lakeside path which hosts another attraction, the solstice steps. They were of course filled with people soaking up the late afternoon view. In this photo of the sign, you can get a great feel for the layout.
Before I could lay eyes on the lake up close however, I had to visit the massive playground that sits at the opening of Lakewood Park.
My 5-year-old daughter runs to the same play structure each time. One which offers her a large dose of anxiety. I have to admire that, it's as if she races towards her fears to conquer them.
The worry? Heights and imbalance. This roped in jungle gym sits about 10 feet off of the ground, providing a variety of bridges and logs to walk across. Thea loves the bridges, the logs though? She eyes them wearily, clearly wanting to be brave. I watch as she dances around the concept.
Some days she makes the choice boldly, and others she will first look down to find me. Reassurance is established in this simple act most times, but on this occasion, I can see that I should climb up there. So, I fall in with the crowd of giggling kids, up into the magical structure that evokes some Indiana Jones type of feeling in me.
She doesn't like that I ask her to walk across the log to me at first. She begins to cry, but only for a moment. "Okay. I can do it." She lands on, and she's right! Carefully, step by step, she gains confidence. Before I know it, I'm back on the ground, and she's choosing that route on her own.
As for her little brother, he is a stairs guy. He's finally figured them out well enough that he rarely falls, and solidifying this seems to be of utmost importance to him.
From a parental prospective, both my husband and I are grateful when Emory finds something to focus on.
He has also taken to just running up to other kids and smacking them... Which is uh, not a great time. How do you explain to a toddler that they are being hurtful? Well, repeatedly, that's for sure.
Here he is being perfectly slap-free and lovely. No children were harmed in the making of this boy's afternoon, THANK GOODNESS! May the days of peace hold fast...
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As the afternoon wore on, my body became restless. I really wanted to walk around, and eventually I got the initiative. There are several walking paths that interconnect here, and we took our time wandering about before we went to the shoreline.
I was sad to see this tree had been cut down. As you can see from the width, it was an old fella. The remaining dedication feels haunting and perhaps pointed.
In loving memory of Abby Johnson, who couldn't stop asking "Why?"
I think on this for a moment. I sit with the memory of Abby, who is 100% someone I know nothing about... and then, loudly, I ask "Whyyyyyyy?". Surely, we must.
A short distance away is what I think of as the 'avian Hilton'. What sweet digs!
I had been trying to get a shot of a bird in flight that didn't look blurry, and I finally did it on accident here. I'm going to pretend I'm just getting better with this camera, though.
Here is a shot of what it looks like in a bit more detail.
With the day fading fast, it was time for me to capture as much as I could. It seemed others had the same idea, as many held phones up to catch the last rays in frame.
You can see how many people were out enjoying the day. There are tons of recreational options here, from swimming to volleyball. In the grass in front of me, a man throws a frisbee to his companion, and a stranger's dog jets in to snatch it out of the air.
I hear the laughter ring out, their smiling faces softened in the golden light. It would have made a lovely commercial, although what do you sell there? Frisbees?
I think on how much value simple fun has, how little profit it generates.
It was wonderful to spend an evening here with the kiddos, but before I knew it, it was time to pack up and go. Even as a woman in my 30's, I feel it too when my daughter says "Already?!". Yeah, large format bummer... but we will be back soon.
I hope you enjoyed taking a walk with me through one of Greater Cleveland's coolest parks. I highly recommend taking a trip there to anyone who visits the area. I've never done a Pinmapple pin, so fingers crossed that I added it right! 😅 Cheers!
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Super cool park! I love a park like that where you can see a big city far enough in the distance to enjoy the tranquility of the park. Looks like you got up on the structure to take that picture, next time let Thea take your picture up there too XD
When my first kid was old enough for the park I made a choice to never follow her up there or "help" with more than encouraging words. I don't know if it helped her in any way, but it sure helped me not look like a 34 year old idiot going down a kids slide or stuck in a fucking tiny passageway 🤣🤣🤣
Great snaps!!! I love the third from the bottom.
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You earned 5.000 PIMP for the strong hand.
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Oh my gosh! I should've gotten a pic of me up there!
This is me ALL the time 🤣I got my leg stuck in a climbing-rope-thing a few weeks ago. My daughter decided to use it as an opportunity to tickle me 😣. Well, it helped, cause I wiggled right out and fell !LOLZ 😂
I always love hearing deets about your kids when they were tiny, you're such an all-star dad!! 💚🤗 I think I often error too close to the side of 'helicopter mom' which does not quite work with an unschooling foundation philosophy... But hey, there's no hard and fast rules, eh? 😅😂
Thanks for the awesome comment brother! !LUV !PIMP
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Geez gurl, I have missed you in ways I can't explain. Gosh! I love how Emory looks sitting and grateful no children were harmed. Lol.
You did train your daughter well and I am super proud of her for having that thought that she can do it. That is one admirable personality.
Hey LOVEBUG! 💃🤗🌸
OMGosh! Me too, every time I leave the house I worry 😅. I really need this phase to end soon!!
Thank you for the awesome comment, and for being you! 💚 !LUV !PIZZA
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Haha, just give it time hun. Everything will be fine very soon.
Lakewood seems like a hidden gem within the city limits of Cleveland, Ohio. The old trees and the allure of the lake create a sense of tranquility and charm. It's fascinating to see how the city has developed over the years while still retaining some of its quaintness, particularly evident in Lakewood Park. The view of Downtown Cleveland from the shore must be breathtaking, despite the hazy effect captured in the photos.
As for your camera, experimenting with different lenses can definitely enhance your photography experience. Have you considered trying a zoom lens to see if it improves the image quality? It might allow you to capture even more stunning shots of the Cleveland skyline. Keep exploring and sharing your wonderful captures of Lakewood and beyond!
I think I will not make it much longer without buying my first additional lens, my fingers are already itching to try out a new one! 🤣
Thank you so much for the kind and encouraging comment 😁💚
Lovely photos Grindan!
Nice birdhouse too.
I think your little boy will outgrow his slap phase soon 🤞
There's a rope bridge in Leicester, UK. I think they are so attractive. There was a playground too, where I immediately became a kid again. 😆
AHHHHH! I LOVE this photo of you!! You are magic 😍🌞
Gosh he HAS to! I've done so many deep-breathing exercises with him, that now my go-to's are associated with heightened cortisol levels for me 🤣... The funny thing is that 10 years from now I won't remember all the times he got me with this habit, or the terrible stress and guilt of him being aggressive to other children... I will just miss him being small probably. 😅
Thank you for the awesome comment! 🤗💚
Thank you 😊
It must be so stressful indeed, dealing with your son at this unpredictable stage. When my niece was 3 years old, she was a lot bigger than her peers and she was boisterous. I was happy that I only had short visits. She seems to have grown more mellow now at 10 years old.🌈
what a beautiful park, love the Solstice steps concept, and a multistory bird house how cool is that
I can imagine its a bit concerning with Emory running up and slapping people hopefully its a phase he grows out of quickly
seems a popular park
enjoy learning your new camera I have friends who have EOS cameras and love them, be careful of wanting to get a zoom lens, once you buy one lens then another lenses comes to mind that you think you need, speaking from experience here LOL
Everyone says that to me about the lenses! Hahaha I can tell you've got a great collection, your photos are always spot on! I'll resist my first lens purchase, for a wee bit... !LOLZ
So far Emory has not attacked another kid for 3 days now! Hoping it sticks 😅
Thank you for the awesome comment, and inspiring me to take pictures of my walk!
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You earned 1.000 PIMP for the strong hand.
They're getting a workout and slapped 1/1 possible people today.
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lets hope Emory has realised theres a better way to deal with things
I dread to add up how much I have spent on lenses and cameras etc LOL
Looks like a wonderful place to spend the day!
I feel like this is several posts rolled into one. You turn each segment into it's own story, and each could stand alone as an excellent article. The city, each child, the bird condo, the pharmaceutical commercial.
Yes, to answer your question, THAT is what they would be selling with the smiling faces, frisbee-ing and dog interception. The image of how great your life would be if you popped their pill. Gotta have fantastic imagery to draw your attention from the voiceover warnings. I see too many of these kind of commercials, so my mind went there! 😜
Thanks for sharing the stories and pics; I'm wishing you a great day!
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Hey Kenny! 💚
Have you ever been up to NE Ohio? I think you'd dig it all around, great music scene and awesome walking paths! Of course, lot of nothing on the way there 😂
I appreciate the comment on the content, I always try to get as much as I can in each post, since I don't post as often lately... you saying it shows makes me smile!
As for the commercial, as soon as I read it my brain put the side-effect track on the memory 🤣 !LOLZ Totally fits! Ahahahahah thanks for the laugh!
I hope you are having a great weekend so far! 😁 !LUV
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I've been to Cincinnati once in the past 3 years. Not sure if I've been to Cleveland area; if I was, it was when I was a kid. Your description makes it an attractive destination and maybe I'll head there one day. It's not too far up the road from the Charlotte area where I'm at.
Thanks for the great reply and the tokens and I'll direct a few your way. My weekend is good, working on the @MetaRobots and takin' care of business. Enjoy your weekend!
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