The Battle of Lake Erie

Two hundred years ago cannons fired across Lake Erie.  The war began in 1812, but the deciding battle was fought just off the shores of Put-in Bay in the summer of 1813. Today, towering over South Bass Island, stands a highly visible landmark: a monument to Oliver Hazard Perry and the sailors who fought bravely for this new country.  

Commander Perry as he is transported to the ship Niagra.
 Battle of Lake Erie by William Henry Powell, painted 1865 / Wikipedia

Once again, the tall ships are coming to Lake Erie. There will be a reenactment of the battle over Labor Day weekend 2013 and tourists will flock to Lake Erie to join the festivities. But are these modern day sailors aware of the new "Battle for Lake Erie"?

http://cherylharner.blogspot.com/2011/10/our-lake-becomes-eerie.html

This is my photo from 2011 is from a Weedpicker blog on the water quality of Lake Erie. If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention.   We have alien invaders and toxic algae threatening the health of Ohio's greatest lake.

If you ready to learn more about this amazing ecosystem, Cleveland Museum of Natural History has just the offering for you! Ohio's most important natural resource is fresh, potable water; it is the resource we should be fervently protecting.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History will host its annual Conservation Symposium on Friday, September 6, 2013. This year's theme is The Battle of Lake Erie--focusing on current threats to, as well as the status of, our Great Lake Erie ecosystem. Our keynote speakers are...Peter Annin, professor at University of Notre Dame and author of The Great Lakes Water Wars, will update us on the status of the "water wars." And Dr. Eddie Herdendorf, retired director of Stone Lab (OSU), will give us an historic overview of how Lake Erie was formed and functions. 
For a schedule of all speakers and to register, please click on the link below:http://cmnh.org/site/Conservation/ConservationSymposium/Schedule.aspx

Sign up TODAY;  I look forward to seeing you there!

Land, Ho!

This post is a bit of a break between the normal birds and butterflies.  Even nature-nuts need a bit of a vacation from time to time, and I bet you will never guess where I spent mine.

 Land, ho!  There she be matey! The mast and rigging is pointing the way to a wee bit of a light house, on the North Shore of  Cleveland, Ohio!

The tall ships were in town, right right between the Cleveland Brown's Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  That is Terminal Tower smack-dab in the middle of the photo.

You can see some strange folks on the street in the big city, but these characters would standout in most neighborhoods.  I think they were trying to bribe little children into being long-haul deck monkeys... or maybe they were just allowing kids to have their photos taken with a Capt. Jack Sparrow look-a-like.

Ah, the Pathfinder was a wee jolly ship and certainly manned by "our kind" of crew...

made obvious by the kale and salad greens growing outside the Captain's quarters!  I suppose one would miss butterflies while out at sea, but there is no reason to do without fresh greens.  Bird watching could also be quite good from a ship's deck..

Hope you had a happy holiday weekend, and enjoyed yourselves as much as those of us who attended the Tall Ships Festival in Cleveland over the Fourth of July.