I Just Love It!

[Jim O'Bryan]

I know so many people get sick of me "loving Lakewood" but growing up here, and seen
many other places even lived other places, I just love Lakewood. For me many of the
experiences can be had or seen in other towns, but I just get a kick out of Lakewood
and Lakewoodites.


Walk out the door to clean streets.


Take a breath head to DowntowN Lakewood.


I am not sure this sign has ever looked better.


A little irony? I bet Campbell's asked for "More Visible Signage" when they installed
their new awnings yesterday.


Lunch once again with the Sharma brothers, Ramesh and "Sonny." As Ramesh explains
a philosophy he developed after graduating from Engineering College at the age of 19.


This time Deb and I split Dosa with Chicken Chettinad. That indicates that the spices and
flavors are from the Chettinad area of India. Complex, spicy and one of the best Indian
dishes I have enjoyed.


Sonny heads back to India Garden.

Deb and I head home...



And suddenly out of the tree in the yard just North of us, movement...












Climbs quickly as he goes north down Riverside Drive, and back into The Emerald Canyon...



I have always said, "Lakewood has the same density as LA. and the same mindset as
Mayberry RFD." We are in a area that has been hard hit, and was a heavy industrial area
with many problems, and issues. Yet through it all we, "Clevelanders" have kept it together
and for me, Lakewood is the best version of Cleveland.

But it is not the signage, the bars, the shoveled walks, a wonderful canyon to hike, bike,
canoe, golf, ride, whatever, Lake Erie beach accessible to all in the winter months, or
even the amazing wildlife. It's the people.

I think.

.

[Matthew Lee]

Great pictures, Jim. Can't wait to try Namaste!

[Jim O'Bryan]

I think one thing that amazes me, is I remember as a kid when your parents would beg you not
to go into the river, and not because of drowning. There has always been a fair amount of wildlife
but the Peregrines under the bridge, the Bald Eagles The Great Horned Owls and now the Osprey
are amazing birds.

I had never seen this before today and I am still not sure what it was, but at the end of McKinley
and Riverside Deb spotted to clumps in on tree on the ridge of the canyon. So we stopped and I
got the camera out and saw this...


At first we thought maybe juvi Great Horned Owls, then Red Tailed Hawks but rarely together
like this, juvis from the same nest blowing feather, or...





Heading up the cliffs we ran into these three.

Even after climbing the cliffs to get a better shot, all I could get was...







15 minutes from Downtown Cleveland, 20 from Museums, 15 to Crocker Park, Great Northern, 15 from
Airport, Turnpike, etc. and all of this at our front door!

.