the group of 10
the wandering chick
...our reunion in Ohio
June 24-27, 2014

Our reunion this year, the 8th annual, took us to Ohio where Anne and Al made arrangements for us to stay at the Deer Creek State Park Lodge outside Mt. Sterling, south of Columbus.

We had a grand time seeing two exceptional sights: the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Columbus and the National Air Force Museum on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.

As for our meals, always a highlight of our trips, we managed once again to find delicious and savory eats. Probably our favorite was Schmidt's Sausage Haus in Columbus' German Village. Our taste buds were definitely reminiscing of the good old days in Germany.

Our lodge was comfortable and cozy, and on top of its first-class breakfast, it had an outdoor terrace overlooking the park's lake, a perfect setting for our nightly before-bedtime rendezvous.

We were a group of 10 this year, and, as always, we missed those of you who could not make it. We can always hope for more to join us next year. Sounds like it might be in the Tillamook, Oregon area, Ann Peterson Overmyer's hometown.

exiting the Kennedy plane
Here's the group of us that attended this year. We're standing in front of one of the fleet of Air Force One presidential planes at the Air Force Museum on Wright-Patterson AFB. This particular plane is the one that carried President John Kennedy from Dallas on the day he was assassinated.
exiting the Kennedy plane
exiting the Kennedy plane
going through security to enter the air force museum
at the air force museum lobby
the group
the group
linda, dick, me, sue and ann
at the botanical gardens
at the botanical gardens
at the botanical gardens
dick pushing empty wheelchair
at the botanical gardens
Alright, Dick, what did you do with Annie?
John with Chihuly art
A highlight of the botanical garden was the glass art by world-known artist Dale Chihuly. His work was displayed throughout the gardens.
Annie and Al
Chihuly art work
Dale overlooking the gardens
Dale Chihuly art
Linda and Ann
at the botanical gardens
butterfly on Chihuly art
the gang, minus linda
Dale and Linda
Sue and Ann taking pictures
Annie and Al
the exterior of the conservatory
part of the gang
John pondering
Butterfly Dale
Our own special butterflies.
Butterfly Annie
Linda
eating a snack at the botanical gardens
Dale
Annie, John and Jerry at the botanical gardens
Annie and Al
a butterfly landed on a leaf
Charlene and a bonsai
Really???? Get a room!
Charlene and Dale
Linda in the butterfly exhibit room
Annie and Al
eating a snack at the botanical gardens
leaving the botanical gardens
eating a snack at the botanical gardens
Entering Schmidt's in Columbus' German Town
From the conservatory we headed to Schmidt's Sausage Haus in Columbus' German Village.
At Schmidt's Sausage House
At Schmidt's Sausage House
Dale with a good German beer
the crew at Schmidt's
at the lodge restaurant
at the Cheesecake Factory in Dayton
...and our breakfasts were at the Deer Creek Lodge's restaurant.
One of our meals was at the Cheesecake Factory in Dayton (above and below) ...
at the Cheesecake Factory, Dayton
on the terrace at Deer Creek Lodge overlooking the lake
Our evenings were spent on the terrace overlooking the lake at the lodge.
on the terrace at Deer Creek Lodge overlooking the lake
on the terrace at Deer Creek Lodge overlooking the lake
early morning sunrise on the state park grounds
Dick and Al
Sunrise on the state park grounds
on the terrace at Deer Creek Lodge overlooking the lake

If you care to view other reunions of our group, please return to the reunion home page.

You can also view the old (but not ancient) pictures taken when we were all in Vilseck.

Or, you can exit out of the reunion pages.

Day One took us to the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus. Such a beautiful setting with ancient bonsai trees as well as a fun butterfly house. We could have spent all day chasing down butterflies, trying to capture a good shot of them as they swirled but seldom landed around us.
Outside view of the Air Force Museum
The Air Force Museum comprised at least 8 galleries, massive halls that displayed aircraft from the invention, through various wars and to missile and space. We all headed off in different directions for a couple hours, but then met up for the IMAX production on D-Day and Normandy. From there, we headed over to two additional galleries in large hangars. One that displayed the presidential aircraft, several of which we were able to walk through, and the other on research and development aircraft.
at the air force museum