Fort Recovery

Fort Recovery is home of the Fort Recovery Indians and a great place to visit. Historical information and sites abound here. It is the only point of interest on the byway that is not church related.


According to their web site this historic village is built on the sit of General St. Clair's defeat in 1791 and General Anthony Wayne's battle (recovery) in 1794. The fort built under Wayne's command was called Fort Recovery which remains the name of the village today. To truly appreciate this place you have to spend some time reveling in the history.




This monument is not hard to find and stands as a tribute to those who have fallen. It's the center piece for a very nice park.

The fort complex has several buildings one of which is the museum. Unfortunately it was not open while I was there. The Front of the fort is pretty much all that remains fort wise.

This old Shell station serves as the Visitor Information Center and is just one of many nostalgia type buildings you will find in the area.


I wish I had more time while I was there to do more exploring. There is plenty I did not see. I am planning on coming back for some fall pictures later next month and hopefully tour and see the museum.

Saint Rose (Stained Glass)

All the churches that I have been in on the byway have wonderful stained glass windows. St. Rose's are exceptional. Because of their humanistic quality I couldn't help but frame them.

The original posted pictures were low-res because of the framing process I used and concerns about space. I decided to replace them with these High-Res non framed images. I may make a slide show with the Low-Res Framed ones. I will work out the space issue some other way. If you left click on these you will get a very large picture to view. These were taken hand held and are not as sharp as I would of liked, but still beautiful non the less.




I have been to this church several times and have been wanting to feature it for sometime. These are not all the stained glass windows in the church but a fair sampling. I wish I new what Saint was being portrayed in each scene. They definitely have a portrait look to them. The detail is remarkable.



I have found the best time to photograph stained glass is late afternoon/early evening. Otherwise I have problems with blown out high-lights. It really depends though on where the sun is in relationship to the windows and how much of the window is in direct sun. I normally have to change my camera settings when I move to the opposite wall.


I have always been intrigued by the beauty of stained glass. The colors when their lit by the sun are so vibrant and the surrounding patterns just fascinating. I like to study them to see what all is hidden. Not hidden really, but the things you don't see right away. The things you have to look for that a casual glance would miss.


This church also has an old fashion type iron gated cemetery that I've been trying to get a really nice picture of. So far I haven't succeeded but I did add a picture of it to the (Description of the ByWay Pictures)

These pictures were taken hand-held at ISO 200 f/2.8 1/90 sec. using the Canon 100mm Macro Lens.

Hope you enjoyed this post of Stained Glass Windows.

St. Francis Memorial Crucifix

I found this church while detouring off of 119 on my way to St. Henry. It's not on the byway map but definitely worth a look. Take 127 South off of 119 then West on Cranberry Rd, just out side of St. Henry. This church like so many other rural churches is adjoined by a cemetery. I just love shooting these Calvary Memorials.

Taking pictures of The Land of the Cross Tipped Churches has been and still is a learning experience for me. So I don't always leave with what I came for. I am sad to say I did not get a decent outside picture of the building.

Update 2012 - I recently revisited the church and sadly it is no longer their. Not sure why it was removed.

Memorial Crucifix

Saint Francis Catholic Church

Cranberry Prairie, Ohio

Immaculate Conception Church Celina Ohio

The immaculate Conception Church in Celina Ohio is not on the scenic byway but is part of The Land of the Cross Tipped Churches. I took the opportunity to visit it on my way back from taking pictures at St. Anthony. I had never been to Celina before and was surprised by the number of photo ops it offered besides the church. I am definitely going back to spend some quality time walking around and taking pictures.

While swapping out lenses a most unfortunate thing happened. I dropped my lens (While standing on the concrete sidewalk). The lens survived but my circular polarizer did not. I guess I should not complain as it probably sacrificed its life to save my lens. If you only have one filter the circular polarizer is the one to have....so I will have to replace it. It's greatly responsible for the nice blue skies that I get. I also use it in place of a Neutral Density Filter when I have a need for one.

This year I have lost one 2GB Compact Flash Card to the Laundry, One lens Cap in Cincinnati and now one Polarizer Filter. Not too bad but it still hurts the pocket book.

This is just a beautiful church. The three cross tipped domes definitely make it unique. The church was not open while I was there but you can check out fellow blogger Kyle Gase's post on pictures he took inside with his Cell Phone. Elsewhere in Ohio Immaculate Conception, Celina

Saint John the Baptist at Night

St. John is one of the few churches that is well lit at night. Unfortunately the power lines that grace the front of the building during the day do not leave at night. I used PhotoShop to remove no less than 8 power lines for the daytime pictures. I did not PS these out. I'll worry about that if I ever print them.

I made several attempts at trying to include part of the cemetery that comes right up to the back of the church. I played around with using my headlights but came up empty in the end. Taking pictures at night can be just as frustrating as it is rewarding.

It looks like I used a star filter on these but the star effect is the result of a long exposure. These were taken with an ISO 200, F/16 and 4 second exposure.

Saint John The Baptist Catholic Church Maria Stein Ohio

Garden Crucifix - Shrine of the Holy Relics

Crucifix Shrine of the Holy Relics Maria Stein Ohio

"What Brings Us Here?" The Answer

Have you ever found yourself sitting in a chapel our sanctuary after hours? Just you and God and whatever trouble brought you there. I have. I just wanted to shut out the world and be alone with my God. To cry, scream and pour out my heart, looking for something, anything to relieve my pain and guilt.

My father had suffered a severe heart-attack and we were waiting for his brain activity to get low enough so we could pull the plug. It was not a quick process but one that would drag on for days. There was no hope for recovery. Knowing this did not make the decision any less painful or easier to live with.


It's that type of moment that brings us to our knees before the Lord. So why come here. Why make the trip when you can talk to God any where and any time. For me it's the difference between calling your mom on the phone seeking comfort versus having her hold you in her arms. It's the intimacy we seek to sooth our troubled souls. To cry out Abba (Father) and to know that God is near is what brings us here.

Pictures taken at St. John the Baptist

Madonna & Child - Saint Henry

Madonna and Child Statue
 Saint Henry Catholic Church  
Saint Henry Ohio

"What Brings Us Here?" The Question

The door closed silently behind me as I entered the church of The Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was early Saturday morning and the church was empty, or so I thought. I had come in through the doors of the old sanctuary and found the inside darker than I expected. Taking pictures was going to be difficult.

I have always enjoyed exploring as a kid, so I normally take a good walk around, before I take the first picture. Crossing from the old sanctuary into the new, I stopped to admire the cross shaped baptism. While debating on whether to take a picture or continue with my tour, movement near the altar drew my attention.

Had the man just been kneeling or standing with head bowed and hands clasped, I probably would not have even known he was there. But there was no mistaking why he was there. Here was a man in deep animated discussion with God. As the man paced and gestured with his arms making his silent plea to the Lord, I couldn’t help but think of an Old Testament story from 1 Samuel.

1 Samuel 1:12-16 (NIV)
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer, I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”


Fascinated with this unexpected find, I observed and wonder what could have brought him here. What brings any man or woman to prostrate themselves before God? It was a question worthy of contemplation, but one that would have to wait. Not wishing to intrude any further, I decided it would be best to leave before he became aware of my presence.

I left as quietly as I had come, without taking any pictures, but I did not leave empty handed. Instead of pictures, I got one of my best “Where did you see Jesus” moments and the question “What brings us here?”

All pictures taken at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church

Look for the upcoming post “What Brings Us Here?” The Answer

Protestant Stations of the Cross

While researching the Way of the Cross I came across the article The Stations of the Cross for Protestant Worship. According to the author the eight Stations of the Cross that have direct biblical references are often used by Protestants in place of the Catholic fourteen. The following are the suggested eight stations.

Station 1: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die

 Mark 15: 1-5, 15
The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to be crucified.

Station 2: Jesus Accepts His Cross

 John 19: 6, 15-17
When the chief priests and the guards saw [Jesus] they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him." ... They cried out, "Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Station 3: Simon Helps Carry the Cross

 Mark 15: 21
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 

Station 4: Jesus Speaks to the Women

Luke 23: 27-31
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time, people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!' and to the hills, ‘Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?"

Station 5: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

John 19:23-24
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece woven from top to bottom. "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."

Station 6: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

 Luke 23: 33-34
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

Station 7: Jesus Cares for His Mother

John 19: 25-27  (No Picture Available)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Station 8: Jesus Dies on the Cross

 Luke 23: 44-46
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

The following is an excerpt from the article:

The journey of our Faith as modern Christians is not only a journey through history that can be marked by events in the past. It is also a journey of our own personal commitment to God, of our own growth as a community of Faith and as individuals maturing from self-centered children into faithful servants. It is a journey that we need to remember just as deeply and profoundly as we remember the journey of God's people across 3,000 of human history, or the journey of Jesus from Pilate’s Hall to Golgotha

Stations of the Cross 

Saint Anthony Catholic Church 

Padua Ohio