Infirmary Mound and Blogtober Day Three

 I didn't realize until yesterday, October 2nd that Blogtober was happening.  Coastal Ripples mentioned it.  So I decided I would give it a try again this year.

In comments on Friday Fave Fives,  a couple of people asked why Infirmary Mound used the word 'infirmary'.  I didn't know.  What did I do?  I looked it up.

Evidently, in 1850 a Poor House was established at that location. Later, the name was changed to The Infirmary.  Why was the word mound added to it?  It is also the site of an ancient burial mound built by an Ancient Native American culture.  There are many mounds all over the state of Ohio.  In fact, just 3.5 miles from Willow's Cottage there is a UNESCO World Heritage Site called Great Circle Earthworks and Museum.

So that's why the park is called Infirmary Mound Park.

A few photos from the years we have walked and hiked there. (The park is 316 acres!)

The actual burial mound is not very high any more due to centuries of erosion from farming and plowing done there.

The Fairy Trail is located there...

I could post dozens more photos of the fairy trail, but I don't want to bore you.  If you want to view more, THIS LINK will take you to a post I wrote in 2021 about the Infirmary Mound Fairy Trail.

The Very Last Day of July Faves

I'm a bit late posting my Friday Fave Fives because I've been busy celebrating my daughter's birthday (see Fave #5).  But I'm here now to share five blessings from this past week.  I've been doing this for several years and it is important to me to stop and reflect on how blessed I am.

So here are my Faves from this last week and very last day of July 2026.

1.  What's more fun than a fairy trail in the local county park?  PAL and her parents joined us for a ramble at the park and we decided to visit the fairy trail.

Which one is your favorite?

3.  Tall Boy is getting everything in order to begin his freshmen year of university.  It's the local campus of the state university, and it's walking distance from our homes.  One evening, The Professor and I walked over to the uni and strolled around the campus to get a better feel for it.  We have walked past the campus weekly for six years and haven't really wandered around it.   So we did.  One of the interesting bits about the campus is all the statues placed everywhere.

Yes, those are statues, not human fishermen.

4.  Younger Grandson passed his driver's test this week!  So proud of him and his diligence and careful driving.  He's been dreaming of this day for years!

5.  It's Nurse Daughter's birthday today!  Happy Birthday to our youngest!!  We celebrated doing what she loves best.  Walking her dogs and having coffee.  No photos from today.  But here are a couple of her as a two year old, playing outside in our remote Indonesian village.

Some things never change...

And a bonus photo.  Cuz you can't have too many barn pictures.

Take a Fairy Trail Hike

 Yesterday, The Professor and I enjoyed a walk with Nurse Girl and the two granddogs.  One of our county parks, Infirmary Mound Park, is a favorite.  It is large, 316 acres, and has seven miles of trails, and even a historical mound on the property.  

One of the trails is a Fairy Trail lined with fairy houses.  These are only a few of the fairy houses.  Which one is your favorite?

The Fairy Trail

 Do you love the woods?  Do you love whimsical places?  If you do, you will love the Fairy Trail at Infirmary Mound County Park.  (warning:  photo heavy post ahead)

Deep in the dark green woods live the fairies.

We know they live there because we found the trail to their town.

Many of the fairies in fairy town are hard working fairies who live quiet lives in simple houses.

Sometimes, even fairies take holidays.

Perhaps the king of the fairies will invite you to visit him at his castle.

But beware of the troll who lives on the hill at 4309!

Most fairies are friendly, but once in awhile you might encounter a curmudgeon.

Do you really believe that the fairies live in the deep woods?  Maybe some day, you will meet one like I did...

if you place a coin or shell or shiny stone in the wishing well.