Tuesday - Mark picked up breakfast at Coffee Express (crab/Swiss quiche for me and ham/cheese/egg sandwich for him + our coffees). I finished packing and we left around 11 for our little getaway to Toledo. Had some stops along the way.....Dave (dockmaster) had told Mark about the Airstream refurbishing business in Helena, OH. Mark needed some outside rivets for Flo and the minimum order from Airstream is 100.............we certainly didn't need 100 rivets for $30. So, thought we would stop and see this place. It was a lovely farm in rural Helena with 2 story farmhouse, beautiful flowers, corn and bean fields. And then the machine shed where the son worked on refurbishing old Airstreams and customize them however the customer wanted - food trucks, new interior, exterior, etc. He was working on a 1992 one - it was beautiful! He has several going and it is quite the bustling business. If you wanted something done at this point, it would be at least a year till he could get to it.
So, Mom and Dad live in the farmhouse, their son has this Airstream business handed down from Grandpa, Dad and now son (they also farm). Across the lane was "The Summer Kitchen Interiors" which the 2 daughters have owned for 26 years and oh my...............I had so much fun browsing thru beauiful home decor, gourmet foods and just a delightful shop. Apparently they do a great business out in the country and I was thinking "If I had a home and not 2 tiny houses, I could have a heyday in here"! Ha...I did pick up a few things and we really enjoyed this very nice family....and the son gave Mark 7 rivets!!!
Next stop was in Rossdale, OH at Target for several piddlies. Then to Bath 'n Body which was a few doors down and finally onto Costco in Perrysburg, OH to stock up on wine and some snacks.
The owner of Summer Kitchen said we should be sure to check out the blue painted silos with sunflowers in Toledo. She was so fun to visit with and I would love to see her business at Christmastime - she and her sister always have fun things going on.
We checked into our BnB "Casey-Pomeroy House" and were met and welcomed by Patrick, the Innkeeper. He gave us a little tour and history of this unbelievable home. Built in the 1870's, it is 14,000 square feet and was owned by 3 separate families (Casey, Pomeroy and Worthington) back in the beginning. The Diocese of Toledo purchased the home and converted it into a Jesuit school and finally a convent for the nuns on the 3rd floor. The many rooms were classrooms and the architecture was amazing with tall ceilings, windows and doors, arched doorways, wood floors and beautiful trim.
After sitting empty and abandoned for 8 years, the Diocese sold it to Sue, a neighbor who had always admired the home and felt that it should be restored, so.....in 2003, she bought it for $10,000 but has put in over $900,000 with lots more work needing to be done especially on the exterior. What a never-ending project - cannot begin to comprehend all that work and $$$ in trying to restore to its original beauty!
Settled into our room and then drove downtown. It was so hot (heat index of 97), so really didn't want to walk around. We passed the baseball stadium of the Mud Hens in Hensville, a minor league triple A team.
Back to our room to change and off to dinner at Mancy's, a 100-year old steakhouse and institution in Toledo for thee finest steaks, service and ambiance. The building is beautiful with brick walls, lots of stained glass (ceiling) and just very warm and homey. Lexi was our waitress (reminded us of our niece, Bridget) - steaks were deeevine and everything was just so special as we celebrated #53 of our engagement! A great day in Toledo!
Wednesday - rainy start to the day but Patrick prepared a delicious breakfast (cantaloupe and blueberries, yogurt with homemade granola, sausage/egg casserole, grapefruit slices, cinnamon struesel coffee cake, juice and coffee. We had a nice visit with Joe and Pat from PA who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and on a 2-week trip. Today they were going to Frankenmuth, MI and other fun spots ending up on Mackinac Island.
Patrick had told us his job is in IT and then part-time innkeeper. He proposed to his wife at Mancy's and has 2 children (16 and 20). His 16-year old daughter has a dove business and provides the doves for weddings, funerals, other special occasions. Just so interesting to visit with nice folks. One of the things we enjoy while staying at a BnB which we haven't done in a long time.
Yesterday we were trying to track down the blue silos with sunflowers. We could see them (ADM plant) from a distance along the Maumee River but could not get up close?? I asked Patrick and he told us where we should go for best viewing, so.....still not the best, but quite the story. Most of my pics came from the internet.
There are 28 tall silos that are old and grey. One day in the summer of 2019, some friends were cruising past in their boat and the ladies decided something should be done to spruce those old silos up.
They've raised $500,000 of the $750,000 estimate, the silos were painted a bright blue and then someone painted the sunflowers. Apparently the sunflowers and 3 Native Americans project was started in June and will be finished by the end of August. Patrick was very disappointed that after all they went thru to make this happen and all the $ raised, they hired someone from California to paint the mural when "we have so much local talent here in Toledo"! But a project of this magnitude wouldn't be for just any mural painter?
This beautiful mural (largest in the world) will provide a real treat to all the travelers (80,000 daily) who pass by on Interstates 75 (north/south) and 80/90 (east/west).
Something we've not seen before but saw several in rural Ohio as we were traveling thru the country.
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