My mother-in-law is wild about quilting and, luckily for us, she shares what she makes. When she emails me about a neat quilt store she's found, I know it's great. Here is her tip for anyone looking for a place that will give you some inspiration and goods if you're in the mood to buy. She also really likes the owner. Since Thymbles is located in Smithville at the edge of Amish country, this would be a fun jaunt for a day trip.

Thymble's website is still being added to but there are class offerings and special events. Last weekend, for example, there was a quilting retreat. If you're looking for what else there is to do in Smithville and the surrounding area, it's in Wayne County with plenty of places to poke around. Be sure to eat at The Barn Restaurant in Smithville. This was one of the restaurants that a lot of Ohio Magazine readers wrote in about as one of the best destination restaurants. It's no wonder. There's an electric train that goes around the lobby (you can hear it on the website). You can also feed ducks, smash a penny, play checkers and more. On the restaurant's website you can also hear bees and the tractor that kids can pretend to ride.

The quilt in the photo was made by Jane Hardy Miller and was used as the design for the quilt retreat. The pattern in called French Braid.

It's always interesting to find out what captures Ohioans' interests, particularly when they are Ohio transplants and originally hailed from elsewhere. When I gave Rachel Shaw, a writer's group friend of mine, the Ohio 5 questions, she described the scenery from the window of the 100 year-old farmhouse between Dublin and Plain City that she shares with her husband. "Every sunrise, every sunset was a new masterpiece that my suburban eyes were unused to. I have lots of pictures of the same scene – right between the barns – of a different more beautiful sky dotted with purple and blue and pink clouds."

The scene became her muse for her poetry . When it comes to fantasy fiction aimed for teens, she writes like a fiend. One book, The Necromancer's Scroll has been published under her pen name Sierra Torrin. Besides writing, (check out her blog) , Rachel gets around. If you're ever wondering what to do in Ohio here are her suggestions:

If it's August: "The Miami Valley Steam and Thresher Show at Pasttime Park, admission $10 (I think). The sounds of steam tractors clicking and grinding away like tiny old locomotives. . . You can find anything here. Antiques are as plentiful as old tools and crafts and Happy Meal toys. Popcorn, fried bologna, homemade ice cream in fresh waffle cones, and sausage fried up by the VFW boys are some of the smells that tempt you."

Place to Eat: "I drive my visitors to the Dutch Kitchen. Owned by the same proprieters as the Der Dutchman, it is a smaller establishment, and there is more to enjoy in a less hectic atmosphere. Here, one can enjoy the hospitality of the Amish, a large portion of the Plain City population, and enjoy the food and crafts.

Favorite Event and Place: Ohio Renaissance Fesitval and Ravenwood Castle, "a bed and breakfast just south of Hocking Hills on the edge of Vinton County. This wonderful place has been designed to look like a castle with small keeps surrounding it. Our honeymoon was spent in the King Arthur Suite, a splendid three-room apartment with a Jacuzzi bath, a sitting room upstairs, and a balcony.

And where she sees Ohio's wonder the most: "I've found pockets of beauty by the Scioto River and in its tributaries. I've discovered southeastern Ohio, the foothills of the Appalachians and the limestone caves."

The oldest, still active member of the Arizona Horse Cutting Association lives right in Athens County just minutes from Nelsonville and Burr Oak State Park. Walt Semingson has been a horseman since he was a young boy growing up on his parents' ranch in North Dakota near the Montana border. These days, in his mid 80s, he'll still climb up on a horse to show how to use it to separate a cow from a cattle herd, but it's his sons who actually run the Semingson family-owned Smoke Rise Ranch. This is a place where cowboys not only look like cowboys, they are cowboys, chaps and all.

Just a last spring, Walt treated me to his horseman's skill before his son Mark took me horseback riding. Horseback rides and lessons are part of Smoke Rise's fare. You can even stay longer to learn how to be a ranch hand yourself. If I didn't know my geography, I'd have sworn they had whisked me out west, and I've been out west.

Their pristine acres are surrounded by the Wayne National Forest and state forest property, not far from Burr Oak State Park, makes it a perfect place for a family getaway. You can camp at the ranch's campground or rent a cabin. During the weekend of March 30-April 1 at the "Pre-season Tune-up" you can learn how to herd cattle. There are other special event weekends , including rodeos, from the spring through the fall. You can also enjoy winter with a horseback ride.

We just spent a couple hours there, but I'm itching to go back for more of Walt's stories about when he trained neighbors' horses back in 1930-and how exactly his authentic working ranch ended up in Ohio in the first place.

Ohio is on the radar for puppy mills. It seems that the number of pet stores in Ohio is a possible indication that many dogs are forced bred in this state to produce the dogs that people want. Puppy mill dogs are a problem from what I've read and heard. Over bred dogs are unhealthy since their bodies don't recover between litters, plus dogs bred in a puppy mill may have more behavior issues and poorer health.

Since we're not exactly designer dog people, and we wanted a dog that was stellar in other ways, we took a tip from a woman I met who had a cute black Lab (I'm not sure if I'm a dog person at all,) and headed down to Vinton County to Camelot Puppy Sanctuary . We ended up picking out a terrier beagle mix. If you want your own Fido or Rover, go here. I was impressed by the unhurried approach when we were looking for our dog. Instead of thinking that we had to make a quick decision, we watched the dogs romp around the property's pond for an hour or so until our minds were made up.

At the sanctuary, there are always several dogs, mostly young ones, available. Check out the website to look at the dogs and then call ahead. The phone number is listed. We didn't plan on getting this particular dog type, but when we were among all the adoptable options, our dog picked us.

Camelot Puppy Sanctuary is a dog paradise of sorts. Run by two women who delight in saving abandoned dogs, the sanctuary is a wonderful option to consider when looking to expand your family. Reading the website descriptions is a lot of fun since each blurb captures a specific quality about each dog's personality.

The dog featured in the picture is Nickolas, a Laborador Retriever/terrier mix. Here is his description.

Here is an article about the puppy mill problem from an NBC channel wkyc.com.

Two favorite Ohio pastimes are off-road 4-wheeling and barbecuing. This dude manages to combine both. At least he doesn't lose his sense of humor.

Another in our series of Ohio's covered bridges, the Lynchburg bridge is preserved in the city park in Lynchburg, Highland County, southwestern Ohio. The bridgewas built in 1870 in the long, or 'X' truss style.

Travel writing is one of my niches, and when I'm writing about something not exactly travel oriented, my tendency is to look for a travel angle. Currently, I'm working on a story on rare and native plants in Ohio which has led me on a little journey to southern Ohio. Here are some facts I've learned about, again, through the Ohio Division of Natural Resources (ODNR). (If you don't know this already, this is a stellar group of people passionate about Ohio's natural glory-and there's a lot in Ohio to be passionate about).

The facts:

Adams County is the one with the biggest diversity of natural plant life in the entire state. Lucas County is a close second. In Adams County, between the two state parks, Shawnee and Adams Lake, plus five state preserves: Adams Lake Prairie, Chaparral Prairie, Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve, Johnson Ridge State Nature Preserve and Whipple (Robert A.) State Nature Preserve, PLUS the two state forests, Shawnee and Brush Creek, there are plenty of places to go wandering to see what plants you can find. I've been to Shawnee State Park and stayed at the group campground. Excellent. The nature center there has award winning naturalist , Jenny Richards who is delighted to tell folks about the area and organizes events through the center.

While I was talking with the folks at ODNR I also found out that besides overseeing our state's land, the division also partners with private preserves. Here's one that popped out as a don't miss. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is located in what is called the Arc of Appalachia that includes a five county range in the Appalachians of Ohio. You do need a permit before you go hiking, and the permit needs to be applied for at least a week ahead of when you are planning to go. The sanctuary won't make exceptions so don't think you can show up and beg. You can get the permit from the website.

If you really want to apply ahead, think about going to the Highlands Nature Sanctuary-boasting 88 gorgeous acres with at least 43 rare plants- for the 2nd Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage, April 20-22. There's information about this event plus others on the sanctuary's website as well. The above photo is from the sanctuary, and they kindly agreed to let me use it. One more thing. On the Highlands website, you can sign up for their free e-magazine. This place is an Ohio gem.

Karen Wynn Fonstad, author of The Atlas of Middle-Earth, has created a wonderful web page on which she breaks down, day by day, the first leg of Frodo's journey in Lord of the Rings, from Hobbiton to Rivendell. To get a better perspective on his journey, I've overlaid these distances on a walk across Ohio.

I started in the hills north of Oxford, because the terrain seems perfect for hobbit holes. Zoar Village stands in for Rivendell, for convenience, not appearance. After all, what could stand in for Rivendell?

To make sense of this, you'll need an Ohio map and access to Fonstad's web page, along with a working knowledge of LOTR.

Start:
Assumptions: I multiplied as-the-crow-flies mileage x .7 to compensate for foot travel.

• Day 1- 18 miles
• Fairhaven to woods near Gratis (Preble Co.)
• Day 2- 28 miles
• Near Colonial Vineyards, Ridgeville
• Day 3- 27 miles
• Ridgeville to King's Mill
• (Cross Little Miami River, think of Buckleberry Ferry)
• Day 4- 25 miles
• King's Mill to Marathon
• Day 5- Rest day
• Day 6- 17 miles
• Marathon to Bethel

This shot was taken by TheeErin. I think I've already spent my eternity, in line at the BMV.

Sometimes travel writers don't actually go to the places they write about, unless of course, one needs to go for an indepth look. Often articles are just a round-up of ideas, thus an actual see-it-for-yourself is not necessary. For example, several years ago I was writing a piece on the best fall foliage pieces in Ohio. The due date was in August. The research was done in July. With good research though, you find the people who actually know the places and write in a way that entices others to go there. In my case I called places like the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to see what they would suggest. Such was the case when Conkle's Hollow was included in my article round-up. Since then, I have been there which qualifies it as a place I feel confident about naming as one of Ohio's natural wonders.

Conkle's Hollow, named for the man who carved his name, W. J. Conkle and the date 1797 in the sandstone rock on the west side of the gorge is a hiker's gem that I think might get overlooked by the close by Old Man's Cave which seems to get more press. Both are in Hocking Hills. Conkle's Hollow is a state nature preserve with well-marked trails. One of them takes you around the top of the hollow. Think gorge. Since my travel piece enticed me to go there myself, I did one of the hikes. At the time our daughter was 5. If you go hiking, be careful about the trail you choose. The one that is around the top (not the one we went on) is dangerous in spots because of the sheer drop-offs.

Some features about Conkle's Hollow that made me think of it as one of Ohio's Natural Wonders.

• It's considered one of the deepest gorges in Ohio. The vertical cliffs are more than 200 feet.
• The foliage runs the gamut from wildflowers to hardwoods that are protected due to the state preserve status
• There is a legend that settlers found a petroglyph made by Indians on a gorge wall to hide the location of buried treasure. This really isn't a natural wonder element, but it makes for a cool story.

If you've gone to Old Man's Cave, Conkle's Hollow is past there. It is easy to find and worth the trip. You could actually take in both places in the same day. Even if you don't hike one of Conkle Hollow's trails you can get a good view of the gorge from the bottom. The hiking is year-round.

You can download a brochure of Conkle's Hollow from the ODNR website.

Franklin the basset hound was a fixture in Matt Schwendiman's barber shop in Canal Fulton. Until the Man threw him out.

The Man (I have no idea if it was a man or woman, actually), in this case was an inspector from the Ohio State Barber Board. In reviewing the state laws covering barber shops (most of which deal with all the ways the state can charge the shop owners) I don't see dogs addressed. I presume Matt's Barber Shop must have been dinged for Franklin under the clause "Sanitize and maintain in a sanitary condition, all instruments and supplies."

Frankly, I'd much rather climb into a chair recently abandoned by a dog that some of the characters I've met in barbershops.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that Franklin has been given clearance to return to his post after almost a year of exile. Apparently, the board adopted a new rule allowing one dog per shop, provided the mutt has a vet's clean bill of health and the owner carries liability insurance.

I'm comforted to learn that the state is looking out for my tonsorial safety.

There is no time like the present to start scuba-diving. I've been working on a travel article about scuba diving in Ohio and came across one scuba diving instructor who I want to highlight. Paul and Karen Verbanick own Aqua Marine Scuba Diving, Inc. which is touted as having "The Most Convenient Classes in Ohio." Paul said that even if only a couple people want to take lessons, that's a class. This is a great way to have quality family time. He'll arrange classes that will be convenient for students. Initially, classes are taught at a swimming pool until the final dives at Gilboa Quarry located a few miles from Ottawa, Ohio.

There are reasons why I've never taken up scuba diving but after looking at Paul's website and talking with him, I'm rethinking this.

One of the excuses I might use for not scuba diving is: I'm not the best swimmer. (That's really not true, but it's an excuse I might give.) It wouldn't work anyway because a person doesn't have to be an excellent swimmer to scuba dive--the requirement is being able to swim 200 yards and be able to float or tread water for 10 minutes. That's for a PADI Open Dive Certification. (Paul also offers advanced scuba diving classes as well.)

Another excuse might be: scuba diving is expensive. Wrong again. For less than $400.00 I can have enough classes to get certified and have the equipment rental provided, so I can get dive practice to get certified without having to invest in my own scuba gear . I suppose scuba diving is not that cheap either, but it's not out of financial bounds either.

Another excuse might be: I don't have the time. Another wrong notion. One can learn to dive in two weekends and earn certification in two weeks. Doable.

Really, I don't have a whole lot of excuses to not take up scuba diving. Since I keep writing about it, maybe I should put my money where my keypad is. If you are at all thinking about going into the deep end yourself, go for it. Ohio is not a bad place to dive--more on that later.

The photo is of a whale shark. It was not taken in Ohio, but it was taken by Paul on one of his dive trips to someplace warm. Hey, that's another thought.

When I threw it out to my writing group, "So, who here is a blogger?" Carol Nowlin didn't hesitate. Her blog, "carol's blog-o-rama" is proof she's a blogger with a brain--and a fine writer besides. Unlike most folks I know, Carol lives in Plain City. With her roots in smaller town Ohio she has an off -the-beaten-track take on things to do. If you're passing through her part of Ohio some day, slow down and look for the landmarks she mentions--and definitely plan on a meal and picking up some baked goods for the trip home.

1) You and your town: a marriage of love, convenience, or necessity? Me and Plain City. I'd say it's a marriage of necessity, since I moved (back) here to rent and mooch off my parents for a while. I'm growing to love it too, though, but mostly in secret. I love the weathered brick buildings of uptown, and the plain-talking locals who wouldn't know how to put on airs even if they wanted to. I love the clock tower, and the new coffee shop, and the quiet, leafy homes on Chillicothe Street.

2) A mysterious benefactor gives you $75, with the condition that you must do nothing productive. Where in town do you go, and what do you do? Spending seventy-five dollars in Plain City would take a while. First thing in the morning, I would stop at Der Dutchman to fuel up on the breakfast buffet, being sure to get there early for fried mush, home fries, bacon, and long john donuts. With tax and tip, that would be about ten bucks. Then I would head next door to the Plain City Lanes for a couple games of bowling, using the bumper lanes of course, because I stink at bowling. That would be another ten bucks. Then I guess I'd saunter over to the Country Closet, an MCC Thrift Shop, and pick up a lemonade pitcher or denim skirt. Five bucks. Then I'd hope in my car and head a couple miles out of town to pick up provisions at Yutzy's Farm Market. They've got bulk foods, fresh produce, and best of all, deli meats and cheeses that are cheap, cheap, cheap. If I tried really hard, I could spend twenty bucks. I'd take my booty to Pastime Park and enjoy a late picnic lunch, and then head over to the Pioneer Coffee Company to wash it all down with some fair trade coffee ($1.45). If it was the second or fourth Friday of the month, I'd finish my day by heading over to the Plain City Auction to spend my remaining twenty-odd dollars. People from near and far crowd into this red-brick building on Main Street to munch popcorn and bid on everything from retro sectionals to old farming journals.

3) You are your town's tour guide, on a tight schedule. What is the one place you show visitors? Okay. Two places. For better or worse, Der Dutchman is our town's biggest attraction. So I would have to head over for a meal in the buggy, knick-knack browsing in the Gift Barn, and consumption of some oversized pastries from the bakery. In the summertime, Ralph Miller offers free carriage rides to people waiting for a table. For other places, see my packed itinerary above.

4) The mysterious benefactor is back, this time with $500, three days off, and the condition that you must not leave the state. What's your plan? Sans kids, I would definitely head to Cleveland for a long weekend of shopping, sightseeing, and good eats. I'd buy some greasy olives and stinky cheese at the Westside Market and then visit Coventry, where I'd enjoy primo veggie fare at Tommy's. After Tommy's I'd do some shopping at the eclectic stores and take a few rides down the giant slide at the nearby neighborhood park. Then I'd head south for a long ramble on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Of course, I'd have to dedicate an afternoon to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also spend some time hanging out at the Lake Erie shore. Okay, so since I can't quite imagine three days sans kids, I'm running out of ideas. I'd probably work in some naps. And I'd cap my visit with a trip to Little Italy for some vino and pasta with sidewalk views. After dinner I'd sip a cappuccino with my pinky sticking out and browse some of the local art galleries and shops.

5) You're an Ohioan. What about that makes you proudest? The flip side of pride is shame; go there too if you want. The idea of state pride is a little weird to me. I guess you are who you are, and there's not much point in being proud, or for that matter, ashamed of it. However, we as Midwesterners tend to wallow in a bit of local embarrassment. Shucks, it ain't New York, and we know it, but who died and made New Yorkers the only arbiters of cool? I hereby renounce Ohio-shame. We helped decide the last election (which, depending on your leanings, is a source of pride or shame), and we have a great sense of particularity, of history, and by golly, we've got more Amish folks than any other state.

On tonight's episode of ABC's hit show Wife Swap, Upper Sandusky housewife and body builder Melissa Johnson moves to the state up north for two weeks to take over the household of diminutive Diane Allemon.

Johnson runs her own household like you might expect a devoted fitness buff to: work, exercise, and fun plugged into a strict schedule. The entire family is devoted to going the extra mile to maximize their potential.

Following the tradition of this show, the Allemon family is very different. Here rules give way to congeniality, discipline to free choice, work to relaxation.

The rules of the show required each wife to follow the customs of the host family for the first week, then demands the family follow the new wife's dictates the second.

Johnson claimed that her family suffered more by being deprived of their activities than the Allemon's did from their enforced labors.

I suspect the episode will end where most of them do, with both families better appreciating the home lives they currently have.

The McColly Covered Bridge is a Howe truss structure on Logan County Road 13, west of Bellefontaine. The 125-foot bridge was built in 1875, and remains in excellent condition.
For more photos, check the Ohio Department of Transportation's site.