Do we usually have Robins in Central Ohio in December?  Wintertime in Columbus, Ohio has a gorgeous picture of a Robin at the Ohio Statehouse in December.

I noticed the dead Robins on the street the week before I read about them in the Columbus Dispatch in an article by Dean Narciso.   The day I noticed them was  February 10, 2007..  I did not see them in the areas mentioned in the Columbus Dispatch article, Muirfield or near the intersection of Frantz Road and Longbranch.  I noticed them in streets near the northwest Columbus neighborhoods of Riverside Green, Olentangy Highlands and in the Linworth area of  Worthington.  I saw them dead in the streets and came home thinking they had come back early.

HUNGRY, DYING ROBINS
Missed flight south leaves birds in cold
Warm January kept many of them in Ohio
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Dean Narciso
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A Robin in Winter - Columbus Ohio the photos in RobKin's slideshow are all pre Christmas it looks like.  Including a beautiful Winter photo of  Robin in a tree with berries but no leaves.  A winter tree.

Narciso's article says the Robins never left Central Ohio and suggested " urging residents to provide suet, diced apple or other fruit and fresh water — away from traffic."

Further North the town of Hinkely Ohio has another Harbinger of Spring... the buzzard.  And today March 15 is the day they come back to Hinkley. This is the 50th Anniversary of the town of Hinkley celebrating the buzzrds returning on the 15th of March.   Clevelander Carole Cohen saw buzzards in nearby Independence a day or so ago... but today's the day they come back to Hinkley.

Robin's are much better looking than buzzards.

Spring......

Copyright 2007 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

Kid's say the darnedest things... some Central Ohio kid's came up with St. Patrick's Day limericks for the Columbus Dispatch (link below...)    

"Here are just a few:

--By Megan Thompson, age 11

"There once was a lady named Carrie.

She was tall and extremely hairy.

She was as fat as a whale,

And had the face of a male.

So the kids would point and say, "Ew, scary! "

--By Alyssa Sammeth, age 13

"There once was a man named Larry.

His feet were extremely hairy.

He tried to shave it,

 And attempted to braid it,

But in the end it was just too scary. "

--By Jordan Abbruzzese, age 14

I am kind of partial to Melissa Thompson's...  but I like cows... here's another cow limerick from a boy...

"There once was a fat cow named Pete.

His favorite thing to do was eat.

He ate more than his share.

The other cows didn’t care.

 They all knew that he was dead meat. "

--By Andy Bennett, age 14

I like Limericks .  One of the best known author of limericks Edward Lear wrote in the 1800's and I think most of his limericks are boring... often in Lear's limericks the fifth line uses the same ending word as the first or second.   To me the fifth line is the punch line... yes a lot of limerick's are bawdy and the fifth line is the bawdiest but I think these Central Ohio kids showed good taste and creative endings... 

Gosh there are more there now that I look at the Columbus Dispatch's  ’Tis a colorful and clever way to be markin’ St. Patrick’s Day'  How could I have missed pregnant Mrs. O'Keefe.... what rhymes with O'Keefe????

The rhythm of a limerick is part of the fun.  The last line of Melissa Thompson's (brown cow) limerick is great because the last line would be:

There once was a spotted brown cow,

Who lives in the pasture now.

She makes chocolate milk,

As smooth as silk,

And I don’t know ex-ac-t-ly how"

Here's a limerick for Ohio State on Friday:

There once was a guy named Ryo.

He lived in the state of Ohio.

He loved Ohio State.

To a game he was never late.

 He always yelled, "Go, Buckeyes, go! "

--By Eli Hall, age 9

Copyright 2007 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

•  
• What's the best 'gourmet' burger in Central Ohio?  The Columbus Dispatch Weekender is putting it to a vote.     
• Best 'gourmet' Burger  

 The contenders... Although I have eaten at a bunch of thesese I have only had a burger at Gahanna Grill, Thurman Cafe, Max & Erma's and Red Robin, so I vote for Max & Ermas.  

 "Barley’s Brewing Co.

 Brazenhead Irish Pub

 Cap City Fine Diner

 The Clarmont

 Digger & Finch

 Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus

 Gahanna Grill

 Marshall’s Restaurant & Bar

 Max & Erma’s

 Red Robin

 Ringside Café

 Ted’s Montana Grill

 Thurman Cafe

 None of the above. Enter your own choice below."

 "NIGHT LIFE Crowd could be craving burgers, Brooks" is also from the Columbus Dipatch but these are not gourmet burgers.

"The third version of the Arena District nightclub booked by PromoWest Productions — which also schedules concerts in the Basement, the Newport Music Hall and the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion — will marry a well-known fast-food chain, White Castle, and music."

c. 2006 Columbus Best Blog