The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork. 
~Psalm 19:1

Neill and I just returned from a wonderful trip to my homeland—Ohio—to celebrate my parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary.  We drove to my parents’ house in Wadsworth and then welcomed Maureen and Scott flying in from Pasco, Washington.  The six of us eventually drove down to Hocking Hills State Park in Logan.  Perhaps you have never heard of this magical place, and I would like to rectify that in this Thursday Thought!  As I scanned license plates in various parking lots, I saw mostly Midwestern states represented.  Though word is spreading as now Hocking Hills has 4 million people visit every year.  It was even voted as a Top Place to Travel by Forbes in 2023! 

Okay, I’ll stop gushing.  Anyway, this was my second time visiting this state park and everyone else’s first time.  What makes Hocking Hills so special is that there are so many awe-inspiring sites to see in a relatively small area.  From beautiful towering cliffs to waterfalls dramatically cascading down to gorges shaded by ancient Eastern Hemlocks, it’s just a stunningly beautiful place.  The Hocking Hills region of Ohio also has a long history of Bigfoot sightings dating back to the 1800s and the annual Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival is quite the to-do I hear.  You just never know what (or who?) you will discover!

The most famous area is probably Old Man’s Cave.  It’s a recess cave (formed by erosion) that has created a sheltered space.  Hocking Hills is famous for recess caves.  There are competing stories about how the cave got its name.  Some say the “old man” was Richard Rowe who came up to Ohio from Tennessee’s Cumberland Mountains in the 1790s.  Richard Rowe lived off the land by hunting and trapping and lived as a hermit, accompanied by his two faithful hounds.  Others say the “old man” was Richard Retzler, a veteran of the War of 1812.  He also was an outdoorsman and supposedly Retzler buried money in the cave and planned to retrieve it to help a relative in need.  But both men met tragic ends (and both by the accidental discharge of a musket in winter)!  Richard Rowe and Richard Retzler are both buried in the cave.  The “old man” was known for having a grizzled appearance and a kind nature, living a solitary life out there in God’s creation.  

Anytime I go back to Ohio I feel nostalgic. 
All the memories of my childhood come roaring back. 
The feeling of home arises within (even as I am glad to call Connecticut home now too). 
The myths and stories and legends of places that connect generations across time.   
The heavens above and the firmament below, all proclaiming the glory of God. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren 

And Happy 50th Anniversary, mom and dad!

Top Photo: Panoramic View inside Old Man’s Cave.
Middle Photos: Ash Cave.
Bottom Photo: My family at Upper Falls (on the way to Old Man’s Cave).

Photos by Rev. Lauren Ostrout.

Thursday Thoughts 7/17/25