Five images

Here are five images from recent weeks along the banks of the Ohio River.

First, a bird in a tree. I assume it's a woodpecker, but someone made off with my field guide to North American birds.

I really need to buy me a 300 mm lens one of these decades.

Second, a boat, a bridge and some fishermen. What more do you need for a river photo?

I might have cropped this one a little too tight, but I wanted to focus on the three people you can see.

Two newer boats passing at Kenova, W.Va.., with South Point, Ohio, in the background. Actually, the Buckeye State is passing the Detroit, which is dropping off barges at South Point.

And here's one of the oldest working boats I see regularly. I hope I look as good on the outside when I'm 65 that the Fred Way does now.

Back to school, away from the river

Its going to be lonesome down by the river today. My shadow -- he of the encyclopedic memory and insatiable curiosity toward things pertaining to the Ohio River -- started fifth grade today.

It's his last first day of school at his elementary. Next year he will move on to middle school. Because he's a boy, that puts him in danger of losing three-fourths of his intelligence. He can't help it. I'm convinced testosterone kills brain cells.

We were at his school on Tuesday to meet his new teacher. She's very strong on teaching math, which I appreciate. As I looked at the shelf of books for the kids to read, I saw one by Jesse Stuart called, I think, "A Ride with Huey the Engineer." I told Adam it was written by the man for whom the bridge over the Greenup Locks and Dam was named. He grew up and lived near the dam. The book is about a boy who saw a train go by his house often. The boy wondered what it would be like to ride the train. One day the engineer invited the boy to ride. I told Adam that's like what happened with him and towboats, especially when Bruce Darst of AEP invited him to ride and even steer the mv. Hoosier State.

Adam had better read that book in the first six weeks.

Here's a photo from the last of Adam's many photo shoots along the river this summer. This is the mv. Bill Carneal swinging around to tie up at the mooring cells below the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam.

That black speck between the weeds at the foot of the path is Adam.