A little different thought and image for my appreciation this week. There is stone involved, trust me-you just can’t see it. This is an image of a iron ore ship called Buckeye, and it’s owned by the Oglebay-Norton company.
Back in the day(my day) this ship was called the Sparrows Point and was owned by the Bethlehem Steel Co. I spent three years working on this ship and another until I was laid off in 1981. Man I could tell some stories, some really good stories, so good . . . that you wouldn’t believe them, so I’m not going to tell them.
This lay-off pushed me back into the landscaping business which I am very grateful for. From there owning my own design/build landscaping business for several years. I wanted to get away from having employees(another story) so now I am self-employed as a Landscape Designer and Consultant.
[ The Buckeye in port loading taconite for the trip South. ]
The stone part . . .
Well we used to haul taconite pellets (iron ore) down to the steel mills. I was a deckhand and spent a lot of time working in very rough conditions and circumstances. Shoveling wet stone dust in a driving rain and 15ft waves will change your outlook on what working for a living means.
[ Another lovely morning at the office. ]
The Whispering Crane Institute 
Ah, I lived 24 years in Buffalo, 1978-1992 (though I was in school in Connecticut for 3 of those years, too). Best years of my life. Bet you’ve been there!
Remember the Edmond Fitzgerald?