Okay, by now you know that we have had our share of floods, etc…at the Falls of the Ohio. The Ohio River has gone up and down a couple of times over the past two months. This post is devoted to toy finds that I have made during the moments I could access the riverbank and surrounding environs. I think one of the biggest reasons I love visiting this place is that I always find something interesting left behind by the river. This activity keeps me from spending money at the flea markets and antique malls and yet satisfies my need for visual stimulation. I came up with my post’s title by looking at what I found recently. Weirdly, this time I found three Mickey Mouse related objects and searching my brain…I don’t think I have even found one previous one before? It all started with the first image in this post and …
…then I found these broken glasses. A week or so after that find came this.
I think this was some kind of self-inking stamp. And now for the piggies and they come in graduating sizes. Let’s start with the smallest.
This pig is next in line.
Now this was a bit of a disturbing find bobbing in the waves and it’s considerably larger in size than the previous pigs. I’m not sure what kind of toy this used to be…but here it is.
I have found other plastic farm animals and here’s the latest selections.
I’m surprised I found this because it’s a small, neutrally colored fragment.
I also find a lot of different kinds of heads. Perhaps the most common are doll heads. These are the most recent.
I even found a couple different types of Santa Claus heads.
Although he’s no Santa…this guy does have a beard.
Even more heads!!!
I think this is some googly-eyed clam or something?
This find was different. It’s the first fake nose I’ve found out here and reminds me of Woody Allen’s early comedy entitled “Sleeper”.
I have an “impressive” fake food collection going and here’s my latest goodies. In my last post I showed one fake banana…and here’s the other.
A bunch of celery followed by conjoined plastic hot dogs.
There is just so much of this stuff out here…now for some other random finds. I especially like this Flintstone toy and wonder if it’s old?
A whistle shaped like a banjo?
Telephone number one.
Telephone number two…proof of evolution?
I could go on for a while, but realize this is a lot to take in and so I’ll close with the keys to my heart. Take care everybody!
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
I love your blog and this is wonderful. I love seeing what people leave in the environment. I went painting yesterday and was distracted by some brilliant orange fungus tucked under a tree-closer inspection I found a little bag tied with ribbon of easter eggs obviously left from an old easter egg hunt. Love the turtles too -my friend cares for injured native wildlife (reptiles) and currently has hatched 12 little turtles. Cheers Sue
Glad you like the blog…I’ve been doing this exploration at the Falls of the Ohio now for eight years. Give your friend who cares for animals my best wishes and thanks for your kind comment.
8 years –wow–Al. That’s a lot of time and energy. Hi.
I started this project in 2003 during the bicentennial observance of the Lewis and Clark expedition. I fell in love with their descriptions of a country that no longer exists. I thought to myself, well I’m standing in the same place they began and ended their journey only it’s two hundred years later. Perhaps my descriptions of the Falls of the Ohio can also be a part of this historical record? No doubt, in another two hundred years, very little will be left as I lived and remembered it. I’ve enjoyed doing this and it’s interesting to me knowing that most of my project is stil pre-digital. My goal was to make this a ten year project and I’m getting close. Thanks Eva for your comment…it’s great hearing from you.
In 1977 my family was moving from southern California to northern California. On my last morning in the neighborhood, I gathered up some of my favorite HotWheels cars and brought them over to my best friend’s house. I gave these cars to my friend Jason. He was so happy. We played all day, taking in the last summer day we had together. Before I left his house that day, he gave me a good bye gift too. He dug down deep into his toy chest and brought forth a small blue dinosaur with Fred Flinstone riding on top.
I am not sure what became of that little blue dinosaur. I have thought about it fondly over the years. This morning as I was reflecting on my upcoming 40th birthday, on the years past. I recalled the fond memory of my friend Jason and that little blue dinosaur. I had the spark of an idea, and tossed this memory into the Google search bar. I found the image of the blue dinosaur you found in your wanderings along the Ohio River.
If you still have that little dinosaur, then I would like to ask you if I may buy it from you. It would mean a lot to me.
Kelly
kelly29love@gmail.com
Hi Kelly, I love that little toy and the “nice” river patina it has on it. It’s currently sitting on my windowsill with some other favorite river finds. If it’s important to you…you are welcome to have it. I will contact you via your email address to learn where to send it. I haven’t researched where this Flintstones toy came from…but wondered if it originally came in a box of cereal? Knowing that it at least dates to 1977 is interesting. Could it have floated around the Ohio River for that long? A couple of years a go, I found a small, blue plastic spoon with a character from Josie and the Pussycats on it. I think it may date from the late 1970’s as well…do you remember that short-lived cartoon? Thanks for checking out the riverblog.