Snake Charmer
Good night, sleep tight. The 8,000 or so adult Lake Erie watersnakes, found almost exclusively on the lake’s western islands, are tucked into bed for their hibernation period, which began in fall after temperatures dipped below 60 degrees. Until spring, the reptiles will stay curled up in rock piles, crevices and crumbling walls dotting the shoreline.

And you can’t blame them for being a tad tired. It’s been an exciting time for the serpent — recognized by its primary gray- and-cream-colored body. Last year, the snake was removed from the federal government’s list of threatened species, an unfortunate status it earned in 1999. This summer, it will also be down-listed in Ohio from state-endangered to state-threatened by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

For Kristin Stanford, a resident researcher with The Ohio State University, the change in standing is the culmination of more than a decade of work to ensure the snake will survive.

Although these nonvenomous creatures scare swimmers and beachcombers and will bite and spray feces if disturbed, they do help the environment stay in balance: The snake consumes tons of round goby, an invasive fish that kills aquatic animals native to Ohio.

As coordinator of the recovery plan  Stanford — also known as “the island snake lady” — works with researchers at OSU’s Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie. The team has collected, counted and weighed the snakes — and even attached transmitters in order to track hibernation patterns.

“Kristin’s energy and enthusiasm is a driving force behind the recovery,” says Carolyn Caldwell, terrestrial endangered species and wildlife diversity administrator for ODNR’s Division of Wildlife. “Even island property owners who may not like the snake now appreciate how unique it is.”

The researcher is ecstatic about the new designation.

“We are all very excited that we were able to de-list the snake,” says Stanford, who earned a spot on Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs because of her work. Undoubtedly, it had something to do with encouraging snakes to vomit so their diet could be studied. — Jill Sell

Old World Delights
It’s easy to see why 25,000 customers make a pilgrimage each month to Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus in Columbus’ German Village. For more than a century, the family has remained true to the recipes their ancestor brought from Frankfurt in 1886. The result: a taste of the Old World that’s irresistible.

Andy Schmidt, 56, one of six siblings who oversees the business — now in its fourth generation — says the secret to their success is surprisingly simple: “We help people celebrate being together with friends and family,” he explains, “and make them feel at home with the food we love.”

It was Schmidt’s great-grandfather, J. Fred Schmidt, who emigrated from Germany to Columbus 125 years ago. The engaging entrepreneur quickly found his niche, opening a meatpacking business specializing in sausage and lunch meat. In 1966, grandsons George and Grover opted to take the company in a new direction. They transformed a former livery stable into what would ultimately become one of the city’s top culinary attractions. The specialty of the house is the Bahama Mama, a hot, hickory-smoked sausage sandwich, which Grover invented in the ’60s after returning from a Florida fishing trip.

“My uncle named it after the nickname of a woman he met on that trip,” Schmidt says with a laugh. “It’s not a German moniker, but it certainly is unique.”

Other oft-requested fare includes a bologna sandwich topped with aged Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and Schmidt’s signature German sweet slaw; and Hoffbrau schnitzel, a thinly sliced breaded center-cut pork loin smothered in mushroom gravy. For dessert, the jumbo cream puff — a half-pound of vanilla pudding and whipped cream served in a shell that the restaurateur describes as “being as big as your head” — is a true crowd pleaser.

Through the years, the popular eatery has been featured on the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” show and the “Best of Ohio” series on the Food Network, garnering new legions of fans. Every year, Arnold Schwarzenegger stops by for a Bahama Mama when he’s in town for the sports festival bearing his name.

And Bob Hope never failed to order a sausage sandwich when he performed his legendary comedy routines at the Ohio State Fair.

“Through all our growth, we’ve kept to the basics,” Schmidt says proudly. “We’re still a mom and pop organization.” — Linda Feagler

---

Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus, 240 E. Kossuth St., Columbus 43206, 614/444-6808. schmidthaus.com


On the Rocks
You usually don’t see it on TV until the Winter Olympics roll around. Men and women don uniforms — complete with loose-fitting pants for optimal maneuverability — stretch, sweep, strategize and push. Their goal: To slide eight polished granite stones across a sheet of ice toward a designated target circle. The name of their game is curling.

“The sport is wonderful suspense,” says Bowling Green Curling Club member Steve Cristman, as he describes the 30 or so seconds it takes the rocks to rumble down the ice. The University of Toledo psychology professor has been a member of the club — the only group of its kind in northwest Ohio — for six years.

Cristman adds that the low roaring sound the discs make as they cross the ice is what gave the sport its name. (In fact, the word “curl” derives from the Scottish description of the sound, not the rock’s curved path toward the goal.) Cristman’s passion for curling knows no bounds. In fact, it served as inspiration for the two-dozen songs he’s written about the sport. (“Good Curling,” a folksy number, and the mournful “Burnt Rock Blues” can be sampled on the club’s website.)

“There’s something primal and deeply satisfying about pushing a 42-pound object down 140 feet of ice,” the professor reflects.

And not only does curling inspire music, it also fosters camaraderie. For some Bowling Green Curling Club members, the fellowship is the primary reason they play. Teammates shake hands before every game and are encouraged to cheer on their opponents for valid shots and hearty efforts. Following each contest, winners buy losers drinks.

“At our level, it’s social and a good time,” says club President Scott Marcin. “You make a lot of friends.”

Though the game might seem like a breeze to play, Marcin, who’s been curling for 25 years, says he’s always striving to perfect his technique.

“The hardest part to learn is strategy,” he says. “No game is the same.” — Jessica Roblin

---

For more information about the team, visit bgcurlingclub.com.