Mountain Time Zone

After lazily waking up to thunder storms this morning, we started off a fun and relaxing day of travel to the panhandle of Nebraska.

Only one 35 today.... just like yesterday.  But who advertises good looking cashiers?  Thought that was pretty funny.

 And when we went to get some gourmet canned coffee, the front door had this sign overhead.....  Really?  We are nowhere?  After having a good laugh about it, this gas station was obviously playing to the crowd driving through Nebraska that don't LIKE Nebraska.  Back to I-80 and westward to Ogallala, where we thought about maybe staying a night.

 And when we got to Ogallala, THEN we realize what idiots we were thinking that the Front Street of our past was in North Platte.  Our car found its way to the REAL Front Street with the Pizza Hut across the street.  Seeing it was closed, and a lot of the attraction wasn't going to be open on a Sunday, we decided to continue on to our final destination.  Scottsbluff and the Brown Sheep Company.

 Because we didn't study a map all that well when it came to Chimney Rock, we were happily surprised that it was right on our way.  First thing out of the car, Bill says, "Read that sign!"  WHAT???  Rattle snakes?  Not liking this a whole lot....

 So we (me) high tailed it into the information center to read about Chimney Rock.  Yes, Bill made me take this picture.  Kind of does something to the perspective of the area, huh.

 It was only mildly windy and I forgot my sunglasses, but Bill was able to get the shot he wanted.  It's very difficult for him to take pictures with one eye, but he did good.

 The Indians had named this formation "Elk Penis".  Yes, I said that.  Believe me, it was hard to type.  And after leaving the center, Bill had a nice conversation with himself about how the Indians may have named it while sitting around a fire looking at the monument.  If you know Bill, you'll know we were both laughing pretty hard.

This last picture was actually much prettier than it came out.  There were not many clouds in the sky and this little bit of fluff was in a perfect spot.  The scenery out there was breathtaking and really incredible.  The state has the monument completely fenced off because of the erosion that's taking its toll.  Looking at the drawings from the 1800's, it definitely has lost some height and changed shape just a little.

So now we are settled in Scottsbluff for at least two evenings.  Tonight we're taking it easy as we realized that driving and riding in a car even for a little bit is hard on us.  Tomorrow is the big day Bill is giving me - The Brown Sheep Company west of Scottsbluff on the way to Mitchell.  Our waitress at lunch tells us it is going to be a GREAT time for us.  And of course, I had to hand her my business card, as she ended up to be a crafter in her own right.

People - they always have a story to tell.  And we've sure met some wonderful folks.

Enough for today - will have tons to report tomorrow!  Check back when you can.

North Platte, Nebraska

We are just switching the whole trip up from the original plan.  Thought about staying in Kearney one more day, but once we got in the car this morning, we headed for I-80 westbound.

As we listened to our favorite program on NPR, we decided on North Platte.  Only about 100 miles.  No big deal.  Lots to see in North Platte on a sunny day.  Checked into a hotel and took off to see the city.   We were so excited to visit Front Street again and see its museum and history center.  We drove ALL over town to find it, and decided that it just didn't exist anymore.  Where it should have been, there was a new strip mall.  Stopped at a gas station for help and directions, and the kid working the joint honestly didn't know what we were talking about.  Before we left, we sat on the curb to discuss our next adventure when I saw THIS.........

 Our first '35' of the day.....  And our only one for today.  We got on Hwy 30 and drove west a bit and found Lincoln County Historical Museum and WWII Canteen.  Lincoln County has had major flooding this summer and we weren't even sure they would be open.  They were open, and are keeping all the sandbags in place because the threat is still there.  Minimal fee to tour the place, they accidentally gave us the senior citizen discount.  But I wasn't going to correct this little old couple and pay a dollar more!  It was a great way to spend some time............

 Many historical displays all the way from vacuum cleaners to this antiquated optometric practice!  We cracked up at how scary all this equipment looked compared to today's technology.  I'm thinking that where I work is much friendlier looking that THIS display!  The doctor office display was just plain creepy and I had to move on real fast.

 The museum had a lot of WWII history displays.  This was hanging on one of the walls and do you see anything politically incorrect with the sub-headline?  Somewhere in between 'dastardly' and 'attack'?  Isn't it amazing what was acceptable in the public eye back in that era?

 We both had a blast with this WWII helmet display.  It was laid out so that you could try and guess which helmet belonged to which country, with the answers posted under the helmet when you picked it up.  I had NO idea about any of them, but Wild Bill got every one of them CORRECT!  He is sporting the German helmet in the above pic, and the French helmet in the blurry pic below.

 Don't think either of us had ever encountered an authentic Remington bronze sculpture, but we got to see two of them today!  This sculpture was huge, and incredible.

 Bill said, "You're never in any pictures, so let me take one with you and that buffalo."  A buffalo?  I didn't ask why, it's probably better left alone.  HA!  But there, now you know that I'm really along on this trip.

 The museum had many buildings out back that included this house, which was actually a home purchased and built for $2,600 (I think) and ordered from the Sears Roebuck Company!  WHAT????  Of course, Uno Orb knew that.  This man watches too much TV.  It was one incredible house, even being over 100 years old.

 After seeing the old schoolhouse and the Lutheran church, we strolled back up front via the farm machinery.  A few stories got told about Uncle Shorty and working on the farm.  And out pops this jail!  Bill throws himself in there and says, "Take my picture!!!"  I took it, but it creeped me out a little. There are just some things in museums that creep me out, can't help it.

 As we were leaving, this handmade coffee table popped up near the exit.  My thoughts went to my dear friend Madeline.  She would have adored looking at this.  It was made by a man around 1963 or so, using all of his mother's jewelry.  Do you think she had enough jewelry or what?  :)  Interesting piece.

 One more stop was decided on, and we only did it because it's the WORLD'S BIGGEST train yard.  This is taken from the Golden Spike Tower west of North Platte.  When we got to the 8th floor to enjoy the lookout, the first thing you see is this corn field with an old locomotive designed within it.  We got a picture of it quick because something about it made me queezy and even a bit dizzy.  Weird.  But way worth the price of admission.

One last photo of the train yard.  There would be no way of getting the entire thing in one picture.  It was pretty awesome during the day, but our thoughts went what an incredible sight this could be at night.

Going to enjoy an evening in, watch a little TV, knit a little, and get ready for a  new adventure tomorrow.  Who knows exactly where we'll end up in the next 24 hours.  But I'll sure let you know!

David City, Nebraska - a Day Trip to Bone Creek Museum to Celebrate FAMILY

An afternoon trip to celebrate family and it's art history.....


Here is the route we took to get there, a route we've driven more times than we can remember.  It was a pleasant drive past James Arthur Vineyards, sleepy little towns, cemeteries with flags waving in the wind for the Memorial Weekend, rolling hills with lush trees and terraced farmland.  One area especially was full of life:  four hawks circling and a crane flying right along with us as we drove past.  It was also very close to where I got my first deer in 2003.... with my car.  



View Larger Map

We got to David City about 15 minutes earlier than we'd planned, so a little driving around the old stomping grounds was a given.  When you travel north into town, my old high school sits to the east.  Then the beautiful golf course and updated and well maintained park lakes soon follow.  Yes, there were golfers today as it was high school reunion time and there was plenty going on.  


Across from the park lakes sits an art studio.  And not just any art studio either.  It is my mother-in-law's, where she teaches and helps children learn and enjoy art.  Ruth is just too talented to NOT have a studio.

About a half a block further north we stopped and got a good shot of the old City Park entrance gate.  These pillars were created by my husband's grandfather, Floyd Nichols, an artist in his own right, using metal in his work.  Amazing things.  After years of weathering, the original paint had come off the relief work soldiers.  Bills' mom, Ruth (with the above art studio) took on the task of refurbishing the paint a few years back, and they still look wonderful.

I had never taken the time to look at the plaque underneath the soldier....  It proudly states that it was made by Floyd F. Nichols in the year 1940.  And they still stand.

Driving down the highway on 4th Street just took me WAY back to the days of cruising around.  But before we even get to 'downtown' we have to stop at Floyd Nichols' original home, which he built out of stone.  Yes, stone.  It still stands and his granddaughter and family live there now.  It's still stunning.

This studio, as it's called now, was a Dairy Queen when I was a little girl.  Bill remembers it that way, too.  So we pulled up to the little window that we used to get the BEST soft serve ice cream from, and Bill says, "I don't remember that window being that small."  Of course not!  We were all little and EVERYTHING was big, even that important ice cream window.  Beyond the studio, you can see the stone house.....

Phenomenal.... incredible.....

This doesn't show it very well, but the whole highway was outfitted with American flags on the light poles.  Yes, I took this driving, but there sure isn't any traffic anywhere, is there?  :)  The flags didn't show up too well, but they were there and they were wonderful.

Even though Ruth was not home, she wanted us to stop by and see her new siding on her home.  That woman has it going on now!!!  What an adorable little home she has - it's perfect...

OK, we needed to get where we were supposed to meet and greet for the reception at Bone Creek, but one more little side trip to a place I'd haunt every summer as a kid..... the library.  Well, this is the OLD library.  I found out later that it has been turned into an apartment house of sorts.  VERY sad.  :(  And the trim is painted lime green of all colors.  It broke my heart to see it this way, but then again this place holds such wonderful memories.... and smells..... books!

On to Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art........  to meet, greet, hobnob, get some souvenirs and of course, learn some things.  And we did!

I was blessed to nab this picture as no photography is to be taken inside the museum due to copyright infringements, etc.  But none of Dale Nichols' painting are in full view and none of his work was compromised.  In this photo is Dale's family:  Holly and Dale (grandson), Joan and companion (daughter) and my mother-in-law Ruth (niece).  Ruth is holding a new art book of Dale Nichols' paintings and history.  We had to pre-order, but it's going to be well worth having.

 This is Amanda Mobley Guenther, the author of the book on his work.  She is absolutely one of the most genuine people around and for her to take on this project - wow!  Check out the article from Omaha.com about her and the Dale Nichols project HERE.

 Yes, David City's fine mayor, Alan Zovodny, was there to give a fine little talk - and well done!  And do you see the yellow State Farm building behind the mayor?  That building used to be my dad's, where he worked himself night and day, day and night, as an accountant.  It looks very cheery now with its yellow paint - even from the alley!

Finally, our Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy from Hastings, Nebraska.  His speech about Nebraska and agri-tourism was really very interesting!  Both Bill and I were glued to everything he was saying.  But as you know, we are going to do the Nebraska Passport vacation this August and we are just hungry for trivia and even MORE trivia.  I also enjoyed giving Mr. Sheehy a little tease about being from Hastings, and it claim to fame:  Kool-Aid!  Yes, check it out.  Our own Hastings, Nebraska is the birthplace of Kool-Aid!  

Travel Nebraska - see what's out there!  Never know what you might learn.  :)

Wine Tasting in a Candle Shop

What a warm and scented welcome we got as we stepped into the Hallow Candle Company here in Lincoln yesterday.  They were the gracious hosts to a wine tasting from the Glacial Till Vineyard just located in a neighboring tri-city area.

I got to the wine tasting a few minutes before my friend did, so it gave me a chance to look at all the handcrafted candles, jewelry, greeting cards and wonderful photography they have displayed there.  It is definitely worth another trip there for gift purchases.  One thing that caught my eye was a beaded chain with a tea steeper on the end where you put the candle chips in, and then hang it in your car!  Now that was a much better idea than the normal pine tree air freshener we all know way too well.  I adore local artisans.

Once my buddy showed up we proceeded to the wine tasting table.  Before I did anything else I picked up all the brochures I could (which was only three) that would give me information on this winery, and those located in Nebraska.  To my pleasant surprise, there is actually a 2011 Nebraska Wine Tour with an official passport that you can have stamped at each winery you tour.  There is also a Southeast Nebraska Winery Trail brochure that gives information on eight wineries closer to home. 

Did you know there were so many in Nebraska?  I sure didn't and am enjoying learning more about my 'backyard'.

We both tried sips of six different wines from Glacial Till, from a slightly dry red all the way to the dessert honey wine.  I'm always one to ask questions, maybe to a fault, but the wine master (that's what I'll call him) said that their on-site bees had been killed off two years ago.  And we all know that if one eats and enjoys honey, you need to purchase it locally for boosting your immune system.  Each was wonderful in their own right, but the Edelweiss was by far my favorite.  We have wine snobs, I mean, connoisseurs in our families.  So the next question was, "Do you ship out of state?"  The answer was no, but that didn't squash my spirit.  So David and Julian, you will just have to come visit us here. 

And how does one leave a tasting and not purchase something?  That's the whole intent, right?  When Sim and I left, there were three bottles of Edelweiss bagged up and ready to gift out to just the right recipients for just the right events.

So now not only is our garage a storage unit, it will now be a wine cellar.  OK, maybe not a cellar, but I have claimed a shelf out there just for this reason.

What will be the next Nebraska place to visit?  Who knows!  This last one was on a whim with only a few hours of planning.  Sometimes, those are the BEST of times.

Here is to good times, good wine, and wonderful friends.

Ma & Pa Kettle of Nebraska

Old ma and pa took the whole evening discussing our upcoming trip and how we would like to have our anniversary picture done.

We did not even watch American Idol! Now that ought to show ya just how important this whole trip is to us. :)

So after deciding that we'd better get signed up with AARP for roadside assistance, we started talking about how we want our anniversary pictures done. We are quirky, non-traditional in many ways, and are always going to be Bill and Karen. We are who we are, and we love each other for JUST that reason. There won't be many, if any, traditional poses taken, nor in a traditional setting. We have contacted a photographer and she has quoted a price that is perfect for the budget. Plus she's known us for many years and knows we just aren't traditional people. I think it's going to be wonderful! Do you ever remember Ma and Pa Kettle sitting for a picture other than something fun, quippy, quirky and totally them? Their movie still shots tell stories. THAT'S what we want. We hope she can catch us in a still photo, telling our story.... and we have plenty of stories.

So off I go to tackle another day, sign up for AARP, get money in the photographer's hands, wish our granddaughter a fantastic 9th birthday, and enjoy just a little bit more this place we call home - Nebraska.

Glacial Till Vineyard

Glacial Till Vineyard

What a surprise to get this in our email box this morning! I had no idea that the Ashland/Palmyra/Bennet areas had a vineyard.

Check them out as their summer season of activities and wines is just beginning - TODAY! Hope that we can check out Glacial Till one day soon ourselves.

Another great perk of being a Nebraska gal. :)