Spring Break

Well, posting has been quiet over the past month.  I've been so incredibly busy and stressed during student teaching that I haven't had much opportunity to get outside for photographs.  Truthfully, there really haven't been many good photo opportunities.  For the better part of the last few weeks, it's been extremely cold.  Fortunately, just in time for Spring Break, the weather warmed right up.  The past few days have all been 55 or warmer (yesterday was in the 70's).  Unfortunately, it's an awkward time of year.  It's been warm, but it's not particularly pretty...  If we could get an overnight rain one of these days, I think the entire ground would explode with green grass.

Anyway, I spent the first three days of break in Grand Island hanging out with my parents, grandparents, and dog.  It was weird being home without my siblings there, but nice to get back to Central Nebraska for a change.  I needed a scenery change for a few days.  Now, I'm back in Lincoln, but will likely head off to Omaha in the next day or two to hang out with my boyfriend at the start of his Spring Break.  I'm hoping for a few more photo opportunities (perhaps a pretty sunset?) before the end of break.  It's a bummer to have all kinds of extra time, but nothing cool to capture.

Here's what I do have from the past couple weeks. Mostly just assorted Instagram photos.

Mediocre sunset a couple weeks ago.  At least it was warmer.

Cool trees and a a plane at sunset in my hometown.

Prairie gnawing on a bone out in the yard. 

February 2, 2014--Beauty on 27th Street

I'll be really honest, 27th Street has never been an area of town that I've found particularly pretty.  Many of the neighborhoods along it are old and run down, and as you travel north, the only scenery is a combination of car repair places, restaurants, and Walmart.  However, after traveling home after a quick Walmart run on the Snow Day this Monday, I noticed a fairly spectacular sunset.  I was worried I wouldn't get back to the campus/downtown area before the colors disappeared, especially with dicey roads. However, as I was passing the bridge over the Salt Creek, I noticed a virtually untouched area of snow down on the banks and several hundred Canadian geese hunkering down for the night.  I had taken my camera with me in anticipation of a good sunset, so I turned at Super Saver, threw my car in park, grabbed my camera, jumped a short barrier fence, and plowed through some snow to get ready.   There was a pedestrian trail to walk down, so I started there and tried to get wide shots of the entire scene.  My best effort in that regard is found below.

There were only a few birds in the air at a time, and I wasn't sure if I was going to get anything too spectacular.  Instead I tried to go farther down the creek in hopes of getting a closer shot of geese (perhaps with the sunset in the background).  Unfortunately, in doing that, I accidentally spooked a large number of geese.  I guess 30 yards away was still too close.  There was a horrible moment when I thought the entire flock was coming in my direction.  However, once I figured out that they were not aggressive (geese can be mean, you know...) I started snapping as many pictures as I could.  The bird-filled sky was considerably cooler...

I was really impressed with the view off 27th, so I guess it goes to show that any place can show natural beauty, even in the middle of a business district.

January 20, 2015

Today, I unfortunately had no time for a walk.  It was an early dismissal day for students at the high school where I student teach, but it was meeting day after school for teachers.  I didn't get to leave until 4:30, and consequently had no time for a walk before it got dark.  However, I could sense a good sunset coming on because there were fairly attractive clouds and lighting as I was pulling up to my apartment. I went ahead and made the trek up the street to snap a couple pictures.

Abnormally Warm Weather

Well, it's seemed almost like October 2.0 around here recently.  For the past several days, it's has been 50+ degrees (sometimes around 60).  As a result, I've temporarily ditched the indoor workout schedule to take advantage of the opportunity to take long walks.  Since it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today, I had a three day weekend and many chances to take various routes around Lincoln.  If this is what winter was always like, people would feel far less depressed...  However, it is strange not to see any snow.  I feel like we haven't had a truly nasty winter since I was a sophomore in college.

Christmas Break

Well, I haven't posted in about a month and a half largely due to extreme busyness during finals.  I was absolutely swamped with assignments.  It seemed like every teacher required a paper, portfolio, or project that was incredibly time consuming.  I wish I knew how many trees I killed from printing so many things.  However, since the digital age and Google Docs are taking over more and more, I saved myself some paper and ink by simply emailing finals to my teachers.

After finals ended, I essentially did nothing for three weeks in terms of school-related tasks.  I was so burned out that I really just needed time to hang out with my family and boyfriend.  I hopped between Omaha, Grand Island, and Lincoln for much of break and pretty effectively hit every holiday gathering I could.   It was great to be able to have so much time to decompress, especially since student teaching is likely to be incredibly hectic this semester.  I've only gone to the teacher workday, but I can already tell my classes will be a handful...

Anyway, the weather varied between sunny, no-jacket weather (on Christmas Day) to extremely cold and snowy conditions after Christmas.  Below are several pics taken throughout the break in various towns.  The location of each picture is labelled.

Downtown Omaha all decked out for the holidays.

More lights in Downtown Omaha...they must have one heck of an electric bill...

Sunset on the way back from Christmas in Genoa.  

The Lincoln Haymarket in the New Year.

More of the Haymarket using a long exposure shot.

Closer to one of my classic skyline shots...the Capitol Building is actually in this one.

It was t-shirt weather when we went to celebrate on Christmas Day in Genoa, NE.  Here you can see my brother outside messing around with the new boomerang I got him as a gift.  

Another of my brother chasing his new toy under blue skies.

Railroad tracks near my grandfather's house in Genoa.

Winter Came Early This Year

Much to everyone's dismay, temperatures suddenly plummeted the past two weeks and made November much more wintery than usual.  We got about 3-4 inches of snow in Lincoln, experienced icy roads, and had to deal with temperatures in the teens and 20's for most of the past two weeks.  Fortunately, the weather is starting to make a return to more normal seasonal temperatures, and yesterday was around 55-60 again.  Most of the snow is completely gone, and it's much more bearable outside.

I realize that we've been spoiled with the weather the past two years, but it's still hard to cope with colder temperatures.  Last Thanksgiving AND Christmas, I was outside without a coat.  If I'm not mistaken, it was practically shorts weather at Thanksgiving the past two years. We've been spoiled with good weather, and no one remembers what a more typical fall feels like (though, I don't think temps this low are "typical").

Anyway, here are a couple pictures I took during the cold snap.  It's always strange when there are bright orange leaves and snow at the same time...

Free Day at Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo

I know this isn't technically series of photos from Lincoln, but I found it worth posting.  Today was a free admission day at the Omaha Zoo, so my boyfriend and I went early to beat the crowds.  It didn't get busy until we left after 12 p.m. or so, so we were able to wander the zoo in relative peace.

I've never been to the zoo in the fall, but it was a nice change compared to the blistering heat of the summer.  I didn't feel like dying of dehydration as we walked all over the park.  Everything was cool, but I really enjoyed the big cats.  I was pretty amazed by the size of the lions and tigers.  It's easy to forget how large some of the animals are until you're within arm's reach of one.

Anyway, here are a few shots from the day.  We didn't stay to see the entire zoo, but saw most of the highlights.