Little Wonders - A Challenge

Hello Friends,
In case you didn't know this - I love Rob Thomas.  No, the feeling isn't mutual.  In fact, I'm fairly certain that he doesn't know I'm alive.  And I know that he's married, which makes him not my type anyway.  But if he ever wanted to serenade me, I wouldn't turn him down.  (As I write this, I'm listening to the title cut from Cradlesong.  Love it, love it, love it.)

But what does any of that have to do with the Hometown Tourist?

Not much, really - except that another Rob Thomas song has been going through my head lately as I drive to and from work and run errands in my neighborhood.

It started on the day I noticed a whole family of snowmen in my neighbor's yard.  They were all decked out in brightly colored hats and scarves and lined up to wave at passersby.

And it continued when I was driving west one evening and saw a grove of trees whose bare limbs were set ablaze with the brilliance of the setting sun behind them.  Just above them, a flock of birds were flying in perfect formation.  The temperature couldn't have been above twenty degrees, and snow gleamed white in the field, but those birds flew with all the assurance in the world toward that grove of trees.  Perhaps the sunset was keeping them warm.

And every morning as I go to work, the sky outdoes itself again.  Oranges, purples, pinks, and hazy blues in every shade.  The clouds only add to the splendor, bringing new swirls and whirls of color in fascinating shapes.  Someday, I will leave my house early enough to stop and take pictures on the way.

But as I drive, craning my neck and using my mirrors to see as much of the sunrise as possible, I think about Marcel Proust and Rob Thomas.

Proust wrote, "The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." 

And Rob Thomas?

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain 

"Little Wonders" is the song that I think about when I'm suddenly confronted with something amazing in the midst of an ordinary day.

And I think Proust had it right.  We don't need long voyages as much as we need new eyes to see the wonder around us.  That is, after all, what being a Hometown Tourist is all about, right?

So here is my challenge to you...  Keep your eyes open wide for a little wonder.  It might be something in nature, a moment that you share with a child, or a random act of kindness that you see.  It could be anything.  Look for those moments.  And when you find them, would you please share them with me?  I would love to enjoy them with you.  (Or vicariously through you - I'm really being selfish, but pretend you didn't hear that.)  And if you happen to get a picture, be sure to include a link in your comment.

Hope to hear from you soon.

God bless.

Outdoor Adventure with My Favorite Furry Tourists

Hello Friends,
I was inspired by a Minnesota friend's blog to look for an outdoor adventure this week.  Yes, it's been cold and snowy - but if those northerners can venture out to enjoy it, then we can too!  And Fontenelle Forest (1111 North Bellevue Blvd) was offering free admission from 8 to 5 today, which made it a perfect stop for the "Free to $5" tour.  Their website asserts that there's no such thing as the "dead" of winter, and they have a month-by-month guide explaining what birds and animals to look for as you hike their 26 miles of trails. 

But animal issues closer to home led to a change in my itinerary.  On Thursday morning, I got a message at work saying that my dog was having her third seizure in 10 minutes.  She's had seizures before, but never with this intensity.  She spent the rest of the day at the vet's office for observation and tests.  She was back to her normal, chipper self the next day, but we're still waiting on results from one more test to determine what's causing the seizures before we can start any medication.  Until then, I don't want to leave her home alone.  Yes, I'm being over-protective - but she's my baby.

Like most nature reserves, Fontenelle Forest doesn't allow dogs.  But the Omaha area has lots of great parks and trails that are pet-friendly, and mine are always up for a jaunt.  With the temperature hovering in the upper twenties and the wind calm, we set out from downtown Papillion to see what we could see.

After a short walk through the city park, we started down Halleck Park trail.  It was covered in about an inch of snow, and judging from the tracks, we weren't the first to go down it today.

 

I'm blessed to have dogs that walk well together.  And also know how to wait patiently when I pull out my camera!  

Looking at her now, you'd never know this girl had such a rough day on Thursday. 

 

When we got to the park, we found three intrepid ice fishermen trying their luck on the pond.

 

We're blessed in Nebraska to have beautiful, sunny days even in the winter time.  Unfortunately, this wasn't one of them.  Most of the landscape was white and gray, broken only by the dark brown of naked tree limbs stretched out against the gray sky.  But here and there we found a splash of red...  

It's been a hard winter for many of us in many ways.  But spring will come.  And in the meantime, we can still enjoy our time with those we love - both humans and furry, almost-humans - and look for those splashes of color that so often come when we least expect them. 

Vet Bill:  $344.00

Saturday stroll with two of my best friends: Priceless

Caffeine Dreams

Hello Friends,
I seem to be on a coffee shop kick this week.  Don't worry - I'll be venturing out in a different direction this weekend.  (For a hint about my next blog, see the "Upcoming Events and Activities" list in the right-hand column.)  But I got to catch up with an old friend from college at Caffeine Dreams (4524 Farnam) on Monday, and it was so great that I had to take some photos and tell you about it.

Just inside the door, you'll see the front counter and a menu featuring traditional coffee shop fare and some special drinks like the Pipe Dream or the Day Dreamer.  If I hadn't already ordered a chai latte, I probably would have blown my diet for the day on the latter.  Ghirardelli chocolate, caramel, and praline - umm, yes please!  But my only complaint with the chai was how quickly it disappeared from my cup.  The prices were reasonable.  I paid $3.05 for 16 ounces, including tax.  Other drinks ranged from $1.50 to $4.00, and they have sandwiches and smoothies as well.

I read the newspaper at a counter facing the front window while I waited for my friend.  Then we took our cups and headed through the doorway to the side/back of the shop.  We stepped from the bright entryway into a pleasantly darker room with two levels of seating.  Even at 2:30 on a Monday, most of the tables and couches were occupied, but we found a table next to this fun machine.

We didn't play any games on this visit, but it wasn't for a lack of options...

 

I noticed that the artwork on the wall next to our table had artist and pricing information on it.  I talked to the manager and learned that all of the art in the shop is by local artists.  The store does not take a commission for displaying the pieces, so if you see something you like, you can buy it knowing the artist will get 100% of the proceeds.  

I also learned from the manager that Caffeine Dreams roasts their own beans in house.  And they have live music by local bands and some visiting groups.  And they have free wi-fi access.

And if you need one more reason to visit - they have an ample parking lot directly across the street that's for Caffeine Dreams customers only.  (This Tourist hates parallel parking, so this is a great incentive for me.)

If you visit, have a nice, hot beverage for me.  I'll need the warmth for my next adventure!

Pageturners and Blue Line - $4.60 and Worth Every Cent

Hello Friends,
My first stop on the "Free to $5.00" tour was at Pageturners Used Books (5004 Dodge), followed by a visit to the Blue Line coffee shop (4924 Underwood Ave.)  Both are in the Dundee neighborhood and came highly recommended by several friends.  I was not disappointed.

 

I don't know what it is, but I love the smell of old books.  There's something comforting and just...right...about it.  When that smell is accompanied by a cozy atmosphere, free coffee, and friendly people who love books and love their store, it just gets better and better.  

Fiction books are on the main floor and sorted by genre and then author.  They have a large selection of mystery and espionage novels.  (Did they know I was coming?!)  As I wandered around, I overheard a sales clerk discussing Faye Kellerman's The Burnt House.  A mystery buff like me, the clerk said it was a great book - one of Kellerman's best.  It looked right up my alley, and I had to get it.  If you don't see another Tourist blog for awhile - well, you'll know why.

But my favorite section may have been the young adult/chapter book area.  They had some classic series I'd never heard of before like Pizza Paradise, newer series like Animorphs, and some that I read avidly as a kid (Babysitter's Club.)  Zane Grey (including hard cover editions that were older than I am), Gary Paulson, Betsy Byars - I could have stayed in that one area for a long time.  

The younger children's books are on the lower level, with a toddler-level couch right in front of them.  Hurry in to pick up this great find...

The lower level also houses non-fiction and a large collection of VHS tapes, DVD's, and vinyl albums. 

And throughout the store - often where I least expected it - there are couches and chairs where you can enjoy some coffee and read a book in peace and quiet.   

Oh, yes - and what bookstore would be complete without a good collection of snowmen?  That's right - snowmen.  Jeff, the store's owner for 20 years, puts out a collection of snowmen every winter.  Some are in plain sight, and others you may have to look for.  The competition is on to see who can locate them all and get a correct count.  And some sneaky patrons add a snowman to the collection when no one is looking....

Limited parking is available on Dodge street, and a free parking lot is directly behind the store.  They are open 7 days a week.  But as for the hours...

  

My next stop was Blue Line coffee, but I'd forgotten the address.  I was going to look it up on my phone and use GPS to get there, but I was inspired by the atmosphere at Pageturners, so I decided to go old-school.  I asked the clerk.  She didn't know either, but she kindly looked it up in the phone book and gave me great directions.  What do you know?  Old school still works!

 

I'm not a big coffee drinker myself, but I got an herbal tea at Blue Line that was delicious.  I think it was the Bengal blend.  And for those of you who do love coffee, I took along some fellow Tourists to sample the java.  They both got brewed coffee and thought it was better than Starbucks.  The availability of Sugar in the Raw was a nice bonus. The prices were very reasonable, too.

We got seats in front of the window, where winter sunlight streamed in on us.  There was a mix of ages in the shop - some visiting and some enjoying the wi-fi access.  All in all, a nice place to spend an afternoon.

Free to $5

Hello Friends,
I have good news and bad news.  I'll tell you the bad news first, because the good news won't make sense otherwise.

So here it is...  A series of unexpected car issues - on the heels of some major heating/air conditioning issues - has left the Hometown Tourist with a significantly reduced budget.  Sure, I could keep pulling out the plastic.  That's soooo easy to do...  Still, I'd rather not spend the next 10 years paying interest on my excursions. 

But I'm not ready to throw in the towel, either.  And I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who needs to do a little belt-tightening these days.  So for the next month, I'm looking for great things to do for the great price of FREE!  (Or up to $5.00  A girl's gotta live a little, right?!)

And that's the good news.  If you're looking for some fun on a budget, this will be the place to check in.  And if you have ideas, please share!  In spite of these lovely winter temperatures, I know we can find some great ways to have fun and stave off the winter blues without breaking the bank.