Rockford State Recreation Area

A new addition to my noxious weed collection.

Nebraska Nellie

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday I went with a friend to Squaw Creek NWR. The day was a beautiful day for January. It was sunny and the temperature was in the 40's. We went in search of eagles and found them. To see eagles soaring above you is a beautiful sight. We saw them flying and sitting in trees. We have plans to do more birding at the earliest opportunity.

Nebraska Nellie

Happy 100th Birthday Robert Taylor

Good morning. Today is Robert Taylor's 100th birthday and Beatrice, Nebraska is having a big party for its home town celebrity.

On Monday, the mayor gave a proclamation declaring it Robert Taylor week. Tuesday night, the library hosted a showing of Camille to a large crowd. Camille was one of his earliest films.

Thursday night the library had a book talk about the book, Camille, lead by Dr. Steve Shively.

Tonight starts the big events. A birthday dinner will be given at the Paddock Hotel serving some of Taylor's favorite foods. The program will include his children, Terry and Tessa Taylor; authors Linda Alexander, Charles Tranberg, and EA Krall; and film historian, Bruce Crawford. Following the program, Westward the Women will be shown at the Beatrice Community Playhouse.

The drawing above was done by Jean Schneller and was autographed by Taylor. She gave us permission to use it for our event.

Wish you could all be there with us.

Nebraska Nellie

In Memoriam of our Robert Taylor

On June 8, 1969, Robert Taylor, aka Spangler Arlington Brugh, died of lung cancer at the age of 57. On August 5, 2011, we will be celebrating his 100th birthday in Beatrice, Nebraska, his hometown.

He starred in many classic films with many leading ladies. His films are often shown on Turner Classic Movies. He starred in westerns, romantic comedies, dramas, and musicals. His name was changed by Louis B. Mayer.

I hope you can join us during the weekend of the 5th to honor my favorite famous Nebraskan. We will have his son and daughter as special guests and Linda Alexander, author of "Reluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood and Communism" and Charles Tranberg, author of "Robert Taylor, A Biography".

For inquiries, please call the Gage County Museum at 402-228-1679.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Nebraska Nellie

Landing gear

This one is also one of my favorites. It looks surreal to me. So prehistoric. I plan to frame my crane photos and dedicate a wall in my office to them.

Nebraska Nellie

Sandhill Cranes

This one is so interesting to me because of how they land. I drove around the roads near the Platte River to watch them feed in the corn fields.

Nebraska Nellie

Sandhill Cranes

This photo was one of my favorites. How can you do better than to have one dancing, one flying and one in the middle looking on.

Nebraska Nellie