Two weeks ago my blog chronicled the first day of our two-day Nebraska Passport trip which took us as far west as Grand Island. We made GI our evening destination as I was planning to attend the Prairie Pioneer Quilter’s program given by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. I follow her on Instagram and YouTube and was so looking forward to seeing her trunk show. I discovered that morning just as we had set out on our trip that her program was canceled as she had injured her foot and couldn’t make the trip from California. Luckily that was the only disappointment we had on our trip!
So the second day of our fun-filled passport adventure began with breakfast at the Coney Island Lunch Room in Grand Island. It was a quaint little place with booths and a lunch counter. We had a light meal which was a perfect way to start the day. We then stopped at Zabuni Specialty Coffee Auction which was supposed to be open at 9:00 am. However, when we arrived at 9:15 am, they still were not open. That was disappointing as we met a couple at another Passport stop who told us how interesting it was. We collected a stamp anyway. Hopefully we can check it out another time.
Next we headed down the road to the Crane Trust located just south of the interstate at the Alda exit. We first watched a short video on the crane migration and then enjoyed all of the artwork on display. There were lots of paintings as well as photography of the beautiful Nebraska landscape. We also hiked a short trail where we saw numerous birds and a herd of buffalo from a 35’ observation tower. Now we are excited to visit there again in the spring to see the cranes as they migrate through Nebraska.
We continued our trek south to Hastings where we visited two shops in the downtown area. Small Town Famous stocks a number of Nebraska items such as clothing and home decor. Seasons Downtown had so many candles and home decor packed into their store that it was all a bit overwhelming. I also stopped into the Calico Cottage even though it wasn’t on the Passport. It is awfully hard for me to pass up a quilt shop. I didn’t end up buying anything although I did pass up a wall-size quilt kit that I found in the clearance section. I kind of regret not buying it but I really didn’t need it either. Such a dilemma!
Our next stop took us to Red Cloud, the childhood home of Willa Cather. A few years ago we toured the museum, home, and other buildings that have been restored to commemorate her life. On this visit we stopped at The Corner Nook - a coffee shop, boutique, and used book store. This was another shop that was set in an historic downtown building with brick walls and wooden floors.
Next we traveled east to Superior to enjoy a glass of wine at Superior Estates Winery. This was a stop on the Nebraska Wine Passport and a new one for us. They have a gorgeous inside space with high ceilings and beautiful wooden beams. They host numerous events there such as bridal showers, meetings, and wedding receptions.
Our final stop was at the Lazy Horse Brewing and Winery near Ohiowa where we collected a stamp on the Nebraska Passport. We have been to this winery several times as it is within an hour of home and Ohiowa is where my dad grew up. I have fond memories of spending time there with my grandma and having grape pop at the tavern.
So on the second day of our Passport adventure we logged seven Nebraska Passport stamps and one Nebraska Wine Passport stamp. We are making good progress on both Passports - 23 total Nebraska Passport stamps and 12 total Nebraska Wine Passport stamps - and look forward to seeing more sights and drinking more wine before these fun events end.