It's a beautiful morning out here in the Sandhills!!!

While traveling through the Sandhills early this morning I saw some amazing sights....

I was greeted with this marvelous sunrise.

I know the sun rises and sets every day - typically I'm up to capture the sunsets - ONLY.  But we have been blessed with RAIN!!! So the hills are green and full of grasses and wildflowers and definitely worth the drive. 

I was amazed at how the colors reflected upward into the tiny cloudlets floating above greeting the morning. 

I had a LONG road ahead of me but was stopped in my tracks when I saw...

 ...this hawk perched on this fence post preening for the day to come. It ruffled its feathers....
then took off for some mischief.

This hawk was not invited to the small birds' nest and they let it know that it wasn't welcome. The power of the little ones overcame the boldness of the large one. (A good lesson...)

Under the fullness of the Supermoon, the hawk decided to perch on a power pole and mope perhaps? 

 But the bravery of the little bird persisted...taunting the hawk to take flight....

And save the nest from an uninvited guest.

There are many sights like this along the highways and byways of Nebraska. Cherry County sits at the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 83 and is in the center of the Sandhills.

Consider all that there is to see and do when you take a Sandhills Western Vacation!!! Let the sponsors at: http://sandhillswesternvacations.com help make your vacation one that you'll remember and share with your family every season....because we're inviting you to visit our nest and are hopeful the long roads you travel will be filled with sunshine and good times!

Happy Flag Day!!!

Long may she wave!!

A very sincere thank you to our soldiers, past, present, and future, for keeping our country free and the home of the brave!

You are deeply appreciated :)

NEWS FLASH! Car Show is June 8...News Flash!!!

I must humbly ask all you car enthusiasts for your forgiveness...I just found out the car show is REALLY June 8, not June 1, as posted in a previous post or on the Web site.

A week more to finish vacuuming, polishing, shining and any tweaking that needs to be done is now yours. Yay!!!!

(That's my positive spin on this....)

So, we're looking forward to hearing you rumble into town JUNE 8....

And, we'll be just as happy to see you June 1 if you so desire!

It's a Classic!!! The annual Classic Car Show and Nebraska Life Magazine!

Treasures abound in these Sandhills and you know if you've been here. You really know if you live here. And if you've read about them - well - you know too.

One treasure we all hold dear are our beloved vehicles. Classic, rusty, foreign, or brand spankin' new. They're special. They hold what's special - our families that we also treasure.

So get your vehicle spiffed up and bring the family to the 29th annual Valentine Classic Motor Club's Car Show and Parade that will take place June 1.

Arrive before 6:00 p.m. at Henderson's IGA parking lot, located on Highway 83. Enjoy the sights around you. Feel the power, the muscle, and good vibes. A lead car will have you winding around Valentine, weaving in and out of several senior housing complexes, where the residents will have treasured memories of their youth.

Everyone will wind up back at Scotty's Ranchland and the Frosty for a bit of good-eats, good conversation and make treasured friendships.

Another classic is Nebraska Life Magazine! Their May\June issue - on newsstands now - showcases  treasures nestled among the Sandhills, specifically the Snake River. Publisher and Editor Christopher Amundson has photographed and narrated his trip down the Snake with fellow photographer Jack Nordeen and river guide Ryan Kelley.

Christopher will share with you the sights, sounds, aquatic life, and wilderness that surrounds them as they walk through ankle breaking boulders and the ever possible encounter with a rattle snake - for which the river was named.

The story: Snake River: One Bite at a Time, is narrated so well, that you will feel like you're right there, walking with them; exploring a treasure deep within the canyon walls of the Snake River.

Also in the May\June issue is a little bit of fact, myth, and legend, on how early settlers would care for their treasures. Encompassing the entire state, writer Matthew Spencer sheds some light on where buried treasures may be found in the story: Dig into the Ultimate Treasure Hunt. From wells along the Niobrara River around the German Settlement, to the likes of Buffalo Bill Cody and Doc Middleton, Matthew will have you dreaming of treasures buried deep...or not so deep.

 Treasures, real (like our beloved families and classic or otherwise vehicles) or surreal (like the Snake River) are all here in the Sandhills. Waiting to be discovered.

Won't you discover some of them? Come to the Classic Car Show - in whatever will get you here or pick up the latest edition of Nebraska Life Magazine. They're available on local newsstands, or by subscription at www.NebraskaLife.com.

Looking forward to seeing you this summer so you can soak up some treasured memories for yourselves and have them become classics you can share with your kids and grandkids!!!

Sign up now for the 3rd annual Andrew Claymon Fishing Tournament - June 8!!

While there may be some snow flurries as you read this - it won't matter, because come tourney day, the skies will be as blue as Andrew's eyes, and the fish will definitely be biting!!! 

All the more reason for you to dust off your tackle box, check your fishing line, get a few new lures and join the fun of the third annual Andrew Claymon Memorial Fishing Tournament!!

Teams are needed, so find your favorite someone and make reservations to be at Merritt Reservoir on June 8. There are prizes, you know.

And it's every kids dream to fish with, and learn from someone very special - and that could be YOU! Click on this link to sign you and your pal up: http://andrewclaymonfishing.com/

To find out about Andrew and how the memorial fishing tournament began go to 2012 then go to May on this blog. His mother, Joni, shares the story. 

Hope to see you there!!! Under those blue, blue, skies with fish biting like crazy.

15th annual Nebraska Shop Hop, April 18-28, 2013!!!!

All things are pointing for you to make the trip across 

Nebraska for the 15th annual Nebraska Shop Hop. 

It's the 15th annual Nebraska Independent Shop Hop and there's something for everyone as they journey across our wonderful state and visit 39 participating quilt and fabric shops. 

Way out in Valentine, Nebraska, you'll meet one of the nicest shop owners (customers have commented), Susan Stec, who owns the Quilting Cupboard. 

 Quilting Cupboard owner, Susan Stec holds up the Western shops' project.

Bill and Barbara Brazie of Wakefield, NE, stopped by Friday, April 19, to pick up some quilting supplies. Both of them are quilters, however Bill says Barb won't let him touch her HQ16 long-arm quilting machine. He prefers to make quilt tops and will get back at it after he's done with physical therapy on his shoulder. 

"It's going to be 16 to 20 weeks. When it first started, I thought it was arthritis. One of the orthopedic surgeons though we better try a steroid shot. I thought we were just putting the surgery off. He talked me into doing it. I didn't make it two weeks and was hurting worse than before. I had shoulder spurs and the doctor found bone spurs and thought scope surgery with three to eight weeks for recovery. 

"I can't carry on this way - so he went in and wound up doing surgery. It was a mess, the rotor cuff was clean way back here," he indicated toward his back. "They had to drill a hole in the bone and stitch the muscle to the bone so it could grow back to the tendons."

 Unique patterns by Fear Not Pattern Co, a great supply of wool and 
Weeks Dye Works flosses are available. 

But that won't stop the Brazie's from visiting all of the shops. While NIFS doesn't have a point system this year, they do have the opportunity for participants who visit all the shops to get a $10.00 coupon and a bag for 2014. Another bonus of visiting ALL the shops is that participants will be entered into ALL the drawings. 

Bill and Barb will take two - three day weekends - to make the trek. In the meantime, Barb has her own quilting business Barbara's Busy Bee Quilting. She also quilts the designs Bill has made for his granddaughters, a couple he made for graduation gifts and two baby quilts. 

While she's had the long-arm for the past four years, it wasn't until recently that she began quilting professionally. 

 Barbara and Bill Brazie of Wakefield, NE. 

"I like to do it, I just wish I had more control. I have to do everything freehand. I'll work for a couple hours...the big ones 94"x104" take a couple days to finish."

Bill and Barbara make a lot of quilts for their church who donates them to the Lions Club, Lutheran World Relief and Orphan Grain Train in Norfolk. 

"Last year we gave to Mapleton, IA, who had the big tornado. There's a lot of people who you can give them to. We pick our charity and usually it's the Lutheran World Relief," said Barbara.  

As the sun begins to set, the Brazie's decide they'll head for Hemmingford in the morning instead, and enjoy Valentine's finest dining and stay at one of our nice motels - with a fine breakfast to get them off in the morning. Thanks for stopping by Bill and Barb. And all the others who will visit Valentine for the 15th annual Nebraska Shop Hop!

 The Nebraska fabric was made into a tote at the Quilting Cupboard - kits are available.

New and improved Web site to serve you better!

The Sandhills Western Vacations Web site was recently renovated. There are slide shows that showcase our beautiful area for nearly every FUN thing there is to do here...throughout the seasons.

We are a destination that can be enjoyed all year long and there are plenty of things to do. Some years are better for ice fishing than others. Some years are better for going down the river than others. But no matter...there's always going to be enjoyment in those activities; they'll become the vacation that you'll always remember because...

It would be fun to post some of your remembered vacations and share photos as well. Please send them to SandhillsWesternVacations@yahoo.com and they will be featured on a future blog!

There are a few more things that will be added to the Web site, but those will have to wait for a later date.

So...if you're inclined...share your thoughts on the new SandhillsWesternVacations.com and remembered vacations and photos at SandhillsWesternVacations@yahoo.com