What are those strange humps ?

Coming out of Hastings, NE along  Route 6 today, we went by a huge area of what appeared to be sod-covered bunkers.

             One of the mysterious sod-covered  bunkers 

We wondered what in the world they were. We finally came to the end of them - there seemed to be hundreds of them! -  and there was a gravel road with a sign at the end of it. We went up the road, and here is what the sign said:

And this was a close-up of a bunker:

                           What is it? Or was it ?

We had to go on with our curiosity unsatisfied. But later at our motel we learned that these bunkers were used during WW II to store ammunition. There are 700 of them! They are the last, most visible remains of NAD - the Naval Ammunition Depot - which originally covered almost. 50,000 acres, had 2000 buildings, and employed 10,000 people! It was located in Hastings because in the center of the US, it was outside the range of German and Japanese bombers. The government took the land, condemned 232 properties and displaced 192 landowners by emminant domain, a fact which an article claims still arouses resentment among descendents to this day. From 1942-1946, Hastings was one hopping place! It is also the place where Kool-Aid was invented. And it has the largest whooping crane diorama in the world! Definitely a tourist destination! 

Today, a company called Prairie Bunkers Data Centers is offering some of these bunkers as highly secure data centers for your business.  They have the advantage of being secure against just about everything including a nuclear blast, the local electric rates are very low - about 4 cents a kwh, and a local hog farmer - 200,000 hogs! - offers the option of fuel cells fired by methane. Wow!

Mother's Day at the Shays

As I mentioned previously, we awoke to much less snow than forecast, and indeed by late morning it had pretty much melted. I got up too late to get to church, so I stayed home. Katie and I put out our Mother 's day gifts - I had gotten a beautiful bouquet of orchids, and Katie had gotten a potted succulant:

         Mother's Day gifts for Betsey 

We had a little time when Betsey opened her cards, and by then the Players golf tournament was on and that took up pretty much the afternoon, and it was one of the most exciting tournaments I've ever watched. It went into "overtime" so to speak, a three-person playoff that ended with Ricky Fowler as the winner - another young golfer like Judson Speith. Then Rob and Katie went to a sushi restaurant in Boulder to bring home supper. It was delicious and beautiful. 

                         Our sushi buffet supper

Now we 're just hanging out - our last evening all together. Ellen and I will leave in the morning. It will be hard to leave, but Katie is very able and knows her mom very well. And we will be back! 

We'll not only miss our loved ones, we'll miss Gertie, who loves finding a comfy spot on a lap and being scratched - on this case, by Betsey. 

             Happy Gertie, happy Betsey! 

                      Ah, perfect peace

False alarm!

We did not get a foot of snow. Maybe 2-3 inches, and it is already starting to melt in the sun. Rain is forecast for this afternoon. Sunny tomorrow and in the high 50's. A mere nothing.

   Just a dusting, but it stuck to the cars. With Katie's car here now,

       it  looks like a used-car lot out front. 

Sturtz and Copeman

Katie and I found a really nice florist and garden center in Boulder, Sturtz and Copeman. It was a popular place the day before Mother's Day, but we got good service. They had a fine selection of both potted plants and cut flowers. Katie was looking for some succulents for her mom, and I wanted a bouquet. I got a beautiful orchid arrangement, and Katie found just what she wanted too. I'll take photos of what we got tomorrow, on Mother's Day, but here are some scenes from the florist:

                      Street view of the florist

             

                    Inside views

This evening, Rob fixed a really nice meal of seed-crusted fish cakes on a bed of water cress, with chipotle/aioli sauce, and mixed grains. Very tasty and beautiful too:

SNOW!!

Well, the day started out with a mix of snow and rain, then it got nicer, now it's snowing again and tonight/tomorrow we're supposed to get 12 inches!! Yikes! Rob had put away the snow shovels but they're out again.

Rob had the "big" Univ of Colorado commencement today - starting at 8:30a.m., but it was held in an open football stadium, everyone got soaked, and they cut it short. 

Katie and I went out to get some things for Mother's Day for Betsey. That was a lot of fun for me and we were both happy with what we got. 

This afternoon we 're watching the Players Golf Championship on TV. Both Betsey and Rob are big golf fans - both playing and watching. 

Here's the snow!

                     Out the hall window. 8:00p.m.

Gertie loved our meal tonight, especially the fish cakes. She licked Katie's plate clean.

             Gertie and Katie and a clean plate

                                Posing

                            Best in show!

Commencement success

Today was Rob's first spring commencement as Dean of the College of Music, and I would pronounce it a success. It was personal in tone, dignified, interesting and short! Rob himself gave a very good talk which emphasized that a music education teaches many universal life skills. There was an excellent octet which played Handel and Mozart. No Pomp and Circumstance. The outstanding student gave a good talk, and of course, many families cried and shouted. What more can you ask?

Here are some scenes (I was in the very back row, so these pix are not too sharp):

                                The wind octet

                              Doctoral candidates process 

                     Dean Shay welcomes the graduates 

 Michael and Michelle Ritter receive a Distinguished service award - 

         they have  endowed the program in classical guitar. 

                             Applause for all the grads 

Rob stayed for a reception, Betsey, Ellen and I came home. We expect to see Katie within the hour. Oh joy!

Commencement Day

         What it looks like right now

As you can see from the photo, it is misty and wet outside. It's been like that for several days - all week, virtually, and will remain through the weekend, according to the forecast. Today is commencement at the College of Music. 3 p.m. A big day for Rob. We'll all be there. Fortunately, it is inside in a lovely auditorium. There will be about 90 graduates, undergrad and grad. Music will be part of the program - a student wind octet. I 'm looking forward to that. 

Tomorrow is the big, All-University commencement, held in the football stadium. No roof. Rain forecast. That could be one short commencement! "You are graduated! You are dismissed! Your diplomas can be picked up at the bookstore!" 

Meanwhile, Katie is driving through Kansas and eastern Colorado and is due to arrive after supper sometime. Rain all the way, I'm afraid. She and Gertie. God be with them. 

John said last evening on the phone that in Vermont, it is dry, dry, dry. Dusty dry. The leaves on the trees are just now beginning to open. Quite a difference.