Spring Outdoor Fun

 It's a great time to be active in Lincoln, and we love getting to all the parks, hiking trails, gardens, and backyard parties we can!

The tulips bloomed early in the Sunken Gardens.

Seesaws at Holmes Lake Park for an early spring picnic.

It was a windy day to be out on the lake.

Climbing the maple tree out front before the leaves are in the way.

Lovely Len in the bridal wreath.

Teepee at the Earth Day Celebration at Antelope Park.

Balloon wand and sword at Earth Day.

Playdate with Owen and Piper. The girls liked to get messy.

And the boys just love to be silly together. Owen is Ernie's most talked-about playmet from school this year. On our way to his house from our car before this picture was taken he confided to Mom, "I can feel Owen's soul. He doesn't know it but I just can." I asked him what it feels like. "Condensed water."

Len giving Johanna a push in Morgan and Cullen's back yard.

We heard tell of some short-eared owls that were feeding in the late afternoon at Pioneer Park Prairie. Late hard snow and two small kids are not a great recipe for owling (which requires some quiet) or even hiking (which requires feet that move). But we had fun pretending we were white-tailed deers named Nella (short for Penelope) and a ground squirrel named Steve.

We went back out to the train tracks at Wilderness Park. Except we parked three miles further away than we needed to. Whoops. Hiking is good for you!

Here's the kids about to cross the trestle: the site of the largest mass murder in Lincoln history. In 1894 train wreckers caused the immediate death of 11 people on a Rock Island train, and many more might have perished if not for the bravery of brakeman Harry Foote, who with a broken leg from the impact returned to the burning cars several times to rescue passengers. He died some days later of an infection in his leg. The side of the trestle is still covered in the coal from the overturned train.