Sandhill Crane Trust

Five days of recovery from Marlin's unexpected adventure, allowed enough energy for an afternoon of tourist activity.  We learned about the nearby Crane Trust Nature Center.  The Crane Trust, was established in 1978 as part of an agreement negotiated between interested parties when the Grayrocks Dam in Wyoming was proposed and constructed.  Their mission is to provide leading scientific research, manage critical habitat for cranes and other migratory birds, and to advance outreach and education.

 Nebraska is a critical staging area for birds migrating on the Central flyway, especially Sandhill and Whooping cranes.  These large birds use the shallow waters of the Platte River, nearby corn fields, and open meadows to feed and roost before continuing their journey to Canada, Alaska, and even Siberia.  Every spring, from the end of February through the first part of April, over 500,000 Sandhill Cranes, and  small flocks of Whooping cranes stop to replenish their energy and strength before continuing their journey.  Eighty percent of all Sandhill cranes stop on the Platte River during spring migration.

A beautiful building that greets you outside with the sound of honking cranes.

The cranes use the shallow waters of the Platte to roost at night, where they are protected from predators. The braided channels that flow around sandbars make ideal places for the large concentrations of birds.  Cranes usually travel in small family groups, but while they are here on the Platte, they intermingle with many other groups.

 Most of the day, cranes spend in in the fields and meadows near the river.  They feed on corn left in the field after harvesting, plant tubers in the wet meadows, and snails, earthworms and insects that come to the surface in the wet spring fields.

The walking trails at the Crane Trust include viewing towers and bridges that cross the river and side channels.  I can only imagine what this looks like with 10,000 cranes roosting along this stretch of river.  I bet there are also that many viewers.

Whooping cranes are one of the rarest and most endangered birds in North America.  There are approximately only 300 in the wild migratory flock.  Whooping cranes use the Platte River to stop, feed, and recover in the wet meadows.  They will spend 2 to 3 days here before continuing their migration.  A few whooping cranes have spent more than a month in this area.  These are usually individuals that migrate with flocks of sandhill cranes.

As part of their mission to research Platte River habitat, the Crane Trust has established a bison herd. In 2015 the  Crane Trust acquired a herd of 75 genetically-pure bison.  Historically large herds of bison migrated throughout the planes. The bison graze on native grasses and disturb the soil with hooves, which allows other plant and animal species to grow.   The Trust is monitoring, through long term studies, how their addition to the ecosystem can  benefit the habitat for cranes and other birds.

We were lucky enough to see about 40 of the herd resting near one of the trails, especially since they have 10,000 acres to roam.

Being here at the Platte River in March must be an extremely exciting event.  Make your reservation now!

Unexpected adventures

Picture Nebraska.  Hundreds of miles of corn and soybean fields, occasional off ramps with no towns in sight, even off ramps to larger cities like Grand Island.

On Monday, August 28th, after a breakfast with Uncle Bill and Lisa,  Mike, Marlin, and I drove to Des Moines where Mike picked up a rental car and headed to southern Iowa for a visit with High School friends.  Our first night's stop landed us in the Walnut Creek Recreation Area in Papillion, Nebraska, where we enjoyed a long walk around the reservoir.  All was fine until four AM the next morning, when Marlin woke with sharp and constant pain in his abdomen.

Confident it would pass, we continued west on highway 80.  Along about noon, when it was apparent the pain would not abate, we found a KOA just outside Grand Island.  The nearby walk-in clinic sent us directly to the emergency room at St Francis hospital where they quickly and efficiently diagnosed pancreatitis and admitted him at about five PM.

St Francis Hospital , Grand Island, Nebraska.



To our amazement, within an hour, the surgeon came by and explained that his gallbladder was causing the problem and needed to be removed.  He could do it first things in the morning!  At first Marlin wanted to put it off till we returned home, but the next morning his lab work showed that in spite of the medication they were giving him, the problem was increasing instead of abating.   They put him on the schedule for 11:00 AM.

This is a visitors waiting room on his floor.  He was actually on the pediatric floor, but they place surgery patients there when they have extra rooms.

His room was large, private, a sleeping couch for spouses, and had a great view

Nice large bathroom

Before Marlin went down to surgery, his nurse told him there was a recovery nurse that was from New England and she was excited to have someone from the East here at St. Francis.  She called anyone from the east, "My People".

While I was sitting in the surgery waiting room she came out because Marlin had told her that his wife grew up in Randolph, Massachusetts.  She wanted to meet me because she also grew up in Randolph, Mass!   We had a great time talking about Lynwood pizza, Zeppy's bakery, etc.  You have to say "Small World" with capital letters.

Post Op.  Not with it.

After a shower the next morning.  Somewhat with it, but not totally.

The staff at this hospital was delightful.  Everyone that came into the room introduced themselves and shook our hand.  We never felt like anyone was in a great rush to move on to other duties, and everyone on the floor knew we were travelers stranded here by circumstance.  It was a totally pleasant experience. (Except for the illness)

By Friday, two days after surgery, we walked around the campground for about 30 minutes.  Improving by the minute.  This will be an adventure we remember for a long time and "Nebraska" will never have the same meaning in the future..

Other Moline attractions

Between visits with relative and friends, a few local points of interest were squeezed into the week.  A few extra hours on Friday morning left time for a visit to the Rock Island Arsenal Museum.  The Rock Island Arsenal is the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the US,  It has been manufacturing military equipment and weapons since 1880.  Located on an island in the middle of the Mississippi River, it was originally established as Fort Armstrong in 1816.

The museum on the arsenal is nationally recognized for its impressive arms collection, numbering more than 1,100 firearms used by the military, as well as other foreign, civilian and military. The collection includes at least four weapons that were used by the Sioux or Cheyenne at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

In addition to this wall, the display cabinets continue the length of the back wall.  Twenty five percent of the collections small firearms are not on display.  Each section is color coded so you can identify the time period and origin of each gun.  Signs along the bottom note significant items.                     

During the Civil War a total of 1,964 Confederate prisoners were housed at the Rock Island Arsenal.  Mike is an avid Civil War buff and he knew some of the history connected with this chapter of the war.  According to Mike, there was a unit of soldiers who were "older"than most of the troops.  After one battle assignment, they were transferred to Rock Island to be prisoner guards.  This unit was nicknamed "The Gray Beards".  Today there is a small display regarding the prisoner camp that included some pictures of the compound.  According to Mike there used to be a large, complete diorama of the prison building complex.Today the only diorama is a layout of the arsenal buildings with pictures of their construction.                                                                                                       

Current diorama and pictures of the building construction in 1832

This is how they appear today

Buried in the military cemetery on Rock Island are 1,964 Confederate prisoners, 125 Union guards, including 49 members of the United States Colored troops, who also served as guards .  Most died from disease, since sanitation was primitive, heat and humidity were high during the summers, and temperatures during winters were freezing.  Also, in 1864 a deadly small pox epidemic raged through the prison.                                                                                                                                               

A trip to Western Township Cemetery for a visit with Maynard, Georgia, and Maynie Cook was sad but brought out many good memories of all three.  Marlin shared some childhood stories with Mike about when he and Maynie were young and lived here in Moline, Illinois.  Mike was only 9 when his Dad was killed in a car accident.                                                                                                         

On Saturday morning we managed a short bike ride on the path that runs for 60 miles along the Mississippi River.   In the town of Hampden we rode past the Brettun and Black building museum and stopped in for a quick look.  

One of the Historical society members was outside carving Black Walnuts into eagles.  We chatted with him for awhile and he gave us one to put on our Christmas tree.

Inside we talked with a member who gave us the information about the restoration of the building.  It all sounded very familiar!  Years of work by a few dedicated members.  The building was originally used as a pork packing warehouse, and later as an apple packing facility.  This reconstructed, hand operated dumb waiter brought barrels of apples from the lower floor to the top floor where they were pressed into cider.  

The other event we managed to fit in was  of course "The Wedding"

Beautiful setting for the ceremony

The reception tent

And of course, The Bride and Groom;  Will and Brittney Tolmie

Mother of the Groom, Candy Tolmie

Not a great picture of Bill Tolmie, farther of the Groom

And more relatives!

Linda and Tom Sharp

Candy's sister Maggi, with her daughter Kathi and grandsons Nick and Ty.  A great ending to a great week in Illinois.

Cousins, Uncles, Nephews and Maid Rites!

Visiting the town were Marlin spent his formative youth brings out the strong nostalgic feelings he usually keeps to himself.  When he was 14 his family moved to California, but many of the extended family remain in the area around Moline, Illinois.  This visit, for a cousin's wedding, included visits with many who returned from other locations in the country, as well as many still in this area.

Our first day in Moline we already had double booked!  The Smelcers, friends from Wisconsin, were passing through and wanted to meet us for lunch at the same time Mike Cook was arriving at the airport.  That was resolved by meeting Terry and Ken for breakfast, then picking up Uncle Bill and arriving at the airport by 10:30 to pick up Mike.

Uncle Bill Sackett is Marlin's mother's youngest (age 84) brother.

Mike Cook, Marlin's nephew, lives in Tacoma Washington.  As soon as we picked him up we were headed directly to the closest Maid Rite restaurant.  Maid Rite is a "variation on a theme". It starts with hamburger that is spiced, then steamed till it is completely crumbled.  They serve it on a bun with mustard, onion, and pickle.  There is an art to eating this local delight, usually with a spoon to finish up all that escaped from the roll.

The first of many this week.













Next stop was at Candy's house.  Candy Tolmie is a cousin on the Cook side of the family.  Her house is usually where the Cook clan gathers.  She is also the mother of the groom in the wedding we are here to attend.  This branch of Cook's are children of Marlin's Uncle Zip.

Candy's older brother, Jim Cook, a 20 year Air Force retiree, is visiting from the Detroit area.  He and his wife Mary, came here by way of month long trip to California and Nevada. Lots of catching up there.

Sister Maggie Cook Butterfield

Brother Joe Cook.  One more brother, Kenny, will be at the wedding.

Candy's grandchildren, Isabelle and Sean

Another day we squeezed in a visit to cousins on the Sackett side, even though they are McNalleys!

Bill and Carolyn McNalley and brother Don were pals of Marlin many years ago.  We always try to see them when we are in town.


Friday night we had dinner with Uncle Bob, Uncle Bill, and Bill's daughters, husbands, and grandchildren.

Marlin, Uncle Bob Sackett, and Uncle Bill Sackett.

Bill's daughters, Lisa and Amy

Lisa and Keith

 Adam, Emily, Amy and Blake Warren

Great Visit.  More relatives will be seen before we head out of town, that is for sure.  Enough for now!

Fall travels

Unusual for us to leave Maine in the summer or fall but the Illinois wedding invitation got Marlin's traveling shoes rattling in the closet, so we are off.


Our first stop was in Alfred, Maine, where we returned Lola home from a visit with us in Dixmont.  In the five days there, she taught me all the finer points of shopping in addition to being a great help with projects.

A poster for the Historical Society needed some artistic touches to brighten up the theme

 
She volunteered to mow the lawn for the last time this year.  Great job.


Adding a couple of extra travel days gave us a chance to visit with Jed, James, and Shellie.
Jed's cabin is coming along.  He just installed a major carrying timber, which will let him floor in the loft and finish the upper walls.

The 24 foot carrying timber

Major accomplishment.


Cabin fever has spread to Jed's son, Jacob.  He is building himself a tiny cabin at the top of the hill. Guess carpentry is just in the Cook boys genes.

Jacob helping at Jed's cabin





His own place! Didn't get to see Jacob this trip.  He was at Football camp all week.



Wednesday was a time for lots of talking, catching up, and making plans.  Great night at Sebago Brewing in Portland with these three.

Headed out of Maine on Thursday morning, with the first stop west of Albany, New York.  Looking forward to some new experiences.  The wedding is on the 26th in Moline, IL, then, because it is so close to Illinois, on to Colorado for some fishing before we head to New Mexico for Pueblo ruins at Chaco Canyon and Canyon de Chelly.