Thanks, Bro

My brother sends me semi-weekly e-mails full of bike-related photos. It's really great.

Joke

Mom took me to lunch at Maggie's yesterday before she headed to the Community Blood Bank. Ah, the retired life. Above, a delicious seasonal/local roasted veggie wrap. Below, gazpacho, also deliciously local.


When she dropped me off back at my office, I wished her luck with the vampires.

Elisabeth: Have fun with the vampires.
Jane: You know, it's something good I can do that doesn't require brains.
Elisabeth: Yeah, that's the zombies.
Jane: (pausing for a moment) (laughter) Good one!

Niobrara Trip

A Keith Jacobshagen Kind of Evening

The entirety of Reinkordts went up to Omaha last night to celebrate the birthday of the youngest. On the way home, Old Low to the Ground noted that it was a real Keith Jacobshagen kind of evening. Sadly, a camera is unable to capture this while driving down the interstate.

Memorial Day Swedish Pilgrimage

My mother's father grew up in Malmo, Nebraska. Every Memorial Day, she and my aunt drive up to decorate the graves of the Bredenberg family at Bethesda Cemetary. It's full of Swedes.



My grandfather's parents. Evalina ran away from Sweden to Nebraska when she was 17. She worked for the lawyer who defended Chief Standing Bear in Omaha. Simon came from Säfsnäs, Dalarna, Sweden.


This is my mom's favorite gravestone. Nora Alebana Bredenberg was born on the ship on the way to America.


After decorating the graves, it is customary to take a spin through Malmo. Peering into the Bank.


This is the Swedish Evangelical Mission Church, which my grandfather's family attended.

Calving Time

A little early start this year, but as Mami said today, "At least now, it's February!"

Last Sunday, a first-time mother gave birth to a little bull calf. It was very cold, and beginning to snow, so my mom & Chris carried the calf into the barn, where we'd put down some straw. Generally, the cow will come right along, but this mother was preoccupied with trying to eat, and didn't follow her still-wet and becoming icy little one. My brother toweled off the calf as it tried to nurse on his knee. We tried for quite some time (about 2 & 1/2 hours) to get the cattle all to come into the barn, hoping to be able to separate the mother out and pen her in with her calf, to no avail. Finally, well after dark, well into the snowstorm, and after all we kids had given up, my parents gave up, too.

Monday morning, the first day of the Year of the Ox, Mami went down to feed and found cow with calf. There was another bull calf born this week, too, though thankfully, there was some warmer weather this weekend.

Christmas on the Farm

physics with bells

cutest little challah

swedish breakfast

blue jays & lady cardinal

the barn & sheds at sunset

christmas sunset

the rattiest tree dad's ever seen

mom & i halfway through the obligatory holiday scrabble showdown

dad lets his true alliances be known

Black Friday

Some people go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. This morning, my mom and I rode bikes instead. Much better idea.

Cousins! (and brother)

Go Take a Look

Photos from Santa Fe.