Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Traveling the Back Roads

In yesterday's post, you had to listen to me whine about the lack of Internet access and the inability to have a working cell phone but still...I did enjoy my trip to Nebraska.

My husband's company requires that he travel throughout the country so I have had a lot of opportunities to  "go  along for the ride". The big cities are always fun to visit as they offer a lot of things to do but there is a certain charm to the rural areas as well.

There might of been a time that just riding around looking at the countryside would not have been interesting to me.  That would of definitely been true if I had small children in the car (the very thought of it makes me jittery) but as an empty-nester, I love looking around at things, stopping to check out the sites and "flavor" of the little towns that make up America. There is always some cute little business, or a great little diner just down the road.




Thought Number One....Cedar Creek Pottery



This used to be a church but now is a potter's studio



Just 7 miles outside of Beatrice, Nebraska sits a old Lutheran church that was built in 1895. 
This would seem to be an unlikely place for a pottery studio...yet it is.  An unusual studio to be sure.

Hubby and I were driving along a country highway, when we spotted the sign and turned onto a gravel road.  After a few miles we saw the church and thought we needed to investigate. Upon walking up to the door you are greeted by a sign:


We let ourselves in, turned on the lights as instructed and looked around.  


After a few minutes the potter, Ervin Dixon came in.  Ervin is a very quiet man, or at least he was while we were there.  He is known around the area as the "country potter".

Dixon was an art student in the 60's and 70's who initially wanted to create welded sculptures. After earning a MFA from Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, he started a teaching career at the University of Miami. A few years later he moved back to the area where he grew up near Beatrice, Nebraska. For more than 30 years, Dixon has created his art and embraced his small town roots.

At the beginning of each year he starts with around 9000 pounds of clay and by October he has formed and fired all of it. He holds an annual sale to show and sell his pottery although anyone can drive up to the church and let themselves in.  Be sure to turn on the lights.  Ervin will come over in a few minutes.

Thought Number Two--Did I See What I Thought I Saw?

As we were driving to Cedar Creek Pottery, we saw a boat sitting in a pasture.  This probably wouldn't be worth noting if there had been any water around...any at all...but no...no lakes, rivers, not even a pond.  Yet, here it was a small boat in the middle of a pasture.



Nothing around it for miles...nothing


Then there was this.... Someone felt the need to point out the fact that the road was a "dirt" road.

Perhaps, the sign maker should have elaborated and said "Dirt or Mud Road" depending on the weather. Clearly someone didn't figure that out.





I have seen the signs on roads to point out possible deer in the area but I hadn't seen signs that pointed out duel inhabitants before.




It's like a game of chance...which one
will I hit today?
To be continued....what is waiting for me back in Kansas






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14 comments:

Thechubbychatterbox said...

Life truly is a highway, isn't it?

AngelBaby said...

It sounds so interesting, I would love to go there just to see everything. I hope you are having a wonderful time.

Here's your click ...............

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Liggybee said...

I love road travel! I haven't been able to do that in such a long time! That looks like a very interesting trip...would love to see more of your travel pics in the future. Enjoy your week ahead!!!

Trina said...

Nebraska.. now that would be an interesting trip, but no water? That potter place looks awesome. What an inspirational place to create works of art! I love how you get t go in and turn on the lights LOL That's so small town awesome, no worries about people stealing and such...

I've never seen the deer and turkey sign, my personal favorite around here is the conquistador on the tractor sign ;)

Clicks!
--Trina

Wolfbernz said...

Hi Cheryl,

That looks like a really cool trip. Nice and quiet, but I agree the quieter the trip the worse the services (internet and cell).

Now, the mud road looks like a great place for fun :) maybe a little side road mudding....

Clicks for you!
Wolf

Cheryl P. said...

Yes, sometimes quite smooth and sometimes there are potholes.

Cheryl P. said...

I did have a fun week. Little town "America" is so charming. The people in Nebraska seem especially nice, as well.

Cheryl P. said...

As I get older, I like these low-key adventures over the big splashy, tours planned out for us. It's pretty relaxing just taking your time and stopping here and there as you please. You have a good week as well.

Cheryl P. said...

That boat had us intrigued. There is no logical reason for it to be in the middle of Nebraska.

I agree about the potter's place. How cool that he carves his art/life to a place that he feels is "home". His church is charming and spotless. I couldn't help but wonder how he keeps it pristine. Not one speck of dust on all that pottery.

I had never seen the deer/turkey sign either. There is a conquistador on a tractor???

Cheryl P. said...

Someone certainly decided to do some mudding on that road. I was surprised at how horrible the Internet and cell reception was. At no point were we more than an hour or so out of Lincoln.

momto8blog said...

oh my gosh...you had me laughing!! fun to see these things...

oldereyes said...

We passed through Nebraska on our way to CA 41 years ago and stayed in Omaha. We were in transit and didn't look around much. We were also young and oblivious. I love pottery ... and placed like the pottery church. Today we went to the Heard Museum in Phoenix, which features some amazing Native American pottery. If you have a choice, hit the turkey ... I've hit a deer and it's hard on the vehicle.

Bud

Cheryl P. said...

I am glad you had a laugh. Those little oddities that are in every community waiting for someone to spot...make me happy.

Cheryl P. said...

Omaha is really a nice place to visit if you ever happen to go back...I suspect maybe not as it has been 41 years since your last visit..heh, heh.

I have been to he Heard Museum and a lot of other museums in that area. I lived in Phoenix for about 3 years before moveing to Flagstaff. I love Indian art and artifacts.

Absolutely pick the turkey. I have seen the effects of a deer hit up close...not pretty.