"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."

John Burroughs

I believe this quote spells out what nature and the countryside can do for a person.

I spent the last nine days off of work and just kind of had my own vacation and did a little exploring of our state of Nebraska on my own.  I didn't venture really all that far.....the furthest I went was to Lincoln where I visited the Sunken Gardens.  I had seen it from a distance plenty of times but never took the time to stop and really see it.  I took that opportunity and was truly amazed at the beauty of this place.  

While I'm no green thumb myself, I have a great respect for people who are.  Don't get me wrong, I've tried my hand a few times but I just seem to be better off hitting the farmer's market and admiring the flower growing talents of others.

~And, there is a lot to admire here. 

Needless to say, I'm hoping to be able to use Sunken Gardens as a photo location someday for a family, couple or individual session.  The possibilities are endless!  

I was able to use this location to get a few close up shots which is a style of photography that I absolutely LOVE!

I would hate to continue to write this blog about excellent locations in Nebraska without at least mentioning two more that I explored during my time off.  

This bridge on Nine Bridge Road between Doniphan and Grand Island is a beautiful and mysterious location that has plenty of stories to go along with the beauty of the bridge.  While the graffiti has taken over a large part of the bridge, it just seems to add to her mystique.  How many stories could this bridge tell??  Probably enough to fill a lifetime.  She serves as an excellent background for practically any style of photo while also being able to hold her own as a photo subject.  

One other great location that I visited along with my husband and two daughters was an old barn that is no longer in use.  This barn, like some people, just gets better with age.  Although I didn't get a good shot of the whole barn on this trip, I'll be visiting it again soon.  My daughters were excellent sports while they allowed me to test out this old barn as a background.  I do have to say that it's one of the favorites that I've used so far.  

This state of Nebraska has a lot of beauty.  Most everywhere you look, you can find it.  We may not be by the ocean or close to a mountain range, but there are plenty of other landmarks, manmade and natural that are beautiful.  I'm sorry that my vacation and exploration time is over.  I plan to do much more of it as time permits because there is a lot of credit to give to this state.  I have to thank the Facebook groups that are dedicated to photos of places around Nebraska for sparking my interest.

Until next time.....