Scottsbluff and Cousins

Before breakfast on Saturday, in between our showers, Mother and I watched (most of) the French Open Women's Final. It was not the greatest match, as often happens when someone is in the final for the first time (Ivanovic) against an old-timer (Henin). After breakfast, we went off to see Scotts Bluff, another landmark for those making their way across the plains. The site was on the Oregon Trail and vestiges of the trail can still be seen. The visitor center has a short video, some exhibits, and a room full of paintings by Joseph Henry Jackson, done a half century after his crossing in the 1840s, based on his sketches at the time. One can also hike or drive to the summit of the bluff for a fantastic view. We chose to drive: there are three tunnels on the way. The bluffs are truly spectacular!

The (2nd) cousins gathered for lunch. Kyla lives in the area; her sister Dawna was returning home to Chadron (in the North) after depositing her son in Fort Collins for a 10-week summer internship and stopped here on the way. We all managed to meet and have lunch together at a restaurant cum coffeehouse, "The Emporium," in a cute little house. We sat outside on the front patio. We cousins had never met, but had no trouble exchanging lots of family stories. Kyla and Dawna's grandfather Jim Casselman was the brother of my grandmother, Jane Casselman Ballard. After lunch, Dawna headed back home, and Kyla drove us around. We saw some of the buildings built by Grandfather Jim about 100 years ago, including the first bank in town and the high school, now a middle school. At the cemetery, I took photos of the Casselman gravestones. Finally we saw the home her grandparents bought to live in in Scottsbluff; they had each homesteaded elsewhere. Kyla and her husband and son are renovating the house. Lots of beautiful tilework inspired by their son's stay in Italy.

Mother and I truly enjoyed Nebraska. Meeting such compatible relatives was an unexpected added bonus. Tomorrow it's on to Wyoming.