Post IV: The Sunken Gardens

I have always noticed the Sunken Gardens as I have driven past it on 27th street. The Sunken Gardens was always a place I wanted to visit so when our class received our assignment I knew right away where I wanted to go. Upon arriving to the Sunken Gardens I was immediately taken in by its astounding scenery. To say the Sunken Gardens is beautiful would be an understatement. You would not have thought that back in the 1930s that very same place was an abandoned dumpsite.
To better understand the Sunken Gardens it helps to hear some background information. In the early winter of the 1930s during the Great Depression the city provided jobs for 200 family men to build the Sunken Gardens. It was originally designed by Assistant Superintendent Fred W. Goebel. It originally started out being a rock garden, it was primarily called Lincoln’s Rock Garden, and the whole structure was made out of stone. The walls, fountains, and statues were all made of rock.
Today the Sunken Garden is just that, a huge garden. Everywhere you look you see thousands of colorful flowers, trees, and ponds. The garden is not only just filled with plants but also full of astonishing sculptures. One sculpture that is particularly famous is “Rebeka at the Well.” The original “Rebeka at the Well” was a concrete woman holding a jug full of water. The statue was around for 70 years until the city retired it in 2004. Now there is a new statue in her place, also named “Rebecca at the Well,” but just spelled differently. This new statue is a bronze Rebecca that was created by David Young in 2005.
The Sunken Gardens is a must see for anyone in Lincoln who appreciates the outdoors. There is a particularly beautiful spot at the end called the Healing Garden which consists of white blossoms that inspires calm and serenity. The funny part of it is that if you look out about ten feet you will see the street filled with cars passing by, not very tranquil.

Post 3: Article Response

I chose the article entitled “Is Nebraska Really ‘the good life’” in the Lincoln Journal Star. I chose this article because who has not said at one time in their life “I hate Nebraska” or at least heard someone say it. The article goes on about a mixture of scorn and adoration felt by the people of the state of Nebraska. The interesting part about the article was not really content itself but the comments that came after the article was written. So many people had a remark about the high taxes here, no tolerance for different points of view, and how all we have is Husker football and Runza. But there was just as many positive comments as there were negative. People talked about the friendliness of people, the slow pace of the state, and the beautiful scenery. Many people even mention leaving Nebraska for a few years and coming back because they always new Nebraska was home and no other state compared to it. Personally, I enjoy living here in Nebraska. I have been to other states and even other countries, so for someone to say I don’t know what it is like outside of Nebraska is just not true. I have lived here my whole life and I consider Nebraska my home no matter where I head. I would not mind however to try and live somewhere else outside of Nebraska for a while just to experience something different. I think it is good for everyone to get out and experience what other places have to offer. But it really comes down to what you call home. I think anyone born here will always consider Nebraska their home whether they stayed in Nebraska to raise a family or pursued another life somewhere else. I really believe one person who commented on the article really sums up the article; beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Post 2: The National Museum of Roller Skating

To be completely honest I was not expecting much when I came to The National Museum of Roller Skating. Upon entering there were cute knick knacks on the walls, but when I entered into the lobby I found myself having to wade through a small maze of stuffy offices and desks. After following the signs that said museum I eventually came to a small room filled with wooden display cases. I began to walk around the room reading articles on the evolution of the wheel or how back in the 1800s they had rink rules that stated you had to skate at uniform speeds and in certain directions and no spitting tobacco on the rink floors. The museum had charming vintage skates, and outfits that pro roller skaters wore. The museum started to feel more like an antique shop than an actual museum. That was until I came upon a display case that was about roller soccer which is soccer on skates. Finally, my interests had been sparked. I never imagined soccer could be played on roller skates. Apparently it is just like soccer with two minute periods instead of forty five and a goal can be worth one to two points. Two points can be received if the ball passes through the legs of a defender on its way to the goal. I had finally found something relatable. After viewing the roller soccer exhibit, I began to venture out a little more and started to take more notice of what the museum had to offer. I discovered that there are three types of roller hockey that is played in the United States, I learned about the World Skating League, and speed skating. Coming to the National Museum of Roller Skating started out as an assignment and became an interesting experience. I would recommend this museum for anyone to come and visit.