Grimm's Gardens - Nebraska City                                        2025 

  

Grimm's Gardens is a condensed version of some landscape places we've been.  However, they have just as many different kinds of plants.

Several kinds of trees.

Lots of flowers and plants.

And everything you need to make your garden and plants grow.

And fun sayings around the store, as well. 

Check with Summer when you get there.  She'll help you find whatever you want.

Calamus Outfitters - Burwell                                                2025 

Calamus Outfitters is not just an outfitter.  They also have cabins and a gift shop.  You can base your group here or come with your family.  It's a beautiful setting and they can arrange for you to go tanking or fishing.  If you are interested, you can arrange for a tour of the ranch and learn about ranching.

There are other amenities here, as well, such as a fire pit for relaxing and reliving your adventures at the end of the day.

The gift shop has a few things that will enable you to remember your stay.  This is a really attractive outdoor setting.  Bring binoculars or a telescope to enjoy the dark sky at night. 

Ortello Dale - Broken Bow                                                      2025 

Ortello Dale is a home decor store with beverages and a nice selection of gifts.  There is a large variety of different things to peruse.  Have them make you a drink while you are thusly engaged.

When you walk in, it immediately strikes you with a warm and friendly atmosphere.  I think its the lamps and colors and space.  When you enter, you're not surrounded by crowded shelves that make you be careful not to knock something down right away.  Pictures can tell the story better than me.

There are a lot of things in the store but it doesn't feel cramped at all.  In fact, it is so nicely laid out it is comfortable and homey. 

Cenacle Bookstore and Cafe - Auburn                            2025 

The Cenacle Bookstore is a Christian bookstore that has a small but varied selection.  As expected they carry Christian books along with other popular titles and authors, both secular and Christian.  I'm not sure what caught my interest there but I found myself going from book to book and pulled several off the shelf to browse through.

Some bookstores have so many books it can be overwhelming to try and browse through them.  If we lived closer, I'm pretty sure we'd be there often.  We do go to Barnes & Noble a few times a year but the Cenacle would be a favorite, if it wasn't a hundred miles away.  We do love our books.

 The mural on the wall was painted by the owner's daughter.  This is some really nice work.

They also have a few other items such as the goat milk soap that we often see at other stops.  They have a balcony area upstairs so you can sit, relax and have a coffee, cookie, muffin or something else.

The bookstore also includes the White Studio & Gallery. The local artist is Reagan Weiss. 

Before leaving, Frank found a book and I bought a muffin and cookie. Next time we take a trip to Auburn, we're going to go back to The Cenacle Bookstore and Cafe to search for more books, have beverage and relax in this nice area in the gallery.

 

Flat Iron Bar & Grill - Atkinson                                        2025  

 

We found this to be a great place for our lunch on a Friday.  We got there at about 11:00 AM and there was already a couple tables occupied.  It's a busy place to.  While we were there several tables of customers came in.  Like usual, over half of those we saw were Passport people.  Everyone of them ordered something.  This program has to be a fantastic benefit to places that serve something to eat.

It's very nicely decorated with a bar and several tables for meals.  I had a garlic butter burger and it was very good.  Cindy and I shared a meal.  Too many places serve way too big of portion sizes for us older folks.

They also have a fairly large extra space/banquet room.  They could serve a very large group.  I didn't get a photo of the main dinning room because there were so many tables in use.  The poor girl who was trying to take care of all of us was by herself so she had her hands full.

The Tipsy Pine Pizza Pub - Long Pine                             2025  

 I've always liked driving past Long Pine, NE because of the forest.  Your driving along NE-20, with normal scenery in Nebraska.  Corn and soybeans give way to grassland as you drive west.  Then you come to a small (large for Nebraska) forest of Ponderosa pines.  Completely unexpected and a couple miles later, back to normal.  In the midst of the forest is Long Pine and at the south end of Long Pine is The Tipsy Pine Pizza Pub.

It's the only place like it in town so I expect its pretty popular.  Especially because of Hidden Paradise, a mile away.  BTW, you really should go see that after you stop in for your stamp and, maybe, a pizza.  

There's a couple unique features here,  the wall display of tree trunks discs and a skeleton.  The skeleton was a popular feature that was introduced for Halloween.  

There is also a small boutique for a bit of shopping, if you're interested.  Get yourself some souvenirs.  

 

 

Tooth & Whisker Outdoors - Valentine                           2025  

 

This is one busy store!  We were here for only a few minutes the first time and less the second time and both times multiple customers came in.  The woman at the counter said it's always like this and even busier if some kind of big event is going on involving hunting or fishing.

It is properly stocked in fishing supplies without overdoing it, like some big superstores like Scheels.   Guns also seem properly stocked to me, although I'm not a gun enthusiast or collector like our daughter Tracy's boyfriend, Jeff.  

There was a pretty good amount of live bait.  I was a bit surprised to find a tank with gold fish, though.

Bed Head Coffee Co - St. Paul                                            2025 

Not just coffee here.  This business has a lot going for it.  Very attractive inside, several tables and chairs, special coffee, tea and food.

We had chicken salad in pita bread instead of croissants.  Much easier to eat, it doesn't squish out as much when you bite into it.  The vinaigrette salad dressing was really good.  They also offer other breakfast and lunch choices and beverages, including smoothies.  I had my favorite, black tea, and Cindy had her usual iced coffee.

The interior was similar to JoJo's in Aurora but no Giada to serve you or visual foreign theme on the wall.  The decor was very homey and friendly.  As usual in Nebraska, the workers were talkative and engaging.  

I was surprised to see the sack on the wall, Produce of Kenya.  Every since we got a new pastor in Schuyler from Kenya I seem to see or hear about that county name all over. 

You can buy quite a variety of teas to take home, as well.

Windmill State Recreation Area - Gibbon                    2025 

I was glad to see this on the Passport this year.  Of course, we have no excuse for NOT stopping here before but this year we finally did.  Windmill State Recreation Area near Gibbon is a beautiful place to go and get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.  

The park offers fishing in several lakes, boating, biking, hiking, various picnic tables and shelters, and camping.  

There is a nice disc golf, as well.  

It gets its name from the old time windmills in the park.  The oldest one is an 1880 Standard that was used to pump water for steam locomotives in Fleming, Colorado.  

The informative sign above even shows you what kind of fish are in the lakes.  There is a campground at the park which we could see across the lake.  Looks like it has quite a few spots for camper.  

Check the website, make your reservation and enjoy the great outdoors.