The last few days have been cloudy and rainy and I have been enjoying them from the comfort of my apartment... pretty much the same way I've been spending 99% of my days for the last year. It kind of took me back to the two days I spent in a yurt last October.
My friend Jen messaged me last September with a post from the Dancing Crane Writing Center saying they were offering a free night's stay in their yurt to any author in exchange for a copy of their book. One of my old coworkers had a yurt that we gathered at a few times and I always threatened that I was going to break in and never leave, I loved it that much. So, when I heard about the deal from Dancing Crane, I thought about it for about 30 seconds before messaging them to find out what I needed to do to stay there.
They told me to go on their Airbnb page, find what days they were free that I wanted and to let them know. I picked a Wednesday-Thursday in October because it was far enough away that I could get stuff settled at work and I could attended a Central Nebraska Writers Group meeting in person for the first time since I moved to Lincoln.
After having lunch with Puffy and seeing a couple of friends that I've missed, I headed to Gibbon to get checked into the yurt I'd be staying in for the next 24 hours. It was south of Gibbon, across two branches of the Platte River, and buried back in a copse of trees, protected from the road in the host's backyard. The owner, Terry, had messaged me that she had to run to Kearney but the yurt was open and I could make myself at home.
Don't mind if I do.
After pulling into the yard, seeing a house, and being terrified I was in the wrong place and just chilling in a stranger's driveway, I found the yurt behind the garage, parked, and strolled into the round tent that I soon wanted to be my permanent home rather than just a passing lodging.
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| Interior of the yurt |
Even though it was a cold, cloudy, and drizzly fall day, the pellet stove kept the yurt nice and toasty. I set up at the table next to the window and worked on a couple of Monster Shorts while staring out the window and enjoying the calm. This was the first time I had spent the night away from my apartment, alone, all year and it did wonders for my peace of mind.
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View off the back porch
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I spent a few hours working, drove into Kearney for the writers group meet, hung out with Puffy for a bit and then went back to the yurt to crash. I woke up early the next morning to work some more, enjoying some hot tea and crackers that were there for guests.
All the while, wishing I had booked a second night at the yurt. Before I even left, I promised myself that I would be back to spend a couple of nights when I had the opportunity.
For any who don't know, Gibbon is right in the migration path of Sandhill Cranes and millions stop in the area every spring for mating before moving on. Terry said she had built the yurt in the fall of 2019 to be ready for the crane season of 2020, only to have the pandemic bring it to a screeching halt before it really got going.
Crane poster
If you're looking for a nice quiet place to spend some time with nature in the Kearney area, I 100% recommend the Dancing Crane Writing Center.
Find their Airbnb page here. They also have a Facebook page.
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| Bathroom and cool barn door |
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| Bed and wardrobe |
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| Desk and map |
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Close-up: Nebraska Literary Map
 | Pellet stove
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Super cool chair and ottoman
 | Door to the porch with cool curtain. Got some Jr High vibes from it.
Anybody else have a beaded curtain when you were younger?
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 | Kitchen area hutch
Kitchen area sink and island
Awesome front door
Seating area in the center of the yurt
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| Crane picture and mobile |
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| Crane tapestry |
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| Prayer to Saint Veronica next to the door |
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| Terry said during migration season, this whole field is full of cranes |
