OmahaHome September/October 2018 by Omaha Magazine

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 A LWAY S L O C A L , A LWAY S B E AU T I F U L

Tiptop living in N od o A R A D I C A L R E N O VAT I O N W I T H O P E N F L O O R P L A N // A H O M E F O R A L L S E A S O N S // E L D E R B E R RY B O U N T Yâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;A F O R A G E F O R F R U I T

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or me, fall is the embodiment of comfort. I love the warm and cozy feeling of autumn snuggled in bet ween the harsh Midwestern summer and winter.

The f irst sign of dropping temperature starts to turn my mood. But—like all lifelong Midwesterners—I know how f leeting fall can be. Some years you blink and it’s gone, almost like we skipped the season altogether. How lucky are we in Omaha to have the astonishing beauty of the leaves changing in every color under the sun, not to mention the football, tailgating, bonf ires, and—of course—food! Fall also brings its own unique homedecorating opportunities. For an example, take a peek at Tim Dymek 's cozy home in this issue. His quaint and perfectly manicured residence captures the pure essence of this season. Seeing photos of his patio just makes me want to grab a fuzzy throw and a good book, and make myself at home.

Whether you have a historical mansion, a downtown apartment, or a custom-glass house (we cover them in this issue, too), the beauty of fall has something for everyone—just like every issue of OmahaHome. So, grab a cozy throw and cuddle up by your f ire pit and enjoy. And, as always, thank you for reading! If you have any comments or story ideas, please contact me at sandy@omahapublications.com. P.S. On a personal note, Sept. 6 is my father’s 80th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! Growing up on a farm in Iowa was a gift that taught me to be humble, hard-working, and resourceful. Thank you!

Transformations AKSARBEN NOUVE AU

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Scott and Sara Baker insist that their NoDo apartment has the best view in Omaha. Story on page 12. Photography by Bill Sitzmann.

Sandy Matson Contributing Editor

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ark and Leslie Kwasnieski want birdhouses to be properly crafted and well-kept so that every bird can f ind its own comfortable home. “When you drive around in the country, a lot of the birdhouses you see on fence posts belong to bluebirds,” Mark says. “Cowbirds then come in and lay their eggs with the bluebirds, so the bluebirds take care of the cowbirds’ eggs and raise them—because the cowbird is much bigger, when it gets older it pushes the bluebirds out of the nest causing them to die.” Leslie continues: “That’s why you tailor the hole to the bird.” They educate people on birds and birdhouses through the Nebraska Master Naturalist Program. The nonprofit program is dedicated to training environmentally conscious volunteers in the classroom and the field. Leslie holds a master’s degree in biology. She initially joined the program to work with recovering birds of prey at Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Recovery. Encouraged by the experience, she became a board member of the Nebraska Master Naturalist in 2011. Nowadays, the Kwasnieskis often visit local nature centers and preserves with their grandchildren. Mark has even held demonstrations on how to build a small and simple

birdhouse roofed with a license plate at Heron Haven Nature Center in West Omaha. The couple donates their birdhouses to Nebraska Master Naturalist programs, such as those at Hitchcock Nature Center, Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, Glacier Creek Preserve, and Heron Haven. Mark says anyone with $4 for materials, a basic understanding of craftsmanship, and the necessary tools can build a birdhouse topped with a license plate.

MATERIALS: • One 1-by-6-inch (actual width is 5 ½ inches by 72 inches), 6-foot-long cedar fence picket (dog-eared). “Make sure the wood is cedar because cedar has natural oils in it that keep insects from eating it,” Mark says. • One old license plate (this can be picked up at a thrift store or garage sale) • Four roofing nails • 14 (1 ½-inch) deck screws

TOOLS: • Table saw or handsaw • Ruler or tape measure • Pencil • Hammer • Electric drill with a 3/8inch and 1/4-inch drill bit and a 1 ¼-inch hole saw • Screwdriver or bits for the drill.

INSTRUCTIONS: Step 1: Measure and cut the board. Starting at the bottom of the picket, cut two 6-inch-long pieces for

the sides; cut another 6-inch piece for the bottom; and cut two 9-inch-long pieces for the front and back. Step 2: On the 9-inch pieces, measure 6 inches from the bottom and make a mark. Do this on both edges. From those marks, make lines to the top center of the boards with a ruler. The lines will be at 45-degree angles from the 6-inch marks (for a 90-degree roofline). Cut the wood along the lines. Step 3: Select one of the 9-inch pieces as the front of the house. Measure 3 inches from the point and mark. Cut an entry hole using the 1 ¼-inch hole saw on your drill. Step 4: Pre-drill six holes, three on each of the edges of the front of the house with the 3/8-inch drill bit. Attach the two 6-inch pieces to the edges of the front of the house with six screws, making all of the bottoms even. Repeat to attach the back of the house. Step 5: Place this framed birdhouse on the remaining 6-inch board. From the top looking into the birdhouse frame, outline the inside with the pencil so that you know how much material to trim away. The board should fit into the base of the birdhouse. Drill four 1/4inch holes in the bottom piece for ventilation and drainage. Use two screws to attach this to the rest of the frame, one per side.

If the bottom has a loose fit, you may need an additional screw on a third side. Remove the screws in the spring to dislocate the base for cleaning. Step 6: Bend a license plate in half from short end to short end until it reaches a 90-degree angle, making sure it is still readable, and place it atop the birdhouse. You’ll need four roofing nails (two for each side) to hold the license plate tight on the birdhouse. You can use exterior caulk to seal the license plate to the birdhouse frame and fill in under the roofing nailheads. Step 7 (OPTIONAL): If you want to add a perch, you can use a nail, screw, or a twig. Drill a hole based on the size of what you are using. Pound the nail partially in or add the screw. If you use a twig, make the hole then glue the twig into the hole with waterproof glue. Visit snr.unl.edu/naturalist for more information about the Nebraska Master Naturalist Program.

September/October 2018

S PAC E S story by Andrea Kszystyniak

his fall, there will be plenty of time to cruise the streets and check out reddening leaves and autumnal lawn displays. But you might just want to stop, roll down your windows, and take a closer look when you head by Tim Dymek ’s home in the Aksarben neighborhood.

Last fall, pumpkins and decorative gourds covetously took up the front garden bed, decorating the side of Dymek ’s front walk. Yellow, pink, and orange chrysanthemums expertly played along. A fall wreath

with a pop of bright orange gourds tied his small front porch to the rest of the display. More miniature gourds sprawled up and down Dymek ’s steps, and gorgeous asters and mums hung lazily from oversized black pots. For Dymek, the goal of his front lawn is to provide something good to gander at. “When I drive around and I see somebody that has a really nice house…I’m always attracted to that,” Dymek says. “Things look much more inviting when you walk up to a house and it looks nice from the outside.”

photography by John Gawley

With a change in temperature comes a change of mood. Each season, for the last decade or so, he mounts a new display. In winter, there might be evergreen and birch branches bedecking the facade. As the warmth of spring settles in, the f lowers warm up too. Impatiens, begonias, and other colorful f lowers all rise to greet the heat beginning in early May. Stroll around the back of Dymek ’s home and there are more of the same eyecatching arrangements transforming his back deck into an inviting oasis.

design by Mady Besch

Tucked quietly back from the street, his partially hidden porch allows him to lounge, keep an eye on his 1-yearold German shepherd, Olga, and enjoy a cool drink with friends. White cloth patio chairs with brightly colored striped pillows intermingle with potted clusters of petunias and marigolds, arranged just the way Dymek likes it. He selects colorful items, things that will pop against the dark slate gray siding of his house. “I just want things to be comfortable,” he says.

OmahaMagazine.com

September/October 2018

“Things look much more inviting when you walk up to a house and it looks nice from the outside.” —T I M DY M E K

S PAC E S

Dymek has been making changes to his neat, tidy, eclectic home since he f irst purchased it more than 25 years ago. Before buying, he visited the house a few times as a party guest. When the owner decided to sell the 1940s home, she called Dymek personally to offer it to him. He bought it that same night. “I never looked at another house,” he says.

When Dymek began work on the home, it was kind of a clean slate. He livened it up, giving it a cottage-like feel with cobblestone pathways and, of course, his signature lawn displays. Dymek ’s house serves as an outlet for his creativity. His background is in commercial art; it’s what he studied in college. His paintings cover the walls of his home. But within his creative

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lawn displays, there is also an air of fastidiousness. Colors coordinate, edges align, and everything always seems to be in just the right place. The playful but meticulous nature of his outdoor arrangements ref lect the aesthetic of the rest of the home. “I like things to be tidy,” he says. “I guess I run kind of a tight ship.”

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Zongkers Custom Furniture Inc. 1717 S. THIRD ST. // OMAHA, NE 68108 // 402.344.7784 // ZONGKERS.COM hotos on Zongkers’ company website and social media pages show an amazing array of beautiful—make that stunning—handcrafted furniture and f ixtures created by talented artisans. Zongkers’ custom works grace homes, off ices, commercial facilities, and houses of worship in 44 states and seven countries. “We’re a small company with big wings. We have pride in that we do not limit the customers on style, materials, anything,” says Dan Zongker, who, with his brother Dennis, founded and co-owns the company. “So we can cover the spectrum: if they want contemporary, if they want an industrial look, if they want traditional, we can do hand carvings, we can do marquetry. We’re pretty much a limitless shop.”

Well, there are a few limits: Don’t ask the Zongker brothers to share the names of clients or replicate designs created especially for them. “We protect our clientele,” Dan says. That conscientious respect for the customer is another fundamental reason they have earned countless personal referrals and abundant repeat business since starting the company in 1989 after seeing a need in the Omaha area (and beyond) for custom furniture. Their instincts proved correct; business not only took off, it soared. In 1991, they moved into the spacious quarters of the former Metz Brewery building at Third and Hickory Streets, where Zongkers continues to operate today. Dan refers to the artistry of furniture-making as an occupation of passion, and it’s a passion he and Dennis have

instilled in others. Today, the Zongkers team has expanded to about a dozen employees. “Zongkers provides a shop environment like no other, allowing talents to blossom, and pride embraces every piece made here,” Dan says. “It’s truly a team collaboration striving to provide the best furniture possible at an honest, affordable cost.” Furniture-making is an ancient art, and the artisans of Zongkers combine timehonored craftsmanship with today’s technology. Each piece begins with a detailed design in consultation with the client, who’s kept apprised every step of the way until the f inal touches are complete and the craftsman signs and dates his f inished work. Project records are kept in perpetuity, making it possible to create precisely coordinated companion pieces in the future. Everything centers around quality, service

and complete satisfaction, Dan says. “We are proud of our techniques and relationships established with our customers.” Some customers have evolved over time to become multigenerational client families, Dan says, with heirloomquality Zongkers pieces becoming true heirlooms. “We put a full f ive-year warranty on everything, so we take our product very seriously. Our name is on it, so pride goes into the piece,” Dan says. “Our company is a niche company. I’m not going to be there to compete with what retail stores will sell, mass produced furniture; I’m not making 100 tables at a time. Everything is designed specif ically for the customer and is very unique. In almost 30 years we’ve never built the same piece twice.”

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September/October 2018

NEIGHBOR HOODS

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story by Sean Robinson

photography by Bill Sitzmann

13 design by Mady Besch

Cimmaron Woods West neighborhood

September/October 2018

t’s an indisputable fact, according to Scott and Sara Baker. Their apartment north of downtown has the best views in the city, bar none.

With their oversized living room windows offering sights of the Omaha skyline stretching from the Missouri River to midtown and their balcony overlooking the Loess Hills sweeping up to the horizon, it’s hard to argue against their logic. If nothing else, it sure beats staring at white picket fences and manicured lawns. “We both came from the suburbs wanting a change, and I think the most surprising difference has been the sounds,” says Scott, Omaha store director for Nebraska Furniture Mart. “We traded leaf blowers, barking dogs, and kids playing outside for motorcycles, ambulance sirens, and plenty of hustle-bustle.” The Bakers wouldn’t have it any other way. And plenty of other Omahans echo that sentiment, if the deluge of developments in the North Downtown (NoDo) neighborhood is any indication. From the revelry of the Capitol District to apartment buildings and hotels cropping up seemingly overnight, the transformation of this space promises a new urban center. Old Market, you’ve got some competition. “It’s been fun to watch restaurants, bars, companies— you name it—all come in so quickly,” Sara says. “Three years ago, it was ratty buildings and parking lots. Now, it’s just beautiful.”

FROM THE REVELRY OF THE CAPITOL DISTRICT TO APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND HOTELS CROPPING UP SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS SPACE PROMISES A NEW URBAN CENTER.

NEIGHBOR HOODS

OmahaMagazine.com

Extending from Creighton University’s campus to the CenturyLink Center (now known as CHI Health Center Omaha), NoDo comprises approximately 80 blocks and has been central to the history of the city. The area is even credited as the spot where Omaha’s f irst subdivision, Scriptown, was founded in the mid-1800s. Today, NoDo is known as a haven for the ultra hip (à la the Slowdown and Hot Shops Art Center) and uber chic (think riverfront condos and youth-driven apparel retailers), but for 75 years it was home to Squatter’s Row, a village of shacks made from materials found in the city dump. For those lucky enough to call Omaha home in the late 1800s, they would also know this area for its notorious red light district, “the Cribs”—home to more than 100 brothels. Even the Bakers’ complex, the Tip Top Apartments, has a unique history. It was f irst constructed in 1916 as a factory for the Ford Motor Company, meaning the Model T may have been produced in what now is Sara and Scott’s bedroom. Paying homage to the past, a water tower bearing the Ford name still stands atop the building. “When I moved in, I liked the history of the building and even the fact that it was sort of off the beaten path and the area was a little more gritty,” Scott says.

September/October 2018

NEIGHBOR HOODS

Oh, how times can quickly change. So what’s new in NoDo? Seriously, what isn’t? Bringing new meaning to “ build it and they will come,” the Capitol District has become Omaha’s newest hotspot. While not all of the district’s planned establishments are f inished, visitors today will f ind an upscale Irish pub, a country music bar, and a Wall Streetthemed watering hole where drink prices rise and fall depending on popularity. Beyond residential and entertainment use, the vibrant area has also increasingly become home to commercial properties. In December 2017, Kiewit announced that the company is moving its headquarters just west of TD Ameritrade Park. With the addition of a parking garage for employees, construction costs are estimated as high as $76 million with a completion date as soon as 2020. “Hopefully this is the start of a positive cycle—these new businesses moving down here will bring people and they, in turn, will f iguratively usher in even more development,” Sara says. The Bakers are most looking forward to a proposed makers district. According to a conceptual document from Future Forward LLC,

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a Peter Kiewit Foundationled investor group, this district would include public event space, gardens, and retail kiosks, all designed to establish a creative community for entrepreneurs and artists alike. “A place like a makers district could give Omaha something it hasn’t seen before,” Scott says. “I found that if you ever get tired of living in suburbia, a move to North Downtown right now is good for the soul. No matter what you like, there are things to do and people to see every where.” Just as it was hard to imagine the potential unearthed from NoDo’s transformative revival, the Bakers never pictured enjoying life east of 72nd Street so much. Heated and cooled underground parking? The Tip Top’s got that. A shorter commute for both of them? Check. Impeccable people-watching from the comfort of their own couch? Ding-ding-ding! “We were empty nesters who just wanted an adventure,” Scott says. “The plan was after a year or two of living together here that we’d build a house or buy something cool like f lipping an old gas station or something industrial. But this view, well, it’s pretty tough to leave.”

“BUT THIS VIEW, WELL, IT’S PRETTY TOUGH TO LEAVE.” —Scott Baker

September/October 2018

AT HOM E

OmahaMagazine.com

AT HOM E story by Kim Reiner

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Joe Pittack and Jenny Gradowski add their story to a long line of interesting inhabitants of their historic home in Bemis Park.

hen Jenny Gradowski drives up to her home each evening, she says the scene still gives her pause. “This is my home,” she says with awe. Gradowski and Joe Pittack live in a spacious white home at 3402 Lincoln Blvd., a grand place steeped in history. Their story here started last year, as they added their own touches to their new home. The couple shared what they know of its narrative one warm summer night on the house’s porch—a key selling point for Gradowski, who works at Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture. While the home lacks central air, and summer heat can be a challenge, the porch (luckily) remains a cool place to chat. “It’s not really a wraparound, but it’s curved enough to feel that way,” she says. “The views, though—the views were enough for both of us.” Designed to make a statement, Pittack and Gradowski’s home reigns over the Bemis Park Landmark Heritage

District from its hill on a large corner lot, much like it did when it was built in 1902. The neighborhood was one of the f irst in the city to be designed with the contour of the land in mind. The view today consists of towering trees, a playground in the distance, and further af ield, Cuming Street. The 14-room home was one of several homes that prominent architect Frederick Henninger designed in Bemis Park. The neighborhood was a prestigious one when the home’s original owners resided there. It boasted the city’s f inest Victorian-era homes and proximity to the Cuming Street streetcar line. Bemis Park remains quietly impressive, with a location that allows Pittack and Gradowski to walk to dinner and Pittack to bike to work. He co-owns Ted and Wally’s, with locations in the Old Market and Benson. The home has more than a century’s worth of stories. Pittack says they started looking into them only after they moved in. There are funny ones, tragic ones, and even the odd tale about a religious sect. The 6,000-square-foot home was built for a well-loved restaurateur named Tolf Hanson and his wife, Jennie.

September/October 2018

The home has more than a centuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of stories. Pittack says they started looking into them only after they moved in. There are funny ones, tragic ones, and even the odd tale about a religious sect.

AT HOM E

OmahaMagazine.com

Tolf was a Swedish immigrant who got his start selling sandwiches on the streets of New York before moving to Omaha and opening a popular restaurant, Calumet Café, in 1893. He went on to open Hanson’s Café Beautiful on 16th Street in 1906. It was supposed to be the “f inest restaurant west of Chicago,” but failed in its f irst year and sent the Hansons deep into debt. Tolf Hanson went to New York to regain f inancial footing, but he ultimately committed suicide there. Pittack says he knows that, tragically, another of the home’s former occupants also committed suicide. John Bryant was the new president of a farm implements and machinery business when he bought the home in 1912 from Louis Nash, an off icer of the Omaha and Council Bluffs Street Railway Co. Bryant had some trouble at work and, following disagreements with the company’s board of directors, drowned himself in a cistern in the backyard in 1913. That same year, the Easter Sunday tornado severely damaged the home, ripping the roof from the house. It’s the home’s lighter stories, though, that Pittack shares more animatedly when he gives people tours. He shares one from the Gerken family, who moved in in 1954. The story involves one mischievous Gerken boy convincing his siblings to send him down the laundry chute. He got stuck midway and had to be rescued.

September/October 2018

AT HOM E

Other owners came and went through the decades. There was the saloon owner Henry Keating and his socialite wife, Helen; the attorney Lysle Abbott and his wife, Mary; and the real estate developer George H. Payne. But not many homes have had a New Age religious monastic order as one-time occupants. The Holy Order of MANS moved into the home in 1975, converting it into their new “ brother house.” Pittack believes religious services were held in one of the basement rooms. When the national monastic order dissolved in 1984, the Holy Order of MANS moved out. In 2017, Pittack and Gradowski moved in and began a yearlong renovation. They installed a new boiler and water system and painted some interior rooms. When a hailstorm struck, the roof needed to be replaced and the exterior repainted. They’ve repurposed areas of the home while leaving the structure untouched. An old indoor phone booth is now a coat closet, the butler’s area is a food pantry, and one bedroom with an original coal f ireplace is now a yoga studio. Furniture from Pittack ’s grandmother’s home, which was nearby, is part of the décor now. By making this home their own, the couple adds their personal story while keeping hints of past inhabitants intact. This home is one of 10 Bemis Park residences included in Restoration Exchange Omaha's 13th annual neighborhood tour on Oct. 13-14. Visit restorationexchange.org for more information.

fall

OmahaMagazine.com

F E AT U R E story by carol crissey nigrelli

photography by Bill Sitzmann

ow can someone armed with an unwieldy and imprecise piece of modern technology, such as a 20-inch electric chainsaw, create woodcarvings so meticulous in detail they look real? It takes a person with the eye of an artist and a deep well of physical stamina and self-discipline. Omaha business owner Todd Lavigne exemplif ies those qualities. Just inside the garage of his ranch-style home overlooking the Elkhorn River Valley stands the apex, thus far, of Lavigne’s 20-year chainsaw career: a life-size carving of two wolves standing on their hind haunches, snarling and grappling for supremacy. The symbolism of the powerful image doesn’t take long to sink in. “The light-haired wolf represents good. I named him Francisco, after the patron saint of all living creatures,” explains Lavigne, 51. “The dark wolf is Diablo. If you look closely, you can see the evil wolf is getting pushed back a little.” The struggle between good and evil took 13 months to complete. Lavigne says bringing def inition to the sculpture “was insane because I’m trying to get two animals to twist around one another.”

design by Mady Besch

Lavigne’s fascination with wolves began with a phone call 15 years ago. Yellowstone National Park commissioned his business, American Fence Company, to design and engineer the pens used to reintroduce wolves into the park. He came away from that project with an emotional reaction to these “mystical creatures” of ancient lore, inspiring a work of art so stunning most people who view it can’t believe the sculpture comes from a single stump of white pine. The skeletal and muscular systems are anatomically accurate, the teeth and fangs spaced precisely inside the mouth. The hooded eyes have a gleam and the thick fur lies in natural patterns, as if Lavigne poured coats of lacquer over the animals’ embalmed bodies. The detailing separates Lavigne from his chainsawcarving contemporaries. “After I rough it out with the chainsaw, I use a second and third level of smaller hand tools for grinding and cutting,” he explains. “Some mimic a dentist’s drill.” While the wolves remain in the garage due to past diff iculties moving the sculpture, other wood-carved animals greet visitors inside the home. A walk along the living room hallway reveals a mountain lion stealthily descending a tree trunk.

September/October 2018

F E AT U R E

Behind it, an image of Lavigne’s yellow Lab, Lilly, leaping in midair, her mouth ready to catch a Frisbee. A black Lab with a highly polished coat rests peacefully on the f loor of the living room. “That’s Jazmine,” says Lavigne, clearly emotional talking about his late dog. “She suffered from seizures her whole life but she really kept me grounded. She died midway through the carving.”

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Lavigne’s ability to capture the essence of his subjects relates to the life he led before taking over his father’s fence company almost 20 years ago. He grew up near Q and 204th streets when the land held nothing but farms. As a country kid, drawing and motocross occupied his time until he entered the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a psychology major, eventually earning a master’s degree.

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His professional life may have taken a U-turn, but Lavigne’s artistic side has kept the stress of running a company with 330 employees, eight branches, and an online fence product store at bay. “Being a psychology major, I’m big on meditation,” he says. “I do this woodcarving for my own sanity because it’s as close to meditation as you can get.” The chainsaw carvings remain a labor of love. He doesn’t sell or display them, but he has given many of his bear sculptures away. As for the wolves, they’ll always stay close to Lavigne, a daily reminder to f ight the good f ight.

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September/October 2018

OmahaMagazine.com

A RCHITEC T UR E story by Linda Persighel

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

A RCHITEC T UR E

Midcentury modern was the look Jon and Jamie Jacobi were going for when they built their 1 ½ story home in The Prairies near 220th and Pacif ic streets last year. The couple appreciates the resurgent design style’s clean simplicity and contemporary feel. To achieve that look, the Jacobis chose to incorporate glass into many of the home’s features. Most notable is a 36-foot-long catwalk with glass railings that runs the full length of the second f loor. “At f irst we were going to go with a steel railing with cable spindles, but then decided glass was the look we really wanted,” Jon says. “We had seen [glass railings] in Vegas at Aria and the Cosmopolitan casinos and really liked them. The catwalk runs right through the middle of the house, so you can overlook the main level on both sides. It maintains the open look that we wanted.”

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Elite Glass of Omaha provided the glass panels and railing installation, while Glass Vice USA of San Diego provided the hardware clamping system. Sales manager Corey Matteo with Glass Vice USA says the use of glass railings and balusters in homes is growing nationwide. “They’ve been popular in homes near water, or with a view, such as those in Florida or Colorado. But we’re selling more in the Midwest and every where these days because they offer a lot of value. They’re an engineered product, so there’s no fabrication needed. And they’re made of a sustainable material and they last forever.” For safety reasons, the Jacobis opted for 42-inch-high railings, a bit higher than the 36 inches that residential building code requires. With two small children, ages 2 and 4, they were concerned about the kids climbing them and dropping things over the sides. They also went with tempered glass, sometimes called safety glass, which is many times stronger than regular glass and poses less risk of injury should a panel break. Each panel is topped with a slender cap railing made of stainless steel and features two small vice clamps. “When you look at it, all you see is the glass,” Jon says. “They look almost free-f loating.” The Jacobis added a midcentury modern f lair to the home’s exterior as well, installing two 18-foothigh glass curtain walls spanning 16 feet on the front of the structure. The glass walls are slightly tinted to help prevent furniture and f looring from drying out or fading from sunlight.

A RCHITEC T UR E

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A RCHITEC T UR E

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“I had seen curtain walls on two other homes and loved the commercial storefront look,” he says. While privacy might be a concern for some—“The house is wide open. You can see through the house, front to back ”—the Jacobis don’t f ind issue with it, for now. But they had the forethought to have the home wired for large, power window blinds should they change their mind in the future. Jon says the glass installation process was pretty seamless. “The materials all seemed well put together, very strong and safe.” But there were a few things he’s learned along the way. “When

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LewisArt Gallery we engineered the catwalk, we had to create a really solid subf loor to anchor the bolts that hold up the heav y glass panels. It created a little challenge for Prof ile Homes, our builder.”

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Despite the added care, Jon is satisf ied with their design choice. “The f inished look is priceless. And the dog [they have a Westie] loves being able to see all the action.”

O MA H A ’

He also learned that with two small children, the glasswork requires a lot of TLC. “You’re constantly cleaning the glass for smudges and handprints.”

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September/October 2018

H A RV E S T story by Patrick McGee photography by bill sitzmann design & illustration by Mady Besch

oraging berries is one of many underappreciated outdoor activities that Nebraska offers. Putting one’s kids to work on a ripe berry bush with a couple of pails will give them an opportunity to appreciate the natural world. Finding berries to pick is not diff icult. Berry farms are plentiful in the state, and even roadside ditches offer opportunities to pick berries for those who know what to look for. Elderberries—for example—are plentiful, often seen, and often overlooked. Paul Read, a professor of horticulture and viticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who grows elderberries, says they are a native small fruit in the genus Sambucus. The common American elder shrub, Sambucus canadensis, has a semi-woody stem from which foliage and a “cyme”

cultivating, throwing a net over the plants will help keep the birds out. (a type of f lower cluster or “inf lorescence”) grows. The semi-woody stem contains a soft, white pith at its center. “When I was a kid, we used to remove it [the pith] and make whistles,” Read says. The stem can support a shrub 12 or more feet in height. The small, sweet-smelling white f lowers are “umbrellashaped.” The cyme contains many small f lowers that develop into deep-red to black individual fruits, which are no bigger than a quarter inch in diameter. In midsummer, the odds are that anyone driving around the countryside could f ind elderberries in bloom on roadsides and in ditch banks. In the fall, the clusters of dark fruit weighing down the plants give them away. Elderberries make f ine jellies, jams, pies, and wines. The f lowers can also be

made into wine. Aside from tasting good, elderberries are healthy. Read says that elderberries have many of the benef icial characteristics generally expected of fruits and vegetables. In addition, he adds, elderberries are one of the fruits highest in antioxidant content. Elderberry products, such as concentrated juices, have found their way into the health food market. Read does not forage elderberries because he has a cultivated “Adams” elderberry growing in his garden. He says there are other “cultivars” (varieties) available including “York ” and “Nova.” However, foraged elderberries will be pretty similar to cultivars. “Birds love them both,” he says. Foragers should expect to compete with birds for perfectly ripe berries. When

Elderberries are easy to incorporate into the home garden. Read recommends spacing elderberry plants out in a f ield and cutting them back each year so the height is uniform. Whether homegrown or foraged, harvest elderberries when they are very dark in order to benef it from the increased antioxidant content and enhanced f lavors. He adds that they are not diff icult to grow or harvest, and most commercial elderberries are harvested by hand. Consuming the fruits of your forage will connect you to the source. You will know the environment. You will know your environment. In the cold sterile aisle of the grocery store, it is easy to forget: Nourishment comes from the earth.

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