School ended Friday, so I took my first trip on Saturday. Winter weather shifted from frightfully frigid to fabulously friendly, so a three hour drive to Omaha, Nebraska with plans to be outside felt doable.
I’ve started to embrace solo travel. While my heart still aches for the future I anticipated, taking the risk of adventure and exploration chips away at the feelings of loneliness. Today, I left lonely at home and I wrapped myself in the warm embrace of simply being one.
I planned to arrive in Nebraska before noon so an 8:30am departure from Kansas City started my day. I set my sights on the Lauritzen Gardens, filled my tank with gas, turned on an audio book, and headed out. Sparse highway traffic and beautiful driving conditions helped the morning drive fly by.
Omaha has one of the best zoos in the nation—the Henry Doorly Zoo. I’ve visited it several times, but I never knew the Lauritzen Gardens existed nearby. To say I was impressed is an understatement. Even in the winter season, this place shines.
I purchased my tickets and entered the winter wonderland. A pianist played nearby as I explored the poinsettia tree and the numerous train sets. Children played nearby and parents looked forward to the adventure.
My goal for the day was troll hunting. During the summer, my three co-workers and I found five permanent trolls at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. These trolls were created by the Danish artist, Thomas Dambo. Originally a graffiti artist, Thomas Dambo transitioned to birdhouses then to making trolls out of recycled materials. In 2010, Dambo began a “Trail of a Thousand Trolls” project in hopes of making 1,000 trolls out of recycled materials. Currently he has 170 trolls in 20 different countries. At any rate, the experience in Maine planted the seed and troll hunting for me commenced.
Dambo has created a troll map where fellow troll hunters login and mark the trolls they’ve seen. My stats move up to 11 after today—just 6% of the total Dambo troll collection. If you want to visit the trolls in Omaha, be forewarned that they comprise the traveling collection, “Save the Trolls” and will depart May 18, 2026. Meanwhile, back at Lauritzen…
While trolls were the goal, I couldn’t help but explore everything. Sofia’s Play Garden captured my heart. Small buildings stand tall and teach children the secrets of the garden. Children climb inside these buildings and find hidden rooms that provide hands-on activities. I climbed a few and walked through a bridge and found observation towers. Kids also had a net they could jump on that allowed you to see the ground below. In fact, you walk below this net as you make your way to the immense grounds of Lauritzen.
Of all the activities to do in Sofia’s Play Garden, I spent the most time in the labyrinth. In 2011, my dad died of cancer. His last few days with us was at the Kansas City Hospice House. Because families often spend their days with loved ones, the hospice house built a labyrinth for visitors. I walked it then with my niece and nephew, and I walked Sofia’s today, alone, as a way to remember and honor my dad. For just a few moments I was able to reflect on the life of a man who loved me more than I knew.
Once I finished exploring the children’s area, I concentrated on the trolls. Little did I know, my hunting skills are not yet honed in as I mindlessly passed 2/6 of my treasures! Rosa Sunfinger knelt by a car in front of the building (missed her), and thankfully, I backtracked and found my friend, Ronja Redeye.
Ronja Redeye
According to Dambo’s stories. Ronja uses her mighty voice and skilled leadership to speak words humans understand. She knows the power of words, so she speaks with compassion and refrains from hurtful messages.
Ronja is small but mighty and drew the largest crowd while I was there. Situated near the children’s area and the entrance building, she had access to everyone who walked into the gardens.
I took my journey to the open spaces, not knowing which path to take. I decided to walk along the tree-lined path and noticed colorful birdhouses. I stopped to admire the birds before I looked up to see…
Ibbi Pip
I loved Ibbi Pip as she carried a sack of birdhouses on her back. Oddly enough, they matched the birdhouses I previously saw. Ibbi held one in her hand, ready to attach it to a tree.
Ibbi dreams of bringing humans closer to nature. By placing birdhouses in places people go, the animals might be closer to humans and people might think more about those sharing the same world with them.
I continued to wander through the gardens, finding sculptures, toy train tracks, and live animals. When I saw the deer, I thought it was another sculpture. I stood still waiting for it to move. After a few moments of a stare down, I saw a tail flicker, and the deer resumed its scavenging for food. I admired its simple beauty then, slowly, I backed away. I nearly jumped when I saw a Cooper’s hawk ogling me. It stood upon a pile of feathers just off the trail. It most likely had just finished eating.
Nature heals me in ways I can’t describe, and I was filled with joy and peace after these two animals and I met. Sensing their important roles within the ecosystem added to my mission for the day.
I checked my watch and panicked just a little. My college friend and I were going to meet for a late lunch, but I’d only encountered two of the six trolls. I’d hoped two hours would be enough time.
I passed by the toy train depot (on hiatus until spring) and walked up a set of stairs. Passing through the next garden, I caught a glimpse of…
Basse Buller
Basse mud paints everywhere. Today, tree cookies filled his bucket and a troll drawing seemed to sit before him. His boisterous personality and “wild child” ways help him put humans on the right path. He sees “no” as a “maybe” and sees boundaries are there to be pushed.
While I was admiring Basse’s handiwork, I heard two young boys scream, “We found the troll.” Their excitement was palpable as they asked if they could run ahead to see the troll. Giving them the chance to explor Basse Buller, I waltzed my way to the Japanese garden and saw…
Kamma Can
Kamma Can seems to be Thomas Dambo’s theme. She sees colorful “eternity materials” and wonders why humans just throw them away or leave them in unusual places. Instead, Kamma takes the trash and upcycles it. She’s wearing her up-cycled necklace and holds one for her best friend Ronja.
While Kamma sat for her photo shoot, four friends approached talking and wondering about the sculpture, I shared Thomas Dambo’s vision then we parted ways. We met again the temporary home of…
Sofus Lotus
One of the guys from the quartet, not knowing I was there, said, “That lady really knew a lot about these trolls.” Hearing a stranger admire your knowledge was fun. The young lady said, “She’s right there,” hoping to keep him from saying something he might regret. We picked up our conversation again. The four friends had been debating what Sofus was doing, so I put their suspicions to rest.
Sofus had his ear to the ground listening to all the sounds around. He was the first to notice something wrong with the world and that nature was changing its ways. He continues to listen and be mindful of nature. The quartet loved the bio and promised to check the Dambo website before parting ways.
At this point a sense of completion occurred. I knew I had just one troll left to find and it was outside the Lauritzen Gardens grounds. I made my way back via the greenhouse. Its warmth was a stark contrast to the outdoors as was the beautiful greenery.
After a stop at the gift shop, I visited…
Rosa Sunfinger
Rosa brings back life in places humans have abandoned. She wants to bring back joy to forsaken places. If I were to pick a book for Rosa, it would be The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. That book sums up Rosa’s mission as a young boy finds a garden in an abandoned place and not only brings it to life but transforms his town. I imagine Rosa would do the same.
My troll hunting came to an end, yet I still had a few hours left to explore before I headed home for my soccer game. I drove to the neighboring town of Council Bluffs, Iowa and met my friend Frances. She showed me some interesting places that I’ll share in my next post. For now, I wish you Happy New Year!
Reba Roams the World 
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