Most species like the Elk, wolverine, gray wolf, mountain lion, and eagles long have either disappeared from the face of the earth or had gone totally endangered or extinct. Most of the animals that could adapted to the environment did, and at a detrimental rate. The white-tailed deer, often prancing around in the new forests. The raccoon, scavenging off dumps and garbage cans for food (often becoming a nuisance and is another source of rabies). The coyote and wild turkey, often seen at the sides of roads off highways or outside suburban and rural homes. Moose, a lesser cousin of the Elk, have made a return along with the majestic black bear, who were found setting up their territories once more.

In terms of sea agriculture, Massachusetts has a good base thanks to the Atlantic ocean off east of its borders. Haddock, Atlantic cod and lobster are all harvested here. Commercial fishery is slowly declining however, one reason speculated that global warming might have influenced the fishing grounds to move further out into the sea and into the continental shelf. Whale watching is slowly becoming a growing tourist attraction thanks to the North Atlantic Right Wales which spend their summer off the Cape Cod Bay. Stellwagen Bank offers viewing and boating services for these whales.

Massachusetts can be said to be the most ‘Irish’ state (for the fact that most of its residents have Irish blood in their ancestry) in percentage of the total state population. Finnish, Swedish, Armenian, Worcester and Italian residents also populate the area.

French Americans make up the largest groups across West and Central Massachusetts. New Bedford and Fall River have large denominations of Brazilian, Cape Verde and Portuguese ancestry. Native American reservations still exist in Martha’s Vineyard, Mashpee and at Aquinnah.

According to census, at least seven percent use Spanish at home, three to four percent are able to speak Portuguese and one percent each to French and Italian users. Urbanization is said to be a leading cause for the non-use of local languages.

You would probably have your fairs and festivals set somewhere in an open field, inside a mall, in the town square or anywhere accessible, right?

One town decides to have a beach fair though, just for the heck of it. Which is really a good idea because people are seemingly more and more sad with what’s happening with the economy and all the recession.

The event was marked off with a morning swim. Everyone was shivering hard after. I’d reckon anyone would, the water really was below zero. But well, with this and that; the whole lot was more energetic thereafter. People said that the cold water also improves your memory. I guess there was some help then, even if the side effect would be a small cold after.

There was a grill party come noon, when everyone decided to just lounge around in the sun to warm themselves up and gain a nice, healthy tan. The air smelled of fish, meat, and lemon-spiced vegetables; courtesy of the townsmen. Well, officially, I was just a visitor and I did not give any contributions to the whole affair, so it pretty much was just a sit in for me and I had settled to just eating my packed lunch of waffles.

Afternoon was when the place was suddenly filled with kiosks. The other people began selling beach accessories, towels, and some light snacks. I had chosen to buy one, a small bracelet for my gran-gran. It had pretty shells in it. I know she’ll love it.

That night (the people were quite adamant to go through with the festival), everyone slowly settled down and simply relaxed, having a star gazing event because the stars weren’t really visible when in the city. We were surprised when there was a fireworks festival thereafter. I guess the town had a bit of something to squeeze in with the meager budget.

Perhaps there would be another one next year.

Up in Rio Vista, California’s central, there isn’t much of anything to cause you to pull over and spend a bit of your meager time. Perhaps if you are hungry, or maybe you need to gas up a bit, but you would be temped to just speed through and get on with your life (and possibly with your journey).

But one stop here is definitely in need of your attention, not for them, but for yourself. Say hello to Foster’s Bighorn Bar and Restaurant, nestled near the roadside.

The bar maintains one of the old-world themes that seem to be lacking in the new century, stuffed animal heads. Yep, these old time pioneer favorites are up in the walls of this bar sans restaurant and is staring down at the patrons with their unearthly gazes. The bar manager, Mr. Bill Foster, had passed on already, around 40 years ago, but current management is doing their job helping and maintaining these priceless pieces.

There are over 300 wild animals, birds and fishes in the bar, all preserved and stuffed. Pictures are also in the board, but this place might not be the best one for claustrophobics. Each head has a short description of the name, with the photos downwards pointing out when and how Mr. Foster had captured them. The stuffing process was obviously left out, no one wants to see that while eating their fare.

The most famous of the bunch would be the 13-foot elephant stuffed head with the five-foot tusks. Almost allpatron that passes by the bar looks for a chance to sit under this mammoth’s stuffed head. Perhaps, if the overwhelming presence of a large beast is looming over you while you eat improves your appetite, then maybe, the elephant can sure bring in customers.

Even after getting its head stuffed.

The local fair and trade market can be a very thrilling place for most kids (and kids at heart) to wander around. Food stalls can be seen everywhere, some stuff to buy and play with, a new thing to find; it can be a whole new adventure when going around the festival grounds.

But as with every adventure, danger always hounds both wary and unwary travelers. They can come in many forms, but each one is sure to deal a blow to your family if you are caught unawares.

First, your local security. Florida is not the state most people would assume it to be. Every place can be a danger, and your local trade shows could be one of them. Keep your kids beside you at all times, buy a child safety leash if you can. Child safety leashes ARE not degrading, and gives your child freedom and gives you security at the same time. Do not lose your eye over the stroller or baby carriage and as much as possible, have your family or someone close go with you when out venturing into the festival.

Second, your health. Festivals go from morning to evening. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes so they don’t end up sticky or smelly. You wouldn’t want to attract flies and insects that would bring you more nasties. For those going to the fair when it is evening tide, a long coat would be nice to keep the warmth in and the cold out.

For the booth keepers and exhibit owners, make sure that at least two or three people man the booth at the same time. A few rascals might cause trouble or someone might steal a thing or two. That would equal to your profit being stolen. Have something comfortable that is easy to wear, so in case of emergencies, you wouldn’t have any trouble. You can never know with our times.

Be careful, but learn to relax as well. After all, the point of going to a fair is to enjoy your time with you and your family or loved one.

What are leis?

Leis are what you call those flowery necklaces all visitors get when they first step foot into Hawaii. It is a sign of hospitality and respect for both the host and the visitor. When you are offered a lei, one should never reject the offering. It is a sign of great disrespect. Leis signify the host welcoming the visitor into the country. It also symbolizes the Hawaiian’s spirit of friendship, hope and family. But how do you make one?

Leis are easy to make. All you have to do is to gather the required materials and begin with your work. Make sure to use sturdy and easy to handle flowers, like orchids for example. And avoid using too fragrant flowers, some people might be allergic to them, especially those with allergies or rhinitis. Also for those who might have pollen allergies, make sure that the flowers have dried out and are at least one-day old. This is also to make sure that if the flowers do have poisonous saps, toxins, or fluids; they would at least be away from the skin. Dried sap does the same damage as age-old resin.

To start off, you need a blunt needle, thread, scissors, and the flowers to be used. Thread the string through the flower’s centers using the blunt needle and continue on until you reach at least a few feet. Leis are supposed to be worn in the neck up to the shoulders. Estimate and try to count the figures. Leis need to be able to hold well but not to be too tight as to strangle the wearer.

Once they are done, you can immediately give them to your intended person. Leis can also be stored in the refrigerator if you need to use them for the next day or days. Some flowers last longer, others need to be used immediately once they are made. It is important that you know what types of flowers spoil easily, and what flowers don’t. Check with your local flower shop for details on these.

Almost anyone can do whatever they want to the leis once they accept it. If they want, they can even wear it again. Just follow the instructions on how to store them. Leis make great necklaces if they are mostly fresh and a day-old. Should you discard the lei, one must throw it either on the ocean for hopes of returning to the island, or return them to the earth as is custom for mother nature to get back what we took.

From one necklace, a culture hinges its tradition, belief and values. Leis should be considered the national treasure of Hawaii.

Craters of the Moon is a national preserve located in the state of Idaho, near the central plains. Nearest town across the area is Arco, who benefits from the tourism of this area. Craters of the Moon is aptly named because of the volcanic activity that had resulted in the area in the past and had created a flood basalt area that mimics the landscape of the moon.

It has about three major plains, all lying along the Great Rift of Idaho, another spectacular natural monument. The Great Rift is a good example of open rift cracks that appear around the world, Idaho’s being one of the most deepest of the known cracks. The area boasts of a lot of natural formations like tree molds (happens when lava cools down but burns the tree inside, forming a mold-like cavity), lava tubes (a lava cave) and many more.

It was of 1924 that President Coolidge proclaimed the area a protected zone. Amenities and lodging was created and the area started to take shape. Soon thereafter, the park was expanded until the National Wilderness Preservation System had finally declared its protection over the area.

The park was also used by NASA, for training in collection of rock samples. It was later found out by the astronauts that the differing terrains (that of the moon and of the park) were totally different. Still, the name stuck thereafter, and no attempts to change it were made.

There are numerous sights to see, one of which is Kings Bowl Lava Field, which formed after the eruption of a lava tube touching groundwater. It’s quite large and hard not to notice. Others near the area are explosion pits, lava lakes, squeeze-ups, mounds and ash blankets.

Idaho has a wonderful natural monument, so why not try and give it a visit?

Hot springs can be considered as one of the greater pleasures in life. Dipping in warm, tepid water while observing the lilting steam wafting up, caressing your body. Probably drink tea and eat some sweets while you’re at it.

Hot springs are technically underground springs that come into contact with geothermal hot rocks. The water is heated and bursts out steaming and rich with minerals, silicates and other geological components. This was where the rumors of therapy and medicinal value originated.

Therefore, hot spring are usually found around areas near volcanoes. When water is able to dig in until it reaches a geothermal gradient hot enough to cause it to rise back up; a hot spring results. The conduction of heat also causes surrounding water to be affected by the heat as well. There are differences however. When the water is heated too much that it becomes steam and shoots out of the ground, it is termed as a geyser. In a calm manner, it is termed as a fumarole and when when mixed with mud and clay; the resulting product is called a mud pot.

A warm spring is the mixture of hot and cold (unheated) springs and may occur outside the area of responsibility of a volcanic vein. Hot spring lakes may also occur if an underground lake has access to a vein. This lake can feed several springs in its area.

Lava Hot Springs is a city in Idaho that boasts a good spring flow rate, which is the amount of hot water spewed out of the underground fountain. The mineral rich water, full of calcium, lithium and several salts is a good attraction and has a good audience with the people around the state.

Just be sure that you have no external wounds when bathing in one, to be sure that you don’t have any form of infections. Hot, mineral water is quite painful even to shallow cuts or wounds.

Hot springs can be considered as one of the greater pleasures in life. Dipping in warm, tepid water while observing the lilting steam wafting up, caressing your body. Probably drink tea and eat some sweets while you’re at it.

Hot springs are technically underground springs that come into contact with geothermal hot rocks. The water is heated and bursts out steaming and rich with minerals, silicates and other geological components. This was where the rumors of therapy and medicinal value originated.

Thusly, hot spring are usually found around areas near volcanoes. When water is able to dig in until it reaches a geothermal gradient hot enough to cause it to rise back up; a hot spring results. The conduction of heat also causes surrounding water to be affected by the heat as well. There are differences however. When the water is heated too much that it becomes steam and shoots out of the ground, it is termed as a geyser. In a calm manner, it is termed as a fumarole and when when mixed with mud and clay; the resulting product is called a mud pot.

A warm spring is the mixture of hot and cold (unheated) springs and may occur outside the area of responsibility of a volcanic vein. Hot spring lakes may also occur if an underground lake has access to a vein. This lake can feed several springs in its area.

Lava Hot Springs is a city in Idaho that boasts a good spring flow rate, which is the amount of hot water spewed out of the underground fountain. The mineral rich water, full of calcium, lithium and several salts is a good attraction and has a good audience with the people around the state.

Just make sure that you have no deep wounds when bathing in one, to make sure that you don’t get any form of infection. Hot, mineral water is quite painful even to shallow cuts or wounds.

Apples are probably one of the more celebrated foods in the United States than anywhere else. It’s juicy, crunchy, crispy, and tantalizing; not to mention aromatic and therapeutic. Apples have been used for medicine even a long time ago, making it the more-varied of the fruits in the plant kingdom.

Southington is celebrating the Apple Harvest Festival during the fall time, when the fruits are red, ripe and just right. It’s a celebration of picking and of eating. Of course, it’s not just about apples. There are tons of other foodstuff readily available for consumption. In the past years, they only had apples; but now, their menu extends to potatoes, beef, chicken dishes, hot dogs, burgers, ice cream, lobster, onions and all the good stuff that fall has to offer.

The entertainment during the festival is also sufficient. It’s mediocre at best, but it can very well be improved. There’s the usual bands, contests and demos, but nothing really too gaudy or too unique. It’s generic, if that would be the best term to use.

The events are something to look forward to however. As it is an apple festival, it would be safe to say that the tons of events would be apple-themed. Some of the events are: an apple pie baking contest, apple fritter eating contest, apple pie eating contest, a bed race, a gala contest, a granny apple eating contest, and a photo contest. I’m crossing my fingers that next year’s event would be more packed with exciting events and the like.

Of course, even just with the premise of apples, wouldn’t one be excited to try and experience this festival? After all, it does deal with apples, and even if there isn’t much to show in there, food is still something that would bring people from different locales closer.

The Morton Pumpkin Festival is a pumpkin festival held in the city of Morton, Illinois. The dates weren’t specific back then, but now, the festival has an agreed date that runs on Wednesday up till Saturday during the middle of September. The city of Morton has earned its name ‘the Pumpkin Capital of the World’ due to this festival.

The event is a large affair around Morton. Around less than one thousand volunteers handle the food alone. The money earned, of course, goes to the community. The local businesses in the area (whether small enterprise or franchised) help with the volunteers, though they usually go with helping with the breakfast and dinners. It’s a hand-in-hand help one another type of thing when festival time comes.

The main theme of this festival, is of course, the orange-colored gourd, the pumpkin. Most of the attendees come here for the pumpkin-themed food. Pumpkin chili, pumpkin juice, pumpkin bread, pumpkin-nickel (that’s a joke), pumpkin caramels and shakes, pumpkin ice creams and fudge. Basically, turn everything you can into something pumpkin-y.

The main attraction however, is the Punkin’ Chunkin’ Contest that was based off a similar event in Lewes, Delaware; the Punkin’ Chunkin’ Festival. Morton holds the record for the farthest ever flown. The winners are then declared at the end of the day.

Punkin’ Chunkin’ has a lot of weird, but very innovative ideas. From trebuchets, catapults, air cannons, air guns, centrifugators and etc. The record holder is the Q-36 Pumpkin Modulator, a 100-foot air cannon that had the world record (1,430m).

If you’re planning to visit Illinois sometime around September, be sure to drop by the area. The food is enough to keep most tourists and well-wishers preoccupied, and the chunkin’ to keep kids (and a lot of the adults) entertained. Just don’t forget to bring your umbrella in case it rains.