What is a Sugar Shack? – A Journey into Traditional Quebec Culture

I loved visiting Quebec.  Montreal and Quebec City were lovely cities, and they were full of charm.  But, they were cities.  They had a lot of history evident, but life had moved on.  Most parts of the cities were as modern as any other city, and you had to go into the “Old Town” if …

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The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota

The biggest ball of twine in Minnesota is in Darwin, about an hour and a half west of Minneapolis. Really. The ball is inside a plexiglass pagoda to protect it from the weather and the visitors. I have always wondered what it smelled like. I hate to think I may never know. The allure of …

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When One Ecosystem Isn’t Enough – The Montreal Biodome

A lot of Montreal’s charm lies in the outdoors.  It is a green city, and perfect for outdoor adventure if you are visiting in the summer.  But if you visit in the winter, or there is rain in the forecast, it is smart to have an inclement weather plan.  The Biodome is perfect for this. …

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Where We Get Our Food : Corn Harvest in the Texas Panhandle

I’ll admit it. I’m a city girl. That’s not something most Texans admit. There’s a lot of country pride in my state. But I grew up in a big city suburb and I’ve never lived in anything even remotely close to a town. I don’t know anything about farms. My husband is a farm boy. …

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The Denali Road Lottery – Denali National Park

Denali National Park is hard to explain in words. It is huge, gorgeous, natural, thrilling, amazing…. I hear the words “once in a lifetime” connected to Denali pretty often. But after being there, I really hope that isn’t true. It is a place I want to visit over and over. I think that’s how a …

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Thousand Islands National Park, Ontario, Canada

I try to visit National Parks during any trip, and my trip to Ontario was no exception.  After checking a map, I found that except for Rouge National Urban Park, Thousand Islands was really the only park I was passing near.  So I took the bus to Kingston from Toronto, rented a car, and checked …

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Fort Worth Zoo – The Best Zoo in Texas

While we are lucky to live in Fort Worth for many reasons, a big one would have to be because of the Fort Worth Zoo. Routinely named in the top five zoos in America, the Fort Worth Zoo is a local attraction we head back to time and time again. Even Gary said he was “impressed,” …

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The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Most of you are familiar with my Cold War fascination, so a trip to Albuquerque would not have been complete without a trip to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque. The museum is located outside of the Albuquerque Museum District near Old Town. For a brief stint after the 2001 terror …

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Staying in the Rim Cabins of Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

When I called the reservations line to ask about cabin availability at Palo Duro Canyon, the lady on the other end of the line chuckled a bit.  She told me that they are often booked months in advance, and finding something last minute wasn’t guaranteed.  We were lucky and got a last-minute cancelation. The problem …

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