Merry Christmas!

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I finally received a replacement for my dinosaur computer.  It is going to take a week or two for me to get my son or daughter to get it all fixed up for me.  It will probably be after January 1st before I can get another page ready for my blog.  Please bear with me...at almost 74, it is not always easy to switch to newer technology but I am working on it.

North Dakota

North Dakota is one of those big, quiet, “wide open spaces” states near the Canadian border.  It sometimes has the coldest weather in the United States during the winter and on occasion has heavy flooding due to the snow melt in the spring.  It is primarily an agricultural state, located in the Great Plains region.  More sunflowers are grown here than anywhere else in the country and the state is the leader in quite a few other crops.  It is probably the least touristy state of all but that doesn’t mean it has nothing to offer. 

Multi View Card from North Dakota (my only postcard)

It may not have the glitz of New York City, the excitement of Disneyland, the awesomeness of the Grand Canyon or the Redwoods of California but North Dakota has a mixture of some of the best people who emigrated from other countries. Many from Northern Europe settled in the Red River Valley, fertile farm land.  These original settlers brought with them the hardworking ethic that built this country to be strong, striving to provide a good life for all.  The residents of North Dakota have the highest rate of church attendance in the United States.  

The original peoples here were Native Americans.  Scandinavians in large numbers arrived along with other Europeans to settle this land because it was good farmland, similar in climate to their native homelands.  Today you can enjoy their history at the Scandinavian Heritage Park which includes a full sized replica of a stave church.  At the end of September each year a festival called Norsk Hostfest is held to celebrate their pioneer ancestors.  Almost 80 percent of the current population of North Dakota is either German or Norwegian.

In late November one year the Amtrak train I was traveling on stopped in Fargo for a ten minute stop.  It was cold and snowing but the most popular place was an ice cream stand right by the train tracks.  These are hardy people who are used to a cool climate and don’t let a little cold air get in the way of having an ice cream treat.  

The International Peace Garden is located on the border with Canada near Dunseith, North Dakota, about 110 miles northeast of Minot.  In 2002 a 9/11 Memorial was constructed and added to the park, using ten girders from the ruins of the World Trade Center.     http://www.peacegarden.com/sights.htm

Lewis and Clark spent more time in North Dakota than any other state on their legendary trip to explore the western United States.  Museums and Interpretive or Visitors Centers allow tourists to follow in their footsteps. Teddy Roosevelt National Park includes three separate areas of “Badlands” from the western part of the state.  Other interesting places to visit showcase dinosaurs and albino Buffalo.  To find other gems in North Dakota check out their website at http://www.ndtourism.com

North Carolina

Multi View Greetings from North Carolina

North Carolina is an enchanting state to me.  The state is one of the original 13 colonies and has a long history.  From the Atlantic coastal areas to the mountains in the western part of the state, North Carolina has a wide variety of beautiful landscapes, a number of vibrant modern cities and a multitude of interesting towns.  One glance at The Smoky Mountains and you realize they are aptly named.  The popular movie “The Hunger Games” had many of its filming location sites in North Carolina. 

Although I have traveled through the state many times, the western mountain region is the area I am most familiar with.  Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, each of the mountain towns seems to have its own character.   

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina

Several years ago my husband and I toured the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.  For anyone who enjoys exploring castles and mansions, this one is unique with many stories to explain the history of the building or the reasons for the décor of each room.  The grounds and the gardens are at their best in spring and early summer, but enjoyable year around.  Not far to the west of Asheville is the Cherokee Reservation which includes a welcome center, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, a museum, various demonstrations, pottery classes and other activities.  I enjoyed the time we were there but would enjoy another visit to see more.   

Grove Park Inn - Asheville, North Carolina

Last year was my most recent trip to North Carolina, when once again I found interesting places to explore.   We took the trolley tour around Asheville and found the River Arts District area where you can learn to make blown glass items, the downtown Art Deco section including an area where some of the buildings are replicas of the New York Times Square area, the Biltmore Village, boutique shops near the entrance to the Biltmore Estate, Grove Park Inn and several historic areas.    The Trolley Tour was great because you are allowed to hop on and off so you can take your time in each area and then just take the next trolley to another area.  In the downtown Grove Arcade we discovered a wonderful Italian restaurant with excellent sandwiches for lunch.  

Patton Avenue looking west in Asheville, North Carolina

 

The lovely water color postcards in this post are ones I purchased on our last trip.  They are reproductions of original painting by Ann Vasilik.  

For more information on the beaches of the coastal area, the craft beer or tobacco road tours, wineries or the many attractions in the cities of North Carolina, visit the website at http://www.visitnc.com/ for all the places to see in North Carolina.  Each of the cities and the Cherokee Nation also have a website for more detailed information.

New York

I apologize for taking so long in posting this.  I have had 5 hospital visits for 3 different family members in the last couple of months so it kept me away from my computer.  Thankfully everyone is doing well now and life can return to normal.

New York City Views

New York City is only one of many cities in the state of New York but it does hold the majority of the population and it certainly is well known all over the world.  New York City is spectacular but the rest of the state has a wide variety also.  There is something for everyone – the outdoor enthusiast, the art lover, the history buff or the family looking for places for the kids to enjoy.  This postcard shows the places that were the most important tourist attractions during the 1960s - Rockefeller Center, The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building and The United Nations Building.

Multi View Greetings from the Adirondacks

We drove across New York State whenever we visited my brothers who live in Michigan.  About fifty years ago, we were a young family and decided to go camping first on our way to see them.  We chose Lake George, one of the largest lakes in New York State.  It is a beautiful lake that forms part of the border between Vermont and New York. We apparently picked the one week in the twentieth century when the camping park we chose at Lake George received some form of rain for the entire week.  It made for a memorable vacation week since our camping was done in a tent!  It never got warm enough that week to put on bathing suits and try the beach although we could see the beach and the lake from the door of our tent.  It was beautiful even through the drizzle and the downpours. 

Lake George View

We mastered the art of building a fire and cooking over a campfire in the rain. We explored the many tourist attractions in the area during the day, especially those inside buildings!  When we broke camp on the last day, it was in a pouring rain so my husband just wadded the tent up as fast as he could and shoved it into the back of our station wagon.  That afternoon as we were nearing Lake Erie State Park we began to think about that wet tent and wonder if we were going to be able to sleep in it that night.  Amazingly, it was completely dry; however, our camp site was a large mud puddle and it took some work to drain it, put up the tent and build a bridge over the mud to make our fire close enough to the tent door to cook supper!  When you’re young and low on funds you learn quickly how to make the best of your situation. 

Night View of Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is like The Grand Canyon.  You have to just stand and stare when you first see it as it fills your entire viewpoint at once.  I think many places where we see the wonders nature creates leave us speechless and in awe.   The Niagara Falls area and The Catskill Mountains are both well known as honeymoon destinations. Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964.   The Erie Canal was called the Eighth Wonder of the World when it was constructed in 1880.  The Adirondack Park is the largest State Park in the United States and was established in 1883.  The list of special places to see goes on and on.  Check out the websites to find the places that fill your dreams for a vacation spot, whether it is an outdoor athlete’s dream, an art lover’s dream or one for a history buff.

New Mexico

Vintage postcard Carlsbad Caverns National Park

New Mexico is an intriguing state as there is such variety in the landscape, the culture and the amazing places to visit.  Although I have made many trips through the state, I have never had the chance to see the Carlsbad Caverns.  There are 118 caves in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  The number of birds, animals and insects in this area provide a wealth of information for botanists.  The bat population numbers around 400,000 or more and includes more than a dozen species.  Their outward flight each evening must be a spectacular sight!  The website for further information on the park can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm .

Another delightful sight I have missed is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta held the first week in October each year.  Although I have seen other balloon launches, this one features over 500 balloons.  Albuquerque has also hosted several international balloon competitions over the years.  Gallup is another New Mexico City that hosts an annual Red Rock Annual Balloon Rally.  The skies are fantastic in New Mexico with either desert or mountain backdrops – or both.  The balloon launches are photographed extensively.

Vintage card of New Mexico Sunset

One of the things that always strikes me about New Mexico is the clear sky.  I’m sure it rains or snows at times, but it has always been clear for miles when I have traveled there.  At sunrise and sunset the display is usually fantastic and the night sky seems to hold more stars than anywhere else. The air is almost always crisp and cold or hot and dry.  Extreme temperatures don’t seem so bad when the humidity is so low.

New Mexico is one of the western states that are fairly large.   It embraces 121,412 square miles (314,460 km²) with a very low population density.  Although there are several large cities such as Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Las Cruces and Gallup, on average there are only about 17 people per square mile or less than 7 per square kilometer.  About ten percent of the population is American Indian – the largest number of Native Americans in any state except Alaska’s Inuit population. There are 22 different tribes in New Mexico, the largest of which are the Pueblo or Navajo.  Almost fifty percent of the population is of Hispanic origin. 

 Taos Ski Valley

The landscape ranges from sage brush and sand deserts to high altitude snow covered mountains.  Taos Ski Valley is well known and is one of many family owned ski resorts in New Mexico.  The nearby Taos Pueblo has been continuously inhabited for over a thousand years.  It is both a National Monument and a World Heritage Site.

 

Gila Cliff Dwellings at Silver City

There is a long list of National Parks, Recreation Areas, Management Areas, Monuments, and Forests in addition to all of the State sites.  Chaco Canyon, Pecos National Historical Park, Bandelier National Monument, White Sands, Aztec Ruins, and Los Alamos are a few of the most well known. 

 For more information check out the website for New Mexico at http://www.newmexico.org  Albuquerque  has its own site at http://www.itsatrip.org  The National Park Service has links to each of their parks at http://www.nps.gov