MontanaBest: Raising cats — Cat lovers should probably move to Montana right “meow.” In the Treasure State, cats live longer than they do anywhere else in the country, with an average lifespan of 14.3 which is over two years higher than the national average.NebraskaBest: Graduating high school — The nation’s high school graduation rate is at an all-time high, and it’s being led by Nebraska, with an incredible 93.7 percent of students graduating.NevadaBest: Rock climbing — With more mountains than any other state (there are 300 named ranges), Nevada is a premier destination for rock climbers from the sandstone of Red Rock Canyon to the summit of Boundary Peak.

New Hampshire

Best: Low unemployment rate — Fortunately, they should be able to pay off those hefty loans fairly quickly after graduation. That’s because the state also has one of the lowest unemployment rates at a mere 2.7 percent so jobs are aplenty. Find out the best-kept secret in every state.

New Jersey

Best: Diners — Known as the “Diner Capital of the World,” New Jersey has over 500 nostalgic joints serving up our favorite comfort food like old-fashioned root beer floats and massive portions of chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes.

New Mexico

Best: Most doctorate degrees — What a bunch of smarty pants! While New Mexico may have the most PhDs per capita than any other state, they still can’t quite seem to figure out how to stop auto theft.

New York

Best: Bagels — There’s nothing quite like a New York bagel, all fluffy dough inside and crusty outside. The first bagel shop in the United States opened its doors in the Big Apple in the early 1900s, and the city has been blessing us with the best breakfast ever since.

North Carolina

Best: Millennial living — Duke basketball isn’t the only thing Durham is known for—it’s now also the best city for millennials. The No. 1 ranking factored in Durham’s increased job opportunities and low affordability, making it an ideal spot for young people.

North Dakota

Best: Saving money — Save it for a rainy day: That’s the motto of North Dakota, which boasts the highest number of adults who have savings accounts, according to a survey by WalletHub.

Ohio

Best: Deciding elections — Want to know who the next president of the United States will be? As Ohio goes, so goes the nation, per the popular saying of political pundits. The Buckeye State has voted for the winning candidate in every election since 1896 except 1944 and 1960.

Oklahoma

Best: Barbecue — Satisfy your cravings for a rack of sauce-slathered pork ribs in Oklahoma, the state with the most barbecue restaurants per capita.

Oregon

Best: Brewing beer — Pour a pint in Portland (say that five times fast!), the city with the most breweries in the whole world. And Oregonians aren’t just producing a lot of beer, they’re also enjoying it, if the fact that they spend more money on craft beer than any other state is any indication.

Pennsylvania

Best: Hunting — Hope you like camo if you live in Pennsylvania where you can find the most licensed hunters per capita. In fact, there are over 20 hunters per square mile!

Rhode Island

Best: Donuts — The state that has the most donut shops per capita—25 bakeries per 100,000 people, to be exact!

South Carolina

Best: Sweet tea — It doesn’t get much more Southern than a tall glass of iced sweet tea. Not only is South Carolina the birthplace of the sugary sip, it also boasts the country’s only commercial tea plantation, owned by Bigelow on Wadmalaw Island.

South Dakota

Best: Retirement — Everyone’s golden years are more, well, golden in South Dakota, where a combination of low taxes and happy residents makes it the best state for retirement according to Bankrate.

Tennessee

Best: Fast Wi-Fi — Good news: You can binge watch your favorite Netflix show much faster in Tennessee, where the Internet speed is 50 times quicker than the national average.

Texas

Best: Starting businesses — Explosive job growth, a lot of venture capital, and a business-friendly community are just a few of the things that make the Lonestar State the best place for entrepreneurs to chase their dreams.

Utah

Best: Low student debt — Graduate from college in Utah and you’ll likely leave with less of a student debt burden than most new grads. Last year, the state was the only one to have an average student debt of less than $20,000.

Vermont

Best: Being happy — The phrase “you are what you eat” definitely doesn’t apply to Vermont. Because the happiest state in the country isn’t consuming too many Happy Meals.

Virginia

Best: Patriotism — It’s no secret that Virginians are proud of the red, white, and blue. Close to the nation’s capital and home to eight of America’s 45 presidents, it has been lauded as the most patriotic state.

Washington

Best: Biking — Power to the pedal! You might want to trade your car for a bike the next time you’re in Washington, the most bike-friendly state in the nation thanks to Seattle’s bike-share program and an increased number of traffic laws protecting cyclists.

West Virginia

Best: Pizza — Forget New York or Chicago—West Virginia is the spot to be when you’re craving a cheesy slice of pie. According to a study, it has the most pizza shops per capita.

Wisconsin

Best: Raising a family — “Safety first” is clearly the motto of the Badger State, which is home to 32 percent of the nation’s safest cities for raising kids, based on factors like walkability and violent crime rates.

Wyoming

Best: Avoiding crowds — With just over 560,000 residents, Wyoming is the least populated state. There are more people in just the city of Nashville than there are in the entire Cowboy State.

Later in the month, I will post what each state is WORST at…lol

This article is from the Reader’s Digest. I’ve turned it into a four-part open listing what they consider what each state is best at, and worst at. 

Amanda Tarlton

Reader’s Digest

Updated: Jun. 07, 2022

Alabama

Best: College football — “Roll Tide!” That’s what you’ll hear all across the state as they cheer on the University of Alabama’s football team, which has won the most national football championships of any college team since 1936.

Alaska

Best: The great outdoors — Hiking, biking, canoeing… oh my! Between the breathtaking views of Denali National Park and the icy caps of Glacier Bay, Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of land set aside as national parks (it’s tied with Arizona).

Arizona

Best: Sunshine — Florida may be the official Sunshine State, but Arizona is the sunniest state. In fact, Yuma, located in the southwest corner of Arizona, is the sunniest place in the whole world, with a 90 percent chance of sun every day.

Arkansas

Best: Duck hunting — Arkansas is the real-life Duck Dynasty. Hunters come from all over the country to the state where the most ducks are harvested each season and where the World Championship Duck Calling Contest is held in Stuttgart.

California

Best: Diversity — Considered a “minority majority” state (meaning there is no single ethnic group or race that makes up the majority of the population), California has earned the title of the most diverse state in the United States.

Colorado

Best: Being active — Year after year, Colorado tops the list of the most physically active states with low obesity rates and some of the fittest residents.

Connecticut

Best: Making money — Hey, must be the money… that’s giving Connecticut such a good reputation. Because it’s not the roads, that’s for sure. Connecticut has the highest per-person average income of $50,392.

Delaware

Best: Small-town atmosphere — But what it lacks in trendy nightclubs, it makes up for in that “everybody knows everybody” vibe you can only get in the state with the least number of counties (only 3!) and no cities with more than 100,000 people.

Florida

Best: Vacationing — It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Sunshine State was voted the country’s top vacation destination. After all, it’s home to Disney World, beautiful beaches, the Everglades, and more.

Georgia

Best: Growing onions — Georgia may be nicknamed the Peach State, but its real claim to food fame is its Vidalia onions, which are some of the world’s sweetest onions—and they’re only grown in 20 counties in the Southern state.

Hawaii

Best: Beaches — Among the 33 miles of swimming beaches surrounding the islands of Hawaii, you’ll find Maui’s Kapalua Bay Beach, voted the best beach in America (with Hapuna Beach making it into the top ten, as well!).

Idaho

Best: Home ownership — Home is where the heart is. And your heart will definitely want to be in Idaho when you realize it was recently ranked the number one state for home ownership thanks to its affordability and low foreclosure rates.

Illinois

Best: Pumpkins — All those pumpkin-flavored treats you love in the fall wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Illinois, where 95 percent of everyone favorite gourds in the United States are grown.

Indiana

Best: Renting — Why buy when you can rent? In Indianapolis, that question makes perfect sense. The city was deemed the best for renters last year, with high affordability and one of the lowest average monthly rents of just $806.

Iowa

Best: Buying a house —Home buyers may want to add Iowa to their list of possible locations—the state offers the most affordable housing in the country, with a median home price of $181,900.

Kansas

Best: Roads — Drivers, this state is for you. Kansas has the least amount of poor roadways in the nation. According to USA TODAY, less than 1 percent of roads in the Sunflower State are considered unserviceable.

Kentucky

Best: Fried chicken — It’s called Kentucky Fried Chicken for a reason. Ever since Colonel Sanders (yes, he was a real person) started selling his fried chicken at a roadside restaurant more than 75 years ago, Kentucky has been the go-to spot for crispy golden chicken.

Louisiana

Best: Dating — The people of Louisiana are (mostly) single and ready to mingle—the state has the highest number of unmarried adults.

Maine

Best: Owning dogs —Fido will feel right at home in Maine, whether he’s an energetic pit bull or a lovable golden retriever. That’s because Maine welcomes all dog breeds (there are no restrictions) and has 76 dog-friendly beaches, making it the best place for pups in the United States.

Maryland

Best: Making millionaires — Want to be a millionaire? Your best chance at making that happen might be in Maryland, the state with the highest rate of seven-figure salaries. One study found that as many as 1 in 12 households have $1 million.

Massachusetts

Best: Being healthy — For the first time in five years, Hawaii was not the country’s healthiest state—it was replaced by Massachusetts. The state not only has a low obesity rate but it also the most mental health providers per population, according to the United Health Foundation’s annual ranking.

Michigan

Best: Golfing — Head to Michigan to play a few rounds, where they have the most golf courses and country clubs per capita.

Minnesota

Best: Credit scores — In St. Paul, the average credit score is 709 out of 850, making Minnesota the state with the highest overall credit scores.

Mississippi

Best: Cheap living — Perhaps for all the wrong reasons (one of the worst school systems and a failing economy, to name a few), Mississippi is the cheapest state to live in. In fact, after taxes and living expenses, residents of the Magnolia State keep 49 percent of their income.

Missouri

Best: Giving to charity — When it comes to giving back, Missouri is topping the charts, with St. Louis consistently ranking among the most charitable cities in the United States.

Tomorrow, the rest of the list.

Today is National UFO Day, and as I was researching the usual suspects, I came across a UFO Festival being held in McMinnville, Oregon.  And they are very serious about their ufo’s there, with good reason.  In 1950 a farmer in McMinnville captured photos of a flying disc that were never disproven to this day. I bring the story from the HOW&WHY’S website for your perusal.

1950 McMinnville UFO Photos Shot By Oregon Farmer were 100% Real, Not A Hoax

Last updated: 2022/08/20 at 10:49 PM

By Vicky Verma 2 years ago

Soon after World War II ended, Americans began seeing strange metallic objects in the sky that were sometimes hovering over their premises. Three years after the famous Kenneth Arnold sighting, a farming couple took the best shots of a 100-feet flying disc, hovering at a close distance from their farm about 10 miles from McMinnville, Oregon, the United States. Skeptics tried hard to prove the photograph a hoax but it was 100% authentic.

On May 11, 1950, Evelyn Trent went to her farm to finish her evening chores, she fed her chickens and rabbits. While walking back to her house, she saw a disc-shaped flying saucer, silently hovering over her farm. At around 7:45 p.m., she shouted to call her husband. Evelyn ran to the house and told her husband Paul to come out.

He also saw the strange craft that made no noise and there was no sign of propulsion. He quickly grabbed his Universal Roamer camera that came with 60mm roll film and took two shots of the object from different angles. There were only 30 seconds of time interval between the two photos.

Evelyn recalled: “It was like a good-sized parachute canopy without the strings, only silver-bright mixed with bronze. It was as pretty as anything I ever saw.” As shown below in the first image, the object appeared to be in the middle of the Trents’ garage and an electric pole. While in the second image, the object faded as it moved several yards away.

Paul could have made a fortune by selling these photos to the news agencies but he did nothing. It sounds crazy because during that time, newspapers would have bought them at a good price. The Trents were not looking for fame or publicity. Besides, they had heard stories about the secret government experimental aircraft and if it would be the one, they might get into trouble. 

Subsequently, when film rolls were processed and photographs came out, Paul showed them to his friends. Later, they were sent to the weekly newspaper in McMinnville and were published on the front page on June 8, 1950.

Interestingly, the photo contained no irregular lights, clouds nor weather balloons. It was the clear shot of the unidentified craft only if the Trents had not set it up. The farming couple seemed to be decent with honest behavior. It should be noted that the photos reached the newspaper only one month after they had been taken.

The photos became a great sensation in just a few weeks of publication. The story was picked up by International News Service and the Associated Press. On June 26, 1950, Life magazine, the most popular newspaper of that time, put the two iconic UFO images on its front page, making this case historical.

The Trents’ photo grabbed the attention of the FBI and the US Air Force. They had a visit from their investigators who took their photos, questioned them, and searched their field. Although the Trents were getting some attention and seemed to enjoy it, they wished it had never happened.

The story behind the film negatives is rather confusing as it splits into two versions. According to one version, the Trents gave the negatives to producers of the American talk show “‘We the People” from where they remained lost for 17 years. Another version comes from UFO historian Richard Dolan where he stated that the Air Force took the negatives and never returned them.

In the 1960s, when the US Air Force began its investigation into UFOs, the negatives of McMinnville UFO photographs were found in the file of United Press International. Later, the Condon Committee took charge of it.

Planetary scientist William K. Hartmann studied the negatives and found out that the craft was only a kilometer away from the field when being shot by Paul. Additionally, it was around 100 feet in diameter.

Hartmann wrote: “This is one of the few UFO cases in which all factors investigated, geometric, psychological, and physical appear to be consistent with the assertion that an extraordinary flying object, silvery, metallic, disc-shaped, tens of meters in diameter, and evidently artificial, flew within sight of two witnesses.”

Another credible source to prove the authenticity of the photos is an American optical physicist Dr. Bruce Maccabee who believed the Trents’ photos were real.

Paul Trent died in 1998, a year after his wife. He eventually just wanted to put the whole UFO thing behind them.

There’s No House In The World Like This One In Idaho—The Sluice Box

Idaho has dozens of odd, unique, and artistic residential houses, but few are able to be enjoyed or appreciated up close and personal without the term “trespassing” being tossed around. But this radical, eclectic shop/home in Idaho City has been a landmark and tourist favorite for decades, and has a heartwarming story to go with it. Check it out!

Welcome to the Sluice Box.

Where that old saying about “another man’s treasure” is actually the life’s work of one couple with big dreams in small-town Idaho.

To quote a fellow writer, “It looks as though someone coated a normal two-story house in super glue, then dumped the contents of a well-stocked second-hand store on top of it. And then left it to rust and age for twenty years.”This second-hand and antique shop in Idaho City was hand-built by one man: Larry Carter.

Larry was the master builder and visionary. Wife Ruthie is the antiques expert.

The massive inventory of unique objects was collected partly through travels across the Northwest.

But this eclectic Idaho landmark also has quite the story to tell.

The store originally opened in the 1970s in downtown Idaho City, where it quickly gained popularity as a treasure trove for antique lovers. Ruthie and Larry Carter relocated the shop into a late 1800s building where it stayed until it was caught fire in 1996. From there, despite numerous health concerns, Larry rebuilt the store from the ground up and filled it to the brim with collectibles, trinkets, and funky decor.Windmills, vintage signs, country decor…

And so much more.

The store consists of a maze of rooms and display cases all framed in genuine, reclaimed barn wood. There are custom built-ins, unique photos planted within the barn wood knotholes, and numerous other finds that you won’t see anywhere else. inside there are also hidden rooms and stairways, balconies, screened porches, hallways and at least one ‘official’ bedroom amidst the rooms on top of the unique store below.

There is also a small, overgrown garden nearby where nature is reclaiming Larry’s treasures in stunning feats of beauty, just the way he would have liked it.

Visitors often wonder if the massive shop, with its ever-evolving and winding interior, is haunted. Larry would say, “I hope so.”

Before his passing, Larry built towering eves, curved stairways, false rooms and a wide array of windowed lookouts on top of his masterpiece. As a young man, Larry became interested in tales of ghosts and supernatural stories — and while no reports of hauntings have been recorded, reportedly the tower that crowns the building maintained a permanent “open invitation” to any wandering, otherworldly souls.

Sadly, the store was recently sold in 2014.

But this beautifully rustic homage to one man’s passion remains standing and at last report, will be reopening soon.

One of the wonderful things about Idaho is that our landscape and towns have such phenomenal history, made personal with stories such as this. You can see more photos of this quaint antique shop on the Sluice Box’s Facebook page as well.

UPDATE: I was able to find out that the place has reopened in 2021.  They are closed during the week and the winter but open on weekends throughout spring to fall. There have been some changes, but I refuse to go to facebook to see what they are.  (There are recent claims that the place is haunted, but Larry never claimed that.)  The Lobby Coffee is now inside and sells coffee and pastries.

[I found this article about Mr. Ed’s Elephants on the PA Bucketlist.com site!]

Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium just may be the best elephant-themed roadside attraction in Pennsylvania!

Elephants and candy everywhere you look.

Located just outside of Gettysburg, Mister Ed’s features a dizzying array of elephant figurines, circus souvenirs, toys, statues, gardens, and artwork, as well as over a thousand kinds of candy!

How to Find Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium

Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium is located at 6019 Chambersburg Rd, Orrtanna, PA 17353.

Exploring the Exterior of Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum

The grounds surrounding Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium are a collection of whimsically-decorated gardens incorporating elephants as the central theme (of course!).

The water garden featuring a mother and baby elephant with water shooting out of their trunks caught my eye in particular, but all the gardens are a treat to walk through.

Even an old delivery truck becomes a unique piece of artwork in the gardens at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum.

And while Bedford may be home to Pennsylvania’s largest roadside coffee pot, this teapot-shaped garden shed at Mister Ed’s is impressive in its own right, and fittingly it also houses a collection of teapots.

Step Inside Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium

A quick glance around the inside of Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium is enough to cause massive sensory overload and a sugar rush!

Everywhere you look, on the walls, ceilings, shelves, and countertops, you’ll see elephants and candy of every possible description.

More than 12,000 elephant-related mementos are on display, a feast for the eyes and an inspiration to those of us (myself included) who walk the fine line between collectors and hoarders!

If it existed in the 20th century and it had an elephant emblazoned on it, you’ll most likely find it at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum.

There are even “Pachyderm Points” displayed around the museum, imparting knowledge about real elephants on inquisitive visitors.

If you’re a hardcore fan of elephants or vintage toys, you’d best budget an hour or two just to explore the museum portion of Mister Ed’s!

The Candy Emporium at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum

In case you missed the sign when you walked in the door, Mister Ed’s is also famous for homemade fudge!

Featuring more than 70 flavors of fudge, I’ve yet to try one that WASN’T delicious.

If fudge isn’t your thing, there are literally more than 1,000 different candy options, including an entire room full of PEZ candies and dispensers!

Christmas at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium

Mister Ed’s definitely gets in the spirit at Christmastime!

Inside the store and out, you’ll find all your favorite Christmas characters woven into the already busy tapestry of decorations and displays.

From traditional Dickens-like carolers…

to the not-so-traditional Miss Ele out front.

Already one of the Gettysburg area’s most unique attractions and favorite candy stores, Mister Ed’s is the perfect place to shop for Christmas stocking stuffers.

If you’re road tripping through the Gettysburg area at Christmastime, make it a point to stop, stroll the grounds, and do a little shopping.

Planning Your Visit to Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum

Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium is open every day, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the age of COVID, it’s probably prudent to call ahead and confirm those hours – the phone number there is (717) 352-3792.

There is no charge to walk the gardens or to tour the museum.

If you’ve got elephants on the brain, a hardcore sweet tooth, or just love quirky roadside attractions, Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium near Gettysburg checks all the right boxes!

SOURCE: Rusty Glessner @ PABUCKETLIST

Today is the anniversary of the day that Columbus discovered Jamaica, so I thought I’d bring an article from WeJamaicansBeLike.com on interesting facts about this gorgeous island.

Jamaica is what?

If you thought Jamaica was only about Bob Marley, Reggae Music and lighting up some good herbs, then you’re in for a big surprise when you check out some of these facts below.

As a small nation, Jamaica has a lot of influence in the world and its people are amongst the most progressive. From education, to politics, to entertainment, Jamaica is not only a leader in the Caribbean, but the world.

Here are some interesting facts about Jamaica you may not have known.

On to The Fun Facts About Jamaica

Jamaica is Bananas

If you don’t like bananas, blame Jamaica for it! If you do like bananas, well Jamaica is the reason why. Jamaica was the first country to export bananas establishing a global banana trade. Crop disease and major competition from Central America did the Jamaican banana trade in.

James Bond is Jamaican

On the shores of Ocho Rios, James Bond was born! Ian Flemming then lived in Jamaica when he penned the famous 14 James Bond novels. Jamaica is still home to the Golden Eye Hotel and Resort which began as the luxurious home of Ian Flemming. The novels have inspired 23 James Bond Films, one even with the hotel namesake – Goldeneye from 1995.

More Coffee Please

When you think of Jamaica you think sand and beaches, but many may not think coffee. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is one of the most sought after and expensive coffees on the market.

What is Rastafarian?
Think dreadlocks? Think Jamaica? When people think about Jamaica, they think about the popular deadlock style. Only 2 percent of the Rastafarian population in the world live in Jamaica.

Everybody Say Amen!

Jamaicans are very religious people. Jamaica has the most churches per capita in the world. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Jamaica has over 1,600 “churches.”

Fresh From Abroad
Jamaica’s indigenous people, the Arawaks cultivated corn and yams. The crops we know today like sugar cane, coconut, breadfruit, bamboo, bananas and mangoes are not native to Jamaica. The popular crops were imported at different times in Jamaica’s rich history.

Brrrr, Jamaicans Can Handle the Cold

If you have not seen the movie Cool Running by now you are missing out on comedy gold. The movie is based on the 1988 Jamaican bob sled team. The team was the first tropical country to enter a Winter Olympic event.

Independence and a Queen

Jamaica was the first Caribbean nation to gain independence from the British Commonwealth in 1962. Jamaica had internal self-government years before it became an independent nation. To this day Queen Elizabeth II remains the Queen of Jamaica but by tradition only.

Raise Your Flags High

One of the most recognized flags in the world, the green, yellow and black Jamaican flag is only one of two countries in the world that has no colors in common with the flag of the United States of America. Mauritania, the other country, is green and yellow. The Jamaican flag is recognizable as the two yellow stripes intersect in an X with green filling in the top and bottom and black on either side.

All Aboard

Jamaica was the first country in the Western world to build a railroad, built just 18 years after Britain built theirs.

Blue Mountains and Moons

The Blue Mountains in Jamaica, named for the mist that covers them, are not just ideal for coffee. The mist that covers the mountain peaks appears to be blue. The blue mist also covers the moon making it appear blue. The phrase once in a blue moon does not cover the Blue Mountains as there have been dozen sightings of sapphire colored moons in the past 40 years

Orchids Everywhere

Some people would never think orchids when they think about Jamaica. With over 200 species of Orchids growing wild throughout the island of Jamaica an astounding 73 of the species are unique to Jamaica. With 1,000 species of trees and 500 species of ferns, visitors are pleasantly surprised to know that Jamaica is one of best place to see wild flora and fauna.

GoaLLLLLL

Futbol, football, soccer or whatever you call it, Jamaicans know how to play it! Jamaica is the first team from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for World Cup. The Reggae Boyz, as they are fondly known to the world, went on to World Cup soccer finals in France in 1998.

Most Beautiful Women

Many places brag about having the most beautiful women in the world, but Jamaica can brag and have the stats to prove it. Jamaican beautiful women stand strong, as they are the sixth country on the list of countries to win the Miss World titles. With 3 winners and 3 second runners-up, only Venezuela, UK, India, USA and Sweden have more winners. Just the size of Jamaica alone compared to these countries elevates the bragging rights.

I’m Drinking Rum and …

We all know Jamaicans love their rum! They love it so much, and wanted the world to know! Jamaica was the first island in the Caribbean to produce rum on a commercial basis.

Seeing Doubles

The little island Jamaica has more multiple (two or more) live births than anywhere else in the world. Who would have thought Jamaicans were so fertile?

Strong Politics

Jamaica is known for always making a clear stance. Jamaica was the first country to impose economic sanctions against the former apartheid regime of South Africa.

Google It

Jamaica is a great innovator. In 1994 Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean region to launch a web site! www. jamaicatravel.com was launched in 1994 and took Jamaica to the world!

Mail It In

In 1688 Jamaica was the first British colonial territory to establish a postal service.

I stumbled upon a collection of truly “weird” homes and I plan on showcasing one of them a month…be prepared!  This Weird Wednesday’s offering is called Luna Parc and it’s located in New Jersey.  The house and property are not open to the public per se, but they hold tours in the spring to fall if you’re so inclined.

Luna Parc: Psychedelic Wonderland in the Woods

Upon entering the gates to Luna Parc, you are awestruck at the immensity of the project Boscarino has been building in the woods for all these years. The front yard is awash in brilliantly colored sculptures, walls and spires. Everything is encrusted with swirling mosaics of tile, glass, concrete and painted metal.

As we wound our way through the forests and farmlands of the Sussex County countryside, Mark and I wondered why Ricky Boscarino, owner of “Luna Parc,” decided that this remote locale would be the perfect place to create his own unique environment. We’ve visited Luna Parc several times over the past dozen years or so and it is always a thrill to see just how much it has continued to grow in new and fascinating ways with each visit we make. And it is always a real pleasure meeting Ricky, the mastermind behind this environmental madness.

Upon entering the gates to Luna Parc, you are awestruck at the immensity of the project Boscarino has been building in the woods for all these years. The front yard is awash in brilliantly colored sculptures, walls and spires. Everything is encrusted with swirling mosaics of tile, glass, concrete and painted metal. The house itself sits above the terraced yard looking like a technicolor gingerbread chalet in a psychedelic fantasy land.

Ricky, the proud creator of this unique home, is friendly and easy-going and always willing to give us a tour of the newest additions he has made to his one-of-a-kind-eastate in progress. We asked him how he first found the property.

“I grew up in Piscataway and I used to go to summer camp at Stokes, so I kinda knew the area a little. I started a jewelry business in 1986 and I was looking for a place of my own. I really just stumbled upon this place after pounding the pavement for about two years. It was an old hunting lodge, and the family that owned it hadn’t even been here for about ten years.”

“Structurally it was fine, but it had to be rewired, etc. I should have knocked it down, but I needed a place to live! As soon as I walked up the driveway, I knew I would be here the rest of my life. My first vision was the round window. I started ripping shit out of the house from day one, and it’s been non-stop. Everything started to radiate from the house.”

The house is surrounded inside and out by whimsical multi-media art projects in various states of completion. Most are made entirely by Ricky’s own hands out of found objects, such as glass bottles, yardsticks, corks, bottle caps, stones, and other collected or donated materials. One of the outlying buildings in the front yard is a hut fashioned from thousands of brilliant blue glass bottles.

“Some are the Sky Vodka bottles and others are Arizona iced tea,” Ricky told us while scrounging through the pile recyclables. “Whenever I have an event here, I always get donations of various stuff I ask for. This project will be made entirely of blue glass bottles, which are the hardest to come by. I originally estimated I’d need 1,500 bottles to complete it, but now it looks like I’ll need about 3,000. And I didn’t drink even one of them!”

The 5-acre property is covered with an array of eclectic buildings and displays. A walk through the back property reveals more work-in-progress spread out amongst the trees and shrubbery. Walking amidst the trees and scattered sculptures, old movie set props and odd junk yard finds, we come to a chapel that Ricky has built as an homage to his grandfather, who, Ricky told us, once witnessed a miracle in Sicily.

“That’s where the crutches come in,” said Ricky, pointing to a dozen crutches leaning against a tree. “Kind of like ‘Catholic kitsch.’”

What we came across next were hundreds of empty Mrs. Butterworth glass bottles set into concrete blocks.

“This is going to be a nine-foot replica of Mrs. Butterworth built out of blocks which will be illuminated from the inside. Actually it’s almost better describing what its going to look like than what it might end up to be!”

In the middle of all of this material madness is Ricky’s studio, where he creates his finer pieces of jewelry and pottery, which he sells at art shows throughout the year.

“I do get a lot of visitors, but the place is not open to the public. I have an open house once in a while to sell the jewelry, which can be described as eclectic and fun, and people respond well to it. People get to walk through the property. This woman left a message on my machine today saying ‘I’ve got to come for my soul.’ What do you say to that?”

Standing amongst all the half-finished projects and piles of miscellaneous (but organized) clutter, we asked the question: “Where do you get all this stuff from?”

“I’m constantly scouring the area. I put the word out if I need stuff. Like in the kitchen, I covered the walls with corks. I just asked if anyone had any corks! Now I’ve created a monster and I don’t know what to do with all this stuff. They have a good dump here in the area. It’s not like an urban dump, which I guess would be more interesting, but there’s plenty of things to scavenge.”

And scavenge he does, like many of New Jersey’s visionaries who create a unique environment around themselves. We asked Ricky if he had a master plan, or message he’s trying to convey with Luna Parc.

“My master plan is to not have a master plan, which keeps me open. It’s all about ‘layering.’ I can take something down and improve on it, or move it around or add to it. There are no mistakes, that’s the magic of it. Things will always change. People have this misconception of the end product. If it starts to deviate from the original idea, they get frustrated. That’s the magic of creating stuff, that things do evolve.”

So, how do you balance your work for hire and your work on your house, which takes priority?

“The house definitely takes priority. I’m very fortunate that the business is successful and takes care of everything. It gives me the freedom to do all this. I spend way too much time working on the property.”

Inside the house, the art gets a little more intricate. Some rooms resemble a thrift store or museum, including collections of antique stringed instruments, taxidermied animals and strange religious artifacts. Ricky’s artwork is omnipresent, giving the place a feeling of controlled chaos. The bathroom, complete with a toilet, bode, urinal and oversized tub, is tiled from floor to ceiling in a swirl or patterns and textures, with a stream of running water trickling down through pastel colored gravy boats. The house, which started as a small hunter’s cabin, has grown into a vast labyrinth of stairways, hidden room and lookout towers, all decorated with Ricky’s own visionary artwork. There are self-portraits and paintings of Ricky’s friends on every wall. It is almost inconceivable that one man could produce such an extensive body of creative output in a single lifetime. We don’t really have any idea how he does it, but we are very thankful for the fact that he does, and we are certain that he will continue to amuse and fascinate us well into the future.

“I plan to live to be 100 and it’s my intention to see that Luna Parc is secure and safe.” Ricky told us. “I also plan to haunt the place after I die. I’m planning on building my mausoleum in the back.”

Luna Parc is a private home not open to the public other than by invitation. If you’d like to take the cyber tour of the property, you can visit www.lunaparc.com.

SOURCE: Mark and Mark August 26, 2012 1 @ weirdnj.com

By the side of a small side-road between Quakertown and Dublin in Bucks County stands a memorial garden that’s no longer open to the public. It used to be a place of quiet reflection and peaceful meditation, but the group that ran it closed it down and painted No Trespassing signs all around it. Much of the garden is now hidden behind overgrown shrubs, but poking through the undergrowth are two large pyramids, and a mystery that goes back hundreds of years.

The land is owned by a Christian mystical sect called the Fraternitas Rosae Crucis, literally translated as the Brotherhood of the Rose Cross. They’re better known as Rosicrucians, and they have been a secretive but major presence in Pennsylvania since before the Revolutionary War. The Bucks County property with the pyramids is a place of worship and a training facility, but nobody outside the order really knows what goes on there. From the roadside, you can sometimes hear chants and catch a tantalizing glimpse of people in robes, but apart from that, the place is veiled in mystery. Anyone wandering around the property without permission is reportedly chased off.

Like many secretive organizations, the Rosicrucians deal in symbols. Pyramids loom large in their symbology, and even their name contains two powerful ciphers. The cross obviously reflects their Christian beliefs, but the rose has more ancient pagan origins. In Roman times, this flower was a symbol of secrecy. The legend went that Cupid gave Harpocrates, the god of silence, a rose in exchange for keeping Venus’s secrets. Roman banquet rooms were decorated with roses as a reminder to keep any confidences that were spoken under the influence of wine. This decorative habit gives the English language a real SAT-style word for secrecy, sub rosa, or under the rose.

Of course, this veil of secrecy means that it’s hard to get any solid details about the Rosicrucian order, but one or two elements are clear. The order grew in Germany with the 1614 publication of a book called Fama Fraternitas, describing the travels of a symbolic figure called Christian Rosenkreuz through Damascus, Egypt, and other biblical places. In these travels, the mythic character gathers the secret wisdom of the order whose true origins and nature are now lost to anyone outside the order. The book attracted many mystical Christian groups (such as Gnostics, Pythagoreans, Magi, and Freemasons) into an umbrella organization that shares many secret symbols. The most obvious symbol is the pyramid, which features prominently in Rosicrucian architecture.

By the roadside at the front of the Bucks County Rosicrucian garden is a yard-high pedestal that looks quite normal at first, but on closer investigation turns out to be a topless pyramid. It’s lined up perfectly through the bushes with a second pyramid more than five feet tall. This in turn lines up with a large pyramid-shaped mausoleum with bronze plates on it commemorating members of the order. This mausoleum gives tantalizing hints as to the structure and nature of the order. Those commemorated include members of Supreme Councils of nine, seven, and three, with titles such as Supreme Grand Master, Member Sublime Third, and Hierophant. The organization seems more egalitarian than many religions, since many of those named are women. And there have been some very influential members, including Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln.

Looking inside the pyramid, you get a clearer idea of the symbols of the order. Over the gated doorway stands a circular plate with a winged world crowned by a skull and crossbones, with the word TRY underneath it. The torch, anchor and triangle in the design only confuse the uninitiated further. Peeking through the gate into the pyramid, however, gives you a jolt of recognition. On two walls of the four-sided pyramid are two very familiar circular designs: an unfinished pyramid topped with an eye and an eagle holding an olive branch and thirteen arrows. These are the two sides of the Great Seal of the United States, as portrayed on the reverse side of the dollar bill.

So why are these seals hidden inside a Rosicrucian monument? Is the order tipping its hat to the United States? Is it worshiping the mighty dollar? Or is this country actually being branded with the seal of a secret society? One piece of evidence at the Bucks County site leads to an inescapable conclusion. It is cast in bronze and screwed to the outside of the pyramid, and it’s the name of a prominent Council of Nine member—Benjamin Franklin. If one of the Founding Fathers of the country was a celebrated Rosicrucian, why wouldn’t the symbol of the new nation and its currency reflect that affiliation?

So next time you look at the All-Seeing Eye in the Sky on a dollar bill, remember that there’s a similar eye inside a pyramid near Nockamixon State Park. And take time to wonder what other secrets might be hidden there beneath the rose.

 I saw this building while looking for other unrelated things and I knew I had to do a little research about it and bring it (for kea!).   

Dog Bark Park Inn is a guesthouse inside the World’s Largest Beagle.   Some of the dog’s decorative furnishings are carvings by Dog Bark Park chainsaw artists Dennis and Francis. An adjacent gift shop offers an assortment of dog carvings. Visitors can also see how the carvings are made.

For dog lovers looking to take a trip to Idaho, we’ve found the perfect place to stay overnight! Located in Cottonwood, Idaho, Dog Bark Park Inn (aka Sweet Willy) is a specifically themed hotel shaped like a beagle. The two-bedroom bed & breakfast boasts a number of dog-themed design choices from the architecture itself to the interior decor.

The husband and wife wood carving artists behind the inn, Dennis Sullivan and Francis Conklin, first began experimenting with wood art nearly two decades ago. They say, “Our ‘big break’ came in 1995 when our carvings were sold on QVC television. We did nothing but carve wooden dogs for 18 months (our children barely remember seeing us during those days!), made what seemed like a bundle of money, invested it all in developing and building Dog Bark Park.”

Now, the couple continues to carve folk-art style wooden replicas of dogs, having already created over 60 different breeds of canines, and rent out their massive, towering tourist attraction. Check out the lodge’s website for a full list of amenities and pricing.

Dog lovers will appreciate this fun and functional roadside attraction on US Highway 95 at Cottonwood, Idaho.

Things To Know

Free visitor center & gallery gift shop open year-round.

Chainsaw dog carvings by resident artists are featured at Dog Bark Park.

Century-old Monastery of St. Gertrude & Historical Museum located near Cottonwood.

Enjoy seeing beautiful old wooden railroad trestles & bridges in the area.

Bed & breakfast season is April – August. Two night minimum stay.

What are we waiting for??