Spring Equinox Ritual Celebration

by Jamie Rhein on

As I’m blowing my nose, yet again, wondering when this cold might end, and lamenting that yesterday’s 70 degrees and sunny has turned into today’s blustery grey complete with snowflakes, I’m thinking, “I could really use some spring renewal.”

I came across an event that would do just that. At Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve in southwestern Wisconsin, the Welcome Spring Festival, March 24, is a tribute to the Spring Equinox. This is a child-friendly event with crafts, nature walks, egg hunts, house-cleaning rituals and shared food. It sounds homey and nurturing which I think is the point.

The Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve is not open for public use on most days, but during festivals, everyone is welcome. You do need to register. The sanctuary, on 200 acres of forested hills is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to nature preservation and healing. If you’re interested in finding out more information about the sanctuary and other spirit gatherings the website has much information.

Wisconsin’s “Wonder Spot” To Close

by Willy Volk on

“Accidentally” discovered on June 16, 1948, southern Wisconsin’s “Wonder Spot” is an area approximately 50 feet in diameter in which the laws of gravity seem to be ignored. In the old cabin sitting on this spot, water flows uphill, chairs balance on two legs, and people are unable to walk straight. (Sounds like a bar I know.) Is this “gravity vortex” — one of several dozen reported vortices in the USA — the center of a paranormal hotspot? Is it a clever marketing gimmick? Who’s to say. In any event, it’ll soon be dozed and have a road built on top of it — all in the name of progress.

Though the Wonder Spot sees as many as 50,000 visitors a year (at $5 a head), Bill Carney recently sold the roadside attraction to the village of Lake Delton for $300,000. The village wants to build a road through the spot where the Wonder Spot has stood since the 1950s. Though the new road won’t run over the Wonder Spot, itself, it’ll run darn close, and that’s what prompted Carney to sell.

Though I’ve never been to the Wonder Spot, I can’t imagine that the village couldn’t figure out a way to incorporate this relic of Americana into its comprehensive plan. Considering the entire region is a tourist’s delight, saving this rich piece of culture seems like it should’ve been a priority.

America's Cleanest & Greenest Cities

by Adrienne Wilson on

The Ames-Boone area
of Iowa normally doesn’t get mentioned around here too much, but it’s time to turn things around or our travel
destinations at least. Forbes.com runs an
interesting health piece which highlights America’s greenest and
cleanest cities. The listing is based on ozone pollution and particles from data collected by the American Lung
Association’s 2005 set of statistics and according to other research studies pollution is costing a pretty penny. For
businesses it pays to be clean and  for the curious vagabond just looking to roam aimlessly – where better to
spend your time than in clean destinations like those found on their list?

Newton, Iowa or Sioux Falls, South Dakota may not
come off as exciting as NYC, LA or Miami, but who needs the smog and increased exhaust fumes leaking from almost every
vehicle in big city traffic jams? Not me and certainly not you, so if seeing is believing and better for our health
plan ahead before being clean suddenly becomes trendy. The top 10 cleanest and greenest areas in America are as
follows:

  1. Ames-Boone, Iowa
  2. Bellingham,
    Washington
  3. Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, TX
  4. Cedar
    Rapids, Iowa
  5. Colorado Springs, CO
  6. Deltona-Daytona
    Beach-Palm Coast, FL
  7. Des Moines-Newton-Pella, Iowa
  8. Duluth,
    Minn., Wisconsin
  9. Eugene-Springfield, OR
  10. Fargo-Wahpeton,
    North Dakota., Minn

For a complete list with all
25 visit Forbes and be sure to check out the slide show. It’s so clean you won’t believe your own eyes.