The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 9: South Dakota to Vermont

This is the ninth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Vermont that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

---------

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 9: South Dakota to Vermont

 

The city I most want to visit in South Dakota is the capital, Pierre. When we traveled to the Dakotas in 2023, I went back and forth about taking a 2 hour detour (each way) in order to visit Pierre. It would have meant cutting something else from the trip and there was nothing I was willing to cut. So we didn't make it to Pierre. When we do, I want to tour the South Dakota State Capitol and visit the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center. 

Memphis should be on the list of cities we've visited, not the cities we want to visit. We had everything scheduled - flights, car rental, hotels, and tickets for all of the activities we were going to do Memphis. But it was not to be. Our two-week trip ended up being a zero-day trip. Three months later, we rescheduled a portion of that failed trip, but we had to cut out Memphis because Trevor's spring break wasn't as long as winter break when the trip should have happened. All that to say, Memphis is the city I most want to visit in Tennessee. When I go, I will be visiting all the major attractions, but the two I'm most excited about are the National Civil Rights Museum and the Memphis Rock and Soul Museum.  

The city I most want to visit in Texas is Houston. One of my rules is that I can only pick cities I'd never visited, beyond the airport. In 2005, we flew into Houston, got on a bus a few steps outside the terminal, and rode to Galveston where we boarded a cruise ship. The process was reversed at the end of the trip. I'm not counting that as having been to Houston (although if I'd died stepping onto the bus, my death certificate would indicate that I had indeed been to Houston). I would like to actually experience something in Houston; specifically, I would most like to see Holocaust Museum Houston and the Eternal Gandhi Museum.

The city I'd most like to visit in Utah is Moab. Billed as the "ultimate basecamp for red rock adventures," Moab is a great city to visit even for the less adventurous who want to look at red rocks, not go mountain biking on them (raising my hand). Not only is Moab beautiful in its own right, but it is where to stay to visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. 

The city I most want to visit in Vermont is Stowe. We were only about 10 miles from Stowe when we visited Waterbury so I know that it is a stunningly beautiful area. The top two things I want to do are the History Tour at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort and visiting the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. 

--------

What do you think of my picks? Do any of these sound like places you'd like to visit? Let me know in the comments!

Tomato and Strawberry Easter Eggs

Today's Easter eggs based on state symbols are so easy to make that you get two-for-one. First up is a tomato, the state fruit of Arkansas, Ohio, and Tennessee. Second is the strawberry, the state fruit of Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. Affiliate links below. 

 

Tomato Easter Egg

Materials:

• egg (raw, hardboiled, or empty)
• acrylic paint (red)
• felt (green)
• scissors
• craft glue

Steps: 

Paint the egg red. While it is drying, cut out a multi-pointed star shape from felt for the tomato's leaves. Cut a thin strip for the stem. When the paint is dry, glue the leaves to the side of the egg and the stem on top of the leaves. 

---------

Strawberry Easter Egg

Materials:

• egg (raw, hardboiled, or empty)
• acrylic paint (red, yellow)
• felt (green)
• scissors
• plastic fork
• craft glue

Steps: 

Paint the egg red. While the paint is drying, cut out a multi-pointed star shape from felt for the strawberry's leaves. Cut a thin strip for the stem. 

When the red paint is dry, use a plastic fork to apply yellow dots to the egg to mimic the strawberry's seeds. 

When the yellow paint is dry, glue the leaves to the rounded end of the egg. Glue the stem onto the leaves. 

The Best and the Worst of the 50 State Seals, Part 5

This is my last post rating the designs of each of the 50 state seals. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains the criteria I'm using for grading. 

---------

Rating the State Seals: South Dakota through Wyoming

The state seal of South Dakota was designed before statehood, then modified in 1889 when it became the 40th state. It features scenes of agriculture (farmer, cattle), commerce (steamship), industry (smelting furnace), and natural resources (hills, river). The state motto and the year of statehood appear around the outside. This is an attractive seal. While there are some generic elements, I appreciate the details that make it unique. Question: I'm not a farmer; should he really be plowing furrows that are knee-deep?

Design: 4, Representation 3.5 = 7.5

Tennessee's state seal, most recently updated in 1987, takes a different approach to depicting agriculture and commerce than other states do: the words are literally written on the seal. Images of agriculture include a plow, wheat, and cotton. A riverboat represents commerce. Roman numerals XVI show that Tennessee is the 16th state, admitted to the Union in 1796. I don't like the addition of these words at all. It makes the seal look really crowded. And what is up with the tiny doghouse that is dwarfed by the plow and wheat? I'm assuming it's supposed to be a people house in the background. 

Design: 1.5, Representation 3 = 4.5

The state seal of Texas is two-sided and was updated in 1992. The front features a 5-pointed star in the center, representing the Lone Star State. An olive branch (peace) and a live oak branch (strength), tied together with a ribbon, surround the star. I like the simplicity and symbolism of this seal but it feels incomplete. Adding the date of statehood (1845) or the state motto (Friendship) to the empty portion at the bottom would make this design so much better, both aesthetically and in representing the state. 

Design: 3, Representation 2 = 5

Utah's state seal was adopted in 1896 and features a shield in the center. On it are a beehive (the state emblem), the word Industry (the state motto), sego lilies (the state flower), and 1847 (the year pioneers arrived in Utah). Behind the seal are the American eagle and US flags. The year 1896 is when Utah became a state. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be a fan of having national symbols on the state seal, but with Utah represented in so many ways on the center shield, I don't mind it. It's a very attractive design. The only thing I don't like are the dots on either side of the text. 

Design: 4.5, Representation 4.5 = 9

The state seal of Vermont was designed in 1788, replaced with a (better) design, and then reinstated in 1937. It includes a 14-branch pine tree (Vermont is the 14th state) rising from a forest of much smaller trees. Above the forest are several floating items: grain, a cow, and wavy lines (possibly representing the Connecticut River). Below the forest is more grain surrounding the state motto, Freedom and Unity, plus more wavy lines (possibly representing Lake Champlain). I'll say it - this design is hideous. There are so many things wrong with the design that if I listed them, I'd just end up with a list of everything on the seal. The only thing saving this seal from being the very worst is that it incorporates the state motto and 14 branches (and possibly the water boundaries) that are unique to Vermont. 

Design: 0.5, Representation 2.5 = 3

The state seal of Virginia was designed in 1776 and standardized in 1912. It is two-sided; I'm focusing on the front. It features Virtus standing on a man representing tyranny, whose crown has fallen off his head. She's holding a spear and a sword. The tyrant is holding a broken chain and a whip. The state motto (Thus Always to Tyrants) appears below the fallen tyrant. OK, I get it: this was designed immediately after the Declaration of Independence, when vanquishing the king was at the top of everyone's minds. But that was not unique to Virginia then and it certainly isn't now. Other than the state name, the state motto is the only thing that says Virginia. There is another problem with this design. 

Design 1.5, Representation 1 = 2.5

Washington's state seal, designed in the 1850's when Washington was still a territory then updated in 1889 with statehood, features a portrait of the state's namesake. This seal is distinctive, if boring. I wish the natural beauty of the Evergreen State was featured as well (or instead). 

Design 2, Representation 2 = 4

The state seal of West Virginina was adopted in 1863, when it became a state. It features a boulder with the statehood date. Two men, representing agriculture and industry, lean against the boulder. In front are crossed rifles and a liberty cap. The state motto ("Liberty out of Fidelity") appears at the bottom. Two thoughts: The miner looks like a skeleton. There are periods after State of West Virginia and Montani Semper Liberi. Why? 

Design: 2, Representation 2.5 = 4.5

Wisconsin's state seal was redesigned most recently in 1881. It features a shield with a plow (agriculture), pick and shovel (mining), arm and hammer (manufacturing), an anchor (navigation), and the US Coat of Arms. Above there is a badger, the state animal, and the state motto. Below, a cornucopia (abundance) and 13 lead bars (mineral wealth and the 13 original colonies). There are 13 stars below that. (Wisconsin is the 30th state.) I love that there is a badger and the state motto on this seal. Other than that, meh. 

Design 2.5, Representation 2.5 = 5

The state seal of Wyoming was revised in 1921. It features a statue in the center with the banner "Equal Rights" as Wyoming was the first to give women the right to vote (in 1869, while still a territory). Other banners highlight livestock, mines, grain, and oil, four of Wyoming's major industries. A rancher and miner stand on either side of the statue. At the base is an eagle and a star with 44 printed on it, as Wyoming was the 44th state. The two dates represent the organization of the territorial government (1869) and statehood (1890). This is a very nice seal. It's aesthetically pleasing and does a good job of representing Wyoming's history. 

Design 4, Representation 4 = 8

---------

Here are the results! For the states that are tied, I've listed them alphabetically. 

1st (tie): Arizona, Minnesota

3rd: California

5th (tie): Ohio, Utah

6th: Kansas

10th (tie): Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

16th (tie): Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota

19th (tie): Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina

24th (tie): Florida, New Hampshire, Missouri, New York, South Carolina

27th (tie): Maine, Maryland, North Dakota

31st (tie): Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Rhode Island

35th (tie): New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin

37th (tie): Tennessee, West Virginia

41st (tie): Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, Washington

45th (tie): Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Vermont

47th (tie): Illinois, Virginia

48th: Mississippi

49th: Arkansas

50th: Connecticut

This was a fun (if incredibly time-consuming) exercise. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let me know if you agree with my rankings or if yours are completely different!

Standing Horse Craft for Kids

Did you know that there are 17 states which have named a horse as one of their state symbols? Thirteen states have an official state horse, including: Alabama (Racking Horse); Florida (Florida Cracker Horse); Idaho (Appaloosa); Kentucky (Thoroughbred); Maryland (Thoroughbred): Massachusetts (Morgan); Mississippi (American Quarter Horse); Missouri (Missouri Fox Trotter); North Carolina (Colonial Spanish Mustang), Oklahoma (American Quarter Horse); South Carolina (Carolina Marshy Tacky); Tennessee (Tennessee Walking Horse); and Texas (American Quarter Horse). Two more states have named a horse as their state animal, including: New Jersey (Horse) and Vermont (Morgan). Virginia has a state pony (Chincoteague). North Dakota has an honorary equine (Nokota). With so many state honoring this animal, it was the obvious choice for my next craft. 

In order to represent multiple breeds of horses for this blog post, I made my craft two sided. You can opt to make yours the same on both sides (like a normal horse) or different (like mine). Affiliate links below. 

Standing Horse Craft

Materials: 

• chipboard
• microtip scissors
• Folk Art paint
• embroidery floss
• craft glue
• binder clips

Steps: 

Create a pattern for your horse. You can draw a horse or find a photograph you like and cut that out. Trace the pattern twice onto chipboard. Cut out both horses. Paint each horse with a base coat of paint. (Remember, I made my horse two different colors intentionally.) Let the paint dry. 

Finish painting the horses. For my brown horse, that meant giving it a second coat and adding dark brown for the hooves. For the spotted horse, I added the spots and the striped hooves that are characteristic of an Appaloosa. 

Wrap embroidery floss around the four fingers of your non-dominant hand, going around 12 times. 

Use the scissors to snip below your pinkie to make 24 strands that form a tail. Glue the hair in place on ONE of the two horse pieces. 

Wrap embroidery floss around two fingers, going around 12 times. Snip that to make the mane. You'll be gluing it along the back, then folding it over toward the front. Start by putting a line of glue on the back of the horse, then lay the mane in place. Repeat as necessary until the mane and forelock are as full as you want. Let the glue dry. At this point, the mane will be sticking up. To make it lay flat, spread glue along the front side and press the mane into it. Trim as needed. Repeat the process for the second side of the horse, as desired.  

To make the horse stand, spread glue on the back side of the body, neck, and head of one horse. Do not put glue on the legs. Press the two sides together, then secure them with binder clips. (I took the picture before adding the rest of the clips. You'll want one by the throat and one over the tail. 

When the glue is dry, remove the clips and you'll have a horse that stands. I opted not to add facial features, but that's a personal choice. 

The Best Tour in Every State, Part 5

This is the fifth and final part in my series about the best tour I've taken in every state. I recommend reading the first post (Alabama through Georgia), second post (Hawaii through Maryland), third post (Massachusetts through New Jersey), and fourth post (New Mexico through South Carolina) before this one. 

-------

South Dakota

We have taken a number of excellent tours in South Dakota, but there's no question which is the best: the Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour at Custer State Park. My only complaint about the tour is that they should call it the Bison Safari Jeep Tour. During the two-hour tour, we saw many bison, pronghorns, and prairie dogs. We learned so much about the native plants and animals of the area. I'd happily take this tour again and again. 

Tennessee

The best tour I've taken in Tennessee is Old Town Trolley Tours in Nashville. This hop-on-hop-off style tour took us to the most popular locations in the city, including the Ryman Auditorium, Marathon Motor Works, Centennial Park (home of the Parthenon), the Belmont Mansion, Music Row, and the Frist Art Museum. Our guide was outstanding. 

Texas

The best tour we've taken in Texas is the Lone Star Riverboat Sunset Cruise in Austin. The tour begins with a narrated scenic cruise during the daylight, then the captain positions the boat by the Congress Avenue Bridge in time for the bat flyout. 

Utah

I've taken many great tours in Utah, but my favorite has to be the Great Salt Lake Tour. The narrated tour took us through downtown and past a lot of interesting sites on the way to the Great Salt Lake. There, we caught live sea monkeys and then had the chance to swim in the lake (we waded). Our guide was excellent and we learned so much!

Vermont

Oh how I agonized over this one! Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour or Rock of Ages Quarry Tour?! I went back and forth a dozen times. They're both so good! But I'm going with the Rock of Ages Quarry Tour. I learned so much during the tour. The smaller size and more relaxed pace (relative to the larger group and strict timeline at Ben & Jerry's) made for a really enjoyable experience. Don't miss either tour when you're in Vermont. 

Virginia

The best tour I've taken in Virginia was a ranger-led tour of Yorktown Battlefield. That was part of the April 2000 trip I took with my fellow 5th grade teachers and our students. We all learned so much about this important site from colonial times and the American Revolution. 

Washington

The best tour I've taken in Washington is one of the most unique tours I've taken anywhere. It's called Beneath the Streets and that's literally what it is: a tour of what's beneath the streets of Seattle. It was so interesting to learn the history of a place that not a lot of people know about and even fewer see. 

West Virginia

I haven't actually taken any tours in West Virginia, so I can't pick the best one. However, I can highly recommend the outstanding West Virginia State Museum. 

Wisconsin

The best tour we've taken in Wisconsin was the Milwaukee City Tour by Untapped Tours. Most tours are either driving or walking, but this was both. I loved that, as we were able to visit places that were far apart, but still get an up-close view of them. It was a fantastic tour. 

Wyoming

I've only taken a single tour in Wyoming (so far!), so I'm calling Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley the best tour in Wyoming. We really enjoyed our trolley ride and learned a lot about the fascinating city of Cheyenne. 

That wraps up my version of the Best Tour in Every State! If you have any tours to recommend, please let me know in the comments. 

State Bird Window Clings Using Gallery Glass (American Goldfinch and Northern Mockingbird)

After making diamond art ornaments featuring two of the state birds, I thought it would be fun to use a different medium to make another pair of state birds. These window clings of the American goldfinch and Northern mockingbird are made from Gallery Glass. They're currently on the window in my craft room - that's our neighbor's tree you're seeing through my window. Aren't they cute? Affiliate links below. 

Gallery Glass - Bird Window Clings

Materials: 

• Gallery Glass leading - black 
• Gallery Glass paint - yellow, white, black, orange
• Gallery Glass workmat
• Gallery Glass toolkit (I didn't know it existed until I wrote this post, so I used a skewer)

Steps: 

Draw a simple bird shape onto a piece of scratch paper, then position it under the workmat. Use the black leading to outline the shape. Let the leading dry completely (overnight is best). 

Use the paint to flood each section, much like you would when decorating a cookie with royal icing. I used a skewer to create a variegated color in both tails and the mockingbird's wing, but it dried a solid color so don't bother with that. 

Let the paint dry completely, again overnight. When it is dry, carefully peel the birds off of the workmat. Now you have a window cling that that will stay on the window until you peel it off. 

Here's a closer look at each bird. The mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. 

The goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington. 

It would be easy to adapt this project to make literally any bird. Give it a try!

50 State Quarters: Coloring Pages Using Ohuhu's New Pupe

I was trying to decide what art material to use for my next batch of 50 State Quarter coloring pages when I got an email from the folks at Ohuhu asking if I'd like to review their latest markers. Would I?! Yes! I absolutely love everything that Ohuhu makes. Just read my reviews of the Ohuhu Honolulu and Ohuhu Kaala alcohol markers and you'll see! Affiliate links below.  

Ohuhu's latest set, called Pupe, includes 60 water-based markers. But these are not ordinary water-based markers. They are specifically designed to be paper-friendly, meaning they won't scratch or peel the surface of your paper, even if you color over the same spot repeatedly. This is a total game-changer!

The Pupe markers are double-sided, with a brush tip and a 0.4 mm fineliner tip. They're non-toxic, acid-free, and fade-resistant. They come in a handy carrying case. And best of all, they are extremely inexpensive. But how is the quality? Fantastic! The ink goes down beautifully and my paper held up to 3-4 layers with no issues. Both tips are comfortable and easy to use. The colors are vibrant. If I have any complaint at all, it's that I wanted a paler grey for shading. I'd happily trade one of the oranges or reds for another grey or a light tan. But other than that, I absolutely love the Pupes. Here are the pages I colored: 

 

I know I said I wasn't going to announce my favorite art materials until after I've done all 50 State Quarters, but I will say that the Ohuhu's Pupe set is near the top. Here are all of the materials I've used previously:

• Ohuhu Kaala markers (Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin)
• ink and Prismacolor colored pencils (Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Montana)
• Flair pens (Delaware, Indiana)
• Sharpies (Maine, South Carolina)
• Stabilo Woody 3-in-1 (Colorado, New Hampshire)
• Folk Art acrylic paint (Wyoming, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Michigan)
• Crayola crayons (Florida, Maryland, South Dakota, Vermont)
• Himi gouache (Iowa, New York, Utah, West Virginia)
• Derwent Inktense pencils (Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana)

A big thanks to Ohuhu for letting me test out the Pupe set. I'll be back to them soon, but for now I need to set them aside, find a different art material, and start on my next batch of State Quarter coloring pages.

Crayon Melt State Fruits: Pear, Peach, Strawberry, Watermelon, and Tomato

It's been almost four years since I've pulled out the warming tray to do a crayon melt project. I'm surprised it's been that long, since it's one of my favorite techniques. I love the painterly effect it gives on these, each of which is an official state fruit.  

Pears are the state fruit of Oregon. 

Peaches are the state fruit of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. (Technically, peaches are Alabama's state tree fruit.)

Strawberries are the state fruit of Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina (technically, the state red berry), and Oklahoma.

Tomatoes are the state fruit of Arkansas, Ohio, and Tennessee.

OK, I lied. Watermelon is not a state fruit. It is the state vegetable of Oklahoma. If you think a tomato should be considered a vegetable and watermelon a fruit, don't take it up with me. Botanically, tomatoes are fruit and so are watermelons, but Oklahoma has valid arguments for considering watermelon a vegetable. 

I didn't make crayon melts of all of the state fruits. Others include oranges, apples, huckleberries, blackberries, plums, blueberries, grapes, cranberries, chokecherries, grapefruit, cherries, and pawpaws. Feel free to make those, or anything else, using the technique below. The materials list includes affiliate links. 

---------

Crayon Melt State Fruits

Materials:

• warming tray
• white paper
• crayons
• microtip scissors
• craft glue

Steps:

Plug in the warming tray. and put a sheet of paper on top. Scraps are perfectly ok. Use crayons to color in the fruits you'll be making. You can blend and layer colors as much as you want. 

I recommend removing the wrappers from the crayons and laying them on their sides for faster, more even coverage. When you do that, you're going to get wax that transfers to the crayon, but that's not a problem. Here you can see that I put the white crayon into an area I'd colored dark green, which blended and transferred to the crayon. To clean it off, just color on a clean area of paper. 

You have two choices when adding details to your project. For the watermelon seeds, I just dotted black crayon directly onto the hot red wax. Since the black shows up really well on red, this is a good option. 

If I'd tried to add the yellow strawberry seeds on top of the red wax while it was hot, they would have blended in too much. Instead, I removed the strawberry, let it cool completely, cut out my shape, then returned it to the warming tray for just long enough to warm up. Then I was able dot on little bits of yellow. 

Don't forget to color the stems and leaves that you'll be using on your fruits. When you've colored everything, unplug the warming tray and let the wax set. Then cut out the shapes using scissors. Glue the leaves and stems to the appropriate fruit. Have fun!