National Parks of the United States

As we begin our journey into the national parks of the United States, let's begin with a history of the National Park Service. As early as 1872, Congress designated a piece of land as a national park. This piece of land was located in the territories (not yet states) of Montana and Wyoming—Yellowstone. It was henceforth under the protection of the United States government so that its beauty could remain "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."

President Theodore Roosevelt, during his term in office from 1901 to 1909, established five more national parks: Crater Lake, Wind Cave, Sullys Hill, Mesa Verde, and Platt. Some of these have been redesignated and are no longer national parks. Roosevelt also signed the Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906. This act would allow future generations to designate historic landmarks, structures, and other objects as national monuments.

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the act that created the National Park Service under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior. The mission of the Department of the Interior reads: "...protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities."

The mission of the National Park Service reads: "The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world."

Today, there are 401 national parks. They exist in every state and in Washington, D.C.; Guam; Puerto Rico; the Virgin Islands; and American Samoa. These 401 national parks cover 84,000,000 acres of land and 4,500,000 acres of water (oceans, lakes, and reservoirs). In addition to the parks, there are 77 national monuments. As of 2008, there were 27,000 historic structures and more than 2400 historic landmarks. The smallest national park is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Park in PA which is just 0.2 acres. The largest is Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in AK which is 13.2 million acres.

The current director of the National Park Service is Jon Jarvis. He has served in this capacity since 2009. Nearly 28,000 people are employed by the National Park Service with another 2.5 million volunteers.

Our national parks are visited by roughly 300,000,000 people per year. Most national parks have a wide variety of activities year-round. Camping is available in many parks as well. Some parks take reservations for camping, but others are first-come, first-served. Find a park through the National Park Service and then click "Plan Your Visit" to find out about the operating hours, fees, reservations, and things to do.

Spend some time researching the National Park Service website, even if you aren't planning a trip. Consider using the website for supplemental material if you homeschool. With tabs like "Discovery History" and "Explore Nature," you're sure to find information that will interest your whole family. Choose a park and do some "Distance Learning."

The 10 most popular national parks are as follows:

1. Great Smoky Mountain National Park
2. Grand Canyon National Park
3. Yosemite National Park
4. Yellowstone National Park
5. Olympic National Park
6. Rocky Mountain National Park
7. Zion National Park
8. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
9. Grand Teton National Park
10. Acadia National Park

The series, National Parks of the United States, will begin with these 10 most popular destinations. If you aren't sure where each of these is located, be sure to check back to find out. There is most likely a national park within driving distance of where you live (maybe not one of these, but there is certainly another). Plan a trip. Enjoy a day off!

50 States: Wyoming

We have reached the end of our series. The very last state, in alphabetical order, is Wyoming.

Acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase, Wyoming (WY) became the 44th state on July 10, 1890, 31 years after it became a territory. It is located in the Rocky Mountain region and is the 9th largest state (97,105 square miles). There are nearly 600,000 Wyomingites; that means, there are only six people, on average, per square mile, making WY the least populated state. Two of the most noteworthy people born in Wyoming include artist Jackson Pollock and Vernon J. Baker who was the only black man to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor for WWII while he was still alive (he has since passed away). There have been scores of people associated with the television and film industry born there as well.

The capital is Cheyenne. The advertising slogan for Cheyenne is "Live the Legend." Check out the visitors' website. Before settlement by men of European descent, the Cheyenne, Crow, Shoshone, Sioux, and Ute tribes lived in this area.

Wyoming's nickname is the "Equality State," and the motto is "Equal Rights." Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote; this took place in 1869.

The official flag of Wyoming was adopted in 1917. A white bison is prominently displayed in the center of the flag, and the seal of Wyoming is on the bison. On the seal is a woman who represents equal rights with a rancher and a miner on either side of her. Written on the columns beside the woman are the words livestock, grains, mines, and oil; these were the major industries of Wyoming. An eagle and a shield sit underneath the woman, and the dates of 1869 and 1890 flank the shield. These represent the dates that WY became a territory and a state, respectively.

The following are Wyoming's state symbols:

Bird...Western meadowlark

Mammal...Buffalo

Reptile...Horned lizard

Fish...Cutthroat trout

Dinosaur...Triceratops

Flower...Indian paintbrush

Tree...Plains cottonwood

Grass...Western wheatgrass

There have been 34 separate fossils found in Wyoming. If you are planning a trip to this state or have a chance to visit in the future, check out Fossil Butte National Monument.

Wondering what else there is to do in this sparsely populated state?

Yellowstone National Park*

Grand Teton National Park

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Devils Tower National Monument

Buffalo Bill Center of the West

Fort Laramie National Historic Site

Hot Springs State Park

If you're looking for fairs and festivals or rodeos or tourist destinations related  to history, then go to Wyoming's Official State Travel Website.

*The very first national park was Yellowstone. This will be the first park discussed in the next series: U.S. National Parks.

Test your knowledge of Wyoming facts.

Since this is the last state and there are very few books about Wyoming for sale through christianbook.com, I will forego the list this week.

Join me next week as we tour the National Parks!

We Choose Virtues - Youth Virtue Journal Review

We Choose Virtues is a company that was started by Heather McMillan. She has a heart for children and desires to see them change for the better and learn virtues through character education, so she created products that would help children, homeschooled and non-homeschooled, to grow and mature. There are many products available for younger children, but we were given the Youth Virtue Journal since my kids are preteen and teens. This is the exact age group that the Youth Virtue Journal was designed for (12-18). It was originally developed to serve as a guide for youth in the Idaho court system but was transformed into a journal for all youth. Those who want to incorporate Scripture can download the Youth List of Memory Verses and Bible Heroes.

As you can see, the journal has a fun, contemporary style in order to attract the preteen/teen crowd. It is not juvenile or cartoonish.
This journal covers nine different virtues in 107 pages. They each start by saying, "I am..." and include attentive, content, forgiving, gentle, helpful, honest, obedient, perseverant, and respectful. Each chapter begins with a short explanation of the virtue—what it is and what is not. Kids are encouraged to write in the journals as they answer questions. Every chapter asks them to dream about something and reflect on what might get in the way of achieving that dream. This is exactly the same throughout the entire book. They then have the opportunity to think about or answer a long list of questions related to themselves like, "Do others think of me as a person who interrupts?" and "Am I a bully in words or actions?"
A scale from 1-10 is provided where they can rate themselves based on how they see that virtue at work in their own lives. They can then answer some questions that force them to look outside of themselves. Do they know someone who displays the virtue? Have they ever been negatively affected by someone who didn't display the virtue? The next section provides quotes by a variety of people related to the virtue. Some of these include biblical quotes. The person's name is listed, not the book, to keep it non-religious in nature, secondary to the original purpose of the journal. Again, Scripture can be downloaded to use with the journal.
There are pages where the teen can write answers to some questions and redo the scale; the second time is the virtue goal. They then can sign their names to commit to being perseverant, attentive, forgiving, etc., and not the opposite.
How we used this product: I would either sit with all of my kids, two of my kids, or just one and read through the whole chapter on the virtue. I would ask them each of the questions, but it seemed that some questions were rhetorical (could be because I am their parent) or didn't apply to them. They would rate themselves on the first scale but assumed a 10 was the "right answer" on the second scale that asked where they wanted to be in relation to the virtue. Sometimes they would ask a question or I would think of something else to talk about that related to the specific virtue, so further discussion was a benefit.
Our opinions of this product: I asked my two sons what they thought. Here is what they said: "It had some good tips and had potential, but it seemed repetitive" and "It was interesting and made a lot of sense, but it was repetitive." They were not together when I asked them their opinion, so it was interesting to me that they both thought it was repetitive. I would have to agree. A lot of the same elements are in each chapter. The fact that they had to talk about a life dream, something they wanted to accomplish in each chapter, became very redundant. They weren't sure what they were supposed to say.
Some of the other items that can be downloaded that correspond to the Youth Virtue Journal are the Youth Mentor Handbook, the Mentor Meeting Report Form, and the Youth Character Assessment. The assessment form could be very helpful for seeing the changes in your child, but the report form does not seem to have any function if you are going through the book with your own child. The handbook says, "A mentor is not a parent either...they don't have any direct authority in the young person's life..." I'm not sure what to do with that. On the one hand, everything that book says a mentor is can also apply to parents. On the other hand, is it saying that I shouldn't use this book with my own kids? The mentor handbook has some useful things to say, even if you are using the journal with your own children.
I have mixed feelings about this product. It is a high-quality product. I really like the quotes that are included and the graphics. It is obvious that Heather McMillan truly wants to help youth change their lives, and many of today's youth need to learn virtues. I don't know if it works well, though, for homeschool families. While there is a verse and Bible heroes page that can be downloaded, I almost feel like deeper reflection into someone who possesses the virtue (Bible character or someone from recent times) would be more helpful. I can see how troubled teens could benefit from pausing to reflect on themselves and people around them. However, I think I'd like something meatier to work through with my kids if I were going to pay for it. The Youth Virtue Journal comes in paperback and retails for $17.00, but We Choose Virtues has some special sales going on this summer:
1. MAY-JUNE: *Promo Code BIG50 for 50% off our amazing set of 12 11x17 Kids of VirtueVille Posters! This is the first time we have ever offered these posters at this price. They are great for school classrooms, Kids Church, or your homeschool room. Kids love them for their bedrooms, bathrooms and kids’ hallways.

2. JUNE-AUGUST: *Promo Code BTS20 for 20% off anything in our WCV Store. This includes any product for kids or youth. Let’s start School with Virtues this year!
You can also find We Choose Virtues on these social media outlets:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wechoosevirtues
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/WeChooseVirtues/
Blog -- http://www.wechoosevirtuesblog.com/

See what other reviewers are saying about this product and other virtue products for children:

A Weekend to Remember

My husband and I had the opportunity to attend FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember in Orlando this past weekend.

We will be married 20 years on Wednesday, June 11, and this has probably been our hardest year. We forgot a lot of things. We forgot about each other. We forgot that God had a purpose in putting us together. We forgot that marriage isn't a 50/50 proposition.

While the title "Weekend to Remember" implies that couples will never forget what the weekend does to help their marriages, I say that, for us, it was a weekend to help us remember. We remembered that we committed to this for the long haul. We remembered that it wasn't going to be easy but that it was definitely worth it. We remembered that we are each God's gift to each other.

Between Friday evening and Sunday morning, we attended ten different sessions with three different speakers. All of the speakers shared funny experiences that were so applicable to what they were talking about.

The sessions discussed why marriages fail; communication styles; the purpose of marriage/oneness; differences; weaknesses; conflict resolution; physical intimacy (and the differences between men and women in this area); crucial elements of extravagant love, forgiveness, and encouragement; and leaving a legacy. Men and women had one separate session where women discussed being the wife and mother God called us to be. Men had a similar session (husband/father).

There were three projects we were to work on as a couple. These gave us the opportunity to discuss what we were thinking and feeling and open up to each other—communicate.

The very last thing they had us do at the end of the weekend was stand and face each other and recite vows (like wedding vows, though not the same as our original). These were typical wedding vows. It was a chance to recommit ourselves to each other. We also received a marriage contract that we can sign and frame. 

What were the biggest things I took away from this weekend?

-I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I have been forgiven by God and should forgive others.

-I am not perfect. It is totally unrealistic to expect anybody else to be.

-I am incredibly selfish, and I have turned our marriage into "What can I get out of it?" and "What has he put into it?"

-I don't encourage John enough or appreciate him enough. I have not been his cheerleader.

-I don't pray enough for my family.

-We need to pray together more and read the Bible more.

Now, I am speaking for me. I can't tell you exactly what John learned, though I know that this weekend positively impacted both of us.

Weekend to Remember is not a miracle cure. It is a good swift kick in the pants. We needed that. We know that we have work to do, but we are committed to serving each other, encouraging each other, loving each other, respecting each other, praying for each other, and being united. Our kids will reap the benefits of seeing parents love each other and work through conflict. Hopefully those around us will reap the benefits as well.

There were other aspects of marriage that were discussed that need not be presented in an open forum like a blog. Suffice it to say that it was a worthwhile discussion.

I am thankful for those who sponsored our trip. It was a blessing!

I will hopefully write more at some point. I hoped this post would have been much more eloquent. However, 11:30 at night is not conducive to eloquence flowing from my fingertips.

Learning Breakthrough Program Review

*Highly Recommended*

I have had the opportunity to review a book by the creator of the Learning Breakthrough Program, Frank Belgau (as told to his son Eric). It is called A Life in Balance.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received A Life in Balance. I had hoped that it would provide some techniques and strategies for teaching my kids in the way that they learned best. At the very least, I figured it would be an interesting read. Well, once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. First of all, Frank Belgau has had one of the most interesting lives I’ve ever read about. Eric Belgau’s idea of putting his father’s life on paper was brilliant. I was amazed by the way God put people and events into Mr. Belgau’s life—and orchestrated it all perfectly—to lead to each new step in his journey of discovering the Learning Breakthrough Program. His story is full of hope and promise. He also shares his frustration with politics and bureaucracy. Yet, these things were placed in his path as well to change his course and help the program become what it is today. I enjoyed reading about how he met his wife. I almost felt as if I was there, watching his life unfold.

As I read about the techniques he used to bring about reading improvement and comprehension of the learning-disabled children that he worked with, I wished I had the balance board and the other tools that he used to see if those things would work with my children. While my children don’t have ADHD or dyslexia, there are things they struggle with such as focusing in order to get their work done, understanding math, and remembering the things they have read.

Since my background is in the healthcare field, I have had many classes in anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, etc. So, reading chapters about the brain should not have been an issue for me. However, I was so enthralled with the rest of the book—it read like a novel—that once I arrived at chapter 26, “Neural Networks and Neural Plasticity,” I had a hard time picking the book up. Knowing that I needed to finish it for the purposes of the review, I worked through the final chapters. The dryness of the scientific explanation at the end would be the only negative that I could find in the whole book. In relating his story, Frank shared that, though they learned many strategies for helping children in the first few decades of success, knowledge of brain function and how it was tied to other processes going on in the body was not known at that time. Science was not advanced enough to understand why these strategies were helping. In recent times, however, a great deal of light has been shed on brain function. Now we know why The Learning Breakthrough Program works. 

One of the great things about this book is that Mr. Belgau does not try to convince the reader to purchase his complete program, though the reader might consider doing so once he/she has read this book. I admit that I am seriously tempted. What he does do, however, is provide practical strategies that will produce positive results without having to spend any money. The Appendix talks about "The Space Walk." This is a series of activities through which the parent can observe his/her child walking, hopping, skipping, etc. A explanation of why these brain-training exercises enhance brain fitness and questions for observation purposes are provided. It is recommended to record the progress over time to see the change in learning ability. Now that this school year is at an end, I think I'll work on The Space Walk with my kids this summer to see if it helps them, especially my daughter and her inability to grasp math concepts.

This is an important book for those who have children with learning difficulties. The Learning Breakthrough Program has proven itself, time and time again, to be an ADHD alternative treatment (wouldn't it be wonderful if your kids didn't need to take the medication?) and a dyslexia treatment. It's worth the read and a trial of The Space Walk. If you notice an improvement, the balance board and other items will accelerate the improvement in your child's brain function and learning ability.

The Learning Breakthrough Program website provides a link to purchase A Life in Balance through Amazon for $16.94. An excerpt of the book and recommendations by medical personnel and research specialists are provided on the website. All of the equipment written about in the book is available through the website as well. 

Here are some of the social media links for the Learning Breakthrough Program:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearningBreakthrough

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LearningBreak

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LearningBreakthrough

50 States: Wisconsin

Wisconsin (WI) became the 30th state in the Union on May 29, 1848. After officially becoming a territory in 1836, businessmen and politicians began to push for statehood in order to increase their power. By 1846, they had the support they needed and began to draft a constitution. It would take two years and many heated arguments before a state constitution could be ratified.

Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and the largest city is Milwaukee. People who live here are called Wisconsinites. They are also referred to as Cheeseheads because a great deal of cheese is produced in Wisconsin. They have a special way of speaking, such as "pert-neer" and "you betcha." Here are a some common words and their definitions.

Some famous people born in Wisconsin include:

Thornton Wilder...novelist and playwright

Arthur Davidson...one of the founders of Harley-Davidson

William S. Harley...another founder of Harley-Davidson

Frank Lloyd Wright...architect

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Orson Welles...actor

Les Paul...guitarist

Georgia O'Keeffe...painter

Carrie Chapman Catt...women's rights activist

Danica Patrick...race car driver

These people are very interesting. Why not pick one to research this summer and write a paper about them?

Wisconsin covers more than 65,000 square miles, making it the 23rd largest state. As of 2013, there were more than 5.7 million people living there. The economy of Wisconsin is supported greatly by the processing of cheese and butter, the farming of corn, the manufacturing of machinery and beer, and tourism.

Wisconsin's nickname is the "Badger State," and its motto is "Forward." Other state symbols include:

Bird...Robin

Animal...Badger

Wildlife Animal...White-tailed deer

Domestic Animal...Dairy cow

Dog...American Water Spaniel

Fish...Muskellunge

Insect...Honeybee

Grain...Corn

Flower...Wood violet

Tree...Sugar maple

Fossil...Trilobite

Beverage...Milk

Wisconsin's state flag was adopted in 1913. The blue flag depicts the state seal which includes the motto, the coat of arms, a sailor, a miner, a badger, and the year of statehood on it. The coat of arms shows a plough which represents Wisconsin's agriculture industry, a pick and shovel to represent lead-mining industry, an arm and a hammer together to represent artisans and laborers, and an anchor to represent the maritime industry. E Pluribus Unum, the motto of the U.S. is in the center of the seal.

One of the first things I think about when I hear Wisconsin is Wisconsin Dells. There are many different, exciting attractions and activities in this part of the state. You can also view the House on the Rock in Spring Green. Cave of the Mounds is in Blue Mounds. Lambeau field in Green Bay is home to the Green Bay Packers. The Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee can be toured year round. This was the home built by the creator of the Pabst Beer Brewery. Frank Lloyd Wright's home—Taliesin—stands in Spring Green. The Harley-Davidson Museum is located in Milwaukee.

There are museums, zoos, and ski resorts as well. There does not appear to be a shortage of things to do in Wisconsin, no matter what time of year you visit.

Test your Wisconsin knowledge with these learning games.

The following are some Wisconsin-related items that can be found at www.christianbook.com.

Wisconsin Big Activity Book, Grades K-5 By Carole Marsh / Gallopade International Whether you're visiting a new state or starting a state studies course, The Big Wisconsin Reproducible Activity Book will fulfill your wishes for a fun and educational way to learn state facts! Featuring worksheets on Wisconsin's history, geography, famous people, places, legends, and much more, you'll get a thorough introduction to what makes this state unique. Crosswords, dot-to-dots, mazes, coloring, word jumbles, writing, hidden pictures, and other fun activities will make your students want to learn more and more. Great for review and research! 96 reproducible pages, softcover. Answers are printed upside down at the bottom of the page. Activities range in difficulty; Grades K-5.

Wisconsin By Jeffrey Horn & Catherine Gardner(Editor) / Gareth Stevens Publishing Bolster students' knowledge of the state they live in! Discover the history of the state, including Native American history, colonial history, and modern history, and learn about the current demographics of the state, the land itself, the economy, state government, and cultural attractions. "Fun Facts," "Famous people," and "In history" sidebars provide interesting tidbits of information. Full-color photographs, time line, glossary, and index included. 32 pages, softcover. Grades 2-4.

It Happened in Wisconsin, 2nd Edition By Michael Bie / Globe Pequot

Wisconsin History Bingo By Carole Marsh / Gallopade International Must-know state facts for kids to learn while having fun! Includes: Statehood Date, State Name Origin, Capital City, State Flag, State Motto, State Bird, State Population, Economy, Media, Governor, Explorers, Native Peoples, Current Events, and more! Each game includes 36 different playing cards.

Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Storybook Life By Janet & Geoff Benge / YWAM Publishing The Heroes of History series chronicles the true stories of fascinating men and women who changed the course of history. From the big woods of Wisconsin to the Indian country of the Great Plains, new adventures and landscapes filled the rich childhood of Laura Ingalls Wilder. On a frontier steeped in both danger and great possibility, Laura would grow up to witness firsthand the rapid transformation of the West as pioneers and covered wagons gave way to farms, towns, and railroads. For ages 10 and up.

Who Was Laura Ingalls Wilder? - eBook By Patricia Brennan Demuth / Grosset & Dunlap Who really lived inside The Little House on the Prairie? Find out in this young biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder! Readers will see just how similar Laura's true-life story was to her books. Born in 1867 in the "Big Woods" in Wisconsin, Laura experienced both the hardship and the adventures of living on the frontier. It wasn't until after she was sixty that Laura Ingalls Wilder started chronicling those times, which resulted in nine Little House books, a hit TV series that ran for eight years, and her own permanent place as a heroine of the American West.

Who Was Laura Ingalls Wilder? By Patricia Brennan Demuth / Grosset & Dunlap Who really lived inside The Little House on the Prairie? Find out in this young biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder! Readers will see just how similar Laura's true-life story was to her books. Born in 1867 in the "Big Woods" in Wisconsin, Laura experienced both the hardship and the adventures of living on the frontier. It wasn't until after she was sixty that Laura Ingalls Wilder started chronicling those times, which resulted in nine Little House books, a hit TV series that ran for eight years, and her own permanent place as a heroine of the American West.

Frank Lloyd Wright: An Autobiography By Frank L. Wright / Pomegranate Communications

Famous Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright Coloring Book By Bruce LaFontaine / Dover Publications Enrich your child's imagination and creativity with these 44 line drawings on some of the finest architectural achievements of the 20th century in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Each page is suitable for coloring and includes information about each structure.

Georgia O'Keeffe By Carole Marsh / Gallopade International Correlated to state and national standards, this series teaches students about important people, places, and events in history. Broken down into short, easy-to-read passages reinforced by simple activities, each reader includes a glossary, interesting facts, reading, puzzles, highlights of achievements, sequencing of important events, and simple math activities. 12 pages each. Grades K-4.

Our Town: A Play in Three Acts By Thornton Wilder / Harpercollins Publishing

Our Town, Novel Units Teacher's Guide, Grades 9-12 By Wilder / ECS Learning Systems, Inc. This teacher's guide for Thornton Wilder's novel Our Town includes a number of teacher's helps, exercises, discussion questions, assessment tools, graphic organizers, writing and art ideas, critical thinking challenges, extension activities, and a glossary. Perfect for in-depth study and discussion! Background information includes a summary of the book, information about the author, and ideas for initiating activity; the discussion questions follow the chapters in the book. Page numbers are included which reference the edition quoted in the front cover [Harper Perennial paperback edition]. 32 reproducible pages, softcover. Grades 9-12.

Thornton Wilder By Penelope Niven / Harpercollins Publishing

The Old Man and the Harley: A Last Ride Through Our Fathers' America - eBook By John Newkirk / Thomas Nelson In 1939 Jack Newkirk rode across country on his Harley Davidson VL Big Twin, from the New York World's Fair to the San Francisco Golden Gate Exposition. In The Old Man and the Harley, author John J. Newkirk paints a memorable portrait of his father Jack and the Depression/WWII generation by retracing the journey with his father. Part history, part adventure, The Old Man and the Harley is also a poignant tribute to America's Greatest Generation.

Chat Pack Wisconsin: Fun Questions to Spark Wisconsin Conversations By Questmarc Publishing / Questmarc Publishing

Wisconsin Crosswords By Andrew J. Ries / Adventure Publications

Food Lovers' Guide to Wisconsin: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings By Martin Hintz & Pam Percy / Globe Pequot