Create your own Arizona day trip experience!

Whether you wish to plan a trip to see nature and wildlife, learn about the history of the southwest or just want to get away from it all Arizona has a variety of places to see and things to do that will interest any recreational adventurer.

Day trips make a refreshing break from the chaos of the daily routine. They can also be cheap, since many of the areas are distant from the city.

Arizona features a surprising range of terrain that includes desert, grassy lowlands and vegetated mountain regions. The climate found across the state also shows much variety. And you don’t have to travel far to appreciate this assortment of scenery. In the summer you can take a break in the cool, nearby hills, while the lower lying areas are more popular in the winter months.

The Ak-Chin Indian Community was formed in 1912 and is located 23 miles south of Phoenix

The area belongs to a Reservation where over 90% of the residents are Native American.

The land has much plant life and hills gently ring the valley. The area features temperatures and sunshine levels far among the national average, while snow, humidity and rainfall are well below the national average. Most days are clear and sunny.

Major employers are Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Ak-Chin Farms and the Ak-Chin Government.

Things to see and do include, first and foremost, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino. A little bit of Vegas so close to Phoenix lets everybody enjoy premium gaming and entertainment just a stone’s throw from their residence.

The Ak-Chin Community also boasts the nation’s first Eco-Museum. The traditional museum structure is replaced by the land and territory at Him-Dak Eco-Museum, and the artifacts owned by the residents are the “museum’s” inventory.

Of notable historical interest is the Casa Grande Reservation National monument. These ruminants of Hohokam Indian dwellings date from the 13th century.

See which features of this community appeal to you the most.

History, nature, and memorable experiences are all a part of what Arizona offers those who live, work, and visit. So consider the things this area has to offer the next time you take off to discover Arizona

R. Steven Thomas Yacono is a legal scholar, educator and writer who has traveled extensively over the course past decade. From Beijing to Barstow and Xiamen to Sedona, his journeys have provided a wealth of experiences about fascinating people and places to share with interested readers. You can find out more about Arizona at http://www.arizonan.com; and to plan your next trip visit http://www.on-holiday.com. Your comments are welcomed. Please direct correspondence to R. Steven Thomas Yacono at aztreking@hotmail.com.

Tags: Ak Chin, entertainment, farm, gambling, harrah, indian, museum, reservation, show, vegas, westAk Chin, entertainment, farm, gambling, harrah, indian, museum, reservation, show, vegas, west

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One year when I was growing up on our Wisconsin dairy farm, the Brownie leaders had announced we were going to make some extra-special candy at our next meeting.

So when school let out one winter afternoon I lost no time getting to the gym where we always had our meetings.

For once nobody was late, and when we entered the gym, the Brownie leaders already had everything set up.

“What’s in the pans?” asked one girl.

On the table were several square cake pans full of some clear caramel-colored stuff.

“That’s our taffy,” explained one of the leaders.

The questions came fast and furious then.

“What do we have to do?”

“What’s taffy, anyway?”

“But I thought WE were going to make candy”

“You are,” one of the leaders said. “This is called saltwater taffy. Cooking it is the very hardest part but now just the fun part is left making it.”

We looked back and forth amongst ourselves. If the candy was already cooked, what else was there?

“First we want you to wash your hands. And use lots of soap and warm water. Don’t just rinse, either,” the other leader continued.

One girl spoke up. “Why do we have to wash our hands like that?”

“Because you’re going to put them in the taffy, so they have to be very clean,” the leader answered.

Put our hands IN the candy? Hmmm, maybe the fun part WASN’T already done

A little while later when we returned from our hand-washing expedition, the leader was busily working something back and forth between her hands.

“What’s THAT?” asked one girl.

“This,” she said, “is taffy. And it’s almost ready.”

The mass of stuff she held was light and cream-colored.

“Where’d it come from?” another girl asked.

“There,” the leader replied, nodding toward the table.

The cream-colored glob in no way resembled what was in the pans.

“How’d it get like THAT?” another girl asked.

Both the leaders laughed.

“It’s what happens to taffy when you pull it like this.”

We watched for another five minutes.

“There,” she said, “it’s done.” She laid the taffy on a piece of wax paper, rolled it into a rope, and then quickly cut it into sections with a pair of scissors.

“Now I want you to taste it,” she instructed.

No problem there

“This is good!”

“Chewy.”

“Tastes a little like caramel.”

The leader smiled. “Rub butter on your hands,” she instructed, “then grab some taffyand start pulling.”

In no time at all, a dozen little girls wearing Brownie uniforms were industriously manipulating handsful of taffy.

“This is FUN!” declared one girl.

“The funnest thing we’ve EVER done!” exclaimed another, nodding vigorously.

“Can we do it NEXT week, too?” asked a third.

“I told you just the fun part was left,” the Brownie leader said.

When the taffy had reached the right consistency we cut it into pieces. Then the leaders produced some Baggies, and a little while later it was time to go home.

“Did you have fun today?” my mother asked as I got into the car. She had ridden into town with Dad to pick me up from the Brownie meeting.

“Look what we made!” I exclaimed.

My mother squinted at the bag of candy. “Why, that looks like the taffy we used to make in school. Wonder if it tastes the same.”

I stared at my mother. She had gone to school in a one-room country schoolhouse about a mile from our dairy farm.

“You’ve made taffy?” I said.

She smiled. “Of course. We used to make it for Christmas. Wasn’t much left by the time Christmas rolled around, though.”

I held the bag toward her.

She popped a piece into her mouth and then nodded. “Tastes just the same.”

Dad thought it was good, too.

And apparently so did everyone else in the family.

The next morning as I sadly contemplated the empty Baggie, I decided the Brownie leaders had been dead wrong.

Making the taffy wasn’t the best part eating it was.

**********************

Saltwater Taffy

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla (or another flavoring, such as peppermint or anise)

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except the vanilla. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 256 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer (or until a small amount dropped into a cup of cold water forms a hard ball).

Stir in vanilla. Pour into a buttered 8×8 square pan. Let cool.

Note: if you would like to make colored taffy, stir in a few drops of food coloring just before you add the vanilla or other flavoring.

When the mixture is cool enough to handle, rub a small amount of soft butter between your palms, take a handful of taffy and pull until it becomes stiff and lighter in color. Pull or roll into ropes and cut into pieces with a scissors.

To store the candy, let it sit for an hour or so and then wrap the individual pieces in plastic wrap or waxed paper.

**************

About The Author

LeAnn R. Ralph is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers’ Assoc.) and is the author of the book, Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm) (trade paperback; August 2003). She is working on her next book, Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam, which will be available later in 2004. Share the view from Rural Route 2 http://ruralroute2.com

bigpines@ruralroute2.com

Tags: authors, candy, cooking, cooking tips, entertainment, family, home, novels, recipe, taffy, taffy recipeauthors, candy, cooking, cooking tips, entertainment, family, home, novels, recipe, taffy, taffy recipe

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If a happiness poem could bring forth a smile,

Then my face would always dress in style.

If my ears could hear my computer screen,

From one to another, they, too, would grin.

My keyboard types for my eyes not my tongue

This happiness poem will never be sung.

But what of my eyes? Don’t they shine?

Yes, but not from this poem of mine.

The pen is mightier than the sword,

But a pen can write only words.

The feelings I sense and the senses I feel

For keyboard and screen remain far too real.

My ears and my nose remain at rest.

My cheeks and hairline are doing their best.

But if this happiness poem could make my mouth smile,

My face would forever dress up in style.

About The Author

David Leonhardt first published this happiness poem in A Daily Dose of Happiness at http://TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html. Read his friendship poem at http://TheHappyGuy.com/friendship-poem.html

info@thehappyguy.com

Tags: entertainment, happiness, happy, happy poem, poems, poetry, writingentertainment, happiness, happy, happy poem, poems, poetry, writing

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