Three States Plus One

The Podunk Poets: Unofficial Official Band of Three States Plus One!

2013-03-28T10:36:00.000-04:00

Cross Posted from The Lower 48 (Plus 2)

Country Music. The Official Music of The Lower 48 (Plus 2)!

I mean real Country Music - Merle Haggard, George Jones and Loretta Lynn.That kind of Country Music.

Not long ago I was introduced to a band, in Los Angeles of all places(!), that plays exactly that kind of Country.

Introducing The Podunk Poets: Cindy Jollotta & Kelly Kidd - Vocals, Patrick Generosa - Drums, Doug Carrion - Bass, Jake Kelly - Guitar

Read, see and hear the rest on The Lower 48 (Plus 2)

Tis the Season!

2012-11-30T21:19:00.000-05:00

Tis the season to be jolly! Celebrate with us on our sister blog Lower 48 (Plus 2)!

Starting, Monday, December3, we'll take you on a journey across America to discover some of the great traditions, sights and sounds that make Christmas in the United States unlike any other place on Earth.

See you there!

Merry Christmas!

NASA Is 54 Years Old Today!

2012-07-29T15:32:00.000-04:00

We, just a few days ago, celebrated the anninversary of Neil Armstrong's historic "one small step for a man..." moment in history, and it just so happens that the United States Space Program recognizes another milestone in its existence.

There's more here.....

New Page on The Lower 48 (Plus 2)! It's All About Maine!

2012-07-28T09:06:00.001-04:00

I am a Misplaced Texan living in Maine. It's a long story of how I ended up here and if you'd like, I'll share it with you some day. I will always be a Texan first, but I am very happy in this little part of New England. My wife and children were born and raised (and in the girls' case, still being raised) in Maine, so it is now my home away from home. Maine is a beautiful state with abundant wildlife and some great scenery. On this page, I will share with you a little about my personal life in relation to how other Americans live their daily lives, and post photos of this wondrous locale nicknamed The Pine Tree State.

Learn more here.....

New Feature on The Lower 48 (Plus 2 )! The Fruited Plain in Pictures!

2012-07-28T09:01:00.002-04:00

I added a new page to The Lower 48 (Plus 2 ) ! It will be a work in progress as there literally millions of photos of beautiful places within the borders of our Country. I think we got off to a pretty good start with this collection.

An Ordinary American, An Extraordinary Man

2012-07-10T13:53:00.000-04:00

Armed w/ a Canon

Part of the stated mission of this blog is to highlight Americans who bring a lot to the table. Many times these great Americans are the guy or lady next door. They are ordinary folks who would go unnoticed other than when you see them loading up to go shopping or strolling out to the curb to get their daily mail. You might see them a thousand times, greet them on occasion and even have a conversation with them from time to time. Still, you don't really know them. This is so because these people don't call unnecessary attention to themselves or let on that they are indeed forged of a hotter fire. On the outside you recognize these folks as your neighbors or fellow church goers, but hiding inside them is a person you should know about.

Read the rest here...

A Homesick Texan - Visual Healing Included

2012-07-10T09:14:00.001-04:00

The images you will see below represent a piece of who I am.

I am a Texan. A died-in-the-wool, 100%, I'll Brag About the Lady That is Texas Till My Last Breath Texan. Texas is my home. She is the Damnedest Lady You Ever Saw that welcomes me with open arms every time I go back and caresses me with a kind of comfort only she can give. An inexplicable peace of mind that reassures me that I am an Eternal Piece of Something Blessed by God.

I have not been Home in almost eight years, but She is in my heart every waking minute of every waking day. My wife thinks I'm nuts. Maybe I am. One thing is certain, however. I am a Texan.

By the Grace of God I am a Texan.

And I am homesick.

Be wowed by the beauty of Texas here....

Escape the Heat! Visit Michigan or North Dakota!

2012-07-10T09:11:00.002-04:00

Michigan

North Dakota

With record setting heat engulfing much of the country, I thought today we'd take a look at places in the USA that would be a welcomed vacation from the oppressive heat.

Sit back, grab a cold glass of lemonade and grab a pen and paper so you can take some notes on some outstanding vacation spot that are sure to make you forget about the oven you just escaped from.

Read about all the great fun awaiting you!

July 4, 2012

2012-07-10T09:06:00.001-04:00

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary...

Thus begins the Declaration of Independence, (full text at link) a document so powerful that it would change the course of World History. This amazing manuscript was adopted by representatives of the Original 13 Colonies on July 4,1776 and concluded with these stirring words, "And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

More on the Declaration here...

Operation Neptune: D-Day

2012-06-06T16:54:00.000-04:00

Image from Library of Congress

Today is D-Day. In memory of what has been called the single most important military engagement in the history of Man, today we'll explore a little bit about D-Day, its history and significance. I will provide you with links to materials from those far more knowledgeable on the subject than I.

Library of Congress

As with any story about American History, the Library of Congress is the ultimate resource. The link I provided will take you a page that is the beginning of a boat load of contemporary news stories on D-Day. You'll feel as the Americans of 1944 felt as the events of this brutal battle unfolded.

Get more History of D-Day here...

New Mexico - Land of Enchantment

2012-05-31T09:47:00.000-04:00

Land of Enchantment

New Mexico is celebrating its Centennial this year! Scenic and historic, the Land of Enchantment is throwing a party all summer long with festivals and events that will surely be second to none.

The actual date of New Mexico's Centennial is June 16, so for those of you in the West and Southwest United States, you still have time to plan a trip to what will I'm sure be something that will leave you with memories that will last you for the rest of your life.

New Mexico at Night

From its magnificent scenery to its incredible history...(cont)

Celebrate Wisconsin's 164th Year as a State!

2012-05-29T16:53:00.000-04:00

Cheesehead Lighthouse

Today I want to fill you in on some stuff about one of my favorite places in the Lower 48 - America's Dairyland,Wisconsin.

I spent a couple of months in Wisconsin about 25 years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. What a beautiful place with some great people. Great people including my very good friend Kevin who lives near the Mississippi River not far from La Crosse. Wisconsin is also home to my favorite NFL team, the 13-Time World Champions, Green Bay Packers! No, I am not a fair weather fan. I have been a Cheesehead for over fifty years, so I don't want to hear any guff from you guys, OK? :)

Continued here...

Boothbay, Maine - Coastal Splendor

2012-05-26T09:06:00.000-04:00

Boothbay, Maine

With the onset of gardening seasom here in Maine, I am looking back with great fondness on this year's garden. I live in an apartment with my wife and kids, so I am limited as to exactly what I can do gardenwise, but I plow (pun intended) ahead by doing as much as I can without pissing off the Property Manager. And those you that know me know that I teeter right on the edge of "acceptable" and "don't you dare". Such is life.

While time is short until first frost here in Maine, we still have time to enjoy the bounty before us and I know just the place to enjoy said bounty - the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. From mainegardens.org/ we learn of the humble beginnings of CMBG, "This magnificent and ambitious project began with a kernel of an idea generated by Rollins Hale of Boothbay Harbor. He and other mid-coast Maine residents who shared the belief that northern New England in general, and Maine in particular, were in need of a botanical garden founded the grassroots organization in 1991." Sixteen years later, on June 13, 2007, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens became a dream come true. The Gardens now encompasses 248 acres, a 9500 square foot Visitors Center, a seasonal cafe and a gift shop, as well as a bevy of blooming botanical beauties bound to bewilder you.

The CMBG also serve as an educational experience, with information about natural history, botany, horticulture and the ecology of the area. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens can be reached here. CMBG is privately funded (as far as I can tell) and that alone is reason enough to label it as 248 acres of awesome.

Coastal Maine Accomodations and Activities

While much of the country has enjoyed Spring for several weeks, we are just getting started with it in New England and a place like Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is a perfect reminder of the bounty that awaits us.So getting to a wonderland like CMBG is a must for Northeast US residents.

Boothbay is a neat little town in a great area for family fun and exploration. Given Boothbay's location, fishing and boating are the obvious activities at hand. But there is much more to the area than that. There is dinner theater, music arts and along with water sports, terrific opportunities to see the flora and fauna of Coastal Maine. This handy Calendar of Events has an itenerary that has a variety of offerings surely to please everyone in your family.

As far as places to stay, you'll find everything from campgrounds to fine hotels. Dining, including bakeries and specialty food shops dot the seaside and believe you me, they are outstanding!

More Info

I realize that I haven't covered all you need to know to plan a trip to Boothbay, so click on the Boothbay Region Information Center's web site and scroll down to the bottom for contact numbers and such.

Be sure to click on one of the ads on this page to look for the right hotel/motel for you.

Order your FREE Maine Travel Guide at visitmaine.com.

We've Grown Up! New Site Has More Info Than Ever on All 50 States!

2012-05-25T09:50:00.001-04:00

Three States Plus One has expanded! We have grown from our original three states plus one to the Lower 48 (Plus 2)! The new blog will feature more information on each of the fifty states in the United States to include food, lodging, history and stories of interesting people relevant to that day's "State of the Day".

The Lower 48 (Plus 2) allows you to learn about the featured state, its festivals and attractions as well as plan a trip to that state all in one location! We will be giving you year round information, so you can go fishing in the summer or snow skiing in the winter with all the tools you need to make your trip a memorable one.

If you're not quite sure where you want to go or what you want to do, we'll even look up the information you need to help you make a decision FREE of charge! All you have to do is email us at lower48plus2 AT gmail DOT com, make your request and wait for our reply. It's that easy!

America is a wondrous place with many exciting and even off the beaten path things to see and do, and The Lower 48 (Plus 2) is just the place to help you discover the hidden gems that are a part of this great country

Simply click on over to The Lower 48 (Plus 2) and see what all the fuss is about!

Thanks,
Toby
Head Tour Guide

The Lower 48 (Plus 2)

2012-04-26T16:47:00.001-04:00

http://goo.gl/oxX2L

2012-04-24T11:50:00.001-04:00

http://tinyurl.com/5efn9a

Ten Years Later; Never Forget, Never Forgive

2011-09-11T08:50:00.001-04:00

Heroes

WARNING: THIS POST IS FULL OF ADULT LANGUAGE. If you are easily offended, DO NOT READ THIS!. Consider your self warned.

Where were you when the world stopped turnin' that September day... I was at work and for some inexplicable reason, I was there about two hours early. I had already grabbed the Dallas Morning News and was reading the Sports section. With the TV at the bar tuned in to Fox News Channel, I just happened to look up and read the crawl across the bottom of the screen. The first plane had hit the North tower of the World Trade Center. My first thought was that the pilot of the jet had a heart attack or something. Then the second plane struck the South tower. It was at that point that I knew this was much more serious than someone having a heart attack. This was an attack OK, a cowardly attack on thousands of Americans, innocent people, just doing what they do every day, an attack on my country! The second that the plane blasted into the South tower, I knew it was an act of terrorism. The United States was effectively in a state of war. The worthless bastards that perpetrated this horrendous murder of almost 3000 American citizens had, by their actions, made it so. President George W. Bush made it all but official a short time later when he addressed the people of New York City that this was indeed an act of war. A few weeks later, we let those Islamic assholes in Afghanistan know that the United States of America meant business. That was when our President was a real man, unlike the pussy occupying the White House now. Hundreds of New Yorkers were killed on impact and dozens more decided it would be better to leap to their deaths than to be incinerated in the inferno of the WTC. The rage within me grew more intense with each innocent human being that was forced by the goat fucking Islamist sons of bitches to make a sudden die by fire or die by jumping out a window 1000 above the ground decision. My hatred for those pedophile "prophet" worshippers was boiling inside me like the towers that burned before me eyes. To this day, that feeling of hatred, pure fucking hatred for those cocksuckers simmers just below the surface. I hope God will forgive me some day, but I cannot yet bring myself to forgive those barbarians. These motherfuckers not only viciously murdered 3000 men and women, but they had forever changed the lives of tens of thousands more family members and friends of the dead, so I hope they all burn in hell for eternity. They are beyond redemption and deserve the endless torment of the fiery lake of Hades, so fuck them with the barbed cock of Satan, their true master. If that makes me a bigot, then so be it, I am a bigot. Their so called "holy book", the Koran, commands people (and I use that term loosely) like them to slaughter the Infidel simply because he/she is not a Muslim. The Koran compels them to do this kind of shit, like flying jets into buildings, so the name of Allah will be glorified. Are you fucking kidding me? From newadvent.org (The Catholic Encyclopedia) I found this:"The Koran contains dogma, legends, history, fiction, religion and superstition, social and family laws prayers, threats, liturgy, fanciful descriptions of heaven, hell, the judgment day, resurrection, etc. — a combination of fact and fancy often devoid of force and originality. The most creditable portions are those in which Jewish and Christian influences are clearly discernible." Legends, fiction and superstition, huh? Sounds like an Oliver Stone movie. I don't know about this Allah asshole, but the one true God that I worship tells me that I must treat others as I want to be treated, not to slay innocent human beings for not being a Christian in order to bring glory to God. As for the other billion plus idiots that follow this cult called Islam, if you believe the same absurd shit that the nineteen hijackers of 9/11 did, then I have no use for you either. You are breathing my air, so stay the fuck away from me. I will not discriminate against you, but I want nothing to do with your sorry asses until you repudiate Islam and the violence and bigotry inherent to it. Until then, kiss my ass. Islam is not a religion, it is an ideology. A political ideology.True religions dictate that you show kindness, mercy, compassion and charity to your fellow man, not slice his head off for merely being a non-Muslim. True religions call for forgiveness of our transgressors, not the brutal stoning or hanging of someone who "offends" your twisted view of spirituality and worship of whatever you assholes worship, like that stupid fucking rock in Mecca or whichever God-forsaken third world sewer of a city you call Muslim "civilization". Defending your "religion" is one thing, but the wholesale murder of innocent men, women and children to show the rest of the world that they are "infidels" is beyond repulsive, it is degrading to God and his children. Americans don't cotton to the kind of vile behavior you proclaim in the name of Allah and we will not stand still for that kind of shit! We will slap a missile from a Predator drone up your worthless asses and not think twice about it. You asked for war, then dammit we'll give a fucking war, dickweeds. When we kick the slimy America-hating, steaming pile of camel dung that we call a President out of the White House and get a man or woman that loves this country like the average Citizen does, you'd better have more than Allah to protect your sorry souls, because there will be no place to hide. We will show no mercy in tracking you down like the pigs you are and ask you exactly once if you want to surrender. If your answer is "no", then we will happily and without giving it a second thought to it, dispatch you to the 72 virgins you so naively believe to be waiting for you in "Paradise". We have sent our sons, fathers, daughters and even mothers to find and kill you bastards. Thousands of them gave their lives so the United States will be free of murderous lunatics like you, and thousands more volunteer every day to pick up where the fallen left off. America is not afraid of you. We stand vigilant, eyes and ears wide open, so we may detect you and will do whatever is needed to stop you before you commit more atrocities against our Citizens. We ain't scared, assholes. You may succeed in your homicidal mission from time to time, but rest assured, the every day American you seek to intimidate, will not cower to you and your deadly intentions. We will, however, happily and with extreme prejudice blow your evil carcass to Kingdom Come when it becomes necessary to the plot. We, as Americans, owe that much to the 3000 innocents you killed at the World Trade Center and to the thousands of our young men and women who perished in the line of duty when sent to defend the United States from deranged motherfuckers like you. In the words of Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93, which crashed in a Pennsylvania, "Let's roll". Simply put, send your soul to Heaven because your asses are ours. AMF - Adios Mother Fuckers, have a nice day. I will never forget nor will I ever forgive!

An Adios Note on Things You Should Know

2011-06-20T15:18:00.005-04:00

I think I owe you all an explanation as to why I am shutting down my blogs for a while. As many of you know, I have some health prolems that have become a major issue in my life. None are life-threatening, but they still play a role in how I live my daily life and limit my ability to do certain things. I am trying to get back to a "normal" life, so I can be a better husband and father. It will take several weeks to get things back to ":normal", but I intend to battle my way back ASAP.
I have some physical as well as mental heath stuff (arthitis, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder and more) that will take up a lot of time. The archives on both blogs will always be available to you to read about some "new" stuff. Please use them, if that is your wish.
I want to thank you all for your unwavering support over the last year. You have been nothing short of amazing! Of course the "Donation" button is still there on the home page. If you like to help me defray my medical costs, a donation would be a much needed gift.
Thank you all for reading and all the joy you have brought to my life just because you clicking on one of my blogs. I appreciate each and everyone of you and your support.

God bless,
Toby

No More States

2011-06-19T14:01:00.003-04:00

The End.

Adios, y'all,
Toby

Happy Fathers Day!

2011-06-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

While I have a break in Fathers Day activities here at The Toby Dome, I wanted to wish all the Dads out there a glorious Fathers Day. And to all the Dads who are no longer with us, thanks for setting such good examples of what it is to be a man and more importantly, a Father. I hope all Dads have a kick ass day!

Here are a few photos of what has taken place at my house this morning:

Bailey "wrote" me a Fathers Day Message on a Post It

From Issy


Breakfast					I hope your fathers Day is the best ever for you and all your kids and grand kids get to pay you a visit. Take Care, Dads and Happy Fathers Day!

A Note to My Readers

2011-06-17T17:40:00.001-04:00

James Dean Mojo

I want to apologize to you all for the lack of posting over the last week. I have some medical issues that have taken priority over blogging and practically every aspect of my life. I'll be posting some "Best of..." stuff for the weekend, then hopefully get back to a regular schedule starting Monday. Please hang in there with me and keep reading the great stuff in the blog archives. There is all kinds of interesting information and hodge podge that will leave you amazed at the brilliance of my writing and communications skills. :)

Thank you for your support durign some very difficult times for me and my family. Don't forget that there is a "Donate" button in the right sidebar. Any donation would be greatly appreciated and put to good use helping me and the wife and kids make it through some troubled times. Please consider a small donation, if you are able.

I'll be back to abnormal in a few days and armed with some great material for your reading pleasure.

Again I thank you for being there for me as a loyal reader. Y'all kick ass.

Adios,
Toby

P.S. Hit the tip jar! :)

Best of Three States Plus One Saturday!

2011-06-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Howdy, y'all! It's a cloudy and a bit cool (58 degrees) in Augusta, Maine this morning and it's a good time to grab a cup of coffee and take a look at some of the Best of Three States Plus One! I have hand-picked some of the most interesting posts of the past year form you to read again or, in some cases, see for the first time. Either way you'll like what I have chosen for you today as the material presents a look at our great country that will have you wanting to take a trip to new and exciting locales across the Fruited Plain. I hope you enjoy your virtual vacation and make plans to see something new in America this summer.

That should keep you busy for a while. If you'd like to learn more about some great places, use the search box at the top right of the side bar to access the archives. There's a ton of cool stuff stored there.

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Texas Tidbits: A Rose By Any Other Name....

2011-06-10T07:24:00.000-04:00

If I were a ramblin' gamblin' man, and I've been known to do a little of both, I'd lay down good money that the most popular flower in the United States is the rose. As the title of this post suggest, the rose could have been named the "sweaty gym socks flower" and it would still smell like something that The Almighty adorns Paradise with. Ahhhhhh...the rose, a symbol of love and devotion, a symbol of rememberance and just a great addition to any flower garden. Which brings us to the Rose Capital of the World, Tyler, Texas. A brief history : Tyler is situated in an ideal location for growing all kinds of smellin'-good, tasty and/or ornamental plants as the climate is pretty moderate with rainfall occurring throughout the year. For these reasons, succulent peaches were once to Tyler and Smith County what the elegant rose is today, but in the early 20th Century the blight decimated the peach crop in the area. Enter La Rosa. At this time, roses were already popular in East Texas, so it was a natural fit for it to fill a major void in agricultural production and revenue for Tyler. A little north of South Loop 323 at the Glenwood (I think) intersection, lies one of the most magnificent floral displays on Earth - The Tyler Minicipal Rose Garden . The Rose Garden is fourteen acres of horticultural heaven featuring about five hundred varieties of the rose, with some of the antique rose varieties dating back to 1867! Since opening in 1952, the Rose Garden has been ooooo'ed and ahhhhh'ed over by millions of people from around the world. A predecessor to the Rose Garden is the Texas Rose Festival, held in mid- October, is now entering its ninth decade as a showcase for the flower that has made Tyler, Texas The Rose Capital of the World. A rose by any other name......

Texas Tidbits; Three Lakes in One!

2011-06-09T06:51:00.000-04:00

If I were to tell you the following facts about a body of water, what would you think it was? Facts: 181,600 surface acres of water; over 1200 miles of shoreline; 65 miles long; holds over 1 trillion gallons of water. One of the Great Lakes. Nope? The Great Salt Lake? Negatory. How about Toledo Bend Reservoir in East Texas? That's the place.

Toledo Bend is so large that is unofficially categorized as three lakes - Upper Lake, Mid Lake and the Lower Lake. Now that's BIG. My Dad was from Troup, Texas (near Tyler), so we always got the latest news in East Texas from family. That's how we learned of Toledo Bend being built in '60s. From the family grapevine in East Texas. I remember it very well. TB is one of the best fishin'lakes in the country, regularly yielding huge Largemouth bass, stripers and catfish, as well as crappie and panfish.

Toledo Bend is a landlocked ocean, it seems. It's a beautiful place to spend time with friends and family. While you're there, be sure to round up about 20 lbs of mudbags, some small red taters and corn on the cob and have a Cajun Style Crawdad Boil. Oh.....and don't forget the cold beer.

Texas Tidbits: The Mammoths of Waco

2011-06-08T07:48:00.000-04:00

Waco, a city of 121,000 fine folks, is located on the Brazos River about 100 miles south of Fort Worth on I-35. It's home to the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of Texas - Baylor University. Waco is also the home to one of the country's most popular soft drinks. Dr Pepper was invented by Charles Alderton at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco in the 1880's. Another soft drink, Big Red, also calls Waco home. Sadly, Waco is probably best-remembered by many young people as the location of the Branch Davidian tragedy in the 1990's.

I was somewhat surprised as I was looking for info on Waco this morning when I came across this story about a mammoth discovery on the Bosque River. I was already familiar with the dinosaur tracks near Glen Rose, but this was new to me. As someone who finds things like the discovery of the 10,000 year old remains of a 40,000 pound behemoth interesting, this finding has given me a real good reason to visit the Waco area again. If you'd like to see much more of the Colombian Mammoths of Waco, contact The Waco Mammoth Site so you can plan your trip back in time to prehistoric Texas.