The Seven Wonders of Small/Boring Places

I’m sure you’ve heard of the seven wonders of the world – either the ancient or the modern version. You know, the pyramids at Giza, the hanging gardens of Babylon, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal … that kind of stuff.

Well, were you aware that that’s now a thing, and is applied willy-nilly all over the globe? Yup, typing in “the seven wonders of” into Google will give you such auto-completes as “the United States,” “Oregon,” and “Sassafras Springs.”

So, let’s take a look at what comes up when we try to look up the wonders of our 50 states. 

Now, some of these are going to be pretty darn amazing. At the same time, though, not every state has a Grand Canyon, or a Golden Gate Bridge, or a Statue of Liberty.

In fact, if you’re state’s kind of small, or rather flat, or featureless, or just doesn’t have that many people, chances are you’re really going to have stretch a little to come up with seven. And that’s where the fun comes in.

So, basically, what I’ve got here is the most embarrassing claims to wonderhood I could come up with –  for states like New Jersey, or Delaware, or Indiana. C’mon, let’s take a look!


Alabama

Neversink Pit

"Neversink Pit, also known as Neversink Cave, is a limestone sinkhole with a 162-foot drop. Its fern-covered ledges and beautiful waterfalls attract cavers from near and far, which has led Neversink Pit to become one of the most photographed sinkholes in the world."

Comment:  Hmm, not quite as I had imagined


Arkansas

"Rate Your Melons in Hope"

For more than 35 years, Hope has grown record-breaking watermelons. That’s what all Southern states say, right? Well, this Arkansas city owns this claim. This tiny town produced 100-plus pound watermelons, as well as a watermelon water tower, a replica watermelon (that once held the world record) in the visitor’s center, not to mention a president of the United States of America (Hello, Mr. Clinton). The city celebrates this assertion yearly with the Hope Watermelon Festival, held every August. Starting in 1977, the event features seed-spitting contests, live music, games, watermelon activities and even arm wrestling."

Comment:  Camel rides?


Connecticut

Hopeville Pond

"Pack a picnic and enjoy a day by the water. A lake visit is an excellent idea in the summer, as long as you know how to look for toxic algae. They're a great place to swim, fish and relax while being surrounded by nature."

Comment:  Come for the picnicking; stay for the “toxic algae”

Delaware

The Lewes Canal

"When it comes to engineering wonders in Delaware, the Rehoboth-Lewes Canal holds its own. The Canal that cuts through the historic town of Lewes was first built in 1913, right before the United States was to enter World War I. Originally the canal was meant for shipping, to make routes from the Delaware Bay and Broadkill River down to the Rehoboth Bay quicker and easier. With increased investment in infrastructure, the commercial use of the canal was soon unnecessary. For the most part, the canal has been used for recreational purposes. In present day Lewes, the canal separates two parts of the city and is waterfront to many restaurants and parks throughout the town. If you're looking for an incredible feat of engineering that's as beautiful as it is long, you'll fall in love with the Lewes Canal."

Comment:  Right up there with Suez and Panama, I’m sure

Georgia

Providence Canyon

"A landscape resembling the American West earned Providence Canyon the nickname "Little Grand Canyon." Carved by erosion due to poor farming practices, the canyons offer a fascinating look at the colorful history and geology of south Georgia. Backpackers explore the canyon inside and out along a challenging 7-mile trail that leads to six primitive campsites."

Comment:  Grand Canyon: millions of years of geological formation / Providence Canyon: poor farming practices

Illinois

"If you're looking for a beach in Illinois, you'll want to check out Illinois Beach State Park. There, you will find 6.5 miles of sandy shoreline against Lake Michigan. The views are beautiful, and it truly can look like the Caribbean sometimes."

Comment:  Sure, whatever you say

Indiana

The Miller House

"This respendent midcentury-modern gem has attracted architecture aficianados from all over the country since opening to the public in 2011. Reservations required."

Comment:  Hey, it’s respendent!

Iowa

"Catch sunset at Bellevue State Park, and then head over to Flatted Fifth's BBQ for a memorable meal."

Comment:  Hard to say which is more memorable, the park or the BBQ

Kansas

Big Well

"At 32 feet wide and 109 feet deep, it is indeed a very big well, though despite its claim the Big Well isn’t quite the largest hand-dug in the world. The Pozzo di S. Patrizio or St. Patrick’s Well, built in 1527 in Orvieto, Italy is, at 42 feet by 200 feet, larger. The Big Well is certainly the largest hand-dug well in the US.

The residents of Greensburg have long been proud of their well, recently named one of the eight wonders of Kansas, but maintaining it hasn’t always been easy going. The well was a popular stop from 1939 to the present, with millions buying the two-dollar ticket to take a journey down into the well and throwing a coin, shoe, or other lucky items into the bottom.  In 1956 the well celebrated its one millionth visitor. In the ’90s the town hired divers to clean the bottom of the well and many things were found such as shoes, eyeglasses, chewing gum and approximately $1,200 in coins. But by the 1990s it seems that the well’s supply of tourists had dried up.

Even worse, in 2007 a tornado destroyed almost the entire town, including the Well’s visitor center, leaving only a few buildings and, of course, the well itself."

Comment:  I'm not sure there's anything I can add here that hasn't already been said

Kentucky

The Pinnacles and Indian Fort Mountain Trail in Berea

"This beautiful part of Kentucky’s nature is part of the Berea College Forest, which has been providing Madison County with water and wood since 1898. It is among the oldest “managed” private forests in the U.S. This beloved area in Berea allows nature lovers to really get out and enjoy the view and the tranquility of the area. Residents consider the majestic beauty in this area to be one of the greatest perks of living in the community."

Comment:  Be sure to bring your own carving knife!


Louisiana

Backbone Trail in Kisatchie National Forest

"A 7.6 mile trail that cuts right through the heart of one of the largest and most majestic wilderness areas in Louisiana. Home to rare hills and a large swath of longleaf pine forest, reminding residents of the days when these forests spanned millions of acres throughout the southeast."

Comment: Flat, muddy, and undoubtedly buggy


Maine

Mystical Rangeley Lake

"The town of Rangeley is almost exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole. As a result, many people report "otherworldly" activity while being there."

Comment:  And that's about as mystical as you can't get, folks

Maryland

Cunningham Falls

"Maryland's highest cascading waterfall is a neat place to visit year-round. It is definitely one of the most unique waterfalls in the U.S."

Comment:  And what makes it so unique, you might ask?


Massachusetts

Bash Bish Falls, Mt. Washington

"Unless you’ve been, you really can’t imagine how awesome this waterfall is. Plummeting almost 200 feet into a crystal-clear pool at its base, Bash Bish Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state. The cascade splits into two twin streams that drop in an 80-foot "V," which means that you’ll feel like you’re getting two waterfalls for the price of one. The falls are hidden away in a shady grove of hemlock trees next to the Mount Washington State Forest, but are an easy hike from the parking area."

Comment:  You really had to be there

Michigan

Belle Isle

"This 982-acre park situated on the Detroit River is truly a natural phenomena as it's the largest city-owned island park in the country (even though the state manages it)."

Comment:  Well, then that's completely bogus then, isn't it?

Minnesota

Foshay Tower

"The Foshay Tower was the first skyscraper built in the state of Minnesota and remained the tallest building in Minneapolis from 1929-1971." Currently, you can visit the museum as well as look out on the observation deck at the city of Minneapolis.  Check out their website for hours, and directions!"

Comment:  Or, alternatively, you can look up at the other, much, much taller buildings


Missouri

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

"Johnson’s Shut-Ins is a Missouri State public recreation area covering 8,647 acres on the East Fork Black River in Reynolds County. In warmer weather you can play in the shallows of the East Fork of the Black River, but this time of year is a great time to hike a trail that shows you 1.4 billion years of geologic history or to go horseback riding on a beautiful mountain trail."

Comment:  Are these the Johnsons?  And why are they shut in?


New Hampshire

Moore Dam, Littleton

"New Hampshire's biggest dam was created in 1956 by flooding two towns, one in New Hampshire and one in neighboring Vermont. The reservoir created by the dam covers more than 3,000 acres and has become a popular spot for fishing."

Comment:  Hoover it ain’t


New Jersey

High Point

"The highest point in New Jersey, High Point is part of the Kittatinny Mountain Range. The views are incredible on a clear day."

Comment:  I’m hoping this was not a clear day


North Dakota

Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex

"When you think of the 7 Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza may come to mind and certainly is one of the most well-known and popular wonders. North Dakota, surprisingly, has a sort of pyramid of its own (and no, it wasn't made for a hotel or tourist attraction). This unusual and almost creepy-looking pyramid structure is known as the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, and while it had an important original purpose, it was only in operation for a few days before being shut down and left to stand where it is near Nekoma, North Dakota. It was created as a place to detect and deter missiles of the Cold War. The pyramid itself is actually a huge radar. Today, the site is completely abandoned, but the lofty concrete pyramid remains - and this is only showing what is on the surface, beneath the ground there is a ton more hidden to this place."

Comment:  A hidden gem!

Ohio

Oak Openings

"Close to Toledo you’ll find what’s considered to be Ohio’s rarest ecosystem (and one of the world’s rarest ecosystems) where rare plants and animals, oak forests, sand dunes, savannas, tall-grass prairies and swamp forests all thrive in harmony—and it will truly make you feel like you’re not in Ohio anymore."

Comment:  You do know those are pine trees, right?


Pennsylvania

Losh Run Box Huckleberry

"It might sound strange to have a single plant on this list of natural wonders of Pennsylvania. However, the Losh Run Box Huckleberry deserves to be on this list. Located along Route 322 in Perry County, PA, and nearly destroyed by the construction of the highway, the plant is considered to be one of the oldest living organisms in the world, estimated to be over 13,000 years old.

Before the roadway was widened, this plant covered over a square mile of ground, rising only about a foot off of the forest floor. Today, it still survives, but in smaller patches.
The Losh Run Box Huckleberry is located entirely on private property. However, it is possible to visit the nearby Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area, which is home to a box huckleberry estimated to be over 1,000 years old."

Comment:  Funny, it doesn’t look that old


Rhode Island

Stepstone Falls, West Greenwich

"This series of waterfalls may not be big, but they are distinctly beautiful. Visit the Arcadia Management Area to find them. The falls drop over a series of short rocky ledges for approximately 100 feet. Each step aids in building this sweet little natural wonder. Find the natural area at 260 Arcadia Rd., Hope Valley, RI 02823."

Comment:  Emphasis on “not big”


South Carolina

Healing Springs

"The healing properties in the water from this natural spring, called God's Acre Healing Springs, have long been touted as having a super power to naturally heal whatever ails you. Plus, it just tastes good! People drive hundreds of miles to restock their water supply from this healing spring in South Carolina."

Comment:  So, Marienbad it's not

Vermont

Floating Bridge

"The first bridge on this site was erected in 1820. It was built this way because the lake is too deep for traditional pilings. The seventh bridge was closed to traffic and torn down in 2008 for replacement due to failure of its floatation system, which was based on foam-filled barrels."

Comment:  I'm not totally sure if this one is floatating too well


Virginia

Foamhenge

"Just one mile from Natural Bridge sits another of Virginia's wonders. Why travel all the way to England when you can admire a complete replica of Stonehenge right here in Virginia? Artist Mark Cline created this masterpiece entirely out of foam which has been painted to resemble Stonehenge. The result is every bit as majestic as the real thing."

Comment:  Every bit

Meanings of Q Words Without U's

Last week, we looked at some 2-letter words. This week, we’ll look at another SCRABBLE fave, words with q’s but no u’s. 

God knows that can be a challenging rack.  Maybe knowing the definitions of these babies can help you remember these dozen lifesavers.

Also, do you speak Arabic?  That might help a little too. Indeed, of the 12 words here, 7 come from that language. 

Note that I stopped at words of 5 letters. There are some with 6 and 7, but I just figured that the chances of playing those are pretty slim. 


Qi (qis)

The life force, in Chinese philosophy (and medicine). Pretty much every SCRABBLE player's favorite play, as it's a 2-letter word as well. Indeed, if you use it for a hook on a triple-letter space, it's 60 points right there. Also spelled “chi.” Pronounced “chee.” 

Qat (qats)

Catha edulis, a plant native to the region around the Horn of Africa. Khat is chewed by the natives there for its stimulating effect. Also spelled “khat.” Pronounced “cot.”

I don’t know – he looks pretty happy to me

Qaid (qaids) 

A kind of Muslim leader. It’s also spelled “kaid” and “caid,” though only the latter is legit in SCRABBLE. An alternative plural is “qaad,” though that’s not kosher either.  “Qaid,” with the definite article “al,” just so happens to be the source of the Spanish word for mayor, “alcalde.” Pronounced “kaid,” with a hard i.

It’s also the name of (pretty dramatic, I would assume) telenovela in Pakistan

Qadi (qadis)

A Muslim judge, in Shari’a court. Once again, there are numerous other forms – “cadi,” “kadi,” “qazi,” “cazi,” and “kazi” (with only the first 2 being legitimate for our purposes). Pronounced “kah-dee.”

 Mohammed Al Qadi is an Egyptian body builder 

(and not a judge - at least as far as I know)

Qoph (qophs)

A Hebrew letter. There’s no real no real English equivalent, but it’s usually rendered as a “k.” Also spelled “koph.” Pronounced “cough.”

Cinq (cinqs)

The number five. I honestly have no idea why this is legit. I mean, une, deux, trois, and quatre aren’t in there. So, why “cinq”? If it’s like the French word, it should be pronounced “sahnk.”


Faqir (faqirs)

A Muslim (and Hindu) ascetic, living primarily on alms. They’re the ones who like to sleep on beds of nails, walk across hot coals, engage in elaborate body piercings, and performs other forms of extreme body mortification. Also spelled “fakir.” Pronounced “fah-keer.”

Niqab (niqabs)

A veil worn by some Muslim women. It covers everything but the eyes. You can contrast it with the hijab, chador, and burka. Pronounced “nee-kahb.”

Tranq (tranqs)

To tranquilize, usually an animal. It’s also a noun, typically street slang for a tranquilizer pill. Also spelled “trank.” Pronouned “traynk.” 

A tranq gun

Qanat (qanats)

An underground tunnel built to lead water from deep underground a hill to a village below. It means “channel.” The alternative spellings for this one are legion: khanat, kunut, kona, konait, ghanat, ghundat, kariz, karez, kahan, kahn, kahriz,  khettara, falaj, foggara, fughara, kakuriz, chin-avulz, amayun. None of these are proper for SCRABBLE though (except for “kona,” which is of course a coffee).  Pronounced “kah-naht.”

Qibla (qiblahs)

The direction that a Muslim faces when praying. In particular, it’s the direction of the Kaaba in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. Most mosques contain a wall niche to help you orient yourself. Also spelled “kiblah,” Pronounced “kib-luh.”

Oh, this modern world

Qapik (qapiks)

A monetary unit of Azerbaijan, worth 1/100 of an amant (so, basically, a cent).  It comes from the Russian “kopek,” 1/100th of a ruble. Also spelled “gopik.” Pronounced “kah-peek.”

Twenty of 'em

Meanings of Two-Letter Words in SCRABBLE

If you’re a serious SCRABBLE player like me, you probably memorized all the two-letter words a long time ago. Sure, most of them are pretty easy – at, be, it, me … But there are a few that are definitely out there – ai, ba, qi, ut … 

Though some players scoff at definitions, I’ve actually found that that can help me immensely. So, herewith, some definitions for those two-letter words that aren’t always that obvious.


Aa (aas)

One of the two basic forms of lava. Aa is rough and jagged, as opposed to pahoehoe, which is smooth and ropy. Aa is formed from rapid a flow of lava, which breaks up when cools. The word comes straight from the Hawaiian, and means “stony.” It’s pronounced “ah-ah.”

Ae 

One, in Scots dialect. It’s similar to the article “a” or “an.” It’s pronounced “ay,” like the letter. 


Ai (ais)

The maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus), one of only three three-toed sloths in existence. It hangs out in  Brazil, and is listed as threatened. It spends up to 80% of its time asleep, and never leave the trees. The name comes from the cry it makes. It’s pronounced “eye.”

Awww!!

Al (als)

An Asian tree, Morinda citrifolia, and also known as the great morinda, Indian mulberry, noni, beach mulberry, and cheese fruit. It has a strong, vomit-like odor, but is cultivated nonetheless (albeit mostly for medicines and dyes). It’s pronounced “ahl.”

Ba (bas)

In Ancient Egypt, an aspect of the soul (there were many). In particular, ba represented mobility, and was depicted as a man-headed raptor, typically shown in art hovering over a mummy. It’s pronounced “bah.” See also see ka.

Bo (bos)

A pal, or chum. Also used in addressing someone (you know, like “Dude!”). Used in the US, especially down South.  Probably from “boy.” Pronounced “bow.”

Whoops, wrong Bo

Da (das)

Dad, common in Ireland. My boys called me this growing up. Though my wife is Irish-American (and her brother’s children use the same form), I think it just came from one of the kids. Pronounced “dah.”

Et

A past tense of eat, a non-standard form (i.e., frowned upon as bad grammar). Popular on both sides of the pond, it’s a common pronunciation if you go back far enough (though not spelling). Pronounced “eht.”

As we all know, SCRABBLE does not allow abbreviations

Fe (fes)

A Hebrew letter, basically the same as the Latin F. Pronounced “fay.”

Gi (gis)

Traditional white garment worn in karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, and other martial arts. It consists of a traditionally white top and pants. It’s pronounced with a hard G – i.e., “ghee” and not “jee.”

Jo 

A sweetheart, in Scottish dialect. Probably short for “joy.” A famous Bobby Burns poem is “John Anderson My Jo” (1789). Pronounced “joe.” Not totally sure why this doesn’t have a plural.

Bobby (and not John)

Ka (kas)

Another aspect of the soul in ancient Egypt. What it’s for is actually a little bit confusing. I do know that it’s symbolized by something that looks a lot like the signal for a touchdown. Pronounced “kah.” Also see “ba.”

Ki (kis)

Variant of qi, which see


Li (lis)

A Chinese unit of measurement, roughly half a kilometer, or about a third of a mile. The expression “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" was actually referring to lis (so, I guess that should be, “A journey of 333 miles …”). Pronounced “lee.”

Ne

Born with the name of. It’s like nee, but is the masculine form (though I have to wonder how often that comes up). Both come from the French past participle of naitre, which means to be born. Pronounced “nay.”


Od (ods)

A “hypothetical force of natural power,” akin to something like “life force,” “elan vital,” or even “qi” (which see). It was coined by one Baron Carl von Reichenbach, a 19th Century German scientist and philosopher. He named it after the Germanic god Odin. Pronounced “ode.”

Carl, not Odin

Oe (oes)

A whirlwind off the Faeroe Islands. Sorry, that’s about all I could find on this one.

Well, at least I could find this map

Oi

The SCRABBLE dictionary lists this as a variant of “oy.” Variant spellings like this are a common occurrence with words transliterated from another alphabet. “Oy,” of course, is an interjection, used to express exasperation or dismay, and comes from the Yiddish. By the way, “oi” is also a British expression, typically to get someone’s attention (kind of like “hey”).

Notice the Brooklyn Bridge in the background

Op (ops)

A style of abstract art, typically focusing on patterns and optical illusions, and popular during the 60s and 70s. For some reason, you can make this plural (?!?!).

Os

A bone, typically used to describe specific ones, for little ones that don’t have common names, and in technical contexts. Just as an example, the hip bone is also known as the os coxae. “Os” is straight from the Latin. BTW, it’s also a medical term for an opening. Interestingly, the plural is “ossa.” Pronounced “ahss.”


Pe (pes)

A Hebrew letter, basically the same as the Latin P. Pronounced “pay.”

Po (pos)

A chamber pot, of all things. Possible from the French pot de chambre (with “pot” pronounced “poh”). Other synonyms for chamber pot include thunder mug, jerry, Jordan, and guzunder.

Qi (qis)

The life force, in Chinese philosophy (and medicine). Also spelled “chi.” Pronounced “chee.” Also see ki and od.

Si (sis), Te (tes)

Whoa! A two-for-one? Sure enough, these two words both stand for the seventh tone of the diatonic scale, much more commonly known as “ti” (and standing in for the note B). Bet you didn’t know that the process of giving notes phonetic symbols like this is called “solmization.” Pronounced, respectively, “see” and “tee.”

Ut (uts)

And here’s another! This one is for the first tone of the diatonic scale, stands in for C, was ultimately changed to “do,” and is pronounced “uht.”

What does “ut” have to do with “do”? Good question. The original syllables were from a popular medieval chant, which began, “UT queant laxis REsonare fibris, MIra gestorum, FAmuli tuorum,SOLve polluti LAbii reatum, Sancte Ioannes.” The whole thing was devised by a Benedictine named monk Guido d'Arezzo.

Wo (wos)

Woe. It appears to be an older variant, though I can’t really find that much on it.


Xu

A Vietnamese coin, worth a 100th of a dong (so, kind of equivalent to our cent). Not used currently.

"Hai" mean "two"

Ya (yas)

An Asian pear, Pyrus pyrifolia, also known as a ya li, nashi pear, and a Chinese white pear. They're similar to a standard Bosc pear, but whiter, crisper, juicier, and not as sweet.  Personally, I like 'em on salads.

Presidential Facial Hair

It truly runs the gamut. On one extreme, Rutherford B. Hayes could easily have been a member of ZZ Top. On the other, Dwight Eisenhower seemed to have more hair in his eyebrows that he did anywhere else.

Ike – am I right?

But, what I want to know is, Are there any patterns here? Is one look more popular than others? How has that changed over time? Let’s take a look …

Well, one way to do that is to simply look at the subject over time. Now, there are a couple of ways to do that as well. One that might be particularly effective, though, is a pie chart (of all things! – I’ll explain).

In this particular instance, try and see the pie as the 250+ years our country’s been in existence. Just start at 12 noon and then follow the clock to the current day, at 12 midnight:

See! Works pretty well, doesn’t it?

A few thoughts come immediately to mind …  First, there is definitely a preponderance of clean-shaven gentlemen. That said, there are also, however, definitely some other patterns mixed in as well. Do note, though, that they never quite sweep the boards, with the clean-shaven almost always popping in here and there.

So, here are what I see as the main periods of presidential facial hair:


The Wig Ascendancy – Excuse the pun, as these guys are all Federalists or Democrat-Republicans. And who I’m talking about here are basically the first four presidents – Washington through Madison. Now, all of them are clean-shaven as well, but those powdered wigs are just so dang interesting that I had to give them their own sub-category. That first clean-shaven guy who gets tagged on there at the end? That would be James Madison. 

NOTE: Debated putting our current chief exec here, but made the tough call and called him clean-shaven.

Makes a good Halloween costume as well

The Era of Good Whiskers – Well, I’m not sure two guys really make an era, but whiskers are pretty darn interesting as well, so what the heck. And, here, I’m referring to John Quincy Adams and Martin Van Buren, with poor Andrew Jackson getting sandwiched between them.

Though no one rocked ‘em like ol' MVB

The First Great Clean-Shaving – Our first dynasty. Twenty whole years, from 1841 to the start of the Civil War, and from William Henry Harrison to James Buchanan, and all without any interruption.

Love the curls, Franklin Pierce

The Bearded Age – This time period starts, of course, with Abraham Lincoln. Few people know, though, that Lincoln only grew his chinstrap right before being elected, and at the instigation of an 11-year-old girl. Perhaps it had an influence, as beards would rule for 32 more years, ending only in 1893, with the fully-bearded Benjamin Harrison. The only real outliers in this period were the clean-shaven Andrew Johnson and the mustachioed Grover Cleveland.

Rutherford Z Topp

The Mustachioed Era – Interestingly, Cleveland starts our next era as well (being our only president with multiple but non-consecutive terms will do that for you). Others with furry upper lips include Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. The outlier here is the extremely clean-shaven William McKinley.

But only Taft’s turned up at the end

The Second Great Clean-Shaving – And this is what we’re all used to. Indeed, it’s been more than a 100 years ago since any president dared to rock any facial hair. From Woodrow Wilson on, there have been no whiskers, mustaches, or beards. 

I dunno – I think ol’ Woody shoulda kept it

And, here, just to blow your mind, is how that all shakes out in more traditional pie chart form: