01 April 2025

30 March 2025

Canada to US Tourism continues to drop, drop drop

 As tensions flame, Canadians are seeking other Snowbird destinations this Spring as flights and car rental fall as much as 30% in April 2025.  The Guardian even reports a 70% drop!


No matter what percentage, things are changing as more and more citizens from around the world, decide it might be better to travel elsewhere?

Why spend your money in the States when other places are more welcoming and warmer than even Florida?

Oh yeah, you need Real ID soon.


27 March 2025

Arrivals to US down


As the US becomes less welcoming, the data shows:

Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in February 2025

Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:

4.116 million in February 2025, down 4.8 percent compared to February 2024.

This represents 88.2 percent of pre-pandemic February 2019 volume.

Source: I-94 Arrivals Program

A friend from the UK reported to me:

"All the news that we get on this side of the pond paints the U.S. as a dystopian, fascist regime that's not even safe to visit — which definitely gives me pause for whether this is the right decision (to return home)."

24 March 2025

Rain Gardens

 While April Showers brings May Flowers, it also brings Spring Floods.

so here are a couple of links for you to learn more.

Rain Gardens

Building a rain garden | UMN Extension

and grab this one,  before the Mr. Trump removes it.

Soak Up the Rain: Rain Gardens | US EPA


and don't dump stuff down the storm drains.

19 March 2025

Great Cardboard Boat Regatta

 50th Annual Great Cardboard Boat Regatta

The Great Cardboard Boat Regatta originated at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1974.

This fun, family–friendly event continues to draw aspiring boat builders and spectators to Southern Illinois each spring to race cardboard creations (and watch them sink).

Date: April 26, 2025

Time: Races begin at 1 p.m.

Location: Becker Pavilion (Boat Dock) on Campus Lake

1493 Douglas Drive, Carbondale, Illinois

Great Cardboard Boat Regatta | Conference Services | SIU

and a video from last year

Hundreds attend 49th annual SIU Cardboard Boat Regatta