As you drive down the New Jersey Turnpike, you'll notice that many of the rest stops are named for famous poets. I guess we need to take a break and listen to some poetry occasionally. So let's see what we can learn from Alfred Joyce Kilmer at this rest-stop podcast.

Happy President's Day to all my listeners! This holiday was made possible by George Washington and the soldiers of the American Revolution. Today's podcast comes from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where the soldiers spent the winter of 1777. When you visit Valley Forge, you will see a movie that will give you an overview of the hardships the soldiers faced during the winter encampment at Valley Forge. You will see how they struggled to build huts with very few supplies, and the difficulties they had - how they did not have the proper clothes, shoes, or tools they needed, but miraculously they survived the winter and got the training they needed. This gave them the confidence to fight the British in further battles of the Revolutionary war, which eventually concluded with the victory at Yorktown in 1781. At Valley Forge, you can view exhibits in the Visitor Center, and you can also take a narrated driving tour of the site if you buy a tape or CD in the gift shop.

The following music is heard during this podcast:

Chester

March for the Dead

J.S. Bach Endlessly Rising Canon

J.S. Bach Crab Canon

America The Beautiful

The ending comes from the driving tour CD available at the Valley Forge visitor center.

For more information, visit: http://www.nps.gov/vafo/home.htm

The history channel recently had an excellent documentary on Abraham Lincoln which explored his personal struggles. The message to take away is that every one of us can overcome our personal difficulties and still make great contributions to society. As you listen to these famous sayings by Abraham Lincoln, think about the issues people were dealing with 150 years ago, and how the same principles apply to the issues we face today.

Happy Groundhog Day! If you're tired of shoveling snow, here's something to look forward to... a podcast from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, complete with sounds of the ocean.

During these winter months it's nice to have some things to look forward to. Here's a podcast from Lums Pond State Park in Delaware. Our national parks are treasured resources that we must preserve for future generations. As you listen, you will learn about the planning efforts that went into the creation of Lums Pond State Park, and I encourage you to think about little things that we can do today to preserve the beauty of our natural resources for future generations.